#do not use this as an excuse for stealing library books

[neil-gaiman]

When I was like 8 I stole my schools copy of the graveyard book because I loved it so much and didn't like when it when another kid had it. Should I return it back, it's been like 10 years and I'm pretty sure it's all new staff?

If you want to.

Some twenty years ago, I was talking to a senior librarian from a library somewhere in (as I recall) the rural appalachians, who was telling me that my books were the most stolen books -- or at least the most never-returned -- books they had. I told her that I was sorry, and asked how they felt about this. And she smiled, and she said, "We like to think our books have found their people".

And while I would never approve of stealing from a library, or taking books that other people would need, I think at that moment I decided that perhaps, sometimes, and in some circumstances, it was good that the books in question had found their people.

[carriesthewind]

I reread the IA's contemporaneous post justifying their "National Emergency Library", and one of the things that struck me is just how selfish it was.

(It was also full of falsehoods, ranging from exaggeration to outright lies, but that's another matter.)

While 2020 feels like it was several decades in the past, it was actually only a few years ago. And I remember March of 2020! I was there! And oh my god, is this post right in line with every other selfish, demanding asshole determined to make a global pandemic all about themselves!

First of all, there is the language of the post - it is a "tremendous and historic outage" that books are unavailable to patrons because libraries are closed for the pandemic. "Right now, today, there are 650 million books that tax-paying citizens have paid to access that are sitting on shelves in closed libraries, inaccessible to them."

Missing from this outrage is a recognition that, like. Librarians are people. They get sick, and die.

They did get sick, and died.

Libraries were closed not only to protect patrons and the public, but librarians too. Libraries were closed to protect people, human beings. Because generally speaking, even the most enthusiastic supporters of access to books and knowledge, prioritize lives over books.

The AI's post, however, reeks of an entitlement to things that *my* tax dollars paid for. Libraries and library collections aren't a public good. They're something *I* should be able to access anytime I want, damn the context or the consequences.

(Was it also a historic outrage when I had to wait several months to check out Nona the Ninth, because so many other people were checking it out?)

Second, as I said, I remember early 2020. And in spring and summer of 2020, there was more free content on the internet than before or since. So many people and so many institutions were bending over backwards to provide people with books and tv shows and music and podcasts and virtual tours and collections and just about anything that someone could figure out how to digitize. So many people were giving away books for free, or writing/recording new content to give away for free. I can't even remember how many times I heard or read someone telling their readers or listeners just to pay what they could, if they could. So many people and institutions were giving away so much, do so much, to provide access to knowledge and books and entertainment and information.

And in that moment, the IA decided to steal from people. When so many people, so many authors, were acting so selflessly, they decided that it wasn't good enough. And instead of giving away themselves, they decided to steal from authors and pat themselves on the back for "meet[ing] this unprecedented need," when they didn't even actually do anything themselves. Or maybe more accurately, the only thing they did was something irrelevant to the actual needs of the community, something they wanted to do anyway, something to try to use a pandemic as an excuse to advance their agenda.

Because third, there is zero concern for the population of patrons actually most impacted by the closure. The IA cares, to a fault, only about information being digitized.* But many people who use physical libraries, many of the people most impacted by their closure, are people who do not have access to the AI's so-called "open library." And people who could access digital books generally continued to have access to their library's e-book services, and to tons of other free content. The patrons who were actually in the most need are ignored as irrelevant.

*And I want to be clear - they care that information is digitized, not about digital access. "Access" means more than information being digitized and theoretically being able to be read.

It's so clear that IA didn't really care about the patrons of physical libraries. Instead, they saw a real problem, and instead of working toward any solutions, decided to use it as a prop to push their own agenda. (Again, while people were dying.)

It's just all so deeply selfish.

[etherealyoungk]

college bf!mingyu scenarios

requested: by anon

pairing: mingyu x reader

wordcount: 893

a/n: i found this long lost in my drafts and thought i might as well post it.

college bf!mingyu who would be the heartthrob of the campus, but in reality, he only had eyes for you. you first met him when you accidentally bumped into him when you were in a rush trying to get to class. and in the process, all your papers went flying. mingyu was sweet and helped you gather your stuff, except you picked up the wrong notebook - his instead and you ran off, not bothering to check until you were sat in class and opened to book only to realise that it wasn't yours. naturally, you looked for him and gave him back his book, but after that day, you found yourself running into him more often.

college bf!mingyu who would pack you an extra lunch for himself so you could some of his too. he knows you love his cooking and you always end up stealing a bite of his food even though you tell him you're not hungry, but he knows better. he'll also pack extra snacks and they're all your favorite ones too.

college bf!mingyu who would follow you around like a puppy in between or after classes, hanging out with you in the library because you told him you needed to study or work on assignments. he'd sit with you too, saying he'll study with you too, but that's just an excuse to be next to you. he's watching you as you're busy solving questions, his arm propped up on the table, his head resting in his palm as he watches you, a smile on his face because how did he get so lucky. he'd be so whipped for you truly.

college bf!mingyu who is just so whipped and in love with you. everyone can tell by the way he looks at you that he adores you with his whole heart and would fight anyone if they posed any harm to you.

college bf!mingyu who would be absolutely appalled when you decide to go to class when you've fallen sick badly. he scolds you lightly when he spots you in the hallway and is quick to scoop you away and drop you back to your apartment. he'll make you a hearty soup so you can feel better, assuring you that the world wasn't going to end if you skipped one class. he says he'll help you on the assignment and gather the notes for you and he does, in a rather impressive manner.

college bf!mingyu who's always planning dates after class. he'll always have a cafe or new restaurant he wants to go to with you. and he's always so excited too, so how can you say no to him when he asks you so sweetly with the most pretty smile in the entire world.

college bf!mingyu who always sits next to you in the classes you have together. he'll always write little love notes in your notebook or draw silly little doodles, which make you smile whenever you open your notebook.

college bf!mingyu who's always and i mean always taking the chance to flirty with you. he'll drop the silliest pickup lines, flirting with you left right and centre and loves seeing you get all shy as you smack his arm in an attempt to get him to stop. "he practices all these atrocious lines on us", seungkwan says in disgust while mingyu just beams at you with his gorgeous smile.

college bf!mingyu who loves sharing his airpods with you during lunch break or whenever you both just want to have a little quiet time but still be with each other. he loves showing you new music he found and you do to.

college bf!mingyu who will always ask for kisses in between classes because,"they recharge me babe please", he says every time, while you just stare at him, crossing your arms. he pouts his lips in response and shows you his cheek as he waits for you to kiss him, getting all happy when you do, not letting you off with just one kiss.

college bf!mingyu who would be your study buddy and tutor you on some subjects if you were having a hard time, especially during exam season. he's also packing you wholesome lunchboxes and will always remind you to take breaks and not overwork yourself. he hates it when you stay up late or pull all-nighters to study and hates seeing you in so much stress. he's pulling you away from your books and getting you to bed, holding you in his arms as you fall asleep in minutes, your body and mind tired and he kisses your forehead, whispering how much he loves you, wishing he could take away all your stress.

college bf!mingyu who would be the one to listen to all your talks about being uncertain about the future and being scared because what if you failed? he'll listen to you keenly as you lay in his arms, protected from the world. he'll tell you how great you were doing and how proud he was of you. he'll tell you that even if you failed, he was going to be here to pick you back up and that he was always going to be there for you.

taglist: @paindivinemp3 @naaaaafla @weird-bookworm @blue-jisungs @icyminghao

@wootify @idubiluv @joshuaahong @fallingforshua29 @n4mj00nvq

@itsveronicaxxx @ihrtboo @frankenstein852 @lvlystars @mirxzii @aaniag

[papercorgiworld]

It was no mistake

A James Potter smut.

When you tell James last night was a mistake he's determined to prove you wrong.

This is part two of ‘I dare you to steal his clothes - James Potter version’. Read the first part here, not that this is very plot driven but still.

Warning: smut, minimal plot

— The request —

The James fic was so hot wtf 👹👹👹 we need part 2 dear author 😭😭😭

— The writing —

You walked through the hallways of Hogwarts but your mind was still stuck in that bathroom where you had yesterday tried and more or less succeeded in stealing James Potter’s clothes. He had given you a night to remember and as dreamy as you still were about those activities, you were also very much aware that it was James Potter. He was your crush, but to him you were probably nothing more than a fun night. It was not like he was suddenly going to fall in love with you after one night of heavenly sex.

“Moony, you’re not hearing me. She’s the one.” Remus rolled his eyes as James almost jumped up and down next to him, ever since last night’s events James had been going on about you non stop. Sirius and Peter had weaselled their way away from James and had left Remus to listen to James’ rants alone. Remus rearranged some books on the shelves of the library, because nothing’s more annoying than misplaced books. “I need your advice, moony, I’ve been crushing on her since the start of the year and after last night I need to make a move or I might lose her to the next guy she’s being dared to steal clothes from.” Remus turns away from the shelves to face James. “I honestly don’t think that she would repeat last night's events with anyone beside you.” Feeling reassured and a bit more confident, James’ signature smirk returns. “You think so? You think I’m special to her?” Remus sighs and rolls his eyes again. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure she likes you. I mean no one sleeps with someone you hate.” James’ eyebrows knit together. “You obviously haven’t had heated hate sex.” Remus shakes his head no. “You?” James also shakes no. “No, I’m just thinking it would be hot… not as hot as last night, I mean, (y/n) and me-” “I don’t want to hear it again, James!” Remus interrupts and quickly continues. “Just go talk to her, use all your charm and you will win her over.” 

You were still deep in thoughts, when James leaves the library and spots you. “Hey, hey, (y/n)! We need to talk.” Your eyes fling up to meet his and James is almost horrified to see how filled with panic your eyes are. You quickly scan the hallways for a way out, but fail to find a good excuse. James quickens his pace to keep up with you. “About last night…” James starts, nervously ruffling his hair, but before he has a chance to continue you speak up. “It was a mistake.” James’ face falls, but you don’t notice and continue. “I get it. I’m cool about it. Last night was just a thing and it won't happen again.” James nods as he listens to you, watching your serious expression and sinking his hands into his pockets. You suddenly stop walking and turn to him. You force a tightlipped smile and tuck a strand of hair behind your ear. You hold out a hand to James. “Friends?” You ask with a shaky voice and flustered face. For a second James looks utterly confused, but he quickly realises that your flusteredness might have something to do with how you had screamed his name last night. James tilts his head and chews his lip, eyes focussing on yours. “What if I say no?” Your face instantly heats up. Why can’t he just be casual about it. Why does he have to be so James Potter about it!

“I got the sense that you liked what I did last night.” Your face was hitting tomato alert, but he just shamelessly continued. “Honestly, I enjoyed it as well. You felt amazing.” He whispers, while his eyes dart between you and everyone in the hallway to make sure no one overhears. “James-” Your protest comes out as a shaky whisper as your body craves James in an unholy way. “Come on, love one more time and then you can decide whether I’m worth keeping around or if you really just want to be friends.” Your expression goes blank as you process what James had just said. Did the James Potter just suggest that if you wanted he would be yours? Afraid that you weren’t fully convinced, James makes one last move, leaning closer to you with his lips almost brushing your ear. “You can have whatever you want, baby… my dick, fingers, tongue, I’ll give you anything you want.” His voice was husky and dirty, but there was also an almost inaudible nervousness as he worried whether you would accept his offer or just forget about him. 

A silent yes in your eyes had told James that he could guide you to a nearby empty classroom. As soon as he closed the door behind you he wrapped an arm around your figure, pulling you against him. His eyes focus on yours as his free hand cups your cheek. “I know it’s only been a few hours, but fuck I missed you.” You smile and James is wild with excitement that he got you close to him again. Eagerly his lips search yours and you immediately move with his, making the kiss go from passionate to hunger. He picks you up and you can’t help but giggle at his enthusiasm. He places you on a nearby desk and he’s quick to take off his own shirt, giving you a worthy view. Your hand wanders over his chest and muscles. There was a reason Gryffindor won almost every game. This boy worked for it. 

As amused and turned on as James was by your staring he really wanted your focus on kissing him. With a gentle finger he pushed your chin up to look at him so he could kiss you tenderly and deeply. It also gave him the opportunity to quickly undo a few buttons so he could pull your shirt over your head. With your hair now slightly messed up you looked even more desirable to him. Eagerly his lips move over yours again while his hands move to gently squeeze your breasts before unclasping your bra in one swift move. James struggles to keep his lips on you as his eyes desperately search for a glimpse of your chest. With a loving touch his hands massage the flesh of your boobs. A slightly suppressed moan reveals James’ excitement together with the growing bulge in his pants pressing against your panties. Pushing you back on the desk James now moves away from your lips to allow himself to play with your nipples, earning soft sounds from you as sensations build up, soaking your panties as he sucks on the sensitive skin. 

Unable to keep himself in check James rocks his hips into yours, searching for fiction. You quickly slip a hand in his pants, making him groan as you tease his member. One hand pumps his dick while your other hand moves through his curls. Under your touch James only manages to leave sloppy kisses as precum stains his pants. He curses himself under his breath. This was not how he planned it on going, he needed to spoil you and not the other way around. So rather abruptly and roughly James grabs your hand and takes a step back so he can take off your skirt and panties. You open your mouth to ask whether you did anything wrong, but James doesn’t let you and kisses you roughly while moving a finger through your folds, making you squirm against him at the sudden touch. “Last night was not a mistake.” James breathes with a rough undertone as he watches your eyes fill with pleasure at his touch. Your slightly parted lips looked so delicious to you, but he wanted to hear you so instead he peppers kisses down your neck, while his fingers fuck you.

Your fingers entangle with his hair as pleasure rushes through you. You whimper his name as he pushes you closer to your high, making him work harder to get you there. He watches you with focus to pinpoint the exact second before you’ll cum so he can pull his fingers away from you, making you whine in need of him and a climax. Your needy eyes turn him on so much he has to grab his crotch for a second. “Trust me, love.” James whispers and pushes your legs wider with one move, making you yelp at the exposure and heave your chest. The view you were giving him, exposed and flustered had him struggling to not just fuck you right then and there but he was committed to make you his and have you every night from now on. With his eyes glued to yours he slowly kisses down from your lips to your pussy to finish the building orgasm he had kept from you only seconds earlier.

Your body tenses and your fingers cling to James’ curls as your wall clench. James can’t resist jerking himself as you gently and unknowingly push his face against your pussy, reaching your high. It takes a second before you have the strength to push the strong man between your legs away from your overstimulated cunt. As soon as you see his pleased smirk you know he isn’t done with you. You raise your hand to protest, but he just grabs your wrist, pulling you off the desk to turn you around. He presses you against him, your naked body against his bare chest. He still holds on to your wrist as his other hand slips between your legs again. “James.” You whine and he shushes you. “You still think last night was a mistake?” He teases you, placing kisses under your ear. He rubs his hard bulge against your bare ass and your sensitive pussy starts throbbing at just the thought of his thick member filling you like last night. “No, it wasn’t a mistake.” You breathe and James kisses your neck tenderly, before bending you over the desk and freeing his member from his pants. 

Gently he slips inside you, holding you close as he fucks you passionately, like you were the only woman that mattered, a goddess to him, and only him for the rest of his life from now on.

Word count: 1720

[dollishbabess]

ROMANCE-TOBER - ROMTOBER 24! - dollish

(Discontinued)

A/n: This October I want to highlight my first October as a writer! Instead of kinktober I’m doing romtober which is just romance October! Each week is based off a batboy and event that is kinda halloweenish, if you’re gonna do this then please credit me! But also stay tuned!! This is fun event for me to host! (Please reblog <3) second divider @cafekitsune

Week 1: Dick Grayson (Oct 1 - Oct 7)

October 1 - Haunted House Date You and Dick visit a haunted house attraction, but he's more scared than you are, clinging to you the entire time.

October 2 - Pumpkin Carving Dick insists on a pumpkin carving competition, but things get messy, and it turns into a playful pumpkin fight.

October 3 - Corn Maze You and Dick get lost in a corn maze together, but he uses this as an excuse to steal kisses when no one's looking.

October 4 - Trick-or-Treat He insists on going trick-or-treating, even though you’re both adults. You spend the night in costumes, acting like kids and sharing stolen candy.

October 5 - Autumn Picnic An outdoor picnic surrounded by fall leaves leads to cozy moments, with Dick wrapping his scarf around you to keep you warm. (Gonna be in the mashup)

October 6 - Costume Shopping Dick insists on couples' costumes and drags you around town until you find the perfect matching outfits.

October 7 - Bonfire Night Sitting by a bonfire, Dick shares stories from his past, and you both end up wrapped in a blanket together under the stars.

Week 2: Jason Todd (Oct 8 - Oct 14)

October 8 - Horror Movie Marathon Jason challenges you to a horror movie marathon, but it’s hard to be scared when he's there, keeping you close.

October 9 - Motorcycle Ride A chilly October night ride through Gotham, sharing his jacket and the warmth from his body as he drives.

October 10 - Graveyard Visit Jason takes you to an old, eerie cemetery, but instead of it being scary, he opens up about his feelings and lets you in. (Gonna be in the mashup)

October 11 - Spooky Reading Jason reads you classic Gothic literature in a dimly lit room, his voice low and soothing, making the atmosphere feel more intimate than frightening. (Gonna be in the mashup

October 12 - Apple Picking You and Jason spend a day at an orchard, bickering over who can pick the most apples but ending up playfully stealing kisses in between. (Gonna be in the mashup)

October 13 - Midnight Walk You two wander the empty streets of Gotham in the middle of the night, talking about everything and nothing while holding hands. (Gonna be in the mashup)

October 14 - Pumpkin Spice & Chill Jason pretends to hate pumpkin spice, but you catch him stealing sips of your drink, leading to a cozy night in with pumpkin-flavored treats.

Week 3: Tim Drake (Oct 15 - Oct 21)

October 15 - Library Study Date You and Tim spend the day in a library, but instead of focusing on work, he keeps writing cute little notes to you on sticky pads.

October 16 - Autumn Rain Caught in a rainstorm, you seek shelter with Tim, and he offers you his jacket, smiling softly as he pulls you closer.

October 17 - Stargazing Tim takes you to a rooftop to watch the stars, armed with a telescope and hot cocoa, his quiet affection warming you more than the drink.

October 18 - Bookstore Hideaway While browsing a cozy, spooky-themed bookstore, Tim surprises you with a book you’ve been wanting and reads the first chapter to you.

October 19 - Spooky Café Date Tim takes you to a café with spooky decorations, and as you sip on autumn-themed drinks, you realize he’s been watching you more than anything else.

October 20 - Solving Mysteries Tim ropes you into solving a "haunted" mystery, but it turns out he just wanted an excuse to spend more time with you.

October 21 - Late-Night Research A night of researching creepy legends with Tim ends up with you both falling asleep together, surrounded by books and laptops.

Week 4: Damian Wayne (Oct 22 - Oct 28)

October 22 - Pumpkin Patch Damian grumbles about the childishness of pumpkin patches, but you catch him smiling as you pose for pictures together.

October 23 - Spooky Baking You and Damian bake Halloween-themed treats together, but he insists on making everything from scratch since he doesn’t want processed shit in his food, and you end up covered in flour.

October 24 - Candlelit Dinner Damian surprises you with a candlelit dinner with fall flavors, the warm glow making the evening feel extra special.

October 25 - Black Cat You catch Damian sneaking a stray black cat into the manor, insisting it’s for you because he knows you love cats (even though it's clear he's attached too).

October 26 - Autumn Market Visiting an autumn festival together, Damian buys you something small but meaningful and pretends it wasn’t a big deal.

October 27 - Hayride He’s reluctant at first, but Damian ends up enjoying the hayride, especially since it gives him an excuse to sit close to you.

October 28 - Ghost Stories Damian challenges you to tell the scariest ghost story, but when you get scared, he instinctively pulls you into his arms to reassure you.

Week 5: different Batboys (Oct 29 - Oct 31)

October 29 - Halloween Decorating with each batboy!

October 30 - Masquerade Ball Bruce hosts a Halloween masquerade and invites readers to and (batboy of your choice)

October 31 - Halloween Night You spend Halloween night on the rooftop of Wayne Manor with your chosen batboy talking away and maybe stealing a kiss

——————-

Nov 1 - XMASS (jkk😭)

See how this isn’t about dicks going up coochies , very mindful very friendly.

If your gonna do this please please give credit or your gonna be exposed, made by @dollishbabess

[lilyacorn]

Yandere popular student! X gn! Tutor reader

Hes from this post and i hope u enjoy it!

Yandere popular student- who is always lively and sweet around others! He claims that they’re just really nice then people end up thinking he’s innocent at first glance! Their basement now says otherwise-

Yandere popular student- who was a normal student until he met you! And… your other friends.

Yandere popular student- who was ecstatic to have another “friend” pawn in his group!

Yandere popular student- who realizes that he needed to abort the “friend” pawn plan once he saw you. “…w-why… is my heart beating so fast?”

Yandere popular student- who suddenly gets hot and stutters when you smile exist at him like that! “H-huh?!”

Yandere popular student- who keeps implying to his friends that he just wants to be “friends with you!” Just an excuse to not hang out. And maybe stalk- “oh! No i just wanna be friends with them! Seriously guys, they’re just a friend future lover.”

Yandere popular student- who really wants to become friends! Lovers He says that “he’s busy” to convince friends that he can’t hang out with them. (He’s busy stalking- i mean, busy trying to be friends!

Yandere popular student- who’d dress nicer! Maybe some pants or a nicer jacket just to see if you’d compliment! “Look at me please…?” also gets a heart attack even when you look at him)

Yandere popular student- who realized that he needed to step up his game for you to become his “friend” totally because you’re not his crush or anything!

Yandere popular student- who heard that you tutor students! A better way to get closer if you tutored him! Even if his grades were completely fine…

Yandere popular student- who got up at 4 am in the morning to get ready for the session! Date “…do they like vanilla or flowers perfume…” also spent 30 minutes deciding over the perfume-

Yandere popular student- who arrived at the library and quickly sat down beside you to start! Weird how they kept fidgeting and stuttering around you tho…“uhmmm s-should we get started?”

Yandere popular student- who made sure to use all the friend dating tactics in the book! He moved his shoulder close to yours to “see the book closer” liar

Yandere popular student- who was enjoying himself with you until he saw the yandere delinquent standing at the library entrance. “Oh! So thats how you do it- who’s that?”

Yandere popular student- who’s trying his best to steal your attention! “Hey, uhm what does this mean?” Points at a mf letter

Yandere popular student- who looks at the yandere delinquent with malice. He said a simple joke and you laughed! “Hahaha” their laugh sounds so nice! Just ughhhhhhh

Yandere student- who’s face sours up when the yandere delinquent copies “his tactic” and says the corniest joke ever! And you chuckled at it?! “…” HOW?! THAT JOKE IS SO- UGH!

Yandere student- who notices the end of the session, and stands up to walk you home but yandere delinquent says it the same time. back off bitch. Theyre mine.

“May i walk you home-“ ���can i walk you home-“

So reader, who will you choose?

[kenzlovesyou]

hi bby!! can you do something for kate where like kate just adores reader but reader is a acedemic weapon and like is oblivious and kate is so down bad??? kind of like so high school by taylor?? brownie points if reader is

short cause kate is super tall!!!

ahh i love this idea so much ur so cute also this isn’t the best i’m sorry if you don’t like it!!

Not Like You - Kate Martin x Reader

Kate adored you. It was as simple as that. She admired every little thing you did. Whether it was watching you study for an exam, mesmerized by the way your hair cascaded down your shoulders, or studying your features as you reapplied your lip gloss in the mirror, she loved to look at you.

Even when the two of you had just met, Kate was in deep. She’d met you at the university’s library. She had come in to look for a book to use as a source for a paper she was writing and she was starstruck when she turned the corner and saw you sitting there at a table with your nose in a book. She had been feeling confident, after the hawkeye’s win a few days prior. Kate sat next to you and struck up a conversation about the book you were reading. You were more than happy to talk to her.

Ever since that day, you and Kate were super close. She followed you around like a lost puppy. The two of you fit together perfectly like pieces of a puzzle. To you, Kate was the best friend you wished you’d had by your side all throughout high school. She always made you smile and laugh and was always there for you through everything. You started to wish a guy made you feel the way Kate made you feel.

But to Kate, you were so much more than that. To her you were an angel sent to her from up above. The more time passed, the more you and Kate became attached at the hip. You often streamed Kate’s games and even decided to watch a couple in person when you could pull yourself away from your studies. Kate, not knowing you’d be there, was shocked and surprised. She hid behind Caitlin so she could steal looks at you. You made her nervous. She noticed how her cheeks grew pink over the twinkling lights and she realized something: you weren’t just her friend. You made her feel like a teenager again, the giddiness and nervousness she felt around you.

A couple months later, Kate invited you over to her apartment to hangout with her and some of her teammates. You’d accepted, surprisingly, and the team welcomed you with open arms. Kate saw the way you quickly bonded with her teammates and her heart swelled. She was happy with her two worlds colliding, the team and you. You leaned into Kate’s shoulder as she sat down next to you on her spacious couch. The two of you had gotten more and more physically affectionate.

“Guys,” Jada started to say from her spot on the couch, “we should totally play kiss, marry, kill!” Everyone laughed at her idea, but eventually agreed to it as they were all pretty bored. “Caitlin. Kiss, marry, kill.. Jake from State Farm, Steph Curry, and Connor.” You all giggled at Jada’s choices for Caitlin and listened to her answer. “Honestly out of all of those I’d probably have to kill Connor, kiss Steph Curry, and marry Jake.” Everyone exploded into laughter. You excused yourself and went to the bathroom, with Gabbie following you because she had to go as well. When you were gone, Caitlin decided to take the lead in the girls’ matchmaker plan.

“Okay, Kate your turn. Kiss, marry, kill…Y/n.” Kate looked at her confused. “What? Bro, you literally just said Y/n.” Jada and Caitlin rolled their eyes as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I mean, with the way you look at her it’ll probably be all three.” Kate’s jaw dropped and she let out an audible gasp.

“Is it really that obvious?” Caitlin and Jada both deadpanned, “Yes.”

-

Meanwhile, you finished your bathroom turn and heard a soft knock on the door. “You can come in, I’m just washing my hands!” You called out to whoever was outside the door. Gabbie turned the knob and walked inside the cozy but still spacious bathroom space.

“Hey, girl! How’s is going?” You smiled at Gabbie. She seemed like such a sweet person and you warmed up to her pretty quickly. The two of you talked for a couple minutes, making small talk and conversation. Then, it was Gabbie’s turn to execute her part of the plan. “So, how are things with Kate?” You looked at her, extremely confused.

“What do you mean? She’s my best friend, we’re great, just like always. Why? Wait, did she say something? Does she think we’re not-“

“Nononono! Not like that at all! I just meant. Well. How do I even say this..” Gabbie paused and you looked at her expectantly. “Y/n, do you notice the way Kate looks at you?” You were beyond confused. Did Kate look at you differently? Was it something you’d done? What made her think of you differently? When had it started? Among all the questions in your head, one was louder than the others. How exactly did Kate look at you?

Gabbie pulled you out of your thoughts by putting a hand on your shoulder. “Y/n, come on girl! She looks at you like you hung the moon.”

Suddenly something in you clicked. You thought back to all of the times Kate had you over to hangout, just the two of you. How she coaxed you into watching scary movies and let you hold onto her when it got too scary. How she’s taken you on more dates than any guy ever has. How she’s always been your person to lean on as long as you’ve known her, and she’s been yours. You thought about her hair, and how she’d always begged you to braid it for her games so she’d have good luck. You thought about her eyes, and how they gleamed and sparkled everytime she looked at you. You thought, ‘Shit. I’m gay. AND I’m in love with my best friend.’ But that part was thought out loud and Gabbie let out a smile.

“Glad you figured it out. I’m here if you need anything or wanna-“ Gabbie couldn’t even finish before you rushed out of the bathroom and back into the living room. You sat down on the couch next to Kate and grabbed her close to you, putting you lips to her ear. “Can we talk?” Kate nodded immediately and excused the both of you and you lead her to the bathroom and you Gabbie had just been in, Gabbie shooting you a thumbs up as she walked past you in the hall.

You closed the door behind you and hoisted yourself onto the bathroom counter, sitting and letting your legs dangle off. You turned your back to her and stared at yourself in the mirror, silently trying to hype yourself up after such a new discovery. Kate looked at you expecting you to say something. “Did you bring me in here so we could both admire you in the mirror? Because if that’s the case then-“

“Kate, I’m gay. I like girls, no, well yes, but a girl. I like a girl and I’m really scared because I’ve never felt this way about a girl before. Or a guy, really. No one. They’re just not like you, Kate. Nobody’s like you. I’ve just figured this out literally five minutes ago but it all makes sense now and just-“ Kate cuts you off by pulling you into her chest. She doesn’t kiss you. Not because she doesn’t want to, of course she does, but she knows how new and scary this must feel to you and she doesn’t want to overwhelm you anymore. She wipes the tears that were forming in your eyes and beginning to drop away in a swift motion, “It’s okay, Y/n. Nothing we don’t want to change has to change.” You look up at her and all you can do was smile. Even in this, she’s your rock.

“Okay,” you say smiling, “you got that you were the girl I like though, right?” Kate rolled her eyes and pulled you into another hug.

“I think I got that before you even did.”

[srvbryn]

Luke Castellan. Detention

Not set in riordanverse & highschool au!Luke; MASTERLIST

Luke Castellan X f!reader

Summary: "Well, well, look who's joined the detention club" Luke gets detention — He misplaced his history textbook, and what's better than stealing borrowing it from the library?

Warning: teenagers acting like teenagers, not a lot of dialogues, they have houses like the one in Harry Potter lol (only mentioned once) & Reader house is not mentioned, this is a bit boring

The detention room felt confined, with time moving at a snail's pace. Luke sat there, tracing imaginary patterns on the desk, the minutes ticking away like a never-ending countdown.

Just when he thought he was alone with the hum of Mr. D and the ticking of the clock, the door creaked open, and in walked (Name), a smirk on her lips.

"Well, well, look who's joined the detention club," Luke teased.

(Name) rolled her eyes and took the seat next to him. "Figured I'd keep you company. Detention is always more fun with a partner in crime, right?"

Luke couldn't help but chuckle — "Partner in crime, huh? I like the sound of that."

As the minutes passed, the two of them had whispered conversations, exchanged notes, and made light of the situation.

(Name) couldn't resist making fun of Luke's situation.

"So, what's the grand crime that got you in here, Luke?" she asked with a sly grin.

A few hours ago — LUKE CASTELLAN

Luke's risky textbook stealing borrowing scheme involved a well-thought-out strategy that, avoided the school administration's watchful gaze.

He may or may not have misplaced his textbook accidentally.. hahaha

However, this time, it was a classic case of overconfidence that led to his downfall.

Luke decided to carry out his plan during the school assembly, when most teachers were busy with maintaining the wandering student body under control.

Confident that he could slip in and out like a shadow, he ventured into the classroom, only to find himself face-to-face with the one teacher who had decided to stay behind to organize some papers.

As he reached for the textbook, Mr. Chiron looked up from his work and caught Luke in the act. The moment was frozen, and an uneasy silence filled the room.

Luke's grin faded into a sheepish smile as he tried to come up with a plausible excuse.

Mr. Chiron raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Luke Castellan, what exactly are you doing in here during the assembly?"

Luke scratched the back of his head, attempting to feign innocence. "Oh, you know, just wanted to get a head start on some reading. Education waits for no one, right?"

"Nice try, Mr. Castellan. I don't recall giving you permission to access the library during the assembly. Detention it is."

And that's how Luke's textbook borrowing adventure came to an abrupt halt, leading him to the very detention that (Name) chose to join.

Luke leaned in, a gleam in his eyes. "I may have liberally borrowed some textbooks without asking. The school administration didn't appreciate my innovative approach to study materials."

(Name) burst into laughter, earning them a stern look from Mr. D. "Classic Hermes house move. Couldn't just check out a classroom book like the rest of us, huh?"

"Where's the fun in that?" he replied, a playful glint in his eyes. "Besides, I thought it added a touch of rebellion to my academic pursuits."

The two of them continued to jokes, causing the otherwise boring detention surprisingly pleasant.

The more they chatted, the more (Name) realized there was more to Luke than his rebellious exterior.

They even swapped a few sarcastic comments about the school's absurd rules. (No phones allowed, must wear a tie all the time, don't run in the hallways (the usual))

The teacher on duty, Mr. D, sat at his desk, buried in paperwork (surprisingly) unaware.

Luke discreetly crumpled a piece of paper and passed it to (Name) with a glint in his eyes.

They exchanged a knowing look, silently agreeing on their next move. (Name), with a suppressed giggle, aimed the paper at the back of Mr. D's head and let it fly.

The paper landed with a soft thud, catching the teacher's attention. He turned around, narrowing his eyes at the seemingly innocent duo.

"Alright, who did that?" Mr. D demanded, scanning the room.

Luke and (Name) exchanged innocent glances, attempting to suppress their laughter. Mr. Anderson sighed, suspecting he was dealing with a pair of children.

As Mr. D returned to his paperwork, the both of them couldn't resist another attempt at amusement.

This time, Luke folded the paper into an aeroplane. With a quick motion, he launched it at Mr. D, causing it to glide gracefully through the air.

The paper airplane did a loop-de-loop before landing on Mr. D's desk, right in front of him. He looked up, a mix of irritation and bemusement on his face.

"Alright, that's enough. We're in detention, not a paper competition," he scolded, shaking his head.

Luke and (Name) exchanged a glance, barely containing their laughter.

As the final minutes of detention passed, Mr. D kept an eye on them, suspecting that more antics were on the way.

Luke and (Name), however, had already shared enough laughs to make their time in detention enjoyable.

Luke couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment as the clock ticked down to the end of their detention.

He glanced at (Name), a genuine smile playing on his lips. "Same time tomorrow, partner?"

(Name) raised an eyebrow, a smirk forming. "Only if you promise not to get caught every time."

Luke chuckled. "Deal."

[devildom-moss]

hello !! happy anniversary to ur blog and so sorry again for not reading ur rules for the flash requests post 💔

may i request sfw + 12 w solomon. just him pining for reader. like doesn't even have to include dialogue w/mc, i just wanna see him being so horrendously down bad for them hehe thank you 🫶🏻

Thank you, and no worries! I hope you don't mind headcanons with this one. Now, did I get too invested in this request? I think so. It's almost double the intended length. Do I regret that? Not in the slightest. I hope you enjoy it!!

1 year anniversary flash request event - SFW

(Solomon x gn!MC)

Prompt 12 – Your choice: Pining

Pining!Solomon, whose hands tremble when you hug him as he slowly brings his arms up to try to hug you back. For his entire life, he had never needed to be held by anyone – not in the way that he needs you. When he’s in your arms, he almost can’t believe it. It feels too good to be true, like some cruel setup designed to bring him a moment of pure joy before ripping you from his grasp. So, his hands tremble with uncertainty and love and hope that he can never speak of. Solomon will snap himself out of his fear, and when he does, his hands will grip your back and pull you in. He never knows when to let go – or rather, he never wants to. If only he could keep you in his arms for a second longer. If only he could hold you every day. If only your warmth would linger on his skin forever.

Pining!Solomon, who will never give up sitting with his legs spread apart now that he knows the feeling of your warmth pressed against him when he refused to give you the space. He knows it’s rude, but he would do anything to keep that prolonged contact. He needs it. Politeness be damned. What does politeness know of the comfort he gets from the physical proof that you are right by his side?

Pining!Solomon, who traces the spines of his books, mapping your name through the topography of every curve or scratch as he waits for you to arrive for your study sessions with him. When you’re running late, your name exists on the spine of every book on his desk. You’ll live on them forever. Now, he can scarcely scan through his personal library without feeling your presence.

Pining!Solomon, who reviews your last sent message when he hasn’t seen you all day. His fingers hover over the screen as he contemplates reaching out. But is one day too soon? He scans his mind for any believable excuse to contact you.

Pining!Solomon, whose mouth is a reflection of his mind, always wandering in your direction. Whether he’s chatting with the demons or angels or in a conference with the Sorcerers’ Society. He can’t resist asking about your well-being or your daily life (the parts of it that he isn’t involved in). He brags about his adorable, talented apprentice to the Sorcerers’ Society and even random demons and witches he’s acquainted with. However, he’s always careful not to brag too much – less someone try to harm you or steal you right from under his watchful eye. If anyone so much as considered it, Solomon would see red until his anger was soothed by disproportionate aggression or the comfort of your voice and touch.

Pining!Solomon, whose body follows after you whenever you pull away. When you break off a kiss, he leans into you, chasing the feeling of your lips on him again. When you let go of his hand, he reaches forward, ever so slightly, trying to recapture your touch. When you let go during a hug, he inches just a bit closer. When you walk ahead of him, he picks up his pace to catch you. When your bonds strengthen with the others, his heart aches, trying to crawl its way back to you.

Pining!Solomon, who doesn’t know how to be alone anymore. His mind has your face and voice memorized. When you aren’t around, sometimes he imagines you calling him from the other room – that if he sat up and walked in there right now, he’d see your precious face, smiling at him. He’ll use technology and magic to preserve these memories with routine frequency – in case the worst should ever happen.

Pining!Solomon, who has never known fear like this. His entire life could collapse in on itself, making him an emotional black hole, from a simple shift in your existence. That is the magnetic strength of his love for you. No change in your presence goes unnoticed. If you got hurt. . . if you died. . . he would pull all realms into his pain.

But, also, Pining!Solomon, who has never known peace like this. If anything could wash over the wreckage of a garden that Solomon has cultivated himself – sick with rot and death that poisons instead of fertilizing, that smells of chemicals and rust, where only the toxic and wretched could bloom – and make it divine, it would be your presence. It would be your laugh when Asmo has pranked Solomon, and the witty sorcerer was none the wiser. It would be the way you danced along to music with Solomon in the kitchen as you prepared dinner – if for no other reason than pointless joy, then to distract him from his desire to help with the cooking. It would be the way you rolled your eyes when Solomon caused you trouble, because your annoyance couldn’t overcome your affection for him. It would be your warmth and the gentle sound of your breathing as you slumped against Solomon’s shoulder – when he longed to trace his fingers along your beloved form, but the fear of waking you stilled his hands. It would be the trusting, understanding smile on your face, when Solomon couldn’t express his feelings in anything more than a whispered “I love you” – even when you needed his praise shouted to the sky for all to understand.

A/N: this will be the last request for the 1 year event - SFW request day. I still have 3 more SFW requests in my inbox though.

Requests are now closed. I will be working on the NSFW requests tomorrow. Don't worry, if you got your flash request in (or if you're waiting on requests from the previous round of general requests), I'll still be working on those. This was a lot of fun so far, so thank you all for participating with me.

[ifearzombies]

The Little ‘I Love You’s

Lucifer:

- Wakes you up early so you can have quiet moments alone with tea or coffee and food that Beel won’t have a chance to steal. - Brings you little things back from the human world when he goes. While he knows you want to stay where you are, he knows humans miss ‘home’ too. - Steals a smooch when no one else is looking.

Mammon:

- Steals from you less than anyone else. He can’t help his nature, but he avoids your room for items to steal as much as he can - On days you’re feeling down, he will interject and tell you that you’re doing something. He never tells you why, but it’s clearly to distract you. - Nights when you have nightmares he is always the one that hears you and comes to cuddle you and hold you. You don’t know how he always knows, but you’re glad all the same.

Leviathan:

- He’ll wait for you for the latest episode of whatever “has too long a title” anime he’s been passionate about. Fantasy is an experience, and it should be shared. - He makes you outfits you see in the shows you say you like. They’re made just for you- your size and shape despite him not having ever measured you. - His snack and ramen rations now include some of your favorites so that the next time Beel destroys the kitchen, you can come to him.

Satan: - He cleans his room on the nights you want to spend in his bed. Well. He makes a path and clears off the bed- but you can at least walk through the room and use the bed with him. - He has a shelf with just books he thinks you’ll like based on what you’ve told him. A mini library in his room for your quiet night time moments where you cuddle and read. - Like Lucifer he steals smooches when no one is looking. You will never tell him of this shared habit of theirs. Asmodeus: - He paints your nails and brushes your hair while he tells you how beautiful you are inside and out. He’s more complimentary when you’ve had a bad day - You are allowed to use his bath, even if you do not want him to join you. - He tucks a flower in your hair every chance he gets. Beelzebub: - He saved you a snack from his snack bag. He heard you mention you were craving it and wants to share it with you. - He carries you every chance he gets and uses that as an excuse to give you affectionate nuzzles. - He lets you climb him like a tree to sit on his shoulders to reach stuff and holds you steady. Belphegor: - He will go to demon form just to wrap his tail around you while you cuddle. - Invite you to the attic for what he and Beel call ‘Sandwich Cuddles’ and when you do, you get to use his favorite pillow - He makes it a point to drink stuff with high amounts of caffeine when you have plans to stay awake just for you. -------------------------------------------------------- MC: - On days Lucifer runs himself ragged and it’s his turn to cook, you message the household and say you feel like cooking. Lucifer knows why you do it and says a secret thank you once the meal is over. - You know Mammon can’t help but steal. You have a place in your room that you know Mammon looks through. You put some money in there whenever you see it empty. Mammon knows you do this and never steals from anywhere else in the room. - You show up for your anime-fest with pizza and drinks and bring your futon mattress so you can cuddle on it while you enjoy the fantasy anime together. - You bring a new mystery book with you every time you spend the night with Satan. You haven’t clued him in that Cat Mystery is a genre of mystery novels yet, but with each one you bring, he’s started to catch on. He’s eager for the next one. - You treat Asmo to a spa day and get facials and massages with him. You tell him that maintaining his beauty is a lot of work and he’s SO GLAD someone finally sees that!

- Beel is an easy man to please. The way to his heart is quite literally his stomach. It takes days of planning, but Beel always loves when you do a feast day and spend an entire day cooking to make enough food to make him full. He’s cried literal tears of happiness over it. It can only be done once a month, but the absolute pure joy in his eyes is worth it.

- You hold Belphie and tell him. He struggles so much with thinking you could never forgive him for literally killing you. But you hold him and tell him you love him. You run a hand through his hair and tell him you forgive him. And when he says he doesn’t deserve it, you remind him that forgiveness is a gift. And you gave it to him a long time ago.

[bumblebirds-menagerie]

Studying OTP Prompts

i.e. i should be studying rn but instead i'm reviving my passion for posting on this blog

doing study calls from home but it quickly turns into a normal call where they talk about totally unrelated stuff

A and B are good at different things in the same subject so they're the perfect study team and consistently top the class

A has a crush on B, who is tutoring them in maths. for every problem A gets right, B draws a smiley face next to it, and at the end of the worksheet they draw a big heart next to A's score

'i can't study for a second longer' 'i'll buy you chocolate if you do half an hour more' 'deal'

barging into their favourite teacher's room with a million questions

taking breaks from the books and walking around the block hand in hand

alternately, just flopping onto the bed for fifteen minutes together for their breaks

A tries to sneakily go on their phone during studying but B always catches them immediately and scolds them

having a favourite spot to sit in the library

being in an intense rivalry with some other people who also like that spot

looking up after hours of work and seeing how messy and tired they both look, and just descending into giggles

A steals B's glasses to distract them from their studying

visiting the convenience store and stocking up on snacks and energy drinks to prepare for a night of cramming

A's cat decides to take a nap on top of their books, so they use it as a convenient excuse to call B instead of working

A getting B to practise speaking another language with them, but B hasn't studied the language and mispronounces basically everything, leading to A just laughing and cringing at the same time

*B talking to C* 'i now know an uncommon amount about genetically engineered crops' '...why' 'because A wanted to teach someone in order to learn the content, and i just so happened to be sitting next to them'

<3

[fan-fantasies]

Think What You May (part 3)

Pairing: Aemond x Reader

Warnings: men being sexist pigs, mentions of violence, mentions of alcohol

A/N: the next part will most likely be the last, I hope you enjoy!

Please comment and reblog

Part Two

Weeks had passed and you had grown quite close with Aemond. You often found yourself with him in the library, sharing your fondness for books. Aegon liked to tease the two of you, which led to you threatening to bring the frying pan back out.

Aegon’s teasing, Aemond could handle. He even tolerated the whispers of the court about him stealing “Aegon’s whore.” He knew now just how disgusting the lies of the court could be and vowed to not let them influence him again.

It wasn’t as easy, however, to ignore the taunts of the lords that would visit every so often. It was politically advantageous to wine and dine the lords of the realm, but Aemond was ready to sever all ties with them due to their vulgarity.

“So tell me, what caused you to so kindly gift your entertainment to your brother?” Lord Tyrell mocked Aegon.

“She was not my entertainment,” he said, already having enough of the other men. “She is my wife’s lady in waiting.”

“Oh from what we’ve heard, she is now more Aemond’s lady- but tell us, have you kept her waiting?” Another man snickered. Aemond refused to reply to the taunts, eagerly waiting for the topic of conversation to change.

“I must say, I would not have her waiting for my cock. She is a beauty. A rare find in a whorehouse these days,” Lord Becket chimed in. Aemond’s grip on his wine goblet tightened and it threatened to spill.

“Uh oh, I believe we’ve struck a nerve. Dear Aemond looks like his feelings have been hurt,” Tyrell chuckled. “She is all yours, man. Marry her if you wish.”

“You do not marry a whore, even when you’re a second son,” another added.

“I would not marry her regardless. I am a prince and she is just a servant,” Aemond snapped. He didn’t mean it, but he just wanted the men off of his back.

As always, his timing was impeccable. Helaena cleared her throat from behind them and they all turned their attention to you. You were holding a tray of wine and lemon cakes that Heleana thought they might enjoy. You struggled to keep a straight face as tears were ready to spill down your cheeks.

You set the tray down on the table in front of the men who openly ogled you. Aemond wanted to have every one of their heads on a pike, but he knew his head deserved to be on one as well.

You rushed from the room followed by Helaena who was glaring at her brother.

“We wouldn’t subject her to marrying Aemond anyway- we like her too much,” Aegon said before downing the rest of the wine.

After a while longer of barely tolerating the despicable lords, Aemond excused himself and set off to find you. He checked Heleana’s chambers first, but it was empty. The gardens were his next stop but he found you in the training yard, hitting a stuffed dummy with a wooden practice sword.

“Training to join the army?” He asked cautiously. “Our enemies should be wary.”

“Pick up a sword and let’s find out just how wary they should be,” you snapped, moving toward the metal weapons.

“Lady, please. I wish to talk things out with you,” he nearly begged.

“I have half a mind to go back up there and tear them limb from limb,” you said absentmindedly.

“I would not stop you,” he said.

“And would you stop me from harming you as well? Because you’ve wounded me deeper than any of those imbeciles ever could,” you snapped.

“I would not stop you if you feel that’s what your retribution should be. I am sorry for what I said back there. I was just trying to get them to stop,” he said.

You took a step toward him, now holding a real sword but he didn’t flinch.

“If you wanted them to stop, you should’ve told them to stop. It is not what you said that hurt me most, but that you let them defile me with their words and you said nothing. You did not dispute a single thing they said until they threw out the disgusting idea of marrying someone as lowly as me. I know I have no chance of marrying above my station, but kindness and respect are not limited to titles. I now know who you are, Aemond Targaryen, the real you who was exposed in secret.”

Aemond let you finish your speech and even aim the sword at him. He could easily disarm you but he trust that you would not hurt him, at least not with a sword. Your words, however, stung more than the sharpest blade.

“That is not who I am, lady. I am a coward, yes, for not defending you and I will go up there right now and right my wrongs if you’d allow me to,” he said.

“No, you had your chance to say your piece and you chose silence. You chose where you stand with me and now you will stay there.” You threw the sword to the side and walked past him. He desperately wanted to grab you and pull you into his arms, holding you against him until he could truly convey how he felt for you. But as he said, he is a coward, and he just let you walk away.

Dinner time came about quickly but neither you nor the prince had an appetite. Yet there you both sat at the table in awkward silence.

Aemond couldn’t stop stealing glances at you. You weren’t wearing the necklace he gifted you and it was the first time in weeks he had seen you without it.

“You know, brother, this may be a record amount of times one has insulted the same woman,” Aegon joked from beside him.

“Go speak to your wife and then get back to me on that,” Aemond snapped. Aegon’s wine induced smirk only grew.

“You should take her as your wife, and then anyone who slandered her would be killed for treason,” he slurred.

“It would never be allowed,” Aemond sighed to himself.

“Mother would allow it. She said so herself. It is your lady alone that would need convincing,” he chuckled with a hiccup.

“What do you mean mother said she’d allow it?” Aemond’s full attention was now on his brother. Was he just drunk and rambling or has the topic of his marriage truly been brought up?

“She said that you two made a good pair and it would be a happy marriage. But what she doesn’t know is that you’re a moron when it comes to her,” he said.

Aemond’s heart was racing at the thought of his mother approving of a betrothal to you. He always expected that he would have to marry for duty, but perhaps since he is a second son, he could be spared a small chance at happiness.

He watched as you excused yourself from the table and took your leave. He decided to wait a few minutes before excusing himself as well to go after you.

Before he could leave, however, he was stopped by Helaena.

“I swear on the seven, if you chase her off one more time, I will never speak to you again,” she said quietly.

“I only wish to make things right,” he reassured her.

“She is my dearest friend and she deserves happiness; not to be slandered by disgusting pigs disguised as lords,” she said.

“I agree. I will never let anyone speak about her that way again,” he swore. “I must go to her.”

Helaena nodded to him and he took his leave. He ran into Criston on his way out who told him that he saw you headed toward the training yard. It seemed that was your new favorite spot.

Aemond watched from a distance as you practiced your sword skill. You were more calculated in your movements than you were earlier.

“I can feel you watching me,” you said without turning to him.

“I’m simply admiring,” he replied.

“You’re full of shit, my prince.”

“You dare speak against royalty?” He asked sarcastically, testing the waters.

“Only when what I say is true.”

Aemond sighed and approached you slowly. He watched carefully and assessed your posture.

“You should square your feet more,” he suggested.

“I did not ask.”

“I’m just advising,” he said. “You’re not beating anyone with that stance.”

“Let’s test that then. Arm yourself,” you challenged.

“My lady, I have been training for years.”

“So you should have no problem proving yourself correct then.”

Aemond grabbed a sword and readied himself opposite of where you stood. You left yourself open to attack so Aemond decided to be nice and try to help.

“Perhaps try raising your sword a bit more-“ before he could finish you swung at him taking him by surprise. He quickly dodged it but you didn’t relent. You kept swinging and he only deflected, never swinging back.

“Fight me!” You yelled. You advanced your position but he didn’t step back. “Fight back, you coward!”

He was tired of your attempt to beat him so he knocked your sword from your hand. That didn’t stop you however, as you continued to try and fight him with your fists. He let you tired yourself out before you collapsed into his arms, sobs wracking your body.

“Why didn’t you fight back?” He could barely make out your words.

“I have no desire to fight you,” he sighed.

“No, not now. Why didn’t you fight for me?” You asked. Aemond’s heart broke as you continued to cry against his chest.

“I have no excuse. It is not commonplace to defend a lady against the opinions of lords and that is not right. I should have said something. If you’d like, I’ll have each of them hunted down and their tongues cut out for you.”

“That won’t be necessary. I never cared what they said, I just cared about what you didn’t say. I suppose it was my mistake for believing you cared enough to defend me,” you said.

“I care about you more than I’d care to admit, my sweet girl. I just have no idea how to show it. And I know my word is not worth much but I swear, I will never allow anyone to speak ill against you again and I will do my best to never hurt you,” he promised.

You finally pulled away from him and his arms felt empty. Your tear stained face was something he never wanted to see again.

“Pain is inevitable, we just have to choose who is worth it.”

“I certainly hope you’ll deem me worthy,” he gave you a small smile. His wrung his clammy hands in front of him while he considered his next words carefully. “Aegon suggested that I might marry you so that if anyone speaks ill about you again then it would be considered treason.”

He tried to play it off with a light laugh, but really he was waiting to gauge your reaction. You shook your head and laughed, causing him to frown.

“If only that were an option,” you mumbled. “But I am merely a servant as you’ve so kindly reminded everyone.”

“Lady, I-“

“It is late, Aemond. We should return to our chambers before people begin to speak more than they already do,” you suggested.

“Let me escort you back to your room,” he insisted.

“We both know that is not a good idea,” you sighed. “I shall see you tomorrow, my prince.”

You walked away from him and he considered chasing after you, but he didn’t want to offend you further.

“Goodnight, my love,” he whispered as he watched your form disappear from his sight. Instead of returning to his chamber as you suggested, he went to Alicent’s instead.

“Mother, there is something I wish to discuss.”

Part four

[according2thelore]

I've had this little idea in my head for awhile but that last ask about Ls!Sam and Es! Dean really made me want to revisit it and share.

So i had this dumb little thought awhile ago.

It starts with es!Dean trying to kiss ls!Sam for whatever reason, and Sam pushes him away because he and ls!Dean promised, no stealing any firsts away from their younger selves.

And so younger Dean is pushed away, and he looks devastated, but more then that he looks scared. Panicked. Like he thinks he just made the biggest mistake of his life, letting Sam(any version of sam) know his fucked up feelings.

And Sam, already knowing what's going through deans head, is quick to be like "I want to kiss you! I do!" And younger Dean just eyes him, like he thinks he's lying. So Sam keeps explaining. "I want to, but you can't. If I- er, if younger me found out that I stole our first kiss, something I've been pining for since I was a kid? It would destroy, uh..." Sam winces, trying to work around how to word it, "...Me." He shakes his head. "What I'm saying is that your Sam needs that kiss first.

Dean doesn't look entirely convinced, but he's calmer now, not so panicked anymore. Though he still looks like he's ready to bolt if he needs to.

Sam sighs and keeps going, "Look. I feel the same way ok? I've felt this way about you for ages. But your firsts should be with him, not me. Not yet." He shakes his head, "I know it seems easier with me because I'm more developed-" He doesn't miss the obvious way Dean's eyes flick to Sam's chest. He bites down a scoff, typical Dean, "But I promise, he'll be thrilled to hear you tell him you love him. He wants to kiss you, needs it really. So-" another sigh, then a laugh. "Kiss him first. Then come talk to me when you've got it all figured out."

ANYWAY this isn't really anything. I don't remember exactly what inspired this but I know that this whole thing came from seeing people talk about Sam's tits, and I started think that the term "developed" tends to reference women's bodies as they get older. And I just thought that Dean automatically looking at Sam's chest when he says "developed" would be hilarious. That's really the only reason I wrote this whole thing LMAO

Idk if this would even fit anywhere in your es/ls verse, and I dont expect you to do anything with it lol, but I just thought the idea was funny and you might appreciate it. I assume we're all Sam titty enjoyers in this house, including and especially Dean Winchester LMAO

(Excuse any errors, I wrote this up in like 5 minutes without double checking much lol)

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA

omg i LOVE this--consider it canon!!!!!! :) or "canon," ig, since we're all just kinda messing around!

this has EVERYTHING i love!!!! AHHH!

tiny (steamy) addition, bc the "not yet" and "come to me when you've got it all figured out" got me thinking!

hope you enjoy and THANK YOU for sending it in!!!!!!! your brain, your genius...and for five minutes?? DAMN!!! thanks again! :) <3

-lizzy

"hey. sammy." sam looks up, and sees younger dean striding towards him. sam puts a paper in the book he's reading to hold his place, alarmed.

before sam can ask what's wrong, dean has rounded the library table, and stands in front of his chair. sam tilts his chair out, hands coming up to check for injuries, but--

hands in his hair. sam is tugged forward, up, and--

dean's lips are on his. dean...devours him. dean kisses him like a starving man, tongue on his bottom lip begging entry. sam opens--dazed, unable to deny dean in anything, any version of dean, so used to opening for his own dean when he's half fucked and delirious that he doesn't even think about it.

dean whimpers, tilting forward, sliding between sam's open thighs. dean's tongue is wet, hot, and slides against sam's own with heady determination. sparks skitter across sam's scalp as dean pulls sam further up, closer.

he makes a wounded noise when sam's hands come up to his hips, one of his hands wrapping around dean's waist like it's nothing, covering his entire flank. sam starts to kiss back--barely, tongue at dean's bottom lip--when he comes back to himself.

he uses his grip on dean's hips to haul him away, dean fighting him every step of the way and leaving wet, sucking kisses on sam's mouth as he pulls away.

"what--" he starts, dazed. dean's heaving for breath, mouth pink and bright and eyes glazed over like sam's been sucking his cock, not light kissing.

"we talked yesterday. worked it out. kissed him first." dean pants, and leans back in. the words register. he talked to sam. he kissed his younger self. hope and pride start to bloom in sam's chest, and he knows he's starting to smile from the way dean's eyes go soft and adoring. his thumb lands on sam's bottom lip, eyes going dark from how wet it is. "not stealing anything." he swears.

dean swoops back down, and sam has no time to stop him, dean kissing him with reckless, passionate abandon. he doesn't know what sam likes yet, he realizes, so he's throwing everything at the wall. it's endearing. and messy.

sam pulls back, trying to stay on track.

"i should--ah!" sam starts, but dean nips at his jaw, making sam jolt in his arms. "let me talk to dean, first, okay?"

he needs to talk to dean first. he's not stealing a first kiss, or a first makeout, or anything, but sam is not going to risk his relationship with his brother over this.

dean is not listening, and tries to come back to sam's mouth. sam starts to stand, taking control of the kiss, tongue licking into dean's mouth in a way that has dean legitimately humping forward into sam's thigh. by the time sam is standing, his head is bent low over dean, whom has stretched up and cradles sam's jaw between his hands.

sam lets his mouth go, and dean's lips are practically red, swollen a little with the force of sam's kiss.

"shit--sammy." dean pants, loosely rolling his neck to the side and pressing his chest up into sam like he's a swooning maiden on the cover of a bodice ripper.

sam acquiesces, pressing his lips to the thick tendon in dean's neck, gently. no teeth. not yet. even when sam's body screams for it, the tender, delicate, unmarked skin above his jugular.

dean whimpers like a wounded animal, hands tightening on sam's arms.

"okay?" sam repeats, stronger this time.

"shit. sammy. fine. yes!" dean pants, and sam smiles, rewarding him with a kiss that dean sinks into like a warm bath. dean's fingers tilt so he can scratch at sam's stubble, and sam smiles into his mouth.

fuck. he's going to rip this kid apart.

[mdhwrites]

Luz makes a lot of mistakes in season 1 but fandom barely talks about it. I hate the mistake she makes in Adventures in the Elements the most. She literally steals Amity's training wand, uses it without permission, ignores Eda's advice and triggers the Slitherbeast. Eda, along with Amity's siblings get captured and almost killed. I remember Luz doesn't even apologize for what she did to any of them. Seeing Amity get mad at her is totally deserved, and she rightfully gets to feel angrier at Luz. It's like a backward in Lost in Language in which Luz apologizes Amity for trespassing her secret hideout and reading her diary.

Adventure in the Elements is one of the most fascinating episodes of TOH for me because you talk about all of her mistakes... And that episode is a culmination of a lot of them. Literally a minimum of three different lessons are retaught in that one but instead of Luz being punished for these things, she's rewarded with a new spell. It is a perfect encapsulation of why TOH sucks ass as a kid's show.

Because let's break down some of this:

"Steals Amity's training wand"

Episode 4, The Intruder, features Luz stealing from Eda to get a leg up in magic to terrifying consequences. One could also argue that Luz was reminded that one should respect other's boundaries and the damage betraying their trust can do in Lost in Language, episode 7, by how it devastates Amity to have Luz have invaded her space and seen her diary.

"Ignores Eda's advice and triggers the Slitherbeast."

In episode 3, Luz is taught to at least try and listen to Eda about magic because Eda, you know, might know what she's talking about. Episode 2 even reinforces the idea that Luz needs to listen to Eda because her mentor will help her grow up. Thrown out here.

"Along with Amity's siblings getting captured and almost killed"

Selfish bravado to impress others leading to people almost being murdered? It's not Luz's lesson, except that one could argue it's a part of Once Upon a Swap where she learns why Eda doesn't show off, but Willow's from Hooty's Moving Hassle where her need to prove she's better than Amity, that she's a strong witch, gets Luz, Willow and Gus captured and almost killed.

And Adventure in the Elements is episode 12. I just listed HALF of the episodes that come before this one. And yet instead of showing us how much Luz has grown midway through the season, she repeats as many of her past mistakes as she possibly can.

HOWEVER

She does apologize... Kind of. She apologizes in the same way she does for a lot of things in S1 by setting it right. She made up for things by trying to fix the damage they did, such as going to Amity after the witch's duel or saving Eda after causing her to transform or going after Amity in the library. It's part of why her deciding not to fix her mistake in S3 is so abhorrent to me because her saving grace was to try and fix things but apparently in the end she can't be bothered when fixing it is too hard.

No, the bigger problem to me than the lack of apology is that most of this stuff goes unaddressed. She fixes that the siblings were killed but the rest? Amity joins the Azura Book Club and she gets a new glyph. In fact, she is put in time out and the only one she admits to having been wrong about is that Eda was right about magic being everywhere because she gets her glyph because of that. The rest though? Just normal children's show protagonist things!

Which would scan a lot better if A: TOH didn't despise being a kid's show and B: if it were a better kid's show. If it were like Amphibia where it teaches constantly new and evolving morals about different parts of life instead of constantly going back against basic behavioral things like whether or not it's okay to lie. Instead, it ignores a lot of that to claim it's more complicated and more mature when in actuality it uses every last excuse of a kid's show when it's convenient for itself, such as people ignoring when the main character does awful things to them.

You can't have it both ways and you certainly can't have a hero who only knows how to make the same mistakes all the time while claiming they're doing nothing wrong. It's a shame the fandom learned to ignore Luz's mistakes because the show has no interest in thinking Luz did anything wrong.

======+++++======

Another problem to all of this btw is just that it's boring. Like S1 has a reputation for being boring because of all of this repetition and it deserves it for that reason.

I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead. If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

A Twitter you can follow too

And a Kofi if you like what I do and want to help out with the fact that disability doesn’t pay much.

[lesbehonestsstuff]

Catholic guilt - part 2

Casey Novak has always been the good catholic girl. Always perfect, always trying to meet high expectations. But she doesn't understand why she feels no interested in the boys who flirted with her, why her eyes instead linger on other girls.

Word count: 2304

Chapter 2/?

After that day in the library, meeting up after school became a routine for Casey and Alex. At first, it was just about the books—an excuse to study together, share notes, or bounce ideas off one another. But soon, it became less about academics and more about being with each other. They were both brilliant and didn’t really need to exhaust themselves to get good grades, but the company of each other, the connection that began forming between them, was enough to make those hours feel necessary.

Casey found herself drawn to Alex in ways she hadn’t expected. On the surface, Alex seemed like she had everything together; she was confident, poised, always in control. Yet, the more time they spent together, the more Casey began to notice the cracks beneath the surface. There was a loneliness to Alex, a quiet hurt that she tried to hide behind smirks and witty comebacks. And though Alex never spoke about it, Casey could see it. She wanted to ask, but didn’t know how.

There were moments when they would sit in silence, each pretending to focus on their books while stealing glances at the other. Casey’s heart would race whenever Alex leaned in to explain something, her hand brushing Casey’s in a way that felt almost intentional. The slight touch was electric, sending a shiver up Casey’s spine, and she would instinctively pull her hand back, unsure if Alex noticed or even meant it the way Casey was starting to hope. It was confusing, this rush of emotions that left her feeling off balance, guilty. Casey didn’t know what to do with the way Alex was beginning to affect her. She wanted to ignore it, to pretend it was nothing, but the more time they spent together, the harder it became.

One day, while they sat in their usual spot in the library, the conversation shifted in a way that felt more personal than usual. Alex was scribbling notes in her perfect handwriting when Casey suddenly found herself speaking, the words slipping out, her curiosity getting the better of her.

“Did you really live in New York before coming here?”

Alex looked up, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips at Casey’s curiosity. “Yeah, I did. My parents still live there... sort of. When they aren’t traveling, or pretending they care enough to spend time here.”

There was a slight edge to Alex’s voice, like she didn’t care whether they were around or not, but Casey could hear the trace of sadness, maybe even resentment. She felt a pang of sympathy.

“I’m sorry about that,” Casey murmured, her eyes searching Alex’s face, trying to gauge how much the words hurt her.

Alex shrugged, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. “It’s fine, honestly. It’s probably better that they’re not here.” Her gaze shifted away, focusing on her book though she wasn’t reading it. “What about your family?”

Casey hesitated, a knot forming in her stomach. Talking about her family wasn’t easy. “Oh, they’re... alright, I guess. My dad’s in the Air Force, so he’s not home much. And my mom—well, she’s my mom.”

Alex raised an eyebrow, at her statement. “That’s... vague.”

Casey let out a half-hearted laugh, trying to downplay the discomfort she felt. “She’s just really strict. Catholic, you know? Wants us to be the perfect family.”

There was a long pause. Alex’s expression softened, her eyes understanding. “Military dad, Catholic mom. That’s a lot of expectations.”

“Yeah,” Casey muttered, feeling the weight of those expectations more heavily now than ever.

They went silent again, the tension between them growing just a bit heavier. Casey wanted to ask Alex more about her family, find out why her parents never seemed to be around, why there was always that sad, distant look in her eyes when she mentioned them, why she had ended up in their town, but she didn’t know how.

Instead, it was Alex who broke the tension. “Can I walk you home?” She asked, closing her book and glancing at the clock.

Casey blinked, surprised by the offer. “Yeah, sure. But isn’t your house the other way?”

Alex shrugged, her lips curving into a faint smile. “It is, but it’s not like I have anyone waiting for me at home.”

There was that same casual dismissal in her voice, but Casey didn’t miss the loneliness hidden beneath it. It made her heart ache, and before she could stop herself, she whispered, “I’m sorry.”

Alex glanced at her, her smile turning into something more playful. “You apologize a lot, you know that?”

Casey ducked her head, heat rising to her cheeks. “Catholic guilt, remember?”

“Mmm.” Alex’s voice was light, teasing. “Well, you’re too cute to be apologizing that much.”

The comment sent a wave of heat crashing through Casey’s body, her face burning with a blush she couldn’t control. She turned away packing her own books and praying that the blush would go away, but her heart was pounding in her chest. Did Alex know what she was doing to her? Did she mean it the way it sounded?

She pushed the questions aside and they walked in silence for a while after that leaving the library and school behind. Casey was desperate to ask more questions, to break through whatever walls Alex had built around herself, but she kept quiet. She liked being around Alex, she wanted to figure her out. And that scared her.

As they approached Casey’s house, Alex glanced at her with a curious expression. “What do you want to do when you get out of here?”

Casey blinked, caught a bit off guard by the question. She hadn’t really thought about it, not in any real way, at least. “I don’t really know,” she admitted, her voice small. “My mom wants me to stay home, find a boy to settle down with.”

“And what do you want?” Alex asked, her gaze steady, almost challenging wanting to break through the plans Casey’s mom had made for her until she found the truth.

Casey hesitated, the answer catching in her throat. “I’d really like to get away from here. I want to be a lawyer.”

Alex’s eyes brightened with surprise, a wide smile tugging at her lips. “A lawyer, huh?”

Casey flushed, feeling suddenly self-conscious. “Why? Is that funny?”

“No, not at all,” Alex said, shaking her head. “It’s just… I want to study law too.”

Casey stared at her, surprised. “Really? Where do you want to go?”

Alex smirked. “Am I too predictable if I say Harvard?”

Casey laughed, the tension between them easing for a moment. “Maybe a little. I’d love to go there too, but I don’t think I’d be able to.”

“Why not?” Alex asked. “You’re smart, and I know you’re involved in a lot of extracurriculars. You could definitely get a scholarship.”

The comment caught her a bit off guard and Casey blinked, startled by how much Alex seemed to know about her. “How do you know that?”

“I know a lot of things, Casey,” Alex replied with a teasing smirk.

Before Casey could respond, they reached her house. She stopped at the gate, feeling an odd reluctance to say goodbye. Alex paused too, her eyes lingering on Casey’s face, like she didn’t want to leave either. Both of them unaware of the eyes looking at them through the window.

“See you tomorrow?” Alex asked, her voice soft.

“Yeah,” Casey nodded. “We can keep studying.”

“Sure,” Alex smiled, her eyes warm. “Bye, Casey.”

“Bye,” Casey echoed, her heart fluttering as she watched Alex walk away.

Casey barely had time to compose herself before stepping through the front door. As soon as she crossed the threshold, the familiar weight of her home’s oppressive atmosphere settled over her. Her body felt stiff, her muscles tensing automatically, as if bracing for an impact she knew was coming.

“Cassandra,” her mother’s sharp voice rang out from the kitchen, the sound slicing through the quiet like a blade.

Casey winced at the use of her full name, her stomach tightening. She dropped her bag by the door, her fingers feeling oddly numb as they let the strap slip from her hand. Slowly, she made her way down the hall, her steps heavy as though each one brought her closer to something inevitable. “Yes, Mom?” she replied, her voice already resigned.

Her mother stood by the counter, wiping her hands on a towel, her eyes narrowing as they locked onto Casey with that familiar judgmental gaze. “Who was that girl I saw you with outside?” she asked, her tone cold and clipped.

A jolt of panic shot through Casey’s chest, her heartbeat quickening. She had hoped to avoid this conversation entirely. “Just a girl from school,” she answered quickly, trying to keep her voice calm, though she could feel her pulse pounding in her throat. Her palms felt damp, and she clasped them together, forcing herself to stay composed.

Her mother’s gaze remained unrelenting, her lips pressing into a thin line. “What’s her name?”

Casey hesitated, the air around her suddenly feeling thick and suffocating. She could sense the tension building, the trap closing in. “Alex,” she mumbled, the name slipping from her mouth like it was a secret she wasn’t meant to reveal.

Her mother’s face twisted in disgust, the reaction immediate. “That Cabot girl,” she spat, her voice dripping with disgust. Casey’s heart sank, her mother had heard the rumors that were certainly circling around town. “I don’t want to see you around her again.”

“Mom—” Casey tried, her voice weak, barely audible, but the rising dread in her chest made it hard to push the words out.

“I mean it,” her mother cut her off, her tone low and dangerous. “That girl is full of sin. She’s not good for you.”

A knot formed in Casey’s stomach, her hands shaking slightly as she clenched them into fists at her sides. “She’s not—” she began to protest, her voice catching in her throat, but her mother’s eyes darkened, cutting her off with a look that was all too familiar.

“Don’t talk back to me,” her mother hissed, her words sharp. “I better not see you around her again, or I’ll tell your father, and we’ll see how he feels about it.”

The mention of her father made Casey’s stomach twist with frustration. How could he have any opinion when he was never around? Before she could stop herself, the words slipped out. “Like he’s ever here to care,” she muttered under her breath.

The slap came faster than she could react, the sharp sting of her mother’s hand connecting with her cheek. The sound echoed through the kitchen, loud and cruel. Casey gasped, her head jerking to the side, her skin burning where her mother’s palm had struck. Tears sprang to her eyes, but she blinked them back, refusing to let them fall. Her heart pounded in her ears, the shock of the hit leaving her frozen in place.

“You better watch your mouth, child,” her mother spat, her voice low and venomous. “Your father may not be here, but I won’t let you disrespect him. Now go upstairs and wash up. Dinner’s almost ready.”

Casey stood there for a moment, her cheek throbbing, her whole body trembling from the force of the slap and the effort of holding back her emotions. She bit her lip, hard, tasting blood as she forced herself to keep quiet. Her throat felt tight, the words of defiance she wanted to scream lodged painfully there, but she knew better than to speak them. “Sorry,” she whispered instead, her voice barely a breath.

Her mother turned away, dismissing her without another glance, and Casey took the opportunity to flee. She hurried up the stairs, her body moving on autopilot, her chest tight with the effort of holding everything in. As soon as she reached her room, she shut the door behind her and collapsed onto the floor, the tension in her body finally breaking free.

She pressed a hand to her stinging cheek, her fingers shaky against her hot skin. Her heart was still racing, her breathing shallow and uneven as she let the tears spill over. Everything felt wrong, her mother’s words, the slap, the fear, and the confusing feelings for Alex that only seemed to grow stronger with every passing day.

The guilt churned in her stomach, twisting and knotting in a way that made her feel nauseous. Her mother’s words echoed in her mind, repeating over and over: "That girl is full of sin."

But Casey didn’t want to believe that. She couldn’t. Being with Alex didn’t feel wrong. The way Alex smiled at her, the way her eyes softened when they talked, the way her hand brushed against Casey’s, it felt... good. And wasn’t it supposed to feel wrong if it was a sin? Shouldn't her body rebel against it instead of yearning for more?

Her pulse quickened again, heat flooding her face as she remembered Alex’s playful comment from earlier. “You’re too cute to apologize that much.”

Casey pressed her hands against her cheeks, trying to stop the rush of warmth that came with the memory, but her heart kept pounding, racing with thoughts she didn’t understand. Was it wrong to feel this way? Her mother, the church, everything she’d been taught, it all said it was. And yet, when she was with Alex, none of that mattered. It was like the world fell away, and all that was left was the two of them, in that quiet space where nothing felt wrong.

Now in her room sitting on the floor knees drawn to her chest all she could think was how could something that she was taught was wrong make her feel so right?

[anavilante]

@bottomab asked me for a story about their first kiss, so here’s kind of a prequel.

Age difference modern AU

Student John Egan / Professor Gale Cleven

Gale would have liked to lie and say he hated spending nights in the library, but that wouldn’t have been true. He enjoyed the darkness and solitude of this haven—a quiet retreat in an age where the internet reigned supreme. The long shelves of books, the soft glow of lamps in the dark—it all felt like his fortress, especially in the evenings when the last overachieving students had gone home, leaving him to wander the space alone. After all, he wasn’t particularly eager to go home.

Thoughts of home—of Marge, of the hollow, suffocating comfort of their life together—only weighed heavier on his shoulders. Work was his excuse. Behind the cluttered desk, under the dim yellow glow of the lamp, he could hide from it all. At least, until he showed up.

John was here again. Loud, self-assured, a tall, dark-haired menace who acted as if the world revolved around him. Gale heard the confident footsteps before he saw him, and his entire body tensed like a drawn bowstring.

“Do you live here or something?” John’s voice came from the side, casual and teasing. Gale looked up, already crafting a biting retort, but then he saw him. John was, as always, too much. Too brazen, too irreverent for this place, for this silence.

“Unlike some people, I work,” Gale replied evenly, turning his gaze back to the papers in front of him. He tried to appear cold, unbothered.

But John smirked, leaning against a nearby shelf with the ease of someone who didn’t care about boundaries, “And where’s your young wife, professor? Shouldn’t you be at home with her? Or do you prefer burying yourself here in old books instead?"

Something twisted painfully inside Gale. John had already flirted with him more than once, jokingly—or maybe not so jokingly, Gale could never quite tell what was on the guy’s mind. Gale had used his marriage as a shield, hoping it would put an end to the audacious teasing and keep this bold troublemaker at bay. It was nothing—just an innocent jab. But the tone... It felt loaded, as if John was hinting at more than he could possibly know. He can’t know, Gale’s mind screamed. No one knows. No one can know.

Clearing his throat, he forced himself to speak evenly, “Is crossing the line something you do on purpose, or does it just come naturally to you?”

John’s smirk deepened, his eyes gleaming like a predator’s locking onto prey. “Oh, crossing the line is my favorite pastime,” he said smoothly, his gaze unwavering. Gale swallowed hard, tension coiling in his chest. “Or maybe I’m just curious why someone as… handsome as you is hiding out here at this hour. I mean, what are you? Thirty? Shouldn’t you be having fun at your age? Although… maybe it’s your wardrobe. Why do you dress like a retiree?”

Gale’s eyes instinctively flicked to himself. An ill-fitting jacket in a dull, lifeless color, baggy trousers—nothing remarkable. He’d never cared for drawing attention. What would be the point? But John’s offhand remark struck a spark somewhere deep inside him, one he hadn’t felt in years.

“What do you even want?” Gale asked coldly, standing up with an edge of defiance in his voice.

John stepped forward, cutting the distance between them. Now, he was too close. Too close for comfort.

“Want?” John repeated, his smile a maddening blend of charm and insolence. “Maybe I just want to figure out what makes you so closed off, yet so convinced the world owes you something.”

“You—” Gale started, his voice rising with anger, but he never got the chance to finish.

John moved closer still, and before Gale could react, he was pressed against the bookshelf.

“You’re crossing the line,” Gale said hoarsely, his voice faltering as he felt the heat of John’s presence. “I don’t—”

But John silenced him. With his lips.

The kiss was rough, almost brutal, stealing the air from Gale’s lungs. He froze, his body rigid, his mind spiraling into panic. This is a joke. It has to be a joke. He’s recording this. He’ll show everyone. He’ll…

Images of past humiliations flooded his mind—professors destroyed by cruel pranks. Viral videos of scandals that ended careers. He’d seen it all: teachers caught smoking weed, groping students, taking bribes. And now, was this his turn? To be exposed as a fool, undone by some reckless, arrogant boy?

Gale shoved at John’s chest with all his strength, but John didn’t budge. His hands were unyielding, gripping Gale’s waist like iron. The heat from his palms burned through the fabric of Gale’s clothes, sinking into his skin. But it wasn’t just heat. It was something darker, something more insidious, spreading through him like a slow-acting poison.

But it didn’t burn.

It warmed. Intoxicating and unfamiliar, the sensation seeped into places within him that had never been touched. No one had ever held him like this. And that realization sent shockwaves through him. It was a feeling so raw, so devastatingly tender, it left him breathless.

When John finally pulled back, Gale was gasping for air, his face flushed.

“You… What are you doing?” Gale managed, his hand gripping the bookshelf for support as his legs threatened to give out.

John’s smirk softened into something almost gentle, “Exactly what I’ve wanted to do for a long time.”

Gale shook his head, his thoughts a frantic jumble as his knees trembled. He wanted to say something sharp, something that would cut through this moment and let him escape. But instead, he stayed silent, acutely aware of the strange warmth spreading in his chest.

This isn’t a joke, he realized with startling clarity.