#i'm reading all the posts and thinking over how i do things *dreamy sigh*

[impossiblefeat]

My dream blog is suppermariobroth (and the smallmariofindings blog) but for Sonic trivia... I can almost do that with just Espio, but I tend to hide a lot of the miscellaneous trivia in the tags because I have no idea what I'm doing and no sense of what is important or not, LMAO. There's also a lot of technical know-how I don't have and I truly lack an ability to properly explain.

But oh, can I dream... maybe with time I will have a better sense for these things.

[lonelychicago]

seven-ish sentences sunday! 📜🎥

tagged by @prince-buck-diaz @spotsandsocks @hippolotamus @panbuckley @wildlife4life <33

here's more from author!buck and actor!eddie au, plus another moodboard bc i cannot stop.

(also, if you wanna be tagged on this fic once i post, interact with this post)

"Can you read for Gabriel in Scene 23, where he's talking to officer Blake Scatorccio?" Chimney says, looking up from his notes. "Buck will read opposite to you." 

"Yeah, okay." Eddie swallows thickly. In the first books, Gabriel and Blake only have a few scenes, but in the second book their relationship grows stronger. 

Some fans even think the author might be building up to a romantic relationship, claiming it's a slow burn. Eddie isn't sure and he hasn't asked Buck, but just the idea of doing this scene with him makes his nerves set on fire. 

He'll be acting out Buck's words, words the man took time and effort and that he created oh so carefully, so masterfully. Eddie will be telling them to him, looking him in the eye and thinking— what exactly? 

"Eddie? Are you ready?" Buck raises an eyebrow at him. 

"Yeah, Ready." 

Buck clears his throat and starts the scene. 

"Gabe? What are you doing here?" 

"I'm dropping all of the evidence I gathered with Pipe in these last few months." He sighs, feeling as defeated as Gabriel does in the scene. "I just— I can't do it anymore." 

Buck frowns at him, just like he pictures Blake would be doing in the book. "What? You're just gonna give up?" 

"I can't keep going like this! Chasing after some psycho, being haunted by my wife's ghost. I—" Eddie runs a hand through his hair and pulls back. "I need to think of my son, okay? I can't keep doing your job for you, Officer Scatorccio." He sneers. He evokes every feeling of grief and frustration he felt when Shannon first left him with no warning, except for a note. He brings up every feeling of insecurity and of not being good enough to the surface, every feeling of rage and fury that's been simmering under the surface for longer than Eddie is willing to admit, and he pours them all into Gabriel's character. 

In the book and in the script, Blake gets impossibly closer to Gabriel, grabbing him by the arm and stopping him from walking away. In real life, Buck remains seated a few feet away from him. 

Eddie tries not to be disappointed. This is an audition after all and Buck is just reading the lines to move Eddie through the scene, that's how it goes. It's just business. 

"My hands are tied and you know it. The whole police department can't go after just one person, Gabe. You know that. We have too many cases and—" 

Out of the corner of his eye, Eddie can see Chimney. The director held in a rare thrall, the tip of his glasses inserted between his full, dreamy lips, that ankle crossed over the opposite knee, jiggling, jiggling. He looks impressed, Eddie thinks. Maybe. 

"And what?" 

"I think you're close. I think you are stronger and smarter than any one of us— You're extraordinary, Gabriel Alvarez and I am in awe of you every single day. You can't just give up." Buck gazes up at him, a smile gracing his lips, a small and barely there thing that doesn't really match the scene but Eddie can't bring himself to mind. 

"You are too good with words, Officer Scatorccio. But I don't know if I can trust them." Eddie looks down at the script, and then back up at Buck. "I don't know if I can trust you."

"Gabe, I—" And that's the end of the scene. Blake's partner interrupts them, claiming they need to go and Gabriel is left alone at the station. Confused and hopeless. 

Eddie takes a deep breath, telling himself it's over and he gave the scene the best he had. And he thinks he did pretty well— He thinks he did amazing, losing himself in the scene and in Buck's eyes, and hope sizzles under his skin, strong and powerful. 

"That was amazing, Eddie. You really seem to get the character." Chimney smiles at him, forcing him to look away from Buck. "It's really a beautiful thing to see." 

"Thanks." Eddie fidgets with the script. He knows they won't make a decision right then and there, and certainly not in front of him, but something keeps him frozen in place. 

His feet refuse to walk away. 

Hope inside of him moves and weaves through his system like a hurricane, not wanting to leave. 

"You really do understand Gabriel, Eddie." Buck speaks. "That was— Well, I guess Blake Scatorccio said it. Extraordinary." Buck says softly, maybe too soft for what the moment calls. "Thank you." 

Thank God it's dark in the rear of the studio. No one can see the tomato-colored tidal wave surging up Eddie's neck.

"Again, thanks so much for the opportunity." Eddie says, feeling his lips dry up. "I, uh— Yeah. Thanks." He awkwardly waves and turns away, hope trailing behind him like a neon sign showing how much he needs, how much he wants this. He wonders if they can see it. He wonders if they care. 

He thinks Buck might. 

tagging (no pressure): @monsterrae1 @alyxmastershipper @buddierights @mysteriouslyyounggalaxy @honestlydarkprincess @bigfootsmom @bucktalias @maygrantgf @messyhairdiaz @ebdaydreamer @bekkachaos @cowboy-buddie @911onabc @shortsighted-owl @the-likesofus @elvensorceress @transbuck @transboybuckley @buckitup @prettyboybuckley @starlingbite

[elephantshoetoo]

Excerpt from "The Drawing Board":

(Chapter 7 of The Byler Files, vol. 3, by ElephantShoe. Now posted on AO3.)

(Everyone returns to their various research materials, reading quietly, with only the sound of Robin tapping a pen on her folder to infiltrate their thoughts. Side by side on the floor, Mike snuggles up to Will, resting his head on Will's shoulder. He sighs with contentment, a dreamy, far-away look on his face.)

MIKE (softly, to Will): Petunia.

WILL: Hmm…?

MIKE: That's what we should name her. 

WILL (glancing up from the sketchbook): Are you…? Uh... Wh-what? (Will sits up, eyeing Mike curiously.) Wait – you're… you're serious, aren't you? 

MIKE: Yeah. I mean, I know it's not happening now… Or, anytime soon, but… (He shrugs.) someday. 

WILL: Oh. Okay. Yeah. (He smiles tenderly at Mike and nods.) Petunia. I like it. 

MIKE: Yeah…? 

WILL: Yeah.

MIKE: Cool. We could call her…Pet? Or… or Toony? 

(Chuckling, Will leans in and kisses Mike's forehead, beaming at him with a goofy grin.)

MIKE: What…?

WILL: You're adorable. 

MIKE: Am I?

WILL: ‘Fraid so, yup. 

MIKE: Well, you're pretty cute, yourself. Especially now that you've got that… (He waves his hand in a circle towards Will's belly, grinning.) healthy pregnancy glow. 

(Laughing, Will pushes Mike over in retaliation and leans on him.)

MIKE (teasing): Hey, hey – no roughhousing in your condition, mister.

WILL (digging his knuckles into Mike's side): I'll show you my condition! 

(Mike shrieks and grabs Will's hand to stop the knuckling, pulling Will down on top of him while drawing the attention of everyone else in the room. They pause, lips mere inches apart, the electricity palpable. And then, passionately, they start kissing, because of course they do. The others all stare at them, then at each other, not altogether sure how to react to yet another impromptu make-out session.)

NANCY: Do we need to separate you two? (No response.) Hello…? 

WILL (still kissing): No… we'll, mmm… get back to work.

(They don't.)

NANCY: Today…? 

WILL: Ummm… sure. Soon. 

MIKE (still still kissing): Uh-uh. 

(Stubbornly, Mike locks his arms around Will's torso, refusing to let go.)

WILL (to Mike, chuckling): We'd, uh… we'd better stop before she gives us detention or something.

MIKE (holding on tighter): If it's detention with you… I'm willing to risk it. 

WILL: Babe, we do have a lot of work to do…

(Will wriggles free and locates the sketchbook that got kicked aside in the scuffle. Mike sits up and pouts, arms crossed.)

MIKE (to Nancy, sulking): Are you happy? You've corrupted my boyfriend. 

WILL (rubbing Mike's arm in commiseration): Just… think of it as one more thing I can make up to you later. 

(Will raises his eyebrows and bites his bottom lip temptingly.)

MIKE (perking up): Ooh, okay. 

(As Will goes back to perusing Henry's written thoughts, Mike gazes contemplatively at the whiteboard.)  

MIKE: Hey, I know what this drawing board needs…

(He gets up, grabs one of the dry erase markers, and sets to work. In the bottom left-hand corner, Mike doodles a little stick-figure drawing of two boys kissing – one with a bowl cut and the other with dark shoulder-length curly locks – surrounded by hearts and stars. Will looks up from the sketchbook, swooning a little as he watches Mike admiringly. He thinks to himself, “God, that boy is wonderful. And also, somehow… mine.” He smiles, overflowing with gratitude. Noting the doodle, Nancy makes a face.)

NANCY: Oh, because that's pertinent to the investigation…

MIKE: It is! That… (He points at the drawing.) is the very heart of why it matters.

ROBIN: He has a point… 

💙💛💚

Happy Byler Files Friday, everyone!

[slytherinbangchan]

Inked Dreams (NCT Dream Tattoo Artist!Au) (M)

Chap 10 out of 10 -> First arc: Haechan&Chenle x female reader Second arc is Jisungie's arc!🐹 Let me know if you guys are interested~

>>Chap 1 here

Summary: A NCT Dream Tattooist!Au where the Dreamies are college's heartthrobs and most likely will steal your heart whenever you less expect it.

Inked Dreams Masterlist~

[My First and Last: Chap 10🐬]

The moment you cross the door all eyes are on you and Hyuck. ��What?” He asks and Mark looks at you and then Chenle. They all have their phones in their hands so you automatically take yours out too and see a bunch of notifications. “Of course.” You say, then you scoff and put your phone away again. That girl posted Chenle's video on instagram with a very long text you don't really feel like reading.

Hyuck chuckles as he checks his phone and double taps on the post, making you chuckle too. “You should read it, babe. It's actually funny.” He tells you, dropping the cookie box on a table as you walk over to sit next to Chenle, who looks just as confused as the rest of the guys. “It's okay, he knows.” You say, ruffling Lele's hair, and everyone suddenly seem way more relaxed. Guess Chenle updated them about the whole thing just before you arrived. “Should we all like that post?” Jaemin asks and Mark chuckles. “No, but I think it's a good idea though?” He says. “Yeah, if we just go with it, people won't care for it as much as if we actually try to deny it.” Jisung adds and Jeno chuckles. “We? Are you part of the love triangle?” He asks, pulling some smiles from everyone. “Well, Jisung is Chenle's soulmate after all, isn't he?” You say and Jisung winks at you. “Okay, let's like the post.” Renjun agrees. “I'm kinda annoyed though you guys won't let me just tell that girl off. It's not the first time she does something problematic.” He sighs. “What do you mean?” You ask and the guys look at Hyuck and he looks at you, clearing his throat before talking. “Okay, y/n you remember that I told you people used to ask me to tattoo them but then cancel cause they only wanted an excuse to get to talk to me?” He asks and you nod. “Well, actually it was a bit more complicated than that.” He says, then his eyes drift to Mark's and he sits up on the couch. “Yeah, y/n, back when the tattoo thing happened, we found out that the girl who posted Chenle's video was paying those people to get info about Haechan.” Mark continues. “What??” You ask. “Yep, she has a lot of money apparently, she and her friend also looked completely different back then.” He says and you look at the guys and then at Hyuck. “But what did she want?” You ask and Renjun clicks his tongue. “Just Haechan I guess? She was obsessed with him in a very weird way.” He says and Hyuck sighs. “Yeah. Her friend kissed me at a party and I followed the kiss. She told the guys at the arcade that me ghosting her friend is the reason why she was mad at me, but she was pretty much a stalker even before her friend kissed me.” He explains. “Yeah, we actually thought her friend was just another person she paid to get closer to Haechan.” Mark adds and you feel terrible in almost every way possible. “I'm so sorry I introduced you to them again at the arcade.” You apologize but the guys brush it off. “Please, how could you have known? It's not your fault at all.” Jaemin says, and the others agree. “Y/n, at first not even I could recognize any of them. I only did when they started talking.” Hyuck says and the guys agree. “We only noticed after you guys left so...”

The doorbell rings, saving you all from talking anymore about that horrible person and most of the guys move to help getting the food from the delivery man.

You pout at Hyuck and he chuckles, then you walk towards him to hug. “I'm sorry that I made you talk to her earlier today too.” You say. You really feel bad. “I should have asked about her earlier.” You say as you pout, hanging from his neck and he chuckles. “What? It's fine, dummy.” He says, taking a lock of hair out of your face before pecking your lips. “I could have told you about the whole thing too the day we saw them at the arcade.” He says, pulling you closer with a hug. “Stop blaming yourself, okay?” He asks and you nod, still pouting, making him chuckle softly again before meeting your lips in a kiss.

-------------------------

“What did you order Jisungie?” You ask him, since it seems nobody is handing him his food yet. “Ah, I didn't order anything, I can't eat.” He says and Renjun chuckles. “You can have some ice cream Sung-ah.” He tells him, but Jisung pouts. “No way, after hyung nagged so much at me last night I'm not eating anything.” He says, a bit sulky, and Renjun laughs. “I just can't believe you did shots last night after getting a tongue piercing.” Jeno says, joining Junnie's laughter. “You got a piercing? That's why you've been talking kinda weird? Show me!” You say, but he's still sulking and that only makes Renjun want to bite him apparently. “Jisung-ah. I'm sorry that I nagged at you so much. I was worried about your tongue.” He says and Jaemin chuckles. “He was also sulking about something else last night and took it on you.” He says, casually playing with Junnie's ear and Renjun clicks his tongue, slapping Jaemin's hand away. But Jaemin smiles and pinch Jun's cheek, which makes Renjun frustratedly sigh. “Whatever. The thing is that I was only worried about you last night, but you should definitely eat something cold if you're hungry.” He explains.

You meet Chenle's eyes, who is now sitting in front of you as Renjun and the others keep talking, and realize that you haven't got the chance yet to check on him. But guess it's not the best time right now anyway. Everyone is settling down to finally eat. “Here.” Hyuckie says, handing you some chopsticks and a spoon before sitting next to you. “Thank you~” You smile at him, then you look at Chenle again who smiles at you after a second. Seeing his eye smile for the first time since that video was posted makes your heart jump in happiness. It's the first time too though that you see him so quiet around the guys.

He also seems kinda nervous everytime anyone asks him something, even if it's just to pass the soda or stuff like that, so you decide to wait and ask him when the guys are not around.

He's not finished eating while the guys clean up a bit so you move to sit next to him. “Hey...” You say. “Hi...” He answers, but you hear Hyuckie clearing his throat even before you can actually start a conversation, and you and Chenle look up to see him standing in front of you. You tilt your head confused and Hyuck chuckles softly. “Renjun is asking for you in the kitchen.” He says and you sigh. “Can't he wait?” You ask but Donghyuck shakes his head. “Nope, it sounded urgent.” He says, so you click your tongue and stand up to walk to the kitchen. “Hey, Hyuckie says you called me.” You tell Renjun and he looks at you a bit confused. “I didn't?” He says and now you're more confused than ever. “You didn't? None of you called me?” You check, just in case, and the guys shake their heads.

You walk back to the living room ready to nag at Hyuckie but you stop right before you enter the room. “So... You're not mad at me for not saying anything, hyung?” You hear Chenle ask, and your heart skips a beat. Hyuck clicks his tongue and playfully pulls Chenle towards him with his arm around his neck. “Of course not. I was just worried about my cute dongsaeng and had to check on him.” He says and you pout as your heart gets soft just watching them. Chenle scoffs as soon as he sees you and Hyuck laughs at your pout, releasing Chenle from his hug and inviting you to sit with them. “Agh, I was so ready to nag at you but you were here being all wholesome.” You say and the guys laugh. “Yeah, I'm sorry I tricked you baby, but I really wanted to talk to him alone for a minute.” Hyuck apologizes and you hug him. “Yeah it's fine.” You say. “Are you really okay though? You seemed pretty awkward at lunch.” You ask Chenle and he sighs. “Yeah... I mean, I do feel bad that hyung had to find out about my feelings for you cause of a revenge post instead of myself, but that's my fault too. I could have told him about my feelings getting real before any of this happened.” He says and Hyuck chuckles. “Yeah? Were you ready to talk to me about that, though?” He asks, making you chuckle too and Chenle scoffs after a second as he smiles. “I guess not. You were so fucking whipped... It was kinda scary just thinking about mentioning it.” He admits and you all chuckle. “Aw, you were whipped for me Hyuckie?” You ask, hugging him and he smiles and nods. “I still am.” He confesses before meeting your lips and Chenle rolls his eyes. “See? I thought he'd kill me if I said something. Or he'd try at least.” He says, making you both smile on the kiss.

“Can we come back to the living room now?” The guys ask and you all chuckle. “Yeah.” You say, then you look at Chenle. “Can we talk somewhere else then?” You ask as the guys come back. Chenle nods and Hyuckie lets go of the hug after pecking your lips so you can leave with Lele.

You sit outside in the balcony but regret it almost immediately as you can't even keep your eyes open under that extremely shiny sun, so you laugh at your stupid decision and go back inside and to Hyuckie's room.

You were feeling a bit nervous at first, but not anymore after the balcony moment. “You know, I thought you just wanted to talk, but turns out you wanted to kill me instead.” Chenle jokes and you laugh. “Damn, you were too quick to notice. I'll have to think of something else now.” You say and he chuckles, then you both just remain silent for a bit as you smile.

You sigh after a minute and hold his hand. Guess you got that habit from Hyuckie now. Chenle laces his fingers with yours and you bite your lower lip as you put your thoughts in order inside your head. “Are you really okay with that post?” You ask and he nods. “I was only worried about hyung's reaction since I had already talked to you, and I don't care at all about what people say so...” He explains and you agree. “I'm fine too as long as you two are okay.” You say, then stare at him for a second. “I'm... sorry too that I didn't know what to say earlier today when we first talked.” You apologize and he sighs. “It's okay y/n, I understand. Really.” He says. “I... kinda know what I want to tell you now though... Do you want to hear it?” You ask and he nods as he smiles softly. “Well... I love you.” You say and he chuckles cause he didn't expect that. “Probably not in the same way you may love me, but I do. And... I hate that I hurt you and that I can't fix it.” You say and he smiles kinda mischievously. “Yeah, I hate that too.” He says, squeezing your hand softly, and you pout.

He sighs and sweetely caresses your cheek with the back of his free hand. “I guess we grew closer than we originally thought we'd do, huh? But I'm happy that it happened that way.” He says and your heart flutters. “I think I do love you the same way you love me though, y/n. Me liking you in a romantic way has nothing to do with it... I'm sure I'll still love you even when I get over you. So don't say you don't love me the same way... Just that you love me, yeah?” He says, and you can't help the tears in your eyes. “Yeah.” You say, trying not to break down crying, but failing a little. Making him chuckle at your pout. “Such a crybaby.” He lovingly says, softly wiping the tears that fell down your cheek and you frown, making him laugh again. “I'm sorry.” He says, pulling you into a hug. “Thank you for loving me so much y/n.” He says and you grasp on his clothes as you squeeze him harder. “I love you just as much. I just can't cry at all.” He says, making you giggle. “Ah, that's fine.” You say, pulling away. “I'll cry for the both of us.” You say and he nods as he smiles before you pull him into another hug.

------------------------

Epilogue. “Is Jaemin asleep?” Hyuckie asks as you both walk across the living room. “Mhm~ sound asleep indeed.” Junnie distractedly says as he takes his eyes from his drawing for a moment to check a notification on his phone. “Okay, well, I'm gonna drive y/n home. I'll be back in a bit.” Hyuckie tells him and Renjun nods. “Bye Renjunnie~” You say, hugging him. “Bye~ Be careful yeah? It's late.”

You yawn as soon as you get in the car and Hyuck smiles. “Too many emotions today, huh?” He asks and you giggle. “Yeah, I'm exhausted.” You admit. “Mhm, make sure to get a lot of sleep tonight. Cause I'll be bothering you all day tomorrow.” He says, making you smile. “You better, cause I just know I'm gonna miss you so much tonight.” You say and he chuckles. “Then why are you even leaving? Stay. I don't want you to go? I couldn't even bring myself to start the car yet.” He says and you both chuckle. “Oh god, we're so fucking clingy.” You say. “Yeah!” He proudly says. “Okay, I'm staying then.” You say. “Of course you are!” He exclaims. “Oh, but wait. I want to ask you something before it slips my mind again.” He says and you nod. “So... Your birthday is close right? What would you like to do and is there something you want?” He asks and your heart flutters. “As a present?” You ask and he nods. “Well, duh... I want a tattoo.” You say and he chuckles. “Yeah, I thought so. I'll talk to Renjunnie then.” He says and you shake your head. “I want you to do it, dummy.” You say and he blushes. “Me?” He asks. “Of course, you idiot.” You say before pulling from his shirt to kiss him. “I love Renjun's work but what I really want right now is a tattoo from my cute, clingy boyfriend.” You say, making him chuckle. “If he's okay with it~” You sing and he nods as he smiles. “You can have all the tattoos you want from your silly, clingy boyfriend.” He says. “I never said silly.” You giggle. “That really is a dream come true though. I don't know how it never occurred to me before that dating a tattoo artist could mean infinite free tattoos.” You think out loud and he laughs. “Who said they'll be free?” He asks and you pout. “I'll take ten kisses per tattoo.” He says and you smile. “Just ten?” You ask. “You can always tip.” He wiggles his eyebrows and you giggle. “I sure will.” You say before meeting his lips. “Alright let's go back to the house, I want to smooch you properly.”

The lights are off in the living room as you enter the apartment, so you two just tiptoe your way to Hyuck's room just in case, not to wake up anyone. He pokes around his drawers for some comfy clothes for you while you wait, sitting on his bed. “Just give me whatever you wear to bed. If it doesn't smell like you I don't want it.” You say and he can't help a smile as he keeps looking for it. “Mhm~”

You check your phone for a moment and chuckle seeing how that girl had to delete her stupid post cause everyone was throwing hate at her. Guess the guys were right about liking her post.“Here.” Hyuckie says, handing you one of his shirts and you leave your phone aside again to change. “Thanks~” You say, then a thud coming from another room startles you, followed by some objects clattering and a moan. Your eyes look for Hyuckie's as you blush, but he's staring at the wall, pursing his lips, trying very hard not to smile. “Was that...” You ask and Hyuck bites his lower lip, still trying not to smile or laugh, as if he knew something you don't. But that was definitely Renjun's voice. “Is he... Alone..?” You ask, and Hyuck finally chuckles as you hear more moans and you blush even harder. He sighs then chuckles again. “No y/n, he's not.”

Chap 9.... Next Arc~

[otomelavenderhaze]

Hi, Faaa! O/ _realizes that there's a new name-blog* ...but, WHAT AN ORIGINAL NAME! I love it!

Yes, I know, I owe you a talk… and yes, soon we will have that pending conversation.

The real reason that I'm here, is to ask you if you plan to play MCL: NG? I mean, not like you used to play with the original MCL, but, like… just to see? You know, you're very smart when it's about to tell your... opinions, theories, etc. From my part, I'll only play MCL: NG for Jason!

Heeyy, YES, NEW USERNAME, NEW ME!

I mean, Otomelavenderhaze feels more my speed now than the last name, it shows that I will be tapping in other otomes, maybe I will go back to Ikemen at some point (believe me or not, some people find my oldest posts about Ikemen Vampire and Prince and lately I have been missing doing them and playing the games honestly).

I don't do much writing for Tears of Themis but maybe I will sometimes from now on, I feel like discussing somethings even more now they have announced that the first season is over, like what they mean with "seasons" like how many "chapters" there is for TOT's story??? I am so excited to find out.

But yeah, Lavender Haze feels fitting since my fav is Marius and since I am now a self proclaimed Swiftie lmao.

Now about MCL NG...... *sigh* I am not sure if someone really wanna hear my opnion about it if I played or not, I think at some point I would be too annoying always bringing back Rayan and such. I think there's better blogs out of there that will discuss the game and that are more open to the whole experience.

I thought about simply not even touching it, I saw the pre-sign up and I was like "should I?" but then I just felt literally empthy.

I will be honest, Jason was the one that like grab my attention...... but I play Marius route in ToT and I don't think they can top anything that I have ever read with Marius' story.

Marius is a such complex and colorful character, Jason felt like a colder and edgy version of him and I am not sure if this is my what I want to see, because I like characters that are misterious, with some walls, but also that has a soft and caring heart. I don't get that last part as Jason's vibe.

I could go for another route... but nobody really grabbed my attention, I feel like Thomas maybe would've been my route if he wasn't Thomas or maybe MCs boss is more my speed....... but I never felt so confused about a whole set of Lis, normally, I look at one and I choose and I KNOW they spark something on me.

The new Lis of MCL didn't got not even a single spark out of me.

I'm probably just being picky, but this is so weird for me, nobody seems really my type, I don't think anyone is gorgeous/handsome enough to make me like, feel like I did so many times before with other characters.

The art somehow looks worst too...... I don't get what is happening, I don't like the aesthetic of the game neither, I kinda miss the soft kinda dreamy but toned down mood that MCLUL or even MCLLL had????

You know what I feel seeing all the things I did see of it??? They didn't cook that game properly while making it, it wanna tap too much styles (decor and customization), the scenary looks good but not a place that would really exist or interest me personally, it feels like a breed between Eldarya and MCL and...... I don't like it.

Again, I don't like the Lis.

I don't think the story is gonna be anything extraordinary, I think it's gonna be mid at best and mid I already had with MCLLL and Eldarya, another mid feels too repetitive.

[dwellerinroots]

6 questions

This post brought to you by @thana-topsy; cheers for tagging me! Hopefully you'll get a few chuckles out of it..!

RULES: answer the questions then tag some folx you want to get to know better/catch up with.

Last Song: Like a lot of you here, I listen to a lot of game music; in general, ambient music is my preferred music for work/writing, since in the field it's easier to hear people talking if there isn't someone else talking... And for writing, words just get distracting. Anyway, I'm cheating here, a bit... Song ft. Vox; Air - Sex Born Poison (the line 'Prince from the Biomass' lives rent free in my head) Song sans Vox; Desiderii Marginis - The Sweet Hereafter (just full of feelings mostly...) Song (gaming games for gamers); Chapter 1 Epilogue, Limbus Company (I'm a huge fan of this company's works. They're very literary and just the right level of obtuse. But even still, what a wild ride this was... Oh, spoilers I suppose...)

Last Show: Television? Anime? What are those? Haha, no, I kid, I kid. I just generally place anything I can't consume at my own pace pretty low, you know..? Let's see, uh... I think it was old Sailor Moon. Dubbed, of course. The only way to watch.

Currently Watching: Isn't this really the same questions as above? Gawoaoaoh!? How am I supposed to answer?! I'm in a pickle, the last movie I watched, uh, hrmn, uh... Probably a horror film, probably Body Count, 1986. I'd link the trailer, but I think it's probably too much for tumblr dot com. You should look it up, though, horror is so dumb. (I say, affectionately.)

Currently Reading: Due to life having kicked my teeth so hard I'm talking through my gums, right now, I've mostly just been reading whatever I can take with me to work, so material literature only. Sorry, I'm luddite. I'm on my nth re-read of The Alexiad, and it angers me so much that a certain power is trying to - take the legacy of Ana Komnena (dreamy sigh) for their own. I've also been thumbing through my local birder's guide, as well as a book of regional mushroom varieties. I'm preparing. Also the Making of Doom 3 design book to cross-reference things. What else, hrmn... A friend of mine picked up a pulp sci-fantasy bundle, and it made me want to re-read The Dungeon series. But there's a lot in it, more then I can recommend here, so poke me if you want questionably-written swords, sandals, lasers, and who-knows-what-else recommendations.

Current Obsession: I feel a bit bad, I don't really obsess over - wait, wait, re-do. My WIFE (fictional) [hoarse croaking] More seriously, I don't really obsess over any one media. I love everything lots, and tend to go back to things that I didn't love 'the most' and revisit them even if they were only somewhat important to me. Similarly, even when I love a media, medium, or idea, it's somewhat at a distance. I realise that's quite disappointing to people, but I'm kind of laid-back. Always have been. Let's see if I can still find an interesting answer to this one, though... Oh, actually, it's not an obsession, but I'm obsessed in trying to promote it? The problem is, it's entirely - I feel like if you aren't a child of slavic descent who had bootleg consoles and enjoyed faerie tales and mushrooms, it's probably a hard sell, ahaha... Mushroom Musume is hard to describe. It's the perfect game for people who might have roughly time for one (1) level in ye old Boomer Shooter, but are feeling in the mood for faerie tales. And that's basically what it is; a faerie-tale simulator. It can be a light-hearted, even treacle-sweet story, one that's a little scary, something dark or melancholy, or a combination of all of the three. Sometimes, things that feel like failures are unique steps in that story that turn new pages; and this, combined with the incredible amount of choice and options available, makes it one of the coolest indie games I've stumbled upon. The score is hauntingly beautiful, the art and writing are divine, and short of mystical birds, it's got basically everything I grew up with. (Now one of the devs'll poke me that there are, in fact, mystical birds, probably.) You start as a recluse hermit, raise a mushroom-hominid as your daughter, and then play as said myconoid, just trying to live life. It's a simple joy of a game, and one I'll recommend to my dying breath.

Unrelated Obsession Stuff I've Been Doing: Again, sorry, I'm not really - even the stuff I love, I'll be like, well, 'that's enough of that, then, time to do something else' bahahahaha...

Re-playing Doom 2016; I'm looking forward to Routine, since apparently Mick Gordon did the score for it, and I thought the project was dead. There are still some flaws I have with it as a whole, but it's good fun.

Occasionally playing Civilisation... 3. With Rise and Rule. Listen, my entire family loves turn-based strategy. I really like how Civ 3 and ESPECIALLY R&R handled climate change, yeah? Complexity is often good. Also, I like games I can play for a few turns, thirty minutes over a cuppa, and then save and quit. I know the joke is 'one more turn' but for me it's 'ah, perfect for a lunch break.'

My cousin threatened said that we'll be playing GAUNTLET: DARK LEGACY on the nintendo gamecub (r) (tm) this weekend assuming that bit rot hasn't taken it's toll. It may not be a 'good' game. But if you're telling me you don't hear this and get amped...

Keeping friends and family from further complicating things in their lives.

Faffing about with writing; I'm also a read/writing mode only person, and if I have to choose between reading fics or writing, the latter wins out. If I don't spill a tiny amount of blood/ink I instantly explode, it's known. Ideally, people will make better decisions into the future and I will have more time. But if not, at least we'll always have TES...

Please don't feel obligated to do this sort of thing, but if you wanna have at it... I'll tag @zombiecatboys, @kulgen, @pikkish, @expended-sleeper, @totally-not-deacon, @beloved-lady-alma, @lyriumspectre, @thattalviel and anyone else who might possibly want it. Legitimately, I've never been good at telling what the proper etiquette is, especially when I'm like - 'wowowowowowo! quizzes awesome!' but know how - tiring that can get, bahaha!

[willowmosby]

Sorry for high jacking the OPs post with an essay but the TLDR is OP is right and they should say it louder for the people in the back.

So...

I finish season one of tracker on Hulu and said fuck it I don't super care about spoilers let me look at the tag and.... Listen I get that it's not like a big brain theory show but can I hear people's thoughts besides fanfiction and gifs of fucking Jensen Ackels who isn't even a main cast member( supernatural girlies [gn] please don't @ me, but surely not everything that actor does needs to be paralleled to your show).

To be clear I am not a lesbian I fall somewhere in the bisexual pansexual land of queerness and I can appreciate a hot dude as much as the next guy but why why is that all there is. I know I haven't seen season two and I'm not trying to yuck anyone's yum but Reenie and Bobby are infinitely more Important and interesting (and in my opinion more attractive) than Russell. So I'm not saying I need deep discourse but can we gif them too please. Please. Like they're also dreamy with the added benefits of being in almost every episode. Honestly, if this is the fucking show that forces me to learn to gif so that Reenie Greene is probably seen by Tumblr than so be it.

But actually yeah I do also want discourse...

I know Tumblr will always choose the sexy man over the nice lesbian couple or like literally anything. And as sexy men go I like Colter- I actually think he walks a fascinating line between likeable human and lone wolf trope- but I don't know if anyone else agrees cause all there is fanfic.

Like can we talk about how interesting it is that like half the cast only interact over phone calls. Like that's an acting challenge. And honestly a wild storytelling feature that's kinda unique and I want to know if it's working for other people? ( For It's honestly hit or miss cause sometimes it feels forced but then sometimes it feels under used)

Like wait this is based off a book? can someone tell me if it's actually a good adaptation of the book- like I assume only the overarching character stuff is but id love to know if any of the cases are from the book. Is the book a good read? cause I kinda want to check it out?

And again I've only seen season one ( and again could not give a fuck about spoilers) but like how did Reenie and Velma& Teddi get involved in Colton's job/life but not know like anything about his family. I know Bobby had some like Russian Mob thing but I'd still love to know more?

I..I guess what I... I just (sigh) ....I had fun with the show and wanted people's opinions, so am forcing mine upon you.

Going through tracker tag so awful I am a LESBIAN!! I am not watching the show for the men show me Reenie gifs rn

[rasp-my-berry]

a summer glowup // klitz x chubby reader

ALL CHARACTERS ARE 18+

ok i've decided to make this a chubby reader AND set in modern tech era bc really not much would change and i prefer to write about that which i understand better yk 🙄i think this is part one??? might make a second part maybe not idk 😵 also i did not proofread this leave me alone 😭😭😭

"i want him in me so bad you guys you don't get it i want him IN MEEEESSNSNS" your story read. you giggled as you typed it and finally posted it. you loved to just post whatever came to mind, whenever. you loved getting reactions out of those that follow you, sometimes forgetting that people you respect follow you and see the shit you post.

your favorite part about posting these things though, was the reactions you would get from your friends. they always had something to say.

eli would usually say something equally as horny. matt would usually say something about how you should really keep those thoughts to yourself and how disgusting you are. he's just joking though... you hope. but klitz? he would always take any opportunity he could to flirt and tease you. it only took a few minutes before the tripod's responses came rolling in.

“just let me be inside you y/n just one chance plsssss 😫😫😫" eli responded.

“STOP THIS. ENOUGH. SEEK THERAPY" was matt's response.

klitz's was the only one to actually make you giggle out loud though. "yk you could just tell me instead of posting about me 🙄🙄"

you began responding to all of them. first to eli. "yk i'm in a committed relationship w my pink dildo eli don't be silly 🙄"

next was matt. "unless ur willing to pay, it won't be happening"

and finally klitz. "ur right klitzy bitzy boo babe, i'll start keeping our sex life a secret dw 💕💕"

you turned your phone off with a dreamy sigh, holding your whale plushie close to your chest as you squeezed your eyes shut. you hoped and wished with all your heart that one day all the flirting with klitz wouldn't have to be just that. that one day you may be able to just kiss him and buy him flowers and get freaky or whatever. but unfortunately, this summer, it wouldn't be happening.

this summer vacation was going to be spent out of state with you favorite aunt. she invited you over and insisted on having you stay, saying the much needed girl time was well overdue for the both of you. the tripod was disappointed to hear you wouldn't be able to spend everyday going on dumb adventures with them but made you promise to do group calls when you could.

you agreed, of course. you didn't know what you would do without being able to contact them. you'd already scheduled your first 3 calls, all of you promising to reserve those times for the calls.

a soft noise from your phone brought you back to reality. it was klitz. he always responds the fastest, unless he's asleep of course. if you wanted to get a hold of him while he's sleeping you knew to call.

“good. i don't want the whole school to know how much raw, hot, crazy sex we have 😖" he responded.

“we both know you don't care about that part. you just don't want them to know i peg you every thursday and turn you into a whining bitch in heat for me huh"

he read the message instantly and it took a while for him to start typing.

“you're absolutely right ☹️ once they find out ur into that shit they'd all start lining up and i wouldn't have you all to myself 😞" he said.

giggling, you began typing up your next response. "i hardly think that'll be the outcome. nobody wants me 💔🕸🕷⛓🥀" and you followed up with another text. "fr tho most of the guys at school couldn't handle me 🙄 i'm too big 💕"

he didn't read it for a few seconds and in that downtime you began texting your best friend. "EEEEE KLITZY RESPONDED TO MY STORY AGAIN 🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭"

she responded almost instantly, a string of texts coming from her.

“BITCH

HES TOTALLY INTO YOU

THINK ABOUT IT

HE TEXTS YOU ALL THE TIME

ALWAYS RESPONDS TO YOUR SHIT

BLUSHES WHEN YOU TOUCH HIM

PRACTICALLY MOANS, EVEN

THE GUY IS PRACTICALLY YOURS ALREADY 💥💥💥💥💥💥💥"

you rolled your eyes with a smile. this is gonna be a long night.

~

while you were arguing with your bestie about whether or not klitz was into you, the tripod was at eli's home, having an equally as ridiculous conversation.

“she totally wants me. she wants me balls deep so badly." eli said in relation to your posts, scrolling on his phone.

“ELI-" matt started.

klitz cut him off. "she's not into bozo virgins like you, dickwad!"

“oh, right, i forgot shes madly in love with you. and how do you know i'm a virgin?!" eli defended, rolling his eyes.

klitz pointed to a pile of socks laying by the side of eli's bed, the pile looking as though he hadn't even tried hiding it properly. "there are literal CUM SOCKS, ELI, ON THE FLOOR-"

“shits radioactive at this point. generations on those socks, man.." matt muttered.

eli groaned. "those are NOT cum socks!! lemme prove it to you fools!!"

he waltzed over to the side of his bed from the gaming chair he was previously sat in and grabbed one of the socks, instantly dropping it and gagging out of disgust. the sock was literally rock hard and as it fell on the hardwood floor, it CLATTERED. ACTUALLY CLATTERED.

the three boys continued the gag for a moment following.

“that's actually disgusting-" klitz finally managed.

matt couldn't even breathe properly yet, still reeling from the sound the sock made. eli was beyond embarrassed, pushing the socks further under the bed with his foot, the socks making an awful scraping noise as he did so. he cringed.

“PLEASE DONT TELL Y/N" he shouted, dropping to his knees.

klitz laughed. "oh come on, it's not like she would be surprised to hear you've got a pile of rock solid cum socks."

“can we PLEASE move on from this subject—" matt gagged again. "and do your fuckin' laundry eli!"

~

the next day at school, you walked in with your best friend, chatting and giggling as you walked the halls u til you parted ways to get to your first classes. spotting the tripod from a distance, you walked over.

“hey boys!" you smiled, waving shyly at them as you walked over. the boys looked over and began walking to meet you halfway. seeing you again after the long weekend, they felt nervous again. they never imagined a girl would be a part of their group. especially one as pretty as you.

they always imagined they'd be known as the group of the most pathetic virgin boys, never even feeling the touch of a woman. but then they met you, and you changed everything. they never thought you'd have gravitated to a group like theirs, when your looks could easily get you in with the big dogs.

“hey, y/n" matt waved with a small smile.

“y/n!!!" eli cheered, smiling wide. "how is my fav virgin slut!!"

you quickly shushed him with wide eyes and a smile. "eli!! not so loud!" you turned to klitz, deciding to tease "hey klitzy bitzy! how's my baefy?"

he blushed and stuttered. "i.. i told you not to use that name in front of them-"

“KLITZY BITZY????!" eli wheezed. "NO WAY YOU LET HER CALL YOU THAT-"

matt did his best to hide his laughter, holding a hand out in front of his mouth. the blush on klitz's face only depends and he scratched his cheek awkwardly.

“it's not that serious, dude. it's just a stupid nickname.." he tried to defend himself.

you giggled. "don't tease him all day, boys. that's my job. i'll see you guys at lunch!"

~

it was a month later from that interaction and there was a lot of tears. the last day of the school year, and your last day with the three boys and your best friends before your trip out of state to be with your aunt for the summer. it was mostly eli crying, actually. and your best friend just shed one tear and encouraged you to have a good time and scope out cute boys for her.

klitz looked stiff and awkward. his face was sad but he didn’t know how to communicate that. matt just seemed too embarrassed by eli’s overdramatic sobbing.

“lemme hit just one time before you go y/n!!! just once!!” he begged, falling to his knees.

klitz rolled his eyes and shoved eli. “i’ve already reserved the night for myself, you rabid animal. go fuck your pillow or something.”

your face burned in embarrassment. “oh, klitzy.. i thought you wanted our sex life to be a secret.” you bat your eyelashes.

he had to clear his throat and look away from you. “oh, right. i forgot for a second there.” he pushed his glasses up nervously.

“hey, klitz?” you asked under your breath, stepping closer.

eli and matt were talking with your best friend and arguing about something dumb so you took the chance to say something to klitz in a somewhat private fashion.

“hm?” he hummed.

you grabbed his clammy hand, ignoring the way you could feel heat creeping up your neck and to your face. “can you promise me you won’t go out with any other girls this summer, alright?”

he paused for a moment. he didn’t even know what to say. what did you mean by that? was it because you wanted him to still be available when you got back? did that mean you liked him? you? the prettiest girl he’s ever interacted with in his life? no way. this had to be a dream.

“anything for you.” he stuttered, instantly cringing at his corny ass response.

you smiled at that and nodded your head. “good. i’ll see you in august.”

“…see you in august.” he sighed. you had already turned away and started walking home. he started biting the inside of his cheek, feeling embarrassed by how upset he was that he wouldn’t be seeing you over the summer. embarrassed by how much he was gonna miss you.

~

august came quicker than expected. over the summer, you group called the boys at least twice a week. each time it seemed you had so much to tell them, some new, exciting thing you did. the boys felt so left out, wishing they could have half as much fun as you were.

the first time they saw you, their jaws literally dropped. you had changed entirely, and only in a matter of a few weeks. you walked through the doors of the school and started finding your way to them. your hair was bouncing with each step, and the bracelets on your write jingled as you moved. you were wearing low rise pants that flared at your calves, a hot pink top that was cropped maybe a little too much for dress code, chunky sandals that tied the whole ensemble together, and a juicy couture bag slung over your shoulder. you were the definition of a dream in klitz’s eyes.

he watched the way the skin of your stomach rippled with each step, the way your breasts bounced deliciously, the way you were just oozing confidence he had never seen from you before. he felt his heartbeat pick up and he had to force himself to look away.

but then he looked back and he noticed more. the way your skin of your hips bubbled over the edge of your pants, the way you were smiling at the sight of the boys and rolling your eyes at any of the boys who used to tease you suddenly taking an interest in you.

“KLITZYYY!! ELI!! MATTY!!!” you shouted, picking up the pace and running to the boys.

klitz gulped loudly, swallowing a lump in his throat as he watched the way your body moved with your actions. he’d never seen you this way before. you always wore baggy clothes, hiding yourself. he knew you were a little insecure about showing your body in a world that only appreciated pornstar skinny bodies, but he’d never imagined you looked THIS good.

he just knew he’d be spending the night imagining you again, only this time he’d actually have something to go off of. he instantly felt guilty about that thought and shook his head. fuck. you’re his friend. his friend he flirted with on a regular basis. his friend he was extremely attracted to. god.

eli started running to meet you halfway and caught you in a hug. “Y/NNN!!” he picked you up and twirled you, making you squeal out of excitement.

“eli!! i missed you!!” you smiled, hugging back tightly. “how was your summer???”

he instantly started filling you in on all the things they did over the summer while klitz and matt continued walking over. klitz seemed nervous. he was visibly shaking and looking around. matt seemed happy, but did a good job keeping his cool unlike his two friends.

“klitzy!!” you smiled once he was close enough, instantly pulling him in to a tight hug. he wrapped his arms around your waist, bending down slightly so you didn’t have to stand on your toes to hug him comfortably. he could smell your perfume and took a deep breath, holding you closer, feeling your body against his-

you kissed his cheek. “i missed you!” you smiled. “oh, whoops, i left some lipstick on your cheek—“

“LEAVE IT!” eli shrieked. “leave it!! i’m getting the sense him having lipstick on his cheek will attract good attention.”

“yea, well i’m getting the sense he’s gonna look like a bozo idiot ratio all day if he leaves it.” matt said.

“i’ve got a makeup wipe right here, don’t even worry babe.” you smiled, pulling one out of the little packet and wiping his cheek clean.

his breath was shaky. “babe?”

“whoopsie, just let that one slip there, huh? yknow, sometimes i really just don’t think before i speak. i’ve been meaning to work on that!!”

“don’t worry about it..” he trailed off, his head feeling fuzzy. you just called him babe. even if you didn’t mean it..

you smiled up at him. “can we talk?” you turned to eli and matt, giving them a look that clearly meant you wanted some privacy.

matt easily took the hint and had to drag an oblivious eli away while he was shouting about not getting the chance to fully catch up with you.

once they were finally gone, you took a shaky breath, adjusting your bracelets. “so… any girls over the summer?” you started.

he chuckled. “i promised i wouldn’t, didn’t i?”

you smiled, chewing your gum at a quicker pace now, as if the speed matched your emotions. his eyes flicked down to your lips, noticing the glittery tinted gloss on your lips and god did your lips always look so kissable? had it just been the distance and the time away that made him feel this way?

he couldn’t care less. he just wanted to kiss you.

“well, the only reason i asked that if you wa-“

he couldn’t take it anymore. “can i, please, kiss you?” he stuttered, cutting you off.

your eyes widened, and you nodded your head frantically. he reached a hand out, cupping your cheek and pulling you in, tilting his head down to meet you halfway.

when your lips met, you swore you felt thousands of butterflies flap their wings in an instant. you giggled, pulling away.

“wanna hang out after school?” you asked.

he didn’t even say anything, he just nodded his head quickly. you giggled.

“good. because i’ve got a few ideas on what we could do.” you winked.

[wheelcr]

hi flora! i loveeee your new theme! it's so so pretty and u did so well on the icon ^ anyways i wanted to ask for like, more info of finn in ur actress dr?? im so smitten for finn ajsnsa and i just wanted to know more abt him

- 🏩 nonnie

ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐍 𝐖𝐎𝐋𝐅𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐘 𝐃𝐑. ✧ ˚ ༘ ゛

hiii there my pretty pretty nonie! tysm i'm so so happy you like it darl <3 and ofc!! i love talking about finn obv i'm smitten for him too [ dreamy sigh ] i think i also received an ask about finn from @timotheesl0ve but accidentally deleted it and forgot about it so :/ this post might be a lil diff from my other ones ^^ includes some text msgs and scenarios from my dr

♡. okay, jesus, where do i even begin?? finn is a tall, lanky, chaotic, super loud, force of nature

when i first met him, he was kinda awkward— like fidgeting and stuff, stuttered out a "hey, i'm finn" "oh i know" "oh.. well then" was not really how i wanted to kick off our friendship

♡. once he warms up enough, he's super goofy and playful. also really sweet!! :c he told me i looked pretty and that he was a huge fan of my show, and i never blushed as hard as i did that afternoon i swear

and the thing about him, he knows damn well what he's doing. the tiny smirk that crept up on his face when he saw my cheeks redden definitely told me so

♡. whatever confidence and charm he has in real life is totally amplified at work! i wouldn't say that finn is a perfectionist, because there are definitely a shit ton of moments where he's lazy and chill, but when he does something, he puts his whole finn - ussy into it yk what i mean?? you can tell that he really enjoys what he does and works hard for it, and it pays off bc the shit he makes turns out so so so good!!

♡. one thing i like about finn is that he's honest, makes it so much easier to communicate tbh ^^ he's straight up about everything, doesn't like to beat around the bush he's super genuine and sincere and i find it so akaioqjdjwfujd he's so perfect :ccc

♡. adding to the last one, he's also sometimes too honest.. like in a spontaneous oversharing kinda way...

bambi 😼💤 [ 11 : 25 ] — flor flora florie floorwax

🥓 sunshine. [ 11 : 28 ] — what do you wajt its 11pm finn

bambi 😼💤 [ 11 : 29 ] — bird outside my window c:

bambi 😼💤 [ 11 : 29 ] — also i really need to pee

🥓 sunshine. [ 11 : 32 ] — good for oyu wolfhard

🥓 sunshine. [ 11 : 32 ] — goodnight.

♡. love love loves!! vintage aesthetics! when discussing movie night in our gc he has to suggest at least one old chick flick. has tons and tons of playlists just filled with 80s music. also loves taking polaroids and low quality videos with like the grain that makes it look super old

^^ which is why finn was super hyped about the take on me cover he did with calpurnia. wouldn't stop talking my ear off about it for weeks and i honestly didn't mind. the dreamy look in his doe eyes when he talks about something he's passionate about is to die for

♡. super touch starved. doesn't initiate anything super touchy - feely at first but trust me, he enjoys it very much. he loves having his hand held. says it makes him feel grounded and safe. also loves when people play with his hair!! isn't afraid to ask for affection but will bite me if i question it

"lili can you play with my hair?" he mumbled once, face smushed into one of my velvet cushions

me being me, i just couldn't pass the opportunity for at least a little bit of teasing over my friend's little request "awww, puppy wants pets? you need me to play with your hair hmmm?"

"..." "..haha, do you still want—" "good fucking bye >:c" i almost died from laughter watching his tall figure retreating to my kitchen to eat all my banana bread as payback

♡. moody moody boy. one moment he's bouncing off the walls and joking around and having the time of his life, then he reads one hate comment or remembers something that he didn't want to remember and his mood goes super duper sour :c

like if he's upset he won't be rude or snappy but he'll definitely be super quiet and really really dry. ( his annoyed voice is kinda h— ) if he's upset by something someone did, he's not one for confrontation at first, but he's gonna make so many jabs and sarcastic remarks

♡. super sentimental lil man. he loves to take pictures and short clips, and basically document everything going on 'just for the sake of it'. i think this mainly comes from the fact that our friend group consists of a lot of vloggers. finn likes keeping memories stored in a safe place where he can edit them and make them look all pretty just for him and his friends to look back on and laugh, and i find it so so endearing

♡. okay but like despite the whole mysterious, almost like untouchable kinda aura he emits because of his thick lashes and half - lidded eyes, he's just a boy. a boy who still makes 'your mom' jokes and finds farting funny. a boy who completely bursts my eardrums with a rickroll everytime he joins discord vc. a boy who went skating with me down the street while yelling "THEY SEE ME ROLLING—" and i love him so much. he's my best friend <3

[nerdypanda3126]

I SHOULD ask you for Out of Time - you know how excited I am for that one - buuuuuuuuuut...what's I Should Probably Go to Bed? 👀

I don't know how, but you managed to find the only Adrien-centered fic in the bunch 😆

You said your alternative was "let's get you cleaned up" so here's what I have of that instead 😅 (and the original ask under the cut, cause why not?)

This started with this post about "let's get you home" and I think I'm trying to work out a way to get all three of these in here 👀

Luka ran, following Ladybug, watching for when she finally touched down in an alleyway. He barely registered the flash of pink light before he was turning and searching frantically for Marinette.

He found her ducked down against the wall, hiding behind a dumpster, sobbing, with Tikki perched on her knee.

“I’m so glad I found you,” he breathed. Her head snapped up at his voice and she was terrified. She glanced between him and Tikki like she was trying to work out how to explain anything about the situation before she shrank down into herself and curled her hands around her elbows.

“What does it matter, anyways?” she said, more to Tikki than to him. “I’m the worst Ladybug ever. It’s probably best if I have to give you up.”

He followed his feet until he was squatting across from her, and he held out his hands. She looked back at him blankly.

“Come on,” he said, beckoning her gently. “Let’s get you home.”

I should probably go to bed is based off this song from Dan & Shay of the same title. It's post-hawkmoth, post-reveal, post-fall out between Adrien and Marinette, but from Adrien's POV.

As [Adrien] focused his eyes back on the coffee in his hands, his ears perked to the name that was being excitedly whispered by the group of girls near him. 

“Look at this! Luke Stone! Ohmygosh he’s sooo dreamy...” A chorus of lovesick sighs followed the assessment, then a quiet pause as they continued reading. 

“A break from touring?!” A not-so-hushed lament was echoed over the whole group, and the magazine was temporarily in danger of being ripped as one half of the group tried to tear it away from the others to read for themselves.

“Ooh! He mentioned he’d thought about coming to Paris! Do you think he will?” 

“It doesn’t say why he’s retiring?” One of the girls, a shyer one it seemed, from her position on the fringes of the group, asked. 

“‘No comment,’” another read, “‘Stone says with an enigmatic smile.’ But look! He has his arm around that designer in this one, what was her name?”

“Duh, everyone knows that’s Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” the girl wearing pigtails said, rolling her eyes. “They’ve been like a thing for forever now, and she designs all his stuff.” 

“They are not a thing,” the first reader insisted. “Luke always just says she’s a talented designer and they’re close.” 

“Yeah, ‘close,’ as in celebrity speak for dating.” 

Adrien stood, unwilling to listen anymore or correct them. Luka and Marinette Couffaine were married, a year ago now. Nino had told Adrien before Alya could cut him off, glaring daggers at him with a toddler on her hip. Later, Nino had said he thought Marinette would’ve told Adrien. He’d managed to laugh it off somehow. 

[withoneheadlight]

ok i saw this cap of zoë kravitz in hf and she's got such a dreamy expression, she looks so deeply self-absorbed and infatuated by whatever she's imagining and those lines. and i couldn't stop picturing billy exactly like that for days so,

,

There’s a pretty unusual sound coming off the house when Max comes back home, that summer afternoon.

Full volume. Walls shaking. And she quietly walks to the source of the sound, holding back her breath right in front of Billy's room because, there's this second sound? Stranger and way more unsettling and Max's not sure-sure at first but then Steve Perry’s voice takes off and Billy’s follows it and then he's like, singing along and. Well. Max did know Billy liked Journey but not like, their 'stuff for pussies' but uhm, he does, apparently. Rasps his voice all the way through ‘Faithfully’. Kind of, sighs. Longingly? When it ends? But pfff, ok, big brothers are weird. Definitely weirder after being possessed and then kind of resurrected. Even if it's in a good-weird way but, whatever. So Max's just about to sneak to her room, dutifully rolling her eyes, steps muffled by the first chords of 'Edge of the blade' when―

Click. Click. Billy stops the tape. Click. Takes it out. Tap. Tap. Click. Puts on― Billy puts. On,

Heaven.

Bryan Adams’ Heaven.

And Max―

Being a younger sister is a meticulous kind of full-time, private detective job. You gotta learn how the person you’ve been watching so carefully for years and years works. Hafta develop some sort of―sense about your target. And Billy’s been—un-Billy-like? These past two months. Smiling more. Telling more jokes. Playing ‘You shook me all night long’ in a loop on their drive to school and back, not complaining at all but even joining when’s Max who can’t help but sing along so.

So. She retraces her steps. Knocks. Takes the distracted grunt she gets as a ‘Yeahyeah, c’mon in c’mon in’ and,

Creak. Creak. ‘―baby you’re all that I want’

“Billy?”

Billy’s sitting cross-legged on the floor. Radio close to his knees. Cassettes scattered everywhere. Piles and piles of breakwater surrounding Billy’s old, rusty beacon of sound. He’s reading through the song-list of one of the tapes, a smoke locked on the corner of his mouth, bouncing up and down with every little, absent suck he takes, and he looks. He looks―

Self-absorbed and even. Relaxed. Happy. Like whatever he’s thinking about right now is actually carrying his thoughts away to fucking heaven.

“Ehh”

“Uh-hu?”

‘When you’re lying here in my arms!’

“Billy are you. What―” ‘I'm findin' it hard to believe. We're in heaven’ “What are you doing?”

But there’s this orbit around the sun and then there’s whatever one Billy's been spinning along with the last couple of months so he completely ignores her question. Shakes the tape on his left hand. Picks another one from the pile on his right. Asks her.

“Is Billy Ocean too much? ‘Cause I think it’s too much. But it kind of fits into what I'm trying to say so” he says, shrugs, looking up at Max and waiting for the answer of what she realizes was not really a question. Not at all. So she does her little sister job and just, nods “Right. That’s good. I think it’ll slide just nicely into Bruce Springsteen and―”

“Billy” Max insists, waiting for the charm of the third time to work. It doesn’t. Not really. But keeps Billy's eyes on her long enough to squeeze an “A mixtape?” And, uh. That’s what gets it on. The charm “Are you making a mixtape?”

“Uh?”

And it’s like Max just shook Billy out of a daydream. Ash plopping down from his cigarette as his lips try but can’t purse and Max― she’s good. She’s stellar at this detective thing. Recognizes an opening the moment she sees it, right there in front of her, frozen in the middle of shaking Billy Ocean and Bruce Springsteen in the air right before cocktailing them together. Shaken, not stirred, please. Max’s upgraded to James Bond-level just right now.

“You’re making a mixtape for someone”

“Oh-nonoMaxi―”

“But you didn’t have those tapes before. Not even in your secret stash”

“How do yo―?”

“Holy. ShIT. You’ve been listening to somebody else’s music” This is. Oh, God. This. Is. GOLD. Max gotta take a moment. Blink. Breathe. Process. Her hands move by themselves, palms spread toward Billy in a wait-a-minute kind of gesture except. Max’s gonna need way more than a minute for this “You’ve accepted a music recommendation”

“Maaaaax”

“Gosh, you’ve even listened to the tapes enough to. Make―”

“Max!”

“I just can’t believe it”

And Max was glad. Well. As glad as one can be. Bunch weeks ago. Her mom and Neil out for the day. Coming back home a little earlier than she usually does to hear those ugh. Those other noises. Happy screams. Again. After months and months of Billy being basically alone except for her and the party and Steve. And Max’s so glad, of course she is. But she’s also a little sister. And all this investigation work has a high, rightful purpose.

Make her big brother’s life a living. Hell.

“Oh my god, you must be so gone!” Max brings her hands to her mouth. Takes a deep, deep breath that’s more a poorly restrained giggle. Shoots her index at him “Is it Bon Jovi? What I’m seeing right there? Goddam, Billy are you in lo―”

Bam.

Bam. Bam!

The front door.

What a way to spoil the fun. Max doesn’t have time for this. She’s working.

“BILLY?” comes a voice from the other side “Billy are you in there?”

Steve.

Oh.

What a way to make the fun a hundred times better.

Bam.Bam.Bam!

She’s starting to move to get to the door, sinsonging “Well, I guess Steve’s gonna find out you’re so stupid in love you’re willingly listening to―” when she realizes Billy’s eyes have widened and he’s jerkingly trying to unfreeze, he’s mumbling something in around his already extinguished cigarette in the ways of “Can’t” and “Find out” and “Surprise” and “Fucking help me!” While literally trying to shove the huge mass of tapes under his bed, his tone like hurryhurryhurry!, like he would start gagging and throwing his lungs out at any given minute, so nervous he looks.

So Max doesn’t go for the door. Yet. She basks in the enjoyment.

“Oh, is it a secret romance or something?” She sighs happily, leaning against the doorframe instead. “‘Cause you look pretty worried”

Steve’s banging the door now, voice wavering a little as he asks-shouts “Billy? Billy answer me! Hey, bab―Are you ok?”

“Max, please” Billy begs. Begs. Crawling over to where a Madonna’s Like a virgin is laying with the tape looping slightly out “He really can’t find out”

“What? That you’re in lo-o-oh-oh-OH―”

Billy stops at the tone, right there on his knees. Spits his forgotten cig to the side. And in the instant it seems to take him to make up his mind they both can hear Steve shout “Ok. I know you’re in there!. I’m coming in now!!”

“Fuck! Yeah. I am. Ok?” he looks like he just realized he’s tripped. Blushes. “Making it, I mean”

BAM!

And Ohhhhhhh.

Zero-fucking-zero-fucking-seven.

“Steve,” Max gasps. Because. Hear it makes it like. Easier. To process “You. And Steve”

B A M!

“Yeah, Max, Yeah. And this is a fucking surprise and he’s gonna―”

‘I've been waitin' for so long. For somethin' to arrive. For love to come along’

Ok. Oh. Okok.

“Door!” Max hastens him.

“What?”

“You. Door. Run!” She commands, and Billy― sometimes Max can’t honestly understand how he's got the grades he's got, because Billy blinks, looks clueless “C’mon slow ass. Hurry! I’ll hide all this shit”

And Billy finally gets it. Nods. Slow. Then fast. Stumbles up. Literally runs, to get to the door.

Max still gets to hear his labored “Fuck, pretty boy. “That was really hardcore of you. That's how bad you wanted to see me?” And Steve's own breathless “Really?” Before pushing Billy's room door close with her back, and kneeling on the floor to check for stray, incriminating cassettes.

Pretty boy. Maybe Max isn't as clever as she thought she is. Or hasn’t been doing her job right, clearly.

It's when she’s making ‘It’s a kind of magic’ disappear into the rest of the pile that she lays eyes on it. The case. The J-card written almost all the way down to the B-side already. A mixture of songs Billy's heard so many times there are parts where his tapes screech, and others she'd bet her life he wouldn’t have deigned to listen to. Not ever. Definitely not because―no, for, somebody. Bowie and Cher and Cindy Lauper and Bob Seger right next to Metallica and Guns n' Roses and Meatloaf and― there. There. Almost hidden in the back of the spine. A note. A tiny, thin-lettered thing Max really, really shouldn't be reading but―

‘Thanks for driving me back.

Love. Billy’

But. That's what little sisters do too, she guesses. Intrude. Annoy. Snoop. Feel this sudden rush of relief. Of happiness. When Billy laughs softly, on the other side of the door. When Steve laughs back. Maybe a tear. Or two. But just maybe. She’s really good at this little sister thing, after all.

Hopes for stellar.

,

or: that post s3 where steve lets a camaro-less billy drive him around in his own car "really? again, hargrove?" almost every single day, for months, after he comes back, because "you’re gonna perpetually stick yourself to my ass at least let me do the one thing that frikin’ calms me down" which results in steve resigning himself to deejaying in the shotgun even if "jesus, what's that shit, harrington?" "my car, my rules, sweetheart" which results in billy developing a ‘songs steve harrington is in love with’ mental playlist, realizing he’s probably a little bit in love with the way he loves them and, possibly, a little much love with steve and then stealing steve's tapes one day and,

making a mixtape about it.

(the first of a whole lot, of love letters)

[bureowo]

love confessions | stray kids headcanons (danceracha version)

how they would confess their love for you.

genre: fluff. | word count: ~2k total. | warnings: none.

. ⋅ ˚̣-:✧masterlist✧:-˚̣⋅ .

a/n: hi i’m back with a new hc post (❀◦‿◦) i’m trying a new format w this one pls let me know how we feel abt it! i really hope you enjoy it ( • ᵕ • )♡ i’ll try to post the other parts soon!! 💗

⊹ minho ⊹

❥ there’s not a chance minho is confessing until he’s absolutely, one hundred percent sure that his feelings for you are reciprocated. it’s just not happening, sorry luv. 😔

❥ that being said, though, he would definitely still dip his toe in the water.

❥ he’d flirt with you, very subtly at first, only to test your reaction; but overtime (and if you don’t show any signs of discomfort) he’d grow more and more daring.

❥ minho’s got a keen eye, taking mental notes of every single compliment or pet name that leaves you flustered or manages to draw out a bashful giggle from within you.

❥ however ! as much as he’s constantly and shamelessly batting his eyes at you, he’s also rather ‘hot and cold’ about it.

❥ it’s not like he’s purposefully trying to keep you on your toes or anything like that, it’s just... sometimes you smile at him so brightly, or you look at him with such a gleam in you eyes..., that his heart feels like it’s being squeezed, compressed against his chest; so he needs to tone it down sometimes, just so he can catch his breath.

❥ it’s one evening when the two of you are hanging out that minho is being uncharacteristically quiet.

❥ you try to make up for his quietude, not wanting to push him if he’s not in a particularly chatty mood, yet, soon enough, you begin running out of topics to blather about.

❥ sure, he chuckles at the little remarks and facial expressions you make as you speak, but the way he’s looking at you makes the hairs all over your body stand on end; there’s just something about it you can’t quite put your finger on.

❥ so you suggest watching a movie. he agrees with a soft grin and you power on your laptop; you read out a few titles, summarizing the plot and commenting on the posters.

❥ but all you get in response is: “whichever you like, y/n.”

❥ you turn around to face minho, eyebrows furrowed slightly. “hey, is everything okay?” he seems taken aback by your question. “it’s just- i don’t know, you’re being kinda... silent” you trail off.

❥ “it’s okay if it’s just that!” you add quickly, your words almost jumbling together. “if you just don’t wanna talk- it’s alright, i just- i care about you, so... yeah...”

❥ your face feels so warm you think you could burst into flames at any given moment.

❥ minho looks down, gnawing on his lip and fingers fumbling with each other for what feels like an eternity; your stomach churns every time he sighs.

❥ eventually, he peers at you through his lashes, and you swear you catch a glimpse of a rosy blush ghosting over his cheekbones for the fraction of a second.

❥ “y/n, i-” he stalls, his hands still fidgeting restlessly on his lap. “i'm fine, i just- i love you.”

❥ all your motor functions seem to stop working at once (did he really just say that??).

❥ “what?” you gape at him, voice small and eyes doe.

❥ “i love you, y/n.” he repeats. “and i care about you too, a lot.” minho’s gaze pierces straight through yours and your heart rate raises to a hundred beats per minute.

❥ “minho-” your head is spinning so fast you don’t even know what you’re saying, but when you feel his fingers intertwining with yours, it’s like the words draw themselves out of your mouth. “i love you too.”

❥ and the way he beams at you so radiantly before leaning in to press his mouth over yours makes you feel a way you’ve never felt before.

❥ (you did end up watching a movie, although neither of you paid much attention to it, finding each other’s lips to be much more captivating.)

⊹ hyunjin ⊹

❥ poor little bub, he’d get so nervous once he actually commits himself to confessing his feelings for you, you’d end up thinking he’s purposefully avoiding you.

❥ but he just wants it to be absolutely perfect you know? like, straight out of a movie scene, so he just needs time to map out the perfect plan.

❥ and once he’s got it all figured out, it’s time to set ‘operation: steal y/n’s heart’ into motion. 👏

❥ it’s early noon on a sunday when you suddenly get a text from hyunjin – ‘it’s lovely outside today! do you wanna hang out at the park?’

❥ and, happy that he’s no longer seemingly evading you, you agree – ‘sure i’ll meet you there in ten!’

❥ but ! hyunjin wasn’t expecting you to accede so readily; still, he can’t just ask you, out of the blue, to wait half an hour before leaving, he doesn’t want you to get suspicious.

❥ so he hurriedly gathers his things, quickly double-checking that he’s got everything he needs to sweep you off your feet, before scurrying out the front door.

❥ you arrive at the park, and hyunjin’s heart begins hammering inside his chest the second he spots you amongst the people; you look so incredibly stunning as you glide through the crowd (ethereal, hyunjin thinks).

❥ you catch sight of him standing on a less populated side of the park, a blanket spread out over the grass beside him, and rush over to him, greeting him as soon as you reach him.

❥ “ooh, did you prepare all of this for me?” you ask him merrily, a playful grin on your face while you motion towards the picnic basket and multiple containers filled with various fruits.

❥ “yes” he wants to tell you; but instead he turns around, hoping you didn’t see the blush dusting over his cheeks. he sits himself on the blanket and you follow suit.

❥ for a bit, hyunjin relaxes, he even nearly forgets his true intentions, loosing himself in the way your eyes shine as you tell him what you’ve been up to and the hums you let out when you pop a particularly sweet grape into your mouth.

❥ you smile at him, tilting your head down slightly. “why are you looking at me like that?” you simper.

❥ hyunjin’s heart does a somersault all the way up to his trachea. “i just-” he clears his throat. “you make me so crazy.”

❥ he rubs his hands over his face, you cock an eyebrow, yet before you can retort he keeps going: “i’m so crazy for you, y/n, you make me forget where i am and what i’m doing. all i can do is think of you, and look at you, and love you. god, y/n, i’m so in love with you, sometimes i don’t know what to do with myself.”

❥ you feel warm despite the breeze licking your face, the butterflies inside your stomach flap their little wings so fast you just can’t help but let out a chortle at the sensation.

❥ his hand moves to encompass yours and you can’t get the words out fast enough so you lean across the soft blanket and plant your mouth over his own.

❥ his lips are soft, supple, and taste sweet, like the strawberries he’d been eating.

❥ “i love you too.” you mumble as your fingers entangle themselves in his hair.

❥ (hyunjin ended up forgetting about his original plan, and about the bouquet of flowers laying inside the picnic basket, though he did give it to you later after he walked you home; you held his hand the entire way there, and his heart beat frantically as he kissed you goodbye.)

⊹ felix ⊹

❥ it’s not that felix isn’t planning on confessing, on ultimately declaring his undying love for you with a grand, romantic display.

❥ he just kinda thought you’d know about his feelings by now? like, how could you not?? especially since he’s been acting more and more bold each time the both of you meet.

❥ he’s not shy about holding your hand whenever he feels the longing, or lingering for an extra second or two when he gets the chance to hold you.

❥ but if you’re not picking up on the very obvious seed trail he’s laying out for you, then it’s time to draw out the big guns. 😎

❥ and so, he texts you – ‘hey! wanna come over & help me bake?’ – and, of course, you agree.

❥ you arrive at his doorstep and felix greets you with a wide smile and a warm hug; the cozy feeling stays with you even after the two of you part.

❥ he ushers you into the kitchen and you don’t seem to notice how his hand remains on your shoulder as he follows behind you.

❥ all ingredients and utensils are set up and ready on the kitchen counter.

❥ “what are we making?” you question him with a smile so beautiful he actually has to stop and think about it.

❥ “uh-” he mutters, his eyes focused on you. “oh, yeah! cupcakes!”

❥ you lower your chin ever so slightly, evading his gaze for a split second (could you be... blushing?), and felix grins, pleased.

❥ the two of you start mixing the ingredients, chit-chatting as you normally would, except you could swear he’s flirting with you; he showers you in compliments for every little thing you do (“woah y/n, you’re so good at sifting the flour!”, “ooh, you cracked this egg so perfectly, y/n, look!”), his fingers encase yours every time he asks you to hand him something, and you keep catching him glancing over at your lips.

❥ your stomach rumbles, but you can’t tell if it’s from hunger or from the butterflies flapping their wings furiously inside it.

❥ you set the tray of cupcakes inside the oven before turning around and leaning over the kitchen table, gaze fixed pointedly on felix across from you; he just looks so dreamy, brows furrowed in concentration and arm flexed as he whisks the mix for the frosting, you could look at him all day.

❥ he gazes back at you and the corners of his mouth tug up into what you can only describe as a smirk.

❥ your breath catches in your throat at the very moment the mixer judders in his hand and you let out an audible gasp when frosting spritz all over the both of you.

❥ felix looks at you like a deer in the headlights, but you can’t help the giggles that bubble from within your chest.

❥ “this isn’t how i wanted this to go, but,” he scratches the back of his head (unconsciously smearing frosting all over his hair), a chuckle escaping past his lips and a toothy smile on his face. “i love you, y/n.”

❥ your digit glides over the table, scooping some of the mixture before gently tapping his nose. “i love you too.” you chirp.

❥ felix leans towards you, hand reaching out to caress your cheek; he gapes at you for a moment, completely enthralled.

❥ you get even nearer to him, your mouth opens (god, he can’t stop staring at your lips).

❥ “do you smell something burning?” you ask.

❥ “oh no, my cupcakes!”

❥ (although felix didn’t get to decorate the cupcakes with little frosting hearts, or spell ‘i ♡ u’ with the cupcakes, or even make cupcakes for that matter, he figured things worked out okay anyway; in the end, he got loads of cuddles and kisses out of it, and i love you sounded a whole lot better coming out of your mouth.)

[samadiw]

Hogwarts Library - Part 03 😘🔥❤

.

True to his word, Draco left Hermione well and truly alone, except a book she had wanted for ages was waiting for her on the table in their shared dorm and on another occasion her favourite flowers greeted her when she entered after a long day of classes.

H : "I know what you're doing, Malfoy."

D : "Haven't the foggiest, Granger."

He closed the book he was reading, walked into his room and closed the door behind him.

Hermione couldn't help but smile, she plucked a long stem rose out of the bunch, inhaled deeply, took it with her and placed it on her bedside cupboard.

The man was getting under her skin, she was shocked that he knew so much about her.

But strangely after that sweet gesture, everything stopped.

Malfoy barely looked at her, he was always deep in conversation with Blaise or Theo but would light up like a bulb when the owls brought their morning post.

Hermione couldn't help but feel resentful.

Despite her overall, fuck him approach, there was a softness in his eyes that melted or rather clawed it's way into her heart.

She thought about him more often than she should.

Cheating sodding bitch, she silently berated herself.

A beautiful owl enters and lands gracefully in front of Draco.

Hermione huffs.

H : "Who the heck keeps sending him letters?"

Ron looks her way and raises a brow in question.

R : "Did you say something, darling?"

Someone was talking to her, oh, it was her boyfriend.

Hermione swallows hard and vigorously shakes her head.

H : "No, nothing, just practising a spell."

She can't help but stare at the Slytherin table, Malfoy pockets the letter after a meaningful glance at it.

2 days to 2 weeks

Professor Slughorn (PS) impatiently yells over the noise.

PS : "Yes, yes, hurry up and take your seats."

PS : "Good, is everyone settled?"

Slughorn frowns at Seamus and shakes his head disapprovingly.

PS : "Thanks to Mr Finnigan's latest dung bomb explosion, we are forced to abandon the classrooms and conduct classes in the library."

Seamus looks around him sheepishly.

Madam Pince : "Hmph.."

PS : "Granger, Malfoy, bring your cauldrons to the front."

Hermione looks up in shock and Ron's ears turn bright red.

She weakly protests.

H : "But sir, I already have a partner."

Slughorn tuts his disapproval.

PS : "Mr Weasley will survive without your assistance for the duration of the class:"

Hermione tries one last time.

Draco is already at the table in front and staring at her smugly.

H : "But..."

PS : "No buts, Miss Granger, I have a rather complex potion for you to brew with Mr Malfoy."

Hermione sighs in defeat, gathers her things and make her way to the front.

She clumsily arranges her things, avoids the ice blondes gaze and mumbles to herself.

H : "Stupid Slughorn."

Draco rolls his eyes and hisses.

D : "Stop your muttering, Granger, I have no wish to paired up with you either."

His smell was fucking with her again, what in the name of heaven was in his bloody cologne?

Hermione reels back from the insult.

H : "Oh really? Who's singing a different tune now?"

Draco raises a brow.

D : "What are on about?"

Hermione hesitates but gathers her Gryffindor bravado.

She keeps her voice low.

H : "I thought you liked me."

Draco narrows his eyes.

D : "And you made it clear that you didnt return my affections, am I supposed to wait for you to realize how incredibly thick you are?"

Hermione feels a tightness in her chest and struggles to find the words.

H : "I, umm..."

Draco loses his patience.

D : "Stop stuttering like a fool, show me the list of ingredients."

Hermione bites back a nasty retort.

H : "You are unbelievable."

Draco let's out a sarcastic laugh.

D : "Says the woman who told me to leave her the fuck alone."

Hermione pushes the list of ingredients towards him roughly.

H : "Here, take the bloody paper, I hope you choke on it."

Draco points to the jars and viles that already litter the table and muses.

D : "Make yourself useful while I fetch the ingredients."

Hermione presses her lips together and a wave of emotions wash over her and she fights the urge to not cry.

Oh, fuck no, she would not shed a tear for the incorrigible wanker.

Hermione lights a fire under the cauldron and starts to add the few ingredients they already had.

She cuts the beans with more force than necessary and sneers.

H : "Stupid fucking Slytherin, who the hell does he think he is?

Draco is highly amused by her reaction to his indifference.

D : "Granger, you need to stir anti clockwise, it's right here in the bloody book."

Hermione jumps at the voice and almost cuts herself.

H : "Can you not sneak up on me."

Draco eyes her fingers to make sure shes still in one piece and then scolds.

D : "Can you please concentrate, the faster we finish this, the faster I can send my owl to Victoria."

Hermione's mouth drops open.

Who the fuck was Victoria? Definitely not a girl in their year.

She crosses her arms over her chest.

H : "Victoria?"

Draco looks away dreamy eyed and smitten.

D : "Yeah, a woman I'm seeing, she's an old family friend."

Hermione retorts sarcastically.

H : "How bloody marvellous for you, this is exactly why I wanted nothing to do with you."

D : "And you were right, Victoria is the most intelligent woman I've ever met, she's the one, Granger."

Hermione fumes at the stupid words coming out of Draco's ridiculously luscious mouth.

Fuck no, intelligence was her thing and no bloody bint was going to take that away.

She conveniently forgot that she had never met this Victoria person.

His words hurt, they hurt bad and Hermione couldn't remember when she had come to care about Malfoy.

Hermione turns away and returns to cutting the ingredients.

H : "Well, good for you."

Draco eyes the woman next to him intently.

D : "Thanks, Granger, shit, I forgot one more vile."

Hermione quickly wipes the angry tears before he returns.

Tears? Really? You pathetic fool.

Draco watches from the small crack in the enchanted supplies room and grins, she was definitely coming around.

Playing hard to get had definitely paid off.

He walks back to their shared table confidently and adds the vile to the other complicated ingredients.

Draco starts to skin the crocodile tail.

D : "You okay, Granger?"

Hermione mumbles.

H : "Yes, I'm fine."

Draco softens his tone and decides he's messed with her enough.

D : "Hermione?"

The way her name rolls off his tongue sends shivers down her spine.

She asks in frustration.

H : "What?"

Draco moves closer and leans over her small frame.

His hand slips under the table and grabs hold of her thigh, his fingers dig into the flesh and a gasp escapes her lips.

He whispers almost reverently.

D : "You. Are. All. I. Want."

Hermione looks up at him, her breathing elevates and she bites her lip.

H : "Draco..."

Draco removes his hand off her person and stares ahead, his expression has changed from loving to murderous.

D : "Not here, not now, your boyfriend is glaring a hole in my rather handsome head."

Draco calls out over the noise of other students chatting.

D : "What the fuck are you staring at, Weasley?"

Ron looks as if he's about to explode, his ears are the shade of rip tomatoes.

R : "I'm watching you, Malfoy."

Draco smirks triumphantly.

D : "Then watch closely."

Draco tenderly caresses Hermione's cheek.

Ron flexes and makes his way over.

Hermione steps away, glares at Draco and stands inbetween the tall men.

She places a hand on Ron's chest and the other on Draco's arm and pleads for them to calm down.

Gryffindor and Slytherin stare daggers at each other and everyone has stopped what they were doing to watch the scandalous scene that was unravelling before them.

Professor Slughorn's alarmed voice cuts through the tension.

PS : "What in Merlin's name is going on? Back to your seats."

Ron balls his hands into fists and threatens.

"R : This isn't over, Malfoy."

Draco sneers and stares the redhead dead in the eye.

D : "I look forward to it, Weasley."

Hermione looks at them and dreads the walk back to the Gryffindor common room.

Fuck, her life was going to become very complicated.

[spicycreativity]

Soft-Shoe Shuffle - Ch 1

Chapter: 1/12 Rating: T (for language) Content Warnings: Canon-typical Remus content. This chapter only: alcohol use Characters: All Pairings: Moceit, background Prinxiety, background Intrulogical (yes I played a little game of "pair the spares") Additional Tags: Hey it's the fic I published on Anon because I was embarrassed of how utterly pretentious it is!, post-PoF, sickfic, dirty poetry, humor interspersed with philosophy and Janus-typical pontification, this is VERY speculative and will get Jossed in the future lmao Summary: After claiming his place in the Light and coming face-to-face with the consequences of his actions, Janus finds himself unwillingly re-calibrating his moral compass. For selfish reasons, of course. But one apology snowballs into several, and soon he's running around the Mindscape with a low-grade fever and a guilty conscience as he desperately tries to regain some sense of self. Oh, and he's definitely not falling in love with Patton, so don't even bring it up. One Last Note: I wrote this in an ADHD fugue state. It is HEAVILY influenced by Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, but there are also references to poetry and various other works of literature. I also deliberately used symbols, themes, and motifs. Most of them are pretty in your face except for the recurring ouroboros, which is used as a symbol of rebirth. ...Told you it was pretentious.

When you wake up to the promise of your dream world comin' true With one less friend to call on, was it someone that I knew? Away you will go sailing in a race among the ruins If you plan to face tomorrow, do it soon

Janus appeared in the Dark side of the Mindscape, elation swelling in his chest. Even the ringing headache and bitter taste in his mouth couldn't hollow the unfamiliar triumph that warmed him to the core. Caught up in his own thoughts, it took a moment for him to register the sight before him: Remus, upside-down on the couch, his brow furrowed and face an alarming shade of purple.

For a moment, Janus stood stock-still as he tried to get his bearings. He must have been more flustered than he'd realized-- He'd been aiming for his bedroom.

But here he was, staring down at Remus, who was definitely going to burst a blood vessel (or several) if he didn't flip over soon.

"That's not horrifying at all," Janus said, thinking it would be rude to dismiss Remus, especially since he had probably been eavesdropping. He had likely heard everything. Everything. Even the ugly parts.

"Do you remember when Thomas read that post about Nutty Putty Cave?" Remus asked in a strained, strangled voice. "That spelunker who died because he got stuck upside-down?"

"No," Janus said, before realizing his mistake. "Yes." He definitely wanted Remus to remind him of the gory details.

"That's what I thought," Remus said with a wicked grin.

Janus sighed through his nose. Remus, though he thrived on attention, seemed content enough to continue his experiment by himself. On the other hand, if Janus didn't bring up a certain insult he'd levied at Roman, Remus most certainly would, and at a time where it would cause the most upset and turmoil. Better for Janus to deal with it now, even if he would have to fight the tension pulling his muscles taut. He wanted to dance. He wanted to scream.

Hesitation proved to be Janus' downfall, and by the time he'd opened his mouth to broach the subject at hand, Remus had beaten him to the blow. "You're not usually this quiet, Oralboros. Snake got your tongue?"

Janus, again, sighed. Rather than answer, he doffed his hat, set it on the coffee table, and clumsily arranged himself upside-down next to Remus. The change in position immediately made his head throb. He ignored it. "I definitely meant it when I called you 'evil'."

Remus' eyes widened in faux-shock. "You called me evil ?" he shrieked, voice ringing out high and clear. "Me? How dare you. I'm an angel!"

At least Remus was taking it well. "Sarcasm is my thing," Janus said, realizing that he might make it out of this without having to properly apologize.

For some reason, Patton's face flashed into his mind, and a subsequent twinge of guilt made his tongue go sour. Fine. If there was ever a time to start telling uncomfortable truths… "But I am sorry I said that."

"Wow!" Remus laughed. "You must be upset." A red stain began to spill across his left eye. "You don't apologize."

"It’s not like I care about your feelings or anything." Janus would have liked to have drawn himself up to his full height, but it was impossible to do while upside-down. "As much as I'm enjoying watching your blood vessels slowly burst, would you please turn over before you hurt yourself? I've suffered enough psychological trauma for today."

"Oh, fine." Remus kicked his legs and landed neatly on his toes like a gymnast.

Janus, by contrast, got his arms tangled in his capelet and nearly folded himself in half before he found his balance again. "I meant to do that," he said, turning to grab his hat so Remus wouldn't see the blush on his face.

The sudden sensation of blood draining from his head made the room whirl. He steadied himself against Remus' shoulder until it slowed somewhat, but nothing could dampen the horrible ringing in his ears.

"Well," he said, adjusting his shirt. The sudden appearance of his conscience had taken the wind out of his sails more than he cared to admit, and all thoughts of dancing bled out of him along with a good deal of energy. "I'm not going to go scream into my pillows until I tire myself out."

"Being an agent of chaos is hard work," Remus said with a sage nod, "but that doesn't sound very relaxing, Mr Self Care."

"It's a form of meditation, if you think about it," Janus said.

Remus made a face. "You know I don't do that."

"...Meditate?"

"No, think."

"Ah. Well." Janus made only a token attempt to hide his fond smile. "Good night, Remus. Please stay up late and injure yourself."

"Can do, Snakeypoo.”

Janus turned. It was close enough, he might as well walk to his bedroom, especially considering how well his last attempt at appearing in it had gone.

The reason why that had been so difficult became apparent in mere moments. Janus froze in the hall and dropped to his knees at the giddy wave of horror and delight that made him too light-headed to stand.

He knelt in front of the empty stretch of wall where his door had been previously.  Heat flooded his face.

"Jay?" The rounded toes of Remus' boots appeared in his line of sight. Janus zeroed in on them, the mud splatters and stains on the soft leather. "You have an aneurysm or what?"

Janus, unable to speak, motioned for Remus to turn around. He couldn't deal with this right now.

"Ohhh," said Remus. "Well. Good luck with that ." He hauled Janus to his feet. "So you're a boner fide good guy now, huh?"

Janus stared over Remus' shoulder at the empty stretch of wall where his door used to be. "That depends entirely on who you ask."

Remus shrugged and rose up on his toes. "You can scream into my pillows instead, if you want."

"As tempting as that is…" Janus trailed off, his eyes still fixed on the wall. It was tempting, despite the constant chaos in Remus' room. But he'd have to face the Light side sooner or later. It wasn't like he could move his room back, not without psychologically damaging Thomas and undoing all the work he'd done. "I'm really looking forward to getting insulted some more."

"Alright," Remus said with a shrug. "Try not to throw me under the bus this time, alright? Unless it's a real bus…" His gaze became dreamy, unfocused. "And it's doing 50 in a school zone and there's a whole pack of screaming kids in the crosswalk--"

"Goodbye, Remus." Janus turned and left.

--

The barrier between the "dark" and the "light" sides of Thomas' brain had been a joint venture. It would have been there in some form no matter what, but it was Janus and Roman (with Patton's tacit blessing) who had worked to put up something more physical between them.

Janus ducked under the red curtain, trepidation percolating in his stomach, but what he found on the other side was anticlimactic to say the least: It was dead silent on this side of the barrier.

Janus wasn't sure what he'd been expecting. He knew by now that the so-called "Lights" had issues working out their interpersonal issues, and this most recent conflict wasn't the kind of thing you just got over. It did follow that they would all go off to lick their wounds for a time.

Hesitantly, toe-to-heel, Janus crept down the hall. It felt for all the world like he was sneaking around a vast hotel, right down to needlessly ornate design on the plush carpeting. That was probably Roman's doing.

Janus focused, trying to call the Mindscape to work for him. He wanted to go to his room.

The Mindscape listened. Janus turned a corner and found a row of doors stretching down yet another brightly-lit corridor. His eye was immediately drawn, not to the brilliant yellow of his own door, but to the figure huddled in front of it: Patton sat with his arms wrapped around his legs, forehead resting on his knees.

"Looking for someone?" Janus asked, slightly louder than necessary.

Patton jerked his head up. "Oh! Janus!" He plastered an unconvincing smile on his face. "You sure pop star-tled me."

Scaring Patton hadn't brought Janus nearly the level of schadenfreude he'd thought it would. He crossed his arms over his chest, extending a third to help Patton up. "Take your time getting to the point.”

"Oh." Patton accepted Janus' proffered hand and got to his feet. Warmth spilled from him, permeating the fabric of Janus' glove and gently heating his palm. "Well, it's just…" He took a deep breath. "I noticed your door and I thought-- Well, I wanted to make you feel welcome!"

A high-pitched tone resonated in Janus' skull. He bit down on the inside of his cheek to keep from wincing at the mounting pressure-pain-exhaustion in his temples. "Aren't you just a saint ." Patton's face fell. Janus fought the urge to swear aloud. He usually had a better handle on himself, and he knew better than to alienate potential allies. "I mean, thank you, Patton. Truly. I appreciate it." Patton had proven himself useful. Janus should at least cultivate that relationship, even if it meant a little discomfort.

"Have you eaten?" Patton asked. "It's a little late, but I could make something if you wanted." He paused. "Maybe we could play cards or something." Another pause. "O-only if you want to, I mean."

Janus let his face remain impassive even as he internally cringed at the idea of staying awake for even another second. It would be so easy to brush Patton off with a few honeyed words and disappear beyond the barrier of his door. But Patton had stood up for him today, or at least he'd tried to. Janus sighed. Quid pro quo. "That sounds like an utter waste of time."

"Are you… I'm sorry, sometimes I can't tell when you're…"

"Yes, Patton. That sounds lovely."

Patton actually hopped in place, an adorable little jig that absolutely didn't send a confusing little shockwave of fondness through Janus' ribcage. "Really?"

"Really," Janus lied.

He followed Patton down the hall into the living room, which opened into the dining room and the kitchen. Janus studied his surroundings, trying to take in as much as his exhausted faculties would allow. Even in the absence of other Sides, the living room felt warm and welcoming. All the lights were on, and they bathed everything in gentle golden light .

"You're awfully quiet," Patton said.

Janus shook himself. "I was just getting my bearings."

"I guess you've never really been over here, huh?" Pattton opened the refrigerator. Was he actually going to cook , instead of just manifesting something? How quaint. "Do you like grilled cheese?"

It had been a long, confusing day. Doublespeak came to Janus as naturally as breathing, but he was obviously running circles around Patton even when he wasn't trying to. "Yes," he said, hoping to telegraph his sincerity by not emoting at all.

It seemed to work. Patton studied him for a moment before turning back to the fridge. "Then that's what I'll make."

Janus took advantage of this temporary distraction to clamber onto one of the barstools. The slick velvet of his capelet tended to disagree with surfaces like wood and vinyl, and he needed a moment to arrange things so he didn't look as unbalanced as he felt.

He watched Patton work in the kitchen, a detached coolness washing out the scene. Quid pro quo, he reminded himself when he felt his facade begin to slip. He owed Patton this.

He certainly didn't feel the slightest twinge of guilt, that he had been the one to orchestrate this breakdown. Yes, the Light Sides had loaded the gun, but in the end it was Janus who had pulled the trigger.

He shook his head and thought about playing cards, good Bicycle playing cards with holes punched through them like they'd come from a casino. "What should we play?" he asked, pulling the deck from his breast pocket.

Patton looked up from the stovetop, his eyes flicking to the cards in Janus' hand. "Do you know Kings in the Corners?"

"Not personally, no."

Patton laughed, but there was something cold about it. "It's really simple," he said. "I'll show you how to play and you can tell me if you like it."

--

It was nearly impossible to cheat at Kings in the Corners. Janus doubted this had been a calculated measure on Patton's part, doubted he had the capacity for that kind of foresight, but he respected it just the same.

They played in funereal silence, staring each other down across the light wood of the dining room table. Janus, ill-inclined to take off his gloves, utilized a napkin to keep from staining them with melted butter from the grilled cheese Patton had made. Neither one of them smiled. Neither one of them spoke.

Janus pulled a card from the deck to indicate the end of his turn and glanced up at Patton. His face was somber, almost sorrowful, and it clashed against the gentle domesticity of the dining room, with its floral table runner and mismatched placemats.

Janus started to laugh.

"What is it?" Patton asked, cheeks darkening. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

Janus swallowed down another peal of laughter and cleared his throat, unable to wholly restrain the smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "You look like I’m holding you here at gunpoint." It was somewhat ironic, considering Janus was the one who felt like he couldn't leave.

"What?" Patton smiled, but it was more akin to an offering than an expression of joy.

"It’s not really funny. " Janus wasn’t quite sure how to make Patton understand.

Patton sat back with a sigh, placing his cards facedown on the table. "But I guess it is pretty funny, huh? In a really sad way."

Janus almost asked what was sad about it before realizing that Patton probably missed his friends. Instead he said, "Yes" and stifled a yawn behind his free hand.

"I'll make coffee!" Patton leapt to his feet and was off to the kitchen before Janus could so much as blink.

The newfound solitude made it that much harder for Janus to ignore his headache, which had only worsened in the hour or so he'd been playing cards with Patton. Despite the nonchalant facade he'd tried so hard to project, he'd been holding himself tense.

Maybe the night (or morning, at this point) would be easier to tolerate if he had, say, a bit of gold rum.

The corner of a flask dug into Janus' hip. He smiled.

"Just how late are you planning on staying up?" he asked Patton when the latter returned holding two mismatched mugs.

"Oh, I don't know," Patton said. Lied. He set a mug down in front of Janus and then resumed his seat, the cards forgotten by his elbow. "I'm… A little scared of what tomorrow will be like."

Janus eased the flask out of his pocket. "Rum?"

"Oh, um," Patton said, staring at the flask. "I don't know…"

Janus raised an eyebrow, working something out. He landed on it a millisecond later: Patton wanted to be convinced. Easy enough. Janus opened the flask and poured what he hoped was a shot into his own mug. It was black, he noticed, except for the yellow snake that wrapped around it, its tail firmly in its own mouth. Ouroboros. "Surely you don't intend to make me drink alone?"

As Janus had expected, Patton buckled the second he was pushed. "I guess not."

It was funny, Janus mused as he carefully tipped rum into Patton's coffee, how lying was only off-limits when Janus suggested it. Hilarious.

But now wasn't the time for bitterness, now was the time to repay the debt he owed Patton. "Cheers," he said, pocketing the flask once more.

"Cheers."

Janus sipped his coffee. "You put milk in this," he observed.

Patton's smile was surprisingly sly. "I know you want me to think you take it black. Virgil did too, at first. I know you ‘Dark Sides’ have an image you like to uphold."

"And how does Virgil take his coffee now?" Janus asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"With Snickers-flavored creamer."

"Well, I do take my coffee black," Janus lied.

Patton's smile never faltered. "We'll see, kid-- Uh, Janus."

"Patton," Janus said, before he could start thinking about the implications of Patton wanting to call him 'kiddo,' "you are planning on sleeping tonight, aren't you?"

"Maybe eventually," Patton said, suddenly unable to look Janus in the eye. "At some point."

"Tomorrow will come whether or not you sleep. It's definitely better to pull an all-nighter and feel like garbage instead of facing everything with a clear head."

"I know." Patton leaned forward so he could rest his head on his hand.

For a moment, Janus was tempted to mirror him. Sitting up straight was becoming quite the chore. "I know how the others love a calm, rational discussion."

"Oh, I wish." Patton's expression turned wistful.

Janus stifled a yawn behind his hand. He had half-expected the coffee to counteract the depressant effect of the alcohol, but all he had to show for the combination was a racing heart.

"I'll be fine out here if you want to go to bed," Patton said. Without seeming to realize he was doing it, he brought his hand to his mouth and bit down on his thumbnail.

It was a tempting offer. A day ago, Janus would have taken it. After all, it wasn't like he cared about Patton outside of professional courtesy. They weren't friends. But guilt nagged at him and wouldn't let him entertain the idea of abandoning Patton for longer than a second.

"That's a remarkable impression of a window," Janus said, waiting for Patton to look confused before elaborating, "I can see right through you."

"You got me." Patton smiled sadly. "That's something I've always admired about you, Janus."

Now it was Janus' turn to be confused. "What?"

"You're so… clever."

Janus narrowed his eyes. "Please do keep trying to change the subject."

"It's just… I don't want to have to lie there and, and think about today and everything I did wrong. I hurt Thomas. I hurt my friends." Patton's eyes were shiny behind his glasses; the unshed tears sparkled in the light when he locked eyes with Janus. "Aren't you going to think about the same thing?"

Anger flared, perhaps prematurely, in Janus' chest. "About what you did wrong today?"

"About what you did wrong," Patton said timidly.

"I," Janus said icily, "didn't do anything wrong." He stared Patton down across the table, jaw set, daring him to push back. Let him lecture and nag, let him prove that he hadn't changed no matter what he said.

But Patton only nodded, his face lined with misery. "Okay," he softly. "I think you're right, Janus. We should go to bed."

Janus thought about how much faster he could get to bed if the table was cleared, and all the dishes and cards vanished in a blink.

"Um, Janus?" Patton said.

"Yes?"

"I don't regret everything that happened today."

"Oh?"

Patton only nodded and sank out.

Janus made a beeline for his own room; better to find his way there on foot rather than risk appearing in the wrong spot.

Once inside, he looked around to ensure nothing was amiss, eyes roving over the dark wood of his bookshelves and desk, his mirrored closet doors, the leather armchairs across from his bed.

Everything was exactly as Janus had left it. He nodded, satisfied, set his hat on the nightstand, and sprawled out of top of the covers without bothering to further undress.

One hazy thought crawled to the surface of his mind before he fell asleep: At least he wouldn't be one of the regrets haunting Patton tonight.

[itshesdimples]

-Hello to anyone reading. This is my first time writing something and putting it out for the world to see. That being said, I would love any constructive criticism you have to give me. Thank you for any support you may give me, I cant thank you enough xoxo ~H - 

I remember the day as if it were yesterday; the day you crossed the unimaginable line. 

I thought we had everything, I thought I was your everything. 

2 MONTHS AGO

"Hey sunshine, just calling to let you know I wont be able to make it home this time. I'm sorry, the label has me doing something that I'm not sure is a good idea but they say it will help me in the long run." He sighs at the end, I imagine him palming his forehead.

"Look, I need you to listen to me when I tell you that you are everything to me, you make me want to become the best version of myself. During the months we have been together I have seen the best and worst side of you and I'm not running, promise. I want you to be mine forever, do you hear me? Just remember that." Harry expelled.

You were a little worried, seeing as you two had been together for a little over nine months and it was extremely rewarding. The time apart has always been different to the other relationships she had been in the past but with Harry it seemed like more than she had ever received from the previous men. 

As a surgical intern you work countless hours and never really get more than a few hours to yourself, so when you met Harry you really never saw it going anywhere. You were just too happy for your own good, openly expressing your life to perfect strangers and expecting them all to be accepting of who you are.

* 9 MONTHS AGO* 

The hospital you worked at allotted 80 hours a work week and as hopeful as you may be feeling, there is a little voice in the back of your head telling you not to go bar hopping. "Just one drink and then water." you emphasize to your good friend Mike, the bartender. 

"Vodka soda coming right up, Dr. Demanding." He chuckles. You turn around in the chair and stare at all the fellow drunks, looking for your intern comrades who should be here by now. 

Although you dont find your friends, you spot a very handsome, familiar face coming toward you. Admiring the face across from you, you decide to take the first step following by the downing of your vodka soda. " You dont seem to be familiar with the very famous bar here in town so you must not be from around here," you tease, holding out your hand to shake. "I'm [Y/N]. Not to sound weird but have we met before?" You get a very bold feeling of deja vu but laugh it off. "I'm sorry, my friends are supposed to be here by now and I'm socially handicapped, sometimes I dont know when to stop talking." Now you're just rambling at the breathtaking man in front of you and feeling red in the cheeks. 

"Its alright love, I sometimes feel socially handicapped around exquisite women such as yourself. Actually, that sounded like you're one of hundreds but I-- what I meant to say was that, you seem a little lonely. Can I buy you a drink?" He rambles, tugging at his jacket. 

"I am only allowed one drink, I know it sounds weird but I'm on a ticking time bomb, you see this?" You pull out your pager, "any moment this thing will go off and I have to skip back to work like a dreamy little school girl but inside I am dying of starvation, need a beer and twenty hours sleep." You just keep spitting up word vomit and your face is permanently pink but you just cant stop because what if it gets quiet? Now that's when it gets awkward.

"I don't think we have ever met because I'd remember you" Harry confirms, looking you up and down your shapely body. "What do you do for a living that has you on such a tight leash?" Taking a sip of his beer, he stands up and walks next to the chair you're sitting in. 

"Surgical intern, Dr. [Y/L/N] at your service, sir." You cant help but crack a little bit of the tension you have building up in your stomach while talking to him but that doesn't stop you from staring him in the eyes and trying your best to flirt. 

The aura around him is too intoxicating, too much to handle without trying to add a little humor in the mix. "I like it when you call me sir, Dr. [Y/L/N] but how long have you been a doctor? I'd love to get to know you before you have to leave me." He articulates, trying to captivate her attention.

"I love my job but it has been a long winded road, it feels like years but I've only been a real doctor for a little over two months. It takes a lot out of me but that is why I'm glad I have two great friends who I can lean on. We keep each other afloat and they're also my roommates. I don't know where I would be without them." All of that poured out of my mouth before I had the chance to cork it but I couldn't help telling him something about myself that was at least surface level.

He just seems like an eerie case of the best illusion I've ever seen. I cant help but shake the feeling that I've known him all my life, like telling him the ins-and-outs of my life wouldn't be detrimental to my health. 

"Now tell me something about yourself. For starters maybe your name? I've never seen you here before and I'm here all the time so I'm pretty good at knowing who is an out of towner, and I don't know how much time I have left." You're trying to get to know him and that is so unlike you. Having had boyfriends in the past, you were never the one asking the questions or wanting to get to know them more than a few dates and drinks. The longest relationship you have ever had was two months and you two went to high school together. 

"Hi I'm Harry, and I don't know how much longer I get to sit next to you so please can I have your number, sunshine? I would love to take you for dinner sometime soon." Harry is going out on a whim asking for your phone number but keeps going, "From what I have gathered you are a very busy woman and I admire that, love it even. I know this sounds crazy but I feel like I know you already and I have never felt that with another person so please give me a chance, I will work around your schedule. I dont care what it--" he is stopped when your pager goes off as an emergent patient being admitted, all hands on deck you assume. 

"Sunshine, huh? I like it." You wink at him and ask Mike for a pen so you can scrawl your number on a napkin and thank Harry for a very pleasant chat. It was good to know that he felt for you, as you did him after just meeting the man, and his nickname for you was adorable. 

For the next two weekends you spent getting to know Harry on a personal note. He told you he loved writing music, performing and was already an amazing talent. Harry showed you his latest music and you wondered how you hadn't connected the dots sooner. You knew he was a very private person, as he told you on your first date. 

(FLASHBACK)

"I'd love to get to know your friends, and see what kind of person you are. I can't wait to know you but I just want you to know that I can't have a lot of people knowing what is going on in my personal life." He sighs, you two sat down at dinner and he couldn't help but spit out what he wanted to tell you when you first met. "I don't want to sound pretentious or come off as someone who cares about his appearance to others but I have to tell you that I make music for a living and have quite the lot of fans. Screaming fans to be exact, " he chortles, asking the waiter for a bottle of wine to start off, "but I can't help but love them all. They made my career but I have to remain a private person. I adore my fans but they are very protective and I don't want our relationship to struggle because of a few of them saying unkind things." He grabs your hand and looks you in the eyes, trying to make you understand the reason for privacy.

"I've never met anyone like you Harry and I meet a lot of people on the regular. You have this way about you that draws me in and I want to get to know you. If that means that I cannot post my gushing about you on social media, so be it. I really like you and would like to know who you are." You declare, hoping he understands that he as a person means more than everyone understanding her lifestyle choices. 

(END OF FLASHBACK) 

Tonight was the night you knew you wanted to understand him on an even more personal level. You knew that the way you felt for him wasn't a normal crush, wasn't even a normal type of love. You knew he had the power to hurt you if he wished to do so but that was so far in the back of your mind. He meant so much to you already that it didn't matter you two were keeping your relationship a secret from most of the world, apart from a select few. It was the best date of them all, Harry cooked you and your best friends dinner so when you got off work, dinner was on the table. He was always so thoughtful of your needs and you thought it was the time to prioritize his.

"Take me to bed Harry." You whimper, "I want you." 

*7 MONTHS LATER* 

Things were hectic in your life but that was the way they always were but now it seemed like days stretched past 24 hours and turned into a marathon sprint that never ended. 

The day Harry unmistakably broke you was the day that sleep had everything on you. Going for days on end was something you were accustomed to but after he cut you deeper than you could ever be, sleep seemed to be your only friend. 

You thought you knew him better than anyone. He was your Harry, your everything, even your person maybe? 

But when his decision to take his career to the next step interfered in your relationship, your life; that was the day to call it quits no matter the devastation. He may have been your soulmate but maybe, just maybe it wasn't right. The timing, the place of it all was just too much. Your life just didn't have room for much else, especially someone who was willing to hurt you unimaginably and not walk away in order to lessen the blow. 

*2 WEEKS BEFORE THE INEVITABLE *

"Hey sunshine, just calling to let you know I wont be able to make it home this time. I'm sorry, the label has me doing something that I'm not sure is a good idea but they say it will help me in the long run." He sighs at the end, I imagine him palming his forehead.

"Look, I need you to listen to me when I tell you that you are everything to me, you make me want to become the best version of myself. During the months we have been together I have seen the best and worst side of you and I'm not running, promise. I want you to be mine forever, do you hear me? Just remember that." Harry expelled.

That was two hours ago and within those two hours you knew it was best to stay off your phone. You keep telling yourself to not look for anything leading you to clues about his voice mail. It wasn't like him to express his feelings over the phone, he was an in person 'declare-my-love-for-you' type of man so when you listened to it you thought it was best to stay off your phone. 

Trailing off to the shower in pursuit of getting to work, you hear your phone's inescapable shrill from your bedroom and decide to opt away from contact to that thing. 

As soon as you leave for work is when your heart stops, skips a few beats and then plummets into your stomach. 

"Harry Styles in a relationship with Camille Rowe? That is the best thing I have heard all week. The star tells us that they met months ago and kept it a secret in order to get to know each other. We cant wait for updates on their relationship. Now on to the juic--" That's all you can hear for the rest of the day, ringing in your mind like it is an announcement on the P.A. at work for all to hear. 

You knew that was the end of everything. Devastation didn't even hit the mark, it was like everything in the world was on fast forward and you were still trying to get through the commercials. Nothing made sense any more, the glass was no longer half full. It was completely drained and then smashed on the ground into a million little pieces. That was how her whole body felt, like it was just shattered on the ground, irreparable. 

The damage was done and there was nothing holding you back from wailing like a siren in front of all of the patients waiting for surgery, but your best friends always had your back. Making sure you eat during lunch and taking you to the bar at the end of your shift so you can drink the bottle dry. 

Just shy of a half hour sitting at the bar was when you were cut-off by Harry running into the bar rambling about how he thought they were spinning the tabloids another way. 

"I thought they were going to report that we just met and were already dating, I would have never let them ruin what we had by saying I knew her while you and I were together. I told them exactly what to say! I don't even know her, we just met." He jumbles his sentences trying to get hold of his clear message. 

You stand up from your seated position and start motioning for him to join you outside. Once out there, you decide what is best moving forward. 

"While we were together?" You scoff, trying to be as civil as can be under your obvious exhaustion, throwing your hands up in exasperation.

"At least you said something truthful in the last two minutes you decided to interrupt my break. Yes, you and I are no longer together. Honestly we should have never started something, our careers couldn't be more opposite and honestly I cannot afford to ruin my career over someone who wants to build his on lies. So thank you for what we had but from now on I would like to move forward, away from you." You keep talking in order to get your point across, hoping that when all is said and done there will be closure on both ends. 

You know that Harry does care for you but in these last twenty four hours you've learned is that maybe you can't have it all. Maybe happily-ever-afters are only for the imagination. 

Maybe life throws things at you so you can overcome them but there are times like these when she wonders what the message is supposed to be? 

Is there a message? 

That you can have one person in your life that should be your forever but just cant fit in there? 

"I know we never said it but I do love you, I think I always will but we can't make it fit. The time we spent together was great and I hope there is a lesson in there somewhere. I can only believe that closure is what we need now." She grabs on to his shoulder and goes in for a hug to end the conversation but he pulls back,"How could you think that we need closure? What we need is each other. I need you, in my life with me forever. You are always going to be the only one for me, I just know it." He grabs on to her and holds for dear life, hoping that he can convey her to stick it out for them both. 

"I know what I'm feeling is selfish because I never want to hurt you but my career is part of my life and I can't run away from who I am but I want you in my life, always. I will never stop loving you." Harry pulls away and looks in her eyes with tears in his," I cannot fathom a life without my sunshine. Maybe the timing is wrong but cant we make it right?" 

[Y/N] pulls away, trying to compose herself and make the most rational decision. She needs to think about her life and what she needs, not anyone else. "Harry Styles, while being with you was the best rollercoaster ride of my life, and if I could stay on forever I would do so; I have to get off. I need to pull away for the sake of my head and heart. Being with you makes me happy but when it interferes with my work, which is saving lives, I have to be on one hundred percent all the time. You have clouded my thoughts and judgement, and while being a star is part of who you are, being a doctor is me so I cannot give up who I am. Sometimes maybe love isn't enough?" By this point you can't hold back the sobs you have held in since you knew the inevitable truth and holding them back would be foolish, so you let them come. 

Harry tries to grab onto you with the little strength he has left from crying and lack of sleep. "I cannot let you get away. You are my everything! I canno--" he tries to catch his breath in between the racks of his heart," please, please do not leave me [Y/N]. We can make this work. I love you and that is enough, it is enough for me. Please." Harry whispers the last part, crouching in front of you and trying to hold you to him. 

"It isn't enough for the both of us Harry, and you know it." You're trying to hold back until you can be alone. All you want is to crawl in bed and become dead to the world because that's how you feel right about now. " I will always love you and maybe one day that love will be enough but right now I just don't see how that is possible Harry. I can't rationalize what is happening in our relationship and tell you that we will make it through it. The best thing to do is cut our ties before we start to resent each other." You take one last breath, looking at your friends inside the bar. You signal to them that you're leaving, and say the one thing that you know will hurt the most. 

"I can't try anymore to be with you so this is my goodbye. I wish you the best Harry, I really do." In the middle of all this you had a death grip on his hands but now is the time to walk away from one of the best things to happen to you. As gut wrenching as it is, the best thing for the both of them was to move on. Worry about the time in their career when it is at the peak so as hurtful as it is, she knows that she is doing what's best. 

You pull away from his grasp, looking down at him kneeling on the ground and kiss his forehead. "I love you." You whisper through tears. 

All you can hear behind you is wails of sirens, drunk people cheering on the football game inside but the one thing that is the loudest is Harry's cries. As soon as you walk away you break down into a blubbering mess. Your friends catch up after you, while looking at the mess you and Harry made behind. You can hear Harry's cries of desperation and the only thing your heart is telling you to do is 'go back, go back to him' but you know it's not logical. 

If it is meant to be you will make it work at a better time. Things will come together and make sense one day but not when her mind is a fuzzy mess. Maybe weeks, months or years later she will understand what it means to have love be enough. It has to mean something right? 

Good byes may hurt but sometimes they are unsurpassable. Sometimes they come barreling into your life totally unexpected and ruin something you thought could be forever. 

[captainmeowvelwrites]

You Times Two (Ch.3)

Pairing: Marinette/Ladybug | Adrien/Chat Noir Words: 3354 Summary: Ladybug knew this was necessary. She was the Guardian. He had the Cat Miraculous. But when his suit evaporated in a glow of pale green, she sure hadn’t expected him to have something far more precious: her heart. Cross-posted: AO3 and FFN

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | ...

Recap: Previously, on You Times Two… Marinette considered growing a magnificent beard and running away to join the circus. She reflected on the ramifications of Chat Blanc, which honestly, the author is still too upset about to make light of right now. And just to top it all off, Clumsy Girl smacked Golden Boy in the face with a door, then somehow called him Chadrien. Has our favourite gal’s cover been blown? Has her kitty quite literally had some sense smacked into him? And purrhaps most importantly, is his lil’ button nose okay? You can probably hazard a guess, but read on, I say!

---

Chapter Three

Adrien left Marinette in the locker room and stepped out into the morning sun, its warmth bathing his skin.

But the heat of his cheeks had a different source.

As he twisted his ring – something he often did when his brain was abuzz – he glimpsed his reflection in a tinted window, a reminder that his hair was still a bit of mess. He reached for his bangs, his thoughts drifting a minute into the past.

There'd been a light in Marinette's eyes, and a sense of ease about her, when he'd ruffled his hair.

Of course, that had only lasted a second.

And then, like Ladybug, she'd called him Chadrien.

That had to be a coincidence.

Ladybug had fumbled over her words last night, as Marinette often did.

Marinette's eyes were like the sky after a storm, a stunning shade of bluebell, just like Ladybug's. How had he not noticed that before?

His hand fell from his hair to his side, as his lips drew into a resolute line.

No, his suspicions were impossible.

Marinette was Multimouse.

She couldn't be Ladybug too.

His eyes sunk to his shoes as he continued to think of his lady. The reality was, she wasn't his lady. She never had been.

There was a thickness in his throat and a void in his eyes as he wondered—again—if things might've been different, if not for that boy. She'd said she couldn't even imagine a world without him, whoever he was.

And that hurt.

A lot.

To an extent, it had depleted his hope of something ever blooming between them. But more than that, it always made him wonder if she could say the same for him. Could she imagine a world without Chat Noir?

Truly, Adrien didn't know the answer.

His fingernails dug into the flesh of his palms.

This shouldn't matter anymore.

He was dating Kagami.

Well, sort of.

The press had snapped them eating ice cream together. And yes, they'd almost kissed—but they hadn't made things official, despite what the media were saying.

Regardless, everyone thought they were official—including Kagami.

He hated this.

Not because Kagami was basically his girlfriend, but because he'd never imagined this unravelling quite as it had.

He'd imagined a rose-covered rooftop and a candlelit dinner. He'd imagined a passionate declaration and actually asking the girl to be his girlfriend. He'd imagined a night ending in a flurry of hugs and kisses and laughter.

And he'd imagined it all with Ladybug.

He buried his face in his palms, where the dent of his nails still showed.

This wasn't fair on Kagami.

But Ladybug didn't love him back. She never would.

And despite the way he felt about her, to say he didn't care for Kagami was a lie.

Kagami had always been upfront with him. Maybe that's why he'd been so drawn to her. She was assertive, strong-minded and knew exactly what she wanted.

A lot like Ladybug, a part of him whispered.

A very annoying part.

With a huff, Adrien pinched the bridge of his nose. It was still tender from its encounter with a door and for some reason, that made him smile.

Plagg peeked up at him from beneath his white overshirt. "So why'd you have to come out here to wait for your friend?"

Adrien tensed. "Plagg," he whispered, his eyes snapping around the school courtyard, finding it empty. "Hide before someone sees you." He tugged the edge of his white shirt over his kwami's head.

Of course, Plagg squeezed his way back out despite his chosen's protests. "People are blind," he whined. "Not to mention I blend in with your shirt."

Adrien heaved a sigh, yielding to Plagg's question. "I just have a lot on my mind. That's all."

"Like what, hmm?"

"Since when do you care about something that isn't cheese-related?" He was half-joking.

"Oh please," Plagg barked. "I just wanna know what's got you in such a tizz."

Adrien glowered at that and glanced over his shoulder, half-expecting Marinette to barge out of the locker room right that second. When she didn't, he looked down at Plagg. "Marinette: that's who Ladybug reminded me of last night."

Plagg groaned in time with an eye roll. "So what? Marinette's always talking nonsense. Ladybug did for one measly night!"

"But, Plagg," Adrien said, desperation seeping through his words, "this isn't the first time I've suspected she was Ladybug!"

"Have you forgotten about Kwamibuster?" Plagg grimaced. "She was Multimouse. We even saw her and Ladybug side-by-side."

A thought flashed in Adrien's eyes. "Miracle Queen," he announced, and Plagg tipped his head. "Why didn't she show up to collect the Mouse Miraculous?" He cupped his chin, glancing toward the morning sky. "Every other Miraculous Wielder did."

"She isn't a Miraculous Wielder anymore," Plagg said simply. "Ladybug told her as much after she revealed her identity to you. Or maybe she just didn't get stung by those nasty bugs."

His hopes were crushed as quickly as they'd come, and he realised how much he'd been hoping to begin with. Did he want Marinette to be Ladybug? Was that why he kept searching for reasons to suspect her?

He pursed his lips, wrestling with these ruminations and the risks that came with them. His suspicions were circumstantial, if that. And if he ever learned Ladybug's identity, it should be on her terms.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder…

"I… guess you're right, Plagg." The disappointment in his voice was thicker than glue.

"Of course, I'm right!"

Adrien tapped his lips, eyes drifting skyward once more. "And Ladybug did say we don't know each other out of costume." Though she'd also said she wouldn't tell him if they did. "You know who Ladybug is, right? From when we faced Mr Damo—The Dark Owl."

"If you're suggesting what I think you are—"

Adrien shook his head. "You know I'd never betray Ladybug's trust like that."

"Good," Plagg said, throwing his whiskers in the air, "because I couldn't tell you who she is even if I wanted to. Tikki would kill me." His paw emerged from beneath Adrien's white shirt, and he placed a thoughtful claw to his lips. "As for Ladybug's stuttering last night, maybe your identity just… took her off guard? For all you know, she was starstruck! Like that time you took me to the Aligre Market." His green eyes glided upward, glazing over, and he let out a dreamy sigh. "So… much… artisan cheese…"

Adrien gaped—and it took him at least five seconds to form words. "You… You think Ladybug could be a fan of mine?"

"It makes a lot more sense than your stupid theory."

Adrien had never even considered that possibility, but Plagg was right. It did make sense. Maybe that's why she'd freaked out.

"But," Plagg continued, "how should I know if she's a fan of yours? Just ask her at patrol tonight."

Adrien's chest tightened as he pictured that very scenario. "But what if she is a fan and freaks out again like last time?" Worry weighed on his lips. "Or what if she's not and thinks I'm arrogant and—"

The thump of a hand against wood made him jump, and Plagg vanished beneath his shirt.

"Sorry I took so long!"

He turned to find Marinette, her hair a little more frazzled. Her eyes snapped around the courtyard, not meeting his.

Oh no! Had she heard him talking?

Adrien threaded his fingers, his thumbs circling each other. "No – No problem." He swallowed and forced a small smile. "I was just – uhh…"

"Don't worry," Marinette chimed, finally looking his way. Her eyes creased as she smiled. "I stalk—uhh, talk to myself too. All the time. I mean – uhh – some of the time." She cleared her throat. "So I – uhh – guess we're both nosy—I mean crazy."

"Oh, I…" Adrien broke eye contact, glancing between her and the ground. "What did you hear?"

"N-Nothing!" Marinette shrieked, waving her hands back and forth. "Just – uh – mumbling and stuff." She looked away, her fingers drumming against the straps of her backpack. "So, umm…" She nodded towards the nearby stairs. "Class, then?"

Adrien forced a chuckle, only for his voice to crack. And now they were both blushing. "Ri-Right." He squeezed the strap of his shoulder bag with one hand and extended his other toward the stairs. "After you, then."

Marinette took a single step forward and, true to form, somehow tripped over air.

Adrien's hands were on her shoulders in an instant, barring her greeting with the ground. "Are you okay?"

"No—I mean yes!" She peeled his hands from her shoulders and practically jumped back to her full height. "I'm just – uhh – clumsy. Ha ha. I am so clumsy." She flashed an oddly wide grin, her hands flying this way and that as she spoke. "Like, the Queen of Clumsy. Any physical activity whatsoever and I am not your girl. Not by a mile. Heck, I couldn't even run a mile. Because, y'know – I'm so unfit. And clumsy. Did I mention I'm clumsy?" The second she finished her spiel, her eyes shot to her ballerina flats.

Adrien managed a laugh, despite how his brows squished together. "Uhh… Yes, you did mention that." His brows settled, but he continued to smile. "And Marinette, you're not as clumsy as you think you are."

Marinette wiped her palms across her pants. "I'm… I'm not?" she squeaked, peering up at him.

"Well, I've experienced your dancing first-hand, remember?" Adrien slid an arm around her shoulders, showing a supportive smile. "And let's not forget your fencing and ice-skating skills. Try not to sell yourself short, okay?" His arm slipped from her shoulders to rub the nape of his neck, and he laughed lightly. "But maybe do try to be more careful sometimes."

She stared at him with wide eyes. "Uh – Um – Yeah. I'll… try to be more careful."

With that, Adrien extended his hand toward the stairs. "Shall we?"

---

She'd eavesdropped on Adrien and Plagg – but not on purpose!

In fact, she'd been about to shove those pesky doors aside when her name – or rather, Ladybug's name – had given her pause.

She'd only caught bits and pieces, but by the sound of it, Adrien suspected she was Ladybug. And in that moment, Chat Blanc's petrifying face had flashed through her mind. That was all the incentive she'd needed to throw him off her tracks, by deliberately tripping over air and pointing out her lack of physical prowess.

He couldn't know she was Ladybug.

Not yet.

Perhaps not ever.

Marinette quite literally shook that thought to the outskirts of her mind. Now, around Adrien, was not the time and place for it.

Instead, she panted excessively as they scaled the stairs, hoping he'd bought her 'I'm so clumsy and unfit' charade—if she could even call it that. She wasn't unfit, but she was a royal clutz, even if Adrien didn't think so.

When they reached the top of the stairs, Marinette's mind wandered elsewhere. She wasn't late thanks to an akuma, so her secret identity wasn't at risk. Did she even need to make up an excuse?

She could just say she'd slept in.

In fact, that's exactly what she'd done.

On purpose.

To avoid the very boy she was arriving late with.

A groan slipped through her lips—and of course, Adrien heard it.

"Everything okay, Marinette? You sure you're not hurt?"

"Err – Yeah! I'm – I'm fine." Her eyes flew this way and that, as she considered an excuse. "I was just… uh…"

Adrien's eyes were fixed on her and once more, she took in his mussed hair… so reminiscent of Chat Noir.

"I was just wondering what to say to Miss Bustier?"

Adrien smiled, his bangs bobbing with each step he took. "You mean, how do we explain our lateness?" He adjusted the strap of his bag, his ring in full view. "We don't. In my experience, Miss Bustier is fine as long as you apologise and don't disrupt the lesson beyond that. It's Ms Mendeleiev that's a little trickier to deal with."

"Tell me about it," Marinette muttered, only to gasp and go tense. "I mean, uhh… Yeah, I've been crate—late to her class a few times. It's never easy."

They stopped outside their classroom door, Adrien's hand returning to her shoulder. He leaned in close and this time, her unfit charade wasn't the reason her breath hitched.

"Just follow my lead, okay?"

Marinette nodded, unable to hide a slight smile at the irony. Usually, it was him that followed her lead. He just didn't know it.

Adrien offered her an encouraging smile, then eased the classroom door aside. Miss Bustier was seated at her desk, her eyes on them and her hands hovering over the keys on her laptop. Their classmates looked up from their tablets, their eyes flicking between Marinette and Adrien.

Adrien entered first. "Sorry we're late, Miss Bustier." He held the door open and snuck Marinette a supportive wink that made her cheeks burn.

This time, Marinette's stumble was unintentional as she stepped inside, feeling all eyes on her. She didn't know what was worse: the way Chloe and Lila glared daggers at her or the bug-eyed look on Alya's face.

Behind her, Adrien clicked the door shut, and she cleared her throat. "Uhh. Y-Yeah!" Her face scrunched in apology. "Sorry, Miss Bustier"—she itched her cheek—"for interrupting the lesson."

Miss Bustier nodded, showing a gracious smile. "Please take your seats and pull out your tablets. We're starting a pop quiz in a couple of minutes."

Adrien and Marinette nodded in sync, and he gracefully claimed his seat.

Her?

She tripped on the first step, greeted the second with her shin, and crawled the rest of the way. Once she was in her seat, her panic-struck eyes shot to Miss Bustier, only to be met by a knowing smile.

A sigh of relief slipped from Marinette's lips as she placed her backpack on her desk.

That relief was short-lived.

Alya leaned into her personal bubble, rocking a smirk. "Girl," she whispered, her eyes narrow with amusement. "Start. Talking."

Marinette played dumb. "About what?" she whispered back, hunched behind her backpack to avoid Miss Bustier's stare.

Alya rolled her eyes. "Seriously? You and Adrien just showed up to class together. Late. With super messy hair." She raised a brow. "There's gotta be a story there!"

"There's no story, Alya," she said through a sigh.

"Oh, come on." Alya eyed her from behind her tablet, her smirk growing. "Did you two finally make out in the utility closet?"

"ALYA!" Marinette screeched, somehow knocking her bag over the back of her desk. It brushed Adrien's back as it descended toward the wooden floor, meeting it with a dull thud.

"Marinette," said Miss Bustier, looking up from her laptop to send her a stern look, "if you arrive late, I expect you to do it discreetly."

She stooped her head low. "Sorry, Miss Bustier!"

Adrien turned in his chair - his tablet already laid out on his desk - and with a sympathetic smile, he heaved her bag off the floor. She nodded her thanks as he placed it on the desk. Only when he turned back to his tablet did she shoot Alya a glare.

"We both just happened to be late," she quietly growled, "and I kinda forgot to brush my hair, so Adrien messed his up to make me feel better. And to save us interrupting class twice, we decided to show up together." The slightest smirk Alya still showed only had her eyes rolling. "Need I remind you he's dating Kagami?"

That swept the smugness from her face. "All riiiight, I believe you." She watched, her eyes squinting in thought, as Marinette pulled her tablet from her backpack. "But hey, speaking of dating… How're things going with Luka?" Of course, her teasing smile returned; it never did seem to be gone for long. "Maybe it's him you're smooching in a closet, hmm?"

Thoughts of last night swarmed to the forefront of Marinette's mind, and her stomach churned at the reminder of Luka. "I… No! We're just hanging out." She set her backpack on the floor and turned back to her tablet, bringing up their pop quiz with a shaky finger.

Alya turned to her own tablet. "So, does that mean you guys haven't kissed yet?"

Marinette's cheeks flushed pink and she shook her head excessively. "Don't you think I'd tell you if we had?"

Alya lightly elbowed Marinette's side. "When it comes to you, girl, I never know what to think."

Briefly, she chewed on the inside of her cheek. “Okay. Fair point, but trust me, Alya, if I ever get a boyfriend, you'll be the first to know."

---

Usually, sitting behind Adrien was a blessing.

Today, it was a curse.

No matter how hard she tried, Marinette's eyes kept drifting to the boy ahead of her. She studied the curve of his broad shoulders, recalling all the times she'd seen them wrapped in leather. She strained her ears each time he spoke and now it was impossible to unhear her partner. And during last period, when Alya struck up a conversation with him, she caught her eyes travelling the defined arc of his jaw.

Now that she knew he was Chat Noir, she just couldn't unsee it.

"So, Adrien," Alya was saying, leaning over her desk. "You gonna come play Ultimate Mecha Strike III tomorrow?" She glanced between the two boys ahead. "I might also pull out Just Dance if I'm feeling a little bit groovy," she added, shimmying in her seat.

"Yeah, Alya!" Adrien said, his face alight. "I'll definitely be there this time!"

Marinette bolted upright in her seat, horror flashing across her face.

"Good to hear," Alya said beside her.

"Yeah! Would you believe my father said yes for a change?" Adrien tapped his lips, his eyes wandering up to the ceiling. "He's been in a pretty good mood lately… I think." He looked back at Alya, smiling. "Kagami's excited too. And maybe a bit nervous. She hasn't really hung out with more than a couple of friends at a time."

A splash of pity washed over Marinette. It'd been a while since her last orange juice outing with Kagami and she knew those meet-ups meant a lot to her. For a moment, she considered arranging another one.

That thought was quickly crushed by the glaring reminder that sat before her - otherwise known as Adrien Agreste.

Chat Noir.

Kagami's boyfriend.

She pulled her arms across her torso, her eyes sinking to the dented surface of her desk. She was almost certain a catch up with Kagami would end tragically. Heck, it would probably start tragically too—at least while her knowledge of Chat's identity was still fresh.

Adrien and Kagami's relationship had been – still was – extremely hard to swallow. Knowing Kagami's boyfriend was also Chat Noir somehow seemed to make things more complicated. And now that she thought about it, it was no wonder Chat had flirted with Ryuko last week, during their brief fight with Loveater.

Marinette had a feeling she'd continue to be struck by realisations like this for at least a few weeks. Understandable, considering she's been unknowingly crushing on her superhero partner this whole time. She barely bit back a groan at that lovely reminder. It sounded like the punchline of a very bad joke. Or maybe she was the punchline?

"I'm excited for Kagami to be a bigger part of our friend group," Alya was saying, a teasing lilt in her voice as she continued. "Especially now that you two are an item." She elbowed Marinette, prompting a wince. "Isn't that right, girl?"

Rubbing her aching side, Marinette grinned a little too widely at the boys seated below her. At any other time, the red that crept across Adrien's cheeks would've been adorable. Now, it twisted her heart.

"I – Uhh. Yeah." She hoped her smile seemed genuine, at least to Adrien. "I can – I mean, I can't wait!"