#literally just barron thoughts

[just1cefor4ll]

Just saw that you take SBG requests! If possible could you do a Tyler oneshot where the reader starts out as Barron’s gf (it’s not going well bc he’s a jerk). Maybe Tyler helping her out of that relationship and just fluff of him being there for her. Bonus points if reader’s in the group!

Tyler Hernández x fem!reader

warnings: swearing, toxic relationship, manipulation

genre: angst(??) but mostly fluff

A/N: hope this doesn’t look rushed lmao I tried my best :,)

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

You’ve been dating Barron for a few months now, you wanted to give him a chance, thinking he would be different towards someone he actually loved, or so you thought he did. It started off as a normal relationship, he was sweet, took you out on dates, but now you realize that was just a trick so he could wrap you around his finger. You tried leaving several times, but you learned from your mistakes and didn’t think it was worth the bruises you would get. You. just had to pull through! Right?

You met Ashlyn and the other after you started dating Barron. They were really hesitant to let you in the group, thinking you were just trying to lure Logan into doing things for Barron like before, but they quickly relized you weren’t the type of person to do those types of things. You were complete opposites; he was manipulative, mean, and just a total jerk, while you were kind, truthful and calm unlike Barrons short temper. Everyone in the group was questioning how you even managed to be in a relatiomship with such an idiot but you brushed off the comments and told them he was different in private, which was a lie. Well if they asked this a few months back it wouldn’t have been a lie, but I guess people like Barron fairly change quickly. It was a few weeks after you started hanging out with the group that your situation with Barron worsened. To say that he was upset you were hanging out with the group that literally BEAT UP him and his little minions was an understatement. He would start beating you, yelling at you; “Oh so I’m not enough for you you fucking whore?” “You think you can just run off and think they will solve your problems for you?” But right after he would put up this kind facade, hugging you close, whispering sweet nothings into your ear and playing with your hair; “I’m sorry love, you know I get angry.. it’s just that..” Just endless excuses that you fell for, so you stayed.

The group quickly noticed your bruised figure; “Oh I’m fine, I was playing with my brother and fell!” or “I bumped into the side of a table this morning because I was in a hurry!” Everyone seemed to believe you except Tyler. He eyes you the whole lunch break, even during class. You glance at him every now and then and your mind starts to race; “What if he knows?” You think to yourself and look at Barron who like always wasn’t paying attention at all and would ask for you to do his work for him. You roll your eyes and decide this class doesn’t deserve your attention so you lay your head down on your desk and drift off.

The sound of the bells jolts you awake and you groan, gathering your stuff and go to leave the classroom. You feel a hand on your shoulder; “Leave me al—” “Come meet me after school, i’ll be waiting in front of the gates.” You hear from behind you and recognize the voice as Tylers. You nod and leave the class immediately, praying Barron didn’t see your little interaction.

The day went by dreadfully slow and you counted down the minutes when the last bell finally rang. The hallways were crowded with angsty teens and pick me whores who couldn’t wait to get drunk on a Friday night. You push your way through the mob of people and go to the gate where Tyler said he would be. You see Barron and his minions in the crowd of people and you sprint towards Tyler, grabbing him by the wrist and pull him towards the nearby coffee shop you had near your school. After you believe your put of sight you slow down, walking in silence. “Um, you can let go now?” Tyler says, pointing to his wrist. “Oh yeah, right.. sorry.” You look away, putting your hands in your hoodies pocket. Tyler raised a brow, it was mid May and it was getting hot out, every girl at school was either in tank tops, shorts, or dresses. He pushes the thoughts aside and opens the coffee shops door, letting you in first. You sit down in one of the more secluded spots in the shop and place your bag down.

“Soo.. whats up?” You ask, ordering a refreshing drink. Tyler just looks at you, eyes furrowed and arms crossed over his chest. “I know what you told us today was just a load of bull.” He says in a stern voice, having a “if you lie to me I’ll personally jump over this table and smack you” face.

“What do you mean? Are you implying anything?” You smile innocently, fiddling with your fingers under the table. He raised a brow, and hums; “Maybe I am.” He says and stays quiet after thar, staring you down, making you shift in your seat. You clear your throat and finish your drink, standing up; “Well if you don’t wanna discuss anything, i’ll be leaving—” You get cut off by getting tugged back by your wrist. You sigh and turn around, looking down at the ground not wanting to meet his harsh stare. He sighs and lifts your chin to look up at him, his gaze softening just a bit. “Wha—” He pulls you into a hug and you freeze, the new form of affection taking you by suprise. You hesitantly hug him back, feeling a bit awkward hugging him in a coffee shop but you pushed the thought away. He grabs your wrist and pulls you from the coffee shop; “I know that relationship between you and the hijo de puta isn’t healthy hermosa.” He says letting go of your wrist, looking away from you and kicking rocks he had in his way. You sigh, contemplating if you should say anything, the things that Barron had told you haunting you everywhere you went. “I don’t know what your talking about.” You say and Tyler rolls his eyes; “Yeah right, you got that bruised cheek and eye from chasing your cousins riiight yep that explains it!” He says sarcastically and crosses his arms over his chest; “Really Y/N let me or the others help you, we aren’t blind, the others just didn’t wanna be pushy and force you to say anthing.” He says as you both walk to the park, only a few minutes away from the coffee shop.

He sits you down on the bench and towers over you, glaring right at you. “Come on we just wanna help, well at least I do, come on cariño, let me help you.” He says and sits down next to you. You look at him in disbelief, maybe you could finally get out of Barrons torturous grasp? But what if he would keep bothering you? What if he hurts your friends? Your eyes water and you hug Tyler, sobbing into his shoulder; “I’m scared Ty, I really am.” You choke on your sobs, shaking uncontrollably while Tyler rubs your back soothingly. “Aw Y/N don’t cry hermosa.. it’ll be fine.. I promise.” He says, cupping your cheeks and wipes away your tears. You smile softly, finally calming down from your little nervous breakdown. “Thanks Ty..” He nods in acknowledgment and puts an arm around your shoulder, bringing you closer to him.

You rest your head on his shoulder and talk with him for what feels like hours, explaining your situation with Barron and how he has been treating you. Tyler listens, only commenting a few times since he didn’t wanna interrupt you and make you feel like he doesn’t care. Oh he did care, more than you could imagine. He’s been a bit overprotective of you since you joined the group, always protecting you from bullies you didn’t even know you had because Tyler always kept their mouths shut.

The next day you texted Barron to meet you at the school gate, which he did. “Hey babe whats up?” He smirks and wraps an arm around your shoulder. You give him a disgusted look and shake him off, stepping away and try to keep your distance from him. Tyler was watching the whole scene unfold, promising you that if things got out of hand that he would intervene. “Barron I think we should—” He cuts you off and glares at you; “Oh so that’s what this is about? We already talked about this you fucking bi—” While he was rambling, you didn’t even notice Tyler walking up to him and punching him right in the nose, an awful cracking sound being heard seconds later. “She said what she said estúpido, now leave her alone.” Tyler holds your hand in his, pulling you away from the now bleeding boy. Barron knew better then to mess with Tyler so he just cursed under his breath, leaving you alone. You walk into the boys bathroom that people rarely went to since people thought it was “haunted” and he grabs you by the shoulders looking at you with a worried expression.

“Y/N are you okay?” He asks, concern evident in his voice. You look up at him and pull him into a hug, having the biggest smile on your face. You mumble like a hundred thank you’s, and pull away from the hug. “Thank you so much Tyler, you don’t know how much you helped me.” You say and kiss his cheek. “I know this won’t make up for the problems I causes you but—” You get cut off by soft lips on yours, leaving you stunned. You close your eyes and kiss back, wrapping your arms around his neck while his arms travel down to your waist. Your lips move in sync, like you were just made for each other and pulled apart for breath. Tyler smiles down at you and kisses your forehead and smirks; “I’ll need a few more of these~” He leans down to kiss you again, a finger on his lips stopping him. “First of all, take me out on a date.” You smile innocently and head to your class, leaving Tyler to plan your date for the rest of the day.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

[erenfox]

RANKING SBG SHIPS BECAUSE LOKI GAVE US ALL FREE WILL 🗣🗣🗣🔥🔥🔥

Aidlyn/Ashden: good lord the chemistry. the 'he fell first but she fell harder' trope. the lil gestures by aiden. him annoying tf out of her but also becoming very caring when she's hurt. I'M SO CALM RN GUYS. and the fact that them ending up together is inevitable lmfao XD 9/10

Benlor: FUCKKK IM SERIOUSLY NOT OK THESE TWO ARE JUST SO PURE AND SWEET TO EACH OTHER. ESPECIALLY TAYLOR TOWARDS HIM, cuz he kinda suppresses his feelings and is a sad boi :( dw ben taylor's gonna make you feel happy again fosho lmao 😭 the lil blushing ben always does around taylor! her supporting his ideas even tho they flop! her helping him calm down from barron through music! her always cheering him up whenever he's gloomy! her being the first to thank him for opening up! THEY'RE LITERALLY THE DEFINITION OF SHE FELL FIRST BUT HE FELL HARDER! GOD IM SO NORMAL ABOUT THEM 😭😭😭 10/10

Tylenol/Tylo: i never thought of the prospect of them together, but post tumblr i must say its interesting. not just them being the single ones in the team, but i like the way tyler defended logan against barron, and his general protective aura around logan. but then again tyler was kinda rude to logan in the start. idk it just gives me the ick 4/10

Tyden: LMAO the continuous saga of them pissing tf out of each other. it would be fuckin hilarious if they somehow end up together. but apart from the general hilarious bickering, there's not too much to it 5/10

Tayden: goddamn their friendship is so precious!! her painting his nails? her carrying him on his shoulders in dat one artwork?PURE BESTIE VIBES they just match each other's freak lmfao. 8/10

Logden: meh there are not any significant moments between these two. 1/10

Loglor/Taygan: no but why can i actually see this happening lol. the way theyre both so gentle around each other! then the way she was the first to help him when he got slashed by the phantom? and also the way she stood up for him when tyler was being rude? AND the lil hugs they give each other which none of the duos in the gang give? Cute af! 7/10

Benlyn: ooh the two quiet people of the gang! they could work out really well bcoz they definitely understand each other's struggles with muteness and phantom hearing respectively. plus that panel of ben braiding ashlyn's hair was so cute lmao :> 7/10

Loglyn: AAA they have sm potential!!! before the events of yk the whole ✨sAvAnNaH✨ mess, i feel like they wouldve been each other's only existing acquaintance they may call friends (ik it's not canon but it's very plausible lol) 6/10

Benlo/Logben: theyd definitely be good together, it's just that my sbg memory is failing to recall any significant moments b/w them ;-; if y'all remember pls do tell 2/10

Tyben: what is with the hernandez siblings always ending up being bens biggest supporters lmao XD it's a cute dynamic honestly 4/10

Taylyn: now this is one freakin adorable ship TvT. the way taylor always had a slight pang of concern for a friendless lonely ashlyn when they were kids? and the way they quite frankly became besties after enduring all the phantom world shit? very sweet, both platonic and romantic lmao 6/10

Tylyn/Ashler: i have been usurped into the tylyn propaganda by @tragedry honestly I DO NOT COMPLAIN. like holy fuck they're so enemies to lovers! them "loathing" each other, fighting for leadership, but then immediately becoming possibly the biggest protectors of each other in times of danger??? extremely wholesome lmao i love them smmm 9/10

SO THE TOP SHIPS ARE:

4. tie b/w TAYGAN and BENLYN (the rarepairs that just make sense) 😌👌

3. TAYDEN (the crack ship) 😈🔥🥉

2. tie b/w TYLYN and AIDLYN (the wholesome ships) 😍❗🥈

1. BENLOR (THE PUREST SWEETEST MOST ADORABLE GOOFS EVERR I-) ����❤🥇

[orpitafish]

the phantomlyn theory cause i am. Insane.

As seen in the comic, it's made very apparent that the children are becoming increasingly connected to the phantoms. However Ashlyn's connection is. INSANELY DIFFERENT than the other kids. She's been able to hear the phantom dimension for YEARS. Ashlyn is quite literally a cursed child. However in recent chapters she seems to suddenly switch to a separate personality. One with a big grin and one that I suspect has BEEN there.��

Ashlyns phantom alter ego originally shows up way back when season two first started weekly uploads. While the phantom theory is pretty solid, I believe that this wasn't just something that the series started to hint at during the current season, but rather WAY back during the original canvas uploads of the series. While it's hard enough to find any canvas content due to it being practically wiped off the universe, There was a small bit of canvas art of Ashlyn looking oddly phantom-like. (Yes, I know using the canvas version as evidence isn't exactly a smoking gun, but they have the same premise. LET ME COOK.)

It's also worth noting that while each kid seems to be turning into a phantom, Ashlyn is the only one who seems to switch between the two at random notices. The other kids strange phantom versions only show up when they've died in the phantom world, which Ashlyn CLEARLY hasn't done. Ashlyn's phantom alter ego really only shows up as some sort of protective mechanism, which isn't the same with the others.

If I had to guess, her phantom version has been with her since the very beginning of the time loops in the phantom dimension, maybe even earlier. She seems to forget anything she thinks while her phantom side is out aswell, implying she's only semi-conscious during these strange switches. 

While none of these are true smoking guns, another piece of evidence I found was in the official SBG playlists made by red herself. While most songs are simply to fit the thriller theme of the comic, others seem to be hints to direct characters. Happy Face, for example, hinting at Aiden. However there's one song that stood out to me, that of which being Two Face by Jake Daniels. Any FNAF fan would recognize this song from that one sun and moon animation, however it being in the official SBG playlist... is a little strange. This could simply be implying any of the kids, but it doesn't really make sense. While the fight with Barron and his friends imply that the kids are slowly turning INTO phantoms, the times they actually switch into phantom-like personalities are by death. Ashlyn is currently the only one who experiences a complete personality switch without dying at all. 

This being said, Ashlyn's weird connection to the phantom dimension, and the fact that she was stated by Jasmine to have a huge connection with the rift. (Her connection also seemed to keep the group from becoming comatose when they were first dragged into the rift aswell.) leads me to believe that Ashlyn's weird alter ego has always been with her, however wasn't able to have a stable enough connection to take over Ashlyn until they became stuck in the phantom dimension.

In my opinion, Ashlyn's Phantom alter ego doesn't seem to be exactly evil. She literally saves Ashlyn's life and seems to cut out any negative thoughts Ashlyn may be having. (Reference to when Ashlyn lightly contemplates self-unaliving only for Phantomlyn to jump in like 3 panels later.)

Yes this was written bad it's currently 12am and i wrote this on my ipad. Take screenshots of evidence with my written commentary

[constantlytired101]

Unpopular arcane opinions I have ( might add more if I think of )

•Vi suffered as much as jinx if not even more in the time skip between act 1 and act 2 in S1

•Sevika isn’t motherly and the way people portray her as motherly for jinx and how much she loved her is BS , when she literally hated her in S1 “you’re as good for our cause as you were for your family”

She only started caring for jinx when she was useful for Zaun

Plus she was more than ready to beat up 15 yr old Vi so I can’t see her as someone who cares about children.

•Season 2 having jinx be portrayed as a hero by all of Zaun is Bs along with her parallel with Vander.

When she was Silco’s loose canon for years and killed the firelights and anyone who stood in Silco’s path

Having the firelights forgive her immediately and painting her as a hero , BS.

Zaun isn’t united politically , soo where’s the divide?!

Why isn’t jinx condemned for those actions?

• Vi absolutely should not kill Caitlyn at the end of S1 , Cait was innocent, Vi killing her is supporting jinx extremely Violent behaviour.

•Vi was 100% right on not taking powder for the rescue mission.

•Vi being a lesbian is not solid enough reason for her to go from 0 to 100 with Caitlyn

Vi was reduced to just LESBIAN, no other personality.

•Renni has every right to want to avenge her child

But I condemn her for making her child work in the factory when she’s a Chem Barron who has money and power. That little boy doesn’t have to work there.

•Vi CHOSE jinx every single time in S1 and jinx pushed her away ( not on purpose) cause she thought Vi didn’t chose her.

• if Sevika knew of the deal between Silco and Jayce , that jinx was the price for independence, she would have agreed

In S2 she doesn’t agree cause giving them jinx will only get Piltover of their back a bit, Not give them independence or any real change

[corpseidol]

Hola, I'm back for more food. Can I request a poly sbg (again.) with a fem reader who is like Wonyoung from Ive (and she's an undercover singer and they all find out because they searched up her group name because they heard people *cough cough *Barron* talking about her (yummy)

BEHIND AN IMAGE

author’s note : i dont think wony knows how to play guitar expertly but let’s ignore that ok? (IM SO SCARED THAT THIS IS COMPLETE ASS)

concept : sbg with fem!reader similar to wonyoung

genre : fluff, little angst, hcs + drabble

content : fem!reader, mild use of curse words, reader is a kpop idol!!

small hints

⠀ › ⠀aiden most likely found notepads and random papers with song lyrics when he visited you

⠀ › ⠀ben has heard your singing voice, but you never revealed that you were a famous singer. you have sung for him a few times.

⠀ › ⠀ben blushes when you compliment his plays on the guitar

⠀ › ⠀the whole group has heard you humming and singing a few lyrics when they play songs but the only people who’ve heard you sing a whole song was most likely ashlyn and ben

⠀ › ⠀when taylor hears your singing, she suggested you should become a singer (you couldn’t help but giggle at that)

⠀ › ⠀tyler falls asleep listening to your singing but he’d never openly admit that

⠀ › ⠀you have karaoke with taylor

⠀ › ⠀logan did karaoke with you and taylor (him and soft music would be adorbs)

⠀ › ⠀ben would eventually find out about the notepads that aiden found and would find them fascinating when he reads them

barron

⠀ › ⠀has put you in many situations where you could get exposed

⠀ › ⠀you’ve had many fights exchanging that you would both leave each other alone just for barron to do something and bother you again

⠀ › ⠀claims that he won’t hold anything against you at the end of the fight but literally has tons of stuff kept to himself when he wants to do something you clearly will not enjoy

⠀ › ⠀barron genuinely believes you don’t trust the group and holds it against you very much

⠀ › ⠀doesn’t exactly “bully” you for it. he holds pride that he has a classmate who’s an idol, however, has disrespected your boundaries multiple times.

finding out

⠀ › ⠀barron’s loud ass and terrible lying. that’s basically it.

⠀ › ⠀when the group saw your situation with barron, tyler was going to step up until they started overhearing about some career (he figured he would talk more about it later. first he had to get rid of the trash!)

⠀ › ⠀ashlyn : honestly started connecting all the dots (at first she told herself “i won’t be surprised if she turns out to be a singer” but she’s slightly surprised honestly

⠀ › ⠀taylor : had to process it for a few minutes before going like “can you do a high note?”

⠀ › ⠀aiden : “that’s what the notepads were for.” honestly shocked but not shocked at the same time. prob would start to encourage you to do a high note along with taylor. (would also look at some concept pics of you and just show ben.)

⠀ › ⠀tyler : questioning his life. has no idea what emotion he’s feeling. no idea how to express it. just standing there with a funny look on his face.

⠀ › ⠀logan : surprised but totally hyped about it, finds it cool.

⠀ › ⠀ben : surprised but not in a “woah!! i would’ve never thought about that!!” or “what.. what the fuck..” type of way. more in a “wow.” then a pause “awesome.”

extras

⠀ › ⠀ben is slightly envious of you. he thinks of his childhood when he hears you sing.

⠀ › ⠀i’m not sure if lily was alive/able to remember when ben was still able to sing since she seems wayyy younger. if that’s the case then she would still see ben in you. she likes to think that you’re ben’s lost voice.

⠀ › ⠀after finding out, ashlyn would love to watch you dance practice

⠀ › ⠀the group teases you about anything related to aegyo

ashlyn

“i didn’t think you could do that first try.” ashlyn stared, watching you stretch your body similarly to the way she does it herself. “there’s a lot more than this i could do.” you softly replied, getting up from your position.

the twins

taylor and tyler were on your sides, their head on your shoulders as you sung a soft tune. tyler was trying hard not to fall asleep but closed his eyes for a few minutes, relaxing against you. taylor smiled at this, intertwining your hands with hers “your voice is still beautiful as ever.” she complimented. you rubbed your thumb gently against hers as acknowledgment, continuing to sing.

logan + ben

you hummed a gorgeous tune, walking around with ben’s hand wrapped in yours. logan was tending to his plants while you listened to ben’s music with him. to not leave out logan, you began to sing along to the lyrics.

ben (ft. taylor)

as ben watched you perfectly sing your part in the karaoke with taylor, he stared at you with admiration, and, at the same time, gloom. a thought popped in his head that if he never lost his voice, he could be able to sing along with you. he pushed away those thoughts, clenching his pants as he tried to keep a smile on his face.

aiden

“i think you looked rad here.” aiden said, holding up his phone in front of you. you giggled softly “i loved that concept.” you admired the picture. aiden continued to scroll through pictures of you. at the same time, he couldn’t help but wonder about how you never told the group. so did the others.

[tinywitchdraws]

Modern AU head-canons for these Dune characters:

Feyd Rautha

Glossu Rabban

Piter de Vries.

ohh okay this is interesting. I am not really that used to headcannons/ AUs, as I'm honestly new to engaging with fanfic in general so my apologies in advance if it doesn't totally fit, but here are my headcannons and ideas for how I'd do a modern AU with these characters.

Feyd Rautha:

Feyd Rautha is the heir apparent to a large spice mining company- in this case, you could substitute an oil or mining company for modern AU. The company culture is highly toxic, but Feyd likes that. He's known to churn through interns and keeps a non-existent sleep schedule.

His overall dynamic is finance bro meets basically any character from succession (think a slightly more financially literate Roman Roy). He buys luxury items just to fit in, however he has just enough taste so that it actually works. He considers most of these purchases a waste of money, but also his right and/or part of the job as heir.

As part of the Baron's inner circle, he has knowledge of most of the company's inner workings and takes great personal pride in digging up as much information as possible on the people he doesn't already control. He will often go to conferences and events just to get a read on competition. He secretly longs for someone to take that kind of an interest in him, but no one has just yet- many still think that he's too young and unpredictable to inherit.

After all- there is that rumor that he tried to kill the Baron.

Glossu Rabban

If Feyd is the more of a Roman Roy, Rabban is Conor. He had ambitions at the company which ended in failure, and has been reassigned to lobbying. Rabban is attempting to trade off of his industry connections to get into politics, if he can. He's aware his current position is tenuous at best and that he might need to make his own career. As the family industry is regulated, everyone basically hates this pipe dream of a career ambition. His moves are too obvious and clumsy, and he often tries to influence someone only to find that Feyd has already discussed the business with them. He's not a total failure, but his family just doesn't appreciate any success outside of financial success.

Piter de Vries

Piter is a math genius that works in data modeling and analytics. The Barron and Feyd love that he makes them money, however he's abrasive personality wise. He's known to use a myriad of drugs recreationally and at work, just because solving the same problems sober is too boring for him. The company has tried to hire assistants that can help him or at least explain his reports palatably, but he insists on doing the work himself and his own data models for fun in C. Not C++, C. The entire department rests on his shoulders and the Baron is weighing if Piter is worth putting up with. He gets the work of a department done on one salary, but also insists on making MILF jokes about lady Jessica basically any time she's within his zip code.

Would love to know your thoughts <3 Thanks for this ask!

[preblesboys]

Since it’s taking me like 10 million years to draw Preble’s Boys as animals, here’s the list that I’ll eventually get to.

The Man himself Edward Preble: Polar bear Isaac Hull: Otter (originally Winnie the Pooh for cuddly reasons) Jacob Jones: Barn owl (he gives me the Owl from Winnie the Pooh vibes; intelligent and friendly but dude is literally in his own world) Stephen Decatur: American Water Spaniel (the goodest boi in the whole damn American Navy!) William Bainbridge: Persian cat (pathetic wet cat syndrome) James Lawrence: Sacrificial lamb from the Chesapeake lmao! Isaac Chauncey: Beaver (He’s a builder) David Porter: Wolverine (bro just wants to fight somebody!) William Burrows: Porcupine (he’s a bit touchy….) Lewis Warrington: Mr. Peacock Man James Biddle: Mink (don’t touch his mink fur coat people!) Charles Stewart: Fennce fox (I thought he was a redhead this whole time but guess not? Also he’s a bit sly) Thomas Macdonough: Northern Cardinal (absolutely for religious reasons) Daniel Todd Patterson: Chipmunk (adorable and resourceful)

Major side characters under cut

John Rodgers: Wild cat (Edward Preble’s rival)

James Barron: White tailed deer (Stephen Decatur’s complicated Virginian acquaintance. Look up the scientific name)

Oliver Hazard Perry: Osprey (let’s face it, a cool bird of prey)

Samuel Evans: Fruit bat (don’t believe them when they say Evans was bat shit crazy)

Johnston Blakeley: Magpie (I originally thought he was a “Preble’s Boy” but found out he never served with Preble but with Rodgers.)

William M. Crane: You guessed it (Lewis Warrington’s mildly annoying brother in law. A Preble’s Boy but for a crane symbolizing good fortune, bro has the opposite of that.)

Washington Irving: Coyote (David Porter’s smart ass bestie)

Charles Morris: Iguana (not a cold blooded reptile; just observant and no nonsense)

Richard Somers: Poodle (there was puppy love once upon a time)

John and Robert Henley: Eagles solely for “The Eagles” joke (Don Henley) “Preble’s Boys” and Martha Washington’s nephews. *I’m convinced they knew Lewis Warrington since all three grew up in Williamsburg VA. HC all three attended William and Mary together but the brothers aren’t exactly friends with Warrington; more like coldly polite. Lewis Warrington had somewhat of a rough time growing up since his mother wasn’t married when she had him and the townspeople looked down on her even before him.*

[theallianceofcelestials]

You're correct, I didn't realize how obvious it was. But the thing is B-nova that was taken in by either family isn't really B-nova, because B-nova dies with killcode long before v3 and v4 eclipse come back. B-nova would never have been alone enough to go with and stay with either sea or mirror family, but there is one nova who would. Remember there are four versions and I only told you about three, I did that on purpose. What sea and mirror family adopted is the infection nova, either death star or barren because novas are the death of stars and you know.

What causes them to figure that out is very specific, if the family were to leave or be unable to be found when this nova is scared or in distress they start to break down.

Now to give some information this nova lived by not going to live with killcode but they went with ruin, with an odd eclipse, and so was reunited with his brother and wasn't killed. When eclipse leaves this nova becomes unstable and clingy but also very hateful, nova was raised by V1 eclipse they are in a way an eclipse and have issues with being abandoned and left behind. When everyone is dead and gone they become despondent and like any ten year old with nobody they become scared. And in such a state they have less reason to fight if found and taken by the creator and experimented on, and at some point the creator gets his hands on dark star energy and now he has the perfect little experiment right here. I got this idea from a Nexus gets brought back sort of thing where the dark star power is like a parasite that slowly takes control with my own little elements. So nova slowly gets corrupted and pushed to the back of his own mind and is so depressed and scared they just don't fight it, now for my little twist on it at some point when the infection finishes the original hosts soul gets pushed out of the body but can't leave like a literal shadow or ghost ever their shoulders which is when they dark star power realizes they weren't the original they just have the memories and thought they were. And so nova and the infection both seem themselves as nova, lonely scared and mentally still so young, and they bond.

Now back to sea and mirror, when the nova they knew isn't the original it's the infection they just wouldn't probably be able to tell because it infects the spirit and mind not the body and the original can hide themselves in the joints of what was once their body, when put in a situation where they think they've been abandoned and left behind again they spiral and memories and emotions come up and the original soul nova comes out to try and comfort them but would also end up in the same panicked lost in the past state. (imma call the original dead star because he pretty much is deadand the infection as Barron) So what either family would find would be 'nova' with a shadowy silhouette clinging to/standing over them. The two are still in a way nova their anger the same and so it's bound that some of the word they say in this state, when they see eclipse or even solar in this state because of how similar to eclipse he probably seems to the two ten year olds going through a panic attack and flashbacks to be enough like eclipse and not solar to lash out, and that's when they shout and let out all their pain and hurt. the crossed out bits are Barron(the infection controlling the body) but it's both of them pretty in sync both hurting both scared. They wouldn't attack, nova would never really hurt their father not on purpose. Once both, or just Barron, calms and realizes where they are and that this isn't their eclipse they feel bad and panic. **This isn't who we're angry at why did we do that? We didn't mean it please don't leave us, please still care.** Dead star would fade back into a sort of mist and hide in the joints again and Barron would panic and bolt off, both feeling horrible for yelling at them because they aren't the ones who hurt them they didn't deserve their anger

-🩸

That would actually change how the SCPs act around Nova, even if they're not aware of it. Like Killcode could maybe sense something's up, even if he's not fully aware he's sensing something. Probably Lunar too as a nod to canon, and because he does have his star powers even if it's something they think is just a form of magic.

So this info rewrites stuff a bit, cuz Lunar would feel iffy around them and KC would probably go "Hmmmm" without his own notice, so he might be a bit more careful around Nova like this too. Even if it manifests differently in the two SEA Killcodes

But to the shouting part, I can tell you very easily that Eclipse and Solar would be both uncomfortable with being referred to as daddy, even if they recognise this as a panic attack. So they'd act differently afterwards because of major discomfort, and might become slightly avoidant.

Solar would alsio become uncomfortable, because while Nova doesn't say it out loud, it's still implied they're speaking to Eclipse. And that's his deadname, with his current name being dropped as something negative in the outburst. He might feel like he needs to avoid them especially

Eclipse on the other hand might be angry, even if he won't take it out on a kid/kids. He's going to be bitter about being saddled with the sins of another just because he has the same name (which is why he feels especially sympathetic towards V3 and V4 Eclipse). So he might avoid them because of anger and hurt. Like he understands, but he also thought he stood out enough from the kid's dad by this point for this to not happen

So yeah, both Solar and Eclipse feel bad now :D

[thatoneluckybee]

OKAY THOUGHTS TIME

This should be more coherent than last weeks where I lost my mind since this episode feels more like a lead-up to the drama rather than the drama itself. Which is exciting!

It’s 6:48 A.M. and they’re heading to school…. y’all I keep forgetting it’s been less than 48 hours since Tyler got kebabed. It’s been well over a year real-time so it’s so easy to forget these kids literally get NO break.

They all look so exhausted :(

Rest In Pieces Logan’s Glasses. He looks terrifying without them, but glad he has contacts. Makes me wonder, will they be broken or intact in the Phantom World? I think they’ll be intact since (if I remember correctly been a few weeks since I’ve reread) once they interact with an object in Phantom World, the Real World stops affecting it. Like the jeep. Also, are we gonna get contacts Logan from now on, will he get a new style of glasses, or will he just replace the lenses in a few episodes? (Also that hurt as a Glasses User who does not wear them as often as she technically needs to I don’t like them sensory eueuhhj. They must be SO expensive)

Again, WHERE IS AIDEN’S MADRE?

Ryan following them again… go away sir.

I can’t tell if Mike was glancing back because he notices Ryan’s car following them or if he was just checking on the Graveyard Gang… but I wouldn’t put it past him to notice they’re being trailed. He’s very observant.

Okay little screaming moment… HDJKWHBJKHJIHJWI THAT PANEL KILLED ME (Everyone looks so DONE and ANGRY and EXHAUSTED and the collective “No.” was GREAT. And then we have Ben looking like a troubled cat that’s just… disappointed. It’s cracking me up)

Logan likes french toast and Taylor likes egg and sausage biscuits, noted.

BARRON GET YO CRUSTY HINEY AWAY BEFORE I SMACK YOU WITH A FLYSWATTER YOU P E S T

They all looked SO COOL telling those losers off. It hurts so much to see how resilient they’ve gotten, honestly. At the start of the series they would’ve been scared or crying, now they’re just mildly irked. They’ve witnessed horrors. (Also boy RUN Ben is about to go FERAL on you)

Logan is scaring me. If they are turning into phantoms, he’s turning fast. It seems triggered by negative emotions…. that could be why Logan and Taylor seem the most affected right now?

Ashlyn is breaking my heart but I’m still so proud of her. Sucks HOW she’s learned to open up but seeing her now compared to the beginning is insane. Purposely avoiding ANY human contact and relationships to dead-seriously asking Logan to stay with her. I love how much she’s grown. And her hand was shaking… she’s getting good at being more vulnerable too!

Barron doin’ the little “I’M WATCHING YOU” sign is too funny to me— AND TAYLOR DOES IT BACK UYHIGYHIGYH I MISSED THAT THE FIRST READ

I WAS FEHWJFRIHIGUJ I NEEEEEED THE MR THOMAS LORE NOW. HOW DOES HE KNOW? Okay actually I have a few possible theories:

He is a part of or has encountered the crane organization. I still can’t still if the origami on his desk was symbolism, foreshadowing, or both.

He’s got eye bags. Could be natural (like mine) or… could Mr. Thomas also be in the Phantom World? Or he was when he was younger? If so, he would be REALLY valuable as an asset for our group. If he was when he was a high schooler as well but escaped that could help too. Now I’m just ITCHING for lore

AUGH I love Red’s pacing but it’s so annoying at the same time. I can TELL we as a collective are staring to figure things out (and as a collective I mean everyone on Tumblr and the Webtoon comments) but we literally just don’t have enough information to fill in the blank spaces without wild guessing. And we have SOME answers but we don’t know what questions they answer yet. Does get me SUPER pumped for the future of the series though!

EDIT: BUZZCUT’S NAME IS RYAN THANK YOU @planetarymesss

[forever-fan]

All I want in life is for one of the people in charge of Dragons Rising to just look up and say, "How about we show good Oni? You know, kind of like how Nya met a good djinn."

Mystake was proof full-blooded Oni can be good. The FSM was proof that half-Oni beings can be good. Wu, Lloyd, and Sensei Garmadon were always proof that any descendant of an Oni could be good.

Why have we demonized a whole species just because their power is 'destruction?' Wouldn't it be cool to teach kids that destruction isn't always a bad thing? Sometimes, things must be torn down to make way for new things.

We could also show that creation isn't always good. Creation and multiplication are the causes of disease and illness. An abundance of unchecked creation can lead to overpopulation. Creation isn't perfect.

Just, wouldn't it be cool to show that maybe the Omega was a dictator and have the other Oni stage a rebellion? Wouldn't it be nice to teach kids about corrupt societies, so they know to blame the people in power, rather than the ones forced to act out the orders?

I suggest we reuse some aspects from earlier seasons:

There have been many corrupt leaders in Ninjago: Pythor, Lord Garmadon (mainly season 2), Chen, Nadakhan, Krux and Acronix (literally disposed of their generals), Emperor Garmadon, Iron Barron, Aspheera, Ice Emperor (he was manipulated, but still), Vangelis, and Kalmaar.

Why not add the Omega to that list by having at least one Oni mention that he treats them like disposable weapons rather than people with thoughts and emotions?

We've seen rebellions against cruel leaders before, no matter how small the act: Skylor (betrayed her father to be good), Flintlocke and Dogshank (rebelled against Nadakhan even though he was practically all-powerful), The Resistance (technically, Emperor Garmadon was their dictator), Faith/Heavy Metal and later all of Iron Barron's hunters, Vania (pulled a Skylor), The Upply (were technically contracted by Vangelis and still fought against him), and Bentho (his brother was his king by law).

It would be so easy to have an arc or even a spinoff about the Oni getting tired of the Omega dragging them from realm to realm and finally deciding to rebel.

We have watched the Serpentine prove that they aren't born evil and were instead taking actions on the grounds of warfare and/or revenge for being trapped underground for at least 40 years for the 'crime' of being the enemy of the winning side.

Would it be hard to show a similar thing with the Oni? Wouldn't it be interesting if the war stemmed from miscommunication and a lack of understanding between two vastly different cultures? Maybe neither side was 'evil' back when it all began.

We watched characters accept hard truths about themselves: Zane realizing he was a nindroid and Cole coming to terms with being a ghost are the easiest to name.

Why did we decide to make a main character deny his heritage? Is that not a bad message to kids? "Oh yes, if you are descended from this set of people we don't like, then you need to never accept that as part of you." Would it not be better to show Lloyd using his Oni abilities for good rather than shutting them out entirely?

We've seen minor stereotyping within Ninjago: I once again direct your attention to the Serpentine.

Why not hammer in the fact that stereotypes are bad and often wrong by showing nice Oni who use their powers of destruction for good. Ones who change the environment to better others.

I am on my hands and knees begging for anything Oni related where the Oni are shown to be more than just evil demons of destruction who obviously hate everything and everyone. I don't think that's too much to ask.

Since we're talking about Oni recently I wanna mention something that I find interesting

The Oni that we see in March of the Oni, don't they look... sickly to you?

Baggy skin that is practically hanging off of them, all throughout their bodies. This is strange, isn't it? It's especially interesting considering the other Oni we see, Mystake:

See her? She's perfectly healthy! And we can't say this is age because of the fact that she's probably just as old as the rest of the Oni. She was around all the way back before Ninjago was created and was hired to assassinate the First Spinjitzu Master. Meaning that she was most likely one of the stronger Oni at the time.

This isn't just something Mystake has either, Garmadon also doesn't have this bagginess!

So the question is, what caused these Oni to become so sickly, so unhealthy? They're powerful, able to spread destruction through a giant mist. Isn't that odd though, that they're able to do this? I mean, Garmadon and Mystake don't as far as we've seen.

My theory is because the Oni have embraced destruction fully.

Looking back at what we see of the Oni prior to their introduction in Season 10, we see that they have made multiple things. The temple, the masks, the stronghold in the first realm. Do you see a pattern here?

THEY CREATE!

They make temples, structures, and build civilizations! Sure the purpose is for war but it's still creation! They make things, they do the very opposite of what they apparently embody. They even carve pictures into their walls, making maps and telling stories, they clearly weren't just purely beings of destruction. They had a system of hierarchy based on the Oni masks being worn by Warlords.

The Oni most likely lost the war against the dragons, based on the fact that they had to flee their home realm and that there's not a single sign of one in Season 9. Now what would a war mongering species do in response to defeat?

Simple, become more powerful.

And they did! They can destroy realms now! They have become purely beings of destruction, yet they're sickly, why?

Because they don't have balance.

Their own destruction is most likely hurting them. Oni that create and have it as part of their lives, like Mystake and Garmadon(prior to being resurrected), are healthy. They have some semblance of balance and that keeps their bodies from being overloaded with destruction.

The rest of the Oni though have obsessed themselves with destruction to the point where they're destroying themselves.

Thank you for reading this if you did (:

[enneagram-reblogs]

A few things to know about Type Nine.

From NineTypesCo by Steph Barron Hall.

Common Underlying Motivation To be at peace internally & externally

→ While the core motivation for Type 9s is often about peace, it’s also about balance and unity. They don’t just want to keep the peace - they want everything to be fair and equitable, so they’re driven to bring things into balance in that sense. 9s often move toward comfort, ease, and simplicity.

Consistently Avoiding Being the cause of conflict or disruption

→ Sometimes even internal conflict (such as bringing attention to strong beliefs they hold internally) can be uncomfortable.

You might not know that…

→ 9s have thoughts, feelings, and perspectives to share if you’ll take time to listen And sometimes 9s really don’t have an opinion on a topic, and that’s okay, too!

→ But NOT sharing isn’t always about avoiding conflict: it can also be because the 9 doesn’t feel safe to be open or share because they are afraid their perspective will be dismissed, interrupted, or disregarded. (Just because a 9 doesn’t shout their opinion from the rooftops does NOT mean it is unimportant to them.) And also, they sometimes might just not feel like sharing.

→ Some 9s learned early on in life that relationships can be fragile, so they prioritize keeping them intact, even if it means not speaking up.

→ But they’ll speak up when they deem it necessary, especially when they witness others experiencing injustice.

→ Not all 9s love candles and journaling and being alone - 9s can have literally ANY interest, and they can be outgoing, chatty, and competitive! Enneagram type ≠ interests, tastes, hobbies, etc.

→ 9s don’t always experience themselves as “easy-going.”

And BTW…

→ The term “sloth” associated with 9s has nothing to do with taking naps! If you like naps, knock yourself out! If you don’t, no worries!

“Sloth” refers to the passion of type 9. To read more about passions, click here.

See the image version of this post!

[thephantomhivefuckboi]

♞Kuroshitsuji Joker Theory♞

(Beware, for this will contain Kuroshitsuji manga spoilers.)

Okay, so a thought literally just occurred to me. I will do my utmost very best to explain it the best way I possibly can, so please bear with me.

So, I've discovered here on tumblr that there is this theory speculating that Polaris is probably Joker:

Which to be honest, is a very good theory that I personally enjoy, for it honestly makes a lot of sense. And in my opinion, it kind of makes a lot more sense since Doll was recently revealed within the manga as well. However, when I decided to re-read a page from the manga —Specifically chapter 137, I had discovered something that I'm hoping everyone else that read the manga saw as well.

Now, if this guy is Joker like the theory said, then...

WHO THE BLOODY HELL IS THIS GUY, THEN?! Could it be that Joker isn't Polaris afterall? Because who else could this person shown here be? BUT yet again, what if this cloaked man actually is Joker? Allow for me to explain.

Now, I recently thought of a bit of a theory that could perhaps make sense. Do you guys remember when Barron Kelvin remade the basement into the place where R!Ciel was sacrificed in, especially the locked in cages that contained those poor children?

How on earth could this absolute madman possibly had known how it looked down to every detail when he wasn't even there? The fact that he created it so that it would look exactly like how O!Ciel, and R!Ciel had experienced it is quite bizarre say the least...But I think that there may be an answer to that.

What if this guy actually is Joker? Perhaps Joker was a witness to this whole thing, and as soon as things started to escalate, he quickly left. Perhaps that would also explain why we didn't see this guy get killed by Sebastian within the manga when O!Ciel gave him his first order to kill the ones who did those horrid things to both O!Ciel and R!Ciel. (And how this guy hadn't been shown anymore after that one panel in chapter 137. This dude literally made one single appearance, then dipped. Coincidence? I think NOT!)

And not to mention that when the news was broken to Baron Kelvin that a buyer had gotten ahold of the Phantomhive twins, and that they were to later on be used as sacrificial lambs, Kelvin had begged to be taken to that same place that they were in:

And since Kelvin himself couldn't just go with the man who had just broken the news to him (due to not being able to walk due to his recent operation, and because the man had hurried up and left the room when Kelvin began to behave hysterical), what if Kelvin himself had ordered Joker to go follow the man to the location where the twins were being held, and perhaps save the twins, thus is why this cloaked individual here is randomly shown in Chapter 137 of Black Butler? I like to imagine that Joker had made it to the location, he disguised himself as a member of the cult to blend in with the crowd, and was pretty much silently watching everything unfold before his very eyes.

This would also explain how Kelvin knew of how the place where R!Ciel had been sacrificed, and how it all went down.—Because Joker told him everything about it. (i.e the appearance, the cages, the children within the cages, the table used for the sacrifice, the pentagram engraved under the sacrificing table, etc.) He probably didn't tell Kelvin about Sebastian being summoned, for Kelvin probably would've thought Joker was spouting nonsense.

And by the look on Jokers' face within this panel of the manga, I'm quite certain that fear isn't the only thing you can see on his face, but also guilt and anxiousness. I have a theory speculating that whilst Kelvin was boasting about re-creating the basement to look exactly as that satanic alter where R!Ciel was sacrificed, Joker was probably afraid that Kelvin was gonna reveal to Ciel that he had sent Joker to the place where those horrid things had happened to he and his brother that very day which probably would've caused Ciel to go mad, and probably shoot Joker, or just order Sebastian to murder him right away. But Kelvin wasn't able to finish his sentence due to Ciel immediately shooting him:

(Serves this nigga right, for I'd shoot his ass, too 🤷🏽‍♀️)

What do you guys think about this? I mean, don't get me wrong, I feel like I could be incorrect about all this, or that it could just be a coincidence, but yet again, you also gotta think to yourself—Not everything is a coincidence in Kuroshitsuji, for there are quite a lot of observations to make when it's a supernatural series full of all of numerous different mysteries.

But yeah, that's really all I've got to say about that, but let me know what you guys think about this theory.~

-Astre♞

[butchelves]

Alright I’m back from the bookstore here is my list so far. Most of the front facing published fanfiction books were straight romances and quite frankly I didn’t want to put in a huge amount of effort to look so there’s only gonna be 2 books for now. I’m gonna write the title down, then the cover, then the plot synopsis, then my thoughts

1) Fall for Him by Andie Burke

Plot synopsis: Dylan Gallagher’s hot neighbor loathed him from the second he moved in, and causing a flood, falling through the floor, and landing directly onto that same neighbor’s bed probably means that’s unlikely to change. The poorly timed “It’s Raining Men” joke didn’t help.

Meanwhile, ER nurse Derek Chang’s life is a literal when-rains-it-pours nightmare. A man he hates dropped into his life along with an astronomically expensive problem originating from Derek’s own apartment’s plumbing. Also, the local HOA tyrant has been sniffing around trying to fine him for his extended, illicit banned breed dog-sitting.

Since Dylan also wants to keep the catastrophe quiet, he offers to fix the damage himself. Dylan’s sure he’s not Derek’s type, so he focuses all his ADHD hyper fixation energy on getting the repair job done as quickly as possible―avoiding doing anything stupid like acting on his very inconvenient crush. Meanwhile Derek tries to ignore that the tattooed nerd sleeping on the couch is surprisingly witty, smart, and kind, despite the long-term grudge Derek’s been holding against him. But will squeezing all their emotional baggage plus a dog into a tiny one-bedroom apartment be a major disaster…or just prove they’re made for each other?

My thoughts: I’m like 99% sure I’ve read a fic with this plot before. Also I read the first chapter of it (it was like 3 pages) and yeah it’s. It’s pretty damn close. The mc that fell through the ceiling also has adhd. Which I think a lot of people forget is fanon because it’s such a popular headcanon for Lance. Anyways this one’s pretty blatant but holds nothing to

2) How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win a Wager by D. N. Bryn

(Had to include the back cover too to really drive this one home)

Plot synopsis: Vincent Barnes has suffered four years as a vampire, and they’ve been the most miserable years of his pathetic life. Too poor for black market blood, he feeds from sleeping humans to survive. He tries to never intrude on the same prey twice, but after a single delicious taste of a long-lost childhood neighbor, he can’t help returning for seconds.

Wesley Garcia has been waking up with fang marks. Lucky for him, he needs a vampire—to use as bait. He’s certain Vitalis-Barron Pharmaceutical killed his mother, but to gain access to their covert research labs, he has to bring them a bloodsucker for their experiments.

Step one, a dramatic offer: Stay, and you can bite me.

Vincent leaps at the chance to gobble Wesley up.

Wes’s plan is perfect. He’ll befriend the vampire, then trick him into coming to the lab. No fighting, no fuss. But Vincent is more than Wesley has bargained for: sweet and shy, with intoxicating fangs that awaken new desires in Wes. As the two bond, Vincent believes he might have finally found someone worth putting his trust in... and Wes fears neither of them will survive the betrayal he has planned.

My thoughts: so this one. This one is pretty blatant. It has everything. Bisexual Latino main character who’s really into skincare. Sad guy with fingerless gloves. Enemies to lovers. Silly little bets all throughout the book. Even a possible dirty laundry reference! It’s crazy. And just to be clear I say none of this disparagingly I’m absolutely obsessed with this concept of fully just publishing fanfiction with the characters only slightly changed from the source material. D. N. Barnes is my hero. Get that bag.

There was one other book that was possible but it was a little too. Generic for me to be like “yeah klance was definitely an influence here”.

Anyways hmu if you want to join my book club where we only are reading published klance fanfiction

Gonna go to the bookstore tomorrow and find poorly disguised klance fics. Will update with my list of books I believe are klance fics

[another-whump-sideblog]

Jane’s Pets Chapter 74: Alone

TWs in the tags

Previous

Masterlist

Next

You feel safe when you’re alone.

You didn’t, for a while. It wasn’t a conscious thing, but if Puppy or Kitty weren’t around, they couldn’t protect you if Jane decided to hurt you. And you used to feel like if Diya or Ray weren’t nearby it would be easier for Barron to hurt you. But slowly, without you realizing, you’ve gotten more and more comfortable with being alone, and now it doesn’t scare you at all.

It’s not like you avoided being alone before. You even specifically asked Diya to let you go on walks alone. Though that was before you really trusted em…

Really, you didn’t feel safe alone or with other people, and now both feel safe. You don’t worry about people hurting you when you’re hanging out with them, and you don’t worry about being unprotected when you’re alone.

You worry that you’re wrong, sometimes. Because you thought you were safe with Jane and you were wrong. But… that’s not exactly how it happened, is it? You suspected something was off. That’s why you went into the basement in the first place. Really, the only reason you fell for it at all was because you wanted it to be true.

And you want this safety to be true, too. But you don’t let that keep you from being alert, and even as you’ve looked for evidence that you weren’t actually safe, you’ve found very little.

You’ve gotten a lot better at handling flashbacks and panic attacks and nightmares alone, too. It’s easier with help, of course, but you know that if you get triggered and no one’s around, you’ll be okay. You’re okay alone and you’re okay with people around and you’re just… okay. You’re alright. Everything’s alright.

Alone time is fairly rare in the cabin, and that’s fine too. Once you’ve saved Kitty and Puppy it’ll be even more crowded.

You guess that once Jane is dead, some of you will have to move out. You don’t think Barron or Diya or Ray would ever kick you out, but six people is a lot in a two bedroom one bathroom cabin, and it’s a lot of people for Barron to support on one income.

Ray said you could stay if you wanted, but maybe it’d be nice to have a place with your own room. You’re… not sure how you would achieve that, but it would be nice.

You really should start thinking about how things will be once Jane is dead…

But it’s a nice day. You think you’ll go for a walk and try to make a fancy meal for everyone for dinner. Yes, that sounds nice. Or maybe you could start getting into baking and try to make brownies or something.

You don’t have to worry too much. When the time comes to figure out real life things, you won’t have to figure it out alone.

~~

Diya would prefer literally anything to being alone, ever.

It’s not the healthiest, but Ray, Barron, and now Liam are always there for em, so ey doesn’t have to learn to be okay alone. Ey doesn’t have to be alone at all if ey doesn’t want to.

Still, when they wake up in the middle of the night and find that Ray’s not by eir side, ey always panics, and Ray always is back within a few minutes to reassure them.

I was just going to the bathroom.

I was just getting a drink of water.

I just heard someone crying and went to help.

Where else would I even go? I’m always here

I love you, Diya

Ey knows it’s stupid, and ey can handle it when someone’s separated from em by a few walls during the day. But at night, when ey’s only half awake, it’s as terrifying as if ey woke up back in eir little cell in Irving’s home.

Having Liam around has helped. Now if Barron is at work and Ray wants some alone time, Diya doesn’t have to remind emself over and over and over again that Ray didn’t leave em, they’re just in the other room, it’s okay. Ey can just hang out with Liam! Liam’s great.

Ey knows ey should probably find some activity that ey only does alone, so ey has something to associate with being alone besides hours and hours in a little concrete cell with nothing to do, or with waiting outside doing nothing but watching for 7 hours because she said she’d come back and if ey goes anywhere else she might just assume ey’s forgotten her-

Diya knows being alone doesn’t have to mean being abandoned, but it still feels that way, and building new associations is hard.

Diya is fine with living a life where ey never has to confront being alone. Ey can have one unhealthy coping skill, right? Not even that, really, just one issue ey isn’t ready to work on yet. Ey can have that. Ey can have that because ey isn’t alone.

~~

Master taking Kitty, and then Bunny, is the best thing that’s ever happened to Puppy. Which sucks, because it’s the worst thing that ever happened to either of them. They’d be better off dead.

This, Puppy has learned, is the price of her happiness. Every reward she’s given, every moment of mercy, comes at the cost of someone else. Master only feels merciful when she’s been unceasingly violent for hours before. Master only gives rewards to condition her and the others, and her conditioning has and will always lead to other people getting hurt.

When Bunny gets taken back, it will be the same way. Puppy will have someone else, someone who brings her joy, and every moment of that joy and gratitude will mean pain for him.

Kitty’s been more compliant lately. This makes Puppy happy, because she knows she won’t have to listen to Kitty keep getting punished over and over again, but she knows it’s bad for them. She holds them and tries to whistle through her muzzle while they come down from Master’s drugs, and they cry and cry and cry, asking who they are and where they are and why this is happening over and over and over again. It’s bad for them, but Puppy would rather see them cry than see them covered in blood.

The only thing Puppy has to hold onto are these little joys. Not being alone, seeing someone get hurt less, having someone to hug that won’t pull out a knife. This is how she comforts herself, because every life is hard and this is the one she has to live so she might as well find joy in it. But she can’t ignore that most of the time, when she has found something to be happy about, she is happy alone.

~~

I can’t connect to people the way mortals can. That full, unrestrained love that comes when you can age together with someone, when you share in the risks mortality brings. I can’t have that.

I can’t connect with other immortals either. I don’t fully know why, but I can guess. Immortals in general are very stingy with affection, having watched loved ones die and rot more times than mortals can even imagine. So I can’t connect with mortals because they are nothing like me, and I can’t connect with immortals because they’re fucking cowards.

I don’t know why I’m doing this. Sitting and ‘resting’ for an hour like Peyton recommended, even after I proved to her it wouldn’t work. It just leads to thinking too much, which sometimes helps with things like realizing my pet never gave me that key back, but mostly just makes me even more miserable.

Connections are stupid anyway. Just another way to hurt people.

Maybe I’d feel better if I killed someone’s family in front of them, leaving them just as alone as me. It’s worth a shot.

…After I finish my hour of rest. I don’t know why I’m doing this.

A/N: Let me know if I should tag anything else! Literally nothing happens in this chapter but if you preferred plot progression to meandering through a character’s thoughts you wouldn’t be on chapter 74 of Jane’s Pets lol

Tag list: @eatyourdamnpears @whump-in-the-closet @scp-1296 @fuzzybucketz

[larkawolfgirl]

Promnis Week- Dance

Prompto has never felt more out of place. He tugs at the tight fabric of his tux sleeves and tries to blend further into the shadows. Ignis helped him tailor it to a custom fit, but it feels more like a vice than an attachment, and he knows he must look silly in it despite Ignis calling it "befitting." The outfit probably costs more than his entire yearly rent and no amount of hair gel can hide the fact that he could never afford it in a million years. He's honestly still bewildered why Noct even thought it worth wasting his money on this tux just so that Prompto could attend this gala when Noct doesn't have the time to spare him. Nobels of all kinds flock to him, asking him to dance and making forced conversation. Unlike Prompto, he looks right in his element. He was literally born and raised for this.

Prompto hadn't wanted to even come, but Noct had argued that all three of them would miss him if he didn't. He doubts that. Gladio is dressed to the tens and socializing with drones of women, but he's still on duty (although Prompto assumes he's always on duty in the abstract sense) and can't move too far from Noct's side. Ignis is also a close shadow. While Gladio is obviously flirting, Ignis' demenor is nothing but polished dignitary. He speaks with whom Prompto can only assume are council members and dukes and the like.

Prompto is the one with the freedom but he chooses to remain hidden in the corner. Nothing is stopping him from mingling with them, but who's he kidding, he would die on the spot. He can't talk to a barron or whoever. And who's he to interrupt Gladio while he's on the prowl. And Noct? He's the center of attention. He doesn't have time to babysit his best friend. So, Prompto stays put, tugging at his tux and wishing he was home playing King's Knight instead.

"May I have this dance?"

Prompto’s head snaps up to see Ignis extending a hand to him. He chuckles at the gentlemanly display. “Heya, Iggy. Don’t worry about me. I know you probably need to keep chatting it up with the nobels.”

Ignis thins his lips. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Huh?” Prompto stares at his still extended hand. “You really want to dance with me of all people?”

Ignis’ lips turn up. “Why not with you?”

“Because,” Prompto uses his arm to gesture at the entire crowd, “there are at least 100 people to choose from who are way better than me.”

“Posh.” Ignis takes his hand and pulls him into a closed dance position. “There is no one here that I would rather dance with.”

Prompto can feel his face heating up at the compliment. “Y–you’re exaggerating.”

Ignis doesn’t break eye-contact as he begins to move them back and forth in a measured pattern. “Not at all. I like you quiet a lot, Prompto.”

Prompto gulps. “R–really? You don’t find me annoying?”

“What could I possibly find annoying about you?”

“I’m unconfident and nervous. I’m a commoner without any money and low ambitions. My parents barely even spare me the time of day, why would you?”

Ignis’ hand tightens on his back. “Oh, Prompto. You belittle yourself way too much. I see a charming man with great potential. You have no privilege, which means that everything you have earned you have done so with your own efforts. You push through when situations become tough. You treasure your friends more than anything else. I couldn’t have wished for anyone better to be Noctis’ best friend.”

Prompto’s gaze falls to the ground. “What about your own friend.”

Ignis lets go of his hand, using his hand to turn his chin up so that he will meet his eyes again. “I already have the two best friends I could have ever asked for.”

“Oh,” Prompto whispers.

“You, dear Prompto, are everything I could have asked in a partner.”

Prompto nearly trips from surprise. “What?”

Ignis steadies him and chuckles. “I would like to ask you out on a date, if you would be agreeable.”

“Oh, course!” Prompto nearly shouts. He is sure he is red in the face.

Ignis’ entire face glows with endearment. Prompto tries not to blink in case it turns out he is just imagining it. “Lovely. How about tomorrow after your class has finished?”

“S–sure thing, Igster.”

Prompto feels a bit lightheaded as they resume dancing. Is Ignis now his boyfriend? Is he dancing with his boyfriend? If so, he can’t work his head around how he went from eating fast food alone in a cold, dark apartment, to befriending the crown prince and dating his advisor. Perhaps he won the Astrals blessing by some means or another.

[outerbankies]

new light part 9: think twice — rafe cameron

new light series masterlist

summary: rafe already knew he messed up, the knowledge of your failed romantic gesture only confirming it; maybe a gesture of his own is enough to fix things.

pairing: rafe x reader

warnings: drinking, swearing, mentions of a false positive pregnancy (not for y/n, just gonna say that riiiight now)

a/n: hi!!! thanks so much for the response on part 8 🥲 i’m pretty excited about this one too. let me know what you think! and hey shoutout to @bmith for the name ideas for rafe’s roommate and his gf!

my writing

oh, you don't think twice 'bout me. and maybe you're right to doubt me

“When the fuck were you gonna tell me?”

“Um, literally never, if I could somehow figure out how to make that work,” you tell Kelce, shifting the phone to your other ear while you tried to find a seat in the stands at Barron’s swim meet. Beckham trails behind you, one hand holding yours, the other firmly grasped around the organic juice box you’d just bought him from the school cafeteria. You had just blinked at the employee slowly as she charged you $9, sliding Beau's credit card across the counter without another thought. “It only happened a week ago.”

“It’s been a week? What the fuck—Y/n/n,” Kelce scolds. “What even happened? He won’t tell me shit.”

“Are you—” you help Beckham up to his seat, making sure he’s settled in, rubbing a hand through his curls before turning back to your conversation. You knew coming to the pool deck for the first time since your breakup with Rafe was gonna suck—being around a pool reminded you of him before the two of you even got together. But you didn’t expect to deal with Kelce berating you while you did. “Are you back home this weekend?”

“Yes, dude. I’m literally in the bathroom at the Lodge right now,” he explains. “Top’s here too.”

“Ask her about—”

“Shut up, Top, I’m not asking her about the fucking yacht charter right now.”

“They both already paid their share, I just need to know who’s coming so I can—”

“How’s Rafe? You know his dad made him come home,” you ask, before you can help yourself. Your stomach had been in knots, thinking about Rafe having to face Ward. Having to tell him he was right, you guys were never gonna make it. The thought made you sick for multiple reasons.

“I mean it’s Ward, Y/n. We’re at this bar for a reason,” Kelce says, voice going softer. The Kildare Lodge was one of the dingier bars in town, at least from what you had heard. You would never be caught dead there, except to pick up Rafe from guys’ night a few times. Your heart aches at the memories of him leaning up against a streetlight outside, dopey smile pulling across his face when he saw your Range Rover approaching.

“Fuck, okay,” you say, trying to snap yourself out of it. Your eyes widen at the same time as Beckham’s.

“Miss Y/n, that’s a bad word,” he says.

“I know, Becks. Sorry.”

He accepts your apology with a firm head nod, turning back to watch his brother swim.

“Kelso, now isn’t really a good time,” you say.

“No, talk to me. He was just visiting you, I don’t understand what could’ve even happened? When we left for school, you guys were, like solid—”

Topper speaks up again. “I mean, he was kinda freaking out, dude. Remember when he texted us—”

“Topper, get out,” Kelce says. “Go check on Rafe.”

“Kelce.”

Your voice catches at the end, and the little boy beside you looks over at you anxiously. You just paste on a smile, brushing his hair back again.

“Y/n/n, I’m sorry,” Kelce says. “Are you okay?”

You look down the bleachers, finding Barron in the pool, waving at the two of you excitedly when he spots you. “Say hi to big brother, Beckham. Kelce, I’ll call you back later.”

“Y/n, no—”

“Ask her about the charter, Kelce—”

“Top, if you don’t—”

You hang up the phone, going to shove it to the bottom of your purse, stopping when you get a new text from Kelce.

You know I’m on your side, Y/n/n. Always. Say the word and I’ll beat his ass

“Miss Y/n, are you okay?”

You look down to where the little voice came from, Beckham’s eyes wide as saucers as he surveys you. He shifts toward you and you put your phone away to bring him into your lap.

“I’m okay.”

“Hug?”

You smile as you let him wrap his small arms around your neck, before turning him to face the pool once again. You give Barron a thumbs up from where he’s already looking for you, Beckham following in suit and waving with both hands.

“Y’know one day Beckham, you’re gonna be too big to sit in my lap. And you won’t even want to hug me anymore,” you say. He turns around, shocked.

“Will I be big and tall and strong? Like Mistuh Wafe?”

You suck in a breath. Why did literally everything have to be a reminder?

You meant to tell Agnes and Beau about Rafe, explain it to the kids and everything—which you shouldn’t have to do, but of course they worshipped him and wanted to know more about him everyday. But after Agnes found out she had a false positive, no time ever felt like the right time to bring it up. You could tell she was fine, just a little shaken up over it, but you weren’t going to burden her with any college relationship drama; and you didn’t want Beau wondering if any of it was his fault, even if a bitter part of you wonders if it was.

“Yeah, just like Rafe.”

“He hugs you. I could still hug you then,” he points out.

“Yeah, buddy, okay,” you smile.

—

Hey

You didn’t tell your mom we broke up?

It’s the first time you’ve heard from Rafe since the airport, after you promised to text him but didn’t, archiving your most recent Instagram post instead, even if you left up all the others. And you don’t know how you expected the silence to break—but it wasn’t this.

hi. not yet

I just ran into her at the club

With Wilbur

did you tell her?

No. Figured you had a reason not to

You resist the urge to thank him, ask how he is, how his visit with his dad is going, how Ward reacted to your break up.

Find out how his essay grade turned out (you knew he deserved nothing less than an A after your edits).

What he’s doing for his birthday next weekend, when he’s coming home for Thanksgiving. You want to tell him about the baby. About how his plant is doing, what stupid thing your ex said in your capstone, ask if he’s still going on the yacht Topper chartered for New Year’s.

Ask if he misses you as much as you miss him.

But you just tuck your phone in your desk drawer—your mind still racing at the thought of Rafe playing it cool with your mom like nothing is wrong, putting on appearances because he knows for some reason you didn’t want your mom to know. Still so in tune with you, still looking out for you.

You told your dad—but not really by choice. He’d called you the day you got back from the airport, funnily enough to ask about the new blinds. When you sent him a picture the day before of Rafe’s handiwork, you felt something warm settle into your chest at the idea of your dad knowing you had someone taking care of you. But when he called, singing Rafe’s praises and asking how the trip went, you broke down into tears immediately.

“We broke up, dad.”

“What? When?”

“Today, like four hours ago.”

“What happened? What did he do?”

“It was just too much for him, dad. And I don’t know what I’m doing with my life, and I said some mean stuff to him about his dad, and I just feel so horrible, I don’t even know why I let him leave in the first place—”

“Take a deep breath.”

You do, honestly astounded you have any tears left to cry at this point.

“Please don’t mention it to mom. I’ll tell her, just not yet,” you plead.

“When?”

“Figure I’ll give myself about three glasses of wine on Thanksgiving to work myself up to it,” you laugh, the weak attempt catching at humor in your throat.

“Hey,” your dad admonishes, but you can hear the smile in his tone. “I really am sorry, sweetie. I was betting on him—but it’s his loss.”

But you knew it was yours, too.

—

“I shouldn’t call him, right? It’d be weird if I did.”

“Oh, we’re still doing this?” Davis asks, looking up from where he’s painting his nails.

“I mean—” McCall starts, head in her hands. “Y/n/n, I can’t believe we’re still having this conversation. You don’t call your ex on his birthday. Especially when he’s a fucking scorpio.”

“Yeah, but,” you sigh. “He knows I know it’s his birthday. What if—”

“You know I was team Rafe all the way,” Davis says, then squints, considering. “Still am. But at least since you guys broke up you can come to Big Bear with us instead of going to visit him.”

McCall shoots you a look. “You were going to go visit him? On our road trip weekend?”

You nod, looking at the time on your phone. 2:30. You would have be taking off in 10 minutes.

“Yeah. It’s his birthday. Planned it ages ago.”

“You never told me that.”

You shrug. “It was supposed to be a surprise. I put his phone number as the contact information so he’d get random notifications about the flight path and be able to figure it out.”

You thought about going the whole nine yards, calling his roommates to coordinate a real surprise. But you at least wanted to give him time to wash his sheets; you knew Rafe, and he’d be mad if he wasn’t in mint condition for you. You did reach out to his roommate’s girlfriend, Nora, who already followed you on Instagram, trying to get a vibe for the weekend and what he had planned before you showed up.

You probably should’ve told her you wouldn’t be coming anymore, but she must know by now.

“Fuck,” you shake your head. “I can't believe I ate the cost of those tickets.”

“You didn’t cancel the flights?” Davis asks.

“No,” you burrow into the couch. “Tried. Made me sad.”

The money was nothing to you, sure. But you knew it was deeper than that; some part of you was holding out that you’d get the chance to talk to Rafe. He’d call you up, you would both immediately agree it was all a mistake, and you’d run and jump into his arms at the airport.

But here you sat, getting ready to go to one of Davis’s vacation houses instead, Wren, Delilah, and a few of your other friends on the way as you spoke. Not exactly how you pictured this weekend going, but you were welcoming the distraction.

“Aw, Y/n/n,” Davis says, patting your head sympathetically, but with a flexed hand so he doesn’t mess up his nail polish.

“Wait. You took his phone number off of the ticket though, right?” McCall asks, water bottle paused halfway to her mouth. Davis’s eyes widen when he looks at you. You’re silent.

“Oh my fucking god, Y/n,” he chastises.

“I’m an idiot. I’m such an idiot. It’s not taking off yet. He probably hasn’t—there’s no way—”

Your phone starts ringing. And it’s Rafe.

“What do I do? Oh my god,” you panic.

“Um, okay, fuck,” Davis says, capping his nail polish and standing up. “You are going to answer. And we are going to go outside.”

“What?” McCall asks. “No, either block his number or put that shit on speaker.”

“No, McCall. Leave her alone,” Davis says, already pushing her in the direction of the patio. “Y/n/n, you didn’t know if you should call him. Take this as a sign.”

You’re sure you just barely scrape by on the last ring, pressing answer as soon as the patio door is shut.

“Hello?”

It’s silent for a little bit, then his voice is finally coming through. “Hey. Hey, Y/n.”

“Rafe,” you breathe, the sound of him knocking you off kilter for a second. “Hi. Um, happy birthday.”

“Thanks, thank you.”

It’s silent for a second, neither of you taking the first step. You squeeze your eyes shut, hand on your forehead. “So, how has—”

“I got a weird notification—”

You both cut yourselves off. You just burrow your face into your hands, eternally grateful your roommates went outside. They still had their faces pressed up against the glass, you’re sure.

“Sorry. What was that?” he asks.

“I was just gonna ask how your day’s been going. Are you having fun?”

“Uh, sure. Yeah. My dad and Rose sent me a bottle of Dom. Going to the breweries in a bit,” he says.

“Oh, nice. Yeah, m’happy for you. So he wasn’t—ah, sorry.”

“What?”

“Just… I know you had to go see your dad last weekend. But he sent you the champagne so, must have not been that upset,” you say.

“Oh,” Rafe breathes, like he’s shocked you’d remembered. As upset as Kelce was with both of you, he clearly didn’t spill that you asked about Rafe. “No, yeah. It was fine. The usual.”

“That’s good.”

“Took a page out of your book, though,” he continues. “Didn’t really tell him about us yet.”

“Oh,” you say, feeling your eyebrows furrow. “But, it would’ve helped though, right? If he knew we weren’t together anymore.”

“Couldn’t stand him thinking he was right.”

“Rafe.”

“Listen, that’s not—I called because I got this text from Delta? About a flight coming into here from your city tonight,” Rafe says. “I was just wondering if you knew what that was about.”

It’s silent, and you have to take a deep breath in before you continue. “Yeah, um. Fuck, Rafe. I’m sorry, I meant to cancel it. But it just slipped my mind.” A little embellishing wouldn’t hurt—Rafe didn’t need to know you had opened the flight confirmation at least three different times, hovering over the cancel button before shutting your laptop every time. You could never make it all the way through, the several hundred dollars you’d lose didn’t hold a candle to losing Rafe a few weeks ago.

“Wait, you… you booked a flight out here? On my birthday?”

“Surprise,” you murmur lamely.

“When did you do that? I thought you couldn’t make it out here before Thanksgiving,” he wonders, and you can practically hear the wheels turning in his head, picture the contemplative look on his face as he sits in his desk chair that you’d seen so many times on FaceTime. In the bedroom, in the college house you’d probably never get to see now.

“Um, I booked it in August. Had to fib about the other weekends you wanted me to come so I could try to make it special,” you confess.

“You… no, you told me you couldn’t go to on that trip with your friends this weekend because you had to work,” he says, slower. It sounds like he’s trying to make himself believe it.

You just let out a shaky breath, going in for the direct approach. “Rafe, it was all lies. I’ve known I was coming to see you since before we even left the Outer Banks. Or, would’ve been. Your roommate’s girlfriend was in on it.”

“Nora?”

“Yeah, we exchanged numbers on Instagram.”

“Wow,” he breathes. “I—wow. I can’t believe you did that for me. Or, were going to do that—”

Your resolve breaks, and you try to mute yourself so you can sniffle but you’re not coordinated enough, Rafe’s voice coming through the speaker again before you can.

“Sweetheart?”

You suck in another breath. “You can’t call me that.”

“I know, shit. I’m sorry, Y/n/n. Reflex,” he whistles. “Are you okay?”

You shake your head, sniffling again since your cover is blown anyways. “I don’t know.”

“Cause I’m not,” he says. “I thought I did the right thing, Y/n/n, I couldn't hurt you anymore—I just had to cut it off, had to make it stop. But you booked a flight, Y/n/n? I don't even—”

In the background on his end, there’s a loud bang and the sound of his door opening, music spilling into the audio.

“Fuck, listen, we should really talk—”

“Cameron, get the fuck downstairs,” a voice says in the background. “The girls just got here and we’re leaving in five.”

Your body immediately runs cold.

“What? No, I told you not to—Y/n, gimme a sec,” Rafe rushes.

But you’re numb. “I’ll let you go, have fun with your uh… friends? Happy birthday.”

“Baby girl, no—”

“Cameron, you are not seriously sitting up here on your birthday talking to—”

You end the call before you can hear the rest, throwing your phone to the end of the couch like it’s burned you.

Davis picks up the motion, immediately throwing the sliding glass door open, McCall following shortly after. They take one look at your face, McCall sitting down on the couch by your feet and Davis sinking to the floor in front of you.

“Not good?” McCall asks. You just shake your head, pressing the back of your hands into your eyes to feel how puffy they are.

“I've never been more confused.”

You catch Davis putting on your do not disturb setting while Rafe calls you back incessantly. It doesn’t work because you still had him listed as a favorite in your contacts, meaning his calls would bypass the restriction. You hold your hand out for it and just shut it off completely.

“What do you need?” Davis asks.

McCall clears her throat, hands clasped together. “I think we make a no Rafe rule this weekend. If he calls—”

“He's gonna call.”

“—ignore it. Or let someone else answer. I personally would love to let him know what I think,” McCall snarks.

Just then, the front door swings open, Wren and Delilah tumbling in, Wren holding far too many bags for just one weekend, Delilah carrying only a bottle of champagne.

“Who’s ready to get fucked up in the snow?”

—

Rafe rounds on his roommate when his third call back goes straight to voicemail, breathing heavily. “God dammit, Graham, get the fuck out. Now.”

“Dude, it’s your birthday—”

“Hey, hey. What’s going on up here?” Nora comes up the stairs then, immediately stepping in front of her boyfriend. Rafe’s eyes drop to hers.

“You knew she was supposed to come?”

Nora’s eyes go wide, her mouth dropping open a little. “She… did she tell you?”

“Not on purpose. It came through on my phone.”

Nora furrows her eyebrows, looking at the floor in contemplation. “Why wouldn’t she cancel them? Or take you off, I don't—”

“I didn’t even get the chance to fucking ask,” Rafe sighs, dropping back into his desk chair, not before shooting Graham another glare.

“Your ex was supposed to come out here?” Graham asks, looking a little guilty.

“She has a name, dude,” Rafe grumbles. “Also, what the fuck? I told you not to invite the girls.”

Nora’s eyes widen, immediately rounding on her boyfriend in the doorway. “You told me to bring them. I fucking knew he wouldn’t be ready for this—Graham, what the hell?”

Graham shrugs, looking caught out under both of their gazes. “Just thought it’d be good for you, bro.”

“I’m not going,” Rafe says, already unbuttoning the dress shirt Graham had forced him into. He glares at the bottle of champagne his dad sent him that still sits unopened on his desk, shoving it as out of sight as possible.

It’s silent after that, Graham and Nora just casting Rafe worried glances while he doesn’t speak. Nora finally sighs, turning back to her boyfriend. “Bub, go downstairs and tell everyone to get ready to leave.”

“Okay,” he nods dutifully. “Er, sorry dude, no harm meant. I promise.”

Rafe nods, not shifting his gaze.

“I’m sorry, Rafe. He told me to invite my friends,” Nora says, once her boyfriend is down the stairs and out of earshot.

“Not your fault, Nora.”

“I’ll tell them to go home, if you still wanna come out with us? It’s your birthday after all,” she says from the doorway.

“I’d just bring everyone down. And I need to… I just need to think about how I’m gonna fix this. If I can.”

Nora just nods, turning on a heel and shutting his door. But she’s popping back into the room before she leaves. “You know, Rafe. She was really excited. She was messaging me about it the entire time you were out there, talking about how you had no idea, asking what you liked to do here so she could make your birthday perfect. I don’t know… I don’t think anything’s over yet. The fact that she didn’t even cancel...”

“I broke her heart, Nora,” he whispers. “She was planning this huge romantic gesture for me and I just—broke up with her at the airport.”

“Dick move, honestly,” Nora says, wincing apologetically when Rafe doesn’t react how she thought he might. “I think you’ll figure something out.”

He nods. “Tell Graham I’m sorry.”

“I won’t, he’s an idiot. He’s just been worried about you the last few weeks. I can’t promise he won’t get too drunk and cry when he gets home because he feels bad,” she laughs.

Rafe just gives her half of a smile, shooing her off before he's dropping his head into his hands.

—

Rafe tries his luck all night, trying to calculate how long you’d be in the car with your friends, staying up way later than needed due to the time difference. He fully springs out of bed when one call finally lands, not even giving you the chance to speak first. “Y/n, are you—”

“Uh, hey man, it’s actually Wren.”

“Oh,” Rafe breathes, sitting back down. “Uh, how are you?”

“Good. Listen, I don’t think this is a good time. Maybe call again Sunday, when we’re back at home?”

“Is Y/n okay?”

“She’s fine.”

“Then… why are you answering her phone?” Rafe asks, growing a little annoyed.

“Because my girlfriend asked me to. And in general, I do the things she asks me to do.”

“Whatever, man. Just give her the fucking phone.”

“Dude, you need to calm down. I’m not taking a side or anything here,” Wren says. “I’m neutral, promise—she’s one of my best friends but I like to think you’re a good guy.”

Rafe scoffs, fully ticked off now. “Wren, I appreciate that, but can you just put her on—you’re… I think you’re kinda overstepping here, dude.”

Wren lets out a humorless chuckle.

“Maybe you should’ve thought about that before you were inviting girls over two weeks after you broke up with her.”

“You have no fucking idea—is that what she told you? I didn’t even go out after she hung up on me,” Rafe rushes in exasperation. “I didn’t even invite them.”

“Just—whatever. You need to give her some time, Rafe. Alright? She’ll call you back when she’s ready. Don’t be that guy.”

Rafe knows he’s right, knows exactly how you are when it comes to handling things. And picturing how you must be doing right now—he knows he has no right, but he just has to ask. “Is she… how is she?”

Wren clicks his tongue, sighing in exasperation. “Y/n’s gonna be fine. She’ll call you back, Rafe. Have a good night. And hey, happy birthday.”

—

You do not call Rafe back. You skip three days of class in a row, recovering from the phone call (and the hangover) with reality TV and entirely too much chocolate oat milk, only coming out of your cocoon when nanny duties called or Davis asked you to look over his projects for him. When you didn't even come downstairs for Bachelorette night, Davis and McCall just climbed into bed with you, settling on either side and dragging every contestant way harder than they needed to.

You really thought about calling him, had been thinking about it basically since Wren slipped your phone back into your hand, puffing his chest out about how he’d ‘handled it’ for you, ruffling your hair.

But the hard exterior lost a little bit of meaning when, a few beers later, he was telling you he was pretty positive Rafe was your soulmate.

“Just hear him out, Y/n,” he’d said, pouring a round of shots for the two of you and Delilah in the kitchen of the chalet you were all staying in.

You’d just furrowed your eyebrows, looking at Delilah. She shrugged, taking her shot and not saying anything. “I’m sorry, who’s side are you guys on?”

“None, jesus, fuck,” Wren said, alcohol bringing out his potty mouth. “But you two are definitely soulmates.”

“Hard agree,” Delilah said, nudging your shot toward you. “But let’s leave that for Sunday Y/n to deal with, alright? You need to catch up.”

But you still hadn’t called. You wanted to, but you chickened out every time.

Until a delivery man shows up at your door holding a a beautiful white box, asking you to sign before walking away.

The box sits on your bedroom floor for exactly five minutes while you stare at, wondering what could be inside. You already know who it's from.

And then you're carefully tearing it open, air leaving your lungs when you see the familiar logo on the card, flipping it over to trace the lines of the cursive penmanship.

I'm sorry for all the things I've ruined.

-RC

Your hands are sliding under the tissue paper, and then it's silky smooth materials, ties and straps sliding through your fingers. It’s blue and then purple, cream and black, and then—blush pink.

It's your Midsummers dress. In every single color.

Your hands shake as you tap through your phone with one hand, the other still sifting through the entire box, running your hands over every single one.

“Y/n/n, hey.”

“Rafe, I’m just really confused right now.”

“What? Why? Did you get it?”

“Yes, Rafe. That’s why I’m confused, I don’t—you break up with me. And then you’re telling me you thought you did the right thing, but then you’re like—already moving on, apparently, and the dresses—”

“I’m definitely not moving on.”

“But Graham—”

He sighs. “No, Graham’s an idiot. Where are you?”

“In my room?”

The call clicks off, your phone going dark for less than five seconds before a FaceTime call comes in. You hate the way you check your appearance before clicking accept, tugging your hair out of its bun and tucking some strands back behind your ears. When you do accept, Rafe’s sitting on his bed.

He’s lost some of his tan since he came to see you, his stubble pretty grown in at this point. And his haircut had grown out of course, almost, almost hitting that sweet spot of your favorite version of him. A little unkempt, which he never liked to be—a telltale sign he wasn’t doing well.

“Uh, hi,” he starts.

“Hi.”

You fall silent, seeing the way his eyes dart around the phone screen, taking you in like you just had him. He shakes his head abruptly. “I told Graham not to invite them.”

“Who?”

“The girls, Y/n/n.”

“Right, yes,” you say, shaking your own head, still taking him in. “Sorry, I just—”

“It’s weird, seeing each other, huh?”

Rafe certainly didn’t lose the ability to read your mind after three measly weeks.

“Yeah. Weird,” you agree. “It's not really any of my business who you go out with anymore.”

His brow furrows. “It absolutely is your business, Y/n/n.”

“Why?”

“I’m not playing games—sending you things when I don’t mean anything by it. I don’t want any confusion on where we stand.”

“Well there’s a lot, Rafe. On my end, anyways,” you accuse. “Where we stand? You literally broke up with me.”

He clenches his jaw, the muscle movement visible under his skin. “You… but you agreed to it. I thought—I thought it would be best.”

“You don’t—you didn’t even ask if that was what I thought. You just said ‘I don’t know what else to do. Do you?’ And then I fucking told you and you still said no.”

“You said it first.”

“What?”

“We pulled up to the airport, and you said ‘we’re about to break up, aren’t we?’”

You pause at that, realizing he’s correct. And you don’t know what motivation you had to say it when you did—maybe some part of you didn’t want to feel blindsided. You wanted to feel like you took part in initiating it, when that couldn’t be further from what you actually wanted. The other part of you just wanted that reassurance, for him to call you crazy—tell you it hadn’t even crossed his mind when you knew it had. What if you had never said it? “Okay, blame game over. We broke up, end of. So, again, none of my business what you do on your birthday.”

“I didn’t do anything on my birthday but sit in my room all night figuring out how to get the shop to rush that order. And arguing with Wren, of all fucking people. I can’t believe he didn’t tell you any of this.”

You roll your eyes. “Rafe, you don’t have to lie—”

“Ask Nora. Ask Wren. I’m serious. I kicked them all out and stayed home,” Rafe says. “Look at me. We broke up three weeks ago, Y/n/n. I would never do that.”

You nod, compelled to believe him. You could always ask Nora later, but a part of you knew you didn’t need to. And Wren would’ve told you if he felt like Rafe was lying.

“I know,” you say, tears gathering on your waterline. “Um, thanks for calling to clear that up.”

“You called me,” Rafe points out.

“Yeah—wait. I did. The dresses, Rafe,” you ask, reaching for the tissue box on your nightstand. “You’re crazy.”

“I told you I’d replace it.”

You wipe your tears in haste, but you can’t help the sniffles that remain. “What even changed?”

“What do you mean?”

“I only hear from you once about my mom and my dog, and then suddenly you’re like calling me, talking to my friends—”

“I knew I fucked up the moment you drove away,” he admits. “And I’ve missed you since then, too.”

You shake your head. “But—”

“It was the birthday trip, sweetheart,” he interrupts, and you let him get away with the nickname this time. “When we got together—and you told me in high school you weren’t good enough for me, but I was just showing you were?”

That conversation, and that night, is an easy memory for you to recall. You still get giddy thinking about the champagne and the waiter and the way his touch had felt on your skin under the lights. Everything still so, so new between you two—yet still feeling like something that was a long time coming, something finally slotting into place.

“Y/n.”

“Yeah, sorry. I remember,” you say, cheeks warming up. You hope Rafe can’t see it through the phone camera, but you can catch the look in his eye.

“It’s just like that,” Rafe says. “I spent an entire weekend just panicking like an idiot over everything—and I think I did what I had to do to fix it, and then I’m completely unsure immediately after… and then I get this stupid automated text from an airline.”

“It was my fault for not canceling it,” you say immediately. “I’m sorry you found out.”

“No, what? Don’t apologize.”

“It was your birthday, Rafe. I didn’t mean to—”

“No, it was—no. I think it’s literally the most someone has ever cared about me. In my life. And even if I fucked it up, and you didn’t even get to come, it was...” he trails off, his eyes glassy now.

“Rafe.”

“I know, shit,” he says, blinking rapidly and clearing his throat. “But anyway, uh. That’s what changed, Y/n/n. But I—I just need you to know that I fucked up. And I know it.”

You nod your head slowly, trying to let his words sink in fully. The confusion was gone—Rafe wanted you back.

But where you two were supposed to go from here was beyond you.

“If it’s any consolation, you kind of inspired me,” you finally say, gauging his reaction when you throw him a bone.

“Huh?”

“That move you pulled at the airstrip, back in August?”

“Ah,” Rafe sighs, a smile forming on his lips. “That was pretty smooth, wasn’t it?”

“Of course, had to top it.”

“Well, you did. Or, would have, I guess,” he says, the volume of his voice tapering off until he’s merely mumbling the end of the sentence.

A reminder goes off on your phone that Barron and Beckham’s playdate ends in an hour, and you swipe it away, glancing back down at the camera. “I have to go pick up the kids in an hour, and I look like this right now, so I should really—”

“You look beautiful. Even though I hate it when you cry.”

You bite your lip, the reminder that you two are anything but okay right now a little too much to handle after his compliment. “Thanks, for the dresses. And for talking to me. It was… nice.”

“I need to see you when we get home.”

You blow out a breath, the hair around your face shifting slightly at the motion. “Um—I’ll think about it?”

“Yeah, okay. All I can ask for, I guess,” he says calmly, but you can read his face, notice the tiniest of victories present in his features. “I love you, Y/n/n.”

Something heavy in your chest lifts at hearing him say those words, but you’re not quite there yet, just nodding one more time before you hang up, before he can see the matching smile forming on your face.

—

tags: @moniamaybank @downbytheouterbanks @littlementalpolaroids @fangirlvoice @chicagoblackhawkslover96 @amourtentiaa @loveylangdon @oopsiedoopsie23 @sodasback @arvinrussellseggplant @cooper8224 @rafeyybabyy @lemur46 @cameronsrafe @imjustanothernerd @judayyyw @irlpadfoot @synonymforlame @tinawhynot