#cashew sounds too cute

[ghoulnextdior]

Old Dog

[blushblushbear]

Quiet in the Library

One shot Cashew NS/FW

Cash and the reader fool around in the library ;3

uhhh content warning for public stuff and dirty talk! GN!Reader!

The library was always such a weird place.

Sometimes it can be a quiet haven full of pages upon pages of adventure, mystery, romance, and all manner of daring do all for you to explore at your leisure.

But other times it was a stiflingly quiet prison where you were to make little to no sound and try your best to focus without falling asleep.

Right now it was the later...

You and your boyfriend had made your way to the campus library late that night to partake in a study date-- getting through the more boring subjects would be easier together, yeah? And the need to keep quiet would mean that you two wouldn't end up just talking about book series for hours upon hours without getting a single thing done, right?

Wrong.

Both of you had different classes to study for, and the need for silence meant that there was nothing to keep the boredom and deary tedium from turning into tiredness.

So now you're sitting here next to your adorable little nerd of a boyfriend who can not help you with your work and whom you can't even talk to as a distraction.

Ya know for bibliophiles, you both really didn't think this through. I guess being well read didn't translate to good planning...

So now you sit here, eye lids feeling heavy as your focus begins to drift yet again. Your vision goes dim for a moment as your eyes begin to close, before you start awake in your seat, shaking your head as you straighten yourself upright.

You look over at Cashew, whose attention as been wrapped in his textbook for the last hour or so. You don't know how he does it... how can he keep such focus? He didn't even look up when you jumped a little just now.

'Must be nice...' you think to yourself as you lower your textbook and rest your head on the edge of the table, pouting down at the boring gray carpeted floor. You look at your own feet, then to Cashew's-- and that's when you notice something out of the corner of your eye.

Wait.

You sit back up, taking a good look at Cashew's face, his attention fully wrapped in his text book, a light blush sprinkled across his face, and a smile teases the corner of his lips as he bites at them.

You lean toward him to read over his shoulder, and you're almost gobsmacked when you see a second book nestled into the crook of his textbook.

"Dude, seriously?!" You whisper into his ear. That got his attention. His face snaps toward you looking all flavors of embarrassed. "We're supposed to be studying!"

"I-I am." He whispers back. "Or, I was... but then I started to get really zoned out-- so I thought, hey, a one chapter wouldn't hurt! But then that chapter ended on a cliffhanger and well..." He looked away shyly as he closed his book(s) part way, "I-it's just a little break... a-a little break never hurt anyone."

You leaned in closer and got even more quiet as you said,

"You're hard in the library."

Cashew blushed even harder and continued to refuse eye contact as his glasses started to fog,

"It got... spicy..."

You glared at him for a moment-- or well, at least the back of his head. He was practically hiding his face in his shoulder at this point as his blush spread visibly to his ears and his body shifted in shyly.

"D-don't look at me..." he muttered in an embarrassed little whine.

You paused for a moment, feeling your face grow warm too.

'He's lucky he's so damn cute...' you thought as your scooted your chair closer to him.

A small squeak escaped throat as he jumped slightly at the sudden feeling of your hand on his thigh. Leaning in casually, attempting to give away nothing, you pressed your lips to his ear.

"Want me to help you with it?" you whispered smoothly.

His eyes went wide as his gaze snapped back toward you. He could feel his body shaking as he took you in-- your body pressing close to his, your hand rubbing lightly on his thigh, the warmth of the contact, your sly smile, that sultry look in your eyes... He felt himself twitch weakly has he gasped out a,

"Yes please."

Your smirk tweaked as your hand began to rub up and down his thigh, sliding higher. You ran a finger teasingly up the front of his pants, and he let out another squeak as he gripped the books in his hands tightly.

"Shhhh," you soothed into his ear as you began to undo his belt. "Just keep reading..."

He felt as shiver run up his spine as your voice echoed through him. With shaky hands he reopened his book. He couldn't help but gulp as he felt you unbutton and unzip his pants. His eyes were looking at the page but he wasn't able to read a word. How could he? When he was already living a way better spicy scene.

He closed his eyes for a moment and gasped as he felt your finger run up the length of his partially clothed cock.

"So hard..." you purred against his ear. If his legs were shaking before they were practically trembling now.

He loved when you did this. When you played into fantasies he didn't even know he had. Little quirks and kinks and fetishes you always managed to find in the best way possible.

Touch me more.

Precum stained his boxers as you lightly ran your finger up and down the shape of his erect cock. "That's it... stay quiet Love..."

He also loved THIS. The teasing! This moment of building arousal where you bring him to the brink while barely even trying. He almost wished he wasn't such an easy mark for you-- that he had a higher tolerance for your voice, your touch, your eyes...

He glanced over at you. Cheeks flush, mouth smirking, eyes on fire. You know exactly what you do to him, and you loved doing it almost as much as he loves having it done.

You could knock a man dead with that look.

Or make a man cum.

There was another little spark in your eye and he looked back toward his book in a sudden pang of shyness. You let out a little chuckle into his ear and yep-- that's another shiver down his spine.

"I've barely touched you..." god every time you spoke he melted a little bit, "Why do you look like your ready to blow?"

'more teasing...' Cashew thought dreamily as his cock twitched and he leaned slightly into your touch.

Please please please please please...

"Hmm... you like it that much?" You grazed your hand down his length, starting to rub slowly as you palmed him over his underwear, "You like when I touch you?"

Oh GOD yes!

How are you barely making any sound and yet still completely tearing him apart??? It would be maddening if it wasn't so AMAZING.

"Y-yes..." Cashew responded with a shaky whisper. You let out a little pleased hum against his ear as you moved your hand faster.

"You don't even care where we are, do you?" Cashew bit his lip as he tried his best to keep his gaze on the book in his hands. "Just so long as I touch you." You leaned in a little more, moving your hand even faster as you whisper into his ear, "I bet you'd let me pin you to the table and fuck you right here. You'd let all these people watch as I made you my little play thing."

Yes yes yes yes yes YES!

Cash let out a stifled whimper that boarded on being loud.

"Hush, Love. You don't want to get caught do you?" You let out another teasing chuckle as you steadily stroked him stupid through his boxers. "Be too loud and I stop." Why are your threats so hot?? And then as a cherry on top, you bit his ear.

Cashew willed every muscle in his body to stay as still as possible, swallowing every sound. Why was this so hot?? Why were you so hot??? No. No he couldn't! He was at his limit! He damn near bit through his lip as he dropped his books on the table, leaned his head back and made the biggest mess of himself in his pants.

And after a beat of silence, and after coming down for that amazing high, he pulls up his pants in one shift motion and legs it to the bathroom so fast he's almost a blur.

After cleaning himself up he returns to you reading his book.

"H-hey." He says shyly as he plops back down in his chair. You looked back up at him with a playful smile and HOLY SMOKES you're so attractive.

"Hey."

Cash clears his throat.

"O-okay that was amazing... You're amazing..." He leans over and kisses your cheek. "Thank you."

"Anytime." You say with a wink.

He looks over and sees you reading the part he was just at.

"Hey is that--?"

"Mhm. Gimme a minute to finish this chapter," you said slyly, "and maybe you can return the favor."

GOD he loved you.

[qiutls]

TNGDH 011

'Ack, my whole body is aching...'

I can't count how many days I've been working out in this supposed no exercise life of mine.

As if that wasn't enough for the muscles of my body to scream out of pain, the uncomfortable cohabitation with mealworms lasted all night and I had no choice but to sleep at the top of the slide which was a tight fit for me.

How can someone sleep with a bug by their bedside. I can't do it. I mean, I'm a cowardly urban type of person who can't even farm because of insects.

I really can't live like this. This is unfair, I want to run away from home. That's it, I'm leaving the house!

"I prepared a different special meal for you today, Cashew Nut."

Just as I've made up my mind, Kyle came into the study to collect the bugs at the corner of the house.

"Sen said this raw food might not be to your taste. It's my fault."

― Eek! [ That's right, you were wrong. ]

"This morning I prepared dried pollack, and later in the evening I'll let you have some beef. There's plenty of meat because it's festival season. Tomorrow, should I bring you some chicken?"

'... Maybe I should think about running away twice.'

Hmm. That's right put your whole heart into it, since you're set in taking care of me anyways.

Kyle's face lit up noticeably as I came down the slide and looked up at him. He quickly put a piece of dried pollack in my hand and took the water bowl I spilled and filled it with clean water.

I nibbled away at the dried pollack. It seems it wasn't seasoned at all since he was planning on giving it to me, so it tasted a little bland, but it was worth eating. To be honest, this is a blessing considering the past few meals he tried to make me eat.

'It should've been like this in the first place.'

If I had no choice but to eat the bugs... Ah my poor life.

I choked and drummed my fist on my chest, then Kyle placed the water bowl beside me.

"The castle's atmosphere has been unsettling recently. Although you'll only be staying here and there's really nothing to worry about, just in case that pervert who confessed comes back..."

― Squeak!

I suddenly choked drinking the water and it almost went through my nose.

'W-what? The p-pervert who confessed?!'

Isn't that me? No, but which crazy bastard made that as my nickname?

"But don't worry, Cashew Nut, you have nothing to worry about, I've placed a guard in front of the study."

Of course, I have nothing to worry about, because that pervert is actually me...

When I shook my head, Kyle lifted me up and made a face as if he was dying because of my cuteness, then proceeded to shower me with kisses.

Hey, stop! Why do you care about kissing me more than giving me food. Do your men know you live like this, huh? 

You said you were the Duke of the North. You said you were the strongest knight in Minehardt, and that you don't have tears nor blood. You're supposed to be the greatest leader of this barren wasteland. But you're just a damn hamster otaku!

"Your Highness."

Someone knocked on the door and Kyle put me back inside the house in the speed of light, and pretended nothing was amiss.

He spoke with a stern look, as if he was a completely different person.

"Come on in."

Wah, are you really the same person just now.

I can't get used to it, no matter how many times I see it. He completely turned his back from my gaze and received a report from the knight.

The second prince, Belial Serena Minehardt, was about to arrive at the estate.

*his name is Serena too... I thought only empresses could have that name bc the book said so, maybe the second name of the characters are their mom's name, since Kyle's second name was Jane?*

The report was so meticulous that it seemed unusual, the knight reported everything from the welcome procession, the location of all decorations, the route from the entrance of the castle to the dining area, down to the menu and ingredients.

It sounded like an irregular audit just by listening to the contents, Kyle's serious expression shows just how much importance was given to make this perfect.

'I knew you weren't on good terms with the royal family, and I even heard the servants talk about it while I was human... Just how serious is it?'

If you look at his expression now, you would think Kyle was fighting against demonic beasts.

"I should leave now."

Kyle glanced back at me. His eyes filled with lingering feelings.

I don't know if he just likes to hide his gentle feelings, or if he's only gentle to me. Or maybe he's only sweet towards animals, well there's no harm in it...

"Goodbye, Cashew Nut."

I held out my hand instead of answering. Give me one more dried pollack before you go.

"It's not good for you if you eat a lot, hmm?"

He whispered.

'... Okay...'

I decided to lie down on my back and just imagine the food I wanted to eat.

A hamburger with three patties, hot pot, shrimp meatballs, a T-bone steak bigger than my face, two pieces of pork belly on top of a lettuce. Herring sashimi during autumn, yellowtail sashimi in winter and for spring...

As I lay down and rolled around after finishing the rest of the dried pollack, an idea suddenly came to mind.

'Come to think of it, why did Kyle have a bad relationship with the royal family? Although it's not a loss on his side, he's still a son of the previous emperor, what could've happened?'

Indeed, there are stories that you can't hear without shedding tears. You're supposed to be a prince living luxuriously, yet right now, you're acting as a duke in this barren land.

Kyle Jane Minehardt was not a very important character in the original. Moreover, he died quickly, so his past story was not treated as important.

System, do you know what he wants to achieve?  If I can lend a hand, then maybe the future might change.

[ Kyle's only wish is revenge. ]

'He also wants revenge?'

There are so many dreamers of revenge here and there.

It's probably because of his origin that he opposes the royal family. His biological mother was not accepted as a royal family member and lead to her taking her life in misery.

But that didn't make Belial and Kyle's relationship bad from the beginning. Maybe as he grew up, he started to despise Kyle.

The North was in danger, even though no one was actively trying to crush it, still it was good to reduce the possibilities of this happening, hence Kyle's meticulousness.

But despite Kyle's efforts to maintain peace in the North, Belial succeeded in his plan and found an excuse for the imperial family to pressure the North.

Just in time, the system showed the current situation as it happened in the original.

[ "Kyle Jane Minehardt, decorated an assault under the guise of a festival. There was proof that the chandelier fell on top of the Second Prince, Belial Serena Minehardt, at the banquet on the last day of the festival! In response, the Duke of Klein labels Kyle as an enemy of the imperial family and declares that he will confront everyone under the Blake's estate." ]

'That's it, this chandelier incident!'

On the last day of the festival, Belial's accident led to declare his maternal family's hostility towards the Blake estate.

And if it really happened, there's a possibility that Serena and Belial would first meet here. Sen might've been appointed to treat Belial's injury and they might have found out they shared the same goal.

If Belial, and his maternal family, the Duke of Klein, join forces together to antagonize Kyle, the North will be more isolated than it is now. That probably was the major cause of Kyle's death.

So, we need to stop this situation from happening.

'Since the banquet will happen on the last day...'

​There's a simple way to stop it, whatever I need to do, I just need to delay Belial's appearance so he can't appear during the banquet.

'What should I do...'

Should I meet Belial, first? I need to figure out how he looks like. I also have to think about how to persuade him not to attend the banquet. If it doesn't work out, then just hit him at a weak point.

It was time to remove the sawdust stuck in my front paws after a long day of thinking.

"Why do you keep soldiers by the door?"

An unfamiliar voice sounded outside the study.

It was a soft and gentle voice that was close to a whisper. Soon the door opened, and Kyle brought the guest inside as he answered.

​"I told you I strengthened the security because of a small matter."

He used a tone often use here in the study, a tone that made my nerves feel taut. The man behind Kyle laughed quietly.

"It seems even the Grand Duke's study encounters such unexpected changes."

​Is he telling Kyle that he can't even manage one of his rooms? A cold smile appeared on Kyle's face for a second and then it quickly disappeared. I stepped out of my hiding place and climbed to the side of the wheel on the top floor to look at them. Then, I finally saw the man sitting across Kyle.

[ Belial Serena Minehardt. ]

As expected, it was Belial.

Golden hair that shone like honey, bright green eyes, a lively yet gentle appearance. His eyes pointing downwards making him look like a gentle sheep and a polite smile adorned his face...

If I were to manifest a prince from a fairytale, I think it would look exactly like him. What am I saying, of course it would look like him, he's a real prince.

"Other than that, I heard you started to raise a strange beast in your study?"

Ah. That strange beast would be me.

As I chewed on the walnut I brought up to the top floor, I saw Kyle's eyebrows twitch. H-hey! Don't react!

"It's a magical beast cub that I saved from the eastern forest, it's none of your business."

"I heard demonic beasts eat people when they grow up. It is very courageous of the Grand Duke to raise such a beast."

Belial smiled at Kyle with his eyes closed, while he (Kyle) just stared at him expressionless.

There seemed to be an invisible spark between the two. The festival is just starting, so why are you two like this already. Let's get along, okay?

"Do you have any other plans regarding that beast?"

*Belial kept hinting Kyle will use the hamster to kill people in the future...*

...Ahhhh! I really can't stop you two huh?

"You cannot take back words once spoken, Prince Belial."

"Shouldn't you begin by saying no, Grand Duke?"

It was an obvious provocation. And it was a bad one, as it insinuates Kyle would like to commit treason.

But look at me, could you not say those kinds of words. When I grow up, I'll attack the imperial city? Am I not the size of half a palm? I'm only getting angry because you're spouting nonsense.

But Kyle seemed to be in a different situation. The cold air felt like it froze. I looked at them, rubbing my arms with my front paws.

'Hey... Don't tell me.'

You're not pulling out the sword are you? Be tolerable, don't commit murder. Just hang in there. Breathe.

"Don't suddenly throw a punch Kyle. You'll look as vulgar as your mother."

Kyle's hand crawled to the sword.

No! Don't kill him! Of course, I think he's a crazy bastard that shouldn't be forgiven for swearing at your mother, but still! Killing is not...

I didn't have much time to think about what to do in the situation. I jumped from the top floor and my body rolled down the slide.  Thump. Clack. Thump.

At the sudden sound, both of them were stunned and turned to look at me. 

".... Cashew Nut?"

Kyle was shocked and approached me quickly, when I didn't answer he shouted at the knight guarding the door.

"Take the prince to his chamber and bring a doctor quickly!"

The knight responded to the orders urgently. Then there was a creak as the door opened and someone stepped into the study.

It was Sen, who came to bring me snacks.

"..... Your Highness?"

"Sen, please lead the prince to his chamber."

Kyle said as he pulled me out of the hamster house. Sen took a second to assess the situation, then nodded and walked out of the study with Belial.

The noisy study quickly became silent, and I could feel Kyle's anxious gaze on me.

​'It should be fine now, right?'

It was an acting masterpiece that will go down in history.

[ ó﹏ò ]

Why! What! Look at how everyone was deceived. If this is not a masterpiece, then what is?

I moved my body as if I had just woken up, and Kyle sighed in relief. He put me closer to his face and asked in a gentle voice if I was okay.

As expected, I like this side of him more than him pretending to be indifferent.

*earlier in the chap, Kyle was pretending to be indifferent towards Soohyun when a knight/attendant was reporting the festival preparations*

novel ⠀✿⠀ next

[barrenclan]

Given that you’re a fan of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, do you have any ideas for a song/songs that would fit any character/s?

OH BOY! Absolutely! :D Here's a few;

"You Stupid Bitch" is obviously a perfect Slugpelt song; that kind of self-deprecation, especially the kind of sardonic hatred that it personifies. With the lyrics about Josh I can also imagine it taking place directly post-Cashew abandoning her.

"You ruined everything You stupid bitch You ruined everything You stupid, stupid bitch"

"Yes, Josh completes me, but how can that be When there's no me left to complete"

Hilariously, I can kinda imagine "After Everything I've Done For You" as a Ranger to Rainhaze song? Although not all of the lyrics fit I really like the tone of Ranger singing 'how dare you be so ungrateful, for me ruining your life'. It'd also pretty Dustfeather pretty well.

"After everything I've done for you (That I didn't ask for) Do you have any idea The work you're undoing?"

"What's that look on your face? You're horrified You think I'm a monster For doing your dirty work You think love is stainless and pure But beneath all the fantasy There's filth and there's gore"

And then as a complete joke how about "Let's Have Intercourse" with Deepdark. What a charmer! He's so early-season Nathanielcore.

I'm not adding lyrics... just listen to the song.

Yes, The Nowhere King is already on the PATFW playlist!

I do appreciate a good FNAF song, especially since Pizzaria is my second favorite game. (SL is first.) Hm, this one is interesting! I can see it fitting Rainhaze pretty well...

"It's a bright new day, and it's your time to shine Time to take your career into your own hands Spend all your money and the stars, they will align"

"Wait, I hear voices on every side And I wonder where And I wonder why Where do they hide?"

"I'm sorry, you've been misinformed This is just a never-ending labyrinth and nothing more Endless circles of fear Chasing cries of children that seem so near Out of reach, you will never find them Don't you see? This is where your story ends"

I can see it!

"Can't pick them out Can't press them in I'll never hide my scars"

"One unsheathed knife must glint In an alternate timeline's light One rust-ridden blade juts out Of a friendly moonstruck shape" <- I love this turn of phrase

We got a sleep motif reference boys! Pack it in!

Oh yeah! I've seen this song used for good PMVs before. I like this kind of music with Rainhaze, too; that stomp-clamp indie kind of sound.

"If they find the body in the basement In the very house that she was raised in" <- ohh......

"So when we get the sign From God I'll be the first to call them I'm taking back the number of the beast"

"Should I choose a noble occupation? If I did I'd only show up late and sick And they would stare at me with hatred"

Oh gosh yeah I do remember being a little confused by that ask. So ominous! But I agree, it's fitting for him.

"I roam these halls, search the night In hopes that I may see A remnant trace, a glimpse of you"

"There and then, I should have known It was me all along Nevermore to leave here Nevermore to leave here My love is the killing kind"

Rainhaze has this wonderful effect on people's brains where instead of Thoughts there is Rainhaze. Definitely adding "Her Sinking Sun" to the playlist.

"Torn apart from everyone Her sinking sun I watch it die"

"Animals begging to eat They can't survive Not meant to be"

"Flowers of skin and bone We're all alone Waiting to die"

"Water rushes through my heart It's torn apart By yr trusting eyes"

That's a cute idea, I like it! Well, not cute all the way, but you know what I mean. Or in another way... Pinepaw looking for Asphodelpaw after she disappears. A shorter timeline, but maybe more accurate to the song.

"Have you seen my sister, Evelyn? Dang, she's gone and wandered off again! I've been lookin' high and low Where oh where'd my sister go?"

"Is she studyin' Kabala? Did she win a million dollars? Or is she dead in a ditch somewhere?"

Boooo I ran out of links fuck you tumblr

[blush-blush-imagines]

Hey, how do you think Nimh, Scale, Poe and Cashew would react to being called a loving nickname by their partner for the first time?

Maaaan, this one was nice and cute. That's the sorta shit I live for, y'know?

~ Mod Sirina

Nimh

When you call him one he pauses for a minute, but then breaks out into one of the biggest grins you’ve ever seen him get, peppered with just the happiest little laugh you could imagine. 

He’s so excited!

He’s been wanting to use cute nicknames for you for months now, but he didn’t really want to break the seal on it

Because maybe you weren’t a nickname kind of person, you know?

But his ‘sweetheart’s and ‘darling’s are locked and loaded now! 

Always leans for more classic ones like those, too. 

Genuinely though he loves loves loves pet names 

You may never hear him say your name again, tbh.

Scale

Does not register to him that you’re even talking to him at first. 

Because Scale being as he is, he’s very certain that there should still be a level of professionalism in your relationship

…At least that’s what he’s been telling you

But you’re also breaking that ‘’’’’professionalism’’’’’ with a cartoon hammer, fr. 

The names get dumber and dumber. It gets to ‘Spicy Tuna Roll’ until he realizes you’ve been giving him pet names for weeks. 

Sure he sounds annoyed and fussy about it, but at this point you know him well enough to find the 2% separation between his annoyance and embarrassment. This is the latter.

Notably, he never actually tells you to stop. Just gets flustered every time it happens.

Poe

He finds pet names to be extremely embarrassing in the best way possible. 

He will never admit out loud that he really likes them, you have to pry that from his cold dead lips

But he does love them.

The first time you do it he almost curses the little flutter his heart does. 

But to him, there’s almost something… Pleasingly domestic about it. He hates that he doesn’t hate it. 

So, he never tells you to stop, he just gets this tiny dopey smile and the tips of his ears redden ever so slightly. 

He also isn’t one to give any nicknames. Not verbally, anyway. 

He has a fair share written down in one of his notebooks, but he’d rather die than have you find them yourself. 

Cashew

Cashew has always been one already predisposed to nicknames, primarily because he wants to occasionally forget his legal name is Cashew

He’s only really used to hearing ‘Cash’ though, so getting called anything cuter or romantic throws him off a bit

He looks to you, then away, then back to you before double checking that you did actually say the words you meant to.

And, whether you intended to or not, whatever you call him when you want his attention is an indicator of how long you’ve been trying to get his attention

‘Sweets’, or anything adjacent is used the first three-ish times, then Cash, then Cashew.

‘Nutter-Butter’ is specially reserved for when you’ve been trying to get his attention for a few minutes 

Dang page-turners

[jalapenobee]

"One hand at a time! Wait your turn!"

"Tough shit, I'm the one holding the bag."

"Calm your mullet, I bought it!"

"I never said you could call me 'mullet'."

"I said calm your mullet."

Keith frowned and stretched his hand away from Shiro, hoping to put the bag of space trail mix out of reach. In all honesty, Shiro did buy it, but there are these little things called M&M's that Keith wasn't willing to give up. It's an addiction he's…not proud of. Before he died, Texas would always buy bags of trail mix and Keith would always dig out the M&M's, leaving everything else behind. The raisins went to Texas, hence why they didn't just get a bag of the chocolate candies (besides, the trail mix was slightly cheaper).

M&M's held the place of first and favorite candy. Keith didn't share them with anyone, and he wasn't about to change his ways either.

Shiro yanked on Keith's other arm and nabbed the bag, purposefully taking an M&M (okay, how dare he) and chewing it extra loud and obnoxious for emphasis. "Mmm…"

Keith slumped back on the couch, muttering choice words to himself that his brother doesn't bother to correct. "Gimme a handful."

Reluctantly obliging, Shiro glares at Keith and plops a robotic handful of mostly-almonds trail mix in his hand. That bastard. Keith considers separating the less important things from the candy and throwing them at his brother. He almost does, before he remembers the last time he tried pulling something like that (in which saliva covered pretzels were thrown right back at him) and decides maybe he doesn't need a shower that day.

(At a time like this, Keith would note the sun coming in through the windows because it feels like a Tuesday afternoon. However, they're in space. There's no sun nearby at the moment. So instead, Keith notes the fluorescent lights overhead and dark void outside the castle and pretends it's a Tuesday afternoon. In space. Anyways.)

Shiro left for the kitchen, probably to grab a drink or another snack. Keith stayed behind on the couch, tossing some of his trail mix in the air before catching it with his mouth. He missed a lot of them, but that's not important.

What is (somewhat) important is that he ate the trail mix in order of Very Bad Stuff to M&M's. More specifically: almonds, then peanuts, then cashews and raisins, then M&M's. Also, he lined up the chocolate candy in rainbow order. Just saying. Keith popped the first red M&M in his mouth and fractured it with a satisfying crunch. Sounded nice, really. Kind of like an enemy's neck snapping.

But let's not dwell on that. Let's dwell on the fact that Lance had just walked into the common room after an unforgiving session of combat training, all sweaty and tired and face flushed that did not, in any way, make Keith think that he looked cute when he was exhausted. Because he didn't think like that, he scooted to the far side of the couch when Lance sat down. Enjoying his candy in peace would have to wait.

Lance side-eyed Keith and his small handful of M&M's. "...What are those?"

"None of your business."

Keith attempted to shield the candy further by leaning away, only resulting in Lance leaning to stretch over him and oh God what the fuck is happening Shiro come back (or maybe don't, it'd be super awkward and Keith is not up for losing any more of his dignity) and save him why is Lance so close why can Keith feel his neck getting hot-

"Are those M&M's? Can I have one?"

Well. Fuck Lance and his stupid puppy eyes. Keith quickly glanced at his hand, which only held five more M&M's that he was not intent on giving up. Lance wasn't worth even half an M&M, really. He's his rival! He shouldn't be forced to give him any! So why does he feel like he should?

Probably because Lance is leaning over him a little too close and that is the only reason Keith will cave in. Definitely the only reason. Maybe.

Keith shoved Lance back to his side of the couch and threw two M&M's at him, instantly regretting it and cursing himself for not giving him just one and furthermore for not licking it first. Lance being Lance, caught one in his mouth and one in his hand, thanking Keith with that dumb smile that was not endearing whatsoever.

And then Shiro decided to make his entrance, casually walking in with a bottle of water (was it?) in hand and muttering to himself, something about "who put the water in the way back of the fridge behind all the food goo because I swear-"

And then he noticed Lance, M&M still in hand, sitting in Shiro's previous spot, with an oblivious smile on his face and Keith looking grumpy and glaring at the blue paladin.

And then he decided to open his big stupid fucking mouth to inquire about Lance's food. "Is that an M&M?"

Lance nodded enthusiastically and ate the said M&M. Shiro bit back a smirk as Keith narrowed his eyes and slowly started rising from the couch. "I can and will kill you in your sleep so you better- Shiro. Shiro, stop backing away oh my God-"

Such an innocent question. With such humiliating consequences for Keith.

Pidge was gonna looove this.

[lovemesomesurveys]

When’s the last time you ate bread? I'm about to eat a sandwich.

What’s the last movie you watched on your own? I watched Mrs. Doubtfire earlier and now Freaky Friday is on.

What about the last movie you watched with another person? My mom and I watched some of Avengers: Endgame last night before bed.

How many coats do you own? I have a few. I kinda feel ready to go through my clothes again and try to get rid of some more.

What about shoes? I have 6 pairs of shoes.

One word to describe your most recent ex? Funny.

Where, in your current country, would you like to live, other than where you do now? I'm honestly not sure. I know I don't want to stay here forever. I'd love to move in the very near future, but that probably won't happen.

Do you like snow? Yes.

Do you like sheer clothing? No.

Have you ever seen anyone famous in the street? When I first saw the Jonas Brothers early on I did actually see Joe and Kevin behind the building near their tour bus. I acted like the awkward weirdo I am and waved at them like a giddy idiot, ha. I was too nervous to actually go over there, though. Trust me, I kicked myself forever after that for not going up to meet them and getting a picture. It was the perfect opportunity.

Are you hungry right now? I am, so I'm gonna take a break from this and eat my sandwich.

Are you regularly tired? Yes. In fact, after I ate my sandwich I ended up taking like a 3 hour "nap." So, this is now being done much later, ha.

What was the last thing to upset you? I've been been extra irritable and sensitive again lately, which is something that I actually felt my depression med I started taking last year was helping with. I was also prescribed Rexulti in additon to what I'm taking, but I haven't taken it as consistently for different reasons and I'm wondering if that has something to do with it. I'm also on an anti-anxiety med, which had been helping with that as well so I don't know. And I already know I won't be able to get an increase in the dosage for any of those. Sigh.

How’s the weather been today? I didn't go out at all, but according to the weather app it was like 93 F today. Not fall weather at all that's for sure.

What was the first tattoo you got or what would be the first tattoo you’ll get? I don't have any, but since I was a teenager I've wanted to get 'free bird'.

What was the last store you went into and did you buy anything? It's this store called Daiso, which is kinda like a Japanese Dollar Store or a little more. It's got a lot of cute stuff. I always get a little carried away whenever I go in there.

Have you ever been late for school or work? Yeah. I hate being late so it wasn't a common occurrence. I used to be really anal about that.

Do you prefer to shower in the morning or at night? Always at night.

What is your favourite kind of fruit cobbler? Not a fruit cobbler kind of person.

Is there a basement in your house? If so, what is it used for? No.

Have you driven a car today? I don't drive.

Do you have a small, medium or large bedroom? It's too small. I've definitely outgrown it. Or maybe I have too much stuff but no it's just small okay shhh

Where was your first job and how old were you? I haven't had a job, yet.

Have you eaten soup this week? No. That doesn't sound appealing still it still feels very much like summer and I hate it.

Are you a fan of The Office? I just couldn't get into it.

When was the last time you started a new medication? A couple months ago.

What is your favourite type of nut? I very rarely eat nuts, it's been quite awhile since I've had any like I don't even remember. But anyway, that being said I do like a few like peanuts, cashews, pistachios, and season (not plain) almonds.

Do you know anyone who doesn’t have a middle name? Yeah.

Have you put your phone on silent today? No. The only time I do that is when I'm at the theater, and admittedly not always then. Not like my phone is blowing up with notifications.

Can you name all 50 US state capital cities? No, but I can name all 50 states in alphabetical order.

Do you read John Green novels? I only read a few.

Have you ever been to Universal Studios? I went once when I was like 7 and don't remember a whole lot to be honest. We also went to Disneyland after that and that I definitely remember.

Can you tie balloons? I can, but it can be hard sometimes.

When was the last time you were at a pet store? It's been a long time.

[edith-is-a-cat]

i know ill be the one perpetually online for 2 weeks

then idia will be off and on spitting out massive builds and has neitherite so fast too fast

cashew and poe are just generally confused but poe does build a base in the neather

i try to build a nice house for us but it looks a bit ugly since im not in creative and i just generally suck so it's mine and filled with pets

cashew might be living in a village finding it cute and adoring the iron golems

i tell poe the lore about my semi-piglin royality oc thing i have he tells me it sounds like a middle schooler wrote it and hes not wrong a middle school edie did

also i write stupid books for cashew to read and tried writing haikus for poe but i keep getting the syllable count wrong i suck at syllables and its in a little library that I made at spawn and if i do say so myself its very cute

yeah anyways

[albertbutyoucancallmebert]

@stuckinuniformdevelopment

(prev) Teddy grinned at the sound of Bert’s voice and turned around. Finally! He was back! And that meant he could actually talk to him (well, text him) without it being filtered through a stranger! It took all of Teddy’s mental strength to not pull Bert into a tight hug and beg him to not disappear off the face of the galaxy again. The latter wouldn’t happen even if they weren’t pretending to be merely coworkers. Too clingy. “Just in time,” Teddy said as he started to load Sherri Jr’s supplies into her cart. “I’ve collected all the data I needed.” Then Teddy roused her by rubbing her belly with his finger, and scooped her up to hold her up to Bert. “Sample 72 is moldable enough to use. Thanks to you I was able to confirm that unlike sample 168, it doesn’t cause skin problems from prolonged exposure.” Teddy put his finger in front of Sherri Jr, both because it was cute how she liked to “hold” hands and to help show off his handiwork. “You can keep the prototypes. They already fulfilled their purpose and Giuseppe should start producing full-sized versions soon.”

From his stoic friend holding hands with a rat to Sherri Jr’s snazzy new gloves, Bert had to put a hand up to his mouth to stifle laughter. He then scooped Sherri Jr from Teddy’s hands and held her in the air as she let out some delighted squeaks. 

Bert spoke in a baby voice. “Were you a good helper? You helped Teddy make some new gloves? No skin problems for you? Did you get plenty of cashews?” 

He then realized he was letting his guard down far too much. He cleared his throat and set Sherri Jr down in her cage.

“Ahem. I’m glad specimen no. 1098374 was able to aid you in your research, Theodore. I shall be taking her back now for research of my own.”

Bert grabbed a hold of the cart and smiled wide again at Teddy. “Thank you.”

[stuckinuniformdevelopment]

@albertbutyoucancallmebert

(Previous) Sherri Jr. gladly got up to take the cashew and nibbled a little bit of it before lazily curling back into the bed. Bert stared at his suitcase. “I do not know why. No matter how many times I remind them of my actual name, they seem to forget. I guess that’s all I am to most people. Like a curse or something." He glanced at Teddy. "I guess you’re just better at remembering things.” He then looked at his hand. “But I do know where I’m going. I’m going to stay with a friend, is all.” Bert also took an awkward pause before meeting Teddy’s eye again. “Be honest with me, scientist to scientist. Does ant robotics sound stupid to you too?”

"Odd... I usually only bother to learn the names of people I interact with on a daily basis but..." Teddy softly smiled at Sherri Jr before looking back up. "...You seemed rather memorable to me."

He was mentally debating whether he should ask about his friend or wait to text him when Bert asked about his project. Teddy quickly averted his eye.

"Well... I..." He nervously tugged at his bowtie. "...fail to see what it offers that traditional robotics doesn't."

It was a cute project. And Teddy admired Bert's creativity! Yet he understood why Commander Peepers was upset about how Bert spent his research budget.

"That's not to say I don't trust your vision." Teddy grinned at Bert as he went to put his hand on his shoulder, before remembering that they were pretending to be near-strangers.

"Could you tell me about it when you have time?"

[bluesylveon2]

Levihan panda AU winkity wonkity

Hi Anon! I honestly had some trouble trying to figure out what to write. I even asked @immagoudaboi for help lol. Anyways, I hope that you like this. Tbh it is more of a Minecraft au than a panda au, but there is a panda! I took inspiration from Minecraft Let's Plays.

The Big Surprise

Hange Zoe ran like her life depended on it.

It has been days since Hange left her base. She had tracked through multiple terrains and fought off various mobs to follow a green pearl floating across the sky. Her eye remained focused on the Eye as it sailed through the jungle. This was her last Eye and her only chance of finding The End before Levi kills her for messing up. None of them wanted to face off another Enderman anyway.

Hange stopped running to catch her breath. She had swiftly weaved through the tall grass while ignoring the sounds of ocelots or parrots. Suddenly, the Eye stopped and shattered, scattering small dots of purple light and leaving nothing behind.

“I-” huff “need” huff “to make a note of this.” Hange gasped, trying to catch her breath. She reached over to her backpack to grab her empty map and pencil. Hange took note of her surroundings as she marked the map of her current position.

“X is -420, and Y is 69,” Hange muttered to herself as she scribbled and threw her stuff back inside her backpack. “Time to go home.” Hange smiled to herself and began her march back. She decided that now was the perfect time to check out her surroundings now that she was not in a rush. There were thick jungle trees, tall grass, ferns, and colorful parrots flying around.

Hange was in awe of the beauty.

If only Levi was here. She mused to herself, thinking of her stoic boyfriend who stayed behind to tend the base.

The scenery changed from tall trees to tall bamboo. Suddenly, Hange had an idea.

“I could use this for the base,” Hange exclaimed with glee. The bamboo would be perfect for the farm and for fuel. She set her backpack down and pulled out her diamond ax. She gripped it with both hands and was ready to swing when something walked by the corner of her eye. Hange set her ax down and stared at the newcomer with awe. She was familiar with h9w pandas have multiple personalities, but not a brown panda! Who cares about The End? Hange needed to show this to Levi now!

The panda casually trotted along without the care of Hange watching nearby. It walked towards a bamboo tree, sat down, and began to roll around in the sunlight. Meanwhile, Hange loved how cute it was. She decided to bring it home with her.

Hange quietly grabbed her ax again to chop off some bamboo. She slowly crept towards the unsuspecting panda with a grin on her face.

“You are coming home with me~.”

---

Levi Ackerman was busy harvesting the crops. He was in the process of storing the carrots when Hange’s voice called out to him. He decided to stay back to prepare for their biggest adventure while Hange was out on her own.

“LEVI!!! I’M HOME!” Hange yelled, slightly startling the chickens nearby.

“Hi, Hange,” Levi replied but remained focused on his task. He noted how Hange’s voice came from the shore and concluded that she must have arrived by boat.

“I found The End, and I brought you a surprise.”

“You better not have brought a creeper home,” Levi said with a monotone, and Hange scoffed.

“Of course not. I wouldn’t be here talking to you right now if I did.”

“Uh-huh,” Levi replied and closed the chest. He stood up and turned around to properly greet Hange. “What the-”

“I found a brown panda! A brown panda, Levi! Can’t you believe it? It’s so rare too!”

“And you brought it home?” He asked skeptically while eyeing the panda currently lying around in the boat.

“Yep.” Hange replied, popping the p, “I named it Cashew.”

“Of course, you did.” Levi sighed. Looks like Hange brought home another pet. He thought and turned to look at the zoo of a front yard. That zoo was part of Hange’s plan to defeat the Ender Dragon.

Levi admitted to himself that it was a crazy, Hange-style plan as he glanced at Hange baby talking to Cashew.

This was going to be a chaotic fight.

©: This is where I insert all rights reserved stuff. This story belongs to me. Do not modify or republish.

[istherewifiinhell]

Listen for that toaster pop and grab some butter its time to take a big crunchy bite of Novembers Bread Poll Math

Total takers: 31 (jesus christ)

Flavour section

Strawberries - 13, Sweet Potato - 7, Cranberries - 6, Golden Raisins AND Dried Apricots - 2, Raisins - 1

Texture Section

Sliced Almonds - 13, Walnuts AND Sunflower Seed - 6, Pumpkin Seed - 3, Cashews - 2, Pistachios - 1

Sweetener Section

Brown Sugar - 14, Honey - 8, Maple Syrup - 4, White Sugar - 3, Golden Syrup AND Molasses - 1

It seems the Allure of God Tier Fruit strawberries was too strong for the other flavour items to catch up, even if its maybe less conventional in non pastry bread.

Similarly as I forced ppl to choose a seed or nut I wonder if the mildness of sliced almond drew the appeal here.

And for the sugar, listen folks i think we must admit we are but Ye Olde Childen celebrating for the brown sugar penny candies we have been brought and will savory rapturously. Brown Sugar Good.

Simple inclusion suggestions where sparse this round. One person was sad I did not have herbs, again, (sorry, I'll work on adding it to the next one). A taker that really wanted me to consider pork rinds (or as they put it prok rinds in bred), and someone who said teeth.

Combos Advocated for were Walnuts and Sunflower seeds (twice actually!), Pistachios and Almonds, and Honey and Brown Sugar (that was the last loaf in fact!).

This Quiz had a lot more people with different kinds of bread suggestions for me. Several Pumpkin breads (which is actually a loaf, not yeasted bread, which is what were doing here), banana bread (ditto and sorry but I don't like it!), latte bread (looking this up and same but I am intrigued, also chai latte bread which im imagining so wonderfully), cheese and green onion bread (compelling!), anpan (again looking up, rolls with red bean paste), bacon bread, honey glazed croissants and a bread that is swirled with regular and chocolate where all further suggestions.

And finally, to everyone who said something nice about the last loaf! thank you! But most of all the taker who said it was creature shaped and Glistening. How sweet yet horrifying.

So the bread to be Made is the very cute sounding to me, Strawberry and Sliced Almond Loaf sweetened with brown sugar.

Which. By the way, heres the base recipe I've been using for these loafs anyway

1/4 cup water, 1 cup butter milk (milk with lemon cmon now), 3 tbsp sugar (of choice), 1 1/2 tbsp of butter (any fat would be fine probably), 3 cups flour, 1tsp salt, 1/4 tsp baking soda (honestly not sure if its doing but its staying in for now), 2 tsp yeast, and 1 & 1/2 cup fixings of ur choice (literally)

[hanniiesuckle17]

Blue Skies Chpt 3: The Mexican Standoff

A/n: I know the title is hella weird so imma just drop a definition for yall. Mexican standoff- a confrontation in which neither party stands any chance of victory. (also this is not edited so sorryyy) Tag List is open <3

Tag List: @woodiegochile @mini-meanhoe @leggomylino @hanstagrams @desertofdessert @hoes4hoseok @jeonqqin @geminirules @mrsunshine999 @jisungsjheekies @hannie-squirrel00​ @cotccotc​ @kodzu-ken​ @konenichi​ @yangs-jeongin​ @binniebutter​ @orangegyu​ @little-precious-baby ​

Blue Skies TL: @etherealyoonghwa​ ​

Summary: Y/n and Hongjoong were only acquaintances in college. They were on the same dance team but never crossed paths until one day both took notice of the other. One magical night after a party resulted in Y/n leaving with a guilty and angry conscious and surprisingly a blue stick. Three years later, Hongjoong is a hit producer and Y/n is a successful single mom. What happens when their paths cross yet again?

☁

Hongjoong’s POV

The three of us walked down the street, hands shoved in out pockets. Yunho’s little brother had told him about this awesome bar he had been to the other night and now the six foot man was dragging both San and myself all the way to Sangsu-dong just to go to ‘The Tipsy Devil Pub’.

“You guys are so slow. Come one!” The giant bellowed, already several steps ahead of San and me.

The red neon sign glowed in the night. It was hard not to smile seeing the cheeky devil design illuminating the street below it. “This place better have amazing food.” San groaned as Yunho pushed open the door excitedly. A buzz of volume leaked out of the pub.

“It’s not like you’re going to eat it. You’re on a diet.” I said with a laugh.

“It could be my cheat day. You don’t control me.”

As we entered the establishment my ears were greeted with a familiar sound. The door shut behind me and I watched my two friends ahead take in the dimly lit and packed bar. From the speakers my song drifted over the heads of everyone in the room. 

Blue skies don’t stay when yours is the only smile in my mind

Lips on mine.

Legs entwined.

Little Miss Blue Skies will never see the sunrise.

Not with me.

Little Miss Blue Skies,

Come back to me.

Yunho smiled turning around to face me. His long finger point up as if gesturing to sound waves in the air. “Dude! They are playing Blue Skies!” I nodded, getting my own look around the bar. 

“You think if we are with him we can get free drinks?” San suggested, pushing to the back of the bar. A row of booths lined the wall, a maroon velvet covering the seats. 

“If you can afford that Chanel belt, you can afford your own martinis.”

“That’s offensive,” San paused, not bother to look back at me. “You know I drink Daiquiries.”

Yunho scoffed, sliding his long legs into the curved booth. “Like that’s any better.” I sat on the outside of the seat- my eyes scanning the crowded venue. My eyes fell on a certain figure sitting at the bar. 

He was a pretty lanky guy, but his features were soft and very attractive. One arm of his was wrapped around a young boy who couldn’t be much older than three. The boy sat in the stool next to the man, feet dangling over the edge. 

A nudge to my shoulder brought me back to the conversation which apparently had moved on without me. San tilted his head as if to ask what I was looking at. Not really knowing how to justify the fact I was looking at a three year old, I just pointed to the bar. 

“Who the fuck brings a child to a bar?” The handsome man scoffed, tossing a cashew into the air and catching it with his mouth. He grabbed another handful from the bowl on the table. Guess today was his cheat day.

Yunho followed where my gaze led and pouted his lips a little. “Oh- Gunho, told me about that. Apparently that’s one of the owner’s kid. Sometimes if they can’t find a sitter I guess one of their friends at the bar watches him.”

“So that’s his dad? The owner?” I asked, pointing to the good-looking man at the bar. 

My friend shook his head, stealing some nuts from San. “He said his mom runs the bar with her friend. I think she’s single.” He looked around all the moving bodies in the space before pointing to a woman behind the bar. She was turned away from us, but she gave off an aura that sent chills down my spine in a good way. 

“Single moms aren’t usually your type, hyung.” San laughed, flagging down a waitress to order some drinks. Tearing my eyes away from the girl’s back I turned to my friend, brows raised and questioning his teasing tone. 

“Hongjoong’s type are usually the ones who leave,” Yunho struggled to say without laughing. Seeing my glare he chose to sip on a glass of water. “I could have said you like psycotic bitches..... It’s really a toss up between the two.” 

I rolled my eyes, thanking the waitress and she handed us our drinks. After a few rounds of some random drink in a rocks glass (Never again was I going to let San order for me), I felt a tug on my sleeve. 

Thinking some drunk stranger just bumped into me I paid it no mind. Feeling a harder pull I turned, vision not quite keeping up with the speed of my body. Once my brain could decipher through the alcoholic daze I saw the little boy from before. 

“Hey, bud,” I put down my drink and saw that Yunho had a goofy smile on his face looking at the kid. Should have known the gentle giant liked kids. “Can I help you?” 

The toddler looked up at me with big curious eyes. “What’s your name?” The boy asked in choppy words. My brother had a daughter and she talked like that around this age. I smiled, leaning over to better speak with him.

“My name is Kim Hongjoong. What’s yours bud?”

The little boy smiled, revealing a toothy grin. “Mr. Kim you look like my daddy!” 

I blinked a couple times attempting to process what the young child just declared. The other two men with me froze as well. “Hyung- is there something you need to tell us?” San stuttered, looking from the boy to me. 

“I-I... I don’t think so....I haven’t had a girlfriend since.....”

“Blue Skies- we know.” Yunho interrupted. “Maybe you just look like the guy?”

I nodded, trying to convince myself that Yunho’s suggestion was probably the most likely one. There was probably a ninety percent chance I looked like the kid’s father. Wetting my now dry lips I said, “H-how do you know? Where’s your dad?”

The boy shrugged, completely oblivious to the panic on my face as most kids would be. “My daddy isn’t here, but my mommy showed me a picture of them together.” He stumbled over some of the bigger words and if I wasn’t freaking the fuck out I would have found it cute. “My daddy had dark hair though,” The boy smiled, pointing to my fading blue locks. 

Pushing past the lump growing in my throat I asked the question burning in the back of my slightly inebriated mind. “Where’s your mom?” 

Fully turning around, the little boy pointed to behind the bar where not only the man from before was staring at me, but also a familiar set of E/c eyes. Staring back at me was a face I thought I would never see again. A face I thought I lost. A face that left. 

Y/n. 

She looked just as beautiful if not more than when I remembered her. Unable to stop myself, I stood up trying to see her better from across the crowded room. “Hyung... is that?” Yunho asked, probably not wanting to say her name just in case. 

“Yeah.....that’s her.”

Before I could say anything else or turn back to the boy, a woman sprinted across the bar and scooped up the kid. As she was running towards the bar, the toddler waved at me with a clueless and happy grin. Even if I hadn’t just drank three...whatever San ordered...I don’t think I would have been able to process what happened in those next few seconds. The woman shouted something to Y/n, who nodded not even batting an eye as the in my eyes, kidnapper, rushed out the door with a man who challenged even Yunho’s height. 

Shaking myself out of shock, I pushed through the rowdy mass of intoxicated young people, Yunho and San following me. I never took my eyes off of Y/n, not even when she yelled something to a man coming out the kitchen and bolted towards the exit. 

The second she got to the door I switched directions only to be stopped by the handsome man from the bar and the guy who basically Naruto ran out of the kitchen. 

“Hey! Big fan! I’m Wooyoung,” Naruto said, introducing himself all while keeping me from following Y/n. “I’m one of the owners and I just want to say how honored I am you came tonight. Can I get you a drink?”

“No. I just need to talk to that girl.” 

“Sorry, dude. That’s not gonna happen.” The other guy stated. He obviously wasn’t strong and the owner, Wooyoung was holding me back the most but I got the feeling I didn’t want to mess with this guy. 

I sighed, looking back to Yunho and San who were being absolutely no help. “I just need to fucking talk to her okay!” 

The two shared a look, before the skinnier one turned back to me, shaking his head. He was about to open his mouth and say something when the more excited one interjected. “You know....I can’t let you go talk to her....but for the right price....I’ll give you her number.”

“Woo, you devil spawn.”

“He’s not going to agree to it-”

“Done.”

“Excuse me, what.....” Wooyoung turned away in surprise from the argument he was having with his friend. 

At this point I was desperate. Wooyoung’s eyes turned to saucers as I started pulling out all the cash in my wallet (which was quite a bit). “How much?” The two of the just stood staring at the money in my hand. “Not enough?” I heaved an anxious sight before looking over my shoulder at my friends. “Yunho give me your wallet.” 

Not batting an eye, the tall dancer gave it to me and let me start taking cash out of his billfold. I handed them the thick stack of cash, looking at them expectantly. Slowly, Wooyoung reached out and pocketed the money before speaking again. 

“You know I was just going to ask for a selfie, but that works too.”

Previous Chapter   ☁   Next Chapter

Blue Skies M.List

Masterlist

[rivers-rambles21]

The one with the road trip

Part 15 of The one where Bucky has a cute neigbour series!

Pairing: Bucky Barnes X Reader (f)

Warnings | 18+ only  - no smut but mentions of it

Chapter 15 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 1 | Masterlist

Apologies for any mistakes, this has been written on my phone and its a bit difficult to edit. Once I’m back with a working laptop I’ll give it a once over :)

Bucky had intended on renting a bike so you could ride down to Louisiana but with Sam’s suit it would’ve been an impossible feat. 

He settled for hiring an SUV and added you both to the insurance so you could take it in turns driving on the long trip down south. 

“Been together one day and we’re already on our first trip” You teased as you rested your feet on the dash, taking in the scenery as Bucky drove. His metal hand gripped the steering wheel as he peaked a glance over to your bare legs, resisting the urge to pull over. 

“You’re the one having a mid life crisis doll not me” You feigned offense and swatted the soldier beside you, pleased to get a hit in as he tried to dodge your attack. His eyes remained on the road as he grasped your hand in his. “Less of that thank you” He laughed, bringing your hand to his lips, leaving a kiss on the back before giving it back to rest on your thigh, his hand not leaving yours. 

“Looking forward to seeing Sam again?” He didn’t respond but his face said it all. “You’re so dramatic” You chuckled as you leant down to root around in your bag for the road trip snacks. Retrieving a bag of cashews, you offered it to Bucky who gladly took a handful. 

“I just know he’s going to ask a billion questions about stuff we’ve not even discussed yet, that we’re probably not even ready to talk about. He didn’t stop asking about you y’know? Y/n this, Y/n that…he kept threatening to ask you out.” 

“Oh he did” 

The car swerved slightly as Bucky's grip on the wheel tightened, his concentration lapsing for a split second. 

“He did what?” He asked, tearing his eyes from the road to glance over at you. 

“It was just a bit of harmless flirting-” You began before being cut off. 

“We flirted.” Bucky stated, his jaw clenching. 

“We also did a lot of things just friends don’t do. Relax Sarge, he only asked to get a reaction out of me.” 

Bucky grunted in response, knowing his reaction was a tad over the top but he couldn’t help it. You were his. 

“We could always mess with him in return.” You pondered as you took a swig of your drink. “Maybe hold off on telling him about us, it’s only meant to be a flying visit anyway isn’t it? So we wouldn’t have to pretend for long… play him at his own game?” 

Bucky smirked in response, completely on board with your little plan.

  The next few hours passed with the typical car games and a quick power nap as Bucky continued driving. 

“How long until you start at Starks?” 

“A month thank god, the GRC wanted me gone pretty quickly, I didn't have to work my notice which was a blessing really. I’ll schedule a day to go and clear out my desk and say my goodbyes. Will you still get your pension if we live out of the country?” 

“I’m not sure to be honest, I can pick up work wherever we are though, it wouldn’t be the first time. I’m good with my hands” 

“You’re telling me” You muttered under your breath. Bucky heard you loud and clear and let out a laugh as he recalled how you spent most of last night. “Are we crazy? Travelling with no plan, barely any money and only just starting out as a couple?” 

“Oh absolutely”

Eventually Bucky took a break from driving after you stopped for food in a roadside diner. It had been a while since you’d driven but you wanted to give Bucky the chance to get some sleep, something you knew he still struggled with. 

Despite telling him to try and get some sleep on the back seats, he remained upfront with you, doing his best to battle the drowsiness that had overcome him. He’d not gotten much rest the past few weeks, from battling the Flag Smashers in Europe, to hunting down Zemo and then back to New York. In truth he was worried he’d have a nightmare and wasn’t sure on how he’d react but upon your insistence, he tried to get some shut eye. After an hour or so he dropped off, the sound of you humming along to a song on the radio sending him off into a dreamless sleep. 

Bucky couldn’t quite believe it, he couldn’t remember the last time he slept without being haunted by memories of the Winter Soldier. Granted, he only got four hours of sleep , but it was the best he’d felt in a long time.

When it came to your turn to get some shut eye Bucky insisted on stopping over in a hotel for the night. You’d tried to convince him a motel would suffice after you lost the battle of you sleeping in the car but he was victorious. 

To be frank, after spending so many hours in the car, you were grateful to be sleeping in a bed with your super soldier by your side. 

As you slept, Bucky took the time to fire off a few emails advising he’d be ending his lease. Having slept earlier, he felt energised and was content in browsing the internet as you slept tucked into his arm. 

He did his best not to wake you as he opened a selfie from Shuri of her with Ayo and Nomble, a chuckle escaping his lips as Shuri and Nomble looked to be thoroughly enjoying themselves on a boat trip in New York whilst Ayo sulked in the background. 

He also replied to an email from his therapist's office, letting them know he’d be absent from his next session but planned on returning the following week.

Bucky was tempted to let Sam know he was coming but thought it best to surprise him.

The next day was much of the same, both of you switching the drive and stopping off at diners for food. Due to the lack of respect Bucky had for the speed limit, you were making good time and would be in Delacroix the following morning. 

“-it was like I didn’t exist. Honestly it was the most humbling experience of my life” 

“Sergeant Barnes in his uniform… now that is something I’ve got to see.” 

“Maybe one day”  

Your eyebrow perked at the thought. “Good god man” You groaned dramatically and sank further into your seat, giggling as you caught sight of the blush covering his cheeks. “For what it’s worth, lack of nutrients from the rationing clearly messed with her eyesight.” You were genuinely baffled how Peggy didn’t swoon for the man next to you.

“Where were you in the 40’s when I needed you huh?” 

“I doubt I’d have been your type” 

“Intelligent, strong woman with a great sense of humor? And thats not even mentioning your ass.. Oh no, definitely not my type” He replied sarcastically. 

“Ha ha fine, I’ll take your word for it.” 

“I’d have taken you dancing, maybe gone to a show or even the carnival. Anything you wanted.” He took your hand in his again and kissed the back of it as he pondered just how he’d of won you over back then. He usually didn't like to dwell on life before the war, the pain of losing his family and the future he lost was too much but having you in his life somehow made the memories hurt less. Having you with him now along with the future he could picture with you helped him make peace with his past life and accept that it wasn’t something he could ever go back to. 

When Steve was returning the stones, he did wonder whether he should go back with him but the realisation that there wasn’t anything waiting for him apart from a time that he didn't belong to made his decision to remain in the present resolute. And by god was he thankful he stayed.

On your way to your final hotel before arriving at Sams, you’d taken over the driving and had kept Bucky entertained with your off key singing and terrible car games. 

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me” As it turns out, Bucky was a sore loser. 

“What? It counts!!” 

“You cannot see bacteria Y/N” 

“Yes I can! It’s right...right… right there!” You pointed to a random bit of the car interior and held back a laugh at a clearly unamused Bucky.

“You’re so full of shit” 

“How do you know I can’t see it huh? Guess it’s my turn again, I spy with my little -” 

“No” He cut off as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Absolutely not. I’m going to choose a game.” 

You let out a little smile and continued focusing on the road until the super soldier landed on something he liked. 

“Okay okay, would you rather sounds fun. Doll, would you rather have the superpower of being invisible or ability to fly.” 

“Aw come on Buck these are tame! If I have to answer, without a doubt invisibility.” 

“Not dirty enough for you sweetheart?” A tingle rang down your spine at your new nickname. “I’d have to agree, invisibility easily.” 

“Buck you’re an actual superhero, you’ve already got powers, leave some for us mere mortals!” 

“... you think I’m a superhero?” 

“....you’re literally an Avenger.” You reached across towards the man beside you, keeping your eyes on the road as you pressed your hand against his forehead. “Are you feeling okay?” 

Bucky rolled his eyes at your sarcasm and swatted your hand away from his head. “Fine you made your point.” 

You shook your head as you returned your hand to the steering wheel, tapping away to the song on the radio. 

“The rest of these questions are boring” He muttered as he furiously scrolled through his cell. 

“C’mon, go R rated” 

“It’s no fun when I already know the answers to these!” 

“Pfft doubtful, come on, hit me” 

“Spit or swallow, you’re a swallower doll.See?” 

“Okay okay! You’re right, I give in. How about we just ask each other some questions?” 

“But you already know everything,” He remarked, throwing a few cashews into his mouth. 

“When did you first see me as someone other than a friend?” You’d thrown him off guard with that question, his hand stuck in mid air as he went to throw more snacks into his mouth. 

“Wouldn't you rather know my most embarrassing sexual encounters?” He offered but was met with silence. “Fine……. I’ve never seen you as just a friend. Yes we were friends before we became more and honestly Y/n if it never progressed further than just friendship I would’ve been fine with it, more than fine with it y’know? Meeting you was the best fucking thing-” “Buck, it’s okay” Your hand reached out towards him and squeezed his thigh as you kept your eyes on the road. 

“There’s more… before we officially met in the lobby when that creep wouldn’t leave you the fuck alone, I’d seen you around. I was coming back from lunch with Yori and he was complaining about having gone for burgers instead of our usual and there you were, headphones in completely oblivious to the world and searching for your keys in your purse as usual. You were just so carefree - everything I wanted to be. And then a couple of days later we met and I was a goner.”

You bit your lip as you fought back a smile, overwhelmed by his honesty. It was a welcome feeling, knowing you weren’t the only one that felt an attraction almost immediately. 

“I’d seen you around too, before we officially met I mean. It’s kind of hard to miss you” You chuckled as you snuck a glimpse over at him and found him doing his usual glare. “It was pretty early on for me as well, do you remember when we went for coffee?” 

“And you ordered us two cups of sugar? Yeah I remember” 

“Mocha Latte’s aren’t bad for you… they just give you a bit of a buzz” 

“Especially if you order extra cream…” 

“Anyway! I’ve always been attracted to you, I’m not blind y’know but after seeing this dark looming strong man consume a drink like that, and have some residue cream left on his lower lip mind you, I just knew that it was more than just a crush. There’s something oddly charming and attractive about seeing someone so intimidating be so soft. It’s like I’m the only one who gets to see that side of you and I love it” 

Bucky didn't quite know what to say, he was slightly flustered at the compliments you were throwing at him and by the knowledge that you’d been interested far earlier than he had ever dreamed of. 

“We’re idiots aren’t we? For not realising sooner.” 

“Oh without a doubt”

Tag list:

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[azul-marie]

Hello! Can I ask for a scenario of going on a cinema date with Anne?

hello! thank you for your request! this is only slightly inspired by real events — i’ll let you guess which part. (hint: the soda) i really hope you enjoy reading! take good care. ❤️

note: fem. reader

genre: romance

characters: anne faulkner.

“i’m pretty sure we can fit more in here.”

the two of you looked down at a stuffed, sagging sack that may have been anne’s purse at one point. you could hardly tell now by the layers of packaged chips, candy, and — to your amazement — an entire two-liter bottle of grape soda, but it was there, the poor thing, all at the mercy of your partner.

“annie, i’m pretty sure we’ll get caught if we do.”

their lips puckered in a pout, a rather cute display of insistence. “i wanted to take some licorice, though.”

“why don’t we buy some at the theatre?” you asked, eyeing a particular case of chocolate candies poking through the fabric at a weird angle. it was probably because of the lemonheads.

“and pay like, a bazillion dollars for them? honey, let’s be smart about this.”

“don’t you own a clothes brand now?”

“so?”

“so, you shouldn’t worry about some overly priced licorice. if you really want it, i can pay for—”

anne’s perfectly manicured finger touched the soft of your lips, pout turnt to a frown. “no way! i won’t let my honeybun get scammed. we’ll take it next time, then.”

it was decided. and it was only twenty minutes before the previews began, too.

a train ride, a short walk, and a wait in line later, anne fussed over his hair and yours, wanting to take a photo in front of a poster advertising the latest action movie you’ve come to watch. recommended by his followers, which was a game of hit or miss most times. you hoped it hit, for the sake of the poor purse on anne’s strong arm.

“ready and…” anne held up their phone to finally snap a picture. “there! so cute. let me post it, then we’ll go right in.”

“we’ll be late, you know.” you prod their side, though playfully in spirit. you knew how much they loved interacting with their fans, growing used to it over the time spent dating them. but admittedly, you were becoming rather anxious to sit down to watch through the last of the previews. plus, you wouldn’t want the popcorn to cool.

a few taps across his screen, then a click of his side button to close. you pressed an appreciative kiss to his cheek in return, making him huff with laughter at your hurrying. “alrighty, all done. c’mon, sugarcakes, let’s dig into our stash already.”

“hm! and you said you only wanted popcorn.” anne teases, grabbing your hand to guide you through the showroom’s door into a darkened hallway leading up to the auditorium. a fair crowd occupied the better seats already, leaving you two to scramble upstairs to beat out other couples filing in.

“middle seats it is.” anne whispers, practically racing the two of you into a pair of seats right in perfect vantage point of the screen. his franticness makes the two of you bubble up with laughter, silly as it is.

you settle down, as does he, although to look through the piles of snacks hidden away in his bag. to your delight, he pulls out your favorite and plops it on your lap, then a few for him on his own.

“oh, shoot,” anne curses suddenly, digging around. the loud crackle of snack bags and boxes fill the air, stirring together in a harmony. “baby, i forgot the cups!”

“the—the cups?” you ask, already halfway through cracking open your snack. “for the soda?”

“for the soda!” they say, bringing their hand up to cover their shocked grin. “i guess it’ll be bottoms up for now.”

“oh my god,” you laugh, “everyone’s gonna think we’re nuts.”

”speaking of—” more digging, more crackles, a proud smile when they lift up a different snack, “—want some trail mix?”

“with chocolate?”

“and candied cashews.”

“heck yeah.”

the room grew dark, the sounds of an opening scene slowly trickled in through the surrounding speakers. you hushed one another in play, giggling between bites and chews, through clumsy sips of grape fizz that were only slightly embarrassing. even if the movie didn’t turn out so good — at least the snacks were. and the company, too.

[wasabito]

had so much fun writing for my baby boy tendou, so here’s my entry for the hqhq sfw server collab! be sure to check out the rest on the masterlist found here! enjoy ✨

words: 3.0k

prompt: “you woke me up at 3am for this?”

synopsis: your neighbor is ridiculous, kind of annoying and little bit on the weird side, but you wouldn’t have him any other way.

You had to be the biggest idiot on the planet—an obvious exaggeration, yes, but you were still inclined to believe it was true. 

How else could you explain the feeling of being so utterly fed up with one’s actions like this? Were there enough words in the dictionary to describe just how exhausted you were by your own antics, more specifically, your forgetfulness since that’s what had landed you in a world of pain and embarrassment?

The answer was no.

You sat with your back pressed against your front door, head in your hands and chin tucked between your raised knees and chest. At your side was your wallet along with stacks of newspapers, coupons and whatever else had been stuffed in your mailbox, bills probably. Advertisements too. Honestly, it was hard to be happy about a new restaurant opening up down the block when you were currently stuck—locked out of your apartment to be precise.

The landlord of your cheap little complex wasn’t expected to be back for another hour according to the sign posted outside of his office. So until then, you’d remain posted up by your doorstep like some loiterer. 

You shifted in place and blew a puff of air from your lips, feeling little pinpricks in your legs. For the fifth time in the last forty-five minutes you felt like kicking yourself, hard.

The sun hung low, nearly touching the distant horizon signifying the end of another day. Even the sky was painted a warm umber, casting dim shadows.

“Locked out, huh?” came a snide, but accented voice.

It took you way longer than necessary to realize that suddenly you weren’t the only person on this floor. God, where was your head at?

A pair of forest green crocs stood before you, complete with a few odd charms and trinkets. A cartoon volleyball, pinned next to a smiley face, a donut and a gaudy “i heart paris” chain dangling from the ankle strap. A person’s shoes could say a lot about who they were...your mother thought so, at least.

Resisting the urge to projectile vomit all over this stranger’s rather questionable taste in footwear, your wary gaze panned upward, glossing over white tube socks and a pair of the longest legs you’ve ever seen on a person—yet another exaggeration. You came face to face with a crooked smile. Curious ruby eyes returned your stare with almost the same amount of scrutiny.

Who the hell was this guy?

Mystery-man easily towered over you, and not only because you were hunched over and sitting. He was tall as hell, all lanky build, gangly arms and legs disguising lithe muscle and a surprisingly sturdy frame. He looked like the i-run-every-morning type; semi-athletic at the very least. His buzzed hair was the color of cinnamon, no that wasn’t right, paprika maybe? Either way, it contrasted sharply with the paleness of his skin, so much so that you could see the faint blue of the veins in his arms.

“Yoohooo, anybody hooome?” He tilted his head at you.

“Huh? Oh uh, yeah, I’m locked out. I forgot my key inside and Mr. Laurent won’t be back until later.”

“Hmm. That sucks...”

“...Um… do I… do I know you or something? You look a little familiar.”

He pinned you with a funny look, before pulling out a set of keys from the back pocket of his shorts.

“Maybe you do, maybe you don’t~ I mean we are neighbors, after all.” Laughing as if he’d made some sort of joke, he entered his apartment with a twirl and a dramatic wave of his arms.

You stared at his door for a solid minute, only to finally succumb to your urges and facepalm at your own idiocy. Of course he looked familiar, how could he not when he literally lived four feet away.

With a sigh of resignation, you braced yourself for another hour spent sitting outside your front door. It wasn’t like there was any other place you could go or anyone you could call. The battery icon on your phone blinked red, warning that it was soon to run out of juice. Guess that meant no Among Us or Subway Surfer for you.

Five minutes later, the door next to you opened. It was Mystery-man again, but this time, he sat in front of his door, just like you were. And he did so with a bag of pretzels and a jar of nutella in hand.

“Must be bored out here by yourself.” He crunched on a pretzel before offering you the bag to take some. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep ya company.”

You weren’t sure why, but there was something about this guy that intrigued you. You half-wondered if it was the funny little curl of his smile, or the wideness of his eyes that made it seem like he was looking at all of you, all at once. 

"You must be pretty bored...uh,"

"Satori Tendou, but most people call me Tendou. Miracle boy works just fine too."

"Right... Tendou, as I was saying, you must be incredibly bored to come sit out here with me. You sure you don't have anything important to do?"

Tendou's grinned widened. "Positive! And it costs me nothing to be neighborly, so don't even sweat it."

That was...nice of him?

If sitting outside with you was the way he wanted to spend his late Tuesday afternoon who were you to deny him? And truthfully, you didn't mind the company, at least not really. Provided this guy wasn't some creepy-stalker-weirdo, you were sure there wasn't any harm in getting to know the person who lived one door over.

"So, Tendou, how long have you lived in the area? You don't really look like you're from around here...I could be wrong."

Tendou raised a thin brow at you. "Weeeell, if you're asking about how long I've lived next door, it would be about three maybe four months give or take, but if you're asking how long I've lived in Paris, it would be a year next month. Speaking of, I think Semisemi has a birthday coming up..."

You watched as he pulled out his cell phone and tapped away at the illuminated glass screen. You couldn't help but notice the goofy little anime stickers on his phone case. One in particular caught your attention.

“Is that...Kirara? From Inuyasha??”

“Oho! So, you recognize this?”

Backtracking, you mumble out, “Ah, well…only a little.” Though your face was turned away, the tiny smile on your lips was not hidden from Tendou and he thought you were pretty cute.

Funnily enough, what you had expected to be a rather unnerving and possibly creepy exchange turned out to be anything but. Tendou was incredibly fun to talk to—a bit teasing and a little overwhelming with his superfluous hand movements and gestures. But he was funny and a lot kinder that you would’ve given him credit for.

You learned that he was originally from Japan; it explained his accented French. He had come to Paris right out of high school to study culinary arts in one of the most renowned countries for it. Now he worked as a chocolatier, under the tutelage of a master patisserie in the city, an older man who was both a creative genius and a thorn in Tendou’s side. Tendou spoke of his teacher with equal parts awe and annoyance. 

And he got to know you too. How you’d found yourself in Paris, thousands of miles away from home in an effort to rediscover yourself in the city full of rich history and culture. 

You didn’t have many friends here, and it truly was a pleasure to make his acquaintance.

Soon, you both heard the telltale sound of jangling keys as your landlord rounded the corner with his clipboard in hand. Once you were able to get your door open, you waved a goodbye to Tendou.

“Thanks for keeping me company, you really didn’t have to.”

“No biggie, it was fun!” He threw a mischievous little grin and a peace-sign over his shoulder and reentered his apartment. 

You found yourself wanting to cross paths with him again, and hopefully in better circumstances. But you hadn't known your wishful thinking was soon to manifest as you ambled through grocery store aisles a week later, eyeing down any items with pictures on it.

“Why in the hell is this toilet paper so expensive.” You mumbled.

“So, you complain about the price of toilet paper, but wear sneakers that cost two-thirds our rent.” That voice sounded familiar, and after hearing it for about an hour just days ago, you were a bit surprised you could recognize it so quickly. 

Stunned, you looked up to find Satori Tendou, your quirky neighbor with an arm full of pita chips, a milk carton, and baby carrots.

“I never said I made the best choices.” You found yourself smiling despite the previous crease in your brow. “...Dude, get a cart before you drop everything.”

Instead of getting his own, he simply dumped what he had into your cart with a teasing grin. You couldn’t argue with his logic there. Tendou sidled up against you, once again towering over you with a kind of ease that should be criminal. “Need help reading something?”

You wanted to say no. You almost said no. But swallowing your pride, you gave a weak nod. “Yeah, this word right here.” Pointing to the unfamiliar script printed on the label. “What the heck is this?”

“Weeeeell, looks like that brand is scented, ya know, for when ya—”

“Don’t bother finishing that sentence...please.”

You quickly grab what you need and continue on down the aisle with Tendou following closely behind.

Just like when you’d first met him, he made conversation the entire way. By the time you both made it to the cash registers, you’d argued at least three times over french pronunciations and whether cashews were the cousin of peanuts.

And just as last time, he left you with a grin and a peace-sign while you stared after his retreating back, paid groceries in hand.

After an entire day spent baking, you found yourself on Tendou’s doorstep with a tupperware full of baked goodies later the next evening. You had been meaning to thank him for being such a good neighbor to you. It was certainly unexpected, but a welcome gesture nonetheless.

You only had to knock twice before the door was wrenched open and you were greeted with the set of...vanilla? Some pop song played in the background while your neighbor looked at you curiously.

"H-Hey Tendou, I um...I baked you these." You held out the plastic container, hoping he'd simply take it from you without question and you could return to your apartment without somehow embarrassing yourself. "There's a little bit of everything in there, oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, macadamia nut—wait you aren't allergic to anything, right?"

"Nooope! Not a thing, thanks neighbor!"

"It was no problem, especially since you've helped me, not once but twice now."

Frowning, you couldn't help but be a little upset with yourself. You'd come to France to prove that you could, in fact, live a normal life outside of your family’s jurisdiction but day by day you were proving to need them more and more. 

It was disappointing, to say the least.

"Hmm, what’s with the constipated look on your face. Did the toilet paper not help?” Tendou tilted his head at you with a teasing grin, lips curled at the edges, taunting. You blinked up at him, surprised, and if you were honest, a little annoyed too. 

"Hah?!"

"Just thought it was worth a mention, nighty-night~!"

Tendou proceeded to shut the door on you; one hand rested on the frame and the other held on to the cookies. You quickly took a step back lest he chop your entire arm off, ready to trudge off in the direction of your own home but not before sticking your tongue out at him.

Stupid Tendou, always saying stupid shit. 

You were on the couch, half asleep when it dawned on you that it had been his own twisted, “Tendou” way of cheering you up. 

The rest of the month passed just like that. Occasionally, you would bump into Tendou at the grocery store, or the leasing office, or even the laundromat. And every single time, he’d either make you laugh until your sides hurt or annoyed enough to want to give him a friendly punch. At one point, you two had even exchanged phone numbers, because according to Tendou “it was ridiculous not to have your friends on speedial” which only led to hours spent on Facetime or playing iMessage games.

You knew exchanging numbers would come back to bite you in the ass, it was only a matter of when.

It was clear you weren’t going to any sleep tonight, that was for sure. The incessant buzzing of your cell phone every five minutes was an enemy to your circadian rhythm. You could name on one hand those in your contacts with enough sense to know that you lived in a completely different time zone from them now.

Somehow your neighbor was the very last person you suspected, but it was his contact photo that stared back at you, goofy looking grin and all. You squinted against the brightness of your screen in your otherwise dark bedroom.

you up?

come quick

gotta show ya somethin

come oooon

you're awake, i know you are

It took you less than a minute to shuffle on a pair of slippers, grab your keys (you weren't going to forget them this time) and slip out of your apartment.

You hadn't even knocked twice before the door was pulled open. Tendou looked a mess, more so than usual. Unidentified stains littered the apron looped around his thin waist, streaks of what you hoped were just flour and granulated sugar were all over his hands. You almost wanted to ask if he was baking or dealing dope.

“You woke me up at three in the morning...for this?”

“Yuuup!”

"When I said you could call me at any time, I really didn’t mean any time.” You scratch your side, a contemplative look on your face at the sight of Tendou in what you would assume to be his pajamas. An old volleyball hoodie with the words "Shirazorizawa" printed across the front, and old sweats the were so obviously cut with scissors at the knee.

Rolling your eyes, you mumbled a curt, “Alright, move aside.”

Tendou ushered you over to his kitchen where several of his cooking supplies laid on the island, along with a tray of some chocolate dessert spread.

“It’s all still in the testing phase, but I think I’m onto something here.”

He was definitely giving off “mad scientist” vibes. You tried not to snort.

Holding a small chocolate cake in his hand, he smiled, a genuine smile this time. "Open wide."

You obeyed, far too tired to argue, and let him pop the treat into your mouth. Tendou watched as you chewed, as if it were the most interesting thing ever. His wide gaze carefully took in every shift in your expression.

"So? Whaddya think?"

"I...," You chewed a bit more. "...It's delicious! Is that—"

"—Pistachio, why yes it is!" 

Tendou was practically bouncing on his feet with excitement. "It takes the entire thing to a whole new level."

You had to agree with him there. This was probably the best chocolate madeleine you'd ever tasted. "Great work, miracle boy. Will you be introducing this new recipe to Claude?"

Mentioning his teacher seemed to sober him up a bit. "Ehh, maybe? The old man's a bit of traditionalist, so I'll just have to figure out a way to get him to approve."

"Maybe try calling him at three in the morning?" 

Tendou stuck his tongue out at you before popping a dessert in his mouth. The pure delight on his face was so contagious, you found yourself smiling just the same. You couldn’t help but admire his passion.

“Hey, Tendou… do you like your job?”

He blinked at you, chewing coming to a slow halt. “Well of course! The pay isn’t the best just yet, but it’s a labor of love. I’m willing to put my all into it at least.”

“Huh… that’s pretty cool.” You wiped your fingers on a nearby rag. “I hope to feel the same one day… if I can figure out what I wanna do.”

“Why not bake? You’re pretty good at it.”

“Oh am I? Last week you said my baking needed some work.”

“Well, duh, but my standards when it comes to confectionaries are impossibly high. Even so, I think you’d be successful as a baker. What’s stopping you from pursuing your labor of love?”

And that was the thing with Tendou. He talked a lot, teased even more, but it was never idle ramblings. Somehow, he always seemed to hit right at the heart of the issue with almost painfully uncomfortable accuracy.

“I don’t really know so…” You looked away, trailing off.

“Either way,” he said and placed a finger under your chin, raising your head until you were looking him in the eye. “I’m rooting for you.”

For a moment, you simply stared, awestruck. It was the first time in a long while someone was actually putting their faith in you, believing in you. He had come blazing into your life unabashed with his easy grins and gaze alight with mischief. His encouraging words, sincerity, sensitivity. Tendou was really incredible.

“Tendou…” You took his hand in yours, squeezing it. “Thanks. For everything.”

“Of course, what are neighbors for.”

BONUS:

Three months later you sat curled up next to Tendou on his sofa, his entire apartment smelled of chocolate cocoa with hints of cinnamon.

Before you was an application. Culinary school.

“You really think I can do this?”

Tendou placed his head on your shoulder with a tiny smirk. “One hundred and twenty percent!”

You pondered for a moment, then decided that if he thought you were up for the challenge then you’d believe him.

“For the record, you probably aren’t supposed to recommend your girlfriend for an interview. You know, conflict of interest and all.”

Tendou laughed and pulled you closer. “Trust me, we’ll be fine, so don’t worry your pretty little head, ‘kay?”