#issues are issues and need dealing with but not like this

[noperopesaredope]

I have a pretty large extended family (grandma had a lot of siblings), and my cousin was the first person in the family to get diagnosed. Afterwards, a lot of the older members started looking into autism more, and my grandma (who is one of the few siblings still alive) realized that at least 3 of her siblings were very much autistic, just with low enough support needs for people to just label them "weird" (also a lot of the confirmed autistic family members on that side are AFAB, so that certainly didn’t help).

She actually said, "Oh, that explains why your Uncle ___ was such an asshole!" And then she has had other moments where it hit her that a ton of other folks probably had autism, but they're either in their 80s/90s or just dead, so they can't get a diagnosis.

She still says that autistic folks have been around forever. There just weren't words for it yet. In fact, I think she really wishes that her siblings could have gotten diagnosed so that they could have gotten the help they needed. Only one of the likely autistic siblings is still alive, and they have dealt with and still deal with a lot of issues that might not have been an issue if they got any kind of help and support rather than rejection.

I almost find it offensive to insinuate that all these autistic people didn't exist back in the day, because it feels like it brushes aside all those elderly family members of mine who struggled for years due to not getting support or some kind of answer to explain the root behind some issues they dealt with. It completely erases them from the narrative and is like pretending there aren't any elderly autistic people out there who might still need those supports.

I'm so glad that there are "more kids with autism" because it means that fewer people are struggling alone and that someday, there will be fewer elderly people sitting with the trauma that came with being forced to mask or getting thrown away for being different. There can be more happy old autistics.

[ccazimi]

cw: crack, fluff, smut, dubcon, panty sniffing/stealing, scent kink, etc. (he's literally part animal what do you expect)

tiger hybrid!sukuna who's prissy and sassy, much like an actual housecat. picky about everything, from the temperature and consistency of his food to the way his water tastes to what a light sleeper he is. sometimes you talk to him, and if he doesn't feel like responding, he literally won't even turn his head to you - all you'll get is an annoyed flick of his ear to tell you that he does hear you, he's just actively choosing to ignore you.

tiger hybrid!sukuna who has a serious issue with boundaries. he's allowed to ignore you if he feels like it, but you dare try and do the same thing back? unacceptable. will be extremely miffed if your attention isn't on him at all times. yes, even when he actively acts like he doesn't want it.

not to mention you need to deal with him literally getting offended at the fact that you wear clothes around him even though "it's just you two in the house" and on more than one occasion will you be absolutely mortified when you find he’s been stealing your dirty panties- he, of course, doesn’t get the big deal.

oh, you thought that was bad? wait till you find that he insists that you sleep naked with him, and your nightly ritual includes him not only licking you clean (at least your face and neck) but sniffing down your entire body. yes, the entire thing. the part where he gets to your pussy is the worst for you, and the best for him. and whenever he gets down between your thighs to smell you, he makes this weird face almost automatically, with his lips pulled back to show off those fangs and mouth a bit open somewhere between a snarl and a smirk, like he’s trying to taste the scent

tiger hybrid!sukuna who has a special vomeronasal organ at the roof of his mouth that can pick up pheromones—and that weird thing he does, when he opens his mouth while sniffing your pussy? yeah, that’s him drawing the scent in deeper, some focused, instinctual decoding process of your sexual health

"you're ovulating, probably peaked this morning. also you're kinda stressed...maybe you need to sleep more," he graciously informs you of his findings between your spread thighs. "oh and your pH is a little off. maybe skip that stupid new soap you got next time."

he looks up at you expectantly—clearly waiting for your gratitude. and you know he won’t finish this whole ridiculous routine until you sigh and say, flat as ever, "thanks for that. can we sleep now?"

"you've got two days left if you're trying to get pregnant, by the way."

you shoot him something between a glare and a grimace.

tiger hybrid!sukuna can pick up everything, but there are two times of the month when he can pick up those smells even with just his normal nostrils. the first one -obviously- is when you’re ovulating. but the only thing worse than the scent of you ovulating, is the smell that envelops you right before you get your period. “worse” in the sense that it drives him completely insane. sweet, cloyingly thick, warm. in fact he blames you for tempting him. you'll be innocently doing the dishes or something when suddenly it's too much for him and he pounces on you from behind, wrapping his arms around you to keep you in place, claws instinctively pushing out to dig into your skin so tight it hurts.

of course you panic, squirming as he begins rutting into the curve of your ass, his cock quickly swelling up till it's very noticeable. and the scent of him that becomes so much stronger when he's...excited like this - warm, musky, all iron and spice, wrapping around you.

"sukuna- let me- go!" you try as you struggle in his grasp, but it's too late he's too far gone, just mindlessly grunting and growling as he chases his release, too desperate to even fuck you properly. "almost there, just a bit more," he pants, nuzzling his nose into the crook of your neck and inhaling deeply. "it's your fault anyway, walking around like -hah- i can't smell your pussy fucking begging for me." and right as you're about to splash some cold water on him, you hear him groan filthy, and guttural, as he finishes in his pants just from grinding against you.

and that's when he finally comes to his senses, trying to retract his claws to let go of you. unfortunately they get stuck in the fabric of your clothing, and he just panics making them get even more tangled while you yell at him to stop moving so that you can unhook his claws. finally you turn with your arms crossed, giving him the coldest, and most stern look of all time. he stares at you guiltily, a large wet patch forming on the crotch of his pants where his cum seeps through.

it's not his fault -not exactly- like any good hybrid he needs to be trained, and soon enough you've corrected that little problem of his (mostly)

tiger hybrid!sukuna is intensely territorial, especially when it comes to you. so when you come home smelling even faintly like another man? he’s agitated to no end — not even jealous, exactly, he just feels like it’s wrong. soon after come several arguments his way about “how he can’t piss around your house to mark his territory” or about how “it’s completely unacceptable to leave long clawed scratch marks on the walls or furniture”

tiger hybrid!sukuna who simply cannot keep his hands off you when you're on your period. this time he doesn't touch you (too much) without your permission, but he will beg you incessantly till you finally give in. and that's how you end up with your clothes shredded, and him biting and sucking every inch of your body hungrily as he makes his way down, tail wrapping possessively around you to keep you in place

tiger hybrid!sukuna with long sharp fangs that make his kisses hurt just a little, especially when gets too excited and nips your skin, drawing just a bit of blood that he happily licks up. he loves when they scar a bit too, just so that you’re marked as his.

tiger hybrid!sukuna with rough, spiked papillae on his tongue meant for cleaning raw flesh off bone that are now scraping against the bud of your stiff nipple. you gasp and writhe, and he knows he can't lick you nipples too much (as much he wants to) or it'll really start to hurt.

tiger hybrid!sukuna eats you out like he eats wild prey, teeth just shy of nipping your clit as he laps at your cunt. and of course the rough sandpaper texture of his tongue against your swollen nub feels like nothing else - a bit painful, borderline overstimulating, but so good at the same time. but just like with your nipples he has to be carefully so he doesn't seriously hurt you down there.

tiger hybrid!sukuna who just can't help himself from pinning your thighs open almost painfully as you cum, just to stick his tongue inside your hole and finally taste the leaking sweetness that's been teasing him for days. even when you're done, he continues to lick your pussy gently, almost affectionately. you squirm a little from the slight overstimulation but just let him do his thing as he laps your folds clean, deep purrs rumbling from inside his chest as he does so

[tarotlexa]

PICK A PILE READING- (EXPERIMENTAL) what does your body need?

welcome back my luvs, this is the last part of my experimental saga (for rn at the very least, if anybody wants to offer me some ideas feel free to inbox me or dm me!), i already made a hair and skin version, if you're interested.

of course this is not medical advice but a collective reading made for entertainment purposes, so take what resonates and leave what does not as usual. love u, thank you for being here <3

⠀.　　　　　　　　　　⠀⠀⠀✦ ⠀ ⠀　　　　　　　　　　　　　　⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀* ⠀⠀⠀.　　　　　　　　　　. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀✦⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀.　　　　　　　　　　　　　.　　　ﾟ .　　　　　　　　　　　　　. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　✦ 　　　　　,　　　　　　　.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀.　　　　　 　　⠀　　　⠀.　

　　˚　　　⠀　⠀  　　,　　　　　　.

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　.⠀　　⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀,

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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀.　　　　　　　　　　⠀⠀⠀✦ ⠀ ⠀　　　　　　　　　　　　　　⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀* ⠀⠀⠀.　　　　　　　　　　. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀✦⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀.　　　　　　　　　　　　　.　　　ﾟ .　　　　　　　　　　　　　. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　✦ 　　　　　,　　　　　　　.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀.　　　　　 　　⠀　　　⠀.　

　　˚　　　⠀　⠀  　　,　　　　　　.

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　　　　　　*⠀　　⠀  　　　　　⠀✦⠀　

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　　　˚　　　　　　　　ﾟ　　　　　.

　.⠀　⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀,

　　　　　✦⠀　   　　　,

pile 1: the cards i got for this pile simply scream OVERSTIMULATION. some of you might be neurodivergent, some of you are looking into getting a diagnosis, probably. you might be disassociating a lot lately from your body's needs in favor of mental control or productivity. you’ve projected your energy far into the future but haven’t checked in with the vessel that’s carrying you there. your body feels betrayed or neglected, like you’ve been pushing past limits, avoiding rest, or ignoring signs (like skipping meals, overriding exhaustion, overconsuming caffeine or stimulants, masking pain). there is also a possibility that you’re ignoring or hiding symptoms, anything from chronic tension, hormonal imbalances, to sleep issues or stomach disruptions. it is very important to look more into what's been afflicting you lately because as invincible as we all seem, we are still human and our bodies are still fragile little machines who need to get checked from time to time. you might be also recovering from an injury or past illness atm.

definitely check in with your nervous system (signs of disregulation, insomnia, jaw clenching, digestion sensitivity...remember that chronic stress can also lead to hormonal shifts (ask me how i know), water retention, fatigue). consider taking magnesium and going on slow walks before the evening.

what your body needs rn: i feel like you are aware of the cognitive dissonance you and your body have been experiencing lately and you might have been trying to "over" fix it, as in, trying too many routines at once, trends, diets or stuff from tiktok that you thought was cool or attainable. it's sensory hell. the seven of wands being here could indicate your immune system flaring up, like it's fighting to keep up with your bullshit (sorry), it needs less chaos. you could be dealing with skin flare ups, pms, cycle irregularity or even autoimmune warning signs. investigate those triggers, protect your sleep, make sure to stick to ONE routine (like meals at a set time, sleeping at a set time), slow and repetitive movement for the win. your body is desperately trying to get you to collaborate with it, rebuild trust with it and create something SUSTAINABLE. spiritually, your body is telling you that you’re not meant to be a solo soldier, you’re here to build something with your physical self, not at its expense. most importantly: stop focusing on your brain alone, your body knows more than you think.

pile 2: see, while pile 1 is struggling to put their body first, you might be having the opposite issue here. the king of cups indicates that you're silently suffering, holding everything in and appearing composed but there's something brewing under the surface. like your body might be looking fine but internally there's a flood of stress hormones, mental tension and some somaticized emotions (as in your feelings are turning into physical symptoms). you might be currently struggling with anxiety a LOT and it reflects on your body, like you might be prone to insomnia, muscle tension, chest tightness or digestive issues tied to this emotional overload. you might be also feeling in a constant hypervigilant state all the time or being stuck in survival mode, operating on fear and anxiety. your body is asking you to show it kindness, compassion and to fix the balance between mind and heart. also pay close attention to muscle injuries rn or your knees or thyroid issues, i feel like that's relevant for this pile.

what your body needs rn: your body is showing signs of burnout, post illness fatigue or a nervous system collapse that's been building for a while now. your body wants emotional release and retreat, it needs softness, water, rest, nourishment and silence, even some isolation. deep rest, lots of water, warm salt baths, cry it all out, yoga, WATER!!, soothing and hydrating foods (bone broth, herbal teas, oats, fruits, veggies...), less caffeine, meditation.

pile 3: oh you're in grind mode but there are conflicting energies here. the knight of pentacles is slow, methodical and grounded, he loves habits, discipline and routines but then there's also the knight of wands who is impulsive, fast and who craves excitement and quick results. it's like part of you wants to stick to consistency but another part of you wants adrenaline and chaos. your body is rebuilding something right now, it could be recovering from past stress or making physical upgrades or even stamina building. you are creating a new body as we currently speak. you have energy, but it’s scattered between hustle and healing. your body can go far if you align your pace but right now it’s like pressing gas and brake at the same time. it's unrealistic yk?

what your body needs rn: you need to commit to one thing instead of burning out in too many directions. your body wants you to feel sensual, alive and in movement, you might feel the need to dance more and that's great, you should definitely try that or even doing creative workouts. you have endured a lot physically, there might be some long term tension that hasn't fully healed yet, consider taking things slow. your body needs steadiness and grounded care, think nourishing meals (do not restrict), restful sleep, regularity in movement and nutrition. your bones, muscle, digestion and endocrine system really crave earth energy (solid routines, strength, warmth, safety, think warming foods like cinnamon, ginger, soup, dark greens). i feel like pilates could be a great workout for you if you're interested in that.

thank you so much for reading, have a great day/night <3

png creds @pnglove

[maddieandangel]

Consider: character-exclusive trinkets.

[ponderingmoonlight]

How you accidentally made Dante look like a hero again

Pairing: Dante x fem!reader

Word Count: 1,6k

Synopsis: All you wanted was to outsmart Dante and prove he was setting you up for demon attacks in order to get closer to you. Instead, you ended up buried under library rubble, fighting off scorpion demons, and getting saved by him — again. This is why you have trust issues.

Warnings: swearing, kinda enemies to lovers dynamic, I just love Dante y'all need to have mercy with me lol

You’re starting to think you’re cursed.

That’s the only explanation for it. How else do you keep ending up in demon-infested alleys, haunted casinos, and - once - dangling upside down from a stolen motorcycle, twice in the same week? No average person deserves so much distress.

But even worse: every time - every damn time - there’s Dante.

Bursting in like he’s auditioning for an action movie. Guns blazing, coat flaring behind him, a cocky smirk plastered across his stupidly handsome face.

God, how much you hate that guy.

…do you?

"Oh no," you mutter under your breath when you spot him swaggering through the chaos yet again.

"Not this asshole."

"Miss me, babe?" he calls, spinning his sword once before cleaving a demon in half like it's no big deal.

You barely dodge a flying claw, pretty used to almost dying by now.

"Dante, why are there hellhounds in the laundromat?! I just came here to do my laundry!"

He winks at you like this is all part of some grand romantic plan.

"You know. Crazy city. You never know what’s gonna happen. Nice panties by the way, wish I could see them up close."

You stare at him, sceptical to say the least, as he shoots a demon that was two inches away from biting your head off.

"This is the fourth time this month. And every time you're 'coincidentally' nearby!"

He strolls over, casually beheading something with his sword like he's just stretching his legs. How many times have you seen this already? Probably like a hundred times.

This month.

"Fate works in mysterious ways, sweetheart."

You gawk at him. No, the thing he calls fate can’t be an accident. There is literally no way in hell that you get attacked even more often than himself. There has to be another reason. Could it be that…?

"Are you setting this up?!"

He gives you a look, all fake innocence and devilish grin.

That bastard.

"Who, me? Nahhh. Demons just have a thing for damsels. Lucky for you... I'm a professional knight in shining armor."

A piece of ceiling collapses dangerously close to you. You flinch for once. Dante doesn’t even blink, just throws an arm around your waist and throws you out of the way with way too much enthusiasm.

You land on your back with a grunt, staring up at the cracked ceiling and wondering what life choices led you here. Where did you take a wrong turn to deserve this? Being liked by a hot guy is all fun and games until the name of that jerk is Dante Sparda, apparently.

Dante leans over you, upside-down, grinning like a maniac.

"You good? Need mouth-to-mouth?" he offers helpfully.

You shove him off you, the heat of his body almost devouring you whole.

"I’m getting a restraining order."

"You say that, but then who’s gonna save you next time you almost get eaten by a possessed vending machine?"

You open your mouth to argue - and realize you have no idea how to deal with possessed vending machines. You groan, burying your face in your hands.

“Maybe you’re the one who possesses everything around me…”

Dante pats your head fondly like you’re some kind of beloved but very dumb kitten.

"You mean like your thoughts? Most definitely, yeah. But don't worry, babe," he coos cheerfully, "I'll always be there to save your pretty little ass."

You’re pretty sure that’s supposed to be comforting. Instead, you start mentally drafting your will.

“Get off me now, I need to get going jerk. And stop staring at my panties”, you hiss through gritted teeth while getting up, packing your things and leaving.

No, this isn’t an accident, not your fault by any means. Dante is the one who sets all of this shit up.

��That fucker…”, you mutter to yourself, slamming the door shut in fury.

You can’t do this anymore, can’t take seeing a demon each time you leave your house. You’ll have to teach him a lesson.

Yes, there has to be a way to stop this madness once and for all.

“I’ll catch you mid-act, Dante…”

You hatch a plan.

A pretty simple one: bait Dante into showing up, catch him red-handed, and finally prove he's arranging all this chaos.

You pick the most boring, demon-unfriendly place you can think of: the public library. No shady alleys, no creepy neon signs, no way in hell anything supernatural is hanging out between the tax law section and the dusty romance novels.

You text him a fake tip, something about "possible demonic activity" near the library, totally urgent, definitely needs his professional attention.

Then you sit back, tuck yourself into a corner with a stack of books, and wait.

Ten minutes pass. Twenty. Thirty.

No Dante.

You start to relax. Maybe he finally got the hint. Maybe he's actually busy for once. Did your words from yesterday finally stir something inside of his brain?

And that's when the ceiling caves in.

You shriek as a massive scorpion demon crashes through the roof, scattering books and terrified civilians everywhere. Librarians are running for their lives. An entire row of encyclopedias explodes in a puff of dusty chaos, taking your sight while you desperately try to crawl out of the scene.

Fuck, this wasn’t supposed to happen. That definitely wasn’t written on your bingo card for today.

"What the hell?!" you shout, diving behind a bookshelf just in time before a whole fucking shelf bumps onto the ground next to you.

"HEY BABY!" a too-familiar voice yells from somewhere in the smoke.

You peek out and see Dante standing atop the checkout desk, dual pistols in hand, grinning like this is the best day of his life.

"Miss me?"

You stare at him, speechless. No, this has to be a dream. This was supposed to be a trap, you set him off in order to finally find him guilty. And now this?

"HOW?!"

He jumps off the desk, unloading a round of bullets into the demon's face like it’s a casual Tuesday.

"You sent me the text! Good instincts, by the way - I was gonna ignore it, but then I figured, ‘Hey, if my girl’s around, probably gonna be some action.’ And look! Action!"

You dodge a flying claw and seriously consider strangling him with a library card cord.

"I SENT YOU A FAKE TEXT!" you shout over the sound of gunfire.

"THERE WASN’T SUPPOSED TO BE A REAL DEMON!"

"Aw," Dante replies, kicking a demon minion into a copy machine, "you’re so modest. You’re like a magnet for this stuff."

You have no time to argue. The giant scorpion is bearing down on you. You grab the nearest weapon, a hardcover dictionary about curse words in Spanish, and hurl it at its head. It bounces off harmlessly. Yeah, what a surprise, actually.

Dante whistles low, impressed.

"Good arm, babe. But here - lemme show you how it's done."

Before you can blink, he’s in front of you, sword flashing, doing some ridiculously show-offy spin move that absolutely wasn’t necessary but looks cool as hell anyway.

The demon collapses with a final screech.

Silence falls over the destroyed library.

Books smolder, paper flutters in the air like sad confetti. Somewhere, a printer makes a pathetic beep before dying.

You sit down heavily on the floor, dazed.

Dante strolls over, all proud, offering you a hand up.

"No need to thank me. It’s kinda my thing."

You stare at him, mind still processing what just happened. Your mission failed – miserably, so say the least.  

"I literally TRIED to set you up."

"And look how well it worked!" he declares brightly.

"You lured out the bad guys! You're a natural at this demon-hunting stuff. I'm so proud."

You want to punch him. You want to kiss him. You want to punch him then kiss him.

Instead, you let him pull you to your feet, dusting off your scorched jacket.

"I'm never texting you again," you grumble.

"Sure you will," Dante coos, flashing that stupid, charming grin.

"You can't resist me."

You open your mouth to argue - and immediately get tackled to the ground as a second, smaller demon leaps from the wreckage.

You land with a painful thud, pinned beneath Dante’s weight as he shoots over your head, finishing off the last monster.

When the danger’s over, he stays there for an awkward beat too long, smirking down at you.

"See? Told ya. Always there to catch ya when you fall."

You groan, covering your face with your hands while absolutely hating how good his body weight feels on top of you, how surprisingly good that asshole of a man smells.

"I'm going to die of second-hand embarrassment."

"Nah," Dante retorts confidently, getting up and pulling you with him again.

"If anyone’s gonna kill you, it’s gonna be something way cooler. Like a demon. Or a possessed espresso machine."

You squint at him.

 "You’re not gonna let this go, are you?"

He slings an arm around your shoulders like he owns the place, like the ablaze library isn’t his fault at all, and leads you toward the exit.

"Nope. You're stuck with me, sweetheart."

You sigh.

Maybe getting a new phone and a new name wouldn’t be the worst idea.

…Or just giving in.

[secretgardensinmymindd13]

every time someone says that eddie doesn’t love buck as much as buck loves him -

ughhhhh, what are you talking about?

buck, the guy with abandonment issues because everyone is always leaving. not caring enough. not needing him enough. not seeing him

and here comes eddie, who makes him his partner and his bestie, who always makes him feel like he and chris are his home. they’re always here. they need him. they want him. he is part of their life now

you can have my back any day (i trust you). and i’ll have yours (you can trust me). it’s a deal.

anyways, that won’t happen to us. (it better not)

he’s hanging out with his buck today!

you saved him. that’s how he remembers it.

but i love him enough to never stop trying, and i know you do too.

there’s nobody in this world i trust with my son more than you.

i couldn’t even call you to bail me out of jail…

did you ever stop for a minute to think what it could do to us?

i forgive you. also, what it means to be part of a team.

this is eddie’s house. i’m not really a guest.

you’re a miracle worker.

(they never wanted another kid. they just had me for parts. defective parts, as it turned out.) hey, that’s not on you.

(i had to do it.) i know you did.

are you hurt?

it’s in my will - if i die, you become christopher’s legal guardian. no one will ever fight for my son as hard as you. that is what i want for him.

you act like you’re expendable. but you’re wrong.

you’re stuck with us.

(yeah, i know i’m the guy that always wants to fix everything.) hey, comes in handy when you have a bunch of holes in your wall.

(we’ll do our best!) do more!

welcome back to the world of the living, buck. you were missed.

this doesn’t change a thing between us. (i love you and accept you exactly the way you are, and i’m always there for you)

what you always do. just talk to him.

i do not know what i’m gonna do without you.

it’s not nothing.

i don’t like it any more than you do.

if you’re gonna make this about me having to choose between you or my son, you’re gonna lose every time. (buck obviously knows it, so it was a reminder to himself, because eddie had to make this choice too)

but i hope you know, you do matter to me.

appreciate you, buck.

with every word and every action, eddie shows:

i don’t care how much you fuck up. i love you. i want you. i need you. i’m not going anywhere. i’m always here. i always have your back. that was the deal.

the only time i push you away is when i’m too caught up in my own pain. but it has nothing to do with you. you’re still my safe space. you’re the one i can be myself with. you’re the one i want to have in my life always.

buck’s acts of service for eddie are usually loud and definitive,

but eddie’s act of service for buck is staying. being present. being consistent. carving out a space for him in his life and saying, “this is it. you’re now part of my life. you always have a home here”

eddie makes buck feel needed. he makes him feel wanted and valued. he shows him that buck matters to him, that he sees him

i feel like buck doesn’t really need someone to go to great heights for him the way he does for the people he loves. i feel like he just wants people to understand him, to recognize his efforts, and to appreciate him the way he is. and this is exactly what eddie does

buck’s parents “looked through him”, his romantic partners didn’t care about him enough - abby leaving and not even bothering to properly break up with him, ali thinking she couldn’t handle his lifestyle, taylor always putting her work first, natalia doesn’t even count, tommy only getting with him out of convenience and breaking up with him because of insecurity and indifference. (by the way, i don’t think they were all evil for breaking up with him - it’s just that none of them were on the same page with him. they didn’t fit. relationships are often a two-way street, after all)

all buck ever wanted is to be seen, to be needed, to be wanted. eddie is the one who gives him that. he’s the one who loves him as much as buck loves him. buck might be head over heels for eddie, but eddie is just as head over heels for buck - it’s just that the way he shows his love is more quiet, but it’s persistent and stable, and it’s kind of exactly what buck needed all along

and it just so happened that he found the kind of love he was searching for in the face of his colleague and best friend. he just needs to realize that his quest for a romantic partner is over because he already found the treasure - he just had no idea he did, or that it was even an option

and it makes me very emotional that buck was looking at that old couple’s album in “buck, actually” and had no idea that he already met someone to spend his whole life with - and that this person was standing right by his side, and that it was his best friend (with whom they became besties suspiciously fast, lmao - but that’s just how soulmates work)

i know it was accidental, but honestly, that’s what makes it even better ’cause they’re soulmates through and through. even the writers couldn’t have predicted it

[goldensunset]

ok fine addendum time

1. yeah i watched doctor who i know it wasn’t him who said that ok give me a break. the point is they still made a big deal of it and that’s what makes it feel weird

2. ‘but what if they really aren’t kind at heart? what if i really do like characters who are looking for any excuse to snap?’ then that’s a different trope, bestie. it’s amazing but not my point. you’re right though that you just need to be aware of the difference as a writer and the lack of awareness can be the bigger issue but still. not my point

3. this absolutely is about irl people too. and in without a doubt the worst offenders about this writing trope are self-proclaimed nice guys irl who do not understand that they are not nice. trust me i know exactly where this mindset comes from

4. i think it’s fine to like kind of have your character warn people and politely ask them to stop if they can feel themselves getting upset? it’s up to you as a writer tbh as far as how to pull it off and whether you think it’s in character. because you don’t want to make it sound like a threat but also it’s good and fair to not have your character seem to go from 0 to 60 instantly. some sort of ‘please stop i’m not trying to fight you/argue with you /please i only want to be the best version of myself right now and i feel like i’m slipping from that so can we collectively find a way to calm down’ if you do it right works very well. course if they do give this sort of warning that is already an indication that they are on the cool down if they have a rational enough head to say that because that’s a very mature response. so if you still wanna make them snap after that you have to reeeeeally put them through hell. this is all imo of course

the ‘kind character snapping’ trope has been co-opted by too many people who don’t understand it fundamentally. you can’t have your character actively think of themselves as that kind of person bc that makes it like bragging. ‘you wouldn’t like me when i’m angry 😡’ ’no more mister nice guy 😈’ ’demons run when a good man goes to war 👿’ ’honestly i scare myself sometimes 😰’ WROOOOOONG. those are all threats. first off a truly kind character should be humble and not even consider kindness a thing of theirs. and second off please. if they’re truly gentle they should be ashamed of the very thought of their own wrath and not like openly talk about it. yeah i bet they do scare themselves and others when they finally get pushed too far but like don’t have them say or consciously think that without shame… it should be like a tragic thing that happens to them against their will and not like an alter ego they’ve been gleefully looking for an excuse to slip into

[hawkinsoutcasts]

AND DONE! This took longer than it was supposed to, due to me getting distracted. I really like how this came out. :D

I'm gonna put my ramblings about my AU version of season 3 under the cut, so if you wanna read feel free to continue. Hope you enjoy!

So in the Hawkins Outcast AU, Season 3 goes in a different direction from canon.

-The Russians still come to America and build Starcort as a front for their experimentation with the Upside Down, but it goes horribly wrong. They fuck around with Demogorgon DNA and accidentally create a zombie-like creature that starts infecting people. This leads to a Demo-zombie breakout within the mall and forces it to be closed, with everyone trapped inside.

-While all of this is going on, The Party is trying to get through the summer, but fractures begin to form within the group. Between the kids becoming hormonally-strung out teens, and dealing with trauma from the past two years, The Party struggles to stay together.

-Mike's emotional issues become more prominent, and he struggles with his masculinity and sexuality. He tries to prove he's not some dirty homo and a "Real Man" by obsessing over girls and bottling up his emotions. He tries to pursue Eleven, but this falls flat. He also becomes uncomfortable with his confusing romantic feelings for Will.

-Will becomes moody, withdrawn and bitter due to his trauma from the Mind Flayer. He's unable to move past the pain and fear, and struggles to deal with the clusterfuck changes that come with adolescence. Between this, and realizing he's gay, he becomes an emotional time bomb.

-Lucas finds himself torn between his true self and who he wishes he was. He grows tired of being labeled a loser by bullies, as it affects his self-esteem. He becomes subconscious of his love for horror things, especially zombie movies. Using his enjoyment of basketball as an excuse, he begins distancing himself from the geeky things he loves. His insecurities affect his relationship with Max, as well as the others.

-Dustin tries to keep The Party together, though it becomes difficult after he learns about the Russians and the Upside Down nonsense hiding below the mall. He spends more time with Steve and Robin, more or less as a way to escape the oppressive drama within The Party. He also becomes preoccupied with his long-distant relationship with Suzie.

While it'd need to be fleshed out more, my idealistic version of Season 3 would still be themed around relationships, but focus more on the ideas of relationships changing. The zombie shenanigans at the mall forces everyone into a confined space where they have to confront their issues with each other, for better or for worse. In the end, after Starcort burns down, Hopper and Joyce decide to get together and leave Hawkins, feeling just slightly tired of the bullshit their families keep going through.

There's more I wanna share but ugghhhh I'll have to come back to this because this post is already way too fucking long. If you read all of this, I hope you enjoyed it <3 I'm gonna figure out a way to put together my AU in one place...Maybe make a google doc idk. We'll see.

[fiamat12]

Hia Fia. I'm sad that Nicola took that guy to the bafta party because it was her moment to shine and he overshadowed her night. I understand that it could be part of their deal, she probably promised to take him to that event to promote his movie. The gossip sites are talking more about him than about her and that's bad for her reputation. There are a lot of people criticizing her on social media and there was no need to show that polaroid but maybe it was edited because the next day he had another pic. Many people noticed that J was uncomfortable, he wouldn't look her in the eye and she was smiling forcedly. There are rumors that she got sick at the event and threw up. As much as I'm upset with her attitude, I'm still firm and convinced that she and Luke are together. And look at this, if CAA is really behind all of this, then her agency is shit and they're damaging her image and career.

Sorry you're sad. That seems to be the general sentiment around these parts 😞 But there has to be a reason, and we WAIT for things to unfold.

I agree it was NOT a good look, but I'm going to give a little bit of balance to the argument of her night being overshadowed by JD.

The TV BAFTAs nominees party:

• It was not ceremony night. This was a private cocktail party attended by industry folk. It was the equivalent of L taking A to the Film BAFTAs after-party in Feb.

• If she needed to give JD publicity, distract from political outrage or throw A off the scent of a Lukola launch (because it did seem obligations were coming to an end), this would be the more low-key party to do it.

• JD flashing a Polaroid was a distraction, for what reason we have yet to understand. Despite ticking off fans who associate it w/ Lukola, it's irrelevant. He's still gay. They're still just friends.

As for CAA:

• Tbf, I think they'd suggest a more neutral strategy, which showing up w/ JD was not. It was a distraction but didn't help the criticism about erasing JD's sexuality 🤷🏼‍♀️.

• Nic isn't the first celeb to be outspoken on politics; w/ Hollywood being generally liberal she's towing a line that her reps (who knew her politics when they signed her) would support, not ask her to curtail.

Note: the Weinstein scandal was a huge issue for Hollywood because ALOT of people turned a blind eye due to his power & influence. This is NOTHING like that. And thankfully, the justice system is dealing w/ him.

Take a deep breath 🧘‍♀️ and say a little prayer for calmer waters. There's no such thing as bad press, so this will all wash out in the end. I have no doubt she & Luke are one unit in all of this. He's no stranger to public backlash and is likely right there by her side. 👫

[back2bluesidex]

To Be Popular - JJK [Chapter 2]

Pairing: Social Media Influencer! Jungkook X Marketing Manager! Reader ft. Yoongi

Summary:

You love everything about social media - apart from the ever-growing number of social media influencers. You don't understand how these people gain followers and admirers just by installing a camera and doing very basic things in front of it. And you despise how some of them can do anything to gain fame, to be popular - even if it includes uploading their bedroom scene in pornsites aka people like Jeon Jungkook.But when your company launches a new product and your department head tasks you with signing Jeon Jungkook up as an endorsement partner - you have no choice but to chase him like the corporate slave that you are. However, things turn worse when you embroil in a dating rumor with him and have to keep the game going for the sake of everything.is it really for the worse or things will turn in a way you never expected it to?  

Theme: Strangers to lovers au, fake dating au, kind of enemies to lover au, angst, smut, fluff.

Full Series Word Count: 26k

Chapter word count: 5k+

Warnings: tiny flirting, argument, that's all.

Masterlist | Patreon (For access to the complete series)

Taglist requests are open.

Minors, I am not responsible for what you consume online. So, act more rationally and stay away.

Chapter index: -

Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 |

Drabbles: Imposter in the club

Or read the full series right away on Patreon!!

Only twice in your life did you have the need to sign contracts. 

First time was your employment contract, the second time was your house lease contract. 

The third contract turns out to be something that you didn’t even have the wildest dreams about - a dating contract. 

That too, with a person you seemingly get irked by very often.

 You have gone through the documents almost every day this past week, so much so that now you can recite the terms and conditions as fluently as your phone number. 

The contract is pretty standard if you are being honest. There is only one term that you added: “Kisses are not allowed”. And it seems like both Seokjin and Jungkook have no issues accepting your only term. 

However, your hands feel clammy all of a sudden when you are about to sign the papers. The thoughts of being under the limelight scares you. 

And being Jeon Jungkook’s girlfriend means a lot of limelight in social media. 

“You okay?” Kim Seokjin asks, perceiving your hesitation in signing the papers. 

“Yeah.. I am just.. You know… don’t know what to expect from all these.” you voice. 

Seokjin places an assuring hand on top of yours, with a little squeeze he says, “you can trust me, Y/N. I will do my best to keep your private life private. Jungkookie is not a bigshot anyway but yes I know there are risks of privacy breach, which will be my department to handle.” 

You feel an odd sense of relief injected by the man’s silver voice. 

But it seems like you spoke too soon because, “what’s up you two?” Jungkook appears from nowhere. He eyes the place where Seokjin has his hand on top of yours and narrows his eyes at you. 

“You are late.” Seokjin directs his authoritative voice towards Jungkook. Jungkook sits down on the chair beside him and starts chugging down water. His Adam's apple bobs like a sin. 

You distract yourself from the scene by signing the papers finally. 

“Now it’s your turn.” Seokjin extends the paper towards Jungkook, who without a second thought takes it and signs it. 

For a moment you wonder how he manages to stay disconnected from every worry? 

You are as much of a stranger as he is to you. But still, he didn’t hesitate to sign like you did. Maybe this is another reason why you dislike Jeon Jungkook? Because he gets to be care-free while you have to care for every single move you make. 

See for an instance - once you dared to pull an act of bravery and it landed you on a dating deal with Jeon Jungkook. 

How fucking funny!

Your fingers tap on your laptop keyboard as you open the email sent by Jungkook’s agency. It’s a full fledged schedule for your and Jungkook’s first month of appearance. 

And that starts tomorrow. 

As for tomorrow, you will have to visit a cozy cafe with your supposedly boyfriend and get caught by paparazzi. Once you become talk of the media then the company will go ahead and publish an official statement. 

Things will continue like this for five months. During the sixth month your appearances will slow down and at the beginning of the seventh month, the agency will confirm the break up. 

Sounds pretty clean. 

During these seven months Jungkook will be done with the endorsement deal with your company as well. Hence, there is no need of working with him afterwards, which is a pleasant news to be honest. 

So now that you are already in the mess, you should as well taste the water and see what it brings for you. 

“You sure will be okay with it? Do you want me to tag along and keep an eye?” Jimin’s concerned voice rings in your ear. 

You are so thankful that the universe gifted him to you in the form of a best friend. From high school till now, there was hardly a day when Jimin didn’t text you, asked what you were up to, let you know what he was doing. 

He is that one friend who never got away. 

“I will be fine. Don’t worry. Go and enjoy your time, do something fun.” you add. No matter how tempting his offer is, you don’t want him to ruin his Sunday to look after you while you are on a playdate. 

“But Y/N-” 

“Jimin, I will be fine! I will keep updating you, okay?” 

He sighs on the other side making you chuckle. “Okay. but do keep me updated.” 

“Yes. appa. Yes.” 

You check yourself once upon cutting the call.

Yeah, you look presentable. Hopefully paparazzies won’t have any issues with your sober dressing sense. 

Once again your head bobs in the direction from where Jungkook’s car should be emerging. But you find none. 

He is late. 

Great. Another reason to hate Jeon Jungkook. 

Just when you are about to pluck your phone out and throw a text towards him, you hear the rumbling sound of an engine. 

More specifically the sound of Jungkook’s bike. 

He comes to stop where you are standing under a bus stop shade and extends a helmet towards you. 

You are way too busy grasping that you miss the object being offered to you. 

“Do I have to ride this with you?” you point at his bike. 

“It’s called a bike. And yes, you are going to ride it with me.” Jungkook thrusts the helmet towards you again. 

“Thanks for letting me know what it is called. But are you sure I will be in functioning condition by the time we reach?” 

“Don’t worry, my dear girlfriend, I will take care of ya.” he gives you a cheesy grin. 

If something flips inside your chest, then it’s better to put off the subject and focus on the fake date ahead. 

So, you put on the helmet, hop on his bike, and place your hands on his shoulders. 

“Be careful, it's hot down there. Spread your legs a little more.” Jungkook warns. 

You know, it’s about the bike but the implications of his words sets your face on a battle of blush. 

Managing your gut and composure you reply with an affirmative sound. 

“Did you… cut your hair?” Now that Jungkook has stripped off his helmet and is sitting relaxed before you, you can see the difference in his hairstyle from what you saw yesterday. 

“Yeah. All by myself. I even live streamed it. How do I look?” You can see Jungkook’s face lighting up as soon as you mention his new hairstyle. 

“You look like a twelve year old. Cute.” and you are genuine with your words. He looks less mischievous and certainly not like someone who would fuck on camera.

The tip of his ears turn pink when he registers your compliment. 

Clearing his throat a little he says, “what should we order?” 

“A flat white for me. And that cheese cake, strawberry one.” you say, awkwardly peeking at the menu, which is currently under Jungkook’s scrutiny.   

You hear him chuckling and when you follow that sound, you find him staring down at you. His crinkled eyes, baby-like fringe, bunny-teeth on display and that beautiful smile makes him look like a completely different person. 

He doesn’t look like the Jungkook you used to dislike. 

And that spreads something warm under your skin. You start smiling at him without noticing yourself. 

“Isn’t that Jeon Jungkook?” a second female voice comes from a little distance. 

“Oh my god. Yes. and who is he with? Isn’t he dating that bully girl? Doona or Dana?” 

“What? No. didn’t you see his viral videos from the club? That girl is his rumored girlfriend. They seemed to have a fight that night but I guess they are good now?” 

“Oh really?” 

Even though the spectators are trying to be discreet and silent with their gossip, they are anything but. 

When you look in their direction, your eyes lock with one of them. She quickly turns away and types something on her phone. 

Something reaches out for your hand that is placed on the table top. 

It’s Jungkook’s own hand. 

He wraps his big palm around yours and interlaces his fingers with yours. With a sickeningly sweet smile he says, “the act has started, we should jump into characters now.” 

You tighten your fingers around him and reply, “of course we should.” 

However, you are still unsure about where you will be after six months of this play. Will you be friends with Jeon Jungkook? Or will you end up being more?  

“But how did you let Kim Doona come between you two if you were seeing each other?” 

By the time you and Jungkook managed to come out of the cafe that day, it was already a mess. At least ten different people were trying to get your face properly, five others were trying to get a shot of your and Jungkook's intertwined hands and others were clicking pictures not-so-secretly. 

By the time you were home, your photos were all over Jungkook’s fandom’s insta profiles. 

And when the bomb (aka the official statement from the agency) dropped, your phone flooded with questions after questions.

You didn’t answer any. 

Nonetheless, the questions reappeared, this time directly, as soon as you stepped into your workplace on Monday. 

And this question in particular - it was the mostly asked one and you were ready for it. 

Your colleague nudges you again, “come on, tell me, why did you let him fuck the other girl if you were dating him?” 

“I wasn’t dating him back then.” you reply confidently, of course you had your own share of practice. “We used to be friends. But you know… friends with feelings. So yeah.. I was kinda pissed at him.” 

She makes an O shape with her mouth. 

“Is that why you lashed out on him during the meeting? I mean I heard that you…” she doesn’t end her sentence. 

These people really work less and gossip more. You nod. 

“Who confessed though? You or him? Oh- wait! Did you confess at the club? Is that why you two were seen fighting?” she throws her rapid-fire questions at you. 

But you are pleased. It worked out the way you wanted. You didn’t have to tell the story, she completed it all by herself. 

“Yup.” you popped the ‘P’ very enthusiastically. 

“Wow! You are living a fan-fiction, girl, a proper friends to lovers au.” she squeals in her seat, “mind if I post the story on my insta? I wanna use my colleague privilege card.” 

You think for a moment. If she spreads the story herself, it will be better for you. You won’t have to recite it all again and again. So you murmur a little “go ahead” and let her click a selfie with you. 

Your computer dings with a notification from Yoongi. He is asking you to come to his cabin. 

Great. Another round of interviews. 

“I just checked the campaign schedule. It’s efficient as always. Good job, Y/N.” Yoongi’s praise brings a smile to your lips.

You murmur a little thank you with a small smile playing on your lips. 

Every time Yoongi praises your work, your insides flip. But sometimes you wish for those praises to come as ‘you look good today’, ‘your dress looks nice’ and stuff like that. 

Even though that brings a sinking feeling temporarily, that doesn’t stay for long. 

“By the way..” it’s coming, it’s coming, “how did you and Jeon Jungkook end up together? As much as I can assume, you two met each other during the meeting for the first time.” 

This. This is not what you prepared yourself for. 

You didn’t think Yoongi would be too interested in knowing your relationship history, so you wouldn’t have to explain anything to him. But not only is he interested, he seems to be pretty observant of things as well. 

Now you can’t tell him the fake story you just told your colleague nor can you tell him that the entire thing is fake. 

So you clear your throat, “it just…. Happened.” 

“Just happened? You seemed to be pretty livid about his existence that day?” your cute manager gives you a lopsided smile. 

“But then you sent me behind him, to convince him or whatever. And things happened.” you turn your confidence up yet again. 

He quirks a brow at you, “things happened after that club incident, huh?” 

He is right. But not the way he is thinking himself to be right.

“Maybe. Maybe not.” you reply, as you collect the files with the details of the campaign and proceed to leave his cabin. 

“The photoshoot starts next week, don’t be lovey-dovey on the set.” he teases you on your way back. 

You only roll your eyes at the door. 

Second fake date is: hanging out at a bar after work. 

But you don’t drink on weekdays. 

So that lands you on a negotiation and the date is fixed on the Friday of the same week. 

You wait for Jungkook at the entrance of your work complex, a place where people would be able to see you getting on his bike very clearly. A strategy to make things public. 

But what comes to pick you up is not a bike but a car. 

A sleek black car that makes heads turn as it comes to stop in front of you. 

For a moment, you think the driver is mistaking you for someone else. 

But then the diver’s door opens and Jungkook comes out, wearing a black buttoned down with a pair of ripped jeans. 

Your eyes are now the size of saucers. 

You once gulp as you see Jungkook smiling brightly at you. 

“Hey baby. Sorry I’m late. Let’s go.” he says sweetly. And you wonder how good of an actor he is. 

“H-hi. It's okay. Yeah, let's go.” you reply in haste, trying to school your dumbfounded expression. 

You let him lead you inside the car with a hand on the small of you back. He lets every passerby see his face, under the street lights, as if he is very proud showing you off. 

Fake. It's fake. You remind yourself. 

“You know, you are a good actor.” you voice your thoughts once Jungkook settles inside the car, 

He chuckles, “yeah? Learned from Jin hyung. He used to be an acting major. Have been seeing him acting to be polite with his shareholders for all the years.” 

The fondness in his eyes at the mention of the other male is so clear. You can’t help but smile. You have perceived the same glow on Jin’s face too. 

“You two really adore each other, don’t you?” 

“Yeah. You can say that. I would be wandering around the streets of Busan if it wasn’t for him.” you hear the underlying darkness in his voice and decide to poke no further on this matter. 

“So, you are telling me that you made this story all by yourself? And this actually ended up making sense?” Jungkook is pointing at his phone, which has your colleague's insta post plastered on the screen. 

“I told you. I am good at my job. Moderating success stories is a part of our marketers’ job.” you shrug. Your shoulders are already a lot loose after a few drinks. 

Your head is on the cloud. 

You feel good. 

And Jungkook is being less cocky today, which is helping you relax even more. 

Jungkook hums, “Great. The act is going well so far.” 

Jungkook starts scrolling on his phone again, focusing on something very hard. After a moment of silence he says, “I won’t lie, we look good together.” 

There is a smug smile playing on his lips. 

You groan, “I thought you quit being cocky for this evening.” 

“Hey! I am not being cocky. Look at these photos.” he protests, poking his phone towards you. 

“I have seen those, Jungkook. And I don’t think I look good with you. You and I are totally two different individuals, from every single aspect. You match with someone like.. Like Kim Doona.” 

Jungkook’s eyes shut for a second, “there is no point of saying this now. I missed my shot with her because someone decided to barge in my perfectly comfortable and peaceful life.” 

“Wait. You had a thing for her?” you sit up straight on your chair. 

“I still do.” Jungkook empties his glass in a sip. 

You would have fought him and told him how you saved from a prolonged controversy, but you are feeling light-headed. You are feeling good. So you will be nice for just once. 

“Well… I am sorry then. I know how it feels to have an unrequited crush.” you sigh, recalling Yoongi’s pretty face, “sorry.” 

Jungkook seems to be caught off-guard with your changed demeanor. 

“It’s okay.” he adds, “you have a crush on that manager, don’t you?” 

The fuck? 

“How the fuck do you know this now?” your eyes go big for the second time today. 

“Come on, Y/N. Anyone with eyes can tell. The way you stiffed when he caught you and me at the parking lot.” he giggles. 

“Ok. That's enough. Let’s go home. I feel sleepy.” you stand abruptly from your chair, swaying a little (thanks to the alcohol in your bloodstream). 

Jungkook stands up too, wraps a hand around your bicep and mutters a small ‘careful’ in your ear.

“By the way… don’t you think you have to call a designated driver?” you ask on the way out of the bar. 

“Jin hyung has us covered.” he shrugs. 

On the way back home you look at the fleeting landscapes out of the car window. For some unknown reason… you feel upset. 

You had a pretty good evening. No matter how much you hate to admit it, Jungkook is a fun company. 

You two would bicker endlessly, then would slip into serious topics like economy and politics, and then all of a sudden you would talk about your favorite drinks. 

He really doesn’t seem like that Jungkook you used to dislike. 

But there is something that’s bothering you. And you can’t put a finger at it. 

The car comes to a stop in front of your apartment. You wave a quick goodbye to Jungkook, who has been busy on his phone all the way back, and climb out of the car. 

As you take small swaying steps towards your entrance, you hear the car door shutting loudly and then in turn Jungkook’s voice, “won’t you give me a goodnight kiss, girlfriend?”  

You don’t know what possessed you. It can be the alcohol, can be your bad judgment, can be the sinking feeling in your chest and the desperate need of feeling something, anything - that makes you turn around. 

You march towards Jungkook without thinking twice, standing chest to chest with him. 

All the mischief drains from his face when you grab him by the collar of his shirt and smash your lips on his. 

It should have been over in a second or two. 

But what's worse is that Jungkook is pulling you close by your waist and deepening the kiss already. 

Hope you don’t regret this when you are sober. 

There were twelve terms in your dating contract. 

You added one. 

And you breached that very one. 

The screen of your phone goes blank as you groan again for the nth time. Every time you open Instagram, all you see is you kissing Jungkook standing on the damn fucking road! 

You two were being followed by the paps that night, which was obviously a part of the plan, and you, being clearly too drunk to think straight, kissed Jeon Jungkook on his lips! 

And now those photos are circulating like wildfire. 

Jimin texted you, asking for a clarification. 

Seokjin texted with three teasing thumbs up. 

And Jungkook texted with probably a thousand of ‘ㅋ’s. 

All you want now is for the ground to split in half so that you can jump in there and die. That’s the best possible solution for whatever the fuck is going on in your pathetic excuse of a life. 

Your phone dings with another notification and you swear to turn it off if it’s another mention in another insta post or another threatening DM from Jungkook’s crazy fans. 

But it seems like the universe is trying to be even more cruel with you, because it’s a reminder of your schedule for the day - which is another date day with the root of your problems - Jeon Jungkook. 

And today, you will have to spend time at his home, click pretty selfies and photos together highlighting how domestic you two are and post those in social media from both ends. 

When you are about to go back groaning, you receive another notification. 

It’s a text from Seokjin, “the car will be there in an hour.” 

“Welcome to my home, girlfriend.” Jungkook grins stupidly as he spots you at his door. You really want to grab a frying pan and bang it on his stupidly round head. 

“Don’t call me that when there’s no one to hear.” you reply grumpily walking inside Jungkook’s luxurious apartment. 

You really want to know how much these influencers make monthly to afford an apartment like this. 

“I call you that for you to hear, baby.” His cheesy remarks are just too much to take, so you just roll your eyes at him. 

“Do you want anything? Tea? Coffee? Juice? Or maybe a kiss?” there he goes. 

This is what you were dreading! The moment you were sober enough to judge your actions, you knew Jungkook will be having a field day the moment he sees you. 

And here you go. 

But but but - you aren’t alone in this. You definitely kissed him first but he, too, kissed you back. So he needs to go down with you. 

“Oh why not, you definitely liked kissing me a little too much.” you bite back. But your words don't affect Jungkook at all. The smirk that he was sporting doesn’t go anywhere. It only grows more sinister. 

“Of course I did. Are you telling me you didn’t?” 

Now this is another thing that you were dreading to admit - that you actually enjoyed kissing him. His lips felt good on yours. 

But you have been trying to convince yourself that it’s because of the alcohol swimming in your veins, even though you know it’s nothing but an excuse. 

“Shut up!” you huff, hoping that Jungkook doesn’t notice the sudden rush of red on your cheeks, “let’s take some photos so that I can leave.” 

“What?” Jungkook is now genuinely confused and you can see it on his face, “Do you really want to leave? I thought we were cooking together? I decided to live stream it.” 

“Me and live stream? Are you kidding? There was no mention as such on the schedule plan?” you are sure all the colors of your face have drained with just one mention of a live stream. 

You hate being the center of attention. 

“Yeah but I improvised just as you did last day by kissing me.” Jungkook shrugs. 

Where the fuck is the frying pan? 

“Okay. I am leaving. Bye.” you haste towards the door. 

Jungkook giggles like a baby, grabbing your wrist and stopping you mid-tracks. 

“Okay okay. I am sorry. I promise not to tease you anymore if you say yes to the live stream.” 

“You promise?” you quirk an eyebrow facing him. 

“I promise.” 

You don’t even know if saying yes to Jungkook’s improvisation was a good idea or a bad one. 

There are reasons it’s both good and bad. 

Good because Jungkook is not teasing or unnecessarily being smug with you anymore. Bad because he is hovering way too close to your body for you to keep being sane. 

The kitchen is big enough, but half of the space is being used to put down cameras and a laptop. On top of that you two have to be crammed in a small space where both of your figures are being perfectly visible to the viewers. 

You are mostly quiet, playing your part, cooking as you are supposed to. 

But Jungkook is in his element. 

He is so natural in front of the cameras that it feels as if he was born to do so. 

Jungkook interacts with the viewers, reads their comments once in a while, smiles, laughs, and makes jokes. Under the light and darkness of the kitchen - he looks so youthful, so radiant that you feel a weird coil in your chest. 

Whenever he brushes past you, you get a whip of his perfume - an earthy, woody tone with a hint of citrus. 

His hair falls on his eyes - unmade - unlike all the other times you have seen him. 

This - whatever this is - you don’t like it. 

“Why is your girlfriend being so silent?” Jungkook reads a comment from the laptop. You pay half mind to him, occasionally smile a little. 

But within a moment, Jungkook slides behind you. 

He puts his big-ass hands on your waist, places his face on your shoulder and says, “baby, why are you being so silent?” 

If you are seeing things right then his lower lip juts out while he tries to coax an answer out of you. 

Your heart starts beating abnormally fast. 

“O-oh.. I- It’s my first time being in a live stream… so yeah.” you proceed to flip the omelet, focusing on the food and food only. 

“You guys heard that? She’s nervous. Don’t scare my girl away.” Jungkook fakes anger. 

You release the breath you were holding when he finally removes himself from you. 

You are now seriously afraid of the outcome of this fake dating contract of yours. 

“Hate to say this but” you take in a deep deep breath “this is actually very delicious. Good job." You point your chopsticks at the carbonara that Jungkook prepared. 

“Really?” he seems to be taken aback with your compliment “Thanks. Glad that you like it.” 

“By the way, you remember you have a shoot with us tomorrow, right?” you change the topic to a more serious one. 

“I do. Will your crush slash manager be there too?” his eyes stay boring in the carbonara. You honestly don’t know why Jungkook is curious about Yoongi all of a sudden. 

“Probably. Why though?” 

“Will try not to piss him off while acting.” he shrugs. 

You scoff at that “he won’t be pissed. He doesn’t reciprocate, you know.” 

“Are you sad about that?” Jungkook’s tone is a tad bit softer now. 

“Not really. It’s not that I am in love with him or something. It’s a stupid crush, and will go away with time.” 

“Have you ever tried asking him out?” 

“Not really.” 

“Then, have you ever asked him to hook up with you?” 

You choke on your omelet. 

“What- the fuck” you cough “no! Why would I ask him something like that?” 

“Why won’t you though? Don’t you want to have sex with him? I mean you like him, it’s only natural.” Jungkook explains matter-of-factly. 

“No. it’s not natural for me. I need to be at least friends with a person to have sex. And I am not friends with Yoongi. We barely even talk out of work.” 

“Oh.” Jungkook thinks for a moment “So that guy friend of yours - what was his name again… Jimin? Is he your…” 

“Oh my god, Jungkook! No! I am not currently sleeping with anyone. I have not had sex for like eighteen months.”  It's your frustration which is speaking now. 

“What? Wait! What are you? A nun?” Jungkook’s eyes go wide at your admission. 

Embarrassment eats you away, like you were eating the carbonara a few minutes ago, “I- I mean. I am not that horny.” 

“Then… Do you want to sleep with me?” 

At first you think you misheard it. So you stare at Jungkook with big eyes. 

His expression is rather serious and you hate how it affects you. 

“What did you just say?” you finally let your voice be heard. 

“You heard me.” 

“Jungkook, please stop kidding. This is not funny.”

“I am serious.” he sighs. 

“Look. I can’t go around and sleep for fun since we have an act going on here. You, too, seem like you need to blow off some steam. And honestly, tell me where is your benefit from all these? It’s your company that’s ripping the fruit, not you.” 

Jungkook’s words register in your brain. He makes perfect sense. You have no benefits whatsoever from all these. 

“It’s just an offer, you can decline it if you want but… we can- we can have some fun like adults. No one has to know, nothing will get fucked up since we are not even close to begin with.” Jungkook reasons. 

He is right. You have nothing to lose if things go down and this won’t be the first time having casual sex with someone you know. There is absolutely no risk, no feelings on the line. 

Should you really consider the idea? 

The scenes from that grainy video start clouding your brain. 

A tiny voice in your mind says, “why not?” 

read the full series right away on Patreon!! (Start from part 7)

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[illiath-the-fae]

So... just to add some reality to this.... because a lot of people seem to think they'd be perfect and would not have any issues with being able to handle these things if they happened in their own lives in some way...

If OP is referring to the included response image, then the response needs analysis, because it does not say (explicitly) what OP is responding to. As the image response wasn't supplied by OP I'm not sure OP is responding to that or a different response. If not and there was a more direct response, then it should have been provided, not this one, as I do not agree that this response says what OP claims.

For those who are unsure why I say this, my analysis of the response posted is below the line (I'm reminded of Brandolini's Law here)...

There are two primary ways to read this response. There are other ways, most likely, but I wanted to highlight these two.

The person is hateful enough of people who won't accept being called a specific word that they'll cut them out of their life (which seems to be the way this thread is taking the response).

The person is has sufficient levels of social anxiety that potentially harming someone by accident is sufficient cause for them to avoid the individual in question.

The first method is how people seem to be reading this, based on attaching it to the post by OP (I do not know if this was OP is referring to this post or not so I don't want to say "OP said this" or anything).

Method two, which is how I read that message, is as follows.

Their first sentence that claim "dude" is gender neutral. That's a stance, many in California see the word that way, I understand, even if I disagree. That said, the RP (Response Poster) is taking that stance with their post, which suggests they use this the same with men, women, cats, dogs, otters, fish, birds, etc (okay, maybe not, maybe only humans, but hey, I can be hyperbolic, right? right? oh, okay, maybe not... let's just assume it's people only for now).

In their next sentence they express their response if someone in real life requested not to be called dude. Their response would be, probably (so this hasn't happened to them), stop talking to them altogether because of their anxiety around accidentally disrespecting the other person. While this means the person is likely to cut someone out of their life (this bit matches up to OPs post) it is not because someone else is transfemme (this doesn't match up, because RP doesn't mention transfemmes at all, even though OP specifically mentions them), but because of their anxiety around disrespecting other people.

Okay, so now I put on my psychologist hat and I see someone who is dealing with elevated levels of anxiety about social situations (maybe clinically, maybe not, this is a SINGLE SENTENCE not something I could diagnose from, even if I wanted to. It's just a higher level of anxiety that would be expected). Someone who knows they're going to make a mistake and don't want to harm someone (even slightly) with their mistake that they are likely to self-isolate from that individual to make sure it doesn't happen (this is called setting a boundary, some of you are big advocates of that from what I've read here on this site).

People who would rather self-isolate themselves from others, rather than make mistakes that they believe will harm the other person (even slightly), exist, are real, and think this way about all sorts of behaviours. Rather than putting this person on blast because you have read what they have to say and read something into it that isn't in what is written, perhaps we could take a moment to actually process what they wrote and see if they actually say what we initially read into it? It would help.

If they did say what we think they said, rather than shaming them entirely, is there is another way we could handle the response than putting them on blast? If RP had, in fact, said they'd shove transfemme people out of their life, if the transfemme requested not to be called 'dude' what could we have done? Could we have a method that includes the person and tries to get them to change their mind? We've got a lot of things attempting to divide us, as a society, even more will be coming in the next few years, divide and conquer is a well-known fascist tactic, don't do it for them!

On a side note, there is also another factor I think we should include here... As part of the whole "we should learn how to be inclusive, not exclusive when something bad happens socially", we need to remember that it is a highly common behaviour for individuals to be unable to word things clearly to describe their feelings around a matter such that they'd rather avoid those feelings and the subject of them, than attempt to address them. We even have terms for when people's ability to handle social situations is affected by that to a "clinically relevant level"... you may have heard of some of those.

I'm sorry was there actually a post where a cis woman said she would cut a transfem friend out of her life if a transfem asked her to stop calling the transfem dude? Please tell me this was a hypothetical and not real

[shutupineedtothink]

Josha s3 appreciation post!

I talked before about Rand feeling more serious and dark this season which finally made me take him seriously as a show only viewer.

But upon further reflection it's more than that. I recognized something in Josha's performance that I'm very familiar with - the mask that drops down when you're living every day with chronic pain, or depression, or chronic health issues or some kind of internal struggle other people can't see on the outside.

It clicked for me in Rand's convo with Moiraine about the power - its always there, if he stopped fighting for a second, he'd be gone.

That's what living with active chronic illness/pain feels like. But you can't just walk around with all that on your face, people would at least be weird around you, at most feel the need to comfort you or just get away from you. Also it takes a LOT of energy to deal with that every second of every day. Hence the mask.

That's the vibe I was getting from him this season. All of his expression is a little bit darker, a little bit more serious and muted, not as a reflection of the madness itself, but because he is constantly fighting the madness every second of every day. Great stuff.

[shinobi-illuminator]

I had been playing around with the au concept of Piltoven Powder/Jinx, and most commonly is that Viktor is the one to find her. But while playing with this set up, a surprise meeting came in the form of Sky who I think would be an excellent mother figure to a very troubled Powder after the botched rescue.

My headcanon is that since Viktor would take pity for Powder as a fellow Zaunite he'd still need a hand in trying to manage this child who has been through a lot. Sky being half a Piltoven half Zaunite orphan who was aged out of the system would understand a great deal about kids and their various troubles. Particularly after suffering the loss of family or abandonment issues.

Viktor would give Powder encouragement to improve her skills to do great things. However the pressure to do great might get to her head and make her overwhelmed. But Sky's emotional support could help a lot in regards to feeling like someone actually believes in her and isn't a screw up.... Or in this case a Jinx.

[microwavesaferat]

I've seen multiple hcs of English Teacher Jason Todd, I've also seen multiple teacher aus in general. I would like to propose a 3rd Option:

Secret Day Jobs

All the Robins and Batfam extended universe (aka, until I get bored) have started doing day jobs as they get older, but they are all worried Bruce will bench them if they find out they're burning the candle at both ends, so they keep it secret.

We all know Dick is a cop in some comics, but I would like to propose they all go into teaching in some way. They don't tell the others, and gradually all end up transferring to the same school. We're also assuming they are all adults here.

We have:

Jason Todd - English Lit Professor. Doesn't like dealing with college kids, so moves to high school literature. Sometimes covers drama lessons if it's Shakespeare plays.

Dick Grayson - Health and Wellbeing (don't know if this is just a UK thing, sometimes called PSE). Basically teaches kids the dangers of smoking and how to stay healthy mentally and physically. He also runs the schools gymnastics club and helps at some other sports clubs.

Tim Drake - Computing. One of those teachers that doesn't care if you swear or call him the proper title. Does not care if you are misusing the school computers. He figured out the others are all teachers and hacked himself onto the payroll cause he thought it would be funny. Hacking emails to change names to see how long he can keep the others from figuring out they all work in the same place.

Damian Wayne - Biology. He kind of wishes he went into chemistry, because he despises the giggles and childish behaviour whenever something mentioned in the course is even mildly sexual. Refuses to do the frog dissection and nearly gets into a physical fight with the head of department. This event is what clues Dick into his presence, "Did you hear the new biology teacher threatened to kill Mr Smith over something? Apparently had a Katana or something in his desk".

Cassandra Cain - Guidance Councilor. Very good at interpreting the body language of the kids. Also does some work with ASL interpretation when needed. Thought everyone was aware of each other and isn't really trying to hide. Tim still has no idea she's here. Dick gets jumpscared when Cass shows up to one of the after school clubs he helps at.

Stephanie Brown - Somehow in a different position everyday. She appears as a janitor one day, then she's doing the school bus run the next. On Fridays she works in the Canteen cause the food is good on Fridays. There explicitly to annoy Tim who knows she's there, but can't find her in the payroll.

Duke Thomas - Politics/Modern Studies. The sort of teacher to say he's putting on a documentary, then pauses every 30 secs to go on a tangent about something. Disagrees with half the shit in the curriculum, so does his own thing. The projector in his classroom hasn't worked for months, but no one needs to know that.

Also, the moment they all figured out they are all there.

Dick hears about the frog incident and very quickly catches on.

Duke goes to the office to pick up jotters and Stephanie is working there.

Jason used the guidance councilor's room to take a minute and chill. Cass was on top of a cupboard for 10 mins before revealing herself.

Dick goes to grab the first aid kit after a kid falls at gymnastics and Stephanie is the Custodian in today.

Damian needs some supplies and the lab tech is Stephanie.

An Arkham breakout happens during a parents night and all of them run to change into costume. Issue is they all hid their costumes in the janitors closet.

WE runs a scholarship fund for students and Bruce has to show up to the awards ceremony for successful students. He gets a tour of the school only to slowly run into all of his kids. To start with, the tour is run by Stephanie who is refusing to break character.

Stephanie: Thank you for coming Mr Wayne

Bruce: Stephanie wha-

Stephanie: Please, Miss Brown, Stephanie was my father.

Steph: Anyway, here is our lovely new labs that WE do graciously funded.

Damian: *Yelling at a child to follow safety procedures*

Bruce: What? Dames?

Stephanie: and down to the left is our English department.

Jason Todd: *Animatedly discussing the influences of Romeo and Juliet in modern culture*

Steph: This is our lit teacher Mr Todd Peters

Bruce: *makes a note to remind his kids on good undercover names*

Well I'm tired but will probably add to this at some point.

[officialcreepypastareheated]

say it louder for the ipad toddlers in the back

whats even crazier is when those same kids get blocked and then throw a fit like... what else do you expect? you literally admitted to breaking a major rule/boundary why are you shocked that you're getting punished for it???

some streamers i've watched would talk about wanting a certain age demographic and this issue in general only for folks to start saying their ages in the chat AND THE MASS BANS ARE GLORIOUS

crpr is set to be 16+ due to like dark mental health subject matter n gore n all that good stuff and i've surprisingly yet to have to block anyone (at least to my knowledge)

but yeah, please stay safe out there kids and uhhh stay outta adult spaces cause there are some awful people you shouldnt have to deal with

also, visit your local library. just a browse supports them and theyre in need of all the support they can get. pick up the wings of fire, warrior cats, and ever after high series theyre cool.

I am Once Again in the year 2025 telling kids to stop self-reporting to me that they read my 18+ comics, that's a good way to get an artist to shrink away and stop posting their vulnerable art online... or posting all together. If you went and read it despite the 18+ sticker I Just Do Not Want You To Tell Me. Again I realize at this point I cannot stop anyone I just don't want to know at least. I cannot imagine myself, as a kid, going up to an artist of some 18+ manga I read and being like "I read your comic even tho I am a kid teehee" . I know we all broke the rules at some point or another as a kid and read/saw something out of our age range, but tapping the glass like that just seems out of the question. A lot of the stories I want to tell are adult in nature, but if I keep getting kids messaging me about those adult works it just makes me feel like I cannot do it- I don't want them to get involved in adult communities so it is worrying. I will still try to make what I want but a matter of releasing it might be far more strict than before, I don't know

[sshiostwordblog]

That's not stupid at all omg!! I'd definitely read it :D I think oc x canon and yumeshipping is awesome and people should do it more tbh

SOBS TYSM you're so kind (I ended up writing the fic but it's quite long. Feel free to skip for anyone who's not interested in reading), I just hope it's at least slightly entertaining to read. Here you go (It's my second time writing a fanfic and English is not my first language so... I'd love some feedback if anyone is willing to read.)

『 ೈ𝘈 𝘕𝘦𝘸, 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 ♡』 

Lee: Albedo Ler: (OC) Shiro Tickle fic summary: Albedo gets strangely accustomed to this new, sweet individual who came to Mondstadt. The issue is… this new friend is a little too eager. Word count: 2773 words

Nights in Dragonspine were undoubtedly cold, the soft breeze of the wind was a common sound to hear within the snowy mountain. At times like these, Albedo was used to dealing with nothing more than his sole presence along with the slight feeling of the cold air hitting his skin. Things changed for him not too long ago, when they hired a newly arrived guy to take a role inside the range of the Knights of Favonius. At first, Albedo paid no mind to him. He was reserved and very dedicated to his work, after all. When you’ve got a large number of mysteries to uncover and turn even the smallest of observations into a wonder, it’s certainly difficult to preoccupy yourself with the people around you. But this tall Anemo user, Shiro, who arrived recently and now worked as an art teacher for therapeutic purposes, had seemed to take an interest in the alchemist from the very first moment he laid eyes on him.

At first, it was one conversation. The blond indulged in a small interaction about their occupations, nothing relevant. He learned that the taller male apparently came from Inazuma, having experience in using art as therapy methods. Art piqued Albedo’s interest as a topic, obviously, and soon he found himself getting slightly more invested in getting to know his new co-worker.

A conversation turned into two, strangers turned into acquaintances and soon enough Shiro was looking for excuses to spend time with the alchemist in his free time.

“Could I accompany you today?” he would eagerly ask, looking into Albedo’s eyes with that warm smile of his. “Can you tell me more about that?” he poked at Albedo’s knowledgeable nature another day, pushing him to explain further. Shiro would take no for an answer, of course, but he would also eventually trick his way into getting a yes and spending more and more time with Albedo to the point it was nothing short of exasperating, if not a little endearing.

 He would insist in helping Albedo with research and studies, sticking around for the most complex things even if he had little to no comprehension about the subject. The difference in knowledge was laughable, clearly. Shiro would often know nothing about the complexity of Albedo’s researches. He was much simpler. Emotionally and psychologically intelligent, yes, but when it comes to Albedo’s level of smarts…

“Shiro, could you please pass me the Starsilver shards?” Albedo’s calm voice had requested in this current day after months of interaction, said brunet being next to him and carefully trying to recognize the materials the alchemist needed for his experiment.

Here they were, already more than acquaintances. How did Shiro get this far?

He turned around to meet the blonde’s eyes with a hint of uncertainty in his own, smiling sheepishly at him.

“Here…?” Shiro handed him something, yes, but needless to say… it’s not what Albedo had been asking for. Again, he couldn’t blame the brunet. This material he requested only grew in Dragonspine and Shiro was still not entirely used to Mondstadt. Perhaps he forgot. A fond chuckle escaped the blond, shaking his head in disbelief. He should feel bothered about being slowed down like this; with Shiro around, his work was ten times slower. And yet… he couldn’t bring himself to care much. Shiro had grown on him by this point, him and his eager self. He was genuine and transparent, but not energetic to the point of being tiring. Shiro was calm most of the time and a good listener. Comforting.

Still… he wasn’t as good of an assistant as sucrose. The brunet was clearly not assistant material. Not for complex things like these at least.

“Maybe I should just… get it myself.” Albedo tried to say, before meeting Shiro’s look of disappointment and biting back a small huff of laughter. He would’ve felt bothered months ago, but not anymore. He was slowly getting used to the brunet’s presence, even If he initially had trouble with maintaining relationships and connections. “Hold on, I can get it, I swear.” The brunet claimed, before rushing to grab another thing that ended up being the requested ore.

When Shiro showed the material and saw the smile of approval in the blonde’s face, his eyes lit up just like a puppy getting a treat. There was something about Albedo he just adored from the start. Time passed by as he observed how the alchemist worked; asking him about things and hearing him explain in detail about the subjects he found so interesting. Shiro didn’t understand a single bit, but he found himself quietly listening with a smile on his face.

He would perk up every time Albedo asked for his help, and there was nothing different this time. “Shiro?” Albedo called out, turning to look at him in the midst of his work. “I need you to use your Anemo vision on this for a second? Just focus on deviating the elemental energy here,” he pointed at the setup that was in front of him, clearly a mix of substances.

The brunet would be asked to do these kinds of things from time to time, it was nothing new. Albedo had his back turned on him, too focused on the items on the table in front of him to look behind. He already knew Shiro was there, so why bother.

The catalyst approached from behind and lifted his hand to reach over Albedo’s shoulder to do as requested, his hand already accumulating elemental energy.

A soft noise stopped him, however.

It sounded like a gasp coming from Albedo, who had flinched slightly. Did his soft whirl of Anemo hit Albedo by accident? Did he hurt him?

He pulled his hand back, tilting his head to the side with a hint of worry in his eyes. “Did I hurt you? I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have gotten my hand so close…”

“Ah— no, it’s fine.” Albedo interrupted, sooner than he would’ve liked. “It just brushed my ear and- um…”

All Shiro did lately was paying attention to Albedo, it took him less than a second to notice the faint, precious blush decorating the alchemist’s cheeks. It was an endearing sight… but also confusing.

Why would the calm and collected Mr. Albedo be blushing?

“…It just tickled briefly, that’s all. We can continue.” Albedo picked his words back up, clearing his throat and attempting to be professional about it, turning to look back at his work and avoiding the brunet’s look of realization.

Albedo wasn’t one to pause or hesitate often. He was swift and calculating. He had hesitated just now, because… Shiro was just so eager about getting to know him and pay attention to him. There’s a big, fat chance he would…

“Ticklish?” Shiro repeated, making Albedo’s blush grow the slightest bit, trying to cover it up with a small cough. He would’ve been professional about this with anyone else, but after getting to know this sweet, persistent brunet he knew Shiro would hyperfocus on that small piece of info.

Albedo had to regain his composure before the other got any ideas. “Yes, it is a… rather normal response within the body’s nervous system to touch. Why do you sound so surprised?” The alchemist tried to say, even though he knew that look on Shiro’s face. It was already making his stomach feel all fluttery.

Before meeting Shiro, these things wouldn’t happen. He would’ve been by himself, working peacefully without these silly interruptions.

“You? Ticklish? That’s… adorable.”

Being praised from time to time however… he couldn’t say he minded all that much.

Albedo left out a shaky sigh, bringing a hand up to rub his temple. “It never fails to amaze me, you’re the only person who can say those things to me so casually…” “And you could tell me to stop it, but you never do.” Shiro pointed out, before he felt a knowing smile grow on his face the moment he noticed Albedo looking away. “I’m surprised you’re focusing on that instead of your work.”

The blond shook his head dismissively and decided to continue. Distractions like these were unacceptable within his working ethics. He reached for Shiro’s hand and did the requested process to continue his experiment, assuming the brunet would just drop the topic.

That is, until he felt another soft, tingly breeze against his ear a minute or so later, making him stop in his tracks.

It elicited the same brief reaction, making Albedo flinch and gasp quietly before covering his ear. This time, he turned to half-heartedly glare at the brunet, watching how Shiro looked away and played dumb; pretending he didn’t just use his vision again for that.

“What?” Shiro said, biting back a smile. “Is something the matter?”

He knew what he was doing.

Albedo sighed yet again for the millionth time that day. “Shiro, please...” he tried to say, hoping to reason with his… friend. They could be considered that, at this point.

The brunet looked like he had stars in his eyes from the mere prospect of Albedo being ticklish. Albedo, on the other hand, couldn’t fully grasp why… why him? Why so much attention towards him? Why did Shiro enjoy being this close to him? Doesn’t he find it boring at the very least? He had quickly taken an interest in Albedo and done nothing more than wanting to be around him apart from working.

It would usually take a little more effort to maintain a connection but with someone like this, sticking around no matter how busy Albedo can get… deep down, it was a little refreshing.

Albedo’s train of thought was quickly interrupted by another tingly breeze against his ears, this time a little more persistent.

He couldn’t help it, a sweet giggle poured out of his lips before he could stop it. “Was that a giggle just now?” Those words reached Albedo’s ears, causing them to turn red. He looked back at Shiro, but was surprised to be met with an adoring gaze instead of a teasing one.

Shiro’s smile looked like it could split his face in half from how hard he was smiling, his eyes sparkling affectionately because of the breathy giggle he just got to hear. It was too much to process, being stared at so adoringly.

Albedo looked away once again, sighing softly. “Shiro… don’t look at me like that...” A pure, loving and affectionate look. He wasn’t used to someone being so transparent about… liking him. It was so obvious.

“But I’ve never heard you laugh apart from a few chuckles! Besides, laughing is therapeutic too.” The brunet said, suddenly a bit more lively than he usually would be, leaning closer to Albedo while looking at him with those pleading eyes and silly smile. “Can I hear more? Pretty please?” Albedo opened and closed his mouth in pure, utter disbelief; trying to get some words out. Only Shiro out of all people would tell the renowned chief alchemist “Pretty please”.

“I— I don’t see how this is—” The blond tried to say, but rapidly went silent at the sight of Shiro’s puppy eyes. How does one deal with someone so eager? The second that reluctant sigh escaped Albedo’s lips, Shiro knew he had a green light to continue his little shenanigans. It was almost immediate; cold, delicate fingers fluttering around Albedo’s ears, causing him to let out a silent gasp before dissolving into giggles. He scrunched his shoulders up and tried to weakly bat at Shiro’s hands to push them away.

“Shihihiro! Pfft- Aha- S-seheriously—” Albedo tried to say, small titters slipping past his lips. This was the first time he found himself blushing this hard. “W-we- I got wohohork to dohoho—”

Shiro’s soft fingertips were persistent, sliding down and pushing through Albedo’s silky hair that felt so nice to the touch, beginning to wiggle against his neck. It was, surprisingly more sensitive than the shells of his ears.

Sweet squeaks and breathy giggles came out of the alchemist’s lips as he gave up on pushing the brunet away, instead focusing on covering his own involuntary smile instead. Why wasn’t he pushing Shiro away? He was technically stronger, smarter, could come up with strategies swiftly…

But then all of a sudden, the sensations stopped. Leftover titters were still slipping past Albedo’s lips as he tried to recover, confused by the sudden pause. He was naturally curious too, after all.

“I would stop, really,” Shiro began, resting his hands against Albedo’s shoulders from behind. You could hear the smile in his voice. “But, um… the issue is… you haven’t really told me to stop now, have you? Why are you letting me have my fun?”

Before Albedo could answer, he felt those same cold and wiggly fingers slipping under his coat and squeezing his side. He burst into another fit of breathy giggles while leaning back; his back pressed against Shiro’s chest.

“Ahahahack! Wahahahait—” Hiccups started to leak through the alchemist’s sweet laughter, feeling Shiro’s free hand wrap around his wrist, pulling Albedo’s hand away and uncovering his bright smile.

“Your laugh is… so sweet.” Of all the things Shiro could’ve said to make this feel humiliating, he just… kept praising. Was it normal to feel this warm and fluttery?... Another mystery to uncover once this nonsense is over.

Shiro kept going for a minute or so, fluttering his fingers ever-so-slightly, poking from time to time, wiggling and even blowing air against Albedo’s ears. Work was, for once, the last thing in Albedo’s mind. All he could do was melt into a puddle of giggles until Shiro finally decided to let up.

He hadn’t noticed he was this ticklish, since nobody usually attempts such a thing while near him. Only someone as refreshing and casual as Shiro would pull out a stunt like this.

He didn’t know how many minutes passed since this started, or how long did he leave his work unattended. All he knew is that by the time Shiro had stopped, his hair was all disheveled along with his flushed face.

Shiro stared at the giggling alchemist, thinking it was a lovely sight. He’d be doing these kinds of things more often, to keep Albedo from getting engrossed in work.

“Hm, I think I’m the first person that gets to see the chief Alchemist smiling like this…”

Shiro could’ve pointed out Albedo was a mess, he could’ve pointed out how unprofessional this was. All he did, however, was talk about the blonde’s smile.

Calmly and carefully, he lifted his hand and fixed Albedo’s hair making the blond gasp, before Shiro pulled away and turned his attention to Albedo’s work. So casually. As if nothing had happened at all.

Albedo was still panting slightly, covering his mouth once again while staring at the brunet dumbfounded. What… what just happened?

“Th—… um…” He tried to speak, but it was an impossible task at the moment. He was a little too disoriented to figure out what just happened, his skin still tingling with the remnants of Shiro’s playful attack.

“You’re not going to get to work?” The brunet tilted his head innocently, his sparkling eyes holding no remorse or malice. His smile so warm, so satisfied. As if he hadn’t just… just…

“…Y-yes… yes, yes. You’re right…”

Albedo cleared his throat and fixed his clothes, trying to ignore that fluttering feeling that grew even stronger when Shiro fixed his hair so casually just a few seconds earlier. The only occasions in which he engaged in physical touch were when Klee hugged him. He wasn’t used to this.

The worst part was… Albedo couldn’t figure out whether it bothered him or not. Having someone around like this, so transparent and so strangely comforting.

Maybe, just maybe… he should be slightly more permissive around Shiro next time instead of being so careful.