#like that's probably just overthinking it but you know

[rmview]

crushing on you, SKZ.

featuring — stray kids members x gn!reader ( masterlist )

summary — headcanons of what the stray kids boys are like when they have a crush, and want to pursue you!

contents — fluff, no warnings.

bang ෆ chan

⟶ bang chan isn’t one to jump into feelings recklessly. he’s incredibly observant and would notice the small things about you and these details would only deepen his crush. ⟶ around you, he’d become even more attentive, always making sure you feel comfortable. he’d check in often with a gentle “are you okay?” or a kind smile that lingers just a little longer. ⟶ he’d show his feelings through actions rather than words initially; carrying things for you, helping with your tasks, or even creating playlists of songs he thinks you’d like. ⟶ bang chan would only confess if he felt there was a strong chance his feelings were reciprocated. he’d analyze your behavior meticulously, looking for signs of interest in the way you respond to his jokes or how often you seek out his company. ⟶ he’d overthink every interaction; did that smile mean something? was the hug a little tighter than usual? his groupmates would notice his distracted state and tease him about it. ⟶ when he decides to confess, he’d rehearse his words a million times. despite his confidence as a leader, matters of the heart would leave him feeling vulnerable. ⟶ the confession would be heartfelt but cautious. “i’ve been wanting to tell you something for a while... i like you. a lot. but if you don’t feel the same, that’s okay. i just needed you to know.” ⟶ he’d make it clear that your comfort comes first, reassuring you that no matter your answer, he values your friendship deeply. ⟶ if you return his feelings, he’d be overjoyed but still grounded, wanting to take things slow and cherish every moment. if not, he’d handle it gracefully, though he’d need time to process his emotions privately. ⟶ once together, bang chan would be the most caring and supportive partner, always putting your needs above his own.

felix ෆ

⟶ felix would be adorably obvious about his feelings. his entire face would light up when he sees you, and he’d gravitate toward you in any group setting. ⟶ felix is naturally affectionate, so he’d find excuses to touch your hand, pat your head, or offer hugs. these gestures would carry a deeper meaning when it comes to you. ⟶ one of his love languages is food, so he’d bake you cookies or other treats, shyly handing them over with a hopeful smile. ⟶ felix would thrive on positive reactions from you. if you compliment him, his face would turn red, and he’d get giddy for the rest of the day. ⟶ felix wears his heart on his sleeve and would confess even if he wasn’t entirely sure of your feelings. his bravery comes from the belief that honesty is important, even if there’s a risk of rejection. ⟶ “i know this might be unexpected, but i really like you. like, more than just a friend. it’s okay if you don’t feel the same; i just wanted to be honest.” ⟶ if you don’t feel the same, he’d smile through his disappointment, assuring you that he values your friendship and respects your feelings. ⟶ if you like him back, he’d probably hug you immediately, his joy evident in the way he holds you close. ⟶ felix would want to make every moment special, surprising you with sweet gestures and heartfelt words to show how much you mean to him. ⟶ once together, he’d shower you with love, making you feel adored and appreciated every single day.

lee ෆ know

⟶ lee know wouldn’t be the type to act on his crush immediately. he’d observe you quietly, taking note of the things you like and dislike before making a move. ⟶ his feelings would show in the way he teases you; his humor would become more lighthearted and specific to your inside jokes. ⟶ he’d look out for you in subtle ways, like making sure you’re safe or stepping in to help when you’re struggling, all without making a big deal of it. ⟶ lee know would hesitate to confess unless he was almost certain you felt the same. he’s protective of his heart and wouldn’t want to risk ruining your friendship. ⟶ while usually composed, his softer side would come through when he’s around you. he’d smile more and his voice would take on a gentler tone. ⟶ he’d choose a private moment to confess, his voice steady but his eyes betraying his nerves. “i like you. more than i probably should. i just thought you should know.” ⟶ if you don’t feel the same, he’d take a step back, giving you space while ensuring things don’t become awkward. ⟶ if you return his feelings, he’d be quietly thrilled, showing his happiness through actions rather than words. ⟶ lee know isn’t overtly expressive, but his love would show in the way he remembers every little detail about you and prioritizes your happiness. ⟶ once in a relationship, he’d be fiercely loyal, showing his love in quiet but profound ways that make you feel truly special.

hyun ෆ jin

⟶ hyunjin would fall hard and fast, envisioning scenarios where he sweeps you off your feet like in a romance movie. ⟶ he’d channel his feelings into creativity, sketching you or writing poetry inspired by you, though he might be too shy to share them right away. ⟶ around you, hyunjin would be a mix of giddy excitement and nervous energy. he’d stumble over his words but recover with a charming smile. ⟶ hyunjin would want to build a strong bond before confessing. he’d spend time learning about you, making sure you’re comfortable around him. ⟶ he’d replay every interaction in his mind, analyzing your words and actions for signs that you might feel the same way. ⟶ when he confesses, his emotions would be on full display. “i’ve liked you for a while now, and it’s been driving me crazy. i just need to know; do you feel the same?” ⟶ if you don’t return his feelings, hyunjin would try to be strong, but his emotions might get the better of him. he’d need time to process, but he’d still want to stay close as a friend. ⟶ if you reciprocate, hyunjin would pour his heart into the relationship, making every moment feel like a grand romantic gesture. ⟶ he’d constantly remind you of how much you mean to him, both through words and actions, ensuring you never doubt his feelings. ⟶ once in love, hyunjin would be fully committed, treating you like the muse and center of his world.

i.n ෆ

⟶ jeongin would notice his feelings for you slowly. at first, he might brush them off, thinking he’s just being overly attentive. but soon, he’d realize how much he enjoys being around you. ⟶ around you, he’d become quieter, not out of disinterest but because he’s overthinking everything he says. his usually cheeky demeanor would soften into something sweeter. ⟶ he’d try to make you laugh more than anyone else. every giggle you give him would feel like a small victory, boosting his confidence bit by bit. ⟶ jeongin wouldn’t rush into confessing. he’d want to build a stronger connection first, ensuring you see him as more than just a friend or the “younger brother” figure. ⟶ without realizing it, he’d show his feelings through small gestures, like holding doors open for you, saving your favorite snacks, or sharing his headphones with you. ⟶ when he decides to confess, it would be straightforward but hesitant. “i’ve been thinking about this a lot... i like you. i don’t know if you feel the same, but i wanted to tell you.” ⟶ if you don’t return his feelings, he’d be hurt but wouldn’t let it show too much. he’d focus on maintaining the friendship, even if it stings for a while. ⟶ if you reciprocate, he’d be elated, though his excitement would be understated. he’d want to make sure you’re happy and comfortable every step of the way. ⟶ once in a relationship, jeongin would surprise you with little gifts or kind gestures, always thinking of ways to make you smile. ⟶ despite his younger status, jeongin would be fiercely protective of you, proving that he’s dependable and mature in the ways that matter.

han ෆ

⟶ han would be the kind of person who accidentally makes his feelings obvious. he’d stammer, blush, or trip over his words whenever he’s around you. ⟶ han would joke a lot, often deflecting serious moments with humor. if you catch him staring at you, he’d laugh it off with a silly excuse. ⟶ he’d try to impress you by being extra funny or showcasing his talents, hoping to make you notice him in a different light. ⟶ if you’re close to someone else, he might get a little jealous but wouldn’t say anything directly. instead, he’d act sulky or make sarcastic comments. ⟶ han might blurt out his feelings in a flustered moment, like, “why do you have to be so amazing all the time? it’s driving me crazy!” then he’d freeze, realizing what he just said. ⟶ when he confesses intentionally, it would be heartfelt but tinged with nervous humor. “i like you, but honestly, i have no idea why you’d like someone like me. i just had to tell you.” ⟶ if you don’t feel the same, he’d try to laugh it off but would probably need some time alone to process. he’d eventually come back with a smile, determined to stay friends. ⟶ if you return his feelings, he’d be over the moon, probably hugging you on the spot and thanking you for liking him back. ⟶ once together, han would keep the relationship fun and lighthearted, always finding ways to make you laugh and feel loved. ⟶ despite his goofy exterior, he’d have a romantic side, surprising you with sweet notes, songs, or spontaneous dates.

seung ෆ min

⟶ seungmin wouldn’t make his crush obvious. he’d watch you from afar, taking note of your habits and preferences without making a big show of it. ⟶ he’d tease you in his signature dry and witty way, but there’d be a gentleness to his tone that sets you apart from everyone else. ⟶ seungmin would take his time figuring out his feelings and yours. he’d want to be sure of everything before taking the next step. ⟶ he’d show his affection through quiet acts, like remembering your favorite drink and bringing it to you without being asked or offering to help with your tasks. ⟶ seungmin would only confess if he’s reasonably sure you might feel the same. his confession would be calm and straightforward: “i’ve been thinking about this for a while. i like you, but i don’t want to rush you into anything.” ⟶ if you don’t return his feelings, he’d handle it maturely, though he’d likely need some time to adjust before things could go back to normal. ⟶ if you reciprocate, seungmin would be attentive and reliable, always looking out for you in subtle but meaningful ways. ⟶ he’d prefer to keep affection private, valuing moments shared between just the two of you rather than public displays. ⟶ seungmin would thrive on deep conversations and shared interests, making sure your relationship is built on mutual understanding and respect. ⟶ once committed, seungmin would be your rock, always steady and unwavering in his support and affection.

chang ෆ bin

⟶ changbin might act confident around others, but when it comes to you, he’d get adorably shy. his usual boldness would waver, and he’d fumble over his words. ⟶ he’d tease you as a way to mask his feelings, throwing out cheeky comments or jokes to gauge your reaction. ⟶ changbin wouldn’t be subtle about showing his affection. he’d go out of his way to do things for you, like carrying your stuff or making sure you’re always comfortable. ⟶ he’d constantly showcase his skills, whether it’s rapping, working out, or cooking, hoping to earn your admiration. ⟶ changbin would step in if he ever saw you struggling or upset, his concern evident in the way he’d drop everything to be there for you. ⟶ he’d eventually gather his courage and confess in a straightforward but endearing way: “i like you. i’ve been trying to show it, but i think i’m better at saying it outright.” ⟶ if you don’t feel the same, he’d be deeply hurt but would try to play it off with a smile, wanting to preserve the friendship. ⟶ if you reciprocate, he’d be ecstatic, probably telling his closest friends immediately and planning how to make you the happiest. ⟶ changbin wouldn’t shy away from showing his affection publicly, always holding your hand or throwing an arm around you. ⟶ he’d balance romance and playfulness perfectly, making every moment with him feel exciting and full of love.

notes: first time writing fluff for the stray kids boys! hope yall enjoyed!

[esotericbluntbaby]

heya! just thought of some angst hehe

hamzah and reader are out and about and reader keeps getting hit on by dudes (some shes aware of, like a guy is filrty so she just uses him for drinks for her and hamzah, some shes oblivious to) since this is hamzah's first relationship, he doesnt really know how to act. he thinks hes just overthinking it since you've shown no interest in any of the guys thats tried to hit you up, but slowly it starts to consume him, what if you leave him for anothrr guy? he knows hes pretty akward at times and thinks u could probably do better than him

it gets to a point where the once goofy hamzah turns to him just being quiet all the time. u try asking him abt it but he doesnt really say, embarrased about the way he feels. it gets to a point where u wake up in the middle of the night to hear him talking to martin abt how he feels

then u confront him and stuff then boom comfort!! all is well!!!!!

superrrr sorry if its a long request, i just felt pretty imaginative today 😔✊️

eavesdropping troubles

hamzahthefantastic x reader

description: the reader, oblivious to hamzah's insecurity, accidentally eavesdrops on a conversation between him and martin.

mentions: angst, insecurity, she/her pronouns, happy ending, sfw!

i love love love this idea <3

--

hamzah's emotional state was currently in shambles.

when he met you, his old friends hinted that you were out of his league; though they aren't in his life anymore due to them leeching off of his energy and fame, the insecurity they brought into your relationship played with the folds of his brain. it was like they somehow were able to stick their fingers in the crevices of every memory, thought, and idea he had gotten and tainted it, similar to how wine stains tablecloth and isn't able to be washed out.

he knew you were attractive. actually, he didn't even know how to comprehend how beautiful you are to him. hamzah believes that every step you walk could potentially lay seeds to grow flowers with every waking step you take. he believes that your voice would be what he hears when he goes into whatever the afterlife is; a sense of comfort, a sense of home. your laugh, to hamzah, was a song only sirens can sing, luring him in whenever he senses your presence by the extroverted laugh escaping from your vocal chords; if he was a pirate, he would jump into the rough waters of the cascadian sea and swim to you, even if water begins to flood his lungs and his legs give out from exhaustion. your personality was one that felt like a break from all the fake and shitty ones. you were a catch. you were his form of meditation, his home, and his solace, all in one.

though hamzah feels deeply about each and every aspect of you, he didn't realize that other people could potentially gain the same emotions his heart beats for; not until he began to notice the stares and attention you would get in public. with the realization that the men you speak to could mean more by their subtle touches and glances, he began to walk with an arm slung around your shoulder at all times. you, being his girlfriend, stole his hoodies and occasionally pairs of pants and accessories; he knew it was his, yet, he realized that everyone else probably thought it was yours. so, he upped the antics; the level of pda went through the roof the more he realized that he needed to make a point. though it was never anything too much, his hand was almost always interlocked with yours. you thought it was the sweetest gesture anyone has ever given you. that was your man; yours specifically, and he was proud of it.

however, with all the male attention given to you, he began to doubt himself. the insecurity, though starting with his old friend group, became amplified each time a man offered you his number when he wasn't around, or when you would text him about some guy asking if you were single. so, as his thoughts became louder than his voice, he unintentionally became cold, dry, and distant.

--

you first realized it when you were telling him a story about some guy, who made you insanely uncomfortable, asking for your number. you were used to the attention, yet you never gave them the attention you would give hamzah. a simple, "no. i have a boyfriend," sufficed each and every time. hamzah never blamed you for it, which is why you felt so comfortable telling him about the encounters you go through in your day to day life.

"if i could've told him to fuck off, i would've," you mentioned, "but people are scary these days. men, specifically."

"yea, i get that," he replied.

you took a bite of the pasta, spicy rigatoni alla vodka that your loving boyfriend prepared, in front of you, "do you wanna go do something after we eat?"

"nah, i gotta do some work. in fact, i'm gonna finish my work in my room right now."

"are you not gonna finish your food?" you asked, slightly worried that he wasn't eating.

he got up from the leather stool, taking the bowl with him, "i will. i'll talk to you later."

it was odd of him, you thought to yourself. normally, he always finishes his meals with you. in fact, that was the first time he ever left mid-meal. yet, you shrugged it off as him being busy. you've always been understanding of his career and how important it is to him, so you let it go as a way of supporting the boy who supports you the most.

--

the second time was when he took you out on a date to the aquarium. he had always joked around about you secretly being a mermaid from how much you enjoy the ocean and natural water, in general. as you marveled at the enormous fish tank in front of you, taking in the sight of the vibrant coral reefs and schools of fish swimming at different paces, he stood behind you. his arms wrapped around your waist, similar to a koala crawling up a tree with its arms interlocked in the front. suddenly, a grating voice interrupted the moment you were having with him.

"hey, are you single? my friend over there thinks you're hot," the boy with the glasses and buzzcut said to you.

you rolled your eyes and turned to look at him, "do you not see the boy that's hugging me from behind right now?"

"ah, aight. my bad, slime," he apologized before returning to his friend.

turning around to look at hamzah, a certain emptiness took away the light from his face. it was dark in the aquarium, but you noticed worry evident in the scrunched up eyebrows and and mouth pushed to the side. you reached your hands up to his cheeks and kissed his mouth with the essence of care and adoration. pulling away, you spoke.

"are you okay? i'm sorry."

he looked at you, still with a level of solemness apparent, "don't apologize; it's not your fault, it's okay. can we go home now? i don't feel that good."

you hugged him, "yeah, baby, of course."

as he pulled up to the designated parking of your shared apartment, he seemed more in a rush than usual. of course, he opened your car door and helped you get out as he always does; however, he was walking quicker than usual to the front door. as soon as you entered the apartment, he went straight to the room. you decided to let him cool off alone for a little; his rushing made you feel like it was the best course of action.

--

the third time wasn't even when a man gave you attention. you noticed that his replies to your questions and conversations were less loving and more straight to the point.

--

"hamzah, can you please help me reach the measuring cups at the top of the cabinets?" you asked him as he was working on his laptop.

without a word, he walked to the kitchen with you following behind him. he reached up to the top of the cabinet towards the ceiling and grabbed the stack of measuring cups, not having to extend much because of his height.

"thank you-"

before you knew it, he vanished back to his pc before you even had the chance to turn around.

--

"what do you think of my outfit?" you asked, smiling in confidence and giving him a twirl.

he looked stagnant with his resting face, "it's nice."

you frowned, "do you think it looks weird on me?"

"nah, you're good."

"oh, okay."

--

hell, even in texts he was being as dry as a teenage boy trying to ghost the girl he met on snapchat a week ago after she refused to send nudes.

--

hamzahh :p <3

11:45 am | do u need anything from the store

derp queen gf :3 <3

11:45 am | yes pls, can u get some oat milk? we ran out

11:45 am | thank u baby i love u :)

hamzahh :p <3

11:49 am | k

--

derp queen gf :3 <3

3:23 pm | i have a headache

hamzahh :p <3

3:30 pm | oh u should prob eat or sleep or smth

derp queen gf :3 <3

3:30 pm | i did earlier, idk whats up with my head

hamzahh :p <3

4:21 pm | idk either

--

derp queen gf :3 <3

10:07 pm | hii baby i just wanted to ask when you'll be home

hamzahh :p <3

10:08 pm | like 20 min

derp queen gf :3 <3

10:08 pm | ah okayy drive safe i love u <3

hamzahh :p <3 liked your message

--

it was currently around 3 in the morning. you were attempting to chase sleep peacefully, however, the absense of warmth wrapped around you made it hard. the blanket didn't work as well as hamzah did. you wondered why he wasn't in bed yet; he finished the video he was editing earlier and he hadn't seen you all day. normally, this was the time when he would be all over you; the time where his lips would shower your body in kisses and marks, since he knew you were ticklish and enjoyed hearing you laugh. your feet hit the cold, wooden floors beneath you, sending a shiver in your spine, as you decided to venture to find him.

the light of the office was on and you could hear two distinct voices speaking on the phone; martin and hamzah were currently on a call. your hand reached out towards the metal doorknob, yet you pulled away after the voices started sounding more clear to you. it was muffled, but you could understand what was going on in the call.

"martin, i just don't know what to do. i mean, my girlfriend's genuinely the most attractive person i've ever seen and, y'know, i kinda didn't realize that other people would think so too."

"okay, yeah, but, like, at the same time, that doesn't mean you just ignore her and get hella distant. you think me and mandy would've lasted this long if i did that?"

"it's not like i'm trying to be a dick, it's just happening. i dunno, i just feel like she would do so much better with someone else that isn't me."

"why?"

"look at her, martin! and then look at me. i feel like people just look at her in pity like i'm some sort of weird guy who follows her around like a dog. it's like i can just hear their thoughts of, 'damn, why's she with him?" or, 'shit, does she realize she could do waaaay better?' i love her so much. i don't wanna drag her down from being with someone who deserves her."

"hamzah, don't say that. i'm sure you treat her, like, exceptionally well. i see it, mandy sees it, chase and claire see it... i think you're just getting too much into your head about what other people think of you."

"it's hard not to when i constantly feel like i'm not enough for her. like, she doesn't do anything to make me feel like this- shit, she's the best girl i've ever met in my life and she genuinely treats me so good- like i live so good because of her. it's just, i dunno, i guess i'm scared she doesn't feel the same towards me."

the last sentence made your heart drop to your stomach; you viewed hamzah so highly that he could be considered a higher being. being attractive, you've been with a couple other people; however, none of them treated you with the same elegance, poise, and kindness that hamzah does. none of them opened every single door for you as if their life depended on it. none of them would take off their jacket just to hold it above you like shelter whenever it rained. none of them would cook whatever meal you requested, regardless of if they know how to make it or not. hamzah would do all of that and more. every door was opened, in fact, he would even kiss you as you entered whatever building it was. his jacket would be taken off as soon as a droplet hit the floor, no matter how hard or light it was raining; "you'll get sick if you get wet and i don't wanna get sick too. i know if you get sick, i'll get sick because i can't stay away from you." hamzah spoke to your mother when he realized you were getting home sick and learned exactly how to make your childhood comfort dish, to the tea; your mother likes him and he is the first boy she's ever enjoyed the presence of. you opened the door slowly, making sure not to be too agile with your movements. he looked at you, a glimmer of fear manifesting in his eyes.

"martin, i gotta go," he said, quickly hanging up the call.

he stayed seated in his desk, motioning for you to come closer to him. you stood next to him, silent, and began to rub his upper back with comfort laced in each movement.

his voice was a whisper, barely audible, "how much did you hear?"

"i heard about how you truly feel about me," you mentioned, "the parts where you think you're not good enough for me.

you sat on his lap, as his arms moved to rub circles on your thighs. your arms made its way to the back of his neck, holding yourself upright so that your heads would be facing each other. one of your hands made its way up to his hair; you knew that playing with his hair was one of the most comforting things to him and right now is the time to be comforting him. you kissed him lovingly, the urgency not necessarily being neither a peck or a makeout; it was a third, more balanced option. in that moment, hamzah felt the love you had for him transfer within him. this kiss was different; though all of your kisses had meaning to them, this kiss transcended the insecurity he previously felt about the way you viewed him. you gazed at his eyes after pulling away, noticing hints of lighter brown in the irises being reflected by the dimmed lamp in front of him. he saw how you felt about him in yours.

"is this why you've been so distant?"

he sighed, "yeah. it is."

you frowned, "baby, you could've told me you were feeling like this. i would've comforted you the way that i'm trying to right now."

"i didn't wanna make you feel like it was your fault. it's not. it's mine."

"it's not your fault. you can't control how you feel and that's okay."

he looked away, turning his gaze to the floor, "i didn't want you to think i was weak."

you gently turned his head, eye contact filling the space between you, "hamzah, you're the strongest boy i know. both mentally and physically. it's one of the things i admire the most about you, but i admire so much about you that your strength is one of thousands of traits i feel so strongly about towards you. i don't ever want you to feel like you're weak for having feelings or for having trouble talking about those feelings, but i do want you to be able to talk about them so that i can at least try to help you."

he kissed your cheek, "i know, i'm sorry. i'm sorry i was a dick and i'm sorry i've been so cold. i should've just talked to you about everything."

"did you know that you're the first boy to ever show me what love truly is?"

he looked genuinely confused, "what? i thought you've been with people before."

"i have, yeah. did i love them? i thought i did, but i didn't. and did they love me? not even close. and that's why i stopped loving them. but you and me? it's been three years and going since i started loving you.

"baby, we've only been together for a year and six months."

"yeah, and before that you were a friend. a friend who i never felt scared of talking to if i had a problem and a friend who i could talk to about anything because of the trust i have in you. i think i've genuinely loved you ever since i really got to know you; even if we weren't dating. i've always had that trust and love and care for you. it hasn't stopped and it won't."

the emptiness slowly left his eyes with every word you spoke; hamzah needed this. hamzah needed you.

"you're the first boy i've ever truly loved because you deserve it. i want you and i need you in my life. you're my lifeline. even though anything i do can't ever be enough for you because you deserve everything and infinity, i'll do my best to love you as much as humanly possible. and even when i die, i'll love you as much as i can as ghostly possibly.

he smiled and laughed lightly, "you wanna be a ghost with me?"

"hell yeah. we could haunt the shit out of people we hate."

"i think they'll be dead, too, baby."

"you get the point. but my point is that i deserve you and you deserve me. i love you, hamzah. i always will and always have since i got to know you."

in that moment, hamzah realized the the folds of his brain was playing with themselves all along; including the current state of kissing and hugging his girlfriend. currently, the folds of his brain were creating a memory; a memory that will stick with him each time he gets a voice in his head telling him that you were out of his league. each time hamzah heard you giggling while on his lap as he joked around about everything he wasn't able to tell you in the period that he was being distant, his brain healed itself. his brain was now able to be quiet, as the sound of your voice echoed in his ears, leading up to his head. his brain's voice was now silenced, as the voice of true love was able to scream.

--

authors note!

i think this is one of the most descriptive things i've written in a while! i hope u guys like this and i love u guys thank u sm for all the support on my fics my pretties <33 :p

[mysecertdiaryofableedingheart]

A Lil Office Romance

Terry Richmond X OC (Troi)

No warnings: Light heart fluff. AU Terry

This was the year, Troi was going to be unafraid, bold, Free to be herself not just in the comfort of her head or bedroom.

The first step was not to go straight home after work and finally take her Manager Celeste up on after-work dinner. Celeste extended the offer for two weeks since Troi being promoted to her junior accountant

"That's a yes? Have I woken up in an alternate universe?" Troi playfully rolled her eyes at Celeste's teasing. Celeste is someone she could consider a friend if Troi's shyness would allow their relationship to blossom outside of the four walls of their shared office. And Troi knew that to get a friend, you have to be a friend—at least that's what her mom keeps telling her.

" I thought we could go to starland yard around 4pm. The Puerto Rican Truck you mentioned is going to be there" initiative people like that, Troi remember the recommendation from her Mom. "You remembered! Troi you are the sweetest! How about we ride together I can come pick you up around 3! You live way closer to Starland yard than me" Celeste excitedly reached over pulling Troi into a side hug

Troi set out a sigh of relief. Step 1 complete.

♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️

Troi could help but be nervous, the worst scenario always popped into her mind. Like Muscle memory. What if Celeste thought her outfit was ugly, or her card declined in front of a bunch of people.

Troi took a deep breath. " You're overthinking it. Celeste wants to be your friend, your outfit is cute, and you have more than enough money." She smoothed down the simple tank top while repeating her affirming statements in the bathroom mirror.

The vibration of her phone on the counter startled Troi. Celeste's message lit up the screen

Hey Boo! I'm outside in the black Camry

Troi took one more deep breath and coated her lips once more in gloss attempting to give her a little more confidence.

Hey I'll be right out!

Checking her crossbody bag, once more to ensure all the essentials were there, phone keys, wallet. After locking her front door. She spotted Celeste bopping along to a Megan the stallion verse.

Troi could help but smile, Celeste had an infectious energy that rubbed effortlessly. It made Troi comfortable

"You look so cute Troi! I ain't know you was hiding all of that in those work clothes girl!"The heat on Troi's face had nothing to do with the June heat in Savannah. She had always been self-conscious about her body. In shorts and a tank top, she felt exposed at the mention.

"You don't think it's too much? I can go and change. I probably need something over my arms"

"Troi hush! It's 7pm Friday and 95 degrees" Celeste quoted Glorilla "Well maybe not 7pm but the 95 is true. We're gonna work out this confidence cause you are too cute to be acting like you ain't"

Troi hand was still on the door handle when Celeste locked it and pulled off effectively shutting down Troi's inner turmoils

♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️

Starland Yard was fairly busy, the outdoor space made from old shipping containers with a bar, rotating food trucks, live music, and even games like Jenga.

Celeste ordered both of their drinks, Troi was way too inexperienced to even know where to start, the most experience she had with alcohol was taking a sip of her mom's wine at home and her only ever drink at a bar that her Dad ordered for her.

"Food ordered , drinks in hand so now I can ask what made you finally come out with me girl. I ain't mad just happily surprised " Celeste bumped shoulders with Troi. Celeste's boldness was something that She admired.

Troi gulped down the drink "well....umm So I made a list of things I wanted to accomplish this year. And the first was to make a friend here, and you're always so nice to me I thought you'd be the perfect one"

Celeste barely contained her excited grabbing Troi into full on hug. " Girl you've been my work besties scratch that off your list! You gotta tell me what else is on your list, as your official work and outside work friend it's now my job to help you complete it"

Troi couldn't contain her smile, and opening her notes she pasted it over to Celeste

* Make a friend * Go on vacation * Stand up for myself * Be confident * Go on a date * Have first kiss

Troi notices Celeste's eyes widen at the last two.

"Troi you've never been kissed? Not even a little peck in high school"

Troi couldn't help but hold her cheeks in embarrassment " Me being shy isn't something new, I was always the nerdy girl and guys don't notice me"

"Well I can tell you that's a lie right now, you've been getting eye-fucked from the moment we walked in her. Niggas love you!"

Troi sucked her teeth "be so for real. Celeste"

" I'm serious, at work for example Terry always coming over and taking your reports to be sent way for you. And hand delivering your mail! "

" he's just nice! They put my mail cubby supper high and he saw I couldn't reach it, so he just grabs my mail when he gets his!"

"I'm gone touch your hand when I say this. Please if that man was so nice he'd take mine, he politely gave me the extension to the courier. And he doesn't even work in our department! He comes down to see you!"

Troi twisted her hands together, She loved it when Terry came by her desk, he'd always compliment her blue light glasses, and gave her a blinding smile over plump lips that made her belly clinch up.

Celeste eyes narrowed "You like him! I knew it! All those lingering looks when he's walking to the elevator. That is a big hunk of man. And y'all into each other!" Celeste reached over to grab Troi's phone. She flipped it over to show off the edit to Troi's list

* Go on a date with Terry Richmond

Troi's heart almost beat out of her chest, but the smile on her face almost made her cheeks hurt.

Troi felt different, maybe it was the new dress for work the Celeste picked out for her it's was fitted showing off Troi curvy figure, hitting just above the knee to show off her "gams" as Nana Troi grandmother would have said.

They decided to pair it with a low pair of wedge sandals to show off the pedicure Celeste and Troi indulged on their impromptu girls weekend.

She pulled and stretched the dress eyeing her usual black slacks and dress shirt combo. Troi could hear Celeste playful threats play back in her mind "if I catch you in them slack sis I'm sending you home!" After spending the whole weekend with her Troi knew she wasn't bluffing. At least a cardigan, Troi could argue the office is always blowing the AC.

♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️♣️♥️

Troi loved where her office building was located right off Bay Street, where you could see the Savannah river with cargo boats headed to the bustling ports and a part of South Carolina across the water. She got lost in the view quite frequently.

"I knew it would look good on you, Terry might actually loss her marbles when he see you in that dress! " Celeste said in a low tone. The whole office didn't need to know about Troi's newly realized crush.

"I don't know, it's probably going to just prove he is being nice."

Celeste rolled her eyes "well we're gonna see now, cause here he comes"

Terry was an impressive man,6'3 full of muscle, sienna brown complexion, a wonderfully maintained goatee that looked just as soft as the lower caser hair cut that was accentuated by waves. And his eyes where a whole different ball game. 

"Mail buddy, looks like you were popular this weekend" as he waves a stack of papers in his hand leaning on the door frame of Celeste and Troi's shared office his eye honing in on Troi "oh hey Celeste" Terry quickly added in.

Troi slowly turned in her office chair and stood to retrieve the mail in his outstretched hand. Upon reaching Terry she tilted her head up to make I contact with him even with her wedges Terry still towered over her.

As she approached Terry’s eyes raked over from from soft pink polish on her toes, then the exposed shining brown calves, the olive green of the dress that complimented her skin tone and the gold necklace she always wore. "You look be- very nice today Troi" Terry’s voice dropped an octave. Troi couldn't help but shift from side to side a mixture of embarrassment and enjoyment from him noticing the dress she quite honestly wore for him. "Not that you don't every day.greens my favorite color and it looks great on you."

"Thank you Terry...I really like green on you too" Troi eyes widened at the words that managed to slip out of her mouth.

Terry returning smile may have mimicked the Chesire Cat. Troi couldn't help but return it forgetting her embarrassment a moment ago .

Celeste cleared her throat breaking up the two's moment before it became too awkward. "Oh Troi I almost forgot I'm gonna have to work through lunch so I can't join you today in the square. I know you didn't want to eat alone"

Troi brown furrowed, they hadn't made any lunch plans for yet.

Terry was quick to speak, " I could be your company if you want I could use a break from eating in the engineer lounge. That burnt popcorn smell is unbearable"

"Sounds good, she'll meet you down stairs at 12pm" Celeste chimed back

Troi couldn't believe what was happening did Celeste just set her up? She couldn't complete her thought before getting a whiff of Versace Eros and the smell she could only assign as pure Terry.

"Is that okay Troi, feel free to say no I can keep the burnt popcorn upstairs company" Terry dipped his head down to meet her eyes.

Troi's eyes connected with his seeing the sparkle with amusement at her shyness "yes, I'll see you downstairs at 12pm" in almost a whisper.

Terry slowly backed out of the small office in almost a skip. "Alright Mail Buddy now we're turning into lunch buddies"

Once Terry was out of view, Troi plopped exhaustedly into her chair

"Pssss , yeah that man is into you. Your ole blind ass" Celeste spoke up looking over at Troi "and you oblivious ass is just as smitten"

Troi couldn't help but swat at Celeste's smirking face with the her reports she just acquired

"And just so you know this doesn't count as your date with, but the way he was looking like he wanted to throw you over his shoulder and have his way with you. Your bottom two things are going to be crossed off sooner rather than later"

[sakashq]

I know you see jude leading the polls.. give the people something cute 🫶

maybe based off a laufey song?

love your work btw! glad you’re making a comeback ❤️🥹

While You Were Sleeping 𝜗𝜚 jude b. x black!oc

🫐 Josie always knew she was in love with him, but she never knew the feelings were reciprocated.

🫐 no warnings. just vibes <3

🫐 this one’s for jay ( @be11ingham ) as her man lost HORRIBLY today to the goats of laliga😣. i feel for you babe💔

𝜗𝜚 It’d been about three months of Josie and Jude seeing each other, the two meeting about six months ago. Originally, the pair were just good friends, occasionally hanging out and frequently supporting each other. When Jude had a match, Josie was there wearing his name on her back. Every basketball game Josie played in, Jude was there too, hyping her up while she was on the court.

For ages, the friends were seen as a couple in the media before the two even solidified their feelings for each other. Jude fell for her first, seeing the real her after only two months of knowing each other.

Never did he think she’d feel the same, so he tried to get back up, leaving his feelings for her down on the ground. But everytime he saw her, there he was— falling right back where he started. She always had a way of pulling him in, even though she didn’t know it.

Josie didn’t start falling until a month later. She remembers the exact day like it just happened, keeping the memory in a safe spot in her locket of a brain.

Jude had shown up to one of her games, which wasn’t peculiar until she saw what was in his hands—a bouquet of her favorite flowers and chocolates. She had only mentioned lillies once and it was ages ago, but he still remembered. Josie had always said, “to be loved is to be seen” and in that moment she felt like he had really seen her. Her heart melted and so had the chocolates, since she had accidentally kept them in her car for a bit too long.

A week later they had their first official date. The dates continued and lillies kept showing up at her doorstep. They were both in so deep. It wasn’t until this particular night, where the now couple were spending it watching a movie in Josie’s bed, did they know. Who knew that three words, eight letters, could change everything.

Josie lay in Jude’s arms, cuddled up to him as they watched Titanic. It had always been one of Josie’s favorites and now it was Jude’s. The two had seen it together a million times, but they’d never get tired of it. Jude had said once a month ago, “Our Love is like Jack and Rose.”

When Josie heard the ‘L’ word, she froze and pretended she didn’t hear what he said. Jude didn’t repeat himself and his cheeks flushed with pink. It was too early for it to be seen as Love, why had he said it? He spent the rest of that night overthinking on whether or not Josie could ever Love him.

Tonight he wouldn’t find out but she would, as he played with her curls and had his eyes glued to the TV. He could probably recite these lines himself now but if it made Josie happy, he was too.

He looked down at Josie for a second as he had noticed her breathing pattern changed. It was slower, softer— she had fallen asleep.

“Josie?” He said softly, gently poking her to see if she was still half-awake. She didn’t budge at all, so he decided to turn the movie off and fall asleep too.

But he couldn’t. Beauty was lying in his arms, sleeping soundly and disrupting his own sleep. If he wasn’t in Love with her would he have already fallen asleep? He asked himself. Jude then asked himself the question again— this time realizing he had said the word. Love.

“I Love you,” he told his sleeping beauty, giving him the closure to those feelings he had developed what felt like forever ago. He could finally accept the fact that he Loved her, even if she wasn’t awake to hear it.

But in a “sleeping” Josie’s head, she had said it back. “I Love you, too, Jude.”

𝜗𝜚˚⋆ DTS . . . @ar4ujos @halfwayhearted @iovepoem @pedriache @joaoflms <3

[katuschka]

So Pretty When All Alone

Josh Kiszka x gender-neutral reader 1.260 words

Yeah, I know what I said, but I just enjoy this way too much. AND I got really inspired by something @its-interesting-van-kleep said. So thanks babe, this one's dedicated to you.

It's also my first attempt at the 2nd person narrative. Not really fond of it, but I always wanted to at least try it, and it seemed quite fitting and "natural" here.

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, intended for adult readers. Any resemblance to real persons is purely coincidental. Also, if you're under 18, go find some other entertainment elsewhere.

Warnings (are spoilers): voyeurism (in an established relationship), masturbation, alcohol consumption, Josh being his usual sexycutiepie

People change. 

And that’s the reason why you left the party early, using a tension headache as an excuse. They understood; and you suspected that it was only common decency which prevented them from saying that you were no fun anyway, so… off you go. They’re friends, and – let’s be honest – you didn’t act like one tonight. 

Therefore, sitting in an uber on your way home, you felt both relieved and strangely remorseful. Booze often did that to you, making you overthink and wallow in contradictory emotions. It was just like any other night spent out with them, nothing had changed. But you had. A new job, some new hobbies, and most of all, a new man. Josh didn’t really fit in your group of buddies and they had never tried to make it any easier for him, so he stopped coming with you eventually and you were slowly losing interest in spending time in their company ever since. You wanted to be home instead. Home… 

It wasn’t really home yet, you just already had the key. He gave you this token of his trust just two weeks ago, and while you were still keeping your old place simply out of convenience (and common sense), you had spent all of those fourteen nights in Josh’s bed, watching him fall asleep and kissing him awake every fucking night and day. Why would you want to be anywhere else, when Josh’s bed felt like the center of the Universe and him the Sun? And yet he kept telling you that you were the interesting one. See, he’s funny, too. 

You didn’t believe him, but it felt good anyway.

Still feeling more like a visitor, you were a bit unsure whether it was a good idea to get back to his place earlier than expected without texting him first. Too late. You missed your chance thanks to booze brain fog, and there was no point in letting him know when you were already standing on his driveway. His car was here too, meaning he was already back from the studio, but the lights were out. Was he already asleep? Unusual, but not impossible. 

Careful so as not to wake him, you unlocked the door and silently entered, immediately noticing a sliver of dim light coming through the half closed door of his bedroom at the other side of the long entrance hall. Thinking that he had probably fallen asleep while reading, you crept up closer, just to have a look to confirm your suspicion. And then you heard it.

A barely audible, breathy moan. Unmistakeable. You were quite familiar with the sound. That’s why it made your heart beat wildly in an instant and the gasp that escaped your lips almost gave away your intruding presence. But he didn’t stop, and while you waited with bated breath for him to call your name, you could hear the rhythmic sound that gave him away fully. You had to have a look. It was imperative.

Peeking through the crack of the door, you had to bite your lip to keep quiet. There he was, sitting on the bed with his back propped against the pillows. What a marvelous sight! One which you hadn’t had the opportunity to really see yet. You were quite familiar with all those beautiful details from up close, but this was something new. And extremely exciting. 

Josh was completely naked, with only his feet and shins hidden under the duvet to keep them warm. The sight of him pleasuring himself made the muscles under your navel spasm with craving and need. 

Surely, if you revealed your presence and apologised for the intrusion, Josh would be eager to help you with it, and you would be just as raring to reciprocate. However, something about the scenario that was in play right in front of you made you want to keep holding your breath. 

He was so pretty when all alone. 

Lost in his pleasure, self-induced by his languid strokes, he had tilted his head back and let it rest on top of the upholstered headboard, panting. You watched, entranced, how his parted lips quivered ever so slightly, as if he was chanting a silent mantra. In a way, he was. Hadn’t he already told the world that this was the universal truth? Uttered in jest, but the truth is that he really meant it. That’s probably why his moans sometimes sounded almost sacral. 

And you worshipped him for it. 

Only Josh could transform a simple, vulgar act of jerking off into a religious experience. With his eyes closed and his brow lifted, he looked as if he was praying. A praying angel who could invoke the most sinful thoughts in your head even without saying a single word. Just listening to his moans made you feel like your fluttering heart would jump out of your chest. It was intoxicating. 

And that’s how you felt while watching him. Lightheaded, you took it all in, starting with his face, now tilted slightly towards you, and you were secretly begging him to keep his eyes closed. He furrowed his brow just a bit, bit his lower lip and let out the most delightful nasal whimper. You savored the sight for a little while before letting your gaze travel further down to his own heaving chest. He was literally fucking the air around him. In and out, in and out, and you were getting slightly jealous of every molecule of oxygen that had that pleasure. But you weren’t willing to give in yet. You probably couldn’t have even if you wanted to. You felt hypnotized. 

In the meantime, Josh quickened his pace and tightened his grip, and you had to pinch the skin on your hand to keep yourself from moaning along as you watched his left hand slide up his toned stomach. He pinched his nipple then, and groaned loudly, before he let the hand travel back down, scratching the skin along his happy trail with his fingernails. You were yearning to lick the stripe all the way up that irritated flesh. That perfect line of fuzzy hairs was your happy place; starting right under his navel, it was groomed right above his dick, as he was keeping that area delightfully bare. 

You didn’t really care, or mind, but the truth was that it made his pretty pink cock look even more prominent. Especially during moments like this one when it already looked like it was going to burst. Sure enough, his swollen head was glistening with precum, looking like a giant, dew-covered berry. 

And no doubt just as tasty. 

You were already ravenous. While still fascinated and mesmerized by the sight of his tensing muscles, visible tendons and protruding knuckles as he continued to pump himself with new-found frenzy, you seriously considered finishing his job for him. Before you could make up your mind, his breath quickened and his moans grew both in pitch and intensity. He swirled his palm around his weeping head a few times with shuddering breath, before he slid all the way down one last time. You shrunk back a bit when he finally opened his eyes and with a long, loud and high-pitched moan, he came. 

You leaned against the wall right by the door, willing your heart to calm down slowly, when you suddenly heard him whisper: “Hello darling, didn’t see you there.” 

“Fuck,” you muttered, which only made him chuckle. 

You learned two things that night. You loved to watch. And Josh loved to have the audience. Always.

@thewritingbeforesunrise @fleet-of-fiction @writingcold @lvnterninthenight @takenbythemadness   @edgingthedarkness @myownparadise96 @gvfstuddedmajesty @jazzyfigz @sanguinebats @josh-iamyour-mama @lyndz2names @wetkleenex-gvf @peaceloveunitygvf @cheersdannyx2 @fleetingjake @lizzys-sunflower @emojakekiszka @gvfmarge @dayumclarizzel @lipstickitty @clownstarr @gretasfallingsky @musicislove3389 @i-love-gvf @psychedelectable @allof--mylove @sacredsparrow @scarabsinthestardust

[emmg]

Soo this is kind of random, but that post about emmrich’s perfume reminded me that I kind of want to get more into perfumes. This is basically an invitation to talk about perfumes as a hobby, and what kinds you like :D

Oh BABY, don’t do me like that. I legit almost went into chemistry just to chase a career in perfumery, lmfao. That’s how deep this obsession runs. I could yap, yap, and keep yapping about this all day long. Honestly, it’s a miracle I ever shut up about it.

Instead, I’m gonna come up with headcanon fragrances for the rest of the Lighthouse gang 💅

Harding: At first, I was like, “Oh, something botanical, some nice flowers, maybe a vibe that screams spring meadow.” You know, all gentle and fresh. But then I remembered this absolute banger (seriously, it’s SO good.) Harding is basically a walking cinnamon roll, so obviously she’d go for something cozy and sweet. Like, something that smells like home, her ma’s pastries, and those traveling fairs in Ferelden. Soooooo:

Davrin: ‘nuff said

Neve: She’s a busy woman, she doesn’t have time to overthink it, but she’s still a walking statement. So yeah, Molecule 01 it is. It’s unique, it’s effortless, and it’s different on everyone. Some people won’t even pick up on it, but the ones who do? Oh, they’ll know. A little woody, a lot special. No one smells like her, and that’s exactly the point.

Lucanis: Mr. Fancy Assassin Man, Mr. “How much can a banana cost? $10?”, Mr. Generational Wealth himself. The Crows send their goddamn regards and you better believe they smell amazing while doing it.

Taash: Taash is either proudly marinating in their own BO just to ruin someone’s day (definitely Emmrich) or grudgingly leaning into something mossy, woody, or mineral because, surprise, those are the only scents they’ve ever bothered to admit they like. Their mom gave it to them as a gift, and now they sneakily use it when the urge strikes. But not in front of her. Maker forbid she ever gets the satisfaction of being right. Sooooo:

Bellara: Happy, happy, happy! She’s a total designer gal. Niche fragrances? Who needs ’em when you can bathe in Sephora testers until your skin breaks out? She’d go feral in there, spritzing everything in arm’s reach, and probably leave with a fresh allergy. She’s absolutely a Daisy girl: basic, but in an adorable way.

Thank you for encouraging my interests and also for staying for this Ted Talk 😂

[mrincrediblyblind]

MASSIVE S4 ANALYSIS

ANALYSED BY YET ANOTHER GAY TEEN ON THE INTERNET!

okay, this is about the California crew, (except Argyle). This is Byler, but i’m talking about it from the confirmed perspective that Will has a crush on Mike.

Firstly, just to set clear that were all aware the Rink ‘O Mania outing happened on Will’s birthday? If not google the date of it, it’s March 22nd as confirmed as Will’s birthday by Joyce in season two.

also please reblog this because i put my entire twinkussy into this 😭

ANYWAY!!

the things i’m gonna talk about:

1. Will’s birthday

2. The Hug

3. He knows :0

4. Jonathan sees Nancy in Mike

5. Joyce

6. Eleven

7. Will and Eleven

8. Friends Do Lie

9. Micheal Wheeer.

read on, dear friends!!! ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

1. WILL’S BIRTHDAY

((okay but he looks so epic in this shot, ily Will❤️‍🩹))

So for starters, the fact that Will probably convinced Joyce and Jonathan that he was going to Rink O’ Mania to celebrate his birthday with Eleven and Mike makes me want to kill myself!!! 😍😍😍

He probably thought he’s seeing Mike and he was gonna get a hug like when they last saw eachother and Mike would have an explanation as to why he could barely contact Will, and he’d probably had written him out a card or something for his birthday.

HE PROBABLY BROUGHT THE PAINTING FOR MIKE SO IF HE GAVE WILL ANYTHING HE COULD BE LIKE “oh, that’s so sweet… i actually did this for you. I’ve been working on it a while and thought i’d give it to you cos i’d see you today”

Mike also flew in on Will’s birthday. Can you imagine how happy he was? Byler shipper or not, they haven’t seen eachother in a year and Eleven gets the news that Mike’s coming to California. She tells Will “oh, he’s flying in on.. March the Twenty Second”.

Will, internally probably thought “that’s my birthday? is mike flying in to see my for my birthday?”, because who wouldn’t think highly of someone your close to in that way?

Regardless, you CANNOT tell me Will’s the “He didn’t have to get me something but the thought would be nice” TYPE OF PERSON

Poor boy probably saw the flowers and either

1. Thought they were for him

2. Knew they were for El, but Mike had something else for him

2. THE HUG

he got him absolutely nothing. not even a proper hug.

LOOK AT THE GRIN ON MY POOR BABY’S FACE WHEN HE SEES MIKE!!

HE LITERALLY HAS THE PAINTING IN HIS HAND, YET GOES IN ARMS WIDE FOR A HUG DESPITE THE FACT HE COULD CRUSH THE PAINTING??

He also grabs Mike’s backpack in an attempt to pull him into a meaningful hug. It’s been a year since they last saw each other.

We know Jonathan’s high off his balls, but he looks at the painting and then the boys “hugging” (if you can even call that a hug). He’s probably confused why Will didn’t get round to giving Mike the painting.

3. HE KNOWS :0

There’s no doubt that Jonathan knows what’s up. Lonnie used to verbally abuse Will for being gay so i’m sure he’s confirmed it to Jonathan at some point.

Also which, i’m sure he sees the fact that he has been in a similar situation with MIKE’S SISTER??

There was another person (Steve) who was with his love interest while him obviously being in love. Does that not parallel like crazy?

Jonathan’s not stupid, he’s just as high as a kite for the entire season, which if anything would probably make him overthink about the scenario.

When people smoke weed the THC in Cannabis (weed) can effect your frontal lobe which is responsible for a lot of creativity and logical thinking and enhances your senses overall. This is probably why Argyle suggested they fill up the pizza dough freezer.

Depending on how much he’s smoked, he could also be incredibly paranoid, as too much will cause a massive dopamine spike and can cause you too feel anxious and overthink.

Just because he’s had a couple hits doesn’t mean he doesn’t know what’s going on. He probably does, maybe definitely. He’s either thinking really deep about it or is super paranoid and thinking worse case scenario.

this moves me onto my next point

4.JONATHAN SEES NANCY IN MIKE

Nancy is unable to express her emotions and we know this, Jonathan knows this.

She struggled to tell Steve she loved him, Jonathan knows this. Jonathan was ALSO there when Will was trying to get Mike to (struggle to) say I love you.

He ALSO sat through Murray exposing Nancy for not being able to admit her love to Steve. On top of this, He’s dating her and experiencing the lack of communication first hand

as well as being stuck in the exact same weird love triangle thing. Eleven and Will are both in love with Mike. Jonathan and Steve were both in love with Nancy. He’s watching his brother go through the same thing.

I’m also certain that Will would’ve talked to Jonathan about Mike not talking to him like, at all. We know that they have a very close sibling bond so I’m sure Jonathan is aware.

5. JOYCE

We know absolutely jack shit about Joyce and what she knows, but she’s overprotective as.

I’m sure she would’ve insisted for Will to come do something with her and Jonathan for his birthday. He either would’ve:

A - insisted on going because El was going

B - Insisted on going because he hadn’t seen Mike for so long

C - Made up a lie that the roller skating was for his birthday

I’m sure it would be C, and some other contributing factors. Will doesn’t have a job and neither does Eleven, so where would the money for the skating tickets come from?

Joyce likely gave Will and Eleven money for them to go skating with Mike for Will’s birthday.

6. ELEVEN

Eleven is never ever at fault for Mike being… Micheal.

If anything, she went through an awful lot as well this season, so let’s unpack.

Before Mr Minion (Mike) arrives at the airport and all, were shown life in California for the Byers. Eleven and Will are in high school and Eleven is getting relentlessly picked on. It’s assumed that it might be her lack of education and social intelligence. Nonetheless, we know she is being bullied and the main perpetrator is Angela.

Angela humiliates Eleven despite her attempts at being nice and trying to befriend her. She doesn’t understand that Angela can be mean to her because she isn’t aware anyone is capable of wronging her.

She knows the people who work for the government and ones employeed at Hawkins lab are bad, hence why she calls them “The Bad Men”. She knows that they are out to get her because she’s escaped and is still on the run.

She thought Hopper was rude, but she learned he was only trying to keep her safe.

She thought Max was rude, but quickly learned that she was mistaken and formed a bond.

Eleven is forgiving. She let Kali/Eight’s punk friends (mainly Axel, with the mohawk) be rude to her.

She was deemed untrustworthy by lucas the whole 1st season and even lashed out at him, yet kept trying to be his friend and eventually earned his trust.

She was yelled at time and time again by Mike, who planned to get rid of her after finding Will, yet still got close to him.

She is unaware that people outside of the Hawkins Laboratory can be bad, as everyone she thought was bad has turned out to be an assumption proven wrong. She thinks that if she keeps persisting in being Angela’s friend then it will work out.

Eleven probably suggested they go to Rink ‘O Mania.

She already knew the popular kids hung out there, she tried to convince Mike that they were her friends in hopes that it would turn out well and they would meet Mike and hang out and have a good time.

She missed hanging out with a group of people who all valued her. She grew up in a group of lab experiments, she hung out with the party. Being alone reminds her of her darkest times, being experimented on and locked away, isolated in a claustrophobic deprivation tank, being on the run and surviving in her own.

Eleven hates being on her own, that’s why she hated being by herself in season 2 in Hopper’s cabin and alone in Mike’s basement. When she found out that there are nice people in the world (by meeting Benny) that weren’t just the other children in the lab, she wanted to surround herself with people who could look after her.

7. WILL AND ELEVEN

Finally, Will knows that El is being picked on. Instead of going home on his birthday after the disappointment of it all, he stays with Eleven.

He’d seen her get made fun of for her diorama of Hopper (who she assumed was dead??) and probably every other petty drama with Angela off screen.

He stayed with Eleven and Mike, third wheeling on his own birthday so that he could look after her.

He could have changed his mind and gone home, yet Eleven lied about having heaps of friends and going to the roller rink all the time, and when he saw them approach the table, he knew it would be a good idea to put her first.

8. FRIENDS DO LIE

“friends don’t lie” is something the Duffers familiarised us with up until the point of season 3 when Max tells El “Yeah, well boyfriends lie. All the time.”

We see Mike has been lying to El, and what does that teach her? Boyfriends lie and girlfriends lie.

She lies to Mike in her letter about having friends

Mike lies to her about…

MOSTLY JOKING IM SORRY MILEVENS IM SUPPOSED TO BE NON BIAS, IM JUST SAYING ELEVEN LIED TO MIKE THIS SEASON AND THEYVE BOTH RUINED THE TRUST IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP

9. MICHEAL WHEELER.

Not too much to say about him(/j). Firstly, I genuinely cannot back him up on the whole Will’s birthday thing, that shit makes me wanna cry. We might need the byler lawyer for this one.

However, it’s obvious Mike is very torn between the two. I’m trying to include as little byler as possible, but we are shown that Mike CANNOT deal with both Will and Eleven at the same time. He doesn’t write Will letters, only Eleven, yet he’s known Will since kindergarten and being his friend was the best thing he ever did.

The fact that he couldn’t reach out to Will does show that he is suppressing something that he doesn’t want Will to find out about. He’d rather upset Will then come to terms with something about himself or about Will.

I’ll leave this up to you as the reader, but take into account the fact Will is canonically gay and Mike is canonically a dick about it since season three. It might be a tough pill to swallow if you don’t think Mike has a crush on Will, but here’s what I’m saying.

Mike knows Will is not attracted to girls.

Season 2 final episode at the Snowball Dance, the girl approaches Will and asks to dance. He stutters and mumbles “i’m not-“, going to turn her down when Mike repeatedly hits him, encouraging him to dance with her.

Season 3x3, Will and Mike fight in the rain, Mike settles with the most considerate accepting words he could’ve.. 😍😍

“it’s not my fault you don’t like girls!!” 🥰

So Mike is aware of Will’s homosexuality. Would this contribute to him not wanting to be affectionate anymore? Because Mike is being homophobic? “It’s not my fault you don’t like girls”? that’s literally homophobic

Please explain to me (non Byler shippers, this is), why he wouldn’t feel comfortable around Will. I don’t mean this in a passive aggressive way, i actually want someone to explain it to me.

Regardless, i’m mad at Mike for being a shit friend on Will’s birthday.

YOOO!! You’ve reached the bottom! look at you! go. Share your thoughts with me please, this took so long so if you could reblog, i’ll give you a kiss on the mouth (/hj)

[protect-namine]

love the detail about how the flow of time is viewed vertically in mandarin chinese. rather than just directions, I think the colors can also correspond to movement. but I agree that green is future/down and red is past/up.

to me, green means go down (meet your future); red is go up (or I guess, stay in the past).

lu guang going down the green hallway/exit in his nightmare is nightmare!vein forcing him into a specific future: a dead cheng xiaoshi, bathed in red, which is also what happened to his past. in other words: his nightmare is that he cannot break or escape the cycle. cheng xiaoshi was dead in the past, and will be dead in the future.

the traffic lights are interesting. traffic lights are also designed to dictate movement, and I think falls neatly in line with the idea that green = go = future and red = stop = past. lu guang in red is stuck in the past, as he hasn't broken the cycle of cheng xiaoshi's death yet. I am not sure how to interpret cheng xiaoshi in green. is his death just inevitable? or is it that he holds the key to unlocking the future lu guang wishes for?

if we're going to look at traffic lights shining on characters, we might as well check the other mystery: xia fei. where lu guang is red and cheng xiaoshi is green, xia fei is associated with both. you don't see red and green lit up at the same time often. though, perhaps crucially or perhaps not, the traffic lights are not directed at him. and we also know this picture is from a past timeline, not the current yingdu timeline, since he has a different model photo.

I have an idea about this but it's like... not super serious and has zero evidence, so it's just for the tags.

I also want to circle back to the phone booth. and I will say... it's odd to put a traffic light here (you'd expect streetlights like the ones behind it, the picture clearly established this as a pattern) so it's a deliberate placement. we don't know yet the significance of the phone booth. but since it's a payphone, it's likely someone using a payphone from bridon, rather than a phone call where someone is calling to someone in bridon (so it's probably not the xu shanshan call we're expecting).

there's two possibilities I can think of. lu guang calls qiao ling (we see qiao ling on her phone in the ed). or it's the phone beeping in overthink where at the beginning someone says "lu guang, you're so pitiful" or something like that (idk what the exact translation should be).

once again, we see both. red phone booth, green traffic light. the fact that there's two red phone booths is interesting to me though. harkens back to the idea that this has all happened before...

Something something about Green and Order (men obediently going down the stairs; Vein forcing Lu Guang down a green hallway), and Red and Punishment (men going up the stairs as the tension builds up, Vein catching Lu Guang in a bloody room).

the men in vein's pv also have green eyes, contrasted with vein's red :D

Red and Green; Up and Down

Red and Green are very prominent colors in the Yingdu Chapter. They are the two main colors in the OP:

red and green album behind the camera; red and green basketball court

They’re even more obvious in the ED with the traffic lights:

Red phone booth, green light; red and green lights (+yellow if you count XF lol)

But Miya, they are primary/secondary colors. Of course, they’re everywhere!

Okay, but look again at this frame in the OP:

Red on the outside, and green on the inside.

Now, look at the same basketball court, but as shown before the OP in YE1:

The colors are reversed. It’s now green on the outside, and red on the inside.

There is probably more to this discrepancy if we analyze the relevant dialogue in this scene for the pre-OP and in the lyrics for the OP, but I don’t have time for that right now. Let’s just take this as a signal from the animators to focus on those two colors.

Okay, so Green and Red are relevant, but what do they have to do with Up and Down?

In YE1, there was this scene where CXS passes the ball to LG, but it then unusually focuses on the camera and not on the ball:

Our eyes can’t help but be drawn to the camera…which is pointing to the down arrows on LG’s tie. And what are those arrows pointing to?

The green lane Lu Guang is standing on. However, this lane is red in the OP. Is it really pointing at the green? Or is it pointing at the red? And why focus on the camera first instead of just focusing directly on the arrows to get the message across more clearly? Camera + Arrows. What could they mean? This is something to think about...

Then in Lu Guang’s nightmare in YE3, Vein is chasing him in a green hallway, and he escapes into a green exit with a green down arrow:

He then falls into a dark room full of red:

The Green arrow from above is pointing down to the Red room.

So, does that mean Green is Up and Red is Down? I can’t say...

In the Bloody Storm PV, we have people descending green stairs:

Only the steps are green, though. We can say that there’s green light shining from above to make it appear green. This green light can also be seen on the backs of the men.

It is also worth mentioning that @rainibao has pointed out that, in the flashes, the people are ascending the stairs:

Moreover, the green light is lost here, and we’re left with a gloomy frame full of neutral colors against a plain red background. This also happens in the part of the song where the tension builds up and Vein is about to go crazy. This is definitely relevant, seeing as in the YE3 nightmare, Lu Guang finds himself in a red room and Vein finally catches him.

Something something about Green and Order (men obediently going down the stairs; Vein forcing Lu Guang down a green hallway), and Red and Punishment (men going up the stairs as the tension builds up, Vein catching Lu Guang in a bloody room).

Anyways… Is Red up? And Green down? Or, going by the green being light from above, then is Green up and Red down? I still can’t say...

Why does it matter what direction they are?

Because in Mandarin Chinese, time is viewed in a vertical fashion. The past is above you, while the future is below you. Knowing whether red/green is up/down can help us ground ourselves in this time travel show.

There’s also this:

Red light on Lu Guang; Green light on Cheng Xiaoshi.

I’ve always found the color assignment here odd because in traffic light language, Green means go, while Red means stop. Shouldn’t CXS, who is already dead, be the one in Red since his time has stopped? They even made it a point to color him in cold neutral colors without the green light shining on him, as if to hammer in the point that he’s dead (in contrast to Lu Guang who is in warm colors when not under the red light). (It was too difficult to get a screenshot of this, but I remember seeing a draft of this animation sequence where CXS was clearly transitioning from grey to colored, while LG was more warm to colored. If anybody can find that again, please send me a link!)

Anyways, if Green Cheng Xiaoshi is Dead, then does that mean Green is Future/Down? Red Lu Guang would then be Past/Up, signifying him going back in time.

But this doesn’t align with the nightmare sequence, where Green is Up and Red is Down… But then again, it was a nightmare. Can we even trust it? Can we trust anything in this show???

Or maybe Red/Green is constantly cycling between Up/Down. Maybe one moment Red is Up and Green is down, while in the next it’s reverse. An indication of time being a closed loop in Link Click?

I don’t fucking know.

There are no conclusions here. I just thought I’d point this out so I can have more people be just as confused as me hehe.

Dumping this to you, specifically, @protect-namine

[necrotic-nephilim]

i personally have very complicated feelings on the Gotham Knights video game and the routes it takes with characterization. i think it has a charm to it and it goes in an interesting direction with everyone (especially within the confides of the plot of the game) but it does have certain moments that veer painfully fanon for me. (such as: the dialogue where Tim drinks too much coffee) it's an interesting story for what it is but i don't view it comics-based for characterization and therefore don't care to interact with it much for like. fanfic purposes.

that *said* though. i do have to give the game some kind of credit for giving one of the top five JayTim moments that lives rent free in my mind. every since i played the game, the cutscene lives in my mind daily. it's the specific cutscene where Jason and Tim are arguing about whether or not Jason's non-lethal bullets are too dangerous for the field, and the argument leads to TIm *standing in front of the target* Jason is shooting and telling Jason to shoot him. it lives rent free for me. i never stop thinking about this.

the absolute certainty Tim has that he is in no danger standing in front of Jason, who has a loaded gun pointed at his face. the way Jason *hesitates* for just a moment before lowering the gun. he thinks about it for just a second. Gotham Knights JayTim seem to get along very well and can rely on each other, but Jason still clearly holds a bitterness about his death and Tim that flickers through in some lines of dialogue under the guise of jokes. especially since this game deals *heavily* with concepts of Pit Madness causing an altered state of consciousness, i think it's believable that occasionally, Jason fights the urge to fight and hurt Tim for the feeling of being replaced.

i like their tension so much in this canon. they get along but you can *tell* Tim is afraid of addressing Jason's trauma or even addressing Jason head-on, and Jason leans into spooking Tim about it. which isn't very comics feeling in their dynamic, but it is an interesting way to place their dynamic if you're playing with a more timid Tim who's newer to the role of Robin. (which he seems to be in-game) he really doesn't want to offend Jason, or worse, piss him off. but he'll still face Jason head on for things like this, while completely aware of what Jason could be capable of.

and Jason seems very protective of Tim and respecting Tim as a Robin in typical Jason fashion. if Tim pushes, Jason *will* relent. he knows this is a kid who's proved himself and should be treated with equal respect, sometimes even more than Dick and Babs do in-game.

so for all that to culminate in Tim stepping in front of Jason's loaded gun that he *knows* is on the edge of being too dangerous, just to force Jason to listen? it's the most unhinged way Tim could've gotten his point across in this scene. he was literally daring Jason to hurt him and playing with a very dangerous fire. but he did it anyway bc he believed he could make Jason heel just at the thought of hurting Tim. and he was *right*. they're gay and i'm feral ty.

[mettywiththenotes]

I like to imagine Kudou "Got together with Yoichi in less than 2 months" is infuriated with Izuku "Miscommunication with Kacchan for 10+ years" Midoriya

He is tapping his foot waiting for those kids to talk and kiss already

[emmavakarian-theirin]

in todays "it's probably not that deep but--" lucanis post:

i'm gonna start this with a bold statement:

lucanis doesn't think about rook (much).

hear me out. in inner demons, when you are in his mind, we see these ideas of how he thinks he's perceived by everyone, and how he perceives people; family, contracts, enemies. all these people are conjured in his mind, in this prison he's yet to escape. his own mind is as dangerous as he is.

when you find him, he immediately asks "what are you doing here, rook?"

he immediately knows it's you. it's not an idea of you, not a trick or the mind, it's you. "rook can't be here." and with romance specific dialogue, he says "you should go. it's better i stay here than risk losing you."

so does he want rook out of his head to stop himself from coming up with reasons to keep rook away from him entirely? is he afraid the longer rook stays and learns his mind, the more rook will fear/distrust him?

and with that, does he then do his absolute best to just not think about rook when they're not around? not just because of the demon inside him, but himself? the culmination of the training and contracts and backstabbing and torture he's endured, leaving him to think he's too broken and messy and professional for friends or anything more? as a man that has little left to lose and is afraid to do so, he's just as - if not more - afraid to gain?

that rook is the one solid and neutral ground he has and therefore doesn't want them involved in a tortured mind? and that, if romanced, that's half the reason why there's an almost kiss because he panics, "i need to clear my head"?

and then tearstone island happens, and rook is gone for weeks. they're not around anymore. the only way to see rook is to imagine them, think about them. and all lucanis can think about is how he'll never see rook again. rook's lost despite his efforts.

at that point, what's left to lose but himself?

[racetrackmybeloved]

i adore how quick the boys are to help crutchie when he needs it. no discussion, no pity, just support.

when morris pushes him over, it isn't jack (who is right there) who helps him up, neither is it race nor romeo, who we saw him interact with earlier in the song. it's albert who helps him up, and it's albert who carries him until he gets his crutch back. did they have a system? was it albert's job to carry crutchie when needed? was it because they're close friends, and we just never get to see it again? or was it that any of the newsies would have done it, but albert happened to be the closest?

when the nuns hand out food, kid blink and smalls don't hesitate before hoisting him onto their shoulders. jack and specs both place their hands on his back to ensure that he doesn't fall backwards. it's so smooth, so natural, like they've done it a million times before.

and note: i don't think crutchie interacts with any of those characters (albert, kid blink, smalls) at any other moment in the musical.

conclusion: crutchie is so so loved.

[cassielsunstone]

This is what he gets for eating part of the stone

[lxvi-gloria]

Drabble Prompt: Post-canon Levi, struggling with chronic pain and mourning his dead loved ones, being visited by his still alive loved ones

Anon, you knew how to talk pretty to me <3

hihi requests are still open btw

I feel like I gotta put a disclaimer or something lmao. So, the length of my drabble requests is usually something between 100-400 words. This request is just an incredibly unexpected exception. it just happened to fit into this idea I already had been thinking of, which was how the remaining 104th would ask Levi to be part of important events in their lives because well, they like the dude lmao, so expect that sort of one-shot soon. Additionally, since I kept reminding myself that this was supposed to be a drabble, I might have glossed over the chronic pain and mourning bits so I'm sorry about that ;;

that being said, 2.4k words of Levi and Gabi be upon ye <3

Now on Ao3!

The angry hissing of the kettle makes him flinch. It brings a loud ringing to his right ear. Instinctively, he places his right hand over it, and gives his ear a couple of gentle taps; it's more of a grounding gesture, a distraction from the buzzing. He usually keeps watch over the kettle, so that he can lower the heat just right before it gets a chance to scream at him. 

He realises then that he must have spaced out while waiting. It’s alright, he thinks. It’s been like that a lot, recently. He’s been like that. Lost in thought-- lost in time, if he allowed himself to be precise. The last days, weeks even, as the temperatures started to drop, blended into each other. There’s a little calendar on his bedside table, it had been a birthday gift from Armin – or had that been Mikasa’s? He isn’t sure, he had received an absurd number of presents from the kids last year, it had been hard to keep track of who gave him what and now the fact escaped him. Turning the pages of the little calendar, with its delicate botanical illustrations on each day, quickly became part of his morning routine, and so he was sure that time was passing at all. The stillness of the routine, he guesses, made him like this.

His vision blurs momentarily while he scoops the tea leaves into the teapot. He squints, trying to will his good eye to focus, but all he gets in return is a throb in his right eye. After putting the tea canister away, he presses the inner sides of his wrists to both eyes, placing just enough pressure to relieve the discomfort. When he opens his eyes again, he is pleased to find he can read the small print on the canister an arm’s length away. 

There’s a loud slam coming from the front of the house, followed by footsteps coming further into the house.

He quickly recognizes the heavy stomping as Gabi’s gait. She’s always been so loud.

Gabi crosses the arch into the small kitchen and dining area. 

“Don’t slam my doors,” he says as a greeting, slowly turning his head to his left side, trying to catch a glimpse of her in his periphery.

“Aye, aye,” the kid waves her hand, shoots him a teasing grin, “someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.”

Levi hums in response but doesn’t say anything else. He busies himself with placing everything they need for their morning tea and coffee on a metal tray on the counter, which Gabi takes from him as soon as it’s ready and sets it on the table.

He grabs his cane from where he had hooked it on one of the kitchen drawers. He has been leaning against the counter, his right leg supporting most of his weight all this time. He braces himself for the sharp pain that will surely surge from his bad knee, through his left hip and up his spine. Cold mornings like this one and being still in one place for long will do that to him. It’s not so bad. It could be worse.

It takes 4 steps to get from the stove to his chair, which Gabi has already pulled out for him. It sits at an angle that allows him to easily slide down on it and rest his right elbow on top of the table, leaning back and against his good side.

“I have something that will cheer you up,” she holds a couple of envelopes in her hand and waves them at him, “You’ve got mail!”

He nods at her in acknowledgement but does not take his attention away from preparing his first batch of tea of the day. There’s a ritual to it, it almost feels like, and he doesn’t want to mess it up. Not when the ringing in his ear is still there, the building pressure in the upper back part of his eyeballs, and the cold air seeping into his bones through his thick jumper. Oh, how he needs a good cup of tea right now.

While Levi waits for it to steep, he grabs the papers that she had shoved in his face, squints his eyes at the first envelope and finds that he is unable to make out much of the handwriting. He brings it closer to his face, squints harder, steals a quick glance across the table and hopes Gabi isn’t paying him any mind, too preoccupied with choosing from the bag of pastries she brought with her. It is with an impassive expression that he hands the stack of envelopes back. 

“Read it for me.” A beat and then he adds, a little reluctant: “Please.”

He knows Gabi prefers coffee in the mornings, and black tea in the evenings, so he makes sure to have a fresh brew of the former whenever he knows she’s coming over; so, with shaky hands, Levi gets to prepare her cup of coffee. While he enjoys the aroma of it, he remains faithful to tea; at first, he thought he didn’t like it because he had butchered his first attempts at brewing it. But even after Onyankopon had taught him how to do it properly and he had enjoyed his cup, it didn’t bring the same comfort as tea. It just never hit the spot.

She shoots him a mischievous grin, “Oh, you sure? What if I read something personal, hm?” 

Levi just shakes his head, scoffing at the idea of Gabi finding his junk mail fascinating.

“Is this how I find out you have a secret lover you’re exchanging raunchy love letters with?” Gabi teases, wiggling her eyebrows at him.

He lets out a tired sigh and rolls his eyes, “just wanna be done with it, ” he stirs the milk into Gabi’s coffee, which now has turned into a cup of milk with coffee. “We have a lot to prepare for tonight.”

She clicks her tongue at him, but still rips the first envelope open, “Mr. Levi, your reading won’t improve if you keep doing that,” she jokingly scolds him.

Although Levi mentally recognises handing her and Falco stuff he couldn’t be bothered reading before, that’s not the case this time. He’ll let her think that for now, though, because he doesn’t want to mention the pressure building in the back of his bad eye, it’s not important and she, a kid, doesn’t need to know his newly found ailment of the week. He can see just fine around him right now. He can see Gabi’s big eyes and playful smile at the other side of the table, and that’s good enough; smaller details, he doesn’t feel he can do them, not without making himself go dizzy with a migraine.

Levi slides the cup of coffee to her and is pleased with himself when she approves of the colour of her drink.

“It’s from Armin,” she announces as she scans the letter. 

From this angle, the soft morning light illuminating her face and thanks to his faulty vision, Gabi’s image stirs his memory. His heart faintly constricts as he is reminded of the many times Hange read their research reports to him during breakfast in the mess hall before presenting them to Erwin. Levi always wondered how they could read so fast, sometimes he even doubted they were actually reading at all, their words barely being able to catch up with her eyes; he never asked about it, maybe reading came easy to them as numbers did to him.

A high-pitched squeal from Gabi startles him, bringing him back to the here and now.

“Oh… ohh, Mr. Levi,” she starts, her smile widening by the second “This is good news!”

Gabi makes a show of clearing her throat and then starts reading “Dear Captain, I hope this letter finds you well and in good health.” 

Levi can’t help but let a sardonic huff at the irony of the greetings but doesn’t let himself be bothered by it. He has written only a handful of personal letters throughout his life, and by now he knows it’s just something you’re supposed to say because jumping straight to the point isn’t acceptable, or so that’s what he had been told. 

Gabi continues reading Armin’s words to him. For the most part, it’s a standard letter coming from him: he asks Levi how he’s dealing with the changing of the seasons, how Gabi and Falco are faring, if business at the tea shop has been good, if there’s anything Levi needs that he can’t get in town so that Armin or the others can get it for him. He tells him a little about the country he’s writing from, he even includes a photograph. Then, after the expected pleasantries, Gabi can barely hold her excitement and starts reading faster, trying so hard not to trip over her words.

“If I’m being sincere, we would prefer to ask you in person,” Gabi stops for a second to look up at him from the paper, gauging for a reaction and finding nothing, she continues. 

Armin apologises for not being able to visit him before the holidays, Annie included, and so it is implied that he won’t be attending tonight’s reunion. 

Sometime during the last five years, the Alliance brats had decided to make showing up at Levi’s doorstep together once a year a sort of custom; the first time it happened was during an early winter, a blizzard had stopped them from leaving Levi’s until the next morning. It had been a really nice evening despite the awful weather, Levi remembers, after everyone pitched in one way or another, they all shared a simple but hearty meal together. It was Connie who jokingly said they should do it every year. The following year, Onyankopon, Gabi and Falco joined them. 

This year would be their fourth, and the first someone wouldn’t make it. That fact sits heavily in Levi’s chest, stealing the spotlight from his throbbing eye.

“...Annie and I have decided to get married. The both of us would like you to officiate our ceremony!” unable to contain her excitement, she tears her eyes away from the paper and looks at Levi. “Huh?! This is good news! What’s with the constipated face?!”

That doesn’t sound right. It figures that Annie and Armin would be the first to marry; in a way, he is happy for them, they clearly care for each other. No, that part is easy to understand. Their union is logical to anyone who knows the couple. What Levi can’t figure out is why they are asking him such a thing.

He clears his throat, assumes it’s been 3 minutes and his tea is ready to be poured and so he distracts himself with that.

When he doesn’t answer Gabi, she picks up where she left off. 

He isn’t… well, he isn’t that close to either of them. He’s sure Annie must have other relatives that could step in his stead. Maybe a brother, a cousin. Even Jean or Reiner would be better options than Levi. He isn’t good with words or people like they are, he couldn’t possibly give them a speech about something foreign to him as it is that kind of love, that’s what people expect, right? His title of Captain is obsolete in this new world, so it can’t be that either. Hell, he has never been to a fucking wedding. 

Just… why him?

As expected, Armin doesn’t really go into the details of their choice but does let Levi know they do not expect a fast answer and that they do not want him to feel pressured to accept it, despite how much it would mean to them if he did. Armin asks if there’s anything in particular that he would like for his birthday, as it is a month away, and closes the letter by saying he looks forward to seeing him and everyone then.

When the letter is closed and put back into its envelope, silence falls around them. For a moment the only sound that can be heard is the clinking of tableware as Levi places the teacup back on its saucer.

It bothers him, that he knows he will be letting Armin down by refusing something that any other well-adapted person would consider an honour. But the thought of embarrassing him and himself, because he gave an awkward, most likely insensitive, speech, mortifies him. No, he can���t put them and their guests through that. He will find a way to make it up to the couple, maybe he can… he doesn’t know yet, but he will come up with something.

As he finishes his first cup, Levi realises that at some point while he was lost in thought, the ringing in his ear has subsided and now it’s back to that muffled, cotton-in-ear sensation he’s used to and he doesn’t feel his eyeball pulsating anymore. Glancing at Gabi, he notices she is trying really hard not to say something, her brow furrowed as she takes a sip of her own drink, followed by a big bite of her pastry. Flakes stick to the corner of her mouth and for once it doesn’t disgust him. Instead, it makes his lips twitch as if going into a smile.

“I can help you... if you want,” she says eventually, sounding uncharacteristically careful and small of her.

Levi quirks an eyebrow “Help? with what?” 

She shrugs, “How to… tell them you don’t want to,” she avoids looking at him for the first time, finding the flakes on her plate more interesting. She shrugs again and tilts her head to the side, a thin line of a smile appearing on her face. “...or prepare for the ceremony.”

Not unlike many times before, Gabi’s words render him speechless, if only for a moment. He spares his tea a glance and he thinks: it’s bold of her to be so upfront about offering her help to him, and had it been any other morning, one where he couldn’t think past the constant ache in his body, he would’ve chewed her head off for simply trying to help him because he himself doesn’t know how to accept that kindness.

This kid is trying her best and he can’t help but feel somewhat proud of that.

“You have shit on your face. Here,” he points to where the flakes would sit on his own face and picks his refilled teacup back up.

Gabi quickly wipes her mouth with the back of her hand, getting most of the flakes off. Levi gives her a thumbs-up with his free hand.

“I’ll think about it,” he finally concedes and tries to ignore the little happy dance she does in her seat.

This time, when the amber liquid touches his lips, it’s remarkably sweeter than before.

[frankiebirds]

hey do you ever think that the reason reid knocks "shave and a haircut" on elle's door is because post-fisher king elle gets nervous when someone knocks on her door because she doesn't know who it is, so reid (or even the whole team) start knocking a pattern. do you ever think about elle checking the peephole anyway. i do.

[canisalbus]

Would you classify Machete as neurodivergent at all? Like in an autistic way? Or is it just the overwhelming ambition, trauma, and anxiety?

I think I've projected so many of my own autistic traits on him over the years, chances are he's at least a little bit on the spectrum.