#it’s like one of the required items it’s so funny to me

[butteriish]

Darwin’s smart study

i did the 4 x 4 challenge for this one and i actually think it turned out super cute!

[pybun]

I GOT TO DO A HOLOSPRAY FOR APEX' 4TH ANNIVERSARY COLLAB AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

I doubt the one legend I love is the type to celebrate but he can be silly sometimes 🤡

With Maytaki's faves; Wattson, Pathfinder and their love for pastel colors and cute things, I managed to work in Caustic 🥳

You can get this holospray among the other wonderful community created items if you complete the reward tracker!!!

You can see the community showcase video for the event here

It's always a dream come true to be able to contribute to the game I love!!! I'm very grateful for the Apex team for inviting to work with them

[sysig]

Just Desserts continental northern map made using this method! :D (Patreon)

[nemisuki]

A Simple Click

Gamer AU | Finding an outlet to cure her boredom was desperately needed, so much so that she downloads a game full of magic and chibi characters. But what happens when she stumbles across a certain blonde spamming her to join his guild? She takes the offer of course! Gaining a new way to level up, make friends and perhaps even love. 

᧔o᧓ || katsuki bakugo x f!reader, no manga spoilers, no nsfw, online meeting, bakusquad involved, silly moments, slow-burn, 6.3k word count

The app ‘Wispy Guilds’ soon popped up on the computer's home screen with a ding! 

Y/N clicks on the icon and loads up the game, not aware of the future chaos she brought into her life. Perhaps it was fate that brought her and a certain blonde together. And it all started with a simple click. 

The program opens and Y/N is welcomed into the opening screen of the app. Faced with a pretty scenery of what looks to be a mythical oasis, different shades of greens and blue filling her screen. It looks to be a forest with a castle-like building in the middle of the area. Little chibi characters walk in and out of the place, majority dressed as wizards and others as knights. While others occasionally wear funny costumes or props. 

Y/N clicks on the bubble letters displayed in the bottom of the screen ‘Create Account’. She types in all her necessary information but pauses when she sees the username section. 

“Aw man you have to pay to get a custom username! This sucks..” she sighs with a hint of disappointment. Her eyes lock on the small dice icon and she mumbles a plea beneath her breath as she hovers the cursor over it. 

“Please nothing too bad” she says as she clicks the icon to generate a random username. Her eyes darted to look at the result…. ‘StarHae’. 

“Oh you've gotta be kidding me! But it could be worse I guess” she whines with a small pout on her face. With that now out of the way, she clicks continue and goes to the next page. The character customization page pops up and Y/N gets right on it. 

Unfortunately there's not much options since she's only level one but she tries picking the cutest options. With no access to the higher level equipment, she decides to put on a starter black cape accompanied with a common level sword. Due to the lack of unlocked accessories, she settles with that and then clicks ‘Finish & Join’. 

Her screen turns into a small loading scene that resembles a portal, almost like she's being transported into another world. Then a few seconds later she is in the game. Her small chibi character spawns in what seems to be in the center of a town. Other chibi players roaming around and visiting merchants or chatting with other people. 

Y/N clicks on the W key on her keyboard to move forward to explore. Her avatar shifts left and right as it explores the town square. This place seems to be the lobby where everyone is able to spawn in and purchase items or trade. She looks around at the other players and notices they're all higher levels from her, as to be expected of course. An occasional low level player here and there is seen roaming around as she walks around the shops, but few are seen.

A bright yellow arrow appears on top of her screen seemingly leading her to this npc character under ‘Quests’. She follows it, her small avatar running towards the yellow area that's lit up to grab her attention. A small tab appears in the middle of the screen once she steps close enough to the character. The npc is an older man with white hair and a beard, a small beginner cape on his avatar. Y/N clicks on the tab and a tutorial quest appears on her screen. 

“Lets see….. Kill five wolves in the hunting grounds” she mumbles out loud to herself. She doesn't have a choice to exit the tab, so this must be required. She accepts her first mission and a few seconds later, another yellow arrow appears to lead her to the different area. Her avatar runs to the yellow circle near the grand fountain in the middle of the town square. And soon a loading screen appears on her screen for a brief moment as her character gets teleported toward the hunting grounds, a forest more specifically. 

A health bar appears and a small tutorial plays to show her the mechanics of the game. She clicks to take out her sword and runs along the path of the forest. The game was surprisingly good quality, she was so engrossed in the beauty of the forest that she was caught off guard on the ambush. A gray wolf suddenly appears running towards her and the game pauses. Text boxes and pointers pop up to teach Y/N some attacks she can use against her first opponent. 

After a moment of reading, she follows the instructions and moves around to find a good angle, then charging at the wolf. It attempts to claw at her but she clicks the ‘block’ button as instructed and avoids taking damage. Then clicking ‘strike’ as the tutorial orders and continuing her attacks. 

Soon the wolf's health bar reaches zero and its injured body disappears with a poof! 

Y/N smiles and continues following the tutorial as follows, slowly learning and understanding how to attack these beasts. Eventually she strikes the last wolf in the area and confetti appears on her screen. She completed her first mission and she even leveled up! 

“Hm, this game isn't so bad! Maybe I should do a few more quests to level up” she says as she teleports herself back to the lobby and walks back to the quests section. Her eyes land on a castle button on the right side of her screen that's locked. Her cursor hovers over it and it states ‘Guild’. She's never heard of that term, but it unlocks at level 15 so she’ll see eventually. 

(੭˃ᴗ˂)੭ time skip a few hours⋆｡𖦹 °✩

“This game is addicting” she mumbles to herself as she stares at her new level above her avatar's head. 

Level 15!

She should be heading to bed right now… yeah she should call it a night. 

Just as she's about to click log out, she sees the server chat icon wiggle at each new message. Usually it does once in a while when some players request to trade but not this frequently. It's moving like crazy like it wants her to open it. The universe won so out of curiosity, she clicks to open it and sees some players spamming the chat.

A/N ||| I added the cuss words in between brackets so you all understand what Bakugo is originally typing. It's simply to help you know what the censored words are.  Ex : [curse words]  Anyways back to the story  ໒꒰ྀི ´๑  ��๑`  ꒱ྀིა 

-Public Chat- 

Bakugo : someone join my guild.

Bakugo : cmon you extras I need one player.

Bakugo : oi you ##### [fucks]

Kirishima : bakugoooo don't be so rude and curse or you'll get banned again!

Bakugo : tch shush it, we just need one more extra to join so we can do the guild wars.

Kirishima : cmon man no one's gonna join if you ask like that! 

Bakugo : i shouldn't need 6 players max in my guild to do the war anyways

Bakugo : this is #### [shit]

Kirishima : hey bakubro come back! Don't be so mean!

-End of Public Chat- 

Y/N watches as the character with blonde hair and red eyes goes around to every high level person trying to force them to join his guild. He seems to be max level 100 and has the knight kit equipped, already giving her the impression that he is someone who prefers combat over healing or protecting. His chibi character runs around typing censored profanities to everyone who ignores or denies his request, it was a funny contrast.

A friend of his, a character with both red hair and eyes, follows him around apologizing to everyone for his friend's rudeness. He seems to be the nicer one of the two and clearly trying to calm the situation down. She could tell he equipped the animal shifter kit due to the red scales on his avatar, and like his friend he is a high level but of 95. Her curious mind wonders what animal he could turn into. Animal shifters are a rare kit and can transform into one animal with a lucky roll of the dice for it to be randomized. 

She doesn't have much more time to think as the blonde avatar starts moving over in the direction she is, near the quest station. His red haired friend trailing behind him like a puppy. Quickly she hides in the crowd of other players at the quests station, not wanting to be the blonde's next target. 

-Public Chat- 

Bakugo : one of you extras better join my guild

Kirishima : pretty please? We just need one member! 

Bakugo : all of these ####### [fuckers] are low level

Kirishima : Bakugo!

Kirishima : They are all new! Be nice! 

Bakugo : tch none can even join a clan anyways 

Bakugo : they are too low level

Kirishima : lets try a different server then?

Bakugo : tch we've been at this for a hour 

Bakugo : Oi someones high enough there

Bakugo : hey level 15 

Bakugo : join my guild. 

Kirishima : which one? 

Bakugo : that girl with the cape

Bakugo : hey you.

-End of Chat- 

Y/N reads the chat and whines under her breath, “I'm the highest level out of this small group of newbies… just my luck”. She tries to ignore them and moves her character to the side and walks to the fountain. Only to be followed by the chibi characters of the blonde and the red hair. 

“Damn they won't leave me alone…. But I don't even know what a guild is. I only just unlocked that feature” she mutters with a sigh as she runs around the map. The two characters follow her wherever she runs to. She could just leave but she IS curious about this whole guilds thing. So after much pestering by these two, specifically the blonde, she reluctantly types in chat. 

StarHae : no thank you..

Bakugo : so you do speak 

Bakugo : join my guild noob. 

Kirishima : Bakugo cmon! 

Kirishima : hi can i call u star :3

Y/N couldn't help but giggle at the dynamic between the two, finding it humorous that they're so different. They seem to be in the same guild, a symbol of an explosion above both of their heads confirms her thought. She reads the message from the red haired person and smiles, typing a response. 

StarHae : sure! hello kirishima :3

Kirishima : Just call me kiri! 

Bakugo : so you gonna join my guild or what 

StarHae : what is a guild? 

Bakugo : ugh just join and find out.

Kirishima : a guild is a team basically! 

Kirishima : we go on missions together and earn more prizes 

Kirishima : its better than playing solo and you level up faster!

Bakugo : just join my guild.

StarHae : um…

Kirishima : bakugo is the guild master and i'm his vice captain! 

Kirishima : please join us!

Kirishima : we need one more player so we can do the clan war 

StarHae : um…. whats a clan war? 

Bakugo : you have got to be kidding me.

Kirishima : ah basically all the guilds compete in challenges 

Kirishima : its sometimes quests but we fight with other guilds in matches sometimes

Kirishima : whoever wins gets 10k gold and rare items!!! 

Bakugo : tch this is taking forever 

Kirishima : bakugooo cmon have patience

Kirishima : if we get first then the guild gets popular and more people will join! 

Bakugo : tch we WILL win stupid. 

Kirishima : so will you join us star? 

Kirishima : you'll level up super quick with us! 

As Kirishima explains this all to her, Y/N thinks about this offer. It's not bad at all, and there seems to be advantages to being in a clan. Her level is so low compared to theirs, is it okay for her to just join them so easily? 

StarHae : are you sure you guys want me? 

StarHae : my level is only 15…

Bakugo : tch we know idiot just join or else

Kirishima : our clan has only 5 members 

Kirishima : and you need 6 minimum to participate! 

Kirishima : your level doesn't matter 

Kirishima : dont worry we will protect you!

Bakugo : speak for yourself shitty hair 

Bakugo : just click accept.

Kirishima : pretty please? 

Kirishima : we need a sixth member by today or registration closes!

Kirishima : star dont worry

Kirishima : we can teach you as we play :3 

Bakugo : -_-

After that explanation, a small tab opens on her screen, an invitation to join the guild ‘The Bakusquad’. Y/N looks as Kirishima runs around her avatar in circles trying to convince her, while Bakugo is busy spamming her mailbox with many invitations. She sighs in defeat, this was supposed to be just a calm game for her to play once a while but….. Click! 

Accepted Invitation : The Bakusquad

Y/N watches as the explosion guild emblem appears on her head, the three of them now having matching symbols. Kirishima's chibi avatar now jumping up and down in front of her, clearly happy. The guild button suddenly starts blinking in gold obviously wanting her to click on it. She does and sees she now has the option to teleport into the guilds HQ and have access to the guild chat room and quests. 

Bakugo : tch finally

Bakugo : ill sign us up for the guild war now

Kirishima : thank you star!

Kirishima : you totally saved us!!!!

Adam : can you guys leave now?!

Adam : your spamming the chat!!!! 

Elis : Yeah shush it!!!

Bakugo : HAHH 

Bakugo : FIGHT ME YOU EXTRAS

Kirishima : ah sorry guys ;( 

Y/N couldn't help but burst out laughing at the random messages and the way Kirishima's avatar was bowing in apologies to the random players. While Bakugo was spouting more profanities to the people who were typing in chat. At least this was entertaining, yet what has she gotten herself into….

✦ ⎯⎯ㅤִㅤ୭ ୨♡୧ ৎㅤִ  ⎯⎯ ✦

It's been around 2 weeks since Y/N has joined the guild and to her surprise she is having a blast. Unlike solo quests she can level up much quicker now, to prove it she’s currently level 40! Now she has the option to equip a kit which is very useful for the upcoming event, it unlocks new attacks and weapons available to use. 

“Hm… I think I want to be a mage. I'm not very good at close combat and no one in our guild is one yet. So I'll choose this! Plus I can help give my guild mates some boosts and protection spells!” she says happily with a smile as she makes her selection. She clicks on the mage option and squeals with excitement as she receives her new gear. An enchanted cloak with an adorable dress and boots. She even got a wizard hat and a wooden staff for her spells! 

Y/N didn't waste her money on outfits before, wanting to save it for the future. So this new look was certainly needed! Especially for this week.

It's gonna be the first time since the guild wars started that they'll be fighting another clan. Up til now they've just been completing clan quests like raiding dungeons. Soon it's gonna be her first fight against other players so she's more nervous than she expected. She doesn't want to let her new team down. 

Since she joined she has met all the other members of the guild. Kaminari, Sero and Mina! All of them are nice and often talk in the guild chat whenever they're online. Apparently they go to the same school and forced Bakugo to play with them. Hence why Bakugo is never online whenever clan stuff happens, only joining if 6 players are needed for a specific task. Then leaving right after whenever it finishes. He never turned on his mic either. He's a  complete mystery to her. 

The game offered voice chat for clan members so Y/N and the others often talk on there instead. At first she was hesitant, inserting herself into a new group that already knows each other. Yet she found herself enjoying her time in the presence of these people. She never thought this game would lead to new friends yet here they are. 

Soon the day of the first guild vs guild match came. 

Y/N starts up her computer and logs into the game, feeling a bit uneasy about the outcome of this match. If they lose then they won't be able to qualify for the next round. Thankfully she practiced with the rest of the guild beforehand to strengthen their teamwork skills. However not once has Bakugo joined them on their practice matches. She can only hope this won't cause a problem later on. 

She sees the other members already at HQ and chatting happily through the proximity voice chat they have activated. No nervousness at all detected in their tone. 

 “Ah Star you're here!” Kirishima says as his avatar runs over to her excitedly.

“Heyoooo, we're just waiting for Blasty to join in” Kaminari adds on with his usual hyper tone as he chases Sero around the table who shouts out a quick “Hey Star!” 

“There's my fellow gal! Was worried you wouldn't show up, girl! Thank you for not leaving me with these dummies” Mina says happily as she walks over to the group. 

“Sorry sorry but i'm here now” Y/N says softly with a smile to everyone as her eyes scan the guild room. And a few seconds later, Bakugos avatar teleports inside the room with fresh new battle gear. It looks both enchanted and incredibly rare. 

“Wow man! So this is what you've been doing while you were alone huh?” Sero says as everyone starts crowding around Bakugo to admire his armor. Bakugo says nothing back in voice chat as usual and simply types.

Bakugo : get away from me you damn extras

Bakugo : be ready

Bakugo : we start in 1 minute

Bakugo : don't die.

Everyone scrambles to equip their best armor and gear, it's complete chaos as everyone asks for extra supplies and potions. Y/N already was prepared beforehand so she calmly stands to the side and waits. She watches as Bakugos avatar approaches her and stands there almost observingly. Ah he hasn't joined in a while so he must've just now seen the new kit she equipped for the first time. 

Bakugo : You're a mage? 

Y/N reads the chat box and nervously types back, now seemingly too shy to speak through her mic. She hasn't spoken much to Bakugo in general but she wants to earn his approval. He's the guild master after all. But she can't help but to feel a bit intimidated by him.

StarHae : Yes I can offer support and do long distance attacks :3 

She watches as his avatar stares at her for a while, silently analyzing her new look and skills she presumes. It takes a while, so long that she wonders if he's gone AFK right in front of her after the message. Until she sees a short chat bubble appear in the corner. 

Bakugo : Good. 

A bright smile forms on her face at his message. Sure, it was short and blunt. But from Bakugo? She'll take this as a massive compliment. She watches as he quickly leaves her side to start the battle. From his message alone, she feels motivated to do her best. Hopefully they will. 

It was now time for the guild battle to start. Once Bakugo made sure everyone was prepared, all 6 of them got teleported in front of their castle HQ. The building seemingly teleported onto the battlefield in the middle of a forest. 

“Let's do this!” “Yeah, let's go!” “Just follow bakubro!” “On it!’ 

The group of 6 slowly walk through the woods, cautious of any potential traps or ambushes from the other guild. It's 3 rounds in total without a chance to respawn til a new round starts. 1 life each round. The other guild must be doing the same thing, sneaking around the forest trying to find us. 

“A forest huh” a deeper voice echoed through her headphones, so rough yet smooth that it made her jump a little. Huh? 

“Finally using voice chat huh Bakubro?” Kirishima responds eagerly as he chuckles at the end. You can basically hear the smile on his face from just his voice. 

“Tch shut it shitty hair. Can't type while we're fucking fighting against another guild” Bakugo responds with a small scoff. The others snicker through the mic making Bakugo grunt in response.

“Oi Star, get over here to the front” he says in a somewhat commanding tone. 

His voice…. It's the first time she's ever heard it. She didn't expect that at all. Its deep but nice to hear-

“Oi! Mage! You have ears don't you?” he huffs out seeming to already be annoyed. Ah so he DOES talk in the same way he types. Guess that answers the question she's had for weeks. 

“O-Oh! Yes yes! Sorry i'm going” she says quickly as her head shakes to stop her daydreaming. Her cheeks feel warm to the touch from embarrassment and she's forever thankful this game doesn't have a webcam feature. Or she might really die from shame. 

Her small character quickly runs to get behind Bakugo who's currently leading the group. His avatar looks back at her for a moment then forward again. Clearing leaves and making a path for the group. 

“So that's how you sound like huh” he mumbles almost incoherently through the mic. It makes her heart skip a beat oddly. God what's wrong with her. Getting flustered over a voice when she doesn't even know what he looks like. And what does he mean by that? 

“Oh yeah! You're rarely online so you've never properly had a conversation with Star huh?” Kaminari says as he skips along following the group. 

Bakugo simply grunts in acknowledgement, “Hey Mage. I don't know what training you've done with these extras but just stay out of my way okay? And get ready to use buff enhancement spells on me” he orders out to her.  

Sero sighs at his friend's snappy remark, “Don't mind him Star, he's always like that. Just do your best, we got your back”.  

“Mhm… I know… I'll try-” she says but quickly gets cut off when shots are fired towards the group from the other side of the forest. 

The rounds have begun. 

It didn't take a genius to predict the Bakusquad would easily take the first round. When Y/N watched Bakugo run into the open battlefield attacking with no mercy, she knew he was a force to be reckoned with. She was in a trance as he sent out orders to the rest of them, giving them better positioning to win this. He was amazing, too good. 

So much as when the second round approached, the other guild changed tactics and decided to focus solely on Bakugo. Sending all their attacks at him at once, to which Bakugo must've predicted as he yelled out to Y/N, “Defence spell!” 

“On it!” she says as the spell charges up and envelopes Bakugos character in a green force shield. Healing some minor damage taken as well, a nice bonus she learned a few days ago while training. 

With that everyone except Y/N runs out to take the enemies down at closer ranger. A full fledged group attack and an array of magic blending in the air, metal clashing against each other as well. She tries her best to heal her guildmates while hiding behind the rock, occasionally sending out spells to slow the other guilds movements down. 

Unfortunately she wasn't quick enough to cast a protective spell on Kirishima and Kaminari. Both of them disappearing with a poof as they were cut down by the enemies. Though they didn't die in vain as they took 2 down with them. Mina and Sero successfully took out their foes, winning their individual battles. 

2 PLAYERS REMAINING

Quickly her eyes roamed across the battlefield, the other enemy was currently fighting against Bakugo in a heated clash of swords. Sero and Mina were both low on HP but nonetheless started running towards him to help him out. The Bakusquad had the advantage of 2 extra players, this could be a clean sweep. However her confidence was short-lived as Y/N spotted someone in the air hovering above them. A wizard casting a spell as a large fireball started to form in the sky. This was no low level wizard, bad news. 

“Guys look out!” she says as she emerges from her spot and starts running towards them. Y/N is low on energy and she has no more berries to replenish her magic. Thinking about her options she makes a beeline to Bakugo, “Sorry you two just trust me on this!!!” 

She quickly clicks on her limited spell options, there's enough energy to cast one final spell. This might be a risky move but it's the best one in her opinion. Sero and Mina are both extremely low on HP while Bakugo has more. She quickly approaches Bakugo who got  knocked back by the other player. 

“Bakugo!” Y/N calls out as she runs behind him and holds onto his avatar with one arm while the other rests on his back.

“Oi! What are you doing?! I told you to not get in my way!” Bakugo yells out as the enemy he was fighting starts charging at the two. Y/N ignores him as she quickly puts a protective bubble around Bakugo, the attacker falling back as his sword hits the barrier. She focuses hard and gives any last bit of her energy to him knowing what's coming next, he'll need it. 

“You got this Bakugo! I believe in you!”

Before he could respond, the wizard from earlier shoots the fireball down onto the ground, with a large blast. As predicted Sero and Mina were eliminated by that large blast due to their previous low health. Y/N knew she didn't have enough magic left to protect more than one person, so she decided to put her trust in Bakugo. He was their guildmaster after all, and she knows that the others would have agreed with this decision instead. Her avatar in one swoop, dissolves into thin air from that explosion. 

The green shield she casted on him earlier dissolves immediately but leaves Bakugo unharmed from the attack. Without a second thought he rushed his previous opponent and cut him down. Easily making this a 1v1 with the wizard floating in the sky. 

He curses under his breath as he looks up at the wizard and then back at the spot where Y/N sacrificed herself. He ponders for a moment just frozen on the battlefield as the other guy starts zooming down on his broom.

“Now I'm pissed off” he mumbles to himself as he glares up at the last remaining enemy. 

It was an intense battle but he knew he needed to win. Bakugo doesn't take anything else but a perfect victory, and he refuses having to go to round 3. With this new motivation, he sends attack after attack towards the foe. Taking advantage of the energy Y/N gave to him before she was eliminated. Somehow, he managed to break the wizards broom with his moves, leaving the enemy completely defenseless. After losing his main way to escape, it was a solid victory for the blonde. 

Was anyone really shocked? 

After the victory was granted, the guild was teleported back into HQ. Everyone celebrated and cheered through their mics. But it seems like another person had a different thing in mind. Almost immediately, Bakugo walked straight to her once they respawned at base, not saying a single word to anyone else. 

“Don't pull that self sacrificing crap ever again ya got that?” he spats out as he approaches and stands in front of her. Kirishima quickly tries to deescalate the situation, “Hey man relax! Because of her we won-” 

“We would have won either way shitty hair so shut it” he huffs out pushing Kirishima's avatar out of the way. His avatar grabs her hand and pulls her to the side, away from everyone else. The others watch nervously and attempt to approach but Bakugos avatar turns back around causing them to stay. It was funny to see his chibi character look so scary, he might be the only person in the world that can do that. He looks back at her and sighs seemingly calmer than before. 

“Oi if you pull a stunt like that again i'll kill you myself. I don't enjoy watching my teammates die because of me ya hear me? I dont give a damn if it's just a game” he huffs out as he drops her arm. 

“Got it… sorry” she says shyly through the mic as she tries processing his words. A moment of silence passes between them until he speaks.

“....what's your name anyways?” he says with a softer tone almost as if he's aware of her nervousness. 

“Huh? It’s Star-” 

“Tch. No you idiot. I mean your real name.” 

“Oh…..” she can already feel her face grow hotter the more he speaks to her. Seriously, what's up with this? I guess she should tell him, she hasn't told the others yet either. She doesn't understand why she feels a bit self conscious now but she knows it's because of him, “...Y/N. It's Y/N.” 

“Y/N” he repeats back to her. Her name sounds oddly better whenever he says it. She likes it. She wants him to say it again. 

“Log onto the game at the same time tomorrow” he says as he takes off his expensive armor. 

“Huh? Why? Is there some sort of mission? 

“Because I said so. And don't tell the other extras. So you're gonna join or what?”

“Wait, why can't I tell anyone?” she says confused as she tilts her head. 

“Cause me and you are gonna train alone! You need to practice, don't need you to pull another stunt like you did today. So we're training tomorrow before the next battle” he groans at her slowness. 

“Just… me and you?” Y/N responds a little happier than normal, the idea makes her feel… special to just receive training from him. 

“Hah? Yeah didn't you just hear me! Now don't go blabbering to the other extras, it's a secret.” 

“Okay! I promise I'll join!” she quickly says with a smile. 

“Good. Now i'm logging off, wasted too much time today” he huffs and clicks some buttons about to disconnect. 

“Ah bye-” but before she could finish her sentence his character disappeared. 

Bakugo has disconnected. 

“That jerk! He totally left without saying bye!” Mina says as Y/N walks back over to the group. 

“Hey Star! What were you and Blasty talking about? We couldn't hear from all the way over here” Kaminari chimes in with a hint of curiosity. 

Y/N remembers her conversation with Bakugo and keeps her lips sealed, she was looking forward to tomorrow after all, “Um nothing! He was just telling me to not get in his way haha..” 

“Sheesh! Seriously, that guy is a hot head to the bone. Don't mind him Star, he was just embarrassed being saved by you of all people. Since you're new and all” Sero says while he snickers with Kirishima. 

“Well that should be it for today you guys! It's getting late, so we should log off. Good work today!” Kirishima says happily as they all say goodnight and eventually logging off. 

Y/N clicks the button on her computer, shutting it off as she stretches. She sighs and leans back in her chair. Smiling to herself about tonight. Maybe tomorrow she'll finally get to impress a certain blonde in the game.

(੭˃ᴗ˂)੭ time skip⋆｡𖦹 °✩

“That's 10 losses for you and none for me. You're worse at close combat then I thought” Bakugo huffs out as they have a break from training. Eating some berries to gain some of their energy back. Bakugo surprisingly has been using his mic lately which is something she's certainly not complaining about. They have been secretly training together for about a whole week now. Practicing together for hours each day. Yet she hasn't won to him once yet.

Way to go on impressing him y/n…. 

“I can't do it! I'm a mage, close attacks aren't my specialities” she says with a sigh at her failed attempts from earlier. 

“I've seen plenty of mages be good at close attacks. You just gotta try harder idiot” he says as he stands back up ready for another round of training. 

“I don’t know…” Y/N says not wanting to get up and add another inevitable loss to her name. She was embarrassed at him seeing her struggle so much, she just wants to crawl in a hole and never come out. 

“Y/N” he says through the mic in a rough yet soft tone. 

 ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ♡ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ

Her heart quickens at the sound once again. It's been like this ever since that day he first said her name.

“Y-Yeah Bakugo?” 

“Stand up and fight. No one in my guild is weak, ya got that? Tch cmon dumbass” Bakugo scoffs out as he walks over and picks her character up like a sack of potatoes. He leads them both towards the training grounds again, “If you lose then you try again. If you win you keep training. There's always room for improvement, so get that into your skull. No one is perfect.” 

“Even you Bakugo?” she says with a smile at his kind words hidden under his blunt way of speaking. Over time she's gotten used to him by now and knows he means no harm.

“Eh i'm almost there though” he huffs as he speaks in a serious yet cocky tone.

Something about the way he said that compared to his earlier words was amusing to her. He was cocky of course, yet he knew that even he had limits. She couldn't help but to burst out in laughter through her mic. Her stomach felt heavy from the laughs escaping her mouth

“Hahhhhhh?! What's so funny?! You picking a fight?!” 

“Sorry sorry! It's just that you're cute” she says in between giggles while putting a hand over her mouth to muffle her laughter. She didn't even realize what she said at the time, that her inner thoughts slipped out for a split moment. 

Silence was on his end of the mic while she was busy laughing. She calms down eventually when his character completely froze mid walk.

“Hm? Bakugo?”

“What did you…. Erm, actually I'm logging off for today!”

“Huh?! Why?” 

“Because I'm tired, you idiot! Now log off and get some rest!” 

A split of a second later his avatar disappeared, her character falling on the ground, no longer being held up by him. She blinks a few times at her screen confused then logs off as a result. Guess Bakugo got tired of training I suppose. 

After that incident, she noticed that Bakugo hadn't logged into the game for a whole week. Y/N asked around yet the Bakusquad didn't know why either. Apparently he was just busy and didn't have the time to join. She felt a bit disappointed whenever she joined and he wasn't around. Her eyes always scanned the room in hopes of seeing him. 

Until one day she logged in and there he was alone, fixing and adjusting his gear. Quickly she waddles her avatar over, “Bakugo there you are!” she says with a bright smile clearly happy. She sees the way he pauses then turns to look at her, just staring at her for a moment before…

Bakugo : Yeah im here. 

Huh? Why is he not talking… 

“Why… are you not talking with your mic?” she decides to ask hesitantly, the smile slowly dropping from her face. 

Bakugo : Cause

Bakugo : Don't wanna. 

Y/N nervously fidgets with her fingers as she reads the chat. He always used his mic now whenever they were alone. Did she perhaps do something wrong? So he's back to how he used to be? She doesn't like that…. 

“U-Um…..” she speaks before she can think. Her eyes shut as she says her next words, forever thankful no one is around. 

“....I wanna hear your voice… please” 

Silence. 

After no response she says it again in case he didn't hear her. 

“I missed your voice” 

It's quiet for a moment and she's too scared to open her eyes and see in case he responded in chat. That came out weird didn't it? God she's embarrassed. Maybe she should just log out-

“You're an odd one ya know that?” 

His voice echoes through her ears causing her eyes to snap open. Her whole body felt incredibly hot to the touch. He actually turned on his mic for her? He sounds…. less hostile than normal too. Softer. 

“I'm not the nicest guy. Why would you want me to talk in the first place” he scoffs out loud but she can hear the hesitance in his words. Like he wants her to answer him. 

“Because… I like the sound of your voice and talking to you makes me happy!” she says a bit too eager to please him. She mentally facepalms at her cheesy words. 

“Y-You….” he stumbles over his words like he's caught off guard at her boldness. He huffs and continues, “C'mon your level is still too low! Have you not been training while I was gone?! We have to train more!” 

His avatar starts walking to the training grounds with purpose expecting her to follow. 

“Oh okay!” she says as the smile returns to her face, excited to spend more time with him. As they exit HQ and walk together towards the forest, he speaks once more almost as soft as a whisper. 

“....I like it too” 

“Hm? Like what?” 

“Your voice.” 

He speeds up his walking pace so he's far ahead of her, leaving her behind in a complete daze. Was he embarrassed? 

Her hands rise up from the keyboard and cover her warm face as she processes what just happened. But her smile only grew wider. If she only knew how red faced the blonde was behind his monitor. Maybe joining this guild wasn't so bad after all.

✦ ⎯⎯⋆ ˚｡⋆ ୨ masterlist || taglist || intro || socials ୧⋆ ˚｡⋆⎯⎯ ✦

[thezombieprostitute]

Tech Tuesday: Lloyd Hansen

Summary: It's your first week on the job and you find yourself having to deal with a very angry higher up.

Warnings: Power imbalance, Yelling. Please let me know if I missed any.

Tech Tuesdays Masterlist

"For the last time, Hansen, NO! We have these regulations for a reason." Levinson was yet again regretting hiring Lloyd. There's no denying the man got results but were the results worth the cost of dealing with the man? He'll have to get some of his analysts take a look. He doesn't even have to ask and he knows Raymond, his assistant, has made note to ask them.

"It's a bullshit regulation," Lloyd argues. "There's one IT person who can work with me, why the hell wouldn't they be the one to go with me on this trip? You've always been okay with us bringing some tech head in case our company electronics have problems."

"Yes, but that's for experienced tech employees," Jonathan intervenes. "This young lady has been working with us for only a few weeks. She is very skilled, yes, but---"

"And she's the only one of your team that isn't a pompous ass," Lloyd sneers. Ari, Jonathan and Raymond all give him a look. "Yeah, I know I'm a pompous ass. It's why I don't work well with those other assholes."

Ari sighs, "still, we can't have such a new employee going on a trip. You're going to take a more experienced IT member or you will take no one."

Lloyd huffs before stomping out of the CEO's office.

The project for the CFO is taking up a lot of your time but you're grateful for having something to focus on between tickets. Working with people was never your strong suit and those tickets can be draining.

Except for the ones from Hansen, funny enough. While you understand why others don't like to work with him, you're grateful that he leaves you be. He doesn't pester you with questions or offer advice that you have to pretend is good. He doesn't talk about his life's story or complain about "technology these days" that you have to half listen to so as not to appear rude. He lets you work, get in the zone, and you can get the ticket completed without feeling drained afterwards.

He seems like the naturally loud and demanding type so the fact that he's quiet when you work really means something to you. And he always follows it up with praising your work. The nickname "Maestro" seems to have stuck with the rest of the IT crew and it's really helped you feel more like you belong. You're genuinely grateful to Lloyd for that.

Almost as if your thoughts made him manifest, Lloyd enters your cubicle and sets his laptop next to you.

"Hey there, Maestro," Lloyd smiles. "My laptop is acting up. Take a look at it for me, will ya?"

"Um, Mr. Hansen, Sir, did you submit a ticket?"

Lloyd's smile drops. "If I did that, it might not get assigned to you. This way we can work around that requirement and spend some more time together."

"I'm, I'm sorry, Sir," you shake your head. "You have to submit the ticket. It's regulation."

"What the hell is with everyone and these damn regulations?!"

"I could get in trouble, Sir," you explain. "If I fix your laptop without submitting a ticket, that's work time that I can't account for. In other cases, Sir, if something goes wrong with company property, they need to know who was responsible for fixing it. If I fix your laptop but the fix doesn't work, there's a gap in that item's history that could throw off future updates. I really don't want to get in trouble, Mr. Hansen." You look up at him, eyes pleading.

He sighs, "well, can't have a good girl like you getting in trouble on my account, huh?" You try to hide your reaction to being called a good girl but Lloyd gives you a look before grinning at you. "Did you like that?" His voice is low and he brings himself to your level so he's right next to your ear. "Do you like being a good girl?"

"Y-yes, Sir," you confess.

He chuckles, "I'll remember that, Maestro." He grabs his laptop and gives you a wink before sauntering out.

Tech Tuesdays Masterlist

Tagging: @alicedopey; @delicatebarness; @ellethespaceunicorn; @icefrozendeadlyqueen; @jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory;

@late-to-the-party-81; @lokislady82; @ozwriterchick; @ronearoundblindly; @lokislady82

[thefrogman]

The Happy Clippers

Why do I love product photography so much?

People have asked this from time to time. They will be confused as to why I choose to put so much effort into photographing a jar of hair gel or a soda bottle instead of something more meaningful. Or they will be impressed by the photography but their distaste for advertising in general will give them pause. Or they will complain that artists are wasting their talent helping companies market their wares.

And I understand some of that. But I fell in love with product photography mostly because I like the challenge. It requires a lot of very high level lighting techniques. It is essentially light sculpture. And it just so happens that when sculpting with light, the best subjects are those with glossy surfaces. And when learning and practicing this genre, it is super easy to just grab something you have in your house. And the glossiest and most reflective stuff tends to be... products.

Product photography is also easier for my disability. I don't have to deal with the anxiety that photographing people can sometimes cause. I don't have to go to a location. I can get up, move a light, lie back down and rest. Get up, move another light, lie back down. I don't have to do everything all at once and burn myself out.

There is also the fact that photographers can make a nice living shooting products. Artists deserve to eat. And there is nothing wrong with using your talent to that end.

But I also really like the idea of taking something mundane and ordinary and trying to make it interesting or beautiful. It takes a lot of creativity to figure out how to make a bottle of shampoo "sexy" or make a bottle of cheap wine not look so cheap.

And that is why this photo of nail clippers is one of my favorite product photos. I think it is funny because these clippers probably don't deserve to look this good.

In the future I do actually hope to take still life photos of more meaningful subjects. And I'd love to help people with small businesses get better photos of their items. There are a ton of folks who make awesome stuff on Etsy who just don't know how to capture a nice photo of their work. And I am planning an art project where I take portraits of people and their most cherished object.

But if a cosmetics company ever asks me to splash some water on a bottle of bronzer, I'm definitely going to take that paycheck.

[pinkthrone445]

-Abbott's house-

Pairing:Melissa Schemmenti x Reader

Gender:Fluff, funny, soft

Warnings:none(?) future smut

Summary:The district gives the school the idea of spending a month living together to strengthen bonds, you never thought that would change your relationship with some so much.

Hi! This is an interactive story, if some thinks about something funny that one of the people of Abbott would be like to do, and you would like me to introduce it in the second part of the fic, you can leave it on the comments. I hope you like this part!

Abbott's shenanigans

There are a lot of things that influence the relationship we have with people, spending a lot of time together, going on vacation together, going on dates, being with someone when they're sick and taking care of them, having a fight or a problem that requires assistance, living together, and so on. It could change the relationship for the worse or strengthen the existing friendship, or sometimes even make love grow.

You and your Abbott classmates commonly spent a lot of time together at work, so you never thought that living with them would make much of a difference, but you were wrong and didn't know how much until Ava walked into the teacher's room accompanied by Janine to make an important announcement.

-"Please, if I can get your attention... I have an important statement, as the vacations arrives, Abbott will begin to do a month of interaction together to reinforce the fellowship and friendship between us so we can work better together as a team an as a family, you can say that you do not want to go, but keep in mind that it will be an all-paying month in a shared house, the groups will be 8 people per house, which if everyone says yes, this group will be a house shared by Melissa, Barbara, Jacob, Gregory, Ava, (Y/N), Mr. Johnson and I"-Commented a very excited Janine seeing everyone-"The house has 5 rooms, so some will have to share a room and others won't, we will fix that later depending on who says yes... It also has 1 private bathroom per room and a large one downstairs, it has a fully equipped kitchen, a dining room and living room with television, a terrace, a patio and a heated pool... The only thing you would have to bring is the clothes you would use, personal towel and any hygiene items you prefer besides personal medicines... You will also have money to go shopping, there will be group activities and you will have 2 days completely free to do whatever you want or go visit your family. If you want to be part of this, talk to me or Ava and we'll write you down, I hope you take advantage of the time the district decide to give us something for free..."Janine muttered the last part before leaving the teacher's room, leaving you all a little surprised with the news.

Immediately the murmurs and questions began

-"Gregory let's go together and share a room!" - Jacob murmured excitedly, grabbing his friend's arm

-"I don't know... I have my day to day planned even to what I eat, it would be a big change" - he replied without much conviction

-"Please! If we do this I'll have one more month to find a new apartment... Besides this will help me with my breakup...You know how sad I've been"-Jacob was using the pity card and Gregory knew it, but he loved him too much to say no...

-"Fine, but you better keep the room clean" - Gregory muttered under his breath, and Jacob jumped and danced happily

-"Are you going Barbs?" - Mel asked her friend she shrugged her shoulders

-"I have to ask Gerald first, but if I go, I want a room to myself so I can use my breathing machine... You?" - Barbara asked

-"I think maybe...I'm very bored alone, it will be a good distraction... You?"-Mel asked you this time while you were eating

-"I want to... I mean, paid vacation? Count me in, besides I don't have anything else to do"-You smiled looking at the redhead.

Little by little, everyone else got on board with the idea of spending the vacation together, so before you could think about it much more, you were already driving to the house where you would spend the next month of your life.

You were one of the first to arrive, even though there were already two cars in the driveway. You carefully unloaded your bags and walked inside the house, suddenly finding Ava and Janine talking and arguing.

-"Hello girls..."-You whispered trying to go unnoticed and not interrupt or get involved in the discussion

-"(Y/N)! Welcome!" - Janine yelled, walking away from the principal and getting closer to you-"All the rooms are assigned already... Yours is the one to the right in the second floor, you can settle in and when everyone arrives, we will handle you sheets with the schedule for the month, Okey? Enjoy" -The petite woman barely let you say hello before going back to her chat with Ava. You carefully brought your bags up and noticed that you had a shared room, although you still didn't know with whom.

After settling everything in, you felt more people arrive at the house and before you knew it, your roommate had walked through the door

-"Hello roommate" - Mel muttered, leaving her bags on her bed and smiling at you

-"Oh, hi Mel... I thought you will be sharing a room with Barb... I mean, sorry, from everyone that I could got, I'm happy it's you..." - You muttered a little embarrassed

-"Yeah... Barbara wanted a room to herself, but Ava and Mr. Johnson asked for it first, so Barbara was assigned with Janine, Gregory, and Jacob together and you and me together..."-The redhead began to unpack her bag as you looked at her

-"Do you want me to swap rooms with Barbara so you are together? It's not a hassle at all" - You responded, helping her with her stuff

-"Don't bother, Ava did this because she wants us to strengthen our bonds with people that we don't get together as much, so we are stuck together... Also, Ava did this arrangements because she wanted a whole room for herself"-she muttered, arranging her clothes on one of the furnitures

-"Okey... Do you want to set some ground rules or something? I don't wanna bother you"-You asked sitting on your bed looking at her

-"Just by saying that, I already like you a thousand times more... I just don't want the light on after 12 if possible and dry the bathroom thoroughly after a shower. I think that's it. You?" - she commented, turning to look at you and you shrugged your shoulders

-"I don't think so..."-You muttered before you pulled out one of your books and started reading while she sorted out her things.

The week began to pass normally, each one received their activity sheet, which included movie nights (each one would choose one movie per night), you had physical activities together, walks, reading nights, month game night, each one was assigned a place in the house to clean and other chores together. Everyone would have to cook or go shopping from time to time. Take some classes for school, etc.

It would be a busy and interactive month.

Your coexistence with Mel was going well, more than well, the fact that you didn't make her angry so far said a lot.

When the first movie night rolled around, Jacob chose the movie "It", which you tried to avoid because you didn't like horror movies and because you hated clowns, but Ava said it was a must-do activity so you had to stay, although the truth was that she wanted to laugh at how scared you were.

Before the movie started, you made popcorn for everyone and sat next to the redhead who was the only empty spot on the couch. Mel smiled at you and covered your legs with the blanket she had, sharing it with you.

At first you avoided watching the movie by looking at your phone, but Ava told you to turn it off so you no longer had any distractions, nervously, you started playing with your fingers but Mel noticed your fidgeting, carefully she took one of your hands with hers and intertwined her fingers with yours smiling at you

-"It's okay, it's just a movie, I'm here with you..."-she whispered close to your ear, making you blush. You never thought that sharing just a couple of days together would make the redhead more fond of you and want to take care of you.

The rest of the movie you saw it without letting go of her hand and shaking a little when the damn clown appeared, witch was all the time.

At the end of the movie you were one of the first to go to your room, as soon as you entered you lay down on your bed and started watching cartoons on your cell phone trying to get the face of the damn clown out of your memory. Mel carefully entered the room and stared at you tenderly, you looked like a small sacred child

-"Are you watching Bluey?" - she whispered, trying not to alarm you

-"Yes... I hate clowns and now I'm scared and I won't be able to sleep if I'm like this... Don't laugh at me please"-You muttered in shame and she shook her head

-"Never... I'll go take a shower, you can leave the lights on tonight if you want..."-She responded taking off her clothes in front of you, seeing her in her underwear made you forget your fears for a moment, it wasn't until the redhead walked through the bathroom door that you came back to reality and back to your cartoons.

After a few minutes, the room filled with the scent of flowers when the redhead came out of the bathroom, you followed her with your eyes waiting for her to go to her bed, but instead she stood in front of you

-"Move a little, give me a little of room, I'll sleep with you so you don't get bad dreams"-Mel suggested and you gave her space a little confused, thinking maybe she was joking. She carefully climbed onto your bed with her pajamas on and gently hugged you making you snuggle on her chest, consciously or unconsciously, this was making you feel safe and calmer.

Your heart began to beat more slowly and your head stopped thinking, her hands gently scratched the back of your neck and the beating of her heart over your ear made you breathe more calmly and steady, even the darkness and silence of the room provided a calm atmosphere now that she was by your side.

When Mel began to feel like you were falling asleep, she kissed your forehead gently

-"Good night hon, I'll take care of you..."-She whispered before you fell asleep completely.

Unable to believe it, you slept through the night without any nightmares, and when you woke up Melissa was still by your side sleeping and cuddling you. Not wanting to wake her, you tried to gently snuggle closer to her. You couldn't believe how good she smelled and how beautiful she looked while she sleeps. When you were about to snuggle up on her chest, her voice startled you

-"I'm already awake hon... Good morning" -she commented in a thick voice making you blush

-"I'm sorry...I...it's just that you're so warm that I wanted to get closer to you... Besides you smell so nice..."-You began to stutter from nerves that you had been caught in your attempt to be close to her-"I didn't want to disturb you, just feel your warmth..."-The redhead snuggled you with her arms putting you close to her chest making you shut up by being almost between her breasts

-"I said good morning... And you didn't answer" - She commented in a raspy voice

-"I... I'm sorry, good morning Mel" - You replied and closed your eyes taking a big breath to etch her perfume into your memory

-"Did I help? Did you have any nightmares?" - She asked and you shook your head with your eyes still closed-"Good... Do you want to go cook breakfast together?" - She asked again and after a few seconds of thinking, you nodded. Although you'd like to stay in that bed for as long as possible, if you said something, you might make her feel uncomfortable. Gathering all the strength in the world, you sat up on the bed and stretched out your arms under the watchful eye of the redhead.

After the two got ready, you went to the kitchen with the redhead to make breakfast. No one was up yet, so that gave more peace and quiet to cook. You and the redhead worked together like a well-oiled machine, it seemed like you had been cooking together for years as you saw how you helped and understood each other. The redhead put on Italian music and was surprised when you started singing, seeing you with different eyes than she did a few days ago.

At the time you didn't know it, but that month would be one of the most intense and crazy where your life would take a 180-degree turn, changing everything, especially your relationship with your coworker and roomie.

[utilitycaster]

in looking for posts about the end of C2 I found a self-inflicted ask meme (called that) in which I asked people to send wish items for C3 and first off, once we do have a hard episode count for C3 I might run something similar because it was fun, but also, looking through, some notes:

Laura playing a sorcerer was rather popular, as was Marisha as a high-Charisma character

Issylra setting REALLY popular...we got a smidge I suppose but this was not really a Continent In Depth campaign

people did want to see Travis as a lycan blood hunter, AND in some cases older characters

Lots of interest in an aeormaton too!

I really wanted to see Sam as a cleric, which is funny because I spent the first 30 episodes pissed off at FCG's execution but I DID come around, so. hat consumed.

why do people care so much about the seating arrangement. bestie i could not give a shit.

I think this campaign also made me go from "previously knowing each other can be good but I'm not interested in more twins, we've moved past that" to "let's keep the prior relationships either brief or like. require you submit a 10 page essay of backstory so we don't get some empty bullshit"

people REALLY liked wild magic barbarian so the fact that Taliesin and Matt were explicitly like "it sucks ass" is funny to me, a person who's neutral on it.

a lot of people wanted Travis as Tabaxi and I hate this and they got mad but I'm right and sexy and ready to have a long mean conversation with you about the anti-ableism leaving people's bodies when it comes to severe allergies.

3+ years and I still hate changelings and kalashtar I'm sexy and right on this one too

someone wanted a horse girl but a cavalier fighter; Imogen's horse girliness sort of didn't really have much time to be a thing (this is not a judgement, this is just, they weren't riding horses much bc of the nature of the campaign) and I would like a cavalier

*ironic laugh* multiple people wanting Laura specifically to play evil aligned.

people really wanted circle of spores for liam. there were a lot of repeats frankly that made no sense to me and i never got the answer. was there a server or something.

Travis INT or WIS caster when

Bard Ashley when

Sam's character should be taller than Travis's ACHIEVED FOR ALL BUT FCG & BERTRAND. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

everyone was like WELL OBVIOUSLY the cast will play elves for the sleep reasons and then no one did.

the specter of a Shadowgast child had already risen unfortunately. before the relationship was fully confirmed no less.

spelljammer fans are not intellectual to put it mildly

please GOD not everything has to be self-referential in-jokes. use your mind.

[wayfayrr]

Alright, I wonder how long an ask can be. U asked for it!😝

Also, if u were curious, since I’ve only played Botw and most but not all of totk, 98% of the time my yandere self-aware ideas will be of Wild/Tears.

How does Wild/Tears feel about the fairies? Like, is he embarrassed that reader has to watch that? Does he worry what they think? Or is he just like “eh, I can’t control their upgrade animations, sorry”. Then how does he feel when reader thinks it’s kinda cute/funny? I don’t want to traumatize the poor guy, but I must admit watching the level four animation is slightly funny bc I feel so bad for him. And in level three when he covers his face is cute.

What about when he just has to sit there for 10 hrs his time? Listen, I wanna upgrade the darn champion’s tunic but the stupid upgrades require 2 of each farmable dragon Zelda item. And I couldn’t find her for so long it was annoying. Ik she follows a certain path but even so u have to just keep following the path hoping u eventually run into her. So I just decided to farm an item, then sit there for 10 minutes r time until she’s farmable again. So how does Tears feel? Am I wasting his time? Is he bored? If he had an animation for it would he fall asleep? Would he glare at me for making him sit there for 10 hours? Plus, ima be honest. For those 10 minutes of me just waiting, I’ll usually scroll on my phone. I’m not gonna stare at the tv for 10 minutes, sorry lol. So is he mad that I’m not paying attention to him and stuff?

What about if I laugh at him? Alright, I don’t do it That much lol, just if I make an embarrassing mistake w him and he looks a little funny. Would he be embarrassed? Mad? ….?? I think he’s cuuute! It’s fiiine, right…?😭

Thinking about my one ask where I used him for science, totally not using bombs on him for any other reason! Anyway, so I have to admit, his overheating animation I like. I’m all for angst/whump w characters. Whenever I read AO3, 98% of the stories r angst/whump for Wild/Tears. Sicfic? Yes please! Nightmares? Yes please! Psychological torture? Sign me up! There was this one fic someone wrote about Wild being hit by a curse that trapped him in his memory next time he unlocked one, so he had to watch it over and over and over. The rest of the chain had to save him. Tho, if it makes u feel any better, I only like happy endings, no open ended ones, no sad ones, or character deaths. Nope. Fairy tale where they all lived happily ever after please and thank u lol. So anyway, I got sidetracked lol. My question was, would he be mad if I just put the game on the clothes menu when he’s overheating so he doesn’t lose any hearts over it, just watching him do it for a minute or two?

Sometimes I need to wear like one clothing item per outfit so I can use like 3 different abilities. For example, maybe bandana to climb faster, gloom shirt for an extra heartbreak, and snow pants bc it’s freezing? And sometimes I’ll complain that he looks ugly, well, not him, but the outfit, and say that I wish I could make him look cuter but I need these abilities atm. Does he hate the outfits like I do? Does he care more about function? Does he hate that I care so much?

How does he feel not being able to talk? Like literally every other character can talk except him. And he can’t do anything by himself. Everything he does is either a programmed animation or an action by my controller. I bet he has a lot he wants to say but can’t. Does he ever worry that if he were to get out and see me, what if he couldn’t talk to me??

🐰

yeah it's always a lot easier to think about the links you know better for stuff like this ngl, so I don't blame you for sticking to them. plus wild and tears are just fun too right? :3c

so starting from the top -

I think the fairies are a touchy subject for him, if you like the cutscenes then he can set his discomfort about being picked up and kissed somewhat - don't get me wrong he doesn't enjoy it but for your happiness he'll do it as many times as you make him (although, unless he finds a way to override the controls then it's not really like he has a choice in it) he'll make notes about how you like him acting in certain ways though - I mean if you like seeing him as a blushy mess covering his face in the game then you'll like it more when he's doing it in person right? Please don't make him recreate the level four one though.

To be honest, there's nothing that you could do to him that he could ever consider a waste of time. would he prefer you to be actively engaged? sure. Is he bothered if you're still there but just waiting for a bit for the dragon to recharge? Not really, yeah he'd prefer to be doing more, but at the same time it gives him a chance to observe and to get more of a grasp of how the game works while it's on and running compared to when he's robbed of his body and is left a being floating in a desolate void of numbers and machine code. He can relax and still have feeling and eyes on you and your eyes on him every now and then even though it's not as often as he'd like. as for the time? I think once he became aware he stopped running on hyrules time, so it's only ten minutes for him too. Ten minutes that granted feel longer than that cause of the scenery, but still only ten minutes. if it were a situation where he was still in a hyrule then he'd be further detached from anyone else. (my thoughts are if the game is left in standby on the switch then it's all still loaded and the links have free reign but if it's closed and you're playing another switch game then it tosses them into the abyss)

laughing at him for being cute is all good but please don't make fun of him ;-; he's only doing what you make him do after all!

I need to write more whump and hurt/comfort for tears actually, thanks for the reminder Well, he's not getting hurt by it -soooo he's kinda a bit deluded into thinking that it's another show of love for him. You simply love all the sounds that he's making <3 (and I don't blame you, his whimpers are actually just so adorable?????) You care so much that you're not letting him get hurt for your happiness!!!!

I think he takes it as a compliment that you care so much about how his outfits look, he wants to look his best for you too!!! If he could he'd find a way to stack the different bonuses so that you could treat him like a proper dress up doll without having to worry about the environment and how it impacts him :c he doesn't care what outfit he 'wears' cause it's not like he's actually wearing and interacting with it. it's glued to him like a second skin so whether you're keeping him shirtless or putting him in the thickest shirt possible there's no difference to him just don't mod him so that he's no longer himself please

The fact that there's a chance he wouldn't be able to communicate with you is something that he worries about alot, not even just not having a voice. He'd be fine with being mute if he can write or sign to you, hell he could probably delude himself into being fine that he couldn't do that if he could move freely and hold you. what scares him the most is the idea that he'd be like a puppet cut, that if he gets out that without the code acting as his strings he falls limp like a puppet cut loose. that's what's horrifying to him. anything else he could learn to live with, but that potential keeps him from making any rash movements where the cost could outweigh the benefits. I like to think that out of desperation, (this goes for sky in the fic too) they stole another characters voicebank from another game :) one that speaks your native tongue preferably, but at the very least one that shares a language you speak

[fatuismooches]

Hoyo drops a Neuvilette dragon-form ladle and expects me to move on just like that? Not a chance.

Okay. Dottore. And fragile!reader who takes a liking in ceramics.

The weakness caused by mysterious sickness got the reader unable to attend to their hobbies as often as they'd have wished to. However, there are days when they feel great and devote their time to their lover. And if Zandik happens to be busy - it's ceramics time!

At first, there were no noticeable changes and Dottore doesn't acknowledge the strange items. It must be Pantalone or Columbina sending prank gifts anyway. But as the time passes, more and more strange items start appearing...

First, it was a the salt and pepper shakers. Instead of normal, tube-like shakers, two one-eyed bird creatures sat on the table. Their shape wasn't completely smooth, some imperfections here and there. The dyes overlapped in some places as well. Dottore knew right away that this wasn't bought from the local market. Why the strange shape, too?

That's when he begins to notice more. There is a ladle that's base takes the shape of the raven head that Dottore carries around his shoulders as a fancy accessory? There are a couple of ceramic bowls and plates that have silly drawings of the segments? The fox-monster-creature with a basket in its paws that serves as a fruit storage?

Dottore is confused. But also amazed.

He will praise the reader how wonderful all of their creations are, even if he finds them a tad bit weird at times. He loves them, really! Zandik will make sure to encourage their beloved to not stop the hobby since it is also good for their health - distraction from illness is always a great thing!

Let's just say Pantalone's bewilderment was immeasurable when he received a report stating that Dottore requests a ton of highest quality clay.

THIS IS SO CUTE... You always had a good amount of hobbies before you got sick, but after the illness, you find that your strength is too sapped to do anything too strenuous. So instead you stick to hobbies that don't require much energy, like reading for example. But that doesn't mean you're just going to give up on your old hobbies! Thankfully you still have good days that you can set aside for ceramics!! You don't bother telling Dottore because you assumed he'd realize it's you once you start sending your creations to him! (You think it's funny that it took him this long to realize, who else would take out the time to give him gifts? Only his dear lover of course!)

Not only are the shakers strange looking and far from perfection, but it is an odd thing to give to the man who barely eats, and when he does, the food is made and seasoned exactly to his liking by you. At least the shakers work...? That's one thing, at least. He doesn't have much use for them, but for some odd reason, he tucks them somewhere in his drawers for safekeeping.

However, more odd things that he would never use end up finding his way on his desk along with the very strange designs. He knows it couldn't be a joke anymore because of the sheer number and time it must have taken to make these things, despite them not being the most professional. There's really only one person he knows who could have done this. One of the plates has a wide pointy grin with red eyes that he can instantly recognize as Beta (Webttore) despite its simpleness. He doesn't think he could ever eat off a plate with that but he is amused by your creations. And also impressed.

First, he's very glad to hear your hands are steady enough to create such things. That is good news! Secondly, seeing you so happy is good for everyone considering your illness often impacts your mental state. Thirdly, he's partially offended that the other segments knew about your hobby and not him, your actual husband. Still, as long as it keeps you distracted, he'll keep indulging it for as long as you'd like. Even when you continue to send him strange gifts that he'd never use, only admire. (Pantalone is confused but soon puts two and two together.)

Of course, no one comments on the segments using puffling shakers in order to keep their life. I need a Foxttore fruit basket desperately... (imagine putting apples in it as a joke for Dottore teehee... :3)

[heartbreakgrill]

Delicate: Vessel (Sleep Token); Part 1- "You can make me a drink."

description: Spending the summer touring Europe with her brother and the band he works for sounds like the perfect way to get herself out there, at least, that's what Daisy's intent is. But, with the cocky lead singer of the band, clashing personalities, and an entire summer for tensions to grow, things may not go as they are planned.

a/n: not the story i promised, but one i love. posted on ao3, too. enjoy lovelies <3

“Okay, so, ii is kind of…quiet, I guess? He’s fucking smart as shit. Knows all these random facts, but he just doesn’t talk too much until he gets to know you. Ya know?”

I stared out of the airplane window, Sam’s words distant to my tired brain. My processing skills were not sharp this early in the morning, especially considering the time change we had gone through. I was too focused on the view, anyways. The sky looked ethereal this time of morning, all foggy mountain peaks bleeding into crimson orange, bordered by black, starry clouds. I traced their puffy edges with my bleary eyes in an attempt to not fall back asleep. We were landing, after all, and we’d have to push through busy crowds for the next half an hour. Falling back asleep would take any energy I had left and stomp it out.

“And, then, iii…I am a little concerned about how he’ll act with you because he’s-he’s flirtatious-”

“Ladies and gentleman, we are now landing at Heathrow International Airport in London, England,” the pilot interrupted Sam’s sentence, staticky voice crackling over our heads.

I felt Sam shift in his seat. His elbow knocked against mine on the tiny armrest we had been fighting over the entire flight. I snidely shoved my elbow against his in an attempt to steal the space back. He hissed as it pained his funny bone. I looked over in time to catch the glare he sent me, his fingers rubbing at his bruising bone.

Though he looked annoyed, he kept his murmurs to himself, unwilling to be too aggressive with me this early in the morning- and this early in the trip. We had an entire summer that we still had to spend together. Starting fights now would make it a miserable, long couple of months.

“That was rude,” I heard him say. I ignored him and turned back towards the plane’s window. The ground was growing closer as we shakily descended from the air.

“‘Course, then…there’s Vessel.” Sam continued on his explanation of the band members and a few of the crew workers I would have the opportunity to meet this summer. He had been doing so I woke up fifteen minutes ago.

Not that I planned to hang around Sam and his friends too much. I was taking this time between college graduation and going back for my master’s in the fall to see what little of the world I could manage. I didn’t plan on being stuck indoors at the hotel or backstage at the venues too often. I had plans for each and every tour stop- friends I would be meeting up with, concerts I was going to attend. I had my own long list of tourist attractions I had to see, bucket items I needed to cross off. Sam’s friends sounded lovely, but I didn’t expect to be too attached to them.

“He’s quite, um…How do I describe him? He’s not scary, per say…just…intense. He’s quiet and brooding and I don’t really think you’ll like him too much, ya know? Anyways.”

Sam unbuckled his seatbelt. I finally peeled my eyes from the window, the edges of my lids burning with exhaustion. I undid my own belt, reached down to gather my book bag, and looped my neck pillow under my arm.

Sam looked down at me with a tired smile, “You’ll be meeting them all very soon, so…you can just find out for yourself.”

I offered up a grin, even if my face fought back at the energy this action required. “Thanks for having me, Sam-Ham.” I moved to rest my head against his shoulder, sweetly. I probably could have slept right there if we weren’t having to pile out of the plane.

He went to rest his own head against mine, but as soon as the nickname quietly passed my lips, he flinched, back straightening up. “Please don’t call me that in front of them. Please, Daisy. Please. I don’t have any other rules you have to follow. I’m giving you complete freedom on this tour. Just- please. Don’t say that.”

My grin twisted into a devious smirk. Sam’s brown eyes were pleading, a frown sitting deep in his wrinkled cheeks. “Aw, what do you mean, Sam-Ham? Are you embarrassed?”

He flinched again at the nickname. I’d given it to him when I was four and he was just eight. He loved ham and cheese sandwiches at the time and refused to eat basically anything else. Ever since that month-long fight of mom trying to force him to consume any semblance of a vegetable or fruit, I’d coined him as such with zero ounces of shame. On social media posts, his birthday cards, at his own high school graduation party. No shame.

“Daisy-” he went to plead again, but I wouldn’t let him.

“Everyone’s getting off. Let’s go.” I pushed past Sam, ignoring him. I marched out of our aisle, then off the plane, Sam hot on my heels. His frustration with the nickname had melted into protectiveness as he tried to keep up with me. He’d always been overbearing, and I think he’d only be more annoying about it during this trip.

The air in London was chilly, though it was felt only briefly as we walked down through the terminal. I was grateful to have a hoodie wrapped around my waist, and managed to slip it on as we walked. I knew it would warm up as the day passed on, though. It was May, after all, and London had that weird spring weather, with chilly mornings and sweltering afternoons. At least, this information was according to Sam and a few Google searches on my end.

Sam caught up to my side as we headed for baggage claim. He had his phone out, ready to shoot someone a text, “Okay…”

I spotted our bags spinning past where we stood. As he continued, I reached out and grabbed them. They landed on the floor beside us as Sam said, “Ronnie- Ronnie’s the band’s tour manager, also one of my best friends, ever. You might like her-”

“I like everyone, Sam, unless they’re an asshole. I don’t know why you assume I’m such a hater-”

“Cause you are!” He said, matter-of-factly. I always hated when he’d make negative observations about me. I knew I was his little sister, his annoying little sister who threw dirt at him when we were little, who he had to drag along on first dates in high school. But, I was more than that spoiled brat, especially now. I hoped this summer would help him see that, hoped he would gain some respect for me based on the difference in the real me and who he knew.

I wanted to shove his suitcase at him, just to spite him for making such a comment. But, I simply smiled up at him and rolled the luggage towards his outstretched hand. Before he could really say anything, I shot towards the exit.

“Anyways!” He rushed up to my side, breathless from how quickly I walked.

He shoved his mop of dirty blond hair into his phone as he continued texting someone. “Ronnie’s sent over an Uber,” he spoke, absentmindedly.

The automatic doors slid open. We stepped out into the chilly morning air of London. Had Sam’s head not been shoved into his phone, he would have been able to see the glorious sight lain out before us. He unfortunately didn’t, but I sure did.

I came to a halting stop, a humored grin upon my face. Sam bumped into my shoulder, but still wouldn’t look up from his phone. “Uber is a gray sedan-”

I giggled, stepping towards the group of men standing before us, party hats upon their heads, noisemakers between their lips, and a god awfully hand drawn sign held out before them.

Sam, dark brows furrowed, questioned my laughter, “What-?”

He finally pulled his nose from his phone. As he did, I took a party hat from one of the band member’s outstretched hands. We all blew into our noisemakers. Chaos erupted.

“Welcome back from rehab, Sam!” The shortest of the group held the sign up proudly, a bright grin on his face.

“What the fuck-?”

The tallest man- who had sandy blond hair and stormy gray eyes- a literal personification of the beaches in England- nearly tackled Sam, crushing his frame between the hand drawn sign and his hugging arms. I pulled the noisemaker from my mouth as a laugh erupted from me. The others rushed forward to greet their friend. Sam’s face was flushed red from the words on the sign, but he looked so incredibly happy, embracing each of them. They were all dressed in dark black clothing, save for a few spots of royal blue, maroon, or forest green. It was in stark contrast to my pink hoodie and gray sweatpants. Sam was right when he said these people weren’t my usual crowd, but wrong when he just assumed I wouldn’t like them. Yet another example of his misconstrued perception about who I really was. Just because I was girly, a Taylor Swift lover, with my favorite colors being purple and pink, didn’t mean I automatically could not stand people in the metal crowd. They were just different from me- that was all.

I did keep my distance, though, just as they greeted each other. I waited for Sam to introduce me, which he did shortly after. Their chaos faded as he moved his way back through the group, back to me. He faced them from here, an arm around my shoulders. “This is my baby sister-”

I elbowed his side, frowning at his choice of words. He squirmed away from me, a slight hiss pulled through his lips because of the pain. I stepped forward, offering my hand to the closest person- a short, blond-headed man with these brilliant blue eyes. “Daisy.”

He shook my hand politely, “Pleasure to meet you, Daisy. I’m-” He cut his own words off, glancing over my shoulder to Sam. ‘‘Wait…Are we introducing ourselves as, like, numbers or real people?”

I cracked a smile at the confusion. The tall man beside him, clutching the sign he’d made Sam,, shrugged, “We’re already unmasked. Might as well.”

“I can sign something,” I let go of his hand with a casual wave in my arms. “I don’t mind.”

“We can take care of that later,” another short one, darker haired with slight ringlets to his hair and green in his eyes, stepped forward. He took my hand, “Adam.”

“Cyrus. Cy, for short,” settled the original one.

I nodded at each of their introductions. The tallest one was named Max. He must have been three, considering he kissed the back of my hand and smirked up at me. Also considering Sam stepped between us and punched Max in the shoulder. He was right about the flirtations, though I didn’t mind it too much. I knew it was harmless.

Finally, I turned to the last band mate. I held out my hand. He glanced between it and my face, lips thin, face void of any expression. My brows furrowed slightly. I felt insecure under his harsh gaze, but I kept my kind composure, “Daisy. Nice to meet you…”

“Oliver.”

He didn’t say anything else. He didn’t move to take my hand, didn’t offer up any kind greetings. My once joyous smile morphed into a frown. Sam had warned me he was brooding, quiet. But, not rude. He was just plain rude.

I didn’t have time to ruminate on this meet-ugly, though, because Sam was then herding us all into a taxi. They had meetings to get to, I guess. I was given the front seat, which only made me feel a little left out. I knew that would probably happen, considering Sam had been working for them for four years now and I was a newbie. So, I didn’t take it to heart. Sitting in the front of a taxi was mostly just awkward.

What I did take to heart, however, was Oliver’s rude introduction. Perhaps it was because I was so tired, but…it bothered me. I didn’t want to spend the summer with an asshole like him. As we got onto the busy road, thirty minutes counting down on the GPS for our arrival at the first venue, I eyed him in the mirror, a slight glare in my tired eyes

He sat behind the driver’s seat, large legs pushing up against the door and spilling into Cyrus’ space. I didn’t get a good look at him earlier, too focused on the bad energy he bled. From what I gathered through the rearview mirror’s reflection, he had sharp features- a long nose, pursed, pink lips, high cheekbones, and a neck that more than definitely spilled into a toned chest. His eyes were dark, brown, maybe, but I remembered that, outside, when the sun hit them, they were lighter. His hair was a medium shade of brown, shaggy before his eyes, but clean cut on the sides.

He was kind of attractive. But, that didn’t matter, considering he’d made such a terrible first impression. I knew he was Vessel because, even though he’d muttered just one word to me, his dark voice matched the one from the songs that Sam had forced me to listen to before we left. He was probably full of himself, the fame inflating his head, his ego, which was why he gave such a shit introduction. He honestly probably just thought he was too good for little girls like me, though he was only seven years older than me.

Like I said, I didn’t have anything against people who listened to metal. But, part of the reason I could never really get into the shit that Sam liked, was because most of the band’s seemed to be like this Vessel, this Oliver guy. Stuck-up, self-involved, all struggling artists who thought the world was out to get them, though, in reality, they were elitist, straight, white, cis men who had more privilege in their pinky fingers than I had in my entire body.

Either I had been staring for too long, or he felt my gaze, because his dark eyes met mine in the mirror. I flinched, quickly snapping my chin towards the window. I pressed my knees against the door, arms crossed over my chest ashamedly, trying to melt away. I caught sight of the exposed skin on my arm, where my hoodie sleeve had been tugged up a bit from my restlessness, and saw goosebumps littering my body. Why was my body reacting to his stare this way?

I sulked in my frustration the entire ride there, ignoring the sense that I could still feel his eyes burning into me. Eventually, I guess, I passed out, even though the morning fog cleared the view outside my window, displaying the beautiful, stretching buildings of the city. If I were awake, I could appreciate the glorious architecture, the landscapes of this foreign land.

Someone woke me up, their warm hand pressed upon my shoulder. “We’re here.”

I knew it wasn’t Sam, only because, as I sat up in my seat, I saw him standing at the back of the taxi, pulling our luggage from the trunk. Besides, he didn’t have an accent like this person did. I turned to see who had so gently awoken me, but the backseat remained empty.

I gathered my things, swinging my backpack straps over my shoulders as I stepped onto the cobblestone of the hotel parking lot. It was sprinkling, so I tugged my hood up and over my head. Sam then rounded the car, dragging my suitcase behind him noisily.

“Here,” he rolled it to a stop before me. His eyes examined my face for a moment, seeing the furrowed brows and scowl I wore, “You doing okay?”

I shivered, hugging my arms around my body. I felt kind of sick, probably from the jet lag. I tried to look not so bitchy, but I couldn’t do that when my head was pounding and vile threatened my throat. “Yeah,” I nodded, half-heartedly, “just need to lay down, I think.”

“S’okay,” Sam patted my head, “we’ll check into the hotel quickly and get you into bed, okay?”

I nodded again. Sam took my suitcase back into his hold and gestured for me to follow him. The band was just a few feet behind us as we headed into the hotel. I wanted to stop, take a look around, snap a billion photos of this newfound dreamland. But, my head was pounding more as we moved about. My stomach ached from hunger and exhaustion. I needed a long nap, even if it would fuck up my sleep schedule more than it already was going to be.

We reached the front desk. Sam began speaking to the attendant there, our reservation details pulled up on his phone screen, in the email management had sent him. Because I was tagging along and didn’t exactly work for the band, Sam and I would be forced to share lodging in each and every city. Luckily, I’d managed to snag my own bunk on the tour bus. But, when we’d jump between countries, I had to buy my plane tickets. I didn’t mind, considering this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and that really wasn’t asking much from me.

I leaned against the counter, arms still wrapped around my body as I hunched forward. I squeezed my eyes shut in an attempt to ease the headache. Sam, the attendant, the band- their voices were all distant, like I was on another plane of existence.

But, another voice- one delicate, with an unfamiliar accent- became relevant to my hearing as he approached me. “Jet lag getting to you, love?”

I opened one eye and, upon seeing Max, straightened up a bit, “Oh, fuck,” I chuckled quietly. “It is.”

“Doesn’t get any better, just to warn you,” he shoved his large hands into the pockets of his black jeans. Stray pieces of his blond hair fell from the bun at the back of his hair.

I nodded up at him, neck straining, considering he towered over me, “Amazing news, thank you.”

“You need to invest in some energy drinks, loads of excedrin, and get good at cat napping,” he offered up the little advice he’d gathered from his years of experience touring.

Sam turned back to us, holding out a key card for me to take. I thanked him, plucking the key from his fingers, before looking back at Max, “Thank you, too. I’ll go try out this cat nap you speak of.”

Max grinned at me with a slight scrunch in his nose. I tried and failed to return the expression. Then, I continued on following Sam towards the elevators. I glanced behind us as we stepped inside and saw that the band was b-lining for the front doors. Just as the gray metal doors of the room boxed us in, I saw one of them peer over his shoulder, looking back at us. Sam didn’t notice, too busy pressing our floor number into the key pad. But, I did.

Oliver and I met eyes. He quickly looked away. The doors shut.

-

I tried to take a cat nap. I well and truly tried. I even turned a timer on for twenty minutes, promising myself that I would get up as soon as the alarm went off. I kind of knew that was going to happen when, as soon as my head hit the stack of plump pillows, my burning eyes immediately fell shut.

I guess my body had other plans than taking that cat nap.

As the alarm rang, Sam stepped out of the bathroom, where he had been showering and getting ready for the day. It was, after all, only 10am, and he had a job to report to. He sat down on my bed, near my chest. He set a warm hand down upon my shoulder.

I squirmed under the covers, fully waking as I felt his touch. I aggressively shut off the noisy alarm and groaned into my pillow.

Sam chuckled, squeezing my arm again. “Go back to sleep, Daz.”

“I want to, but…I don’t want to waste the day away. God, this sucks!”

He laughed again, “You’ll get more used to it. Besides, we have a whole other week in this city. You will have plenty of time to see everything you want to.”

“Where are you going?” My own words were muffled by my unwillingness to open my mouth all the way. Sam patted my head soothingly and I felt myself quickly falling back asleep, like the rain pattering against the window pane. I barely understood what he was saying now, too dazed and confused. “The venue. Have some meetings and shit. I’ll send you the address if you want to stop by. Just, take it easy for me today, Daz.”

His comforting demeanor, his warm touch, the love and gentleness that he treated me with- it only coaxed me further into my slumber. Sam pressed a kiss to my head before leaving. The door to the hotel room clicking shut was the last thing I’d consciously hear for the next eight hours.

-

I woke with a sharp intake of breath. There was a dry taste in my mouth, drool crusted in the corner of my lips, and a sheen of sweat clung my t-shirt to the skin of my back. I sat up, so I could peel my hoodie off, a gross expression morphing onto my face. My head still hurt, but the Excedrin I had taken that morning was helping just a bit.

I lazily made the bed, knowing I would be back in its clutches in just a few, short hours. The process made me feel a bit normal, though I was thrown off my rhythm completely. As I did it, my stomach growled, angrily. I realized at that moment that I hadn’t eaten anything all day. The last thing I remember consuming was that souvenir package of pretzels on the plane- and that was nearly 24-hours ago.

First things first- I had to shower. So, I scrubbed the plane dust, the sweat, from my skin. Then, I dressed in something easy: leggings, a reputation album hoodie, my white sneakers. I clipped my wet hair up, away from my face, and filled my purse with what I thought were essentials- my passport, in case I managed to get lost somewhere- a portable charger, my wallet, hotel key card, a can of pepper spray. I knew Europe was much more safe than America, but- I still needed to be cautious.

As I rode the elevator down the stairs, I shot Sam a text. There were five unanswered ones from him- the address to the venue, a photo of the outside of it, a check-in to see if I was okay, a pin-drop of his location, and, finally, one of him informing me that he was returning to the hotel with the band.

I reached the lobby and spotted them all at the hotel bar. They had taken up a table in the corner, noisy, chaotic, bordering on drunk. The rest of the room was nearly emptied out, probably because of them. Max saw my approaching figure first. He raised a hand to wave, interrupting Sam to say, “Look who it is! Cat nap do you any good?”

I shook my head at his words, a small giggle on my lips, “Not at all. I slept for eight hours.”

“Oh, shit,” Sam turned in his chair to face me. “I was wondering ‘cause you never responded to my texts.”

“Sorry,” I shrugged. Cyrus and Adam gave their attention to me. I looked over their faces with a polite smile before my eyes landed on their lead singer. He clutched onto an amber colored drink, head pointed down towards the table. He didn’t even have the decency to look at me when I was speaking.

I took a deep, annoyed breath, countering my vision back to Max, as he said, “You’ll get in the swing of things soon enough.”

I ignored the frustration Oliver fueled in my bones and said, “Just mad I wasted a day.”

Adam tilted his glass to me, “It’s okay, Daisy. You didn’t miss much.”

“No?” I inquired, glancing around the men before me.

They all shook their heads. Cyrus frowned, “Just meetings. Boring shit like that.”

“You have all summer, Daz. You can start catching up tomorrow,” Sam reassured me again.

“Well, I am gonna go out tonight. Just for a bit,” I replied.

Max nodded appreciatively at my plans, ‘'Whatcha gonna do? Hit the town? Go dancing, maybe?”

“Eat my weight in Nando's, actually,” I giggled in response.

The boys shared a round of laughter. I glanced at Oliver, but his head was still down. He was scrolling his phone, now, frowning though the rest of us were having a great. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and looked at Cyrus. “Nando's is great. You’ll like it.”

“Hope so.”

Sam finished off his drink with just a small sip. “I should come with you.”

I waved him off, “I’ll be okay. I’m gonna be alone a lot this summer. Best to get used to it now.”

“It’s late, though,” he offered up again.

“It’s fine, I promise. I’ll give you my location and you can anxiously watch my little avatar move around London, okay?”

Sam huffed in agreement, unwilling to argue with me. I was an adult, after all. He didn’t really have a say as to what I did, though I wasn’t unappreciative of his efforts. Then, Max spoke again, “Well, you’ll have to let us take you out another time, though. Maybe even take you dancing. There’s a great nightlife here in London.”

“Yeah, that could be fun,” I nodded. My stomach growled and, luckily, I was the only one to have heard it. I began to wrap up the short conversation, “I’m gonna get going. I haven’t eaten all day and I feel like I’m gonna turn into the Hulk soon. See you all tomorrow?”

Sam stood from his seat and enveloped me in a short hug. “Be safe, Daz.”

As we pulled apart, I reached up on my toes to ruffle his sandy hair. I settled back onto my heels, my smile morphing into a mischievous smirk as I thought of a silly way to throw him off. I tilted my head to the side, teasing, “Sure thing, Sam Ham.”

I rushed for the exit, escaping the hotel bar before he could retaliate. I knew I had made his face flush a deep red. I could even hear the band’s laughter trailing behind me as they teased him for the nickname. It was a good start to what felt like it could be one of the best summer’s of my life.

As long as Oliver stayed out of my way.

-

I was gone for just two hours. I struggled to find Nando’s at first because Google had me walking in circles. But with a little help from a CVS worker, I finally reached the restaurant. I ordered a little more food than I was probably able to eat because I wanted to sample the popular menu. Between the mass amount of food and the speed at which I ate, it wasn’t long until I was full.

After I left the building, I took a stroll, finally in a decent enough headspace to be able to appreciate the lit-up city. It was Monday, and nearly 10pm, so most of the shops and bars were closed for the evening. When something interested me, I simply wrote down in my notes app so I could remember to come back. Tomorrow, I decided, I would return to this little corner of the world.

Elated with the excitement of this promising journey, the mood only heightened from the hunger dissipated in my bones, I made it back to the hotel. Though Sam had promised me he would stay up, he was curled up under the blankets, passed out. I wasn’t mad- I knew he needed to get a good night’s rest. Besides, back home, I lived alone, came and went late at night all the time. I didn’t need him to look out for me to this extreme extent. I tucked the blankets up under his chin a bit more snugly, plugged his phone in, and ensured I was quiet as I got myself ready to lay down.

However, I threw the covers off of myself after struggling to sleep for over an hour. My body was buzzing. I was just not going to be able to fall asleep for a while. I could feel the energy pulsing through my body, excitement forcing my once tired eyes to jolt open unwillingly. I needed to get up, move around, do something to get this jumpiness to leave me alone.

I pulled my once abandoned hoodie overtop my pj set, shoved my feet into the pair of slippers I’d packed. Rummaging through the mini-fridge, I pulled out a few small bottles of liquor- three vodka shots, one Jack Daniels. These few should be enough to get me to sleep.

I piled them into my purse, grabbed my phone off the nightstand, and headed out the door. I didn’t know where I was going when I got into the elevator, but my eyes scanned over the button pad and found an option for the roof. That seemed like a good enough place to chill for a while.

The air was cold, but not in a bitter way. My warm skin almost welcomed the stark contrast. It seemed to coax the buzz of energy out of my system once I began to shiver. There were a few patio chairs set up around fire pits or grills. I picked a huddle that was positioned towards the corner of the roof, sitting myself criss-cross on a maroon-colored couch.

I unlocked my phone and shuffled my liked songs playlist on Spotify. I uncapped one of the shots and downed it with a scrunched face. I never much liked the taste of alcohol because it was so bitter. And, then, because of that, tolerance was low and I was an annoying light weight. It immediately made my chest feel warm. At least two of these would probably coax me to sleep, no problem.

“Gonna share?”

I flinched at the deep voice, eyes snapping from examining the front of the bottle to the body seated across the firepit from me. It took a second for my eyes to adjust to the light from the small tiki lamps surrounding our section of the roof. But, when they did, my pupils widened in slight shock.

“How long have you been sitting there?” I replied, tone a little more than annoyed that he was just now announcing himself.

“Long enough to know you can’t take a shot,” there was a smirk in his voice, a cockiness that made me want to wipe it clean off his pink, plump lips.

“Sorry I’m not an alcoholic,” I snide back. “If you want one, you have to come get it, by the way. I’m comfy now.”

“Comfy with this trash music playing?” He quipped, though he stood and reached out for the alcohol..

I begrudgingly handed him a vodka bottle, though his comment only annoyed me further, “Real men like Taylor Swift.”

“Hey, haven’t you heard? I’m a vessel. Not a man.”

I watched in silence as he took the shot. He held my eyes in his. There was a teasing sense edging at his pupils. I couldn’t quite read what he intended with his gaze, his quips. Maybe he was really trying to piss me off even more. I already figured him an asshole, based off of how he acted each time I saw him today. But, with every sentence that passed, this belief was only carved deeper.

I pressed my lips together in an attempt to soothe my frustration. If he really just wanted to get on my nerves, I wasn’t going to let him know it was working. I would just be sickly sweet in return. “So, Vessel, what are you doing up here? Can’t sleep?”

“Obviously,” he waved me off.

I watched him for another moment, wondering what I could say to bother him back. He took a cigarette and a lighter from his hoodie pocket. The end of it glowed red from the small flame. and he sunk it between his lips. When he pulled it out, he flicked his brows at me, as if to offer a drag. I frowned, head shaking, “That’s okay. Thanks.”

“Hm…too good for a smoke, then?” He flicked off the end of the cigarette, sending ashes down to his pant leg, onto the concrete of the roof below us.

I watched as they fell, a glare in my gaze, “More like my mom died of lung cancer because she smoked for thirty years.”

Oliver held the cigarette mid-air, paused from bringing it to his lips. He flicked his brows again, rubbed his lips together, Then, he tossed the stick onto the floor and stomped it with the toe of his boot. “Sorry.”

“Mhm,” I challenged, knowing I now had the upper-hand because of his obvious guilt. All I could think was that I really did not like him. But he was so fucking hot.

“I’d ask what you’re doing up, but I figured you wouldn’t be able to sleep after the day you had.”

“Yeah, no,” I chuckled dryly.

Oliver peeled his eyes from my face, looking out over the city lights sprawled out before us. He pondered for a moment, the process obvious because of the way it sat on his face- his eyes darkened, his brows furrowed, and he frowned. I wanted to make a comment about how I could see the smoke billowing from his ears as he thought, but he met my eye again.

“What’s your deal, Daisy?”

I wouldn’t admit it, but I loved the way my name sounded on his pretty pink lips. I wanted to hear it, closer, right next to my ear, in a much darker setting, wearing way less clothing. I shook away the thought, hoping it wasn’t obvious that he had thrown me for a loop. I ignored the smirk that curled on his mouth, shifted in my seat, and shrugged, “What the fuck does that mean?”

Oliver laughed, a dry, hollow sound that I quite enjoyed. I opened the other shot of vodka and went to take it, needing desperately to quiet my brain. But, he replied, “What are you here for?”

“What are you here for?” I leaned forward to toss him the bottle of Jack Daniels.

He took it, then stretched his arms out over the back of the couch he sat upon, the bottle hanging loosely from his fingers.. “Good question. For our music, I suppose. To perform it for our listeners.”

“That’s not what you’re here for,” I rejected his words, shaking my head just slightly, “That’s what everyone else is here for. What about you, Oliver?”

He glanced around. Smoke, ears again. I nearly cracked a smile at the parallel before he finally responded, “To…worship. To celebrate my music, myself…life.”

I held the shot out towards him, offering a cheer up to what he had said, “To life.”

Oliver leaned forward on the couch, stopping me before I could take the shot, “Wait, what about you?”

“There’s no deeper meaning to anything I do,” I waved him off with a small giggle. The air between us was growing more comfortable as we opened up to each other. Maybe Sam was right- maybe Oliver just needed to get to know me before he stopped being an ass. It didn’t make it okay, that he was like that. It was definitely a trauma response. But, it was alright. I’d be over it by the morning, especially considering some semblance of a friendship was blossoming here between us.

“Oh, Daisy, there’s always deeper meaning to everything humans do. Think. What’s yours?” He lay a hand out, as if I had to fill that empty air with my response.

I glanced from his hand, out to the city, thinking over the question. What was mine? Why was I here? I wanted to take a break from reality before my life would really start. I wanted to see the world. I wanted to visit friends, to discover life beyond my small corner of the map. But, what did it all mean to me? What was my purpose this summer? I was always quite stagnant. I just…existed. I don’t think I ever really lived, found that meaning within what I did.

“I guess…” I met his eye again, finding some answers in my own thoughts, “I guess…to find that deeper meaning. To find what I’m looking for, maybe.”

“Then, to life…to discovering life. To finding life,” he sampled a few phrases before settling upon what he’d come up with..

We both leaned our arms out until our shot glasses clinked together. It was cheesy, meta, a conversation that, 24 hours ago, I would have snorted at. At least, that’s what the girl who boarded the plane last night would have done. Maybe I was changing already, and maybe it was for the better. Maybe this summer really would be about discovering life, discovering my own.

I didn’t think we’d find much else to talk about, but that was quickly proven wrong. We spent the next hour and a half involved in a deep conversation, swapping childhood stories, dreams, favorite songs and movies. Oliver wasn’t so bad, wasn’t so depressing as I originally thought he was. Sure, he had plenty of skeletons in the closet. But, he was funny, too, with niche interests, interesting stories that drew laughter out of me. I hadn’t thought this was possible.

Eventually, we both needed to get to bed. He had to be up in just six hours and I wanted to get a good start on the next day. I was finally starting to feel tired, too. So, we boarded the elevator together, only after tossing his cigarette bud and shot bottles into the trash.

Oliver reached across my body to press the button for our floor. As his body passed mine, I caught a sweet whiff of his cologne. It rattled my brain around. That, combined with his warm breath, and the alcohol in my system, shivered goosebumps down my spine.

As he settled back on his heels, I braved a glance up at his handsome face. He was already looking down at me. The small smile on his plump lips stretched into a teeth-bearing grin. I blushed at the expression on his face.

I didn’t care anymore, not about his rude greetings, his annoyed stature at the bar earlier. I didn’t care about any of it, if it would mean he would keep looking at me like he was right now.

My eyes felt like they glazed over as we stared at one another. Oliver turned his shoulder, facing his chest towards me. The action was an opening door, an encouraging lure into dark places I should stray from. But, I didn’t.

I faced him, too, fingers grasping at my hoodie sleeves, nervously. Oliver tucked his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants. He spoke, softly, quietly, “You’re very pretty, Daisy.”

I blushed, again. I went to step forward, to make some sort of move in return. But, then, the elevator doors were cracking themselves open. A bell rang overhead.

I guess it broke whatever trance we were both in. Oliver stepped out first, but didn’t move to stride away. He waited for me to join him in the hall. We walked, side by side, towards our rooms, silence taking up so much space and time. Maybe I was being delusional, but I really thought he was going to make some sort of move on me. It probably wouldn’t be for the best, but…Either way, I was grateful for the bond we had begun to form. It would make for a great tour, I just knew it.

Just as I reached my door, Oliver softly called out my name. I turned to him, hand on the door knob, ready to escape into the confines of my bed to think over everything. I met his dark eyes, catching the light in the golden flecks of his pupils. He smiled, “Thanks for staying up with me.”

I couldn’t help but grin back, appreciative of the time we’d spent, hopeful for the future of our friendship (even if I had imagined him blowing my back out in the elevator). “Thank you, Oliver. Sleep well. I’ll see you in the morning.”

And see him I did.

When Sam’s alarm went off, I joined him in getting ready, deciding to hit the town early. We went down to breakfast together, my attitude a little more perkier than his, considering the jet lag had started to get to him. And, considering I was excited to see my newfound friend.

We sat with Max and Adam. I greeted them both with a kind smile, my plate of pancakes coming to rest on the table before me. We chatted just a bit, everyone a little more quiet than usual due to the slowness of the morning time.

I finished up my first pancake just as Cy and Oliver sat down with us. I looked up from my plate, grinning despite myself, and tried to meet Oliver’s eyes. “Good morning, guys.”

Cy glanced up, a tired smile on his face. “Morning, Daisy. Sleep okay?”

It took more than a moment before I looked at him, mind focused on catching Oliver’s eyes, “Yeah, thanks. Struggled for a bit, but managed to get to sleep after Ol-”

“Butter,” Oliver reached out a hand, eyes trained onto his plate.

I peeled my gaze from Cy, my smile faltering when I realized Oliver was holding out a hand towards me. He was waiting for me to pick up the plate and hand it to him, without any sign of a please or, God forbid, a greeting. Not to mention, he interrupted me as soon as I had begun to mention our escapade from the night before.

I narrowed my eyes, hoping my burning stare would rattle him. But, it did nothing, so I picked up the butter and shoved it into his hand. He settled it onto the table before him and didn’t say anything else.

What was going on here?

I was thrown for a loop, which seemed to just be the case when it came to him. He was a game, I realized now. And, I did not plan on playing it. Cy looked up from his plate, “After what, Daisy?”

I tried again, just to confirm if that interruption had been as intentional as it seemed, “After Ol-”

He coughed. He coughed right through my words, stopping me from saying his name; again. His gaze was still locked on his plate as he buttered his toast. He blinked. Didn’t make any move to excuse himself, apologize. Nothing.

I gave up then, reading the situation well enough to understand he didn’t want anyone to know about last night. I settled on saying, “After downing a couple shots of vodka. Helped me get to…sleep.” I continued to watch Oliver as I spoke, my -tone flat, frown settled deep into my cheeks.

Cyrus responded, though I wasn’t listening anymore. Max conversed back, moving onto some wild, drunken story from last tour, intended to make me laugh. I tried to catch onto their words, tried to give them the chuckles they searched for. The attention they deserved, and Oliver did not.

But, I couldn’t draw my eyes from his face. After a few minutes, he finally glanced up, though it was quickly, barely looking long enough for me to catch his eyes.

This was going to be a long summer.

[madamemiz]

MILD SPOILERS! impressions from the votv 0.8.1 update (day 2)

KEL WALK CYCLE REAL even if it's a bit janky. feels almost strange to see moving feet when i look down. got peakaboo'd by this character model while climbing the tower too, i didn't realize the little rectangle on his beanie is the aso logo, that's a nice touch! (if i saw that correctly that is)

i love the glasses as an equipable item, velma mode is unnecessary but funny 10/10 just like me fr

tf you mean burgers cost 95???? and pizza so expensive?? hello???

flour?? cooking?! ok now that's a fun prospect, i'm getting the cookbook as soon as i can

on that note i've heard berry bushes are a thing now, but i've yet to come across any and i've been actively looking while out and about

aww kel's tummy growls when he's hungry now, that's cute. mfer got a hell of an appetite for someone so picky. also just like me fr

they changed the eating sound and i'm sad, i liked the original ;w; it was oddly satisfying

has the vending machine always had a nice glass texture?

that's it for now, so far so good. i've seen the stuff about kerfur, as well as more farming integration. the farming bit sounds fun, as for the kerfur crafting changes:

hoo boy. i like the idea of needing to get a few more things, it makes sense in-universe. they do most of your job for you, it's fine to make the requirements a bit more difficult, but... i'm gonna level with you, the recipe i've seen and what you need to do for it seems overboard for a casual player. keyword casual. it almost feels like the difficulty spike was created with youtubers and streamers in mind--yknow, people who are professional gamers, or at the very least people who look up hacks to speedrun their kerfurs, because several of them made it seem very easy. i don't think the vast majority of people playing the game play it that way though; i didn't have omega kerfur until a couple of weeks in-game time, and i've seen a lot of people say the same or later. these changes could potentially push kerfur to closer to endgame for a good chunk of players, which seems like a bad move to me for a few reasons--

firstly, i'd imagine this change is in part to encourage players to get out of the base more instead of relying on kerfur for the hashcodes, but having an omega greatly opens up how much free time you have, which allows you more time to explore and make your base cozy. i never had time before i had them, i was too busy running around getting hashcodes and scrounging up money

secondly, late game has quite a few enemies that can instakill kerfur, which makes sending them out for codes and repairs kind of pointless. at that point you may as well keep your base kerfur as-is instead of spending the time and resources to upgrade. not to mention that one of the items requires mining in the cave which... personal note, i never found the pickaxe or stepped foot in the cave in 0.8.0, and frankly never planned to. guess i have to now!

thirdly, like... people get attached to their kerfurs. a lot of returning players i've seen discussing the update are upset they won't have their wife/husband/partner/child/roomate etc back until later in their run unless they mail them over. why would you wanna separate the players from one of their favorite aspects of the game? hell, i've contemplated mailing my 0.8.0 kerfur over not bc of the difficulty spike, but bc i feel bad leaving them behind in my old save

maybe i'm just overthinking and it won't be as bad once i do it, but i've just been puzzling over the changes. what do y'all think?? are the changes justified, or nah?

[mister-qi]

Mr. Qi Friendship and Romance Mod: 4/19 Progress Update

It's a working title, I'm trying to come up with something less wordy that still will pop up in Nexus searches.

I wanted to be able to track my progress, mainly for myself, but if you're curious, this is the state of the mod right now:

Writing:

Heart Events - the 2 heart event is fully written (with blocking directions), and the 6, 8, and 10 heart events are outlined. The 4 heart cutscene currently has me a bit stumped; I have ideas, but nothing concrete yet. I definitely now understand why Sam's 4 heart cutscene is him dropping an egg. 14 hearts is on the back-burner as a little treat to myself once I get further into things.

Generic Daily Dialogues - about 1/3 done, probably the highest priority for writing. I'm leaving his vanilla casino dialogue as the two heart dialogue, and the vanilla Walnut Room dialogue as his four heart dialogue, with a few small changes. And, since it's me, I have more marriage dialogue written than anything else...

Day-Specific Dialogues - very few written, lower priority. Hoping to have a lot of these made eventually, and I have plenty of ideas, but they aren't necessary for the core of the mod so they're on the back-burner for now.

Gift Dialogues - all 5 generic gift response dialogues are written, with an additional 22 dialogue lines for specific items/groups of items. I'm also up to around item 530 in figuring out what item corresponds to which dialogue/whether or not he likes it. Certain item groups, like cooked food, still need more lines, however. This is definitely something that should be low priority, but also something I'm really enjoying working on. Some personal favorites so far are-

[if given a fish (hated)]: "Eugh, it's all slimy..."

[if given a legendary fish (disliked)]: "If you must give me one of the rarest fish in the valley, can you at least wrap it so I don't have to touch it with my bare hands?"

And I think that's pretty funny.

Art

Portraits - 3 new portraits finished: "deep frown" "glint" and "glasses-less". I'll probably be messing with "glasses-less" for a looong while; it's first shown at a dramatic moment so it needs to look good. Blushing portraits are next on the docket.

Here's "glint" btw, with a background thrown on so I can have a custom icon. You know I gotta make him do the anime glasses thing a few times.

Sprites - no progress yet. Walk cycle is up next after I finish the blushing portraits. Did you know he doesn't have a walk cycle at all? [1.6 spoilers] in the cheated Summit cutscene where he attacks(?) you, he literally just slides at you very fast. Anyways, I may also change his map sprite a bit as well, since it was drawn to match his old portrait and doesn't actually have the same color scheme as his sprites. Note to self: is it possible to make the sparkles on his outfit prismatic?

Maps - no progress yet. The 6 heart and 10 heart cutscenes both require custom maps, with the 6 heart one being a fully custom asset. 10 heart recycles some existing assets but will still need some custom stuff done as well.

Misc Sprites - in my head, there's a dream version of the 8 heart cutscene that has so, so many unique sprites. Like an incredible amount of stuff. I think it'll kick ass, but also that sequence could be done with a few lines of text. So, for now, it's low priority. But maybe in a few months I'll put out a request for help.

Implementation

Not totally sure how to split this into sections yet, as I'm very much still in the preliminary stages so far. To say that I'm feeling overwhelmed is an understatement; documentation on the wiki swings wildly between "an asset is a file in a video game" and "this is an advanced tutorial. Read these 4 other pages first before continuing."

I've started using Ms. Coriel's NPC Creator which has been good for setting up the basic file structure, but ultimately doesn't cover some of the more complex stuff I want to do. EDIT: Turns out it's completely outdated for 1.6! Had to throw out a bit of work, but I still learned from it so it's fiiine.

I think setting up his "schedule" will be a challenge, in that I don't actually want him to have a real schedule like most NPCs. Not to pull back the curtain too much here, but I want him to "exist" in both the Casino and the Walnut Room simultaneously, which is to say, he does not exist in two places at once in the narrative, just in the code. This will change after marriage, however.

My next goal is to set up placeholder cutscenes for each of the heart events, and then to implement the generic daily dialogues once those are finished.

Final Notes

God, this will be a work in progress for a while, but I'm enjoying it! Definitely enjoying the writing more than anything else, but hey, that's how it be. I've got around 70 lines of dialogue written, a bit of art done, and I've started learning how to actually get stuff in game. I've always been more of a designer than a coder, but it's getting there!

ADDITIONALLY I've decided that if I abandon this project for more than 8 months, anyone is welcome to request my work so far and use it for their own mod. If this blog hasn't posted in a long while, feel free to send me an ask or message! I may say no, however.

Ultimately, I want this mod to exist in some fashion. While there is an existing one, I have a pretty different take on the character and I want to share it with you all! Every line of dialogue, every heart event, every little detail needs to share something interesting about a character and their world. Yet, Mr. Qi is a mysterious guy, and I think some things should be left up to player interpretation. And I think it's crucial to be able to match his tone and voice to the vanilla game, while also expanding on his characterization. It's a fun challenge to write, and I hope the finished product, uh, well I hope it gets finished mostly, but I think it'll be pretty good.

Thanks for reading all this. This is largely just a stream of consciousness for myself, but I hope it's...interesting, or something?

[i-guess-im-into-this-now]

The Apothecary Diaries

S1E19 First Watch

Here's where I watch The Apothecary Diaries for the first time and give my thoughts, analysis, predictions, and occasionally I stumble into a joke.

To start at the beginning:

Episode 1

My character/locations cheat sheet

Suiren - Jinshi's attendant

Lakan - strategist. Maomao's biological father.

Lihaku - the military officer who took Maomao out of the Rear Palace

Jinshi is thinking about the conversation he had with Maomao about meeting Lakan. He looks so concerned; he can't stop thinking about that look in her eyes. Things are in such an uncertain place between the two of them. The gulf has widened, and threatens to widen further.

Jinshi is hiding so many things from Maomao, he likely thinks he's protecting her, but what he must do to keep those secrets threatens to drive the two further apart. Sharing his secrets would also drive them apart. And the current situation is not tenable. Disaster looms for Jinshi and he knows it.

Gaoshun tries to redirect Jinshi's focus to a ceremony that he's required to perform later that afternoon. Maomao figured out Jinshi has been doing something ceremonial during her time here, a purification ceremony, I think she said.

Lihaku has learned to turn to Maomao to solve mysteries.

Lihaku: We've got a problem on our hands.

Do we? It's funny that he thinks she has any responsibility in this. I mean she will certainly step up to solve this, but she in no way is obligated to.

Something about the Maomao-Lihaku dynamic is really entertaining to me. Maybe it's because their interactions are so transactional. They are each a little disgusted by the other, even if they sort of respect one another. But they can really only connect on their desire to solve a mystery, which Lihaku presents now.

Various seemingly unrelated misfortunes have befallen the palace in the last year. Everything could have been leading up to the theft of some ceremonial items, and the only clue is the presence of a tall court lady (or man).

Maomao: When many coincidences manifest one on top of the other intent emerges in the overlap.

I happen to remember the presence of a suspicious man who was around at the death of Sir Kounen and the poisoning of the court official who oversaw the warehouses. So perhaps we will get some answers about who this man is soon.

I also can't forget that Lakan investigated the warehouse fire and found that ivory pipe that started the explosion. He also was the one who got Gaoshun to look into the poisoning case of the palace official who ate toxic seaweed. Given how astute he is, Lakan is either involved, or has this mystery figured out and is letting things play out for some motive that I can't determine. Also, it seems that Lakan would like Maomao to solve this case. But why? What does he gain from that? Having her involved puts her in danger. Is that what he wants?

Because Maomao is stepping into a real conspiracy now. It's about as dangerous position as she has ever been in this show.

Jinshi shows up. LOL. He's scary when he's jealous, and Lihaku has no trouble reading the situation, so he books it out of there. Maomao on the other hand doesn't bother to try to read into Jinshi's behavior and proceeds as normal.

And it occurs to me now that the storytellers are being a bit meta.

Maomao: When many coincidences manifest one on top of the other intent emerges in the overlap.

Because they gave us this quote from Maomao right after they just got done telling us Jinshi is about to perform a ceremony, and that someone has stolen some ceremonial items. A coincidence? Not likely. The larger conspiracy that Maomao is trying to solve right now, was all for the purpose of getting to those ceremonial items. That's a whole lot of work to do if you aren't setting up something big. Something like trying to murder a prince maybe? And I may be back on my bullshit again, but I don't think so. I don't know who or why or how, but I can feel it in my story-loving soul, someone's aiming for our beloved male lead!

Actually there are any number of people who could be after Jinshi. He's in a terribly vulnerable position. By birth he is in the line of succession to the throne, but due to some deception he was removed. Anyone who discovered his identity and wants him out of the way could be behind this. He's got all of the vulnerabilities of being a prince, but not all of the protections. Or this could have to do with his duties as the palace manager. He presides over cases and hands out judgements, perhaps someone feels he did so unjustly and wants revenge? Or it could be anything, this is a fricking palace intrigue story, after all!

Lakan is an obvious suspect, but I don't think it's him. He maneuvered Maomao to get involved in this. Why would he do that if he were behind it all? It's more likely that he wants her to unravel it. Why not just expose this conspiracy himself? Is he actually trying to help Jinshi? This is such a twisted up tale.

Jinshi: What was the nature of your rendezvous with that office?

That Jinshi sees Lihaku as a romantic rival will never not be funny to me. There is just nothing at all between the two.

Maomao offers to tell Jinshi about what she discussed with Lihaku. I'm so glad she offered! Last time she solved a mystery she didn't share it with Jinshi, and they've been in such a weird place, I really wasn't sure she would want to do this. Is she taking pity on Jinshi because he's acting jealous, or does she want his thoughts on this mystery?

Actually, I think Maomao does her best mystery solving when she works with Jinshi. He is encouraging and supportive, and she thrives with that. Perhaps, this mystery has her really stumped or worried, and so she's relieved to bring it up with Jinshi. And it feels so good to watch these two working through this together! It's like watching a simpler time from and earlier episode.

After presenting the facts to Jinshi, Maomao quiets. Jinshi thinks it's odd that she isn't eager to solve this case. I do too.

Jinshi: You're not excited by this?

Maomao lets out a frustrated sigh, like he's not picking up on something, and gives the following explanation, though it sounds like a begrudging recitation, rather than honest:

Maomao: I am but a humble servant, I fear. I exist only to do as I'm told.

Jinshi gives an almost exasperated response.

And then Jinshi seems to have an "a-ha" moment right after that, and offers her an incentive for taking the case... I'm thinking Maomao is angling to get something she wants out of this. Perhaps Maomao took Suiren's words to heart last episode.

Suiren: You may appear apathetic, but you're keen. You know where you stand, and how to play the game. Suiren: If you view everything in terms of status, then you'll miss opportunities.

It seems Maomao is eager to solve this case, but she's not going to do it for nothing this time. It's an opportunity for her to gain something she wants.

And Jinshi is almost giddy to make an offer to Maomao. He knows she's going to love what he has in mind. Maomao is comically over the top when it comes to her enthusiasm for medicinal ingredients, and she freaks Jinshi out when she climbs up on his desk and laughs maniacally in his face. Gaoshun has to pull her off. Jinshi and Maomao are so delighted with themselves and each other, it's a beautiful moment of harmony, which Gaoshun isn't sure is better than having them at odds.

Serendipity (coincidence or something more?) has landed Maomao in the records archive with exactly the person who can help her solve her mystery. Because this particular court official knows all about the Board of Rites that oversees ceremonies, he used to work on that board. Yet another one of the "coincidences" that Maomao is looking into has a connection to ceremonies. Seriously, that's a lot of foreshadowing, something bad is about to go down at this ceremony, huh?

It seems that someone went to an awful lot of trouble to take out two officials who oversee the ceremonies and stole some of the ceremonial equipment. Plus this official in the archives was demoted when he raised questions about the safety of these ceremonies. "An accident waiting to happen," is how the official described it. What a convenient way to take out an important person and make it seem like a coincidence. Maomao remembers yet another coincidence that involves the three brothers who work at the metalsmith that creates ceremonial items. This has to do with that ceremonial tool that had me worried from a couple episodes back no doubt. The one Lakan made sure to bring up to Jinshi. I don't have the details figured out, but Maomao does, and she's starting to worry now.

No, she's not worried, she's terrified. Someone has had a plan in the works for over a year, to assassinate a high ranking noble Jinshi (she, like me, already knows it's him, even if she won't admit it). And Maomao only just figured it out. She's not sure if she will be able to get there in time to stop it, but damn it she's trying! Girl is about to bust open a huge conspiracy!

Run Maomao! Run! Go save your prince!

Ah shit. Her status means she can't enter. But! Jinshi is in danger, right now! She can't back down.

Maomao: I'm just a servant with no authority to speak of. But if something happens it'll be too late for anything but regret!

Oh brave Maomao! This guard is threating her with his giant cudgel but she's not giving up. And what an image! Little Maomao on the steps standing up to the big armed guard who looms threatening above!

She accuses him of being in league with the saboteur. And that does it. He bashes her in the face! Oh shit! That guard comes down the stairs and I'm pretty sure he's trying to kill her. The other guards think so too, because someone is able to stop him. Maomao meant to provoke him, as a means of creating a commotion, but it's not enough to disrupt the ceremony. And Maomao is pretty messed up from that blow to the head.

Maomao is pushing through by sheer force of will, unconsciousness threatening to take over. She ignores the pain, and the danger, and stands back up because she needs to save someone's life.

Maomao is a goddamn hero, y'all. This persistence in the face of overwhelming odds, in pursuit of a noble purpose; it makes for great characters. And in a love story it's romantic as fuck.

But no matter what she says or does, it's not enough. She doesn't have the status to disrupt this ceremony.

But Lakan does.

Friends. I can't breath. This is peak drama.

Lakan is pretty intense for a moment with the guard, when he says:

Lakan: You have hurt her.

Maomao doesn't turn around, claims she doesn't want to see who it is. But she knows it's Lakan. And she knows his presence here is not a coincidence, as nothing in this episode has been. But there isn't time for that, she needs to move quickly. She is permitted past the guards, but how to stop the ceremony without being executed for it later?

There isn't time to think it through, she sees the disaster is moments from happening and she simply runs and tackles the officiant of the ceremony out of the way, as the giant apparatus comes crashing down.

I am so here for this moment.

Maomao realizes that she made it in time. Realizes her leg is injured. But she is addled from the blow to the head, because as soon as she sees Jinshi she asks for the ox bezoar that he offered. Girl, this guy is going to give you his whole life.

And of course it's Jinshi. It had to be! Maomao looks a wreck, with her face swollen, her nose bleeding, and her leg broken. But she's alive, and because of her brilliant mind, and bravery, so is Jinshi.

Jinshi is in shock. Trying to comprehend what the fuck just happened. Perhaps only moments from losing his shit, once he knows which direction to lose it in. He sees the state Maomao is in and he's on the verge of tears. So am I.

Maomao: I don't understand. Why is Master Jinshi here?

I'll allow her this confusion right now because she just got smashed upside the head, but later when she's recovered, she's not allowed to deny who and what Jinshi is any more. It's too fucking much at this point.

Maomao is disoriented, but she's done what she came here to do, and now she can let herself fall unconscious. After all Jinshi is here, he looks awfully sad, but he's capable and kind, he'll take care of her.

Jinshi is so distraught to have her fall unconscious in his arms. He does call her "Maomao," this time, as he begs her to stay with him. That lost little "please" at the end is going to stick with me for a long while.

Every person in this room, is useless in a crisis. There are at least a dozen people standing around doing nothing.

Jinshi leaves with Maomao in his arms. He doesn't acknowledge anyone, including Lakan, who looks rather shocked. Shocked because Maomao got hurt, when he didn't intend it, or shocked because Jinshi responded differently than Lakan expected? Or did he think she died? In any case, one of Lakan's well planned strategies didn't work out how he intended. I don't know if Jinshi is even able to spare a thought as to why Lakan might be here, or what his role in this whole event might have been. To me it seems, Lakan knew what was going on, but that he wasn't behind it. Perhaps his interest in bothering Jinshi was to try to help him? I don't know. I'm sure we will find out more about Lakan's role soon enough.

There are a lot of people that saw Maomao force her way into the building and save Jinshi's life. And a lot of those same people saw Jinshi walk out with her in his arms. And everyone of them showed Jinshi deference as he left. Too bad that Maomao missed it. Will it matter that people saw this, does it mean anything in this setting?

Is there symbolism happening right now? Probably! I also wish I knew what the lyrics to this song were.

Maomao is bleeding and broken, unconscious, but without her actions, it would be Jinshi who is hurt, or more probably dead. A trail of Maomao's blood trails behind as Jinshi leaves with her in his arms.

Jinshi has to be thinking about how Maomao ended up being there just in time to save him. If it truly were just an accident, then there would have been no way for her to know about it, which means the crashing apparatus was planned. That someone tried to kill him. Jinshi has to know that there are people who would like him dead, perhaps people have even tried to come at him before. And for much of this show we have seen Jinshi try to keep Maomao away from the more dangerous parts of his life. Today, what he feared has happened. Maomao was injured, because she got tangled up in the danger that is Jinshi's life. But if she hadn't he would have died.

So what will Jinshi do? Will he push Maomao away to keep her safe, so she doesn't get hurt again like she did today? Or will he let her in now? Tell her his secrets and keep her close? How can he best protect Maomao, by pushing her away or pulling her close?

And what will Maomao do when she wakes? She can't deny who Jinshi is any longer.

Also, will whomever is behind this be discovered? Will they try again?

To start at the beginning: Episode 1

Next episode: Episode 20

[musicforastylesrestaurant]

Home.

masterlist || ask me anything <3

authors note - i saw harry at wembley on wednesday with my boyfriend and both our little sisters and it inspired me to write this cutesy blurb, which turned out a lot longer than i expected it to be, that’s for sure…anywho, i hope you enjoy <3

word count - 11.7k

in which, you and your husband harry have finally arrived home and is performing at wembley stadium later that week and you and the family tag along for the ride. a ride that will forever live in your memories.

As you and your husband Harry Styles enter the bustling airport, the air is filled with a palpable sense of excitement. 

You were flying home so that your husband could play four nights at the iconic Wembley Stadium.

The stadium of dreams.

And for some reason, he had come up with the idea of travelling back home on a commercial flight, saying that he liked the thrill of flying home surrounded by other people.

As much as you and Jeff had told him that that probably wasn’t a great idea due to the amount of fans he had, he had assured you that he had booked first class tickets so that it would be a lot quicker.

Suitcases in tow, you make your way to the check-in counter, where a friendly attendant greets you with a warm smile. 

"Good afternoon, how can I assist you today?" she asks. 

With a grin, you hand over your travel documents. "We're here to check our suitcases in for our journey," you reply. 

Harry places his hand on your back, offering support and a reassuring smile.

The attendant efficiently tags and weighs your suitcases, ensuring they meet the airline's requirements. As she attaches the final tag, you feel a rush of anticipation.

 "All checked in and ready to go," she says cheerfully. You thank her, feeling a sense of accomplishment as you and Harry take hold of your boarding passes.

You took the boarding pass from him knowing for a fact that he couldn’t be trusted with looking after it himself.

That man lost everything.

With the suitcases safely checked in, you proceed towards the security checkpoint. As you wait in line, Harry wraps his arm around your waist, providing both comfort and a sense of togetherness. 

"We're almost there, love," he whispers, his voice filled with reassurance. You lean into his embrace, grateful for his presence amidst the bustling crowd.

He knew that you got anxious in busy crowds which you signed up for when you started dating him, but he always knew how to make you feel better.

He was your medicine.

It was soon your turn to go through security.  After waiting in the queue for around twenty five minutes you proceeded to move forward.

You gather your belongings, Harry takes the initiative to organise the stroller and any loose items, ensuring a smooth process. 

The stroller belonged to your eleven month old baby boy, Thames Harry Styles.

His name was inspired by the city he was born in, a city you and Harry adored and the name simply fitted his face the second you laid eyes on him almost 365 days ago.

His birth story was a funny one that’s for sure. 

“Let's Make sure we have everything," he says, his eyes scanning the surroundings. 

With a nod, you double-check the contents of the diaper bag, feeling grateful for his attention to detail.

Once through security, a sense of relief washes over you both. It was as smooth as can be.

You find yourselves at the gates, with a few hours to spare before boarding. 

Now it was simply a waiting game.

The enticing aromas of food from nearby restaurants catch your attention, reminding you of your growing eleventh old baby that would need some food, and the fact you had heard Harry’s stomach rumbling. 

"Shall we grab a bite to eat, sweet boy?" you suggest, hunger evident in your voice.

 Harry's eyes light up with enthusiasm. "Absolutely, let's find something delicious,I’m wasting away over here.” 

Together, you explore the airport's array of culinary options, browsing menus and making a decision. 

Eventually, you settle on a Wetherspoons, an airport classic, a restaurant that you couldn’t not go to when at an airport.

You make your way to the bustling pub-style restaurant, the clinking of cutlery and the lively chatter of fellow diners filling the air. Harry takes a moment to adjust Thames in his arms, ensuring his little body is comfortable and secure.

"Shall we grab a table, love?" he suggests, his voice filled with warmth. You nod, eager to satisfy your hunger and enjoy a moment of relaxation.

As you approach a vacant table, a friendly server greets you with a smile.

 "Table for three?" she asks, glancing at Thames in your arms. 

You smile back and reply, "Yes, please." 

With a swift movement, she brings over a highchair, placing it at the table with care.

As you settle into your seats, Thames begins to squirm with curiosity, his wide eyes taking in the bustling surroundings. You gently place him in the highchair, fastening the safety belt and ensuring he's comfortable. 

Harry leans over, his voice soft and playful. "Looks like our little explorer is ready to take on the world," he says, affection evident in his tone.

With menus in hand, you and Harry peruse the diverse options offered by Wetherspoons. The enticing aroma of pub classics and international flavors heightens your anticipation. 

"What are you in the mood for, love?" Harry asks, his eyes sparkling with excitement. 

You ponder the choices before replying, "I think I'll go for the fish and chips, and maybe a side of onion rings." 

Harry nods, his own cravings aligning with yours. "Sounds perfect. I'll go for the same," he says, his voice filled with agreement.

As you place your order, the server nods, jotting down your selections. Thames, captivated by the colorful surroundings, babbles happily, his tiny hands grasping at imaginary treasures. 

Harry chuckles, his eyes never leaving Thames. "He's already a charmer, isn't he?" he remarks, a proud smile on his face.

 You nod, a mix of joy and exhaustion washing over you. "Absolutely. He's got both of our best qualities," you reply, a hint of playfulness in your voice.

Moreso of Harry’s qualities, that was for sure.

He looked like his father in both looks and personality.

As you wait for your food, conversation flows effortlessly between you and Harry. You discuss plans for the journey, reminiscing about past adventures, and revelling in the simple pleasure of being together. 

The minutes tick by, the restaurant gradually filling with the aroma of sizzling dishes.

Finally, the server arrives, skillfully balancing trays laden with steaming plates. She places your fish and chips and the accompanying sides before you, the golden batter glistening under the warm lights.

Harry looks at the food, his eyes widening in anticipation. "Looks incredible," he exclaims, picking up his fork. 

You follow suit, savouring the crispy exterior and succulent fish beneath.

Fish and chips was definitely one of your favourites.

Between bites, you steal glances at Thames, who now claps his tiny hands in delight at the sights and sounds around him. You share a knowing smile with Harry, grateful for these precious moments as a family. 

The ambiance of Wetherspoons, the taste of delicious food, and the laughter that fills the air create a tapestry of memories that will forever be cherished.

As the last morsel is devoured and satisfied smiles adorn your faces, you bask in the contentment that comes from a fulfilling meal shared with loved ones.

With Thames growing tired, you carefully lift him out of the highchair and cradle him in your arms, pressing a soft kiss to his mop of brown curls. Harry reaches over to help clear the table, his actions a testament to his attentiveness and willingness to share the responsibilities of parenthood.

As you make your way towards the exit of Wetherspoons, the journey ahead beckons. Thames's eyelids grow heavy, and he nestles his head against your shoulder, lulled by the comforting presence of his parents. You exchange a glance with Harry, both of you silently conveying the deep love and gratitude you feel for the life you've built together.

It wasn't long after you were out of the pub that you heard your gate getting called over the overhead speakers.

As you approached the gate, the final call for boarding resonated through the speakers. Harry knelt down in front of Thames, who was now resting in his stroller, which you knew he would have to get out of in a second,  a mix of excitement and tenderness in his eyes.

The stroller that he had was one that folded up and could easily slip into the overhead lockers.

"Hey there, little buddy," he said, his voice gentle. "We're about to hop on a plane and go on an amazing adventure. Are you ready?"

Thames clapped his hands, his face beaming with anticipation. 

Harry’s smile widened as he lifted Thames into his arms, giving him a playful spin."That's my little adventurer!" he exclaimed, eliciting giggles from Thames.

It wasn’t long before you were all settled into your seats on the plane, the anticipation of the journey ahead mixed with a touch of nervousness. 

Your husband sat beside you, and your eleven-month-old son, Thames, was cradled in your arms. The hum of conversation filled the cabin as passengers settled in.

During the take off part of the flight, Thames was a dream, he was growing tired so he was a bit out of it which you and Harry were grateful for, but when the flight was just nearing halfway through was when things took a turn for the worst.

Thames appeared to be showing signs of restlessness. 

His tiny face scrunched up, and a soft whimper escaped his lips. You rocked him gently, trying to soothe him, but his cries grew louder, catching the attention of nearby passengers.

One passenger glanced over, annoyance etched on their face, while another exchanged a frustrated look with their travel companion. You could feel the weight of their disapproval, and a pang of guilt washed over you.

Harry leaned closer, concern etched on his features. "Is everything okay, love?" he whispered, his voice filled with care.

You nodded, your voice barely above a whisper. "I think Thames is feeling a little overwhelmed. The noise, the unfamiliar surroundings... it's all getting to him." 

Thames had been on many flights during his eleven months of life, it wasn’t like it was his first flight, but you couldn't help but think it was due to the fact he didn’t have the usual people around him that he usually would on Harry’s jet.

There was no Sara, Mitch, Jeff or Pauli.

You couldn’t help but think that the unfamiliar faces were starting to get to him a little bit.

Harry's eyes softened as he reached out to stroke Thames's cheek. "Hey, little buddy," he cooed, his voice gentle. "We're here with you. It's okay."

He really was the best dad ever.

Thames's cries began to subside, his tiny body relaxing in your arms as he felt the comfort of his father's touch. The tension in the cabin eased slightly, but the disapproving glances still lingered.

Feeling the weight of the situation, you decided to address the concerned passengers. Taking a deep breath, you mustered the courage to speak up.

"I'm sorry if Thames's cries have been bothering you," you said, your voice carrying a hint of apology. "He's just a little overwhelmed with the new surroundings. We're doing our best to comfort him."

The passenger who had shown annoyance earlier softened their expression, realising the effort you were making.

 "Oh, it's alright," they replied, a touch of understanding in their tone. "Babies cry, and it's not your fault."

Another passenger chimed in, offering a smile. "Children can be unpredictable. We understand."

Phew.

As the plane continued its journey, you and Harry took turns soothing Thames, singing softly and playing with him to distract him from his unease. The cries turned into intermittent whimpers, and Thames gradually settled into a more peaceful state.

Throughout the flight, you could feel the empathy and support of the passengers around you. Some even offered kind words of encouragement, acknowledging the challenges of travelling with a young child.

Harry glanced at you, his eyes filled with admiration. "You're doing an amazing job, love," he said, his voice laced with gratitude.

You smiled back at him, grateful for his support. "We're in this together, Harry. Our little family will always come first."

As the plane prepared to land, Thames's cries had long subsided. You exchanged relieved glances with Harry, appreciating the understanding shown by your fellow travellers.

As you disembarked, a passenger approached you, their expression warm and friendly. 

"You're doing a great job as parents," they said, their voice filled with sincerity. "Travelling with children can be challenging, but it's all worth it. Take care."

As the plane touched down and came to a stop, a wave of relief washed over you. The journey that appeared to be a lot longer than it needed to be was finally over and that meant you were one step closer to getting off of the plane. The doors opened, and the announcement to disembark filled the cabin.

With Thames cradled in your arms, you made your way down the aisle, grateful for the support and understanding you had received from the crew due to the fact Thames was a little terror. As you reached the exit, the sight of the stairs leading down to the tarmac greeted you.

Harry smiled warmly, his hand reaching out to grasp yours. "We made it, love," he said, his voice filled with pride. "Home at last."

You returned his smile, feeling a mix of exhaustion and exhilaration. "It's going to be incredible seeing you perform at Wembley, sweet boy," you replied, your voice tinged with gratitude. "Touring with you and experiencing all those incredible moments together—it's something we'll cherish forever."

As you descended the stairs, the cool breeze of home caressed your faces, and the familiar surroundings welcomed you. Thames gazed wide-eyed at the scene, his little hand reaching out to touch the railing of the stairs.

"Home!" Thames babbled, his voice filled with excitement.

Harry chuckled, his eyes sparkling with joy. "Yes, Thames, we're home," he affirmed, his voice tender. "Our cosy sanctuary where we can relax and create beautiful memories."

Thames's eyes darted around, taking in the familiar sights and sounds. "Home, Mama!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with delight.

You kissed the top of his head, the love for your family swelling in your chest. "Yes, Thames, this is our home," you whispered.

One thought lingered in the back of your head that led to a smile forming onto your face.

Harry was home.

-

The sun gently peeked through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the room as you quietly tip-toed towards the bedroom. With a tray of delicious treats in hand, and your eleven-month-old son, Thames, wiggling in your arms, you were ready to surprise your husband, with a special breakfast in bed.

As you reached the bedroom door, you whispered to Thames, "Are you ready to wake up Daddy, my little helper?"

Thames giggled, his bright eyes twinkling with excitement. "Dada!" he squealed, his tiny hands reaching out.

You carefully placed Thames on the bed, allowing him to crawl towards Harry. His chubby fingers gently brushed against Harry's cheek, and his giggles filled the room.

Harry stirred, slowly opening his eyes to find his two favourite people eagerly awaiting him. A smile spread across his face as he propped himself up on his elbows. "Well, good morning, my loves," he greeted, his voice still laced with sleepiness.

The morning voice of his never failed to cause butterflies to erupt in your stomach.

You grinned, the love in your heart swelling. "Good morning, sleepyhead," you replied, playfully tousling Harry's hair. "We thought you deserved a special treat today."

Harry's eyes widened as he took in the sight of the tray filled with his favourite breakfast items. "Breakfast in bed?" he exclaimed, his voice filled with delight. "You two are spoiling me."

And he should expect nothing less.

Thames clapped his hands, his smile mirroring Harry's enthusiasm. "Dada!" he babbled, pointing at the tray.

Chuckling, Harry scooted up, propping himself against the headboard. "Alright, Thames, let's dig in," he said, his voice full of excitement.

You settled next to Harry, Thames wriggling happily between the two of you.

 As Harry took a bite of the fluffy pancakes, his eyes widened in delight. "These are amazing, love," he exclaimed, his mouth full.

You blushed, a mix of pride and joy filling your heart. "I'm glad you like them. Thames and I wanted to start your day off with something special."

Thames reached out, his tiny fingers grabbing at a slice of fruit from the tray. "Yummy!" he giggled, taking a bite.

Harry chuckled, his eyes filled with adoration. "Looks like our little chef approves too," he said, his voice filled with pride.

As you enjoyed the meal together, the room filled with laughter and playful chatter. Thames clapped his hands, eager to join in the conversation. You looked at Harry, a warm glow in your eyes.

"Harry, you bring so much joy to our lives," you whispered, your voice filled with love. "Thames and I are grateful for every moment we spend with you."

Harry's smile softened, his gaze locked with yours. "And I'm grateful for you two," he replied, his voice filled with tenderness. "You make every day feel like a gift."

As the breakfast came to an end, Harry leaned over and planted a gentle kiss on your lips, Thames giggling in between. "Thank you for the delicious breakfast and for being the most amazing partner and mother," Harry said, his voice sincere.

You leaned in, your forehead resting against his. "Thank you for being the incredible husband and father that you are," you whispered, your voice filled with gratitude.

Thames crawled into your lap, his little arms reaching out to embrace both of you. You wrapped your arms around him, creating a tight-knit family embrace.

Together, you basked in the warmth and love of the moment, cherishing the simple pleasures of togetherness and the joy that filled your hearts. Breakfast in bed was just the beginning of a beautiful day filled with love and adventure. With Thames nestled between you and Harry, you discussed the plans for the day.

"You’re going to go and see Nana in a minute, are you excited?" you asked Thames, brushing a strand of hair away from Thames's face.

Last night, Harry had informed you that he had booked for the two of you to take part in a quick session of pilates before the show so that he could stretch out his muscles. Anne was already in London and didn’t hesitate to accept the offer of babysitting for her grandson.

Thames clapped his hands in agreement, his eyes shining with anticipation.

▌║ ▊ ┃ ▌▕ ▌║ ▊ ┃ ▌ ▕ ▌║ ▊ ┃ ▌▕

After dropping Thames off round Harry’s mother’s house, the two of you got ready to head to the pilates studio together.

You and Harry walked hand in hand into the bright and airy studio, ready for your first Pilates class together of the week.

As the instructor greeted you with a warm smile, you couldn't help but exchange a mischievous glance with Harry. This was going to be a fun and flirty experience.

It always was whenever you did anything gym related with him, he always had that smirk on his face, that you fell in love with all of them years ago.

You found a spot in the back row, unrolling your mats and settling in. The soft music played in the background, creating a soothing ambiance. The instructor began guiding the class through a series of warm-up exercises.

Harry leaned over, his lips brushing against your ear. "You look absolutely stunning in those leggings, love," he whispered, his  voice laced with playful admiration.

You were wearing a pair of light grey Nike leggings, followed by a black crop top, Nike trainers and some running trainers.

You giggled, feeling a blush spread across your cheeks. "Well, you're not looking too bad yourself, Mr. Styles," you replied, playfully nudging his side.

He was wearing a black shirt, with matching black shorts and a pair of red trainers hugging his feet. His curls clipped atop his head by a spider clip.

He looked really good.

You could only imagine what he would look like with sweat dripping down his body.

As the class progressed, you both couldn't resist stealing glances at each other during stretches and poses. 

Your eyes locked, and a playful competition emerged, each of you trying to outdo the other's flexibility and grace.

During a particularly challenging exercise, Harry struggled to maintain his balance. You couldn't help but burst into a fit of laughter, causing the instructor to pause and give you a curious look.

"Everything alright back there?" the instructor asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.

Harry grinned, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Just trying to keep up with my incredible partner here," he replied, nodding toward you.

You blushed, feeling a mix of embarrassment and delight. "He's right," you added, flashing the instructor a playful smile. "We can't resist some friendly competition."

The instructor chuckled, clearly amused by your antics. "Well, as long as you're having fun and staying safe, carry on," she said, resuming the class.

Well that wasn’t embarrassing in the slightest.

As the session continued, Harry couldn't resist reaching out, subtly intertwining his fingers with yours during a challenging core exercise. The touch of his hand sent a jolt of electricity through your body, making it hard to concentrate on the routine.

"Focus, love," Harry whispered, his voice husky with desire. "I don't want you getting distracted."

You bit your lip, feeling the heat rise in your cheeks. "Says the one who can't keep his eyes off me," you retorted, your voice filled with playful flirtation.

The class came to an end, and as you lay side by side on your mats, cooling down, you couldn't help but exchange satisfied smiles. Sweaty and slightly out of breath, you both felt invigorated and closer than ever.

You could see trails of sweat rolling off of his forehead and some specks had dripped onto his neck, holy moly.

Your husband was fit.

"That was an incredible workout," Harry said, his voice filled with admiration. "But I must say, the highlight was getting to flirt with you the entire time."

You chuckled, your heart swelling with affection. "Flirting with you is always a highlight, Mr. Styles," you replied, playfully poking his tattooed arm. Specifically the mermaid tattoo.

The instructor approached, a knowing smile on her face. "You two certainly brought some extra charm to the class today," she commented, her voice filled with amusement.

Harry flashed her a charming grin. "We like to keep things fun and flirty," he replied, his eyes never leaving yours.

▌║ ▊ ┃ ▌▕ ▌║ ▊ ┃ ▌ ▕ ▌║ ▊ ┃ ▌▕

The grandeur of Wembley Stadium greeted you as the three of you arrived at the iconic stadium. The vast space seemed even more immense without the presence of the usual throngs of fans. Tonight's performance was going to be a big one, that was for sure.

As you walked through the empty stadium, Thames cradled in your arms, a sense of awe washed over you. This iconic venue held so many memories and had witnessed countless legendary performances. And tonight, it would become a backdrop for Harry's music and the love you shared as a family.

Harry's hand found yours, his fingers interlacing with yours. "It's just us, love," he whispered, his voice filled with a mix of excitement and gratitude. "I'm so glad we get to experience this moment together, as a family."

You squeezed his hand, feeling a surge of warmth and love. "Me too, Harry," you replied, your voice filled with adoration. "Thames and I are so proud of you, and we're honoured to be here with you tonight."

Thames squirmed in your arms, his eyes wide with curiosity. His tiny fingers reached out, as if trying to grasp the magnitude of the space around him. "Dada?" he babbled, his voice filled with innocence and wonder.

Harry chuckled, bending down to kiss Thames's forehead. "Yes, little man," he said, his voice laced with affection. "Dada is going to perform on that stage tonight, just for you and Mommy."

You couldn’t help but reminisce the last time Harry had performed at the stadium, it was June 18th, 2022.

Aka, the best day of both your lives for a totally different reason.

You stood backstage at Wembley Stadium, watching with pride as your husband electrified the crowd with his captivating performance. The energy in the air was palpable, and you couldn't help but be swept up in the magic of the moment. Little did you know that another kind of magic was about to unfold.

As Harry sang his heart out on stage to Watermelon Sugar, you felt a sudden rush of warmth between your legs. 

Panic coursed through your veins as you realised your waters had broken. You glanced around, spotting the midwife that Harry had insisted that you hire for reasons exactly like this. Her name was Mary and so far, she had been touring Europe with you and Harry in case anything were to happen.

So far, nothing had happened.

That was until now.

You took a deep breath, trying to remain calm amidst the chaos. You didn't want to interrupt Harry's performance. You wanted him to finish his set and bask in the glory of the moment before breaking the news. It would be a memory he would cherish forever.

His manager, Jeff, noticed the concern on your face and approached you. "Everything okay, love?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine care.

You tried to maintain composure as you whispered, "My waters just broke, Jeff. But I don't want to distract Harry. Let him finish his performance."

Jeff's eyes widened, his concern mirroring yours as he watched as a contraction rippled through your body, not so much a painful one, just a little bit more painful than your braxton hicks.

"Right, okay," he replied, quickly assessing the situation. "We'll get the midwife closer, and as soon as Harry comes off stage, she'll be there to help."

Anne, Harry's mother, joined you, sensing something was amiss. She placed a hand on your shoulder, her eyes filled with concern. 

"Darling, what's wrong?" she asked, her voice filled with motherly love.

You bit your lip, holding back tears of both fear and excitement. "My waters broke, Anne," you whispered, your voice shaking. "But I want to wait until Harry finishes his performance."

Anne's eyes widened in surprise, but she nodded understandingly. "We'll do as you say, love," she assured you, her voice filled with support. "We'll make sure everything is ready for when Harry comes off stage."

That moment couldn’t come fast enough.

As the minutes ticked by, Harry's performance reached its peak. The crowd's roars echoed through the stadium, electrifying the air. You watched with bated breath, your contractions intensifying, as Harry poured his heart into the final song.

Kiwi was always a banger.

The moment the last note faded away, the stage erupted into applause, signalling the end of an incredible show. Harry's breathless form emerged from the stage, a mixture of exhaustion and elation on his face.

Just before he had come off of stage, another contraction coursed your body. They were picking up now, and your heart was starting to beat just that much faster.

You took a deep breath, knowing the time had come. The midwife stood by your side, ready to assist as soon as Harry was off stage.

Harry approached, his eyes searching yours for answers. "What's going on, love?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

A mix of emotions swirled within you as you looked into his eyes, you were eager to tell him, but also slightly out of breath. 

"Harry, my waters…broke," you said, your voice trembling with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. "But I didn't want to interrupt ….your performance. I wanted you to finish."

Harry's eyes widened in disbelief, a mix of emotions flickering across his face. "Are you serious?" he asked, his voice filled with astonishment.

The midwife stepped forward, a reassuring smile on her face. "Congratulations, Harry," she said, her voice filled with warmth. "You're about to become a father."

Tears welled up in Harry's eyes as he pulled you into a tight embrace. "I can't believe it," he whispered, his voice trembling with overwhelming joy. "We're having a baby. Our baby."

The labour portion of the birth had apparently been moving a lot faster than either of you had anticipated, and Mary had informed the crew working at Wembley and Jeff that you would have to deliver the baby here.

You were going to have a baby at Wembley arena.

"We'll need a private area, away from the noise and commotion," Mary spoke, raising her voice as she locked eyes on crew members. "Let's find a suitable space backstage."

Together, you and Harry made your way through the labyrinth of backstage corridors, supported by the crew. Harry had picked you up bridal style and you wrapped your arms around his neck as pain coursed through your body, often making you arch your back.

Finally, you reached a secluded area, transformed into a makeshift delivery room. The crew had done their best to create a calm and sterile environment amidst the backstage chaos.

As the midwife prepared the space, you were carefully lowered down on the pillows that the crew had laid down for you. Harry stood by your side, his face a mixture of awe and concern. He took your hand in his, providing a steady anchor amidst the intensity of the moment.

You had never needed him more than you needed him now.

The contractions surged, each one demanding your full attention. The midwife guided you through breathing exercises, offering words of encouragement and support. 

Harry's voice joined in, whispering soothing words and reminding you of your strength.

His words consisted of.

“You’ve got this, love.’

‘You’re doing absolutely amazing.’

‘They’re almost here,’

Time seemed to blur as the intensity of the contractions increased. Waves of pain washed over you, but you focused on the profound connection between you, Harry, and your unborn child.

With each push, you felt your body working in harmony with the natural rhythm of birth. 

Harry's love and support fueled your determination, and the midwife provided expert guidance, ensuring the safety of both you and your baby.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity and yet a fleeting moment, your baby emerged into the world.

 A cry filled the air, a beautiful symphony of life and love.

Tears streamed down Harry's face as he looked upon the tiny, fragile being in your arms. "Our baby... our miracle," he whispered, his voice filled with a mix of overwhelming joy and awe.

You marvelled at the perfect little human you had brought into the world, the culmination of your love and shared journey with Harry. In that moment, the backstage chaos faded away,and all that mattered was the miracle of new life that lay before you.

The midwife carefully placed your baby on your chest, skin-to-skin, fostering the precious bond between parent and child. You gazed into your little one's eyes, overcome with a profound sense of love and gratitude.

Your baby boy.

As the cries of your baby filled the intimate space backstage, a hush fell over the room. The crew and staff, who had been bustling with energy, stood in awe, witnessing the miracle unfold before them. The noise from the stage faded into the background, replaced by the tender sounds of a newborn's first cries.

Amidst the emotional whirlwind, the door swung open, and in walked Jeff, Harry's manager, and Anne, Harry's mother. They had been alerted to the situation and rushed to your side, their expressions a mix of concern and joy.

Anne's eyes brimmed with tears as she approached you, her voice filled with tenderness. "Oh, my darling, you've done it. You've brought this beautiful life into the world," she said, her words carrying a weight of pride and love.

Jeff, too, was in awe of the scene unfolding before him. He stood beside Harry, both men moved beyond words. The connection between you, Harry, and the new addition to your family was a testament to the strength and love that bound you all together.

As the midwife attended to the final steps of the delivery, ensuring your well-being and that of your baby, Harry leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead. "You were incredible, love," he whispered, his voice filled with admiration. "I'm so proud of you."

Tears of joy streamed down your face as you basked in the overwhelming emotions that flooded your heart. You had overcome the unexpected circumstances, bringing your baby into the world backstage at Wembley, surrounded by love, music, and the support of those closest to you.

Your little Thames Harry Styles.

“What’re you thinking about, love?”

You snapped out of your daydreaming and turned to smile at your husband who now had your baby boy settled on his hip, sucking his dummy innocently as he peered around at the empty stadium that would soon be filled up.

“June 18th, 2022.” was all you said, and it was enough for him to nod his head in understanding.

“The best day of our lives.”

You nodded your head as he wrapped an arm around your shoulders, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “The best day of our lives, our boy’s a dramatic one just like his father.”

▌║ ▊ ┃ ▌▕ ▌║ ▊ ┃ ▌ ▕ ▌║ ▊ ┃ ▌▕

As the anticipation built inside Wembley Stadium, you found yourself standing beside Anne, both of you eager to soak in the energy of the pre-concert atmosphere. The air crackled with excitement as fans began to gather, eagerly awaiting Harry's show.

Thames was playing with Harry who was with Jeff and Pauli, trying to tire him out so that he would have a nap before the show.

You and Anne decided to take a moment outside the stadium, away from the bustling backstage area as per your husband's idea.

As you walked hand in hand, a smile graced your lips, knowing that this time with Harry's mother was precious and rare.

Anne wasn’t just Harry and Gemma’s mother. She was a mother to you as well. 

When you and Harry first started dating, the two of you were twenty. He was just coming out of his teenage years and when he first introduced you to his mother, the two of you instantly had this huge connection.

You could go to her about absolutely anything.

You and Harry got engaged at twenty five, and married when you were both 27. You had Thames at 28.

The sight that greeted you outside Wembley was a breathtaking display of fandom and dedication. Fans had gathered from all corners of the world, adorned in Harry's merchandise, waving handmade signs, and exchanging stories of their love for his music.

Anne's eyes twinkled with delight as she surveyed the scene. "Look at this incredible support," she marvelled. "It's truly remarkable."

It really was.

You nodded in agreement, appreciating the devotion and passion of Harry's fans. As you strolled along the line of fans waiting patiently, you stopped occasionally to chat, share smiles, and take photos.

One fan, a young girl with a beaming smile, who was queuing up with her father, approached you and Anne. 

"Can I have a picture with you both?" she asked, her voice filled with excitement.

"Of course," you replied, your own smile matching hers. You weren't one to turn down a picture, only when Thames was with you. You and Harry were very private people when it came to your baby boy.

You posed with the fan, doing your husband's classic peace sign, capturing a moment of connection and shared joy. In that instant, the bond between artist, fans, and loved ones was palpable.

The young girl then extended her wrist, revealing a stack of colourful friendship bracelets. "I made these for Harry and his loved ones. Would you like one?"

Your heart swelled with gratitude for the fan's thoughtfulness. "That's incredibly sweet. We would love to have one," you said, carefully selecting a bracelet for yourself and another for Anne.

Your bracelet was light blue, and had the word ‘HSLOT’ written on it. It was truly unique.

With a simple exchange of bracelets, a connection was forged—a symbol of unity and appreciation. It was a reminder of the unbreakable bond that formed between Harry, his fans, and those who supported him.

As you continued to mingle with the fans, you encountered stories of personal growth, healing, and shared experiences. The love and impact of Harry's music became even more evident, as fans poured out their hearts and expressed their gratitude for the way his art had touched their lives.

In the midst of the conversations, Anne shared anecdotes of Harry's journey as an artist, revealing moments of vulnerability and dedication that had shaped him into the person he had become. Her stories painted a vivid picture of Harry's relentless pursuit of his dreams and the unwavering support he had received from his loved ones.

You listened intently, captivated by Anne's words. She spoke with a mother's pride, sharing how Harry's passion for music had blossomed from a young age. She recounted moments of determination and resilience, highlighting the countless hours he had spent perfecting his craft, and the sacrifices he had made to pursue his dreams.

As the stories unfolded, you gained a deeper understanding of the person Harry had become. It was clear that his artistry was not just about creating music, but about connecting with people, making them feel seen and understood. His songs had touched hearts and inspired countless individuals around the world.

Amidst the conversations, you couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for being part of this journey. You thought back to the early days, when you first met Harry, and how your lives had intertwined. The support and love he had shown you throughout your relationship mirrored the unwavering dedication he poured into his music.

As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the gathering crowd, you and Anne decided to capture a few more moments together. Fans approached, requesting photos, and you happily obliged, feeling a sense of camaraderie and unity. The shared love for Harry created an instant bond, as if you were all part of one big extended family.

The sound of laughter and excited chatter filled the air as the anticipation for the show grew. The stadium lights illuminated the night sky, casting a magical aura over the scene. You marvelled at the way music had the power to bring people together, to transcend boundaries and create a sense of belonging.

▌║ ▊ ┃ ▌▕ ▌║ ▊ ┃ ▌ ▕ ▌║ ▊ ┃ ▌▕

As the lights dimmed inside Wembley Stadium, you found yourself nestled beside Harry, eagerly awaiting the performance of Madi Diaz, the talented artist who was set to be his opening act.

The air was charged with anticipation, and the energy of the crowd was palpable.

Harry had insisted that you watch her perform, even though you had watched her before, but the puppy dog eyes he provided had the deal sealed and here you were, watching from the tunnel as she performed to the fans awaiting your husband.

Taking a moment to soak in the atmosphere, you glanced at Harry, his eyes sparkling with excitement. 

"I can't wait to see Madi perform," he whispered, his voice filled with admiration for the talented singer.

A soft melody began to drift through the speakers, signalling the start of Madi's set. 

The crowd erupted in cheers as she stepped onto the stage, her presence commanding attention.

As Madi's ethereal voice filled the stadium, you found yourself captivated by her soulful performance. Her music seemed to weave a spell, enchanting everyone in its path. The audience swayed to the rhythm, their enthusiasm growing with each passing song.

Glancing down the row, you noticed your eleven-month-old son, nestled contentedly in Harry's arms. His wide eyes reflected the vibrant lights and the pulsating energy of the crowd.

 "Looks like Thames is enjoying the music too," you remarked, a fond smile gracing your lips.

Harry chuckled softly, his voice barely audible over the music. "I think he's got great taste already," he replied, his adoration for your little family evident in his eyes.

The songs flowed seamlessly, drawing you deeper into the musical journey. You couldn't help but feel a sense of pride for Madi's talent, knowing that she was setting the stage for Harry's own performance.

During a particularly soulful ballad, you felt a surge of emotion welling up inside you. It was the kind of music that touched your heart, reminding you of the power of melody and lyrics to evoke emotions and connect people.

As the final notes of Madi's last song resonated through the stadium, the crowd erupted in thunderous applause, expressing their appreciation for her mesmerising performance. You joined in, clapping enthusiastically, feeling a sense of unity with everyone present.

The intermission provided a brief respite before Harry's grand entrance. You took the opportunity to steal a moment alone with Harry and Thames, savouring the warmth of each other's presence.

"I'm so proud of you," you whispered, your voice filled with love and admiration. "I can't wait to see you take the stage."

“Get in this photo with me quickly, love.” Harry mused, reaching for his phone that was in his pocket of his shorts, he brought your son closer to his chest as you rested your head on his shoulder.

He did his peace sign, whilst you just smiled at the camera, Thames was too busy staring at his father to take notice of the camera clicking.

“I’m gonna send it to the group chat, tell her how much we enjoyed her set.”

What a cutie.

It wasn't long until You found yourself backstage at Wembley after watching Madi perform, in your husband's peaceful dressing room where you could tend to the needs of your precious baby boy. Harry was off talking to Sarah whilst Wet Leg took to the stage.

Settling into a comfortable chair, you cradled Thames in your arms, his tiny fingers grasping onto your shirt. A soft smile played on your lips as you looked down at him, your heart overflowing with love.

He was your everything.

The love you had for him was ever growing.

"Time for a little snack, angel baby," you whispered, gently shifting him into a position that would allow him to nurse. 

His hungry cries were replaced by a contented sigh as he latched onto your breast, his tiny mouth working in rhythm with the soothing beat of his suckling.

Breastfeeding him was a good way for you to connect with him.

Feeling a sense of peace wash over you, you close your eyes, relishing the intimate connection you shared with your son. The backstage noise faded into the background, replaced by the comforting sound of Thames' soft slurping.

A gentle knock on the door interrupted the tranquillity, and you opened your eyes to see Harry's mother peeking in.

 "May I come in?" she asked, her voice filled with warmth and concern.

"Of course, mama," you replied, grateful for her presence. "Thames is just having his feeding."

Anne stepped into the room, her eyes filled with tenderness as she approached you and Thames.

 "He's growing so quickly," she remarked, her voice a gentle whisper. "You're doing an amazing job, dear."

A mixture of gratitude and fatigue washed over you, and you smiled wearily. "Thank you, mama. It's been a journey, but it's all worth it."

It wasn’t easy to get pregnant with your darling boy. No matter how many pregnancy tests that you seemed to take, they simply would not show the result you both desperately wanted.

But then, one morning, you got the result you had always wanted.

Anne took a seat beside you, her gaze fixed on the baby in your arms. 

"It truly is," she agreed, her voice carrying the weight of experience. "The bond you're forging with him is something truly special."

As Thames nursed, you and Anne engaged in a heartfelt conversation. She shared stories of motherhood, recounting the joys and challenges she had experienced when raising Harry and his sister. Her words were a soothing balm to your weary soul, reminding you that you were not alone on this beautiful yet demanding journey.

"You're a wonderful mother, and I couldn't be prouder to have you as a part of our family," Anne said, her voice filled with genuine affection.

Touched by her words, a tear welled up in your eye. "Thank you, mama. Your support means the world to me."

As Thames finished his feeding, his eyes fluttered closed, a satisfied smile gracing his little face. You carefully cradled him against your chest, his warmth and soft breaths providing comfort.

Anne rose from her seat, placing a gentle hand on your shoulder. "Rest up, dear. We'll be here for you every step of the way."

That was nice to hear.

With a nod of gratitude, you watched as Anne left the room, leaving behind an aura of warmth and encouragement.

Once Anne had left, Thames had slowly stopped his sucking and had closed his eyes, just as Harry had walked into the room.

You placed your angel baby in his stroller, covering him with a soft blanket and giving him his dummy before walking back over to the sofa where your husband was now sitting, legs spread wide and you plonked yourself down on his lap, legs straddling his waist.

“What’re you doing?” He asked you as his breath hitched in his throat, the feeling of you sat on his lap never failed to get him excited.

“I know for a fact that you're nervous about performing here tonight,” You told him, smiling at him as you pushed some of his curls off of his forehead. “So I thought I’d help you see as Thames has gone down for his nap.”

“And how can you help me?”

“I thought we could have a little makeout session,” You shrugged your shoulders. “Just like we used to do when we first met, it can take your mind off of things.”

As soon as those words left your mouth, his lips were stuck onto yours. The kisses started out soft before they slowly built up their speed.

He slipped his tongue gently inside your mouth after you granted him access and it had you moaning slightly at the feeling.

His kisses never failed to make you weak.

You tugged on his curls to bring his face closer to yours, and this time he was the one to let out a moan at your actions.

He was the first one to pull away and moved his hands down so that they were grabbing at your arse, making you squeal slightly.

“God I love you.”

You took a look at his swollen lips before pressing one last peck to them. “And I adore you.”

There was nothing like a little backstage make out session at Wembley Stadium.

▌║ ▊ ┃ ▌▕ ▌║ ▊ ┃ ▌ ▕ ▌║ ▊ ┃ ▌▕

It wasn’t long before Harry made his way onto the stage.

You stood near the side of the stage, so that Harry could see you and his family at all times. Thames was fast asleep in your arms, ear protectors over his ears so that the loud music did not affect his hearing.

As the lights dimmed inside the grand arena, a collective hush fell over the crowd. 

Excitement crackled in the air, anticipation palpable as everyone waited for the moment they had been eagerly awaiting. You found yourself among the thousands of devoted fans, heart pounding in your chest.

Suddenly, the stage erupted in a burst of dazzling lights, and a surge of electricity coursed through the audience. The unmistakable sound of Harry's voice resonated through the speakers, sending waves of euphoria through every fibre of your being.

"He's here!" you heard someone exclaim in front of you to the person beside them, unable to contain therejoy. "Harry here!"

The roar of the crowd intensified, the air filled with a fusion of deafening screams, heartfelt cheers, and unabashed adoration. 

The energy was electric, a testament to the unwavering support and love of Harry's fans.

As the opening notes of his first song reverberated through the stadium, the crowd erupted into a chorus of elation. 

You joined in, your voice blending with the voices of thousands, all singing along to the lyrics that had touched their hearts and souls.

Daydreaming was a banger.

The atmosphere became a symphony of emotions—a mix of tears, laughter, and sheer awe. Every fan's face was illuminated by the radiant glow of the stage, their eyes fixated on the mesmerising sight before them.

"He's even more incredible in person," a fan exclaimed, her voice filled with wonder. "I can't believe I'm witnessing this moment!"

Neither could you.

Around you, fans were captured in a collective trance, their attention solely focused on the man who had captured their hearts. The connection between artist and audience was undeniable, an unbreakable bond that transcended time and distance.

"I've been waiting for this my whole life," someone whispered, their voice filled with a mixture of reverence and gratitude. "It's a dream come true."

The air was thick with raw emotion, an outpouring of love and appreciation for the music that had become the soundtrack to countless lives. It was a shared experience, a moment of unity where strangers become allies, connected by their devotion to Harry and his art.

As Harry's voice soared, filling the stadium with its power and vulnerability, you felt an overwhelming sense of pride. This was the moment you had been waiting for—to witness the impact of his talent on such a grand scale.

"He's a legend," a fan declared, her voice filled with conviction. "And we're all here to witness his greatness."

The cheers echoed, reverberating through the walls of the stadium, as Harry commanded the stage with his magnetic presence. The fans were transfixed, caught in a whirlwind of emotions, their admiration for him radiating from every corner of the venue.

In that moment, as the music swelled and the crowd erupted in applause, you realised the power of unity and shared passion. Harry had created a world where strangers become friends, where music brought people together, and where the magic of his performance created an unbreakable bond.

The night had been amazing so far, that was until Harry had decided to start singing ‘Fine Line’.

He had not told you that he would be performing this, it was a shock to not only you but the whole stadium.

The song had a special meaning to the two of you, he had written it when the two of you were going through a bad patch in your relationship.

‘Put a price on emotion, I’m looking for something buy’

You stood in the dimly lit living room, the tense silence enveloping the air like a suffocating fog. Harry, your husband of ten years, stood across from you, his eyes filled with a mixture of frustration and exhaustion. The lines etched on his face told a story of countless arguments and sleepless nights. This was just another page in the tumultuous novel of your relationship.

"I can't keep doing this, (Y/N)," Harry said, his voice strained. "We need to figure out a way to move forward."

You clenched your fists, struggling to keep your emotions in check. "Move forward? How can we move forward when you're never here? When every word we exchange feels like a transaction?"

He sighed, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "It's not about money, Sarah. It's about providing for our family, giving them the life they deserve."

Your heart ached at the mention of your children, the innocent casualties of your constant clashes. "I don't want you to buy me things, Harry. I want you to be here. I want you to listen, to understand."

Harry's frustration boiled over, his voice tinged with bitterness. "I work day and night to give you everything, to provide stability. Isn't that enough?"

Tears welled up in your eyes, threatening to spill over. "No, Harry, it's not enough. I want your time, your presence. I want to feel like a priority, not just someone you provide for."

You and Harry had gone through a tough bout in your relationship, you had got engaged four months ago and ever since then it was as if Harry was never there.

You felt alone.

You just needed his love and affection.

‘You’ve got my devotion but man I can hate you sometimes,’

He had forgotten date night:

Again.

"I just don't understand, Harry," you said, your voice trembling with a mixture of anger and hurt. "You have my unwavering love and loyalty, but there are moments when I can't help but despise you."

He stared back at you, his brows furrowing as he searched for an explanation. "I never intended to hurt you. I thought I was doing what was best for us."

A bitter laugh escaped your lips, laced with a touch of disdain. "Your version of 'what's best' seems to conveniently align with your own desires. What about considering my feelings, my needs?"

Harry's face contorted with a mix of guilt and confusion. "I never meant to disregard you, I promise. But sometimes I get so wrapped up in my own world that I forget to take a step back and see how it affects you."

You shook your head, feeling the weight of disappointment pressing down upon you. "Forgetting is one thing, Harry, but repeatedly making the same mistakes is another. It's hard to believe that my devotion to you is reciprocated when I constantly feel neglected."

His eyes softened, a glimmer of understanding creeping into his gaze. "I don't want you to feel that way, I truly don't. I need to do better, to be more aware of the impact my actions have on our relationship."

A mixture of frustration and sadness welled up inside you, threatening to overflow. "Words are empty if they're not followed by actions, Harry. I need tangible proof that you value our bond, that you're willing to fight for it."

‘I don’t want to fight you, I don’t want to sleep in the dirt’

The air was heavy with the weight of unspoken apologies, regrets, and unmet expectations.

Everything was turning to shit.

"I don't want to be at odds with you, Harry," you said, your voice trembling with a mix of anguish and longing. "I don't want our love to be reduced to this constant battle."

He ran a hand through his dishevelled hair, his voice filled with a tinge of desperation. "Neither do I. I hate the way we hurt each other, the way we tear each other apart."

A sigh escaped your lips as you stared into his eyes, searching for a flicker of understanding. "Then why do we keep finding ourselves in this never-ending cycle? Why can't we find common ground?"

Harry's gaze dropped to the ground, the weight of his admission evident in his slumped shoulders. "I don't have all the answers, love. But I know that I don't want to sleep in this metaphorical dirt. I want us to find a way out of this darkness."

‘We’ll get the drinks in so I’ll get to thinking of her’

You found yourself entangled in yet another heated argument with Harry. The atmosphere was tense, thick with unspoken frustrations and mounting anger. Each word felt like a dagger, piercing the fragile fabric of your relationship.

"We always find a way to escape, don't we?" you muttered, your voice tinged with bitterness. "But in the midst of our indulgence, do you ever think of her?"

Her.

The name of the girl who dated Harry before you, the name of the girl who he had to do part of a show with:

Kendall Jenner.

Harry's expression tightened, his eyes clouded with defensiveness. "I'm trying to forget, to let go of the past. Why can't we focus on our present?"

A bitter laugh escaped your lips, laced with a tinge of resentment. "The present is tainted, Harry. How can we move forward when the past still haunts our every interaction?"

He took a step closer, frustration etched upon his face. "I made mistakes, but I'm here, trying to make amends. Can't you see that?"

You looked away, struggling to hold back tears that threatened to spill over. "I see your efforts, Harry, but it's hard to ignore the scars left behind. The wounds run deep."

His voice wavered, a mix of pleading and remorse. "I want to heal those wounds, to build a future together. Can't we leave the past where it belongs?"

‘We’ll be a fine line’

The room echoed with the weight of unspoken words, a battlefield of emotions waiting to be unleashed.

"I don't know if we can find our way back from this," you said, your voice laced with a sorrowful tone. "We've reached a breaking point, Harry."

He looked at you, his eyes filled with a mix of desperation and determination. "I refuse to believe that. We've faced challenges before, and we've come out stronger. We can do it again."

A bitter smile tugged at your lips. "But what if this time is different? What if we've crossed that invisible line, and there's no going back?"

Harry's voice cracked, his voice pleading. "We'll find a way. We have to. Our love is worth fighting for."

Tears welled up in your eyes, the ache in your heart threatening to consume you. "Love isn't always enough, Harry. We need more than just words. We need understanding, trust, and a solid foundation to build upon."

He reached out, his hand hovering in the air as if searching for an anchor. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I don't want to lose you."

A heavy silence settled between you, filled with the weight of unspoken fears and doubts. The fine line between hope and despair seemed more fragile than ever. You looked into Harry's eyes, searching for a glimmer of the love that had once bound you together.

"But what if we're just fooling ourselves?" you whispered, your voice barely audible. "What if we're destined to be nothing more than a shattered line, forever separated?"

‘Test of my patience, there’s things that we’ll never know’

"I can't do this anymore, Harry," you said, your voice strained with a mix of weariness and disappointment. "Our arguments have become a constant test of my patience."

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in his furrowed brows. "I never wanted it to come to this. But there are things we'll never know, no matter how hard we try."

A bitter chuckle escaped your lips, tinged with a touch of resignation. "It's those unknowns that weigh on me, Harry. They eat away at the foundation of our relationship."

Harry's eyes searched yours, a hint of desperation shining through. "I wish I had all the answers, but I'm just as lost as you are. All I know is that I don't want to lose you."

A surge of anger coursed through you, mixed with the ache of unmet expectations. "Saying you don't want to lose me is not enough, Harry. We need to confront these uncertainties together, to find a way to bridge the gaps that separate us."

His voice softened, a glimmer of remorse crossing his features. "I understand your frustration. I'm willing to work on it, to find a way to navigate these uncharted territories."

‘You sunshine you temptress, my hands at risk, I fold’

"You always have a way of shining light into my darkest moments, Harry," you spat out, your voice laden with both admiration and frustration. "But sometimes, that light blinds me, blurring the lines of what's right and wrong."

Harry's eyes flashed with a mix of bewilderment and defiance. "I never intended to lead you astray. I'm drawn to you like a moth to a flame, but my intentions are not always clear."

A sharp pang of hurt coursed through you, the realization of the risks at hand sinking in. "You temptress, Harry. With your charm and charisma, you lure me in, but the consequences of your actions leave me vulnerable."

He stepped closer, his voice pleading, yet tinged with regret. "I never wanted to put you in harm's way. But my hand is shaky, and sometimes, I make mistakes that hurt us both."

Anger flared within you, the frustration of being caught in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. "I can't keep playing this game with you, Harry. My heart is at risk, and I'm tired of constantly folding under the weight of uncertainty."

Harry's gaze softened, remorse evident in his eyes. "I understand your weariness, your need for stability. But please know that my intentions are rooted in love, even if they are imperfect."

You knew that he loved you.

There was no doubt about it.

His love was the one thing that never failed to grow, but your constant trust issues always made it hard to actually see what was happening right in front of you.

You had the perfect man and yet you couldn’t help but wish you didn’t deserve it.

‘Crop’s trepidation, I’ll try to shake this soon’

Tension hung heavy in the air as you found yourself caught in yet another argument with Harry, your husband. The room felt suffocating, suffused with a palpable unease that mirrored the crisp trepidation running through your veins. Emotions clashed, sending tremors through the fragile foundation of your relationship.

"I can't keep living like this, Harry," you exclaimed, your voice tinged with frustration. "The constant arguments, the uncertainty, it's eating away at me."

Harry's face hardened, his jaw set in determination. "I know I've made mistakes, but I'm trying to change. I can't shake the feeling that I'm losing you."

A bitter laugh escaped your lips, laced with a touch of resignation. "Trying isn't enough, Harry. I need more than just words. I need actions that reflect the promises you make."

He took a step closer, his voice filled with a mix of pleading and remorse. "I don't want to lose you either. I'll do whatever it takes to make things right."

And he did everything he could.

Hence the reason you were Mrs.Styles.

‘Spreading you open, is the only way of knowing you’

"I don't understand why you keep shutting me out, Harry," you exclaimed, frustration evident in your voice. "How can I truly know you if you're not willing to be open with me?"

Harry's face tightened, his eyes clouded with a mix of apprehension and fear. "Being open is not easy for me. I have my own demons, my own insecurities that I struggle with."

You took a step closer, desperation lacing your words. "I get that, Harry. But shutting me out only creates distance between us. We need to be able to share our fears, our vulnerabilities, to truly connect."

He sighed, the weight of his guardedness palpable. "I've been hurt before, and it's hard for me to let my guard down. But I don't want to lose you either."

You knew he had trust issues.

You both did.

But at the time, you were his fiancé and he just wouldn’t tell you about what was bothering him.

It was if you didn’t exist to him.

‘We’ll be alright’

Voices escalated, emotions intensified, and it seemed like the world around you was crumbling. But within the chaos, a glimmer of hope lingered.

"I can't believe you said that, Harry!" you exclaimed, frustration etched on your face. "How could you think I would ever do something like that?"

He ran a hand through his hair, a mix of remorse and desperation in his eyes. "I'm sorry, love. I let my insecurities get the best of me. I never meant to doubt you."

Anger simmered within you, but love fought its way to the surface. "We've been through so much together, Harry. Can't you see that? We're supposed to trust each other, support each other."

Harry's voice softened, his eyes pleading for forgiveness. "You're right, sweetheart. I've let my fears cloud my judgment. I know deep down that you would never betray me."

Tears welled up in your eyes, a mix of sadness and relief washing over you. "I just want us to be okay, Harry. I want us to trust each other and be there for one another."

He reached out and gently cupped your face, his touch comforting and reassuring. "We will be okay, love. We'll work through this, together. I'll do everything I can to make things right."

Everything did turn out alright.

You were at a party with the rest of the band and had been chatted up by some random man that you had never seen before.

Harry was drunk, and instantly accused you of trying it on with another man, making you realise that everything with Harry wasn’t all that it seemed.

You hadn’t realised that you were crying until you felt Gemma wrapping an arm around your shoulder and wiping away the tears that fell down to cheeks.

So many arguments between the man you loved and you was what caused the song to be written, and as much as it pained you, it needed to be done.

Arguments over petty little things.

You getting jealous due to the fact he was working with his ex, who was insanely pretty.

Hun forgetting date night again and again.

So many stupid little things led to the two of you almost ending things for good.

The family knew how important this song was to not only you but Harry, and hearing him singing it live always hit different:

But it felt a lot more different to see him performing it at Wembley.

You’ll always be alright.

▌║ ▊ ┃ ▌▕ ▌║ ▊ ┃ ▌ ▕ ▌║ ▊ ┃ ▌▕

As the final notes of the Kiwi faded into the air, you stood backstage, a proud smile adorning your face.

Your heart swelled with joy as you anticipated seeing your husband, after his electrifying performance. In your arms, your eleven-month-old still, slept soundly, soft snores falling from his parted lips, he looked just like his father when he slept, unaware of the excitement unfolding around him.

The backstage area was a whirlwind of activity as crew members rushed about, dismantling the stage and packing up equipment. But amidst the chaos, you patiently waited for Harry, knowing that your presence would provide the anchor he needed in the midst of the commotion.

Finally, you spotted him, his tall figure emerging from the crowd of people.

The moment his eyes locked with yours, everything else seemed to fade away. He grinned, his dimples deepening, as he made his way towards you.

"Hey, beautiful," Harry mused, his voice filled with warmth and exhaustion. He carefully brushed a stray lock of hair from your face. "Did you enjoy the show?"

"You were amazing, sweet boy!" you exclaimed, your voice filled with admiration. "The crowd absolutely loved you."

He chuckled, a hint of modesty in his tone. "Thank you, love. I'm glad they enjoyed it. But you're the one I perform for, you know."

Gently rocking Thames in your arms, you leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Harry's lips. "We're so proud of you, Daddy. You're the best."

Harry's eyes softened as he gazed at his sleeping son. "And I'm the luckiest man alive to have you and Thames by my side."

As the backstage area began to clear, Harry took your hand in his, intertwining your fingers. "Shall we head home, love? It's been a long day."

Nothing seemed better than climbing into your bed right now.

Together, you made your way towards the waiting car, hand in hand. The familiar routine of packing up and departing after a show had become second nature to you both.

The cool night air brushed against your skin as you settled Thames into his car seat, ensuring his comfort and safety.

As you climbed into the back seat next to Harry, exhaustion from the day began to wash over you. Resting your head on his shoulder, you sighed contentedly. "I'm so grateful for these moments, Harry. Our little family, together."

Harry wrapped his arm around you, pulling you closer. "Me too, love. These are the moments I live for."

You looked up at him with a mischievous glint in your eyes. "Hey, Harry, remember when we used to go on spontaneous adventures?"

He chuckled, his eyes lighting up with a playful gleam. "Oh, I remember. Those were some of the best times. What's on your mind, love?"

You had gone to paris,

Flown to Italy where he proposed,

Taken a trip to Amsterdam to place a padlock on the iconic bridge,

And had even flown to New York to see Beyoncé in concert.

A smile danced on your lips as you began sharing your idea. "Well, Thames is growing up so fast, and I was thinking, maybe it's time we start creating some fun memories with him too. What do you think about taking a family trip when tours over? Maybe we could spend some time in Italy or something like that or even in Holmes Chapel?”

Harry's face lit up with excitement, mirroring your own. "That sounds amazing, love! Any other suggestions? We could travel wherever our heart desires?”

You paused for a moment, pondering the possibilities. "How about a beach getaway? We can build sandcastles, splash in the waves, and introduce Noah to the joy of the ocean."

Harry's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "I love that idea! The beach has always been a special place for us, and I can't wait to share that with our angel baby."

The car continued to carry you home, but your thoughts were already whisked away to the anticipation of the family adventure that awaited. With each passing mile, you and Harry excitedly discussed the details of the trip—finding the perfect beach destination, planning activities for Thames, and envisioning the joy on his face as he experienced the wonders of the seaside.

As the car pulled into the driveway, you exchanged a knowing smile. The seed of a beautiful family memory had been planted, and the anticipation filled the air with a delightful energy.

One thing was for sure.

Harry was home.

[aceofwhump]

Hi Ace! Any advice for this newfound adult? (18)

ALSO ALSO I love your page so much its literally one of the bestEST!!! In my eyes you're like a whump celebrity! 😀🔥

Asdfghjkl omg thank you so much!!! You're too kind! I'm glad you enjoy my blog! And hello! Welcome to the adult world! It sucks! lol sorry. I'm not the best at adulting at all but sure I can share some advice. Some things I've learned since turning 18:

Other adults are just as dumb as you feel. We're all drowning and have no idea what we're doing so it's okay to feel like you have nothing down and don't know what you're doing. Cause we all feel like that. We're all just kids trying to make our way in the world.

Work should not be the center of your world. Work is supposed to be the place you go to make money so you can live your life. Don't let it take over your life. Don't let the frustrations of work destroy your mental health. No job is worth that. If it gets to be too much and it's affecting your health, it's time to find another job.

Maintaining friendships can be harder as you reach adulthood because schedules get crazy and people move and such but it's so worth the work. It won't be as easy as it was in high school because you're not gonna see people every day. You have to work hard to make time to see people and remember to text your friends every now and then even if it's just a "hey I'm thinking about you" or sending them a funny gif or video. Make the effort. Reach out to people you care about. Tell them you care about them.

Now I don't know your home life but as someone who still lives with their parents and has never moved out, THAT'S OKAY TO DO. You are not required to move out as soon as possible just to say your an adult. Life is hard and expensive and sometimes it's nice to have people to come home to.

Don't worry about what others think of you. Wear what you want, enjoy your hobbies whatever they may be, eat what you want, live you life for yourself. Not for others. You'll be happier. Trust me.

Go out there and try things!! You're young! Do things! You never know what you might find until you look.

Learn how to budget but remember that it's okay to spend money on "stupid stuff" that makes you happy. Go ahead and buy that stuffed animal or toy you've wanted since you were a kid.

Lists are very helpful for keeping track of important dates, chores to do, bills to pay. Makes lists. Keep them up on the fridge or a bulletin board above your computer.

Take care of your health. Brush your teeth, try to eat healthy, go outside for a walk, etc.

The best advice I got concerning credit cards was this: use one for big purchases but only use it when you have the money in your bank account to pay for the item. So like, go buy a chair with your credit card and then as soon as you can, pay the credit card bill with the money you should have in the bank. That way you don't end up going into massive credit card debt because you're spending money you don't have.

Be patient.

Be open to new things and meeting new people.

Be kind but take no shit. You never know what the other person is going through and we all handle stress and fear in different ways. It never hurts to just be kind when you can. When you can't be kind? Take no shit. Don't let someone walk over. Stand up for yourself.

Wear sunscreen!!!

Find a hobby. And I mean something you do just for yourself that has nothing to do with making any money. Create something. Learn to crochet or knit or make things with wood or draw or build legos or sew or cosplay or write or make movies or photography. SOMETHING that lets you use your hands and that you do just for yourself because it makes you happy. It's also a great way to meet people. Most of my friends I've met through my hobbies. Hobbies are great for your mental health

Put the phone down sometimes and just be in the moment. Just enjoy life for a bit without thinking about taking photos for social media.

Work hard but don't kill yourself. It's good to work hard and have a good work ethic but remember to take a break and don't push yourself beyond your limits.

GO THRIFTING!!! I can't say that one enough. People tend to look down on places like Good Will, Savers, and thrift stores but I can buy a brand new couch for like 30 dollars at these places. I have bought an entire wardrobe for next to nothing. Go thrifting. You'll find some really great things for cheap.

Ask for help when you need it. It's not shameful to ask for help. And that's for everything. Don't understand something at work? Ask a coworker or manager. Not sure how to cook something? Ask a friend or family member if they know how. Struggling with your mental health? Ask for help from a friend or family member. ASK FOR HELP

And finally, there is no deadline or boxes you need to mark off to be considered an "adult". You don't have to get married, buy a house, have kids, etc. to be successful at adulting. Live your life how you want to live your life.

Good luck nonny!!!!