#it'll be amazing and so nice to have that kind of alone time with him

[arrow-guy]

.

[smolandweirdwriter]

The bad kids are all best friends, but some of them don't have many canonical scenes together, and I think Adaine and Gorgug are the least seen with each other among the rare duos. But those two are pretty emotionally smart, so I think they'd realize that and decided to hang out

Got any ideas about shenanigans they might perform together?

adaine canonically loves gorgug's parents for their kindness to everyone, which especially shines through in how much they care for their son. throughout her freshman year, adaine would most often crash at gorgug's place. it was marginally closer to get to, and safer, at least compared to strongtower. the little folk are peaceful.

the first time Adaine was at Gorgug's house with all the others, Wilma and Digby noticed how formal, and then perplexed, and then saddened she was in the span of meeting them. when they overheard her say things like "wow your parents are so sweet!" and "I love your parents!" they weren't just proud or happy. at least, not only that. soon after they were a little concerned, especially with how eager she seemed about it. as though they were unconventional in their kindness. they asked gorgug about it afterwards, and he frowned a little. "I dunno," he said finally. "I think elf parents are kinda... mean to their kids? Like it's a cultural thing or something?"

Well, that definitely didn't sit well with Wilma and Digby. And it definitely didn't sit well with Gorgug, now that he realized it. He asked Adaine about it the next day, and she admitted it with a mixture of loathing and sharp self-awareness. She didn't cry, but she didn't exactly brush the issue off either. Gorgug didn't know what to do, he'd never had a friend, let alone one with abusive parents. He'd always thought his anger was a bad thing, but now it consumed him with unbridled outrage. He wanted to storm into the Abernant house and rip it apart with his bare hands. He wanted to take his friend behind him and keep her safe. He wanted to hug her so she was there with him and not alone and cold and scared and mad. She didn't need to be mad. She didn't deserve it.

But Gorgug knew he couldn't do any of that. So instead, he offered what he knew he could: "If you ever need some place to stay, you know where I live."

Adaine smiled. "Thanks, Gorgug. But I'll be alright."

A few days later, the bad kids had been out late on their quest to find out more about what would later be known as the Kalvaxus Caper. actually, they weren't even "out late". it was about 6pm, but school had let out around 3, so their parents were nonetheless reasonably worried about where the hell their children were.

as everyone was peeling off to head home, only adaine and gorgug were left. gorgug noticed adaine just standing there, not going home yet. "hey, what's wrong?" he asked.

"My parents are gonna kill me. I'm so late. The bus won't take me home now, it'll take forever to walk, we're halfway across town, I'll miss curfew because I was out adventuring --" she said "adventuring" like it was something to be mocked, something foolish that only a child would partake in "--I'm going to be grounded forever... I can't go home, Gorgug, I can't."

Gorgug cocked his head. Two choices, then. Take her home. Or... Take her home.

"You wanna, uh, stay over at my place?"

So Adaine followed Gorgug home. The Thistlesprings had cooked a thick, stewy soup with chunks of meat and vegetables that smelled amazing. They saw Adaine come in and quickly fixed her up a bowl alongside Gorgug's. Wilma and Digby ask her all sorts of questions -- What sort of magic does she do? Are her family wizards too? Where do they work? When do they leave home? How susceptible are they to gnomish-made ballista being fired right at them? What does she like to eat? She looks like she doesn't eat enough, she should come over more and they'll make her nice, home-cooked meals. hey, she used to go to Hudol, what was it like? What's Aguefort been like for her, is she liking it? how about the classmates, anyone nice outside her party? anyone very nice? has she had "the talk" yet--

at that point, gorgug's face goes bright red and he tugs adaine away before they can pull out The Binder. adaine giggles as she's led into gorgug's room. he offers her a pair of his pajamas, which are far too big on her, but she likes that. it's kind of like being wrapped up in gorgug's hugs--enveloped completely. she has to roll the sleeves all the way up so she can even get her fingers out, and the pants still trail on the ground a little.

they spend the rest of the night talking and chatting sprawled across gorgug's bed.

situations like this become far more common throughout freshman year. the thistlesprings want to adopt her, but she's not even technically a Solecian citizen, and it would make the whole "diplomatic immunity" thing so messy. she goes home on the weekends, because she has no choice, and when her parents get force her to stay home because "we're your family and we never see you. i swear, you're so ungrateful sometimes, adaine. what, is it so awful to have dinner with us?"

on her own, adaine begins learning orcish and gnomish so she and gorgug can talk, and so she can better thank and communicate with the thistlesprings. she teaches gorgug some elvish too, and they begin communicating by blending the three languages together in a way that makes no sense to anyone other than themselves.

for his part, it's gorgug who helps adaine become more physically strong, because he's worried about how angry his friend gets, and how that anger sometimes spirals into panic, or vice versa, so he teaches her how to throw a punch, how to block a hit, how to fight with a sword. he is never prouder than the moment he sees adaine's fist collide with her sister's face at ostentatia's party.

for her part, adaine and gorgug do homework together often when she's there, and it's by watching her do magic that gorgug becomes so enraptured by it. he's constantly asking her how spells work, how she knows what level she's casting them at, how she remembers them all. adaine attempts to explain it, and she does so by comparing it to his parents' tinkering. she's just putting pieces together and binding them--her "pieces" are less tangible, but they're still a part of the greater universe around them. gorgug really wants to learn wizardry, but he's not too fond of the abstract. he likes adaine's explanation, though. he begins thinking about tinkering. he begins thinking about machines and the tangible and the world and breaking things and putting them together and making something new. he thinks about family.

fig is an excellent lyricist, but she's not a very skilled composer. gorgug, meanwhile, it fantastic at putting lyrics to music. he loves it. he has just the right ear for it, for knowing where something needs a little aid, where he can boost something so it reaches its full potential. he's also a great backup vocalist. but he's sorta afraid to mention any of this to fig, because she invited him to be in her band, and she was so nice about helping him, and he doesn't wanna overstep. when shes over at his house one day, adaine sees a piece he's composed lying on the desk. she doesn't read it, to respect his privacy, but she notes that it's clearly composition, and asks about it. gorgug awkwardly admits that he's been working on something to go with a piece fig wrote, because, and not to imply he doesn't think fig's great, he loves fig so so so much and he's so grateful to be in her band, but, well, she composed about half the instrumental bits but they're just a little wonky and so he dabbled a little bit in pairing the lyrics with music, but please don't tell fig, adaine, it's not like I've done any better than she has or could.

adaine blinks. "you're awfully anxious, aren't you?" she smiles, sits down on the bed next to him, and says, "Gorgug, if you don't try, you're never going to know if it's any good at all."

so he shows his composition to fig. who immediately tackles him into a hug and screams "THIS IS PERFECT!"

Gorgug blushes and says, "Adaine helped me with it."

Fig recruits Adaine to help them write and compose. Adaine declines. "But if you ever need a tech person once you start really performing," Adaine says, "I'd love to do stage effects for you."

Actually, Adaine, as it turns out, does rather like helping Gorgug compose music. This stems from the fact that she grew up listening to exclusively pretentious high elven music, which she does rather like, but she also becomes pretty fond of heavy metal the likes of which gorgug blasts. she has a playlist called "studying evocation magic" that one would expect to be full of classical music. it's entirely head-slammer metal and rock that gorgug helped her compile.

Adaine goes to Gorgug a lot when she can't figure out spells. She gets lost in the little intricacies and complications of things, and he's very good at looking at the thing as a whole and seeing what's missing. he sees it very technically, which she finds relieving. so much of magic is abstract, but with gorgug everything is right with you, a physical thing.

when adaine kills her dad, gorgug isn't so sure she's okay. everyone else is cheering and hugging her, but gorgug has spent the most time around adaine's violence. her fear. he knows theres something deeper here. so when he gets a chance, he pulls her aside and asks how she's doing. adaine crumples into his side, sobbing, gripping his sweatshirt because it's soft and smells like grass and the woods and something else too, like going home after a long day, like people who want you to have clean clothes because they care about you and not your appearance. "Why did I have to kill him?" she asks, and he knows what she's really saying. Why did killing him have to be the only option?

"I don't know," he whispers. "Is it better that he's dead?"

Adaine swallows. Chokes on a lump of tears. Says: "I hope so."

gorgug and adaine who understand each other. gorgug and adaine who have sleepovers and climb the thistlespring tree and learn together. gorgug and adaine who have a secret language. gorgug and adaine who, of all the bad kids, know the least about their respective sexualities come junior year. riz and fig have been learning about aromaticism/asexuality and pansexuality since sophomore year, and kristen has been out since freshman year, and fabian has gotten over aelwyn and has confessed that he might have had the most massive crush on riz, and is still not over him, but that he really really doesn't want that to get in the way of their friendship, and that he supports riz's sexuality whole-heartedly, and he's realizing how lame his desperation for girls who treat people like shit is because he's realized he doesn't need to feel special just because someone who likes no one likes him, and he's falling for mazey, and that's okay.

but adaine and gorgug?

zelda breaks up with gorgug the summer of their junior year. and honestly? gorgug tells adaine in the workshop of the thistlespring tree late at night as they work together on the solar lasso. i sort of always saw it coming.

there is a dull hum of arcane electricity around them. save that, all is silent. silent, when adaine thinks about how people should care and don't and fall apart and break and how you can want to love someone and still run away. she does not understand it.

did you love her? she whispers, not looking over at him as her fingers turn a a piece of scrap metal over and over, not working on anything, not trying to fix anything. just hoping. just wishing. just wanting to know what love is.

i think i liked that she liked me, gorgug said. and i think i liked being around her. and i liked the... he glances over, blushing. Sorry. Riz is not vocal about his asexuality, and most of the time he is quietly uncaring when they talk about sex. it doesn't bother him to hear about--it's a part of life. still, gorgug tries to keep the others from talking about it around him. adaine, gorgug does not know if she's ace or not, and doesn't care if she is or isn't, but she gets uncomfortable, even a little disgusted, around talks of such things, so he tries to keep them to a minimum for her, too.

but this night, adaine shakes her head, her glasses glinting in the darkness. it's okay. you liked her. you liked sex. but did... what did... she clenches the scrap of metal in her fist, frustrated at her inability to form the proper words. the metal bends and crumples in her palm, and she blinks, unfurling her fingers to see broken shards of metal in her hand. she is still not used to her own strength. she has still not realized she's not really the girl she was years ago. but she is learning who she is, and maybe that's okay too. what was it like? liking someone that way? wanting someone... that way?

it was nice, gorgug says back. it was really nice. he shakes his head. but i think it was more than just... physical. i think she fell in love with me because i was nice to her. and she... sometimes she acted like that niceness was something i only did for her. and if i cared about other people, it was like i didn't care about zelda enough? or something? and i didn't really like that. and she didn't really like that i... that we...

that you were something other than zelda donovan's boyfriend? adaine offers.

he nods. yeah. a pause. i really liked her, though.

adaine taps his hand with hers. a question. he slips his fingers into hers. an answer. she squeezes. he squeezes back. I'm sorry.

gorgug comes out to adaine first of all their friends. he's bi, he tells her. adaine, not sure what to say, goes: "Congratulations". They both laugh. she still doesn't know what she is. she's still not sure she wants a label. he tells her that's okay. she asks if he came out because he has a crush on someone in his fancy new artificer class. gorgug blushes and shoves her playfully. (when he kisses unit later that year, adaine is unsurprised. he seems like gorgug's type.)

when oisin's ruse is revealed much later that year, adaine is not sad. she isn't hurt. she's violently, horrifically angry. so is gorgug.

they are on a boat. they might die. Oisin's voice rings out, Oisin's call. Adaine's face blanches, and Gorgug understands that whatever he messaged her, it means someone is about to die. and it won't be adaine.

it will be a white dragon, to his axe. it will be another, hit by the boat. it will be oisin, it will be oisin, it will be oisin. it will be oisin, for his friend who did not know what love felt like. it will be oisin, for his friend who did not know if she wanted to kiss someone. it will be oisin, for his friend who is easy to love. it will be oisin who dies, and he will enjoy it. and rage is not bad, because rage protected adaine, who should not have needed to protect herself.

and after everything has calmed down, they will eat ants on a log in his bedroom and write music and practice magic and spar and laugh.

oh, also: adaine and gorgug both get overstimulated easily, and gorgug always has a plethora of headphones and fidgets, and adaine goes to him for them constantly. they also both conducted an experiment together once where they attempted to communicate with people inside her jacket. it didn't go super well, but it was certainly fun!

and of course, adaine/ayda/gorgug friendship is a top-tier one. fig's magic is innate, but the trio's magic comes from studying and observing, and they all like to talk about it. sometimes they gossip. sometimes it's about fig. it's never mean--actually, usually it's just about how much they like fig. but they all get together pretty often to just jam out some spell stuff together.

[theerurishipper]

Part 2 of my Paris special commentary (Part 1 here) because Tumblr is an ass and has a word limit.

Disclaimer: This is long asf.

Marinette here playing 5D chess, queen shit.

The most important thing the special confirmed is that Gabe added the word "dark" to his transformation phrase on purpose cause he's a dramatic bitch.

I am here for Claw Noir mocking Gabe. Go off, king.

"Oh nO, iT WAs aN IlLusIon!" That giggle is adorable. She's so cute.

Ladyfly is an ass name, but she looks so great.

Not Gabe getting annoyed at Claw Noir's teasing. See, now this is why we stan Claw Noir on this blog.

Gabe's plan isn't half bad, actually.

Symbolism? In my children's cartoon? It's more likely than you think.

They're having a pun-off.

RIP Chat Noir's ear.

Gabe got feathered lmao

Monarch dipped like a little bitch.

A mirror, I called it. It'll make for some nice symbolism.

"Let alone a calm and gentle mom" I wonder what Sabine is like in their world to make Emonette feel like she's so alone.

I like how they handled the villains tbh. I wasn't a fan of making it seem like Marinette was one step away from becoming a supervillain at all times, but it seems less like that's the case and more like The Supreme took advantage of her suffering and vulnerability at her lowest moments.

It's also nice that they established that Shady and Claw weren't the actual big bads and are just hurt kids who got recruited into a fight they weren't ready for. Their motivation isn't some rehash of Gabriel's, they are literally trying to survive under the rule of someone who will kill them if they don't do his bidding, and because of whom they're dying. Their life is literally full of suffering and they're trying to find something that'll give them a way out. Shady wants Marinette's life, and Claw Noir wants his mother back.

Like, it doesn't excuse their actions, but it does add a more humane element to them that lends itself better to the kind of redemption Miraculous likes to do, which is to fix things with a speech. That's why this redemption works, and Gabe's doesn't.

Anyway.

The back and forth between Chat Noir and Claw Noir was pretty funny ngl.

And we discover that Claw Noir wants his mother back. Of course.

MY POOR BABY

When Marinette was talking about how she was also angry and hurt, but chose to love herself and the world around her and chose to try and fix it... that hit hard. Honestly, it did. It's everything I love about Marinette in one speech. I love it.

And then onto my personal favorite scene in the entire special, possibly in the entire show.

That whole conversation was powerful. "I'm as well as I can be anyway," that's so profound. Like, of course you aren't going to be 100% okay after losing someone you love, but Adrien wants to move on and be happy like his mother would have wanted him to. This scene really showcases Adrien's empathy and his strength, when he acknowledges that having no friends can make it harder for Claw Noir to move on, and then he tells him that only he can make the choice to stop being alone. And that's really true. This scene really showcases everything amazing about Adrien, his hope and optimism, his empathy and his strength. How he finds the strength to keep going by choosing to not be alone. It's beautiful.

Like, it could have been so easy for both Marinette and Adrien to give into their darkest impulses, and Shadybug and Claw Noir really are just representations of how letting your hurt overpower you can lead you down a dark path, and it really highlights their strength, that they choose to make the right choices everyday, despite everything. It really highlights their characters and their arcs. And they're able to take everything they've learned, and look at what they could have been in the eyes and help them change too. It's so poetic.

It would have been a little more impactful if the show had spent more than 10 minutes out of 5 seasons focusing on Adrien's grief and how it has impacted him, but whatever.

Anyway, it also had some Adrien and Nino friendship crumbs, and I'll be darned if I didn't gobble it up like a starved animal. Also, we have confirmation that "Space Mutants vs. Ghost Shark" is Nino's favorite movie, so Nino stans please say "thank you Paris special."

And they are REDEEMED.

Shadybug fixes everything with her Lucky Charm after spending the whole special making destructive ones. My heart.

Shadybug and Claw Noir stop being evil and immediately go from hating each other's guts to flirting shamelessly. They just speedran enemies to lovers in a matter of seconds. They literally just defaulted to flirting. Truly, the natural state of Ladynoir in any universe. We stan.

Gotta be honest, I'm not a fan of the new designs. Wish they had kept the old ones. I'm one of those people whose toxic trait is liking Claw Noir's design, so I'm a little unhappy with it, but hey, it's a sweet scene.

Also, Claw Noir's hair went from the color of rotten bananas to ripe bananas. If that was intentional, I applaud the writers for being both profound and funny as hell.

Aaaaaaand Gabe is back, because we can't have nice things.

The montage going through different realities was great, it was small but I enjoyed it.

They're literally so cute omg. Couple behaviors fr. I'm so obsessed with them.

HUGS

POUND IT

They're holding hands... already... like they're in love... I'm so emotional... I WILL NEVER GET OVER THIS

And they're gone. But their adventures will continue forever in my mind and in my fanfics. And in other people's art that I will ravenously consume.

Cute Alya and Marinette scene. This is really sweet, I love the exploration of the impact Alya has had on Marinette's life.

And now, I'm not an Alyanette shipper, but I think they should kis- oh, wait, never mind, they did it.

And thus, the endless night comes to an end (it happened a while ago but that's just semantics).

Final thoughts

I really loved this so much. Sure, there were some exposition dumps that probably should have happened in the actual series, but that's not the fault of this special. This is probably my bias talking but this is the best special and it's literally perfect, no I will not take any constructive criticism on that. This, this special and everything in it, this is what Miraculous is all about. This is exactly what I wanted, this is what I signed up for. It's literally the best thing ever to come out of this entire show.

[fandomwe1rd0]

Why Meeseeks and Destroy is so important to me as an csa survivor

Sooo this won't be like my usual posts because it'll be more mushy and emotional than usual. I'll probably get emotional while writing this post so ya. Obvious tw for talks of real life csa under the cut since I will be talking briefly about my own experience. I'll try not to be too graphic but yeah.

I was sa'd as a child. I was around 11, so like just starting puberty. Now me and Morty's situations are very different. Obviously our ages are different and with Morty it was a lot more aggressive and done in a public setting with someone he barely knew. For me it was done in private by someone I really trusted. When I told my parents they were kind of dismissive (absolutely no hate towards them, they are amazing parents but the way they reacted when I told them upset me a little) they didn't really do much and I still have to see the monster that did that to me regularly. So when I watched Meeseeks and Destroy after years of denying what happened to me was s//a. Particularly my first rewatch after accepting it, it really got to me. Seeing Rick someone who is really mean all the time actually being so nice and sweet for the first time in the series got me really emotional. And I really related to how Morty felt. Especially considering how much I don't want to be around that person. I relate to him so much in this episode and even though it never got brought up again, Morty is still so relateable and important to me. Seeing him clutch onto Rick and crying to go home, as heartbreaking as it was, it made me feel a lot less alone. And this episode is a big reason why Rick is my favorite character and a huge comfort character to me. I feel like he wouldn't be dismissive like my parents and would be there for me. It really got to me and I was literally sobbing while watching it and seeing him kill Mr. Jellybean with no hesitation makes me feel like he would've protected me, I know it's dumb but this episode really means so so so much to me as a csa survivor and it gets to me but it also makes me feel so much less alone and it makes me so happy to see that I'm not crazy and that some people won't be dismissive and would care so much. It just gets to me ok? (I was so close to crying while writing this haha, totally not holding back tears rn)

[stargazer-sims]

The Art of Redemption

(part 21)

previous // next // story index

—————

"I'm absolutely stuffed. Why did you let me eat so much?"

Ginger lets out a small groan that Nikolai judges to be one part discomfort and three parts pleasure as she sinks backwards onto the pulled-out sofa bed in her living room. They'd unfolded the couch, tossed a couple of blankets and every pillow in the apartment onto it, and then changed into their pyjamas before they started eating. In hindsight, this seems to have been a wise move, because Nikolai isn't sure either of them would've had the wherewithal to wrangle the ancient sofa bed after the utterly excessive meal they just finished.

The TV is on, tuned to a twenty-four hour sports channel, and some guy who looks like he let a child cut his hair is chattering excitedly about the beginning of the major league baseball preseason. Nikolai doesn't like baseball. He's waiting for someone to start talking about hockey, and whether or not his beloved Mariners have a realistic chance of making the playoffs.

He crawls onto the sofa bed with Ginger, and essentially lets himself fall sideways until he's lying on his side with his head on the haphazard pile of pillows. He counters, "Why'd you let me eat so much?"

"You don't have to drag your arse out of bed for an early ice time tomorrow. You get to sleep it off," Ginger says.

"But, I do have to get up early. I'm coming with you."

She looks amused. "You're just going to follow me everywhere?"

"No, because that'd be weird and creepy," he says. "I'm not going to follow you everywhere. Just to the fun places."

"Right. You wouldn't think it was so fun if Uncle Stan was your bloody taskmaster."

"Some taskmaster," Nikolai scoffs. "You looked like you were having a great time this morning, and Uncle Stan didn't seem to be pushing you too hard."

"No, you're right," she concedes. "It is fun, and Uncle Stan doesn't really push me unless I need it. It's just that we all get tired by the end of the season, and I'd like to have a nice lie-in once in a while, that's all."

"It'll soon be the off-season. You can sleep in all you want after that, and whenever you haul yourself out of bed, you can call me and we can go on adventures. You know, since I'm not tied down any more."

"Oh, aren't you indeed? You still seem quite tied down to me. How many texts did your wife send you this afternoon before you turned your mobile off?"

"Ex-wife," he corrects. "Or future ex-wife, at least. I kind of lost count of the texts, to tell the truth."

He'd stopped trying to count after about the fifteenth message or so. His and Ginger's bus ride to the dance studio was punctuated with them, none of which he'd bothered to reply to, and they continued at the studio while he was changing into workout clothes. He hadn't wanted Ginger's dance session to be interrupted by his phone buzzing incessantly, so before he went to the practice room, he sent one text to Anya — Leave me alone. I'm busy. — and then turned the device off completely and shoved it into a pocket of his dance bag.

Ginger cackled like a cartoon villain when Nikolai told her what he'd done, and declared, "That'll show her. I hope she's fuming."

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you're enjoying this," he said.

"Well, I love a bit of drama," Ginger replied. "And you don't seem particularly upset, so I'm giving myself permission to enjoy the mental image of her getting her knickers in a twist over being ignored."

"You're an evil woman."

Ginger grinned at him. "Thank you. I do try."

They had an amazing dance session. Nikolai found that he was able to perform almost all the exercises their dance instructor guided them through. He only had to forego a few that required deep knee bends. After trying the first one, he got scared when he felt the tiniest twinge of pain in his knee. Determined that he wouldn't allow anything to get in the way of the near-perfect recovery the orthopaedic doctor had so recently assured him he could expect if he followed medical advice, he decided to err on the side of caution.

After half an hour, Ginger made him stop altogether, and their instructor directed him to some chairs in the corner where he could rest and observe the remainder of Ginger's lesson. He preferred to sit on the floor, but it was no less restful.

Watching Ginger glide her way through a complex routine, and caught up in the feelings of happiness, familiarity and just plain normalcy that being in the studio gave him, he hadn't wasted another thought on Anya until Ginger teased him about the texts just now.

He marvels at how drastically his relationship with Anya has shifted since his injury back in January, and how much he himself has changed over the past few weeks. Less than a month ago, he would've jumped to answer that very first text message, but today's version of him couldn't care less.

There's a part of him that still loves Anya, and maybe it'll be a long time before the love fades away completely, but right now his anger and frustration and the sense of betrayal he feels are outweighing any fonder sentiments he might have.

There's no way Anya could be unaware of how she hurt him. She's not the most emotionally intelligent person, and he's forgiving enough to overlook an accidental slight from time to time, but he's not ready to forgive the things she's done to him lately.

Perhaps the most perplexing and upsetting aspect of it is that he doesn't understand why. If she truly never loved him, he can accept that, but it still doesn't justify her cruelty, nor does it explain why she refuses to leave him alone. If he fell out of love with somebody, he's sure he'd find a way to let them down as gently as he could and then walk away without looking back. Why prolong their suffering or his own by providing constant reminders of what might've been?

He doubts Anya will give him an explanation for her behaviour when he's finally ready to talk to her, but he's going to ask anyway.

"Did you ever turn your mobile on again?" Ginger's question drifts into his ruminations. "You probably should, if you haven't."

"No, it's still off," he says. "But, you're right. My family might be trying to contact me. I wouldn't want to worry them. But, if Anya keeps harassing me..."

"Block her number," Ginger suggests. "You can always unblock it later if you want to."

Both their phones are on the end table on Ginger's side of the couch. Nikolai doesn't particularly want to get up, so he asks, "Can you reach my phone from there?"

Ginger obviously doesn't want to get up either. She has to roll over and then stretch her arm as far as she can, but she manages to snag both their phones. She rolls back toward him and dumps both their devices into the small blanket-covered space between them. "Mine's on silent. I'd better fix that."

Nikolai scoops up his own phone and reactivates it. As soon as it's powered up, it starts pinging, bombarding him with alerts about text messages, emails and missed calls. He grumbles, "Goddammit..."

"What?" Ginger inquires.

"There's like, thirty texts from Anya, but Grandpa called, and I missed it. I'm just going to send him a quick text to let him know I'm with you and I'm okay."

"Do you reckon Anya is going to keep texting you?"

"Who knows?" he mutters, as he taps out a message to his grandfather. "She's becoming a pain in the ass."

"Becoming?"

He taps 'send' on his text to Grandpa, and then quickly deletes the entire string of messages from Anya. "Okay, she's getting to be an even bigger pain in the ass than usual. Can you show me how to block her number?"

"Let me do it for you," Ginger says. "Nothing would give me more pleasure at the moment."

"Here." He passes his phone to her. "I give you the honour."

Ginger's smirk is positively diabolical as she taps at the screen. A minute later, with a tone of immense satisfaction, she says, "Bye, Anya," before handing the phone back to him.

"Thank you," he says. "I mean that with a million percent gratitude."

"You're welcome. But you know blocking her isn't really a solution, don't you? You have to sort everything out with her soon."

"I know," he says, "Don't worry. I've made up my mind. I am going to talk to her soon, because I want everything to be dealt with before the summer. I've got important stuff to do, and I don't want this hanging over my head."

"What have you got to do?" Ginger asks. "I thought you were going to be done with your coaching courses by the middle of May."

"That's not the only important thing on my calendar. I've got this little competition—"

"Wait... what?" She cuts him off. "What do you mean, competition? You're not even cleared to skate yet How do you expect to—"

"It's all right. Calm down," he interjects. "It's not that kind of competition. Okay, no... it sort of is. I mean, it's skating, but it's not a recognized event or anything."

"Nikolai!" She yanks one of the pillows from beneath his head and then thumps him with it. "When were you going to tell me that you haven't entirely given up competing? Does Beth-Anne know?"

"Hey!" he exclaims. He grabs the pillow and quickly rolls over. Ginger is still hanging onto the other end of it, and caught off-guard by his abrupt movement, she flops unceremoniously on top of him. "Oww..."

"Serves you right," she says.

"I swear, it's not what you think," he insists. "It's just a friendly little challenge between me and Brett. He has something to prove, and maybe I do too. And yes, Beth-Anne knows. She's not happy about it, but she knows."

"You have nothing to prove to anyone. Those six world championship medals? They say everything anyone ever needs to know."

"It's not about that," he says.

"Then, what's it about?" She gets off him, drops the pillow back onto the pile and settles in beside him again. "It's not some sort of manliness test, is it? Because you also haven't got anything to prove in that department."

"No, it's not about that, either. But, am I hearing you call me a manly man?"

"Is that what you want to hear?" she asks.

"No, not really," he says. "Not that I want to be unmanly, but every time I hear 'manly', I think of those big guys we always see at the gym, flexing in front of the mirror. The bros."

"I thought those were your type, the giant, muscly ones."

"Yeah, but I like them gentle and articulate and... clean. I'm not into anybody who uses the word 'bro' to start and finish every sentence, or who thinks strutting around in sweaty t-shirts with the sleeves cut off is sexy. Every time I see those guys trying to get attention, all I want to do is tell them to take an English class and a shower and to put on some decent clothes."

"Ooh... tell me how you really feel."

He laughs. "Sorry, but they're gross, and I'm picky when it comes to men."

"So what's your ideal man, then?"

"You know. Blond, blue eyes, quiet and sweet, showers every day and dresses nicely, and treats me like I'm the most important man in the room. Bonus points if he's cuddly. Extra bonus points if he speaks Russian."

Ginger giggles. "Basically Anya, but male and a decent human."

"Uh..." he begins, but then he realizes she has a valid point and he laughs too. "Yeah, actually I'd say that's pretty much it, with a big emphasis on the decent human part. It's probably not going to happen, though, and I think I'm done with relationships for now anyway."

"There's no harm in dreaming," Ginger says. "But I'm not about to argue with you being done with relationships for a while. You need time to recover properly from this one. And you never know," she adds, offering him a cheeky grin. "One day, when you're feeling better about everything and your life is back on track, you may get a surprise. Your cuddly, Russian-speaking muscle man might just appear out of the blue."

"I can dream."

"Indeed. Now, can we circle back to this little competition with Brett? You never did say what you think you need to prove, or to who."

"To myself," he says. "Maybe it's stupid, but I just need to know that I can do it. That I'm capable of all the things I used to be able to do. Brett challenged me, and I should've said no, but... I couldn't. He was so smug about it, like he already knew he could win."

"Do you think he could?"

"I don't know," Nikolai admits. "Maybe. It depends on whether or not I can still do everything."

"When are you going to be allowed to skate?"

"The last time I saw the sports therapist, he said he probably wouldn't clear me till May, but I have an appointment with him and with the doctor the day after tomorrow, so I'm planning to ask again."

"Would you like me to come with you to your appointment?" Ginger offers. "Beth-Anne's probably been going with you, hasn't she?"

"Would you come? I'm sure I can handle it by myself, but Beth-Anne's been with me every other time, and I feel like it'd be a lot less stressful if I had some moral support."

“I’ll be there,” she says. “I’m going to be there when you get back on the ice as well, just so you know. I wouldn't miss that moment."

"Thanks," he says. "I want you to be there. You and Beth-Anne. I don't know if I'd be okay with anyone other than the two of you watching."

"If I know Beth-Anne, she'll make sure it's only us, if that's what you tell her you want." She reaches over and takes his hand. "You'll do brilliantly, though. No need to fret over the thought of embarrassing yourself or anything like that."

"Thanks," he repeats.

She squeezes his fingers. "It'll all work out. Don't worry."

Will it? he asks himself. As excited as he is about the prospect of skating again, he's also nervous. He's never been off the ice for this long before, and he's anxious about how much skill he's lost. Not that he's forgotten what to do; the knowledge is still there. His biggest concern is whether or not his body will respond the way he wants it to. What if he can't execute all the moves, or what if falls and hurts himself again? It's more than a little overwhelming.

He closes his eyes and tries to focus on something else. On TV, a commentator is interviewing someone about curling. Nikolai's appreciation of curling is about equal to his appreciation of baseball, but the interviewer has a lovely voice, so he concentrates on that.

I'd let him read me a bedtime story.

Without intending to, he starts to drift into the strange, semiconscious state between wakefulness and sleep. He's warm and full and comfortable, and Ginger is still holding his hand. He's still aware of the TV commentator speaking, but he's starting to lose his grasp on the meaning of the man's words.

Something about rocks and... brooms?

He tries to fight the inexorable fall toward sleep because he doesn't want to miss the opening ceremony of the World Junior Figure Skating Championship. That was the main reason for staying over at Ginger's place, after all. Unfortunately, his battle may be a losing one.

Until Ginger's phone rings, that is.

The device is only about twenty centimetres from his face, and Ginger must've set her ringer volume to maximum. Chasing The Dream by Skull Fist blasts him into full awareness, and he sits up so fast that he feels lightheaded for a second.

Nothing like heavy metal to wake a guy up.

Next to him, Ginger growls a sleepy and annoyed, “Bloody hell!” And then, after touching her phone's screen to answer the call, “What the hell do you want? I’m in bed.”

Technically true, Nikolai acknowledges. He’s about to ask who it is when his brain registers the fact that Ginger has the phone on speaker. Even if he didn’t recognize the voice coming out of the phone, one glance at the number at the top of the screen would’ve told him all he wanted to know.

Anya's intonation is snarky, and even though Nikolai can’t see her, he can picture her expression perfectly. “In bed with my husband, no doubt.”

Also technically true.

“What do you think? Of course I’m in bed with him,” Ginger says, conjuring up a tone of genuine-sounding condescension. “Why do you think you couldn’t reach him all afternoon and evening? We’ve been having loads of fun together, showing each other our moves. I’ll bet you had no idea how flexible he is.”

Nikolai covers his mouth to hold in his sudden urge to laugh. He can’t look at Ginger, or he'll lose it. Nothing she's said so far has been a lie, and if Anya chooses to misinterpret it, that's neither Ginger's nor Nikolai's problem.

"What?" Anya all but yells across the connection.

"He's a three-time champion, you know. Has he ever let you... wear all three of his world championship gold medals?"

Ginger's pause for effect is too much for Nikolai. He dives head-first into the pillows. He hopes they're enough to muffle the laughter he can no longer hold in.

"You sneaky bitch!" Anya screams. "I knew he was with you! How could you do this? I thought we were friends!"

"We are," Ginger says mildly. "But Nikolai is my friend too. It seems somebody did something quite awful to him, and he was terribly hurt by it, so he came to me for help. That's perfectly reasonable, don't you think?"

"And your idea of help is letting him fuck you three times in one day?"

"I didn't say that," says Ginger. "And please try not to be so vulgar, if you can. Gentlemen like Nikolai never 'fuck'. How debased of you to say such a thing."

"Listen," Anya says. "You tell that cheating bastard that I was ready to talk, and that I was prepared to forgive him, but now I've changed my mind."

"Forgive him? What did he do to you?"

"Everyone at the rink hates me. Even my so-called friends are treating me like I've committed a crime against humanity or something. I'm sure he's been running all over the place, telling everyone God knows what about me. People are gossiping about me, Ginger! He did that to me."

"No, darling," Ginger says. "I'm afraid you did that to yourself. Now, I must go. Nikolai is lying here waiting for me to get off the phone."

Anya's only response is a literal wordless shriek.

Nikolai assumes the call is over when he feels Ginger's fingers on his back and she says, "Nik, lift your head before you suffocate."

The instant their eyes meet, Ginger's composure cracks. The next thing Nikolai knows, Ginger is in his arms and they're both laughing so hard that they're in tears and his stomach hurts.

"Holy shit," he gasps, freeing one hand to remove his glasses and rub at his watering eyes. "Ginger, that was a masterpiece. When you're ready for a career change, maybe you should get into acting."

"Maybe I should," she muses. "I rather enjoyed that."

"I'd say that's an understatement."

"It's a safe bet she won't be bothering you for a few days," Ginger says. "I'll explain everything to her when she cools off, and hopefully she'll still agree to talk with you about your marriage."

"What if she doesn't?" he asks.

"She will," Ginger assures him. "You know Anya. She overreacts and then she calms down. Have you ever known her to be any other way?"

"No," he admits.

"There you go," Ginger says. She disentangles herself from him and scoots back. Glancing at her fitness tracker, she comments, "Nearly nine-thirty. Are we still alert enough to stay up and watch the opening ceremonies?"

"After that phone call? I think I've got my second wind now."

"Me too. Let me fetch us a couple of bottles of water. You can arrange those pillows some sort of way. I'd like to sit up while I watch."

"Got it," Nikolai says.

By the time Ginger returns from the kitchen, he has all the pillows lined up against the backrest of the sofa and he's sitting comfortably with one of the blankets over his feet and legs. Ginger tosses him a bottle of water, which he catches neatly. She wriggles under the blanket with him, and they lean into each other.

"I'm glad you're here," she says.

"I'm glad I'm here too. Thanks for letting me stay."

"You can stay until Beth-Anne gets back, if you'd rather not be alone."

"Really?"

"Yes. I'd enjoy the company, and having someone around to drive me everywhere is nice as well."

"Driving you everywhere is the least I can do," he says.

"Well, it's settled then." She tilts her head and peers up at him through her long auburn lashes, and whispers. "Wait until your wife finds out you've moved in with your mistress."

Nikolai laughs out loud, which is clearly the reaction Ginger was anticipating. She looks way more pleased with herself than she rightfully should.

"I love you," he says. "You're the best mistress I never had."

"Hmm..." She rests her head on his shoulder. "I love you too, like the brother I've always wanted."

"Does that make you my bonus sister?"

"I certainly hope so."

Nikolai smiles, secure in the knowledge that his family extends beyond mere biology. He can count on his grandfather, parents and sister, but he's also got Ginger, Beth-Anne, Stan and Milena. He can't put into words how much their love and support means to him, but maybe he doesn't have to. Maybe a simple expression of love is enough.

He'd wanted that same love in his marriage, and for a brief time he thought he had it, but he's discovered some unpleasant truths since then. Still, he reminds himself, Anya is only one person. She may not love him, and her actions may have left him with an ache in his heart, but he's surrounded by so much love on every side that he's convinced the pain isn't nearly as bad as it might otherwise have been. What if he were in Anya's position? He doesn't like to imagine how lonely and terrified he'd be, constantly questioning who liked him and who he could trust.

But, I know who I can trust, he reassures himself. I'm safe, and I'm going to be okay. My family will help me make sure of that.

He drapes his arm around Ginger's shoulders, and she instinctively snuggles closer to him. On the television, triumphant music begins to play and a splash screen appears with the ISU logo and 'World Junior Figure Skating Championship 2011' underneath it. Ginger murmurs, "Here we go. The start of another week of history being made."

Nikolai hasn't watched an ISU Worlds event on TV since he was a kid. Since then, he's always too busy competing in them. It hits him that this is another change he'll have to adjust to, another new experience for him. He's been having a lot of those lately, new experiences.

It's okay. Change isn't objectively good or bad; it's just change.

Beth-Anne is always telling him and her other students to respond, not react. She says the way they act in the face of change determines the outcome. When he reflects on it, he recognizes that he hasn't handled all the recent changes in his life particularly well, but he's done his best and he's proud of himself and his coping abilities overall.

Another week of history being made. He decides he really likes that. He's looking forward to the week ahead, and to all the weeks to come.

[consumedbyfeels]

Ashes to Ashes Spoilers

Okay so I am not okay after "Ashes to Ashes"

spoilers below

First off I love how proud Buck looks when Tommy gets his award.

And go Chim put Gerrald in his place, Also I hate him but you have to admit "I heard you got your wings" was a clever way to insult Tommy, it doesn't even sound inherently like an insult so A+ for creativity even if you are being a dick.

I just love the Gerrald a man who is playing prejudice bingo and winning had to watch a gay man, a bisexual man, a hispanic man, a asian man and a black lesbian receive awards and play nice and be professional while doing so, He must have hated every moment and I love it.

LEAVE HENREN ALONE!!!! WTF they are best parents Mara could have and they were so close to being family. I know they are going to fight like hell for her and the firefam with be with them every step of the way, but damn that women has it out for Hen and she has the power to make her life hell. I hope they can win but I'm scared, that is a powerful enemy to have.

Also Buck being a good friend to Eddie about the whole Kim thing and being supportive but also lowkey knocking sense into him. I have to admit my favorite part is eddie being confuse whos at his back door and even more confused when it's buck who asks if he can come in as if he doesn't have a key and barges in whenever he wants.

Eddie confronting his feeling over Shannon and finally getting closer is going to be great for him after it blows things up a bit. Marosal and Chris could not have had worse timing but it'll end for the better I believe. I just wanted to give Eddie a big hug in that scene, I was about to start crying with him. Poor baby.

Also bobby telling Buck he knows Tommy is a good man because they haven't had to talk about it is amazing. We love a supportive dad.

Athena honey, "there is a part of you I could never touch" ouch. My Bathena heart.

Nooo Bobby better be okay, I just know the next episode is going to be heartbreaking.

You can see Amir getting angry as he looks at the photos. Bobby is going to blame himself and that's going to spiral into something bad. Athena's going to blame herself because she asked Amir to come over and everything and now Bobby is hurt.

Also where is Harry during the fire? May is probably at her place but Harry was staying with them. I'm guessing he wasn't there cuz neither of them went all Papa/Mama Bear but I'm gonna need confirmation of this fact pleas ABC.

I hope Bobby lives and stays at the 118.

They really set up for all kinds of heartbreak in this episode. There was a lot packed into this week.

Why is everything but Tevan and Madney a dumpster fire holy shit, I am not okay. Don't get me wrong I am happy Tevan and Madney are thriving they deserve it but damn,

If you need me I will be consoling my broken heart by reading/writing Tevan fics.

[tinywitchgoblin]

Hi! I am Marian ✨ I’m 24, I want to ask you for a bad batch matchup ☺️ (if they still available) 🐒 I read some of them 👀 and they are so good ❤️ I share u a bit about me ☺️ I love composing piano songs and creating music arrangements, also I love to write stories and sing ☺️ (even when my voice is not in tune 😅) Besides that I’m a highly sensitive person reason for which I tend to be kind and empathetic with others but also there are moments in which I feel overwhelmed with the daily routine or activities and I would like not to be surrounded by anyone or having to speak with someone and at the same time there is the feeling of wanting to have someone is... kinda complicated 🙈 and mixing that with anxiety and depression is crazy but I continue moving on 😅 I hope your answer 🤗 Have a nice day batcher! ✨

You too!

I ship you with...

Hunter!

Hunter loves everything music related. It's a good way for him to get some sensory input that he has control over and won't send him into sensory overload. He enjoys sitting with you while you play piano, letting your music flow over him and wash the tension from every muscle in his body. If you're up for it, he'll ask you to teach him some piano basics, and it'll be the two of you sitting on the piano bench, not a care in the world.

Once Hunter felt comfortable opening up to you, you found out that he has an amazing singing voice. The first time you heard him sing was actually when he was in the shower. You'd heard singing coming from somewhere, so you walked out of your shared room towards the bathroom and heard him. It wasn't loud, but it carried just enough for you to hear, and the rich smokiness of his speaking voice is amplified in his singing voice and it is swoon-worthy. After that, there will be times that you and Hunter will sit down and you'll play something on the piano while you and he sing, sometimes even going into harmonies. It's one of the things you and he bond over the most.

Hunter is also a very empathetic person; one unintended side effect of his sensory sensitivities is that he's able to sense other peoples' moods and emotions very strongly, and he hates it. It gets very overwhelming very quickly, and there are times when he'll abruptly leave a social gathering because he needs to not be around other people. So when he finds out that you're the same way, it's comforting to him. You understand why he needs his space, and he doesn't feel like he has to defend himself over it. Sometimes, you and Hunter will both be overwhelmed, so you'll go off and sit somewhere, being alone together to help each other decompress. Having someone that understands that aspect of him in such a deep way is that much more meaningful to him, and just being able to be in a relationship with you means the galaxy to him.

-

Thanks for reading! If you want a ship request like this one, drop it in my ask box, and don't forget to reblog 💚 it may take a little bit, but I'll get to it eventually!

[iheartchv]

Hello again

Can we have something kinky one shot (smut) about usagi? 👉👈

(Pls don't rush yourself and take your time about writingand don't stressed yourself i beg you.Take breaks,eat,drink water,take naps,sleep,you really really deserved because you're a amazing person and writer.Please take care cherry. :) )

Oh my my O//v//O let's see... post for inspiration, and treat for y'all 😊💖💖💖💖

As always, everyone here is 18+ THIS WAS WRITTEN BY AN ADULT FOR ADULTS! minors, dni or view this please. Go else where

Ive got motivation to write right now, so if I don't write, it'll probably be months before I can write again. This will be my last request for a while, so I hope you enjoy it🙃

Gonna go with the '03 Usagi for this c:

Usagi X GN! Reader (they/them/their, etc.)

*a/n: take ( 竹 ) is supposed to be 'bamboo'

🐇🎋🌸🐇🎋🌸🐇🎋🌸

(Lets assume that you and Usagi have managed to have a relationship, and have decided to take a vacation on Second Earth with Usagi.)

In one of the many Inns, you and Usagi are taking advantage of the alone time you both wanted. It was quiet, peaceful, and you longed to be held in the strong arms of this samurai rabbit. This was a nice change of pace to the chaos of life back home. Everyone wondered where you were going on vacation. You just told them that you were going to visit Japan... which technically isn't a lie since Usagis world was Asian inspired.

Usagi ordered some sake for you to try. It... really wasn't bad. But soon enough you found yourself looking at him, eyeing him up and down. Lustful thoughts invaded your mind. This isn't the first time that you've thought of spending the night with him, what it'd be like to have him inside you, what kind of a lover he'd be...

"Y/n, are you alright, my love?"

Usagi had a smirk on his face. Your heart skipped a beat. Did he know? Did he notice the desire in your eyes?

"Y-yeah, I'm fine..."

He just softly chuckled. The way it sounded sent shivers up your spine. He sounded... so sensual, so sexy, so... ugh! You felt loopy, giggly, and wondered if it was actually because of him or that you were just drunk.

"Are you sure about that?" His brow ridge raised. "I can see you looking at me... Is there something on your mind?" That smirk is still plastered on his face.

You blushed, feeling your ears and cheeks grow hot. You were flustered. When he playfully teased you you couldn't help but to be. You just hid your face in the sleeves of the kimono robe you bought from home.

He gently laughed. "Oh, my little take..." He scootched closer to you, wrapping an arm around your shoulder. "You're so adorable." He dropped a kiss on top of your head. It was silent for a moment until he spoke up.

"You know, I'm really glad you decided to spend your vacation with me. Part of me was... hoping you would. I've been craving you, your touch... your soft lips..."

Your heart sped up and hot air filled your lungs. His other hand gently tilted your chin up so you were looking at him. The look of love and admiration his face held was enough to make you melt.

"Usagi....~" you softly whispered as his thumb brushed back and forth over your bottom lip. His touch was warm and soft. Your eyes are half lidded with love drunkenness.

"You're so beautiful like this, my love..."

He took your mouth with his, giving you a soft and slow kiss that took your breath away. You held onto him as if he was the anchor that kept you from drowning in the sea of lover's delights. The makeout session slowly turned into something heated, more hungry, as you both couldn't keep your hands off one another.

"I want to show you... how much I love you, y/n."

His hands rubbed up and down your body, going over your legs that weren't covered by your kimono (one time Usagi thought you were wearing a kimono that was meant for a small child because of how short it was and how much of your legs it showed). As he did that, your own hands explored his body. Your fingers ran through the soft white fur on his face, down his neck, and down his chest.

~

Both of you now fully disrobed, he pulled you into his lap and in the lotus position. His heavy breathing matched yours. His half lidded eyes gazed back into yours, mouth kissing you so deeply and passionately while keeping you close. Your hips grinded against him, showing him just how eager you were, rubbing your arousal against his own.

He moaned before softly chuckling. "Be patient, love. I need to make sure your properly prepared to take me." His digits slid between your legs and slowly entered 2 fingers inside your entrance, stretching you. Your sensitive insides tingled with every slow thrust. Your body shook with pleasure, want, and need.

"Good. You're taking my fingers so well."

"Mmmm~ Usagi...~" Every little moan and sounds fell from your lips sounded like music to his ears. Some of them turned into small whimpers or whines. "I need you..."

"I know. I need you just as much, my dear heart. But I don't want to hurt you when we're both finally one..."

After much teasing he made you cum, gripping around his fingers. The lewd noises that left your lips told him how good you felt. He left small kisses along your neck and chest as you rode the waves of ecstasy. "It's alright, I've got you, y/n. I've got you, take." He whispered near your ear, slowly bringing you down from your high. Usagi wanted to make you feel this way all night long... and for the rest of your life.

🎀 if you do/don't wanna be tagged, let me know please

Tag list:

@turtle-babe83 @tmntspidergirl @leosgirl82 @angelcatlowyn @annaliaandtheturtles @pheradream-15 @cowabunga-doll @bluesakurablossom @darksaphire2002 @foreignbrunette @greenprincess @half-shell-bo @lady-maria-the-wolf225 @moonlightflower21 @narwals14 @nikitaboeve @nittleboo @raphaelsrightarm @southernblossoms @thelostandforgottenangel @white-masked-beauty @roxosupreme @kawaiibunga @captain-kinda-trash @thelaundrybitch @yumefuusen @sivy-chan-blog @artsolarsash @crazedtmnt @raisin-shell @leosgirl82 @egg-on-the-run @ashleighclark98 @dilucsflame33 @tkappi @happymoonangel @allybutton @android-cap-007 @androidships007 @turtallyawesome @doctorelleth @crazysarah-98 @phd-in-fuckery @gingerdraw-blog

[meggiejolly]

I finally finished another scene for the Malex Red, White and Royal Blue AU! This scene is inspired by an amazing trip to Paris I took at the beginning of October. I meant to finish writing this right after, but writers block hit and it took me way longer than planned. I actually went to a wine and cheese tasting at the restaurant I mention in the story. The people who organised the tasting are called We Taste Paris, they have a website and an instagram, and they put together an amazing experience for our group. You can find all the posts about this AU here. The tag list is at the end, let me know if you want to be added or removed. Read it on AO3 here.

Alex got out of the conference in Germany and they plan to spend some time together in Paris outside of the fundraiser. Michael is honestly not sure if he would prefer to see Alex privately before or after the public event with all the cameras and press. It will be damn near impossible to keep his hands of Alex after not seeing him for weeks and after what happened at the Polo match, but the idea of going to a public event right after he and Alex had alone time and preferably shared multiple orgasms is terrifying. What if someone can tell? Obviously they know better than to leave any marks, but… it seems risky either way. 

In the end their schedules decided  for them because Alex is asked to do another royal engagement in Paris to make up for Germany and he will be arriving just in time for the fundraiser to start. 

Michael very pointedly doesn't watch the entrance for the entire half hour he's at the venue before Alex arrives. When he finally does, Michael pretends not to notice him right away and waits a couple of minutes before walking over as if by accident to greet Alex. He might deserve a fucking Oscar for this performance, if you ask him. 

Michael and Alex shake hands and then do a sort of bro hug that Michael hopes comes of as casual and not like he kind of just wants to burry his head in the crook of Alex' neck and stay there for a few hours. He can feel Alex softly tugging on one of his curls and hopes no camera caught that. 

After that it’s a few hours of typical public appearances stuff. Lots of cameras, lots of fake laughs, lots of people who pretend to be more important than they are and no chance for Michael and Alex to exchange more than a few glances and one or two small talk phrases in passing. 

A few hours later they were finally free of the obligations and head into the city. 

“You said you wanted French cheese. I found someone who was willing to organize a private wine and cheese tasting for us. Interested?” 

Michael laughs. “Seriously? Yeah, of course. I can’t believe you organized a private wine tasting. Isobel will be so jealous."

A pleased smile forms on Alex's lips that makes something in Michael buzz in a way that should make him nervous, but instead just makes him smile back. 

Alex pulls out his phone and opens the navigation app. "It's a little more than a ten minute walk, do you mind?"

"Not at all, it'll be nice to see the city not through the window of a car." 

Alex nods and glances at their PPOs to get their ok as well and then he leads the way into one of the smaller side streets of Paris. The PPOs hang back a bit and it all feels achingly normal, so normal that Michael almost reaches out to take Alex's hand. 

Which would be stupid for so many reasons. Number one being, that they are not like that. They don't hold hands. They antagonize each other over text and sometimes they get each other off. Well, and apparently today they take a walk through a warm Parisian evening to have wine and cheese. Definitely no handholding. 

They take a wrong turn somewhere so it takes them a little longer than ten minutes, but eventually Alex leads them into a little courtyard that is decorated with lots of frogs and they meet a guy named Andre who leads them into a private room of a little restaurant named Roger la Grenouille that has even more frogs inside. He explains that the restaurant is famous for its frog legs. 

Once Andre is gone to get them their first round of wine and cheese Michael nudges Alex. "I'm really glad you didn't bring me here for frog legs." 

Alex chuckles "They're not that bad. I'm not exactly a fan, but they are better than oysters or other mussels." 

"Good to know. I've had oysters at a fancy dinner once, I thought I had learned to eat almost everything, but I really struggled with finishing those." 

"Why do they always serve the strangest things at the fanciest dinners? Who is actually impressed by these things?" 

"I wish I knew. Give me good greasy diner food over fancy dinner menus any day." 

Alex nods in agreement and they are laughing together when Andre comes back with a bottle of wine and a waitress with a tray of cheese and a basket of bread behind him. 

Andre tells them where the wine and cheese comes from and while Michael appreciates it, he isn't really in the right headspace to retain the information right now. So he just nods along and is glad when Andre steps out of the room discreetly and leaves them alone. 

The wine is great and the cheese even better. Michael and Alex savor each new combination Andre brings in and Michael feels like he could sit there all night, watching Alex become more and more relaxed and open.

Eventually they have sampled all the wine and cheese that Andre prepared for them and they agree to a quick picture with Andre and his partner for their business instagram before heading out. Their PPOs have been served cheese and bread as well and even get to take a bottle of wine with them to enjoy once they are of duty. 

Michael feels warm and tipsy and happy and he can't wait to get his hands on Alex back at the hotel. He wonders if Alex feels the same when he asks his PPO to get them a car instead of suggesting they walk back. 

Sitting in the back seat next to Alex without being allowed to touch him feels torturous, especially when Alex's hands keeps moving closer to his and eventually their fingers touch. 

The anticipation grows and grows and they are finally at Michael's hotel, they make it up to the room and Michael sinks to his knees in front of Alex almost as soon as the door closes behind them. He wants to kiss him, but getting his mouth n Alex' dick feels less risky right now for some reason. He isn't going to think about what a kiss would be risking. Instead he works on improving his blow job skills. Judging by Alex' reaction, he might be getting better. Not that Alex had seemed disappointed the last time. 

They make it to bed at some point and there is kissing and orgasms and Michael is blissed out and still happily wine drunk. It feels dangerously close to perfect and just so fucking French that he forgets that they aren't supposed to spend the night. Casual frenemies with benefits don't spend the night. 

But that night they do and he's not sure if it's all the wine, or the orgasms, or the fact that he get's to sleep in Alex' arms with Alex' face buried in his curls, but he can't remember the last time he slept so well. 

He wakes up in the morning and Alex is still asleep. Michael can't help but lay next to him and just watching him. He wants to trace every scar and map them out, try to take their pain away, but he can't, he can just watch and ignore the nagging feeling that he shouldn't be doing this. 

Alex wakes up and they have decadent French room service breakfast and Alex sings along to French songs on the radio that Michael can't understand but that still sends shivers down his spine. 

When Alex has to go, he leaves a bottle of the wine from last night they both liked best and Michael isn't sure he'll ever be able to drink it. But he wraps it in multiple layers of clothes onto his suitcase and hopes it will survive the trip back to the sates. 

By the time he lands he has a text from Jenna with a link to an article about the fundraiser that has a whole paragraph about him and Alex and their friendship. Jenna added a caption: 'At least you didn't fuck this one up. Good job I guess.'

There is another text from Isobel, who somehow found the Instagram post about him and Alex at the wine tasting and wrote: 'You went to a Parisian wine tasting without me?!'

It's weird to see the evidence of their time together like that, through the eyes of his friends, family and the public who see them as nothing more than friends or even forced allies. He supposes it will stay like that, articles about their 'bromance' friendship while they occasionally find the time to get each other off. He knows it's ridiculous, this is purely physical and that's not changing, ever, but he kind of already misses Alex. 

@mimi-and-the-next-20th-century @thekiranzm28 @idealuk@angrycowboy @granfalloontje @dabb444 @dr-lizortecho

[stringsofmemories]

i absolutely love UKYO so so much that it kind of hurts ♡

case #1: just look at this picture and tell me UKYO doesn't look amazing ^^

case #2: him and the HEROINE is just so cute ♡

i actually do like UKYO (both the more timid one and the darker versions) since his actions are kinda understandable ^^

i actually feel so so bad for UKYO but i also do like the guy ^^ like so so much and the amount of time that i want to hug this man is downright criminal to be completely honest

(spoilers for his route in Amensia: LATER)

UKYO's route basically boiling down to us getting to bond with UKYO (like getting him some furniture because my guy needs that since he had none) and slightly about what happened on the 25th (and basically the entire month of August) because yeah the HEROINE got the dose of memory loss again and UKYO trying to protect her from what actually happened (which was kinda sweet of UKYO to do ^^)

that and all the other male LI just being jelly about UKYO being our partner. they do respect the HEROINE's decision, but still am jelly from their lingering feelings, i guess. i was really dying laughing when i got to the part where they decided to place random things into his food and drinks because (1) that's a health concern, and (2) i was being thrown to another planet because what??? those are some of the weirdest food combinations ever, and it doesn't even faze UKYO since his body is mainly on survival mode (which made sense from what happened in the base game)

Orion is back. i still have no clue if he remembers us or not though, but we slightly (since we got a slight flash) remember him. he also gave advice of being the only one to "save" UKYO, which makes slightly no sense to me, i'm sorry (╥﹏╥)

also so the plants are from Orion and Nhil ... well their human forms at least ^^

and don't think i forgot UKYO's thing about baseball bats and TOMA (?) like i have no clue what he is talking about (since i can't bare getting a bad ending than the ones that i got so (╥﹏╥) but i know i have to if i want to 100% everything (╥﹏╥) which will take a long time)

also the girls? the girls just decided to just apologize, but i was i didn't want IKKI's fan club to just disband because that would just ruin everything that Rika (slightly liking her since she does seem like a really nice and good friend to the HEROINE in this route anyways (we don't talk about her in some other routes) ^^) and that would actually just hurt more people than it'll help ^^ and because of what happened (which i know is really horrible), even if i can't really fully since they attempting to KILL the HEROINE

but, also can we talk about how the three groupies for a second here because they just decided to just leave the HEROINE? like hello? call the police? or the fire department and not leave her all alone in there? open the hatch so she could escape?

also that ending scene where UKYO decides to take the HEROINE away from the guys because he doesn't want the others to take the HEROINE while he was taking the wedding pictures <3 gosh that was lovely <3

but also there are just so little choices (╥﹏╥) but that's just personal preference as i actually do like choices (╥﹏╥) but it's fine since she regained some of her memories (and personality) in this. we got to reconcile with other UKYO ^^

[coeuranxieux]

Ok so thinking again about how Andrew's devotion translates to the two of them (LE)

He obviously wants to do every task that is wanted of him for even a split second but he has to be a bit more careful than that. He can't just suddenly leave without announcing because it'll make Emil sad when he notices and completely disorient Luca if he happens to only realises Andrew is gone when they're coming back into the room or if he turns around to find himself alone. Both of them are clingy as well,,,

so despite how much Andrew wants to just do it himself, in the case of Luca the task is usually done by the two of them. Though he doesn't mind, since that means he just gets to spend time with them. Emil is a different story. As he's usually just very content to stare into space or sleep a little until Andrew comes back (as long as told what's happening beforehand), Andrew can do stuff for him and not have to worry.

It's kind of nice taking care of Emil, since even if Andrew wants only the best for him, he's got such a low bar for comfort that Andrew can afford to mess up and not be immediately punched in the throat by guilt because he knows Emil won't be mad, even though it creeps up later. Emil will probably just laugh absentmindedly at it anyway.

It's also easy to stay with Emil for affection reasons, since he's pretty nice to hold with most of his body being covered by the straightjacket and blankets. And he's very willing to be held too. They can ask each other questions and answer them, or Andrew can just coo at him in quiet adoration while he listens.

Emil's main ""problem"" (not that Andrew considers it one) is that he isn't much of a Doing Things person. He's very passive, not really initiating conversation and preferring to listen, and he'll mostly just do quiet things himself or copy what everyone else is doing.

If Andrew wants socialisation, or praise, or things to keep his brain busy, he can go to Luca.

Luca is very good for conversation in that he has a strange way with words that leaves Andrew enamored, despite not knowing what he's saying a lot of the time. But that's okay! Luca is more than happy to explain these simple things in a way Andrew's dumb brain can understand. He could listen to Luca ramble all day and night if he needed to, and that ends up happening sometimes with Luca's time blindness. Andrew feels a bit guilty for letting him stay awake so long, but he sounds so happy!! How could Andrew ever ruin his fun?

Unlike Emil, Luca is a very Doing Things person, too. It seems like every few days he's come up with some idea that everyone can get in on, and Andrew loves that. He can be included amongst his angels, considered an equal even if he very much isn't. And he usually has a new trinket to put in his shrine on his shelf at the end.

Luca's ""problem"" is that he's not easy to take care of. He insists he's fine and that he doesn't need it, just like Andrew, and with his noble background it makes Andrew anxious that what he gives Luca isn't always up to his standards. Luca says it is, but can he be sure?

Luca will give him trinkets and hugs and words while stringing Andrew along dumbly for the ride. It's kind of like how Emil must feel with him, but in Luca's loud, sparkling way. It feels amazing to be loved by such a genius!

Even if they claim they're not one of those anymore, Andrew still believes it anyway.

i love love long ass posts theyre my favorite thing ever god :3

[dazzle-writes]

Hello, saw you were doing match ups so wondered if you'd do one for me, with trigun characters

I'm an 160cm thin girl (20 y/o) with long brown curly hair and blue eyes, kinda look like merida from brave if that helps, enfp

I'm a lot like 98' vash (my biggest ever kin fr), goofing around and having fun, making dirty jokes with my friends, very clumsy and bubbly when in good mood, tho i don't shy away from being tough from time to time

I'm friendly and like meeting new people but keeping connections is my biggest flaw. I mostly keep it going with the ones i click with

I love being around people, but don't mind being alone for some periods of time, reading, watching something, drawing or doing whatever hobby i picked on

I'm an archeology student, have passion for history and literature, love psychology and philosophy, love things like true crime and paranormal stories, definitely would like to travel and see what the world and people have to offer. I'm the "do it for the plot" type of person, getting into random situations for the sake of seeing how it'll end and if i'll have a story in the end

When i was younger i was more like some kind of vash-milly combo, but now I'm more aware of people, i can't stand when someone is judgy from the beggining, when someone is too negative about the world and people, because even tho i myself get disappointed in people often, i still think that we should look for positive things in everyday life. Kind of "if life has no meaning, might as well find meaning in small things"

Sorry if this was too long, thank you if you've read this far ^^ and keep up with the good writing, you're doing amazing!

UWAAAA I'm so glad you like my writing! I've been swamped with work lately, so sorry this is taking a while!!

For trigun 98, I most definitely match you up with Wolfwood! You are just that little ray of sunshine he needs to keep going. Plus, he loves that you and him make sex jokes to each other about everything that you can. You two get kidnapped and held by Knives? Non-stop dick jokes. At first you try to at least mutter them under your breath, but soon enough you're both just spouting them out as fast as you can think of them. Knives is just standing there in shock that you can think of so many in a short amount of time. I also think you two would be like, surprisingly close beforehand. He a big cuddler too (have you fucking seen those titties MMMMM) and I WILL DIE ON THIS HILL BUT WOLFWOOD IS TERRIFIED OF GHOSTS!!! Yall go ghost hunting and he is ATTACHED TO YOU LIKE NO OTHER. Homie is throwing round the holy water like he's a raincloud. You one day dig up and old book and are pretty sure that its haunted? He's hiding being his giant cross and shaking in his tight ass pants.

In trigun stampede however, Vash latches onto you like white on rice. You are exactly what this poor bean needs in his life!!!! You teach him to appreciate the little things, and show him that he's allowed to have wants and needs. He enjoys taking you around old crashed spaceships and letting you go wild with the archeological zoomies. In this universe, you also get kidnaped by Knives so Vash follows to come and save you and once again, you make so many dick jokes. The only difference is that Stampede Knives has never seen a wiener in his LIFE and doesn't get any joke you make. Do with this information what you will. Vash also really likes showing you his Plant siblings when his spilled the alien beans. You'd probably enjoy just quietly hanging with the Plant girlies because they just watch you draw or read or they nap! they are very nice when you need to recharge a social battery but don't want to be completely alone. Vash is also a big cuddler and understands having trouble keeping connections with people!! He's always moving so he gets sad thinking about all the people he wanted to grow closer too.

If we wanted to hit up the manga, then id actually pair you with Legato! I think you'd be just the right person to help him let himself be a better and softer person. Your love of psychology would really interest him, and I think you'd be that enemies-to tolerated-to friends-to lovers thing. He also likes learning about humans and the past, and I think that's he would really appreciate you showing him to good side of humanity through psychology and even true crime by showing how people come together and how people react to catastrophe and stress. He needs to see people doing good things, and you are just the person to show him around the world and prove it to him

ALSO SORRY THIS IS LIKE MONTHS LATE I got another job and started school SOBS!!! But I hope you enjoy!!!!

[go-go-devil]

18 and 19 for the OC ask game. I really liked seeing the contrast of personalities when all your OC's answered in the last ask, so I wanted to ask for all of them if it's ok ^^

18. What is your greatest victory?

Albedo: "We have earned many platinum victories in our centuries, both before and after reaching sagehood, yet none can come close to the monumental feat of creating our Moon, and all of the moon beings within it. No sculptures can compare to the pulchritudinous magnitude of moving, thinking organisms; all crafted with the gentle touch of our gloves. This alone proves that we are two halves of a God on the cusp of ascension!"

Umbra: "What other sages can say that they have created life itself? Not one being, that's what! Even if our protege has been... confused in his pursuits, we worry not. Our creations are perfect in every way. They'll always come around in the end."

Leiurus: "I've spent my whole life searching for great victories of any kind. Yet today, in the Tomb...

"My body and will had been beaten to a pulp down there. The skeletons of giants pursuing me endlessly, thwacking me around like a worn rag doll! I'd escaped the dreadful dead in this deep watery cavern, filled with the weakling guards of skeletal babes and poor Pinwheel's wretched copies. Nothing I couldn't easily dispatch!

"As I trudged up the cold stone path, kicking every last bone out of my way… I saw it before my very eyes. Gravelord Nito’s chambers. I should have ran back to the bonfire. Should’ve refilled my dwindling estus and thought of a strategy for this one, but I didn’t. I plunged straight in.

"The Lord of the Dead was slow, but ruthless. His skeletons sliced me good, and those terrible black magic waves his ancient body emitted filled me with relentless thoughts of ending it all right then and there. It’s funny, now that I give it some thought. I’d been dancing with death for a good chunk of my mortal life; sometimes giving, sometimes begging for it meself. But when staring down Nito’s dozens of eyeless sockets, I felt in that moment a great desire for life I hadn’t felt for a long time!

"There was no use in hollowing for me! I needed to keep at it to save the land of this undead curse! To help a friend find his sun! To see my terrible brother once again! To prove I’m not wasting this life I’ve got, for m'late Aunt Tabby’s sake… That’s right, I was the reaper of Death himself! I killed him with me own scythe and strength! You hear that, Lords?! The rest of you cowardly lot are no match for me! Ehehehehahahahahahahahaha!"

Hashbrown Supreme: "I was at a record convention once. I only had $10 on me, but I really wanted to buy In The Land of Grey and Pink, which the seller wanted $15 for. I asked her politely if she'd pay 10 for the record, and she said yes, so I got the record I wanted! It was an amazing moment in my life, lemme tell ya."

19. What was your biggest mistake?

Hashbrown Supreme: "Oh man... I still hate thinking about this one.....

"When I was lodging with some nice folks one time, one of them spilled some water on their laundry and got their boxer shorts all wet. This groovy Dark Side of the Moon styled boxers, which they said was their favorite pair! So later I was left alone and came up with an idea to help them out. There was a lamp in their office, and lamp's light bulbs are hot. So I thought if I put the shorts on top of the lamp, it'll warm 'em up before they got back so they could wear them again real soon!

"What actually happened was that the boxers caught on fire after a few minutes. I didn't know what to do so I threw it outside and then some garbage bags caught on fire. It was a mess. Man, I didn't have the courage to confess what I did, I just feigned ignorance when they thought the clothes went missing. Such a terrible thing to do to such a beautiful pair of boxers! How could I ever forgive myself?

"That one just beats out the second biggest mistake of my life, that being causing a time paradox, but thankfully that one got fixed so it's a-okay!"

Leiurus: "My biggest mistake will always be thinkin' I was ever cut out to be a good sorcerer. Aunt Tabby, my true mum, she really did believe my halfway mediocre abilities in magic could get me into the Vinheim Dragon School. I doubt they would've even accepted her despite her skills. I can hardly recall how she even scrounged up the gold to get me in, or especially how I was able to impress them during my entry test, but I shouldn't have left her for that awful school. Their sorcery was far out of my league, and she needed me more than they did. I could've been there when she hollowed, maybe I could've... maybe...

"Why you askin' me this, eh? What's your problem?! Quit making me spill me soul out before I cut ya to ribbons, you honey-nosed wretch!"

Umbra: "Our biggest mistake? Why, there are none."

Albedo: "We do not make mistakes."

[the-firebird69]

He says he loves the emerald green and this is in Dubai and it is super car Blondie and her son called her that because her name is Blondie and it's one of her characters and she sings and that's actually who she is and Jason tried to get her to sing and Got her to do this singing our son suggested a deal and making it a real one with business people and it worked it was amazing to him it was it's ridiculous people are crazy and she's saying the Blondie songs which are really awesome

Thor Freya

We're going to go ahead with his new car to the b and she is going to make the C1 with her name she says she's going to try and make it fast enough and he says I don't think so another style and for racing and there is one more respiratory fast it's very fast it's like a bee but it's more like a box and she says okay there's always a contention between the two and she's going to do it and he's not leaving her behind. We are going ahead with us and this is a famous place for super cars and mega cars and it's going to become massively famous and Jason thinks that he can go there first and he says he has to check his schedule LOL but he needs to talk about oil that's crazy crap

And Jason said that last part

Apollo and goddess wife

We're going to go ahead and do this and I'm going to get all this going and all the changes too they're going into the pipe right now and we are going to have them fight over it and get it done while they're doing it and hasn't been going that well this is probably will work very nicely you have ideas to help other businesses of his ideas too but we need these things and we need them now and it's not a fooling around kind of car that's what we need

Aries and goddess wife

He's going to help out all over the place and we're going to get done and they're helping to make it work this idea is perfect I love it in Russia just wondering if Russia would be a recycled motors company place and they say they have a lot of old ones but it's not really that kind of a place but really China is using new stuff and they're thinking about it and he's probably right this other countries that do it more like Europe but they can't handle it so he's thinking probably Africa or South America and they're going to look into it one of them he says South America probably would work better and they're saying in Africa they recycle a lot but in South America they're not doing it and that's why and father vital and got his wife want to go ahead with it and he'll fix the verbage and he knows the designs and it actually looks more Latino than anything my husband is laughing cuz he looks kind of Latino most of the time

So the the car company will be there too he wants to wear the shirt and the T-shirt under and put in the top button and he wants to drive the car like that with the baggy pants when he's bigger people want to see it too but he wants to do that to advertise it and have people do the commercial as him this is going to rock

Hera

So he says hey Jessie and I said don't call me that and he goes okay half a and that's that's what it is jefe and this boss and he said is it right it's just not spelled right here those but really this is going to be this is close so we're going to really do this and I get the idea and I started thinking about this if you do it over to Africa instead of a big deal and they can and they do it anyways you do it down where we are this is a new vehicle it'll stick it looks like our stuff and kind of like swedish at the same time he says we can put that awesome color gold on the stuff and it's plastic you can use it as a fairing on his sport back and superbike and I said that's crazy like as an option if you will go nuts with that alone I have to do this

Bitol and Goddess Wife

Olympus

[1d1195]

Tbh I dont even KNOW how many courses i’ve taken 😭 But I'm pretty sure it has been over 20 since I found your blog which was maybe the end of my first year or the beginning of my second year? So like 2021-2022? Idk but even then I didn’t even start giving feedback/ talking with you until like later I think? And that was without my emoji (my memory isn’t great anymore lol) All I know is that I think it was during the Protection era where I decided to ask for an emoji lol ANYWAYSSS But yes I am almost done soo! But I start my final year in the Fall! Very excited but also fucking terrified lol But your kind and encouraging words mean SO much to me!😭💗

I think youre so cool too! Seriously you're so NOT lame lol Oh your bf isn't a binger watcher?! This is so tragic! I fear I could not handle that depending on the show lol I'm not saying to lie about not knowing what happens but alsooo self care does include binging shows👀 btw Tina’s episode was SO what this season needed because it was just so perfect for her character! Loved it so much how it touched up so many things! And her moment with Micheal was so 😭 

Girl you’re so real for that lol You’re not being bitchy at all! Being a teacher was hard way before this pandemic hit and with this dynamic of online learning came into play like i can't even imagine! And now doing a hybrid style in person and online is another dynamic! But yeah they did put themselves in that position so it just sucks all around because no one really wins lol 

Btw I'm the same too lol. when it comes to my emotions my mind is like ✨no you're dramatic stfu✨Your concerns are so valid! And it sucks that even for a simple concern is such an obstacle to even obtain the right info/resources. Plus women’s health is severely under researched but that’s another thing lol But yes! Please do that like you deserve to be heard in all aspects! And you could NEVER make me feel like you’ve minimized my issues! It’s nice to let it out and you never know how many people may feel the same, so you are not alone!

Oh her insecurity very much resonated with me! In my head that makes total sense! She loves him so much that the fear of not letting him grow into the best version of himself is scary! And by the amount of love she has for people and him I get her actions! It’s very much not okay to have made that decision without talking to him, but they are young so these are just things they have to learn about! Of course my love the next parts be amazing! Seriously you’re in my opinion one of the BEST writers on here! kinda funny your bf is trying to teach you about writing ngl I giggled lol

Hope your week has ended so well! Any plans for the weekend? Love you lots!!!-💜

FINAL YEAR HOW EXCITING. I knew you had to be close to being done. I'm so happy for you! You're going to do great things 💕

IT'S THE WORST. HE GETS SO DISTRACTED ALL THE TIME WE WATCH ONE EPISODE EVERY THREE DAYS. Fortunately, most of the time we don't have the same taste in shows so I can binge my shows in between viewings of shows we watch together but it's painful. I'm going to tell him we have to watch the last two episodes in one hit. I LOVED Tina's episode, but I do kinda wish they put it in an earlier season just because I feel like I hated her for so long. Maybe that was their point and plan. I get that I can't know everything all at once lol 😂 The part with Michael was heartbreaking but I loved it too! 

Thank you for all your kind words regarding teaching and my mental health! They mean so much 💕

You're so sweet 😭 I am lowkey struggling with the second part (mostly because I've been writing bits of the other parts so it's hard to connect pieces of it a little hehehehe) but my brain is just really unfocused these days. It's a bit unfortunate, but I think it'll be okay.

Truly, your thoughts are SO helpful 💕

I think his genre of writing is OBVIOUSLY very different than mine. But it's funny to hear his thoughts and ideas. He's trying to make money off his writing, so I'm not very equipped to give any advice on that front. But he's so WHINY about it. He's like "I'm stuck on the ending" and I'm mentally I'm like "Yeah, and? We've all been there." Poor guy. 🤭

I met up with a friend from high school yesterday and hung out with my fam--they're nuts. I have a family thing tomorrow so I'm hoping to do most of nothing today except write and chill out. The weather has been so hot and muggy here. It's supposed to rain for a good chunk of the day but I'm hoping it clears up so I can go for a walk in the evening. I've been a little lazy the last couple days so I need to do better.

How about you?! Hope you're doing something fun! LOVE YOU!!!

xoxo

[heartfe1t]

    ❝    she was just a baby. you were just a baby.    ❞     he nods, soft smile on his face, pure care in his expression.    ❝    you and me against the world, mi amor. absolutely. i love that, and you. it feels really good, to love you like this, and to be loved by you. you have an amazing heart, my love.    ❞     he couldn't have expected to fall for her like he has, but... it's amazing. he can't help but enjoy this deep connection they've formed, even in the midst of a complicated time in their lives.

    ❝    oh wow- that's pretty cool!    ❞     quinn smiles widely.    ❝    i can't believe all the things you do... honestly. like- being surprised with the ending is pretty cool. i'm sure you're going to do amazing, of course. since you're just- incredible. i'll be rooting for you though.    ❞     no matter where they both are... he's always cheering her on.    ❝    well that does sound pretty nice...    ❞     he chuckles, bright grin on his face.    ❝    i'll be really happy to see you. hang out at the stadium with my girlfriend, take her back with me to the hotel after the game... i always miss you so much, so- it'll be really, really amazing to get some time with you.    ❞     

    ❝    okay good. i'm glad you know i mean well... i just- do love you, mila. i love you so much. you're not alone anymore.    ❞     her presence here, in this bed with him... it feels good to be physically together, to share this kind of touch with her, but... even when they're not physically together... he knows he won't be alone again, and neither will she. because he'll always be there for her.    ❝    please do hold me to it. because it's a promise i'll always keep. i'm not going anywhere sweetheart. i'm yours.    ❞     

❝    i    really    try    to    give    her    grace.    she    was    just    a    baby,    you    know?    none    of    that    ever    should    have    happened.    ❞    she    sighs,    shaking    her    head.    ❝    you    and    me,    forever.    sounds    so    nice.    ❞    she    almost   ��can't    believe    that    she'd    found    a    love    like    this.    she    never    really    thought    she    deserved    it.    ❝    i    love    that    it's    us    against    the    world.    i    love    you    so    much.    i    didn't    realize    i    could    love    someone    this    much,    but    it    feels    so    good.    ❞    

❝    yeah,    i'm    excited    for    some    of    the    scenes    we've    got    left    to    film.    they're    some    of    the    scariest,    bloodiest    ones.    they    haven't    even    given    me    the    script    for    the    final    scene,    they're    keeping    it    super    under    wraps.    i'll    get    the    final    script    with    a    week    to    spare.    of    course,    since    it's    going    to    be    a    chase    and    a    fight,    i    won't    have    to    do    a    lot    of    memorizing.    ❞    she    loves    her    job    so    much,    but    now    she's    going    to    be    excited    to    get    to    hang    out    with    her    boyfriend    a    lot    more.    ❝    hotel    life    isn't    so    bad.    i    have    this    beautiful    suite    with    a    nice    bathtub    i've    been    relaxing    in    after    the    harder    days.    it'll    be    nice    to    get    home    and    see    daisy    and    penny,    but    my    first    stop    is    going    to    be    to    see    you.    i'll    probably    hang    out    at    the    stadium    with    you,    and    then    when    we're    at    the    hotel,    it's    going    to    feel    just    like    home    as    long    as    i've    got    you.    ❞

she    sniffles    and    looks    up    at    him,    biting    at    the    inside    corner    of    her    lower    lip.    ❝    it's    okay.    it's    just    an    expression,    i    know    that.    i    just...    have    a    lot    to    worry    about,    you    know?    it    wasn't    stupid,    you're    just    trying    to    be    reassuring.    i    know    that.    you're    so    sweet    with    me.    ❞    she    says,    soft    smile    making    its    way    back    onto    her    face.    ❝    i    love    you,    quinn.    ❞    she    replies,    the    feel    of    his    touch    such    a    calming    reassurance    from    him.    being    close    to    him    like    this    and    feeling    his    skin    against    hers    is    so    nice.    she'd    never    realized    how    much    she    needed    physical    touch    from    a    partner    in    this    way    until    she    met    him.    but,    then,    maybe    that    was    just    something    that    she    loved    from    him.    ❝    i'm    going    to    hold    you    to    that.    ❞