#look at them and their dumb crushes on each other but channeling it into being competitive with each other instead

[alectoperdita]

Heeyyy there, can you do 36, 30 or 7 from the ask game???? Joukai of course. Thank uouuuuu!!!

From Put That Guy in a Situation(TM) Ask Game

36. Avalanche/huddle for warmth & 30. Only one bed

Ahhhhhh! Sorry this one took so long. It's longer than usual, though, so I hope that makes up for the wait. Thanks for your patience. ;;;_;;;

Read on AO3

tags: hurt/comfort, minor injury word count: 3,265 words

---

Skiing was stupid. People who skied were even dumber.

Rich, arrogant, good-for-nothing assholes skied.

Case in point, Kaiba skied.

See? Jounouchi's argument was ironclad. Unassailable even.

"Watch it, you oaf," a voice colder than the biting wind howling around them snapped in his numb ear.

"I should've left you to become a popsicle," he grumbled, squaring his stance in the soft, powdery snow and readjusting his grip on Kaiba, careful not to jostle him and set off another tirade of complaints.

"I could say the same for you."

The fingers burrowed under the fold of Jounouchi's scarf bit into the nape of his neck. Hard to tell if it was because of an involuntary reaction to pain or a deliberate warning. Either way, it and Kaiba's words took the wind right out of Jounouchi's sails.

Yeah, so skiing might be stupid, but it was even dumber to attempt a slope beyond his novice ability only to get lost off the trail. Especially as a winter storm brewed. But he couldn't stand how effortlessly Kaiba made everything appear, so suave and eye-catching in his ski gear. Or how he turned his nose up at Jounouchi.

It inspired a familiar feeling, one that drove him to act recklessly.

So it was Jounouchi's rotten luck that Kaiba, as the group's most experienced skier, ultimately tracked him down. Kaiba predictably berated him for his idiocy, Jounouchi snapped back, and they fought. And then, in a begrudging attempt to extract Jounouchi from a ditch, the man fell and busted his leg instead.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he studied Kaiba's beet-red face. Kaiba wore his ski goggles atop his head like a hairband, pushing back his bangs and exposing his forehead. So it wasn't hard to spot the pained grimace wrinkling his brow. Flurries clung to his long lashes, no matter how often he tried to blink them away. He was sweating buckets despite the frigid temperature.

Jounouchi sympathized with that. Underneath his thick winter coat, his own clothing stuck uncomfortably to his skin. He'd kill to be back at the lodge and enjoying a hot shower.

"We need to get out of the open," Kaiba declared.

Jounouchi swept a critical eye across the windswept landscape. Nothing but trees and snow as far as he could see, but his vision's range was limited. Visibility plummeted as the storm intensified.

"Can't you, like, call for help? Doncha have a satellite uplink on you all the damn time?" asked Jounouchi.

"You don't think I tried? Atmospheric conditions affect satellite communication," Kaiba sneered, as if it were the most obvious fact in the world.

It probably was to a guy like him. Jounouchi merely rolled his eyes and focused on their terrestrial concern, repeatedly putting one foot in front of the other to make the most painstaking progress forward. It was the only way they'd get out of this if they couldn't count on rescue incoming.

"Who would've guessed you had such dainty ankles?" He winced when it sounded like a shout as the howling wind died down at that precise moment.

"Excuse me," hissed Kaiba, tightening his grip. Ouch. Ouch! Bastard was definitely squeezing his neck on purpose.

Jounouchi had already dug his hole, so whatever. "I think you need more calcium in your diet, dude. Ya twisted that ankle like nothing. If you're not careful, you're gonna start breaking your hip like 'em little old grannies."

"First of all, it's not a fractured ankle, it's a fractured tibia. Second, my calcium intake is fine. Better than yours, given the trash I've seen you shovel into your mouth. And third, I'm taller, which means I have a higher center of gravity, which affects..."

Jounouchi tuned out the rest of the rant. He could feel the nervous energy bleeding from Kaiba into him. As long as Kaiba kept running his mouth, he stayed awake and alert. It meant he kept working with Jounouchi to cross the increasingly treacherous and snow-blind slope.

A stark shiver wracked their bodies. Jounouchi paused to assess his companion's condition again.

Kaiba's teeth chattered. Sweat blanketed his forehead. Neither were good signs.

"You okay? Cold? In pain?" he asked softly.

"Yes," was Kaiba's reply. Which was as clear and helpful as mud.

Jounouchi sighed and urged them onward. He could only guide them toward what he hoped was the downward direction and pray that they stumbled back onto the trail.

After limping for what felt like hours, their footsteps dragged heavier and heavier behind them as snowfall and fatigue weighed them down in equal parts. That was when Jounouchi spotted what he prayed wasn't a mirage beyond a thicket of trees.

Slanted rooftop, horizontal wooden slats, the glint of glass windows—a cabin!

Giddy from the sudden shot of adrenaline, he nudged Kaiba. "Hey, hey. There's a cabin up ahead!"

Kaiba blinked blearily. He'd grown strangely quiet during the recent stretch. Now, he squinted, scrutinizing the building in the distance, perhaps wondering like Jounouchi if it was real.

The decision made itself.

"Let's go. You know what? I'm gonna carry you on my back. It'll be faster." Jounouchi was already carefully lowering Kaiba onto the snow-blanketed ground while keeping the weight off his injured ankle.

"No," Kaiba snapped. He clung to Jounouchi's biceps.

"It'll be fine, ya stubborn bastard. I swear I'll never tell another living soul so your damn pride can stay intact. I dunno about you, but I wanna get out of the cold ASAP."

"And if you drop me? Or what if you break your ankles next? What then?" challenged Kaiba. There was an increasingly frantic light shining in his eyes.

"Trust me. I don't wanna die out here any more than you do!"

For several terrifying beats, Kaiba stared at him. His claws were locked in rictus, threatening to rip into Jounouchi's padded jacket.

"C'mon, we're both freezing our butts off."

Jounouchi didn't know what convinced Kaiba in the end. Maybe the poor bastard was too wrung out to pick a fight.

"You drop me and it'll be the last thing you ever do." The threat lacked teeth, though.

Kaiba's hands trembled as they released Jounouchi's sleeve. They shook when they planted themselves on Jounouchi's shoulders. Kaiba was heavier than anticipated. Turns out there was meat on those bones after all. But it was a weight Jounouchi could shoulder.

The strangest sensation by far was the hot and heavy feeling of Kaiba breathing down his neck. Yet it was a soothing reminder that Kaiba was alive. Jounouchi huffed and puffed the final stretch to the tiny cabin, but he never dropped Kaiba.

Once they climbed onto the raised porch, Jounouchi deposited him against the railing and shook the accumulated snow from his gear. Eyes drilled into his back as he removed his beanie and brushed his hair clean.

The dog comparison he was certain was incoming never materialized, though. Kaiba must really be tired.

Hobbling on his feet, Kaiba's gaze stayed fixed on the door. "How do you propose we get inside?"

"Uh... Key under the mat?"

Kaiba leveled a disgusted look at him.

He banged twice on the door with his fist. "Hello? Can anyone hear me?"

Right. Also wouldn't hurt to check if there were already people inside. Preferably someone who could help them and wasn't going to hunt them across the mountainside for sport. He blamed Bakura for that last thought.

Leaning close, Jounouchi peered into the window, straining to see through the gap between the curtains. It was dark inside. There was no movement. No one was home. That made sense. The ski racks out front stood barren.

They'd long abandoned their gear, too. No point in dragging extra weight along when Kaiba was already injured.

"Stay here. I'll check around back," ordered Jounouchi before hopping off the porch.

He circled the perimeter at a jog. It hardly took any time. To call it a cabin was probably generous to someone like Kaiba. But it looked sturdy, and it offered shelter from the storm. As he passed one window, he noticed a small sign in it that read "Ski Patrol."

He raced back to Kaiba. "Cabin belongs to ski patrol. There might be a phone inside!"

Kaiba turned and greeted him with a key ring dangling from his index finger.

"Where'd you find those?"

"Hideaway inside a fake rock." Kaiba gestured to a pile sitting in the porch's corner.

Jounouchi laughed. "So I was right. That's basically under the mat. God, I hope they're the spares to this place."

Hopefully, they wouldn't have to go with his backup plan of busting through a window.

Braced against the doorframe, Kaiba went through two keys on the ring before he unlocked the door. Jounouchi whooped in celebration. Then, he moved forward to shoulder Kaiba's weight and usher them inside.

To Jounouchi's relief, the cabin came equipped with indoor plumbing and even a gas stove in the open kitchen out in the main room. There was a small round table and several chairs, but nowhere to lie down.

But in another interior room, he found a bed.

One cramped twin-sized bed squeezed between the wall and a narrow nightstand. There wasn't room for much else.

He went back to the main room to report his findings. Kaiba sat at the dining table where Jounouchi left him, but he had his injured leg propped up on a second chair, ski boot and all.

"Phone's down," Kaiba grunted. "There's electricity, but there's no telling how long the generator will hold up. It's best if we don't use it until we must."

Jounouchi groaned. Guess it was too much to hope for. "Cool, well, there's only one bed."

Kaiba stared at him, unblinking for long lengths. Yeesh, did the bastard really think he was going to fight an injured person for the sole bed?

He approached the table. "You should take it. You're the one with the busted ankle. Want me to carry ya, princess?"

Laughing, he barely dodged the ski goggles Kaiba flung at his head. Somehow, that restored the equilibrium between them.

"Make yourself useful and find a first aid kit," barked Kaiba.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Inside a kitchenette cabinet, he located a red bag with a white cross.

"Found it!"

A soft swear answered him from behind. He glanced over his shoulder and watched as Kaiba hunched over his elevated foot, struggling with his bootstraps. Jounouchi heaved a sigh, and on his way back to the table, he grabbed an afghan blanket folded on a shelf. He deposited the first aid kit on the tabletop and the blanket onto Kaiba's head, where his hair turned damp from the melting snow.

Kaiba cursed, louder this time, his arms flailing under the blanket. Jounouchi kneeled down next to him, shed his gloves, and started working the snaps open. Above him came a snarl. He peered up just in time to see the outrage on Kaiba's face melt into shock after he ripped the wool away. Fighting a sudden wave of self-consciousness, Jounouchi lowered his gaze and kept going. His fingers, slowly warming, fumbled briefly on the next clasp.

He waited for Kaiba to say something. Anything. Bark an order. Throw an insult. But Kaiba had gone deadly quiet, howling in his silence. The behavior was so strange Jounouchi wondered if Kaiba also hit his head when he fell.

Either way, Jounouchi felt the other man's stare drill through the top of his head.

Next came the hard part: getting the boot off without further agitating Kaiba's injury.

Again, his eyes flicked up to Kaiba's face, where he noted the almost contemplative expression that now dominated its planes. "Ya ready for this?"

Kaiba squared his shoulders, then nodded.

Jounouchi removed the boot as carefully as he could manage. Yet afterward, the man's forehead was drenched with sweat, his face stripped of all color. Jounouchi went straight to the first aid kit and fished out the painkillers. With trembling hands, Kaiba snapped up the packet, tore it open, and swallowed two pills before Jounouchi could ask if he wanted water.

Figures Kaiba was the kind of freak who swallowed pills dry.

As Kaiba slumped forward and placed his head down atop the table, Jounouchi helped him out of the remaining boot as well. He set the footwear, both emblazoned with fancy KC logos, aside.

"Thank you."

The words stunned Jounouchi. His head whipped up, and he gawked at Kaiba. He couldn't see Kaiba's face, but the tips of his ears blazed bright red.

After several seconds of awkward silence, Jounouchi replied, "That should be my line. You're the one that found me after I got my dumbass self lost. So thanks for coming to get me."

To his surprise, Kaiba didn't lift his head. His bangs smeared across the tabletop as he nodded, though.

"And sorry you got hurt because of that," Jounouchi added quietly. His eyes darted back to Kaiba's elevated leg, but the thick pants made it impossible to gauge the severity of his condition. "How bad do you think it is?"

The table muffled Kaiba's reply. "Are there scissors in that kit?"

"Yeah."

"Cut the pant leg up to the knee."

Knowing that the alternative was somehow peeling Kaiba out of said pants, Jounouchi obeyed without complaint. He worked carefully, though, not wanting to cut Kaiba. A gigantic bruise sat halfway up to Kaiba's knee, right around where his ski boot ended. The entire area was swollen, but there was no sign of blood.

"No bone pushing through the skin, so that's a good sign." Kaiba said, suddenly right next to Jounouchi's ear. His warm breath puffed over Jounouchi's cheek.

Jounouchi jerked back, grabbing the chair's back to steady himself.

Thankfully, Kaiba was too preoccupied with examining his leg to notice his overreaction. "I should splint it."

Jounouchi jumped to his feet. "Splint, yeah, makes sense. Ya need a stick or something, right? I'll look for one."

As luck would have it, he dug up segments of PVC pipes already cut in half. Kaiba also appeared pleased when he presented them, kindling a warm glow within Jounouchi's ribcage.

"Can I help with anything else?" he asked, despite not knowing how to make a splint.

Kaiba hesitated before replying, "I have it handled. But I'll let you know if I need anything."

Jounouchi nodded automatically. He bounced between one foot and the other as Kaiba worked. But when Kaiba peered up at him for a second, something inside him snapped. He spun on his heels before declaring, "I saw a firewood shed out back. Gonna see if I can get a fire going for us."

Without waiting for a response, he fled the small cabin. The cold hit him in the face like a slap. It was invigorating. Got his blood pumping in a good way.

It wasn't until he dropped several split logs that he realized he'd left his gloves inside. Instead of going to retrieve them, he sank to his knees and cupped his numb hands to his mouth, blowing hot air over him. He couldn't say how long he stayed like that before the chill finally drove him back into the cabin.

Kaiba barely acknowledged him when he returned. That made Jounouchi feel simultaneously better and worse. The bastard hadn't even waited for Jounouchi to return before he somehow hobbled his way over to the loveseat close to the fireplace.

He focused on the fireplace instead.

Once the fire got going, the temperature inside warmed considerably. Unsurprisingly, Kaiba had to be bullied out of his outerwear before he could be swathed with blankets over his shoulders and his newly splinted leg.

Save for the seldom pop and crackle of the fire, it was silent.

Kaiba glared at his smartphone, occasionally adjusting its position as if that would catch a stray signal bar. Jounouchi also checked his phone, but he was sure his coverage was shit compared to Kaiba's.

Jounouchi also hung up his jacket to dry and shed his ski boots by the door. He didn't hesitate snatching the quilt off the bed in the other room, huddling under it while standing next to the fire.

"You stand any closer and you'll catch fire," came a dry quip from behind him.

He turned to face Kaiba and found the man with his phone facedown on his lap while squeezing the bridge of his nose. He lay lengthwise along the too-small loveseat with his legs elevated on the armrest and his sock-clad toes peeking out from under a blanket.

Despite that, Kaiba looked cozy? Shit, Jounouchi felt a bit insane even thinking about that. But Kaiba appeared comfy. His sharp angles and harsh lines blunted under the woolen cover.

Disarmed. Soft. Jounouchi had never seen him that way before.

"What?" snapped Kaiba, jerking Jounouchi from his hazy thoughts. When he shivered, though, the entire fabric mass shook with him.

"Still cold?" Jounouchi asked as he padded closer.

Kaiba dropped his gaze to his pale hands clasped on his lap. "Nothing to be alarmed about. I've always had circulation issues."

Jounouchi laughed. "Cuz you're a skinny beanpole."

Kaiba glared, but he didn't argue.

Another insane thought crossed Jounouchi's mind. One he shouldn't dare entertain, but being cold probably wasn't good for Kaiba's leg in his current state. He had already dedicated himself to Kaiba's well-being to this point. Might as well ensure neither of them froze into popsicles before Kaiba could get proper medical attention.

"Alright, budge up."

Kaiba should hurry. Before Jounouchi lost his nerves.

"Excuse me."

"Ya heard me. Make room. We're gonna share body heat."

"Why?" Kaiba's voice rose an octave. He gave Jounouchi a frantic once-over from head to toe.

"So we don't freeze, duh."

Kaiba looked at him as if he was insane.

Jounouchi felt insane.

"Look, you're still cold, and I'm not giving you this blanket too. It's the last one," he argued.

For a moment, Kaiba looked as if he might eject Jounouchi from the cabin entirely, busted leg be damned. But then a miracle happened. Kaiba, after lowering his gaze, scooted forward, making space for Jounouchi to join him on the furniture. With his heart in his throat, Jounouchi squeezed in, carefully wiggling until he bracketed Kaiba's tense frame with his legs. Without asking, because he was positive the answer would be no, Jounouchi pulled the other man's back flush to his chest.

Kaiba stiffened. He froze as if he had been left outside in sub-zero temperatures. That gave Jounouchi an opening to slip an arm around Kaiba's waist, but he left the limb atop a layer of quilt.

From this angle, he could only make out the back of Kaiba's head and the tip of his flaming ears.

Kaiba remained strangely mute. Only the steady rise and fall of his chest signaled his consciousness. Another shudder wracked through his body, and Jounouchi could feel it, from the hissing inhale to the tensing of back muscles to the exhale and shoulder slumping under the woolen weight.

Kaiba stopped shivering afterward, though. So that counted as a success, right?

"Don't worry, I don't mind sharing the bed with you if you want a space heater there too," Jounouchi joked. A hard lump formed in his throat, and he fought the urge to tighten his arms.

In response, Kaiba elbowed him in the stomach. But it was a light touch for him.

Jounouchi wouldn't admit it out loud, but he was content to remain here. Just the two of them huddled under blankets until the storm finally passed. And when Kaiba leaned back against him, he gave the impression he didn't mind either.

Read other prompt fill ficlets here

[moonswolfie]

Once in a lifetime

timeskip!Suna x reporter!reader (SPOILERS!!)

Reader is gender neutral

Because my other suna fics popped off i'm writing for my boi again ( *︾▽︾)

So yk the thing where news reporters playfully flirt with athletes/sportsmen while interviewing them sometimes? Yeah this is that basically

idk how news reporting works lmao

Being a news reporter for the sports division was always fun. You got to watch all sorts of different sports matches and competitions and even talk to some of the star atheletes up close, which was your favourite part. They always look so different to the way they do in TV.

And that holds true to EJP Raijin's Suna Rintaro, too. In a good way, a very very good way. You see, Suna Rintaro has caught your eye a while ago and you became his fan in an instant. The way he moved during each match was awfully entrancing.

You weren't going to lie, you do have a celebrity crush on him. You've watched enough matches and interviews and tiktok edits for that to hold true.

So when you got an opportunity to do post-game interviews with the EJP Raijin team, you took it as fast as you possibly could. Maybe you'll even get his autograph out of it.

So here you were, watching the match (mostly Suna) with the camera crew. It was invigorating to see him in real life, that's for sure.

The team was doing well, as expected. So close to winning, and you have zero doubt about it. With how well they're playing you just know they'll win.

You don't even realise the excited grin on your face, or the flushed cheeks for the record, but your camera crew was already gossiping about it behind you.

Their points ticked up and soon they got the final point for their victory. "Yesss..." you whispered to yourself. Winning puts the players in a good mood, consequently putting you in a good mood. And it makes them more willing to do interviews, too.

You and your camera crew pounced at the opportunity as always. You ran up to the players, the crew on your heels. And you weren't the only ones waiting to cease the opportunity, as many other reporters and photographers ran beside you. "Suna-san, Suna-san!" You tried getting his attention over the various reporters.

You knew he had a habit of ignoring interviewers, so you weren't too hopeful about an interview, especially not when literally everyone around you was also trying to get his attention, but it was always worth a try. It's not every day you see your celebrity crush, after all.

He glanced back at you, and you swear his eyes widened a little. He looked away, and then back again, seemingly deciding if it's worth it. He then stopped, letting his teammates walk around him before turning around and walking to you, pushing through the crowd of reporters.

Your smile widened with every step he took, stars shining in your eyes when you got a good look at his face up close.

Your camera crew was already set up and waiting for you to begin. You cleared your throat, trying your best to supress your big dumb smile.

"I'm here live from the stadium with EJP Raijin's number 7, Suna Rintaro!" You gesture to Suna who nods curtly. "If you don't mind, I have a few questions for you following your team's victory." You smiled brightly at him, him nodding in response.

"How did you feel about today's opponent?" You went about asking the standard questions you ask basically every time you do an interview.

"Their serves were tough to handle..." Suna sighed slightly, thinking back of all the times his receives were slightly off and the ball went in a weird direction. "And their libero was quite annoying to deal with. That's a compliment, by the way."

You chuckled a little, quickly following up with "How do you feel about your victory?" You asked, smile as bright as ever. Somehow, you felt bold all of a sudden. I mean, isn't interviewing your celebrity crush a once in a lifetime moment? You might as well take advantage of that....

You nodded along to his answer, channeling your courage in the meantime.

"And are you single?" You asked in a half joking tone so you can play it off as one just in case he doesn't take it well. You would like to think that you asked this with confidence but you honestly can't hear yourself over your hammering heartbeat right now.

He seemed stunned by your question, a small smile forming on his face when seeing your nervous smile. Your camera crew sighed, one of them smiling victoriously, knowing he won the bet.

"...Yes, I am. Why are you asking?" He asked, looking at you with feigned cluelessness. You realise just now that this is odd behaviour for him. Usually when a news reporter would try to flirt with him, he'd shut them down immediately.

"Well, you know... because this is a question of utmost importance. Alteast to me." You winked, immediately regretting it after. Ugh, that was lame...

"Is my number a a thing of utmost importance, too?" he asked playfully, smirking at you. Out of all the things that could happen today, you were never expecting him to flirt back.

You almost didn't want to believe it. You thought that you'll wake up from the dream any second now. You swallowed all your emotions quickly, nodding eagerly while trying your best to wear a flirty smile. "But of course."

At this, he chuckles a little bit, which put a big smile on your face. You cannot believe you actually made him laugh. And got to see it up close, too. "This is wayyy better than all the other interviews I've ever done. No shade to the other reporters." After a small pause, he stretched his arms.

"I'll be behind the stadium, by the way." he said with a casual smile on his face, turning around and walking off.

Only then did the reality that you just flirted with your celebrity crush on live TV truly hit you. "Umm, well, back to you, Kiriya-san!" you signified the end of your segment swiftly, and your camera crew cut the cameras.

Oh lord, the other news reporters back at the station are never going to let you forget this, are they... "Hey, look who's out here getting a boyfriend..." your cameraman teased, and you clenched your jaw in embarrasment. "You don't gotta do this to me, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity..."

"Well, then what are you waiting for? He said he's waiting for you behind the stadium."

I normally don't do this but i am in my shadowban era so likes, reblogs and comments are highly appreciated <3 )

(oh yeah, please and thank u 😊)

[wheatnoodle]

part 2 to⬆️

— wednesday —

there have been more than enough shit people in eddie’s life for him to care when his so-called “friends” don’t turn out to be who he thinks they are.

and honestly, this time, it’s on him. he’s a firm believer in second chances but even he should’ve known that steve harrington would always be steve harrington. he needs to start believing people when they show him who they really are, not try and see, try and find, try and create the good in them.

he’s hurt, he’s embarrassed, but he’s not surprised. so he turns up his music and he strums harder and headbangs faster and drowns out the sound of his brain until his friday show. he channels his feelings, his anger and betrayal, into making it the best damn show indiana has ever seen.

he wasn’t going to let some jock like steve harrington stop him from doing what he loves. steve and his stupid hair, and his stupid moles, and his stupid big brown eyes, and his stupid pouty lips, and his stupid muscles, and his-

great, now he’s blushing. because he was also dumb and he let himself get a stupid fucking crush on a stupid fucking jock who used to be bitch and seemingly still is.

besides, it’s not like he hasn’t seen steve go out of his way to support his friends. he’s at every single one of lucas’s basketball games and will’s art shows and drives robin to her marching band practice. sure, he doesn’t stick around for that last one, but he still drives her. and yet every time eddie asks him to come to his practices, or come to his concerts, or anything related to his band, steve conveniently has to work or has some excuse ready on the tip of his tongue. eddie doesn’t even care if steve likes his music, he just wants him to show up. to pretend he cares even a little bit about eddie’s music.

and the look he gave him! like he couldn’t believe what eddie was saying to him. that was just the icing on the cake. he was done. so he brushed off dustin’s pestering to ask steve to come to the movies with them, he avoided his uncle wayne’s concerned looks, and he was ready to move on with his life.

— friday —

over the years, the party had accepted that being a passenger in steve’s car wasn’t like how it used to be. when they were just in middle school, they’d laugh and bicker and they’d rope steve into their conversations or he’d look at them through the rear view mirror whenever they said something that they probably shouldn’t have.

now, post-freshmen-year, they still laugh and fight in the backseat, but steve doesn’t talk. doesn’t even look at them. robin says he’s just focusing on his driving or blames herself for turning the music up so loud. not at all because he can’t hear them anymore, no no.

so he’s in his driver’s seat, wearing his lovely family video vest, and hauling dustin and robin to the hideout for corroded coffin’s show before he heads to work. robin has her billy idol tape playing and she’s turned around in the front seat, raving with dustin about the latest nerd movie. sometimes steve is glad he can’t hear.

he pulls up outside of the bar, parks near the van where eddie, the band, and his kids are all stood around dragging equipment out of the back. mike and lucas are shoving each other around with smiles on their faces and they all seem to be wearing some kind of handmade corroded coffin tshirts.

they turn at the sound of the gravel crunching under tires. eddie’s jaw sets at the sight of the familiar beemer and he’s rolling his eyes before he can stop himself. steve gets out the car, doesn’t look up as he circles around, opens robin’s door, and grabs dustin’s bag from the backseat.

eddie is making his way over, long, drawn out steps. he’s clapping too, slowly and loud, and the van gang are staring at him, confused and quiet. steve happens to look up just as eddie gets a few feet away and begins to shout for all to hear.

“here ye, here ye! make way, make way!” eddie throws his arms out to the side, a grand gesture as he sweeps a hand across the rest of the group. “he has arrived to grace us with his presence! all hail king steve! would you like us to bow for you, my liege?”

he doesn’t get the reaction he had hoped.

there’s no anger in steve’s eyes. no fire. no promise of a fight. no clenched fists ready to make contact with eddie’s cheekbone the way high school steve would.

instead, he’s met with silence.

and steve’s quickened breathing.

and the glossing of tears building in his tear ducts that he’s trying to blink back.

steve’s eyes flick to the party behind him. they’re all looking at him. nobody is saying anything. he hands dustin’s bag back to its rightful owner. doesn’t say anything as he stumbles to his car door. his hands are shaking trying to get the key in the door. it fits in the hole, it’s made for this door, why don’t not it go in, why cant this just work for him, why him, why now-

he drops the key, spitting a hushed “sh-shit” that his voice breaks in the middle of. robin walks over, picks up the key ring and unlocks his door. her eyes are huge as she looks at him. filled with shock, with worry, with anger. he can only manage a quick glance before he’s in the car and speeding away.

eddie is still standing where he was, rooted to the spot. he stares straight ahead, arms dropping to his sides.

“eddie…what the fuck is your problem.”

[dorizardthewizard]

Galactik Football season 3 rewatch, eps 13-15

Episode 13:

Funny how the Pirates, who have the most motivation to find the contact, are the ones supporting an immediate evacuation whereas Brim Simbra is going for the “no need to panic people” route

Brim Simbra: He's right. Especially since many people will leave Paradisia right after the final anyway. The evacuation has to take place calmly.

Well fuck all the retail workers and support staff on Paradisia then. You guys are at more risk because we'll only announce a proper evacuation once all the visitors are gone <3

Again they missed their chance to have D'jok and Sinedd taunt each other at the start of the match, their roasts used to be hilarious

The way Mei is just watching them with her hands crossed sfdjhds girl, be ready!

Man I complain about Sinedd but D'jok's behaviour is annoying me more

Lol why did they just let the cat walk in, didn't they know about the incident at the start of the season?

Damn they really joker-ified Harris

Brim Simbra this wouldn't be a problem if you'd just ordered an evacuation

Luur came to watch the match in his football kit I guess

Damn, Galactik Football tournament finals can never go on without a disaster huh?

Why does it look like everyone has left the stadium already (that is a FUCK ton of people by the way, SEVERE danger of fatal crowd crushes. Which wouldn't be happening if you pre-emptively evacuated everyone, BRIM SIMBRA) but D'jok, Mei and Sinedd are still taking their time getting off the pitch?

I find it a bit hard to believe that D'jok's so far gone he'll literally just stand there as the stadium falls apart around him. In season 2 it was because he was in shock at least, and anyway this is all kind of a re-hash of the end of season 2 but worse

This is so funny they're just standing there 😭 Unbothered

I do love Sinedd saving D'jok and that his excuse is that he can't fight him if he's dead dsfjkdf it's hilarious

Seeing the flux effect on the 2D animation is so uncanny!

They seemed to be able to switch to using the flux for different purposes pretty quickly, like in football it mostly just gives them more power/speed/agility but they immediately have no problem channeling the Breath outwards and shooting it at stuff

It's a huge moment though, seeing them use the flux outside of football. If there were more seasons it could have been cool to see this as a can of worms opening and a debate around the potential loosening of the rules, with a balance between the benefits flux can bring vs the dangers

Sinedd you dumbass they would have left already, that's how evacuations work. Although I see him being too scared of losing them again to think rationally

TRAIN BRAWL! TRAIN BRAWL! Spider-man 2 eat your heart out

RIP Harvey, a real legend. And flux war veteran!

Of course she's a serpent lady

ooo look you can see the space jump gates! Cool little bit of background lore on how travel works in this universe

Where tf is Sinedd

Ahh Phoenix is going down with the ship, pretty cool moment

DAN DAN DAAAAAN

Episode 14:

Aww Thran and Ahito holding hands 😭😭

MARK JUST... DANGLING MICRO-ICE BY THE LEG?? It's kind of cute he's comforting him in his own way, although Micro-Ice's very valid reaction to all this is still played for laughs lmao

Ok so how sentient ARE the robots in this show? Sidney is obviously very sad about Harvey being gone, and we've seen the Technodroids have normal conversations before. But everyone's reaction whenever Sidney gets sad is just 😬😬😬 awkward LOL. Are robots like second class citizens in this universe? No one believes their emotions are as real as humans? But are they?? So many questions

Artegor coming over to help Aarch with unpacking sdhsdfjj and blaming himself for encouraging them to go to Paradisia 😭 Their hug 😭😭 Going feral over them

Wuh... in the middle of a good natured conversation he just,, throws the trophy? Why? It's so random 😂😂

So did Aarch and Artegor actually resolve their dispute, as dumb as it was? Oh it was just thrown in to have drama for a couple of episodes and now suddenly they're good? Ok sure

Aw Norata seems so much happier now, look at him excitedly showing off rare flowers

So these kids just.... use the flux? And NO ONE has noticed this yet? It's just... they were notified IMMEDIATELY that Rocket had used the flux to save Tia, how is this continuous use going undetected? I guess we already had that question considering Tia already knew how to use the flux in season 1, but with her you could at least make soooome sort of assumption of her being sheltered somehow as a daughter of diplomats. Maybe the flux society only noticed Rocket's flux use so quickly because they always make sure to track GF players really closely, but still if these kids are just chilling using it all the time, on GENESIS, it looks like the flux society are worryingly shit at their job lol

But that's the thing, season 3 introduces SO many crazy new concepts – new tournament, mixed flux teams, players moving to other teams, using flux outside of football, characters moving to different roles to shake up the status quo... so much interesting stuff but the execution just flubs it, especially with the character development.

Damn Tia's got gymnastics skills!

Oh so the last time we saw Sinedd, he was running back into a collapsing stadium to find his parents and we had no idea if he'd made it or not, and now the next time we see him he's just chilling walking with his team? I don't know much about direction in shows like this but I feel like we should have had a scene where he reunites with Mei at least before this??

Actually come to think of it, D'jok ends up on the Snow Kids' ship during the evacuation and we never get to see their reaction to him! Of course at first they all just want to survive and are obviously worried about him, but what about after? Was it awkward? Did they talk? TELL ME

Sinedd is a dick cutting Mei off like that but kind of sweet to see him refer to the Shadows as family

Wait have D'jok and Sonny interacted since Sonny got healed? I feel like we're sorely missing some father and son interactions here, and D'jok has been really needing it! And where's Maya in all this??

Mei is right to question the “parents” with how sketchy they're acting, but it's tough. Sinedd's finally got that part of himself back and there's no way he'll consider the idea of losing it again.

New flux society guy agreeing to move the date of the GFC, ooooor you could try and catch this guy? Useless mfers

Episode 15:

Show really doesn't give us any detail on how someone actually masters another flux. Like how does it work?

Oh Mei's getting sick now from the Smog, but how did Sinedd get over it? He did have symptoms of Smog poisoning in season 2 but I don't remember him ever getting cured like Artegor did? Aarch had to quit the Shadows because it had gone too far, is it actually something you can just overcome? Is it different for everyone? Is it down to overusing it? So many questions!

I like that Mei was just like. NOPE this is hurting me, even if I liked you I ain't staying! As she should.

Ooo Yuki's mastering the Elektras' flux!

Wait so everyone thinks team Paradisia are actually from the planet? Which iirc only became habitable not that long ago? I'm confused on the origins of these girls, how are they cyborgs? Do they have any lives and family outside of the team Lord Phoenix assembled? I mean they're not androids? I feel like since they're closely connected to a main character, they should have gotten some more backstory.

Oh so D'jok left team Paradisia already? Why exactly? He seemed all about winning with them. We don't even get a scene of him leaving them and their reaction??

What?? D'jok's just decided to do coaching all of a sudden? Because of one little encounter with kids playing football?? He was obsessed with winning tournaments like 5 minutes ago how did this change come about??? Like. I can SEE the vision and D'jok becoming a mentor figure is a fun idea but... we need to see the steps of getting there!

That Lightnings girl is so cute though

Mei says she only left temporarily but um... sis that was not the impression we got lol you disappeared abruptly and sent everyone heartfelt farewell messages

English dub goofs up again: D'jok says he'll never go back to the Snow Kids after what THEY did, but then goes on about how HE messed up and they'll never take him back. And again, what made him realise he was behaving poorly? You can't just set up a character's development, then suddenly show them once they've reached a conclusion. Was is the near-death experience? The fact Mei still wanted to help him despite how he'd acted? His loneliness finally catching up to him? I WANT ANSWERS

Mei: Don't you want to play for the cup? D'jok: We've done it, Mei. We've won twice! What's the point?

OK this is super interesting, I'm gonna link @millimononym 's post here about D'jok's potential arc (hope that's ok!) because I think it fits really well with this. For a guy obsessed with destiny, hitting his peak early could really mess with him. You could have such an interesting arc about this and accepting that life goes on and that our lives don't have to be defined by reaching some greater goal or purpose. It's about doing it with your friends and, if the show delved a little bit more in the whole post-flux war climate, it's also about being a symbol of hope for a planet that basically suffered the apocalypse. People joke about how the Snow Kids won three times in a row straight away, instead of doing the anime lose -> train to get better -> win scenario, but you could actually address this and use it to the story's advantage!

Aww Lun-Zia can't do it :( I can't remember what happens but it would be cool if she actually couldn't master the Breath, sometimes no matter how hard you try things just don't go the way you want

Wait so um... is no one questioning how the Paradisia girls still have their flux even though the planet is dead? And what are the girls even doing right now? They have no home and no Lord Phoenix, who took care of everything for them. And where did Nina-8 come from??

The Elektra's support of Yuki is so cute. Also kind of interesting lore that their planet is far from the other planets, and hence its residents find it very hard to connect to the flux, so much so it was assumed they didn't have one. A cool explanation for why the team hasn't shown up yet!

Oh she's been selected by the Wambas!! Of course they would want her on their team after seeing her play at Paradisia. Well that wrapped up nicely! Still, this confirms she was just some rando on the beach. And what was she up to before the tournament anyway? I wish we got to know more about her

Mark immediately has a crush on Nina-8 but somehow not Nikki-4 who looks just like her? XD

I don't mind Yuki staying with the Elektras actually, its the Elektra's first GFC and I can see her wanting to go further with them. And sometimes that's just life! Going on new adventures

[grizzlyofthesea]

Dumb Vocaloid Headcanons, Part 2: Crypton Future Media/Piapro

In general

Super futuristic androids built for singing and performing

No combat abilities like the Internet Co. Vocaloids, but they look more convincingly human than the male Poids and CUL (about on par with GUMI and Lily)

Live in a mobile cyber-home since they frequently need to travel for concerts

Have a giant stash/vault of all the things their fans have given them

Getting a bit anxious about moving to Piapro Studio, but generally optimistic about it

Close with the Zero-G and Internet Co. Vocaloids

MEIKO

The fun mom friend

Meant to be 30-ish years old

Confident and outgoing

Enjoys gardening and going on long hikes

Has regular lunch outings with Mew and Chika

Will do the "hold my beer/sake/whatever I'm currently drinking" thing to show off the most unexpected, random skills

A weepy/emotional drunk

Cishet ally

Unofficially married to KAITO

KAITO

The weird but cool dad friend

About two years younger than MEIKO, both in software release and in physical age

Huge history nerd

Favorite ice cream flavor is Blue Moon

Snuggles with his scarf like a teddy bear when he's sleeping

BFFs with Gackpo and Kiyoteru

Hates waking up before 2:00 p.m.

Pansexual

Unofficially married to MEIKO

Hatsune Miku

Super sweet and kind

Loves performing with her friends more than anything

Tries her best at everything

Puts on a more stoic, "refined" persona when wearing her Append gear just because it makes her feel cool

Was so proud of Teto becoming a SynthV vocal that she cried a little bit

Also super proud of GUMI kind of becoming the new face of VOCALOID now that Crypton has stepped away

Can be a bit too concerned with helping others; has a habit of overstepping boundaries

Confused by people declaring her the creator of Minecraft and Harry Potter, but rolls with it

Aroace; romance-favorable and sex-neutral

Kagamine Rin

Len's (slightly older) twin sister

Argues with Len over truly stupid things, but they love each other in the end

Exchanges fashion tips with Una

Loves cooking and baking; has nearly perfected her recipe for orange chicken

Super strong and athletic, with her favorite sport being volleyball

Adrenaline junkie; especially loves roller coasters

Her road roller privileges have been revoked after engaging in too much tomfoolery.

Genderfae, but still very much in the "egg" phase

Kagamine Len

Rin's (slightly younger) twin brother

Argues with Rin over truly stupid things, but they love each other in the end

Runs a gaming channel on YouTube called xXxBananaVobana07xXx

Knows how to play the keytar, the theramin, and the Otamatone

The sole driver of the Kagamine road roller after Rin's last incident

Had a parkour obsession at one point

Has sort of adopted Oliver as his little brother

Cishet ally

Has a slight fanboy crush on Sachiko but is really interested in SF-A2 miki

Megurine Luka

Autistic and has alexithymia

Writes poetry in her free time; said poetry is usually dark/brooding with vivid imagery

Wants to learn how to skateboard

Sometimes does 3:00 a.m. fridge raids. Always 3:00 a.m.

Tuna is her favorite, but she loves most seafood...except for scallops.

Doesn't smile much outside of performances, but when she does, you know she means it

Cares for Miku, Rin, and Len as younger siblings (even though she was released after them)

Gave the other Cryptonloids rudimentary lessons in English before they got their English voicebanks

Biromantic asexual; not currently interested in anyone

[helenekuragina]

opinions on every helene ship (/hj) and also nikolai/dolokhov and marynat :)

don't test me we both know i have a strong opinion on every single one of her ships... lemme see.

hélène/natasha: i used to be VERY into them but i’ve definitely mellowed. they have lost potential for sure and i think they would have a fascinating dynamic had hélène survived and had a redemption arc, but, y’know! as it is, i have a million thoughts about them and their roles in each other’s lives and in relation to the story

hélène/dolokhov: notoriously not my thing :/ spectacular showing of comphet on all sides. i am still firmly of the belief that the affair was blown out of proportion and it was like... a dumb little crush and marital boredom on hélène’s part and dolokhov being a bastard man

hélène/boris: my favorite of the “canon” hélène relationships. i LOVE the tragedy of it, of feeling like they could’ve had a chance had they hadn’t respectively been raised the way they were. they could’ve been such a power couple too but nope! they’re always going to be too busy wanting something More to love each other and isn’t that so sad

hélène/marya dmitrievna: if i never have to see content for this ship again it’d still be too much, sorry :/ sometimes it’s not sexual tension, sometimes it’s just two women with a 30 year age gap who genuinely do not like each other. another thing to blame dave malloy for

hélène/vera: now for a ship that i made up in my head >:) genuinely i think they would have a wonderful dynamic. enough in common for them to be able to bond, enough different to make it interesting. both of them suffer from a criminal lack of understanding from others and i think they could fix that for the other

hélène/bourienne: i made this one up too i just think it would be fun. we have to stop pretending that bourienne isn’t natasha but french and poor. writing my au where hélène seduces bourienne away from the bolkonsky family and makes her HER companion as we speak

nikolai/dolokhov: I’M NGL I LIKE THIS ONE... i haven’t given it much thought since i’m not all that invested in either of them as characters but i definitely see it and also gives such an edge to the gambling scene... fellas is it gay to supposedly be fighting over a girl but channeling it through high stakes gambling and looking into each others eyes

marya/natasha: i really came around to this one! i didn’t see the appeal before but man i definitely get it now! again, not super strong opinions since i’m not as invested in either of them, but! it’s definitely cute and makes sense. and why did natasha settle for pierre after andrei’s death when marya was literally right there

[thespooksheh]

Some of my Quarry headcanons :P

Abi:

She lives with her dad and younger sister, her mom died when she was young and she doesn’t remember her much

Her family doesn’t have much money but her dad really wants her to pursue her dreams of art school, but Abi’s hesitant to leave her dad and sister behind and is worried about the cost 

She’s been working part-time since she was 14 to help out even though her dad tells her she doesn’t have to, and she keeps a bit as savings just in case

She used to have really severe anxiety as a kid and had to have counselling sessions to help with it, she’s on medication now and has the right coping mechanisms but she still has moments where she can’t deal with it (whenever those moments happened at camp Emma or Dylan would take her somewhere quiet away from the kids and help her calm down, she was really grateful for their help and that’s why she’s closer to them than everyone else)

After everything with Nick she still likes him but doesn’t want to pursue a relationship, because sometimes just looking at him brings back the memory of what Not-Nick said and how he threw her across the room (Nick is very understanding about it and they remain friends, even though it does make him sad they don’t talk much)

Some lighter stuff: she was 100& a horse girl from ages 8-14 (maybe she still is, idk ask her about it)

Her first crush was Applejack in MLP but she’s super embarrassed about it and when asks just says it was her best friend in Kindergarten

She has a collection of plushies and they all have names relating to their colour/style 

Her favourite colour is yellow but she doesn't wear any clothing or own much that's yellow because she's worried she'll stop liking it and it'll ruin her life (she's secretly just as dramatic as Emma, and when Emma finds out she's delighted

Playing Stardew Valley on her switch is a part of her daily routine and she’s been working on the same save for 4 years, she’s very proud of it

Totally draws fanart for the media she likes and has a tumblr, but she refuses to reveal it to anyone (even Emma, even though she constantly begs her to tell her)

When she does eventually attend art school she and Emma end up not far from each other and Emma becomes her muse/model for lot of her work (from here they grow closer and date because I ship Blygbank)

Emma:

Her parents aren’t divorced but they SHOULD BE (they’re both cheating on each other and pretend they don’t know, and neither of them know that Emma knows even though she caught them both)

She has an older sister, like 7-8 years older, and they’ve never been close because her sister always treated her like a dumb kid and a rival

Emma always envied the attention and praise her sister got from their parents and tried (and failed) to be perfect like her, that’s why she starts her youtube channel (it upsets her that her parents aren’t proud of it like they are of her sisters achievements)

After the events of the game she has to take a break from posting (even though she loves it) because she gets a flood of comments about her being a murderer despite being acquitted in the trial, and seeing them makes her question everything she did that night

Despite her exterior she’s actually really sweet (only people close to her see that, like Abi, Dylan and probably Laura too) but she’s very insecure and worried that it’ll be used against her

I mean she loves making others laugh even if she looks dumb in the process, come on!!

She never fully forgives Jacob even though she really wants to, and also feels like maybe it was her fault in a way (I don’t think that though, like at all), she acts like they’re cool when they hang out but she still carries it around with her

After school she keeps up her youtube channel and insta presence which pays pretty well, but she also works as a barista because it’s simple and she likes the structure it provides in her life

Emma is such a dog person to the degree that she hates cats (red flag in my book but I still <3 her)

She’s had a few dogs over the years, but right now she has two, a border collie named Griffin and a doberman named Fluffy (they live her parents though and it pains her to be so far away from them, and when she visits them it's’ secretly just to see her dogs)

I like to think she gets over her cat hating grudged eventually when she meets Dylan’s cat and then later she agrees to getting a cat when she lives with Abi (it’s ginger and super grumpy, and prefers Emma to Abi which pisses her off so much but Abi finds it hilarious)

Emma’s a huge swiftie and has all her albums on vinyl (Nick’s also a swifite but is very secretive about it, Emma agrees to keep his secret and go to TS concerts in secret together. Abi figures it out though and is sworn to secrecy)

She wears q specific shade of red lipstick and has been using the same on for three years even though it’s expired and almost completely used up (it’s literally a nub) because the company changed the formula

Laura: if you love the shade so much just get a new on and stop using that gross ball of death

Emma, using that said gross ball of death and rolling her eyes: you don’t understand it’s not the same

Kaitlyn:

She has 4 younger brothers and all of her names also start with K (her mom has a thing for alliterations, don’t ask her about it because one time Kaitlyn did and it was a 5 hour explanation)

Her dad is her role model but they’re not as close as she wants them to be because he’s always busy with her brothers, the reason she knows so much about guns and cars is because she was desperate to do anything with him when she could

Her and Jacob became friends at age 8 when Jacob was on the swings and fell off and knocked two teeth out, Kaitlyn was laughing the whole time she helped him find help and soak up the blood (ever since they’ve been bonded for life)

Kaitlyn is the first person to forgive Jacob after the night at Hackett’s Quarry for breaking down the van and forces him to send her texts everyday to make sure he’s okay

She’s aromantic and hadn’t put much thought into relationships until others around her started getting crushes, she’s totally projecting what she thinks she’s supposed to want onto Ryan and doesn’t realizes it

After the game when she tries dating again she realizes she just can’t and eventually figures it out with some googling

She and Dylan become roommates and she refuses to let him decorate anywhere outside his bedroom because he has terrible design skills, so their apartment is very nice and has a grey and blue colour scheme except for Dylan’s room which is very ugly 

Dylan:

Was a total class clown in high school and always used to get in trouble, and his teachers would always be frustrated because he was so smart when he actually paid attention

Dylan is totally a Brian David Gilbert fan and no one can convince me otherwise

Giant video game nerd, has played most games to ever exist and gets Ryan into it too

He’s obsessed with science and tech but is worried if he works in that field he will destroy his love of it

Miles confirmed his cat is called Schrodinger but he’s definitely a hairless cat and Dylan knits him little sweaters to wear when it’s cold

After the game he’s super sad he can’t knit anymore because of his hand, and he starts rollerblading instead (when he explained the change in hobby to Kaitlyn she said “That is the strangest thing I’ve ever heard. You replaced knitting with rollerblading? Seriously?”)

Later, whilst working as an quantum physicists (turns out he doesn’t hate it) he starts a podcast about horror movies since he develops an obsession with them after what happened with the werewolves

The others guest star on it a lot (especially Kaitlyn and Emma, and Max sometimes too) and Ryan helps him produce it (by produce it’s mostly just moral support, Ryan doesn’t know shit about tech)

He pranks Kaitlyn all the time but it backfires because one time Kaitlyn got Emma, Jacob, Max and Nick to help to set up a prank where Dylan’s entire room was covered in wrapping paper (he still has a few things that are wrapped up because he’s lazy)

Also he’s super terrified of dogs because he was chased by one as a kid and when he met Emma’s dog he almost shit his pants

Dylan: You said his name is FLUFFY????

Emma, genuinely confused: Yeah? Isn’t he the sweetest thing you’ve ever met!

Dylan: No! He looks like he’s seconds away from ripping out my throat!!

Ryan:

His best friend is his sister 100% he loves her so much and would literally do anything for her

When he’s stabbed and Laura offers to bite him he accepts, not because he’s worried about living for himself (if he was only worried about himself he’d decline because the idea of losing control of himself terrifies him) but because he desperately needs to get through the night and back home to Sarah

One of the reasons he likes Dylan so much is because he thinks Dylan brings out the more carefree and fun side of himself, and he hasn’t been in touch with that part of himself since he was young having to take care of his sister and his mom

I think his grandparents are old and his mom is in and out of rehab, so he has a lot of stuff to do and camp was one of those times he got to just be a kid (and being a counsellor just made sense, since he was close with Chris)

Despite knowing it was the right thing to do he's still agonizing about killing Chris for a long time, and even though they’re not super close Laura helps him through it because she was there and really pushed him into it

He does end up studying animation but visits Sarah as much as he can, and soon as he can gets a place of his own and Sarah moves in with him (the place is a small one bedroom apartment, so he sleeps on the pull-out couch and lets Sarah have the room for herself)

He’s just a really good older brother I love him <3

He pretends he’s annoyed that Dylan invites himself over so often but secretly loves having him around, and Ryan couldn’t be happier Dylan gets on so well with his sister

They weren’t close at camp but he becomes good friends with Abi because of their shared loved of art, and they even do a few projects to together and she’s one of the few people he feels comfortable enough to rant about his love of art with

Schrodinger freaks him out but he doesn’t ever dare tell Dylan because he knows it’ll break his heart

He’s also still guilty about cutting Dylan’s hand off even though he told him to do it, but Dylan constantly reassures him it was the right choice and constantly makes hand jokes to make him smile 

Max:

He’s a clean freak and cleans his and Laura’s apartment every Friday without fail (but Laura is super messy and it stresses him out)

He has little spa days on Fridays to recover from the stress

Max, lounging on the bed with a white robe and face mask and candles lit around him, taking a cucumber from his eye: hey babe maybe you should cut back on all the energy drinks

Laura, opening her fifth an of monster today and shaking from all the caffeine, a pile of books and mess on her desk: without caffeine I will DIE I NEED to study

He loves Laura so much but when he sees how she lives without him cleaning up after her he considers his sanity

He goes on to work as a mechanic, but it’s a love-hate relationship because the mess drives him crazy (one time he slipped and got dirt all over his clothes and almost cried about it, Laura had to make him some hot chocolate to calm down)

Also he’s super clumsy, like falling up the stairs kinda clumsy

He refuses to swear because he’s got a little sister (who’s like toddler age) and always has to watch himself, and that’s how we got the masterpiece “son of a binky bonky” (gonna refuse the rest of his swearing in the game lol)

He didn’t spend much of the game with anyone but after he’s closest to Emma and Dylan (no one lets the three of them hang out alone because the last time they did they all ended up in jail and Ryan and Laura had to bail them out, when Abi found out she refused to talk to Emma for two days)

Laura:

Like I mentioned she is very, very MESSY

When left alone she’ll literally forget to shower and build a nest of energy drink cans and food it’s disgusting

On Fridays when Max cleans she refuses to move whilst she studies so he has to clean around her

Max, feather duster in hand: babe I don’t think you need all 10 of these empty diet coke cans on your desk. PLEASE let me clean them up

Laura, 17 hours without sleep and an unknown amount of time without a shower: no these are my lucky cans if you take them I'll fail my exam

Laura, picking up a week old can and gulping it down: besides this one isn’t even empty!

Max, snatching the can away and pouring it out, on the verge of a breakdown: BABE THERES A WHOLE FREAKING ECO SYSTEM IN HERE YOU’RE GONNA DIE!!

She used to be very close with her dad but he died a few years ago and it really messed her up, ever since she's been a little more subdued and Max tries his best to help her

Laura’s very committed and will not stop anything she puts her mind to, even the most trivial things (like Jacob she won’t back down from a dare, one time Emma dared her to climb a lamp post and she did it, they had to call the fire department to get her down)

After the game she becomes good friends with Emma and Kaitlyn, and she constantly tells Emma that she wouldn’t be friends with her if they hadn’t both been through the same hell because Laura despises influencers (Emma takes it in stride and uses it as an excuse to bully Laura harsher)

For some reason she absolutely hates Nick and everyone's confused about it, even herself (poor Nick)

Like she can’t even explain why she just does and Nick’s really sad about it, like a kicked puppy

Laura, sending death glares to Nick whenever everyone meets up:

Nick: I don’t feel safe here….

Maybe I’ll do Jacob and Nick another time because I’m running out of steam lol

[thefanficmonster]

Filterless

Corpse Husband x Plus-sized Reader (Female)

Warnings: Body Image Insecurities, Low self-esteem, Swearing

Genre:  Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, RPF (Real Person Fic)

Summary: Feeling comfortable in her skin has hardly ever been the case for Y/N who’s been struggling with body image issues all her life. However, they only get worse when she sees the ‘type’ of girls her crush is into.

Requested by Anon. Hi darling! Thank you so much for your request (hits close to home 😅) I’m so sorry it has taken me so long to fulfill it and post it but here it finally is and if you’ve stuck around long enough to read it, I hope you enjoy! ALSO! - Never forget how beautiful and amazing you are. Never compare your beauty to someone else’s. We’re all beautiful people and we all shine so brightly and uniquely. No one deserves to be compared to anyone when we’re all so different yet so incredible. Love you and appreciate you with all my heart, Vy ❤

If I ever need my ego taken down a few notches - it never does, it’s barely even present, to be honest - all I have to do is go on Instagram. To be honest, regardless of how I’m feeling, opening that app is bound to make my mood plummet and come crashing into the ground so hard it drives a hole in it - probably in the form of a broken heart.

Being a content creator myself, I often get asked questions about my absence on that social platform specifically. I mean, the questions are based and rational I guess, considering I’m not a faceless YouTuber and yet my Instagram account is void of any photos. It’s not like I don’t post at all - I do! I post on my story often but it’s more often than not scenery I find pretty or a poster I’ve made for a movie/video game. Bottom line is: I barely ever allow a picture of me to make it online. The most my fans are ever gonna get of me is a selfie which is also a super rare occurrence because of how long it takes me to take and choose one I don’t hate.

Ok, but how am I supposed to find the motivation to post any sort of picture of myself when on my timeline I’m always faced with people worthy of posting pictures of themselves. People with such perfect bodies and beautiful faces. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not jealous or envious of those people - good for them! They know what they’re working with and they’re working it well. I have nothing against them, in fact, I love seeing people proud of their bodies no matter their size, shape or weight. Those are my role-models: people who are proud of themselves, their bodies, their attributes and capabilities and don’t hesitate to show them off. Those are the people I look up to but, deep down inside I know I’ll never be like.

Insecure about my body, having been referred to as ‘chubby’ and ‘squishy’ all my life. Inappreciative of the stuff I do: starting from my job as a graphic designer leading towards my job on YouTube - nothing I do, professionally or otherwise, satisfies me. Nothing I do is enough in my eyes because I feel incapable of ever being able to do enough. I’ve been called lazy and a half-asser a few too many times to be able to brush it off as a meaningless insult. 

With these problems I’ve had with myself and my own perception of who I am and the work I do, I’ve never had the time for romance or romantic relationships. I second-guess the intentions of everyone who ever shows any interest in me because in my mind I’m nothing special and I have nothing to offer - nothing attractive or likable at least. That being said, I haven’t even been one to make heart eyes at others either. I busy myself with my job and some side-gigs, brushing off any relationship questions with the excuse that I’m ‘just too busy to be in a relationship’ which is technically true.

Having spent twenty plus years with that mindset, one can imagine how surprised I was when I found myself catching feelings for someone. And that someone just couldn’t be any other than the biggest YouTube sensation at the moment - Corpse Husband.

I’m close friends with Poki - her and I were roommates at one point too - so her inviting me to play Among Us with them wasn’t so strange. One or two games, I thought, nothing unusual there, just friendly curtesy. I wasn’t expecting to warm up to the group of famous streamers nor did I expect them to welcome me among them so easily, mostly because my channel is so small and practically invisible to the YouTube algorithm. But soon enough, I became a permanent member of the team, making friends with every single one of those YouTubers I practically thought of a celebrities.

This journey of branching out to other content creators has proven itself to be surprisingly pleasant and has packed my book of friendships to the brim. All of that came unexpectedly, along with a wave of new subs and a higher view count. However, as I mentioned, it hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows. I came to finally understand what my high school friends were talking about when they were head over heels for a boy - the butterflies in the stomach whenever he speaks your name; the importance of the laugh you share with him, how special and different it is; how cool it is to be impostors with him - ok they never said that, obviously, but it’s what I have as a substitute to the ‘when the two of you make eye-contact’ bullshit since Corpse and I have never seen each other in person. That is, of course, because of him being a faceless YouTuber and me being a self-conscious and insecure girl.

We do talk all the time though - texting, calling, chilling on Discord, you name it. Our conversations range from deeply philosophical to ones that might mislead someone into thinking we’re high. There’s no topic we haven’t touched upon and yet we still manage to find something new to talk about. We have plenty of similarities but we also never seem to run out of differences we slowly come across as we keep getting to know each other better and better. 

And somewhere along that journey I ended up catching feelings.

Human nature of wanting to connect with other people, I curse you for what you’ve done to me.

You might think I’m being overdramatic about the whole ordeal and that this is just a normal, natural occurrence many people experience in their life - some even daily. Well, not only am I far from used to it, but it’s also taking a toll of a different kind on me.

It’s like a constant slap to the face. 

That slap turned into a punch when Corpse and I started following each other on Instagram and I started getting daily reminders of how out of my depth I am with this crush on him. In over my head, especially when you look at all those girls whose pics and videos he reposts on his story. Imagine how that makes me feel, what that does to me - puts me back into the ‘Constantly not good enough‘ basket, the one I’ve been fighting to get out of all my life. In the past and in different contexts I could easily say that it was all just my mind hating me intensely but now - now that I know for a fact I’m not good enough and don’t fit Corpse’s criteria - it hurts ten times as much. I’m not one to do shit for someone’s attention or to attract someone’s eyes, but it really hurts my feelings. Often times, it also leads me to doing dumb things and making rash decisions. 

Like the one I made two days ago.

Imagine me cringing and shaking my head at my own stupidity as I admit this: I, in a frenzy, ordered a whole e-girl getup with overnight delivery. 

Wait, hold up, it gets worse. 

I received it yesterday and spent the whole day regretting that decision, but then, in my most insecure hours - which was somewhere around midnight - I equipped the get-up, took a picture and posted it on my Instagram page. First full body pic I’ve ever posted on there. First pic I’ve posted there of any kind. There to stay, not to be gone in twenty four hours. First pic, and it’s not even of me. It’s of who I want to be in order to fit someone’s criteria. And that fucking stings.

As you might imagine, I’ve spent today’s day regretting that decision as well. Recently my mood’s been nothing but regretting rash decisions that have surfaced under the influence of my ridiculous, constantly-present insecurities. And I would’ve probably gotten over it rather quickly had I not received a message from Corpse that read:

“Didn’t think of you with an e-girl aesthetic“

I didn’t open the message, I peeped at it as it was a notification on my lock screen. It’s still there, an unread notification. It’s been two hours since I received it and I cannot think of a single thing to say in response to that. 

Truth is, I’m afraid. I’m afraid of so many things right now.

I’m afraid of becoming that girl in the photo, cause I’m most definitely not her.

I’m afraid of letting Corpse down by admitting I’m not her.

I’m afraid of what my own mind has made me do because it hates me so much and I’m terrified of what it might do in the future.

I’m afraid and stranded on things to do.

You can’t be her forever, you know. Being her won’t make your insecurities go away, it’ll only make them worse. Haven’t you learned that by now?

I sigh, frustrated and irritated with myself as I grab my phone and tap on the notification, finally deciding to face the music and allow my instincts to carry me through the interaction. Improvisation, that’s one of the few things I’m good at. Let’s hope it doesn’t fail me.

I’m just about to type out my response - not sure what it’s gonna say - when I give the message Corpse has sent me a second glance.  I furrow my brows, finding there’s more to it than that peep through the notification let me see.

“Didn’t think of you with an e-girl aesthetic. You’re personality is so bright and colorful, I could’ve never imagined you were into the darks and blacks“

Because I’m not

I fail to realize until the message has been sent that my thoughts are exactly what I typed out and sent.

And honestly, I’m glad. It feels like I’ve spoken my truth, like I’ve lifted a huge boulder off my chest.

With that rare confidence in mind I go on and delete the picture.

In its spot, I post a picture I just now took - a mirror selfie in my homey get-up consisting of hot pink sweatpants and an oversized blue tee, my hair in a messy bun, my face free of make-up.

I caption it: ‘Oops, had the e-girl filter on for the last one. This is filterless me tho so...Hi 🥴’

A lot better, I’m surprised to hear my inner voice say. I hope I don’t get used to all this kindness on my brain’s part, probably won’t last, but damn if I don’t milk every second of it.

Just then, I receive a new message from non other than Corpse.

“Now that’s the girl I see when I think of you. She’s super cute 😉“

My, oh my, who would’ve guessed Corpse has a game like that - and by that I mean the ability to make me blush so intensely with only a text message.

Now ain’t that better than being someone else, Y/N?

It sure is, it sure is.

@maat-the-prescriptive  @simonsbluee  @save-the-sky  @itsminniekat  @hacker-ghost  @bi-andready-tocry  @imtiredaffff  @jazzkaurtheglorious  @hereforbeebo  @fandomgirl17  @chrysanthykios  @maehemscorpyus  @loraleiix  @letsloveimagines  @annshit  @i-cant-choose-a-username-help  @enigmaticmaze  @divine-artemis  @waterlilypat  @idontknowwhatthisisfam  @evi-ka  @classyandfabulous00  @redperson58  @lilysdaydreams @solowheein  @mythicalamphitrite  @axen-gers  @luckygirl144  @nj01  @buddyemily   @the-albino-lioness  @stardream14  @gdhdkfnn  @nomadicgypsyy  @preciousskye  @fluffysuicideunicornsworld  @o-kaelin  @manacharlotte  @awkward-youtube-trash  @lolalee24  @bonky-beerns  @meme-lord-and-savior-sebastian  @strawbrinkofdeath  @teenloves  @tams0527  @browneyespinkhair  @starstruckllamapuppy  @daisychains012  @y0ulooked  @tinytacosuitcaseflap @supernatural-is-my-only-life  @jula-pauline  @melodykitty  @just-that-bi-girl  @crazybutconfidentaf  @lowellshade @alphakees  @bellero  @weallneednamjesus  @starryhanji  @boiled-onionrings  @husherstan  @fockingwhore  @melaningoddessthings  @prettypastelpetals  @haleypearce  @godwhyamiawkward  @y-napotat  @daisychainyoonmin  @little-miss-rebel3  @free-wheelin-bi-sexual  @redmoon261 @darkacademic2  @wiseflamingoqueen  @into-the-end  @namikhai-i  @nastiablr  @thelittleplantlover  @mirktuan  @dont-hyuck @jjk-bunny  @vintagegothlover  @easygoingtheatre  @itsrandombooklover  @miiaivi  @emmybaybee  @befourgolden  @jjk-is-my-shit  @eternalteaaars  @spacebadgerx  @princesslunalight  @acequinn14  @samm48  @misselsbells06 @simp-lykawa  @fo-love  @marishimomura-blog  @therealglenncoco  @cinnamonbun332  @killtherandomness  @sanshinexxxsan  @fee-btheweeb  @press-lay  @cathleenpotgieter16  @jazzydoesstuff  @moonlxghtbay  @forestrain2000  @hyunjinhugs  @blood-of-fandoms  @lovellylies  @ukiyolixx  @simpforhpcharacters  @chrisdylan17  @parkerjisung  @pedernille  @theodonyous  @wineandionysus  @malfoystilinskii05  @morbid-x  @coryisagee  @jessewa26  @scoobydooluver97 @mindintheskies365  @raeanneinwonderland  @indecisive-empanada  @gluttonypalace  @loriane2503  @btsiguess-kpop  @khaoticbunny  @lucidlycactus  @smiithys  @rottenroyalebooks  @kpopgirlbtssvt  @fangirl-tc27  @fr0z3n-1  @notmesimpingfortechno  @shotarosleftpinky  @kunoi-chan  @idk-whats-wrong-with-me  @yikeroonie  @goldenstarofthunderclan  @poetry-and-tea  @ama-do-writing-stuff  @wishbonewolf  @emeraldxhope  @t0xick1tty  @kusuinko  @speakyourselfloveyourself  @sophia902103  @lo-manburg  @classsykittykat  @dmgama  @depressedpuppythatneedscoffee  @btsiguess-kpop  @akaashi-baby  @gun-jong-simp  @geschichtenfee  @yerapotato-wp  @browneyedgirl365  @thysagclub  @sparklycloudnight  @helloatomicshadow  @queentorresstuff @vtte @val-gal  @lucy-bunny17  @aaliyahh0  @katluckybear  @boyleanti  @straybids  @franchesca-791  @cosmicstorm19  @averyisbackinthetrashcan  @aomi-nabi  @xlanawriter  @allensimpsforcorpse

[clocks-are-round]

random fic snippets

some will go into some of my works in progresses others may not have seen the light of day otherwise. this isn’t even remotely everything lol. most are from last fall or winter.

——

*after wyoming tells o’malley and gary that they were flirting on an open channel*

“no, o’malley, i’m not going to kill everyone here just because you’ve got a school crush.” Tex couldn’t hide the hint of amusement from her tone.

“it’s more than a— i mean— silence! all of you!”

“2… 1…”

“what’s that sound?”

KABOOM

(scrapped because i forgot wyoming was dead)

——

(meant to be part of the next fake psa)

carolina: being “chill” doesn’t mean putting up with abuse

sarge: what? nonsense! grif puts up with abuse all the time! exhibit a! *shoots grif*

grif: *yelps* godDAMMIT! I THOUGHT WE WERE DONE WITH THIS??

sarge: heheh. nope.

carolina: hm. he’s taking a lot of damage

sarge: between the armor and the blubber i might as well be shooting a nerf gun at him! They’re love taps!

grif: ow! fuck! owwwww *groans* more like airsoft

sarge: see? he says they’re soft!

simmons: uhhh yeah, please don’t try this at home, the gays on red team are just fucking indestructible

——

“Well, he wasn’t exactly nice, but… We were both lonely,” Doc said, rubbing his arm. “So in that way, it worked out. Even if we couldn’t stand each other a lot of the time.”

(caboose and doc bond over shared trauma on chorus fic. o’malley would probably be in it too, actually (factive not ai). i’ve got a bunch of snippet scattered in my notes for this one)

——

“Curiosity killed the c-word.” Caboose said, nodding.

Tucker blinked. “What?”

“Oh, it’s something my dad used to say. But people don’t really like when you say the last word, so I just say “the c-word”.”

“What are you talking about? Curiosity killed the cat.”

Caboose looked confused. Then stifled a laugh. “No, it’s a different c-word, Tucker.” He patted Tucker’s head.

“I know what the c-word is! You—“ Whatever. This wasn’t worth attempting to explain to him. Even if his pride was a little singed.

“That doesn’t even make sense. Why would you kill a cat? That would be awful!”

“Don’t you hate cats, though?”

“No, why would you think that?”

“Pretty sure you’ve said they make you angry.”

Caboose tilted his head, a few moments of rare silence. His face fell, “That’s a different thing.”

“Are you gonna explain, or…?”

Caboose shook his head. “It makes me upset. I don’t like feeling angry. I know it helps sometimes, but…” He fiddled with, “I don’t like it.”

“What, you can’t even give me the sparknotes?”

Caboose shook his head vigorously, his curls racing to catch up.

“Dude, you just made me more curious! I gotta know!”

Caboose usually let his words fall out like releasing an armful of bouncy balls. It was on a whim, kind of entertaining, and sometimes it was impossible to track it all. Now, he spoke slowly and carefully. “Some people do dumb things and innocent little guys get hurt.”

“What does shooting Church have to do with anything?” Tucker joked, hoping to brighten up the serious atmosphere.

Caboose didn’t respond and his eyes looked watery.

“

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“I said I didn’t want to think about it.”

(ohhh right. missing siblings was supposed to be the first chapter of a hurt/comfort tucker and caboose friendship fic post-o’malley. wow i had a lot more planned than i realized)

——

(WHAT. i forgot about this one, will definitely continue it. Carolina spends the day with the purple bois and they bond and pretty much over the course of the fic she goes from seeing neither of them to both of them <3 platonic heart not romantic. why doing seeing have so many freaking implications *shakes fist to sky dan vs style* english!)

“Well, Carolina, you’re probably wondering why we’ve called you here today.” O’Malley spun around on the swivel chair in an obviously premeditated pose.

Despite O’Malley being at the wheel, he. Weakness, she thought, before squirting the thoughts with a mental water gun. Bad. Old habits.

She didn’t know him nearly as well as the others— to be frank, she somehow forgot about his existence entirely— but he was about equally as harmless and insane as all the others. With the added bonus of twice the personality to get to know. The oddest part about that, from what she’d gathered, is that O’Malley was based on Omega, Tex’s AI. Even now, remnants of her father’s ever reaching bullshit popped up.

…

“I— If we could avoid existential crises that would be very good, thank you. I have enlisted your help for the purposes of evilll.” He tapped his fingers together like a cartoony villain.

“It’s really nothing serious or concerning at all,” Doc assured her eyebrow raise.

“Yes,” O’Malley cackled, “Just a bit of lighthearted evil. For old times sake.”

…

“Yes, well—“ O’Malley crossed his arms, “your involvement was heavily debated.”

Doc shrugged a shoulder. “You can be sort of a… buzzkill.”

“What?? Me, a buzzkill? I only intervene when you idiots are about to get yourselves killed. Sometimes not even then,” she muttered, “It’s inhuman how resilient you all are.”

“You tend to focus a lot on the competition part instead of the fun part.”

“I find competition extremely fun.”

…

“Uhh, I am chiller than I’ve ever been in my life. What’s the mission?”

“Yes, well— it is very evil—“

…

“—but not so

“You have no idea.”

“Er, no.” O’Malley admitted. “We’re drawing a creative blank, it seems.”

“We could—“ Doc began.

“No, you fool! That plan is pathetic and I’m embarrassed to share a brain with you.”

“Well, fine then. Jeez.”

——

(i remember at the time i was reminded of my least favorite part of the chorus arc and someone had said something about dr grey should face consequences for that and at bare minimum give a genuine apology)

“She chased me saying she wanted to try shock treatments and possibly lobotomy if that didn’t work.”

“It was a joke?” Dr Grey offered.

“I don’t feel comfortable being in the same room as her.”

“No one does,” Kimball muttered.

“Ok, so my bedside manner wasn’t the best. It never has been, but I’m the best— and this isn’t narcissism, it’s honest to god fact— I am the BEST doctor on Chorus. You can’t fire me over ONE complaint just because he’s vaguely associated with the heroes.”

“Two complaints,” O’Malley mumbled.

“And, hey! Wait! We helped save Chorus too! We were up in the space ship! And he helped fight Felix!”

“I did most of the work.”

“Well,” Kimball considered. “How about this. Dr. Grey, you can take the next few days off spending time with him— them?— and maybe get your head out of fiction and thrillers. Spend some time seeing them as an actual person. People?”

Doc stood. “Nope! No, fuck that! We’re not spending ANY time alone with her. Also, why do we have to be held responsible for her problems?”

“Yes, this is stupid!” O’Malley agreed, sitting down momentarily in order to also stand up in protest. “We just wanted to get her canned. Or sue her. Some sort of consequence for her gross misdemeanor.”

——

“Caboose, I am… eughh… I’m sorry for fucking your brain up so badly. If I could do it over I would at least consider physical torture instead. I was in hiding, but it could have been done under clothes where no one could see it.”

“Wow.” South stared.

“What do you want from me? To lie? I didn’t want to be recaptured by the project and the moron almost ratted me out on multiple occasions. I couldn’tve kept him quiet without torture.”

——

(context: takes place after the simmons’ mom visits iris fic i haven’t gotten around to posting)

“You know, I feel like I’ve really bonded with you girls. This has been fun. We should hang out again sometime. Or, just multiplayer together, that’s an option.”

Carolina stood, with a noticeable wobble. She outdrank them both, and by the look on her face regretted it. “Bathroom.” She said with a strained expression.

“That way, right, then left.”

Carolina stumbled off.

“And then there were two.” Kai waggled her eyebrows.

Imogen clung to her controller for dear life. “If I win this round, you have to stop flirting with me. Nothing flirtatious again.”

“That’s a pretty big demand. You’re my favorite billionaire milf. What do I get if I win?”

What was a big thing? It needed to be worth at least as much. “You will be my next of kin.” Pshh, she wasn’t going to lose.

(If Imogen won, Kai had to promise to never flirt with her again. Imogen bet successorship. Kai unplugged her controller and Imogen didn’t notice. She uh, she didn’t think she was being serious. Kai thought it was a joke document)

(how kai inherited a multibillion dollar company)

——

(ok so apparently there was supposed to be significantly more to the missing siblings fic. huh.)

“Hey, Church,” Tucker shouted, “get your butt in here!”

After a minute Church peeked in the doorway. “What do you want?”

“Caboose can’t remember one of his siblings and is freaking out.”

Church paused. “And what does that have to do with me?”

“I thought, you know, one person with brain damage to another.”

“I don’t have—“ Church snapped defensively. “I just… I had some trouble remembering things after the accident. It was temporary.”

“What happened?” Caboose asked.

Church stammered and cleared his throat. “The reason doesn’t matter.”

Tucker hid a smile. Cappy said he’d slipped on the floor and hit his head. Church was kind of embarrassed about it. Kind of an underwhelming wartime injury. He really wanted to give him shit, but if he did Church wouldn’t help him with Caboose. “He hit his head pretty hard when he got to Blue Base.”

“Ah, yeah.” Caboose nodded. “I hate when that happens.”

“What do you want me say?”

“I dunno, my brain’s fine. I was hoping you’d know what to say.”

“Fuck you. Uhh…” Church tapped his foot. “Ok, uh, sometimes bad shit happens and you can’t do anything about it. Sometimes people get hurt. Sometimes people die. Sometimes your girlfriend ditches you without any warning. That’s life. It fucking sucks. I definitely miss my body sometimes. It felt… like somebody died that day.”

“That’s because you did Church.”

“Yeah, I know, but like in a more

…

“You still are not very good at pep talks.”

“It’s not a pep talk it’s a reality check. This is your life now, so you just gotta deal with it.”

——

o’malley be like hmm maybe i shouldn’t set the bunker i’m hiding out in on fire… while i’m inside of it. after striking a match and not remembering where he left it

i’ll leave it at that haha. shared a lot more than planned. and still have lots more unshared

[bokettochild]

Talking is Overrated

Whumptober Day 2: Choking

No apologies. Someone posted about this the other day and I figured we deserved to see it for ourselves!

Legend POV, but don't worry guys, this is Warriors Whump!

(Do not call the Protection Squad on me, I have a permit)

Wind was tugging the captain’s scarf again.

It wasn’t an unusual sight to see really, many of the younger heroes did such things while they traveled, or when they made camp. It was an effective way of getting the captain’s attention, Legend would give it that. Even Time did it, and not even with the hesitant caution that most of the others did, their Old Man just reached over and tugged (Legend could swear there was a glint in the man's eye whenever he did it too). Of course, Time was the only one of the older ones who did it, and while Legend just barely counted with the other ‘adult’ heroes, he wasn’t among those who’d tug the blue fabric gently.

Step on it on occasion, yes, but tugging to get the man’s attention? Heck no! He wasn’t a child!

Wind tugged again. Wind was a kid. It was fine for him to do it, and Legend pointedly ignored the warmth in his chest at the sight of the sailor’s bright grin as it was directed at the captain. Ringed fingers rubbed over the affected area as he trailed along near the back of their group with Hyrule, earning a curious glance but otherwise remaining un-noticed as the captain turned his attentions to the young sailor.

“What’s up, Tu- Wind?” ‘Tune’, they called him, Ravio and the captain both. He’d asked once, but neither had explained much more than it being from ‘the war’.

“I think Sky is tiring out, could we-” The sailor’s face twisted up into a frown and he shook himself, rephrasing his question from whatever it had been. “Could you ask Time if we could stop? He’s more likely to listen to you.” Because Time always listened to Warriors. Okay, well, he paid attention. The old Man ignored what was said altogether sometimes, but he never dismissed it right off. He did the same with Twilight, but somehow it felt more mature when the mentor and protégé were the one’s involved.

The captain nodded, lengthening his already freakishly long stride to match that of Time, Wind trailing behind and still attached to the scarf. “Time, mind if we break a minute? Sky’s having trouble breathing again.”

The Skyloftain in question offered a weak smile when the others turned to him, and Legend ignored the clenching in his chest at the heavy cough that erupted from the older hero. “Dust.” Sky explained apologetically.

“It does seem to be mid-summer in this world.” Twilight agreed with an encouraging look at he offered the Chosen Hero his canteen. “What do you say, Time? Day’s still young, think a break will hurt our travel time?”

Well, that was just dumb. They didn’t even know where they were, much less where they were going. There was no deadline and no goal here, stopping to let Sky rest would be perfectly manageable. He sent their leader a look saying as much, and Time met his gaze with a nod, turning to his protégé and Sky both with an easy smile. “I don’t see how that would hurt. Sky, can you make the next hill or should we stop now?”

“Now.” Came the apologetic wheeze. “I don’t think I could handle any kind of-” Another cough cut him off as Twilight gently thumped the other's back (well, gently for Twilight; Sky was strong and could take it, but had that been him he’d be face down in the dirt). “Climbing is bad.” Sky finally pushed out, rubbing at his throat and grimacing.

“Right then.” The boundry was set, Sky was done, so they needed to rest. “Let’s settle here for an hour or so.” Time slung his own pack to the ground and stretched his shoulders with a grimace. “It’s getting into the hotter part of the day anyway, so we might as well save ourselves some sweat for the time being. Keep alert though, boys, we still don’t know where we are.”

The others nodded, but Twilight made as if to respond, only to be cut off by a firm look from his mentor. “No, Twilight, no scouting. Your ankles are still a mess from that accident last week and I’m not having you wander off alone again.”

“Pops, I’m fine-”

“Watch Hyrule.” Time commanded, soft but stern as he nodded to the traveler.

Well excuse him! Legend was doing a fine job of watching his own protégé, thank you very much! He didn’t need the overgrown wolf-puppy helping him out. Of course, he huffed to himself as Twilight wandered over, looking a bit lost and very restless, it wasn’t as though Twilight had another way to channel his nervous energy, and maybe letting someone else hold the kid while he changed the bandages on Hyrule’s hands would make things easier.

He’d only just removed the bandages and washed the burns before he caught wind of it, long ears flickering tentatively at the new sound that cut through the air.

Horses.

The shriek of a wild pony caught the attention of all present, whether they even knew what it was they were hearing or not, and Twilight was already bundling Hyrule into his arms and ducking into the brush at the sound, leaving him frozen in place, muscles coiled and bandages still in hand as his ears flicked to and fro to find the source of the sound.

A herd of wild ponies, bobolinks mounted on their backs with spears in hand, crested the nearby hill, spilling down and around it in a wild and aimless charge until their riders caught sight of the heroes. The sound of a horn was the warning for them to gather their weapons, and seven out of their nine were ready for battle in an instant as Twilight hunkered down with the still injured Hyrule. The kid’s eyes were wide as he curled tight in Twilight’s arms, the both of them trying to hide behind one of the groups spare shields that Twilight had grabbed.

Legend really hoped that wasn’t one of Wild’s.

The horses were on them in an instant, hooves and teeth and jabbing spears making them all dash and dart out of rang, weapons drawn and ready to be used. It made his chest clench and something inside feel like it was tearing when he had to swing his blade against the terror-filled ponies, their eyes rolling wildly as they bucked and sprang, trying both to dismount their monstrous riders and to escape the noise of the battle. The poor things didn’t deserve this, but it wasn’t as if many of them had a choice when it came to downing the horses or letting them continue to trample over the top of them.

Silver and gold flashed as black and red blood both had spilled over the hill side that had been so peacefully serene only minutes before. In the corner of his vision, blue fluttered and waves in the battle, likely Warriors’ Din darned scarf as the captain danced over the field.

The pony before him reared on its hind legs, hooves pawing at the air and froth gathering at its jaws as the bokoblin on its back continued to kick and shriek, only further adding the beast's terror.

Malanya forgive him, he’d clenched his jaw tight and pushed back his feelings as he thrust his sword into the beast's chest, rolling away as the four-hundred pounds of horse fell to the ground, crushing it’s rider beneath it and giving him ample time to slice of the ‘blin’s head off before turn to face the rest of the field. Many of the other horses had either dislodged their riders or otherwise had them shot down by Wild’s swift arrows, and the poor beasts were running free down the path, kicking up more dust than the nine of them had earlier in their flight from the battle field. A few more lay dead on the earth, ‘blins and weapons lying around about them and making the battle all the more difficult with the increased tripping hazard that they caused.

There were still four ponies in their midst though, and more bokoblins besides, and Legend pushed himself forwards to where Four was fighting alone against a few of them, determined to finish this bloody fight already so he could get back to tending his protégé's crispy fingers.

He didn’t know what it was that made him look up, not when he was supposed to be helping Four, not when the enemy was still fighting strongly against them, but he did, and when he did all of the breath stuttered from his lungs with a strangled gasp.

Across the field, a bokoblin had managed to snag the captain’s fluttering blue scarf, holding it tight as the monster’s pony bucked and shrieked, tugging the fabric tight around the hero’s neck as Warriors clawed at the straining fabric.

The captain’s sword had since fallen, to where he couldn’t tell, but with every pull and tug of the scarf, every prance and shift of the pony’s feet, the fabric drew tighter and tighter, and Warriors’ face grew redder and redder.

“Warriors!” Wind shout from across the field startled all of them, but it was the final straw for the poor pony, who bolted, her rider still clutching both the poorly cobbled reins and Warriors’ scarf both tightly in hand, effectively knocking the captain down to the dirt and dragging him behind stampeding hooves as Warriors’ fingers fluttered against the fabric, face as blue as the favored garment and eyes glazing over as rocks and weapons clanged against the man’s pauldron.

Legend was kicking his pegasus boots into action before his mind even rightly knew what he was doing, and despite Four’s angry shouts and frankly astounding insults (really, and they called his mouth dirty!) he’d sped off after the horse, rider, and quickly fading captain.

Each step felt like lead was weighing him down as he pushed all of his strength into his legs, pushing forwards and angling himself towards his goal, eyes fixed on the slowly fading light in the captain’s eyes. Just a bit further, a yard, two feet, a foot. He could touch Warriors’ boot now if he wanted, his tunic, the belt at his waist. At long last, he was level with the pony’s thundering hooves, and without a second thought, the Tempered Sword was slashing through blood-stained blue fabric, the captain’s body rolling in the dirt beside him as the veteran hero stuttered to a halt.

The sword clattered to the ground as he’d fallen to his knees at the older man’s side, fingers fumbling at the tangled fabric and tugging ruthlessly to free his friend.

Angry black and purple bruises banded Warriors’ neck, harsh and angry as the tiniest wheeze of breath had escaped the man.

“Wars, hey, stay with me.” His voice quivered when he spoke, no matter how he tried to fight it, but there was no reply.

“Warriors! You darned idiot! Open those stupid baby-blues!” He’d huffed it with more force this time, himself wheezing for breath at the unexpected run as he worked to loosen the captain’s shirt collar more.

What did one do for a strangulation victim? What did one do for the head wounds that leaked blood onto the dirt beath the captain’s golden hair?

The contents of Legend’s stomach churned in revulsion at the sight of the crimson liquid, and he fought back a gag as his hands had fluttered over the unmoving form of the other, unsure, worried, bordering very nearly on panic as he tried to figure out what to do.

Warriors lay unmoving.

The captain couldn’t die though! Not his brother! Not the snarky ass he liked to pick on and- oh heavens... The last thing he’d said to Wars this morning had been an insult, hadn’t it? He’d insulted the scarf, calling the man a ‘bloody idiot’ for wearing it all the time knowing full well how much it meant to his brother. Oh, stars above, he couldn’t let that be the last thing he’d said to the man’s face! He couldn’t-

Blackened fingers settled over his own, resting easily on Warriors’ chest as he’d stared up, vision blurry as it took in brown curls and glimmering golden green eyes. He didn’t know when his vision had blurred so much, didn’t know when Hyrule had even gotten there, but the kid was already pressing golden sparking hands to the bruises around the captain’s neck, humming softly and brokenly as he worked.

Someone shifted behind him, rough hands catching his shoulders and pulling him back and away to let Hyrule work. Legend let himself fall, staring blankly up at the sky and fighting his rolling stomach as midnight blue eyes, full of concern and fear, had stared down at him. A deep voice had said something, warm hands closing around is shoulders as he blinked up.

Oh shit, he’d ruined the captain’s scarf, hadn’t he?

[antiporn-activist]

The Children of Pornhub

Why does Canada allow this company to profit off videos of exploitation and assault?

By Nicholas Kristof, Opinion Columnist, Dec. 4, 2020, New York Times

This article contains descriptions of sexual assault. It’s also really long.

Pornhub prides itself on being the cheery, winking face of naughty, the website that buys a billboard in Times Square and provides snow plows to clear Boston streets. It donates to organizations fighting for racial equality and offers steamy content free to get people through Covid-19 shutdowns.

Yet there’s another side of the company: Its site is infested with rape videos. It monetizes child rapes, revenge pornography, spy cam videos of women showering, racist and misogynist content, and footage of women being asphyxiated in plastic bags. A search for “girls under18” (no space) or “14yo” leads in each case to more than 100,000 videos. Most aren’t of children being assaulted, but too many are.

After a 15-year-old girl went missing in Florida, her mother found her on Pornhub — in 58 sex videos. Sexual assaults on a 14-year-old California girl were posted on Pornhub and were reported to the authorities not by the company but by a classmate who saw the videos. In each case, offenders were arrested for the assaults, but Pornhub escaped responsibility for sharing the videos and profiting from them.

Pornhub is like YouTube in that it allows members of the public to post their own videos. A great majority of the 6.8 million new videos posted on the site each year probably involve consenting adults, but many depict child abuse and nonconsensual violence. Because it’s impossible to be sure whether a youth in a video is 14 or 18, neither Pornhub nor anyone else has a clear idea of how much content is illegal.

Unlike YouTube, Pornhub allows these videos to be downloaded directly from its website. So even if a rape video is removed at the request of the authorities, it may already be too late: The video lives on as it is shared with others or uploaded again and again.

“Pornhub became my trafficker,” a woman named Cali told me. She says she was adopted in the United States from China and then trafficked by her adoptive family and forced to appear in pornographic videos beginning when she was 9. Some videos of her being abused ended up on Pornhub and regularly reappear there, she said.

“I’m still getting sold, even though I’m five years out of that life,” Cali said. Now 23, she is studying in a university and hoping to become a lawyer — but those old videos hang over her.

“I may never be able to get away from this,” she said. “I may be 40 with eight kids, and people are still masturbating to my photos.”

“You type ‘Young Asian’ and you can probably find me,” she added.

Actually, maybe not. Pornhub recently was offering 26,000 videos in response to that search. That doesn’t count videos that show up under “related searches” that Pornhub suggests, including “young tiny teen,” “extra small petite teen,” “tiny Asian teen” or just “young girl.” Nor does it necessarily count videos on a Pornhub channel called “exploited teen Asia.”

I came across many videos on Pornhub that were recordings of assaults on unconscious women and girls. The rapists would open the eyelids of the victims and touch their eyeballs to show that they were nonresponsive.

Pornhub profited this fall from a video of a naked woman being tortured by a gang of men in China. It is monetizing video compilations with titles like “Screaming Teen,” “Degraded Teen” and “Extreme Choking.” Look at a choking video and it may suggest also searching for “She Can’t Breathe.”

It should be possible to be sex positive and Pornhub negative.

Pornhub declined to make executives available on the record, but it provided a statement. “Pornhub is unequivocally committed to combating child sexual abuse material, and has instituted a comprehensive, industry-leading trust and safety policy to identify and eradicate illegal material from our community,” it said. Pornhub added that any assertion that the company allows child videos on the site “is irresponsible and flagrantly untrue.”

II.

At 14, Serena K. Fleites was an A student in Bakersfield, Calif., who had never made out with a boy. But in the eighth grade she developed a crush on a boy a year older, and he asked her to take a naked video of herself. She sent it to him, and this changed her life.

He asked for another, then another; she was nervous but flattered. “That’s when I started getting strange looks in school,” she remembered. He had shared the videos with other boys, and someone posted them on Pornhub.

Fleites’s world imploded. It’s tough enough to be 14 without having your classmates entertain themselves by looking at you naked, and then mocking you as a slut. “People were texting me, if I didn’t send them a video, they were going to send them to my mom,” she said.

The boy was suspended, but Fleites began skipping class because she couldn’t bear the shame. Her mother persuaded Pornhub to remove the videos, and Fleites switched schools. But rumors reached the new school, and soon the videos were uploaded again to Pornhub and other websites.

Fleites quarreled with her mother and began cutting herself. Then one day she went to the medicine cabinet and took every antidepressant pill she could find.

Three days later, she woke up in the hospital, frustrated to be still alive. Next she hanged herself in the bathroom; her little sister found her, and medics revived her.

As Fleites spiraled downward, a friend introduced her to meth and opioids, and she became addicted to both. She dropped out of school and became homeless.

At 16, she advertised on Craigslist and began selling naked photos and videos of herself. It was a way to make a bit of money, and maybe also a way to punish herself. She thought, “I’m not worth anything any more because everybody has already seen my body,” she told me.

Those videos also ended up on Pornhub. Fleites would ask that they be removed. They usually would be, she says — but then would be uploaded again. One naked video of her at 14 had 400,000 views, she says, leaving her afraid to apply for fast-food jobs for fear that someone would recognize her.

So today Fleites, 19, off drugs for a year but unemployed and traumatized, is living in her car in Bakersfield, along with three dogs that have proved more loyal and loving than the human species. She dreams of becoming a vet technician but isn’t sure how to get there. “It’s kind of hard to go to school when you’re living in a car with dogs,” she said.

“I was dumb,” she acknowledged, noting that she had never imagined that the videos could be shared online. “It was one small thing that a teenager does, and it’s crazy how it turns into something so much bigger.

“A whole life can be changed because of one little mistake.”

III.

The problem goes far beyond one company. Indeed, a rival of Pornhub, XVideos, which arguably has even fewer scruples, may attract more visitors. Depictions of child abuse also appear on mainstream sites like Twitter, Reddit and Facebook. And Google supports the business models of companies that thrive on child molestation.

Google returns 920 million videos on a search for “young porn.” Top hits include a video of a naked “very young teen” engaging in sex acts on XVideo along with a video on Pornhub whose title is unprintable here.

I asked the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to compile the number of images, videos and other content related to child sexual exploitation reported to it each year. In 2015, it received reports of 6.5 million videos or other files; in 2017, 20.6 million; and in 2019, 69.2 million.

Facebook removed 12.4 million images related to child exploitation in a three-month period this year. Twitter closed 264,000 accounts in six months last year for engaging in sexual exploitation of children. By contrast, Pornhub notes that the Internet Watch Foundation, an England-based nonprofit that combats child sexual abuse imagery, reported only 118 instances of child sexual abuse imagery on its site over almost three years, seemingly a negligible figure. “Eliminating illegal content is an ongoing battle for every modern content platform, and we are committed to remaining at the forefront,” Pornhub said in its statement.

The Internet Watch Foundation couldn’t explain why its figure for Pornhub is so low. Perhaps it’s because people on Pornhub are inured to the material and unlikely to report it. But if you know what to look for, it’s possible to find hundreds of apparent child sexual abuse videos on Pornhub in 30 minutes. Pornhub has recently offered playlists with names including “less than 18,” “the best collection of young boys” and “under- - age.”

Congress and successive presidents have done almost nothing as this problem has grown. The tech world that made it possible has been mostly passive, in a defensive crouch. But pioneering reporting in 2019 by my Times colleagues has prodded Congress to begin debating competing strategies to address child exploitation.

Concerns about Pornhub are bubbling up. A petition to shut the site down has received 2.1 million signatures. Senator Ben Sasse, a Nebraska Republican, called on the Justice Department to investigate Pornhub. PayPal cut off services for the company, and credit card companies have been asked to do the same. An organization called Traffickinghub, led by an activist named Laila Mickelwait, documents abuses and calls for the site to be shut down. Twenty members of Canada’s Parliament have called on their government to crack down on Pornhub, which is effectively based in Montreal.

“They made money off my pain and suffering,” an 18-year-old woman named Taylor told me. A boyfriend secretly made a video of her performing a sex act when she was 14, and it ended up on Pornhub, the police confirmed. “I went to school the next day and everybody was looking at their phones and me as I walked down the hall,” she added, weeping as she spoke. “They were laughing.”

Taylor said she has twice attempted suicide because of the humiliation and trauma. Like others quoted here, she agreed to tell her story and help document it because she thought it might help other girls avoid suffering as she did.

IV.

Pornhub is owned by Mindgeek, a private pornography conglomerate with more than 100 websites, production companies and brands. Its sites include Redtube, Youporn, XTube, SpankWire, ExtremeTube, Men.com, My Dirty Hobby, Thumbzilla, PornMD, Brazzers and GayTube. There are other major players in porn outside the Mindgeek umbrella, most notably XHamster and XVideos, but Mindgeek is a porn titan. If it operated in another industry, the Justice Department could be discussing an antitrust case against it.

Pornhub and Mindgeek also stand out because of their influence. One study this year by a digital marketing company concluded that Pornhub was the technology company with the third greatest-impact on society in the 21st century, after Facebook and Google but ahead of Microsoft, Apple and Amazon.

Nominally based in Luxembourg for tax reasons, Mindgeek is a private company run from Montreal. It does not disclose who owns it, but it is led by Feras Antoon and David Tassillo, both Canadians, who declined to be interviewed.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada calls himself a feminist and has been proud of his government’s efforts to empower women worldwide. So a question for Trudeau and all Canadians: Why does Canada host a company that inflicts rape videos on the world?

Mindgeek’s moderators are charged with filtering out videos of children, but its business model profits from sex videos starring young people.

“The goal for a content moderator is to let as much content as possible go through,” a former Mindgeek employee told me. He said he believed that the top executives weren’t evil but were focused above all on maximizing revenue.

While Pornhub would not tell me how many moderators it employs, I interviewed one who said that there are about 80 worldwide who work on Mindgeek sites (by comparison, Facebook told me it has 15,000 moderators). With 1.36 million new hours of video uploaded a year to Pornhub, that means that each moderator would have to review hundreds of hours of content each week.

The moderators fast forward through videos, but it’s often difficult to assess whether a person is 14 or 18, or whether torture is real or fake. Most of the underage content involves teenagers, the moderator I spoke with said, but some comes from spy cams in toilets or changing rooms and shows children only 8 to 12.

“The job in itself is soul-destroying,” the moderator said.

Pornhub appears to be increasingly alarmed about civil or criminal liability. Lawyers are circling, and nine women sued the company in federal court after spy cam videos surfaced on Pornhub. The videos were shot in a locker room at Limestone College in South Carolina and showed women showering and changing clothes.

Executives of Pornhub appear in the past to have assumed that they enjoyed immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects internet platforms on which members of the public post content. But in 2018 Congress limited Section 230 so that it may not be enough to shield the company, leading Mindgeek to behave better.

It has doubled the number of moderators in the last couple of years, the moderator told me, and this year Pornhub began voluntarily reporting illegal material to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. After previously dragging its feet in removing videos of children and nonconsensual content, Pornhub now is responding more rapidly.

It has also compiled a list of banned content. I obtained a copy of this list, and it purports to bar videos with terms or themes like “rape,” “preteen,” “pedophilia” and “bestiality” (it helpfully clarifies that this “includes eels, fish, octopus, insects”). Diapers are OK “if no scatophilia.” Mutilation depends on context but “cannot depict severing parts of the body.”

So while it is now no longer possible to search on Pornhub in English using terms like “underage” or “rape,” the company hasn’t tried hard to eliminate such videos. A member called “13yoboyteen” is allowed to post videos. A search for “r*pe,” turns up 1,901 videos. “Girl with braces” turns up 1,913 videos and suggests also trying “exxxtra small teens.” A search for “13yo” generates 155,000 videos. To be clear, most aren’t of 13-year-olds, but the fact that they’re promoted with that language seems to reflect an effort to attract pedophiles.

Moreover, some videos seem at odds with the list of banned content. “Runaway Girl Gets Ultimatum, Anal or the Streets” is the title of one Pornhub video. Another user posts videos documenting sex with teenage girls as they weep, protest and cry out in pain.

While Pornhub is becoming more careful about videos of potentially litigious Americans, it remains cavalier about overseas victims. One Indonesian video is titled “Junior High School Girl After Class” and shows what appears to be a young teenager having sex. A Chinese sex video, just taken down, was labeled: “Beautiful High School Girl Is Tricked by Classmates and Taken to the Top of a Building Where She Is Insulted and Raped.”

“They’re making money off the worst moment in my life, off my body,” a Colombian teenager who asked to be called Xela, a nickname, told me. Two American men paid her when she was 16 for a sexual encounter that they filmed and then posted on Pornhub. She was one of several Pornhub survivors who told me they had thought of or attempted suicide.

In the last few days as I was completing this article, two new videos of prepubescent girls being assaulted were posted, along with a sex video of a 15-year-old girl who was suicidal after it went online. I don’t see how good-faith moderators could approve any of these videos.

V.

“It’s always going to be online,” Nicole, a British woman who has had naked videos of herself posted and reposted on Pornhub, told me. “That’s my big fear of having kids, them seeing this.”

That’s a recurring theme among survivors: An assault eventually ends, but Pornhub renders the suffering interminable.

Naked videos of Nicole at 15 were posted on Pornhub. Now 19, she has been trying for two years to get them removed.

“Why do videos of me from when I was 15 years old and blackmailed, which is child porn, continuously [get] uploaded?” Nicole protested plaintively to Pornhub last year, in a message. “You really need a better system. … I tried to kill myself multiple times after finding myself reuploaded on your website.”

Nicole’s lawyer, Dani Pinter, says there are still at least three naked videos of Nicole at age 15 or 16 on Pornhub that they are trying to get removed.

“It’s never going to end,” Nicole said. “They’re getting so much money from our trauma.”

Pornhub has introduced software that supposedly can “fingerprint” rape videos and prevent them from being uploaded again. But Vice showed how this technology is easily circumvented on Pornhub.

One Pornhub scandal involved the Girls Do Porn production company, which recruited young women for clothed modeling gigs and then pushed them to perform in sex videos, claiming that the videos would be sold only as DVDs in other countries and would never go online. Reassured that no one would ever know, some of the women agreed — and then were shattered when the footage was aggressively marketed on Pornhub.

Girls Do Porn was prosecuted for sex trafficking and shut down. But those videos continue to surface and resurface on Pornhub; last time I checked, videos of six victims of Girls Do Porn were on Pornhub, which continues to profit from them.

One of the Girls Do Porn women I saw on Pornhub is now dead. She was murdered at 20, allegedly by an angry ex-boyfriend who is about to go on trial. I’m not disclosing her name because she should be remembered as a vibrant college athlete, and not for a sex video that represented her most mortifying moment.

VI.

So what’s the solution?

I had expected the survivors to want to shut down Pornhub and send its executives to prison. Some did, but others were more nuanced. Lydia, now 20, was trafficked as a child and had many rape videos posted on the site. “My stomach hurts all the time” from the tension, she told me, but she doesn’t want to come across as hostile to porn itself.

“I don’t want people to hear ‘No porn!’” Lydia told me. “It’s more like, ‘Stop hurting kids.’”

Susan Padron told me that she had assumed that pornography was consensual, until a boyfriend filmed her in a sex act when she was 15 and posted it on Pornhub. She has struggled since and believes that only people who have confirmed their identities should be allowed to post videos.

Jessica Shumway, who was trafficked and had a customer post a sex video on Pornhub, agrees: “They need to figure out who’s underage in the videos and that there’s consent from everybody in it.”

I asked Leo, 18, who had videos of himself posted on Pornhub when he was 14, what he suggested.

“That’s tough,” he said. “My solution would be to leave porn to professional production companies,” because they require proof of age and consent.

Right now, those companies can’t compete with mostly free sites like Pornhub and XVideos.

“Pornhub has already destroyed the business model for pay sites,” said Stoya, an adult film actress and writer. She, too, thinks all platforms — from YouTube to Pornhub — should require proof of consent to upload videos of private individuals.

Columnists are supposed to offer answers, but I struggle with solutions. If Pornhub curated videos more rigorously, the most offensive material might just move to the dark web or to websites in less regulated countries. Yet at least they would then not be normalized on a mainstream site.

More pressure and less impunity would help. We’re already seeing that limiting Section 230 immunity leads to better self-policing.

And call me a prude, but I don’t see why search engines, banks or credit card companies should bolster a company that monetizes sexual assaults on children or unconscious women. If PayPal can suspend cooperation with Pornhub, so can American Express, Mastercard and Visa.

I don’t see any neat solution. But aside from limiting immunity so that companies are incentivized to behave better, here are three steps that would help: 1.) Allow only verified users to post videos. 2.) Prohibit downloads. 3.) Increase moderation.

These measures wouldn’t kill porn or much bother consumers of it; YouTube thrives without downloads. Siri Dahl, a prominent porn star who does business with Pornhub, told me that my three proposals are “insanely reasonable.”

The world has often been oblivious to child sexual abuse, from the Catholic Church to the Boy Scouts. Too late, we prosecute individuals like Jeffrey Epstein or R. Kelly. But we should also stand up to corporations that systematically exploit children. With Pornhub, we have Jeffrey Epstein times 1,000.

[nbrook29]

Kiss or Slap

Sander doesn’t remember when exactly their group made the riverside near the Scheldt their new hangout spot, but he couldn’t be more grateful for it as a cold breeze washes over his overheated body, providing a momentary relief against the scorching heat falling from the sky. It’s probably why the park is fuller than it usually is on Thursday afternoons, packed with people spread on their picnic blankets, searching for a bit of shadow under the big trees and desperately craving a bit of wind. 

It’s so hot he doesn’t even feel like sketching, preferring to just lie on the grass without moving a single muscle, and dying in peace. Even the enticing smell of cinnamon rolls that Noor brought with her isn’t enough for him to reach out and take one from the basket, the action requiring too much movement on his part.

“Guys, come on, we have to start or we’ll never get it done! Sander, get your lazy ass up.” He grunts when he feels Leon’s merciless fingers jabbing him in the ribs.

“Can’t we wait until it gets a little less hot?”

“No, cause that’s not happening in the nearest future and we need new content,” Nathan butts in, followed by Noor, which makes Sander officially outvoted. So he heaves a deep sigh, puts his shirt back on and ruffles his hair to make himself more presentable, rolling his eyes at Noor’s appreciative whistling.

“Someone’s gonna snatch himself a bunch of kisses today with that smoldering look,” she teases, pretending to give him a once over.

“Is that your way of telling me you want one for yourself, sweetheart?” He’s immensely proud of himself when her entire face scrunches up in disgust.

“Eww, no, feels like incest at this point.” Which is kinda true given the fact they’ve known each other since kindergarten and became best friends making sand castles. He fires an obnoxious wink at her, fully anticipating a shove which comes as expected within seconds, with Noor calling him a creep in between laughter.

“Who should we start with? Senne? Wanna go first?” Sander watches as Leon takes out his camera equipment and checks the settings as the rest collects their things.

“I guess, yeah. And then Nathan after me?”

“I’m not doing it, man, you know Britt, she’s gonna flip out.”

“Be a good reason to break up with her,” Sander mutters under his breath, not really feeling apologetic when Nathan shoots him a glare. It would be a long time coming, and honestly, Sander can’t wait for that moment to come. Just being in her presence gives him chills, she’s that much of a horrible person. A few years ago, he read something about alternate universes and sometimes when he looks at her he can’t help but think there’s a history there with the two of them, in a past life or something. At least it would explain that weird energy between them.

If it’s true, he feels very sorry for that Sander. 

He roots for him to run far away from said devil’s spawn.

“I can go next, I don’t have the ball and chain,” Noor says innocently, but she’s smirking over Nathan’s shoulder at Sander who pretends to high five her in their shared hatred for Britt.

“Yeah, us lonely birds will sacrifice ourselves and take the hit for the wellbeing of our channel,” Sander laments playfully, making Senne snort.

“Dude, you’re on your own by your own choice.”

“And pickiness. Don’t forget pickiness,” Noor adds smugly.

Sander huffs in protest. “I’m not picky! I just...” He cuts off because he’s not about to just explain it all now.

“Just what?”

“Specific about what I want.”

Brown curls, brown eyes, shortish, lean, pierced ear, cute giggle, elegant hands and a smile brighter than the sun. 

To be exact.

“Yeah. That’s picky.”

“Whatever,” he replies grumpily, and decides to ignore Noor’s knowing look. Sometimes he feels like she has a sixth sense and can read him like a book. Or she’s just less oblivious than the boys in their friend group. That’s a totally possible option too.

Thankfully, she doesn’t push him further (she’s awesome like that), though Sander has a feeling she’s gonna grill him later when they’re alone. For now, she checks her lipstick in her phone as they all briefly plan the video.

Not like there’s that much to plan; a few days ago, they decided to shoot a kiss or slap challenge for their YouTube channel because it had been wildly requested by their viewers.

Sander still doesn’t quite know how he became a part of a YouTube channel in the first place, always considering himself to be a bit more, well, sophisticated than that? But Leon was into it from the beginning and made them all participate in exchange for free beer, until one day one of their videos blew up.

If you can call getting 100k views on one video blowing up. 

Anyway, they got semi-popular amongst Flemish teens and even managed to snatch a sponsorship with Mentos (however small the offer was) that paid actual money. And he had just managed to move out of his family house so any money coming his way he welcomed with no questions asked. 

So they’ve kept shooting silly challenges slash anything else that’s a trend at a given time and have been able to cover their art supply needs with what little they earned. And, though Sander refused to admit it in the beginning, it’s actually kinda fun. It’s definitely better than his part time job at Pull&Bear where he has to deal with obnoxious customers on an almost daily basis.

They record a short introduction near the river, quickly going over the rules and explaining that the three of them will be competing in who gets more kisses versus slaps. 

“Hey, you know what, this is actually unfair cause you both can kiss anybody,” Senne points out all of a sudden, receiving four pairs of unimpressed glances.

“No one’s stopping you from getting kisses from boys too, dude,” Sander is quick to shut him up, shit-eating grin on his face as he gives him his first (light) slap to the cheek. 

They follow Senne around the park with a camera as he turns on his charm and smiles sweetly at the girls he chooses for the challenge, doing surprisingly well on the first few attempts. But when they venture deeper into the park and he tries his luck with college girls, he gets 5 slaps in the row to the rest of the group’s utter delight. In the end, his results are a blow to his pride and even Sander feels sorry for him, giving him a pat on the back while trying to hold his laughter in at Senne’s grumpy face.

Noor does much better, naturally, as her upbeat personality and a wide smile have always made boys and girls turn their heads. She gets a kiss after kiss, blush after blush, and two phone numbers in the process. Senne argues again that it’s unfair because no one’s gonna slap a girl anyway, but Leon just calls him a sore loser while Noor shamelessly flirts in French with another girl right in front of the camera.

Sander’s very proud.

Taking a quick sip of water, he gives Leon a thumbs up and starts his round, coming over to three blond girls chilling near the skateboarding ramps, trying very hard not to come off as creepy and clarifying the kiss part being only a cheek kiss. The girls erupt in giggles, but they all grant him a light kiss. One of them tries to flirt with him after, but he shoots her down before she can get too into it.

“Such a heartbreaker, you,” Noor coos at Sander’s pained face when they all walk away.

“That’s you, and you actually enjoy it,” he quips back, sticking his tongue at her.

“I do not, shut up!”

Fifteen minutes and fourteen kisses later he’s officially in the lead, sealing his victory with a kiss number fifteen he receives from a cute redhead. He’s gloating in Senne’s bemused face about nobody choosing to slap him when he stops in his tracks.

It’s the proof of his hopeless infatuation that he’d recognize that laugh everywhere.

He looks around for its source, but he comes up short. Then, his eyes focus on the skatepark area and his heart starts beating faster.

Because it feels like a sign. Like the universe is giving him a chance to finally do something. Make a move.

“Hey, can we shoot one more try?” He asks the guys, trying to sound casual while glancing furtively in the direction of brown curls.

“You’ve already won, but I guess?”

Nobody questions him about his reasons, they just follow him to the ramp.

And he’s so fucking nervous. 

It’s incredible, really, how he generally has no problems talking to people he’s interested in, conversation flowing without him even trying, gaining easy smiles and appreciative looks wherever he goes, some natural confidence to him. 

But that boy. That boy is something else.

He makes him question everything he says, makes his palms sweat and makes his deep hidden shyness come onto the surface.

Sander saw him for the first time during Open Day at the Academie in may, strolling casually through the hallway with his friend, completely oblivious to the turmoil he was causing to Sander’s heart.

That was the day Sander saw an angel. 

Fate placed him on his path again sooner than he could’ve hoped, the boy participating in a 2 week film course at his school only several days after he saw him for the first time. And he tried so hard to convince himself to talk to him over that time, but he only managed a few smiles while passing him by in the hallway. 

That and that one stupid joke he said to him while they were waiting in line at the cafeteria that makes him cringe in despair just thinking about it. Seriously, it’s like his entire cool evaporates when he’s near him.

But, the boy laughed at it. So maybe it wasn’t as horrible as Sander is making it to be. Or he was just being nice. 

Robbe. 

Robbe, who he’s been crushing on ever since that fateful day in may.

Robbe, who was at the same party he was last weekend.

Robbe, who he talked to at that party and managed to calm his nerves enough to be charming and funny.

Robbe, who giggled, blushed and bit his lip at Sander’s dumb jokes that evening.

Robbe, who slipped through his fingers because Sander blacked out soon after.

He almost never drinks, but that one night he did, celebrating the beginning of summer break, and not realizing his usual abstinence meant he was now officially a lightweight. What an awful timing.

Robbe doesn’t notice him right away, having his back turned to him while talking animatedly to his friends. Taking a deep breath and plastering a smile to his face to hide his nervousness, he approaches them.

“Hey guys, got a second?”

He notices the recognition in Robbe’s face right away, and Sander shoots him a quiet “hi” when his eyes meet his, an unsure smile blooming on his face.

“Hey, what’s up?” One of the boys nods at the camera.

“I’m Sander, and we’re shooting a video for our YouTube channel, the kiss or slap challenge,” he quickly explains, the boys’ faces lighting up.

“Hey, we have a channel too! I’m Moyo, this is Jens, Aaron, and Robbe.” Moyo reaches out to bump his fist with him and damn, Sander has to find that channel if Robbe is a part of it.

Jens levels him with a look. “So, you want us to kiss you or slap you?” 

“Pretty much, yeah?” Sander chuckles because he’s aware it’s ridiculous, but he’s a man on a mission here, give him a break.

“I think Robbe should represent all of us, don’t you think so?” Moyo proposes, tongue in his cheek as he checks with the rest of his friends. Sander catches the death glare Robbe sends the boy before looking back at him and crossing his arms, looking a bit out of place. And, fuck, the last thing Sander wants is to make him uncomfortable.

So he asks softly, “you’re in?” and waits for agonizing five seconds as Robbe watches him, eyes narrowed, before his features smooth out and he smiles at him.

“Sure, why not.”

Relieved, Sander lets out a chuckle and tries to keep his cool. “Okay then - kiss or slap?”

Robbe squints against the sun and makes him wait another few seconds before he answers, but Sander’s not worried because there’s a soft smile on his face and obviously his angel wouldn’t-

“Slap.”

Wait, what.

He can hear his friends bursting in laughter at this unexpected turn of events while Sander can only stare in shock because how could he miscalculate the situation this much?

Gulping, confused and heartbroken, he asks, “you’re sure?”, to which Robbe nods with a poorly hidden glee.

“But you have to close your eyes cause I can’t hit you while you're looking at me.”

Heaving a deep sigh and trying to save a face despite the humiliation flooding his body, he nods and closes his eyes, steeling himself for it.

But it never comes.

Suddenly, he feels a hand cupping his cheek and he flinches a little, but then soft lips touch his in a kiss so gentle he blinks his eyes open, not knowing what’s happening.

“That was payback for you promising to call me and not keeping your word,” Robbe whispers against his lips before leaning away, something sad and wistful passing through his face. Sander is left completely dumbfounded, ignoring the hollering from the two groups as his eyes fleet all over Robbe’s face.

It’s difficult for him to collect his thoughts because holy fuck, Robbe has just kissed him and he’s internally freaking out. He finally manages to get his bearings when the remnants of a smile slip off Robbe’s lips.

“I-, Robbe, you have no idea how much I wanted to call you, but I don’t have your number.”

“I gave it to you. At the party?” He doesn’t look like he believes a word Sander is saying.

“Um, I kinda blacked out and don’t remember much after like one-ish?”

“You saved it though, I saw you typing it in,” Robbe argues again, but this time he doesn’t look so sure. “Wait, what’s your number?”

Sander watches him entering digit after digit before hitting call. He fully expects a plain number to appear on his screen, eyes widening when he sees what pops up instead.

zk bambieys 🥺🦌👁️💘🧡💖💞 calling

“Fuck, you did give me your number.” He’s not fast enough to hide his screen from Robbe, but he can't even feel embarrassment once he notices the frown disappeared from his face.

“Bambi eyes?” There's a teasing note in his voice, but his pink cheeks sell him out.

Sander scratches his head. "I was very drunk, you can't hold it against me. Also, your eyes are really beautiful," he clarifies, winking when Robbe laughs at his shameless flirting. "Hey, I tried to find you on instagram, but nothing came up. I was really hoping we're gonna bump into each other again. Sorry for being a dumbass and not realizing I had your number this entire time?”

“It’s okay.” Robbe shoves his hand into the pockets of his jeans, swaying on his heels. Sander decides to put them both out of their misery and take the initiative.

“So if I asked you out, would you say yes?”

It looks like Robbe’s about to nod, but then he bites his lip, an almost cheeky smile directed at him. “I guess you have to call me to find out.” And then he gets on his skateboard and casually skates away to the nearest ramp, pulling a surprised laugh out of Sander.

If he was intrigued before, now he’s totally smitten with this wonder of a boy, because damn. 

Their friends finally seem to regain their voices and speak over each other at what just happened, but Sander doesn’t pay them any attention, just takes out his phone again and pressing the call button. 

Watching as Robbe comes to a full stop at the top of the ramp, he cocks his head with a grin and waits until he picks up.

“Hello?”

“Hey, it’s Sander.”

“Yeah, I can see that,” Robbe laughs into the speaker.

“Will you go out with me?”

He meets his eyes across the skatepark as Robbe makes him wait again.

Then, with a smile so radiant it overshadows the sun, the boy finally gives him his answer.

“Yes.”

[frostedfaves]

And I Drove You Crazy

Masterlist

Pairing: Natasha Romanoff x reader

Requested by anon: I don’t know the characters very well but some prompts that I can think of and that you could least jump off from is maybe Nat teasing the reader for a having a crush?? Maybe a few timeline jumps so the first time they meet, then the first time Nat realize the crush, and then the kiss?? Idk lmao

Warnings: constantly flustered reader

A/N: this turned out more fluffy than teasing, but hopefully you’re still able to enjoy it! thanks for the ideas :)

marvel requests?

-

“Is this seat taken?”

You froze with the wine glass in your hand, and you focused all your energy on swallowing the alcohol before you choked. When it was safe to do so, you turned on the bar stool and faced none other than Natasha Romanoff with a nervous smile.

“Nope, all yours.”

She offered you an inviting smile of her own, eyes never leaving yours as she sat next to you. After noticing you squirm a bit, she turned to the bartender, practically batting her eyelashes at him.

“She’ll have another glass, and I’ll take a double of your strongest vodka.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” you insisted, gesturing to the one you just placed on the bar. “I’m not even finished.”

“You’ll have it for when you are.” She shrugged simply before thanking the bartender and taking a sip from her own drink. “So I haven’t met you before. How’d you end up here?”

Both of you took each other in over the rims of your glasses, and you’d never known a shade of green could be so fucking beautiful. Swallowing the liquid in hopes of gaining courage, you cleared your throat to speak again. You could only wish your voice came through as elegantly as her collected tone.

“Well, Mr. Stark promoted Ms. Potts to CEO and you weren’t actually who you said you were, so he had to hire someone he could do an accurate background check on.”

“You’re Stark’s assistant. Your name?” She stretched her hand out to you as you introduced yourself, and a shiver shot through you at her surprisingly warm touch. “Well, you may know me as Natasha Romanoff, Natalie Rushman or the Black Widow. But I’d prefer you to know me as just Nat.”

She suddenly hopped down from the bar stool with her drink in hand, and you’d never felt such abandonment from a simple action. A bit of hope slipped into your thoughts like a secret note when she turned to face you with that wicked smile again.

“I hope to see you again, soon. Good luck with the arrogant man-child.”

-

“Is this seat taken?”

An overwhelming sense of deja vu washed over you at the voice, popcorn falling out of your hand and back into the bowl in your lap as you looked over your shoulder. There Natasha stood, bright red locks hanging on either side of her face as she glanced down at you.

“Nope, all yours.”

There seemed to be a slight bounce in her step as she came around the couch and plopped onto the cushion next to you, a teasing grin on her lips as she reached over and stole a few kernels.

“You seem to be in a really good mood.”

“Just happy to see you.” How lucky you were that she didn’t have super-hearing, because your heart screamed in your chest. “What are we watching?”

“It’s just some dumb, cheesy Hallmark movie. You know, 25 Days of Christmas. I can change the channel if you want.” The sight of her emerald eyes meeting yours threatened to knock the wind out of you, and you quickly took a deep breath to remind yourself of oxygen.

“No, this seems...normal. I don’t get a lot of that, so I appreciate it more.”

The two of you watched in silence, aside from the occasional rustling of your hands in the popcorn bowl. It wasn’t until the credits started to roll that you gained the nerve to speak again.

“I hope this isn’t weird or anything, but I got you something.” Her features seemed to hold confusion, so you quickly added “For Christmas, I mean.”

“You did?” 

You nodded toward the large tree in the corner of the room and she jumped to her feet, heading over and sifting through the gifts to find the one with both of your names on it. As soon as it was in her hands she was ripping the paper open, eager to know what you’d taken the time to get for her. On the other end, you waited with nervous hands and uneven breath for a reaction.

“This…” You stopped breathing altogether until she faced you with tears in her eyes and an appreciative smile. “This is beautiful. Thank you so much. I wish I’d known so I could get you something.”

“It was nothing,” you brushed it off, looking down at your smart watch as it beeped. “I have to go. Duty calls.” You offered her a timid grin as you placed the remainder of the popcorn on a table and hurried off.

“When are you gonna stop being scared and make a move?”

“A Christmas gift doesn’t automatically mean romantic interest, Clint,” Natasha scowled as she turned to the smirking assassin.

“It does when you drive two hours away and hit up five different stores to find it.”

As Clint left her alone again, her eyes drifted back to the gift in her hands and she thought carefully about what this really meant for the two of you.

-

“Is this seat taken?”

A heavy sigh fell from your lips, thankfully masked by the noise floating in from the busy streets below. You weren’t disappointed by her appearance, just desperate for an uncomplicated breath, and you feared you wouldn’t obtain that while she was around.

“Nope, all yours.”

You kept your eyes on the multiple skyscrapers and the night sky behind them, well aware of her gaze locked in on you as she leaned against the section of wall you were currently sitting on.

“What’s a wonderful person like you doing outside all alone a minute before the ball drops?”

“I am here to avoid watching a bunch of happy couples lock lips at midnight,” you told her in the empty spaces of your defeated sigh.

“No special lips for you tonight?” she questioned in a tone just above a whisper, leaning in more to make the eye contact you were actively trying to avoid.

“One pair, but I don’t think they’re available.”

The crowds both below you and inside the building began to loudly countdown to midnight, and before you could negatively react, Natasha’s hands were on you. One on your thigh to steady the both of you, the other making its home on your cheek.

“You always have a seat for me. The least I could do is have a kiss for you.”

Your lips met just as the fireworks began.

-

Tags: @imnotasuperhero 

[worldwidemochiguy]

Sweets (Soft Yandere! Jungkook)

You keep being visited by the most peculiar thief…

➵ in which jungkook steals your lip balm and perfume instead of talking to you, you leave a post-it note with your number on it for the strange thief who only seems to take the most inexplicable items and has a strange sense of responsibility for your wellbeing, and the cute boy in your photography class with the fluffy hair and the oversized sweater keeps getting more and more endearing…

➵ Warnings: Soft Yandere Jungkook, Breaking & Entering but without the Breaking, Reader is a bit of a ditz (lol sorry guys) 

➵ Word Count: 4.2K

➵ Masterlist

“Hello, uh, I’d like to… report a crime?” 

Your statement, which had always sounded suitably firm and assertive when you practised it in front of the bathroom mirror, ended with an unplanned upturn, making it sound more like a question than you would like. 

“Please state your name and address, ma’am.”

You did so, listening anxiously to the tap of a keyboard as your information was filed away. The undoubtedly over-worked police officer on the other end of the line sounded like he was two seconds from falling asleep, and you questioned yourself for the millionth time over whether you really needed to report this or not.

“What is the nature of the crime you are reporting, ma’am?”

“Um… well…” 

You twisted your hand into the fabric of your shirt self-consciously, trying to decide the best way to explain the strange little occurrences that had been surrounding your apartment over the last few months. You had not yet found a way to put it without sounding ridiculous, but you supposed there was a first time for everything. 

“I, uh, I think someone’s breaking into my apartment and stealing things.”

“You have an intruder?”

“Uh huh,”

“…Are they currently in your residence?”

“No, I think… they come and take things when I’m not here and then they’re gone by the time I get back.” 

“What items have been stolen?”

You bit your lip. 

“I know it sounds silly, but…”

“No crime is too small to report, ma’am. We are committed to making the lives of everyday citizens safer.”

“Well… they’ve stolen my lip balm like… several times. I keep buying new ones and they keep being stolen after a week or so. And my perfume. And my hairbrush one time, and-”

“Ma’am,” The officer cut you off with the impatience you had been both anticipating and dreading ever since you decided to call the police, “Listen, we don’t have the capacity to deal with prank callers-”

“It’s not a prank call!” You blurted, a momentary burst of desperation overtaking you, “I- um, sorry for interrupting, officer, but this isn’t a prank call. Things have been going missing. I can’t afford to keep replacing my lip balm.” 

A sigh crackled across the line, and you pictured the officer maybe taking off his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose like those people in movies always seemed to do when they got frustrated. Personally, you had never found that it helped. 

“Are you sure you aren’t just… misplacing them?”

You gasped, offended that even a stranger could think you so stupid. “No! I remember exactly where I leave things and then they just vanish! I swear!”

“Has anything of value ever been taken from your apartment?”

“Yes!” You exclaimed, excited to be able to prove the officer wrong, “My bunny plushy! Mr Snuggles is extremely valuable to me!”

“…Monetary value, I meant. Has anything expensive ever been taken from your apartment?” 

There was an embarrassing silence. The officer sighed again, with a little more exasperation colouring his tone. 

“If anything significant is stolen, call us back. For now, just… be a bit more careful with your possessions.” 

He hung up. You pressed your forehead against the wall and wished your strange thief had taken your phone in one of his little visits. Maybe then you would’ve avoided making that agonising call. 

The next morning as you were leaving to go to class, you noticed a pile of discarded post-it notes on your desk — the remnants of a redbull-fuelled late night study session. Your newly purchased lip balm lay next to it. Impulsively, you grabbed a pen and scrawled a message on one of the post-its, sticking it horizontally to the curved surface of the lip balm tube. 

it reads: 

pls don’t take this i just bought it and this brand is actually v expensive and i am only a struggling college student with loans and chapped lips (。•́︿•̀。)

It might have been a little too polite considering it’s intended recipient was someone who had stolen multiple items from your apartment, but you figured there was no point in being rude. They probably wouldn’t even read it anyway. 

You strolled out of your apartment, planning to pick up a smoothie on the way to your lecture, and promptly forgot all about it.

 When you returned home to find a pile of newly bought lip balms on your desk — all embossed with the logo of your favourite brand — you were slightly puzzled. But, once you remembered the note you had left- well, the confusion didn’t exactly vanish, but at least you were given some context. 

The note had disappeared, along with the lip balm you had used a scant few times. But, you didn’t understand what the thief’s aim was. Why on earth would they steal small things like lip balm and perfume? And why would they buy you new copies of the product? Wasn’t that counterproductive?

you’re very bad at your job

Your next note read, stuck to your fridge as you left to grab coffee with your study group. It remained there for a few days, and you couldn’t ignore the way your heart sank a little each time you saw it hadn’t been taken. 

After six days, when it finally vanished, you felt an odd sense of happiness bubble up within you. Yes, there was someone routinely breaking into your apartment, but at least now you had an open channel of communication with them. They had left a brand new bottle of your preferred perfume — which had been stolen at least twice before you stopped bothering to buy it because perfume is pricy — resting on your kitchen counter, beside a box of your favourite chocolates. 

As you dug into the box later, snuggled in a blanket and having a Studio Ghibli film marathon, you didn’t even consider the fact that the sweets might be tampered with. If they wanted to kill me, they would’ve killed me already, you reasoned to yourself, sucking the icing sugar off your fingers. Nor did you question how they knew your favourite chocolate. If they broke into your apartment as much as you assumed they did, they probably knew you better than your own parents by now. 

You were the very definition of a broke college student. As far as you were concerned, if this random stranger wanted to buy you things and sometimes clean up your apartment — you had definitely come back to a home tidier than you had left it more than once — then you certainly weren’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Maybe it was a little naïve of you, but… you had already called the police, and they hadn’t cared.

thank you for the perfume and chocolate <3

You wrote next morning, hesitating slightly before putting the heart. Before you could convince yourself not to, you scribbled another line underneath. 

i wish you’d write back someday…

As you walked to class, you scolded yourself for the butterflies swooping in your stomach. They’re literally a criminal, you told yourself, Stop getting crushes on anyone who shows you the slightest bit of attention. You don’t even know their name. 

Despite the small amount of common sense that you did have mocking you all day, you sat in classes and daydreamed about your mystery home intruder. Would they read the note? Would they be happy about your appreciation? Would they — you bit your lip — would they write back? 

You felt like a dumb schoolgirl, excited by the prospect of a badly written love note shoved in her locker. And, like a school girl, you trudged back home with your arms weighed down by class work, a billion essays and quizzes that had to be completed overnight. Did your professors not realise you had a life outside of college? Not that you did, of course, but like… in principle. 

You were so preoccupied with the coursework that you didn’t even notice the note stuck to your bedroom door. After an hour of studying, you rose wearily to start fixing yourself something to eat, and your eyes snagged on a flash of yellow. 

You squeaked, almost falling over yourself in your rush to get to the door and read the note. 

i’m glad you liked them. i’m sorry i took your things, that was mean of me. i tried to only take things you wouldn’t miss, but i guess that backfired… i just wanted to feel close to you. and these notes… are the closest i’ve ever been. i know that must sound weird, but… well. i’m a weird guy, i guess. i just liked hearing from you. that’s all. 

~ koo <3

You didn’t stop freaking out for a full five minutes. After that, you poured over every detail of the letter, eager to extricate any fragment of knowledge possible. You ended up with a list which you scribbled down in your diary, above which you pasted the note. 

The list went as follows:

They want to feel close to you

They have not talked to you before, since the notes are the closest they’ve ever been, but they must have seen you in person at least once 

They are a he 

(you adamantly did not get flustered about that)

and

     4. He calls himself Koo

When you left your apartment the next morning, you placed your note on the exact same spot he had left his. An indirect touch. 

hi koo !!!!!!!!

i was so excited to see you had written something!! you know, if you want to talk to me more often, there is an easier way…

Underneath you had scrawled your phone number, hastily and not allowing for regret before you flounced out of the apartment. The reason why you were in such a rush was because you were about to go to your favourite class: Photography 101. 

You had taken it as an extra credit, something that interested you but not enough that you wanted to pursue it as a career. You had expected it to be fun, something artistic to break up the monotony of classes. What you had not expected was the dreamy boy who sat in the first row and had full possession of your heart. 

You didn’t even know his name, but you were pretty sure you were half in love with him. With fluffy brown hair that fell over his forehead whenever he leaned over to scribble down notes, and cute bunny teeth that stuck out in a flustered smile whenever the professor praised his work in class, he was perhaps the cutest boy you had ever seen. 

Though you were sure he had many girls sighing after him, he seemed to be really shy, only ever speaking in class when called on, and even then it was in a quiet, soft voice. He was kind of like you in that respect. But that was where your similarities ended. 

Yes, you thought, sighing as you watched him pay avid attention to the professor’s lecture on the composition of frames, his cute doe eyes wide and twinkling like stars were embedded in the pupils, He is way out of my league. 

It took three days for you to lose hope. You hadn’t received a text, nor had you found any notes left for you. You tried not to be disappointed, even as your traitorous sub-conscience mocked you for being able to scare away the one person who arguably paid you the most attention. 

You didn’t really have many friends, and the ones you did have preferred each other over you, and often left you out of activities because of your shy nature. You guessed this whole thing had just been a way to feel like you actually mattered to someone, like, for once, someone cared about you, but-

You were pulled out of your musings as your phone chimed. 

From: Unknown Number

[6:48 PM]

hi

this is koo

The two of you texted every day, and soon enough you were hiding your phone underneath your desk in order to chat to him, keeping your phone on your person at all times in case koo wanted to talk. Of course, the only class you didn’t do this in was Photography, so you could spend a blissful forty-five minutes staring at the boy who played the role of your husband in all of your favourite daydreams. 

Koo still broke into your house occasionally, and he still left you sweet, considerate gifts. Often, you would receive texts like this:

From: koo ✨

[3:24 PM]

sweets i’ve been checking your groceries and your vegetables are not being eaten as often as they should be 

i know you have a sweet tooth and that’s cute but please try to stay healthy

To: koo ✨

[3:25 PM]

but i can’t cook all i know how to make is microwaveable mac n cheese :///////

You came back home that day to discover a bunch of Tupperwares full of pre-made healthy meals and a note stuck to the top of them. 

try microwaving these :)

To: koo ✨

[3:01 AM]

koo are you awake?

From: koo ✨

[3:01 AM]

i am now

what’s wrong?

To: koo ✨

[3:02 AM]

i can’t sleep :////////

From: koo ✨

[3:02 AM]

sweets you need to go to bed

you have an early morning class

To: koo ✨

[3:02 AM]

i knowwwwww

i just… i can’t sleep without mr snuggles :((

From: koo ✨

[3:03 AM]

Mr Snuggles??

???

To: koo ✨

[3:03 AM]

my cuddly bunny :((((

i think you took him a while ago

could i maybe have him back…?

From: koo ✨

[3:03 AM]

Shit

i didn’t know you couldn’t sleep without him 

[3:04 AM]

sweets im so sorry

To: koo ✨

[3:04 AM]

its okay koo

From: koo ✨

[3:04 AM]

no it isn’t

you’re loosing sleep because of me

fuck

i could… bring him to you?

To: koo ✨

[3:05 AM]

you’d do that?

…i could see you?

From: koo ✨

[3:05 AM]

no i’d leave him outside

you’d have to promise not to come out until i text you saying i’ve left

To: koo ✨

[3:06 AM]

but kooooo :(((((

From: koo ✨

[3:07 AM]

sweets 

To: koo ✨

[3:07 AM]

okay :((((((((((

but i expect you to leave a big box of chocolates on my pillow for me to come home to tomorrow evening!!

From: koo ✨

[3:08 AM]

of course sweets <3

im gonna get going now

don’t look outside your apartment

To: koo ✨

[3:08 AM]

okay

From: koo ✨

[3:34 AM]

im gone and mr snuggles is waiting outside for you

he might have a little gift with him

You trudged outside your apartment, rubbing your eyes blearily, and looked down to see your beloved plushie clutching a single rose in its paws. You gasped, leaning down to pick up the flower gently, and you noticed all the thorns had been taken off. Koo must’ve removed them so that you didn’t accidentally hurt yourself. 

You felt warmth flood you, drowning the butterflies in your stomach and replacing them with something much less fleeting, much less shallow. 

It sunk into your bones, into your heart, into your breath as you sighed, squeezing your long-lost Mr Snuggles close to your face. He carried the familiar scent of nostalgia, but also something different, something sharper. You realised with a jolt that you were smelling Koo’s cologne. 

You went back to bed, nuzzled your face into the plushy’s furry belly, and dreamed of fluffy brown hair and bunny smiles. 

Though with Mr Snuggles’ help you were able to sleep wonderfully, you were only able to do so for four hours before your alarm jolted you back into early reality. Honestly, you were sorely tempted to just ditch class, but it was Photography, and if you missed your regular dose of the cute boy in the front row then you thought you might just crumble into dust. 

You dragged yourself out of bed, pulling on your softest oversized hoodie — a gift from Koo which, now that you thought about it, smelled like the same cologne that Mr Snuggles did. You flushed at the thought of him giving you one of his hoodies to wear, though you couldn’t say exactly why that image charmed you. 

You stumbled into the lecture, arms full of textbooks because you knew you wouldn’t have the energy to return back to your apartment to retrieve the relevant materials for your next class later in the day. Your excellent plan was to crash in the library directly after this, have a two hour power-nap, and then make yourself get up in time for Calculus. 

You barely had the energy to listen to the professor droning on and on about… the perfect lense, or whatever. You allowed yourself the indulgence of tuning out, resting your chin on your palm and gazing dreamily at the boy in the front row. He was taking notes, as per usual. What a good student! You praised him in your head. I bet he has the best handwriting. 

Despite your best efforts, you fell asleep within ten minutes. You were woken as the class concluded by the clamour of students grabbing their materials and the scrape of chairs as your classmates stood up, leaving you behind — the only one half-splayed across the desk in front of you. 

You jerked upright, grabbing your stuff in one hand as you tried to tug on your bag, eventually succeeding with much struggle, only to drop it all again as soon as you stood up. You whimpered, watching helplessly as your textbooks fanned across the floor. You saw one of them split along the spine as it landed on an open page. 

That cost me two hundred dollars, you thought absently, and I just chucked it down like a bouncy ball.  

Suddenly, you glimpsed someone crouching down and gathering them all up into a sturdy pile. As he stood up, your vision was full of fluffy brown hair, errant strands falling into star-filled doe eyes. 

Oh. Oh no. 

“H-Here you are,” He murmured, passing you the pile gently, making sure you were able to take the weight before leaving them in your arms. When he leaned close to you, you breathed in a scent that was oddly familiar, and yet new at the same time. As his hands receded, his skin brushed against yours for a second and you swear your vision blanked out. 

“Thanks,” You whispered, your gaze so firmly focused on the floor that you didn’t notice his flushed cheeks. 

As soon as you got to the library, you whipped out your phone, all tiredness banished from your system by that momentous experience. You had talked to him. 

To: koo ✨

[8:47 AM]

koo i think im in love

From: koo ✨

[8:47 AM]

what

with who

To: koo ✨

[8:47 AM]

this boy in my photography class 

he’s just so- 

[8:48 AM]

i can’t even explain it

i dropped my textbooks and he picked them up for me and i stg i almost cried

From: koo ✨

[8:48 AM]

wait

seriously??

To: koo ✨

[8:49 AM]

yeah i cry at like the drop of a hat 

From: koo ✨

[8:49 AM]

no-

cute 

but i mean

that’s who you’re in love with?

To: koo ✨

[8:49 AM]

yeah?

From: koo ✨

[8:49 AM]

gray sweater

[8:50 AM]

big eyes

tall-ish

that’s him???

To: koo ✨

[8:50 AM]

OMG YOU’RE IN MY PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS AREN’T YOU

From: koo ✨

[8:50 AM]

WHAT

NO

IM NOT

To: koo ✨

[8:50 AM]

OMGGGGGGG

YOU SAW HIM HELP ME SO YOU MUST BE IN MY CLASSSS

[8:51]

okay!

are you the frat guy who always comes in hungover???

no judgement

From: koo ✨

[8:51 AM]

NO

To: koo ✨

[8:52 AM]

are you the guy who only ever wears knitwear???

From: koo ✨

[8:52 AM]

NO

To: koo ✨

[8:53 AM]

…are you the professor?

From: koo ✨

[8:53 AM]

NO!!!!!

oh my god lets just meet up or something before i explode

To: koo ✨

[8:53 AM]

WAIT

ARE YOU SERIOUS????

From: koo ✨

[8:54 AM]

…you’re that excited to meet me?

To: koo ✨

[8:54 AM]

OF COURSE I AM

OH MY GODDDD

WHEN?

From: koo ✨

[8:54 AM]

now?

i can meet you at the campus coffee shop in like five minutes?

To: koo ✨

[8:55 AM]

five minutes???

that’s not enough time koo i have to go home and pick out something pretty to wear !!

From: koo ✨

[8:55 AM]

it doesn’t matter what you wear, you’re always beautiful to me

To: koo ✨

[8:56 AM]

you

you think im

b-beautiful 

: ’ ))))))))))

From: koo ✨

[8:57 AM]

…

haha see you there!! 

To: koo ✨

[8:57 AM]

GET BACK HERE WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THIS-

You sat on an empty table, fiddling with the tea bag tag which hung over the side of your mug. You had bought Green Tea as an effort to calm yourself down so you weren’t too anxious to meet Koo, but it hadn’t worked because you were impatient and sipped it too soon so now you were sat there nursing a burnt tongue like an idiot. 

You knew it was irrational to be self-conscious. He already knew who you were, and seemed to like you, it was just you that was in the dark. You went over the possible people Koo could be, mentally cycling through the boys in your photography class. It was an annoyingly large class, which meant he would be anyone from the guy who smelled like Funyuns to-

Fluffy-haired boy strolled into the coffee shop and you let out an involuntary sigh. He seemed to be cheerful, a smile exposing his bunny teeth and making his cheeks bunch up adorably, with like,  five different sets of dimples poked into them. You had never agreed more with the saying that dimples were caused by an angel’s kiss. 

Well, at least I’ll have something nice to look at while I wait, you thought, just before all your thoughts suddenly tipped out of your head when you realised he was walking towards your table. 

“Is this seat taken?” He grinned, before sliding into the seat across from you. 

You whimpered, and his smile grew devastatingly wider.

“Hi,” He breathed, before his gaze flickered down to your mug of tea, clutched so tightly in your hands that you worried the ceramic might shatter. “You didn’t get hot chocolate? I thought you had a sweet tooth?”

“Uhm-” You choked, before forcing yourself to get a grip. How would Koo feel if he walked in here and saw you sitting with another guy? “I’m actually- I’m waiting for someone. Sorry.”

If it was possible — and it certainly seemed to be — the boy’s grin broadened even more, his eyes crinkling into adorable half-moons.

“Is that so? Is he your boyfriend?”

“No!” You blurted, before flushing profusely. The boy across from you seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the display. “I mean- uhm, I don’t know. Maybe? This is our- this is our first actual meeting.”

“Oh?” The boy tilted his head, “Really? How exciting.”

You hummed in agreement, eyes fixed on your slowly cooling beverage. You raised it to your mouth to take a hesitant sip and- nope,  still too hot. You whined quietly, rubbing your sore tongue against the inside of your cheek to try and soothe it. 

“Oh, sweets,” The boy murmured across from you, and you were too distracted to notice the nickname. He plucked the mug out of your hands and placed it on the other side of the table, as if he was trying to make sure it couldn’t hurt you anymore. “Are you okay? Do you want me to take you to the campus infirmary?”

“Wha- no, it’s okay,” You mumbled, lisping slightly on your burnt tongue and blushing when he cooed over you, “It’s- I’m waiting here for someone, and- I mean, I don’t even know your name-”

“It’s Jungkook,” He interrupted cheekily, deliberately ignoring the rest of your statement, “Some people call me Kookie, and really special people call me… Koo.” 

Oh. Oh.

Fuck.

“Really special people?” You asked, your voice small, and not because of the burn. 

“Well, people…” Jungkook- Koo paraphrased, tilting his head slightly, “I guess it would be more accurate to say… one really special person.”

“Really?” You breathed, and Jungkook leaned over the table, close enough that you could smell his cologne, the same scent embedded in the fabric of your hoodie- his hoodie. 

“The most special person.” He murmured, the fervent emotion packed in each word speaking louder than any increase of volume could.

You had never been anyone’s most special person before, but, as you looked into Jungkook’s chocolate eyes, you started to believe you could almost taste it, sticky sweet on your lips. And when Jungkook eventually, finally coaxed your lips in a gentle kiss, you let him in, and found out that happiness tastes reassuringly honey-sweet. 

[blackbat05]

Hope

Jimmy Woo x Reader 

A/N: I think if I’m stressed I just end up writing more as a source of comfort. Anyways, I have finally achieved my promise of writing a new character! I really love Jimmy Woo especially after his appearance in WandaVision y’all (please, he deserves more love). Again, I had an idea in my head and I just went along with it - the reader is basically living alone and with the blip, her mental health just takes another hit. Jimmy is there to support her and to also give her news that brings a little bit of hope to the reader. Not sure how it turned out but would appreciate if you gave a like or comment if you wish! Enjoy! 

Genre: PG 13 

Warnings: Mentions of drugs, struggling with mental health after the blip (this is pretty interesting and I would like to explore more if possible), two idiots having a crush on each other? 

‘Another late night?’ A cup of coffee is placed on your table. You look up to see that it belongs to your long-time friend and colleague from the FBI, Jimmy Woo.

‘Yeah,’ you groaned as you tried stretching your back against the chair. ‘Helped Agent Cortez from the DEA to chase down a few leads back in Detroit. I just got back at two in the morning,’ stifling a yawn. ‘What about you?’ You attempt to prolong the conversation. It was always nice seeing Jimmy to start the day right. Let’s just say that over the years, you developed feelings for this charming man.

‘Been the same old thing, board wants us to keep tabs on Maximoff,’ referring to the Scarlet Witch. You couldn’t help but to feel sorry for the former Avenger who was probably on the run now after causing the Westview anomaly. Glancing around the office, you realized there were more people starting to stream in. Not the best place for a private conversation. Standing up, you pointed upwards, asking him silently if he wanted to talk on the rooftop instead.

Your insides couldn’t have been more thankful for the warm brown liquid that trickled down your esophagus. Feeling a bit more awake, you decided to be more active. ‘Do they know that Captain Rambeau let Wanda go?’

He shakes his head, ‘Monica told the board by the time she got to where Wanda was supposed to be, she was gone,’ he looks at you, waiting for your reaction. ‘I know what you’re thinking but-’

‘Hey, I’m not Hayward. Anyone with two pairs of eyes and functioning brain would know that Wanda is not the villain that SWORD made her to be. I don’t know her but somehow I feel…’ You trailed off, not being able to find the right words.

You heard a lot about the sorceress through Jimmy’s nightly calls with you when he was in Westview. Just how could someone go for so long being so alone? His last call before storming into Westview was… impactful.

‘So you going to arrest her?’

There was a bout of silence before Jimmy gave a sigh, ‘To be honest, I don’t know. Monica’s in there right now so I trust her. But Wanda’s probably not going to stay in the States if she walks free. He tells you to give him a moment as he shouts in the distance to someone - a fellow FBI agent. ‘Hey, I got to go.’

‘Be careful.’

You cup your hands around the coffee, gazing into the distance. Like the FBI office, people were starting their day too. The day started to become brighter as the skies were tinted with navy blue specks. How long has it been since you were living here alone in Washington?

Jimmy tries not to intrude into your thoughts but as a friend who had knew you for over a decade, he wasn’t dumb. You were probably thinking about your family, a thousand of miles away from America. He remembers you bursting into his house after graduation, not caring about your tear-stricken face. Apparently your family wanted to move back to your homeland back in Madripoor.

But you were just starting out your career here, preparing to go to the police academy and all. It was your dream - hell, it was what you wanted. You felt pride serving people and helping others. People called you basic and naïve for having those thoughts, but it was that desire that kept you going till now.

Then the blip happened. As Jimmy sees the people below his apartment block vanishing into dust, the first person he thinks is to call you. It just kept going back to voicemail.

You’re in your new apartment that the Global Repatriation Council managed to arrange for you. It was a cozy two room apartment located on the fifth floor. You should have been thankful and you were, but just like how the lights were all switched off, you were spiraling into a vast land of meaningless thoughts.

Everyone had moved on without you. The moment you were dusted back into your old apartment back in Jersey, you immediately called your family to receive the biggest shock of your life. Your younger brother was caught in a shootout between the Vladivostok mafia and the local gangs at Club Azimut. What in the name of gods was he even doing there anyway?

‘I think it’s best not to come home for a while Y/N, your father-’

‘Thinks that it’s my fault,’ you finished the sentence for your mother. I couldn’t blame them. You were essentially a cop. Which made your brother a target especially in shit holes like Madripoor. Of course, your father was pissed beyond repair - B/N died and you caused it.

‘It’s ok mom, I get it. Take care of yourself ok?’ Before she could say another word, you hung up. The room was overwhelming the lone figure with its silence. Maybe that’s why you found yourself bursting into tears.

Jimmy walks to your apartment door, two bags of Chinese takeout in one hand. He slows down when he hears the muffled sobs. The door to your place was ajar. Pushing it carefully, he walks past the entrance to see your dazed figure leaning against the wall, unpacked boxes surrounding you. You don’t even notice that someone had entered your house.

‘What am I supposed to do Jimmy?’ It felt like your heart was stretched into every single direction every time you spoke a word. You couldn’t stop yourself from trembling. 

Jimmy puts the bags aside on the dining table, taking a seat beside you. He doesn’t say a word and the only sound that could be heard within your apartment was the honking of cars eagerly awaiting to get back home to their families. Reaching for the television control, he switches it on to a documentary channel, letting you lean on him. 

You realized that you had floated into a world of your own thoughts, leaving Jimmy standing beside you on the rooftop. ‘I’m sorry Jimmy, got carried away.’ 

He shakes his head as he continues to sip his coffee. That was what made Jimmy so comfortable to be around with. But you knew that as your best friend, you weren’t going to short change him - he had given you the time and space that you needed. 

‘Talking about Wanda just makes me think about Madripoor,’ you started, unsure of how to continue. ‘It’ll be eleven, twelve years of me living alone.’ You didn’t even bother to count anymore, what good would it do? ‘I dedicate nearly half my life to the force, believing that it was the right choice,’ you said, ‘but I lost the people around me instead. I just don’t know how long I can continue with all this,’ you waved around, referring to the late nights, the long stake outs and the dangerous situations that you were constantly tossed in. Sure, you were lucky to have good colleagues who made sure you didn’t get a bullet in the back but none of them were remotely close enough to share your emotional struggles that only increased since you were snapped back. 

Maybe except for Jimmy. 

He waits for you to go on but you seem to have finished. This was a good time to bring up what he had in mind that would probably kill two birds with one stone. 

‘The FBI does have ways of traumatizing their own in the most unexpected ways, but we can never really escape from it can we? Every time we put one demon down, more takes its place. I’ve been there,’ he pause, recollecting his own thoughts. ‘Facing these monsters can be scary but - I guess what I’m really trying to say is that you don’t have to do this alone Y/N.’ His heart skips a beat. He has to continue, there was no turning back. 

‘Monica’s going to be away for a while,’ he adds on, ‘Avenger stuff. Probably off-world. And Darcy, well... who knows where she’ll be?’ 

You waited patiently for him to get his point across. 

‘Director Fury knows about this but he wants an extra pair of eyes on the ground to watch Wanda’s movements. I can’t do it alone so I recommended you.’ 

Your brain cell freezes, trying to process the past few minutes. So you were potentially going from investigating drug cartels to assessing an Avenger level threat? And with Jimmy who knows you at the back of his head as your partner? The top of your mouth twitched upwards. 

‘I’m sorry if it was so unexpected. But seeing you like this, I thought you could use an energy booster.’ Jimmy had no idea where was this surging amount of confidence coming from. He imagines Darcy’s voice ringing in his head. Go get her tiger! 

‘Energy booster?’ You played along, teasing him at his choice of words. ‘I’m not sure if potentially being mind controlled by the Scarlet Witch would bring energy to me but I’m grateful.’ 

‘I’m hurt Y/N,’ he places his free hand over his chest in mock horror. ‘Here I was thinking that working with me everyday would bring some light into your life.’ Jimmy abruptly halts his sentence. What the hell were you thinking? 

Suddenly your coffee cup was very interesting to look at. You always had a crush on Jimmy but let’s face it - work romances never end up good. You didn’t want to jeopardize the friendship you had slowly build up with him for what - fifteen years?

A voice inside your head knocks some senses into you. Come on Y/N, he’s been with you through thick and thin! He knows everything about you, hell he even knows how you eat! Life’s not going to wait for anyone. So just take the leap of faith. It’s Jimmy here we’re talking about.

Just as Jimmy was dead sure that you were about to reject his offer, he meets your eyes that is now full of confidence. ‘Well if Director Fury thinks highly of me, I can’t say no right?’

Who cared about controlling one’s facial expressions, Jimmy was the happiest man in the FBI building. Phone beeping in his pocket, he checks the message. ‘Ah shoot, I got to go. SWORD’s demanding another meeting again. But I’ll catch up with you later? Maybe for dinner at the ramen place two blocks down?’ 

You tried not to get ahead of yourself but it was hard not to. ‘Sure, sounds like a plan.’ 

As you see his retreating figure, you couldn’t help but to think that maybe, just maybe, hope was not too far away. 

Finishing the last of your coffee, you threw your cup into the bin. Agent Cortez had just sent you a text as well - it was time to finish your last bit of the job before a whole new beginning. 

Crazy, but at least you had Jimmy. 

A/N: Still trying to work on my endings! HAHAHA~ but I really hope that somehow it brings a little comfort? I think I’m just writing (or trying to at least) comfort stuff to just have an outlet. If you have read up till here, thank you! Wherever you are, stay safe and healthy! If you need to talk, I think my inbox is open? I did set it to receive stuff so feel free! I’ll get back to you as soon as I can if you do! Lots of love~ 

P.S. IS FINALLY FRIDAY AND OCTOBER! Omg I want to join in the fun on Kinktober but 2 problems: 

1. I can’t do the obvious without being cringey (smut writers y’all the MVP) 

2. I only end my placement on the 2nd last week of October so I can’t do it like everyday TT or at least like frequently 

[bestiesenpai]

I have a thot

You know twitch streamer geto suguru but have you heard of toxic YouTuber Ryomen Sukuna😂

He mainly posts workout videos and his channel and comments section is like STRICT hetero men and pick me bitches all hyping up his workouts and the man is seriously fit, he posts little training videos that always somehow manage to get like millions of views mostly because besides being fit he's also hot.

How is he toxic you might ask well he’s a straight man so that’s all the answer you need lol he’s like Gaston from beauty and the beast he doesn’t eat breakfast but he does eat raw eggs like a weirdo. He also just FLAMES anyone that’s not already at his level and he just has no respect for anyone😂

And sometimes he plays games and makes vids on that and he’s always shirtless with a headset on and raging fucking hard. He’s not a good gamer like Geto is, he sucks at games and the only games he gets good at are like COD or GTA but not the story mode just killing random people.

And sometimes he gets recommended other gaming videos and he’ll watch them but most of the time he’s like ‘games are lame fuck that’ until a pretty in pink aesthetic youtuber comes on his recommended list and he’s a shallow man, he clicks because you’re pretty. And you’re not even playing a game he’s interested in but he watches because he’s slowly getting a crush on you and soon he’s subbed to your channel and following you on all socials

And then his and your followers see that he’s following you and they beg for a collab, and at first you’re hesitant because he’s a toxic man😂 like sweetie...what?? But with enough thousands of comments you eventually message him asking if he would like to collab on something, it doesn’t have to be a video game it can be something he likes. He posts cooking videos sometimes, why not that?

And mister Ryomen Sukuna, in all his glory, is quite nervous. He accepts the offer and suggests a studio kitchen you two can use(because he films in his house for his cooking videos but he doesn’t want you to see where he lives with his lack of furniture and not a single fucking rug anywhere on the ground).

When the day comes, you’re there and of course you’re even prettier in person. Of course you are. Sukuna can’t believe his luck! You start out the video all bubbly in your intro and Sukuna is there like a dumb fuck rock saying boring ‘hi’ ‘im sukuna’ ‘yeah I work out ha ha’

You’re carrying the video lol and he’s so awkward he burns whatever the two of you are cooking and he’s cracking hella self deprecating jokes(so unlike him usually he’s making fun of others) and he can’t even look you in the eye most of the time. You think he hates you, but at the end when you’re filming the outro he slings an arm around your shoulder and tells everyone in that shithead confident voice of his that he loved the video and that he can’t wait to make another collab and post it on his channel(he’s not worried about losing followers over something like collabing with a pink aesthetic youtuber, you just suggested having the first vid on your channel)

And he genuinely thanks you at the end of your time together and even pays for your uber home and gets your number(although he’s too nervous to text you). And life goes on, he posts more videos while you edit the collab and the moment it goes live he’s watching the comments like a hawk and all of them are saying how cute it is that sukuna is so nervous around you and that everyone can see the blush on his cheeks when you smile at him and they aren’t talking about wanting to check out his videos or how hot he is no they’re fucking going on and on about how cute his reactions are and how they wish they could be in the same spot as him and be with you.

He can’t refute the comments either because it’s fucking true and all his subs are like ‘gross never (insert incel joke here)’ and for once sukuna goes and deletes those comments because rude! You are not going to diss his boo that doesn’t know they’re his boo because they barely know him but damnit they go together!

He’s more prepared for the next video, a gaming video on his channel. He’s picked the game, it’s some shooter game, and you’re both at home filming yourselves and having a video call so you can talk to each other and it’s so cute, so wholesome the way Sukuna carries you for the game because it’s one of those scary horror shooters with zombies and he doesn’t want you to get overwhelmed <3 what a sweet not boyfriend <3

And just like last time he deletes any comments talking bad about you and before you know it the video goes viral because he forgot to edit out all the parts where he complimented you on your playing skills and gave you words of encouragement when you were failing.

And now he suddenly has a ship name with you, there’s Kpop fancam style edits of you and him together and there’s even a petition for you two to film a vlog together out in the ✨real world✨. And he would love to do it all, he really would. But he just has to text you first about a topic that’s not YouTube.

hi if you made it this far lol you loser(im also a loser cuz I wrote this don’t worry we’re losers together) why’d you read all of this? n00b!