#i love solo shopping trips every once and a while

[smudged-kaleidoscope]

I hate being in pain (physical edition ✨) cuz I always get so rude?!?!

Cuz today I'm sore from ice skating yesterday (let's just say I should stick to roller skating lol) and I've been so disrespected :(

Just kinda stinks ig >:b

[hoseokhasmyheartxx]

41 - Yoongi 😏🤭💜

Love So Loud | MYG

*Pairing: Yoongi x gn!Reader

*Word Count: 2k

*Genre: established relationship, fluff, bit of angst, idol au

*Warnings: no warnings really on this one, but still, MINORS DNI. 18+. alcohol consumption, non-sexual shared shower, bit of crying, Yoongi is just super soft in this one ok?

*Summary: Yoongi returns home from his stateside solo tour, and all you want to do is take care of him.

*A/N: i got hit with an intense desire for someone to be at home waiting for catboy when he gets home from his tour, and this is what happened. thanks for requesting this! sorry it took so long to get to. I hope you enjoy it!

Prompt from this post!

Main Masterlist

“Yoongs!” you shrieked, overjoyed as you threw yourself into the open arms of your boyfriend.

Wrapping your arms around him, you nuzzled your face into the crook of his neck, inhaling his vanilla and grapefruit scented cologne. You felt his big hands against your back, heard him sigh against the side of your head as he enveloped you in one of the most comforting hugs you’d ever received.

Four weeks wasn’t very long for the two of you to be apart. But Yoongi’s schedule had been so hectic the entire month he’d been in the States, you’d barely gotten to talk since he left. You’d followed the news and updates of his tour, so you knew what a success it had been (which didn’t surprise you at all). You’d watched as fans across the country were amazed by his performances, astounded by his energy every night. But now that he was home, in his comfort zone, with you… it was an entirely different story.

“I made you your favorites. I hope you’re hungry,” you said as you finally let go of him. He smiled down at you, his long hair falling in front of his face before he had the chance to push it back. It seemed like it had gotten longer since you last saw him. You reached up to tuck his hair behind one ear, hand resting on his neck as you finished.

“You’re so good to me. I don’t deserve you,” Yoongi replied with a small smile, holding onto your wrist as he leaned down to kiss you. You melted into him, his soft lips touching yours once, twice, three times before he pulled away.

You shook your head, responding with, “Don’t be dumb. Of course you do. I love you.”

Yoongi’s eyes lit up as he replied, “Me too,” following you into the kitchen of his lavish apartment, hand holding yours tightly.

As soon as Yoongi had sent you his flight details, you’d gotten to work. You’d gone shopping for his favorite foods to cook for him, his favorite whiskey so he could relax after his trip back home. You had the key code to his apartment, and you’d let yourself in about an hour before he was due to land, so you’d have time to prep everything before he got home. You’d even tidied up a bit while things were cooking, since a little dust had started to settle on some of the surfaces around the apartment.

“Sit,” you commanded, pointing at the bar stools positioned at the kitchen island. You poured a glass of the whiskey you’d brought, setting it down in front of him as he plopped onto one of the stools. He shot you a small smile as he brought the glass to his lips, sipping from it slowly.

You reached for your serving tools, adding meat and japchae to two plates. As you did so, your mind wandered, hoping that your boyfriend would have the energy to tell you what was wrong. You could sense there was something going on with him from the minute he’d walked in the door, and all you wanted was for him to be comfortable enough to confide in you about it. Sure, he could just be tired, worn out from his month of touring, but you knew him better than that.

Placing both of your plates down on the kitchen island, you sat on the stool next to his. The two of you settled into a comfortable silence, the scrape of chopsticks on plates and the occasional thump of glass hitting granite the only sounds around you.

Yoongi let out a satisfied sigh as he placed his chopsticks on his plate, having finished his food before you. You glanced over at him, waiting for him to say something, anything.

“You okay?” you asked, tilting your head slightly as you looked at him.

He sighed again, taking a few deep breaths, still not speaking. His eyes were bloodshot, brows furrowed, lips in a straight line. You studied him, not wanting to pry, but you couldn’t help but worry.

“I’m just… so tired. Profoundly exhausted. You did all of this for me, and I have no energy to do anything for you,” he finally said. “I’ve been gone for a whole month and I can’t even show you how much I missed you.”

Your eyes widened, finally understanding where his thoughts were. Yoongi’s love language was acts of service. You’d known that since your first date over a year ago, when he’d cooked you your favorite foods in this same kitchen and refused to allow you to lift a finger to help him. Now, you watched him, his head hanging low, with a sad smile on your face. Sometimes you hated the way the world made him feel, like he always owed someone something.

“Yoongi.. I don’t need anything from you. I did this because I wanted to, not because I expected something in return. I just want to take care of you tonight,” you answered, gently touching the back of his hand with your fingertips.

He flipped his hand over, enclosing your tiny hand in his large one, and brought it to his lips. Kissing your knuckles one by one, you felt your heart swell. Yoongi wasn’t always great with words, but he showed his love in other ways, so quietly, yet so loudly. You took your hand from his grasp and stood, taking both of your plates to the sink. Returning to the island where Yoongi still sat, you ran your fingers gently through his hair, placing a soft kiss to the top of his head.

“Come. Let’s shower,” you prodded, tugging on his hoodie. He nodded, following you silently into his bedroom. Grabbing towels and pajamas for the both of you, you entered the master bathroom, closing the door behind you with a loud click. You watched as Yoongi turned on the water, fiddling with the shower knobs until it reached the temperature he wanted. He reached behind his head, grabbing the neckline of his hoodie and pulling it and his shirt off at the same time, sweats coming off next. You undressed next to him and followed him, stepping into the large shower, closing the glass door behind you.

Yoongi stood under the stream of water, letting it run down his shoulders and back before tipping his head back, running his hands through his hair to get all the strands wet. He reached for his shampoo, but you beat him to it.

“I told you, I’m here to take care of you tonight,” you responded as he gave you a questioning look. Pumping a few squirts of his shampoo into your palm, you tapped his shoulder, gesturing for him to move out from under the water and turn around. As he did so, you reached up and began lathering the soap into his hair. You gently scratched your fingernails into his scalp, massaging his head, making sure to get all of his hair clean. You tapped his shoulder again, and he silently turned to rinse his hair. As he did, you grabbed his washcloth and added his favorite citrus body wash to it, waiting for him to finish.

“Turn around,” you directed him. Yoongi turned, his back to you, and you began slowly rubbing the cloth over his shoulders. He leaned his forearms on the shower wall, resting his forehead on his hands, as you continued washing his shoulders and back. As you gently scrubbed, you noticed that his breathing had become labored and shaky. Your hand slowed, but never left his back.

“Hey.. Yoongs?” you tried, hesitant. You took a step closer to him, standing at his left side with your hand still resting on his lower back. He turned his head to the side, wet strands of hair sticking to his cheek and neck. He glanced up at you, a few stray tears falling from the corner of his eye. You squeezed the meat of his lower back, stepping closer until your whole torso was touching him. You wrapped your arms around his waist, resting your cheek on his shoulder blade.

“No one has ever taken care of me the way you do.”

Your breath hitched. It wasn’t often that Yoongi expressed his feelings like this. He tended to be the most vulnerable when you were in the shower together, stripped bare, nothing between you. But still, the few times he had really opened up to you, it took you by surprise. You knew by now that staying quiet, letting him get out whatever he had to say, was the best course of action, and he’d thank you for it later.

“I just— I feel like I don’t tell you enough how much I appreciate you. All of this? You, cooking for me, washing my hair.. I see it. I see you, and I love you. I love you, ____. More than I could ever put into words. And I hope you never forget that,” Yoongi finished, voice shaky, tears flowing more freely now that he had allowed himself to really open up to you for the first time in months.

You kissed his shoulder blade, squeezing his waist tighter. You sighed, then responded, “I love you. You don’t have to be strong all the time. It’s perfectly okay for you to need someone; that’s what I’m here for.” You kissed his cheek, the two of you moving then to finish showering quickly.

You dried yourselves and dressed wordlessly, Yoongi changing into a pair of black sweats with no shirt, you having picked an oversized t-shirt of his from his closet to wear. After dressing, you brushed your teeth and washed your faces, then exited the bathroom into his large master suite. You climbed onto the middle of his king size bed, patting the space in front of you. Yoongi padded his way over to the bed and sat down, legs hanging off the side. You tugged his arm and he scooted back, resting cross-legged in front of you.

You sat up on your knees, beginning to massage his shoulders gently. He dropped his head down, relaxing into the feeling. As you continued, you gradually upped the pressure, finding knots as you went. Every once in a while, Yoongi would groan when you hit a particularly sore spot, but for the most part, he stayed quiet. You’d worked your way halfway down his back when you realized he hadn’t made a sound in quite a while.

“Baby?” you whispered, giggling as you realized he’d fallen asleep sitting up. You tapped his shoulder gently, and he stirred.

“Hmm? Oh.. sorry. I’m so— so tired,” he said, words slurring through his half-asleep state.

You ran your hands over his shoulders and lifted yourself to gently press a kiss to his cheek.

“C’mon, you need some sleep,” you said, gesturing to the pillows behind you. Yoongi moved with no resistance, the two of you settling in under his large down comforter.

As you got comfortable on your side, Yoongi pushed himself all the way against you, molding his body to yours. Wrapping his arms around you snugly, he nuzzled his face into your back, his warm breath seeping through the fabric of the shirt you’d stolen from him.

“Thank you,” he whispered, squeezing you tight in a back hug.

“I’m always here to take care of you, Yoongs,” you whispered back, gripping his forearm with your hand to return his hug.

Within minutes, Yoongi was fast asleep, quiet snores escaping his lips. You drifted off right behind him, at peace in his strong embrace. You knew that, no matter how the world made him feel, you’d always be there to pick him back up, to help him stand on his own two feet again if he let you. He knew that, no matter how much he closed himself off, you’d always be the one person he’d let in, the one person who would love him despite everything.

He slept peacefully, finally home.

[mrs-monaghan]

We know JK is so bothered about a friend peeling perila leaf for his partner. He can't trust his partner even with that simple thing, so should we even talk about intimate choreography, living with producers, going for weeks long foreign trips ? You are saying a man who can't stand a simple perilla leaf peeling is cool with the above things?

No. He wasn't

He wasn't okay with any of that anon. Like, not even a little bit. I think we have witnessed satellite Jeon for so long that we have forgotten what it actually means. JK always wanting to be next to Jimin, Jimin having a calming effect on JK, JK gravitating towards Jimin when sad, satellite Jeon means Jimin is JK's person. It means Jimin is more than just his boyfriend, he is his safe space. JK needs him. He doesn't just want him, he doesn't just love Jimin, he needs him.

Jikook live together, yeah? And this is after all members used to live in one house for years. So they've done nothing but be around eo for over 10 years. AND YET what happens when any content is released?

We have them backstage walking from point A to B together

We have them sitting and standing next to eo all the time

We have JK displacing members to be next to Jimin

We have JK following Jimin

We have them leaving premises together

We have them cheating to be on the same team

We have them staying up all night drinking alone together

We have them practising group choreos together

We have them hanging out at each other's rehearsals.

And all this happens after they left the same house and will go back to sleep in the same bed at the end of the day once they're done filming. When I call them interdependent... I mean they are interdependent.

Jimin is JK's safe space I'm pretty sure this has been established by how hard satellite Jeon works sometimes.

Tweet

He failed. But he tried. Poor baby. 😪

What's my point you ask? My point is, JK has only known being with Jimin almost all the time. When they're good, of course. When they haven't fought and are giving eo space, JK only knows how to have Jimin with him at all times. And this has been the case for years. Then solo era comes along and Jimin moves out for a while, and even though I'm sure he made time for JK, it just wasn't enough.

JK went from waking up to Jimin, seeing him everyday, to seeing him what, thrice a week? Once a week? Who knows? Either way, his Jimin time had been cut considerably short and satellite Jeon was not handling it very well. Add that to the fact that they are supposed to lay low, can't be seen out together in public hanging out like they used to before.. and it was maybe a bit too much for JK.

So no anon, JK was not cool with any of the above things that you listed. We all saw it for ourselves. Coming live without permission and being unapologetic about it. First sign of defying the company. Coming live all the time coz he was bored and needed company. The drinking on every live even though he wasn't allowed to. Deleting insta and making the company lose money coz of it while most prolly not giving a shit. And then white day happened.

😔

This couple holiday that JK has spent with Jimin every single year and once again his boyfriend is not just busy but out of the freaking country! So what happens? Mans breaks down. He's at his limit here, anon.

I only wanna talk to Jikookers rn coz they're the only ones that truly understand how seriously Jikook take this couple shit. Be it matching rings on the same finger, or matching clothes on couple holidays, or matching clothes more often than with other members. And it happens even now, btw.

From JK ending up with Dior merch

To Jikookers spoting that one red CK underwear that clearly didn't belong to JK

And it couldn't be more clear they shop together. This one is neither here nor there but I'm throwing it in here anyway coz why not? 😂😂😂

(They've always had very similar taste)

Then we have spending birthdays together, couple holidays, etc. They've done this forever. So for Jimin to be away on the last white day before they have to enlist and be away from eo for 2 years, I can imagine it kinda hit JK hard and may have been one of the things that got him emotional that day.

So no anon, JK was definitely not cool with any of the above things that you listed.

And we know this, because as soon as Jimin's promotions ended, not only did JK go MIA, but when he popped back up, mofo was fucking glowing

He looked absolutely incredible. There was shine in his eyes and in his smile. It was so good to see him that way. And that has continued to be the case in the lives that he did after that. Sad JK was gone. JK that needed to drink when he came live, was gone.

So now i ask; Was this visible change that happened once Jimin was no longer as busy a coincidence?

[nocturnesheaven]

Chapter 2

Awakening Melodies

A/N: Hɪ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅs! Wᴇʟᴄᴏᴍᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋ! Tʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ғᴏʀ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀɴᴅ I ʜᴏᴘᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ!! Aʟsᴏ I PROMSIE, Dɪᴄᴋ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ɪɴᴛʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇxᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ. Fᴏʀ ɴᴏᴡ ᴡᴇ ᴀʀᴇ #ᴡᴏʀʟᴅʙᴜɪʟᴅɪɴɢ

genre: angst, comfort, coming of age, eventual romance (love interest introduced)

character tropes: parentalfigures!dinahandoliver, eventual romance between fem!readerxdickgrayson

tw: mentions of abuse, night terrors, and talks of child experimentation

You were awoken to the sound of birds outside your window and the sun streaming in on the wood floors. It was a great way to wake up (and a very welcome change from the yelling of nurses to be up and out for headcounts).

In the last two months you were finally starting to adjust to staying in your very own room in Dinah and Oliver’s home. For the first time, you began to feel real comfort. The nighterrors weren’t plaguing you every night. And if they did, Oliver and Dinah were quick to come and check on you. You were surprised at just how well prepared they seemed to be at caring for you.

Your first week in the home, Oliver had offered to take you shopping. You’d only had a hospital gown when they’d rescued you, and while Dinah and Oliver had went out and tried to guesstimate what you’d like, They still wanted to make sure that the clothes and room you had here were personalized for you.

What they’d come to learn was that you’d never been shopping. Oliver had tried his best to explain the concept to you. Which he did so in a very enthusiastic and detailed way. Dinah summarized it much better. Once you understood, you found yourself filled with a warm sense of appreciation for them. It had been a nice gesture and though you were fine with how the room was, as anything was an upgrade from your small cell back at the lab, you’d obliged simply due to the fact that Oliver seemed so excited at his idea.

The ride in the car was fun, Oliver let you sit in the front and told you not to tell Dinah. Though you felt bad keeping information, riding passenger made up for it.

The music played from the radio and it was unlike anything you’d heard. The few times that they’d used music in your experiments at the lab it had been classical.

“Who is this?” you asked Oliver as you listened to the gritty sound of the guitar solo.

“This is Nirvana,” Oliver, who had been humming along and drumming his fingers against the wheel, was absolutely thrilled to divulge you on the lore of Nirvana for the rest of the ride and play you their discography . You made a mental note to remember Nirvana. You quite liked them.

You were excited to try out this shopping thing, that was until you had stepped into the store. That’s when you found yourself completely overwhelmed by the sheer number of options.

“You okay there, kiddo?” Oliver had asked as he pushed the shopping cart up next to you.

“Yeah, just… there’s so many things,” you replied in a tone of awe as you surveyed the store

Oliver chuckled to himself, “Well, welcome to the kingdom of home decor.”

You’d followed him around, allowing him to guide you through each aisle as you attempted to take it all in.

Everytime Oliver would hold up a piece of decor, you would just nod. There were some truly confusing items in the store. Each one more colorful and random than the last. Despite this you nodded and offered small comments to each item he offered you. It was all overwhelming. In your opinion, everything around you was simply nicer than anything you’d ever had. How were you supposed to choose?

About halfway through the trip, Oliver seemed to catch on to the fact that you weren’t exactly loving shopping. You both were in the pillow aisle and he was currently showcasing a plush white pillow and another that said “live, laugh love” with a rainbow embroidered overhead.

“They’re both… nice?” you shrugged.

What were you supposed to say? You were running out of “oh wows” and “mmhms”.

“I guess you guys didn’t do much home decor back home?” he offered a kind smile as he placed the pillows back.

You shook your head with a self-deprecating laugh, “No… not at all.”

“That’s okay,” Oliver offered your shoulder a pat, “we don’t all start off as gifted at interior design as I.”

You raised an eyebrow skeptically as he revealed an eyesore of a pillow. It was yellow and decorated with some sort of neon bird wearing a purple crown.

“Oh now see, this is a real treasure,” he held it to you with a very serious look on his face. As if he was an art connoisseur who had finally found the piece he was looking for all his life.

You laughed at his antics, feeling your trepidation melt away. You were okay. This wasn’t a test, this was just a shopping trip.

“Oh what you don’t think so?” Oliver feigned offense at your laugh, “fine, I suppose it is bit loud.”

After Oliver had lightened the mood, shopping for decor became a lot less stressful. You felt more open to sharing your opinions and Oliver didn’t judge you for it. Instead, he seemed to agree with you? Even if you were being picky, he encouraged it.

Choice wasn’t an illusion.

After checking out at the register, he had described this part to you in great detail when at home, you left the store with a plethora of items. Oliver allowed you to push the shopping cart back to the car, which you felt was a great honor.

Dinah and Oliver had been great at showing patience with you, making sure you got to experience new things but on your own time. And honestly? You had never felt more happy. Your apprehension towards them melted surprisingly quick. With each family dinner, movie night, shopping trip, and nirvana song Oliver played… you felt more at home.

One night after a movie, you’d fallen asleep on the couch instead of in your room. When you woke up you weren’t quite sure what time it was. The room was dark besides the kitchen light, where Dinah and Oliver were cleaning up dishes from the popcorn and dinner. As you laid back down to try and sleep again, you’d overheard them talking.

“She’s been great, Di,” Oliver had said proudly, “she’s making amazing progress!”

“I noticed that,” she agreed as she placed some cups in the cupboard, “I just worry about starting her training. I don’t want her to feel like that’s all we care about.”

“I’m sure when she’s ready she’ll let us know,” Oliver offered in support, “but until then, it’s fun getting to just be parents don’t you think?”

“It would be if you weren’t taking all the fun activities,” Dinah countered, “I’m serious! You always do it while I have to be at the Hall of Justice!”

“Alright, alright,” Oliver kissed her cheek, “I promise you can tag along on our next adventure.”

As you drifted off to sleep, you heard them laughing. It was a lovely sound. One that you hadn’t heard at the lab much. You’d once dreamed of having a family, a real one. Now… maybe you’d finally found one?

It was during one of the family dinners in your third month that you felt ready to tell them you wanted to start working on training. It wasn’t even that you felt pressured. You genuinely wanted to!

Oliver had made lasagna for the three of you, and you were already on your third plate.

Seriously, it was that good.

.The conversation was mostly about regular things, day to day things from their work. You didn’t want to interrupt their stories of the Justice League, as each story had you hooked, but you also felt you needed to tell them now.

“I think I’m ready to start working with Dinah,” you interjected as you took a sip of water

“Y/N,” Dinah placed her hand on yours, “are you sure? It’s only been three months since you moved in… there’s no need to rush-“

“No I’m serious,” you reassured her, “I think I’m ready.”

Dinah and Oliver looked between themselves. Oliver shrugged, though he looked happy.

“Okay,” Dinah looked back at you, “okay… if you really are ready, we’ll start tomorrow.”

So that was how it began. Dinah would drive you down to the Hall of Justice, which you’d come to find out was where you had awoken that first day out of the lab.

It was much more lively now that you were really in the building and not the infirmary. People stopped and greeted you and Dinah. You found yourself a bit nervous around all these people, mostly staying close to Dinah and offering polite smiles. Luckily, Dinah seemed to recognize your awkwardness and kept you guys moving.

After Dinah toured you around the grand marble building, she led you to a spacious room filled with gym equipment, weaponry, and a ring in the middle.

“What is this place?” you asked in a quiet tone

“This is one of our training rooms,” Dinah replied as she turned on the overhead lights, “if it’s alright, today I wanted to just show you around where we’ll be working so you can see that it’s safe?”

You looked to Dinah, appreciation for her clear on your face. She truly cared about accommodating to you. It made you nervous though… what if she was wrong about you? What if you couldn’t meet the expectations? What if you weren’t cut out to help people…

“Do you really think that I can be someone good?” you asked hopefully as you walked towards one of the exercise machines and tried to make sense of what it was.

As you turned back to your mentor, her face was empathetic. She crossed the room to you and knelt down at your level.

“I know you can,” Dinah said earnestly, “and I think you’re gonna see that too…”

Though you wanted to, you couldn’t quite accept her words yet. Regardless, you swallowed the lump in your throat and nodded. You wanted to try.

“Do you want to look around?” Dinah asked you to which you responded with a nod.

Days at the Hall of Justice with Dinah became your routine. Sometimes you’d follow Dinah around and keep an eye on the city from the control room. On your favorite days you’d train in the training room. Training with Dinah was a completely different experience than you’d ever known. She never got angry with you for not doing something she wanted you to. Never once did she scream at you that you were useless. Instead, she made you never felt like you weren’t good enough.

Your abilities were sporadic at best and when they did come through, they weren’t as powerful as they’d been at the lab. A lot of the time, in a desperation to prove yourself, you’d psyche yourself out while trying to use your sonic scream in order freeze things. You also noticed yourself getting distracted easily by other noises when you’d try to hear where someone was in the building…

Each and everytime, you found the words “failure” repeating in your head. Dinah tried her best to assure you, but you’d always get down on yourself..

“I’m just not good enough,” you grumbled once after a failed attempt at paralyzing one of the wooden balls Dinah had thrown in the air

“Y/N, don’t ever say that again,” it was the sternest that Dinah had ever spoken to you, “these things take time.”

“But I swear I could do it before at the lab,” you stated exasperated

Dinah thought for a moment. She believed you, she’d read your files. According to them, you had proved powerful at the lab. She had no doubt you’d be able to harness that part of yourself again without the need for those methods. You just needed to give yourself more credit. That gave her an idea.

“How do you feel when we’re practicing?” she asked

You thought for a moment. While it was certainly frustrating everytime that you got it wrong… it was when you were in the midst of trying to conjure up your abilities you felt something else. Complete anxiety.

To you, it didn’t matter that Bruce had invented earbuds for Dinah to wear during training so that she could be immune to your scream. There was little logic able to console the fear that would take over. You were always psyching yourself out when the thoughts would swirl in your mind that you might hurt Dinah if it went wrong. What if the earbuds didn’t work?

“Scared.” you would reply

Dinah nodded understandably, “Are you willing to try something for me?”

“What is it?” you asked skeptically

“I’m wondering if the doubt and fear you’re feeling towards yourself is throwing you off,” she explained as she retrieved the ball you’d been using from the ground, “this time I want you to focus on something else…”

“Okay,” you agreed as confidently as you could. You were a tired and frustrated… but you were also determined.

“Ready?” Dinah asked to which you nodded in response.

You watched as Dinah threw the ball again. You were going to get it this time. You were sure of it. You had done it before and you were going to do it now.

Time seemed to slow as you took a deep breath. Your mind flipped to thinking about the lab. How you had made it out. You had survived horrors, horrors that were unspeakable even to Dinah and Oliver. And while no one could explain why you had lived past the mass execution, the truth was you were here. You were here and you deserved to be here. When you let out the scream, even you were surprised by the noise. It was strong and steady, like an opera singers. But there was grit behind it too, and you watched as the sound waves extended towards the target. Causing it to freeze in the air. Even when your note cut off, the ball remained floating.

You’d done it.

You stood there shocked. Dinah had been on to something! When you stopped depriving yourself of the trust you deserved, you were shaky. This time you had been determined and sure, and you had done it! You quickly whipped around to make sure Dinah was okay, that had been powerful… what if the earbuds hadn’t worked? But when you met her eyes she was removing the earbuds and watching you with a proud smile.

“Girl, come here,” You were giddy as Dinah pulled you into a hug and twirled you around, laughing with glee, “I’m serious! That was freaking awesome!”

You had done it! Really done it! But you weren’t done…

After letting go of Dinah, you faced the still floating target. Now you needed to get it to the ground.

“Should I try to get it down?” you asked Dinah, looking to her for validation.

Dinah raised an eyebrow at you, signaling you into the choice of words you’d used.

“Oh… right,” you corrected yourself, “I’m going to get it down.”

Dinah smiled proudly as she put the earbuds back in. Giving you a thumbs up.

Over time, you had made great improvements. Once you’d figured out the source of what made your abilities stronger, it was much easier to tap into them. Target practice became a breeze, and your stamina was becoming impeccable.

At times, various members of the Justice League would come down to watch you train. They liked to claim it was to supervise, but Dinah knew they had all become at least slightly invested in the powerful girl from the lab mission. At first, you’d been nervous at the strangers but eventually it not only became routine but became easier to correct your negative thinking.

The constantly rotating audience allowed you to make new discoveries in your abilities. The more people in the room, the more you had to focus on tuning them out. It would be much worse in the outside world. You once had thought that tuning out others was impossible but J’onn had offered to help you find a solution.

“Your hearing is tied into stress. Learning to tune it out in stressful situations is not impossible,” J’onn had informed you on the day he’d been observing, “but it may take time to master.”

That only made you more determined. You had the support of so many people, and all of them had good intentions it seemed. It was such a different environment from the lab. Everyone brought a different thing to the table, offering advice and techniques. Eventually, your training began to move from the training room to various locations. Whether it be forests, deserts, mountains, beaches, or abandoned buildings, the goal was to get you adaptable to all types of surroundings and stressful situations.

There were still bad days of course, you had a lot to learn. Yet by the eight month mark, you’d progressed further than the lab ever could have even dreamed.

It even came up eventually in discussion to have you try crowd control on a smaller scale mission. Dinah was wary, she wanted to make sure you were ready… but you insisted you wanted to at least try.

No matter what, it was undeniable that your power was growing by the daily.

[unadulteratedfandomtrash]

Steve Rogers x Reader ~ Early Morning Showers  [Shield Adventures]

A/N: Hi, guys. Sorry for the short fic this time around. I didn’t want to force myself to add more when I’m content with how everything is now. Stay tuned for more!

[My Marvel Masterlist]

Word Count: 1154

When Steve habitually woke up at 0600 on a Saturday morning, he was expecting to find (Y/n) nestled underneath the thick duvet, snoring away for another three hours before her alarm was set to go off. Yet, when the blond super soldier manages to peel open his bleary eyes, an arm reaching out beside him to hug his wife, he is met with a cold bed sheet and soft impression of her body pressed into the mattress.

“Not again…”

Steve comes to the conclusion that the chances of her having left to use the bathroom are slim, given that (Y/n)’s side of the bed would still be warm in that scenario, so he decides to roll out of bed to check the next possible location: the kitchen.

Sock-clad feet shuffle softly on the laminate floors as Steve makes his way to the kitchen in the search for his wife. He starts to lose hope in his assumption the further he walks down the hall. If she were rummaging around in the kitchen, he would be able to hear a huge commotion, or smell the food or coffee, before turning the corner.

“Maybe the balcony,” he mutters. (Y/n) loves to curl up with a blanket on the tufted lounge they purchased shortly after their marriage. She uses the time to gaze at the amazing view offered by the Avengers compound as she reflects on past events; there have been many instances in which the blond super soldier would be scrambling to find his wife, and during his frantic search, the woman in question was simply relaxing out in the balcony bundled up in a fuzzy blanket with a steaming mug of tea, staring off into the distance.

But when Steve turns to look at the balcony sliding door, he realizes it’s raining, so she would not be outside. A bit of panic rises in him once he realizes (Y/n) is not in her usual spots. 

Running over to the room door that serves as their front door—Tony assigned each Avenger their own cottage-sized room—Steve scans the rack of shoes to check for any missing pairs. Sure enough, there is a missing pair of boots he distinctly remembers buying for her last year in celebration of their anniversary. (Y/n) had been eyeing those shoes every time they took a trip to the mall, so Steve snuck out to purchase them on one of his days off when she flew off for a solo mission.

The clattering of keys breaks Steve out of his trip down memory lane. Instead of waiting for the door to be unlocked, the blond super soldier opens it from his side. The door practically flies off the hinges as he flings it open, scaring both himself and (Y/n) as the impact of the doorknob leaves a small indentation in the drywall.

“Steve, be more gentle with that door! I don’t want Tony to make a fuss about you damaging the place when he’s letting us stay for free.”

“It’s fine, I’ll patch it up later on today,” Steve mutters, glancing at the dent for only a brief second before shifting his focus back on (Y/n). All the pent up anxiety floods out and bombards her as the man interrogates his wife. “Where have you been? I was looking all over the place for you. I nearly called Nat to wake her up just to ask if you went over to her room.”

During his frantic questioning, (Y/n) awkwardly glances at the heavy piece of metal to her right. She needed a free hand to open the door, so she ended up resting it on the wall by the door. If Steve finds out, he will throw a fit.

“I just needed to stop by the drug store really quick,” (Y/n) explains as she holds up the several bags of snacks in her arms. 

“Did you buy everything they had in there? Here, let me help you.” Two hands immediately dart out to grab onto the heavy plastic bags, despite the fact that his wife is an Avenger with telekinesis and is perfectly capable of carrying her own shopping, while also gesturing for her to step inside. However, instead of walking in, (Y/n) keeps glancing to her side, which confuses Steve. “What? Did you buy even more stuff?”

“No, I…um-”

Before she can come up with an excuse, Steve is already stepping out to peer into the hallway. The sight should not surprise him, but it does. In the hallway, leaning against the wall, is his shield. It had not crossed his mind to look for the shield when he woke up to find (Y/n) was missing, again.

“(Y/n)!!”

Other than the fact that she had, once again, stolen his prized possession and weapon of choice, Steve is appalled to find the item in question being drenched in water. While he knows the metal will not rust—seventy years in the ice provides enough proof of that—he does not know why his wife needed to bring the shield along for an impromptu snack run. 

“Why exactly did you take my shield with you at 6 in the morning?” Steve sends a pointed look in her direction as he sets the bags down to bring in the shield. A foot stretches out to kick the door shut while he inspects the shield for any damages. Thankfully, the only thing he has to worry about is water stains.

“It was raining outside, and I couldn’t find an umbrella,” she explains casually with a slight pout. “There’s just enough surface area to cover me and my bags of snacks.”

In the darkness, Steve has a hard time reading her facial expressions clearly, but he can tell that something is off. She is telling the truth, that much is obvious, but there is a hint of nervousness in her voice that is leaving him worried once more. 

“Couldn’t the snacks have waited until later on? I would’ve gone with you.”

“Steve, I can handle a quick trip to the drug store.”

The finality in her voice leaves Steve hesitant to push the subject any further. Rather than risking the start of an argument. He knows (Y/n) will eventually bring up the subject later on in the future, so he raises his arms in defeat, choosing to busy himself with putting away the snacks from her recent shopping spree.

As he begins to store the bags of chips into the cabinet, the slamming of a door in the distance catches his attention. Steve briefly wonders if he should go check on (Y/n), but comes to the same conclusion as he did moments ago.

Meanwhile, inside the bathroom, (Y/n) opening the plastic bag she snuck inside. The four boxes scatter across the tiles as she tears into each one.

“Okay…let’s see if I’m right…”

[shift-change]

Shifting Gears

by Shift-Change

(Disclaimer: Some images were generated with the help of AI tools)

Jenna was a whirlwind of confidence and energy, the kind of girl who thrived on grease and engine oil rather than lipstick or designer shoes. Today, she sported her favorite loose jeans and a faded flannel shirt, her black hair falling around her shoulders in a carefree mess. She had decided today was a maintenance day for her beloved black Ford F-150, which had been her companion through countless adventures over the years. She loved that truck; it was rugged, dependable, and just like her—no nonsense. There was nothing like the thrill of driving her truck down the open road, only pavement between her and the horizon.

As she pulled her truck into an open bay in the local garage, the scent of gasoline and metal wafted through the cab’s open windows, stirring a familiar excitement within her. Jenna hopped out, her boots hitting the pavement with a confident thud. “Hey, Mark!” she called, waving at the mechanic who was working under the hood of a car.

Mark pulled his focus away from the vehicle’s engine, wiping his hands ineffectually on a rag, his brow raising in surprise. “Jenna! Didn’t expect to see you today. What’s up?”

“I need to replace the fuel pump. Been hearing a sputtering sound every time I accelerate too hard. Just point me to the parts, and I’ll handle the rest,” she replied, rolling up her sleeves.

Mark grinned, admiring her spunk. “Sure thing. I’ll grab what you need.”

After a few moments, Jenna had the new parts and set to work. The engine was familiar territory; she loved the way it hummed to life beneath her skilled hands. After finishing the installation, she hopped back in the cab, her heart racing as the engine roared its approval of her repairs. It was music to her ears. She couldn’t wait to take her ride back out on the highway.

“Nice work, as always,” Mark said, leaning against the truck. “Want me to help clean up?”

“Nah, I’ve got it,” Jenna responded, grabbing a shop vacuum. She spent the next long while thoroughly tidying up the bed and backseat, the vacuum’s roar mingling with the background clang and hum of the auto shop as she reminisced about solo road trips and rugged nights spent camping under the stars.

Suddenly, the universe shivered ominously with a feeling of imbalance, and everything froze for just a moment before resetting.

Jennifer now stood in front of a sleek silver Hyundai Elantra, her appearance transformed. She wore skinny jeans and a bright fitted tee that hugged her curves, her brunette hair cascading in gentle waves over her shoulders. The shift was subtle but significant; she seemed different, prettier, more feminine.

After a quick stop at a popular new independent café, Jennifer had noticed the dreaded check engine light flickering ominously on her dashboard. She loved her car; it was sleek, attractive, and just like her—eye catching. Panic bubbled in her modest chest at the idea that something was wrong with her car. With her heart racing, she had driven straight to the nearest mechanic.

Now she stood inside the garage and outside of her comfort zone. Jennifer approached the counter in her stylish flats, trying to maintain her composure in spite of her nervous energy. “Hi! Um, my car’s check engine light is on. Can you help me?”

“Of course,” the mechanic said, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer than necessary. “Let’s take a look.”

She glanced down at his name tag. “Thanks so much… Mark! You’re a lifesaver!” she gushed while tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She couldn’t help but notice his well-defined muscles.

While he worked, Jennifer wandered the shop, fidgeting absentmindedly with the hem of her fashionable shirt. Why was adulting so stressful, she thought to herself. Once the mechanic had finished diagnosing the problem and explained that he could fix it today, she sighed with relief and gratitude, and offered to help clean the car while he worked.

“I can handle the vacuuming,” she said with a light laugh, her cheeks tinged a rosy pink with a hint of embarrassment as she blushed. She wanted to show this handsome guy that she wasn’t totally helpless. The mechanic smiled back, appreciating her eagerness. And the way her blush matched her lipstick.

After a while, he returned with news that her car’s repair was complete. “All done! You can pick up the keys at the front whenever you’re ready to settle up.”

“Thanks!” Jennifer replied, her pretty smile brightening the room. Minutes later, she waved goodbye, feeling accomplished, and confident that she knew how to take good care of her car, at least with Mark’s help.

But the universe still felt discontent, and the timeline froze and reset once again.

The next iteration found Jenny behind the wheel of a bright yellow Toyota Prius, her style now feminine and sporty. She wore tight yoga pants in a light gray gradient pattern and a bright teal sports bra, showcasing her fit physique. Her strawberry blonde hair flowed like silk, cascading in meticulously styled curls.

As she had been driving home from a pilates class, a light had blinked on her dashboard, causing a surge of anxiety to pulse through her. She had no clue what it meant and, in a panic, veered toward the nearest mechanic she could find. She loved her car; it was smooth, stylish, and just like her—adorable. She’d be totally devastated if her car was broken somehow!

“Help! My car’s got a weird light thingy lighting up!” she exclaimed, leaning over the counter, a hint of flirtation in her voice. “I totally don’t know anything about cars.”

The mechanic nodded reassuringly, charmed and taken by her vulnerability, quickly trying to put her mind at ease. “My name’s Mark. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”

While he got to work, Jenny occupied herself with her phone, browsing her social media and perusing some online fashion blogs. She enjoyed the lingering glances she received from the mechanic whenever he was nearby. Her own eyes lingered on his well-defined biceps, and flicked down instinctively to see if anything *else* was well-defined. “Maybe you could help me with a little cleaning while you’re at it?” she asked with a coy smile.

“Sure thing,” Mark replied, clearly smitten.

After a short wait, he finished up and delivered the good news. Her car was clean and in good working order. Jenny jumped up, a burst of excitement propelling her lithe body gracefully out of her chair, her figure moving in a way that drew the mechanic’s eye. She sauntered over in her cute, teal running shoes, and gave him a hug, her hands lingering on his sturdy triceps. “Thank you so much, Mike!” she chirped brightly, her eyes dazzling and her lips curled in a sultry smile.

But the universe was still unsatisfied and reset her and her surroundings once more.

Now, Jenni found herself the owner of a bright pink Volkswagen Beetle, a stark departure into the realm of bimbo chic. She wore a glamorous micro skirt and cropped tank top ensemble, all in cotton candy pink, her meticulously straightened platinum blonde hair flowing like a waterfall down her back. Chunky gold hoop earrings hung on either side of her stylishly made up face (pink lipstick, of course). Her tanned figure was noticeably curvaceous, accentuated by her skin-tight outfit. Her long manicured nails sparkled with glitter effects and jewels, and a pink rhinestone navel piercing adorned her midriff.

Oblivious to the flickering light on her dashboard, Jenni had driven around carelessly for days, relishing her stylish lifestyle until the Beetle sputtered and broke down on the side of the road. She totally freaked. She loved her car so so much; it was cute, curvy, and just like her—totally pink LOL! She even had a vanity plate, ‘P1NKGRL’, referring both to her car and its driver. A totally sweet tow truck driver brought her and her beloved Bug to a nearby mechanic, her heart racing with uncharacteristic worry.

“Help!” she cried, exaggeratedly pouting her enhanced lips, as she minced her way to the service counter in her six-inch pink stilettos, “I have, like, nooo idea what’s wrong with my car. Can you fix it, pretty please?” She leaned in closer, letting her ample assets nearly spill out of her skimpy top. “Mine’s the totes adorbs pink Beetle parked, like, right out front.” She batted her eyelashes for emphasis, her manicured eyebrows knitting together in an adorable expression of genuine concern.

The mechanic was instantly captivated, unable to take his eyes off his new customer. “I’ll take care of everything,” he assured her.

Now safe in the thought that a strong hunk of a guy would take care of her car troubles, Jenni’s confidence blossomed as she lounged in the waiting area, scrolling through her phone and snapping selfies. “Oh, by the way,” she said sweetly, “could you, like, clean the trunk for me while you’re at it? I really can’t handle anything with these nails.” She idly twirled a lock of her long blonde hair around her finger, playful and flirty, showing off her two-inch acrylic manicure. “I’ll like, totally make it worth your while! Maybe you can even take a closer look at *my* trunk,” she said boldly with an exaggerated wink. She glanced playfully at her curvaceous posterior, wrapped like a gift in her pink micro skirt.

The mechanic, already entranced, nodded eagerly. As he got to work, he flipped the sign on the front door to ‘CLOSED’ with an excited grin. This job might take a while, he thought to himself eagerly.

As he fixed her car, Jenni leaned back in her chair, fully engrossed in taking the cutest selfies for her Insta, raising her phone to get the most flattering angles, and pouting flirtatiously whenever she caught sight of her flawless reflection in the waiting room windows.

Finally, the mechanic returned, announcing her car was ready. She jumped up excitedly, her enthusiasm palpable. “You’re, like, such a lifesaver! OMG, totally the best mechanic ever!” she exclaimed, planting a quick pillowy kiss on his cheek.

And the universe, at long last, found harmony.

As she unbuckled his belt to take a closer look at his tool, sexy thoughts flooded into her brain. She contemplated how she’d like to thank her car’s savior. Maybe give him a tour of her headlights. Or let him complete a full *interior* inspection, the thought of which nearly made her moan in anticipation. No matter what, she knew she wasn’t leaving without giving him a ride.

Epilogue:

Jenni touched up her pink lipstick, and then drove away in her hot pink Beetle, her favorite pop music thumping from the speakers. She felt a sense of bliss envelop her, as her long fingernails tapped rhythmically on her bedazzled steering wheel cover. The world around her was bright and flashy, and she didn’t have a care in the world—life was good, and she was free to enjoy it without needing to worry about anything complicated or boring.

The universe, satisfied with this timeline, allowed it to unfold naturally.

For Jenni, as she settled her generous rear into the comfy leather seats of her ride, she also settled into her new reality, unwittingly shifting gears into a whole new phase of her existence. One thing remained true; she was a woman who loved the thrill of the ride, no matter the vehicle… or guy.

P1NKGRL

[lantur]

updates,

I was pretty stressed last Saturday because I was feeling mentally burned out and exhausted and had to work for part of the day, representing my organization at an event and making a presentation :/ It ended up going well, I met some nice people, and got an interesting idea for my next work project. The rest of the day was wonderful - Derek and I played board games and went out for dinner at our favorite neighborhood Chinese restaurant. ❤️ We've been eating out a lot less over the last six months or so, just like once a month, so it was a special treat.

Sunday was a great day. I had a fun morning workout and went to a horror play at Theater Mu. I love them - they're the largest Asian American theater company in the Midwest and their shows are always so well written and acted. I'm really happy to have been able to attend more plays over the last six months or so. Living in a place with so many local theater companies is my favorite part of living in the Twin Cities.

I also made a new recipe for dinner that night that turned out super well - hot honey crispy baked salmon bowls with broccoli. :)

I have been limping and crawling through this work week. Work has been overwhelming for almost a month straight. I'm grateful to have a leadership role, but it's challenging and exhausting to not just work on my own solo projects and to-do list items, but to lead and support others every time they have a problem or need something, which is often.

This week also became challenging because my mom reached out to me on Tuesday night (a day after my last post on here where I said that I was sure I hadn't heard the last from her yet, ironically) and told me she was planning on moving to India later this year. I had to handle that conversation in a more polite way than "don't let the door hit you on your way out." Talking to her, as always, brought up a lot of negative feelings. She said she wants to see me before she leaves, but I held off on committing to that - partly because of the reason below.

On a more positive note, I had my long awaited appointment with my new OB-GYN yesterday :) I really like her. She's experienced, she's from the same culture as I am, and she left me feeling with a sense of knowledge and optimism about this whole pre-conception and conception process. I'm going to go off the pill when my current pill pack is over at the end of March and then start tracking my cycle to see what it is like, if/when I ovulate, etc. I have PCOS, so the question of whether I ovulate naturally is yet to be determined. I've been on the pill for my entire adult life and during my teenage years to treat PCOS, so I'm curious and a bit nervous to see what happens when I'm off it. I'm curious and excited to see if/when I could conceive this year.

I'm writing this while I wait at the airport for my flight to Tokyo. This trip snuck up on me after I booked it. As recently as last week, I thought that my trip was 3 weeks away - even though I theoretically knew it started on March 7. Then I realized March 7 was next Thursday and not 3 weeks away. 🤦🏾‍♀️

I'm really excited to have this time for myself. I push myself really hard at work, at home, and with personal development goals. I enjoy what I do. I like grocery shopping and cooking, I like working out, I like studying Spanish every day. I even like my job, most of the time. But sometimes it just feels exhausting to juggle it all, and it's so nice to take time where I'm not doing anything for anyone else but myself. :) It feels especially timely because I hope to start my master's in social work program in September, and I hope to possibly be growing the family by then too!

[amymbona]

omg that’s exactly what i was thinking i was gonna say that!

i love love love shopping by myself especially if i’m at a mall or a thrift store. i hate when people take too long or rush me like eff offfff please! i too also rush myself but at least im setting my own pace. in general i love to take myself out and shop and eat and go to movies. going with a friend or date is nice and all but i am quite comfortable eating by myself or something and i think more people should practice that because ik its scary when you aren’t used to it but once you are it’s just unmatched.

and actually maybe this is crazy but whenever i do maybe get uncomfortable or anxious i just pretend whatever celebrity or character crush is there with me like patrick ZWEIG 💜

-🪷

Honestly doing things by myself >>>>

The moment I split away from people who I tried to pretend were my friends, I started enjoying doing things on my own. I'm still very much totally anti social and I only visit McDonald's because I don't have to talk to anyone while ordering (and I don't have to be afraid of messing up my sentences). But every time I realise I need a new piece of make-up, I love to do my own little solo trip to the drug store ❤️

And you're right 😔 sometimes I love to pretend my crushes are with me <3 especially during Christmas time when everyone is so happy and friendly and I'm buying presents.

[theobsessiveloser18]

Headcanons of being the daughter of Gina and Ej

*You have an incredibly cheeky and clueless personality (That's why everyone loves you) *You were born to be the center of attention, you're a born star, but you don't get all fuss over it (your parents wouldn't allow it anyway) *You sing, dance and direct like your mother and have a talent for sports like your father *Your "uncles" have also influenced your skills, you write songs and play the piano like nini and ashley, you sing and design like kourtney, and you have the charisma of ricky and big red (only in your case you can also show it on stage) Unfortunately, you don't know how to choreograph like your uncle Carlos, nor have you been able to interpret the male version of something like your uncle Seb (you're not even a farmer). *You are a theater girl but you have "balance" you can be the protagonist, but also a secondary character with a really interesting background, an extra that appears only once on stage but devours with a solo, and sometimes you can even be found behind the scenes in charge of the organization *You love all your uncles, but Ricky is definitely your least favorite uncle, you can't forgive him for making your mom suffer for a while, or for almost spoiling your parents' "perfect summer". You have the perception that every time he visits them it's to spend time with your mom since she's been without a girl for too many years, and she's the most stable thing he's ever had after high school.(This is an alternate universe where Ricky is an on-and-off bachelor, that's how tim federle is done!)

"Go say hi to your Uncle Ricky"

"I won't talk to him all night mom"

"Let's see, what did he do this time?"

"he tried to flirt with you"

"He and I haven't flirted since I realized he loved your dad at the end of Camp Shallow Lake" (if this is an AU where Rina never kissed)

"I know what I saw mom, you should have seen him dad, with the hateful smile of him and the stupid charisma of him that I fucking should have inherited"

"Hey, mouth young lady," your mom scolded, you showed her your eye rolls.

"What makes you think you didn't inherit my charisma?" Your father asked, offended

"Don't worry, dad" you hugged him "I also inherited yours, only his influences me to death"

"I don't care if you like him or want him off planet earth, you're going to talk to Ricky whether you want him or not"

"I don't think it's a good idea to force the girl love, we teach her not to be hypocritical" Gina's look turned violent and she asked with the most affectionate voice anyone could imagine

"oh so get me started" practically you and dad scared the shit out of you, you started walking quickly while saying

"I'm always happy to see my brother Wildcat"

"uncle ricky is the best in the world"

*You are the number 1 fan of your parents' relationship (They are the basic reason why you don't want to have a relationship, they are the most perfect couple in the world, everyone else is a vile imitation, except your uncles' romance) *You and your parents are really close, they spend a lot of time together doing anything. *You anxiously wait for the weekend to arrive, to go on a trip with your parents, sometimes you go alone, other times your uncles and cousins accompany you. *You spend most of your time with your mother, cooking, knitting, shopping, and at work, it's her second favorite place in the world (your mom owns and teaches a dance academy, your dad owns several teams sports and has been director and organizer of several musicals) *You will be a theater teacher when you grow up

[musicprincess1990]

An Ode to Traveling Solo

Disclaimer: I've had some wine, and I'm feeling philosophical, so... yeah.

There is something so empowering about traveling alone. Don't get me wrong, I love going places with family or friends, but I looooove traveling with just me and my Spotify account.

I guess it comes from being a bit of a control freak, not to mention a rebel at heart. I love not having to follow anyone's schedule but my own, and having the freedom to plan things that I enjoy without thinking about whether someone else will like it. I can eat Indian food, spend an hour or two browsing some local shops, sing along to Three Days Grace in the car at full volume, take an extra long bubble bath, and sleep like a starfish in a king-size bed.

(And yes, I did do all of those things today. Except for the sleeping, but ohhhh boy, I'm about to!)

I also really enjoy disconnecting from my everyday life. I love my family, I like my job and the people I work with, and I have a really good life. But it's so nice to put my phone on silent and just focus on me. Some might consider this self-centered behavior, but considering how much time I spend every single day focusing on everyone except me, I disagree. It's healthy. It's therapeutic. It's necessary.

I've taken several "me-cations" since I got my first car, and I've learned more about myself during those trips than at any other time in my life. I learned to love myself while on a solo trip. I learned that I'm funny as hell. I learned that my favorite coffee is that high caffeine stuff at Maverik gas stations, especially when mixed with hazelnut cream. I learned that KFC is my guilty pleasure comfort food. I learned, much to my surprise at the time, that I am an introvert.

I learned that I'm a chameleon, that I tend to mimic those around me because I think that's what they want, and it's the only way they'll keep me around.

I learned that my true self is worth showing... and worth loving... and that anyone who doesn't love my true self isn't worth my time.

And I learned all of that while in my car listening to Fall Out Boy (or Disney soundtracks... or both).

Long rant aside, I think everyone should experience solo travel at least once in their life. You might find you don't like it, but you just as easily might find you love it. Whether you travel or not, though, take time to get to know yourself, to figure out what makes you, you. And most importantly, love yourself. ❤️

(I'm gonna go sleep like a starfish now.)

[crehador]

Is it alright to ask for Rijyu hc’s?(I love the idea of horse-kun third wheeling the hell outta them, ESPECIALLY after they get together UvU)

OF COURSE

personally i like to imagine rijyu as a somewhat "boring" couple, though really i just mean soothing and untumultuous without a lot of drama in their relationship (so "boring" but in a good way)

and i think a lot of my hcs of them as a couple are shaped by them as individuals, because they strike me as partners who would gladly be shaped by each other

like hc that rio is just more comfortable out in the woods, so when they look for a place together they look for a place closer to or in nature (but compromise by getting an actual house and not living out of tents forever)

before they move in together hc that rio is only really comfortable sleeping in the city if he's at jyuto's apartment, he's too on edge to fall asleep anywhere else

hc that they do forever go on a lot of camping trips together because rio loves them, even if they aren't jyuto's favorite thing

as for jyuto i see him as potentially a bit of a workaholic, who has to always be reminded to take breaks (though tbh i also hc rio not being the best at keeping track of time like he could be off on a solo camping trip and just not notice that five days have passed, so they need to really both hold each other accountable for like... actually remembering to see each other and civilization lol)

anyway so basically!! hc that sometimes they just don't see each other for a while, either because jyuto is busy or rio is hyperfixating on something in the woods or both, but when they do they are so lovey-lovey and go on a bunch of unexpectedly classy dates

like coffee shops hipster bars museums art galleries the aquarium, and shopping once in a while (have always loved the hc that jyuto is very fashionable and chooses a lot of rio's outfits and the one time rio was left to his own devices he went full avocado smh) but always making sure to go when there aren't huge crowds because rio's not the biggest fan of crowds

samatoki definitely hangs around a lot lol in part because ichiro is like 85% of his impulse control so if ichiro is busy he needs babysitting but also in part because ofc they are family! nakama!! so i don't think rijyu getting together changes that, and despite all the sibling-esque bickering imo they get along well and are one of the most ride or die divisions (though okay i say that about like literally every division lmao they are all ride or die to me)

this is getting long and unorganized so i'll stop soon lol

basically my tl;dr rijyu hc is they are battle couple* by day and soft comfy reading long novels and cuddling on the couch by night type of couple

*like if one of them were hurt the other would absolutely lose his entire shit and probably do at least one murder let's be honest

[tommyoboe]

OSLO 2024.

Hiya. How are you doing. I'm OK, just a bit exhausted after what has been a draining year. I reflected on a deeper level in my Year Two entry but I have spent much of the time feeling quite unhappy.

Not to shut this away, but I did go to Oslo three weeks ago, and had a fantastic time.

This is an underated city with much to give, and this post summarises a few of my personal highlights during three whirlwind days in the Norwegian capital.

The purpose of the visit was to audition for a coveted oboe spot in a top orchestra. To be selected to take part was exciting for sure. However, I felt a sense of unease as I approached my Airbnb in the district of Grønland, with the outside of the building this tall unwelcoming gate, and inside an austere courtyard revealed itself. I had to take a few moments to really calm myself once inside, as this was my first solo trip abroad since the pandemic of 2020. I then realised the need to take control and make this trip one that I could look back on fondly, so I began to do that.

The Airbnb I chose was ideal for my short trip. My host was highly responsive and helpful and good to chat to. I ended up having a much more comfortable stay than anticipated, with a large cosy room that I could happily retire to at the end of the day with sofa and double bed. Grønland itself is a diverse part of town, with many amneties in walking distance, including huge supermarkets, coffee shops and next door to us was a beautiful bakery that supplied my breakfasts! Backstube had a fabulous array of goods to choose from each day. I honestly don't think I've seen much like this in the UK, and to have this just next door was a delight.

I enjoyed exploring the neighbourhood of Grünerløkka. Here I took in colourful streets in pastel blues and yellows; starry lights hooked to otherwise shedded trees; streetlights aplenty, and the world's best coffee shop, Tim Wendelboe. My fascination and love of coffee is no secret, so I was in my happy place in this cosy corner of the city. I just had a filter coffee (from a filter menu, yes please!) to accompany my walk, but oh my god it was amazing. Fruity and warming and just uplifting.

Oslo really knows how to light up its streets. The sun doesn't rise in winter until almost 9am and by 3:30pm it has just about set, but you don't feel this at all when you're hugged from every angle by these vibrant lights. Some are more Christmassy than others with it being December, but not overtly so. As I transversed on to narrow paths, I was surrounded by apartments characterised from above by their lit facades, and this was really lovely.

After a brief practice of the material for the following day's audition, I took myself out for a solo meal. I did feel soemwhat strange going to a restaurant by myself, but if I do more travelling around Europe, it's definitely something I would do again. I felt the warm embrace of Mamma Pizza straightaway, and the carbonara was possibly the best I have had in all my years in this existence. I returned to the flat with a full and satisfied stomach and mind as I settled down for the night.

I had the pleasure of staying with another oboist doing the same audition as me during my time in Oslo. It was a surprise when I found out but we quickly got chatting and were supportive of each other in our joint aim. We fuelled ourselves on the audition morning and embarked to the Opera House for the main event. Here we met around twenty other oboists before we were taken to a waiting room. We then drew lots to decide the order of play. I was third so was escorted to a practice room to warm up. I proceeded to play a bit, mostly little scales and long notes, before putting my oboe down and relaxing briefly. Things were taking a while, and my understanding was that when the first person to audition was selected, we would move rooms. I was incorrect in this assumption, and was hasty when I was informed it was time to do the audition. In that moment I felt I fucked it, as when I went to the room to play behind a screen, I was shaky and nervous, not feeling composed as I bumbled through an accurate but under confident set of excerpts. I knew by the end of the audition it hadn't gone to plan, but that's OK.

The news came a couple of hours later, once I had had time to relax and socialise with some of the other oboists. Just five of the candidates reached the second round, so the rest of us were on our way, including me and my new flatmate. It was actually fine, and I know not to make assumptions again. I was happy in the moment to have just put myself out there and do something properly meaningful.

We walked through the striking Barcode Project and back to the Airbnb to debrief. That didn't stop me from heading swiftly back out to explore. I immediately set myself up at Papegøye with a filter coffee and chocolate chip cookie, and there I embraced yet more cosiness, letting the world go by with a book. It was basically perfect. I took a long walk back to Grünerløkka to browse shops and survey food options. I didn't stay long with the impending rain, but bought some small gifts and some pasta for my tea back at the flat. And then I gave myself ample time to sleep for once in my life, which felt terrific.

My final day was one to simply relax and enjoy everything Oslo had to offer. I enjoyed yet more pastries and carbs for breakfast with a warming tea, as I looked over the neighbourhood rearing itself up for the day. I particularly liked being right in the middle of the action, which feels far more common in European cities to UK ones. The UK seems desperate (tragically) to be more like the US and build vast swathes of surburban land with no real life in the most remote places, rather than idyllic little villages and communities within cities, as the Europeans triumph in.

I stuck to the centre on this last day, taking in a beautiful sunrise followed by coffee and a sandwich at Fuglen. This was perhaps my favourite moment of the trip. It was so comfortable in this charming coffee shop, with a positively vintage feel in decor and atmosphere. It was here I gave myself time to properly reflect on the last couple of days, realising the audition had made me a better musician and want to be more spontaneous and life affirming.

Continuing through the elegant streets, I found the main shopping district, with personal heavyweights of wonder including glorious Paper and Tea, Cos, Zara, Fjällräven and Rains. There was even a Marimekko store, which I chose not to go in but looked very cute indeed.

Oslo was just a wonderful place. It was full of inspiration; a lovely mix of old and modern; superb coffee; and just a severe lack of anything bad. Even with Grønland appearing slightly more rough around the edges compared to the rest of the city, it was still a great place to stay. And I would happily make the return.

I go home for Christmas tomorrow. All I can think about currently is how heavy my suitcase is so I'm going to distract myself with a shower and hot chocolate and see you in the new year for my next entry!

Before I go, here are my favourite tracks of the season:

Guess Who's Back - Midnight Generation

Enjoy the Silence - Depeche Mode

Enemies - Magic City Hippies

Kurrajong Hotel - Butter Bath

Dark Love - Miami Horror, Danny Pratt

Electric Company - Hector Gachan

Halilim Halilim - Sababa 5, Yurika Hanashima

Beautiful Faces - Declan McKenna

In The Dark - Roosevelt

Unforgettable Feeling - Munan

Can't Be What You Think - Sports

Perfect People - courtship.

Within You, Within Me - Meltt

Shotput - Still Woozy

NQA - tomy wyne

Half the Man - Tokyo Tea Room

3AM - DRAMA

Brincadeira De Amor - Marizinha

Zizia - Kainalu, moonfruit

Cortes Modernos - CLUBZ.

Ha det.

[a-cometinthesky]

Day 4 : Places you want to visit

This should've been written like...three years ago, but yeaa we're here anyway

● Oceans

Everywhere I go, the ocean is the only thing on my mind. To witness both the sunrise and sunset, to merely gaze at them, capture a couple of pictures, and afterward, fix my eyes on them until they disappear. I yearn to etch their beauty into my mind's film reel, to replay those breathtaking moments. The magnificence of the ocean and the sun, the melodies of the wind and waves - their tranquility compels me to plunge in and let everything inside my mind drown. I'm deeply in love with the ocean.

I remember planning a solo trip to Semarang, considering the idea of heading to Karimunjawa as it's relatively close. However, transportation to Karimunjawa proved challenging; the schedules didn't align, and there were no daily ferries. To convince myself to go, I playfully invited a friend, but they declined and suggested Yogyakarta instead. They agreed to Yogyakarta and asked me to find train tickets. I searched but couldn't find any. It's disheartening. Traveling during the Christmas holiday is always bustling, right? It just wasn't meant to be for us to go together. As my friend inspired me to consider Yogyakarta, I contemplated taking a travel service from Semarang to Yogyakarta. I began drafting an itinerary, intending to arrange accommodations, plan visits, decide on transportation, dining spots, and, most importantly, which beaches to visit. The itinerary is still a mess. I'll continue tomorrow.

Shortly after, while scrolling for solo travel ideas, I stumbled upon someone's brilliant suggestion to rent a car in Yogyakarta for a day trip exploring beaches. I began searching for car rental information, inquiring via WhatsApp, seeking advice, and emphasizing my desire for lesser-visited beaches. It's the Christmas holiday in Yogyakarta; undoubtedly, there will be crowds. Yet, my goal is to find serenity, hence my quest for secluded spots. It's truly enjoyable to wander around when there aren't many people. Once, during the onset of the COVID outbreak in Indonesia around early March, I traveled to a secluded spot. It was incredibly quiet, to the extent that there was a spot just for my friend, our guide, and me. It was paradise. Peace, for me, is seeking solace away from daily chaos. Isn't it exhausting to deal with traffic, crowded stations, and constantly chase after train and bus schedules every day? Embracing a slower pace in a comforting place is my idea of healing.

Let's get back to the story. After reconsidering, I didn't end up going to Yogyakarta; it's a bit disappointing. I decided to stroll around Semarang instead, spending time alone. I had work there, but I made time for solo exploration. I'd already mapped out places I wanted to visit, mainly for culinary experiences. In short, I truly fell in love with Semarang. Perhaps it's because I lived a slower life there. And the sunlight, GOD, the grace of the morning sunlight in Semarang is on a whole other level, but perhaps that's after the midnight rain tho hehe. When I returned to Jakarta, I felt like time was rushing, chasing invisible things, just as my GoCar driver once said. Indeed, time flies in Jakarta; it suddenly becomes evening, then morning again. I resonate with that feeling. I even feel like I've reached the end of 2024. You know, I've been waiting for the end of this year for two years now because it finally aligns with the New Year holiday. I'm utterly grateful, though.

● Coffeeshop

Now, onto coffee shops. Obviously, I adore coffee. It's gone beyond a liking; it's a kind of necessity, but I still love it. Skipping coffee for a day gives me a headache, and that's the truth, not a suggestion. During fasting, I struggled to decide when to have my coffee. I read that having caffeine during suhoor makes you thirsty quickly. Once, foolishly, I had an extra shot in the evening (we're dumb sometimes). Result? I couldn't sleep until 3 a.m. Haha, maybe I was overthinking or challenging myself, who knows. But after trying to have coffee after 4-5 p.m. from various coffee shops near me, I found two that don't disrupt my sleep: Starbucks and Fore. Yes, I conducted several experiments and, indeed, these two didn't affect my sleep. However, due to our current boycott of Starbucks, I've shifted to Fore. Yet, going to Fore is budget-dependent; their prices are quite high. But circling back to the 'Places you want to visit,' I'd love to explore all authentic local coffee shops in Indonesia if I had the chance. Recently, when I was in Malang, I stumbled upon a fascinating coffee shop called "Barrealloo." It was situated at the entrance of a lane, along the roadside. I accidentally found it while on my way to a meatball place. The dimming evening sunlight was captivating. I still regret not going in then because I eventually fell deeply in love with this coffee shop.

The following morning, after checking out, I went there. I recommended it to my friends who were looking for a nearby coffee shop. We were four, and as soon as we arrived, I declared my love for the place. The morning light was so natural there. The coffee shop's vintage theme echoed through its furniture, decor, walls, and almost everything. I went in and ordered the recommended drink, Butterscotch Coffee. And guess how much it cost? 18,000. Eighteen thousand!!! I asked if I could add a shot, but unfortunately, they couldn't. I also inquired about takeaway, which they also couldn't provide. I wanted to cry. Literally, I wanted to cry because I didn't bring my tumblr. Please :( I want to cry now. Okay. While waiting for my order, I took pictures of the exquisite spots. I could remember every corner of the coffee shop and hoped I wouldn't forget, praying for the chance to return, aameen. After taking numerous photos, I sat outside with my friends. The ambiance outside was fantastic, especially with the slightly cloudy weather; that day and that moment truly defined tranquility. Oh God, I really want to go back there now. Maybe we should just stay in Malang? Who are we, anyway? I don't know. Going back to my favorite coffee shop story, I wish I could visit many local coffee shops in this area, each with a unique vibe, different from Jakarta's. To me, that's what makes you miss a city, not just memories, but places that still exist there.

Ah, darn. Well, let's move on to other places, though this story could go on forever. I want to talk about three cities I hope to visit: Mecca, Kyoto, and Helsinki. I need to prepare well to write about them. But let's see ^^

Btw another couple pics from traveling around Semarang. Timeless something and the blueberry gelato (I like this one tho)

[rejaytionships]

for Kanan and Hera! does it ever get a little cramped on the Ghost? do you guys share a bunk with Jay? and what do you do to get a little space from the others? @rexscanonwife

[ ⚔️ kanan | ✈️ hera ]

✈️ Thanks for the question, @rexscanonwife! We hope you're doing well out there.

⚔️ Cramped? Talk about it! It already started getting a little claustrophobic back when we picked up Ezra, but when we picked up our second stray from Lothal (I'm referring to Kel here) the size of the Ghost started feeling even smaller than it used to.

✈️ When Kel first joined the crew, we had her room with Sabine because Sabine's room was the only one with a spare bed, and the two seemed to be fine around each other. This lasted for a while even after Kel and I got together, but it wasn't until Kanan completed the trio that we considered having Kel move into our room.

⚔️ In my defense, three people to a room at the time seemed like a lot, you know? It'd get pretty crowded pretty quickly in there.

✈️ You know there were other aspects at play, love...

⚔️ Alright, sure, I'll admit there was a bit of jealousy of those two sharing the same bed on a bunk before we all ended up together.

✈️ See? That wasn't so hard.

⚔️ I know, I know... It got better once we agreed to switch it up every so often, taking turns on who paired up on one bunk and who got to sleep solo on the other bunk. Once we tried all three on a single bunk... all I'll say is that we are never doing that again.

✈️ It was a worth a shot, wasn't it? Haha. Back on topic, though, we were asked what we do to get some space from the kids? I guess it's pretty similar to what Kanan and I did even before Kel showed up. Our tried and true method is having them all run errands on our behalf. It's true we need them done, and it isn't like we need a whole team for a shopping trip, but we have our ulterior motives as well.

⚔️ Frankly, it's nice having the room to relax. As much as I care about the others, specially with how much some of them roughhouse with each other, we need the time to clear our heads.

✈️ It's nice, like a private vacation for just us three.

⚔️ Yeah, except it's a vacation to the same place we always are: our ship.

✈️ Hey, sometimes we get to walk around a bit outside of the ship too. Mainly though, I will admit we bundle up in the main area of the Ghost and chat with each other, maybe while we're playing a game. Just when you think everyone's out of life stories to tell, there's always another!

⚔️ Tell me about it... we've all kept pretty busy over the course of our lives, haven't we? And I bet we'll have even more to talk about, especially once the war is over.

✈️ You said it, dear... That'll be the day, seeing everything we've worked for finally pay off.

⚔️ Maybe then we can go on an actual date, right? Without worrying about the Empire looming around every corner. It'd be nice to be able to go out and do that more without having to worry so much.

✈️ Maybe some day... Well, I hope this answered everything! Thank you again!

[toughgirlchallenges]

Tegan Phillips - Adventure Cyclist and Cartoonist. Currently preparing for a second attempt at being the fastest woman to cycle from Cairo to Cape Town.

Tegan in her own words: 

“Once upon a time… I was studying to be a lawyer. 

Then I drew some comics in a competition to win a bicycle, which I rode across Spain, telling the story of my adventure through a comic blog. 

This kind of adventure storytelling was too fun to not wildly pursue, so I spent the next few years finding ways to go on more adventures (which included an 11,000km bike trip through Africa with my family, and a 10 Iron Man triathlon around New Zealand), while figuring out how to turn it into a real job. 

Today, I work full-time as a cartoonist, speaker and endurance cyclist. I am currently working on a book, setting up a comic merchandise shop in South Africa and training to try again to set a women’s record of the fastest cycle from Cairo to Cape Town in Oct 2022 February 2024.” 

The challenge: Cycling Africa: Cairo to Cape Town. 1 continent, 8 countries, 10,800 kilometres, and 58,000 elevation, setting a women's world record that needs to exist.

  New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don’t miss out. 

You can support the mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast Thank you.

  Show notes

Who is Tegan

Her love of going on big adventures on her bike

Growing up in South Africa

Spending a lot of time outside

Living in Cape Town

Going on a family cycle adventure 

Cycle touring

Being inspired by Tom Allen 

Her first solo trip in Spain 

Getting lost, falling off the bike and figuring it out

Feeling completely free

Transitioning into the adventure life

Her love of adventure

Professional Adventurer?

Problem solving while on the road

Cartooning and why it’s more like writing 

Making decisions after university 

Trying to figure out what to do next

Feeling a lot of pressure

Reflecting back on her earlier work

Being encouraged to follow her passions

Heading off to New Zealand to do 10 Iron Man 

Trying to figure out how to make money

Adventure Grants

Altum Consulting 

Training plans and joining a triathlon club

The planning and preparation 

First blind woman attempting to climb Mt. Everest - Shawn Cheshire 

What does success look like on an adventure?

Anticipating unexpected challenges

Where the idea came from to cycle from Cairo to Cape Town

Finding out that there was no women’s record for the Cairo to Cape Town cycle 

2019 - applying for the Guinness World Record to find out what the rules were

Planning and researching for the challenge 

Wanting to start in October 2022

Needing to go through the civil war in Ethiopia 

Working with a cycling coach for the past few years

Figuring out the funding and the support team

Being delayed in Egypt and needing to wait 6 weeks

Feeling ill and needing medical help 

Having a seizure and ending up in hospital 

Processing everything that’s happened

Trying to figure out what was wrong

Having her dream fall apart in front of her eyes

Getting back to cycling and training

Hormonal problems?

Looking after herself and prioritising her mental health 

The therapy of talking

Plans for 2023 

Heading to France do to an Alt Tour of the Women’s Tour de France

Staying with Katherine Bertine 

The Women’s Tour - UK 

Tour de France Femmes

Funding for adventures and making a living

Working with Komoot

Turning 30 and how her mindset is changing

Having less fear and coming-out the other side

How to connect with Tegan

Final words of advice 

  Social Media

Website: teganphillips.com 

Instagram: @teganphillipscomics 

    Check out this episode!

[oro-e-diamanti]

The one where Ethan is pretending

Description | When you bump into Ethan in Paris, you fail to mention that you know exactly who he is. You’re not sure how long you’ll be able to keep it up when he asks you out for a drink.

Content | Fluff

Pairing | Ethan x gn!Reader (with the exception of one female pet name)

Word Count | 2071

Taglist | @ginny-lily @ethaneskin @tabi-toast @mywritingonlyfans

***

There was no way you were staying in the same place that Måneskin had just arrived at. There was no way, you kept telling yourself. Paris was a massive city, the number of available hotels in the hundreds, maybe thousands if you had to guess. And yet, somehow, you had managed to pick the one place one of your new favourite obsessions would spend their time. You knew it didn't mean much, the hotel had more than a couple of rooms and with your luck, you wouldn't even catch a glimpse of them. But as you kept scrolling through Instagram, seeing pictures of people meeting the four Italians in front of the place you had checked into mere days ago, you couldn't fight a little bubble of excitement forming in your chest.

Well, you told yourself you wouldn't get your hopes up. And you definitely wouldn't hang around in front of the hotel or in the lobby. You had booked your solo trip to Paris months ago, after dreaming about visiting the city for most of your life, and you would be damned if you wouldn't stick to your itinerary and enjoy your holiday. However - you had gotten up at what felt like dawn to go queue up for the Louvre and spent the last couple of hours there, so you decided that a nap was the way to go if you wanted to continue exploring the city in the evening. Fortunately, the walk back to the hotel wasn't long.

You had made it to the last corner before entering the street you were aiming for, when two giggling girls ran past you, unceremoniously bumping your shoulder and sending you tumbling. You were fully expecting to hit the ground, but instead, a pair of strong arms caught you and brought you back to your feet. A pair of strong arms belonging to a strong chest that you came face-to-face with, belonging to a gorgeous face, belonging to Ethan Torchio.

"Tu vas bien?" His broad French accent confused you, momentarily forgetting about the little detail that you were, in fact, in France, as you stared at the drummer in front of you, who was still protectively holding onto your upper arms.

"Huh?" Was the immensely intelligent answer that thus left your mouth.

"Oh, not French?"

"No, definitely not French." You finally said, taking a step back from him to avoid the increasing awkwardness you were feeling about being touched by him, while the two girls who had previously knocked you down were now lingering around the two of you suspiciously, not coming close enough to be rude, but obviously desperate to get their own piece of Ethan. "No, just a tourist."

"Me too," Ethan smiled. "A tourist, I mean. Well, kind of. I'm here with my band so it's not like we have time to do a lot of sightseeing."

He briefly turned around to look at the two girls who still seemed frustrated at you hogging his time and gave a small wave before turning back to you. It was the movement that made you realise he had the most gorgeous red rose tucked into the waistband of his trousers. Well, it used to be the most gorgeous rose - after your little crash, it had bent in the middle, the top hanging only by a thread, in the most miserable fashion.

"Oh, no I am so sorry!" You gasped, carefully grasping the delicate petals that were on the verge of breaking off. "I must have crashed into it when you caught me."

"Don't worry about it," Ethan said, softly, and pulled the stem from his waistband. The flower looked even more tragic now, in all its crushed glory. "A fan gave it to me a few minutes ago."

"Huh?" You surely proved yourself articulate in this conversation. You mentally hit yourself, angry at yourself for being so easily flustered.

"There are a few fans waiting in front of our hotel, because we're in a ... band ... and things."

Apparently, your awkwardness was contagious. Also, it was becoming increasingly obvious that Ethan thought that you had no idea who he was.

"Let me get you a new one," you suggested. "There's a flower shop just two doors down from the hotel - I mean, I am staying there, too, so I know."

He smiled at you with a serenity and calmness that had your heart soaring. You decided you'd be willing to buy him a million roses if only he kept smiling at you like that for a little longer.

"Well, I've got to go now, but it would be rude to refuse your offer. Meet you in the bar of the hotel at 8 tonight?"

No way this was happening. You almost gasped, but at the last moment managed to keep your cool, outwardly. On the inside, you were a mess. Bumping into the drummer of one of your favourite bands was a wonderful chance meeting as it was - but this almost sounded like a date. Now, of course, Ethan wouldn't be asking you out on a date. That would be ridiculous. But there was also no way you would miss out on a chance to meet him again. Preferably without those two giggling girls that were still standing behind him, watching every move of your interaction but luckily too far away to hear what you were saying.

"It's a d- uh, deal," you quickly recovered before almost spitting out the word date instead. Ethan chuckled.

"Right, see you later, then, for our... deal."

He had seen right through you anyway, you thought. But he was still laughing, so it wasn't all that bad - right?

With another quick touch to your upper arm, Ethan walked past you, turning around just one last time.

"My name is Ethan, by the way. You can tell me yours tonight."

Oh, you would.

***

The rest of the day was... well, restless. You couldn't nap because your mind was a whirlwind and your stomach was twisting with excitement. So instead, you had made sure to get the prettiest red rose you could find in the flower shop down the street - while slightly wincing at the price that a shop in the center of the city of love demanded - and put it in a glass the hotel receptionist had been nice to give to you. Then you had decided that there was no way you would manage to relax before 8, so you allowed yourself a few hours simply wandering through the city, no real destination, no itinerary for once, just a nice long stroll with nothing but your thoughts.

At five past eight - being slightly late was still cool, right? - you did a quick check-up in the mirror, realised you were not going to get any happier with your appearance whatever you tried to do at this point, grabbed the rose from its makeshift vase, and left your room.

It only took you a second to see him when you entered the little bar on the ground floor of the hotel. Even in the dim light, the white blouse that he had already been wearing when you met for the first time stood out like a sore thumb. Long dark hair fell over his back in a silky fashion. You had never wanted to touch anyone's hair more.

You took one more deep breath and then walked over to Ethan, smile on your face and rose in your hand.

"A rose for the handsome gentleman?"

Ethan almost jumped, apparently not having heard you coming, but quickly a smirk spread over his face while he stood up.

"I'll take the rose and your name, then."

"It's Y/n."

Ethan greeted you with a soft kiss to your cheek, before taking the rose, pulling your chair back, and inviting you to sit. It was almost ridiculously romantic and if it had been anyone else it would have seemed over-the-top and off-putting, but with Ethan it seemed sincere and fitting.

"Glass of wine, Y/n?" He asked as he casually waved the waiter over to your table.

"Just one. I want to get up early tomorrow for some more sightseeing."

***

It didn't end up being just one glass. It ended up another one and then a bottle shared. But it also ended up with three hours of talking, laughing, teasing, and slowly moving your chairs closer together until you were basically sitting on the same side of the table. You had asked him about his band - still trying to cover up that you knew exactly who they were out of pure fear that he'd reject you for being a fan - and he has asked about your job, your life, your family. In fact, you only left the bar when the waiter had started throwing you annoyed looks while demonstratively cleaning the tables around you.

"I'll bring you to your room," Ethan chuckled lightly as you waited for the elevator. His hand was on the small of your back and it was spreading tingles all through your body. You were standing close enough that you could smell his perfume, a light yet musky scent that encapsulated everything about him.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, he lightly pushed you inside and you found yourself not minding him leading you like this. You pressed the button for your floor, leaning against the wall as you studied the man in front of you. He was a thing of beauty, no question about it, and when he smiled down at you the way he was right then and there, he made you feel like one, too.

"I had a lovely evening, Y/n. Is there any chance I could get your number?"

What a question, you thought to yourself. You'd be mad to refuse him!

You dug your phone out of your cluttered bag. You had switched numbers just a few weeks ago and had not yet learned the new digits by heart. Quickly, you switched it on - and your heart sank. Oh crap. You had completely forgotten about this.

The lockscreen of your phone was a picture of Måneskin.

As you looked up, you realized Ethan had seen. And, contrarily to the reaction that you were anticipating, he was wearing a massive grin.

"Ethan, I am so sorry, I should have told you immediately when we met but I kind of just stumbled into this and you were explaining you were in a band and I didn't know how to say-"

"Dolcezza, calm down. I've known all along."

"Wait - what?"

He didn't explain. Instead, he pointed to your bag - your tote bag - your Måneskin tote bag.

You truly felt like the least intelligent life form on earth.

"I've been carrying that around all day, haven't I?"

While your embarrassment grew, face heating up, Ethan grabbed your shoulders and pulled you into his body. His arms tightly wrapped around your body and you could feel his giggles in his chest, as your head was pressed against it. You didn't hesitate in reciprocating, clinging onto his torso, slowly swinging from side to side. Both of you caught in a tipsy stupor.

You only stopped when the elevator arrived at your floor, both of you stumbling out and dragging each other to your door while clinging on. When you reached your room, you let your back lean against it, pulling Ethan along so you were standing face to face, smiling at each other shily and yet never breaking eye contact.

"Why didn't you say anything?" You finally asked. He stroked your cheek, leaving goosebumps. He had now gotten so close that you could feel his breath on your, drowning in each other.

"I liked pretending."

And then he kissed you. Boldly, unafraid and passionate. You melted like putty under him, letting him take control while letting yourself fall, as his lips moved against yours.

You only pulled away enough to get another glance at him, before once again searching your bag, now one-handed, so you never quite had to let go of him. A small triumphant sound escaped you as you located the key card. Holding it up next to your face, you shot the man in front of you another smirk.

"Why don't we keep pretending? At least for tonight."

It wasn't an offer he was going to refuse.