#but my roommate isn't ready for that and is going more for a long game

[seraphim-soulmate]

oguagh I've been going to sleep very late recently bcs I'm not winding down from the day early enough so of course I feel like shit the next day but I still have a bunch of anxious energy so I still do a bunch of shit. I just do it really anxious instead of taking the time to calm myself down.

[legandairy-horror]

Does anyone else feel a strange sort of dread waiting for new deltarune chapters?

It sounds crazy right? I admit it's a weird feeling for sure, and I'm not even 100% sure if dread is the right way to describe it. But as more info is revealed and the next chapter inevitably gets closer and closer to releasing I can't help but feel a strange sort of, melancholy? Longing? The only way I can describe it is "when you know the goodbye is coming". The strange somber feeling when you know you’re going to have to leave stuff behind, but aren't quite ready for it yet.

warning: words. Homestuck

In 3 months Chapter 1 will be 6 years old, and in 2 months Chapter 2 will be 3 years old. Deltarune is ostensibly in Early Access but this release schedule puts new chapters closer in time scale to whole sequals if anything, which they most assuredly are not trying to be. This has created a strange situation in the fanbase that I don't think I've ever truly seen anywhere else. One where, In the time between chapters It feels like everyone has had their own chance to decide what Deltarune is to them. To create their own version of this story, to write their own themes that they want to see explored, to imagine their own events and plot twists they want to see play out.

@lynxgriffin Paper Trail Comic Being an Alternate Story following off of chapter 1

@lilybug-02 The Chara Timeline Being one of many interpretations on the popular Asriel & Chara roommates headcannon.

@huecycles Andromeda Chapters being their interpretation on the full game

The innumerable Deltarune Theorists and analysts like HalfBreadChaos, Andrew Cunningham, Stuffed Alpaca, etc. etc.

@vyletbunni Deltatraveler being a whole ass fangame based around a chapter 2 meme that it has long since outlived

And that's kinda the thing isn't it? Once more deltarune comes out, a ton of these projects will just become outdated, it's an inevitability. So what will happen to them? will they become forgotten? maybe, maybe not, it's impossible to tell. but either way it feels kinda sad to think about yknow? that one day all the time and effort spent and all the memories made might one day just cease to exist.

There's a lot more I could say on this topic if given the chance but to keep this tumblr post from morphing into a 2 hour long video essay in text form let me leave off with this.

In the age of the internet and social media there will always be a fan of something. Nothing truly dies quite like it used to anymore, regardless of whatever influencers want you to believe. But that doesn't mean things stop changing, that there wasn't a past that has since been left behind. I'm a Homestuck fan. more specifically I'm a Late Homestuck fan, one who came in after the comic had already ended and it's peak in popularity was long behind it. The fandom's still around all these years later. But it'd be foolish to admit that, 8 years after the comics controversial end, the inescapable trend of new fans replacing old fans has left the fandom wholly disconnected from the monolith that it once was. the only remnants of which lie in decades old discourse and fanfiction. Like old relics of a long forgotten city, waiting to be excavated under a fine layer of dirt.

Before I close out here I just want to make it clear: I'm not saying that we should be trying to return to some nebulous "glorious past" that never really existed. I'm not trying to deride Toby Fox for not working in the sweatshop hard enough to produce more content™, or whatever you wanna try and spin-doctor this post into. It's just a thought that creeps into my head every now that I wanted to share, see if anyone feels the same, yknow?

Besides it's not all doom and gloom. For those of you OG Homestucks who read till the end. You remember Heinoustuck? Guidestuck? Nightfall? Fucking Ke$haStuck? yeah those are still going by the way! after years of inactivity they've now started back up again. some under new authors and some by the same author but still!

You could say a lot about that but to me at least, it makes me feels hopeful in a way. That, even if not everything will survive. we'll at least have some mementos to remember what came before.

[peachhcs]

mark to the rescue

hughes!sister x will smith au (samy + will)

samy isn't feeling it when hannah drags her out, so mark comes to save her from the frats

2.1k words

i always love writing the big brother relationship between samy and the umich boys, so here's her and mark after he picks her up when samy attempts to go out and talk to guys but realizes all of them are horrible

au masterlist

“come onnn, you haven’t come out with us in like..forever,” hannah frowned at samy where the girl sat on her bed trying to get her homework done. a small eye roll came from the soccer player. 

“maybe because i’m trying to keep up with my work?” samy’s tone had a bit of attitude laced into it. 

hannah’s noticed she’s become a bit more bitter ever since the breakup and knew to not take it personally. “okay, well you can take a break? it’ll be a fun break,” the girl tried again with a hopeful smile. 

“i’m just not into it,” samy shrugged knowing she wouldn’t really have fun. she never had a lot of fun when going out unless she was somewhat wasted and there was no way she was drinking her weight with a game in two days. 

“for an hour? please? for me if not yourself? maybe you’ll see a guy catch your eye or something,” hannah wiggled her eyebrows, but that only earned her another unimpressed eye roll. 

she’s been on samy’s back a little about going out and talking to some guys since will clearly didn’t care anymore and neither of them had spoken for five months. 

“again with the guys, huh?” samy raised her eyebrow. 

“i just think it could be fun for you. try out your flirting. you never really had to do that with will because he was always just all over you,” immediately after hannah said that she realized she probably shouldn’t have. 

samy’s gaze hardened a bit at the mention of will’s name. 

“if i come out, will you shut up?” 

hannah smiled, “yes. i knew i could convince you. come on, we need to get you ready.” 

samy was dragged off the bed a moment later, her textbooks and notebooks long forgotten as the two girls dove into samy’s closet to find an outfit. 

thirty minutes later, hannah and samy packed themselves into the full frat house. sweaty bodies knocked against one another along with drinks dropping to the floor as it sloshed out of people’s cups. the scene was chaotic and samy quickly regretted coming out. 

“i’m gonna find a drink. want anything?” hannah yelled over the speakers. 

“get me whatever,” samy responded. the girl nodded before disappearing into the crowd of bodies towards the kitchen. 

samy perched herself in the corner where she hoped she could hide the whole night and not have to talk to anyone. her phone suddenly became really interesting as she swiped through her different apps awaiting hannah’s return. 

“hey, samy, right?” the brunette’s head snapped up at the new voice. 

when she saw the face a few feet away, she instantly recognized him. he was in her political theory class where the two bantered back and forth about differing opinions. samy managed a small smile. 

“hi, yeah. that’s me. you’re..dylan, right?” the boy nodded when samy got his name right. 

“yeah, that’s me. i’m always firing some opinions back at you in class,” dylan said and samy nodded. 

“yeah, that’s right. those are fun,” the girl chuckled even though they were on opposite ends of the debate most of the times, samy enjoyed having someone to have civilized discussions with amd she knew they entertained the class. 

“i didn’t really take you for much of a frat girl?” dylan hummed, leaning himself against the wall. the brunette shrugged some. 

“i’m not, but my roommate dragged me out,” somewhere in the crowd was hannag getting them drinks and samy lowkey hoped she’d come back soon so she could exit this conversation. 

it wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk to dylan, samy knew what he wanted and why he was near her and that was just something the girl didn’t really want to partake in. 

“how are you and your boyfriend? i never see you post about him anymore?” dylan asked casually, but that sentence alone nearly sent the girl spiraling. she forgot people would ask her about will because they were fairly public with their relationship. 

“um, we broke up a few months ago actually,” samy swallowed, eyes on the ground. 

“oh. i’m sorry, i had no idea. that sucks,” the taller boy quickly sympathized with her, but samy shook her head. 

“don’t worry about it. it’s fine,” she gave a tight lipped smile that hopefully dylan would take the hint that she didn’t want to talk about it. 

he seemed to not take that hint though, “you were out of his league anyway. i’m sure you can do a lot better than him.” 

samy seriously hoped hannah was on her way back with those drinks. “yeah, it’s whatever. i’m getting over it,” the soccer player’s fingers brushed across her charm bracelet, subconsciously toying with the shark charm. 

whether the youngest hughes wanted to acknowledge it or not, she played with that charm a lot whenever will was on her mind as if it would help her stop thinking about him even though he got her that charm. 

“i bet your brother’s hockey friends are just lined up for you,” dylan seriously did not know when to stop talking. 

luckily, hannah pushed her way back through the crowd with two cups in her hand. she beamed when she caught sight of her roommate talking to a guy. 

“oh, perfect. i was waiting for you, hannah. mind showing me to the bathroom,” samy immediately cut in when the girl got close enough. 

samy had eyes that said get me away from this man. hannah glanced between her and the guy before nodding, letting the soccer player drag her away before anything else could be said. as soon as the two were out of view, samy grabbed a cup and quickly chugged whatever was in it. 

“jesus, slow down, hughes,” hannah laughed a bit. 

“these fucking guys don’t know how to take a hint. have they always been this bad?” because will was always just there, samy never had to do much flirting with him to catch his attention. she hardly paid attention to the guys in the frats last year, so she never realized how horrible it was to talk to one of them. 

“did something happen?” hannah grew concerned. 

“just that dylan can’t take a hint when to stop talking. he literally thinks luke’s hockey friends are at my feet after knowing will broke up with me,” the idea made the brunette shudder even thinking about it. 

“ew, gross. that would be a whole new low for you if you started dating one of them,” hannah shook her head. 

“can i just leave? i’ll get mark or someone to pick me up. i know you’re trying to cheer me up, but i don’t think a frat is gonna make me smile,” samy frowned a bit. 

hannah studied her roommate's expression and she knew this scene wasn’t for her. it never had been anyway. “okay, just text me when you’re back? i’m sorry this wasn’t fun.” 

“it’s okay. i promise i’ll text,” the two girls exchanged tight hugs before samy started her way back to the door and searched for mark’s contact. 

she knew ethan was studying for this big exam coming up and mark never did much except hang out with his girlfriend, so samy just hoped she wouldn’t interrupt things when she called. surprisingly, the older boy picked up on the second ring as soon as samy got outside. 

“what’s up hughesy?” mark cheered. 

“hey, i hate to ask but can you pick me up? i’m at this frat hannah dragged me out to and i just wasn’t feeling it. i’ll send my location,” the girl explained. 

“yeah, sure. i’m on my way,” mark said. 

“thanks, mark. i owe you,” the two hung up and samy made her perch outside while she waited for mark’s arrival. 

ten minutes later, mark’s little honda civic pulled onto the side of the road. the boy reached over the seats to push samy’s door open for her. the girl smiled as she climbed in beside him. 

“thanks again. i didn’t wanna bother ethan knowing he’s studying,” samy explained as she buckled in and mark pulled back onto the road. 

“it’s not a problem. i was just playing video games with the other guys,” that made samy laugh because of how typical that sounded. those guys were always glued to their computers on call with one another. 

“any chance you’re hungry? i could go for our usual,” mark glanced over at the girl with a smile. 

anytime ethan or mark had to pick samy up late at night, they always stopped at their favorite pizza place on campus that became the spot the two boys took the girl out for lunch every other week to catch up with her like real annoying brothers would do. 

“i could always go for pizza,” samy grinned back at the older boy. 

they pulled into the parking lot a few moments later as the two eagerly hopped out to order their usuals—two slices of pepperoni for samy and two slices of cheese for mark. with it being almost 12 in the morning, the two got in and out and then found a table outside. they let the comfortable silence overtake them, savoring the first bites and people watching the very drunk college kids wandering around to different house parties. 

“so bad night, or what?” mark wondered. 

“not really..i just wasn’t feeling it i guess. this one guy tried talking me up and it got weird really fast,” samy shook her head. 

“what’d he say?” 

“well, first he said i was out of will’s league because i told him we broke up when he asked. then he said and i quote, “i’m sure luke’s hockey friends are lined up at your feet.”” mark quickly frowned when he heard that. 

“what the fuck. who says that,” his eyebrows scrunched together in near disgust. 

“i have no idea. i just had to get out of there. i forgot how awful guys are when they’re trying to flirt with you,” the younger girl shook her head again. 

“i guess you have been out of the game for awhile so,” mark gently teased, but that made samy smile. 

“apparently. i hate that i actually have to like deal with that if i wanna talk to guys now.” 

“are you thinking about dating again?” mark asked. 

“i feel like i can’t keep sitting around being sad, so maybe. i don’t know. probably nothing serious though. the dating scene doesn’t really appeal to me.” 

“makes sense. i’d be the same way if i were you. i know you and will didn’t date for a long time, but that was some serious shit, so.. moving on isn’t that easy,” the older boy sympathized, which samy appreciated. 

“right. i was his first time, so i’d say that’s pretty serious,” the girl mumbled, but mark made a face. 

“ew, i didn’t need to know that part. but like actually?” his reaction made the brunette laugh. 

“sorry, but yeah i was. surprised me too when he told me, but i don’t know. i kind of thought it was sweet,” samy hummed a bit, her finger going back to the shark charm. 

“i know you’ve probably heard this a hundred times, but i really hope you guys can work it out. especially the friendship part. having a best friend like that is really special. i never really had a best friend like that until i came here and met ethan and luke and all the guys. even if the dating can’t happen again, i really hope you two can be friends again,” mark said softly which samy surprisingly didn’t hate hearing. she knew everyone who was saying this had a point and she, too, hoped that her and will could work something out. it was just a matter of who was gonna reach out to make it happen because they were both very stubborn. 

“thanks, mark. i also hope we can be friends at some point again,” the two shared a smile. 

they stayed for another ten minutes before deciding they should get back because it was late. when mark pulled into the parking lot to samy’s dorm, she reached out to give his arm a loving squeeze. 

“thanks again. text me when you and ethan are up for our get together next week and i’ll see you at tomorrow's game.” 

“yes, ma’am. have a good night,” they exchanged one last smile before samy climbed out and started her way back to the dorm feeling a lot better than she did when she left earlier. 

[petalruesimblr]

Phantom's Keep

Sim File Share (currently slow due to Simblreen traffic. I will upload a few days after the event so check my Downloads page for updates.) Dropbox

Welcome to Phantom's Keep, where the only thing spookier than the décor is your Sims' cooking skills! This charming little castle boasts one bedroom for all your witchy needs and a secret door that leads straight to the potion pantry - because who needs a grocery store when you have bat wings and eye of newt? Perfect for those late-night spellcasting sessions, just watch out for the occasional ghostly roommate. Get ready for a Halloween treat that’s simply to die for!

Price Furnished: 131,371 Price Unfurnished: 62,298 Lot Size: 20x30 Lot Type: Residential Store Content: Click here CC Used: Click here File Type: Package Min. Required Game Version: 1.42 Packs Needed: The Sims 3, World Adventures, Pets (Wallpaper), Generations (Wallpaper and Stairs), Late Night and Seasons

Hello and welcome back to my blog!

As a final treat for this year's Simblreen (@simblreenofficial), I'm excited to share a house inspired by the spirit of the season! While the name of this lot may be a nod to Danny Phantom, unfortunately it isn't a replica of Pariah's Keep. Instead, it's designed to be a home fit for a modern-ish witch and I've included as many Halloween-themed CC items as I could.

I had a lot of fun building it and I hope you enjoy exploring it! If you missed the first and second treats, click the #Simblreen tag to check them out.

Click on the ’Keep Reading’ below for more information and pictures on this lot.

I’ve been considering getting the Supernatural expansion pack but something has always held me back into doing it and working on this house has made that temptation even stronger. Since I don’t have the pack, all witch-related objects are purely decorative. You can replace them with Supernatural objects like cauldrons, wands, etc. which can be stored in the hidden witches' potion pantry in the tower.

As a reminder, 📣 please note that the store content and CC included in the lot are not included on the download file. The lot may seem a bit sparse from above based on the floor plan pictures but this includes around 79 CCs. These are not required and will be automatically replaced in the game but if you want it to look the same as in the pictures, you can always go to my WCIF Navigation page, where I’ve compiled a list for those interested in downloading them separately.

I placed three fog emitters outside the house to create an eerie atmosphere, especially at night and as long as your game is patched to 1.42 or higher then you won’t need the Ambitions expansion pack for this to be available. However, the Generations and Pets expansion pack are required due to the build items used in the lot as stated in the Details section above.

If you want to check and/or remove the fog emitters, enable “testingcheatsenabled true” and “buydebug on” after.

This lot has been play-tested and let me know if you experience any problems on your end!

[snoopyearss]

Here. Eren Yeager x F. Reader

content warning: suggestive!

Summary: Y/n isn't a party person. That’s not her scene. All she wants to do is stay in her dormroom and listen to slowed and reverbed songs and watch gaming videos on youtube. When her extroverted friends convince her to go to a house party, she’s forced to talk to people she normally doesn't talk to. When she goes to the car for some peace and quiet, someone, one of the most popular playboys at the university by the name of Eren Yeager, decides to keep her company. What could go wrong?

We're bringing back the 2020-2021 anime fanfictions vibes with this one. Alll the stereotypes of a college au fic is in this so spare me the bitching and complaining and just enjoyyyyy

Chapter 1: To Marley's

Your POV

I unlocked the door to my shared dorm with my roommates Hitch and Sasha. The three of us are inseparable, but if there’s a party happening at that very moment, they won’t hesitate to leave me.

No hard feelings though. I don’t like parties. Lame I know, but I can’t stand the idea of everyone in a small room, sweaty, and grinding on each other. Blech. But I digress. I walked into the kitchen and greeted Sasha, who was munching on some chips.

“You’re getting crumbs all over the floor. You know this university housing has a mouse problem.” I groaned. “Yeah, yeah I’ll clean it up. Later. How was class?”

“Fucking long. Nothing new. Professor Hange was talking for HOURS. I love her but geez the lady has energy.” Sasha laughed. “Keeps me awake though. Good thing it’s Friday. You get a break and maaybee, come party with us?” She slipped in.

“You’re not gonna get me to go to a party with you Sash. It’s not happening. I don’t do that.” I opened the cupboard to grab the last pack of pop tarts.

“Ugh come onnn!” She pleaded. “You’re always in that damn room. That’s all you do. For once, come out and have some fun! When's the last time you had se-”

“We aren’t doing this right now. Plus I got homework.” I broke a piece of the cookies and cream pop tart and put it in my mouth. “And that shit won’t be due until next Tuesday. What do you even plan to do anyways?” Sasha cleaned up the crumbs from the kitchen table.

“Well I’m gonna-”

“Wait, don't tell me. You're gonna put your LED lights on, listen to the same 5 slowed songs and watch gaming videos. I’m right, aren't I?” Sasha interrupted. “Well, I found one more song so make that 6. So you're wrong.” I stuck my tongue out at her.

“Hopeless. But I guess that makes you happy. Talk later?” She said while getting out of her seat. I nodded “I’ll get Hitch to persuade you.” She whispered as she walked to her room and closed the door.

“And you still didn’t clean these crumbs off the floor! I don’t want mice!” I yelled then got up to do it since I knew she wasn’t going to do it herself.

₊˚✩彡.

Pussy Poppers

Sasha

You guys wanna go to

That new restaurant that

Opened down the street

From the campus for dinner?

Hitch

ooohhhh

yes. i heard their burgers

were really good!

Y/N Loved “You guys wanna go to that new restaurant that opened down the street from the campus for dinner?”

Y/N

Yeah, let's go!

Sasha

Yaaaayy!

:))))

I locked my phone and put it on the charger and got ready. I put on some music and opened my closet. “I have all these pieces, but not an actual outfit.” I said to myself. Remind me to go shopping. After sometime I managed to get an outfit together then went to do my hair and makeup. I heard a knock on my bedroom door.

“Hey Y/n you got a- here you go with the same slowed and reverbed songs on repeat.” Hitch teased me. “You hating and for what ma’am?” I rolled my eyes.

“Anyways you got a tampon? I ran out.”

“Yeah, in the small drawer next to my desk.” She thanked me and walked out. As soon as I finished, I put on some shoes and walked out of my bedroom to see Sasha munching on the same chips.

“We’re going out to eat, why are you eating now?” Hitch questioned her. “Because I’m hungry? What the fuck?” Hitch snatched the bag from her hands.

“Let's go. And when we get back, clean up this mess please Sasha I’m begging. I don’t want Remy and his friends trying to steal ingredients from our kitchen.” Sasha laughed at Hitch’s joke and got up to put her shoes on.

“They're probably gonna show up as soon as we close this door.” I added and the two laughed. I let the both of them leave before me, as I closed the door and locked it.

We all got into Sasha’s car as we drove to the restaurant. “What’s this restaurant called by the way?” I asked. “I think it’s called Marley’s or something I’m not sure.” Hitch answered and I nodded.

“Y/n, you want aux?” Sasha turned off the bluetooth on her phone so I could connect.

“You're not scared I’ll put on the same slowed songs like I do in my dorm?” I said and they laughed. “Nah. You got good taste.” I went on spotify and put on a song from my playlist.

(Play Borderline by Tame Impala)

“Ooh! I love this song! Sash, turn it up!” Hitch squealed. Sasha indeed turned it up, and rolled the windows down.

It was a cool summer’s night. The wind blew through my hair and on my skin causing little goosebumps. I looked out the window. I watched as the sun went down behind the buildings and tall trees, as the sky became a soft blue and pink cotton candy color. I looked at the mirror on the side of the car, watching Hitch dance in her seat with her eyes closed, feeling the beat. I smiled and turned to look at the sky.

I lived for moments like these. Especially with my friends. Sasha and Hitch mean so much to me. Hitch and I were mutuals on twitter since we shared the same interests. I would like the tweets she wrote and she would retweet mine. Next thing you know we were texting in direct messages. We had facetimed on so many occasions so I knew what she looked like. We wanted to meet up in person and to our surprise, we only lived an hour away from each other. Thus, blossoming our friendship.

I met Sasha through Hitch as well. We both shared our love for food and that's how it started. I love them with all my being.

The song ended and we were coming close to the restaurant. It was PACKED. It wasn't a surprise, I mean, it just opened and it was right near our campus. Sash managed to find a parking spot and we all hopped out. “I can smell the food from here! It’s like I can almost taste it...” She drooled, Hitch shook her head at her. “Your love for food is so scary sometimes.” I joked.

We headed inside, Hitch asking for a table for three and insisting we get a booth seat or else she won't eat. I jokingly rolled my eyes. The waiter did in fact, give us a booth, and we took our seats.

Sasha looked at the menu. “This all looks so good! Ugh I can’t decide! What are you getting Y/n?” She raised her head to look at me. “Hmm. I’m not sure. Can never go wrong with wings and fries. But knowing me I might just get chicken tenders and fries.” I chuckled. “What about you Hitch?”

“Might get this flatbread pizza, the description is convincing me.” I nodded.

Our waiter showed up to take your orders. “Hello, welcome to Marley’s, I’m your waiter Marlowe, Can I get you guys started with some drinks?” We all told him. I turned next to me to see Hitch’s face bright red. Her head was down, looking at her hands placed on her lap, lips formed into a straight line.

“Uh oh. I know that look. You like him, don’t you?” Sasha teased and I laughed. “S-shut up no I don’t!” She stammered out. Causing Sasha to laugh harder. “Oh? Lie one more time.” I teased.

“He..he has a nice face. I guess” She grumbled. Causing Sasha and I to laugh again

After some time, Marlowe came back with our drinks and took our orders for our meals. Sasha of course, ordering more than one entree. One for now, and one for later.

During that time, we talked about our first week of classes and how college life was treating us, then two boys walked up to our table. “Ayo, is that Sasha and Hitch?” The taller boy said. His hair was in a mullet style, and had stubble on his chin and jawline. The other boy had a buzzcut hairstyle. His eyes were big and bold. Both of them were extremely attractive. Everyone here knew each other. Sasha told me they all grew up together. I transferred here so they were all new to me.

“Jean! Connie! Hiii! I haven’t seen you guys in foreverrr!” Sasha got up from her seat to hug them both and they hugged back. “We saw each other last week, when we went to the beach dummy.” Connie laughed. “What’s up you two?” Hitch also gave them hugs.

Well this is awkward. I’m just sitting here.

“This is our friend, Y/n. She’s new to the area.” Hitch introduced me. I gave a smile and waved.

“Woah,” Connie started. “Yeah woah. She’s bad.” Jean finished. I sheepishly smiled.

“I’m Jean, and that bald fuck over there, is Connie.” He introduced both of them, causing Connie to smack Jean’s head.

“Nice to meet you.”

“So, the school year started, meaning summer is ending. Which meansss…” Jean trailed. “End of the Summer party! At the frat house! Next Friday. Please tell me you guys are coming?” Connie finished.

“You know we’ll be there. Y/n too. Right?” Sasha eyed me. I rolled my eyes. I knew she would pull this shit.

“Nah.” I sighed.

“Aww c’mon. It’ll be fun! It’s the perfect way to start off the school year.” Connie beamed.

“How exactly? By getting drunk until you feel insanely sick, just to throw up everywhere, and feel like shit the next day? Yeah I’m good. Y’all be easy.” I ranted.

“So sitting in your bed, watching Corey Kenshin and Berleezy is your idea of a ‘good time’?” Hitch taunted you and laughed.

“Hey, they’re funny ok! And yes it IS my idea of a good time!” I scoffed.

“I mean, she does have a point. They are pretty funny.” Connie said. “See, thank you!”

“But seriously Y/n come onnn. Just come with us for a few, and if you don’t like it, we’ll go home.”

“This is mass manipulation! I feel attacked!” I joked. “Ugh, fine. Don’t make me regret this.” I sighed and gave in. They all cheered and I rolled my eyes. “Yes! Omg. You’re going to have so much fun! We gotta go shopping tomorrow.” Hitch squealed.

“It’s not until next friday? You guys have like a whole week.” Connie asked. “Stay outta women’s business.” Hitch snapped. Connie raised his hands in defense.

“No we should. I need new clothes anyways.” I shrugged and both girls jumped up in excitement.

“Ok, here are your meals. Oh! Hey Connie. Jean.” Marlowe placed the meals on the table, dapping the two boys up. “What’s up man? How’s the new job treating you?” Jean asked. “It’s great. I’m able to serve so many gorgeous girls.” he eyed Hitch, making her face turn red again. Sasha and I snickered. “Say Marlowe, you going to the End of the Summer party next Friday?” Sasha questioned.

“Yeah I’ll be there. You guys going?” We all nodded. He smiled. “Great. Then I’ll see you guys there. I’m on the clock so I’ll talk to you guys later.” We waved and he left.

“Alright, you two, leave. I’m hungry and I want to eat.” Sasha ordered the two boys.

“See you girls on Friday. Y/n, I hope to see you there.” Jean smirked. “No promises!”

They walked back to their table and we got to eating.

₊˚✩彡.

After we ate our meals and Sasha paid for the bill, we all filed in her car and went home.

I unlocked the door to our flat and kicked off my shoes. Hitch handed Sasha a broom and Sasha sweeped up the crumbs from earlier.

“I can’t believe we managed to convince Y/n to come party with us.” Hitch said in awe. “Yeah me neither.” I grumbled.

“You’ll have so much fun Y/n. I promise. This is like one of the biggest parties of the year. Jean, Connie, and Eren throw one every year. They’re legendary.” Sasha said as she sweeped.

I frowned. “Who’s Eren?”

Hitch cleaned the dishes that were in the sink. “Another one of our friends. He’s pretty chill. Just don’t piss him off. He can get kinda mean.”

“He’s also like a major playboy. Slept with almost every girl at our highschool and possibly here too.” Sasha placed the crumbs in the trash can. “He’ll see you as some kind of new prey so don’t let him get under your skin. And don’t get attached. He doesn’t do relationships.” She warned.

“Good to know. And now what does he look like so I can avoid this walking STD?” I questioned.

“Tall, long brown hair, usually had it in a man bun. Green eyes, has a brow piercing and some ear piercings as well. He also wears a key necklace.” Hitch described him.

He sounds kinda hot…

“And I know you’re thinking “He sounds kinda hot.” Don’t fall for it.” She warned once more.

“I wasn’t!” I scoffed. “Uh huh. Just be careful ok?” I nodded. Not like I was gonna make a pass at him or something. I’m not exactly boy-crazy.

“Now we got that outta the way. Wanna watch a movie?” Hitch asked.

“Sure!” Sasha and I said.

˖◛⁺⑅♡

I started writing this in 2021, after reading every eren college au I could find on wattpad.

[childesblanket]

A pearl

chp 2; fuck him

*knock knock*

after thirty seconds of no sound, you press your ears against the dorm room. You can hear the sounds of what sounds like a fighting game and the slurping of noodles, but no footsteps. You sigh, and pull a phone out when the door suddenly swings in your direction and slams itself your head.

"Oh, fuck!" You hiss, using your palm to rub on the incoming bump, opening your eyes to a familiar ginger face.

"Ofcourse it's fucking you childe!"

Your friend laughs, not expecting you to be so close.

"why are you here? i thought you didn't want to smell my strong manly cologne again."

you figure he's referring to when he had invited you over and burned your nostrils off with thirteen whole sprays of Jean paul gaultier. You can smell it lingering in the air even when you haven't stepped in, and start to choke.

"Wow yn! Your a mess."

You stitch your eyebrows at him, and walk in without a word.

"I'm here for your friend, scaramouche. Purple? I know you've mentioned him before."

"Oh scara? He's in his room, why?" and suddenly he's gasping bringing his hand to cover his mouth and closing the door. He brings both hands to shake you.

"Are you guys in a top secret relationship? Both of my best friends? Oh my gosh I can feel the tears..."

"fuck off. It's for a film assignment." You shake yourself off of him and place your shoes at the door, looking over at childe. "Where's his room?"

then a door to your right creaks, and your film partner comes out with his hair tied up, and glass on on his face. He looks tired, way too tired to be doing any type of assignment and you feel a little sympathetic.

"Hey. Are you ready?"

"Yeah. Come, my room is better than the living room my roommates are too nosy."

and your looking at childe, who's walking over to his room already, sighing and waving off.

"Yeah ok."

You enter his room, and you immediately notice the decoration, he has the type of room that holds memories, but isn't too cluttered. You notice pictures of him and childe as friends, each with a note taped on to it that came from childe. He has ambient lighting and a low set table to sit.

He takes a seat, sets down his laptop, and pulls his books out. You follow his lead and not long in, he's already scribbling down things before you even get the chance to open your mouth.

"umm.."

"hm?"

"Uh, you know this is a group project right?"

"Yeah, what's your point."

"Well, my point is.." halfway between your sentence he's looking up at you through his glasses, and you get nervous.

"Nevermind... sorry."

And he doesn't say a word more, going back to researching and scribbling things down. You decide to do some work of your own, jotting down things to make yourself feel useless. You use the long conversation you guys had yesterday as a guide, feeling as if you were making ideas to please him. When you lift up your head to search something up you find him looking down at your notebook, frowning and stitching his eyebrow together. You sigh, and place the pencil down. feeling as if everything you did was wrong. You close your notebook and choose to text your friends.

A pearl!

A/N ; This was so fun to write, I'm trying to skim thru it as quick as possible😭

Taglist open!! ask if u want to b in :3

taglist; @skyoverkill1 @sketcheeee @heusalettle

[slowd1ving]

I just finished reading the new fic, and it was amazing !!! I dont know why, but i got hung up the most on Jiaoqiu. Like, he sounds so mellow and like he's in genuine love, but I dont know if it's just the effects the incubi has on him. (When he says the smell of burnt caramel got stronger, it's because of the transformation the protag had, right?)

So funny to see the cryptologist and the kafka mention. I love how you portray Kafka in your fics. she's always stirring up jealousy in the love interests.

I truly do wonder if Sunday will be forgiven for laying with a demon. I mean, if he can say he was doing 'salvation' he could get away with it. In the game, his npc model has what appears to be dark indigo wings, which implies he is not as pure as he appears to be, so I imagined his wings that colour. Im guessing his mission was subduing the protag, which he literally did haha.

And moze was such a sweetheart!! When he said he wouldn't care about being sent to hell as long as his fate is forever intertwined with yours, it is so cute. Im thinking he was also lying to himself about how he was following the protag due to his suspicions but was actually just obsessed. Him staying up late to see the protag come back home, was it similar to the cryptologist au? Where he was jealous they wouldnt approach him, or was it part of his stalking?. Also, when he felt fear but it was overridden by lust that made him get closer without thinking it could end his life ❤️.

Also cant imagine how their life will be after this encounter (im glad for Mr. Hopkins that they were able to film a good mockumentary and didn't just submit that !!). Im a Moze fan, so him being the roommate makes me think his life just got better (and that his photo taking hobby just got started).

I loved it, amazing halloween fic.

-swan anon 🦢

first let me just say DAMN I appreciate your dedication to delivering thorough analyses and eating them up every darn time

second I am locked in with a very tall cup of coffee I am ready

no same I was secretly rooting for jiaoqiu too; like originally he wasn't going to be part of it because then I'd have to plan more with an established character. reader was just gonna be someone who sleeps around 😭he was supposed to have one scene too but ended up with four.. honestly I was also going to write him as like a yokai in my initial plans so he's somewhat immune to whatever reader has got going on (which honestly isn't much it's just enhanced allure or whatever)?? I thought it'd be pretty funny to have a character who officially knows about reader and just like... helps them out like an emergency snack or whatever. but yeah he's definitely infatuated - jiaoqiu for LIFEEE

(and yes you are correct the stronger scent did indeed indicate the successful transformation)

you know, I lowkey forgot about the cryptology-moze series and the reference was just my subconscious picking it out☠️also I don't know if I officially stated reader's major (I don't really know myself) but it's hilarious to me to picture some demon just figuring out maths and working in it

did not register the kafka mention until I got to the end whoops

she wasn't even meant to be in this 😭like it was just supposed to be some faceless avatar of lust but then i was like hmm... we've got someone who literally puppets others as part of her mechanics like ??

kafka>>

she's so fun to use as a plot device cuz she just catalyses everything

Sunday will NOT be forgiven 🗣️🗣️that particular line I wrote where angels can lie to themselves is alluding to him convincing himself he isn't doing anything wrong; I was actually going to originally expand on him 'falling' from Harmony or whatever because of his allegiance to the Order - so he was doomed either way to be corrupted. his mission did include subduing the protag but was more a general order to keep order within the human realm which did include finding out demons - so not necessarily reader but he did sus them out pretty much from the start. however he was not supposed to sleep with a demon at all 😭like that line about keeping reader by him to prevent him from getting with other humans is just his bs justification to convince himself that he's still on the right path - but alas, his tenets have been fundamentally crumbling anyway due to his subversion to the harmony. I thought it was funny as fuck having a doomed angel for halloween

there's just something about fallen angel sunday, fits in with his lore too

but yeah themes of denial are heavy in this man, like he's convinced himself that he's on the right path but he's really not he's just entranced by the protag 😭

hmm

yup i had so much fun writing moze he's so cute. he is the prime human Sunday should be worried about but instead he's just competing with him

oh yes 100% lying I love writing unreliable narrators

YES similar to the cryptologist au it was his way of gaining information on you but also sorta looking out for the protag (and jealousy); also lowkey the bit about fear getting overridden was so funny to write about because he's just walked in on a literal angel and demon and just keeps marching forward like 😭😭

that triangle formation remains 100%

like mr hopkins just thinks "oh wow my students are completely dedicated to warding off demon energy thus are in perfect formation for doing so" or whatever ☠️

but reader now essentially has three emergency snacks and sunday's path to salvation is not looking very good tbh

also yeah that mockumentary saved their asses because I physically could not write them only having one film on that camera

that camera will have to get SCOURED before they return it, but Moze's already got it safely transferred to his heavily fortified laptop and Sunday's just keeping the really old one 😭

there's just something about the moze roommate brainrot... he's definitely gloating over it and sunday's just feeling his blood pressure rise for the first time since gaining a corporeal body (and moze's DEFINITELY getting several high-quality cameras because wdym he's just been rewatching the tapes instead of sleeping..)

anyways I got home with around five hours left before midnight and I started finishing off the final scenes at like 10 I was so stressed bro trying to make it and upload it halloween ended

AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LONG ANALYSIS SWAN ANON IT WAS VERILY APPRECIATED

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

WIBTA if I don't want to contribute to paying for furniture for the house?

1/3/2024, Names changed. Sorry, this is a little long.

I (26) live with three roommates: Kay (22) who is my sister, Sam (22) who is Kay's high school sweetheart and fiancé, and Andy (25) who is Kay and Sam's best friend. All of us are autistic, queer, and neurodivergent in some way or another.

Background info; Kay, Sam, and Andy had had plans to move in together for several years with Andy moving cross country to do so. Kay and I both moved out of our parents house within a month of each other in Summer 2022, with Kay and Sam moving in together, and me moving into an apartment by myself. Early 2023 due to issues with my apartment and landlord and being unable/unwilling to stay there past my lease when it was up in six months, with some encouragement from our mother Kay asked if I wanted to move in with the three of them because Kay and Sam's lease was up around the same time mine was and they were already planning on getting a bigger place to live with Andy when he got here. Due to the aforementioned apartment troubles and having a hard time mentally living alone for the first time, I accepted. We found a small house and the four of us moved in Summer 2023.

Now we've butted heads a good bit the last couple months (especially me and Andy because we had barely known each other before moving in together and we have very different personalities), including a few very loud fights, but we have thus far managed to eventually talk it out and work it out and kept things mostly under control. I admit, there have been times where I was definitely the asshole in situations, but I've acknowledged that, apologized, and tried to improve my behavior since then. Anyway, this ask isn't about all those times.

A lot of my issues in the household stem from my depression and lack of motivation to get things done. A big contributing factor to that is that I am painfully aware I wasn't part of their original plan, and that leads to me not feeling wanted as part of this house. The three of them often do things without me like playing D&D, and hanging out/going fun places without me, while things I want to do with all of them just kinda never happens, like playing a video game or board game with one of them, or going out somewhere fun I want to go. Some of me not being included is completely justified like Kay and Sam's date nights, and some things while they do still sting a bit to be excluded from make sense why (like their D&D games that can get very NSFW, and I'm a sex-repulsed asexual. also being Kay's sister would make it extremely awkward regardless of my sexuality. I only found out about the NSFW nature of their games two weeks ago though), but certain things it doesn't feel like as good a reason for me to not be included or it's not actually communicated to me why I'm not invited to be part of something.

A REALLY big thing that contributed to these feelings I have was the day we got the keys to our house, as Kay and Andy were showing it to me, Kay told me "Just so you know, this isn't permanent. You're going to get your own place again eventually" with a soft deadline of two years because that's when another of their friends graduates college and might need a place to stay after. Over the last few months we have had several conversations about my feelings of being unwanted and Kay has apologized saying that what she meant that day came out wrong. What she meant by that statement was they all want to help me become more independent so that I will be able to move out and live on my own again one day when I'm ready since the first time didn't go so well. They were not/are not planning to kick me out, and the other friend moving in is just an idea that may not even come to fruition anyway. Even if it was partially a misunderstanding and there is no set time I need to be out of the house by, knowing that there is an end in sight has made it much harder for me to settle in because I don't feel like I can get settled since I'll just have to leave again at some point anyway even if that time is literal years away. Sorry if that doesn't make sense but that's the best way I can phrase it.

With all that background out of the way, I'll get back on track now. Kay and Andy have spent months planning on how to decorate the house and want to make the whole first floor (kitchen, living room, and shared craft space in the front room) themed like a medieval tavern. I haven't been able to give much input on how the house gets decorated outside of my own room. I've been trying to at least make my bedroom feel more homey since it's where I spend a lot of my time, but the common areas are much harder for me to feel comfortable and like I belong in because I don't have much control/input in how they will look. Which again, I know I'm not going to be here super long term, so it makes sense but it still sucks.

Now onto the actual situation here. There is a dining table set that Kay and Andy picked out that costs over $400 that Kay said on 12/25 she wants us all four to pitch in to get for the household for her birthday in a couple months. I am hesitant to contribute to this set, because I am not going to live with them forever. Obviously I pay my part to the household. I pay my fair share of rent, utilities, and food (though I will often make mini grocery runs throughout the week and I rarely if ever ask for money I spent back because I feel awkward about asking for money from any of them). I have already contributed towards furniture for the house but that is either things that are explicitly and exclusively mine despite household use (a tv stand I already had, a bookshelf I bought to display my things) and will come with me when I move out, or something that was a gift for someone else but still not ridiculously expensive (a $40 secondhand curio cabinet the rest of us got for Kay as an early Christmas present and various other small decorations for around the house).

There was another interaction today that has me a little upset. We've been thinking of getting a second TV for the living room so we can play online co-op games together. Who pays for the TV, determines who gets to keep the new one and who takes the old one when I leave. If the three of them want to keep the new TV, they're going to split the cost and I get the old one, however if I want the new TV I will have to pay for the whole thing myself. 1 person vs 3 people paying for something just feels unfair to me.

But the dining set feels different because it's a lot of money and I won't get to take any part of it with me when I eventually leave. With the TV I'd at least get to keep it. I feel guilty about not wanting to help pay for it, especially because Kay has said she wants it as a birthday gift, but if it almost feels like I'm just buying furniture for someone else's house. Honestly, I'll probably end up sucking it up and contributing anyway because I really don't like confrontation and tend to keep my feelings to myself anyway, but I just want to know other people's opinion on the situation.

Money has been a growing issue for me lately. I'm the only one with a stable, salaried job (barely pays above minimum wage though so it's not like I'm rolling funds), while Kay and Sam are hourly and Andy is between jobs right now. Like I said, I feel awkward about asking for money from any of them. Honestly I don't mind paying a little extra here and there to help out since I'm not much help with the cooking and cleaning, but the amount I have been contributing with no compensation has been eating away at my savings the last few months and I've been keeping silent about it because I don't want to make them feel guilty about it and make it awkward.

TLDR; I'm insecure and have trouble feeling wanted around by my roommates, and am expected to eventually move out. WIBTA if I don't want to help buy a dining set for the household because I won't get to take any part of it with me when I move out?

PS- If it's not too much trouble, could you please tag @aita-roommates-furniture so I am notified when this gets posted? Tumblr won't let me submit asks from a sideblog. If not, no worries! I'll just keep an eye out for it

What are these acronyms?

[thebluestbluewords]

rumors of his death have been greatly exaggerated

"How's your brother doing, dear?" Fairy Godmother asks, taking Chloe's hand as she comes up to the teacher's table. "Is he enjoying his graduation trip?"  

Chloe tips her head sweetly to the side. "What brother?" 

Fairy Godmother looks puzzled. "Your only brother, dear one. Unless your parents have adopted another without telling me?" 

"Oh, that brother. I haven't seen him since..." Chloe hesitates. "The incident." 

"I'm sorry?" 

Chloe beams. "The incident. It's a family matter, I'm really not supposed to talk about it. I'm sure he's fine, though. Mother isn't too worried about him." 

You could make a topographical map out of the folds in Fairy Godmother's forehead. "Yes, of course. I'm sure that must be hard on your mother, not having her son around." 

"She endures." Chloe says cheerfully. "I should really go get dinner before I hold up the line. I'll see you in class tomorrow. I've already got my Fairy History essay ready for you!" 

"That's lovely, yes." Fairy Godmother says, still frowning. "And Red, you've got all your books? Everything you need?' 

Red lifts her chin. She's not just a passive observer, even though whatever's going on with her royal roommate's missing brother sounds horrifically fascinating.  "I'm all set. Wonderland post sent my books last week." 

"Lovely, lovely. I'll see you two in class tomorrow." 

"Goodnight, Fairy Godmother." Chloe chirps, bobbing into a half-curtsy before she moves away. 

Red will not curtsy, but she dips her head in the vague shape of a bow. "Goodnight." 

+

"So." Red says, once the two of them are out of the dining hall and on their way back to the dorm room they're going to be sharing. "You've got a brother?" 

Chloe looks at her sideways, without moving her head. "No. I've got a Chad." 

There's a particular darkness in her voice at the name, like how Red wants to say Jabberwocky sometimes, when they've been especially bad. 

"I take it you're not a fan." Red says, because it's stupid to ask questions, but she's the princess of Wonderland, and she should know her neighboring kingdom's royal families. "Is he really awful?" 

"The worst." Chloe says lightly. "He's not at home right now, though, so we've all had a bit of a rest." 

All? 

"All." Red repeats. "How big is your family?" 

"Big enough." 

It's dumb to play evasive word games with a Wonderland girl. "Big enough to fill a carriage?" 

Chloe sighs. "Bigger." 

"Big enough to fill a limo?" 

"Bigger, if you're counting everyone." 

"I'm asking you to tell me about your family, Auradon girl," Red says, leaning in towards Chloe, making it a flirty request, rather than a desperate dig for information. "Aren't you guys supposed to love talking about yourself?" 

Chloe shoots her a certified look. "My family is weird. You don't need to know about them, it's just...my brother is off on a mission to find himself, or something. He graduated in the same class as King Ben, so people are still going to ask about him, because one weird girl who plays with swords for fun isn't enough for the royal gossip tabloids." 

"Swords." Red drawls. 'Very royal." 

Chloe huffs out a tight little breath. "Yes, swords. I'm on the ROAR team. Royal Order of Auradon Regiment. We practice running through obstacle courses with swords for fun, and I'm actually really good at it, so please, please don't make fun of me. I know I'm not a very proper princess, but I really do love it, and my mom doesn't care what I do so long as I don't mess up my face, so just-- just stop it. I'll tell you about my brother if you really want, just..." 

"Swords are cool." Red blurts, before she can think twice about it. "Your brother sounds like a lame-ass anyway. Tell me more about your sword game?" 

Stupid, stupid. Asking about her sports team? Super lame behavior. Not cool at all, Red. 

Chloe looks up at her through her lashes. "You're making fun of me again." 

Red's heart skips a little beat. She's not sure if it's from shame or the huge, embarrassing, terrible crush that she's trying really hard to squash. "I'm not. Promise." 

"It's okay that you are. Everyone does, once they hear about my hobbies," Chloe says softly. "I'm not cool like my brother, or popular like my sisters. I'm the youngest child in my family, so everyone babies me all the time anyway. I don't mind it usually." 

She's twisting her hands together, looking down at her fingers. She's not wearing any royal rings or anything. Red's been wearing rings since she was a kid, to show her status and to punch people better. She wouldn't know what to do with hands that are so soft and naked. Does she hold them? Give Chloe one of her own rings? Tell her she's an idiot for declining any symbols of her royal status and get her mother to give her at least a small family ring? 

"I'm not actually a very good princess." Chloe says after a moment. "I just let people tell me what to do all the time. I just follow the rules and practice with my sword and read a lot of books. I'm not brave like my mother. You're probably braver than me. Coming to a new country, a new school, all by yourself... that's really brave." 

"Thanks."

Chloe's eyes are enormous. "Yeah." she whispers, soft and sweet and so, so close to Red. "I think you're really brave." 

Red lifts a hand to touch her roommate's cheek. "Brave enough to hear the truth about your brother?" 

Chloe's face falls. 

Red's heart sinks right along with it. 

"No. You don't want the truth anyway, it's boring." Chloe says, turning around to unlock their door.  "Anyway, I'm sure everything is boring compared to Wonderland, so I won't make you listen to me any longer. Goodnight, Red." 

Their door shuts before she can come up with a comeback. 

Fine. If her roommate won't tell her what's going on, Red will just have to figure it out herself. 

+ 

The next person to ask about Chloe's alleged brother gets an even less helpful answer. 

"I lost him." Chole says sweetly. "At sea. We went out on the yacht to celebrate his graduation, you know, after the...incident." 

The student nods seriously. It would be stupid to roll her eyes, but Red's patience for these delays is short already, so she does it behind Chloe's back. Really subtly. 

Chloe bobs her head in a little nod that could almost be serious, if she didn't look so pleased about it. "Yeah, so we were out on the ocean, and he just fell overboard. We lost him. Mom threw him one of the inflatable life rafts, but you know how Chad is about accepting help, so once it hit the water he just started swimming away. At the rate he was going, he's probably in the Southern Isles by now." 

+

It happens again. 

"He's at home, helping mother weed the library. We have a curse, you know. Roses keep growing in the fiction section, and it takes all hands on desk to clear it out." Chloe says, flashing the girl a bright smile. "The only reason I'm exempt is because mother and father don't trust me not to solve the problem with my sword.” 

The girl frowns. “Chad, weeding?” 

“Oh, yes. He wouldn’t usually, but mother asked him specifically. He’s really a mother’s boy at heart. It’s sweet how much he’d do for her.” 

Red watches the girl digest this. 

“Aw. That is sweet.” 

Chloe beams. “Isn’t it? He’s just the best. I bet if you run to the library now you could understand just how he feels right now, surrounded by all those books.” 

+ 

And again. 

“He’s joined the astronaut training program.” Chloe says. Her face is set in a very serious expression, which is only fitting considering that she’s talking to the head of their math department. “We haven’t seen him in ages, but he’s supposed to be on the moon base soon, so every time we look up back home we wave to him. It’s a new Charmington family tradition.” 

“That’s very nice, dear.” 

“If you want to join the SpaceChad fan club you can go to the royal media page our sister set up,” Chloe says sweetly. “It’s online under SpaceCaseChad dot com. There’s lots of good pictures.” 

Their teacher pinches the bridge of her nose. “Very nice story, Chloe. I’m sorry I asked.” 

“Princess Celeste puts a lot of work into it.” 

“I’m sure she does. Now sit down so you can learn some theorems.” 

Red looks the page up. 

It’s full of press pictures of Chad Charming, the only Prince of the Kingdom of Charmington, heir apparent of the second biggest kingdom in all Auradon, poorly edited to look like he’s floating in space. 

And wearing cat ears. 

The animated sparkle in his eyes is a nice touch. Red appreciates the sort of effort that goes into these things. The effort that’s been put into adding a tiny rocket ship under his boots is less impressive, but the way that the rocket bursts into animated flames every fourth edit is much funnier than it seems the first time you scroll past it. 

She’s starting to think that her roommate might actually be on to something here. 

+ 

The fifth time it happens, Red's pretty sure she's in on the joke. 

Before Chloe can come up with another smartmouth answer, Red gasps. The student who asked this time is some girl in a cheerleader uniform, and she looks like an easy target, so Red throws her whole body into it. Mouth open, eyes wide, and a gasp so theatrical even her mother would be proud of it. 

"You can't just ask that!" Red gasps, sweeping an arm around Chloe's shoulders. "Oh my gods, why would you even ask when it's still so fresh?" 

The cheerleader gapes. "I— what—?” 

"You don't just ask a royal family member what happened to her only brother," Red snaps. "It's not done. My mother could have your head for it. Chloe, are you okay?" 

Her roommate is shaking in her arms. Red's never tried to be a good person, but there's a feeling building in her that might be what goodness feels like. It's sort of like when she drinks the special unbirthday tea that she’s not supposed to touch, and a little bit like when she's in on a secret with her mom. Giddy, that's the feeling. 

The cheerleader's hands are on her cheeks now. "I didn't mean any harm, I'm sorry. Oh my god, Chloe, I'm so sorry. Is he okay?" 

Chloe's face is buried wholly and completely in Red's shoulder, and she's a warm, comfortable, shaking weight that's making it hard for her to think straight.  There's so many horrible things that can happen to a prince, and only so many ways to say it... 

"She doesn't know." Red says, pulling Chloe in a little tighter so her giggles can't spoil the illusion. "The last thing she knew he was visiting friends in Fairyland, and then he started sending letters written on leaves instead of paper, and now..." she hesitates. 

"Now?" 

"He just sends the leaves." Red finishes. 

The cheerleader gasps. “I bet there's pollen all over his beautiful hair too!" 

Seriously? 

"We can only assume." Red says, face just as solemn as her mother's court isn't. "It's a real shame. The fairies want a princess on a milk-white horse to get him back, and she's got to ride in on the darkest night of the year too. Holding the moon in a jar as her guide." 

The girl looks about five seconds from whipping out her phone to write the lies down. "A real princess? Or would like, a pop princess work instead? Chad always said how much he loved Marcielle Lance. I bet he'd love me forever if I sent... I mean, if somebody tipped her off that the Prince of Charmington needed her to save him from Fairyland." 

"The letters didn't say." Red shrugs. "But it never hurts to try, I guess." 

The cheerleader is practically vibrating. "I've got to go make a— I mean, get to class! Thanks, though!" 

Red lifts a hand to her retreating back. "Buh-bye.” 

+ 

Time travel vertigo is a pain in the butt to recover from. 

Red falls into Chloe as soon as the world stops reshaping itself around them. 

Chloe shoves her off. “Where are we?” 

“More like when are we.” Red corrects, staggering upright. “And I think the answer is not far enough. Look, that roof looks exactly like it does now.” 

“It’s a roof.” 

“Yeah, and all the fancy pants brochures that you sent to Wonderland while we were sealed off from the rest of the world show that roof looking different than it does now. In our current time. Because it’s new, princess. We got brochures about replacing it.” 

Chloe closes her eyes. Red can see her breathing slowly, and stifles a grin. Her roommates hates being wrong, which works out great, because Red loves seeing her royal highness mad. 

“We can’t be here. We have to leave, now.” 

“We just got here. The watch has a cooldown time of one minute for every year travelled. We can’t leave yet.” 

“No, we have to leave.” Chloe grabs Red’s hand. “My bother is here. This is two years ago. He’s going to be here, on campus, and he’s going to recognize me, and our whole cover is going to be blown if we alter time in ways we weren’t expecting!” 

Oh, no.

“No,” Red says slowly, stretching out her words around the grin that’s threatening to take over her whole face. “No, I don’t think we do have to leave. After all the stories I’ve heard about this brother, I wanna meet this guy.” 

“You don’t.” 

“He’s an Olympic level swimmer, an astronaut, a curse-breaking mommy’s boy, and he was interesting enough to get kidnapped by fairies? I can’t wait to meet him.” 

Chloe stomps her foot. “You know that’s not true. I make all that stuff up, because—“ 

“Because why, princess?” 

“Because the real reason is boring.” 

Red glances down at the pocketwatch. One minute left until they can leave. “After growing up in wonderland, you think I don’t like boring? My mother is trying to stage a coup as we speak. She raised me on a diet of all-excitement, all the time. I want boring. I love boring. Please, for the love of time, give me something boring to think about until we can get out of here.” 

Chloe glares. “No.” 

“What?” 

“No. I’m not telling you. The longer we stand here arguing the closer we are to getting out of here. I don’t have to tell you, I just have to stall until we’re out of time.” 

“Bold words from the girl who’s not carrying the time machine.” 

“You want to get out of here just as much as I do,” Chloe says, logically. Oh, how much Red wants to hate her. “You’re not going to leave us here, in the wrong time, just because you want to know where my brother’s hiding.” 

Red leans in. “Hiding, huh?” 

“You—“ Chloe slaps a hand over her own mouth. “I’m not saying another word. We can’t alter time before we’re supposed to, it’s too risky.” 

“Twenty seconds. Tick tock, princess. I could leave you here if you won’t tell me.” 

“You wouldn’t.” 

“You don’t know what I’d do.” Red hisses, leaning in so close that she can see the way Chloe’s eyes are tracking the motion of the pocketwatch. Her roommate’s eyes are pretty. It’s not fair that she’s got such an awful habit of keeping secrets to offset her pretty face. 

“I’ll tell you,” Chloe offers. “But only once we turn the watch.” 

“Deal.” 

“Now.” 

Red cranks the watch, but carefully this time, so that her fingers don’t slip before they’re ready and send them another two or three years back. 

“You’re sure you want to know?” 

The watch is hot in her hand. The dial is shivering under her fingers. “Yes, I’m sure.” 

Chloe throws an arm around her waist, and grabs the watch out of her hand. “He shaved his head and got too embarrassed to show his face in public!” 

[writer-freak]

Crackling Tension | Childe x Gn reader College AU

Summary: The undeniable tension between you and Childe had to snap one day and that day was finally here. 

The headcanons and the fic are separate and aren't intended to play in the same universe

Warnings: gn reader, modern au, college au, have never played genshin so could be ooc, fluff, kissing, english isn't my first language

A/n: Wrote this for my bestie's birthday but personally I don't really know anything about genshin, still tried my best because he is my bestie's fav character. I wasn't very confident in writing him so I did some headcanons and also a little fic (they are not really related to each other)

Comments, likes and reblogs are always appreciated and really motivate me to write more

Childe as a Roommate (college Au):

Childe is that roommate who's always out partying

Whether it's a random weeknight or the weekend, you can bet he's got some plans or is trying to convince you to join him

His room is always cluttered with sports gear, gym bags, and probably a couple of questionable protein shakes

He's the guy who's always hitting the gym or asking you to come along for a workout, claiming it's a great stress reliever

Childe loves cooking, and surprisingly, he's good at it

Expect to come back to the smell of some mouthwatering food he's whipped up for the both of you.

And yes, he will brag about his cooking skills

There's a constant stream of friends coming and going from your shared apartment. Childe is social and has a wide circle of friends, so your place becomes the unofficial hangout spot

He's a bit messy but somehow manages to charm his way out of any cleaning responsibilities. You'll often find yourself picking up after him, but he'll make it up by treating you to his latest cooking experiment

Childe is surprisingly good with plants. He has a couple of potted ones in the shared living space, and he's convinced they respond better to his presence

You're not entirely sure if that's true, but you don't mind the greenery

His music taste is all over the place, one moment, you're hearing classical music and the next, it's heavy metal

Childe says that he believes in appreciating all genres

━━━━━━☆━━━━━━

The atmosphere around Childe and you crackled with an undeniable tension, one that seemed to intensify with each day of your college life. From the moment Childe decided to sit in the seat next to you, the spark between you two was inevitable.

It all began innocently enough, with friendly exchanges and polite smiles. However, Childe's teasing nature couldn't be suppressed for long. He can't recall the specifics of that day, the one where he shifted from pleasant banter to outright teasing. All he remembered was the scowl that adorned your face in response, and for some reason, that scowl did something to him.

From that moment on, Childe made it a point to tease you relentlessly. It became a daily routine, a game of cat and mouse where he was the mischievous feline and you were the feisty mouse. The scowl on your face only seemed to fuel his determination, and your responses, though annoyed, held a subtle hint of something more.

The teasing became a dance, an unspoken agreement between two individuals who refused to acknowledge the magnetic pull drawing them closer. It wasn't just about the words exchanged, it was about the charged glances, the stolen moments when your eyes locked, and the unspoken understanding that lingered in the air.

Onlookers couldn't help but notice the palpable tension. Friends whispered about the chemistry, the undeniable attraction that hung between you two like an electrified thread.

Yet, neither of you were ready to admit it. Pride and uncertainty danced hand in hand, keeping the unspoken truth buried beneath layers of playful banter.

Then came the night of the frat house party. The air was thick with anticipation as the music played in the background.

Childe, ever the provocateur, couldn't resist pushing the boundaries. The teasing took a different turn that night, the playful banter evolving into something charged with desire. Perhaps it was the dim lights or the energy of the party, but the tension that had been building finally reached its breaking point.

Childe's teasing became more daring, and your scowls began to transform into smirks and witty responses. Amid the crowded party, the world around you faded into background noise.

It started with hands wandering, you don't even remember how you ended up in a corner together with Childe.

But it didn't matter how you ended here, the only thing important for you was to finally feel his lips on yours.

Childe on the other hand wanted to prolong the teasing for just a little longer, seeing you so desperate was his favorite look on you.

Instead of connecting your lips with each other he purposefully stayed away from them deciding to ghost his lips around your ear.

While he continued his ministrations, you knew that there was a way to finally make him buckle. You leaned closer to him and breathily said his name into his ear, and that just snapped something inside of him.

The tension that had defined every one of your interactions finally found release in the searing heat of that unexpected kiss, leaving both of you breathless.

As the kiss deepened, the world outside of your moment faded into the background. The music became a distant echo as you and Childe started to completely get lost in the moment. His hands found home on your waist, drawing you closer, while the teasing glint in his eyes transformed into a more earnest hunger.

For a moment, everything melted away, leaving only the raw, unfiltered desire that had simmered beneath the surface for so long.

Childe's lips moved against yours with a fervor that mirrored the intensity of the tension that had led to this moment. Every touch, every sigh, became a testament to the unspoken connection that you finally expressed.

In this moment you completely lost yourself, intoxicated by the feeling of Childe against you.

Divider by: @saradika-graphics

[cookies-over-yonder]

The Mortifying Ordeal of Being Roommates - A DnDads AU

created by @silverlistenstothings and @cookies-over-yonder

With the Doodler dealt with and the world still turning, Hermie moves in with Taylor. The two of them navigate being roommates and the emotional fallout of their journey together. Hermie learns to play the role of someone within a caring family, and Taylor discovers that maybe he didn’t make it out of their journey as unscathed as he thought.

ao3

FIC MASTERLIST (1-20)

#. title | word count | link(s)

summary

Introductions | 3.4k | ao3

With the Doodler is dealt with and the Eldritch apocalypse averted, Hermie finds themself unwilling to be alone again. They turn to Taylor for a solution.

2. "temporary" | 7.8k | ao3 | tumblr

Taylor helps Hermie adjust to their new room!

3. Easy to Ignore | 1.4k | ao3

Hermie is… a weird kid, Cass realizes fairly quickly. They’re also an incredibly concerning kid, but they don’t seem to believe that part.

4. the voice of empathy | 655 | ao3 | tumblr

Taylor's having a hard time, and Hermie provides some comfort… as best as they can.

5. (Not A) Nightmare | 639 | ao3

Hermie wakes up to noises from Taylor’s room, and finds that he totally didn’t have a nightmare, and they totally aren’t worried about him.

6. Catch Up | 956 | ao3

Taylor gets the others up to speed on his and Hermie’s living situation.

7. steady hand | 714 | ao3 | tumblr

Taylor struggles to get ready for school, and Hermie's skills in makeup come in handy.

8. Stagnate | 2.1k | ao3

Hermie settles into life with the Swifts, but their good mood doesn’t last long. Taylor helps.

9. company | 387 | ao3 | tumblr

Taylor used to spend most of his time alone, and living with Hermie is a change that isn't unwelcome at all.

10. To Ease the Pain | 1.8k | ao3

Hermie helps Taylor through a bad pain day.

11. Choked Up | 924 | ao3

Taylor shows off a new cosplay, and none of it’s accessories make him uncomfortable in any way at all.

12. Surface Tension | 5.6k | ao3

Taylor’s constant patrolling of their house is starting to bother Hermie, so they offer a distraction. Things get worse.

13. get ready with me | 855 | ao3 | tumblr

Taylor puts on a choker he hasn't worn in a while, and it feels too, too tight.

14. turning red | 1.3k | ao3 | tumblr

Hermie tries out a new makeup look on Taylor!

15. Fun and Games | 6.5k | ao3 | tumblr

Taylor takes Hermie to the arcade! ... Things don't go as planned.

16. Hell and Back | 2.2k | ao3 | tumblr

Hermie overhears that Nicky wants to be around more. They jump to the worst conclusion.

17. A Start | 2.4k | ao3 | tumblr

After hearing about Hermie’s reaction to the news about Nicky, Cassandra and Hermie have a chat.

18. they hate my disabled demonic swag | 1.7k | ao3 | tumblr

Being a cane user in high school, Taylor's gotten some... interesting comments, but it hasn't come up in a while, so when it does, well... It pisses him off.

19. Father-Son Bonding (feat. Hermie Unworthy, Uncle/Brother/Unwanted Roommate) | 2.3k | ao3 | tumblr

Nicky comes over to visit Taylor while Cass is at work. Hermie is also there, for some reason.

20. ...and it's like the sky is new. | 6.3k | ao3 | tumblr

Nicky takes Taylor and Hermie on a family trip to the museum!

[alj4890]

OK OK OK Chris and Tobias are perfect for each other. Period. Done. Put a period at the end of that sentence. So, what would have happened if this occurred: Ethan came to his senses before Tobias entered the picture; he and Chris are together, and eventually, she becomes friends with Tobias. She loves Ethan but realizes how well-suited she is with Tobias, but no matter... he never settles down, so it's not like it's an issue.... then one night, night he professes his love to her (this is essentially the beginning of my Delaying the Inevitable series lol ) He makes it clear there is no expectation, he just wanted her to know.

Feel free to answer freestyle or with an HC; don't trouble yourself with a fic. How would you see that playing out?

(Oh, and if Ethan found out... ooooh. Holy shit. lol)

🤣🤦🏻‍♀️ Okay. Oof. You know I can't resist doing another angsty fic. Something's wrong with me and this need to delve even further into heartache. So...given how I've head canoned my MC and how some scenes in OH canon are with Ethan, this is how I think it would go if he had wised up before Tobias came along. I've gone back and forth so many times on how things would end in this situation, but some things are inevitable after all.

This grew into a ridiculously long answer. So, I've divided it up into 3 parts.

Masterlist

Heart's Choice Part 1

Donahue's...

Tobias released a long, slow whistle.

"Damn." He muttered. "Is there anything you're not good at?"

Chris smirked as she headed to retrieve her darts from the center of the bull's-eye.

"I'm sure if we had enough time, we could find something." She teased.

Tobias chuckled as he tossed his darts down. "I think that's enough of Chris-kicking-my-ass games for one night." He nodded his head towards the bar. "I'll be magnanimous and allow you to buy me a drink for my wounded pride."

Chris couldn't contain her laughter as she followed him over to their usual spot. The two settled down in the worn down bar stools, laughing and talking, while sipping drinks.

It'd become the norm for the pair to relax together a few nights a week after work. They spent time laughing over shared frustrations and bits and pieces of their past, furthering their ever growing friendship. They were mostly left on their own, save for when Ethan would eventually show up.

When Naveen retired, Ethan stepped into his spot as Chief of Medicine. He'd spend long hours working just as meticulously as he had when head of the diagnostics team. He insisted that Chris not wait around the hospital for him each evening when her shift ended.

"Go have fun and relax for the two of us." He told her. "I'll meet up when I can."

Her roommates would occasionally join her along with Bryce and Rafael, but for the most part, she had Tobias for company.

She used to tease him that the only reason he came along so she wouldn't be lonely was because she'd been the one to recommend him as the new leader of the diagnostics team.

No one had been more shocked by that than Ethan.

************

Six months earlier...

"I don't think I'm ready." She admitted.

"You made a perfect score on your Boards." Ethan argued. "You have solved more of our cases since you joined than anyone else."

"I know." She reached across the diagnostics table for his hand. "But I feel like there is still so much left for me to learn from more seasoned doctors." Chris laced her fingers with his, bringing their clasped hands to rest against her cheek.

"I think if anyone should lead me and the team, it should be Tobias."

Ethan's eyes widened. "Carrick?!"

She chuckled over his surprise. "Yes, the Tobias Carrick."

"Really?" Ethan couldn't wrap his head around her giving this chance to someone else. "Chris? This isn't like your first year, is it? You almost didn't compete with the other interns to have a chance on the team because you were worried about your relationships with them."

"It isn't." She insisted, smiling softly. "Tobias was a great leader while you were on leave. He kept us going with new cases and guided us towards finding answers. Honestly, he reminds me a lot of you." She winked at him. "With a better sense of humor, of course."

Ethan snorted on that comparison. He couldn't argue with that.

"He is highly intelligent." He conceded.

"Yes, he is." Chris added. "And he's become a good man. Even you can see it."

"True." Ethan pulled her close. "For the record, I think you would be the perfect person to lead the team."

Chris draped her arms along his shoulders, scooting into his lap.

"You might be a little biased when it comes to me." She teased, pressing her lips against his cheek.

"A little." He smiled into her next kiss. "But then again, you are difficult to ignore."

"That can't be the only reason you're biased." She teased. With each word, she brushed her lips against his. "Surely there's something else about me that makes you favor me above everyone."

Ethan deepened the kiss, drawing out a sweet moan from her. His hands drifted up her body to cradle her face. He pulled away to look into her eyes, a soft smile grew the longer he looked at her.

"There are many, many things," he told her, "that makes me always pick you."

"Why Dr. Ramsey!" Chris teased. "It almost sounds like you love me."

"It better sound like that." He kissed her again. "Or I'll have to work harder on expressing what I think about you."

"I wouldn't mind a little more expressing." She shifted her hips closer, drawing a groan from him.

"I love you, Chris." Ethan said softly.

"You better." She playfully glared at him. "After all you put me through my intern year, made me fall in love with you, forced me to wait while you were in the Amazon; then--"

He silenced her with a tender kiss.

"You know I regret all that." He whispered.

"I know." She sighed, cuddling more within his embrace. "But I don't."

"You don't?"

"No." She squeezed him in a hug. "If I had to go through all that to end up with the man of my dreams, I'd gladly do it all over again."

Ethan held her close, brushing another kiss to her lips. He was still puzzled over how he'd managed not to lose her. His futile attempts to keep Chris at arm's length, lasted barely a day after he'd returned from his time in the Amazon.

She was his one weakness in life which somehow turned into his greatest strength. She put up with his moods, his rigidness in how he thought things should go, and somehow loved him through every difficult thing he faced.

He couldn't imagine how life would be if he'd been stupid enough to let her slip through his fingers.

**************

Back in the present...

"Don't look now," Chris whispered, "but I think someone or rather some people are checking you out."

Tobias followed her gaze towards a table filled with a bachelorette party.

He shrugged and returned his attention towards her.

She burst out laughing. "Wow. I'm impressed."

"With what?" He took a longer than usual sip of his glass of whiskey.

"That you're giving up what could be a very interesting evening to sit with me."

"Who says you don't make my evenings interesting?" Tobias quipped. "It just so happens, Dr. Valentine, that I prefer your company above all others."

Chris giggled as she downed the rest of her drink. "Why are you wasting those panty dropping lines on me?"

He snorted in the midst of laughing.

"Panty dropping, huh?"

"Trust me," she winked at him, "if a man said something like that to me when I was single, especially after seeing what he was turning down, my panties would already be on this floor."

Tobias laughed until tears came to his eyes.

This is why I love her, he thought.

And he did. Somewhere along all the times spent working as a team, or rather dynamic duo, and all the special moments in between made him fall in love with her.

It wasn't easy keeping these feelings buried.

She's worth it, he thought. Being around Chris is worth putting up with anything.

Even watching her kiss Ethan.

Which was what he now was forced to do.

Ethan came in, a frown disappearing the moment Chris pulled him into a sweet kiss.

"Hey Reggie!" She called out. "A scotch neat for this handsome man and another round for me and Tobias."

Ethan nodded his thanks, keeping one arm around Chris, before greeting Tobias.

"Looks like you've been through hell and back again." Tobias teased.

"And then right back into its deepest pit." Ethan took a few needed gulps of his drink. "I at first thought Naveen recommended me to be Chief because he was fond of me." He winced some at the thought. "Now, I think he might not like me as much as I originally thought."

Chris laughed, gently squeezing him in a side hug. "You know very well that he thinks of you as the son he never had."

"Perhaps." He smiled at her. "After tonight's meeting with the Board..." He closed his eyes and shuddered.

"Maybe you're the son he never had who needed a good spanking." Tobias joked.

Ethan snorted, shaking his head.

Chris high fived Tobias while laughing all the harder for such an image.

"Regardless," Ethan finished his drink, "I think I'm more than ready to go home."

He stood pulling Chris to her feet. "You coming or staying?"

"I'll come too." She searched for her wallet. "You look like you could use the company," she lifted her eyes to his, "and I've missed you."

Ethan tugged her closer to his side.

"I've got this." Tobias waved her credit card away.

"But I owe you for wounding your pride." She teased.

"I'll let you buy me lunch instead." He told her. "You kids go enjoy the rest of your night."

He watched as the couple left, arms wrapped around the other. A slight frown formed on his lips as he thought of how things could be if he'd been the one to meet Chris first.

Downing the rest of his drink, he paid and left before any other wayward thoughts could come to mind.

*************

Edenbrook, a few months later...

The snow storm was revving up to be worse than meteorologists thought. Logan had already canceled all flights in and out of Boston. People were rushing home as fast as they could before being trapped at work. There were many at Edenbrook who considered making their escape and others who were resigned to the fact they'd be spending the next couple of days living within its renovated halls.

"Did Ethan make it back?" Tobias asked as he and Chris went to grab a late dinner in the lounge.

"No." She grimaced while pulling her phone out of her pocket to check her messages. "He's still in Providence. It took a lot of arguing to convince him to stay there."

"He can be hardheaded."

"That he can." She slipped her phone back in her pocket. "But I'm not always a walk in the park either."

Tobias laughed at the notion. "You are undeniably stubborn."

"Hey!" She playfully shoved him. "I do try and practice the art of give and take."

"Try being the optimum word." He teased.

"I think that's the pot calling the kettle black." She shot back.

"Who? Me?!" He feigned being insulted. "I'll have you know, Dr. Valentine, that I'm the poster child for how to work easily with others."

Chris looked up at him, her eyes wide with mock reverence. "Oh Dr. Carrick, how I wish we could all be just like you!"

He laughed, holding the door to the lounge open for her. "What a wonderful world it would be if that were to happen."

"The world can barely handle one of you." She gently patted his cheek. "God help us all if there were a world full of Tobias's."

"You know you'd love it." He joked on his way to get them each a needed cup of coffee.

He noticed a tray of desserts and began to select some he knew Chris would love.

"I suppose there are worse things that could happen." She sent a smile his way before turning back towards the soup and sandwiches Leland Bloom's impeccable catering staff had left for those working all night.

She prepared a couple of plates and bowls for the two of them.

Each went through choosing what the other typically asked for without any questions. As if they were of the same mind, they carried their haul over towards one of the many reclining sofas.

"Thank you." Chris took the coffee and closed her eyes, allowing the heavenly aroma and warmth to engulf her before taking a tentative sip.

Tobias watched her. His lips curved as he observed her going through all the little quirks she did when it came to eating or drinking.

She made a hum of delight when she took a bite of the potato soup.

"I might have to start working nights if this is always on hand."

"And leave me on my own?" He said between bites of his sandwich.

"You'd still have Harper and Gary." Chris pointed out.

"Harper won't joke around and Gary is well, Gary." He reminded her.

Chris snorted on a laugh. It had come as quite a shock when they discovered that Jackie's former intern was an absolute savant when it came to symptoms and their causes. It didn't matter how rare or odd the medical issue turned out to be. Gary was able to pull a wealth of knowledge from his mind that could help them when stuck on a mystery.

Though brilliant in that aspect, he was still the same clueless Gary in every other part of life.

All of Tobias and Chris's jokes went right over his head, which incidentally made the pair laugh all the more.

"Fine." Chris caved. "I'll stay on the day shift for your sake, but I demand you find me this soup once a week."

"Deal."

The pair relaxed in companionable silence as they finished eating.

Once the last of the crumbs had been dusted off, Chris released a deep heartfelt sigh.

"You okay?" Tobias asked.

He'd noticed she'd been doing this for the last few days. There would be moments where her cheerful disposition would falter, leaving a pensive, somber mood in its place.

She chewed on her bottom lip before sharing what was bothering her.

"Do you think," she hesitated some over what she was about to reveal, "you might want to have children?"

Tobias was grateful he'd already swallowed the last of his coffee. He would have spit it out hearing her ask him of all people something like that.

"Excuse me?" He muttered in shock.

"Do you ever see yourself having children?" She reiterated. "I mean, if you found someone you wanted to have a family with?"

Tobias studied her a few moments

Does she know that she's the only one I could ever see myself having that type of life with?

Tobias softly smiled at the thought of having children that were a mixture of himself and Chris.

"I can see it." He admitted.

"I can't imagine having a life without a family of my own if I was lucky enough to be with the right person."

Chris's frown deepened over his words.

He didn't quite know what to make of her reaction.

"What made you think of that?" He prodded when she remained silent.

Her lips twisted into a bitter smile.

"Ethan." She sighed. "The reason he went to Providence was because of a fight we had over that very subject."

Tobias waited to see if she wanted to go into it.

"I know his past with his mother holds him back from so much in life." Her eyes narrowed in thought. "It kills me that the notion of marriage and a family is something he doesn't think he wants."

He slowly nodded. He knew all about Ethan's complicated past and feelings towards anything like commitment. He understood up to a point, but he couldn't imagine Ethan refusing to even try for Chris.

"You had a fight over it?" Tobias asked.

"A big one." She admitted. "He knows, has known, that I want all of that."

A memory from her first year at Edenbrook came to mind, one that made her realize she'd known Ethan didn't want children. He'd told her that very thing when they tried out the new MRI. To see which parts of his brain would light up, she'd asked him if he would one day like to have a family. He told her he didn't think it was a good idea for someone like him, with his job, to have any children.

She'd deluded herself into believing he was only saying that because he hadn't found the right person yet.

Is it my fault? I pursued him. I made myself think we wanted the same things.

She blinked back frustrated tears when she realized he also didn't refuse her. He could have firmly put his foot down and said they couldn't be together because they wanted fundamentally different lives.

"I've never hidden that part of me. I'm the one who wants it all. I already have my dream career. Why shouldn't I also have the dream home life I've always pictured for myself?"

"If anyone can have it all, it's you." Tobias told her.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, giving her a friendly squeeze. "There's no doubt in my mind that you can be the great doctor you are along with being an amazing wife and mother."

She smiled at him. "Thank you."

The two sat there, each lost in thoughts of their complicated futures.

After a while, their long hours caught up to them.

"Bedtime, Valentine." Tobias pulled Chris up when she yawned for the third time.

"Yes, boss." She looped her arm through his, teasing him that he'd probably have to drag her towards the oncall room.

Tobias glanced at her profile. This was one of those rare times where he had her to himself, no friends around nor Ethan to interrupt them.

He realized that he didn't want to keep his feelings to himself any longer.

After quick showers, the two settled in on the bottom of side by side bunk beds. They happened to be the only ones in this particular room.

Chris curled up on her side, facing Tobias's bed, and pulled the blankets up until they covered the bottom half of her face.

He could tell she was smiling sleepily at him as he settled on his side.

"'Night." She mumbled.

"Hey Chris?" He said softly before turning off the light.

"Hmm?" She peeked out from under her covers.

"I need to tell you something."

"Okay." She pushed the covers down past her chin. "What's up?"

"Before I tell you, I want you to know that I don't expect anything to come from this." He searched her eyes. "If anything, all I want to make sure of is that our friendship remains intact."

Chris's brow furrowed. "You know nothing can touch that."

He took a deep breath and slowly let it out all while praying that would remain true.

"I know this might feel like it's from out of the blue, but I've felt this way for a long time." He continued.

She felt the need to comfort him when she detected the worry in his tone. Chris reached across the space between their beds for his hand. She could tell whatever he was about to say was difficult.

He grasped her hand, swallowing nervously. He couldn't recall any other time in his life where he felt this uneasy.

Tobias held her steady gaze.

"What have you felt?" Chris prodded, worried he might be wanting to leave Edenbrook.

"I'm in love with you, Chris."

He felt her stiffen. Her hand jerked out of his grasp as if he'd burned her. All traces of sleepiness were gone from her face in an instant.

She sat up so fast to respond to him that she ended up striking her head on one of the metal slats above her.

Whimpering, she reached up to touch the spot that felt like it was on fire.

There was a warm wetness that couldn't be mistaken. Her breath hitched when she slowly lowered her hand to see it covered with her own blood.

"Chris!" Tobias scrambled out of bed to help her. "Let me see."

Her vision began to darken around the edges as a sense of falling into an endless pit flooded through her. Tobias's worried voice became nothing more than a distant echo.

She fainted dead away.

[dreampurpledreams]

"I knew you were black" , chapter 1

warning: Spanish may be wrong, Cursing

A/N: This took a long time bro. Someone told me I should write this. Leave feedback please, only my second fic.

2k words Below the cut

Italics are in Miles Head

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Miles was tired. He wanted nothing more than to lay in his bed, and go to sleep. But of course, he couldn't do that. He has to come back after patrolling the city, and study for a test. You would think the person who saved the entire universe, could at least be exempt from the semester exam. No such luck. Granted, nobody knew he was spiderman, but the principle of things should still apply. Exhausted, Miles opened his window and slipped into his room.

Quite literally. 

Hitting his head on the bedpost, Miles saw stars.

"Ay dios mío". Getting up, Miles tried to straighten himself which was hard to do since it felt like his head was swinging without him.  he just stood for a couple of minutes, hoping to regain his balance. 

Pulling off his mask Miles looked over to see his roommate in bed, sound asleep. Which was exactly what he should have been doing. Instead he was unnecessarily injuring himself.

"At least I don't have to hear him play video games while I work", Miles said, seemingly to himself. But he had only gotten his suit halfway off before he heard the covers shifting around. 

"Look bro, sorry for waking you up but I really have to study, so if you could maybe chill on the video games for one night." 

"I knew you were black. "

"Dude, I'm actually mixed and-". Miles turned around, ready to get this over with so he could just do his work, and go to sleep. Miles however, was not ready for the random girl standing in the middle of his room. 

Silence

"Sorry about that i shouldn't have assumed-"

Miles couldn't hear you. He was low-key panicking. How did he not notice you were in here? He wasn't that tired. You could have been an enemy. Were you an enemy? No, his Spidey-senses would have alerted him if you had been there to hurt him. And how could he possibly hear your voice and think you were Ganke? Ganke isn't a girl, nor does he have that accent. Agh all these questions.

Who were you?

How did you get in here?

Where's Ganke Lee?

Why has he never seen you before?

Why were you on the boys side of the dorm?

Were you a boy?

Can boys be that pretty?

Why are you so pretty?

How does your hair look so good?

Where did you get those boots?

Where did you get that accent from?

Where are you from?

Is there a boyfriend where you're from??

What?

Miles didn't know what to do. And you were still here. Just staring at him. Or back at him. Since he was staring at you. Crap, now you're gonna think he's a weirdo. What do I do?

Just do something and stop thinking so much.

You watched him warily, as he slowly started moving his arm towards you. Was he trying to… grab your… shoulder??

No, what are you doing? Not this again. Well, it too late now.

Miles placed his hand on your shoulder, looked you in your eyes, and said,

"Hey😏"

Silence.

Complete and utter silence.

And then you laughed. And you smiled while you were laughing. As most people do. But, most people don't look that beautiful when they laugh. And most people laugh at Miles, but most people don't make it seem so friendly.

"Howdy🤠" you said back to him. Howdy?? The only time he had heard anyone say 'howdy' was when Jevon (I made up some random kid), dressed up as a cowboy one Halloween.

"Why are you here?". Dammit Miles, what was that? Before he could correct himself you had already started talking.

"Well dadgum, you can't even ask me my name first?" You told him, Looking more than a little offended.

dadgum?? What is a dadgum??

"Sorry, I'm Miles". He held his hand out to you watching your face as he did. You seemed to consider it for a moment, before meeting his eyes, and taking his hand.

"Nice to meet you , I'm [Name]". Even though you were obviously annoyed, Miles still smiled to himself. Your accent was so cute.

"Oh umm, Thank you, I think." Thank him?? Why were you thanking him??

"Most people think my accent is weird". Oh, he said that out loud? Idiot. Jeez, he had to find a way to get you out of here so he could do…something…. he forgot.

Gosh, his head was all jumbled up, he couldn't focus with you around.

"You're welcome, beautiful." ¡Híjole!. I just can't control myself tonight huh.

"Oh", you looked away from him. Now I made her uncomfortable, dammit. How do I fix this?

"Sorry I didn't mean it". Mierda. He didn't mean that.

"Oh…", now you seem disappointed. What the hell.

"No wait, I didn't mean that! Well I did but-"

"Well you need to make up your mind, did you mean it or not?". Now, you were getting angry, and he could see it. In your face, eyes, body language. There was no confusion this time.

You would think after all this time being spiderman, he would be better at talking to women. But obviously all his confidence did not transfer to his love life. He was still a hot mess.

"I'm sorry. What I meant to say was, I thought that, but it wasn't my intention to say it out loud."

"Oh." You said. he could tell you didn't know how to respond, but he also saw you visibly relax, so he just said.

"Yeah."

With both of you unsure of what to do next, the atmosphere became awkward. Again.

With the sudden silence, Miles remembered how odd the situation was, and the fact that he was supposed to be working on his physics assignment. Along with the fact that you were in his room, and Ganke was missing, he had to address the fact that you knew he was Spider-Man. What was he gonna do?

"So how bout them cowboys??". You had broken the silence with the most odd question.

"You mean like, the football team?". Miles was so confused, why are you asking him about football?

"Yeah, um it got awkward in here, and I didn't know what to say"

".....So you asked me about football?"

"Well where I come from, when things get awkward, football always starts a conversation, and most of the time an argument, but at least everybody's talking."

"So you like the cowboys?"

"Hell no",

your voice deadpanned. You were so serious you would have thought, the cowboys had personally sent you an email saying "fuck you [Name]".

Miles couldn't help laughing at that, you asked him about a team you don't even like, just to start a conversation with him. And honestly, it was interesting. It has been a long time since he had felt this open with somebody. He didn't even have to hide the fact he was-.... Damn.

"Not to be rude or anything, but you never did answer my question earlier? The one about you being here?"

"If you're asking me where I'm from, then you'll just have to wait an' see. If you were wondering why I was in your room, then to be frank with you, I really don't know."

That was…suspicious.

"I just transferred here, and I was supposed to be shown around by somebody named 'Miles Morales'," she told with a pointed look at me. I remember that my dad signed me up to be a student ambassador. He hoped involving myself in the school would make me like it better. I look at her sheepishly and shrug my shoulders.

"Anyway, with this mystery man seemingly nowhere to be found, they called his roommate to get some to the bottom of things, who swore his roommate was terribly sick with a 24hr stomach bug, and was stuck on the toilet."

"Bruh." Miles sighed, rubbing his hand down his face in a slow manner. Of course Ganke would say something like that.

Amused, you continued on with your explanation.

"But it was all okay because he was going to take ,'Imodium AD' and would be fine in about an hour. So the administration allowed Ganke to escort you to your room, and so I could at least meet you, because you're supposed to be showing me around all week."

All week??? I mean, it wouldn't hurt to be at school more. It gave him time to catch up on all his work, instead of cramming everything the night before the due date. And hanging out with you wouldn't be so bad

"Funnily enough, when we arrived, I was informed by your kind roommate, that he had absolutely no idea where you were, or when you would be back. And refusing to show me to my room because that 'wasn't his job', I was welcome to stay here, as long as I didn't bother him. Then we proceeded to play overwatch, and Apex all day. When you came in I had fallen asleep, and Ganke had left to shower, and get snacks."

Oh. Now he felt bad. You had just traveled cross country, to a new place, all by yourself. You were probably just as tired as he was.

"Well, I'll take you back to your dorm now, I can show you around tomorrow, it's kinda past curfew." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Okay that's cool". Grabbing your suitcase, purse and books, you moved toward the door. "I'll just wait for you outside".

Wait? Outside? Why were you waiting?

Hand on the knob, ready to exit, Miles froze. Right, he was still in his spider suit. And it occurred to him you had been standing in his room while he was half naked the whole time. ¡Caray!

He had made a real fool of himself tonight. He wouldn't be surprised if you went to the office tomorrow and asked for another ambassador. Whatever, he would just enjoy walking you to your dorm, and hope for the best. Right after he changed his clothes.

Meeting you outside Miles he grabbed your suitcase and start walking.

"Your room is this way" he said looking back at you.

"Well I figured that, since we agreed that's where you were taking me", you said following behind him, jokingly rolling your eyes.

Smiling Miles looked at you.

There was that silence again. But this time it wasn't awkward. It felt comfortable. It must have meant you were warming up to him. It was the perfect opportunity to learn more about you. So, he did.

✼　 ҉　 ҉　 ҉　 ҉　 ҉　 ҉　 ҉. ✼

Closing the door to his room Miles remembered how exhausted he was. He looked over to see the real Ganke Lee sound asleep. Deciding to do his assignment tomorrow, Miles got in the bed. Mind and heart still racing from what you said when he dropped you off.

'Well this is you'

'Oh well thank you Miles I enjoyed this little gathering. If that's what it's called'

'Yeah whatever it's called'

'Sleep tight'

'Don't let the bed bugs bite'

And there was that laugh again. Still as beautiful as it was before

'Goodnight Miles,'' See you in the Mornin'

He forced himself to stop thinking about it. Stop thinking about the way you said little gathering, but it sounded like 'lil' gatherin'. Or the way you smiled at him when you said it, implying that you would keep him as your ambassador. That you still wanted to see him.

Gosh, he needed to rest. Miles turned on his chill playlist, and calmed down. Let the music control him, and ease his thoughts away, along with the rhythm. Soon, Miles was peacefully sleeping. A very calming contrast to the panic that would set in that next morning. When he remembered you, and that beautiful laugh. It would be followed by his desire to hear it again, and the drop in his stomach, when he realized you knew his biggest secret.

↳ Chapter 2

Main M.List "Hey 😏"M.List Navi

Dividers @/saradika

[caer-gai]

For the character ask game: 1, 2, 3, 9, 12, and 16 for Guinevere, Kay, and Hector! ☺️

Yay!! Thank you for the ask!

1 what do you like or dislike about this character?

We'll start with Kay he's easy. I love his loyalty, his grumpiness, the way he keeps ending up mentoring children despite claiming he hates them. The tired old soldier who really wishes the younger generation would shut up and listen. The sibling angst. He's my guy for sure lol

As for Hector he's just a little guy. Just a sad wet guy trailing after an older brother who isn't even aware.... truly a man I love. Surprisingly wild amounts of gender head cannons but we don't have to talk about that yet.

Guinevere.... I'll be honest I'm pretty neutral on her. I do wish we could stop having so much discourse around her because I always feel really nervous posting about her. (For the controversial thoughts dm me I'm not saying anything publicly)

2. What is your favorite canon thing about this character?

Kay it's alll about the loyalty the absolute devotion but also he's not exactly what you expect of a character in that role.

For Hector I just really love the dynamics he has

For Guinevere I think my favorite thing is her defense of Kay in the knight in the cart that was for sure the moment that made me go "oh, maybe I've been wrong about her". Pro tip of you want me to like a character have them be unexpectedly kind to Kay or a similar character lol

3. Least favorite thing about this character

Throwing me to the sharks I see/joking

Ok for Kay it's when he's just mean with no nuance or anything. The complexity is what makes him tasty otherwise he's just an asshole

I don't have one for Hector except that he's NOT FUCKING IN ANYTHING

Guinevere....ok hot take time: she doesn't need to be completely justified or evil guys. She can just be a person. Like she's not even real y'all we can chill out a little and explore possibilities and messiness and rest knowing no one was actually harmed.

9. Could you be roommates with this character?

Kay: Absolutely not. Never. I'm horrible about assuming people are mad at me and I cry very easily it would not be fun for either of us.

Hector: sure he seems chill I'd just have to hide all of Lancelot whump fics lol

Guinevere: as long as she's chill with me drawing her secret lover in a corset and nothing else. Tbh we'd probably get along pretty well

12. Headcanons....

KAY LOST TO BEAUMAINS ON PURPOSE I SAID WHAT I SAID

Less of headcanon and more of a making my own canon but I think King Ban legitimized/claimed Hector and Hector and Lancelot lived as brothers for at least a little bit.

Big fan of Guinevere being friends with Kay, idk if that's really a headcanon tho lol

16. What's your least favorite ship for this character?

Ok so necessary disclaimer shipping anything is fine it doesn't hurt anyone irl <3 have your fun and let others have fun. That being said...

Kay: Kay/Arthur,and Kay/Gareth. I'll accept Gawain/Kay, I won't pretend that I don't understand it but it's just weird with how i tend to interpret their dynamic. All that said I'm not absolutely opposed to certain extremely dark and whumpy scenerios but that's not something I'm ready to talk about here just yet

Hector: does he have any ships? I legitimately don't think i've seen him shipped with anyone before lol

Guinevere: Once again i'm not sure I have any I don't like that I can think of.

Thanks again for the ask!! <3

[snugglebug-92]

The One Where Things Come Crashing Down

After dinner on Friday night it didn’t take long for Matthew to show up at your place.

“I told you to drop it Matthew,” you look at him, tears streaming down your face. Matthew had never seen you cry. In your entire year of friendship, he had never seen it happen once so for him to be the cause of it felt like a million knives stabbing him everywhere.

“I’m sorry I just thought you were scared or embarrassed of liking a freshman. I didn’t think it was anything more than that,” Matthew shifts from foot to foot unsure of what to do.

“The reason I transferred her was because of my ex. The situation was bad. Really bad to the point where I almost died. It started out good, everything was sunshine and rainbows but soon things went bad. He got abusive and I tried to leave but he would threaten me, and I just couldn’t leave.”

“I’m so sorry I didn't know.”

“I know. But that’s why I haven’t dated anyone in the past year or taken interest in any guys. I just wasn’t ready yet but then well you know where we are right now.”

“I’ll fix this.”

“It’s okay Matthew. I’ll talk to him.”

“How about I tell him my part of how you had no idea he was going to be there and then you tell him whatever else you want to. Deal?”

“Deal.” You and Matthew spend most of the weekend together and when Monday comes around you go and talk to Jimmy after practice. You had watched how he avoided Matthew most of practice and you knew it wasn’t a good sign but when you get the text from Knies says Jimmy told him that what happened was in the past you took it as a good sign. You went up to talk to Jimmy and were quickly brushed off as if you didn’t exist. You blink back the tears and smile at Matthew when he comes out of the locker room. He comes over and you tell him that everything is okay even though it isn't. The same thing continues for the next month. Every time you see Jimmy after practice or a game, he pretends you are invisible and it’s killing you. Eventually you have to enlist his roommate. As you knock on Jimmy’s door you hear shuffling.

“Did you forget your key again?” Jimmy asked before opening the door.

“Look I’m sorry about the date I-” you start but then Jimmy cuts you off.

“Save it. I get the guys pranking me but I didn’t think you would stoop that low,” he slams the door and you slide down the wall next to his door breaking down in sobs. You didn’t understand how this boy who was so sweet to everyone was breaking your heart like this and he didn’t even know how you felt about him. You don’t know how long you are like that but soon Matthew is coming and you have never been more grateful to see him in your life.

“What happened? I got a call you were here. I thought everything was back to normal and you guys were, okay?” Matthew looks at you. You shake your head and grab his hand to stand up.

“I lied because I didn’t want you to worry. But I came here and he thinks the whole thing was a prank. He hates me Matty,” you whisper as the tears start to pile up. You look at the light and quickly blink so you don’t start crying before Matthew wraps his arms around you.

“We’ll figure it out. Okay?”

“I don’t know what there is to figure out Matty. He hates me.”

“I’ll talk to him or I don’t know.”

“It’s useless. I’ll just figure something out. I’ll be okay.” You smile and Matthew knows it’s a load of crap but he drops it. The two of you walk to get ice cream before he has to leave for a date with Abby leaving you alone with your thoughts. You sit in your empty apartment and can’t help but wonder if he’ll ever forgive you. That’s when you get the email. One other secret you had been keeping is that you had applied to be a photographer for the world juniors hockey tournament. You know it was a bit of a stretch but you had always been into photography and you had done a lot of sports photography. This was the email saying the position was yours. You were officially team USA’s photographer. Your rather shitty day had gotten a lot better. 

That night you go to bed with a smile on your face. You were happy and things were starting to look up. The rest of your week went by rather fast and soon it was game day. You went to the boy's game and they won. You congratulated Matthew and Brock before smiling at Jimmy as you left. You had decided you didn’t care if he was going to be a dick to you. You could be the bigger person and just ignore it and be nice to him anyways. It didn’t matter anymore. You were done caring.

[obsessive-ego]

Mistletoe

Musical Beetlejuice x reader gender neutral

You really weren't the type who decorate for the holidays, a simple table top tree, was really the only thing you had up, so it was weird when you noticed mistletoe hung just out of reach, but you weren't stupid, you knew who the culprit was.

Beetlejuice, your undead demon roommate, that talking corpse had made your little home his ever since he claimed you as his bffff forever or whatever, hes been stuck to you like glue. As your attention was directed to the plant, debating on taking it down or not, you're snapped out of your thoughts with a familiar rough grip on your waist from the back.

"Like my little contribution babes?" He purrs nuzzling into you, his beard scratching your neck.

"God Beej-" you start, the ghoul twirls you around to face him

"And correct me if im wrong toots, but Isn't it tradition to kiss under this little plant?~" he coos eyeing you up, his grip on your waist tightening, as if you had the mind to run.

"I guess" you mumble, clearly embarrassed over how long it took you to figure out WHY he put the decoration up in the first place.

Beetlejuice twirls you around once again before dipping you into a rather sloppy exaggerated kiss, pushing his rather large cold tongue down your throat, you make a muffled noise of surprise, as it was rare for beej to force his tongue into you, it was such an odd sensation as it explored every nook and cranny of your mouth, if it was up to the ghoul, he'd do this all night, but you were alive and needed to breath. So You push the demon's chest as a signal for him to knock it off, he grumbles and begrudgingly does so

Beetlejuice retracts his tongue, pulling away from your lips, and resting his forehead against yours, a string of saliva connects the two of you, you lightly pant in an attempt to refill your lungs as the demon only stares back at you with a toothy dangerous grin

"Was it good for you too?" He chuckles

"God-"

"Ya know, I like this little tradition, infact" beetlejuice snaps his fingers, and at first you didn't get it, but pushing away for the ghoul you catch on, glancing around, each doorway had a little peice of mistletoe hanging from it, and not only the doorways every few feet there was one hung on the ceiling, thos holiday was going to get alot more dangerous.

No matter where you went the ghoul was right behind you ready to pounce, not allowing a single opportunity to pass by to kiss you.

"Pucker up buttercup"

All day the ghoul was dipping you into wet sloppy kisses, pushing you into walls, pulling you into doorways, he was desperate for you, and took every chance he was given.

Though you would never say it, You didnt mind, never saying no, and only pushing him off when you needed to breath, despite how embarrassing the whole thing was, you liked it.

When you finally went to bed that night, beej snuck into your room while you were asleep, the demon was completely pink, pleased at how fun today was and how thankful he was when Delia told him about that little tradition. The ghoul couldnt help himself to steal one more kiss from you before he took down all the mistletoe aside from one.

"Sweet dreams babes" he whispers, before making himself comfy to watch you sleep.

Bonus

The next day you notice all the mistletoe was gone, a part of you was relieved while another was a tad disappointed. As you wander around your home, you notice the little plant that started this whole game, you smile, beetlejuice left one up.

"Beej? Can you come here for a sec please?" You holler into your home

In a flash the ghoul was by your side

"You rang honey bunches of oats?" He purrs leaning into you

You grab the demon by his tie, his hair instantly turning pink, you yank him down to your level, before slamming your lips into his, beetlejuice instantly melts into the kiss, his hands hovering over your shoulders, fingers twitching, as if he was unsure to hold you or not

When you pull away the demon is buzzing pink with a big love sick grin, yes beetlejuice has kissed you more times then you could remeber, but it never ceased to fail, when you took charge, it made the demon putty in your hands

"You forgot one Lawrence" you whisper pointing up

The ghoul glanced up only for a second before his attention goes back to you

"Babes, we're still under the mistletoe~" before pushing back into you for another kiss.

I guess maybe a few extra christmas decorations didnt hurt.