#i'm sure i'm late to the party with this trend

[stevie-kun]

day eight: cat face theory for anime faces 🙈🙈🙈🙈

[lxdymoon0357]

Hello 👋 can I pls request relationship and suggestive headcanons for Claude (wmmap) Regis (FIDWYM) and Lante Agriche with a female reader? Thank you ❤️

(some days, I'm gonna be better and consistent...:[ | Warnings: mentions of dying at childbirth, blood, murder, NSFW content, diana-claude poly mentions? idk..Anyways, NSFW content. )

© Writing belongs to me, Lxdymoon0357. Do not plagiarize, but reblogging, liking and commenting is deeply appreciated.

Claude De Alger Obelia, Legis Floyen and Lante Agriche SFW/NSFW HCs

Claude De Alger Obelia

♕ Definitely loves to spoil you! He loves to spoil you when he can, bringing jewellery, making your favourite food, spending extra time with you, buying you clothes, flowers, gifts, anything you want! He is always happy to spoil you, Athy gets a bit worried, but she also loves you and makes handmade gifts for you which you definitely appreciate!

♕ Constantly worried for your health and safety, has a maid and a guard follow you everywhere, he would let them follow you to the bathroom if it wasn't unethical, but yeah..Constantly worried something is gonna happen to you..

♕ Also, constantly making sure you're in top health, always consults doctors about anything he finds unusual on you, if you two were to have kids, he's have a long talk with doctors if you can have kids and there won't be any complications and if anything were to happen, if he'd be able to save you over the kid...

♕ Definitely not loosing you to childbirth like he lost Diana, you both are the biggest jewels in his eyes and he doesn't want to lose you like he lost Diana. Definitely thinks how you both would be with each other if you met, would you both like each other more than him? Would you be open to be with both of them or would he simply be with Diana and you'd go off with someone else??

♕ You, him and Athy spend a lot of time together, eating, tea parties, talking about trends, gossiping or anything in between about Athy's love interests or something. Sometimes even Jeanette joins you both, she's so happy to be included, but after Anastacius left with her, she was happy to learn things from far away, you gave her your blessings, she'll miss all of you but tries to find time to visit when she can..

♕ You and Claude would dance together late at night for fun, it's so quiet and so intimate and so romantic, cue you both forgetting the dance and end up making out against a wall with him leaving hickeys! speaking of them, he leaves TOO many damn hickeys, it's his love language at one point...

♕ He is a busy man, being an emperor and all, but he still finds time for you, you're the most important thing to him after Athy and he tries to find time for both of you, together and individually like during meals, before he goes to sleep, after he wakes up, free time, he loves to spend it with you or alone doing something he enjoys..

♕ He is romantic while sex, but also very rough, be careful, don't piss him off, you won't be able to sit with a bruised ass or the aching cunt or walk due to the shaking and sore legs. He knows how to make brats behave, loves you but don't piss him off.

♕ Hates it when other people stare, will go to a nearby room or maybe the balcony if he's extra mad and simply fuck you till you're screaming your throat raw with leaving hickeys and making sure everyone and especially the person is hearing and seeing the whole thing...Likes the eyes on him sometimes, don't know why but he does, maybe it gives him thrill maybe it gives him the chance to prove himself in some way maybe he gets gratification, no way. But likes the way when you're bent over and crying your eyes out.

♕ Cages your hand above your head with a single one of his own and simply fingers you before pulling away and edging you till you're asking him to properly fuck you dumb, even if he's feeling soft, he likes to do it cause you're crying face and whines and moans sound cut to him and he can never get enough of it

♕ Leaves a lot of bitemarks, hickeys, bruises, it's concerning if you don't know it's out of love and how much he can't control his strength at times..When he's about to cum, he bites your neck to muffle his own moans and whines when you're clenching down on him..One hand constantly working on your clit.

♕ Let's say they have some medicine which works as Plan B, cause keep in mind, he will be breeding you, it's one of his biggest kinks, he would love to see you pregnant with his baby who is your and his mix, Athy needs a sibling after all! Will be pounding in you even after you've gone enough, he cant help himself sometimes!

Legis Adri Floyen

◈ Now Legis would be a bit closed off, but still after a while be extremely sweet and romantic, constantly being a gentleman, holding your hand when you're walking down the stairs, gets you gifts, when you got tired, he carried you where you want, feeds you, kisses you and looks at you like you're gold.

◈ You and Jubelian have to sometimes remind him to take breaks, you and Jubelian and literally bestest of friends yet being the cutest mother-daughter duo in Legis's eyes, two of his favourite girls being together and happy and getting alone and all the cute stuff?! Oh man, he feels like he's in heaven!

◈ Loves to spend time with you and Juve when he can, bringing you both gifts and you both in return make tiny gifts for him, like bouquets or like maybe you stitched something for him on a napkin and he carried it everywhere, or maybe you and Juve went out together to choose and mix-match jewellery for Legis and then you both gift it to him, she is always so happy to spend time with her parents!

◈ He and you would spend time kissing and then Juve would be grossed out but finds it cute or maybe you and Legis would spend time sparring or sword-fighting cause women back then used to do a lot of sports including archery, sword-fighting, hiking, so maybe he would love for you to join him in sparring sometime or maybe hand-to-hand combat where you are always winning because he refuses to put in effort, he gets too mesmerised by you anyway.

◈ He would love to take you on trips to anywhere you want, get dresses custom made so no-one else can have them, have portraits painted of you, he's such a sweetheart!! He would love to have a family portrait with you and Juve beside him!!

◈ Another thing is, matching clothes!! You wear something matching in your outfits at ALL times, be it a brooch, be it the colour of the clothing, be it the way the pattern of the dress, he loves to match with you, he even has dresses which are carbon copies of some of Juve's! You both look gorgeous in them!!

◈ Kind of needs your reassurance that he is doing the correct thing, if there is something you don't like, please say cause when you do things passive and aggressively, it makes him overthink things....And if he overthinks, he cries and I'm sure you don't want your husband to cry? Yeah, that's what I thought, communicate!

◈ Okay, first he finds you cute and adorable and hot and so squishable and he folds you like a chair fucking you in matching press with your thighs pressed against your chest while he toys with your cunt and clit so sweetly, it's almost innocent in a way!

◈ PRAISE!! Of-course, the biggest praise kink is in him, his eyes start to water from overwhelming love when he is praised during sex, so just to ground him, hold his hand tightly in yours in anyway you can to remind him you're both there..He gets carried away, poor baby..

◈ Loves to see you ride him, cause it's so cute in his eyes when you're trying your best to take him cause first of he's VERY BIG, secondly you try your best to take him, struggle with it, crying for him to do something to make something out of your fruitless ventures, of-course he teases you until you beg a lot, but because he likes your cries and tears and face

◈ Speaking of crying, he won't stop eating your cunt until tears are streaming down he's pulled a good few orgasms, your cunt is almost raw but i's still drooling...and he can't get enough, you're just sound so cute and taste so amazing, but okay, he'll take pity and fuck you properly, if you don't tell him to, he'll cum from just eating you out, grinding against whatever he can.

◈ Suck him off under his desk after he's overworked, probably one of the only dilfs who moans and whimpers and can't hide them, he sounds cute, as you gag on his cock, he sounds adorable!! Not your fault it's a good way to relax him from overworking and to just tease him!

◈ He sometimes gets so lot in making you cum, he does it for a good while until he simply pulls dry orgasms, until legs are shaking, you're both covered in bodily fluids, drools, sweat, clit is engorged a bit and it hurts but feels too good for him to pull out now as you wrap your legs around his waist to keep him close..

Lante Agriche

☠ Now for this request, I will say he's like a yandere-type in love with you and he's a bit sane and okay in head. Lante would always follow you around, carrying you when he can, holding you on his lap during those special dinners with his top three favourite kids as he fed you food with his hands, does your hair, albeit a bit haphazardly.

☠ He desperately needs you be locked down with him, he would kill anyone you pay too much attention to, that includes his kids, well your kids are his favourite kids, so he doesn't want you to be sad, but threatening them is the way to go!!

☠ likes to bring you the severed head of his victims as gifts with a deranged smile, expecting praise. I hope you give some to him for the sake of your neck joint...I mean, he'd also bring bloodied flowers, a skull, some sword, some jewel, etc, whatever he finds interesting all covered in blood cause he thinks you look hot in blood and everything looks better covered in blood.

☠ Leaves hickeys on your necks, for everyone and leaves more if you try to cover them. He has no shame, not like anyone would dare to say anything, but if they did, you'd have another severed head to your collection. So enjoy!!

☠ DESPISES people staring at you for a second too late, hates it, cannot stand it, will not stand for it, will kill someone for it. I mean, he's a man known for crimes, of-course he's gonna murder someone for looking at you too long! He's such a munchy weirdo..

☠ Would have your ring on your hand AT ALL TIMES, ain't no one snatching up his weirdo, hell naw! Anyways, he gets new rings made for you whenever you need one and it's all decorated well and stuff and so now you have a ring collection and it's very gorgeous and probably cost more than the whole manor and humans who die inside regularly!

☠ He slow dances with you over the dead bodies of people, enjoying the way their bones crunch under you both as you both softly danced while you both are in each other's embrace and are softly being intimate in silence..

☠ Oh now, don't think that if he got jealous and mad at some public event he is also one to not care if he fucks you on a balcony when everyone can hear you both while you scream and wail like it's no one's business in the balcony and later on everyone's too shy to make eye contact with you, including the kids and other wives...

☠ Bending you over on his desk to fuck you all while there are people in the next room or simply eat you out until you cry, but eating you out is a unusual occurrence...He doesn't just give you pleasure without getting anything in return, no.

☠ Edging you constantly, not letting you cum until you beg hard enough or until he possibly can't take it anymore or until you do it yourself earning a punishment by him where either he overstimulates you till you physically pass out and only have dry orgasms, so there are a few options of him to choose from, maybe play the safe submissive and subservient role for a while unless you're confident in your skills as a dom to top him..

☠ knife kink, I said it. Knife kink, holds a knife to your neck while he makes you ride him, and presses it down sometimes to nick your body parts for fun and for the sadistic tendencies...

[twilightkitkat]

Poolverine but they dress up as each other for Halloween. I'm not just talking about swapping costumes—they go all in. They get those facial prosthetics to get each other's skin textures right, Wade goes in with makeup for detailing, and Wade wears a bodysuit while Logan wears slight platform shoes and shapewear to roughly match their builds.

They put on each other's suits and make sure the proportions are as accurate as possible. Wade even goes as far as to call in a few favors to get voice-changing abilities.

Then, Halloween, they pretend to be each other. They try to match each other's personalities and mannerisms and see if anyone can notice.

At first, you'd think it'd be obvious that they switched. But here's the thing: they know each other. Wade knows how Logan moves and talks and acts and fights. Logan knows how to predict Wade's moods and reactions and decisions. They're incredibly self-aware and in sync.

They both show up to their friend's Halloween party dressed as each other. The crowd is incredibly large because everyone invited all the people that they know, which includes Vanessa's new friends and the majority of the X-mansion.

The only person who knew off the bat was Laura. There was no hiding it from her with her sense of smell, but they didn't intend to. She was in on the joke and came to watch the shitshow in action.

When asked about their costume, "Wade" says that Deadpool is what all the kids want to dress up as for Halloween, and he was just following the trend! Besides, no need to waste money buying a costume when he has the best one right in his closet. He's the scariest to be, obviously, because Deadpool is such a fearsome name.

Logan matches Wade's pitch immaculately, curling his voice into a whine before going back to talking cheerily as if nothing happened. Nobody bats an eye, classic Wade behavior.

Any slight imperfections are hidden by the flashing lights and relaxed atmosphere and large crowd. It's hard to pick out their friends in a crowd, let alone tell the differences between their carefully crafted copycat plans.

Laura gets closer to "Logan" and asks him how "Wade" has been lately, playing along. He responds with a grunt and an exasperated but fond summary of Wade's newest hyperfixation, acting as if he didn't know any of the terminology for it.

She has to hide a shit-eating grin when some of the people who knew Logan from the X-mansion came up to greet him and ask him how he's been. Plan successful.

"Logan" reaches out and pats a few heads, lingering just long enough to show he cares but pulling away soon enough to avoid deep intimacy. He answers questions with the same gruff tone as the actual Logan, giving just enough information to satisfy their questions.

Miraculously, the night continues and they haven't been caught. This is quite frankly hilarious because the two had done their rounds with each other's friends and acquaintances and apparently knew enough about each other to answer accurately. It's a pretty big feat, and even Laura has to reluctantly admit she's impressed by how well they know each other to pull this off.

The two draw together near the end, bickering as usual and using each other's tactics. Wade has to stifle a giggle at Logan imitating his out to not break character, and Logan has to hold himself back from burying his face in his hands out of embarrassment.

The real challenge is when Vanessa comes in to greet "Wade," with her new boyfriend in tow. Because Logan knows how Wade should act: vaguely uncomfortable and awkward, cagey toward the new guy, with an undertone of yearning and regret.

He knows this, but it stings. It hurts to know that while Wade and him are living together, a part of Wade will always belong to Vanessa. He knows it's irrational and that he's the main person in Wade's life, but the thought of them together makes him feel vaguely nauseous.

But he promised Wade he'd try to do this with him. They'd made bets and everything about who would find out and who wouldn't. He didn't want to ruin his fun.

So Logan grits his teeth and shifts into character, acting a little tense but also relieved to see her. Acting a bit more closed off and tense when the new guy introduces himself, and a little embarrassed to be seen with "Logan." Guilty, almost, like he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't.

But Vanessa's expression isn't remorseful or awkward. Instead, she raises an eyebrow, crosses her arms, and asks him what's wrong. Tells him that something's clearly bothering him and that he knows he can come to her for anything.

Logan becomes confused. What was he doing wrong? Was he not giving her the "puppy dog eyes" convincingly enough? Was he not portraying the bittersweet feeling of seeing "the one who got away" well?

But then she asks him if he and "Logan" were fighting. If something was going wrong in their relationship for him to act so cagey and upset.

...And Logan is baffled. What the hell does them fighting have to do with this?

Until she continues. She tells him that she knows how much "Logan" means to him and that she knows Logan feels the same (it's obvious just in the way he looks at Wade), so she's sure they'll figure it out soon.

She chuckles and shakes her head and says that it's endearing how Wade constantly talks about Logan as if he's the only topic in the world. That she's glad he's happy and that she remembered him asking to meet her boyfriend at some point so he could "rate her taste." She pats his shoulder, placatingly, and tells him that she's always there to talk if anything happens. Then she leaves.

And oh.

Logan thought he had Wade's personality down to a science, that he knew almost everything about him. His thoughts, his feelings, his relationships. ...But apparently, he was wrong for once.

Then he takes a second to stand there and analyze his interactions with Wade. And he realizes that she was right. That Wade glancing constantly back at him when Vanessa was there wasn't awkward pining for his ex, but just Wade wanting to look at Logan.

Now that he thinks about it, Wade doesn't just do that around Vanessa. He did it around almost everyone. He'd intermittently glance at Logan with what he assumed to be embarrassment over him, but now he realizes it was endearment. Awe. Bashfulness and slight pride over getting to introduce Logan to his friends instead of being ashamed of him.

And Logan realized that maybe he didn't know everything about Wade. That maybe, some of his assumptions were based more on his own experiences and past rather than the present. That he let his jealousy and insecurity and anxiety cloud his interpretation until it became foggy, creating the same rough shape but without the structure.

...And Logan smiles, under the mask. A warm, incredulous thing. That Wade spent most of his time with Vanessa talking about him. That it was so obvious Wade loved him that everyone commented on it. He'd never had someone be proud of belonging to him before, showing him off like he was something worth coveting. It felt nice.

Eventually, he rejoined "Logan's" side. He sidled up to him and threw an arm around his shoulder, throwing out a flirty comment and cuddling closer. "Logan" let him, letting his shoulder slump and wrapping an arm around him in return.

"Wade" stared at "Logan," watching his expressions shift and the curve of his lips as they moved. He let the adoration and wonder swell up in him, seeing how accurately Wade played the part.

It was obvious that he was staring, but nobody batted an eye. They all accepted it as normal, as if it was perfectly in character for Wade to stare at Logan with full focus even while people flitted and talked around them.

When Logan leaned in to kiss Wade's shoulder, nobody said anything.

(They manage to make it through the night without anyone calling them out on their impersonation. When they reveal it the next day, everyone is shocked. It was so realistic that they couldn't even tell.

Well, almost everyone is shocked. Laura rolls her eyes and Vanessa hides a knowing smile behind the rim of her coffee cup.)

[woso-dreamzzz]

Mignon's Halloween

Barcelona Femení x Teen!Reader

Summary: The eleventh of my Halloween-centric fics

It's Jana that finds the headline first. It's Jana who opens her phone one day on camp to see it trending.

'Barcelona Superstar to Return to her Childhood Club?'

With her contract running out in the summer, question marks over whether young French star y/n l/n will stay at Barcelona remain but eagle eyed fans think they've solved the mystery.

In a recent TikTok posted on her girlfriend's account, the young star seems to have been pictured wearing her old Olympique Lyonnais jersey.

Click Read More below to see what our experts think of this startling discovery:

It's Jana that slides her phone over to Alexia at breakfast. It's Jana who has to explain that the site looks kind of sketchy and it likely isn't true.

But then you start posting things while you're away on camp with France.

Most of it is harmless stuff. The kind of stuff Alexia expects from a teenager back in their home country - a few harmless pranks on your teammates, a picture of you and your parents, a cute video of you kissing your girlfriend's cheek.

But then there's a random selfie of you in your childhood bedroom.

You're relaxed back on your pillows, your family dog laying on your chest.

His snout is covering the emblem over your heart but Alexia can recognise a Lyon jersey anywhere.

That's when she gets a bit worried.

You left Lyon because you wanted game time they wouldn't give you. You'd pushed a bit too hard for game time and they'd told you they weren't going to renew your contract.

Surely you wouldn't go back to them now.

Surely even if they begged and begged and begged, you'd hold yourself in a high enough regard that you wouldn't go back to them.

But the Lyon shirt pops up a few more times while you're away.

There's even a video of your girlfriend wearing one of your old jerseys as she walks her own dog.

"Don't tell me you're stalking the girlfriend now," Mapi gripes as Alexia stares down at her phone," The kids can have fun without you hovering over them."

"I'm not stalking anyone!"

"You haven't even met her girlfriend yet you follow her on every bit of social media you can find her on."

"That's for safety. I'm making sure she's a good one."

"I think y/n is capable of choosing her own girlfriend."

Alexia makes a face and Mapi corrects herself.

"I think y/n's parents are capable of approving a good girlfriend. Don't be so worried."

"That's not what I'm worried about," Alexia mutters, looking up from her phone when you finally walk in with Vicky.

The both of you are speaking in hushed whispers, giggling to yourselves until you both split off to go to your own cubbies.

Back when Lucy still played with the team, your cubby used to be next to hers but now that she's gone back to England, you've been moved next to Alexia so she can keep an eye on you.

"So," She says, trying to be as casual as she can," How was camp?"

You give her an odd look. "Yeah it was alright. But you know that already. Because you're a stalker."

"Why does everyone think I'm a stalker?!"

"You follow my girlfriend on all your social media. You didn't even create a fake account."

"Fake account? What's that?"

You smile at her, the same smile that Vicky does at camp when Alexia tries to show off one of those dances from TikTok that she knows young people like.

"Don't worry about it." You pull on your training shirt. "Is the Halloween party thing still on for tonight?"

"Yes, why?"

"Just checking. I might be a little late though. I've got a meeting with my agent."

Alexia tries to make it seem like she's not all that interested in it but she isn't quite sure it works. "Oh? What about?"

"Just contract stuff. I'm going to head off with Vicky before training," You say," We're going to see if we can break into the vending machine again."

Normally, Alexia would try to stop you but her eyes catch on the familiar white of the Lyon shirt you have stuffed in your bag.

The sinking feeling in Alexia's chest returns in full force, staying with her for most of the day to the point that she finds herself glancing at you much more than she usually does.

"She's not going to just up and leave," Patri says that evening at the Halloween party," She loves it here."

"She had Lucy here with her," Alexia points out," They spoke French together. None of us speak French. What if she misses speaking French?"

Irene rolls her eyes, slightly preoccupied with making sure that her son isn't eating all of the sweets that Marta has been spoiling him with. "She calls her parents regularly. She calls her girlfriend. And I can speak French. She's not been missing the French language in the slightest."

"But what if-"

"If she's leaving us," Marta says, reaching across the table to give Matteo another skittle," Then it won't be for Lyon."

Alexia finds it kind of hard to believe Marta when she's dressed in an inflatable pig costume.

"She's meeting with her agent and-"

"And she's here," Patri interrupts, chin jerking towards the door that you've just slipped in through.

"She's wearing it!" Alexia hisses, heart thumping in her chest," The Lyon shirt! She's wearing it! This is it. This is it. She's leaving us."

"No way!" Vicky laughs from across the room," You actually did it?"

You grin back at her, showing off your ripped shirt. "I think Laporta thought I was crazy when I pulled out the scissors and the lighter. What do you think? Do I look axe-murderer victim enough?"

"Do you mind if we add blood?" Vicky asks.

"You have fake blood? You should have led with that!"

You and Vicky barely take a moment to look at the congregation of captains at the table before you're pouring blood all over your head and shirt, really rubbing it all over the white fabric.

Alexia's mouth hangs up just as Jana's phone chimes with a notification from the Barcelona Femení account.

Happy Halloween Culers!

FRENCH SUPERSTAR HERE TO STAY! Find out more below!⬇️

[lieutenantak]

i'm late to the party and someone surely has already done it, but lemme offer you my take on the miku trend with a french revolutionary miku largely inspired by Eugène Delacroix' "Liberty Leading The People"

we're kinda renowed for yelling after our politicians after all

[mimikila]

10 things I hate love about you

a/n: Hey! So this is my first fanfic here, english is not my first language so I apologize for any mistake. If you have any questions, ask in the comments and I will clarify!

Synopsis: You hate most teenagers. Seungmin is one of them, and he also has a terrible habit with betting. What happens when he loses a bet and is forced to take you to the prom?

+40k words

pairing: bad boy!Seungmin x hater!Reader

Inspired by "10 things I hate about you"

TW: fem!reader, comedy, dirty jokes, bad words, angst, comfort, dick!Yeonjun (srry), stupid!Seungmin, Y/N is a hater of everyone, kind of enemies to lovers, mentions of sex (nothing explicit), drugs, mentions of getting drunk, partys. (let me know if i forgot somenthing)

You were never one to do things for the sake of others. She hates following what's in trending, hates teenagers who don't have their own personality, hates those who have sex for fun, hates couples who are together just to not be alone and hates even more those who stop doing what they want just to fit in somewhere.

Obviously she hates school. Okay, not exactly school. But the place surrounded by teenagers with raging hormones, there was exactly what you didn't like.

"When will you finally agree to go out with me, sweetie?" Choi Yeonjun's provocative voice sounded in her ears. Wonderful, just what I needed this morning. She thinks.

"Maybe in one of my darkest nightmares." she answers him without even looking into the redhead's eyes, more interested to remove the books needed for the next class from your locker.

"Come on, you don't have to be so annoying all the time." Yeonjun follows her as she walks to her room, his usual playful face only making her angrier. "But apparently you do." She quickens her pace before he even gives up following her with an irritated smile and a roll of his eyes.

The girl sits at her desk when she arrives in the classroom, her best - and only - friend, Yunjin, the person she still supported in that place, was a year younger, therefore, from a different class, which made her completely alone during the classes.

Excellent. Just the way she liked it.

The literature teacher was saying something that probably only you were listening to when the class is interrupted by a late student.

All the bored students turn their heads towards the sound of the door opening as a way to escape the monotony of class. "Sorry, I'm late. I was.. uhm-" he scratches the back of his head trying his best to think of a good excuse. again. "Smoking in the back hallway? That's new." The teacher says ironically, before pointing out, what he automatically understood, After all, it wouldn't be the first time he ended up in the principal's office.

Kim Seungmin.

a summary of everything you most hated, Impressionable. His addiction to tobacco and his obvious presence at almost every party was visible to anyone. He was different from Yeonjun however, even though they seemed to sympathize with each other. Silent, perhaps because he had nothing smart to say. He wore only dark clothes with thick leather jackets and spent most of his breaks with the group of punks who use drugs and listen to exaggeratedly loud music behind the school. He interrupted classes with stupid questions just to make others laugh and took part in surreal bets for pure entertainment. Getting into fights over a pack of cigarettes, skipping classes, going to detention, you're sure he just doesn't have a longer body count because girls are afraid of him.

In other words, a complete asshole.

Your thought is interrupted when some laughter came from the other students as soon as Seungmin was kicked out of the room. You roll your eyes before raising your hand to interrupt the teacher's speech. "Do you always have to have an opinion about everything?" he sighs as he sat at his desk at the front of the room. This would be a long class.

-

"I told you, if you couldn't stay away from the board for a week you would lose." Yeonjun laughs playfully along with some of his friends.

"It didn't count this time, it wasn't even because of a fight. I was just late." Seungmin mumbles before inhaling his cigarette, not finding the things amusing at all.

"Without specifics, a trip to the board is a trip to the board." Yeonjun says with that damn smile. bastard. Seungmin thinks.

"Fine, damn it." Seungmin stubs out his cigarette on the wall he was leaning against with an irritated sigh. "What do you want?" he crosses his arms while looking at Yeonjun with a frown, already deeply regretting this fucking challenge.

"Um... I don't know, but I'll definitely think about it." His laugh is cut off as Yeonjun's gaze catches you passing through the yard.

The student council girl runs towards her as soon as she sees her approaching one of the prom posters, but she doesn't get there fast enough before she rips it off the wall and crushes it with one hand.

"Pathetic tradition." you mutter to yourself while walking to meet Yunjin.

Bingo.

"I think I've thought enough." Yeonjun close his eyes with a smirk and Seungmin can feel a shiver just for of what awaited him. "Look." Yeonjun turns Kim around while holding his shoulders, before pointing at the two girls who were chatting carelessly.

"Yunjin? I was expecting worse than that." Seungmin crosses his arms in front of his chest, watching the pretty girl let out a laugh.

"No, no. No Yunjin, look closer." Yeonjun already laughs, amused by what he had prepared for the Doberman boy.

"I'll pass." Seungmin turns around before starting to walk - run away - from the red-haired guy. "you have no choice! last month I went on a date with Seo Shin-ae because of that bet, without complaining!" Yeonjun chases him before Seungmin himself stopped running with a sigh.

"What do I have to do?" He crosses his arms as he glares at the taller guy furiously. "Take her to the prom." Yeonjun says without thinking twice, with the same shitty smile. "I'll. pass."

"You have no choice." In any normal situation, Seungmin could just give up that bet, he might not have even made it in the first place. But that would be too much for his ego and fragile masculinity. "Fine."

"Hah, you're gonna die." Yeonjun scoffs, knowing very well who Seungmin would have to deal with. "I hope so." Those are his last words before storming out of the school yard, seconds before the break alarm goes off.

-

Sweat poured down your face as you breathed heavily. You crawl tiredly to the benches next to the field to get a bottle of water, opening it and pouring a good amount into your mouth and face.

What a wonderful sight. Seungmin thinks with a disgusted expression. Sighing, he accepts his fate as he puts a smile on his face as he approaches the bench of the women's soccer team members.

"Hey, how are you?" He asks with his seductive and carefree tone, resting one of his hands on the back of the seat and using the other to brush his bangs out of the eyes. Obviously acting charming.

She stares at him with a frown and almost the same look of disgust he gave her a few seconds ago. "Sweaty like a pig." You tighten the bottle cap without even looking at him.

this girl...

He forces his best laugh as he bites his bottom lip, part of it because he was punishing himself for such humiliation.

"at 22:30"

"what?" She finally looks at him, part of her bangs obstructing her vision before she tries to tuck them behind her ear, to no avail. “Go out with me” Seungmin says as if she had already accepted. She scoffs.

"Lost another bet, Kim?" You smile before starting to walk off the field. Seungmin smiles just knowing that she knew his name. "Is it so difficult to imagine that someone wants your company out of pure and spontaneous desire?" He scoffs back, following her. This is familiar.

“If that someone is you, or Yeonjun, or any of your little bitch friends, yes, it is.” You waste no time looking at him as you grabbed your backpack from the floor.

"You're pretty."

"Is that your only reason?"

"It's just a damn date!" Seungmin he finally stops chasing her, watching her continue running away without even checking in on him.

"I'll pass." He bites his lower lip at the familiarity of those words, sighing irritably as he runs his hand through his bangs in a failed attempt to calm himself.

"You're cooked." He hears the voice of his friend, Jeongin.

One year younger, handsome, sweet and stylish, but for some reason he was adopted by the group of crazy smoking punks. Your words.

The blonde followed the entire scene while eating a bag of potatoes fries, enjoying the torture of his almost brother and best friend.

"Oh, really?" Seungmin scoffs, still looking at the way where you went, before turning to his friend and dropping his bag of potatoes on the floor.

-

"Are you stalking me?" You get out of your marine blue Chevrolet, a small gift from your father that you got last year. Her usual anger was ever present in her voice.

"Are you that cocky?" Seungmin responds with his annoyingly pretty smile. She crosses her arms, unconvinced by his answer. He sighs in defeat.

"I was at the bar across the street, saw your car and wanted to say hi." He feels like a little child finding excuses to his angry parents.

"Well, you already said. Bye." She says before going her own way, leaving him behind awkwardly. He sighs again.

Seungmin starts to feel hopeless when he sees Yeonjun park his convertible right behind her car, purposely blocking her path. "Any lucky today?"

Seungmin just gives him the middle finger before the redhead get out of his car and walk past him. Perfect timing for you to exit the grocery store and see your car stuck between the sidewalk and Yeonjun's stupidly expensive vehicle. "You've got to be kidding...."

-

A dented car and Seungmin serving as an alibe for Yeonjun's complaint against her for purposely reversing her car.

He was lost.

It has never been so difficult to please some girl. You were openly a hater of everything and everyone around you. He sighs. Ever since he tried to ask her out, he's been sighing more than he has in his entire life.

"I need your help." The brunette crosses his arms on the lunch table. Jeongin looks up at him, his eyebrows raised. "That's crazy, huh?"

Seungmin rolls his eyes.

"She just doesn't like men." He says sulking.

"Maybe she just doesn't like you."

"Hardly. Anyway, how would I know what she likes?" Jeongin exchanges looks with Seungmin before saying. "I have an idea."

-

“Kim Seungmin wants to go out with Y/N?” Yunjin frowns in confusion, the duo in front of her sighing. "Kind of-"

"He wants to." Jeongin corrects. Yunjin and he weren't exactly friends, but they had a common class, which made them exchange some polite pleasantries. "He needs help because he doesn't seem to have a chance with her."

"It's not like I don't have-"

"What does she like?" Jeongin maintains the conversation with Yunjin, ignoring Seungmin's interruptions, making him scoff and cross his arms like a grumpy child. "Does she even like guys?" The oldest rolls his eyes.

"She likes handsome guys, she has a poster of Gong Yoo in her room." Yunjin explains with a giggle, remembering the times she frequented your room. Seungmin thinks about how much easier it would be to have to hang out with her and not you.

The blonde boy looks briefly at his friend with furrowed eyebrows, the older one raises an eyebrow at him. "You're not that bad." Jeongin tries to convince himself with a little smile. "Now you..."

"She doesn't like smokers, or loud or quarrelsome guys." The girl with blue hair starts to score while looking at Seungmin, looking more and more hopeless. "But if it makes you feel better, she thinks your smile is pretty."

"My smile?"

"His smile??"

Seungmin elbows Jeongin who complains audibly. "Yes, she said something like..." Yunjin searches her memory, trying to remember what you had said to her a few days ago.

-

"He won't leave me alone, he thinks I'm stupid for believing that it's not just another bet between him and Yeonjun." You flip through the page of the old fashion magazine you had for years now, sighing nervously as you vent to Yunjin.

"Maybe it's not a bet, why don't you just agree to go out with him and find out?" The younger girl seemed much more focused on filing her nails than actually talking. "He irritates me! Always showing that...damn. pretty. smile. He knows it's pretty and that's the most annoying thing." You closed the magazine irritably, lifting your head from the pillow as you used your hands aggressively to prove your point.

"He annoys you or turns you on?" Yunjin teases, finally looking at you. "It takes a lot more than a smile to turn me on, believe me. And he's a complete asshole, his bangs are ridiculous and he's not interesting at all." You turn your attention back to the magazine as you lay back on the bed.

-

"That's a begining." Jeongin always optimistic.

"My bangs aren't ridiculous!" Seungmin stands up irritably before being pulled down again by his friend.

"Okay, okay. We need to know what she likes. Books, music, hobbies.." The blonde takes his attention back to Yunjin, who was listening attentively.

"She likes feminist poetry." Seungmin rolls his eyes. "She loves music, she goes to the music store almost every day to play the piano, even though she never buy one." Yunjin smiles as she thinks about what her friend liked, probably the only person who really supports her.

"She bought tickets for Mitski too."

"And what the fuck is that exactly?" Seungmin closes his eyes. He hated the fact that a small bet was taking up so much of his days.

"Music for melancholy teenage girls with mommy issues." Jeongin responds, receiving a pout from Yunjin. "The show is this Saturday, maybe you show up and she ends up seeing you? It would make you more interesting in her eyes."

"No way, what would people think of me if they saw me there?" Seungmin leans his back against the bench while crossing his arms in front of him. "Do you want the gal or not?" the youngest raises an eyebrow at him.

-

Melancholic teenage girls, just like

Jeogin said. Seungmin felt watched as he entered the bar where the show was taking place, he looked both ways to make sure he didn't know anyone there.

You hummed and swayed your body from side to side with Yunjin very close to the stage, stopping to touch your friend's ear and shout so she could hear. "I'm going to get something to drink!"

She walked through the small huddled crowd at the front of the stage, muttering a few apologies to get closer to the bar. "a bloody marry, please!" You say, loud enough for the bartender to hear.

She downs the drink in one go, feeling the unusual burn in her throat as she swallows. "I didn't know you drank." The inconveniently familiar voice makes her roll her eyes.

"What are you doing here? Do you know Mitski?" She asks, now looking at him, noticing him there for the first time.

"And who doesn't?" He says, finishing his drink, before standing up and walking into the crowd. right, acting disinterested.

She follows him out of pure curiosity, she justifies herself . "And since when do you consume indie music?" She scoffs as she approaches him.

"Ah. that's my favorite one." Seungmin ignores her before humming the lyrics from 'Your best American girl'. She scoffs again, not believing it for a second.

"Are you high?"

"No, I stopped smoking, they say it's bad for your health, right?" He looks at her for the first time, or at least the first time she's noticed. "Oh, really..? good for you then." you speak awkwardly, running out of things to respond. He smiles to himself. Victory.

"And if I may say so, you're pretty when you are not wearing the same pair of jeans as always." Seungmin teases with that sideways smile again, now he knew she liked it.

"Hah, you think so?" She tries to mock him even though she feels a pang of embarrassment at the compliment. "You also look... acceptable, with your bangs swept back." He rolls his eyes at her attempt at a compliment.

"Thanks?" He jokes and she laughs, for the first time time looking genuine. Point for him.

"You know... You're not that uninteresting." He arches an eyebrow. "So will you go with me to the party tomorrow?" Seungmin wastes no time and she rolls her eyes.

"Party? What party?" She asks, showing no interest however. She was now missing a great song to be talking to him.

"Changbin, the rich producer who studied at our school." He smiles as he realizes he hasn't been rejected yet.

"This guy doesn't even study there anymore and he still invites that bunch of teenagers?" The girl asks rhetorically, he sighs.

"Do you always talk like a grandma?" He bites his lower lip. Was this a habit of his? Damn habit. "Most of the time."

He rolls his eyes, grabbing one of her hands to spin her to the beat of the music. Even though 'Nobody' didn't go with dancing. "You really need to learn how to socialize."

She feels something in her stomach that she hasn't felt in a long time. "I have to study."

"Then I'll pick you up at nine."

"You don't know where I live."

"I'll figure it out."

She rolls her eyes as he walks away, probably leaving after getting what he wants. You sigh before walking back closer to Yunjin.

-

"Why did I agree with this?" You mutter a little to yourself as you both enter the large house.

"Because I asked you to." Seungmin was right behind her as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She mocks his response before entering the much acclaimed 'party'.

He sees Yeonjun in the middle of some girls, his smile disappears as soon as he looks at the guy with his arm around her neck and Seungmin smiles victoriously. Yeonjun clenches his jaw, something about him being able to get close to you so easily made him... jealous? He scoffs before turning his attention back to Lia, or whatever the name of the girl in front of him was.

-

You really don't know how you ended up here.

On top of the main table swaying to the music of some pop singer you hate it, while a bunch of teenagers supported you to continue.

"She really came." Seungmin wakes up when he hears Jeongin's voice next to him, with a bag of potatoes in his hand as he watches the entire scene. He has deja vú.

The brunette sighs irritably before approaching the table. "Okay, okay the show is over, you're drunk." He tries hard to get you off the 'stage', with you complaining while you get down from the place. "You need some air." He raises his eyebrows in a lament, before dragging her to the porch of the house.

"I... I'm... great, I just need- one more drink..." She mumbles drunkenly as she reaches out to steal the drink from someone else, who quickly dodges her and walks away irritably.

"I would never imagine that someone like you would drink so much like this." Seungmin scoffs before placing her near the stone fences for support. "Isn't that what you guys do at parties?" She mutters with a few strands of hair stuck to her lip gloss, throwing all her weight on the marble piece right below her.

"There's hair in your mouth." The boy teases her before taking one of his hands to look for the strands stuck to her lips, his gaze focused on the movement. before he raises the focus to her eyes.

The party music seems to fade away as he stares into your eyes, his hand drops to your chin and he doesn't seem to want to break his gaze.

"I can see my reflection in your eyes." She says in a sigh, and he bites his bottom lip with a smile.

Seungmin gets closer to her face, and for half a second, he forgot about that bet. His attention too focused on her long eyelashes and then on her parted lips. He starts to close his eyes before being abruptly stopped when she pulls away from him and turns to the other side with a groan, letting everything she consumed at the party out.

The boy scratches the back of his head with a sigh, embarrassed by his own actions as he remembers seconds ago. "Come on, let's go home."

-

You can't remember the last time you laughed this much, it seemed like everything Seungmin said was funny.

"Wait a minute, you sing?" You ask in surprise.

"I've been singing since I was nine" He replies, focusing on driving.

"Show me." The girl says with bright eyes, still a little drunk.

"No."

"Come on! Show me, I want to hear it." She whimpers.

"I don't sing in front of people." Seungmin has a pout surprisingly cute on the face.

"Oh, are you shy?" Y/N quips with a giggle.

"I am." He laughs back, before stopping the car right in front of her house. "You're at home."

She looks out the window, seeing the place she grew up in, but at the moment it didn't seem like where she wanted to be. She turns to him again. "Thank you for inviting me, after all you're not that bad."

"This may have been the best compliment you've ever given me." He scoffs with a smile, one hand still resting on the steering wheel of the car and the other going to run through his bangs, he suddenly remembers that he was wearing his hair as usual. "Oh, I forgot to comb my bangs back today."

"It looks good like this." You respond faster than you intended. "You said it looked ridiculous." He laughs when he remembers, biting the lower lip.

"What? I never said that." raising an eyebrow in confusion, looking at him with a small smile.

"Right, you never said that." He quickly corrects himself, the two stare at each other in silence before bursting into laughter at the same time.

Everything felt right, laughing in the passenger seat right next to Seungmin, who was smiling just like you. Is this real?

Their laughter subsides as their eyes lock again, the previous tension returning as their gazes lock onto each other. You are the first to approach this time, leaving your face just inches from his as you close your eyes. He was going to do the same before a pang of guilt stopped him, and he sighs. Why can't I just be a selfish bastard like always? He thinks before pulling away and looking ahead of the road.

"It's late, you should come in." Seungmin murmurs in a sigh and you open your eyes, but he refuses to look at you. You scoff.

"You're unbelievable." She mocks before quickly taking off her belt, opening the car door and getting out without looking back, entering her house.

What was his problem?

-

"What have you done now?" Jeongin asks with a frown, the two of them sitting in the stands of the big football field while Seungmin asked the younger boy for advice. How ironic.

"Nothing, that's the problem." Seungmin sighs, looking at the field only to see you playing along with the rest of the team. "She was drunk, I didn't want to.." He can't finish his sentence.

"When did you become so moralistic?" Jeongin scoffs. "You know what? I don't know!" the brunette takes hands to his face, frustrated.

"Look, whatever happened, go out there and apologize." The blonde crosses his arms while rolling his eyes. "Why are you assuming I'm the one who fucked up?"

"And it wasn't?" Seungmin doesn't respond. Jeongin sighs. "Wait a day for her to calm down and then put your ego aside and humble yourself for forgiveness." The brunette makes a face at him before looking at the field. to see her again.

You were furious, and everyone in that camp had already noticed. Dribbling an adversary and knocking down another as if she were playing rugby, kicking the ball into the goal with so much force that the goalkeeper didn't even try to catch it, ducking to save his life.

"Two days, I will wait two days." Seungmin says as he stared at the entire scene in horror.

"Yeah, that's better." The blonde does the same. "By the way, I'm dating Yunjin now" Jeongin smiles proudly, his eyes closing in the process.

"Huh? since when?" Seungmin brings his attention back to the shorter one.

"Since the party, we kissed and now we're going out ." He explains with his nose in the air.

"Where did you kiss?"

"In the car, after I dropped her off at home."

....

A sigh.

"Okay I guess I have class now." Seungmin doesn't wait for a response before walking off the field, leaving a confused and offended Jeongin.

-

Seungmin would definitely regret this.

Bribing the people at the radio club wasn't that difficult. A few grams of the most popular weed of the moment was enough for him to have his ten minutes of fame. The band was the hardest part, but luckily he had a close friend, Han Jisung, who coincidentally was captain of the orchestra.

Done.

You were training on the football field like every wednesday, when you hear the loud speakers echoing. Weird. Is the school on fire?

"Uriga nanun...

Gin siganmankeum neureonan gidaeneun"

A song..? A strangely familiar male voice. You and the rest of the team stop to pay attention.

"Eojjeomyeon dang-yeonhaljido molla.."

Try again. It was a beautiful song, yes, but why out of nowhere?

"Sumaneun oechimdo"

She looks around as do the rest of the people in the field.

"Seoroui mamen dachi motan chae"

...

"Geureoke heulleogagido haetjiman."

Your gaze finally meets his, sitting at the very top of the stands, he is surprisingly looking straight at you. You bite your lip to contain your smile. "Unbelievable..."

"So whenever you ask me again how I feel..."

The school orchestra plays it when the chorus starts, you look around, it was hard to believe. Am I in a romantic comedy?

"Please remember my answer is you."

You smile at him and he smiles back as he sings the words. His voice was so beautiful. You knew good singers, but this was different. She felt like he was singing for her.

"Meon gireul dasi doraganda haedo"

He looks away from her only to see Lady Shin, better known as Miss Principal, walking towards him.

"Nan yeojeonhi gateun mamil tenikka."

Seungmin continues singing until the older woman approaches him.

"We'll be alright, I want to try again."

He takes a final bow before following the nervous lady inside the school, managing to hear the applause of everyone watching.

Seungmin looks away from the director who was scolding him, as usual, looking at you again, with a sideways smile as he waved softly at her. You smile with a nod, still in disbelief. You wanted to be mad at him, you wanted to think it was just a challenge from him and Yeonjun and then ignore him completely. But Kim Seungmin was trying hard to get into her heart.

He will be the death of you.

"Miss Y/N, What are you doing here?" The voice of the detention teacher awakens Seungmin from the moon world. The boy quickly looks towards the door, to see you standing there with a half smile.

"Detention, sir. Arguing with a teacher." She explains herself without any remorse. He bites his lower lip to contain the smile. You definitely did it on purpose.

"Sure, sit down." The teacher says, and she does so when she finds a place next to him.

"You're a good singer." Another point for him.

"So I'm forgiven?" Seungmin supports his chin with one hand and smiles softly.

"Yeah, I guess so." She responds without looking at him, opening one of her books to appear uninterested. He smiles.

-

"Let's go to karaoke." Seungmin follows you down the halls to your locker. He's been getting more clingy. Sitting with you at lunch and unconsciously kicking Yunjin out, walking you home, 'helping' you with your homework in the library, but really just staring at you while you write.

Seungmin told himself that he was just trying hard for the bet, but the blunt truth is that he didn't even remember that anymore. He's gotten used to smoking just one cigarette before bed, and waking up early to take a shower to make sure you don't smell the smoke. He read more books than he had ever read in his entire life and to be honest, Mitski's music wasn't that bad. Jeongin makes fun of him, knowing his friend well enough to know that this wasn't all to prove his masculinity to Yeonjun. The fact is that he likes you.

"I can't sing." You laugh at him, trying your best to shove all of your notebooks inside the small school locker. "Well, I know." He scoffs back, that smile never leaving his lips as he leans his head against the locker next to you.

"Have you lost your shyness?" You finally closes it and leans against the door, looking directly at him now.

"I think serenading you in front of half the school helped me with that." He scoffs, his voice a few tones lower than normal, his gaze never leaving yours before he reaches up to tuck a strand of your hair behind your ear.

"Let's go to karaoke then." You try changing his attention out of pure embarrassment, feeling your cheeks burn as you turn away from the metal lockers, walking to your next class. "But don't make fun of me."

"I can't promise that."

"Your task is to redo this little Shakespeare poem. You have until class before the ball to do it." Old Professor Jin says with a yawn.

Right. The bail.

Suddenly Seungmin remember your initial purpose. He sighs. He obviously wanted to take you to the prom, but not because of the bet, no, he wanted to take you because he wanted to have you around, he didn't want anyone else, he wanted you.

The boy looks at her only to see her absently playing with a colored pen, for the first time you seemed disconnected from the class. What were you thinking? He smiles foolishly.

-

Singing wasn't your strong point, you loved music, but you preferred to stick to instruments. She was certainly leaving her comfort zone when she agreed to go to karaoke with Seungmin.

After the second song, where Seungmin made her sure he wouldn't make fun of her for her voice, she feels at ease. The two sang together, Seungmin introducing his voice whenever he felt it was necessary. - whenever she would go out of tune -, and she was grateful for that. Something about her laughing and him talking nonsense in between lyrics made her feel at home, almost like she'd known him for years. How long have they been talking? a month? maybe a month and a half? She's not sure. But it already felt like an eternity.

"Only? Do you want to tell me something or.." Seungmin makes fun of her song choice, she just laughs in return. "It's a beautiful song." You respond and he nods.

"Be my only one"

You sing, Seungmin doesn’t interrupt. He looks at her with puppy eyes as he watched her mouth move to the melody of the song, he wasn't really listening, too distracted by whatever it was right now. Her eyes shine as she reads the lyrics on the monitor, the light from the TV illuminating her entire body. Every detail of her face being analyzed by him. Her big eyelashes, her hair that fell a little on her face and her full lips that moved as the song went by. Ah, those lips. He then remembers when he was so close to them that he could feel their breath caress his face.

"Now I believe"

Y/N turns her gaze to him when she notices him being very silent. Right. The karaoke.

"A song called la la la la"

Seungmin sings with her, his voice drawn out by the small laugh he let out when he remembered that the song existed.

"You who searched and searched and wandered"

The monitor was forgotten as He looked into your eyes, you tried your best to remember the lyrics that always played on the radio when you drove back home.

"My, oh my, oh my, oh, my love"

The feeling of everything being blurry returns when the two maintain eye contact, she watching her reflection in Seungmin's eyes and he trying hard not to kiss her at that moment. How did she end up here? With the kind of guy she hated, in a 12 square meter room, singing, looking into his eyes with the greatest sexual tension she'd ever felt.

"Be my only love"

He gives up, As soon as the last words of the chorus come out of both of them, he approaches completely, their lips colliding. That feeling in your stomach again. It's like fireworks when Seungmin brings a hand to her cheek, letting go of the microphone to rest his hand on the bench right behind you. This looks like a scene from a romance book. She thinks. He almost faints when the kiss stops for a second and she parts her lips to give way to his tongue, which he doesn't take long to accept. His hands go to her waist as he deepens the kiss, her back rests against the wall when Seungmin leans even closer, as if he wasn't already close enough.

He pulls away to catch his breath, both of them breathing heavily as he rests his forehead against hers, sighing. "Go to the prom with me."

"I'm not really into that kind of stuff."

"But you're into me though." He teases, and she laughs before capturing his lips again.

He needed to talk to Yeonjun.

-

With a lame excuse he loses you and goes to the back of the school, not taking long to find Yeonjun and the rest of his 'friends'. "We need to talk."

"What's up Seungmin! How long friend, you've been kind of busy recently." Yeonjun takes the cigarette out of his mouth to greet the brunette, wrapping an arm around his neck as he pulls him closer to the circle. The redhead offers him a cigarette, Seungmin sighs irritated, picking up the rolled-up piece of paper with his hand, only to throw it on the floor.

"I give up." He says just like that, Yeonjun looks at him confused. "The damn bet, I give up, I'm not going to do that, you win." Seungmin looks deeply into his eyes as he says this, Yeonjun scoffs.

"You've got to be joking, are you serious, Minnie?" The redhead uses the old nickname on purpose, making Seungmin even more uncomfortable. "I thought you were better than this, you can't take a girl to the dance?" Yeonjun laughs dryly. He clenches his jaw.

"I don't care what you think, I just want to make it clear that it's over. I'm not going to be a part of this anymore." Seungmin says firmly, Yeonjun's smile disappears.

"What's your problem Seungmin? Have you gotten into her pants already? Have you had enough?" Seungmin turns to leave, not wanting to hear all that bullshit. “I bet you had fun, Y/N is good in everything she does. When I found out that she played the piano I finally understood why those little hands were so skilled-"

Yeonjun's voice is interrupted when Seungmin drops a closed fist on his cheekbone. That would definitely leave a mark. The redhead has little time to react before Seungmin pushes him and he hits his back on the ground. All Yeonjun can feel are the punches of the youngest in his face.

The fight doesn't last long when the two's friends run to separate them, now a group of other students are already surrounding them when Seungmin hears director Shin's familiar voice. Shit.

He doesn't think straight as he follows her out of the circle of students, nervously trying to brush his bangs out of his face. Seungmin couldn't hear anything, and his vision was blurry too. What was Yeonjun's problem? Was he just messing with him? Did he really already have...? That didn't make sense. No, it didn't feel right. You would never be with someone like that. Someone who smokes, fights, screams, hates rules, someone who makes stupid bets. Someone like Yeonjun. Someone like Seungmin.

Oh.

His thought is interrupted when he feels the burning of a gaze penetrating him, beyond of all the others, he felt this one up close. He lifts his head to see you staring at him, near the alley where Yeonjun and his friends were. Did she hear that? Her look was answer enough. Lips swollen from her teeth biting them anxiously, red nose and wet eyes. She heard that.

Seungmin is used to fucking everything up.

But this time he really regretted it.

-

"Some brave to read your poem in front of the class?"

Seungmin was done. part of it was because he knew he fucked up with everything, and the other part was because you were avoiding him. Missing all the classes you had together. You never missed classes. He tried his best to forget, tried to convince himself that 'It was just a girl', but he couldn't. No, not even if he wanted to. And he didn't want to.

With the head resting on his arms and his body leaning on the table he looked absently out the window, wondering where you were. He had done his homework for the first time. But you weren't there to hear it.

-

22:30, That time reminded you of him. Damn.

All the other students were probably having fun, dancing and getting drunk in a room full of fancy dresses and music. But you were in your room, alone.

You scribbled randomly in your notebook as you did your best to relax, 'Reflections' played on your small radio on the corner of the table. This song reminded you of him. Damn. You sigh audibly, throwing your pen somewhere on the desk as you kicked the wall in front of you to move away from the table, letting your head fall to your side and look at the ceiling.

You have condemned yourself for falling for it again. Yeonjun was an asshole, and you learned that the worst way.

first year, you weren't you yet. Little girl who wanted most was to fit in.

And then he appeared. Knight in armor, handsome, charming, with dyed hair and a pretty smile. Yeonjun was your prince. Or that's what you thought. Two months of dating was what it took for him to get what he wanted. After using all his charm he completely seduced you, behind his luxurious convertible. He had you at his mercy.

He didn't force you, no, you did it on your own, after all, everyone was doing it, right? then a week later when he was flirting with Chaewon like you were nothing, it made your heart break into a thousand pieces. Days later you found out about the gambling addiction between Yeonjun and his friends.

You promised never to fall into the clutches of stupid teenagers again.

You sighed, closing your eyes to block out the light from the chandelier in your room, taking deep breaths to calm yourself.

Tic

Weird

Tic

...

Tic

What the hell is that? You open your eyes and look around the room before see a rock hitting the window glass. Very weird. You take cautious steps to the window, opening one of the doors before a rock flies over your head, landing somewhere in the room.

"Sorry!" Kim Seungmin. Exactly the person you wanted to see. You scoff, turning to go back to your bed. "Wait!"

You ignore it, laying down on your bed and looking at the ceiling again.

Seungmin looks up, seeing you disappear into the room, he sighs, ready to give up when he notices that you didn't close the window.

"I'm not sure if you can hear me, but- uhm... I did my homework, ahmm.." He sighs, opening the crumpled piece of paper he's tucked away in his big leather jacket. He clears his throat.

"I love how you talk to me

And how your hair is always blocking your eyes

I love how you sing out of tune

And I love your stubbornness"

He smiles to himself as he reads.

"I love your worn pair of jeans

And I love how you can read my mind.

I love this about you so much

That I even feel sick

I love how you ignore red traffic lights

And I love it when you're brutally honest."

He laughs to himself, unconsciously reaching to brush off his bangs of the eyes.

"I love when you make me smile

And even more when you look into my eyes

I love how you hum when you're distracted

And the fact that you love weird music"

He swallows hard, sucking in some air as he reads his own previously written words. He moistens his lips before continuing.

"But I especially love

how you make me feel loved

Even though I'm everything you hate

And for that, and more

...

I love you."

He still looks at the paper when he bites his bottom lip. Seungmin looks up to see the window, only to notice that you weren’t there yet. He sighs, crumpling up the paper and stuffing it back into his pocket. "I really meant it." He concludes, turning to head back to the car.

Seungmin didn't want to lose you, but he would learn to deal with it. He would try hard to forget everything he spent with you, the show, the party, the football field, the library, the car, the karaoke. Everything. And as his last act of love, he would leave you alone.

Three steps, maybe four, is all he can walk before he feels a weight on his back, staggering him and almost falling to the ground. You snaked your arms around his slim waist, as you buried your face in his back, sniffling. "Stupid....Stupid- I...I hate you." She whimpers, her voice muffled by the fabric. He sighs with relief.

Seungmin turns to hug you from the front, resting his chin on the top of your head as he closes his eyes. "I love you too, baby." He whispers, and you feel those damn butterflies. "I'm really sorry."

"You better be!" She cries, hitting his chest as she pulls her face away from his now wet shirt, looking at him. He brings both hands to her face to wipe away her tears. She sobs.

"You know, I really intended to take you to the prom, I mean- because I wanted to, not because.. you know-" You cut him off when you crash your lips onto his abruptly, shutting him up. It takes a second for him to hug you again, gently taking one hand to your face and the other to your waist. The kiss was wet, a mess, but he couldn't be happier. He smiles, and the bail is forgotten.

"I hate myself for not being able to hate you."

"And I love you."

End.

[iamquiantrelle]

PLAYING FOR KEEPS (chapter 3)──────iamquaintrelle

⌗ pairing : jules koundé x black oc

⌗ tags : @irishmanwhore @lettersofgold @deonn-jaelle @sucredreamer @greedyjudge2 @f1-football-fiend @2serenity0 @peyiswriting @coffeevacation @sunfairyy @muglermami @bbgkoo @127hydrangeas @enretrogue @cranberryjulce @julescpu @kj77 @hopefulromantic1

⌗ summary : jules is focused on himself — no girlfriend, no drama — but now he seems to have both after pictures of him having fun at a friend's house party shows up in tabloids, and now fashion houses are calling for him? and his agent wants him to keep up this charade? ♡ masterlist. (✨💕)

The Louis Vuitton store at Galeries Lafayette felt different after Barcelona. Mila adjusted her outfit - a reconstructed piece from the latest collection that she'd modified into something actually wearable, turning the denim monogram print jacket into a crop with strategic cutouts and pairing it with the matching denim pants. Let the brand try to complain now that she was trending.

The weekend had been surreal. Jules was different behind closed doors - quieter, funnier, weirdly good at card games. They'd fallen into an easy rhythm of morning workouts and late-night conversations. Their "couple content" had been effortless - coffee runs, lunches, and one particularly viral video of them arguing about his sneaker collection that had their comments flooded with heart eyes.

Less than a day back in Paris and the gossip blogs were wild. The "blind items" about her were getting ridiculous - she was a secret heiress, an undercover model, a plant from a rival team to distract Jules before his big match this weekend. Everyone was speculating if she'd show up to support him. His ex was still watching every single story despite unfollowing her, which was giving obsessed ex-girlfriend energy. Even Jules had noticed.

The ex situation was getting weirder by the hour, however. Not only was she watching stories, but her friends were now popping up in Mila's DMs trying to be subtle about fishing for information. Some fashion blogs had done a whole comparison post of their styles, trying to find similarities in what Jules was "attracted" to. The internet really had too much time on their hands.

"they're saying you're an heiress now?" his text lit up her phone.

"apparently I'm rich and mysterious," she replied. "try to keep up with your fake girlfriend's backstory."

Jules (Da Boo): guess that explains the expensive taste.

LV’s Meanest Stylist: please, you like that I'm high maintenance.

"Mila, your one o'clock is here," her coworker called out.

She looked up to find Levi Colwill already reaching for the monogram duffle that every footballer seemed to own. Even Jules had one, though she'd bullied him into the limited edition version. Levi was exactly what you'd expect from a young defender - tall, built like a Greek god, designer sweatsuit. His style was still in that new-money footballer phase, like he was buying everything with a visible logo just because he could.

"Is it true you're dating Koundé?"

"That's what the internet says." She moved to help him, already pulling better options. These boys were too predictable.

"Jules' girl, huh?" He was examining a wallet now. "Man's been different lately. Actually smiling at training."

"Are you here to shop or gossip?" She texted Jules while Levi glanced at various pieces: "your boy Colwill is fishing for tea."

"Both, actually," he said, his hands landing back to that Godforsaken duffle.

Jules replied instantly: "tell him to focus on his own love life."

"Not falling for it," she told Levi, who was definitely trying to get more details. "But you are falling for that basic duffle, which is honestly worse."

Her phone buzzed again. Jules: "he's probably gonna pull game on you 😂"

LV’s Meanest Stylist: oh? interesting. and look who’s texting me a lot. missing me already?

Jules (Da Boo): whatever. 🙄 i’m just making sure you hadn't exposed my skincare routine to your followers.

Levi pulled on a jacket that actually worked. "So about Jules..."

"So about this jacket," she countered, adjusting the sleeve. "Much better than that duffle you were eyeing. Unless you want to twin with every other footballer in Paris?"

"Including Jules?"

"You're really committed to this gossip mission, huh?" She pulled out a few more pieces for him to try on. "Did your teammates send you to investigate?"

"Maybe." Levi grinned, caught out. "They've got a betting pool going about whether you'll show up to his match this weekend."

Another text from Jules: "please tell me you didn't let him buy that basic duffle."

"give me some credit," she typed back. "already got him into the new collection. Chelsea boys are nosy af btw."

"What's the betting pool up to?" she asked Levi, who was now actually paying attention to the pieces she'd selected.

"Enough to make it worth telling me if you're coming to the match."

"Nice try." She started ringing up his purchases - none of which included that tragic duffle. "But I don't leak information to the opposition."

Her phone lit up again.

Jules (Da Boo): "they're really out here trying to spy on my love life through luxury shopping."

LV’s Meanest Stylist: don't worry babe, your secrets are safe with your fake girlfriend 😘

*******************************************

Lunch had been a sad salad affair while catching up on a week's worth of client emails. Her coworkers kept "casually" dropping by her station, fishing for details about Barcelona. The store's security had to turn away three different paparazzi trying to get shots of "Jules Koundé's girlfriend at work."

"Mila. Office. Now."

Her manager, Philippe, was wearing his serious face - the one he usually saved for customers who tried to return obviously fake bags. She followed him in, already counting the sales numbers in her head from the past week.

He stared at her reconstructed jacket first, mouth twitching like he wanted to start there. But apparently bigger issues were on his mind.

"Corporate called about your situation with Koundé."

"Is there a problem?"

"They're thrilled actually." He sounded like this physically pained him. "Sales are up. Social media engagement is through the roof."

"That's good, right?"

"It's..." he shuffled some papers on his desk, "unexpected. But I need you to remember this is still Louis Vuitton. We have standards to maintain."

Mila bit back a smile. "Of course."

"Just because corporate is excited about your... personal life going viral—"

"Our numbers have doubled since last week."

"Still." He straightened his tie. "Try to keep some separation between work and your... relationship."

She thought about the five influencers yesterday who'd bought everything she'd worn in stories with Jules. About the waitlist growing for pieces she'd reconstructed. "Absolutely. Totally separate."

The Metro was packed on her way home to the 11th. Her head stylist salary meant she could afford a decent spot near Bastille, even if it came with a third-floor walk-up. Two people definitely recognized her - she caught them trying to sneak photos.

Another buzz of her phone - a text from Jules: "eaten yet?"

LV’s Meanest Stylist: had a little something, but i had a fun meeting with philippe today.

Jules (Da Boo): your manager still mad about the sales boost?

LV’s Meanest Stylist: more like mad that corporate loves it. he had to pretend to be happy while telling me to keep things professional.

Jules (Da Boo): he’s a big hater 😆

She started the climb up to her apartment, cursing Paris's hatred of elevators. At least her place was still normal. Small, full of fabric scraps and design sketches, absolutely nothing like Jules' minimalist palace in Barcelona. The couch was covered in reconstructed pieces she'd been working on before this whole fake dating circus started.

Now, sprawled on her couch in leggings and an oversized t-shirt, Mila scrolled through an endless stream of notifications. Her tiny apartment was her sanctuary - the view wasn't much, just a typical Parisian courtyard, but it was still decent.

Her phone rung with a FaceTime request from Jules.

He was stretched out on his couch too, locs falling perfectly around his face like he was in some kind of high fashion editorial. The golden hour light in Barcelona hitting all his facial features just right.

"You look comfortable," he said, taking in her current state.

"You look like you're posing for Vogue." She propped her phone against a pile of sketches. "Bruno's influence?"

"Please. This is natural talent." He shifted, and she caught glimpse of his own off-duty fit - simple white tank that showed off exactly why footballers could charge so much for sponsored posts. "Bruno's been blowing up my phone about the Young Boys match."

"Here we go."

"The whole internet's speculating if you'll be there."

"The whole internet still needs to mind their business."

"It's an easy game," he pressed. "Perfect timing too, right after the gala."

"Watching you play against Swiss teams wasn't part of the deal."

"No, but making our fake relationship look real was." His smile was unfair through the phone screen. "What's more real than supporting your man at work?"

"My man?" She raised an eyebrow. "Getting extremely comfortable with the role, aren't you?"

"Method acting. Very serious about my craft." He sat up slightly, tank shifting in ways she refused to notice. "Come on. I'll even let you roast my warm-up kit."

"Let me? Like you could stop me." But she was smiling now. "I'll think about it."

"That's not a no."

"It's not a yes either." Mila shifted through her sketches. "Some of us have actual work to do, unlike certain footballers who just kick balls for a living."

"Says the girl who spends her day telling rich people their bags are fake."

"Someone has to maintain standards." She held up a sketch to the camera. "Like these gala fits I'm working on. Your usual style choices can't be trusted for our first official appearance."

"My style choices brought you into my life, didn't they?"

"Your tragic style choices gave me content for my blog." But she was grinning. "Now they're giving me gray hairs."

Jules adjusted his position. "The internet thinks you're my personal stylist now."

"The internet thinks I'm everything from an heiress to a spy." She started pinning fabric samples to her sketches. "Your ex's friends are still in my DMs by the way."

"Still?"

"Mhmm. Very interested in our weekend activities." She glanced at him through the screen. "Your ex must be devastated that you upgraded."

"Upgraded to someone who bullies me about my shoes?"

"Upgraded to someone who saves you from yourself." She paused. "Also your ex's style is basic. All Gucci everything? In 2024?"

Jules laughed, the sound doing things to her stomach. "You really have opinions about everyone's fashion choices."

"Only the bad ones." She switched cameras to show him her work table. "These are coming together though. The gala won't know what hit them."

"Bruno's going to have opinions."

"Bruno's going to deal with it. I'm not showing up in straight-off-the-rack anything." She flipped the camera back. "Plus, you like when I reconstruct pieces."

"I like when you're not roasting me."

"Lies. You live for my commentary." She caught his smile through the screen. "Your teammates confirmed it."

"My teammates need to mind their business too." He ran a hand through his locs. "Though if you came to the match, you could tell them yourself."

"Smooth transition back to that topic."

"I'm persistent." His eyes caught hers through the screen. "Come watch me play. I'll score for you."

"Bold promise for someone who plays defense."

"You've been studying football?"

"I've been studying you." The words slipped out before she could catch them.

The silence held for a beat too long, charged with something neither of them was ready to name.

"More market research for your role?" His voice was lower now.

"Method acting. Very serious about my craft." She threw his words back at him.

Another silence, heavy with possibilities they weren't supposed to be considering.

"Your ex is really getting on my nerves though," she said finally, breaking whatever moment was building.

"You're obsessed with my ex."

"Your ex is obsessed with me. I'm just taking notes." She shifted some fabric around. "Did she always watch this many stories?"

"Never dated anyone who posted enough to find out."

"So I'm special?"

"You're something." His smile was soft now. Different from his Instagram version.

Mila's phone buzzed with another notification. Probably Bruno with more gala details. Or another gossip blog with theories about their relationship. Or Philippe with more concerns about professionalism.

"You should sleep," she said, noting the darkening sky in Barcelona. "Early training tomorrow."

"You should say yes to the match."

"You should stop pushing your luck."

"Never." He adjusted his position again, all casual grace. "Think about it though? For real?"

"Go to sleep, Jules."

"That's still not a no."

She ended the call before he could see her smile. Her phone immediately lit up with a text from him: "sweet dreams, fake girlfriend 😘"

"don't make me block you," she sent back.

"you'd miss my tragic style choices."

She looked at her sketches for their gala outfits, then at the pile of notifications about the upcoming match. This fake relationship was getting dangerously comfortable.

Her phone buzzed one more time: "also I'm wearing those Balenciagas you hate tomorrow just to spite you"

Maybe comfortable wasn't the right word.

Mila ignored how her cheeks hurt from smiling too much. Her phone kept lighting up with his texts, each one more deliberately annoying than the last. She'd created a monster with all this fashion commentary.

The Barcelona charity gala proved exactly why she was right about their outfits. Her reconstructed LV pieces turned heads the moment they walked in - Jules in a sleek black suit with monogram details that only showed when he moved, her in a dress that made Vogue write a whole article about "the future of luxury reconstruction." The venue was stunning, all high ceilings and modern art, filled with football royalty trying their best at black tie fashion.

Bruno nearly had an aneurysm when they first arrived, but even he had to admit they'd stolen the show. Jules kept his hand on her lower back all night, leaning in to whisper commentary about his teammates' attempts at formal wear. They played their roles perfectly - the fashion-forward power couple, the defender and his brutally honest stylist. Every fashion house in attendance had someone slip her a business card. By the end of the night, no one remembered it was supposed to be fake.

Which is probably how she ended up here the very next day, at the Camp Nou, wearing a vintage Barcelona jersey Jules had "casually" sent her along with a limited edition LV bag she definitely wasn't supposed to have access to yet. She'd paired it with an LV skort and burgundy leather trench, because if she had to do team colors, she'd do them her way. The bag was just gilding the lily, but it worked. Of course it worked.

The stadium was massive, nothing like watching matches on TV. Her seat was in the VIP section, surrounded by other WAGs who definitely hadn't expected Louis Vuitton's meanest stylist to show up in team merch and thigh-high boots. But Jules had texted her that morning: "wear the jersey. it'll drive everyone crazy."

He wasn't wrong.

The WAG section was full of whispers and not-so-subtle photos of her outfit. Jules hadn't seen her yet - they were warming up on the pitch, all focus and match-day energy.

The match kicked off and suddenly Mila understood why people lost their minds over this sport. On TV, she could barely track Jules. Here, she couldn't take her eyes off him. The way he read the game, anticipated plays, and moved with precision reminded her of the careful way she arranged his closet after reorganizing it.

Young Boys scored first - some lucky break that had the crowd holding its breath. But then Barcelona's attack kicked in, and suddenly it was raining goals. 5-2 didn't even tell the whole story. Jules had been everywhere, breaking up plays, starting counterattacks.

"Your boy's having a game," some WAG next to her said after Jules made a particularly clean tackle. Mila just smiled, and then noticed that his socks were slightly different lengths.

The final whistle brought chaos - good chaos, victory chaos. The kind that had everyone in the VIP section heading for the family area, designer bags swinging. Mila followed the crowd, her new LV bag probably the only one that wasn't actually out yet.

She spotted him before he saw her. Fresh from the showers, locs still damp, wearing the team's post-match tracksuit that somehow didn't look tragic on him. He was talking to someone with a camera - probably post-match interviews.

Then he caught sight of her.

The way his face lit up wasn't for the cameras. Neither was the way he broke off mid-sentence to walk toward her, but the way he pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her cheek? That was definitely for show.

Except his lips lingered a beat too long, and his hand on her waist felt a little too natural, and maybe some of this wasn't entirely for the cameras anymore.

"You came," he murmured against her ear.

"You bribed me with unreleased merchandise." She kept her smile camera-ready. "Very unethical of you."

"Says the girl wearing my jersey."

"Your vintage jersey. There's a difference."

His laugh was genuine, even if their pose was practiced. Cameras clicked around them, probably catching what looked like an intimate moment between Barcelona's star defender and his fashion-forward girlfriend.

"The socks were uneven," she told him, just to maintain their dynamic.

"You actually watched my feet?"

"Of course I did."

He pulled back just enough to look at her, that smile that wasn't for Instagram making her stomach do things it definitely shouldn't. "Dinner? Team's celebrating but we could—"

"Go with your team." She adjusted his hoodie, knowing the cameras would eat it up. "I have an early flight anyway."

"Stay." His voice was low, just for her. "I'll make it worth your while."

"Another bag?"

"Better." His grin was dangerous. "I'll let you plan my outfits for the week."

She laughed despite herself. "Tempting, but I have a job to get back to."

More players were filing into the family area now, some with kids, others with WAGs who definitely noticed Mila's not-yet-released bag. Jules kept his hand on her waist, thumb tracing small circles that the cameras couldn't see.

"You're coming to the next one, right?" he asked as they posed for another photo.

"Don't push your luck."

But they both knew she would. Just like they both knew this was slowly starting to feel less and less fake with every camera flash, every casual touch, every smile that wasn't quite acting anymore.

"Your car's here," he said, checking his phone. "I had Bruno arrange it."

"Always taking care of your fake girlfriend."

"Only the best for Louis Vuitton's meanest stylist."

She reached up to fix his hair, a gesture that looked intimate to observers but was really just her being annoyed at how it was falling. "Go celebrate with your team. Try not to let them dress you for the club."

"You could come make sure they don't."

"Goodnight, Jules."

His kiss on her cheek this time wasn't for the cameras at all. "Text me when you land?"

She waved him off, already planning what she'd say about his uneven socks in their next FaceTime call. The cameras followed her exit, catching what probably looked like a perfect football couple moment.

Her phone buzzed before she even reached the car: "the socks were uneven on purpose. knew you'd notice."

She smiled despite herself. This fake relationship was slowly getting dangerous.

****************************

Mila's post from the match had over 100K likes by the time she got to work the next morning. The comments were a mess: "THE WAY HE LOOKS AT HER 😭" "notice how she styled the jersey tho? queen behavior" "that bag isn't even out yet omg the power" "they're actually perfect???"

Jules hadn't helped, reposting her story at the stadium with "merci d'être venue, chérie 🖤❤️" Like he hadn't basically bribed her with that unreleased bag. His teammates had jumped in too, commenting about how he couldn't stop smiling at training.

"Your match photos are trending," Philippe said instead of good morning. "Corporate wants to discuss your social media strategy."

"Corporate loves my social media strategy." She hung her trench on her office door. "The waiting list for my section is three months long now."

Her phone buzzed - Jules had posted a picture from the gala. She looked good, obviously, but it was the way he was looking at her in the photo that had her mentions exploding. The internet was having a field day analyzing their "couple style."

Another text from Jules: "bruno says we're doing too well. wants us to have a public fight to seem more realistic."

LV's Meanest Stylist: your sock choices are horrible.

Jules (Da Boo): that's not the kind of fight he meant

She bit back a smile. Her coworkers were already too invested in their "relationship" - no need to feed the gossip by grinning at her phone all day.

The store was chaos. After her appearance at the Barcelona match, suddenly everyone wanted Mila's opinion on everything. Three influencers tried to book private shopping sessions. Two footballers' wives came in specifically asking for "something like what Jules' girlfriend wears."

"Miss Lawrence, your two o'clock is here," her assistant called out. She'd never had an assistant before the McDonald's photo and now apparently she was hired a couple days ago.

Jules texted between her appointments: "training done. thinking about that kiss" LV's Meanest Stylist: it was on the cheek Jules (Da Boo): still thinking about it

She didn't have time to analyze that. A Saudi princess wanted her entire collection reconstructed. Two fashion houses had left messages about collaboration opportunities. Her phone wouldn't stop buzzing with notifications about her latest photos with Jules.

"hungry? we can facetime..." his text came through around four.

LV's Meanest Stylist: too busy. some of us work for a living. Jules (Da Boo): kicking balls is work 😤 LV's Meanest Stylist: sure it is, babe.

By closing, she was dead on her feet. The rain had started, turning Paris into a blur of lights and wet streets. She dug her umbrella out of her bag, checking her notifications one last time before heading towards the Metro.

That's when she saw it. A DM notification from Siobhan. Jules' ex.

What the fuck is this?

The Metro was packed with the usual post-work crowd, everyone dripping from the rain. Mila tapped her card at the turnstile, eyes fixed on her screen. After two weeks of watching her stories, viewing her posts, having her friends fish for information, Siobhan had finally made a direct move.

The message sat there, deceptively casual: "We should talk. Girl to girl."

Mila's thumb hovered over it as she descended to the platform. She'd seen enough photos of Siobhan to get why people made the comparisons - they had similar features, both brown-skinned beauties with good style, though Siobhan's aesthetic leaned more luxury influencer than fashion critic. The kind of girl who watched her ex's new girlfriend's every move.

Like the fucking weirdo she was...

Her phone buzzed with a text from Jules: "you've gone quiet. tired from all that actual work? 😏"

The unread DM from Siobhan sat there like a challenge. There were a hundred ways this could go wrong. A hundred reasons to ignore it. But Mila hadn't gotten where she was by playing it safe.

She clicked on the message, marking it as read. Time to see what Jules' ex really wanted.

Mila leaned against a pillar on the platform, watching her train's arrival time tick down. No point rushing to respond. Let Jules' ex sit with that read receipt for a minute.

Three dots appeared. Another message: "I know you saw this."

"did you need something?" Mila typed back, channeling her best 'dealing with difficult customers' energy.

@/siobhan_rchm: Just wanted to chat about Jules. Girl to girl.

"Mm." Mila grumbled, watching the dots appear and disappear for a beat before responding. "about what specifically? his uneven socks at the match? the way he organizes his sneakers? his skincare routine?"

A pause. Then: "You think you're cute."

"i know i am. was there something else?"

The train rumbled into the station. Mila stepped on, finding a spot to stand near the door. Her phone buzzed again.

@/siobhan_rchm: Just wanted to warn you about him.

"warn me that he has terrible taste in exes? already figured that out."

More angry dots. Mila smiled to herself. She could do this all day.

@/siobhan_rchm: You don't know him like I do."

"you're right. I actually let him dress himself occasionally."

The train lurched between stations. Siobhan was typing again.

@/siobhan_rchm: He's not as perfect as you think.

"never said he was perfect. his sock choices prove that."

@/siobhan_rchm: I'm trying to be serious.

"and I'm trying to commute. is there a point to this?"

Three dots. Delete. Three dots again. Mila switched to her chat with Jules: "your ex is sliding into my DMs"

His response was instant: "siobhan??"

"unless you have another ex I should know about?"

Back to Siobhan's message: "You think this is all a game but he'll do the same thing to you. Get bored. Move on."

"like posting thirst traps and watching my stories obsessively? that kind of bored?"

@/siobhan_rchm: You don't know what you're talking about.

"and you don't know when to move on. sad either way."

@/siobhan_rchm: Just remember I warned you. When he—"

Mila hit the block button before reading the rest. Some entertainment wasn't worth the effort.

Jules (Da Boo): what's she saying?

LV's Meanest Stylist: nothing worth repeating. your taste before me was questionable.

Jules (Da Boo): says the girl who dragged my sock choices at the match 😒

LV's Meanest Stylist: someone had to. even siobhan agreed about the socks

Jules (Da Boo): you did NOT talk about my socks with my ex

LV's Meanest Stylist: what can I say? it's the only thing we have in common.

The train ride felt longer than usual, Mila's mind stuck on Siobhan's messages. The night crowd was starting to fill the Metro - tourists heading to dinner, students with their backpacks, the usual mix of Paris after dark. She got off at her stop, umbrella ready for the rain that was still coming down.

The walk from the station to her building was quick but just long enough to get properly soaked despite the umbrella. Water dripped from the edges of her trench as she dug out her keys. At least her new LV bag was water resistant - perks of having the unreleased collection.

"I'm sorry about her," Jules texted as Mila climbed the stairs to her apartment. "Let me make it up to you?"

LV's Meanest Stylist: with another unreleased bag?

Jules (Da Boo): better. dinner in barcelona this weekend?

Mila paused on the second floor landing. "you want me to fly out for dinner?"

Jules (Da Boo): i know this place you'd love. very exclusive, very—

LV's Meanest Stylist: very in Barcelona when you could just come to Paris.

Jules (Da Boo): I have training...

LV's Meanest Stylist: and I have a job. a real one. none of that kick the ball bs.

Jules (Da Boo): next weekend then? I'll book Le Jules Verne.

LV's Meanest Stylist: now you're just showing off.

Jules (Da Boo): is it working?

She pushed open her apartment door, dropping her umbrella in the stand. "maybe. but you're still coming to Paris."

Jules (Da Boo): high maintenance.

LV's Meanest Stylist: you knew that when you fake chose me.

A pause, then: "about that..."

Her phone lit up with Jules' incoming call. Not a text this time. That was different.

"Calling to apologize properly?" she answered, kicking off her shoes.

"About what Siobhan said—"

"Already forgotten. Like I just did with her on Instagram."

"You blocked her?"

"Should've done it two weeks ago when she first started creeping." Mila dropped onto her couch. "Why? Want me to unblock your ex?"

"No," he said quickly. "No, it's just... look, about this whole fake thing—"

"Don't tell me you're catching feelings," she kept her voice light, teasing. "All it took was one match attendance?"

But Jules was quiet for a moment too long. The kind of quiet that made her stomach do things it shouldn't.

"Nah..." He scoffed, but something in his voice wasn't quite right. "Never that."

"Good. Wouldn't want this arrangement getting messy."

"Please. I have standards."

"You have those ugly ass Balenciaga crocs."

"We agreed never to speak of those again." The weird tension dissipated, back to their usual rhythm. "So about Paris next weekend..."

"You're really trying to get out of coming here, huh?"

"I just think Barcelona has better restaurants."

"Barcelona has you wrapped around Bruno's PR finger."

His laugh echoed through the phone. "You're actually impossible."

"Part of my charm."

"Besides," Jules said after a moment, "if I come to Paris, you'll make me carry your shopping bags again."

"That's literally what fake boyfriends are for."

"Thought it was for the Instagram engagement."

"That too." She kicked off her heels, settling deeper into her couch. "Though your ex might have opinions about that."

"Can we not talk about Siobhan?"

"Why? Worried she'll tell me all your secrets?"

"You already know all my secrets. You reorganized my closet."

"True. The real skeleton was that sneaker collection and those goddamn socks."

He made a noise of protest. "You're really never going to let that go?"

"Never."

"The socks were a choice."

"A bad one." She paused, then: "Like dating Siobhan?"

"Low blow."

"Someone had to say it."

Another silence, but different this time. She could almost see him running his hand through his locs, the way he did when he was thinking too hard.

"You really blocked her?" he asked finally.

"Should I not have?"

"No, it's... good. It's good."

More weight in those words than there should have been. This conversation was veering too close to something neither of them was ready to name.

"You really have these girls losing their minds," Mila said. "Between Siobhan and your fan pages..."

"Too much BDE. They can't handle it."

She rolled her eyes so hard it probably translated through the phone. "It's not that big," she muttered, mostly to herself.

But of course he caught it. "You can always find out."

"Never."

"Never say never." His voice was all smugness and suggestion.

Mila ignored the way her stomach flipped at his tone. This was exactly the kind of territory they didn't need to explore. Even if his voice was doing things to her that it absolutely shouldn't.

"I'll make a reservation for our dinner next weekend." Back to that practiced confidence.

"Whatever. Bye." She hung up before he could say anything else dangerous.

Her phone lit up immediately with his text: "bonne nuit, chérie ❤️"

She stared at that heart emoji longer than she'd ever admit to anyone.

A week later, Mila's Uber pulled up to the Eiffel Tower. She'd gone with a Dior slip dress because why not, paired with Aquazzura white slingbacks and a beige trench. The kind of outfit that said 'yes, I'm dating a footballer, but I dressed like this before him.'

Le Jules Verne was exactly what you'd expect from a Michelin-starred restaurant in the Eiffel Tower - all understated luxury and views that made even Paris locals pause. The kind of place where no one cared who you were because everyone was someone.

Jules was already at their table, standing as she approached. The bouquet in his hands was ridiculous - white roses and peonies, probably cost more than the dinner would.

"Ah, you shouldn't have," she said, accepting his hug.

"What kind of fake boyfriend would I be?" he murmured against her ear.

"But you really shouldn't have." She pulled back, taking off her trench coat. "They're gonna die in like two days. I have a brown thumb."

Jules pulled out her chair - unnecessarily gallant for a fake date. "You look nice."

"Just nice?" Mila arranged her dress. "You flew to Paris for 'nice'?"

"Beautiful. Stunning. Better?"

"Now you're trying too hard." But she was smiling. "Speaking of trying too hard, that fit is actually decent. Did you dress yourself?"

"Funny." He settled across from her. "But no. Someone reorganized my closet with very specific instructions."

The sommelier appeared with champagne they hadn't ordered. "Compliments of the house."

"The perks of dating a footballer." Mila raised her glass. "Even if it's fake."

"About that…" Jules started, but their server arrived with menus and a long explanation about the night's specials.

"The chef has prepared something special," the server finished.

"Of course he has." Mila caught Jules' eye over her glass. "More perks?"

"Bruno's influence, actually. He has opinions about our first Paris date."

"Opinions about everything except your sock choices."

"Are you ever going to let that go?"

"Never." She studied the menu. "Like I'll never let go of those Balenciaga crocs."

"I told Siobhan to leave us alone," Jules said between sips of champagne. "Well, technically I told her to leave you alone."

Mila shook her head, more intrigued than annoyed. "Your dick must cure diseases."

Jules choked on his champagne, actually coughed.

"You keep talking about my dick like you want to try it." He settled back in his chair, legs spreading, all casual like he'd practiced this move. "Just say the word and we can—"

"I'm gonna stop you there, buddy." She held up her hand. "I'm just saying these girls are acting like your dick cures diseases, is all. No one is thinking about taking a ride on that thing." She said 'thing' like it personally offended her.

Jules just watched her, that smile that said he saw right through her act. "Mmhm."

Their waiter appeared once more, ready to take their order, saving them both from whatever was about to happen next.

"The lamb," Jules told the waiter. "And she'll have—"

"I can order for myself," Mila cut in. "The fish, please."

The waiter disappeared with their menus and Jules' amused smirk. The restaurant buzzed around them, that particular energy of expensive meals and important conversations.

"So," Mila swirled her champagne. "How's training?"

"How's telling rich people how to dress?"

"Deflecting already? Did Siobhan shake you that bad?"

Jules leaned back in his chair. "Just looking out for my fake girlfriend."

"By making your ex block me on everything?" She raised an eyebrow. "I saw her Instagram's gone private too."

"Had to maintain our image."

"Our image needs that much maintenance?"

"Bruno's words, not mine." He took another sip of champagne. "Though the flowers were my idea."

"Ah yes, the dying flowers. Very thoughtful."

The first course arrived - something fancy with foam. Jules watched her taste it, that same look he had when she'd criticized his sneaker collection.

"You're staring."

"You have…" He gestured to her lip.

She wiped at nothing, knowing he was just messing with her. "Very mature." Mila sampled more of whatever was on her plate. "This is actually good."

"Better than McDonald's at two in the morning?"

"Nothing's better than that." She caught his smile. "Though this view comes close."

"Paris showing off for us."

"For you, maybe. I live here."

"And yet you've never been to Jules Verne before."

"Some of us don't make footballer money." She set down her fork. "Speaking of money, how much did you have to pay Siobhan to back off?"

"Just my eternal soul and first-born child."

"Reasonable price."

The main course appeared - her fish arranged like art, his lamb perfectly cooked. The waiter poured wine that definitely wasn't on the regular menu.

"Bruno's going to love the bill from this," Mila noted.

"Worth it for the content." Jules cut into his lamb. "Though we could give him better content."

"If you're about to suggest something inappropriate—"

"Just saying, the whole 'will they, won't they' thing is working for our engagement numbers."

Mila pointed her fork at him. "No one is engaging with your numbers."

"That's not what you said about my BDE earlier."

"I take it back. All of it." But she was fighting a smile. "Your ego needs no encouragement."

"Too late." He was doing that thing with his eyes again, the one that probably worked on everyone else. "You're already on record about my—"

"If you say dick energy one more time at this nice establishment, I'm leaving."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me."

Their eyes locked across the table. A challenge, maybe. Or something else neither of them was ready to name.

The waiter appeared with dessert menus, breaking whatever moment was building. Jules took his with a smile that was almost too casual.

"Should we share?" he asked.

"In your dreams."

"Often."

Mila kicked him under the table, right as the waiter returned. "He'll have the chocolate thing. I want the one with strawberries."

"Separate desserts?" The waiter looked between them. "Most couples share—"

"We're not most couples." Mila's smile was sweet but final.

Jules watched the waiter leave, that smirk back on his face. "No, we're definitely not."

The desserts arrived looking more like art installations than food. Mila caught Jules' eyes drifting to her neckline again - the third time since their main course.

"Stare harder why don't you?"

"I'm trying." He didn't even pretend to look away.

"Horndog." But she adjusted the strap of her dress anyway, watching his eyes track the movement.

"Can't help it. The dress is…"

"Expensive? Designer?"

"Both." He sampled his chocolate dessert, still watching her. "Though I was going to say dangerous."

"Please. This is modest for me." She tasted her strawberry creation. "You should see what I wear when I'm actually trying."

"Is that an invitation?"

"It's a warning." She pointed her spoon at him. "Your game's weak if you think this neckline is dangerous."

"My game's never weak."

"But you needed a McDonald's photo to go viral before making a move."

"I didn't make a move." He leaned back, all casual confidence again. "Bruno did."

"Tragic." She stole a bite of his dessert just to prove she could. "Using your agent as an excuse."

"Using my agent for business." His eyes dropped to her lips as she licked chocolate from her spoon. "This is pleasure."

"This is a fake date."

"With real dessert." He pushed his plate closer to her. "Want more?"

"Trying to sweeten me up?"

"Is it working?"

She took another bite of his dessert, maintaining eye contact just to watch him squirm. "You wish."

The waiter appeared with their bill - or rather, with no bill at all because apparently Jules had handled that hours ago. Of course he had.

"Very presumptuous," Mila noted as they stood. "What if I hated dinner?"

"You loved it." He helped her with her coat, fingers brushing her bare shoulders. "Even if you won't admit it."

"I admit nothing."

"Your empty plates admit plenty."

Outside, Paris was still showing off - all lights and early autumn beauty. Jules' hand found her lower back as they waited for their cars.

"This was nice," he said, too close to her ear.

"Just nice?"

"Beautiful. Stunning. Better?"

"Now you're recycling lines." But she didn't move away.

His car arrived first - some sleek thing that probably cost more than her annual salary. He opened the door but paused before getting in.

"Next time dinner's in Barcelona."

"Next time?"

"Can't let my fake girlfriend think I'm cheap."

"Too late for that. Your sock choices gave you away."

His laugh echoed even after his car pulled away. Her phone lit up immediately with his text:

Jules (Da Boo): already planning your outfit for barcelona?

LV's Meanest Stylist: planning how to roast whatever you wear.

Jules (Da Boo): worth it

********************************************

"The cheek kisses aren't cutting it anymore," Bruno's voice crackled through Mila's phone. "We need to up the ante."

"Up the ante?" Mila was packing for Barcelona, phone balanced between ear and shoulder. "What exactly do you want us to do, stick our tongues down each other's throats?"

"If that's what it takes—"

"The audacity." She dropped a reconstructed LV piece into her suitcase. "Who are you, our relationship choreographer?"

"The internet's getting restless. They want more."

"The internet needs therapy." But she knew what he meant. The comments were getting wild - theories about their relationship, demands for more content, the kind of attention that made her DMs look like a thirst trap comment section.

Three days later, she was walking through Barcelona's airport arrivals, spotting Jules before he saw her. He was trying to be incognito in a baseball cap and sunglasses, looking exactly like every footballer trying not to be recognized.

"Subtle," she said, reaching him.

"Says the girl in that dress." His eyes tracked over her travel fit - another slip dress because why not torture him a little.

"This old thing?" She let him take her bag. "Just something I threw on."

The Urus was parked illegally because of course it was. Jules loaded her suitcase while she settled into the passenger seat, already plotting how to reorganize his closet again.

"How was the flight?"

"Better than this car choice."

"Still judging my Urus?"

"Always." She pulled out her phone. "Though apparently I need new material. Bruno's orders."

"Heard about that call." He navigated through Barcelona traffic with one hand on the wheel. "No more roasting my fashion choices?"

"Or your ex."

"Tragic. Those were your best bits."

"Please. Everything I do is a best bit."

His laugh filled the car. Match 100 was tomorrow, and here they were, playing house again. At least this time she knew what she was getting into.

"So about Bruno's demands," Jules said, turning onto his street. "Think we should practice?"

"Practice what? Swapping spit for the cameras?" Mila fake gagged, but her heart wasn't in it.

"Could be worse assignments."

"Could be better ones too."

"You wound me." He pulled into his driveway. "Little birdie told me that Chanel's trying to steal you."

She rolled her eyes. "Sure is, and LV can suck my dick and jiggle my left testicle."

Jules let out a chuckle. "Damn, remind me to never get on your bad side. What happened at work?" She just stared at him blankly. "Philippe again?" His jaw tightened. "Should I give him a visit?"

"And do what exactly?"

Jules shrugged, but his grip on the steering wheel said otherwise. "I don't know. Tell him to leave my woman alone. Threaten him?"

"Whatever, Jules."

"I'm serious."

"Be so fucking for real right now."

"I'm so serious, Mila. He got the wrong one." His knuckles went white on the wheel.

Mila caught herself watching those hands, that tension in his jaw. Something about his willingness to protect her - fake relationship or not - was doing things to her pussy she refused to acknowledge.

The opportunities were piling up lately. Fashion houses sliding into her DMs. Offers to branch out on her own. She could do it - build her own brand, be an independent designer like she'd dreamed. Or worse… become an influencer. The thought alone made her want to gag. Though being a freelance stylist had potential.

"Mila." Jules was watching her, that look that saw too much. "You good?"

"Just plotting my escape from corporate hell."

"To Chanel?"

"Maybe." She stretched, knowing exactly what that did to her dress. "Or maybe I'll just become your full-time fake girlfriend. Seems less stressful."

*************************

"Your closet better be exactly how I left it," Mila said as they entered his house. "I'm not doing another intervention with your sneakers."

"Haven't touched anything." Jules carried her bag upstairs. "Too scared of your wrath."

"Smart man." She followed him to the guest room - her room now, basically. Her reconstructed pieces from last time still hung in the closet. "Though we need to talk about that jacket you wore to training yesterday."

"Thought you needed new material?"

"Some crimes can't be ignored."

He dropped her bag by the bed, lingering in the doorway. "Hungry?"

"Depends. Are you cooking?"

"God no. Ordered from that place you liked last time."

"The one with the pasta?"

"The one where you stole half my dinner, yes."

She kicked off her shoes, making herself at home. "It's not stealing if you let me."

"Is that what we're calling it?"

"That's what I'm calling it." She started unpacking, aware of him watching. "Don't you have a big match to rest for?"

"Don't you have a closet to reorganize?"

"Your closet can wait until tomorrow." She pulled out her outfit for the match. "This, however, needs steaming."

"Another reconstruction?"

"What else would I wear to your hundredth match?" She held up the piece - another LV remix that would probably give Philippe an aneurysm. "Think Bruno will approve?"

"Bruno would approve if you wore a trash bag at this point." Jules pushed off the doorframe. "He's desperate for content."

"Hence the kissing demands?"

"Hence everything." He watched her hang up the outfit. "Though the kissing thing…"

"Don't."

"Just saying, might need practice."

"In your dreams."

"Often." He ducked the shoe she threw at him. "Dinner's in twenty."

She waited until his footsteps faded before pulling out her phone. Three texts from Siobhan's friends, still trying to get intel. Two emails from Chanel about possible collaborations.

A new text from Jules: "brought you wine from that vineyard you pretended not to like"

Interesting...

Mila came downstairs to H.E.R. playing softly in the background. Jules was at the kitchen island, uncorking wine like this was totally normal.

"Are you trying to get at something?" She took in the dim lighting, the music, the actual fucking candles. What was this man up to?

"Just trying to relax," he said simply, holding out a glass of wine.

"Mmhm." She accepted the glass, watching him plate their food with way too much care before sliding it in front of her.

"Bonne appétit." He settled next to her at the island.

They ate in silence for a few beats before Mila couldn't take it anymore. "Seriously, what're you doing Jules?"

He had the nerve to shrug. "I told you I'm just trying to relax. Big match tomorrow, remember?"

"You're giving out too much game right now. You think I'm dumb?"

"No, Mila, you're far from dumb."

"So what's the play?" She set her napkin down, fixing him with that look she usually reserved for customers trying to play in her face. "What's going on because since when do we have this setup if we're fake—"

Her words cut off as Jules leaned over, pressing his lips to hers. He tasted like eggplant parmesan and wine, and despite herself, she sighed into it. His hands came up to cup her face, lips moving against hers with a precision that shouldn't have surprised her but did. Boy knew what he was doing with that mouth - the same confidence he had on the pitch but softer, more deliberate.

When he pulled back, Mila's brain took a second to come back online.

"What the hell?" she mumbled.

"Practice, right?" His voice was too casual for someone who just kissed her like that.

She blinked, tilting her head. "Bruno wanted us to have more PDA…"

"Oh, yeah." His thumb brushed her cheek where his hand still lingered.

"Was it good?"

Was it? Her mind screamed. But what came out was: "It was alright."

"Alright? Shit, Mila maybe I have to convince you again."

"Please don't." But her eyes dropped to his lips.

"Just a quick one." He leaned closer. "For research."

"No." She didn't move away.

"It's quick…" His mouth was already brushing hers. "For research."

This kiss wasn't quick at all. His hand slid into her hair, angling her head just right. She might have made a sound - something embarrassing she'd deny later - when his tongue traced her bottom lip. This wasn't practice anymore. This wasn't fake anything.

When they finally broke apart, the food was definitely cold.

******************************************

The absolute audacity of this man.

Mila spent the entire match trying not to think about that kiss. Those kisses. Multiple kisses that definitely weren't just "practice." She'd even texted Leon - her most reliable situation-handler - but he was "busy." All her usual distractions were unavailable, leaving her stuck with the memory of Jules' mouth and what his hands had felt like in her hair.

Barcelona was destroying Sevilla, which wasn't helping. Every time Jules made a play, the crowd lost it. Five goals, and he'd been involved in three of them. Show-off.

Then came the post-match ceremony. His hundredth game plaque, the crowd chanting his name, cameras everywhere. And this man - this absolute menace - had the nerve to call her down to the pitch.

"Come here, chérie," he said into the mic, and what was she supposed to do? Say no in front of 90,000 people?

She made her way down, reconstructed LV dress definitely not made for stadium stairs. The cameras were already going crazy, probably catching her "supportive girlfriend" moment.

Then this fucker kissed her. Not a peck, not a casual press of lips. A proper kiss, right there on the pitch, his plaque in one hand while the other pulled her close. The crowd absolutely lost it.

When he finally let her go, she was too disoriented to even pretend to be mad. The cameras caught everything - her slightly dazed expression, his satisfied smirk, the way she had to steady herself on his arm.

"For the cameras," he murmured in her ear as they posed with his plaque.

"I hate you," she whispered back, perfect smile in place.

"No you don't."

The worst part? He was right.

Her phone was already blowing up. The notifications would be insane - fashion blogs, football accounts, probably Bruno having a meltdown about their "organic PDA moment." But all she could think about was how she needed to call every single one of her rotation guys because this tension? Unacceptable.

"Dinner?" Jules asked as they left the pitch, still riding his match high.

"I have plans."

"No you don't."

"I could have plans."

His smile was dangerous. "But you don't."

The cameras were still catching everything - her pretend annoyance, his hand on her lower back, the way they moved together like this wasn't all for show.

"One dinner," he said.

"You already got your kiss for the cameras."

"Maybe I want another one."

She really needed to call Leon. Or Jean. Or both.

The family area was chaos. Mila scrolled through Twitter while waiting for Jules, watching their kiss go viral in real time.

"THE WAY SHE HAD TO STEADY HERSELF 😭" "that man must kiss like he plays football - elite" "did y'all see her face after??? HELLO???" "mila lawrence found SHOOK" "the way he just grabbed her like that i'm—"

Someone had already made an edit set to "Kiss Me More" - her dazed expression on loop, Jules looking too pleased with himself. The engagement numbers were insane. Bruno was probably having heart palpitations of joy.

More tweets kept coming: "jules koundé said watch me score off the pitch too" "miss mila really won" "the grip he has on her waist i'm studying it respectfully"

Her phone buzzed with texts from every single one of her situationship guys.

"You're trending," Jules' voice came from behind her. Fresh from the shower, hair still damp, wearing that post-match designer fit that actually worked for once. "Something about being 'dicked down by Barcelona's finest defender'?"

"That's disgusting." She kept scrolling. "Also inaccurate."

"Could be accurate."

"In your dreams."

"Maybe it can be reality?" He leaned over her shoulder, reading more tweets. "They're really analyzing your face in 4K."

"Your fans are unhinged."

"Our fans now."

Their eyes met in the reflection of her phone screen. That tension from last night was still there, crackling between them like static electricity.

"Dinner?" he asked again.

"I really do have plans."

"With who? Leon?" His smile was knowing. "Already saw his stories. He's in London."

"I have other options." Like Jean, like Gabriel, like Muhammad...

"But you're here with me and you're gonna stay."

The worst part was he was right. Again. Motherfucker.

"Fine." She locked her phone, ignoring another wave of notifications. "But no more surprise kisses."

"No promises."

Bruno was going to lose his mind over their engagement numbers. Their fake relationship was trending worldwide. The internet was already writing their love story.

But watching Jules guide her through the stadium with that hand on her lower back, Mila had to wonder how much of this was still fake.

............tbd

[the-craft]

at this point it almost feels like joe alwyn was the one kept locked away for 6 years because the man couldn't fill up his car or get a haircut without getting stalked. the photos coming out now are at events where he has an opportunity to know it's coming, select his clothing and styling, wear a pin representing a cause that's important to him. he has control of his appearances now instead of gritting his teeth during pap walks for backgrid.

we know how ts feels when she feels the narrative is being pulled out of her control ("gaslit by an entire system"). a sense of control over one's own life seems essential for sanity and i don't think it's fair for people to gloss over the part where she agreed to the level of privacy he needed and publicly endorsed it during some of her media statements made during the relationship (which i applaud for being unusually restrained and mature at the time). extreme extroverts and extreme introverts can try to make it work but neither is wrong if it doesn't work (if the breakdown is specifically about that difference between them) and it's kinda crappy to couch it in terms of "being locked away" now. especially since some of the locking away was due to a global pandemic.

joe alwyn wasn't on my radar for most of the 6 years except 1) i felt her music entered a new era of relationship contentment and grown up sensuality that reflected late 20s/early 30s womanhood and then transitioned into a more literary set of albums (folkmore) that had a broader focus thematically and 2) i heard little about him and there was effectively zero romantic drama for 5 full years. what a break for her (and us!).

now i'm more impressed by him than ever. he's quiet in the wake of it all, focuses on his industry commitments and the work he's doing, and absolutely glows with newfound relaxed joy. i absolutely do not think women shouldn't be entitled to have strong, deep emotions and write about those experiences. her work is perhaps the strongest ever in terms of conveying a feminine quixotic, idealized romantic viewpoint and then the flipside of idealizing (it's giving BPD!!!) which is devaluation/disillusionment/disenchantment, resentment, feelings of being deceived or let down ("maybe this thing was a masterpiece 'til you tore it all up" being the early and best example).

the way joe has handled this, though, has made his status in my mind go from "just some guy" to an example of stability and fortitude that interests me. I personally believe that not publicly suffering is not necessarily a sign of callous lack of empathy - sometimes it means maturity and perspective. sw*fties harassing her exes want/ed to see a public mea culpa/punishment/expression of suffering that they feel equals their idols' - it's giving fatal attraction from those fans. maybe we don't need our past partners to suffer. maybe processing feelings involves personal reflection and doesn't require another party.

i'll leave off with this to support idealization/devaluation (the classic bpd trend):

Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes

'Cause I can't help it if you look like an angel

Say you're sorry, that face of an angel

And I damn sure would've never danced with the devil

Dear reader, when you aim at the devil

He looks up, grinning like a devil

[goldfades]

𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡. | delicate au, jack hughes

౨ৎ ─ summary | this takes place in late august of 2023, a little before the njd season started. jack hughes dm's the girl the whole internet thinks he's dating and invites her to a pre-season get-together at his house.

─ word count | 1.9k

─ warnings | anxiety, some flirting? nothing else!

─ taglist | @dancerbailey3 @valluvsu @daisysnhl @dasiysthings @iminlovewithtz11 @literatureluster @lvrzegras @lxvleyzoe @bowen-power @ru-kru @jackhughesily @hearts-for-luke

─ ev's notes | please lmk ur thoughts on this au so far! i, of course, always read ur guys feedback so anything would be very much appreciated.

Accept message request from jhughes (jackhughes)?

jhughes: have you seen twitter? we're trending 🤣 jhughes: looks like i'm your bf now 🤷🏻🤷🏻

libbytf: yeah um i don't even know how that happened😭 libbytf: they're crazy, that's not either of us?

jhughes: it does really look like us though haha 🤣 i don't blame them

libbytf: the more i look the photos the more i disagree lol, i hope they figure it out on their own 😭

jhughes: haha yeah [seen]

jhughes: me and luke are having a pre season party, you should come if ur free jhughes: oh and if leon wants you to hahaha😭

libbytf: when is it? i'll see if i can come and if i'm in town

jhughes: next saturday at our new place

libbytf: i'll let you know!

jhughes: k lmk ( 👍🏻 )

Libby stared down at her screen, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Did she just get asked out?

She received the message later that day and she was surprised that Jack Hughes had messaged her. She wasn't starstruck or anything but he didn't seem like the "dm" type, he looked more like the type to approach you in public.

She shook her head, she didn't even know if he was hitting on her. He probably wasn't even trying to come off that way, he probably just needed more people at his party. And the truth was, after the whole "Josh" thing, she didn't really have anything to do because everyone in the world was seemingly against her. The messy breakup with Josh had left her feeling exposed, as if every aspect of her personal life was now fair game for public scrutiny.

She had been under the spotlight for years now, long before she had even considered the idea of being a singer. Her sister and father were already apart of the "Hollywood" circle, she has seen this kind of stuff before. She's never been apart of the gossip, though - this was the first time she'd been in the spotlight for a bad reason.

Growing up in the shadow of her sister's and father's fame had accustomed her to the entertainment industry and all the drama that came with it. But now, as the fallout from her breakup with Josh engulfed her, Libby found herself thrust into uncharted territory. The barrage of rumors and gossip had stripped away the layers of privacy she had worked so hard to preserve, leaving her feeling vulnerable.

Libby couldn't even turn to her music anymore, she felt like it was no use because the whole internet (and their moms) hated her for no reason other than her relationship, or lack thereof.

She was pulled out of her thoughts as she felt her phone buzz on her bed. She reached for it lazily and opened it, reading the message.

leon 😛 are you down for something this weekend?

Libby typed out a quick response.

libs 🥸 depends

leon 😛 me and some of the team are gonna have a party this weekend to celebrate the start of the season, they told me to bring someone and ur all i have

leon 😛 unless u say no i'll ask someone else

libs 🥸 jack already asked me so sure :)

leon 😛 wait so ur his plus one?

libs 🥸 no bc he's the literal host, he just invited me😭😭

leon 😛 thats weird but okay, can u still be my plus one

libs 🥸 idk if that'll change anything but sure!!

She sighed at her brother's slight stupidity. It sounds like she was going to be going to the party this weekend. As she agreed, Libby couldn't help but feel a twinge of anxiety about attending Jack's party. The thought of facing a bunch of strangers, each with their own preconceived notions about who she was, made her stomach churn.

Before she could turn off her phone, her phone buzzed and she looked at the notification.

jhughes (jackhughes) started following you!

──

"Have you been on Twitter?" Leon spoke up as he drove, his eyes glancing toward Libby before focusing back on the road.

She shrugged, "Yeah. Why?"

"Everyone thinks you're dating Jack, it's kinda funny. Isn't this like, your first time meeting him?" Leon replied with a small laugh, shaking his head.

"It's pretty dumb, isn't it?" Libby replied, her voice tinged with amusement. "Well this is like my second or third time meeting him so it's not like we're strangers but still, we're far from strangers."

"Are you sure about that? He messaged you." Leon joked as he smirked at you as you rolled your eyes. She knew he was joking but a part of her thought that maybe he was flirting with her. But Libby could not even mention that to Leon because it'll make him go crazy, staying quiet was the better option.

"Shut up," Libby mumbled as Leon laughed. "The pictures aren't even us, you know?"

"The guy looks a lot like Jack but not you. It's so funny especially because everyone swears that they know you so well but they can't even tell the difference you and some other person." Leon grinned, clearly enjoying the absurdity of the situation. "Well, I guess the internet just loves drama. Can't blame them for trying to spice things up, it is fun."

"I just hope people figure it out soon," Libby sighed, glancing out of the car window at the passing city lights. "I mean, it's not like I need more rumors right now."

Leon shrugged. "Yeah, I get it. But you know what they say, any publicity is good publicity."

"Yeah at least I'll know my new album will get tons of new streams, thanks to Josh's fangirls."

"You mean dickriders? Jesus, have you seen the comments?" Leon scoffed, making a turn to Jack and Luke's home.

Libby sighed, her shoulders slumping as she leaned back against the car seat. "Yeah, I've seen them. It's like they're just waiting for the opportunity to tear me apart completely, I can't even go on Instagram anymore."

Leon's expression softened with empathy as he reached out to place a comforting hand on Libby's arm. "They're just fucking bored, that's all. They have to tear someone down to feel better. Don't let them get to you."

Libby nodded, grateful for her brother's words of encouragement. "I know, it's just hard sometimes, you know? Feels like I'm constantly under a microscope."

Leon nodded in understanding, his gaze unwavering in its support. "Yeah, I get it. But remember, those comments don't define you. You're so much more than what people say about you."

Libby managed a small smile as they reached Jack's home. The night air was crisp as Libby and Leon made their way towards Jack's home. The distant noise from the party spilled into the quiet neighborhood as they walked towards the entrance.

The home was pretty big but you weren't surprised, they were really good and popular hockey players so of course they had a big home. However, as you walked into their porch, you noticed how clean it was. Not many boys in their twenties kept their homes so clean and organized but Libby was pleasantly surprised at how clean their home was and she hadn't even been inside yet.

Leon gave the door a few knocks before the door opened to reveal Jack, a big grin on his face and a backwards cap on his head. "Leon! You made it!"

"Yeah, and I brought Libs!" Leon grinned back at Jack as his gaze finally fell on Libby, she felt his eyes scan her body before they landed on her eyes once again.

Libby felt a slight flush rise to her cheeks as she met Jack's gaze. His warm smile putting her at ease as she returned it, trying to ignore the flutter of nerves in her stomach.

"Awesome! Come on in, guys." Jack ushered them inside, the sounds of the party becoming more pronounced as they stepped inside.

"There's some chips in the kitchen and you guys can just help yourself to the drinks inside the fridge, just don't drink any of our protein smoothies." Jack side glanced to Leon playfully, in which he responded with a quick fine. "Everyone's in the living room playing pool."

"I'm gonna go get a beer, if y'all don't mind." Leon called out as he headed towards the kitchen, leaving Libby and Jack by the entrance.

As Leon left, Libby shifted her gaze to Jack with a warm smile. There was a brief awkward silence before Jack broke it, "I didn't know that you lived in Jersey."

"Well I don't but ever since Leon's moved here I've been spending every second at his place. I actually live in New York City but it gets a little hectic, I need a break sometimes from... everything." Libby explained as she recalled all the drama from the summer, from everything with Olivia to Josh, it was eventful.

Jack nodded, his expression sympathetic as he listened to Libby's explanation. "I get it. New York can be intense, especially with everything going on."

Libby sighed, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders as she spoke about the challenges she faced. "Yeah, it's been a lot to deal with lately. Sometimes, it's nice to escape to somewhere quieter, you know?"

Jack's gaze softened with understanding. "I get it. I'm sorry by the way, with the whole uh... thing." Jack didn't really want to specify but they both knew as Libby nodded.

Libby gave him a sweet smile but before she could respond, Luke came in wearing a Devils jersey. "Dude I've been looking everywhere for you, there's something wrong with the-" He cut himself as he noticed Libby.

"Hey Luke." Libby greeted the tall curly-head with a grin as he walked over to where Libby was and gave her a side hug as Jack observed.

"Libby! I haven't seen you in a while, how's everything?" Luke asked casually as he pulled back.

"Can't complain." You spoke with a small grin as you looked in between the boys. "You?"

"Very excited for the new season, I don't know if you could tell." Luke chuckled as he looked down at the jersey.

Libby couldn't help but chuckle at Luke's enthusiasm. Even though she's never formally met Jack, her and Luke have a pretty good friendship through Leon. As soon as they met they clicked and now they're practically tied at the hip. "Hmm... I couldn't tell. Go Rangers, right?"

"Hey, hey, hey!"

"Whoa, don't you dare step foot in our homes and disrespect us like that. That is a like a slur around here." Jack shook his head playfully as him and Luke exchanged looks before all three of you busted out laughing.

"Sorry, sorry won't happen again!"

"It better not or we're gonna have to kick you out." Luke threatened with a mock-serious expression. "But seriously Jack, the TV isn't working and everyone wants to play Fifa for some reason."

Jack shrugged as he motioned to Libby towards the living room, "I don't even know if we own Fifa..."

They all entered the spacious living room where everyone was. There were some teammates who she recognized and some people she'd never seen before. Jack and Luke ventured off toward the TV, leaving Libby to go stand by the couch. She'd enjoyed the night so far but as she stood there, anxiety began to creep into her stomach.

Everyone here knew somebody and right now the only people she was close with was her brother, Luke and Jack and they were all playing Fifa right now.

"Libs, get a controller we need one more player!" Jack shouted from the coach and waved at her to come over. Libby hesitated for a moment, feeling a familiar pang of anxiety at the thought of joining a group of people she didn't know well. But as she stared back at Jack, she swallowed all her fears and walked over, taking a controller.

As she settled in next to them, Libby felt a sense of normalcy wash over her. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she could just be herself, without the weight of everyone's expectations or the glare of being perceived.

↳ make sure to check out my navigation or masterlist if you enjoyed! any interaction is greatly appreciated !

↳ thank you for reading all the way through, as always ♡

[yourmamakira]

can you do some colby brock one shots plz?😋 love you🫶🫶

Omg. You're my first request in a year 🥹YES YES OFC I WILL GIVE YOU COLBY!

"SOMBER BEGINNINGS"

C. BROCK, she/her

Set in the early Sam and Colby days. "When Reader and Colby meet at a Highschool party in the 2000s, prom night didn't start well, until the two met and changed their lives forever."

The year was in the 2000. When being a dick was a fashion trend. And unfortunately for reader, she had been a victim of one of the biggest dicks in the school.

She had been asked to the dance by Bryce, one of the most popular boys who had a history of being a dick. Matter of fact, he was the biggest dick anyone could ever meet.

Reader wasn't the ugliest girl in school but she dam sure wasn't the most attractive. She'd seen herself as very mid. So when Bryce asked her out, she wanted to believe it wasn't some prank, but she gave it a shot. People could change, right?

It was the night of the dance, the sophomore had put on her best dress for her first real dance she ever attended. She had on converses to match with her old hand me down dark green dress.

She walked into the massive gym which was filled to the brim with explosive teens and music as She looked around in search of her date.

She further looked around while walking deeper into the sweaty gym. She had gotten there kinda late and the dance had already started, but it's not like she was in any rush.

She gave up looking for a second and went over to the juice bar, she grabbed the least suspicious looking Punch and grabbed a cup hoping it wouldn't be liquor.

She took a sip and sighed in relief tasting it was normal punch, she turned around and bumped into a chest.

She looked up to be met with the most beautiful pair of icy blue eyes she had ever seen in her life, the boy looked back down at her and they were in some type of trance.

He smiled and her heart skipped a beat, his teeth were perfectly white and his hair was straight out of my chemical romance.

She was only snapped out of her spell when he spoke, "My bad, I didn't mean to bump into you, I hope I didn't ruin you're pretty dress"

She looked down at her dress and seen is was perfectly fine, "not at all, it was already crappy anyways" she chuckled nervously. He made her nervous.

He looked her up and down from head to toe, "I don't think it's crappy." He spoke with such certainty it made her heart flutter.

She looked back up at him and then back down to her cup, she was going to speak before a voice called out and joined the pair.

"Yo Colby! What are you doing brother?" A blonde with messy hair and bright eyes came over to the her and Colby,

he looked between the two before his eyes settled on her, " Who's this?" Colby looked at Sam before looking back at her.

She grew nervous as both pairs of blue eyes settled on her, "I-I'm [Y/N], I'm a sophomore, I'm in your guy's chemistry class..."

They looked between each other before smiling, Sam smiled before nodding his head, "oh yeah! I remember you, your that girl who drew that sick ass drawing, right?"

She nodded and smiled while looking down, "yeah, that's me."

They were going to speak before they were yet again cut off, a voice drew them away from her, Sam smiled before saying a goodbye and then walking away,

Colby looked back at her with that same smile she wished didn't have to leave, "I'll see you around, [Y/N]." She nodded before watching Colby leave.

She smiled to herself before one of her few friends came over to grab her,

"[Y/N]! Where have you been?" We've been looking for you everywhere!" The girl looked back to where she last seen Colby to not be able to find him.

She sighed before being pulled away onto the dance floor, she had long forgotten about her date, not thinking much of it.

An hour has passed and she was having more fun then she thought she would, and just when she Thought she was safe out of the corner of her eye she spotted Bryce, with another girl grinding up against him.

She sucked in a breath before turning back around, she held back a few tears and turned back around.

"HEY [Y/N]!"

She spun around and was met with a cup of fruit punch to her dress, she gasped and looked up to see Bryce and the girl he was with laughing their asses off.

They snickered in joy, "You really thought I would want to be seen with a loser like you?"

She couldn't hold back the tears anymore and she began to walk out of the gymnasium, she bumped right into a chest and looked up to see Colby,

His eyebrows furrowed as he looked down at the girl he hadn't seen not to long ago perfectly fine. "[Y/N]?"

She shook her head as she let out a chocked sob as she ran out of the gym and out of the school.

She walked out into the play ground and sat on the swing. She took off her shoes and broke down. She had actually fallen for Bryce's Tricks. Believing she was different than any other girl at her school.

She soon wished it Was Liquor instead of actual juice.

She sobbed for what felt like hours but was only a few minutes before hearing a set of foot steps go to sit on the swing beside her.

She looked the other way not wanting to face the embarrassment of tonight.

And just when her night couldn't get anymore bizarre a voice she didn't expect piped up beside her.

"You know, your dress isn't completely ruined."

She whipped her head up to be faced with the same Icy blue eye she couldn't stop thinking about through out the night.

She looked back down at her dress to see a deep red stain from the juice. She chuckled dryly .

"Not like it matters now..."

He tilted his head to the side, "why is that?"

She looked back at him and sadly smiled, "not like I have a real prom date anyways. Just an Unless dress for a supposed unless girl like me..." tears began to brim her eyes once more, making her eye lashes stick together in a clumpy look.

Suddenly the breeze of the night time was gone and she was covered with a blazer, she looked over to Colby and saw that smile again, he held out his hand and she looked down at it.

She took his hand and he shook it but didn't let it go.

"We never properly met. Hi, My names Colby Brock, what's your name?"

She hiccups and then sniffled before wiping her eyes dry.

She shook his hand back and kept her hold, "Hi Colby, My names [Y/N] [L/N], nice to meet you."

"Hi [Y/N], Would you like to go the dance with me?"

She gasped quietly and her cheeks began to heat up, Colby waited patiently for her answer and she looked down at their hands.

She looked back up at Colby and smiled slightly, "I would love to go to the dance with you, Colby."

He stood up from the swing and she followed suit. He raised his hand and wiped her eyes dry of the rest of her tears.

They looked into the eyes of the other and it was as if two worlds mixed with one. She knew this was the start of somthing. The start of something life changing.

And so did he, and they couldn't be more happy.

Sorry this took SO long, and this is kinda a long one but I hope you and the others like it 🥹



[awkwardchaosposts]

Pavlov's dog

Part 1

Yandere!Mira x male!reader

Trigger warning: Swearing and mentions of car crash and guns. Mira is manipulative and doesn't seem people as actual complex human beings

Please note: this isn't proofread

/⁠ᐠ⁠｡⁠ꞈ⁠｡⁠ᐟ⁠\/⁠ᐠ⁠｡⁠ꞈ⁠｡⁠ᐟ⁠\/⁠ᐠ⁠｡⁠ꞈ⁠｡⁠ᐟ⁠\/⁠ᐠ⁠｡⁠ꞈ⁠｡⁠ᐟ⁠\/⁠ᐠ⁠｡⁠ꞈ⁠｡⁠ᐟ⁠\/⁠ᐠ⁠｡⁠ꞈ⁠｡⁠ᐟ⁠\

"A little more"

You worked at a local frozen yogurt shop and have had unreasonable customers before but this middle aged woman telling you to bombard their frozen yogurt in way too many sprinkles was definitely the worst.

"Here you go ma'am"

"More"

With a sigh you mustered your best 'I'm not being paid enough for this smile' and added four more spoonfuls of sprinkles.

It's been a trend lately. So called influencers would come into the shop and shove a camera in your face while asking for an ungodly amount of toppings. you're not exactly sure why but it's made your job harder to do that's for sure.

"Thanks" She paid without even leaving a tip.

~*~*~*~*~

Despite dealing with unreasonable customers,cleaning up after questionable puddles in the bathrooms and working under a tight time crunch you did have a pretty kind manager.

Workers were allowed to take some ice cream home with them which you definitely enjoyed. You'd always pack some to take home with you to share with your roommate.

By the time you closed the shop and drove home it was dark, no one was on the road. You were exhausted and just wanted to go home so you passed a red light. You didn't see the other car coming. It hit your left at the intersection and sent you swerving. you desperately tried to take control by frantically turning the wheel but it happened so fast.

I'm dead. Atleast I hope so. I can't pay that insurance so god help me.

Your car was upside down and you had a giant fucking migraine. You reached out to soothe the pain. Blood. There was blood on your hand. It took a while for your body to move, unbuckle your seatbelt and crawl out the car with slow tired movements.

"Are you alright?"

...what the actual hell?

The other driver was just here. How'd they disappear. Did they just drive off?

"Damn hit and runners" You couldn't shake this feeling though that something was off. This city felt more empty.

~*~*~*~*

"You're such a slut. Am I not enough for you?"

The beach was thrilling at first. Mira loved the borderlands. She loved the way her little boytoys got so worked up when she played their small minds like her own personal orchestra.

She yawned as she heard this guy yap angrily about her sleeping around. She really didn't care that she hurt his feelings. He was just a toy that frankly wasn't as fun to play with anymore "Can we wrap this up?"

"You fucking bitch" the man's anger was riled up by her nonchalance.

She rolled her eyes as he stormed out and decided to pour herself a nice cup of tea. The woman sat on the balcony of her private,upgraded room. She peered down at the crowd.

Playing with men and women were fun but the thing she loved most was watching how people tried to find meaning in this world. Hatter with his drinking and Chishiya with his overthinking and forced apathy. It was so entertaining but she's growing bored.

She needed something new. A new doll to play with. These people have become way too predictable.

That's when she saw you. She's never seen someone look so unsure of themselves. The way you moved so stiff like a robot made her smile.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

You tried doing things on your own but one game of diamonds and you were positively traumatised. You'd often get nightmares about all those innocent people.

At first you thought this was a hell made specially for you but upon meeting a man called Arisu you got more clarity over the situation.

This place was suspected to be some alternative universe that's called the borderlands. No one's sure how it works but you have an expiration date and need to compete in games to survive. There's also this place called the beach.

It feels weird seeing people have fun and party when there's so much death happening around them.

"Arisu?" At some point you've lost him in the crowd.

You tried to weave through the cluster of people to catch up with the acquaintance in the distance, accidentally bumping into a dark haired man with multiple piercings. "Oi,you messed up my shirt you little shit"

A gun was pointed at your chest before you could even stutter out an apology over the spilled drink. "I-I didn't mean to...I just-" Why couldn't you speak? You felt frozen like a deer in headlights. Why isn't your brain working? Why can't you just move or at least say something and talk your way out of this?

"Put the gun down Niragi"

This Niragi guy looked annoyed but reluctantly put his gun down. "Fuck this" He spat on your shoes and you cringed at the gross sight but decided to be passive and not say anything.

Mira smiled in response. Usually she wouldn't care about who Niragi shoots but she can't let him break her toys before she gets to even play with them. That would just be unethical.

Upon looking closer she had a moment of recognition and it only made her more excited but she masked it well "Y/N-san"

Her smile was sweet yet not warm or genuine. It irked you a bit that someone could look so...welcoming yet threatening all at once. For a moment you were confused by her comment "You know my name?" How the hell did she know your name?

Then it hit you.

"Mira?"

/⁠ᐠ⁠｡⁠ꞈ⁠｡⁠ᐟ⁠\/⁠ᐠ⁠｡⁠ꞈ⁠｡⁠ᐟ⁠\/⁠ᐠ⁠｡⁠ꞈ⁠｡⁠ᐟ⁠\/⁠ᐠ⁠｡⁠ꞈ⁠｡⁠ᐟ⁠\/⁠ᐠ⁠｡⁠ꞈ⁠｡⁠ᐟ⁠\/⁠ᐠ⁠｡⁠ꞈ⁠｡⁠ᐟ⁠\/⁠ᐠ⁠｡⁠ꞈ⁠｡⁠ᐟ⁠\

A/N: I'm trying out something new. let me know if you want a part two :)

Part 2:

[the-oracle-of-the-lost]

leela and romana, for the ask game?

ask game here

Romana:

Sexuality Headcanon: i'm a firm believer than the vast majority of Time Lords are aroace and i think Romana does follow the pattern but is more on the grey-aroace/demi side but resolutely does not want to think about that.

Gender Headcanon: nonbinary woman.

Ship: Romana/Leela/Narvin is definitely my biggest Gallifrey ship though a tragic one-sided Romana/Sartia is very good and i do like Romana/Braxiatel if it's sufficiently fucked up and toxic. i've also been considering fucked up Romana/Livia lately.

BROTP: i mean i like Romana/Leela/Narvin platonically as much as i do romantically. also Romana & Doctor with varying degrees of closeness depending on where they are in their timeline.

NOTP: hmmm, i don't think there are any ships i wholly dislike but i'm not the biggest fan of romantic Doctor/Romana. it can be done well (your fics for instance) but it's not a favorite of mine.

Random Headcanon: far from an original headcanon but i think Romana has a lot of scars from her time on Etra Prime that weren't able to be erased through Time Lord medicine without her regenerating so Romana is Very Sure to keep herself covered up and is horribly embarrassed & vulnerable when people see some of her scars.

General Opinion: she's horrible, she's my everything, she's the first character i've ever been head over heels obsessed with, i love hurting her in my mind palace.

Leela:

Sexuality Headcanon: aro & bisexual.

Gender Headcanon: i don't think Leela's ever put much thought into gender but she would probably still id as a cis woman but kind of ambivalent about it.

Ship: see above with Romana/Leela/Narvin but i've also learned to appreciate Leela/Andred.

BROTP: i unironically love Leela & Brax so much, it's one of the few relationships in Gallifrey that i think can be actually healthy for both parties (at least at the beginning of the series). i also know that we barely see them interact but Leela & Ace has a lot of potential.

NOTP: ...none that i can think of? i guess Leela/Doctor but i've thankfully never seen that.

Random Headcanon: oh i have so many "canon to me" headcanons for Leela but one is that Leela keeps a slightly nonhuman appearance after Annihilation. not full werewolf or anything but her teeth are noticeably sharp, her eyes glow in the dark, her fingernails grow like claws, etc. also in the realm of transformation, the longer she stays on Gallifrey, she starts to pick up more Time Lord/Gallifreyan traits like being able to translate languages, being mildly telepathic and time sensitive. i just think it's a yummy idea that as much as she's derided for being human and non-Gallifreyan throughout the series, she also gradually loses her humanity. (i could also very much see her biodata being experimented on in War Room era as a way for Time Lords to turn "lesser races" into soldiers for them.)

General Opinion: i love the version of Leela that exists in my head and in most corners of the Gallifrey fandom so dearly, she's a great character with great potential and is acted perfectly. however, i do sometimes struggle with her classic who & early Gallifrey stories because the writing trends towards racism with all of the noble savage tropes. i'm very glad her more recent stories and the current fandom have characterized her better (and actually recognized that she's a very intelligent character) but i always feel like there's a caveat on my appreciation for her because of the prior racism.

[saleintothe90s]

506. Super Bowl Commercials, 1997

(previously)

Who played that year? Wait, lemmie guess, the Patriots and the Denver Broncos? *googles*, no wait, it was the Packers vs the Patriots.

This its the best copy I found of the commercials that aired that evening.

We start things off by Jason Alexander apparently living in 2020 and having a cyber date with his girlfriend.

I completely forgot that Dennis Miller used to do M&M commercials. He was trying so hard to be cool back then, and Mr. Cha Cha I just can't imagine him doing commercials. Of course later on in the 90s and the early 2000s he did commercials for 10-10-220, but man everybody did those. Dennis was so cute when he was on SNL. Too bad.

Pizza Hut, that's too much pepperoni! 65 slices of pepperoni? Grease city.

I didn't make a screen cap for this one, but why was it in Party of Five commercials, Lacy Chabert was always screaming or crying or whining and moaning about something?

In my twisted, damaged mind, middle school looked exactly like those Pepsi Generation Next commercials. I imagine myself looking something like the girl with the neon star crown back then.

Man, remember when Nissan was cool? They stopped being cool when they discontinued the Xterra. That little chihuahua looks like the Taco Bell Dog's girlfriend. Keep your 'wawas bucked in you guys.

In the Luxottica eyewear commercial, but one lady says "I want you to see how silly I'd feel in rhinestones." yeah ok we get it you don't like dressing up.

Oh WOW. Our friends at Breathe Right had Super Bowl Money that year! It was about $1.2 million to air an ad back then. 1

Another oh WOW moment, Twig Boy makes an appearance in a King of the Hill themed Super Bowl Commercial. Hank is boomering it up at a grocery store, demanding this his beer is more important than Twig Boy's hum-uuus. Stupid small minded Hank.

Oh I remember there was a little bit of controversy with the Fred Astaire Dirt Devil Broom Vac commercial. All though the 90s there was a trend for re-animated dead celebrities to advertise things. Fred's wife didn't see the issue, however:

Robyn Astaire said she agreed to give the makers of Dirt Devil vacuums permission to use movie clips showing her husband performing in the movies Royal Wedding and Easter Parade.

She said it will be the first time she has let an advertiser use her late husband's image after turning down hundreds of proposals. This time, she said the proposal was "artistically suitable."

Mrs. Astaire said her husband would have seen nothing wrong with using the vacuum cleaners as dance props. "He was always receptive to new proposals. He would have used a vacuum cleaner in a minute. Why, he used a mop in the '30s," Mrs. Astaire said. 2

I feel like a Senator who was also a Presidential Candidate being in a Visa commercial totally wouldn't fly today.

lil Bridget Jones cameo.

The Cadalliac Catera commercial with Cindy Crawford that later got pulled airs. I'm still mad about that. Doug DeMuro recently did a video about the Catera! Car had no cup holders! Cindy Crawford needs a cup holder for her Pepsi!

We all love an Odd Couple parody. In this one Wayne Gretzky is kicked out of the Blues' house and moves to NYC.

Hold up. There were two commercials, from two different car manufactures about birds poopin' on cars. One for Nissan, and one for Honda. Someone got fired for that blunder, I'm sure.

Ok, what is this guy doing online outside at an airport in this USWest commercial. He has to just be writing a novel Brian Griffin style. I mean, it was still difficult to go online outside of our office or home back then, right?

I want to be a fly on the wall back in like, late 1996 when someone ordered the cakes for this Fox ratings commercial for the local station in New Mexico where these commercials came from. "you want a cake with the cops/America's Most Wanted logos on them?"

Pepsi absolutely owned this Super Bowl. Even Mr. Unsolved Mysteries got involved.

For some reason, every local commercial for the Fox channel is completely washed out. What was going on, KASA?

Oh here we go, bby, the most controversial commercial that year. Holiday Inn compared their new renovations to someone who transitioned going to a high school reunion. Kenny Bania was one of her classmates! I imagine that Bania bullied her all though high school.

From MarketSmith's:

This spot—perhaps the first to deal with transsexualism—was very popular in the ad industry and garnered positive reviews. Naturally the ad also upset a lot of people and so (predictably) Holiday Inn was forced to boot the spot shortly after its Super Bowl debut. But, shockingly, the franchisees—the mom-and-pop owners with the most to gain or lose—loved the ad. Gary Schahet, president of the International Association of Holiday Inns, said that calls ran 5-to-1 in favor of Bob Johnson. Others said 75% of the people polled thought that the ad did a good job of explaining what was happening at Holiday Inn. That sounds like a win, so why was it pulled? A bunch of old fuddy-duddy Southern Baptists complained. “It was the older people who didn’t like it,” Schahet said. “But then they aren’t our customers. We are trying to get the young business executive back into Holiday Inn.”

So, marketing mavens, here we have Holiday Inn successfully relaying its ad message to its key targeted demographic, but they still had to pull the ad after only a few airings. That’s a fail, right?  Maybe. Maybe not. After the ad’s initial airing during the Super Bowl, Holiday Inn branches across the nation reported thousands of new reservations—all under the name of (you guessed it) Bob Johnson. In a statement, Holiday Inn Exec VP-Chief Marketing Officer John Sweetwood said: “We spent only $2 million on TV time and production, but we got $10 million in publicity. One might say all that publicity isn’t bad.” Change is good. 3

Ok guys, I'm telling you this for the last time. Publisher's Clearing House did NOT have Ed MacMahon. He was American Family Publishing. This time around, Tom Bergeron was the face of PCH. Fox After Breakfast was a short lived morning show Fox tried to do in the mornings. Here's a great video about it.

I feel like I remember this one time my mom and I joked that we should stay up just a little bit longer one Super Bowl night thinking they may show up. My mom fell for all those sweepstakes.

I feel like I've said "wait" about 20 times watching these commercials, today, but Wait, when did Brandon on 90210 learn how to play hockey? I remember an episode where he fell in love with a skater, and the only reason why I know that episode is because it was on a tape a friend sent me with old Simpsons episodes. So I guess he did play hockey on a regular basis?

Scottie no tippin' Pippen stealing all the fries.

The X-Files was the closing out program that year. Never forget that time I looked into bombs after the Super Bowl. The bomb years were way beyond us at this point.

Related: "Super Bowl marketers set a festive mood, to only mixed results." (gift article)

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Yomtov, Jesse. “How Much Does a Super Bowl Commercial Cost in 2025? 30-Second Ads Hit New Heights.” Ad Meter. Accessed February 9, 2025. https://admeter.usatoday.com/story/sports/ad-meter/2025/01/29/super-bowl-commercial-cost-history/78032191007/.

Tampa Bay Times. “Astaire Taps into TV Ads.” Accessed February 9, 2025. https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1997/01/09/astaire-taps-into-tv-ads/.

Yoakum, Jim. “Badvertising: Holiday Inn’s Bob Johnson.” MarketSmiths, n.d. https://www.marketsmiths.com/2014/badvertising-holiday-inns-bob-johnson/.

[piro-piroooooo]

I was thinking of doing a Miku for the cultural Miku trend... but I'm already quite late and I've been thinking of some things...

I'm Mexican (hehe <3), but I don't see any point in drawing another adelita Miku, or a Miku dressed in any Mexican indigenous attire. I'm not part of any indigenous group, I don't understand those attires. I grew up and live in a poor small industrial city. Of course there is culture in here, but it doesn't look pretty. It isn't pretty colorful dresses, dances, rituals or an ancestral connection to our land and the gods that inhabit it. That can be found in the rural towns that surround my city, the ones that get tourists.

There is no specific cultural attire I can claim or use to represent my cultural experience. What should I dress my Miku in? The local soccer team shirt? The vests the local politicians are often seen wearing? Sure, I could do that I guess.

I'm not saying any of this to complain. Actually, quite the opposite. I love my ugly city. I love my ugly-looking culture. My culture looks like make-shift tents that house weekly farmer's markets. Children making memories of school in classrooms with cement floors and decades old equipment. Neighborhoods coming together to make anniversary parties for holes in the streets. It's showering with a bucket of water you heated on the stove and a recycled yogurt container because the government refuses to do anything about the water shortages. And there's a lot of happiness that can be found in this kind of life.

I used to be very bitter about the way my culture came to be. My way of life was created by a history filled with violence, colonization, and death. Me and the people around me are the result of europeans mixing with the native population. Our poverty and lack of indigenous cultural identity was caused by the explotation of this land and its resources.

Today the independence of my country is celebrated. I have a lot of feelings about it and at the same time I feel nothing. Of course, I'm bitter and angry about the history of my country and its current state. But also, today I went out to buy some groceries we needed to prepare pambazos and passed by a festival. People were eating good food, smiling, creating happy memories. There's joy to be found in this ugly small industrial city.

Maybe I will just draw Miku in my middle school uniform. Carrying that backpack too big for her, y una torta de buebito para comerse en el recreo.

Feliz día de la independencia de México :^)

[silent-raven13]

Kiss Attack!

Gayatri is a super high class model as she made her way to the top in Mumbattan's fashion industry. With this kind of popularity, she became an Influencer, a fashion icon with the ideals trends of the latest fashion and makeup tutorials. So with this new form of popularity to a much broader audience, she receives many PRs from Cosmetic brands and skin care brands. She went to a Mac Cosmetic launching party not long ago.

With new makeup packages being delivered every day, she needed to decluttered her old collection. She didn't like to be wasteful, so she likes to give them away to close friends, and family. Now, she visited her cute boyfriend's Spider-friends-

Oh yeah, she knows her man is Spider-man, but that's a secret she'll take to the grave. Anyway, her boyfriend's friends are pretty cool and fun. Hobie is one person, she likes to hang out due to his unique fashion and artistic style in makeup. It seems like he is a trendsetter in his own world, too.

Right now, she packed many cosmetic products for him to try. She knows he'll use them or donate to the right people that'll love them the same she did.

"Hello, my love." Pavitr came by with his friends into her massive penthouse.

"Oh hey, bae!" She happily went over to give him kisses. "Hey, Gwen. Hey, Hobie. Where's Miles?"

"He went to grab his sister." Hobie saw the boxes of cosmetics, "Oh more for me?"

"Yeah! Look through and grab what you like-" Gayatri gasps, "I just realized. I got this cool PR package and I thought I should give it to you. Look!" She went to get a package for him and her makeup tools, "Hehehe, you gotta try this eyeliner and lipstick!"

"Oh I call dibs on eyeshadow!" Gwen shouted.

"Oh I wanna put blush and foundation on him!" Pavitr happily raised their hands.

Hobie chuckles as he became their model. They love spreading their artistic side with his face, and he loves the looks. Gwen had a very messy vibrant style, Gayatri is more about fine line work, and Pavitr knows how to blend.

When a big orange portal opened up into Gayatri's penthouse, Miles jumps in with two year old Billie. The toddler happily shimmy to the music her brother playing on a small speaker, playing Bad Bunny's song called EoO.

Miles dances with Billie, "Ay, go Boo-boo! Go!" He moves with her to her favorite song on the album.

Billie bobs her head letting her beads from her braided hair clashing together. She laughs, "Go me! Go me!" Her brother carried her in a baby carrier bag, her legs kicking the air while her own Spider-man mask on her mini pouch along with her snacks.

"Hey, Miles! Hi, Billie!" Pavitr claps seeing the two dancing, "Oh, dancing? Let me join in." He hops in dancing with them.

Billie laughs, "Pav is funny, Mi-mi!"

Soon, Miles turns off the music. "Awe." Pavtir and Billie pouts from the music being turned off.

Gayatri laughs at the three, before showing Hobie her hand mirror, "Take a look."

"Lookin' good, Hobie." Gwen said, "I love the sparkles from the eyeshadow and that black lipstick is so cool."

"It's a called Midnight, shifts from black to blue to purple." Gayatri said to her friends.

Hobie smirks at himself in the mirror. "Hey guys, sorry I'm late. Gotta watch Boo-boo today." Miles walks in while Pavitr carried Billie in his arms. They saw Hobie's face. "Whoa, bae. You look so cool!"

"Wow!" Billie said out loud.

Hobie had one some colorful eyeshadows with his black lipstick, "Thanks, Sunflower." Having a massive grin on his face, the wheels in his head started turning. "Oh Sunflower!" He sang out loud.

"Oh gawd, you're gonna kiss attack me, again!" Miles laughs already seeing his boyfriend making his way to him.

Billie quickly turns her head with a shocking expression as Hobie tackles Miles down and started to give him multiple kisses. "Mmmm-wah! Mmm-wah!" Hobie dug in his lips in his Sunflower's face making sure his lipstick left a perfect mark.

Gwen and Gayatri break out laughing, "Hobie you missed a spot!" Gwen pointed at Miles' top of his cheek.

"And here." Gayatri giggles.

Pavitr holds Billie in his arms, "Hahaha, Miles! Your face!"

Miles lay on the floor letting his boyfriend kiss attack him. Billie on the other hand scowls, then she yanks Pavitr's hair, "No! No! Me! I wanna kiss hermano!"

"Uh huh, somebody is jealous!" Gwen hums at Miles' little sister already fuming with jealousy.

Hobie teased, "He's all mine, lil blu! Mwah! Mwah! Mwahahaha all mine!"

"Hobie, you're gonna make her cry and get off me." Miles struggles a bit with his face covered in kissy marks.

"Awe, don't be mean." Gayatri took out a pretty vibrant purple lipstick, "Pav bring her here."

Billie happily laughs seeing Gayatri thinking the same thing as she. The toddler puckered her lips while Pat's girlfriend put lipstick on her. "There." Gayatri giggles.

"Okay! Go Billie! Kiss Attack Miles!" Pavitr set Billie down next to her big brother.

Billie quickly went to kiss her big brother's forehead, cheek, and nose. "Mwah! Mwah! Hermano! I kiss attack you!"

"No, I did!" Hobie laughs as the two keep kissing Miles' face.

The three young adults stood laughing and smiling. "Wait... don't lipstick stain?" Pavitr finally asked.

"WHAT!" Miles shouted.

"Uh oh!" Gwen said.

Gayatri winced, "Opps, sorry Miles." Those lipsticks are meant for staining, too.

Later that same day,

"Ugh! My whole face looks like I got hives!" Miles' brown skinned had kissy marks all stained in dark purple or red! "I look like I got eczema!"

Hobie carries Billie while the two laughing together. "Good job, lil Boo. High five, luv." The toddler happily high five her brother's boy. They had their lipstick marks all over their mouth being smudge from kissing Miles. Not to mention, it left a stained on their face too.

Gayatri rubs her neck, "Miles, don't worry. It said the stain last for ten hours."

"UGH!" Miles groans trying to wash it off.

[biff-adventurer]

Spontaneous Roleplay for Dummies OR How to roleplay with random strangers on the internet, no plotting required OR XIV in game roleplay specific & general writing tips

I've been roleplaying for a good long while now and I'm starting to see some issues trending lately. So here is a guide/tips from me, a spontaneous RPer, who has run into a lot of younger or newer RPers without a lot of guidance. Let me have the honor of trying to help. Or at least let me share what I want some people to know.

i) So you go to a venue. The safest way to start RPing with literally anyone in particular is to ask them an opening question. It doesn’t have to be ground-breaking.

Sonny Silvertear: “Hi there! I'm Sonny, what’s your name?” “ Luna Lifebringer: “Hi? My name’s Luna.”

ii) If the stranger doesn’t “yes and” you, move on. People are jerks, and if they judge you, that’s on them. If someone doesn’t respond in fifteen minutes, you’re safe to move on. (People type slow in game, so fifteen minutes feels like the safest number to me. Please work within your comfort zone–it’s a part of creating boundaries and protecting yourself!)

iv) If you’re the stranger sitting around waiting for someone to ask you a question, the polite thing to do is “yes and” them back. Sometimes, this means just saying something that your new roleplay partner can respond to. It doesn’t always have to be a question!

Luna Lifebringer: “Are you new here? I haven’t seen you around.” Sonny Silvertear: “It’s my first time here. Do you come here often?”

Remember: No talk is too small. Small talk can lead to big talk if you continue to “yes and” with your partner. If you take an interest in someone else’s character, the courteous thing is for them to take an interest in yours.

(As an aside, it’s a little narcissistic to wonder why someone took an interest in your character unless they offer the information themselves. If they compliment you, make sure you find something nice and genuine to say back! Most of the time, the safe assumption is that people are just trying to make friends–unless you have good reason to believe otherwise, of course.)

v) “But I play a character who doesn’t talk too much?” Body language is a great way to show emotion for characters who are stoic. If they can’t offer much dialogue, you can help your partner out by sharing your character’s thoughts or assumptions in your prose. It does NOT have to be fancy or complicated.

Luna Lifebringer: “Not really, no.” Luna raised an eyebrow, then turned to her drink. She wasn’t sure why this cheerful stranger was talking to her, but she didn’t mind it. She just didn’t think it made sense to share her prior line of thought–about the adventure she’d just survived, in a dungeon where she pretty much carried the party with the strength of her white magic.

Sonny Silvertear: “You seem to have a lot on your mind. Do you wanna talk about it?”

Luna Lifebringer: “Not really, no.” She smiled weakly at Sonny, but without any malice. She didn’t want him to think she was annoyed. “What about you? Something on your mind?”

Sonny Silvertear: “Not really, no.” He had to laugh. Should he have come up with conversation topics beforehand? He was new at the social thing, which he hadn’t known was part of the adventuring thing until he’d picked up the mantle of sprout.

Luna Lifebringer: Luna Lifebringer laughs, too. “I guess we both came out to enjoy a nice drink.”

Sonny Silvertear: “I really like drinking. But I’m not, like, a drunk!”

vi) “But how do I get out of small talk territory?” This is where you choose to be vulnerable. Contrary to what some people might tell you, it’s alright to share some exposition about your character’s backstory. It just has to seem natural–and the best way to make something seem natural is to find a natural opportunity to share.

Luna Lifebringer: “Well, good. Because I hate drunks, lies and deception. Especially deception.”

Sonny Silvertear: “Anyone who knows a drunk hates drunks.”

Luna Lifebringer: “You, too? I’ll drink to that!”

vii) “But my partner isn’t picking up on my cues.” That happens sometimes. It can happen a lot if your cues aren’t obvious. It can also happen if you run into a lot of people who are either really uninterested, really tired, or just really not perceptive. Those are all not your fault, so you can’t compensate for that. When you find yourself working too hard, it’s okay to drop the RP, either by finding a reason to leave, talking to someone else, or simply ending the conversation.

viii) “What if I’m not getting their cues?” Then it’s perfectly harmless to bring up what you think they’re referring to, or something new entirely, so long as you acknowledge whatever else the person said. Remember that you don’t have to respond to every single line–just what you think is important, either to you or to them. That way, no one feels like they wasted what they wrote.

Sonny Silvertear: “Yeah, me, too. My dad.”

Luna Lifebringer: “That sucks.”

Sonny Silvertear: “Yeah. My dad sucked.”

Luna Lifebringer: “Mine did, too. Is there a rule somewhere that says dads have to suck?”

Sonny Silvertear: “I think that’s part of why everyone hates drunks. Because they make terrible fathers.”

ix) Don’t write more than you need to. An easy way to lose your partner’s attention or try their patience is making them read a small novel, only to find out the last two lines are all they need to read to reply. That doesn’t mean you can’t share lovely details about your characters; it just means you need to choose those details wisely. For example, if there’s something about your character that we can’t see on the model, like freckles under a scar or a third color of hair on their head, bring it up if it seems relevant. Just ask yourself why it’s relevant and why you want your new partner to know about it.

Luna Lifebringer: She laughed. It was bubbly, but there was a sadness hiding amid the bubbles somewhere. “More women need to not sleep with drunk dudes.”

Sonny Silvertear: He nodded once, firmly. His smile reached his eyes, though the light in them was gone. He looked at his hands. Without gloves to hide the scars, it was easy to see how rough they were. “It would save everyone a lot of stress, time and work.”

x) Use the right words. It’s hard to figure out what the right words are, but sometimes, that’s because they’re simple. And sometimes it’s because they’re not. Really, the key is to make sure the word means what you think it means. The thesaurus doesn’t give you words that are exactly interchangeable; it gives you words that can mean the same things, in a general sense, but mean something specific when you look closer.

Old: Luna looked around the bar. She was by herself, but she was waiting for someone, so she didn’t feel like a total loser. She just needed to be patient. She smiled at the bartender and took her drink, then looked around some more for the right seat. (Grade: C)

New: Luna looked around the bar. She felt self-conscious, but reminded herself that she was waiting for someone. When the bartender handed her the drink she ordered, she smiled graciously. Then, she looked for a place to sit. (Grade: B)

Don’t ask me how to get an A, starters are hard. Making yourself look known and available, and giving people an insight to where your character is mentally, is a good start. Frankly, I’d just sit my character somewhere before I made a starter but I wanted to try something new. I don’t think it worked. But the point is, the words are better. They’re more varied and less soulless. But sometimes soulless gets you through the day, so don’t judge yourself too hard.

xi) When writing a character from a specific place, try to use in-game dialogue to influence the depiction of your character’s ethnic background or childhood experiences. There are a lot of NPCs in the game and a lot of MSQ dialogue by people from different places on the Star. So, if you start RPing a character of a different background than yours, the best starting point is the source material. Although the source has its own problems, it’s also the text we share. Identifying the problems in the material is more like the second or third step in character building; but it’s unlikely folks will be angry with you for drawing from the source. However, do try to research the places in game and their real world counterparts to get a sense of where your character should be. It helps add depth and it helps you learn about the world, too! Creating, writing and researching for non-Western characters is its own large topic; this is just a good starting point, in my experience.

xii) In Conclusion: show people you care to know about other people’s characters. Focus on what they need to know about yours in the moment. Artistry can follow once you have the meat down in place. Don’t commit so much to aesthetic that you lose the ability to build relationships with other people. When you take an interest in those around you, the world really opens up. And isn’t that what being an adventurer is all about?