#i bet you can’t guess my favorite color based on all my ocs

[eel-slime-supremacy]

i made a boyfriend for my fursona

his name is Orpheus :)

[lostinaseaoffictionalbliss]

RPTL 3-Settling In

Summary: Danielle goes to stay with Elliot

Pairing: eventually Elliot x fem!OC

Warnings: mentions of abuse, mentions of sexual assault, PTSD attacks, will add more as needed

This is an AU. Kathy and the kids don't exist.

Word Count: 1204

The small joke Elliot made was enough to make Danielle smile. It was probably the first true smile she had given since what happened. "Okay then. Guess that means I'll be staying with you. I don't have a place yet."

Elliot turned a little to look at Donald, but kept his hand on Danielle's in a comforting manner-at least he hoped. He knew he was being tasked with watching her, but wasn't sure what that involved. 

Donald nodded. "I don't have room right now other than the couch. I want her to feel safe so it's best she can stay someplace with a room where she can lock the door if she feels the need."

"Right. I have a spare room. She can stay there. It's got a lock and everything."

Danielle visibly relaxed at the mention of the door having a lock. Her Uncle might trust Elliot and she was willing to stay with him, but she didn't want him to be able to come in without her consent. She appreciated the fact he understood that. 

After going to the hospital and having a rape kit done Danielle wanted nothing more than a shower and a nap.

She had picked up her second duffle from the locker she stored it in while at the police station as she hadn't needed it while talking to Donald as it didn't hold evidence. There wasn't much in the duffle, but it had her clothes and would be enough while she stayed with Elliot. She didn't see this as something that would last long. A few days tops and then she would find an apartment. She refused to be a burden.

She looked around Elliot's house and hummed. It wasn't big, but it was rather nice. From the small mud room at the entrance of the house she could see the living room. The round carpet under the mahogany coffee table was a mix of dark blues and browns. The light tan suede couch looked comfortable and a little worn. She looked to the walls and saw a 42 inch TV along with a few paintings of nature. The end table beside the couch had a grey small lamp with a white shade. Overall it had a welcoming feeling. 

"It's nice. I like the set up." 

Elliot smiled. "Thanks. Your room is this way." He gently moved past her, making sure there was no unwanted contact. While a slight bump wouldn't normally be a problem he knew she was still in that scared, jumpy mindset. He walked through the living room and started down a small hallway.

She followed him, eyes darting everywhere. She wanted to know where everything was; not that the hall held much. There was a door on each side and then one at the very end. She almost bumped into Elliot when he stopped in front of her, but managed to catch herself. 

"This room is yours." He opened the door for her and stepped in. He rightfully assumed that she wouldn't want him out of her line of sight. 

She stepped in and looked around. It wasn't anything special. Not that she needed that. She was used to rather uncomfortable beds, sharing a bunk, and having a chest for her few items. She took in the full size bed with the black pillow cases and matching sheets and comforter. The end table was a dark oak with two drawers and a reading lamp sitting on top. The walls were white and the border black with white swirls. The floor was hardwood and a similar color to the end table. Over the window were grey curtains that were made to block out the sun. 

"Hope it's good enough. If you need something we can change things."

"No, no. There's no need for that. This is fine. Thank you." She kept her eyes on him as she walked in and sat her bag on the foot of the bed. 

He nodded. "I'll leave you to settle in.  I'll let you know when dinner is ready. If you want to shower it's the room at the end of the hall."

"Thank you." She smiled a barely noticeable smile.

He left her alone, closing the door as he did so.

The sweet and savory smell of chicken permeated the air along with the smell of fried rice. There was also the sweet, tangy smell of wine. It was enough to pull Danielle out of her room. She had showered and changed into a pair of jeans, pulled on her vans, and a Pickachu t-shirt. It was comfortable while making sure nothing was shown.

Elliot looked up from setting the table. He smiled a little bit. "Figured ordering Chinese was the best bet since I didn't know what you liked."

"That's fine. Thank you." She looked at the glass of wine he had poured and bit her lip. Her hand twitched toward it, wanting to drink, but she moved to the fridge and got a bottle of water instead. She took a seat. "It smells good." She began making a plate.

He noticed her choice of drink and noted it. He had seen the way she looked at the wine; from now on he would sit both out for her. That way she knew he wasn't pressuring her to drink. "How was your room?"

She took a bite of her food and looked across the table at him. "It's good. The bed is comfortable. The shower was really nice. Can't remember the last time I got to enjoy a nice hot shower." She smiled a little. 

Being in the military meant she didn't have time to take long soaks in a bath or soothing showers. Neither was there going to be enough hot water because of all the other people on base. 

He chuckled and nodded. "Yeah I can imagine. So where did you serve?" He sipped his wine.

"I was in Iraq. I was a doctor so I didn't see combat, but some of the things I saw…" She shut her eyes and could hear some of the men screaming from pain. She saw her bunk mates, the others in her battalion, men she had trained with and saved. She cringed and shook her head. Those were the last people she wanted to think about. 

Elliot frowned and sat his fork down. "Hey, you don't have to talk if you don't want to. We can talk about something else. Favorite sport?"

Danielle was grateful for the subject change. She smiled a little. "College football. Always preferred it to pro. They seem to play harder and have more heart."

"You know you make a good point." He chuckled and went back to eating. 

They spent a few hours like that. Sitting in the kitchen, the expanse of the table keeping him far enough away Danielle felt safe, and talked about sports. They even mentioned a few of their favorite childhood memories. 

Danielle could tell Elliot was trying to make her feel at ease. She appreciated the effort he was putting in. While she didn't trust him and didn't want him out of her line of sight she had released some of the tension her body was holding. 

***

If you like my stories please reblog. Likes are great, but they don't share my work. If you like this check out my masterlist in my bio for more.

[encyclopika]

Animal Crossing Fish - Explained #132

Brought to you by a marine biologist who likes birbs...

CLICK HERE FOR THE AC FISH EXPLAINED MASTERPOST!

If you’ve been following me for any amount of time, you have probably noticed I like birbs. Something, something, I have a pet birb, I have a birb feeder in my yard, I have lots of OCs based off birbs, my favorite villager is a chicken named Ken, and you bet your ass I find it very amusing when this dude washes up on my shores. Today we’re going to cover Gulliver/Gullivarrr!

Gulliver and Gullivarrr wash up on your shores randomly and you are tasked with either finding 5 communicator parts in the sand or dive in the ocean to retrieve the whole dang thing, respectively, much to this birb boi’s delight. He will then pay you back with some interesting items you can only get from him in the mail. Gulliver and Gullivarrr are clearly based off of Gulliver’s Travels, a book about a dude who actually travels the world’s seas and does become shipwrecked and marooned on an island. Sound familiar? 

But seabirds aren’t this ridiculous - they are extremely adept at traversing the seas just fine without getting lost on some of the world’s longest migrations. So, I guess that’s what makes Gulliver hilarious, from an ornithologist’s perspective. They are more than likely based off of a gull, a type of seabird many people are familiar with, because they are remarkably opportunistic, eating really anything they can get their beaks on, including our trash. In particular, I propose that Gulliver is based off of the Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris), a very common gull species in Japan.

I think it’s this species, mostly because, when it comes to gulls, they mostly all look the same, save for a few details, such as markings on their bills and coloring of their legs. Many species have pale, pink legs, but this species has yellow legs, just like Gulliver, as well as the black beak-tip. I’m open to discussion, though.

Anyway, why didn’t I say “seagull”? Well, you’re more than welcome to, but it’s scientifically redundant. Gulls are seabirds, so it doesn’t make much sense to call them seagulls. They are in family Laridae, which also include terns and skimmers, with 100 species. They have a number of adaptations that allow them to live out at sea, although, compared to other sea-faring birds, like albatrosses and shearwaters, gulls are more near-shore seabirds than anything. Still, they are totally capable of drinking seawater, which is incredible.

As a human, you shouldn’t try this at home. Drinking seawater in any large amount is toxic, as it is to most birds, except seabirds. Gulls, as well as many others that make the ocean their home, have what are called salt glands behind their eyes that absorb and then release the excess salt from their bloodstream. We don’t have this, and our kidneys can’t process all that salt, so it becomes life-threatening. So, yeah, when Gulliver complains about tasting seawater, he’ll be just fine, don’t you worry. And there you have it. Fascinating stuff, no?

[askscottatavie-blog]

About the Mun - Task

I meant to post this a few hours ago, but I overslept, so here ya go!

Name/Alias: Rhiannon

Pronouns: She/Her

Which characters do you write currently?: Scotta, Charna, Effie, Dale, Gil & Ginny

What got you into Descendants?: I think I actually found a lyric video for Rotten to the Core while looking for lyrics from the more classic Disney films, and then I got curious, looked up the song and ended up watching the film. Just a few months before D2 came out as well, so I had some really great timing!

Favorite color: Orange

Favorite food: Tangerines (easily peel, because I’m an overgrown child)

Favorite book(s) and character(s) from it: Since I can’t remember the names of anyone in Shamaka, I have to say Rat from Unhooking the Moon (an amazing but sad read, would highly recommend)

Favorite movie(s) and character(s) from it: The Road to El Dorado, and my two gay sons Miguel and Tulio (I will forever be salty that that story line was removed, fight me dreamworks)

What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever done?: I won a writing contest a few years ago and, because of that, I’m now on the youth council for the Hay Festival, one of (if not the) largest literature festivals in the world.

Fill one of these out for each character!

Character Name: Scotta Tavie McKendrick-DunBroch

Parent(s)/Movie: Merida & Isobel (OC) from Brave, Odin from the Hercules TV Show

What makes this character special?: She believes in doing what’s best for your people, even if it might make you look bad in the process. She understands that sometimes difficult decisions and sacrifices have to be made, and is more than prepared to make them, and is wholly ready to take blame for everything she knows will rightfully be her fault in one way or another. She’s also come from an extremely low place recently and is working on being more honestly herself, not the perfect princess she was pretending to be before.

How are you and this character similar? Dissimilar?: I can definitely relate to the pressure to act like someone you’re not. And while I feel like I can identify the best course of action in a tense situation, I don’t know if I’d have the strength to choose the more difficult decision in real life.

What’s the hardest part about writing this character?: Definitely having to constantly look up stuff she would be quoting, plus trying to keep on top of what other characters are doing and have a good knowledge of politics, which I really don’t IRL. I should probably work on that.

What do you see this character doing in the future?: If she doesn’t ascend to the throne then she’ll definitely be running things behind the scenes. Her entire life up until this point has been training her to become a ruler, so that’s really the only thing she knows how to do. But I also think she’s going to continue to grow as a person and get better, considering her poor state that left her stuck at home for months during recovery.

*

Character Name: Belobog “Charna” Yaga (she doesn’t technically have a last name, but if she had to pick one you can bet it wouldn’t be her dad’s name)

Parent(s)/Movie: Chernabog & Marzanna (OC based on the actual goddess) from Fantasia

What makes this character special?: Aside from being a literal goddess, she’s managed to overcome every expectation of who she should be to be a real hero. Someone who puts other people before themselves in a society where that really doesn’t benefit her in any way. She definitely has evil inside of her, and she is similar to her dad in a lot of ways, but unlike him she chooses to utilize in a positive way rather than a negative one, and doesn’t use her powers selfishly when she has access to them.

How are you and this character similar? Dissimilar?: We both love kids, and we both probably put other people before ourselves too much. But I’m not nearly as violent or mean as she is, although I wish I could come up with come-backs as fast irl as I do for her.

What’s the hardest part about writing this character?: Keeping her speech less articulated than a lot of my other characters. Most of my characters either speak extremely formally (see: Scotta), or at least like regular people. But Charna’s quite inarticulate so I end up editing her a lot when it comes to actual speech. Plus I have 3 different characters (Charna, Scotta and Ginny) who are all suppose to be quite good at come backs, but in different ways, so whenever I write a comeback I always have to stare at it for a while and deduce if it’s in character for that particular muse.

What do you see this character doing in the future?: I think she eventually will go to Auradon with Ivah, where she can finally start to take care of herself and her daughter properly. There’ll also probably be some kind of face off with her and her dad as a nod to the Belobog and Chernobog rivalry (and the idea that both are evenly matched) from Slavic Mythology, but I can’t really see us doing that in this RP.

*

Character Name: Effie Mode

Parent(s)/Movie: Edna Mode from the Incredibles

What makes this character special?: Despite her disability she’s extremely confident in herself and doesn’t take anything from anyone. She’s also extremely clever and talented, having an eye for fashion and an interest in linguistics (she’s already fluent in several languages), and is a spoiled brat without being a mean girl, so to speak.

How are you and this character similar? Dissimilar?: I think we both share a self-deprecative sense of humour, but she’s a lot more sure of herself than I am.

What’s the hardest part about writing this character?: Trying to write her disability accurately. I’ve done as much research as I can on my own, but I could definitely stand to actually talk to some legally blind people. But also to not make her disability the focal point of her characters, which I know this isn’t exactly the prime example of.

What do you see this character doing in the future?: I think, rather than following in her mother’s footsteps, she’ll become a translator. But a very fashionable translator.

*

Character Name: Dale Dwarf

Parent(s)/Movie: Dopey from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

What makes this character special?: His clumsiness and social awkwardness is cranked up to the extreme, to the point where it’s less cute and more annoying (or, at least that’s what I’m going for anyway). But at the end of the day he genuinely has a heart of gold and will try and right any wrongs he may have accidentally made, even if he just ends up making it worse. Kind of becomes a vicious cycle, really, but people will hopefully eventually catch on.

How are you and this character similar? Dissimilar?: I’m definitely very clumsy and socially awkward, although not nearly to the extent that Dale is.

What’s the hardest part about writing this character?: Trying to keep that kind of ‘goofy but nice’ personality while trying to write him in a way that he might accidentally annoy other characters. He’s just too pure a bean.

What do you see this character doing in the future?: While I don’t think he ever fully gets over his clumsiness, he does have an interest in architecture, and that only requires drawing. So he’ll probably be doing that, in a study somewhere, surrounded by bubble wrap. You know, just in case.

*

Character Name: Gil LeGume

Parent(s)/Movie: Gaston LeGume and the Green Bimbette from Beauty and the Beast

What makes this character special?: He’s the most innocent of Gaston’s sons because of how his brothers have protected him, so he’s this rare ray of sunshine right in the centre of the Isle. Having almost never experienced his father’s abuse first hand he’s been able to develop relationships in a way that his brothers don’t seem to have been able to, at least in the past, and he’s extremely trusting and naïve despite the environment he grew up in dictating him to be anything but. He also has an amazing memory.

How are you and this character similar? Dissimilar?: I too just want to make everyone happy, if I’m honest. But I wish I had a memory as half as good as his, because I forget absolutely everything.

What’s the hardest part about writing this character?: Because Gil is quite a well known canon character that’s in the films, yet still a pretty minor one, I definitely struggle to capture his characterisation. Dylan’s portrayal was so strong that there’s definitely a right and wrong way to write him, but because he had so few scenes and even less dialogue it can definitely take a few tries to really nail.

What do you see this character doing in the future?: I honestly don’t know. Right now his entire life revolves around the Pirate Crew because that’s who his friends are and they’re the people he knows will always have his back, alongside his brothers. He definitely has an interest in academics, so I can see him getting into university to study maths or something, but further than that I can’t say.

*

Character Name: Ginny Gothel

Parent(s)/Movie: Mother Gothel from Tangled

What makes this character special?: Ginny is complex on a level that a lot of my other characters in this group aren’t, because unlike the others I need to write her as an antagonist despite most VKs being inherently sympathetic characters because of their situations. So there’s this really interesting balance of the clear signs of years of manipulation and abuse weighing down on her shoulders and making her do all this bad stuff, but also the occasional good thing that she does but has to disguise as her being evil, such as pushing her sister away so she is away from home more often (and thus away from their mother) and so she’d accept the invite to Auradon.

How are you and this character similar? Dissimilar?: I honestly don’t think I have many similarities to Ginny. Like, at all. I guess I’d like to be able to help people without coming off as being too pushy on the subject, although maybe not in the same way that she does it. But I’m definitely not as mean or vicious as she is. I don’t have the balls if I’m being honest.

What’s the hardest part about writing this character?: The hardest part is getting that balance that you need for a good sympathetic villain. Because she can’t be so sympathetic that she’s no longer threatening, but she also can’t be so threatening that she’s no longer sympathetic. It’s kind of a fine line to walk.

What do you see this character doing in the future?: With the way things have been developing so far, things are definitely going to get worse for Ginny before they get better, but I can see a possible redemption arc somewhere in her future.

[staytheb]

Favorite

Pairing: TXT’s Soobin x OC [Nayoung] Genre: college!au, slice of life, slight fluff, slight angst Word Count: 4,613 Summary: Nayoung and Soobin are just mutual friends although Soobin claims Nayoung is his one and only favorite person. Still, she doesn’t take him seriously and is tired of his bullshit.

Warning: curse words. that’s it, i think. lol

hi again! this is the second pairing based on the original story, Exclusive, which is a standalone from Elusive. still not sure of the members, but it was fun imagining Soobin within this writing and so hope y’all enjoy it and if not, then it’s all good. other than that, hoping to write more and if not, then some day. but yeah, happy reading and kthxbai, Admin Lia~

Nayoung was sound asleep before her phone went off disturbing it. At first she didn't hear it, but eventually after the third time it went off, she woke up and stared at her phone in confusion.

"Didn't I put it on alarm mode only?"

She checked and she didn't.

"Wow."

Nayoung looked over to see if her roommate, Chaeyeon, was still asleep, but she was gone.

"Does she have an early class today? I thought it was cancelled."

Just then her mobile device went off again and she answered it after seeing it was one of her male friends, Beomgyu.

"Hello?"

"I'm on my way."

"Wait, what?"

"Just kidding, but do you have a bra that you no longer use and are willing to give it up. No questions asked?"

The person on the other side asked, causing Nayoung to raise a brow.

"Excuse me?"

"I want your bra, Nayoung. Give it to me. I'll be on my way if you get it ready."

Beomgyu demanded seriously as Nayoung rolled her eyes.

"Shut up, Beomgyu. I'm not getting anything ready. The last time I gave you one you gave me back another girl's bra."

"I said I was sorry."

"It wasn't even the same size or color."

"I said I would buy you a replacement."

"Which I'm still waiting for, my dude."

"I'm working on it, but I really need it."

There was a pause before another familiar voice spoke.

"Can you make it two, Nayoung?"

"Ugh, Taehyun. I thought you were better than this."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Both males asked a second later as Nayoung groaned.

"I'm going back to bed. Talk to me after I wake up."

"Fine. We'll see you in class." The duo responded and Nayoung hung up with a loud sigh.

"So annoying."

Not a moment later did her hand phone ring again that she gruffly answered the caller believing it to be either Beomgyu or Taehyun again.

"What?"

"Sheesh. Who peed in your cereal this morning?"

Another male answered.

"That's nasty, Kai." Nayoung replied as she sat up in bed knowing she wasn't going to be able to fall back asleep and should've silenced her phone after Beomgyu had called her.

"What do you want so early in the morning?"

"Why are you so grouchy, huh?"

"Beomgyu and Taehyun called me earlier to help them with that Scavenger Hunt for Beta Heta Mu."

"That doesn't mean you can take it out on me, Nayoung."

"True, but you also call me when you want to bother me, too, especially if you're partaking in on this hunt as well."

"Rude, but true. Anyways, I'm not participating in the scavenger hunt, but I was gonna invite you out for breakfast though. And since you want to sleep then I'll leave you alone to enjoy that."

"Breakfast where?"

"Oh, now she wants to play nice."

Nayoung rolled her eyes hearing the sarcasm in her friend's voice.

"Shut up, Kai. You still owe me from last time, the other time before that, and that time before that, too."

Kai groaned.

"You're still keeping tabs on that? That was like weeks ago."

"Yeah, because you supposedly forgot your wallet or had no money those times and guess who had to pay."

"I did forget it and I was low on funds. So what?"

Kai hurriedly changed the topic.

"Anyways, this is my treat to you this time. Whatever you want."

Nayoung grew suspicious.

"What's the catch?"

"There's no catch."

"There's always a catch when you want to treat me."

Kai scoffed, but went back to the main point of why he called.

"So yes or no to breakfast?"

"Yes. Text me and I'll meet you."

"Already did and I'm on my way."

"Brat."

Kai laughed as he hung up and Nayoung went to get ready for the day.

"I knew it was a set up."

Nayoung commented when her eyes met with a schoolmate, Soobin, instead of Kai's.

Soobin chuckled as he glanced at her.

"What's a set up? I thought we were all meeting for breakfast?"

"Kai didn't mention a third party."

Soobin shrugged with a smile.

"He mentioned you to me."

"I bet."

Nayoung rolled her eyes before giving Soobin a once over.

"Anyways, then where is the one that invited us?"

"Dunno."

"You guys are the best of friends."

"Doesn't mean I keep tabs on him or whatever."

"Mmhmm. Right."

Nayoung leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest shooting Soobin a knowing look. He imitated her posture, but he had on an amused expression instead. The two stared at one another for a good few seconds before Soobin broke the silence.

"Don't give me that look, Nayoung."

"What look, Soobin?"

"The one you're giving to me now."

"What about it?"

"I thought I was your favorite person?"

"Hardly."

Nayoung continued to stare at him as Soobin chuckled nervously.

"Stop looking like you wanna kill me, Nayoung."

"Oh, it's not you I wanna kill, today. It's your friend."

Soobin casually leaned forward.

"He's your friend, too, but don't kill him yet. I still need him to pass this semester and you can kill me after I graduate."

"Fine."

Nayoung relaxed her posture.

"Anyways, why are you here? Don't you have a class right now?"

"Kai invited me and I can't say no. Besides, I mainly came for the bread."

Soobin grinned as Nayoung scoffed.

"You can buy bread anywhere, Soobin, and you can always say no to the invite."

"But I love the ones here and why would I say no when I get to see the lovely face of my favorite person, too."

He grinned as she made a disgusted face with Soobin chuckling afterwards.

"Anyways, so I was wondering if-"

Nayoung interrupted him.

"No."

"But you don't know what I was gonna ask."

"After what happened last time, Soobin, I don't wanna be involved again."

She narrowed her eyes when Soobin opened his mouth to explain and she didn't want to hear it.

"Save it. I'm not gonna let you use me again to which I didn't even agree those last times. You put me on the spot each time and it's not cool."

"I get it. I'm sorry." Soobin apologized with a genuine expression.

"It was selfish of me to use you as my pretend girlfriend, but you happened to be conveniently there at my time of need all those times."

Nayoung scoffed with a roll of her eyes

"So were others that would have loved to play pretend, Choi Soobin."

"I trusted you the most."

"We're only mutuals and not even friends if I was to be honest. Yewon, Yuna, and Eunbi were there, too. You could've used them over me."

"You were closer." Soobin reasoned.

Nayoung rolled her eyes, giving up on trying to pull the truth out of him while standing up and collecting her things.

"Whatever. I'm gonna order and take it to go before class."

"Oh, c'mon, Nayoung. My company's not that bad."

"Not really you, per se, Soobin, but those involved around you I'm not close with."

"Wow."

Nayoung shrugged with a smile before walking away. Soobin let out a defeated sigh.

"Guys, I just sat down. Can you give me a minute?"

Nayoung informed Taehyun and Beomgyu as the pair each took a seat beside her.

"No." The duo answered as Nayoung groaned.

"What do you want?"

"You already know what I want."

Beomgyu answered with a smug look.

"If you give me what I want, then I'll leave you alone."

"Dude, you can practically ask any other girl to do what you're asking me to do. So go do it."

"It's not the same. They're expecting a date or something afterwards. You don't think that of me."

"I wonder why, but that's not my problem."

"Aren't we brother and sister due to our fraternity and sorority being associated with one another?"

Taehyun asked as Nayoung eyed him.

"Other Nu Tau Zeta members exist. Hell, you could've asked Eunbi, Yerin, or Sojung to help you guys out instead of me."

"Well, they already helped with some of the tasks and wouldn't help anymore." Taehyun informed as Nayoung rolled her eyes.

"Y'all need more female friends. Shouldn't be that hard since y'all have quite a bunch of fangirls."

"Like I mentioned earlier in case you forgot-"

Nayoung interrupted Beomgyu.

"I didn't forget."

He continued like he didn't get interrupted.

"They don't want to be just friends, Nayoung. They want to be something more."

"Not my problem. I helped y'all last time, but received nothing."

She glared at Beomgyu.

"And you better have bought me a new bra already. Like for real."

"I got you, Nayoung. Don't worry."

Beomgyu set a white rectangular box onto the table.

"Here you go and you're welcome."

Nayoung inspected the present, but frowned upon seeing the incorrect size. She shut the box and passed it back to her friend.

"What's wrong? You don't like the color?"

Beomgyu asked worriedly as she shot him a look.

"The color's fine, but it's the wrong size, Beomgyu, again."

"How can that be? I double checked."

"It's the same size as the one that you tried to give me that wasn't even mine. You're hopeless."

"Haha, I knew it." Taehyun laughed while pointing a finger at his friend.

"I told you that wasn't her size."

"Shut up." He blankly stared at the box.

"What should I do with it?"

"Give it to one of your fangirls and you can complete the tasks faster."

Nayoung mused as Beomgyu elbowed her with a sheepish look.

"Stop."

Nayoung attended her next class as she settled herself towards the back of the classroom. She brought out her materials to review for the practice test on Monday. If she did super well on the test, then the professor would allow for the practice test to help bump up their grades to replace a previous test that they scored poorly on. Too focused on the reading material she didn't notice Kai joining her with him placing a dual boba cup near her. It wasn't until she felt a poke to her side and slowly turned to look at a smiling Kai.

"I'm not talking to you." She stated while returning back to reading again as Kai rolled his eyes.

"Don't be so dramatic. My peace offering is your favorite drink."

He pushed the drink closer to her and she automatically took a hold of it to drink both flavors before putting it down again.

"I'm still not gonna forgive you for your stupid antic with Soobin this morning."

Before he could defend himself, Nayoung shot him a look.

"Don't try to say you couldn't come because I saw you run off just as I went to the counter to order."

"Oh? You did."

Kai sheepishly laughed as Nayoung eyed him.

"Alright, my bad. Sorry."

"It's whatever. Thanks for the drink."

The duo were later joined by Soobin and another friend, Gyeongtae, to whom Nayoung greeted the latter happily.

"Gyeongtae! Hi."

Nayoung stood and hugged the male as he returned the gesture before taking the seat on her other side.

"Hi, Nayoung. How are you today?"

"I'm good. You?"

Nayoung ignored Soobin's open arms and sat back down. Soobin pouted at her behavior towards him while he sat on the other side of Kai.

"Maybe next time." Kai commented as Soobin nodded.

He glanced at Nayoung talking to Gyeongtae about the upcoming test. His attention turned to the teacher who entered at that moment. During class, Nayoung received a text message from her sorority's president, Jinah, and needed to see her as soon as possible. She debated if she should leave now or wait, but remembered she had friends in the class. She patted Gyeongtae and Kai on the shoulders while asking them to message her later if she missed something as she gathered up her things. She messaged Jinah that she would be on her way over soon.

"Bye, Nayoung."

Soobin held out a hand for a high-five to which Nayoung high-fived him unconsciously after passing by him causing Soobin to grin at her in satisfaction. Nayoung rolled her eyes at him, but quickly left the classroom and made her way towards the Nu Tau Zeta house.

"Hello, Nayoung." Jinah greeted her with a smile as she motioned for her to sit.

"Please have a seat."

Jinhee, the vice-president, cast her a sympathetic smile.

"We apologize in advance if you're missing anything academic-related."

"It's all good. Luckily I have friends in the class."

Nayoung replied as Miso, the secretary nodded.

"That's good. Anyways, it's only to discuss attendance for the social gatherings this school term."

"Ah, okay."

"Anyways, Nayoung," The treasure, Jiyeon, began talking, "You've done well in attending all the events that Nu Tau Zeta has hosted thus far and have been invited to as well. And for that, we're awarding you this set for doing an outstanding job."

Jinah stood, walked around the table, and placed a rose-colored small box in front of Nayoung.

"Congratulations, Lee Nayoung. Please let me know if there's any correction needed."

Jinah congratulated her before returning back to her seat. Nayoung opened the small box and her face lit up upon seeing the new bracelet and necklace insignia set of Nu Tau Zeta's symbols for this year along with her name.

"Thank you!"

Nayoung beamed as she closed the gift and put it into her bag.

"I can't wait to wear it at our next social gathering or special event outside of campus."

The group talked a bit more before the council dismissed Nayoung. She went to the library to study some more before returning to her room and saw that Chaeyeon was fast asleep. Nayoung went to shower before retiring for the night as well.

Soobin congratulated his friend and fellow fraternity brother, Yeonjun, for winning the Beta Heta Mu's Scavenger Hunt before he was swept away by the others to talk about his results. Soobin then looked over at Beomgyu and Taehyun curiously.

"How well do the two of you know Lee Nayoung?"

He only asked as these two scored in the top twenty for the scavenger hunt.

"Good enough that she lends me her bra when I ask." Beomgyu replied nonchalantly although there was a mischievous glint in his eyes as Soobin's eyes widened in shock.

"What?"

"Easy. Calm down." Taehyun said with a laugh knowing what his friend was thinking.

"She and Beomgyu aren't like that."

"Yeah, they're just friends." Kai clarified with a chuckle.

"No one's gonna take away your favorite person, also known as, your so-called girlfriend from you."

"Nayoung isn't my girlfriend." Soobin denied.

"Yeah, right." Beomgyu disagreed.

"But she is your favorite person though."

Soobin was about to deny it, but Kai interjected before he could.

"You're always using her as your pretend girlfriend to get those other girls off your back."

"No, I don't. She's just conveniently there whenever it happens and it works."

"Right."

The other three didn't believe him. Taehyun sighed while casting Soobin a sympathetic look.

"I gotta say something."

Kai and Beomgyu shot him warning glances, but Taehyun ignored them.

"Look, Soobin, about Nayoung..."

Nayoung was fast asleep while her roommate was now awake due to Yeonjun calling her to meet up near one in the morning. Just as she was on her way out she heard a tap at their bedroom window and went to investigate. Chaeyeon pulled back the curtains, opened the window, and peered down below to see Soobin standing underneath.

"You're not Nayoung." Soobin stated as Chaeyeon rolled her eyes with a smirk.

"Obviously. What do you want?"

"Nayoung, of course."

"Obviously, but why?"

"To talk."

"You couldn't do it later?"

"No."

"Do it later."

"You're going out to meet Yeonjun right now so I can talk to Nayoung right now, too."

"Touche."

Chaeyeon sighed.

"I swear, the guys here are so bothersome."

Chaeyeon looked over at her sleeping roommate before focusing her attention on Soobin.

"Were you the one that called her just now?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"I just do. Give me a minute."

Chaeyeon half-turned away, but faced Soobin again while speaking with a firm tone.

"No bullshit."

"No bullshit. I swear."

Soobin held up his hands in a surrendering mode.

"I promise."

"Don't make promises so easily, Soobin. Nayoung seriously hates those because they always get broken in the end. Just speaking from past experiences." Chaeyeon advised him as Soobin nodded.

"Okay, Chaeyeon, thanks."

"Welcome."

Chaeyeon left and was replaced by Nayoung a moment later. Nayoung sleepily stared down at Soobin.

"What do you want at one in the morning?"

"I just wanna talk."

"We are talking."

"I mean could we talk with less distance between us and me not looking up at you?"

"No."

"I mean I could wake them up by talking louder and letting them know that you got a fat ass crush on me." 

Soobin smirked as Nayoung became more alert and narrowed her eyes at him.

"I don't have a fat ass crush on you."

"Bet."

"I ain't doing that with you, Soobin."

"C'mon, Nayoung, just admit that you actually like me and we can get this all done and over with."

"No. Go back to Beta Heat Mu and leave me alone to go to sleep."

"But Taehyun said you liked me."

"Damn. I can't tell that boy anything." Nayoung muttered, but Soobin heard her and smirked even more.

"So it's true?"

"It's nothing, Soobin. Talk to me when the sun's out."

"But you've out-shined the sun so it's already out, Nayoung." Soobin said with a smug look as Nayoung shook her head at his lame attempt, but still found it kinda endearing and a smile appeared upon her face which he noticed.

"See, you don't completely hate me like you think you do, Nayoung."

Nayoung rolled her eyes as a sigh escaped.

"I never hated you, Soobin. I just hated all the stupid shit that surrounded you."

"So that means you like me, right?" Soobin asked unsure.

Nayoung shrugged with an aloof expression with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Have a good night, Soobin."

"No, Nayoung, wait." Soobin pleaded in a panic to grab her attention and basically blurted out his confession.

"I like you."

"Excuse me?"

Nayoung stared down at Soobin suspiciously.

"What did you say?"

"I like you, Lee Nayoung." Soobin confessed with confidence.

"Now can we talk better?"

"Stay there. I'm on my way." Nayoung ordered him as Soobin rolled his eyes.

"Does she think I'm gonna run off or something when I was the one that wanted to talk with her?"

A mischievous smirk slowly appeared on his face as he ran off to hide from Nayoung. When she finally made her way out of the sorority house and around it to talk with Soobin, he was no longer standing where she last saw him.

"Och, where did he go?"

Nayoung huffed just as she felt arms wrapped themselves around her from behind with Soobin's voice whispering playfully against her ear.

"Aww, baby, did you miss me already?"

"Gosh you're so annoying." Nayoung responded.

Soobin took it as a good sign that she didn't try to get out of his grasp.

"That's what you always say, Nayoung, but we've done this so many times."

"It's only because you're super clingy, Choi Soobin"

"Only for you."

Nayoung internally cringed and sighed.

"Don't you ever get tired?"

"Only if I'm running around in that mind of yours every day."

"If you don't answer me with an actual straight answer, Choi Soobin, then I'm gonna slap you."

Soobin chuckled as his grip tightened a little more around Nayoung in a cozy back-hug while placing his chin onto her shoulder.

"You've threatened me many times, Lee Nayoung, but I don't ever recall you having ever delivered any of them."

"Well, we can find out right now because I want to be the first one to report your death and all of your fangirls can mourn over you."

"That's harsh isn't it? Especially for you, considering you'll be crying the hardest over my passing and didn't even get a chance to confess your love for me when you had the chance to."

"My dude, you're so friggin' annoying." 

Nayoung spoke in an exasperated tone as she tried to shrug him off of her, but it was hardly useful as he had a firm grip upon her while laughing at her attempt.

"Only the best for my favorite person."

Upon hearing that Nayoung stopped squirming and stood still suddenly alerting Soobin of her change in behavior.

"Like can you stop?" Nayoung said in a flat tone.

He removed his arms from around her and turned her around to face him instead.

"What do you mean?"

"This. All of this. Everything, Soobin."

She motioned with her hands between him and her.

"Can you stop playing with me? Just annoy some other girl willing to deal with your bullshit because I'm honestly done with it."

Soobin stared at her blankly as he tried to process her words which made Nayoung continue on with her pent-up frustrations towards him.

"You're a cool person and all, Soobin, but don't get me wrong. It's just that you have nothing but drama surrounding you that I don't wanna fuck with it no more." Nayoung admitted.

"From your constant flirting to your dumb fangirls. Then there's me being your fake girlfriend when one of them gets it into their head that they can be more with you because of your actions when I shouldn't even be involved at all. That's not my problem to handle. It's yours."

Nayoung ran a hand through her hair in frustration.

"Honestly, it's hard for me to see you as a genuine person to even be friends with or even something more beyond that when I constantly see only that side of you majority of the time and it just turns me off."

She sighed while looking at him with tiredness in her eyes.

"I'm sorry to blow up in front of you, but I'm just so tired of your games and bullshit excuses, Choi Soobin."

Soobin was still processing the sudden change in the atmosphere between him and Nayoung from earlier, prompting her to end their talk with a heavy heart as she didn't want to continue with this.

"Anyways, have a good night, Soobin. When or if ever you do get your shit together, maybe we can start over."

Nayoung had walked past Soobin and his hand shot out to firmly grip her forearm, preventing her from leaving and bringing her back around to face him again. She was about to protest when she suddenly felt Soobin's lips on hers. Unconsciously, she tried to pull away, but he placed a hand at the back of her neck instinctively to prevent her from doing so. Soobin deepened the kiss to convey his feelings to Nayoung as she returned his kiss. He broke the kiss a moment later allowing the both of them to catch their breaths. She avoided all eye-contact as she shifted her gaze downwards to regain all of her senses as she was totally caught off guard by the sudden kiss. Soobin placed his forefinger and thumb against her chin to lift her head so that they could lock eyes while staring at her tenderly.

"I really do like you, Lee Nayoung. I'm sorry for putting you through those situations selfishly and making you feel that way disregarding your own feelings, too." He confessed along with an apology.

"I didn't mean for them to get out of hand, but one thing led to another and repeated and I just assumed it'll all fall into place on its own accord. I'm really sorry."

"Saying sorry doesn't fix everything, Soobin."

"I know, but I'm willing to make it up to you as best as I can."

"Did Chaeyeon tell you that I hate promises?"

"Yes."

"That girl."

"And I'm glad she did, because I'm done bullshitting you, Nayoung."

He looked at her expectantly.

"By chance is it too late to start over?"

"It's never too late to start over, Soobin."

"Good. Because I need to stake my claim before it's too late."

Nayoung shot him a weird look.

"Too late for what?"

"To make you my one and only favorite person."

"What about your fangirls?"

"What about them?"

"You better control them and not let them come at me because you decided to like me and wanted to pursue a relationship."

"Don't worry. I'll make sure to be the one that gets them off your back for good."

"You better or I'll end this relationship so fast and move on in a blink of an eye."

"Don't you even think of doing that, Lee Nayoung." Soobin warned as he circled his arms around her body and pulled her against him with a cheeky smile a moment later.

"How about an impromptu late night slash early morning date?"

"Nah, I'm good. I need to sleep, anyway." Nayoung declined with a laugh as she wrapped her arms around his waist a moment later.

"We can have a proper date after I'm done with my classes later today."

"But that means you won't be done until after four."

"Okay, stalker, chill. We got lots of time to hang out."

"One, I'm not a stalker. Two, I'm your boyfriend so it's validated that I would know your schedule."

"Okay, boy, slow your roll."

Nayoung chuckled with a shake of her head.

"One, I never agreed to becoming your girlfriend, and two, we just admitted our feelings for one another not too long ago."

Soobin laughed while wiggling his eyebrows.

"I'm pretty sure we can skip to the point where we're a couple already."

He grinned happily.

"Besides, we had practices of becoming boyfriend and girlfriend in the past. It's validated that we're official now."

"That's according to you."

Nayoung rolled her eyes, but smiled anyway as she began to lead them to the front of Nu Tau Zeta's front door.

"Now go back to Beta Heta Mu and get some sleep. Then maybe we can have breakfast in several hours if I feel like it."

"Whether you feel like it or not, maybe I'll bring breakfast to you in bed."

He nudged her playfully.

"If you can get through the front door, Soobin."

"Oh, I have no worries about not being able to get through the doors, Nayoung."

"I'm sure you don't, but please don't. I'll meet you at Crown instead."

"How about I meet you outside your sorority house and we can go to Crown together."

"Sure, Soobin, that's fine with me. Good night."

Nayoung bid him a farewell with a small wave once they were standing at the entrace of Nu Tau Zeta and had just opened the door until Soobin softly tugged her back by the end of her shirt. She cast him a confused expression.

"What?"

"My good night's kiss."

Nayoung caught the mischievous glint in his eyes as he pointed at his cheek and decided to play along with him.

"Okay."

"Really?"

"Mmhmm."

Soobin smiled widely as he awaited Nayoung to kiss him. Just as she leaned in to give Soobin a kiss on the cheek, she quickly pecked his lips instead and rush inside the house with a laugh before closing the door a second later. He was shocked at first, but it wore off once he heard the click of the door shutting. He grinned before turning around to return to his fraternity anticipating the morning hours to officially spend it with Nayoung.

[bluekitsune]

Late NDRV3 Chapter 6 + Epilogue impressions

HOLY SHIT ITS SPY BOY ITS SPY BOY ITS SPY BOY???? DANGAN RONPA 0 IN MY V3/???????????????????.... No It couldn’t be. He’s long dead. Yuto Kamishiro can’t be this “Makoto”.  Is Normal-chan our Spoiler-chan? Hmm. I just have a gut feeling he’s a Despair idk why And if he’s so normal, how was he on Kibougamine? Was it the first or the new school??????? HMMM????????

KIBO NO Don’t........ I don’t want him to die noooo >:C DONT TOUCHY THE ROBOT ....... He might be disconnected from Naegey but he’s still our pinnochio. Kibo wtf plz

Ouma the ultimate fanboy of Movie Vilains. I stg (dem funny glasses omg...... Afro wigs, batcar? He’s a total fanboy) What the fuck is up with the DICE thing?

Oh I knew the Remembering Light was delayed. But what was the point? Hinder them investigating the Mystery of the school? That’s fuckign cheap. Is that the same Makoto from the initial flashback? I’m gonna bet my ass it is.

Is he calling “them” heroes because the Future Foundation members survived a Killing Game, if Tenjou’s game could even be called that? Hmm Did FF fall or not?

OMFG OUMA GRABBED AMAMI’S DOLL........ That’s gay 

That horse mask wtf  He was a closeted clown all along wow...... Is he a Joker fan? Crimes with laughter and no killing? Color me confused. I guess the Panta should’ve been a massive giveaway. Did he fall into despair after his crew was taken prisioner? I.... 

Now he’s gonna pull us by the nose again? Wow. OK

“Ro is Twins”? rantaRO? ShiROgane? Is this pointing to the Mastermind again? Like when he said the first one to die is related to the mastermind? Is that why we werent allowed into Amami’s room?

OH MY GOD THAT throwback. The nostalgia bricked me in the face. FUCK.... So it definitely wasn’t Kibougamine that erased their talents. Then, who was it? Was it the “Remnants of Despair” aka the SDR2 crew? Who enabled them to erase their talent and hide from the SHSL Hunt?

CHARGE THE KIBO POWER

Omg Ro is twins...... The Gemini dial! Uma is HORSE????? Horse head?????? How far into this did Ouma know? This started being written in chapter 2 no?

Oh so the weird background was Amami’s room... And he was talking to his future, memoryless self? That’s nuts;; Uhm.......  I cannot hold all these wtfs. Did he survive a killing game....... Done with these same students? Done with other students? Because if I was right about them actually being revived and Mastermind redoing it over and over, then he could have survived one of the “previous” “same” Killing Game. But maybe I’m getting ahead of myself @_@ Trying to piece all this shit together is always nuts without the final reveal. But if that were the case, wouldn’t he have had another talent, the talent that got him into the SHSL category in the first place?

NO....... How dare you show me everyone being friends? How dare you shove that in my face

Not this twin bullshit again. If you tell me her twin is Monaka i’m gonna murder myself

Catch ALL THE BUGS. It’s kinda cute that Ouma planned something like that, even if he was the cause for Gonta’s death....... I’m guessing there’s some nanomachine that they mistook for bugs 

MONOKUMA PLANNED PARENTHOOD omfg. That tacky as fuck room. Of course it has to be a Junko fan. And HO look at the bullshit murder again. Is it just gonna be “Amami was very conveniently killed by the mastermind instead of by Bakamatsu’s trap and she was executed wrongly everyone cries” thing? It’s funny Amami had the cheat map version, kinda like if you start Castlevania with the hidden places.

ANOTHER hidden passage in the bathroom...... I’m not even surprised. 

I KNEW IT. There WERE lies in the Remembering Light. The question is how to tell between them. Saihara why u not look through all the directories god dingit U friggin detective bitch

Kibo is so cool :C He’s just so damn Megaman cool. Fuse Megaman and Raiden and you have Kiboo

Ok so..... maybe instead of clones, there’s... the one that has some sort of Time travel would be? The mastermind? Kaede’s twin? Time for some 999 SteinsGate bullshit. But then why would they say they can bring back the dead? How would that even work?

Oh no .... I was just thinking Shirogane had very little spotlight moments and even less character development. Now everything points to the Mastermind being a student 

:CCC WELL..... It’d make her switching clothes with Akamatsu even more ironic. Also again it’d be a twin with blonde hair and a twin with blue hair. What IS IT with this combination??? 

SMH..... The passage in the bathroom completely fucks over Shirogane. Because she’s the only one that was in the girl’s bathroom for a long time. I shouldve known better than to let myself like her......... Nooooooooooo

53 generation bullshit? What the dicks is this? Hmm. V3. 53 huh. They screwed us over a lot

Yeah so if the memories were indeed false now we proceed to question everything. Is this false too, is this false too? For all we know the world could still be fucked but not from asteroids. But what would be the point if they weren’t even from Kibougamine? That would just be lame.

Are they in a simulation again?????? Suddenly Hinata?????? What

Now that’s just shitposting. They’re gonna pull the “it’s fiction” card. 

Well. This is extreme shitposting. Are they calling the fanbase sick sadistic fucks? “u guys watching these poor people kill each other” or something? 

I cannot hold this level of meta. All these wall breaks

I CANT BREATHE, LOOK AT THE TITLE SHITPOSTING???? It’s exactly like series that go on too long

So is solving that one case what landed Saihara in this? Or are their talents actually fabricated as well? <_> Are the people dead or alive?????? TEll me gonta is alive plz Nope they’re dead. They’re all dead for the sake of Tsumugi’s OCs........... GHHGJHDSGJH

Yep we were played hardcore. All the first appearances were the real appearances.

I really REALLY missed the DR1/2 voices DAMN. Fujisaki :C Ishimaru..... Even Celeste FUCK. Was Sayaka’s voice always this amazing? I love how harsh Peko’s voice is,,,,,, I love the DR2 crew so much....... cries on hands

So many out of character sayings. I’m sure the characters would loathe seeing themselves say some of those things lmao god

I think they got a real point. How you can suffer and be in pain with a “lie”, a fiction, but also how you can feel joy and hope out of the same lie/fiction.The dillema of fiction, of experimenting with taboo topics, in this example the killing, and questioning how much it plays a part into the reality side.

But in this case, it’s going to another level. Like questioning human existence in SOMA. If you take a real human mind and place it in a robotic body, can it still be called a human existence? Can humans scanned and preserved in a “fiction” still be called human? 

The ideas are very fucking smart. Kodaka trolled us hard while also questioning the entire fanbase and his series base. And dang, all those inside jokes. They really took a good long look at the fandom and how we think; But it’s still hilarious it’s all orchestrated by a greedy company, ran by a delirious cosplayer fangirl and feeding the masses that want both the negative and the positive points of the plot/characters

Kaito was in it for mundane reasons and ended up with the meaningful “protag” role huh. I wonder what bullshit Korekiyo said to earn himself such a shitty background story. I like his character. Just..... I wish his reasons were not bad writing. Tsumugi u done fucked up

Robot Bondage? I strangely approve of that

Shirogane waving goodbye with mascot,. throwback to Chiaki....... CRIES

:C Well I was right in not expecting Kibo to live. But still he’s the best survey processor ever. My favorite quiz boy. I will pretend you’re alive and well flying up the clouds cuz FUCK IT

In a sense, it’s like they’re blowing up a literal hole into ending the series and opening a path to direct the fans back to reality, or per say, the outside. “Go out there, do the thing, hope out there.”

In a world where your identity and truths and lies are uncertain, you have to pave a way for yourself taking the best out of it all? I’m sure someone will reason this game ending and the analogies way more eloquently, but anyway.

I really enjoyed the story. The extra effort they put on CGs really enrichened everything. I’m not sure how I feel about the big big big plot twist yet. I guess it’s something to slowly digest over time. Can’t say this is my favorite.

Was the time travel thing a misunderstanding by the fans or a prank by Kodaka? I kept expecting it and it was nowhere

I’d say in most to least fav, I’m still with SDR2, DR0, DR1, and last? DRAE. I still don’t know how to feel about Another Episode or the animes TBH

So this was me going through this rollercoaster. If you read this so far, then I hope you laughed at my stupid at least once. I’m gonna go and reblog a fuckton of fanart now. Bye

[3one3]

The Sequel - 876

Velvet Cherry

André Schürrle, Juan Mata, other Chelsea/BVB players, and random awesome OC’s (okay they’re less random now but they’re still pretty awesome)

original epic tale

all chapters of The Sequel

“He asked before I saw him off if it’s really okay to write something, and I think he asked because he got an impression from talking to us. I doubt he knew we were ever together. I doubt most people know. I think you have always had a bad perception of who did. It wasn’t like we announced it on Twitter. Those articles…he wouldn’t have read them. Nobody reads them. They were mostly wrong anyway.”

“What impression? He probably just realized that all my answers made it seem like I married a useless person who doesn’t do any of the essential best friend functions, which is so not true.”

“I don’t know, but you don’t have to worry about him writing anything like that. You read him constantly. You know it’s not his thing.”

“Mhm.”

“How much did your dress cost?”

“Why?”

“It looks expensive. It looks like armor. I’m afraid to touch it.”

“It’s just metallic lace.”

“Which looks like armor.”

“Mhm.”

“Are you being cold, or distant? I can’t tell.”

“Yes you can.”

“I’m trying to make you smile, cariña.”

“Sit closer.”

Socks was a temperamental jerk in the City of Barcelona Cup. Christina couldn’t even be that upset with him about it, because he’d been home for almost two months, doing very little. She was never in a good mood on the first day back at school after an extended break either. They fought each other over many of the jumps, and finished 5th. That was especially grating for the rider because her performance was most un-Messi-like.

Juan took her out for cocktails at a really beautiful, popular bar and lounge with all things gold and velvet, and some really flamboyant bartending. They picked one end of a long tufted banquette to sit on because Christina wasn’t in the mood to watch the mixology show at the bar, or be social with the friendly mixologists. She sat with about a foot and a half between her and her Chelsea companion, legs crossed toward one another, and it was quite comfortable for quiet chatting. But she was slightly bummed, and feeling low on energy because of the disappointment, and she wanted to be much nearer her favorite antidepressant. She wanted him to do the thing where he made her negative stuff evaporate into thin air.

“Close enough?” he smiled after sliding over with his wine glass. He cautiously reached to touch one of her sleeves too. Her dress- a cocktail-length, long sleeve J. Mendel number in a steel sword kind of color- really was slightly painful looking. The very sheer metallic lace was almost like fishnetting, and overlaid with more silvery-gray designs that looked like a crossing of straps over her upper body, tiered bands of little rings in the skirt, fringe at the hem and neckline, and a cinching belt at her waist. Christina felt powerful and sexy in it. It did sort of look like it might hurt one’s fingers to touch it though. She spared the player any potential pain by diverting his palm to her thigh instead. Their table was very low, and provided no cover for such a gesture. She didn’t care. Nobody is gonna notice that here, she thought, sipping her Bordeaux. All the many liquor bottles on display and intriguing cocktails on offer didn’t tempt her. She just wanted to enjoy a couple of glasses of wine before they went to dinner.

“Give me something to think about that isn’t how I probably have to show more to keep my horses ready to compete,” she requested after patting his hand on her leg to encourage it to stay there. He had no intention of relocating it. His fingertips tucked in between where her thighs were pressed together.

“Do you want to go to the casino after dinner?”

“Not really. Maybe tomorrow night though? I’m tired.”

“You look beautiful though.”

“Thanks.” Christina tilted her head a little and smiled at the Spaniard. She wanted to be present with him, and unwind, and not get caught up trying to draw conclusions about the competition weekend and the two sour notes on which the major events concluded. André told her not to worry about the team result since Nick was fabulous as usual and the final placing had nothing to do with her. He told her not to worry about Socks either since it was his first show back and she didn’t get upset when Nick and Rio were rusty in Rome for their first show back. She knew he was right about the double standard. It was just hard to switch off her horse show brain and switch on her charming date mode. Usually putting on an expensive dress, curling her hair, and meticulously painting on deep, deep burgundy crème lip color was enough to get her head in the right place for a night out. Her mindset was having trouble catching up to her look.

“We can go early for dinner,” Juan suggested sympathetically. He tried to cut the cocktails out of the plan and schedule their meal a bit earlier in the first place, but Christina said she still wanted to go sit at the trendy bar and people-watch, and chat. Doing so in a bar felt different to her than doing it at a nice restaurant. They were two separate experiences and she wanted both. Plus, she really needed that wine. It wasn’t something she’d want to have with food.

“I’m okay. By the time I finish this glass, I’m going to be more entertaining. Schü does that, you know. He can be in some kind of shitty mood and he’ll set a deadline for it and then it actually ends as scheduled. I’ve been trying to figure out how he does that for years. And also why he doesn’t do it when he should,” the girl in the delicate-armor dress laughed, digressing. Sometimes being in a shitty mood feels good, I guess. I know I enjoy it now and then.

“Getting tipsy and setting a deadline are different things.” Juan winked at her profile and squeezed the top of her thigh. “Just don’t go the other way. You’re unbearable when you’re wine-drunk and unhappy. Especially when the wine is French. I have experience.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m confident you can help me be happy.”

“How’s that?”

“I dunno.”

“Uhhuh.”

“You’re beautiful too, by the way. You should let me fluff your hair up this way all the time. It makes your face skinny.”

“And a skinny face is beautiful?”

“Very handsome. Plus I like it when you wear black button-ups and blue jeans.”

“I like how I know you like my black button-ups and you know I like your white dresses.”

“I know you like this color too.” Christina let her mouth hang open in an editorially indifferent way, and then slowly swiped the tip of her tongue across just a small part of her upper lip.

“I do.”

“But back to Sid Lowe. How long do you think I should wait before I tweet him about Marcos Alonso again?” I’m gonna suck on his finger later with this favorite lipstick of his, she reminded herself, her mood turning somewhat toward more positive thoughts. I’m going to feel a lot better when I get to make him feel good. That’s one of the best reasons to have boys around. It always feels good to make them happy. Doesn’t even matter which one, or how you do it. Oh! Reminds me. I promised Lulu Schü I’d get him a good present.

“When does he do his podcast?”

“Monday.”

“Tomorrow, then.”

“More, please.” Christina finished her nice wine and held her glass out in front of the player since he was marginally closer to the bottle on the table. Her Spanish sommelier had to let go of her leg to refill her drink, and that was okay because she uncrossed her legs and turned more toward him to share a story about how she tried to re-institute the old tradition of making a wager on the result of the feature class of the weekend with her teammates, which she’d given up over the winter when she felt she wasn’t a safe bet anymore. No one wanted to take the odds against the girl who jumped 5 clear rounds at the Olympic games. She couldn’t find anybody, in or out of her team, who would agree stakes. Heiner was willing to bet that she’d curse on live TV when she sat down to chat with the FEI TV host in the broadcaster’s ringside studio. That did seem like a pretty safe bet. Christina could think of no reason why she’d be compelled to curse, and was too trusting in her coach’s desire to avoid scandal to suspect him of foul play. He paid her friend Kent a lousy €10 to run up onto the studio platform and moon her. The world #2 happily took his money, and she muttered “What the fuck?” in the middle of her interview. She then refused to make good on her wager with Heiner due to force majeure.

The pair of friends finished the Bordeaux and then strolled leisurely to a fine dining restaurant a few blocks away for dinner. The menu was full of classic Catalan and Northern Spanish dishes done with some modern flavor twists. The decor was full of contrasting geometric textures in bright whites and all the grays. The ambiance was unique- it was somewhat noisy in there, and really well lit, but each table seemed to have its own bubble of coziness so that diners felt alone with their companions but able to look out at and listen to everyone else too. Christina let Juan pick food for her, and for once managed to refrain from whining about seafood and being picky and skeptical. He was delighted by her willingness to experiment, and to trust him. Inside, she really didn’t want to. It seemed like a good way to let go of the horse show though. She could laugh at herself when something upset her palette and the reaction was extreme. She could genuinely marvel at flavors completely new and unexpected. And most importantly, she could watch and enjoy the Chelsea man’s smile. He always talked about what it meant to him for a girl “like her” to need him for something, or look to him for important things, and it seemed as if the small act of letting him guide her culinary journey for the night and asking him lots of questions about the traditional dishes upon which their veritable tasting menu was based was enough to give him that much coveted sense of responsibility and influence that Christina in turn always found ridiculous. He was one of two humans without whom she had no idea how to function in life. She always felt he overestimated her independence and capability, and underestimated his influence and impact. All of that aside, it was just fun to not care. It was easy to be vulnerable about dodgy food after her ego and image took a beating at the polo club two days in a row.

Christina decided that she wanted a glass of champagne before bed, and dragged Juan into the lobby bar at the Fairmont. The hotel had a makeover since the previous edition of the Nations Cup Final. The boring red and cream motif was gone. Everything was new. There was a lot of gold and shine in the public spaces, and the two friends agreed that the rooms were the furniture and decor version of a heather gray wool sweater worn over a white collared shirt with nice blue jeans and a brown leather belt. That covered every texture, color, and mood of their guest room, from the soft, knitted gray throw pillows to the caramel leather sectional. The update made the hotel feel more befitting of the occupancy rate. Christina liked returning to it on Sunday night more than she used to like walking in there.

“Did you finish the zoo book yet?” the Spanish player asked her while she changed in the bathroom. He was shifting things around on her nightstand to make room for the glass of water he poured for her. There was a stack of magazines and two books crammed on the small table that was essentially just a double shoebox-sized drawer sticking out of the wall, with a small glass orb holding a couple of flowers, a large telephone, a radio clock/iPod dock, a hairclip, her iPad, and a Chap Stick.

“Yeah. I’ve been able to read a lot lately. And actually absorb the words on the pages instead of moving my eyes over them while I think about 26 other things. I really liked it. I thought I texted you about it?”

“You might have. Sometimes my eyes move over your words on my screen while I think about 26 other things. Are you almost finished? My bladder is way over capacity.”

“Mhm. I’m just combing out my hair.”

“Don’t take off the-“

“I didn’t,” Christina smiled in the bathroom doorway, her poison apple red pout freshly retouched. Her dress had to go and so did her fluffy, wavy ponytail, but her lip color and mascara stayed. Juan turned around and smiled back. As if he hadn’t just said he was waiting to use the bathroom anyway, she summoned him there with one beckoning finger and a sexy, almost contemplative puckering of her wet-look and deeply red lips, which she then delicately pressed against his bare set. The feeling I get when I make him happy is unique and wonderful. The feeling I get when I know I’m turning him on too is even better. Butterflies, the rider said to herself during the four-second kiss. Her right palm was tentatively held to his cheek, and he turned to smooch it before stepping into the somewhat weirdly laid out and proportioned bathroom. He left the door open and kept talking.

“I think your slowed down schedule has been very good for you, cariña.”

“Yeah?” I’m thirsty, his friend thought, not paying much attention to what he was saying. She spotted the glass of water and headed for bed.

“You’ve been pretty happy, you said your ankle is better, you’re good with André, you have time to read…”

Oh he just wants me to say something about the Schü part. Either refute it, or laugh it away, or whatever. So that he can feel better about it. There’s no way he genuinely feels glad when me and Schü are actually acting like people who adore each other. And we have been. For now. Speaking of… The Nations Cup competitor paused her water gulping to grab her phone and see if André replied to her second goodnight text. They’d already chatted a bit while she was in the car back to the hotel. He took Lukas to see a kids’ movie earlier, and they watched her ride online. Then the tiny Schü had a lengthy bubble bath and the big one did some things on his laptop in the bathroom at the same time. He had dinner with his friend Dom and spent the rest of the night relaxing with his feet up. His individual training program, aimed at getting him really fit again, was kicking his butt. And he wanted that. Being tired was very satisfying. He was pretty okay with his wife having a few days’ playtime in Spain with her friend rather than doing nothing on the couch with him. They’d had plenty of that.

“You’re not setting an alarm, are you?” Juan inquired fearfully when he returned to get in bed beside her.

“Hehhhhhll no. I was just saying night night to Schü. I don’t care when we get up. As long as we get to go to the horchata place, I actually don’t care what else happens tomorrow,” Christina yawned.

“I want to tell you something.” Her favorite Chelsea midfielder mirrored her yawn as he lay down and tried to put his head in her lap. He was perpendicular to her, and had to curl up his legs to fit on the mattress that way. She had to unfold and flatten her legs to accommodate him, and smiled knowingly down at him beyond her phone. It didn’t occur to her in the moment, but it was the first time in a long time that he could make a statement like that and not ignite an inferno of instant anxiety in her stomach.

“Mm?”

“You surprised me tonight.”

“Because I let you feed me unidentifiable seafood?” She put her iPhone down on the nightstand to play with his hair with one hand and rub his chest with the other. One thing she did notice since he got to Barcelona was how fiendish she was for physical contact with him. She couldn’t remember ever feeling so in need with him, and couldn’t find any explanation in a forensic analysis of their time apart. Also, it was very different. The cravings for physical affection with Juan that she could remember were all about laying on him, or him holding her and petting her. Christina was desperate to be the petter.

“No.” He reached up to secure a large chunk of her not-so-sun-highlighted-anymore hair behind her ear when she leaned over him a bit, so that it wouldn’t obscure her face from him. “Because you shrugged off a shit result to have fun with me like it was nothing, and you made me get over the shit result I came to you to forget.”

“You’re easy to have fun with.” The rider offered up a sweet smile with her vibrantly painted lips, and winked with her long and plush matte lashes.

“Beautiful girl.”

“Handsome boy.”

“You know what they say about beautiful girls and handsome boys…”

“No, what?”

“They enjoy anal sex together.”

“I could smother you with a pillow right now and say it was an accident- that I drank too much and accidentally put the pillow on your face, laid on top of it, and passed out.”

“Why do you look so much younger when you change from the sexy armor dress to the big t-shirt?” Juan asked curiously, abandoning the mish-mosh of serious testimony and sarcastic banter. There was no room in the hotel room for a heady conversation about the mood-reversing services they’d provided each other that weekend. It would have been self-defeating. Not taking their failures too seriously felt really, really good. Lifting each other out of regret and disappointment without actually having to talk about it- to use fun and companionship as the method instead of reassuring rhetoric and cuddling through dejection- felt really, really good. “Your face looks different. Maybe because your hair is down.”

“It’s been down all night. I think I’m just cuter in oversized white V-necks,” Christina shrugged. She did flip some hair over and fluff it up though.

“Not cute. Beautiful.”

“Mkay.” A slight blush accompanied her dismissive eye roll. It was no big deal- no rarity- for the Spanish star to call her beautiful. But he seldom did so with such intensity in his gaze, and such conviction in his voice. The genuine article instinctively embarrassed her. He slid his fingers between hers on his chest and squeezed her hand.

“Do you still want to stay at Hotel Juan for Eden’s wife’s birthday?” Some of that intensity eased away with the normal blinking and changing of his expression to go along with asking a question. Christina nodded and kept watching his eyes anyway, because his face was still the best looking thing in the room by miles. “I want you to help me put up some pictures. They’re with the frame shop right now. I don’t know where to hang them yet. You’re good at finding the right place.”

“What kind of pictures?”

“All kinds. Black and white, cityscape, portrait, the colors of the sky…”

“They’re not all of me, are they?”

“No.” Juan shook his head and glanced up and to the left with a sort of pinched frown- a sarcastic rejection of her faux narcissism. She said she was just checking, and acted like her question was entirely logical, not just reasonable. “What do you want to do?” he asked her after further teasing. “Sleep? Movie? Show me any recent pictures and videos of Lukas that you missed from the 300 I saw at dinner?”

“I want to do whatever you want to do. We’ve been doing what I want to do all day, minus that interview. That feels so long ago! This day was like three different days- the pre-horse show stuff, the grand prix and all the BS after, and then our night on the town.” The subtly smiley brunette used her left thumb to push some lighter brown locks up from the hairline right in the middle of Juan’s forehead. That section was styled to stand up a little, and look fuller and more “done” than his everyday no-style style. She always liked it that way, and thought it somehow elongated his face, which was somehow more handsome. The touch was on her mind more than the sight though. I still long for him every day, but lately it’s because I just want to see and hang out with him, and less because I feel like I desperately need him or I can’t cope with whatever I’m coping with. That’s good for both of us, I think. I still miss him like crazy. I miss messing with his hair and holding his hand, not just being safe in his arms, or literally leaning on his shoulder. That’s the difference between when I’m having Schü issues and when me and Schü are pretty happy. I like that. I like that I still really miss being with him. That’s how you know your feelings are real and not just a byproduct of some dependency.

“Okay but what about the birthday? You didn’t answer,” Juan reminded.

“Yes I did! Of course I want to stay at Hotel Juanin.”

“For how many nights do you want to book?”

“I don’t know. Ask me closer to check-in.”

“What is your method of payment?”

“Do you accept kisses?”

“Of course.”

“Do I need to put a deposit down to secure my reservation?” Christina asked with an unavoidable smile.

“That’s the standard policy,” he replied casually before she bent down to smooch his mouth. She couldn’t turn her head enough to match up their lips, so she just kissed him crooked. Once wasn’t enough, evidently. “You have to pay one night up front,” he told her. Without dropping her smirk, she slid down the bed some to get flatter, upsetting the player using her lap as a pillow. He turned over onto his right side and lifted his head to move to her chest instead of her thighs- crucially, close enough to be further paid. Her chin poked out and so did her red, puckered lips. It was a little weird to her to kiss that way- almost flat on her back with just her head and shoulders elevated, and her partner in the kiss practically resting his cheek on her chest. But it was nice too, and it went on for a while- at least long enough for the Spaniard to get into it enough to want to hold her head, and to end up with quite a bit of that Tom Ford “Velvet Cherry” color on his face.

“Aww, you look like Lukas after an icepop,” she laughed when she gently pushed him away to give her neck some relief. The pillow supporting it didn’t do enough to prevent her from feeling like she needed to strain and hold it up the whole time she was smudging lipstick all over him. Juan wiped carefully around his lips with his fingers, and swatted her thumb away when she tried to help.

“How is it that it stays just on your lips? Are you that bad at kissing that you can’t keep yours on mine?”

“Oh, okay, I’m bad at kissing. Sure. Makes sense.” Her chuckles predictably lit up her face and refocused her friend’s attention. His eyes twinkled back at her. Almost there, she commented to herself. Almost to the full, mesmerizing mosaic thing they do. That thing they did always did things to her too. The butterflies that made themselves known in the bathroom doorway flapped their wings a couple of times just to let Christina know they were still awake and aware.

“This is why.”

“Why what?”

“I fall for you every other day I spend with you. This is why I never give up. Angel.”

“You’re adorably in touch with your feelings, Juanin.” Christina couldn’t mirror the Chelsea man’s sincerity. What he said was just too sticky sweet to do anything but make her feel high and kind of silly. Sometimes he says stuff and I just- It’s like pounding a fistful of Pixie Stix and washing the rainbow sugar down with orange soda. She reached out to comb that same section of hair that she was playing with earlier back up straight and tall again and told Juan he was also too adorable not to touch. He sat up and got on all fours for a second so that he could crawl over her in a more sensible position, and then lowered his body down hers, and his face to hers, and his lips to hers. Then her stomach made an unpleasant grumble, followed by a squirting sound, and a lengthy bubbling noise. Rider and footballer both burst into laughter. “It’s your fault!” the former protested. “You’re squishing my tummy and forcing all the air in it to move around!”

“Why is it so full of air!”

“I don’t know. Because you made me eat weird food, probably. Ow!” The Germany anchor winced as her friend accidentally leaned too hard on her right breast and moved a little sideways, taking it with him. He laughed and apologized, and slid down enough to make room for her chest. She let her legs flop open more, completely relaxed and immune to embarrassment about anything her body could do, and immune to caring if anything else hurt. Some of the muscles inside her thigh were not in great shape, and she probably should have been more vigilant about what she asked them to do before stretching, but she just couldn’t care. That was the kind of thing that seemed to change post-Olympics. The very little details that caused small amounts of anxiety or stress to pile up into significant influences were just gone. Coincidentally, the worries about her double life were newly absent too. “You’re really overwhelming for such a small person,” she told the primary pillar of her alternate life, elbows out at the sides of her head the same way her knees were flopped apart so that she could mess with her own hair instead of his. Most of the rest of her body was fully immobilized by the midfielder laying on top of it, either because it was physically smothered or because his presence and his words and his smiles lulled virtually all of Christina into a deep relaxation. Marathon day. Good way to end it, she thought. Can’t move and don’t wanna. No- Wha- Why am I moving, she complained to herself as Juan slid his hands and arms under her back. It actually made for a nice stretching feeling.

“You’re very easily distracted for such a successful person,” he suggested before kissing between her breasts. Her already too big shirt was caught between them and the neckline was getting further stretched out, leaving plenty of access. The player pushed small and tidy smooches on the inside curve of each breast, and some way up her sternum while she questioned what she could possibly have been distracted from. “Weren’t you going to do the thing where you think you’re all seductive and womanly? Isn’t that why you put more lipstick on? Instead you’re all lazy and yawning and laughing at everything.”

“I just put it on for you,” Christina retorted, still kind of laughing. “I didn’t have a plan. I adore not having a plan right now.” Her breathing deepened ever so slightly, but enough to make her chest lift noticeably toward the stimulus. She stretched her arms up over her head too, and really pushed her chest up for the satisfying feeling in her spine. “If we’re having sex, can I turn over first? Asking for my back.”

“It hurts?”

“No. It just wants to arch that way instead of rounding the other. Also I like when you kiss between my shoulder blades more than when you kiss between my boobs.”

“I kiss your boobs for me, not you.”

“Selfish.”

“”Kiss between my shoulders, kiss between my legs, kiss between my butt cheeks”, she says.” The Spaniard smirked at her while subtly squeezing her torso tighter in his arms. “But I’m the selfish one.”

“I have never in my life asked you to kiss between my butt cheeks.”

“Not with words, maybe. But ever since-“

“Shh.” His quasi-partner covered his mouth with her palm and shook her head. I don’t want to hear him talk about the time he did the thing with my butt. Nope. Don’t even want to think about it. Because then I might want him to do it again. “Kiss more. Talk less.”

“Why do you always have to be so difficult, baby girl?” He pretended to be frustrated with her when she removed her hand from his mouth and patted his head, but it was very clear that he enjoyed her particular mood that night. He has that Spain glow turned up to 10 tonight, she giggled in inside. Maybe it’s because there was gold leaf in our dessert.

Thirty minutes later, Christina almost regretted turning over, precisely because of that so-called glow she believed highlighted Juan’s face whenever he was in his home country. She wished she could still see his face instead of her pillow and the headboard. But it was just “almost”, because feeling was better than seeing. Whatever was anatomically different about him from André was no more exposed than when she lay on her stomach with a pillow under her hips and one between her elbows to squeeze or drop her forehead on while Juan kneeled between her legs and moved at what she called “blah” pace. It was actually the tempo he adopted at rest, when he was tired from fucking her harder or at a different angle, or when he was just trying to prolong the experience and not rush through it. He kissed the nape of her neck and around her shoulder blades, and between them the way she talked about earlier, and his palms traveled everywhere they could reach. That steadiest of rhythms was just heaven for the German girl. It was different from the kind of heaven she felt during orgasm, or in the immediate build to one. It was a long-term thing, almost like getting a professional massage. The specific feeling was one she never experienced with anyone else. There was something about him, or something only he ever thought to do. It was wonderful.

“Do you want me to-“

“No.”

“You don’t even know what I was going to say,” the Chelsea creator half-heartedly scolded before tamely biting the top of her shoulder.

“Doesn’t matter,” Christina mumbled back. Her eyes were shut and she let her head hang down between her arms.

“How do you know?”

“Because all I want is this.”

“Too bad.” Juan abruptly separated from his girl, to much whining and complaining, and plopped into the spot beside her that he was reclining in earlier. He held onto her wrists when she sat up to complain further, and used them to help invite her into his lap. “I like to kiss your front too.” He grabbed at more than kissed her left nipple, his lips starting out wide and then drawing together to suck at it as well. Then he suddenly stopped, lifted his head, and squinted at her reddened face. “Are you peeing right now or did I somehow cum without knowing it?”

“Wha?” The rider peered back at him with one eyebrow up and one down. She scratched vigorously at the side of her scalp too, causing her already fluffy hair to fly all over. Her host unceremoniously gripped her butt and tried to lift her up.

“I’m all wet…” Sure enough, there was a glistening wetness all over his thighs, and the part of him that had just been inside her was covered in something the consistency of watered down icing. A section of the white sheet directly between his legs was darkened with wetness.

“That’s just me,” Christina sniggered. I should be embarrassed, probably, but I’m not, she decided after her cheeks threatened to get even redder for just a second. Why should I care if he knows I’m so turned on that I’m producing that stuff by the bucket? Okay gross. Don’t put it that way, Chris, she chided herself. The Spaniard still looked perturbed.

“I didn’t know you got off already.”

“I didn’t. I just really enjoy when-“ She tried to explain herself and evidently did well enough without even getting to the point. He put two hands- one sticky, one not- on her face and leaned forward to kiss her, hard, and dramatically. He kind of snorted at the same time, and pulled her with him when he leaned back against he headboard again. She held the tops of his shoulders for balance, so he let go of her head and palmed her butt instead. That’s twice in as many months that he and I discovered something new about ourselves, sexually, Christina realized. That only happens with him. Schü and I haven’t learned or done anything “new” in years. But we’ve also had a lot more sex, so… Stop it. Stop thinking about that. Enjoy that you’ve just made him absolutely wild just because you’re literally making puddles on him. Just enjoy that. No need to contextualize. Just like there’s no need to contextualize anything else that happened here, like with the horses.

“Angel,” Juan muttered in between mauling her mouth and mauling her neck. He had both arms around her and couldn’t get her close enough for his liking. I like being his angel and I don’t like being in a team with a bunch of nobodies. Both of those things are okay, and they don’t mean anything bigger than that.