#he’s just trying to vibe but you’re like wait we look good rn

[moonstruckme]

okay sooo mae i have this idea for emt!marauders! you know how some people have mistaken appendicitis/ruptured appendix for bad period cramps (bc period education is so abysmal). im imagining a reader who thinks they’re having the worst period pain ever and the marauders are trying to help, but once reader describes their symptoms the boys are like ‘uhmmm no babes you literally need an organ removed rn’.

i hope you are having the best day <3 sending you all the good vibes!! <3

Sending good vibes back, thank you lovely <33

cw: stomach pains, mention of hospital/surgery

emt!marauders x fem!reader ♡ 974 words

“Shh, I know, baby.” 

“You don’t,” you moan bitterly, pushing your face harder into Sirius’ lap and clutching your heating pad to your stomach. 

“I—yeah, I guess you’re right. Sorry.” He continues to toy with your hair, fingernails scratching lightly at your scalp in an attempt to soothe you. On the other end of the couch by your feet, James watches you with a sad puppy look. Sirius’ hand brushes across your temple, and he makes a sympathetic whining sound. “Oh, sweetheart, you’re hot.” 

“It hurts,” you whine in earnest. 

“Do you want some brownies?” Remus peeks out of the kitchen. “I’m almost done with these, but you’re welcome to some batter if you can’t wait.” 

You nibble your lip, looking at him apologetically. “I don’t think I feel well enough to eat anything.” 

Remus gives you a compassionate look and disappears back into the kitchen. Another wave of sudden, sharp pain makes you suck in a breath, curling tighter in on yourself. Sirius coos. 

“Fuck, what did I do to deserve this?” You squeeze your eyes shut, trying to breathe through the pain. “It’s never usually this bad.” 

“Does it hurt in your back, too, angel?” James leans forward, rubbing tentatively at the base of your spine. 

“No, not—not this time. It’s so weird.” 

His eyebrows bunch. “Why don’t you at least have some of your tea? That usually helps, doesn’t it?” 

You press your face into Sirius’ stomach. He palms the back of your head protectively, thumb rubbing the skin by your ear. “Honestly, thank you, but I really don’t think I can. 

“You should, dove,” says Remus, coming in from the kitchen to crouch by your head. He takes your tea and presses it into your hands, brushing a kiss against your hairline when you take it. “Sit up and have a few sips before it gets cold.” 

Reluctantly, you do as you’re told, allowing Sirius to help you into a seated position. He pulls you gently into his lap, making sure your heating pad stays situated, and you raise the cup to your lips. James rubs your ankle encouragingly while you drink. 

“What’s wrong?” he asks at your pinched expression. 

You mash your face into Sirius’ shoulder, ashamed. You feel horribly dramatic. You must have the lowest pain threshold in the whole world. “I can’t decide whether to go to the toilet. I feel like I could be sick, but moving makes it hurt worse.” 

Remus takes your cup from you, setting it back on the table. He’s frowning. “Moving makes it worse?” 

You nod miserably. 

He touches his knuckles to your forehead, brows stitching together. “How long have you been feeling nauseous?” 

You make a low, piteous sound. It feels impossible to think clearly with your stomach radiating hurt. “I dunno. I think it’s because of the pain.” 

“Was it the same time that the cramps started?” 

“I think so.” 

“Alright, thanks, sweetheart.” He kisses the space between your brows. “Do you mind if we check on something really quickly?”

You feel your eyebrows furrow. You’re about to ask what he means when James takes your heating pad, pulling it off of your middle. 

“Just for a second,” he promises at your distressed expression. “I’m gonna feel your stomach, okay?” 

You nod, wanting whatever this is over with so you can get your heating pad back, but when James’ fingers push gently into your lower abdomen, the pain triples. You cry out. 

“It’s okay,” Sirius coos, holding you tighter to his chest while James backs up to allow you to fold your knees in again. “It’s okay, baby, he’s done.”

“Jamie,” Remus asks softly, “would you get us a bag ready, please?” 

You blow air out through your mouth, trying to calm yourself as the pain fades back to the way it was. Sirius pets the back of your head, his other arm wrapped firmly around your shoulders. “A bag for what?” you ask weakly. 

Remus looks at you, his face conveying both apology and tenderness. “We’re going to go to the hospital,” he says slowly. 

“Wha—why?” You feel immediately frantic. Tears press at your eyes. “I don’t want to go anywhere.”  

“He’s telling you why, baby, listen.” Sirius kisses your head. 

“You’re not having period cramps,” Remus says patiently. “The good news is, we can fix it. The pain will go away, and you’ll be completely fine. But to do that, we need to go to the hospital so you can have your appendix taken out.” 

As he explains, Sirius is pressing kiss after kiss into your hair, holding you close and rubbing your back when you get upset. You make your dissent known, but Remus is calm and understanding. He answers your questions honestly, tells you about the procedure, promises they’ll be with you for as long as you’re awake. Before long, James has returned with a backpack of supplies for an overnight stay and your pillow under his arm. 

He sets them both down on the coffee table. Slips one arm behind your shoulders, another beneath the crooks of your knees. 

“No sense in walking when you’re poorly, right angel? Sirius, you can carry her things, yeah?”

Sirius groans as he slings the backpack over his shoulder. “Fuck, did you pack all her books?” 

“Just the essentials.” James kisses the bridge of your nose. “Wouldn’t want you getting bored in there. You doing alright?” 

“I don’t see how it can get worse,” you manage. You know you must look awful, eyes red from withheld tears and face creased with pain. James’ brows hook sympathetically. 

“At least you’ll feel better in a few hours, yeah?” 

“Yeah,” Remus answers for you. He sets a palm on top of your head as he moves past you both to get the door. “We’ll have you all fixed up soon, dove.” 

[55szn]

lost and found - ln4

lando norris x fem!reader smau

summary lando thought he had lost his summer love warnings none i think fc barbara kristoffersen taglist @jaydaaasworld notes requested!🌷

INSTAGRAM

yourusername

liked by friend1, friend2 and 6.189 others

yourusername mamma mia l’italia 🍝🤌🏻

view all 21 comments

friend1 girl you spent THREE days there what are mamma mia-ing for

yourusername the three best days of my life leave me alone i miss it so much

friend2 you’re in PARIS rn what do you have to be sad about 😭

friend2 btw who tf is that

yourusername that’s a secret i’ll never tell xoxo gossip girl

friend1 i hate you☺️

friend3 gorgeous 😍 when can i see uuuuu

yourusername I’LL BE IN SYDNEY IN THREE WEEKS BABE TEXT ME!!!!

landonorris

liked by alex_albon, pierregasly and 1.754.129 others

landonorris italy was really really fun 🍕

view all 3.021 comments

user summer lando😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

user loosing my fucking mind over the 1st pic (no i’m not okay)

user LIKEEE HE LOOKS SO GOOD😫😫

user YO WHO THE FUUUCK IS THAT

user FR WHY ARE WE NOT TALKING ABT THIS

user patiently waiting for the f1 gossip pages to find out who that is ☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️

user girl we are TRYING there’s literally nothing

user trying to be chill about the fact that lando may be taken

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

lando.jpg

liked by carlossainz55, martingarrix and 489.210 more

lando.jpg tbt italy 🥹

view all 1.201 comments

user LANDO’S ITALY POST GIRL IS BACK EVERYONE THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!!!!!!!

user but we still don’t have a tag or see her face i hate his ass😭

user hard launch tonite queen?

user we ain’t even getting a soft launch babe

user PLEAAASEEE JUST MAKE IT PUBLIC I WANT HER POSTING BOYFRIEND LANDO CONTENT

user ONG

user i get the vibe this was just a summer fling so i don’t think we are ever getting that 😞

user summer fling and he’s still posting her lmao lando get tf up

MESSAGES

INSTAGRAM

alexandrasaintmleux

liked by yourusername, landonorris and 38.209 others

alexandrasaintmleux girls night 🦋

tagged yourusername, francisca.cgomes

view all 2.918 comments

francisca.cgomes <3

user so cute alex!

user umm guys check @/yourusername profile

user HOLD AWWNNNNNN

user is that…😦

user WE GOT ITALY SUMMER GIRL’S INSTAGRAM !!!!!!!!

user oh she’s gorgeous

yourusername lovely meeting you girls! 🫶🏻

alexandrasaintmleux looking forward to seeing you again!🩷

TWITTER

MESSAGES

INSTAGRAM

landonorris

liked by yourusername, carlossainz55 and 3.129.011 others

landonorris lost her once found her twice (thank you alex)

tagged yourusername

view all 5.190 comments

charles_leclerc more like thanks ME 😒

carlossainz55 more like thanks me for listening to his mental breakdowns 🙄

landonorris wow no need to expose like that

yourusername damn you were having mental breakdowns over me before we even started dating 🤣🤣

landonorris thanks a lot carlos, thanks a LOT

alexandrasaintmleux you’re welcome just treat her right 🫶🏻

landonorris 🫡🫡

yourusername never would’ve thought that i’d see my italian summer boy again 😢

landonorris makin me tear up babe😢

user i’m crying i never thought i would live to see this day…

user this story is soooo cute i’m obsessed

user boyfriend lando material incoming 🙏🏻

user THOSE PICS ARE SOO CUTE SLEEPING ON THE HIGHWAY TONIGHT

[hoshifighting]

Hello! I love your work 🥹 I hope you are well

Just wanna ask your thoughts on how the seventeen members would react to see you driving speed / you being fast on connected apps like ‘Find My’ heheheeheh

Thank you ❤️

a/n: thank u sweetie, i loved it!! im doing well!! <33 i hope i understood well.. like a gearhead girlfriend?... made w/ luv ❤️

WARNINGS: mentions of breakig the speed limit

seungcheol: “yo yo yo, slow the fuck down, we ain’t tryna die today!!” he’s literally shouting through the app, and you could almost see him gripping the imaginary 'oh shit' handle in the backseat. he loves you, but he’s lowkey shitting bricks rn, “bruh, this ain't fast & furious... i swear if we crash, it’s on you.”

jeonghan: sigh “baby, why you gotta be like this?” he’s too cool to actually panic, but you can feel him judging the fuck outta you. he’ll make you feel like the most irresponsible person alive while also making it clear he’s kinda impressed. “next time, let me drive so we don’t both end up with speeding tickets… but like… you kinda look hot doing it though, not gonna lie.” he’s smirking on the other side of the screen.

joshua: “ok but like… are we trying to break a record or what?” he’s nervous but trying to stay calm, but you can tell he’s clutching his pearls behind that smooth tone. “maybe, uh, we could slow down just a tiny bit? just a suggestion...” definitely trying not to freak out completely, but he’s one bad swerve from straight-up praying.

jun’s all for it, honestly. he’s got his phone up to show the speedometer on his end, clearly thriving. “you wanna hit 120? bet, i’m down, let’s fucking go!” jun’s just living it, probably snapping selfies like it’s no big deal while the car’s shaking at 90 mph.

hoshi: “wait—WAIT! y/n, no no NO, what the hell?? slow down before i shit my pants.” he close his eyes, dramatic as fuck, genuinely convinced y’all are about to fly off the highway. nearly crying as he clutches his phone. “i got shit to do tomorrow!! i can’t die today, not like this!”

wonwoo’s just... chillin’. he doesn’t really say much at first. just sends a simple, “you good?” text. he’s the only one calm in this whole situation. when you don’t respond right away, he hits you with, “bet you won’t keep up with the guy in the ferrari tho...” and you’re like, oh shit. he’s egging you on. he's vibing with the chaos, but lowkey wants to see how far you'll take it.

woozi: “y/n, you better chill the fuck out.” straight-up scolding you. no fluff, just pure frustration. jihoon’s too rational for this speed demon shit, and he’s already calculating how much the damn fine’s gonna be if you get caught. “if you crash, you better hope i’m not in the car, ‘cause i ain’t helping your ass.” classic jihoon—pissed, but still kinda impressed at your audacity.

seokmin: “YO, SLOW THE FUCK DOWN!” pure panic in his voice,like he’s watching a horror movie. “do you wanna give me a heart attack? holy shit!!” he’s basically pleading with you at this point, full-on hands shaking, worried sick like a damn mother hen. “i’m way too pretty to die like this, please, for the love of god, just slow down.”

mingyu: WELL THIS MAN HAVE LICENSE FOR IT, no fear at all. “you drive like a fucking beast, lemme hop in the car next time.” he’s fully living for the thrill, no reservations whatsoever. he’s gassing you up like no one would. adrenaline junkie.

minghao’s already over it. deadpan as fuck. “why you gotta stress me like this? i’m way too zen for this shit.”

seungkwan: “OKAY STOP! STOP! i didn’t sign up for this kinda trauma. you tryna die young, huh?!” yelling in the app for you to pull over before he passes out from sheer anxiety. “i’m never getting in a car with you ever again, swear on my life.”

vernon: “i mean, if we crash, we crash. kinda sick though, right?” no panic, no complaints, just lowkey impressed. “but like… how fast can you actually go?”

chan: “y/n, this isn’t a fucking video game!” poor baby is stressed out, clenching his fists like his life’s on the line. “i can’t do this. my heart can’t handle this. you tryna give me a heart attack?!” genuinely scared shitless. “you really gotta slow down before i fucking pass out in the toilet bro”

[independent-fics]

Inde Watches “The Card Game Job”

Leverage Redemption 1x06

I have a good feeling about the title of this one. Idk why. Vibes just give og leverage and I’m excited to see if the new team is finally getting their groove

Oh gosh nvm as someone who is also on necessary medications this beginning is oof. Thankfully I’m not as impacted by drug price gouging since I just have something more common but goodness I can’t imagine how people deal with more complicated treatments.

Not the c-span where am I my grandmas house

Me too Eliot

Wow from me too Eliot but I love the Statement Parker

Oo leverage title reference

They would never let that happen Breanna

Ahhh yes you Eliot and Parker (and the rest but I live for these in sync moments)

Can Parker help me get a job I need her here

Love the androgynous look and name/ vibe (? There’s a word I’m looking for and blanking) but loving Breanna’s character rn

You are a gift Sophie

I want a castle too Parker

Breanna are you flirting? Stay focused let’s go

I’m loving Breanna’s knowledge and finding a way into the con

Eliot getting flashbacks of Hardison’s geek spirals I can’t

Dang that group shot was hot

Eliot why you gotta kill her vibe we know you’re into it

I’m cracking up at Eliot’s reactions rn the second Sophie heard king or queen and perked up Eliot’s “oh god” made me laugh so hard

Flashbacks to the shell games they’ve pulled before

Once again loving Breanna’s character

Omgggggg Harry this is your moment

Why the accent Eliot what

BUT THE GLASSES how I’ve missed them

Now you make basketball references Eliot?

Frick coming back to Nate of course you can’t walk away Sophie none of them would

Ahhhh Breanna I love your art

Parker she’s trying to share with youuuu

I keep meaning to go to a Renfaire and I still haven’t

Eliot you literally love dress up Every time you have to do it (I love his “Sophie!” Tone hahaha )

Ooo Breanna I love youuuuu

Eliot get you butt out here we don’t want people disappearing

Sophie once again stunning. Eliot I love the fit too hahahaha

WHACKING HIM IN THE FACE HAHA

Of course Sophie is the mistress of poetry

Eliot wishes it was a horse he would love that

Breanna partially running(kinda) a con while also doing a card tournament is crazy I love her

Eliot I also love you hahahaha

Oo swords he can do

I’m loving all the people at this fair

Eliot you’re such a show off I swear

Is the lady of the lake a Librarians reference for Beth

Honestly favorite moment between Parker and Harry so far

OOF BREANNA VS THE MARK

The poor beat up knights haha

Okay Eliot I too can’t wait to see if Sophie knows this one too

ELIOT HAVING SHAKESPEARE FLASHBACKS IM SCREAMING

This man looks tired

That breeze on Sophie was a paid actor

Honestly beautiful sonnet and clue

OH WHAT A SLAY OF A REVEAL

Me too Harry when Eliot fights like that

Goodness my heart Breanna

THE PRIDE ON THE OTHERS FACES AT HER SPEECH AHHH

HE GAVE HER THE CARD

“Ive already lost six cool points just by hanging with you guys tonight” Eliot with that statement alone believe me the cool points were already gone who says cool points hahaha

Once again his grumbling giving me flashbacks to his preferences for games with “skill” then ending up liking it anyways but never wanting to say so

[asordinaryppl]

A3! Main Story: Part 4 - Act 14: DREAM CATCHER - Episode 24: A Flashy Greeting

Sakyo: How are the ticket sales going?

Manager: Pretty much smoothly. But there are quite a lot of weekday show tickets left.

Sakyo: With all the buzz the New Fleur Award has been creatin’, there are more shows going on. There’s bound to be lots of overlap between show schedules, so the audience is dispersing between everything they want to watch.

Izumi: We might need to think of some kind of promotional tool.

Sakyo: No, we still have time, so let’s see how it goes.

[Door opening]

Kumon: Tenma-san’s coming back soon!

Izumi: Eh? Really?

Yuki: That’s pretty quick.

Misumi: Let’s welcome him back~

Kazunari: Right-o!

-

Tenma: I’m ba–

[Party poppers going off]

Misumi: Welcome back~!

Kazunari: Welcome back, TenTen!

Muku: Welcome back!

Tenma: No, what’s with this greeting!? Acting like it’s my birthday!

Yuki: Everyone's suggestions gradually got flashier.

Muku: At first, we thought of just doing a casual greeting.

Kazunari: But for the last one, we just had to pull out all the stops~!

Tenma: Alright, I’ll get my luggage settled, so meet me in the practice room.

Kumon: Already!?

Kazunari: We’re practicing RN!?

Izumi: Aren’t you jet-lagged? Are you feeling okay?

Muku: I think you should take a break…

Yuki: Don’t start going wild the moment you come back only to collapse on us later

Tenma: Who do you think I am? I’m a big-shot actor who can handle even the most packed schedules.

Yuki: No way you’re saying this about yourself.

Kazunari: Haha, that’s our TenTen~

Yuki: He’ll be fine if he’s feeling this cheery.

Misumi: It’s been a while since we all practiced together, I can’t wait~!

Kumon: Let’s hurry~!

Izumi: Okay, then we’re starting in 10 minutes.

Izumi: (They’re all fired up after succeeding in their “challenges”!)

-

Tenma: “Ah, I forgot. I’ll go fill it up”

Tenma: “Whaddya mean, while at it!?” 

Misumi: Ding dong!

Tenma: ?

[Door opening]

Kazunari: We’re from Summer Eats!

Misumi: Six triangle rice balls from the midnight diner!

Tenma: Uh, these are too many!

Misumi: Let’s eat them with everyone~!

Yuki: Let’s put up this soapbox as a table.

Kumon: Oh yeah, Tenma-san, want me to give you a massage later? I bet your body’s stiff from being on the plane so long.

Tenma: A massage?

Kumon: I used to study sports massages when I was in the baseball club, and a while ago, Yamaguchi told me that I might be able to use them for actors too.

Kumon: I looked into it, and found there’s stage trainers who give massages to actors to keep them in good physical condition.

Kumon: I also found a bunch of massages that might be helpful, so I wanna give them a try!

Tenma: Am I a guinea pig!?

Kazunari: We do exert our bodies during performances tho. This kinda thing would be a big help.

Muku: It could also help us prevent injuries.

Misumi: I wanna get a massage too!

Kumon: Alrighty~!

Kazunari: Oh, also, the flyer’s been printed. Take a looksie!

Muku: Wahh, it’s so cool!

Tenma: This is nice. It’s got the vibe of the debut performance, but there’s a sense of growth.

Kazunari: My ideas just wouldn’t stop flowing, thanks to all the inspo I got while traveling all around Europe~

Kazunari: I think I’m pretty satisfied with how this design turned out!

Muku: Yuki-kun’s design for the costumes didn’t have any big changes this time.

Yuki: Yeah. The costume design for our debut performance fitted perfectly both for ourselves and our character.

Yuki: So I went with this design.

Tenma: I agree. I think something that gives off the feeling of a simple update is good.

Muku: It could also shift the focus to our growth as actors.

Misumi: I love the Genie’s costume~

Kumon: I’m happy my Genie of the Ring’s costume looks like a matching set with Sumi-san!

Kazunari: These costumes are perf cause their accessories make the flyer’s design stand out.

Yuki: Speaking of accessories, Misumi, how’s the bromide case I made you?

Misumi: Ah, it’s a perfect fit! Thanks, Yuki!

Muku: Bromide?

Misumi: Look~!

Kazunari: This is…

Misumi: A picture of Grandpa! Syu gave it to me~!

Yuki: Ah, good for you.

Kumon: It’s not often we get to see a photo with Hakkaku-san front and center!

Kazunari: And is Hakkaku-san holding a photo of a baby?

Misumi: It’s me~ Syu said the picture was taken around the time I was born.

Misumi: He said that if I had grown up to become an actor, Grandpa would have liked to see me on stage.

Kumon: Is that so…

Misumi: Grandpa didn’t really like having his picture taken, so there aren’t a lot of pictures of him. I was shocked when I saw this one~

Tenma: He took great care of such a precious photo, that’s Syu-san for you…

Kazunari: He takes his Hakkaku-san business serious~!

Yuki: Good for you for getting your hands on such a prized possession.

Misumi: He said it’s best that I have it. Look, at the back–

Muku: Is that your name written on the back?

Misumi: Yup. Grandpa wrote my name here to show it after he decided on it.

Tenma: Then it’s definitely something you were meant to have.

Misumi: Ah, but Syu also took a picture of it with his phone.

Kazunari: Syu-san sure knows his stuff~

Misumi: And then Yuki made me this holder, so I don’t have to hold it as is~

Yuki: It’ll crumble immediately if you keep it as is in your pocket.

Muku: It has a lot of triangles, it’s so cute!

Misumi: Ehehe, it’s nice, isn’t it~ It’s a treasure, so I’ll carry it with me all the time!

Misumi: If I have it with me during the performance, it’ll be like he’s watching up close!

Yuki: It’d probably be better to leave it on the side of the stage during performances.

Kumon: Cause you might drop it.

Misumi: Okay, got it!

Tenma: Since Hakkaku-san will be watching us too, we gotta do our best.

Misumi: Grandpa, watch over us as we grow stronger than ever.

previous episode | masterpost | next episode

[nonsensefromtheabyss]

Hello! I am OK1610 from ao3. I loved Riddle V.I.Z.ion so much! Such an amazing story with great characters! I loved the aliens especially! Your story inspired me to weave my own tale for these characters as well as a design element for Diz (the support beams) for my refs of the aliens (credited in the post)! I cannot wait to read more about them and their pasts!

Any chance we can get a little sneak peak of what is to come?

('Riddle Classified' sounds like a great name btw!)

Hello!! Lovely to see you again!

Literally had to spin in circles at work when you said my story inspired you, was not prepared; I’m honoured <3 and I hope you have fun creating! You art is so perfect!!! I love how the style is still reminiscent of the game art but far more detailed and much more fun to look at—it’s so vibrant! They’re all super adorable (rotating Quiz in my mind rn) and it looks like such a sweet AU—I’m an absolute sucker for stories where things end well (which I don’t think anyone would guess from my own works XD.) Would be super intrigued to know more when you’re ready to share!

(Definite spoilers for my future Riddle School fic below the cut!)

Dutifully adding a tally to Riddle Classified’s column! I swear the title is going to be the bit I decide last with this thing, it’s certainly giving me the most trouble XD

As for sneak peaks, hmmm; it’s a little early in the process for me to feel like I’ve got much that’s actually interesting to share, but I could tell you about the first chapter? It’s post defection, a few years into the V.I.Z.ion Project, and involves Quiz being kidnapped by bounty hunters/pirates. He has to stall for time, turning them against each other as a distraction, while Viz and Diz sneak around and kill off the people stationed at other outposts before picking him up. 

It’s told from the perspective of the pirates, who really have no idea who or what Quiz is, and is set in a snowstorm to really play up a theme of isolation/being trapped. Horror movie vibes. They know something is going on outside, and they know their contacts are going cold one by one, but they can’t figure out why—maybe it’s just the storm like their leader says, maybe it’s something else. They’re stuck with this unknown alien who’s sounding way too plausible when he says the roof might cave in, or there’s something outside, who talks them into telling him the scary stories they’ve heard about rogue soldiers in the area. If they go outside and try to run, they’ll definitely die of exposure, but if they stay? Unclear. And surely nothing out there could be alive. The noises are the wind, just the wind, they’re not in danger, nothing’s getting closer, everything’s fine.

It’s a good opportunity to play with Quiz’s unique skill set of appearing very harmless to manipulate people, gives me the chance to do some exposition on the alien’s species lore, and—most vitally—sets a pretty sinister tone for the V.I.Z.ion crew actually in action! A good jumping off point for what’s to come!

Another chapter I’ve got planned as a definite inclusion (though I don’t know where it’ll go yet; probably late in the collection) is them kidnapping Phil. It’s from Phil’s perspective, and I’ve honestly just been galaxy braining over it for a few nights now; he just barely escapes them when they see him first (runs through populated places they can’t follow, gets on a bus, his dog attacks Quiz when he gets home) and then spends the next few days as Dib from Invader Zim trying to convince his family that Aliens Are Definitely Real And Also After Him. They don’t believe him. One night he wakes up to find that everyone else is knocked out, and the aliens are in the house searching for him. He doesn’t get away this time. Very stressful times for Phil—I don’t think I’ve ever written a non-stressful time for Phil. I don’t think I’ve written a non-stressful time for any of these characters.

With this chapter, I’m hoping to do something with the perspective shift, which is another reason I think it should come late in the formatting. While the aliens are very much villain protagonists in this, having everything be through their eyes will eventually make them familiar—maybe not exactly relatable, but certainly comfortable. The jarring dissonance of exchanging that highly militarised, desensitised perspective to an actually human one—the P.O.V of someone we, the audience, know—when he’s terrified and being hunted by them appeals to me. Particularly as, at that point, I will have written scenes of the V.I.Z.ion aliens interacting with humans from their own perspective, and the difference between what they think and what people think can be thrown into even sharper relief.

I realise I’ve told you about the only two chapters that aren’t from the alien’s direct perspectives, so sorry about that! But I hope they made for a satisfying sneak peak <3 maybe this isn’t what you meant at all… I’ve never actually done a sneak peak before!

[bisluthq]

i never understood this mentality of wishing someones relationship to end just to prove a point. she seems happy and thats all that matters. do all of you go up to your friends in happy relationships and start telling them that its gonna end because last time their relationship only lasted xy years and they were happy at the start of it? no! because its strange behavior! relationships arent rock solid, we all know that but you truly cannot compare her relationship with joe and travis. she was 25, turning 26 when her and joe got together, the entire world hated her, she was jumping from relationship to relationship trying to figure out what she actually wants while balancing her career which she genuinely thought was ending. they were playing cat and mouse at the very beginning, she thought he was just playing her and that kind of anxiety stayed in her head throughout the course of the entire relationship…whether it was her being paranoid about him cheating or leaving her because of the media, it was always there. he was her saving grace, her safe place, her best friend. she thought she wouldnt survive the end of the relationship (extremely toxic mindset!). with travis, its very different. shes 34, has been in long enough relationships to know what she wants, what her deal breakers and boundaries are. he was very clear about his intentions from the beginning and he chased her. hes been in the media for a while and has a better understanding of her situation than joe (imo) ever did. this is in no way a perfect relationship cause that simply doesnt exist…youre always gonna have problems and conflicts in relationships but thats just how life works, if you live with someone, build a life together, youre gonna disagree on some things. being able to communicate and compromise is key. from what weve seen, travis is very emotionally intelligent and has no issue expressing how he feels, joe gave me a more guarded vibe (we obviously dont know them so take this with a grain of salt). anyway, the point is: be happy for her, stop trying to predict her future - i truly hope yall are not this anxious in your own relationships because holy shit! i couldnt image being in a happy, healthy place in my life and constantly worrying about the possibility of it all crumbling down. if youre counting down the days till the breakup, you probably shouldnt be in that relationship. oh and also, you can admit to being in a shitty relationship without projecting your feelings about it onto taylor because…thats what this is looking like to me

see, this is also kinda my point. Just let them be happy together. They seem happy together. Good for them. Life doesn’t come with guarantees and a happily ever after. Joe and her were good until they weren’t (and yes it takes a long while to decide you’re unhappy enough to leave something that serious when the reasons are you’re unhappy not that the person Did™️ something). Travis and her are good rn and maybe one day they won’t be but why would we hope/wait for that? Just let her vibe.

[daphnebowen]

hsmtmts season four episode six

Gina is just trying to get out of there but coach Bolton is distracting her - and then he says “technically Disney won’t let me spoil the movie but …” and then proceeds to spoil the whole movie! What!

“sweetie” Ricky is really rocking the whole grandpa thing huh

nobody told them about the show?!?! Terrible friends, they are.

I don’t understand how them missing one rehearsal leads to the whole show being cancelled as well as the whole drama department being cancelled??? Like hello??? You can’t take away theater, people. That doesn’t work like that. Or, it shouldn’t.

”I thought you broke up with him because you were so traumatized” help 💀

“we both needed lactaid pills” period

”wait so you’re single again??” YES MADDOX GET HER GIRL

aw miss Jenn called in mazzy!!

why does robotics get everything like how is that so different from theater?? They have lights and fancy robot props, like what??

IM GONNA CRY POOR EMMY all of her dreams have been crushed :(

“If you live your life in fear there’s gonna be a lot of stuff to be afraid of” YES KOURTNEY show us what you’ve got!!!! Kourtney is a new woman her therapist is really helping her (meanwhile Ricky: “then why do you look like you’re about to cry?”

please be sentimental Ashlyn I’m begging you I need this rn

poor Kourtney she just doesn’t want to be a third wheel

And poor Ashlyn she just wants to step out from under ejs shadow

THIS IS SO WHOLESOME

Mr mazarra looks like he is about to explode - he really does look like the grimacing emoji 😬

poor miss Jenn is so naive 🥺

THE FACT THAT MAZZY WAS IN A BOY BAND IM CRYING and so is Benny ! He’s apologizing! Next he just needs to confess his love for her!

mr. Funky one I’m crying

spirit airlines is CRAZY (they suck btw)

”crying is encouraged” yes, I love crying, crying makes me feel so good about myself and let’s me release all of the negativity like a balloon, never feel ashamed to cry

AW CARLOS GAVE MISS JENN HER NAME

The fact that they bullied Carlos and now he’s friends with some of the most popular / coolest kids in school

how do you even draw a cow on a cappuccino??

the fact that basically everyone went behind Carlos’s back to help Seb get the sheet music so he could sing this song is so wholesome “you did what?” “Give him a chance, Carlos.” “That girl scares me.”

OMG I FORGOT NATALIE AND SEB DATED but it totally makes sense, I wonder when they broke up though. and he was on the wrestling team too! I didn’t know that either 😣

“I would leave anyone for you.” AWWWHHH SEBBIEEE

”no. No. No! You’re playing the song. He’s playing the BLEEP song, Carlos.” Yesss Ricky, do it!!

sebs look of astonishment and awe when Carlos starts singing with them

they sound so good together

the fact that they shot it so all the couples were in a screen together - miss Jenn and Mr mazarra, Ricky and Gina, Kourtney and jet, Maddox and Ashlyn, and Carlos and seb

SEASON ONE GINA!!!!! “I am impressed that she didn’t mention the time I set the school on fire though” wonder why Gina wasn’t the number one suspect for that season one theater fire…

“find something you like about this school and try not to kill it” words of encouragement from the principal 😒 BUT THATS RICKYYY and he’s not dead yet so she’s winning!

SEASON ONE RICKYYY

”love is lame, idiot. That’s why I avoid it.” Well, not anymore! 🤪🤪🤪

RINA CUEEEEE AHHHHHH

okay the fact that Tim and all the writers were able to link it all back together to show us that through it all, through rini and through portwell and through everything, Ricky and nini were meant to be. They influenced each other so strongly without even realizing it. This is why they work. Ricky has a vibe, and Gina has an instinct.

ALYSON REED GAVE MISS JENN HER ICONIC LINE TRUST THE PROCESS!!! And the idea for high school musical! And the idea for the power ballad! Aka wondering! OMG!!

I would genuinely be heartbroken if this were real life and I was in a show and it got cancelled.

mazzy: GIVE HER A MINUTE

Ricky is breaking my heart bro

AHHH OMG YESSS EMMYYYYY I literally still get chills whenever I listen to this song because Liamani sounds so freaking good

”I said it and now it cannot be unsaid” ain’t that the truth

coach Bolton and Mrs darbus really came to save the day!!! <3

so many questions for miss Jenn but it’s ok you’ll figure it out

Kourtney is just interrupting Ricky and Gina’s very important serious conversation like they need to get their priorities straight - and here Ricky goes like he did with nini and assuming things

”I wanted to make sure this was real before I said… something” AHHH WE KNOW WHAT IT IS

”I feel like I always go first” yes you do

okay but miss Jenn and Mike Bowen going behind Ricky’s back to apply to slc college for him is literally how ms darbus went behind troys back to apply for him for Juilliard lol

RICKY JUST CALLED MAZZY OUTTTT AHAHA

”okay..” he looks so scared

WHY DOES RICHARD HAVE A 1.8 GPA THATS EMBARRASSINGGGGG

”as long as she’s here my future is locked” AHHH RICKYYYYY HE SAID ITTTTT FORESHADOWING TO THE PORTER-BOWENS

[quinloki]

This ask game is v fun. I choose Heat x reader for #5 I've always seen Heat as shy person whos not super confident in showing affection much both romantically and platonicly. So when he does show afection it takes the form of actions rather than words. Set before we get together~ I have a small-ish manga collection rn so before getting together, I love talking about the series that i have. So I can imagine talking to Heat about one of the series and talking about new volumes coming out. The next time the ship docks I get stuck on chore duty, while Heat can go out to wander for a bit, coming back that night with a new volume that I needed. I like to hug when I get excited about presents, so I can easily imagine myself hugging him and kissing his cheek as a thank you. His blushing would be adorable, and quite pronounced :3 Also just kissing him as a greeting or in passing because he even looks cute while playing cards with the boys or something. I can imagine they tease him a little bit but are happy for him

5- Write about a casual kiss between your ship.

D'awwwww <3 I can see Heat being shy too. Like, not crippling so, I don't think, but he's certainly not confident like Killer or Kid (let's be fair, few people can match Kid's "confidence"). But part of it is that he doesn't want to accidentally fuck his chances before he's even gotten started.

That whole scenario is adorable though, I love it \o/

x reader style with Ace

I'm going to cheat a little and just drop a excerpt from Just Like Fire, because it really nails the entire vibe I'm going for, and there's no reason to write it all out. (but, under a cut, cause it's long)

“They grow up so fast.” Ace muses once the door closes and you laugh.

“Trying to hold onto that eldest title, aren’t you?” You tease.

“I don’t have to hold onto it, it’s mine.” Ace sticks his tongue out at you as he hands off a small stack of bentos to Luffy.

“C’mon Ace, we’re gonna be late!” Luffy stays, grabbing the lunches and heading down the hall.

“Yeah, yeah,” Ace turns to you. “Have a good day, bella.” He says, kissing you on the forehead before dashing out of the kitchen.

“You … too.” You manage to say, realization sinking in as your hand goes up to your forehead.

You stand in the kitchen for a few minutes, trying to play back the event, but you can’t manage to decide if he did it without thinking or not. He had run off very quickly afterward, but he was also in a rush to catch up to Luffy.

bella.

You pull out your phone and then stop. You don’t want to text him, he’s driving. You don’t want to call, he’s driving and Luffy is in the truck with him. Everyone’s going to be home tonight, and you won’t be able to talk then without someone – or everyone – knowing.

Which would not be the end of the world, but it would be the end of the world. You don’t want everyone knowing until you know.

Setting your phone down you cover your face with your hands, trying desperately to decide if you’re delighted or mortified.

No one else was around. You can’t be mortified if no one else was around.

“No, I can absolutely be mortified without anyone else around.” You grumble to the empty house before gathering up your things and heading to the bus stop.

You nearly miss your stop, and end up thanking one of your fellow commuters for reminding you before it’s too late. Scrambling off the bus you slip through the lobby and take the elevator up to the eleventh floor. Getting to your desk you start your computer up and while you’re waiting for it to catch up you pull out your phone.

There’s already a few texts waiting for you. Some were in the group chat that the four of you had set up.

Luffy: Ace nearly wrecked the truck!

Sabo: Are you alright?

Ace: I swerved a little. I did not “nearly wreck”.

Luffy: You never swerve.

Sabo: You never swerve.

Ace: We’re fine, just drop it.

You smile as you catch up on the chat and check the other notifications you have. It’s direct from Ace, and you’re not surprised to see your hunch was correct.

Ace: I did NOT reali

Ace: until I was halfway to the station!

Ace: ze*

Ace: I did not mean to just do that!

Ace: (ᗒᗣᗕ)

Ace: If I made you uncomfortable I am so sorry! o(╥﹏╥)o

Your smile widens, and you can feel yourself relaxing a little. Ace’s use of emojis was impressive, and the cute faces were always entertaining. Right now, they were helping to make the morning feel less mortifying.

You: It didn’t make me uncomfortable.

You: But, I think we need to talk. ^^;;

You turn back to the group chat and grin deviously.

You: Did it happen about halfway to the station, Luffy?

Luffy: It did! How’d you know?

You: Women’s intuition ~_^

Your phone dings with a notice from Ace, and at first it’s just an emoji that you bet has more to do with the group chat than it does your private conversation.

Ace:  ⁄(⁄ ⁄•⁄-⁄•⁄ ⁄)⁄

Ace: After dinner? I wanted to show you something by the fire pit anyway.

You: It’s a date.

Ace: o(≧∇≦o)

You nearly drop your phone when you realize what you had typed versus what you had meant to type.

You: Deal! Deal! It’s a DEAL. @_@

Ace: ﾍ(;;￣∇￣)ﾉ

Ace: >.>

Ace: That gives me time to plan a better first date then ヽ(⌐■_■)ノ♪♬

ask game post

[1d1195]

The banter/dialogue that you write is really good! Especially with Niall bc I’m pretty sure we all know it’s really harmless so I’m constantly enjoying reading it! And had to look up that clip and I SEE THE VISION! LOVE IT HAHA!! honestly idk why I wasn’t a fan?! genuinely had nothing against them and I had a lot of friends who were into them plus I found them cute enough but idk WHY my brain couldn’t get into it lol also LOVE a good protective man trope, it just HITS when done right!

In that alternate timeline I would like to believe that Harry suffered a lot for being a dick! And he had to grovel a lot for making her cry! Idk I’m a simple girl I love when men suffer😁! And slow burns are my preferred vibe tbh lol I love the yearning and the pinning! ALSO that part 4 sneak peak, SO EXCITED!

Oh I support her being grumpy like you cannot make me hate her! Like I get it! VERY excited for when you decide to show us what’s you’ve been hinting! I just know you never miss!

Never been there since I haven’t been to the east coast but sounds like if I ever do visit I will NOT being going there bc that sounds like hell😭 theres many places here that are constantly so packed there’s truly never a break😭! The vibes are never good, so many people, and not enough cashiers/self checkout the lines are CRAZY😭

Wait that’s so cool that you did a research proposal for it!! But it’s sweet how you try to help your students with it! It’s sucks but it’s nice to know that your students have someone to help with that! AP anything was so bad😭 those crazy timed tests just made everything worse! So I don’t blame you!

It doesn’t make you sound old! And I understand what you mean! I think it’s a time thing too. Especially with how rn it feels like there’s no end in sight or how I fear I’m still going to feel this way. Time is something that allows for a better understanding, it’s just hard sometimes to remember when you’re deeply in it lol But I get what you mean about them feeling different! It would make sense due to you obviously changing in everyday aspect whether it be career wise or personal life!

Yay I’m so happy work went well! It’s the beginning of the year so it is a bit exciting since it’s kinda new with getting to learn about your students and stuff. But I’m hoping this can continue!

It’s so sweet of you to even notice my absence 😭 I’ve always told myself that if I were to ever take a long break or delete my account for good I would let you know so that there wouldn’t be any worry! Yeah it was not easy at all trying to navigate this episode on top with school. But it’s my last week FINALLY!! So I just have to push through this last bit!

It’s not lame! If anything I’ve always believed in that kind of thing! I definitely feel better with the shorter hair now but mainly because the heat is still so strong here and I don’t have to have such an extensive hair care routine! Plus I’m just so excited to change my hair color soon so shorter hair is better overall lol I’m trying to sleep and stay hydrated! I hope you are doing the same too! And you’re too kind!

It may be the same stuff that you’re aware of but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t still hurt when you’re feeling like this! I hope that you don’t get to that kind of low that you experience last week any time soon! I’m glad that you’ve started to have some better days/moments especially with reading your books! A good romance story is always a win! And you can truly embed go wrong with a good single dad and nanny trope! Love that for you! Also idk if you’ve ever mentioned it or not but do you annotate your books?!(Btw the fact that you finished honey already is so CRAZY in the best way!)

Omg Sam😭 no youre literally the sweetest!! The kindness that you have can be felt right through the screen! YOU are so loved!!! You also deserve all love and happiness too! I LOVE YOU!!! Wishing you the best as always!-💜

For the best you weren’t a fan. I was CONSTANTLY exhausted by them. I told my friend all the time how much I wanted them to just stop leaving the house because I couldn’t keep up. I was worried ALL the time about them ☠️

I’m glad you liked the sneak peek! I also love when men suffer HAHAHA perhaps I’ll add it to the check-ins and alt reality one like I did for Dolcezza 🤔

Market basket is old school so no self check out there. The cashiers are pretty efficient but there’s ALWAYS lines up the wazoo.

I’m glad you think it was cool because I did NOT think it was cool. In fact I HATED it so much. My math brain was not meant to write in that kind of capacity. I enjoyed reading about it though! Interesting stuff! I loved my basic psych classes I took so I always find reading how the brain works (especially in crazy teen heads).

LAST WEEK! 🥳🥳🥳 love that for you! I hope you get some time to relax and do fun things! I always miss you when I don’t hear from you but I always want you to prioritize your health first so if I end up missing you it’s okay 💕💕

Honey just came POURING out of me. I can’t explain it. I feel like I fucked up the last couple parts though and I refuse to look at them again so I don’t overthink it lol but 6, 7, 8 gave me a bit of trouble 😅

I do not annotate my books. I’m pretty pure about my books but I will ALWAYS highlight a funny quip about the expense of men. I don’t remember the exact line nor book but I def highlighted something that said “it seemed men were the cause of the issue” like that just BEGS to be highlighted and underlined. I think annotating is cute though. I borrowed a book from a friend who annotates and it was actually SO much fun to read because she noticed so many things that I did not. Plus she’s funny as fuck, so it was like bonus content reading her thoughts.

Love you! 💕 happy last week of classes! 🎉

Xoxo

[withleeknow]

BWHAHAH have I seen that video- [ofc i have. multiple times. it's saved somewhere. the way he waited for her to hold his hand.] a really (un)important update: the peach-strawberry sorbet hair? it's grown on me sm it's acc on par w/ his hot-girl-redhair e.g. tinyurl.com/ycxezc6r the caption is so real (like I read it and thought, ah yes, this was written by/for jen/🍙) + his pseudo-aussie accent- good lord

lmao what sort of r:u album update was that- this was you are stupidly endearing, you noob 🥺😭 onigiri to the rescue: the ebay listing's here and the jay option is still in stock! ❤️‍🔥🐈‍⬛ tinyurl.com/mr3jmud8 [side note: shipping was free + to the UK, took <2 weeks w/ full door-to-door tracking - not sponsored, just a very happy onigiri + yo we'll have matching albums 🥺🧸]

oooh my friend recently bought the same chloe + it smells ✨️ divine ✨️ lmao the fainting's relatable bc i'm in my penhaligon's/aesop phase rn and I need an intervention bc I recently sampled armani's thé yulong + I can't stop thinking abt her 🫡

i haven't caught up with skz's jjam promos but what the hell is this gif-worthy clip: tinyurl.com/yc77n2ps the wavy hair? the accessories? the smirk? f-me he's insane. speaking of- the snippet. is that supposed to tide me over? on a flipping cliffhanger? he stays. tell me he stays over. istg jen you've created a monster out of me.

in honour of your discovery of blonde 🐈‍⬛, my fyp also gave me this masterpiece vm.tiktok.com/ZGecE7sDR/

made the mistake of opening that video on my big monitor at work and almost had a heart attack. the red hair will always be supreme to me but this peach era is a close second methinks... i fear i might be falling down another heeseung rabbit hole aksdksjfhds

i swear the employees there must've thought i was a weirdo bc i was holding the album and squinting to spy the non-existent dashes and then going to stand in front of the fan by the door to crosscheck with the instruction video on my phone (it was hot as balls and the store has awful ventilation) lmao. i ended up just getting the inceptio ver !! pulls under the cut !! i think i’ll def get a jay ver as well when i go to asia in 3 months just bc it’d be cheaper there 🤣

ohhh penhaligon’s packaging 😭 if you’re looking for an intervention you’ve come to the wrong place bc i am an enabler you should get one, no time like the present 💕 thé yulong !! i’m excited to try her heheheh guess we know what i’ll be on the hunt for on my lunch break tomorrow lol

i am personally victimized by this. i think this is the one of the worst things he’s ever done to me. the pretty curls with the smirk !!! i’m going to yeet myself out the window bye. honestly everything that has to do with ate era!mimo is giving this vibe lmao i can’t explain it 🤣

speaking of wt, does he stay? what’s the occasion? would she let himssst? 🤭

did i know that i probably shouldn’t open this video at werk either after the first one? yes. did i open it anyway? also yes. i’ve got one foot in each rabbit hole and idek which one to fall into anymore. this is looking like another love triangle

anywhomst, ze pulls !! i did not know what i’d be getting with this album at all and ngl right after i left the store i said out loud to myself “what am i doing with an enhypen album” but when i got home and opened her up, this woman was left speechless !! SHE’S BEAUTIFUL 😭 it’s so cute i LOVE this concept 😭 the photobook is one of the prettiest ones i’ve ever seen 😭 the stickers are so adorable i had to put them on my new tissue box !!! the pc’s and the postcard 😭 ADORABLE i love her sm

[m1ckeyb3rry]

That answers my question I just completely forgot to send it in omfg I CANNOT let myself get distracted while replying anymore I literally like almost deleted this note thinking I already sent it in goodbye.

But anyways….……

LMFAOOO THANK YOU I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT!!! You’ll be the first to know if I ever actually start using it HAHA honestly you’d probably end up answering some boomer like tumblr questions of mine bc I’m ngl why’s there sm on this platform HAHA now that I think about it though I straight up just don’t post anywhere maybe I should start changing that…..

NO SO TRUE because I just KNOW they’re picking the juiciest stories like I’m not scrolling through that subreddit myself HAHA

Just doing my part for the Karasu community!!! Gotta kick start it somewhere yk hopefully I’m inspiring people to talk and request Karasu more often!!!! LMAO wait that’s actually kinda crazy though HAHAHA I guess the Hiori requester sniffed out your secret side character vibes before I did smh….lowk that is interesting though?? Ok my thought process was definitely 1) ok she knows Kaiser so she’s def read the manga 2) she has no character limits so I’m just gonna shoot my shot (it worked out in the best possible way omg) I’ve def seen blogs that only write for the main characters ****itoshis but a good amount of them do out only a specific handful of characters in their request rules….wait actually pause I think the main tipping point for me is actually when I ended up reading cherry tree and was like no fucking way Karasu mention??? Time to test the waters because I kid you not I loved the way you did cherry tree but I was also so fucking hooked on the Karasu cameo I was like oh em gee….karasu mention and HE TALKS?? Guys….so yeah!! Actually that also jogs my memory and clears up my own thoughts of how I first found you (again…??) my memory’s kinda bad if you couldn’t tell HAHAHA

Ok……Mira really trying to solidify the shower evidence…sus…/j

THATS WHAT IM SAYING HAHAHAAH ok but like I was a little surprised that they were the color scene I thought it would’ve been some Kaiser Isagi Rin looking thing with maybe mini side characters in the bg kinda like your current header! Stop did we just manifest ego glow up too??

That’s funny because I also haven’t watched but ik what you’re talking about because I remember seeing people freak out over it LMAOOO BUT FR omg shin ah so gorgeous??? Also omfg you’re so right??? The side by side of Hak and hair down zantetsu….the resemblance is uncanny….but FR S2 being my real male leads into the spotlight please….

Tbh I don’t have high hopes for the fandom but we’ll know in our hearts that Karasu is just a closeted sweetheart loser!!! Ok the Nagi cheater allegations and red flags are actually INSANE like how tf??????????? I seriously have no idea what people are on do you think bro even has the energy to cheat……

LMAOO you’re giving them a reality check on everyone’s behalf we thank you for your service o7

Honestly pop off LMAOO like who’s gonna go challenge your parents sooo also wtf????!!!! BRO DID WHAT???!!!! wtf I literally have no words what the helllllllll glad you’re safe now but omg I hope you never have to experience something like that again….um wdym you have more stories like that??????????? Idk if you’ve ever seen those wild tiktok sponsored posts of like this weird pheromone attractive perfume I think you need creep repellent you’re rizz is too strong…..wtf…..also ENJOY SWITZERLAND!!!!!

But omg another storm shshshs stay safe??? Manifesting your electricity holds up from now on HAHA I’d imagine there aren’t storms in Switzerland rn so….

-Karasu anon

LMAOO no i always get so distracted that ‘save draft’ button is my savior when it comes to answering asks but ik you can’t really do that when sending them 😭 if i ever take more than like a day to respond without explanation feel free to send a check-in ask because that means i’m either being unprecedented levels of offline or i just didn’t get it/see it!!

tumblr takes soo long to get a hang of i will be happy to answer any boomer questions of yours as i probably had the same questions when i first began using the app!! i will always be here for the reveal if/when it comes

i guess the side character vibes i give off are too strong…also hiori made a cameo in cherry tree alongside otoya and karasu so they might’ve made a similar journey as you LMAOAO especially because they mentioned in the request that they had read and liked cherry tree!! that’s so funny that that fic (which i wrote for the most basic character ever) is what led to side character fans finding me!! omg no because tbh there was no reason for karasu to be the one talking in that scene but i was starving and desperate to write him and i thought he could pull it off and now i’m so glad i did that!! and yeah a lot of people tend to only write for a few characters which i think is fair because i 100% get being uncomfortable writing for characters you’re unfamiliar with 🧐 me personally though…if i’m in a fandom there’s not a character in it I WON’T write for!! if i’m too unfamiliar with them i’ll just do research until i feel decent abt it (that’s what i did for the hiori request hehe read and reread his ln + wiki until i was like “okay i think i can do this”)

I SHOWER I PROMISE I SHOWER (not clickbait!!)

maybe this means the NEL arc is ending soon?? like they’re putting all of the coaches in the color spread because we won’t see them again for a while…honestly i really liked this (much more exciting than the last epinagi one) and i’m happy it wasn’t the kaiser + isagi + rin combo again!! all of the coaches are really interesting to me as they all show diff pitfalls of professionals sports (chris + vanity, snuffy + depression/burnout, loki + selfishness, lavinho + immaturity iirc?? and noa + being boring af /j) honestly i could read a spinoff abt all of them too!! and omg ego glow up too…we sensed the vibes in the air and we knew egonation was about to RISE

SHINAH MY BELOVEDDD omg i actually once started a fic for him that was the precursor for hurricanes / hummingbirds in many ways and i still think abt it sometimes but like the fandom for yotd is so nonexistent that i never got the motivation to finish it!! but i think i answered an ask abt it as part of a tag game once here if you’re in the mood for some mira writing while waiting for bfb!! no but the resemblance between zantetsu and hak is uncanny omg team v trio is actually team shoujo trio all of them look like they deserve to be male leads…zantetsu in a historical fantasy shoujo, nagi in a high school slice of life but also mental health focused shoujo, and reo in a ceo romance shoujo SKDJFHS they’re all so bf i love them

we will always know the truth abt karasu and that’s what matters 😩 no because i need to know…do the nagi cheater/red flag (which are unrelated to his laziness) allegations stem from him “leaving” reo during second selection?? because if so that’s insane to me there’s such a difference between joining a different soccer team and cheating on your romantic partner 😭 in epinagi even reo himself acknowledges that he SHOULD be happy for nagi and nagi is so ‘no thoughts head empty’ about it LKDFJGNS bro fr was putting the pieces together like isagi…”play soccer with isagi -> get better at soccer -> win world cup with reo 😄” HOW IS THIS A RED FLAG???

LMAOOO it’s so bad i feel like looking back my time in high school just sounds unreal?? i sent a picture of my eye to another guy i was friends with (in the same friend group as the other two ironically) to show him my new mascara and no joke he responded with an entire verse comparing my eyes to “the heavens” 😭⁉️ and there was also a point in my senior year when i kinda liked a junior on the soccer team (so bfb reader of me but like. reversed.) but for some reason everyone shipped me with the captain of the soccer team?? like people would harass my FRIENDS asking if i liked him…meanwhile i liked mr junior varsity who didn’t even get playtime 😓 it was so bad too i went to a soccer game and everyone thought i was attending to watch the captain, INCLUDING THE GUY I WAS INTO 😐 i went up to congratulate him after the game and bro fr said “did you see the captain play he was amazing” i just left at that point because what can you even do…these are relatively tame in terms of mira lore sadly KJSHGHDFK this is why i have never had a boyfriend or first kiss or anything like that 💔 they’re all CRAZY 😱

SWITZERLAND SOON!! unfortunately my dreams of finishing bfb before my flight are definitely not coming true sooo ig i know what i’m doing for the entire plane ride!! hopefully the lack of distractions will help me finish it up and then i can just proofread in my downtime and hopefully post at some point soon…feel like i’ve been teasing you all for so long but i promise it will be long enough to make the wait worth it (i hope anyways)

[luv-beam]

i am so fucking upset I AM SO FUCKING UPSET . i cannot convey how absolutely devastated i am like im sitting here in the dark unable to fully convey KANFKDNFKFJFJFNFN AHHHSHFJRJGKKGKGKFKFKFKFKGKFK

okok im sorry i do have some things to say as general statements abt my experience and ur skills before we get into some of the nitty gritty 😭 but first off, moni, i am ashamed to say i somehow missed that u dedicated this to me. i am so so sorry for not seeing it for some awful reason, but pls know that i am so honored—like beyond honored and appreciative. u r crazy good at ur craft and i am so happy ur posting ur fiction for us to read :'))

also, i def mentioned it in my notes below, but i loooove the film quality of your writing. like the i could see the color shifts. OH MY GOD I ALSO DIDNT TALK ABT THE RELATION OF WINTER TO THE SENEFNKRNFJT TO THE END IM UPSET AGAIN i literally cannot. u have a talent for coaxing me to hand over my heart and then watching u squeeze it :')))) im upset :')))) ur really too good and i... im biting my knuckles and struggling to type bc i wanna cry

thank u for this. i know u say this fic is something ur most proud of, and that is incredibly well merited. like oh my god. i can't right now i kind of just want to cry

also, before i put my notes below, i wanted to include the songs i listened to during this and i think i def picked an appropriate playlist skfnekfn: they see me dream (tbz), future me (hailey knox), dream launch (wayv), wings (tbz), smiling thru. (slchld), square one (tbz), someday faraway (labit), empty box (atz), same dream, same mind, same night (svt), 111 (thuy), the race (chris james), heaven - acoustic (onerepublic), raise y_our glass (huh yunjin)

omg i do have to comment on the presence of two of my like,, "older brother" figure idols uji and namjoon ekfnkrnf i always imagine them in that kind of way so the vibe just feels all the more warm haha (despite the hazy sleep-deprived solidarity going on dkgnjrnf)

WAIT.... THE CONVENIENCE STORE FROM THE TEASER... OH NO.

IT RESEMBLES UR BED AFTER A LONG DAY OF WORK BUT IT DOESNT LIVE UP TO HIM?? im devastated in two sentences

the picking your fingers until blood spills is such a great humanizing detail

still, the lilacs have yet to bloom.

omg im such a sucker for flower symbolism,, this feels like a low-key reference to feelings between u and changmin? OH I SEE THEY DINT EVEN KNOW EACH OTHER YET SKFNDKFN THIS CHANGES THINGS

PLS THE "im sure they wouldn't mind working w u" ASSIGNED PAIRINGS IS SOOOOOO im getting ptsd from middle school 😭😭 that feeling of everyone knowing someone and ur just kind of alone, knowing no one will likely come to u themselves,,, but changmin... tsk tsk i have a feeling abt you....... IM ONTO U SIR

you look back at changmin; he’s still looking at you. ; (you’re still thinking about the dips in his cheeks.)

IM ONTO U JI CHANGMIN (also so real tho... his dimples are like... meant to be the centerpiece of an art gallery)

KUMON. (i mercifully never had to face that, but maybe that's why i fkn suck at math today 💀)

oh no....

i swear this is related, but im listening to wayv's dream launch and reading this part in particular w the song is so... i feel so emo rn like its okay yn-bear... you'll be okay i swear, i know it sucks now but one day ur dreams will come true even if its hard to detach ourselves from our parents' expectations and influences

also the imagery here is so visceral and vivid... like i can see it in my mind, the way you're so used to the feeling, but u still shake them off anyway bc u dont want them to linger; u can't breathe w them there, so /present/

don’t you think that some of the stories that we read hold fragments of someone?

i love this line and totally agree w this

also wanted to add that changmin trying to coax this info out of them is so :(( i love him

AWH WAIT PAPERCUT ART AND FORMING IMAGES OUT OF THEM SUCH A COOL IDEA its like the deletion(?) poetry where u take a piece of text and blot out all words except for certain ones to form poetry?

the idol comment,,, the fourth wall is shaking

OMG THE PIC???? SO GOOD WHAT I LOVE THIS AND AS A VISUAL AID/SUPPLEMENT TOO?? omg and ending this section w the single lilac having bloomed TT ugh i love callbacks to symbols

your tastebuds long for cheongju.

baaaaaanger line

jongseobs characterization >>> I LOOOVE IMPISH YOUNGER SIBLING CODED CHARACTERS

still, you stand in the middle of the mart and your heart longs for home.

and this one too ^ i feel this. the exhaustion and yearning that settles in your bones until ur convinced emotion really does carry tangible weight i love longing-for-homeisms

you and changmin were once painted with the hues of the sun. this reunion is tainted with blue.

I CHOKED. also i would like to comment on the delicious pacing of this past scene from when u realize who's standing right next to u and how the world seems to rush back toward the present from the past and ur frantic and slapping money into jongseobs palms and then—"yn?"—world stop. IIIIINHALES .. SCREAMS SO GOOD

love the blue stain over my view btw

idk how to feel abt the grape flavor being yns favorite 🧍🏻‍♀️ u do u tho

THIS???????? THIS!!!!!!! what did u deserve to know just feels so right in this situation,, when you've fallen out of touch who used to be ur world—when u r no longer their world or in their world, how much should you reveal? do they still care? where is the line drawn now?

if you miss home, why is your first instinct to run away from it?

im tearing at the walls. i am unfortunately devastated by this question. home is such a... its a complicated thing for so many people.

the black limbs slowly ate away at your heart; the void was born.

THEYRE BACK but now, instead of simply curling arounf ur heart, they're digging their nails into it and ripping chunks of it away

the lingering feelings of envy and resentment of changmins home life versus yns is so... like i think it adds such an important layer of nuance to their relationship

because you still wanted more for him than you did for yourself.

OH MY GOD

oh my god

AND THE DISTANCE FEELS GREATER NOW.. oh my god... the silence and the negative space r so loud... oh my god.....

the contrast to the next segment in summer is so staggering dkgndjnfnf also congrats to them for levelling up in friendship to calling each other fuckers!! LMFAO i adore their little back n forth here haha their arguing over the phone, to arguing over popsicle flavors

LOVEBIRDS SKCNDKFNKFNXKDKKDKD

astrophysics is cool when someone on yt is explaining it in layman's terms or ur in the space.com website, but not when ur looking at all those nightmarish equations... *shudders violently*

from that day on, you’ve learned to keep his name out of conversations. you’ll enjoy what you have with changmin, even if it has to be kept under the wraps.

in a way, this is like a form of protection, not only protecting ur own freedom and agency but akso protecting the person who has wormed his way into ur life and is determined to stay,, someone who seems to be the one good thing happening to u at that moment

im so... i wish i could sit yn down and give them a hug and a pep talk. they do know how to persevere. they're literally pushing thru right now

FINGER TRAP FINGER TRAP TITLE MENTIONED THIS IS NOT A DRILL

omg THE PROFILES SJCBDJFN THEYRE GONNA BE INTERVIEWING OUR BOYZ DJFBKDNCKDNF i am Howling at the moon

THIS??? IS FUCKING EVERYTHING???????? the different colors of cheongju seep thru gaaaaaaawd the careful wall you've built to rpetend ur past is behind u has now returned to remind u that it does, in fact, still exist. it will not hesitate to break ur bubble of present reality

i have a violent urge to throttle a couple who are poor excuses for parents

also just bringing in the murky waters rising and drowning u and filling ur lungs is just as compelling and visceral through this section. like u described it perfectly well, how when ur starting to lose oxygen, your chest burns and its slow but throbbing

are you nothing but an array of achievements and failures?

aren't we all though? :(

NOW UR HOME IS CHANGMIN.

i love just imagining ur writing like a movie, like this part in particular u can just kind of envision these things flicking across the screen chuchuchuchu—back to the present. finger traps.... clinging onto those fragments of the past... when u try to rip your fingers out of a finger trap, it grips onto u tighter; a slow withdrawal is the only way to escape... oh god

WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE ONE OF DESTINY x2 I SEE U MONI I SEE YOU.

HE WAS THE ONE OUTSIDE THE BATHROOM IM GONNA GNAW MY FINGERS OFF

im very slow today but the incorporation of all four szns into the sections of this fic is like mwah MWAHMWAHMWAH and hE CANT WAIT TO SHARE THIS SZN W U?? IM YELLING??? ugh i think im too single.

dude my heart dropped into my ass . what r these fuckass parents doing

WHAT NINONOENFOFNFJFJ NO WHAT MONI STOP NO U CANT JUST LET THE CAR GO NO HE'S RIGHT THERE NO NONONOSNFJDNFJFJ im having a crisis no WHAT

. oh my god

Oh my god that hurts. Oh my god i cant im so

im

oh im so upset they never got closure they never got to say goodbye ur right the only way to get out of a finger trap is thru a slow withdrawal—unless the connections is severed so forcefully, it just breaks .

oh my god

i dont wanna read this interview im so upset

im so fucking upset.

finger trapped (ripped to its seams) ➵ ji changmin

ji changmin x reader

with an unexpected reunion, you and changmin relive the memories of cheongju—and confront what could’ve been between you two.

general genre/warnings ➵ friends to almost lovers, angst, fluff, gender neutral reader, some depressive and insecure thoughts, hurt/comfort, the last five years story-telling method (aka present will be told going backwards while past will be told moving forward... i hope that makes sense), brief mention of blood from picking on your skin, tiger parents so... parental issues, unexpected reunion, keeping secrets & lying, jealousy remains but love triumphs, journalist reader (u kno i had to do it), reader is a nerd and changmin is a student-athlete, kms jokes from jongseob (all /lh), finger traps aren’t efficient after all

word count ➵ 15.7k words

playlist ➵ end of beginning by djo // high school in jakarta by niki // i know it won't work by gracie abrams // no big deal (i love you) by dodie // keeping tabs by niki // no one knows by stephen sanchez & laufey // so what now by reneé rapp // i wish i hated you by ariana grande // the 1 by taylor swift // seasons by wave to earth

a/n ➵ it's finally out! this is my submission for @deoboyznet's the love letter collective event! this work is so so personal to me on so many levels so i hope you all love and treat this fic with care :')) for the bitches who struggle with parents and dreams.... this one's for you (i am in the same boat) i appreciate everyone who's been so patient and looking forward to this fic's release. i'd like to thank @hcuyk for being a betareader for this fic! i also want to dedicate this one to @sungbeam and @wavesmp3 <3 your works inspire me so much and i think this fic is a product of how much they've influence me. hanbin's version is now available! please don't forget to reblog and leave feedback!!

want to be part of my taglist? send me an ask! masterlist

present -> three weeks after the interview, 2024

the newsroom never sleeps. the rings of landlines and clacks of keyboards bounce off the four walls. through light bulbs or sunshine, light continues to remain. and at every corner, a journalist stands—ready to enter the depths of slumber but remain on their toes as they await for an update on their unraveling story.

but the newsroom is rarely busy unless there’s a major nationwide event, election season or the super bowl to name a few, for most journalists are out to discover what the world has to offer.

knowledge doesn’t only come from the chitchat of your coworkers. it’s only on the field that you’ll hear of hearsay and testimonies. after all, the choice to probe rests on your shoulders.

“there’s a typo over there.”

“huh? where?”

“over here,” you mumble as your finger darts to point at a section on the screen. “it’s supposed to say “in their climactic performance on road to kingdom,” not climatic.”

“ah, i see it now. sorry about that,” lee jihoon of digital development says as he corrects the error. his hair is disheveled from the hood that once perched on his head during the night he spent in the newsroom. you would’ve scolded the guy—go home and take a shower before you stink up the place—but you are no better, grouped with the other journalists who stayed up in the office.

“there we go. should be all good. now, are you ready to go through the profiles?”

an exhausted chuckle departs from your lips. “yeah, let’s go—”

“what’s the update?” life and arts editor kim namjoon—your editor—comes to you with a smile.

the grey hoodie he wears paired with comfortable jeans shows that he’s a little relaxed. for once, you don’t see him on his phone, battling the deadlines or getting pitched stories by the other editors. it’s a nice sight but one that won’t last for long.  

“we just finished going through the article about the group, so we still have yet to go through the profiles.” jihoon then looks at you. “i can’t believe you basically wrote 12 articles. like, 11 profiles and one main article is a lot. you didn’t want to work on it with anyone else?”

once namjoon stands beside you, you bump your shoulder against his figure. “i didn’t have a choice, did i?” it’s a rhetorical question but one your editor still chooses to answer.

“unfortunately, we’re understaffed, but it seemed like you got the hang of it. i wouldn’t have trusted anyone else to do it.” namjoon shoots you a smile before redirecting his attention back to jihoon. “and as much as i’d love to tell y/n more, we have to pick up the pace.” without any further questions, the three of you resume with work. 

there’s no time to waste in the journalism industry. still, his praise doesn’t go unnoticed. 

one article turned into eight done in a matter of 30 minutes, all with the help of three pairs of eyes to go through them. (namjoon seemed to carry the heavy lifting. after all, the guy was trained to be quick in reading and spotting errors.)

it should’ve been easy to keep up with your editor for all the other articles; you know each profile like the back of your hand.

then, the face of a boy who you once knew sits on the screen.

his gaze seems to pierce through your soul, almost in the same way you last talked to him. the loose ends of composure slip through your fingers; your breath’s stuck in your throat as the hammering of your heart fills your ears. yet, he stands still on the monitor.

as your eyes drift through the passages you’ve written, every sound is drowned out. the voice of your editor fades like the everchanging seasons and the clicks of the keyboard resemble the sobs you let out in the comfort of your childhood room.

and suddenly, the hands of the clock have turned all the way back to 2014. the cubicles transformed into aisles of chips and instant ramen, and you hear mr. kim’s voice in the distance—i have some hotteok! fresh from the pan! but amidst it all, you hear the giggles of the boy, your best friend, as he rushes towards you—i’ll go audition and make you proud. as your arm is wrapped with the heat of his fingers, you almost believe that your life as a journalist is nothing but a dream—

“i knew him.” the illusion disappears within a blink of an eye. namjoon’s eyes snap towards you and jihoon stops scrolling through the website. “we went to the same high school.”

you aren’t sure why you revealed that to your coworkers, let alone your boss. it’s an old memory—your weight to carry. before you can apologize for disrupting their work, namjoon’s hand rests on your shoulder, his thumb drawing shapes into it. when you look over at him, you’re greeted by his smile. it resembles your bed after a long day of work or a slow day at the newsroom.

but it never lives up to him, whose giggles resemble nature’s symphonies. the two shots of espresso you need at the start of the day once came in the form of his warm embrace. most of all, his smile is enough to illuminate the world even through the strongest storms and times when power went out.

for the remaining articles, not a single word leaves you. before you know it, all 12 articles were ready to go up on the web.

“that’s all of it. should i still schedule them to go up around 12 p.m.?” jihoon notes as he saves the drafts.

“yeah, 12 p.m. still sounds good. thanks a lot.” namjoon nudges his shoulder before looking over to you. “let’s talk in my office.”

you don’t question his orders. once namjoon takes off, you follow him all the way to his office. as he swings the door open, you are met with the familiar sight of his workspace. hues of green and brown mix, where nature and art meet within the space of corporate.

once namjoon takes a seat on his chair, you find your spot across from him. his eyes stare off to the window. for a moment, you’re not sure what to expect from this impromptu meeting.

seconds pass and not a single word has been said—

“this place’s always alive,” your editor breaks the silence. “don’t you think so?”

you follow his line of sight. busy seoul never changes; the skyscrapers pollute the sky and the people never sleep, off to work or off to party.

“where’d you grow up again?”

you look back at namjoon whose eyes still remain locked on the city. “cheongju.”

he hums. “i haven’t been there. nice place?”

“yeah, but i haven’t gone back in a while.”

“when was the last time?” his eyes finally meet yours.

your teeth grasp the inside of your cheek. “2014, since i first left,” you admit. 

“do you miss it?”

you’re not sure how to answer. the pavements you’ve scraped your knees against and the walls your laughs bounced off of—do you miss them all? or is the reason behind your laughter and scabs the one you long for?

“is that why you were hesitant about interviewing them?” namjoon’s thumbs fiddle with each other. “because of your history with him?”

now, you stare at your linked hands. maybe the silence from you is enough to answer his question but you know namjoon would never settle for a soundless answer.

“i—i’m not a good person. and even if i didn’t make the choice to leave, i—” you hold yourself back. your fingers start to pick on the skin around your thumbs, peeling it so blood can spill. 

“it’s okay, i understand. you don’t have to share it with me.” your eyes drift back to namjoon, spotting a small smile that rests on his face. “it must’ve been hard to relive it all.”

the bond you have with namjoon is one that you hold close to your heart. through his mentorship, you got to learn about what it means to be a writer. the fears of being a journalist would loom over you, where questions of salary and demanding work hours would occupy your mind, but namjoon became someone who would absolve them all. he became a pillar in your life, one that provides you hope and comfort within the industry.

“so, don’t feel pressured to talk about it. but if you ever want to open up about it, then i’ll be here.”

namjoon’s giving you an exit. are you willing to take it?

you cross your arms as you lean back into the chair. “you know how i was a science major then?”

“yeah, i remember looking over your resume. and then i saw that you were part of your university’s publication.”

your tongue pushes against the inside of your cheek. “i would’ve gotten some job in that field, like, i had it lined up for me.”

“really? like lab coat and all?”

as namjoon attempts to hold back his laugh over the image, you chuckle along. “yeah, lab coat and all! it’s crazy how my life was all set for that field, but i’m here now.” you look down at your arms. “i think just facing him in a completely different field that i once used to imagine with him was just strange. but i think hearing his answers really did it for me.”

namjoon nods at your words. “care to have lunch with me?” your eyes snap back to your editor. “i’m guessing you want to talk about it, after all.”

all you do is smile before getting off your seat.

spring of 2014

the season of spring has graced cheongju; the sun gleams in the expanse of blue and birds perched on tree branches sing their songs. it’s the perfect season to embrace the wonders of the town.

while it would be a delight to bask under the returning warmth, you’re stuck within the walls of the classroom, head resting on crossed arms. 

still, the lilacs have yet to bloom.

“y/n.” you quickly sit up before your eyes settle on your adviser, ms. jeon, who stands in front of the classroom. “let’s take attendance.”

with that, you’re beside her as you call out each name on the class list. it’s a quick process of saying your classmates’ names for them to respond in variations of “present,” until you reach the section of last names that start with a ‘j’.

“ji changmin.” no response.

you rip your eyes off the piece of paper, only met with your classmates who either look at each other in confusion or spaced out in their own worlds.

“ji changmin?” when you’re met with the same reaction, you’re ready to mark the student absent—

“sorry!” the doors slam open. a boy clad in a white polo and jogging pants is panting by the entrance, covered in sweat as he rests on the edge of it. “sorry, i’m late.”

“oh, it’s okay! you arrived just in time.” ms. jeon smiles at the tardy student. as you watch him take a seat, his eyes lock with yours, but your adviser nudges you before saying, “y/n, proceed.”  

ji changmin made his name a few years back at a competition. the applause and roars from the crowd marked his spot in the school. others describe his movement as of cranes, standing in the middle of a pond as they do their best to minimize forming any ripples, or of elephants, swaying their trunks with control like no other.

but he’s a versatile dancer; nothing can truly capture him.

once you’ve finished marking the attendance, you go back to your seat. you’re ready to start the day with no bother but you can’t shake the feeling of being watched.

“now, you can see in these,” your art teacher, ms. park, points to the screen showcasing works from her favorite contemporary artists like kwon yongju and félix gonzález-torres, “that there are no borders to what constitutes art. and that’s not wrong because we have to recognize that art comes in different forms as we progress, from traditional painting and sculptures to digital ones.”

this field isn't your strong suit. with a greater understanding of the sciences, you struggle to create anything that could be on par with the works of any artist. yet, you enjoyed learning about every piece that your teacher shared, like unfolding and admiring something you know you can never replicate or create. still, the universe decides that they have other plans for you.

“as i mentioned before, i’ll be giving you time to work on your final assessment, which is to create an artwork for the class exhibit. for this deliverable, i’m asking that your work will be a collaborative one, meaning you aren’t working alone.” in a sea of chatter, some groans exit your classmates. “remember, inspiration doesn’t come from your own bubble! take this as your opportunity to create something that you’ve never imagined.”

within a split second, students are off their seats as they attempt to find a partner to work with. you, however, were struggling to think of who you could team up with. admittedly, you have a very different work style compared to others—even cheng xiao, aspiring valedictorian, didn’t enjoy working with you. she turned every activity into a competition against you. (you didn’t enjoy her, either.) while you’re considering shamefully going up to your classmates like a stray dog looking for anyone willing to care for them—

“hi!” in front of you stands the tardy student of today, all smiles as his hands find comfort in the pockets of his jogging pants. “do you have a partner already?”

with furrowed eyebrows, you can’t help but look him up and down. “no, why?”

“well,” changmin looks around the classroom, “everyone seems to have paired up except for us.” as his eyes drift back to you, he flashes you a smile, one that shows the dips engraved into his cheeks. “which leaves me to ask if you would like to work with me for this.”

you don’t have a choice. ms. park would never bend the rules for you. if anything, she would find a way to pair you with another student who would dread the idea of working with you. (“i’m sure they won’t mind being partners with you, right?” is what she would ask the poor student, only to be met with their retreat.)

“unless we accept a failing mark, which i’m sure we both don’t want.” it’s not like changmin had a choice as well.

“okay.” with one word, light fills his eyes, enough to resemble the starlight that grazes your skin every night. “we can meet and discuss our schedules, especially because i’ve got ap stat, and you have, uhm,” a cough leaves you, “training, i’m assuming, or rehearsals. i don’t really know what you call them.”

his eyebrows shoot up as his mouth parts open. “o—oh, yeah. i usually have training after class until 8 p.m. on tuesdays, thursdays, and saturdays.”

“same. my classes are until 7 p.m. on tuesdays and thursdays, so maybe we can use the other days to work together?”

with one nod from him, his dimples reappear. “great! i’ll see you tomorrow.”

before you know it, everyone finds their way back to their seats for ms. park’s final reminders. you do your best to pay attention to every announcement, jotting down every word on your planner and planning out your agenda for the upcoming weeks. yet, your eyes seem to have a mind of their own as they drift back to the boy who discreetly passes notes to kim donghan, another dancer on the team, all while listening to the teacher.

you don’t notice how long you spend staring at changmin until he turns to meet your gaze. in that split second, you look at each other—then, embarrassment washes over you. you shift your attention back to ms. park. as you drum your fingers against the desk, mentally kicking yourself over the interaction, you still can’t shake the feeling of being watched.

you look back at changmin; he’s still looking at you.

his dimples make their reappearance before he looks back at ms. park. you do the same as you attempt to listen to her ramble about banksy’s works. 

(you’re still thinking about the dips in his cheeks.)

the first time you get to meet with changmin for the project happens the following week. you two had different commitments to attend to, whether it be other projects or training. and while you would usually settle to meet in the school library or a cafe nearby, you find yourself inside the empty gymnasium, sitting on bleachers while your partner stands in front of mirrors.

“don’t you think it would be nice to combine our hobbies together?”

your pencil taps against the notebook. “like, your dancing? with what?”

“whatever you like to do!” once he makes his way to you, he leans on the row in front of you with crossed arms. “i mean, do you have anything you like to do during your free time?”

a scoff leaves you. “funny of you to assume that i have free time.”

“what’s your schedule like?”

“well, i have our classes and ap ones, then kumon at night.”

changmin reels at the thought of your schedule. “that’s brutal. the last time i had kumon was back in grade 4.”

“yeah, but i’m sure yours is busy as well. the amount of time that you put into training is…” his eyes are wide, hanging on your words. it’s the hope they hold that has you say, “admirable.”

a shy smile takes over his features. “yeah, but it’s only because my family is supportive of what i do.”

then, limbs whose color resembles the void slither their way to your heart, wrapping around it while the organ struggles to beat; it’s a slow process but an unending hole that will birth from it. yet, you do your best to fight off these limbs, unraveling them one by one in hopes it will give up—until you settle for shaking them off.

you only muster out a hum.

“do you have anything you like to do during those short breaks?”

your lips trill. “i don’t know. watch something on youtube?”

his cheeks puff up, stuck in his thoughts as he tries to navigate this project—and you—until his eyes glint. “what do you do when you want to vent?”

“you sure have a lot of questions,” you comment, trying to hold back a chuckle at his curiosity. “i can just adjust to you. maybe attempt to draw, picture, or even film you.”

his eyebrows furrow. “but that wouldn’t make it collaborative. i want us to work on something that aligns with what we do.”

a beat passes.

he holds your gaze. “i want us to create something that shows us.”

inside you, a gong is struck; its sound reverberates throughout your body, from the crown of your forehead to the tips of your toes. then, silence seeps in—a moment only for you and him.

“i, uh, write,” you whisper as your eyes shift to the notebook resting on your lap.

“really? like, stories and poetry?”

you nod. “i like writing people’s stories more, but i do like making ones.” when you look back at changmin, his eyes are still filled with curiosity. “i would, like, find interviews online and try to make my own, sort of, uhm—god this is embarrassing. forget about it.”

“huh? no, it isn’t!” he attempts to reassure your shrunken figure. “i mean, you don’t have to share more if you really don’t want to, but i’d like to hear more about it.” and when his dimples appear, you almost can’t help but feel your face warm up.

“i’d make articles, i guess?” he nods along with your words. “i don’t know, it’s just interesting to hear about people’s lives and kind of create something out of it, and i like thinking about all the possibilities of who would love to hear them. like, don’t you think that some of the stories that we read hold fragments of someone?”

“that’s an interesting way to look at it.”

as you doodle on your notebook, you say, “yeah, it’s just fun to hear these stories and maybe create something out of it. or even think of stories that i could never live out, you know?” you expect yourself to be met with the bored face of changmin but his eyes remain on you.

“what if you interview me?”

your eyebrows shoot up. “you?”

“yeah,” he stands up before walking up to your row, finding a spot beside you. “think of me as your first interviewee if you want.”

the sudden suggestion has you stumbling over your words. “huh? b—but, i don’t have questions prepared. and how does this help our project?” 

when his arms brush against yours, you start to become aware of the distance between your shoulders—and his face from yours. warmth spreads throughout your body, almost like you’re about to have a fever. once his open hand rests near yours, you don’t know what he’s asking.

“let me draw it out for you.” you hand him your pencil and notebook, allowing him to see your doodles. (you don’t miss his grin.) “you know, with that article you make, we can cut it up and create something out of it.” a roughly drawn sketch of a boy posed in the middle of a dance move now rests on the page. “i don’t know if a collage would be okay.”

as you think about what can be done, you perch your chin on your palm. “we can do papercut art? basically, it’s cutting up the article in a way to form an image.”

“oh, that sounds cool!”

“yeah, but the only challenge is that we can only use one piece of paper.” a sigh leaves you. “it would be impossible for me to even do that.”

“that’s why you have me.” his small smile causes wind chimes to ring. (you’re positive you heard them, even if there were no such things in the gymnasium.)

he continues to sketch out the layout of your joint artwork. “how do we feel about this?” on the paper, there are two boxes beside the figure, where one is labeled as “photo of me” while the other is labeled “an article by y/n.” your head tilts. “it’ll be a three-set piece. so, it’ll be a photo of me and your article, and in between is the papercut art that we’ll make.”

you hum. “you know, you’re very creative.” you look at him only to see that he’s been staring at you. “like, you’re inclined to the arts. i wouldn’t have been able to think of something like this.”

“you’re just as creative,” he argues back as he writes down something.

you shake your head before retorting, “changmin, you’re very talented. i’ve seen the way you dance,” his movements halt, “and you’re like no other dancer i’ve seen. if you ever try out to be an idol, i’m sure you’d do great, maybe end up on the list of the best dancers in the industry.”

but he shakes his head, going back to writing on your notebook and shutting down your compliments. you decide to not push.

“i can get the photo sometime during my training,” he says as he hands you your notebook.

“then i can have the questions sometime this week. for the article, i can have it done maybe four days after the interview. how does wednesday, after school, sound for the interview?”

he shoots you a smile before standing up from his seat. “that’s perfect! i’m looking forward to meeting journalist y/n.” you can’t help but scoff at what he calls you. “what’s wrong?”

“nothing,” you shake your head. “it’s just a silly name.” because the reality is that you had your future planned out—and it definitely didn’t involve that field.

he shrugs. “i don’t know, i think it would fit you.”

“but you haven’t read any of my works.”

“but i want to root for you in the same way you do for me. i don’t want you to feel ashamed of your works.” a fire ignites in your heart; it’s a fireplace.

you’re baffled that changmin, out of all people, now holds your secret, but you’re even astounded over the idea of him supporting you. you almost can’t remember the last time you heard such words of support. is it genuine or nothing but a facade?

“anyway, i’ve got to go. i need to catch up on some homework.” while you shoot him a nod, his dimples make their appearance once more. “i’ll see you tomorrow!” as he takes off, you’re left in the gymnasium with your opened notebook and unlocked heart. you look back down at his sketch surrounded by your doodles, but you don’t miss his little note—cute doodles btw <3

the season of spring has unfolded in cheongju; a single lilac has bloomed.

present -> a day before the interview, 2024

it’s a late night on a tuesday, about to be a midnight wednesday, and you’re in a convenience store as you scout for your dinner. all hauled up in the newsroom, the idea of ordering food during a time where restaurants would still be open slipped your mind. now, you’re left to scan through the same options you’ve eaten for the past years since you started living in seoul.

the convenience clerks are familiar with you, both kim jongseob and kim jiwoo. with your constant late-night meals at the store, you’d talk to whichever one had a shift. jongseob is saving up to upgrade his setup at home to record more music. with all the stories he shares about his time in underground rap battles along with the short verses he’s performed for you, you’re positive that he’ll get signed to a label soon. as for jiwoo, this is one of the many jobs she has in order to save enough money for fashion school. you’ve seen her sketches and outfits she’s put together and you’re hoping that she’ll get accepted.

a sigh leaves you. you didn’t have a problem with eating the food here but you were craving for something new in your life in seoul. the perpetual cycle of eating takeout food and unconsciously skipping meals for work needed to be disrupted just for a moment. but you weren’t seeking michelin-star food—all you wanted was something home cooked. something from home.

the spice of tteokbokki, the burn of freshly fried hotteok, and the sweetness of homemade peach iced tea—mr. kim’s convenience store had it all.

your tastebuds long for cheongju.

“planning to beat your record of spending 23 minutes on deciding what to get?”

you roll your eyes before looking to your right, seeing jongseob stock up the drinks in the fridge. “i hate you.”

“what? i’m just saying, you’re taking a lot longer to decide today.” he chuckles before placing the last bottle of sweetened probiotic milk in the fridge. “none of the options look good to you?”

“sort of,” you hum before you scan through the aisle of packaged meals. “i think i’m craving for something different.”

“i get it. the food here can get boring, which is why i’m planning to order pizza if you want to split the costs.”

your eyebrows shoot up at jongseob’s suggestion. “really? you’d share pizza with me?”

“yeah, as long as you pay for your share.” he shoots you a smile before grabbing on a trolley carrying empty boxes. “unless… you want to pay for the whole thing.”

you bite back a smile as you shake your head. you should’ve known the guy would ask you to buy him food, but you knew that he needed the money and you at least had a stable income to keep you comfortable. “fine,” jongseob’s smile grows as you fish out your wallet from your pocket and pull out a couple of bills. “just order enough for us two.” 

“of course,” he says as soon as you hand him some money. “i’ll make sure to order the most expensive thing on the menu.”

you scoff at his joke. “just make sure to treat me to something.”

the bell by the door chimes. “sorry, can’t hear you over that! need to attend to a customer!” jongseob dashes away from you while dragging the trolley. that little shit just knew how to press your buttons, but you love the kid, anyway.

still, you stand in the middle of the mart and your heart longs for home.

then, you shut your eyes, and you’re transported back in front of the familiar aisle filled with bags of potato chips and sweet corn. the noisy fan along with the soft sounds of mr. kim’s korean drama fills your ears. a mix of yellow and orange hues paint every corner of the mart, including you—and you’re not alone.

your best friend stands on your right, wearing the unbuttoned school uniform polo over a tank top along with jogging pants. he’s lost in thought as he scans through the options of snacks you two can have for today’s afternoon. he starts to giggle to himself, probably from a silly thought he’ll share with you in the next second or a memory involving you, and the dips in his cheeks appear—your heart thumps in your ears.

and just like how quickly you were transported back to cheongju, your surroundings transformed into the cool-lit convenience store found in seoul. all you have left is the image of him bathed in the sunlight.

but he fades away like the ink on old receipts, never gone, because the glowing image of him warps into a different version who stands next to you in the cold mart. he’s grown a few inches taller and his hair doesn’t get in the way of his line of sight. while he wears a green sweater, you notice that he’s gained some muscles. his eyes scan through the aisle behind you filled with different brands of instant ramen.

but he bites the inside of his cheek and his dimples appear.

it’s a tornado that brews within you, enough to uproot trees and displace buildings, all because of an unexpected reunion with changmin. why did the universe decide to bring two ex-best friends on a random tuesday night? what brings him to the convenience store at the same time you’re there? and why did it have to happen a day before the interview?

you weren’t going to commit the same mistake; keep your eyes off of him and make your way out of the store. it didn’t matter if you had an empty, growling stomach, or gave free money to jongseob. you need to leave without the distant, familiar face noticing.

your feet act fast, and you're almost certain that might’ve caught his attention, but it didn’t matter as you see jongseob standing behind the cashier with his phone out. “i just ordered the pizza. it should arrive in about… 20 to 30 minutes.”

“yeah, about that…”

“don’t tell me you’re taking your money back.”

at the sight of jongseob’s pout, you roll your eyes. “no, keep it. i just—i need to go.”

“what? why?”

you peek behind you. it seems like he didn’t recognize you, after all. “i’ve got… work!”

“but don’t you only have your interview with the bo—”

“hey!” your fingers snap at him. “you cannot—i mean, you just… just take the goddamn money.”

“but we’re supposed to share the pizza. you haven’t eaten.”

an exasperated sigh leaves you. “jongseob, just treat me next time. i can eat at home.”

and you’re ready to leave the convenience store, bid farewell to jongseob and a delicious pizza made for two, and never greet or say goodbye to the living fragment of what you last know of cheongju—

“y/n?”

and the plan failed.

when you meet his gaze, you’re able to take in the different version of him. he’s grown so much—it’s such a pain that you weren’t there to witness it. his eyes are a pool of emotions; you can’t identify them.

all it takes is one breath from you. “changmin.”

a beat passes.

“i’m just gonna… go through the storage,” jongseob points his thumb at the back of the mart, “and maybe kill myself afterwards. i don’t know.” before you can protest, he’s already gone. (and he still has your money. that fucker.)

you and changmin were once painted with the hues of the sun. this reunion is tainted with blue.

changmin’s fingers tense up, almost as if he was hesitating—debating—on how to approach you. his body would waver, but he never took a step towards you. “i… i wasn’t expecting to meet you here.” 

“same here.” you lean your back against the checkout counter. “d—do you stay around this part of the city?”

he shakes his head. “i live around 15, maybe 20, minutes away from here. i’m only here because…” your breath gets caught in your throat. “i don’t know.”

fate. that’s what brought us here.

“do you live here?”

you nod. “yeah, ever since—” the sentence never gets completed; you and him already know.

for a moment, sorrow flashes in his eyes, but a smile shows up. the dimples don’t appear. “i, uh, i was going to get something from here but it seems like your friend is busy.”

“sorry about jongseob.” you whip out your phone and scold him through text. “he should be with us in a bit.”

changmin hums before walking to the freezer filled with different ice cream. as he looks through the selection, he asks, “do you still like twin bar?”

“y—yeah.”

“still the grape flavor?” you don’t know what to say, but when his gaze meets yours, you settle for a nod. with your favorite ice cream in one hand and a sandwich in the other, he finally walks towards you. you don’t miss the slight stagger in his steps.

changmin finds his spot beside you. there’s still distance between you two—two tiles worth, enough space for one person—but it’s enough for your muscles to freeze. thankfully, jongseob comes just in time to manage the cashier (with an awkward smile plastered on).

he scans changmin’s item first before grabbing onto your ice cream.

“oh, i’m paying—”

“no, let me,” changmin insists. “you can always treat me another time.”

you bite the inside of your cheek, thinking over the second half of his sentence. jongseob holds back from scanning the item, until you shoot him a nod. changmin pays for the food before jongseob hands them to you.

“i’ll just let you know when the pizza gets here.” his small smile is enough for your shoulders to ease and a quiet exhale to leave. a small nod is all you give him.

you follow changmin outside to the tables in front of the mart. once he’s settled on a spot, you sit across from him. he tears away the plastic wrapping of his food while you play with the ends of yours. 

while he swallows what you assume to be his dinner of the day, you’re left to swallow your own pride.

“i’ve seen your performances.” his chews halt. “you’re—” captivating. “you’ve improved a lot.”  

with one gulp, a shy smile takes over his face. “i still have a long way to go.”

“you always say that, even back then.” a half bitten sandwich now rests on the wrapper. “but i admire your drive.” always have.

while a different version of changmin sits across you, the one you knew back in cheongju still lives. in the busy, unfamiliar expanse of seoul, meeting 10 years later, he’ll never be stranger. you could never treat him as such, even if you wanted to.

“there’s always room for improvement,” he says.

you hum along with his sentiment. “did you stick with early childhood education?” you’re met with his orbs that hold a thousand of emotions, some you can name as shock, confusion. a question hangs in the air—what did you deserve to know?

“sorry, i’m assuming you still went to college, which is totally fine if you did or didn’t, by the way. and it’s also okay if you didn’t stick to your major. i mean, you always talked about pursuing a performing arts degree before—”

“y/n,” he giggles, “you’re okay. i still went to college but i took media & communication.” your eyebrows shoot up at the revelation. “i thought it made sense to study something related to what i do, just the more technical and theoretical side of it, i guess. and the online classes were easy to squeeze into my schedule.” he lifts up the sandwich. “what about you?”

“uh, i ended up in the same course as well.” a hum of shock leaves changmin. “yeah,” you chuckle, “i managed to shift courses.”

“that’s amazing! i’m happy for you.”

you smile at him. “thanks. now, i’m just—” you should tell him what you do. what would be a better time to reveal that you ended up in the path he dreamed for you to be than now? “—figuring things out.”

with your vagueness, changmin only nods before munching away. if there’s anything about you that still remains, it’s that you shouldn’t be pushed to share something you didn’t want to talk about. he still knew that.

as he finishes his sandwich, you tear off the plastic wrapping of your ice cream. with the twin bar in your hands, you snap it into two before you hand him a piece. confusion paints his features, wide eyes glossing over the popsicle in your hand, but he takes it before you can say anything.

“thanks.”

you shake your head. “don’t even worry about it. it’s only tradition.”

silence settles between you two. as you eat away on your share of the twin bar, you look up to the sky. from where you sit, you can’t see a single star; the lights of seoul seemed to outshine them. and during those moments, you almost can’t help but miss the view of the starry night from your childhood room.

you glance at changmin who looks up to the sky as well. yet, one hand remains in his pocket, almost as if he’s fiddling with something. 

as if he feels your eyes on him, he asks, “did you ever think about coming back?”

you halt your movements. if there’s one thing you were expecting your old friend to ask, it would be related to your sudden departure. but you’re hit with an entirely different question, one you didn’t get to rehearse the answer to in case you ever cross paths with him. 

because after all this talk about your yearning for cheongju, why didn’t you choose to visit? despite how much you long mr. kim’s home cooked meals, skies filled with stars, or the presence of your best friend, why didn’t you ever come back?

if you miss home, why is your first instinct to run away from it?

and the reality is that you do think about it all the time. since you left cheongju, you drafted out how many plans to go back. you were homesick, missing the familiar landscape you spent your entire childhood growing up in. but most of all, you missed changmin. as long as you had him, you would survive anywhere, whether in seoul or cheongju.

despite how much you yearned for him during your years away, you learned that your relationship wasn’t always filled with the warmth that would grace you two every afternoon. for so long, you’ve sat with jealousy. while his family was his pillar of strength, you were met with a home that offered nothing but criticism.

the black limbs slowly ate away at your heart; the void was born.

it became easier to remain resentful. with the distance, you weren’t faced with changmin’s genuineness. yet, with time, you discovered that you still cared for him—regardless of your jealousy—because you still wanted more for him than you did for yourself.

for a long time, you resented. now, it’s only guilt that held you back from going back to him.

so when you remain silent, changmin takes it as your answer.

and for the first time, the distance feels greater since you first left cheongju.

summer of 2014

it’s the peak of summer. amidst the expanse of verdant fields, bees seek solace in the fully-bloomed sunflowers and kaleidoscope wings illuminate as they soar.

but summer is where mouths go dry and clothes cling to skin. as days blend with each other, the comfort of your bed is all you have until the season passes.

the fan rumbles against the wooden floor, doing its best to cool you, but the heat prickles against the back of your neck. the wind has turned into nothing but hot waves. with your elbows perched on the desk, a sigh leaves you as you attempt to make sense of the worksheet filled with math equations.

your room is your favorite place in cheongju. within these four walls are scattered fragments of you, from your favorite books and mangas that rest on the bookshelf to the stuffed toys that rest on your bed. book tabs stick out of your workbooks lined up on your desk and your cork board is filled with crossed out to-do lists.

and every once in a while, you would look out through your window, admiring the neighboring houses and all their greenery. as people walk on pavements, you cannot help but think about where they’re off to—are they on their way to work? did they leave an important document back home? or are they coming back to a meal and home filled with warmth?

despite the halo soundtrack filling your ears, the cogs in your brain seem to drown them out. the numbers on your paper have jumbled up. it should’ve been easy. after all, you’ve become friends with the letters who’ve squeezed their way into math. once you’ve wrapped up on this assignment, you know you’ll wake up to another set of work to do. it didn’t help that you’re stuck watching kids your age enjoy their break.

with a tired mind, you consider making yourself another cup of iced coffee. maybe another dose of caffeine will make sense of the numbers—

your phone buzzes against your table. as your eyes rip from the unfinished worksheet, you spot the familiar name flashing on the screen. with one glance at your door, you bring your headphones to rest around your neck. it takes three rings for you to answer.

“what do you want?”

“the fuck? what’s wrong with you?”

you roll your eyes as you fiddle with your pen. “i’m studying, you fucker.”

“on a sunday?” changmin’s question has you only groan. “what happened to resting?”

“i wish,” you murmur as you scratch the back of your head. “i’ve been stuck on this stupid worksheet for the past hours. it’s annoying too. i mean, i already know this topic, so i don’t know why it’s so hard.”

“awe, is my best friend suffering over kumon?”

your forehead rests on crossed arms. “yes. i think i’m going to die.”

“okay, then. i’ll take that as my sign.”

“sign to what?”

he chuckles as if it were obvious. “to save you! let’s go to mr. kim’s.”

a groan leaves you as your back meets the chair. “no, i can’t. do you know what would happen if i don’t finish my kumon?”

“uh… no?”

“me, neither. i’m not taking my chances.”

“but, you’re not even doing anything!” changmin pointing out the obvious has you rolling your eyes. “wouldn’t it be better to take a break with your best friend? i can even help out.”

as you bite the inside of your cheek, you glance once more at your closed door. you weigh it out; would you rather take a break with your best friend or would you save yourself from the consequences brought by home?

but the answer was already clear. “give me 10 minutes.”

changmin laughs before you drop the call.

it’s the smell of fresh hotteok that greets you. the quiet buzzing of the fan accompanied by mr. kim’s favorite trot music fills your ears. while the owner seems to be away from the cashier, a white, stray cat takes over, body flopped on the counter as it snores away the heat. as the sun pours through windows, coating every corner of the mart with a glow of fireflies, you know this will be a place of its own.

“y/n, over here!” a familiar voice calls out. as you whip your head to the source, you see your best friend by the chest freezer, eyes crinkled and all dimples.

now, you’re certain that nothing could ever replicate this.

you walk towards changmin, finding your spot beside him as you two look through the collection of frozen treats. “so, what do you want from here?” you ask.

“uh… i’ll be honest, i just realized i’m short on money.”

you glance through the price tags, only for a groan to leave you. “i’m short too. when did mr. kim raise the prices?”

“no clue. i thought i’d have enough to get a summer crush,” changmin complains as his eyes are glued to the coffee sorbet. “i hate inflation.”

“come on.” you fish out for the coins in your pocket. “let’s see how much we have together.” changmin does the same. with palms out, you two count through your shared funds.

“we can get a summer crush!”

“you can get one. i’ll be left with barely anything.” you look through the selection once more. “man, i really want samanco. the red bean sounds so good right now.”

defeat casts over changmin’s features. for a moment, you almost consider giving up on having a frozen treat and settling for a glass bottle of orange soda, until you spot a familiar popsicle brand.

“holy shit, it’s right there.”

“what?”

“there!” your finger points at the stack of twin bars. “we can probably get that and split it.”

changmin’s expression morphs into realization. “okay, let’s get—”

“dibs on grape.”

“dibs?” he furrows his eyebrows at you. “you can’t just call dibs. you’re doing it wrong. clearly, we should discuss—”

“nope,” you retort. a chuckle laced with disbelief leaves your best friend. to him, it seemed like you were joking around. “i made the suggestion and contributed a lot more to our shared funds.”

“okay, but—”

“don’t tell me you want the peach flavor more than the grape.” as you continue to shut him down, he knows there’s no way around you.

(plus, he wasn’t a fan of peach-flavored things, anyway. how unfortunate that mr. kim only has those two flavors right now.)

“next time, we’re choosing a flavor that i want,” he gives in. you let out a cheer before grabbing the frozen treat.

you two make your way back to the cashier and spot mr. kim slouched in front of the television, hand stroking the sleepy feline. he’s still wearing an old, red plaid apron on top of a pair of basketball shorts and a loose graphic tee which had the name of a band you’re unfamiliar with. with how he sits, you’re afraid that his back problems will get even worse. (still, you don’t say anything. he’ll only play it off and say he’s still one of the “youngins”... whatever that means.)

once his eyes land on you two, a grin takes over. “ah, my favorite kids! it’s nice to see you both.”

“yeah, it’s been a while,” changmin starts off. “y/n’s always busy with kumon.”

you narrow your eyes at the boy. “hey! you’re busy, too! you’ve been practicing at the studio almost every day!” the wrapped popsicle now rests on the counter. “every time i’m free, you’re not.”

“hey! whenever you’re free, i’m tired from training!”

“okay, let’s settle down,” mr. kim breaks up the banter. he then takes note of the ice cream on the cashier, the price showing up on the cashier. “isn’t the heat hard enough for you two to be studying or practicing?”

“yes, very much.” you count the coins once more before dropping the exact amount on the counter. “but,” you glance at changmin and his disheartened expression is enough for mountains to move, “i don’t think we have a choice.”

in reality, these were the circumstances you two had to work and live with. during the days changmin ended practice early, you were drowning in summer school assessments. whenever you managed to finish your homework, it would be during the hours your best friend was off at the studio or passed out at home from exhaustion.

“choice, no choice, people always say that.” mr. kim counts your payment before putting it into the cashier. as he takes note of what you’ve bought, he says, “everyone has a choice. i’m sure you two can figure it out.”

the only difference is that one chose this path; the other had to suffer from the decision forced onto them.

“don’t worry, mr. kim,” changmin nudges your shoulder. “i’m sure we’ll figure it out.” and when the dips in his cheeks appear, you find yourself smiling back.

maybe you were okay with the life you had to live, just maybe.

“anyway, we’ll go ahead,” changmin bids farewell to mr. kim.

you giggle. “he means we’re just going to eat our ice cream at the front.”

as you two slowly make your way out of the mart, mr. kim shakes his head. “you lovebirds go ahead. i’ll see you next time!”

“mr. kim!” you and changmin shout in unison before glancing at each other.

“what?!”

your best friend groans. “you know we aren’t together.”

“yeah! like, i can’t imagine it,” you join in.

still, the owner laughs at your reactions. “you two are so funny. just go and enjoy your ice cream.”

you roll your eyes at his words. “bye, mr. kim!”

with that, you and changmin were out of the mart and took a seat on the benches. you hand your best friend the wrapped frozen treat before letting out a sigh. “i still can’t believe this is one of the few times we got to meet up during the break.”

“i know.” he tears the plastic wrapping off. “you would think that summer break would mean we get to hang out nonstop, but i’m starting to think we saw each other more whenever we had school.”

you hum. “i know. and i had ap stat while you had training.” your eyes dart at changmin who grips onto the popsicle sticks, struggling to split it into two. “oh my god, don’t tell me you can’t split it.”

“hey! it’s hard.”

as you giggle, you reach your hand out. “let me do it.” once changmin hands you the twin bar, you attempt to split the two. for a moment, you almost think about agreeing with him. yet, the frozen treat splits into two perfectly, and a satisfied smile rests on your lips.

you hand him one popsicle, only to be met with his glare. “i know, i’m just better.”

“just shut up.” to that, another laugh leaves you.

under the sun, you enjoy the coolness of the twin bar. while you would’ve stared off to nowhere, you and changmin were here at the right time to catch civilians bustling away. some were on dates, where one would go on about their interest while the other would smile at their rambling. there were kids whose chatter could be heard all the way from the end of the block, and blue-collar men who were off to enjoy their break.

you can’t help but imagine what people saw—thought—of you and changmin. did they think of you as unexpected friends? has it ever crossed their minds that you two were only classmates who seemed to always be paired together? or did they ever think the same as mr. kim?

“you know,” changmin starts off, causing you to look at him, “i was going through college courses the other day.”

your eyebrows shoot up. “oh?”

with your reaction, changmin giggles. “i was just curious, you know? not that i’m giving up on dance or anything, but,” he licks the popsicle, “early childhood education sounds cool.”

you hum. “i wasn’t expecting that.”

“what’s that supposed to mean?”

“no, it’s not a bad thing!” you reassure the boy. “it’s just,” you rip your gaze off of changmin and look at the playground, “i always thought of you as a dancer, you know? kind of like you were meant for the stage.” the laughter of the kids who passed by you two bounces all over the block and you can’t help but smile. “but i don’t doubt it.”

the breeze graces your sweat-covered skin. “what about you?” you look back at him. “would you ever consider journalism? maybe communication as your major?”

you’re quick to laugh at his suggestion, but when confusion paints his features, you realize it’s a serious question from him.

“no.” it’s a straightforward answer from you, but changmin could never settle with that

“why not?”

a sigh leaves you. “i just don’t consider it. i mean, i think about it,” all the time, “but not enough to consider it. plus, astrophysics is cool.”

“but is it your dream?”

changmin’s question is an easy one to answer—not at all. you’ve had enough learning about theories and making sense of the numbers. if your future is going to only complicate that further, then maybe astrophysics isn’t made for you. 

but who’s to say that you’ll even enjoy journalism?

“we’ll see.” you leave it at that and changmin didn’t push for more.

because the reality is that if you ever did consider it, transform those dreams into action plans, you were terrified to be met with your parents’ disappointment—it wouldn’t only be from your lousy desires but from changmin’s role in your life.

the first time you mentioned changmin to your parents happened over dinner, letting them know you would be staying later at school to work on the final project for art class with him. they didn’t bat an eye at his name as they continued to talk about what happened during work and pester you about your progress in other classes. (art class didn’t matter to them, only the sciences and math were ones they seemed to track. still, they would criticize you if you didn’t place first honors.)

with your parents’ oversight, something blossomed between you and changmin. from there, there were more days you would get home later than usual. while you were still on top of your work, they took your late arrivals as a form of negligence.

all it took was one night for them to demand an explanation. the reappearance of him in the conversation had only caused them to reprimand you—changmin’s not like you. he’ll only hold you back. 

from that day on, you’ve learned to keep his name out of conversations. you’ll enjoy what you have with changmin, even if it has to be kept under the wraps.

“how’s training?” you change the subject, trying to keep the attention off of your failed dreams to changmin’s flourishing ones.

“well, it’s a lot,” he chuckles as he munches a piece. “you already know that it takes how many hours to get to the company, and the hours i spend in the practice room are unlike the trainings i have at school.”

as his eyes meet yours, you only shoot him an apologetic smile. it was never going to be easy; you two knew that before changmin entered the doors of the company. yet, he still held on.

“you know, i never considered it before, but i like where i’m going,” he admits. “even if i’ve always had dreams to pursue dance, i want to make my family proud if i ever get to debut.” 

changmin knows how to persevere. regardless of all the bruises he gets from performing complex dance routines or the hours of sleep he longs for, he knows how to hold on. you wish you could say the same for yourself.

“and you will,” you reassure the boy, wrapping your arm around his shoulders. “who wouldn’t be proud of you?”

he holds your stare and your smile falters. for a moment, you don’t know if you touched on a sensitive topic. would he shrug your arm off? do you think he’ll shut you off, maybe cut your time together short? will changmin get mad at you for something you didn’t know was wrong? would he be just like them?

“i want to make you proud.”

that’s enough to answer it all.

you shake your head. “don’t even doubt that for a second.” your arm finds it spot back to your side, and changmin’s loops his with yours.

although he knows how to persevere, he never knows when to shut his ears from the shadows. 

“i am proud of you,” you tell him. “always have, always will.” he can’t help but smile. all you can hope is that he’ll listen closely to your voice.

“i almost forgot,” he says out of nowhere.

“forgot what?”

as he tugs his arm away, his hand fishes for something in his pocket. “close your eyes.” you furrow your eyebrows. “just do it!” you follow his orders. “and keep them closed, okay?” you let out a hum.

before you know it, something wraps around your index finger. you would’ve opened your eyes, confused over the foreign yet familiar material, but they remain shut. 

“okay, open.”

your gaze rests on your finger wrapped in yellow and blue. it’s a finger trap—and the other end is connected to changmin. despite your tug, it still holds you two together.

it’s the warmth that fills your cheeks, the heartbeat in your ears, and your starstruck eyes that has him smile. “no matter what happens, we’ll stick together, okay? regardless of what paths we end up pursuing. all that matters is that we have each other.”

he’s filled with hope. hope for his dreams. hope for your relationship. hope for what the future holds for you two. you can’t help but hope as well.

all it takes is a nod from you to solidify the promise to the universe.

you two sit in silence, finishing up the popsicles as people continue to pass by. at one point, you heard mr. kim let out a curse over the drama he’s watching. the sun is about to set, wrapping you two in a golden blanket, and all that matters is the finger trap.

present  -> two weeks before the interview, 2024

it’s no surprise to you that the newsroom is quiet. while your peers are off to gather more information, you’re with lee chaeyeon of news as she tries to meet the deadline for her article’s first close.

“do you think dokyeom will be late?” you ask as you watch her rephrase sentences.

she laughs. “when is he never? minho’s always assigning him coverages.”

“that’s true.” your eyes drift to the hallway. “i’m just hungry. he still owes me food, you know?”

“over another bet? or you saving his ass?”

“over helping him with an article,” you reveal, earning a shocked look from her. “for some odd reason, he needed another writer to help out with a live coverage, and all the sports writers and sports editor were busy handling the other events.”

“holy shit.” chaeyeon continues with her work. “i didn’t expect you to work on anything sports-related.”

“yeah, but it helped that it was a dance competition. at least i know something about dance.” you only know who to thank. “i’m going to make sure i get compensated for that. i’m planning to raise it to minho and namjoon, anyway. that’s if dokyeom would fucking come and help in explaining the situation.”

with the mention of the tardy writer’s name, he’s scrambling through the halls with his backpack in one hand and a paper bag in the other. the moment he sees you, he shoots you an apologetic smile.

“speak of the devil,” you say as you stand up straight. “why do you always show up late? i helped you with the article.”

dokyeom finds his spot beside you as he sets down the bag on your desk. “i’ll have you know that wasn’t the only article i had yesterday. i was catching up on other ones that minho assigned me.” before he can plop down on his seat, he spots chaeyeon working. “damn, tough life at news.”

“no need to point out the obvious, doofus.”

“wow, harsh,” he replies to her insult. “just so you know, i bought food for us.”

“thank god,” you exclaim as you open the paper bag filled with takeout containers and sealed cups. as you pull them out one by one, you spot your usual order from the vietnamese restaurant around the corner. “oh my god, thank you for getting me this.” you take a seat before you pass dokyeom his food and utensils.

“yeah, i know. i’m just the best.” his shower of compliments for himself only has you rolling your eyes. “but thank you, by the way, for helping me out with the article. i needed an extra pair of hands and my own editor couldn’t stand in to help out.”

“it’s fine. just make sure you help me get compensated for that article,” you say before you open the container. as the smell of bun bo nam bo fills your nose, you can’t help but let out a quiet moan. “holy fuck, i’ve been craving this.”

“i made sure to get you some vietnamese coffee also.”

“yeah, i saw. thank you.” you split the chopsticks with one hand. you’re about to mix the bowl of your favorite food—

“is y/n here?” your editor calls out, causing you to let out a sigh before you stand up from your seat.

“yes?”

namjoon’s gaze lands on you. “can i talk to you for a bit?”

despite your grumbling stomach, you give him a nod and set your food down. as he retreats to his office, you glare at dokyeom who munches away on goi cuon. “i hate you.”

“hey, what did i do?!” you ignore his attempts to defend himself as you make your way to your editor’s office.

once you swing the door open, you spot namjoon whose eyes are stuck to the screen. “you can take a seat,” he says with no attempt to look at you. you sit across from him, hands folded on your lap, while he types away on his keyboard.

the moment he hits the ‘enter’ key is when he finally looks at you. “sorry about that. i was just replying to minho regarding your compensation for the article you worked with dokyeom. we both appreciate what you did. next time though, make sure to loop in minho or me before you two start working on beats not within your staffs.”

“sorry about that,” you start off. “dokyeom only asked for my help and i thought it would be fine since i’m familiar with dance, anyway.”

namjoon shakes his head with a small smile plastered on his face. “it is fine, just make sure to inform us.” you only nod.

“anyway, i’m sorry to have this meeting with you right now but i have to leave work early today, and i thought that you’d appreciate that i tell this to you now instead of tomorrow,” he says. you hum, curious about what he has to say. “i have a coverage for you, a very, very, long one.”

over the sight of your wide eyes, he can’t help but chuckle. “it’s 12 articles,” he says and your mouth gapes over the number. “well, one main article and 11 profiles with very brief introductory paragraphs.” his attempt to ease your shocked state does nothing.

“namjoon, that’s… a lot.”

“yes, i know. i would love to split the workload but everyone else is handling other articles, and i trust you. i know i’m asking for a lot but i’ll make sure to help you out with them. it’s just that we’re working on a time crunch and i don’t know anyone else i can ask but you.”

the faith that your editor seems to have in you is like no other.

“profiles, like, those q&a transcripts?” you ask.

he nods before saying, “yes, and just a brief introductory paragraph for each profile. i’m just expecting you to put more work into the article about the group. i’ll make sure to help out with the profiles.”

namjoon’s trust should be anxiety inducing, enough to send you complaining, but you find yourself relieved. your mentor became your second-in-command; the mountain of workload transformed into a hill.

“okay.”

a relaxed smile appears on his face at your acceptance. “thank god! i was going to stress about this the whole day if you refused. i’ll make sure to send you the details about this once i’m done with my appointments, and then we can see how we’ll divide the work later on.” he types something. “we’re covering a k-pop group which is why there’s one main article about the whole group and then 11 profiles.”

“yeah, i figured that out.” this isn’t anything out of your usual articles. “can i ask who we’re interviewing? maybe i can do some research on them while you attend your meetings.” you pull out your phone, ready to search up whoever your editor says.

“don’t know if you’re familiar with them but they’re called the boyz?” you still in your seat. “wait, let me check. yes, that’s their name.”

“the boyz?”

namjoon looks at you, now met with your features that have transformed from wide eyes to scrunched eyebrows.  “yeah. do you know them?” 

you shake your head without a second thought. “no, i don’t think i do,” you whisper the last sentence to yourself. his narrow eyes look over you, almost dissecting you.

the walls surrounding you are painted in solid colors of pearl, almost untouched. yet, under the paint are cracks that spread like cobwebs. every burst is a testament to the earthquakes they’ve faced; no one should be able to see a single line of black amid the white sea. now, they’re filled with paste, and it should be enough to cover them all.

but for the first time, the paint has chipped and the paste has deteriorated; the different colors of cheongju seep through the cracks.

you clear your throat as you straighten your back. “i’ll be sure to research them.” you wave your phone at him, hoping to divert his attention, but his gaze remains on you.

a sigh leaves him. “okay. expect to receive the documents later in the afternoon.”

he doesn’t push any further. for now, the walls remain intact. (or appear as so.)

it was never going to be easy.

“honestly, i gave up expecting to win as we practiced,” the youngest says through tears. as they huddle, they let out silent wishes for the upcoming years. before they blow the candle, they don’t forget to express their gratitude to the fandom who stuck with them through thick and thin.

a time of celebration turned into a moment to remember their struggles. these were pockets of their time that marked their spot in history.

“oh, everyone behind us is crying!” another member points out as the camera captures the team’s bittersweet cries.

and when you catch sight of the orange-haired boy who hides his tears behind his friend, the ache in your chest starts to spread through your veins. the video cuts to his low-hanging head as his members comfort him. they knew all of his hardships—you only know a fraction.

such a tender moment happened five years ago; it’s the same amount of time between this achievement and your departure. within those years, what did changmin undergo? did his trainings waver his passion or did the fire burn just as bright as it did since he first auditioned? was he confident in his skills or was he still critical about every performance he had?

but most of all, what did he face? what did he learn? to hate? to love?

what did he go through without you?

you don’t forget to take note of their first win on your document filled with bullet points of information. while you were going to continue watching, a recommended video caught your attention. it’s a changmin focus. you don’t hesitate to click it.

the video starts off with him checking up on the fans before the performance starts. as he mimes out eating, they answer his question with reassurance.

and there they come—his dimples appear.

it transitions to their group in their opening formation. as they await for the song to play out, changmin’s familiar smile shifts into a dominant gaze.

in the same way the first notes draw people to listen, your eyes never leave the boy. his movements are fluid, like water droplets sliding off leaves. he commands the stage regardless of where he’s positioned.

changmin is meant to be on the stage—no, every stage is made for him. every crowd is meant to cheer his name and remain captive to his talents, and every spotlight is meant to shine on him.

you rest your chin on crossed arms. long gone was the bowl cut and loose school uniform. he’s grown. matured, even. yet, the moments where his smile appears makes you realize one thing: the 16-year-old boy you knew still lives within him.

as their performance comes to an end, you don’t bother to move your cursor, letting the next recommended video play. and when his vlog plays out, you realize that a fragment of his identity is a whole of what you know.

what an honor it is to have known him for even a fraction of your lifetime.

his voice is a lullaby, the same one you used to fall asleep to, so you allow yourself to close your eyes. you let go of the responsibilities for just this moment, and allow yourself to be transported back into the warmth of his arms.

fall of 2014

out of all the seasons, autumn took its spot in being your favorite. clusters of green slowly morph  into shades of oranges and browns. it’s a symphony of chirps that fills the silence. while the breeze brings you comfort after the heat of summer, it also reminds you of the looming winter.

it’s a shame that autumn does live up to its other name: a season of fall.

“you’re always like this,” your mother comments. you stand in front of your parents, slumped shoulders and downcast eyes, as they hold a sheet of paper they believe dictates your future. “always so sensitive. we’re just asking you what went different. why did your grades drop?” to them, a shift from a to b+ is a threat to your future. 

while your feet stand on wooden floors, a flood starts to form. murky waves crash against your legs, but you do your best to keep your balance.

“answer us when you’re being talked to.” your father snaps you out of your thoughts. “what have you been doing for your grades to drop?” you want to answer but a single sound that leaves you may only lead to blubbers that your parents will scold you for. 

with your silence, your mother sneers. “i knew we shouldn’t have let you do your own things. i told you so.” she shifts her gaze to him. “what did i tell you about y/n? you know they’ll only slack off!”

“i thought we could trust them. clearly, i was wrong.” your father’s glare raises the water levels, reaching your chest. you don’t know how to swim in the foggy ocean.

“i know why.” she crosses her arms. “it’s because of that changmin boy, isn’t it?” she says his name laced with disgust.

you don’t think twice to defend him. “no, it isn’t!”

“don’t you dare talk back at me!”

“but i’m not! he’s done nothing.”

your father begins to raise his voice. “and that’s what’s wrong! that lazy boy does nothing for his studies. he clearly doesn’t care about his future.”

you always knew it would be a losing battle, but you’ll put up the fight to protect your best friend’s name. “that’s not true! he does care. he’s planning to do early childhood education for college, maybe become a teacher.”

“that job has no money. see, i can already see that you’re being influenced by him,” he argues back.

and as the murky waters rise, filling your lungs, your first instinct is to close your eyes and scream. “stop saying that about him!”

a beat passes.

“i don’t want you hanging out with him.”

“but—”

“shut up.” your mother’s words cause you to look up, meeting your parents’ faces filled with anger.  “go to your room. now.” you’re nothing but a puppet for them.

was it even a battle if you always knew you were going to lose?

despite the safety of your room, you don’t let the tears flow down. you do anything to distract yourself; maybe a book will convince you that your life is only a figment of your imagination.

waves continue to crash against your body. if you let them take your body, would they send you far away from cheongju? from your parents? from the weight you were entrusted to carry since birth?

but would you allow the waves to send you away from changmin?

your phone buzzes against the mattress. with tear-filled eyes, you see your best friend trying to reach you. you don’t think twice about declining his call and shutting off your phone.

as you curl in your bed, you hope the sea will swallow you whole—the slow, burning pain that comes with drowning won’t compare to the burns that haven’t healed. but you know that the blame rests on your shoulders. if only you had studied harder, cut off hours of rest for your work, then maybe you would be the perfect child your parents wanted.

were you wrong for allowing yourself to enjoy the small breaks between classes? was the time spent in the mart supposed to be for schoolwork? should you have found yourself a tutor? were you in the wrong for not working yourself to the bone? did you not work enough?

are you not enough?

then, a knock. your eyes snap open. like a stroke of light in the middle of the dark, changmin is by your window.

you get off your bed to open the window. as the glass barrier disappears, he enters your room. “are you okay?” he spots your glassy eyes and his hands find their spot on your shoulders. “what happened?”

you break eye contact. “what do you want, changmin?”

“you didn’t pick up your phone. and when i tried calling again, i couldn’t reach you,” he starts to explain.

you shrug off his grip on you before you take a seat on your bed. “i’m fine. my phone died.” as you feel the spot beside you dip, you look at your best friend. at the sight of his furrowed eyebrows, you know he doesn’t believe you. “i said i’m fine.”

“i didn’t say anything.” for you are an open book to him.

he opens his arms towards you—it’s your move to make. then, a tight-lipped smile shows on his face, his dimples appear, and you allow yourself to fall. with his arms wrapped around you, you shut your eyes as you nestle your face into his neck.

breathe in. breathe out.

his hand finds its spot on your back, rubbing it in circles.

breathe in. breathe out.

“it’s okay, i’m here,” he says, and you allow yourself to crumble in front of him for the first time.

the tears hit changmin’s neck like a light drizzle. your wails bring earthquakes into his world.

yet, his warmth is enough to dry up droplets, and his embrace protects you as you fall into the cracks of the earth and into the depths of the world. the flood starts to subside.

in your time knowing changmin, how much did he know about you after all? had he always known of your strained relationship with your parents? did he hear about it from others or was he able to connect the dots?

because you didn’t know yourself outside of your parents anymore. did you like science because of your kumon classes? was your interest in writing birthed from a desire for validation from your parents?

are you nothing but an array of achievements and failures?

but your parents will never be satisfied; a standard too high is practically nonexistent.

changmin moves so that you two can lie down. his arms remain wrapped around you as you hide in his neck. “i’m sorry if i wasn’t there for you when you needed it then.” his whispered apology causes you to shake your head.

“you didn’t do anything wrong,” you blubber out to his neck.

“and you didn’t, as well.” his hand finds its spot behind your head. with every stroke, a tear streams down. “and i want you to know that i’ll be here for you.”

in your house, your room was the only space you called home. solace built by you. 

now, your home is changmin.

present -> two weeks before the interview, 2024

something about the newsroom feels odd to you. there’s nothing out of the ordinary aside from it bustling with journalists. the familiar sounds of printers and chatter from your workmates fill your ears. it’s a typical occurrence for your peers to meet their deadlines on the day itself. the tug in your gut doesn’t resemble ones formed out of your anxiety. why does it feel like one of destiny?

“where is dokyeom? i swear, this guy never shows up to the office.”

you snap out of your thoughts, looking over at chaeyeon who browses through her phone. as you shove a bill into the vending machine, a chuckle leaves you. “when is he never?”

“maybe if he finishes his coverages on time then he’d be getting enough sleep. then, he won’t be late.”

you side-eye your friend before you click on a button. “you know that’s not true.”

she sighs at the same time your bottle of iced tea drops. “yeah. apparently, if you have free time, you’re not a good journalist or some shit which i find stupid.” you grab your drink before facing her. “am i not allowed to do something else that’s not related to my job? i swear, this is why i’m single.”

“then date another journalist.” your joke earns a scowl from her.

“i’m never dating anyone in my field. a journalist dating another journalist is like,” she looks up to the ceiling as she thinks, “a long distance relationship with how much they’ll never see or have time for each other.”

a laugh erupts from you, one that may be too loud for your liking. “true.”

as you walk out of the breakroom with chaeyeon, you notice something in the corner of your eye: a brunette by the restroom. while you can’t see his face, you spot what’s in his hand and you halt in your tracks—a finger trap.

“hey, is there someone there?” your eyes snap back to your friend who looks at you in confusion. when your eyes drift back to where the brunette once was, he’s already gone. you shake your head before walking back to your desk.

the same gut feeling lingers. with a frown, you open up your article only to be met with a few comments that namjoon left last night. maybe your gut knew that you weren’t done with your work. thankfully, it’s nothing too major, and you can have them done within the next few minutes.

“there you are!” chaeyeon exclaims, causing you to look up from your screen to a panting dokyeom. “were you working on your articles again?”

“actually, i went out last night.” while you shake your head at dokyeom’s reveal, chaeyeon gasps. “yeah, i did! i actually had fun for once!”

as he nods proudly at last night’s events, she complains, “are you serious?! how come you have time to go out? i was just talking to y/n that we never have time to ourselves.”

“i’m in sports,” he points out as he shrugs his shoulders. “you’re in news.” at this point, you’re expecting the two to spiral into an argument, so you redirect your focus back to your article.

“hey, did you hear though? there’s a k-pop group in the building.” you glance at chaeyeon.

your other friend leans on the cubicle. “really? who?”

“no clue.”

dokyeom lets out a groan. “what type of journalist are you if you can’t find out?”

“yah!” chaeyeon smacks his arm, causing him to wince in pain. “says you who can never submit on time.”

“hey, i’ll have you know that minho has been understanding!”

“whatever.” she rolls her eyes before looking at you. “that means you’ll probably be handling them. i hope they’re cute so that you can finally have something going on with your life outside of work.”

a chuckle leaves you as you get back to work. “i’m never dating an idol. i’d get hunted down by their fans.” 

“yeah, but can’t you dream a little? do you ever imagine what it would be like?”

the past plays in your mind. after school performances and interviews. broken-up popsicles. finger traps. a life you shared with changmin then—one you still cling onto.

yet, you shake your head as you edit your article. “not even.”

it’s a life you’ll keep to yourself.

“what’s the update?”

the three of you look away from each other, spotting namjoon who comes to you with a smile. long gone were the sweaters that failed to drown out his figure and the boxy glasses that would rest on the bridge of his nose. now, he wears a dress shirt and trousers with hair slicked to the side. there were no frames for him to hide behind.

“ah, namjoon! you’re dressed so nice today.”

with dokyeom’s compliment, he can’t hold back on his smile. “thank you. are you guys done with your articles?”

as your friends nod, you add the finishing touches to the document. “and done! i just finished addressing your comments.”

“great. thanks, y/n.”

“do you have something?” chaeyeon asks your editor, causing you to roll your eyes. one thing about journalists is that they love to know everything.

namjoon nods before saying, “i just had a meeting with some possible interviewees.”

“is this the one with the k-pop group?” as dokyeom asks the question, you can’t help but laugh as chaeyeon looks at him in disbelief for spilling confidential information.

your editor chuckles. “yes.”

“can we know—”

“no, you can’t know.”

chaeyeon pouts at namjoon. “not even a hint?”

namjoon ignores her question and begins to walk off. “good work, y/n!” he calls out before leaving you three alone.

“man, namjoon never tells us shit,” chaeyeon complains as she leans on the table.

“to you guys, at least,” you argue with a small shrug.

still, the gut feeling remains.

something about the newsroom feels odd to changmin. while he’s had his fair share of paranormal experiences, his gut tells him that there’s something in the office. yet, the tug isn’t one that speaks of danger. why does it feel like one of destiny?

“should we have a short break before we discuss the schedules for the photoshoots and interviews?” changmin is snapped out of his thoughts by namjoon’s suggestion.

his manager looks at the group. “do you guys need a break?”

sangyeon shoots namjoon a smile before looking at his members. “you guys can use the washroom if you need to.”

although everyone seemed fine with proceeding, changmin couldn’t shake off the feeling. maybe the leftover curry he had this morning went bad. “i’ll go,” he says as he gets off his seat.

namjoon slowly stands up. “okay, i can bring you there—”

“it’s okay! i saw the washroom on the way here,” changmin says before walking to the door. “you can discuss the details without me. i’m sure you guys will manage.”

with sangyeon’s and his manager’s nods, namjoon settles back into his seat. “okay then, here are some of the dates i have in mind...”

changmin exits the room. he bites on the inside of the cheek as he thinks of what his gut could be telling him. is it the nerves for the upcoming tour? is he worried about the next comeback they’ve been preparing? or is he scared about what the future has in store for his group?

with his mind on these questions, he doesn’t realize that he arrives in front of the bathroom door. a sigh of frustration leaves him. the worst thing about gut feelings is never knowing what they’re trying to say.

he grips the handle, ready to swing the door open, until a familiar laugh hits his ears. one of the past. one he hasn’t heard in years. his muscles freeze.

when was the last time he heard that chortle? when was the last time he became the cause of it?

his eyes dart around the area for the source but no one else is here. he can’t help but shake his head in disbelief.

it should be stupid for him to think you two would ever reunite. in what world would you be in the same place as he is? it’s been 10 years. you could be anywhere around the world. yet, he fishes for something out of his pocket; the same finger trap he linked you to him rests on the palm of his hand.

he sighs before entering the washroom and shoving it back into his pocket.

maybe he’ll hold out a little longer.

winter of 2014

out of all the seasons, changmin’s favorite is winter. snowflakes fall, filling the sky with stars that people can touch, and snow piles on sidewalks, letting him throw snowballs at his friends. despite the freezing temperatures, changmin prefers this over nearly-boiling ones.

he can’t wait to share this season with you.

yet, the familiar, chilly breeze of the season transforms into whispers, and word gets around like thrown snowballs. 

“is y/n really not going to school anymore?” changmin looks up from his desk to see cheng xiao standing in front of him. he tilts his head in confusion, causing her to roll her eyes. “are they not going here anymore?”

he frowns. “huh? what kind of rumor is that?”

“i don’t know. it’s what people have been saying,” she says as she crosses her arms. “i asked because i wanted to know if my competition’s gone, you know? and you’re the only one here who has an idea about their whereabouts.”

changmin laughs in disbelief. “no, i was with them last week.”

when changmin last saw you, you asked for space. with what’s been happening with your family, you needed time to process and cope with your issues, and he respected that. after all, he only knew a fraction of your relationship with your parents, and he didn’t want to intrude in anything you didn’t want him to be a part of. still, changmin reminded you that he’ll be there if you need him.

“damn, that sucks,” cheng xiao groans as her shoulders slump. “these stupid rumors.” as soon as she leaves changmin alone, he shakes his head.

the bell rings. students start rushing into classrooms and teachers scold those who aren’t on their seats. ms. jeon enters the room, walking to the desk in front and setting her things down. “cheng xiao, you’ll be in charge of attendance today.”

as changmin’s classmate gets off her seat, he can’t help but look at your desk that still remains empty.

“you have to message us when you land,” your mother says as she fixes the collar of your coat. despite your nod, she clicks her tongue. “answer me properly.”

“yes, i will.”

once your father finishes placing the last luggage in the trunk of the taxi, he stands beside your mother. “don’t forget why we’re sending you there. we expect you to do better with no distractions.”

your phone buzzes in your hand. as you look down, you see a message from changmin. as he asks about your whereabouts, the weight gets heavier—will you stand or crumble under it?

“who’s that?”

you stash your phone away as you look back at your parents. “nothing. it’s just an email from the school. they sent over the date for the orientation.” at the sight of their satisfied smile, you let out a small sigh of relief.

“well, go on.” your nod at your mother before getting in the car. with the windows still down, she adds, “don’t forget to get endorsement letters from the professors i sent over to you or else you won’t get to study abroad like we planned.” her choice of pronouns is funny; a plan that they crafted which never considered your input.

“okay.”

as your father commands the driver to go, your gaze remains on the two. it should be okay with you to leave cheongju; you’d be far away from your parents and experience an entirely different landscape to explore. it’s time you break away from the chains of this town. learn a life outside of what your parents forced you into.

yet, as the car takes its leave, the figure of your parents slowly shrinks. the distance from them should’ve given you the space to breathe, a relief you’ve longed for, but it only reminds you of your strained relationship. to them, it would be better that you’re out of their sight—and with your farewell, you never heard the three-word phrase.

the window rolls up. you try to hold back the tears, but the scenery of cheongju that you pass by births a storm within you. you didn’t want to say goodbye to home, regardless of how much you say you didn’t have a home in this town. every corner holds a piece of you in the same way you hold a piece of them.

the car approaches a safe haven you share. despite the snow that piles at the front, mr. kim’s convenience store is still open. you’ll never get to have his hotteok again or hear his favorite dramas play in the background. worst of all, you never got to say goodbye.

then, the familiar figure of your best friend exits the mart, and the storm transforms into a typhoon. the plastic bag he holds is filled with your favorite snacks, from the grape-flavored twin bar to a bottle of mr. kim’s homemade peach iced tea.

and in that moment that your car passes him, he pulls out his phone from his pocket, and you spot the familiar trap wrapped around his finger—the other end holds no one.

as quickly as you came into changmin’s life, he disappears from your view.

finger traps were fascinating. if you tug hard, the contraption won’t let your fingers go. yet, if you allow the two fingers to meet, allowing the toy to loosen, it’ll let you go with no harm.

but your finger trap with changmin was different. maybe it was already ripped to its seams.

interview

q: what made you decide on becoming an idol?

a: i’ve always loved dancing. growing up in cheongju, i always made time [for dance] whether it be [for] school competitions, talent shows, or even [choreographies] i wanted to try out. but i never considered becoming [an idol] until high school. a lot of my friends and family thought i was capable, and i’m glad they trusted me. it feels good to give back to them with every performance.

q: as the first trainee meant to debut in the boyz, you’ve spent more time training compared to your other members. what kept you going throughout your years of training?

a: my family’s support was one big thing that helped me [during my training.] every trip from my house to the company would last hours, and it drained me physically. so as the years went by, i started to question if all the time, money, [and] effort i was putting into an unpromised debut would be worth it, but my parents and sisters were always there to support and [take] care of me. but i’d also like to think my best friend was a major support in training years. i think they were the first one to [tell me that they saw me as an idol,] and at the time i brushed off the idea. but, look where i am now? so i think i owe a lot to them.

q: is there anything you’d like to say to those who’ve supported you as the boyz’s q?

a: mom and dad, thank you for believing in me. i know it wasn’t easy to wait until midnight for me to come home or take care of me whenever i got sick from training. thank you for always supporting me in every performance. to my sisters, thank you for helping mom and dad out at home. every day, i remind myself that you gave up so much just so i can pursue my dreams, and i want you know that i’m forever grateful for your sacrifices. to the rest of [the boyz], thank you for always allowing me to rely on you. i’m glad i can say i have brothers who i get to achieve my dreams with. deobi, thank you for your love and support over the years. i wouldn’t be the boyz’s q or ji changmin if it weren’t for you. and lastly, thank you to my best friend. i hope you’ll always be proud of me the same way i’ll forever be proud of you.

tag list: @deoboyznet @kflixnet @blankjournal @winterchimez @miusgirl @jenoscafe @sweet-unicorn-world @mosviqu @vernyangel @stealanity @deobi0412 @blue-rainydays @maessseongs @dearly-somber

[davidpastrsnack]

lmao girl im sorry i did come for your neck 💀 but i needed to make sure you heard yourself there bc clearly if you wanted more from him, he was there for it. and ik its hard to see when youre in it sometimes. but from an outside perspective its like when youre watching a movie and think ‘just kiss already’. same vibes. thats why i told you it was said with tough love 🥰 but ok i see you with the exclusive talk!!! are you guys official now 👀 also ma’am!!!!!! not the i would have his baby rn bestie 😭 that is down bad. and that was too relatable but thats another story

it was a really good time having ty’s siblings! theyre so funny and its always nice seeing ty do his older brother thing, its just so cute. and they both clearly look up to him 🥺 but they all mess with each other and its hilarious. unfortunately for me, im now included in that 💀 but its okay, i have fun with it and at least ik it means theyre comfortable around me lol. if high schoolers think im cool and not old then i guess im doing something right lol. it was so funny bc they were asking when ty and i would be visiting his parents again and they were both planning on having friends around so we could see them lol.

and big brother protective ty? too good. ty’s sister had also been telling me about this guy she likes at school and how they’re partners for a project and now they talk more at school and how he texted her to see if she was going to the basketball games (bc he plays basketball). and i was like ooh girl hes texting you about you coming to his games? that’s serious hs flirting right there. and she blushed bc she doesn’t think he likes her. but basketball boy texted her while she was with me and ty and get this. it was to ask her about meeting up for the project and then he texts “oh wait, you’re not here this weekend, right?” like girl, he knew you weren’t here he was just trying to start a convo and using school as the starter 💀 and then at dinner ty’s sister went to the bathroom and left her phone on the table. and basketball boy had texted her so it lit up and ty saw it. and he almost had a heart attack i think. the amount of questioning the poor girl got, i literally kicked ty under the table lol. -roommate anon

no you're so right and definitely not the only person who has told me that😭 it's cliche but i would love to not go through being disappointed and hurt by someone again so i have been... cautious lol. not official yet but i will keep you posted. omfg i'm sorry what

aww that's so sweet though that they see you as part of gang. lol literally that's such a big compliment. aww omg they want to see you again, they really like you🥹 oh no here we go lol. omg pls tell her what time it is like you did me bc he likes her. aw poor girl😭 that's adorable though there is truly nothing like an older brother. can’t get over how much they like you that’s so cute💘

[cashmoneyyysstuff]

Can you do a scenario of Bakugou aftermath of the manga war right now, cause sense he had so much character development I think he have changed majorly big. And was wondering a bakugou x reader, aftermath after battle. I hope your up to date with the manga rn cause it’s super sad :(

But Mabye a scene of reader x bakugou, he wakes up in hospital and sees her waiting next to him in a chair waiting for him to wake up. And when he does he’s glad to see her alive and asking so many questions ☹️ maybe even a lil romantic vibe at the end ??!??😌

That would be so sweet thank you’!!

this is such a cute request ! i've been thinkin of writing a post war fic lately so thank you for the ask ! i tried to honour your request as best i could, hope you'll like it ! <3

BNHA MANGA SPOILERS !!, fem reader, injuries n blood n stuff, reader cries easily sorry im projecting, katsuki n reader have been together for a while (since before the first internship arc !)(..does this technically qualify as childhood friends to…anyways !), worried reader, worried katsu so its a lil angsty but it's pure fluff no worries !, kissing, katsuki is touchy and cannot pass up skin contact, katsuki is a biter cus i say he is so biting, best jeanist is here!! (and maybe kinda ooc cus idk him like that😭🫶🏾), afo is mentioned and called a ballsack lmfao i hate him, everyone is fine and dandy and healthy(?) cus im a major optimist, lemme know if i missed sum else<3!

it's been three weeks since katsuki's been asleep.

you'd woken up a week and a few days after the war had ended. you don't remember much besides fighting for your life, that of your friends and of the people of japan. you were greeted with the worried, relieved and snotty faces of your classmates. denki and kirishima had basically tackle hugged you and were immediately strictly reprimanded by iida and momo. your limbs hurt like hell but you could ignore it and focus on squeezing your friends for now.

except not everyone was here. you immediately realised katsuki was one of them.

you were horrified to find out from your friends, who were sure this would be your reaction and were refraining from telling you, that katsuki had once again suffered major injuries and had been asleep for a good week now.

your classmates had tried to reassure you, "bakugou's always doin' the impossible, he'll probably be awake and he'll go back to cussin' up a storm before we know it." sero said, trying his best to comfort you. you send him a smile that doesn't fully reach your eyes, but you still appreciate him nonetheless.

since that day you'd gone to visit him everyday. sometimes you'd just stare at his pretty lashes fluttering, wondering when he'd wake up. other times you'd talk to him about your day. it was boring, since you were still healing and still stuck in the hospital, but it was something.

your classmates came to visit too. kirishima comes to visit the most but you assume he’s just here to check up on you and make sure you’re okay. he stays for around an hour, sneaks you some actually edible food then always leaves you with a “don’t push yourself too much, okay !”

you go to visit your other classmates, like izuku who had also taken a major beating, but was just as stubborn as your katsuki when it came to durability. you’re amazed to see how quickly he goes back to his old self, anxiously waving his arms around and telling you he’s completely okay, before promptly wincing and yelping out an “ouch !” when he moves his arm the wrong way. you jokingly warn him not to push himself too much too quickly or you’d mess him up even more than he already was every time you leave.

“i’ll try !” he chuckles, giving you a thumbs up.

you’d also met best jeanist recently, who had come to visit your boyfriend one day while you were also there. he told you that katsuki had talked about you once and that, in best jeanist’s words he seemed to be very enamored with you. you couldn’t help the way you shyly looked down at the ground, letting out a flustered chuckle and you thought you heard best jeanist laugh underneath his long, long turtleneck.

you’re currently sitting by katsuki’s bedside for the fourth monday in a row, smiling to yourself as you watch him sleep. you wonder if he’s dreaming about anything. despite the fact you looked it up and people can’t exactly dream while they’re in a coma, but you like to think he’s just asleep and having a very nice dream. the thought makes you happy, but it also makes a knot grow in your throat.

“i do hope you're having nice dreams, but i also hope you wake up soon." you whisper lovingly, brushing some hair out of his face. you run your finger along his nose bridge and cheek, usually he wouldn't be able to take soft touches like this for more than 10 seconds before getting embarrassed and pushing your hands away, trying to distract you from his beet red cheeks. you let out a watery giggle at the memory.

your throat starts feeling a little dry and as much as you don't want to leave katsuki, you figured you wouldn't miss much if you were only gone for a few minutes. you press a quick kiss to his forehead and before you get up to leave the room you look back at him once more time. only to see something strange, his eyelashes flutter more than usual, then his eyebrows furrow,

and then his eyes open.

he blinks groggily once, then twice. he tries to reach up and rub at his eye but the bandage on his arm won't allow him to and he winces. he realizes someone is in his room after a second, slowly looking up as if in slow motion. but then his movements fast forward when he realizes it's you in his room.

his eyes widen and he practically jumps up. hastily sitting up and leaning against the railing of his bed towards you

"yn—fuck !" but he seems to have underestimated how serious his injuries were in the moment. he doubles over and hisses in pain. the noise kickstarts you and immediatly you're in motion. you rush over to him, softly but urgently grabbing his shoulders you softly push him back against his pillows, he groans as you do. "don't sit up so quickly !" you fret "just lay down—"

he grabs your arm with his somewhat okay one tightly as soon as you make contact, "are you—fuck—are you okay ?" he asks breathlessly, his eyes urgently search around on your face and he frowns slightly as he scans over your light scratches. " fuck, i passed out before i could get to check up on you.." his eyebrows furrow even harder, mad at himself for not being able to watch over you.

he lifts his not so injured hand up just slightly and you lower your head so he can place it against your cheek. he rubs over it slowly "yer not hurt, are ya ? i mean—fuck, you are, but—"

"katsu.." you smile, already shushing him.

"nothing broken ?" he starts up again, prodding at every body part he can reach. you giggle lightly. "yer all bandaged up. swear i'll find the bastards who did this shit to you."

"i already dealt with them, so you don't need to worry about that." you chuckle. he copies you, his movements slow down the slightest bit and he chuckes slightly and you've missed that sound so much your heart squeezes.

“yeah, course you did..” he sighs, eyes shining brighter than usual and you suspect he’s tearing up a little when he swiftly looks away from you to wipe at his face, you don’t comment on it cus you could feel tears welling up in your eyes as well.

he tsks at the mostly okay, but still injured, arm against his face before pulling it back glaring at it, “this shit’s a real pain.” he mutters angrily, sucking his teeth.

you spring into action again, like a toy starting up when you wind it “don’t move it so much, you messed it up really badly during the fight !” you both notice how you flinch back when you instinctively go to grab his hand, then reach forward once more and barely grab his hand to guide it towards his lap, and then his body towards the pillows behind him again. katsuki’s eyebrows furrow at your ghost like touch.

he doesn’t say a word as you ramble and simply stares at you. you’d noticed he hadn’t even put up a fight when you’d pushed him back down onto his bed, but you were more worried about his well being rather than his behavior. but now you start to get a little bit worried at his lack of reaction, you place your hand on his chest softly, afraid to hurt him "wait just a sec, i'll go get a nur—"

"no." you let out a surprised sound when he grabs your hand. he stares straight into your eyes, and the bright red shine in them is such a huge contrast to them being closed for so long it almost knocks the wind out of you.

he vehemently shakes his head "i don't need none of that."

"katsuki, you need—"

"no i don't." he says stubbornly, you don't know if you're happy or not that he seems to be just as stubborn as before everything happened. it's a relief, sure, but it's starting to annoy you a bit. you want to fire back but he cuts you off "i don't need a nurse. need you." he mutters into your hand he had brung up to his lips to speak his last sentence against.

it’s only a light press of his lips against your skin but it sends chills down your spine. he does it again, red eyes fixed onto you to bring his point across. you suck in a harsh breath, then sigh in defeat.

"okay.." you sigh. "but we still have to get a nurse later." he grunts into your hand in begrudged agreement, "later." he mutters.

once he's gotten his feel of you, he slowly lifts his head up to look at you. he shuffles around in bed until he's sitting up a little straighter, waving you off when you sit up to help when he winces slightly.

he reaches for you and tugs at your arm lightly, as if he wanted you to sit closer to him. you happily oblige, scooting a little closer until you're leaning infront of him. he grumbles, obviously unhappy about something.

"come over here." he whines petutalanty.

you giggle at his childish demand "katsuki, no. you're very hurt and i don't wanna make you feel worse if i accidently push at something too hard. we can cuddle all you want when you get checked up." you explain. he’s obviously unhappy about that, rolling his eyes accompanied by a huff.

just like he usually would. you feel your eyes burn but your chest feels lighter and lighter the more you realize he’s here. your holding his hand and he’s holding it back, you’re looking at him and he at you.

it’s your katsuki.

“that’s bullshit, m’perfectly fine.” he scoffs.

you give him a once over, raising a brow for good measure “right.” you laugh when he scoffs again, but he can’t hide the smirk growing on his face at the sound.

it’s your katsuki, alright.

it’s quiet while you’re just indulging in each other’s company, the worry in your stomach gnawing at you every day he wouldn’t open his eyes these past few weeks finally washing away as you look at him lovingly when he closes his eyes and sighs against your skin.

“stop starin’.” he complains against your hand he still had in a tight grip, cheeks turning red. it seems like he doesn’t want to let go of it any time soon and doesn’t have any plans to as he bring it up to his mouth to bite you. you struggle and squeezes at his nose with a grin.

“hey, is it so bad to wanna look at my boyfriend that he’d been sleeping every day up until now ?” you make it sound like a joke, but your smile falters slightly and katsuki realizes. his eyes widen slightly.

"how..how long was i out for ?" his voice is still clouded with sleep even now. you plop back down onto your chair, dragged closer to him now “about three weeks.” you mutter, sad smile on your face and eyes downcast.

neither of you say anything for a moment and you’re quickly reminded of the quiet you’d gotten used to when he was still asleep. you don't like it and you want to fill the silence but you don't know what to say. katsuki doesn't respond and keeps looking at your expression, blinking slowly, like he does when he's trying to discern how you feel. he's annoyingly perceptive and you feel yourself get flustered by his gaze.

"now who's the one staring.." you mutter shyly, eyes drifting towards the floor to close him off of your mind with those all seeing eyes of his. you can tell he's seen through you, but it's worth a try anyway.

he reaches and tugs at your chair leg for you to scoot closer somehow. once, then twice harder when you don't make any move to listen to him. he grunts and you worry he'll hurt himself like he always end up doing when he’s not being careful, so you lean your face closer to him. you'd stare at him at all day like this if you could but your eyes won't look in his properly before they're shooting back towards the floor, katsuki huffs a breath of laughter onto your cheek.

"m'not allowed to look at my girlfriend after bein' passed the fuck out for three weeks ?" he smirks his eyes are soft even when he gruffs a mean laugh when he reaches up to pinch your nose back and you grumble at him, softly patting at his hand to shoo him away with a smile you try to hold back. he pokes at your cheek, you go to shoo and scold him but he surprises you by softly placing his hand against your cheek.

“was worried about you, you know.”

your eyes widen and your mouth drops open slightly at his sincerity. your heart warms and you can't stop the tears blurring your vision anymore. you clamp your mouth shut so as not to sob, but your bottom lip wobbles and katsuki huffs again.

"was thinkin 'bout you the whole time. hate that creepy ballsack head,” he grumbles bitterly “kept me from seein' my girl." he smiles when you let out a watery snort. you grab ahold of the hand on your face, running your thumb across the rough skin.

"i heard you really did a number on him."

"course i did. fuckin' decimated the fucker." he boasts and you laugh loudly. "made him cry like a baby. literally." he adds, you raise a brow in question but he simply shakes his again, as if telling you not to worry about it.

you don't question it and simply sigh against his hand happily, it feels nice to feel him again. "the others are gonna be happy to see you up. kiri's been coming to visit you every day. and i've forbidden izuku from getting out of bed, but he asks about you all the time."

katsuki scoffs, thumb slowling down in its movements "damn deku.. he better not think he's hot shit cus he woke up before me." you snort loudly at that, shaking your head at his childish antics.

"good he's not runnin' around. he'd probably end up breaking more of his bones by himself."

"that's what i said !" you giggle, and katsuki snorts. you missed hearing him. you missed him so much, you reach a hand up and wipe at your still wet eyes, katsuki grabs at that hand to wipe at your tears for you.

"was worried about you too, katsu." you sniffle "when i heard you got yourself hurt bad again i just—i got really scared.”

your boyfriend's eyebrows furrow sorrowfully and he wishes his body wasn't so weak so he could wrap you up in his arm and feel you close, never let you go. but his hand against your wet cheek will have to do for now.

but katsuki is a creature of habit, so he speaks "come over here." he whispers.

you lean in a small distance at first, not really sure of what he wanted you to do. katsuki grunts but when you get close enough he reaches for the back of your head and pulls you in, pressing his lips to yours.

and it's everything. soft yet his grip on you is firm, slow yet urgent when you grab the front of his hospital clothes and he huffs against you when he shoves his tongue into your mouth with a soft groan. eyebrows furrowing in focus to handle his breathing because he doesn't want to pull away.

not yet.

you're first to pull away but he doesn't let you go far, immediately swooping in for another kiss, this one just as- if not more urgent-than the first. you softly run your hands through his soft locks and try to memorize the feeling like you hadn't been touching it everyday for the past three weeks. it feels different now.

not yet.

finally, you pull away even after katsuki chases your lips with a pout. you giggle and tug at his hair and he huffs at you, and leans forward to bite at the tip of your nose.

"katsuki !" you squeal flying back to wipe at your nose.

“don’t katsuki me” he chuckles, cheeks dusted pink. from the lack of oxygen just a moment ago or from embarrassment you don’t know, “ ‘ts your own fault, dumbass.”

you scrunch your nose and stick your tongue out at him and he snickers again. you’d missed that sound. you’d missed his laugh, and his stupid nicknames and his voice, the way he says your name and his eyes and his smile.

“i missed you.” you breathe, smiling at him with what you know can only be called heart eyes. katsuki blinks at you, turning red to the tips of his ears. he looks away but reaches for your hand, you give it to him and he presses his lips to the back of your hand.

“missed you too. really did.” he mutters.

this is the most embarrassed you’ve seen him and the sincerest at the same time, you commit the image to memory as your stomach flutters and your heart beats for him. and his for you. you can feel it in the way his hand steadily gets warmer, the way he closes his eyes and breathes you. in the way he kisses each of your fingertips and finishes it off with a bite to each to make you laugh.

you both know a lot of things still need to happen but they can wait for now. for now, his heart is here, beating with yours. your katsuki is awake and back where he’s supposed to be.

[punkscowardschampions]

Jali Pt.2

Johnny: [the question I have to pose to you and Win, cos it’s blatantly obvious they are gonna fuck all night until they literally pass out and go to sleep eventually wherever they are, is do you think we should go for the realistic no fucks given and therefore more dangerous location of them barely managing to drag themselves into the attic, risking mcvickers coming home and being like um whose bike is this blocking us trying to park? Or the more sensible option of getting on said bike and driving to their caravan which is a more deliberate and conscious effort on their part so more unlikely given their no fucks given vibe tonight but safer and somewhere they can stay longer?]

Ali: [Hmm, I think we’ve been pretty kind to y’all so far, so we gotta have y’all stay here and have the freakout when y’all wake up in the morning ‘cos it doesn’t have to completely derail y’all but will be a lil spice, I do vote you left your bike on the curbside though and thus mcvickers don’t need to get involved because that would be more drama]

Johnny: [I like that because he hasn’t been in the attic yet and it’s real that y’all could finally bother to drag yourselves up there, after however long you’ve spent lying in the carnage recovering and in his case just intensely staring at her and stroking her hair and the like, when you hear Tommy come back home as he will eventually have to before mcvickers with those long a&e waiting times or baze who are in no rush to return ever]

Ali: [it shows that y’all are further along ‘cos he’s not running for the window but also just believable in your current vibe tonight, also believable that Thomas may intend to talk to you so perhaps you have to go do that for a bit, thank you for being dressed, in the most random outfit of all time but nevertheless]

Johnny: [no wonder the poor boy is like um wtf, meanwhile this one will just be hiding for however long that convo takes and unlike us he isn’t a nosy bitch who will have fun looking through all her shit in the attic as we established when he was in her room before, so god knows what you’re gonna do with yourself hun, I’m sure even Leesha has gone to bed by now so you can’t even glare at her from the window lol, maybe there’s something random you can fix and do DIY on in there idk]

Ali: [my boo says soz to you, perhaps snoop a little sis, in fairness, Thomas is not a fool and you’re gonna be in a weird ass mood so I’m sure he’s like actually never mind, just assuming she’s too high/drunk for this conversation rn, so you’ll live hun]

Johnny: [mhmm, Thomas being like actually nvm I’m good thanks Imma go to bed is so valid and so amusing, I do vote you bring your husband a drink or a snack or something though like a good wife]

Ali: [my boo says get in the kitchen hahaha, there would be party food going lbr so you absolutely should grab some because giving halloween vibes again, idk what drinks would be left ‘cos we went a little hard by the end there but likewise anything you find, bring it up to him on your head ‘cos gotta climb up a ladder with it]

Johnny: [I’m sure he’ll go to town on it because he’s a teenage boy and those were some strenuous energy zapping hookups y’all had there, speaking of, do we wanna skip to the AM cos we know the vibe is y’all continuing with those antics tonight?]

Ali: [we can probably skip to then, agreed, it’s clearly the weekend so y’all are gonna just wake up whenever you naturally do]

Johnny: [it’s giving that the party was on a saturday potentially because cali went shopping and there was all the baking and getting ready and stuff before, so yeah, at least you won’t have work if it’s sunday now, boy, I think contrary to the time when he woke up before early and snuck off to go there leaving her sleeping, this time she should wake up first and earlier than him because you always do wake up weirdly early after a night out even if it means she’s barely slept]

Ali: [agreed, definitely a saturday into a sunday and all that alcohol turning to sugar giving you weird energy but not enough to make you feel alive lol, you will be the one sneaking away from how adorable he looks, however y’all chaotically fell asleep in the end, ‘cos you need to go see how Rocky is]

Johnny: [leave this boy snoozing, he needs it, we all know he never stops and we also all know that when he does wake up he’s gonna be freaking out about how he’s gonna sneak out of this house without any members of her giant fam realising]

Ali: [you wanna message or wait for her to come back or just make a break for it, what’s your vibe]

Johnny: [hmm, I think I’ll message because it shows progression unlike just risking falling to his death by climbing from this window without a word, he’d wanna let her know he was going at least]

Johnny: I’ll be off then

Ali: You’re awake, you were so sleepy

Johnny: What you awake for?

Ali: Your ego doesn’t need to be offended, too much drink

Johnny: That answer’s offensive to my ears

Ali: Aw, why?

Ali: You know you killed me

Johnny: You’ll put yourself into an early grave with all your carry on and me if I’ve to watch you act up at parties how you do

Ali: Come on, you love watching me at parties

Johnny: Maybe, but for the secret messages you wear at most of ‘em

Johnny: you don’t need the drink and the rest like [Carly’s mum]

Ali: I knew you loved my clothes

Ali: even with that dig, ‘cos I think I’m a few steps off from [Carly’s mum] tah, boy

Johnny: What I’m after saying to you, you’re too young to keep pace with her, she’s a disgrace for it as a grown woman who should have knowing of better behaviour

Ali: I hardly keep pace with her, don’t be ridiculous

Johnny: Watch what you’re calling me for troubling myself about you

Ali: You saw me, I wasn’t wasted

Ali: and you drink, it was a party, I wasn’t downing bottles alone

Johnny: Be why it’s a warning and not a for proper telling off, girl

Ali: And there are plenty ways she acts disgraceful that have nothing to do with any of that surface level stuff

Johnny: You’ve only giving us cause to compare yous this way, think on calming down and I’ll not have to keep on with it or have it in my own head

Ali: You’d not like it if I started comparing you like that to people like her

Ali: Why have you woken up in this mood

Johnny: Was it a lie you’d change if it made a difference? This would but you’re not willing to now I’m asking it of you

Johnny: What else is it you’re lying to me about?

Ali: I’ve not lied

Ali: You’re freaking out because you’re still here, my parents are watching cartoons with the kid in the lounge, go out my window and over the fence, no one will see you, I’ll make sure 

Johnny: Don’t you talk back to me

Ali: Johnny, come on

Ali: I’m just trying to help you out here

Johnny: Enough Ali, you’re trying to defend the states you get yourself in

Johnny: I’m no dope, I can be off without your help

Johnny: [leave via the window because this strop fits the vibe of cali needing to go on their sad girl day but I think if we let y’all resolve it after by him literally grabbing her up before she can go into Carly’s that fits the barly convo vibe as well, not him literally stealing her away in front of Carly, how bold]

Ali: [love that for y’all, big brain move, my boo, I’ll just reply to what you said here because she would but then we can move on if he’s done replying here]

Ali: I wasn’t in no fucking state because of any drug or drink, I was because of my sister, which you know

Johnny: [don’t reply because you feel like pure shit reading that as you should, boy, but steal her like I said when cali return from swimming]

Ali: [when you’re cross at him but you’re too shocked that he approached you, even though it’s only Carly around, like excuse me what, bold indeed, sir]

Johnny: [mhmm, can’t be that mad at him when he’s taken such a big risk cos it shows he’s !! and sorry and wants to talk to her, take a detour from Carly’s caravan to yours first though, you can’t talk openly or do anything else until you’re alone inside of it]

Ali: [having to get in front of him so you feel like you’re not just blindly following him, for your own sake and sense of pride here, still coming though, obviously]

Johnny: [set up some mood lighting because it’s november and getting towards evening, it’s absolutely not a stalling tactic, nope, nod towards the ‘friend’ you made her when there’s enough light to see by, which I just imagine is made out of like scrap metal and wood and so cute and slay, again, not a shameless stalling tactic or means to butter her up like look remember what I made for you, it’s ofc just the first chance you’d have to show her whatever this cute thing is, it’s giving Julian Holland whittling bears, but idk]

Ali: [my boo said you will be Julian coded and she’s so right for that, obviously we still have to pick up this cute lil thing and inspect all the as obvious work and effort he has put in to make it, whatever intentions we had, we’re not gonna be a bitch about this adorable gesture, not that kind of gal, still we aren’t verbally praising you, just smiling to ourself here quietly]

Johnny: [I like to think because he knocked that up while she was partying yesterday, today while they were separated he’s done some kind of obvious and necessary DIY to this caravan, something else major y’all needed but haven’t got round to doing yet or had started but not finished cos you’re always hooking up lol, lead her over to whatever that is, keeping hold of her hand while you STARE at her for her reaction and willing her to forgive you because of all these gestures]

Ali: [when this is such a little boy like gesture that you can’t help but be endeared by it, though you should clearly make him work harder for this, you simply have to give his hand a little squeeze because he could’ve spent his day doing something entirely unrelated so it does mean something and you know it]

Johnny: [I love that he has not yet said a word haha, doing one of his very extra cheek kisses, arguably the most extra of these he has ever because we’re !! rn, that moves down to the corner of her mouth how they do, but pausing to LOOK at her intensely instead of just turning it then into a dramatic full kiss on the lips]

Ali: [neither of you has, the silence is so !! and deafening right now, holding your breath and also staying deadly still when he kisses your cheek like that, shutting your eyes too for a beat but it’s as if you know he’s gonna LOOK at you and you have to return it ‘what?’ as the first thing you are saying, having to clear your throat to do it]

Johnny: [‘Am I to be forgiven?’ as the first thing he’s saying, softly and practically into her mouth because of how close to it he still is, very dramatic of you, but you’re nothing if not an intense boy, so]

Ali: [just staring at his lips, which at this lack of distance is no mean feat ‘can you stop doing it?’ as a more genuine question than that sassily sounds because not under the illusion that this is easy, for either of y’all]

Johnny: [‘I don’t know’ cos a very genuine answer here, it isn’t easy and this boy is stressed by the lack of self control he has always around this gal, case in point how he approached her when anyone in his fam could have seen him, doing a sigh fully into her mouth as if by her swallowing it, it’ll disappear and neither of them will have to acknowledge it]

Ali: [your own tennis return sigh here, unthinkingly at this point because it feels so natural ‘I don’t know what went wrong’ shrugging slightly but truly, you were not expecting it at all]

Johnny: [not this boy doing his angsty running his hand through hair move but with his hand through her hair unthinkingly as though it’s his because how close they are proximity wise and emotionally, I’m FINE]

Ali: [making a lil noise about this as you’re registering it, also wrapping your arms around him at the same time, very much comforting vibes whilst still !!]

Johnny: [opening his mouth to say something but not knowing how to express that he feels like he’s losing it and so had a go at her for being a mess because he’s a boy so giving her the kiss he didn’t a moment ago instead, putting all that !! into it]

Ali: [again, should you push harder for conversation here? Probably yeah, but are we going to? No because you know it isn’t a conversation either of you actually have any answers in right now, and he has very much done his version of apologising for it and right now, ‘tis enough for this gal]

Johnny: [y’all have flaws forever and especially rn at this age and in this era, so have your dramatic makeout sesh, it’s okay and it’ll stop me and my ILY curse because he is definitely not ready to say that yet]

Ali: [I do like to think you’re making a very concerted effort and point to stop here before a hookup because when have you ever but you can’t be that cold about it, I’m soz, she’s not that type of bear, to her detriment, we all know]

Johnny: [god bless them, they’re both trying in their own ways, this boy will not be helping her find any restraint because he has none and he will instead be tracing his name on her chest over whatever clothes she’s rocking like he’s gotta check it’s still there]

Ali: [just looking at him, faintly amused, like yeah, it hasn’t gone anywhere yet because y’all are always so dramatic about having to spend any time away from each other, even when self-imposed ‘would it really make a difference?’ referring back to what he said earlier before peacing]

Johnny: [‘Maybe, to me’ blurting that truth out like soz not soz I do want you to behave like a good little wife cos it’s simply who he is and there’s nothing I can do about that]

Ali: [spend some time truly considering this, from his POV because you really did not get what he was getting at with it earlier at all ‘when would we see each other?’ as a genuine question and not a rebuttal because how much time you spend here and around all those peeps is the easiest excuse]

Johnny: [‘I’m not saying you’ve to stay away from every party’ the hilarity of telling her to be there but have self control when he has none, oh sir ‘it’s how you behave at them’]

Ali: [‘how am I to behave?’ raising your brows like lol okay, enlighten me please]

Johnny: [‘less like your pal Carly’ the unspoken or her mother lol cos we don’t need to repeat ourselves there ‘you’re a smart girl, I don’t know why you’d not act it instead of up’]

Ali: [‘because they’re parties, I’m not going to show up with a book’ full shade at Rosaline there that you don’t even know about but for our own satisfaction ‘you act like it was me who did all that stuff with Moses and Ronan’ ‘cos excuse me, we’ve not partaken in that messy drama]

Johnny: [shaking his head in a you know what I mean/why can’t you at least meet me halfway sense of being pure frustrated that she’s not seeing his point ‘no I don’t’ said like if I was treating you like you were involved in all that we wouldn’t be here doing all this cos he hates Carly with the fire of a thousand suns]

Ali: [‘I can try, I’m just saying I don’t know what behaviour I’m correcting here’ because truly, like I don’t think I’m misbehaving so how am I gonna be able to get this right, raising your arms and then shrugging because we can’t think of any way to word this differently]

Johnny: [‘I’m only trying to look after you’ genuinely because that’s how he sees it, when she’s wilding, especially at functions he cannot attend he can’t do that]

Ali: [LOOKING at him for a couple beats here ‘okay’ quietly but definitely like that’s that settled, stroking his face where he got injured earlier]

Johnny: [LOOKING back at her in a way that’s screaming ILY because he do and that’s why he’s feeling so cray, literally picking her up too easily to show her how small and fragile she is and carrying her to the bed she made, lying her down on it cos he knows how little sleep she got last night from how late they passed out and how early she must’ve been up to be before him]

Ali: [kissing him as he’s carrying you, however distracting that is because you have to, lacing your arms around his neck, casually rubbing the muscles into his shoulders because whatever this is, you know he’s been STRESSED and you hate it always, attempting to pull him into this bed with you right now]

Johnny: [going too willingly into that bed with her because he would’ve missed her SO much during the however many hours they were separated and the fact he caused said separation doesn’t change that, plus he has been STRESSED and did not sleep well either and hates when they fight however big or small, unless it’s fighting like they did in that psych ward car park lol, pulling into him when they’re both there, kissing her so intensely and so lovingly it’s somehow both soft and hard at the same time]

Ali: [making a happy noise that’s like there we go, that’s better because already feels it, cuddling him into us, rolling so we can get on top of him and cover him like a weighted blanket about this, still kissing him of course, deepening said kiss when you’re the one on top of him because you have a lot of feelings rn ‘I’m sorry’ said into this kiss moment]

Johnny: [wrapping his arms around her and squeezing her to him so they are both being squashed to the same extent which is not too much but a comforting amount, nodding while kissing her back like I know you are and I am too, adding a ‘yeah’ for double confirmation of this in place of his own actual sorry how he has done before]

Ali: [‘yeah?’ right into his mouth and doing a lil giggle because you do think he’s adorable and you’re too happy to be snuggling again, doing a now happy sigh also fully at him, doing little scratches along his arms wrapped around you ‘you know I’d do anything for you’ quieter, as a reminder]

Johnny: [when her lil giggle has him rolling them again so he’s on top of her in such a !! hot move because he loved it that much, on top of her pulling her top up/down/undoing buttons on it depending what sort it is so he can dramatically kiss the name cos both obsessed always, whilst also touching where the initials are on her arse as he rolls them over, through whatever clothes she’s wearing ‘you know how important you are to me’]

Ali: [just laughing more like hey because you only just got there and y’all are always playfighting but you’re too soft for that moment right now, holding your breath at this touch and closing your eyes shut tight about it ‘I know’ a little breathless from having to hold it there when you do speak with all the !! of that statement, snaking your hands under his top to trace your name at the same time as his antics here, kissing from his lips to his cheek]

Johnny: [just here dying from how high his emotions are and everything she’s doing because her adorable laugh followed by her breathlessness is really too much for this boy on this day, making such a NOISE about it that’s too extra for the antics she’d doing which are v tame atm]

Ali: [such a sucker for this boy forever and always, instantly here CLUTCHING at his chest at this NOISE, kissing from his cheek way more messily to his ear and down his neck, giving him little nips and sucking at his pulse in his neck AGGRESSIVELY, gotta make his heart beat faster, obviously]

Johnny: [which it absolutely will along with turn him on SO MUCH instantly which she’ll be able to feel because he’s still on top of her and the involuntary movement when she’s sucking on his pulse is only gonna make it more shamelessly obvious, though he’d be moving to wrap her up in his arms and big spoon her making her feel even smaller than she is, taking his own turn to kiss her neck v softly in contrast as they move]

Ali: [your own noise only being muffled by the way you’re PRESSING your face into his chest now as hard as you can feel him pressing into you ‘this is all I want’ like I don’t need any parties if we can do this always, kissing your name on his chest like you’re again making this better because always reopening all your wounds, working your way down his stomach, still making sure you are cuddled up in his arms because love it]

Johnny: [‘have it’ as breathless himself now as she was before as he pushes himself against her harder like there you go, playing with her hair and the key like he can’t decide which in this moment because love them both]

Ali: [pulling back only so he is pulling at both your hair and this chain around your neck because how else can we show how turned on we are ‘this is all I think about’ so seriously like I am unable to think about anything but you, boy, you better know it’s mutual ‘thirteen…’ seemingly out of nowhere but you are thinking about how he said he was gonna have 13 sons and 13 daughters for her lucky number and how much fucking that would take y’all]

Johnny: [when you were already living for the lil tug of war she was letting you have and her thinking about you all the time and you’re about to tell her what you were thinking about earlier when you were missing her, like literally leaning to her ear to say something fully in there but then the 13 HITS and of course he knows exactly what she’s referring to so the MOAN and the movement are both indecent ‘of each’ like we gotta remind her it’s not 13 kids total as if she doesn’t have that seared into her brain the same way he does]

Ali: [pulling his face right into you like you wanna be deafened by that MOAN, couldn’t need him closer, shamelessly starting to take off whatever clothes you have on your bottom half here, shuddering at the air hitting you when you do, throwing your clothes away like you got zero use for ‘em ‘cos truly ‘shall you still like me when you’ve made me big?’]

Johnny: [shamelessly staring at the nakedness she’s just exposed to him as if he’s never seen her either naked or turned on before because it always feels like a thousand years to y’all even though it never is, taking off his own clothes without breaking his intense stare at her body, moving his gaze to make INSANE eye contact as he lies back down and says ‘it’s what you’re made for’ rude to suggest girls can only be mothers but it is what you culturally believe so we’ll let you off sir, like ofc I will] 

Ali: [the levels of shameless have never been higher here, the way we are just STARING at you lying there and touching ourself, purposefully doing it so you can see as much as you did when we did it for you on your bike that time after y’alls first time, the memory doing as much as what is happening here to have you going HARD with it ‘I’m made for you, you made me’ as a moan]

Johnny: [mhmm, this boy’s eyes have never been darker or more unblinking, living for the mems but also how much things have ramped up since then, it’s got him unable to stay still in this bed even though he isn’t touching himself like she is, GASPING at her moan and what she said with it ‘was god who made you for me’ excuse me basically stealing a normal people quote there but again, tis what he believes ‘and he made you exact as I want’ not you saying this when you’ve spent ages arguing about wanting to change her ways, king of the mixed message is back, never change sir]

Ali: [‘it can’t be wrong then’ shaking your head with the slowness that indicates you’re trying SO hard to hold it together here and keep this pace, not jump him as badly as you desperately wanna and your eyes are betraying too ‘all I want is to have your babies, give you everything you need’ reaching with your free hand to hold his like it’s full on sex with the way you’re shaking and breathing over this]

Johnny: [‘we’ll marry’ like that’s the only thing that could make it wrong, if y’all did not ‘when you’re 13’ because girls used to traditionally get married at that age cos puberty and it’s her next bday + her lucky number + the number of children, the way he so so seriously means this here in this moment like any of this is possible is killing me actually bye, taking her hand and holding it until he can’t cope and has to pull her to him and onto his lap]

Ali: [‘can we, Johnny?’ like you truly believe in a world where your parents are that shockingly out of the loop and permissive, like you’re not far off but sorry girl, not quite, you likewise could not be more serious because why wouldn’t you be, not at all casually letting him feel exactly how wet you are right now without actually putting him inside you, just covering his whole crotch in this messily and happily ‘and your first baby’ll be out of me before I’m 14’ not you almost hinting you could be pregnant, like you don’t know but y’all have been doing everything in your power to make that a reality to so like, not wrong]

Johnny: [everything he was gonna say about how it used to be law and tradition and blah blah blah not coming out because he can’t breathe suddenly at how wet she is and how covered he is in it, twitching underneath her but likewise not putting himself inside her just letting her feel the way he’s basically !! throbbing against her like another dramatic pulse, having to steal one of her big nods again as he dramatically swallows and his breath keeps hitching over and over, finally getting the ‘yeah’ out as moan which is then continuous and all he can say + swear words + all the religious words added to said yeahs as he begins fucking her]

Ali: [could not be riding his dick more chaotically if we had any say over this, which we feel like we don’t at this point, given how slippery you both are and how frantically this boy is moving under us, holding on via really gently holding his throat because not enough to hear all this when you can feel it too ‘I’m a bit scared of anything bigger than you, will you teach me-’ a dramatic pause here because getting that out was hard enough and you have to just allow yourself to make the animal noises your body needs you to here before you can continue ‘- to be a mammy, like you taught me to be your wife?’]

Johnny: [I’m so glad we made his caravan be the furthest away and theirs even further away still because how loud and unhinged this boy is being rn, both verbally and how loud their bodies are, is too much frankly and the whole entire site doesn’t need to know y’all’s insane business like that, catch him holding her face in both his hands so gently while she gets the first half of her sentence out, LOOKING at her the most !! he ever has while he waits during the pause, MOANING her name what would feel like the loudest and most indecently he ever has like he’s gotta to encourage her to continue but really he also just needs to ‘I’ll do right by you, I have to’ the way the I HAVE TO is so !! cos nothing else is an option, that’s all he wants, throwing out the secret lingo words for wife and mother here to remind them both what she is, like ‘you’re …[insert] and their [insert] it’s my duty as your man, and I’ll sure take it on willingly’ the actual forever it would take him to say all this because panting and noises and everything]

Ali: [none of y’all need to know, thank you, this is strictly private, we’re bearing our souls in here in the most unhinged way as per, feeling as if we’ve never fucked him this hard, gotten him so deep inside us because the level of turned on by this we are is out of this world, hence ‘and you’re my [throwing out the secret lingo word for daddy you have also heard because no time like right now to do that to him], still the need of one, of you’]

Johnny: [the way her using secret lingo on him and leaning into this fantasy that she can also be a traveller and one of them, which again is all he wants, has this boy feeling like he’s gonna cum right then and there immediately, only hanging on because he doesn’t want this to be over yet and he’s somehow trying to get even deeper for when he does, literally switching up their position on this bed so it really would be the deepest penetration they’ve ever done, but his every reaction is letting her know the effect that had and how he’s only clinging on through sheer force of will]

Ali: [when the encouragement is so dramatically extra yet entirely real because we’re also that dead, just here spitting out every word you know in this lingo that applies to y’all because if we have to hold back from cumming we have to let go like that]

Johnny: [I’m sure Carly has given her more lessons since that first one so the words she will know by now will have this boy FLOORED, joining in with other extra ones of his own that he hasn’t used before that apply here because likewise simply must until that coupled with the new position means neither of you can hold back any more and you have to cum, together at the same time, for the peak romance of it]

Ali: [I know you’re passing out girl, that was simply too much and you gotta K.O there however briefly about it, no way you won’t]

Johnny: [I’ve no doubt he will too after the intensity of all that, you’ve earned it lads, I also vote y’all should snuggle and sleep for a while, blissfully unaware of the barly happening and poor Carly’s plight, even if you end up waking up at some point to start the insane cycle all over again instead of sleeping through like you need]

Ali: [truly in your own world in here, it’s not getting loud and fighty, so y’all are not going to be made aware of that as it is happening today, soz to barly, in here being married, don’t mind us, you both need to snooze for a decent amount of time to make up for the sleep you missed, also this gal lives for the way you’ve fallen asleep still inside of us so there is definite not so dry-humping happening in her sleep and probably to the point of waking her up]

Johnny: [god bless jali, always gotta outdo themselves as far as being extra, luckily barly have it handled and that was really good without any interference from anyone, y’all included, because yeah, they are a bit busy sleeping and fucking and both at the same time]

Ali: [agreed, y’all don’t need the help, though of course Ali is going to feel guilt because when can she not lol, right now though, could not be happier]

Johnny: [she can’t catch a break, I feel like Carly won’t even tell her because in her head it’s handled and also it isn’t the first time something like that has happened to her but then her messy mum will say something to Ali in passing, probably because she’s salty about the new lock cos it’s not very bestie vibes, and Ali’ll be like ?? UM, but anyway, on the jali front, this is probably a good place to leave them for now? We know the vibe for y’all and Bartley’s bday as the next thing we’re thinking of doing is only just over a week away from bonfire night depending on the date so]

Ali: [yeah agreed, we know where we’re going next and y’all have made up in dramatic fashion so, our work here is done lol]

Johnny: [we’re so great, I love being extra af]