#miserable posts may be coming your way as we approach valentine's day | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

inunanna · 8 years ago

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Cheaters

My contribution to @inuyasha-valentines!! I hope all of you had an amazing day full of happiness an love.

Summary: Everyone in the office knew Kagome and Inuyasha were having a not-so-secret affair. They weren't EXACTLY wrong... (Not a cheating fic)

I was inspired to write this thanks to this post. It was so INUKAG that I just had to.

Already up on FF.net and AO3 :D

Before I start let me inform my lovely friends about this @kuddle-cakes @grapefruitwannabe @keichanz @vividxdreaming @purekagome @mustardyellowsunshine @stoatsandweasels @mmhinman @ryupioupiou @vixenfoxpaws @gypsin @meido-zangetsuha @little-known-artist @inukag-4ever @sakurasubinita (and as always I know I forgot someone here ugh)

This is my gift for all of you! The amazing people that keep this fandom alive!!

Sango saw her work-friend walking towards the building they worked in. She could have been smiling and calling her to go inside with her, but this time it was not possible. Kagome, the cute, sweet, honest and decent woman that had been her desk mate and best friend from work for the last year was now walking beside him.

Sango’s big chocolate eyes narrowed as she stared at him. He was not the drop-dead gorgeous type. Neither had he the best character or disposition—that she knew from experience. What did Kagome see in him to betray the man she had loved for more than a decade? A man that—before she met HIM—was the center of her life, along with their two sons.

Shaking her head, Sango saw them stop just before reaching the building’s door. After he whispered something into her ear and she giggled, he pulled her to the bush line until they were hidden by the myriad of green leaves. By the look on his face and the blush on her cheeks, Sango knew what they had been doing.

With a slow burning anger in the name of that great husband that Kagome used to talk about all the time before him, Sango kept walking, leaving them behind without a second look.

They caught up to her as she waited for the elevator. Sango could see them from the corner of her eye, standing way too close for regular coworkers, speaking in hushed tones and giving secret smiles... disgusting.

“Sango!” Kagome called her as she found the time to unwrap herself from her little cheating world.

Sango turned and nodded in acknowledgement, not even bothering with a fake smile. Kagome’s beaming smile faded a little as she tilted her head slightly in confusion and after blinking a couple of time she opened her lips to say something.

“Good thing I found you here! I want to formally introduce you...”

Sango sighed relieved as the elevator bell rang and its doors opened, giving her a believable excuse to avoid becoming an acquaintance of that man.

Interrupting her desk-mate’s words with a sober tone, “Sorry, Kagome. I’m running late,” Sango walked towards the open doors, not caring about the pair behind her.

“If she is running late, so are you. Go ahead.” She heard the man saying with his deep voice, in a much gentler tone than what she had heard from him before.

Sango turned around, already in her spot in the elevator to see Kagome peck his cheek before jogging in her direction. Rolling her eyes Sango reached for the button of their floor.

“Don’t forget about Valentine’s. We are ditching them for the night,” the man said with a lopsided smile and an intensity that in other circumstances Sango would have found attractive.

Kagome gave a soft laugh, and as the door closed she shouted, “But not all night! That would be mean!”

With an increasing rage Sango pulled out her phone and pretended to be engrossed in it as the elevator moved, exiting as soon as it was possible.

As she put distance between her and her shameless cheating and maybe-not-for-much-longer friend, Kagome looked at her thinking that maybe Sango was having a very difficult day. She had been having a mood for the last couple of weeks.

-_-_-_-_-

Miroku looked up from his desk as his friend approached their work station. Arching a brow mockingly as the other man almost skipped from joy in his steps.

“You’re looking happy, my friend”.

The other man schooled his features trying to cover that smile and failing miserably.

“Leave me alone, Miroku. I don’t want you to ruin my good mood with your contagious stupidity” he said with knitted brows.

“Alright, just tell me why the good mood?” Miroku asked with a smirk on his face that developed into a full smile when this time his friend blushed before turning his chair and skillfully keeping his face hidden as he spoke.

“Nothing, just that I finally know what to do for Valentine’s”

Resting his head on his hand and looking very amused, Miroku asked, “Yeah? Whachu doing tomorrow?”

Miroku was pleasantly surprised when instead of getting a ‘fuck off, Miroku’ as usual, his friend actually shared.

“I’m gonna try to get out of here a little earlier to buy some kind of romantic shit Kagome loves. Roses, chocolates, balloons, some kind of crap like that to surprise her and take her somewhere cheesy and have alone time there.”

Miroku’s smile disappeared as his friend shared his plans. It was just wrong... what they were doing was low and disgusting even for him. He knew Kagome from accounting, she was married and had children. Just like him. This affair thing they have was getting too serious, and even if he was not exactly a saint, his conscience was not calm knowing what his friend was doing. It was too shameless, and someone was bound to be hurt.

“...I wanted to book a hotel room, but she said she had promised to do something with the twins that night, so my plans are ruined. Damn runts.”

Miroku winced, it was that kind of thing that bothered him. The way his friend spoke about things that broke the vows he had made to his wife without a single ounce of regret, doubt or shame. He did it even with pride.

Ignoring the rest of the explanation he went back to the first days after he had met the guy. He had been a cranky and foul mouthed man that was remarkably good in what he did. A man that only lost his perpetual scowl when he talked about his wife, a wife that he didn’t see a lot because they used to work on opposite schedules, and even if they didn't see each other often they made their time count. And how happy he was to have landed that job to spend more time with her.

Miroku shrugged mentally. Maybe he had not said it with that many words, but he had understood nonetheless. A couple of weeks later he had met Kagome and his small comments about how much he wanted to come home and see his wife had stopped to slowly be replaced with things like ‘why the fuck is work not done? Kagome is going home before I can see her’ or ‘I’m gonna have dinner with Kagome before going home’.

He had tried to stay away from the situation for the last couple of months, but this was enough. He would have to choose if he wanted his life with his loving wife and his friendship, or this affair, because he was not going to let his friend do something that would undoubtedly bring him pain in the long run.

Miroku cleared his throat trying to get his friend’s attention, but before he could say something their coworker Kouga walked in gaining a low growl from his friend. Maybe I can tell him later, it doesn‘t have to be right now, Miroku thought and after hearing them argue and THE vein appear in his friend’s neck, he added, maybe it doesn’t have to be today.

-_-_-_-_-

Inuyasha was waiting inside their car for his wife to walk out of the building. It had been a long and tiresome day.

First a security guard had given him the evil eye as he walked out of the green area, then that freaking amazon that Kagome had befriended—that apparently hated him—had given him the cold shoulder again. This time going as low as to be rude to Kagome to make him mad.

He had tried to be positive and use their plans for the next day as his reason to let the day go as fast as it could, then that stupid wolf had come along just to mess with him and asked about shipments he was expecting, but hadn’t bothered to notify them—the import/export department—about it.

But before the stupid wolf came to sour his day, Inuyasha had enough time to go all soft and mushy with Miroku. That had apparently spooked the guy, because he had not spoken much after that, and he was a chatter machine. The quiet work moments were the only good thing in this day—well that and his lunch with Kagome, he admitted to himself.

Lunch with Kagome was one of the best things he got from this job, besides working with almost the same schedule and going home before sunset almost every day. And they could even take one car to work once or twice a week.

It was a nice change. He may not get all mushy constantly like Kagome, but he did enjoy their time together. Without their children. It was not that he didn't love them or didn't want to spend time with them, but even after twelve years together he loved spending time with his wife.

Even if that made people around them jealous. Inuyasha let out a short growl. He was not going to hide the fact they were a couple. He didn't care that they had shitty lives, or that they didn't have their spouses as close as his was. It didn't matter if they gave them the evil eye when he beelined to Kagome as soon as he stepped into the cafeteria, or when she waited for him in the small waiting room of his floor. Fuck them—he thought just before she showed up, walking—almost jogging—to the car.

After entering the car and giving him a short peck, she put the seatbelt on and turned to him again as he turned the car on.

“I had the strangest conversation with Sango today,” she said frowning.

“What did she do now?” he asked with a disinterested look on his face, even if his ears were turned to her.

“Okay, so after she totally ignored you this morning...”

“I told you she hated me,” he interrupted her and turned his face in her direction, quickly enough to give her a know-it-all face before looking back at the road.

“I don't like you either, when you interrupt me,” she said with a annoyed voice before going into serious mode again “but yeah, she doesn't like you. Anyways....” Kagome put one hand on his thigh before continuing, and even if he loved it when she touched him, this particular gesture meant she wanted him to keep quiet and listen to her story.

“...after she totally ignored me almost all morning, just before lunch time, she finally looks at me and says, ‘You should be more careful about what you do with him, at least when you're at work’.”

Inuyasha bit back his chuckle as Kagome's voice went lower imitating her friend.

“So I suspect I had my WTH face...”

Inuyasha chuckled this time “You can say ‘what the fuck’ when we are alone in the car, Kagome.”

His wife slapped his thigh softly and gave him a bored look, “I know genius, I just don't like it. But shush and let me finish, okay?”

She didn't say anything else until her husband nodded and agreed “Alright I'll shut my damned mouth.”

“Ookaay” she stretched the word, “I didn’t really get why she was saying all that because even if we are not exactly discreet about it, we haven't done anything improper at work.”

“Yet...” Inuyasha whispered wiggling his eyebrows, and that earned another slap and a grumpy look with her blush face, “Alright, alright. I’ll shut up”.

“I told her we will be careful at work.” Kagome shook her head. “I don't know why, but that seemed to get her even angrier and she didn't speak to me again. We were busy after that, but I could tell she was ignoring me.”

She sounded upset about the whole thing and Inuyasha couldn't even fathom a reason why that crazy amazon woman could be mad at his sweet Kagome.

“Maybe she has issues with happy couples”, was all the insight he could provide about the workings of the female mind.

“I dunno, but I'll ask her tomorrow.”

Inuyasha nodded as they parked in front of Kagome’s mom’s house, and even before walking out of the car the heads of their twins were peeking through the window, waving at them.

-_-_-_-_-_-

It was Valentine’s day and Kagome had soon realized her husband was behaving strangely. He was either too quiet, even for him, or snappy. And that meant one of two things, he had forgotten about today—which was unlikely because yesterday he had reminded her about today's plans— or he had gone out of his way and had a surprise for her and was nervous about how she was going to take it. Kagome was pretty sure it was the latter.

That morning they had not crossed paths with Sango on their way in and Kagome was glad. Another clash between those two when he was that nervous was good for no one.

After leaving him at the entrance, close to her elevator before he walked to the side of the building that had the elevator with access to his office, he had walked away grumpily grumbling about stupid made-up holidays. Kagome smiled as his almost twitching back, knowing today was going to be fun. She couldn't wait to see him again.

That is how Kagura found her, staring at him with longing written all over her face.

“Problems in paradise?” the tall woman asked with her usual tone that always confused Kagome because she couldn't pinpoint if she was being attentive or sarcastic. Being Valentine’s day and not wanting to ruin her own mood, Kagome chose to be positive.

“Not really. He always gets this way when he is trying to hide something,” her smile was almost genuine.

Kagura raised a brow “Then he must be in a bad mood constantly... being with you and all”.

Kagome blinked a couple of times confused by the question. “Ahh, well. I hope not, he doesn't have it in him to hide or lie. He’s mostly doing it for me.”

The other woman let out a soft chuckle before starting to walk away. “I'm impressed...” was all she said before turning around, fanning her long hair on Kagome’s face as she retreated.

“What a weird woman,” Kagome mumbled and heard Kagura chuckle again.

“I’m not the only one, darling,” She said without turning and Kagome blushed embarrassed. She had forgotten about her abilities, damn it.

The embarrassment was still there when she found her way to her work station, beside the very quiet Sango.

“Good morning, Sango” She chirped, trying to stay positive again.

Her friend only nodded without even looking up. Kagome mentally shrugged and started to work. Maybe the other woman would talk to her after her anger subsided, for whatever reasons Sango was mad about.

It was lunch time and Kagome was pleasantly surprised to find Inuyasha waiting for her outside her department’s door pacing. His ears found her before he had the time to announce her presence and he rushed to her.

“Kagome, I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to have lunch with you today...” His golden eyes looking everywhere but her face.

Hiding her smile she tried to use a slightly sad voice, “Ouhh, I have been waiting for lunchtime so I could see you, but don’t worry, we can have lunch together tomorrow.” She offered a small smile before tilting her head with curiosity. “But what happened?”

Inuyasha shifted uncomfortable in his place, almost squirming under her innocent eyes.

“I-I need to do some errands...nothing important, something for the twins,” He added when Kagome frowned, trying to think about what kind of errands he had to do. “I don’t need your nosy presence in all of my business, you know?”

His defiant stand lost its strength when Kagome’s expression didn’t change, and she kept staring at him like he was a puzzle she was trying to solve.

“Alright...” She stretched the word, loving how he looked increasingly uncomfortable—and cute, Kagome had to admit.

“I-I’ll walk you to the cafeteria,” Inuyasha offered as he scratched his head nervously.

Kagome nodded and hooked her arm around his, letting him guide her; enjoying it to the fullest as it was something neither of them got the chance to do often. Their departments were on different floors and the cafeteria was right between them, so the usual arrangement was to meet at the their table.

As they took the elevator, it slowly filled with people from different departments. Some of them were acquaintances, some of them were not, but most of them gave them reprimanding looks before turning and showing them their backs with something close to a theatrical gesture.

After the third and fourth person did something along those lines Inuyasha started to glare at them. By the time the sixth person did the routine he had growled out.

“What? Have something to say?”

By the way his upper lip twitched, Kagome knew he was trying not to snarl. Her free hand darted to his chest in a calming manner. Not one of the people present dared to answer the question and as soon as the doors opened, everyone hurried outside.

“I’m getting tired of their judgemental looks,” he whispered with a long low growl.

Kagome’s eyes warmed as she stroked his chest. “Just give them time” she gave him a small smile. “Maybe the attitude is because of something else, not because of our relationship.”

He gave a rumbling sigh before turning and saying goodbye to her with a serious look on his face. As he waited for the doors to close Kagome put her hands around her lips and shouted.

“Do that thing for your family and come back quick for me!”

Inuyasha smirked and nodded. That was enough for her, making a fool of herself in front of her coworkers if he could feel better. The dirty looks were not important, she barely noticed them anymore by the time she finished buying her food, and it didn't exist in her mind any longer as she emptied her tray.

She was too busy thinking about what these mysterious errands could be that he had to do during their lunch break.

When she came back to her office Sango was already there again, and as she had been doing recently, not a word or acknowledgement came from her. It was tough, losing a friend slowly as the desire of the other person to be close disappeared. What were you supposed to do? Nag them to answer you? Ask things multiple times to see if that earned a reply?

It was almost time to go home, just half an hour more and she would have the afternoon to spend with Inuyasha and later with their kids, but that little prick of sadness was still there.

Kagome did not understand how a friendship of almost a year could be destroyed like that, without knowing the reason why. Because there was no doubt anymore, Sango had a problem with her, she behaved normally with everyone except her deskmate. It couldn't be because she had a relationship with a half youkai, right? She was not one of those purist that thought species should not mingle that way, right?

A soft knock from the door and the mention of her name made her look up. It was a delivery man with something that looked like a bouquet. One of her coworkers called her name and she promptly run there, with a big smile on her face.

“So this was the errand.” She thought as the man checked her name and made her sign the receipt.

The bouquet was beautiful, and very Inuyasha-like. It had a few flowers, red, yellow and blue as she liked them, and twice as much candy and chocolates than flowers.

Kagome giggled as she walked back to her work station. He was planning on enjoying this bouquet with her.

When she placed it on her desk, she realized the base was not part of the arrangement, it had been glued to it. Kagome felt giddy as she opened the package; not only because it was a present, but because Inuyasha was not a person to usually give physical stuff, he preferred to show how important something was for him through his actions—and he was very good at that. So everytime he went out of his way to think about something to give to her, it was something that he had thought out thoroughly.

She gasped when she found a small card tucked in the bouquet. It has always fascinated her how suck a brash man had such a elegant and stylized handwriting. And it meant a lot to her that he had written something because, in his own words “I fuck things up when I talk, I don’t like to give you permanent evidence of my stupid words”.

Her smile became wider as she read the note:

Kagome, I know you love these kind of sappy things.

Even if I’m not very fond of those shi things I liked this gift.

You’re always nagging me about taking a picture so you can see us all day.

So that you will miss us a little less.

So here it is. I hope you like it.

There is a blank space, not because I forgot, but because I know you want one with all of us together.

You know what I feel, just like I do too.

YOUR HUSBAND.

Kagome laughed as she reread the note. It was the kind of sweet thing he would do, saying all sort of endearing things in his own special way. He absolutely loathed taking pictures—of himself or anyone else—which was the reason why she didn’t have pictures on her desk. She could almost see him trying to say everything carefully so she wouldn’t misunderstand. His brows knitted together, probably THE vein making an appearance as the the the note progressed and he disliked the outcome. His blush starting as a light dusting across his nose and cheeks and ending up covering his entire face and neck. His ears flicking one at a time. In one word, cute.

The package was in her hands ready to be opened, when the sound of several malfunctioning chair’s wheels scratching against the floor drew her attention. Raising her eyes, she found Sango’s accusing glare. Kagome was really tired of that stare, and killing her good mood—again—was something she was not going to let it happen.

Before her friend could say whatever she was planning, Kagome beat her to it with a dry and exasperated tone

“I have to ask, what is your problem?” Even Kagome could hear the hidden ‘the fuck’ between ‘what’ and ‘is’. Inuyasha would have been proud of her in that moment, she was sure.

The dignified look on Sango’s face was replaced by one of confusion, and after an elegant scoff she answered, “MY problem? You are seriously asking what MY problem is, Kagome?”

Kagome only nodded.

“MY problem is that I don't recognize you anymore...” Sango let out a long sigh “I've known you for more than a year and I've always thought of you as an honest person, but now I can’t reconcile that with what I’m seeing.” Sango started to get visibly upset, talking faster with each word and even if her volume didn’t go up, her pitch did. “You were not one to speak of yourself too much, but you never held back talking about how much you loved your husband, and your kids. And now! Now you! You spend all your time with him!” When she didn’t see any reaction from Kagome, she suddenly whispered, “Inuyasha...”

“What?” Was the only thing Kagome could utter after the overly emotional and incredibly confusing speech.

“I am worried seeing you wreck your marriage on a whim!”

Kagome left her package on her lap and raised her hands, “W-w-wait, tell me how exactly am I wrecking my marriage by spending time with him?”

Sango huffed exasperated “You need to think about your husband! About everything you got at home!” She pointed at the bouquet and the note on her desk. “Look at what you could lose!”

After a few blinks and a blank stare, the corners of her lips started to twitch upward, and even the cold stare from the person before her couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled out of her.

“Wait...” she said between chuckles, “you think I’m cheating ON my husband WITH Inuyasha?”

Sango deadpanned at her. “Yeah...”

When Kagome saw the worry that Sango had on her face, she quietly opened the package on her lap and stared at the photoset. It had a picture of Inuyasha, a not a very skilled selfie but adorable nonetheless. Beside him was a picture of the twins, another selfie with the children sitting on their couch, both of them holding the camera and with the cutest focused expression on their little faces, their ears up and alert and their little tongues peeking out, just like their father did. The last picture was of the three of them, with Inuyasha in the center and one kid under each arm. Just like he said in the note, there was a space without a picture, it was actually the biggest one.

Without saying a thing she handed the frame to Sango, whose face reflected the struggle to put everything together. Trying to help, Kagome offered a “My husband sent me that gift.”

After a couple of moments Sango nodded, handed back the frame, and along with an almost-glowing blushed and contrite face she squeaked an “understood” before she went back to her desk on her scratching chair.

As she walked to the door Kagome said to herself, “This is a really good work story.”

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

“Stop squirming,” Miroku said from his desk with his eyes on his coworker, “Time will not go faster the louder you growl to the clock.”

Inuyasha moved his eyes away from the clock just enough to glare at the other man saying, “Fuck off, Miroku”, expecting to see a mocking smirk, but instead a frown and something a little too soft, yet close to a scowl.

Inuyasha raised his chin in Miroku’s direction “What’s with you? No Valentine’s for today?”

Miroku huffed “I have one. And I’m her only date so that’s better than yours, isn’t it?”

There was something in the man’s tone that bothered the hanyou. He was not very good at decoding hidden intentions but he had caught one there, and that had to mean Miroku was exaggerating for him to understand.

“Stop fucking around. I’m not gonna lose my time with you when I can go pick up Kagome.”

The other man’s hand pointed at Inuyasha accusingly, “That is exactly what I meant.” He stood up and walked towards his coworker’s desk before continued “I cannot understand why you are losing your time with someone who has someone else. I know she is really cute, and sexy, and you cannot stop yourself from having a few ideas about her, but I didn’t think you were one of the sharing kind”.

The next things happened too fast for the human to be able to defend himself or even move. One moment he was sitting on the corner of Inuyasha’s desk with the hanyou looking at him with a tilted head in confusion, and the next he was pinned against the wall by the neck with the snarling face of his friend close enough to hear and feel each breath he took, along with the rumbling growl that escaped each time he breathed.

“Don’t. You. Ever. Talk. About. Her. Like. That. Again.” Inuyasha didn’t blink as he warned Miroku.

Being as smart as he was, the other man didn’t say a word and only raised his hand in surrender as the taller man released him and walked back to his chair without a word.

Only after Inuyasha was comfortably sitting in his chair and far away from his neck he continued, “Sorry...but if you want to keep doing that you should at least be more discreet, my friend. No need to broadcast your relationship. Be respectful.”

Inuyasha did one of those sudden move-then-stop things that always creeped Miroku out before saying, “Fuck that! I won’t hide my wife just because you don’t like it!”.

Miroku had raised one hand when the other man began talking. “But you just—w-wait, what?”

“I don’t care if your eyes burn when you see us, I won’t hide my relationship with her”.

Miroku was baffled. It was a given that Inuyasha was not a gifted speaker, and some times what he said made no sense. He was used to that, but he had said twice that Kagome was his wife.

“I didn’t know she was your wife...” he whispered more to himself than anything else, but either way Inuyasha answered.

“Duh, what else could she be?” After he said it, a tense silence stretched between them “Wait... you thought she was—”

“Your mistress,” Miroku offered when the half demon struggled to find a word that wasn’t offensive to refer to her, even if it was in a hypothetical way.

“What the fuck, Miroku?” Was the last thing Inuyasha said before Miroku rushed to explain his reasoning.

“Hey! You never speak about yourself! I had to piece things together. And first you talked about your wife and your kids, IT TOOK ME ALMOST A MONTH TO KNOW YOU HAVE TWINS!” He shouted before taking air again and continue “And after I saw you and Kagome eating at the cafeteria you never talked about your wife anymore, and you didn’t introduce me to her! So-so I just assumed that you...”

“Were having an affair with a married woman...” This time Inuyasha finished the sentence.

Miroku was the one squirming now. “I talked about my wife because I thought you didn’t know her. I don’t talk about my life, because it’s nobody’s fucking business AND didn’t introduce Kagome that time because you said you knew her...”

By the time Inuyasha finished, the clock signaled the end of his work day and without looking back he took his jacket and walked outside.

When a “sorry” reached his ears Inuyasha only raised his hand and kept walking. “Stupid moron” he said to himself.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Kagome reached the entrance of the building first, hugging her gifts. It didn’t take long for Inuyasha to find her and her beaming smile.

He opened his lips to ask about the presents when Kagome blurted, “I loved them! Thank you!”

The frown and the bad taste that the conversation with Miroku had left disappeared as the relief of having done something good replaced them. “Good” he said with a smirk as they walked to their car.

As soon as the car’s doors were closed they turned to each other and both said at the same time, "Guess what someone said to me today.”

The end.

Thank you for reading you beautiful people!!!

#inukag #inuyasha #kagome #fanfiction #InunannaFanfiction #happy valentine's day!!!#Thank you to allmy amazing friends that helped me to make things readable :D #I know the awesomest people #im so happy to be in this fandom!#inunanna #inuyasha-valentines

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socialattractionuk · 5 years ago

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Life in lockdown has made us more open to virtual dating and long distance relationships

Will you continue to date over video chat once lockdown ends? (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

Long after lockdown is lifted, some after-effects of the coronavirus pandemic may linger.

Our experiences in the last few months will likely have an impact on how we date, as one example, from FOMU (that’s fear of meeting up) in the short term to cosy nights in cocktail bars no longer being the go-to date.

New research from the dating app Plenty of Fish looks at just how the pandemic will affect how we form romantic relationships, by surveying 850 users about how they’re feeling about dating right now.

Turns out it’s not all doom, gloom, and an overwhelming fear of physical contact – our experiences in lockdown may actually change our approach to dating for the better.

66% of those surveyed said they now value deeper conversations more than they did pre-pandemic, likely because lockdown has meant dating takes place through lengthy conversations over phone calls rather than rushing into the physical stuff.

The survey points to daters becoming more open to connecting in new ways.

Seven in ten (71%) of those surveyed said they’d be happy to go on a virtual date once lockdown is over, while 33% would now be open to a long distance relationship. Months apart has allowed many of us to realise we can form strong bonds from a distance.

This is a trend echoed by the team over at Badoo, who told us video dating have become so prevalent in lockdown that a virtual date ‘will become a natural step in the dating process before meeting face to face’.

Our experiences in lockdown have changed the way we approach dating and relationships (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

Badoo’s UK Brand Marketing Director Natasha Briefel told Metro.co.uk: ‘t’s a great way to get to know somebody beyond messaging, and it also means you can make sure they are who they say they are!’

All those virtual dates and socially distanced strolls may have changed what we look for in a date, perhaps as we’re no longer able to overlook personality clashes by searching for a physical spark.

18% said being socially distanced from dating has made them open to romance with someone who’s not their usual type, while 35% said they now deem looks less important than before.

More: Dating

Life in lockdown has made us more open to virtual dating and long distance relationships

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The most popular qualities people look for in a date (on Plenty of Fish, at least. People on other dating apps might still be superficial) are humour, shared interests, and authenticity – all important if you’re planning to have lengthy conversations, over Zoom or otherwise.

Shannon Smith, Dating and Relationship expert for Plenty of Fish, says: ‘Lockdown and self-isolation has clearly had an impact on how we date, but it hasn’t stopped singles from looking for love.

‘There are so many ways to get to know someone, and once you spark that initial connection, why not try a virtual video date? It’s clear from our findings that no matter how you’re dating, the best way to find love is to be authentic and true to yourself.’

Dating terms and trends, defined

Blue-stalling: When two people are dating and acting like a couple, but one person in the partnership states they're unready for any sort of label or commitment (despite acting in a different manner).

Breadcrumbing: Leaving ‘breadcrumbs’ of interest – random noncommittal messages and notifications that seem to lead on forever, but don’t actually end up taking you anywhere worthwhile Breadcrumbing is all about piquing someone’s interest without the payoff of a date or a relationship.

Caspering: Being a friendly ghost - meaning yes, you ghost, but you offer an explanation beforehand. Caspering is all about being a nice human being with common decency. A novel idea.

Catfish: Someone who uses a fake identity to lure dates online.

Clearing: Clearing season happens in January. It’s when we’re so miserable thanks to Christmas being over, the cold weather, and general seasonal dreariness, that we will hook up with anyone just so we don’t feel completely unattractive. You might bang an ex, or give that creepy guy who you don’t really fancy a chance, or put up with truly awful sex just so you can feel human touch. It’s a tough time. Stay strong.

Cloutlighting: Cloutlighting is the combo of gaslighting and chasing social media clout. Someone will bait the person they’re dating on camera with the intention of getting them upset or angry, or making them look stupid, then share the video for everyone to laugh at.

Cockfishing: Also known as catcocking. When someone sending dick pics uses photo editing software or other methods to change the look of their penis, usually making it look bigger than it really is.

Cuffing season: The chilly autumn and winter months when you are struck by a desire to be coupled up, or cuffed.

Firedooring: Being firedoored is when the access is entirely on one side, so you're always waiting for them to call or text and your efforts are shot down.

Fishing: When someone will send out messages to a bunch of people to see who’d be interested in hooking up, wait to see who responds, then take their pick of who they want to get with. It’s called fishing because the fisher loads up on bait, waits for one fish to bite, then ignores all the others.

Flashpanner: Someone who’s addicted to that warm, fuzzy, and exciting start bit of a relationship, but can’t handle the hard bits that might come after – such as having to make a firm commitment, or meeting their parents, or posting an Instagram photo with them captioned as ‘this one’.

Freckling: Freckling is when someone pops into your dating life when the weather’s nice… and then vanishes once it’s a little chillier.

Gatsbying: To post a video, picture or selfie to public social media purely for a love interest to see it.

Ghosting: Cutting off all communication without explanation.

Grande-ing: Being grateful, rather than resentful, for your exes, just like Ariana Grande.

Hatfishing: When someone who looks better when wearing a hat has pics on their dating profile that exclusively show them wearing hats.

Kittenfishing: Using images that are of you, but are flattering to a point that it might be deceptive. So using really old or heavily edited photos, for example. Kittenfishes can also wildly exaggerate their height, age, interests, or accomplishments.

Lovebombing: Showering someone with attention, gifts, gestures of affection, and promises for your future relationship, only to distract them from your not-so-great bits. In extreme cases this can form the basis for an abusive relationship.

Microcheating: Cheating without physically crossing the line. So stuff like emotional cheating, sexting, confiding in someone other than your partner, that sort of thing.

Mountaineering: Reaching for people who might be out of your league, or reaching for the absolute top of the mountain.

Obligaswiping: The act of endlessly swiping on dating apps and flirt-chatting away with no legitimate intention of meeting up, so you can tell yourself you're doing *something* to put yourself out there.

Orbiting: The act of watching someone's Instagram stories or liking their tweets or generally staying in their 'orbit' after a breakup.

Paperclipping: When someone sporadically pops up to remind you of their existence, to prevent you from ever fully moving on.

Preating: Pre-cheating - laying the groundwork and putting out feelers for cheating, by sending flirty messages or getting closer to a work crush.

Prowling: Going hot and cold when it comes to expressing romantic interest.

R-bombing: Not responding to your messages but reading them all, so you see the 'delivered' and 'read' signs and feel like throwing your phone across the room.

Scroogeing: Dumping someone right before Christmas so you don't have to buy them a present.

Shadowing: Posing with a hot friend in all your dating app photos, knowing people will assume you're the attractive one and will be too polite to ask.

Shaveducking: Feeling deeply confused over whether you're really attracted to a person or if they just have great facial hair.

Sneating:When you go on dates just for a free meal.

Stashing: The act of hiding someone you're dating from your friends, family, and social media.

Submarineing: When someone ghosts, then suddenly returns and acts like nothing happened.

V-lationshipping:When someone you used to date reappears just around Valentine's Day, usually out of loneliness and desperation.

You-turning: Falling head over heels for someone, only to suddenly change your mind and dip.

Zombieing: Ghosting then returning from the dead. Different from submarineing because at least a zombie will acknowledge their distance.

MORE: What Comes Next: The coronavirus pandemic will change how we view dating and relationships

MORE: Dating app launches new tool to stop you receiving unsolicited dick pics

MORE: How to cope with lockdown dating anxiety

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socialattractionuk · 5 years ago

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From isolationships to flu-merangs – here are the lockdown dating terms you need to know in 2020

Virtual dating is where it’s at (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

The pandemic has changed many aspects of our lives, including how we date.

In lockdown, we’ve said goodbye to one-night-stands, late night drinks or any form of real life interaction (though there are reports of some people sneaking out for a shag or not-so-socially-distanced date).

For the better part of 2020 so far, dating has been virtual – with phone and video calls galore.

Naturally, with a new dating culture comes new dating terms, and yes, the trends that they represent are just as awful as the ones we already know.

Through a recent survey, the dating website Match.com, has revealed some interesting findings, including that nearly half of all participants (45%) are ‘date-piling’ (stockpiling dates) for when lockdown, so they can meet people instantly after.

Visit our live blog for the latest updates: Coronavirus news live

Others (31%) are already in an ‘isolationship’ – they are exclusive with someone they are dating virtually but haven’t met yet.

Meanwhile, boredom in lockdown is also causing us to behave differently as 27% of participants report a so-called ‘flu-merang’ – being contacted by exes during the pandemic.

Others are experiencing ‘left on read rage’, as matches and dates are taking forever to reply to them, even though none of us have anything to do right now.

Ouch, that’s harsh.

Date-piling: Lining up real-life dates so you’re ready for when restrictions lift and can go on dates straight away.

Iso-boasting: Showing off your partner’s mad domestic skills during lockdown on social media.

Isolationship: A relationship that you’ve started with someone you virtually met during lockdown (you haven’t met IRL yet).

Locktail-hour: Having drinks video with a date you met online.

Quaran-teasing: Basically being a big tease and flirting with someone you don’t like just because you’re bored in lockdown.

Flu-merangs: An ex that comes out of the woodworks during the pandemic.

Pen-demic pal: An online match that you’re continously messaging with but haven’t had a phone or video date with yet.

Left on ‘read’ rage: the anger at a message being left on ‘read’ for an unacceptable amount of time, even though everyone is in lockdown and there’s nothing else to do.

Social-kisstancing: trying to flirt after lockdown when you have forgotten how to do it.

Ditching-hour: A clean-up of all your online dating matches because the conversation has dried up or they weren’t what you expected on the first video date.

Quarrel-tines: Arguments caused by miscommunication when dating apart, with messages ‘lost in isolation’ (being interpreted in the wrong way) .

OK, dating is hard – but it’s not as doom and gloom as it might seem.

The survey also showed that 12% of singles are now more determined to find a long-lasting relationship, and 40% have a stronger desire for love and affection.

‘Every aspect of our lives has been affected by the pandemic and our dating habits are no exception,’ said Hayley Quinn, Match’s dating expert.

‘We’re seeing singles use this time to approach online dating with a renewed vigour and putting in to practice new habits that they intend to take forward as social distancing measures ease and real-world dates resume.

‘With virtual dates becoming more common, singles have even more opportunities to meet their potential match and embark on the committed relationship they’ve been looking for.’

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From isolationships to flu-merangs - here are the lockdown dating terms you need to know

These aren’t the only new dating terms to come out of lockdown.

The language learning app Babbel has also released some lingual gems like Zumped (being dumped via Zoom) and Coronalingus (dirty talk, lockdown-style) and more.

Want to know more about how coronavirus is changing the dating game?

You’re in luck, we’ve created an entire guide on it.