#cant believe i wrote replies today

[ignisregina]

ah yes, spite. the ultimate fuel.

[thegoldencontracts]

Too Late!

You and Azul are texting each other one day when he accidentally sends you some more honest texts.

Note/Warnings: Azul/Reader, fluff with a smidgen of angst (specifically Azul insecurities, he gets comforted tho)

You loved Azul. A lot. You'd been dating him for quite a while now, after all. But you couldn't deny that it felt like he was a bit- formal with you, to say the least. Sometimes, it felt like he was playing the role of a perfect boyfriend in a Romance Novel's screen adaptation. How did he really feel? Was he happy to be somewhere, or was he just playing along so that the other students in his dorm could see how attractive and understanding he was while they seethed in envy at the fact that they were single and he wasn't?

Which was why when Azul slipped up one day when you were texting, you were very, very happy about it.

It was a boring evening, like always. You were texting Azul, complaining about your homework while lounging in your bed like always. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Zuzuuu <3: You know, if you'd like, I'd be happy to assist with your homework. It'll even be on the house, just for you.

Me: cant believe im dating a capitalist mf /lh

Me: really tho, tysmmm for helping <3 I don't deserve u bbg...

And then, something completely out of the ordinary happened.

Zuzuuu <3: how could you say that you're literally so perfect? I love you so much I keep doodling you bc you're so. Pretty. I simp so hard for you plz never say that again <3

At first, you wondered if Floyd wrote the text as a joke. It was pretty in character for him, after all. But that didn't make sense. This wasn't Floyd's way of texting, nor did it even attempt to imitate Azul's. When Floyd was in the mood to prank someone, he put in the effort to make it good.

Whatever. You took a screenshot of the message so you could treasure it forever. And lucky you, because right after you did, the message was deleted.

Zuzuuu <3: Please don't say such things about yourself, even for comedic purposes.

He was not being slick with that. You sent a text in response, giggling all the while.

Zuzuuu <3: Regardless, would you like to come over later today?

Me: Real slick hehe... Plz show me ur doodles of me they probably look so good bc you're good at art just like everything else somehow

After a while, Azul replied.

Zuzuuu <3: I don't know what you're referring to. Regardless, would you like to come over?

As much as you wanted to press, you decided not to. Too much pressing would just make Azul clam up more. You'd just have to get him in person, where it'd be harder for him to run away when you showed him the screenshot.

Me: Sureee! Heading over right now

And so, you set out for Octavinelle, evidence in hand. You were going to make him admit he sent that text.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time you got to Azul's room, you had everything planned out. He wasn't usually so candid with you, and he was clearly ashamed of it when he was. You were going to figure out why.

You knocked on the door, and Azul opened it, letting you in.

"Come in," he said, tone even more formal than usual, by some miracle.

"Thanks," you said, taking a seat.

"So, about that text-"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Azul said, quick to cut you off.

"So quick to interrupt, Azul!" You said with a mock-pout, before grinning as you pulled up the screenshot on your phone. "But I think you do."

First, Azul's mouth hung open in shock. Then, his whole face turned red, lip quivering as a high-pitched whine left his mouth. Then, he moved to snatch the phone from your hands.

You narrowly dodged, and you couldn't resist sticking out your tongue at him.

"Too slow!" You laughed as he tried to grab the phone from you again, only to fail even more without the element of surprise on his side, because for all of Azul's many strengths, speed wasn't one of them.

"Delete that at once!" He shrieked, voice cracking in the middle.

He kept trying to grab it for a while, before finally giving up.

"Fine, fine," he grumbled, pouting like a kid. Cute. "You win. Are you satisfied now?"

"Very," you said, "because I get to see you. Your actual thoughts. Not just the ultra-filtered version."

Azul scoffed at that, seemingly in disbelief, though you saw the way he stifled a smile.

"Don't flatter me," he said. "My 'true thoughts' are not something you'd want to see in the slightest. Merely a more pathetic, messy version of what I already tell you."

"And that's precisely why I want to hear it," she said. "You sound so perfect all the time that I wonder whether you're really being honest with me, you know. It's just so refreshing to see you be gushy and candid about things. And pretty cute."

"How odd," he said, before turning to you with a face more genuine. "Thank you. For what little it's worth, I'll try to be a tad more honest with you. I can't promise anything, though."

You smiled.

"That's all I ask."

And really, truly, that was enough.

Bonus:

"So, how'd you learn so much internet lingo? Never took you for that kinda guy."

"I'm in the board games club with Idia Shroud. What did you expect?"

[starlostseungmin]

ATE KEISY 😇✌️ i just binged ur works i missed over my hiatus hihi and i want to say that i loved them all !!! i think i only have empyrean prince cascades left cause its a bit long, so i decided to save it for my bedtime story today or tomorrow

but ate. lie to me.... it was so good 😭😭😭 YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW I MUCH I PHYSICALLY REACTED READING IT???? jaw dropped. its such an interesting read, like i dont think ive been this excited over a story structure in so long AND I LITERALLY HAD WRITING CLASSES FOR TWO SEMESTERS LIKE I WAS SO INVESTED IN READING IT

i dont think ive ever read a fic structured like that before? i mean ive encountered similar stuff but not in fics ... overall im just hyped at it ur so big brain ily and i love your works and i love your writing and its so huhuhuhu i cant stop thinking about it !!!! my other reactions on the story are in my reblog tags but still i think i'll keep that fic in my mind a lot (kinda wanna do smth like it too... ur so my inspiration coded)

OMG!! hi cielle! i'm currently reading your other feedbacks and i'm so happy you love my works. there are only a few since i haven't been so consistent with my writing after graduation hsksksk tbh i'm entertained (hard on that kauyabon core because me too TT) i'll reply to the rest in a bit.

i hope you enjoy empyrean prince cascades tho! it's one of my favorite fics and it took me weeks to write it! i know it's pretty short for a 10k-worth of words to write in weeks, i was so busy when i wrote it and i had to squeeze in during my work days HAHAHA and please take your time reading the story. it's kinda long tho 🥹

AAAH yes lie to me.. i wrote that fic for like a day or two days before the deadline for the collab? i forgot, i was also occupied that time. kdramas influenced me on writing that too and there was a song that was assigned to me to be able to make a story out of it! yung story sana eh masaya na sila sa piling ng iba chuchu but then i realized, cheating will make sense so i had to write it with that. i just finished my thesis that time too so maybe nadala ko yung pagsusulat ng thesis namin sa fic na yan? believe me i don't really have experience to these romance and cheating stuff, i just wrote what i see in other people talaga HAHAHAHA and lie to me felt like a rushed fic that time?? i didn't know it would turn out to be good for the readers since i wasn't confident with the result but thank you for your warm feedback cielle! and lucky you for having writing classes tho, i envy you!

thank you so much for appreciating me and my work even though sometimes my brain is not working properly. i just write whatever the hell my brain tells me and i hope i have a big brain to cater everything that i want to write! maybe soon, more future works to come HEHEHE i have an upcoming seungmin and chan fic this month sooo i just hope it will turn out good.

you flatter me cielle! i can't thank you enough 😭🩷

[mosviqu]

ITS AMAZING IT DEFINITELY BECAME MY FAV ALBUM FROM THEM!!!! SO I HOPE U WILL ENJOY IT WHEN U LISTEN TO IT ONCE!!!!🥳🥳

i would be devastated if he stopped thats for sure but i think he said before that he still enjoys streaming very much so he definitely isn't planning on stopping in the near future 🥳we shall fear not🥳🥳🥳

IT DOES LOOK AMAZING i'm praying so hard that nothing will ruin this they have to have good music with this concept🫡

ERIC WENT OFF WITH THAT SO I SHOULD HAVE FIGURED THAT U MEANT THAT PART😵‍💫IT GOT ME QUAKING WHEN I FIRST LISTENED TO IT SO I FULL ON UNDERSTAND🤭 i laughed so hard at what u wrote about sunwoo i feel that on another level🫡 OOOO🥳🥳🥳I HOPE U LIKE IT AND THAT YOUNGHOON IS GREAT IN IT!!!🥳🥳

oooo☹️☹️☹️ i hope u will feel better soon!!!!☹️☹️☹️☹️ and do not worry about replying late/replying on rrxnjun it's fine ur mental health is more important!!!!💕💕💖

OOO I HOPE IT WORKS OUT OH MY!!! WAITING FOR UR FREAK OUT MANIFESTING IT FOR U ACTUALLY!!!!!!!! (LIEBESTRAUM ANON SENDING U ALL THE LOVE AND SUPPORT!!!🥳🥳💗🩷🩷)

(btw i cant believe ur post about intak is the way i found out he has a gf and that's why his club video was released oh my lord💀)

I ENTERED PIWON BRAINROT TODAY SO I WILL LISTEN TO IT TONIGHT AND GIVE YOU (AND MOST LIKELY EVERYONE) MY THOUGHTS AHAHA

literally also i was watching the vid and one of the guys had a very nice talking voice but. i literally do not know who it was so LMAO😭😭 only a few more days and the debut is here 🤞

bro....whatever they fed eric before he spit out that verse.... they should do it more often i feel like im levitating whenever i hear that part like you dont get it i GASPED. also we dont talk about sunwoo every time a tbz member catches my eye its him i refuse to talk abt it. younghoon was great in it!! the actual drama was shit and i wouldve dropped it after ep 1 if i wasnt in park jihoon the soloist/actor brainrot LMAO (he was the main cast and his character made me cringe approx every 4 seconds)) but the last few eps were good 😭😭 but younghoon had a very charming character and the acting was decent no bad word here

thank u for understanding! 🥺

THANK U THANK U we gotta meet when (and if) im in budapest (im half joking half serious) AHAHA. im gonna ask for ur number in case we get lost and nobody wants to speak english w us /j

BRO I DIDNT KNOW EITHER I FOUND OUT ONLY TODAY AHAHAHA i knew abt the club thing bc ppl joked that it was dry as fuck (correct) but then i saw something abt the girlfriend on tiktok and i was like wait what 😭 so i looked it up on twitter and i was like oh lord. anyways good for him apparently she's a model and super pretty so i am glad my man is getting his d sucked like he deserves ❤

[ineedacalicocat]

Every single live Jk did in 2021 he brought up Jm and was crucified for it. On his IG questions he brought up Jm every time & was crucified for it. He couldn't even mention Jm without Tkk coming for blood & PJM's hating on him & Jk solos being mad he mentioned Jm. Now that he doesn't, y'all are using it against him. Just say you're a bitter ex Jkk & now that you don't believe in Jikook anymore, you hate everything about them. Drop the superiority complex ex Jkk you're no better then current Jkk.

He didnt mention him. Armies mentioned him. Today the same thing happened. Someone else mentioned vibe thats why he sang it. It always like this. Even that time when there was fancafe he joined a room and talked with armies and at that time jimin posted a selfie westing white channel tshirt and armies went omggg jimin posted a selfie to that chat room nd jungkook went aaaaa jiminshiiii he was just reacting to armies going crazy for jm but jikookers went out of theur ways and they were like omgggg jk couldnt stop mentioning jimin -_- like really? All the things you just said are things which were mentioned by armies and he replied to them. Thats it. Even when he said i hugged jimin its cause literally army asked hin did you go to his room?? If they are in a closet i think at least why he can do good is support his boyfriend like nothing would happen to him or his relationshio for not mocking jimin. You guys relaly piss me of so much. Like living in that bubble. Cant see shit all day reading jikook analys videos or blogs writing the same stuff those bloggers write. Like these shit you just said were literally mentioned befire some other blogger here. You probably copy pasted them. The reality is when tae was in depression jungkook seont time with jimin after tae and them starte dbeing friends again he stopped hanging out with jm and also they changed. Jk changed. So his character seems more up to beat with taes. And jimin hangs out with peoole like him. Thats the end of story. I dont thing jimin would hang out someone like tae. Jimin just respects them and loves them as his coworkers but thats it. I dont think he cares that much about whether or not tae or junkook hangs out with him or they are lovey dovey like that used to be. And the reason why he called jk for his birthday is literally why he said it cause jk is the dongsaeng and he cnt say no to him cause jm is older. Even tho he mocks him at least there is some respect left for him. But i dint think jimin will ever do that. If you see he doesnt do that anymore. If he asks and jk doesnt come he wont say it again. I think he sent some boundaries with him between members. If they dont want to he wont do it. See hoe tae became like that rn. Trying so hard to do something eith jk cause he knows he will get that attention. He really wants to do insta vlive and get on the trends. Whatveer man i just want jimin and sering people making this fake ships like its something is so boring like cmon its 2023 there is no ship. Can you guys just like wake the fuck up? Jk literally dated that girl in 2019 got his heart broken even wrote a song. They guy cant even date in peace cause his fans wants him to fuck his members instead....

[plaguery]

sorry im going to also get pretentious on your post too i hope you dont mind. i wrote too much for a reply so... a reblog it is. this is a topic ive complained about so many times so i kind of cant help it.

for me the issue is that at the core its often not poetry at all. there will be a few actual poems, albeit bad ones, in these collections but the bulk are regurgitated captions. i have no interest in clearly defining lines around what is poetry and what isnt because that isnt conducive to anything and i dont believe said clear definition exists but certain genres and art forms have traits that make them what they are for a reason. there is a history to poetry, including rich histories aiming to make poetry more inclusive, yet these authors cannot even make the effort to engage with this history and the practices that make poetry what it is. even the expansive post-modern poetry of today with its cutting, weaponized forms has conventions, tropes and tools that all these poets are missing out on.

i dont even necessarily agree that poetry needs blood or has to be rib cracking vulnerability, although i respect the position. but i think it has particular forms that these authors spit directly on and so only hurt their own craft in doing.

im convinced many of them dont even genuinely want to provide accessible, "down to earth" poetry but only want the veneer of it to cover the reality that it is distillable content to shill. it enrages me that books are being sold with 80% of the pages less than half filled because there is only a point and not a journey presented for the reader. here is chewed up mush, digested for you already.

to be frank, i find it quite manipulative. im sure some of these authors are true beginners, exposed to the mass of garbage lining bookstore shelves before the hidden garden of intentional, skilled authors, and have unfortunately been published much too early. im not speaking of them. but some continue to push book after book with no progress in their work, no evolution. we might as well open their books to plumes of dust and cough our ways back to humanity after shutting their cash grabs closed. i understand it's some people's first forays into the realm of poetry and they eventually expand past the target bullseye selections, but i see that bridging with instagram poetry being an unnecessary hiccup on the way. it requires readers who are genuinely interested in poetry to make this u-turn in their studies to rectify what instapoets incorrectly taught them by grossly appealing to the most "basic" of modern interpersonal woes.

intentionality is the lifeblood of poetry. poetry has the reputation of pretentiousness that it does because it requires the utmost of the poet's linguistic ability. even an apparently visceral, messy poem, if at quality level, will be concise and made with precision. to me, poems are puzzles of language. they require a level of reverence from their authors and without that, they fall soulless.

one of my favorite aspects of the poetry community is that it is generally universally regarded to be a craft that ages with the poet like wine. i am proud of my poetry now, but i know it will be nothing compared to what i will write in the future. these instapoets fundamentally betray what this quality speaks to. they betray wisdom itself.

the thing about instagram poetry (i’m still on my high horse about this) is that it not only lacks intent and precision but displays reticence. if we say a poem exists to evoke inarticulable emotion, it runs on emotion — and not just any emotion, but visceral and personal emotion. this is what really gets me about instapoetry, about “breakup, but really / breakdown,” about the lack of intent and precision and the presence of reticence.

it’s like, you have to feed a poem to make it work. you have to give up some little piece of yourself to write it down. you can’t write a poem without a little blood, and you need to use it carefully. instapoetry is profoundly bloodless. it gestures to blood, but it’s too restrained. for the love of god, poetry is a vulnerable sport, if you’re afraid to skin your knee don’t play.

i don’t know. i always hated the vulnerability as a kid, i didn’t like that these things had the capacity to make me feel and harbored no interest in sharing my own feelings with others, and so it’s still hard to write anything good because everything suitably bloody is just too hard to write. i’m better suited to prose. but knowing this i don’t try to publish collections of poetry, and were i forced gun to my head to write a good handful of poems for publication i’d at least be intentional about them

[ciorane]

If you don’t mind me asking, what makes you love Kimblee so much? For me, it’s the pimp suit. Definitely the pimp suit.

i am extremely bad at talking about why I love things, but I'll try.

i didn’t say i would try hard. but yeah thats the gist of it. ive been a kimblee stan for such a long time that it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact things i like/made me like him... i just feel like it’s a character i know rlly well/am rlly familiar with? and can meme about when i feel low lol.

tldr: comfort character

[sonicenvy]

tragically, every day i get emails. anyways, this is me waking up to 38 work emails this morning:

[enaraism]

winter wonderland

summary: a certain bookstore clerk helps peter come to a conclusion about winter.

a/n: bye i cant believe i finally wrote something hhfhffb Dying rn. my writing's a little Crusty so please bear with me!! and this is my first ever fic so i'd appreciate reblogs and comments! ^_^

content: bookstore!au, she/they pronouns used, fluff, mutual pining, friends to lovers?? kinda?? poc!reader (it's only mentioned briefly and can cater to all poc, but white ppl can also read it), third person and no y/n used bc i cant get myself to write it that way. cliché?

word count: 1.3k

(also i added the peter parker x black!reader tag bc i think this fic caters to all poc, but let me know if i was wrong for doing that and i'll remove it, thanks!)

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peter parker had never really liked winter. sure, the snow was pretty. but that's really where the pros of winter ended and gave way to the countless amount of cons — like weaving hurriedly through the busy streets of new york with the cold, biting, wind thrashing against him, with bits of snow stuck sporadically in his dishevelled hair, and with a nose so red that he could easily be mistaken for one of those cartoon-ish reindeer — but none of that mattered. none of that could dull the fuzzy, fluttery, warmth in his chest that bubbled just from the thought of seeing her.

the bell above the door of his favourite bookstore (the only bookstore he goes to, really) chimed and welcomed him in, but not more than the smile that lit up her face when she spotted him. and suddenly he was smiling too, his lips curling up in a lopsided grin and cheeks heating up even more.

"there you are! i was beginning to wonder when my favourite customer would show up." they beamed, and leaned on the counter with both of their hands. peter found himself rendered momentarily speechless by the way her hair framed her face angelically, some strands sticking up messily due to long hours spent working on the minimum wage job that being a bookstore clerk is, and by the way their honeyed skin seemed to almost glow gold under the warm-toned lighting of the homely store, and oh shit, he's been silent for too lon—

"favourite customer?" he managed to let out breathlessly at the last second when he finally registered her words, a warm blush coating his cheeks at the thought of him taking up enough space in her heart to be her favourite customer. her favourite customer??? lord help him before he falls over.

and he thought he couldn't possibly be more affected by them than he already was, but of course he was proven wrong when he suddenly felt weak at the knees at her giggle (because he was red and wide-eyed just because they had called him their favourite customer and it was so fucking adorable she felt as though she might just combust), because holy shit --he's so whipped. he hasn't felt this way since gwen, and though normally the thought of her name would have him choking on a sob, this time he just felt giddy at the prospect of feeling that way again — at feeling love again.

"what can i say? you have quite the effect on me, parker, if i do say so myself," she winked teasingly, and he couldn't help the loud laugh that escaped his throat at the phrase she always managed to use for comical effect.

and he had the perfect reply to that, which he knew would make her laugh yet again so he could marvel at the way the corners of their eyes crinkled, but god decided he had gotten enough luck for today and sent in the devil himself (a nice enough middle-aged man who just wanted to buy his chosen books and make his merry way home) to cockblock him.

he smiled and shrugged in response to the apologetic look she sent his way before beginning to address the customer, and peter decided to walk around the library looking for, and successfully finding, the thing he came for in the first place.

the six of crows book. bingo.

he grabbed it excitedly, flicking through the pages and reading the summary at the back of the cover, not really caring about the contents of the book but wanting to know enough to not look like an absolute buffoon infront of them.

he waited for a minute or two after he heard the chime of the door bell again, announcing Satan's departure, and then casually made his way back to the counter.

"hi!" he said a little too excitedly, cringing internally at himself because god, he was such a sap.

"hi." she replied, the corners of her mouth tilting up again which made him forget all about his inner turmoil, because their lips were covered in the prettiest gloss and all he wanted to do was kiss her until all of it was smudged and he had his fair share of lipgloss on his lips, too.

he remembered suddenly from the expentant raise of her brows that he wasn't here to just stand and gape at them, and awkwardly stumbled on his words.

"oh- uh, i wanted to buy this," he set the book on the counter in between them and watched as their eyes widened.

"six of crows!" she started excitedly and he almost crooned at her reaction because even if he had expected it, it still caught him off-guard — because his imagination could never do justice to the way her eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store.

"that's my favourite book—" he knew, he was guilty of using his spidey senses to overhear a conversation between her and her friend about it, that's why he chose to buy it in the first place — "dude, oh my god, it's so good. i finished it in 3 days. and like, the plot is amazing in itself but when you add an angsty, mutual pining romance to it? it's literal art."

"angsty, mutual-pining romance?" he inquired, not just because he wanted to hear her ramble on animatedly, but also because he was genuinely interested in what she had to say. how could he not? she had this way of making even the most boring of subjects seem interesting with their mannerisms.

"oh god, please don't ask me about kanej. i won't be able to stop talking." they chuckled and scrunched up their face, and peter thought he might just die from the sheer intensity of the way that pulled on his heartstrings.

"well, i am a very good listener, if i do say so myself," he echoed her previous quip, which was more of an inside joke between them now, and watched as she bursted out in a loud laugh which turned even louder when he bowed theatrically for dramatic effect.

"okay, no, for realsies, if i start talking about kanej then i'll most definitely end up giving you many spoilers and i don't want to ruin it for you," she paused, uncertainty and hesitance creeping up on her and peter was confused as to why before they continued on, "but... i can give you my number and you can text me when you're done so we can talk?"

...

oh.

OH.

HOLY SHIT???;);!

"orr not! sorry, i didn't mean to make you uncomforta-"

"no, no! you could never make me uncomfortable! i don't think i've ever felt more comfortable around anyone else, actually. and i'd love to get your number! to talk to you — i mean. uh. about the book." he finished sheepishly, the initial burst of energy he got from knowing that she wanted to give him her number slowly dying down as he realised how much he had rambled on.

"okay," she said after trying to bite back a smile and nodding, and held out her hand expectantly. after a little fumbling around, peter got a hold of his phone and handed it to her, watching as she typed down her number and called herself from his phone (her ringtone was the cutest song?? he had to search up the lyrics after he went back home) so that she now had his number, too.

and he'd be lying if he said his heart didn't skip a beat when their fingers brushed together as they returned his phone to him, the touch feeling exactly like the prickling sense of electricity and more, which only intensified when he heard how fast her heart was beating (thank you, spidey senses) because my fucking god, she might like him too.

she waved him goodbye as he stepped back out into the icy january cold, the door bell chiming once again behind him, albeit cheerfully this time, almost as if it were congratulating him.

peter parker had never really liked winter, but he concluded that as long as he had her to warm him up, he might just learn to tolerate it.

[awsugar]

I don’t understand why some big mcr blogs slate anyone who believes gerard and frank had a thing, like our view didn’t arise from nowhere there’s clearly evidence that has led us to think this. I get disliking those who push frerard in frank and Gerard’s faces (barely anyone does this nowadays) but slating people for believing they had something in the past is kinda ridiculous imo. Franks solo music speaks volumes but if you read into it you’re demonised as a frerardie

mmmmm am i down to clown today... ok i will speak.

actually im going to put this under a cut bc my last ask was a long one and i feel like i am going to talk about this for way too long bc its 1am and im honestly a little tipsy.

note: i just finished answering this it took me an embarrassingly long amount of time and i dont think the person who asked this is even going to read it but i apparently have a lot of thoughts and no one ever wants to listen to me lol 

firstable yea actually unfortunately anytime they do a livestream, or anytime anyone SOMEHOW RELATED to them does a livestream. there are ppl in the chat talking about frerard. they both have comments off on insta now, i didnt actually read the comments that much and franks have been off for ages but im positive there were people in the comments talking about frerard. i mean fuck, franks LAST tweet he qrted someone who tagged him in the replies of a pic of The Kiss. so i mean yea its definitely not a majority but it still happens extremely frequently.

this is like. genuinely really funny to me bc im sure frank didnt see it, i think he knows enough not to look at the chat for the most part. but the moral is that its 2021 and people STILL dont know how to act. i wont go on about it but it actively enrages me anytime i watch a stream. rule one of real person fandoms is keep all that shit in your fan spaces. which is actually why i prefer tumblr. none of them are on here. actively engaging in mcr fandom on twitter is too close for comfort, especially since frank follows a handful of my friends and also like. knows me.

so like moral of my most times unavoidable wall of text is that ppl are right to be frustrated with the fans who act this way. i am extremely frustrated with them. and i think for the people who have never like tinhatted or anything, this type of behavior stands out and makes an impression and becomes the like. poster child for ppl who are like 'hmmmmm but what if.' about the frank and gerard stuff.

anyway, moving on, i think a lot of peoples hang up is that they view it as rpf. which i have a couple things to say about actually. its no secret that i have read a lot of rpf. i had never heard of fanfiction until i started getting into mcr in 2008. that was my introduction. and at the time, in that community, it was completely normal. and it was for a loooooooooong time. i knew of people who didnt read fic or felt weird about it but the majority of people i interacted with DID read fic. and on top of that, the people who didn;t were nothing like they are today. we all got along. no one was like demonizing people who did read fic. in 2012 when i think mcr tumblr was at its peak, ALL of the most popular blogs were "frerardies" (hate that term). they all talked about and recced fic and a lot of them wrote it too. everyone had a boyfriends tag. anyway when i came BACK to the mcr fandom in 2016 after a couple years away post-breakup it was still like that. people talked about fic all the time and you didnt have to like, hide it in fear of being labeled as a terrible person.

i always discussed this stuff, fic and theories, openly on this blog. for YEARS. the first time i noticed the rpf shift was 2019 tbh, when my blog was suspended and i (not related) had a mental health crisis and i spent a handful of months off tumblr, when i remade on a different blog suddenly it seemed like people were like noooo you cant talk about that. ppl who read fic are disgusting. if you think something happened between them you're homophobic. i was like honestly baffled bc i didnt know how it had seemingly changed so much in a matter of like 4 months or so. but thats the society we live in now lmao.

anyway the other thing about rpf is that i think most of these people are hypocrites. bc almost everyone makes an exception for unholyverse. theyre like ok i will dabble in the most popular fic and see what its about while still demonizing the people who read OTHER fics. like ugh.

also i have noticed its an age thing. a lot of the time. almost every mcr fan i personally interact with or know, which is a lot of people, read fic, used to read fic and just sort of grew out of it, and/or (usually and) believe something happened between them. but everyone i interact with is an adult and all of my closer friends are long time mcr fans like me. i feel like the percentage of fans who are minors who are extremely anti-rpf is way higher than the percentage of adults. and i think thats just due to the fan culture we grew up with and the fact that young people a lot of times are like..it seems very performative in an attempt to be the least problematic person that ever lived.

also random side note its really funny to keep updated with this debate on twitter. they literally yoyo there. frerard is ok on a bi-weekly basis.

anyway back to what i was originally saying which was that people view tinhatting as rpf and therefor not okay. which like idk maybe i sound crazy but i also always said this when i was in the phandom and discussing like dan and phil and whether or not they were soulmates before they came out, i don't think tinhatting is rpf. or like. idk theres a part of me that can see why people think rpf is a bad thing even though if i was famous i wouldnt care if people wrote fics about me. but like. analyzying the real life things that people have done and said in public (important). in order to try to contextualize their relationship or understand that dynamic better. well i mean first of all its not fiction. but like i do think its a lot different than writing explicit bdsm fic about them.

and i know a lot of the people on here who dont like actively participate in these conversations do like. see where we're coming from. with the frank lyrics and millions and like all of that stuff. they just dont talk about it. i mean *I* have stopped mostly talking about it at all unless its vague, due to the current climate and opinion. and sometimes we'll all have a moment of hysteria where we've all decided its ok to speak about. me right now apparently.

anyway im positive no one read all of this. i need to learn how to be brief but ive been saying that my whole life. but you're right. to me its clear that there's a bigger story behind it than frank and gerard just being buddies who were in a band together. a logical conclusion. and i wish we could just all get along again instead of people being sooooo mad about it.

[reidsnose]

Young and Beautiful

overview: spencer and reader spend the day together and feel like little kids again

genre: fluff

a/n: ok i think this concept is so cute but i feel like i wrote it dumb LMAO but its fine i'm excited tho lmk if y'all like it at all :)

masterlist

-

the setting sun peaked through the trees as you and Spencer walked around aimlessly. it wasn't often that you had days off, let alone enough to spend together. and the city was curiously empty, the usual bustle of the day having died down by evening. most people are itching to go home on a random Wednesday night.

"i really don't like the look of those clouds y/n." Spencer warned, pointing towards a large, dark gray cloud.

"i already told you i checked the weather and they said no rain!" you countered, though you had to admit the cloud looked pretty hefty. "it will probably just pass us over."

he hummed a hesitant agreement and carried on with the conversation you two were having. you looked around as the two of you talked, taking in the peace of the moment. the light breeze, the the hum of distant cars as you neared a park, the way the sunlight sparkled in Spencer's eyes as he talked, a golden tint covering the world around you.

he watched you soaking up the beauty around you, wondering if you ever saw your own. you were truly the most beautiful person alive. inside and out. he smiled to himself as your eyes lingering on the empty playground.

"you wanna go to the playground?" he asked, your eyes lighting up.

"is that weird? like were fully adults why is that twisty slide calling my name?" you giggled.

in a surge of confidence, he grabbed your hand and started running towards the playground with you, the rouge on your cheeks masked by the flush of a quick run. when he was around you, he felt like a kid again. you did too.

you tried not to think about how your hand tingled from holding his. it was only a couple of seconds and probably meant nothing, but you couldn't shed that wonderful feeling.

you guys raced to the slide, giggling like a bunch of school kids at recess. he beat you to the twisty slide, climbing quickly to the top and sliding down head first right off the end. you followed immediately after, arms stretched in front of you like superman and landing on the floor next to him.

"God, this reminds me of making a 'best friend' every time i went to the playground as a kid," you laughed, standing up and offering him a hand.

"cant say i relate to that," he chuckled, grabbing your outstretched hand and hoisting himself off the ground, sending a surge of electricity through his veins.

"oh come on! you never met another kid at the park and you two swore to be best friends forever and then never saw each other again?"

"nope," he replied, popping the p, "i didn't go to the playground much when i was little, nor was i the most sociable kid."

"hmm..." you hummed, "well i think you need to experience that."

he chuckled, but this time it was your turn to grab his hand and lead him somewhere. you two ran to get under the jungle gym, his long legs struggling to fit underneath.

"what are we doing under here?" he laughed, grunting as he pulled on his legs so he could sit criss cross.

"you're making your first ever playground best friend." you answered simply, sticking out your pinky. "do you...state your full name.."

"Spencer Walter Reid." he laughed, looping his pinky with yours.

"do you Spencer Walter Reid pinky promise that we will be best friends forever and ever?" you asked, trying hard to keep a straight face and failing miserably.

"i do." he answered, shaking your intertwined pinkies up and down after he was met with silence.

"ok now ask me," you whispered.

"do you...state your full name.." he echoed.

"y/f/n." you giggled.

"do you y/f/n pinky promise that we will be best friends forever and ever?" he asked, stifling a smile.

"i do." you answered, pinkies still linked in front of you.

"ok now what?" he whispered.

"by the power vested in me by this playground, i now pronounce us best friends forever. we may now kiss our thumbs." you announced.

he laughed confused and you both leaned in, pecking your own thumbs on the pinky promise hand, only the distance of your linked hands between your lips.

he blurted a fact on the history of kissing, how it was used in the olden days to seal the deal. he also mentioned how all the pinky promises he's ever done never involved him kissing his thumb, you laughed and said that it must be a Vegas thing.

you two used just about every piece of playground equipment, truly feeling like little kids again. giggling and screaming and being immature, your inner children completely taking over.

a clap of thunder interrupted you two while taking turns jumping off of the swings. your eyes grew wide as you looked at each other, recalling how you swore it wasn't going to rain.

just as you opened your mouth to say it still might not rain, it started absolutely pouring. the both of you were drenched in seconds, grabbing haphazardly onto eachothers hands and breaking out into a sprint, running as fast as both of you could in the direction of Spencer's apartment (which was much closer than yours).

but he did not have the long distance endurance, and to be honest neither did you and after a few minutes of running, you guys were still about half a mile away, huffing and puffing and soaking wet.

Spencer wasn't sure if most of his breath was lost from running, or from holding onto you this long. maybe a mix of both?

"lets just walk! were soaked already so who cares!" he shouted over the pitter patter of the storm, still hand and hand with you.

"who are you and what have you done with Spencer," you laughed, lifting your joined hands above you and twirling underneath.

he only chuckled a response, this time he lifted your intertwined hands allowing you to twirl again, humming a classical piece horribly off key.

the two of you started dancing down the sidewalk, spinning and jumping and swaying and leaping and laughing til you could barely stand. his lanky limbs flying left and right as you took turns humming different styles of music, even opting for an Irish jig at one point. and all in the pouring rain.

this was arguably the most fun either of you had ever had and we all know what happens to time when you're enjoying yourself. before you knew it you guys had arrived at his apartment.

water dripped from the both of you as you ran up the stairs, slipping and sliding all over the place.

"let me give you some of my clothes to change into so you don't have to drive home all soaked," he offered, unlocking the door and beckoning you to come inside.

"thanks bestie," you giggled, suppressing a shiver as you stepped inside.

he grabbed two towels, handing you one as you followed him into his room and watched him searching his dresser for something to give you.

he gave you a pair of sweatpants and told you to pick any sweater you wanted, causing you both to turn a deep shade of red as you realized you were sharing clothes.

he grabbed some clothes for himself and went to go change in the bathroom, letting you use his bedroom for more privacy. it was always the little things he did for you that made your heart burst.

you pulled his sweater over your head, taking in the smell of him that lingered on it. you smiled to yourself as you did, realizing you're already close enough with him to recognize it.

you finished changing and walked out of his room, seeing him reading on his couch, lounging in comfy clothes.

the sight of you in his clothes left him speechless, he imagined if you two were dating this might be a common occurrence. he shook his head of the thought and stood up as you offered him a smile, grabbing your keys off of the counter.

"thank you for today Spencer, it was.." you looked up at him trying not to get lost in his eyes, "..so much fun."

"thank you for making me feel like a kid again, there aren't many people who can do that. i don't know what i would do without you" he smiled, stepping slightly closer to you.

you couldn't believe your ears, or what was about to come toppling out of your mouth. he was just being so sweet and sentimental, your brain short circuited.

"love you forever." you blurted, feeling heat rise to your cheeks.

to your surprise (and delight), he stuck out his pinky, which you gladly looped with your own.

"love you more." he professed, leaning in to kiss his thumb.

him admitting this gave you an incredible rush of confidence and as you both went in to seal the deal of the pinky promise, you tightened your pinky with his and pulled your hands down, pecking his lips with your own.

it was a quick kiss but you still felt like you were on top of the world.

Spencer barely had time to process what had happened before it was already over. he couldn't believe it. the perfect kiss with the most perfect girl and he nearly missed it.

he pulled you back for one more, slightly longer kiss, just to make sure. you both smiled into it, floating around on cloud nine.

you pulled away and smiled widely at his lovesick face before giving a small wave and walking out the door, scampering down the stairs and out to your parked car.

he snapped out of his daze and ran to the window, waving goodbye to you with the worlds dopiest smile on his face. it dropped suddenly as he realized he never truly asked you out on a date.

"y/n!" he called from the window. you looked back up at him and waved, "do you wanna go out this weekend?"

you laughed before calling back at him, "its a date!"

-

-

ultra mega super cool taglist

@mac99martin @imhreid @spencersmagic @hollydaisy23 @raelady1184 @a-broken-pact @padfootswife @hey-there-angels @star-stuff-in-the-cosmos @sonnydoesrandomshit @averyhotchner @laurakirsten0502 @reidyoulikeabook @rem-ariiana @spencerreid9 @vampire-overlord @takeyourleap-of-faith @spenxerslut @violetspoetic @aperrywilliams @b-a-utiful @eevee0722 @srhxpci @reidemandweep @imdefinitelyfloating @random-human-person @gurkiloni @luvspence @calm-and-doctor @ssavanessa22 @singularityjc @sydnee-kom-spacekru

[baroquebucky]

symphony

in which bucky realizes the light you’ve brought into his life

word count: 2.3k of pure fluff

masterlist

a/n: hi bffs !! hope u all enjoy this fluff as reparations for the amount of angst I’ve been writing <333 let me know what you guys think !! inspired by this song :] sorry for any typos !!

Life felt monotonous for bucky. Everyday he would wake up, go for a walk, sometimes go out for dinner with his neighbor other times he would just stay in. Then he would go to therapy, suffer there for a while before coming back and doing nothing. Throughout the week he would go to the compound or the gym and train to get his mind off things.

“I just feel like I’m stuck in a loop and i can’t get out of it, it’s like a boring song that everyone’s playing on repreat” bucky grumbled, sam nodded, listening to bucky as he vented.

“i think you need something new in your life, something to spice it up” Sam spoke gently, thinking for a bit before a smile appeared on his face, “i know just the thing!” He cheered.

“how is coffee gonna help me” bucky huffed, sam just rolled his eyes, dragging the super soldier along to his favorite coffee shop.

“no trust me, this coffee is amazing, they have all these other drinks too and the person who always takes my order is amazing” Sam cheered, a smile on his face as he rounded the corner and saw you through the glass.

“that’s them!” He smiled, turning to look at bucky, he stopped in his tracks.

“you aren’t trying to set me up on a date right now, right?” Bucky looked at Sam wide eyed and he rolled his eyes, shaking his head and grabbing Buckys wrist.

“if this was a date i would’ve made you dress better” Sam shot back, bucky frowned looking down at his clothes. What was so wrong with his clothes?

“this is my favorite jacket” bucky pouted and Sam rolled his eyes, as the door opened a small chime went off.

“good evening sam!” You called out, a bright smile on your face as you finished taking someone’s order. Sam and Bucky stood in line, waiting only a couple minutes before you helped them.

“your usual?” you beamed and Sam smiled, you wrote it down quickly, turning to bucky with a smile, “what can i get for you?” Bucky blushed a bit, avoiding eye contact with you and glancing at the menu.

“i- well uh i don’t know actually” bucky hesitated, sam cringed at his friend, elbowing him slightly.

“what do you recommend?” he asked quickly, and you turned to look down at the menu as if you didn’t have it memorized.

“hmm, well i really the special we have right now, if you’re not into sweet then i recommend that one” you pointed out with your pen a smile still on your face.

“whatever your favorite is” He spoke, heart beating in his chest as the words tumbled out. You felt your face heat up at his words, nodding quickly. Bucky paid and went to go sit next to Sam, ears red and face hot.

Sam simply chuckled at him, waiting patiently for you to call out their order numbers. Bucky kept glancing up, stealing glances at you and marveling at how pretty you were. The way you moved so easily and kept a smile on your face anytime someone looked your way.

Buckys heart sunk a bit. He wished he could be like that, all smiles and rainbows, like the way he used to be. He thought about how brooding he was and the way sam always commented on the way he stared too much. He tore his eyes away from you and focused on the decoration in the cafe.

“57 and 58!” You called out, setting the drinks on the counter looking out for Sam and bucky, smiling when you saw the two men getting up and walking towards you.

“thank you y/n!” Sam smiled and you nodded, eyes moving to bucky, he gave you a tight lipped smile before walking out. “that wasn’t so bad was it” Sam smirked and bucky rolled his eyes, taking a sip of his drink.

“oh wow this is really good” bucky mumbled, drinking some more and furrowing his brows, sam smiled at him, nodding in agreement.

The two men returned a couple times every week, you smiling at them and saying hello, giving bucky a new drink to try every time he came. The two of you stealing glances anytime you looked over while making the drink, heart rate spiking when your eyes met.

Bucky was giddy to see you, wondering what you would give him today. Sam frowned when your coworker greeted them instead of you.

“wheres y/n?” Sam asked, you coworker frowned at the mention of you before replying.

“oh they quit, our boss kept giving them shit” she sighed, “between you and i, they only stayed this long because you guys kept coming back” she smiled, her eyes moving to bucky, “specially you.”

As the two men were leaving your coworker called out for them, handing them a piece of paper. “she told me to give you guys this, have a good day!”

They looked at each other before unrolling the paper, you handwriting on it along with your phone number.

“text me when you want bird boy” Sam read, laughing a little, he turned to bucky, craning his neck to read his, “what’s your say” Bucky had a bashful smile on his face.

“oh just to text them whenever” bucky cleared his throat, shoving the piece of paper in his pocket.

i really hope we can hang out properly soon :) the paper read, scribbled under was a list of drinks you wanted him to try. Buckys heart fluttered at the action, the whole time he was with Sam you were the only thing he was thinking about.

When he finally got back to his apartment bucky texted you, heart racing as he sent the text.

hi it’s bucky, i got your note let me know when you’re free :-)

Your heart jumped at the message, the biggest smile on your face as you read the text over again, giggling as you replied.

hi buck!! I’m free this weekend actually :]

The two of you made plans quickly, excited for a proper date and not just stealing glances and making small talk when he ordered his drink or picked it up from the counter.

When Saturday evening came bucky was frantic, texting sam and asking what clothes he should wear, recalling the time he made fun of his clothes before he met you the first time.

You were nervous as you got ready, hands shaking slightly as you changed into some nice clothing. You checked yourself out in the mirror and smiled, fixing your hair a bit.

The doorbell rang and you jumped, heart racing as you walked to the door, opening it with a smile.

Bucky stood there with roses in his hands, a bright smile on his face. He chocked on his breath a little as he took you in, it was the first time he’d seen you out of uniform and god you were perfect.

“oh thank you!” You blushed, smiling as you took the flowers from him, “come in I’ll just put these in water” you smiled, letting him in and quickly moving to put the flowers in a vase.

Your apartment was so comforting, bucky felt like he was safe there, he felt so at peace despite his heart racing in his chest.

“ready?” You asked and bucky smiled, he could hear the way your heart raced after you not so secretly checked him out. He was wearing a dark blue t shirt and a leather jacket along with some black pants.

“so where are we going?” You questioned and bucky smiled, turning to look at you nervously before focusing on the road again.

“is the fair okay? I know there’s one in town and I’ve been wanting to go but-” he rambled and you cut him off excitedly.

“i love the fair! I’m really good at those shooting games y’know” you bragged and bucky smiled, excited to see how skilled you were. “however i will not compete against you” you added quickly, making bucky frown.

“too scared I’ll beat you doll?” Bucky smirked and your heart raced at the nickname, your comeback dying on your lips. Bucky smiled as you sat there with your mouth open, looking away quickly before changing the subject.

As the two of you arrived bucky immediately knew he made the right choice, the way you had the widest smile on your face as you pointed everything out to him, eyes wide as you saw the giant dinosaur plush.

“you have a metal arm dont you?” You whispered and bucky smiled, nodding his head. “would it be, i don’t know, immoral for you to use it to get that dinosaur plush?” You blushed, giggling as bucky gasped at you.

“i cant believe you!” He teased and you frowned, bucky smiled at you, taking your hand in his and walking towards the game. He handed the man the tickets to play and held the heavy ball in his hands.

“you just have to knock all three cups over” the man spoke and bucky nodded, placing the ball in his right hand before throwing it, easily knocking the cups down.

“yay!” You cheered, running next to bucky and hugging him, the man handed you the giant plush and you smiled, staring at bucky with starry eyes.

“didn’t even use your metal arms sergeant” you teased and Buckys heart lurched at the titles. His heart was in frenzy as you smirked up at him.

“I’m a super soldier doll” he smiled at your face turned into one of realization, nodding your head.

“right, i forgot about that” you mumbled, struggling to keep the dinosaur plush from touching the ground, bucky smiled at you before he took it from your hands, easily tucking it under his arm.

“thanks” you blushed and bucky nodded, a smile on his face as he replied.

“cant have my best girl struggling on our first date can we” you blushed at his words, looking at him with a bright smile.

“first? as in more to come?” You questioned, a smile on your face as you stopped in your tracks, the lights from some ride illuminating your face in reds and pinks. Bucky nodded, suddenly his confidence was sizzling away.

“I mean unless you don’t want to that’s fine too i just- i mean” bucky rambled and you watched him struggle for a bit, biting your bottom lip before stopping him.

“I’d love to go on more dates” you spoke up, bucky smiled at you, letting out a small breath, “now let’s go to the Ferris wheel!” You easily slipping your hand in his.

Everything felt so easy with bucky, it never felt forced. The two of you constantly texting and calling when you weren’t together and grabbing dinner and going on dates more and more often. It was only a matter of time before bucky asked you out, everything falling into place for the two of you.

The two of you were in bed, you were cuddled up into his side as you watched a documentary on some lions. Bucky ran his fingers through your hair and you sighed, relaxing into his touch. It had been almost two years since the two of you went on your first date, but to bucky it felt like yesterday.

“you know i love you, right doll” he spoke suddenly and you looked at him, confused before nodding.

“i love you too loverboy” you replied, sitting up and kissing his cheek.

“don’t know where I’d be without you” he spoke softly, his blue eyes meeting yours, he smiled softly. “I used to think i was broken and no one would want me” he mumbled and you frowned, letting him continue.

“the only reason sam took me to that cafe was because i was stuck in this loop and i was going crazy” he laughed softly, “i thought i was never gonna get out of this funk but then” he stopped.

You looked at him, confused as he smiled at you, peppering kissing all over your face before caressing your cheek and kissing your forehead.

“then what?” You whispered, a smile on your face when you realized what he was going to say.

“then you came along” he replied, smiling at the way you wiggled to face him.

“you took me and you made me into a better person, you made my life so much better and now it’s like there’s a symphony playing anytime in with you” he spoke, a smile on his face when you reached your hand out and ran your fingers through his hair. You stopped your hand at the nape of his neck, pushing him towards you and crashing your lips onto his.

It was sloppy and passionate, but it was sweet. The two of you smiling into the kiss before giving him one last peck and pulling away.

“oh lovebug, that songs always been inside you, just needed a little tuning to get it right” you replied, taking him into your arms as he laid down on your chest.

For once, bucky was grateful sam had forced him to go out, he was grateful that you were working that day and you recommend him a drink. He was grateful that you went to the fair with him and you liked him enough to go on another date.

Bucky no longer wished to be like you, he didn’t long for the person he was in the 40s. He didn’t wish he could change into someone else anymore.

He didn’t because he was more himself than he had ever been. He was happy and he was at peace, he was who he had always wanted to become. He didn’t feel like he was stuck in the shadows in a constant loop.

Bucky smiled as you placed a gentle kiss on top of his head, mumbling a soft ‘i love you.’

Bucky felt happy, he felt at home and he felt in love. He was finally at peace with his life now that you were in it. You helped him become who he was, pushed him to be better and to change into who he wanted to be.

[prettyboykatsuki]

»» — { ♡ } —— { ♡ } —— { ♡ } — ««

unpoetic | m. neito 

➳ tags ;; fluff, confessions, monoma being stubborn, 3rd Year Monoma

➳ wc ;; 867

➳ a/n ;; i cant believe i wrote this 

➳ plot ;; monoma gets a little in his head when the third year class celebrates graduation. a student from class-1a, namely you, is quick to snap him out of it. 

»» — { ♡ } —— { ♡ } —— { ♡ } — ««

“You should get over yourself,” 

Monoma’s quick to turn his head at the sound of your voice. It takes him by surprise, eyes widened and mouth falling open as you stride towards him. You plop yourself down, handing him a cold spire before cracking open one of your own drinks. 

You don’t add anything else to your statement. No if, ands, or buts. You just sit in the silence with him - the summer air humid and hanging between the two of you. Gnats buzz and fireflies flicker. It’s the end of your journey in this building together - today you would start as hero’s. Real, true heros. 

Everyone else was out in the courtyard celebrating. Class-3A and 3-B all together as 3rd years. Everyone was together, having fun. The classroom rivalry came to what felt like a stifling halt.

Everyone seemed fine but he was stewing in something. He’s unsurprised you were the first one to find him, but he brushes you off.

“I’m serious,” you stand your ground. Holding your hand out, a lightning bug lands on the edge of your finger. You move so carefully it doesn’t bother flying away. 

“Dunno how else to say it, Phantom Thief,” ― you tease, voice ever so light. You always approach him this way but he never pays any heed to it. Doesn’t want to ― “We’re gonna be real heroes now and you’re gonna burn yourself out doing this,” 

“Doing what exactly?” he retorts. You look towards him with soft eyes. They’re too kind and too gentle. He doesn’t know how to feel about them but especially not when they look his way. Not when they seem to look through him. 

“Comparing yourself to everyone around you,” ― you reply, easy and quick ― “It’s exhausting you,” 

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” 

“You’re so quick to give comfort to your classmates when they fail and you take on the role of leader because you want to empower people around you,” ― you reply ― “I can’t help but wonder if you’re busy filling in the gaps with what you need to hear,” 

He doesn’t have a reply to that, shock brushing his normally cocky expression. You smile at him. 

“You’re actually kinda easy to read,” ― you muse, laughing just a little at the way his face is dusted with pink ― “You’re actually a good guy, when you want to be. You’re handsome and you have an interesting quirk,” 

Did he.. hear you correctly? He blinks at you owlishly but your smile is as confident as ever. He covers his mouth with his hand, dropped open in surprise. A giggle leaves your lips.

“There’s not anything stopping you other than yourself and your shitty hubris,” ― you continue, unable to stop yourself ― “But I think you’ll be a really good hero so.. yeah. Get over yourself and you’ll be fine,” 

For a while, he sits in what you’ve said. It’s quiet but really not uncomfortable at all. 

It’s true that it’s been him. From the beginning, he’s know as much. And while he never let himself think about it for too long, hearing you say it so flat feels embarassing. He’s trying his best to recuperate but he’s too busy thinking about it. Too focused on the fact that you called him handsome and cool and that you meant it 

He knows you did because you’re the only Class-1A student he can tolerate. You’ve always been the only one. You’re stupidly earnest and humble - quiet and easy going. You’re strong too but more than that you’ve always been so.. 

What’s the word for it? He doesn’t know if there is one. But even as first years, you’ve always been able to see right through him like he was a ghost. You always look like you know more than you let on, like you’re observing him carefully. He feels studied underneath your eyes. 

And maybe that’s why he feels like this. Because you’re the only one who really pays attention to him and his outbursts. You’re the only one who really seems to care. Enough to follow him out here into the courtyard and sit on the steps drinking soda in silence. Enough to give it to him this straight, unworried about his reply. 

Maybe it’s because you also know how much he likes you. You have to know, right? So confident that he’ll let you in, listen to you. Still just as easy going as before. 

Monoma thinks you know too much about him. You’re too assiduous in everything you do. You have the stupid Class-1A trait where you’re self sacrificing and honest that it’s hard to hate you. 

And of all the approval he’s tried to earn, it feels like this is the one he’s always wanted. He’s inclined to whine about why you waited so long to tell him and that alone is enough to make him fidget in his seat. 

“You’re.. annoyingly honest. Is it a Class-3A thing?” 

You shrug, standing up and dusting off the back of your jeans. 

“I think it’s important to be honest with people you like, Neito,” 

He blushes furiously. 

“I’ll see you inside,” 

»» — { ♡ } —— { ♡ } —— { ♡ } — ««

[kyufessions]

3:32AM

context: byounggon is your childhood friend moving to seoul to pursue his life long dream

word count: 1.2k

a/n: wrote this based around a night i had with my best friend when we were younger, just a bit changed to fit byounggon

——————————

The bright moonlight along with the pale street light flickering every so often illuminated both you and byounggon’s faces. It was currently 3:32 in the morning, and there you both sat in the middle of the road just talking to one another about nothing yet everything at the same time. Here you both were, sipping on endless cartons of banana milk and sharing a family sized bag of shrimp chips. The sounds of your laughter echoed through the night, that being the only sound to be heard.

Byounggon popped another shrimp chip into his mouth, noticing the bag a little less than halfway empty. He frowned dramatically before looking up to meet your eyes, causing you to cock your head to the side.

“What's up? Why the frown?” you ask, sipping on your banana milk between the two questions.

“The chips, they’re almost gone.” he answers, shaking the bag so you could hear how empty the bag sounds now as compared to five hours ago.

You shrugged, a playful smile tugged on your lips. “We’ve been eating them for the past five hours, gon. You cant expect them to last forever.” you grabbed the bag from his hands, shoving a few pieces in your mouth.

“Hey!” and just like that, the bag was once again out of your hands. “Don't eat them all, save me some!”

You rolled your eyes, dramatically munching away on the chips which earned the tiniest little chuckle from your best friend. You both had been friends since your first day of school, playing on the playground with all these new friends you both had made. Since then, you both had been inseparable. Always at each other's birthday parties, always having playdates together, even throughout all your years of schooling together you both still never became separable whatsoever. Everyone in school always knew you two as the infamous bickering duo, some even assuming you two were dating or at least once did. But as soon as someone asked that question, you both burst into laughter and shook off the rumors right away. You only saw each other as siblings, nothing more and nothing less. You were both even each other’s first kiss, neither one of you wanting to waste it on someone who didn’t deserve you. But that was as far as anything has ever gotten between you both, just one simple kiss to get it out of the way.

It was a few weeks before byounggon was leaving for seoul, finally being able to pursue his dreams of becoming the famous rapper you knew he was destined to be. As kids, you both always wrote silly little songs and performed it for everyone. For you, it was always just for shits and giggles. But even from a young age you noticed how seriously he took it, admiring his dedication even for something so small in your eyes. But to him, it was much more. As he grew older, you noticed how he would pay more attention to writing lyrics and producing music than he did his studies. Even today you still encourage him to pursue his music, whether those around him were accepting of it or not. And because of that, he never lost hope. You were that glitter of hope for him, and he for you. That's why he promised to treat you both to a big dinner with his first real paycheck as an idol, that being how he broke the news to you about getting accepted into a new company that seemed more promising than his previous. That day, you were the one who treated him to dinner- and by dinner you mean some cheap bbq that you both frequented.

“I can’t believe you’re leaving me soon, gonnie.” you sighed, reaching over and ruffling up his short black hair. When you did that, a smug smile appeared on his face before he scoffed.

“You’re acting like you’re not going to be dorming ten minutes down the road, y/n.” he replies with a ruffling of your hair as well, bringing a pout among your lips.

“Well, yeah. But I'm still going to be without you for two months.” you tossed the empty banana milk carton into the tiny garbage can you had set beside you, only to open up the last carton left in the pack and play with the plastic wrapper of the straw. “I’ve only been without you for a month, how am i supposed to survive two?”

He shrugged his shoulders, running a hand through his hair as he thought for a moment. “You’ll survive, don’t worry.” his gaze was fixated on you, watching as you fiddled with the plastic between your fingers. “You can come visit, i’ll just have to send you my schedule when i know of it- Wait!” and with that, he jumped up to his feet and ran inside his house to grab something.

Leaving you sitting there in the nightly summer breeze, you stared at the entrance of his house awaiting his return. You wondered why he got up mid-sentence but not too surprised considering this is how he normally was. You slowly slipped on the banana milk, being cautious enough to leave at least half for your best friend when he returned. A minute passed by, and out he came with someone in his hand that you couldn't quite make out. As he slowly approached you, you noticed it was an instax polaroid camera, the one you had bought him for his birthday just a few months prior. You had saved up for a while to be able to get him what he’s been wanting for a few years now, and the look on his face when you handed it to him made it all worthwhile.

“What’s that for?” you asked as he sat down next to you instead of in front of you, double-checking that the film was in the camera before turning it on.

“I haven used it yet, so i want to use it now for the first time.” he replied, making sure the flash was on before positioning it in his hands so it would fit both of you in the frame.

“Hey hey hey, you said you wanted to save it for your trainee diary. Don’t waste it on me.” you said, lightly smacking his shoulder in a playful manner.

“I’d rather spend my first film pack on you.” was all he said before he told you to smile for the camera as the flash stung both of your eyes.

Grunts left both of your mouths as you rubbed your eyes, the flash being too bright for both of your likings. But that didn’t stop you both from wasting a ten pack of film that night as five o’clock rolled around, the birds emerging from the trees with song. You both awaited till the sun rose in the background so you could get the perfect shot, taking two photos with the same pose so you would have the same exact one. As soon as the sun fully rose, you both agreed to get brunch at a cafe to decorate the polaroids like fans do with idol’s photocards. As you walked down the road to your home, yelling out a promise to byounggon to call him when you get home before turning a corner, he couldn't help but hold the five polaroids in his hands close to his heart.

[magalidragon]

killing time | a Jonerys drabble

This is for the Anon who suggested we revisit the racing beans from that one fic I wrote where they were racecar drivers and it ended up far angstier than intended 🤣 Also uses prompt from @youwerenevermine “you’re an idiot”/“yes but I’m your idiot.” Ooooh and it is smutty 🤭

"I can't believe you think this is going to work."

"It will work. Because I'm a genius."

That was a little much, Dany thought, hoisting herself onto the tool bench in the garage, swinging her feet back and forth, watching the handsome specimen of her husband bent in half in the engine of the Direwolf, his fine, tight ass wiggling in his grease-stained coveralls, which should have made him look like he was wearing a potato sack, but were pulling in all the right places. He'd tied the arms around his hips, his white t-shirt underneath stained with grease, sweat, motor oil, and if she was not mistaken-- a large swipe of chocolate from the cake their daughter had been eating before he put her to bed for her naptime.

He moved some more, shifting on his feet and she bit her lower lip, checking the clock hanging askew on the wall. They had a meeting in about two hours, and were killing time just lounging around the garage. It made her think of when they were teenagers, spending all their time in and around the garage, making messes and letting someone else clean it up.

Now they cleaned things up themselves. He also cleaned up nicely himself. He wiggled again and she wondered if he was doing this on purpose. She shifted uncomfortably on the bench, sitting on her hands instead of doing anything that might get her in trouble. He was <i>working</i>, as he liked to stress. He didn’t want distractions when he was working.

Although working wasn’t an apt enough word for what he was doing. Fucking up a perfectly good vehicle. That’s what he was doing.

Now he was adding some sort of extra filter which he claimed would give the Direwolf extra air flow, boosting its acceleration. It made no sense to her. Plus, he'd screwed with the fins on the back, which was <i>not</i> his job, that was Gendry's as their aerodynamics expert, but Jon knew better, always, he said.

Except for her.

She wrinkled her nose, when he pulled out from the engine and then spun around, dropping down onto the other side to scoot underneath the vehicle. Exasperated, she groaned. "What are you doing now?"

"Checking the fuel pump, I think it’s jacked."

"You're making shit up." He hummed underneath and kicked his feet around. After a few minutes of clanking around, she couldn't stand it any longer and climbed down, peering into the engine, disgusted at the wires he had crisscrossing everywhere. It made no sense. It was like the inside of his head. She scowled at him, when he emerged, swatting her ass lightly with the dirty rag in his hands. She rolled her eyes. "You're an idiot."

"Ah, but I'm your idiot."

Be that as it may, he was screwing up a perfectly good working engine because he couldn't just leave things alone. "That's not getting you anywhere, give me that." She swiped the wrench from him and crawled up onto the Direwolf's fender, small and spry enough to really get into the engine cavity. She made sure to wiggle her butt, in her tight jeans, just enough to tease him, while also kicking up her foot.

The mess he’d created was atrocious. She could not believe this chaos of an engine. Disgusted, she made a derisive snort. “I take it back, you aren’t an idiot.”

“Aye?”

“Aye.” She climbed out and threw one of the fuel injectors she had just removed at him, as he scowled. She tilted her face up to his, smirking. “You’re a moron.”

“Is that not the same?”

“Moron is worse to me. Idiot implies you have some sense of awareness of what you did, you just did it stupidly.”

He wagged the fuel injector at her. “This is perfectly fine!”

“It’s corroded!”

The fuel injector flew over his shoulder, after he tossed it and he grabbed her hips, hoisting her up onto the car’s side, tilting her back over the fiberglass to the roof, growling. “You’re impossible.”

She snapped her teeth on his bottom lip, groaning. “You are.”

“No you.”

“You!”

The next thing she knew they were over each other, his mouth hot on her sweaty neck, pulse racing against his tongue. She moaned for more, needy, grinding her hips up into his and scratched her nails down his shoulders, pushing them under his t-shirt sleeves to get to his bare skin.

“Jon,” she groaned, his palms under her arse to lift her higher against the car, while she furiously pulled at his coveralls. He kissed her, silencing her protests, tongue spearing into her mouth and she nipped at him, her fingers easing into his briefs to free him and thumb at his cock, fondling the thick, velvet length, hardening to steel in her hands.

He pulled away, whining impatiently. “What time is it?” he panted, flicking the tab at her jeans, leaning sideways to keep her upright against the envie with his body while he worked the denim and her lace bikinis over her hip.

Doesn’t matter, she thought, busying herself with kissing him again. She loved him, loved him so much, it was hard to wrap her mind around how they had been willing to go their separate ways for so long before coming together again.

She gasped when he pulled away and latched his mouth over her nipple through her tank’s thin cotton, the competing sensations blinding her. She lifted higher and he thrust into her hand. She was drenched, cunt pulsing, and she lined him up, sliding her cunt along his cock, the head bumping her clit. She moaned softly and knocked her head against the car hood behind her.

He pushed into her easily, filling and stretching, smothering her with his body and mouth. She canted her hips, encouraging him to move, and clutched his arms. He found her hand with his and squeezed, joining them at her thigh, which was hiked up over his hip, the coveralls slapping against their thighs, zipper clanking and her jeans awkwardly bunched near her knees, the stretch denim stretching to its limits.

They had done this more times than she could count, fucking in garages and in and on cars and gods she loved it. She moaned his name and tore her nails at his arm while squeezing his hand. He grunted into her shoulder, name a breath on his lips and then she was coming, encouraging him with her until they were shattering, her cry strangled and her name a shout on his lips.

“Jon,” she sighed, feet falling to the floor, loose and limber. She hummed into his neck, kissing his pulse.

He tilted his face down and kissed her, slowly, reverently. She smiled lazily. It was so nice and comfortable afterward. She met his gaze, loving and sleepy, gray eyes blown out to black. “You’re still an idiot,” she murmured.

Jon laughed and arched his brow, about to reply when they froze, hearing a door banging from somewhere near. “Uh…”

“Jon! Dany! Where are you? We have that sponsorship meeting today and I don’t want to go can I stay with Laena?” It was Arya, bellowing through the house.

They cursed, hurriedly righting themselves as best as they could. Dany winced, squeezing her legs together uncomfortably. “Arya? What are you doing here?”

“We have that thing!” She pushed open the door and stepped in, scowling immediately. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” they said at the same time.

Arya made a face. “Ew you both are gross. Were you fucking?” She didn’t wait and gagged. “Nevermind don’t tell me…” she trailed off distracted at the engine. She bowled, leaping for it. “Jon! What did you do!?”

At the same time, from the monitor on the table beside her, Laena began babbling, awake from her nap. Dany sighed, patting Jon’s cheek. “My idiot,” she murmured and kissed him, before skirting away to leave him to argue with Arya over what he’d done to the car.

All she knew was when it was ready to drive, it would be ready and she’d trust whatever he did. Even if it made zero sense. She winked at him when he caught her gaze across the garage and he made a face.

She laughed, skipping off to get their daughter and clean up. They had a race to go prep for.

[awanderingtortoise]

a/n: first of all, i would like to thank my genius brain for answering the ask this stemmed from privately, therefore losing all access to it and anything i typed in reply. i would also like to thank google docs for housing the backup copy of this fic, ensuring my panic lasted only half the time it could have. finally (and the only serious thing here) ty to @nabrizoya for giving this idea during my 'i cant write banter only dad jokes help' panic, i loved it and wrote far more on it than i expected.

laughter in the rain

ao3

word count: 2.1k of pure fluff and crack

blurb: in which Nikolai is much too found of puns while Zoya is the polar opposite, and a young, incredibly chaotic Squaller child wreaks absolute havoc on literally everything.

(from tumblr ask: how about nikolai interacting with zoya's students and them finding nikolai's dad jokes funnier than zoya does (though she does secretly enjoy them)

----

Zoya knew she was in for it when she agreed to teach Damyen to summon lightning. Possible consequences listed themselves in her head without regard for her anxiety: Getting half her hair burned off. An emergency fire drill, minus the drill, at the Little Palace. Possibly a few roasted pigeons falling from the sky. The ten-year old Squaller was undeniably one of her most gifted students, possessing a striking talent for both the Small Science and utter chaos. Unsurprising, really, considering the child both worshiped Nikolai and had a disposition remarkably close to the latter’s. Zoya’s rant on the young Grisha amused him to no end.

“A miniature me,” Nikolai mused, glancing thoughtfully at Zoya as he sat on the edge of their bed. “And shaping up to be quite the handful.”

“You have no idea,” she grumbled, brushing out a stubborn tangle in her hair, eyes still bleary from her slumber or lack thereof. She’d slept terribly and dreamt her kefta had been on fire. Though she was never much for fortune-tellers or prophetic hogwash, she had an inkling this particular dream would soon be reality. “You could be brothers with how much you have in common. Insubordinate. Endless chatter. Utterly chaotic.”

“Handsome?” Nikolai suggested, inspecting his boots before putting them on. “Charismatic and startlingly intelligent? Really, my dear; you don’t have to be quite so negative.”

“I’m likely about to be set on fire. I have every right to be negative.”

“Now, now,” He said soothingly. “I’m sure it will be a very- enlightening experience.”

Zoya froze mid-brush stroke, turning to give him a withering glare. “Nikolai,” she hissed.

He grinned. “Yes?”

“We have talked about this.”

“Have we?”

“No more puns,” Zoya ordered. For every joke Nikolai in his love for infuriating humor could crack, these were the worst. The only people in the palace that found them amusing were Tolya and Nikolai himself. Which meant, of course, that Tolya was the only one Nikolai didn’t subject to this banal torture.

“Why?” Nikolai whined. “I find them rather electrifying, don’t you?”

She slammed her brush onto the table and stalked towards him, seizing his wrist. “I will blow you out the window. I will tie you to a tree and let Damyen use you for target practice.”

“From the sound of him, he wouldn’t dare. He loves me.”

“He’s also remarkably similar to you and has every ounce of your taste for drama. He might, and if he doesn’t you have my word that I will do it myself.” Zoya let her eyes flash silver, static crackling in the air.

“Alright,” Nikolai sighed, unperturbed by the display. “Fine. I concede. It’s but a trifle. A storm in a teacup, if you w- ow !”

She had sent a small shock through his arm, and now scoffed at the reaction to her handiwork. “Consider this a warning,” she sniffed, before turning to leave the room. “I have a Squaller to teach.”

“Storming off, are we- ow- ”

Only once the door was safely slammed behind her did she let her frown shift, lips quirking upwards. “Damnable idiot,” she muttered, smile clear in her voice.

“You love me for it,” Nikolai called from inside the room.

Zoya scowled. She’d need to have the walls thickened.

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

To Zoya’s right, a flock of very terrified and slightly singed geese squawked and took to the skies. Their nest lay in a steaming pile of ash. She raised a single eyebrow at her pupil. “Damyen, this is-”

“Awesome!” He cackled, gathering the ash in his hands and tossing it in the air like confetti. The flakes drifted down, settling in Zoya’s hair and eyelashes.

“I was going to say dismal. I do not recall asking you to set birds on fire. Your aim is terrible.”

“But I shot lighting!” He stared at his fingertips with such utter reverence for himself that Zoya didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“If you want to shoot lighting without setting your friends alight, I’d suggest you learn to hit your mark,” She said as sternly as possible. He’d picked up on the skill remarkably quickly, in all honesty, and the currents he summoned were more than good for a start. She was impressed, but her approval would only be gained with sufficient effort. And after more than a few sharp comments. “You aim worse than a blind mole rat. Again.”

Damyen sighed but brought his hands together once more, brow knitting in concentration as lightning began to form in his palm. Strands of his bronze hair fell onto his face and he squinted through them at the target. Adjusted his hands. Squinted again.

“Whenever you’re ready,” Zoya muttered. “Perhaps you’re waiting for the Saints to come riding down on a shiny chariot?”

He snorted, apparently genuinely amused, then let the bolt fly. At the same moment, a golden-haired figure strolled into the lightning’s path.

Zoya shrieked, hurtling a gust of wind towards Nikolai and blowing him to the ground. The streak of electricity slammed perfectly into the target’s center, setting the whole thing aflame.  Damyen whooped, throwing up his hands and sending wind blowing every which way; scattering leaves into the air as Nikolai groaned and swore from his spot in the grass.

“Hello,” He said weakly. “Atmosphere’s rather charged around here, don’t you think?”

She huffed and pulled him to his feet, glaring daggers.

“No shocks,” Nikolai noted.

“I may change my mind. Care to explain yourself, Lantsov? In the habit of trying to kill yourself?”

“I hardly need to try. I’m a magnet for life threatening situations. Though I’ll admit that today it was a personal decision.” He beamed, spreading his hands. “I simply wanted to help you make good on your threat.”

Zoya rolled her eyes. “Why are you here? Has something come up with the Fjerdans? Did the Kerch renegotiate the trade-”

“Zoya, Zoya, Zoya,” Nikolai sighed, tucking a wayward lock of hair behind her ear. “You worry too much.”

“I worry exactly the right amount for this fickle country. Answer the question, or I truly will have him target you.”

“Is it so hard to believe I came here only to see you?”

“Yes.”

“You wound me. But if you must know, I thought I could be of some assistance.”

“As target practice?”

He wrinkled his nose. “I’ve had quite enough of that. As a mentor. As a bribe, perhaps; for your little firecracker over there.” He glanced at Damyen, still stripping trees of their hard-earned leaves and seemingly unaware that he’d nearly killed his beloved idol.  “You seemed like you could use some help.”

She raised her chin disdainfully. “I am perfectly capable of wrangling the little-”

A loud crack sounded and the sky darkened rapidly, clouds swarming over their heads as rain began to pour furiously in a matter of seconds. A few meters away, a bright flash enveloped a tree, sending the trunk bursting into flames.

“Damyen!” Zoya screeched.

The boy stared at her, wide-eyed and grinning in a mix of elation and fear. “I made a storm, Your Highness!”

“Congratulations. Now do you mind stopping before you kill us all?”

“But I-” His eyes found Nikolai and realization set in as he beamed and the rain poured even harder. “Your Highness- es !”

Another boom, and a second, larger tree was wreathed in electricity and fire. It groaned, wobbling dangerously before crashing to the ground.

Nikolai’s brow furrowed, squinting against the pouring rain. “That,” he started. “Was a centuries-old sacred cypress planted by the first Lantsov kings. Now firewood. Impressive.”

Damyen’s chest puffed with pride.

“You can fawn over each other later,” Zoya snapped. “Damyen, enough with the storm. Turn it off before you start a forest fire.”

He grinned sheepishly. “How?”

She muttered obscenities, raising her hands and dispelling the clouds with a flick of her wrists. The sky cleared, small patches of pouring rain left to quell the still-burning trees as Nikolai whistled appreciatively, clapping; and Damyen gave a small bow. Saints, these two would be the death of her.

“So,” Nikolai said, soft enough that Damyen couldn’t hear. “Changed your mind?”

She sighed. “Fine. Make your attempt. You’ve always loved trying your hand at the impossible.”

“Improbable,” he corrected, then strolled over to Damyen, running a hand through the golden strands plastered to his forehead. Soaking wet and almost cooked alive, and he still looked every bit the regal prince; she thought, a grudging, now-familiar fondness rushing through her like a horrible, tooth-rotting sweet. She scowled.

“Lovely morning,” The prince greeted. Damyen bent over in a hasty bow, but Nikolai waved his hand. “No need. Are you the wonderfully gifted Squaller her Highness speaks of so highly?”

Zoya snorted, but Damyen’s eyes practically doubled in size. “She does?”

“Oh, yes,” Nikolai said seriously. “You’re quite talented, I hear.” He lowered his voice to a theatrical whisper. “Just between the two of us,” muttered Nikolai, very much loud enough for Zoya to be able to hear. “I think you remind her of herself, when she was your age.”

She opened her mouth; ‘What utter bullshit,’ already on the tip of her tongue but Nikolai raised a gloved finger, eyes twinkling. With much effort, she clamped her mouth shut.

Damyen seemed he might faint on the spot. Nikolai went on. “Really, there’s quite a lot you two have in common. Powerful. Willful. In possession of a rather strong attachment to me.”

The young Grisha was eating up his words. Zoya wanted to strangle the both of them.

Nikolai took a seat on a faintly smoking tree stump. “You seem to have quite a lot going on for you, learning to summon lighting and all. A rather current affair, don’t you think?”

The silence seemed to stretch on infinitely. Then Damyen gave a toothy grin and guffawed far, far louder than that sorry excuse for a joke deserved.

“Oh for Saints’ sake, Nikolai,” she groaned, shoving her face into her hands.

“Zoya, dear; no need to thunder about like that,” Nikolai said soothingly. Damyen bit his cheek in an attempt to control himself, but whatever smidgen of respect he had left for her kept him silent for barely a second before he burst into a fit of giggles.

Zoya threw her arms up in frustration and from the clouds a deep, deafening roar answered her-- how’s that for thundering, you nincompoop-- as the sky flashed once more, bright streaks lacing every cloud in an intricate web. Damyen’s gleeful expression faltered at the sight but Nikolai only grinned wider, patting Damyen on the shoulder before standing and holding a hand out to catch the rain.

“Don’t let her dampen your spirits,” he called sagely over the rumble, and it took a good amount of self control not to smite him on the spot.  Nikolai flashed a thumbs-up at the boy before jogging over to the spot where Zoya stood, arms crossed and glaring. He clasped her hand in his, opening his mouth to speak.

“Not one word,” she warned. “Not a single pun or I will have Tolya read you every Ravkan epic in existence while dangling you off the palace roof.”

“No puns,” he promised. “For now. I only ask that perhaps you let the sun shine through-”

“I will not sugarcoat my instructions for whatever reason.”

“The storm, my dear,” he said gently. “Not your teaching methods. We’re nearly soaked through.”

She glanced towards his dripping sleeves and the damp fabric of her own kefta. “Fine,” Zoya muttered grudgingly, raising her free hand to call away the storm and let the clouds fade to fog. “But enough of this foolery. I can’t have Damyen running around being able to summon lightning and having no idea how to wrangle it. He has to learn.”

“And he will. Let me work my magic and I’ll have him perfectly eager to learn to control his.”

“Without the puns.”

“With slightly less puns?” He asked, brow knit together as if the fate of his jokes were a matter of life and death.

Zoya frowned, but Nikolai’s pleading look wore away at her and she sighed. “Slightly less puns.”

His eyes lit up and he beamed, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand. “You won’t regret this,” he promised.

“Oh, I will,” she remarked drily. “But perhaps not enough to shock you again if you can manage the walking fire hazard.”

“As you wish, Your Highness.” He bowed theatrically before turning and running back to Damyen with a ridiculous grin on his face, sunlight gilding his hair and shining in his gaze; his form so full of light that she couldn’t help but smile.

“Nikolai,” she called after him.

He turned, cocking his head. “Nazyalensky? Is everything alright?”

Zoya closed her eyes, sighing deeply. She opened her palm, summoning the smallest thundercloud, letting raindrops pool in her outstretched hand. “Right as rain, Lantsov.”

He laughed, and the sound, golden and unrestrained and bright, was worth every joke she’d ever have to endure.