#easily promoted to my top 3 films :))

[cedrickjuans]

ODA SA WALA (2018) | dir. dwein balthazar

[daisykihannie]

𝙰𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚎 | 𝙷.𝙷𝙹

pairing: auntie!Hyunjin x afab gn!reader

warnings: smut, NSFW, fluff (if you squint), established relationship, crossdressing, mommy kink, spit, exhibitionism, public sex, choking, mirror sex, degradation, praise, etc.

a/n: a huge thank you goes to @httpdwaekki for helping me proof read the final draft since my ADHD refused to focus <3

Hyunjin has always been so pretty. He was the definition of a pretty boy, your pretty boy. His slender figure was accented with lean muscles, his angular face. He had a sharp and strong bone structure that was contrasted perfectly with more soft and feminine features. His eyes were catlike and striking, making his expressions almost dangerous. He truly was the most beautiful mixture of feminine and masculine beauty.

It didn't matter if you were backstage for one of his performances or on the sidelines outside the scope of the cameras during the filming of SKZ code episodes, interviews, promotions, or even live streams. You could always be found watching in awe as stylists crafted stunning outfits that painted him as their muse in a creation of elegant gender neutrality, highlighting his most feminine and most masculine assets. Using makeup to sketch the most breathtaking images of pure unfiltered beauty directly onto his features.

You were staring at your boyfriend in awe as he got dolled up for the newest Skz code episode, the return of Skz Family. You'd expected him to yet again be put in that god-awful, insulting black bob wig that always pissed you off as it hid just how beautiful Hyunjin was. Instead, the stylists began to tie his gorgeous golden brown locks into an elegant but messy bun, adding accents of wispy waves that framed his face in a way that added to his femininity in a way you'd never expected.

It wasn't anything new for the members to witness you being transfixed and nearly hypnotized as the stylists worked their magic. What was new was the way your eyes darkened as you watched it happening. You could feel your mouth salivating at the sight of the stylists adorning him in elegant, golden jewelry and soft makeup to make him look so utterly female.

He was still seated in the stylist's chair as they worked on him when your gaze traveled over him hungrily. Desire began settling into your bones, unlocking something so new and raw inside of you at your boyfriend transforming into such a gorgeous woman and it took you completely by surprise. Your gaze had caught his fiery one that was staring back at you through the mirror, a curious smirk settling onto his plump lips that were glossed in a sticky pink sheen.

You had to forcefully pry your eyes off of him as the stylists were adding the finishing touches. You trained your eyes to the floor, the feeling of slick heat sticking to your underwear was now painfully obvious as you shifted in your seat, still feeling his burning gaze on your skin making you shrink into yourself. You had to squeeze your thighs together to try to calm the arousal pooling in your lower abdomen.

You almost jumped out of your skin when you felt the burning touch of Hyunjin's fingertips gently trace lines across the expanse of your shoulders. You were wearing a tank top so you were able to feel every tingle that erupted into goosebumps on your skin that followed his touch from your right shoulder, across the nape of your neck, and ended at the other shoulder when he sauntered behind you and landed at your side, the one furthest from the stylist chair.

You sucked in a sharp breath through your teeth, still refusing to look up when his long slender fingers wrapped delicately around the back of your neck, squeezing slightly at the veins on either side of it causing a blissful head rush to form. You were already crumbling under your pretty boyfriend's touch and he'd barely done anything. It was very rare for you to become this weak so easily and it took both of you by surprise but Hyunjin seemed to be enjoying your loss of composure significantly more than you were.

He kept his advances subtle, targeting every single one of your weaknesses throughout the filming. During every break, the other members would chat with each other, drink water, eat a snack, or check their phones but Hyunjin would always land that piercing gaze on you. The fire of desire that burned through his irises left you feeling hot to the touch, exposed, vulnerable, and oh-so weak.

Sometimes he'd find his way back to your side and you'd feel a large hand landing on the top of your thigh, down by your knee while he continued chatting with the members. Those long slender fingers drawing patterns on the skin of your inner thigh with featherlight touches. The intimacy of the action, as he trained his attention on his members, was causing shivers to run up and down your spine.

The filming seemed to drag on painfully slow while your boyfriend continued to tease you in ways that no one would be able to catch onto. It was like a naughty secret spoken without words between the two of you as your arousal continued coursing through your veins and you had to fight every single tell of your body to keep anyone from catching on.

You were squeezing your thighs together the best you could without having to shift in your chair, and you were biting back soft whimpers that threatened to escape every time Hyunjin displayed his masculinity while appearing so unbelievably feminine. That was accomplished through his man spread, sitting unladylike the way he knew you loved, flexing his arms that were displayed past the loose sleeves of the blouse he wore when he grabbed something, or raising his voice in a deep and domineering tone.

"Cut! Okay, good job boys. That's it for today. So after you're ready to leave, go ahead and go out to the vans, and everyone should go get a nice dinner while we pack up here. Then you can all go back to your dorms since you guys have the rest of the night off." their manager told the group of boys who erupted into their usual post-film banter. Minho was first to go to the stylists, getting his wig and makeup removed, changing out of his Hanbok, and changing into more casual clothes.

You helped the staff pack up in the meantime. They were all telling you that you didn't have to help but you insisted just like with every single shoot in the past. You'd grown pretty friendly with their staff and managers having been Hyunjin's partner for a while now so it was easy to fall into casual conversation while you worked with your back turned to the boys.

"Hyunjin-ssi, let's get that makeup off and get you into your casual clothes." the stylist said while using a hand to call the taller man over. He stood up and was about to walk over until his eyes landed on you, the red blush still very obviously painted across the back of your neck and reaching the tips of your ears. A smirk pulled at the corners of his lips and he began to make his way towards you instead of going straight to the stylist.

You jumped slightly when you felt the featherlight touch of his fingertips graze the slightly exposed skin of your lower back where your tank top had ridden up as you helped the staff. A tingle shot up your spine and once again you had to bite back a whimper. "Noona, I think I wanna keep this on, is that okay?" he purred.

His hand landed on your right hip as he stood behind you with his right side facing your back, looking at the stylist. His hand on your hip was hidden by being on the opposite side from the staff you were helping and his grip became tight on your hip bone as his fingers dug into the supple flesh, sure to leave bruises.

You couldn't help but stand up a bit straighter and look over your shoulder to see your boyfriend beaming brightly at the stylist, standing tall and looking so nonchalant. There was no sign that he had such a powerful hold on you as his Noona just hummed softly, nodding at him and calling Felix over instead to get his Makeup off and fix his hair.

Throughout the rest of the members getting undressed and dressed in more casual clothes, you could feel Hyunjin's eyes burning holes into your flesh, unaware if his eyes ever left you. Even as the nine of you filed into the vans to go get dinner, his eyes were trained on you and his hand naturally found its home on your upper thigh.

"How's that pretty boy fetish of yours doing hmmm?" he hummed into the shell of your ear. His warm breath fanned over the skin of your neck and a shiver ran through your body as your head snapped in his direction. A pout on your lips and your big boba eyes meeting his feline ones.

"It is not a fetish." you quietly hissed through clenched teeth, ignoring his actual question since you already knew he was only asking because he knew how poorly you were holding up.

"What? Not gonna answer me?" he egged on and you rolled your eyes at him before returning your attention to scrolling through TikTok on your phone as you were doing before hearing his snide remark.

You heard him huff out a chuckle right next to your ear and he looked back out his window in the van, squeezing the flesh of your inner thigh making you jump slightly, having to bite your tongue to hold in the yelp that threatened to escape.

When you guys arrived at the restaurant, there were masks and hats fitted to everyone's face including your own as you were guided to the section of the restaurant the company had rented out to ensure privacy while you all ate. Hyunjin sat on your left side and Minho was seated on your right, your body being comfortably fitted between the two men.

Everything went on as normal during dinner, conversations floated easily through everyone at the table while everyone was eating to their heart's content, some pulling out their phones at times while they ate. Hyunjin's hand was still settled on your upper thigh as always and you could still feel him watching you at times but everything felt normal for the first half of dinner.

That was until you felt Hyunjin's fingers slowly snake their way further up your leg and his fingertips slipping under the fabric of your shorts. The tip of his middle finger was not even a millimeter from your clothed core when you caught his wrist in your hand, stopping him from being able to move. You held his hand in place and shot the taller man a glare to say 'not in front of them' which he only smirked at before turning back to his conversation and continuing his advances.

He was stronger than you so your grip didn't stop him from lightly running the pad of his middle finger over your drenched slit, not that you tried very hard to stop him in the first place. Your arousal that'd been building all day was now painfully obvious to your boyfriend as he touched you over your soaked underwear. You could hear a soft groan escape his throat as he felt your arousal drench his fingers instantly. Luckily Changbin was shouting at the perfect moment, his groan going undetected by anyone but you.

You had to put all of your focus on chewing the food that was in your mouth while breathing normally, making sure you didn’t choke on the food as you ate. Not letting out any of the moans or whimpers bubbling in your throat as his fingertips slipped under the fabric of your underwear and began to slowly drag through your wet folds. Although it was easier for him to remain calm compared to you since he wasn't the one being teased and toyed with under the table, you could still see he was struggling a bit too. The tent in his pants that was twitching painfully as he remained present in his conversation was a dead giveaway.

Hyunjin's fingers were beyond drenched by now, your grip on his wrist was tight as your nails dug into the skin on the inside of his arm, creating small red crescents indented into the paler flesh. He played with your clit for a while, causing your legs to twitch under the table, luckily going unnoticed by Minho who was sitting closest to you aside from your boyfriend, before sliding his middle finger inside your desperate hole and curling his finger to press against your plush walls.

Feeling the wet silk of your walls wrap around his digit made his eyes roll back slightly, a growl coming from his chest as his adam's apple bobbed in his throat with a harsh swallow. He leaned over you, pressing a kiss into the hair at the top of your head before leaning lower to whisper in your ear. His self-control was about to snap and he knew you were about to cum on his fingers from the way you clenched around him. He couldn't have you cumming in your pants, it'd make too much of a mess and he couldn't live with himself if he let all of your delicious fluids go to waste, so he decided that needed to do something about this.

"I think I'm ready to eat my dessert. Meet me in the restroom." was all he whispered against the shell of your ear before removing his finger from inside you, a quiet but desperate whine escaping your lips at your denied orgasm and he slipped out of the booth. Your glassy, half-lidded eyes watched him as he left and shoved his middle finger that was just buried inside of you into his mouth to suck your juices off of it while he maintained eye contact and disappeared around the corner. Luckily the entire exchange went completely unnoticed by the rest of the group.

When Hyunjin got into the bathroom, he locked the door behind himself and leaned against the sink, waiting for you as he palmed himself through his pants. Missing the taste of you, his fingers made their way back into his mouth, a deep guttural groan ripped through him in response to the addictive taste of you exploding across his taste buds as his eyes rolled back in bliss.

After a couple of minutes, he heard you knocking a beat on the door so he'd know it was you. You didn't even have a chance to finish the beat before the door flew open and you were yanked into the bathroom roughly by the wrist and your back was slammed against the door. Hyunjin was ravishing your mouth in an instant as he pushed his thigh between your legs and caged you against the door with his body. You could feel the wet spot forming on the fabric of your shorts and meeting the pale skin of his muscular thighs. The shorts he'd worn for the shoot had rode up his thighs a bit when he pushed his leg flush against your core causing the exposed skin to be in direct contact with the now soaked, thin fabric you wore.

"Are you gonna be good and let me taste you hm? Let Auntie Hyune make you feel good?" His voice was deep and sultry as he spoke his words against your swollen, spit-slicked lips as the two of you separated from the heated kiss. You let out a whine and nodded frantically in response, a small broken "p-please?" fell from your lips in the form of a whimper as your lust-filled eyes landed on his own set of red and swollen lips, the lip gloss making the spit that covered them look even messier.

He wasted no time sinking to the floor on his knees as he used his fingertips to slide into the waistband of your shorts and underwear, pulling them down to your ankles in one swift motion. He quickly got to work, placing wet, open-mouthed kisses on the inside of your right thigh while he lifted the other one to place it over his shoulder. Your back was still pinned against the door for support and the scent of your arousal was flooding his nose, making him feel intoxicated.

His kisses continued for a bit longer on the inside of your thigh and the hand that held your other leg on his shoulder squeezed and kneaded at the flesh. Getting lost in the feeling against his hand while sucking hickeys to the inside of your thighs when a long, needy whine left your lips. His eyes finally met your glistening core before flicking up to your pleading expression, a smirk on his lips when he saw just how fucked out you looked without him doing much to you yet.

"P-Please Jinnie... touch me..." you whimper while maintaining eye contact and watched intently as he brought his face close to your core. Not yet allowing himself to taste you while his nose nudged softly at the hair on your pubic bone, teasing you a bit. "I don't think that's what you should call me right now baby~" he purred as the air from his words fanned across your throbbing clit, a shiver running through you and a whimper that matched it falling from your lips.

"Try again and if you get it right, you'll get a reward. Auntie will make you feel so fucking good~" he purred out and his eyes met yours, his gaze was borderline feral, and his need was written all over his face as he licked his lips. He needed you in his mouth right that second and you were taking a little too long to think of what to call him. His patience thinning, deciding to pinch the flesh of the thigh on his shoulder, eliciting a yelp from you.

"Mommy! please... please touch me mommy..." you begged the man on his knees for you. A low primal growl filled the small space of the bathroom before his self-control snapped and he dove into your heat like a man starved. His skillful tongue was lapping at your juices while he was grunting and groaning against you, your addictive taste filling his mouth once again.

His hands moved to your ass, nails digging into the plumb flesh and pulling your heat impossibly closer to his face as his tongue swirled around your sensitive bundle of nerves. Your thigh that was planted on his shoulder was beginning to tremble and your fingers wrapped around his hands that held your ass firmly. You didn't want to mess up his pretty hair by locking your fists into his hair like you normally would so his hands were a good substitute.

High pitched whimpers fell from your lips as he quickly worked you close to your orgasm, that knot in your abdomen tightening when he started pushing his tongue in and out of your heat, fucking you open on it. Your soft "ah ah ah"s began mixing with Hyunjin's deep groans and the sound of him slurping and lapping at your sloppy cunt.

"M-mommy fuck... I- I'm..." You were close, so painfully close but you knew you didn't have his permission to cum so it took all of your remaining effort to hold it all back as his tongue never slowed down against you. Your head lolling forward as you tried to hold yourself up on shaking legs.

"So good for mommy~ go ahead, Angel. Cum on mommy's tongue." he cooed against you before resuming his desperate feast of you. That's all you needed to let that knot finally snap and you doubled over, cumming all over your boyfriend's pretty face as he slurped, continuing to work his tongue inside and against you through the aftershocks of your orgasm. His tongue settled into a lazy pace as he watched your face that was painted with that beautiful fucked out expression he loved so much. After a short while of this, your breathing started to settle again and he pulled away.

He hadn't realized that you were using him to hold yourself up until your thigh was removed from its place over his shoulder and your knees buckled, causing you to almost fall to the ground but luckily he caught you easily. His cock was still painfully hard in the gray shorts he wore as he scooped you into his arms, moving the both of you so you could sit on the sink as your legs trembled.

He took his place standing between your legs as he began planting soft kisses on your head, temple, and cheek to bring you back to reality. Aftercare was his specialty, it didn't matter if it was a quicky, oral, or him ruining you and fucking you dumb on his cock, he always made sure to give you the best aftercare. "That's it my pretty baby, you did so good for me. I'm so proud of you love." he praised you and continued his soft kisses all over your face as his hands gently massaged your hips.

"Hey baby?" he cooed after a few moments as you came back down fully, his comfort helping you not go into sub-drop and you hummed in response, looking up at him with heavy and almost sleepy eyes. Your juices still covered his nose and chin as he looked at you with so much love and adoration as if you'd hung the stars in the sky.

"The only thing here to clean you up with is paper towels and that's gonna be too rough on your pretty skin. Can mommy use her tongue to clean you up?'' His words were filthy but the deliverance was sweet and loving, almost innocent. "Yes... Mommy can." you cooed back and he smiled softly.

He gently licked the skin on your thighs, around your still pulsing core, and along your folds, being careful not to go crazy from the taste again and push you into overstimulation. Once he was satisfied with his job of cleaning you up, he came back up to stare into your eyes and one of his large hands were resting on your cheek as his thumb rubbed softly across the pink blush that'd settled there.

"My turn to clean you up. Can't have mommy going back out there with her pretty face covered in my juices." you cooed and pulled him into a soft but heated kiss, your tongue tasting yourself on his lips first before making its way around his chin, jaw, nose, and cheeks with small kitten licks to make sure there was no evidence left of what had just happened.

The exchange was loving and innocent but you knew he wasn't done with you. He hadn't even gotten to cum yet and you'd never let your beautiful boyfriend go without his release after he's earned it with the performance he'd just given you. When you were about to ask him if you could suck him off there was a banging at the door.

"Oi! Y'all need to hurry up and quit fucking in there! some of us actually wanna go home." Chan's voice boomed and the both of you stared at each other with wide eyes, having been caught before you both erupted into laughter. Your legs were more stable now as you hopped off the counter and got dressed again. His cock was now mostly soft in his pants, and his face was clean again, both of you perfectly put back together as if nothing had happened aside from the sheen of sweat on your skin.

When you both made it back to the table, hand in hand, you were met with some teasingly annoyed faces and some mischievous smirks as you both were eyed up and down before everyone stood, filing out of the restaurant with hats and masks back in place before climbing back into their respective vans to head back to the dorm. The ride back was silent with everyone full from the filling meal, some napping in the car, and others on their phones.

When the van you and Hyunjin were in, along with Chan, Changbin, and Jisung, arrived at the dorms, you all climbed out and grabbed your bags. The four of you climbed up the steps to the front door with Chan leading the way and unlocking the door for the rest of you. Once you were all inside he locked the door back and you all took off your shoes and put on the slippers at the door.

You were the last one in and as you stood up straight once your slippers were fitted perfectly to your feet you noticed that the other three were staring you and Hyunjin down. Eyeing you both up and down and you suddenly felt shy under their pointed stares.

"So, Jinnie..." Chan hummed out, gaining your attention and your boyfriend's. Chan had his arms crossed against his chest, looking like a dad who was about to scold you. "Is there a reason you suddenly wanted to keep your Auntie outfit?" he asked, his suspicion showing in his tone.

Hyunjin couldn't help but smirk and look at you where you stood stiff, eyes wide and avoiding everyone's eye contact. Seeing you like that made a huff of laughter leave Hyunjin's nose before he looked back up to Chan. "I think Y/N-ie could answer that question a lot better than I could. Isn't that right Angel?" his hand landed on your hip, pulling your body close so your sides were pressed flush together.

"I- it's... N-no um..." you were mumbling and trying to come up with any words to say that wasn't "apparently I have a mommy kink and like to fuck my boyfriend while he crossdresses." but your mind was blank, unable to think of anything except getting wrecked by Hyunjin while he was dressed as Auntie Hyune.

The three producers continued to stare you down and a flush rose along your neck reaching your cheeks and turning your ears a bright shade of red. Jisung's face contorted into an expression of disgust as he was the first to realize, being the horniest person to exist, of course, he'd be the first to figure out the kinky shit.

"OH MY GOD- EW! I DIDN'T NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR CROSSDRESSING KINK HYUNG!" Jisung whined and covered his face and Changbin and Chan seemed to realize then, a smirk growing wider on Hyunjin's face and you shrunk into yourself in embarrassment.

"Soundproof headphones and locking ourselves in our rooms. got it." Chan groaned and turned to hide in his room, the other two following suit and leaving you and Hyunjin standing there alone.

"Well, we've got plenty of time and no need to stay quiet baby~ now, let mommy take care of you," he growled as he pulled you by your hips flush against his hardening cock, lips attacking your own in a feverish kiss, tongues dancing together outside of your mouths for a moment before your lips connected again.

"THEY WEREN'T EVEN ON YET!" you heard Changbin's voice carry through the dorms, a chuckle leaving both you and Hyunjin in response before he lifted you by your thighs, earning a yelp from you in surprise as your legs wrapped around his waist and he carried you to his room, his lips attached to your neck. He kicked the door shut behind him once the two of you were inside before he let your back land on his bed.

He climbed over your body, caging you against the mattress while he nestled himself between your legs. He continued painting your skin in gorgeous blooms of red and purple. His hips were languidly grinding into your core, his needy cock finally getting the friction he'd been craving, his movements eliciting a high-pitched whine from you as your hands slipped their way under the billowy white fabric of his blouse.

Your fingertips explored the pale flesh stretched over his sharp dancer hips before moving a bit higher. Your fingertips were light, barely making contact with the skin making the touch tickle but in the most intimate of ways. The tips of your fingers settled on the last rid of the cage you'd found home in, the one that held you inside his heart and safe from the world.

Your thumbs rubbed circles into the muscles of his abs, pushing in periodically to massage the tender flesh, the feeling causing Hyunjin to let out a moan that was swallowed by your feverish kiss that hadn't broken since he'd gotten you on the bed.

Both of you feeling dizzy from the lack of oxygen was the only reason the two of you separated. He continued the movements of his hips that matched your hips rolling against him as his forehead came to rest on your shoulder. He let out a shuddering sigh mixed with a moan, the noise becoming one of your favorite ones he'd ever made.

"Does Mommy need a little help?" you purred, suddenly feeling a bit more dominant than you had in the restaurant bathroom. Your words caused Hyunjin's hips to stutter momentarily as a broken whimper fell from his swollen lips. You felt him barely nod against your shoulder, your hands continuing their massaging of his sides until the pad of your index finger grazed his sensitive buds.

He let out another whine, allowing you to take over the grinding as he kept his focus on not cumming in his pants yet and keeping his body weight supported by his arms as they trembled.

"Mommy, can I please take off your clothes? I need to see mommy's pretty cock." Your words were a sweet mix of desperate, submissive, dominant, pleading, and demanding. The subtle authority in your voice was met with Hyunjin moaning before pushing himself up off the bed to sit back on his haunches, keeping himself nestled between your thighs, home to him, exactly where he belonged.

"Please, angel? I need to feel you so bad, I need your skin on mine. I need you so fucking bad." His sentence was almost a whine at first before shifting into a deep growl on his last sentence. He was actively fighting an internal battle of wanting to dominate you in every way and have you fucked dumb by his cock and wanting to give you all the control and beg you to use him as your toy until he can't even remember his own name.

Having noticed the struggle, you carefully removed each article of his clothing, pressing soft kisses along the flesh as more and more of his gorgeous body was exposed. You didn't wanna do anything to force him into a decision that he may not be happy with so you were giving him a moment, using all of your self-control not to jump on his cock the second it was exposed to you.

His cock was so so pretty.

A pretty, pale cock with a blush pink tip. It was leaking pre-cum as he watched you taking a moment to just admire his body. The way your eyes shone with love and adoration, lust and hunger, was something he'd never get used to.

Hyunjin carded his fingers through your hair, his eyes never leaving yours when you looked up at him with the softest, most innocent look while drooling over the sight of his cock, finally making a decision.

He didn't voice his choice, primal urges taking over as his hand wrapped around your throat and squeezed the sides enough to cut off blood flow. At the same time as an almost pornographic noise left you, he was leaning forward as he pulled you in closer by your throat. His lips on yours again with a growl and you opened your mouth to get oxygen again.

He took your open mouth as an invitation to lick into your mouth with his lips separated from yours. Both of your tongues fought for dominance in a messy drooly battle that had saliva drenching both of your chins as it leaked down from your lips and tongues. It was so unbelievably hot, you didn't think kissing could get any more filthy and arousing than this until Hyunjin pulled away just enough to spit onto your tongue that was still out for him and a shudder ran through your body.

"Now, why don't you be a good fucking slut for mommy and let me use that sloppy cunt of yours huh?" His words were harsh, in the best of ways. Before you could choke out a response, you were pushed back onto the bed and Hyunjin ripped your clothes off of you, hating how you were far too covered for his liking and the barrier of clothes didn't let him get close enough to you.

Once he had you completely exposed to him, he manhandled you into the position he wanted you. He sat on the edge of the bed with both feet planted firmly to the floor, you were kneeling over his lap with both knees on either side of his thighs. You were holding yourself up over his cock facing the giant full-length mirror that faced the bed, your eyes meeting each other in the reflection as you both silently devoured the lewd sight.

"You're gonna do exactly as I say, got it?" he asked in a deep tone, a whimper escaping your lips in response before nodding and maintaining eye contact in the mirror. You were biting your bottom lip as you awaited his instructions but you saw his large hand come up and be pulled back before it came crashing down onto the side of your ass hard and fast, too fast for your brain to even register it. A high-pitched yelp left your throat and your eyes screwed shut.

"Use your fucking words, Angel. You know better than to break the rules," he said through clenched teeth and your eyes opened again to meet his. Your breathing was a bit quicker and shakier than before as you opened your mouth to give him a proper response.

"Y-yes ma'am, I- I'll be good. I promise." you whimpered softly and a low guttural groan was ripped from his chest at the way you'd called him ma'am, the name making his cock twitch underneath your still hovering and dripping heat. Your hole acts like a faucet with a never-ending flow of your arousal in response to the pretty man behind you.

"You're gonna let me split you open on this pretty cock that you go dumb for and while I wreck you, you're gonna watch everything. You aren't allowed to look away or keep your eyes shut or there will be consequences. Understood?" his hands landed on your hips again as he awaited your consent. His words were a demand but if you genuinely didn't consent to this demand for any reason at all, then that would be the end of it.

"Please Mommy, I- I need you inside of me... n-need to be so f- ah!" when he slammed your hips down, stretching you open on his cock with so much force it felt like your ass would be bruised, you knew you didn't even stand a chance.

A growl erupted from his chest at the feeling of your silky walls wrapping around his length, clenching around his sensitive cock, and sucking him in further than he imagined possible. Considering you were sitting fully down on his lap, his cock buried to the hilt and his pelvis now drenched in your liquids. The feeling caused his eyes to threaten to roll into the back of his head, no matter how many times he felt you around him, he could never get used to just how good you felt.

"Feel that? Can you feel Mommy's cock carving out that sweet hole of yours? hmm? This hole belongs to me, it's fucking molded to the shape of my cock. All. Fucking. Mine." His final words were met with punctuation between them in the form of him lifting you momentarily before slamming you back down onto himself with an unrelenting force.

"All- fuck! all yours- ngghh- mommy. I'm mommy's- Oh my god! Mommy's t-toy..." you're words mixed with loud moans, sure the entire neighborhood could hear just how amazing your boyfriend was making you feel and surely 3racha's headphones probably weren't canceling enough noise as you were practically screaming for the man who was truly using you like a Fleshlight.

Your eyes never left the mirror and you could see Hyunjin was struggling to thrust into you in this position. You wanted to ask him if he wanted to adjust but you were trying so hard to catch your breath that you couldn't speak. Each harsh snap of his hips was met with him slamming you down to meet his thrusts, knocking the wind out of your lungs each time.

As if he could read your mind, he used his grip on your hips to lift you up till only half of his cock was buried inside of you and held you still. He leaned back and planted one hand on the mattress behind him to hold himself up and the other arm wrapped tightly around your waist as he pulled you back a bit to be supported against his chest.

"Knees up and put your feet flat on the mattress baby." you obeyed his damn and got into a squatting position, making sure to keep his cock from slipping out of you as you adjusted. In the new position you could see a small bulge in your lower abdomen under where his arm had locked you to his chest, his cock pressed so deeply inside of you that you could see him inside you.

"Would you look at that~" he cooed as he admired the bulge in the mirror, moving his hand so his fingers rested softly on top of it and he rolled his hips just a bit so he could see and feel his cock moving inside of you and filling you up. A growl left him and his eyes fluttered blissfully at the filth of what was happening.

"Just look at how Mommy's cock carves out your insides with her cock, so fucking perfect for me baby." he cooed, the flip between degrading you and praising you was making you feel a bit dizzy in the best way. He felt you clench around him and your juices flooding his cock in response to it all and he couldn't hold back anymore.

The new position allowed him to thrust up into you at a brutal pace, his tip slamming into that sweet spot inside of you repeatedly and abusing it. Wanton moans and whines were punched out of you with every slam of his cock, mixing with strings of curses and his name. His own animalistic groans and growls along with some more high-pitched whines and whimpers from him filled the room.

"F-fuck.. mommy that's so- ah! so g-good. L-look so good f-filling me up" Your eyes were fighting to roll back into your head as your brain started turning into mush with how incredible you felt and that familiar knot was forming again deep in your lower abdomen.

"That's my perfect slut, such a pretty fucking cum-dump. Want Mommy to fill you up hmm? Wan' mommy to pump you full of her babies? Breed you like the dumb pup you are?" his words came out a bit frantic as his cock was twitching desperately inside of you, his own impending release not far away.

"Please! fuck! wan' mommy's cum! please please please fill me up, I've been good!" you begged him, your words slurring together as you felt yourself close to going completely brain-dead on his cock. His release didn't take long after hearing you screaming and begging for him, his hips snapping into you one last time and pulling you down fully. You felt his white-hot ropes filling you up and your own orgasm ripping through you, squirting all over the reflective surface of the mirror and your eyes finally rolled back into your skull.

You arched hard against Hyunjin's chest as you came and your head rolled back against his shoulder and his grip remained tight around your waist. Using his arm to rock you on his cock to work both of you through the aftershocks of one of the most mind-blowing orgasms you'd both ever felt, both your chests heaving desperately to fill your lungs with oxygen again.

You stayed like that for a few moments, your walls naturally fluttering around the cock still buried deep inside of you and pushing him to overstimulation. Letting out a hiss in response, he lifted you off his cock to lay you down on the plush mattress next to him. A whine leaves your trembling frame at the empty feeling, the noise earning a coo from your boyfriend and he lets his hair down from the bun before allowing himself to collapse back onto the bed again, next to you.

The both of you cuddled for a while, still sticky with sweat and Hyunjin's cum leaking out of you but you were too tired to care. He recovered a lot faster than you, noticing the puddle forming under you that was made of both his and your releases. He placed a lingering kiss on your temple and climbed out of the bed to grab a wet washcloth from the bathroom, returning to get you as clean as he could knowing you were battling sleep and unable to take a shower. It'd just have to wait until the morning.

He left your side again, placing the rag in the hamper before moving to your wardrobe. He slipped on some boxers and a pair of light grey sweats to sleep in and grabbed you a new pair of underwear and one of his oversized tee shirts for you to sleep in. He carefully got your almost asleep form dressed and climbed into the bed, avoiding the wet spot left over from his cum he'd cleaned up, and pulled you close to his body.

You fell asleep almost instantly when you felt his body wrap around yours. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep as well, soft smile on both of your faces.

You both woke up the next morning, entering the living area of the dorms to be met with a grumpy-looking 3racha.

"Really? Did you really have to fuck until damn near 4 in the fucking morning?" Chan groaned out.

"Seriously, we can't sleep with those bulky ass headphones which we could still slightly hear your screaming through with the volume turned up all the way." Changbin retorted.

"The last, and I mean the LAST thing I needed to hear so early in the morning is Hyunjin Hyung being called Mommy over and over again." Jisung finished off and he shivered dramatically and all three of them started fake gagging. A deep red blush painted your cheeks as you tried to shrink and hide your face in your hands with a groan. Hyunjin's cockiness never left him and he let out a laugh, making his way to the kitchen for breakfast. You trailed close behind him in shame, head still low as you looked through the gaps in your finger to watch where you were going.

Neither of you would be able to live this one down but it was completely worth it. You knew you'd get to fuck Auntie Hyunjin again and that alone was enough to make up for the embarrassment and teasing you'd be putting up with for the next few weeks.

[franckyfox2468]

Francky's top 5 games released in 2023

So with 2023 ending soon I decided to make a little list and a top 5 of the games that I enjoyed and played that came out this year

Though i will be limiting myself to games/remakes released this year so while i greatly enjoyed Sonic Frontiers and AI the Somnium files this year, they wont make the lsit sorry.

I will start with the honorable mention of games that i still enjoyed but didn’t make it to the top 5.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Like a Dragon: Ishin

Ishin is the last Yakuza game I've played that was made by its longtime director, Toshihiro Nagoshi. And after playing Like a Dragon Gaiden, it helped me realize how much of a difference a new direction can make and how much I have taken the quality of the series for granted. Ishin wasn’t the worst nor the best Yakuza game I've played imo. Which makes sense given it was made right in between one of my least favorite games in the series (yakuza 5) and one of my most favorites (yakuza 0). Its story is perhaps not something you would be used to compared to the rest of the series but it is based on a tale that is as old as time itself that is still quite enjoyable for what it is and while it has some annoying bits (like substories always getting in your way during important event or gun fights), Ishin is still a quite enjoyable game with some fun stories, fun combat and fun minigames. And honestly the funniest version of Baka Mitai somehow.

BombRush Cyberfunk

I decided to check out bombrush cyberfunk after it was absolutely snubbed over in the same award show that decided to promote a JetSetRadio game and I figured I would finally get around checking what it was about before the year ended. I haven’t finished the game yet. I haven’t played JSR so I can't exactly make a full comparison but through some of its rather painful and counterproductive input mapping/options and some frustrating platforming here and there, BRCF is still a game with a very charming, silly and engaging presentation with its story, art and music.

Robocop: Rogue City

Rogue City is not a perfect game, and a quite short one at that. But it is a really good and enjoyable game for what it is. It's not something I would recommend to someone who hasn’t seen the two first movies as they would absolutely get lost in just what the hell is going on and potentially get spoilers from both movies. While the final battle was a bit underwhelming in contrast to what the plot was potentially leading up to with it and some fights could get absolutely tedious, the game to me is in line with the telltale back to the future game or the atari ghostbusters where it can easily serve as a new chapter for the mainline film franchise but through a really good game.

TOP 5:

#5: Baldur's Gate 3

Don’t get me wrong, Baldur’s gate is an excellent game and a fantastic experience that I would recommend to anyone who likes RPGs of any sorts with ease. But part of the reasons it is so low on my list are, 1, i did not finish it unlike every other game on that list, 2, all of the fun and your will to plan a future character and playthrough is absolutely drained out by the time you reach act 3. I played explorer mode as I am not exactly a tactical rpg person myself and wanted to put more focus on the story, which is absolutely great. Every party member is fantastically written and voiced characters, each with their own tastes, goals and views upon the world and situation around you that makes them very likable and fun to have. Honestly some of the more fun companions i've seen in an rpg. The game really does a great job at emulating the sense of playing through a real DnD campaign with a ton of hilarious optional dialogues and where your actions and picked skills will matter in the end, as well as how you synergize them with the rest of your party (without the dogshit power hungry dm or the potential constant in-fighting of other players), the way you are introduced to most of the main party members so early into the story really helps to that feeling of your DM making a scene to make sure all of the players are quickly gathered together and introducing each others’ characters.

For most of the game creativity with your spells, tools at hand and strategy are absolutely rewarded and if you bring in some friends for co-op it can get hella chaotic for better or worse. But by the time you reach the third arc, the story and paths you can take in combat are really narrowing down and not exactly for the better as each fight and situations you start being put through really ties your ends and forces you to be quite careful and specific with what you do even on the easier modes. It's gotten to a point where I kinda haven’t played the game in a long time because doing literally anything done by that part of the game feels like a goddamn chore. But BG3 is still a fantastic game that I do intend to get around to finishing someday as I still think quite positively of it for the most part.

#4: Hi-Fi Rush

Hi-fi rush is simply a fantastic game. A game that involves platforming and combat while mixing rhythm game mechanics could have easily been a blunder but this game manages to succeed at every aspect it does on top of its fantastic artistic presentation. The art, the animation, the music, the writing… It's all fantastic. The only thing that really left to be desired is the ending kinda falling flat on its message and just going back to the situation the world was in despite the systematic issues still being there but the good guys are on top of it now so that makes it okay i guess? But with that aside, I would say the game might not be for everyone as some of the rhythmic elements can be quite tight and unforgiving in some aspects and fights but overall it was one of the more enjoyable and absolutely hilarious games i’ve played in awhile.

#3: Trepang2

On the surface, Trepang looks like a dull military shooter game with some horror elements that are inspired by FEAR. But the problem is that going into detail about why it is so much more would spoil a fantastic experience that absolutely caught me off guard with how good it was. As someone who has never played FEAR, the combat, if anything, was a lot more reminiscent of Titanfall 2. Sure you don’t have cool giant robots but trust me it makes up for simply how absolutely bonkers and high octane it can get. It just feels absolutely amazing from start to end. This is one of the best single player fps games i have played in a long while and i am absolutely looking forward to the story dlc they have announced coming in 2024. 

#2: Street Fighter 6

I have a love hate relationship with this game. I hate it because this game has caused some severe damage to my hands and at times I had to take a month long break from it because of how much it was starting to hurt. On the other hand, this is one of the most fun, enjoyable and accessible fighting games that I have ever played and definitely my favorite to this day. And i don’t simply mean because of its different control scheme. SF6 does an excellent job at giving all of the information the players need to better understand the game from within the game as well as official reading material like frame data and such provided by the devs themselves. And even if you aren't into fighting games or multiplayer games, I would absolutely still recommend SF6 for its world tour alone. While it does not have the most phenomenal story imaginable, it is a really goofy and enjoyable experience that perfectly blends rpg and fighting game mechanics for all to enjoy. And the best part is that every dlc release comes with free content and the ability to learn techniques from dlc characters you do not even own. Which honestly despite some of its issues with the monetizations is a huge W on the part of the devs regarding this game. Honestly despite some of its issues SF6 is the real first fighting game i started to feel like i was able to take seriously with how much resources and content you get, and it helped me get even closer to some friends as well as meeting some quite friendly people. I love SF6. But what could possibly beat it then?

#1: Pizza Tower

S rank is for Street fighter, which is pretty good. P rank is for Pizza Tower, which is perfection to me. I’ll admit I nearly gave up on this game because of some initial frustrations but pizza tower is a game you can ALWAYS get better at, even if you managed to finish the whole game. The best way to describe it is… it's the best Nintendo game not made by nintendo. Not because it tries to do something fans always wanted or replicated an aesthetic. But it's through just how polished and tightly designed the game is but it does so in a way that doesn’t punish experimentation with all of its crazy movement mechanics and it doesn't try to streamline anything for you except perhaps how player damage is handled, which feels like quite the opposite of what Nintendo does with a lot of its game nowadays. Everything feels so samey, streamlined, slowed down but the dated tired shit like extra lives and such are here to stay and you have to deal with it, while the new fancy stuff rarely brings benefits and usually are more so gimmicky annoyances (at least this is my feeling towards a lot of more recent Kirby games). While the game definitely has some of its downside and it's a quite hard game, it is honestly one of the best 2d platformers I've played and I'd easily put it aside to a game I would deem legendary like DKC2 or Super Mario World. Every level is well defined, well designed, you always get something new and fun at each of them. And that is not even mentioning its absolutely wonderful and hysterical art, animation and this absolute banger of a soundtrack.

I am ultra excited for the upcoming character dlc as it will give me a reason to replay the whole game with some new mechanics to add some spice to it all. Pizza tower is excellent.

[emblazons]

hey marie <3 I've been experiencing byler doubt as of late for some strange reason?? And you're one of my favorite analysts so what would you say is like ... the moment or thing that made you actually consider Byler would be endgame?

oooh, I'm sorry to hear that! Honestly there are still some days when the weight of discourse in this fandom gives me little flairs of discomfort about the state of their relationship in S5, even though revisiting the show itself almost immediately assuages most of my fears because fuller context for me has always been most comforting? But...hmm.

I think more than anything—and these two points are really what my "favorite byler things" hinge on, more than the moments themselves—I first remember that the entire show can be subjected to the same scrutiny and level of detail as Byler (even independent of it), which helps me remember that seeing and even looking for evidence of the relationship between them isn't just me indulging my desire to ship them—it's digging into something that The Duffers and the 2000-strong ST production team put there.

Things like them reusing the track Girls on Film to parallel an idea between two scenes with Nancy, paralleling moments of depression between El and Max to show us their bond even from a distance and using set design to show a character trait about Jonathan show that the little details I pick up on for byler are intentional the same way the rest of the show is...and I'm not being unduly invested looking for them, the way a lot of byler critics claim when they say byler's are "delusional" and "reading too much into it."

Second, I remember that I am the audience for the show according to the Duffer Brothers—that they've made clear that it's people like me they're catering to, who love movies, filmmaking and indulge their nerdiest interests even when it means being "less adult" than one perhaps should be in the eyes of the people around them—on top of the fact that they have repeatedly said their story is mapped out and intentional, which means what I see on the screen and put together from "studying" it was designed that way, and isn't just a series of random choices or Finn "deciding" to make flirty eyes at Noah (lmfao).

Once I keep those to things at the fore of my mind, it's easier to accept that what I saw on screen even before I deep dived the whole show were 1) designed for me to catch and 2) intentional...which leaves me with the ability to trust that all of these things—

Mike and Will showing repeated and unprompted signs of attraction to each other mutually, while showing signs of deep emotional connection outside of just the simple bounds of friendship

Mike re-prioritizing his relationship with Will, to the point of saying he was over-invested in El, while also asking Will to be closer to him (which he kept up, all the way to the very last shot of the season)

Will's romantic feelings now being blended inherently with the painting, even though the painting could have easily been written as a platonic gesture if the duffers wanted it to be

Mlvn’s communication (verbal and nonverbal) breaking down in S4 without a single bit of promoting from the audience before it dropped, to the point where Will’s feelings are the romantic ones underpinning Mike’s perception of El & El is no longer behaving romantically forward him, even given the “I love you” that was meant to resolve the tension in their relationship

The fact that I can connect these events to several other moments across all seasons, because the concepts and relational dynamics aren’t new to S4—only the context is

—are good enough reason to believe that the story is headed toward romantic!Byler, while actively moving away from romantic!mlvn.

I think, at the end of the day, the reason why I believe in Byler is because I’m familiar with The Duffers as storytellers, have been invested in their show since S1, and Byler makes sense for the show thematically—it fits into the narrative, doesn’t require any wild jumps to recognize (neither does the end of mlvn, to be honest) and—probably most importantly—the details like color coding, where people are standing in the final shot, and even the insanity of that one way sign into the closet Mike has are just details designed to bring life to the story…not what I’m basing my understanding of the story on itself.

Basically: I believe in byler because that’s where the story is pointing, and I feel I have a solid grasp on the story and characters in several sections of the show, not just the byler one. Revisiting the show over the course of the year has only strengthened my sense of that—and even when I do doubt, it’s the show itself that reminds me why I believed it in the first place, rather than anything that goes on throughout the fandom side of things.

I don't know if that helps you, but it's what keeps my confidence steady throughout the ups and downs of fandom! And also...literally nothing confused me worse than vol ii when it dropped...and now I feel like it presented some of the most important moments for building toward romantic!byler, so. I feel pretty confident in my interpretation of the events of the show now lmao.

thanks for the ask!

and also...outside of all this: the moment that made me catch onto byler as an option fully as an "invested GA" was Will and Mike at the airport, because...that shit was crazy to watch for the first time honestly. My jaw was on the floor like "oh shit, they're really doing this?" and it just. never came back up the rest of the season LOL

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

A real change of pace... To cool off... Here's a hyperfixation of mine that dates waaaaay back, to when I was little...

THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE & FRIENDS...

I've been thinking about the show's third season (1991-92) lately, for some reason.

Season 3, as I had learned in the recent years, was filmed in two separate portions - unusual in that every season in the classic series (approximately Seasons 1-7, 1984-2003ish) was typically filmed in one go. Not Season 3, for whatever reason.

It's been speculated by some fans that a showcase of the many props in London sometime in late 1991 impacted the filming, thus newer sets were built to accommodate the last portion of episodes. Maybe something else came up. Maybe something pertaining to the Japanese special THOMAS AND THE U.K. TRIP. Who knows...

And upon knowing the season's production history, you can't unsee it...

The first portion of Season 3, first released all at once on VHS - albeit with alternate, earlier narrations from Michael Angelis - in the UK in November 1991:

vs.

The second portion, aired in the spring/summer of 1992:

I kind of look at Season 3 as the coziest one. If Season 1 had a more pastoral, simplistic look with a chuffy synthesized soundtrack, and if Season 2 had a more dirty, sooty, industrial look... Season 3 is bright, colorful, cute, just warm and cozy really. Especially the nighttime scenes, which are real standouts here. Glossy models and softer faces constructed for the engine characters, too.

The music, composed by Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell, is what holds the season together - tonally, along with Angelis' narrations - or George Carlin's, if you grew up with the U.S. version like I did.

Sets in Season 3, Part 1 included the likes of Henry's Forest in addition to a lot of countryside paths, and a much more spacious beach. Knapford is the big station here, while Tidmouth is the big station in Part 2. The roundhouse interior is a real giveaway, too. Season 3, Part 2 seems a little greener, you have the the three-way set (bottom left), those big harbor buildings (top right), and the castle tunnel. Whatever the story called for, they built it: A scrapyard that Oliver escapes from, the China Clay Works, Bulgy's bridge, etc. Even without their major sets, they still made up for it with the new ones.

It's still quite cohesive and distinctively season 3, but someone like me? I notice the minute differences. You can easily tell which episode is 3A, or 3B.

Season 3 is one that I didn't have much of on VHS growing up in the late '90s/early '00s. I had seen pretty much all of them via tape volumes I rented back in the day, or through SHINING TIME STATION when it returned to air in 2000 to promote the movie. SHINING TIME, the show that essentially trojanhorsed THOMAS onto American airwaves. The VHS tapes... Particularly the volumes "Thomas Gets Bumped", "Daisy", and "Percy's Ghostly Trick". All grab-bags of episodes from the first three seasons - but they had those Season 3 episodes I often couldn't come by. They were elusive in a way because of that. Everything else I saw was via a compilation tape, like "Thomas' Christmas Party" and "10 Years of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends".

And years later, I would be surprised to learn that an episode like 'Henry's Forest' was from that period - it feels like it could be a stealth Season 2 episode, albeit a calmer and less industrial-looking one. Maybe because it was on the aforementioned Christmas tape, my brain - as a 7-year-old kid - placed it in that era. Ditto 'A Scarf for Percy'. When I got a little bit older, I was able to place - sort of aesthetically - where each episode fell. A skim through IMDb would also help. Most I could reckon were from the '80s, and the rest from the early-to-mid '90s. Even with George Carlin narrating the majority of them.

Something about those episodes hit different to me when I was little, for sure, so I have a bit of an odd soft spot for them despite how I feel about that season overall. I think SHINING TIME's aesthetics and look also helps. I watched STS whenever it was on, as a really young kid circa 1995-96ish? I would remember asking "Why do the trains have faces? But no cowcatchers?" Then it was just the Thomas stories on VHS after that. I wouldn't really check out STS again until reruns came to Nick Jr., again, to promote THOMAS AND THE MAGIC RAILROAD - which Shining Time Station itself was a big part of. And yet my head links that season and STS, more so than 1 & 2. The coziness of both, the nostalgic American train station setting of STS and the comfy visuals of Season 3, just goes together quite nicely. Throw in some unrelated other things I loved back then, and that's one of my nostalgia cocktails in a way lol.

[ithillyienseowyn]

tag game tuesday

tagged by: @ericariels

name: dee

pronouns: she/her

where do you call home? my hometown

favorite animal: cats

cereal of choice: cornflakes maybe? idk cereal shreds my gums so easily that i'm making this breakfast of choice because I hardly ever eat it but when i do its usually fruit or whatever my dad or sister makes, i really like strawberries w/milk and sugar

are you a visual, auditory or kinesthetic learner? think i was more visual 98% of the time

first pet? ...i'm extending this to include all the pets I have/{had}: black cat growing up {simba}, then we had two hamsters {george and twinkle toes}, then we had a dog that ran away {angel} full assortment of beta fish and one gold fish {they all died}, another hamster we named {chewie} they also didn't live long but our current cat {eriel} that we just recently got is probably the best of the bunch she's a menace but she's my menace and she's also a sweetie and a very pretty furbaby :3

favorite scent? nothing too strong, or anything overly sweet, has to have the right sized muteness to it or i get headaches, my favourite current scents i have though are sea island shore, brown sugar and fig and pearberry

do you believe in astrology? ---

how many playlists do you have on spotify/apple music? none on any of those but i got {7} soundtrack albums ripped on my media player

sharpies or highlighters? highlighters

a song that makes you cry: wild uncharted waters had me absolutely gagged when i listened to the little mermaid soundtrack back in may and the ken song/video from barbie that is floating around on here somewhere {i live in a society where i care about ken now apparently even though ken dolls terrified me as a child and b/c of that fear i never played with them i literally hand on my heart threw that doll deep in one of the many closets we had in our old house growing up}

a song that makes you happy: the entire the little mermaid 2023 soundtrack

and finally, do you write/draw/create? if so, use this as an opportunity to shamelessly promote yourself! i think im most recently known for the little mermaid text posts i've been posting since the end of may when i saw the film. i fully believe 90 % of those are gonna be included as my top posts in my tumblr review of 2023.

[mysteriouspresence]

Madoka Magica and Evangelion: A Review

part 2/3

this is a brief, spoiler free introduction to Madoka Magica and Evangelion, two anime that i was surprised to find many similarities between. you can skip this post if you want to just see the analysis too, just click on this link → Part 3

i got carried away, so please expand to see the whole post!

to begin, let's point out the obvious differences that both franchises sell at a glance.

take this promotional poster of Madoka Magica:

(promotional poster for original Madoka Magica anime, source from official website)

from this first glance, Puella Magi Madoka Magica is very reminiscent of a shoujo show targeted at young girls (along with merchandise such as figurines, plushies, and props that can be easily put into toy stores). the premise of the story is simple enough as well — Kyubey, the magical animal sidekick, wants to recruit the main character Madoka and her friend Sayaka to become magical girls to fight against the evil witches who trap innocent's in pocket dimensional spaces known as “labyrinths” and torment them. In exchange, Kyubey promises to grant any wish they have, and grant them magical powers and strength that will let them right against their enemies. Sayaka is strong willed, tomboyish, and wants to use her wish to heal her sick love interest, while Madoka is kind-hearted but indecisive on how to best use their wish. the story also introduced three veteran magical girls: Mami, who takes Madoka and Sayaka under her wing as they consider their options; Kyoko, who lives in the city over and hunts competitively for witches; and Homura, who shows up every now and then to coldly warn the girls about the dangers of the job. Seems simple enough, right? 

now, let's take a look at the opening for our second series:

(video of Neon Genesis Evangelion anime opening, sourced from YouTube repost)

Neon Genesis Evangelion instantly gives shonen vibes (again, giant mecha toys sell very well) with its action scenes, kaiju-esque battles, and futuristic technology (albeit dated, since it was written twenty-plus years ago!) Shinji, a young boy, is called to the big city Tokyo-3 by his estranged father to pilot a giant robot (EVA Unit 01) to fight alien creatures known as Angels. though unwilling at first, due to his poor relationship with his father, he ultimately decides to take the call to action and learn to overcome his cowardice. he is joined by fellow pilots Asuka — a textbook tsundere girl from Germany — and Rei — a typical kuudere with a mysterious past. together, they fight tougher Angels in a monster-of-the-week fashion, learning to synchronize and get along with each other to improve their teamwork and reach greater heights. sounds fun, doesn't it?

both these series earned high acclaim and received canon movie expansions that continue the story, spinoff series with alternate universes and endings, and yes, merchandise for days. but all targeted at adults — the seinen demographic, to be specific — rather than kids.

why?

psychological horror. (Top: Madoka Magica episode 8, Bottom: Evangelion episode 25)

cosmic horror. (Top: Evangelion episode 22, Bottom: Madoka Magica episode 11)

thus, not suited for children and some adults too. Evangelion also includes themes and visual symbolism that allude to Freud’s studies in human sexuality, and both shows get quite bloody and violent in their dispatching of the enemies — this isn’t some bloodless exorcism or cool explosion seen in other shows. the viewer and the traumatized protagonists are forced to watch the people around them — their comrades, their mentors, their innocent friends, and random civilians — get injured and even killed in brutal ways. but just like the protagonists, the viewer cannot turn away. both become too embroiled in the tragedy that unfolds to escape.

yeah, i would not recommend my 14-year-old brother watch this yet.

behind the thin film of the cherry, childish themes of adventure and “14 year olds saving the world” is the exploration of the grim nature of sending children off to fight humanities battles and how cruel fate can be when the only option between humanity and a few lives is the latter. these two works from unexpected corners of fiction share a metric ton of cool parallels, converging and colliding through shared themes, plot elements, and character arcs. i believe that people should definitely check out these two key series if they enjoy trippy stories that work to subvert the viewer’s expectations using the conventions that existing trope sets have using genre deconstruction, to explore the deeper aspects of sub-genres often targeted to children in an adult light. after all, tons of dark magical girl/mecha series that popped up afterward were all inspired by, and encouraged by these two shows — in defying one genre, they helped establish a new one. 

[disnyplslogin]

How can Disney Plus be simply installed on many devices?

This Disney In addition to direct covers generally that you truly need to be know all about the notable electronic component, from joining and saving money to finding the best new shows and films. Disney Plus is actually one of the more affordable web-based features, especially when you consider the value for your money. The new promotion-supported plan starts at $7.99 per month. In any case, progressing cost increases have sent people back to the web for answers. This guide contains all of the information you need to know about the Disney streaming pack, content library, and Disney Plus plans.

The best way to download Disney Plus on an Amazon Firestick:

Send your device, then enter "Disney+" in the search highlight.

In the items of the query, select Disneyplus.com/begin.

The Disney+ application should in like manner be in the "Featured" a piece of your Firestick's greeting page, and you can pick it starting there as well.

Select "Get:" permitted to download" button.

After the application has installed, return to your landing page to see if it is present.

Keep in mind that once the application has been downloaded, you can move the application's location on your landing page around in your settings to make it easier to find.

You're in; all you have to do is enter the certifications from your Disney account or buy in.

How-to instructions for installing Disney Plus on a Roku:

Send off your Roku and then select "Home" from the menu.

Scroll down until you find the "Streaming Channels" menu option, and then click it.

When "Disney+" appears in the query items, search for it and choose the help option.

Choose "Add channel," then immediately head to your landing page to see if it has been downloaded.

Remember that you may move the channel by hovering over it, pressing the settings button, and selecting the "Move Channel" option.

Join Disney+ or sign in with your existing account.

How to download Disney in addition to on Chromecast

1. Install Disney+ on the device you'll be using to project assistance.

2. You will be able to project to Chromecast with Disney+ using iOS, Android, and Google Chrome.

3. Start the app by entering your username and secret password.

4. Show it on your Chromecast device.

The best way to install Disney+ as a PWA

Start by launching Google Chrome or the updated version of Edge. PWAs are supported by a few different programmes.

Visit  Disneyplus.com login/begin  by clicking here (opens in new tab).

Enter your Disney+ login information.

In Edge, click the programme menu in the top right corner.

Select Install this site as an application by navigating to Applications.

Choose Disney+ as the app's name, then click Install.

Currently, the Disney+ "application" will appear on the Windows Start menu just like any other programme. From there, you can right-tap on it to add it to the Taskbar or the Beginning menu for quick access. You can also uninstall the "application" by right-clicking on the symbol if you decide you no longer need it.

How do I get Disney Plus on my Samsung Smart TV downloaded?

The most un-requesting technique for downloading the Disney In addition to application on this television is through the in-gathered application screen. It's easily completed in two or three stages.

• Join to Disney In addition to. You can do this on the Disney Plus website:

•  Ensure that your television is connected to the internet;

•  On the home screen, select the "applications" icon (usually located to the left of the screen);

 • In the search box, enter "Disney+."

 • Select the Disney Plus icon and click "add to home," which will install and download the application;

 • Open the application and sign in;

• The Disney Plus application can be downloaded on Samsung Smart TVs that were released in 2016

[4directionssigns]

Window Graphics: Types & Benefits

Window graphics are a proven way to grab the attention of people passing by your establishment and for a good reason. People naturally notice storefront window graphics because they are often designed in an attractive way, or are used to promote services or new products that companies would like to advertise. That being said, many businesses advertise with vinyl window graphics, so how can you set yourself apart?

At 4 Directions Signs & Graphics, we offer answers to the questions that business owners have. How can I use signage to expand my business? We have helped many businesses in Rancho Cordova, CA stand out with high-quality, unique graphics and signage. We can do the same for you by offering you up signage solutions that work.

Separate Yourself From The Pack with Well-Made Window Graphics

The best way to separate yourself from your competition is to understand how to properly use the top 5 types of window graphics. Once you know the strength of each one, you can start planning your advertising campaign.

1. Vinyl Window Decals

These are your go-to window graphics. You can have them cut into custom sizes and shapes. They stick to your window with an adhesive and they are easy to install and remove. You can have a complex design, keep it simple and have vinyl lettering that spells out your business’s name and contact information.

2. Frosted Window Graphics

Frosted graphics are a popular choice because they look sleek and professional. Many businesses use these indoors, often as lobby or office signs. You can even have an entire window covered in frosted window film to create privacy for a room.

3. Clear Window Graphics

Having clear decals is a way to blend your visual design seamlessly with the window. It looks as if the window itself has a printed design on it. The advantage to using these instead of having your glass printed on is they can easily be removed when you are done and they leave no damage to your window.

4. Perforated Window Decals

These are the only type of graphics you can see through. This is perfect for a storefront window if you wish to still have visibility out beyond your storefront. From the outside though, they appear to work as any other type of graphic. That’s what makes them so useful!

5. Window Clings

The advantage of using a window cling is that they do not require any adhesive at all. This could be necessary if you or an employee has an allergy to adhesives or if you are worried about any sticky residue being left on your window after they are removed.

Consider these commercial window graphics and think about which one would be best for your business. When you are ready to decide, give us a call.

Call 4 Directions Signs & Graphics, Best Rancho Cordova Sign Company

For more information, reach out to 4 Directions Signs & Graphics. We help businesses in Rancho Cordova, CA, with our customized signage solutions, and we are ready to help you too.

Message us or call us at 1-916- 740-1180 to set up a consultation today. Discover the power of window graphics, and increase your foot traffic and revenue.

Source: https://4directionssigns.com/window-graphics-types-benefits/

[littlemisslipbalm]

I live in the neighbourhood

When Y/N moved to Hampstead she was unaware of the implications the decision would have on the course of the rest of her life.

or

Harry is Y/N’s eccentric neighbour who sweeps her up in the whirlwind that is his life

this gif bc its maybe my favorite clip of him EVER holy fuck - this is the harry of my dreams this is the harry of i live in the neighbourhood

HEY YALL it’s been a minute and I missed yall so much and I’m just about to be on break so maybe i’ll be back to posting writing regularly but with school its so hard and I think I’ve been working on this for months so yeah <3 lol PLS PLS PLS leave me feedback and reblogs and that stuff bc otherwise my writing just feels...empty and you have no idea the smile i get when even just the tags say like “god this was everything” it can be anything honestly but it keeps my passion up. Thank you again and hope you enjoy.

Word Count: ~10k | Warnings: swearing probably? no smut (yet), rich and famous harry - mentions of Taylor Swif 

-

She considered herself an average young woman in her mid twenties. She liked screaming Taylor Swift and Megan Thee Stallion songs alone in her car and thrifting on weekends. She hated cable because of commercials and when doordash didn’t deliver all of her order. She had asthma when she worked out or the air quality was bad. She had dumb celebrity crushes that her friends and her still laughed over with every new instagram post. She had hopes and dreams she had yet to achieve and she had past trauma that many would never know about, especially at first glance.

Sure, she was successful. She would admit that. How else would she be able to afford even the modest little house she had found in Hampstead? She had studied international business in college and hopped on a plane to London the first chance she got. After a few years of a more than decent paycheck and an advantageous stimulus check from her kind parents, she was able to move out of her starter flat into the suburbs. The definitive push for the move was two-fold. Her parents wanted her to take her dog and her apartment complex was strict on no pets. Then her promotion at work - which included a pay raise - made it hard to wave off taking full ownership of her childhood ten-pound best friend.

So with life happening as it usually does, Y/N first found herself scouring Zillow, then touring homes in the area, and finally standing outside a three bedroom, two bath, two-story cream house in Hampstead. Her house.

The little moving truck she had rented sat beside her as she stared at her future. The realtor had told her they would be there in ten minutes. For the next ten minutes all Y/N had to do was keep herself from combusting, or worse, sobbing.

She felt overwhelmed already. Renting a flat in London was one way to describe herself as independent. Owning a home in Hampstead seemed like a whole new level of adulthood she wasn’t sure if she was prepared for.

After taking a few deep breaths to ground herself, Y/N walked up to the gate that kept her front yard narrowly separated from the sidewalk. She lifted one hand from beneath the box she clutched tightly to her chest to push past the iron-rod gateway. The garden was cute, a little bland, and she thought to herself that maybe she’d develop some gardening skills now that she had her own front yard. The thought made her smile a little, refraining from laughing aloud while on her lonesome, since she had never taken interest in gardening before. But this house. This house. It was a new beginning. It was a fucking unwritten journal. Blank film. Unknown territory. She could be anyone in this house.

She gently placed the cardboard box on the first step up to the front door. There was no porch, but she couldn’t complain. It was gorgeous and she was lucky to get it at the price she did. The house was cream with dark blue accents and a grey shingled roof. Lots of windows. It was classic and it was hers.

After the realtor came with her keys and made sure everything seemed alright, Y/N’s couple of friends, Amélie and Daniel, arrived with their cars filled with items she had needed picking up from various stores. They helped her move her stuff into the house. Thankfully it was already half furnished, meaning she didn’t have to go out and buy beds or couches or any of those big items that are both expensive and a hassle to deal with.

By the time the evening had rolled around, everything was in the house and it actually seemed semi put together. Y/N looked around, sweat apparent on her face and hands on her hips, proud of what she had accomplished. The nerves from earlier had been drowned by pride.

-

The next day, she woke up from her first night in the house. It felt like a dream even though she was sure she was awake.  

She had to navigate her way to the airport today to pick up her dog from his long flight and then mainly settle into the house. Her house sat on Sherwood Avenue, one of the many streets in Hampstead. It’s neighboring houses were much larger. The ones directly next to and across from her weren’t drastically bigger but what she had yet to learn was that next to the house across from her there were two houses that had been joined together by their slightly eccentric owner. A man who would be the match that ignited the flame that was the rest of her life.

This unknown fact quickly became known after Y/N’s first few weeks in her new neighbourhood. The eccentric - more so absurdly rich - neighbor who conjoined the houses was Harry Styles.

The first time they crossed paths she wasn’t even aware of it. It was the day she moved in. He had been out for his usual morning run and was rounding the corner when she had pulled up in her moving van. Once inside his home, he snoopily watched on as his neighbour began to move in. He hadn’t taken note of much about her, just that she was new and that she had a nice pair of jeans on that day.

The second time, Y/N was convinced she needed to get her eyes checked because there was no way that she had just seen Harry Styles key himself into the house across the way from her. There was no way that she had moved into the same area as him, let alone the same street. It seemed far more plausible that she needed a psych evaluation or a strong glasses prescription.

But the third instance of them crossing paths, she was proven wrong. She was on her way back from the neighbourhood park when she saw a guy jogging towards her. With a yellow beanie and a black Columbia sweatshirt paired with running shorts and shoes, he was hard to ignore running straight towards her. The iconic curls, strong jawline, and soft green eyes were dead giveaways this time. After making brief eye contact as their paths literally crossed, she felt herself make a little face of odd interest. Her head quirked and her eyes narrowed, lips pursed with slight confusion. That was definitely him.

After that, she found herself seeing Harry around the neighbourhood a relatively good amount. She’d see him at the park, at the coffee shop, on their street, and more. They didn’t speak. She really didn’t think he would want to be bothered by his neighbours and she certainly wasn’t willing to test the theory. They sometimes gave a small smile of acknowledgement but nothing really friendly. Just ‘you exist and I know that’.

-

Fridays are Y/N’s favorite day. It’s the beginning of the weekend, she never has to go into work and it’s simply a nice day. People are happier, they smile brighter and it just seems like the world is a little better than usual.

Friday was especially amazing today because her childhood best friend, Cate, was arriving at London Heathrow in the evening. Y/N had begged Cate to fly out to see the new house in person and Cate had finally found the time to run away to England for a week.

She shut her front door carefully behind her and placed her headphones in her ears. Rori, that little terrier, who had made a similar flight to see Y/N’s place not too long ago, scampered out the door with her and jumped happily at her legs as she fiddled with her phone. Her coat ruffles around her disturbed from the morning air. It’s blanket-like fabric that consisted of a deep blue backdrop with felt giraffes sewn on it, kept her warm while she walked. With her mind racing with weekend plans and ideas for her and Cate to do both in Hampstead and the city, she crossed the street like usual and began to walk with her dog to the coffee shop for her morning tea.

Unlike usual, she fumbled just as she was putting her phone in her pocket and bumped into something large and definitely not sedentary.

“I’m so sorry!” She blushed and moved backwards from the man who had just been shutting his own front gate to head somewhere.

“S’alright. No harm, no foul.” He looks down at her and her dog. Rori seems excited by the stranger and sniffs him eagerly. A single paw prodding at the man’s long leg.

She grimaces, hearing the voice and stepping back allows her to fully recognize who she had just bumped into. Her neighbour. The runner. Harry Styles.

“Sorry.” She mutters again as Rori continues to prod at Harry’s leg.

She tries to coax Rori away, but Harry simply smiles and leans down to the small dog.

“Hi there buddy,” he coos and rubs the top of the fluffy dogs head, in between his pointy ears, “What’s your name?”

“Rori.” She states easily, Harry’s eyes flickering to her smoothly. Rori makes a smile babbling noise that sounds a bit like a tiny roar - hence the name - and Harry chuckles to himself.

“He’s really adorable,” he finally says and straightens up from his admiring of the dog.

The grimace becomes more of a smile on her face and she mumbles a “Thank You”.

As her neighbour - who hasn’t introduced himself (which wasn’t necessary, but still) or bothered to ask for her introduction - seems to be about to say something new when his phone begins to vibrate obnoxiously. He twitches, his large hands immediately going to his pockets for the important device. He checks the message and looks back at her face.

“Sorry, I have to run...um,” he’s not sure what to say. He really does have to go, but he doesn’t even know his neighbour’s name. He’ll have to make sure to get it at some point in the near future. Especially now that he’s acquainted with her dog.

“No worries,” she smiles completely this time, relieved for the whole interaction to be over. She felt like she was going to explode with each passing moment. In the presence of a legendary musician, c’mon, who wouldn’t be freaking out. All she could think about was how Harry Styles now knew her dog’s name. What the fuck!

-

Upon arriving at the airport, she waited patiently for Cate to walk out of the customs area.

When she did, the two young women began jumping up and down excitedly, Y/N squealing only slightly. They hugged and began chattering intensely, catching up on lost time that generally occurs when you live an ocean apart.  

Finally, one comment rings through the constant back and forth and Cate stops.

“Wait, what did you just say,” she questions as they begin walking to catch an uber back to Hampstead.

“I think my house might be haunted?” Y/N’s voice raising because she’s unsure if that’s what Cate was talking about.

“No, no, the thing after that. I think I must’ve misheard you.”

“Harry Styles is my neighbour?” Y/N’s brows raise as she looks over at her best friend, curious to know what she will say.

“Yes! Explain. Now!”

“It’s not really a big deal. It’s a nice neighbourhood, it makes sense that celebrities of his caliber want to live there.”

“That is not explaining. You have to introduce us!”

As they climb into their uber and settle in for the short ride back to Hampstead, Y/N sighs and tells Cate everything she knows.

“We’ve only just spoken today and I’ve been here for a couple weeks. He lives across the street and down one, I guess. I just see him around, it’s not like he knows who I am. He didn’t even get my name today, just Rori’s.” She laughs lightly, still finding it funny that Harry knows her dog’s name.

Cate nods, leaning in slightly to her best friend, hardly able to contain her awestruckness from the story and baffledness at Y/N’s calmness. “So, like, when do I get to meet him?”

“Girl, I don’t fucking know. Never, if you’re going to act wild. I don’t want the neighbourhood to think I’m not chill.”

“Sometimes…” Cate starts and leans away from Y/N jokingly, “I hate you.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.”

They both smile, bumping elbows silently. The song on the radio fading in louder as their words die out.

-

The next day, Y/N took Cate to the local park. It was expansive and connected to the football fields that local teams would play at. The park section was a luscious green that was maintained with copious amounts of watering by the township.

She and Cate settled on a patch of grass near a slender tree that would offer some shade if the sun’s rays became too harsh. The quilt they sat on was something her grandmother had made her when she was maybe 8 years old, meaning it was torn in places and completely worn in a different shade of pink than it had been initially.

They set up their picnic and played music, enjoying the sunny day. Something rare and fleeting as the fall began to creep up on Hampstead.

They eat and catch up on life for about an hour. Basking in the sunlight, Y/N had laid on her back and was staring up at the clouds passing along the sky. Cate was carefully watching their surroundings, simply taking in her friend’s new home, but possibly for another reason too.

“Hey, isn’t that…” Cate trails off, trying to subtly nod in the direction of an approaching figure.

Y/N sits up, her hands holding her up from behind her. Her hair fails in front of her shoulders slightly and it’s a little disheveled from being mused in the grass. She looks discreetly in the direction of Cate’s nodding and then looks at her friend and rolls her eyes.

“Yes, but don’t say anything, he might not even notice me and I’m certainly not calling out to him.”

‘Illicit Affairs’ by Taylor Swift is playing off her speaker and as she’s about to change it, Cate turns it up slightly. They share a glare with one another before trying to act casual again, even though both of their eyes kept flickering to the man who seemed to be continuing closer and closer to their set up.

It became clear that Harry was approaching them after all and Y/N tried to carry on an unbothered conversation with Cate, which was hard with the constant nudging of Cate’s foot on her shin.

He stops a mere foot away from their blanket, beaming at the two young women lounging on the ground. He makes an attempt at a casual wave, his large hand splaying his fingers quickly, before opening his mouth to speak.

Cate beats him to the punch. “Hello there!”

“Erm, hi!” He says nicely to her and then looks at Y/N.

“No Rori today?” He inquires.

“No,” she smiles, slightly blushing at the fact that he remembered her and her dog. “He’s napping.”

“Ah, I see,” He pauses, “I feel like I need to apologize.” He continues.

“For what?” She questions and Cate watches on anxiously, mesmerized by Harry and dying to see what happens next.

“I ran off before I could even ask for your name or introduce myself. It was terribly rude.”

“Oh,” she can’t stop smiling, “It’s nothing to apologize for, I’m sure you’re busy. Besides I had to get my day started, otherwise I would’ve been late picking her up.” She points to Cate who smiles sheepishly, still internally screaming over the fact that her friend is able to talk so easily to a celebrity.

Harry nods and looks at Cate again, “Just visiting I take it then?”

She nods quickly, words escaping her. Y/N chuckles under her breath and swoops in to save her friend any embarrassment. “Cate’s my best friend and she’s been kind enough to take time out of her extremely busy life to come look at my new house.”

He hums, still standing a respectful distance from their set-up. “Nice to meet you, Cate,” he says very kindly. Then he laughs, but in a way that is like he’s beside himself. The two women both quirk their heads at him. Y/N squints her eyes slightly, trying to understand the guy she is talking to and connecting him with the man that is all over the news all of the time for his musical genius.

“Now I know your dog and best friend’s names but still not yours. At this point, I’m begging you to tell me.”

They all laugh and Y/N feels nervous for the first time since Harry had walked up.

“You first,” she smiles slyly.

His eyes widen slightly in surprise, but then go back to normal. Harry was very smart, she likely knew his name, but one, she was trying to be funny and two, she was also trying to be courteous. He preferred to introduce himself rather than just be told who he is, even if people already knew. It allowed him to maintain some normalcy.

“‘M Harry,” He says with a smile.

“Alright.” She says and then remains quiet.

Harry’s lips quirk up in a faint smile, amused at her expression.

“I thought it was a ‘show me yours and I’ll show you mine’ type of situation or was I mistaken?” He finally asks when she remains silent still.

The two young women laugh and Y/N bites the inside of her cheek, both feeling flustered and completely in control at the same time.

“You weren’t mistaken, I was just thinking.” Then she pauses again and Cate thinks Harry is about to combust and Harry thinks he’s going to as well with all the anticipation that has been built up over his neighbor’s name, even though he was pretty sure he’d heard it in passing at one point or another but had forgotten quickly afterwards.

“It’s Y/N.”

Harry releases a facetious sigh of relief, “Oh thank god! Finally!” His words quickly turn into an infectious laugh that is paired with a shining smile and she feels like she’s swooning right then and there. The control has gone out the window and she’s taken with her neighbor. He’s wonderful in that moment and she forgets about Cate or the park or anything. It’s just Harry and how it seems like he’s smiling just for her.

“Now that I’ve gotten your name,” he smiles pointedly at her after his laughter has faded away. The smile doesn’t leave his face though, his eyes still crinkled, his dimples still showing.

She nods, encouraging him to continue. Cate feels like she’s watching a movie unfold in front of her and she wishes she could record the entire interaction.

“I can finally ask you, Y/N, where did you get that fabulous coat I saw you wearing yesterday?”

She twitches further upright, eyes bringing themselves directly inline with Harry’s gaze. “Oh,” she inhales, “The giraffe one, yeah?”

He nods.

“I got it from a Goodwill years ago. It’s some vintage company that used to only make sleepwear. I looked up the tag one time and it doesn’t exist anymore. Super cool, though. Wish I could buy more.”

“Yeah,” Harry says eagerly, even taking a step towards the women, “It was so intriguing. Maybe, if you didn’t mind of course -” he falters, losing his courage for a moment, “you could bring it over and my stylist could check it out. I would love something similar and I’m sure he could figure it out.”

She shrugs. It wasn’t crazy, especially not for Harry - she assumed. She was certain he often found things he liked but there was only one of them so he would just order his own. She couldn’t help the pride that was swelling inside her though it that moment. Harry Styles liking her jacket so much he asked where it was from and then wanting his stylist to look at it. She’d jump for joy when she was in the safety of her private home later tonight with Cate.

“One condition,” she says and Harry’s brows quirk amusedly at her.

“You are a very tit for tat person,” he muses.

“Fair’s fair,” she shrugs again and then looks around her quickly, “It’s simple so don’t get too worked up over it, buddy.”

He laughs slightly again and tries to figure out what she’s looking for. When she extends a scratched up, sticker-covered point and shoot film camera he smiles.

“Can you take a picture of Cate and I? It’s always just the two of us so we never have anyone to take pictures of us together.”

Harry grins at this and her sincere face. Cate is a little taken aback, because while it’s technically true, it’s not entirely factual. They have plenty of film pictures of them - maybe not recently though. And she wasn’t going to question Y/N right now. It seemed like she knew what she was doing.

Harry takes the camera and begins to look through the viewfinder. The women scoot closer together and Cate wraps her arm around Y/N’s shoulder. She leans in to press her cheek against her best friend. They smile up at the camera and Harry crouches slightly to get a better angle.

“Alright,” he mumbles, “Ready?...Cheese!”

Their smiles stay hung on their face as they listen for the click and when the faint sound befalls their ears, Cate laughs and Y/N pulls away. She reaches forward for the camera, her hand easily brushing Harry’s large one.

Their smiles meet each other and Cate can’t help but notice how they grow as the two of them look at one another.

“Thank you,” Y/N says sweetly and pulls back to retake her seat on the blanket.

Harry straightens up, his grin falling back into that signature smirk. “No problem.”

“So-” He begins but she cuts him off.

“Well, I’m sure I’ll see you around, yeah?”

He clears his throat, feeling thrown off. “Yeah, sure. I guess next time I see you we can talk about when a good time would be for your jacket to come over?”

His voice raises at the end of his question a little more than usual, he’s trying to get her to bite, but she doesn’t seem like someone who is easily thrown off. He is trying to read her and she’s been completely cool the entire time. It’s intriguing. Even more so than the jacket, even though he’d be lying if he said he didn’t like it, it wasn’t really his focus when he walked across the park to her and Cate.

“Yep! It was nice finally meeting you Harry.”

He feels the cue to walk off and says his farewells. As he walks off, back on course to his intended destination, his head is filled with questions. Most important of them being when he would see her again.

Cate and Y/N watch him walk towards the football fields. They see him meet with a group of men and it seems like they’re there to practice or play a game. Y/N couldn’t be sure.

“He likes you!” Cate finally bursts out.

Y/N rolls her eyes, “Stop trying to make me take the piss. That’s a fucking lie and you know it.”

“It’s not! He likes you and you obviously like him, I mean, but we been knew.”

“Having a crush on the famous Harry Styles when you’re 17 is different than me liking my neighbour Harry.”

“But you like him don’t you? He’s even better than he was when he was 19. Now he’s all grown up and established and more your style anyway.”

“Shut up! He could hear you.”

“He really couldn't, he's yards away, you’re just paranoid.” Cate continues to tease and ridicule her best friend over Harry and Y/N is just about ready to up and leave, but she also can’t help but laugh it off.

“I’m literally gonna kick you out if you keep talking,” Y/N says between laughs and the women feel like they’re back in high school losing their minds over the stupidest joke ever.

“Okay, fine. But all I have to say is I will hold this over you when you end up together.”

“Yeah, yeah. Sure, whatever. Just be prepared to wait forever because I can promise you Harry Styles and I are never ending up together.”

--

Two Weeks Later

Y/N walked to her door after hearing the doorbell ring and opened it to find her neighbour standing with his arm raised ready to knock.

“Hey, Harry,” She greeted easily, but not entirely sure why he was here.

They hadn’t really seen each other since their official meeting in the park. It hadn’t bothered her and it hadn’t really bothered Harry either. It seemed like they both had extremely busy lives that they didn’t plan on throwing out the window because they had said they would meet up at some point. She liked that.

Harry had come over because he finally had a break in his schedule and was hoping to talk about the jacket and anything else really. He was interested in getting to know her and he didn’t care to hide it.

“I was wondering if you wanted to go get a coffee or something?” He asked, leaning himself against her door frame now.

Her eyebrows raise and her eyes widen a little bit, not completely sure she heard him correctly.

“Right now?!” She asked incredulously.

She was wearing an oversized grey sweatshirt and black bike shorts that peaked out from underneath the sweatshirt hem. One of her socks was shoved around her ankle while the other was pulled up flat to touch the base of her calf. She didn’t think she was looking the most presentable at the moment. She had been basking in her day off by simply laying on the couch watching hours of Netflix.

He nods, his smile growing on his face. Her flustered expression only made him happier. She was always so nonchalant with him, he wanted to see her a little more antsy.

“Unless you’re busy,” he adds seriously, not wanting to bother her, just wanting to spend time with her.

“No, no. I’m not...I’m not busy. I just wasn’t expecting any plans where I would be required to go out in public. Let me just...um, come inside and then give me five minutes.”

“Sure,” Harry smiles again as he steps into her home.

Her smile is sheepish and much less genuine then the one Harry holds on his face as he takes in her abode. She tells him to make himself comfortable and then runs to her room to try and possibly fix her state in under five minutes.

She tears around her room, heaving off the frumpy sweatshirt and grabbing a long sleeve striped v-neck top she had hanging out half out of her hamper, a sign known to her that while it was clean enough to wear, if she happened to do laundry she should wash it. Slipping it over her head, she walks to her dresser and leans over to open the bottom drawer and unfolds a pair of dark wash oversized jeans. There’s no holes in them and she throws them on the bed so that she can slip out of her current pants. Next, onto the socks, she swaps out the current ones for a fresh black pair and finds her tortoise print boots to flick on. As she just about runs into her en suite bathroom, she zips the two boots up between steps. A quick comb through her hair, deodorant, two spritz of perfume, her eyelash curler and mascara and she’s running back to where Harry is waiting in her living room.

He blinks surprisedly at her promptness, usually giving people more time then what they say they need. She had indeed gotten ready in five minutes. He thought she looked breathtaking. And she felt like she was at a lack for breath in any case.

“It’s a bit cold out,” he glances to the window.

“Isn’t it always?” She smiles, finally catching her breath.

He chuckles and then nods, a smile appearing on his face as he feels a warmth in his chest at her wit.

“Ready?” He checks in.

She nods, grabbing a coat she kept hung by the door.

“Just the coffee shop down the way?” She inquires as they exit the house and she locks the door behind her.

Harry hums, waiting down a step for her to turn around and walk beside him. It was so strange to her, this felt all too normal with him. Like he was just a friend who had come to pick her up for coffee, her neighbor, nothing more.

“Did you hear the new season of the Crown is coming out soon?” Harry asks as they walk shoulder to shoulder (technically since her shoulder wasn’t in line with his).

“Really?” She looks at him, “I love that show!”

“Me too,” He looks at her and smiles happily.

“That’s amazing,” she breathes mostly to herself, half about the show and half about how Harry watches television and that he watches one of her favorite shows.

There’s silence. The brisk air pricking their cheeks as they walk down their street. Their puffs of breath create a slight mist of white ahead of them and then quickly dissipates.

Her eyes flit up to Harry’s chiseled jaw and face and she watches him as his eyes carefully and meaningfully take in his surroundings. Was it her turn to take a stab at conversation? It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence but she just wasn’t sure what was going on.

“You play football right?” She says finally as they turn onto the next street that would bring them closer to the café they both frequented.

She remembered seeing him there on several occasions. The tips he left were always overly generous, which she assumed you could do when you were exorbitantly rich. He always smiled when he ordered and knew the baristas by name. His order rarely differed and she hated to admit but she knew his two regulars. His actual “regular” was a 12 ounce black coffee, dark roast, no cream and no sugar. The other, his “I’ll actually have”, was a 16 ounce iced green tea, no cream and no sugar.

She couldn’t help that she was observant and that when ‘H’ was called at the bar she looked at what was pushed out, patiently waiting for him to come snatch it up with a smile and nod to the workers before he left. Sometimes he’d even smile at her over the lid of his drink as he exited the establishment. It was warm and inviting and she felt good about the twinkle in his eye that never seemed to waver no matter the day.

Now they were going there together and she’d have to pretend like she’d never noticed what he got as a drink.

He responds to her question with another glance at her and a simple “yes”. His hands shove into his pockets and one side of his pink lips quirk up. He continues, “I’m on a local team with some mates. We’re in a little competition with our league. The final match is coming up this Sunday actually...You should come.”

He says it so casually it almost doesn’t catch her off guard. Harry inviting her to his football game, maybe this was going to be her life now. Going to her neighbours football match. Going to Harry Styles’ football match.

“Sunday…” She sounds out, choosing to look out into the distance instead of at him. “What time?”

“Eight.”

“P.M. right?” She responds quickly, worried since she never wakes up that early and rarely before 10 a.m. on the weekends for that matter.

“Of course,” he chuckles.

They’ve come upon the café and he’s quick to grab the handle to open the door and let her go before him. She can’t stop the blush and smile that spread on her face as she ducks her head into the warm and cozy shop. Men had opened doors for her before and she really thought of herself as a strong woman who didn’t need a man for anything, but something about Harry’s action felt especially, and specifically, chivalrous. Why, she had no idea.

Neither of them stop to look at the menu. They were regulars and they both knew that about each other as well. He gestures for her to go first and she mutters her thanks before turning to the patiently waiting barista. She orders and is about to hand over her card when Harry suavely steps in and says, “Don’t worry about it. I invited you with me, I’ll pay.”

It was both completely unexpected and expected at the same time. Knowing she’d never win this fight, she thanked him again, glanced at the man taking her order and then stepped aside. Harry orders his own drink and then pays for both. Today he leaves double the amount he usually leaves for tip, she assumes since it’s two drinks he was paying for.

“You didn’t have to do that, you know?” She says quietly to him once they’re in a corner of the café waiting for their drinks.

He stands slightly slumped against the wall, closer to her height right now. He only shrugs, his good natured smile not once leaving his face since he entered this place.

“I wanted to,” he said simply right as the drinks were ready since it wasn’t particularly busy on this random Friday afternoon.

They glance outside and see that it’s begun to drizzle while they’ve been inside. She sighs, having hoped to walk around a little after being inside all day.

Instead, they sit at the corner table in the café, across from each other. She moves on from the paying thing, knowing it was simply how this guy probably operated most of his life.

He got a black coffee today, the cold and rain likely contributing to that choice.

As one pop song fades out, slightly under the sound of the coffee machines, she’s about to tell Harry she’s pretty sure she can make his final football match when ‘Cardigan’ fades in. It’s the second time a Taylor Swift song has been playing while she’s been in the presence of Harry and they were conversing. She tries to ignore one of her favorite songs at the moment. Harry doesn’t seem to pay much mind to it. His foot is tapping against his other, but it’s been tapping like that since they sat down.

“I think I could probably make it to your game,” she says finally after a pause and a sip of her own drink.

Harry grins at the response and launches into how great it will be if they win and how happy everyone will be. She smiles along and doesn’t notice the slight head swaying to the song that she’s begun.

“Fan of Taylor?” Harry inquires and Y/N’s face drops, eyes widening cartoonishly.

She stutters, a nervous laugh leaving her mouth before she can actually say something. How does she respond about liking Taylor Swift to a man who counts her as an ex. She’s at a loss.

“Yeah, uh,” she finally starts.

Harry watches her curiously, obviously noticing her discomfort as his question.

“I used to not really consider myself a fan. I don’t really follow her just because I don’t really follow...um...musicians,” she chokes out the last word realizing Harry fits that category. “But, after folklore, I don’t know, this album really spoke to me. I also really like Lover and...uh” she pauses again, sticking on 1989, an album she has argued with her friends about how it’s basically a tell all of the man before her and Taylor’s relationship.

He nods, hoping she’ll continue. He wanted to get to know her and he kind of liked seeing her squirm. “1989?” He finally supplies.

Her blush isn’t able to be covered this time. If her hair didn’t fall in front of her ears she was sure they’d be flushed with blood.

Then she draws out of her own self stress and looks at the smooth man before her and grows calm. He was amazing at winding her up and she didn’t want to seem like some young, impressionable fangirl to him. So, she squared her shoulders and straightened up in her chair.

“Yes, it was pop perfection as one of my college friends liked to say. I’d always listen to it at the gym.” Then she pauses, taking a measured breath, gaining her confidence back. Her eyes meet his, “Is there any songs off it that you particularly enjoy, Mr. Styles.”

He chuckles, mostly because of her emphasis on ‘Style’.

“Shake it off?” He asks.

“Oh fuck off!” She laughs and he joins in with her.

When they catch their breaths from laughing, they simultaneously take sips of their drinks and settle their eyes back on one another. Exes and songs written about oneself weren’t exactly the topics Harry had in mind for the coffee outing he had asked Y/N out on, but talks of exes had never been this funny with anyone else. He was grateful for her playfulness, her demeanor.

“Can I ask you something personal?” She asks quietly and seriously.

“I think we’re past that question, love,” he responds.

“Yeah, I guess,” she pauses and just about whispers, “Pretty much all of them are about you right?”

He shrugs again, his felt coat rustling around his seat. “We never really talked about every single song.”

She leans forward at the ‘we’ Harry is using about himself and Taylor Swift.

“But when I listen to the songs, I hear us in just about every one but a few.”

“Wow,” she breathes and sips her drink. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lived through something that intense and then someone commemorated in a masterpiece.”

“Do you have a favorite on that album?” He asks, moving on from her revelation.

“I love ‘I know places’, it has a cool sound. But I also really love ‘Wonderland’. They both have kind of dark sounds, yet it still is like what you have is so special that the bad bits are worth it. I don’t know, it just seems like a tv show. I don’t think my life could ever be that crazy or dramatic.” She doesn’t notice her use of ‘you’ because she had meant it as a form of analyzing the song theoretically as she had done hundreds of times with her friends,  but this time the ‘you’ is literally the ‘you’ the song is talking about.

“Love can turn anyone’s life chaotic.” Harry muses.

The green eye’s that flashed at Taylor throughout that album look at Y/N from across the table and she feels a flip in her stomach at his tone.

Maybe he notices her mild discomfort, maybe that’s just who he is. But after a beat, Harry’s onto the next topic on his mind. He launches into how he’s just returned from Scotland for a shoot for something so undercover he can’t even divulge to her, much to his dismay. She’s taken aback since she didn’t consider her someone Harry would divulge any of his private matters to, but it seemed like he already considered her a confidant. Just not for that. He wants it to be a surprise.

She smiles and listens attentively. She wonders as he goes on about his interesting yet absurdly lavish life whether he even knows what regular life is like anymore. Or if he’d even enjoy it if he experienced it.

Sure, coffee and football were plenty part of regular life . But the football league was something novel to Harry. He had just gotten to do it and he was thrilled by its normalcy.

She regarded him carefully, unsure what the next step was in this budding friendship. Was it dangerous to get involved with someone’s life which seemed to be filled with whirlwind rigor and constant change.

She liked her chaos, don’t get her wrong. She felt like she often was the odd one out in life. Always thinking differently than the ones around her. She often was the one to suggest spontaneous late night trips around town or exploration of an abandoned building known for spooky stories. She liked inviting friends over for themed parties for no specific occasions and she liked taking film pictures of friends like they were models even though it was only for her and her memories. She thought of herself as silly and fun, but what Harry described as his chaotic fun actually was regimented tight schedules of constant travel and work. Interesting experiences came out of that constant travel and work, but didn’t seem like something she necessarily wanted to get herself wrapped up in.

After coffee, they leave the café and it’s pouring now. Instead of going home, Harry insists on walking her to her place. She relents, realizing, once again, that Harry wasn’t someone who took ‘no’ for an answer. She then invites him in because it’s the polite thing to do. And Harry being Harry accepts.

“Want a dry sweatshirt while you wait?” She asks as she slips off her wet shoes and jacket in the entryway. Harry follows suit, his knit sweater being pelted with rain for the last eight minutes left him feeling cold and shivery.

He nods as he toes off his shoes and ventures back to the living room she had him wait in a few hours ago.

“Here,” She says as she tosses a grey sweatshirt in his direction. She believes it's her one from earlier, an innocuous pullover with ‘London’ in collegiate lettering on the front. He catches it as she rounds the corner to turn up the heater.

Her mistake was being so careless to not look at the sweatshirt before handing it over to her neighbor. Anyone else, maybe they wouldn’t have questioned it. But Harry, how could he not.

“What’s this?”

“A sweatshirt,” she doesn’t spare him a glance on the coach as she fiddles with the thermostat.

“It’s one of my sweatshirts,” Harry says and she can hear the smile on his face.

“That’s impossible, I’ve never borrowed-” Her brows had raised at what he said but now her words fall short.

He didn’t mean one of his personal sweatshirts that she possibly borrowed if they were better friends. No. He meant his merchandise.

“It was a gift,” she sighs as she turns to face him. He’s now wearing the sweatshirt proudly and grinning up at her smugly.

She rolls her eyes when he gives her a knowing smile.

“I didn’t know that it was the one I was handing you. Honest!”

“I thought you didn’t “keep up” with musicians,” Harry says playfully, his fingers making quotes appropriately.

“I don’t.” Her tone is serious as she plops on the couch beside Harry.

“I enjoy your music from time to time. Is that a crime?!” She finally exclaims when she can’t handle Harry’s knowing smirk.

“No it’s not, you could have just told me you were a fan!” She tries to stop him and protest that she wouldn’t consider herself a fan, but he continues, “I still would have wanted to have been friends.You’re one of the liveliest neighbors I’ve got. Everyone else on the street is rather dull.”

She chuckles, remembering finding out quickly that the street wasn’t a lively bunch.  

“I just wouldn’t say I’m a fan,” she presses and sits across from him.

He continues smiling like he knows the truth.

“I don’t think you’ve met an average person in awhile, Harry.” She finally says after they sat in silence for a few minutes because they were both too stubborn to be the first to talk.

“I would hardly call you average if that’s what you’re implying, Y/N.” He nods her way and he shifts on her plush couch, his legs adjusting themselves on their own accord. “And I know plenty of average people,” he adds huffily.

“I normally wouldn’t either, but compared to who you seem to surround yourself, I very much am. And that’s not meant to be a jab at anyone involved.”

His right hand sneaks up to his head to scratch at the base of a particularly perfect curl. His eyes squint a bit as his mind processes her claim.

“What are you trying to say exactly?”

“I’m just curious to see if you’d actually like me in your life. It seems like you want to be friends with me and that’s great, but realistically I don’t know how much I would fit into it.”

Harry scoffs, “That’s literally bullshit, just relax. I’m so chill you won’t even know what to do with me.”

Now it’s her turn to scoff. “Chill?!” She asks incredulously. Harry nods with a seriousness she hadn’t seen before.

“When’s the next time you’re flying off to another country for work?”

Harry pauses, “Um...the day after the final match. I’m beginning to film a movie, so I’ll be there for a month.”

“Busy bee,” she muses and they both chuckle.

There’s something about the somber look Harry is giving her. His eyes twinkled in the coffee shop and with playful winks she was excited to be in his presence. But after she mentions when his next trip is, he seems saddened. There’s skepticism behind his eyes and maybe he doesn’t like being challenged about who he is from other people, especially those who are new in his life.

But that’s who Y/N is, she’s straightforward and doesn’t lie to someone. If Harry was now her friend, she was going to tell it like it is to him. That personality trait she worried wouldn’t make her long for his world.

“So the cardigan? Do you have it here?” Harry changes the subject, clearly not wanting to actually consider a realistic friendship together instead just charging ahead with no hesitation. Whatever happened they would deal with it as it came. Maybe she should just go with the flow, let herself be swept up into his madness. Maybe it would be easier than fighting it.

“No.”

“Oh?”

“I do, I was joking. Where else would it be?” Her tone is light, trying to get back the shine she had seen Harry exhibit before it had vanished.

Maybe that was Harry’s effect on people. He was vibrant and like an Elton John song. You never wanted that shine to go away, never wanted the song to end. Never wanted him to stop shining his light on you. She felt this happening in just a few hours with him. When he was happy so was she and when he wasn’t entirely shining she wanted to do whatever she could to get it back.

A smile curls on his face and his green eyes narrow slightly. He’s trying to figure her out, know what she’s all about.

“Do you want to go and grab it?” His voice sweetening, almost like a tease. Maybe he means to bite his lip, maybe he doesn’t, but the effect on her is nonetheless earthshaking.

She pops up and smiles back, happy to have made him happy. As she walks out of the room to go get the cardigan that had started this all, her head tilts and she furrows her brow wondering why she felt such a sense of pride just for making him happy.

Would this man cause her to finally put someone else’s wishes ahead of hers?

-

“Are you on your way?”

She listens to Harry’s slightly worried voice crackle over the speaker of her phone as she shuts her door with the hand not holding her phone to her ear. His voice is raspy and muffled. She assumes it’s from the cold air of London at night and the scarf he is likely got wrapped around his neck.

“Yes! Jeez, I’m on my way. Walking over right now.”

It’s the final match for Harry’s football team and if they win the game then they get a trophy and it’s all Harry has been talking about since they got coffee and she handed over her cardigan.

Harry huffed an “alright” on the other side of the line and she called a “see you soon” before hanging up.

He was both eager for Y/N to come and possibly meet some of his teammates and a few of his close friends who he had invited and for her to arrive so that she wasn’t walking out late at night alone. He hadn’t known her for long, but he felt a certain protectiveness over her. She was relatively alone here, only two friends at work that she had mentioned and everyone else lived far away. She said she didn’t mind it, but Harry had a hard time understanding it since he surrounded himself with his friends as much as he could and was constantly either traveling or having them travel to see him.

He had even contemplated inviting her to come to Los Angeles with him for a month, but knew she would remind him of her ever important job that she couldn’t just randomly take a month off.

He’d have to ask her what exactly she did because every time he tried to remember, it always slipped his mind.

When her figure came into sight below the fluorescent lights, he breathed a sigh of relief. A grin spread on his face as she beamed at him and waved a bit. He didn’t understand how she couldn’t see how special she was. Every time he saw her he felt himself straighten up and feel a bubbling in his chest. Her smile was infectious and the way her eyes glittered when she looked away quickly and then returned eye contact made him want to stay in her presence forever.

“You made it!” Harry said and scooped her up in his arms, not realizing just how happy he was to see her, swinging her around in a half circle.

She laughs in surprise, but appreciates the warmth Harry’s hug offers her. She’s not quite sure they had ever touched each other before this moment beside shoulder brushes and hand touches. Nothing so...purposeful.

“I made it,” she confirms and pats him on his broad shoulders.

Questions in her mind raced as she questioned whether it was normal for friendships to happen like this. She knew in college friendships could happen this quickly. And that’s when it dawned on her, she really hadn’t made a new friend since college and that was why everything with Harry was so odd to her. She had forgotten what new friendship was. She needed to stop questioning everything and just live in the moment with a person she really liked being with.

Harry’s hands move from her waist and one stays to lead her forward so he can introduce her to some of his mates, as he had promised.

She felt at home in that moment. His hand on the small of her back, his heat radiating off of him and her hair swept behind her ears and her cheek pressed to his shoulder staring up at him sweetly.

She meets Charlotte, a member of Harry’s band who lives in London, her boyfriend, Mitch (who had just happened to find himself in Hampstead this weekend), Ben, and a few more people she couldn’t remember all the names of.

Harry’s team wins the game and Y/N’s not sure if she’s ever seen someone so happy to win an adult league football match. There wasn’t any official trophy except the one Harry had made himself and said he would even give to the other team if they won. It was engraved with the words “The World’s Greatest Football Team of Stars Ever. October 22, 2020”. It doesn’t even make sense but she’d been holding it for the entire night as he played.

He goes down the line of his friends who have been watching and gives them all jubilant kisses on the lips. When he reaches Y/N she holds out the trophy and he grins and gives her a kiss on the cheek. His lips are surprisingly soft and his scratchy stubble tickles her and she swiftly pulls back, a smile on her face and blush on her cheeks nonetheless.

Charlotte and Mitch share a look between the two of them and Ben’s eyes narrow slightly at the interaction. His eyes narrow just as they had when Harry had strutted over to the group with Y/N before the game. He had happily named everyone and she had shaken all of their hands with a warm smile on her lips. Ben had regarded her warily and she had shaken it off as the chill of the night air. But there it was again, not quite trusting of the neighbour girl Harry had just randomly befriended a few days ago.

The team and the friends of the team decide they deserve to celebrate this win, mostly at the request of Harry.

Y/N tries to find a time to leave, to return to her place so she can prepare for her day at work tomorrow. But no excuses will be heard from Harry and she has a hard time saying no to his sparkling eyes and gorgeous grin that she’s growing far too accustomed to.

She’s ushered down to the closest pub with the rest of them and finds herself chatting with Charlotte’s boyfriend. He’s the most...normal. She’s not sure how to explain it, but he doesn’t seem to be regarding her as different, unlike every other one of Harry’s friends. They were all perfectly nice and cordial with her, but she just felt like she wasn’t a part of their group, their world and she didn’t know how to explain it.

Charlotte and Mitch are rather nice too, but they’re more reserved with her. They’re musicians, like Harry, and they somewhat have that air of awareness around them that Harry sometimes gets. She thinks it’s from the fame, having to constantly be wary of who is around you, what everyone is doing, what is happening next. She doesn’t mind it, it’s just not something she’s used to.

She wishes she could just throw back some drinks and she could allow herself to be more...well just be more. More of a presence, more of herself, but she has a job she has to get to bright and early. Tomorrow was Monday and for her that meant work. So she sips a beer that Harry insisted be on his tab and she makes small talk with Charlotte’s boyfriend about how he’s been helping her produce her first EP. Charlotte occasionally pops in when she hears her name, but mostly is conversing with Mitch over something silly. Y/N knows because they keep laughing.  

Harry is going around to just about everyone in the party and she watches as he happily talks with every one of his friends. He’s ecstatic and she wonders if she’s ever experienced happiness like he has.

At midnight she attempts to make a French exit, as her mother always called it, and slip away with little to no farewells, but Harry spots her before she can.

“You’re leaving already?” Harry asks loudly, the euphoria of winning his silly little game and drinking a fair amount of pints has him at his peak boisterity.

“I have work tomorrow,” she says warily, slumping slightly from the weight of Harry’s arm slinging around her shoulder.

He turns serious and straightens up slightly, his green eyes looking especially dark in the pubs dim lighting as they look her dead in the eye. “Let me walk you home.”

“I can get home by myself,” she laughs, shrugging off his hold. “Plus, the host can’t leave his own celebration.” She gestures to everyone else happily celebrating on a Sunday, somehow not bothered by the beginning of the average week.

He steps closer, his brow furrowing for the first time that night. One of his large hands raises to his tousled hair and he runs it through the tresses. He even nibbles at his lower lip as he contemplates his decision. Then quickly and suddenly, he makes up his mind,

“No, I’ll escort you. Can’t have my neighbour walk home this late alone. I’ll just leave my card with Mitch. He’ll settle up the tab.” He smiles at his perfect plan and she grimaces feeling slightly embarrassed that he would leave his friends to walk her home. “Won’t you Mitch?” Harry calls as he grabs his coat from the wall next to the door. Mitch simply nods and Harry yells his farewells, Y/N waves meekly.

“That was...interesting,” she mulls over her words as they walk through the cold night air outside of the pub.

“Amazing, right?” Harry speaks over her less enthusiastic voice.

“You have a lot of friends,” she mused, trying to sound less disheartened than she had in her last statement.

Harry only hums and shivers slightly from the cold. His breath comes clearly out in puffs in the cold night air. Y/N’s is muffled by her scarf wrapped tightly up to her chin. She’s tucked his face as far into it as possible but her nose won’t stop from freezing as they walk.

Her hand goes up to it and she rests her palm to the tip of it. The motion grabs Harry’s attention and he looks directly at her curiously.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m freezing,” she muffles out, “This helps my cold nose not be so..cold.”

He chuckles and wraps his arm around her shoulder and she easily folds into him, welcoming any warmth right now.

After another moment of silence and them enjoying each other’s warmth and slight smell of whatever perfumes they had chosen earlier that night as well as beer and wood of the pub, Harry nuzzles his head above hers and then asks her something.

“Was that overwhelming for you?”

She’s quiet, thankful his eyes can’t reach hers right now. He was too powerful with those things.

“I, um, a little. I just...I just realized today that I haven’t made a new friend since college outside of work and it was overwhelming just hanging out with you. So all of your friends as well, yeah, it was a bit much for me.”

Harry looks out at the empty street ahead of them and sighs in realization. In his excitement, he hadn’t accounted how she might have felt tonight until just now. He wanted to kick himself for not thinking of her feelings, but other’s feelings slipped his mind so easily sometimes.

They round their street corner and she nuzzles back into his side.

“I’m sorry, love.” He rubs at her outer arm, “I didn’t think about it like that. I was just so excited for my plan to come together. Maybe next time, it’ll just be a couple of them rather than so many?”

“Sure,” she says quickly, wanting to make him happy, knowing how much he cared about his friends. “I feel like we need to hang out more with just you before I osmos into your friend group though if I’m being honest.”

“Well that can definitely be arranged,” he says and reluctantly lets go of her body. They’ve arrived at her door.

“I also want to see the inside of your house at some point.” She tugs at one of his hands before it can disappear into his warm coat pocket. “Houses,” she corrects.

“That can also be arranged,” Harry smiles with his lips closed. Pink lips and rosy cheeks extra bright from the cold. He plays with her fingers as the two stand close to one another, happy for the alone time and chalking the proximity up to heat sharing.

“You leave tomorrow right?” She finally asks.

His head falls and he sighs.

“Yeah…”

“It’s just a month,” she smiles, trying to stop Harry from being so dramatic. Especially when there was no logical reason for him to be so upset over not seeing his neighbour - she keeps telling herself.

“Are you sure you can’t quit your job and just fly out with me?” He pleads.

She throws her head back in laughter and shifts closer to him, her front porch light illuminating and shadowing every perfect place on Harry’s gorgeous face.

“Not even a chance.”

“That is a shame,” he takes an experimental step closer and she feels his breath fan across her cheeks at his last word.

She wrinkles his nose at the smell of his last beer, even though coming from him it was endearing.

Just as she feels him being to shift his head closer, she steps forward and gives him a tight hug.

“Goodnight Harry,” she whispers into his ear, “Safe travels.”

Then she’s stepping back and swiftly unlocking her door. She moves it slowly so as to not wake Rori and then Harry’s left alone and dumbfounded on her doorstep.

He definitely preferred being with her alone, but now he didn’t even have that chance until next month. And nonetheless she had just sidestepped his kiss with such ease he’s not even sure if he meant to kiss her. It had felt right, but why? Because it was cold and picture perfect? Or because he was enchanted by her and liked her as more than a new friend?

She slumps in her kitchen and fixes an Emergen-C to stave off the chill of the night and any germs that might have been lurking around the pub. She hopes when she walks to her bedroom she can check the front porch and see that Harry has gone home because she would hate to turn the light off on him.

How could he have expected her to kiss him just then? They’ve only just met each other a few weeks ago? And he’s Harry Styles and she just lives in the neighbourhood. What the actual fuck had happened to her life?

[latte-fairytaekwoon]

𝑴𝒂𝒇𝒊𝒂! 𝑨𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒛: 𝑺/𝑶 𝑻𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝑻𝒐 𝑫𝒐𝒎 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎 (𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅)

Disclaimer: In no way am I condoning, justifying, encouraging or promoting mafia behavior or lifestyle. This is simply a work of fiction and not meant to represent real life scenarios.

Warning: NSFW content. Read at your own discretion.

✿𝐾𝑖𝑚 𝐻𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑗𝑜𝑜𝑛𝑔

"Baby? What are you doing?"

Hongjoong smirked as he watched you perch yourself on top of his work desk. You purposefully bent down so he could get a glimpse of your cleavage and a peek at the lace red bra that was part of the set he had bought you on your anniversary, his all time favorite. He sucked in a breath and licked his lips. He tried cupping your chin to kiss you, but you swatted his hand away.

"Nuh uh Kim Hongjoong. This time....I'm in charge." You grinned mischievously at him.

Hongjoong merely chuckled with an amused tone as you brushed your lips against his, your teeth biting on his lower lip.

"Don't play with fire baby. You'll get burned." He warned you.

But you ignored him, instead opting for kissing down his neck, leaving hickeys all over it. Hongjoong let you have your fun for a few minutes before slamming you down on his desk, hands pushing your skirt up, revealing your soaking red panties. Hongjoong snapped one of the garter belts' straps against your thigh and you let out a pathetic whimper at the sting.

"Now darling....let me remind you who's really in charge."

✿𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑘 𝑆𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑔ℎ𝑤𝑎

You lifted your face up from the pillow, a tired groan coming out from your lips. Trying to lift yourself up on your arms, you fell back on the bed, body still shaking from the intensity of your little session with Seonghwa. You heard the devil himself get off the bed and start dressing himself. Turning your head, you saw him give you a cocky smile.

"What? Don't give me that look doll. You brought this upon yourself." He chuckled as he zipped up his pants.

You pouted as you rolled yourself onto your back, hissing at the sting in between your thighs. But at least now you made a mental note not to try to dom your boyfriend, unless you wanted him to make you cum 7 times in less than an hour.

Seonghwa did feel some pity for you though.

"Come on love, don't pout. You know I'll take care of you."

Seonghwa kissed your head before going inside the bathroom to start running you a warm bath to help soothe your aching body. You made grabby hands when he finally came out, making him roll his eyes at you when he picked you up.

"Ok come on you little brat. Let's get you cleaned up."

✿𝓙𝓮𝓸𝓷𝓰 𝓨𝓾𝓷𝓱𝓸

Yunho watched you sink yourself down on his huge cock, suppressing a moan that was threatening to come out. He agreed to let you top him for once, amused and curious to see exactly what you would pull out. He was fairly impressed but he also knew you were absolutely no top material. So he just watched you slide in and out of his cock, enjoying the visual of watching your breasts bounce in front of him.

"Y-Yunho?" He heard your voice cry out.

"Yes baby?" His hands rested themselves on the side of your hips, a smug grin on his face, knowing exactly what was happening.

"I.....I..." You bit your lip as your movement slowed down, beginning to feel tired already.

Yunho cooed at you in a mocking tone.

"Giving up so soon honey? What a shame."

You gasped when Yunho sat up, his hand grabbing the back of your head as he began pounding into you from underneath, making you writhe and shake uncontrollably as you neared your high so soon. Yunho's raspy voice had you whimpering as he whispered in your ear.

"Don't get it wrong baby. I'm still the boss."

✿𝐾𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑌𝑒𝑜𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑔

Yeosang raised an eyebrow at you.

"Y/N....." He warned you.

You smirked at him.

"Whaaat?" You imitated his tone.

"Watch it." He sternly told you.

"Or what? Tell me. What are you going to do Yeosang?"

You leaned your face close to his, trying to intimidate him. Although Yeosang did back away from you, he was by no means intimidated. He just blinked at you, staying completely silent, which you erroneously mistook as him submitting to you.

"That's what I thought. The great Kang Yeosang is nothing but a little sub-"

Your words got caught in your mouth as soon as Yeosang's hand wrapped around your neck, applying pressure on the side. The corner of his lip curled slightly.

"That's more like it. Quiet, hushed little baby that knows when to keep their mouth shut."

He leaned in as his grip tightened around your neck, his lips ghosting over your lips.

"Why not put that big fat mouth of yours to work darling? I'm itching to watch you choke on my cock."

✿𝐶ℎ𝑜𝑖 𝑆𝑎𝑛

"Still thought you had a chance at topping me baby?"

San landed another hard smack on your ass as his hips sped up, your walls clenching around him.

"I-I..." You began stuttering now.

"Pathetic. Can't even form any words." He clicked his tongue.

San pulled you up against his chest, his free hand toying with your nipples.

"See? See how you're just my dumb little slut? My cock can't even let you think straight." He teased you.

When he felt you getting close, he halted his movements, making you whine at being denied your orgasm.

"San! I want to cum!" You told him.

San leaned in and whispered in your ear with an evil tone.

"Then beg for it you little slut. Beg me to fuck you until it hurts."

You whimpered but obliged nonetheless.

"Please! San! Let me cum!"

It wasn't good enough for San though.

"Beg harder for me you little whore......"

You almost came at nothing when he added:

"And it's master to you slave."

✿𝑆𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑀𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑖

Mingi chuckled when you pinned his arms on the bed, making you frown.

"Mingi!" You whined, rather too cutely than what the situation called for.

"Yes baby?" He couldn't help but smile fondly at you.

"I'm trying to take charge right now and you're not being cooperative." You complained.

Mingi couldn't help but giggle.

"Honey, it's kinda hard to take you seriously when you get all whiny like that."

You huffed and released his arms.

"I'm done here."

You moved to get off him, but he held you in place.

"Hold on now princess/prince. I'm not exactly finished yet."

Licking his lips, he began sucking on your neck, leaving red spots along the side. You knew he was smirking every time you made a particularly loud noise.

When Mingi chuckled darkly, you knew you were screwed.

"Just cause I treat you like royalty, doesn't mean you always get it your way. Remember..."

He winked at you as he pinned you down on the bed, arms raised above you with just one of his hands.

"I'm still your king."

✿𝐽𝑢𝑛𝑔 𝑊𝑜𝑜𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑔

Wooyoung had the biggest shit eating grin on his face as he looked down at the state you were in.

"Hmmm? What was that you said before? Care to repeat it?"

At this point you couldn't reply even if you wanted to, his fingers were moving so fast inside of you and your vision was becoming more and more blurry. Wooyoung noticed too.

"Oh that's right. I remember you're all bark and no bite hun."

Your back arched off the bed when he found that special place that would have you quivering in seconds. The squelching sounds coming from Wooyoung's abuse on your tight hole and your pants were the only things heard through the room, the neighbors would probably think you two were filming a porn video.

Wooyoung let out a satisfied groan when you came, his movements slowing down gradually to help you ride out your thigh. He pulled his fingers out, making sure to collect some of your cum and spread it around his fingers to show you.

"See baby? Got you cumming in less than 3 minutes."

You blushed as you recollected what you said earlier that day, regretting that you underestimated him and got too confident with yourself.

"I'm the real dom in this relationship baby."

✿𝐶ℎ𝑜𝑖 𝐽𝑜𝑛𝑔ℎ𝑜

You could tell Jongho was trying so hard to contain himself from laughing at your pitiful attempt to dom him.

"I'm gonna have you be-begging for me baby boy." You cursed yourself for stuttering.

Jongho, always the sweetheart for you, simply played along.

"Oh yeah? Tell me what are you going to do to me?" He purposefully flexed his arm muscles through his white dress shirt, effectively distracting you.

You knew this was a stupid idea. Who were you kidding? You were no dom, especially not when you were dating someone like Jongho. He patiently waited for your reply, looking at you so cheerfully and cutely.

Sighing in defeat, you got off him.

"I can't do this! Jongho just fuck me against the wall or something!"

As soon as the words were out, he picked you up very easily and slammed you onto the nearest wall. Your hands gripped his arms, loving the way his they felt under the material of his shirt. You sucked in a breath when he began undoing his belt.

"I thought you'd never ask baby..."

Gifs not mine. Credit goes to their respective owners.

[photosworthseeing]

Blog recommendation of the month - Interview

https://hammadichakouath.tumblr.com/

1. When and how did you start to become interested in photography?

I have always had a big interest in Photography, especially Black and White Photography because I think B&W photographs have a soul and will never die, they are able to cross the ages. That's why it is so unique and the main characteristic of my work. I remember, I used to visit Magnum Photos's website almost everyday to look at the pictures, I really enjoyed looking at the portraits and documentary photography. Two of my favourite portrait photographers are Philippe Halsman and Steve McCurry.

I started taking photos about ten years ago when I got a camera as a gift from my brother, thought it was only a basic digital camera, but i didn't mind and just started creating my own photos and apparently I came to like it very much. To me photography is a creative way to express myself and my feelings.

2. How would you say your photography changed since you started?

When I first began photography, most of my photos were merely street photos or photos taken on the sly. Gradually I became interested in photography in general: Portraiture, Long Exposure, Landscape, and so on. On the top of this, I came into Analog Photography to complete my education. As an open-minded, curious person, who promotes diversity, I couldn't limit myself to only one style of photography. I hope that the audience can see that through my photos. This has been a big challenge for me at the beginning until i was able to take any kind of photo I want.

Now before pressing the shutter release I take all the photography elements into consideration  to succeed a photo. I also edit my photos, something I didn't do before. I am not very keen on post-processing although it's interesting and fun, but by manipulating an image we distort its authenticity. However, my point of view has changed since the beginning that's why I suggest for those who start photography to keep their beginner photos, some of them are masterpieces, we only realize that afterwards.

3. One part of your photography are self portraits, what draws you into this kind of photography?

I use myself as a model to take portraits for several reasons. For instance, when I have an idea for a photo in mind  I can't wait to make it happen, as the only model  I have  on the spot at my disposal is myself, I simply start doing it. In addition I am a very demanding and patient person, to take a single good self-portrait, it sometimes takes me several hours, adjusting the lighting and looking for the right angle, we all know: 'If you want a thing done well, do it yourself'. It's also a real challenge to do more with less, besides I don't think there are many models that would agree to remain exposed  to artificial light too long and i don't have to pay myself :) Last but not least self-portraits are not about myself, it just happens to be my face or my body that is quite simply suitable for the concept. Self-portraits are exercises to excel at portraiture, the more I take self-portraits the better.

4. What is the biggest difference in your approach when you're doing portraiture compared to self-portraiture?

There is really no difference because as I mentioned above doing self-portraits is a good practice to do great portraiture. However, when it comes to make a  client portraiture, for example, I respect his or her request even if I don't usually take those kinds of photo wanted. Most of people like a properly exposed or bright photo. But when it is a self-portrait, I give free rein to my imagination, as I like the strong contrasts between light and dark, in that case I don't hesitate to take underexposure or dark photos to create the film noir atmosphere.

5. Please describe your process when working with a model.

I usually work with friends, most of them are young artists (singers, actors, fashion models), we cooperate together, they pose for free and they get photographs in compensation. Personally, I have no difficulty in finding a model, we set a date, place and how long the work will take. It's interesting to work with outgoing people to take good and expressive photos. Nowadays you can easily find a free model on the social networks. However, if you have trouble in finding a model, you can ask your relatives or friends to pose for you.

6. Do you have any tips for photographers who never worked with a model before?

I would say: Trust yourself, be confident in what you're doing, express your own ideas, be imaginative and creative, everything can be done, the more photos you take, the better, you can make a selection at the end. Don't copying other photographers'work too much.

Suggest your model to wear her favorite clothes and makeup. Make your model feel comfortable: You can just make a simple conversation, give a compliment, direct them when they don't know what to do, also give your model a sneak peek of the photos that you just took, it helps to loosen up and also to correct her or himself. In case you wanna be on the safe side, have the model sign a little contract, this can avoid some misunderstandings.

7. If you'd have to describe yourself as a photographer in one sentence, what would that sentence be?

I would say I am a passionate photographer. I am very demanding and perfectionist and passion pushes you towards greatness. I've been told that before.

PWS - Stephi

[andromedasstarship]

in the stars - chapter 5

pairing - aaron hotchner x reader 

warnings - canon-typical criminal minds violence, stalking, unhealthy coping mechanisms, drinking, angst

summary -  “Please,” he said, staring you straight in the eyes. “Don’t go.” 

a/n - i really love this chapter! cant wait to hear what yall think :DD also for reference i aged jack down just a year so hes 3 when haley passes away, about to turn 5 when reader & aaron get together. i dont claim any dialogue straight from Emma as mine! (emma dialogue is in italics) 

masterlist / series masterlist / read it on ao3 

chapter 4 / chapter 6 

-----

You were hyper-aware of the new way the team was looking at you as you entered the conference room. You shot a very anxious glance up towards Aaron, grateful for the very brief- but soft- glance he gave you before the business side of him took over again. You could feel the ghost of his hand hovering over that protective spot on your back again as he led you up towards the table. 

It felt like your eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, upon seeing the seemingly endless piles of photos in front of you. Your brain was struggling to process everything that was laid out in front of you and you felt your heart rate start to pick up; seeing it in person was worse than anything your mind had created in the drive here. 

“Y/N.” 

Your eyes shot up to meet the voice and you saw Spencer looking down at you with a look that was just on the edge of pity. “We tried to sort the pictures into piles of time relativity. Would you be able to go through them and help us create a firmer timeline?” 

You nodded at that, vaguely aware of Aaron pulling a chair out behind you. You gladly slid down into it. Seeing Emily start to pick up one pile and push them towards you made you nervously laugh, the stress of the moment and how uncomfortable you felt forcing it out. When the entire team gave you a weird look you said, “Sorry, it just reminded me of last time.” 

You gently picked up the stack of photos, trying to hold them as lightly as possible. The knowledge that the unsub had packaged these himself sent a shiver down your spine. You knew it was silly, but you somehow felt that by touching the photos you were somehow also touching the remnants of the unsub. 

The first stack you easily dated as around four years ago, just from your hair; you’d drastically changed it for a role. You thumbed through the photos and could feel the knots in your stomach growing even tighter. Most of the photos were blurry and relatively distant from you, as if the unsub was still getting comfortable with what he was doing. 

“This was four years ago, I had to change my hair for a role and I’ve never had it like that before or again.” You said quietly, pushing the pile back to Emily. 

She nodded, giving you a gracious smile before pushing the next pile towards you. Your face fell immediately; something the team equated to how much more personal these set of photos seemed to be. You fanned the stack out in front of you. There weren’t many, as if even the unsub could recognize the inappropriate- ha!- nature of capturing you like this. In all of them you looked worn down, as if a cloud was following you everywhere you went. 

“This was about two years ago.” You said flatly. It took a moment, but you could see everyone connect the dots in their head and suddenly the room felt very small. 

Thankfully, the next pile was rather average and you guessed that this was just an ‘extra’ pile of photos that didn’t really seem to fit into a cohesive timeframe. As you scanned over them, one caught your eye and you pulled it a bit closer to you. You pointed a finger at the sign behind you. 

“This is an exclusive club house, it’s difficult to get into. Security’s intense and everyone that enters has to sign in.” You informed the team. JJ reached out and grabbed the photo, putting it to the side for later.

You turned your attention back to the pile, making sure to give each photo a proper amount of attention, desperate to notice something useful. 

“This one,” you said, pulling a blurry photo of yourself out of the pile. You were moving too fast for the camera to properly capture you, but you recognized the outfit. “I was wearing this the day Officer Reynolds told me you all were coming, isn’t this the outside of the station?” You said quietly.

JJ moved that photo to the ‘save for later’ pile as well. You gently re-stacked the pile and passed it towards Emily, waiting for the next one. 

You watched as Emily seemed to be literally holding her tongue as she pushed the next pile towards you, a certain playful glint in her eyes. Once you were able to look at it, you couldn’t help but snort. You could feel Aaron tense up besides you, but you could find the humor in it. The ‘Aaron’ pile. 

You fanned the stack out like you had done with the others, giving special attention to the details behind you. These were much more difficult to place and a much smaller pile, considering how careful the two of you had been. 

“These must’ve been in DC?” You questioned, not really expecting an answer. You looked up towards Aaron, raising an eyebrow as if to give him the opportunity to share his thoughts. “Whenever he came to LA, I had an iron grip on our security but it was a whole different field in DC-” 

Your sentence fell flat as your eyes went wide, nearly surging out of your seat up towards Aaron. He gave you a worried look, unable to place the sudden anxiety that had taken over you. “What about Jack?” You asked worriedly, “if he knows about you he must’ve found out about Ja-”

Aaron stopped you, putting a very gentle hand on the top of your shoulder, “He’s okay, I promise.” He said, using his hand to lightly push you back into a seated position. You nodded at that, eyes still wide, but your body seemed to deflate, the tension slowly leaving you. 

The rest of the team was quiet, recognizing the personal nature of the interaction. But it was impossible for them not to notice the way your bodies reacted to each other. The way your body’s natural response to a stressor had been to move closer to him and the way he angled himself in a protective stance around you near simultaneously. 

Emily pushed the final pile in front of you and you couldn’t help the corners of your lips pull up in a soft smile. You fanned out the stack of photos, taking a good look at all of them. They all seemed to either be promo photos or film photos of your time filming Mamma Mia in Greece. 

“This is definitely from Greece. But some of these are definitely promo photos, it’s why I’m ‘posing’ in a few of them.” You said, pushing out one that visually made your point. 

“What about this one? It feels a lot more intimate than a promotional piece.” Emily asked, pulling one out from the stack. In it, you were standing on the dock, face close to the camera. You had a big smile on your face and your thumbs up. 

“On set, we had a handful of little disposable cameras that everyone could use.” 

“Do you have any memory of who owned the cameras?” 

“I…,” you paused, eyebrows scrunched tightly in thought, “I don’t know. The studio distributed all the photos after the movie came out. They’re pretty public at this point, it was five years ago.” You said weakly, feeling really disappointed in your lack of help. “I’m sorry.” You added. 

Morgan stepped up closer to the table. “Don’t be okay? Now we know that the unsub has connections in Hollywood and we know he must be wealthy enough to fly to DC on a whim if he thought you were there. That helps narrow things down.” He assured you. 

“Are there any specific photographers that you’ve noticed? Or any guy you feel like you’ve seen too many times and it’s no longer a coincidence?” Spencer asked. 

You shook your head quickly. “I’m really used to cameras flashing in my face.” You said impishly. “I can remember a lot of fans that I meet, but if it’s just someone behind a camera I don’t think I’d really notice it at all.” 

You felt Aaron move away from you and towards the computer at the end of the table. He clicked a few buttons and suddenly a woman's face popped up on the screen. You recognized her immediately from all the stories and photos you’d seen. Penelope. 

Aaron brought the computer closer to where you were and her mouth dropped open for the second time today. 

“Oh my god! Hi! Wow! I am, I am such a fan. I just-, you’re always so-” 

“Garcia.” Aaron interjected but you raised your hand at him, giving him a ‘shoo’ gesture. The rest of the team had to stifle their laughter. 

“Hi, Penelope right? I’ve heard so much about you.” You said sweetly, leaning a bit closer to the camera. 

“Wow! Okay, I can’t believe this is-” 

“Garcia, I need you to pull up visitor logs from a clubhouse that Y/N used to visit. I want you to cross reference it with other visitor logs of recent film sets she’s been on and her housing development. She’ll be able to give you a more comprehensive list.” Aaron interjected, and this time you let him. 

You turned back to the screen, giving Garcia another smile. “The clubhouse is called Royal Blue, the picture couldn’t have been more than…, I think three years ago? But I’m not sure.” 

“Alright…, okay the visitor logs seem to be locked tight, but never too tight for me. What are some of those movie sets?” 

“The earliest photo is what? Five years ago?” You asked, looking around at the agents for approval. “Yeah, five years. So Mamma Mia, to start, Little Women. I’m working on Emma right now.” You droned, listing various movie sets you’d worked on in the past five years. 

“Oh my god! I have so many questions about Mamma Mia. Like what was it-,” Garcia’s question trailed off as she caught sight of Hotch giving her a firm stare from behind you. “Right sorry, alright. I will break into the clubhouse and cross reference all of these lists to see if anyone comes up more than once. It was so nice meeting you, I hope we get to-. Alright, hanging up now!” Garcia said in a rushed voice. You watched her click a button on her end and the screen went black. 

You leaned back into your chair, staring up at the rest of the team . “So…,” you said, drawing out the word, “what now?” 

-----

“What are you doing?” Aaron’s asked, voice coming out from behind you. 

You comically froze, hand just short of picking your keys up from the table. You slowly turned to face him, straightening your tote bag over your shoulder. “Oh! There you are, I was just on my way to come find you.” You said lightly, trying to diffuse some of the tension in the room. Aaron didn’t say anything, waiting for you to go on. “Johnny and I have plans tonight.” You said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world  

On your part, you’d already forgotten about the whole ‘I’m on a date’ aspect on your earlier phone call with Aaron. In your mind, there wasn’t anything inherently suspicious about you going to spend time with him in the evening.

Aaron was viewing the entire situation in a very different light. When he had first come around the corner, he noticed how nice you looked. When the two of you had finally returned to your place you immediately went up to your room, disappearing for quite some time. He had originally thought maybe you were upset, the cognitive interview hadn’t revealed anything and even though he knew you didn’t really believe in their accuracy, he also knew how badly you wanted to be of ‘use’ for the case. 

In your time upstairs, you had changed your outfit and styled your hair just enough to give it that ‘unstyled-styled’ look. It’s not like you were glammed out or anything, the only reason you’d put on a nice outfit was on the off chance you were photographed- hopefully not by the unsub-, on your way into Johnny’s apartment. 

“And what is it that you’re supposed to be doing?” Aaron asked, trying to keep his voice as nonchalant as possible. 

“Um, nothing much,” You said with an awkward laugh, when he was still looking at you expectantly you tilted your head. “I’m supposed to go to his place and we’re gonna run lines for the scenes we’re filming this week.” You explained. 

“I can’t endorse you going out at night. Especially to someone’s home that we don’t have eyes on.” Aaron said firmly. 

You rolled your eyes at that, picking up your keys. “Johnny’s fine, he’s been in the same place as me when nearly all the bodies were discovered.” You argued, putting one hand on your hip. 

“With the recent development in the cases, I can’t let you do this.”

You started to walk towards him, intending to go around him. “Aaron-” 

His hand shot out and gently grabbed you by the arm, stopping you from getting past him. 

“Hey!-” 

“Please,” he said, staring you straight in the eyes. “Don’t go.” 

Your mouth fell open slightly in a mild form of shock. ‘We’re just running lines, I really need-” 

“I’ll do it with you.” Aaron interjected hurriedly. “We’ve done it before, I’m not too bad at it, huh?” He said teasingly. 

You pondered that for a minute. You and Aaron had run lines together plenty of times in the past, it was always something you got a kick out of, seeing Aaron try and morph into whatever character he was reading for. And while it wouldn’t be as productive as running them with your actual co-star, you reasoned it’d still be good enough. And as much as you hated to admit it, Aaron probably had a point about you not going out, especially in the evening.  

“Fine. I just need to go call Johnny and tell him something came up.” You huffed, pretending to be more annoyed than you were. 

“Here,” you said, reaching into your bag and pulling out your script, “I already have most of my lines memorized, I’ll just need you to fill in if I miss any. I have a pink sticky note denoting the scene we were going to start with. You’re reading as Knightely. I’ll meet you in the living room, alright?” You said, pushing the script into his hands as you walked around him towards the kitchen, pulling your phone out at the same time. 

----

“No, I’m just saying I think it’d be more believable or whatever if we did a few more like nonchalant meals before like, running errands together or something, ya know?” You said lazily into the phone, holding it between your ear and shoulder as you used your hands to mix up a drink for yourself. Out of the corner of your eye you caught sight of the Dalmore. You reached out with one hand and carefully pulled it down, still remembering exactly how Aaron liked to take a drink. 

“What meal really screams ‘we’re dating’? Dinner? That’s like the longest meal of the day, that’s gotta show some sort of commitment.” Johnny asked. 

“Hm…,” you droned, “well we just had a lunch. If we want to kick it into high gear, we should do breakfast. Perfect ‘just spent the night’ remedy.” You said with a snort. 

Aaron cleared his throat behind you and the sound made you jump. You pulled the phone away from your ear and saw you’d been blabbering for nearly half an hour. 

‘Oh. Sorry.’ You mouthed to Aaron, before pulling the phone back to your ear. “Hey Johnny gotta go, but we’ll figure it out later! Yeah…, for sure, bye!” You hung up and placed your phone on the counter. Then you grabbed the drink you had poured for him, holding it out. 

“It’s Dalmore.” You said plainly. 

“I’m working.” He responded. 

You rolled your eyes at that and held it out more aggressively. “Take it.” 

You watched happily as he begrudgingly took it out of your hand, though you knew it wasn’t too difficult for him. You picked up your own glass and tucked your phone into the waistband of your pants. “Ready? Sorry, got carried away.” 

While the two of you walked back into your living room, it was obvious something was bothering Aaron. You briefly wondered if something had developed in the case that he wasn’t telling you. 

‘What is it?” You asked. 

He looked down at you, confused. “What is what?” 

“Don’t play dumb, you have a tell.”  You explained, stopping to look up at him.  

“I do not have a tell.” Hotch replied annoyedly. 

“Yes you do.” 

“No, I don’t.” 

“If you want to be a baby about it, fine you don’t have a tell. Tell me what’s wrong anyway.” 

“I’m trying to understand why you lied about not having a boyfriend nor seeing anyone recently. We’ll need to fully vet Johnny and look into his files, even if you don’t see it becoming serious.” Aaron near spat.

You snorted. “What do you mean lied?” 

“You very clearly told me you weren’t seeing anyone, yet today has proven those claims to be false.” 

“I know that sometimes, I like to be a huge pain but I’m serious, what are you talking about? I’m not seeing anyone.” 

“Your co-star, Johnny? You told me you were on a date with him today. I just heard you on the phone make plans to stay with him overnight. I saw the pictures of-” 

“Stop! Oh my god, I can’t believe you actually believed that.” You said, unable to hold back the laughter that bubbled out of you. 

“Believed it? You’re the only who told me!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry I shouldn’t have assumed you read through the lines. Johnny and I have been going on publicity dates. We’re just friends.” 

“What were you supposed to be doing tonight then?” 

“We were legitimately going to run lines. Maybe get ice cream, we’re trying to determine the best ice cream in LA.” 

That’d explain the outfit, Aaron thought. 

“And the phone call I just heard?” 

“We were debating which meal screams ‘dating’. He thinks it’s dinner. I think it’s breakfast, ya know, cause it implies you spent the night.” 

“Why didn’t you tell me that, before.” 

“Don’t you remember when I had kinda the same thing with Timothee during Little Women? They made us hang out a bunch so the tabloids could just do their thing. I just assumed you’d fill in the blanks.” 

Aaron was staring at you as if you had two heads. It was almost like you could see the gears turning in that head of his. Internally, he was more than embarrassed for how upset he’d gotten over the idea of you with someone else. 

When it seemed that Aaron had nothing else to say, you started to walk again, not stopping until you were both back in your living room. You plopped down in ‘your spot’ on the couch, playfully patting the space a few cushions down that Aaron typically sat in. 

“Crack open that script, I hope you looked through it. If you’re making me stay home, you better be useful!” You said pleasantly, trying to change the atmosphere into something more playful. 

Aaron awkwardly sat himself down on the couch next to you, picking the script back up. As you watched him flip the script open and further acquaint himself with the lines you couldn’t help but feel a sharp pang in your chest. It was such an unavoidable reminder of the way the two of you used to run lines together when you were still dating. You had learned early on that Aaron best showed his affection through acts of service and he actually wasn’t that bad at delivering a line. Since the two of you were rarely together in person- it’s not like you’d let him waste a visit with you building a shelf or running an errand-, running lines with you was the easiest way for him to feel useful. 

-----

Four Years Ago

“Okay Jack, you ready?” You asked, smiling down at the young boy standing across from you. He was dressed up in his winter clothes, despite the blazing heat of the summer. You and Aaron had tried to talk him out of it, but he demanded it’d be the only way for him to fully get into character. And who were you two to deny him? The sweet boy nodded, barely being able to contain his excitement as he bounced up and down on his feet. 

“Alright, places everyone!” You yelled out, holding the diy paper clapperboard Jack had made for you. You held it out from your body and did a very exaggerated clapping motion. “Action!” You said, quickly throwing the clapperboard to the couch. 

“Carrots!” Jack said, his voice more than enthusiastic for the role. 

“Huh?” You said, heavily overselling your voice and reaction. Even with the one simple word, Jack was already in giggles, struggling to keep it together. 

He leaned in closer to you, standing up on his tiptoes. “Behind you!” 

“Oh! Right, excuse me.” You said, stepping to the side and gesturing to the ‘carrots’ behind you. 

You made your voice really low to play the next part. “Woh, a real howler in July, yea? Where ever could it be coming from?” You asked, placing your chin in between your thumb and pointer finger. 

Jack kept giggling at your ‘deep’ voice, he held his ‘script’ up to his face to read his next line. “The North Mountain.” 

You jokingly ran a hand in front of your face, signaling a character switch. “North Mountain.” You stage whispered. You ran your hand in front of your face again, going serious. “That’ll be forty.” You said, holding your hand out with a ‘gimme’ gesture. 

Jack smacked your hand gently to ‘give you’ the money. But after his face fell ever so slightly. “Can we skip to when Daddy gets to come in??” He asked, giving you those big eyes you couldn’t possibly say no to. 

You stood back, putting your weight on your back leg with one hand on your hip. “Hmm.., I think that could be arranged.” You reached over to grab the clapperboard. “Alright everyone! Back to places, but let’s start at ‘Hi everyone’, okay?” 

Jack nodded excitingly and turned back to where he knew Aaron was standing, partially hidden by the hallway. “Places daddy!” He urged, pointing to where he should come stand. 

Aaron came out from around the corner and you quickly covered your mouth with your hand, trying to hold in the laughter. Aaron had a big white hat on his head and had let Jack put a small orange dot on his nose. You and Jack had definitely double teamed poor Aaron, dragging him into your little ‘movie game’ as Jack liked to call it. The three of you had started doing this a few months ago, Jack loved ‘running lines’ with you and you were more than happy to oblige him. It had started when a sleepy Jack had stumbled into the living room one night when he couldn’t sleep and he saw you and Aaron running lines for one of your other movies. Jack had taken to it so much you ended up ‘hiring’ him to help you with your more child friendly roles. 

“Alright, alright. Quiet on set!” You said, making a big deal of you bringing your index finger up to your lips in a ‘shush’ motion. “Action!” 

“Hi everyone. I’m Olaf. And I like warm hugs.” Aaron recited robotically , very clear that he was reading directly from the paper. You smacked your hand back over your mouth, unable to control the giggles. Once you started laughing, Jack fell into his own fit of laughter; both of you fueled off the others amusement. 

Of course, when you finally pulled yourself back together, a quick look at the way Aaron was standing with fake annoyance across his face and his arms crossed tightly against his chest sent you back into fits of laughter. 

“Are you two done?” Aaron asked, no true malice in his voice. 

It was rare that the three of you all got to spend time together. He’d been wary of introducing you to Jack. It wasn’t really a ‘you’ thing, but it was more of how Jack would be able to deal with it. There were the typical worries, what if you and Jack didn’t get along? Or what if you two did get along really well but then you and Aaron broke up and it hurt him even further? While you never intended to try and replace his ‘mom’, you still worried that your chaotic schedule would somehow hurt him, skewing his perception of yet another ‘parental’ figure. Not to mention the issues with him being able to keep your identity and presence in his life a secret; he wouldn’t even be able to tell people like Uncle Rossi that his dad was seeing someone. 

But now, you’d been with Aaron for over two years. And Jack had known about you for about a year now. And everything had been going perfect. Jack was a stellar secret keeper, the unfortunate events of his childhood maturing him faster than any child deserved and he was able to fully understand the importance of the situation. The two of you had taken to each other quite quickly and every night the three of you would have a ‘bedtime’ call; even on the nights when Aaron was busy with a case you’d still call Jack on your own. You loved spoiling him with whatever hot new toy was popular among kids his age or getting him special early copies of movies before they came out. Aaron used to get on you about it, saying it wasn’t necessary, but you argued it was the most necessary thing in the world. 

And now here the three of you were. Nestled away in Aaron’s apartment in DC. You had just flown in after wrapping up a shoot abroad and were just in time for the start of summer. Even though your career was at a seemingly new high, you had managed to secure a relatively empty summer. After long consideration and planning you and Aaron decided it’d be a nice treat for Jack to go spend a month or so with you in LA. You’d consulted heavily with many of your friends who kept their children completely hidden from the spotlight and had hired an airtight security team to assist you the entire time. Aaron was supposed to come out when he could, but you were all aware of how turbulent his poor schedule could be. Schedule permitting, you all would spend the next three days at Aaron’s apartment before you and Jack took off. 

“Daddy! You sound like a robot.” Jack said, scolding Aaron. His voice brought you out of your thoughts and you looked down at him with a big smile. 

“Daddy’s just no good at this huh?” You asked, shaking your head. “He’s no match for our talent, Jack!” 

“This is really hot.” Jack said, holding up his arms. He must’ve been sweating his butt off in all those winter layers. 

“You’re kidding me! I wonder who could’ve seen that coming.” You said sarcastically, reaching over to pull off his big hat and zip down the first of multiple jackets he put on. “I’ve heard that ice cream cools you down…,” 

“Ice cream!’ Jack exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. He didn’t even look to his father for ‘permission’, knowing by now you had the most sway in the house. 

“Go put on some normal clothes okay? Wouldn’t be fun if you passed out in your ice cream bowl, huh?” You told him, ruffling his hair before he dipped under your arm, making a mad dash for his room. 

“He hasn’t even had lunch yet, you know that right?” Aaron asked, giving you a fake stern look as he walked over to where you were standing. 

You rolled your eyes at that, reaching up to snatch the white hat off his head, letting your arms fall loosely around his neck. “Does it upset you that I’m always the cool one?” You asked teasingly, reaching up on your tiptoes to press the gentlest kiss on his lips. 

He gave you one of his small smiles, reaching down to press a second kiss to your lips. “How was your flight in?” He asked, one of his hands wrapping protectively around your waist as the other one found its way by your hair, gently stroking down it the way you liked. 

You let your head relax against his touch and pretended to think for a moment. Instead of answering you reached up again, pressing your lips against his, pressing yourself closer to him. You both thought you could stay this way forever; it being the first time you saw each other, in person, in nearly two months. 

“Gross!” Jack’s voice seemingly cut through the two of you. Aaron was the one to pull away first, quietly laughing so only you could hear. 

“Later.” He promised in a whisper. 

You loosened your grip on him, turning to face Jack. “Oh Jack! Funny seeing you here, ice cream, right?” 

----- 

Present Day.

“Page 103, right?” He asked, skipping to the bright pink sticky note you had used as a place marker. 

You jolted out of your memories, feeling the heat rise up your neck as you prayed it wasn’t too obvious you had just completely zoned out. 

“Yep!” You squeaked out, “page 103, line 19, you start.” You said, waving your hands. 

“And I do envy him, Emma. In one respect he is the object of my enemy, you will not ask me why, you are, you are determined, I see, to have no curiosity but I cannot be wise-” He started, keeping his eyes near glued to the page. 

You frowned, shaking your head a bit. “Stand up.” You ordered, already getting to your feet. 

“Excuse me?” Aaron asked. 

“Stand up,” you repeated, motioning upwards with your palms. “This,” you said, motioning between the two of you, “doesn’t feel right if we’re seated, we’re supposed to move around in this scene, it’s supposed to be painful.” You explained. 

He slowly stood up, looking at you for permission to start again. 

“From where you left off, please.” 

“I must tell you, Emma, what you will not ask! Though I may wish it unsaid the next moment-” 

“So do not speak it.” You cut in. “If you wish to speak to me, as a friend or to ask my opinion as a friend I will hear whatever you like.”

“As a friend, Emma. That I fear is a word, tell me Emma. Have I no chance of ever succeeding?” He asked, looking up at you for further approval, you nodded and he continued. “My dearest Emma, my dearest, you will always be my dearest most beloved Emma, tell me at once. I cannot make speeches, if I, if I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more-” 

“Let’s do a different part, yeah?” You interrupted, voice incredibly tight. You ducked from his gaze, reaching to bring your glass to your lips. 

“Isn’t this the scene you have to practice?” Aaron asked, raising his brow at you. 

“It doesn’t matter,” you replied, taking a long sip, “any practice as the character will be helpful.” 

“If this is the one that’s troubling you, we should go over it.” He pressed. 

“Page 56, start at line 9.” You ordered, throwing back the rest of your glass. “Read it over, I’ll be back.” 

Before you could fully turn to go and refill your glass, Aaron lunged forward and grabbed your arm, pulling you towards him. The sudden movement caused you to stumble, throwing your hands out to steady yourself against his chest. 

“You’ve been drinking a lot.” He stated, repositioning his grip on your arm. 

“Am I not allowed to have a drink or two in my own home?” You challenged. 

“What are you running away from?” Aaron asked, his voice so gentle it made your knees weak. 

“You.” You whispered, after a long pause. You looked up at him with sad eyes and only found confusion in his. “I can’t, I-, don’t you see how funny it is? Your character is desperate for mine to be with and my character is the one to deny yours.” 

Your confession pulled sharply on his heart. He couldn’t bring himself to say anything, not sure there were any words to appropriately apologize for how he had treated you. 

“Why didn’t you ever call?” You asked, voice so quiet he almost didn’t hear you. 

“I, I-” He stuttered, unable to think of an answer fast enough. 

“I waited for weeks,” you said, looking up at him with a look that nearly brought him to his knees. “I waited so long and you never called.” 

He brushed the hair out of your face, letting his hand fall gently against your cheek. His thumb caught a stray tear that had started to fall, softly brushing it away. “I don’t know.” He responded, his voice as quiet as your. “I don’t know, you didn’t deserve that.” 

You pressed your face into his hand, closing your eyes as you felt more tears managing to sneak past you. He was finally admitting words you had dreamed of hearing for years, but yet you were unable to find any joy in them. 

“You didn’t deserve that.” He repeated, sliding his hand towards the back of your head, pulling you firmly against his chest, while his other arm wrapped tightly around your waist. You let your body relax into his, slowly bringing your own arms up loosely around his neck. 

You felt him gently press the faintest of kisses to the top of your head. “I’m so sorry angel.” He mumbled into your hair. 

You pulled your head out from under him, looking up at him with big eyes. The two of you were silent, basking in each other's presence. Your eyes flickered down to his lips multiple times; something he duly picked up on. Just as you began to push up on your toes, nearly pressing your lips to his, eyes half closed in anticipation, his phone rang out. 

You froze, falling back onto your heels with a small sigh. “Answer it, I’m getting a refill.” You said, pulling yourself out of his grasp. He gave you an uncertain look, as if he wanted to pull you back in and ignore the call completely. 

You wagged a finger in front of him, shaking your head. In on fluid movement, you grabbed your glass and nearly ran out of the room

-----

It took you ten minutes to calm yourself down and another five to hype yourself up to return to your living room. And that was after you had made yourself a new drink. 

When you entered the living room, Aaron’s back was to you; still locked on the phone. The tension was clear in his shoulders and your eyes drifted down to his free hand that you knew would be clenched in a fist. It was. 

“Thank you Garcia, tell the team we’ll be there soon.” He said, pulling the phone away from his ear and hanging up. 

“Aaron?” You asked. 

He rolled his shoulders back, trying to loosen some of the tension from his shoulders for your benefit. He slowly turned back towards you, his face pulled in frustration. 

“LAPD just reported another body.”

-------

taglist - @mac99martin @iwaizumiee @kylorendrip @hqtchner @lieswithoutfairytales​ @ssahoodrathotchner @midsummernightdream @weasleylovers @evans-dejong @itsmytimetoodream @yoshigguk @28cnn @cuddlyklaus @hotch-meeeeeuppppp @yallgotkik @sunflowersandotherthings @averyhotchner @kimmy-k-k @uwu-sebastianstan @ivebeenthinkingboutu​

a/n - if youve sent a message asking to be tagged and dont see yourself here, let me know!! im so bad at remembering to move names to my taglist form!! tysm for reading! <3 ​

no permission is given to copy or republish my writing on any other platform or account. if you see this story outside of my blog or my ao3 it is stolen work. i do not own nor claim to own criminal minds or any of the character involved in it.

[feralnumberfive]

Hopefully a TUA Christmas Miracle

I know I said that I didn't want to get people's hopes up, but at this point we need hope because this has been a long wait for anything new relating to S3 and we’re in a TUA Drought (kudos to whoever came up with this tag/term, it’s perfect) and quite frankly going crazy. We can all agree that we've got no new info for S3 since the filming wrap besides being told it's coming out in 2022, which was pretty obvious. It’s been almost 4 months since S3 wrapped filming and we’ve got nothing. Let’s look at some numbers I put together in the past and where we currently are in December 

(Reminder that these are all estimations and predictions and that nothing has been confirmed! Bear with me this got long, but I promise you it’s worth it!)

It’s a little difficult to get the full estimation for S3 since S1 instantly began promoting with character images and posters, so my estimations are mostly based off of S2. There’s certainly a lot of similar numbers and time periods without drastic changes between S1 & S2, and they seem to follow similar patterns length wise for certain “checkpoints.” I know a few of my numbers are off cause I just rounded up the months too. It doesn’t help either that the Instagram account removed everything from the past so now I can’t triple check everything.....

Of course though with S3 filming during Covid and other post production work also happening during Covid, S3 could possibly take longer. On top of that possibility, we also have to consider that maybe, just maybe, things might take a little longer because of S3 being “bigger” and presumably a lot more effects due to the larger cast and more super powers. I don’t know though if those two will change S3′s timeline, I’m purely thinking of possibilities and don’t know the current conditions of tv filming or how long it would take to edit that stuff.

On the other hand though.....

Someone pointed out to me that both S1 & S2 came out the month after their filming start month, so January = February for S1 and June = July for S2. S3 might possibly also follow this pattern too, especially if we consider this event above, hosted by people who worked on TUA S3, is happening March 16th-20th. S3 began filming in February, so if the pattern continues then March would have the release date. It really wouldn’t make sense for the producers and effects team to talk about S3 if it hadn’t been released yet, especially with them saying “Let’s unpack season 3 together!” Doesn’t that sound like a key word for S3 to have been released in early March if they are going to “unpack” it?

We learned today too that Weta Digital is either done or almost done with their part for S3. Weta created Pogo and Aj as far as I know of, so I don’t know if they helped create/edit anything else for the show. This doesn’t exactly mean that TUA is done with editing, but at least we now know that one chunk of post production work is done or almost done for S3. Justin, David, and Jordan have each talked about how they have been shown an episode of S3, but I don’t know if that means the cinematography has been put together for an episode, the effects are partially done for an episode, or if the episode is actually finished with all of the effects in it. I truly have no idea, but Jordan did show us a blue galaxy like thing so it seems like effects and computer editing is being put into episodes now. Again though, we don’t know where they are in S3 in terms of post production work but things are heating up!

So, what I personally believe (and conversations with @golden-wreath) is that we should hopefully be getting something very soon. Like Christmas soon. Or New Years Day soon if not Christmas. Why Christmas? It’s a holiday filled with gifts, something from S3 could easily be advertised as a gift from TUA/TSA. After all, Ben made it very clear in the birthday video that we should be thankful for the Sparrows, and that they are the gift. As for New Years Day? That could be advertised as something like “New year, new Academy/Family.” Or if they play along as a “New year, new Academy” then I could also see them releasing something for each Sparrow on January 1st-7th. 

(And if we don’t get anything on Christmas or New Years Day or even in December then everyone is welcome to come and boo me and throw rocks at me because I am feeling confident in everything I’ve said and if none of what I just said were to happen then I’d feel pretty stupid and embarrassed 😔🥴)

As for what we might get, who knows. The release date? A promo picture/poster? S2 got the release date announced 6 months after wrapping and got the first promo image 3 months after wrapping. However with where we currently are and where S3 is hopefully released in March, it’s hard to tell because if we look at it then we should have gotten something by now and it doesn’t leave a lot of room to start putting out other promo images instead of releasing them all very close to each other. That’s something I feel conflicted about if S3 is coming out in March, we probably should have gotten something by now. Who knows though, maybe the advertising strategy is different this season? It would be helpful if I could have all the images back on the UA Instagram account to check more things out

The gap between the filming wrap in August and the hopeful March release month just feels right for something to happen where we are in December. It’s all a big what if though with when S3 will be released, if we knew that then it’d be easier to estimate everything else. It’s been about 4 months since wrapping and while I don't want to give false hope, the numbers just make sense. It feels like we’re supposed to be getting something soon, doesn’t it?

[its-bound-to-get-loud]

Michael Clifford hair timeline

As some of you might know, this blog started from the frustration of missing certain things in the 5SOS fandom. I’m a 1D fan, I’m used to seeing masterposts about anything and everything. That’s very much not the case in the 5SOS fandom. So I figured, if it’s not here, I might as well go and do it myself. A while back I came to the conclusion there doesn’t seem to be a proper detailed timeline of Michael’s hair journey. So of course, I decided to make one. I heavily underestimated the amount of time this would cost, but I (mostly) had fun making this. So, now I would like to present you with the finished result. It should have every hair color ever in here, but if I somehow missed something or got something wrong, please let me know. I’ve tried my best to be as thorough as possible, but I only became a fan in 2020 and basically had to work my way through 5SOS history for this.

I used Michael’s instagram as a guide and filled in the gaps with interviews, tour diaries, etc. Thankfully he documented most of his hair changes on instagram, which made my job a little easier. So let’s get going!

I have combined 4 pictures into a collage, to prevent having to post close to 50 pictures below each other. The order of every collage is left to right, top to bottom.

So we start with Michael’s natural hair color,. This is a picture I found on Google, I have no idea about the exact date. But this is his natural hair before he started dying it. The next picture is the very first time he dyed his hair, this was a red-ish brown. This picture was posted on January 2 2013. Then later on in the same month he decided to dye his hair darker, to a chocolate brown, which he posted a picture of on January 27. His first bold color happens about a month later. On March 30 2013 he posted this picture of himself with dark blue hair and some lighter blue highlights in his fringe.

The next change comes June 19 2013. When the blue has been mostly removed, you can tell there’s some blue left in the fringe from the highlights, and the rest of his hair still has a blue-green tinge to it. This picture is a screenshot from the 5SOS vs. food video, Michael did post a picture of it on instagram captioned: “when I went blonde for a day”, but the color of that one is quite saturated. So is a better representation. After that, we move on to galaxy hair! The first picture with this hair was posted on instagram on June 19 2013. I thought this was a separate color from the 3rd picture in this collage, but it’s possible it’s the light playing tricks. Picture 3 was posted on June 26, exactly a week after the previous one. On July 6 we move on to the next change, bleach blonde! I think this is the first time he bleached his whole hair. Since the previous color’s were all darker than his own hair, he wouldn’t necessarily have needed bleach. As seen in the first picture of this collage, his hair wasn’t bleached yet. Except for the highlighted fringe. I assume a color removing product was used to get most of the blue dye out, because he said he went blonde “for a day”, which doesn’t indicate fading to me.

The bleach blonde seem to stay for a while, because the next change is almost 3 months later. September 28 2013 brings the reveal of the smurf blue hair. This obviously fades over time, leaving a light, almost pastel blue color as seen in the screenshot I included from their Australia/New Zealand tour diary, opening for One Direction. As October 21 comes around we get a brand new color, bright pink! This faded into a pastel pink as can be seen in the screenshot from this thank you video, posted on November 24.

Up next is reverse skunk, as posted on instagram on November 26 2013. This seems to last a good while, because the next change doesn’t come until 2014, judging by this twitcam from January 18 where the reverse skunk hair is still present. February 10, is when this picture of the purple hair was posted. Moving on to March 21, we get dark red, or maybe dark brown with red highlights, it’s hard to pinpoint what exactly this color is. There is no instagram picture for this one, so I’ve used a screenshot from the 5SOS Livestream to show this one. While writing this I discovered in this video, posted on March 13. where his hair was also this color already. The 4th screenshot from the Don’t Stop video, to demonstrate how long their hair lasted. The video was released May 18 2014. So I’m assuming it was filmed somewhere in (late) April.

The next hair color in line is brown, the picture in this collage was posted to on May 18. However, going back through Michael’s instagram it seems like he already had this color at the start of the There’s No Place Like Home tour in Sydney, on April 30 2014. It’s likely he dyed it right before the start of  tour. The next change comes a little quicker, the earliest I could pinpoint this brown/blonde combo is May 18 at the Billboard music awards 2014. I can’t pinpoint, when exactly he got it done, but I’m assuming it was close before the BBMA’s. Moving on, we’re getting to the iconic green hair era. Again it’s hard to pinpoint when he exactly got it. There’s only 1 picture of it on his instagram, which was uploaded in July. The picture I used is from the Capital Summertime Ball 2014, held on June 21. The website describes it as “his new green hair”. So I’m assuming this is where he debuted it. After green we get this mystery lilac type color. I only found it in this Target Prank video on the 5SOS Youtube channel. Since they are promoting 5SOS1, which was released June 27, 2014, the video can be narrowed down to late June, early July of 2014. That’s as close as I could get it. I even went back to check if maybe they pre-filmed this in february/march and this was the faded purple hair, but the timeline still holds up.

September 1 2014 is when we see a new hair color appear on instagram. For (what appears to be) the video of Good Girls Michael bleached his hair to a white blonde. A better picture is the screenshot from the Good Girls video I included. The next change we see is on September 4 at the 5SOS performance for the iTunes festival 2014. This means that either he bleached his hair a while before September 1 or it was just a transition before the red with the orange undertone. This color fades throughout September judging by the pictures on instagram. I probably should have included one in here, but you can easily find them if you look for them. However on September 29 it seems the color got a refresh, looking nice and bright again.

The first picture in this collage, posted December 17 2014, shows the hair fading again. Then on December 18, at the People Magazine Awards the hair seems refreshed again. It looks to me as if the color has a slightly less orange undertone as well. But that’s hard to determine from 1 picture. The next picture, posted February 4 2015 shows the red has once again faded.  After the red he moves on to this purple color. The first time we see it on instagram is February 18 in a video from the studio. The picture used for illustration was posted on February 27. 

A better view of the violet/purple hair can be seen in the screenshot from the Japan Tour Diaries part 1. In part 2 you can already see the color fading again. The next picture, posted February 28 2015 shows and even more drastic fade, where his hair has turned almost blonde again. Then around March 15 his hair goes fully white blonde again. At the start of the ROWYSO tour in Portugal, May 4, Michael’s hair is still blonde. However 2 days later in Spain, on May 6, he seems to be back to a violet/blue color, like he had previously. 

Then May 24 2015 we move to the next change, (jet) black hair (sorry, it had to be done). On July 16 a touch of color is brought into the hair, with addition of a few colorful streaks in his fringe. right on time for the start of the next leg of the ROWYSO tour that starts in Las Vegas. On July 23 he seems to have added a feather extension in the mix. This may have just been a temporary thing, because I can’t find any further evidence of this beyond the 1 instagram picture. Then August 29 brings a drastic change. From black we move back to blonde.

The blonde seems to last for quite some time. Judging by this performance of Hey Everybody, his hair was still blonde on November 11 2015 (the video was uploaded on the day of the performance, I checked). But then November 22 brings us red hair at the American Music Awards. Judging by other pictures on his instagram this seems to be a more true (less orange) red than in 2014. The red slowly fades, first to a more orange toned color in Bali (picture posted January 2 2016). And eventually it fades all the way to blonde wint a soft hint of red/pink in the 3rd picture, posted January 25 2016. Shortly after he premieres a teal hair color at the G’day USA red carpet on January 28. 

The teal color sticks around for a while, even during the first leg of the SLFL tour. The last I saw of it was on March 12 2016, at the Philippines show. Then in between the Asian and Euopean leg the color changes from teal to brown, as seen at the Sheffield SLFL show on April 5. Then in the break between their last Dublin show (April 27) and their Vienna show (May 12) he bleaches his hair again. After this the era of Michael frequently coloring his hair seems to be done. He stays blonde, at some point he grows it out until only the long parts of his hair are still blonde. As can be seen in this picture posted on October 16 2017. Then at the start of the Meet You There Tour in Japan (August 2 2018) the colored hair makes a brief return with this pink moment. It doesn’t seem to last long however, since I can’t find a lot about it after Japan. So it may have been a temporary thing.

October 9 2018 he posts the first picture in this collage. It’s very possible this is faded pink from the previous picture. Or maybe he dyed it a lighter shade later on. After this the colored hair stops, but we do occasionally get various shades of blonde. The second picture, from November 16 2018, shows a caramel tone to his hair. In the third picture, posted on October 21 2018, we see sort of a dirty blonde. We end this timeline the way we started, back to natural hair. because of quarantine the bleached blonde grew out and eventually disappeared once he cut it. So we have come full circle. We started with natural hair and we are ending it with natural hair. If we get any more changes in the future I will be sure to add them to the timeline.

Finally, a few facts, for fun. 

In total, Michael has had 29 color changes in a span of roughly 8 years.* 

He’s had the most colors in 2013 and 2014 (both years he’s had 8 different colors)

The orange red was the color he had the longest, 150 days to be precise (based on the information available).

* Not counting fades or the “blonde for a day. Since they are part of 1 color or were just used to transition to another color. Also not counting the various shades of bleached blonde in the last collage, since it’s hard to tell if they are actually different, or if it’s light. I did count the transition from blonde to natural.

[whitherliliesbloom]

weaving the present, illuminating the future

[ ffxivwrite2021 ] ★ [ masterlist ] ★ [ prompt #30 - abstracted ]

[ illya & friends ] ★ [ 2,849 words ]  ★ [ streamers au ]

modern / streamers / online celebrities au where the spud squad are all popular streamers who frequently collab together. centers around illya and kaye mainly, but briefly mentions a bunch of other friends and illyanaud.

abstracted- withdrawn in mind, inattentive to one's surroundings

the spud squad announce their indefinite hiatus right after releasing their one year anniversary single, and illya cannot help but to feel just a tad bit melancholic.

Illya hasn’t bothered checking her notifications, or looked at either her computer screen or mobile phone, really. The sounds of ping after ping on linkcord, text after text and the flood of new tweets mentioning the one tag she followed on twitter easily made her overwhelmed - and so she’d opted to switch her devices off entirely before burying herself under the covers for the evening, trying desperately to distract herself with a copy of a manhwa that she’d borrowed from Laurelis. 

But it was futile, her head is empty and heavy, yet swirling with a myriad of many emotions all at the same time. And after feebly reading and re-reading the same page over and over only to realize she hadn’t been paying attention to the contents of the book at all, she closed the manhwa shut with a heavy sigh before closing her eyes, praying to the heavens that exhaustion would lull her quickly to sleep.

Outsiders would merely assumed she was simply nervous from the release of their newest single, Ultramarine Hymn, a collaboration between the members of their massively popular streamer group made in celebration for their one year anniversary. They’d prepared for months, working together with a widely renowned music composer and even performing live on stage with a set of professional make up artists, producers and videographers to film their first ever music video.

For everyone barring Mint, it’d been their first time ever singing and dancing for a large audience online. While the experience had been undoubtedly fun, it was still their first real exposure doing anything of such professionalism and scale- and so her flat mate Kaye wasn’t surprised at all to find her shaking like a leaf as she sat next to him on the couch just several minutes prior to the premier of the video.

While the premier of their first music video was indeed a good half of the reason why Illya felt so out of sorts and nervous for the rest of the night up until sunrise, the true reason for the melancholy she bore in her heart came from the announcement that was posted right after the release of the music video, and it’d kept her awake for a good portion of the late night until she mercifully fell asleep, clutching the lavender purple ribbon she’d worn in the music video tightly in her hands.

The spud squad was going to go on an indefinite hiatus shortly after the release of Ultramarine Hymn - a result of an eight months long business trip Kaye had been assigned on as a professional programmer. Streaming and being something of an internet celebrity was never the man’s main source of income, so it’d be unwise of him to turn down the golden opportunity to further his career in favor of staying behind to continue streaming. 

Naturally, Lily was going to move overseas with him as well - and while she has made it clear to her audience that she will continue streaming whenever she could afford the free time to, the radically different time zones between Eorzea and Doma meant it’d be difficult to participate in anymore spud squad activities - at least until she and Kaye would return.

Mint too, announced that she’d been preoccupied with practicing for auditions into several professional idol management companies... and while Illya herself isn’t as busy as the other three, juggling between helping with business at her mother’s florist, studying for an entrance exam into a medical school and streaming on top of that has become quite a hectic endeavor. 

Thus with much reluctance, the six of them came to a consensus and decided to announce their indefinite hiatus, a news that they’d hoped would sit well with their impressively large audience of fans if it came with the release of a music video to remember them by.

Illya knew that it was a necessary change of process - that new doors are being opened for each of them and it was only right for them to seize the opportunity to chase their dreams. Deep inside, Illya truly did feel overjoyed for her friends, loved them all with of her heart so much that the hiatus was but a small fraction of the cost to pay in exchange for their happiness.

But that didn’t mean there wasn’t a hint of melancholy and bitter sweetness within that earnest joy and cause for celebration. None of the six of them knew when they’d next be able to work on something like this again, or if they’d even find the time in the future to work together again at all. It was perhaps because of their shared understanding - that unspoken sadness between all of them that they’d agreed to prepare something special to celebrate one year of their collaboration - a song that spoke of hope and a brighter future. 

‘The more you give up, the more regrets await you.’

By the time the sun rose, accompanied by the shining of morning light through her pastel pink curtains and the melodic chirping of birds nesting upon the wisteria tree just outside her window, her phone has been assaulted with a mountain of unchecked notifications that she dreaded to sort through. 

The girl knew she couldn’t possibly keep her phone locked and switched off forever, and so she’d booted it up after washing up in the shared bathroom, before walking out of her bedroom, staring down at her screen with a light frown.

The smell of fried bacon wafts through the apartment. The sound of sizzling oil intermingles with Hazel’s cheery singing, and Illya takes the time to open the latch of her enclosure, allowing the little sparrow to flutter about the living room until it settled peacefully next to the potted sunflowers that sat upon the window sills of the kitchen, watching the raven haired man flipping eggs effortlessly with a flick of the frypan. 

“Good morning, Kaye. Thank you for making breakfast, again.” Greeting with an ever bright smile, Illya sits herself down at her designated seat at the dining table upon a bright floral cushion, watching as the man turns his head back for a moment before returning his attention to the stove. 

“It’s Sunday, so it’s my turn. You don’t gotta thank me.” He walks over to the dining table to dump the steaming hot sunny side ups and crispy bacon onto their plates, cups of orange juice already poured and waiting, which Illya takes into her hand to take a quick sip out of.

“You checked eorzeatube and twitter yet?” The young man asks as he sets the frypan down, gesturing towards the phone in her hands.

“N-no... Is it urgent?”

“Not really, no.” Kaye raises an eyebrow, sitting himself down and jabbing a fork into his bacon. “But aren’t you curious about how the music video did?”

“I-I am... A little, I suppose... but-” 

Her stammer gives her away her listlessness, and Kaye shoots the girl a furrowed scowl and a frown. 

“Is somethin’ botherin’ you?” The man asks, and Illya’s lips curl upwards into a wide, deceptively warm smile.

“Just nervous is all.. What if the fans didn’t like it?” it wasn’t a complete lie, though not the total truth, but Illya was always exceptionally talented at hiding her negative emotions, and Kaye seems to buy it enough to slump back against the back rest of his chair and toss the bacon into his awaiting mouth, chewing quietly and swallowing before speaking.

“You won’t know till you see for yourself.” 

It’s an unfortunate reality that he’s right, and Illya finally gives in and taps onto the icon for the twitter app, waiting for the timeline feed to load before her star spangled violet eyes widen in complete disbelief.

99+ notifications, an equally unbearable amount of private messages in her inbox as well as the first tweet literally being about the music video - Moth’ir’s retweet of their short promotional video from their official spud squad twitter account, which has garnered over 40 thousand likes and 10 thousand retweets.

#spudsquad and #ultramarinehymn are trending, and Illya gives in to her curiosity enough to tap on the tags and scroll through the tweets.

cosplaycon2022 hype!!! @/oracleoflight  • 18h  my good friend illya and her friends #spudsquad just released #ultramarine hymn and it’s so so so good!!! please give it a watch!! 

EEEEEEEEEE @/driftinintiawind  • 18h @/academician you didn’t tell me your gf was an idol bro???? GOOD SHIT #ultramarinehymn

 pink is JUSTICE @/rosepinkcutie  • 17h OHHHHH I’m goihng to cwyg #ultramarinehymn made me cryuy. iT’S SO GOOD...... #spudsquad i LOVE YOU

Alphinaud @/academician  • 17h Do give your support to #spudsquad ‘s new music video, #ultramarinehymn ! They’ve worked very hard on it!

soliriii @/windupsunshine  • 17h thank you #spudsquad for all the joy you’ve given me for the past year!! what a way to celebrate <3 #ultramarinehymn

hien’s booty @/floortank   • 16h  HEY #ultramarinehymn IS SO LIT THOUGH????? WTF

thancredwaters @/gunbrkrs  • 16h #spudsquad Good job my daughter hasn’t stopped playing this song on repeat for the past 2 hours. 

Nyx @/underthebloodmoon  • 15h Sharing a good friend’s music video here. #ultramarinehymn #spudsquad

Nidhstinien @/azuredragoon  • 15h [youtube link] #ultramarinehymn nice

vergotohelldad @/reveilleur  • 14h only 4 hours after release and #ultramarinehymn is already trending. twitter has some fucking good tastes in music thank the twelve.

Lamittens! @/lalamitt  • 14h Oh to be spud squad long time fan :pleading: I’m so fed... #ultramarinehymn #spudsquad

nhelly @/blackestmage  • 13h I turn around and #spudsquad decided to drop an absolute banger. loving #ultramarinehymn !!

Aymeric de Borel @/officialborel  • 13h A wonderful song that elicits a sense of optimism and hope. #ultramarinehymn

kafuuchi @/cloudsysmile  • 13h hey is it just me or is kaye getting hotter :blush: still a kayelily simp tho!! #ultramarinehymn

KoKomi Komi @/sangopriestess   • 12h @/starblossoms Congratulations on the new MV!! It’s very catchy! #ultramarinehymn

The scroll is endless, timeline filled with a mixture of both familiar and unfamiliar twitter handles, yet all collectively singing praises and awe for the music video and the song. It’s hard to not be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of positive reception their hard work and efforts have received, and Illya tears her eyes away from the screen to look up at Kaye with a twinkle in her wide violet eyes, and the man looks back at her expectedly. 

“I-It...It seems to be very well received.”

“’Seems to be’? The video’s got over five hundred thousand views on eorzeatube from the past 18 hours.”

Illya almost chokes on her eggs, eyes blown wide as she swallows her food abruptly and her voice raises into a high, bewildered squeak.

“F-f-five... hundred thousand???” 

By the twelve, that’s far more than even their highest recorded number of viewers on their biggest stream - and it’s been less than a day since the release of the music video. She cannot imagine just how ecstatic Mint must be at having such a successful idol-esque debut. 

“Does that ease your worries now?” Kaye asks, snapping the girl out of her train of thoughts once more, and he is met with a smile and an affirmative nod in response. 

“It does... thank you, Kaye.” 

Knowing that weeks of preparation, practice and hard work has paid off and finally bore fruit was the biggest relief Illya’s experienced in a while, and the simple knowledge that the sentiment of their song got through to a good number of the fans warmed her heart.

But in the midst of the joy, there was yet an underlying somberness lingering in the air between the pair that was not lost to either of them, as silence quickly fills the atmosphere and quickly turns the space around them cold. 

Scrolling through the top tweets didn’t exactly help either - because while it had quickly eased Illya’s worries of the music video being negatively received, in between praises for the song came the posts of fans who were dejected by the hiatus announcement.

Most of them had been supportive, of course... Their audience has ever been so welcoming, understanding and wonderful to them. But that perhaps made the disappointment they felt even worse on Illya’s melancholy, as she once again quickly slips back into the depths of her own internal mind. 

Because as well received as the music video they’d released is, it still ends with them going their separate ways, and it fills Illya with a sense of already festering loneliness that she refuses to admit verbally to.

She never did like goodbyes. 

‘The time that flows in the blink of an eye. The fear of continuing to be as we are.’

Neither Kaye nor Illya particularly enjoyed talking about their troubles, not even to each other, and so while Kaye could make an educated guess on why Illya seemed so despondent, he makes no comment on it. He was never the best at comforting others anyway.

He lets the silence fester between them even after Illya sets her phone down to focus on her plate full of breakfast, fishing his own device out of his pants pocket and begins to type away at it. 

It isn’t until after a whole ten minutes has passed that he’d finally look up from the screen, expression unreadable yet his voice sounding a modicum more relaxed than it had been a while ago as he calls out to Illya as she was drinking the last of her orange juice. 

“Hey, you’re free tonight, right?” The raven haired man asks, and Illya sets her glass down with a quirk of her eyebrow, if there was even a hint of sorrow in her, she didn’t allow him to hear it.

“Um... I am. Why?”

A smile from Kaye is a rarity, let alone one that carries such gentleness and ease... but the one he’s wearing now is so warm that it blows away the storm clouds that she hadn’t even noticed hanging over her head. 

“Then, are you cool to do an Among us stream tonight? With the other four, of course.”

Sparkling lavender eyes widen, and Illya is silent for a brief moment before stuttering out in response.

“A-aren’t you going over to Lily’s place to help her pack though?? And... the others.. aren’t they-”

“I’ll only be there for the afternoon. We’re only gonna be flying next week so there’s no rush. As for the others, I already asked. You can even invite Alphinaud if you want, the more the merrier.”

“But didn’t we just announce that we’re going on hiatus? I don’t want to trouble the others if they’re too busy either-”

Her pink lips slightly part, voice timid and soft. Hesitation and uncertainty briefly flashing through her twinkling eyes as she averts her gaze from the man and hides them under the shadows of her pure white bangs. But it does little to keep the light red burn of her cheeks and the bridge of her nose from Kaye, who only rolls his eyes at her in response.

“Gods, stop being so nice. I said I already asked and they’re down for it.... well, mostly. Ichi said he wanted to sleep but I’ll drag him outta his bed if I have to. We may be on hiatus, but it’s not like we’re gonna stop hanging out together, right?”

Though Kaye’s tone is rough and his words are painfully honest, his tongue as sharp as the gaze of his midnight blue eyes, Illya knew there was kindness laced beneath his huff, and the tension in her body slowly begins to fade, making way for a brighter, far more honest and radiant smile that washed away the chill of the air like a spring breeze.

He’s right, as he often is. 

Even if they may go their separate ways in the future, they will still always remain connected as friends, holding the memories they made together close in their hearts. 

Her phone’s buzzing with notifications again, and she takes a peek down at the lit up screen, her heart warming at the equally excited messages from her beloved friends. From Mint who is spamming :mikurave: emotes, to Lily who was telling Ichi that no, a schedule with his bed isn’t a valid excuse and Nanami who was offering to set up the stream for the night... Things are all as it should be, right here and now where they are together - where they are home. 

“If everyone’s fine with it then... I’ll join too. Don’t raid Ichi’s flat, though!” 

Illya lets out a giggle that rings out like windchimes in a cool summer breeze, and Kaye clicks his tongue with a shrug of his shoulder.

“He gave me his keys for this exact reason, he doesn’t mind. How do you think he always makes it in time for our streams? All I need to wake him up is a fork and porcelain plate and-”

“Kaye! That’s... that’s so mean-”

‘I'll hug you with equal parts expectation and anxiety. You and I, weaving the present, illuminating the future.’