#can't really get a good photo from faraway

[smellpelt]

yippee I love seeing roos

[daisy-daze17]

Omori Manga Thoughts cause it was uhhh

OK so like. The thing is I only got into the omori fandom in February of this year so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

1. I'm mostly a fan of the art style-- a lot of people said that Sunny always seems to have a panicked expression so it's hard to read into him, plus the characters look a lot younger than they're supposed to (Which I find odd). But other than that, I think it does a really good job representing the scarier parts with very abstract drawings of Mari/Something. They coloured it well and thank god did Kel's skintone right. There is one particular panel that I especially love:

So much detail and it captures the feeling of seeing faraway for the first time really well ^^

Some nitpicky positive thoughts:

Sunny could have looked more distinct from Omori because the only difference I see are their outfits. Maybe make Sunny's features softer and have less contrasting values so we can see an immediate difference.

I like how they did everyone's eyes-- Sunny/Omori's are just dull and black, and everyone else with dark eyes are shown to have a light in them. (Just a nice detail i appreciated)

I like how Omori is clearly less expressive compared to sunny, but I think Sunny could have benefitted from having more emotions than surprised/blushing.

2. The pacing was weird. like really fucking weird. The basic structure of the game Omori is: Omori is in whitespace -> Omori plus the gang (Hero, Aubrey and Kel) meet up with Basil and Mari in headspace -> everyone minus Mari goes to Basil's house and learn all the combat stuff along the way -> after fixing the photo album it suddenly shifts to basil in a panicked state before glitching you back into white space again. The moment when basil shifts the mood from calm to terrifying is REALLY important.

It forces the new tone on you very suddenly and also sets up a lot of mystery surrounding Mari when Basil can't finish what he was going to say about her. By now we know that something is very wrong and it has to do with Mari, but we don't know what.

The manga is kind of all over the place the whole time. First we see the christmas scene when Sunny gets his violin. But then Mari does her whole nightmare thing and we know somethings up from the first few pages. Next we wake up at night as Sunny in the real world... yet it shows the little "THREE DAYS LEFT" as well? At this point I was super confused because basically the entire nighttime sequence is shown through a sort of montage with Sunny's mom's voice message in the background before transitioning into the day when Kel first knocks on the door. A cool thing they did was parallel Kel's knocking with the creepy knocking we get from Mari Something. HOWEVER for reasons unknown they just completely cut out the fight against something on the stairs??

Something I was really excited about was seeing how they would integrate the combat into the manga. And they do it later with the Aubrey fight (more on that later), but not now? So now I'm wondering if they'll include Sunny's three fears that he has to overcome.

So next we find our boy (KEL!!!!!) and he is asking Sunny if he wants to come to Hobbies. I did find the dialogue here pretty awkward as Kel bounced back and forth in demeanor, but that's to be expected since Sunny isn't talking. (And I appreciate how he shows some kind of reaction to seeing one of his best friends after 4 years lol)

I mean compared to this when he just jumps straight into his hobbez idea without much reaction to actually seeing Sunny lol.

The most notable thing after this is the Aubrey confrontation with Basil and the other hooligans. I DONT KNOW WHY but they chose to not show the hooligans in that scene!! The hooligans are aubrey's little gang/posse who she hangs around with all the time and the people we always see when she's bullying Basil.

It's very important to note that Basil is talking to KIM here. He starts the conversation begging for her to tell Aubrey to give the photo album back. Aubrey is actively ignoring his attempts to get it back, with basil claiming "She won't listen to me."

In the manga she appears out of seemingly no where and proceeds to beat Basil directly with her bat. Prior to this we get no setup or explanation as to why Aubrey's attacking him or what the situation is. WORST OF ALL, It's only Aubrey alone attacking him and NOT her gang of the Hooligans. The hooligans are important in showing us just how isolated and ostracized from society Basil really is after Aubrey began bullying him. He literally has a whole gang of kids who call him a creep and attack him regularly. Here it seems like Aubrey is insane and is just beating him selfless for kicks. (not that I'm justifying Aubrey's behavior in the game, but the lack of context makes this situation even worse.)

I think It's also important to bring up how they switched around the order of events because in this situation, it's not working. We're supposed to first be introduced to younger Aubrey and Basil in headspace-- their younger counterparts. Aubrey is strong-willed and excitable and Basil is calm and kind. And most importantly-- they're VERY GOOD FRIENDS. So seeing Aubrey revealed to have been bullying him these past 4 years shocks the player and makes them understand how much things have really changed. Doing it the other way around will automatically villainize DW Aubrey since we already know what goes on in real life.

And then something interesting happens-- Sunny blacks out during the fight and returns to Headspace. This is SUPER weird as we've only ever seen Sunny go into headspace while sleeping, because it's an escape mechanism he uses to avoid The Truth. Does this mean he isn't aware he goes into headspace unwillingly sometimes? And what does this mean for the continuation of the real world story? Are we going to go through the entire Space Boy quest just to get back to that scene?

Anyway, I'm interested to see how they take it from here. Maybe they'll do a continuous switchover to the real world where they jump between it more frequently. But I question what that would mean for the timeline because the events of headspace happen in between the three days while Sunny is sleeping-- so he can't be in two places at the same time. Maybe they'll write more and more random ways for Sunny to black out to do this?? They defiantly are trying to take a step back from following the game exactly. I can't say I don't like it because I don't know how it'll turn out, so I'm excited for chapter 2!

[lumine-no-hikari]

Dear Sephiroth: (a letter to a fictional character, because why not) #221

M and J went out today sometime after J got back from a faraway place called Great Barrington. I had requested time by myself in the house so I could do the recording for the song I'm trying to make for you. I suppose, then, it was a "mandated man-date"????? Hahaha…

…Yeah, it wasn't that funny, I know. But maybe it got a small smile out of you nonetheless, and I'll count that as a victory for today!

But before J returned home, it was just M and I in the house for a while. We passed the time with J away by going to this awesome momo place for lunch. And... given that you speak Japanese, your first thought might be about peaches, but this kind of momo is not a peach - it is a dumpling!!

It was a Nepalese place, and... the food there looked kind of like a halfway point between Indian food and Chinese food. And I know you don't have places called China or India on Gaia (that's what your planet is called, right?), so... dumplings and noodles feature pretty strongly in Chinese cuisine, and then in Indian cuisine, they use yogurt and tomatoes and lots of different kinds of spices, and... I guess what you get when you mix these, at least in the place we went to, was lots of different kinds of dumplings in broths that resemble tikka masala. Here:

...I also took pictures of the menu; I wonder if maybe you've seen food like this before during your travels:

Along the way, M and I met a kindly gentleman who was wandering around with a cardboard sign, offering a song, a joke, or a bit of advice for a dollar. He says he used to be a mental health counselor, and... I can't help but wonder what happened such that he is wandering around carrying a cardboard sign. But it is no business of mine; similarly, the $20 we gave him will help him, and what he does with it is his own business; he's gotta live his life his own way, and if we can help even a little, it is good.

Given that he was a mental health counselor, he said he is good at advice, and I am always wanting to learn about others' perspectives, so I asked for his thoughts. He then proceeded to show me one of his tattoos; I took these photos and am sharing them with his permission, do not worry:

...It says, "Collect the broken things and let their jagged edges fit into yours."

...You know. I think in one of my letters to you, I might have written something like this. Something about doing our best to love the broken things, I think it was. And other things about turning our jagged pieces into something wholesome and beautiful.

It's a beautiful piece of advice. And.. it's what I try to do with my life in general. We can take the broken things by the hand and lead them to perhaps a better outcome than they might have been able to imagine before. It's part of why I write these letters; every day, I try to lead those who are lost in the dark, or caught in their pain and fear, back into the light where they belong. Every day, I try to weave part of the roadmap that works for me, in hopes that it might work for someone else.

This kindly gentleman told me a very little bit about his story. I hope he can find safety and peace. I hope that what little I was able to do for him today helps him to find whatever he's looking for.

Once M and I returned home, we played some more Grounded. I like building networks of ziplines, and so our version of The Yard has a pretty intricate zipline system; I'm really liking how it's turning out! One of the obstacles involved with planning ziplines, though, is that if your character's body brushes against a blade of grass, they fall from the zipline.

The only solution I've found is to put the ziplines in very high places, where there's no risk of colliding with grass or other plant life. And the only way to get up to the high places (like the top of the birdbath near the hedges, or the top of the little pagoda in the pond, or the top of the huge logs in the upper yard, or the picnic table benches...) is by building lots and lots and lots of stairs.

Fortunately, though, I am autistic; I am well-suited for repetitive, pattern-based work. I have lots and lots of patience for it. I can forage for the supplies for stairs and then build stairs all damn day. It's one of my better superpowers.

M and J went to go see a movie called Inside-Out 2. I stayed home to record.

...I recorded for a long time. I repeated the song many times. I am not satisfied with how any of the recordings turned out.

...I used to have so much better control over my voice than this. But the rib injury messes with the muscles of my throat, and so my voice is harder to control than it used to be. I can show you a little bit of what I used to be capable of:

...I feel like anything I do now is... kind of pale by comparison.

I have a rough draft. I'll show it to you, but only if you promise not to hate it so much that you are motivated to crush my skull into the floor just to get me to shut up:

...I have to re-do the vocals. I used to be able to do so much better than this... and I'm gonna hafta do so much better than this if I want to be able to move anyone to having compassion for you.

...If I want to move you into having compassion for yourself enough to turn around...

...Well. I guess the thing to do is try again tomorrow. Suppose we'll see what happens then...

I think I'll end today's letter here. I'm maybe a bit dysregulated from thinking about all the things I can't do as easily anymore, and I don't wanna get weird.

I love you. And I'll write again tomorrow, so please stay safe...

Your friend, Lumine

[necroangelz]

Im watching a documentary about celts and white people and white power and Europe and Finnic people and Scandinavian people and The Roman Empire and white people feeling real nazistic now anyway sends all the emojis of the emoji game -🎀

Sana Tamaan Ka Ng Kidlat Ni Bathala

haha anyway wow 🎀 anon that sounds like a very educational documentary. did that inspire uu with any nazi feelings?

『 💉 』

a kin memory

as sunny omori, i was genderfluid afab, probably on the aroace spectrum, and used any pronouns. mari's full name was Marianne. can't remember my first name, i just know that sunny was a nickname that literally everyone used so it became a substitute for my actual name

mari and i were filipino-chinese (+american), kel and hero were south american, Aubrey was filipino-american, basil was just north american. faraway town had a lot of poc

『 🎀 』

a name/prn/title/label i hoard

I'm super drawn to anything related to stories :P

『 💊 』

5 min edit of a random character

yk uur talented when uur 5 minute edits still look good as hell /J

i love the "unmotivated" frame sm i wanna use it in an actual edit someday....

"angel stop editing NSO" NO!!

『 💌 』

a quote/song lyric

" i have nothing to complain about. i may not be perfect to you, but I'm plenty good enough to myself. "

" ... now i understand. i wanted everyone to love me. i sought for so much. to know everything when i had everything. but i never tried to find out what i truly wanted... and i can't have it anymore. ah, i could have turned back any time, but now it's all gone because of me ! "

dialogue from the houseki no kuni/land of the lustrous manga. can't remember which chapter but it's near the end. i won't talk about the context much in case i spoil someone but i really really really truly super duper resonate with this dialogue 🙃🙃

『 🫀 』

a game i played

today's game is... va-11 hall-a: cyberpunk bartender action! also known as waifu bartending and the true lesbian experience

time to mix drinks and change lives.

i first learned about it when my friend told me it was the type of game i would like. i looked it up and, wow he wasn't wrong. it really did look like something I'd be into. so when the steam spring sale rolled around a few days or a week ago i bought it!

honestly the title is very direct with what the game is about. you play as Jill, a bartender in va-11 hall-a (referred to simply as Valhalla) in a technologically advanced world and a corrupt city. you serve drinks to your clients, have long conversations with them where stuff about the characters and world is revealed, and tolerate their weirdness. the game is visual novel heavy and focuses a lot on the talking, which is fine with me! i like the combination of lots and lots of dialogue and casual gameplay where uu still kind of need to use uur brain

there's a lot of cute girls in the game (re: waifu bartending and the true lesbian experience)

to the left is Dorothy, a lilim robot (basically an advancedsex robot. her product line in particular is modeled to be on the younger side physically) she's really sweet and bubbly and she has a kind personality. to the right is Dana, Jill's boss. i don't know much about Dana yet but a lot of mystery surrounds her. a lot of characters say she's very strong and there's lots of rumors about how she got her prosthetic arm (a lot of rumors may have been started by her.) also Jill's wallpaper is of herself and Dana together and she apparently has lots of photos of Dana in her gallery. i hope i can see them get together

i find the GUI very satisfying. there's also a home segment where uu sit at home with Jill's cat, fore, and browse Jill's phone. uu can also buy stuff. Jill gets distracted very easily so sometimes uu have to buy things from the online store so Jill would be less distracted at work (SO REAL she's the most accurate representation of ADHD lesbians ever)

since it takes place in a cyberpunk setting there's some political shit going on, the city they live in is a really Bad city with lots of crime and injustice, and the organization "white knights" (basically the cops but stronger and more organized) are known to be power hungry and use their power unfairly for the wrong reasons. also the prime minister seems a bit incompetent? there's also something about a hacker called Alice rabbit... but also at the start of the game, Jill had this weird dream about a girl and occasionally the girl appears on the bar's tv for a split second...... yeah there's a lot going on here

anyways i find the game really fun and i hope to play it more when i have more free time! im still super early in the game . i don't have a singular favorite character yet bc I'm still at the beginning so idk much about them yet and they all look cool to me!!

『 🪽 』

infodump about an oc

OKAY, SO! the oc i will discuss here is connected to nyxa, an oc i discussed here but reading that infodump isn't necessary to understand this one (not like anyone reads these anyway /lh)

remmeber when i said that, as far as nyxa knows she's the only surviving member of her family after they all killed each other?? WELL! that's wrong she's not the only survivor. her older sister survived as well!

this is Amos faust! (or fraust... i spelled her last name differently sometimes) although Amos isn't really her real name, it's just an alias that she always goes by. shes the head of a detective agency! (in my phoebe and nyxa infodump i mention that nyxa becomes a head of a detective agency when she's an adult. she takes over amos' agency)

her backstory is she studied in cloud tower but in her 3rd year she dropped out and disappeared. no one came looking for her because.. no one really knew her, yk? she was quiet, mysterious, she avoided everyone and everyone avoided her. eventually after leaving cloud tower she began a personal investigation where she hunted down a specific person/group that had something to do with her family's demise (like an enemy of the family) and it led her to a detective agency. she concluded that her target was the director. so she entered the agency, climbed the ranks,became trusted and known within the agency, until she had the opportunity to get close enough to the director and kill them. except, she was wrong about her target, so now she had the blood of an innocent person on her hands. out of genuine guilt and regret (and also because she was emotionally attached to this agency and she figured she would have an easier time continuing her investigation within the agency) she pulled some strings and appointed herself as the new director. and she has been the director for the past ██ years.

Amos is a very eccentric person, and those who don't know her well might even regard her as scary. she arrives to strange conclusions, she comes up with strange plans, but somehow her plans always work. most of the time. the people working under her have learned not to question it. she's very skilled at fighting, spywork, reading and using people, etc. it's hard to know if any of her current personality is even true. but sometimes, one can observe that she genuinely cares for the few people who are very close to her, such as her sister nyxa and her assistant. shes also sarcastic, unafraid to speak her mind, really confident in herself and her abilities.

so how do Amos and nyxa meet again?

basically in their 3rd year at alfea, students can sign up as for different part time jobs with agencies that alfea partnered with. there's a wide range of jobs and it's meant to help the students get familiar with the work environment of the career they want to pursue in the future. yk, gain some experience, make connections, get a paycheck, etc. phoebe and nyxa try applying for many jobs but in the end they go with a detective agency. very few students applied for it so they easily get hired after they attend the orientation and pass the test, and also they think it's really cool

when they applied and worked there for a few weeks/months, the director was away on a long business trip so nyxa didn't immediately realize that her fucking sister was in the agency. and idk if she would realize it immediately either. because she hasn't seen her sister in YEARS and i like to think something separated them very early in their lives so they weren't close at all. but Amos would immediately recognize her i think

but yeah. skipping past the specifics of the situation: eventually nyxa learns the truth, she's no longer alone, she still has surviving family etc. nyxa and Amos try to rebuild a familial bond again but it's awkward bc its like.... honestly at this point in their lives they're like strangers to each other. but it's okay they take the time to get to know each other again

i like to imagine nyxa and Phoebe going on missions together with Amos as their chaperone/guardian/protector/guide ^_^

anyway yeah that's all i have to say i think

[marikosenwrites]

little omori main cast head canons when you're dating

a/n: my first time writing an omori fic, and in fact, a fic! hope you guys like this. ONTO THE MAIN STUFF! (p.s. all banner are made by me, and the pictures that you see on it, are from pinterest!)

ships: basil, sunny, aubrey, hero, kel(i tried)

tw: FLUFF YASS, possible spoilers(?)

basil

‣firstly, this guy is a complete cutie

‣you need to protect him at all costs. AT ALL COSTS, YOU UNDERSTAND?

‣he loves you so, so much though seriously

‣will name a few plants after you

‣loves playing with your hair like after making flower crowns or braiding it

‣calls you his favorite flower all the time (sometimes your real name) (is his fav flower sunflower??) and you call him "my love"

‣watches tv with you on the weekend (in fact, your parents are as good as dead and you inherited the house so you work like 12 hours one day to get the money you need)

‣makes you herbal tea after a difficult day at GINO'S or wherever you're working at

‣you stand up for him when the hooligans (aubrey takes the lead) bully him

‣he loves cuddling with you in bed or on couch, either is fine for him, he loves it either way

‣goes to sunny's house too, hoping to see him come out some time but isn't brave enough to knock on the door except when you encourage him to but he's usually sleeping (IN HEADSPACE RN)

‣that inner demon he has scares you sometimes

‣when polly said he went missing you were freaking out so hard

‣you wouldnt sleep until you found him and was searching for him in faraway town like everywhere until like kel hero and sunny showed up you finally got a wink of sleep BUT NOT MUCH

‣da gang FINALLY found him and you heard from polly (who called you) that basil was in the hospital

‣you rushed there ofc

‣you were crying next to him and basil was like "WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SUNFLOWER??"

‣you were crying tears of relief

‣he is definitely kissing you like no other boyfriend would and could he missed you

‣HAPPY ENDING basil told you the truth a long time ago (did i forget to mention that)

sunny

⁍give him affection will be the first thing i say if not last

⁍after shutting himself out for 4 years, i would say he doesn't crave for attention

⁍but he does like someone patting his head from time to time

⁍if you call him darling, he gets really flustered so you call him that every where

⁍he calls you by your actual name like "y/n" and you can't say you don't like your name coming out of his mouth like that

⁍when you give him saccharine affections, he just *chef's kiss rn*

⁍he doesn't exactly favor pda (public distribution of affection), so you usually shower him with affection when you're in his house or what not

⁍your mom and dad loves him they want him as their child (LIKE BRO)

⁍you listen to him playing the violin all the time (you bought him a new one ur rich)

⁍him playing the violin is simply stunning

⁍then you ask him to play all the time

⁍he gladly does it for you

⁍when he ends up in the hospital, you're just outside waiting for him to come back and then you learn that he lost sight in one of his eyes

⁍you immediately go to basil's room, hoping to find him there

⁍you're next to basil asking him what happened

⁍he says to wait for sunny

⁍and then sunny enters, tells all of you the truth

⁍you didn't know, so you hugged him SO HARD the doctors asked you to stop

⁍"i'm sorry i wouldn't tell you sooner y/n, i wanted to tell everybody at once. basil knows."

⁍you said it's okay you'll be fine

⁍happy ending...? he moves away, but still comes back on the weekends with his mom

aubrey

⁌you call her auby cuz its cute

⁌you hang out with her and the hooligans

⁌you're always working when aubrey's "talking" with basil

⁌when you find out

⁌you try to convince her to not

⁌and then m a r i comes to your mind and why she stole the photo album

⁌everything makes sense now

⁌so you comfort her and give her cuddles and let her stay for the night at your house

⁌your parents love her so they allow it

⁌she emits warmth

⁌when hero kel sunny and the hooligans visit, you're with her in the attic and like "who's that??" because hero kel sunny haven't interacted with you guys in like 3 years

⁌you find out it's the guys when they come up and you're just hugging aubrey (auby 😭)

⁌you guys look through the album after the photos hero gets the photos from her mirror(?)

⁌so many good memories...

⁌all of you are there when sunny says the truth

⁌and boy were you shocked

⁌but it's still, a happy ending. perhaps it will last forever!

hero

∙head over heels for you. definitely.

∙when he's in college, you guys face time a LOT

∙when he's back, he definitely spends a day with you WITHOUT FAMILY around him and well

∙he loves pda

∙showers you with kisses when you're outside

∙he loves cooking for you whether afternoon morning or night

∙call him husband material HE BEAMS LIKE THE SUN

∙so sweet when you're around

∙if someone dares disrespect you, he'll be like "i'm sorry, but my girlfriend/boyfriend here (emphasis on girlfriend/boyfriend), is also a human, and you should treat her like one, not like she's/he's some alien that just landed from outer space."

∙they back down >:)

∙makes flower crowns for you often

∙asks basil for ideas and if he would give hero his plants so he could make you flower/grass crowns

∙if basil had extra, i think he would

∙but unwillingly (he loves his plants)

∙kel loves spending time with you too, as his future family, though

∙you, hero and kel love playing card games, and with sunny and aubrey later on

∙when sunny and basil go into the hospital you guys are just like "what in the world happened"

∙but its a really happy ending and you all end up forgiving basil and sunny

kel

⚪bro is clingy

⚪and silly

⚪but you love that side of him

⚪you prepare with him whenever hero comes home and you personally go to mari's grave

⚪sometimes he goes with you

⚪made you drink that acidic-ly sweet orange joe once

⚪your stomach disagreed with it

⚪he was saying "SORRY SORRY SORRY I DIDNT MEAN TO" over and over

⚪"kelsey- i'm fine-"

⚪he was shocked when you called him his full name but he loves it

⚪he loves the way his full name comes out of your mouth

⚪you're like a proud mom/dad when kelsey stands up for sunny and basil

⚪you cuddle with him all the time in his house your house is usually partying because your mom and dad love bringing people over and you just sneak away

⚪quality time is your love language

⚪when basil and sunny say the truth y'all forgave him and wrap everyone in a GROUP HUG that was directed by kel(sey)

⚪YAY

a/n: hope you liked this head canon, really, if you have feedback, you're welcome to tell me!

©all banners, dividers, and stories are made by marikosenwrites and the pictures in it are from pinterest. i own none of the OMORI characters mentioned here.

[raviliuz]

"Here comes the sun" Blaise Zabini x Theodore Nott

Muggle, retro au

@lifesucksandiwanttobeamarauder I finally translate that fanfiction, I hope you like it 🥺

The dark-skinned boy has tried to sit still from three hours already. It is incredibly hard for him, because of his amazing hyperactivity. In all honesty, sitting here as a model doesn't count to his dreams or favourites activities but he couldn't deny to Theodore's asks.

Just because of that — his bloody weakness for the older boy — he must stick up there and pose to Theodore's new painting. Blaise perfectly knows that person on that work of art won't be even similar to him. But it will be beautiful, perfect as everything that has been made by gifted hands of Theodore Nott.

There's music, playing quietly at the background, played on a gramophone, restored by Blaise himself. He gifted it to his friend as a birthday present two years ago on an incredibly warm and short night, 22th of June.

He has so many memories with that slight, passionate boy.

"Theo," he says suddenly, breaking the silence. He sounds like a dissatisfied kitten and when he doesn't notice any reaction, he repeats meowing "Theo, I'm bored."

The other boy finally pays his attention to Blaise, not his reflection on painting, which is created on a canvas (too small in Theo's opinion).

"Blaise, you really can't stand it for a while more?" Theodore asks and there is a nuance of desperation and melancholy in his voice, "I want to end it."

And Blaise has already known, he loses again. He won't be able to deny his friend the pleasure that results from looking at the painting — finished, after hours of working.

"I'll stand it, Theo" he sighs and in his mind adds 'always for you'. At this moment all he can do is begging and praying that Theodore is not able to read minds, just like some characters in their favourites comics.

"Nah, Blaise" slight boy says suddenly and leaves his paint palette and set of brushes on the cupboard, promising himself that he will wash it carefully within a few minutes when paints won't be already dry "I know you don't want to."

"It's not like that" Zabini starts to explaining himself chaotically because he doesn't want hurt Theodore's feelings, "I love watching your painting and you while you're painting. And I love that you have a passion and you're so talented. I just... It's May Day and we are sitting in your room..."

"It's alright, Blaise" Theodore interrupts his with the most beautiful, in Zabini's opinion, smile — that carefree, happy and only a little faraway one.

"We should do something and bring Hope with us to take many photos and place them in our albums with dumb yet cute captions" Theo proposes with a light laugh.

The younger, but taller, better built and more mature, of boys, stands up and brushes off invisible pollen from clothes. He reaches his hand to Theodore to help him stand up.

"Wanna go?" he proposes and even if Theo doesn't know where he agrees without a single question.

It doesn't matter where they go, it will be awesome as always if Blaise is with him.

He catches Hope and puts it on his neck. Theo loves his polaroid camera with whole his heart, even if it isn't the newest and all the better photos were made by Blaise.

Blaise is still holding Theodore's hand in his (definitely larger and rougher), like he doesn't care about rubs of paints in many different colours on Theo's hand and now, also on Blaise's one.

He pulls his friends outside and enters the garage like he is in his own house. Theodore knows what he means without words and grabs his bicycle with a big smile on his slim face.

Meanwhile, Blaise grabs his skateboard, which, only in the form of rebellion against sentiment, he did not give a name. But he perfectly knows that by his skateboard, people could see a different side of his personality, which he doesn't show often — bloody sentimentalist who loves very clichéd books or movies and constantly remembering beautiful moments, and it doesn't matter if that happens a year ago or two hours ago.

The skateboard has its best years far behind its. The picture which was printed on the underside of 'his love' (although, of course, incomparable to that of the boy just standing next to him) has almost completely faded and crumbled, peeling paint seems not so good, to put it mildly, but in Blaise's opinion, it adds the special character and charm to his skateboard. Every scratch and every cooked screw tell a story and Blaise thinks it definitely better than new skateboard — probably glamorous but without its own character.

Blaise isn't similar to Theo, not it that topic. He has never had boxes filled with various craps, which refer to many different events and happenings. He doesn't have special notebooks with tickets, a diary or millions of notes with quick sketches, created under the influence of a sudden flow of wen. He doesn't keep every notes and message on scraps of papers, which have been hand down on lessons, in hope that the teacher wouldn't see that. In first, even having a photo album was strange for Blaise. It shows, that he likes looking back at past and that feeling, which sometimes accompanies you right before falling asleep, when you remind yourself one of those pleasant situations from childhood, isn't foreign for him. It was all he was trying to defend himself against, but only for a time.

For a time when on his way stood that quite frail and nerdy boy. Theodore showed him being sentiment isn't something bad just as singing songs out loud in public places. As compensation, Blaise showed him the magic of comics and all these beautiful, charming in their area, which he discovered while taking a walk daily. Blaise pulled Theodore out of his room and dragged him away from the easel to lead him everywhere he can.

"To our place?" Theodore asks and gets on his a little too small, colourful bike. The seat creaks quietly under his mass but none of the boys pays any attention to this.

"Exactly, now ride, my carriage" Blaise screams and catches up on Theo's seat so the movement of the bicycle can drag him.

"Pff, flax" Nott giggles and Blaise find it as the most sonorous, melodic sound in the whole world.

They ride slowly through all that musty hole, also known as Torquay, or — their home. The road even if it's really old and it remembers when they as children drew chalk on a street, is not in a bad condition. A worse fate befell the road signs — some of them are smeared with sprays, and some are knocked off the ground, due to a car accident or a group of probably drunk but still strong young people.

There are many houses near the road. They are quite poor and definitely not as modern as houses in the capital. At some time, before he started taking daily walks, Blaise dreamed about living in London. Or rather, to be able to tell others that he lives in London. It's another thing which distinguishes him from Theodore — the older boy sees beauty everywhere, in everything and in everybody. Blaise envied him with this skill, for him the world has been boring or just ugly and people have been cruel sometimes.

The sun is warming their backs when they slowly ride on a well-known path. They pass Mrs Shermik, so out of courtesy from four meters away from her, they shout to the old woman joyful 'Good morning'. As they turn into a lane, which is fortunately dry as it hasn't rained much lately, Theo starts humming under his breath.

"Hey Jude, don't make it bad" he looks at his friend (nearly losing control of his bike) and Blaise quickly understands what he means.

Blaise joins to his singing and adds next line:

"Take a sad song and make it better".

Someday Blaise would have worried. He was worried about what people would think, he was afraid someone would hear them. But not now. Now he doesn't care when the words flowing from the depths of memory, and when the song ends, he starts another, definitely his favourite — "Blackbird". Neither of the boys has a perfect voice, singing is definitely not their hidden talent, but that doesn't matter. And that is wonderful, isn't it?

Here Blaise can no longer skate further — the ground is too uneven, even ploughed by the tires of wheelbarrows and carts of people from the neighbouring village. The dark-skinned man rejects Theo's offer to simply get his bike's rack and chooses to run next to the boy. The basketball team and two trainings a week are finally coming in handy — thanks to this, his condition is really good and he doesn't gasp like an old man with asthma after twenty meters run. Theodore, noticing how well his best friend is doing, accelerates, forcing Zabini to run, which he accepts with a groan. Nevertheless, he catches up with the older boy and promises himself that as soon as they get there, he will get his revenge.

After five more minutes, they are a destination of their travel. The place they describe as "their", although they are well aware that they are not the only people who come here, is exactly as they remember it — beautiful.

It was Blaise who discovered them during one of his walks over three years ago. He perfectly remembered how it happened.

That day he was trying to find a rather fast but shallow brook, which he remembered from his childhood. Before Draco's move to London, they told Draco's parents that they were going to the field, but in fact, they went to the brook and walked back and forth on a tree that had fallen over the river. He remembered just as well how Draco's mother, on her way to the store, noticed they were not on the field, prompting a search. When their parents found them by the brook — wet but in unusually good moods, they were already too worried to be upset with them.

After searching for more than an hour (during which he definitely fulfilled the daily, maybe even a week, step norm, but he didn't care) he found a place from his memories, although it was difficult to recognize its. The brook had dried up completely, leaving only a faint riverbed and tree roots washed out of the ground, but the place has definitely retained its charm.

Theo drops the bicycle, leaning it hurriedly against one of the roots, and lays down on the grass, staring at the almost cloudless sky, hidden only by tree branches. Blaise, slightly out of breath, rests his hands on his knees and stays like this for a moment. When his breath normalized he comes closer to Theodore. There is a snap and a Polaroid camera gracefully named Hope spits out a photo in which the image hasn't shown up yet. Theo enthusiastically grabs a small piece of paper and starts waving it so fast that it is about to reach orbital velocity. After a while, the picture clears up the silhouette of a younger boy, who was about to lie down next to his friend. Blaise looks at the photo and asks smiling, even though he already knows the answer:

"For your or my album?"

"Of course mine," Theodore replies quickly, grinning happily, "Why do you need your own photos? They will be much more useful to me."

The dark-skinned boy can't help but messes Theodore's hair in one move of his hand. However, Theo is not annoyed by that, he reacts to it like a cat, moving closer and silently demanding further caresses, which the younger one does willingly.

They are sitting like that (or rather, Blaise is sitting and Theo's half lying on him) till the sunset. There is a flower crown on Blaise's head, made by Theo with field flowers collected by him. And of course, Theodore took a photo of Blaise in his work of art.

It's getting dark. Butterflies, which were flying around them flew away and gave way for beautiful moths and fireflies. Theodore stands up energetically and starts jumping on protruding trees' roots, chasing insects to take a photo of them.

"Theo, please be careful," Blaise says attentively but the only response is 'don't worry' screamed by Nott.

Blaise unwillingly starts remembering his childhood. Times, when he wasn't Theodore's friend and all that connected them, was the same neighbourhood, chalk and short-term relationship of their parents. Then they found that as a stupid and loathsome. Nowadays, at their seventeen's, just as weird. But they weren't friends. After all, Blaise was friends with Draco and the teacher in primary had repeated that it's better to have fewer friends but true friends. So Blaise fraternizes with Malfoy till he moved to London.

It's not that now Blaise finds it as a mistake or holds any grudge with Draco. But nowadays he thinks that it is not good to withdraw from others.

When Draco had left and moved to London, Blaise had thought they now he stayed alone but on that moment, Theodore slowly crept into his life. Nott sat next to Blaise on school basketball pitch and started reminding happy moments from times when Draco lived in Torquey.

And later he showed his painting to Blaise and dark-skinned boy couldn't believe someone his age could do something that beautiful. A week later Blaise sat down with him in the canteen and sometime later also on most of the lessons so he could distract him from learning to read their favourites comics.

Now, Blaise would imagine his life without his always laughing and only sometimes a little faraway friend.

His thoughts are interrupted by a quiet scream.

"Ouch!"

Blaise, worried, stands up imminently and run through Theo. He is curled up in a fetal position between roods of the biggest tree. Zabini hugs him tightly and Theodore accepts that willing, cuddling to his chest while holds back tears.

"Ah, Theo" Blaise whispers, still cuddling the boy in his arms, "I asked you to be careful."

"I'm sorry, Blaise" he answers, sniffing.

"Don't apologize to me, silly" Blaise couldn't stop himself from nuzzling his friend's cheek.

"But you are worrying now and you warned me that I might get hurt..."

"Shhhh" Zabini interrupts him and places his fingers on Theo's mouth to shushes him "I always worrying about you, no matter if you get hurt or not" he admits truthfully and after a few seconds of silence adds "Please, stop crying.

He stops hugging Theodore, although he wants to do it forever. Blaise squats in from of him and gently grabs his friend's head. He wipes away tears, flowing slowly on fairy (although all that time, spends under the sunlight) skin.

He wants to not cry because of sadness or pain, wants him not to have reasons for a cry.

He wants him to be always happy, even if that meant that Blaise wouldn't be on his side.

Wants, wants, wants.

But the world isn't always beautiful, even if Theodore thinks so. Sometimes the world is cruel, ugly or just totally boring. The same about people who live in it.

Do it's really important to find your refuge. A place, a person or a hobby, which will be like an escape from all evils in that world.

Blaise thought that his escape is comics. Reading them has dragged him into the world of superheroes where he could use his imagination and think about meaningless things for hours such as what superpower would he choose (flying, of course). Besides that, the world in comics is just easier. It isn't hard to differentiate who is good and who's bad. Good people fight with bad people, that's all. The Justice League cares about Gotham and saves innocent people from Joker, Deadshot or Darkseid. In the real world, it would be an unsolvable matter with billions different threads and complications so even the best detectives wouldn't be able to decide who is guilty.

Comics world is just easier.

Lately, Blaise has got to understand that the whole beauty in that world is locked in its confusions, problems and ambiguities. Because the world is beautiful, even if sometimes it's cruel or ugly.

And the one who made him understand that is his only real refuge — Theodore Nott.

He is the one who makes reading comics even better.

He is the one with who Blaise could do anything and it would be incredibly good.

He is the one with who Blaise wants to talk about 'good old times' and makes new memories to remember.

He is the one with who Blaise wants to stay forever.

Theodore Nott is the one who Blaise bestow that hot and unique feeling which, no matter what since says, comes from the heart.

And that feeling, now makes him do something, he has been dreaming about for that long. Blaise gently and unsurely grabs the head of the person, who since a year isn't only a friend for him. He delicately raises Theo's head a bit upper to look him straight into his eyes. Their lips touch slowly and gently. Both of them don't feel so confident with what's going on but they will worry about that later. Now, Blaise doesn't have the time and desire to thinks about the consequences. Not now, when he feels the structure of soft lips of his love.

When the dark-skinned boy doesn't notice any objections from the older boy, he let himself do a light, carefully move with his lips. He doesn't want to scared Theodore, knowing how delicate and artsy person he is. He would ever forgive himself hurting Theo.

If he only knew how long Theodore was waiting for it and how much he enjoys that kiss, even if Blaise's lips are rough and chapped.

Blaise gently moves away and hangs his head down, looking at too long grass. He's afraid of seeing Theodore's reaction for what he has done because he's afraid of rejection and ending that important relationship.

However, Theo, likes he doesn't see his friend insecure, giggles lightly and grabs the younger boy cheeks, turning his face to him.

"Oh, finally. How long might I wait?" Theo says with a delightful smile.

"Really. You... Me..." Blaise mutters like he doesn't know what he wants to say.

"Yeah, silly" Theo chucked and hits an end of Blaise's nose with his "You're definitely my favourite person in that universe. And every other, alternative universe too."

Blaise, still can't believe what's happening, hugs his boy and kisses him quickly. The kiss is one hundred per cent cute and totally not sultry. Because feelings as sultry and desire don't fit Theodore, even in an alternative universe where Bruce Wayne become the Devastator instead of Batman. It just does not fit.

"Yeah, and you're my fav person."

They sit in silence for a while, but it's nothing wrong. The silent can be calming and comfortable, it can say more than every word in the world.

The air is getting cooler and owls' chirps become more ominous, so finally, Blaise breaks the silence and says:

"Theo" mentioned boy turns to him and glance at Zabini, "Is your knee still hurting?"

"It's not that bad" Theo shrugs but Blaise quickly understands that it's not good either, "But can you ride the bicycle? I'll drive on its carrier."

"But what with my skateboard?" Blaise asks inconvenience.

"I'll carry it, please" Zabini's only answer is a sigh but not the irritated one. He doesn't know what would Theo had to do to irritate him.

"Alright, but please, be careful."

Blaise raises Theo's bicycle from the ground and helps the boy to climb up to the luggage carrier and then he carefully sits on its seat. Theodore holds Blaise's skateboard (which he has named against his will — Faith) with one hand and the other one is embraced around Blaise's stomach so Theo can stably stay on the carrier. Well, maybe not only because of that.

"To me?" Blaise proposes and slowly leaves their place.

Theodore automatically nods but then he understands that Blaise can't see him so he quickly says 'yes' some times.

Boys are leaving, slowly and without unnecessary haste, but that moment is different than every previous one, they have spent here. Now, they're leaving their place not as just friends.

From Theodore Nott's album:

"4th of May, 1984 —

My favourite day to remember"

[hui-ing]

Hello!!! Hope you are doing well// 😂😂 It's all good!!!

Right?? Same!! I can imagine wondering or doing it spontaneously ( and then panicking because I'm lost ) but regardless, it would fun to do! One of the things I've wanted to do spontaneously is get on the tube and get off at a random stop, have some food and go shopping~~ I hope that you get to do all the things you want to do after the pandemic is over 😊 About visiting faraway family... I miss doing that 😭😭 I'm not originally from London, although I have stayed here for most of my life, I haven't been able to visit my dogs, my grandmother and cousins since we can't travel now *sigh* + I get what you mean about taking the bus places, sitting at home can get really tiring since because of the routine but because of that, I picked up new hobbies + not sure if I have asked you before, do tell me in case! what are your hobbies??

Up close must hurt even more when it hurts this much behind the screen, hopefully more people realise that they are hurting the animal and do something to help them ( like donating to the organisations ). Exactly! It's so interesting how there are a lot of myths to bust about certain animals + what are your favourite animals of the wild???// I agree! And I get what you mean~~ I would love to share my music with my favourite person and listen to theirs too (what about the funny situation where they like yours but you aren't a fan of theirs?? keke 😗). I absolutely love playing classical or folk music of different cultures if that makes sense + some pop music and ost's when I can like IU's Love Poem and I love you boy by Suzy. What about you?? What do you like to play if you do??

I am, thank you! It's okay, I loved it all the same~~ thank you for making one 😊😊

Hi! I'm a little tired but doing alright, how are you?

Ooh yeah that sounds like fun, I really love the idea of going and wandering around the city with no real destination (though it can be kind of dangerous in some places)! I hope you get to see your family and go out to do the things you like soon too. Somehow for me sitting at home doing basically nothing is even more exhausting than having a busy schedule - does it feel that way for you?

I have a lot of hobbies, including reading, drawing, writing fiction, singing and playing guitar, painting, photography, making crafts/jewelry, playing tabletop games, doing graphic design and photo editing, and trying not to kill my potted plants 😂 How about you, what are your favorite hobbies?

Yeah people can have some pretty serious misconceptions about animals, whether it's thinking that they're not as endangered as they actually are, that they're more dangerous or a threat to people, that they can survive and thrive even when their habitat is basically destroyed, and so on... especially with ones that are seen as dangerous, like sharks and wolves (when in reality you're more likely to die from a vending machine falling on you than you are to get lethally attacked by a shark, and wolf attacks are very rare and when someone dies from one it's usually because of rabies). For favorite animals, I really love otters and crows - they're both very intelligent and have been observed using tools - some crows actually make tools out of sticks and grass and stuff - and playing little games, which is super cool and (I think) really cute! Do you have any favorite animals?

Ooh yeah I think it's important to expose yourself to a wide variety of music! Are there particular songs/pieces you love to play, or any composers whose music you really like? Usually when I play guitar I play classic rock/pop and alternative stuff, I want to write songs someday but I'm not confident in my abilities haha

I'm glad you like the moodboard! It was fun to make ☺️

Hope your day is going well!

[hueseok]

“PULL OVER. LET ME DRIVE FOR AWHILE.”

the one where hoseok insists to take his turn as the driver in your road trip together.

[ best friend!hoseok x reader ] 0.6k words. | pg-13 | implied best friends to lovers au | warning/s: none

you loved being a photo journalist, you really did. having that kind of job opened your eyes to what the real world truly offered, helped you understand it better somehow, and gave you the opportunity to make people feel the same way with the help of your camera.

but it was in these times, oh these fucking times, wherein you had to travel to another faraway town to do what you had been asked to do by your senior was when you really wished you had picked another profession back in college, more so at the reminder that you're expected to hand in the report in three days.

“still good?” hoseok asks, glancing at you from the passenger's seat.

you nod, sighing and tightening your grip on the wheel, pretending that you were fine when the truth was your right leg was really close in getting a cramp. your back kind of hurt too and your butt felt numb at this point by how long you've been sitting in a certain way for hours. and hoseok wasn't exactly oblivious to that fact, not when you've been squirming on your seat for the past ten minutes now, clearly restless.

he smiles at your stubbornness and shakes his head, a hand reaching out in front to press the hazard button. “alright, pull over. let me drive for awhile.”

“no, really, i'm good.” you try to look convincing as you extend your hand forward in attempt to undo what he just did.

he swats your hand away from the button. “don't be ridiculous, ____. you've been driving for five hours. pull over now.”

“but really, i'm still doing—”

“____.”

“okay, okay, fine.” you groan, moving the vehicle to the side of the highway.

hoseok chuckles in victory and proceeds on taking off his seat belt, you doing the same and the next thing you know, you're stepping outside the car, stretching your limbs then and yawning loudly amidst the sound of various engines passing your way. when you finally go to the other side to officially switch places with hoseok, he nudges you with his hip that makes you almost fall out of balance.

“ah, stop that. i feel so weak.” you laugh, grudgingly walking to the passenger's side.

he grins and goes back inside the car. “and you say you're fine.”

“i was just being nice.” you reason. “i just didn't want to burden you since i know i pestered you to come with me even though you didn't want to.”

“who said i didn't want to?” hoseok asks as he turns off the hazard signal and returns to the main road.

“it was all over your face when i asked.”

“well, it's not like i have ever said no to you.”

“you did once when i had to go to this province at winter.”

“that was because i wasn't feeling well, dummy.” he snorts. “other than that, you and i both know that i never declined to any request you've made.”

at the mention of it, hoseok really didn't miss a single trip you had to go to for work. regardless if it was thousands of miles away or was just a ten minute drive, he always made it apparent that it was no biggie for him to accompany you as long as it was in weekends (though if it wasn't, you had to inform him in advance so he can file for a leave at his office).

you grin at him and reach for a snack at the back. “thanks again, hobi. i literally don't know what i would do without you.”

“me neither. you're helpless without me.” he teases that makes you playfully hit him on the arm.

“jeez, can't you just say 'you're welcome' and get over it?”

the both of you laugh and you proceed on opening up the bag of chips, looking forward then to what new memories you're going to form with your best friend on this trip.

[bbq-hawks-wings]

Since we’ve established that Hawks loves kids and would love some little birbs of his own, picture this: Hawks interacting with his lil baby chicken nugget! Cradling them when they can’t sleep, secretly teaching them how to flap their stubby wings when moms not looking, I get so soft for domestic Hawks omg can you bless with some HCs please?

When Hawks first learns he's going to be a father he's estatic. He might not be able to tell anyone about it at first but the second he gets the green light there are native peoples in faraway lands who have no idea what heroes are that hear the news.

He's so excited to be able to play with them when they get big enough, but those first few weeks especially he's afraid to breath on them. They're just so tiny and fragile and precious! He knows he doesn't have to be quite as careful as he is, but he feels like they're made of dew drops and cloud fluff.

Literally, though, he'll beg his S/O to have time to hold the baby just to rock them and coo at them and count their little toes and fingers...

And once the kid is mobile it's game on!

Literally, babies just suddenly start crawling one day and they can MOVE. This is the moment Hawks was made for! He'll chase the little one around the house and toss them around to play. Lots of hugs and kisses and tickles!

And that's all before they start walking! He's very much into getting them active and running around and causing a ruckus - much to his partner's annoyance at times. He's all about making new adventures together whether it be new foods (and the messes they make!), new words, new skills, or just playing pretend.

(Like, I could just make individual headcanons but we would all be here forever, and I'm writing this at 11:45pm even though I should be sleeping.

(Maybe y'all can throw me some prompts when requests open up again so I don't forget...)

And should the child be able to fly they might as well just smash anything of value because that's it. They have to baby proof the house once again on a whole different scale!

He may not be the most in-tuned to his own emotions which can make some of those life lessons with the kids when they're older a little more difficult, but he tries!

He adores watching them grow and learn literally before his eyes, but he can't help but miss the tiny, warm little bundled up bean they used to be, either. It goes by so fast!

I imagine if he stays a hero throughout life he might not have very many children because he'd want to give them his time and dedication that hero work just can't help but take away.

But I much prefer a retired Hawks with a whole clutch of children, maybe even working from home/out of his home/ with a flexible schedule to be with them more. I just feel like family life partnered with someone he really loves would be so rewarding and satisfying for him after having his own childhood taken away and living for other people for so long.

Also, early on in my blog I was asked to write about Hawks having twins and I haven't been able to get the headcanon out of my head since. His first was actually a 2-for-1 special - a boy and a girl.

His kids mean so much to him and even when they're grown and left the nest he'll occasionally break out the baby photos and hold the little individual foot imprints and be so proud and so happy he got to have and know each and every one of his children.

Have I mentioned that the idea of men becoming active, loving fathers is my jam - especially that fresh, new, just-became-a-father bit? It's so good and wholesome and I have a lot of feelings.

[serendipitystation]

Rating: T

Summary: Episode 1x13 left us with an open-ended cliffhanger ending. This is one theory on how things might've ended up. Oneshot fluff, just a bit of closure for everyone left wanting more.

Length: Short

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

Prague, late afternoon, cold light. Will and Frankie stand a foot apart, the space between them shrinking slowly. Then Will stops, words hitching in his throat. 

"Why now?" He asks. Frankie's smile disappears and her eyes narrow.

"What do you mean?" Confusion colors her words.

"Frankie, up until now you've been pushing me away at every turn. What changed?" At this, Frankie glances away, brows furrowed as she searches for words she's never needed before now.

"Well, I'm glad- that's great." He says with finality. Frankie senses the hesitation in his words and she frowns.

"But..." She says bluntly. "You're turning me down, aren't you?"

"No, I just..." Now Will is the one trying to find the right things to say. "I want to make sure this isn't just a one-time thing, like you using me to scratch an itch because I'm an open book."

"So you want me to commit to you or something?" Frankie asks, her voice sharp. "Is that what you and Emma did?" As soon as the words leave her mouth, she sees the change in Will- his eyes harden, his jaw clenches, he looks away.

"You know what, I'm going to go." Will says. "I'll see you later." He turns and walks away before Frankie can get a word in edgewise, leaving her to watch him disappear into the crowd. Just like that, Frankie's alone. Normally, she wouldn't think much of what happened- it's not the first time that they've fought and someone's walked away. But it hurts so much more.

---

The sky beyond the hotel windows is dark and filled with stars. The TV in the corner is tuned to a local channel playing a Czech movie that Will isn't really watching. He'd explored the city the rest of the day, taking in the scenic views and snapping the occasional photo, turning in only when the sun went down. The weight in his gut hadn't let up, though. Even the local wine he was drinking hadn't really helped- a shame, really, that it was being used to drown things out. 

As Will picks up his glass again, a knock sounds at the door. Putting his wine down and picking up his gun, he crosses the room and peers through the peephole. The view of the hallway outside is filled with brown hair and familiar eyes. With a sigh, Will opens the door.

"Hey."

"Hey." Frankie's eyes slide from Will's face to his gun.

"Expecting someone else?" She asks. Confused, Will follows her gaze and chuckles.

"Force of habit," he replies. Frankie nods knowingly. Silence hangs in the air uncomfortably until Frankie speaks again.

"Can I come in?" Something flashes in Will's eyes, but he lets her in nonetheless. Frankie wanders over to the couch and takes a seat as Will locks the door.

"Wine?" Will asks. Frankie shakes her head.

"No, thanks. I already tried the town spirits earlier, if we're being honest." She says, partly mischievously, partly sheepish. Will joins in, but it's halfhearted. When he puts down his gun and sits down beside his partner, the silence returns. Frankie breaks it first.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought up Emma like that," she says quietly. "It wasn't right." At first, Will is silent, but, after a few seconds, he lets out a sigh, his eyes softer.

"It's alright." Some of the tension in the room dissolves, but not all of it.

"This is new to me. I don't know how these things work, or what you expect." Frankie speaks slowly.

"I get it. Uh..." Will pauses for a moment before continuing. "What Emma and I had was something special. We were open with each other, we communicated, and yes, we were committed. But that's not the point I'm trying to make here." He turns to face Frankie head on. "I don't want this to happen and then for you to shut me out when something goes wrong or you get tired of us." Worry crosses Frankie's face and she takes a deep breath, gathering her words.

"Well, I can't guarantee I won't make mistakes or that I'll always be able to share with you all the time. I'll try, but-" She falls silent as Will takes one of her hands in his.

"Hey, I know, okay? I don't need perfect, just you." Will says. Not a second later, Frankie snorts with laughter.

"That was terrible," Frankie wheezes, as Will looks on, feigning disbelief.

"I believe the word you are looking for is touching- that was a super touching moment! Come on, don't tell me you weren't just a little bit moved by that." Will says before joining in. As their laughter dies down, their eyes meet and only then does everything fall into place. Frankie leans in and Will, putting his hand behind Frankie's head, meets her in a kiss. She steadies herself on his arms. The night carries on.

---

Will wakes up to the faraway sounds of car horns and conversations. His eyes open to white sheets and he slowly rolls over; he's in the bedroom, the window open and letting in morning light. The hotel room is quiet, save for the noise outside. Confused, he looks under the covers- he's still fully dressed from the night before- and glances at the nightstand. There's a cellphone sitting on it- definitely not his. Then it comes back to him or, rather, she does; the thought of last night brings a smile to his face.

In the other room, the hotel room lock clicks and the door opens.

"Frankie?" Will calls out as footsteps approach the bedroom door and, sure enough, his partner rounds the doorframe, coffees and paper bag in hand.

"Morning," she says. "Got us breakfast." She hands over one of the the coffees to Will as he props himself up. When Frankie sits down on the bed beside him and opens the bag, the smell of sugar and butter fills the bedroom.

"Are these those pastries from yesterday?" Will asks, his face lighting up in a smile as he peers into the bag.

"I was craving them," Frankie says defensively.

"Hey, I'm not complaining," Will mutters before leaning in and stealing a kiss from Frankie. "So, question, what happened last night?" 

"You moved us to the bedroom and promptly fell asleep." She deadpans, sipping her coffee.

"Ah." Will makes a face. 

"To be fair, this bed is very comfortable." Frankie says.

"True." Will agrees. 

"So, is this going to be a regular thing, the coffee and baked goods?"

"Don't kid yourself."