#i started this at 9:30 this morning and then had class and lunch and then started writing again

[boysmentfs]

Gym Opening.

With the amazing @kylestfs

The time was 9 in the morning, Louis finished breakfast with his mother, since his father was currently on a business trip, he got up from the chair and washed his dishes, His mother looked at him with pride, she had raised a kind, cute and responsible boy.

"Okay mom, it's time for me to go to school because I don't want to be late" he approached his mom and gave his a kiss on the cheek while grabbing his backpack.

"Have a nice day, son!" His mother shouted as Louis left the house and headed to school, once he entered his friends greeted him and began to talk about movies and video games, until the bell rang, so everyone went to their classrooms.

The hours passed, Louis had lunch at school with his classmates, took some more classes and so the day went by and now the clock read 3 pm, Indicating that it was time to leave, the bells rang and so everyone began to gather their things and began to go home

"Hey Louis" his friend said as he ran up behind him and gave him a small pat on the back.

"What's up, John? Do you have something to tell me? I need to get home and start doing the homework the teacher's gave us."

"No, nothing, I just wanted to ask you if you would like us to go together" John commented.

"Is that it? No problem, I can go alone, you don't need to accompany me, I'm not a little kid." Louis started laughing

"Well, if you want it that way, no problem, see you tomorrow, take care!" John commented as he left school and headed home.

Louis closed his locker, put his backpack on his back and started walking towards his house, he left school and headed towards his house, as he was walking he passed near a new gym.

"Wow, another gym, we don't need more of those, we need more comic book stores" Louis muttered to himself And before he could take another step, someone behind him covered his eyes and pulled him into the gym.

Once Louis was inside, he felt himself being sat in a chair, his hands tied, and he could clearly hear the gym door being locked.

"Help! Who are you and what do you want from me?"

The guy who had blindfolded him removed the blindfold so that Louis could see who had "kidnapped" him.

When the blindfold was removed, he saw that he was inside the gym.

The light in the gym was somewhat warm but at the same time somewhat dark, The guy felt a little scared, he wanted to ask for help but he knew that the boy in front of him could knock him down quickly, In front of him was a tall, muscular, bearded guy, he looked like one of those guys people called "jocks" and was able to confirm it, since it gave off a smell... Strange.

"He smelled like sweat..." Louis murmured.

But an acidic sweat and he also smelled like some semen, the smell of the gym was very intense and that made he head spin, When he looked around there were some exercise machines, benches, weights and all that stuff.

"To start with... You might be wondering, Who am I? Why did I kidnap you, well, I'm shake, the owner of this new gym I am 30 years old and why did I kidnap you? Well, We don't need such disappointing and nerdy people in this world, ya know?"

Louis didn't know what he meant by that, he wanted to get up from the chair to hit him but... His hands were tied and also...

The height of both was very obvious, the boy was super small next to the muscular guy, the nerd was barely 1'45 while the boy in front of him seemed to be 1'88, So even if I wanted to I couldn't knock it down.

"What do you mean the world doesn't need people like me? Explain yourself properly" Louis said in an angry tone.

"Well, you'll see," Shake said with a mocking smile, as he began to untie his hands.

The moment he untied his hands, Louis stood up and tried to run, but unfortunately Shake grabbed him by the shoulder and stopped him.

"Not so fast, nerd"

While with one arm he held Louis' shoulder, the other arm lifted him up and directed Louis towards his hairy, sweaty armpit.

"You inhale the smell, bro... Don't stop, soon you'll be a dumb, muscled guy like me... And above all, my frequent bro"

While Shake was saying that to Louis, Louis was trying to get away from him, but something told him that he wouldn't stop smelling his armpit so he kept doing it, while shake began to say words that Louis did not understand.

"you are a straight brother"

"You like girls"

"You like the smell that your big muscular body gives off"

"That makes you more masculine and manly"

As Shake said those words, Louis began to change.

His straight black hair began to turn a brownish hue as its shape changed from straight to wavy, He also began to grow in height, almost matching the size of the guy from the gym.

His face began to creak a little, as all the little baby fat began to oxidize to give him a more masculine and mature face, His pimples disappeared, his jaw became more defined while his skin also began to soften, His small lips began to enlarge and become fleshy, his nose changed, his brown eyes also changed to a brown color.

His skinny body began to burn, as he began to grow and muscles began to emerge, his clothes could not hold on any longer and tore as his shredded clothes fell to the ground revealing his new body.

He now had two big, juicy pecs, while his shoulders became broader, his torso expanded, his arms became more toned while now his triceps and biceps looked good, His back also expanded and grew giving him a back carved by the gods themselves.

His belly that was thin, now had a pack of 8 well-worked abs while on his sides he had some v-lines, As he continued to sniff Shake's armpit, his Adam's bell grew larger and stood out even more.

"That's it bro... Change and keep smelling my scent, I know you like it"

The changes were still happening, now his legs began to hurt, while his thighs grew to the size of a tree trunk, his calves also exploded, His jeans ripped as they could no longer hold the size, revealing his large, muscular legs as some brown hair emerged from them.

"You're a bro, all your friends are bro's, you're a frat guy"

"You love to leave all your candy inside the girls, you love to breed"

The moment Shake said that, Louis could feel a little excitement in his cock, he could feel it starting to grow in size and so it did, His cock began to grow and thicken, its vulnerable size of 10 centimeters stopped growing, now he had a large anaconda of 20 centimeters, erect and sore.

Now, his feet began to burn and hurt, as they grew in size, his toes lengthened while his feet gained some more flesh to make them look more masculine and worthy of a athletic man, And just like all his clothes, his shoes and socks also ripped off revealing his cute and juicy 15cm feet, The moment his feet came out of his sneakers, they began to give off an unpleasant and stinky smell, just like Shake smelled.

"You love the gym, your whole life is the gym, the girls, your brothers, the parties and the alcohol"

"You hate nerds, you make fun of them and you hit them"

After that, Shake let him go, Louis was surprised to see himself in the mirror that the gym had in front of him.

"What have you done to me!?... Wait- my voice... It sounds different, it sounds deeper"

"Of course bro, you already saw yourself in the mirror, right? A muscular and stinky bro ike us must have a deep, masculine voice, I just need the finishing touch"

Shake took a perfume out of his shorts pocket and began spraying it all over the gym.

"wait, what are you-"

The moment Louis inhaled it, his mind began to blur as his head ached, He put his hands on his head and began to growl.

"Uhh...."

His old memories were beginning to fade, he tried to hold on to them, but the scent of the perfume was too strong, new memories began to flood her mind.

He began to remember that he was always a spoiled child, he was always in the best schools and that his parents were millionaires, he remembered the countless times he had left several girls pregnant.

He began to remember that he started training at the age of 18 and now at 21 he had a body that he loved.

He remembered that he was in college and in the best fraternity, he remembered the countless parties he had had with his brothers.

His mind began to fill with girls and their big boobs, making him feel needy.

Brown hair began to grow in his armpits while a sweaty smell began to come out of them.

He started thinking about his girlfriend and her big boobs, making him came, saying goodbye to his old self.

"Bro! "You've made a mess in my gym"

"Sorry bro, but I couldn't help but cum at the thought of my girlfriend, but it shouldn't bother you, this will give a unique smell to your gym" Jake laughed as he punched him on the shoulder

"Whatever bro, here, go put these pants and boxers on, it's time to train"

Jake grabbed the gray-colored sweatpants and the boxers, headed toward the locker room. Once there he put on his pants and boxers, he saw some AirPods that he recognized as his own, He put them on while grabbing his phone that was in his locker.

"damn it, I look so goooooddd, My girlfriend is very lucky to have me"

[whore-era]

collage!ellie x reader hcs? <3

a/n: im gonna assume u meant college!ellie so HERE IT GOES just for you anon friend <3 sorry for how short it is kfkdkkd

tlou 2 university: college!ellie x reader headcanons <3 18+

i have a feeling ellie is either a biology major, engineering major, or a physics/astrophysics major (cuz our girl loooves space), meaning she's extremely intelligent and does very well in class!! she's always answering the professor's questions, taking notes, paying attention. when you struggle with any science/math related subjects, she's ALWAYS willing to tutor you. but, this doesn't mean she's just gonna give you the answers, she's gonna make sure you actually learn and study, even using any means possible — like having you strip off a piece of clothing every time you get an answer wrong and making it a fun time for the both of you.

when you have important projects/papers/quizzes/exams to do that day, she'll make sure to send an encouraging message. don't get me wrong, she always does, but on especially important days like these, she'll always make sure to send an extra special one <3 'good morning baby! you're gonna fucking KILL this chemistry exam babe! you worked your ass off and you're gonna do amazing and get the highest score ❤️ i love you my smart girl let me know what you get when you're done' 'ty els <3 i love you most babe ! i'm abt to start talk to u laterrrr 🏃🏻‍♀️'

ellie will always fulfill her girlfriend duties and walk you to and pick you from classes! even tho she's always a tiny bit late because your class was all the way across campus from hers, but she wants to make sure you're protected and safe so she doesn't care either way! and she'll always carry your books for you, making sure you don't strain or 'hurt' yourself (her words not yours). "els, i have two, capable working arms!!" you whine, as she takes the textbook off your hands, "and so? what if you get a muscle spasm? or you sprain your hand?" she retorts, "by a two pound book?" ellie shrugs, "the possibility is never zero, babe."

when ellie has a project or an essay to work on, it'll be a little difficult to reach her as she gets in the zone when she's working. you'll probably send her some texts throughout the day to check in on her, but as the day progresses you'll find yourself worrying and thinking about stopping by her dorm with dinner because you already know she hadn't ate all day from being cooped up in her room typing away:

you - 9:30 am: els! just got out of class!! gnna go get some lunch w jesse :) hope ur doin okay <3

you - 11:45 am: miss u babe hope ur work is coming along great !!!

you - 2:21 pm: havent heard from u......kinda worried....hope u have been eating n staying hydrated missy >:(

you - 5:56 pm: ok i'm On my way! to ur dorm rn w/ dinner i already know u haven't ate yet n ur gonna feel my wrath

you - 5:56 pm: ignore that extremely enthusiastic On my way! it autocorrected im still mad at u

hearing the booming pounding on her door, ellie takes off her earbuds and walks to the door, opening it. to her surprise, you're standing there, take-out in hand, and a grumpy expression gracing your face. "do you know what time it is? have you even ate yet, ellie williams-miller?" ellie grimaces at the sound of her full, government name leaving your lips. "i'm so sorry, babe. i was working all day, i didn't even realize how much time had passed 'til you showed up," ellie mutters, her stomach grumbling on cue. you hand her the take-out from her favorite spot on campus, and she graciously takes it from your hands. "you better be thankful you have a very caring and worrisome girlfriend, els," you say, "i really missed you today." a smile curls on ellie's lips, "i know, baby. here, let me take a little break from my paper, and i'll make it up to you, yeah?"

and that night, ellie was extremely thankful she worked on most of her paper, as she completely disregarded anymore work as she decided she'd rather fulfill her appetite by eating you out instead. leaving her take-out cold and untouched. but hey, she held her part of the deal and indeed made it up to you.

that was also how 5 papers ended up taped up against her dorm-room door, complaining of the 'fucking loud ass moans' the morning after.

"how'd they even know it was us?" ellie queries, reading over the complaints. "oh wait, it says here 'please tell your girlfriend to keep it down. she was screaming your name all night. thank you for reminding us who lives in dorm 114.'" needless to say, you were red as a tomato and it gutted you to leave her dorm, feeling everyone's eyes on you as you walked down the hall.

let me know if yall would like more college!ellie hcs!! <3

[spacetime1969]

Danny Fenton’s Field Trip to the Ghost Zone!

I have had the wonderful opportunity to write a fic inspired by the art of the wonderful @arisu-artnfics as part of @ecto-implosion. I ended up thinking it would be fun to bring in a trope from a completely different fandom, and write a Peter Parker Field Trip fic for Danny Fenton. Enjoy!

Chapter 4: Magic, Dragons, and Storms? Oh my!

Ao3 | First | Previous | Next

Technus’s voice sounded over the speaker. “Welcome to the Time Lost Lands, students! The home of Queen Dorathea and her subjects.”

“Woah is that a castle?” one of Dash’s classmates asked.

Dash looked out the window and sure enough, there was a massive medieval castle right out the window.

“Is that a dragon!” Dash couldn’t help his yell as he spotted a large winged reptile climbing out from behind the castle.

Manson just grinned at him. “Yep.”

The Dragon jumped from the tower and started flying towards them. Dash made a very manly noise of surprise. Definitely not a terrified squeal. (AN: This is a lie. He actually did a very good impression of a baby otter)

The Dragon was getting closer and closer, and everyone, other than the nerds, was getting progressively more freaked out. Fenton and his friends on the other hand didn’t even flinch as the massive mythical creature landed on top of the bus.

“WHO DARES TRESPASS ON MY... Oh, hello Lady Samantha. How are you this fine morning.” Halfway through its booming yell the dragon transformed into a woman with long blond hair who smiled at Manson.

“Hi Dora!” Manson smiled back. “Our class fell through a natural portal and we’re trying to get home. Think you can point us in the direction of the Far Frozen?”

“Well I can certainly give you directions, but I’m afraid they won’t be much help. The next stop on your journey is Box Ghost and Lunch Lady’s lair, which is currently only accessible through The Storm of Doom.” Dash could hear the capital letters in that name. He looked out into the Ghost Zone where the ghost was pointing and saw a patch of dark clouds. It didn’t look like much, but something about it scared him.

“Oh no, are they alright?” Fenton asked. He and his friends actually looked concerned.

Now Dash would admit that he wasn’t the best at math, but if those four were actually scared of something after how relaxed they had been at everything else in this dimension, then Dash should probably be just as scared. (AN: Dash made an error in his calculations, he should have been far more scared than he was)

“Last I heard from them they were preparing their lair for the storm. So I assume they are doing alright, but we won’t know for sure until the storm passes,” the ghost queen said.

“Speaking of which, that storm is heading this way!” Technus’s voice said over the bus speakers.

The other ghost, Dora, nodded. “Yes, I have been working to prepare the castle and move my citizens inside for the storm. You and yours are welcome to shelter with us Lady Sam.”

Manson and her friends share a look. “The last thing we want is to be stuck in The Storm of Doom.” Valarie said.

Fenton and Foley both nodded. “Yeah, the castle is probably one of the safest places to ride it out. I vote we take Dora up on her offer,” Fenton said.

“Hang on just a minute!” Mr. Lancer interrupted. “Since when were the four of you in charge!”

Foley shrugged. “Hey, Technus!” he said, turning to the front of the bus. “What are the odds on us surviving if we try and fly through The Storm of Doom?”

“My current calculations indicate a 5% chance of immediate death.”

Mr Lancer’s eyes widened. “Well that’s not too bad,” he managed to stammer out, but Technus kept going.

“A 30% chance of your classmates' blood boiling in their veins. A 24% chance of their brains freezing solid. A 4% chance of death by electrocution. A 10% chance of death by poisonous gasses. A 7% chance of spaghettification. A 9% chance of death by eldritch madness, 6% chance of Danny, Valarie, and I being the only survivors, 3% chance of you and Sam also surviving, and a 2% chance of more than half of your classmates surviving. The odds of everyone surviving is less than 0.01% and statistically insignificant, so I rounded it out.” Technus sounded way too cheerful to be discussing their, apparently very probable, deaths.

Mr. Lancer’s face had gotten paler and paler as the ghost spoke. He stumbled into his seat, Foley just smirking at him. “So, do you want to do that? Or do you want to spend the night in a very secure castle and not die a horrible death?”

“Besides,” Fenton held up a glowing green post-it note that he had gotten from... Dash had no idea where he had gotten it from, “time is apparently moving at a two to one ratio to earth right now, so every two hours we spend here only one is passing on earth. So we have plenty of time.” No one bothered to ask him how he knew that.

Mr Lancer just nodded and slumped farther into the bus seat.

Manson turned back to the ghost dragon lady floating outside the bus and smiled at her, bowing at the waist. “We humbly accept your offer of shelter, Queen Dorathea of the Time Lost Lands.”

The Ghost, Queen Dorathea, nodded back at Manson. “The Time Lost Lands do not forget those who helped us find our path to the future, you and yours will always be able to find shelter in our walls, Lady Samantha.”

The solemness that had fallen over the group hung for a moment, before Manson straightened and smiled at the ghost. “Thanks Dora, I really appreciate it!”

“Of course Sam! I’m always glad to have you stop by! Have your vehicle land in the field by the stables. It should be safe from the storm there.”

They did as ordered, and the bus came to a stop next to a stable with, were those unicorns? (Star would later inform him that they were actually alicorns.)

They all hopped out of the bus and looked around at the castle. It was even more impressive up close. The walls absolutely towered over them, and they made Dash feel very small.

Off to the side he could see Fenton and his friends talking to Mr. Lancer, but they were too quiet for him to hear what they were saying. He wasn’t gonna have to wait long to find out what they were talking about though, since Mr. Lancer called them all to gather around.

“Alright class. Miss Manson and Mr. Foley are going to go find out how long we will have to wait out the storm. In the meantime, I encourage you all to eat your lunches. If you were planning to buy lunch at the planetarium please raise your hand, Mr. Fenton has offered to hand out Fenton Sustenance Crackers™ to anyone without a pre-packed lunch.”

Dash felt his lunch money in his pocket and winced, he didn’t exactly want to take Fenton’s charity, but he had worked up quite the appetite since they had fallen into the Ghost Zone, so he raised his hand. Next to him, Kwan raised his hand too.

Fenton slowly made his way around the group and passed the crackers out. When he approached the two jocks Dash was surprised to see that they were literal crackers, like a saltine. For some reason he had been expecting more. Fenton smirked at him and split the cracker in half, handing one half to each of them. Dash stared at it.

“Is this really it?” he asked.

Fenton just smiled. “Yep, trust me, that’s all you’re gonna need.”

Dash shared a look with Kwan as Fenton continued onto the rest of the group. Kwan just shrugged at him and the two inspected the crackers they had been handed. It looked like a normal cracker, for the most part. Dash was pretty sure the slightly green hue was just the lighting, but he still hesitated.

Dash’s stomach rumbled and he shrugged. It was better than nothing. He tossed the cracker into his mouth.

It tasted strange, both citrusy and bland, while also tasting like absolutely nothing. The taste was nothing compared to what happened when he swallowed though. He could feel the cracker slide down his throat and into his stomach, and then expand.

“Oh that’s really weird,” Kwan said with a shudder.

“You get used to it!” Fenton yelled from across the field.

Dash shuddered, he really, really hoped he never did. He would give Fenton one thing though, the crackers certainly worked. His stomach felt like he had just eaten an entire 16” pizza by himself.

He joined the other students as they sat in the grass eating and talking. For a moment he forgot that they weren’t just hanging out on the football field back at Casper High. Manson and Foley returning with the green skinned ghost queen broke the illusion though.

The group hurried over to Fenton, and Valarie. Dash didn’t recognize what Valarie and Danny did, that the group were only avoiding breaking into a sprint to not cause a panic.

Dash was just close enough to over hear their whispered conversation.

“Danny we have bad news,” Manson said.

“Really bad news. The storm’s drifted further than expected. The Core is heading straight for us,” Foley sounded scared, and that scared Dash. The look on Fenton’s face pushed him from scared to terrified.

Fenton stood up from where he had been leaning against the bus, straightening and turning to the ghostly queen who had offered them shelter. “Queen Dorathea, how may I be of service to you and your people.”

The Queen bowed her head to Fenton. “Your friends have agreed to assist the royal mage in raising a shield around the castle. But I fear that without your power they will be unable to outlast the storm.” The queen made eye contact with Fenton “I ask for your aid in this, K-”

Fenton interrupted the queen. “Just Danny right now, Dora.” Fenton looked over at the rest of the class, who were obviously trying to listen in to their conversation. He made brief eye contact with Dash before turning back to Queen Dorathea. “But you will have my assistance in any way you require it.”

Fenton turned to Valerie. “Come on, let’s go let Lancer know what’s going on.” He turned back to the Ghost and bowed. “We'll be back soon.”

They hurried over to Mr. Lancer. Dash wasn’t close enough to hear what was said, but he could see the way Lancer tried to argue with Fenton only for him to stand firm. Eventually Lancer slumped and seemed to give permission.

Fenton grabbed his bag and made his way back to his friends and the queen. “Alright, let’s go. Val, you got things covered here?”

She nodded, before pulling Fenton and the others into a quick hug. Then they walked away, leaving the class whispering behind them.

There was no sun in the ghost zone but it certainly felt like it was setting as the green sky grew darker and the howling noise of the storm began to grow louder and louder.

Dash and the other A-Listers watched as the storm rolled over them, the clouds covering the sky completely. The clouds seemed to whisper to him and Dash couldn’t help but be drawn to them. He felt himself stand up and, not hearing his friends call his name, started walking away.

Val smacked him over the back of the head. Hard.

Dash felt dazed and confused. When had he stood up? Where had he been walking to?

“Yeah, don’t look at the storm. It’s not the weather you really have to be worried about.”

Instinctively Dash looked back up at the storm. Val smacked him again.

“Don’t look at it idiot. Got it?” Dash nodded rapidly. “Good. Now get back to your friends. You scared them.”

Dash looked back over his shoulder. They really did look terrified.

He quickly walks back to them. “Sorry guys, I don't know what happened.”

Paulina’s voice shook. “Don’t do that again.”

“You scared us man,” Kwan said. "It was like you couldn’t hear us.”

Dash almost looked back up at the whispering clouds again. But he caught himself, and looked down at the ground instead. “I don’t think I could.” He whispered.

They sat in silence, intentionally not looking at the storm.

There was a deep ring that echoed through the castle, and voices raised in a haunting chant. All around them a glowing green dome raised to block out the storm, the whispers in the storm becoming muffled and drowned out by the chanting.

“Look! up there!” Star said, pointing up to the castle walls. Dash followed her finger to where four figures were standing silhouetted against the bright green of the shield.

Three of the figures were holding their arms up to the sky, green wisps of magic trailing out from their hands and stretching out to the dome above them, pulsing in time with the chanting. The fourth figure had his hands on the shoulders of two of the others, their hair seeming to glow with the lighting.

“Is that Fenton and the others?” Star asked.

“Yep,” Valarie said. Dash jumped. He hadn't seen her walk up behind them. “Them and the royal mage.”

“Since when could they do magic?” Paulina asked.

“Sam and Tucker have been studying for a while. Danny too, but he doesn't have as much talent in it. He’s so powerful though that it doesn't matter much in the long run. He can just brute force a lot of things.”

She turned to look at them, making eye contact with Dash in particular. “You should all be grateful you haven't bothered them since freshman year. Sam could turn you into a frog and Danny could separate your soul from your body with just a word. As for Tucker… let’s just say that we’re all glad he stays focused on technomancy.”

Dash felt queasy. "Did you ever learn anything?” He asked, morbidly curious.

Valarie just shrugged. “It's not my specialty. I know some of the theory, but not much more than that.” She grinned and pulled a very big ray gun out of her purse. “Besides, I'm more of a gun gal anyway.”

Kwan squeaked and Dash barely kept himself from doing the same.

“How’d you get that to fit in your purse like that?” Star asked.

“There are some benefits to having magic friends.” Val grinned at them again, before sobering slightly and gesturing back towards the bus. “Now come on, we fixed up the bus so that people can sleep in it.”

Dash and the others followed her to the bus. The backs of the bench seats had been laid down flat and someone had found blankets and pillows from somewhere, turning the seats into makeshift cots.

“Claim a bed and get some sleep if you can. It's gonna be a long night.”

Dash had a hard time sleeping on the makeshift cot. Not necessarily because it was uncomfortable, but more because his mind was too full. The green glow and unending haunting chanting wasn’t helping either. Though it was definitely preferable to the alternative. The way he had almost walked off into the storm terrified him.

He got up from the bed and quietly made his way out of the bus.

Val was sitting outside on a wooden stool that had been pulled from somewhere. She had her gun balanced on her knees. and was staring up at where her friends were still chanting on the castle wall.

“How are you so calm?" he asked. “All of this is absolutely crazy, and yet you're so calm. How?”

Valarie just sat there for a long moment. “There's not much I can say other than 'you get used to it,'” she finally said. “Danny Sam and Tucker, they've been there since the very beginning, since the portal opened in his parents lab.” She glanced at him. “It's hard to keep up with the rest of them sometimes. They're all so in sync and I joined them so much later, but I'm nothing if not stubborn, so I keep up with them anyway.”

“So this whole time Fenton and the others have been befriending the ghosts and learning magic and and... I don't even know what else.”

Valerie's laugh was humorless. “Yeah you really don't know what else Dash. And I'm not going to tell you.”

“Why not!”

“Why would I Dash? Why would I tell you a secret that isn't even mine when you bullied Danny and ostracized me back in freshman year. Why do you think Dash?” Val shook her head. “It's not my place to tell people, and even if it was, you'd never be someone I'd tell anyway.”

Dash had nothing he could say in response.

Valerie turned back to watch the castle walls. “Go back to bed Dash.”

He did as told, but he didn't get much sleep that night.

[fanfictionalraven]

Piece by Piece Pt. 9

Title: Piece By Piece Pt. 9

Summary: This part takes place during the episode It’s A Terrible Life.

Characters: Reader, Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, other canon characters and original characters

Word Count: 3,013

Warnings: N/A

Author’s Note: This story was originally posted by myself under the account Winchestersgirl92. It was published in 2017.

Read Piece by Piece Pt. 8 here.

You pad across the living room of the penthouse apartment, enjoying the morning’s peace before having to wake up Katherine. Looking down at the city, your hand comes to rest on your stomach. You weren’t obviously showing yet, there was only a tiny bump under your hand. Two arms come around your waist and a pair of lips find your cheek.

“Morning, Mrs. Smith,” Dean mumbles against your skin. You laugh lightly and run your hand over his arm.

“We’ve been married for 10 years, Dean. Don’t you ever get tired of saying that?” You ask. His nose brushes against your cheek.

“Are you tired of hearing it?” He asks. Smiling, you look over your shoulder at him and shake your head.

“Never,” you tell him. He smiles and presses his lips against yours. Turning in his arms, your own lay across his shoulders. He pulls away and his eyes narrow.

“You had coffee, didn’t you?” He asks. You bite your lip and he sighs. “I thought we agreed no more caffeine while you’re pregnant.”

“You suggested it, I vetoed,” you tell him. He shakes his head, unamused.

“I just want you both healthy,” he says. You roll your eyes and kiss his nose quickly.

“And one cup of coffee in the morning isn’t going to hurt either of us,” you say, taking his hands and pulling him into the kitchen. Dropping his hands, you move to the refrigerator and pull his lunch out.

“What are your plans for the day?” Dean asks, pouring coffee into his travel mug. You set his lunch on the counter then get the eggs out to start your daughter’s breakfast.

“Well after I drop Katherine off I have my first pregnant yoga class,” you tell him. He raises an eyebrow at you.

“That’s a thing?” He asks. You laugh lightly and nod, cracking a few eggs into the pan.

“Apparently. Bridget signed me up for it last week. Said it did wonders for her when she was pregnant with Destiny,” you say. Dean nods, watching you. “Then we’re going shopping cause Bridget needs a new dress for that charity ball thing they’re hosting this weekend.”

“I thought you couldn’t stand Bridget,” he says before taking a sip from his mug. You sigh and nod.

“I can’t. She’s a spoiled little princess but she’s going through this nasty divorce and she doesn’t have anyone else,” you tell him. He smiles, pushing off of the counter he’d been leaning against.

“You’re such a saint,” he says, walking over and kissing your cheek. “I gotta go. I’ll see all three of you tonight.” His hand comes to rest on your stomach and you smile at him softly, nodding. You lean in and plant a quick kiss on his lips.

“I love you,” you tell him. He picks up his lunch before kissing you one last time.

“I love you too,” he says. You smile and watch him as he rushes out the door before returning your attention to the eggs.

At 7:45 you drop Katherine off at the front door of her prestigious private school then drive across town to the little yoga studio. After an hour-long class, you meet Bridget for brunch before the two of you hit the most expensive store in town. By lunch, she still hasn’t found anything and insists on continuing after you eat. 2:30 rolls around and you’re ready to either pull your own hair out strand by strand or snap her neck, you haven’t decided. You finally manage to convince her that the green one with the dropped waist does not make her look like an avocado and the two of you leave. You just manage to get to the school in time to pick Katherine up. You get her home and settled in with her tutor before you start making dinner. At 5:00 on the dot your cell phone rings.

“Hello,” you say, sticking it between your ear and shoulder as you stir the pot on the stove.

“Hi, Darling,” Dean’s voice says over the line. You frown quickly. He only called you darling when he had bad news.

“You’re staying late again, aren’t you?” You ask, hanging your head.

“I’m sorry. Something’s come up and I don’t know when I’ll be in tonight,” he tells you quickly. You glance over your shoulder at your daughter and sigh.

“She hasn’t seen you in three days, Dean. You live in the same apartment and you haven’t even seen each other. Do you realize how sad that is?” You ask, your voice dropping low.

“Can we not have this fight again?” He asks with a sigh. You bite your lip, watching the water in the pot boil.

“You aren’t having an affair, are you?” You ask. Your voice is thick with the tears you’re trying to hold back.

“Hey, hey. Whoa. Not even close. You know me better than that. You’re the only girl for me, Y/N,” he says, his voice soft and reassuring. “I’ve got a special project that came up at the last minute. I’m staying with a co-worker, Sam Wesson. He works in our technical support department. I will try my best to be home in time to tuck Katherine in and spend a few hours fixing whatever made you ask such an insane question.” You wipe at your cheeks quickly and nod.

“I’m sorry. Hormones and I spent the whole day listening to Bridget talk about her divorce. Her husband was having an affair with his secretary,” you tell him. He chuckles.

“Well you’ve met Janice and, as lovely as she is, I don’t think she’d be willing to throw away a 40-year marriage, three kids, and five grandkids just for me,” he says. You laugh lightly and return to stirring the pot in front of you.

“I think you underestimate yourself,” you tease. He laughs now then sighs.

“Alright. I gotta get back to work. I love you. I love Katherine. I love the baby,” he says. You smile and glance back at Katherine, reading her book.

“We all love you too,” you tell him. Dean hangs up and you sigh, setting the phone aside. Katherine looks up at you now and frowns.

“He won’t be home again tonight, will he?” She asks. You frown too and shake your head.

“He said he’s gonna try and make it back in time to tuck you in,” you tell her. She nods, unconvinced, and looks over out the window.

“Can we go to Grandpa Bobby and Grandma Ellen’s this weekend?” She asks. You smile as you walk over and plant a kiss on top of her head.

“That sounds like a great idea. I’ll talk to Daddy about it tonight,” you say. She smiles up at you widely. “Now go wash up for dinner.”

The two of you eat, making plans for the weekend. You knew Dean wouldn’t have a problem with going to see his family over the weekend; it was more a concern for how much time this special project was going to take up. You allow Katherine to stay up an extra 30 minutes, hoping Dean would make it in. But by 9:00 you get her in bed yourself. You fall onto the couch and drape a blanket over yourself before dozing off as you wait for Dean to get home.

The sound of someone rummaging around the kitchen draws you from your slumber. You sit up and rub at your eyes before squinting at your phone. It was nearly midnight. You sigh and rise to your feet before walking into the kitchen.

“Dean, baby, are you just getting in?” You ask before freezing. Dean was not the one fumbling around your kitchen. You stare at the strange man with long hair then grab a knife from the butcher block on the counter. The man raises his hands quickly.

“No, no!!” He says. “I’m Sam!!” You stare at him, holding the knife out towards him.

“Hey!! Whoa!!” Dean says, coming around the corner suddenly. You look at him and he takes the knife from you. “Easy. This is Sam. From work. Remember?” You sigh and nod. Sam. From work. The special project.

“I’m so sorry. Dean didn’t tell me he was bringing someone home,” you tell Sam. He smiles and shakes his head. You look back up at Dean, raising an eyebrow.

“I saw you were asleep on the couch. I went in to check on Katherine then I was going to move you to bed,” he explains. You nod slightly and he looks at Sam. “Sam Wesson, this is my wife, Y/N.” Sam smiles at you apologetically.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry for the scare,” he says. You shake your head, leaning against Dean as he wraps his arms around you from behind.

“It’s fine. Not your fault,” you tell him. Dean kisses your temple quickly.

“Sorry,” he mumbles. “Sam and I are actually about to head back to the office. Shouldn’t be too long though.”

“Be careful,” you say, looking back at him. “I’m going to bed. Don’t wake me up when you come in.” He laughs lightly and kisses you briefly before letting you go.

A few hours later, you rouse to the bed shifting next to you as Dean climbs in. You feel him gently push a hair from your face and you open your eyes.

“I told you not to wake me up,” you mumble teasingly. Dean laughs softly and nods.

“Sorry,” he says. You watch his face for a moment. His smile isn’t quite reaching his eyes the way it always does.

“What’s wrong?” You ask. He shrugs his shoulders, laying an arm across your waist.

“Weird night,” he says. You nod slightly, waiting. He eventually sighs, his eyes averted. “Are you happy, Y/N?” He asks. You smile and reach up, placing your hand against his cheek. His eyes meet yours again.

“I’ve got you. Katherine. The baby. What more could I want?” You ask. He nods slightly.

“Do you feel like – like something’s missing?” He asks. Your smile falls slowly and you sit up, looking down at him.

“You feel like something’s missing,” you say. He frowns and sits up quickly.

“Not with you!! No,” he says, taking your hands in both of his. “I am happy. With you and our little family. It’s just – work.” You nod as he reaches up and wipes the stray tear from your cheek.

“You aren’t happy with your job then change it,” you tell him. He sighs and shakes his head.

“What about the baby? And the life we have planned?” He asks. You pull your hands from his and takes his face in them gently.

“As long as we have each other, I don’t care about the rest of it, Dean. All of this,” you say, glancing around the bedroom. “It’s just stuff.” He smiles and you kiss him softly. “What are you wanting to do?” You ask as you pull away, running your fingers through his hair.

“Some freelance work with Sam. We’d be traveling a lot,” he says. You smile and nod. “I might quit tomorrow.”

“I’ll start packing then,” you tell him. He smiles and shakes his head, watching you.

“You’re too good for me,” he says before leaning in and kissing you again. You smile and lay back, pulling him down with you.

The next morning, you drop Katherine off at school before heading over to Dean’s office. You smile at Janice as you walk up to her desk. She hangs up the phone and returns the smile.

“Mrs. Smith. How are you feeling?” She asks. You laugh lightly and shrug.

“Morning sickness. It’s hit or miss, you know,” you tell her. She smiles, knowingly, and nods. “He in the office?”

“Go on in,” she says. You smile again and round the corner, stopping in his door. One of his coworkers is sat across from him.

“Ugh, well, thank you. Thank you, sir. It’s – umm…” Dean stammers and stops when he sees you in the door. You smile at him apologetically then step inside. The man looks over and smiles, standing up.

“I’m sorry. Janice said it was fine to just come in,” you tell him before holding up a small plastic container. “You left your lunch this morning.” Dean laughs lightly and nods, holding his arm out for you.

“Mr. Adler, this is my wife, Y/N,” he introduces, wrapping his arm around your waist as you move into his side. You smile and shake Mr. Adler’s extended hand.

“Pleasure to meet you, Y/N. I heard the good news. Congratulations!!” He says, reaching a hand out to your stomach. Dean’s arm tightens around your waist slightly and Mr. Adler notices, dropping his hand quickly. “I was just talking to Dean here about all the big things coming his way.” You smile and look up at Dean. He looks back at you and you nod your head once.

“I’m giving my notice,” he says, looking back at Mr. Adler. You smile proudly as Dean explains his reasoning, this company not being who he’s meant to be. You’d always known of course that Dean was so much more than a suit and tie. Mr. Adler directs his attention to you now.

“And how do you feel about it?” He asks. You shrug slightly.

“I’ll support him in whatever he decides to do,” you tell him. Mr. Adler nods and an almost sinister grin starts to spread across his face. Dean frowns and pulls you a little closer.

“Dean, Dean, Dean. Finally,” Mr. Adler says. He reaches forward quickly and touches two fingers to both of your heads. Your mind fogs over for a second before clearing. Dean’s arm drops from your waist and you take a step backwards. You steady yourself against a chair, feeling dizzy, as you start to recollect everything.

You and Dean were not high school sweethearts. You weren’t married or a housewife. You didn’t live in a fancy penthouse apartment. Your daughter didn’t go by Katherine or go to a private school. Your hand comes to your stomach quickly and you sigh. The baby was real. You knew that much.

“Are you ready to stand up and be who you really are?” The man you had thought was Mr. Adler says to Dean. He shakes his head slightly in response. You reach out for Dean’s arm quickly and he looks at you.

“M.K. Dean, we have to go get her,” you tell him. His eyes widen slightly and he nods as Sam comes running into the room. Dean looks around and frowns, the other man now vanished.

“What the hell happened??” Sam asks, staring at his brother. Dean shakes his head, wrapping his arm around your waist quickly.

“We gotta go,” he says, pulling you from the office. The three of you make your way through the building as quickly as you can. You find the Impala parked in a nearby garage. Sam gets into the backseat, allowing you to sit up front. Dean throws the car in gear and whips his tie off as he peels out of the garage. You jump when your cellphone starts to ring and pull it out quickly.

“Hello?” You say into the receiver.

“Mrs. Smith. This is Dr. Brown from the school,” a woman’s voice on the other end says. Your eyes widen and you look at Dean. He glances at you as he drives. “Katherine seems to be having a panic attack of some sort.”

“Can I talk to her please?” You ask, trying to keep your voice calm. You hear the phone shift hands and M.K.’s sobs come over the line.

“Momma??” She asks. “I don’t know where I am and these people are calling me Katherine Smith!! Where are you??” You shush her quickly.

“M.K. I need you to calm down. Daddy and I are on the way to get you right now, okay? Everything’s gonna be okay, I promise. We’ll be there in just a few minutes,” you tell her, wiping at your own eyes. There was nothing in her voice but sheer terror.

“You’re coming?” She asks, trying to calm herself down.

“Just minutes away. I swear, Baby Girl,” you assure her, squeezing your eyes closed. The phone changes hands again.

“Do you want us to give her anything?” The woman asks.

“No!!” You say a little too loudly. “No. My – my husband and I are on our way to get her now.” You look over at Dean and he nods.

“Very well. We’ll keep her in the office,” she tells you. You nod and hang up, dropping the phone in your lap. You clasp your hands together in front of you, trying to stop them from shaking. Dean reaches over, running a comforting hand over your knee.

“She’s gonna be fine. We’re almost there,” he says. You shake your head slightly, wiping at your tears quickly.

“You’ll have to go in and get her. I can’t,” you tell him, barely keeping it together. He nods and squeezes your knee. His hand stays there until he parks the car in front of the school building. After he gets out, skipping steps as he rushes to the door, you feel another hand come to rest on your shoulder. You look back to find Sam frowning at you.

“I’m sorry you got dragged into all this,” he says. You merely shake your head, unable to speak. You take a few calming breaths, knowing you can’t be falling apart when Dean gets back with M.K.

A minute later, he’s rushing back down the stairs with her held tightly in his arms. You can see he’s talking to her, reassuring her, apologizing to her. You push open your door and he hands her off to you quickly before running around to his side. You hold her tight, alternating between kissing her temple, cheek, and hair. You’ve never been more grateful to have her in your arms as Dean peels away from the school, tires screeching.

Read Piece by Piece Pt. 10 here.

[paperboy-pb]

"A Very Special Day" [Life Story]

[TW for: ableism against kids, internalized ableism, and mentions of suicidal ideation.]

9 years ago today, in the state of New York on September 5th, was my second day of 6th grade. Being a Special Ed kid, I was upset; my school, a K-8 that I had been with since the start and stayed with until the end, had always treated us so differently. And the world around me had promised that things would change once middle school began. But they hadn't. In fact, barely anything was new at all.

Same old baby talk from adults who saw me every day, but willfully ignored how big I had grown.

Same old bullying from my peers, disabled children who spent their days as pots calling kettles black, because no one had any intentions of teaching us better.

Same Adapted Phys Ed, getting ready to interrupt my morning reading every Monday, Wednesday, Friday; even though they'd promised to let me play in Gym with the rest of my class years ago by now.

Same old kids from the neighborhood filling up the rest of my grade, coming in smiling and laughing and oh so free in their new groups of 30. 30-something of them. 12 of us.

They'd even gotten some new kids from the K-5s around town. All of which seemed really nice. Man. Lucky them. Meanwhile, everything was so same-y that I'd considered running away from the school bus when it pulled up.

September 5th, 2014. Still kinda hot in Brooklyn. Sunny out there.

The day had gone bad. My classmates were talking FNAF, and being mean about things I don't remember. They flicked food at me during lunch while I tried to read and mind my own business. We weren't allowed to change seats, even though the rest of our grade got that privilege. It was supposed to be for all of us middle schoolers, but when I'd asked the day before, our lunch aide had no idea what I was on about. She suddenly insisted it was never a thing! While the rest of our grade was splitting into cliques behind her back, paying us no mind, knowing they'd somehow earned it and we didn't.

10-year-old me couldn't wait to go home.

By the end of the day, I was drained like no other. Head down on the desk and all. I was thinking, 2:20-something. Just a few more minutes.

God, why are things like this? Is it gonna get better later this year? I hope so, it's only the second day. Maybe it just starts bad!

Man, I miss summer already. I wish I spent today home all day eating onion ring chips again and playing Animal Crossi--

"Alright guys, listen up!" Said Mrs. Z, who would pretty much be our only teacher this year. (Meanwhile, everyone else got to have different people for different subjects.)

I don't remember her exact words. But she held up a white booklet with a bunch of kids holding hands and awkwardly smiling at us from the mostly-white cover. She said something about it being very important. And she ended her little stanza with, and I quote, "DON'T read these, alright? It's for your parents."

I think that one line changed the trajectory of my life.

As our para handed them out, my bookworm ass couldn't help but furrow my little brows. I'd had teachers assume certain books were "too hard" for me when they weren't, and get upset at me whenever I summarized the plot of them correctly. I'd had teachers tell me not to read other books during class, which was fair enough, I guess. But a teacher telling me not to read something at ALL?

Now THAT'S a new one...

It felt plasticy, not like paper. It's a packet, not a book. Six kids in a row, but none look like me, as usual. The cover said, "Family Guide To Special Education Services for School-Age Children. A Shared Path to Success." ...I don't think a title should be that long. Why not parentheses that end bit?

After that, we were dismissed. Me & some peers headed into the hallway down to the first floor to wait for our bus, and we chatted about it a little bit?

One was like, "Is this a report card or something?"

Another was like, "I guess?"

The first boy skimmed it, though, and saw nothing about him. Which eased his nerves.

A third asked me what I thought it was since I was the only kid who'd hit a Z-reading level. They figured I could make sense of it. And my first thought was boring adult stuff, or some sort of... after-school? Program? Thing? But I didn't really answer. I was too preoccupied with what Mrs. Z said.

What kind of teacher tells me not to read something? Give it to my parents is one thing, but specifically, "don't" read this? Dude! What doesn't she want me to see?

Everyone else had tossed the damn thing into their bookbags and zipped 'em up by now. We headed downstairs, and I couldn't help but notice that our 6th grade class was on the third floor; with a lot of grades 2-4 around us.

Meanwhile, the rest of the big middle school classes came down from higher up. It turns out that they all had their classes high up on the top floor. A bunch of bright minds floated down from above like they were that summer's fireflies, and we were the tips of night grass. Or maybe even worms, burrowing into the dirt and calling it a day.

...

By the time the bus was moving, I still had the packet in my hands. I was wondering why they all got to be up there and we didn't. We lived pretty close to Coney Island, after all: it must be cool seeing the parachute jump from the hallway window on your way down every day.

I barely had time to stuff the packet in my hands once we pulled up to my apartment.

If you've ever wondered what Kid Jonah was like, imagine some sort of hybrid between a miserable little nerd & the most optimistic goody-goody you've ever met. Like, yeah, I'd been in a few fights by this point, broken some rules behind their backs, but I was also... 10. And known for being "THE good kid" in front of teachers. I didn't like to defy them, you know? Even if they did always make me feel weird, or on-edge, or like I was a part of something bad.

So when I made a beeline for my room, I was like, Oh my God, I'm actually gonna do this...? And I didn't tell my parents a thing. I've kept the packet all this time and they STILL haven't read it!

But I did. I think I hesitated, but I remember opening it on my bed.

"Welcome.

Dear families, we've come a long way since our special education reform initiative, A Shared Path to Success, was launched citywide in 2012... we've also been changing hearts and minds as our core belief- that special education is a service, and not a place- has taken hold in our schools...

Section 1... Children learn at different speeds and in different ways. Some children have physical and/or intellectual disabili..."

WHAT?!

...

It was a really dense packet for a kid. Long, boring, seemed endless. But I understood the words. Especially that D one. And at the time, 10-year-old me knew it was a bad one.

I'd crossed the point of no return by then. I kept reading. And I didn't dare skip a word. "Intervention," "Special," "Disability," "Meeting," "Evaluation," "Eligibility," "IEP,"-- Hey, I know that word! IEPs are the dense things stapled to my report cards!

I remember the anger flaring in my heart, out my nose, widening my eyes once I got to the Eligibility bit. I thought, and I quote, "THEY THINK WE'RE DISABLED?!" I don't think words can articulate how insulted little 10-year-old me was!

...I don't think I can articulate how sad that is now, either. How do you instill such heavy ableism into a little boy like that? How do you live with yourself?

But I couldn't throw the book at the wall or take one of my mom's lighters to it like I initially wanted. Because I realized pretty quickly... Oh my God. This is it. These are THE ANSWERS! THIS IS WHY IT'S ALL HAPPENING!

I couldn't believe my eyes as I took it all in. The 13 disabilities that landed me and my friends in this mess, some of which matched up with certain kids I knew right away. But what really caught my attention were the services. Terms that I KNEW about. Things I engaged with. Things I... hated.

"Occupational Therapy." That nice older lady who takes me out of class every few days so I can play memory games, or play with this hand-gripper, or yank pegs outta this bright green putty.

"Paraprofessional Services"; those weird second-teachers that annoy us and only us, but never anyone else in the other classes. They're so stuck-up sometimes! And they never really seem to know how to leave us alone. Especially certain kids.

The stories I could tell about them all now... good fucking lord.

Physical Therapy; That's the one where the lady is always making me feel bad about things and do sit-ups or run drills in the hallway and stairwell... and do embarrassing stretches like people aren't walking by.

And she got upset with me because I brought a lunchbox every day for years; she told me, "You'll never be a big kid if you keep bringing food from home, Jonah!"

And I told her, "But my mom doesn't even make the sandwiches anymore! I make them for myself!"

And she was like, "But still!"

She also measures her footstep, saying it was a foot of distance. Like, 12 inches. But nuh-uh, it was never a foot! Her sneakers aren't that big. Rulers are longer. Why didn't she just get a measuring tape? What's this lady's problem?

The one that sunk my heart, though, was Adapted Phys Ed. The packet said it was "A specially designed program of developmental activities, games, sports, and rhythms suited to the interests, capabilities, and limitations of individual children who may now safely or successfully participate in the activities of a regular physical education program."

And I thought: ...That's the watered-down gym class I do three times a week.

The one where we do "challenges" like stepping into each hole of an agility ladder mat and doing a squat before moving to the next.

The one where we never play sports like everybody else gets to do.

The one that makes the gym teacher sit me out on the bleachers by myself, and watch literally everybody else I know have fun. And when I ask why, nobody tells me anything.

The one where I ask how I can improve in order to go play with everybody else, but nobody tells me anything.

The one where Mrs. D keeps promising me that I'll get to play with the rest of my class soon... but it never comes true.

This is why everybody acts so weird around us.

This is why we can't even talk to the rest of our grade.

This is why nothing ever changes...!

It all made sense. 10-year-old me couldn't feel the floor or the bed anymore. The back of my mind buzzed like shaken soda, fizzling against the back of my skull. I didn't cry. I didn't have tears. But I did sink down, down into the depths of I-don't-even-know-where.

I went time-traveling back to May of last school year, where a Special Ed kid the grade above me was saying to his classmate, "We're all just the kids nobody wants." But I didn't have context. Was this the context? He sounded like he was about to cry.

I went back to 4th grade when I headed into the bathroom and saw two kids from my grade walk by with papers promoting the talent show to everybody. I saw the text written on them clear as day! And I got excited; Our school's having a talent show? COOL! We must be getting those later today, too!

The papers never came.

I went back to 3rd grade, where paras would hover over our class during lunch, but nobody else's. They always stood tall above and between us, like they were a scarecrow keeping the birds of our grade away.

And there was so much. More. Than that.

...

I still wonder why Z didn't want me seeing that. Maybe she knew I would spiral or label myself. But at the same time... that's a learned behavior. Ableism is a hatred, and hatred is learned. From ADULTS. One that she and the rest of the school could at least try to curb if she noticed.

Z wasn't a bad lady. I think she was trying to protect me? But... we already knew we were being treated unfairly. Why would keeping this secret protect me?

The anger only lasted a little while. Because something else dawned on me.

I can't stay here.

This place had been upsetting me for YEARS. And now I knew that it was happening for a reason. A shitty one, but still... a reason. It's not just bad luck. And that it wasn't going to change unless I removed that reason from their minds.

I had to leave. Sound familiar?

The next day we had school? I was completely shaken up. Kinda surprised no one noticed. I was finally seeing just how deep this all went. The teachers smiling in my face, baby-talking, getting reallll close while having this sense of disgust in their eyes.

The staggering difference in numbers between "normal" classes and ours.

Our class locations.

I even found this board on the first floor that had a picture of every teacher and what they taught. Sure enough, "Special Education" was specified in the label for every teacher I'd ever had. I was even able to find the next teachers I'd have for Grades 7 & 8. And my blood went cold because I knew those two particular ladies were pretty mean.

My school was DEFINITELY failing that, "Special Ed is a service, not a place!" shit the state allegedly wanted to accomplish. It was a place. And I... was trapped.

And I couldn't stay trapped. Because as far as I knew, education was everything. I was a very academic little boy back then. And I didn't know what staying in a place like this could mean for my education later down the line.

I didn't want to find out.

I also didn't want my social life restricted like this. Especially since there weren't many kids who treated me well. I wanted freedom. I wanted independence. I wanted a chance to actually find real friends!

And this is sad, but... I was already very depressed by that age. Due to the nature of Special Ed at school. Had been since 8. And so... I made a plan in my bedroom the same night I found the packet:

I can't carry this environment with me into high school. I have to do anything-- EVERYTHING I can to get outta here by the time 8th grade starts! And if I fail... I can't finish 8th grade like that.

The Verrazzano Bridge and the walkway by the water, the one with the short fence that I can get right over, are only a fifteen minute walk from home. If I don't get out of Special Ed by 8th grade, then... I have to go out there and throw myself off. I have to kill myself. I have to...! Because I know for a fact I just can't. Stay. Here.

And I was serious. Dead-serious. Because I thought about it every day for the next 2 years straight.

...

That packet started it all for PB. And as sad as it is that I technically had to go behind adults' backs just to learn something about myself and where I was, I'm extremely glad it happened. Because it's also what kickstarted my interest in disability topics. My journey in learning who we were, what we were, and what we do & don't deserve.

It led to the first drafts of PB just under a year later, which set my life on a completely new path. Paperboy would not EXIST if it weren't for that day. Hell; I don't even know if my OTHER projects (like Weirder Than Usual) would, either!

That wasn't right. None of that was right. But it did give me a story to tell. One that you guys are finally starting to see!

And one that I'm very, very proud of.

Disability conversations are extremely important to me now. I don't think I'm the beacon of anti-ableism or anything like that. I know I've fucked up as I grew up, especially in my younger years. But this entire situation showed me how hush-hush the world likes to be about it. And while it's better now than it was in 2014, it ain't great yet.

And I think I owe it to 10-year-old Jonah to change that shit. Because when he googled "Special Ed makes me feel bad," he barely found anything.

It was definitely an experience I will never forget. And as you saw above, I still keep that packet with me to this day, and I always will, because of just how heavily it changed my life.

I have no idea where or who I'd be if it wasn't for that.

Happy 9th birthday, SpEd packet. Can't wait for the 10th!

[forget-you-morelike-fuck-you]

Heartwork- E.M. Pt. 3

You and Eddie go out to dinner at the diner.

1 - 2 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - Epilogue

Masterlist

TW- Cursing, innuendo

Pairings- Eddie X Reader

Word Count- 1,711

(Gif not mine, Credit to owner!)

You nod as you all walk out of the theater, having been the only one to see it before, you were the only one prepared for the complete mind-fuck in store. The three men with you walk out dazed, eyes glossed over as they digest the movie.  

“That was awesome,” Dustin muses as the four of you walk toward the front. You simply nod again. 

“I know. It’s genius,” You state. 

“New favorite movie, for sure,” Eddie comments. 

“I told you it was great! It’s an instant classic.”  

“I mean, Anthony Hopkins… He’s just…” 

“Fucking fantastic, is what he is!” Gareth exclaims. “And Buffalo Bill!” 

“It rubs the lotion on its skin, or else it gets the hose again!” Dustin imitates, making you all laugh as you push through the front doors.  

“Hey, we’re gonna go to the diner to get some food, you guys wanna come?” Eddie offers.  

“Nah, I’ve got work early in the morning, thanks though,” Dustin says.  

“Yeah, and I’ve gotta get home to Nicole. Maybe next time?”  

“Yeah, for sure! Here, take my number and we can schedule a lunch together!” You hand both Gareth and Dustin card from your purse and bid them all goodbye, then you turn to Eddie.  

“Okay, I’ll meet you there?” Eddie nods. 

“Yeah, I’ll see you in a few minutes.” You hug, even though you’re not saying goodbye, and you laugh as you pull away. 

“See you in a few.” You walk to your car and get in the driver’s seat, backing out of the space and pulling out of the lot. You see Eddie’s car pull in the parking lot for the diner just before you do, and you pull into the space next to him and get out to go inside to meet him. 

“Hey! Fancy seeing you here.” You laugh, pulling Eddie’s attention to you. He smiles, hands in his pockets as he turns to you. 

“Yeah, it’s like we planned it or something!” He takes a step towards you, that sweet, goofy smile you’ve always adored dancing on his lips. “You ready to sit?” He motions with his head to a booth in the corner. The usual booth that the three of you always used to sit at. You nod, remembering all of the good times this place held with a smile as you walk over and sit down across from each other. 

A couple of minutes later, a waitress comes over to greet you. “Hi guys, I’m Tina. Can I get you started with something to drink?” She looks a bit younger than you two, maybe still in high school.  

“Yeah, I’ll have a coke, please,” Eddie says, looking up from the menu. The waitress writes it on her pad and looks to you.  

“I’ll just have a water,” She nods and writes again.  

“Are you ready to order or do you need a few more minutes?” You and Eddie look to each other, when you see Eddie shrug slightly, you turn back to Tina. 

“Just a couple minutes please,” She gives a tired smile as she nods again and turns to go get your drinks. The next couple of seconds are silent as you and Eddie look over your menus. 

“Wanna split some cheese fries?” Eddie asks, an eyebrow quirked playfully as if getting cheese fries was a risky activity. You chuckle and contemplate, lips pressing together as you hum in thought. 

“That sounds good…” You begin as you narrow your eyes devilishly. “But you know what could be better?” You lean in slightly. 

“What could be better than cheese fries?” Eddie rolls his eyes.  

“Chili cheese fries!” You exclaim. Eddie nods solemnly. 

“I knew I kept you around for a reason!” You reach across the table to smack Eddie with the menu lightly, both of you laughing. 

“I thought you said I was your best friend!” You feign hurt across your face, only thinly veiling the ever-growing smile you wear. 

“Yeah! Because who else would condone eating cheese fries at 10:30 at night?!” Eddie rolls his eyes like it’s obvious. You’ve missed this. You didn’t have many friends in Chicago. Most of the people you had classes with were stuffy, uppity people from rich families. You never vibed with those sorts of people. You’ve always preferred the outcasts, having been one yourself in most of your formative years. You had a couple of casual friends, but nothing comparing to the deep bond you share with Eddie, and what you once shared with Y/BFF/N. 

Tina comes back as your laughter wanes, a light smile on her face, probably amused by the antics between you and Eddie. “Alright, are we ready to order now?” You turn to her and nod, glancing back at the menu for the name of the burger you’re wanting.  

“I think I’m gonna do the Bacon Cheeseburger Royale, with no tomato, please, and we’re gonna split an order of chili cheese fries.”  

“Okay, great choice. And for you, sir?” She turns to Eddie. 

“I’ll do the Grilled Chicken Sandwich, and I’d also like bacon on mine, please.” Eddie grabs both of your menus to hand back to the waitress.  

“Alright, and will that be on one check?” 

“Yes!” You interject as Eddie begins answering. “I’ll take it.” Tina nods and turns to go put in your orders. 

“You don’t have to buy me dinner!” Eddie says. You roll your eyes exaggeratedly. 

“You didn’t have to buy my movie ticket! You can get dinner next time, okay?” You reason, smiling at Eddie across the table. He shakes his head lightly, but gives it up.  

“Alright, deal.” You shake on it and keep talking until the food comes, the conversation never slowing as you laugh together. 

“Oh, do you remember Steve?” Eddie asks, stuffing his mouth with a couple of fries. You roll your eyes up, thinking, until his picture pops into your head. 

“Harrington? Yeah, what about him?”  

“I talk to him every once in a while. He just got his degree in Education. Guess where he works now!” You think back on Steve, not the most studious person, you recall, but a nice enough guy. You mainly remember how attractive you and the whole of Hawkins thought he was. Man, he’s gonna have a rough time with his female students. 

“Hawkins High, I’m guessing? Jesus... Doesn’t that man have enough ego without being fawned over by a bunch of hormonal teenagers?” You chuckle at the thought, cheerleaders asking for special “extra credit” when they fall behind in his class. Poor guy, he’s gonna have to bathe in hand sanitizer just to keep the creepy off.  

“Yeah, but he seems to really like it. At least the kids listen to him for the most part. God knows that all of high school is a popularity contest. I guess it’s true even for the teachers.” Eddie says.  

“I suppose so. I heard from my parents that the Wheeler girl... Nancy, right? I heard she’s working for NBC now. My parents are friends with her parents.” 

“Yeah, and Mike, her brother, you remember him? He’s at CalTech. Sends me a postcard every once in a while. He was a little shit in high school but he and that girl he’s with seem to be happy.” You think back and remember the girl vaguely. You only ever saw her once or twice but Mike never seemed to stop talking about her.  

“Isn’t she his cousin or something?” You squint your eyes, trying to remember as Eddie laughs out loud across from you.  

“Fuck no! That was just a rumor going around for a while before everyone believed he had a girlfriend!” You chuckle now, slightly embarrassed at the false memory. 

“Oh, oops!” Eddie laughs harder as a bubble of laughter bursts from your mouth to accompany his and as you inhale, you snort a bit, which makes Eddie, and then you, laugh even harder. You’re practically in tears by the time the food’s gone, stomachs tense, face aching from all the fun you’re having.  

The bill gets brought out, and after you pay, you and Eddie walk out to the parking lot together, still joking about everything under the sun. He walks you to your car, and you turn to him, wrapping your arms around his slender frame in a hug. “This was so much fun. Thanks for inviting me out,” Eddie reciprocates, bringing his arms around you and squeezing, laying his cheek on the top of your head.  

“Don’t mention it. Now that you’re back, I’m gonna be dragging you out to everything!” He jokes. “You’re gonna get sick of seeing me.” You scrunch your nose and shake your head as you part. 

“I’ll never get sick of seeing you, Munson. You’re probably the best thing about this place.” You confess, smiling sweetly. Eddie scoffs, rolling his eyes dramatically and you almost swear you see a tinge of pink sweep across his cheeks as he smiles. 

“Nah, no way. You might be, though.” He leans in for another quick hug, and you get a shock as you feel his lips press briefly to your cheek. It’s not the first time he’s kissed you in this friendly fashion, but it feels different all the same. Maybe it’s just because it’s been so long. Still, the warmth of his lips on your face for that brief moment makes your heart skip an unexpected beat. “Alright, I’ll let you go now,” he says, smiling out of the corner of his mouth. You nod, trying to calm the beating in your chest as you say your goodbyes. 

“Okay. I’ll see you Saturday at my parents’ though, right?” He nods as he remembers. 

“Yeah, definitely. I will be there.”  

“Okay then, goodnight. I’ll see you soon.” You start to turn to get into your car. 

“Yeah, see you soon. Goodnight, Y/N.”  

With that, you get in and close the door, sticking the key in the ignition. You can still feel the spot Eddie kissed, and you let out a deep breath. “Well, that’s new,” You mutter to yourself, putting the car in reverse. It’s nothing, you think. You just didn’t expect it. It doesn’t mean anything. You keep trying to convince yourself as you drive home for the night. 

@corrodedcoffincumslut @haylaansmi @bebe07011

[realsafari]

i went on a college tour the other day :D Any tips for college?

ou good question!!

let me introduce u to….

*radio announcer voice*

SAFARI’S OFFICIAL TIPS ON SURVIVING YOUR (FIRST YEAR OF?) COLLEGE

This is really long so here’s a line break for your benefit:

RESIDENCY

WHAT TO CONSIDER:

Do you know where you’re staying? Most colleges have dorms built into the student life plan for freshman, but it’s always good to check. You can usually find this on their website, but you can also call to ask. I promise they will not laugh at you.

If your residence is further away from your campus, how are you going to get there? Is it reliable? What are the chances of a problem happening with it?

MY SPECIFIC TIPS:

- If you have a dorm, remember that while you are going to be living in it, it’s not your permanent home. Don’t buy decorations for it that you wont be able to pack and take back to where you’re staying over the summer.

- Buy a toiletry caddy. I got mine at Target. Chances are you will have to share a bathroom with your hall or wing, and you do NOT want to worry about losing your things or mixing them up with others. This also makes carrying everything a whole lot easier.

- Connected to the previous, buy shower shoes. I literally just got flip-flops from dollar general (I think, I’ve had them since before I went to college)

- ALWAYS make a copy of your house/dorm key and keep it somewhere you physically can’t lose. Don’t use this key unless you genuinely misplaced your first. I had mine inside a small zipped pocket in my backpack.

- If you’re paying rent or bills, calculate the exact (or as close as possible) to how much this will cost per payment window. Bills are finicky, so try to keep your water/electricity usage the same every month. After a bit of this, you can calculate the average price. Set this money aside in a separate account for billing.

- Get to know your (possible) roommate(s). They don’t have to be your best friend. You don’t have to even hang out often. But PLEASE, at least learn each other’s names, primary study departments, and contact information.

CLASSES AND SCHEDULING

- For the love of god, you do not have to know what you’re majoring in the moment you arrive. Try out anything in any field of interest. Narrow it down later.

- Yes, you have required classes, but try to fit in classes that you’ll enjoy in between them. Breaking up my standard segments was super refreshing for me.

- PLEASE do not schedule classes for first thing in the morning or late at night. You’re going to want all the sleep and study time you can get.

- Schedule all your day classes to be relatively consecutive. If you go back to your residence in the middle of the day for a bit, you’re not going to want to leave.

- I did my best to have three classes per day on weekdays, none on saturday, and one on sunday. my basic schedule went:

CLASS 1 - 9:00

BREAK

CLASS 2 - 12:00

LUNCH

GO HOME, USUALLY STUDY OR WORK

DINNER

CLASS 3 - 18:00

Sunday are mostly free, but I like to have one class starting somewhere between 17:00 and 18:30, never later than 19:00.

- Before your first day of classes, make sure you know where every room is, which wing it’s in, entry codes, etc.

- INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO YOUR TEACHERS. IF YOU CAN’T DO THIS IN PERSON FOR ANY REASON, WRITE THEM AN EMAIL, OR BETTER YET, A PHYSICAL LETTER IN THEIR STAFF MAILBOX. ASK THEM TO GO OUT FOR COFFEE WITH YOU. I PROMISE THEY ARE NICE PEOPLE AND ARE VERY HAPPY TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU.

STUDYING AND WORK

- Do not stay up past 1:00 if you can help it. I get that all nighters are necessary at one point, but you WILL regret it in the morning.

- Waking up early is not a requirement. While I recommend not waking up after 8:00, you don’t need to be up at 6 or earlier. Pretty much nobody expects you to.

- I swear to god, I know how hard it is to stay organized. I used digital notes for everything, and I had at least a folder for each subject. Every subject had a different color, and most of them were thin enough that I could keep them all in a bag at once.

- Again with organization, spend time at the beginning of every quarter deleting unnecessary files, putting everything in correct folders, and labeling documents properly. Your brain is not going to understand “AS4.2/LO-DAY 5 NOTES.html” for longer than 5 minutes.

- I know we all hate Google deep down, but I have to admit I use Drive to organize my notes. I have a folder for every class, where there is a subfolder for every quarter. within these, I have a folder for each unit, or other important category. This is super helpful when studying for finals.

- Do not drink coffee or any other caffeine to stay up later. “Chugging an espresso” is not going to help you study at 24:00. Have a cup in the mornings, but never have caffeine at least 2 hours before sleeping. Power through the pain, it gets easier to stay awake as you keep going.

- DO NOT WORK IN BED. DO NOT STUDY IN BED. DO NOT WORK OR STUDY WHILE IN A PLACE YOUR BRAIN ASSOCIATES WITH SLEEP. TRUST ME ON THIS YOU WILL NOT GET ANYTHING DONE.

- Outlines are your best friend for writing essays. Literally search up “essay outline template” and go wild filling that shit in.

- While you SHOULD read the book, I don’t expect you to read everything. Spend some time summarizing what you DO know on paper, then do some research to fill in the gaps.

- Body doubling works wonders. If you can have a study buddy (bonus if they live with you) that you can check in on to keep them on track while they do the same for you, do it ASAP.

- Yeah I don’t expect you to be fully prepared for your first year in terms of study prep. Don’t worry, neither do your professors.

- Speaking of professors, please please PLEASE email them (or ask them in person!!) if you have questions or need help with their class. It’s so much better to admit you need help than to lie and postpone the inevitable.

- Charge. Your. Goddamn. Devices. You. Will. Be. Fucked. If. You. Don’t.

STUDENT LIFE

I KNOW IM AN ANTISOCIAL FUCK BUT TRUST ME ON THIS OK. I MAY NOT GO TO EVENTS OFTEN BUT I HAVE GENERAL TIPS.

- Don’t drink until you’re of legal age. Don’t do drugs ever. It doesn’t end up well, it doesn’t make you cool. Yes, THC is a drug. Yes, adults can tell if you aren’t sober. Ideally don’t drink at all unless it’s a special occasion.

- Always have the contact information of someone who isn’t at the hangout or party you’re at. Ok admittedly I didn’t go to parties but like do this anyways.

- Yeah most people don’t care if we can hear your music through your headphones unless It’s like the library or something. Or silent working time.

- Yes. You. Can. Make. Friends. With. Seniors. AND. Juniors. AGES DON’T MATTER MUCH IN COLLEGE FRIENDSHIPS.

- You literally do not have to go to any events that you don’t want to. I don’t care if people judge (they probably won’t). Just tell someone who is going where you’re going to be (even if you’re staying home!)

- Skipping class to mess around with friends once in a while is okay. I mean like once every few months. Don’t do it regularly, and make sure you get notes from anything you miss.

- You also don’t need to have friends! While it’s nice, as long as you are able to contact at least a few people for safety reasons, be as solo as you want.

- Clean up after yourself- I SWEAR IF YOU MAKE CLEANING STAFFS’ JOB MORE DIFFICULT I WILL FIND YOU.

I’m genuinely sorry that was so long, but I hope that helps in some way. I’m not used to displaying responsibility online lmao.

For added context: Im actually still in Uni. I have been since I was 19, and I plan on staying for 3 more years before doing life shit. All of these tips, even in past tense, are things I do currently/have done.

[jaykayfictions]

My high-school worst enemy | Park Jimin ff part 6

Summary: Park Jimin was a jerk and you hated him your entire time in high school but what happens when he isn't the asshole he appears to be?

genre: angst and fluff.

warnings: swearing, a bit of bullying and violence.

author's note: this chapter is a bit long so please bear that in mind.

Stepping into the shit hole sham of a school, you go to your locker after biding Taehyun goodbye. He dropped you off today because Jungkook had to meet Lisa very early in the morning for a breakfast date. Wondering why he isn't in school? He has a basketball game at 9:30 am. He decided to use this opportunity to spend time with his girlfriend. Jungkook is probably groping her ass in the toilet while you're here stuck in an eight hour prison.

As you walked through the hallway you could hear whispers as girls shot you nasty looks. Isn't it too early to be bitches? Why can't people just mind their business instead of caring about others' lives? You hated gossip, this is the reason why you had very few female friends. Your phone started ringing, you checked the caller's ID and saw it was Jennie. You picked the call and smiled brightly saying hello.''Hey sis!'' She squealed excitedly over the phone. "I'm going for a sleep over after school at Karina's place. Mom is dropping me there and oppa is going to Yuna unnie's place so you will be home alone with dad." The twelve year old rambled cutely.

Karina was her best friend. They acted like sisters. Your mom and Karina's mom would take them shopping and buy matching clothes for them. Karina slept over frequently and vise versa. They looked so cute together and they reminded you of you and Jungkook when you were younger. "Okay Jen, thanks for informing me, love you and enjoy your sleep over, mwah!" You said grinning. "Love ya! bye!'' She shreiked.

After ending the call you went to your Calc class. You hated where you sat. At the front. How depressing. You couldn't fall asleep without the teacher finding out. It was annoying as hell. You sat down and decided to listen for your grades' sake. Two girls entered the class taking a seat behind you. You heard one of them gasp and whisper. Well just so you know, she is terrible at it. ''Is she Taehyun's sister? I should have known, they look alike.'' "Shh, do you want her to hear you?'' The other girl scolded. Too bad you already heard. They didn't know because they never asked. How the hell did they even find out?

Gosh, people did put glass cups against the wall just to listen to gossip. Great, now you were gonna walk around school for two weeks with people looking at you and asking for your brother's number.

This was how you looked if you're wondering. Credit to owner of picture.

It was your lunch break and you weren't hungry so you decided to go to the rooftop. You sat on the floor with your knees to your chest. You put on your headphones and played some calm songs from your playlist. "Coo ooh ooh ooh ool with you." You sang along feeling sad for no reason. You chose to read a book to burn time. Your alarm rang indicating that your lunch time was over. It was time for Science. Oh no. It's just one lesson right? You can do this. You said to yourself missing Jungkook's presence badly.

You made your way towards the classroom, greeting Mr Cha when you got in before taking your seat at the back. You loved Science because it was interesting to you and also because of where you sat. Shortly after Jimin came in as well. Did he really hit his head on something? He really is attending all his classes early. How strange. Seeing him also caused you to wonder why he liked your post on Instagram. Didn't he hate you? Maybe you were just the one who disliked him. Halfway through the lesson, you saw a small note land on your table. 'Meet me after school.' Why would he want to meet you to meet him after school? This was definitely a prank.

Mr. Cha reminds of your project and you groan internally. Is that why Jimin sent that note? Hell nah, he doesn't give a shit about school work does he? while packing up, you turn to Jimin and say "Don't worry about the project, I'll do it alone." "It's a lot of work, are you sure about that?" He asked in amusement. You fought the urge to groan out loud because you knew he was right. You tried convincing Mr Cha to change your partner but he wasn't having it. "You need to learn to socialize." He had said completely oblivious to the fact that he had paired you with your enemy. You stepped out of the class leaving Jimin's question unanswered.

The school bell rang telling everyone school was officially over. Students rushed out of their classes determined to leave school. Finally, you were escaping boredom. You were walking home today. Jungkook needed to rest after his packed schedule so he was taking the bus home since his car was broken. You chose to walk as a form of exercise since you've been sitting with a cramped butt and an aching back for the past hour. While walking a car stopped next you. You turned to your side and the driver winded his window down. It was Jimin, was he really serious? The note wasn't a prank? Damn it.

"What do you want?" You asked not in the mood to bicker. He arched a brow ''We have a project to complete, don't we?" He asked as if stating the obvious. Shit. You forgot. "Hop on, I'll drive you to a place we can start it." He said slightly tilting his head to the passenger's seat. Oh. You were taken aback by this.

Was he really offering you a ride? Wasn't he an arrogant jerk? You were gonna be bored at home anyway and the sooner it was started the quicker it would be completed. You walked over to the other side and opened the car door. You got into the car and looked at the scenery through the window as he was driving. The roads were pretty. It had lilies, roses and sunflowers. The silence was oddly comfortable. Weird. The car came to a stop, you were at the so called 'place.' You stepped out of the car and looked up. Oh. My. Gosh. It was massive. The house was HUGE!! "You live here?" You asked asked with wide eyes. You weren't born into a rich family but your family owed no debt and was stable finanncialy.

"Of course I do! Where else did you expect me to take you to?" He snorted. "What a show off." You scoffed. " Maybe a coffee shop or something. Not sure but definitely not your house." You answered rolling your eyes. ''Will you let me show you the way in or do you want to keep rolling your eyes till they get stuck behind your head?" He asked, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Fine." You muttered under your breath. When you got in your mouth and eyes widened in shock. You gaped at the sight of the living room. Damn, you felt broke. It was large and some walls were stripped vertically in black and white while some walls were plain black and white. Gold was everywhere, on the dinning table and chairs, The center table, it was everywhere. The photo frames on the sixty inches TV stand showcased the pictures of his family but one caught your attention. It was a photo of Jimin in a playground, he looked around the age of seven. He was grinning so wide his eyes were barely visible.

He looked happy, you've never seen him smile or grin like that before. There weren't many picture but you saw Rosè in two. How the hell did he know her? You bear that in mind for later. You came here to complete a science project. Focus. An elderly woman approached you both, she had a warm smile on her face. You assumed she was the senior cook. "Good afternoon Ahjumma, this is Y/N, my science project partner, you and all the maids can retire from the kitchen today." Your eyes popped out like sockets. The fuck. He really said Ahjumma. You had expected him to call her by her name. He even smiled warmly. Is this Park Jimin? The lady looked and you and her smile widened. "You are very pretty." you flushed from the compliment. She turned to Jimin and said " I will inform the maids." She bowed before leaving.

Jimin had shown you the way to his room. When you were in his room he asked. " What would you like to eat?'' What? Were your ears working? What the fuck is going on with him today?! "Stop looking at me like I said Beauty and the Beast is real, you are my guest and it's rude for me to not offer you anything." "You cook?" You asked genuinely surprised. "So you mean after all I have said you only figured I cooked? I'm an asshole but I was taught manners, so answer my question seriously this time. What would you like to eat?" He asked again.

"Umm, jjajangmyeon is okay." You said pretending to think. "Really. Just jjajangmyeon, you don't need anything else?" He asked slowly just to make sure. "Yes, just jjajangmyeon." When he left you used the opportunity to explore his room. It was huge but surprisingly vague. It wasn't full of flashy colors just grey, black and white. It had a few posters of famous basketball players and a shirt signed by one, you couldn't identify who, you weren't really into basketball. There was a walk in closet and a basketball hoop attached to the wall. His king sized bed was laid neatly and his PC and game controller rested on his desk.

He really was the opposite of what you had expected. No shit but he had the worst first impression. When he came back with the jjajangmyeon you had to stop yourself from drooling. The aroma hit your nose making you hungrier than you already were. You sat at his desk at the corner of his room. He took a seat beside you, handing the plate of food over to you. You take a bite and moan at the taste. It. Was. Delicious.

"So how is it?" Jimin asked curious. Was he kidding right now? It tasted amazing. "It's so good!" You say eating more. "Who would have known you were such a good cook?" You continued. "Oh baby, there are a lot of things you don't know about me."He said with his famous smirk. You cringed. "Don't call me that." You whined causing him to chuckle "And who knew you were so easy to tease?" He retorted playfully. "I still hate you!" You said half joking. "I know, look, it was fucked up, I was- I still am fucked up." He sighs. "It was a dick move and I'm sorry."

You. Were. SHOCKED. He apologized? All the times he'd poke and annoy you during lessons just because he sat behind you were all forgotten and all the hate you had for him had vanished. It felt like you already forgave him and you just couldn't forget it. "Wow, the great 'Park Jimin' invited me over, makes me jjajangmyeon and is apologizing for something he did two years ago! I really am lucky" You said teasingly.

His sigh deepens. ''I know it's late but-" You cut him off "I forgive you." "Really?" He asked shocked, probably at the fact that it was that easy. ''Look I was a bitch for hating you so long for something like that and you were a dick for what you did, I apologize, you better accept it." He laughs and throws his back at what you said but turns serious again. "You did nothing wrong, you had every right to hate me and yeah I forgive you, even though you did nothing." He said causing you to crack a smile he also mirrors.

"So umm friends?" He asked a bit sheepish. Your eyes were deceiving you right? "Friends." "Hey give me a hand shake!" Jimin said acting offended. "Oh you wish!" You snorted even though you were already shaking his soft hands. "So, do we start the science project now?" He asked. "Wait! After i finish this jjajangmyeon!" You said devouring the food again. "Sure." This was how your worst enemy became your friend. The real life example of the quote "Do not judge a book by it's cover." It just made sense to you now. You spent your time doing the project while teasing, laughing and joking around like crazy. Jimin was actually extremely smart. He just needed a little push.

You were halfway done and hella tired when Jimin asked an unexpected question. "Umm, I don't mean to invade your personal life but I can't help but ask. Was the guy you hugged at the event your boyfriend?" You blinked twice utterly confused before laughing. ''Boyfriend? no way, I've been practically single my whole life. That was my brother Taehyun." "Oh, I was just asking 'cause people said so- not like I care, right?" He rambled and you found it cute. Was that why he seemed angry that day? He said he didn't care so you payed no mind to it.

You decided to tease him a little. "Jealous?" You asked arching a brow. He turned a bit pink. Jesus fucking Christ. The bad boy Jimin, the basketball icon of the school actually blushed. He really was full of surprises. "No! Of course not!" He panicked yet his pink face said otherwise. "Besides, he has a girlfriend, her name's Yuna." "Oh." He replied still not fully convinced. His eyebrows were still scrunched in confusion and he had a broody expression on his face, almost as if he still wanted to ask you a question. You decided to make his life easier. ''Go on, tell me what you're thinking about." You said casually and his eyes were as wide as saucers. How the hell did you know? Was he being so obvious or was he just too easy to read?

"What about Jungkook? I mean you both seem close, like the kind of close that people wonder if you both ever dated." He says flushing in embarrassment. Gosh, he sounded so stupid. "Nah. His girlfriend is Lisa, we're that close 'cause we were friends since we were in diapers.'' You answer nonchalantly completely oblivious about his situation. "Really? Which Lisa?" "Lisa Manoban of course, which other Lisa do we know?" He was shocked, his eyes were definitely gonna pop out if he kept gaping. "You mean Lisa Manoban, the volleyball player?" "Which other volleyball player do we know that's named Lisa?" You asked genuinely confused at his confusion and surprise.

"She's my sister's bestfriend and she doesn't know. Oh hell no! This shit is messed up. Even the guys don't know. Crazy.'' He exclaimed. Wait. He has a sister? This time it was you gaping."You have a sister?" He smiled softly as if remembering something special. You found his reaction lovely. Their bond was definitely strong. "Yeah, Rosè, she's Lisa's bestie and they go to the same school." ''No wonder.'' You said voicing your thoughts aloud. ''Well the pictures downstairs were proof of that." Jimin said stating a fact. You were so stupid. You connected the dots and it all made sense.

''She's my friend as well, I'm the only one who knows about Jungkook and Lisa so you better keep this between us, okay?" "Sure." He said pretending to seal his mouth by smacking his thumb and index finger before swiping it across his lips. "Wow! Loads of secrets uncovered in one night,oh shoot! Time's gone. I think you should get going, we can complete this tomorrow or the day after." Jimin said. "If you say so." You mumbled, packing your things in your bag before biding him goodbye. You went home and had luckily sent a text to your dad saying you will be late. Maybe. Just maybe Park Jimin wasn't as bad as you thought he was.

[sketchystalker]

Okay. This is going to be the semester that kills me

First up, my literary criticism class has an essay due every. single. class. And hey it's a class that starts at 1:30, so plenty of time to do it in the morning, right? Nope! Due at midnight the night before. So I have to fully understand these complex texts talking about things that already go over my head enough to write a paper about it and somehow get it done way before the normal time I'd get it done at (because I am a big homework after midnight do-er). I have like zero time this weekend (because hey, it's my birthday and it's the first week of classes so you'd think I'd be able to have some time off) and my professor decided to add on a 25-30 minute video lecture to the assigned Plato reading (due with an essay Monday at midnight) that she already advised us to start two days ago, and another textbook reading on top of it.

Second, the class I had to beg to get into because my other class dropped last-minute apparently is 8 weeks, and is designed just like an online class, except I have a mandatory in-person lecture twice a week at 8:30 AM. I literally could have just taken the online class and saved time probably. It'll be nice I guess when it's term two and I don't have 17 credits going but it's going to be so much to balance initially.

Third, my grantwriting practicum. It's only three credits, but I'm spending 6 hours in the lab every week working on it because they want us to do all of our work in the lab. But I am such a slow writer that I know I'm going to have to do work outside of that time too. And the issue is that I don't get to use that time to prioritize something that may be more important at the moment, I'm stuck writing grants on all three of my most busiest days (which are right next to each other, giving me little time to do any homework for the classes that meet Tuesday/Thursday. And guess when my lit crit class meets? My Tuesday/Thursdays are literally 8:30 AM-5 PM with only an hour off for lunch. And then I have homework right after).

Fourth, I decided to take a piano class because "oh it'll be fun" and "who knows if you'll have space to take it senior year. Just do it now while you can" and yeah it should be fun, but I'm supposed to practice 30 minutes every day? There's no way. It'd be doable if I had a piano where I lived but I don't so there's no way.

And then my other two classes would be fine and doable if I literally just didn't have lit crit. But they're both English as well, and one is a 3 hour night class meeting on Wednesdays (once again giving me no time to do my Thursday homework), requiring about 150 pages read every week. And the other is variable speech/story/poem/etc. lengths but, knowing this professor, they'll have to be closely annotated. So no skimming for me if I'm short on time.

On top of that I have work, where I am now going to be one of two people among a sea of new hires (and that second person only started like three months ago and apparently makes people really uncomfortable). And I'm in charge of certifying all of them. And until that day happens, like months from now because the process actually takes forever, I and that other guy are the only ones who can give the hour-long tours. So that's 9 hours of my week right now (a majority happening during my Tuesday/Thursdays)

And I'm also the president of a club that I have no idea how to really run. There's so much shit I have to do up-top, like getting certified, making a whole budget that's extremely complicated and I don't know how to do, and start planning and holding meetings, all by a really soon date.

Plus I still have boxes I need to unpack and lists I need to research and send to my mom and apply for studying abroad before September 12th and my oven takes over an hour to pre-heat to 400 degrees which makes cooking anything impossible so I have nothing I can easily make and eat and I still need to confront a professor I've been avoiding and someone wants to interview me and I'm avoiding that email and I'm worried I'm not going to be making enough money this semester because I don't have that many hours and if I don't see my friends I get sad and lose all my motivation to do anything especially schoolwork and I have a stupid fucking 4.0 that I've maintained for this long I literally don't know how to lose it like how do you do an assignment and turn it in that isn't all of your effort ever and how do you know if you miss assignments that you aren't actually going to get a negative 500% grade in the class and I'm trying so hard to have a good semester I need a good semester after last semester I need to stay academically minded and excited to do it but I'm not going to get any exercise which naturally is going to make me sad because moving your body is good for you and feels good and i just don't have time and I said yes to a dnd campaign this semester?????? what the actual hell when i am going to have the time to do that and i want to start reading the illiad right now and i want to watch a movie every week and I think I am actually going to die

[boyfhee]

can you tell me what your routine was like when you were in 11th or 12th grade? or basically when you were preparing for neet? alsoo, how did you even do both your school works & your neet?? did you go for any coaching?

Sorry if this seems annoying 😭 i am currently preparing for neet & it's such a headache, like i can barely manage my schoolwork + my neet preparations 😭😭

adding both the asks here because the context was quite similar. i've said this before that you need to find and maintain your own discipline and can't follow someone else's schedule, but i hope my sched can help you navigate around ><

11th & 12th SCHEDULE

the remarkable thing about my senior high was covid ! i never attended a single offline class in those two years— only practicals and exams. that gave me a lot of time to focus on competitive exams, even though i lowkey fucked up my 11th, i was on track the next year.

school work wasn't an issue with online classes. i barely attended those and mostly focused on my coaching institute ! i went to a local coaching, although very reputed, and bought allen's distance learning course for questions. unfortunately, i wasn't able to appear for neet the very year i passed 12th due to a minor surgery. so i took a year to prepare for neet and my schedule was as follows :

6 : 00 am - 7 : 00 am — waking up, going for a walk, exercising, whatever morning routine i had went there. i kept it relatively short because i wanted to put as many hours as possible in studies.

7 : 30 am - 10 : 00 am or 12 : 00 noon — studies ! i usually had my breakfast during that thirty minutes gap between first and second slot. i not, i sat down to study early and got up for breakfast around eight or nine.

12 : 00 noon - 2 : 00 pm — break yayaya >< i watched tv, used socmed and had lunch during this time. again, i wouldn't take this break if i woke up late or got some work that i wasn't able to finish. i left for classes at / around two ^_^

2 : 30 pm - 8 : 30 pm — my classes ! i joined allen last year since it's fifteen minutes to where i live and i needed some sort of guidance to proceed. after my classes, i got back home by nine, sometimes a bit late if i stayed back to discuss a few things with the teachers.

9 : 00 pm - 10 : 00 pm — dinner and rest after classes. tv, phone, or just helping mum in the kitchen if the day was good lmfao. i hate being in the kitchen :/

10 : 15 pm onwards — studies again :> fifteen minutes break to sort get my stuff and all. besides, my dad asks for every update of my day and what i have planned to study the next day etc etc. if my schedule was relaxed, i'd sleep by twelve or twelve thirty but as neet approached, i slept by two and woke up at around eight lmfao TT good thing was, i didn't have classes after february so i followed the same routine except, i started studying at nine after breakfast, till one, got up for lunch, then studies from two to six sometimes seven, an hour break for dinner ( had early dinner during that time ) then studied from either to two at night.

to the anon to asked how i write fics during classes : i had wednesdays off / tests so i used that one day to relax. i usually wrote on wednesdays, sometimes on other days when work load is way less and i mostly queued by posts since i had pre-written ones from when i had time. sometimes, when i finished by studies before 1 am, i took 30 mins to write if i felt like it. besides, my uni was well ... it wasn't my focus. i took biotech and kept it on the side incase i can't do med. lectures were online, no one demanded full attendance, i got notes from friends and only gave tests. my focus were these pre-med classes i attended, and the sched is what i mentioned above.

also, my study hours are higher during classes. i barely have time to write, so i'm not active every single day as you might have noticed before may this year. the time table i mentioned above is an example of timeslots and how i used to manage. 10 hrs avg is now, give and take one or two here and there. also, i never stick to one schedule. i might have exams again this month and i might just dip completely. if not, i won't have to study at all and i might just stay on blr all day.

for neet : juggling between school and coaching can be hard but i don't think i can give appropriate advice since i never had to experience that. if you're in 11th, focus more on coaching ( because 11th science is more difficult imo, and more fundamental when it comes to neet ) and if you're in 12th focus more on school because of boards. the best thing to do is finish chapters ahead of time. say you're learning mechanics in school and thermodynamics in coaching. try to finish thermodynamics from school textbooks as well so you won't have issues when they teach it in school and can focus on what they're teaching in coaching. utilize your breaks and holidays to finish easy chapters, especially biology as a whole and organic and inorganic chem since there's nothing to do except remembering stuff.

this is so long TT i'm sorry and i hope this is helpful even though it's lowkey all over the place .. i'm not as organised as it seems and my sched varies a lot depending upon the day, if i have to go out, tests, etc etc.

[acsy]

Mundane moments

Old Coffee shop au/Contemporary au of my ocs :)

Word count: 1718

CW: Death, murder, dismemberment (mentioned but not described), implied blackmail.

Days are always repetitive when you yourself are a boring person.

The same usuals would barge in at the same hours, entertain small talk for a minute while waiting for their orders, some always ordered the same things, some always wanted something new. A few new people would pass by and enter, they would become new usuals, occasional visitors, or exceptional visitors. Some would take them to go, some would sit down and savor their iced americanos, their cappuccinos, strawberry smoothies, alongside maybe a croissant, a sandwich, an omelet, or a macaroon.

That was Argus's routine, boring and repetitive. It was depressing at times, how the coffee shop that used to bring him comfort, the place that promised renewal, would become so suffocating. But he would rather that then have a life where tomorrow was always a mystery.

It wasn't too small, there were about five tables scattered across the checkered flooring. Each had two to four seats each, and a skillfully folded paper towel sitting atop each table. He would wake up each morning at 7:00 am, have breakfast in the kitchen at 7:25 am, open up at 7:30, eat a quick snack for lunch and close the shop a 9:30 pm, clean up and get back home at 10:05 pm, chug a bottle of water and a cold sandwich then pass out.

And the loop would repeat, except this time it didn't.

Some odd looking girl barged into the shop at 7:20 am, before he could even finish his tea or folding the paper towels, and asked for a place to hide.

Her short blond hair a mess, and her eyes, a shade of brown so deep it seemed black, darting around anxiously.

He was originally going to refuse her, maybe she was a burgler, or a delinquent. Who knows? Yet, she forced her way through the door, and crouched behind the counter as if this was her property. As she hid in his Cafe, an elderly man with a severe scowl on his face ran past the door, looking around frantically.

He would later learn that this man was her uncle, that her name was Marcia, and that she was in atrocious debt.

"Your name is so old fashioned."

She looked back at him, eyes narrowed like an angry cat.

"You sound like you'd be an old Norse god, you don't get to call my name old fashioned."

"Wipe the cream off your face, then we can talk"

She started to come to the coffee shop pretty often, always ordering the same cheap coffee with loads of cream and sugar, and he'd always throw in an extra treat.

"There's always one left anyways."

A few flat macarons, a cold sandwich, a chocolate pudding of the wrong consistency, she took the free food gladly even if it was just his failed attempts. Yet with each passing week, the food got a bit nicer, the sandwich would be warm, the macarons would be nice and round, the pudding would be just right on the tongue.

"I just got better at it, don't think much of it."

Sometimes, items that weren't on the menu would pop up infront of her, a creme brule, a tiramisu, a chocolate cupcake. He never listed any of those, and she doubts anyone else knew of these.

"I'm thinking of adding these to the menu? What do you think?"

Closing and opening hours became a bit more flexible, he'd be here at 7:10 am before her classes would start, and he'd stay till 10:30 pm to pack up something for dinner. She'd barge in at odd hours, whenever she was free from the excruciating hell that is College. They started to settle into this routine, he'd make her something sweet before opening, and something filling before closing. He also started to eat more as well, he'd make two portions instead of one and eat with her after closing hours on weekends, no more cold sandwiches or energy bars, a real meal. He'd almost forgotten how good his own cooking was.

It became an everyday thing, and he started having something to look forward to. The same usuals would always barge in at the same hours, and everyone acted the same they always did, yet the addition of a single person made his days unimaginably brighter.

A few months after their first encounter, Marcia suddenly disappeared.

She just vanished, as if she was never there.

She wouldn't answer his calls, she wouldn't answer the door, the neighbors hadn't seen her in days, and he didn't spot her near her campus either. She was gone, and he could feel her absence.

His days became the same colorless bore again, light draining from every corner of the coffee shop. The place he finally cherished again now reminded him of how empty his days are now that his ray of sunlight was gone.

Yet, time went by, and he kept living, like he always did. Two weeks have passed since he last saw Marcia, and there was no trace of her at all. The same usuals would always barge in at the same hours, and everything was the same as it used to be, kind of lonely.

Too lonely.

So he decided to find her himself, look for her. He didn't know if it was the overwhelming loneliness, his increasing worry, or the alcohol, but he went to her apartment and stood in front of her door for what felt like hours. Quietly whispering her name, shyly knocking on the door,his feet anxiously tapping against the floor. The small thuds turned into banging, and the whispers into screams. He hit the door repeatedly, fist red and bruised from punching into the hard wood. His yelling quickly alarmed the neighbors, as a few heads started to peek from behind their doors or at the end of the staircase, too afraid to confront the mad man hitting the door violently. His knees caved and his forehead banged loudly against the door, as his hands hanged pathetically at his sides. He could feel a touch on his shoulder, aman, no younger than 30, was looking at him with a gaze filled with determination and fear. He only then realized what he was doing. Getting back on his feet, he gave the man behind him an apologetic nod before leaving the apartment complex. He had no idea what he was doing, but at that moment, he was desperate. He ran and searched everywhere, her college, her house, the park, but she was nowhere. Nowhere to be seen, nowhere to be found, she disappeared.

It was driving him mad, this endless search, the doubt, the unknown. Did she leave town? Does she simply not want to see me anymore? Or did something happen to her? He didn't know, but he needed to know, he had to know. So he went back to the apartment complex, and slipped in through her window. He crawled in, doing his best to make no sound, tip-toeing his way inside.

Her room was a mess, as always, but an odd smell caught him aback. He made his way to her kitchen, this is where the smell was most overpowering. It smelled like rotten meat, expired honey and burnt plastic. He looked around, for something, anything that could bring him closer to where she might be. A flash of red caught his eye, in his peripheral vision, he could see a viscous red liquid oozing out of her fridge. He could feel his palms sweating and his vision was shaking. He opened the fridge slowly, as if dreading the sight of its contents, and inside were the dismembered remains of a woman.

Short blond hair now colored red in blood, and bright blue eyes devoid of light.

He stood still for a second, eyes wide and knees weak, but just as his lips parted, a hand firmly pressed his mouth shut. He stumbled back, the person behind him falling with him. As he turned his head to see just who was restraining him, he saw her again for the first time.

Marcia was much thinner than he recalls, her skin pale and devoid of color. She pressed her hand against his mouth again, silently mouthing the words "don't make a sound". He felt himself relax after finally seeing her face again. He gave her a quick nod and she stood up from the floor, making her way towards the kitchen sink. The pungent smell crept back up Argus's nostrils as he tried to supress a gag, he simply can't get used to it. Marcia looks back at him and gestures for him to come closer. He stood up without a word, stopping about five inches away from her.

Suddenly, she starts tearing up.

Hot tears fall down her cheeks as she silences hiccups. She cups her face in her hands, holding back sobs and hiding her face from him. The sight tugged at Argus's heart, he wanted to comfort her, he needed to.

"I didn't mean to... I shouldn't have... but she.."

She looks as though she is about to collapse on herself, and Argus feels as if he is about to lose his mind. He doesn't quite understand the situation, but he saw the body, and he sees the knife next to her.

He knows what she did and what she is about to do.

He wraps his arms around her, pressing her forehead to rest on his collar bone, and trapping her arms in his embrace. She winces at the crushing grip he has on her, or the way his hand is firmly grabbing her hair. He hums softly into her ear, placing a small peck atop her head.

"It'll be fine." He whispers.

"I'll help you." He promises.

"You'll be fine." He assures.

And he can't stop the small smile that crept onto his lips. The situation was less than ideal, but it worked nonetheless.

He was afraid, terrified, that she would leave him all alone again. But now, he could make sure to keep her at his side forever.

He swore he wouldn't do anything like that again, he promised. But promises are meant to be broken, and breaking this one will offer him a much greater prize.

She squirms slightly in his arms, but he doesn't let go.

"I'll help you get rid of them, I promise. "

"But everything comes with a price."

"So I hope to see you again tomorrow."

Argus and Marcia have changed so much but I kinda like this so here it is :D

[wordsvomit101]

9. Lunchbreak and music

(1 year after the death of Mr and Mrs Lee)

The air conditioner hummed softly, sending a gentle breeze through the room, carrying with it the faint scent of springtime. Outside, the sun shone brightly, casting a warm glow on the budding trees and flowers.

Mr. Jung, his math teacher, stood at the front of his middle school classroom, his voice rising and falling in a rhythmic cadence as he explained solutions for some equation questions. The students' pencils scratched across their notebooks as they took notes creating a quiet background noise for the teacher's lecture.

As Minhyeok sat at his desk, the thought of the fresh strawberries sitting in his lunch box, became more enticing as each minute passed. Minhyeok's mind wandered back to the delectable strawberry cake and refreshing strawberry tea he had savored the previous day

His mother had brought the treats back as souvenirs from her recent trip to Seoul with her friends, where they had attended the renowned Nonsan strawberry festival. The festival was a vibrant celebration of the region's famous strawberries, known for their exceptional sweetness and ripeness.

As he reminisced, Minhyeok could still taste the velvety softness of the cake, the cream cheese frosting melting in his mouth like a cloud. The strawberries, plump and juicy, burst with flavor in each bite. The strawberry tea, fragrant and soothing, had calmed his senses after a long day after his taekwondo classes.

"Raon particularly likes the tea", Minhyeok smiled when he glanced at the girl sitting behind him. He recalled the way Raon's eyes lit up when she first tasted the strawberry tea that his mom had made for them. He remembered that it used to be one of her mother's favorites and they would always share it at night.

His thought was cut by the voice of Mr. Jung, his class math teacher, calling him, "It's about time for lunch so Minhyeok, answer the last question", yike, he was too busy being hungry to finish the last question.

"30=m-18. Add 18 to both sides of the equation. That gives 30+18=m-18+18. Simplifies to 48=m", he makes a quick mental calculation as he takes his time to stand up.

"Yes, it m=48, Seonsaeng-nim", he answers and adds a small smile at the end to appear modest. Luckily, Mr. Jung didn't notice his distraction.

"Good, ok that's it for now, go have lunch everyone", the moment Mr. Jung was out of the classroom, most of the class scattered to the cafeteria, eager to satisfy their hunger. While Minhyeok turned his chair around to sit at the table behind him and picked out his lunch box.

Raon looked like she had just woken up and was still somewhat sleepy when he looked at her, stretching her exhaustion away. She went into another deep end again, one of her new fixations was a male idol group from SM Entertainment that she raved about for the last few days.

"You really need to stop sleeping at 3 AM. I can't cover for you all the time like this, at this point, everyone else in the class will start to depend on me for academics", he has been highly active during today's lessons, more like many before this, and answers questions whenever any teachers look over to his and Raon's seats. It was an intense brain exercise, to say the least.

The appreciative looks from his classmates also get annoying at some point during the second period.

Raon only grins playfully, eyes full of mirth despite the dark circles underneath them, "Well, thank to me, you've been a wonderful student no? If it keeps like this they will ask you to be in advanced classes instead of the other way around"

She said and took a bite of the steamed shrimp and eggs in her lunch box that his mom made for them this morning. She smiled in delight from her first bite of the strawberry and usually, he would be happy just by seeing her enjoying herself. Now he could only sign and frown at her a bit.

"Raon", she looked at him and flinched slightly, her eyes nervous, he didn't like it so he directed his focus onto his food, "... if not for me, then do it for yourself, please sleep earlier"

He didn't see what she looked like as he ate the hyeonmi-chapssal but her soft and sad tone, "Sorry, I will try", was really disheartening to hear.

"Mn", they ate in silence with tension hung over them, the tteokguk also tasted a bit stale on his tongue than normal.

"... I should apologize, the lunch going to be ruined if it keep going"

When he is about to speak up, his lips touch the strawberry in Raon's hand. She seems more sheepish than usual.

"H-here eat up, I'm already full"

"..."

She is never good at lying, especially when she is feeling apologetic, and prefers to make it up through action rather than words. It's often quite clumsy but he's grateful for the thoughts behind them.

"And do you want to listen to some music? I brought my earbuds with me today", she is quite forgetful about it despite it being one of her favorite devices.

He and his mom had to take it out of her pocket many times before putting it in the washing machine when she forgot to take it out.

Her demeanor shifted from sheepish to fidgeting, her anxiety grew with each passing second of his silence. Fingers twitching, she hesitated, on the verge of pulling away, when his hand enveloped hers in a reassuring grip.

With a tender touch, he guided her hand with the plump, ripe strawberry, its crimson hue glistening in the light toward him again. As he took a bite, the sweetness of the fruit lingered in the air, a moment frozen in time between them.

The heaviness in his heart lightened, and he accepted her offering with a smug smile. He took the half-eaten strawberry and the remaining two from her lunch box, savoring the tart sweetness against his tongue. Raon seems dazed for some reason.

"Thanks for the free food, and sure there is still time till the third period anyway"

The tension on her shoulders melted away, a radiant smile blossomed on her lips, its corners curving upward in an expression of relief. Her eyes, once filled with worry, now sparkled with an infectious excitement that illuminated her entire being. It's lovely.

She quickly brought up a topic as if afraid that the awkwardness would come back, "No problem, plus the songs from the group I told you about before are really good", she quickly pulled out her phone and wired earbuds, and gave him the other side to put on his right ear while she take the left.

They sat in comfortable quiet, sipping tea and enjoying a snack as the last rays of sunlight streamed into the classroom windows. The chatter of the remaining students provided a soothing backdrop as he listened to the music Raon had chosen. As he listened, he made mental notes of the songs they were listening to.

One song had a melody that was particularly striking to him. It is a fast-paced, upbeat song with a catchy melody and energetic lyrics. The song features a strong electronic dance music sound, with a driving beat and heavy use of synthesizers and drum machines.

The lyrics of the song are about a detective who is trying to solve a mystery, and the song's music reflects this with its dark and mysterious atmosphere. The song also features a prominent rap section, which adds a further layer of energy and excitement to the song. 

"It's good right?", he glanced back at Raon while munching on his last strawberry, her eyes closed as she softly hummed to the tune of the song, already expecting a positive answer from him.

He is not a big connoisseur of music like her or Mr Lee but he can see why she is a fan of this group. The song has a unique sound to it.

"Mn, it's catchy, great taste in music as usual Raon"

✎﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

End notes:

The Nonsan Strawberry Festival is an annual event held in Nonsan, South Korea, to celebrate the strawberry harvest. Nonsan is known for its delicious and high-quality strawberries, and the festival showcases various activities and attractions related to this beloved fruit. Visitors can enjoy picking fresh strawberries at local farms, tasting a wide variety of strawberry-based foods and desserts, participating in strawberry-themed games and contests, and exploring arts and crafts stalls. The festival typically features live music performances, cultural performances, and other entertainment options for visitors of all ages. It's a popular event that draws both locals and tourists to indulge in the sweetness of Nonsan strawberries and celebrate the agricultural heritage of the region.

"Seonsaeng-nim" is a Korean term used to respectfully address a teacher or instructor. It is commonly used by students to show respect and deference to their educators in various settings such as schools, academies, or martial arts dojangs (training halls). In English, "seonsaeng-nim" can be translated as "teacher" or "professor."

SM Entertainment is a leading South Korean entertainment company renowned for its influential role in the K-pop industry. Established in 1995 by Lee Soo-man, it manages popular K-pop groups like EXO, Super Junior, Girls' Generation, Red Velvet, SHINee, NCT, and others. Additionally, it oversees talent in various entertainment sectors.

Tteokguk is a traditional Korean soup made with sliced rice cakes called "tteok." It's a staple dish often consumed during the Korean Lunar New Year (Seollal) celebrations, where it holds symbolic significance representing the gaining of one year in age. The soup typically includes clear beef broth, thinly sliced tteok, and garnishes such as egg, sliced seaweed, and green onions.

[skzhocomments]

I can read your smile - Choi Minho SHINee Fanfic - Chapter 1 - Looking for a place

Story masterlist - please consult it for the summary of the story, trigger warnings etc.

Wattpad | AO3

Chapter 2

---

Chapter 1 - Looking for a place

chapter word count: 3.1k words

~Third person POV~

"So you left just like that?" Jinki laughed.

"Yes! One more minute with Minho and I would've fucking killed him!"

"Wh-"

"And before you ask-" Kibum turned to Minho. "It's your mere presence that annoys the shit out of me. Just seeing you walk across the living room- ugh!" Key cut him off and grimaced. "Ugh." He repeated, as if suddenly remembering a horrible thing, and shuddered.

"Come on, just tell them the truth!!! You bought an apartment!" Minho whined.

"While that's also true, I also can't stand living with you anymore."

"Fine! Move out then!" Minho scoffed, annoyed.

"Are these the early stages of a divorce?" Taemin asked with a slight chuckle.

"What divorce?"

"We aren't married."

Key and Minho both replied at the same time, making Jinki and Taemin laugh. The boys were seated at their usual table in the cafeteria, eating lunch. Their university had a fixed 9-15:30 program with a 1-hour lunch break from 13:00 to 14:00, followed by a last class.

It became a habit of theirs to meet up daily, even if all of them studied different majors, or were in different years. Jinki was the oldest, and he was in his final year, the fifth, studying mechanical engineering, a difficult field he was passionate about. Key and Minho were both in the 4th year, with Key studying a combo of business and design, and Minho being a business major. He was getting the best education he could to assist in his family's business once he finished his degree. Taemin was also a business major, but he was in 2nd year.

"So anyway- what I'm saying is, now I have to find a new roommate because Key abandoned me." Minho shook his head and scowled.

"Why?" Key laughed. "It's not like you need the rent money."

"Right. Why do you want to live with someone else so badly?" Jinki inquired as well.

"I just... like it when the house is not empty, I guess." He shrugged and took a bite of his food.

"Then get a girlfriend and move in with her." Key rolled his eyes and stated this, as if it were an obvious solution.

"He's married to football." Jinki stated.

"And the gym." Taemin added.

"And he's insufferable." Key finished the point while sipping his strawberry juice with a straw.

---

"Morning!" Crystal sat down in her chair, throwing her backpack on her school desk. Thankfully classes started at 9, but she still found it a bit too early. She wished she could sleep in more.

Unfortunately, this was not a possibility, so she relied on the cup of coffee she managed to half-dunk before running out of the house to get to her class in time.

"Morning!" Everyone replied to the girl in unison.

"How's your quest going?" One of the girls behind her, Lydia, asked.

Lydia was a tall and slim girl with brown, silky hair, and a matching pair of hazelnut brown eyes. Her lips were always painted in a subtle glittery shine, and her eyes were contrasted by a smokey eyeshadow look. She seemed unfriendly at first, even quite mean at times, but once you got to know her, you'd realise she was a very sweet girl who just had to toughen up to face the world.

"Quest? What quest?" Taemin raised an eyebrow with a chuckle, confused. He's been Crystal's desk mate for a while now, wasn't he supposed to know things too?

"Oh, Crystal's been looking for a new apartment." Lydia reapplied her gloss and spoke nonchalantly.

"Yea, I'm getting kicked out in 2 weeks." Crystal frowned.

"No way! Why?" Lydia's deskmate, Jude, asked, as confused as Taemin.

This was their usual group – Crystal, Taemin, Jude and Lydia. All of them ended up in a group project in the first year since they were desk mates, and figured out they get along quite well, so they kept to their small entourage and became close, one could say even friends.

"The owner decided to sell." Crystal sighed deeply. She was in deep shit, and she kinda resented Lydia for reminding her of this.

"What? Why haven't you told me?" Taemin asked, hurt, almost with a whine. He was easily affected by people not confiding in him, especially if he's confided in them before, and he did; out of their small group of friends, he was the closest to Crystal, and they spent many late nights on the phone discussing his problems.

Never hers – he noticed bluntly once again.

She never talked about herself.

"I just found out, Taeminnie. Lydia was just with me when he called yesterday." Crystal clarified, patting the boy's back. She knew how high her walls could get, and she could tell that Taemin wanted to ask more, but instead, they just shared a short glance and her smile reassured him that she's okay.

"That's so shitty of him. In the middle of the semester, too. How are you supposed to find a new place?!" Jude complained loudly, chewing on some piece of gum – peppermint flavoured.

Jude was the princess type. She grew up surrounded by all sorts of riches, since she was the only child of a big conglomerate owner. He spoiled her rotten, but she figured out early on in life that she doesn't want to rely on daddy's money forever. She wanted to do something more, using her own powers. She wanted to start her own fashion brand and make it successful without banking on her father's name.

"No idea." Crystal sighed. She hasn't even started looking yet, but the situation was dire. Money was scarce, rooms or apartments in the winter months were scarcer.

"2 weeks notice should be illegal." Jude scoffed.

"Tell me about it!"

"I actually have a friend who's been looking for a roommate. Maybe... it could work out and you could move in with him?" Taemin started, before Lydia intervened.

"A him? Taemin, dear, don't set Crystal up for being abused." Lydia intervened.

"Abused?! He would never-"

"Let's not get haste." Crystal spoke. "It doesn't matter if it's a she or a he. No one's gonna abuse anyone."

"You have too much faith in people." Lydia retorted, and Crystal knew it was coming from a place of hurt. Lydia's been wounded before. She knew, without having to ask her about it. She pieced it together during their talks in-between study sessions, and she knew at least a bit of the extent to which Lydia has trusted someone else, who ended up hurting her really badly.

It was hard for her to trust others.

"This is a crisis!" Jude spoke, loudly again. She somehow seemed the most disturbed by this, even if it had practically nothing to do with her.

"Anyways," Crystal interrupted them all, "how much is he charging?"

---

"Hmm, a friend of yours, you say? Do I know him?" Minho smiled, tying his shoes. Taemin went to see him before his football practice specifically so they could talk about this pressing matter.

Crystal needed help, and he wanted to help somehow. It was the first time he felt he could be of use to her, so he made it his #1 mission to make this work somehow.

"She's a girl. And no, I don't think so. She's my desk mate, but she's not really... the type of person you'd associate with, I guess."

"What do you mean by that?" Minho raised an eyebrow.

"I mean... she's not really... her family's not rich or anything." He tried explaining, but stumbled on his words. He knew Crystal worked at a restaurant somewhere, but he realised he knew next to nothing about her private life otherwise. Did her family live here, and if they did, why didn't she live with them?

He felt like a bad friend.

"You think I only associate with rich people?" Minho chuckled. This type of things never mattered to him. It was true, he was more fortunate than most, being born with a diamond spoon in his mouth, but he never let money be a deciding factor in what type of people he kept around him.

"It's not that... but she works a lot and doesn't really hang out or anything. I'm just saying it would be surprising if you knew her." Taemin tried explaining, and he was glad that Minho didn't seem to want to ask anything more.

"Hmm. I see." Minho hummed.

A girl was not exactly his idea of a new roommate, but if what Taemin said was true, she was the type of person who would move in with him because she needed the place, not because it was him. That was comforting in a way. It would also fill the void of Key's absence, because what Minho hated more than anything was an empty apartment.

"So? How much do you charge?" Taemin asked after a few seconds.

"Well, the apartment complex is, as you know, right next to the campus. A room in my complex usually starts at 750$, but... let's say, maybe, 500$?"

---

"500?!" Crystal exclaimed.

"Well, it's right next to campus..."

"Wow. I mean, yea, it's a good deal, but... sorry Taeminnie, you wasted your time." Crystal frowned. "I barely earn 500$ with tips, so..."

"Oh." Taemin stood silent for a moment. He had no idea how much she made. As Minho said, the price for a room here could start at 750$ and no one would bat an eye, but it was apparently a life-changing sum for Crystal, that she couldn't afford.

"I'm sorry." Crystal patted his shoulder. "And thank you for asking, really."

"Don't. I haven't done anything..." Taemin's expression saddened. He wasn't able to help her with anything, after all.

"Of course you did! You asked your friend, and he was offering a really good price for the area, it's just that it's out of my budget. But you helped a lot!" The girl praised Taemin, trying to be her cheerful self.

What did she expect? Obviously Taemin wouldn't have a friend with an apartment that she could afford.

Still, that was not his fault, and she didn't want him to feel bad for things out of his control. He did his best.

---

~4 days later~

"I really like today's pork chop." Minho said while munching on his food, grabbing a spoonful of rice as well.

"Yea, and the soup is great." Jinki added while he ate happily, like a little kid.

"By the way, what happened with your girl friend who was looking for an apartment?" Minho raised his head to look at Taemin. Ever since that talk a few days ago, he hasn't heard anything anymore.

"Wait, does Taemin have a girlfriend? Which one?" Key asked shocked and started looking around the cafeteria.

"No, dummy." Minho laughed. "Girl friend as in a friend who is a girl."

"Great phrasing, dumbass." Key rolled his eyes.

"Oh, she said it's a great offer and thanked you, but she refused." Taemin took a bite of his food. He got sad once again for not being able to help more, and he absent mindedly glanced over Crystal's table. She was, as usual, seated with Jude and Lydia, and her back was turned to him.

"Rejected even outside a relationship." Jinki spoke, earning a side glare from Minho.

"But why?" Minho couldn't help but ask. Taemin seemed really eager to find out if he would want her as a roommate.

"Too expensive." Taemin clarified.

To that, Minho didn't know what to say. 500$ meant nothing to him, and to most people in this cafeteria.

"Who was it, though? The one who rejected Minho." Key grinned.

"The girl in the floral sundress at that table. Her name's Crystal." Taemin spoke and pointed out to the girl with the back turned on them, sitting a few tables over.

---

"An apple again?" Jude frowned.

"You know the saying... an apple a day keeps the doctor away!" Crystal smiled.

"You can't keep eating just an apple for lunch every day. How do you have energy?" Jude asked in a worried tone.

"Hard will." Crystal shrugged. "Don't worry, if my body needed anything else, I would've eaten it."

A lie.

She did feel hungry most times, but that was okay. Hunger pangs came in overwhelming waves only late at night, if the restaurant was especially busy and she wouldn't have time to munch on anything.

"She's right, you know?" Lydia spoke while eating the cafeteria's lunch. She changed subjects quickly enough, with a follow-up question. "Are you browsing apartments again?"

"Mhm." Crystal frowned. "I have to move out in exactly 10 days and still have no idea where I'll go."

"You really didn't find anything?" Jude bent over the table trying to glance into Crystal's phone. "Your screen's broken."

"Nah. Everything in my price range is crap." Crystal chuckled and ignored the comment about her phone. She didn't have money to replace it right now, anyway.

"How can you even laugh in that situation? I would stress myself out to no end!" Jude exclaimed.

"You're so dramatic." Lydia rolled her eyes at her desk mate.

"Well, I am stressed out, but besides looking at advertisements, what can I do? Adding more stress is pointless."

"See? She has it all figured out." Lydia added and smiled at Crystal, feeling proud that she was keeping herself together so well.

"I wish I had your resolve." Jude said. "If you don't find anything in 10 days, you can always move in with me until you find something."

"I would never." Crystal chuckled. "I don't want to disturb you."

"You wouldn't!" Jude jumped in immediately, and then her attention shifted somewhere behind Crystal, and she started waving. Crystal, curious as she is, turned her head around and saw Taemin waving at them enthusiastically.

Then, he gestured towards her and asked her to come over.

Weird. She thought. He was with his other group of friends, and he's never asked any of them to join him before. But still, she got up and took her half-eaten apple – the only lunch of the day – and headed towards Taemin. She didn't recognise any of the men at the table, but then again, she didn't really know anyone outside the people from her class, so that wasn't so surprising.

"Crystal! You're shining today as usual!" Taemin complimented the girl and ushered her to sit down next to him, taking her into a side hug as soon as she sat down.

"Oh, shut up!" She chuckled and hugged him back. He would always make small jokes at her name, telling her she shines like a Crystal, and she would always find them funny and laugh, because Taemin was the only one who didn't make fun of her maliciously. He genuinely found the name funny.

Kids when she was younger would poke fun at the fact that she was poor and had such an unfitting name-

"Everyone, this is my friend and desk mate, Crystal. Crystal, this next to me is Kibum, and in front of us are Jinki and Minho." Taemin interrupted her train of thoughts, and she focused on the names of his friends, trying to remember them as much as she could.

"Pleasure to meet you." She showed her sweet smile, and the boys returned her pleasantries.

"So, how's your apartment hunt going?" Taemin asked.

"Oh, is that why you wanted me to come here?" Crystal chuckled nervously.

"Yea."

"We could've talked in class." She smiled, and Taemin felt as if she was scolding him. Still, she replied. "It's not really going anywhere. I saw a few rooms yesterday but no luck so far."

"Were they ugly?"

"Very! Some of them were full of mold, or had an active cockroach infestation-"

"Ew!" Taemin grimaced at the thought of cockroaches. He hated all insects with a passion.

"Right?! I saw at least 5 and I took two steps inside. I'm scared to death of them!"

"Me too! They are horrible, and their little legs-"

"What's your budget?" Minho asked all of a sudden, interrupting Taemin and taking Crystal by surprise. She almost forgot other people were at the table, with how one-sided the conversation's been. Taemin excluded all of them from the start, when he asked her something personal his friends had no interest in knowing.

"Uhm..." Crystal tucked her hair behind her right ear, a bad habit she wanted to get rid of that showed she was uncomfortable.

"Taemin said 500$ is over the budget." Minho pressed.

"Oh." Crystal laughed, feeling a bit embarrassed. "You must be the friend with the apartment, then."

"Yea, he's the guy I told you about." Taemin confirmed.

"How much have you been paying until now?"

"Well, I was paying 200$, but with how much the market exploded, I could go to maybe 250$ with utilities. Would still be a bit over, but manageable if I cut a few more costs." She absent-mindedly looked at the apple. Obviously, an apple wouldn't be making a dent through her savings, but she thought in horror how many dinners she'd start skipping once she paid 50$ more monthly, especially on nights when she didn't work.

If she worked, the restaurant would usually cover one meal at least.

"Okay." Minho nodded and crossed his arms. "Are you a tidy person?"

"Huh?" She raised her eyebrows. This question took her by surprise.

"She's the tidiest person!" Taemin exclaimed. "Always spotless! You should see her notes, and how she arranges her pens on the table!"

"That sounds like OCD-" Key started before Taemin elbowed his side.

"Okay, then how about 150$?"

"Sorry?" Crystal tilted her head.

"I'm asking you if 150$ would be a good price for you to move in with me."

"150$? But-"

"Yea, I just want to move in with someone after my dear Kibum left me dry." Minho glanced at Key.

"Still, from 500$ to 150$... you'd certainly find someone else to pay you even more..." Crystal chuckled.

"He doesn't need money." Jinki shrugged.

"So? Is that okay? Should we go see the apartment after class?" Minho insisted.

Crystal found him pushy, but still, she agreed with an uncertain nod, so he took out his phone from the back pocket of his jeans and handed it over to the girl.

"Your number?" He smiled, and she looked at Taemin unsure, who just nodded and smiled back at her.

She grabbed the phone and typed in her number, then gave it back to Minho.

"I'll message you later." He said, then took his empty tray and got up from the table.

---

Chapter 2

[himecentric]

꒰ entry #2 ୨୧ 5.09.24 // ◟

cw/tw: nsfw topics.

nothing really happened today, so I don’t know why I feel so shitty right now. Whenever I finish hanging out with friends I always get hit with a low that makes me feel horrible. This sinking feeling in my chest is unpleasant. I can’t help but wonder if this is gonna happen my whole life. Moments of happiness are temporary. I messed up a few times at school today, it gave me the sinking feeling too. When I woke up this morning I didn’t want to go, that’s probably was god (or just my instinct) trying to tell me not to go, but I did anyway. It’s not anything substantial but I did get barked at again. It’s not the barking that upsets me, it’s the disrespect behind the action. It’s like telling me I’m a joke to them, someone they can use to entertain themselves with. that hurts. at lunch, i went to the food joint near my school with jiggy and some friends from their class. Unfortunately pb (prepubescent boy from my last post) and someone I will dub neck beard tagged along too. They wouldn’t stop saying the n word loudly in public (pb is white as they come, neckbeard is aboriginal Australian) he asked jiggys class friend their sexuality with crude hand gestates. Scissoring and penetration respectively. they girl joking responded saying she had two penises and then they went on about sex toys. Loudly. In public. After that pb thought it was funny to take off his shoes and put his feet in the air, I jokingly told him to put on some deodorant. He started spraying deodorant so the room had a strong smell to it when the teachers came back on. I had put on some perfume oil just before, so I had told the teacher about it because I felt particularly at fault. The other students came in and started complaining. Although admittedly it was sorta my fault the fact pb said it was particularly my fault made me so mad. like don’t throw me under the bus. I tried to justify myself and I was snapped back at by a girl I’ll callllll n.y.d. hhnnmmm. I hated it. Minor inconveniences, I know. I ended up playing valorant with jiggy after school, Aya joined later. But I was being to loud at like 9:30 and my mum came in and threatened to take my laptop and phone anyway lolll….. I didn’t mean to be loud, I’ll probably apologize in the morning. but for now I’ll just overthink and feel like shit.

[deepautumncolors]

This morning I got up early and worked from 7-4 so I could meet with Cassie and Katelyn again without using any personal time. I finished the rest of Monster Mash during my lunch hour, so I showed it to them. They liked it and Cassie only wanted to change one part, which I didn’t mind because I didn’t really like that part either. We replaced it with a different idea I had, and then we started choreographing Walking on Air by Kerli. I came up with an idea on the spot that they both liked, so we used it and we got the first verse and part of the chorus done. OMG guys, guess what? Cassie is pregnant again already, so I guess I’ll be subbing for her dance class again next year! She’s due in April, so maybe I’ll be doing that for the spring and part of the summer. Or maybe I can alternate weeks with the lady who was supposed to sub for her this year, I’d be okay with that.

Then it was 5:30, so people started coming in for barre class. One of my sisters is home this week, so she got a day pass and came to take class with me. Cassie had to leave a little early, so it was only 45 minutes instead of an hour. Katelyn and I started working on the next dance during that extra 15 minutes while she was waiting for people to come to her Zumba class at 6:30. We decided to do Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush because it was in that episode of Stranger Things last year. I thought of a few ideas that we put into the chorus. Then my sister and I left when class started and went to get some sushi at the grocery store. We brought it back to my house and ate it with my husband. Then we just hung out until she left at 9:00.

[inkribbon796]

Egotober 2023 Day 13: A Better Reflection

Summary: Patton’s really trying to get this normal person thing down, but it doesn’t help how alien he feels.

Prompt: Mirror

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

Part of Patton’s daily routine included spending at most an hour getting ready for school. It was weird, being around people that weren’t his family. He could remember a time before Dark and Wilford had taken him in, but he . . . he didn’t like thinking about it. None of them really did, except for Yancy but he didn’t talk about it either.

But this was new and Arthur was doing his best to mind his own business and not kill any of the other students. So Patton had started making a couple friends, and that was going great.

For now, early in the morning, Patton was looking at himself in the mirror. He looked pretty but something uncomfortable twisted up in him at the sight of his own reflection.

Patton was never entirely sure what it was but he felt it all the same.

But all the same, Patton smiled at himself in the mirror. Admiring the spattering of freckles along his face and how his hair looked.

After checking his hair and the sparse make up he was wearing, Patton left the bathroom and walked into the kitchen where Arthur was watching cereal in front of the TV.

“Did you do your homework?” Patton asked, because someone had to.

“Enough to pass,” Arthur said around a mouthful of cereal.

Patton rolled his eyes. “You know you can get better than that right, kiddo?”

The young author flipped him off and went back to his cereal and TV.

Patton made himself a little vegetarian omelet and settled down to watch TV with his adopted brother until he got a call that their driver was coming to get them. They got in the car, went off to school.

For what it was worth, Patton was enjoying it. The schoolwork was awful but he liked meeting new people, talking to other kids who weren’t his siblings.

And one of the boys in his history class was plenty cute. He was another junior. Shortly after lunch, Patton saw the kid standing outside of his locker, almost all the way down the hall from Patton’s.

Quickly Patton looked at his reflection in a mirror on the inside of his locker and then closed it.

While Patton was walking over he saw someone talking to his new future friend, and maybe crush who was to say? At first Patton thought they were friends, but Patton saw the tension in his crush’s shoulders. Could feel the unhappy anger in the air.

Actually in his element, Patton walked up next to them and smiled. “Hey, you guys talking about anything interesting?”

Patton tried to be subtle, just trying to get this guy to leave his crush alone.

The guy scoffed, “Whatever.”

Patton kept smiling, trying to look normal. Then he turned to his crush and held out his hand. “Patton.”

The young man didn’t smile but he did take his hand. “Logan.”

“Nice to meet you,” Patton said.

“I don’t know what you exactly did but thank you, Kenneth is a bit hard to deal with,” Logan said, pulling a couple books out of his locker. Then he locked it.

“No problem. I think we have a history class together,” Patton said.

Logan just stared at him for a bit and Patton began to get worried. “Maybe.”

“Yeah,” Patton said. “I just wanted to say hello.”

“Well, hello,” Logan said. “Did you want something in particular?”

Patton tried to be casual, to be normal. “I just wanted to get to know you, you seem nice.”

“You obviously do not know me then,” Logan said.

“Well,” Patton shrugged. “I’ll be the judge of that.”

Logan looked away and Patton didn’t think he liked that too much.

“Hey, why don’t we talk on the way, we have class together,” Patton said.

“Yes, we do,” Logan said and Patton followed him all the way to class. Along the way, Patton decided that he liked Logan. He liked the attention Logan gave him.