#i just think it's neat. i'm working on their abilities and whatnot. and i think i will incorporate this.
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
Text
concept : leviathan with a siren's voice like vanessa from the little mermaid. đ
#their voice does change depending on form. but o:#i just think it's neat. i'm working on their abilities and whatnot. and i think i will incorporate this.#playing around w the idea that their voice is stolen from an angel they ate. and then they were locked away by god.#bc something so monstrous posessing a voice from the choirs... hmmmm
2 notes
¡
View notes
Text
just pretend(?)
danielle marsh x fem!reader ; angst, fluff
synopsis: your coworker canât seem to fall out of love with you so you convince your best friend to fake date you. sometimes the âfakeâ seems a little too real.
warnings: PINING!!! ; danielle is touchy and wonderful and reader is a mess ; kinda all over the place?? I'm also a bit iffy ab the pacing on this one ; bit of angst near the end ; alcohol ; anything else not mentioned ; not proofread⌠none of my fics areâŚ
a/n: this is based off my life rn bc my friend and i r literally fake dating so my coworker can stop being in love w me and i just HAD to turn this into a fic like what (but most of this is exaggerated ofc esp the whole coworker thing I made her a little over the top on purpose for the plotLOL)
"absolutely not." hanni looks disgusted, almost appalled with that stupid expression on her face. âyouâre crazy.â
"please, i'll pay you." you beg, clasping your hands together and giving her your best puppy eyes.
"you're going to scare the hoes away... no, no, and no.â
"what âhoesâ hanni? when is the last time you've talked to a girl." you groan and pinch the bridge of your nose.
she sticks her tongue out at you, then responds, âyou wouldnât knowâŚâ
âdumbass the only reason iâm begging is because women do want me. please, itâs not going to be serious or anythingââ
âi donât care, the answer is no. ask someone else!â
youâre currently perched on the edge of your best friend's bed, practically begging for help. you seem to have a knack for attracting the strangest types of people, and this time, itâs your coworker whoâs got severe attachment issues and an unhealthy level of codependency. all you wanted was a paycheck and simplicity, but now you find yourself in a situation you never asked for.
your best friend groans again, âyou and your flirting⌠it gets you into this shit time and time again and the way you act⌠you know what youâre doing.â
âwhat?â
âshut up, you act gay and you know people fall for that. iâm not gonna help you because you want to be an asshole, if you could just be normal for onceââ
âfuck you.â you flop onto her bed, shutting your eyes and rubbing your face. âiâm just nice and itâs fun to flirt! itâs nothing. i flirt with my friends and you all the time, theyâre fine with it.â
âthatâs because theyâre straight, y/n. gay people are very vulnerable â except me.â
âyou would know.â you retort, earning a glare from hanni. âwho the hell do i ask then?â
âhaerin?â
âshe wouldnât.â
âyunjin?â
âwe donât match, plus, she dates around.â
âsakura?â
âedating someone right now, some girl in france?â
âthe hell?â
âi know.â you sigh louder and hanni just looks at you with slight, playful disgust. âwhat do i do.â you flop your hands onto the mattress and stare up. âdude, sheâs too obsessed, iâm flattered because i mean, maybe iâm attractive and whatnot but this is justââ
â--delusion at its peak.â hanni clicks her tongue, now smiling at you; an idea pops up in your best friend's big head. you turn to face her, raising a brow. âhow about dani? sheâs literally perfect.â
danielle marsh is perfect, thatâs the problem.
sheâs a biology major whose ipad pro notes are so neat and pleasing to the eye that they genuinely keep you awake at night â most of it being because youâre leeching off her, but theyâre so neat it really has you thinking how she does it all.Â
to make things even more bewildering (and impressive), sheâs one of two people you know â youâre unsure whether your cousin hyein counts, high school is nothing compared to what you endure â who manages to get at least eight hours of sleep daily. in contrast, everyone else in your circle, including yourself, is barely hanging on by a thread.Â
yet, danielle seems to have cracked the code. she even finds time to volunteer at the library where she works, making you wonder if sheâs some sort of extraordinary being. her ability to balance everything so effortlessly leaves you in awe, often questioning if sheâs even real considering how remarkable she is.
the worst part is that sheâs your best friend, right after hanni, and the person youâve been crushing on since your first semester of university.Â
itâs impossible not to have a crush on herâsheâs gorgeous, sweet, and embodies everything you could ever want and more. sheâs captivating, and every time you see her she flashes that stupid, adorable smile that makes your heart do a flip regardless of how many times youâve convinced yourself that sheâs unattainable and that thereâs no way and that you donât even like her andâ
âi couldnât.â you shut hanni down, quick. âsheâs⌠you know.â
hanni furrows both brows, turning her head. âsheâs what?â
âyou know.â you make some strange gesture with your hands that only confuse hanni further.Â
âi donât, just fake date her.â
âshe wouldnât agree.â
âsure she would, let me call her!â
you shoot up and look at hanni with an expression that screams âare you out of your mind?â as she finds danielleâs contact on her phone.Â
before you can stop her, you hear a ringing sound and feel your body give up. hanni grins at you when danielle picks up five seconds later, both of you hearing a friendly, âhi!â as you back away from her.
âhey mo dani!â hanni greets, giving you a shit eating smirk. âmiss l/n has a question for you.â
âsheâs with you?â danielleâs voice is sweet like honey even from the phone. âhi!â
âhey!â you greet a little awkwardly, glaring at hanni.Â
ây/n was wondering if you could date her.âÂ
eyes widening, you leap and grab the phone from hanni immediately, sputtering out jumbles of words nervously, ân-no! i mean, yeah⌠but not for real.âÂ
âoh,â you hear danielle respond lowly from the end of the phone. âwait, iâm confused.â
hanni watches you close your eyes tightly, clearly flustered and thrown off by her little antics.Â
ây/n came over to ask me to date her, not actually, but just like, pretend.â hanni explains, âher coworker is still in love with her.â
âsarah?â you hear from the other end of the phone. âi thought you rejected her like, three months ago.â
âi did, but sheâs still⌠ugh.â you flop onto the bed again and danielle hears hanni laughing in the background. âsheâs still stuck on me i think, i donât know, sheâs been soâŚâ
âif itâll stop bothering you then iâll help!â
âyou will?â you respond, shocked. hanni mouths an i told you, then gets shoved.Â
âyeah! i donât want my best friend being so bothered, it must make you uncomfy too, right? working with someone who likes you?â
you start to wonder if danielle would be uncomfortable in a similar situation, maybe in one where sheâs friends with someone who likes her, but sheâs unaware of that. you shake your head, clearing your mind and staying present.
âkind of, itâs just⌠extra stress.â
âokay, then letâs date!â she beams, you can picture her eyes scrunching and smile growing. you want to die (affectionate) just thinking of it. âthis should be fun!â
âthanks for helping out dani, thanks so much. iâll let you be, okay? gotta go um⌠run errands.âÂ
âalright! just text me, bye, love you.â the call ends and you sigh again, feeling yourself sink deeper into hanniâs sheets.
hanni is very much your mortal enemy, she still doesnât know why youâre so distraught because of danielle. whatever the reason may be, it makes her cackle next to you.
â
itâs nine in the morning, you didnât have time to pregame the lecture on microbiology with at least three shots of espresso, and youâre yawning as you leave the room.
you hear your name being called out and turn to see no one other than the feeling of hot chocolate on a cold, snowy day turned into a person walking towards you â danielle.
âhey! hi.â she greets, smiling wide. her hair is clipped up and small strands of her hair stick out cutely. âhey baby.âÂ
you almost choke. âwhat?â
âdid you forget weâre dating now?â
âoh.â dating, but is it even that if itâs not real? âum, hey babe?â it comes out uncertain and danielle laughs.
âwow, you suck at this â itâs okay, weâll work on it.â she giggles, then links her arms with you. âletâs go get coffee, i need it in my system right now. oh my god, itâs our first date!â
laughing to hopefully fade away all signs of being flustered to oblivion, you tighten your arm thatâs locked with hers. âright, yeah.â
youâre going on a âdateâ with the prettiest girl on campus, sheâs paying for your iced americano with oat milk splashed into it, and sheâs smiling at you like youâre laughter in the rain. this canât be good for you, it canât be â itâs not. you wonder whether this will be worth it in the end because your coworker doesnât even know about any of it.
(yet.)
â
before your next shift with your delusional coworker, you and danielle have already conjured up a storyline and backstory for your whole arrangement.
you two conversed for an hour after walking towards the park near her apartment and sitting down next to each other on the swings like kids. danielle was giggling and you were smiling at how charming she looked. unfortunately, you found yourself falling even harder for her just from making up the whole fake story.
danielle suggested keeping it simple, but cute: you two met at the library she worked at, you found her cute and exchanged numbers, went on a few dates, and have been girlfriends for nearly two months.
âbut i literally told sarah that i wasnât looking for anything.â you explain, sighing as you kick the mulch on the ground. thatâs what you had said, but what you meant was that youâve been looking for danielle the whole time. âshe wonât believe it.â
âwell,â danielle gives you a cheeky look and giggles. âi managed to charm you in a way that pushed that whole idea aside. thatâs not too unbelievable, right?â she winks at you and you feel your heart stop momentarily.
you scoff playfully and snicker, âoh shut up.â
âitâs part of the story! are you saying i have no charmâŚâ
she has too much charm.Â
âdani, youâre such a dork.â
âa dork that caught your heart! i think this story is perfect.â
pushing aside the slight ache in your heart and the flush in your cheeks, the two of you formulate a first date story: you took her out bowling, where you lost terribly to her (danielle insisted this detail had to be included), and then you both had dessert together at your place.Â
itâs not a terrible story, not at all. even hanni would be impressed, but youâre not going to tell her because sheâd tease you both relentlessly, and youâre not sure your heart could handle that.
â
danielle walks you into work holding your hand, your coworker, sarah, watches the whole thing.
a pretty girl (pretty is an understatement in your opinion) smiles at you while walking you in, sheâs telling you about the little kids she read to the other day and you canât help but marvel at the excitement coursing through her.
she drops you off near the register right before the small âemployees onlyâ sign, then holds both of your hands and looks at you like youâre a flower thatâs just bloomed beautifully.
she pauses, observing you closely, then smiles wider. âokay, iâll get going sweetheart.â the pet name makes you swallow subtly. âhave fun at work!â
she takes her hands away from yours, making your skin feel a little colder. âbye, see you.â
danielle glances at your coworker, whoâs looking at her with something mixed with confusion, anger, and a hint of disgust. she then looks back at you â a better sight in her opinion â smiling and waving once more before walking away.
you stay there, frozen for a few seconds, before walking behind the counter and setting your bag down.
as you grab your apron, you catch sarah in your peripheral and turn to greet her. âoh, hey.â
âwho was that?â she asks immediately. âwhatâs up with the âsweetheart?ââ
you grin as while tightening the lace of your apron, then respond, âmy girlfriend.â and it feels wonderful rolling off your tongue.
âwhat? i thought you didnât want anything?â
âyou still in love with me or something?â
she feels her throat dry as she looks at you pat down your apron. âw-what?â she stutters, shaking her head. âno, why would i beâŚâ her tone isnât convincing, and neither is she when she adds, âitâs just⌠whatâs with the change of heart?â
âsheâs really charming,â the thought of danielle begging you to mention that makes you blush. âi like her a lot.â
sarah fights back a frown, instead, her lips twitch into a forced smile as she walks past you to tend to a customer.
â
danielle picks you up from work just to tighten the knot, and sarah also witnesses all of it.
both you and your coworker get off at closing, and after locking the doors, you run into danielle.Â
sheâs standing outside in a baby tee and jeans, a cap perched jauntily on her head. the moment she sees you, her face lights up into a pretty smile, and you instinctively return it. she rushes over, wrapping her arms around you in a warm hug. as she pulls back, she scans you with a playful yet affectionate gaze, her eyes lingering on you with a mixture of admiration and curiosity.
âsweetheart! i missed you.â
âi missed you too daniâ babyâŚâ you mutter the last part shyly, making danielle giggle. âyou came? itâs late.â
âi wanted to pick you up, can your girlfriend not do that?â
it still sends a shiver down your spine â hearing danielle call you that. you rub the back of your neck and look away nervously, then respond, âof course not, iâm just surprised.â
sarah looks at the two of you, scoffing under her breath. danielle hears it, turning to look at her and grin, raising her brows along with it before meeting you again. she places a hand on your shoulder, then mumbles, âwell, hanni called us over, i wanted to scoop you.â
âohhh,â it makes sense now, she wouldnât willingly pick you up just because of the whole âfake datingâ thing, there had to be a motive. âalright. i can drive? if youâd like, you know. you must be tired from work too.â
âaw, youâd do that?â
âi um,â you cough, avoiding her eyes again because sheâs making you feel all flustered without doing much. âyeah, itâs nothing⌠babyâŚâ
she grabs your hand, fingers intertwining before dragging you along to her small suv, then handing you her keys.Â
your coworker groans now that you two are further, narrowing her eyes at danielle when she turns back not so subtly to make sure sarah is looking. any normal person would back off, getting the hint that the person they want is unavailable, but sarah sees it as a challenge, somehow.
thereâs nothing she canât achieve when she puts her mind to it, thatâs her mindset.
youâre oblivious to how insane she is, too clouded with how touchy and giggly danielle is after the whole interaction when teh two of you get in the car.
â
danielle sits besides you on hanniâs couch, leaning against you a bit. âyeah, she gave me a glare, it was kind of funny.â
âpfttâ i guess itâs working then?â hanni asks, walking over to hand you two juice from her fridge. danielle takes it happily and it makes you smile a little.Â
âi hope so.â you sip on your peach juice. âbut sheâs like, clinically insane.â
âis she?â danielle questions, tilting her head as her hand finds its way to your bicep. you blush.
âdude, she was crazy.â hanni rubs her temple. âlike, oh my god, she was going insane for a good while because y/n didnât want her like that. i saw their messages andââ
âokay iâll tell the story thank you.â you scoff. âsheâs really competitive, and i guess new to romance? considering how she reacted i donât know, sheâs veryâŚâ
âsensitive?â danielle asks â you shake your head.
âi mean no, but kind of. she would get jealous over me really easily and was kind of codependent, like everything i do affects her or something. iâd just go on my day, but sheâd always be so reliant on me and text me so often and i just⌠itâs so much.â
âah, i see. how long has it been since you rejected her?â
âa few months. i thought she stopped liking me since itâs been so long, but lately thereâs been tension and sheâs looking at me how she used toâŚâ hanni listens closely as she watches you rub your forehead, looking a little distraught. âi just, oh my god she has terrible attachment issues itâs concerning. the only thing i could think of was pretending to date someone.â
danielle nods in understanding.
âyeah, one time i went to see y/n at work and she looked so like⌠hostile. thatâs not normal, weâre visibly friends.â hanni adds.
you know the exact afternoon that it happened, what hanni mentioned that is.Â
she had pulled up to drop something off, and you teasingly flirted with her, hugging her as thanks. afterward, you rang up one of her orders and played with her fingers, a little habit you had developed to annoy her. despite the evident look of disgust and annoyance on hanniâs face, your coworkerâwho allegedly liked you a bit too muchâlooked like hanni had just slapped you in the face or spat at you.
long story short, hanni glanced over to see the coworker glaring at her menacingly. in response, hanni poked at you once more before hurrying out with a latte in her hand, confused and slightly terrified.
âyeah sheâs⌠got a bitch face.â
âitâs not normal to glare at people that simply interact with your coworkerâŚâ danielle mumbles. âiâm sorry to hear that.â
you wave your hand, giggling lightly. âitâs nothing, really. i mean, i just donât want her to be so obsessed and stuck on me, i think us pretending to date should tame the fire.â
pretending.Â
the word makes both you and danielle tense up.
â
you clock in again, greeting sarah.Â
she smiles brightly at you, waving and you have to make a little gesture to remind her thereâs a customer in line. sarah turns away bashfully, then takes the manâs order with a hint of attitude. youâre not very fond of that.
he orders an americano, so you immediately get to work, weighing out grinds of espresso, tamping it down, and pulling two shots. as you do so, sarah pulls up next to you and nudges your shoulder.
âhey,â
âhi.â you respond, not looking up from the cup in your hand. âdid you need something?â
âthat t-shirt looks good on you, have you been working out?â
you feel uneasy the moment she says it, swallowing a lump in your throat. you pour the two shots over the hot water and force a response, âthanks, and um, no.â before calling out the order.
sarah continues to watch you closely as you throw away the used espresso, then says, âyour girlfriend didnât drop you?â
âsheâs working.â
âright. iâd find a way to drop off my girlfriend anytime that i could.â
âgood for you?â you look her in the eye again, clenching your jaw.Â
âyou donât post her much on your socials either, are you guys really a thing?â
fuck.Â
you scoff, âwhat kind of question is that? of course⌠i just⌠donât post much. weâre still kind of new to this.â
âright, sheâs not even your lockscreen.â
âiâm going to grab some beans from the back,â you interrupt, redirecting the conversation away from the topic of your alleged girlfriend. sarah narrows her eyes at you as you turn away from her, stepping away and disappearing towards the storage area.
once youâre alone, you sigh and pinch the bridge of your nose, feeling the weight of the strange interrogation settle on you. there was an unmistakable hostility in sarahâs tone, a sharp edge that cut through the air. hanniâs right, she always is. the mere thought of enduring six more hours with sarah makes you want to crawl into a hole. her jealousy is palpable, and it eats away at you, gnawing at your nerves.
you pull out your phone and quickly dial danielle, pacing back and forth as you wait for her to pick up.
âhello?â she responds less than ten seconds later. âwhatâs up?â
âsheâs catching on, kind of. i think sheâs jealous.âÂ
âsarah?â
âyes.â you groan, then lean your back against the wall. âi canât work like this.â
âiâll come over? do you need me to?â
âno, but can we meet after? i think we need to be more public, if thatâs okay.â
you hear her confusion through the phone. âwhat? public?â
âlike, soft launch or something. i just need to make it obvious that iâm quote on quote dating someone â you. and we need a lockscreen together.â
a giggle is heard on the other end of the line, âoh wow.â danielle mumbles teasingly, âthis is pretty serious.â
âi hope i die.â
âaw, donât say that babe. just come over to the library after, okay? good luck on your shift! i have to clock in soon too.â
âcan we meet at my place?â
âanything is fine, thatâs alright.â
âi literally owe you my first born, dani.â
âitâs nothing, this is quite entertaining.â she says, and you smile with the phone at your ear. âcall me later, okay? send me updates.âÂ
âright, yeah.â you almost whisper, âthank you.â
âitâs nothing, sweetheart.â her laugh is infused into the sentence, making your chest burn.
â
âthis is so dumb.âÂ
you are so dumb. this isnât helping your case.
hanni and minji are fighting back laughter while you try to naturally rest your hand on danielles knuckles. youâre stiff and it looks anything but natural.Â
the angle you take the picture at makes it look awkward, and the pictureâs quality sucks too.Â
âjust relax.â danielle says, then holds your hand instead. âhere, let me take the picture.â
youâre trying to keep your cool while minji and hanni watch and danielle, the prettiest girl you know, holds your hand and scoots closer to you in order to âsoft launchâ your fraud of a relationship. her hand is nice in yours, her skin is soft, and sheâs so close you can smell the vanilla fragrance she uses.Â
danielle snaps a quick picture, then the rest of the bunch â including you â scoot over to look at the picture.
âwell would you look at that! itâs perfect.â danielle beams, grinning at her work. âpost that one.â
âholy shit.â minji says in awe. âno yeah, you could fool me with that.â
âanyone could fool you, dumbass.â you snicker, looking up at her and smirking.
âi hate you.â
âoh, i guess you donât want free food from my workâŚ?âÂ
minji groans, making you laugh.Â
danielleâs hand is still in yours, you donât fully register it until you realize you need both hands to post a picture on your instagram story. she seems a bit disappointed when you let go, though you barely notice â and even if you did, you might just chalk it up to your imagination.
it's fun, no doubt about it. yet, you canât help but wonder what it would be like to take pictures of you and danielle that arenât staged or orchestrated. you long for authenticity, capturing moments that are mundane and candid.
the thought lingers in your mind the whole time, even as you pose with your back to the camera, pretending to cook alongside danielle. it's all set up and artificial, every movement planned out, yet danielle starts giggling and leaning into you â a spontaneous gesture not part of your last-minute brainstorming.Â
her laughter is genuine, her touch warm, and it makes you wonder if maybe, just maybe, not everything is as fake as it seems.
â
you wake up from your nap and groan as your ringtone renders you awake. blindly, you slap your hand in every direction on the bed until you feel it under your other pillow. someoneâs calling you, thatâs all you can make out since thereâs a red and green circle.Â
tiredly, you mumble, âhello?â
âhi! are you busy?â itâs danielleâs voice responding, shaking you awake.Â
âoh, um, no.â you say as you sit up slowly, rubbing your eyes and running a hand through your hair. âare you okay? did something happen?â
âiâm fine! i was just wondering if you were free. you sound tired, were you sleeping?â
âi just took a power nap thatâs all. what was it that you need?â
âoh, sorry to wake you.â
âitâs fine, seriously.âÂ
âwell,â she starts, âi was just wondering if you wanted to go out together?â
âoh, me?â
you hear her giggle through the phone and smile softly. âi mean, i am calling y/n, arenât i?â
âyeah, you are.â
âand iâm asking you, my girlfriend, to hangout. itâs like a date!â
âweâre not actually dating danielle, you donât have to pretend when weâre calling and alone.â you say quietly, pursing your lips.
itâs not that you hate it, danielle being all lovely and playing the role of your girlfriend too well. the thing is, it feels like youâre getting led on, and the way she is just gives you false hope to something real.
danielle feels a little ache in her heart when you respond like that, but she pushes it away for the time being.
âi donât mind it, itâs fun!â she beams. âanyway, thereâs free ice cream downtown for couples, do you want to grab some?â
âis there? yeah, iâm down. do you want to take the metro?âÂ
âthatâs perfect, thereâs probably so much traffic.â
âalright, i can scoop you and take us to the station in fifteen minutes, okay?â
âperfect.â she closes the conversation, and the call ends.
you flop down on the bed again, just for a moment. your eyes are fixated on the ceiling above as you breathe in, thinking about everything.Â
you and danielle arenât dating, not for real. itâs just a show, a sham. she simply wants to hang out for free ice cream, nothing more. you know this. you set yourself up for this whole fake dating thingâwell, kind of, considering hanni was the culprit behind this whole arrangement.
itâs already been over a month, and danielle doesnât seem fazed in the slightest, treating the whole thing as no big deal. you must be insane; you canât keep doing this knowing your feelings are growing and she most definitely doesnât feel anything real. itâs just to benefit you, and sheâs a great friend whoâs willing to help you out. yet, each time you pretend, it gets harder to separate your act from reality.
despite the turmoil, youâre up and finding a change of clothes in order to make danielle happy. because even if sheâs not your girlfriend, sheâs your friend and you love her regardless.
(sometimes the love you have claws you from the inside.)
â
danielle clings to your arm the whole way down to the city. sometimes she clings a little tighter than usual, then goes silent, and it makes you breathe deeply.
it takes a few wrong turns and teasing to get to the icecream place, thereâs already a long line with actual couples. you feel out of place in a way; thereâs partners holding the other by the waist from behind, setting their heads on top of the others. a few are just holding hands or lingering close and you can just sense all the love and adoration in the air.Â
you swallow shallowly, tensing your jaw because danielle is close to you, but not because you two are something more than friends.
âwow, so many lovebirds.â she says in awe, gazing around.
âuh huh.â you feel her hand slide down your forearm, then her fingers intertwine with yours as she looks up at you. âhm?â
âto seal the deal.â she shrugs, smiling. âplus, your hands are big⌠and warm.â
âyou have small hands.â
âperfect fit for yours.â she giggles playfully, making you do the same. âwhat flavors did you want? itâs two scoops for free.â
âyou can pick both, i donât mind.â
âwhat? câmon, you should pick one.â
âno, you wanted ice cream. iâm just here to make you happy.â you admit, tightening your grip on her hand.Â
she starts to respond, but stops for a few seconds. you watch her look away bashfully, staring at the ground and grinning to herself. she shakes her head, then says, âyouâre so lovelyâŚâ
âpfttt, i just want you to be happy, seriously.â
âyou know,â she begins, looking at you again. âwhoever manages to become your girlfriend would be real lucky.â
âoh.â your lips twitch into less of a smile and you pause for a moment. âmaybe.â
âthis fake dating thing is making me realize that youâre such girlfriend material.â
a small laugh stifles the tension and awkwardness in you, âthanks? you are too.â
âam i?â
âyeah.â you stare into her eyes, shes everything you could wish for in a person. âvery.â
before danielle can respond, the line moves, and itâs time for the two of you to decide on two flavors. it takes a while to do so, with you declining the offer to chime in and pick a flavor you want, danielle was the one to invite you out anyway. but she looks at you with puppy eyes, pouts, then puts a hand on the side of your bicep and it makes you cave in.
the final choices are salted caramel and coffee.
danielle holds the cup in one hand, drags you away from the area littered with lovey dovey couples â some being too lovey, considering they canât seem to get away from each other â and leads you blindly towards a small alley in a neighborhood until a bench comes into view. she pulls you towards it eagerly, making you laugh until youâre both sitting next to each other.
you frown a little as you look at the ice cream in the cup. âsome of it is melted.â
ânot all of it!â danielle beams, then scroops a spoonful of the coffee side â the flavor you ended up choosing. âyou have the first taste.â she says, bringing it closer to your mouth.
âwait, you should have it.â
âtoo late,â she starts to move it in a circular motion, saying, âahhh~â as she does so.
you scoff, then lean forward and all of it is in your mouth in one bite. danielle watches your eyes light up.
âitâs good.â you mutter, then grab the other spoon to scoop the other flavor. you mirror what danielle did before, making her laugh just as much. âopen wiiiiide~â
âahhh~â
you snicker before moving the spoon into her mouth, she closes it and smiles immediately, melting in place despite the ice cream being pretty cold.Â
the street lights make her look precious, highlighting the satisfaction on her face because of some simple ice cream sheâd gotten for free. you want to see her this happy everyday and as much as you can.Â
a small hint of ice cream is on the corner of her lips, it urges you to bring your hand over and wipe it off with your thumb. danielle stops savoring the dessert, instead, focusing on you.Â
âsorry, there was⌠yeah.â
âmhm.â danielle says, staring at your lips. âitâs really good.â
âi can tell.â you turn away, feeling flustered when she looks at you like that. âlet me try your flavor.â
the two of you continue to eat ice cream together, subconsciously scooting closer and closer as you share it. danielleâs head ends up on your shoulder when the cup is empty in your hand, silent in her place.
you donât budge, mainly because she seems comfortable and you donât mind ruining your posture a bit if itâs for her. she sighs contentedly, moving her hand over to hold yours in the midst of the moment, slotting together effortlessly. she doesnât say anything, but you feel her lean into you a little more.
âyou okay?â
âjust happy.â
âah,â you rub your thumb against her skin. âthatâs good.â
âbeing with you makes me really happy.â
âbeing with you makes me happier.â you say softly, staring at your hands aligned seamlessly. âdo you want to stay here for a bit longer?â
âplease.â
âitâs getting late.â
âi know, just a bit longer.â danielle says.
just a bit longer. if only the whole arrangement could last forever, if only you two could be this close and warm for lightyears.
minutes pass, and neither of you move, lost in the comforting silence. the only shift comes when you turn your head to press a gentle kiss into her hair. danielle feels perfectly in place, her heart fluttering at the tender gesture. a soft smile spreads across her face, a silent acknowledgment of the moment's sweetness.
â
the night prior had to be a dream, it was too perfect. it was the realest youâve felt with danielle, the closest to something romantic. it was even enough to consider that she felt the same, and youâd love to revel in that possibility, but you have to restock the beans and cups quickly before tending to the drinks.
thereâs only thirty more minutes until your shift ends, it feels like eternity.
sarah catches you smiling to yourself throughout the shift, biting the inside of her lip. sheâs filled with all too much: anger, jealously, dissapointment, and really just everything that makes her uneasy.Â
she still canât believe it, you had gone on a whole tangent telling her you couldnât be in a relationship and now youâre being a complete loser in front of her. she hates it, she wants it to be her that makes you smile randomly throughout the day.
what pisses her off more, and truly makes her lose all hope, is when you go from looking tired and drained to bubbly and smiley as soon as a familiar figure starts walking toward the counter.Â
she watches you check the time on the register, your smile widening because you can clock out and be with danielle, whoâs waiting just across the counter. the change in your demeanor is undeniable, and it stings sarah to see the joy that danielle effortlessly brings out in you.
you walk over to danielle, reaching for her hand. âhey.â
âhi.â the way danielle says it makes your chest warm and sarah nearly gags in return.
what makes sarah's shoulders sink, her heart drop, and her frown deepen is when danielle suddenly kisses your cheek.Â
the shock is evident on your face as you stand frozen, your hand instinctively moving to hover over the spot where danielle's lips had just been. the tenderness of the moment is overwhelming, and sarah can't help but feel a profound sense of loss. the realization that your heart belongs entirely to danielle crushes any lingering hopes she had, leaving her to face the painful truth.
âw-what was that for?â you look over and make eye contact with sarah, whoâs grimacing. âthereâs um, you know⌠bystanders.â
âi missed you, so much. i couldnât stop thinking about you.â danielle says simply, not bothering that sarah is the only one whoâs witnessing this, and from a few feet away too. âdo you want to get dinner?â
âitâs three in the afternoon silly.â
âwell, anything is fine. we should study before we eat! i heard the module mr. lee assigned us was really helpful forâŚâÂ
the rest of what danielle says doesnât register in your coworkerâs mind. she studies you closely, her frown deepening with each passing second. itâs painfully clear to her nowâyouâre genuinely in love with danielle, and there's nothing she can do to change that. the way you look at danielle, like a child seeing a rainbow for the first time, leaves no room for doubt.Â
it dawns on her that giving up is the only option, and she feels a pang of resignation settling in her chest.
â
nearly three months have passed and both of you have still been âpretending.â
neither of you acknowledge that itâs fake, not during the weekly dates, study sessions, and late night walks or movie nights that end up in the two of you falling asleep together. danielle doesnât think twice when kissing your cheek here and there, even your knuckles when she thinks youâre asleep.Â
you figure that maybe itâs okay to kiss her cheek too sometimes because sheâs her lips turn each time. and when you pick her up for weekly dates, she happily jumps into the passengers seat of your car as if it werenât just a mutual agreement. sarah has already given up, considering she seems defeated, and you wonder if you should too.Â
you canât tell if itâs just how danielle is, which eats you inside. everything feels all too real, and your feelings only grow more unbearable.
â
you shouldnât have let jimin drag you out to minjeongâs party. sheâs already left the moment you stepped into the house, sheâs probably gotten a hold of a drink already.
jimin had noticed how deeply stressed you've been lately. your responses were slower, your shoulders seemed permanently slumped, and the stress was practically etched into your face. being one of your closest friends, jimin decided that it was time for a change. she was determined to get you out and help you relax, knowing how crucial it was for your well-being (and social life, to be completely real).
walking around, you scan the crowd for a familiar face. unfortunately, the only people you recognize are sunghoon and jake, who have a history of hitting on you despite your clear disinterest. they still haven't grasped that you're a lesbian. you quickly decide to steer clear of them.
the only reason youâre here is because youâve been throwing yourself into your studies, staying late at the gym, and doing too much to avoid danielle â or even the thought of her.
(which is unfortunately impossible since every little thing reminds you of her.
the flowers on the counter at your work remind you of her smile, the couch in your apartment is where you two have spent hours together, and really, youâre hopeless.)
you find jimin outside on the porch with her other friends that youâve only talked to once or twice. theyâre all talking about something, clearly tipsy, and youâre walking over to linger near your friend.
ây/n! oh my gosh girl, where have you been? come here, have a drink!â jimin grabs your arm, pulling you in and hugging you like she hasnât seen you in forever. âhere, take a shot.â
she hands you a shot of what you assume is some cheap vodka, you didnât even have time to pregame for this. youâre not against drinking, not at all, if anything youâre all for it. thereâs videos of you in groupchats shotgunning beer and finishing with barely any reaction â but tonight, you donât know if youâre in the mood for it.
one wonât hurt, maybe itâll erase danielle from your mind for a moment.
âfine.â you grab the small glass, then bring it to your lips and cock your head back, eyes pinching for a brief moment as you swallow. âshit,â you mumble, âgive me another.â
you donât know what has taken over, because youâre downing two more without hesitation. jimin laughs and smiles proudly at you.
for a brief moment, everything feels fine. the music blasting from inside the house, a mix of charli xcx and the chatter of your friends mocking one of your professors and jake, makes you laugh out loud. amidst the chaos, you find a beer in your hand, and somehow, you manage to tolerate the taste. wonyoung appears too, and hands you another after you quickly finish the first. you accept it, even though you're already starting to feel a bit fuzzy.
jimin looks at minjeong with a sparkle in her eyes, and you subtly push her a little closer until their shoulders touch. they exchange smiles, and you watch, feeling proud of your matchmaking.Â
your heart sinks as it suddenly reminds you all too much of danielle. the fondness and spark between jimin and minjeong make you frown, your grip on the beer tightening as the bittersweet memories flood back.
âfuck,â you practically whisper. âi need to, iâm going to get more um, drinks.âÂ
âhm? okay.â jimin says quickly, then turns back to the girl sheâs linking arms with.
your head pounds, so you gulp down the can of beer in your hand, then crumple it and toss it toward a trash bin in your line of sight.Â
as you make your way to the kitchen, you spot a bottle of vodka and pour yourself a shot into a plastic cup you found. the liquid burns your throat, intensifying the ache in your head. despite this, you pour another shot, perhaps a bit too generously, hoping to numb the growing pain and the emotions clawing at your heart.
the room feels like itâs spinning, youâre walking down some hall and blinking and blinking until you reach a bathroom. thankfully, no one is making out in it, but you check the shower for safety measures.Â
youâre finally alone, groaning as you fall against the wall of the bathroom and slide down until youâre sitting on the bathroom floor.
clumsily, you grab your phone from your back pocket. the screen lights up to a picture of you and danielle, cheeks squished together and smiling.Â
you stare at it for too long, your breath hitching and your vision blurring as the ache in your head intensifies. the happy memory contrasts sharply with the heaviness you feel now, making it all the more difficult to look away. she just looks so cute in it.
you tap your screen again, and another picture of her appears. itâs a picture of her asleep in the passengers seat, head tilted uncomfortably and lips parted slightly. you had set up your lock screen to cycle through images of danielle, initially to fool sarah, but also because seeing danielleâs face as soon as you pick up your phone makes you feel at ease. each photo captures her different expressionsâlaughing, pouting, lost in thoughtâand they all make you grin.Â
the happiness you feel is bittersweet, knowing itâs all part of an arrangement that feels increasingly real to you.
your vision is a little unclear, but somehow it sharpens just so you can see her perfectly.
âfuck,â you gasp out, unlocking your phone and trying to navigate to your recent calls. you had called hanni earlier and she had just been lounging at her place. you figure that sheâd be able to take you away from here.
you squint, pressing on the contact that has a and n, assuming itâs hanni, then wait as the phone rings.
âhello?â
âhanni, iâm⌠can you pick me up?â
ây/n?â her voice is muffled when it reaches your ears, âare you okay? what happened, where are you?â
âjimin⌠dragged me out. i drank⌠soooo much.â
ây/n, oh my gosh.â
âhanni, stay on the line, please.â
âiâm notââ the voice cuts off, you drop your phone on the carpet. âhello?â
âyou have my location⌠right.â you slur, head leaning against the wall even more. âhanni i canât do it anymore.â
ây/n, iâm on my way. are you alright?â
âhanni, i canât.â you groan, staring up into space. âi donât want to fake date danielle anymore. it feels too real, i hate it.â
silence follows before you hear the voice on the other end of the phone.
âyou canât? why, why didnât you tell her?â
âshe seems happy, and⌠we just, donât acknowledge that itâs not real.â
ây/nâŚâÂ
danielle sits in her car, heart sinking.Â
you dialed her on accident, and it doesn't seem like you know itâs her.Â
âplease come. please.â
danielle gulps, feeling tears forming in her eyes.Â
â
danielle scavenges through the house your location on her phone has brought you to, looking around for you helplessly.Â
she makes her way to the porch and spots jimin, whoâs hands are on minjeongs neck as she holds her in place. danielle walks over, not wanting to disturb the intimacy, but youâre her biggest priority, so sheâs willing to do so.
âjimin,â
she turns around, looking at danielle confusingly. âoh, when did you get here?â
âwhereâs y/n?â
âhmmm⌠she went to get drinks a while ago, she hasnât come back yet. try the kitchen?â
âokay, thank you.â danielle says hurriedly, then rushes back inside.
she checks the kitchen, only to see jake and sunghoon with beers in their hands as they cackle loudly. youâre nowhere in sight, making her bite her lip in frustration.
danielle goes through every room on the first floor until she reaches a bathroom. she pushes the door open, and it suddenly stops, hitting someone. a groan escapes from behind the door.
"i'm so sorry!" danielle rushes out, peeking around the door to see who sheâs just collided with. "y/n?" she gasps, eyes widening in recognition and concern.
youâre sitting against the wall, hair tousled and cheeks red. thereâs a white tank top hugging you, the thin straps of it loose against your skin from your posture.Â
âhanni?â you look up, squinting. âi wanna go home.âÂ
you see the figure move closer to you and close the door, then she squats down and you realize itâs not hanni. danielle comes into view, her eyebrows creased with concern. your cheeks flush even harder, and your lips part.
she puts a hand on your forehead, then cups her cheeks with both. âare you okay?â
âyouâre not⌠hanni.â
danielleâs shoulders fall down a bit. âhanni um,â danielle hates lying, but sheâs doing it now to save you from spiraling. âshe sent me over.â
âoh.â the response from you cracks her heart slightly. âokay.â
"let's go," she says firmly, helping you up. despite being taller and more muscular than her, you lean on her for support. danielle manages to steady you with surprising ease, guiding you out of the bathroom and through the house, her grip strong and unwavering.
â
you collapse onto danielleâs couch and groan, your body is limp against the cushions.
a few moments later, she comes back with a cup of water, placing it on the coffee table before she sits you up. she tilts your chin up and you look at her with wonder as she grabs the cup and holds it to your lips, âdrink.â
âmhm.â you mumble, sipping slowly and swallowing.Â
your vision clears slightly, though it might just be danielle whoâs grounding you. her concerned eyes meet yours, and while guilt tugs at you, you're also captivated by her beauty in this moment. you're drunk and out of your mind, thoughts muddled and unfocused.
âpretty.â you sigh dreamily.Â
ây/n,â her voice is laced with uneasiness. âdrink more water.â
âokay.â
âand stay the night, okay? you um, leftâŚâ she swallows hard, fighting back a frown. âyou left your clothes here, iâll go grab them.â
âcan you stay with me though? will you? i really⌠just⌠i want you here.âÂ
danielle bites the inside of her lip, her eyes wide with confusion. just moments ago, you had admitted that you wanted to stop the whole ârelationshipââthat it had become too intense, too overwhelming. and now, youâre asking her to stay? her mind spins with the jarring shift in emotions.
you lean in, clinging onto her. danielle feels the warmth of your breath and the softness of your nose brushing against her neck. the touch sends a shiver through her, and she swallows hard, struggling to steady her breathing. as you pull back, your faces are mere inches apart. you lock eyes with her, your gaze heavy with so much.Â
thereâs a lump in her throat. âokay.â
â
danielle wakes up with you on top of her and your head in the crook of her neck. she hears you breathing softly and subconsciously, her hand slides into your hair.
why are you so confusing? danielle wonders, twirling your hair with her pointer finger. is this what you really want?
youâre incredibly considerate, a trait thatâs always shone brightly. the way you go out of your way for herâplanning dates, cherishing every moment together, simply because it makes her happyâfills her with a bittersweet feeling. she adores these shared moments, savoring the illusion of authenticity. but now that itâs clear that all of it strains you, it weighs heavily on her heart.
you stir awake, your breath warm and rhythmic against danielle's skin. as you hum softly, her cheeks flush a delicate pink. she feels the gentle pressure of your arms tightening around her, pulling her closer. you shift, nestling deeper into her, finding a more comfortable position. each movement sends a shiver through danielle, leaving her heart fluttering like crazy at eight in the morning.
she doesnât know what to do.
â
danielle doesnât ask you out or come over the whole week, excusing herself by saying sheâs busy or caught up with things. of course, you donât comment on it â sheâs not really your girlfriend, you shouldnât expect her time and affection.Â
but then another week passes by and you donât get any texts back, sometimes she even leaves you on delivered for hours. thatâs not like her at all.Â
you catch her in class and sheâs still the same danielle you know â bubbly, pretty, and sweet â but thatâs really the only time you see her these days.Â
itâs confusing, all too confusing, so you barge into hanniâs apartment on a thursday evening because sheâs the only one you can rant to about this.
âyou didnât even text meââ
âoh my god i think danielle fucking hates me.â
hanni lets you storm in, walking towards her room and flop onto her own bed. you look devasted, especially when you rub your face in your hands and groan loudly.
âokay, first of all: why the hell would she? second of all: yeah, why⌠why would sheâŚ?â
âsheâs been avoiding me and i have no fucking clue why.â
âdude what.âÂ
you recount the entire story to hanni, animatedly illustrating every detail with exaggerated hand gestures. âso, jimin practically dragged me out to unwind, and i ended up drunk out of my mind!â you say. your hands wave dramatically, punctuating the story as you describe stumbling around, the room spinning, and how the whole ordeal felt like a whirlwind.Â
hanni watches, her amusement growing as you explain the nightâs events. âjesus.â
âyeah, and then danielle came and picked me up.â
âshe did?â
âyeah⌠you called her over⌠didnât you?â
âdude, what are you talking about.â
you pause, looking at her with confusion evident all over your face. then grab your phone, heart feeling strained when you see danielle posing with a stuffed animal that one time â out of many â you two went to the mall together. you click on the phone app, looking at your recent calls and scrolling down to roughly two weeks ago.
you see hanniâs contact name, and then danielles after.
âhanni, did i⌠did i call you that night? two weeks ago, the friday night i went out.â
âdude you only called me that morning or something, you left something here.â
âoh my fucking god.â you gasp, putting a hand over your mouth. âoh my god.â
ây/n what.â
âi drunk dialed dani and i thought it was you. she told me you sent her to grab meâŚâ
âwhat did you say to her?â hanni asks, looking at you with slight worry.
you groan, rubbing your face again. âi⌠i said i didnât want to fake date her anymore.â
âoh, well thatâs not too bad.â
âno, i remember it somehow. i said i hated it.â
your best friend looks at you, confused again. âyou do?â
âyeah, but like, no?â you groan once more and fall onto the bed again. âhanni, iâve⌠iâve liked danielle since first semester.â
âoh.â
âyeah, oh.â
âyouâve been fake dating and simultaneously in love with her?â
you sigh. âyes.â
âholy shit.â
âyeah. i think she took it the wrong way, maybe she thinks i hate her?â
âyou need to talk to her.â
âshe doesnât want to see me.â
âno, sheâs so fond of you. i honestly think she likes you back.â
âokay itâs not the time for thatââ
âshut the hell up bro.â hanni pinches your cheek and you slap her hand away. she begins again, âdude, she rambles about you and shit. there were times i actually thought you guys were really dating.â
âi wish.â
âthen make it come true!â hanni groans. she pulls you up, then puts both hands on your shoulder. âyou need to go talk to her, stop being a pussy.âÂ
âitâs not thatââÂ
your phone vibrates in your hand, snapping you out of your animated retelling. instinctively, you glance down and see a notification from danielle. hanni notices the shift in your expression, quirking an eyebrow as you stare at the screen, looking visibly distressed. she leans closer, peeking at the notification.
as your face unlocks the phone, the text is revealed: "can you come over? we should talk." your mouth drops open slightly in shock, and hanni mirrors your expression. the room suddenly feels heavy.
âdude.â hanni points at the screen â the obvious. âsheââ
âfuck me.â you mutter, âfuck me.â
âdumbass,â hanni says, pushing you off her bed. you curse and look at her with âwhat the fuck?â written all over your face. hanni stands up and continues to push you out her room, saying, âgo see your âgirlfriend,â even if itâs not real you better go talk to mo dani.â
you sigh, pushing her off you and grabbing your things before you walk towards hanniâs apartment door. you stare at the handle, then the text, and linger for a moment. hanni puts a hand on your shoulder and you look at her.
âiâm fucking terrified.â
âwell youâll feel even worse if you donât go, so go.â hanni urges, opening the door and nudging you out.
â
the air is cold, itâs really just cold outside and it makes you shiver more than you already are just from the thought of the interaction.
youâre outside danielleâs work, sitting on the steps because you canât bring yourself to go in and approach her directly. maybe it makes you a coward, but youâve always been nervous about seeing her willingly and making the first move. the minutes stretch on, each one making you more anxious, but you can't help it. the thought of facing her, of initiating that crucial conversation, ties your stomach in knots. she called you out here anyway.
wind hits your cheeks and you bite your lip, walking around in your place in an attempt to warm up. then, you catch someone in the corner of your eye, so you turn around and meet danielle.
a loose sweater drapes over her frame, and wide-fit linen pants hide the shape of her legs. the wind tousles her hair just as it does yours, but she looks effortlessly angelic, stopping your heart for a moment. her hair, caught in the breeze, frames her face in a way that makes her seem almost ethereal, temporarily making you forget your worries.
then sheâs walking toward you, and you remember why youâre here.
you swallow hard, body tensing.Â
âthankâs for coming, iâm sorry i havenât been.. um, able to spend time with you.â she looks nervous, her eyes avoiding yours and hands fiddling with each other. she stares at your necklace instead as she continues, âiâve just⌠i wanted to talk to you about what we have.â
âright, i wanted to talk to you about it too.â
âoh,â danielle says quietly. âiâm sorry, i didnât want to be a burden. you called me instead of hanni the night you got drunk and i know how you feel about fake dating. iâm sorry that you had to do it with me and it caused you so much stress i justââ
your heart aches as you listen to her ramble, guilt evident in her voice for something thatâs not her fault. you can't bear to hear her blame herself. your brows furrow with pity as you gently cut her off, âdanielle, no, let meââ
âstop, i want to make myself clear. i want to explain a lot of things to you, youâre so lovely and sweet and you donât deserve to be so stressed. itâs just, okay, wait.â
she pauses, breathing in, and looking at you with tears lining her eyes. your breath shakes looking at her like that, you canât breathe or speak in the moment.
danielle purses her lips before continuing, âokay, when hanni first said you wanted to date me, i got so excited because well, i always thought you were cute.â she turns her head to the side and bites her lip before looking back at you. âand then you said it wasnât an actual date, you wanted it to be fake. i donât know i just, i felt really sad when it happened but at the same time the thought of fake dating you didnât seem too bad because iâm selfish and i mean, i liked you a little and i thought i could just fake it and revel in the artificial aspect until i got over it but i ended up falling for you so much and iâm sorry. i donât want you to think im anything like sarahââ
âdanielle, stop.â
âno, y/n i just want to explain myselfââ
âdanielle, shut up, oh my god.â you gasp, looking at her in disbelief. âyou, are you fucking with me?â
she looks at you, still feeling guilty. when she blinks, two tears fall down her cheeks and she inhales sharply as she conceals a sob. she turns away, then murmurs, âno, iâm so sorry.â
ân-no, no. dani, danielle.â you almost breathe it out, then bring both hands to hold her face. your hands cup her cheeks making her face you. âplease stop crying, iâm sorry, baby, iâm sorry.â
âb-baby?â she says, confusing taking over her features. you had gotten so used to calling her endearing pet names that it slipped out so suddenly in the heat of the moment.
the lights outside shine just enough for you to see her clearly. her eyes are watery, tears staining her cheeks, and you use your thumb to gently wipe them away. her nose is a little pink, and so are her cheeks. of course, sheâs a pretty crier too, but you look at her with guilt, shaking your head as you continue to stroke her cheeks with your thumb. the sight of her like this breaks your heart even more.
âi only said i hated it because it was all too real, but not in a bad way. not at all.âÂ
âreally?â she says between sniffles. âw-what do you mean?â
âiâm saying that,â you use your thumb to rub a tear threatening to fall from the corner of her eye. âi hated it because i couldnât take the fact that it wasnât real. i wanted it to be real. danielle, iâve wanted to be yours since you first gave me the notes from the first lecture we had together.â
âwhat?â
âdanielle,â you almost whisper, then kiss her forehead. âi like you so much. i donât hate you, or this â i hate that itâs not real.â
her mouth opens in shock as she looks at you, sniffling. you anxiously wait for a response, hoping she'll say something, but she doesnât. instead, she hugs you, wrapping her arms around you tightly. you return the embrace, holding her just as tight. the world around you fades away, leaving only the two of you in the nerveracking moment.
âi like you too â a lot. i was so scared when you said you hated it, i thought i was making you uncomfortable and gosh i just felt so bad andââ
you rub her back with your hand and cut her off, âi was anything but uncomfortable, i felt like i was living in a fantasy.â
âthank god.â danielle sighs in relief.Â
you pull away, looking at her again and wiping remnants of tears with your thumb again. âiâm sorry for making you cry.â
if you could go back and punch yourself for being stupid â youâd do it in a heartbeat. a dumb slip up and miscommunication from your lips is the reason danielleâs nose is still tinted pink from crying, you feel guilty as ever.
in your hands, it feels like you hold the world. she shakes her head in your hold, then smiles from relief.
âitâs okay.â
âare you busy after this?â
danielle giggles, shaking her head again. âif youâre asking me out on a date â a real one â then absolutely not.â
âdinner? itâs on me for being stupid that night, and this whole time.â
âperfect.â
you smile sweetly at her, your gaze lingering on her lips. before you know it, you lean in and boldly peck her right then and there. she gasps when you pull away, looking at you with widened eyes as you back off. but then, she reels you in again, leaning closer and kissing you once more. the kiss is soft and warm, filled with all the unspoken words and emotions that have built up between you. you feel her smile against your lips, and everything else fades away.
when you part again, you look at her fondly and ask, âwait, this is real, right? like, weâreâŚâ
danielle laughs, hastily pecking you once more and lingering close.
âi donât think itâs the alcohol that made you so dense and stupid.â
#kpop x reader#danielle marsh x reader#danielle x reader#danielle marsh#newjeans x reader#new jeans x reader#mo jihye#mo jihye x reader#newjeans fluff#newjeans danielle#newjeans imagines
774 notes
¡
View notes
Text
I was actually just playing Forces to work on 100% completing the game on Steam since I haven't actually done so yet, and part of working towards that is getting max medal honours with all different species of animals. I didn't really put any thought into the types of characters I was making when I did that on Switch, but this time I tried to think a little bit harder about what I was making, and you know what? It clicked. Like yeah the appeal of a canon Sonic OC maker is obvious in theory but I've never really cared about that type of thing myself, but something about this specific instance of me making characters in Forces just made me come to actually understand the appeal myself. Like I felt myself being warped into the mind of someone that genuinely enjoys the process of OC creation and stuff, and I feel like I get why, even despite the limitations, the Forces OC maker really is a dream come true for some sorts of people.
To that end, here are the characters I put slightly more thought into! Since I'm still working on 100% completion I don't have every fashion item so even though I don't necessarily want to turn these into like full blown OCs or something I can at least say their in-game designs might not be finalised yet and whatnot.
This one isn't really much of anything per se, but I unlocked the black and white gothic lolita fit right around when I needed to move onto a new animal for medal honours, and decided to make a female dog and throw her in it. Spotted the spotty body wrap thing and it made her look like a dalmation and works well with the gothic lolita fit. Not the most creative one in the world and definitely not one I'm very attached to relative to this whole thing but it felt fun to do and I think that's why I ended up putting more thought into the others.
When I was making a bear I decided that, since the bear's ability basically makes their homing attack better, I'd give them a weapon that had the two homing attack upgrades on it. That gameplay thing led me mentally to imagine this bear character I was making was like very strong and serious, perhaps even silent and stoic - and I started playing around with the clothing to give him a somewhat similar vibe. Experimented with the more military aesthetic stuff but it didn't feel right, and I was imagining that whoever this bear guy is he probably doesn't want to be like a rank and file sort, so the military gear is whatever. Again this isn't actually like a character I'm desperate to flesh out or see more of or anything like that but I just had a moment while making it of "there can actually be a personality there" and I think that's neat.
And lastly we've got a female bird. I sort of knew right away that I wanted to give at least one of the species I'd make the camera, because I like photography a ton. Female bird gets the big ponytail thing at the back that I thought matched that well. Think the vibe I sort of ended up wanting to go for here is like, whoever this girl is she's probably "pretty" and values her appearance and stuff, so we get like the flower crown and bows on the gloves and stuff, nice colour combo too in my mind. But then also the photography stuff and ofc the setting of Sonic Forces more broadly being in the middle of a war. So she's a war photographer? At least currently? But still has time to look after herself a bit. Something like that.
So yeah I mean, none of these are fleshed out and I can't necessarily say I want to flesh them out either, but I mean the fact that the Forces OC maker is getting me to play around with character concepts at all is kinda wild to me, especially since I basically ignored it the first however many times around. I did make one for every animal although these are the only ones I was really happy with the output for, and even then I can take or leave the dalmation. Maybe I'll have an updated selection once I've 100% completed the game and have all fashion stuffs. Who knows. Will say that while writing this I like passively had the thought of like "what if bird lady is from Spagonia or something" so maybe I'm fully cooked and about to just get into Sonic OCs thanks to playing Forces again 7 years after release. Who can truly say. I think that's the post though. Goodnight gamers.
5 notes
¡
View notes
Note
Honestly I've been putting off buying Bayo 3 because of all the drama that went on and plus I've have to spend money on more important things, but now I'm just scared to buy it because I've heard so many bad things and that people are disappointed in it and there's a lot of performance issues... Is it really that bad???
Okay so, there's a lot to say..
In my opinion, ignoring the story, the game was very fun! There are some moments done well in the game, the combat is so fun, the combos are neat, the music (for the most part) is so good! I didn't have any performance issues myself actually, it ran pretty good. That being said
If you are invested in the stories of Bayo 1 and 2, I would avoid 3. In my opinion, and from what I've seen others saying, the story is what kills this game. It's pretty bad. If you care about Bayo's character, I'd avoid this one. Viola's gameplay too is.... something. For me, I found it okay, just a lot of getting used to.
If you don't care about any of that, I think you can still enjoy the game!
A lot of my criticisms involve spoilers, but I'll put those below the cut in case you want to read those too
The most obvious thing about this game is that if you're someone who either adores BayoJeanne/ dislikes the idea of Luka getting with Bayo/ Bayo being with anyone at all, yeah no this game will be so disappointing. For me personally, I love BayoJeanne, and while I wasn't expecting them to make it canon, I also wasn't expecting them to do.. that. Luka and Bayo just never had that relationship?? Even if they did, I am fairly certain that at some point it was said that Bayo would never get with him since she was immortal, and he wasn't, so she would have to watch him and their kids (if they had any) die, not something she'd wanted to deal with. Maybe I dreamt of that being a statement, I don't know. Speaking of Luka, they fucked him over too.
Luka was the human character, the comedic relief to some extent (not as much as Enzo but still). He grounded things for the player, he didn't have any crazy abilities, he was just Luka. And that's why people liked him. Now he's..... a fairy apparently. And suddenly immortal (I guess?) too.
Leads me into the next issue, the consistency with the story and it's elements. There was zero mention of fairies being a thing in 1 or 2, I highly doubt any of this was always indented from the get go when they wrote Bayo 1. Bayo 3 doesn't feel like a Bayo game. The angel-slaying is hardly there, and while I know it would get boring and repetitive, fighting the Homunculi doesn't feel the same?? I think the Homunculi could work, it's works with the trinity: angels, demons, chaos (human). But they did a horrible job executing it. To be honest, I was really excited about the Homunculi. In the trailer, Viola calls them "manmade bioweapons", and being someone who adores the vibe of labs and biological anomalies and whatnot, having that in a Bayonetta game was everything I've ever wanted in a game. The thing is, Viola mentions them being bioweapons, and then it's never elaborated on.
Some other issues with the game (and personal opinions) that I don't feel like explaining fully:
Where did the Homunculi come from? With the Angels and Demons, we know their origins. But what about the Homunculi? They're not human souls who didn't make it to Paradiso or Inferno, right? Otherwise they wouldn't be "manmade bioweapons".
Singularity????????? While I didn't mind him as a villain, he is kind of boring. Also, we had the representative of the chaos/human part of the trinity in the last game, Loki and Loptr/ Aesir, so who is Singularity?? Is he just Sigurd ascended to a higher state of existence?? If so, how?? And why does Midmyers Sigurd's info page thing make it seem like Singularity took advantage of him, and that he was also a victim?? This was never mentioned in the game, you have to go read about this on your own accord.
Why did Jeanne or Bayo not suspect Sigurd?? Like at all???? Not even a little??
Both Bayo and Jeanne are out of character at some points.
Fairies..
Viola being Bayo's daughter... is a fine idea, I wouldn't mind it so much if it wasn't with Luka?? Again, this is just my opinion, but it just doesn't seem in character for Bayo to 1) get with Luka and 2) Have a kid. Viola doesn't even seem like their daughter?? Luka's maybe, but I see zero of Bayo's likeness in her. You would think she's act a little like her??
Lukaon.
Why does Luka's fairy form look so beastlike, yet Viola still looks like a human with fur and butterfly bits..... either make Luka look like a man or Viola like a creature too, goodness.
Adam and Eve references???? Arch Adams and Arch Eves??? What was the point?????? They attributed nothing to Singularity's defeat, hell Singularity killed so many Arch Eves (and probably Arch Adams too), it's not like they were a significant issue for him.
No giant demon lady summon as a finisher âŻď¸żâ°
There were no Lumen Sages either???? I get they're wiped out but with the multiverse thing????? Not even a background Balder???
The ending was just....... sad and disappointing.
Most of these are my opinion, but as someone who adores the first two games for what they are, I feel like most people feel the same way about some of these things
One more thing that just??? Singularity uses the exact same moveset as Loptr/Aesir when doing that projecting move.. if that makes sense.
#Ask#bayonetta 3 spoilers#This got super long.... if you read the spoiler bit then I hope it was helpful! I hope the non spoiler bit was too#Ultimately it comes down to opinions on whether or not the game is bad#This is just how I felt about it#I can't tell you to buy or not buy something it really comes down to you#But if there is another game (or you have more important things) to spend money on I'd say hold off on it#No one kill me for voicing opinions this is just me.. I personally did not enjoy the story
5 notes
¡
View notes
Text
I stg this isn't going to become a nail art tumblr, but I'm going to toss some video links here that helped me immeasurably in my ability to do my own nails competently. 1. Simply Nailogical (also Simply Not Logical, also Simply Podlogical and Holo Taco.) Most recent 101 Look on all her channels for nailpolish 101, how to avoid chipping and breaking nails, how to grow out nails, etc.
2. Kelli Marissa's Nail Polish 101 playlist Kelli is a swatcher and reviewer and has shorter nails and a very consistent style of video, so you can use her other videos for color information and commentary on ease of use of various brands.
3. Colette, aka My Simple Little Pleasures, aka the watermarble witch, because her skills with watermarble are amazing, but also, watching literally any of her livestream playbacks will give you a first class tutorial on basic nail prep and cleanup. The glory here is that Colette is an amazing nail artist... but also extremely transparent about the fact that she messes up and has to clean up and she makes it a lot less intimidating.
Product recommendations for beginners below the cut:
Glass nail file: Whether or not you're going to use polish, a glass nail file is a must if rough nails are a trigger for biting them or if you struggle to grow your nails. A glass file makes the nail edge less likely to break, and if it does break, a glass nail file can help you stop the breakage sooner. I've tried several. Holo Taco's is my fave so far.
100% acetone: 1 buck at Target near me, or you can get it at Sally Beauty. No links because it's just acetone. Don't buy non-cosmetic, avoid the pumps and whatnot.
Cotton balls, q-tips, cotton beauty pads, not poly. Something that will hold up to the acetone. I usually use cotton circles and cut them up for removal.
Clean up brush: People like their twinkle T cleanup brushes, but I haven't tried 'em yet. I find the $2 ELF 1821 concealer brushes from Target to work just fine and I don't get mad if they need to be replaced after a few months. You can get them elsewhere, but if there's a Target near you, you can get them curbside without shipping. These work fine.
Base Coat: My preference is Holo Taco Smoothing Base Coat. Another very popular and more widely available one is the Orly Bonder base coat. I've used both. I've got ridgy nails, so SBC is the one I end up with.
PRACTICE POLISH. If you just want to learn technique? Pick up any Sally Hansen Instadry polish and Instadry top coat. Use those when you're first learning. They're not expensive. They dry fast. They have wide brushes. They have toppers. Walgreens and Target carry them. I also used their Mega line when learning. I'm still wildly fond of Wild Card.
The polishes I use the most are Holo Taco and Cirque Colors. Both have fantastic color options, neat special effects and good formulas. I have a preference for Holo Taco as being a little easier for me to use, a smidge faster drying, and their model of base colors plus toppers more often than "try to get everything in the same polish" fits my style better. They last longer for me and protect my nails better than Sally Hansen. Every mani I've had that has lasted longer than a week has involved Holo Taco. Pick a couple colors, pick a couple toppers. My minimum would be One Coat Black plus Scattered Taco plus Aurora Unicorn Skin. A creme plus a holo topper plus a unicorn skin is not a bad first order.
I've tried many quick dry top coats. I've even timed them to see how quickly they dry, whether they dry hard and fast, whether they get brittle quickly... I don't mess around with toluene, so of the non-toluene top coats, Holo Taco Glossy Taco is my fave, hands down, and Cirque Looking Glass is in second, but it takes minutes longer. I've tried a number of others. Not linking because I think I hit my link limit and I already linked their websites.
14 notes
¡
View notes