#made this in january and forgot about it Somehow

[brotherconstant]

KELLY MCCORMACK as JESS MCCREADY in A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN (Season 1)

[steddieas-shegoes]

a birthday halfway forgot

for @corrodedcoffinfest pop-up event 'birthday boy' using the prompt 'birthday' and 'age 30'

rated e, minors dni | 3132 words | no cw | tags: famous corroded coffin, band manager steve, established relationship, fucking on a motorcycle is ill-advised but they do it anyway, hand jobs, anal sex, domestic fluff

🏍️🏍️🏍️🏍️🏍️🏍️🏍️🏍️🏍️🏍️🏍️🏍️🏍️🏍️

He’s looking at the calendar in shock. He didn’t know. He didn’t realize.

It’s January 26th.

It’s Eddie’s 30th birthday. It’s Gareth’s 27th birthday.

Somehow, he lost track of dates in all of the chaos of planning the next tour and being so focused on the April through September parts of the calendar.

“Shit.”

He immediately calls Jeff because he’s sure the next most mature human being in their codependent group of misfits hasn’t forgotten. There’s no way Jeff forgot.

“Shit,” he says when Steve asks.

He forgot.

“Okay. It’s not the end of the world! It’s still early.”

Steve looks at the clock. It is early, but they don’t have time to plan something.

“Make a reservation at that Italian place they both like. The one with the fried meatballs. I’ll get cake. It’ll be fine,” Steve is good in crisis. He’s proven time and time again how quickly he can fix problems on tour. He can do it for this, too. “They won’t know we forgot.”

“Forgot what?” Eddie asks from behind Steve.

“The appointment we made for everyone to see the doctor before tour!” Steve says, way too loud to be considered normal.

Luckily, Eddie is used to Steve being a little manic during the planning stages of tour and doesn’t question his volume or strained smile.

“Is that Gare? He was supposed to call me when he got up,” Eddie steps closer. “It’s almost noon; There’s no way he’s still asleep.”

“It’s Jeff.”

“Jeffery!” Eddie grabs the phone from Steve’s hand and waves his free hand around. “Haven’t you taken my husband away from me enough lately?”

Steve rolls his eyes. It’s not his fault they choose to handle most things themselves instead of outsourcing all the tour management to the label. It’s better if Steve and Jeff take care of things.

They talk for a few minutes and Steve decides he needs to pull out the phone book to find a bakery. It’s gonna be a hell of a challenge to find someone capable of personalizing a cake within a few hours, but if anyone can, it’s Steve.

Eddie ends up driving to Gareth’s instead of waiting for his call, which makes Steve’s life a lot easier. He finds a bakery— only had to call six before someone was willing— and tries not to worry too much about how much he’s paying just for a cake. They have money. They can afford an expensive cake.

Eddie and Gareth deserve it.

Steve cannot believe he forgot.

||||||||||||

“You forgot,” Eddie laughs.

The restaurant is empty except for the guys and a handful of staff ready to wait on their every want and need. There’s a balloon on the centerpiece of the table and one gift sitting next to it.

Steve groans.

“Jeff forgot, too.”

Eddie kisses his temple and walks over to the gift. Steve knows it’s Gareth’s gift. Eddie’s can’t be wrapped.

“Hey!” Jeff exclaims, but Eddie waves him off.

“We didn’t forget your birthdays, we just forgot what day it was entirely,” Steve continues. “Sorry, baby.”

“It’s okay,” Eddie says and really means it. Eddie doesn’t get upset about this stuff, Steve knows that. “Gareth and I had a bet.”

“That’s what you had to go over to talk to him about?” Steve looks over at Gareth, who is flirting with the waitress while everyone else sits at the table. “How much did you bet?”

“He bet that you guys forgot and wouldn’t remember until we told you. $200.”

“And you?”

Eddie laughs. “I bet that you’d remember in time to pull off a surprise but just barely. $500.”

“Wow. Does he even have that kinda money laying around?” Steve jokes. He does. They all do. They have more money than they need. Their money has money. Literally. It’s accruing interest in accounts.

“You know exactly how much money I have,” Gareth says as he lays an arm around Steve’s shoulders and smacks a kiss on his cheek. “You balanced my checkbook last week and I swear I’ve only spent a few grand since.”

Steve knows he’s joking, but his heart stutters in his chest anyway. Just because they have it doesn’t mean they should be frivolous with it. He knows they all know that, but Gareth is still quick to sign a check for pleasure sometimes.

“Happy birthday, Gare,” Steve says as he leans his head on top of Gareth’s. “Sorry we forgot a little.”

“Eh, it was only a little. We’re celebrating now. Plus, I’m only turning 27. Grandpa over here should start drafting his retirement announcement.”

“I would, but I haven’t developed arthritis yet,” Eddie says as he grabs one of the fried meatballs from the plate near the end of the table. “At the rate you crack your knuckles, you’ll be celebrating your 28th in a care facility.”

“Alright, enough. Let’s order drinks and stop making the staff nervous,” Steve starts to gather everyone to the table, take the lead the way he usually does. It’s natural, and easy, and fun. He likes being the beacon of responsibility for this group. It’s different from his role with the kids in Hawkins— less life or death most of the time— but still a glorified babysitter position. “Behave like the adults you claim to be.”

“Wayne Munson just came out of your mouth,” Eddie says as he sits. “Not sure I like it.”

Steve ignores the bait. He’ll never get them all to be decent guests at this restaurant if he keeps going back and forth with Eddie.

They spend so much time together already, but it’s never difficult to be around each other. They really are codependent at this point; Where one goes, at least one more will follow and he’ll bring beer and sarcasm.

Gareth opens his present, eyes shining when he sees that everyone chipped in to get him the record player he loved when they went to an old record shop in Chicago. It was considered antique and the owner of the shop wasn’t even interested in selling it to him, but Steve is a convincing guy, and the rest of the guys pulled out their own checkbooks to make it happen.

They grabbed a few records for him, too, but he’s already talking about the list he has and where they can find them. Everyone listens because it’s his birthday, only throwing in jibes occasionally instead of constantly. It’s his birthday so they’re taking it easy.

“I guess my gift is these fried meatballs,” Eddie finally says. He doesn’t sound disappointed; That’s how much he loves the fried meatballs.

“Your gift is at home,” Steve pats his knee, dismissive.

Eddie wiggles his brows. “From everyone or just you?”

“Part of it is from everyone,” Steve allows.

“I’m ready to go!” Eddie claps his hands. “Thanks for coming, happy birthday to my birthday twin, blah blah blah.”

Frankie rolls his eyes and reaches for one of the meatballs on Eddie’s plate.

“Just remember the part that came from all of us is not the part you’re so excited about,” he says with his mouth full.

“Love you all, but I definitely have no interest in fucking any of you. See ya!” He waves as he gets up and leaves.

Everyone looks at Steve. He pats Gareth on the shoulder and smiles at everyone else.

“See you guys tomorrow. Not early, though. Unless you wanna see something you’ll never forget,” Steve winks.

Everyone groans but they wave and say goodbye with smiles on their faces.

Eddie’s sitting in the passenger seat when Steve gets to the car. He’s a passenger princess through and through and Steve loves him for it.

“Step on it, baby!”

Steve steps on it, but maintains the speed limit because the last thing they need is a ticket.

||||||

He doesn’t park in the garage because he can’t.

Eddie’s immediately suspicious.

“It’s supposed to rain early in the morning. Don’t you wanna pull the car in?” He asks.

“Can’t.”

“You can’t?”

“I can’t.”

“Oh my god.”

Steve smirks. Eddie unbuckles his seatbelt and practically falls out of the car as he bangs on the garage door.

“Open it!” He yells at Steve, who has the button in the car, but thinks this is way more entertaining than doing what Eddie asks. He could always unlock the door and get inside that way, but he knows Eddie realizes what his present is now.

They went all out for his 30th. Even the kids got involved. Wayne picked it out. This has been their best kept secret for months.

The fact that Steve forgot today was the day is crazy in hindsight. He’s had this date circled as delivery day for nearly a month.

Steve finally pushes the button to open the door and Eddie barely waits for it to be lifted above his waist before he’s ducking inside. He screams. High-pitched, girlish in nature, entertaining as hell. Steve almost wishes he could’ve thought to bring the camcorder with him to record this special moment.

“Steve!” Eddie exclaims when he’s done squealing. “A Harley?!”

Steve casually walks into the garage and wraps his arm around Eddie’s waist, kissing his temple.

“Wayne said this is really close to the one you liked when you two went on that trip together,” Steve explains. “We can always paint it if the color isn’t right.”

“It’s perfect. Don’t touch it. It’s perfect,” he babbles, leaving Steve’s arm to sit on the seat, bouncing once as if to test how squishy the seat is.

It’s squishy. Steve checked.

“The helmet even has bats painted on it!” Eddie reaches for the helmet hanging from the handle. “And my name! Stevie!”

“And the helmet is required. Even if you’re just going to Gareth’s house or to the store. No helmet, no motorcycle,” Steve places his hands on his hips. He means business and Eddie knows it better than anyone that safety comes before fun, always.

“I know, I know. I can’t believe this,” Eddie says, still in awe. “I didn’t think you’d ever cave. Who convinced you?”

See, Eddie’s wanted his own bike for at least four years now, ever since he and Wayne went on a bike tour of the Appalachian Mountains. Steve wasn’t necessarily against it, he just knew they didn’t have much time at home to enjoy it, and he did worry that Eddie wouldn’t prioritize safety over fun if he got carried away.

He hates that Frankie of all people managed to convince him by saying there’s nothing hotter than fucking on a Harley.

He’s hoping Frankie’s right.

Instead of answering the question, Steve presses the button that closes the garage door and walks over to the bike.

“You ready for part two?”

“I don’t even know how this can get any better, but sure,” Eddie looks up at him with wide eyes.

Steve pulls off his shirt, kicks off his shoes, and strips off his pants and underwear. He shivers, but not because he’s cold. Winter looks a lot different in California than it did in Hawkins, that’s for sure.

“Oh my god. I must be dreaming,” Eddie grins as he leans back, making room for Steve to straddle his thighs on the bike.

It’s a sturdy bike, so he’s not too worried about it falling over while they do this, but a small voice in his head is still telling him to make small movements. He’s not letting Eddie fuck him on this thing until they test it like this.

Steve’s half-hard at the thought of Eddie holding him up on this thing, letting him bounce on his cock. Maybe he’s fantasized about Eddie being a mechanic fixing his car and Steve’s only way to pay for the labor is to ride him until they’re both sweaty and messy, oil stains leaving fingerprints on Steve’s skin.

That’s not what’s happening now, and won’t actually happen ever, but this is close enough.

“Been thinking about you touching me all day,” Steve admits. It’s true, but he’s playing it up a little, fluttering his eyelashes a little. “I wanna take a ride, too.”

“I’ve gotta be the luckiest man in the world,” Eddie groans as he wraps his hand around Steve’s length, squeezing the head of his cock and jerking his hand a few times to bring him to full hardness. “I’ve had this exact dream.”

“How’d the dream go?” Steve gasps as Eddie touches him the right way over and over. He’s good at this, always has been. He finds the right pace and pressure, and he just keeps going, listening for any sign that Steve’s not feeling perfect.

“I got to make you come and then lay you down on the seat and lick you clean,” Eddie ends on a moan. “Please let me do that, baby. I’ll do anything.”

Steve nods, would never stop Eddie from doing that. This sounds like a dream he’s had, too.

His hands hold onto Eddie’s shoulders as he tilts his hips up to push into Eddie’s grasp. He’s close, so close already. He doesn’t think they’ll ever stop being embarrassingly quick when they get their hands on each other.

It’s a gift to know someone so well that you feel like teenagers every time you touch each other.

“C’mon,” Eddie nips at Steve’s neck, breath hot against his skin. “Make a mess, baby.”

Steve’s always been good at following directions. He moans as he comes, paints his own stomach and Eddie’s hand, opens his eyes to see cum dripping onto the seat under him. He’s sure Eddie doesn’t mind.

He feels shaky, unstable, but only because the bike rocks under them as Eddie pulls his own shirt off and stands, moving Steve so he’s laying back. It’s far from comfortable, but it’s hot as hell.

Eddie licks the cum off Steve’s stomach and dick, takes his time while Steve sucks on his fingers. They’re both still worked up too much to stop, and now that Steve’s slowly coming down, he realizes he wants Eddie to fuck him. Now.

“Get your pants off,” Steve demands.

“Say please,” Eddie teases before sucking a bruise into Steve’s hip.

“Please,” Steve begs, because it’s Eddie’s birthday and he’s gonna do whatever Eddie wants. Eddie likes when he begs a little, even though they both know there’s no need for it. “Fuck me.”

“You look so good like this,” Eddie says as he shoves his pants off. “Not even sure I need to drive this thing if I can have you like this all the time.”

“No more band? Touring? Just fucking me on your motorcycle?” Steve’s laugh turns into a groan when Eddie’s finger circles his hole. “Not sure we can back out of this tour now.”

“You and I both know I’ll find plenty of places to fuck you on tour,” Eddie smiles down at him. “Comfy or do you need to move?”

Steve shakes his head. “I’m okay for now. Just want you inside me.”

Eddie opens him up efficiently, doesn’t rub against his prostate until he’s got three fingers inside him.

Trying to stay still is proving to be difficult, and Steve’s pretty sure their pushing the limits of the kickstand.

“C’mon, I’m good. I’m ready,” Steve says. “Fuck me, Eddie, c’mon.”

Fucking on a motorcycle is not easy to do, but they’ve actually fucked in more difficult positions before.

One time, Steve fucked Eddie over an amp backstage. It wasn’t wide enough for either of them to properly sit on, but they managed. They had bruises and some strange red marks for a day or two, but it was worth it.

Another time, the hotel they were staying in had a balcony. Kind of. It was barely more than a small extension of the room with an iron bar around it, but they put that iron bar to the test. It passed, they were sore.

They have to be slow, slower than they normally would be. Steve doesn’t wanna have to bring it in for scuff marks to be buffed out if it falls over on day one.

If he were less flexible, maybe a little older, he’d have to call it. His legs are tight around Eddie’s waist and he’s using more of his ab muscles than he’s used in years to maintain his own stability.

Eddie blankets himself over Steve, barely moving in and out of him. The friction of Steve’s leaking cock against his stomach is probably enough to get him there.

Eddie brushes Steve’s bangs off his face, kisses his forehead, and moans when Steve clenches around his cock.

“I love you so much,” Eddie whispers. “You’re the best gift.”

Steve kisses him, mouth open, tongue licking over his teeth. It’s wet and messy, and it’s perfect. The phone’s ringing inside the house, but they’re too close to care about trying to answer. They’ll leave a message.

They both come together, whimpering into each others’ mouths as Eddie’s hips stutter and Steve’s legs fall.

Eddie kisses the corner of his mouth, his jaw, his neck. He pulls out slowly, and they both wince at the loss of being filled and being surrounded.

“Let’s get cleaned up. I wanna take this for a ride,” Eddie helps Steve off the bike. “You got a helmet?”

Steve nods. “I assumed you’d want me to come with you at least once.”

“I’ve had dreams, Stevie.”

They both laugh and the phone starts ringing again. Eddie sighs and rushes to get inside.

“Hello?” Steve follows, closing the door behind him. His legs feel numb, almost enough to make him stumble. “Gare, you knew what my gift was and you’re still calling?”

Steve rolls his eyes.

“Of course I love it. No, you can’t come over for a ride tonight. No, you can’t drive it. No!” Steve is giggling as he kisses Eddie’s shoulder on his way past him to their room. “I don’t care if it’s your birthday, too. It’s my gift.”

Steve drops his clothes in the basket and goes into the bathroom to start the shower. He has no doubt that they’ll get messy again before the night’s over, but they should try to look decent if they’re taking the Harley out for a spin.

He hears Eddie telling Gareth not to call back until tomorrow as he steps into the hot water.

Gareth will worm his way into driving it by the end of the week, Steve’s sure of it. Eddie’s got a soft spot for him that can be seen from space. That’s why there’s a helmet for Gareth sitting in a box in the living room.

Steve thought of everything.

“Does cum stain leather?” Eddie asks as he steps into the shower.

Steve’s brows furrow.

Maybe he didn’t think of everything.

[gunsandspaceships]

MCU Timeline: Captain America: The Winter Soldier

This one is even worse than Iron Man 2.

1942 - James Barnes joins the US Army.

Winter 1942-1943 - Barnes undergoes military training at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin.

As you can see, Bucky was born twice: in 1916 and 1917. Let's move on to the next exhibit.

Winter 1943-1944 - Steve Rogers saves more than 1,000 people by breaking Hydra's blockade. Peggy's future husband is among them.

Early 1945 - Sergeant Barnes fell from Zola's train, lost his left arm, but somehow survived. He is found by Red Army soldiers and taken to Hydra's lab.

Before March 5, 1945 - Rogers disappears in the Arctic.

Note: As you may have noticed, this movie made a mistake where it said it happened in 1944 and also in 1945 (Bucky's "death" and Zola's capture + ~2 days later). To avoid this mistake, I assumed it was December 31, 1944 - January 1, 1945. But I forgot about this newspaper that says "March 5, 1945". The title can be interpreted in many ways, but one thing is for sure - the event did not happen on March 5, because that is the date the newspaper was published. We need to go back at least one day.

March 1945? - Hydra branch in the Ukrainian SSR replaces James Barnes' lost arm and puts him into cryogenic sleep.

Note: These flashbacks of Zola talking about "new fist of Hydra" and "putting him on ice" make no sense since Zola was captured by SSR and imprisoned at the time. Either this took place years after the fall (was Barnes kept on ice this whole time?) and Zola was left alone at some point and somehow made his way to the USSR, or these parts of his memories with Zola are fake (and he's not in the room during the procedures) and were implanted in his brain by Hydra. Or was it just his imagination that created these memories to replace the lost ones? This movie gives more questions than I can get answers from it.

~August 14, 1945 - The US recruits German scientists, including Arnim Zola.

"After WW2" - S.H.I.E.L.D. is founded. SSR's federal functions and responsibilities are consolidated into the new organization.

1953 - Peggy Carter gives an interview about The Howling Commandos in New York.

Before 1970 - some recruited German scientists of strategic value (including Zola) are transferred to S.H.I.E.L.D.

1972 - Arnim Zola receives a terminal diagnosis and uploads his consciousness on 200,000 feet of databanks.

December 8, 1973 - Jasper Sitwell is born in Norfolk, Virginia.

1984 - Natalia Alianovna Romanova is born.

Note: In Black Widow we see a different year and a more precise date of "December 3, 1983". At this point I don't know which date is correct, so I'll just leave 1984 for this movie.

December 16, 1991 - the Winter Soldier kills Howard and Maria Stark.

Between 1990 and 1992 - Nick Fury serves as the Deputy Chief of the S.H.I.E.L.D. station in Bogota, Colombia. Alexander Pierce serves there in the State Department. Fury rescues Pierce's daughter, who has been taken hostage by rebels. Following the incident, Pierce joins Hydra.

As of September 18, 1992 - Alexander Pierce serves in the US Department of Defense.

Between 1995 and 1997 (5 years after the Bogota incident) - Pierce promotes Fury to Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Note that Fury has both eyes here. As we know from the movie Captain Marvel, he lost one of them in 1995. Shown here is the swearing-in scene for a position that could be one of the two mentioned - Fury to Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. or Pierce to WSC Member. The latter doesn't make much sense because members of the council are higher than the director. So it's assumed that Fury becomes Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., which couldn't happen while he had both eyes.

Before 2012 - at Fury's request, Alexander Pierce becomes a member of the World Security Council.

2009 - in Odessa, Ukraine, while on a mission to escort a nuclear engineer from Iran, Natasha is wounded by the Winter Soldier.

Between April 2012 and April 2014 - Steve Rogers kisses someone.

Early 2014 (before the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D.) - Baron Strucker and Dr. List use the Scepter in experiments to create mutants. Two survive - the Maximoff twins.

The main events of the movie take place in the second half of April 2014.

Why: It's impossible to determine the dates from the ones mentioned in the movie ("04/14/13" or "10/12/2013") because they a) contradict each other; b) say it's 2013, but as we know from IM3 and Thor: The Dark World, S.H.I.E.L.D. was still operational throughout 2013. So we'll have to treat them the same way we treated the dates on screens in IM2: disregard. Some (MCU Fandom Wiki) think it's March, which can't be true since in Washington D.C. in March you'll either see bare trees or cherry blossoms. The latter will last until mid-April. We don't see any of that in the movie, so we have to assume it's later, but not too far since some people are still wearing jackets. So we're looking at the second half of April - early May. May is definitely Marvel's favorite month.

No dates this time, kids. It's a mess, so I won't risk putting them in and will stick with "Day #".

Day 1:

~6:00 - 6:39 am - Rogers meets Sam Wilson. Natasha takes him on a S.H.I.E.L.D. mission.

Rogers, Romanoff and STRIKE are sent on an unmentioned mission near India.

Why we have to assume there was another mission before the ship was hijacked: Rumlow says the ship was hijacked by pirates 93 minutes ago. No one could get from Washington to India in 93 minutes, and I'm not even talking about reaction time and briefing. So we have to come up with this solution: Fury gave them another mission in India, then the pirates he hired hijacked the ship, and it "just so happened" that Rogers and Romanoff were nearby to be included in the response team.

Evening in DC/Night in Mumbai - The Lemurian Star mission in Indian Ocean, near Mumbai.

Day 2:

Fury shows Project Insight to Rogers.

Rogers goes to The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

Day 3:

Morning - Rogers visits Peggy in the UK.

Note: Some people think she is shown in a nursing home in DC, but that doesn't make sense because after leaving S.H.I.E.L.D., Peggy returned to England (her S.H.I.E.L.D. file) and her funeral in CW was in London. So we have to assume that after visiting the museum, Steve went to the airport and spent 7-8 hours flying to the UK. He arrived there in the morning, visited Peggy and returned to the States to visit Sam at the VA in the evening and be home after sunset.

Fury learns that he does not have access to the Lemurian Star files and that "he" took the access "himself". He goes to Secretary Pierce and asks to postpone the launch of Project Insight.

Fury is attacked by Hydra agents and the Winter Soldier.

Evening - Rogers visits Wilson at VA.

Maria Hill comes to DC.

Night - Fury hides in Rogers' apartment. He informs Rogers that S.H.I.E.L.D. has been compromised and is then shot by the Winter Soldier. Fury manages to give Rogers the Project Insight flash drive.

Batroc is captured in Algiers.

Day 4:

1:03 am - Fury "dies".

Morning - Rogers meets Pierce.

STRIKE attacks Rogers in the Triskelion elevator.

Fury is taken to a secret location by Hill and his doctor.

Rogers throws away his S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform, returns to the hospital to retrieve the drive hidden there, and reunites with Natasha, who tells him about the Winter Soldier.

Under Pierce's manipulation, the WSC members reactivate Project Insight.

Rogers and Romanoff hack a flash drive in a mall.

Hill arranges a fake funeral for Fury, which is scheduled to take place on Friday.

Night - Steve and Natasha reach Camp Lehigh in NJ. They find Zola's servers, learn of Hydra's plot, and are attacked by a S.H.I.E.L.D./Hydra missile, but survive. Zola's servers are destroyed. Steve escapes with unconscious Natasha before STRIKE finds them. Rumlow calls in the Winter Soldier.

The Winter Soldier is at Pierce's house. He is given 10 hours to kill Natasha and Steve.

Pierce kills his housekeeper, Renata.

Day 5:

~7 am - Romanoff and Rogers return to Washington. They arrive at Sam Wilson's house.

Between 8 am and 2 pm - they steal an EXO-7 Falcon suit from Fort Meade, Maryland.

~3 pm - the trio capture Agent Sitwell, who tells them about Zola's algorithm and the goal of Project Insight - to kill anyone who poses or will pose a threat to Hydra (including them, Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange, Maria Hill, president Ellis and Tony Stark).

6 pm - the Winter Soldier and other Hydra agents attack the car with Rogers, Romanoff, Wilson and Sitwell. Sitwell is killed. Rogers finds out that the Winter Soldier is Bucky Barnes.

Barnes escapes. STRIKE apprehends Rogers, Romanoff and Wilson.

On the way to the execution site, the trio is rescued by Maria Hill and taken to Nick Fury.

8 pm - Pierce resets Barnes, who begins to regain his memories.

Night - Fury and Co discuss the situation and prepare a plan to stop Hydra and destroy S.H.I.E.L.D.

Day 6:

Project Insight launch day.

This is where the timing gets really confusing. The coordinates the characters give us are inconsistent: at night, Pierce gives Bucky 10 hours to kill Steve and Nat, and it can't be later than 3 pm. Lunch time limits us to 11 am - 3 pm, and then Natasha says there are 16 hours left until Project Insight launches, which can't be earlier than 10 am (in the scene with Rogers, before he stole his old uniform, it was already daylight, he needed time to do the heist, and when they arrived at the Triskelion, the original launch time was 2 hours later), but no later than 11 am (Pierce said it would be in the morning). And if you count 16 hours back from 10 am, you get evening, not lunch time. And Bucky's 10 hours have already passed. My solution - I would rather assume that the Winter Soldier was unable to track his targets in time and was late, plus Natasha rounded the clock so it was closer to 17 hours than 16.

~8 am - Rogers steals his World War II uniform from The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

~9 am - Rogers exposes Hydra. Project Insight is launched 2 hours earlier.

The Battle at the Triskelion.

Afternoon - Brock Rumlow is taken to a hospital with serious injuries.

Senator Stern arrested by FBI.

Day 7, morning - Steve Rogers wakes up in the hospital with Sam Wilson at his bedside.

After the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. (AFS), May 2014:

~A week AFS - Natasha is questioned at a hearing of the DoD committee.

~A week AFS - Bucky visits the Captain America museum exhibition and learns about his past (determined by the growth of his facial hair).

~2 weeks AFS - Rogers, Wilson, Fury and Romanoff meet at Fury's gravesite. Fury heads to Europe (determined by Fury not having a black eye anymore).

Sharon Carter joins CIA.

Maria Hill is hired by Stark Industries.

MCU Timelines: Phases One and Two

[kamiversee]

➶-͙˚ ༘✶ 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙁*𝘾𝙆 𝙇𝙄𝙎𝙏

✧.* CHAPTER 41 || The Cute Bartender

[ { SYPNOSIS } ] ➤ A tale in which Gojo Satoru blackmails you into seducing a list of people to clear his debt. Sounds easy enough, right?

[ { CHAPTER CONTENT } ] ➤ language, very cute fluff, & teasing.

[ { WORD COUNT } ] ➤ 3.6k

[ { PAIRINGS } ] ➤ jjk men x f!reader. gojo x f!reader. geto x f!reader. toji x f!reader. choso x f!reader. sukuna x f!reader. nanami x f!reader.

[ [ chapters mlist } ]

——YOUR QUESTION REMAINS unanswered for quite some time. To constantly weigh out your options of who would be a better lover for you is going to take time.

But, as of right now, even if you wanted to choose Gojo over Choso, he's already made it clear he's not allowing that. He doesn't think he's good for you and, in case you forgot, you're technically supposed to hate him.

That being said, your choice is already made for you.

But none of that is important right now. You were allowed a break until the semester began again but, since your university's winter break was a span of two, almost three months, you were honestly ready to finish the list by late January.

Even though you said you were taking a break from the men, you still kept in contact with them. You'd text Choso on some days but he'd often scold you about how you wanted a break, which only made you want to talk to him more.

Then, you even had your phone calls with Gojo which consisted of him doing the same damn thing-- pestering you by saying 'As much as I love listening to you talk, sweets, you're supposed to be taking a break from me' which, was just as sweet as the messages Choso would send.

Yeah, you were definitely falling for both of them in your own way and nothing could stop that. Even so, you were ready to get back to the list.

There was one name left. You couldn't believe it. As of now, you were laid out on your bed, your delicate fingers curled around a pen as you went down the list of yours. Reading over each name reminded you of your experiences with them, whether it was good or bad, and you were surprised you finally made it this far.

At one point, you doubted you could even do this. So many lessons have been learned, so many personalities and so many situations have been experienced. It's almost, emphasis on almost, beautiful when you think back on it.

To go from a broke and regular college student to one whose life is filled with drama, good (for the most part) sex, and men who've somehow managed to fall for you. It's the kinda thing you never imagined for yourself.

Just one semester ago, you were worried about even landing a job and now look at you; you've managed the money from Gojo better than ever so you're truly set for quite some time.

With a sigh, you place the pen down beside your journal and trace your fingers over the final name; Nanami Kento. Once you sleep with him it's over. It's almost bittersweet to think about.

As you stare at your journal, you think you have a plan for it once the list is complete. A plan that you've talked to Gojo about and he's agreed to-- the two of you are going to burn the list.

Neither of you want any physical evidence of it so you think burning it once it's complete will prove to be a nice way to say goodbye to the memories that come with the list. Nowhere in your text messages or his do you two discuss the list explicitly, just in case someone were ever to go through your devices, and the only time it's been talked about aside from in person is over phone calls.

But, you're not worrying about that getting out. Someone would have to dig really deep to find the recordings of you and Gojo's phone calls. Like, to the police deep to find them. Or hacking your cell. But, you have no reason to worry about that, right? Gojo said he's not involved in anything illegal and you trust him (to some extent).

So again, it's bittersweet to think about this list finally coming to an end. It was like a game you had to play and knowing that the end credits were about to roll soon just made you feel odd inside. Yeah, you wanted it to end but as it was actually happening, it was like leaving a chapter of your life behind.

After all, you'll never be able to undo what's been done. You can't go back and change who you've slept with or how.

So, with that final little thought, you sigh again and then shut your journal. Getting up to put it away in its locked drawer compartment, you wonder what it'll be like to finally meet Nanami.

You have a good feeling about him.

And no, not one of those good feelings that result in disaster but, an actual good feeling. Something about the thought of this tall, blonde, and sexy man whose facial expression holds a stupidly attractive seriousness at all times just makes you feel calm.

You feel like you're going to be dealing with someone so mature that it'll ease your mind, kind of like how your mind was at ease when you first met Choso.

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆ .　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

And you had every right to be in good spirits about meeting Nanami because the man did, in fact, turn out to be one of the best and lightest experiences for you.

Despite how difficult he may seem, Nanami is just a man you couldn't catch at the right time. That was the only reason why you ever considered him to be 'hard' to seduce. And no, it's not some magical effect you had that made your efforts work, it was this genuine and raw connection that formed when you met him.

It was surely a night to be remembered.

A simple pair of black heels lightly clacked against the floor as you walked with your head held high into that damned nightclub-- the same nightclub in which you couldn't run into Nanami at the right time for the longest. This night was different though, as you had arrived before him for once.

It wasn't planned or anything but, your arrival to the building was before he'd gotten there. The dress you wore to accompany the heels on your feet was just as simple and was shaded in the same color; black. It was moderately tight-fitting and hugged your body just right.

Unlike some of your past dresses, it didn't make you feel like you were going all out and you thought you blended in nicely with everyone else that was there. Around your neck was that same necklace Gojo gifted to you on Christmas as you never really had the heart to leave home without it on.

Your excuse for wearing it all the time was because it was really pretty. It had nothing to do with Gojo of course. Or at least, that's what you tell yourself anyway.

Making your way to the bar, you took a seat in an area you knew Nanami to typically sit at and then you scouted the area for either him or the cute brown-haired friend he's always with. Finding nothing and no one, you sigh and decide to order a drink.

After which, you gave yourself thirty minutes before you'd leave and try again in another two weeks. You didn't even tell Gojo you were starting back up on the list yet so it's not like there was any pressure for you to seduce Nanami tonight, maybe that's what made everything so different.

Your nails tapped across the bar as you waited and at some point, you even made conversation with the cheeky bartender. The thing about this bartender is that you've seen him talk to Nanami plenty of times and you're pretty sure they're friends.

He had this really cute face and pretty brown eyes that made you feel safe in a strange way. Every time you see him he's got this beanie on top of his head and his clothes are always baggy, something you saw his manager scold him about a few times at one point.

Either way, today was your first time actually talking to him and you learn that his name is Ino Takuma and that he actually recognizes you, having paid attention to the few times you've been there.

"Are you waiting on someone, beautiful?" Ino had questioned you.

Oh yeah, and he's also been complimenting you nonstop from the moment you two began talking. It's in a friendly way, you think. It doesn't seem like he's flirting, just being kind, which you like.

You smiled at the man, "Is it that obvious?"

He makes this silly face in thought and you note how expressive he is. "Hmmmm, I mean for me, yeah. But that's only because I see you come here around the same time every two weeks."

"Yeah?" You meet his eyes with a smile on your face and he holds the eye contact for at least five seconds before he looks away. He's adorable. "So, you've really been paying attention to me all this time?" You ask before going to take another sip of your preferred drink of the night.

Ino laughs and the sound is so joyful it almost heals something in you. "I mean, nooo..." He drags out, smiling through his words before he shrugs, "I pay attention to everyone. And plus, how could I forget a pretty face like yours?"

You're still staring at him and you don't think you've ever paid attention to how much someone avoids eye contact before dealing with Choso. After that man, it's so obvious to you now when someone gets nervous to look you in the eye for too long.

"Is that a compliment, Ino?" You ask softly, the use of his name making his ears flush a cute shade of pink.

He clears his throat and wipes down a part of the nearby counter. There are not that many people at the bar tonight so that gave him the leisure to speak to you. "...Yeah," Ino replies, trying to focus on his small task instead of your eyes gazing at his face.

You hum. "Thank you," You say before moving to rest your chin in the palm of your hand as you rest your elbow on the bar.

Ino finishes his little task and then places the cloth he used elsewhere, finally looking at you now that your eyes have gone elsewhere, "He'll be here soon, by the way."

You blink and your eyes flick up to Ino's face, confused by his words, "Who?"

He flashes that friendly smile at you, "Nanami."

You're not sure if you should pretend not to know who Nanami is or if you should ask how Ino knows you're waiting on the man. For now, you swallow, "Nanami?"

Ino moves his hand up and over his head a bit, "He's like this tall, blonde," The brown-haired male gestures toward his eyes, "Wears these funky glasses sometimes?"

You bat your eyelashes at him in confusion, "Okay... Why uh, why're you telling me he'll be here soon?"

"You know him, don't you?" Ino asks, his thin and well-kept brows furrowing a bit as he innocently tilts his head.

"I know of him, I suppose," You answer vaguely, "But, why'd you think I know him?"

His shoulders raised a bit, "Cause' he asked me about you."

You swallow the sudden nervous lump in your throat, "H-He asked about me? Why? When?"

Ino chuckles at the worry in your face. To him, it just seemed like you were nervous in a shy sort of way, "He just asked me if you came here any other times. Like, times when he's not here."

"Why?" You ask.

"I dunno'," Ino shrugs casually, "I think you caught his attention." He adds on with a little wink.

Your lips pull into a straight line, "I highly doubt that."

"Why? You're pretty," Ino compliments yet again.

"Thanks but I've seen Nanami enough times to know that I have not caught his attention. Trust me, I know how men operate when their attention is caught." You scoff as you glance over to the dance floor and watch some of the people there.

Ino doesn't seem to understand what exactly you mean by that and his brows furrow, "You caught my attention, and yet this is my first time talking to you." He points out.

Almost naturally, as if you'd grown accustomed to flirting, your gaze trails back over to the cute bartender and you smirk, words slipping out of your mouth without thought, "I've caught your attention? How so?" You ask, unintentionally adding a sultriness to your tone.

He gulps and his eyes avoid yours yet again, "I mean you are an attractive woman. S-So I just mean it in that you catch more people's eye than you think. A-And uh, y'know, not everyone's gonna approach you first because sometimes attractive people make others nervous..." He stammers out.

He's so ridiculously nervous and it's the cutest thing. You lift your head from your hand and cross your arms over the counter, leaning forward a little and your chest unknowingly growing more visible as you do so, "Am I making you nervous right now, Ino?" You whisper.

Okay, now you're purposefully teasing him.

He chuckles, kinda awkwardly, "N-No? Pfft... I'm not nervous. Y-You-," He clears his throat, "You're not making me nervous."

You raise but a single brow and keep your gaze on him, "You can't even look me in the eyes while we talk."

Ino suddenly looks at you, meeting your unwavering gaze and sweating a bit. "I'm lookin' at you now."

You stare long and hard, right into those brow irises of his and he tries to stare back but, he can't help but glance to the left or right for a split second before trying to keep his eyes on yours.

A slow and taunting smile spreads across your features, "Barely." You point out.

He rolls his eyes and sighs, "Whatever. I wasn't nervous I'm jus' not good with eye contact."

You tilt your head at him and narrow your eyes, "That's not true."

"Eh?" Ino's brows push together, "How are you gonna' tell me..." He says with a pout.

You giggle, "You manage eye contact with everyone else just fine."

He moves for a nearby empty glass someone's placed down, and glances at you as he does so, "So you've been paying attention to me, then?"

Of course, your eyes have hardly left his. It's fun teasing someone like this, "A bit, yeah."

Ino moves with the empty glass to place it with other dirty ones, humming a little nervously, "Oh..." As he does so. Then, you watch him pick up a clean glass and move to make a new drink right in front of you.

"Is that okay?" You murmur. Your voice has this purposeful flirtiness to it and it does not go unnoticed, "Am I allowed to pay attention to you, Ino?"

He gulps, "Course' you can."

Your eyes drop to the glass in his hands as he pours alcohol into it and you smirk, "Ino..."

His gaze flicks to your face for a moment, "H-Hm?"

"You're shaking." You point out.

Ino nearly fumbles the glass in his hand entirely and you watch him miss the cup for a moment, a bit of the liquid he'd been pouring trickling onto his hand and then the floor, "Shit," He curses.

You chuckle slightly at first, earning a little pouty glare from the man.

Then as he goes to clean up you hear him mumbling to you, "That's not funny..."

Your chuckling proceeds to elevate into genuine laughter, "Yeah it is," You snicker, "You're adorable, holy fuck."

Ino's face is a little red as your words hit his ears and he drops down to clean the mess on the floor. After which, he pops right back into your line of vision, seeing you still laughing at him and pouting yet again.

"I am not 'adorable'," Ino grumbles.

You giggle, "Yes, you are."

He shakes his head and sighs in this sassy kinda way, "Am' not."

"Are too," You argue.

His eyes meet yours and despite being embarrassed, he's got a little smile back on his face, "Nuh-uh."

You nod, “Yuh-huh."

Ino then rolls his eyes, still smiling, before he puts all the items he had in his hands down to the side. You then watch one hand drop down into his pocket before his phone is pulled out. Ino unlocks the device and then places it in front of you, sliding it closer to you with an empty contact slot on the screen.

"Put your number in here," He sighs, smoothly requesting your contact info like it's nothing.

You raise a brow, "Are you asking for it or are you demanding it?"

Those almost innocent brown eyes of his trail over to yours and he holds eye contact for a longer moment, "I'm asking. I like talking to you so, can I get your number?"

"Hmmm..." You hum playfully, purposefully taking your time to answer, "Is this to be friends or something more?"

He's still looking you in the eyes, "Uh, friends? I'm not sure I could even handle a woman like you."

You raise a brow.

"I mean that in a good way," Ino clarifies.

You shrug and move to enter your number in his phone, "Thanks. I was only asking that 'cause I uh..."

He tilts his head and watches your fingers tap across his screen, "...Have a lot going on?"

"Something like that, yeah." You answer before you finish adding your info and then slide the phone back to him.

He picks up his cell and pockets it before shrugging, "I see, well, if this makes you feel any better, I always try to get people's numbers after a nice conversation with them."

You frown playfully, "Aw, so I'm not special?"

Again, he's flustered, "W-Well, I mean you are b-but I just-"

"Ino," You snicker, "I'm just teasing you, relax."

He rolls his eyes again and sighs, "You're driving me crazy."

For one last time, you tilt your head and give him this flirtatious look, "Am I?"

Ino looks at your expression and gulps, "Yes ma'am."

Okay, is it weird that a part of you wishes he was on the list too? Holy shit is teasing this man fun. Even so, you've got enough men to worry about in your life and you don't need to add to that.

You chuckle and your expression returns to something more platonic, "Alright, I'll stop then."

"Please," Ino begs quietly in a joking manner.

That makes you laugh again and this time, he laughs along with you. Then, you watch him go back to preparing that drink from earlier and he does it flawlessly this time, his nerves calmed after you stop all your teasing.

As the drink is finished, you sip on yours and then a pleasant smell slithers into your nose. It's cologne, a strong but ridiculously pleasant scent filling your nostrils. You blink a few times as you take in what you're smelling and for a second, you wonder if it's coming from Ino because he got kinda close as the drink he prepared was placed next to you.

Your question is answered within the next second though because you hear a voice that accompanies the scent. A deep, sexy, and soothing voice that makes your posture straighten due to how surprisingly close to you it is.

Nothing more than a simple, "Thank you," Was voiced but even so, it was extremely attractive.

Then, you curiously turn to where the voice came from, which was to your right, and you're met with your last target; Nanami Kento.

There he was, in the flesh, right next to you. Like, literally sitting in the barstool next to yours. And that drink Ino made? Yeah, it was his. Your eyes were all over the man, drinking in his features shamelessly.

The man seemed to be more muscular than you thought he was as the blue button-up shirt he wore clung to his body so delectably. The sleeves were rolled up near his elbows and you could see how muscular his arm was, veins decorating his skin as they became visible from his elbow and down.

The shirt was just hugging his body and you couldn't help but stare. Then, for a moment you look down at his pants. He wore these khakis that were just as fucking tight as his shirt and you swear you didn't mean to look at his crotch but because of the way he sat it was like your eyes were there before you even rendered it.

God, his pants hugged his thighs and you just drink in the way his hips push up slightly as he adjusts the way he sits. Holy fuck, you had to force your eyes up because you swore you could see his manhood, or at least imagine what he's hiding beneath those clothes of his.

So, your eyes went back up to areas more respectable to look at, such as his shirt, which you noticed he had enough buttons undone to reveal a teasing amount of his chest. His collarbone was so sharp and defined and you could only imagine the rest of his body.

Then, you trailed up just a bit more to his neck, then his jaw which was sharp as fuck, to his defined cheekbones, and then his eyes-

And shit.

He was already looking at you.

GOJO SATORU ✔︎ 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘺: 𝙀𝙖𝙨𝙮

GETO SUGURU ✔︎ 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘺: 𝙀𝙖𝙨𝙮

TOJI FUSHIGURO ✔︎ 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘺: 𝙈𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙪𝙢

KAMO CHOSO ✔︎ 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘺: 𝙎𝙚𝙢𝙞-𝙈𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙪𝙢 / 𝙀𝙖𝙨𝙮

ZEN'IN NAOYA ✔︎ 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘺: 𝙀𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙀𝙖𝙨𝙮

ITADORI SUKUNA ✔︎ 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘺: 𝙎𝙚𝙢𝙞-𝙀𝙖𝙨𝙮???

NANAMI KENTO ☐ 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘺: 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙙

mlist || previous chapt || next chpt

[theoldsports]

Moody.

Coriolanus Snow x Reader | 3.3k words

depression, arguing, manipulation/toxic marriage, fucking each other over, possessiveness. it’s tamer than some of my others in an objective sense, but emphasizes dark thoughts and internal monologue.

requests always open! thanks for your kindnesses. i think this one is more experimental than the others. the objective here was to show how both of them mimic regular human feelings because they know they should, but it’s a poor pantomime. two sickos with nothing else but each other <3 i think i am going to call these works the Truculent series.

Coriolanus grew cold fast and did not tolerate heat well. He only slept only in his underclothes and wore heavy layers at the first sight of winter. His alarmingly fair complexion meant excessive sun wasn’t in the cards. In spite of his name, his scrappy build wasn’t meant to cut through harsh January terrain either. His nails chipped at labor, and his mind grew uneasy at laziness.

The world was tough on Coriolanus and he was tough right back on the word.

There was little Coriolanus was designed to do. Many people were strong, or smart, or wealthy, or drop-dead-gorgeous, or violent, or talented. There was something about every person Coriolanus could think of that made them stand out. He could easily categorized people by them. Here was the group of people known for their beautiful voices; here, those who could benchpress four-hundred pounds… Coriolanus could not be quantified like that.

Coriolanus Snow had to take what was left, like a runt. He was only good at two things: enduring and controlling. Since those were the only options leftover for him, Coriolanus became the best at them both. When, like Coriolanus, one has been gifted such shitty talents and nothing else, they have to figure out how to use them well enough to win against everyone with a better gift. Eventually, he realized his talents were not the ability to endure and the ability to control, but actually the ability to win. Eventually, he won so much, Coriolanus forgot there was ever a time when he lost (most days).

(The days he didn’t forget were the Bad Days).

Coriolanus felt like he couldn’t get out of bed on the Bad Days when the crushing weight of his failures and his ego landed across his chest. He told himself he was done with love after Lucy Gray. Disgusting Lucy Gray, a name he never wanted to even think again. He thought he would marry someone he hated and be done with love.

But junkies and addicts quit every Monday anyway.

Once he found [Y/N] again after their childhood together, there was no quitting. He knew it was bad for him, so he married what was bad for him to make sure he had an endless supply. How he hated that familiar feeling of obsession, the feeling of being so desperate that he had to rely on something other than himself. Somehow, he would have to sustain the feeling without losing his girl like an idiot. Marriage was likely the thing to steel their attempt at a bond.

Upon waking up to the alarm that morning, Coriolanus knew this was one of those Bad Days. Maybe it was the weather, the stress of Games. First year as head Gamemaker had almost driven Coriolanus mad under the pressure to succeed. He reached over to turn off the clock that buzzed painfully at six in the morning every day ending with a Y.

“Coryo…” [Y/N] mumbled, hearing him stir beside her. The sound must have woken her. She tossed an arm over his chest.

“‘Mornin’, Darling,” Coriolanus replied, wishing he were dead.

[Y/N] immediately picked up on the flatness of his tone, but she knew better than to push him too far. “All good?” She asked.

Coriolanus grumbled passively. He rarely did anything passively. Coriolanus grabbed the hand over his chest and dragged it up to the side of his face to rest it there, but only after he had kissed [Y/N] palm.

“You’re affectionate this morning.”

“I just missed you. I’ve been busy.” He said dismissively, pressing his face further into her hand.

“Well, thanks, dear, but don’t you have work?” [Y/N] asked. She propped her chin up on his shoulder to stare at him inquisitively. This attitude was odd. First thing in the morning during Games seasons, she got a kiss on the forehead and then Coriolanus was gone for a run and a shower and out til nightfall, barring special occasions.

“Don’t you?”

“Not til early evening today. Normally, you’re up and out of here first thing on a Tuesday morning,” [Y/N] told him, as she rubbed from his cheek to the side of his throat gently. She dragged her hand up his face to rest on his worried forehead. “You sick, or something?”

“No.” Coriolanus replied weakly. He closed his eyes again. He couldn’t face the legendary blunder he had made at work. Coriolanus had allowed his aides to code the program for the arena wrong. The open water was nowhere near as deep as was needed for the aquatic muttations. It was causing all sorts of trouble. The Games would end too fast if he didn’t do something, yet the stress of thinking of reaching across the nightstand for his Communicuff was paralyzing.

“You sure? You don’t feel feverish,” She confirmed. [Y/N] sat up to press her lips to his forehead just in case her cold hands had misread his temperature. “I can call the doctor, though.”

“[Y/N], stop. I’m fine.” Coriolanus lied harshly. He tried to sit up, but his psychological anguish made him feel like vomiting.

“Call in. Stay here.” She suggested, watching his weak movement to sit up.

“I’m head Gamemaker, I don’t get to call in. I need to go for a run’n I’ll be fine.”

[Y/N] raised an eyebrow. “So you aren’t currently fine? Because you said—“

“I know what the fuck I said, okay?” Coriolanus barked. “Wanna recap anything else, or can I go?”

Sharply, [Y/N] scooted away from him to the other side of the bed. His moods were hardly predictable. She sighed. “Fine,” She said, averting her eyes to her hands like a scolded girl. “I was merely concerned that you—“

Coriolanus scoffed at her and shakily stood up from the bed. He quickly stepped into the closet and stepped joggers and a wifebeater. [Y/N] hoped he would grab a jacket as well; the weather was much too cold for mid summer. The Capitol itself got disproportionately cold often. She didn’t say anything out loud, though. “Get off my ass. Can’t you sit there and be grateful for once? With all that I do for you?Fucking hell.” Coriolanus said. He did not so much as look back at her as he stormed out of the bedroom.

[Y/N] could not understand what she had done wrong. The only things she had were provided through Coriolanus or simply the man himself. Once Coriolanus was presumed out of earshot, [Y/N] dropped her head into her hands and cried. Not tears of frustration or anger, but tears of self-pity that her one lifeline had yelled at her like that.

—

By the time Coriolanus returned from his run, it appeared his wife had gone out for the day. Strange since she usually capitalized on the extra sleep if she was not working downtown with Capitol News until evening shift. Since their reckless young adulthood of media stunts, Coriolanus had watched [Y/N] grow a stifling love for spectacle. With his support and their shared deranged name recognition, she had quickly risen from an editor, to a correspondent (brief. He had helped her but her way up and out of that position) to Associate Head of Programming for Capitol News. It helped to have his wife steer both their media narratives from the inside.

Except for when she was mad at him.

Coriolanus wiped the sweat off his brow in the shower as he thought. There was no doubt in his mind that [Y/N] was going to run some sort of primetime bulletin that made him look a fool during his Games coverage that night. It was bad enough that Lucky Flickerman was beginning to look like botox had gotten better of him, in addition to Coriolanus’ own fuck up with the muttations. Fact of the matter was that viewership was down and [Y/N] was going to make it worse. She was going to make his Bad Day worse and he knew it.

He could feel his heart rate racing as he stood under the shower’s cold stream. His equally cold blue eyes glanced across the bathroom at the clock. Six-fifty AM. Realistically, he need to be into the Gameroom by no later than eight-thirty, but it frustrated him to be in later than eight. In roughly an hour, how could he perform the maximum amount of damage control? Coriolanus’ head began to ache at the thought.

She had never run that harsh of a piece on him before, but it was a Bad Day, and no doubt she was angry with him for his attitude. [Y/N] was capable of a great many horrible things. Wouldn’t Coriolanus himself want to sting somebody back who he had known was pissy with him?

When he exited the shower, Coriolanus rushed to dress himself. [Y/N] said she wasn’t working until late. But where, then, had she gone? With all the thinking about his own feelings, he hadn’t considered that conundrum.

—

Coriolanus called her secretary, a boring woman with a name neither man nor wife could recall. According to that woman, [Y/N] had not gone early to work. He rang Tigris. Tigris said [Y/N] had not been over unless she was lying which Coriolanus wouldn’t put past her. The Plinths swear they had not encountered her.

Coriolanus stared down at his datapad of phone numbers. He refrained from calling all of their friends because he didn’t want to to exude the panic he was starting to feel for letting his wife run away. None of her belongings seemed out of place. Her suitcase was present in the back of their closet. Still, Coriolanus was terrified in the back of his mind that his wife had finally left him. A year and half was a dreadful lifespan for a marriage in his opinion. [Y/N] was not getting away that easily.

However, his watch told him it was eight and the Games weren’t going to run themselves.

Throughout the day, Coriolanus could not get his heart rate to settle. It made him feel ill. So ill, in fact, that he couldn’t keep down most of breakfast, or all of lunch. He skipped dinner all together. Who was [Y/N] to up and leave him like that?

The slight rational segment of his brain told him to walk it back, but the rest of his brain paid no mind. Coriolanus had nothing going for him other than gut instincts and his gut instincts now were implying something was fundamentally wrong.

Coriolanus’ decision-making was way off of its game at work. Coriolanus, for ratings, could not allow the Hunger Games to end on a Tuesday night. Somehow, he would have to create obstacles to last the four remaining tributes til Friday. He didn’t much like those odds. He was going to cave and hand in his resignation before the end of the day, he was certain.

Though, at eight in the evening, the primetime announcement or chiron that Coriolanus was a shitty husband or a murderer never cut through his broadcast to make his Day irreparably Bad. Nor did it at eight-thirty, or even nine. Coriolanus felt shaky. Maybe with relief for his reputation, maybe because he had nothing in his system.

If nothing had aired at Coriolanus’ expense on TV, had something happened to [Y/N] while he was on his run, or later? Was this some rebel attempt to bring the head Gamemaker to his knees? An attempt from a bitter rival to play games with him? Coriolanus frowned. Many things could have happened to his wife between six in the morning and nine at night. Coriolanus could barely stand up as it was. He clocked out and summoned his driver as quick as he could.

The second Coriolanus’ key entered the lock, he started shouting with the energy he had left. The door had yet to even close behind him. “[Y/N]! [Y/N], my love! Are you here?” Coriolanus pushed open every cabinet and closet on his way to the bedroom. Empty. He checked the closet - her suitcase remained. Coriolanus had called her office on his way home. She had not shown up for work. Unheard of.

Coriolanus ran through every room of the townhouse shouting [Y/N]’s name over and over until he felt hoarse. He could only imagine what the neighbors thought. Then he saw the attic door open.

The door remained open, but the stairs to the attic had snapped back up halfway and gotten jammed. “Coryo!” He heard [Y/N] yell faintly from upstairs.

“Darling, are you… in the attic?” Coriolanus shouted back cautiously under the open door. He watched as [Y/N]’s tearstained face peered around the edges of the attic door. It was really her. Not a Jabberjay, not a setup. Coriolanus exhaled for what felt like the first time all day. “Let me come up. I’ll come to you. Hold on!” Coriolanus’ finally left behind the Bad Day as he leapt into action. Protecting his wife was his job before Gamemaker, or any other obligation. Anyone in the Capitol would remember their vows, or her smashing cake into his face much to his dismay. Marriage was socially his most binding contract of all. Coriolanus did not take contractional obligations lightly.

Coriolanus had not realized that his wife was so delicate and helpless as to get stuck in the attic. She needed him more than he thought. His heart swelled with pride. Coriolanus grabbed a broomstick and hooked the hinge in the stairs. He yanked with all his strength until the ladder descended. Quickly, he dropped a large sack of rice from the kitchen counter over the bottom step in hopes it would weight the stairs down and he took off up them.

“[Y/N], are you alright?” Coriolanus asked, popping his head through the attic door

There on the unfinished attic floor sat [Y/N], bundled up in her thin teddy she had been wearing when Coriolanus left. She had only that and a too-short blanket Tigris had crocheted as a child. There was very little in the attic at all. Some of the Grandma’am’s belongings in clear glass bins and whatever surviving relics had carried on from their post-war childhoods.

It was clear [Y/N] had been crying. “I thought you would come back.” She sniffled.

Coriolanus urgently climbed the rest of the way up the ladder and sat carefully down beside [Y/N], wrapping her in his long arms possessively. “I thought something happened to you,” Also, that you tried to leave me. “You’re freezing… How long have you been up here?”

“Since you went on your run.”

“Shit… All that time?”

[Y/N] thought her tears had long since stopped, but seeing Coriolanus appear upset about ignoring her all day made her want his attention more. She wanted him to feel bad.

The tears started flowing the second his arms were looped around her waist. [Y/N] rested her head on Coriolanus’s shoulder heavily. “Coryo, you just left. I come up here all the time to think and I didn’t think it would—“

The blonde man’s heart softened at the sight of her. “Darling, Darling, shh, don’t cry,” Coriolanus combed his hand through sobbing [Y/N]’s hair. “You’re okay. I’m here now.”

Coriolanus felt like he was able to play the role of comforter and protector nobly tonight in a way he had recently felt inadequate at. With ease, he draped her legs across his lap and adjusted her arms around his neck so that her body was completely supported by his. She clung to him like a desperate child. The skin-to-skin contact was most appreciated by Coriolanus after the Day he’d had. Coriolanus excitedly drew a breathe from her neck, taking in her scent.

[Y/N] sobbed dramatically into Coriolanus’ dress shirt, but he pretended not to care like a good husband. “I’m sorry. I c-couldn’t—couldn’t get down. I th-thought you would come get me. I shout-ted for you,” she played up her tears. [Y/N] played up everything for attention; they both knew that. But the situation was mutually beneficial for people that liked attention so damn much. “You didn’t hear me.” You never hear me.

“Oh, Princess…” Coriolanus rubbed his hands up and down her arms, hoping it would warm her up. He pulled away from her regrettably and stripped off his blazer. He wrapped it around her shoulders and pulled it carefully in front of her. He knew [Y/N] would like the gesture. Now, Coriolanus did not say I’m sorry. It was not his fault that [Y/N] had fled to the attic. He did instead try to make good from now forward. “I was so worried, I started to think something happened to you. I wanted to give you space, but then I didn’t hear from you all day. I’m relieved to know the only monster that got you was the attic,” Coriolanus leaned into her neck to kiss her in his favorite place. “You sat up here in all this junk and dust today; how are you still so stunning?”

[Y/N] laughed through a wet sniffle as Coriolanus searingly kissed her neck. “I didn’t know I’d worried you this much.” She muttered.

“I didn’t know I’d upset you this much,” Coriolanus agreed. That was as close to I’m sorry as she was going to get. “What did you do up here all day?”

“W-Went through some boxes. Found your old uniform.” [Y/N] smiled back.

“My Peacekeeper uniform?” Coriolanus asked in surprise. He hoped that she had not found anything else, if there was anything more scathing up in the attic.

“Mhm,” she affirmed. [Y/N] stood shakily from the floor, snot dripping from her nose. Snot, which she knew better than to wipe on the sleeve of his blazer. She followed where the beams were in the floor nimbly so she didn’t put her foot through the ceiling below her. [Y/N] collected a decently sized metal crate with a handle on it. PRIVATE SNOW, CORIOLANUS B. was stamped on top of the dusty, dented metal. She carried it back to Coriolanus and sat down with it in front of him.

“I didn’t go through everything in here, that felt intrusive, but I did pull this out,” they both knew that was a lie and that she had absolutely gone through every item, but Coriolanus let her keep going without cutting in. [Y/N] decided she would still let him explain the history behind every item he wanted to share anyway.

When she shook the long gray-blue jacket out of the box, something happened that hadn’t happened last time she took the jacket out. “Coriolanus, what’s this?” [Y/N] asked, plucking a bulky chain off the floor that had tumbled from the coat’s breast pocket.

“Ah, I’d forgotten where those went. Dog tags from my time in Twelve.” Coriolanus said.

“I still have my father’s. You were like a real soldier then, huh?”

“Peacekeeper.” Coriolanus corrected.

“Yes, Peacekeeper.” [Y/N] agreed quietly.

[Y/N] held the two identical pendants in her hands.

SNOW, CORIOLANUS

CITADEL, CAPITOL

4147769218S 12

O NEG

CREMATE

His entire identity all on two pieces of nickel. While she squinted at the embossed metal, Coriolanus leaned forward across the box that had once held his entire world and grabbed the chain she was holding as well as her hands. [Y/N]’s red weepy eyes met his crystal clear blue ones. “Would you like them?”

“You don’t want to keep them?”

“Certainly not. My name right there on your chest? That’s preferable to them sitting in a dusty box forever. People will know who you belong to if you wander off like this again. ‘Know you’re not, hm, like… up for finders-keepers.” Coriolanus shifted them out of [Y/N]’s hands and dropped the chain around her neck as if it were the finest gold necklace he had ever purchased her.

Coriolanus put that box up in the attic because he had not wanted to think about it ever again. Above all, though, Coriolanus Snow was an opportunistic man and he put those dog tags on [Y/N] just like he had Lucy Gray because he knew this move was flattering. If it worked once, it would work again. Sickeningly, he pulled out the same words he had used before too: “There. All mine.”

“All yours.” [Y/N] replied.

TAGLIST:

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as usual, apologies if your tag didn’t work. tumblr’s tough like that. also so sorry if i forgot anyone! remind me if i did!

[youreallyshouldtalkmore]

Be My Valentine

A.N: Homicipher Mr. Crawling x Reader Valentine’s special.   

—

“Hello!! I like you! You like me?” 

A big heart made out of construction paper was thrust at you the moment you walked in the door. On it, in child-like writing was “I like you! You like me?”  

It was a little lopsided but you couldn't deny the feeling behind it. Although this wasn’t the first time, your heart still warmed as you gave an amused huff, “Yes, I like you.” 

Mr. Crawling gave his high-pitched creepy cute laugh as he crab walked further into your apartment to find a place to hang it. 

By now your apartment was looking questionable even by the season's standard. 

It was filled with hearts, big and small. Most of them, a bit lopsided. Although you had taught your ghost companion how to use the scissors, he cut things out much like a child would: lots of heart but little accuracy. In fact the first time he had used the scissors, he cut off his finger, sending you into a panic. 

You admit in that moment, you forgot he was a ghost. 

You had grabbed him, hauling his hand to you, to find…nothing. No cuts and it was still attached. But I promise, it looked like he had cut his finger off. Mr. Crawling had to console you as you were almost in tears. Actually first you had to explain why you were so panicked. 

Mr. Crawling only laughed and hugged you, “I okay! I not hurt. Not hurt. See! No sad. You no sad, okay? I careful!” 

You brought the boy some children's scissors. Yes, he was a ghost but your heart couldn’t take it. That and the adult scissors seemed hard for him to hold and cut properly. 

Mr. Crawling had taken it his personal mission to cut out hearts so he was more than a little upset when he somehow cut his first hearts and they fell into two.

“It’s okay!” You rubbed his back. 

Mr. Crawling had promptly laid on the floor in fetal position as if he had done a grave injustice because his first heart had been accidentally cut into two. 

“I like you! Lots and lots! Heart wrong! Two not. One. One!” 

“I know! I know! I like you lots! Heart two no mean you dislike me. I know.” 

You had to fight to keep the laughter out of your voice. You weren’t successful as by the time that Mr. Crawling had uncurled himself he pouted at your laughing eyes, “No laugh.” 

Your voice was high pitched, “I not.” 

Mr. Crawling gave a whine and you couldn’t take it anymore. Like a wounded cat he turned his back on you and sulked. Laughing you threw your arms around him, hugging him close. It was so adorable how offended he was at how his first heart cutout was coming along. 

Since then, Mr. Crawling has been diligently trying to cut out hearts to his perfection. 

But, his newfound obession was probably your fault to begin with. 

It's not like Mr. Crawling didn't accompany you when you went shopping before. He usually did, everything fascinating him in the human world. 

You had long since got him to stop bringing up everything he sees in the store. Now he quietly follows you, discreetly handing things to you he knew you brought. 

Good deal too cause you did not want to explain why your frozen meat was walking on air towards you. 

You'd long since realized that people did not see him if they didn't put in effort or if Mr. Crawling didn't make himself known. 

Unless it was children under the age of 10yrs. Then they could either sense or see him. You never could tell which. But at least in the grocery store you had the grace to avoid the toy section. Couldn't do a thing about the child busting into tears at the broccoli aisle though. 

But I digress….

One cold, late January day, you had every intention of zooming around in the shortest way possible to get your stuff and get home. 

So you were a little annoyed when Mr. Crawling did not zig when you zagged. You stopped and looked over your shoulder. 

Where'd he even go? 

You wheeled the cart back to see you had left him sitting in front of the changeable display in the middle of the aisle. Few weeks early but red and pink pierced your eyes. 

Ah, yes, the month of love. Valentine's season. 

But what exactly caught his eye? 

You wheeled all the way back until you were standing next to Mr. Crawling. Strange, he did not look up at you, so riveted on….what was it? 

You squatted on your haunches following his supposed gaze. The only thing that really stood out among the red and pinks was the giant glittery red cutout heart pillow that read, “I like you! You like me?” 

You know that Mr. Crawling was becoming proficient in your language reading. You weren't sure if his language had a reading component to be honest. You had shown him how to use the TV and he got a kick out of kid shows for learning to read as well as other words. 

So you were positive that Mr. Crawling knew how to read such simple words. In fact, those were some of the first words that he wanted to learn to read. He had come and asked you one day after watching kid shows. Apparently he heard the word used on the show but they did not show him how to write it. 

You had brought a set of Crayola crayons for him to write with. He almost wouldn’t let you go to work until he could write it sufficiently. 

So it seems this red glittering heart had Mr. Crawling in a trance. You nudged him but he was in so deep as he did not react. 

When he finally reacted, he absently reached out his fingers and poked the red plush heart. For his part he wasn't sure why he liked the odd shaped object. He knew what the words said but why did the strange shaped object make his insides flutter?

Why?  

When it moved suddenly, he dove clutching at it with a loud whine. A snort broke his trance making him tilt his head. That's when he realized it was you that had picked it up. Releasing it, he lowered his head, fidgeting. 

You flopped the plushie at him, “You want, yes?”  

Mr. Crawling only dipped his head once in a nod.

“Eh! It's only $5. I don't mind.” 

Although half your words were incomprehensible, Mr. Crawling understood the meaning when the strange shaped object went sailing into your basket. He let out a loud laugh. 

Ahh, now the ghost was back to zigging when you zagged. 

Good, it was too cold to be out here longer than necessary. 

–

By now you were convinced that Mr. Crawling was having an existential crisis over this heart shaped pillow. Once at home, he kept staring at it for long stretches of time, poking it in silence. At the same time, he almost never let it out of his sight either, hugging it gently to him while he moved from room to room. You had inquired if everything was okay and Mr. Crawling chirped at you that it was…..then promptly returned to boring holes into that pillow. 

For your part, you couldn't fathom what was so fascinating about it or wrong with it. You really couldn't tell if Mr. Crawling liked the heart pillow or not. He was being so weird about it that you had no frame of reference to ask about particulars of his moods. Didn’t help that ghost language wasn’t good at details either. 

It wasn't until you were both watching TV that a commercial came on. A valentine's day themed with hearts. You jumped when Mr. Crawling, who had been largely quiet, suddenly jabbed a finger at the TV. 

So into the hearts on screen he didn’t realize that you had been startled as he spoke quickly, “Object, object same.” He poked the pillow that rested between you, “Why? Why same? What means?”  

You stared at him. It took you a minute but it dawned on you. You didn't think that the other world could distinguish between different shapes except to clearly see that they were different. 

You poked the pillow, “Object. Heart.” 

You had the feeling Mr. Crawling was staring balefully at you. His words confirmed it, “Not heart. Know heart. Object not heart.”  

Right! How could you begin to explain the intricacies of symbolism? You gaped at him before slapping a hand to your head. This was going to be….difficult. 

But Mr. Crawling pawing at you made you look up. You shook your head, pointing to your chest, “Not body heart but….heart like.”  

Mr. Crawling cocked his head.

You even lost yourself. 

Sigh. This language so didn't do well with details. 

You picked up the heart pillow pointing to the words, “Know this?”

“I like you. You like me?”  

“Good.” 

“Heheehehe!! I like you!!”, He flung himself onto you. You were quick to move the pillow out the way as you wrapped your arms around him with an amused smile. He cocked his head peering up at you, “You like me?”  

You smiled, “I like you.” 

Mr. Crawling nuzzled you. 

“Like object words?”, You asked, reaching up with your free hand to pat his head. 

“I like.” You felt Mr. Crawling grip tightened just a fraction. 

“What wrong?”  

Mr. Crawling released you while looking expectantly at you, “Object look. You teach. Why me like object look?”  

You scratched your cheek once. Did he instinctively associate the words with the object and knew he liked the heart shaped for the symbolism which he did not consciously know? 

Wow, let that sink in for a bit. 

You did as you fought to find your words. Meanwhile, Mr. Crawling had repossessed the heart shaped pillow even as he continued to gaze at you.  

“Object heart, yes.” You started slowly, “Not body heart. Object heart different. Object heart, I like you, you like me, same.”  

You hoped that made even a lick of sense. 

Mr. Crawling cocked his head, “I like you, you like me. Object heart, same.”  

You nodded, did that translate? 

“.....” 

“.....” 

“…..Heheehehe!! I like! I like! Object heart, I like!”  

You giggled before flagging him down. Mr. Crawling looked at you, “Human day, I like you, you like me, same. Why object heart over place.” You pointed to TV as you poked the heart shaped pillow, “Valentines Day.”  

“Bah-ren-time? Day.” 

“Valentine's Day.”  

Val-ran-time Day. 

“Close enough.  Oh hey!” You exclaimed rushing about your apartment. Mr. Crawling eyed you in curiosity as you brought over paper and scissors. 

He sat close watching you work. You folded the paper then drew something before cutting it out. When you finally flipped it open, Mr. Crawling clapped like a seal, “Heart paper. Same as object. I like. You teach.”  

And that was why your apartment was flooded with hearts this Valentine season. Maybe next year you teach him other sayings, such as “Be Mine.”, “I’m Yours.”, or even “Hug Me.” He’d probably get a kick out of them. 

Mr. Crawling was so cute, you couldn't even be mad. You'd have to coax him out of this after the season was done though. 

But that was a problem for your future self.

[ejzah]

A/N: Kensi has a little memory lapse. Not at all inspired by my own inability to keep track of important information currently.

***

Kensi, rushing into the bullpen: Oh my god, you guys need to help me! I’m in so much trouble.

Sam, holding up a hand: What’s going on?

Kensi: I swear I ordered the cake two months ago, the presents came weeks ago. I tried so hard, but I still messed up. This is going to be terrible.

Sam: Kensi, breathe.

*she inhales deeply and exhales slowly several times.

Sam: Better? *Kensi nods* Ok, how about you start over?

Callen: And maybe explain the who, when and why?

Kensi, speaking very evenly: I made plans for Deeks’ birthday.

Callen, in disbelief: Wait, this is about a birthday?

Kensi, tightly: Deeks’ birthday. And yes. I ordered his favorite cake, got a present I know he’ll love. I did everything. But make reservations. It’s just with all the fertility stuff, and work, I’ve been so busy, but it’s no excuse. Somehow I forgot the most important part.

Sam, nodding: Kensi, what’s today’s date?

Kensi: January 8th.

Callen, gently: Kens, it’s the fifth.

Kensi: No, that’s impossible.

Sam: You think you might be a little bit stressed?

Kensi: Maybe? I can’t believe I got Deeks’ birthday wrong twice.

Sam: Hey, at least you were early this time. And now you’ve got three more days to plan.

Callen: Provided you can find a good reservation this late.

Sam, glaring at him as Kensi starts to panic again: We’ll help you call around. Right, partner?

[gyusrose]

➵ the five lovers -> ot5

⚠︎ fluff, angst

✎ non-idol! au

summary: being alone now, makes you reflect on how much you took for granted your love life.

ot5 x fem.reader

wc: 1 .5k

“so uh we kiss now?”

Taehyun was probably the one person you knew better than yourself, you spent more time with him than your own parents. growing up together had its advantages, he always had your back no matter what. even when he got ridiculously popular during late middle school-early freshman year, he never forgot about you, how could you not fall? you had trouble figuring out if he was flirting or just being friendly, you seriously couldn’t tell. that was until a summer night before sophomore year..

“i really like you, a lot, not as a friend but you know?”

you almost screamed at that moment, thankful to know that it wasn’t one-sided.

unfortunately as the weeks and months went on, you noticed how much you didn’t act like a couple. yes surely you’ve kissed, but nothing more than a peck and would only hold hands occasionally. nothing changed from your friendship to your ‘romantic relationship’ just the title.

Taehyun noticed as well, that’s when during January he decided to have a talk with you regarding what y’all really where. you both decided to stay off as friends instead since it clearly wasn’t meant to be more than that. you hold nothing but brotherly love towards him still. you were sure of that when you saw him get a girlfriend and felt nothing but happiness for him and so did he when you did.

“you’ve never done this before?”

Yeonjun was a heck of an experience. he was the school’s basketball captain which also meant he had girls at his feet, swooning over him, yet he saw you. it wasn’t out of nowhere of course. over the summer you definitely grew into your face a bit and had a puberty bloom so going into junior year, you were pretty popular as well. destiny put the two of you in the same physics class and it started from there. he sat next to you and somehow always made a conversation with you, it escalated week by week, next thing you know he’s asking you out on a date. obviously you say yes.

he was your first REAL relationship. he made experience everything (if you know what i mean) although you’ve been worried about losing your virginity and feeling ashamed of it, Yeonjun made it as special as it could’ve been. y’all dated for the whole year. since he was a year older than you, he graduated high school. the two of you really wanted to keep dating ‘long distance’ but we all know how that’s pretty much a slow breakup. it didn’t help the fact that he went so far away. he was also surrounded by college girls, even if he denied it, you knew there was definitely a couple of kisses stolen from his friend’s instagram stories. it didn’t take much for the both of you to end it keeping in ‘good terms’.

“you sure you hate me?“

Beomgyu was the last person you’d taught you’d even think about dating. after taking a year to focus on yourself, the moment you got to college you were met with a crazy long-haired boy, bumping into you. he didn’t even say sorry or anything which was already enough to dislike him.

later you found out he was in a rock band, how ‘surprising’. you found this out when your roommate invited you to go with her to one of their gigs since her boyfriend was the lead singer she had extra tickets. you, not knowing he would be there, agreed since you needed to have some fun. your excitement was drained when you saw him playing the electric guitar and he was good, which made you more annoyed.

your roommate invited you to parties and he was always there, he noticed you the first time, after noticing your coldness, he kept bugging you day after day, trying to make you laugh once. the way he pushed your buttons made it almost impossible to not answer back. it became a love-hate friendship in a way? more hate than love. you clearly don’t despise him but you don’t like him at the same time. it wasn’t until during an argument, to shut you up, he smashed his lips into yours and you didn’t hate it? needless to say you both started dating shortly after.

unfortunately you can never enjoy things too much since he got signed with a company and decided to focus on his career and dropping out of university, in no way were you going to try long distance again so the only choice was to break up. you listen to his band’s music from time to time when you’re sad.

“my sister has good taste in friends”

HueningKai was perfect for you. one summer during junior year of college, your roommate , Lea, invited you to a vacation with her family, since you weren’t doing anything during the summer so why not? that’s where you met him. Lea’s younger brother wasn’t…bad looking. you didn’t start immediately dating, in fact y’all started off as friends, very good friends. both of you had a lot in common, some things you never seen someone also like. after the vacation you hung out at their home most of the time.

the both of you didn’t feel any romantic feelings until that one night. it was his 20th birthday and you two somehow ended up ‘accidentally kissing’. you guess you were just really excited for him and ended up kissing him. from there it kind of became awkward. you didn’t know if you should bring it up or just forget about it and pretend it didn’t happen. eventually he brought it up which ended up in a confession. you hesitantly accepted , you liked him but not to such point.

you loved him. yes you did. being with him for two years, making it your longest relationship, he made you love him, so much. he had this other part of him, the crazy one, which you adapted to love. he was like beomgyu but way softer.

this can’t be a happy ending right ? of course not. you got a job opportunity outside of the city and you would be dumb to not take it. once again you went through another break up. we decided to stay as friends and hang out form time to time, meaning once a year.

“i really like you”

Soobin was the love of your life. after three years of being single, you were craving love, wanting someone to be with and just love you, yeah you had your friends but it wasn’t the same. your best friend and coworker noticed this and decided to have a night out and go to the club, you didn’t budge and agreed since you actually needed it, at least to get laid.

you met this jaw dropping handsome guy, which didn’t seems like a club type of person since he looked really reserved wi to himself so for the first time, you started the conversation, thankfully he wasn’t creeped out or anything and continued ending up in exchanging phone numbers. soon you found out who he was, the son of one of the richest man in the country. you were surprised since Soobin was very humble and down-to-earth. you didn’t treat him differently though, knowing he’d probably hate that.

y’all started to go out to different places except his house since he mentioned how his dad was. after a couple of months he asked you out which you obviously said yes to, unknown to his dad but unfortunately he eventually found out and was against it since you weren’t “high class” . Soobin rebelled against this and still found a way to meet up with you one way or another. until one night.

he came with his head down dried tears down his cheeks. you were very confused, his next words explained everything though.

his dad had arranged a marriage with another woman.

your heart crumbled. his dad was too powerful to say no to you understood, but you still spent the next few days sobbing into your pillow. the marriage happened way too soon as well, it was all over the news, now making it impossible to watch television.

you can never have a happily ever after can’t you?

[khaotunq]

Most popular / personal favs gifsets

I did this last year and it was fun, so I've trawled through the stuff I've made this year, too. Last year I made 222 gifsets. This year 153. And honestly, most of the sets like the Seduction 101 ones were already made months prior I just forgot to post them, lmao, so they did a lot of the heavy lifting with my numbers.

Archive page link with all my gifsets~

20 in January Most popular: SandRay Happy New Year. Possibly the laziest gifset in the world...but they're so pretty. Personal fav: I'm still really fond of my MLC zodiac sets, Alan's in particular because the colours please me the most. But also this one because Khaotung fighting for his life against lettuce in the first gif is spiritually important to me.

18 in February Most popular: Seduction 101 Step 87. Personal fav: Ray Dial Drunk. Nobody saw it. Or everyone hated it. And also honourable mention to panda Khaotung because this was when I embraced my dark side and made a bunch of Chonlatee sets.

11 in March Most popular: Typecast Khaotung Thanawat. These were a lot of fun. The First one made me lose my mind. Personal fav: Honestly, the Typecast sets are my favourite, so for balance: Typecast First Kanaphan. I do wonder where Bison and Kant are going to fit. (Says as though I don't already have a description for them.)

7 in April Most popular: Seduction 101 Step 96. It's a good step. I call myself an idiot in the alt texts. Personal fav: Seduction 101 Step 94, mainly because First's hair is a paid actor and the shot of them laying side by side in the last gif lives in my head.

3 in May Most popular: SandRay Tennessee Whiskey. Personal fav: As above, really. I loved that set. The song makes me happy.

7 in June Most popular: Kieta Hatsukoi / My Love Mix-Up! scene for a scene set 2. Personal fav: Chonlatee "Music!" - cw: flashing. Lil dancy boy. It just makes me smile.

4 in July Most popular: Drake and Title in Wandee Goodday. Still haven't watched it, probably never will atp Personal fav: Latte from Knock Knock, Boys! It still makes me giggle.

13 in August Most popular: Best FirstKhaotung kisses set. I am forever grateful to the gorgeous anon that prompted it. The whiteboard on my desk still has all the timestamps for all of the kisses. I never want to erase it. Personal fav: The kisses set is absolutely my favourite, but the rain scene from The Trainee still gut-punches me. Also Khaotung fucking Thanawat.

15 in September Most popular: The arsey watermark gifset I made that somehow united fandoms. Wild time to be me. I'm tremendously fond of it. Personal fav: Other than the watermark one? How about the Furious Sand, which is the set I was making when I got sidetracked by the watermark one, lmao.

11 in October Most popular: OFTS Anniversary - Episode 9 Ray. Personal fav: SandRay Smoke Kiss.

16 in November Most popular: you know they nasty because the socks stay on. This made me laugh. Personal fav: Literally any of the big Kant sets. Man's captivated me. I'm pleased with the colours in this one and also the eyebrow raise / eye twitch is funny.

28 in December Most popular: KantBison slow dancing. The hands, the lean, the drugs, the little kiss... Personal fav: goo yak mee faaen! It kills me every time. But also this one. And this one. Because of science. Nod nod nod.

~

I don't know if anyone would want to be tagged in this. It was a tag thing last year but I'm just doing it to bring it back and it's literally NYE which I only realised like 2 hours ago, so.

That said, last year it was fun to look at everyone's favs sooo if you wannaaaaaaaa~ @chinzhilla @riggerbison @itsallaboutbl @oyeixcher @sollucets

[proseka-headcanons]

proseka casts fav anime/anime genres:

ichika: has only seen black rock shooter and mekakucity actors

saki: huge precure fan, her fav seasons are heartcatch, smile, dokidoki, and tropical rouge

honami: watches a ton of iyashikei while doing housework and cooking, loves polar bear cafe and natsumes book for friends the most

shiho: number 1 mecha fan, adores both real and super robot shows, has seen every gundam

minori: love live, need i say more?

haruka: huge detective conan fan, has every season and movie on bluray, every volume of the manga, and infodumps about the newest case every week at mmj practices

airi: has only really see the occasional ghibli movie and kids anime when her younger sister watches, likes ponyo and kikis delivery service the most

shizuku: giant rumiko takahashi fan, has seen and read all of urusei yatsura, ranma 1/2, inuyasha, and maison ikkoku

kohane: watches a lot of young shounen, but loves pokemon the most, has seen every season and has every game, avid fan of the adventures manga

an: biggest sports anime fan in the world, loves haikyu, free, kuroko no basket, and basically anything else, cries at every season finale

akito: ena made him watch the first episode of riddle story of devil when it first aired and he has not watched a single episode of anime since

toya: ena introduced him to kyoani pretty soon after they met and he's been hooked ever since, hibike euphonium was difficult for him to watch at first, but now he loves it

tsukasa: watches precure weekly with saki, doesnt particularly love the series but wants saki to be happy, doesnt really watch any anime other than that

emu: keeps up with seasonals just to find the most absurd and unknown anime, number 1 estab life defender

nene: has somehow seen and read every samey isekai light novel thing in existance, she's seen it all, from in another world with my smartphone to re:zero, she watches regardless of quality

rui: number 1 science saru geek, but will watch really anything if it looks experimental enough, has also seen a good number of samey light novel shows because of nene

kanade: watches the occasional original anime from kyoani or mappa if mizuki or ena reccomends it, but she usually only watches and episode or two

mafuyu: stumbled across space patrol luluco in middle school and would rewatch it anytime she felt like life was getting to be too much, forgot about it when she reached high school until talking about anime with mizuki and it was brought up, now watches basically anything mizuki reccomends

ena: kyoani simp, watches anything with good animation, also watches a lot of garbage death game anime and is always on the edge of her seat but wont admit it

mizuki: seasonal junkie, watches the first ep of every new show and always keeps up with at least 10, never slacking on magical girl anime, the first week of january, april, july, and october, the nightcord chat gets absolutely flooded w their reccs

I SEE THIS I think mizuki would love madoka magica

[chlorinewriter]

I'm working on a Mishanks piece for Whumpuary, tentatively titled Holy Heathens. It's going to be a self-contained one-shot for the AU I posted about priest-warrior Mihawk and heathen Shanks. Angsty (because we love a Mihawk who is so out of his depth) and very much playing around with the canon timeline (they've only just met like two weeks ago in the fic and are both adults) and I'm having so much fun writing! I don't wanna do too much worldbuilding but it's cramming its way in there anyways. So far on track to finish in January! I wanna keep myself motivated so here's a short fragment to share the angsty joy:

The first time Mihawk met the priest, he'd had other things on his mind. The duel with Shanks, the tie, the sheer strength of the man, the bewildering question of how a heathen could have such faith. It had been eating at Mihawk, and he'd gone to the priest of the small island solely to collect more information on his target.

He almost never approached his brethren clergy if he could avoid it, but the shaggy, redhaired sailor had surprised Mihawk. Shocked him, really. He didn't know where else to go to discuss the issue. The laypeople he'd tried to approach sang Shanks' praises or shrugged haplessly or muttered something barely comprehensible in their terror at his presence, no doubt remembering a neighbour slighted or a friend wronged and imagining Mihawk was about to wreak terrible redemption on their heads.

Not helpful for deciding if a heathen could somehow be holy.  

And as distracted as he was, Mihawk had taken about half an hour to recognize the signs. The fact it took so long is shameful, though he doesn't judge Shanks for not realizing fully that a devil was possessing Father Dresch, no matter how long it had been. As a Redeemer, Mihawk's training was brimming with ways to spot possession and sense demonic presences. Surely some backwater godless hadn't received such training.

Although apparently he had enough training to fight Mihawk to a draw. Whether that spoke to Shanks's intense proficiency or a dearth in Mihawk's training – a failure of the Church or Mihawk himself – was something he couldn't answer.

Regardless, the devil had not been disguised as well as it was claiming. "Fooling peasants is one thing," Mihawk says coldly, "and a Redeemer another thing entirely. You spent too long among peons if you forgot that." He pauses, returns the devil's stare with derisive aplomb. "The dirty hovel you were staying in suited you well, though."

Pain. It explodes inside him so suddenly that Mihawk cries out before biting off the scream. The agony continues in a billowing, hot miasma through his essence, and it's not until his forehead is grinding into the church's cold stone floor and the fire slowly ebbs that Mihawk realizes the devil has made him prostrate himself at its feet. As if kneeling wasn't enough.

Devils should not be able to influence him so much. The humiliation is an added pain, scalding his skin and making his heart pound like it's trying to find a way through his ribs. Could the devil really be such a powerful creature? Or is it something Mihawk has done or failed to do?

Even as he has the thought, it rings true.

Sweet Christ, just how badly has he allowed himself to be compromised? And all because of a fast sword and a captivating smile. All because of scarred eyes and a heathen who spoke about faith in a way that left Mihawk aching with dissatisfaction for what he didn't understand.    

For the first time since he broke through the church's doors, Mihawk is – not afraid, exactly. Or not afraid for his life. But he has not faced the prospect of failing one of his missions in more than a decade. He was supposed to investigate Shanks for heresy – a polite wording underlined by the tacit understanding he was to be executed – and now the man has probably lost his life and assuredly his arm defending Mihawk from an actual devil.

And Mihawk is going to fail. Fail his mission and fail Shanks, the heathen who ordered him with such ardent authority to do his duty.

The devil steps closer and it doesn't matter now. In his agony, in his negligence, Mihawk lost his grip on Yoru. He can barely turn his head, the skin of his forehead scraping against the floor as the devil's compulsion keeps him prostrated, and his eyes fall on the proud, black sweep of the blade. Not far from his hand. Still too far if he can't move.

And he barely can. But because he can, he does. Nothing could keep Mihawk still with Yoru so close. His hand drags across the ground, reaching for the solid familiarity of his weapon –

The demon steps on his fingers. Not with particularly spiteful weight – it doesn't want to damage his body, especially not when it can torture him in other ways – but hard enough to hurt. To pin him.  

More confidant now, and with Mihawk's insides shuddering in bewildered despair, it's no surprise, the devil reaches down. Actually touches Mihawk, if only to grab his hair in a fist and wrench his head up, making him meet those not-Shanks eyes. Too red, too red.

[goddamnwebcomics]

Biggest Idiots of the Month 2017

Read the previous years retrospectives:

2015

2016

January 2017

Biggest Idiot of the Month was definitely Cotton Taylor from Gene Catlow. Long before he was Michelle's dad who got sidelined to Hell, he was a psychotic individual who assaulted government individuals and threatened the mayor with violence for no good reason. He turned out to have psychical powers and immediately developed a massive ego and later on when Michael Avariss's agents threaten Tavatiana Cotton's first instinct is to attempt murdering them, as he begins to cry like a bitch. Also he told confidential information about Bev in public, even if Bev kind of overreacted. Cotton was NOT a good first impression to this comic because of his immaturity. I would argue he never developed out of this behavior, he just kind of...abandoned those traits about himself as soon as he became a dad. The runner-ups included Nimmel from Dominic Deegan for almost immediately becoming a douche, and Melna for falling in love with her former rapist and having a relationship with Miranda that was NEVER established until now.

February 2017

Biggest Idiot of the Month is Melna from Dominic Deegan...Iiiiiii don't think I even need to explain this one, just look at the above quote.

This month was honestly really small on actual runner-ups, we had Deegan yelling at people again, Neilen being a loser with an edgy super form, Cotton being Cotton and that dragon showed up during the Grandville Days arc to do a vore joke.

March 2017

Yeah, there's no doubt about the fact that Sahira from this specific arc of Spinnerette has earned her Biggest Idiot of the Month status. I would take the somewhat homophobic "THIS VAGUE GESTURE MEANS MECHA MAID WANTS TO HAVE SEX WITH YOU HEATHER" Sahira over this completely out of character coffee shop AU almost a racist stereotype looking Sahira. I mean yes, Mecha Maid was also out of character but Sahira got hit with character assassination so severe it almost killed her. And don't you think I have forgotten about her transformation into a literal WOLF SPIDER. That whole thing was completely unnecessary too! And then there's "YOU DO PACK QUITE A LOT OF ASS FOR A WHITE GIRL", racist redesign Sahira may be gone, but that line of dialogue, to quote Franklin Delano Roosevelt, will live in infamy.

The only runner-up this month was Snowsong from Dominic Deegan who was somehow more pathetic than Adrastea, but not as cringy. Honestly she was the least of that arc's problems.

April 2017

We have a rare double header, Biggest Idiots for this Month were both Dominic Deegan and Luna Travoria, for their completely pointless fight. Both sides did call out their flaws but then forgot about all of those as soon as Dominic made his marriage proposal. I can't believe I haven't reached their marriage yet. Honestly I forgot how upsetting this whole fight is.

Runnerups for this month were Nimmel for being an idiot, Cotton Taylor for his constant "IT IS CHANGING IT IS HAPPENING NOTHING WILL BE THE SAME" talk and also shittalking his only friends at one point and Quiet Fox for his incredibly tiresome gimmick

May 2017

Biggest Idiot of May is Jack the Death from Gene Catlow. It's not his stupidest moment in the comic, but apparently, you can just cheat death temporarily if you are LOVED. Although I referenced this moment in my final tribute to Albert, I still feel like this is a fucking stupid moment. This is also the second winner connected to Dave Hopkins.

Only runnerup for this month was Barnet for calling Deegan her brother for no reason aside from "wanting to mess with him". Honestly Deegan himself too was runnerup with how he essentially mindraped her by constantly showing his past moments to her. How come he never brought that ability of his back?

June 2017

Biggest Idiot of June is Prento AKA Nerd Deegan Jr from Dominic Deegan. Basically he learns that Deegan has a small chance of having a deadly mental breakdown that could destroy entire cities and explode people's minds with visions, and he actually wants to make this happen, he then proceeds to almost kill Deegan and destroy his house but coincidentally this just amuses Deegan, preventing the threat of the mindbreak.

The runnerups for this month were Dominic once again for his childish breakdown as well as his stupid He-Man superform? and also Crendall for his stupid fucking redemption, and Catwhis for her "quirky hair" thing. I'm glad she never did that again.

July 2017

Biggest Idiot of July is Spinnerette for betraying her friends after Universe told her "hey Tiger and Mecha Maid won't let you have abortions I mean your extra arms". You would think this dumb FUCK who knows exactly what Universe is like would not be suspectible to his bullshit, but no, we need a mid-arc betrayal because Kraw DEMANDS Fat Spinny Arc needs to be a two-parter! This was pretty much the peak of Heather's idiocy, which is almost a shame because Kraw can't even write Spinny like a complete idiot anymore.

Runnerups for this month were Bev from Gene Catlow, though she was less of an idiot and more of a fucking asshole who forced Eubie to work for her as pretty much a slave despite his speech disability, and also Dominic for his banter with disguised Rilian and Rilian himself for thinking Dominic is this HOLY FIGURE.

August 2017

Biggest Idiot of the Month was Friendship Island from Gene Catlow. Yes, I did not know she was alive back then. But considering this island had shit like nazi alien frogs taking part in pissing contests, overly social and intelligent birds, sharptoothed crotch crickets, farmland inside dormant volcanoes and so forth, yeah the island is fucking idiotic as hell. It was at this point Gene Catlow set the course for the World of Friends circlejerk it would become.

Runnerups for this month include Dominic for finding yet another ridiculous superform, Dex's girlfriend for beating Mookie's breakup angst some more and Spirit Father for kickstarting his stupid "religion bad" message. Jesus, I can't believe he debuted that long ago yet we only saw his death a year ago.

Final Months of 2017

We entered our hiatus shortly during September and outside of a brief revisit in 2018, we wouldn't return to full time riffs until late 2020. So I am going to take all these months and condense them into one month, and there is no doubt in my mind the biggest idiot for these months was once again...

Friendship Island from Gene Catlow, because she was alive the whole time. This month we saw her desperately cling onto Catwhis and Gene while they were in the "cat soup" though that was later retconned into The Hosts even though the entity spoke with FRIENDSHIP ISLAND'S FONT. We also learned more about the nazi alien frogs and how they're literally going to NUKE their home if even a single threat finds their home.

Runnerups for this month only included Luna with Black Hair, I still have no idea at what point did we learn that she used to wield black magic, but that's not important. What is important is that Matt made his REAL debut during these months. Granted, we wouldn't know his true greatness until after the hiatus.

Speaking of, it goes without saying that Friendship Island was the Biggest Idiot of 2017. But that was only a peak of the iceberg to her, and the rest of the comic's, idiocy. In the next chapter of this retrospective, we jump to 2021, where we catch up on Spinnerette, learn just how crazy Gene Catlow actually gets and also fly to space with a blue winged dice fighter and his human girlfriend, and also be prepared to meet a character I am sure will become a Biggest Idiot of the Month RECORDBREAKER, a certain blonde fanged sexist idiot. Though can he stand against the downward spiralling idiocy of Gene Catlow? You'll just have to wait and see.

[fanficapologist]

More domestic Targ family interactions! Aside from smut, I do live for tender moments like these. I feel like Aemond must have somehow dreamed of reuniting with Maera when he looked at her when he woke up. And it made me a bit sad because I think for a time, he must have thought such a sight wasn’t possible amymore.

For a moment, I was confused at the mention of a sept as I was wondering whether they were back in King’s Landing and I missed it or if there was a sept in Dragonstone, because the way the series portrayed it, it’s as if island didn’t have other inhabitants, iust the castle.

As a catholic, the High Septon’s speech reminded me of listening to the homily on Sunday mass. Strangely enough, his speech about holding on to one’s faith reminded me of the time when Covid-19 had entered the country. This was around January- February, and while the lockdown hasn’t initiated yet, the priest had already called for prayers to those affected by the virus. Little did we know that was one of the last times we could hear mass “normally”.

Additionally, the way the people converged on Maera’s attacker reminded me of Corlys and Rhaenys’ conversation during Viserys’ tourney for Baelon. About whether the tourney was the proper way to celebrate the arrival of an heir, with wanton violence. I hope it’s not an omen 👀

Fun fact, I studied in a catholic school and they made it a tradition for the entire school to attend mass for important dates (like feast days of certain saints). And the way people suddenly forgot about the call for merch reminded me of times at school where we would be called to do good and right after the mass, you could hear students swearing up a storm. 😂

I wonder how Aemond will take the news 😬

So for me I think even though Dragonstone is mostly the castle, there’s gotta be at least one or two villages because of how much stuff happens there, staff, bringing food in, etc. I don’t think they could all be housed in the castle. So just a lil Sept and a lil gang of inhabitants.

Ahh all links, i didn’t even think of that! So clever!

Now an omen? Hmm… 👀

[whisperingspinesliterary]

My First 5-Star Read of 2025

Greetings, adventurers, welcome back to the library!

January is the first month of the new year, which means brand new opportunities for new publications. I wasn’t expecting to find a new favorite book so early in the year. Or for it to be a book that wasn’t on my radar until a few weeks before its physical release. I don’t know about you, but I didn’t know that you can get two pre-order kindle books a month with your subscription. It’s thanks to that you’re reading this article.

Voice Like a Hyacinth by Mallory Pearson is a masterpiece And I will be singing its praises to anyone who will listen. It’s a queer, occult, academia horror following the friendship of five girls in their last year of art school at Rotham. They all want the prestigious Soloist spot in the end of year gallery. And they’re willing to do anything to get it.

I love all of the characters. Both in terms of personality and how they interact in with each other. But also how fleshy and alive they feel with in the pages. You have —

Joanna “Jo” Kozac - our main character - a woman from Virginia, whose parents seem to take delight in jabbing at her queerness.

Caroline Aster - the daughter of a filthy rich family that regularly donates to the school. One of the top painters in the class.

Jodie "Finch" Finchard - a town native, she lives on her own in an apartment. The other top painter in the class. Fights Caroline's bratty-ness.

Amrita Balakrishnan - Jo's first friend in college, the more levelheaded of the group.

Sarah "Saz" Murphy-Choi - an English exchange student, who's into the occult and paints using watercolors.

The prose in Voice Like a Hyacinth are beautiful and poetic. It's written in first person, but there was never a point where it made me cringe (because not every author is great at writing first person). It felt like I was there with them. Having their arguments, celebrating with them, dancing with them, feeling Jo's anxieties - it really felt like I was a part of the group.

Jo calls her friends "her women" and talks a lot about their friendship. How she's found a home and a place within it. She's placed a lot of her identity within her friend group, as they helped her grow and mature. Even if it scares her how much they know about one another.

It reminds me so much of my own friend group. Admittedly, I was scared of all of them at one time or another. I'm awful when it comes to new people. I could kick myself now, I wasted so much time being afraid. But reading about Jo's love for her friends made me miss and appreciate my own women so much. I find that's a very powerful thing.

Some of the reviews complained about Jo talking about her women like that. But I think it really takes having that tight knit friend group to understand. It's a scary thing to bare yourself, and your bad thoughts, and good thoughts, and day-to-day antics to other people. But it's nice when you understand how completely you can trust them. How you can be annoyed at each other, tell each other when you're being stupid, and still love one another unconditionally. How you'll drop everything to do something for another. How purely you hyper each other up and celebrate one another's accomplishments. As an only child, friends are my sisters. I would truly be lost without them.

I love how powerful the hyacinth motif is throughout. It's seen outright a couple times through the novel, first before we even set foot through the pages. As soon as we open the book, we're greeted with One Girl, a Sappho poem. Which reads -

I Like the sweet apple which reddens upon the topmost bough, Atop on the topmost twig, — which the pluckers forgot, somehow, — Forget it not, nay; but got it not, for none could get it till now. II Like the wild hyacinth flower which on the hills is found, Which the passing feet of the shepherds for ever tear and wound, Until the purple blossom is trodden in the ground.

Second, Finch gives them all matching poke and stick tattoos. They watched something that held meaning. Jo mentions that in Greek mythos, hyacinths are supposed to represent devotion beyond death (amazing foreshadowing). Thirdly, when we come across the source of the title - an artwork, Untitled (For Sappho) by Cy Twombly. It contains a poem which reads -

Voice like a hyacinth in the mountains, trampled by shepherds until only a purple stain remains on the ground.

Scent plays such a large part in this book. Whether it's the smell of Finch's apple cologne, or the ever-present linseed oil. It adds another layer of depth to the story. Giving you the sights, scents, tastes, and sounds of art college life. Right down to the terrible canteen food.

The occult elements of the novel are pretty interesting, too. It all starts with a second-hand book named Anthropomancy. It’s introduced, then forgotten about. Seen as just a weird book in a modge-podge of hand-me-downs. But it ends up playing a much bigger part.

I won’t get too much into it, because I cannot recommend this book enough and definitely think you should give it a read.

But the occult elements are, at first, so subtle. They do a ritual but, seeing it through Jo’s eyes, you can’t tell if it worked. It almost seems like a sort of placebo. Like they want to believe it worked so bad that they made its effects real.

Then you get into the real horror.

There were a few scenes that literally gave me goosebumps as I was reading them. It's interesting to see as things begin to unravel. As Jo's world begins to splinter apart. As the book goes on, Jo becomes an unreliable narrator. She can’t tell what’s real or what’s all in her mind. And it makes you question yourself, too.

Like any book, Voice Like a Hyacinth wasn’t perfect. There were a few things that made me scratch my head. But honestly, they weren’t large enough to disrupt my enjoyment of the story. Or the effect that it had.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this. I just saw occult and art college and it had me hooked. As the daughter of an artist and as an artist myself (though nowhere near the talent level of Jo and friends), it struck me at once. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down!

This was my first 5 star read of the year, and it should definitely take up a spot on your TBR!

Thanks for reading, I hope you stop by the library again soon!

- Whisper

Let Me Know: Have you read Voice Like a Hyacinth? What did you think? Have you given anything a 5-star review yet this year? Are there any books you're anticipating being 5-stars?

[putschki1969]

『Wakana 5th Anniversary “Prologue” ～Premium Online Live～』

An exclusive streaming event will be held for fan club members to celebrate Wakana's 5th anniversary as a solo artist. She will be joined by Hirotaka Sakurada on piano. Please be sure to tune in!

‖Event details “Wakana 5th Anniversary “Prologue” ~Premium Online Live~” Date: February 6, 2024 Time: 18:30~ Starring: Wakana, Hirotaka Sakurada (Piano)

‖Ticket details Ticket sales: Bitfan Tickets Live streaming: Bitfan Live [Purchase period] January 10th to February 12th ●Event viewing ticket ¥3,800 (tax included) ※For FC members ONLY ※An archived version will be available for viewing at the streaming URL after the live broadcast. You can watch it until February 13th. ❗ Join her FAN CLUB NOW! Check out my detailed TUTORIAL ❗ In order to buy a ticket, please refer to the tutorial provided by Botanical Land! I have also written my own tutorial for a previous FC event so feel free to check that out! Bitfan is a very foreigner-friendly platform so be sure to use this opportunity!

Oh yes, I am excited for this. I think Wakana is planning to do a lot for her 5th Anniversary. Hopefully she can hold a proper tour. This event will definitely be a perfect "prologue". Also happy to see Saku-chan again.

2024/01/10 Blog post by Wakana おしゃべりガーデン第５回目！〜その１〜

❗This is Fan Club EXCLUSIVE content❗ ❗PERSONAL USE ONLY❗ Do ❗NOT SHARE❗ on other sites ❗Join her FAN CLUB! Check out my detailed TUTORIAL ❗

Talk Garden Vol. 5！〜Part 1〜

"Wakana's Talk Garden Vol.5" has been uploaded! This time, I intended to talk about both the messages I received on the talk theme and the comments on my latest blog post...but I just didn't have enough time😂💦 Just talking about the comments from my blog post ended up taking 45 minutes...😅 I didn't even mention the messages for the regular talk theme...😅 It's all because I don't prepare in advance with some sort of script or rough schedule🫠🫠I'm so sorry! ! 😂💦

Due to the length, I made a “Vol#5 Part①” in which I only talk about the blog comments🤣 “Vol#5 Part②” will be uploaded at a later date, on that podcast I will be focusing on reading the messages for the original talk theme 🧚✨

The comment section was full of everyone's thoughts and feelings, I had a really hard time reading through all of them, I actually cried so many times that I had a stuffy nose. Despite that, I am happy that you shared your thoughts with me, I felt like I could relate to everyone in my own way. Thank you so much.

When I read that many of you are seeking music as a source of comfort in times like this, I wanted nothing more than to sing for you right away. Which is why I was more than happy to be able to announce an online broadcast for February 6th. I would like to have a fun time with everyone at my first live show of this year, February 6th marks the 5th anniversary of my solo debut. I'm really looking forward to it! ! (((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o)))

Oh, by the way. I forgot to announce the next talk theme during the new episode, the talk theme for "Talk Garden Vol.6" scheduled to air on February 10th will be: "Memories of Valentine's Day"! I can't wait to read all your sweet and funny stories, of course you can also send me all of your sad stories ! ＼＼\\٩( 'ω' )و //／／

Well, please enjoy the episode even though it's long♪

Until next time~☆( *'▽’*)／

＊＊＊Wakana＊＊＊

Wakana’s Talk Garden #4 & #5

❗This is Fan Club EXCLUSIVE content❗ ❗PERSONAL USE ONLY❗ Do ❗NOT SHARE❗ on other sites ❗Join her FAN CLUB! Check out my detailed TUTORIAL ❗

Episode #4 »»—— CLICK ME 🎁 CLICK ME ——«« Episode #5 Part 1 »»—— CLICK ME 🎁 CLICK ME ——««

Vol 4 Topic “Things I should do before the end of they year but somehow, I turn a blind eye to it”

Vol 5 Topic "Please let me hear your current thoughts"

For next month’s episode which is scheduled to air on February 10th, the topic is “Memories of Valentine's Day.” The submission deadline is 01/31.

[4urum-4rgentum]

My personal problems:

My clusterfuck of a rant (ft. Cassandra clare)

Buckle up besties bc im about to trauma dump. Like actual baby gay trauma.

(@faithfromanewperspective you wanted to know, i dont think i can freestyle angst on an ask like i can on a post so here it is)

Tw: incest, gender dysphoria, homophobic parents, sexual assault.

In our country you have to give a board exam (goverment??? Exam??? Similar to SATs) at the end of your 5 grade. So you need a primary school certificate (PSC)

After my PSC, my parents fixed up my Tablet. And went to work., i sat on my leaving room couch with blankets and pillows for a whole month (there was a dent on the couch when i actually got up for 6th grade) and i surfed the internet in those weeks.

I saw the malec video on yt ( i didnt click on it and didnt think much of it)

So my friend told me to watch anime. Somehow searching 'anime' on yt lead me to an anime 'Super lovers' (yaoi, pseudo incest, pedophilic and rapey everything under the sun you can find, its in super lovers) also i was like 11. 5 years old at this point. I have no concept of whats right or wrong. And bc of these animes (theres so much of it) i thought incest was fine. I also got into Todobaku and bakudeku. And thats part was fine i was mainly watching edits on yt. Then i started reading yaoi mangas and wattpad stories and gacha vids (And yes incest is still featuring on these stories for the most part)

Somewhere along the line, i was like, this feels weird (it was a particularity bad wattpad story with incest i think) i was already consuming gay content for months by then. (I still hadnt started 6th grade mind you.) and my standard for content increased a bit. And i stopped engaging with incest fics and mangas completely. After i distanced myself from it i realised how fucked that was and moved on from it.

But i still engaged with gay content. Somehow i stumbled upon the malec vid again. I watched it. (The first time im seeing live action gay ppl on screen) then i got into thai bl. ("Love by chance" was my first) the thai bl scene was a bit better. Around this time i read bl, watched bl and started to research about gay culture and what not. I figured out i was attracted to girls before i even went back to school

When i went back to school I became friends with a girl (lets call her bunny) I knew bunny since 5th grade but i didnt talked to her that year. she was smart and cool and i had a bit of crush on her from afar.

(5th grade before gay awakening) One time in my school bus while guessing one of my "friends" crushes i asked if he had a crush on bunny, he laughed, i "joked" if i was a boy, i would grow up to marry her. That 'friend' emptied his water bottle on my head as a response.

In 6th grade, the first week (maybe 2nd /3rd January), bunny and i got selected for a group project along with other friends. Me and another friend went to bunny's house for the project. The other friend left. After that friend left bunny and I started to unpack our traumas for each other. Family troubles and what not. I (being the dumb bitch i am) told her that i liked her (and also the water bottle thing) and that i liked girls too (at this point I identified as bi)

In class 6 and of fuckery happend, but me and bunny became bsfs so fast, with in a day. And we were inseparable. I asked her out and she laughed in my face. And we laughed about it years later too. 6th grade ends with her being made at me for smth i didnt even do wrong and some other shit with out toxicest friened. (We werent hanging out by the end of the year)

(Also i finished all off the percy jackson and percy jackson spin offs in 6th grade) and i also told my dad that i liked girls too. He conveniently forgot it for the nest year.

I come back for 7th grade knowing I was bi or pan (couldnt decide which i identified with the most) i start hanging out with a group of boys. Then covid happens.

Lockdown at the begining was fine (terrified but fine) around the second month of lockdown some genderfuckery started to happen. I would forget my own gender (round the time i was falling asleep or waking up). I started consuming for trans stuff around this time. And i journaled on my sketchbook with doodles and cried on it. I had terrible dysphoria. And i didnt even have a name for it in the begining. And one day the pain became too much and i broke in front of my mother. I came out to her. She ignored me. (Muslim parents) she said i was just a tomboy and "theres nothing wrong with me" and other stuff. I was sure i was trans. And non binary (trans tiktok helped with that bit).

My dysphoria became worse as time went on. Just before time of my birthday. My step mother bought me some books i asked for (queer books) and it had Chain of Gold She saw that it had just come out and thought i would like it. So i was reading chain of Gold. And i didnt get shit. I maybe read 100 pages before i decided that i needed context. I went on goggle and searched the best ways to read cassandra clare books in order and they said that Series wise is best. So i started City of bones (worse mistake of my life)

It was on yt so i started with it first. I already knew before starting that jace and clary werent related and incest might come up. (I didnt know it was that levels of fucked in the books) i just saw a pinterest meme where it was said rather jokingly.

Anyway i finished the whole part one and two of The mortal instruments. I read it for Malec bc they were the only gay characters. I have 101 problems with this series but my most major one was Malec. So at this point in my life i was a closeted trans, (multispec) queer kid Something about reading Queer characters tell each other horrible things about bejng closted and bisexual made me hate myself more. Malec didnt not develope my internalized homophobia, it definately fueled it tho. After my birthday i got grounded (my parents found out the queer content i was engaging with. It was very traumatic. I came out to them and my dad to my face said that i am not queer, instead i am fetishizing queerness and i was engaging in perversion.)

Alot happend many times my parents tried to distance me from queer culture and media but gave up.

As 7th grade ended me and bunny reconnected (shit also happend when my mother read our chats)

Around 8th grade i cried and begged to my mother that i am not going to change and all that jazz, she didnt say anything. But she became more on gaurd, she would analyze my interactions with other girls differently (one time while riding in her scooty, i was in the back said and waved to a girl that was starting at me for some reason) my mother told my dad that shes afraid im flirting with girls AS IM ON THE SCOOTER WITH HER-

In class 8 bunny pulled some shit (i explained it in another post i think) also i finally watched the shadowhunter series show malec healed the wounds that book malec anf my parents left. I was for the most part okay i think (academic studies were my biggest problem)

In class 9 around second half of the year i joined tumblr (helped my mental health immense, finding other gay ppl) and i asked for a book from my step mother (it was a bangla book about a trans girl) my dad delivered it to me. And said that he got that i wasnt going to change (BC LORD KNOWS THEY TRIED) he told me to study well so i could go live abroad bc this country will have me dead. I agreed and took the book (i couldnt finish the book, it was too dark for me at times, i gave the book to bunny).

Bunny and my relationship is vented about in another post. I wont get it.

So my problem with cassandra clare happens for three major personal reasons, one of them i didnt even mention bc i still feel weird about it.

1. The Malec part.

2. The incest part : reading TMI made me relive that first part where i engaged with incestuous content. And just disturbed me to my core this time around EVENTHOUGH I HAD A MILD HEADS UP i didnt know the extent of its fuckery. I dont know why but it just turnt the disgust at incest meter up the roof. Like completely fucked my brain and i wasnt okay. (I was 13/14 my birthday fell in the middle)

3. The sexual assault of Aline.

(Tw: my SA)

As a child (9/10 yrs old) i was assulted in an crowded elevator, my dad was in the elevator, i didnt not see the assulters face. I just remember being sqished against the wall, with a mans hand jammed between my legs. I rember trying to flatten myself against the wall to get away from the hand but it woulnt stop. The hand was knuckles deep between my thighs. I didnt see the mans face. I dont rememeber what he looked like from the back. After we got out i told my dad. He barely reacted and said 'people are assholes'. I told my mother about it.... Earlier This year. I thought if i had told her, she wouldnt let me hang out with dad anymore. He was so nonchalant about it that i thought i was over reacting.

Reading the Aline SA scene fucked me up. It was the first time i had come across an SA scene in a book, before that it was lightly mentioned. In the Aline scene, my mind visualised the whole thing. And it nearly drove me to a panic attack. I was 13 at this point. And in the books it was never brought up again, like it was no big deal. Like it was normal. It was for shock value. And i fell for it.

And the rest of the tsc is still bad writing and i hated it. But tmi fucked right up mentally and yeah. I have other posts explaining my journey with it, under the tag auru's tsc rant. Those explain it better.