#but there are so many people in this class and the classroom layout is just not productive at all for discussion

[gossippool]

so bored in class i've written 500 more words of my fic. hashtag girlboss

[strawbeerossi]

A Helping Hand

Pairing: Gender Neutral!Reader x Spencer Reid

Description: You have an issue with staring at your professors hands.

Content/Warnings: Course language, Reader has some perverted thoughts, hand kink, finger sucking, sexual tension, fade to black sex.

Word Count: 0.9K

Kinktober Day Sixteen: Quirofilia

Navigation || Kinktober Masterlist || AO3

Spencer Reid had sexy hands. That was a given. The prominent veins in his hands made you drool, wanting nothing more than to suck on his fingers or have that same hand wrapped tight around your throat. 

It was easy to discreetly stare, mainly telling your professor you tended to zone out quite a lot. It wasn;t exactly a lie, yet you didn’t describe the fantasies of having him shove two fingers in your mouth to keep you quiet while brutally assaulting your sex in his office after class. The vivid thoughts of feeling those large hands gripping your hips or bringing it to cover your mouth had you in a spiral.

You didn’t ever expect to feel these feelings towards a man who was old enough to be your father, however you weren’t going to complain. He was an attractive man and he knew that, carrying himself with a form of confidence that didn’t make him arrogant but made him self aware as to why so many people audited his class over the thousands of others that were probably more aligned with their interests.

You liked how patient he was, even despite his time in prison. He always had a smile on his face when discussing lesson plans, talking with his hands and it was truly the cutest thing you’d seen. He always enjoyed when he was rambling during his lectures, dumping every ounce of information on the subject with everyone else. 

Today was no different, Dr. Reid going into the intricacies of triggers in budding unsubs as well as what could be a trigger and what wouldn’t be. It was admittedly a boring lesson but thankfully, he was excited about the topic to ramble for the full hour of the lecture.

You’d been ‘zoning out’ the whole lesson, practically drooling over the sight of his hands as he did many gestures for his talking points. You could only imagine the trigger it would take to have those hands gripping your body, pulling you flush against him in the front of the empty classroom while he wandered your body with care, wanting to feel every dip and curve.

You were staying after class today, mainly to discuss a research paper that he’d given at the beginning of the week. As soon as the class was being wrapped up and you got the opportunity to catch your sexy professor alone, you jumped to it. “Dr. Reid,” 

Most of the girls in the class looked at you with annoyance, having similar ideas to you in order to have a fraction of the man’s attention.

“I was wondering if I could discuss my paper with you, I’m struggling to differentiate between triggers and stressors.” You didn’t really have trouble with it but he didn’t have to know that. With his million dollar smile, Spencer was gesturing for the page in your hand, which was essentially just a layout. “I can help you with that, you know, I figured you would have no trouble with the assignment. You know you are one of my best students.” He spoke as he was letting his eyes glance over the handwritten notes you’d had.

His eyebrow raised, looking back up at you. “You’re confused? These notes are perfect and you have a clear layout for your paper. Why would you pretend like you had no idea what you were doing?” 

Fuck. You handed him the wrong paper, it was supposed to be the one filled with mixed information.

“O-oh, I..” You paused while looking over in his direction while your cheeks were heating up from embarrassment. Spencer seemed to catch on though, chuckling. “You know you could’ve just asked to speak to me. I would’ve accepted it. Now, why are you really here?” 

“I, uh, well I wanted to just talk to you about the assignment.” You let your shoulders sink.

“You are a horrible liar. Let’s not forget that I am a profiler. Seriously, is everything okay?” The paper in his hand was being handed back to you, a soft squeak leaving your lips as his hand brushed against yours. “It’s nothing! I should go!” You panicked, ready to run out of the lecture hall before Spencer was grounding you by wrapping his hand around your wrist. “I notice the way you stare at me. Was this just an excuse to talk to me?” Instead of seeming uncomfortable, he looked intrigued. “Come here. Please.” He spoke while letting go of you.

Now you could run, however his voice was luring you closer, now standing on the other side of his desk. Your gaze trailed to his hands briefly, making your professor lift his hands up, almost as if he was giving you a better look at the large, veiny hands. “Quirofilia, or the attraction to hands, is actually fairly common in terms of attraction.” He caught you. Fuck.

“I-is it?” You asked, the male nodding as he offered a smile and brought his hand up to cup your cheek. “Very. Some people like being scratched, others like being caressed, sucking fingers is also another very popular method.” He listed off his facts, his thumb running alongside your jaw. This wasn’t real, was it? No, it couldn’t be. It sure as hell felt real, especially when the pad of his thumb was swiping over your lower lip.

You didn’t see a point in denying such an open invitation, your lips closing around his thumb once you’d taken it into your mouth. “You’re a finger sucker.” Spencer concluded, chuckling as your cheeks hollowed as you sucked and swirled your tongue around his thumb. “And a very eager one at that. Come here.” He murmured, now pushing the things on his desk out of his way, gesturing for you to perch your body on the desk as he was moving to run his hands over your clothed thighs.

“Let’s explore this kink together, shall we?”

[ziipzeepzop-eez]

hi! me again, i know it hasn’t been that long but i just rewatched one of my favorite anime’s, Komi can’t communicate, it’s about a girl named Shoko Komi who has extreme social anxiety or also known as social-phobia and has trouble speaking to others and making friends as well, i’m serious, anytime the girl tries to speak, she gets nervous and overwhelmed and just starts stuttering a LOT!

So! i was wondering if you could do lil something with the rottmnt boys and a reader who acts like that? you don’t have to! and don’t worry, i’m almost finished with the lil gecko’s design!

i also recommend watching the anime, it’s really good and funny!

have a nice day/night! ❤️

❝ dulcet vibes. ❞

— ‧₊˚ 🎐✩ 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐱 𝐤𝐨𝐦𝐢 𝐞𝐬𝐤!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

❝l a/n !! : bro how many coincidences will we encounter ? I LITERALLY ADORE THAT ANIME SO SO MUCHHH AAAAA !!!! i binged the entire series over the course of time and finished it during the summertime last year ! such a wonderful anime. the slice of life feel to it, the equal parts humor and heartfelt, and not to mention the characters are all absolutely adorable and lovable !! especially komi. bro she's such a sweet cinnamon roll i just :(( my baby gorla :((( entire show is just *chef's kiss*

also darling this is like. YEARS late i hope u don't think i forgot abt you ?!!!! thank you soso much for your patience + i really hope you like this waaa !! also, psst. this is probably one of my favorite layouts~ the colors came together soso pretty !! ^^

ᝰ genre !! : fluff, a bit of crack, slice of life, platonic :)

ᝰ precautions !! : none, I don't think 🫡 if I am wrong however, pls pls let me know!! *smek* love y'all. hope you enjoy~

i imagine the gentleness is which they all unanimously develop when interacting with you, developed on day one of meeting you.

they're all quite protective over you !! that much goes without saying, of course.

it started out with you becoming a close friend of april's :'))

seeing as she was the first to understand that you weren't some unreachable individual w/ some uppity "holier-than-thou" complex,

but rather, a kid. just like the rest of them. :')

she recognizes her peoplez. 😤✊🏾 probably finds a kindred spirit in you for feeling a bit like an outcast.

whereas you garner attention for your stoic, quiet demeanor and mysterious beauty, that's usually all people see you as.

some don't even see you as much of a fellow person at all. based on your aura alone — you've been described as an equal mix of cold, stuck up, unreachable, boring or flat out rude . . . as well as absolutely stunning, dark, debonair, sleek, attractive, godlike even.

whatever the case, you garnered the attention of all kinds wherever you went, whether you liked it or not.

they just ain't know you, babes. 😞

and april is all too familiar with being simultaneously judged (solely based on appearances) and ignored or pushed aside because you're different.

and homegirl don't run that way 🫡. she a real one.

i imagine she took/takes on the role of being your tadano at first !!

she was chosen as your guide to show ya around the school and upon seeing y'all's chemistry build instantly throughout said tour, you both were paired up for a project in your shared classes! ^^

at first she was a little off-put by your silence and sharp gaze, and even more so at the loud attention you were given the instant you were introduced into the classroom, but a little time is all it took :)

it quickly became apparent that that simply wasn't the case.

you had pulled out your phone, showed her a message typed out in a cinnamoroll-themed digital notepad,

" thank you for your help :')) i'm sorry i don't talk a lot! i'm just shy. thank you for being so kind to me. 💛🙏 "

yeeeaaah she knew you were a good egg.

and the rest is history!

LEO gives me madddd najimi vibes, i'm gonna be so fr. so let's imagine that dynamic here !! as soon as y'all met, there was probably a little miscommunications at first :'] ofc april had told the guys beforehand that she was bringing you over, and he was positively stoked at finally being able to meet this "new friend" his best gal had been talking so fondly about !! and yes, she had given them all the rundown (but him especially. he was sweat-dropping at all the enunciations in her spiel being directed so openly at him. he ain't even met you yet 😔 why is everyone bullying him he is not that bad please he just wants a new friend this isn't fair ple- #justiceforleofr ✊🏾) but with leo, there's always something happening. (/aff /lh)

y'all know ts that najimi stayed pulling in the show? giving komi these complicated orders to go collect on her own in efforts to help her overcome her social anxiety? THIS HAS LEO WRITTEN ALL OVER ITTTTTTT. he'd definitely verbally note down the most diabolical pizza order and only gives enough time to make sure you even heard it before he's shoving the phone in your hands.

now if you start shaking and hesitate, he'll wait until like the very last second before he's chuckling and looking at you with gentle eyes. he takes the phone back into his hands, confirms the order, then pats your head. he's proud of you for trying!!

(he promptly dissolves into good-natured laughter when you start cuffing at his arm, face as red as a tomato.)

tbh thinks you're a cutie pie and tho he teases you, it's all in good nature !! let someone else try to come at you for your shyness. big "only I'm allowed to tease them" energy from this blueberry.

you know leo as your charming and obnoxious but fun-loving best friend who always smiles and jokes around you. but he can be brutal when he's upset. it's like a complete 360 when he's coming to your defense; his gaze turns hard and all traces of his bubbly self. GONE.

fiercely protective over you. whenever you're with him (or any of them really) he's your protector. and you can count on him to celebrate like it's the 4th of July whenever you manage to overcome your verbal barriers.

RAPH. our red angel of preventing harm. the backbone of our society. he is such a mother hen when it comes to you awww :(( when y'all first met & you responded to his amicable greeting by beginning to tremble and stare up at him with wide, shiny eyes, not a word of reply, he thought it was most obvious that you were scared of him. of them. ☹️

it made his heart ache but it was a familiar hurt. this may be New York, but this whole situation isn't the exact norm. (well, not yet anyway!)

then april went and pushed you forward-- closer to him, enthusiastically encouraging you to "go on, say hi!!" like some excited mom with her shy kid 😭😭. it was a few moments of tense silence, you could literally see the ". . ." in the background. then finally, in a hushed but determined whisper, you respond in kind.

yeah. he's hooked.

you bring a sense of stability and tranquility; a welcome pace to the constant chaos of his everyday normal. he's so used to all things loud and rambunctious and completely fizzy pop frenzied on a great day, that when your sweet little molasses self shows up and becomes a regular part of their everyday lives, he finds a haven that he didn't even know he wanted. much more needed.

raphie carries you in his arms to make a quick getaway? you force urge him silently to rest his head on your lap/tummy when y'all chill in peace.

he's effectively babying you? you take it with a stoic grace and appease his ruffled mother hen feathers with gentle sympathy pats to his arms when he finally relaxes.

he especially loves when you both go on little best friend dates !!

you have a tranquil, 'insider' type outlook on life so when you share your vision with them, he can't help but feel honored. being who you are in the modern world has left you with devices that conspire of the affinity to finding very cool hideaway spots!! & the more time you guys spend with each other, the closer you get. it develops into a very wholesome and loving friendship :(( ICONS, THE BOTH OF YOUSE. 🫶🏾

he loves you sm bcuz he feels like he can truly be himself - you're not the type to judge. he feels completely at ease with you and goes the extra mile to put you at ease too!!

—and you can bet he's allllways keeping leo in line as well 😭☠ like, bro can barely breathe. he can, has, and will tackle leo in mid-air because he went to tackle you in a running hug. 😪

blue bro means well when he plays around with you, but raph can only take so much before he gets tense 🥹 he just wants you to be comfortable!! :(( like, always.

he's like your teddy bear. a safety blanket. teddy blanket?? mm ^^ he's got it all for you. would bend over backwards at so much as a slight breath from you. completely whipped and unashamed of it.

DONNIE understands you on a spiritual level. he's your twin flame. your soul brother. bro's your down b, bro's your solider, he's got that thang-thang— *loud 16-wheeler horn passes by*

no but let's lock in. donbon becomes your saving grace, whether you like it or not (but i mean c'mon, who wouldn't like it? :] bro is him.) out of all the siblings, donnie understands your apprehension to socializing the best. it's not that you don't want to interact with others, it's just . . . hard. and scary. he gets that too.

donnie himself is sociable in the way that he's not afraid to interact with others nor is he scared to; he's just an introvert and if the feeling doesn't strike him, he won't. simple as that. 😆

but you're a bit of a different story. it's not that you don't want to, it's just significantly difficult for you </3. and donnie is nothing if not persistent and a fix-it felix in his own right, so! 👏 what does he do?? what he does best, of course!! he builds. he invents. he creates.

he would absolutely create different gadgets and such to try and make things easier for you. they can range from tiny things — automatic digital/magnetized notepads, tiny flying robots that have neurotransmitters embedded within so it speaks for you in the moments your voice croaks, to literal AI robots that do close to everything for you.

once he had gotten caught up in the excitement and pure influx of creative juices + had drawn up a prototype for a replicate robot of you — purely intended on doing the things that you couldn't in a way of helping out!! — and barely survived the crossfire that he was immediately subjected to by his siblings. he snapped out of it and locked tf in after that and, after a lengthy lecture from raph, he allowed leo to rip the blueprints to shreds & mikey to burn it. yes, he might've gotten carried away in his inventions, but it's all from a place of care!!!

he buys you snacks and gifts you a cute handmade keychain the next time you come over after that. you're confused but delighted. he sticks just a little closer that day, and you allow it.

i feel he'd see himself in you. as a result, he'd want to provide you with more things and protect you a lot!!! he ain't afraid to speak up on your behalf either. trust me, he's given such poetic lip to some stuck up assholes in the social world that it rendered you genuinely speechless. but they stay as inside jokes between y'all and best believe it makes the others so jealous 🤣😭.

also not afraid to tell his own brothers off if they're crowding you a little too much (*coughleocoughcough*) — he's a lot less lenient than raphie tho 😅

he cares. a lot. maybe. he's got a soft spot for you, what can I say?

when everything and anything starts to become too much for you, he's usually pretty good at recognizing it and offers you a place of solitude in his lab! it's cool and quiet (well. quiet-er than the wipeout episode that is his daily life outside those very walls.) and generally gives a very chill vibe.

he also loves the fact that you listen to his ranting and rambling without interrupting, not even once. sometimes he thinks it's because you can't, but when he pauses and goes to inquire as much, he's met with your warmed and focused gaze, a slight quirk to your lips as you nod along and. the message is there. i'm listening.

you're lowk his bestie and he can't really live without you from now on, he thinks. it's like the grumpy cat x golden retriever trope, but you're more of a cat too. two moons coexisting! two cats drenched in purple moonlight.

y'all just get each other i made myself sad. /lh + /hj

MIKEY aims to make you feel as comfortable and welcomed as possible !! at all times, all day, everyday. he even set up a cute little personal nook for you in the lair!! (he's such a sweetie pie y'all i'm 💔)

he was the most excited to meet you!!!! (you're his friend now. y'all are having soft tacos later!)

well, all of them were, but he was (and is) the most amicable and the most emotionally adept at understanding you and your shyness. apart of the "Save Y/N from Leo & His Shenanigans" pt 2. (i love the blueberry y'all i prommy bullying him is my love language). ofc he's just a bubbly glass of fizzy orange juice when y'all come face to face; he's all smiles and going "hi!! I'm Mikey!! what's your name??" even if april alr told them 🤦🏾‍♀️ HE'S JUST EXCITED OKAY???

hesitates for just shy of a second when you begin shaking, but then, you pull out your phone and shove the cute sanrio-themed greeting note in his snout and, the second it registers, he's beaming brighter than the sun and immediately welcomes you in, both physically and emotionally.

he makes you feel seen and heard, even when you try to chameleon your way through situations, as you've done countless times before. even when you assume your "better to be seen, not heard" posture, as you've done countless times before.

mikey being the most emotionally available of his family certainly comes with its perks!! he helps them navigate their individual friendships with you as well, and even tho there are a few hiccups along the way, you all develop a strong and lovely bond— & a large part in that is owed to mikey and his empathetic prowess.

particularly loves baking for/with you!!! it's always worth it to see your eyes light up, and he really does think you have a cute face. it's been described in a more debonair light by others, but to him, you're the sweetest little baozi and he just wants!!! to wrap you up in a blanket burrito and!!! keep you in his metaphorical pockets forever!!!!!!

he has definitely dedicated murals and different art pieces to you. sometimes you'll be minding your own business, just chilling together, and feel him staring at you. but before you can get self-conscious he always speaks up and sheepishly rubs the back of his head while pointing to the sketchbook in his lap. now, you're used to feeling his warm yet concentrated gaze on you, but your face still hasn't changed in the lobster red it becomes when he shows you the finished product :')) what can he say?? you're a one of a kind muse.

gives you cute nicknames. pinches your cheeks (if you're aiight with that.) soso affectionate with you, the fact that he loves you is unshakable and unquestionable.

[yall-batman-fanfic]

A Promise Across Time | Bruce Wayne/Batman x Magician!OC (Part 1/3)

Synopsis: Bruce remembers the first date he had with Vivian and the time he truly felt alive again.

Bruce messed up. While it wasn't entirely his fault, he felt guilty to have seen Vivian all dressed up that night and ready to meet him inside the restaurant only for him to apologize and take a raincheck on their date. Their first date. She tried to be understanding by giving a smile and reassuring him that “these things happen” but he could see that she was looking forward to their dinner. He was too. 

After their brief partnership in taking down Deacon Blackfire, Bruce wanted to get to know the Symbologist and Witch-out-of-practice a little more. She was intriguing, insightful, and sincere. Vivian did tell him that she didn't like politics, hence her preference to work in academia to get away from corporate politics. Despite her work dealing with symbols and icons, and many layers of research in sociology, history, geology, and philosophy, she prefered that people talked without the double meaning. That they stay true to their word. To be kind to one another. To tell it to her face than have someone stab her in the back.

But it can't be helped. People are people. So she just went to a place that has that kind of decency. Or at least have a bit more decency than in a corporate office. 

It took him a while to find time to reach out to her again. He did try to call her hotel after that night but it was her father who answered and dropped the phone on him. Bruce was a bit surprised. No one really drops the phone on Bruce Wayne. Batman, sure. But Bruce Wayne? It was rare. 

With everything going on with his day job and night job, Bruce decided to just approach her again once he's finished the Firefly case with Batman and some meetings with the board in Wayne Enterprise as Bruce Wayne. For Vivian, he waited until her family had gone back to Liverpool. He had a feeling that her father would slam the door at his face if he came to their hotel. 

So, here he was now, entering Gotham University years after graduating. Walking down its familiar halls, Bruce recalled his undergraduate years there before continuing his studies at Yale where he got his degree in law. He was mostly familiar with the campus grounds of the Criminology, Information Technology, and Engineering campuses as he took those understudies when he was twenty-one. He remembered running through these halls with Harvey Dent, both young and full of themselves. 

There were still happy times, he thought as he remembered his best friend. But it was mostly overshadowed by the bad memories. The struggle he went through. 

Bruce rarely entered the Classics Campus where the literature and history majors were. Sure he would visit the library there and go to some classes in that building, but he can't say he knew the layout like the palm of his hand. So, as he entered the large and classical looking building with its pillars and statues, he had to ask his way around. Specifically to where Professor Vivian Pryor was at his hour.

Maybe surprising her at her place of work wasn't such a good idea. He forgot, Vivian was a professor, she'll be moving around than staying in one place. 

A couple of students he asked were in shock that he was there and stammered in giving directions,” Bruce – Mr. Wayne – Mr. Billionaire Bruce Wayne,” the student said when he approached them, “Professor Pryor's — uh — it's around 2PM now, and it's a Friday… I think she'll be at 304, the Symposium.”

“Symposium?” Bruce said.

“Right, sorry, just a campus joke – Elliot's Hall.”

“Thanks.”

He found classroom 304 easily as it was the first room he saw upon taking the final step at the stairs, and just in time the students were exiting the classroom. Some paused as they saw him and then moved along when Bruce greeted them and asked if Vivian Pryor was still inside. They said yes and he went.

The amphitheater-styled room was empty, save for the red-haired woman packing her things at the center stage. Her hair was styled to a bun this time, a bit out of place now since it was the afternoon, her clothes were similar to the one she wore in her first book launch – the tweed high-waisted pants, a white button-shirt, boots, and a coat which she was just about to wear until she saw him approaching her.

“Bruce Wayne,” she said, quite surprised to see him there.

“Professor Pryor,” Bruce smiled and held out the small bouquet he brought. “I hope you're not busy.”

Vivian thanked him for the flowers. “Why?”

“I was wondering if we can talk? We didn't really get the chance to since I canceled our date at the last minute.”

“It was an emergency. Things happen,” Vivian shrugged. “Don't tell me that's been bothering you all this time.”

“It has.”

Vivian hid her blush in the flowers. “That must have been awful for you. You could have called or dropped by if it bothered you so much. I wouldn't mind… but I understand you're busy so I just thought it'd be best not to bother you too much.”

“I did, actually called and dropped by the hotel you and your family were staying at… but your father wasn't too happy about it.”

“What?” Vivian raised a brow at him. 

“He never told you, didn't he?”Oops.

“That son of a – sorry, grandma but your son is such a…” Vivian got her phone and typed furiously fast and hit sent. “He will not be doing that again. I am so sorry about that, Bruce. I hope this doesn't give you a bad impression on my family my dad is just –” 

BING! 

Vivian opened the chat – it was their family group chat – and typed a quick reply and turned the chat in silent mode, knowing it was going to be flooded with messages from her stepfather. 

Turning to Bruce, who had an amused smile on his face, Vivian said, “Again, I am so sorry about that – just so we're clear, that wasn't me telling my dad to slam the door or drop the phone, he did it. If you called, I would have answered the phone.”

“It's fine. I’m glad you're not mad at me for that night.”

“Bruce, shit happens,” she sighed, he was surprised with her language, “While it was a little shitty that I got dressed up only to spend my night drinking beer in the nearest bar that night, you had an emergency. It happens, and I'm sure it will happen again along the road. You can't beat yourself over a date that didn't go as planned.”

“Well, I promise that this time it won't. Maybe we can have another try? This Friday, afterwork. I'll pick you up at your hotel.”

“And where will we go?”

Bruce sighed. “You know, I've been asking the same thing myself. I was thinking of the museum tour but then I'm sure you’ve memorized Gotham Museum by now.”

“I work there, Bruce. Part-time,” she grinned.

“So, I was thinking something different for the both of us. So we'd be at par with the experience.”

“And what do you think that would be?”

“There's a nice restaurant not far, it's new, and it's got music. Not too loud that we won't hear each other. And room to dance.”

“I didn't know Bruce Wayne could dance.”

“I don't. Do you?”

“Not particularly… alright, Friday. My last class is at four. You can pick me up at five – to give the lady a little time to prepare?”

“Your hotel then?”

“Here is fine. My students are making signs over your shoulder that they'd be the one to help me prepare,” Vivian waved at the group who entered the room and had a large message on their pad saying: Makeover. Room 203. 

Bruce chuckled at the sight of the girls, and turned to Vivian to say, “Here there. Tomorrow at five.”

“Something fancy or casual?”

“A little bit of both if you like. I guess I should get going, your class is here.”

“Yes, go. Before they take this as a sign it's free period… and Mr. Wayne.”

“Yes?”

Vivian held the flowers. “I appreciate the flowers, but it breaks my heart to see them wither at the end of the day.”

“No flowers then. Chocolates?”

“A girl's best friend.”

“Coffee?”

“Now you're speaking my language.”

“I'll take note. See you tomorrow, Vivian.”

“You too.”

As Bruce climbed the steps, he passed by the giggling students and said out loud for Vivian to hear, teasingly, “I'll leave her in your hands. Make sure she's free tomorrow and ready.”

“You got it, Mr. Wayne,” one of them giggled.

As soon as Bruce closed the door behind him, he heard teasing and squeals from the students and Vivian telling them, “At least have the decency to wait for him to leave the freaking door before doing that. Jesus. Come on, I taught you better, didn't I?”

Bruce smiled as he heard the laughter in the room. 

On the day of their date, Bruce made sure to finish all his work in Wayne Enterprise before 3 PM, and went to make sure Gotham wasn't on fire before making a quick change in the office bathroom, which caught the attention of Lucius Fox and asked, “Off to a date, Mr. Wayne?”

“I am,” he said as he tried to fix his tie. Today it just wasn't working with him.

Seeing his struggle, Lucius Fox chuckled and offered to fix it for him, and he let the man. “And who is this lovely lady you're getting all dressed up for today, Mr. Wayne? If it's alright to ask.”

Bruce smiled. “Professor Vivian Pryor.”

“Ah, the author. She's a lovely woman. Going dancing, I see?”

“What made you think so?”

“Your shoes.”

“Alfred picked them for me today. I told him that I was heading to the Black Bird tonight with Vivian.”

“Leave it to Alfred to give you a good suit and shoes for a night of dancing,” Lucius laughed and finished his work and pressed down Bruce's suit. “I think that would be enough to sweep her off her feet.”

Bruce laughed. “Thanks, Lucius.”

“Have fun, Mr. Wayne!”

Driving to Gotham University, Bruce waited for Vivian at the Classics Campus in his pressed suit, heavy coat, and a box of chocolates he thought he'd like. He was a bit early – ten minutes early – but he didn't wait too long because Vivian came out with some of her colleagues who kept gushing over her dress.

And they had more than one reason to.

As Vivian went down, Bruce paused as he took in the sight of her. Her red locks placed in a coiffer with a pearl accessory to keep it up, she wore a bit of makeup that stands out for the evening, and an emerald dress with a square neckline that gives enough skin for anyone to want more, the bodice hugged her body perfectly with a good emphasis on her chest while still being modest, and a skirt made off soft and flowing material that made it look like she was walking underwater. 

“Bruce!” Vivian smiled as soon as she saw him and ran towards his direction to get away from her teasing colleagues “Don't you look handsome. Are those dance shoes? And you said you don't dance.”

“Alfred picked them out for the day,” Bruce shrugged. “I didn't even know I had them. You look stunning, Vivian.”

A blush crept up her cheeks and Vivian looked away to hide it but he saw. It was adorable. 

“You said dancing, so I picked something that looks like it's for dancing… actually, it was my neighbor in the hotel that picked it. He's this fashion designer in Gotham for an event and he gave me this for the night.”

“Well, I guess we're definitely dancing tonight. Also,” Bruce held the chocolates out. “Chocolates as promised, but Alfred said it's important to give a lady flowers on a date, so,” he opened the box and showed the flower-shaped chocolates.

Vivian chuckled and said, “smart. You found a loophole with my no-flowers rule.”

“Shall we?” He offered his arm to her.

“Yes, we shall,” Vivian turned to her friends and called for her colleagues and students, who stayed longer to see her be picked up by her – in their words – “knight in shining armor”, to get her things that they kept hostage so she could show off her dress. “This doesn't exempt you from tomorrow's test. Got it?” Vivian told the students as she joined Bruce.

“Boo!” Her students teased.

“Don't worry, I'll try to get her forget about the test tomorrow,” Bruce joked.

“You do that, Mr. Wayne. You'll be saving our asses from another essay!”

“Thanks for taking care of her for me!”

“Have fun, Vivian!” Her colleagues called out.

Heading to the parking lot, Vivian was in shock to find the expensive looking car parked between two economy-sedans, one of which was owned by her colleague, Justin Kirk, who was about to leave for home and only waved at her goodnight without his usual smile. As she entered the car, Vivian took a breath. 

“A manual,” Vivian commended him.

“If you're going to drive a really fast car, you should drive it right,” he smirked.

She smirked. “If you're going to drive a really fast car, you shouldn't drive it in Gotham, Mr. Wayne. Else you'll find yourself getting troubles. This beast is made for speed not everyday traffic.”

“Good thing we'll be driving on a road that lets me drive fast then,” Bruce left the parking space.

“I thought we were going dancing in Black Bird?” Vivian asked.

“We are. Just not in Gotham City. The Black Bird at the outskirts has a good view.”

Long Island. He was taking her to Long Island.

“I can't believe you're actually taking me outside of Gotham City for our first date,” Vivian chuckled. 

“I gotta make it up to you for cancelling. Besides, you'll see why the original Black Bird is way better than the branch in Gotham. I love Gotham but I think you'll like this place more than the one in Founder's Island.”

“And I thought we're both trying something new tonight.”

“We are. I don't usually dance. But with you, I'll give it a shot.”

The drive to Long Island was quick and fast. Bruce made sure to show her that the car wasn't just for show, that he can really drive it, and the entire time he would see at the corner of his eye the smile on her face. She also liked when he drifted the car. Not a flinch, just her smile reaching her ears. He could only imagine the look on her face if she rode the Batmobile during a chase. She'd love that he bet.

Minus the guns being fired at them or the RPG, which he encountered last week with Penguin's men trying to shake Batman off their tail. 

The Black Bird at Long Island was at the outskirts, atop a cliff that connects down to the white beach. From where they sat at the covered balcony, Vivian could still see the lights coming from Gotham City, and a bit of smog that covered its skies. 

“You're right, this does have a better view,” she told Bruce. “And has good music too.”

“Glad you like it.”

Their food came not long after they finished their wine. It was good food, probably the best she tasted from a restaurant. She shouldn't be surprised since the Black Bird had a michelin star. She ordered an Alfredo, and for a moment she remembered her time eating at one of the restaurants in Rome when she had her semester there. 

They talked about a lot of things as they ate. About their work, and then their studies, which they were invested in learning about from one another. She was surprised when he mentioned he had degrees in Criminal Science, Forensic Sciences, Computer Sciences, Chemistry and Engineering by the time he was twenty-one. But she remembered his little secret, and her little secret, and thought that it made sense for Batman to have those under his belt. Still, considering he still didn't know that she knew he was Batman, the fact he had five degrees under his belt by twenty-one, along with a degree in law from Yale was impressive. 

At twenty-one she was still in uni, going though classes, writing papers, doing her reading for tomorrow's lecture during her part-time jobs. Once, during a slow night, she gave a lecture on Dante's Divine Comedy to a homeless man who asked for a cup of coffee. It was the most philosophical conversation she had since then. She wondered where the old man was now.

When their desserts came, Vivian ordered an Affogato, the band started to play more upbeat music, encouraging people to come up and dance. From their place, Vivian and Bruce watched as some of the guests got up and danced to the upbeat, dance music from the sixties. 

“So, are we going to just sit here and watch them or are you going to use those dance shoes that your butler prepared for tonight?” Vivian said.

Bruce got up from his seat and held out his hand to her. “Don't hit me if I step on your foot.”

“Don't worry, Mr. Wayne, we'll take things slow,” Vivian took his hand and led him to where the others were. 

When Bruce was about to put his hand on her waist to do some ballroom dance he's done in galas, Vivian removed his hand and told him, “This is jazz and blues, Bruce.”

“I told you, I'm not much of a dancer.”

“Just follow my lead,” Vivian grinned and circled him with his hand still holding hers, when she pulled out, Bruce instinctively pulled her back in and kept the rhythm. 

“And you said you don't dance,” he whispered to her ear.

“I might have gone to clubs like this back in Liverpool and learned a thing or two,” she got out of his chest and led them through the dance. Her dress danced the entire time, giving an illusion of the music flowing through them in each twirl and step. Bruce held her hand the entire time and his smile never faltered, and to surprise her he even dipped her back a little and pulled down her hair to add more flare to her get up as she danced.

By the end of the second song, the two left the Black Bird, with Bruce paying for their dinner, but instead of head home, they went down to the white beach. Wearing her coat and holding her shoes, Vivian relished the feeling of sand burying her feet as they walked and the smell of the ocean. 

“You lied,” said Bruce.

“About that?”

“About dancing. We weren't par in this date.”

“I really don't dance, you know.”

“Those moves says differently.”

“I'm telling you, that was just me fooling around,” Vivian laughed. “You weren't bad yourself. I'm sure if you brought me to those fancy places that has ballroom dances I'd be the one following  your lead.”

“Naturally, I was raised by a butler,” it was supposed to be a joke but Vivian looked at him with a sad gaze, but she smiled nonetheless.

“Alfred raised a gentleman,” Vivian squeezed his hand. “He raised a good man.”

“He was always generous and said it was my parents who raised me. They did for a time until they were no longer there. He was the one who taught me all of this – how to talk, how to act, how to dress up, manners, how to dance, and how to woo a woman.”

“Well, he did a good job.” 

“What about you? Who taught you how to dance?” He had a guess it was her stepfather.

“It was my mom who would bring me to those jazz clubs,” Vivian began.  “I know, I was too young to be in those places but she just had to. You see, there was a father-daughter dance in my old school. I didn't go because I didn't really have a dad, and I actually hid the poster from my school diary then so she wouldn't find out. She's been working more shifts that time and I knew she was tired. But some nosy neighbor asked if I was sick since I wasn't in the dance last night.”

“She found out.”

“Yup. What she did was, she got me to wear this old sixties dress she found in the thrift shop. The both of us did. It was a matching set, and we took a bus to some jazz club. She was friends with the security there and she knew the band playing. She told them: “my daughter missed her father-daughter dance, and I want to take her to one”. They played this jazz and blues song and we danced. Then, Adam came and he danced with me too. In fact, all of the ladies and gentlemen there danced with me.”

“I'm glad you have that memory of her. That you still remember the happy times and not just…”

He had slipped. Vivian Pryor hasn't told Bruce Wayne about her mother. She told Batman that time they were in the crypts. But she brushed it off so easily and said, “I try to remember more of the happy things that happened now. For a time all of those happy things were gone and what I remember of my mother was finding her on that pavement, dead. But I learned that there are also happy memories that I can look back to. It was a tragedy what happened but my mom's life wasn't one. She made sure to remind us that she lived happily.

“One moment does not define a person's life. It's the journey they made, the memories they leave with those who mourn their passing. And to have someone to mourn you means you have lived life as it is meant to be.”

Bruce stopped in his tracks, pulling her to a halt as well. “Where did you read that from?”

“I didn't,” she grinned. “I thought it myself. Right now.”

“No. You can't just say something so deep just out of the blue,” he laughed.

“I swear! I didn't read it from somewhere.”

“I guess you really are an author.”

“An academic author.”

Looking into the darkness of the sea, Bruce sighed. “To have someone to mourn your passing… a haunting thought if you ask me.”

“You think no one will mourn you?”

“When my parents died Gotham mourned them, but there was only a handful of us who truly grieved. A handful of us who Thomas and Martha Wayne meant to. A friend, family, a son… most of those people are gone now.”

“I would grieve,” Vivian said. 

“We barely know it each other.”

“I know but… don't take this the wrong way but I'm more sensitive to life around me than most people,” Vivian chose her words carefully. “It's like… it's like let's say the sea. Whenever it comes to the beach it leaves a mark on the sand. Give it a couple of decades or centuries and it can form something with it. I'm the surface of this sand or that cliff, and each person is an ocean who makes their mark and I feel everything them and everything about them…

“So, when the ocean suddenly disappears or dries up, I would know and it would hurt me more sometimes than it should.”

Because she was a witch. Because her magic makes her sensitive to life around her.

“It's one of the reasons when my pet bunny died I cried for weeks,” Vivian attempted to joke but when she saw Bruce's gaze on her she fell silent because he was loss for words. “We might have just met now, but you've helped me so much for the past few weeks.” As Bruce Wayne and Batman. “And after this night, I will grieve your loss. And I would mourn Gotham for the person they lost. The man who has a vision and has been fighting to save it.”

It was only then she realized how close they were. That he held her waist while still holding her hand, that he leaned down close and that she was whispering the last few sentences as he looked at her closely.

“Do you have rules against kissing on first dates?” Bruce teased.

Vivian shook her head, “Not tonight,” she pulled him down and kissed him. 

Bruce wrapped his arms around her to pull her up. Her lips were soft and had the taste of the Affogato from earlier, and the way she pressed her tongue against his had him hold her tighter and wanting more. That's when he had her wrap her legs around him so he could kiss her properly, and to hold her entirely. At some point, they fell on the sand with Vivian straddling him and their lips still moving with one another.

Before it could escalate, Vivian pulled away. “But I do have one on sleeping with anyone on the first date.”

Bruce chuckled. “Understandable… you have a way with words, Professor.”

“Thank the dozens of philosophers whose works I've read for years now.”

Bruce reached up and brushed back a lock of red hair behind her ear and caressed her cheek. “Thank you for tonight.”

“I should be thanking you, Bruce. You know how to sweep a girl off her feet.”

He shook his head and cupped her cheek, and she leaned into his touch, nuzzling into his palm. “Thank you… I haven't had this kind of conversation for a long time now. Where I'm not guarded… where I can relax and talk to someone who actually listens… and who is not my butler.”

Vivian smiled and leaned down to kiss his lips again. “Anytime.”

“So, are you free again this Friday?”

Vivian laughed, “we haven't even finished this date.”

“Well, I want to see you again.”

“You know where I'm temporarily staying until my real estate agent finalizes the papers for my new condo. And if you ever need a listening friend, you can always call, and I'll always answer. Unless I have class.”

“As much as I want to get you access to Wayne Tower, I want this to be something between us for a while. Something they won't publicize in Gotham.”

“Understandable. I'll tell everyone it was just one date then.”

“But I hope you're free next Friday or maybe tomorrow.”

“I'm needed at the museum tomorrow. Next Friday. I'll make sure to clear my schedule for that.”

“And Vivian?”

“Yes, Bruce?”

“I will also grieve if you were to disappear.”

Vivian smiled. “Then I promise that I won't disappear… as long as you promise too.”

He knew it was foolish to make such a promise but Bruce said, “I will.”

~*~

Standing before Superman and Wonder Woman, Vivian felt her whole world crumbling after hearing what they said. Everything just felt numb after hearing them say to her, “Batman's gone, Vivian. We're so sorry.” And all they could give her was his cape and how it happened. All she heard was Bruce was gone and it was because of Darkseid. 

“No,” Vivian spoke for the first time since Superman and Wonder Woman gave the news. “No, no, no, no!” Vivian cried and broke down. Alfred was quick to catch her and Damian ran to her side as she cried. “No, no, no! He can't,” Vivian clutched his cape and cowl trying to use as an anchor point to find him. Her magic flowed around her along with the Phoenix's magical energy.

“Viv,” Tim tried to console her but Vivian sobbed, her magic no longer glowing around her and a painful cry came from the woman.

“I can't feel him… I can't –” she cried. “I can't feel you…”

Seeing her inconsolable state, Damian faced Superman and Wonder Woman, and told them, “You've done enough.”

“Damian,” Dick chastised him. “It's not their –”

“A Kryptonian and an Amazon, Grayson,” Damian glared at him. “Father was a man… look at her, Dick.”

Dick did and saw Vivian crying on Alfred’s shoulder, still clutching on Bruce's cape and cowl, then to Damian and saw the tears building in his eyes. “Yeah, I think it's best you give us time,” he told the two heroes.

After Dick walked out the two heroes, he returned to the living room where Vivian still held onto the cape as she cried and grieved for the loss of her husband, and tried over and over to look for him. To feel his presence again but to avail. 

“I can't feel him, Alfred,” she cried. “I can't feel Bruce.”

~*~

Pulled through the time stream and thrown to different times, Bruce woke in a convent bed with the sound of a voice calling his name, “Bruce!” Getting up, he reached for the candle on his bedside and lit a fire to bring light to his dark home. 

“Quoth who?”

Silence.

Sighing, he placed back the candle on the best beside him where he saw the picture he drew of the red haired woman he kept seeing in his dreams. Her red hair, he painted it using red clay he found in the ground, and he kept an ample supply of the red clay in his current place of refuge to continue to paint the woman's portraits that slowly became clearer as days passed. It started from glimpses of her hair, then her brown eyes, her face was blurry at first but then her face would start to form.

The wind blew into his home and with it the scent of the ocean and the voice, “Bruce!”

“Vivian,” He spoke the name.

“Who is Vivian?” A nun came to his chambers. He was given his own quarters to keep him from those with fever and other ailments. “Finally recovering your memories, stranger?” Her Irish accent was strong.

“I cannot say for certain,” Bruce muttered.

“And this Vivian, whose name you speak of? Might she be the woman you have been painting day and night?”

“I do not know, Sister.”

The nun looked at him for a moment and said, “Pray, stranger. Pray that you remember so you may return to her whole.”

Bruce looked at the cross that hung on the wall across his bed then again to the portrait of the woman he drew. He chose to take her portrait and pray to her instead. Pray that he may remember and learn who it was that calls for his  name “Bruce.”

Yes. His name. He remembers his name.

“My name, Sister,” he spoke before the nun left. “I remember the name given to me but not the name of thy kin.”

“And what is it?”

“Bruce.”

The nun smiled. “Well, good night, Mr. Bruce.”

The nun left the room and Bruce continued to look at the woman with red hair along with the image of the bat below. In a whisper, he repeated her name again and again. He came to this town with no name and no memory but an image of a woman with red hair. 

“Do not… grieve, my Vivian,” he spoke in a whisper, the words coming from his heart. “I shall find you.”

[sparks-and-wires]

Exchange Program - Yandere 2P Japan x Reader

⚠️ Warnings: Mentions of injury, mention of a weapon, stalking, Kuro is not speaking English for almost the entire fic break out google translate, mentions of a snake and what venom can do to your body if you happen to be bit by a very specific one ⚠️

Word count: 2,813 

As of late, your university has been taking in more and more exchange students. It's become a new normal for people you've never seen before to suddenly approach you to get help trying to understand a word or to find a classroom. Some of these people only seemed to speak in broken English, some entirely fluent and just confused by the university's layout. These were people you'd only see in passing and never be able to connect with since they'd be back home within a year of attending.

There were only two exchange students you ever knew about staying for sure, a rather gruff man from Spain who was infamous for getting into fights with teachers and students alike, and a quiet Canadian who seems to blend into the background if you didn't focus on him entirely.

---------

The Spaniard once tried to start a fight with you, which initiated a long staring contest that you somehow won. The man had more gray hairs than anyone your own age, and you wondered if he was as young as he claimed he was. You never learned his name, and didn't care to, you were just glad not to share the same major with him. Thankfully you switched classes before he had the nerve to try to knock your lights out. The Canadian, a man you learned to know as Matthew, was just someone you ended up sharing a class with for a semester. Outside of being able to speak French and being on the dean's list repeatedly, there weren't a lot of things that stuck out about him besides a strange strand of hair that he could never seem to brush down.

Apparently, some of these exchange students have started scandals on campus as of late, or so you've heard from your friends. They were talking a lot about some guy who claimed to be a member of the Italian mafia who was trying to recruit people from the university? He picked a bad place for that, people are too worried about their grades to get involved with anything other than school. You'd finish your lunch early and head off to your final class before you could hear about the latest exchange student, one many people seemed scared of immediately.

-------

It's been a long time since you've done anything other than do homework, play video games with friends, or just sleep the afternoon away after a long class. Today, you had nothing to do, classes were over, you'd caught up on most of your work, and your friends were too swamped to meet up. For the first time in months, you decide to snoop through the different buildings on campus.

You stick your head into different classrooms, almost being scolded several times after not checking if a class was in session or not. You end up checking in with a few teacher's you'd had in the past just to talk a little. Many of them were in their offices when you checked, some only having a few minutes to talk but overall happy that you stopped by.

------

Somewhere along the line, you got roped into helping a science teacher with his class as "an observer". Dr. Pearce, a well respected teacher on campus, and a past favorite of yours for telling people off without restraint. A man of his stature already long achieved his tenure with teaching but still speaks with a glee in his tone upon introducing the class to the "interesting world of biology". This was the best excuse for you to observe animals that the students in the upper level were maintaining. It was mostly snakes, some water-bound lizards, a few frogs, bugs, and a monitor lizard that was kept in an enclosure day and night.

Upon entering the room with Dr. Pearce, a few sets of eyes seemed to be glued to you for a few minutes. Only one pair seemed to really bore into your skull long after the class started. You could feel it the entire time and you couldn't tell or not whether the person hated you or not, nor could you really pinpoint where they were sitting from your spot in the front row.

---------

Eventually the feeling died down allowing you to breathe once more, and you seemed to snoop with each student's assigned "creature" as you'd put it. The teacher and other students could obviously see your enthusiasm. You looked from one little enclosure to another seeming to be enamored by each animal. Feeling brave, you went to open up one of the snake enclosures only to have your hand restrained in a tight grip.

"あなたには死の願望がありますか？"

"What?" You meet eyes with the owner of the hand, a twenty something year old Japanese student. You were more focused on his eyes than anything else, the color unnatural. You questioned yourself if he was wearing colored contacts or not, that'd be the only explanation for him having scarlet eyes. He seemed to be irritated at you and suddenly you were feeling that sickening feeling that accompanied his piercing glare. It's exactly what you'd experienced earlier, you're now a hundred percent sure he was who was staring into the back of your head the entire first half of the class. You wouldn't be feeling so sick at your stomach otherwise. You were hit with a really overwhelming amount of dread but maintained a blank expression as he almost crushed your wrist. He seemed just so angry.

--------

"It was you?-" You vocalize that quietly as you stare back in confusion before Dr. Pearce cut into the conversation.

"Ah, Kuro you can let them go, they didn't know." Kuro let you go with that, seemingly to immediately calm down and going back to making notes you couldn't read. It was like some sort of switch went off, and he was just like any other student in the class again.

"I didn't know what?"

"You almost opened the enclosure to an eastern brown snake. These snakes have venom that can cause paralysis, internal bleeding, and death within a matter of fifteen minutes. Kuro really saved you here. I thought you would have learned not to open up the enclosures after what happened with the frogs-" You cut Dr. Peirce off before he could finish reminding you of freshman year.

"Wait, wait, back up- I could have just died?" Other students were now looking at the three of you. You just laugh to release the fear you were experiencing. That's all you could do with that overwhelming energy. A harsh smack to the back of your head was given by the same student that just saved you.

"停止。" You say nothing, feeling like you deserved it somehow.

"Mr. Honda, that wasn't necessary! People deal with the threat of death differently-" You don't listen to the rest of the teacher scolding Kuro as you rub the spot he'd hit and move away from the snake enclosures. You understandably didn't want to be an observer anymore and left after saying goodbye to the teacher.

--------

You didn't think much past that, you could have died if not for an exchange student. You didn't even have the mind to say thank you. Strangely, that wouldn't be the only time he seems to save your ass that week. He keeps you from tripping down a flight of stairs while talking with friends, moves you out of the way of a fight that Spanish guy starts in the hallway, he just seems to be everywhere you are all of a sudden.

"Thanks..." You let out a sigh for once as you two watch the fight move further down the hallway. You feel awkward when he doesn't seem to leave your side.

"Listen, thanks for saving my ass with the snake earlier." He seems calm for once, his eyes not holding malice like he'd been earlier.

"大丈夫ですか？" You at least recognize the phrase. "Are you ok?" You wouldn't expect him to really care that much for someone he didn't know. It was his animal you'd tried messing with though, so maybe he's just trying to make sure you weren't going to do something else stupid. You're honestly surprised he isn't using any English though, it just seemed so odd for him to just refuse to reform to speaking the language of the country you're in. Of course, the Spaniard spoke Spanish half the time and Matthew seemed to speak French a lot before correcting himself, so maybe it was just a ‘you problem’ for not understanding everything Kuro was saying.

"I'm ok." That's all you can get out. Kuro seemed to smile at that, so you assumed he understood you.

---------

After a month in, you seem to realize he's... almost everywhere you plan on going. A meeting with Dr. Pierce revealed to you that Kuro was more or less interested in you. He was apparently asking for your name and major so he'd know approximately where to find you.

It was odd having someone's attention that was... so different. A month ago you swore he didn't seem all that interested in you and even hated you for a moment when you attempted to handle the snake he was studying. Now he just quietly followed you around like you were friends. When you talked to him he would only respond in Japanese but overall just seemed content with having your attention. You didn't really see any harm with just letting him tag along wherever you were going.

--------

At first, it was kind of cute that he followed you around, but after a week you were getting fed up with the Japanese student's antics. Your friends were uncomfortable with him around and they couldn't even tell you why because he was just always there. You all knew he could understand what people were saying around him so it seemed rude to talk about him when he was right there. Eventually, you were just left with him, something that seemed to leave him looking either smug or beaming depending on the day.

You didn't get why he just wanted to be near you in the first place. Were you genuinely interesting to him? Did he think you needed someone to look after you after coming so close to death? Were you his crush or something?

It didn't even help that you couldn't even understand a word he was saying most of the time. All you could pick up was the words that sounded the most like English, "ダーリン" or as you heard it as "darling" being what had set off some red flags for you. The only reason you ignored it was because he didn't move to do anything remotely inappropriate in nature at the time.

--------

The longer he stuck around the more you noticed about him. He was attractive to a lot of people in the university. Though it seems like whenever someone would take an interest in him that wasn't you, he'd just get really pissed off for days on end. Those people suddenly wouldn't go near either of you after one or two days. You started to wonder after the third girl if he did something to them. Despite everything he'd always just seem calm when you were looking at him or talking, but he started to gently shake your shoulder just so you'd look at him longer.

It was like dealing with a child after a while, he became very off putting and clingy, seemingly complaining every time you go back to your dorm. A few times you caught him sitting outside the door to your room, which much to his amusement, really freaked you out. You couldn't even report him to the dean since he'd pop out of some corner hallway and scare the hell out of you before you could make it to their office. He was clearly escalating with his weird behaviors.

---------

Your friends were cancelling meet ups one after another until you were left to just go out by yourself most of the time. It didn't make you feel any better about dealing with such a frustrating person day after day. He was just weird and no matter how you tried to communicate you wanting space he'd come back again and again. One day you just got sick of it and left the campus grounds, hoping he wouldn't follow you. It was actually nice to get some fresh air, get a little shopping done, and then get dinner at some small place in the corner of town.

You wouldn't notice him following you around in town, in stores, at the pharmacy, when you went out to eat. He stops people from trying to tell you with just a hand on their shoulder and a glare. When you get back to your dorm he was waiting outside the door asking questions you didn't understand in an angry tone.

"どこにいましたか？"

"私から逃げようとしていたのですか？"

"なぜ出かけることを私に知らせてくれなかったのですか？" It was just one after another until he seemed fed up and left.

"What the hell was that about?" You'd just go to bed after that. Nothing would seem out of place so you wouldn't notice the camera in the wall.

---------

Until finals week, you just dealt with Kuro on a day to day basis, just expecting him to pop up from somewhere and expect all of your attention. He was basically the only one you could rely on being there for you anymore so you stopped caring. You let him in your dorm, and saw just how clingy he could get behind closed doors.

"私はあなたが好きです。" You look at him with that.

"What are you even saying?" You're tired when he says it, you didn't sleep well at all the night before. He's touching your face a lot, not that you seem to care in his eyes.

"本当に本当にあなたのことが好きです。" If you were more awake, you would have seen the look of adoration in his eyes. Instead you have a tired irritation with him as he becomes more and more touchy with you. He was breathing a little heavier and a little bit of red was reaching his cheeks and the tips of his ears.

"Don't you have anything better to do with your time?" He stops and shakes his head no. Then he's just back to touching you again, hugging you. You just ruffle his hair a little, realizing he's attracted to you due to the context clues. You could feel his breath hitch for a moment as his head buries into your shoulder. He wouldn't let go until his phone was being blown up with messages.

"いったい何がしたいの？私は忙しいです！" He practically screams at his phone before pulling away and checking them. He groans, kisses you on the crown of your head, and leaves your dorm while you just sit there confused.

".....Are we in a relationship or something now?" You flop down on the bed as you think about it. It seems like a stupid idea but you knew he wouldn't have been affectionate if that wasn't what he was wanting.

------

Then, finals week hit and you were spending all of your time studying in your dorm. You haven't given him a single glance from the moment exams were brought up in class, head deep in a few textbooks, trying not to cry from everything you'd have to have memorized within the next few weeks.

He didn't take being ignored for days on end very well. People around him in his classes could see he was barely keeping it together. You see him for the first time in the library when you were collecting the one textbook you were missing to finish your notes. You've never seen someone become so angry over not getting attention. You learn that very fast when you have a switchblade to your neck and him looming over you.

"ダーリン…私を無視し続けることはできません。"

"Woah, WOAH, Kuro what the hell are you-" You drop the book in your hand which lands on his foot making him jump. With that movement he knicks your neck with the blade. You let out some sort of squeak with getting the injury. He only wanted to scare you. You realize that when suddenly pressing a tissue to the cut and pushing you towards a nurse's office.

-----------

Why you even bothered to let him back into your dorm room after that? You have no idea, but you weren't about to have another cut over him just wanting your attention. He's unstable and you're the only one that makes him feel calm, so you just have to put up with him for as long as his stay would be.

He seems upset as he looks at you, and you have to put a bookmark in your textbook.

"I'm fine. It was just a surface wound. Stop looking like a kicked puppy." He sighs with that.

"I'm sorry." Your eyes go wide before you start shaking with anger.

"Oh now you start speaking English?!"

------------

End Note: I used google translate for the Japanese so I'm sorry for any native speakers who may see this. Yes I spent hours on this, yes I wrote him like this on purpose. Yes the reader in this is from a primarily English speaking country, I left it ambiguous on purpose. Posting this at 2am after I let google docs beta read for me. This is the true end of my bot.

[paeliae-occasionally]

hi pae pae!!!

what is your process of designing your maps? and how do you approach lore? how does that brilliant mind of your work to create such fascinating history and complex worldbuilding?

je would like to know the trade secrets pretty pls

p.s. how far along are you on xaeren? if it’s not far enough, im afraid i’m going to have to start protesting soon… 😔

p.p.s. before you say school is taking up your time—understandable. have a great day. keep being brilliant. i just really want more xaeren content.

p.p.p.s. in my head, i imagine xaeren as so mighty fine that there’s an occult in some middle school of a suburban neighborhood with an old classroom turned into a shrine for his feral fangirls to host club meetings simping over him

that’s it’s. that’s all the pspspsppsss i have. miss you! have a great day! cheerios!

Hello Naveena! Lots of questions! We will go through them one at a time.

What is your process of designing your maps?

So with maps I will start by just noting down the history and current function of the city which gives me an idea of style and layout e.g. all of the cities that were part of the Laith’Edrels have lots of circular designs whereas a modern altic city may have more typical alleyways and rectangular buildings Next I plot in the districts of the city, like where the upper class live, where the high streets are etc. I also add any key buildings at this time, like a plot relevant church or a mages tower. Lastly I go back in and draw boxes and house shapes for 2 hours.

How do you approach lore?

A lot of my lore is just a set of stories where I look at a place on the map, or a group of people and go ‘what could have happened here?’ The bigger worldbuilding points like the dissolution came from me wanting to have magical decay from fewer more powerful beings to more less powerful beings, so I needed gods. However it always frustrates me when there are canonically gods in a world who just sit back and ignore the world crashing and burning as one frustrated hero has to fix the problem, so I made a reason for them to be gone

History and worldbuilding

Honestly a lot of my history writing was based off of the large amounts of real life history I read in my free time. Studying how cities and empires develop then putting my own spin on them because magic would change some things. Worldbuilding comes from my maps really. I will label different cultures on the map then come up with myths and legends for that culture, magic specific to them or their ancestors, wars and internal conflict. Then that spirals into pages of notes on the socioeconomic background for Onkairel. It is lots of fun.

“would like to know the trade secrets” she says after writing a whole book with detailed political lore and plenty of depth to the world.

You know the secrets. You also know the secrets to actually writing the book too.

So about Xaeren…

I will be writing the scene where he meets Kell soon so I will tag you in it when I do, but you are right about the school work :( so it may take a little while.

“an occult in some middle school of a suburban neighborhood with an old classroom turned into a shrine for his feral fangirls to host club meetings simping over him”

So you say that jokingly… No, to be fair he isn’t known for his an appearance but he is quite well known in Zairel as an assassin and member of house Hiresias. He is terrifying and intriguing to many because of his unique magic that Lysandri can’t explain so I would not be surprised if there was discussion of him in the lower ranks of Lysandri and Hiresias.

I will write some Xaeren soon. Have a lovely day <3

[bisexualbumblebee-writes]

Potions- Dean Thomas x OC

Dean Thomas x Giselle Arquette

Description: When Giselle gets lost at Hogwarts a certain Gryffindor boy offers to help her.

Word Count: 1.2k

A/N: Unfortunately I am no longer fluent in French so any French is translated roughly from Google. Sorry man

Hogwarts was a rather confusing place. Though, Giselle just supposed that it was because it was so new to her. It was much different than Beauxbatons, but it was still a welcome contrast. It was obvious that this school was much more lax and didn’t care about its layout as much as her school. That became unfortunately obvious when Giselle attempted to find the Potions classroom. 

While the Beauxbaton students did most of their studies in the carriages (which were much larger on the inside), they still required special equipment - such as with Potions - that Hogwarts was happy to offer when there wasn’t a class going on. Giselle had been running late today as she was up much later than she should have been last night helping Fleur catch up on some schoolwork, so she encouraged her friends to go ahead of her while she finished getting ready. 

She hadn’t realized her mistake until she finally made it to the castle and immediately realized she had no idea where she was going. Madame Maxime had encouraged them to walk in groups while at the temporary school so that at least one of them could remember where their needed classrooms were, and Giselle’s sister Noelle had taken on the task for their group. Now, without her help, she had no idea where to go. Giselle was rather shy around new people, so she didn’t want to bother the Hogwarts students by asking them to point her in the direction of the room. 

That’s what led her to this specific point. She was in one of the many corridors on one of the many floors of Hogwarts hopelessly trying to figure out where to go. That mostly consisted of walking a few steps, stopping, stepping to the side to look around for the tenth time that minute, then repeating. By this point the hall was mostly empty as everyone walked into their designated classroom, which allowed her to look around carefully. 

“Excuse me?” She suddenly heard behind her. Upon turning around she was met with a boy standing a few yards away from her. He was a Hogwarts student judging by his uniform, and he had dark skin that reminded Giselle of burnt umber. His beautiful dark eyes bore into her with a mixture of awe and curiosity swimming in them. She could’ve gotten lost in those eyes if she stared into them any longer, but she quickly remembered that he had called out to her so she snapped out of her stupor and responded. 

“Oui (Yes)?” 

“Uh, sorry to bother you,” the boy started slowly - almost shyly - as he took a few steps towards her. “But you look a bit lost.” Giselle’s cheeks burned in embarrassment, and she nodded. 

“Yes, I am afraid I am,” she responded coyly. “I have been searching for the Potions room but I cannot find it.”

“Potions, ay? That’s on the other side of the school,” he informed her. The girl groaned and let her head fall back. That was just her luck. The still unnamed boy offered her a sympathetic look. 

“I can take you there, if you’d like?” That immediately made Giselle perk up. 

“Would you mind?” She asked hopefully. 

“Nah, I don’t mind,” he answered coolly before holding out his hand. “I’m Dean Thomas.”

“Giselle Arquette. It is a pleasure to meet you,” she responded with a smile as she took his hand and shook it. Once they let go she allowed Dean to begin leading her to her destination. 

“So how are you liking Hogwarts so far?” He asked conversationally, his hands finding their way into his pant pockets. 

“It is definitely different,” the girl decided after a moment of thought. 

“Is that a good different or a bad different?” 

“Good,” Giselle answered quickly, not wishing to offend someone who’s so graciously helping her. “It is very nice here. Everyone seems nice - though your Slytherin house seems a bit questionable.” That made Dean laugh, which in turn brought a smile to her face. 

“Yeah, they’re definitely something else,” he agreed vaguely. “Maybe that’s why they get along with Durmstrang so well.” 

“Perhaps,” Giselle nodded with a giggle. 

“So, you’re from Beauxbatons, right?” 

“Oui.”

“What’s it like?” He asked, voice teeming with curiosity.

And that’s what had started a whole explanation about Giselle’s school. She told him about the grounds, classes, dorms, houses, everything. Every detail she could fondly remember about Beauxbatons, she told him. Dean listened intently, even asking questions when he wanted to know more about something. 

“Oh, I wish you could see it. I think you’d like it,” she sighed happily. It was only at that point that she realized they’d stopped walking and were now standing beside a closed wooden door. Dean looked to be in the same situation because he looked at the door in surprise. It seemed that they’d been so engrossed in their conversation that he had been subconsciously leading her to the Potions room. 

“Well, this is it.” 

“I cannot thank you enough for your help,” Giselle said, looking at him with a bright smile. “Without your help, I would still be wandering around the other side of the school.” That made the boy smile as he shook his head amusedly.

“If you’d like, I can show you to your next class,” he offered. 

“Alas, most of our classes take place in our carriages,” the girl sighed softly. She would’ve liked an excuse to see him again. 

“Do you even know the way back to your carriages?” Dean asked amusedly. Giselle opened her mouth to respond, then promptly realized that she actually wasn’t paying attention to any of the corridors or hallways on their way here. She didn’t know the way back. 

“No,” she muttered, then smiled at him. “Then perhaps you can escort me back after class.” The thought seemed to make both of them smile before Dean finally spoke. 

“I’ve gotta get going,” he muttered. “I don’t think Professor McGonagall will be happy that I’ve missed the first ten minutes of class.” Giselle’s eyes widened as a gasp of realization left her lips. She hadn’t even thought about the fact that he was missing class while he’d been helping her. 

“Je suis vraiment désolée (I’m so sorry), I hadn’t even realized! You do not think you will get in trouble for your tardiness, do you?” She asked worriedly. The boy merely shot her a (rather charming) smile and shrugged. 

“I’ll be okay either way. As long as you’re where you need to be, I’m perfectly okay with being late.” The girl blushed, feeling herself relax under his reassuring gaze. 

“Very well. I will see you after class?” She asked hopefully. 

“I’ll be waiting,” he nodded, waiting for her to nod as well before beginning to walk off to his own class. Giselle watched him until he was out of sight before finally walking in. All heads turned to her, which made her blush in embarrassment. 

“Nice of you to join us,” Fleur teased. 

“Where have you been?” Another girl, Noémie, asked curiously. 

“Just got a little lost,” she brushed off as she moved to sit at one of the tables with Noelle. The coy smile on her face told her sister that it was much more than that, though.

[gabzeyyyy]

How ICT Helps Me at Home, in School, and in Communicating with People :3 Ghaliya Gabrielle G. Tamayo (9 - St. Ezekiel Moreno)

In today’s world, technology is everywhere, and it’s hard to imagine life without it. ICT, or Information and Communication Technology, has become a big part of my everyday life. Whether I’m at home, studying in school, or talking to friends and family, ICT has helped me in so many ways. At home, ICT makes life so much easier. When I need something, like school supplies or snacks, I can use apps to order online instead of going to the store. This saves time, especially when I’m busy with homework or other activities. I also use ICT for fun and relaxation. Watching shows, playing games, or even listening to music is just a click away. Sometimes, I use the internet to learn new things or explore topics I’m curious about, like science experiments or how-to videos. It’s like having a library and an entertainment center right in my pocket. In class, the integration of ICT has altered the whole process of studying and learning. Research used to entail reading through volumes of books, however, these days, information can be retrieved from the internet in a matter of seconds. If one topic of discussion does not suffice, then one can simply turn to educational video sites or read up on that particular subject. In the period of pandemic, when traditional lessons were substituted with those held on screens, ICT was a godsend. Services such as google classrooms and zoom allowed for the conducting of lessons and handing in of work without having to leave the house. Even at this moment, these are useful while carrying out group projects or a general school assignment. Moreover, there are many more things I look forward to doing while preparing for school projects, videos or presentations because ICT allows one to be inventive. Still, ICT hangs in the middle of the bridge, transforming the way relationships are maintained. All that is needed to be, chat with friends, make a phone call to family or meet new people, all this is possible because of ICT. Picture sharing and messaging services are available in sobriety and gov to let me out my daily life to others. In addition, I am also able to create a mass interaction with other members of my class while working on images or refreshing layout designs for tasks.

:3 #ICT

[pureresonanceaudio]

The Many Applications of Sound Masking Speakers

Sound masking isn’t just an option in commercial environments; it’s a necessity. With sounds and background noises clashing, people in commercial environments often find it challenging to work and perform at their peak efficiency. However, commercial establishments can utilize sound masking speakers to prevent this.

What is Sound Masking?

Sound masking involves adding a low-level background sound, similar to the gentle hum of an HVAC or air conditioning system. This subtle background sound or ambient noise emitted from thesound masking speakerscan help cover up unwanted sounds and make commercial environments more comfortable and private, irrespective of how crowded they are.

Where Can Sound Masking Speakers Be Used?

Sound masking speakers can be used in many environments, including the following applications.

Office Spaces: Bolstering Productivity and Maintaining Privacy

Nowadays, most business owners prefer modern open-plan offices, as they make collaboration easier across the office floor plan. However, employees often suffer from noise distractions in open layouts, and even in closed floor plans, ambient noises can be distracting.

In these environments, sound masking speakers can introduce a consistent background sound and reduce the intelligibility of conversations. The staff can find it easier to concentrate without the intrusive chatter, which can improve productivity. Private conversations can remain confidential, which is crucial for maintaining client trust and corporate security.

 

Healthcare Facilities: Maintaining Calmness and Patient Secrecy

Ambient noises in hospitals or clinics can be fatal if they are too loud. In healthcare facilities, sound masking speakers can help reduce background noise so patients can have a more restful environment. This aids in faster recovery, reduces stress, and promotes better sleep. By masking conversations between patients and healthcare providers, these sound masking speakers can also ensure that sensitive patient information remains secure.

Educational Institutions: Creating Ideal Learning Environments

Sound masking can greatly benefit classrooms, libraries, and study areas in schools and universities. These spaces often require a balance between silence for concentration and some level of noise to prevent complete isolation. Sound masking speakers help maintain this balance, reducing distractions and enhancing focus. In addition, these systems can also be used in dormitories to ensure that students can study or sleep without being disturbed by hallway noises or neighboring rooms.

Hotels: Enhancing Guest Comfort and Privacy

In the hospitality industry, sound masking speakers can be installed in hotel lobbies, hallways, and rooms to enhance the guest experience. By reducing the impact of external noises, such as foot traffic and conversations, guests can enjoy a more peaceful stay.

Related Products:

Pure Resonance Audio C3 Micro 3" 70 Volt Ceiling Mount Speaker

Pure Resonance Audio C5 Micro 4" 70 Volt Ceiling Mount Speaker

Pure Resonance Audio PD4 4" 70 Volt Hanging Pendant Mount Speaker

Pure Resonance Audio SP8 SoundPlane 2x2 Low-Profile 8" Ceiling Tile Speaker

 

If you are looking for the best-in-class sound masking speakersfor your commercial establishment, check out the collection at Pure Resonance Audio today! They have a wide range of commercial sound masking speakers and emitters for speech privacy in offices and business environments. Quick and easy to install, these speakers can be configured anywhere, ranging from drop ceiling and drywall to pendant or wall mounting options. These sound masking speakers are compatible with most sound masking generators and are developed with discreet and intelligent designs that add ambient noise for speech privacy and increase productivity in commercial environments.

For More Details:  https://pureresonanceaudio.wordpress.com/2024/08/26/the-many-applications-of-sound-masking-speakers/

[fabulivonline]

All you need to know about choosing the perfect study table furniture

The inside of homes has changed. Today, a growing number of people prefer to spend considerable time at home. People must consequently have all they require in order to function happily as well as comfortably, as this today involves putting in extensive hours at the workplace and in the classroom. Throughout the twenty-first decade, home offices as well as homeschooling are increasingly growing in popularity, as well as a study table remains among the essential elements of equipment that individuals now use.

In metropolitan homes, a smart study space or office room seems to be amongst the needs. A study space or office is equipped with everything an individual requires to go about their regular business or academic activities. It has a lovely study table, a cosy chair, a modest area for books, some greenery, and utilities with as many gadgets one would require.

Why should you invest in study table furniture

Study tables are desks that have been specifically created for work as well as study. This is a typical item of furnishings in children's rooms and office spaces. Additionally, you might locate makeshift study tables within rented as well as shared visitor residences. If someone is planning to study as well as work for such a lengthy period of time, they are required to remain in a suitable position. Writing from bed, concentrating, or adopting poor postures could seriously harm your health. As a result, amongst the main elements of furniture intended for a child's or individual's room would be the study table furniture.

Things to consider while buying a study table furniture

Size of the study table

One flexible study table is provided to guardians for their children's rooms. Whenever reading as well as taking classes online during home education, some youngsters prefer not to sit adjacent to one another. This is a waste of space in these circumstances. So, before reserving any seat at the table, think about your needs and those of your children. Many people choose to establish their workplace with a large work table as well as integrated power outlets. For those who do most of their job from residence, this is fantastic.

Price of the study table furniture

From just a few thousand to several million study tables are offered. The price of a study table is heavily influenced by a wide range of factors. A high-quality fabric may be more expensive than you anticipated, and bespoke design should also be taken into account. When money is tight, you may have to choose amongst durability and design. You can't expect the appeal of a superbly made study table to last for years, as well as you also can't survive with such a study table you detest. To make the best decision, it is advised to talk it over at an interior decorator.

Design of the study table furniture

Making a decision from a variety of lovely study table layouts is challenging. To narrow down and screen out all the study tables which could really complement your living area décor, you must first make decisions about other elements. Making a decision on the study table layout at your household is quite simple if you are aware of the dimensions, economy, style, as well as material. If you're still unsure, you can make a Pinterest board as well as a mood panel of such interior design of your apartment and include images of such study tables that made the short list alongside the remainder of the furnishings. It would assist you in picturing the last room preceding firing the bullet.

Wrapping up

In the twenty-first era, study tables are indeed a piece of furniture that everyone needs. There are many internet stores where you could simply acquire a study table as well as have an interior designer develop and create one for you. Some of the handful businesses offer ready-made as well as customised study table furniture in a variety of styles.

[sakumareikun]

highschool au and s/o is a new transfer and they get lost but rei is there to help <3 transfer student begins to develop a crush on rei and the rest is up to you 😏😏😏😏😏😏😏😏😏

i had some music on loop while bingewriting this that i would like to "share with the class"

→ How unfortunate...

On the day of your first classes at your new high school, you left the bathroom and then proceeded to lose track of where you were. The map you were given wasn't very helpful no matter how long you stared at it, so you eventually turned to the nearest student in the hallway. "Excuse me, where is class 2-B?" The student in question turned to face you as you spoke, and then grinned one of those 'million dollar smiles' you'd read about in romance novels. "The layout's kinda confusin', so let me show ya there."

He started to walk in the direction you just came from, gesturing to follow him... and he walked a lot faster than you, so you were already out of breath when you were back in class 2-B.

Once you were seated in the classroom safely and you'd caught your breath, you remembered that 'million dollar smile', and the mental image of that stuck for the rest of class.

→ But, it left once you got home and watched the next episode of the TV show you were following, then did your studies, went to sleep. You didn't think about it the following morning. You didn't even remember him when there were so many other things you had to remember.

→ He came right back the next day on lunch break began - he was right outside the classroom. His face lit up when you walked out. "Ya know where the cafeteria is?"

You didn't have the heart to tell him you remembered that one and went along with him.

→ His name was Rei. He was unnaturally attractive. He seemed popular. A few heads turned whenever they heard his voice, so naturally you were a bit suspicious no matter how genuine he seemed. You couldn't let your guard down.

→ Despite the hesitance, you still couldn't help looking forward to seeing him.

→ During the first part of the school year, Rei showed up at the strangest times for the weirdest reasons. That meant he found you and talked to you when you were finally out of a bad mood, sometimes he'd lend an umbrella on a sunny day just before it rained, even left a headband in your locker that you discovered before gym class because he later thought it "would look nice on ya". It wasn't your style, but you humored him because it made him smile. He had a really attractive smile, after all.

→ As the year continued on, you started to outwardly enjoy his company. By the second part of the year, it had been too long for him to be messing with you, you figured, and nothing bad happened anyway (besides him occasionally being annoying, anyway.) It was perfectly fine to relax.

→ He, too, relaxed, but in a different way. You didn't really notice at first until one day, he didn't respond to your question, and when you looked, he had his eyes closed. You had to elbow him a bit for him to snap out of it. "Jus' a little tired. Nothin' to worry about."

→ That's exactly what he said the next time, too. "Gotta take a nap later, don't worry." or "I'm fiiiine. Ya worry too much." or "Too bright, my eyes kinda hurt." There was no end to the excuses, and every time you asked, he brushed it off. Frustrating.

→ The third part of the year came around with him visiting you less and less. Any time he did, he looked like he was forcing himself to stay awake, forcing himself to stay upright, standing up slowly. And you told him one time that he was an idiot for telling you not to worry, and it turned into a very emotionally-charged lecture. So, he opened up a bit.

→ "I'm goin' overseas a lot. There's some stuff I have t' do... things that're important to me. Appreciate the concern, but I'll be alright. Jus' focus on studyin', yeah?"

You'd respect that decision but you still worried.

→ You kept thinking about Rei, his million-dollar smile, heart beating a little faster when you did - at some point this had clearly turned into a full-fledged crush. Next time you saw him, you'd tell him exactly how you felt. You'd written it down, practiced it, then rewrote it. Even if he didn't feel the same, it'd be really nice to get off your chest. Of course you hoped for more, but...

→  But... there wasn't a next time.

You hadn't even seen him for at least a month. He missed the end of the school year entirely, where he would have graduated. Sometimes, other people asked you if you'd seen him, but you hadn't -- and it hurt every single time you had to say it.

No matter how much you waited for him, he never showed up again. You were really mad about it, understandably, even though you knew he was doing something important to him. What if he went somewhere else? Found someone new? Did something terrible happen to him?

So, at some point, you just gave up on him.

↓

→ The next year, your first day feels lonely. You've put it in the past, your friends don't ask about it anymore, and you don't think of him that often anymore. But, sometimes, that longing still comes to mind even if you shove it aside. Today is one of those days.

→ You're about to head home for that day when someone calls your name. You turn to look and it's another student from the same grade. You stare at him for a bit, trying to remember who he reminds you of.

"... Do you not remember me?" He looks so crestfallen. You feel so bad when you tell him you don't, and you certainly don't say it when you recognize he reminds you of Rei. He gets the hint and turns away, so you go back to your locker.

→ Another student turns from the locker next to yours. "I thought you and him were close, did something happen?"

Wait a sec.

You thank them and turn to run in the direction the Rei-like student went.

→ He turns around with wide, tearful eyes when you call out to him as "Rei!", so it really is him.

He looks and sounds completely different, and it really does feel like talking to a stranger, but your emotions trickle back in anyway. He's crying a bit, clinging to you like an oversized koala, completely ignoring the stares of everyone around you both.

→ However, the part of the following conversation that 'throws you for a loop' the most is when you ask why he is, and was, so attached to you.

"... Have you not noticed?" He pauses, but breaks into a familiar million dollar grin. "I love you, you know. I apologize if it was unclear, but that is indeed why."

The fact that he says that so casually makes your head spin. But. After a moment of staring, your smile matches his. Your response is to just kiss him and that's that.

↓

→ He's been held back a year thanks to his absence the year before, so now he is in the same grade as you are. Now you can find him and give him gifts that don't fit his style. It turns out he is very physically affectionate without even trying to be, so he's holding your hand, leaning on you while hugging you from behind, playing with your hair without him even thinking about it.

It gets off-putting to other students, so you and him had to stick to the handholding and tiny kisses before and after lunch.

→ Yes, he looks and sounds different, but nothing really has changed. It still feels like it did before, just that you're dating him now. "High school sweethearts" indeed.

-- And that's that.

[lets-redesign-yansim]

Let’s Redesign Akademi High School

First off the name. Let’s just change the name to a last name, cause that’s easiest, let’s go with Hoshino Academy.

The main setting of the game is the school, so it’s important to flesh it out. Personally I don’t have a major issue with the layout of the school. I think the central courtyard is a good idea, the school is fairly easy to navigate, there are a lot of diverse areas to the school, the layout is not a major issue.

As a whole I think the major issue with the location itself is cohesion. Take for example these three rooms.

They feel like they’re all from very different locations, not three rooms in a high school. I think that this could be improved by having a neutral color scheme for the walls/floors and then have most of rooms with wall décor and furniture that changes. For instance the drama club room might be more like a dressing room connected to the theater, or be a dance rehearsal room. The martial arts club during the day has the mats rolled up in the corner of the room. 

In addition some of the clubs probably wouldn’t be approved by a prestigious school, so I think it would be more interesting if some of the clubs were more unofficial. For instance the Occult club operates in one of the storage closets, or the gaming club is instead a more informal group of friends in the computer lab. I think that this would make the social dynamics more apparent, for instance you might lose some reputation points for joining the occult club. 

Next, the uniform. 

The current uniform used by the game, as many have pointed out is the “sailor uniform” which in japan is essentially a middle school uniform. A lot of people have pointed this out before. Although the uniform is iconic in anime, it carries some pretty uncomfortable undertones. These characters are wearing a uniform for very young students (japanese middle school students are ages 12-15) while the characters in the game are implied to be sleeping with older men for money or being seduced by their teachers or taking photos of girl’s underwear. All of these elements are pretty gross at any age but the idea that they’re dressed up as middle schoolers makes it even more uncomfortable. So my solution is to use a high school uniform.

This is a common high school uniform style in Japan. The summer uniform style in silhouette looks very similar to the sailor uniform style. Make the bow red and the skirt blue and the girl’s uniform is very similar to the previously established sailor uniform.

Plus with this version you can add more on top of it. For instance giving the student council blazers while everyone else wears the summer style, different characters can have different sleeve lengths or skirt lengths or add sweaters or different kinds of bows/ties. Characters can look vastly different while still adhering to a uniform beyond just excessive hair accessories or stockings. 

In addition with the summer uniform male characters can also have variety in their uniforms. With the male uniform currently employed by yandere simulator there is little variation for male students. With the summer-style uniform you can have various sleeve lengths, ties, or add jackets onto the uniform to vary male students.

Next is the staff. 

The staff is too sexualized. The two teacher rivals will get their own posts but I think it’s kind of gross how sexualized the female faculty is compared to the headmaster, I know he’s supposed to be older but we all know why the female staff is designed the way they are to be sexy for the dev. 

The teachers all look alike, which I don’t think is a huge problem, maybe just changing some of their hair colors if they are intended to be distinct individual characters but keeping them similar makes them quickly recognizable. The guidance counselor I think looks fine but should have a different outfit, the hyper-sexualized outfit is too much. Conversely I think that there should be some male teachers or something, it just feels strange that all of the teachers are just sexy women. 

I also think it would be interesting to have the staff be more fleshed out. Some of them have favorite students or are supervisors of certain clubs. This would give more obstacles in the social dynamics of the school. Killing one person affects a web of others, insulting one person affects a web of others, befriending one person affects a web of others. And I think that should include the staff. 

Finally the mechanics of the classroom. 

Currently on each day the player can attend two classes of their choice. The options available are biology, chemistry, language, physical education, and psychology. These classes are intended to improve certain skills utilized in the game. Language in the final product will likely improve speech checks, and chemistry will likely allow you to use more poisons, etc. However I think that since school is such a major part of the game, it should have more utility.

Obviously it would be boring to attend a full class, but I have three ideas of random events that could occur during a class.

Let’s say a player picks a class. While in the class at random a short dialogue option appears where a student asks to cheat off of your work. You could report the student for cheating, hand over your work, tell the student you’ll help tutor them, or say no. These options would either improve or decrease the player’s social status, or even get the teacher’s trust. Small social events like this would be interesting and make the environment feel more like a school with classes and assignments going on instead of a sandbox. 

My second idea is to give the player a chance to learn some information at random. Kind of like helpful hints, maybe during the class two girls are talking about how they were going to hang out with Rival X, but she was going to be at the pool tomorrow. Or the player hears the teacher talking to a repairman about how the vents have such cheap screws and should be replaced next year. Or the player learns that certain types of cleaning fluids used by the chemistry room, and the school’s cleaning supplies are flammable, and should be handled with care. Small pieces of information that the player could use to their advantage, making the classes more useful.

My final idea is having a random event for the player to ingratiate themselves to the teachers. Maybe the teacher asks for a volunteer and the player does a simple minigame. Or the teacher asks the class a question and the player has to choose the correct answer (or choose not to answer at all). If the player succeeds these minigames, the teacher likes and trusts them a bit more. Keep this up, and the you’ll become a “teacher’s pet” where the faculty isn’t as suspicious or defensive of you as you’ve proved yourself a good student. 

These events would make the class time not feel like a waste or glossed over. They would be useful in multiple ways to gain information or social status or new skills. They would also give the player options for what kind of character they want to be. If they want to be a quiet wallflower they can simply observe. Or they could be a delinquent who gets questions wrong and cheats off other students. Or they can be a studious over achiever who’s respected by the teachers. 

These changes and additions I think would improve the setting to make it feel more like a school. Considering how a majority of the game takes place here and that a large part of the mechanics are dependent on understanding the school, these simple changes I feel would help flesh it out from a gimmicky, unrealistic location to a complete academy.  

Beyond the school I think there should be a small town or street, but that will be a separate post. 

Tldr; make the academy more complex and interesting by adding a few random events and aesthetic changes. 

[h2bakugou]

Can you do one where the reader is a new student and has like Deadpool’s abilities (the whole healing and not being able to die thing) and Bakugo is obsessed or something

a/n: of course! i prepped for this and watched the deadpool movie, and it was so good let me tell you- i also watched the new venom movie, and my love for tom hardy has not faded, that man is beautiful.

summary: class 1-a gets a new student, you! during introductions, you reveal your quirk which piques the interest of a certain explosive blonde.

key: (y/n) - your name / (f/n) - first name / (l/n) - last name / (e/c) - eye color / (h/c) - hair color / healing-immortality (i say immortality loosely because i think it’s a little too op but we’ll say it just takes a lot to kill you)

warnings: swearing, fluff, bad fight scenes

word count: 1k

»»————-　★　————-««

»»————-　★　————-««

“You’ve got a new student.” Aizawa muttered, zipping his sleeping bag up as he stood in front of the classroom. Murmurs and whispers spread like wildfire as they tried to figure out, who and when they were going to arrive.

“Maybe it’ll be a hot chick with nice-” Kaminari was cut off by Sero’s tape slapped over his mouth thanks to Tsu. 

“Like she’d fall for your charms.” Sero joked. Kaminari pouted at the comment. He liked to believe that someone would fall for his cheesy pickup lines.

“Maybe it’ll be a nice guy! Who cares about others and has a cute smile!” One of the girls mushed.

“Don’t get your hopes up.” Aizawa butted in, causing everyone to quiet down. 

The class is restless as time ticks by. They were impatient to meet the new student. So many chances, or opportunities for so many people. A new friend, a worthy rival, another stupid extra in the way of-

Bakugou’s head lifted up at the sound of the door opening.

“This is your new class!” Present Mic presented the new student. You stood in the doorway, a smile on your lips as you waved shyly.

“Go on, introduce yourself.” Aizawa grumbled from his curled up position on the floor. You took to the podium and bowed, beginning your introduction.

“Hi! I’m (l/n) (f/n), but you can call me (y/n). I’m super excited to be here and work with all of you.” You had the entire class’s attention, everyone on the edge of their seats wanting to know about your quirk.

“So what’s your quirk?” Mina asked. Your cheeks turned red as you caught the crimson eyes of a spikey blonde boy sitting on the row closest to the windows.

“Oh, it’s uhm, healing! I’m borderline immortal. It would take a little more than some stab wounds to kill me!” Your bright smile returned as a few ooh’s escaped your new peers.

“That’s so cool! I can’t wait to see you in action!”

“You must be great with close and far range combat!”

Bakugou was interested now. He couldn’t have cared any less about you before you said what your quirk was. You would’ve just gotten in the way. This was something different, you were different.

“Oi! We’re training first.” Bakugou stood up, catching your eye again. The blush that had faded away slowly rushed back to your cheeks as you admired the boy. He was handsome, and not to mention he seemed pretty strong.

“Everyone go get changed and head to the gym.” Aizawa sadly removed himself from his sleeping bag cocoon and headed toward the gym himself.

Walking into the girl’s changing room, you were quickly met with the other girls of class 1-A.

“Hi!” A pink girl with matching pink hair waved as she walked over to you. 

“I’m Mina!” She spoke kindly.

“It’s nice to meet you Mina! You asked about my quirk earlier right?” You questioned, seeming to find her familiar. 

“That’s right!” She hooked her arm around yours and pulled you into the group of girls.

“I’m Tsu!”

“Ochaco!”

“Yo, I’m Jiro.”

“Toru here!”

“I’m Momo!”

All the girls introduced themselves to you as you zipped up your training uniform.

“It’s nice to meet you all!” You smiled. The girls seemed to all take a liking to you.

You headed out with them to the gym, following them as you were still unaware of the layout of the large school. when you entered the gym, Bakugou was the first to approach you.

“Come on! Don’t waste your time with these extras, fight me with all you’ve got!” Bakugou yelled, pulling you to the center of the gym.

“Bakugou! Don’t-” Aizawa went to speak but you tossed your hand up.

“It’s fine! He’ll learn.” You smile back at him, assuring him that it was okay.

Bakugou waited for you to get ready. You nodded to him and he charged at you. You stood still, allowing him to hit you with a blast. You still felt the pain,  and it hurt, but it was something you’d gotten used too, especially with all your intense training.

It wasn’t all that gross to you, the small hole that was in your shoulder from Bakugou’s AP shot. You’d gotten used to it. But Bakugou was clearly bothered by it.Sure your quirk was badass, but that didn’t make the cleanup any easier. Blood and wounds were one of your biggest targets. 

You could take gunshot wounds like a champ, but the amount of blood you bled was the same as anyone else getting shot.You just didn’t die from it. It took a lot to kill you. But that was information for you to know and only you.

“What the-” Bakugou was slightly disgusted. And in that moment, you swung your arm, punching him in the jaw. He stammered back. You kept charging him, swinging punches and kicks until he’d fallen on the floor.

It wasn’t something you’d expected to do, but you did. A few of your classmates had uncovered their eyes, now looking at how you’d taken Bakugou down.

“Again!” Bakugou shouted, standing up from the floor.

“Again?” You questioned, a blush rising to your face as you smiled.

“I’m going to take you down!” Bakugou yelled, studying you. He noticed the hole in your shoulder was gone. It had healed that quickly?

“I can do this all day explosion boy. Give me all you’ve got!” You charged at him, the two of you running at each other at full force.

- - -

You’d been at U.A. for a few months now, and it’d had been everything and more. It was amazing.

You’d grown closer with Bakugou, so much so that every time the two of you trained, most everyone knew to leave you two alone. 

Bakugou wasn’t walking away until you surrendered, which was almost never, and you weren’t walking away until Bakugou admitted defeat.It was a constant battle between who was going to get the win for the day. You two didn’t hold back, or at least Bakugou didn’t. He didn’t have to. And you weren’t worried about holding back on him,  you were aiming to get stronger.

You didn’t have a quirk that allowed you to be super strong when it came to combat, so you had to work on fighting, on how to throw the perfect punch to take someone down, and Bakugou enjoyed helping you.He enjoyed the two of you. And he was going to enjoy calling you his girlfriend when Kirishima finally came up with a good plan to help him ask you out.

»»————-　★　————-«« 

masterlist

[dekalko-mania]

Things That Lurk in the Dark (Pt. 1)

Amity changed the day the portal opened, in more ways than one.

....

As a young child, Danny had an immense fear of the dark, so severe that he had slept with his parents until they'd attached glowing stars to his ceiling and assured him there was nothing wrong. He'd assumed the problem was no longer there, pushed aside by the many other obstacles he'd faced in his past year of ghost-fighting.

He'd assumed wrong, it seemed, when he began to once again see the shadows in a sinister light.

Danny had first attributed it to his increasing paranoia, an overactive imagination fueled by being constantly alert. He was used to seeing things that were not there upon second glance, accustomed to jumping at any figure he saw from his peripheral vision. This was different, he knew, when he found himself knocking on Jazz's door more often, asking if he could sleep on her floor.

"This is the third night in a row, are you sure you're okay?"

His sister asked the question every night without fail, despite only ever receiving a lie as an answer. His nightmares were back, that was his response, knowing all too well that to get them he would have to have slept at all.

He lay awake that night, lulled into a rare sense of calm by Jazz's soft breaths. Maybe if he counted them, like one counted sheep, he could finally rest.

He planned on doing just that, when a familiar humming filled the room, coming from beside his sister's desk. He sat up, head snapping in the direction of the intrusion as tendrils of darkness formed into abstract shapes.

He stared, not daring to take a breath as he waited. Tonight, he would let it be for longer, observe first and then shoot after. As he watched, cold waves of terror creeping up his spine, the shadows formed into what looked like a door.

He had previously predicted they would become something outright threatening, a creature that lurked in pitch black, or a hand creeping out from beneath their wooden floors. This was somehow much worse, a gateway from who knows where, into their world.

Getting on all fours, he crawled forward, reaching out towards the handle. Before he could make contact, it began to jiggle, beginning as a gentle side to side, and rapidly shifting into an aggressive attempt to enter.

Without sparing a thought, he lit a fire on his palms, green and incredibly bright to ward the door away. That somehow always seemed to work, destroying whatever fragile arrangement had made its place near him.

Deciding that sleep was out of the picture, he shifted into a sitting position, keeping his eyes out for any more potential threats. The following morning, Jazz found him that way, both hands set ablaze and drooping eyes filled with apprehension.

....

It had been difficult explaining away Jazz’s worry, even more difficult to explain to Sam and Tucker why he was acting so strangely. He had grown as Phantom, realized that when facing his fears it was better to be strong and fight through them. If he let his guard down, people would be hurt. 

Yet, somehow, after literally facing death, he found himself once again fighting against a childhood fear. It was humiliating, having to admit it, so he kept it hidden as best as he could.  

"Daniel!"

Danny shot up, snatching the arm waving in front of him on instinct, earning a series of giggles from the class. He tightened his grip, realizing that the lights had been dimmed in the time he'd been nodding off. Already, in that short time frame, he was beginning to see the darkness curling into itself like smoke, caressing the walls in unnatural shades. Surely someone had to have noticed?

"What, he’s gonna fight the teacher now?"

"Loser."

Danny took a sharp intake of air, seeing who exactly the arm belonged to. With an apologetic expression, he released Mr. Lancer’s wrist, lowering his head and mustering the most sincere “sorry” he was capable of in his current state.

“It’s alright, I’ve faced worse at PTA meetings,” Lancer grunted, upset but with a kind tone. “I noticed you dozed off. I know educational movies aren’t preffered, but unless you pay attention, you’re going to fail the upcoming exam.” 

“I’m sorry,” Danny repeated. “It’s just, the lighting here is making it hard to stay awake. Could we maybe flip a switch?” 

Danny did his best to hide the tremor in his voice, all too aware that the gaze of Dash and co. were pinned onto him. Lancer, unaware, surveyed his student, face unreadable as he apparently didn’t like what he saw.

In a low mutter, he told Danny to grab his backpack and wait for him in his office. As someone who had been sent there countless times in the past, he needed no direction, quietly making his way out of the classroom with a mental groan at seeing Dash smirk in his direction.

Great, among his cryptic visions he would now have to deal with his long-time bully. 

Danny leaned against the lockers, running his hand along them for stability in the all too quiet hallway. The humming was everywhere, within the walls, under the cracks in empty classrooms. Anywhere scarce of light, they always lingered, the vague figures, never tangible except for the doors. The longer he stared at one spot, the more Danny noticed them.

They had always been there, waiting for him to spot, knobs twisting as the unknown tried to worm themselves inside of him. They appeared to him as Fenton the most, weak human Fenton, rendered useless with limited access to his ghost powers. He’d found himself growing bitter of this half of him more as of late, wishing that he could always carry the confidence of Phantom, the fearlessness. 

He pushed open the office door more aggressively than he’d intended, dumping himself onto a leather chair with a heavy sigh. He inspected the room in his wait for Lancer, fingers twitching with impatience. The man meant well, setting him aside from a situation that obviously made him uncomfortable, but he couldn’t find it within himself to appreciate it just yet.

Maybe he would be more grateful if the humming would stop. He clasped his hands over his ears, overwhelmed by the frustrating noise that never ceased to grate on his nerves. As if taunting him, the sound seemed to travel through the flimsy barrier his fingers provided, emanating from his right side.

Thump, thump, thump

He glanced over to the source, teeth clenching at the old storage cabinet that filled his vision. Its drawers rattled, forcing themselves open, before crashing closed. 

The surreal qualities of Amity were everywhere, strongest in the darkest places. Objects disappearing in the blink of an eye, room layouts changing completely on a daily basis, all things that the residents should’ve noticed. But no one did, not even his family or closest friends. 

He was alone, the only one who was aware of his bizarre surroundings, now stuck in a room with a seemingly haunted cabinet. Danny stood, shifting into a fighting position. 

“Whoever you are, get out of there right now!” 

The slamming stopped, relieving him for a minute, before restarting again with increasing vigor. It was like it was mocking him, the whole town was. 

“Cut it out! I can’t deal with this crap anymore!” He readied a blast, uncaring if he would get detention for the rest of the year. “I’ll give you until three-”

The rattling came to an end, leaving the room quiet except for the ticking of a clock on the wall. 

“I can’t believe that actually worked.” He relaxed his posture, though only by a margin as he’d learned to never underestimate his luck’s ability to run thin.

“Daniel?” 

He jumped, realizing Lancer must’ve walked in while his student was glaring at the cabinet. He stuffed his hands into his pocket, attempting to seem unfazed. 

“Was that you yelling? I could hear it from the hallway.” 

“Um, yeah sorry. I thought there was a ghost.”

“Is that what it is?” Lancer closed the door, gesturing for him to sit down. “I wanted to talk to you about your behavior lately. You’ve been more taciturn than usual, perhaps it’s due to the increase in ghost activity?”

Huh, so there were some who had noticed something odd, even though it wasn’t to the full extent. Danny thought for a moment, testing the waters. Maybe Lancer saw more than he let on, noted the gradual changes to their city. 

Quietly, uncertain with his teacher’s response, Danny spoke. “I’m fine. Things have just been a little odd lately, besides the ghosts.”

“Well, I have an hour until my next class. Perhaps you can explain it to me,” Lancer leaned forward, showing his undivided attention. “You’ve been doing well this semester, I don’t want us going back to square one.”

Danny thought back to his freshmen year, bombarded with the change of his lifetime, having absolutely no time for his assignments or anything else in between. It was an arduous effort adjusting to his new life, or half life, and he wasn’t keen on losing control of everything he’d worked so hard for. 

“No, I don’t want to either. It’s the changes that are bothering me, I think. Amity.” He glanced over at Lancer’s face, eyeing any changes in expression. 

“I don’t think I follow.” He looked slightly confused. 

At this point, Danny would’ve usually given up, swept the issue under the rug and moved on with his day. He didn’t enjoy sharing his emotions, his burdens, but he just needed to know that there wasn’t something wrong with him, that someone else could see it too. 

“Don’t you ever see...I don’t know, weird things that shouldn’t be happening? Maybe hear noise and see light under a door, but walk in and there’s nothing there?” He steeled himself, looking up to meet Lancer directly in the eye, hoping that the man saw that he was speaking with clarity. “Or have you ever been behind a locked door and felt that someone was trying to get in? Or the dark...that’s where it’s the worst. Do you see any of that?”

“I can’t say I do, Daniel.” Lancer frowned. “And if that was the case, I would say it was the ghosts.” 

“But it’s not the ghosts. I know it’s not them.” His ghost sense would’ve gone off by now. “Entire buildings shift positions at night, there’s this dark fog everywhere. I know it sounds crazy-”

Lancer held up a hand. “I’ll have to stop you there. Nothing is ever too far fetched in this place, and I don’t like my students discrediting themselves before they get a chance to fully speak.” He paused, considering, before continuing with a grim tone. “Look, I know you won’t particularly like this answer, but do you think it possible you’re being haunted? It’s not unheard of for ghosts to become attached to a host here.”

“I don’t...” It wasn’t possible for ghosts to haunt other ghosts, was it?

“Before you decide, I suggest you talk to your parents. I know people your age don’t like to approach them for help, but they’re the biggest paranormal experts in town. You’ll find a solution there.”

Realizing that was the best response he was going to get, Danny slumped into his seat, disillusioned. “Alright, I’ll try bringing it up to them tonight.” 

“Good, and in the meantime, you know my office hours. I’m always open to helping you catch up.”

....

Danny had absolutely no intention of approaching his parents about his findings, confronting them was his very last resort. He remembered the incident with Youngblud, how their first instinct was to scare the crazy out of him, and he wasn’t keen on repeating it. 

Still, Lancer had unintentionally given him an idea, one he was surprised he hadn’t thought of before. If by any chance something was going on in Amity and his parents knew about it, they were sure to have kept data, information that the entire Fenton family was privy to. His parents were unconventional in the sense that their work was not kept secret from their children, all security activated by fingerprints or face recognition. 

It was, he knew, done with the hope that their kids would become just as interested in the study of the paranormal as they were. It was also, what they did not know, partly responsible for contributing to his accident. 

After double checking that his parents were not home, he snuck down to the lab, beelining his way to their work computer. As expected, it was easy as usual to log in, endless arrays of information at his disposal. To an untrained eye, his parent’s work was disorganized, even Vlad had said so. But he knew better, knew his way around their strangely named folders like he was reading the table of contents in a nonfiction novel. 

Ghost profiles, weaponry charts, data on present, past, and future projects, new developments...there. 

He clicked on the folder, apprehensive as it took a moment to load. Once it did, it took only a glance to tell that something was very, very wrong.

Unnatural levels of ectoplasm in the air, measurements at a high of-

Cognitive dissonance experienced by a reported 1 in 10 Amity citizens, signs of-

Missing teen, Ross Lucas, 16 years old, blonde hair, blue eyes, last seen in Amity Forest Reserve-

Polluted lake at Amity Central Park, no side effects reported, but water glows green-

Missing woman, 37 years old, brown hair, brown eyes, last seen in Amity Forest Reserve-

Reported disorientation, home layout changed. Upon further questioning, memory loss is reported, no reminder of filing the report-

Minor detail: green tint to sky at certain points of the day-

Missing man, 22 years old, brown hair, brown eyes, last seen in Amity Forest Reserve-

Poltergeist activity, Amity Police Station-

Missing teen, Jenny Lee, 15 years old-

Missing-

Missing-

-last seen in Amity Forest Reserve

From above, Danny heard the telltale rattle of the front door opening, lumbering footsteps and daintier ones tapping along the tile.

Acting on impulse, Danny shut down the computer, turning invisible and keeping quiet in case his parents approached. Sure enough, he heard them nearing the lab after a minute of rustling. He stood, holding his breath, while the Fenton’s chatter got nearer as they appeared. He noted that his dad carried a briefcase, unusual for a man who preferred his casual attire, one with the Amity Police Department seal along the bottom corner.

After what he had seen, he could only stare at the case in apprehension.

“Let’s handle this before the kids are home, Jack. I don’t want to scare them.”

“Why can’t we tell them? It’s dangerous right now, Mads. Vladdie wouldn’t risk the safety of his god kids for this.”

His mom sighed, plopping onto the desk chair and booting up the computer. “I want to as well. Especially Danny, he’s always sneaking off somewhere. I can’t imagine him leaving, seeing his name among the victims.”

“We don’t have to ask him for permission...”

“You’re right, we don’t. The kids know how to keep quiet.” Maddie went silent, gesturing over for the case. Jack laid it on the table, unlocking it with a quick passcode and handing her a series of documents. She placed them beside her, pulling up a series of weaponry profiles. 

“What I don’t understand,” she continued, “is why he was so adamant about them not knowing. Danny more than Jazz. What could possibly be the issue of keeping them safe?”

“Vladdie thinks ahead. Maybe he was worried they would try solving this themselves. Do you want me to ready the vault?” Upon his wife’s nod, Jack made his way over to the section of the wall behind Danny, waving a hand over a sensor to reveal hidden sliding metal doors. From behind them, hundreds of weapons resided, all of various types. He grabbed two, planting them beside Maddie. “Anyhow, this is one of those rare times I admit I disagree with him. Let’s tell them tonight.”

His wife chuckled, amused at the prospect of Jack disobeying his dear Vlad. 

“That’s rare to hear.” She bit her lip, eyeing the sheet. “What a tragedy. There’s a group that’s gone missing, we haven’t had so many at one time.”

“That’s five people! What were they doing in there?”

“I don’t know, the forest is rumored to have more ghosts than usual. You know how teens are, maybe it was a dare. The question is, how is it possible that our devices state the victims are in the vicinity, but none of them have come out?”

“Perhaps they’re being held captive, or maybe, maybe they’ve become...”

Jack didn’t dare finish the sentence, but Danny knew what he meant to say. If something evil lurked within the reserve, a being that wouldn’t allow a human to live, it’s possible their spirit hadn’t moved on.

Trapped within its confines as a ghost.

“I’m holding onto hope that’s not the case. We’ll get them out Jack, we’ve got Amity’s biggest experts joining us in the raid tonight. Vlad himself will be there, it’ll be alright.”

Deciding he’d heard enough, Danny kicked off, uncaring of the clatter of beakers he left in his wake. There was someone he needed to see, a person who owed him an explanation and who deserved the sucker punch of their afterlife.

His parent’s were optimistic, and whatever raid they spoke of obviously included thorough planning, but if there was anything he’d learned about fighting the paranormal, it was that one was not sure if those on the front lines would make it out alive.

He couldn’t allow that, he had placed that responsibility onto himself, and he would be damned if someone else would have to bear it.

[unmaskedagain]

Tattered Remains of Broken Dreams (Yours, not Mine)

This is based off a prompt I came across. It’s a one-shot. @virgil-is-a-cutie​ and @thyladyanput​. Hope you two like lit.

The pieces were scattered across her desk. Marinette had known something was up the moment she stepped into the classroom. Everyone had gone quiet. A few had glared at her. Some had snickered. And they all watched as she walked to her desk.

Nathanial had tried to wave her down; shaking his head with sorrow in his eyes. He had gotten there a few minutes before she did.

It took her a few seconds to recognize what the torn pieces of what had been weeks of hard work.

Once she realized what it was, Marinette wondered if it made her a bad person that she wanted to smile. Because while she honestly wanted to feel bad, all she felt was a relief. Like ten tons of weight had just been lifted from her shoulders.

Marinette looked at her desk, pulled out her phone, took a picture, and then sent several texts.

Then she shrugged, tossed the mess into a nearby trashcan, and pulled out a fresh sketchbook.

The other students, the ones who had waited for a reaction, were stunned. Where were the tears? The rage? Anything?

“Don’t you care?” Alya yelled, frustrated with her ex-bestie. “Your sketchbook was destroyed.”

           Marinette glanced up at her, “No. A sketchbook was destroyed. My sketchbook with all my worthwhile designs in safely locked away at my house. You all,” She looked around the classroom; memorizing every face.  Lila looked particularly bewildered because she had wanted to see the Asian girl cry. “ Destroyed my school sketchbook; the one I use for school-related events designs from various classmates, plans for birthday parties, and the like.”

“But you worked so hard,” Rose said.

           Mylene nodded, “You worked in it every day for months.”

“Yeah, it sucks,” Marinette shrugged. “For you.”

           That got everyone’s attention.

“What do you mean for us, Dudette?” Nino asked.

           Marinette sighed, “The sketchbook was filled with all the projects that were either requested by people in this room or were for people in this room. By destroying it, I can no longer do any of those projects,” She explained. “I did it in my free time. As my main work schedule is full of commission I’m actually being paid for. I don’t have time to redesign or remake those sketches. So I sent texts to Bustier, Luka, and anyone else involved that I can no longer work on their specific project.”

           The other students blinked.

           Marinette rolled her eyes, “That means I can’t do the costumes for the school play,”  Mylene and Sabrina gasped. “No new outfits for Kitty Section.” Rose and the other members of the band got tears in their eyes. “I can’t do the set design for Nino’s next gig.” The boy in questioned paled as he had been counting on Marinette’s design skills to wow the crowd. “The new design layout for the Ladyblog is canceled.” Alya clenched her fists. “The costume for Mylene’s short film is too. I had to back out of the school fundraiser. Let the Coach know I can no longer do any banner work. Or design the new team uniforms.” Alix and Kim’s mouths dropped. “Max’s Game-Con costume is out of the question now.” Max visibly deflated. “Ivan’s mom’s gift for her birthday is out too; pity that dress was so beautiful.” Ivan gasped. “I can plan any birthday parties or make custom cakes. The charity work you wanted my help with, I can’t do. My idea for the school trip to New York city is canceled as all my contacts and trip itinerary ideas are gone. I let Bustier know that I’ll be too busy to be class president so she’ll have to assign someone else the role. The dresses for the school dance you girls requested, I can’t do anymore.” She shrugged again. “Oh well.”

“But, but, Luka!” Juleka cried, worried about how her brother will react.

           Rose was crying. So was Mylene.

“Can’t you redo it,” Sabrina asked. “The drama department was counting on us.”

           Marinette narrowed her eyes. Us? Sabrina nor anyone else had lifted a finger to help Marinette come up with idea for the costumes for the school play. “Afraid not. There’s not enough time; to resketch everything and then actually make it. I have to focus on the designs I’m being actually being paid for. They come first.”

           Alix slammed her hands on the table, “We only did it because you were bullying Lila!”

           There were nods.

“Yeah, girl,” Alya said. “We just wanted you to know what being bullied was like. We didn’t know our stuff was in there.”

“First I never bullied Lila,” Marinette said and before anyone could protest, she continued. “Second of all, I was bullied by Chloe for years, why would you think I would ever bully anyone else,” She looked directly at Nino when she asked this. Her childhood friend. His eyes widened and he looked away. “Lastly, why should I go to the trouble and take time out of my already swamped schedule to redesign projects I did for you that you destroyed. The way I see it, it’s your own fault.”

           The entire class went silent again. Each mind weighing the consequences of their actions.

“Nathanial,” Marinette said. The redhead boy looked up. “You don’ t have to worry. You paid for your work; it was a commission. It will arrive on schedule; even if I have to work all night for a week to redo it.”

           Nathanial’s face lit up, “Thank you, Marc’s going to love it.”

“You’re redoing his work,” Alya screeched. “That’s not fair.”

“I didn’t destroy all her hard work, so yes it is,” Nathaniel snapped back at the girl before Marinette could. “Not only that but I paid for my stuff. Something none of you have ever even offered to do.”

           Some of the other students looked ashamed. It was true.

“They were custom made designs,” Marinette explained. “Any other designer would make you pay hundreds for all that works. Thousands, if it was a fully trained professional, right Adrien?”

           Adrien swallowed hard. He hadn’t been involved in actively destroying the bluenette’s sketchbook but he hadn’t stopped it either. The blond nodded, “My father would charge a lot. His last custom piece was sold for five grand, and it was just a simple pants suit.”

“What about your mom, Chloe?” Marinette asked the blond who had arrived mere seconds after Marinette and had stayed by the door to watch the fireworks.

Chloe gave the class a vindictive smirk, “For the dresses for the school dance, fifteen hundred dollars apiece; more if she had to hand sow them herself. For the rest of the work, combined, may be less than twenty grand if she cut you a deal. Anyway between ten and fifteen grand when she was still at Marinette’s level. Shame.”

Marinette shook her head, “Fifteen thousand dollars of work you were going to get for free, gone.”

Most of her classmates' faces had drained of color at the price, at realization of how big of a screw up they made. They had no idea just how much work Marinette did.

Lila was seething because it would be too hard to turn this around.

“I’m sorry,” Rose rushed to say. “We’re sorry.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Marinette shrugged. “There’s nothing to do. And now that I know that there are people in this class who can’t keep their hands to themselves, all free commissions are now canceled.” Gasps filled the room. “From now on, if you want some work done; you’ll go to my website and request a consultation like all my other customers. Keep in mind, for custom designs, depending the size of the job, you’ll have to book anywhere between a month and six months in advance. Www.MDC-designs.com.”

           Chloe walked to the back of the classroom and sat down next to the Bluenette, “You’re still doing my dress for the dance, though right?”

“Chloe, you did a consult a year early and paid well in advance,” Marinette smiled. “You’re dress is done. You can do your final fitting anytime.”

           Miss Bustier walked into class with a smile that quickly turned to a frown at the sight of Marinette, “Oh Marinette, I was so sad when you told me you had to back out of being class president and planning the school trip and, well, so many other things. You had such wonderful ideas. How on earth you got us on the list for a tour of Stark Industries, the Gotham times, Marvel Studios, and Vogue; I’ll never know. It’s a pity that can’t happen now. All canceled, you said?” The teacher shook her head. Totally unaware of the sheer horror her words at unleashed in her students. “It’s a shame about what happened to your sketchbook. Do you have any idea what happened?”

           Marinette just leaned back in her chair, “Not a clue.”

           That time, she smirked.

           The new few weeks were horrible for the students of Miss Bustier’s class. As they all scrambled to design, plan, and actually make/do their own projects.

           Sabrina and Mylene had realized quickly they had no designing skills and were forced to tell the drama department that the promised costumes weren’t coming. Aurora, leader of the Drama club, and Marinette s friend had heard about what happened from Nathianal and spread the news to the other club members. Most were artists too and knew they would’ve died if something like that were happening. The ones that weren’t couldn’t believe they had been getting all that for free and a bunch of idiots ruined it.

           Alix and Kim found themselves participating in a lot more school fundraisers to raise money for the new uniforms and to pay for all the team trips to the away games.

           Luka had been disappointed in his bandmates and his sister and had threatened to go solo.

           Alya was forced to do more babysitting to help pay for new website design and a dress for the dance.

           Nino had no clue just how hard the set design was. And ended up nearly causing a fire at his gig.

           Lila had no clue on where to start for planning a trip as fabulous as the one Bustier made Marinette’s sound.

           Birthdays went without cake, had only cheap decorations from the store, and immaculate gift that had come to be expected every year.

           The entire class, apart from three, felt the pressure of planning the school dance, fundraising for the field trips, affording their dresses for the dance, on top of all their other many after school activities.

           No one would bother to mention just how badly their actual school work suffered; there was barely any time to study for tests or do their homework. Grades dropped. Parents were furious.

           Alix nearly lost her spot on the team. Kim did lose his spot until his grades were brought back up. Alya was forced to stop her work with the Ladyblog until her grade improved. Nino’s parents forbid him from doing any more gigs. Mylene’s dad stopped her movie work altogether. Sabrina’s dad just straight up grounded his daughter so she could have time to relax and study when she had the time. Ivan’s mom actually started tutoring him. Max’s grades didn’t drop but his stress levels increased so much his parents pulled him out of all his extracurriculars.

           Luka had no choice but to go solo as his bandmates rarely showed up for practice. It was fine, though, Marinette got Jagged to work with him on a demo album. In exchange for a new few new pieces of wardrobe…

           For Fang.

           It got so bad even the headstrong Alya burst into tears at the pressure one day. The stress was too much. Some kids found themselves constantly being late, never getting enough sleep, and were constantly worried and checking their phone just in case something went wrong And somehow something always went wrong. A few kids started having anxiety attacks. Relationships and friendship suffered as no one had time to talk or spend any time together as foretime was a rarity. Mylene and Ivan broke up. So did Nino and Alya, who got into a fight so bad in front of the school, that Nino left in tears.

           Hawkmoth had a field day with it all. Until he started noticing all the akumas came from his son’s class, and that his son was looking too good either. Gabriel Agrest may be a heartless son of a bitch but he wasn’t a complete monster.

           …Plus the Akumas were all worthless anyway. Most were sleep akuma who just put people to sleep. A couple was literally dedicated to forcing people to plan their days better. There was an akuma that literally made everyone around them feel less stressful. Ladybug didn’t even bother to show up defeat that one. Hawkmoth just pulled it back eventually.

           Marinette watched it all; not with joy or happiness as her classmates' misery, just a sense of relief that for once it wasn’t her. Everyone noticed how Marinette was nearly never late anymore. She glowed with all the sleep she was finally making up. Her grades while never anything less than good improved dramatically. Her parents were happy their daughter was so much more relaxed and happier. It was like she was a new person.

           She even found she had more time to not only design stuff for herself but actually make it. Her dress for the school dance was going to be amazing.

           …If there was a school dance. With the way, things were going and the miserable looks of her ex-friends face when anyone brought it up, there was a good chance there wouldn’t be one.

           A week after Marinette had that thought, the school play was canceled. Some sports teams were forced to forfeit away games due to budgeting issues; losing their number one spot.

           It wasn’t long after that Rose came up to Marinette’s lunch table. Chloe and Nathaniel eyed the pixie-cut blond with suspicion.

“I’m sorry,” Rose whispered. “I didn’t know how much you did. How hard you worked. You did so much for us, and we never even realized. You must think we’re monsters.”

           Marinette shook her head, “. I still don’t understand why you would do something so horrible as destroying my private property but I think don’t your monsters. Just not very good friends,” She frowned. “Not friends at all, actually”

           Rose winced at the truthful words. Now that she didn’t have time to hang off Lila’s every word, it was easy to hear just how ridiculous all her stories were. She nodded, “I requested a consult on your website. Based on your prices, I think I finally enough money for an MDC original dress for the school dance.”

           So someone in class could learn. Most of the class still muttered under their breaths whenever Marinette walked by. Not willing to take the blame for their own mistakes. Though she did see Alya casting her pitiful glances every now and then as if Marinette would suddenly take mercy and start doing everything for the class again.

“I’m glad to hear,” Marinette smiled. “I think you’ll look great in a lovely turquoise; really make those eyes pop.”

[coke-and-candy]

A Little Competition Never Hurt Anyone: Part 2

Here is the long awaited part 2! Now available on FF.net and AO3! Links below. Tags @echpr, @realsquidinc, @teresarosiadeviluke2112, @geminikessa, @astridflies, @driftingmoonlitpetals, @bee-wrecker, @iglowinggemma28, @drarryismylife101, @mikantsume, @diamondheart31, @iggy-of-fans, @runadaemon, @northernbluetongue, @kristycocopop, @czgamz, @mysticsoulgirl, @silvergold-swirl, @queenmj10, @asstheticmangos, @thesunstormsolo, @writingishfanonsideblog, @if-you-give-a-chat-a-cookie, @seraphichana, @bnha-fanfic-recs, @katieykat513, @whatarubberchicken, @princess-of-fangirls, @marichat00, @mmwolf1605, @urbanpineapplefarmer, @indecisive-mess-named-me, @adalouise1987, @winterfury-10, @celestialtitania, @vixen-uchiha, @certainmuffinbagelcalzone, @satans-favorite-homo, @jardimazul, @chronois, @marinette-is-a-badass, @the-no-one-in-the-corner, @jessigurl-design, @kittycatwowmeow, @himevampirechan, @livelifeauthorstyle, @hufflejournals, @melhuney, @xxvanilla-thundaxx, @thewondersoflebanon, @enduskgragon, @rumbelle18, @natasha-barton

FF.net (link)

Part 1 (link)

Edit: Now on AO3 (link)!

                                                   Part 2

                                               The Stakes

Today was the day!

Today was possibly the most important day of her whole LIFE!

Her chance to get that much closer to achieving her dream of being hard-hitting investigative reporter.

The first round of preliminary presentations and interviews—her one shot of making an impression on the judges—and Alya Césaire was determined to nail it.

She had worked up until the deadline in order to get her entry as perfect as possible. It hadn’t been easy to get the necessary information from Lila without tipping anyone off about the competition—but! in the end, she did. It was one of the reasons why Alya was already such a good reporter at such a young age. She knew how and when to ask the right questions. Even if it meant telling a few teeny tiny little fibs to keep everyone in the dark. A little poke and prod here and there, a little white lie about wanting to do little exposés on the Ladyblog about everyday Ladybugs and Chat Noirs… and boom! Lila had been more than happy to send her all the links to news articles and organization pages that mentioned her… Which were a lot—Lila really was amazing! And the deeper Alya got invested in her contest entry the more it that just solidified in Alya’s mind that she was doing the right thing.

Sure, she still felt a little guilty having to sometimes skip out of hanging out with Marinette in order to hangout with Lila to conduct her secret interviews. But it was ok! The ends would more than justify the means.

Besides… a few little lies never hurt anyone anyways…

Countless hours had gone into writing, researching, re-writing, editing, more editing, and practicing her presentation and interview answers (ok she was not quite sure what the judges would be asking but it never hurt to have some responses ready to go on the fly). All leading up to this moment!

Standing in front of the Le Monde Parisian headquarters, dressed in her best power outfit, presentation in hand, and her parents right there beside her to cheer her on.

Her mother and father both had taken time off in order to be there for her and Nora had even volunteered to watch the twins so that their parents wouldn’t have to worry and all of their attention could be on Alya today.

They walked into the bright, sleek, and modern lobby of the new building and towards the receptionist desk. The lobby was busy that morning, there were other couples there as well, most likely the parents of the other contestants that had gotten that fateful phone call and scheduled to present today.

They made their way over to the receptionist’s desk.

“Excuse me,” Alya said, doing her best to sound professional. “I’m here for my presentation for La CompétitionOlmpe de Gouges.”

“Name?” The receptionist asked.

“Alya Césaire.”

The receptionist typed away at her computer. “Ah! Here we are.” She looked up and directed the family towards the grand staircase on the other side of the lobby. “Go up the stairs to the second floor and then down the first hallway on your right, there you will see a set of black doors, room 202.” Alya nodded, simple enough instructions. “From there only the contestants are allowed in. Parents and all other family members will have to wait here in the lobby.”

“Thank-you,” Alya smiled politely, her parents also giving a polite nod of appreciation to the woman before following behind their second eldest daughter.

As Alya made her way to her destination, her journalistic eye could not help but take in her surroundings and the various other adults that filtered through the lobby, all in many different types of dress as well, ranging from khakis to exquisitely tailored suits to exotic styles from all over the world. Marinette had often spoken about how fashion gave an insight into different professional environments and the type of people who worked there. Alya was starting to understand what her friend had meant.

But thinking about the different clothing she was seeing reminded her of Marinette—which also reminded her about the last time they had spoken…

It would be an understatement to say that they had not parted on the best of terms.

They had gotten into an argument over the fact that the baker’s daughter was stubbornly refusing to hangout anywhere near Lila and how the only way they could all hangout together was if they straight up lied to her.

Which was what Alya had resorted to in order to have all the girls hanging together as a big group for once. Instead of always having to choose between hanging out with Marinette or hanging out with Lila.

The Ladyblogger wasn’t proud of her methods—but what else was she supposed to do?! She was desperate! All she wanted was for all of her friends to get along and have a great day together; hanging out, enjoying all that Paris had to offer for those lucky enough to live within her borders, and making happy memories together to be cherished…

Why couldn’t Marinette understand that?! Why did the pig-tailed girl have to be so, so... pig-headed!

The resulting argument between the two lycée students had gotten pretty heated and some pretty hurtful things probably would have been said had it not been for an Akuma attacking near where they had agreed to meet up.

But the damage had still been done.

That had been well over a week ago and Marinette was not speaking to ANY of them. She wouldn’t pick up her phone, refused to answer their texts, and even went so far as to asking her parents not to let any of them see her at home. Not even Adrien could get through to her! Every time he had tried approaching her, the designer would ignore him or actively avoid him anyway she could… even if it meant climbing out of a second story window. It was clearly having an effect on the whole class. It felt as if there was a dark cloud in the classroom, as if all the good things in the world have suddenly been cut off. Poor Lila was taking it the hardest and all the girls were doing their best to reassure her that it was not her fault and to cheer her up as best as they could.

It was clear to everyone that Marinette’s attitude was the one in the wrong, but the girl STILL would not see reason and Alya could not understand why!

Why was Marinette acting thing way?!

Why couldn’t she stop being so petty and jealous about Lila and give her a chance?!

Why was she being so stubborn and unreasonable?!

That’s why this day was so important on a more personable level. It would finally be the cold hard, evidence backed, and internationally backed panel of journalistic judges proof that would finally, FINALLY! Get through Marinette’s jealousy and delusions and at last show her that she had been wrong about Lila all along.

Maybe then, things could finally go back to normal and there would not be such a chill in the air during class…

Before Alya could sink further into the negative memories of the past week, her parents pulled her out of her thoughts and back to the present.

They had followed the receptionist’s instructions and were now standing in front of a pair of sleek black double-doors with simple polished steel handles, with the number 202 engraved on a spotless steel plaque next to them.

This was it.

“Good luck ti panther mwen an!” Her father enveloped her in a warm hug. His face beaming with pride as he handed his second oldest off to his wife so that she could have a turn in hugging their daughter.

“We are so proud of you!” Marlena Césaire gave her daughter a once over to make sure she was presentable for the umpteenth time, her smile beaming with pride. “Now you go in there and knock ‘em dead.”

“I will manman.”

“And remember to look them straight in the eye. Show no fear!”

“Of course papa.”

“We’ll be waiting in the lobby ok.”

With one final bone-crushing hug, Alya walked through the doors and as they closed behind her she took a moment to get a quick scan and layout of the room. It was a smaller waiting area with a few comfy looking black leather couches and there were already three other students, who looked to be about her age, sitting on them. Even though they were her competition, Alya still wanted to introduce herself. Who knows? Maybe one of them could be a valuable future colleague.

She immediately recognized one of them and instantly gravitated towards them with a wide smile.

“Mireille! Hey!”

The other girl looked up from the folder her hands, looking a bit surprised to hear her name and then broke out into a friendly grin as well when she saw who had called out her name. “Hi Alya! I didn’t know you were entering this competition as well.”

Alya nodded as she took a seat next to the junior weathergirl. “Yeah, I kind of wanted this to be a surprise since I’m doing my presentation on someone I’m really close to.”

“Really? Who is it?”

“Someone who fit the prompt for the competition to a T.” Alya couldn’t keep the pride in her tone for her friend seeping through as she began to list off her reasoning. “They’re naturally kind and giving person that has already achieved so much, despite being our age. Someone who knows what it means to carry on despite obstacles and never stops thinking about others. Someone who is sure to be one of the Greats of the future without a doubt.”

Hearing the conviction in Alya’s small speech Mireille couldn’t help but be impressed at the other girl’s confidence. But then again, Mireille thought she had a pretty good idea about just whom the auburn haired girl was talking about, but decided to go along.  

“Wow, and does this someone know that you entered a presentation about them…?”

“Nope!” Alya popped the p at the end for emphasis. She gave the other girl a mischievous grin and leaned in to stage whisper for added dramatics. “It’s all going to be a surprise.”

Mireille let out a little giggle at her schoolmate’s theatrics. Alya always did have a lot of spunk to her.

“Anyways, how long have you been waiting? What time is your appointment suppose to be at?” Alya wondered, adjusting herself a little sit a little bit more professionally.

“Oh! I already gave my presentation; I’m just waiting for a text from my dad letting me know he’s here to pick me up.” Mireille replied, holding up her phone.

“Really?!” Alya immediately fell into her default Ladyblogger mode. “How’d you think you did, what were the judges like, what did—“

Before Alya had a chance to finish her rapid-fire questions, or for the now slightly frazzled Mireille to get a chance to respond, a young, well dressed man in his twenties came into the room with a tablet and interrupted her.

“Alya Césaire?”

“Yes!” Alya replied.

He held the door at the opposite side of the room open for her. “Please come on in and begin setting up what ever you will need. The judges will be with you shortly.”

Alya quickly stood and clutched her notes and the USB drive her work was on tightly to her chest, her heart pounding with excitement and nervous energy. “Well this is it. I’ll see you later at school ‘kay. Wish me luck!” She smiled at Mireille as she left the couch to follow the man to the judging area.

“Good luck, Alya!” Mireille waved cheerfully which Alya returned before the door was closed behind her.

Shortly after, the short-haired lycée student got a notification letter her know her father was now waiting for her at the front. As, Mireille made her way down the stairs to the main lobby; she couldn’t help but think how great it was that Alya was choosing to do this report about her friend. But honestly, it did seem like a very good choice.

There really was only one person that Mireille could think of that fell into the category that the other reporter hopeful had described. It was sure to really impress the judges that Alya actually knew and was close to someone like that, and her presentation on them would no doubt be amazing.

After all… 

Marinette Dupain-Cheng really was a miraculous person.

_______________________________________________________________________

And there it is!

If I didn’t tag you, I’m sorry about that, send me a message and I will be sure to tag you for the next update.

I realized when I started brainstorming the next segment of this story that the connection from the first part to the climax was… lacking… and it was driving me CRAZY! I could not for the life of me figure out why the climax was not coming to me at all, I know what was going to happen and how but none of it felt right. That’s when I realized that the crescendo to that moment of truth that everyone is waiting for was not there. Therefore this story went from a two-shot story to a 3-4 part story. 

So now we have the proper set up. Alya has submitted her work and is about to face the judges. Gee! I wonder what will happen...?

Let me know what you all think. Also this story is now on FF.net, so if you guys want go ahead and check out this story there so you can leave your reviews and comments. Till next time!