#kai and chive

[wcbweblog]

valentines day wips! since I’m probably not gonna finish them before the day is up 🫠

[shrimpybbq]

green thumb

synopsis: high school gf loves her veggie garden and so does charlie. rafe is clueless and lacks a green thumb, but does his best to be supportive.

The warm sun shone through the windows of the Cameron house, it’s rays casting a golden hue across the spacious living room that currently housed half of the aforementioned Cameron family. The tall frame of Rafe Cameron lay horizontal on the plush couch, his arms wrapped protectively around the small baby atop chest. His sweet little girl had only been born a few months ago, but she was already growing too fast for his liking. Each day was so precious to Rafe, knowing Emmy would never be this small again, so he cherished the mundane moments like this one, letting her use his chest as a mattress for as long as she wished. He basked in the rise and fall of her chest, the little grunts she let out as her dreams took place.

Rafe had been on the couch for an hour or so, letting his wife spend time with Charlie. The young boy loved his sister, but becoming a big brother was challenging. He was no longer the main focus of his parents and growing used to sharing the attention had been troubling for the boy. He would pout when his mother left his side to feed his sister, clinging tearily to her sleeve. It broke both Rafe and his wife's heart, and the pair knew they needed to do something to make Charlie know he was still just as important as before. That was when they noticed how much the little boy loved his mother's veggie garden. He was always trying to follow his mother outside, eager to play in the soil and spend time with his favourite person.

Each morning, the young mother would climb out of bed silently, her footsteps softly padding across the carpet in an attempt to not disturb the sleeping baby in the room. A soft kiss to her daughter's forehead before she disappeared outside to her veggie garden. At Tannyhill, the girl had grown a few herbs - chives, rosemary, thyme - that sort of thing. Rafe had never really noticed until one day he caught her sneaking out, and thinking the worst he followed her. He had frozen when instead of seeing her leaving the property or meeting another man, she had crouched down in front of the old neglected herb garden. Rose had tried to grow some herbs at one point before giving up on her faux housewife act, and Rafe had never really paid attention to what remained. His curiosity peaked as he watched his girlfriend gently water the soil and pat it in place, humming quietly to herself. Content with knowing her whereabouts, Rafe quietly stalked back indoors, tucking the knowledge away in his mind.

When the family moved to their new home, he decided to surprise his now-wife with a special section in the backyard just for her. He'd spent a few hours one morning while she was in town building planter boxes, filling them with soil and setting up a hose nearby. Rafe was so excited to surprise her once she returned home, covering her eyes with his hands as he led her out to the yard. Little Charlie sat on her hip despite her pregnant belly, his hands clinging to his mother.

"Hey-hey! No peeking! Don't you dare," Rafe muttered as she tried to move her head away.

"Just tell me, please?" She begged, growing impatient. It didn't help that Rafe's guiding skills left a lot to be desired.

"Just know that you're gonna like it, 'kay?"

When his hands dropped away from her eyes, she gasped softly. The perfect little garden set-up stood in front of her, all ready to go. Eyes wide, she turned to Rafe.

"Wha- how, I- how did you know?" She questioned incredulously. No-one had ever done anything like this for her. Rafe grinned down at her as his arm wrapped around her shoulders, tugging her into his frame.

"I have my ways," he drawled cheekily, "I did good, huh?"

He watched as she nodded, turning to Charlie, "Should we go have a look?" The little boy nodded and Rafe stood on proudly as his wife and son went to investigate the new garden.

Rafe noticed Emmy stirring, the girl beginning to grumble as her hunger grew. He knew she needed to be fed or soon, the whole neighbourhood would hear the girl's screams. As he slowly pandered out to the yard, his eyes fell upon his wife and the small blond boy crouched at her side. With a watering can in one hand, Charlie gently delivered water to the small carrot and tomato plots. He squealed in excitement as his mother praised him for his effort, gently patting the soil around the growing vegetables as she did the same. Rafe looked at the two proudly, wishing he didn’t need to interrupt them, but alas, little Emmy began to whine loudly, catching the attention of her mother. She turned around quickly to see the small girl baby tucked securely in her father’s arms, and stood up.

“Hungry?”

“Don’t you know it,” Rafe grunted. He handed Emmy over to his wife’s outstretched arms.

“She’s just like you, never full,” she sighed, exasperated, before undoing the oversized button up of Rafe’s she wore.

The pair settled into a moment of comfortable silence as their daughter latched, her little hands reaching to cling to the shirt lapels. Calm spread but only for a moment.

“Daddy! Look! Strawberry!” Charlie shouted. Rafe stalked over to his son and crouched down to match his height. It was almost comical to see such a tall man make himself so small, especially when he couldn’t control the expression of slight discomfort covering his face.

“Wow bud, look at that… did you and your mama do that?” Rafe grinned as Charlie nodded, pleased with himself. Rafe had never fully been able to get into the groove of gardening, finding the waiting too painful to ever properly enjoy the art. But for his son, he would do anything - and so he played along. He would ask questions, get his son to show his new plants, praise his little sprouting vegetables and make sure his son knew he was proud of him. He wasn’t above forgetting which seed plot was which, but he tried. For a few moments, silence blanketed the family as an engrossed Charlie continued to tend to him plants.

“Mama and I have carrots too!” The boy exclaimed.

“Oh yeah? When are we gonna eat them, little man? How much longer until they’re ready?” Rafe asked, reaching his hand out to steady Charlie as he began to lean over the garden. Charlie looked up at his mother questioningly, the woman now seated on the bench nearby. She hummed softly as she thought for a moment,

“Maybe another month or two? We only planted them last week, C.”

The boy returned his gaze to Rafe, smiling at his father. Rafe looked down at his mini-me, sighing as he picked the boy up in his arms, standing and walking over to his wife. She had finished feeding Emmy now, and had the sweet little girl resting against her chest.

“Good thing we still have a grocery store nearby, huh?” Rafe chuckled, “Not gon’ starve.”

He grimaced at the sudden pinching sensation against his bicep, High School Gf sending a glare to him as she pulled her hand away. Shit.

“But hey - once those carrots are ready, we should make a big salad. You know that one you like, bud? We can make it for dinner one night. How’s that sound?” The momentary anxiety was evident in the way Rafe quickly spoke, desperately hoping to avoid a meltdown from the toddler. He was at an age where his sensitivity was high.

“Promise, daddy? And we have ice cream after?”

Both Rafe and High School Gf exhaled with relief. Crisis averted. Rafe nodded down at his son and when the boy extended out his pinky finger to affirm their promise, he grinned.

“Pinky promise, C.”

the pure domesticity of this would be sickening to the old rafe lol

[yumchxa]

My Dragon Ball OCs Karafé and Chives <3 ☕️🌱

Some stuff about them :

Karafé

- Saiyan , He/him

- drew him after I brewed coffee and thought carafe sounded like it’d be a cool name LMAO

- A little silly , Chives’ best friend , drinks coffee relentlessly like some kind of freak (sometimes straight out of the coffee machine)

Chives

- Supreme Kai , She/her

- my avatar from Dragon Ball Fusions on 3DS but updated her design

- she’s kinda chill I guess , a little grumpy sometimes

- dislikes being called ‘Mellon’ by Karafé bc of her color scheme

[pastel-rights]

~~ Throw the Bouquet 💐 ~~

~~ Welcome to the Wedding Ball Guestlist ~~

💐 Gang (already has a partner)

— Bianca Hightower (Laurence Godfrey)

— Susannah Marina (Blair Willis)

— Blair Willis (Susannah Marina)

— Akiko Yosano (Doppo Kunikida, he got let out of the basement for the one time.)

🌸 Gang (looking for a partner)

— Yami Kazuichi

— Amane Yasuhiro

— Elysia Driftwood

— “Narcissus”

— Contract Kuznetsov/Lorraine Kuznetsov

— Kai Westerburg (Finality)

— Sadie Casper (Truth)

— Mei Nakauharane (Origin)

— Kaede Akamatsu

— Yamasaki Yuuhimiki

— Qiang Haoyu

— Cosmo Rose

— Mavis Chives

— Basil Vines

— Allison Haliey

— Valentina Reyes (Chiaki)

— Blake Whitlock

— Clara Melamine (Platonic only)

🥀 Gang (not looking for anything)

— Yue and Chang’e

— Kamishiro Rui

— Hoshino Ichika

— Hatsune Miku

— Kokichi Ouma

— Lady Furina

[talesfromsiteredacted]

Orientation Blues, Or Not So Helpful Hints For New Hires from SCP 963 and Dr. Clef

Welp... it's orientation time, or as my boss calls it 'Fresh Meat Friday'. Site Command is holding the briefing. Here's the highlights and important stuff.

Words of er... "wisdom" from 963

"Hi kids. Welcome to the SCP Foundation. A few ground rules. First, the class system refers to how hard it is to contain, not 'power levels'. Second, it's "Ket-ter", not 'Keeter' or 'Kay-ter'. Third, if Dr. Gears runs out of coffee, bring him more. Do not knock on the door, instead start singing 'Ave Maria' to not startle Dr. Gears. We're still picking bullets and D-Class fragments out of the door after the last person forgot. If you don't know 'Ave Maria', until you learn pick something unique. For the love of 343... no REM. Fourth, signing up for the softball team is voluntary. And finally, do as I say, not as I do."

"Keter Duty is a punishment. If you feel the need to volunteer, go talk to Dr. Glass, maybe hug 999 until the urge passes."

"The tuna surprise is not to be trusted, let alone consumed. Also... avoid the cakes in Site Cafeteria. The cakes are not lies, but our chief cook Mabel is terrible at baking. By the way... while bribing Site Command with baked goods is not officially advised... if say, some chocolate chunk cookies were left unattended outside a certain member of Site Command's office along with your reports, there may be fewer edits and redactions."

"If you see my esteemed colleague Dr. Clef with his ukulele, put in your earplugs. If you see Dr. Clef walk by with his shotgun, run to the emergency shelter and wait it out."

"Do not hug the anomalies unless directed to or the anomaly asks. The exception to this is 999. He lives for hugs."

"And now... without further ado, a man who needs no introduction, Dr. Clef with "Reality Warpers and You, Or How Not to Spend the Rest of Your Life As a Latke. You laugh, but it happened to Agent Ducanan. 682 was lined up outside with sour cream and chives."

Dr. Clef's survival tips

"One, Scranton Reality Anchors are vital in containing reality warpers. Read the manual, memorize it, practice setting them up until you can do it blindfolded. Two, never underestimate the power of disinformation, reality warpers are just as vulnerable to bullshit as the rest of us. Three, when all else fails... shotgun!"

"You do not recognize the bodies in the water. Do not investigate the bodies in the water."

"Asking 343 to make you immune to 049's touch just because you 'think the poor bird can use a hug' is violating a whole bunch of rules, which is usually 963's shtick. Plus... he's not the touchy type. Try hugging 999, you'll feel better."

"Check your spelling. 012 hates poor grammar and spelling, and when using 294 it's the difference between a cup of immortality and a cup of immorality."

"For the last bloody time... WE ARE NOT FUNDED BY UMBRELLA CORPORATION, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY OF THEIR CRAPPY INFERIOR BIOWEAPON PRODUCTS, NOR ARE WE OURSELVES PRODUCING BIOWEAPONS. No, 076-2 is not a bioweapon, just really angry and hard to kill. 682 and 096 are also not bioweapons. Again, just really angry and hard to kill."

"Those of you joining the MTFs, be prepared for anything. And... do some cardio. Yes, running from 106 counts, if you like your run spiked with danger."

[saschaederer]

- „Gemma“ (initial reference to a girl which used to be in King William‘s College) - „Wattson“

- “Schnittlauch” (German: Chives, ‘Cut leek’ in doublespeak, initial reference to my penis)

- “Daniel Negreanu” - “DNeg”

- “Bitchan” (Japanese, nickname my mother has given me)

- “(Donald) Trump”

- “Wer scheiß?” (German: Who shit?) - “Wer heiß?” (German: Who hot?) - “Ich heiß” (German: Me hot)

- “(Franky, initial reference to Heinrich Arndt) Assassin”

- „Kamala Harris“

- “Burger” - “Nothing“

- “Shmuck” - “Putin”

- “(u/)Mr-Thanos”

- “(u/)Atomicbrunette”

- “(u/)Shawnsmith(747)”

- „BustyPetite“ - „R“

- „Schlagabtausch“ (German: Slugfest) - „Sahne(austausch)“ (German: Cream (exchange))

- “Lea Pollert”

- „Alina Calavera“

- „Truther“

- „Transpose“

- „Eichel“ (German: glans) - „insecurities“

- „Chef‘s knives“

- Torture threats („insinuations“) (initial reference to me)

- “Bitch” - “works” - “Mikhaila”

- „Korall“ (German: Coral, a word I sometimes use instead of ‚cool‘) - „Coral“

- “(Julian) Sens”

- “Who blows?” - “Who nose?”

- „A“ - „P“ - „D“ - „Kai (Ederer)“ - „M“ - „P“ - „D“ - „D“ - „(„initial reference“) (to my) penis“

- „That’s cooler“ - „couldn’t upload“

______________________________________________

REPORTS

- The contents of two sheets of papers of mine apparently having been visually altered.

______________________________________________

PLEASE READ

How I handle threats I receive (Last Update: 14. 9. 2024):

Changed:

- This makes the publications only a sample which are not supposed to be interpreted as conclusive

to:

- This makes the publications only a sample - They are not supposed to be interpreted as conclusive and can contain errors

[golden--doodler]

Ahhhhhhh thank you so much for tagging me in this, Babs! <Cracks knuckles> This is going to be fun:

20 Questions for Fic Writers Tag Game

How many works do you have on ao3? 8 on AO3 as of this moment :D

What's your total word count? For AO3, my official word count is 43,622!

What fandoms do you write for? Bob's Burgers is my main one! I've also written for many other fandoms such as Marvel, South Park, Gravity Falls (though that one isn't published yet), and The Cuphead Show!, just to name a few.

Top 5 fics by kudos: A Cold Winter's Night, Finding Joy Amidst Turmoil, Parents and Problems, Nothing Makes Me Happier (these two are tied with the amount of kudos they have), and Chives and Conversations.

Do you respond to comments? Absolutely! I adore reading people's sweet, sweet comments. If someone took the time to comment on my fic, I usually want to respond to them. Comments give me so much serotonin, you don't understand. I can't get enough of them.

What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Not really sure, actually. Angst hurts my heart. There have definitely been angsty moments in some of my fics, but I'm not sure about an ending. I guess you can count the first chapter of Fallen on Deaf Ears because Linda loses her hearing aids because of Grover? She gets new ones from Mr. Fischoeder, but it's still pretty dramatic.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Probably Nothing Makes Me Happier, that fic is basically fluff the entire way through, and the ending is borderline tooth-rotting sweetness. Probably the happiest oneshot I've written thus far. It definitely has a special place in my heart.

Do you get hate on fics? Not yet, actually! :D

Do you write smut? Yes 😏 (well, once)

Do you write crossovers? Not as of yet! A long time ago I had one planned, but it was scrapped (if you want to know, it was a crossover between Gravity Falls and Solar Opposites).

Have you ever had a fic stolen? Nope, at least not that I know of. Hopefully it stays that way.

Have you ever had a fic translated? Not as of this moment, but that would be so cool.

Have you ever co-written a fic before? Sort of, yes! I've been co-writing a Mission Impossible and Ghostbusters fic with my best friend, both of which are unfinished right now but will hopefully become finished eventually. Oh yes, and we're technically cowriting a Gravity Falls fic too. I probably can't list all of the things we've collaborated on.

What's your all-time favorite ship? 🥰🥰🥰 Boblin 🥰🥰🥰 Some of my other all-time favorite ships include (but are not limited to): Tina and Josh, whatever their ship name is, from Bob's Burgers, Tinimmy from Bob's Burgers, Roudise (AKA Louwheeze) from Bob's Burgers, probably Louigan (I just love enemies to lovers) from Bob's Burgers, my OC, Alexis, and Gene (imma call them Living La Vega Belcher as their ship name) from Bob's Burgers (is it narcissistic to list a ship you created??), Bunny from South Park, Kyman from South Park, my OCs Maggie and Sydney (I still can't think of a good ship name for them, but I called them Mydney once) from Gravity Falls (is it still narcissistic to list a ship you created??), to make it fair I'll list my best friend's OC, Kay, and Ford from Gravity Falls, Dipcifica from Gravity Falls, Reddie from It (2017), Torvo from Solar Opposites, Stage Dorks from Be More Chill, Kleinsen from Dear Evan Hansen, Adam and Barbara, whatever their ship name is, from Beetlejuice, Lumity from The Owl House, M&M from Helluva Boss, probably Wildehopps from Zootopia (I'm still not sure if I completely ship them, but their chemistry is so *chef's kiss* 🤌🏼) Hector and Imelda from Coco, Coraline and Wybie from Coraline, Jack and Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas, Rapunzel and Eugene from Tangled (actually made me believe in love), and I should probably cut myself off there. There are so many more ships I could've listed! This just goes to show how many fandoms I'm in and how much of a multishipper I am.

What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you will? I have this WIP that's an AU of if Bob and Linda met as children which I never finished and kind of stopped, at least for now. It kind of delved into Bob's relationship with his parents as well, and would've also delved into Linda's relationship with her parents too. I want to finish it, but that's unfortunately unlikely as of this moment ): It's a really cute idea, though, I think. I also have a WIP of a fic about Evan and Jared from Dear Evan Hansen (specifically their movie counterparts because I wanted to make some positive content for the movie because I didn't enjoy it) from the perspective of their daughter, Paige. I don't think I'll be able to finish that one, but it was fun to write.

What are your writing strengths? Comedy, dialogue, which is probably my biggest strength (especially banter), tooth-rotting fluff (I just love wholesome little things, okay??), and kiss scenes. I've been told by my best friend I write excellent kiss scenes, so I had to add this. Not sure if I'm excellent at them, but I think I can write a decent one.

What are your writing weaknesses? Description, angst, just people being mean to each other in general because it makes me sad, and probably fight scenes/action scenes? After writing my Marvel fic I've realized how tedious writing them is.

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language? Do a lot of research and get someone who speaks that language to help.

First fandom you wrote for? I can't remember exactly. It might've either been Disney or Warriors Cats (yeah, I know).

Favorite fic you've ever written? As of right now, it's probably either my Gravity Falls fic or Fallen on Deaf Ears. It was such a random and specific idea that actually ended up working incredibly well.

20 Questions for Fic Writers Tag Game

How many works do you have on ao3? 39

What's your total word count? 244,555

What fandoms do you write for? Bob's Burgers

Top 5 fics by kudos: Ketchup & Fries (but said to the tune of Shut Up and Drive), Already Medjool Dating, Maybe in Thyme, The Baby-Bitters Club, and Turn Down Corn-Nut

Do you respond to comments? If I don't respond to a comment within a week, you can assume I'm dead. I'm extrinsically motivated, and if I like comments then I need to respect and appreciate my readers by telling them that

What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? It's My Party (and I'll fry if I want to) it’s the angstiest fic all around, but the ending is more so unresolved-ish, like the reader can decide what Louise does

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Just a Coup-ful of Sugar, and I’m hoping fluffy equates to happy. Closely followed by but it’s (yukon) golden!

Do you get hate on fics? Yes

Do you write smut? Yes 😏

Do you write crossovers? They’re not for me

Have you ever had a fic stolen? Not that I know of?

Have you ever had a fic translated? Nah, but that would be neat!

Have you ever co-written a fic before? No, and I probably wouldn’t be able to handle giving someone else the reins 😔

What's your all-time favorite ship? 🥰🥰🥰 louigan 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you will? Drunken Sailor (what will brie do with)

What are your writing strengths? Natural sounding dialogue, titles, and writing comedy

What are your writing weaknesses? Scene setting, describing what people are wearing, sentence structure variation, sincerity, and whump fic

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language? Be respectful and consult a native speaker of that language

First fandom you wrote for? Total Drama Island

Favorite fic you've ever written? Today? It's Stacy's Cardamom!

Nobody tagged me, but it looked like fun 😭 plus it’s a good reminder to go back and see what all you HAVE done instead of dwelling on the hypothetical fics you haven’t.

Tagging writers I can think of who I haven’t seen make a 20 questions post (sorry if you’ve already been tagged and also of course feel free to ignore and also also sorry I probably missed someone!): @sailoreuterpe @bimbobarbieusa @marauder23 @big-wet-rose @jimmyjrsmusoems @jimmypesto @jc7005 @cosmicriff @casually-concerned @tully-blue @waytoomanyhobbies @https-hunter @holdingontolou @keepyourhornson-spyro @theangrypomeranian @avatraang @eroticfriendfictions @ironicsopsychotic @golden--doodler @lovelyxxxsymone @thestarstho @secretsofthemourning @smol-lydia

[minhavn]

𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐇 𝐂𝐎𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄 《 𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐈𝐈 》

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 : heavy make out, jealous!kai, profanity

𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩 : hooking up with your handsome best friend surely is fun—but with his whole crew?

"Damn, I'm so jealous that Hyuka living this kind of life every summer." Yeonjun poked the pan seared scallops on his plate, eyes trailing down to your standing figure behind the island, chopping some chives as your left hand tucking your bangs that kept falling to your side.

Rolling his eyes at the eldest, Kai threw a big chunk of potato to his face; ignoring the painful whine he made as he finished his dinner, avoiding your glare for playing with his foods and your cookings. "My bad," he rubbed his nape, giving you a sheepish smile, "I won't do it again, I promise you!" He held out his pinky finger, smile getting bigger when you gave him a weak nod; unable to ignore his charm despite of keep hearing the same thing from him.

The dinner went almost well if it wasn't for Kai and Yeonjun's little fight, making you had to jump in and telling them to clean up the table and kitchen for making a mess there. "Thanks for the dinner," you cradled your head and found Soobin and Beomgyu, standing behind the couch you were sitting on.

"It's nothing! At least I know this time Kai would finish his foods," you smiled, placing down the book you were reading on the coffee table beside you. As Beomgyu gave you a small nod, Soobin decided to sit down on the same seat; looking at 'The Savage Mind' by Claude Lévi-Strauss sitting beside your cup of hot chocolate, creating a strange combination in his eyes.

"Anthropology, huh?" He gestured to the book, placing a pillow on top of his lap while looking at your face with a smile, "I never thought you're that kind of person." Looking at your book, you gave him a small hum—certainly agreed with him that you weren't much of a reader.

"La pensée sauvage," he hummed mindlessly, tapping his fingers over the armrest while looking at a vase of petunia beside the TV in front of two of you. "You're certainly one," he chuckled, leaning toward your face as his breath hit your lips, "or maybe more." He cupped your cheek before crashing his lips into yours, swiping your lower lip with the tip of his tongue before nipping and tugging on it with his teeth.

His hands rested on your hips, pulling you to his lap as he held the back of your head, tilting your head slightly before giving your side a squeeze and slipping his tongue into your mouth. "Smart and slutty—just my type," he growled into your mouth, hands moving down to grope your bottoms and massaging them before teasing you by lowering his pinky finger to press your folds over the clothes from behind.

His hands were wandering around before finding your upper torso, cupping your breasts with ease and watching them getting engulfed under his touch. Thumb teasing the nipple with a light flick and gentle squeeze, enough to make you moan both in delight and frustration, bucking your hips against his to get some friction and ease down the dull ache between your legs.

"Ehem."

A small cough made Soobin pulled away from you almost instantly, lips smeared with your lipgloss and a small wet spot started to form on your pants. "It's already late," Soobin fixed his shirt, still looking at your glistening lips before getting you down from his lap and walking back to his room with Yeonjun after leaving a kiss below your jaw, ignoring Kai's glare and his brother's complaints.

Kai pulled you from the couch by your wrist, ignoring your writhing before grabbing your jaw and making you face him. "Now look at me, you little bitch," he gritted his teeth, squeezing your cheeks and leaving faint mail marks on each of them, "you're only mine and I won't tolerate this kind of bratty behaviour anymore."

[technicallymilkshakes]

Reciprocal ❂ || 1 of 2

A Manager!verse story Genre(s): Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Smut (in future chapter) Pairing: Jongin x Reader Word Count: 4.1k No warnings for this chapter, but note that the next one will contain mature content.

Next Chapter >>

Less than two hours outside of Seoul, the night air already seemed easier to breathe. The windows were open and a rain-scented breeze blew in to riffle the top of your hair. Brake lights reflected red on the slick roadside ahead of you before fracturing into ten thousand raindrops against the windshield. This was a Friday night kind of feeling. You felt reckless and emotional, free for the first time in months and brimming with life.

Jongin had told you that he would halfsy the drive. Instead, he was deep asleep in the passenger seat, head slumped sideways, shoes kicked off within minutes of entering the vehicle. Promotions had been particularly brutal this time around. Without the other members to help ease the burden, Kai had to be on at all times. He was charming and dorky and witty—he flourished under all the attention—but it came with a toll. You scheduled PT sessions in any brief moments of respite you could cram then in. He slept wherever and whenever he could and when he couldn't, he drank coffee.

Running point for this solo had been just as taxing for you. Time moved in recordings, photoshoots, and appearances. You'd fall asleep and wake up reviewing the itinerary. Promotions were occurring across a variety of platforms and you spent countless hours researching and breaking down offers, liaising with event managers and security, monitoring press reviews and social media. You were in so deep, you didn't even realize you weren't living until someone else pointed it out. Nine, Baekhyun's manager, encouraged both of you to take a vacation. Pronto. Their experience shepherding Baekhyun through multiple solo albums had been invaluable, so you weren't about to argue.

Besides, you hadn't been to the mountains since your first year of high school.

It had stopped raining by the time you pulled up to your destination. Jongin was already awake, blinking heavily at the sight that greeted him.

The mountain lodge was modern but inviting. The lights were on and they spilled pleasantly out into the night. You turned the car off and stepped out into chilled air enlivened with the sounds of leaves rustling, insects chirping, and nocturnal animals stirring.

Inside, golden wood warmed the open space. The retreat was divided into two levels—living/dining area and one bedroom on the first floor and the master bedroom with a balcony that would be rich with fresh vegetables in the summer on the second.

You looked out on the living room. The designer had impeccable taste. Plush seating with cushions and pillows in sumptuous fabrics curled around a fireplace. Your toes sank into lush, layered carpeting, which bracketed and defined the space. It was comfortable and intimate. You could easily imagine yourself sinking into a chair and nestling in for a nap, lulled into a trance by the fire.

The kitchen gleamed in the opposite corner, all straight lines and modern appliances. And the dining area next to it. Table and chairs had been regally arranged in front of wall-to-wall sliding glass doors that, for now, looked out onto darkness.

But there was one particular feature that had clinched the deal when you booked the place.

“There's a spa bath here,” you said, and suppressed a smile at the soft 'ooh' Jongin let out as he disappeared to investigate.

A quietness settled over you in his wake. There was no wifi here, no work to haunt your waking nor sleeping hours. The other managers were under strict orders not to contact you unless there was an emergency.

You felt oddly vulnerable, stripped of the last vestiges of responsibility holding you together. Listless and exhausted, you climbed upstairs and fell into bed without a thought for anything else.

**

You woke early the next morning, body too used to being tired. You stared at the ceiling for an indeterminable time, thoughts eddying around without any clear distinction, like static noise that only resolved itself into proper words when you concentrated.

You'd been managing Kai for almost five years now. Hard to believe. You loved this, the sense of belonging and the endless opportunities to learn, but the pace was grueling. Five years was a long time. You couldn't imagine how some of the older managers had kept up. You weren't sure how you had kept up. And, if you were being honest, you weren't sure anymore if you should.

But that was too much thinking for this early in the morning. You rolled over in bed and shut your eyes.

After the appropriate amount of indeterminable time had passed, you heaved yourself out of bed. Sleep wasn't coming back for you. Duvet wrapped around your shoulders, you slinked downstairs to find Jongin rummaging around in the cabinets. He spun around, flinching as a drawer clanged shut behind him, then relaxed.

“You too, huh?” he said with a lopsided grin.

You nodded.  It was no surprise to find him here. You were just two bodies too accustomed to being together.

You turned your gaze to the counters. “What are you doing?”

“I was trying to make some coffee.”

He looked wan and tired. One armed wrapped around his middle, the collar of his shirt sunk low enough to expose his collarbones... like he was holding himself together, trying to stay warm.

A sense of fierce protectiveness overcame you. You were both overworked. But at least in this small bubble, this moment in time and space, nothing could hurt him, including himself. No work excuses allowed.

“That sounds like a disaster waiting to happen,” you said, and he gave a weak laugh before getting an armful of duvet shoved at him. “Go sit down, I'll bring it over.”

Jongin stood there a moment staring at you. Under-cabinet lighting slashed over his chest, the rest of him slipping into shadow before he disappeared completely as he pulled the duvet over your head.

You felt a light kick to your backside.

“Hey!” You wrestled with the duvet. “As soon as I get out of this thing...!”

But he was grinning at you when you finally pulled it off, and you felt your urge for vengeance abate far too quickly as your fatigue flared. You still punched him in the shoulder, though.

He pouted, rubbing his shoulder.

“Oh, don't give me those puppy dog eyes. You deserved it.”

“I can make coffee...”

“You can,” you agreed. “With adult supervision. Now get the kettle out.”

**

The sunrise was something pulled from a poet's imagination. The lodge perched along a low ridge and peered down into the valley. Jongin had pulled open the curtains to what only last night had looked out into darkness and now found the world at his door. Together, you watched as the sun spilled over the mountain peaks opposite, then glissaded down powdery slopes to the tree line. The trees across the valley, where the mountains were taller, were still snowcapped, and the first sun rays lit them up like jewelry before setting them aflame with light, their trunks like matchsticks to the fire. Shadows tucked themselves in to sleep at the feet of the brightest places.

Day woke and stretched its radiant fingers across the sky to tangle in the wingtips of greeting birds. And with the sun came some clarity. These last few months had tested your commitment and shaken the bedrock upon which you had built your future. But if everyday the birds could rise and welcome the the newborn morning so lovingly, you thought you could keep trying to find beauty in it, too.

Next to you, Jongin had fallen asleep wrapped in your duvet. You leaned over and tucked his toes in.

**

The village was quaint and small, situated on a scenic one-lane-each-way route that wound through the mountains. The cashier at the grocery store greeted you as you entered. You felt her eyes on your back as you moved through the store.

The cabin came stocked with various dry foods, but you needed to pick up the perishables. Most of the in-season vegetables and fruit had been grown in the area, with little signs detailing farms and their locations. Strawberries, kumquat, apples, wild parsley and chive, and even shepherd's purse laying in baskets, some of which had been foraged from the mountainside just this morning. There was a vibrant freshness to the produce here that you just couldn't find in the city.

You gathered everything you needed, taking no heed of diet restrictions or nutritional value, and went to ring up your purchases. The cashier gave you small smile and talked quietly of some of the hidden gems to visit around here, hands sweeping back and forth over the scanner as she spoke. She had a soft and lilting accent you found pleasant to listen to.

You hid your embarrassment. Was it that obvious you were from out of town? She probably knew from the moment you had stepped inside. Heck, you hadn't worried about fitting in for so long. Over the years, your accent had eroded away against standard Korean and harsh edges of the city. And the boys had been so welcoming. At least she was friendly, though. Soon enough, you were hauling your bags out to the car, but not before thanking the woman for her advice.

**

Jongin was still lying on the couch when you got back, barely awake. Two cold mugs of coffee lay abandoned on the table next to him, one still nearly full. He sat up when you walked in with the bags, frowning.

“You went shopping?”

You heard the missing “without me?” and gave him a calm look. “You were asleep and I needed something to eat for lunch.”

He gathered himself up with a frown, wrapping the duvet around himself just as you had this morning. It already felt like a day ago even though it couldn't be past 11 in the morning. He inspected the bags, pulling them open and poking through them. You watched with amusement between putting the contents of the already-poked-through-bags away.

“What are you, a dog?”

“You got pig bars?!” He pulled out the ice cream, the item cradled in his palms. He looked at you wide-eyed, some mixture of reverence and fright.

“Yes. No chicken either.”

He kept staring down at his hands and you chuckled awkwardly to fill the silence. He opened the ice bar and jumped up onto the counter.

As you put the groceries away and then began making soy bean soup with the shepherd's purse, Jongin remained quiet and watchful. You enjoyed living alone back in Seoul, but you found you didn't mind his company. His presence was comforting—a constant, quiet companion. Not a dog, then. Your lips quirked. A cat.

The kitchen filled with the beat of knife against cutting board, the melody of soft burbling from the pot on the stove. You found yourself slipping back into the rhythm of cooking, like a dancer remembering the steps to an old song.

“What song is that?”

You startled, knife slipping, nicking the knuckle of your middle finger. You hissed, dropping the knife to inspect the cut. “Shit. What?”

Jongin jumped down from the counter, grabbing your hand, apologies tripping themselves over his lips.

“It's fine, it's really shallow, don't worry about it.”

His grip tightened, and his head remained bent low over your hand, examining the cut. “Let me worry,” he said.

So you sat in muteness after washing the cut. He took your hands and dried them with a towel, soft pats and delicate swipes. His eyes would flick up to your face now and again, carefully observing your expression. Sometimes, you would catch him doing it. His lips would arc gently into a smile and you would look away, scalded by the softness of lips and eyes. You stared instead at his fingers. They moved as light as butterflies over you as he applied a bandage.

Jongin lifted himself away, a lightness to his shoulders.

The words cast themselves from your throat, thrown out like hooks, that old part of you reeling to keep his attention.

“Thank you.”

Something glittered behind that gaze. He looked you straight on with that smile like honey and said, “I was glad for the chance to take care of you.”

**

After lunch, you went straight up to your room, sank onto your bed, and stared blankly at the wall.

What was that? Your mind sped in a circuit, thoughts looping back on each other. Why'd he do that?

Surely your brain had short-circuited. He was like that with everyone, you reminded yourself, sweet and concerned. The type to ask a stranger how they're doing and stick around for an answer. But without the barrier of work, things felt different. It dredged up old feelings, back when you were half-way in love with him. It embarrassed you something fierce now, but in the beginning you used to make a playlist of all the songs you knew he listened to. You'd play it at night after work, lying in bed in the dark and wondering if right now, he wasn't doing the same. It made you long for him and feel closer to him all at once. You always paid Kim Jongin too much attention.

But at some point, you changed your focus. You threw yourself into the role of manager head first. Taking care of him was number one. You spent so much time around him in various states of undress over the years, helping with quick changes or applying therapeutic patches. You'd stood behind the cameras, watching other people fall in with him with a smile. You'd seen him at his worst, in pain, angry and sullen with the confinement of the world. It was the ultimate form of exposure therapy. Gone were the nights filled with music and yearning. You'd prepare for the next schedule before you sank exhausted into a deep and dreamless sleep. You thought you were immune.

You should've been immune.

So why did it feel so very much like you weren't?

**

You acted skittish around him at dinner, skirting over things and racing through the meal. You felt his cool gaze on you as you ate and felt yourself hunkering lower and lower over your plate like some threatened beast.

“Did you want to take a bath?”

“What?” you squeaked.

He looked up at you over his forkful of pasta, eyebrows raised.

“The bath in my room. It's like a spa. I thought you might want to relax while you're here. You're welcome to use it anytime.”

“Oh.” You swallowed thickly. “Um, maybe later. Thanks.”

Safe to say you did not take a bath in his room that night.

**

You woke first the second day. Sleep hadn't come easy, and you spent much of the night thinking of how to stop thinking, daydreaming of a long walk to purge all thoughts from your head. And so you dressed and headed downstairs on quiet socked feet. The owner of the lodge kept galoshes for the guests, and you pulled a pair out, slipping them over your shoes before walking out into the world.

Most of the snow that remained on this side of the mountain had melted, leaving behind stretches of mud that sucked at your shoes. Around you, the birds trilled. The forest was full of forest noises—pine needles brushing against the wind, woodpeckers drilling against bark. The website for the lodge mentioned that there were a number of trails maintained by a grounds crew throughout the property. A stream bordered the western edge of the property, and you thought you remembered something about a Buddhist shrine located near there.

You missed this, you realized about a half hour into the walk. Seoul had its share of scenic parks and river walks, but it felt like a held breath. Something temporary, a quick break before you returned to the rushing arteries of people making a living.

Life felt impossibly lethargic here in contrast. You realized, with one moment of panic, that you hadn't yet checked your phone this morning, before it dissipated slowly. You were on vacation, you reminded yourself. The others could hold down the fort while you were gone.

The path you were following rounded a corner into a scenic corner of the world. A small waterfall fed by snowmelt spilled over a mossy rock face into a pool surrounded by sweet grass. You stayed there for a while by the edge, mist falling over you in fine sprays. Small diamonds of water accumulated along the woolen fibers of your sleeves.

After about 15 or 20 minutes, the urge to move was back. The trail branched off here, and a lichen-covered stone marker sat in the intersection. You recognized it as one of the landmarks the woman from the grocery had mentioned. The hanja carved into it had grown worn and faded. 'Grove of the Elders' it read. You took the path to the left.

Soon, you found yourself in the Grove of the Elders. Erman's birch trees filled the clearing. The branches were still spindly, buds just forming on the tips. Papery bark peeled away from the trunk like old men's beards. White forsythia was in the early stage of blooming along the periphery. You understood why it had been named the way it had.

You made your way through the grove. The trees were well-established, some with trunks thick enough to wrap your arms around. You were making your way through the grove, marveling at the open blue sky above you, when you almost stepped on Jongin.

“Whoa.” He jumped up from where he had been reclined against the base of a tree, rubbing a hand along the backs of his thighs. “What are you doing here?”

It was disorienting to run into him here, out in the middle of the woods. You had forgotten about him, about everything if you were being honest. But confronted with the realness of him again, your worries returned.

“Me?” you asked. “I was on a walk. What are you doing laying here?”

“I was trying to read.” He flashed a heavily dog-eared paperback of Papillon. “Didn't really get that far,” he said with a wry grin.

“Oh, sorry. I'll let you get back to it.”

You made to leave when his hand stretched out and gripped your sleeve.

“That's not what I meant.” He seemed flustered at your misunderstanding and he released his grip on you. “You don't have to. I was actually thinking about stretching my legs. If you don't mind the company.”

“I don't,” you responded quietly, even though you weren't sure if that was the truth. You had come here to be alone with your thoughts after all, not spiral into a silent panic.

Jongin smiled at you and shoved his book in the back of his jeans as he fell into step.

**

It felt surreal to walk through the woods like this with him. It was like being on the set of a music video, except you were the subject. The perfect setting for a story.

“Is it okay if I tell you something?”

Jongin sent you a questioning look. Something about his eyes caught you. You realized that this was maybe the first time you were about to confide something in him. Secrets were dangerous things.  “Yeah, of course.”

“Sometimes I wonder how much of a person I am without you.” You laughed. “It's silly, I know. But I used to be so spontaneous. One time, I volunteered to pose nude for an adult art class just because, I dunno, it seemed like an experience. I liked collecting memories. My friends always used to ask me what I was up to.

“Now, they ask me what you're doing. Because it's the same thing now, I guess.”

You exhaled, then felt a hand wrap around your own.

Jongin looked at you, really looked at you. There was a particular intensity to this, a piercing quality that you had never been subjected to.

“You are more than me,” he said.

You were taken aback at his response.

His grip tightened. “I couldn't do this without you,” he continued. “I should've told you before—but I'm not like Jongdae, I forget. I think,” he ran a hand through his hair, “I thought you already knew, but it was stupid of me too assume when I wasn't... I didn't... You're the best manager I've had. I'm not saying that just to flatter you.”

The words tumbled out of him. You'd never seen him so discombobulated, and that threw you off kilter in turn. You hadn't expected anything from him, had let go of the words like balloons released from clumsy fingers, where an appropriate response might be “oh no.”

“You're knowledgeable and accountable. Do you know how much I rely on you? I was so nervous this comeback, I only made it through because of you.” He swept your hand up to his chest. You could feel his heart beating frantically against your knuckles, like it, too, was trying to tell you something. “I do better when you're around. I want to make you proud. So get that through your stubborn brain: I wouldn't be even half of what I am now if it wasn't for you.”

The tears came, unbidden. In a heartbeat, Jongin had pulled you in close, your head against his chest. One of his arms wrapped around your back, while the other lay now at your sides, his fingers still intertwined with yours.

“I don't even know why I'm crying,” you laughed through your tears.

“You're always fighting for me. I just wish I could do more for you.” His fingers grazed over the bandage on your finger.

The laughter faded into full-throated sobs. Your heart squeezed with an uncomfortable fullness. You were overwhelmed. Lately, it had felt as if work was a crushing void, a thankless pit that sucked everything out of you. You felt isolated, living life without reciprocation or support. Jongin wouldn't know it, but he made you feel like a person again. He brought back the colors.

Dew drops dripped from branches around you, soft patters against soft spring grass. Jongin was warm and solid against you.

“I get scared that I can't do this forever.” The words were spoken softly. Jongin wasn't looking at you when you lifted your head, focused instead on something in the distance. “I don't know what I would I do without EXO.” He finally dropped his gaze to yours. You saw your own uncertainty reflected back. “Or you.”

You knew then that everything you'd been through lately, the uncertainty, didn't matter. You were both a little broken. So you pressed yourself against him harder, a pair of fractured hearts holding each other up. “You won't be getting rid of me anytime soon.”

Jongin sank into the embrace, his cheek pressed against your temple. You felt his chest build with a sigh, felt the exhale on the baby hairs of your nape. Dry lips grazed against you. His wordless thanks lingered upon your skin.

**

By some unspoken agreement, Jongin's hand remained in yours on the trek back to the lodge. You walked close enough to brush arms and skim each others thighs. A small part of you dreaded that you'd have to let go once you got back.

“The first time I realized I trusted you was when I told you I didn't know how to iron,” he confessed out of the blue.

You laughed. You remembered that day. Jongin had been adamant about wearing a bear-print shirt to the airport the following day, but it was so wrinkled. The collar pointed in two different directions and one sleeve was longer than the other unless someone held it down straight.

“I didn't know how to iron a shirt either,” you admitted.

Jongin grinned, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “We had to look up a tutorial on Naver, remember?”

“Oh yeah, the one with the Kyungsoo look-a-like, right? I took screenshots and sent them to Cho-hee.” You told him how Kyungsoo's manager had coerced him into recreating the shoot. Jongin had gasped delightedly and you made a mental note to show him the pictures when you got back. “But hey, wait, you still don't know how to iron, what the heck! I just ironed something for you last week!"

“Ah I don't know, I don't know,” Jongin chanted, plugging an ear with his free hand. “What tutorial? I don't know anything.”

“Kim Jongin, you are shameless.”

Laughter rang through the trees. Here was the morning you would rise to greet every day.

___________________________

A/N: The second, and final, chapter should be up next weekend (June 19-20). Me, releasing more than one thing in a month? Who am I??

Thank you for reading!

A/N 2: Second part is now up.

[ ❂ Read more Manager!verse here ]

[hazelandglasz]

The Very Bad Week, Part 2

By popular demand, I’m continuing this self pleasing little nugget

As far as Blaine is concerned, this week has been a week.

Nothing remarkable about it, a succession of routines that have lead him to this Friday twilight.

He has nothing special planned for the week-end, except maybe go dog-watching at the park if the weather allows.

Blaine is not ecstatic, but he’s not miserable either and that’s a win, in his and in Ms. Ylea’s books.

To celebrate his, um, unmiserableness, Blaine went to the store and decided to let the Fates decide what kind of snacks he would get to watch his National Geographic show – slash – guilty pleasure.

Oh, Sweet and Spicy Pringles? Sounds like something that would remind him of his aunt’s Lutong Bisaya (from far, far away anyway).

“Noooooooooooooo!”

O-kay then, not a good omen.

Blaine slowly turns to face the person who really just screamed like a banshee and.

Well.

Blaine’s savior complex kicks in at the sight of the anguish on the man’s face, but it’s a little bit eclipsed as the “oh my god wow” settles in.

Because underneath the anguish and the end of the day unsettlement, the man who is now approaching Blaine like *he* is the skittish wild animal is frankly gorgeous.

Not now, brain. Very bad timing.

“Excuse me,” the man starts, getting close enough that Blaine can see the color of his eyes.

What do you know, it matches the lapel of his jacket, impressive.

Blaine likey.

“I’m sorry for my admittedly weird behavior,” the man continues, words tripping over his tongue. Blaine can only smile at him, hopefully putting him at ease, “but I had a very bad week, and it’s my favorite snack, and–”

“It’s okay,” Blaine cuts in, his mind made. It’s not a very hard decision to make after all: he just wanted to try the snack; on the other hand, this man looks to be on the verge of a meltdown, and that would be a disgrace. “I’ve been there.” Oh boy has Blaine ever. Just last week he nearly sobbed of relief after finding half a frozen bitten pint of salted caramel pretzel ice cream from Auntie Maud’s kitchen. “Take it.”

“R-really?”

Yep, that’s hope and despair all rolled into one beautiful package of a man, one that Blaine would love to take home and protect forever.

But that would be insane.

Wouldn’t it?

As he hands over the can of Pringles, Blaine’s fingers brush against the stranger’s. Blaine has never been one for believing in reincarnations and soulmates, as hopelessly romantic as he may be, but the tingles that travel through his fingers to his neck are undeniable.

It’s like …

Like his body is remembering the man’s touch from a past life.

The man still looks unsure about it, even as he takes his beloved Pringles. Blaine has to, he has to soothe his fears.

“I just wanted to try it, but it can wait,” Blaine explains, barely stopping him in time before he reaches out to pat the man’s shoulder. “You need them.” Obviously.

Seriously, the man looks he’s on the verge of tears.

That’s it, Blaine has to do something. “Hey.”

The man looks back at Blaine, and there is a wet shine in those blue eyes that only precede tears. “Hm?”

“Are you–“ Blaine shakes his head, trying to rephrase. “Clearly you’re not okay, but are you, you know, okay?”

The man takes a deep breath before a river of words come out. “I’ve been having a hard time, I miss my dad, Ohio is too far, my friends are all busy and I don’t want to be a burden …”

Hold on. Blaine needs to stop that logorrhea before it devolves into a panic attack, and he just heard the right angle. “You’re from Ohio?”

That stops the man in his tracks. “Lima.”

Blaine can’t help but beam at the Pringles Aficionado. “Westerville.”

“No way.”

“Way.”

They exchange a smile, wrapped in a bubble of space and time that Blaine never wants to leave. “My name is Blaine.”

Blaine has been raised right, he offers his hand to shake in greetings with his …. His what? His soulmate? His new best friend, sorry Wes?

Never mind.

Pringles Addict looks down at Blaine’s hand like no one has ever offered to shake his hand before taking it. “Oh. K-Kurt.”

Kurt. That suits him.

Even though Blaine knows close to nothing about the man, he just knows that Kurt, strtaight to the point, elegant, giving slightly European vibes, yes, Kurt is a name that suits the man shyly smiling at him.

“Nice to meet you, Kurt,” Blaine says warmly. “I hope that the Pringles will do the trick,” he adds for good measure. Now would be the good time to leave and let Kurt treat himself to the Pringles to soothe away the ache of this week. Blaine can’t resist, though, and he winks at Kurt before walking away.

Hold on. He was supposed to get a snack, wasn’t he?

Oh, flavored popcorns, now there’s an idea.

Oh! Sour Cream N Chives popcorn? Now that’s definitely out of the box.

Sour Cream N Chives Popcorn it is then.

“Blaine!”

Blaine practically spins on the spot to face Kurt once more.

The dizziness he experiences may not entirely be blamed on his antics.

“Really,” Kurt says, taking a step closer to Blaine and wow, those pale freckles look adorab—

What is wrong with him.

Oops, can of worms.

But Blaine’s thoughts are not heard by Kurt, and the other man continued. “You have been kinder than I could expect any stranger to be, that—that means a lot.”

“I’m glad I could show you some kindness today,” Blaine says, while his brain runs like a hamster in its wheel, specifically about showing Kurt kindness every hour of every day, given the chance.

“Do you—,” Kurt starts, before biting his lips and looking away.

Dammit, that shouldn’t be as cute as it is.

“Yes?”

Kurt looks back at him. “Doyouwanttohangoutsometimes, oh God, thatwasawkward, I’m so sorry.”

“Kurt?”

“Hm?”

“I didn’t quite catch your words, except for the sorry at the end.”

Kurt sighs, closing his eyes. Blaine waits patiently for him to get his bearings (and adds a bag of marshmallows to his purchase, because while he does want to add an element of surprise in his routine, marshmallows are comfortable and comforting).

“I asked if you, um,” Kurt starts, more slowly this time, “if maybe you would like to hang out. With me. Sometimes. We could—eurgh,” Kurt cuts himself off, racking his hand in his hair. “You seem like an interesting, decent man and I had this urge to not let you go just yet.”

“Oh.”

“Sounds crazy?”

“Sounds like nothing I’ve heard before,” Blaine admits. Truth be told, it is the sweetest thing someone has ever said to him.

Not taking into consideration David’s drunken admittance that “he wished he was gay for Blaine”, especially since Blaine pinky swore never to bring it up again.

Ahem.

“I won’t bother you any longer, you’ve already been more than gentle with me,” Kurt says, turning around.

“Wait!”

Kurt does stop, looking over his shoulder.

Blaine’s heart is trying to escape his ribcage, but that’s fine. “If you’re interested, I know a shortcut to a little park where we could share our snacks and you could tell me more about your very bad week?”

Kurt’s face lights up, and just for that sight, Blaine would …

He would…

Well, he would do whatever it took to bring that look on Kurt’s face.

But Blaine is getting ahead of himself, isn’t he?

(TBC?)

[siren1song]

Razzle Dazzle ‘Em

Summary: Virge really, really, loved its boyfriend.

Warnings: None that I can think of.

Pairing: Anxceit, implied future Anaroceit

Word Count: 876

General Taglist: @acanvasofabillionsuns, @emo-disaster, @greenninjagal-blog, @jungle321jungle, @sleepy-sides, @gattonero17, @another-sandersidesblog, @strawberryjellystuff, @remusownsmyuwus, @logic-with-a-pinch-of-deceit, @gr3ml1n-loser, @main-chive, @firey-alex, @orca-iguana, @spooky-scary-virgil, @yalltookmyurlideas, @sanderssidesweirdo, @stormypaint, @just-a-little-bit-gay-oops, @dying-is-a-hobby, @rose-gold-roman, @themultishipperchild

Notes: Thomas sang as Janus on the charity live stream and I had to write this. That combined with the fatphobia i got two days ago and the hate for my it/its pronouns and how little I’ve written anxceit lately? This was bound to happen.

Commissions!! | Buy Me a Kofi!! | Join Casper’s Crew!! | Ao3 Link!!

”How can they hear the truth above the roar?”

Gray really loved its boyfriend. How can it not, when it caught him doing shit like this while he baked in the kitchen?

”Throw ‘em a fake and a finagle-”

With a muffled snicker, Vi leaned against the doorway to the kitchen so it could watch Janus while he sang.

Honestly, you’d think Janus would be more on guard with the way he refused to sing whenever someone (primarily Patton) asked. But now here he was, hat on the dining table and using a bowl that was definitely not clean in place of it.

It was going to have to talk him into a shower while the cookies were baking, wasn’t it? God, its boyfriend was a dork.

“You’re getting batter in your hair,” it said, barking out a laugh when Janus startled and dropped the bowl onto his head, whipping around to look at Virge without taking it off first.

“Gray! I’ve told you before not to sneak up on me!” Janus hissed, lifting the bowl to look at it with a glare he clearly didn’t really mean, judging by the smile he was trying to fight back.

“Jay! You also are a pain in the ass to get singing and I like hearing your voice!” Gray responded, laughter in its voice as it moved away from the door frame so it could press a kiss to Janus’ cheek.

“Shut up,” Janus muttered, flustered by Gray’s compliment and now red faced.

Vi just grinned at him, pecked his nose, then snatched the bowl from his hands so it could put it in the sink.

“I will do no such thing. Me? Be quiet? Do you even really know me?”

Janus huffed, crossing his arms and pouting at Gray’s back.

“You live to tease me. Can I not just enjoy my music?”

Vi paused in putting more dirty dishes in the sink to look at Janus with a raised eyebrow, not saying anything to emphasize the lack of music playing.

Its boyfriend’s blush increased twofold, and Vi let out a snort before turning back to cleaning up what Janus didn’t need anymore.

“You can always razzle dazzle me, Jay,” it teased, turning the water on to rinse off its hands.

It was not expecting Janus to snake his arms around its waist and rest his chin on its shoulder. Even less expecting the gentle squeeze of its belly fat.

“Oh you want me to dazzle you?” he purred into its ear.

“Oh-kay, back up, I am not allo enough for this today,” it said, face red as Janus easily backed away from it with a soft huff of laughter.

“Ace day then, I understand. I’ll at least get to spoil you with the cookies then. I made them double chocolate for you.”

Virge turned off the water and shook out its hands before turning to narrow its eyes at Janus, wiping its hands on its pants.

“You want something,” it said, knowing exactly how its boyfriend worked.

Janus let out a gasp that was so painfully fake Virge was narrowing its eyes at him even further.

“Whatever could I have done to make you believe that? I can’t believe this, my boyfriend, my life partner would think so lowly of me!”

“Okay stop yaking with your bullshit offense, what do you want?” it asked, crossing its arms over its chest.

Huffing, Janus leaned against one of the counters, undoubtedly getting flour all over his ass.

“I was wondering if… you’d be willing to go to the pool party Roman invited me to tomorrow.”

Gray furrowed its brows in confusion, trying to think of who Roman was before realization dawned.

“Isn’t Roman the coworker you’ve been crushing on and trying to see if fae were polyam?” It asked, getting its answer when Janus flushed again and looked away.

“Yes?”

“Why do you want your boyfriend to join you? I thought that was Roman asking you on a date?”

Janus sighed, running his fingers through his hair and wincing at the batter that stuck to his fingers.

“Because I’m not entirely comfortable with my body just yet and having you, big and beautiful and confident in yourself, there with me might help me be more confident with all of my stretch marks and freckles,” he explained, dropping his hand to the counter next to him.

Gray hummed, understanding the dilemma. It used to need Remus with it whenever it wasn’t feeling particularly confident because they radiated confidence at all times.

“Yeah I can go with you. I wanna show off my big and beautiful anyway, I’ll just make you and everyone else gay in the process.”

Janus looked at it, and it could see how grateful he was.

“Don’t wear the black one piece, you’ll steal Roman from me before I even have a chance.”

It laughed, then gave Janus a sly look.

“I won’t. I bought a new swimsuit with Pat and Remus a few days ago.”

Janus blinked, then groaned.

“God damn it, you’ll razzle dazzle everyone before we even get in the pool.”

Gray laughed again, leaving the kitchen with a half-hearted reminder to take a shower tossed over its shoulder.

It really loved its boyfriend.

[ivyprism]

....well then. *Just kinda walks over ta Duke an pats him for comfort* nice ta meet ya, names Kay. I am not fresh meat but I'll be happy ta bring some food next time I'm out here. *smiles politely*

Sienna: Or... Don't. Mishka is unfamiliar with you, bring food could end up with you being mauled. Why did you bring this... Fresh meat here, Cardinal?

Cardinal: She's here for Chive.

(Yeah uh... Sienna is gonna call you "Fresh meat" from now on until you get another nickname from her.)

[loser-number785]

TW ED///////(laxatives)

Okay so sharing this experience bc having and ed is fucked up and no you should not start restricting if you feel like you should

Anyway

My ass just fucking exploded bc I thought taking lots of laxatives would be a good idea mostly bc not eating makes you not shit and when that bulids up for too long you can like die SO did that and my ass just fucking exploded 👍😃 and now I'm bleeding and cant stop so what ever you do DONT FUCKING RESTRICT OR TAKE A SHIT TON OF LAXATIVES :^) kay? Just try eating healthy it works but u gotta be consistent veggies are you best friend and spiced chipolte anything will taste good babe it's a lil spicy though or chives lots of chives.

[surveysonfleek]

1540.

Do you or have you ever owned a cup with your name on it? never. it’s not a name you’d usually find.

What’s the most expensive crafts tool that you own? haha no idea. i don’t own crafts tools.

Have you ever woven baskets of any kind (wicker, paper, cardboard etc.)? nope.

How do you like Great Balls of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis? one of those songs you just know even if you’ve never intentionally chosen to listen to it.

Speaking of Jerry Lee Lewis, have you seen the biopic about him? no.

How about the biopic about Tina Turner? nope.

Do you like the TV-show Frasier? i honestly used to a catch an ep or two when i was a kid.

What’s something you know by heart? mean girls, line for line haha.

What is something you’re greedy about? money. i wouldn’t call it greed but i tend to be careful with it when it comes to allowing people to borrow from me etc.

How valuable does a coin have to be for you to bother to pick it up? gold.

What would be something you would wait in line to get for free? anything? hahaha.

Has there ever been a leak anywhere in your house? yes.

Have you ever slipped in the shower? no, thankfully!

Have you ever made any decorative crafts? If so, are they displayed? not since i was a kid.

Is it very humid where you are right now? nope. it’s actually cold for once.

What is the most suggestive thing someone has said to you? they were pretty straight to the point haha.

Do you have friends who you playfully flirt with? no.

Doesn’t the Z in the Bzoink logo look like an L to you, too? idk.

Did you ever take that 5000 question survey that was circulating Tumblr? i’m pretty sure i did that!

Have you ever had to change a zipper in your favourite article of clothing? no.

Do you prefer buttons or zippers in general? zips.

Did you grandma have a box full of pretty buttons? -

What’s the most exotic spice in your spice rack? some premixed spice mix. informative, i know.

Do buttons tempt you to press them? no.

Do you have a favourite television host? no.

What’s your opinion on celebrity chefs? i don’t really have any that i follow but they’re cool i guess?

Back when it first started, did you watch ANTM? yes!

Did you know, that there was even a Finnish version of ANTM? Miss Jay made an appearance in the first season, too. no idea.

Are you accident prone? nah.

Have you ever broken something really valuable? most likely.

What do you see as timeless? umm. black dresses?

What is something that you own, that has sentimental value? jewellery that has been passed down.

Have you ever had your own website? haha yeah. back in the geocities days.

What’s your favourite board game? hmmm i think i like cranium the best.

How about your favourite card game? kemps!

What’s something that you finished recently? my food haha.

What’s the smallest town you recall visiting? i haven’t gone out that much lately.

What’s the longest distance you’ve had to go to work or school? an hour drive to work.

Would you learn a new language, if you didn’t share one with your lover? huhhh?

Do you have friends who are constantly tagging you in challenges on FB? no, that trend is dead.

When it comes to chocolate, do you prefer nougat, jelly or caramel filling? caramel!

Are you more concerned about winning than just participating? not necessarily.

Has somebody you know taken their own life? yes.

What is a number that has some significance to you? Why is that? 7. just because! many reasons.

Do you prefer onions, leeks or chives? i like all of them tbh.

What’s the most adult thing you have to do every day? work. lol.

What’s the most immature thing you like to do every day? nap.

Have you seen the movie, Clue? If so, isn’t it fab? no.

Do your cheeks get flushed easily? Do you blush easily in general? i feel my cheeks flush but idk if you can see it on my face.

Are there any social cues you miss entirely? sure.

When someone doesn’t smile back at you, what’s your first thought? lol i just think they’re miserable.

Is there a person who melts your heart just by looking at you? sure.

Have you ever had tom kha kai? It’s a Thai coconut soup, and it’s amazing. We serve it at work. nope.

Have you, or anyone you know ever been rude to a server? i’m sure i would’ve experienced this before.

What’s something you’re opinionated and very vocal about? When’s the last time you had to verbally defend your stance? many things.

Have you ever played BitLife? I sort of got hooked on it, it’s like sims but in text form. no.

What’s something you regularly order online? clothes.

When’s the last time you made a penpal? haha when i was a kid.

Do you often make friends online? hardly ever.

Do people ever try to get something from somebody through you? As in, they ask you to ask the person they should be asking in the first place. If that makes sense. sure haha.

What do you think when you see a couple holding hands? nothing?

Is there anything you’re forced to share with someone else? nope.

What’s something stripy that you own? clothes.

How about something polka dotted? clothes.

What is something you find absolutely appalling? rudeness.

Do you like elevators? can’t say i do but it beats climbing stairs.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when I say “midnight madness”? joy rides.

What is a country you would never want to visit? never say never.

When you’re angry, does it ever get physical? no.

What do you do, when you’re immensely happy? smile and laugh.

What made you scream out loud the last time you screamed? i forgot. frustration maybe.

Can you hear your neighbours through the wall? rarely.

What is something that frustrates you to no end? waiting for someone who’s late.

Do you wear shoes indoors? yes.

Who is your favourite stand-up comedian? i don’t have one.

What’s the weirdest video youtube has suggested to you? idk.

What’s the funniest infomercial you’ve seen? -

Is there a drink that just goes right through you? water.

Is there a food item you can’t eat because it doesn’t agree with you? milk and dairy.

Do you playfully compete with someone about something? haha no.

Would you rather swim or run? swim.

Do you like the smell of tar? not really.

Have you ever been to a sauna? yes.

Does your doorbell ring unexpectedly often? not usually.

Is your favourite fictional character a human, an animal or something else? aladdin!

Have you ever helped a stranger? If so, what did you do? probably. i’ve helped with directions a lot.

Do you share hobbies with any of your friends? What do you do together? board games!

Do you have any flags on display? If so, what flag(s)? no.

[eldritchsurveys]

680.

Do you or have you ever owned a cup with your name on it? >> Actually, I have two. One time there was this dude in Meijer who was doing a promotion for Guinness, and the promo was apparently... giving out custom-engraved pint glasses???? You told him your name and he had this machine that put it on the glass for you. It was weird, especially since it was free... The font that your name is in is a bit wack, though. The other thing I have is a wine glass painted with a nighttime-y scene with skeletal trees and ravens on it. It has my name painted on the stand part, along with the date of my wedding. Sparrow has one too, with her name on it. I’m not even sure where they came from, tbh, but they’re pretty.

What’s the most expensive crafts tool that you own? >> I don’t think I own any expensive crafts tools. The only things I have are, like, pencils, a sketchbook, knitting needles, and yarn.

Have you ever woven baskets of any kind (wicker, paper, cardboard etc.)? >> Maybe as a child.

How do you like Great Balls of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis? >> It’s all right.

Speaking of Jerry Lee Lewis, have you seen the biopic about him? >> I don’t think so.

How about the biopic about Tina Turner? >> Yeah, I saw that one.

Do you like the TV-show Frasier? >> I do, it’s actually funnier to me now than when I was younger. Back then I thought it was boring but it kills me now.

What’s something you know by heart? >> A lot of song lyrics? Also, the Litany Against Fear.

What is something you’re greedy about? >> I don’t think I’m particularly greedy about anything.

How valuable does a coin have to be for you to bother to pick it up? >> I’d pick up a quarter, maybe. I’m just no longer in the financial position where picking up coins substantially enhances my available funds.

What would be something you would wait in line to get for free? >> It depends on how long the line is, what kind of mood I’m in, and where I am... not just on what the item is. If I’m in a good mood and the line seems manageable, I’d wait in it even if the item is just some random trinket that I have no real use for. If I’m not in a good mood and the line is insane, I wouldn’t wait in it even if it was for an expensive thing I’ve been wanting for ages.

Has there ever been a leak anywhere in your house? >> No.

Have you ever slipped in the shower? >> Not to the point of falling.

Have you ever made any decorative crafts? If so, are they displayed? >> Not in recent memory.

Is it very humid where you are right now? >> Nah.

What is the most suggestive thing someone has said to you? >> *shrug*

Do you have friends who you playfully flirt with? >> No.

Doesn’t the Z in the Bzoink logo look like an L to you, too? >> I mean, not really, but I see where you’re coming from.

Did you ever take that 5000 question survey that was circulating Tumblr? >> Yeah, I took it a long time ago. Once the novelty wore off, I realised that most of the questions were just terrible IMO, which is bound to happen once you endeavour to write a survey with quite that many questions.

Have you ever had to change a zipper in your favourite article of clothing? >> No.

Do you prefer buttons or zippers in general? >> Zippers.

Did you grandma have a box full of pretty buttons? >> ---

What’s the most exotic spice in your spice rack? >> Hmm... garam masala, maybe? We have a wide variety.

Do buttons tempt you to press them? >> Not usually, but sometimes.

Do you have a favourite television host? >> No.

What’s your opinion on celebrity chefs? >> I think some of them are cool and fun to watch. Alton Brown is probably my fave.

Back when it first started, did you watch ANTM? >> I think I’ve seen a season or two. I knew someone who got on it, too (Isis King).

Did you know, that there was even a Finnish version of ANTM? Miss Jay made an appearance in the first season, too. >> No, I didn’t know that, but it makes sense. There are a bunch of those shows modeled after American Idol, too, for different countries.

Are you accident prone? >> No.

Have you ever broken something really valuable? >> I accidentally broke a laptop screen once, and that was pretty damn valuable to me.

What do you see as timeless? >> ---

What is something that you own, that has sentimental value? >> Most of these plushies.

Have you ever had your own website? >> Yeah, I’ve taken stabs at it.

What’s your favourite board game? >> ---

How about your favourite card game? >> ---

What’s something that you finished recently? >> I finished watching Sparrow play through Death Stranding, lol. I’m glad it was her and not me, because I’m pretty sure that game would have made me ragequit within the first few hours, and that would have been a shame.

What’s the smallest town you recall visiting? >> I have no idea.

What’s the longest distance you’ve had to go to work or school? >> ---

Would you learn a new language, if you didn’t share one with your lover? >> Oh, like in Love Actually? I mean, I can’t imagine myself in that situation, but I thought it was cute.

Do you have friends who are constantly tagging you in challenges on FB? >> No. People who have me on facebook should know I prefer to do my actual fun socialising on here or Discord.

When it comes to chocolate, do you prefer nougat, jelly or caramel filling? >> ---

Are you more concerned about winning than just participating? >> No.

Has somebody you know taken their own life? >> No.

What is a number that has some significance to you? Why is that? >> 9. Well, there’s a lot of synchronicity.

Do you prefer onions, leeks or chives? >> I don’t think I have a preference, I’ll take all three. Onions may be the most versatile, though, so maybe those.

What’s the most adult thing you have to do every day? >> I don’t think I have to do any adult thing every day. Maybe feeding myself is an adult thing? Although teenagers and even kids do that too.

What’s the most immature thing you like to do every day? >> ---

Have you seen the movie, Clue? If so, isn’t it fab? >> No, but I’ve seen some funny gifsets that make me think it’d probably be a good time. I might give it a shot if I run into it on a streaming service one day.

Do your cheeks get flushed easily? Do you blush easily in general? >> No, I’ve never felt that feeling.

Are there any social cues you miss entirely? >> Oh, definitely.

When someone doesn’t smile back at you, what’s your first thought? >> They probably didn’t want to, and that’s okay. I don’t always want to smile at everyone who smiles at me, either, and it shouldn’t be a mark against my character just because I don’t smile at a stranger. But, you know, whatever. Any stranger that takes that much offense at me not smiling at them probably wouldn’t get along with me for very long anyway, so it’s a useful social litmus test in the end.

Is there a person who melts your heart just by looking at you? >> No. Well, maybe Can Calah sometimes.

Have you ever had tom kha kai? It’s a Thai coconut soup, and it’s amazing. We serve it at work. >> No, but I’d definitely try it.

Have you, or anyone you know ever been rude to a server? >> I’ve never had the experience of having to watch someone I’m with be rude to a server and I am so glad for that.

What’s something you’re opinionated and very vocal about? When’s the last time you had to verbally defend your stance? >> I don’t know. I don’t really defend any stance of mine, I just put it out there sometimes if I feel like rambling about it and then leave it alone. Arguing with people about shit that ultimately really don’t matter is a waste of my valuable energy.

Have you ever played BitLife? I sort of got hooked on it, it’s like sims but in text form. >> No. I quite like the graphical form of The Sims, so I’ll stick to that.

What’s something you regularly order online? >> CBD.

When’s the last time you made a penpal? >> I’ve never had one.

Do you often make friends online? >> I make a lot of acquaintances online. Friends are far fewer.

Do people ever try to get something from somebody through you? As in, they ask you to ask the person they should be asking in the first place. If that makes sense. >> No. Which is good, because I wouldn’t do it.

What do you think when you see a couple holding hands? >> Nothing???

Is there anything you’re forced to share with someone else? >> No.

What’s something stripy that you own? >> I have a black-and-royal-blue striped robe with the Ravenclaw logo on the back.

How about something polka dotted? >> Nothing.

What is something you find absolutely appalling? >> Some people’s utterly disrespectful behaviour on this website.

Do you like elevators? >> I mean, they’re fine. I don’t dislike them.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when I say “midnight madness”? >> Like... premieres? Or book releases? Or something like that. I have a vague association but I can’t remember exactly where it comes from.

What is a country you would never want to visit? >> ---

When you’re angry, does it ever get physical? >> Well, yeah, but not necessarily towards someone else.

What do you do, when you’re immensely happy? >> It depends on how I feel like expressing it at the time? Sometimes I don’t express it much at all, and sometimes I literally jump around the room.

What made you scream out loud the last time you screamed? >> ---

Can you hear your neighbours through the wall? >> Sometimes.

What is something that frustrates you to no end? >> Noise.

Do you wear shoes indoors? >> Absolutely not.

Who is your favourite stand-up comedian? >> Bo Burnham, Dylan Moran, and in general I’m fond of how Tiffany Haddish presents as a person and performer.

What’s the weirdest video youtube has suggested to you? >> It doesn’t usually suggest me anything weird.

What’s the funniest infomercial you’ve seen? >> ---

Is there a drink that just goes right through you? >> I don’t feel that way about any drink, no.

Is there a food item you can’t eat because it doesn’t agree with you? >> Not that I’ve encountered.

Do you playfully compete with someone about something? >> No.

Would you rather swim or run? >> I can’t swim, so my options are a little limited here.

Do you like the smell of tar? >> Sometimes, yeah.

Have you ever been to a sauna? >> No. I couldn’t last two minutes in a sauna.

Does your doorbell ring unexpectedly often? >> Not often, but sometimes people will ring multiple apartments trying to get into the building, which is fucking irritating.

Is your favourite fictional character a human, an animal or something else? >> I am my favourite fictional character. /facetious

Have you ever helped a stranger? If so, what did you do? >> I mean, sure. Just simple stuff, like picking up something they’ve dropped or letting them know they’ve left their key in the apartment door or dropping their mail off when it gets mistakenly put into my box.

Do you share hobbies with any of your friends? What do you do together? >> ---

Do you have any flags on display? If so, what flag(s)? >> I don’t. Sparrow has a rainbow flag with a peace sign in the middle on her wall.

[myvegangardeninberlin]

todays harvest (june 15, 2019): chard, red and yellow beetroot, currant, strawberries, gooseberries, different types of basil, sorrel, parsley, chives, kai lan, mibuna green spray, radish, peppers, choy sum...