#cause it's not a big official thing. it's just me being silly in my free time

[bad-traffic-smp-ideas]

Because of your post from the other day about burnout I was wondering if you would consider a second mod? Someone who could help you with the mass amount of posts on this blog so you don’t get as burnt out?

I've considered this off and on, but the thing about me and this blog is I'm incredibly possessive over it /hj

Like could I benefit from having another person help run it? Sure, but this blog is my baby, and I can't let just anyone get shared custody of my baby... /silly

There may be a point in the future where I change my mind and find someone else to help me, but for now, I think we're good :)

[mooblesandsoups]

Songs like sunlight

An mcyt battle of the bands au

Some people really like my snowbugs WIP and now I'm using it as an excuse to talk about my au because I like this au. (Btw feel free to ask questions about the au please I'll love to talk more about it)

CW: the entire entertainment industry, implied workplace abuse and talks about disabilities

World building/plot

SLS or The battle of the bands au is a secret life au that takes place in a dystopian world aesthetically based on ideas like cyberpunk and solarpunk.

After all of earth's greenery was almost destroyed as caused by the industrial revolution people turned to music and other arts to not only cope but to separate more from the technology that was destroying the earth.

Centuries later earth us flourishing with greenery (however their water supply is definitely not better) everywhere you walk you see everything from people on scooters to bikes to street artist showcasing their work to anyone who'll listen, of course nothing can be perfect and Companies have used the rising growth of music to its benefit.

The biggest music company in the world is Watchers Inc. A music company that has been booming since the introduction of their latest singer a masked singer only known as X by fans as well as controversies with former members... However this mysterious singer isn't their reason for popularity oh no it's how they choose their next talents.

Every decade Watchers Inc. Hosts a battles of the bands competition, choosing a selection of popular indie artist to compete for a prize, with the winner being offered a spot as a talent for Watchers Inc. Alongside their prize.

This year is particularly special with the introduction.. And reintroduction of some familiar faces now battling to win a grand prize, which band will come out on top? What secrets will be revealed? What kind of relationship will bloom? And which will have their failures and personal lives broadcasted live in front of millions.

Bands

As mentioned previously this au is secret life based as that was what was currently out when I first started this au do of course I enjoyed playing around with dynamics and how they all started theirs bands/careers.

Gem & The Scott's- indie/alternative music (can't explain but think of black sheep by metric. That. Specifically the one in Scott Pilgrim)

Starting off with gem and the Scott's, gem and impulse met each other because of a family friend leading to their eventual friendship. Soon enough gem had an idea, let's male a band. Both gem and impulse had a fascination for music considering it's how they became friends, so it just felt right in gems eyes. However they needed one more member and luckily she knows exactly who to ask.

Next thing Scott knows as he's relaxing at a bar enjoying his break from music when a random ginger woman runs up to him and ask to join her emo band. And he said yes for some reason so I guess it worked.

Mounders- folklore music

The mounders were founded by pearl a few months after her band's contract was terminated by Watchers Inc. So she decided to start fresh and gather some of her friends to set up a proper band.

Due to Pearl's previous success it wasn't too difficult getting back into business with some assistance from her bandmates and suddenly everything is good again.

The Roomies- pop? (Maybe? Like Oliva Rodrigo kinda pop not finalized)

The roomies aren't technically an official band Grian is considered a independence artist by many and switches around bandmates a lot because of his contract with Watchers Inc. However he trusts etho and Cleo the most and preforms with them as much as he can because they treat him like an actual person.

The heart foundation- Jazz (Dont ask me details I don listen to jazz music)

Couple of dudes work at a bar and play jazz music. I don't know what else you want they're just silly guys with a bit of PTSD

Big dogs- rap (because its funny)

Jimmy and Martyn were both in the acting business for awhile which is how they met. Jimmy has been and actor since childhood and Martyn only started during adulthood while doing music on the side. Soon enough Jimmy ends up ranting to Martyn about acting and how he's tired of it after doing it for so long so Martyn asks if he wants to become a musician with him and Jimmy agrees then the big dogs were born.

Scar & Lizzie- Lizzie is pop (but like theater kid pop if that makes sense) and scar is yet to be decided (maybe country?)

Lizzie and Scar are both individual performers both choosen through a popularity vote by the fans and watcher staff.

Extra fun stuff

This was mentioned in the WIP above but Scott is legally blind, however he was not born blind. He basically got the bad genetics in his family and eventually starts going blind over time. Its really not too important to the plot (besides some backstory stuff and self esteem issues) but it's an interesting detail that I'm doing lots of research to get right.

Lizzie and Joel are married in this au! I'm only bringing this up because my friend came up with a funny idea that Lizzie was unarguably the more popular of the two but Joel bragged about his popularity more.

Skizz owns the bar the heart foundation works at the boys typically do seperate performances and performances together while also helping around the bar itself however Skizz is known to hire small bands to preform as well.

The setting SLS takes place in is as mentioned very green but there are spaces around dedicated to paintings and art in general, like cleared up spaces dedicated to graffiti or street artists having their own spot to work.

Almost everyone in this world is a hybrid of sorts, I try to have fun using lesser used hybrid headcanons but some are just a bit basic. Is there lore reasons they're hybrids? No I just think it's cool.

Since this is a secret life au all the winners of the previous games are Grian, Scott and Pearl (they won together), and Martyn. Grian, Scott and Pearl had all taken the offers to join Watchers Inc. But only Grian remains meanwhile Martyn stayed independent and just took his prize and left.

On the topic of the winners it should be mentioned that all the winners do know each other in some way, Grian is cousins with Pearl and therefore knew Scott by association, Pearl and Scott are former band mates but are still close, Martyn and Scott are friends from highschool so pearl knows him by association, Grian met Martyn at a bar an became friends.

And that's all yall getting for now!

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for avenging my brother?

hiiiii ^^ so im (30, let's say M for convenience's sake) am currently the leader of a very big sect, which was Not the plan WhatSoEVER (i'll get into it). i was born as the younger sibling to the sect heir, which meant i had free reign to basically do whatever i wanted while he got the responsibilities and stuff! great deal methinks. our father died when we were both still young due to heart issues that run in the family and also being killed. since my brother had a decade or so on me, he pretty much raised me from then on while also having the new role of official sect leader on his shoulders.

again, seems like a good deal! he was strict, and really really insisted i practiced my fighting skills (like that wasn't the literal cause of our family's heart issues) to the point that one time he like kind of burned my paper fan collection in front of me but that's like it's all besides the point okay he loved me and i loved him and we were both there for each other okay? okay

anyway he had this servant/best friend/pretty sure somethingsomething was going on there. he was kind of like a second big brother to me. our interests overlapped and he also preferred stuff like art and poetry over fighting. he understood me in a way that my brother couldn't, and he helped raise me just as much, even accompanying me to my third year of summer courses. which lol was supposed to be a one year course but i failed twice. lmao w/e

things got... bad. a war broke out, the servant betrayed us by letting a dangerous enemy out of his cell, and he and my brother had a horrible fight that ended in the former's expulsion from our sect. fast forward yadda yadda this isn't so much the part of the story it's just context but basically that turned out to be a plan to get close to the enemy sect leader so he could stab him in the back. which turned out to become a recurring theme.

the servant, now a prominent figure in his own sect, my brother, and one basically-a-celeb from another sect became this big trio (and totally a Thing) because of the role they played in ending the war. servant-now-big-boy (let's go with snbb for convenience) used that position to send my brother into a cardiac arrest by playing a melody that was supposed to soothe him differently.

so now i was alone, and with one of the current biggest sects to lead, while all i wanted to do is look cute, paint and be bisexual. you can probably imagine how i felt when i learned who did it, especially considering how not only no one else knew, but he got /rewarded/ for it by becoming a sect leader himself. soooo i got a little silly and here's where i mighttttt be tah :3

basically i started a 10+ years revenge plan. i didn't really plan a /lot/ of it, but i knew i'd have to resurrect one of my childhood friends for it to grab attention away from me etc and such and so on and so forth. but basically i also got a gay and socially rejected teenager killed for that, desecrated the corpse of snbb's mother, paid some people to spread rumours here and there, possibly killed a few cats to lure a group of people where i needed them to be, and adopted a public persona of a useless idiot who couldn't run a sect for the life of me to keep suspsicions off of me for the duration of this, which was Also a part to get back at him because that meant he, as someone responsible and sooo niceys and oh won't you please help your poor little meowmeow with the big scary emails plssss (he basically ran the sect for me lol).

to top it all off i had him killed by the one person that loved him the most (mister sir basically-a-celeb. god his jawline is stronger than my will to live) (he has gone into seclusion and is isolating himself indefinitely to mourn)

but also all this allowed my old bestie to get gay married with his longtime heartthrob

so. aita?

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

My thoughts & opinions on thoughtforms

I wanna talk about my thoughtforms, because it's something I'm really passionate about. This post will not directly relate to witchcraft or paganism/deity work, even though thoughtforms can be a spiritual practice, I do not currently include mine in my craft. With that out of the way, let's talk about got I got to them. (This is a long post btw)

In case you don't know exactly what a thoughtform is, it's an entity created of one's own energy that can fulfill it's designated purpose, which can be as small or big as it's creator decided. It may be a human friend or an animal companion, or a weird, eight-legged creature that helps you fall asleep at night. Good we got that down, so let's go!

As a kid I've had a ton of "imaginary friends". Going through puberty, that only solidified, since I didn't have many real life friends. I've also had maladaptive daydreams all my life which may have caused this almost irrational attachment towards made up characters. However, only after finding the witchcraft community on Tumblr, did I learn that thoughtforms are a thing in magic.

Destroying thoughtforms

When I learned about thoughtforms, I read that you're supposed to be able to destroy them once they no longer serve your purpose, or else they would either "run off" or get bitter from the lack of attention and energy being invested into them. To that I wanna say, everyone has their own practice and their own rules, and for me, this just isn't the case. My thoughtforms have never gotten upset at me for forgetting about them for a while. They're still my friends, and I don't have to spend every single free minute on them.

I also don't believe in destroying my thoughtforms. There's just no reason I could think of to do that. They go through life with me like other things do. And if I'll eventually forget about them, the universe will take care of it. Maybe we'll reunite some day.

Creating thoughtforms

Another opinion I have on thoughtforms is that many people, especially those teaching about thoughtforms, are too strict on what is and isn't a thoughtform and how to create one. If you make up a character and give it permission to roam around and do things and you believe that this is your thought form, then it most probably is.

There are different approaches and opinions about "feeding" your thoughtform. Put shortly – I don't do that. They are an extension of me, my energy, and have become independent. They exist because I believe in them and interact with them. That just my standpoint and it works for me.

Of course you can do a ritual, perform a spell, light a candle, write a contract and make a 3D model of your thoughtform and you can read three books on it and write your own. But you can also sit in your bed and think up a silly figure and say "your name shall be Silversparkle and you will remind me that I'm pretty every day" and you have your thoughtform. (Not making fun of people who like to have a formal and fancy process, I'm just saying it's not necessary to do all that if it feels like too much)

Intimidating thoughtforms

Here's a note on thoughtforms being "too powerful" or "pushy". I personally haven't had this issue, but apparently others have. In my personal experience, a thoughtform is only ever as powerful as you believe it to be. Therefore, the only way they could come across as "too powerful" or intimidating is if you are unsure of yourself and create something you don't fully understand – therefore are scared of.

When I first officially introduced my first thoughtform, he had existed way before this point. I just basically told him "you get this label now, and I allow you to develop a mind of your own," and that was it. And that was scary at first, because I didn't know what this would change. In the end, it only brought us closer together, and I've never been intimidated by him anymore after that initial introduction.

I have a mental space for my human thoughtforms. It's where they are when they're not with me. I can visit this place too in my mind. They're both very beautiful places that I find a lot of comfort in. I've set clear boundaries with my first thought form about when he can and can't leave that place, since he started just popping up in inconvenient moments in the beginning. Never dealt with that again, not even with another thoughtform.

I also wanna mention here that I no longer rely on my thoughtforms as substitutes for real friends, and no one ever should. My thoughtform was my closest companion for a while because I didn't have any good, close friends, and I was struggling with mental health. No one should ever (have to) view their thoughtform as a replacement for human interaction. I'm very grateful for the friends I've made since.

I'm probably gonna make a follow-up post where I talk about my own thoughtforms and what they do, and how I interact with them. Cause I like really love them and they do a lot for me so I wanna share it with the community, since I very rarely see anyone in the witchcraft community talk about thoughtforms.

That's all, lots of love 💜

[mountttmase]

Ok I'm here🤭 second read and feedback time 🩷

After a long day at nursery, Thea was out for the count. Snoozing away peacefully on the sofa with her favourite soft pink rabbit and once you knew she was fully out you went searching for Mason. He had to be here somewhere you just didn’t know where. OMG I LOVE THIS LITTLE GIRL🥹

If you were being honest with yourself, you felt a bit weird sneaking around the house like this. You’d only officially moved in with him three weeks ago so whilst this was technically your house now you still felt like you were snooping somehow. THEY ARE FINALLY ALL TOGETHER 😭

‘Please mate, it’s just one night. I promise I’ll make it up to you’ he told whoever it was quietly. ‘Thea hasn’t seen her uncle Lew in a month now and she misses you. You don’t want her to forget what you look like do you?’ AHHAHAHAHAH MASONNN DO YOU WANT TO GET RID OF YOUR BABY?😭😂

The fact of the matter was, he was right. Thea had been so excited about the three of you finally being one big family that she insisted on sleeping with the pair of you in the beginning. You let it slide for for the first two nights as her room was still being redecorated and you loved being all together but now Thea expected it and refused to go to sleep in her own room. GUYS NOT RIGHT CHOICE, SHE IS GOING TO SLEEP THERE FOR A LONG TIME NOW😂

‘Well maybe some other stuff when we get home’ he winked, causing you to giggle as you hid your face in his neck. ‘You know what it’s like at the start of a relationship, I just wanna be on you all the time and it’s difficult’ SILLY BOY🤭

Your first date was perfect, he took you to one of his favourite spots for dinner, his eyes practically hanging out of his head when he got a good look at you and after a night of constant flirting and laughing he walked you home and kissed you on your front doorstep. It felt like a fairy tale but dating your baby’s dad did come with its own set of challenges. OMG THE PERFECT DATE😭

Your sweet angel lighting up whenever he was around but you knew the goodbyes were getting tougher as their bond was growing deeper than ever. MY BABY GIRL😭

‘Before I go, I was just wondering if you were free next week? Thought you could come over and I’ll cook and maybe you could stay over if you want to?’ He asked, eyes full of nerves as he wasn’t sure if you were ready to stay the night and just as he thought, there was only one question falling from your lips. SCREAMING

‘Am I being too much?’ He whispered, your tummy sinking automatically at his tone and you wanted to reassure him straight away that he would never be too much. THIS MAN IS GOING TO BE THE DEATH OF ME

‘It’s okay, I’ve been waiting years for you. I can wait a little longer’ HE IS RIGHT 🤭

‘I mean, I’m no saint exactly. I had a dating app and stuff’ you told him, laughing at the way his jaw slightly dropped and a look of jealousy flashed in his eyes even stronger than before. HE IS JEALOUSSSSS

‘You had a boyfriend?’ He asked curiously, picking up on the way you specified it was only ever one man but you were afraid it had been nowhere near a boyfriend situation. HE IS FREAKING OUT

‘I’m so sorry’ he breathed, cupping your jaw gently but your look of confusion prompted him to carry on. ‘I’ve never really thought about it I guess but I bet there’s loads of stuff you’ve had to give up so I could have things my way’ OH BUT THATS SWEET

‘No it’s not’ he breathed. Kissing your forehead softly. ‘When you’re ready, I’m gonna look after you properly, okay?. WE HAVE NO DOUBTS

‘Hey don’t say that’ he teased. ‘You know how much I love her but if I don’t love you soon I’ll explode’ I GASPED

‘I know, I make sure she’s got the best bedroom out of all of us and she wants to spend every night in our bed. Just typical’ he scoffed, rolling his eyes playfully. ‘I shouldn't moan really. Before all of this started, whenever Thea was with you and I’d have to walk past her room I could never look in properly. Like it hurt knowing she’s not here all the time and this wasn’t her proper room, it was just her room at her dads house. It's so empty when she wasn’t here’ THIS IS MAKING ME TOO EMOTIONAL

‘Hell yeah I do’ he laughed, grabbing you and pulling you further into his lap. ‘Best thing I ever did was asking you guys to move in’ GIGGLING CAUSE HE IS SO HAPPY🥹

‘Bun’ she managed to tell him when he’d finally stopped attacking her but the roll of Mason's eyes let you know he wasn’t happy with her choice. AHHAHAHAH THE MAN WANTED SOMETHING MORE DIFFICULT

‘What do we think, sweet pea? You want it to match yours?’ SWEET PEA🥹

‘Well how about instead of me reading it to you, you show me what happens? I’ve always been more of a visual learner’ he teased, hands dipping under the hem of your shirt so he could touch your waist and you shivered at the feeling knowing he was about to take care of you just how you liked. NAUGHTYYYY

Thea really was Mason's best friend and the pair of them stuck to their promise of getting up and making you breakfast for your first sleepover. SHE IS HIS BESTIE 🥹

‘We go home soon?’ She asked quietly, pulling her bunny up to her chest to hug it tightly. OHH😭🥺 NO BABY GIRL

Mason said he was only popping to the loo so when he still wasn’t back as you finished wiping the surfaces you went in search of him, finding him in the back room with his head propped up on his fists and his bottom lip jutting out and the sight made your heart sunk into your tummy. OH MY BOY IS SAD😭

‘I just… I love you guys and I want us all here together permanently soon but it doesn’t look hopeful if she’s asking when she can leave’ SHE JUST ASKED HER TO MOVE😭😂

‘Thea baby, will you come over here for me?’ You asked, watching her put her toys down and come over. Reaching up so Mason would sit her in his lap and the smile he gave her because she’d picked him made you melt. NOT HER GOING TO HIM EVEN IF Y/N CALLED HER 😭😭😭

‘My toys’ she pouted, her eyes filling with tears immediately and you knew you’d have to break it down for her a little more. In her mind your houses were two separate things and if you were leaving that house then you were leaving everything that came with it there too. OH BABY

‘No more bye bye’ I'M CRYING, NO MORE BYE BYE LOVE😭😭😭

‘Mummy, I like pink’’ OBVIOUSLY SHE LOVES PINK OUR PRINCESS

‘I can make it pink for you sweet pea’ Mason chimed in. Clearly wanting to do anything for Thea to make her more comfortable in his house. ‘Nanny and grandad are here this weekend and I’m sure grandad will help me paint it when I’m back from my game’ HE IS GOING TO PAINT IT😭

‘You know I’d do anything for Thea’ you heard Tony reply and it warmed you to know she had such a supportive network around her. ‘I’m really happy for you, you know that right? I know this is what you’ve always wanted and yes you went about it a different way to most but I’m so proud of you and y/n for figuring it all out. Thea is such a special girl and it’s all down to you two’ TONY🥺

‘You’ll have to sleep with us tonight baby, your room won’t be finished until tomorrow okay?’ You told her but she nodded excitedly. Y/N NOOO😂 SHELL BE THERE EVERY NIGHT

‘We can’t have her in our room forever I’ll go insane’ TRUE🤭😌

‘You're such a good mum’ he whispered. ‘There’s me practically chucking her out on the street just so I can have you. Just shows you what this body does to me’ DEAD😂😂

You were more turned on than you could ever remember being, feeling safe and content in Mason's arms as he loved on you but as soon as his fingers tried to travel up to your chest you felt yourself go stiff. OH SHE IS SCARED

‘Stop talking’ he interrupted, kissing you heavily before pulling back to look you in the eyes. His face serious, causing you to gulp heavily before he started to speak. ‘All that stuff that you think you have, doesn’t matter to me. I’ve loved you this whole time, do you really think I care if you’ve got a tummy now?’ I'LL MELT

‘You carried my baby, do you not know how sexy that is? Do you not realise how horrically turned on I am just by the fact I was the last person to have you and now I get to have you again? You're so bloody beautiful and all I've wanted to do is worship you, you know? Kiss every single inch of you so no I don’t give a fuck if you look different cause you’re still my girl’ he reassured you, the words making your eyes sting but his cheeky smile let you know he wasn’t done making you feel better. ‘I’ve changed too you know’ I'M SCREAMING

🤭🤭🤭🤭 THE TATTOOS MOMENT

‘You know, you’re not the only one who’s got new tattoos’ you smiled bashfully. Watching his eyebrows raise but his eyes darken and you knew he wanted to see it right away so you carefully peeled yourself away from and laid down slightly on your side. Thankfully he followed suit and laid next to you and you watched as his eyes followed your fingers as you pulled the hem of your shirt up to reveal the left side of your ribs. IT'S TIIIIIMMEEEEEEEEE

‘Sweet peas, Thea’s birth flower’ you told him. ‘It’s meant to look like a mother and a daughter, she’s the little one’ GIGGLING AT THIS CAUSE I KNEWWWW

‘For my girls’ he whispered and the lump in your throat kept you from speaking. ‘So Thea’s a sweetpea, yeah?’ SCREAMINGGGG

‘You know, I still remember how you like it’ he whispered, lips on your neck as he squeezed your waist and you could feel your insides quivering as he turned you on even further. His hands reaching round to grip your bum and you gasped before his lips landed on yours again, stealing the breath from your lungs. OMG🫠

‘Hey, it’s alright’ he whispered, reaching to the side to grab your shirt again before sitting you up and helping you put it back on but his lips were on yours before you could say anything back. ‘We don’t have do anything’ OMG HE IS GOING TO KILL ME

THE SMUT? HER DECIDING TO TURN THE LIGHTS ON? AND HER TAKING HER TOP OF CAUSE SHE FINALLY FEELS COMPLETELY SAFE TO BE WITH HIM?

‘Mummy!’ You suddenly heard being shouted from down the hall. Thea’s bounding steps following her shouts and you quickly jumped away from Mason just in time for her to find the pair of you. HI MISSY YOU WOKE UPPP

‘Well, here's one of them’ he smiled, placing the flowers on the side so he could pull you into his body and leave a heavy kiss on your lips. ‘You alright?’ OH I WANT FLOWERS TOO

‘Here you go, baby. Couldn’t leave you out huh? Got you some to match mummy’s’ he told her. Handing her the small but perfect bunch and you could have melted on the spot. Thea’s eyes going wide as she took them from him before she got shy and hid her face in his neck but you could see her smile from a mile away. OMG MY MAN😌

‘Got us our own place for the night. Thought we could make dinner together and chill for a bit like we used to’ he told you. Popping his hand on your thigh so he could give it a gentle squeeze and the coy smirk he sent your way made your insides flutter. HE IS THE PERFECT MAN

‘With how quick we managed to make Thea I’m surprised there's not another one on the way’ Mason joked suddenly, fingers tickling your sides and you had to hide your head in his neck before your mouth seemingly ran away with you. SILLYYY

‘I just wish I was around more, you know? Yeah it’s great getting to do the fun stuff but nothing makes me happier than the normal stuff. Like coming home to you two and seeing how happy Thea is to see me. Bed times and bath times every day like that’s the stuff I wanna do’ OH MY LOVE

‘When Thea had just been born and we were staying with you. Remember that night I just lost it? Like I completely broke down and thought I couldn’t do it?’ OH🥺

‘Hey, what’s going on?’ He asked sympathetically but you were in no state to answer him right now. Letting him pull the pair of you into his chest for some comfort and even though you were embarrassed you felt yourself relax knowing you weren’t on your own anymore. DADA IS HOME

‘Its okay, love. Come on, let's sit down’ he told you, walking you over to the bed and sitting next to you ‘pass her here, yeah?’ He whispered, taking Thea from you and resting her on his chest before tucking you under his other arm. ‘It’s alright, don’t get upset. I’m here to help now. What do you need?’ OMG HE IS SO SWEET

‘Exactly, I’ve been sitting on my arse for hours’ he joked. ‘Just let me take over for a bit and you can have a rest, okay? No arguments’ PERFECT DAD

‘Okay well if you need me at all just come and get me please? You’re not on your own remember’ he told you. Repositioning Thea so she was cradled in his arms before wrapping an arm around your shoulder to pull you into his side. BABY🥺

‘Y/n? Is everything okay?’ HE IS HERE

HE CALLED HER LOVE

‘If you’re worried about me seeing things, you know I’ve seen it all before right? That’s kinda why we’re sitting here with a crying baby’ he joked and you couldn't help but give him a smile but as you attempted to pass Thea over so Mason could feed her, but he stopped you in your tracks. ‘Keep hold of her, just move forward a bit’ I LOVE HIM

OMG THIS NURSING MOMENT WAS THE SWEETEST EVER

‘I’m good enough, Mase’ YOU REALLY ARE

‘I remember waking up next to you in the morning and you were so embarrassed’ Mason teased and and you rolled your eyes at him playfully. DON'T TEASEEE😂

‘Of course I did’ he laughed, but before you could say anything back he was back to being sweet. ‘But I loved you then, and I love you now and I told myself I’d always take care of you. If that’s what you needed back then, my shoulder to cry on, that’s what I was going to be’ OH CUTIE

OMG BESTIE

YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT THEY ARE MY FAVOURITE FAMILY (AT LEAST FOR NOW🤭)

I LOVED HOW YOU PUT FLASHBACKS IN THIS AND HOW YOU GAVE US A BIGGER PICTURE OF THEIR LIFE

I LOVED THE SMUT AND HOW GENTLE AND CARING HE WAS

I LOVED THE MOMENT WHEN THEY TALKED TO THEA ABOUT THE MOVING, BABY GIRL WAS SCARED OF LEAVING DADDY AGAIN🥺

I LOVED THE LAST PART ABOUT THE NURSING OMG IT WAS JUST SO SWEET AND LOVELY

THIS WAS PERFECT, CANT WAIT FOR NEW ADVENTURES WITH THEM🤭

THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH FOR BLESSING ME WITH THIS EMOTIONAL WORK OF ART, IT WAS AN HONOUR BEING ABLE TO READ IT 🩷🩷🩷

Your feedback always makes my day 😌🩷

I’m so so happy you loved it and l love seeing your favourite parts cause they’re my favourite parts too 🤭

Baby Thea is an actual princess and I’m happy you love her 🩷🩷🩷

THANK YOU SO MUCH BESTIE LOVE YOU 🥰

[pahrak-the-sinnoh-slizer]

Doesn’t seem right to do a proper “Games in 2024” post about the Pokémon Violet DLC Epilogue since it’s not something that can be bought by itself.  Still, spoiler-free tl;dr: they went full Silly Mode on this and I love that for them, hoping this becomes the blueprint for future Mythical events.

First of all, it took me too damn long to figure out how to start the epilogue so I want to explain it for your benefit.  After getting the Mythical Pecha Berry through Mystery Gift (via Internet), you need to go to Peachy’s in Kitakami and specifically examine the portion of counter where something that looks like a big purplish fruit is sitting.  The trailer for the epilogue did linger on this object at the very end, but that’s literally the only thing telling you where to go.  Even if they had just made it so approaching Peachy’s activated the event, that’d be a lot better IMO; cryptic shit can be fun but I don’t think it’s the right choice for debuting a brand-new event-exclusive.  Oh, I should also mention the list of pre-requisites to complete before the epilogue can start: you need to beat The Way Home, The Teal Mask, The Indigo Disk, and at least 1 Academy Ace Tournament.  It’s an “epilogue” for a reason.

The quick summary is that you meet up with the gang back in Paldea, Kieran invites you all to Kitakami, and then a Mythical Pokémon decides to cause some chaos.  The sequence of events takes…maybe an hour or two?  I didn’t keep track.  But it was nice to see the old gang again!  Arven becomes a tsundere, Penny says more Penny Things (she points out your Switch when they visit your house), and Nemona continues to be a lovable battle maniac.  It’s our first real chance to see where the former two settled after the resolution of their character arcs, and to see them all interacting as friends under normal circumstances rather than a team on a mission, and I like that!  Similarly, we get to see Kieran really pick up the pieces after what happened in Indigo Disk, and this was my favorite stretch of time spent with him by far.  He and his relationship with the protagonist felt a lot more believable this time, and I really appreciate that.  Early on we see the aftermath of Nemona defeating him, and he starts to get depressed over losing, only for Nemona to counter with her upbeat “battling is fun even if you lose!” mentality, and I kinda love that being brought into your wider circle of friends is what helps cement Kieran’s new, healthier mindset.  Anyway, it’s at about that point where things get silly.

You see, while this is very much an epilogue to all of the events thus far, it’s ALSO the distribution event of a brand-new Mythical Pokémon!  We haven’t had a Pokémon officially designated as such since Zarude; I’d begun to think that the Pokémon introduced in DLC were essentially the replacement for this model, and while I think there’s still a conversation to have there (this one IS still locked behind the DLC after all), this new Pokémon is explicitly stated to be a new Mythical.  And folks, if you were one of the fans wishing for the return of full events for Mythicals rather than just having them dropped into your PC, do I have good news for you!  Not only is this little fucker given a proper in-game event, I’m willing to declare it the BEST in-game Mythical event we have EVER had!  It’s similar to Victini’s event in that there’s an actual mini-plot containing a string of battles, but again: this event is also the epilogue to everything that’s happened in the game up to this point.  It’s a mini-story focused on a Mythical that is directly tied into the main story!  And, as SV has taken to doing, it ends with a proper boss battle against the Mythical with a massively inflated health bar!  Not to mention that these battles aren’t just fodder: most of them are Double Battles with Kieran as your partner, and start with Pokémon in the high 70s before ramping up to a final one-on-one with Pokémon in the mid-to-high 80s!  I’m being 100% serious when I say I want this to be the way Mythicals are handled going forward.  It has far more personality than a simple distribution, and I’d argue it’s even more satisfying than most of the movies made to promote new Mythicals (RIP).

Not to say that it’s perfect, of course.  Our new Mythical friend, Pecharunt, really does just sort of show up and cause chaos for no discernible reason, and ideally I’d like a bit more.  This is mainly because it’s easy to conclude that there IS more to show: it’s made super obvious that Pecharunt is connected to the Loyal Three, and Ogerpon recognizes them if you bring her to the fight, but nothing is ever directly said about any of this.  It’s possible that this was done to keep focus on the main characters, which would be worthwhile if that was the case.  Still, I would’ve at least liked there to be an NPC you can speak with who explicitly relates Pecharunt’s backstory to you.

But you may be asking, what makes this so silly?  Well, Pecharunt is able to take control of people by feeding them poison mochi, and the affected do the chicken dance and constantly say “mochi mochi!”  The one full-on cutscene in the epilogue is Pecharunt shooting mochi into Penny and Arven’s mouths in dramatic slow motion, while the protag casually sidesteps one, and another bounces off of Kieran’s forehead.  It’s mad.  The second-hand embarrassment is potentially lethal.  10/10 would recommend.

Also I do want to say, I can’t help but find Pecharunt to be incredibly clever on the part of the designers.  I already appreciated the reversal of the Momotaro legend we got in Teal Mask, it’s funny to continue that with an actual peach, I adore the consistency of incorporating the name of the pre-existing berry based on the peach into its name, AND, since that berry normally cures poison, this evil peach is a Poison type!  Well fucking done!

Completing the epilogue also adds Kieran, Carmine, Nemona, Penny, and Arven to the League Club Room; the Kitakami siblings haven’t showed up for me yet since they’re random chances, which is a little annoying.  I’m glad they were added—it would have been a huge missed opportunity to never let Nemona visit Blueberry Academy, and we get to see them all interact with a wider cast of characters.  Also, after thinking carefully about which Pokémon to trade each of the coaches, I can confirm it does not matter what you give them, because I gave Penny a Glaceon and she didn’t comment on it.

[imagineyourworld]

Shang-Chi dating someone who doesn’t like working out Headcanons

Warnings: Slight spoilers for the movie 

You have always known that Shang-Chi, who you have known as Shaun for the past couple of years, was fit, but only when your group of friends went swimming one day and he took his shirt off before jumping in the cool water did you realize just how built he actually was 

It wasn’t until the first time you slept over at his place that you learned how he maintained his physique.  A creaking sound, which you soon identified as one of the old floor boards in Shang-Chi’s apartment, woke you up. When you turned around to greet the man who you were now lucky enough to call your boyfriend you found his side of the bed empty and cold. It took you a moment to put two and two together and realize that he must have gotten up and by the cause of the creaking floorboard. Slowly you sat up and upon looking around the room were greeted with the sight of your boyfriend doing sit ups at the food of the bed.  “Shaun, it’s seven in the morning on a Saturday, what on earth are you doing?”, you asked, a loud yawn soon following your question. Not that you minded the sight, but you would much rather have him still in bed next to you.  “Sorry, did I wake you? I meant to go to the living room, but you know how loud the door is so I thought just doing a quick workout here would be more quiet”, he was quick to explain, though he didn’t stop his sit ups while talking to you. “Would you like to join me?”  A low laugh escaped your lips. Nothing, not even your loving boyfriend, could make you leave the comfy bed to do a workout at seven in the morning.  “I’m good, let me just enjoy the view.” 

You soon learned to sleep through Shang-Chi’s morning workouts, though you never stopped wishing that he’d turn them into midday workouts so you could wake up next to him for once. One day you finally voiced that wish.  “I’m so sorry, baby, I had no idea you felt that way”, Shang-Chi apologized while pressing soft kisses along your jawline. “How about tomorrow I’ll sleep in with you and then you join me for a workout before breakfast.”  The smile quickly fell from your lips. That had not been your plan, not at all. You weren’t exactly out of shape, but not really in shape either and you knew there was no way you could keep up with him.  “Shaun, I don’t know. Wouldn’t it be better if you did a workout while I make your favourite breakfast?”  Shang-Chi took your hands and looked you deep in the eyes, a pleading expression in them you had never seen before. “Please, it would mean the world to me.”  How could you say no to that? 

After that day Shang-Chi tried to make you join him for at least part of his workout more often, though nine times out of then you declined. Sure, you liked the feeling of knowing you did something for your health, but somehow you didn’t seem to get the same endorphins from working out as your boyfriend did, it just wasn’t fun to you.  Shang-Chi soon noticed this and tried a new approach: self defence. Though he hoped that you’d never need it, he knew that he’d sleep better knowing you could defend yourself it need be. 

He was a patient teacher, but also a tough one. When your boyfriend had first suggested him teaching you self defense you had anticipated a lot of flirting and physical contact, and though the latter was true, it wasn’t what you had hoped it’d be. During your sessions Shang-Chi was all business, but afterwards he kept showering you in compliments and kisses, telling you that you were improving and that he was proud of you for doing this even though you weren’t fond of the idea to begin with. 

It wasn’t until after everything that happened with his father and him telling you about his upbringing that you realized why Shang-Chi worked out so much, and why he was so adamant about you at least trying to run faster and punch harder, it was his way of making sure you were protected if he wasn’t around. 

One day, just as your lives were getting back to normal, you were laying on the couch, your head in your boyfriend’s lap while watching TV an idea came to you.  “Hey, Shang-Chi”, you started, the new name still unfamiliar on your tongue after years of calling him Shaun.  His eyes immediately turned away from the TV to focus on you. “Hey, (Y/N)”, he echoed.  You tried your best to fight the grin that was making its way onto your lips at his silly reply, this was supposed to be a serious conversation.  “I understand why you want me to work out, why you want me to be able to defend myself or run away if I can’t, but working out is like... like two night shifts in a row without caffeine and only really smelly coworkers for company”, tried to explain, though judging by Shang-Chi’s low laughter it wasn’t going all that well, so you turned your back on the rest of your carefully laid out simile and jumped straight to the point.  “How about every Saturday I join you for a torturous morning workout and in return you sleep in with me on Sundays.”  Shang-Chi pretended to think about your proposal, but truth be told, ever since the two of you have started sharing a bed and he woke up next to you every morning it was becoming harder and harder to get up early and leave you laying in bed all by yourself instead of pulling you closer and cuddling until you woke up as well. And now that his father and the Ten Rings were no longer an issue, maybe he no longer needed to force you to keep working out.  “Deal”, he said with a big smile, sealing the deal by pressing a kiss to your lips.  You smiled up at him, glad to have finally found an agreement both of you could work with.  “Oh, and I get to choose the music”, you added before turning back to the show you were watching.  You felt Shang-Chi chuckling rather than hearing it. Maybe, with the right person by your side, working out wasn’t so bad. 

-------

This is purely self indulgent because my workout today killed me and the only thing keeping me going was imagining Shang-Chi being there with me. 

PS. I was really uncertain how to spell his name for this, since I’ve seen it spelled multiple ways here on Tumblr, but I ended up deciding on the official spelling used by Marvel. But if any of you speak Chinese/Mandarin, feel free to correct me. 

[proserpina-magnus]

Could you do a fluff Regulus x fem!reader where it’s snowing and they jump into the black lake with their cloths/uniform on and yk ✨main character vibes✨ and then afterwards they both have a cold

Sorry this took so long! thank you so much for this request, I think I made regulus a bit more softer than usual.  🌻

Meant To Be [ Regulus Black ]

word count: 2148

[ warning: fem reader, a little bit of soft Regulus, description of pain caused by temperature, clothes sharing, kissing, hand holding, nicknames such as “love” “princess”, description of sick/colds, medicine taking ]

Hogwarts wasn't as fun with only a small percent of the students left. Most Students were home with their family's, making memories and building snowmen.

You, however, had stayed for the Christmas break. All your roommates had gone home, even some teachers. It felt so quiet walking down the hallways, no gossip or news being shared. Snow had fallen from the sky, coating the Hogwarts grounds with sparkling white.

Luckily, your boyfriend Regulus had convinced his mother to let him stay for the break. You almost squealed at the news. Finally, you could get your boyfriend all to yourself, he was always covered in girls.

You weren't the only one who hated the encounters, Regulus was furious every time a girl would come up to him and completely push you aside.

So here you were, Hands laced together as you run down the empty hallway. You giggled as you heard Regulus ask for you both to slow down, he was curious about where you were taking him.

You flipped back, slowing your speed as you walked backwards. You smiled bright, eyes sparkling like the snow as you tighten the grip on his hand.

"I heard from a 7th year that if a couple jumps in the black lake together, they will stay together forever!" You explained, pushing him further along as you made it to the outside. You looked up at the warm sun, feet crunching against the snow as you basked in the glow.

"I'm sorry what? That's completely insane, you do realize that right?" Regulus said, eyes slightly wider as he thought about jumping in a cold lake.

"Oh Regulus, if we believe it to be true then it is!" You told him, smiling up at him as you pulled him closer to you. The wind pricked at your exposed skin, your hair getting tossed in every direction.

"Yeah, if you believe in fairies. But I'm not jumping in a frozen lake for you to proclaim some bogus myth" Regulus said while planting his feet, drawing you closer to him as he cupped your jaw.

"I'm not letting you jump in a frozen lake, I already know I'm gonna spend the rest of my life with you," Regulus told you, leaning down to press his lips to yours. You smiled with closed eyes, pushing into his kiss as you held onto his forearm.

"I know our love is forever, but we might as well make it official" you whispered, slipping from his hands as you dashed towards the doc.

You heard Regulus call out for you, immediately running after you as you reached the wooden steps. You almost slipped on the ice, sliding down the doc as your arms sprawled out around you.

"Hey! Be careful!" Regulus yelled, now on the doc as well as he couldn't help but laugh at your attempt to stay upright.

"I love you," you told him, letting your feet slip off the edge of the icy wood as you fell back into the cold lake.

Water engulfed your body, the temperature sending stabs to your body as you swam up to the surface.

You broke free just as soon as another splash ruffled the water, Regulus had jumped in after you. You giggled, watching as his head popped up over the waves, his hair flat against his face.

"You jumped in with me!" You yelled, he didn't reply instead he went under the water. His arms wrapping around your waist as he lifted you into his arms.

His face came next to yours, his face pales from the cold as he held onto you tighter.

"You little menace," Regulus said while letting out a laugh. You hardly ever got to hear Regulus's laugh, he was always so quiet and shy. It was nice to finally get loose with him, it felt like you truly were going to live forever with him.

His lips met yours, kissing you with his cold thin lips. You smiled, letting your eyes shut as you leaned closer to the kiss. He pulled away quickly, leading you towards the doc.

"Okay, we must get out now. I don't want you catching a cold" Regulus tried to sound persistent and firm, but when he saw you laugh he couldn't help but take a moment to laugh with you. This moment with like a dream, it all happened so fast that you couldn't even process the cold nipping at your wet clothes.

"Regulus it's freezing!" You yelled out when your adrenaline ran out, your arms wrapped around yourself as you try and find warmth.

"I told you! Your so demanding," Regulus muttered, looking around for your shoes before he saw them wash away down the lake.

"Oh you love it," you teased, kissing his cheek with your shivering lips as you look for your shoes as well. When you saw them halfway past the water, you shivered on impact.

"Come on, I'll get you new shoes," Regulus said, leading you to the castle as you crept along with the snow. Your feet froze, pale and raw as you make it to stone.

Regulus looked over you, sighing before shaking out his hair and picking you up quickly. You wrapped your arms around him instantly, afraid you'd fall.

"Regulus, this is unnecessary," you told him, but you secretly loved it. Regulus rarely ever went out of his way to do affectionate things in public, and though there were no people around to witness, it still made you feel loved.

"No, it's my responsibility as your boyfriend," he proclaimed, striding down the hall until he made his way to the entrance of the Slytherin common room.

"Future Husband," you corrected, your head leaning against his chest as you felt the bumps every time he took a step.

Regulus grinned to himself, opening the door with his foot as he plopped you on the nearest chair.

"What jumper do you want to wear?" He asked, peeling off his wettened tie and shirt as he slipped on a clean white long-sleeve. He went off to the bathroom quickly to grab you a towel.

"The green one," you say, ringing your hair out with the towel as you shiver. Regulus glanced over at you and gave you a look, his lips in a thin line.

"Well, that's real specific isn't it," Regulus said, holding up 3 different jumpers, all in green. You laughed, pointing to the one in his left hand.

He tossed you his jumper, turning around so you could undress without staring eyes. Later on, he tossed you his sweat pants, which were way too big for you.

Both of you had gotten dressed in warm clothes, Regulus had insisted you wear 2 pairs of socks to make sure your feet won't freeze. He looked at you, his clothes were abnormally large on you, he absolutely loved it.

Regulus led you to his bed, helping you under the covers as his hands wrapped around your waist. He pulled you closer, kissing your forehead. You smiled at the feeling, relaxing back into his chest. You felt warmth wash over you, you interlocked your fingers with his before falling fast asleep in comfort.

—

The morning after you woke up to the sun shining through his window, Regulus pressed against your side. His head buried into your neck as he pulled you ever so closer.

"Morning," you mumbled out, your eyes opening slightly. His room was dark, it usually smelt like burning wood and men's cologne. Your nose was clogged, making you twitch it as realized how sore your body felt.

"Morning, princess," he muttered tiredly, his voice was raw. You heard him clear his throat, realizing that you both had been sick from the lake jump.

"We're sick," you declared, rolling over to face Regulus. His nose was slightly red, his eyes looked tired. You brought your hand up to his cheek, rubbing your thumb over his smooth features.

"I don't get sick," Regulus said while his hand rubbed the small of your back in a comfortable manner. You giggled, your head resting on his shoulder.

"Why are you all stuffy then?" You asked, closing your eyes as you adjusted to the feeling of being awake. You had to force yourself to open your eyes, blinking back sleepiness.

"I'm not, your hallucinating because you're sick," his words were almost convincing, but you heard him hold back a sneeze. You pulled out of his grasp, sliding to the edge of the bed.

"Where are you going?" He asked, sitting up as he rubbed his eye with the palm of his hand.

"Getting supplies to heal you," you explain, going into his bathroom. Regulus flopped back down on his bed, closing his eyes with a flustered expression. He felt silly having someone care for him.

You grabbed a cloth, running it in warm water as you squeezed the excess out. You did the same to another cloth, dipping it in cold water. You left the bathroom after a few moments, going back to Regulus.

You climbed atop of his bed, your fingers coming to comb through his hair. He grew it out over the school year, much like his brother. His hair was jet black, waves spinning out everywhere.

"Hi," you whispered, placing the warm cloth against his pale skin. You pressed it firmly against his forehead then moved to press it against his cheek. The cloth left red imprints, you smiled as you dabbed his face.

"This is silly," Regulus commented as you switched to the cold cloth, pressing it against his warm skin. You let the cloth rest against his forehead, smiling down at him.

"Taking care of you isn't silly," you replied blankly, moving the cloth to his cheeks. You walked to the bathroom again, grabbing some cold medicine.

Regulus groaned as he saw you leave the bathroom with the medicine in your hand, you rolled your eyes. Pouring the liquid into the small measuring cup, you pass him the cup. He eyed it, giving you a long frown.

"Drink," you told him, walking over to the jug of water that sat by the window. Ice cubes swam in it, never melting. You poured him a generous glass as he drank the medicine.

He made a small face, making you giggle. Passing him the water, he held you out the medicine cup.

"You're sick too," Regulus said, placing the glass down on his nightstand. You made a small face at the thought, pouring yourself some medicine. You downed it quickly, gagging at the bitter taste.

You reached for his glass, taking a sip as you washed down the remaining taste. You took the cold cloth from his face, pressing it against your own. You flopped down beside him, exhaling in relief from the cold compress.

"My mother never did this for me," Regulus whispered in a small voice, you opened your eyes, casting your vision to where he laid.

"Well now you have me, I'll always take care of you Reggie," you told him, leaning over to kiss his cheek. You placed the cold compress back against his forehead.

"I'm so lucky to have you," Regulus looked like he was about to cry, his voice was strained and his eyes were red. You stroked his cheek, a gentle smile forming.

"You deserve me Regulus, it's not luck. I'm meant to be with you," you avowed, leaning down to capture his lips against yours. Every time you kiss him, it feels like the first time again.

Slowly pulling away, your eyes squinted slightly as you stare into his dark ones. His hand found yours, overlapping his fingers over yours.

"You're my soulmate, every life I'm given I promise I'll find you," Regulus promised and he meant it. He rose on his elbows, tossing the cloth to his bedside table. His empty hand coming to hold your face. He pulled you into a heart-stopping kiss, every ounce of love he offered you poured into this kiss.

"Not if I find you first," you exhaled, resting your forehead against his. Regulus stared lovingly into your eyes, a small smile embedded on his face.

"Come on, I wanna sleep for a little longer," he said, relaxing back onto the bed. He brought you down with him, holding you close. His chin propped up against yours, you lean into his shoulder. He smelt like home, your hands still encased with his.

"You promise you'll find me in our next life," you asked, sleep slowly starting to take over your body. You stayed awake long enough to hear his answer.

"Always," Regulus claimed, hearing your breath even as you slept. He smiled to himself, kissing your forehead. He let his eyes close, contempt with having you in his arms. Regulus fell asleep shortly after you did, finally happy about having someone that he cared so deeply for.

[rebelwrites]

Making It Official

Jax Teller x Reader

It was a rare day you were child free, Jax had promised your son he would take him to the garage, so excited was an understatement as he got him dressed this morning.

You had spent the last 5 years as a single mum raising you little bit on your own until you met Jax through Lyla, you hit it off instantly and what started off as a friendship quickly blossomed into something more, he didn’t care you were a mum and he loved Leo like he was his own son, and soon enough he was being called daddy.

Sipping your coffee as you debated what to do with yourself today, looking at the time to see it was 1pm you decided you were going to bake your boys some cookies as a treat.

The day soon went on and your music was so loud you didn’t hear Jax and your son walk through the door.

“You're lifting me up and setting me free, showing me something I could believe. Giving me hope you know that I need and I am blinded, by it. Open my heart I gave you my soul, gave you permission, gave you control. Show me the world that I didn't know. Let me inside it, inside it, yeah” you sun dancing away to the sounds of Gavin DeGraw.

Opening the oven you smiled as the cookies were done, grabbing the oven gloves you pulled the tray out of the oven placing it onto of the stove.

“'Cause you make my heart sing louder. High as the Eiffel Tower. And in the midnight hour you give my love that power” you sun as you placed the cookies on the cooling rack.

“Isn’t mummy silly” Jax laughed placing Leo on the counter.

“Mama you made cookies” Leo beamed holding his arms out to you for a cuddle.

“No baby I didn’t just make cookies I made your favourite cookies” you grinned tapping his nose before he wrapped his little legs around your waist.

The next thing you knew, Jax had draped his arms around your shoulders resting his head on your neck, his beard tickling your skin as you relaxed into his touch.

“You had a good day darlin’?” He asked, smiling.

“Yeah it was nice to sleep in” you laughed.

“Well how about we order some pizza and have a movie night on the sofa” Jax nodded making your son squeal.

“Pizza” he grinned “can we put to story on please”

“We can put whatever you want buddy” you chuckled placing him on the floor “you go get the blankets and we will order pizza”

Watching him run into the living you couldn’t help but smile.

“He loves you so much you know” you whispered, spinning around so you were facing Jax, placing your hand on his cheek.

“Good job because I love that little boy to bits” He grinned.

“Thank you” you whispered, nuzzling your head into his neck. “For being the father figure in his life”

“I don’t know about that, you have seen what I do for a living right?” He chuckled.

“No I’m being serious Jax” you said running your hands along the bottom of his back “yes you do some shady shit, I’m not going to lie and say you don’t but you try and get home at a decent time to put little man to bed and if you are on a run you FaceTime and as soon as you walk through that door, no matter how your day went you change into daddy mode even though he isn’t your son”

Jax stayed quiet as he processed your words.

“He looks up to you” you whispered.

You didn’t know what Jax was thinking but the next words that came out of his mouth surprised you.

“I want to adopt him” Jax said making you pull away and look at him with tears in your eyes.

“Jax” you breathed

“I know it’s a big step but I see him as my own son so why not make it official, I’ve been thinking about it for a while now” he smiled wiping the single tear that was falling down your cheek.

“As long as you are a hundred percent” you nodded smiling.

“Never been more certain about something” he grinned “now let’s go tell our son”

Following Jax into the living room, you ordered the pizza on the app on your phone before joining your boys on the sofa.

Jax pulled Leo into his arms, smiling at him.

“I just want to speak to you for a moment buddy” Jax smiled tearing up “so I know you call me daddy but I wanted to see how you feel about me becoming your official daddy”

“You already are my official daddy silly” Leo said, smiling, placing his small hand over Jax’s.

That was it, the waterworks had started for Jax, the tears ran down his cheeks as he smiled widely, they were the words he wanted to hear as he pulled Leo into his arms, squeezing him tightly.

“Everyone at school knows my daddy is super cool and rides a bike” he grinned. “But would it mean I got a cool last name like yours”

“You want to be a Teller buddy” Jax chuckled.

“Yeah it sounds cool” Leo nodded.

For the rest of the night you were snuggled on the sofa, Leo snuggled up in Jax’s arms as he slept, neither of you wanted to move because you were comfy and cherished moments like this. You knew Jax would want to get the process started straight away.

“You know I don’t want you feeling left out babygirl” Jax winked running his fingers down your arm. “With Leo getting my surname and all, so don’t worry I plan on making you a Teller too”

[ymiwritesstuff]

Dare

So I wanted to write this quick Josuke scenario, whose plot was actually made by a friend of mine some time ago. I loved the idea so much that I decided to finally write it! After this I promise to empty my inbox, my last exam is on Monday and then I’m finally free! Thank you for your patience and I hope this Josuke scenario is to your liking. (PS. I may or may not start officially writing for him in the future...)

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable

Josuke Higashikata x Reader

Summary: A simple game turns into one of the most stressful things Josuke has ever had to do. Things seem to get even more difficult when he runs into you.

Notes: Slightly suggestive language and themes

“Alright, Josuke! It’s your turn!”

Okuyasu turned towards his friend who straightened his posture and prepared for the question with a wide grin on his face. “Truth or dare?” The pompadour-haired teen thought of his response for a few seconds before confidently replying. 

“Dare! Better make it a good one!” Josuke laughed and widened his grin at Okuyasu’s reaction. There was an obvious glint of mischievousness in his eyes as he thought of a dare for his friend. “Nothing illegal, okay?” Koichi reminded, knowing just how unpredictable Okuyasu’s mind could be. Josuke looked at him in anticipation, anxiously waiting for the response that could be absolutely anything. The tiniest part of him was already regretting his decision.

“Ya see that store over there?” He finally asked, pointing at a small store just across the street. Josuke and Koichi both looked at it over their shoulders, raising a brow in confusion before turning back to Okuyasu. “What about it?” Josuke asked, dreading what lied in his friend’s mind. Okuyasu smirked and let out a high-pitched, impish chuckle. 

“You better have some money on ya! Because you’re gonna go in there and buy a magazine!” He chirped, which caused the two other boys to be even more confused. But before either of them had a chance to voice a question, Okuyasu threw his arm over the blue-eyed teen’s shoulder and lowered his otherwise loud voice.

“The dirty kind.”

Josuke’s face turned a bright shade of red upon hearing his words while Koichi was quick to protest.

“Okuyasu!” The silver-haired boy yelled, his cheeks quickly being dusted with crimson as well. “You can’t make him do that! He’s not even 18! There’s no way he can just buy something like that!” 

“Oh come on, Koichi!” Okuyasu exclaimed, rolling his eyes. “Ya really think Josuke here ain’t gonna pass for a grown-up?” He inquired, pointing at Josuke who was still processing the dare given to him internally. “Besides, he’s gotta do it. I don’t make the rules.” There was yet another smirk on his face, as he looked over at Josuke. “Or are ya gonna chicken out?”

The dark-haired teen was quick to regain his posture and looked at his friend confidently. “Hell no! It’s no big deal,” Josuke stated as he stood up, checking his pockets for change. “It’s like you said, I’m pretty sure I look like an adult anyway.” His lips were stretched by a fearless grin as he looked at the store, but internally, he was more than nervous. “Get goin’ then,” he heard Okuyasu say behind him as he turned towards the small boutique.

On his way there he could feel his friends’ eyes boring into him as well as the imaginary judgmental stares that he thought the bystanders gave him. His heart was beating faster than it should have and he tried to convince himself that this wasn’t a big deal. However, the fear of embarrassment and awkwardness made him more anxious than necessary.

Once he entered the store the clerk’s greeting almost made him jump. It was a small store, with little to no shelves to hide behind and the more Josuke looked around, the more he began to regret accepting the dare. There were no other customers and it made his stomach churn. His eyes spotted the section that held the lewd magazines and his eyes immediately glanced at the clerk, who fortunately had his attention elsewhere. He exhaled sharply. He could do this. All he had to do was to get over there, pick up a random magazine and pay for it. Simple as that. No biggie.

With careful steps, he neared the shelf that held the current bane of his existence. Josuke was so focused on his ridiculously stupid quest that he didn’t register the door of the shop opening and closing, indicating that someone else had entered. His lightly trembling hand reached for the corner of a magazine, trying not to pay attention to the cover of it as the steps of another person next to him went unheard by him until a voice brought him out of his thoughts.

“Josuke?”

His blue eyes immediately shot up and looked to the side where he saw you standing, wearing a pleasant smile on your face. He was quick to stand up properly and tried to use himself as a shield to hide the magazine collection he was just looking at. There was no way he could let you see what he was thinking of purchasing. Trying to appear as normal as possible and conceal his embarrassment, he returned your smile but internally cursed at his bad luck.

“A-ah, (Name)! What’s up? A-are you here to… uh… Buy something?” He stammered, unable to keep the redness on his face from forming. You giggled at his silly response.

“No, not really. Just checking. What about you? You seemed to be pretty intrigued by the-” When you tried to get a better look at what was behind him, Josuke suddenly took a step forward, fortunately moving your attention away from the shelves. He figured you hadn’t seen his previous source of interest properly when you stumbled upon him. Thank goodness.

“Well I- I’m just checking as well! Weird huh?” He chuckled sheepishly and mentally punched himself using Crazy Diamond because of how utterly awkward he sounded. You raised your eyebrow in puzzlement at his strange demeanor. “Sure, I guess… Uh… Josuke are you feeling well? You’re acting a bit strange-” When your eyes moved towards the forbidden shelf Josuke quickly grabbed your shoulders and made you face him, making your eyes look into his instead.

“Actually! I- Um…” Josuke quickly tried to come up with something to say to take your attention away from the sinful magazines. You looked at him questioningly, the close proximity making your face heat up somewhat. 

“I was wondering if… If you wanted to grab lunch with me!” He quickly said, which made you look at him with wide eyes.

“You mean… Like a date? You asked, raising your eyebrow at him rather suggestively. You’d be lying if you said that you didn’t want to go out with Josuke, in fact, you had been thinking about asking him yourself.

“Yeah, exactly! How about later today? I’ll come pick you up!” He asked, voice filled with genuine excitement, though he hadn’t forgotten about his dare. 

“Oh, so soon?” You stared at him. “I’ll have to go get ready!” You exclaimed and looked at the front door of the store before turning your gaze back to him.

“So it’s a date?” He asked, a pleasant smile spread across his lips, rid of any signs of nervousness. You nodded in response.

“It’s a date.” You confirmed, smiling as you did. “See you later,” you said before placing a gentle kiss on his cheek and heading towards the entrance. Josuke watched you go, the place on his cheek that your lips touched tingling pleasantly. When he couldn’t see your form anymore, he remembered the reason for his trip to the store and quickly turned towards the shelf with a sigh.

“What’s taking him so long?” Koichi wondered, nervously moving his gaze between the store and Okuyasu. “Do you think he got caught? I told you this wasn’t a good idea!” The dark-haired teen merely leaned back on the bench.

“Relax, he’s probably just tryna pick one with nice lookin’ chicks,” He stated with a smug smirk. “Ain’t no way they’d think he’s underage. Have you seen how tall he is?” Koichi sighed and rolled his eyes at his friend’s remark.

“It’s not about height, Okuyasu.” He once again glanced in the direction of the store. “He looks young. And it’s been a while. And I’m definitely blaming you if we get in trouble for this!”

“Hey! It ain’t my fault if he- Hey there he is!” Okuyasu glued his eyes on Josuke who walked towards them, magazine in hand. Koichi’s eyes filled with disbelief and Okuyasu began laughing hysterically. 

“You actually did it, you bastard!” He yelled as Josuke approached them, a pompous smirk decorating his face. He tossed the magazine into Okuyasu’s lap. “There’s your jerk off material.” Josuke watched as his friend let out an excited howl and began skimming through the pages.

“We’ll have to continue this game some other day,” Josuke said to Koichi, who raised a questioning eyebrow at him. He noticed the faint shade of pink dusting his cheeks. “What do you mean?”

Josuke smiled at him suggestively before letting out an excited giggle.

“Well, I can say that at least something good came out of this stupid dare.” Koichi raised a confused eyebrow at his friend.

“I have a date tonight.”

[miraculouscontent]

I’m almost afraid to ask but what happened in the episode?

Full summary time (get sad and angry in advance):

(stating for the record, I do NOT want to see Marinette salt in the reblogs or replies)

- Gabriel is mixing ingredients to fix the peacock miraculous. Duusu emerges when he puts it on and exclaims that she feels so much better, like she was in a nightmare before where she got into evil hands. Nooroo dejectedly tells Duusu that it's not a nightmare and Gabriel transforms.

- Cut to Marientte. She's trying to figure out the Miracle Box and Tikki is trying on little hats. Marinette asks if the kwami are inside and Tikki says "yes," though apart from Duusu and Nooroo. Marinette asks about Fu letting them out, but Tikki tells her that only those with a holder can go out. Marinette worries about the Miracle Box being cramped for them, but Tikki assures her that there's a parallel universe inside for them, though admits that it's more interesting being out with her.

- Marinette pushes the top button on the box, causing the kwami to emerge and go free. Marinette screams, falls, then questions why they came out, to which Tikki says that the box is in her likeness now that she's guardian: full of surprises!

- Trixx is reading her diary, Daizzi is flicking her lamp on and off, Ziggy is playing with her phone (which is currently showing that Luka is trying to call her), and Kaalki phases through the window to look outside. Marinette hurries to grab Kaalki, but a child notices her and Marinette comes up with a quick excuse about Kaalki being a toy that's not for sale.

- Xuppu and Stompp are playing on Marinette's keyboard, flicking on the news, then Alya calls Marinette from the monitor. Marinette hurries over and Alya is concerned at her clear panic, but Marinette simply asks if she likes her plushie. Alya doesn't see Kaalki at all and Tikki explains that kwami can't be seen or heard through technology, leading Marinette to lament that she just looks silly. All this time, there's been a flashing in the background, and Ziggy notes that what Tikki says makes sense because she can't be seen on "this magic painting" (flipping Marinette's phone over to show that all the camera took was her Adrien wall).

- Rose asks to see the plushies and Marinette feigns ignorance. She then panics more and her friends are concerned. Roaar questions how her friends got inside the image on the monitor. Daizzi comments that they're cute and wants Alya specifically to be their wielder. Trixx insists that she's taken and Mullo complains/wonders why Trixx is allowed a wielder and not them.

- Alya, already exasperated, says that she's being weirder than usual. Marinette excuses it with talk of getting exercise and Alya pieces together (in the rudest way possible) that all of Marinette's absurdities must mean--and all the girls chime in to ask if Marinette is at Adrien's house.

- The phone rings and Ziggy throws it. Marinette catches it and stammers, "LUKA!" then fumbles with the phone before it hits her keyboard and shuts the call off. The girls sigh, "Lukaaaaa," and Juleka mumbles something unintelligible, leading all the girls to exclaim that, "It's so cute!" (I--...sure, okay, just flip flop to whatever and have no proper reaction.)

- Meanwhile, Marinette answers the phone and Luka thanks her for the picture. She doesn't understand and Luka explains that she texted him a picture of her room--and Adrien. Marinette scrolls through her messages to see that Ziggy had sent him the picture she had taken earlier of her wall.

- Marinette panics and tries to excuse it by saying that it's a series of fashion pictures for her blog and wanted his opinion, in the process accidentally calling him "Adrien." Luka chimes back that "his name is actually Luka," and Marinette panics further, doing the same thing again before correcting herself, rambling on and on until she says, "it's just that I cheated on you--I mean, I got confused!"

- Luka insists that it's fine and asks if she's ready. She doesn't get it and Luka tells her that they have a date (Sabine is also going upstairs to see Marinette directly despite Luka literally being on the phone with her). Marinette hurriedly shoves all the kwami in the box and stashes them away, begging them to be nice and then heading downstairs.

- Sabine asks about the date she was meant to have with Luka yesterday and she says that she forget. Luka reminds her that they'd postponed because this is the last session and they can't afford to miss it. Marinette doesn't remember what they were going to see and Tom rambles about how it came out again and "it was already so dumb fifteen years ago," leading Sabine to comment that it was his first movie. Luka admits that the movie is dumb but he and Marinette are such big fans of "his" that they swore they'd go see it together. It clicks with Marinette and she cheers excitedly about how they're going to watch Jagged Stone's first movie. Luka asks if she forgot and Marinette insists that she didn't because "she definitely didn't have other emergencies to deal with," then rushes Luka out.

- Luka and Marinette are heading to the movies and trying to compete with each other to guess song lyrics to some of Jagged Stone's songs while they're getting their drinks. They sit down in the cinema and Marinette verses Luka on a song about "my guitar is my only family," which is apparently a song he really loves. Marinette congratulates him for winning the game and calls him "officially" Jagged's biggest fan and adds that he "deserves a prize for it," giving him a pink gift box. Luka opens it and is amazed by the guitar pick necklace inside, to which Marinette explains that Jagged came to the bakery the other day so she asked him to sign it for the present.

- Luka states that the gift gives her the right for a second round and recites another song lyric. Marinette takes a moment to figure it out, then excitedly recites the remaining lyrics: "KISS ME!!!" She gets embarrassed when she realizes that she blurted it out so loudly, to which Luka smiles and says, "If that's what you want." Marinette gets sheepish at what he'd done, but agrees, saying that... yes, she wants to.

- The kiss is interrupted by an akuma attack and Marinette has to make an excuse to get away. Tikki questions her if she's going to leave Luka alone (...seriously? we’re doing this now???) and Marinette points out that she can't tell him the truth.

- Ladybug shows up on the scene to what seems to be Mister Pigeon (he's not shown but it's an airplane made of pigeons), and she's listening to a message from Chat Noir that she presumably got earlier, stating that he's ready for patrol. While she's listening, Chat Noir sneaks up and pranks/surprises her, to which she grabs his wrist and yeets him off into the distance. Realizing what she did, she yoyos him back and he slams into the window. She scolds him because she could've hurt him and Chat Noir states that "the only thing that hurts him is when she leaves him alone for patrols" and how he "even missed her angry looks." She reminds him that she's been busy and he says that he knows because she's guardian now. Ladybug promises not to forget patrol again and they go off to fight Mister Pigeon.

- Cut back to Luka, who's feeling sad because the movie is over and Marinette still isn't there. Marinette returns and makes another excuse, to which Luka just smiles sadly. Cue montage of Marinette getting ice cream with him, him picking her up from school on his bike, both of which end with her having to rush off. Cut to a scene on the Liberty where Luka is about to dedicate a song to Marinette, "a girl..." and then looks to see that she hasn't arrived "...who, as always, isn't here." Marinette does show up, but the damage is done.

- Later, Marinette and Luka are walking along underneath a bridge while Marinette is making another excuse. Luka shushes her and tells her to listen to the water because if you're in this exact place, you can "hear a melody." Marinette listens for it and calms herself, after which Luka explains that he never knew who his father was and his mother never wanted to tell him who he was, so whenever he was upset over it, he'd go there to think. He asks her where she goes when she disappears and Marinette struggles to answer. Luka assures her that he'll accept whatever she says and will understand if she's still in love with Adrien, adding that he won't be jealous either. Marinette tells him that "it's not, definitely not," and Luka tells her that all he asks for is the truth. Marinette, torn, has to admit that the truth is the only thing she can't tell him.

- Visual representation of Luka's heart breaking is shown (Luka turns white, black background, a zoom out, and a crackling noise). Shadow Moth sends his akuma+feather combo and it hits the necklace that Luka is wearing. Shadow Moth tries to make a deal with Luka, but Luka resists, insisting that the truth should be shared and not taken by force, also calling him "Shadow Moth." Marinette glances up at the name, confused, then apologizes and begs Luka to resist. Shadow Moth asks why Luka resists when Marinette doesn't trust him, to which Luka insists that she does. Marinette echoes that and assures Luka that she trusts him, but Shadow Moth states that - if she really trusted him - she'd tell him the truth. Luka's mental state is finally broken and he falls to his knees, only able to beg Marinette to run before he's taken over by the akumatization energy. Marinette flees and Luka transforms into Truth with his sentimonster Pharo.

- Marinette transforms into Ladybug and then the scene cuts to Truth landing on the Liberty. Pharo traps Alya in its spotlight, freezing her in place, after which Truth shoots her, turning her lips white. He asks her what Marinette's secret is and Alya says that she's in love with Adrien. Truth tells her that that's not a secret and shoots Mylene next, who says the same thing. Frustrated, Truth insists that it can't be the only thing. Ladybug is hiding nearby, taking on her yoyo to Chat Noir about how Hawk Moth merged his power with the peacock to become Shadow Moth.

- Rose insists that Marinette doesn't have secrets because she's "the most honest girl in the world." Truth tries to shoot her, but Juleka jumps in the way and gets shot instead, though her answer to Luka's question is just more unintelligible mumbling. Ladybug makes herself known and Truth starts shooting her, though she dodges. She lands on the deck of the Liberty, then gasps as she notices the necklace-turned-akumatized-object on Truth. "Luka?!" (I'm just--I--she saw him being covered by akumatization energy--I--)

- Her shocked state allows for Pharo to hit her with the spotlight. Truth shoots her, but before Ladybug can blab her secret identity, Chat Noir swoops in to save her. Shadow Moth shouts at Truth to give chase, but Anarka shows up and demands to know what Truth is doing on the ship. In response, Pharo freezes Anarka and Truth shoots her, calling her "Mom" and asking who his father is. Anarka replies that it's Jagged Stone. Luka's eyes go round in disbelief and he asks again, getting the same answer. Truth apologizes to Shadow Moth, but insists that "this truth can't wait," jumping off into the distance.

- Meanwhile, Ladybug and Chat Noir have gotten out of the water that Chat and her hid in. Chat Noir assures her that he'd never try to take a secret from her by force, and Ladybug points to his belt to indicate that he hand it to her. He does so and she wraps it around her mouth to prevent her from speaking.

- Jagged Stone is playing a song for Prince Ali (by the way, the song production in this episode is terrible; Rose and Jagged since like they're trying to be off-key, made worse by the fact that Rose was singing the unicorn song that they could've just copy-pasted from "Silencer") when Pharo descends and hits him with the spotlight. Truth shows up and demands to know if he's Jagged's son, to which Jagged replies that it "depends on who he is." Ladybug and Chat Noir show up and Pharo goes after them, though Truth still manages to hit Jagged with his beam, explaining that he's Luka Couffaine and he "has a right to know the truth."

- Jagged admits that Luka is his son. This shocks Ladybug and Chat Noir, the latter of whom gets hit by Pharo's spotlight. Truth, distressed, asks Jagged why he hid it and abandoned him, to which Jagged apologizes but insists that he was "too lame to take care of a child," having spent his whole life on tour and now living in a hotel with a crocodile; he "never could have been a good father."

- ...In fact - he says - it actually resulted in a great song, unknowingly reciting one of Luka's favorites as he explains the it was, "my guitar was my only family." Truth, enraged, grabs Jagged and yeets him off into the sky. Ladybug acts quickly, hitting Pharo with her yoyo so she and Chat Noir can give chase. Shadow Moth demands that Truth go after them, but Truth apologizes and states there's still one truth left that he needs to know.

- Ladybug and Chat Noir manage to save Jagged, avoiding Pharo's eye until Jagged is properly safe. that done, they hop off, thoughTruth has already landed in Marinette's house.

- Truth hits Tom with his beam and asks what Marinette's secret is. Tom repeats the "she's in love with Adrien," line, to which Truth then shoots Sabine instead and asks if Marinette has a diary. Sabine tells him that she does and Truth marches for her room, though is briefly (very briefly) stopped by Tom.

- Meanwhile, Pharo thinks he sees Ladybug and Chat Noir and shoots them, though it was actually just some cardboard cut-outs seen earlier (Truth has a telepathic connection to it and congratulates it for its success), allowing Ladybug and Chat Noir to freely head for where Truth is.

- The kwami freak out at Truth ransacking Marinette's room and worry about Truth finding the Miracle Box. Xuppu wants to do something but Wayzz reminds him that their powers are too strong without a wielder, reminding them of when Plagg sunk Atlantis.

- Ladybug and Chat Noir arrive and Truth summons Pharo telepathically, meaning that Pharo is on its way. Ladybug indicates the necklace to Chat Noir with a tilt of her head and Chat Noir activates Cataclysm. Truth and Chat Noir go back and forth for a bit until Chat Noir tells Ladybug to use her lucky charm, to which she indicates the binding around her mouth. Chat Noir tells her to remove it because he has a plan... then gets knocked down almost immediately by Truth. Truth starts to ask for Ladybug to tell him--but Chat Noir kicks him down and finishes the question by asking about his top three qualities. Ladybug tells him that she's impressed by his self-confidence, his courage, but what she prefers most is his humor. Chat Noir and Truth go back-to-back some more and Truth tries to ask Ladybug again, but Chat knocks Truth away and finishes by asking what she uses when all seems lost. Ladybug uses Lucky Charm (no Charm suit) and gets aluminum foil.

- Pharo plows through the wall and spotlights Chat Noir. Truth shoots him and starts to ask his identity, but Ladybug blocks Pharo's eyes and cuts in to ask what Chat Noir thinks of her being guardian, to which Chat Noir states that it doesn't bother him so long as nothing changes between them.

- Chat Noir fights Truth while Ladybug covers her decorative umbrella in foil. Truth dodges Chat's Cataclysm and Ladybug intentionally pulls Pharo forward so Pharo is struck instead. Pharo proceeds to go nuts and Ladybug yoyos it and jumps on top, directing its spotlight towards the foil-covered umbrella that Chat is now holding. The light reflects onto Truth, freezing him, and Ladybug hits Truth's necklace. Cue Miraculous Ladybug.

- Ladybug and Chat Noir hop up to a roof and Chat comments on how much fun he had. Ladybug describes what just happened and is like if that's fun for you then yeah. Chat idles on Shadow Moth's name and Ladybug shows confidence that they'll catch him in the end, after which they banter a bit and Chat Noir tells her that it's "only with her that he can have so much fun."

- Cut to Marinette and Luka, now on the bridge in the location he was before. Marinette tells him that she doesn't want to lie and starts to suggest that it might be better for them to break up, but Luka steps forward and hugs her before she can say "break up" specifically. She hugs back and he assures her that he'll be there for her whenever she's ready. Marinette shuts her eyes tight, pained, and buries her face into his shoulder.

- Luka is later walking back to the Liberty, depressed, when he sees Jagged Stone idling near the gangplank. Jagged approaches, hugs him (Luka hugs back), then states that - if there's one thing he knows how to do (specifically calling Luka "son") - it's turning emotions into great songs, then suggests that he and Luka write one together. Luka smiles, though it looks a little bittersweet.

- Marinette, meanwhile, is crying on her bed, saying that - now that Shadow Moth is a threat to the people she loves - she can't have a boyfriend because it's too dangerous. The kwami approach and Kaalki expresses confusion at the "strange liquid coming out of her eyes." Trixx explains that they're tears and it's "too sad" (while the way-too-happy ending track is starting to kick in, by the way). Daizzi asks if they're meant to do something and Marinette tells them to "just give her a hug." The kwami swarm her to do just that and the episode ends.

[m-y-fandoms]

[SDR2 Girls] x selectively mute reader - imagines

Request: SDR2 Girls reacting to hearing a selectively mute S/O speak for the first time, please!!

Sure thing! Also, so that more people can relate and read this with themselves in mind, if you want to, you can read this as an s/o who simply doesn’t talk often due to shyness, idk. I wrote it with selectively mute in mind like the request says though. Also, some of these take place in SDR2, some in DR3 the anime, in Hope’s Peak Academy. - Admin Kokichi

Warnings: selectively mute reader, implied past trauma, self-hate and doubt, insecurities, mild and not in detail, always resolved with fluff.

Mahiru Koizumi

     “(S/O), what do you think of these ones?” Your loving, strong-willed girlfriend, Mahiru Koizumi splayed out a bunch of photos before you, carefully ordering them in a particular way and looking to you with an almost nervous anticipation in her eyes that was uncharacteristic of her. She stood behind you, looking over your shoulder anxiously. She valued your opinion highly, above most of the artists and creative minds she’d become acquainted with in her years of expert-level photography.

     Your eyes scanned the pictures thoughtfully, appreciating every inch, every focal point, every hidden meaning. You took in the composition, the symbolism, the saturation. Your girlfriend was so passionate, so gifted, and far too hard on herself. Slowly, your brows raised. She took this expression immediately to mean disapproval, and began to defend herself.

     “I know, I know. I was trying to do a series here. It was a new concept I’m trying... a bit too bold I think for now. I should stick to just quality headshots for the time being, that was my last concept. Following the first photo, the rest were suppose to connect and flow like a story but I understand if it’s not coming through-” you interrupted her speedy string of words, the shield she put around herself and her work.

     “This is the best one yet!” Your mouth hung open, lost in the colors. Your eyes swam, bouncing from polaroid to polaroid.

     “No, be honest because like-” Her eyes widened. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “(S-S/O)???” She spun you around to face her, tears at the corners of her eyes. She pulled you into her chest, nearly squeezing the life out of you. All doubts about her work went out the window. If it was good enough to make you speak, it was good enough for her.

     She left little pecks all over your cheeks, and insisted of taking a photo to remember this moment.

Peko Pekoyama

     Being rather quiet and reserved herself, Peko didn’t mind your timid nature. She knew of trauma, seeing much of it growing up in the yakuza way of life. She had trauma of her own, and had caused others great trauma in the line of duty, protecting her Young Master. Once she’d started dating you officially, she’d become your sword and your shield, quite literally as well as emotionally. She didn’t need words. She knew how you felt, when to back off, when you needed comfort. Being intuitive, preceptive, strong-willed and incredibly intelligent made her your perfect defender, your rock. 

     She was used to you pointing, signing, even drawing out your feelings at times, and didn’t need to know what your voice sounded like to love you, but when you spoke up, breaking your silence, for her sake nonetheless, she held back tears, eyes glistening.

     “Peko, I worry that you’re not happy sometimes… the Kuzuryuu’s overwork you. I want you to be happy.” You’d been sitting across from her in the dining hall, just the two of you all alone, Fuyuhiko having ordered her to fuck off for the day. Your voice was small, gentle, barely existent, but it was there. Her intense, scarlet eyes flew up to your mouth, sure her mind was playing tricks on her. She could tell from your posture and expression the past hour that you’d had something on your mind. Something was bothering you, but surely that hadn’t prompted actually speech?

     “(S/O)... did you just speak to to me?” Peko spoke concisely, purposefully like always. You nodded nervously. Maybe you’d overstepped by bringing up her line of work or the Kuzuryuu clan. It wasn’t your place. She’d been doing that far longer than you’d been with her.

     At your reply, the swords-woman merely closed her eyes pensively, almost appearing to be in a state of meditation. A small, barely noticeable smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She was elated, ecstatic that you’d chosen to speak for her, that you loved and trusted her this much, but she wasn’t one to make a big scene of things.

     “I appreciate your concern for me, but no matter how hard I work, being with you makes me happy, preforming my duties make me happy. I’m sorry if I ever gave you reason to doubt either of those facts.” Her steady, confident hand reached out and stroked your back lovingly. You smiled, leaning into her touch.

Ibuki Mioda

     Ibuki talked enough for the both of you. You found comfort in the way she could endlessly hold a conversation where you could not. She made friends with ease and people loved her. Sometimes you feared that you held her back, that your quiet personality and baggage from your past was a grey stain on her neon spirit.

     Despite your doubts, Ibuki never hesitated to show her love for you. She held your hand all the time, regardless of if you needed that physical comfort at the moment. She carried the conversations, easily rolling with your signing, gesturing, and nods. She never forced you, never pushed your barriers, taking you completely as you are. You’d seen her bite people, scream, pull people away into her manic fantasies and crazy ideas, but with you she was a bit more patient, reserved.

     “Ibuki... w-why do you go easy on me? You’re so wild and free with e-everyone else... I hope I’m not holding y-you back,” you stuttered, fighting back tears. You weren’t really in the mood to talk, but this question had been burning in the back of your mind for too long. Ibuki’s fiery eyes widened. Her hands flew to her cheeks in a state of amazement and awe. You smiled sheepishly at her, completely in love with how passionate and alive she was at all times.

     “Whaaaa?! (S/O)!!! Your voice is like, totally adorable!!! Ibuki love-love’s it!” She ran over to you and wrapped her arms snuggly around your waist before jumping up and down in place, ignoring your actual question completely. 

     That was your Ibuki.

     “But-”

     “You think Ibuki goes easy on you!?!?! Perish the thought, oh lovey dovey lover of mine! If this is going too easy on you, I can go harder!!!!” She pulled away, shredding an air guitar in front of you with her teeth gritted in false exertion. You could tell she was purposely ignoring your second comment, the one about you holding her back. Ibuki didn’t like to focus on the negative, and her not answering your silly, nonsense question was her was of saying it was in fact a silly, nonsense question. She loved you, and she wanted to be with you.

     No if, and’s, or but’s about it.

Mikan Tsumiki

     Mikan was rushing back and forth, cleaning up messes, doing paperwork, organizing her backpack. The nurse’s office would be a hell hole without her. Hope’s Peak wasn’t even paying her for her endless duties as the nurse’s assistant, which was an outrage in your mind already, but then she spent every day fretting over homework, her studies, her friends, her job, and your relationship with her. It was criminal, the stress life put on that girl.

     Today was no different. Mikan had been to class, the to the nurse’s office to tend to ill students, then back to class, then lunch, and now here she was again, nearly in tears as she tidied up the actual nurse’s files in-between writing her own notes and research. She never let up on researching and perfecting her ultimate talent, and feared letting down anyone in her life, whether they deserved her attention or not.

     You sat on a hospital bed behind your frantic girlfriend, watching her struggle with a lump in your throat. You technically weren’t allowed to just be here unless you were sick, but the nurse hardly ever did her job, so she would never find out. Mikan sat before you, her cheeks wet and a grimace seemingly permanently etched into her face. You couldn’t take it any more. You stood, walking over to her and grabbing the files and pen from her hand. She let out a small yelp of surprise, so entranced with her work that she didn’t even notice your approach. You placed the cursed objects down, and wrapped your arms around her tightly.

     “Mikan, please. You need to slow down. You can’t keep working this hard.” Your voice shook, jittery as you buried your head into her shoulder. She jumped, startled by your actions. 

     “(S-S-S/O)! Y-you just spoke! You just spoke to m-me!” She froze, excited, anxiety-ridden, surprised, overwhelmed all at the same time. “Your voice is s-so cute! S-Sorry! Sorry if that’s weird to say!” Her bandaged hands reached up, grasping onto your forearms embracing her chest.

     “It’s not weird, but did you hear me?” It was imperative to you that she understood, that she agreed to pace herself, to put herself first from now on. You couldn’t watch her stress herself into an early grave any longer. With her already existing tendency to trip and fall clumsily, she didn’t need this constant stress and exhaustion to cause even more accidents.

     “Y-yes. Yes. I heard you. I’m sorry for not answering. I’m so s-stupid! I should’ve b-ben listening closer, eh!” She shook her head frantically, holding back tears. You only squeezed her tighter.

     “You’re not stupid. I love you, Tsumiki.” She stiffened up, then began to sob loudly, snot and tears rolling down her face. These words were so new to her, so unfamiliar. She didn’t feel like she deserved your love, but yes, she loved you, too.

     She loved you more than herself, more than work or school, more than nursing.

     More than life itself.

Hiyoko Saionji

     You loved Hiyoko, you really did, but she got on even your nerves at times. Your relationship with her started as one mutual respect, a kind of unspoken agreement that she would be little nicer to you than she was to others. She liked you, physically and mentally. She found you attractive in every way, and showed it the only way she could at first: by teasing, by bullying you, but you never responded, never gave her the satisfaction of a response. She liked that. Well, she hated it outwardly. It frustrated her to no end that she couldn’t get a rise out of you, but inside her admiration for you only grew with every exchange.

     She started to treat you like a best friend, an older sibling like Mahiru, and loved that you could keep up with her, that you weren’t intimidated by her, or at least if you were, you didn’t show it. She eventually pushed her pride aside enough to ask you out, wanting to make you hers before anyone else could, and you accepted, but again, it didn’t mean she didn’t get on your nerves from time to time.

     Today in particular, she was trying your patience. Everything you did, she complained about or belittled. She was teasing you, in some horrible mood today, demeaning everything move you made. You’d been spending the entire day together, and it was going a little something like this:

You went to the diner, she criticized your choice of food.

You went to the beach house, she made fun of the way you bonked your head off a surf board in the storage room.

You swam at the beach with some of your classmates, she pointed out the silly way your wet clothes clung to your body.

     Now you were back in your cabin with her, just shooting the breeze and making small talk, when she waltzed out of your bathroom with something in her hands. Something of yours.

     “What is this? I didn’t know you were this kind of pervert! Gross!” She cackled, holding up a pair of your underwear that were, let’s just say, maybe a more flashy and indulgent... not for daily or casual use. You’d discarded them just before your shower the night before, and forget that you’d simply left them on the bathroom tiles.

     You felt your cheeks heat up as she feigned disgust, swinging the garments around while continuing to comment and mock you loudly. You fists began to shake, and your blood felt like it was boiling.

     “Can’t you ever just give it a fucking break, you little troll?!” You marched forward, snatched the underwear from her hand, snarling inches from her face. A look of shock and horror crossed her face, and you both stood there, frozen for a few moments. Then, impishly, mischievously, her hand slipped up to cover her mouth, and she smirked devilishly.

     “Well, well, it’s about time you showed some back bone. Put me in my place, pervert~!” She giggled maniacally, stroking your cheek with one hand. “That was kinda hot.” Your cheeks continued to heat up, but now it was more from a flustered feeling in the pit of your stomach rather than anger

Chiaki Nanami

     You’d been dating Chiaki for a long while now. You guys went together like peanut butter and jelly. She was quiet, a bit lazy, low maintenance, and didn’t require you to speak endlessly... or ever really. She didn’t talk much herself, but she would when she needed to. You see, Chiaki could’ve been the ultimate empath, in her own right. She could feel for others, support them, comfort them, read their hearts, give the best advice. When it came to the things that really mattered, she was never one to slack off and be lazy. She was your perfect match.

     What’s more, her main hobby and passion, gaming, often didn’t require any speech, any communication at all. You either watched her play, resting your head in her lap silently, or during co-op, the game either guided you with tutorials, or Chiaki herself did all of the talking, looking to you for nods of confirmation. You two spent hours upon days upon weeks like that, just enjoying one game after the next. She often even let you choose the game, loving all genres herself.

     Today was the day: you were going to finally tell her how you feel. You were going to work up the courage and speak your heart. Of course, Chiaki knew you cared about her, and you knew she cared about you... but was it love? Did she really love you, or were you just comfortable, easy to deal with, her little outlet for social interaction? Were you just best friends, platonic soul-mates with the false label of a romantic relationship? Today you’d find out.

~

     You and Chiaki sat in her dorm as usual, in the dark with only a screen lighting her face gently. A soft blue glow softened her adorable features, and you felt your heart flutter. God you loved her so much...

     Scooting closer to her on the ground, you placed your head into her lap, heart beating at the speed of light.

     “Chiaki?” You spoke quietly, gently, anxiously.

     “Hmm?” she hummed in acknowledgement, her fingers never halting their rapid movements on the controller in her hands.

     “I... I love you.” You inhaled sharply and held that breath, heart thrashing violently against your ribcage. You waited eagerly for a response that you both desperately needed and were terrified to hear.

     Chiaki simply smiled warmly, the sounds of gunshots and a level-up in your ears as you waited. She didn’t make a big deal of your speaking. She knew it would come eventually, when you were ready and comfortable.

     “I love you, too, (S/O).” She gently stroked your hair with one hand, reassuring and calming you, masterfully owning the battlefield with just one spare hand.

Sonia Nevermind

     “I just don’t see why the others won’t try it out with me! You’d think even one of them would be interested!” You sat across from your regal lover, watching her throw her little tantrum in her unique and particular way of speaking. You loved the way she put accents on certain syllables, the way she messed up common lingo or phrases at times. It was so adorable. You couldn’t expect someone who knew dozens of languages to be perfectly fluent in all of them. “You know what I mean?” You nodded enthusiastically, lost dreamily in her eyes.

     She stood, beginning to pace back and forth in the dining hall on the second floor of the restaurant, a clear nobility to her strut. It was clear in her tone that she was used to giving orders, to speaking with purpose so that others would listen with fervor.

     “I mean, all I wanted was to try cosplaying, just once with everyone. Father never let me at home. He says it’s a silly past-time, and gets in the way of my royal duties!” She paused, fists in front of her chest in a gesture of exasperation. You nodded, eyes trailing up and down her milky skin. Wow, how did you get so lucky? “Hajime said he’d feel silly dressing up, Mahiru said she is busy, but I know she is not! Akane said it just wasn’t her thing. How does she even know unless she tries?!” You nodded, watching her chest rise and fall passionately. “I need at least five people to do this! It’s a group cosplay! Why don’t they understand? And Chiaki is nowhere to be found! She’d say yes, I know it!” She stuck one finger out matter-of-factly. Her eyes met yours, and she frowned slightly. “I’m sorry, I do not mean to sound ungrateful. It means a lot that you said you’d do it with me-”

     “You are so beautiful when you’re all riled up...” You spoke, your head resting in your hand lazily. You felt in a daze, so enraptured were you with her aura, her energy. Her eyes widened a bit, before she rushed over to you, cooing and giggling like a fool. “S-Sonia!” Your princess, so strong and bold despite her demure and innocent appearance, scooped you out of your chair and into her arms, twirling you about in the air.

     “Ahaha! My, my! I will have to get riled up more often if I get to hear your voice as a reward, my love!” She nuzzled her button nose against yours, setting your heart aflame.

Akane Owari

     You sat in your room, crying, weeping softly into your blanket. Today had been a horrible day. Not only were you suffering the normal anxiety about being in this killing game, but you were already a naturally stressed person despite that, and today, your insecurities and self-doubt were at an all time high after a savage bullying session from Hiyoko. Your pillow was now soaked, and your body was shaking. Hiyoko really knew how to wound a person at their very core.

     “(S/O)! Check this shit out! Teruteru-” Your lively, protective girlfriend, Akane, came bursting into your room, startling you half to death. She halted in her tracks upon seeing the tears streaking your face and the pink puffiness of your eyes. On her own face, numerous crumbs from various fried meats and sauces from what were no doubt extravagant dishes were displayed proudly, sticking to her chin and cheeks. In her hand was a silver platter of what was unmistakably the offending feast. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying? Who do I need to beat the shit outta?!” She set the platter on your bed, rushing to your side and hugging you to her ample bosom. You looked up at her, shaking your head softly and wiping some crumbs from her cheek. “Who is it?!” 

     She was starting to get frustrated. You shook your head again. Akane didn’t mean to get mad at you, and truly, she was more upset at the situation than at you. You knew that. Akane was simply a fire-brand: strong, short-tempered, loud and opinionated. You never took her outbursts seriously.

     “So you’re just sad? It’s one of those days? Nothing happened?” You nodded. “Something did happen?” You nodded again. “Gahhhh this is so hard without you talkin’ and shit!” She threw her hands up in the air, fuming until she saw your lip start to tremble, a wetness glossing your eyes. She sighed, taking a deep breath to calm herself. “Look... you know I love ya, (S/O). I’m sorry for being a loud-mouth asshole. I’m not mad at you.” She squeezed you tight enough to break a bone, but then pulled you away, looking into your eyes deeply. “Who?” Now she was dead serious.

     “Hiyoko...” You nearly whispered, but it was there. Your voice was there. Akane blinked once, twice, her head tilting slightly. Had she heard that right? She was looking for an answer, but she’d never actually prepared for one. Slowly, her shock, rounded out lips turned upward into a devious smirk. She stood, walking briskly toward the door. “Akane-!” You reached out after her. She spun on her heel, hands on her hips.

     “I’m gonna go give that little shit a piece of my fist!” She turned to leave again, a shit-eating grin on her face. Pausing, she twisted around again to face you, pointing her finger toward you with gusto. “And when I come back, I’m gonna ravish you, babe! You better be ready!” And she sprinted out the door, leaving it wide open in her wake.

     Your cheeks had never been so warm.

[trumpkinhotboy]

Due to my older brother having autism, I’ve always wanted to have a Peter and Lucy relationship. Any headcanons for my all time favorite sibling love? ☺️ Thank you!

Of course my darling! Here you go, I hope you’ll like it✨ Thank you for your patience and your trust angel💛

*gif is not mine !!

Peter and Lucy Pevensie’s relationship headcanons... ✨

Peter always calls his little sister “Lu”, and everyone knows she is in deep trouble if he calls her “Lucy Pevensie”.

They always make sure to spend time quality time together. As the Pevensies started their reign, they all got caught up in their new lifestyle, especially Peter as the High King and a person who puts a lot of pressure on himself. As time went on, Lucy felt lonely and missed spending time with her brother. After a messy fight between the two of them where she finally admitted she felt left behind and missed him, they decided that they would, from now on, always make sure to plan some quality time together.

On the nights where Lucy has terrible nightmares, she quickly gets up to run into her big brother’s room. Shaking his shoulder, “Pete… Peter… are you awake?” only to be answered by a grumpy mumble, with a little more shaking an answer would eventually come out “Mmmh… Now I am… What’s the matter?” “I just had the worst nightmare…” he immediately lifts the covers “Wanna sleep with me?” and she gladly jumps in with him.

Of course, she always ends up taking all the place in the bed and cuddling her brother all night so that the following morning he barely got any quality sleep, but to see his little sister feeling better is all that matters to him. 

Whenever Peter gets too caught up in his mind, she is always there to deliver him from his thoughts and force him to take a well-deserved break. 

On the days where it is councils over councils, talking about mundane matters for protocol, he would get incredibly bored. That is when his attentive little sister would make sure to make him laugh and smile a little extra, even secretly bringing him snacks.

They do a lot of silly pranks together, both hiding behind columns, playing those often on Susan or Mr.Beaver, laughing until they can’t breathe. 

Whenever Peter comes back from a fight, Lucy particularly makes sure her brother is cared for. His big heart and selfless personality often make the golden boy forget and mistreat himself because he just wanted to give so much to others. After fights, she makes sure he is taking rest and being attended to. 

On the nights where he is up till dawn in the library reading, trying to get in as much information as he can, she always forces him to go to bed.

 If he has already fallen asleep on his books, she brings him a blanket and a pillow. 

She wants him to know he deserves the same amount of love and dedication he gives to everybody else. 

Even though Peter is incredibly protective of his little sister, he also firmly believes in her capacities to accomplish great things. 

Every time she performs on an event of some sort, Peter is always boosting the hell out of her. He is her number one supporter and loves cheering on for her, whether it is about swords fighting, painting, dancing, or any little things.

“C’mon Lu you can do it!”

“You got this!” 

There's a lot of shouting and clapping.

When in more official settings, he minds his manners of course, but not enough to prevent a smug smile to lift the corners of his mouth. 

During councils, he always makes sure her opinions are heard and that she is not set aside. 

He remembers gloomily the many times Lucy tried to bring a point to the table or just an alternative option to a situation that would end up causing so many death and harm. He wants to do his best so that never happens again.

In the other world, before they could get back in Narnia, any time Peter felt like he was losing hope he would go to Lucy, knowing he could rely on her unshakable faith. 

Anytime Peter feels trapped in an unsolvable situation and feels frustrated, he goes to Lucy for advice. 

She is calm and wise where he is action and impatience; they balance each other out wonderfully in that type of situation. 

It is no secret; he is a protective brother when it comes to his little Lucy. He feels particularly entitled to her security and well-being. 

As she grew up, he found it hard to understand she was a grown-up woman, able to take care of herself. 

It did spark many small fights between the two of them, every time it ended with him apologizing and her understanding he was only doing this because he did not want her to get hurt.

After that, he started to do even more training and activities with her, boosting her confidence and encouraging her to be the best she could be. 

He is also extremely protective of her when it comes to male attention. 

At one point, it became too intense and inquired a serious discussion between them both as he had frightened to death a gentleman who wanted to dance with her majesty. He was incredibly sulky and acting like a stubborn mule when they discussed the matter. She succeeded in breaking his act and made him promise he would not do it again. 

They did make a deal on him having a veto if he felt something was off; they shook hands on it. Even after that, he was protective, but more subtly, and gave his little sister the space she needed. 

They love to go on walks in the country together, sometimes in the woods, other times on the beach or near a river to read a book.

They do not have to talk even though they love chatting together; they still enjoy and appreciate each other’s presence in the deepest of silence. 

They do not fight a lot, and when it happens, it ends pretty quickly with one of them apologizing. 

Even though Peter has a shining personality, he can get shy easily and prefers to hide in a royal and distant behavior when that happens. That is why Lucy always makes sure to break that façade and bring back her happy brother.

When he feels like he is a terrible king, Lucy takes on the role of the confidence booster. She encourages him to be confident and to have trust in his capacities.

She believes in him more than anyone else and knows he is a great king, always doing his best.

He does not particularly like to dance, and Lucy really does; she taught him all he knows and forces him to dance with her at least once at every ball. 

He always tries to get out of it even though he secretly likes these shared dances with his sister.

When Lucy gets sick or does not feel good, he is taking extra care of her, making sure she is always attended to, that she has all of her favorite snacks. 

Once, when it got pretty bad, he spent all night with her, even sending Edmund on one of his duty because he did not want to leave her. That day he spent most of the time, besides caring for her, reading her favorite books to her. 

She loves his voice; it is one of her favorite things in the world.

Every time there is a silly fight between the three younger Pevensies and their older brother, their last resort is always to send in the charms of Lucy. He always caves in when she comes in, asking with a pout just like when she was a child.  

They both admire the other so much. 

Their relationship is one of the things they value the most. Even though it comes pretty naturally to them, they always put in the time and effort to keep it healthy and flourishing.

You know how some people have the chance to find one of their soul sisters (platonically speaking of course).

Well, Peter and Lucy Pevensie are without a doubt two people who had the luck of finding theirs.  

a/n: there it was, my first ever request !! Again thanks to my good friend for sending it to me🥺 I hope you’ll like it and feel free to send me some requests, I love doing them☺

[boymeetsweevil]

binary stars

Grouping: Reader x Bff!Hyuck

Word Count: ~8.4k

Warnings/Themes: friends to lovers, insecurity, pining, jealous hyuck, like a teaspoon of suggestiveness, yuta is here because i love him

Prompt: “bff!hyuck + friends to lovers. college au and slightly nsfw or however nsfw u wanna make it”

A/N: This commissioned fic is part of the Changes with Luv project, hosted by FicsWithLuv. Here you can find more information about the project, cause, places to donate, and ways to commission a piece or offer your services if you are a content creator. Thank you!

The food court is crowded when you get there. It’s a bit later than ideal after morning classes followed by a study session in the library.

“What are you gonna get,” Donghyuck asks while slinging an arm around your shoulder.

While squinting up at the menu up ahead, he whispers into your ear. Just to make sure his question doesn’t get lost in the chatter around you. You still get goosebumps, though.

“All I know is that it can’t be a bagel. I’m starting to get sick of those.” You rub your arm and he mistakes it for you being cold.

Donghyuck pulls you closer while mumbling half to himself and half to you about what he’ll get.

“I heard they have this new sandwich thing. Johnny told me it has hash browns as the bread.” He peers down at you. “You could try that.”

“Did he say if it was filling or not?”

“No, but if it’s too big for you to eat, we can share it. Or you can use some of my tupperware when we get home,” he says.

When he says ‘home’, he really just means his dorm. There’s a section in the communal first floor kitchen that belongs to him, and it houses all the things his mom sent him with for survival years ago.

Home. As in ‘where you have a place too’. It’s a small difference from your classmates and other friends who say ‘the dorm’ or ‘my place’. But it’s also one of the many ways in which Donghyuck invites you in and makes you feel special. It’s one of the reasons you fell for your best friend.

“Why don’t you just get it?” You try to wriggle out of his grasp but he doesn’t notice and tightens up as the line moves up a bit. “It sounds like you’re the one who wants it, not me.”

“I would...but I think it’s one of the ‘deluxe’ sandwiches.” He pivots so he can envelope you fully from behind, puppy dog eyes out and at the ready. “And I’m in the red again this week.”

“Okay, why are you always in the red? What are you spending your money on?”

You miss the way his eyes drift down instinctively to the empty frappe cup you hold.

“I don’t know. The money just escapes me.”

“It’s a good thing you’re not an econ major, then.”

“Hey!”

He squeezes you tightly from behind and starts to shake you around like a ragdoll. A couple people in line turn at the sudden commotion while you scrabble at the tight vice his arms make around you.

Moments like these are the ones where, if you step back, you could convince yourself that Donghyuck was your boyfriend instead of just your best friend. But you know better than to think that you and he are in the same league. Even if you were, you’d probably be at the back of the line because he’s almost too easy to love.

Donghyuck is the whole package. When he’s not lighting up a room with his charisma and humor, he’s stealing everyone’s attention with his handsome face. It doesn’t help that he’s naturally flirty and generous with touch. Sometimes you think that maybe there’s some side of him that only you get to see, but other times—

“Hyuck!”

You and Donghyuck turn at the same time to see Mila, one of Donghyuck’s department-mates running towards your spot in the slow moving line. The moment stops being private and suddenly there’s a sort of shame bubbling up inside of you. Maybe it’s because you know that people think you’re an odd pair, that Donghyuck is misguided and charitable for hanging out with you. He’s never mentioned it, and the one time you did he blew up at you about it. But still, there’s something about third party appraisal that makes you feel like you’re in someone else’s spot. For all you know it could be Mila’s spot. She’s bright too. Not as bright as Donghyuck, but brighter than you. Since she started coming around Donghyuck, you’ve accepted this. The fact that she now uses your nickname for him makes you feel a whole new type of loss, though.

“Hey,” you both greet her.

She lays a hand on his forearm, squeezing lightly. “Hey, how are you? I’ve been looking for you.”

“Oh, what for?”

“You owe me a movie, silly.”

“Like a physical movie?”

You snort at his obliviousness and Mila responds with a quick glance at the way he drapes himself over you.

“No! Remember when you gave me those movie recommendations?”

“Yeah. To watch on your own time. You don’t have to watch them with me just because I mentioned them.”

“But where’s the fun in that?”

She pouts, grabs his free arm and tugs just hard enough to jostle him. With his arms wrapped around you, you stumble forward when he does.

“Oh, sorry.” Her hands come out like they’re going to steady you, but they get nowhere close enough to actually do the job. “Didn’t see you there.”

“She said ‘hi’,” Donghyuck chimes in before you can make up some excuse for why it’s okay that you almost fell on your face.

“I must have just missed you then,” she gazes down at you, “You’re so quiet.”

“Just watching the line,” you say.

The line moves forward and Mila moves with you. Clearly she’s not planning on leaving. She’s waiting you out and it’s working. You feel awkward enough that you need to get out, even if it means you cede something to Mila.

“Hyuck,” You turn and lay your hand on the back of his neck. It looks like a comfortable hand on the shoulder that went too far north, but that trajectory was calculated. He shivers like you know he will because he always does. It’s been a sensitive spot since you met him.

“Huh?” His voice is already sounding far away.

“I’m gonna go wait at a table. You can order for me.”

You make a point to pat at the arms he has wrapped around your middle still. The motion drags Mila’s eyes to the point of contact and she smirks a little. Donghyuck might only see you as a friend, but Mila mistakenly sees you as an obstacle. It’s petty, but you kind of want to make her think she has to work a little hard to get to him. Even if you don’t stand a chance.

In the end, the flash in Mila’s eyes is worth having to go find a place to sit during the lunch rush. You replay the moment over in your head, barely watching where you’re going in the crowded food court until you run into someone. If it weren’t for the quick pair of hands grabbing your upper arms at the last second, you might have taken a rather nasty fall.

“I’m sorry, that was my fault.”

“We’ve gotta stop meeting like this.”

The hands disappear once you’re stable while the voice lingers. It’s familiar but you don’t know why. When you take too long to put a name to a face, the person chuckles at you. At the very least, this mystery person is uniquely handsome with pretty teeth.

“You don’t remember me?”

“Can I have a hint?”

“What if you pretend to throw up on my shirt? Then would you remember?”

“Oh god,” you cover your face with your hands. Suddenly you recall the party last week where the pizza didn’t agree with you. “Yuta,” you groan.

“Hmm. My name sounds nice when you say it like that.”

You feel your face get hot as you peek at him from between your fingers. Last week you’d fallen face first into his lap while he was innocently sitting on a sofa. You’d proceeded to throw up onto his chest after he asked you for your name.

“Just kill me. It’d be less painful than this.”

“I don’t know. I think me still trying to hit on you afterward just for your boyfriend to send me murder eyes and whisk you away was way more painful than a little bit of vomit.”

“My boyfriend?”

“That little Hyucko guy, right?”

Yuta points behind you, and you turn to find him gesturing at Donghyuck. He’s still with Mila, but he’s clearly watching you talk with Yuta instead of engaging in small talk in line. You wave him off, hoping he’s not thinking you’re in danger.

“He’s not my boyfriend.”

“Sucks for him, then.”

Furrowing your brows, you return your gaze back to Yuta.

“But good for me,” he continues, “I don’t have to feel bad for asking you for your number now.”

“M-my number?”

“Is there another way to get to know the girl who threw up on me?”

“Uh, sure, why not?”

Yuta hands you his phone with a smile that looks so triumphant, you have to turn away slightly. His gaze on you is a bit too open, too pleased. You’re definitely not used to this type of attention, but you can’t say you’re mad at him for it. After typing in your number and name, he takes the phone back and reads your name out loud. When you nod in confirmation, he smiles wider.

“So, what are you studying then?”

“I’m studying political science.”

Yuta lets out a low whistle. “Sounds tough.”

“Sometimes, yeah. What are you studying?”

“Astronomy.”

“That’s very romantic.” He smiles in response.

“I suppose so, yeah. I guess you’d have to be romantic to look into an abyss full of flaming gas balls and think that’s fascinating.”

“Sorry to hear about your hot balls. You should probably get that checked out. I’m studying literature.”

Donghyuck shows up with a tray full of your food and takeout containers.

Yuta raises an eyebrow. “‘Sup?”

“What are you doing here? Did you come to bully the baristas?”

“Clever,” Yuta eyes him up and down. “You know I’m a grad student in the astronomy department. How do you forget every time?”

“Ah, you’re right. How could I forget. So what are you, like, 45 now?”

“Hyuck!”

“Sorry,” he sniffs. Clearly, he’s not sorry.

He trudges off to the nearest empty table to put the food down long enough to pack it up. You follow behind, with Yuta trailing alongside you.

“I’m sorry about him. Usually he’s...well, actually he is kind of like that.”

“I don’t mind. I just wanted to say that it was nice to finally meet you officially,” he starts off.

“Oh, uh, yeah. Same.”

Something about your response must be funny because Yuta laughs again to himself before shoving his phone back in his pocket.

“Can I call you some time?”

“Me?”

He laughs again. “Yes, you.”

“Okay.”

“Cool.”

You say your goodbyes to Yuta. It’s awkwardly formal because you’re not sure how these things usually go. When you finish waving a stilted hand at him, you turn around to find the food has been packed up and Donghyuck is fuming silently behind you.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. I just don’t get why he of all people decided to butt in.”

He starts walking towards the exit, long legs eating up the distance at a speed that means you have to jog a little.

“You sure something’s not up? Because I don’t really get what we were doing that was so important in the first place. Not much to butt in on anyway.”

“Well, you know.”

“No, I don’t.”

He huffs and continues speed walking. “We had plans to eat lunch at my place. And he delayed that. Now I’m even hungrier.”

“I thought we were eating at your place because you weren’t hungry enough to eat there.”

“I—I mean, yeah. But I started getting hungry in line.”

You point at the wrapped muffin in his hand. “Couldn’t you have just eaten that?”

“This...is for later.”

Normally you’d try to figure out what it is that’s making Donghyuck so pissy. But your phone starts chiming and by the time you got to his front door, the little message notification on your phone had gone off a dozen times—all of them from Yuta as you message him on and off. Donghyuck settles for sighing dramatically every time you check your phone.

“Doesn’t he have, like, blimps to stare at? This is too much.”

“Since when is there a limit on how much I text someone?”

“There’s not but—isn’t this a lot? You just met him today.”

“Technically we met last weekend.”

He scowls but admits the point with a wave of his hand and a bite of his food.

“Still. I don’t even text you that much.” Donghyuck sits back in his chair before scoffing. “And no one should text you more than me. I’m your best friend.”

“But what if he was my boyfriend?”

“He’s not,” he snaps. There’s enough intensity in his voice to surprise you both. He reels it in a bit with an apologetic tilt of his shoulders over his plate. “Sorry. But—have you heard what people say about him? He’s a complete dick to the people he sleeps with. Plus, he’s ancient.”

“He’s only turning 26 in October.”

“So you know his birthday now?”

“Yes?” You put your napkin down, hash browns nearly finished. “And maybe I’m using him too. Bet you didn’t think of that.”

“Oh,” he says after a beat.

“Anyway, I don’t get why you’re so mad about this.”

“M’not mad,” he mumbles.

“Sure.”

You continue texting Yuta as you eat your lunch. Donghyuck huffs as he discards his trash and goes to his room to change into more comfortable clothes. While he’s gone, you glance at your phone guiltily.

It’s not that you’re so engrossed with the smalltalk with Yuta that you can’t put your phone down. Honestly, you want to just put your phone down and go plaster yourself to your best friend. But standing less than 2 feet away from Donghyuck and still feeling like he was unreachable earlier at the cafeteria really knocked some sense into you. If Donghyuck was the sun, you were merely a planet caught in his pull, orbiting around him. He wasn’t meant to orbit around you.

Donghyuck emerges from his room looking only mildly pouty at this point and in a sweatshirt and joggers. Seeing him in pajamas is your favorite thing. It’s why you like hanging out at his place so much because as soon as you settle in, he changes out of his regular clothes.

“Are you staying?” There’s only a touch of petulance still lingering in his voice.

“Do you want me to stay?”

“Of course.”

He says it so matter-of-factly that you have to turn away under the guise of finishing the last bites of your lunch to hide a shy smile. The words sound so sweet coming from his lips, even when it’s not meant in the way you wish.

You settle down on the couch to get some more work done, but the hash browns sneak up on you. Donghyuck watches silently from his battered copy of Dante’s Inferno at your eyes drooping closed. He’s known you long enough to know the signs of your food comas when he sees them. He shuts his book after marking the page and gets up from his spot on the carpet.

“Come on,” he shakes your upper arm lightly.

“What? What’s going on?”

“Let’s watch some TV.”

“I’m working, I can’t just—”

“You've been on the same page for 15 minutes.

“How would you know?”

“Because I stopped reading 20 minutes ago.”

By now, any traces of his strange anger are replaced by smug amusement. You let yourself be manhandled off your seat and take the trek to his bedroom. He flips through channels while you can dig something up from his closet to change into. Donghyuck has a strict no street clothes rule when it comes to lounging.

“Sexy,” he drawls, looking at your outfit choice.

It’s one of his shirts with an oversized neckline due to an accident with the 10-year-old dryers in the basement of the dorms and a pair of ratty long johns to beat the cold of the AC. It’s not cute per se but it was all he had clean.

“Shut up.” You sit down near the arm of the couch next to him. “What are you gonna do after this? Don’t you have a department dinner?”

“Yeah, but I can skip it.”

“Hyuck, don’t skip department events.”

“I already have a rec letter from Dr. Chittaphon, though. So I don’t need to kiss ass anymore”

“He finally wrote it for you?”

In your excitement, you grab his closest hand in yours, giving a congratulatory smile. He smiles back an almost tender smile. In the privacy of his own dorm with none of his other classmates around, he nods with some enthusiasm.

“He told me about it yesterday. He said I can use it for as many lit programs as I want.”

“That’s amazing.”

Donghyuck’s cheeks flush a deep ruby as he fiddles with the knitted quilt to pull over you. True to his word he has some inane show queued up on the tiny TV he brought with him from home. But once the lights are off and the coffee table is pushed close enough to support your feet, you succumb to sleep. Donghyuck is radiating warmth and an extra something that, combined with the background noise from the TV, makes you feel like you’re floating. You shift so you’re pillowed by the arm of the couch and drift off pretend the moment is something else.

***

You wake up from the nap to the sound of your phone alerting you to a new message. The phone is resting on the coffee table, so you sit up to get it only to realize you can’t quite move. Donghyuck’s arms are wrapped tightly around your torso and his head has migrated to your shoulder from it’s resting place when he was sitting up. He’s so close that the tip of his nose grazes your neck. You test just how stuck you are by moving toward the table a bit. Donghyuck responds with a grumble and a warning nuzzle of his cheek against your clavicle.

The moment you decide to move one of his arms, he pulls you in closer and presses his open mouth to your exposed shoulder. It feels almost like a kiss, but then he lets out a snore that reminds you of your family pug and all the romance is gone. You continue to shift as best you can to reach your phone.

The notification on your screen tells you that the message is from Yuta, yet again. Donghyuck is still fast asleep when you peek down at him. Just to be sure he doesn’t wake up, you turn onto your side. Even in his sleep he follows you, readjusting his grip on you while slotting his face into your nape and his knees behind yours. Thankfully the couch is wide enough that he doesn’t push you off the edge. With the brightness and volume turned down, you open up your messages.

there’s gonna be another NKT frat party in two weeks it’ll be no fun if you’re not there

Donghyuck’s words about Yuta’s reputation ring in your head but you don’t really care. Instead his flirtation makes you feel zippy. He might be a player but you’re play the game too. You type a response out quickly.

i guess i could go...u better make it worth it my while.

After you press send you have to bite your tongue to hold in a laugh. You’re not sure why you’re having so much fun. A small smile makes it to your face and you press the phone to your chest only for it to go off once more.

“I don’t get it,” Donghyuck groans. His breath hits the side of your throat while he rubs his eyes. “He can’t be that interesting.”

Even though he’s not pleased with Yuta’s constant messaging, Donghyuck’s grip on you doesn’t let up. In fact, he tucks his face securely over your shoulder and merely plucks the phone out of your hands.

“Can I read what he sent?”

“I guess,” you mumble.

It’s hard to be annoyed at him when he’s warm and soft behind you from sleep. He hands you the phone so you can unlock it before taking it back and finding the latest message.

“He said, ‘by the end of the party, i promise it will have been worth it. how do you like your toast in the morning?’”

“Oh god. Don’t read it out loud, that makes it so unsexy.”

“That’s because he’s unsexy. Just tell him to fuck off.”

“If you don’t think he’s sexy then don’t fuck him.” He pinches at your sides and you yelp. “Plus, I don’t really have a reason to blow him off so quickly.”

“Uh, yes. Yes, you do.”

“I already told you I don’t care if he’s not the marrying type.”

“T-there are other reasons.”

“What are they?”

There’s a long pause.

“Okay, I can’t think of any right now, but I know they’re there. So just...please. You’re way out of his league, anyway.”

You snort. “Right. I’m not hot enough to get free drinks from people, so if I’m out of his league, what are you?”

From the little spoon position, you can’t see Donghyuck’s cheeks burn in embarrassment. Sophomore year you two had snuck into a bar and a few senior girls sent some drinks to your table after seeing him in a leather jacket. Since then the freebies have only increased now that he’s lost some of his baby face and invested in jeans that fit.

“Besides,” you snatch the phone back. “He’s the only one who seems to find me attractive lately.”

“There are other people who find you attractive.”

There’s a seriousness in his voice that startles you a bit. Donghyuck is a free spirit so there’s not much that makes him mad. But now his voice is a shade more gravelly than normal. When you roll onto your back you see that his brows slant heavy over his eyes. He looks truly upset. And you’re not sure why. It takes you by surprise and it must show on your face, because instantly his eyes go softer and he’s laying back down beside you.

“Even if that’s true, Hyuck, those people aren’t lining up at my door.” Donghyuck mouth purses against the back of your neck in frustration. “At least Yuta is being loud and clear. I can’t fault him for that. Just like I can’t date someone whose feelings I never know.”

“Fair enough.” He sighs finally, his words taking you by surprise. “You sure you don’t like him at least a little bit, though? This seems like a lot for someone you don’t actually care about.”

“No, I have...someone else.”

Donghyuck shoots forward to peer at you with wide eyes. “Who is it?”

“I don’t wanna say.”

“Come on, that’s not fair.”

“If I told you, I would jinx everything.”

He eyes you silently but doesn’t push much more.

“Is Yuta suddenly an option so you can get over this mystery person?”

“Maybe.”

“Then I’ll do my best to help out.”

“What does that mean?” Donghyuck sits up, probably energized by the nap.

“Yuta is the type of guy that wants what he can’t have. So you have to show him that he can’t have you.”

“Okay, I see where you’re going and I honestly kind of like the early 2000’s rom-com vibes. But how do you make someone think you’re taken when you’re single?”

“Leave it to me.”

Leaving things up to Donghyuck harebrained schemes often means that you aren’t in the loop even when you’re technically in the loop.

Yuta and you text on and off during the whole week leading up to the NKT party. Per Donghyuck’s advice, you give short answers and always take longer than an hour to open his selfies after he sends them. When you do respond with a selfie, you’re never alone in them. A picture of you coyly sipping from the straw in your iced coffee with Donghyuck’s shoulder in the background. A picture of your legs while you study in bed with Donghyuck’s hand partially cropped in the left corner. One of them was supposed to be a mirror selfie to show your outfit, but Donghyuck is fully present with a smug grin and a “friendly” arm wrapped around your waist. When your best friend first proposed the idea to you, it sounded like bro code bullshit. But it seemed to work.

While his snap stories remain full of other ‘acquaintances’, Yuta’s messages get a little more lovey dovey the more you ignore him. There’s suddenly a flood of texts telling you he can’t wait to see you and calling you baby. The act seems to be taking a toll on Donghyuck judging by his scowls after every photo you send. But you just can’t help laughing at how petty guys can be.

Friday rolls around and you’re actually debating whether or not you should bring a condom to the party. You obviously don’t know what size Yuta wears, but with the way he’s been talking over text you think maybe the evening might end well. Help-me-get-over-my-best-friend sex can still be good sex, even if it doesn’t help you get over your best friend.

So you take extra time in the shower Friday night, shimmy into something tight, and wait for Donghyuck to arrive at your place so you can leave to the party together. You had wanted to go with your classmate Jennie, since Donghyuck is a bit of a homebody. But that night he wanted to come, saying something about seeing his plan through.

When Donghyuck arrives, you’re taking a swig from one of the tiny nip bottles of vodka that you stashed in your purse. After a mere 5 seconds of having arrived, he takes one look at you and immediately groans.

“Are you sure you don’t want to just stay in? We can order Chicken Haus and watch that new show you put on my DVR. Or I could hire a stripper. I’m sure we could find one that’s way more personable than Yuta.”

“Hyuck, I need to do this. It’ll be good for everyone involved.”

“But why am I part of that everyone?”

“You said you would help me with this. And you’re forgetting that Mila is gonna be there.”

Sadly, it was also too early in the night and you hadn’t drunk nearly enough to be able to tell him that he’s involved because he’s the one you're trying to get over. You empty the first tiny bottle and begin downing the second one as you begin the trek to the NKT house.

“What does Mila have to do with anything?”

“While I’m hopefully...doing my thing, you can be doing yours. With her.”

“Why would I want to sleep with Mila?”

“You don’t want to sleep with Mila?”

“No? Who said I did?”

“Oh.”

Donghyuck scoffs at you like you’re speaking gibberish and passes around you when you stop in your tracks again. When you catch up to him, he swipes the new nip bottle out of your hand and finishes it in one gulp.

***

The party is in full swing when you arrive. You stand in the doorway of the front entrance and take in the scenery. The regular lights have all been switched out for red bulbs. It takes a moment for your eyes to adjust and be able to make out faces properly because the color is so saturated.

The music is booming loud enough for you to feel the bass in your chest and echo across the soles of your feet as you walk across the room. Donghyuck helps you part your way through the crowd of bodies swaying to the music to get to the drinks table. With a cup in your hand and liquid courage going down your throat, you feel a little less nervous. You try to be inconspicuous while you scan the room for Yuta, but you don’t find him.

“I don’t see him,” you shout over the music, “What do you wanna do in the meantime?”

“Go home,” Donghyuck scowls into his cup.

You flip him off for being a wet blanket and finish the contents of your cup. Just as you move for a refill, you happen to find Yuta in the crowd. He’s not alone either. There’s a girl with long red hair in front of him, dancing while he smiles wolfishly. You think you recognize her from one of his instagram posts. Suddenly, you’re not feeling so bold anymore.

“There he is,” you say just loud enough for Donghyuck to catch. Even over the music he can hear the resignation in your voice. He follows your gaze over to the dark corner where the girl now has herself pressed against him.

“Shit.”

“Yeah. Shit.” Donghyuck straightens up.

“It’s not too late, though.”

“How is it not? She’s practically got him in a to-go box.”

“Maybe, but he might just not know you’re here. You can still plant the seed. You know, let him know what he’s missing, at least.”

Donghyuck’s features are now angled in focus. In the red party lights, the serious expression squares off his jaw, sharpens the planes of his face. He looks handsome and he wants to help you even though he hates the guy he’s trying to help you with. You don’t know whether to be angry or feel fond. It’s not like you really want him to help you get with another guy, but the fact that he’s swallowing his own pride to do it shows he cares. He’s a good friend, you muse. And you can’t mess that up just because you caught feelings.

With vodka and spiked punch humming in your veins, you toss your shoulders back and grab your friend’s hand. Making a beeline through the crowd once more, you make sure to end up in a spot that’s directly in Yuta’s eyeline. Donghyuck falls in front of you instinctively, acting as a wall to spy behind. The music changes and you move with it to look natural. Your arms come up to wrap around your friend’s broad shoulders and your body comes up to press against his. Donghyuck looks down at you.

“Sorry,” you plead through the thumping bass of the song, “I know this is weird but I just figured if it looked like—”

“No, I get it. Keep going.”

Then, he’s locking you in with a hand on the small of your back and stepping in time with the beat of the song. You follow suit and as soon as you do, Yuta looks away from his friend for a split second. Your eyes meet, he takes in the scene, and you give him your best teasing grin. Instantly he looks intrigued. His eyes don’t return to the girl in front of him and instead he raises an eyebrow. As if to say ‘I thought you said he wasn’t your boyfriend’. You respond with a coy eye roll but also graze your hands lightly up the column of Donghyuck’s back for effect. You’re so caught up in your act that you forget yourself and go so far as to rake your nails across the nape of his neck. He shivers against you and for a moment you think you’ve crossed a line. But then he’s spinning you around.

Now your back is to Yuta while Donghyuck sizes the older man up. The plan is no longer in your control and you’re nervous.

“What are you doing,” you hiss into his ear.

“I’m just doing my part.”

Donghyuck makes sure Yuta is watching before leaning in and pressing his mouth to yours. Once the initial shock wears off, you freeze up for a different reason. On the one hand, this is what you’ve been waiting for. On the other hand, this isn’t how you had imagined your first kiss with him. You certainly don’t want it to have happened only because he was trying to get some other guy interested in.

The way his lips caress yours softly makes you pliant for a moment. You let your guard down and pull him closer with a sigh. His arms come to wrap around you completely and it feels so real then. It feels like the room is spinning. And then you realize it’s actually spinning as Donghyuck turns you both around just in time to give Yuta a glimpse of your entwined figures.

You don’t see the way the older student frowns lightly while being dragged away by his lady friend. All you see is a reminder that none of this is real. The way Donghyuck hugs you to his chest minutely as you kiss him isn’t real. The sweetness of the way he nudges his nose against you and switches the angle of the kiss isn’t real. The way he murmurs your name briefly against your lips before coming in to kiss you again, hidden from Yuta, is...not real?

You push at him roughly. He stumbles back like he’s drunk even though he drank a fraction of the amount you did.

“Donghyuck”

“Mission accomplished.” He grins at Yuta’s retreating back, passing his hand over his mouth.

“What was that?”

“Huh? Oh, that was just...it was just something to seal the deal.”

“Right.” You look down at your feet. “It was an act.”

“Yeah, no, it wasn’t real.”

He laughs but it comes out airy and broken. You try to laugh too but the sound catches in your mouth and a hitch comes out instead.

“Would it have been that awful if it were real?”

You watch as his jaw drops and he frantically looks anywhere but at you. It’s a trap of a question. A trap for the both you really, but you can’t stop yourself from asking.

“What do you mean? Like if we...if you and I were—”

“Forget it. That would be crazy, I don’t know why I even said that. I’m gonna go get some air.”

“Hey.”

The NKT house is one that you’ve visited a couple times for parties, so you’re lucky in that you know the layout well enough to be able to find a back door quickly. There’s not that many people on the porch that you find, so you don’t feel that bad about nudging some empty hard cider cans out of the way and letting out a pathetic little cry.

The rejection isn’t actually all that hard to take; you’d come to accept that Donghyuck was not for you. You hate the sound of your watery voice as you basically asked him if you had a shot only for him to act like he was being held hostage. The couple who had been making out on the other end of the porch get turned off by the weepy background music you make and head inside.

Sounds of another person walking onto the patio interrupt your crying, but you figure if you just cry louder they’ll be gone soon. When the footsteps get closer and eventually end up to your right, you wipe your nose discreetly and take a step away.

“Rough night?”

Yuta stands next to you with a smile. It’s not quite as sharp as the other times as he looks you over.

“You probably aren’t looking for this right now, but I just want to say you clean up real nice.”

“Gee, thanks.” You smooth a hand over the fabric of your clothes. “What are you doing out here?”

“I came to find you actually. Can’t stop thinking about you lately.”

You scoff. “Where’s your friend from earlier?”

“Her? She’s just a colleague.”

“She looked like she liked you,” you say quietly.

“I guess so. I’ve definitely seen that look before. Maybe that’s what it is.”

“Trust me, I know that look when I see it.”.

“I bet you do.” He pins you with an amused look.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

You cross your arms and turn to him. He chuckles at your sudden annoyance, looking oddly charmed by it.

“Easy, cowgirl.” He lays a relaxed hand on your shoulder, pulling you near. “All I meant was that you must be sick of getting that look from your little ‘not boyfriend’.”

“He’s really not my boyfriend. And he doesn’t—”

“Look, I’m an observant person. I see things. I can read people.” He puts his beer bottle down and uses the now free hand to wipe at the drying tear tracks on your cheeks. “I know when someone’s trying to make me jealous.”

“About that—”

“And I know when someone is head over heels with someone else. And that guy? He’s completely gone.”

“Yuta, I’m sorry about trying to play with your emotions like that. I’m sure you get your fair share of that.”

“Eh, it‘s whatever.” He shrugs. “I will say that you did a good job. It was fun, even if I did get a bit jealous at the end.”

“It wasn’t completely my idea,” you confess.

“I think I kinda knew that.”

You stand in what you think might be companionable silence with Yuta. He takes another swig from his beer while leaving his hand lingering on you. Not in a sleazy way, but perhaps in an attempt at being comforting. Like maybe he’s trying to be a friend.

“So, what’s the deal with your friend?”

“He’s...I think it’s one-sided. I basically confessed out there and his response was kind of bad.”

Yuta turns to lean against the porch railing. You face out into the trees behind NKT house, he faces the house, watching people pass by and stop on the patio.

“What kind of bad?”

“It was like the idea of us together froze him or something. He got so nervous, he started stuttering. I just booked it out of there after that.”

“How do you know it was because he didn’t like the idea? What if he was, like, trying to contain his excitement or something?”

“That would be amazing. But the likelihood of that is insane. I mean, you and him are kind of alike.”

“Excuse me,” Yuta bawks. You laugh a little and pat his arm reassuringly.

“I just mean that you and he are both cool guys.”

“Oh. Thanks.”

“He’s super cool and funny and handsome and...warm? It’s probably just simple math or physics—how can you not love him?”

Yuta hums, eyes still trained on the partygoers passing by the porch entrance. Someone walks by the open frantically, then comes back to stand in the doorframe.

“I don’t know. Maybe you have a word for this since you’re in astronomy but isn’t that just how it works? The planets just gravitate around the sun. It’s not the other way around. He’s the sun and I’m...”

“Pluto?”

“Yeah, actually.”

You laugh because it’s a little sad but it’s perfect for your analogy. Pluto. Not even a real planet, doesn’t really belong with some of the other giants that have moons and rings of their own. But still helplessly circling the sun because the laws of the universe won’t let it go that easily.

“I’ll be right back. Don’t move,” Yuta says after a moment.

“Oh, uh, okay.”

You continue to look out at the backyard. With your eyes having adjusted a long time ago, you enjoy the dark cobalt of the night sky and the ink blot silhouettes of the trees in the forest that runs along the school’s border. The air has grown crisp and without the alcohol blanket covering you, you’re feeling a bit tired and cold.

“Hey, you misplaced this,” Yuta’s voice sounds again as he ambles back onto the porch. He hands you your bag and phone.

“Crap, you’re a lifesaver.” Oddly enough, you don’t really remember putting them down, but you suppose it was the chaos of the party that blurred the memory.

“I think I have to head out,” you say finally. “It’s clear that my head’s not really in the right place to stay out much later.”

“I get that.” Yuta leans forward and places a soft kiss on your cheek. “But I think I might actually have something related to this in some of my old notes. I’ll send it to you.”

“Oh, okay. Yeah, sure.”

Yuta waits around in a surprisingly gentlemanly fashion while you send an awkward text to Donghyuck saying that you’re catching a shared ride back to your dorm and that he doesn’t have to wait up for you.

The following day, you wake up to a knock on your door. Your head is pounding from dehydration and a too-late bedtime the previous night, but you still hobble to the door of your bedroom to see what the commotion is.

“Here.” Your roommate places a stapled book of pages into your hand. “Donghyuck came by to drop this off. He said some guy named Yuta gave it to him and that you would know what it was.”

“Oh-kay,” you yawn and blink down at the paper.

There’s a section highlighted in red on the lined paper. It says BINARY SYSTEMS in neat penmanship. You vaguely remember Yuta mentioning sending you some notes, so you put it at the foot of your bed and plan to read it when you’re more awake.

“You up for brunch tomorrow,” you follow her into the main room and find an overnight bag on the couch.

“Can’t. I’m going to visit my parents tomorrow since my Monday classes got cancelled.”

“Lucky you.”

“We can do next week though.”

“Yeah sure.”

***

Later that Sunday, when you’re stuck in a procrastination loop with your own work, you remember Yuta’s notes. You try to make some sense of them but even with coffee and an afternoon nap, it’s still too jargon-filled to bring any sense to you. So you do the next best thing and type the heading of his notes into an online encyclopedia. The first sentence for the page reads:

A binary system is a system of two astronomical bodies which are close enough that their gravitational attraction causes them to orbit each other...

You don’t really know what Yuta thought you would get from reading this. Maybe he just thought that you would be interested because you made an astronomy analogy. You pull out your phone, about to text Yuta for an explanation, when your phone rings. It’s Donghyuck.

“Hello?” You try to keep your voice neutral, free of embarrassment.

“Hey, where are you?”

“I’m actually just in my dorm.”

“I just saw Daisy. Is she—”

“She’s going home for a few days.”

“Cool. Can I...come up?”

“Yeah. Of course, yeah. I’ll be here.”

You hang up the phone and as soon as you enter the common room, there’s a knock on the door.

“That was fast, you must have—Are you okay?”

There’s dark bruises underneath Donghyuck’s eyes, a sign that he didn’t get much sleep the night before. He smiles self-deprecatingly and holds the door frame for support while taking off his shoes. You note that they’re his shower slides. He’s either more tired than you realize or he was in a hurry to get here. In his hand he holds a cardboard tray carrying two recyclable cups, one filled to the brim with whipped cream like you always ask for.

“I was looking for you,” he blurts. “Friday night. I was looking for you after you ran away.”

“Okay.”

“I was looking for you because as soon as I kissed you I knew I fucked up. But,” he puts his hands up, “not in the way you think.”

“I think I need to sit down for this conversation.”

“I—yeah, okay.”

Donghyuck follows behind you as you migrate to your breakfast table. He looks even more exhausted in the fluorescent lighting hanging above the table. He hands you your cup, and you eat some of the whipped topping thoughtfully.

“How’d you pay for this? Didn’t you say you had a negative balance?”

“I find a way,” he chuckles.

“What were you saying before?”

“I figured you wouldn’t really want to talk to me, but you left your bag and stuff with me, so I was gonna just give it back to you and then give you space, but then I saw you on the porch. With Yuta.”

“Yeah. He came and found me actually. We had a really strange conversation.”

“I know. I heard most of it.”

“Oh. Then you probably know how I feel.”

“Yeah.” He ducks his head to play with the cardboard sleeve sitting around his own cup. “Did you read Yuta’s notes? I gave them to Daisy before she left. She said she’d give them to you.”

“Yeah, I did.”

“And did you...get it?”

“Not really. I think he was just trying to convert me to astronomy”

“Well, after you guys talked, he took your purse from me. And he said he’d send me the notes too. So I read them. And then I didn’t get it so I read more, and then I thought about it and I think I got it.”

“What is it?”

“It’s you and me.”

“How is it you and me?”

“I mean, you kept talking about how I’m like the sun and you’re like Pluto. But we’re something else. It’s not you revolving around me or me revolving around you. We circle each other.”

“So, that means...”

You think back to the discussion you had with Yuta on the back porch of the NKT frat house and it starts to click into place. If hand-holding and back scratches and buying him lunch was your revolution, buying you coffee when he was broke, watching you pretend to do homework, and helping you bag another guy for your own happiness was his. Somehow you had missed so many little things because you were blinded by his light. But now, you could see clearly. Donghyuck wasn’t the sun and you were not Pluto. You were binary stars.

“Hyuck,” you whisper because your throat is suddenly tight.

You get up from your seat, nearly toppling your chair over as you make your way around the table. He opens his arms to meet you halfway and you pull his head to your stomach. Bending at the waist, you press a kiss to the top of his head. He buries his face into the fabric of your shirt and breathes out a deep sigh.

“I love you,” his voice is muffled.

“I love you too.” When he smiles up at you, you take notice of the dark circles under his eyes again. “Have you not been sleeping?”

“I spent a lot of time overthinking everything since Friday night. I kind of haven’t gone to bed since then.”

“You have to take better care of yourself.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“No, come take a nap.”

He lets you tug him to your room where your bed lays freshly made. You turn the blankets over and gesture for him to get in. He slides in to the wall and then turns to pat the free space beside him.

“Get in.”

“I’m not tired. I slept like a baby these last two days actually.”

His mouth drops open. “How? I felt like I had to read every article about brown giants just to get here.”

“Yeah, see, I didn’t do that.”

“I probably know more than Yuta by now, honestly.”

“You know,” you finally surrender to his annoying patting of the mattress and sit, “He’s not as bad as you made him seem. I actually really liked the vibe while I was talking to him.”

“Why would you tell me that while you get into bed with me?”

You pat his cheek. “I’m just wondering now if maybe some of your attitude towards him was for show.”

“It might have been. But I was feeling desperate.”

“I’ll forgive you if you just go to sleep.”

“I’m too awake to go to sleep.”

“Well, I don’t want to go out and do something just for you to fall asleep like someone’s dad at a baseball game.”

“I don’t do that.”

“You definitely do that.”

You reach a hand out to stroke his hair, making sure to graze the hair at the back of his neck. He freezes up and at first you think it’s just the area being ticklish for him. So you ignore it and continue. But he freezes up again.

“Okay, if you want me to sleep stop doing that.”

“What are you talking about—Oh.” Just as you were pulling your fingers away, you feel something press against your hip. Your eyes grow wide and he buries his face in your neck.

“Sorry, sorry. Don’t worry about me. I’ll go to sleep.”

It’s not the first time you’ve been in this situation. A fair number of times you’ve woken up first after falling asleep in front of the TV, wrapped up in him wherever you slept only to realize that he was still dreaming about ‘nice things’. Sometimes you were able to pretend you were still asleep and he’d quietly disentangle himself before going to sit in your living room until you ‘woke up’ for a second time. Other times, he’d wake up right after you and he’d say the same thing every time. ‘It’s just a reflex’.

“Just a reflex,” you ask because you're not really sure what to do.

“If you want.” He picks his head up then.

“If it’s not just a reflex, what then?”

You inch your hand under the covers at the same time that he props himself up on an elbow, pulling you closer. The sliding sound of clothes seems extra loud in the confines of your room and it makes your face feel hot. His hand appears near the hem of your shirt, grazing the sliver of exposed skin gently enough to make your breath hitch a little.

“Then we can just see where we end up.”

[lizzieehearts]

i know it's late, but here's the discord angst fic myself and @calypsothenerd wrote a while back for daring day. enjoy!

"Daring, you need to look presentable" his father would say

"You are the face of this family Daring, straighten your tie" his mother would say

It was always the same. He was the future face of the charming dynasty, and needed to look like it. He was destined to be apple's prince, after all

But he was sick of this, he was sick of being told to ‘walk upright’ to ‘always smile’ to ‘fix his hair’ why couldn’t he be a normal teenager without worrying about how to look and how to act on every waking minute? He just wanted a normal life, but he knew that shouldn’t happen

He wanted a break. He wanted to be free. He wanted to rebel, though he knew if he did his family would disown him. That was scarier than all this, the fact that if he didn't keep up this charade, his family would leave him. Without this charade, he was worthless, to them at least

So he decided, one thing: he would go for the person that cared the most to try and get himself out of this situation, he just couldn’t take this anymore, so he finally got the courage and knocked on her door, Rosabella came out and immediately frowned because of the sad look on his face

"Daring, what's wrong?" she asked

"Everything" he answered, sliding past her into the empty dorm

She sat down on her bed, tapping the space beside her, telling him to sit. He lay down, his head in her lap

"Show me your demons and ill show you mine" she murmured, nodding at him to begin talking

“It’s my family, I’m supposed to be the perfect child, to be the image of the family, and it sucks, I can’t do normal teenager things, I can’t choose how I want to dress or style my hear, I feel like I’m in cage in a hexing zoo, Bella, I don’t know what to do anymore” he looked up at her, tears almost spilling over the surface

"What about you? What's your deal?" he asked, gulping quickly

"My mom's gone and my dad blames me for it. Treated me like shit because of it. still does. That's why I love it here so much. It's freedom for me, the one place he can't control me" now it was the princess blinking back tears, as she shared her story

“That’s terrible Rosa, I have no idea, but I wish I had your bravery to stand up against my parents”

she couldn't help but scoff.

"When I go home, I'm terrified. Of everything, Everyone. Because all it takes is one mistake and im done for. That isn't bravery, I can assure you that"

"What about when we saved Ever After from the Snow King? What about you sticking by my side when no one else would, after dragon games? What about all that?" Daring could handle negativity directed at himself, but Rosabella? Unacceptable

"All of that we did together, Dare"

At her words, the two of them looked at each other having the same idea

what if we stand up to our parents together?

“Yes Daring, I see you’re finally using that big head of yours for something” she jokes as she playfully nudges him

"But when? When are we both gonna see our parents again, at the same time?" he asked

"Winter break is coming up, you could come over to mine for the holidays?" she offered, implying that she wouldn't be able to go to his

“Sure, I guess, but why can’t you come to mine?”

Rosa took a deep breath

"Before coming to this school, I had never left my castle. Ever. Not even to see family. I hadn't met Briar, and I still haven't met her brothers or parents. The furthest I had gone was midway through the woods behind the castle, that was it. I'd hardly be able to spend the holidays at your's, even with him coming too" she sighed

“But do you think he’d let me go to yours?”

"I'm not sure, but it's more likely"

                       -  -  -

After two weeks, many a night spent yelling down a phone, and nights plagued with terrors refusing to subside, winter break and it was official: Daring, the twins and their parents would be spending the holidays at the Beauty's

- - -

The final day before the winter break Rosabella and Daring were hanging out “You still sure about this?” The beauty princess asks

"As sure as I'll ever be" was her prince's response,"after all, we've come this far"

“Let’s do this” she kisses his cheek and goes back to her room to pack

Once the four of them had gotten packed, Rosabella drove herself and the three Charmings to her childhood home, Beauty Castle, as the siblings' parents wouldn't be there until the day after. It was really something, walls of ivory, turrets wrapped in ivy, flowers at every turn. To the girl who had spent her entire childhood here, however, just the sight of it was enough to get her heart pounding and blood boiling. Daring, sensing her tension, immediately grabbed her hand, as the four of them walked through the gates

Darling, being oblivious of what was happening inside her friend’s mind commented “Wow Rosie, your house is amazing”

"Thanks. Your's probably is too" the princess responded, trying to breathe at a normal rate

"Yeah, but it's nothing compared to this" Dexter said, just as oblivious to the princess' discomfort as his sister, "I don't think I'd want to leave"

Daring, noticing the distress on the princess’s face, decided to change the subject “So, Darls, where did mom say we were going this time?”

"I think she said the dining hall" Darling responded

"Great. Let's go!" Rosabella said, a little too enthusiastically, as she led them through her childhood home

They then proceeded to follow Rosabella to the dining hall, where everything was ready for them

"Dad likes to sit at the head of the table, and to have me in his sight, so I'll sit at the opposite end, Dare, you and Dar can sit opposite each other nearest to me, and Dex you can sit beside Dare" Rosabella immediately said as they entered, knowing that if Daring was to get in a fight with his parents, having them beside him was not a good idea

“Yeah, Bell, you’re right” he then sits beside her, right next to the head of the table

Rosabella gave him a smile as his siblings sat down, but that went away as an inescapable presence entered the room

"Dad"

“Hello Sir” The oldest prince said, trying to be kind, despite already having seen the wounds he put on his daughter’s body

"Get away from my daughter. You sit there" he pointed to the same place at the other end of the table, beside where Rosa said he would be sitting.

Daring begrudgingly obliged, not wanting to cause any trouble, but still wanting to protect his princess.

“Pardon me sir, but I think this sitting arrangement is for the best” the prince said in the most educated way possible.

"Stop trying to be smart with me. Either you move or I make you" the stare given to the prince by the beast could've frozen over the room, as it did Daring, before he squeezed his girlfriend's hand and moved.

"Good" the Beast said, nodding and moving to his seat.

The princess glared at her boyfriend like ‘what was that’

"Rosabella! Stop staring like that" the beast snapped, making the princess jump and quietly apologise.

it was then that there was a knock on the door, one that could only be the Charming parents.

“It’s open!” The beast yelled aggressively, clearly already regretting allowing visitors.

Mr and Mrs Charming entered the dining room, and sat beside the twins without a word, sensing the tension in the room.

Mrs Charming coughed and spoke up “Thank you for inviting us” Her husband nodded along.

"It was my daughter's idea, actually" the beast replied, staring down Rosabella in the process, "so you can thank her"

“Then thank you, young lady” the queen turned to The Beauty.

"y- you're welcome, Mrs. Charming" Rosabella spluttered, right before the cook arrived with their meal. Desperate to get away from conversing with the guests, the beast automatically tucked in, prompting the rest to do the same.

And for the rest of the meal neither Rosabella nor her father said a word, for different reasons, she was anxious about standing up against him and him hating having guests over.

It was Daring that piped up first.

"Mom, Dad, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about"

Both his parents barely gave him a glance, his dad giving a weary "Yes, son?"

“I can’t take it anymore, I’m losing myself to please both of you, the fancy clothes, the expensive hair products, everything, I never wanted any of this, I just wanted to be a normal teenager”

"Daring, don't be silly. You're a Charming, no Charming is normal" his mother's tone was cold as ice.

"well, maybe- maybe i don't want to be a Charming"

Then his father stood up and slammed the table “Daring Charming, whoever put those ideas in your head is not your friend, now sit down and stop with this madness”

"NO, DAD!" Daring yelled, exasperated, "If that's all being a Charming is I don't want it! And how can you? It's not a life I want to live, being this plastic, stylised version of myself. I wanna be me, Dad"

“If that’s what you think, don’t bother coming back home after this” his father spat back.

“C’mon Dexter, Darling, let’s go home, enough of this stupidity”

"Don't go!" Rosabella quickly blurted out, for a reason only her and her friends knew.

"Don't be silly, Rosabella. they may leave if they wish" her father mumbled.

“No actually, I think I’m staying” Darling protested.

"Thank Grimm. Someone with a brain" Mrs Charming breathed.

"I'm not siding with you" Darling huffed, "We got invited here. It would be rude to leave"

Dexter nodded in agreement.

“If any of you stay, you’ll be removed from the family together with your savage brother”

"That's not fair! You did this to him, and if you can't take responsibility for that you're just going to kick him out? What would the rest of the family say?!" Dexter stood, breaking his silence, "And don't say that they would agree, because all five of us know they wouldn't"

“We are just trying to maintain the Charming family name, if you little savage children don’t understand that then you will no longer be a part of this family”

"At least you want to be a part of your family!" Rosa yelled before she could stop herself.

“And what is that supposed to mean, young lady?!” the beast yelled out.

"You ruined my childhood, left me battered and bruised, kept me stuck here with no escape, made me think that I didn't have relatives though really I did and you just never told me about them, didn't raise me right and left it up to the staff and your own son, barely let me eat or sleep, punished me for even the smallest things and for what? To make me feel guilty for coming out of the womb? What do you want me to do? Put on a brave face and say that I love you? When all you did for the first sixteen years of my life was make it a living hell?" rant over, the princess took a deep breath and awaited her father's response.

“GET OUT OF HERE, ALL SIX OF YOU, NOW” The beast roared out, then left the dinning room, slamming the door.

as the slam reverberated through the room, a deep silence echoed with it.

Daring sitting restless, his parents giving him the cold shoulder, his siblings getting the same, Rosabella across from him on the verge of tears, barely holding herself together.

The Charming went back to his original seat at the sight of her, wrapping her up in his arms.

[cno-inbminor]

domus (epilogue)

a/n: alright, we’re trying this ONE more time before i give up for the week. seems like tumblr tags are having an issue! but anyways, some anons in the past asked for a sort of epilogue/bonus scenes so i wrote down a few as a birthday present to you all. thank you for all the love given over these months!! stay safe, healthy, hydrated and rested. 

wc: ~2.4k // part of the domus universe

First date:

“Where are you taking me?” You ask with a grin creeping onto your face. Your eyes capture the blur of the buildings, accustomed to the warm hand laying on your thigh. The appendages squeeze your flesh in a teasing manner, causing you to look over at the man behind the steering wheel. There’s a ghost of a smirk gracing his complexion, and you imagine there’s a twinkle in his gaze behind his sunglasses.

“Do I have to remind you about what a ‘surprise’ means?” He replies and you want to smack him across the arm.

“It’s our first official date, and the only clue I have is the 2 bento boxes by my feet. Are we going on a picnic?”

“Not quite. Be patient,” Keiji playfully scolds, causing you to huff and pout for a bit.

You’re still only 70% sure when he shows off his parallel parking skills, turning the wheel with one hand and another on the back of your seat. It’s slightly concerning how much you miss his touch, but perhaps it’s somewhat resolved when he walks around the front to open your door and offer a hand. You place a wrapped bento in his free hand and grab the other one for yourself, letting him drag you for a block or two.

The surroundings become more and more familiar until you finally spot the large characters on the wall of the building. You send Keiji a curious look and he just sends you a soft smile, walking around the border, through some back alleyway that you didn’t realize existed, until you’re within the walls of your high school. The nostalgia crashes over you, almost having you feel out of place for not being in uniform. But minutes later, when Keiji whips a key out of nowhere and unlocks one of the many side entrances, leading you up the stairs, you find yourselves on the roof.

Zephyrs whip around your figures until Keiji tugs on your hand towards the direction of the wall, the slight overhang of the structure providing some shade and recluse from the sun. He sits against the concrete and dutifully unwraps the meal he so nicely made this time, and you can’t help but lean over and peck him on the cheek. It’s full of delight and unbridled affection, so much so that Keiji can’t fight the slight blush rushing to his cheeks.

You hum around the food in satisfaction (because of course, Keiji is also a decent cook, it’s not fair for someone to be so good at so many things!), munching for a few minutes before asking, “Why here of all places?”

Keiji’s eyebrows furrow somewhat before the wrinkles smooth out. “I’d always wanted to have a meal with you out here when we were still in high school – but there was never a good way or time to ask, and I didn’t want to weird you out.”

“I would’ve said yes, you know?”

“Now I do,” he chuckles. “Eat up, you’ve had a long week.”

Keiji takes you on a mini-tour of sorts, pointing out the classroom he was in and where he sat. He still remembered where Konoha’s desk was, and though Bokuto wasn’t in the same year, he could still tell you which seat was the ace’s. The two of you exchange more stories about your years here, calmly walking down the stairs until he takes you to the gym. The squeaking of sneakers and yells of teenage boys become louder and louder, but before Keiji can push back the flap of the door screen, you tug on his hand.

“Are we allowed? I feel like we’re intruding.”

“Coach knows I’m here – how else did you think I got a key?”

He brings you in before you can protest again, making sure to stay out of sight until there’s a quick water break. Only then does Keiji make his presence known, politely greeting his old coach and exchanging laughs and smiles. He makes sure to introduce you and you quickly bow, unable to contain the smile when Keiji regards you as his girlfriend. The coach makes some small indication that you seemed familiar, and then introducing Keiji to the team. Some of their eyes light up when they hear about him being the setter during the reign of Bokuto Kotarou. It’s endearing, watching your boyfriend meld back into an element of the past that he so fondly misses.

About ten minutes later, the two of you wave goodbye and leave the premises, but not before Keiji makes a cheeky suggestion to go back to his former senior classroom and make out on his old desk. You ignore the flare that ignites in your gut and attempt to hide your fluster with a roll of your eyes. Instead, he pulls you into a secluded corner and crowds over your, leaving you nowhere to run.

But when his lips meet yours and his hands grasp your waist, you can’t imagine having it any other way for a first date.

First night sleeping in bed together

It’s a bit of an accident, if you’re honest. Usually, you’re always able to make it back to your own apartment. But then after the movie was finished and you were two wine glasses in, the alcohol in combination with the shit Friday at work depleted you of all energy. Keiji, ever the doting boyfriend, picked up on your lethargy pretty quickly. He stands from the couch and merely smiles when you whine at the loss of body heat, and with little trouble, carries you bridal style to his bedroom.

“I can take the futon, mmk? He whispers as he makes room for your body, setting you down gently on his mattress. Memories stir of your impromptu visit two years ago as he tucks you in. Despite your best efforts, a wide yawn creeps past your lips as you snuggle into his pillow, letting his scent wash over you.

“Sleep with me,” you murmur, patting the empty space next to you. Keiji can’t help the flutter of his heartbeat at your invitation.

“Are you sure?”

“You’re being silly. We’re dating now, the futon is a no-no,” you sleepily chide. Keiji looks down at himself to make sure he’s wearing clothes that’s comfortable enough to sleep in, then at you for confirmation again. When you’re still wiggling your fingers on his grey sheets, he succumbs to his desires and slides underneath the layers.

Keiji lays on his side facing you, struggling to hear anything over the pounding in his ribcage. You have a hand bent up near your face and the other in front of your chest, quiet breaths leaving your body. He mimics your posture and returns the small grin you give him, brushing away the strands that look slightly displaced.

The calmness that eases into his chest is a feeling he’ll never get tired of. It’s exactly what he’s dreamed of experiencing for the last few years, the serenity in falling asleep next to the person you love. He feels incredibly lucky to be here, in this time, with you of all people. In fact, he hadn’t felt that tired earlier, but exhaustion was quickly approaching him. Before Keiji can fully pass out, he makes sure to intertwine his fingers with your free, upturned ones, squeezing slightly as a gesture of affection.

And when you tighten yours in reply, Keiji closes his eyes in peace.

When Keiji confesses just how long he’s been in love with you

Your first year dating with Keiji simply flies by, and it feels like time won’t slow down soon. Initially he wanted to take you to some fancy sushi restaurant for your anniversary, but when you showed up at his apartment the night before listing all the ways your interim manager was being completely asinine, he figured you just needed something a little more comfortable and calming the next day. So he settles for taking you to your favorite ramen restaurant, the same one he ordered from for you three years ago. It’s small yet intimate – after all, you’re more than wise to understand the significance of this establishment and what it means for the two of you.

You’re quiet on the way home, a little too quiet if Keiji is being honest. Even though you’re just looking ahead of you, there’s a faraway, pensive curtain over your gaze. You’re not holding his hand as tightly as you usually do, and Keiji’s worried that he did something wrong. Maybe he was supposed to take you somewhere nicer, pamper you like the royalty you are, buy roses, gift some jewelry—

“Do you want some ice cream, Keiji?” You ask, ripping him from his mental spiral and pointing a thumb at an ice cream stand.

“Sure,” he nods, and to his dismay, when he fishes out the correct bills, you’ve already ordered and paid.

“Don’t give me that look,” you gently scold after thanking the worker and handing him his cup. “You paid for dinner.”

“It’s our anniversary, I should be paying for everything.”

“Not because you want to?”

“I want to as well, but—”

“And I wanted to pay for the ice cream, Keiji,” you chuckle, proving your point. “I appreciate the gesture though. Come on, there’s a park over there. Let’s go sit at the bench.”

It’s easy to fall into the small talk again, though you seem to think about your answers more. There’s a weight to your words, a carefulness that seems foreign to how candid you usually are with him. The worry returns and sneaks through his veins – he wants nothing more than to just blurt it out, but that’s pushing you and he shouldn’t do that—

“Keiji, you’ll be honest with me, right? You’ll tell me the truth no matter what?” You inquire abruptly, voice timid and hesitant.

Keiji shifts his body to face you better, ready to give you his full attention. Your questions alarm him a little though. “Of course.”

“Okay,” you say, chewing your bottom lip. “Are…areyoutiredofmeyet?”

As soon as the words are rushed out, you’re looking at anything but him. It’s impossible to hide from his stare of disbelief. Things just have been going so well, you couldn’t help the insecurity that was becoming known again. Yes, you’ve healed from the events of breaking up with Kuroo – but that didn’t mean there was a big, glaring scar across the heart on your sleeve. In times like these, it sucked the light out of you and you just needed some validation.

“Look at me,” he gently prods. You’re defiant, shaking your head. But as you always do, you surrender to his touch, succumbing to the pressure that of his hand against your cheek. It’s soft in its cradle, his thumb tenderly caressing over your cheekbone.

“What makes you think that I’m getting tired of you?”

When you show signs of defiance, Keiji leans in closer until his forehead rests against yours, but remains quiet. He wants to give you time, but also let you know that an answer is imperative.

“It’s…nothing specific, really. Just some lingering fear,” you mutter and wring your hands. “It’s happened before, so I guess I wanna make sure that I don’t mess up again or something.”

He shakes his head, mentally listing all the ways he can make you feel more secure in this relationship as time goes on. Keiji figured this was going to happen at some point, but he’d rather it didn’t. The last thing he wanted you to ever think was that he didn’t love you enough – even after all these years, he only feels that his love has reached immeasurable amounts, and it still continues to grow every day.

“I’ve loved you all these years, and I feel like that at the end, we still haven’t spent enough time together. I don’t think you realize how much I want eternity with you,” he whispers, fingers moving to brush your hair away. “You’re everything I want, and I can’t imagine this with anyone else.”

A watery chuckle leaves you. “You’ve really picked up some flowery language from work, haven’t you?”

“The shoujo manga department is just down the hall, I guess I’m bound to pick up something,” he jokes back. “Doesn’t detract from the fact that I mean every word though.”

“…I’m gonna seek validation, alright? It’s inevitable.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m gonna ask you things like, ‘Do you love me?’ or ‘Are you bored of me?’, and I’ll just need a yes or no most times.”

“Well, I’m hoping that I’ll be good enough so that you won’t even have to ask. But okay, I can do that.”

You surge forward and wrap him in your arms. “Thank you, Keiji.”

“Of course. You ready to head back?”

You let him drag you up by the hand, nodding in affirmation. Things are comfortably serene for the first few minutes – Keiji notices that your eyes seem more alive and brighter, a definite contrast to what they were before. But you’re gnawing on your bottom lip again, what’s on your mind now?

“So…um, what was that thing about loving me for years?” Math might’ve not been your strong suit, but you’ve only been together for a year and years is clearly plural…

“Ah, I guess I can’t hide it anymore,” Keiji sighs, though it’s more lighthearted than anything. “I started liking you my first year of high school, and then realized I might love you sometime during my third year. Hasn’t changed since.”

“…so even in the years when I was dating Tetsurou?”

His smile morphs into something gentler and more bittersweet. “More subdued since I accepted we might never be anything more than friends, but then everything happened and you unexpectedly called me to ask if I had dinner yet…I didn’t want to sway you in your decision, but I just wanted to show how much I’ve treasured you all this time, nothing more.”

“Sorry for making you wait,” you apologize with a pout and a squeeze of his hand.

“You don’t need to apologize – I consider it more to be lucky than anything. Incredibly, ridiculously, unnervingly lucky.”

“Well, I hope we have more lucky years ahead of us.”