#i mean i would've understood if her kissing him had happened before that

[dead-salmon]

fox club hottake but ilmi is simply more likeable than huiseung

[fabricated-misslieness]

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: tyler owens x male reader

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: years ago, you broke up with him for his reckless lifestyle. now, when he's come back without changing a bit, you don't know why you let him back into your life.

ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 3.65k

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: angst, death is mentioned and tyler gets close to it not explicitly, kissing, swearing, baby as a nickname for your lover, lot of made up family members + names

ᴍᴀʏʙ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ: cowboy slang vocabulary, yes it's 11pm, yes I wrote this in a day, yes I'm in bed, yes Glen Powells is hot

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Tyler Owens likes to live what others might call a dangerous life, although he much preferred to call it a life of thrill.

He started it off as a bull rider for a rodeo, and though by the end of it he was regarded as the star bull rider and sometimes even the star of the show, there was a big learning curve that ended him with a couple (something closer to four dozen, really) kicks on the ol' noggin. Luckily, none of it sprouted within him either physical or mental problems by the time he decided he wanted to move on; his mother always said he had a thick skull, anyway.

After the less dangerous, still excruciating years in university, he came out with a meteorologist degree. And what did he do with it? He became a storm chaser.

A peculiar fact that came with it was that even after landing a more dangerous job, he sustained less injuries than bull riding by a substantial amount. Suppose the thing is that the moment he gets his first serious one, he's likely done for.

You've been through it all.

You met him before he even started this life, in high school; your first kiss was at his bedside after a particularly harsh fall and kick, you persisted through the busier university schedule, and you supported his dreams to be a storm chaser.

But at the height of it all, after the first scare when the anchor mechanism on that old truck of his failed to stop the car from turning onto its side, you decided you two were over.

It was definitely selfish. You didn't want to be close to him when, and you said when, he died. You decided it would be a lot less grief on your end, and you know what? He understood you.

For years, you've been grateful for him. As much as you've been his anchor, he's been yours...but he'd have made you a widower, even if you were married or not, and you just couldn't take that possibility.

If you're caught in the disastrous thunderstorm he'll leave behind, you're not sure you'll ever make it out.

You hope you'll never find out.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

"Get your ten commandments out of my soup!"

So why did you let him walk back into your life?

"I'm sorry! Hey, don't hit me with that ladle!"

You're not sure.

You point the utensil at him as threateningly as possible, although it's practically the same thing as pointing a spoon at him. "I don't need you for a taste-tester, Owens, you best take note of that."

"Yeah, yeah," Tyler's body is shaking with laughs, even as he lifts his hands up in surrender. "yes, sir."

You roll your eyes, bedrugingly turning your back to him to keep chopping vegetables. Tonight, you'll be sharing this soup with the whole family, and you're currently trying your damnedest to make it good. That means avoiding whatever seasoning boiled Tornado Wrangler digits will bring.

Tyler leans back to admire you, no he's not looking at your ass, work away. It feels oddly domestic, even if he's sitting down like a useless husband watching TV on his recliner.

That feeling of domesticity is piled on further when he hears the sound of innocent laughing outside.

"You sure that kid's not mine?" Tyler suggests for the second time, gesturing out the back door with his head.

"Haha." You laugh sarcastically, not even giving him the satisfaction of turning his way. "No, my sister just so happened to marry a blonde. Even if she was somehow ours, I would've never kept you from her."

Of course you wouldn't have. You're too good for that.

The kid outside is your niece, a twelve year old girl shipped out of bustling New York City to the backdoor of America for being "too addicted to her phone", as your sister says. Despite her self-proclaimed hatred for the outdoors, she's actually having a lot of fun with the ranch dogs, who indulge her when they're not working.

Even though he's in no way related to the kid, and even if you and him could never biologically create anything together, he swears she looks just like if the two of you had a love child, which makes his heart swell all the more when she sees her.

"If we could've had one," Tyler begins, standing up to begin a slow, silent walk towards you. "would you have rather they be a boy or a girl?"

"Don't ask me that." You say with a laugh, meaning you're refusing to answer only because you don't want to have prejudice.

"Okay, fine, then." He settles behind you, pressing his chest to your back. "Huh."

"Huh, what, cowpoke?"

His hands are settled on the edge of the counter on either side of you, trapping you in. "I thought you'd flinch."

"I learned to expected the unexpected around you, Tyler Owens. Never a day went by that you didn't surprise me, so I decided I'd simply never be surprised."

Tyler sputters out a laugh. "Oh, hobble your lip!"

"It's true." You reply, offhandedly, fully concentrated on chopping some carrots, and Tyler hates that because you're not giving him attention.

So he opts to do something you'll obviously never expect and prove you wrong. He leans down to press his nose against your neck, and you think he's only going to kiss it, but instead...

Thbptttttt!

"Ew, Tyler, you did not!" It's a miracle you have the self-restraint to put the knife down, let alone only push him away and not slap him on the face. You clutch the spot where he just blew a raspberry and instantly regret it, recoiling away from the feel of his saliva like it's acid.

Tyler laughs. Despite your best efforts to push him away again as he approaches, he only dodges your hands and traps you against the counter again. His plan is accomplished, as he now has you facing him.

"You asshole." You snarl.

Tyler only smiles. "Yours, all the same."

He leans down to kiss right where he'd blown that raspberry, collecting most of his own spit on his lips and saving you the trouble of cleaning it himself.

Even when you wipe off the rest of the spit you'd previously touched on his sleeve, he laughs.

"What am I going to do with you?" You sigh, cupping his cheek and tilting his gaze towards yours.

He's a damn bastard, having the audacity to grin at you as if he's won some kind of victory. "Kiss me."

So he's a puppy, then. Licking you like it's a way of kissing and expecting a proper kiss back. "No, you don't deserve that."

He rolls his eyes, though his eyes find yours immediately after. "Yes I do. Kiss me."

You don't know why you let Tyler Owens walk back into your life like nothing happened. You don't know how you let him kiss your neck, or how you let him even ask to kiss you, or how you're even being friendly with him.

Scratch that, actually. You don't know why he kissed your neck, why he wants to kiss you, or why he's being friendly with you.

You walked out of his life, for God's sake. You walked out of his life because you feared dealing with the aftermath of his death.

He's a tornado. Tyler Owens, the tornado wrangling cowboy, is a tornado. He's a fire twister, even, the worst of the worst, a category F5. The damage he'll leave once he dies out won't be devastating, it'll be incredible.

That's what you're trying to avoid.

"What's wrong?" Tyler's smile has faded, his expression sobered up. Of course he can still tell when you're lost in your own thoughts.

"Nothing." You shake your head, wipe your nose to hide your sniffle and thus let go of his face. "Hey, how about you go check up on Sophie? My sister would kill me if she got hurt."

"Right, sure." He can sense something's wrong, but he withdraws anyway, respecting your decisions. He always does that, and you hate him for it, because he's so good.

You watch him head out the back door, and even as he closes it, you watch on.

He's too good for you.

When the distant sound of the boiling soup catches your ear, you inevitably tear your eyes away.

Right, let's make the best soup there ever was.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Tyler had unknowingly picked the right time to show up at your front door when he did.

"Aww, come on, you didn't have to make such a big fuss," Your great uncle speaks with those sloppy dentures of his, but even with the wet sound of his gums and lips, he sounds entirely endearing. "Tyler's back! This party should've been his."

Tyler's always been the life of the party ever since you brought him home for that first Thanksgiving (his "trial", so to speak), and that apparently hasn't changed.

"Oh, no, no, you're kiddin' grandpa!" Tyler only raises his glass from where he's leaning against the punch table. "It's your birthday! Hell, I didn't even bring a gift!"

"Your fine ass is all you needed to bring." Your famously single aunt grins and sends a wink, holding a glass full of wine she snuck in despite all the children around.

Tyler directs his own glass towards her to thank her, his smile never waning. "Oh shush, aunt Delilah."

As Tyler greets the family one by one, all of which clearly miss him, you're in the corner of the room pointing out each of them to your niece.

"Those are your cousins...I think. They're your mom's cousin's kids, and well...whatever, they're Jonas' kids. Becky, Jake, Bean–"

"Bean?"

"Sorry, his name's Nick, we just call him Bean 'cause one time as a toddler we found him sitting on a sack of raw beans, shovelling them into his mouth."

"That's crazy."

Even after you've named every face in the room and sent Sophie away with a pat on the head to mingle with her...cousins, Tyler's still talking to everyone.

Your heart burns like you've had some of uncle Dick's famous dripping fried chicken at the sight of it because nobody's ever like this when it's just you.

It's not even about the fact you're forgotten, it's a big family and you have your own close group of cousins in the middle of all of them, it's the fact that they missed him.

While you're distracted, your mom pulls you down to sit beside her on the couch, where your dad is telling another story of his. Many of your aunts and uncles and distant cousins are gathered around him, listening intently, but as you actually hear the contents of his speech, your attention fades away. It's one of those stories he always tells, about how the crop cycle was ruined until he had this eureka idea.

Distantly, you hear Tyler droning on about his whole tornado wrangling cowboy thing, explaining his latest feat like it's nothing but a regular Tuesday. He's got a lot more people gathered around him than your dad; not to discredit your dad, as he's doing his best trying to compete against Tyler in storytelling, but you know how that will end.

You kiss your mother on the cheek and stand up to find your more amicable cousins, only to be interrupted by your aunt Sissy, Delilah's sister.

"Hey, darling! How've you been?" She calls you over and immediately slings an arm around your neck, holding you close and rubbing your cheeks together in greeting.

"Good, good." You say immediately, an instinctual white lie as you wipe her transferred makeup off your cheek.

She doesn't even notice you're lying to her, maybe doesn't care enough to notice, before she's nodding her head towards Tyler and his crowd. "I'm so happy you're back together with Tyler, he must have so many new stories to tell."

"Um, actually, auntie," You try to correct her, then bite your lip, pausing suddenly to think. It'd probably be a lot better if you let her believe you were back together, but you've already dug yourself into saying actually. "we're–"

"Hey, auntie Sissy!" Tyler suddenly appears beside you like he wasn't just across the room, leaning down to gracefully accept the cheek kisses in greeting. He somehow comes out of it without getting stained. "How have things been? The old cat still slinking around the neighbors' yards?"

The two of them exchange a few words before he's slinging an arm around your shoulder, "Can I borrow this one real quick? It'll just be a sec."

"Sure, sure!" Whether an insult to your presence or a compliment to his coercion tactics, she's more than happy to let the two of you go. "Don't let me hold up your fun."

You're grateful for him steering you away from the party and out onto the front porch, but you're also dreading being alone with him after the whole thing in the kitchen.

Tyler doesn't seem too far off.

"Whew, I did not miss being around your family." He breaths out, leaning against the porch's railing.

The whole dread fades into confusion as he says that, and you lean against the spot beside him. "You didn't?"

"No...well," He shakes his head, "I missed hanging out with them. I did not miss having to tell them every single detail about where I've been since I've last seen them."

"I thought you liked telling them stories." You hummed, turning your gaze from the scenery ahead to him.

"Eh...I much prefer intimate crowds." He sends a wink. You flush and try to turn away, but he catches your cheek and stops you.

Tyler knows something is wrong, has known since you discreetly pushed him away earlier today in the kitchen. Looking into your eyes only further convinces him.

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

His eyes narrow. His stupidly beautiful blue-green eyes narrow at you, and you know you can't lie anymore...but you can deflect.

"Did you know your eyes are blue and green?" You ask, lightly tapping his hand that sits on the railing.

"(Y/N)."

"Blue rim. Green...center? No, that's not the word, the inner? God, I don't know." You shake your head, and despite the movement, his hand doesn't leave your cheek.

"(Y/N)."

"They remind me of the classic scenery." You hold a pointer finger out. "Blue sky, green lawn, right? Or the Windows default wallpaper. Both are iconic."

His other hand leaves the railing and takes your other cheek. "Baby, look at me."

Baby. You used to hate it when he called you that, you weren't some baby, but now...now, how you've missed it.

You sigh, closing your eyes momentarily to collect yourself. No more deflecting and no more lies. You actually had to talk about your feelings now.

It had taken a lot of courage the first time, telling him: yes, I still love you, I'm just selfish and think that if you die, you'll take me down with you; no, I know you won't actually kill me, but you'll take my soul with you, and that's practically the same thing, isn't it?

"You don't have to tell me anything." Tyler speaks up before you do, beckoning your eyes open. "You just have to tell me to go away again, if that's what you want."

"No," You instinctively say.

"No," You say immediately.

No. No, how could you? You did once, and you're not sure how.

"Stay." You say, because you want it, you want him to stay.

"Okay." He says it easily, and his hands fall to his sides. He's willing to take that, just that, because...you don't know, maybe he still loves you. You're not willing to admit that.

You're not willing to accept that he still loves you after you told him you wanted to break up.

You take his hand before he can walk back into the party. "Why'd you come back?"

"I..." Tyler almost shrinks back, but you intertwine your fingers, and now you're the angler reeling him back in. "My car got flipped onto it's roof."

"Baby." You breathe out, pulling him in, pulling him closer to you, almost like he's not living flesh in front of you and you need to make sure he's breathing by feeling his chest heave against you.

"I was in the hospital for a little while...just some cuts." He assures first, to not worry you. He grabs both your hands, presses his nose to the knuckles, inhales the scent of their sweat like it's that of an apple pie, and it's weird but he needs it. "The glass broke, obviously, all of it, and some of my equipment, and, well, fuck, it was worse than a couple cuts."

"Ty."

"I'm okay, you see? Not scarred. I'm tough." He lets go of your hands momentarily to do a little twirl for you. He looks just the same as you left him.

"You almost died." You say anyway.

"Yeah." He doesn't deny it, he can't lie, because he can see through your lies as well as you can see through his. "I wanted to see you again, because...I wanted to see you in case the next time I got into an accident, I actually died. And you know what? I feel selfish for it."

"What? No." You shake your head, step closer. You're about to say more, but he starts first.

"You told me to stay away, but I came back into your life and I acted like nothing happened. You know, the life you're living? It's kind of what I wanted for us. A little ranch, some cows, some dogs, a farm. We get our own milk, our own eggs, grow our own food, and it's just the two of us..." His fingers climb up your arm like a little spider, and his gaze follows it absentmindedly. "Until we decide to adopt a little girl. You drive her to school, I drive her back home. We're happy, raising her. We teach her not to be like us, and she still turns out an exact replica of us, anyway. She's our princess."

"Sophie?"

"Sophie."

He sniffles. You tear your hand away from his only to cup both of his cheeks with your hands. "I'm so sorry, Tyler."

"No, I–"

"No, shut up." Despite the severity, you laugh, and he does too, until you're speaking again. "I shouldn't have left. I should've stayed right there with you. I'd have been right at your bedside, you know? I'd have kissed you like the first time. Remember what I said?"

He laughs again, "That my breath tastes like cow shit?"

"Yeah, that." You grin at him, and he loves to see you grin like that again. "I was selfish."

"I understood you completely, though. I thought I was saving you the grief." That's why he let you leave so easily, and you realize it now, looking into his eyes. "You were right. You always are."

"I'm not, Tyler. I was wrong." You shake your head, "I thought it worked. Weeks went by when I didn't think about you, because I fought the memories of you back. A year after, it settled in that I wouldn't be seeing you, so I thought I wouldn't even think about you anymore, but...the memory of you, your smile, your kisses, your warmth resurfaces every month, and god, I missed you. And missing you without the possibility of having you is just grieving you."

"...and now I'm here." He leans a bit further away, and you see all of him. You see the way his blue-green eyes are glassed over, and you've no doubt yours are the same; you see the familiar way his hat is perched above his head and how he still wears the top two buttons of his shirt undone and how his smile is just the same.

"And now you're here." You nod.

He places his hands over your wrists, holds them, presses his nose against yours. "I missed you too."

"Mhm?" You hum. Your breaths mingle with his, pressed this close together.

"And I love you, too. Still do."

"Fuck." You laugh, a teary little thing, but it's real and genuine and not a figment of his imagination. "I love you too."

And then you kiss, and he's missed it so much, and you've missed it so much, the two of you. You're slotted together, like pieces of a puzzle. You're not you without him and he's not him without you.

When you part, you wipe a couple stray tears off his cheeks, and he does the same for you.

"Should we..." He chokes a little on his words, then shakes the nerves off. He has you back, and his smile returns. "head back?"

"Yeah. Yeah, we should." You find yourself leaning back in, anyway.

You share another kiss, maybe two. If he'd brought a friend or three along, he'd have signalled them to light the fireworks in his truck to add a little magic to it, even if it already feels like fireworks are going off between your lips.

You could spend eternity like this.

When you've had enough of each other for the moment and finally head back in, your great uncle raises his spoon at you and laughs. "There you are! This soup is amazing, kid!"

Or at least that's what he would've said, had his dentures not gotten stuck in a hard carrot and splashed right back into his bowl.

One of the carrots which you added last, thanks to Tyler's distraction earlier today.

The tornado wrangler of a boyfriend you've regained is laughing his ass off beside you, while you cringe. So much for the perfect soup.

"Come on, (Y/N)." Tyler wraps an arm around you, pulling you close, and you're so happy he can do it casually again.

"Let's get us a bowl."

[storiesforallfandoms]

icdiwabh ~ joseph quinn

word count: 3688

request?: no

description: after finding out that her recently broken up with ex is already in a new relationship, she puts on a happy face for the public. but she can't do the same with him

pairing: joseph quinn x female!reader

warnings: swearing, angsty angst, rpf, use of y/n

based on this song

masterlist (one, two, three)

To give her credit, my best friend and guitarist, Chloe, tried her best to keep me from looking at my phone before our show. And it was working. I didn't even think anything of it, just that we were goofing off before a show as usual.

And then my phone chimed with a text from my mom. She always sent me a good luck text before a show. I unlocked my phone to respond, then saw that my social media notifications were blowing up more than usual.

I shouldn't have looked, but you know what they say about curiosity and the cat.

I opened Twitter to see I was being mentioned a lot. Mainly in replies to other tweets, and most of the tweets were along the lines of, "What happened to @(Y/U/N)?" I clicked on one to see what that context was, and was brought to a tweet from Pop Crave.

"Joseph Quinn photographed on a date with Doja Cat," followed by various photos of my ex-boyfriend getting cozy with another woman.

I felt my heart drop and break into millions of pieces.

I know what you're thinking: why would seeing my ex moving on hurt so much? It's not like we were together. We were both free to see whoever we wanted now. But there were a few reasons this news was upsetting; for one, we had only broken up three months ago, which apparently is around the time when these pictures were taken. Second, Joseph had broken up with me due to the fact that I was a singer, which meant we didn't get to spend as much time together as either of us would've wanted. I understood at the time. I mean, of course the break up still hurt, but I kind of knew it was coming when things between us had felt different the last month or so of our relationship.

Then there was the biggest reason: Doja was the woman he told me not to worry about.

I am not joking.

Joseph and I were together when the whole Doja versus Noah stuff happened online. We both laughed about it at the time, and i had jokingly asked Joseph, "Should I worry about you getting stolen away by Doja Cat?" He had wrapped me in his arms, kissed me, and said of course not.

Obviously, that had changed.

Chloe found me just as the tears started to fall. She was quick to hug me and whisper comforting words.

"Sweetheart, I'm so sorry," she said. "But we have to get to the stage."

Performing was the last thing on my mind, but I had thousands of fans waiting for me. I couldn't let them down just because I was heartbroken.

I followed Chloe to take my place. I wiped the tears from my eyes, hoping my face wasn't too red or puffy. Our backstage crew passed me my microphone as the countdown for the show to start started in my earpiece. I took a deep, calming breath, pushing everything out of my mind. As the blinding stage lights hit me, I put on my best show smile.

~~~~~~

The next few weeks were tough. I had to go on a full social media hiatus, meaning I deleted all social media apps from my phone to keep myself from seeing any more updates on Joseph and Doja. Chloe took up posting on my accounts so no one suspected anything. We had already decided the best course of action was to ignore the questions and comments, and to pretend like the news didn't even hurt me.

But it did. It hurt me more than any words could ever describe. Having to go on stage two to three nights a week and sing the love songs I wrote about him made it even harder. I struggled to keep it together on stage sometimes. I saved the emotions for when I'd get back to the hotel or the tour bus. Then I'd be able to cry until my eyes hurt and were too heavy to stay awake.

Some nights were sleepless, though. On those nights, I'd usually just lay awake or try to use one of the streaming services on my phone to distract myself. One night, I found myself too hungry to be distracted. My stomach was rumbling enough that I could hardly hear the show I was watching. After some quick Googling, I found a 24 hour diner that seemed like it would be slow enough for me to go without being recgonized.

I pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a baggy hoodie with the hood up to cover my face. I put my phone and my hotel room key in my pocket, and left to make my way to the diner.

As I expected, there weren't many people there. Maybe one table with two young ladies sat there, plus the workers. I kept my hood up anyways as I ordered, just in case. The host who took my order did look at me like he may have known who I was, but he didn't say anything.

My plan was to get my food and take it back to the hotel to eat it. But that plan was quickly changed when a familiar British voice said, "(Y/N)?"

I froze. There was no way he was actually here. It had to be a figment of my imagination. A hallucination made up by my misery over the breakup and his quick moving on.

But when I looked up, there he was. He was also in a hoodie and sweatpants, but was doing less to hide his identity. Actually, nothing to hide his identity. I couldn't help but glance around to make sure no one was looking at us or there was no paparazzi that had followed him and started snapping photos.

"How did you know it was me?" I asked, then realized it was a stupid question and winced at myself.

"That's...um...my hoodie."

I looked down and realized that he was right. I hadn't even noticed that I had it, even when I packed it for the tour.

"I was wondering where it went," he said with a little smile.

"Here it is," I said, lamely flourishing my hands. "I'd offer to give it back, but I'm not wearing anything underneath."

I saw him swallow at my comment. I thought I saw a tinge of pink creeping onto his cheeks, but I figured it must've been the lighting or something. There was no way I could still make him blush when he obviously had no feelings for me anymore.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I'm in town shooting the Fantastic Four movie," he explained. "I just finished a late shoot, so I stopped in for something to eat. What are you doing here?"

"I had a show tonight. I couldn't sleep, and I'm hungry. So..." I did my lame flourish again.

"Oh yes. The post-show adrenaline."

I ground my teeth to keep from saying anything. The weeks of sadness and misery suddenly vanished and became anger. I was angry at him for reminding me that he knew me so well. That we had shared memories on sleepless nights like this. I was also angry that he didn't think our breakup and his quick moving on would be the cause of my sleeplessness. Did he think I didn't know? Or just that I'd be okay with him and his new girlfriend mere weeks after our two year long relationship ended?

I just shrugged in response.

My order was called and I quickly grabbed it. I turned to give Joseph a wave as a goodbye. I needed to get out of there and get back to my hotel room to wallow in my dispair.

But it seemed Joseph had other plans, as he stopped me before I could leave. "Do you want to sit? Maybe...catch up?"

"Is that a good idea?" I asked.

"I don't see why it wouldn't be."

"You don't want your new girlfriend to see paparazzi photos of you with your ex."

There, it was finally out. No more tiptoeing around the topic.

It seemed to have its desired effect as Joseph was now awkwardly shuffling. He rubbed the back of his neck, which was now undoubtably turning pink. "So, you've heard."

"Of course I heard!" I snapped. I glanced around again, realizing I was raising my voice. "Your pictures are everywhere, and I'm being tagged in them cause we never told everyone we had broken up."

"I'm sorry you had to find out that way."

I scoffed. "How else was I going to find out? Were you going to call me and tell me you were dating the girl you said wasn't a threat to our relationship?"

He sighed. Before he could say anything else, they called that another order was ready, and evidently it was his. It was also packed in a to go bag, so he clearly had no intentions of staying either. With any luck, he'd drop this stupid idea of sitting down for a "catch up" and let me leave to deal with all the emptions I was feeling.

But of course, luck was not on my side.

Joseph grabbed his food and turned back to me. "Just...sit with me for 15 minutes at least. Let me explain."

Even though I very much wanted an explanation, I said, "You don't have to explain anything."

"Just...please, (Y/N)."

And that's how I found myself sat in a booth that was tucked away, in the middle of the night with my ex-boyfriend.

It was a bad idea, and I knew that. Besides the fact that I definitely should not be sitting down with the ex that I had been in shambles over for weeks, it was also a bad idea publicity wise. Joseph wasn't trying to hide himself. Anyone could see us and snap a picture, or call paparazzi to make a quick buck. Even with me trying to hide myself, someone would eventually put the pieces together to realize it was me. Then we'd have a whole new shit show on our hands.

I opened my food and started to eat. There was no point in letting it go cold and completely ruin my night. Joseph wasn't as quick to do the same. He was watching me. When I realized he wasn't eating, I made a gesture for him to start talking.

"Is there anything specific you want to know?" he asked.

Well, that was a stupid question. There was a lot I wanted to know. So much so that I knew we'd be here way longer than 15 minutes if I asked it all.

I decided to ask him the most prominent question on my mind: "Did you leave me for her?"

He seemed stunned by my question. "No! No, of course I didn't. Why would you think that?"

I gave him a look. "Come on, Joseph. We both know why I'd think that."

He shuffled in his seat. "It's not like that."

"Then explain it. That's the whole reason I'm sat here."

So he did. He told me he met Doja (he used her real name, which made my stomach churn) at her concert. He had gone with a few friends, and when she found out he was there she brought them backstage to meet her. He swore it was all casual at first, that they were just friendly and were making light of the situation between her and Noah. When things started changing, he swore it was just a rebound thing.

"I never meant for it to become anything more," he insisted. "I was still so hurt. I just wanted something that would take my mind off of the pain."

I couldn't hold back the scoff that escaped my lips. "What?"

"Oh, nothing," I said. "I'm just so sorry to hear that you were hurting."

"What, you don't think our breakup was hard for me?"

"Weirdly enough, no, I didn't think you took things hard when you dumped me."

Joseph sighed. "It wasn't - "

"And you know what else?" I cut him off. "You told me you found it hard for us to be together because of our professions. And, honestly, I understood! If you weren't away filming, I was away touring. If you weren't doing press for a movie or show, I was doing press for an album. It wasn't easy, and while I was willing to go through those strifes for us, I did understand how it could be too difficult for you. But then you turned around, not even a month after you dumped me, and started dating another singer."

He was quiet. He couldn't even meet my eye.

I felt a lump forming in my throat, and my voice cracked as I said, "If you didn't love me anymore, you could've just said that."

He looked up at me quickly. "That's not - "

He was cut off again. Not by me this time, but by his phone. Someone was calling him. When I looked at the screen, I saw her name. It felt like a knife directly through my heart.

I packed my food and stood. Joseph looked like he was going to say something, but I put a hand up to stop him. "Answer your girlfriend, Joseph."

He didn't try to stop me when I left this time.

~~~~~~

As I expected, photos of Joseph and I got out. I didn't know to what extent as I still wasn't back on social media. My manager confronted me about it and I explained what had happened. She wasn't upset as I wasn't the one who hadn't been concealing my identity, and she agreed that the best course of action was just to ignore everything until it blew over.

Another two months passed and the tour finally ended. It became easier to perform as the time went on. Not completely easy, and I did have a night or two where I slipped up and got emotional on stage, but eventually I was able to put the meanings of my songs aside and just performed them for my fans. I knew some nights weren't as great as others, but I got through it, and finally I was going to have a break.

Chloe reluctantly agreed to let me have my social media back. I was still hurting a little, but I told her I couldn't isolate myself forever. It just wasn't healthy. Besides, I would need something to keep me occupied while I was home, besides just watching mind numbing reality TV. She finally relented when I told her she could watch me block the words "Joseph Quinn" and "Doja Cat" on all social media so that I wouldn't have to see any posts about them.

I was honestly surprised to find that I didn't want to look up anything to do with them. For a long time, the desire to know about their relationship was eating away at me. There were so many specifics I felt like I needed to know, but I eventually realized that I was just going to hurt myself further if I looked into them. Of course, I didn't completely stop thinking about Joseph. I didn't expect to. We had been together for two years, almost moved in with one another. I thought we were going to get married. You don't just let that go easily. But at least it was getting a little easier to live in a world where he was no longer mine.

On one particularly nice day, I decided to go out on the balcony to read. It was one of those fall days where the sun was out and there was a little heat coming from it, but not enough that it was unbearable. A slight breeze would blow through every so often, just cool enough to keep it tolerable outside. I was laid back in one of my deck chairs, engrossed in my book to a point that I hadn't heard someone approaching.

"Must be an interesting novel."

I jumped at the sound of a voice coming from my driveway below. I bookmarked my page and sat up to see the last person I wanted to be around. "What are you doing here, Joseph?"

"I just got back from filming."

"Good for you."

"I...I was hoping you were home."

"Well, you see that I am. Don't let the gate hit you on the way out."

"(Y/N), can we just talk?"

I stood from my seat and leaned over the balcony railing to look at him. "We said all there was to say in that diner months ago. There's nothing else to be talked about. Besides, do you want more pictures of us to come out? I'm sure Doja wouldn't be happy to see her man making a personal visit to his ex's place."

"We broke up!"

I stopped. "What?"

"Last month. It was all over social media, or so Lupita tells me." He tilted his head. "You didn't hear?"

"I-I blocked yours and Doja's names on social media so I wouldn't have to see any tweets or posts about you."

Joseph looked at me for a moment before barking out a laugh. I couldn't help but put a hand over my face as I laughed as well. Of course, by trying to block him out completely, I had totally missed the one thing I would've wanted to see.

I was a bit reluctant, but eventually I invited Joseph to come up. He knew his way through my place, he had been there enough times. I sat back down on my deck chair and pulled another one closer to me, as he appeared in the glass doorway. He sat down next to me and memories of all the times we had been out here flooded back to me.

"I wasn't done talking that night in the diner," he said. "I still had so much to say, and I have even more to say now."

"I didn't want to hear it," I admitted. "In my mind, after hearing how you and Doja got together, it just made more sense if you had broken up with me because you didn't love me anymore."

He shook his head. "It wasn't that at all. I never stopped loving you."

I was itching to ask him if that meant he still loved me now, but instead I said, "Then why?"

"I broke up with you because I loved you so much," he said. "Because loving you but not getting to spend time with you hurt so much, and I knew there was no way around that. When I started getting more job offers I knew things were just going to get so much busier for me, and that our already very short time together was going to dwindle down more and more, and I hated the thought of that."

"I would've taken a break," I told him.

"I couldn't ask you to do that. You love making music and performing. I could never ask you to stop doing that, or to change that. I thought the best thing for you would be if you could find someone who wasn't as busy, and who'd be able to go on tour with you and be at all your shows. Someone who wouldn't be in a different time zone basically 11 months out of a year and only be able to call you for an hour max every night."

"But what if that's not what I want?" I asked. "Yes, it was hard not to get to see you all the time, but I never would've traded that for anything else. I was so proud of you for all those roles you were getting, and even if I only got to talk to you for a few minutes, I loved getting to hear what you were doing. Because you were achieving your dream, and I got to be there to experience it. I don't want someone who can be with me all the time, I want you."

I hadn't noticed that we were both sat on the edge of our chairs. We were so close we were almost touching. I could smell the familiar scent of his cologne and it was making my heart skip a few beats.

"I should've talked to you instead of deciding just to end things," he said, his voice soft and quiet.

"You should've," I agreed. "And then if you were going to rebound, you shouldn't have done it with the girl you told me not to worry about."

He awkwardly chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, not my finest moment."

I sat back in my chair, although I didn't want to. I wanted to keep being this close to him, or maybe to get closer. "So why did you two breakup anyways?"

"She was nice and all, but she wasn't you."

We sat in silence, letting his words sink in. He was looking at me, almost like he was waiting. Maybe I was waiting, too, to see where that confession was supposed to go. After a few moments, my body moved before my mind could comprehend what was happening. I quickly leaned forward, nearly putting myself on Joseph's lap, and started kissing him. He kissed me back immediately, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me the rest of the way onto his lap.

"I missed you," he mumbled against my lips.

"I missed you too," I admitted. I pulled away to add, "But don't think you're completely off the hook. You did still hurt me, you know."

"I know I did. I'll spend the rest of my life making up for it if I have to."

I smiled. "I think I like the sound of that."

He smiled back at me and pulled me back in for another kiss. Eventually, my book was abandoned on the balcony, and the large blinds were closed to keep from anyone being able to see the reunion happening inside.

[maristarfish]

Happy birthday, dear

Neuvillette x f!reader - Established relationship - Neuvillette takes care of reader after a long day of work - It's readers birthday - Fluff - Mentions of wearing heels - NO use of y/n

●・○・●・○・●●・○・●・○・●●・○・●

FOR THE LOVELY NIKA ⸜(*ˊᗜˋ*)⸝ It's her birthday today (her timezone) Everybody wish her a happy birthday

@mxyarylla

Of course everyone can enjoy this, the birthday setting is for today's purpose :)

●・○・●・○・●●・○・●・○・●●・○・●

The day before your birthday, of all the days your boss could pick, you're stuck with work all day. Around 11pm, you finally make it back home. You expect Neuvillette to be at work, like usual. The house is quiet, it's a comforting quiet compared to the noisey day at your job.

After locking the door, you hang your bag on a nearby hook and walk to your shared bedroom. You're surprised as you open the door and see the light on, your husband sitting on the edge of the bed reading a book. He hears you come in, looking up to meet your eyes.

"You're back. How was work?" He closes his book and sets it aside.

You walk over to the bed and plop yourself down next to him. "Exhausting."

He chuckles, standing up before kneeling on the floor in front of you. He takes the tiny strap of one of your shoes and unbuckles it. Neuvillette never understood heels like this. Why make it so hard to come off? He does the same to the other one, letting the heels drop to the floor. He kisses your knee before looking back up at you.

"At least you are here now... Any longer, I would've had to come get you early."

"Really? I'd love to see that. Maybe I'll ask him to stay just a little longer next time, see what happens."

"Oh really?" he laughs and the room goes silent for a brief moment. Your eyes never leaving each other.

"For now, how about a bath?" Others would maybe think he's insulting you, but you understood.

"Now?" you grimace. "I guess it is necessary."

You pat his head before standing up, making your way to the bathroom. As you suspected, the bathtub is already full. The water is still hot and steaming, as if he timed it just right. There are foaming bubbles in the tub, you assume they are to relax you. After looking on a nearby counter, there's already a fresh towel for you to dry off with. On top of that, there's a silk pajama set placed neatly next to it. A color he likes to see you in often, blue.

You're in awe of his efforts when the very man who did all of this comes into the bathroom with you.

"Neuvi, you did all this?"

"It was not much. I simply wanted to make sure my lady was relaxed today."

You hug him tightly, his warmth soothing you even more. He rubbed your back, before kissing the top of your head.

You let go, smiling widely at him. "I'll go in now, then. Hopefully I don't fall asleep."

Neuvillette stiffens, suddenly worried that you may actually fall asleep in there.

I will stay in here with you, if you'd like?"

You nod. "I'll take you up on that offer!" Before undressing, and dipping yourself in the water. The temperature is comforting. It doesn't make you cold even for a second. You hum, satisfied with the bath.

Neuvillette puts his hair into a high ponytail, knowing it would get in his way later. He learned how to manage his hair a little more after your endless teachings of how to simply get it in a ponytail. But it was worth the effort, because he looked absolutely beautiful in that hairstyle.

He walked over to the bathtub and sat down next to it, leaning his weight on the tub.

"What would you have done if I came home late?" you grab a peice of his long hair and start playing with it, twirling it in your hands.

"What do you mean, exactly?" He asked in return.

"The temperature is still warm, it's very comforting. Like you just did this minutes ago. Yet, you were calmly sat with a book in your hand when I arrived."

He smiled slightly. "I cannot reveal my secrets."

"Really? How sneaky of you." You grinned.

-

An hour passed and you were ready to get out from your bath.It had been spent chatting with Neuvillette as you soak in the warmth of his love and the temperature of the water.

Steam hit your face just right you nearly actually fell asleep while he ran out of things to say. You hop out and dry off your body with the towel he prepared for you.

Neuvillette offered to dry your hair which you glady took him up on.

Putting on the blue silk pajamas he picked out and heading to bed, happily. Neuvillette wraps you into an embrace underneath the sheets of your shared bedroom. You can feel yourself start to drift off immediately. A mix of a long day, with the relaxing night.

Or maybe because it was past midnight. "Happy birthday, dear." Neuvillette plants a chaste kiss on your forehead. You hear him, before letting out a simple thank you.

●・○・●・○・●●・○・●・○・●●・○・●

Word count: 812

Yayy I finished! Ty Nika for being such an amazing person ᕙ( •̀ ᗜ •́ )ᕗ

I hope you enjoy this as a little treat for all your hard work recently loll

-

Extra note: If you like resident evil - specifically aeon (Ada x Leon), please consider checking out my side blog @marisaeon where I'll upload stories on them. Posted works over there:

Aeon Valentines

Only for her ears

What if ada handwrote the note to Leon in re6?

I slowly am growing out of genshin, I hope you understand!

[thatrandomlemononyourcounter1]

The Problems With TMNT 2012 April O'neil (And Why It's The Writer's Fault)

(side note this accidentally low-key turned into an April O'neil defense post, and I apologize.)

Hello everyone! This post was seven pages on google docs so that's fun :D

When I was younger, I thought April O'neil was so cool. She was part Kraang, had multiple guys chasing after her, and was training to be a kunoichi.

As I got older though, and rewatched the show, I realized that while her character was cool, there were a lot of issues with said character.

Now, before I really start, I want to clarify, I do not dislike April! In fact, I still think she's a really cool character with a lot of potential. Unfortunately, said potential has been lost to the grasp of time and space, but that's not her fault.

A lot, and I mean a LOT of people don't like April. The most common complaints I hear about her are as follows. A, she led Donnie and Casey on. B, she's a Mary Sue. C, she got too powerful too fast. D, she's just annoying and two-faced.

Let's start with point number 1.

The Love Triangle between Donnie, April, and Casey is one of the most controversial things in the show. Some people love it, most people hate it, not that I blame them. The biggest point against the love triangle was that it deterred from the characters, and was honestly just kinda gross and cringey.

This could not be more true.

I could make whole other posts on why Donnie and Casey's characters would've been so much better without the love triangle, but this is an April post, so let's talk about April and the first point where the writer's screwed up.

Introducing April as a love interest

If there was one thing that I could take away from TMNT 2012, it would be the fact that they introduced April not as her own character, but a love interest. The fact that they did this set the stage for what April's character was meant to become.

If they had simply introduced April as her own character, then we would've been able to get a better grip on her personality.

But no.

April had never really been a love interest in the iterations before tmnt 2012, and that was because she usually stood in as an older sister figure for the turtles. Yes, some fans shipped April with the turtles, but it was never implied in any of the previous shows that any of the turtles had a crush on April or vice versa.

I don't know why TMNT 2012 decided to change that, but they did.

Making April the same age as the turtles wasn't the problem, and honestly, neither was shipping Donnie and April in the show.

It was how they did it.

In shipping the two of them, they dumbed April's character down to just a love interest, and made her seem bitchy. They wrote her having romantic moments with both Donnie and Casey, and supposedly turning both of them down at other moments.

A Foot Too Big is one of the most controversial episodes in TMNT 2012 period. The episode consists of Donnie rescuing Bigfoot. Bigfoot then proceeds to follow Donnie around like a lost puppy, invade his personal space, touch him without consent, blah, blah, blah. This causes Donnie to realize that just like how Bigfoot is acting is making him uncomfortable, how he's acting around April is probably making her uncomfortable. He then proceeds to tell April that he was going to try and start leaving her alone, and that he understood he was probably making her uncomfortable.

Then, in one of the most controversial moments ever, April grabs him and kisses him, saying "You're my mutant."

Yeah.

Prettttyyyy bad.

I think this incredibly out of character for April, and I think that the entire reason this scene happened was so that they wouldn't lose their most played gag, well tied with making Mikey look stupid after proving him to be smart time and time again, but that's a post for another time.

An excellent point that I've seen made by others was that the whole love triangle was never planned to have a solution, it was there to be played for laughs, which in turn, made April's character suffer for it.

I do believe that April's character would've thrived if not for the love triangle, and I believe that Donnie and Casey's characters would've been better off as well.

Point 2: April's a Mary Sue

Boy oh boy.

First of all, let's look at the definition of a Mary Sue.

"Unrealistically lacking in flaws or weaknesses."

So...people want to call April bitchy, and then call her a Mary Sue, as if being bitchy isn't a character flaw?

This is argumentatively one of my LEAST favorite arguments against April's character, because usually the argue-r defeats themself when they say the statement.

"She's annoying." That's a character flaw.

"She leads people on." That's a character flaw.

"She let herself get controlled by the stupid crystal." That's a character flaw.

April has a lot of flaws, and that's one of the reasons why I think her character could've been really interesting!

Let's take a look at some of the things that build April's character, and therefore make her not a Mary Sue.

April is shown from the very beginning of the show to be more of an action-oriented person, not always thinking things through.

(i.e. in S1 EP6 Metalhead when she went to go investigate the Kraang warehouse by herself or even in S1 EP1 Rise of the Turtles when she tries to come up with a plan to escape the Kraang's holding her hostage)

This is a character flaw, and it's one that we see a lot throughout the show.

April is also shown to be very empathetic. You can see this in multiple instances, such as when Karai admitted that she believe Splinter was her father, and April believed her.

This isn't necessarily a character flaw, but it has gotten her into trouble a few times. Usually her empathetic attitude helps more than harms.

April stands up for what she thinks is right. This is an important piece of her character that ties into her empathetic attitude.

April is sassy sometimes.

April can hold a serious grudge.

But, she can also be forgiving.

April is stubborn.

So, as I've pointed out, April definitely has a personality. It's just that usually, these elements of her character were ignored in favor of the love triangle, dulling down her character overall, and making her sometimes seem like a Mary Sue.

Speaking of the Mary Sue argument, let's take a gander at another requirement for being a Mary Sue, which is "everyone likes them, and people who don't like them are shown to be wrong for not liking them."

This is NOT true for April.

TMNT 2012 had no problems making Karai and April have serious beef, and Karai was never shown to be in the wrong for disliking her, except for when Karai took it a step too far.

Obviously, most of the other characters (who aren't villains) like April, because the other characters that are shown are her friends, or friends of friends.

Another aspect of the Mary Sue argument was that the character was usually too powerful without a reason, or out of nowhere.

This also ties into point number three:

April got too strong too fast/April's too strong

Okay!

So let's get into this point.

When I was a little younger, I used to think that people who argued this had a point, but again, as I've gotten older and applied my critical thinking skills, I realized that this isn't actually true.

Some people didn't like that the show made April half-Kraang, claiming it was too strange, just a way to make a female character seem like a 'girlboss', and of course a variety of sexist comments.

I am among the lovers of half-Kraang April, mostly because I think it was a really interesting take on the character.

But! A lot of people claimed that her "kraang" powers were too strong, making her unlikeable.

You want to know how the writers remedied this?

By making April get possessed by the Aeon crystal! (In my opinion, this was actually a really interesting writing direction)

Whiiichhh...of course a bunch of people also had a problem with.

Look, I can't make you like the Aeon crystal writing choice, and I'm certainly not about to try, but, by making April get possessed, the writers inadvertently added a flaw to their apparent "flawless" glorified love interest.

Now, it's been a hot minute since I watched any of the later seasons of TMNT 2012 (mostly because paramount plus is my mortal enemy (side note if anyone has seasons 3-5 downloaded feel free to DM me wink wink)), but I think I remember April losing some fights.

It wasn't like the narrative made her invincible, is my point.

So yes, April was strong, but she wasn't insufferably strong to the point where it was annoying.

I often see this argument used against Captain Marvel from the MCU as well, and I loathe it with my entire being so.

Now for the "April got too strong too fast" complaint.

I just gotta ask, did we watch the same show? /hj

April was shown to have something strange going on with her since season 1! Her powers were alluded to multiple times, so it wasn't like this was a last minute writing decision.

Her power grew stronger as the seasons went on, and there were a few episodes in each season that showcased this, such as S3 EP7 Eyes of the Chimera.

Yes she was strong in season 5, but that's because it was the last season!

As for her ninjutsu skills, it's the same thing. She'd been training since season 1! She grew as a ninja over time.

Now, for the last point:

April's just annoying.

Yeah, if this is you, I don't know if I can change your mind. Also if this is you, there a many times per season where I agree with you!

But let me tell you dear reader the same thing I tell myself.

It's not the character, it's the writers.

Unless the very idea of April O'neil makes you mad, my guess is that most of the gripes you have with her character are the writers' fault. The not choosing between Donnie and Casey, the 'character trait swaps', all of that was the writers.

None of those things are April's character.

Conclusion:

If you made it all the way down here, and read all of it, I applaud you.

Overall, I can't make you like April, but I can attempt to analyze her character and give you the finished analysis, that is mostly just me blaming all the problems of her character on the writers.

April had the opportunity to be an amazing character, and that opportunity was poured down the drain.

But, there are still some redeeming things about her character, and those things are the things that made me like her.

So, like most things in life, if you focus on the positives, you'll be okay.

This was CJ and her April O'neil analysis, that accidentally turned into a defense post.

Sorry if none of this post made any sense, I wrote it at midnight after a very long day.

[cosmal]

hello!! can i request #5 from the scenario list with a sirius pls?? thank u lovely 💜💜💜

a secret

∗ o5﹕ sender comforts the receiver in the aftermath of a  nightmare.

content — sirius black x fem!reader

Sirius gets home later than he wanted to and doesn't expect the warm light that spills under the bottom of your bedroom door. He shucks off his shoes at your front door and makes sure it's locked before he heads to your room.

The door creaks open and he just catches you flinching where you're sat on the other side of the room. You sit at your window bench with your legs pulled up to your chin and the cold breeze blows over you where it tracks in through the open window.

"Darling," he says softly as if he'll disrupt the quiet blanketing the room. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

You turn your head to rest your cheek on your arm and the glow from your hanging star-shaped lights washes over your neck and shoulders. Sirius thinks about how cold you have to be in just a pair of sleep shorts and the vest that's riding up your back.

You sniffle, rubbing your cheek against your arm. "You're home," you sigh. Sirius's heart feels heavy in his chest for a moment. You sound small.

"You okay?" he asks, padding softly across your rug to where you're sat. He places his hand on your cheek and startles to find it damp. "Honey..." he coos.

You close your eyes under his heavy hand and wrinkle your face up to hold back your tears. You're like ice under his touch. He leans forward to close your window and sits down at your feet.

"Did something happen?" he asks, trying to keep the panic hidden from his voice. If he freaks he'll definitely only make things worse. He stays calm for your sake only, because he really is worried.

"I had a bad dream," you say quietly, your voice thick with bubbling upset. "And then I woke up and you weren't here and I- I didn't know what to do."

"Oh, darling." He sounds just as soft as you do, though for a completely different reason.

He opens his arms to encourage you into them. You get up on your knees and shuffle over to him until you've got your shoulder tucked under his arm and your face pressed into his dress shirt. You've got your bent knees over his lap where he holds you closer with his hand spread over your leg right under your shorts.

He presses a kiss into the top of your head for good measure, it's more selfish than anything. He hasn't kissed you in hours and now he's home, you've been all upset without him. He feels apologetic more than anything.

"I'm sorry I was out for so long," he says into your hair.

"Don't be," you mumble. He can hardly hear you but he's not expecting anything more right now. "Don't be sorry, it's okay. It's over now."

"How long have you been up for?"

You shiver and SIrius tugs you closer. He'd get you in his lap if he thought you'd want it. "Not too long." He doesn't know if he believes you because you'd definitely lie just to keep him happy. He also doesn't want to talk about it right now if you don't want to.

"You should've called me, sweetheart, I would've come home," he says honestly. Because he would've. The boys would've understood, and even if by some hypothetical chance they didn't, he wouldn't have cared.

"I wasn't gonna ruin your night," you sniffle and push yourself closer like you're not in his space enough. Your hip digs into his and his arm has gone numb where it's pinned between the seat and your back but he doesn't care.

"James was pissing me off anyways," Sirius snorts. "He was pissed. Frank had him doing shots all night."

"Oh no," you sigh into his side. There's the barest smile on your lips which brings Sirius some comfort. "Poor Lily."

"Poor Lily," he agrees quietly. "I dropped him home. He broke one of her pot plants, she's not happy."

Then, he hears it. It's not loud, or overly exciting but it still lights Sirius's chest on fire. You giggle and try to smother it in the skin behind his chest. Covering your face, trying to hide the fact that you're laughing at your best friend's expense.

He looks down and feels your warming face under his hand. Your smile is killer and melts his heart like candy floss.

"You smell like brandy. Were you at The Swan?" you ask, sitting back so he can see your face.

He traces his thumb over the bow of your top lip and chuckles. "How did you know?"

You smile, kissing the pad of his thumb. His hand skips over your skin as you do so. "You and Remus always drink brandy there."

"True," he smiles. "God, can't hide anything from you, huh?"

"What would you be hiding, Black?" He thinks you almost bite him but decide against it.

He leans down like he's about to kiss you. His breath fanning over your lips. You close your eyes. "Can't tell you. It's a secret."

He kisses you before you can pretend to be offended.

[ykwrites]

Like

Pairing: Osamu Miya x reader.

Warnings:none

Rating: SFW

Requests: CLOSED.

Summary: a very short and very stupid one shot.

MASTERLIST

12:30

Samu:''Question''

Y/n:''Shoot''

Samu:''Ya like me?''

Samu: ''I mean like like''

Samu: ''Like u want to kiss me or something''

read.

Phone immediately thrown across the room.

What the fuck was that supposed to mean? what did he want you to respond?

You always thought Atsumu was capable of something like this, but definitely not Osamu.

Osamu didn´t seem like the type to flirt with you after you broke up with one of his best friends.

''Y/n, are you okay?''a deep, stoic voice startled you, coming from the other side of your bedroom door.

''Yes, Toshi, I´m fine''you lied, certain urge in your voice hinting that you wanted to be left alone.

''Are you visible?''

Of course, your roommate would not let this go so easily.

''Yes''straightening up, you tried to look calm.

The door opened slowly showing a worried Ushijima, wondering why you acted so weird.

''I heard you scream and then a loud bang, what happened?''

This was news to you, but maybe you did react too crazy to that text.

Should you tell your friend what Osamu said?

Your heart pounded, there might've been a couple times where you thought it would be nice to kiss Miya, but you never mentioned it to anyone. Those kind of thoughts came after you broke off your previous relationship and started hanging out with Osamu more often to get distracted.

It was nice, Osamu understood your sadness after the break up and made it a point to make you smile and enjoy things. He often cooked for you, or just stopped by to watch some stupid movie and talk the entire time.

''Y/n''again, Ushijima bursted your bubble.

''Sorry''you uttered ''I´m good''

''Can you please tell me what happened?''

''Nothing important''

''Then why is your phone on the floor?''he raised a brow, picking up the device with two fingers ''thank god your screen didn't crack''

Silence dominated the room when your friend clicked the lock button and watched the screen light up. This was the first time you ever regretted having his face saved on your phone so he could unlock it whenever he needed to.

Ushijima clearly didn´t mean to see the texts, he just wanted to turn on the screen and check any damages, but the text app happened to pop up directly.

''I´m sorry''he said, handing your phone over ''That is a private conversation, I didn't mean to''

''You don´t have to apologize, Toshi, I would've told you anyway''you shrugged it off, he would find out anyway.

Even after years of being close friends and living together, Ushijima was still so correct and polite.

''That's why you almost broke your phone?''

''Yes''face beet red, you admitted.

''Are you going to respond?''

''I have no idea''

''I can tell him to leave you alone, it seems like this makes you uncomfortable''

It made you... nervous, not uncomfortable.

Ushijima was being protective, but before you could deny his offer, the doorbell rang a couple times.

''I´ll open''

Waiting for him to come back, you took a deep breath and stared at the text, getting anxious once again.

Osamu could be joking, right? there was no need to freak out really. He was a Miya after all...they like to play pranks on other people.

Ushijima was taking too long answering the door, so you focused to try and hear if he was talking to someone.

Your room was the furthest from the front door,only a faint mumble echoed in the distance, two male voices argued, weirdly calm but it still sounded like a confrontation.

Worried that Ushijima could be in trouble (and also being nosy) you got off your bed and quietly walked down the hallway, getting close enough to hear one simple but very revealing phrase.

“You make her uncomfortable, please leave”

Oh no

“She told ya that?”

OF COURSE he had to come over because you left him on read for like ten minutes.

“No, I saw it on her face”

Ushijima was getting annoyed.

“Dude, I’ve known ya since highschool and you’ve always been terrible at reading people’s emotions”

“Miya, leave”

That tone made you jump out in a heartbeat, Ushijima is calm and collected, but if you annoy him enough, he will punch someone.

Osamu looked at you with wide eyes, face blushing and hands moving nervously.

“Toshi, let me talk to him” you stated, taking a deep breath and ignoring that something moved inside you when you saw Osamu’s eyes light up.

“You sure?” Your friend asked, arching a brow.

“Yes”

With that, Ushijima made his way to the kitchen, and you decided to step outside with Osamu and closing the door instead of letting him in.

It was cold, but you didn’t care so much, with the way he looked at you, your whole body felt hot.

“What do you want?” You asked, breaking silence.

“You left me on read”scratching his neck, he explained.

Exactly.

“I know”

“S’fine, ya can respond now”a small, crooked smile showed on his lips.

Nervous and all, he was still a Miya, stupid, smug and handsome Miya.

“You’re so dumb, Samu”

“Come on” he urged, moving his hands towards you but deciding to backtrack and not touch you, like had thought it wasn’t a good idea mid way.

“What?”

You were pushing him, but honestly you still thought that he was playing a prank on you, and this stupid situation made you like him a bit more.

“Just reject me so we can be normal friends and I can stop falling for ya” his eyes avoided you this time, lowering his voice like he was embarrassed to say this.

“To answer your question…”you started, having a hard time expressing your feelings “I do like like you” his gaze instantly up to look at your face “like I want to kiss you or something”

He let out a big huff, exaggerated, showing relief with every expression.

“On the lips?”the sudden question took you by surprise, and Osamu smiled triumphant.

“Yes, Osamu, on the lips” you couldn’t help but laugh.

Distracted by his cute, annoying face, you didn’t even notice he got really close, his body pressing against yours gently. Your breath hitched, looking up at him with pleading eyes.

“I like ya”he said in a whisper, caressing your face with adoration.

Your body tingled all over when his lips were finally on yours, soft and tentative.

Realizing that you didn’t push back, he held you by your waist and deepened the kiss, lost in the overwhelming wave of emotions flooding his senses.

You would’ve kept kissing him for hours on end if it wasn’t for a surprised gasp coming from inside your house.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt” Ushijima spoke loudly without opening the door. “You can keep kissing”

Osamu audibly laughed with you.

“Don’t worry, man, I can kiss her later”

A couple seconds of silence after, Ushijima opened the door and stated he was going to make dinner for the three of you, acting like nothing happened and not waiting for Osamu’s response before disappearing into the kitchen once again.

“Who said I’ll let you kiss me later?”you teased, playing with the man next to you.

“You did, baby”

The nickname made you flinch and you swore he was going to laugh right before he kissed you again, cementing his feelings for you.

After all, he was right, you did like like him, a whole lot.

[archiveikemen]

'Black Wedding' Story Event: Chapter 2

Roger's Route

I do not own any of the Ikemen Series content being uploaded on this blog, everything belongs to CYBIRD. Please support them by playing their games and buying stories. Not 100% accurate, expect mistakes.

read this before interacting with my posts

The tests we were put through were surprisingly predictable.

I answered their questions smoothly, just like how Roger and I had planned.

(So far so good.)

Believer: It is understood that the two of you are very in love with each other.

(We did it!)

Believer: And now, for the last part, a promise kiss.

(— What.)

Roger: Young lady, face this way.

Roger grabbed my shoulders with his large hands.

(If we don’t kiss, they’ll suspect that we’re lying. But…)

While I panicked internally, I felt a kiss on my forehead.

(...!)

Roger: My lover’s a shy woman. I’d appreciate it if you would let this one slide.

Roger: I’ll give her plenty of kisses at night after this. When it’s just the two of us alone, of course.

Roger’s genuine smile was the first I had ever seen, and the believer got excited.

Believer: It’s a wonderful thing to care about the feelings of the one you love! You have now been acknowledged as a couple.

Believer: The wedding ceremony will be held here tomorrow morning. Until then, you are free to spend your time here as you please.

(That’s a good thing, but that might interfere with our mission.)

There was still information we needed to explore Amour in order to find out.

(Right…)

Kate: If it’s possible, could you let us do some volunteer work?

Kate: I’d like to be of service to you, as you’ve acknowledged our love…

Roger: …

Believer: That would be great! Please, do lend me a hand.

It would be much easier for us to enter restricted areas by saying it was for volunteer work.

(Was it selfish of me to do something without discussing it with Roger beforehand?)

I glanced at Roger and he gave me a smile that seemed to be him telling me “good job”.

(He’s smiling at me. This… makes me kind of happy.)

After watching the believer leave, I said to Roger in a whisper.

Kate: … Thank you for caring about my feelings just now.

Roger: I just didn't want you to shove me away. Look a little sexier next time, yeah?

(Wha…!)

But despite the tone of his speech, his hand caressing my head felt somewhat gentle.

(... Seriously, being with Roger really throws me off.)

…

— Roger returned after taking some time off from volunteer work to go investigate.

We made eye contact, careful not to draw too much attention to ourselves.

Kate: Did you manage to find anything?

Roger: Yeah, I was able to "hear" a lot of things while walking around.

Roger’s curse gave him extraordinary hearing abilities, allowing him to hear anything within a 100 yard radius.

Roger: This is how the serial killings were committed. Sleeping pills were snuck into the wine served to the couples during the wedding ceremony, and then they were killed while unconscious.

Roger: As per the previous investigation, the main culprit is indeed the man who calls himself the Leader.

Roger: The bodies of the victims are stored in the basement.

The solid evidence made my heart ache.

Kate: I want to think that the Leader committed those murders all by himself, but… it’s hard to do so.

(There would've definitely been someone who would notice that the couples disappeared.)

Roger: Yeah, although the believers aren't directly involved in the murders, they silently condone it.

Kate: Why…

Roger: They believe that it’s salvation, not sin.

Kate: … Is that really the case?

Roger: Perhaps something serious happened that caused them to feel hopeless and end up this way.

Kate: … Hopeless?

Roger: Feeling hopeless can easily kill a person’s heart. They will then desperately cling to something for survival.

Roger: Regardless of how messed up that “something” is.

Roger: Just because a person’s heart is beating, it doesn't mean that they're living.

The way Roger spoke sounded like he understood that very well… no, it was like he had experienced it himself.

As I listened to him speak, the words naturally came out of my mouth.

Kate: Have you…

Kate: … Ever felt hopeless?

Roger: …

Roger: No. I was unfortunately born with strong physical and mental strength.

Kate: Fufufu, that’s very like you.

Roger: Right?

Saying “that’s very like you��� felt like the most appropriate response at that time.

(Roger is a strong man. As he had said so himself, he’s strong both physically and mentally.)

Ever since we met, I never once saw him waver or hesitate.

My impression of Roger was that he was an egoist who lived according to his own set of beliefs.

(But… are there really people who are strong from the very beginning?)

(If, by any chance, it's because he has no other choice…)

— Was there anything I could do for him?

(I’m acting as if I want to be helpful to him…)

…

After sunset, we went to our room and I saw a large box on the bed.

Kate: What's that box?

Roger: Judging from its size and shape— it’s a bomb.

Kate: A bomb…!?

Roger: Pfft, hahaha! Just kidding, just kidding. It’s a present I got for you. Go ahead and open it.

(Geez… that was a bad joke.)

I opened up the box and inside it was— a jet black wedding dress.

Roger: I ordered it in advance and had it delivered here. Victor recommended the shop to me.

Kate: Why did you prepare this for me?

Roger: If your dress is black, the stains won’t be obvious if you get blood on it, right?

Kate: I figured as much. But I wasn't asking about the colour, I was asking the reason why you prepared the dress.

Roger: … The reason, huh.

Roger: Kate, you’re the fairytale writer.

(Huh…)

Roger: You’ve also been helping me with my work, and earlier on you came up with the idea of having us do volunteer work to help with our investigation.

Roger: You’ve learnt how to think for yourself and stand on your own feet. This is your reward for that.

Roger: Your current self can surely pull off that jet black wedding dress.

The unexpected reason took me by surprise, I was at a loss for words.

Kate: Thank… you…

Kate: Um… I’ll go try it on to see if the size fits.

…

Holding the dress in my arms, I went out into the hallway and exhaled.

(I didn't expect to be rewarded this way for my efforts.)

I was so happy that I felt like I was about to cry.

Compared to back when I first started as a fairytale writer, I had indeed become more capable of thinking for myself.

That was because although Roger was egotistical and often toyed with me, he was there for me to help me whenever I faced problems.

He was always watching me change.

(Oh, that’s right…)

(I want to become someone who can help Roger, just like he has always been helping me.)

Roger almost never shows it when he’s unhappy, so I wanted to be someone he could lean on whenever he’s unhappy.

I didn't know what kind of feeling that was yet.

…

And so, it was time for our pretend wedding.

In the chapel, wearing my black wedding dress, I was with Roger and the believers.

Also—

(This kind looking man is the Leader, the man behind all the murders.)

The man who introduced himself as the Leader stood at the altar, looking down at us with a merciful gaze.

Leader: Your love has been recognised, and you shall be granted eternal love. Now, please say your vows—

Roger: It’s not good to say our vows while lying at the same time, right, Kate?

Kate: Yes, I think so too.

Believers: … Ugh!

The believers suddenly collapsed to the ground on the spot, one after another.

Just like dominoes.

Leader: What on earth… is going on…

[shi-daisy]

Quiet Comfort

Hi everyone! Tamlin Week has begun and I'm very excited! I love our golden boy and while I have full length fic with him (This is a self ad go read A Court of Threads & Daisies 👀) I can't wait to try my hand at making mini fics with our cutie! 💚 Today on the agenda hurt/comfort Tamcien with beastly Tam. Hope you like!

@tamlinweek2023

Tamlin Week 2023- Day 1- Beast/Forbidden

Quiet Comfort (Set 20 years before book 1)

Lucien noticed the tears streaming down Tamlin's wolf like face. The High Lord had remained in his beastly form whenever he felt one of their own fall for the sake of the curse.

He stood up from his desk, laying down on the fluffy carpet beside Tamlin and gently drying his eyes.

Tamlin tried to stop the tears to no avail. He knew this was inevitable but from first to whatever last if they ever managed to see the end of it, he would grieve.

"I'm so tired." Tamlin spoke in a ragged roaring voice in this form. It always cought him off guard.

"Do you want to go to sleep?"

"No, no that's not what I meant." He said, looking at Lucien with his shimmering emerald eyes. "I'm tired of losing them because of the curse."

Ah. That he understood all too well. Almost everyday they'd lose a sentry, and after 30 years everyone was begining to lose hope, them included.

"I know what you mean, it dosen't get any easier."

Lucien found comfort in just looking at his High Lord. The green gaze, the fluffy golden frame, his antlers, even his downcast tail. No matter what form he took, he was always in awe. 'That's not awe you just love him.'

Lucien tried to shake the thought away. They had an unspoken agreement not to dwell on this, they had to break the curse for the sake of the court not mourn a romance that would never bloom again thanks to the blasted spell.

Tamlin looked at him in the same way, as if he could read his thoughts. He was trying, really trying to let go. But how can you let go when you actually found the love of your life?

Amarantha must've known, she must've seen how he would never be hers, how he'd been in love with the seventh Autumn prince since he first met him, how hurting Lucien insited more rage out of him than anything else she'd ever done. Perhaps if he'd been more guarded none of this would've happened...

"It's not your fault." Lucien told him. "She's the monster, not you."

"If I had submitted from the start, then the court wouldn't be in peril. It is my duty to protect them."

"Then who protects you?! Tamlin, you can't seriously think sacrificing yourself for our sake is prefrerable!"

Tamlin just kept looking at Lucien, at his lovely face covered by the fox mask, his golden eye and his russet one, the messy red curls and the soft dark skin. "Your mere presence is protection enough. I can withstand anything if I have you. I could even lived out the rest of my days in this form, without objection, if you're with me."

He should've told him off, he should've refused, or just reminded him that the love they had for eachother was now forbidden. They had to think of the court, they shouldn't be selfish and yet...

Lucien leaned closer, gently kissing Tamlin's lips. He didn't care that the latter was in beast form, or that there might come a day were he couldn't kiss him anymore. For now, all he wanted was to comfort him. "No matter what happens, what form you take, or whatever curses we face, I shall always love you."

"Me too." Tamlin didn't hesitate. Even if he did exactly as the curse entailed, even if he and Lucien ended up with different people, they'd never stop loving eachother in their own way.

Tamlin couldn't kiss him in this form, so he just gave him an affectionate lick. Lucien laughed relishing in the soft affections he missed so much.

The two were already sleepy, driffiting away upon the office floor. They both dozed off in an odd hug, given the size difference when Tamlin was in this form. By morning they'd have to forget, to keep trying to break the curse and forget their ill fated romance.

But for tonight they'd bask in eachothers warmth, and forget that moments like this would come to an end someday.

[theycallme-thejackal]

One MidgeLenny x TSwift Fic Per Day

130. Would've, Could've, Should've

It’s taken her many sessions with an analyst, but Midge has come to realize something very important about the implosion of her first marriage.

It wasn’t her fault.

She checks her makeup in the office bathroom, making sure she doesn’t look so much like she’s just had a meltdown, and when she’s satisfied, she steps out onto the sidewalk.

She hails a cab, but when she gets in, she finds herself giving not her own address, but one in the village. She uses her own key to get in, and when she enters the apartment, she can hear the clicking of his typewriter coming from the office.

She slips out of her heels by the door and pads to his office, knocking gently on the doorframe. He turns around, his brow furrowed, and his face softens when he sees her. “What’s wrong?” He asks.

Midge shakes her head slowly. “Nothing,” she whispers. “I’m...honestly, I’m better than I’ve ever been.”

She walks to Lenny and sits in his lap, curling into him and enjoying the feeling of his arms slipping around her. He kisses her hair sweetly. There’s a long moment before she speaks again, “It wasn’t my fault, Lenny.”

His fingers rub along her arm comfortingly. “What wasn’t your fault?”

“Joel leaving,” she answers. “I’ve spent so long thinking that I somehow was responsible for him cheating. I’m too much, I’m too funny, I’m too perfect.” She says the word with a little venom.

She feels tears again. Tears of relief, and she whispers, “But it wasn’t my fault,” and she buries her face in his neck.

He hugs her more tightly. “No, it wasn’t,” he confirms.

She sits up suddenly and looks at him. “Do you know how much time I’ve spent wishing I never met him? How fucking guilty I feel about that?” She asks.

Lenny’s thumb brushes over her leg gently. “I can only imagine.”

Midge shakes her head. “I know I’m not a perfect mother, but I love my kids, and wishing I’d never met their father, that I never drove him to cheat...and the whole time it wasn’t even my fault he left.”

She slides off his lap and starts pacing. “I mean, I knew it wasn’t my fault, but I didn’t feel like it wasn’t my fault, and now I’m...so fucking relieved.”

He nods, looking up at her as she stops pacing. “That’s great, sweetheart.”

“Because I’ve been so worried,” she continues, swallowing thickly to stop a new onslaught of tears. “I’ve been so worried that I was going to drive you away.”

He tilts his head, shaking it gently. “That’s never going to happen,” he promises.

“But...I knew Joel loved me. I didn’t think, I knew, and it turned out he actually deep down hated me - ”

“Midge, sweetheart.” He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I need you to know right now that there is absolutely no part of me that hates you. Or anything about you.”

“I know,” she breathes. “I know that.”

“Good,” he replies, sounding relieved.

“If...if I’d seen an analyst when I was with him, I would have had to hide it. He never would have understood why I needed to talk to someone. But you get it...”

“I’ve been there,” he replies. “I spent so much time in therapy when I was in rehab.”

She nods slowly and moves back to him, taking his face in her hands, gently running her thumbs along his cheekbones. “But even if you hadn’t, you’d support me...because you love me. And you want me to be okay.”

He gently grasps her wrists in his hands, stroking her skin with this thumbs. “Of course I do,” he murmurs. “I want you to be more than okay. I want you to be happy.”

She smiles softly. “I know,” she whispers. “And all this...wishing that I would’ve done something different or that I could’ve or should’ve done something different is so useless because...” She chokes out a laugh. “Because I ended up really, really happy.”

He returns the smile slowly and nods. “Me too,” he confesses. "So happy, Midge.”

She exhales a slow breath. “Thank you,” she whispers.

He stands then, slipping his arms around her waist and holding her close, and she closes her eyes, letting herself enjoy the feeling of being loved and supported.

Yeah, she’s really happy.

[mintedwitcher]

Okay so like. I have Thoughts about the whole 'Natalia being freaked by Buck's exes' thing. (Putting everything under a cut because this got long)

First and foremost, I have never understood why someone would be bothered by or jealous of an EX. Like, that's done, it's in the past, it happened before you even knew this person, so why does it matter? This has never made any sense to me, and it didn't make sense to me here either. Like did Natalia think that Buck had zero experiences or relationships before he died? Or did she think that there was some kind of competition going on between her and Buck's exes? It's just fucking weird.

Secondly, weird as hell combo of women to bring in to scare Natalia off. Kameron, I can understand, because she's still an active part of Buck's life - as evidenced by the fact that when she has a fight with her husband, she goes to Buck's apartment. She and Buck have enough of a relationship that Kam feels comfortable to not only show up unannounced but also ask to stay for a couple days. So that's understandable.

But Taylor Kelly and Lucy Donato? Really? The woman who treated him like crap and used him to further her career, and the woman who got him drunk and kissed him while he was in a relationship? These were the examples they decided to show Natalia?

Thirdly, and I get that this was all supposed to highlight to Buck that Natalia was the wrong person for him, but her final straw being the donor situation was just. Weird. And all I can think of is, if this is how she reacted to finding out that there's gonna be a baby out there with Buck's DNA, clearly Buck hasn't told her how involved he is with the Diazes. And sure you could argue that it's too soon to bring all of that up, but come on. Taylor freaking Kelly had that shit figured out before she and Buck even started dating. Which means, to me, Buck wasn't being himself with Natalia.

He wasn't being honest, and despite claiming he wanted her to get to know the 'real' Evan Buckley, he wasn't overly eager to let that happen. He wanted to control the narrative and control what parts of him he allowed her to see. Which is why Buck panicked when Lucy showed up at that bar.

It's all just very very reminiscent to me of Eddie's relationship with Ana. Eddie likewise put on a facade with her, and he wasn't willing to let her really see him or know him. Sure, Buck didn't have panic attacks, but he certainly wasn't calm about Lucy showing up and offering to share her stories of Buck with Natalia.

Also something that caught my eye was the repetition of the 'story' theme throughout the three women. Lucy offers to tell stories. Taylor put their story into a book. Kameron in herself IS a story, an active one that Buck is still part of. These are all big sections, big stories, in Buck's life and he wasn't ready or willing to share any of it with Natalia.

Which only has me thinking how telling it is that we never see Eddie get involved. We know how Eddie feels about Buck's new relationship, but he himself doesn't interact with Natalia at all, nor does he even bring her up, even when Buck's teasing him about how he sucks at dating. There was a clear shot there for Eddie to make a joke about Natalia, but instead, Hen delivered it. Eddie is wholly removed from Buck's dating life, even tangentially. And it just brings me right back to the 'stories' theme of it all.

Because Buck and Eddie have their own story going on, whether you want to view it as platonic or romantic, it doesn't matter. Their lives are entwined with each other's to a frankly absurd degree. Any future romantic interest for either of them is going to have to be able to accept that, because they're a package deal. And seeing the way Natalia reacted to Lucy, Taylor and Kameron? She never would've managed to accept Eddie and Chris.

I mean come on, the woman felt threatened by a random drunk kiss, an ex girlfriend, and a friend that Buck did a favour for. Do we really think she would've been able to accept a coparenting situation? A whole-ass family? I don't think so.

[everythingsinred]

Hello! I have been reading your GA analyzes and I really liked them very much, which is why I wanted to ask you about a specific part, which is in chapter 26 of the manga when Mikan, after dancing with several people, ends up in front of Natsume and they stare at each other. At that moment Mikan says something like "am I the only person he refuses to dance with?" and after looking at each other for another while Natsume ends their battle by asking another girl (I think older) for a dance and leaves.

That moment surprised me because that didn't happen in the anime so I wanted to ask you if that means that Natsume has already danced with other girls before, cause of Mikan's comment and him leaving with another girl (he is so introverted that I was very surprised that he actually danced with other people at an event like this) Also I remember that at the first Christmas party that we see in the manga, some boys comment that Natsume had already kissed other girls before and then Mikan asks him about this again later but the translation that I read is a little strange so I never I understood Natsume's answer if he really did it or not.

What do you think of all this?

Hi hi! I'm so happy you like my essays! It makes my day to see positive feedback <3

This answer got lengthy so the full thing is under the cut!

The discrepancy between anime and manga is very interesting, which is why I really appreciate when people read the manga from the beginning instead of picking up where the anime left off, since there are some major differences, including, like you said, how the dance chapter goes.

In the anime, Mikan is not only way more tolerant of Natsume's behavior, she's also very friendly with him from the beginning in a way she definitely is not in the manga. She goes out of her way to seek Natsume out by the woods to ask him to dance with her, only to see he's absolutely uninterested in the party as a whole. He never dances with anyone, let alone with her.

The manga is different in many ways. Firstly, Mikan has vocally dismissed any romance between her and Natsume in front of the whole class, taking her anger out on him even though she was angry at his fangirls gossiping about her, not about anything he did. This actually hurts his feelings!!

He gets grumpy! By the time Mikan finds him on the dance floor, it can be implied by the "Don't tell me I'm the only one he refuses to dance with!" line that he has been dancing with other girls, maybe to spite her. He walks off with another girl right in front of Mikan and it sorta seems like she's jealous as she watches him walk off.

I do think he has been dancing with other girls, but not because he really wants to or enjoys it, since--as you said--he's pretty introverted and negative and doesn't really actively participate in school events. To me, this was all done out of spite, dancing with girls in front of Mikan in a childish way to get back at her, but he quickly gets tired of it, as we can see, because soon after that he's by the woods by himself again, and Mikan only runs into him on her way back from the bathroom, not because she's actively looking for him.

Earlier that day, Mikan had said, "I would never dance with Natsume!" and then he holds her to it by dancing with every girl besides her. It definitely feels like spite.

After all, when the Christmas ball rolls around, Natsume spends most of his time in the tree, by himself, only coming down for his duties as a principal student at the beginning and when the cake is served. Ruka ropes him into dancing with Mikan then, but that's not planned. He doesn't even have a mask at any point, so he definitely wasn't intending to stick around on the dance floor. I'm pretty sure Mikan is the only person he dances with that night, and if Mikan hadn't said anything for the dance party during the culture fest, I don't think he would've danced with anybody then either. He doesn't really like socializing much so he avoids it when he can.

As for the kiss...

Scans for Chapter 50 (the kiss chapter) can be very iffy. I understand being confused by some translations! I can clarify, though!

At the beginning of the chapter, Natsume and Mikan have just had an accidental kiss and everyone cheers Natsume on because he tells her she's a bad kisser. I guess saying that implies that he's done it before, and then more boys chime in saying Natsume has probably kissed lots of girls before.

Natsume's (boy) fans have a consistently macho view of Natsume, that he's a "man's man" and much more mature than the rest of them because of how cool and knowledgeable he acts. They cheer him on in the dodgeball chapter and in the labyrinth chapter after he harasses Mikan, all because they misinterpret his actions as "experienced". The boys in this chapter conclude Natsume must have kissed before because Natsume is cool. They never witnessed anything that suggests that. It's just an assumption.

And they're wrong.

It's kind of a blink-and-you'll-miss-it thing, but Natsume saying "Huh, so that's what kissing is like," is supposed to tell us (and Mikan) that the experience his fans cheered him over was invented. That was his first kiss too.

When Mikan demands answers about this before the kiss in the tree, Natsume avoids answering. At some point she says, "I've heard you've kissed other girls before!" (because she's jealous) and Natsume replies, "Girls like you..." (answering her question that it's just her) only to finish with "... are not good enough for Ruka," (because he's silly).

He's a little ambiguous about it, I think, because he doesn't want to let on to Mikan that their accidental kiss was a big deal to him too. He even tries downplaying it after their kiss in the tree because he doesn't want to give away how important it was to him. He, as a character, is all about hiding, sadly!

Additionally, we know that Natsume has never been in love before, canonically, because of how he reacts to the human pheromone alice. In Chapter 2, I think, Misaki-sensei says that kids who are unfamiliar with romantic love mainly pass out when Narumi uses his alice, because of how overwhelming it is, and Natsume passes out twice in the first few chapters so we can see that he is not familiar with romantic love.

But then, when he accidentally swallows a pheromone chocolate on Valentine's Day, he reacts by hugging Tsubasa, not with passing out, implying that he's now familiar enough with romantic love to have an actual reaction beyond passing out.

Not having experience with love doesn't necessarily mean he's never kissed somebody, of course, but I feel that Natsume's introversion would make him uninterested in kissing or dancing until he meets Mikan and develops real feelings for someone. He never flirts with his fangirls and can actually be rather cruel to them, especially early on with Sumire.

In fact, they only start flocking to him the way they do in Chapter 26 because the aura around him has "softened," and Sumire says they used to stay away out of fear. He seems kinder now, thanks to Mikan and thanks to his performance as a cat in the play, so the girls feel more comfortable approaching him to ask him to dance. That's further evidence he hasn't really been very into dancing or flirting prior to Mikan entering the academy.

This was all very long winded, but in short, no I don't think Natsume usually partakes in kissing or dancing. I think Chapter 26 is the exception for dancing because he wanted to spite Mikan, but he quickly got bored of it and left to be on his own anyway, and Chapter 50 is the first time he's ever kissed anybody.

Thank you so much for asking! If you have any other musings or thoughts or questions, please let me know! This was a treat to answer!

[avernusfuries]

"If it's all the same to you, the House of Hope looked just about as empty as Cazador's palace does the last we've been to it. I'm fairly certain that Halsik fellow wouldn't mind terribly letting us through... And with my newfound talents, I can be incredibly persuasive when I want to, my love. Even more so than before." (have an ascended vampire boyfriend making plans with the love of his life after this thing ♡)

Once upon a time, Karlach had learned what it had meant to love him. She understood him in a way that some never could. Not completely. She knew a thing about unwilling servitude, and though both experiences had been entirely different from one another, they had been as equally as brutal. She had wondered, in the aftermath of his ascension, if she would have to learn to love him all over again. A little differently. The fact that he would to Avernus with her with barely a second thought, and stall his power grab on the throat of the city to ensure that she wasn't alone, proved to her that he was still the same man she fell in love with.

Different, but the same. He no longer carried his fear like dead weight on his shoulders, his stalk more proud and a glint in his eye that she imagined he might've had long before the grips of immorality and the shitstorm that came after it had taken it from him. Karlach loved this version of him too. They would be as devoted to one another as two people could truly be, and in Avernus ... Well, that was as rare as teeth on an owl bear or tits on a fish.

A part of her wished that she could thank him properly, and in her own way, she did. She did in the I love yous and the viciousness of battle when she was in the heat of it, when her body took hits meant for him and utilised that pain and turned it into anger. Karlach wouldn't have to worry about her old heart failing her, because there... here she was in her element. He was a quick learner. Would use his newfound powers to strike fear into the hearts of any that crossed the path of the terrible twosome, and fuck, had they fought.

Zariel would hardly grant them a moment's peace, and Karlach and Astarion would be formidable foes for they had the one thing her best soldiers couldn't replicate: a bond and synergy that was more than head-deep, it was webbed and threaded throughout the both of them in a way that no amount of burning, scars, or near-death experiences couldn't kick. Suddenly, very suddenly, the looming threat of the hell didn't seem so bad. Dread was briefly replaced with a girlish sort of excitement that made her tingly all over.

As much as she wanted to give him an easy life, and to love him how he deserved to be loved, it was not in the cards for them. Instead, they had an entire lifetime by each others' sides.

Fuck, they would make such a good team.

She had never put much thought into what would've happened to the House of Hope after they had run it through. It would longer held the same busyness in the absence of Raphael himself ( good riddance, Karlach thought! Fucker got what was coming to him! ). It was a stroke of genius at its finest, and Karlach could have fucking kissed him. Almost did, too, before she caught herself. Karlach let out a small bark of laughter. "Gods, I never even thought about that place. Burnt it out, after that stupid fucking song got stuck in my head."

It was far enough away that Karlach and Astarion would have a moment where they could recoup and recover when the need arised, and with devils enjoying the privacy of their own homes ... It would be exactly what they needed.

"And I know a thing or two about those persuasive talents of yours. Fell victim to them a time or two." A pause. "In a good way, I mean. You're good with your words. If they don't work, I can scare Helsik into giving us the run of the place, don't you worry."

[kooksbunnnn]

hi, i remember reading your jungkook fic. i'm sorry people sent you rude messages that caused you to delete and rewrite it. but if i remember correctly, this part of the plot was not changed: jungkook was drunk when the woman approached and kissed him. there's no mention in the fic that the woman was drunk as well, and if she was the manager of the club, i understood it that she was sober.

if she was sober and jungkook was really drunk, then he was s*xually a*saulted. he did not cheat on the oc. this changes basically everything that happens after jungkook explains the events to the oc. personally, if i heard my partner tell me this, i would stop accusing them of cheating and confirm the details of the a*sault. it makes sense that he feels guilty because victims often do. the oc and jungkook would have to realize together that he was a*saulted and did not cheat.

i'm sending this because i am curious to confirm: was the woman sober? did jungkook actually consent? i'm not sure if you realized what your writing implied. i want to clarify that i'm not accusing you of writing male s*xual a*sault on purpose or carelessly. i'm not asking that you change your fic again if you don't want to. but if the woman was sober, can you please add a s*xual a*sault trigger warning in your content tags at the top of the post?

i know this is fan fiction, but s*xual a*sault is a serious and sensitive topic, and that's why i wanted to be careful with my language in this ask. i censored the term in case tumblr's system flags it. thank you.

Hi anonymous reader! Thank you for sending me this or I wouldn't EVER know what I accidentally implied, I understand what might be the reason for this and I would like to apologize for my writing error, I was editing the plot at 6 in the morning so I didn't realize I changed a word and made a mistake.

I believe this is the part that made people think that Jungkook was sexually assaulted,

and I remember it clearly that this part was edited and changed when I was editing the story yesterday before uploading. The earlier draft had a single sentence,

'He pauses pleading you to not let him continue' was supposed to be the original sentence.

I am very sorry and I am gonna change what I wrote since I was supposed to write 'mind' not 'senses' because that, then completely changes the perspective and situations. I didn't and wouldn't ever make SE*UAL ASSA*LT such a casual topic because it could be sensitive and triggering for a lot of people. I have a history of se*ual ass*alt too and that might be triggering to me as well.

Note: After changing the word, senses, the meaning would change to Jungkook's inner thoughts where he basically is ridiculing himself to not have pushed her back. Not because he wasn't able to, but because he just didnt.

And yes, you're correct, she was not drunk since she was the manager.

He remembers everything. They didn't fuck, and to finger someone, he would've needed to use his hands while making her cum as well, so I would like to say that he was pretty much in his senses, a little buzzed but still in his senses.

But, I really appreciate you telling me this because that paragraph really made it sound and represent the story and OC in a totally different way. My OC loves Jungkook and if sexual assault would have been the reason for all of this, she would view this completely differently. I am gonna change it ASAP. Thank you again❤️

Thankyou for reading❤️

[gaymansruse]

𝒇 𝒓 𝒂 𝒈 𝒊 𝒍 𝒆 𝒕 𝒉 𝒐 𝒖 𝒈 𝒉 𝒕 𝒔 || 𝘦.𝘮 [𝘱𝘵.2]

Eddie Munson x gn!reader Summary → Being Eddie's best friend and having a crush on him is tough. What happens when he asks out Chrissy and you feel a bit jealous.

Word Count → 1.0k+ Requested → yes Inbox → open Warning → This writing peice contains use of drugs, and intoxicated confessions/kissing. If that makes you uncomfortable, please do not read.

A/n || I hope this is what you guys wanted, I'm sorry if it's not. I'm sorry it took so long to get this out, some stuff happened and I ended up getting grounded, i lost motivation half way through this, but I wanted to finish it for you guys. As always criticism is welcome. Happy reading! <3

➽─────────────────────────────────────────❥

Eddie had left about an hour after you had fallen asleep, his thoughts were conflicted about everything you had told him. Should he confront you about your feeling and tell you he feels the same. Or should he just leave it and go on a date with Chrissy and see how it goes.

He was walking down the street in the dark, he was at your house to tell you he wasn't going to be able to hang out with you tomorrow, becuase he had landed a date with Chrissy.

But now he doesn't know if he should go, I mean yes he likes you, and yes he does want to be with you, but what if you guys break up. What if it ruins your friendship. At least with Chrissy he could just avoid her.

He had reached his trailer and walked in immediately going to greet his guitar for the second time today. His thoughts drifted to Chrissy, He was pretty, and smart and could hold good conversation. But she was nothing like you, she couldn't make him laugh to the point where you were both wheezing, she couldn't hold her own in a fist fight against three guys, she didn't have any little tics like you had like when you stuck your tongue to the side of your mouth when you were focused, or how your nose twitched when you were nervous. She just wasn't anything like you.

What if he did take his chance with you though? And everything worked out? What if you two really ended up being together forever, God he'd be so happy to spend the rest of his life with you.

He didn't know what came over him, but he soon drifted off into sleep, thoughts already latching onto every memory he has of you.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

You had woken up to the sound of your {Parental figure} shuffling around, clearly trying to get ready for work, but right now you couldn't care less. You were still tired, thoughts of last night very far from you mind as you tried to close your eyes and go back to sleep.

But alas you can never get what you want. Your {Parental figure} had barged through the door and ripped the sheets from your body. "I hope you weren't planning on sleeping the whole day, you still have school." They said somewhat sternly, yet their voice still held a light teasing tone to it.

You couldn't help but smile up at them. "Of course not, Par." You said groggily.

"Well get up and goin' then."

You were about halfway dressed before there was a light knock at your door. You opened it, expecting to see one of your siblings, but no. It was the one, the only, Eddie Munson. "Whatcha doin' here Ed's?" You asked, almost forgetting you were currently topless. You would've forgotten completely if you didn't notice Eddie's eyes keep shifting down to your chest.

You quickly slung on the t-shirt you were holding. "Eddie?"

"Oh right yeah, uhm, I came to pick you up for school."

"You never do that unless you wanna ditch."

He gave you a knowing look, and you immediately understood. I mean he did say you two were going to hang out today. But you would've assumed he'd be too busy with Chrissy.

"Ah I see, and what exactly would we be doing?"

"I don't know, we could go to Towers, or we could chill around Lovers Lake and get high." He whispered the last part so no one else would hear and get suspicious.

"We could always do both, we'll have six free hours to spend."

"True true, we have time to do that and more." He finished his sentence with a wink.

Why did Eddie just wink at me? Your hands got a little clammy but you ignored it and grabbed your school bag to make it seem like Eddie was actually taking you to school.

You'se walked down stairs together, and past your {Parental Figure}. You waved towards them and yelled out a quick 'goodbye' before you left the house with Ed.

Once you were in Eddie's car he spoke, "Hey I was wondering if you wanted to head to Lovers Lake first, no better way to start the day than getting high, right?"

"Yeah sure I don't mind."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

You guys had made it to the lake, now both of you were sitting crossed legged near the water, a blunt being shared between the both of you.

You had barely spoken a word, too busy enjoying the view in your high and relaxed state of mind.

You also hadn't realised that Eddie kept glancing over at you the entire time. He was currently debating in his mind if he should tell you that he likes you, or if he should just stay quiet and still head to that date he had with Chrissy later in the day.

Maybe it was the weed, maybe it was the way the early morning sunlight was hitting your skin perfectly, or maybe it was just pur confidence. But before he could second guess his decision he blurted out. "I like you."

"What?" You looked over giggling.

"I like you. Like, like like you. Like I'm pretty sure I'm probably in love with you."

"Are you joking right now? Because I swear to God if you are I'll drown you in the lake."

"No I'm not joking, I like you, romantic stylz, with a 'Z'."

"Yeah I could hear the 'Z'." You replied laughing, "I like you too Eddie."

"I know." He said nonchalantly, then he sure the confused look on my face and realised he shouldn't have said that. "It's just, ugh, you're really bad at hiding it, ya know?"

"Was I really that bad?" You cringed at the thought.

"Yep." He said popping the P, he'd tell you one day how he really found out. Maybe at your wedding day, or when you're on your way to having your first kid. But he knew for sure he wasn't telling you right now.

You both fell into a comfortable silence, just staring at eachother. Before he spoke up again. "Can I kiss you?"

"Yes."

You'se both leaned in, lips kind of pursed. Your hands went up to grip his shoulders as your lips touched in a light, clumsy kiss.

➽─────────────────────────────────────────❥

People who asked to be tagged <3

@fangirl199812 @erodahellfire @bratckerman @golden-wander @eli-lilies04

[devcted]

the feeling of his kiss remains against her lips long after he just kissed her, she can't get it out of her head and she wonders if she ever will, her could she ever forget the best kiss of her life? how could she ever forget the most beautiful boy she thinks she could be falling in love with... she has a feeling that regulus black just might be imprinted on her mind and in her soul forever.

which in a way makes her sad. not because he did anything wrong, he was perfect, far too perfect for someone like her...he was rich and pureblood, probably had his whole life planned out and from what she understood pureblood boys didn't fall in love with halfblood girls and live happily ever after. there's a reason he himself was pureblood...even worse it's not like she was anything special to begin with...she was just bee, there was nothing she could offer him when the day comes to an end and it makes her sad, almost heartbreaking to realize that this kiss might be it for them. but she tries not to think too hard about it, her head rested against his shoulder as she sighs, watching the small niffler in their lap. "me too." she says softly and she really means it, if she had to pick a first kiss it would be with his lips because he kisses her and it feels like a dream come true. "I think you can be anything you want to be regulus...." she says softly in response to his joke, she shifts her head a little to look at him with a warm smile. "but I think you'll make absolutely lovely slytherin too." it would've been a dream to be in a house together, that way they'd almost never have to be apart..but she couldn't imagine not being a hufflepuff and she couldn't see him in yellow and black robes, green was the color to bring out his lovely green eyes.

she only shifts closer when he pulls her in with his hand around her waist as the conductor announces they will be arriving soon, it makes her chest ache so she keeps her eyes closed, as if to enjoy this moment and imagine a world where they'd never have to leave it, smiling when he kisses her hair and nuzzling against him as he thanks her for being so small and clumsy which mskes her chuckle softly in response. it's the last thing either of them say to each other before the train is coming to a stop and the conditions is making his final announcement before it's time to stand up. bee gets to her feet, flatting out her robe and fixing her hair. "okay alfie, get in my pocket...I don't want you to have to mis the sorting ceremony." she's technically not allowed to bring her pet with her, he should be with her luggage but she couldn't imagine leaving the creature alone for hours, after all they didn't even know how to take care of him. blue eyes then flicker down at regulus with a smile when he says he's glad he met her, bending forward she places a kiss to his cheek. "I'll see you soon." she says softly before turning to leave the train, realizing she should probably meet with luna before they get on the boats

--- time skip ---

the following year hadn't been everything she hoped for to say the least of course it wasn't all bad, she was sorted into hufflepuff just as she expected and was able to make a lot of friends her first week, being cedric diggory's sister and all, she even met her best friend astoria greengrass, she was taller girl with dark eyes and hair, a pureblood slytherin which bee had seemingly become very familiar with...she was a nice girl, very smart and cared about a lot of the same things bee did but things with regulus had gotten weird becsuse not long after their kiss on the train her worst nightmare came true and he started seeing a pretty blonde girl named daphne, who just so happened to be the sister of astoria.

maybe bee was silly for ever thinking someone as great as regulus would settle for a common type like her, maybe she was just a stupid girl with her head in the clouds and deep down she saw it coming, but that didn't make it hurt any less because for a moment there she really thought he would be hers but that was only a dream and regulus had moved on before bee even had a second to breath. she doesn't hate him for it, she can't even be angry at him, even still wearing the sun necklace he'd given her on her birthday, enver taking it off because it makes her think of the sweet boy she knew she would always love...but maybe that would end up being her biggest downfall.

now even though bee and regulus remaind friends and having to watch him walk around with daphne greengrass made her feel sick to her stomach she tried to act like it didn't really bother her, respecting what he wanted she tried to move on when a boy named dean thomas asked her to accompany him for some butterbeer...he seemed nice enough and shes sure some girls in the school would find him cute but the relationship was doomed from the start and deep down bee knew that, feeling terrible for leading the boy on and it certainly didn't help that he had convinced himself that regulus was out to get him, which was probably her fault for not exactly hiding her interest in the other male and so she couldn't exactly blame dean the day he decided he had enough and broke up with her over it and she should be sad over it but...she couldn't be sad over it, she just didn't have it in her to care about dean when regulus was all she ever wanted, certain that he would be the death of her and as pathetic as it was she would let him do just that, no matter how complicated it seemed to get and how confusing her feelings were like the night they danced at the yule ball together, hand in his looking to each other's eyes the whole night after a fight with his girlfriend.

she's now started her second year, joining her brothers quidditch team and trying to keep alfie from escaping in search of regulus all the time, things had been going okay...as long as she avoids the pain in her chest that comws with seeing the boy she loved with someone else but that's a lot easier said than done...isn't it? it's that time of week for slytheri's to throw one of their big parties, they were the only other house outside of hufflepuff known for their big blow outs, hufflepuff often attending these parties because they offered the best weed and slytherins were always for having a good time.

astoria is the one to convince bee to go, despite the brunettes protests. "I don't know astoria, I just don't think I'd be very welcome..." she says vaguely what she really means is she doesn't think daphne would want her there, the blonde seemingly having it out for bee because she was friends with regulus which bee never understood, she was the one who got the guy in the end, she had it all and still managed to stick her nose up and whisper about bee to her friend pansy every chance she got. "well I'm not going if you're not going, come on bumblebee, you've avoided every party this year....just come for a few hours, have some drinks and dance with me?" the other girl says, giving bee those damn puppy eyes she knew she couldn't say no too and so, bee sighs putting on a short white dress with tiny pink flowers and a pink ribbon on the chest before wrapping her braid into a white ribbon with a bow, she throws on her mary jane's and joins astoria for the party.

the place is already packed with other kids dancing and smoking in the corners, hufflepuffs and slytherins intermangling with some ravenclaw here and there, she couldn't see many gryffindor but that really doesn't surprise her given the on going war between the two houses, but the one bee is really looking for is him....she wants to see regulus, wonders whatbehs wearing today or what cologne he has on...she misses him even though she knows she shouldn't. but before bee can get too caught up in her thoughts it seems astoria notices this and drags her over to the dance floor, trying to take her mind off of it ss the two girls dance around to the loud music playing, laughing and giggling and actually surprisingly having a good time.

they dance through the whole song while astoria goes on about her recent crush on draco malfoly despite the fact he's currently seeing pansy....it seemed the two had something in common which was kind of funny when you realize the two boys they were in love with were actually cousins, making it even more apparent how much the two had in common, though if they were more like pansy and daphne their princes might actually notice them...

the song comes to an end and bee is out of breath. "I'm going to go get us some drinks..." bee says softly as she makes her way over to the drinks table to go over and grab them some punch, but as she's walking over something catches her eye. and there he is, in all his beauty, dressed in his fine and elegant clothes with his curls sat perfectly against his forehead, he's looking at her too which takes her by surprise, cheeks flushing as she gives him a small wave and a shy smile but just as she's thinkijg about approaching him and asking about his day a blonde head of hair blocks her way, it's daphne and she's glaring at bee, mumbling something to regulus the girl can't really hear before her hands come to his face, pulling the boy down to size as she places what seems to be an aggressivey passionate kiss to his lips.

bee freezes, her eyes widen and there's a limp in her throat, she shouldn't care, after all it was his own girlfriend he was kissing but that doesn't mean bee should have to see it...watching the boy she loves kissing someone else. bee doesn't even realize she's staring at first, forgetting all about astoria and the punch as a stray tear falls down her cheek. is she really crying right now? how pathetic she thinks as her eyes begin to swell with water and she can't seem to stop it, the air feels heavy and she needs to escape the suffocating feeling as she turns away pushing past the crowd of people as she makes her way out of the room. "fuck, don't do this..." she pleads with herself, praying no one saw her because that would probably be even more embarrassing to her right now.

Her hands feel good and warm against his face, making his heart flutter. Her soft moan sends heat down to where he’s hard, and he’s felt arousal before but not like this. The desire is overwhelming, making him too hot for his clothes. His hand is moving in her hair as he pulls her closer against him, deepening the kiss when her tongue moves slowly against his. It’s wet and it feels good, not just because she’s so gentle with the way she carefully opens her mouth but because she’s pretty, too. Her small face fits in his hand as he moves to grasp it one last time before the interruption.

It turns him on a little too much, seeing Bee lick her lips and then look shy, as if she was embarrassed they were caught. It’s even cute how she mumbles her name, as if she doesn’t want to be rude (something Regulus didn’t even do). She’s sweet, like a flower, and he wants to feel her soft lips all over again as soon as Hermione Granger leaves.

Her blue eyes are trained on him when he moves to sit by her again, and just her gaze gives him butterflies. How could someone like Bee look at him with so much interest? They’re supposed to be opposites– enemies, if his mother had her way, at least. It’s not like he doesn’t have confidence, but Bee liking him feels good in a way he can’t quite describe, because it’s almost as if he’s never had something like it before.

He looks at her with warm eyes as she tells him how perfect their kiss was. “I’m glad I was your first,” he muses softly, because he hates the idea of anyone else kissing her. Is this what falling in love is like? He’s only just met her, but he adores her and her beautiful, delicate face. He notices the way she looks at his lips and he pointedly glances down at her own, as if to show her he wants it, too.

But she gets up to retrieve her robes, leaving him waiting for her as she rummages through her things. “It’s a shame we won’t be the same House… Don’t you think I would make for a perfect Hufflepuff?” he asks teasingly, a smirk tugging at his lips. In truth, he would probably be awful as a Hufflepuff, with his temper and obsession with his own academic career. He’s read some of their textbooks already, already prepared to become the strongest wizard in his family. Maybe his work ethic could match that of a badger’s, but his attitude might not.

When she sits down again, Alfie gathered in her lap, she rests her head against his shoulder. It makes him flush, how soft and small she is leaning against him. Slowly shifting, he wraps his arm around her, tugging her closer against him so that her face rests against his chest. “Thank you for being too small for your trunk… Both because it was amusing to watch you fight with the stairs and because I was able to hold you like this.” He leans his head against hers, pressing a kiss to her soft hair. She’s so small under his arm, making his heart race. It’s a perfect feeling, snuggling into her while Alfie sits in her lap, looking up at them affectionately.

He doesn’t have long with her before the conductor comes on the intercom, announcing they’ll be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes and to leave their luggage on board so it can be collected while they travel to the castle.

As the train starts to stop, he shifts, letting her sit up off of him. “I’m glad I met you,” he says, almost shyly. He’s unfamiliar with this feeling– haven’t met someone he doesn’t want to be separated from, ever.