#it wasn’t what i was expecting but that’s okay I trust the writers to cook

[l00rem]

Amethio’s family rambles

spoilers below the cut

Now that we have confirmation on Crave being Amethio’s father, I’ve been thinking a lot about what this means in regard to the rest of his family. I don’t think Crave is supposed to be Gibeon’s bio child, which means it was most likely amethio’s mother instead which is pretty interesting considering she’s yet to even be mentioned.

My guess atm is that she died at some point, perhaps on a mission if she was gibeon’s child, and the grief left in the aftermath of her death is what lead to the rift between amethio and crave. I don’t think Crave doesn’t care about amethio even if him not even bothering to look at him was very cold, i think he just doesn’t want to show any interest in regards to amethio working with explorers. Definitely not the best way to convey that and amethio clearly doesn’t understand his intentions but welcome to pokemon horizons where none of the parents know how to properly communicate with their children lmao

Being in such a high position, I can only guess that Crave would’ve been pretty busy throughout all amethio’s life- there was still love there and they were closer than they are now, but I think amethio was always closer with his mother.

As to how this leads to amethio joining explorers and seeming cold towards his dad, my guess is amethio’s way of coping with his grief was to continue her work and pick up the will gibeon had bestowed upon her. Everything amethio does is still for gibeon and his approval, but there could be an extra layer of also wanting to uphold his mothers memory by filling the hole she left. Both Amethio’s pokemon have some association with death (a ghost and a raven) paired with their knightly themes I think it supports the idea that amethio is fighting in a way to remember the dead. But maybe how she died in the first place was on a mission, so Crave would be very understandably against his son going on said missions and wants to sway him away from explorers. I’m still pretty confused with the whole Exceed stuff tbh, maybe amethio thought that Crave should’ve left his job and joined explorers to continue his mothers work like amethio chose to? It does make me think about how amethio dismissed cap at first for being a cuter pokemon, now that we know his dads main pokemon was a chinchino.

This is leaning more into Liko and Amethio parallels for this part, but I wonder if Crave had amethio sent to a boarding school after amemom died? He knew he’d still be busy with work and unable to give his son the attention he needs during a hard time like this, so perhaps he thought sending amethio to a new environment where he can make friends would be for the best. But then from ames pov this was more like abandonment, that he couldn’t be bothered to make time for him and so had him sent away…

Maybe this is where Gibeon would’ve intercepted, taking amethio in and instead trying to fill the void his mothers death created by giving him a purpose? I could definitely see him taking advantage of amethio’s grief and turning him against Crave, maybe manipulating amethio into thinking Crave didn’t care about ames mom and wants to make him just forget about her. Maybe that purple crystal boetie amethio wears was passed down from Gibeon to his daughter, and then either she gave it to amethio or gibeon gave it to him after she passed… even more of a reason for him to treasure it

There is one line that’s been recontextualised a lot now and the implications are really interesting.

Most people assumed that this line referred to amethio’s dad, but now we can assume crave isn’t gibeons bio child it makes me wonder if this line was actually about amethio’s mother? Maybe it’s just me, but I think it’s really weird to have a set out path for your child in law- especially considering crave hasn’t necessarily betrayed gibeon and works under him. I wonder if Amethio’s mother used to be subservient to Gibeon, but after meeting Crave and having Amethio she started to develop her own interests and no longer wanted to exist just to follow her fathers orders… we don’t have enough to go off of right now to fully speculate stuff in regards to her, but maybe we’ll get to see her by the end of this arc through a picture or a flashback. I honestly didn’t think she’d be massively important to amethio’s story given how she’s yet to be mentioned, but perhaps that’s because talking about her is still too much of a painful topic for Amethio (baby just misses his mom :(( )

That’s most of my thoughts anyway. Whilst it does seem easy to hate Crave from that scene I think there’s a lot of nuance going on there and we shouldn’t jump to conclusions on his parenting. Gibeon’s probably the problem, because he always is let’s be honest lol. He and Amethio will reconcile by the end I’m sure, they just need to be in a better place to talk about their feelings.

[flemingsfreckles]

Morning After

Synopsis: you wake up to a cold bed and find your girlfriend outside reading (aka I found that middle photo of Jessie from months ago and this was my first little blurb idea)

Warnings: suggestive, that’s it

WC: 1.3k just a little guy 🤏

A/N: I’m having big time lack of motivation and writers block recently, this came about when I was cleaning out my camera roll solely because of that photo. I might try to do more short, 1-1.5k pieces to see if that helps get some creative juice back.

You have no idea what time it is when you roll over and squint at the harsh bright light coming in through the window. Turning over you expect to see a pair of brown eyes and a freckled face, instead you get an empty pillow. Sure it was a little disappointing not getting to see your girlfriend’s beautiful face first thing in the morning, but it wasn’t unusual. You had slept over before and Jessie was an early riser, she’d be up before you, cooking breakfast or making a coffee. But part of you had just expected after the night the two of you shared that she’d be lying next to you when you woke up.

You walk out of the bedroom, Jessie’s shirt across your chest and a pair of her sleep shorts around your waist. Unsure if Niamh was home yet you scan the hallway before heading out into the living room. Niamh knew about you and Jessie but you’d make yourself more presentable if she was home. That’s when you find Jessie, she’s sitting outside on the balcony. The door is cracked and you can feel the cool morning air coming inside. She’s sitting in a chair, her back to you. You can see her curls resting on the back of her neck, the black hoodie she’s wearing, she’s looking down toward her lap.

As you walk further into the room you’re able to take in more of the sight of your girlfriend, she’s reading, a book clasped between her hands, a pen and notepad on the table. Also on the table is a cup of what you could assume to be her morning coffee and her water bottle. She looked peaceful, just enjoying the morning sun and her book, you almost didn’t want to disturb her.

And while you didn’t want to disturb her at the same time you did, you wanted to take the book out of her hands and drag her back to bed where the two of you could cuddle, skin on skin, gentle touches across each other's arms and backs, soft kisses all while fighting the urge to fall asleep in her arms again.

You take another step while still debating if you wait for her to notice you or if you say something and pull her attention away from her book. The floorboard makes the decision for you, creeping loudly as you shift your weight onto it. Jessie’s head whips around. When she sees you she smiles and closes the book in front of her.

“Good morning.” She’s still sitting looking at you through the cracked door.

“Good morning.” You try to fight the overwhelming urge to grin like an idiot at her. You can feel the start of a blush rising on your cheeks, you look to the floor.

“How’d you sleep?” Jessie asks.

“Good, you?”

“Also good, sorry I didn’t mean to leave you alone in bed, just I woke up an hour or so ago, I knew if I stayed in bed I’d just want to wake you up.”

“It’s okay, I wasn’t worried.” It’s true you weren’t, maybe in other relationships, waking up to an empty bed after sharing your bodies for the first time the night before would have made you nervous, not with Jessie. You hadn’t expected her to be far, maybe in the kitchen, maybe on a run, at the store, but you knew she wouldn’t have left completely. You had a different level of trust with her.

“Good.”

When you don’t respond, unsure of what to say to the girl, she stands up, pushing in her chair and makes her way to stand next to you, the floorboard creaking again as her weight moves on it. She reaches to grasp your hand with her own, gently playing with your fingers.

“I had a really good time last night.” She says softly, trying to make eye contact with you, your eyes choosing to look at where her hand held yours. Watching the way her fingers soothed over your own while keeping your eyes off of her.

“Me too.” You feel the blush growing and the flutter of your stomach start. You and Jessie had been officially together for a few months and much to Niamh and your teammates annoyance, pinning over each other for years before that. Everyday she made your head spin and your heart jump. From the simple things like a sweet good morning kiss when she’d pick you up for training, or when she’d put her hand on your thigh while driving, how she’d wink at you across the pitch when no one else saw. You were completely infatuated with the woman.

Last night the two of you were able to explore the extent of your physical relationship, Niamh finally being away for a few days, leaving Jessie’s place to be empty, giving you and Jessie the perfect excuse to finally fall into bed together for different reasons than sleep. It had been sweet, soft, and slow with Jessie and she had left you blushing and red cheeked for more reasons than one last night.

“Do you want coffee? Tea? Food?” Jessie released your hand and walked toward the kitchen.

“Coffee would be nice.” You followed her into the kitchen watching as she grabbed coffee out of the cabinet before moving over to another cabinet to grab you a mug. She turned her back to you and headed over to start the coffee maker. You stand, leaning against the counter as you watch her move around. She catches your eye every few moments making you both give sheepish smiles. After a few fleeting glances Jessie comes up to you, gently placing her hands on your face and bringing your lips to hers.

The sigh she lets out when your lips connect has a flash of heat running through you, all too reminiscent of your evening last night. Jessie’s hands come to your back before gently making their way down to your butt before she breaks the kiss to move her hands to the backs of your thighs. “Jump.”

You do as she says and next thing you know your thighs are coming into contact with the cold countertop as Jessie lifts you onto it. You lean down to connect your lips again, missing the feeling. When you pull away Jessie is looking up at you, wide eyed and smiling.

“Hi.”

“Hey.”

“Can I tell you a secret?” Jessie’s pulling you down slightly so that she can whisper in your ear.

“Yeah.” You turn, putting your lips against her ear, whispering back.

You hear Jessie take a shaky breath before she exhales and speaks at the same time. “I love you.”

You hear the words and immediately pull back to look at her face, only this time it’s her who’s shying away, tucking her head into your chest. You gently pull on her chin, trying to get her to look at you but she stays firm, fighting your grasp to keep her face buried into you.

“Jessie.” She doesn’t budge. “Babe.” You give her another gentle push, this time she gives in pulling back from you. Her cheeks are red, a look of worry across her face, her eyes glued to your lap. You lean into her, tilting her chin up to put your lips against her ear. “I love you.” You whisper back to her.

“Yeah?” Jessie looks up at you, you can practically see the relief wash over her body, her shoulders releasing their tension, a smile finding its way to her lips.

“Yeah, I love you.” You confess to her before leaning down to give her a quick kiss.

“I love you.” She says it again, making both of you smile. You sit for a moment, letting the reality sink in, you were in love with her and she was in love with you. It’s then that you look over and see the long abandoned coffee beans.

“I’d maybe love you more if you made me that coffee.”

[futures-tense]

Happy new year! Hope youve had a great holiday! Just wanted to say thank you for sharing your writing with us - I love your work, especially the Tarlos fics <3 Do you still take prompts for your bad things happen bingo card? Would love to see either "take me instead" or "grabbed by the chin" with hurt!TK if you're up for it? 👉👈 No pressure, tho! ;) Tysm for sharing ur writing once again <3

Anon I want to thank you because this got me back in gear and broke my writer's block so ily💜 also it wasn’t as heartbreaking as I had originally intended so. You’re welcome ig

and what if I'm left without a choice?//2.7k//

ao3

warnings: gun violence, shooting mentions, tiny little hospital moment

“Yeah, I’ll be home first so I’ll cook something,” Carlos says. “It’ll be done by the time you get home.”

“No,” TK says with a small smile. “I want to cook you something.”

“Um,” Carlos laughs on the other end of the line. “Don’t take this the wrong way, babe, but you can’t cook.”

“Let me cook.”

“TK.”

“Let me cook, Carlos.”

He sighs dramatically and TK knows he’s won.

“Fine, but not without supervision. I don’t trust you not to destroy my good pans.”

“Rude.”

The alarm goes off, calling for medical but Carlos is the one who says, “Hey, I gotta go. I’ll see you later.”

TK’s on his feet, rushing to the ambulance. “Yeah, be safe, I love you.”

“Love you too.”

He slips his phone into his pocket and climbs into his seat in the truck.

“Where are we headed, Cap?”

“Westside Mall,” Tommy answers; TK turns the rig in that direction. “We’re just here to triage the crowds. And whoever’s still inside.”

He’s not exactly sure what he was expecting when they get there. There are people scattered all over the outer edges of the parking lot, a line of police tape separating them and the first responders.

“Start triage along there,” Tommy starts, climbing out of the rig. “I’m going to talk to the IC, see what the damage is. But if anyone asks you to do something you do it, got it?”

TK and Nancy both nod. They start at opposite ends of the crowd, intending to meet in the middle.

TK carefully places an Iron Man bandaid on a young boy’s scraped knee, offering a smile to him and the mom—who is thanking him profusely.

“No problem, ma’am,” he assures her, already moving to the next person.

“Paramedic Strand.” He can’t help but grin.

“Officer Reyes,” he says, turning to find his boyfriend striding up to him. “Fancy seeing you here.”

They share a smile and TK turns back to the woman in front of him. There’s a cut on her forehead and she’s holding her wrist gingerly.

“How are you feeling, ma’am?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” she insists. “But my daughter, you have to find her. She’s twenty-four. She was headed to the car. We parked in the parking garage—that one there.”

“Alright, well, after the scene is cleared for us, we’ll find her.”

“No, you don’t understand.” She’s shaking her head, pushing TK’s hands away. “She was supposed to take her medicine an hour ago, her insulin.”

“And you don’t think she’s taken it yet?” She shakes her head again. “Okay, I’m going to do everything I can to get her what she needs.”

He stands upright again and Carlos is shaking his head. “No, I know what you’re thinking—”

“Carlos, I can’t just leave her in there.”

“There is an active shooter.” He sighs and rolls his eyes, reaching for his radio.

“Cap, we’ve got a twenty-four-year-old female diabetic. Her mom says she’s late to take her insulin.”

“What are you asking, Strand?”

Carlos gives him a look but he ignores it. “I want to go into the East parking garage to find her. The shots were fired on the other side of the building and we haven’t heard any movements from the inside since.”

He sees Tommy by the IC tent, talking with Richards.

“We’ll give you ten minutes tops.”

He takes a breath. “That’s all I need.”

“You aren’t going by yourself,” Carlos says matter-of-factly.

“Fine. Then come with me.”

— — —

He still firmly believes that this is a terrible idea.

They walk in silence, TK just a few steps behind him, eyes alert.

“Looks like date night came a little early,” TK says after a few minutes, and Carlos can hear the smile in his voice.

“TK, I swear to god.” TK laughs and he smiles a little.

“Jesus…Carlos, over here.”

He follows TK’s gaze to the figure on the ground. TK gives him a look as he kneels down next to the woman. “Ma’am? Ma’am, can you hear me?”

Carlos steps away and looks around the parking garage. They’re toward the top of the structure now; it’s not as full here as the other levels and they’re in a free spot. There’s a van a few spaces over and a car the other way.

There’s a sharp inhale behind him.

“Don’t.” That voice is new. He turns and—god, how do they keep ending up in situations like this? TK’s hands are raised, a roll of medical tape in one. There’s something pressing against his boyfriend’s back. He can only assume that’s the reason they’re here in the first place.

This is exactly what he’d been trying to avoid.

The other side of the building, huh?

“Don’t move.”

Try to gain control of the situation.

Carlos holds up his hand, the other lowering his own weapon to the ground. “What’s your name?”

The man cocks his head. “What?”

Ease the tension.

“What’s your name?”

“Stevie,” he says stiffly.

“Nice to meet you, Stevie,” Carlos says with a small nod. "I'm Carlos."

Ask open-ended questions, you want them to open up.

“This is quite the situation. Why don’t you tell me what happened?”

TK’s eyes have been trained on the woman in front of him but he glances up at Carlos curiously.

“It… It all went wrong,” Stevie almost whispers. “We didn’t mean for it to go like this.”

“We?” Carlos prompts. He sees TK in his peripheral vision, slowly lowering his hands to finish the bandage he’d been securing.

“Me and my partner, Vinnie.” He shakes his head. “But it doesn’t matter.”

“It does,” Carlos insists. “You didn’t intend for this to happen? So what did happen? How did it end up like this?”

“There wasn’t supposed to be anyone here!” He raises his voice and it echos through the parking garage.

Their radios crackle. “Reyes, Strand, status report.”

TK looks at Carlos, who looks at the man with a gun pointed at his boyfriend.

Buy some time.

“TK, will you answer that?” TK nods but Stevie shakes his head again.

“Don’t.”

Carlos puts his hand out in front of him, trying to stay calm—praying to whoever is listening that they can both make it out of this. “Hey, it’s okay. It’ll be better for you if one of us responds; otherwise, they’ll think something’s up. He’s going to buy us a little time, that’s all.”

“TK, Carlos, talk to me.”

The paramedic has his hand over his radio and Stevie nods. TK lets out a breath and keys the radio.

“Cap, we need a few more minutes.”

“I can give you five, at the most. IC’s itching to go in.”

Their eyes meet and Carlos hopes TK can read his mind—it’s going to be okay, we’ll be okay.

“Copy that.”

Almost as soon as he takes his hand off of the radio, Stevie is pulling his arm—knocking him off balance for a moment—and dragging him toward the van. The gun is pressed firmly against TK’s temple now.

“Listen to me–” he gives him a warning look and TK whimpers softly as the gun is pressed harder against him. “Please, just listen to me. Leave him here; take me—I will go with you. He can stay with this woman here, makes sure she stays alive.”

TK struggles slightly, following his train of thought—like always—and hating it.

“Shut up!” The man jerks TK a little to get his point across. But TK’s eyes are on Carlos, desperate and pleading.

The man’s jaw tightens and Carlos takes that as a sign.

“You need a hostage for leverage, I get it. So take me instead. Once you’re gone, the police will come in and clear it for the paramedics,” Carlos explains. His voice is miraculously steady. “If you take him, she might not make it. How is that going to look for you, Stevie?”

“Why should I?” The man sneers. “What can you offer me that he can’t?”

Carlos shifts. “More leverage. The city doesn’t take kindly to hurting innocent people. But the police will do whatever they can to get one of their own back.”

He furrows his brows like he’s considering it; TK’s eyes widen at that. Carlos meets his eyes and there’s a fear there that he wishes he could do something about.

Don’t do this to me.

It doesn’t take long before Stevie is smirking.

“But if I go with you,” Carlos says cautiously, “you leave him. You don’t hurt him.”

“Fine.”

He pushes TK away and Carlos lets out a small breath as TK collides with him.

“Hi,” Carlos breathes and he smiles back as he surveys his face for any sign of bruising on there or—

And he’s dragging Carlos toward the van. TK doesn’t let go of his hand until the very last moment. Stevie opens the door and pushes Carlos in but turns to look back at TK swaying slightly on his feet.

Then the worst thing happens.

There’s a loud crack; TK stiffens; he crumples to the ground and Carlos can’t breathe.

“No, no… No, you said you wouldn’t hurt him!” Carlos tries to push past him to get to TK. The man presses the weapon against Carlos’s chest.

“You told me…You said he’d be safe.”

“Guess I’m not a man of my word.” He shoves Carlos hard, giving himself just enough room to close the door.

He’s plunged into darkness but all he can see is TK’s horrified face.

God, how do they keep ending up in situations like this?

“Reyes, Strand, get out of there, now.”

So they did hear the shot. Good.

“That’s… That’s gonna be a bit of a problem, Cap.”

He’s alive. He’s alive and that’s what matters. There’s a click and he looks toward the front, where Stevie now has his sights on him.

“Turn it off.”

Carlos pauses for a moment but does as he’s told. The man turns and looks out the windshield. “How do you plan on getting out of here? They’ve got the place surrounded.”

He doesn’t get a response.

Carlos takes a moment to survey his options. TK’s alone and in pain, Carlos’s radio is off, they’re in a parking complex surrounded by various police departments. But he has his phone.

After a long silence, he leans toward the front seat. “Can I offer a suggestion?”

— — —

“Captain Vega, we’re going in,” Richards announces and Nancy meets her gaze.

TK didn’t tell them what the problem was, but she knows it’s not good. Carlos hasn’t responded to the radio either. She wants to think that it’s nothing, but it’s TK and Carlos—one a danger magnet and the other willing to follow him into anything.

Nancy stands and paces the length of the truck. She hates sitting out here when her partner could be hurt. Again. Her phone digs, effectively pulling her attention out of her head.

“Wait, wait, Cap!” Tommy and Richards—tall, broad-shouldered, in a black SWAT vest—are at her side in a moment. “It’s an audio message from Carlos.”

“Play it.”

“Can I make a suggestion?”

A muffled what? Tommy shakes her head.

“That’s not TK,” she mutters.

“We should go out on foot. Make our way down to the ground level, jump over the barrier at the back of the structure.”

“Why shouldn’t we take the van, it’ll be faster that way.”

“No,” Carlos says fervently. “There’s one way in and one way out and they’re waiting for you to use that.”

“He’s making sure we’re ready for them,” Nancy says, looking up at Richards. “He’s telling you exactly where you need to be.”

“But, look, it will be better if you walk out of here. Willingly. You shot a first responder, Stevie.”

That last sentence is bitter and angry. Nancy doesn’t blame him.

“TK,” Tommy breathes.

“Running is only going to make this worse.”

The message ends. Richards is already walking away, spouting orders to the team leaders.

“Tommy?” The captain looks up at Nancy once more. The words are on the tip of her tongue.

What if we’re too late?

But she doesn’t need to say anything. Tommy takes one look at her and smiles—like a mother consoling her child—pulling Nancy into a hug.

“They’re going to be okay.”

— — — — —

It worked. Carlos cannot believe it worked. He grabs the back of the passenger seat—why don’t criminals ever put seats back here?—and watches as they descend, closer to the ground level.

From what he can tell, Stevie has every intention of giving himself up. All Carlos has to do is wait.

Level 2.

Level 1.

“Go slow,” he instructs. “If you go too fast, they’ll think you’re going to try and go through. That won’t be pretty.”

Carlos hears someone yell as they come into view.

“One last thing,” Carlos says, leaning forward a little as they slow down, “you need to keep your hands up and empty. So give me the gun.”

“What?”

“Put it on the seat next to you if you want. But if you have it on you, they’ll be less than nice about it.”

Stevie finally pulls to a stop, reluctantly placing the weapon on the seat next to him. Carlos lets out a breath as the police and SWAT circle the car. Someone’s opening the driver's door, yelling orders at Stevie. And the moment they open the back door, Carlos pushes his way out—despite the protests of his fellow officers.

“Reyes, just wait, you should let Tommy look you over—”

He pushes someone else away and pushes through the stairwell door.

Level 5.

He saw the text, but it’s not enough. He needs to see it with his own eyes.

Level 6.

Carlos stumbles through the door and looks around. He sees the woman TK had tried to tend to.

“TK,” he calls.

“Carlos…”

And there he is. He’s unsteady, and he’s holding a spot on his chest, but… He’s alive. TK sways on his feet and Carlos catches him.

“Why don’t we sit you down, yeah?” Carlos asks. “Will that be better?”

When TK nods, Carlos helps him sit carefully to the ground. One of TK’s hands is on Carlos’s and the other is holding tightly onto his arm.

“Jesus, the kevlar barely helped.”

“You’re going to be okay,” Carlos says. “You owe me dinner remember?”

TK smiles. “I was just…going to make box mac and cheese.”

Carlos laughs, “that’s cheating.”

“You never said I couldn’t,” he mumbles.

He groans and shifts—wincing painfully. Carlos clicks his radio on.

“Captain Vega, can we get the—”

“We’re right here, Carlos,” Tommy calls, turning the corner of the nearest ramp. Nancy is behind her, pushing the gurney.

She smiles at him—relieved in her own way, he knows—and squeezes his shoulder.

“If you scare me like that again,” she scolds TK, “I swear, I will get you fired.”

TK grins up at her, “You’d miss me too much.”

— — —

Everything else goes by in a blur. He rides with the paramedics to the hospital and he sits by TK’s side as he gets looked at by the doctor. Aside from the spreading bruise across his chest, he’s fine and can even go home within the hour.

But there’s something else. He’s been uncharacteristically quiet, hardly looking at Carlos, finding something to busy himself.

Carlos knocks on the door frame of TK’s room.

“You ready to go?”

TK just nods, his eyes trained on the watch he’s trying to clasp around his wrist. Carlos shifts and steps closer.

“Hey, are you sure you’re okay?”

He doesn’t respond for a long moment. “You know, you might be the dumbest person I know.”

Definitely not what he was expecting. “What?”

“You can’t—You can’t do that to me.” His voice is shaky and Carlos feels his heart crack.

“TK…”

“No,” he snaps. No, Carlos Reyes, you cannot put yourself in danger like that. Not for me.”

Carlos frowns. “Why not? Why not for you?”

TK finally meets his gaze—only for a moment—then tries to push out the door past him, but Carlos stops him.

“Let’s just go home,” TK pleads.

“Why not for you?”

“Because I’m not worth it!” He scoffs and runs his hands over his face. “If you get hurt because of me…I’m not worth that risk.”

Carlos takes a moment then cradles TK's face in his hands. “Baby, look at me,” he tilts his chin up. “You are worth every risk.”

[blackgirl-galactica]

IN LOVE WITH VENUS!!! (Part 1)

Note: While I am not a professional astrologer, I love studying astrology and its aspects. Please do not reword/repost/steal my work!! Thank you so much.

Hello!!

-I am back with another series of planets through the signs!! Today we will talking about the lovely planet of Venus!

- Venus is famously known as the planet of love. Yet, this planet can also represent our passions, our values, how we express those passions/values, creativity/creative processes, and what makes us comfortable. According to the book The Secret Language of Astrology by Roy Gillett, Venus is the planet "of gardeners and every kind of artist, as well as those who wish to succeed in business." So Venus carries alot more energy than many may think. Therefore, we will talk about the first 6 Venus signs! I hope you all like this series!!!

ARIES VENUS:

An Aries Venus will go after what they are passionate about!! Whether this is in a relationship or in their creative pursuits, you can not stop an Aries Venus from pursuing what they want! Yet, this Venus sign is in its detriment (as Venus is in domicile in Libra, its opposite). An Aries Venus may not like taking things slow. They either love doing what they are doing or they will find something that will fulfill them. This may mean they will go through several relationships or several creative processes to find the perfect relationship or process that fulfills them. Just remember things take time Aries Venus and don't give up on the first obstacle. Understand what is worth fighting for and what isn't. One thing about an Aries Venus, once they actually do find what they are looking for or the person they want to be with, you can not deter them from getting what they want. If they want it, they will try their best to achieve it. These people are not settlers lol. They feel its no point in chasing or pursuing values/relationships and they don't even want to do it. Yet, remember relationships are a two-way street Aries Venus. Don't let that Mars energy become overbearing to your partner lol.

TAURUS VENUS:

Ahhhh, Venus is in its domicile here. A Taurus Venus screams beauty, passion, and self-indulgence. They love taking things slow, and similar to Aries Venus they hate settling. A Taurus Venus may like a more stable partner, and someone who can fulfill their needs. These people are also some of the most amazing musicians and artists, and that's what happens when you are literally ruled by the planet of art and passion. Life is meant to be enjoyed to a Taurus Venus. They do not like unpredictability in their passions or relationships, just keep things simple and slow-moving is enough for them. And that's a good thing. They love being able to enjoy themselves and indulge. They have to, it helps them stay sane.

GEMINI VENUS:

Now this is not for everyone, but since Gemini represents 2 or double in astrology and tarot, I can see a Gemini Venus wanting to be in polyamorous relationships. And that is not a bad thing. A Gemini Venus is a multitasker. They may pursue multiple creative things at once, or they may love being around multiple people. These people can be talented writers as Gemini= Mercury = Writing. A Gemini Venus may end up dating a neighbor (since Gemini rules 3rd house themes like neighbors/neighborhood) or someone is close proximity to them(like a close friend turned gf/bf). A Gemini Venus just wants to experience and enjoy everything life has to offer before it is too late. They love people. They love being social. They may have/be the type of partners that are spontaneous and free-spirited. They also are very light-hearted individuals! They just love life, nothing wrong with that.

CANCER VENUS:

First, happy Venus return to all the Cancer Venus folks out there!! A Cancer Venus is just, I can't even explain it. A Cancer Venus likes simplicity as well like Taurus Venus. These people may find pleasure in cooking, cleaning, or just taking care of the people they love. They love being connected with the ones they love. They love family. Nothing makes a Cancer Venus happier than just simply being with the ones they love and having that emotional security. These are the kinds of artists that produce very healing work, possibly since Cancer rules the IC angle which represents our subconscious. I can also see these people as an interior designer or homemaker. A Cancer Venus is the type of partner that may want things more traditional (like dating to marry for example) because they hate wasting time on love they know they can not trust to integrate into their lives for the long haul. These are the type to end up marrying a high school sweetheart they have been with for awhile. SO ROMANTIC!!! If you want to be with a Cancer Venus, give them the emotional and material security they need.

LEO VENUS:

A Leo Venus in love is so beautiful and generous. They will really admire and put their partners on a pedestal and shower them with so much love. Yet, they need to know not to go overboard, as they are a Sun-ruled Venus and the Sun is a planet that is massive and can blind ya lol. A Leo Venus is well suited to go into the arts like acting or drama. They will shine in areas like that. Even if you don't want to be an actor, anything a Leo Venus pursues will make them shine since they are a sun-ruled Venus. They are confident in their relationships, and they know if it doesn't work out, then its only room for the next one. A Leo Venus also expects to be treated with the same energy they treat their partners! No reason to give if you there is no reciprocation.

VIRGO VENUS:

Okay, this placement is in the fall position as Venus is exalted in Pisces. Meaning, it doesn't mean a Virgo Venus won't find love, but it may be harder for them to find a person who they really and I mean really connect with. Yet, once they do find that person, a Virgo Venus will be there for you day in and day out. Since Virgo is the sign of service, acts of service may be the love language a Virgo Venus gives out most of the time to their partners. They love taking care of the people they love. Also, since this is a Mercury-ruled Venus, a Virgo Venus may want to pursue creative passions they can put alot of detail into (my sister is a Virgo Venus and she is a painter). Having those kinds of passions that a Virgo Venus can take time with and grow little by little is helpful to them. These people can be the best at what they pursue because they spend so much time perfecting it and understanding it! Yet, they must understand that things take time, relationships take time, and not every simple misstep is a sign that it wasn't meant to work out. Give it time Virgo Venus, and before you know it, you're already at the place you've been manifesting!

HERE IS PART 1 FOR THE VENUS SERIES!! I WILL DO PART 2 EITHER TONIGHT OR TOMORROW!! I LOVE YALL SO MUCH AND I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS SERIES!!!

-Claude

[bangtanmademedoit]

take me home // hoseok x reader

pairing: hoseok x reader

wordcount: 6.9K

genres: angst, fluff, established relationship

summary: You and Hoseok have been together for years, and you’ve built an unbreakable foundation for your relationship. Or so you thought.. One phone call seems to completely derail everything you’ve worked so hard for.. and the worst part is, you have no idea who it was from or what it was about.

warnings: angst, slight mention of anxiety, one curse word, sappy fluff

notes: Wow.. it’s finally complete. I really didn’t know if it was ever going to happen, but I’m so glad I pushed through. This is the longest one shot/drabble I’ve ever written, and it’s definitely the piece of writing I’ve spent the most time agonizing over. That being said, it might not be amazing, but I’m still proud of myself for it. 

This wouldn’t have been possible without some amazing writers on here who inspired me, encouraged me, and cheered me up when I was struggling. So, thank you to @sahmfanficbts for always encouraging me and boosting my confidence, and for helping me finally come up with a fitting conclusion for this fic. To @honeymoonjin for being the push I needed to get back into writing in the first place and for always being so kind. And also to @kkulfm who I only recently starting talking to, but who has been so unbelievably sweet and lovely and always sends such positive vibes. All three of these writers work absolute magic, and have inspired me so much with their writing. I really hope you all take the time to check them out!

Also, thanks to all of you for reading and to those of you who take the time to share your thoughts. It means the world to me. Okay.. let’s get it!

When I walked into the room, he was already setting the phone down after saying goodbye. I took in his face: furrowed brows, lips tightened in a line, clenched jaw, and sad eyes. Whatever the phone call had been about, it clearly wasn’t good.

“Who was that?” I walked over to his side and placed my hands gently on his shoulders. I gave them a light squeeze, trying to offer him some comfort.

He was usually so bright and upbeat, it was rare to see him looking this down. It immediately caused my stomach to drop in worry.

But contrary to my expectations, he shook his head and brushed me off with a simple “no one”. I wanted to press for more information. Clearly it was someone and something.

But he was already rearranging his features into the smile I loved and turning in his chair to envelope my cold hands in his warmer ones, and so I let it go. He would tell me when he was ready, and I didn’t want to be the reason for that frown returning to his face. I made up my mind to quietly support him until he was ready to talk about it.

He never did tell me what that phone call was about, but he wasn’t the same after that day. Sure, he was making his usual silly jokes, poking fun at my abysmal cooking, and laughing too hard at the memes we sent back and forth. But there was something lying underneath the surface of his smile. It was never fully genuine.

He didn’t seem fully committed to his jokes, and they always seemed forced. He might have laughed at the memes, but our usually even participation had become largely one-sided. It was like there was always something in the back of his mind. He wasn’t fully here, in this moment. Something else was occupying him, and it was making me anxious.

Then there were the moments when he thought I wasn’t looking. Moments when his smile crumbled, and a pained look took over in its place. He looked haunted by something, and the fact that he wouldn’t share it was starting to haunt me. 

I did my best not to worry. I told myself over and over again to be patient. I loved him, and I trusted him, and I knew that when he was ready, he would open up to me about whatever it was.

He never did. A few weeks went by, and I couldn’t take it any longer. Things were getting progressively worse, and he started to pull away more and more as the days went by. The jokes stopped all together, and the laughter that once filled our house slowly faded away. He spent longer hours at work and would retreat to bed whenever he was at home.

Not knowing was slowly driving me to madness. I couldn’t understand how one phone call could cause not only such a huge shift in him, but in our relationship as well. This relationship that we had painstakingly built a foundation for. The foundation we built after hours of tears, fights, and days where we wondered if it was ever really going to work out for us. Times where we seriously considered just giving up and going our separate ways. But in the end, we made it work. We built a foundation so strong that it seemed nothing could bring it down. We took the time to communicate, to trust in each other, and it brought us closer together.

So how… with just one phone call. One phone call and with each passing day I felt like I couldn’t recognize the person at my side anymore. With each passing day, he felt like he was floating farther away, constantly gaining distance.

Yet any time I tried to cross the gap and knit it closed again, all he seemed to do was brush me off. Act like everything was as it should be. As if he wasn’t becoming a stranger, and our relationship wasn’t crumbling at our feet.

‘I’m just tired. I’m just stressed about work. I’m just busy this week.’

Why wouldn’t he just talk to me? I tried to understand, to give him time, to be the patient, supportive person I thought myself to be.

But perhaps I wasn’t as patient or kind as I thought… Because the more time trickled by, the more difficult it was to fight back all the fears and anxieties that were bubbling up inside me. The more I started to feel angry that he was putting me through this, that he wouldn’t just put his trust in me. The more I started to resent the man I had come to think the world of. 

It all came bubbling to the surface one frigid, late-autumn morning. We both had the day off, which would usually mean we spent the morning cuddled up on the couch under a pile of blankets, some romantic comedy playing on the TV while we drank hot cocoa for breakfast. But instead, I woke up to find the bed next to me already cold. I tried to tell myself that he was probably just setting up the living room, making sure it was extra cozy for our day in... But there was a rock in my stomach that told me otherwise.

Just as I feared, I walked out to find an eerily quiet house. My heart stuttered in my chest. I had always hated silence. After realizing this early on in our relationship, Hoseok started turning on some kind of background noise any time he was up before me. He would choose a playlist that he felt suited the vibe of that day or his most recent favorite songs, or simply put on one of my favorite comfort sitcoms. It was a simple gesture, but it always warmed my heart and made me feel less alone on the days when he would leave the house before I woke up.

Therefore this complete silence was all the more jarring, and felt like a stab to my chest. He had forgotten our morning date. He had forgotten to let me know that he would be gone for the day. But most tellingly, he had forgotten the one sweet action that he had done almost every day of our relationship.

Whatever was going on, it was clearly enough to override even actions that had become habit, and I couldn’t sit around and pretend not to notice anymore. I tried calling him, but he didn’t pick up. I pushed back the usual flash of anxiety that came with being ignored, and forced myself to be rational. He was fine, and he was more than likely just trying to avoid me.

Instead of dwelling on my anxious thoughts, I turned the TV on and parked myself on the couch. I was prepared to wait for as long as I needed to, but the second he was back, I was going to get to the bottom of this before it completely tore us apart.

He didn’t get home until late that night. By the time I heard the telltale click of the keys turning in the lock, I was almost glued to the couch. It had been a long day. I couldn’t get myself to focus on anything and ended up spending the day staring blankly at the television while my thoughts continued to race. I was nervous, anxious, and scared, but I was determined to finally end this exhausting dance we were doing around each other.

His footsteps paused just outside of the living room entrance. I could almost hear him holding his breath, and imagined him contemplating just avoiding me and heading straight to the bedroom. But he must have sensed a change in the air because he came shuffling into the room with an apprehensive look in his eyes and an awkward half-smile plastered to his face.

Even that eventually slid away when he saw the look in my eyes. I couldn’t see my own face, but I knew how empty I felt inside. If even a fraction of that was reflected on my face, I could see why he was suddenly looking so anxious. This was finally it. Whatever it was.

“Sit down.” My voice came out flat and raspy from underuse.

He hesitantly sank down onto the other side of the couch, leaving a large gap between us. How fitting.

He didn’t make any move to speak first. He just stared down at his tightly clasped hands, desperately avoiding my eyes.

I let out an exasperated sigh, “I can’t do this anymore. It’s driving me crazy. Whatever the problem is, I need you to just tell me and get it over with.”

He flinched at the pain in my voice, but there was no way of sugarcoating it. The damage was already done. I was hurt, and I knew my pain in turn would hurt him. 

He bit down on his lip, shifting in his seat and looking down at his feet. I waited, thinking maybe he was gathering his thoughts. But minutes passed, and he never opened his mouth. He simply continued to gaze down at the carpet as if it held all the answers.  

The clock ticked loudly in the silence, and I felt my body start to heat up. Tick. Silence. Tick. My heartbeat quickened. Tick. My eyebrow twitched. Tick.

“Goddamn it!” I exploded and he jumped, turning his wide eyes to finally meet mine. I rarely ever raised my voice, and it clearly shocked him to see me do so. “Tell me. Please. What was that phone call? Who was it? You haven’t been the same since.”

I watched as what looked like shame flashed through his normally warm eyes before he turned away again. He swallowed hard and finally said, “It was Mijoo.”

My heart stuttered. Of course I recognized that name. It was the main topic of conversation when we first met.

He had been reeling from a break up that had ripped open his heart, and I was just the new friend who wanted to help. I remember how hard I tried to take his mind off things when it got too much. I remember how many hours I spent listening to him lay out all the insecurities and fears that she had left him with. I remember how hard I tried to convince him of just how amazing, how strong, how kind, how worthy he was, all while falling in love with him myself.

I remember how long it took for the sunshine inside him to slowly creep its way back to the surface. I remember when I saw him really, truly laugh for the first time. I remember how I lost my breath at the radiance of it. I remember how beautiful he was, and how happy I was as I watched him slowly heal from all the pain and damage she had inflicted on him. I remember how proud I was of him.

But this was years ago. Old wounds that had long since healed… Hadn’t they? I didn’t understand why she would have any power over our relationship.

My heart felt like someone had just stomped on it. It felt like a nightmare coming true. I almost laughed out loud, overwhelmed by the sudden clash of emotions.

“And?” I couldn’t seem to come up with anything more intelligent to say.

“She’s getting married…” The pain in his voice mirrored the sadness in his eyes, and I couldn’t breathe.

Why did that knowledge cause him pain?

I felt anger and dislike shoot through me. She didn’t deserve his thoughts or care. She had abandoned him. She had broken his heart. I was the one who had been by his side this whole time. I was the one who waited patiently next to him. I was the one who helped him to reclaim his smile. I was the one who helped him believe in love again. So why was he in pain again because of her?

His eyes were pleading with me, to say something, anything.

Panic bubbled up inside me. I wanted to throw up. This wasn’t an issue of him being slightly caught off guard because of the news. He had allowed it to drive a wedge between us. Allowed it to take over his every thought and affect his behavior and actions. If there weren't any feelings left there, then why would it affect him to this extent? Words couldn’t describe the betrayal I felt at that thought.

“I don’t even know what to say…”

I couldn’t look at him anymore. I turned away to stare blankly at the TV screen, the bright colors contrasting starkly with my dark, ugly thoughts.

I truly had no words. I didn’t know how to move forward from here. And if I did find a way to move forward, would we be moving in the same direction?

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I didn’t think it mattered…” He said, sounding about as convinced as I felt.

“Well it clearly matters to you. It’s completely derailed you… and our relationship as a result.” The words came out sharper than I had anticipated, and I hated that, despite the situation, my initial gut reaction was to apologize. To say that I was sorry for snapping at him, that everything was okay, that I forgave him. I forcefully pushed it down.

“I… I don’t…” He choked on the words, paused, and then mumbled. “…I love you.”

The words were so soft I almost didn’t catch them. My heart dropped. He sounded so lost and insecure, and it just made me angrier. None of this was fair. It wasn’t fair to him either. I never really hated anyone before, but despite never meeting her, I truly felt that I hated her. She hadn’t just stolen his sunshine again, this time she had stolen mine too.

“You must have really loved her…”

This much was obvious, but it was all my brain seemed capable of processing. The one thought that was repeating over and over in my head like a broken record… Along with another, much scarier, thought that I refused to let come into focus.

He grimaced and a flash of pain washed over his face. “I did… but I love you more.”

I was shaking my head before I was even fully aware of it. I wasn’t sure that I could believe that. Not after the last few weeks. Not after how he pushed me away. Not after I had spent weeks drowning in my own fears and anxieties.

“I don’t know where to go from here… but I can’t continue like this.”

A look of panic sprang to his face, and suddenly he was right next to me on the couch, his hands gripping mine. “No! I’m sorry. I’ll do better. It just caught me off guard. I’ll snap out of it, I promise. I’ll take some time off work and we can spend some time together and work through this.”

His words came out in a sudden rush, the dam that had kept them back now flooding open.

I looked down at his fingers, slightly white from how tightly they gripped mine, and sighed before pulling them away. “I think we need some time apart. Clearly there are some things you need to work through, and I… I need some time to process this.”

His shoulders slumped and he slid further away from me on the couch. He looked crushed, and I couldn’t stand to look at him any longer.

“You should go to bed. It’s late. I’ll sleep on the couch tonight, and then tomorrow I’ll see if I can stay with someone for a few days. I’m sure Jungah would be happy for some company...”

He hesitated for a moment, like he might argue with me on it, but eventually he just sighed defeatedly and nodded, “Okay…”

He sent me one last dejected look before standing up from the couch and quietly leaving the room.

I let myself drop back against the couch and closed my eyes. I felt tears prick at the corners and quickly threw my arm over my face in an attempt to block them. I finally got what I wanted. I got the truth. I couldn’t decide if it was worse or better than the scenarios I had created in my mind.

Either way, I definitely didn’t know what to do now. I wasn’t even really sure what to feel. In a lot of ways, I felt relieved. He wasn’t cheating on me or planning to leave me. But could I honestly say this was any better? I bit my lip to stop the ugly cry that threatened to spill from my lips.

I felt betrayed. I felt scared. I felt insecure. Didn’t this mean that he had never really gotten over her? Didn’t it mean that this whole time she had been in the back of his mind?

This one thought felt like it completely tainted all of our memories together, and it hurt. It hurt that I didn’t know what to do. It hurt that he was hurting too, and I hated that I had even a small part in it. There was also another voice in my head telling me that I was overreacting, that I should just let it go for the sake of our relationship. And I hated that I couldn’t. I hated that this one thing was enough to make me doubt everything. I hated how small it made me feel.

When I woke up the next morning, the house was already empty, but Friends was playing quietly on the TV. My heart ached dully. The gesture that usually brought me comfort now served as a reminder of how messed up things had become.

I sighed as I sat up off the couch and sluggishly folded up the blankets. The couch was definitely not the comfiest place to sleep, and my body ached in protest with every movement.

“Now what…” I wondered aloud to myself.

I quickly grabbed my phone off the coffee table and shot off a short message to my best friend asking if I could stay with her for a while. It vibrated before I could even place it down again. A faint smile crept onto my face as I read her reply. As expected, she agreed without any hesitation, or questions. I knew she would be curious, and probably more than a little concerned, but I appreciated that she didn’t ask. This was why she was my best friend.

She knew me well, and she knew that I would likely tell her everything once I was ready. Right now I wasn’t even sure what I was thinking, let alone how to explain it to anyone else. My only thought was that I needed to get out of this house. There were too many reminders here, and I couldn’t think clearly.

After taking a quick shower and tossing some things into a duffle bag, I hopped in a cab and headed to Jungah’s house. The whole drive there I couldn’t help but feel on edge. I felt like I was being chased by something, by what I wasn’t sure. The cab driver kept trying to make small talk, but he finally gave up after the fifth one word answer I gave him. I continued to stare out the window, my fists clenched on top of my knees, trying to force myself to breathe semi-normally.

When we pulled up in front of her place, I felt an instant wave of relief. I felt like I could finally breathe a bit easier. I thanked the cab driver, and gave him the best smile I could manage, feeling slightly guilty for rejecting his attempts at being friendly.

Once inside the building, I paused outside her door to steady myself. I rang the bell, and before I could even lower my hand, the door flew open. Standing there in black leggings and her favorite oversized deep green hoodie was my best friend. She looked tired, but she took one look at me standing there with my duffle bag, and what I’m sure was a miserable look on my face, and immediately ushered me inside.

“I set up the guest room for you. There’s new sheets and that super soft blanket that you like. I put a candle on the bedside table as well,” her voice was warm as she led me, with her arm placed gently around my back, towards the guest room.

My heart was so full it felt like it was going to burst. I nodded my head in silent thanks, unable to speak for fear of choking up.

“Do you want to have some time to yourself? I could start you a bath? Or if you need some company, we could park ourselves on the couch and have a Harry Potter marathon. I bought a bunch of snacks after you messaged me this morning, so we’re all set.”

I stared at her as she spoke. My beautiful best friend with the warmest eyes and an endlessly giving heart. She was so kind, and she knew me so well. I was so overwhelmed with love and appreciation for her. All I could do was pull her into a hug and whisper a tearful thank you.

She melted into the embrace, immediately wrapping her arms around me, her hands running soothingly across my back and over my hair. It took a while for the tears to slow, and I finally pulled away. I wiped at my puffy eyes with a sting of embarrassment. She was quick to dispel that with a radiant smile and a fond pat to my cheek.

And without me needing to voice anything, she grabbed my hand and led me to the living room. It was so warm and cozy, just like her, and it held so many wonderful memories. It felt like home, and I immediately felt safe.

We spent the entire day curled up together on the couch watching movies and snacking. We didn’t talk much at all other than to discuss menu preferences or make the occasional comment about the movie.

It wasn’t until after dinner that I started to feel like my thoughts were settled enough for me to talk. It took me equally as long to gather up the courage.

In a lot of ways, I was scared of what she would say. Not because I thought she would judge me, but because I was worried I wouldn’t like what she had to say. Worried that I would have to face a truth that I didn’t want to accept.

When the credits started to roll, I pressed pause before it could play the next film in the queue.

Jungah turned to me, her eyes soft and patient. I could tell she knew that this meant I was ready to talk.

And talk I did. Everything that had happened since that phone call, every feeling that I’d experienced came pouring from my lips in a flood of words that I couldn’t stop. I had been bottling up so many emotions, and stressing over so many possible situations, and it was such a relief to finally release them. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders just by sharing it. I didn’t stop, not even when I got choked up and had to speak through the new flood of tears. And she just listened. She didn’t try to interject, or give me advice, she just listened while I let it all out. Nodding encouragingly, she squeezed my hand as she quietly provided me with the comfort I so desperately needed.

Once I had completely exhausted myself, and no longer had any words left to say, I looked at her hesitantly. I wanted to signal to her that she could share her thoughts with me now, but I was still a bit nervous. 

Her hand tightened around mine and her expression turned pensive, “First of all, I think it was really brave of you to sit down and confront him about everything. I know you. I know how much you are wired to avoid conflict of any kind… but you put yourself, and your relationship, first and I’m really proud of you.”

She smiled warmly at me, and my lips quivered. Those were possibly the most meaningful and touching words she could have chosen to start with.

“And in that same vein, he was wrong to try and keep something like that from you. It’s something that was affecting your relationship, and he should have been up front with you about it. That being said… I don’t think either of you have properly communicated about this problem yet. Those feelings you just shared with me, you didn’t tell him about them, right?”

She sent me a look that was as gentle as it was reprimanding, and I sheepishly looked down at my hands.

“And he clearly didn’t go into any detail about what he’s been dealing with, or how he’s been feeling. He probably felt like you wouldn’t want to hear about it. But I think before either of you try to think about what to do next, you need to just be honest with each other.”

I bit my lip as I took in her words. She was right, and I knew it. I think I knew all along that the “talk” we had last night wasn’t really a talk. It was both of us making it known that something wasn’t right, but only stating the barest facts while avoiding truly opening up about our feelings. Neither of us had taken the initiative to talk about any of our underlying feelings. The things that were truly causing the strain on our relationship.

But I still couldn’t understand why he hadn’t shared his feelings with me… There was only one possibility that took hold in my mind.

“But don’t you think the reason he’s scared to talk to me about it is because he still has feelings for her? Because he’s doubting our relationship?”

I couldn’t bring myself to look at her. I felt embarrassed and ashamed of these ugly feelings that had been brewing inside me.

She sighed and shook her head, “That’s not something you or I can determine. The only way to find out for sure is to ask him. Sitting with these worst-case scenarios isn’t going to solve anything. You know that.”

I did know that. It was just a matter of gathering up the courage to accept that those scenarios were possible, and I was going to have to face whatever the truth was.

She pulled my hand into her lap, her eyes soft.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know this isn’t what you want to hear. You know you’re welcome to stay here for as long as you need. But you’re gonna have to face him eventually.”

I spent that night at Jungah’s house. And despite all her efforts to make me comfortable, I didn’t get much sleep at all.

I went back and forth between staring at the ceiling, trying not to think about anything, and checking my phone every five minutes to see if he had tried to contact me.

I failed horribly at not thinking about it all, and there were never any messages from him. I woke up the next morning feeling like I’d been run over by a truck. My head throbbed from both the lack of sleep and the amount of crying I’d done the day before.

While I didn’t feel any more optimistic about things, I had gained one thing from my talk with Jungah: determination. I felt determined not to let my relationship crumble without putting any real effort into mending it. I knew I needed to at least try and communicate with Hoseok, to try and understand where he was coming from.

And I knew it was time for me to be honest about my own insecurities and fears. I owed it to him, to myself, and to our relationship. I was going to have to be truly vulnerable with him.

With shaking hands and a pounding heart, I sent off a message asking him to meet up.

The café was surprisingly busy for a Thursday morning, but the soft hum of conversation and the bustle of people coming and going was just the setting I needed. I knew if we talked at home that I wouldn’t be able to keep myself together, and I couldn’t afford to break down and risk not communicating properly.

Tapping my phone, I checked the time for what must have been the hundredth time since receiving those three words. See you there. He still had ten minutes until the agreed upon time, but I felt like time was frozen. I gripped my iced latte like a lifeline to still my jittery legs.

The bells above the entrance chimed, and I whipped my head towards it. Unlike the last ten times it had happened, it was really him. He stood inside the door, scanning the café, and I took a deep breath to prepare myself. He turned and his eyes met mine. They were dull with exhaustion, dark rings lining them, and he was dressed simply in a pair of faded jeans and a striped sweater. Yet despite all of this, he looked unfairly good. I shifted in my seat, running my hands over the slightly wrinkled, grey tracksuit I had thrown into my bag the day before. It was a futile effort. 

Hoseok hesitated a second before making his way over and taking the seat across from me. He sat stiffly with his hands clasped tightly on the table in front of him. His eyes shifted around the room, to the table, and then to mine for a moment before looking down again.

“Before you say anything, I just want to say I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I hurt you. I never meant to do that…” He paused before adding quietly, “It was what I was trying not to do actually.”

“I’m sorry too. I was hurt by your actions, and I still wish you had just been up front with me from the beginning… But I wasn’t open with you about how I was really feeling, and I didn’t give you the chance to talk either.”

His eyes softened and his fingers twitched towards mine on the table before stopping short.

There was a moment of silence as the two of us fought to find the courage to be fully open with each other. Finally, I let that determination fill me, and I plunged in first.

“I was really scared when you suddenly started pulling away from me. I didn’t know what was going on, but I knew something was wrong. You weren’t giving me any clues, and I started to fill in the blanks myself. God, I swear I thought of every possible worst case scenario out there. I was terrified that this was going to be the end of us. I was convinced that somehow it meant that you didn’t want me anymore.”

At this, his head shot up, a stricken look in his eyes.

“God, no, that isn’t-,“ he stopped short like he wasn’t sure how he wanted to continue, and I shot him a defeated smile.

“Whether that’s the reality or not, it’s what’s been going through my mind ever since that phone call. And yesterday when I finally found out what it was all about…”

I chuckled humorlessly, feeling the pain shoot through me again.

Hoseok looked like he couldn’t breathe, his eyes staring desperately into mine. He shook his head slowly, though I wasn’t sure what it was he was trying to deny. The words I was saying, or the reality we had found ourselves in.

“The truth is I’ve been terrified this entire time. Terrified to confront you about everything because I thought it might meant I had to let you go,” I let out a shaky breath, desperately trying to keep myself together, and a sharp intake of breath sounded from across me. “But that was wrong of me. I shouldn’t have let things go on this long. I should have been honest with you, and I should have shown you I was ready to listen.”

This time he shook his head resolutely and finally reached out to take my hand in one of his.

“No. This is my fault. I was the one who was acting weird, and I knew you would notice. But I didn’t have the guts to just be upfront about everything. This is all on me. I fucked up,” his eyes burned into mine, and his fingers tightened around mine. “And god, I’m so sorry that I made you feel unwanted because that is the last thing I wanted, and it’s so far from the truth.”

I bit my lip and looked down, unable to shake the shadow of doubt that lingered in my mind.

“Hey, look at me,” his voice was firm, but gentle, the tone he always used when he really wanted me to listen.

My eyes met his, and he leaned in closer. My body reacted automatically, inching closer over the table. His eyes were shining with sincerity, full of the warmth that always brought me so much comfort.

“I love you. So much. More than I’ve ever loved anyone in my life. And I’m sorry for being such an idiot, but I need you to know that the love I have for you isn’t going to change. I will never not want you.”

I bit hard into my lip, a desperate attempt to hold back the sting of tears, and tasted the slight tang of blood on my tongue. With a tsk, he reached forward and pressed his thumb against my lip, gently prying it from between my teeth. I shivered as his thumb ghosted over my bottom lip, soothing the reddened skin.

God, it was ridiculous the effect he had on me.

“Then why?” My voice shook, and I cringed inwardly, hating how emotional I was. I cleared my throat and tried again, “Why didn’t you talk to me?”

He looked down at our entwined hands, absentmindedly tracing over my knuckles.

“I was scared too. Scared to tell you the truth… and scared that it proved what I was worried about all along.”

The confusion must have shown on my face because he smiled sadly before continuing.

“Her getting married… It suddenly brought back all of the doubts and insecurities I had back then. When she cheated on me and then left me,” he turned to look out the window, but I saw the pain on his face reflected in the glass. “Back then, I thought it was because of me. Because I wasn’t good enough.”

My heart clenched, the reminder that he ever felt that way was a punch to my gut.

“It was you who changed my mind. You made me feel special. Made me feel like I was someone worthy of being loved.”

He turned back to face me, his smile so filled with admiration, and I couldn’t stop the tears that escaped. I reached out with my free hand so that I could hold both of his, desperate to offer some kind of comfort.

“You are,” was all I managed to choke out, but it was enough.

His eyes misted over, and he sent me a grateful smile.

“I know. And I’m so lucky to have met you when I did, to meet someone who helped me realize that. But when I got the news…” he sighed, and a look of shame clouded his face, “I felt like it proved that the problem was me all along. I wasn’t good enough for her… and I couldn’t stop myself from wondering if maybe I wasn’t good enough for you either.”

“Hobi, no,” I gasped, shaking my head and gripping his hands tightly. “No, you are more than enough. You are everything I’ve ever wanted and more.”

He let out a watery chuckle, as he looked up to meet my eyes. Usually I would find the fact that we were both crying in the middle of a café in broad daylight thoroughly embarrassing, but in that moment, all I cared about was him. Taking away the pain in his eyes and erasing all of the self-doubt from his mind.

I wanted to flood him with all of the love and admiration I had for him until it washed away everything else.

“We’re both pretty stupid, aren’t we?”

A burst of laughter escaped me at his sudden quip, and he grinned cheekily at me.

“Yeah, I guess we really are,” I shook my head, “We could have saved ourselves a lot of grief if we just talked it out like this from the start.”

He lowered his eyes again in guilt, and I freed one of my hands to run it along his arm.

“It’s okay. We’re both at fault here, and as far as I’m concerned, I forgive you. And I’m so sorry that you had to doubt yourself like that again. I will spend every day reminding you of your worth if that’s what it takes for you to recognize how amazing you are."

��We sat in silence for a few minutes, each lost in our own thoughts. I couldn’t believe that this whole misunderstanding had been caused by our insecurities. That our fear of having to let go of each other almost became a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

It was Hoseok that spoke up first, clearing his throat and self-consciously swiping at his reddened eyes. “So, where does this leave us?”

My heart ached at the apprehension lingering behind those words.

“We’re here. Together,” I said, squeezing his fingers for emphasis, “I guess the real question is, where do we go from here?”

He nodded, searching my face for the answer. But it wasn’t something I could decide on my own. I knew what I wanted. It was the same thing I had always wanted. Him. It was always him. 

“Where do you want to go, Hobi?”

He bit his lip, taking the time to carefully consider his answer.

“It doesn't matter where we go,” he said, and my stomach dropped before he suddenly smiled brightly. It lit up his entire face, and, as a result, my heart as well. “I’m already right where I want to be. You’re my home. You always have been, and always will be.”

My heart picked up its pace, battering against my chest as warmth flooded through me.

“So, it doesn’t matter where we go from here, as long as we’re together,” he said sincerely.

When I didn’t answer, too overwhelmed by the emotions swirling inside me, he pressed, looking a tad nervous, “Please tell me you feel the same.”

I shook my head with a low chuckle, “Of course I feel the same. I told you, you’re everything I want. I want to be the reason behind your smile. I want to be the one that makes you laugh so hard you can’t breathe. I want to be the one you come to when you need to rest. I want to be your safe place to land. I want to be the one who reminds you every day of just how amazing and bright and wonderful you are. I want all of it.”

I smiled gently at him as he seemed to be speechless, stunned by the pure love and adoration in my words. How silly. As if words would ever be enough to express how much he meant to me. 

“Well,” he said, a smile slowly reappearing on his face, “I guess that means we’re stuck with each other.”

I giggled, “That’s perfectly fine by me. After all, what would I do without my sunshine?”

He hummed in agreement, his eyes scanning over me, “Definitely not well. Just one day without me, and look at what you're wearing.”

He gestured towards my grey tracksuit with a look of distaste and I gasped in mock affront. 

“Well, excuse me. You don’t look like you’ve been doing all that well without me either. You look like you haven’t slept at all. And let me guess, you haven’t eaten a thing?”

I sent him a disapproving look, and his smile turned sheepish as he reached up to rub the back of his neck.

“You’re right. I’m lost without you,” he said with a shrug, like it was an indisputable fact.

I grinned, “Let’s just agree we’re better together and promise to never let silly misunderstandings tear us apart again.”

He nodded, the usual cheer warming his eyes, “Sounds good to me.”

As we sat there smiling at each other, drinking each other in, it was clear. We needed each other. He was the sunshine that lit up my life, and I was his rock, always there for him to lean on when he needed somewhere to rest.

And I knew that I would never again allow him to believe he was anything less than worthy. Worthy of all the love and warmth in this world. Just as he did for me. 

[oddshelbyout]

Flowers & Chocolates // John Shelby X Fem!Reader

Summary: On Valentine’s Day, your neighbour John asks you to look after his kids for a few hours and comes back with a gift you had been waiting for.

Warnings: Swearing

Word Count: 2372

Author’s Note:

This is a modern au, my first one for Peaky Blinders. I wasn’t sure if I could write a modern fic for this well but I think this turned out to be pretty good. I had to give John’s kids names and it was really hard to decide, I hope they fit well.

This fic really made me get over my writer’s block. I wrote this in one sit and it just put my mood up so much. It’s really fluffy and exactly what I would want my Valentine’s Day to be like.

I hope you share Valentine’s Day with all of your loved ones and show them you appreciate their love. I also hope that this one shot makes you as happy as it made me while writing it. Enjoy <3

English is not my first language and I’m not always confident about my work so please let me know if I make any mistakes or anything I can fix in my writing.

You can ask to be added to my taglist. You can be tagged to works on a specific character or just any of my works. Please dm me or send your wish to my ask box if you’d like to be added.

Requests are open. You can request any Peaky Blinders related imagines or prompts for me to write. I’m a minor so I don’t take NSFW requests, please keep that in mind.

———————

It was Valentine’s Day. You were single once again and your date for the night was a bottle of cheap red wine.

None of your relationships lasted more than 6 months and you had been spending every Valentine’s Day alone for 3 years. You were convinced the relationship chapter of your life was closed for now.

That morning started like another Sunday morning. You got up, took a shower, made yourself coffee and called it breakfast. You scrolled through Instagram and pretended not to see all the couple posts.

You were actually really glad to be single. You had full freedom, not that a relationship would take it all away but being independant entirely made you feel good. Also all of your past relationships felt one sided and you hadn’t met the right person yet.

This Valentine’s Day was a bit different than the others because you weren’t upset about being single. You were actually upset about not being in a relationship with a specific someone.

That someone was your upstairs neighbour in the small apartment complex you lived in. His name was John and he had four kids. Yes, four kids.

You might ask why that information was so important and the answer is simple. You and John met just because he had kids.

All of the flats besides yours and John’s were rented by university students, that left you as the only choice to babysit John’s kids. You were working independently, you were a graphic artist and you were always at home. That was exactly what John needed.

One summer afternoon, your door knocked. You weren’t expected guests, you barely had them anyway. John stood before you, looked at you with his gentle eyes.

“I have no one, can you watch my kids for an hour?” was the first thing he had said to you. You were also too busy trying to understand who he was and didn’t notice four youngers hiding behind him.

You couldn’t say no. You loved children, you had two younger brothers but they were back in your hometown when you had moved to London. John just left you with the kids and left.

John had two daughters and two sons. Katie, Jocelyn, William and David. Katie was the oldest but definitely wasn’t the most mature one. Jocelyn and William were twins but looked nothing alike though they sounded a lot like each other. David was the youngest and somehow the most mature one.

The oldest was nine and the youngest one was six at the time you met them. They were extremely calm and none of them were troublemakers. They had great interest in your work and asked a lot of questions but also never bothered you.

You loved spending time with them and babysitting them. It has become a routine for you. John would drop them at least a few times a week. It was summer and the kids didn’t go to school. They were with you almost everyday.

You spent so much time with his kids that one day you even joked about getting paid. John had a better offer though. He promised you that he and the kids would make or buy you dinner every weekend to pay you back.

John was a good cook, you had only had take out for one of those dinners once and that was because he was sick. You had become almost like a family.

John was originally from Birmingham, his accent gave it away anyway but he had moved to London with a quick decision after his wife passed away. He had left his brothers and aunt behind in Birmingham but promised them that they’ll be okay.

John had told you that moving to London was the best decision he had taken. It was a new beginning for him and the kids. He was an engineer and London had more opportunities.

Even though you worked from home and didn’t quite reach the goals you had coming to London but it was your best decision too. Best decision after dumping your toxic ex.

Luckily for both you and John, you had formed a great friendship. The kids adored you. John was forever thankful for taking care of them.

That was all going to start changing when schools started and you saw them less and less. You were starting to feel like you didn’t appreciate your time with them enough.

You also realised you had feelings for John. That hurt more when one morning as the kids and him leaving home told you that they were moving. They were going to move out of their flat to a bigger place.

Your heart broke. You knew you’d see them from time to time but you thought it would never be the same warmth you had as neighbours.

That little heartache made Valentine’s Day harder. You could’ve opened your heart out to John and his little family you were introduced to. You had even joined that little family. Shared everything and became so close that you felt like you joined their family

After your coffee and your usual morning Instagram scrolling, you opened your laptop. You had to finish one job before the deadline. Your doorbell rang while you were deep down in work.

You went to the door knowing it was John. You hoped he would be alone. He was not, he had brought the kids again. You were happy to see them but you had one last hope to spend Valentine’s Day with John.

“Sorry Y/N, can you look after them for a few hours?” John said looking at you with puppy eyes. It almost felt like he was apologising for something and it wasn’t for making you look after his children.

“Sure!” you had said, trying to hide the subtle pain in your chest. “I downloaded a new game!” David said, waving his iPad carefully. You smiled You looked back to John, your smile had faded but his was as strong as it was a moment before.

You were hurting because him dropping them off on Valentine's Day meant only one thing. He was going on a date. He didn’t have a partner that you knew of and knew he would tell you if he did. It hurt you so much

“Going on a date?” you asked not being able to hold your curiosity back. “Oh no, just an errand.” John said and you just nodded.

You tried to reply back with a smile but it looked more like you were trying to hide your pain. “Alright, get in kids.” you told the children and John nodded.

“Alright Shelby Clan, I’ll be back in an hour.” John said and that made you genuinely smile. You found it very funny that he called them Shelby Clan. You knew it was the nickname for the whole family but it was still funny hearing him call four kids a clan.

“Bye daddy!” Jocelyn said waving, then they all got in. They ran to the living room which was also your office. “Y/N, are you really working on Valentine’s Day?” Katie asked. You chuckled nervously.

“Well, I’m not dating anyone, so yes.” you admitted and the kids giggled. “What are you laughing at?” you joked and they giggled more. “Would you want to date?” William asked.

“I think I would, if there was a right person.” you said after sitting on your chair. The kids sat on the ground and rested their backs on the side of the couch. David climbed on the couch instead, told you he was more mature.

“Even I am dating someone.” Katie said and Jocelyn gasped. “Who’s the lucky fella?” you asked, raising your eyebrows. All of them kept giggling, “He’s in my class, he bought me a cookie on friday.” Katie said with a big smile.

Watching them giggle and talk to you enthusiastically made your mood go up. You were actually feeling much better thanks to the Shelby Clan.

You went back to work while they were entertaining themselves with the new game David downloaded. The other siblings joined David on the couch too, lşke they should’ve done earlier.

You weren’t close to finishing the work and you were getting stressed about it. Your back started hurting from sitting. Also your stomach growled, reminding you that coffee doesn’t count as a meal.

“Are y’all hungry?” you asked the kids, hoping they would say yes. “Nope.” they all answered at once but Katie had more to say. “Dad said they’ll be cooking for us when he gets back.” they all nodded to Katie’s work.

“I’m eating on my own then.” you mumbled and stood up. “No Y/N, daddy’s cooking for you too.” William said and you smiled for a moment.

Your mind went full on panic mode. You questioned why he would cook for you after he comes back from a date. Even though he had said it wasn’t a date, your conscience didn’t trust his words.

You sat back at your seat but you didn’t want to keep working. The kids seemed so into that game that you also didn’t want to interrupt their fun. You went back to scrolling through Instagram and accepting your loneliness.

Soon the doorbell came to the rescue. You didn’t notice how much time passed so you didn’t think it would be John. You still believed he was on a date.

You opened the door. Your gaze first focused on John’s big smile, you didn’t even notice what he was holding in his hands.

“I’m back.” he said quietly, he was so quiet that you knew for some reason that he didn’t want kids to hear. That was when your gaze fell down from his lips to his hands.

He was holding a box of chocolate and a bouquet of red roses. You gasped and then smiled so big. “You bought me flowers and chocolates.” you said after licking your lips.

“I thought it was the appropriate time to.” John said, you looked at him not getting exactly what he was trying to say. You were so clueless.

“Appropriate time for what?” you asked and he just laughed. He thought you were joking but you were asking seriously. The fact that the corner of your lips were still curled had tricked him.

“I thought you were smarter.” he joked instead of directly answering your question. “Shut up you wanker, tell me!” you laughed after. “Wanker huh? I’m never telling you.” he replied and laughed so hard that you were sure the kids had heard already.

“Come on John Boy!” you said reaching for his hand. “At least give me the chocolates, I’m hungry!” you complained. He pulled them away from you. You laughed at each other, you felt like you were a teenager again.

“No seriously tell me, appropriate time for what?” you asked again, this time with a more serious face. He took a deep breath. He held onto the flowers and chocolates stronger.

“I think this is the appropriate time to ask you out.” John said and you nervously chuckled. You were so happy to hear that your feelings were mutual. You were also angry at yourself for not believing him when he said he had a date.

You two just smiled at each other like idiots without saying anything. At that moment nothing was real, you felt like you were floating in space and your only connection to earth was John.

“You’re asking me out?” you asked just to be sure. “Mhmm.” John nodded, “Y/N Y/L/N would you like to go out with me?” he properly asked. You giggled like a little girl.

“Yes, I will.” you said and hugged him. The corners of the chocolate box hurt you but it was worth it. Your hug was interrupted by Katie.

“Did you ask her out Daddy?” the ten year old asked, he nodded. “He did and now I’m hoping he’s gonna cook us dinner.” you told Katie, you really were hungry like a wolf.

John stepped inside with you. He left the flowers and chocolates on the kitchen counter. He immediately started cooking, you of course were going to help him.

“I hope you’re moving too far away, like the other side of London.” you confessed, that was a concern for you even before his interest in you was official.

“No, just a block away so the kids don’t have to change schools.” John said as he was cutting tomatoes. “A bigger place?” you asked, you were trying to get your own mind to justify the reason they’re moving for.

“Yes and you’re always welcome, nothing changes.” John said, he turned to you and smiled big. You returned his smile with a bigger one. Your eyes stuck at his lips, they looked so full and red. So kissable.

“Nothing changes.” you repeated and took a deep breath. He stopped cutting the tomatoes. He licked his lips, “Maybe some things can change.” he said and kissed you.

What a kiss it was. You weren’t in the children’s sight. It was the best kiss you ever had. With his lips touching yours and his tongue slipping into your mouth, both of you lost contact to earth. You were both floating in space, you didn’t even need air. As long as you had each other, you didn’t even have to have contact to earth.

You kissed for so long. You kissed like it was your last moment alive. You kissed with so much passion and you thought the heartache waiting for him gave you was totally worth it. When you finally parted, the only reason was that you were out of breath and you had a meal to cook.

Your Valentine’s Day was the exact opposite of what you expected. Even though you wouldn’t call what you and John had a relationship yet, you still weren’t alone on Valentine’s Day.

You had John with you who finally told you he wanted to date you. You had Katie, Jocelyn, William and David. You had your little new family. Now you were sure that you had joined their family for real. You hoped you all would be happy for the rest of your lives.

[antimony-medusa]

Fanfic ask! 15 and 35

15. What’s the weirdest fandom you’ve ever written for?

hahahah okay guys so I've written exclusively for minecraft fanfiction so you are both the most normal and the weirdest. Sorry. However the direct inspiration for the latest thing I wrote was a richard silken poem, the wikipedia article about burial methods, a hugo acceptance speech about whalefall, and wilbur soot, so that one probably counts as especially weird.

35. Ramble about any fic-related thing you want!

Okay so. I came into fanfic from writing over in original fiction, and I loved to hear people talk about craft, but mostly I was trying to read (and write) YA spec fic, MG spec fic, and grownup spec-fic (from a few trusted authors). A lot of adventures and worldbuilding and puzzles and heroism and community, etc. I was getting less and less into the romance plots in YA and trying to avoid them, hence simultaniously diverging into MG and books for the adult market. 

A couple years ago I noticed a phenomenon that people were tying to talk about but were having difficulty with, because when people say “reads like fanfiction” when they’re talking in published work they mean it derogatorily (because of an expectation of no original characters or derivative or uh, often sexism but we’ll move past that), but people were trying to say this as a tonal note that wasn’t about character work or something, about people who’d really gotten their start in fanfic and weren’t hiding that. There was a specific tone and we were all trying to figure out what it was. 

Anyways I finally figured out what I was trying to describe a couple months into reading almost exclusively fanfic and trying to narrow down on what I want to read so I could search for it. 

When you are reading a story, usually there is a central mystery or problem that the reader is trying to figure out. When it’s a mystery, it’s a really obvious thing— it’s a literal mystery. When you’re reading literary fiction (the pinaccle of show don’t tell), you’re trying to figure out the interior world of the charcters you’re seeing on stage in front of you. When you’re reading spec fic, the problem you’re trying to unfurl is now the how the world works. (When we’re talking in huge broad strokes here.) Going from one genre to another can be jarring, cause if you’re used to trying to figure out what’s going on with interiority in a character, you hit SF, and it gets incredibly boring because the story just tells you shit about how your character is feeling, because the story isn’t concerned (as a first order of structure) with the interior lives of its characters. The story is concerned with how a military fleet abandoned in a nebula has built a civilization of permanent readiness and honor-duty-sacrifice and mandatory nostalgia for an empire that fell two centuries ago and also how you keep air recyclers going. Meanwhile someone from SF swans into a literary fiction book and goes “what the hell this is set in suburbia and there’s just a guy having three affairs for no reason he explains, and he has GOT to be alcoholic how much is he drinking”. 

Barriers between genres are always permeable, especially in a world where people buy books online and stories don’t have to be shelved in specific spots, however, those are like, huge broad strokes of genre concerns. You get genres with external plots (SF, mystery, thriller), you get genres with internal plots (romance, literary fiction, yes they do that in totally different ways), and broadly there’s a certain tone to how stories are structured that you can tell from where you pick up a book in the bookstore and what the cover art looks like. Horror does its own thing, nobody is doing it like horror. 

Meanwhile (I told you I was taking it back to fanfic), fan writers often take characters who are from media where the central concern is not really the interior lives of the characters (tv medical dramas, superhero franchises, cooking shows, minecraft roleplay), and it puts the interior lives back in, because it loves the characters. The central concern of the genre is not as much required here, because everyone is already familiar with the world, so we take these people and we focus on internal lives and internally-driven plots, whether that’s about someone coming to grips with their grief or falling in love or slowly healing or going on a self-destructive vengance spree. 

People were saying “it reads like fanfic but I mean that in a good way” with authors who were doing the normal genre constraints but also bringing in internally-driven character plots (most often concerned with healing and flourishing) into their space dramas. 

Anyways I figured this out cause I love externally driven plots with interiority as order two and I had to find authors who did the interiority but were also concerned with air recyclers. 

[Fic questions for Writers]

[writings-of-a-hufflepuff]

A Piece of My Soul

Fandom: The Mentalist or rather the Marcus Pike fandom

Collection/Series: N/A

Pairing: Marcus Pike x GN! Artist Reader

Writer: @writings-of-a-hufflepuff aka @hufflepuffing-all-day-long

Rating: G

Warnings: Hurt/Comfort, Lots of fluff, but there’s that undercurrent of angst as the reader has been hurt before and made to feel less than important so if that’s too much right now that’s okay!

Summary: Marcus has always known that you protect your art, that it is a reflection of your soul and something you guard after being hurt one too many times. He never expects you to share your sketchbooks with him, assumes he will never have the honour and he’s okay with that because he’s happy to just have you. Until, one day, you show him just how much you trust him.

Notes: For me, I always feel like when I share my art with people they’re very meh about it or they are backhanded or even mean. I’ve not had the best experiences when sharing my sketchbooks or my work with people in my life and the idea of someone being so wholly awestruck just by the trust and openness of sharing something like that gets me. So here we go back on the Marcus Pike train because if I could ever explain what I want in a husband, he’s the man.

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Marcus had known of your love of drawing from the first date. You had been a little shy when he’d asked about your hobbies and interests, when you’d quietly and cautiously told him you liked to draw. When he asked for more detail, the mediums you used, the style you preferred, it had opened you up just a little more, his interest making you preen a little. Although still cautious, gauging his reaction to your answers. It had been like seeing a part of your soul that you kept hidden from people, it had made him simultaneously proud and angry. 

Proud because you trusted him, from that first moment, to take you seriously, to listen to your interests and passions and not dismiss them. Angry because at some point, at some time, it was clear someone had dismissed you, made you feel like you weren’t worth listening to, weren’t worth investing time in. It was maddening to think that anyone could make you feel like that, like anyone couldn’t see your worth. 

It was baffling because he found you captivating in all your passions and quirks. The way you ranted and rambled on for minutes, sometimes even hours, about something you were passionate about, never failed to draw him to you like a moth to the proverbial flame. The way you managed to trip over anything and everything, clumsy to a fault, was as endearing as it was concerning and he found himself eager to compensate, to pre-empt you going flying because of a step or a crack in the floor. He found the small things, not just the large things enthralling and enamouring, the concept that anyone might think different was just unfathomable. 

So he worked to cultivate that trust, to show you that he was interested in you and all the things that made you up. He listened when you talked, never told you he was bored or showed a shred of disinterest. He remembered things you mentioned or were interested in, brought you books on the subject or sent you a link to an article he’d seen. 

Watching the way that trust bloomed, the way you opened your heart and soul up to him in little pieces was nothing short of amazing. Still, he knew your art was precious to you, a piece of your soul. Your interests, desires, thoughts, opinions, and preferences are all laid out in pages and pages of thick white paper and red pencil marks. He never pushed it, never asked to see what you were working on or to show him your art, not because he wasn’t interested but because he respected the intimacy of it. You were not some famous painter who put their work on display for the world to see and scrutinise. You were just you, just someone who used art as a form of stress relief and self-expression, someone who guarded their work like they guarded their heart. 

So the little trickles of your soul that you shared with him were enough, it didn’t matter if you showed him it all or only select pieces, anything was enough to tell him you cared, that you trusted him, that you wanted his approval. Not because you needed him to give it, not because he was that fundamental or important, but because recognition from him made you smile, made you feel important. You were important whether he liked your work or not. 

He still remembers the excitement you exuded, happiness blinding and bright and so brilliant, when you’d finished a new painting and bounded to show him. You’d bundled it up safe and made the drive to his house, rushing up the steps so quick, he’d heard you trip before he heard you knock.

You’d been bouncing on the balls of your feet, painting kept within a folder, nondescript, the sort you kept your certificates in. The wide grin on your face, the shine of your teeth, and crinkles at your eyes had him smiling the moment he opened the door to you, leaning a shoulder against the door frame to watch you adoringly. 

“I finished it! It only took me 20 hours but I finally finished it!” You’d rushed inside, pulling him by the arm so fast he had to laugh as he nearly tripped over his own rug. You’d been so excited and so proud as you’d sat him on his couch and carefully pulled the A4 piece of watercolour paper from the folder, plain back to him. 

He’d been patient, watching you with the softest of smiles as your eyes flicked back and forth between him, sat with hands clasped between his thighs, elbows on his knees, and your painting. As you grappled with the gravity of showing him a piece of your soul and not knowing how he’d respond, how he’d behave. Patience was the least he could think to give you, and it had brought the best sort of ache to his chest when you’d shyly turned the painting around to show him. 

20 hours of work and you looked away, eyes focusing on a plant he had in the corner of his living room rather than on his expression or what he might think. You’d been so nervous to show him and he’d taken the time to truly look at your painting. The colours, the composition, the subject, it didn’t ultimately matter to him whether he truly liked it or not, although he did, because he’d love it anyway. He’d love it anyway because you’d chosen to share it with him, when you were oh so private and careful with your art. 

“Sweetheart…” You’d been prepared for rejection, to face the fact that your boyfriend didn’t like your painting, your art, that it was something you just shouldn’t share with him in the future. “It’s amazing! 20 hours? Can I?” He’d gestured to take it, to hold it and get a better look and you’d let him, a little stunned, but overjoyed that he liked it, that he wanted to look at it.

That had been the starting point for you sharing more little bits of your soul with him. You’d bring him finished paintings to look at, occasionally the odd doodle here or there that you completed at work. Not everything, and never your sketchbooks. Those were off limits, something he’d respected because he knew they were more than just a tiny piece of who you were, but quite a large one. Pages and pages of you sat for perusal and to have that rejected would hurt more than anything. So Marcus had been grateful for what little pieces of your art you did choose to share with him. 

He’d always made it a point to show how much he liked your art, to shower you in praise and to make you feel listened to, seen, important. Your art was amazing to him. He was an art history major, he loved art, hence his job, but he wasn’t an artist. He’d never had the patience to sit and develop the skill set and so he focused on the work of others, yours was quickly becoming his favourite. You had your own unique style, something he found hard to describe or explain, but that he’d know if he saw your work. He’s almost certain he’d know if someone tried to pass a fake off as your own and if anyone asked who his favourite artist was he’d probably change his answer to you. 

Still, he had hoped that one day you’d share that last bit of yourself with him. He hadn’t expected to actually happen, just a hope, a little dream, something he thought about at night before falling asleep. 

Certainly not something he expects on date night. 

He’s cooking dinner for the two of you, your favourite main and dessert, because he hasn’t had the chance to see you in a good week due to a hectic case, when he hears the tell tell sound of keys in the front door. He’d long since given you your own, letting you come and go as you please, with the excuse that when he was away on a case it meant you could keep an eye on the place and make sure he didn’t get robbed. In truth he liked having you around, liked that you came over just because you wanted to, that you felt welcome and at home and if he wasn’t so dead set on not scaring you off, he might have already asked you to move in. But, he wanted to take his time, not rush it. 

“Marcus?”

“In the kitchen, honey!” He’s wiping down the side quickly, hiding the fact he’s a messy cook, when you walk in a heavy looking tote bag over one shoulder. It peaks his interest and from the little laugh you let out you can see it on his face. 

“Are you busy?”

“No, it needs a good half hour before I have to check it again, why?” You watch him wipe his hands with a towel and brush at a small stain on his white t-shirt, the one that clings to his arms just right. 

You're nervous, you know he can tell from the way your hands grip the bag straps tight over one shoulder to how you bite your bottom lip. He’s always been able to tell. One of the beautiful things about Marcus was the attention he gave to people, not just people he cared about, but people in general. He learnt everything he could about them, stored it away in his mind, and used it to show them how much he cared, how much he knew them, really knew them. 

“I...I want to show you something.” 

You grab him by the hand, the same way you always do whenever you want to share something, and begin pulling him towards his living room. It’s cosy in here at this time of night, warm light from a couple of lamps, soft blankets thrown over his couch, the ones he’d brought after realising how much you loved a good blanket. It’s a calming thing, to be in here, with him, somewhere you associate with home. 

It often seems so silly to you, just how nervous you get about sharing something with Marcus, but you know it’s not. Know it’s not his fault either. Marcus has never given you any reason to doubt him, but other people have, so you push past the nerves because you do really want to show him and watch his face light up like it always does. 

You sit him down in his seat, and curl up next to him, kicking your shoes off and placing the bag on the ground. He’s so warm and for a moment you just lean into his side, enjoying the warmth of his body and the way he nuzzles a kiss into your temple, nose tracing little lines gently for a moment. He brings you peace and it is that, that gives you resolve and has you reaching down for the items in the bag. 

It doesn’t go unnoticed by you that Marcus places his hands at your waist, worried you might take a tumble off the couch, something you’re prone to. It warms you inside, that he cares so much, that he’s so casual with his affection and so concerned with you and your safety. Even something as simple as making sure he can catch you if you start to fall. 

You come back up with a couple of books in hand, plastered with stickers over the front and a little dogeared at the corners. Marcus doesn’t remove his hands from your waist, just pulls you firmly back against his side and watches as you anxiously smooth your hands over the cover of one of them. 

“I..I wanted to show you my sketchbooks, or well...the two most recent ones anyway. I...I don’t really show people them...but I want you to see them.” Your eyes are so wide and earnest when you look up at him, that he can’t help but cup your cheek in his hand and rub his thumb across the apple of it. God, he never thought...he never thought you would. Always thought you’d keep this little part of yourself private, separate, guarding it like a dragon guards a horde of gold. But, here you are, so earnest, so nervous, so open, telling him that you want to share this piece of your soul with him and he can’t stop himself from pressing his forehead against yours. Can’t stop himself from the gentle nudge of his nose with yours or the slow press of his lips against your own. 

It’s a surprising reaction from Marcus, the way his nose presses into your cheek as he presses a firm but still tender kiss to your lips, the way his hand slides down to cup underneath your jaw, thumb pressing into the hollow there. It’s so surprising that it distracts you for more than a moment, to the point your eyelids take a little bit of time to flutter open after he breaks away, you leaning further into him. 

“What...what was that for?” 

“For trusting me.” He’s so warm and earnest, but still, he’s patient. He doesn’t grab for the books or open them himself, instead he waits for you to pull back and pick one up, settling it between the two of you. 

He waits as you find the courage to open the cover and turn to the first page and every breath leaves him at what he finds there. It is a sketchbook and so it is messy, that’s the nature of it, it is practice and experimentation and you enjoying yourself, and it’s so clear, as each page turns, that this is you in book form. 

Each page is either a confirmation of a fact he already knew about you or a new discovery. It tells him little things like how you prefer to draw certain subjects and the colours you lean towards when you reach for markers or coloured pencils. He’s reverent in the way his fingertips brush the paper and trace over the lines, in awe of the way your hands have worked in tune with your mind to put these things to paper and he can’t actually help the tears that start to well up in his eyes. Because you trust him so much, you’re opening the last part of your soul up to him with only a hope that he will not crush it or throw it back at you, that he will not abuse it. 

“Baby, why are you crying?” You’re so concerned for him, hands pawing at his cheeks, brushing the rivulets away and cupping his jaw to make him look at you. Brown eyes watery but so happy, so in love and he hopes that you can see that, see how desperately he loves you. “Are you okay? Did...did I do something wrong?”

It hurts him so much to know you assume that you’re at fault. That his tears are bad or that they are a product of you doing something wrong, when they’re a result of just how much he loves you and just how happy he is at the trust and faith you have in him, the love you have for him, that you’ll bare your soul. It’s those moments that make him angry at the people before him. Family, friends, lovers, people who took your trust and crushed it, bent it out of shape and tossed it back malformed and damaged. 

“Nooo, no, no, honey. Sweetheart, I'm crying cause I'm happy,” He covers your hands with his own, pulls you impossibly closer, “I’m happy because you trust me enough to show me this and I...I never thought I'd earn that.” 

“Oh...well, I love you.”

“I love you too.” It’s said with a laugh, but not at you, the sort of laugh that’s just a bit of a huff of happiness, that comes from being overwhelmingly happy. It’s enough for him that you come to his house, that you share little bits of yourself with him and that you love him enough to do that at all. 

While dinner cooks, you keep an eye on the time more than Marcus, he continues to flick through the pages. He comments, sweet little things. How something looks cool or how he likes the colours on a page. Each comment thrills you, fills you to the brim with pride and joy, to the point your cheeks ache from smiling. Perhaps to some people it seems understated, boring, the sort of date night that some would hate, but to the two of you it’s more than just date night. It’s a bonding experience, a sharing one. He feels impossibly lucky to look at your work, to have you there leaning on his shoulder, pressing kisses to his neck, impossibly lucky to have a piece of your soul right there in front of him. 

It’s that moment that he knows; you’re it for him. He’s certain. You’re the person he’s going to grow old with, with your sketchbooks in a dedicated bookshelf and he’ll die saying his favourite artist is you. 

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

                                                 All Works Taglist

@charradelange @belfry-bat  @gabile18 @beccaboo929 

                                               Marcus Pike Taglist

@bdavishiddlesbatch​

[guccixstyless]

Lie Detector Test

Anonymous- Hey could you write one with Harry doing a Lie Detector Test with the missus xx A/N: The reader is an actress in this story, Harry and her have been dating for 2 years, okaay enjoyyy!

Word Count: 1010 words

Pairing: Harry Styles x Reader

Masterlist

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

 “Nervous?” Harry asked you.

“Very,” you replied taking a deep breath.

Harry gently squeezed your hand in hopes to comfort you. You smiled at the gesture then brought his knuckles up to your mouth placing a small kiss.

“Well, don’t be, it’s just a game, I mean how hard can it be?” Harry shrugged.

*fast forward to the test*

“During our relationship, did you ever think about going back to one of your exes?” You read the question out loud.

“Oh shit,” Harry mumbled.

“How hard can it be?” You mimicked Harry.

“I didn’t know my best friend, James, over here will snitch on me like this?” Harry said squinting his eyes at James.

You and Harry were seated across from each other, while James sat with the guy named Paul, he was the polygraph examiner.

“Mate, I swear it was one of the writers,” he chuckled.

“Anyways Styles, answer the question!” you chuckled.

Harry gulped nervously before mumbling, “yes.”

You were shocked, you were definitely not expecting this answer.

“He’s telling the truth,” Paul said.

You were speechless and it was just the first question.

“Okay, the next question is,” you said slowly trying to concentrate the writing on the card.

“Hey baby, after this is over, I’ll explain you the reason alright? You trust me, right?” Harry said, extending his hands to hold your hands.

Trust? You are not so sure anymore.

You quickly moved your hands away and cleared your throat, “the question is”, you began reading the card and Harry noticed how you didn’t answer his question, he was hurt.

“Did you ever talk to your mum about me after our first date?”

“Yes,” he said without any hesitation, “it was a very special day for me.”

“Truth,” Paul said.

You smiled lightly at that, you knew he loves you so the first answer wasn’t making sense to you, is he good at pretending then? Was your whole relationship a lie then?

“Right, the third question is, do you like my cooking?" 

“I mean it's edible," he shrugged.

"He's telling the truth."

You laughed you knew you weren't the best cook, he's better in cooking among you two.

Harry looked at you, even though you were smiling he can still see that you were still upset with the first question, and you had every right too, he just wished he could tell you the reason and he’s just impatiently waiting for this damn test to be over already. 

“Do you wish you could change anything about me, or how I look?” you read.

“Nothing, you are perfect,” he said.

“Truth,” Paul said.

“Aw that’s cheesy and cute Harold!” James gushed.

You were impressed as well.

“The last question is, do you hate any of my movies?” you asked curiously.

Harry took a deep breath, uh oh, you knew that means he....

“Yes, but I have a good reason,” he said, Harry felt his hands get clammy.

“Hm,” you mumbled, getting upset, you were always picky over choosing scripts so you were a bit hurt.

“That’s the end of the questions guys, thank you for coming to the show!” James said.

You and Harry smiled at the camera waving at it, but deep inside Harry wanted to punch James and you wanted to punch Harry.

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

“Lovie, let me explain?” he said shutting the door behind him in the green room.

“Yes please,” you mumbled, you loved him so he deserved a chance.

“Okay come sit beside me,” Harry pleaded patting the seat next to him in the couch.

“I’m fine here”, you said from your position standing against the wall beside the vanity table.

“Okay so baby, at the beginning of our relationship when I first had to go to LA for four months, it was getting so hard for me with you also travelling then I went to a party with Jeff, Kendall was there and since she had a long break then I thought if I was still dating her, then maybe we wouldn’t have long distance relationship, but I swear I never had that thought again, because you make me so incredibly happy, baby, I want to marry you someday,” he said and you saw he was being serious.

It was the first time in two years of your relationship that he mentioned marriage and your heart started beating loudly.

“Okay that makes sense, I guess.” You said.

“Hey,” he got up from the couch and approached you, “look at me.” 

You looked up at him, he cupped your face placing a small kiss before mumbling, “you’re it for me, please don’t let some drunk bullshit thought of mine ruin us.”

You smiled, I mean he had a point right?

“Okay then Styles, and now tell me which of my film you hate? You pretend to love it all, but now I’m not so sure?”

Harry closed his eyes and bumped his forehead with yours gently before sighing, “your movie with Tom Holland.”

“What?” you chuckled, he always did feel overprotective with your friendship with Tom.

“I mean the movie was great, your acting was amazing but the chemistry you had with Tom was so great it made me feel so incredibly jealous, you know I couldn’t help but feel insecure, plus those intimate scenes plus the kisses it was all too much for me to handle.” he confessed.

Your heart melted, seeing him confess something like this.

“That’s the reason you hate it?” you laughed.

“I only watched it once and I’ll not see it again.” he said sternly.

“Okay tiger, easy!” you laughed.

“You’re mine!!” he said in a baby voice before engulfing you in a hug.

“All yours baby,” you chuckled.

James entered the room at that moment, “woah guys the game was intense.”

Harry looked over at him and said, “might want to look sideways when you drive Corden, what were those questions?”

“I swear I didn’t write those questions!”

“Oh yeah? You had no say in this, am I supposed to believe that?”

You began laughing at their banter.

[secretlittlerandezvous]

Part Of My World - Mikko Rantanen

Summary: Mikko meets his girlfriend’s little son for the first time.

Notes: S/n means “son’s name”. I am sorry it took me so long to write this however, I hope you’ll like this. I fell in love with Mikko thanks to this and I enjoyed writing this (also big thanks to @coocoocatchoo for helping me with my writer’s block and getting me started) 🕊✨ (Part 2)

Words: 2016

“You are the love that came without warning, you had my heart before I could say no.”

She was awfully quiet. For the entire date they had that evening she spoke only a few words but even then, it didn’t seem like she paid enough attention to her words and answered only because she had to or to what he told her. She didn’t eat or drink much and her face was unusually serious. It was the first time he saw her like this; there was no trace of her smile that was usually present on her face, her eyes were heavy, and her voice was quiet and low. Mikko was wondering if it was because of him, because of something he said or did, but he tried to shake it off and ignore it for as long as he possibly could hoping her mood would eventually change for the better. But when they finished their dinner, he cooked for them and her mood didn’t change at all he finally found enough courage to ask her. “Y/n you’re awfully quiet this evening. Are you okay?” He asked as he poured her another glass of her favorite wine and then he placed his hand on her shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly and placed her small hand on the top of his. “I’m just lost in my thoughts tonight a lot but everything’s okay.” She smiled and hoped that the concerned look on his face would disappear.

“What are you thinking about? You look concerned,” Mikko pointed out. “I mean I’ve never seen you look as serious as you do now.” He added with a chuckle.

“S/n told me today he’d like to have a dad. Or at least that’s what he hinted,” she said with a heavy sigh, took a sip of her wine, and continued. “I’m not saying this to guilt you into something or to make you feel sorry for us. But S/n will need a father figure in his life, and I’d like to know if you’re still interested in having us both in your life or if you changed your mind?” Y/n was nervous about the question she gave him. Although Mikko assured her from the very beginning he would take her son as his own if it works out between them, she still had doubts and she hated the idea of having people come in and out of her little boy’s life.

“Definitely not what I expected to hear from you,” Mikko said in a shock but he then sorted all of his thoughts and calmed down again. “Y/n, you know from the beginning that I feel ready to have you guys in my life and be a family. I respected your decision to wait before you introduce me to him, but I honestly think we both know how much you and I love each other and I don’t think we’re going to part our ways anytime soon or if ever. I’ll do my best to find a way to him and be a good dad to him. If he’ll see me as a dad one day of course.” Mikko didn’t have a single doubt about this. He loved Y/n more than he ever loved anyone before and he couldn’t imagine his life without her. Her son was the biggest part of her life and Mikko knew that and he was excited to meet him and officially have them both in his life.

“How did I deserve you? You’re the best, you know that?” Y/n said with a smile and tears glistened in her eyes from the happiness she felt at that moment.

“I’ve heard it a few times already,” he said jokingly and kissed the top of Y/n’s head.

“You’re still really young though. You’re so young and you have no idea what it’s like to take care of a child. I really need you to be sure you can do this and that you want this.”

“Honey trust me, from the moment you told me you have a child I was preparing myself for it,” he admitted, and his cheeks turned a little red. “It’ll obviously take me some time to learn everything and get used to it but trust me I am ready.”

“So, if you’re ready then I think you could come over soon and meet him,” she said finally letting go of all the doubts and questioning. “Are you free on Friday? I’ll cook dinner and we then can play some games or something.”

“Friday works for me,” Mikko said with a smile.

...

Y/n felt an overwhelming stress form the moment she woke up in the morning realizing it was the day her son would meet her boyfriend. She had no doubts when it came to Mikko because she knew how sweet and kind he was. She didn’t have any doubts about her son as well because from the second she told him he’ll meet Mikko soon he was excited and preparing all of his favorite toys so he could show them to Mikko. She was nervous purely because she wished to have a real family, something she didn’t experience with her son’s real dad who left her before their boy was born. She was a single mom for almost four years and lost almost all hope she’d meet a man good enough not only for her but mostly for her son, a man who would love them both and take him as his own. Then she met Mikko, completely unexpectedly when she wasn’t looking for anyone and it was the first time, she thought her dream could come true after all.

“Open!” S/n shouted from the living room and the sound of his footsteps soon let Y/n know he was running to open the door after he heard the bell ring. She quickly ran after him because she never liked it when he opened the door alone even if they expected someone.

“Hi little buddy,” Mikko said sweetly with a warm smile once S/n opened the door. Y/n arrived at the door soon after him and with a smile watched the two getting to know each other. “I got you a little gift,” Mikko said and gave him a bag full of gifts.

“What do you say?” Y/n asked her boy and kneeled down next to him to help him open the bag and full of gifts.

S/n looked at his mommy and then at Mikko with a shy smile. “Thank you,” he whispered and hid behind Y/n to mask his shyness.

“You’re welcome,” Mikko smiled. “And here’s something for mommy,” he gave Y/n roses and pulled her into a tight hug. He then kissed her and placed his hand on her back and stroked them gently to calm her down. “It’s alright babe, calm down.” He whispered.

“He’s just a bit shy,” Y/n explained. “He’ll warm up to you soon.” She said to call Mikko down but they both knew she was mostly doing it for herself.

“Mommy! Mommy look!” S/n shouted from excitement when he discovered a bag with his favorite sweets. “And look!” He shouted again and showed Y/n a little teddy bear dressed in a Colorado Avalanche sweatshirt with his name written on the back.

“I see it, baby,” Y/n smiled at him and she looked up at Mikko who had a really proud look on his face. “Didn’t know you would start spoiling so soon.” She said to Mikko.

“There’s actually more in that bag,” he chuckled. “Also got him a jersey and some cool toys I saw at the store and I thought he might like them.”

Y/n served dinner shortly after the introduction. She left Mikko and S/n alone in the living room knowing it was the best way for them to form a friendship and she wasn’t wrong. Just a few minutes later she heard laughter, excited screams, and S/n’s sweet voice when he showed Mikko all of his favorite toys that he prepared for him. Y/n’s heart was full, and she had a hard time accepting all the happiness that was quickly filling her whole body. The only true happiness she knew up until now was her son and she accepted a long time ago that she most likely wouldn’t experience any other kind of happiness for many years. Mikko was the knight in shining armor. Y/n didn’t know there could still exist man like him but then he showed up and everything changed. He was the nicest, sweetest, and the most affectionate person she ever met. He made her feel loved, safe, and happy at all times and that to her was more than she could ever ask or hope for. He was okay with her having a son, in fact, he seemed to be excited about it and the first thing he requested was for her to take S/n to a hockey game as soon as possible. Y/n took him to a few games a few weeks after she made it official with Mikko and S/n sat almost through the whole game - that’s how excited he was. Now when she saw them get along all worries left her and she was completely sure that Mikko would eventually become a great dad and before that he could be S/n’s good friend.

After the dinner, Y/n and her boy went to his room while Mikko stayed in the kitchen to clean the dishes since he offered it. “Do you like Mikko, honey?” Y/n asked her son while he was playing with the toys Mikko got him.

“Yeah,” he chuckled shyly, and his cheeks turned a little red.

Shortly after that Mikko entered the room and sat down next to Y/n. She immediately rested her head on his shoulder, his hands grabbed hers and he held them tightly. “Thank you for tonight Mikko,” she whispered and looked up at him. “It means the world to me that you’re doing this.”

“Y/n, he’s your world. I know it. And I want both of you to be part of my little world.” He whispered back. “Plus, he’s a good kid, he’s so smart and sweet. You’re doing a great job! Although I plan on spoiling him and doing some mischief with him, so you don’t have it that easy with two guys in the house.” Mikko laughed at the last sentence and Y/n playfully punched him into his strong chest.

“You’re gonna be a great dad,” she said with all seriousness. It felt a bit weird to say something like this and for a split of a second, she worried it could get overwhelming for Mikko although he seemed to be doing great. “But please during the mischief try not the ruin our home okay?”

Before Mikko could answer, S/n walked up to him, smiled, and without a second thought, he crawled into Mikko’s lap, rested his head on his chest, and wrapped his little hands around Mikko’s waist. He looked at his mom and chuckled and then he closed his eyes and fell asleep in a few minutes. Mikko looked at the boy in pure shock, he couldn’t believe he would earn his trust this fast and he was flattered. He never had a child sleeping in his arms but now he understood why most people found it as adorable. Mikko no longer loved just Y/n, he also loved her son and there was no going back. They were a family. Mikko placed one of his hands on S/n’s back on stroked them slowly so he wouldn’t wake him up and then he finally looked at Y/n to see her reaction. She was touched, shocked, overwhelmed with emotions and her heart was so full she thought it would explode in any second. Her eyes were filled with tears of joy and she tried to find words to say but nothing came on her mind. Nothing seemed to be good enough to describe how happy and grateful she was. But Mikko knew regardless.

“I love you, my boys,” Y/n whispered and kissed them both on their cheeks.

[popculturebuffet]

The Owl House: Enchanting Grom Fright: Happy Valentine’s Gays

Happy Valentine’s Day owl ladies, gentleman and non-binary folks! It’s time to finish off this holiday in proper style with a LONG overdue review of enchanting Grom Fright and even longer overdue coverage of the Owl House.  The Owl House was one of the best debuts of last year if not THE best, only in contention because Close Enough also started last year and looks to surpass regular show in terms of quality. But with stunning animation, tons of representation, and colossal worldbuilding. And given how i’m on record for thinking Star Vs went so far down the tubes they bumped into where Cthulu is sleeping, it’s nice to have another magic based show that seems to be on the right track: carefully building i’ts world, supporting cast and for today’s topic main romance. It also rather than just obliquely hint one character was bi and the other pan, actually goes out of it’s way to have a bisexual protaginst with a gay love intrest. As my good friend @jess-the-vampire has brought up quite a bit, star had plnety of options. .but no willingness to actually campaign for any queer rep, the way Gravity Falls head Alex Hirsch tried to, he still gets credit for trying, and Owl House creator Dana Terrace gets full credit for. 

Terrace got her start working on Gravity Falls in line production before working her way up to directing for ducktales, being instrumental in how Webby was animated and how she moves and acts, and being the director for several classic season one episodes including “Woo-Hoo!”, “The Spear of Selene” , “Day of the Only Child!” which was one of my faviorites from season 1 and “The Beagle Birthday Massacre!”. And while I can’t 100% confirm she’s the only part responsible for starting Weblena, given she was director on an episode where a lot of the romantic subtext was in the visuals, she certainly helped so thank you Dana. Thank you a lot. Their adorable. Point is she’s a talented lady and wasn’t satisfied with directing, so she pitched her own show, combining tons of ides and stuff including of all things, Pokemon Red. I checked the article wikipedia had sourced, it was one of her happy childhood memories as it was one of the last things her dad gave her. Awwwwwww. That’s as sweet as it is painful. She’s also currently dating Alex Hirsch, something I was entirely unaware of but find also adorable. Point is i’m glad I looked into her as she’s a very nice person, and very much my kind of weirdo and i’m happy for her sucess and her singuarly weird show that sprung from that sucess. 

Now that part of it’s out of the way the episode itself was an uphill battle as you’d expect. As anyone familiar with this blog is aware, but just in case your new, you tend to hear me bitching about Disney’s handling of queer represntation a LOT

For the most part Disney’s pretty bad at it: There was the string of “FIRST GAY CHARACTER IN AN X” they had going for a while.. that consisted of a character I dind’t realize was gay, a kiss I didn’t see, and a talk with a character who I honestly wouldn’t of been looking for had disney not patted themselves on the back with some giant sized hands because htey saved some pym particles for that occasion. Ducktales was unable to have Penumbra come out as gay more clearly because I don’t know Ducks can’t be day.. but they can be IMPLIED to be gay or pansexual as hard as the crew possibly can so they win anyway. Pixar was able to have a gay lead character for one of it’s sparks shorts out and even focused on him coming out of the closet and it’s very good and something I WILL give Pixar credit for... but not Disney Plus who go out of their way to not mention the lead being gay.. despite the fact the short opens with a gay space cat riding a gay space dog out of a rainbow and then it being revaled our lead is in a relationship not long into the short. My point is the idiots who won’t watch this for having gay characters are just going to turn it off, who cares what they think, why are you like this Disney. They need to do better, and be better and i’m getting tired of this shit.

That being said... this episode is a step in the right directoin as despite having to get past one obstructive asshole, not her words but damn if it isn’t the truth, as the rest of hte execs were fine with having a gay character, Terrace fought hard for it and WON, having a clearly gay character, and a clear road to a gay romace as the lead one, all because she wanted some representation in her works. So to honor this, I present this review in honor of love, effort and saying screw you to not having represntation because money. Join me under the cut and allt hat. 

We open in the owl house, in the owl house, duck dodge push and shove, it’s how we show our love in the.. you get the point. Luz is learning yet another Rune, this time plant runes.. and already something I love about the series pops up: the fact Luz’s rise in skill is gradual but noticable. Each spell noticably improves in potency with time,  going from simple lights to shaping them into simple constructs, and learning to control or time her spells and glpyhs so they launch she she says so, with each one getting more powerful the more she learns. And on top of that osmething I just noticed on rewatch of this episode is her tecnique in finding them evolved, something I dind’t notice the first time because I hadn’t fully caught up and checked this one out to see if Disney would actually let them go through with it.. and they did. Point is her first spell is found by accident, her second by realizing how her magic works fundemntally, both require skilled deduction and on the fly thinking and casting, so she’s already pretty skilled.. but now sh’es ACTIVELY seeking out a new spell here for the first time. She knows how she gets them, she knows each school is tied to a form, and she likely got the plant from williow since that’s her thing and she’s a saint. A demon but also a saint. They can have those too. It’s what I assume relicor is. 

I miss that goblin demon bat man. Point is it shows an evolution in Luz’s thinking: while it’s a subtle thing she took a more proactive approach this time even if it took a lot of practice.. and it pay soff as by the time of her next rune, while it’s once again sorta handed to her she has less time to learn it, almost none, and finds it singed onto a ball.. and learns it effortlessly to the point where by the next episode it’s a crucial plot point. IT’s subtle but clever character progression, and stuff I really enjoy, showing our hero going from a bit inept but not helpless or incomptient.. to a force to be reckconed with and far more clever and strategic than yo’ud expect given her sometimes reckless and almost always happy go lucky attitude. 

Luz worries teaching King about the internet was a bad idea because he gets excited about a literal cat fight which .. yeah... it was a bad idea but not because of that.. but because next he finds someone saying the earth is flat and she wisely yanks it away. It’s.. very sad that the absolutley maddening and easily debunked flat earth theory is still RELATIVLEY more sane than the stuff we’ve had pop up during the trump era and the cornoavirus pandemic. 

But one of the main conlficts of the episode pops up as Luz’s mom messages her and Luz can’t bring herself to tell her anything and just sends a thumbs up.  I do think this episode helps even things from the pilot a bit as it was a bit lopsided: While I got that Camillia was genuinely struggling with how to deal with Luz, and was offered an out and had to take it... the fact she sees NO problem with the normalcy camp, which comes off intentioanlly or not a sa parallel to conversion camps or camps to make autistic kids “Normal”. And as someone whose both bisexual and autistic, I naturally relate to luz way more as someone whose intrests sometimes just don’t quite fit with everyone else, and who dosen’t get how bad some of their actions were.  THat’s why this episode feels like a necessary course correction: Luz is shown to genuinely love her mama and feel guilty.. but we see camilia genuinlely loves and supports her daughter a bit more. While it was clear from the pilot this shows it more, with her genuinely just wanting to know her daughter’s okay and checking up on her, and giving me the feeling that possible consequences or no if something bad WAS happening or she didn’t hear from her for a long time, she would’ve drove up there to get her. It feels like the writers realized the implications they accidently created and wanted to fix it, though I can’t say for certain. But if so good on you for course correcting, not every show does that. 

But King encourages her, telling her she’s doing the right thing by lying and to “trust the demon on your shoulder”. Keep this in mind for later, but that joke is great on it’s own. But soon i’ts time for school and Hooty.. barfs out Luz’s books for her. 

I haven’t been this disturbed since.. (Looks at the clock) About 2 maybe three hours ago when I watched a man have, if apparently shorter than the oriiginal cut as I wanted to see everyone else’s reactions dammit, sex with hiis car which was possesed by the mad ghost of his dead wife. Because that’s the kind of stuff i’m into when i’m not reviewing stuff. And before that Tinky.. just everything about tinky. 

I do not have enough time to get into TInky here or why he exestially horrifies me. Or why Jeff blim is a living god. I will save that for a proper review if I have the time tomorrow. Point is I saw a lot today and that still tops it. Willow and Gus are likewise grossed out and want to leave. 

Cut to school where Luz wonders what’s with all the decorations.. that remind me of this honestly

And frankly given the whole state of the boiling isles it REALLY wouldn’t surprise me if the decorations were indeed well cooked faces. But i’ts Grom time, which means elaborate gromposals (Some Dude asks Skara out with a beating heart and an elaborate medical proposal.. which.. points for effort. And for using an actual heart. Couldn’t get one for mine. ), dancing and someone being chosen for Grom Queen. WHich Willow hints isn’t as nice as that sounds. Before we can get into that though Amity bumps into them and gets into a tizzy before meekly greeting “Luz.. and Co”. which.. not going to lie.. is my faviorite gag of the season. Just htw way she adds them and just the way Willow and Guz both smile widely at it as if to say “That’s us!”. Amity drops a note and snatches it back. This will be important later, you all know why, point is Amity becomes Grom Queen.. and is heavily depressed with Luz following her to find out why.  At the gym.. she does indeed ifnd out why: Turns out Grom is not some mutation of an earthname but is based around a horrifying entity lurking beneath the isles, Gromethious the Fear Bringer, who emerges from his slumber once a year and must be fought back and brings out his target’s greatest fears. Just like groundhog day only with less time loops and rodent abuse. Amity is scared of hers, and i’ll obviously get into this more later, and Luz simply suggests asking bump to opt out and Amity appricates the support. Awwww. 

Luz heads home and we find out Eda is chaperoning and King is mcing. Eda is also rocking a suit. Just damn girl, damn. But Luz considers taking her place.. and gets laughed at, with Eda assuming she’ll have to save her and King just being kind of a dick. I mean he’s a loveable thoroughly cuddly dick but he’s still a dick... just more like a stuffed plushie of one.  So basically exactly like Tinky. Look I mention him more than once in this review he dosen’t put me in the bastard box. It’s a great system.  Naturally this makes Luz more determined than ever to prove herself and she finds Amity in the night, with Amity having been unable to get out of it.. and Bumps a resonable guy, he just wants a substitute and no one wants the job.. except Luz who galdly volunteers and insists ntohing scares her before the giant spider on the back of her head proves otherwise. Because of course it does, spiders are fucking terrifying. Kill then all.. except the pokemon ones. Galvaltula are sweethearts. As are Ariadoses. Sweethearts who can elctorcute or poison you but still. 

So the next way Luz begins preparing.. and by that I mean it’s time for training. Sadly we don’t get an episode of Luz and Amity getting trapped in an 80′s fashion montage... I mean yes Rise of the TMNT also did that plot the same year, but we had two diffrent plots about someone getting trapped in an eldtrich sitcom and a THIRD this year, all entertaingly unique. Though we do get Luz pulling out an otter suit that’s adorable and she sadly still hasn’t worn yet. “This one says i’m an otter, with a dark side”. She also got thrown out of a school dance for.. wearing an otter suit. Okay the other things we saw in the pilot were understandable but htis is just.. baffling. Who cares what you wear to a dance as long as it isn’t horribly racist of nothing at all. 

Damn you flanders and your glorious ass. Point is Amity shows up and threatens hooty’s life because.. he’s hooty. The fact he isn’t dead already is a testiment to how badass he is and how much money he’d cost Eda to replace. Owl Tubes don’t come out of a stygian hole in the unvierse every day you know. That’s only every three years. It’s basic styigan owl tube science. 

But Amity wants her to be ready and that she’ll have to face her greatest fear.. and cue hooty popping up, poking amity in the face and asking if she wants to know her greatest fear. Really he can clearly hear everything in the house given he heard that, so he heard the death threat he just chose to ignore it. That.. was a mistake. And by mistake I mean we get a hilarious cut to the outside of the house as Luz tries to stop her love intrest from murdering her second mom’s tube monster. The result is some bandages and an eyepatch. To be fair that last one was just flaring up from a  previous beating. 

For this solem task of training, Amity has brought in her local disaster bisexuals.. aka her twin siblgins Eldric and Elmyra, whose greatest fears are dying alone and being stuck with Eldric. Both understandable. They conjur luz’s greatest fears which are.. some of the funniest shit I heard all year.. and also very relatable. Human souls in cat bodies, which is genuinely terrifying good job Luz, Jerks on the internet who mansplain things, relatable, and soy milk. 

But Amity knows this is just the openign act. it needs to be something deeper.. so while Luz dosen’t realize it’s probably her mom issues she brings up her issues with her other mom: that Eda dosen’t think she can do this. Hence we get a giant eda putting Luz in a babychair. Before we can unpack how wrong that sentence sounded, Eda comes out, and marvels at how hot giant her is. But she’s quickly distracted from sex with a giant version of herself, which is not an easy feat, by the relization “Wait Luz is going to fight grom isn’t she.. fuck i’m going to have to save her”, though Luz holds firm on doing it to prove she’s fine and dosen’t need to be saved constantly. it’s a good conflict. Eda IS right that Luz is not ready for this alone, that she’s overcompensating and that Eda would, in normal circumstances be the one to rescue her. As we’ll see it’s not her who does it but still, were this any other foe she probably would be. But Luz’s motivations are equally understandable: She wants to help her friend not have to do this and she wants to prove she can do it. She just wants her mentor, the only person in her life up to meeting her that GNEUINELY supported her in magic to respect her. To have faith in her and actually see how far she’s come. And given how her own mother writes off her dreams, if not unrealistically, and before this she had no friends or support system to speak of outside her mom, it’s easy to see why this is so improtant to Luz: she just wants to make the one person in her life whose ever support her actually think it was worth it when in truth Eda already thinks it does and just dosen’t want her to die. 

She’s just not good with talking to her or not condescending to her as her own ego is stacked sky high, probably because the whole curse thing meant Eda was an outcast by default and the system wants to either chain her to one form of magic and one only or shackle her to them as a hired goon. Her ego, while justified, is also a defense mechanism: a way to shield herself from the fact almost no one cares about her and one of the few people who DOES, dosen’t care what she wants or needs. Once the curse happened she lost just about everything and had to rebuild and thus build up walls around herself and kept everyone else at arms length till Luz changed her for the better. It’s just a tragic clash of two wills both with similar problems but both unwilling to talk about them. 

But with time up, our heroes need to get to the diggity dance. So they indeed do and we get some fun sight gags, Willow makes corsages,  that one girl with the cresent head somehow ended up with Mathomule and is not happy, as anyone who ends up with him should. And it’s time for Luz to face her destiny.. in a tux with a tutu because of course, and Amity likes it because also of course. 

IT’s time to rumble, with King getting nervous due to eda’s prodding about mcing since his co-mc gus is really good at it, and introducing our champion.

No wait sorry he’s still trapped in Mojoworld. no it’s still Luz who shows off a seasons worth of skill by easily dispatching the first few fears and saying to grom let’s finish it.. before grom puts a tentacle on her head. 

It’s to downlaod her fear.. which is Camillia. Granted we could all see it coming but still Luz obviously can’t fight her own mother or her own overwhelming guilt.. her mom did hurt her.. but she gets why and just loves her and wants her to be proud but dosen’t know what to do: tell her the trutha nd possibly loose a happy and fufilling life or wait until it all blows up. It’s a painful choice. So luz and king end up running. King runs first because he can’t handle it and Gus talks him back into the groove while Luz runs away because she can’t fight her own mom, understandable, and Gus encourages king to lead the crowd which he does. Amity and Eda follow Luz. 

So Luz is backed down, facing down a monster tha’ts going to go on to everyone else next if she fails... and Eda prepares to interfere.. but it’s AMITY who faces her fear and dives in. And we find out just what her fear was as grom turns into a humanoid shape and rips the letter in half.. it was a grom invitation. Though conviently the who it’s adressed to was ripped out. 

And yeah not going to save this one: It’s Luz. You know it I know it I didn’t even hide it in the intro. Even before the reveal in a bit it was obvious. But it also makes perfect sense. I’ve avoided talking about her character arc up to this point because I was waiting for now. Amity’s growth is the third major arc of the season behind Luz’s slow learning of magic and eventually induction into hexside and eda’s curse, which I lump in with Lilith chasing her since both were mildly entertwined and then entirely are once the reveal hits in the finale. When we meet her she’s an outright bully.. but we slowly see there’s more there. That she’s not really HAPPY or content, is contstantly under pressure by her family name, is outright bullied by her own siblings who don’t understand her. So Luz coming in, seemingly only being intrested in magic because i’ts neat.. understandably bothers her. She’s not a great person, bullying her old best friend because tha’ts what’s expected and being close with outright bullies because of that.. but it’s through Luz she starts to grow, realizing Luz is genuinely nice and genuinely sorry for any trouble she caused Amity, and evne then both cases were causaed by Amity’s own dickishness and outside forces, so it’s easy to see why she defrosts faster. Her siblings realize they’ve genuinely hurt her, and actually try to be good siblings from then on and help her, and slowly Amity learns to truth luz, trust in her, and accept her... and thus accept her feelings for her. There are gradual hints she’s growing attracted to her.. but her walls had to come down first, and it wouldn’t of worked from the outset. The show cleverly has the two build a genuine friendship, two opposities who work well together, so when feelings do happen it feels natural. It’s not “I’m in love with this person because I have to because you can’t be friends with someone your attracted to” bullshit or anything like that, cough star vs cough, it’s just well built catching feelings. I’ts how this kind of thing SHOULD go: niether went in intending for this to happen.. it’s just happening. 

And Amity’s reluctance is painfully understandable, as Luz is the ONLY friend and support she has. Sure she and willow are patching things up, but WIllow would understandably choose luz over her and she’s terrified of loosing the one good thing in her life. Of course Luz would either say yes, and probably will some day, or let her down gently, she’s nice.. but it’s also understandable to be afraid that someone won’t take the reveal well. I’ve been there trust me, it’s easier when you let it out even if you get rejected, but I get it being hard to let out because you don’t want to loose a friend. I did not, and niether would she, but I can see why she wouldn’t want ot take the plunge. At least not yet. We’ll see this summer hopefully. 

But we do get a shiptastic, gorgeously aniamted scene of the two dancing an fightin gin perfect synch, combinging luz’s new use of plant magic with amity’s mastery of abominations resulting in the two utterly decimating grom, likely in part because with two fast moving targets he can’t get a lock on and likely nees more fear and mass to attack multiple targets at once. Or just more tendrils. it’s a quick, beautful sequence that’s utterly glorious, being framed as romantic as any hetero scene of the type and rightfully so. A triumph and well deserving of this praise. 

Our heros have won, get crowns, and King gets praise. All is well.. except Luz drops the crown once she gets home because she feels like she failed and feels lost about her mom.. though at least king gets it “I’m king and queen, best of both things!”. You tell em sister. 

So we end with Luz genuinely responding to her mom, with some montage stuff as we see Gus and Willow poke a fear blob, willow fears bugs, understandable and Gus fears clowns... 

Also understandable. Though I didn’t put up a bug picture because

And Amity looks out folornly into the night. Camilla responds to Luz.. and mentions letters.. which while Luz brushes those off.. we see someone sent them. And by someone I probably mean king since we now know only eda and him had acess to the portal, and given he was actively encouraging her to lie.. yeah i’m supscious. But we’ll see next season. For now this episode is fan fucking tastic, showing off tons of character development, being representative and sweet as all hell.. and being really funny. Tons of great gags in this one including the turtle guy from an earlier episode being forced to be adisco ball.  This is easily the series best so far and if you haven’t checked it out, please do it’s fantastic as is this show. Check both out. Until the next rainbow i’ts been a pleasure. Tommorow more disney shenanigans this time with pete. And also more of this possibly we’ll see what I get done. 

Goodnight everybody!

[visionsofus]

Hi! I am absolutely obsessed with your SV stories - you are an amazing writer. If it's possible to make a request... a ff about the rest of the team forcing Wanda and Vision to acknowledge their feelings <3

hello! thank you for this fic request! you could say I took it and ran way too fast with it. anyway! it's called 'call it what it is' and I've planned for this to be 4 parts long ☺️ here's the first part and I hope you enjoy!

Call it what it is - part 1

synopsis: The pining between Wanda and Vision is starting to become a problem. The rest of the Avengers are sick of the tension that has them walking on eggshells, though the pair seem oblivious to it. Tony and Natasha lead an effort to send Wanda and Vis on a getaway disguised as a ‘mission’, complete with lush beaches, smart dinners and a bed that is the perfect size for a couple. With Wanda and Vision resigned to 72 hours in each other’s presence maybe it’s finally time to call their relationship what it is.

read on AO3 ~

“I think everyone knows why I’ve gathered you here today.”

The team stared at Tony apprehensively. He paused; his hands folded as he sat before them at the head of the briefing table. Nat was by his side, rolling her eyes at such dramatics.

“It’s about Wanda and Vision,” Tony continued, looking around at everyone meaningfully. A few shoulders slumped in relief at this, everyone had been a little high strung lately. They had big weapons bust happening in a few weeks that had taken months of careful work.

“Is something wrong with them?” Steve asked, his eyes sharpening in concern. He glanced over his shoulder cautiously as though expecting the pair to enter the room at that exact moment. But they were cleverly tucked away and distracted by Friday in a different part of the compound.

“I wouldn’t put it that way,” Tony said, “but I’m sure you’ve all noticed the tension between them.”

The table broke out in noises of agreement, Sam in particular made a rather loud exclamation of exasperation. Yes, everyone had definitely noticed. It was hard to keep a secret when you lived and dined with your colleagues. Not that Wanda and Vision were very good at keeping their attraction a secret.

“You know I was in the kitchen with them the other day,” Rhodey said, and everyone turned eagerly to listen, “and I kid you not there was electricity literally in the air. Wanda handed Vision a plate to dry, barely brushed his hand and boom! All the kitchen lights went out.”

“I saw them training the other day,” Sam chimed in, “and I felt like I needed to go bleach my eyes afterwards. Every time they touched it was so –” he shivered as he spoke “—tender.”

“So, you get the problem then?” Tony said.

“Not really,” Steve replied, he’d smiled at Sam and Rhodey’s stories but became serious. “It seems like it’s their business Tony, I don’t know if any of us should be butting in.”

Tony nodded in understanding, stroking his chin in consideration. “I’m not one to get in the way of young love. But they’ve been getting careless in training, distracted. We can’t afford any big accidents next month just because Wanda’s got the hots for my boy.”

Nat snorted. “Your boy is half the problem, don’t forget.”

Tony continued, unphased. “The idea is we send them away on a simple mission, and they can,” he made a convoluted gesture with his hands, “and then they come back ready for work again.”

Rhodey looked at Tony in mild disgust. “What the heck is this?” He imitated the hand movements.

“I think that goes beyond words,” Tony said, eyeing Peter purposefully. The kid had sat quietly throughout the whole discussion, fiddling with the moleskin journal he carried round the compound with him. Maybe Tony needed to remind him he’s not actually an intern again.

“Uh, it’s okay Mr Stark,” Peter said looking around as though he wasn’t quite sure he was allowed to speak, “I’ve already had the talk.”

Tony sighed something between exasperation and fondness. “Great, kid.”

“Back to the plan,” Natasha prompts and with a few taps on the tablet before her the report appeared on the big screen spanning one wall of the room. “This is the target, Stevie Vern. She’s going to be in Santa Monica next week for a wedding, so we’ll put Wanda and Vision in the same hotel.”

“Isn’t it a bad idea to put them on a mission while you’re trying to get them to address their... tension?” Sam asked, his phrasing delicate.

“That’s the thing,” Tony continued, “we already know everything we can from Vern, but we’ll tell Wanda and Vision that their job is to figure out why she’s in California, see if she’s meeting another buyer, that sort of thing.”

“We already got the intel this morning that Vern is only there for a wedding, relatively speaking, she’s not that big a player,” Natasha finishes, folding her arms.

“Still seems risky,” Rhodey frowns.

“To be frank, right now they are useless to us and themselves,” Tony said honestly. Tony could see everyone thinking things over and even Steve seemed to resign himself to the necessity of the plot. “We do this, help them address their shit and then everyone is fighting fit for next month’s operation.”

Steve pulled Natasha aside as everyone left the room to return to their daily routines.

“I’m not sure about this,” he said quietly, leaning against the doorway and frowning in consideration.

“I wasn’t either, until Tony convinced me,” Natasha said, looking after their teammates as they trailed to the stairs, some going down to the training rooms while others continued to the kitchen for lunch. “He asked what I thought about their relationship, and I told him I think they’re good for each other, but not as they are now. Wanda barely sleeps some nights; I hear her pacing from my room. Vision’s been getting careless the last few weeks; he’s gets too caught up in keeping an eye on her that he forgets to do his job properly.”

Steve looks at the ground as he took her words in. Natasha continued solemnly. “It seems light-hearted now, but if anything were to happen...”

“They could hurt each other, get careless during a mission and hurt someone else,” Steve finished her thoughts aloud. It was a sobering consideration and something they both hated to think their friends capable of.

“I trust Wanda, but I don’t always trust her power.” The admission hung heavy in the air. “If anything were to happen because of a careless error on her part, she’d never forgive herself. This feels like a way to at least help with one part of that carelessness.”

“You’re right,” Steve sighed. “Damn, I hope this goes okay though.”

“Come on,” Nat said putting a hand on his arm as they started towards the staircase. “Nothing is going to go wrong. I’m sure we’ll all be laughing about this years from now.”

“I admire your optimism,” Steve mumbled, trudging up the stairs after Natasha

Remarkably, when dinner arrives Sam, Rhodey, Tony and Nat had roused themselves to join Wanda and Steve in the kitchen. She’d helped him cook the spaghetti bolognaise and guessed that it was the smell of the spices and stewing meat that brought everyone up to the dining table. Vision was sat at their already, having spent the half hour in the lead up to dinner with his nose buried in a book. At least Wanda thought he was reading; it was difficult to tell when he was so still, and the pages turned so slowly. For all Wanda knew, Vision was miles deep in his head scouring the internet. He had become frustratingly difficult to read.

With everyone sat around the table, Steve began serving at the same time that Tony set his tablet down in front of Wanda’s plate.

She looked between Tony and the screen in confusion, mostly just wanting to eat her steaming bowl of spaghetti. It had been a long day, after an even longer, sleepless night. But Tony gestured for her to look closer and so she did.

“It’s your next mission.” Tony said, twirling his fork around and scooping up spaghetti and sauce.

Wanda frowned.

“Santa Monica, target is Stevie Vern.”

Wanda hummed curiously, still a bit confused, but excited at the prospect of traveling to the other side of the country. She scrolled through the in-depth report Tony had given her. It was pages and pages long, filled with background information on the target all pertaining to the big weapons deal the team was planning to crash in just two weeks time. It was an important task then, she decided. Wanda hated to admit it but having Tony trust her with it made her feel a tiny bit proud. As she came to the end of the file she frowned; there was a pair of return plane tickets.

“Who’s going with me?” Wanda asked.

“Vision,” Natasha replied for Tony as he held up a hand, mouth filled with food. He nodded in confirmation.

Wanda’s stomach dropped even as her heart fluttered at the potential. A trip? With Vision?

“Me?” Vision asked, sounding just as surprised as Wanda felt.

“Is that going to be a problem?” Tony asked.

“Of course not.” Vision’s response was so quick that it sounded false, even to Wanda’s ears. Everyone else around the table had suddenly become conveniently interested in their food.

“Why us?” Wanda asked. Though she really wanted to know why it was only them assigned to the mission. She’d never been on a solo mission so far from the Compound before and she couldn’t help feeling a little bit suspicious. Why was Tony pairing her up with Vision? They certainly hadn’t had the best track record recently.

“Because we can’t afford to send anyone else,” Tony supplied casually. “And you have the perfect cover to figure out why Vern is in Santa Monica. The official words is she’s there for a wedding but we think there’s more to it than that. You and Vision can easily blend into the resort and pretend to be a couple on a honeymoon or something.”

“Excuse me?” Wanda choked out.

“We’ll do what?” Vision exclaimed at the same time.

“We’ve all been undercover for missions before. And no one will ever question you two being an item,” Natasha said, meaning to sound reassuring but missing the mark.

Wanda tried to ignore the warmth on her cheeks at that and the sly look Nat sent her. Biting back a snide comment, she stuck her fork into the spaghetti and began to eat. Vision asked more questions as they ate, what exactly they were expected to do once in California and how they were going to get their intel, but Wanda struggled to pay attention.

It wasn’t until later that evening as she packed a small bag that Wanda came to terms with the face that the trip was really happening. She was going to spend three days interstate with the very person she’d spent four months desperately trying not to fall for.

Everything was going to be fine.

Fine.

[theymakemegayer]

Reputation: Chapter 7

a/n: This took long because I had a writer’s block a few days ago, but my productive self push through it, plus I was really excited to write this chapter.

Rating: M (for smut)

It’s been a while since I had written a smut and I tried a different style for this smut. I’d appreciate your feedbacks!

tag list: @riptideyun @baexpoppy @save-me-the-last-dance @somewillwin 

Reputation Chapters 1-6

======

The morning after I received that text from Poppy I was sitting at the kitchen counter stool with Zoey cooking some pancakes. Getting Poppy's text just made me more confused. I refused to think how it gave me a small hope. That maybe she would see me as someone more than her enemy.

 "So how's working with Poppy?" She asked as she casually flipped the pancakes in the pan.

 "Oh," I jerked to reality when Zoey's voice interrupting my thoughts. She turned around and narrowed her eyes towards me - scrutinizing my reaction. I gulped and smiled awkwardly at her. 

 "Bea, are you alright?" She asked.

 I nodded, still smiling. 

 She looked at me hard before smiling, "Okay. Now spill what happened yesterday."

 Zoey turned her back from me again focusing on the pancakes, I let the smile on my lips, "It was alright," More than alright to be honest. I paused, "She was really different at the animal shelter. She was gentle, compassionate, sweet--" I chuckled as the images of yesterday flashed in my mind.

 Zoey turned and looked at me her eyes narrowed once again, "Girl she was around dogs. Anyone would get soft and mushy in the face of puppy-dog eyes."

 I gulped. She turned around again to focus on the pancakes. I stifled a sigh, "I know that. I'm just saying that what if there is really something more about Poppy? Have you ever imagined if we'll have her on our side and finally we can wave the white flag and rule the school as equals?"

 Turning the stove off, she turned around. She sighed, "You're so optimistic about this. I still am not convinced with all of this. I just want you to be careful," Her bright smile turned softer, "Specially with how Poppy likes backstabbing people. I don't want to see you get hurt just because you got too close with Poppy's claws."

 "Aww Zo." I cooed. My heart melted with the softness in her eyes. Guilt started to creep in me as I continue to stare at Zoey. 

 She chuckled before her eyes flashed with certain seriousness, "I trust you Bea, but I've been here since the start of Poppy's reigns. Trust me when I say never let your guard down when you're with her."

 I gulped thickly the words she said hit me deeper than I thought. I plastered a smile to mask the nervousness creeping on me. Does Zoey know my growing attraction for Poppy? I stood up and walked towards her. I enveloped her with a hug, "Thank you for looking out for me Zo. You're really the best." I'm sorry I can't tell you yet how I really feel about Poppy. I'm not even sure what I'm putting myself into.

 She rubbed my back soothingly, "Of course Bea. You're my best friend."

 I sighed as her hug brought comfort while my mind drowned in the sea of thoughts full of Poppy's name.

 === 

Later at lunch time, Poppy asked me to meet her at a high end restaurant where we'll meet up with Chloe. I made sure to arrive at least a few minutes early. I had decided to talk to her. I don't know how cooperative she will be, but at this point where I felt like I'm gonna lose my mind thinking what she really feels about me; I'd rather do something, anything with how messy my emotions had become. 

 I arrived at the high end restaurant. A waitress guided me to a private room. As the door opened I saw Poppy already sitting in one of the four chairs in the huge table at the centre of the room. She looked up from her phone and as our eyes met a hundred of butterflies fluttered in my stomach as her brown eyes bore on me. I gulped thickly feeling the wind knocked out of me. I knew Poppy was beautiful. Heck, her beauty caught me the first time we met, but something in her felt different today. Was it the way her brown eyes widened a little when she saw me? Or was it how the corners of her lips tugged into a soft smile? Soft smile. My heart was threatening to explode in my chest.

 "You're early." She spoke. When did her voice sound this gentle? With my heart pounding and mind raising a hundred questions per second I almost forgot to speak. 

 I cleared my throat, "I was hoping I could talk to you before Chloe arrives."

 "Then take a sit first." 

 I took a bee line towards the chair in front of her, but before I can even touch the chair she spoke again, "Sit here beside me Farmsville."

 I stuttered in shock, "I... Are you.. Wh--"

 She rolled her eyes, "Just sit here, now." Her was voice stern as she narrowed her eyes at me.

 I gulped my words back to save me from more embarrassment. Once I sat beside her, I turned slightly towards her. 

 "So?" She asked already waiting for me to speak.

 I cleared my throat, "Honestly, Poppy I'm confused. What are you up to? Why did you invite me today? Why me? You could have just invited Veronica today," Words continuously spilled out from me; half of my worries and fears masked in those words.

 "Okay slow down Hughes." She said calmly, "You have too many questions."

 "How can I not?" I tried not let my frustrations won over me. "Like this is weird and surprising and--"

 I suddenly forgot how to speak when her hand gently lay on mine. The warmth of her hand grounding me back to the present. My eyes grew wide as I looked from her hand on mine to her face. 

 She had a soft smile again, "I swear will you calm down Hughes? Breath."  I badly want to tell her, how am I supposed to calm down when her hand was on mine, but she paused and raised an eyebrow waiting for me to obey her and so I did.

 "Good." She spoke again. "You're the one who told me before to stop over analysing things and just use my eyes." She chuckled. 

 My eyes grew wide again. It wasn't a mocking or humorless laugh. She sounded really genuine and amused. "Who are you? What have you done to Poppy?" I pointed an accusing finger with my free hand.

 She shook her head still smiling, "Please I'm too perfect to have a clone."

 "And sheeee's back." I giggled making her chuckle. 

 "Like I said, I need someone to prevent me from killing Chloe right on the spot." 

 I smirked at her, "As if you can do that."

 Rolling her eyes she continued, "Plus I'm completely still using the privileges of us still in truce."

 I raised my eyebrow at her, "What if I just want for us to have this truce permanently?"

 Before she can even reply the door flew open. Chloe walked in and instantly raised an eyebrow at me, "What is she doing here?" There was sharpness in her voice.

 Poppy slowly retracted her hand on mine which I wasn't even aware that was still there. She cleared her throat and looked at Chloe passively, "I invited her, just in case I lose my patience and do something," She paused smirking her voice turning husky, "really bad."

 I saw Chloe visibly gulped.

 Poppy smiled coldly, "Go on take a sit."

 Later on, as the foods were served and the three of us started to eat quietly. The awkward silence made me lost my appetite in the middle of the meal. I sighed at last, my patience wearing thin. They haven't even tried to speak since Chloe sat.

 Putting my utensils down, I threw a look on both of them. I groaned, "Okay that's it." They both pause and looked at me. "You two talk." I crossed my arms and gestured with my chin on them.

 Poppy wiped her lips carefully with the table napkin before she spoke," You heard her Chlo."

 Chloe scoffed, "What? Is she my replacement?"

 This time I scoffed, "Excuse me? No offense Pops and Chloe, but hell no I would be your replacement."

 Poppy coughed masking the laugh she almost released. When I met Poppy's eyes I stifled the smile I almost showed. I turned again my attention towards Chloe, "Anyway, let's focus on the important matter here. I believe you want to talk to Poppy?"

 Chloe sighed, "Fine. I'll let this one slide newbie." She finally looked at Poppy. She gulped, "I know how much being on top means to you. I need you to believe I didn't do anything. I'm also surprised to see the ranking system like that."

 Poppy's eyebrow raised, "That's it? And you expect me to believe you because you said so?"

 Chloe bit her lips, "No matter how much I try to tell you my side that is the truth. I don't know what happened." Chloe's eyes were glassy with unshed tears by now, "Poppy our friendship means so much to me. Do you really think I'll just ruin it stupidly like that?"

 I saw Poppy's jaw clenched, "And what do you think I felt when I saw the ranking system?'

 "I'm sorry that happened, but I swear I really didn't know how it happened." Chloe pleaded.

 I dared to reach out and lay my hand on top of Poppy's. Not daring to meet Poppy's eyes and to see her reaction, I spoke to both of them, "You know what I believe you two?"

 Both of them looked at me, "I believe no matter how much both of you can be mean and rude on the outside, I think both of you treasured your friendship." I smiled at them, "Poppy can't you give Chloe another chance?"

 Poppy scowled at me, withdrawing her hand from mine she lightly slapped my hand, "I didn't brought you here for this."

 I chuckled before smirking at Poppy, "I thought I was brought here so you can keep your anger to minimum?"

 Poppy groaned, "How can I trust someone who betrayed me already?" She gestured on Chloe.

 "Let her work for it?" I suggested randomly.

 Chloe suddenly interrupted, "Poppy."

 Poppy turned to her, eyes calculating, "What?"

 "I know you. You probably have some plan to get back on me or to make me lose my reputation, so you can get back your crown."

 Poppy's lips pressed into a thin line, "Indeed, I have a plan."

 "Then go on and do your plan, or if you want me to do anything to lose some of my reputation I'll willingly do something just to give you back the number one spot."

 Poppy raised her eyebrow, "Why will you do that?"

 Chloe sigh exasperated, eyes on the verged of tears, "Because in the first place I don't want this spot specially if it meant I'm losing my best friend."

 I watched the quick flicker of softness in Poppy's eyes. She looked at me like searching for something - maybe searching for an answer. I can see the conflict brewing in her mind. I smiled reassuringly at her.

 Poppy sighed then looked at Chloe, "Fine."

 I feel how Chloe and I waited with bated breath for Poppy's next words. Poppy continued, "So here's my plan, Farmsville I need you in this too,"

 "W-What?" I exclaimed surprised.

 "Why do you need her for the plan?" Chloe asked in shock.

 "Shut it you two. Let me explain the plan first." It took another few minutes for Poppy to explain her plan. After that Chloe decided to leave first not before giving me one final curious look. Once we were alone, Poppy looked at me.

 "Thanks for coming today," Poppy smiled softly at me.

 Her smile, the softness in her eyes and her words tugged on my heartstrings. I can't help the grin the painted my lips, "Well I'm just glad that you considered talking to her and giving her a chance." 

 Poppy shrugged her shoulders before she stood up, "She's my best friend obviously."

 I kept my grin at her, which made her glare at me. I just chuckled at her.

 "Stop smiling like that." She said voice tight.

 "What's the problem with me smiling like this?" I smiled some more showing my lopsided grin.

 She rolled her eyes, but I managed to notice the faint blush on her cheeks, "You're teasing me aren't you?"

 "I'm still not used seeing this side of you, but I like it." I winked at her.

 Poppy groaned making me laugh. "Don't get used to this Hughes," She said when my laugh died down.

 I just raised my eyebrow at her, "Sure Pops." Somehow I found her words hard to believe. 

 Poppy shrugged, "At least I warned you. Anyway, leave after a few minutes I left. I don't want people to have any idea of us having lunch together."

 "Alright."

 She already opened the door when she paused in her step and looked back at me. She smirked once our eyes met, "See you tonight Bea."

 Oh hells! She'll be the death of me.

 ===

I was waiting for Zoey in my room. I rummaged through my closet desperate to find something to wear for tonight. I tried not to let my nervousness win over me while chanting nothing is gonna happen later -  but no matter how I tried a huge part of me hoped to get more closer to Poppy tonight. That part, was blinded by the real Poppy that I saw for the past few days. If only there was a switch off button for feelings, but I don't have and I'm drowning fast with the emotions Poppy kept on igniting in me.

 "Hey Bea," Zoey slipped into my room. "I got your text." She wriggled her phone.

 "Thank God you're finally here. I need your help." I exasperatedly groaned.

 "What's up?" 

 "Well Poppy kinda extended our truce and she kind of need me tonight in a club?" I explained.

 "Okay woah! What?" Shocked was written on her face.

 "And Zo I don't wanna be late and face her wrath. Can I explain more later? The summary is she need me for something she planned for Chloe." I plead with my puppy-dog eyes.

 Zoey sighed, "Fine. I need the whole dits later." She walked towards my closet rummaging fast through my options, "So club huh? Think you can look for some of Poppy's dirt while you can keep her close?"

 "I'll try." I said half-heartedly, "I mean what can I find out in a club?"

 She paused looking back at me, "You'll never know B. You might be surprised by an opportunity handed in your face, so keep your eyes and ears open."

 I smiled teasingly, "Yes ma'am."

 Zoey chuckled. After a few more rummaging and her getting something in her room I'm finally adorned with a blue sexy dress.

 "Wow." Zoey exclaimed.

 I can't help the smirk painting on my lips as I can already imagined Poppy's reaction.  

 "I can already feel a plan brewing on that pretty mind of yours." Zoey stood behind me our eyes meeting from the mirror.

 My smirked widened, "Poppy won't know what hit her."

 Zoey chuckled, "I like a confident woman Bea."

 "Thank you for making me feel more confident Zo." I smiled softly at her.

 "You know I always got your back." 

 I turned around to hug her, once we withdrew she looked at me straight in the eyes, "I already talked to you about being careful this morning, so I'll make it short. Take care of yourself tonight. Call me if anything happens."

 "I will. Thanks Zo." 

 Once I got to the club my eyes savored the view from outside. The way it made me felt like I'm walking down on Hollywood was amazing. Until someone interrupted me which was the bouncer Poppy sent to usher me inside to the VIP section to meet her. I immediately spot Poppy once I was inside. She waved me over.

 "Glad to know you can follow directions Farmsville," She said once I was in front of her.

 "Nice to see you too Poppy." I let my gaze wandered on her, letting her know how she piqued my interests, "You're looking fine tonight."

 She scoffed, "Is that your attempt in flattery Farmsville?"

 "I'd like to think I was just stating facts."

 Her perfect pout twisted into a haughty smile," I guess you're more observant than I think." Her eye raked through my body, scrutinizing every part of me she can see. I can feel the growing lump in my throat and the acceleration in my heartbeat as her eyes moved through the length of my body.

 When her eyes met mine again, a smirk played on her lips, "I have to say I am shock. You dressed up pretty well tonight. You managed to prove me a little that you might not be a total lost cause."

 I huffed out a laugh, "I believe I just got an equivalent of compliment from Poppy Min-Sinclair."

 She stared at me dead in the eyes," Don't get used to it Farmsville. My charity work has an expiration."

 I rolled my eyes. Does she need to remind me that my feelings can be one sided? "Whatever Pops."

 "Anyway, here's your earpiece," She handed it to me, "And here's for Bradley." Just like an obedient puppy Bradley came to us.

 After Bradley got the earpiece he smiled at me, "You ready for this Bea?"

 I almost forgot that he existed in this plan. I guess I was too caught up with my emotions. Whenever Poppy talked to me, she made me feel like we're invisible to the world - like it was only the two of us existing and no one were around to judge or talk about us. 

 I plastered a smile as I looked at him, ignoring the emotions brewing inside of me as reality slapped me that she was still Poppy's boyfriend, "Yeah. Let's do this."

 Poppy suddenly linked her arm with mine, dragging me towards the dance floor. She leaned closer and whispered in my ear, "If you'll do good tonight. I might let you see another secret of mine." She smirked at me when I looked at her eyes wide and interest piqued.

 "Anyway, Chloe will be coming any minute. I'll meet you later when the show is about to begin." She held my gaze for a second. I can't quite decipher the emotion that flashed in her eyes before she spoke again, "Don't disappoint me Farmsville." With that she left.

 As Poppy and I separated ways, I struggled to cut through the sea of sweaty, overdressed rich kids. I halted in my steps when someone mentioned my name from behind, "I see you're already here Bea."

 I turned around and came face to face with Chloe. Her face was stoic, an eyebrow raised as her eyes wandered on my dress, "At least you've definitely learn some wardrobe upgrade."

 "Oh good you're finally here," I sighed. "You ready for later?" 

 "If you meant proving to Poppy my sincerity, then yes."

 "I'm sensing a but here."

 She sighed, "I guess I just... feel a little uncomfortable with the idea of being humiliated."

 I gave her a small smile, "Hey that's completely normal," Sighing I continued, "I just wished you don't have to go through what will happen later."

 She looked me in the eyes, curiosity flashing bright, "I am still confused as hell why Poppy is starting to talk with you like a normal person."

 That made me laugh, "You see, I am confused as you are."

 "But I am sure you're gaining something from this. I don't think you'll help her if you're not getting something from this." She stated accusingly.

 "Are you being friends with her because you're getting something from her?" I bit back with another question.

 She scoffed then glared at me, "Excuse me. That's offensive as hell."

 "I know you have a reason for accusing me, but believe me I felt offended with what you said too."

 Her eyebrow raised, "So you're helping her?"

 "Cause I want to. I don't need anything from her in return. I just..." I sighed, fingers weaving through my hair. I looked at her dead in the eyes, "I just want to get to know her more Chloe."

 Chloe gasped, "Shit are you saying?" My words finally clicking in her mind.

 I laughed dryly, "I do like her."

 Chloe gaped at me, like a fish out of the water her mouth kept opening and closing. If what we're talking about wasn't serious I'd probably be laughing, but my heart was about to burst out of my chest. Before our conversation can even continue the music stopped abruptly. There was a feedback in the front. I whipped my head and spot Bradley holding a mic and already standing on stage.

 "Can I have everyone's attention I have something important to say," Bradley started.

 I looked back at Chloe a small smile on my lips encouraging her, "It's time Chloe."

 She exhaled loudly, "Right, I guess I'll keep you on my watch list from now on. Let's see how real you meant those words Farmsville." After that she walked up on stage as Bradley asked her to come up.

 I just smiled at Chloe. There was nothing to prove really. I was confident my actions were loud enough for them to see the truth.

 Just then Poppy walked up to me, and faced me, "Let's see what you've got Farmsville."

 As our eyes locked my turn to feed Bradley with words came. I was once again drowning in the depths of Poppy's brown eyes. A million of emotions to discover from those eyes, but I got a feeling that she was expecting something from me at that moment. I gulped the growing lump in my throat. Trusting my heart with the words I was about to say - hoping it would reach her.

 "She's got an amazing way with words," My hands acted like they had a mind of their own, searching for Poppy's and intertwining our hands once I found them. The softness and warmth of her hands left a fluttering of feeling in every fiber of my body. "I can't help not to look forward every time we get to talk to each other. Her words, her voice it's like a drug that I'm starting to get addicted to."

 Her brown eyes bore deep in mine searching, "She's also compassionate. She has this glow that shines whenever she goes, "I squeezed her hands gently before whispering making sure it was only her who would hear me, "And I think I'm attracted to that like a moth towards a flame." Her eyes widened for a second before I continued more loudly this time for Bradley to hear, "The people in her life got to be so lucky. Imagine having her support and her presence in my life." I sighed, eyes boring deep into hers.

 Bradley continued until the big reveal which Chloe will tell she knew Bradley was only talking about Poppy. Everything started buzzing around us as the chaotic and messy scene unfolded. People eating up what was happening on stage. While all of their eyes were on Bradley and Chloe, I felt how Poppy and I got lost in this moment. My heart was still buzzing with the words I poured out. Did my heart reach hers? Her brown eyes gleamed more softly now. I felt her squeezing my hands and a soft smile on her lips. Here she goes again, making me feel like we're invisible and the world didn't mattered at the moment.

 The buzzing of our phones interrupted us and bringing us back to reality. She withdrew her hands on mine to check on her phone. She was back on the number one spot while I ranked up to number nine.

 She looked up at me from her phone a grin spreading on her lips, "You did great Farmsville," She paused and I wait with bated breath as she continued, "Maybe even I felt the words you said."

 I smirked at her playfully, happiness surging to my heart. It reached her. "What do you have in mind?"

 "First, dance with me?" I gulped noticing the flirty tone in her voice and the way her smirk played on her lips.

 She didn't even wait for my response before grabbing my hand and leading me to the dance floor. She wrapped her arms around my neck beaming. I smirked as I encircled my arms around her waist. We moved to the beat. This close her warmth consumed me, and her perfume intoxicated my senses. She leaned closer, whispering her breath tickling closely on my jaw, "Don't repeat this to anyone Farmsville, but... I needed you tonight." 

 When she leaned back I smirked at her, "Sounds to me like you want me too. Be honest. Was this whole plan an elaborate ruse to get me on the dance floor?"

 Poppy spin around and pressed against me, grinding her hips slowly and laughing. My mouth dried at her sudden movement. I felt my hands trembling as I lay it on her hips. 

 She whispered throatily, "Maybe I just wanted to see you dressed like that tonight Bea."

 I gulped the lump in my throat as I whispered back, my breath tickling her ear, "You could've just told me from the start Poppy."

 Poppy shivered. She turned around to face me again a smirked ghosting on her lips and a blush creeping on her cheeks, "What do you say we get out of here and turn up the fun somewhere else? I'm in the mood for some girls’ night out."

 I tried to keep my cool as I barely let out my words due to my excitement, "Poppy let's get out of here."

===

We arrived at her huge and luxurious bedroom in no time. I sat in her bed as she got some things from her bathroom. My leg started to jiggle restlessly. I think it was only starting to sunk into me that I was in Poppy's room. I tried to calm my beating heart. Thankfully she walked out of the bathroom, carrying face masks, serums, and other beauty products.

 "So what's our agenda for spa night? We can't possibly do all of that." I asked eyeing the beauty products.

 "Of course not. I just got a shipment of beauty products from my cousin in Korea, and I'm dying to try them." She smiled before straddling me. My eyes grew wide as saucers, and my heart about to burst out from my chest. I can feel my blood rushing to my face, probably making me look like red as tomato.

 Poppy had the audacity to smirk, as if she knew what she was doing to my mind and body. 

 "Sit still while I wiped your make up off," Poppy run a cool, fresh-smelling makeup wipe over my face, surprisingly gentle. It started to calm my nerves too.

 Sighing I teased, "You might make a good aesthetician." I giggled.

 "Oh shut up," but there was still a smile on her face. "I'm starting with a hyaluronic acid serum. Let me know if it burns."

 Completely forgetting why I was giggling in the first place I panic that whatever she was about to put in my face might burn, "W-wait--"

 She ignored my protest and dabbed a little dollop of cold goo on my cheeks. I wince closing my eyes tight, but nothing happened. 

 I sighed in relief after, "Oh. This actually feels good. A little cold maybe, but kinda... soothing."

 "Then it's a keeper. It should help with those dark circles under your eyes, you're welcome. Honestly, I've been looking for someone to test these products for a week now, but I haven't found someone suitable."

 "Sounds like you need real friends." I said looking up and meeting her eyes.

 "Don't get sentimental with me now Farmsville. I have a ton of followers and that's the closest to friends I have in my books."

 "Didn't you hear what I said? Real friends, not just some acquaintances nor followers."

 "Are you going to deep talk to me again just like that time in the pool?" She asked probably pertaining when I persuaded her about talking to Chloe.

 I huffed out a laugh, "Maybe. I, for one thinks that Chloe and Veronica are one of your realest friends though. Am I right or am I right?"

 Poppy rolled her eyes, "What are you trying to get from me here?"

 "Relationships always works when both parties makes an effort. I'm just making sure you're not taking things for granted Poppy." I paused checking her reaction. She only raised an eyebrow waiting for me to continue, "Look I'll be honest. I wasn't a fan of humiliating Chloe a while ago even though she agreed to it. Have you ever tried to asked if she was one hundred percent comfortable with your plan?"

 To my surprise she didn't talk back instead she answered me softly, "No..."

 "Why don't you try to communicate with them more Pops? I am sure they are also a keeper." I smiled softly at her.

 Poppy sighed, "I hate how you can see through me sometimes." Our beauty product testing was forgotten, as she shifted on my lap looking like a lost puppy as she locked gazed with me.

 I chuckled with my heart drumming so wild in my rib cage. I reached out tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "What's on your mind?"

 "You," She answered immediately catching me off guard and knocking out the wind out of me.

 "W-what?" I stuttered.

 She gulped, "I'm just... not used to this Bea."

 I raised my eyebrow just waiting for her to continue.

 "Since I was a kid I was so used to be Poppy Min-Sinclair. Name it whether it was with my friends, teachers, followers specially with my parents there was no room for only Poppy, so when you told me at that Alpha's party that you'll be friends with me, with just me being myself, being Poppy I--" She paused eyes boring deeper through mine. I saw it and my heart felt it. Her mask cracking piece by piece as I sat here stunned in silence as she let me see the real her. 

 From that moment I let my heart spoke more - cupping her face, I smiled at her softly, "And I still stand by that."

 "How can you even just want me without... without my stupid surname that defined my whole life?"

 My heart was screaming so loud for her name. My heart ached with her as I dove deep in the see of her brown eyes, "Poppy I care for you," I caressed her cheeks, "And you don't know how much I cherish you. Your bravery to tell me this," I closed the distance between us nuzzling my nose on her cheeks, "Your genuine honesty right now. What more can I ask for? That is enough for me." I withdrew and look her dead in the eyes, "God, do you know how breath taking you are? I just need you to be you because that alone makes me feel like I'm the luckiest person right now."

 "Bea..." She bit her lips.

 "Yeah?" I whispered softly.

 "Can I kiss you?" 

 Poppy always tend to do whatever she wanted. I was so used of her just doing anything she pleased, not minding if she might hurt people or make them uncomfortable - but as she asked for my permission and was actually waiting for my response I felt my heart melt into a puddle.

 "Poppy..." I whispered her name, my heart was on my throat and the butterflies in my tummy went wild as I leaned forward. She met me half way. The softness and warmth of her lips engulfed me. Her lips moved. As she opened her mouth I felt her tongue teasing my bottom lip. I welcomed hers, letting her explore mine. Her arms encircled around my shoulders pulling me closer. I sighed on her lips feeling her body so close to mine. Her scent, her taste and her warmth all of it sending my heart into an overdrive. I pulled back first, as my lungs screamed for air. Her eyes fluttered open, brown gentle eyes bore into mine. 

 Her hands cupped my face, caressing my cheeks. Her eyes wandered on my face like engraving it into her memory, like seeing me - really seeing me for the first time, "You're gorgeous Bea." She whispered hoarsely.

 I pulled her closer by her waist, "And you’re not so bad yourself." She smirked at me when her eyes met mine.

 I caressed her waist as I meet her lips once again. Our kissed became more passionate as each seconds passed. She ignited a fire in me. I groaned when she peppered kisses on my neck towards my ear, "Bea..." She moaned, and like a switch something turned in me.

 "Poppy you're killing me," I groaned.

 She chuckled breathlessly on my ear. When she pulled back her brown eyes darkened, "Bea I need you."

 My breath hitched, "Are you sure?"

 Her eyes softened, a warm smile painted on her lips, "Yes, but only if you want me too."

 "God, of course. I want you Poppy." I growled my last sentence. 

 I can feel her nails grazing my nape, "Bea, please..." She started grinding her hips on mine. Our lips met again. I felt her hunger as her lips left me bruised.

 She teasingly bit my lower lip before letting my lips go, "Take me out of these clothes." She whimpered, breath tickling my lips. I obeyed immediately easing her out off her clothes. 

 I gaped at her my eyes raking over her, "Damn... you're stunning."

 She stood up smirking at me before her eyes landed over me, "As much as I love seeing you in that," She held my hand pulling me up, "I need you to take that off."

 I smirked, "Bossing me around even in bed huh?" I lifted my dress out of my body.

 She grinned at me as she stepped closer. Her hand plucked playfully on my body chain, "I can't believe you're hiding this body."

 I chuckled, "We have all night Poppy." I whispered on her lips.

 "Where do you want me Bea?" She looked up.

 I wrapped my arms around her waist, "Let me kiss you first." I murmured before capturing her lips. I let her enjoy my kisses before I teasingly pulled away. She huffed and pouted. I chuckled, eyes gleaming as I pushed her on the bed. I crawled on top of her. She encircled her arms around my shoulder pulling me closer as our lips met again. 

 I felt Poppy's hands everywhere on my body - caressing, grazing and squeezing every part of me she can reach. Her warmth was a constant reminder that this was real and her scent intoxicating my mind made me feel like it was just a fever dream, all at the same time. I trusted my body to move above her as I aligned our bodies. She gasped when my lower region touched hers.

 "Bea..." She breathlessly whispered eyes dilated.

 I peppered kisses on her leg that was lying on my shoulder. Her breath quickened. I felt her hand again. Searching and crawling from my stomach to my chest to my face - caressing and kneading. 

 Our bodies danced in sync to our own music in this bed. She met my every moved which made me groan, "Poppy..." 

 Our eyes locked - the intensity sending me waves of euphoria. Her breath hitched again, mouth open wide. Her voice lost into the waves of emotions I carved into her body.

 "Bea. Bea. BEA." She chanted my name like a prayer as her body reached her peak.

 I groaned as I feel her coming and sending me to my own peak. I bit her shoulders to muffle my scream. She groaned, yet I felt her fingers weaving through my brunette hair as I rode my orgasm.

 I slumped on top of her, my face nuzzling on her neck. She continued to caress my back soothingly as we both regained our breaths.

 After a while I heard her hoarse voice, "You were amazing Bea."

 My chuckle came out muffled on her shoulder, "Another compliment from Poppy Min-Sinclair?"

 I can hear the smile in her voice when she said, "No, just a compliment from me, Poppy."

 I smiled planting a kiss on her neck, "Well I like both as long as it's from you."

 I felt her arms wrapped around me hugging me. Silence engulfed us again. I sighed as I withdrew from the hug.

 "As much as I love staying here I think it's time for me to go home. It's getting late."

 She watched me as I stood up and get dressed. I was fixing my hair in front of her vanity mirror when she walked behind me, wearing a robe already and hugged me from behind. She nuzzled her face on my back. After I was finished making sure I don't look as messy as I was a few minutes ago I turned around to face Poppy.

 She had a soft smile on her lips. Tip-toeing she leaned up and I met her half way into a kiss.

 "Good Night Poppy." I whispered on her lips as I pulled back.

 "Good Night to you too," She paused smirking, "Bea."

 When I got home to my dorm, the lights were already out. Zoey was probably asleep already. It felt like I was riding on a cloud nine as I walked home tonight. Going to that club tonight I was trying not to expect too much, so going home knowing Poppy trusted me enough tonight. My heart felt so full, my soul soaring and my mind filled with thoughts of Poppy's kisses and... screams. I felt a smirk ghosting on my lips as I let myself reminisce what unfolded tonight.

 As I got into my room I received a notification from the The T. My heart dropped to my stomach as I watched a hog calling video of mine back when I was in my parent's farm. The color on my face drained. I felt like my soul left my body and my strength gone in just a blink of an eye. I weakly sat on the foot of my bed, tears were already threatening to spill as I read the comments under the post. 

 It was mentioned in the post that it was sent by an anonymous, but my mind rushed into a one single name - Poppy? Like a glass - my trust and my heart came crushing from the cloud nine as I felt the weight of my conclusion. 

[violetwolfraven]

A sudden revelation came to me : the big twin besties!!! Davey Sarah Mike Ike would be chaos if they’re together but that is okay bcs we love them. That is all thank you💕

They would!! I’m gonna do them in modern AU, so I hope that’s okay, Rai!!

This is going to be pure chaos. Nothing else. Literally no part of this is serious. It’s just pure dumbassery among friends.

Also Les definitely does dance competitions. He goes to the same studio as Race. He competes in a mini division and he does tap and hip hop and his group wins. Fight me.

Tw: swearing.

...

“Davey, pop the popcorn faster!” Sarah hollered from the living room.

“Sarah, shut the fuck up!” Davey hollered back. He loved his sister, but she annoyed the hell out of him.

Well, Les did, too. He guessed it was a sibling thing in general, but there was something about knowing someone since before birth that gave you a special ability to get on their nerves.

Plus, it wasn’t like he could make the microwave work any faster.

“What are we watching tonight?” he called while he waited.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Sarah shouted indignantly.

At the same time, Mike yelled, “We’re binge-watchin’ Liv and Maddie!”

“Oh, of course! That’s so fuckin’ obvious!” Davey shook his head, wishing he could stop himself from smiling as he muttered to himself, “We’re such huge fucking dorks.”

They were, of course, watching Liv and Maddie because they were two sets of twins left alone in a house for the night, and that tv show was about a pair of twins. The Jacobs parents were taking Les to a dance competition and the Guzman parents were going to a wedding.

Honestly, Davey was pretty sure they’d left them all together because out of the four of them, Sarah was the only good cook, Mike was the only good driver, Ike was the one who knew how to operate a can opener, and Davey was the one with common sense. Together, they formed a fully-functional teenager.

Also, they all already had partners, so the parents trusted them to be left alone all night together, unlike when Sarah and Ike asked if they could have Jojo, Hotshot, Katherine, and Jack over, too.

Davey heard the TV start up and silently willed the microwave to work faster.

“Ya can’t start without Davey, Sar—“

“Ike, I don’t know how to break this to ya, but I don’t give a shit.”

Honestly, Davey had expected that, “Thanks for tryin’, Ike!”

“No problem, Dave!”

The popcorn finally finished popping, and Davey grabbed the huge bag of M&Ms on the way out of the kitchen with it before going to join his sister and friends in watching Liv and Maddie’s shenanigans.

Ah yes. The ultimate twin night. Admittedly, the feral energy of all four of them was better than it would’ve been if it was just him and Sarah.

And Ike was smirking at his phone, which of course meant Davey had to tease him.

“Textin’ Hotshot, huh?” he asked, poking him in the shoulder.

Ike batted his hand away, “Shut up.”

Mike laughed, “Ooh, that means there’s somethin’ to hide.”

Sarah slung an arm around his shoulders, “Are you gonna fight? Cause I honestly can’t decide who’d win.”

“Nope,” Davey said automatically, “Can’t do that. We can’t have any death matches destroying the living room or our folks will never let us do this again.”

“I guess the blood would ruin your carpet.”

“Well, Mikey, it’s not like I don’t know how to get blood out of things.”

“Why—oh. Okay.”

Sarah laughed maniacally at the look on his face. It wasn’t that he looked grossed out or anything, just kind of surprised to be thinking about it.

Davey was pretty familiar with having to grab spare pads from the hall closet if the bathroom ran out and tagging along on milkshake runs during Sarah’s time of month, but he guessed a boy without sisters wouldn’t have to think about that kind of thing.

“So, how are things with Hotshot?” he asked, changing the subject.

Ike shrugged, “Good. How’s Jack?”

“He’s over here like, all the time,” Sarah said, rolling her eyes, “Or Davey’s over there. It’s cute in a gross way.”

“Fight me, Sarah. You’re the same way with Katherine.”

“Bitch—“

“Stuff with Jojo is good, by the way,” Mike chimed in, “God, I love him.”

“We get it, you’re cute, now shut up.”

Sarah swatted him, “That’s not very nice, Isaac.”

“Yeah, those are bold words from someone who’s baby pictures I have access to,” Mike agreed.

“You wouldn’t.”

“Try me, bitch.”

“Again, we can’t have a death match without destroying stuff,” Davey reminded them, “So can we just kick back and watch our show?”

Ike butted his head against Davey’s shoulder like a cat affectionately, “We should skip forward a couple seasons so we can watch Liv and Holden break up and cry.”

“No,” Sarah said immediately, “My eyeliner looks really good today.”

“You’re at a sleepover,” Davey pointed out, “Why did you even do your eyeliner?”

“David, I swear to God.”

“You swear to God what?”

“Don’t listen to him,” Mike said, reaching over to hug her, “You look fuckin’ amazing and you and Kathy usually make the rest of us look like slobs.”

“Aw, thanks Michael.”

“Don’t call me Michael.”

They actually managed to watch about half the episode without talking, before Ike shattered the silence.

“Okay, but do we think Joey’s gay?”

“I think Willow’s obsession with him is creepy and it’s super questionable how the writers played it off for laughs,” Mike admitted, “I think Joey does like girls, though. He has chemistry with a few different girls for like one episode each.”

“But he definitely has a thing for Josh in the later seasons,” Sarah pointed out.

“Oh, yeah. Good point. Maybe he’s bi or pan.”

Davey had never thought he’d have a conversation like this, but he had to admit they had a point.

“Maddie and Willow would’ve made a cute couple,” he said, “Maddie can’t drive. That alone is proof she’s not straight. And Liv had chemistry with Holden, but she would’ve been cute with Andie, too.”

“Oh, preach, bro,” Ike agreed, “And I think one of my first crushes when I was in middle school was actually on Parker from Liv and Maddie, so...”

“Parker’s bi and ace,” Mike said immediately, “I’m callin’ it. I don’t even need any evidence; just by vibes. He’s just this bi-ace mad scientist.”

“But seriously,” Sarah insisted, “Joey had a thing for Josh and I think it was requited.”

Davey rolled his eyes, “Duh. Was that ever up for debate after that one episode where the only thing that made Josh feel better about his breakup with Maddie was Joey?”

“So in short, none of the Rooney siblings are straight,” Mike concluded.

“Yup.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Yes.”

Davey smirked, “Kinda like how none of the siblings in this room are straight.”

“Aw,” Mike grinned, “Are you sayin’ you sees Ike and I as siblings?”

“More like we’re all in a cult and we call each other siblings, Brother Mike.”

“Oh yes of course, Brother Davey.”

“You’re both ridiculous.”

“Are you actin’ like you have custody of the brain cell, Sister Sarah?”

“No, of course not, Brother Ike. Brother Davey has it. He just never uses it.”

“I use the brain cell frequently, thank you very much,” Davey said indignantly, “Just not in conversations with people who don’t even have one.”

“Oh, burn!” Ike shouted, and Davey accepted a high five.

It looked like Sarah didn’t have anything to say to that. Probably because she didn’t have the brain cell.

Whatever. If the Rooney siblings could survive with only one brain cell, which the youngest sibling always had, Davey was pretty sure the four of them could, too.

...

This probably makes no sense if you’ve never seen Liv and Maddie. I’m sorry.

[mhafanfics19]

Last call

This is my take on the Angst April Collab writing for Jin Bubaigawara (Twice) Don’t forget to check out all the other amazing writers on the collab here. Thanks to @dee-madwriter for reading the rough draft of this for me. 

Prompt: “It’s 2 am, I know that, but I need you..” “I’m sorry, but I can’t go to you anymore, you know that.”

Warnings: MANGA SPOILERS, slight cursing, angst, death 

You never should have let him leave.

You had been so busy being mad at Jin because of how involved he had been in his work, that you didn’t stop to really appreciate what you had in front of you, and instead you chose to voice your anger. That has never been an issue for you, the problem is how unintentionally mean you can really be.

Of course you knew what his “job” was, you had been married to the man for four years, and honestly you were not at all that surprised to find out about his line of work.

 It really hit you when a sketch of Jin flashed across the tv during the nightly news, there was no denying it even if you wanted too, your husband was an infamous villain. He was dubbed as a dangerous, cold, evil man, but he was none of that to you. He made you feel like home, and that was a feeling no one else ever gave you.

In your eyes, Jin was just a broken man that was faced with unfortunate circumstances, sure he was conflicted in more ways than one, but you’d be damned if you said you didn’t love him.

It was the night before Jin was supposed to return to the mansion the Paranormal Liberation Front worked out of, the whole fight between the two of you started because Jin had constantly shot down your concerns about having a pro hero in the ranks. He had told you everything about the liberation front, and that included what he knew about the number two hero: Hawks. From the moment he informed you of this, unease washed over you, something was off about the hero.

The feeling only intensified when Jin had mentioned a friendship brewing between them. While you have never personally met Hawks, you definitely formed an opinion of the young hero, and it wasn’t a good one. Every time you tried to voice your concern on the matter, Jin would always say that you worry too much, or that Hawks would never do anything to hurt him. 

All it took was one last time of being ignored before you snapped at him, you loved Jin more than anything you really do, he just had a tendency to be painfully naive about certain things. You had both exchanged some pretty harsh words with each other which resulted in Jin storming out of the small apartment, leaving you alone for the night.

This was an argument you would regret for the rest of your life.

You should have known the moment your phone rang, and your husband’s disheveled voice sounded from the other end that something was very, very wrong. Jin would only call you if there was an emergency, but he would always text you to update you on his day and ask about yours.

So getting a phone call after what had been hours of not receiving any messages was definitely alarming to say the least. By the second ring, you had answered the phone and placed it against your ear, what you heard on the other end terrified you. 

It sounded like a war zone; shouting, the cracking of crumbling concrete, and the one sound that filled your entire body with fear, Jin’s voice accompanied with sharp gasps for air. Even in this moment he desperately tried to sound as normal as possible, he loved you and wouldn’t want you to worry, let alone feel guilty for what was happening to him. 

“Hey love, I’m sorry I didn’t get to text you earlier, but the mansion is under attack by heroes. Nah, I just didn’t want to talk to you.”

Your hand covers your gaping mouth, a reaction not caused by the harshness of the second comment, but because of the name which circled in your mind like a flock of ravenous vultures.

Hawks.

You knew this was his doing, you knew he couldn’t be trusted, and now he hurt Jin. In an instant you frantically try to get your shoes, and jacket on. The phone never leaving its position against your ear. 

“Jin, I need an exact address, I’m coming for you baby. Just hold on for me okay? Don’t close your eyes, stay awake, and talk to me.”

A breathless laugh pipes up from the other end, Jin’s words force your heart into your stomach, the pain in his voice agonizingly clear.

“Love listen to me, I need you to stay home the place is surrounded with pros, all you would do is get yourself hurt or killed. I want you to remember me as I was, you can’t see me like this. Listen to me you ass!” 

No, you couldn’t let him suffer without you there, if it wasn’t for you starting a fight he would have been home. He could be next to you safe and sound instead of laying on some cold hard ground, you weren’t stupid, you know what it sounds like when someone is slipping away.

“Jin I’m so so sorry, this is my fault I need to come help you. You don’t get to leave me after four years do you understand me?”

Tears sting your eyes and stain your reddened cheeks, nausea invades your gut as guilt sinks it’s claws further into you, the love of your life is dying and it’s your fault. Jin’s voice becomes even softer with each ragged breath he takes, only a sliver of his once boisterous personality left.

“My love, please say our thing for me just one more time.” 

All of your actions halt at his request, this isn’t real, it can’t be. With trembling legs you slide down the front door, fat tears pouring from your eyes. Steadying your hiccuping breath you speak the words Jin so desperately wants to hear. 

“Hey babe I’m sorry for calling so late. It’s 2 am, I know that, but I need you here with me.”

You had expected him to say ‘no matter what time or where I am, I’m always going to here for you.’ He didn’t, at least not the version you wanted to hear. 

“It’s okay love, I don’t mind you calling so late. Just remember that no matter what time or where I am, I’ll always be here for you. Unfortunately now, it will have to be as a memory, because tonight my love I can’t come home to you.” 

That was all it took, sobs wrack your body, strained wails echo through your apartment. This is not happening, Jin is not dying, it’s a nightmare and you’ll wake up tomorrow wrapped tightly in his arms. 

You’ll get to cook pancakes again in the morning and throw the mix all over each other, Jin would do everything he could to distract you from cleaning the kitchen instead of helping. You would get to tell him you love him face to face. 

“J-Jin...I love you and I’m so sorry I’m not there for you.” 

Jin’s breathing is barely audible now short, soft gasps take their place, as he whispers out the last words you’ll ever hear from the love of your life. This is going to be your last call, and you’re not ready to face the rest of your life with out the man that is your everything. 

“I love you and I’ll always be there my love...”

[girls-scenarios]

How Hard Can It Be?

Idol: Nayeon (Twice)

Prompt: A fluffy scenario about the Reader and Nayeon trying to put together IKEA furniture hahah ☺️☺️

Writer: Admin Kiwi

A/N: I really wish that I was around more right now, but I hope you all enjoy this little scenario!

Nayeon had known that moving wouldn’t be easy, especially since the two of you were finally moving in together. The entire time the two of you had been looking for apartments, she’d been packing and getting rid of as much as she could ahead of time to make things easier when the day finally came. But one thing she hadn’t expected to be so difficult was the furniture.

“Why does it come in so many pieces?” She whined as she dramatically fell back onto the floor, her hand gripping the pages of directions. In front of her, a desk lay in pieces inside its box, and behind that, more boxes were stacked up against the wall. You walked in from the bedroom, laughing as you rolled up the sleeves of your newly paint stained shirt.

“Because we bought them from IKEA. We have to put them together ourselves.”

“We have to?” She grimaced and brought the instructions up to her face. “But it seems impossible! Look how many instructions there are, and this is only one piece! We still have to put together the dresser and the bed frame. We’re never going to finish this!”

“You’ve never put together furniture like this?” You asked, slightly amused as you sat down beside her, peering into the box. There were quite a few pieces.

“No! I mean, my dad always put everything together when I lived at home, and when I moved into the dorm everything was already set up. Why can’t all furniture be like the couch? The couch was all in one piece.”

“Because that would cost way too much money to haul around. We save money this way, and it’s easier to get into the house.” You laughed again and gave her head an affectionate pat. “You’re pretty helpless when it comes to this stuff, aren’t you?”

Pouting, she sat back up. “I’m not!”

“Do you know how to use a drill? Or a screwdriver?”

“No.... But I’m sure I can learn!”

“How about this,” you said as you took the instructions from her hand and looked them over. “I’m not super good at this either, but I can read off what I need, and you can get it for me. That way I don’t have to worry about you accidentally hurting yourself with a screwdriver.”

“I wouldn’t hurt myself,” she muttered, but shuffled closer to the box. “Fine. We can do that. I just have to hand you things, right?”

“Right. Let me go grab the tools I need, I’ll be right back.” You jumped up to run over to the bedroom, and she began to rummage through the parts, turning the identifying stickers face-up. Well, if they were trusting the two of you to be able to build it, how hard could it really be?

-

An hour later, the two of you sat staring at a half-built desk, an open bag of screws, and the fourth page of the instructions. The bookshelf portion of the desk was done, but the rest of it lay in pieces except for one leg and the large desk top as the two of you tried to figure out how to connect the two.

“I think it connects from the back,” you said, although you didn’t sound super convinced as you pointed at the illustration. “See? It looks like we’re screwing something into the back.

“But there’s not a hole there,” Nayeon pointed out, crawling over to point at the back of the bookshelf. “All the other places we’ve been supposed to screw something in, there’s been a hole.”

“You’re right.” Groaning, you ran your hand through your hair. “Man, we had to pick out the most complicated desk there, didn’t we?”

“I didn’t even notice that the bookshelf was technically holding the desk up until we started building.”

“Me neither. Check the side?”

“I don’t see anything there either.”

“And these instructions are no help.” Sighing, you put down the papers, and she crawled back over to you. Her hair was now a mess, strands hanging out of her ponytail, and the rough screws had left scratches on your fingers, although you were pretty sure you’d already lost a few of them in the carpet. Staring at the bookshelf wasn’t opening any new possibilities for attachment, the paper just said to attach them, and it was your turn to fall back onto the floor, whining in frustration. “This is impossible!”

“Like I said,” Nayeon joked with a tired laugh. “I really don’t know what we’re missing. Should we just move on and come back?”

“I don’t know. I guess we can probably put on the other leg, but I’m scared to go any further in case we mess it up.”

“Yeah....” For a moment, the two of you were silent, before she huffed and threw herself half over you and half beside you, making you grunt as she shifted her body weight and cuddled up to you. “This is dumb. Let’s take a break.”

“A break?” You turned your face and she was only inches from you, staring at you with big eyes.

“Yeah, a break. Let’s eat and come back with fresh eyes. Right now I’m too starved to see anything.”

You laughed a bit and moved so that your hand was on her back. “I think you’re just making excuses to eat.”

“Maybe,” she said with a grin, “but it’s a good idea, right? I know you’re hungry.”

“I am,” you admitted, making her grin wider. Leaning in, she gave you a quick kiss before scrambling up and holding out her hand to you.

“See? Come on, let’s go eat. I have all the flyers for nearby takeout places on the table.”

“You aren’t going to cook me something?” You joked as you let her help you up, and she rolled her eyes, still smiling as she pulled you to your feet before shoving your shoulder playfully.

“Sure, with all the nonexistent food in the fridge. Unless you want ramen.”

“I guess I’ll agree to takeout then.” You put an arm around her shoulders and she let you pull her closer, giggling softly as the two of you turned your backs on the desk. When the two of you reached the table, she leaned her head on your shoulder affectionately and crossed her arms.

“Your pick, since I picked chicken last night.”

“Are you sure?”

“Totally sure.” She giggled again when you did a little fist pump in excitement, then, as she watched you shuffle through the flyers, pulled out her phone and raised her eyebrows. “Wait, couldn’t we just look it up on YouTube? I bet somebody made a how-to video.”

Your eyes widened as you turned to her and pointed at her. “You’re a genius,” you said, before holding out your hand to high-five her, making her roll her eyes again, obviously amused.

“I know,” she said with a grin, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Who’s the helpless one again?”

“Still you.”

“We’ll see when I figure out how to put together the desk,” she said, pretending to be haughty as she moved away from you. With a smile, you pulled her back and kissed her forehead, knowing that she liked it even when she whined.

“Okay, okay, you’re not as helpless as I thought.”

“Thank you!”

“You’re welcome, can we order food now? I’m starving!” You let go of her and rubbed your stomach, giving her your own pout, and she laughed, shaking her head.

“You’re really something else, aren’t you?”

“But you love me.”

“You’re lucky I do.” She handed over her phone and sat down as she watched you dial the number on the flyer you were holding, an affectionate smile on her lips. As stressful and crazy as moving and putting together furniture was, there really was no one else she’d rather go through it with than you. Maybe it was because she loved you or because she was so happy to be moving in with you, but having you there made the frustration go away, just a little bit. It made her feel like she’d made the right decision.

“What do you want?” You asked softly as you pulled the phone away from your mouth, handing her the flyer. Even as messy as you were from all the moving and setting up, you still looked so cute that she couldn’t help herself. With a mischievous grin, she sent you a wink and handed the flyer back, determined to have fun with this situation while it lasted.

“You,” she said in return, smiling wider when you rolled your eyes but blushed a bit, turning back to the phone to order for her. Yeah, she’d definitely made the right decision.