#omg a teenager for well over two decades

[awsugar]

speaking of questions that exercise very mcr specific muscles in your brain. i was perusing mychem tumblr the other day and came across a masterpost about the SS/mayo blog frerard lore (i’m aware frerard is not PC these days thanks obama). i’ve been a dedicated fan for over a decade now and my brain is an mcr lore bank but i had literally never heard of this. do you know about it and if you do what are your thoughts

omg yea. ss/mayo is crazy. and unfortunately a lot of it has been lost to time and its not even saved on wayback. theres some stuff thats convincing, theres some stuff thats not.

so like lets preface this by saying that the ft willz myspace? confirmed to be frank. and obviously the stuff posted on skeleton crew, those screenshots of ft willz works that look like theyre on burnt paper? yea so those are confirmed and those are real fully frank no questions.

i personally am a skeptic of other accounts that claim to be ft willz. like the tumblr? i do not think thats frank. and i think that came at a time when people had already really speculated or figured out that ft willz WAS frank. so like i think the tumblr is honestly just someone who was pretending to be frank and managed to sort of emulate his style but yea i don't think it's him. i think the reason some of the stuff hits so hard in a frerard sense is because that was intentional by the person writing it. you know.

anyway ss and mayo. there were two blogs on blogspot started in 2007 i believe that fans thought were frank and gerard. well it started with mayo (its-mayonaise.blogspot.com). that blog is still up and so are a lot of the posts but i think a lot of them have been deleted as well, and not saved anywhere on wayback. im sure theyre on someones hard drive out there but i haven't seen them. then a blog appeared called iamthemodernprometheus.blogspot.com. some of those posts are still up but most are gone. that was ss/sss/shitsubou shita/frank (allegedly). ss started interacting in the comments on mayo's blog. and i think i may have read some mayo blog posts back in the day but i haven't been able to find them to answer this one. i just remember when i joined the fandom most people thought it was gerard.

now here's a couple things of evidence. THIS is a blogspot comment thread where people who have saved some of ss' blog posts put them in the comments. and yes obviously it could be an elaborate hoax by two fans who were invested in frerard. but like these things were being posted as it HAPPENED. you know? idk i wasnt there in 2007. but 2007 was when the fanfic took off and we really informed a lot of our perception of what happened with frerard on things like ft willz/stuff that happened on stage/and a lot of these posts really fit into the timeline. i would recommend reading that because its kind of hard to believe its like. a teenager pretending to be frank. it really just SOUNDS like frank. and he's really writing blog posts. basically to gerard lol. it gives the impression that they were on tour together (projekt rev) and doing the Thing but like there was def tension going on behind the scenes and we already know that thats true. frank didn't like eliza and thought gerard was moving too fast, the imnotokay.net post came from someone in mcr's camp that ppl thought was frank (or maybe brian) and then tbh its happening again?? just months later? it makes complete sense that if frank thought gerard was moving too fast with eliza that he DEFINITELY thought he was moving too fast with lynz getting MARRIED to her backstage just a couple months? after breaking off his engagement with eliza. anyway just read the comments. its very easy to believe its frank.

and then the other peice of evidece i found in this reddit thread: x comment in particular by u/ReallyKapu. they say that they have always gone by Kapunua online and that they met frank at a lm show, gave him a hat with the inscription 'sss' inside and later on he thanked them for it on the blog.

sure enough:

from what i've read it seems like the blog was actually a community. there were people who followed it and made friends in the comment section. and it does seem implausible but it looks to me like frank saved all of his gifts from tour and then made this post specifically thanking people for them. the person who claims this is them also says that they don't think mayo is actually gerard but that frank thought it was.

and i've seen stuff saying that if it wasn't gerard it was probably someone close to the band because they had like information that was posted on the blog that wouldn't come readily available (or make sense) until the show the next day.

anyway, i wasn't there for this. i was on the forums and twitter and tumblr for a LOT of mcr history but this was a little before my time and i think if i had been there OR if the blogs had actually been preserved in some way that i might be able to form a better opinion. i think theres a lot of evidence for frank, not sure about gerard. but i won't claim that it's true either bc we really don't know and this one i don't think we ever will!

[merriclo]

staring at you with autism in my eyes. tell me your haruno headcanons

how does it feel to be my favorite person ever in the entire world? i have so many headcanons for her omg.. you’ve opened the pandora’s box (’ω’)

Haruno’s around 23 years old, give or take, and was born in the spring. she’s a college graduate, and got her degree in accounting!!

i like to think that she vaguely knew Kunikida when they were in high school. they weren’t super close, but they were friendly enough! one day they ran into each other at the grocery store, and Haruno stopped by to say hi and catch up. when Kunikida learned that she was an accountant in need of a job, he immediately referred her to the Agency, since Fukuzawa had off-handedly mentioned needing a clerk. he was her reference, and she got hired pretty quickly.

that being said, i think her relationship with Kunikida has increased quite a bit since she was hired. obviously, she’s incredibly greatful for his help in employment, and she shows him that quite often. he’s also happy to work with her since she’s a good employee and great at what she does. sure, he’ll scold her for looking at Mii-chan pics on the clock, but she’s better than most of the others (cough Dazai cough) so. whatever. idk i just like to think that they’re buddies..

she acts as a kind of “head clerk,” which basically just means training the part-timers and making sure the technical things run as smoothly as possible. she’s very very good at her job, and the entire office appreciates it.

Natsume/Mii-chan kind of just. followed her home a few days after she was hired. she thinks she’s a victim of the cat distribution system, but in reality it was all very intentional. lucky for him though, she spoils him rotten. he hasn’t eaten this good in decades (he’s a little chubby because of it but that’s okay)

Haruno’s the one who primarily does the agency’s grocery shopping, since she’s pretty responsible and one of the few members who can drive (well)

huuuge coupon lover (which is another reason she does most of the shopping, she gets like ¥14,000 off.) she’ll gift people coupons too if she knows they’ll use them. canned crab coupon? here ya go, Dazai! fountain pen coupon? hey, Kunikida, check this out! candy coupon? ohhh Ranpo’s gonna love this!!! the agency’s wallet thanks her

Naomi and her hang out allll the damn time. working for the ADA means keeping your work life (and personal life, if you have an ability) under wraps. because of this, and having to keep Jun’ichirō’s ability hush, Naomi doesn’t have any real friends outside of Haruno. so, the two have weekly girls’ nights where they hang out and gossip and do face masks and such. Haruno wants Naomi to have as much of a standard teenage experience as possible, and this is kind of her way of giving that to her. (also they totally force Jun’ichirō to join them sometimes, so he always has these beautifully manicured fingernails.)

she was absolutely awful at brewing tea when she was first hired, but she’s put in a lot of work since then and is getting much better!! Fukuzawa deeply appreciates it

i think she runs pretty cold, which is why she likes wearing thick sweaters and opaque tights. i can totally see her coming into work in the winter, all bundled up with a thick coat and sweater, and immediately running to brew some hot tea to warm up

also sometimes she’ll spook her coworkers by randomly touching them with her cold hands. Kunikida and Naomi are the most common victims

oh as for sexuality headcanons. she’s a lesbian and you can’t convince me otherwise. she’s had like 1 girlfriend in the past and then got so absorbed in her work and cat that she’s never tried to get another. she thinks Yosano’s really pretty but, with peace and love, she cannot match her freak so. she’s not even going to try and flirt with her

that being said i can totally see someone flirting with Haruno and it going right over her head. she’s such a friendly lady that she assumes all flirting attempts are just friendly conversations. please Haruno use your eyes. the cashier at Trader Joe’s is in love with you

continuing again. i think some client of the ADA has made a passing remark about her and Kunikida dating, to which everyone just blankly stares at them because. no that’s not. that’s not chemistry. thats wlw mlm solidarity in the office, ma’am. sorry to disappoint

she’s definitely got a blog full of pictures of Mii-chan that has a freakish amount of followers. Fukuzawa was its first follower, and Naomi its second (to this day she’s still bitter that he got to it before her)

she loves showtunes, and did a lot of theatre in high school. she was going to pursue it professionally, but it didn’t end up working out. (fun fact: her namesake is a character in Jun’ichirō Tanizaki’s book Naomi, who is an actress!!)

Atsushi gave her a little calico cat charm for her phone and she loves it dearly

sometimes she’ll do something super cringey and embarrassing when at home and then an intense wave of shame will wash over her because she knows Mii-chan’s judging the fuck out of her.. you can see it in his eyes….

her glasses are constantly just a littol bit smudged

i feel like she’d watch a lot of mindless, sappy television. like hopeless romantic j-dramas or shoujos. nothing that makes her think too hard after a long day of work

in conclusion i love her so much she is my favorite darling sweetheart and i want to kiss her forehead so damn bad. she is perfect and wonderful and i wish she got more screentime ɷ◡ɷ

[unicornmachine]

Unicornmachine AO3 Masterlist

Okay I've wanted to make this post forever so here we go~

For starters, absolutely none of these are safe for work, they are all so very explicit, I'm sorry.

Fiolee

OMG did this pairing possess me (and continues to...) there are so many stories I’ve written for them I’m making a read more break here.

Love in the Moonlight

Summary: Fionna the Human drops by the Candy Palace for the Biennial Gumball Ball, but she doesn't get much dancing done as she's approached by Marshall Lee the Vampire King. She hasn't seen him in years, since she's gone off on rumors searching for a new Enchiridion in Aaa and he's been spending his time in the Nightosphere, and wow. He's just as she remembered, down to the incessant flirting. Let's see if he can make good on any of these promises.

First off, okay, let me just say this was my OG Fiolee fic and the first fanfic I had written in well over a decade. I started out like many authors writing fanfics as a teenager but stopped when I started working on original works. I published three OC books IRL and really enjoyed writing them but there's something about writing fanfics that is just... so much more fun to me. I rewatched Adventure Time and remembered how much I always loved the Fiolee pairing, so I tried to look them up on AO3 to read about them... AND THERE WAS HARDLY ANYTHING!

Oh no, I told myself, I will just write one little fanfic for fun, for old times sake! WHAT A LIE THAT TURNED OUT TO BE.

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I wrote Love in the Moonlight, but I'm so happy I did.

The Deal

Summary: In a moment of desperation Fionna makes a deal with Marshall Lee the Vampire King.

Oh man... The concept of this fic was so undoing to me, a human making a deal with a vampire? A little of their blood in exchange for some necessary help? UGH!!!

A Challenge Between Friends

Summary: In an attempt to win a challenge to scare Fionna, Marshall Lee accidentally takes things too far while exploring a dungeon and loses his grip on himself.

My friend and I were literally feral coming up with the concept of this. I mean... sexy vampire? Dungeon sex? Marshall sucking the red coloring out of Fionna's bra? WHO SITS AROUND AND DISCUSSES THIS STUFF WITH THEIR FRIENDS?! Me, apparently!

Fionna Campbell: Vampire Hunter

Summary: After 1000 years of peace vampire attacks are popping up and it seems a new vampire is preying on the land. Who better to cleanse the land of this new evil than the original vampire hunter, Marshall Lee the Vampire King. He’ll just need some human bait.

This fic... OMG this fic, this fic, this fic... This is probably my favorite story I've ever written. It is so self-indulgent to me and I honestly had so much fun writing it.

The Star

Summary: Fionna travels through the multiverse, to the universe where the vampires won on a mission to retrieve Simone a new crown. While traveling through the wreckage of this strange, new Aaa she meets The Star.

All I could think while watching the Fionna and Cake episode about Marceline becoming The Star was... WHAT IF WE FLIPPED THIS? AND MARSHALL WAS THE STAR? AND HE CAPTURES FIONNA?! hahahahahaha!!!

There are also multiple one-shots and smaller stories on my AO3 featuring this pairing. Love in the Moonlight has a follow up that is still in progress that is linked to the original fic. One may argue this is simply too much Fiolee porn for one person to write. The only thing I can think is... it's never enough.

Huntbunny

Ahhh! This pairing is so cute! I love the idea of Fionna and Hunter Wizard. I haven't written NEARLY enough of these two, but I have more stories in progress.

The Magic Flower

Summary: Fionna runs into trouble deep in a forest on a mission to retrieve a magic flower. Thankfully, someone finds her and helps her out...

So, this story came from a friend sending me some very explicit Huntbunny fanart from the X artist Yakza_draw. I wrote a story to go with the art and sent it to the artist as a thank you for her making such a wonderful work. She ended up becoming a very dear friend of mine, so this fic will always have a special place in my heart.

The Traveling Fountain

Summary: A string of misfortunes leads to Fionna being knocked unconscious and Cake trapped in a moving cave inside an enchanted forest. Hopefully her new friend can help her find a way to rescue her sister and get to the bottom of where all this rotten luck is coming from.

[chiarrara]

Dude I’m sorry if I’m sending you a little too many asks but I am honestly just so thrilled to finally have someone to talk to about the two things I am deranged about

Anyways,

Listen Megumi definetly listens to Joy Division seeing how much of a sad guy he is but

This makes me wanna shove my head into a blender. You think Gojo got flashbacks when Megumi listened to this

Here purely because of the line “she tied you to a kitchen chair, she broke your throat and she cut your hair, and from your lips she drew a hallelujah”

Do I need to say anything. (Also Gojo definetly listens to Jeff Buckley)

I needed them to be happy for a moment either this or

this one

Hiiiii!!!! I'm so excited to dig back into this. I'm sitting in my car at the lake and I'm about to blast each and every song you sent me over my car radio while I type :):):):):) I'm so excited. Let's go:

(1980s SatoSugu AU + 1990s Megumi AU Playlists)

1. Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division

Okay, you are so correct about Megumi listening to Joy Division. I love the idea of him connecting so deeply to this song as a teenager with no actual life experience to go along with it meanwhile Gojo is just *thousand yard stare*

100% a song he would put on his sad boy mixtapes

2. Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen

Omg I can't believe this actually came out in 1984. Okay I feel like Geto bought this tape when it came out, and played it for Gojo (who wasn't really into it), but Geto just quietly really connected with this song as like a representation of how he feels about Gojo. it just fits so well honestly...

3. Lover You Should Have Come Over - Jeff Buckley

Okay, I literally heard this song for the first time on a tumblr post earlier this year and it changed my life.

So, this is literally the next song on the album after his Hallelujah cover. It came out in 1994 (but Jeff Buckley feels too mature for Megumi, and I agree, Gojo listens to Jeff Buckley). So my theory is, this album comes out, Gojo buys it, hears the Hallelujah cover and finally gets it the way Geto did in 1984. Then this song hits right after and he just has an out of body experience.

Not sure what the relationship timeline is in this AU....wonder if Geto would be there in 1994 being like, I told you so...

4. Sunny - Boney M. / Hands Up - Ottawan

I love them being happy :) I'm going with Sunny, just because Hands Up didn't really make it out of Europe until the 90s apparently. But both are good, such bops

I'm thinking Geto is more of the audiophile and Gojo is more casual Top 40. So this is a song Gojo would love, but Geto is the one who starts playing it (either on a tape, or on one of those multi-decade or genre stations that Gojo wouldn't turn to) since it's a little older.

5. In My Secret Life - Leonard Cohen

Great song! Very satosugu coded. But I absolutely refuse to allow them to still be this sad in 2001! I can't bear it

--

Lol tysm this is so much fun. Playlists below, they are still VERY much WIPs:

[newtonsheffield]

"Okay but imagine how jealous lumberjack bear Anthony would get if the cabin next door was hired out for a buck’s party and the best man kept hitting on Kate?" omg can this be spicy Sunday pleeeeease

Molly! Can we see jealous bear Anthony pleaaseee?

Can we see jealous lumberjack Anthony pleaseee? Maybe with some spice in the mix?

Not a lot of spice I don't think but here's Anthony acting like a bear with a sore head

Sometimes Anthony really fucking hated being Kate's boyfriend.

No, that wasn't true, nor was it fair. It wasn't exactly her fault that she drew people in like a moth to the flame. It wasn't her fault that every time they went to town the teenage boys eyes practically bugged out of their heads, or the men at the lumberyard let their eyes follow her as she strode around with Anthony, her fingers threaded through his belt loops while he looked at the timber. Wasn't her fault that when they went to an exhibition of her artwork men fawned all over her, their eyes widening in Surprise when they took him in. Her in a sparkly dress next to him in a tweed blazer and a flannel shirt. And truly the worst part was Kate had no idea.

She always hummed when the teenager waiter at the one tiny cafe in town gave her coffee for free.

"He's so friendly. Sweet boy."

Anthony huffed, glaring at the boy still sending puppy dog eyes at Kate behind her back. "He's sweet on you, Muffin."

Kate always laughed, the noise like wind chimes as she stepped into the circle of his arms, her lips pressed against his neck. "On me? Why would you think that?"

Anthony scoffed. "Because you're fucking beautiful, have you-? Do we not have enough mirrors at home? Do you think everyone looks like this?" He gestured wildly at her, something smug settling in his chest.

And of course, Kate just shrugged, humming "You're beautiful too." before he left a kiss on the tip of his nose and swanned back off towards his truck.

He hadn't known he was a jealous person, not before Kate. Owing largely he supposed to the fact that he'd spent very little time around actual people for the last decade. But now that he'd found her something angry and possessive seemed to build in his chest when he saw other men duck past her, their hand reaching out to touch her waist. And it had only gotten worse since she'd told him. Since she'd handed him a sketch when he got home from work a few weeks ago. A huge bear next to a tiny cub.

Papa Bear

It had been a long day, people at various campsites setting fires where they shouldn't, a deer caught in a rope someone had left behind when they'd packed their tent and all he wanted as he trudged home was to fall into Kate's arms. To lay down with his ear pressed against her chest and hear her heart beating steadily, feeling the life they'd created steadily growing between them. But apparently that wasn't to be.

Anthony heard her before he saw her, her laugh breaking over the treeline, and it startled Anthony immediately, glancing around for her as soon as he broke through himself. She was standing in the no man's land between the two cabins her inky curls cascading down her back, the afternoon light shining around her like a halo. And that still wasn't what pulled Anthony up short.

There was a man leaning towards her with a slightly predatory smile on his face as four other men unloaded a terrifying amount of alcohol and what appeared to be a blow up doll.

Anthony groaned to himself as he marched over to Kate, catching the end of the conversation

"Well, if we run out of entertainment this week, I guess we know where to call." the man's eyes widening at he approached taking in Anthony's ranger uniform. "Sorry, mate, we weren't making too much noise already were we?"

Kate spun towards him, her smile growing as he huffed, "Nope. Just coming home."

"Home?" the man questioned, but his question died on his lips as Kate tucked herself neatly into Anthony's side, her lips brushing his cheek.

"Mark, this is my boyfriend Anthony. Bear, Mark is here for the week for his friend's buck's do." Her fingers were smoothing along Anthony's back, something smug and possessive rising in his chest as mark with his stupid Best Lad tshirt on took a startled half step back, his eyes catching on the word Boyfriend.

"Alright mate?" Mark spat at him.

You won't be if you keep looking at the mother of my child like that.

"I'm great. You?"

"Grand."

Awkward silence settled between them for a long moment before Kate cleared her throat, turning away, " I made you pie for dessert tonight, so I hope you're hungry, Cub is." Her eyes flicked inconsequentially back to Mark. "We better get going, see you around."

Anthony couldn't resist sending Mark a smug smile as he stood at the door of their house jus before Kate tugged him inside.

And yet, apparently, that wasn't enough of a hint for Mark to fucking give up.

They were loud. Drinking on the front porch of the cabin shirtless while Anthony tried to work in his shed, scowling as he walked past. Scowling even further as he got to work on the crib he was building for their little cub only to hear a chorus of

There she is lads!

Kaaaaaaaate!

Anthony quickly threw the sheet of what he'd been working on hiding the surprise from her just as she burst through the door.

"Why are you hiding in here?"

Anthony shrugged, tugging her closer, the uncomfortable weight still on his chest as he pressed his hand against the flat of her stomach. "Who says I'm hiding."

"I do, and as we know: I'm perfect and always right." Kate hummed, perching herself on his workbench delicately, tugging him closer with her legs around his waist.

Silence settled between them for a long moment, forehead pressed to forehead before the noise from outside broke it.

"I'm giving my Mum a talking to about renting to hooligans." Anthony huffed, pressing his nose against her neck, breathing in the calming scent of her, ignoring her chuckle against his skin.

"Hooligans. Anthony, honey, are you 150?"

"They're just stupid little pricks." And I don't like how they look at you, I fucking hate it.

"They're the same age as you." Her fingers were massaging his scalp pulling him closer.

"I don't like them. They're loud." He could feel the irritation tugging at his chest, like it had all week. Every time fucking mark waved at Kate, tossing her a wink.

Kate gasped, drawing back. "You're actually jealous aren't you?"

Anthony's brow furrowed, staring back at the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with a little bemused. "Of course I'm fucking jealous. I don't like the way they're looking at you like you're a piece of meat. You're a person, and you're the mother of my child and I fucking hate it."

Something burned in Kate's eyes for a long moment before she darted forward sealing their lips together in a harsh kiss, her hands gripping him tightly before she released him suddenly.

"Take your shirt off and go chop firewood."

Anthony couldn't quite catch up, "We don't- it's summer."

"Go." Her hands had already tugged his shirt from his body, nudging him towards the door of his shed.

He'd barely been chopping five minutes, the eyes of the lads next door, firmly on his before Kate followed him out, a smirk on her face, clearly ready to perform, her voice louder than it needed to be.

"What a fucking sight!"

Anthony flexed his arm, lodging the axe in the tree stump swiftly as Kate leapt towards him, wrapping her arms around his chest, legs around his waist, her lips whispering in his ear Lay me down on the front steps and fucking grind babe.

He didn't get a chance to think about it before her lips claimed his in a filthy kiss, teeth clashing, tongues tangling, no choice but to fall to his knees his body pressing her gently against the steps to their porch his hips grinding as the men hollered, and when Kate pulled him inside seconds later, Anthony couldn't help but nod his head smugly in Mark's direction.

Even if his mother did sigh through the phone the next weekend, reading the review out to him.

nice cabin. Could've done without the PDA from the couple next door. Paul Bunyan dry humping a model isn't the vibe we expected when we came out here.

[campbelldanielle]

i've seen a lot of people posting about how they are uncomfortable with dylan o'brien and sadie sink being cast / kissing in the all too well short film... but think about it for a moment. the relationship of jake/taylor - she was 20, then turned 21 on december 13, 2010 while he was 29 and turned 30 on december 19, 2010. dylan o'brien is 30 years old, while sadie is 19.

dylan is arguably most well known for portraying high schooler stiles in teen wolf, which aired from 2011-2017. something that began over a decade ago when he was a teen himself at its inception.

sadie is most known for stranger things, which she began appearing in 2017 as middle schooler max or more recently the fear street trilogy that came out this year where she portrayed two approximately high school aged characters (i don't want to put their names bc of spoilers- the fact i'm saying two is a lot for someone attempting to avoid spoilers)

those who have watched dylan have seen him from late teens until 30, while sadie has essentially grown up in the spotlight for her adolescent years and is still a teenager.

sadie has a younger audience in a lot of ways still, as taylor did in 2010. not that taylor doesn't have younger fans still today, but a good chunk of her audience has grown up with her such as myself who was 16 for a majority of 2010 before turning 17 on halloween. dylan's audience was for the most part teens or twenty-somethings when he began on teen wolf, his audience has altered as well obviously, but the age difference as well as where these two are in their careers says a lot.

sadie is mostly known for one role atm, while the arguably general public at the time of taylor's relationship with jake was mostly known for 'you belong with me' and jake had been in countless roles at that time as an established actor, similar to dylan where he's got a good following from multiple projects besides teen wolf. it says a lot that taylor picked them to be in the short film just considering where they are in the industry currently.

it's supposed to be uncomfortable. you're supposed to stop and think.... oh this wasn't okay that this fully-grown adult was doing this to a young woman like this. you're still at a weird age when you don't quite feel like an adult, but you're not a child at the age that sadie is and taylor was in 2010. you are responsible for your actions and don't have the cushion of caretakers assisting you in things unless you ask for help, you're on your own but you feel like a fish out of water. the triggers displayed especially in the kitchen scene are supposed to be jarring. sadie and dylan did absolutely amazing, facial expressions alone. they were kissing because it was showcasing a relationship that had an age difference with some trauma that came from it. it's supposed to make you feel uncomfy. you're not supposed to look at this relationship and think 'omg couple goals!', that's not the goal here.

[sarahreesbrennan]

You wrote on twitter that you were too young to be published and did fool things you later regretted. I'm curious about those regrets - is there anything you'd be willing to elaborate on?

I do want to clarify I meant I personally was probably too young, and I wasn't a babe in arms when I was published--I was 24, which is an adult! S.E. Hinton was 18 when her first book was published and she arguably invented young adult fiction. Jennifer Lynn Barnes was a teenager when her first book was published and she's always been a genius rock star. Some people are married and having kids and doing great at their jobs at 24, but some people are in college, or learning the ropes of their jobs and full-time work life in general and messing up because it still feels unfamiliar. Most of us, me included, will be making messes until we die, though we can hope for better messes.

My regrets aren't super secret--I would've conducted myself differently online and offline. One thing I've said before: I wouldn't link up my real name and my fanfic identity the way I did back when. That means having your juvenilia out there and judged, and yourself judged in a very particular way! It is hard to sit in the doctor's office and ask him for written proof you have cancer, because the internet will accuse you of faking it. (Yes that did happen. That poor man's face was like, 'Girl, why do you not live your life right.') As I've said, I have an assistant-with-antis who filters my social media and email so I don't have to come upon hostile stuff, and I do wonder if there are ways to inspire less hostility.

But to be clear regarding that example, I think fandom is awesome in many ways, and it's valuable to say you wrote fanfiction, just don't get too specific. One of my most cherished facts about a (fancy, brilliant, very bestselling) writer friend is that she wrote Sonic the Hedgehog fanfiction once. Many of my writer friends used to or still do write it! (Fanfic in general... I'm not outing a bunch of writers as avid Sonic fans...) And being open about my identity did mean I had some beautiful supportive readers from the jump, who were sweet to me and made friends with each other (Marmalade fish shoutout). I love that people connect over fiction, and that they connected over mine. My advice to others is to do it like Oscar winner Chloe Zhao, and be like 'yes I write it, yes the call is coming from inside the building, yes creative engaged people engage creatively in many ways, no you'll never know my online name!' And that's mostly how it's done these days--there are masses of fanfiction writers in TV, in movies, working as editors and agents in publishing, and who are writers, because people who are passionate about creativity are passionate about creativity in many ways. A decade ago and nobody was sure how it was going to go: I do think it went well generally, if uneasily for test balloons like me.

Overall, as regards regrets, if you're alive, you're making mistakes, and if you're growing, you're learning from them. Often the more you care, the more mistakes you make. There are some things only life experience can teach you, and I've seen people who came into writing with experience from being, for instance, lawyers which they were able to use in many ways, and there were times I wished I'd acquired experience or lost naivety in a job that wasn't my dream job. Sometimes I really didn't know what was going on, and later I was like 'Ohhh! Oh Lord.' I would say a few things I wish I'd known: How to draw boundaries like circles of salt that others couldn't cross. The personal and the professional are going to blur, but it's still important to try and differentiate them. How to pick your battles: recognise the unwinnable, find the most likely strategy for victory with the winnable ones. Know that people won't like you just because you're making life more convenient for them, so don't do it for that reason. OMG abide by contracts and make sure the contracts cover every eventuality. Learn the art of standing your ground calmly. (One day, I'll get it.)

But getting published at any age is complicated: I have one friend who was sure she was going to die after she got her publishing contract because it was her dream accomplished, and what was left? I have more life experience in my 30s, but I also had most of those years totally slain by cancer: my writing went off a cliff long before I was diagnosed, and then I couldn't write, and since then I've been scrambling. If I'd been published first at 30 I might have handled myself in style, but there definitely wouldn't have been two trilogies before the long pause. One very lovely, very talented lady who was first published in the same year I was died shortly after. You don't know what's coming: Margaret Mitchell was hit by a speeding drunk driver and we'll never know if rumours she planned to write a sequel to Gone with the Wind are true. The people whose first books were out in 2020 had a tough time, and I would've freaked out if I'd been in their position and am glad I didn't have a non-tie-in novel out--it was very strange to have two tie-ins out that year as it was! People were reading books in 2020, but it was harder for new books to get on their radar.

I didn't write the tweet to alarm anyone, or say there was a magical time it was best to be published at. Lots of amazing writers aren't published, are published feeling they're too young, are published feeling they're too old. I think my tweet was really to say, there's no precise right time, and no way to execute your dreams exactly right. I do look back on stuff and think, oh lord, me at 30 might have handled THAT better. I hope that I'll look back at me now from 50 and go, I'd crush the stuff that crushed her!

Are there things I would change, sure. But I probably would make different mistakes if it had all happened differently for me. Humans constantly torment ourselves imagining the magic way we could've got everything right, a task exactly nobody has accomplished. I've never lived a perfect life or written a perfect book, and I don't know anyone else who has. I'm really glad I was published, and really proud of all my books. If you've never done something you've regretted, how much have you done? Keep going.

[t4t-lumpygrab]

Fanfic Request!

Request: I would love to see some Lumpygrab fluff and affection 🥺 maybe they watch one of their favorite movies together! word count: 705

WOOO THANK YOOUU!! I had so much fun with this one lol. I have many hcs about characters and the media they would like... I also projected my own favourite films onto these guys. Hee hee

💛💜

LSP had told him that cinema movies always started with loud trailers, and that sometimes people talked and opened sweet wrappers in the middle of important scenes - it sounded very stressful, the sort of situation Lemongrab would end up screaming at people in. So they decided to just watch a movie at home. 

“Okay I brought my favourite movie eeveeeeer…”  LSP was sat on the floor, and he was lying next to her on his back with his legs slung over his bed, looking upside down at the currently switched off screen. He had an old Lemon shaped TV with an ancient DVD and VHS player hooked up to it.

He turned to look at her. “Oh?”

“Yeah! I bet you’ll really like it.” 

“Can I see?” Lemongrab had expected it to be some sort of rom-com or teen drama, but LSP handed him a DVD case with a serious dark coloured cover titled ‘Ginger Snaps’. “What is this?”

“It’s this horror film from before the Mushroom War about these two teenage sisters- and like, one of them gets bitten by a werewolf. But it’s a metaphor for being a teenage girl and the horrors of puberty and-” Lemongrab liked seeing her get excited about things, “and like, there’s this scene at the end where- actually I’m not gonna spoil it. But yeah, it’s so good. I watched it all the time when I was a teenager. I really related to the characters.”

“You had a difficult time as aaaa youth?” LSP grimaced and he wondered if he shouldn’t have asked. 

“Yeah I guess. I ran away when I was 14 and I lived in the woods, so I couldn’t do all the stuff teen girls are supposed to do. I felt like I was missing out and doing it all wrong, so I dunno…” she trailed off, “I guess I just wanted to feel seen for what I was, even if it was some sort of monster.” 

He had dim flashes of her as a teenager from his two past lives - she’d been volatile and explosive, eager to please but unable to be honest. It made him sad for her. “I do not think you are a monster.”

“Well yeah, I guess. Monsters aren’t real, but they’re a lot of fun to watch on the TV.”

Lemongrab nodded. “I am fond of theeee… Pre War 2004 Frankenstein adaptation. I enjoy that they do not villainize Frankenstein’s monster.”

“OMG that’s crazy Ginger Snaps also came out in the early Pre War 2000s! So like, both our fave films came out in the same decade.” 

“Actually… my favourite film is something else.”

“Oh?”

Lemongrab cringed and tapped his fingers together nervously. “Please do not laugh at me.”

“I would never laugh at youuu sourheart.”

“My favourite film… is this…” Lemongrab handed her a much loved, battered VHS tape. The cover depicted a Mo robot hugging a slime person. 

“Dude… is this Heartdrive 2: you ooze you lose?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. Not what I was expecting. Why this one?”

“It is cute.” Lemongrab stated. LSP looked at him expectantly and he realised he was supposed to say something else about it. “A-And it makes meeee feel happy inside! I do not have any nngh… smart reasons for liking it. I just think it is sweet that E-Mo thinks he can’t feel emotions and Slimy Tony is disillusioned with life, but then they meet at the talent show and they fall in love.” 

“Aw! You’re a hopeless romantic at heart Lemongrab,” She nudged him with her elbow, “I knew it~” 

“I-I think that there are not manyyyy things that make meee happy…” Lemongrab continued, looking embarrassed, “and there is not so much happiness in the world that I can afford to pretend I do not like theee things I dooo… even if they are as puerile as Heartdrive 2: you ooze you lose.”   

“Let’s watch this one then.” 

LSP slotted the tape into Lemongrab’s busted TV and settled back next to him, leaning her head on his knee. 

Lemongrab poked her and giggled. “We can kiss during the scary part.”

“The- The scary part? Of Heartdrive 2?” It was probably for the best that they hadn’t watched Ginger Snaps.    

[infinitebells]

Hi there !! How are you ?? Pls take good care of yourself !!

Could you please write something (hcs or a scenario, you chose) about Albert and his s/o caught up by the rain on their way back to the manor and,, like,, making out once they're home completely soaked... (yeah drenched Albert from the ED totally got me).

If you don't feel inspired that's fine, don't force yourself !! Thank you for sharing your work and food luck for your semester !! :)

ugh this made my heart skip a beat. and that scene from the ed is just so beautiful omg. also this was a LOT fluffier than i thought i’d make it but enjoy

he’s in awe. he doesn’t know if he’s evert seen such a beautiful sight before him. the skies have opened up, pouring near frozen rain down across the city, dark grey and black clouds rolling across the horizon. it looks like a scene out of one of the apocalyptic books he read from william’s personal library. yet here you were, drenched to the bone with a wide smile spread across your face. your cheeks and nose glisten with trapped rain drops, only highlighting your grin.

“isn’t it gorgeous albert?” you turn to look at him, eyes twinkling. you laugh in wonder of the sight before you. most people would take one look at the weather outside and promptly draw their curtains shut before turning to make a steaming cup of tea.

“absolutely perfect,” he breathes out. he’s not talking about the rain.

“well come on!” your hand, which he finds to be cold as ice from the rain, grasps his. you pull him along the sidewalk, running as best as you can with him in tow. he follows like a puppy after you, not caring to pay attention to his surroundings when he’d much rather keep his eyes on you.

“you want to run home? in this weather? you’ll get sick my love!” he calls out to you, squeezing your hand in his gently. you squeeze back, turning back for a moment to flash a dazzling smile.

“the memory will be worth it then,” you confess before turning back around. albert feels as though he’s floating. after almost two decades of knowing you, and almost four years of dating you, since you two were mere teenagers, he has never once been accustomed to your exquisite beauty.

“i’m sure it will be,” he murmurs under his breath, picking up his pace so that he isn’t being completely dragged by you. by the time you two reach the manor, both of your clothes are thoroughly soaked. albert’s hair lays in wet strands, some falling into his face as he tries to brush them out of his eyes. when he focuses back on you, he has to stop his knees from giving out. your hair is wild, sticking up oddly as some strands stick stubbornly to your forehead. your eyes are somehow brighter than before, and you can’t stop laughing at the sight of albert struggling with his own hair.

“need help?” you manage to spit out between giggles. albert doesn’t know what comes over him as he steps towards you in the dark foyer, hand on your cheek as he presses his lips gently against yours, his other hand sliding around your waist to keep your shivering body close to his. it’s gentle, passionate, and nothing but loving. he nips playfully at your bottom lip before sliding his tongue into your mouth, slowly going over every ridge and bump he finds. your hands move to his neck, fingers tangling into the loose strands of hair on his neck. when he pulls away, you’re staring wide eyed at him as your fingers move to press to your lips. it’s almost as though you can’t comprehend his kiss. it’s a beautifully innocent sight.

“i’ll be fine as long as i have you by my side,” he says. he may be soaked, cold, and shaking slightly as the chill settles deep into his bones, but the soft smile on your face and the twinkle of light in your eyes warms him to his very core.

taglist: @mymoira @babyoomi @honeysunny

[geordiewrites]

Hey i just read exile inspired fic and it is soo good. I think you should write one based on the song tolerate it by ts? With harry plz. The drama, fight, tears.. I think you will reflect the emotion so well omg.

Tolerate It | Harry Potter

A/N: Hi lovely! First off, I adored this request so much and I really hope I’ve done it justice. Tolerate It is such a beautiful song and defo one of my favourites off of Evermore to cry to, there’s just so much detail hidden within the lyrics and I adore that. Harry too!! There’s not enough stuff for Harry, so I hope I’ve done well for you! ( Also this is super short, but I’ve been swamped with coursework xox )

Summary: Y/N is in love with The Boy Who Lived, and due to marry him in the Spring with a beautiful April wedding. Friends to lovers to that engaged couple who are just too in love to function, they share the most perfect story. But when Y/N begins to see their relationship for what it is, her entire world is thrown off key...

Warnings: angst and lots of it, loneliness, sadness, swearing.

~

“You’re coming home tonight, right?” Y/N asks, excitement and anticipation heavy in her tone, cherry red nails clicking against the cold metal of the answerphone.

“Of course, I’ll be back soon, love.” Harry Potter, her beloved fiancé, answered back on the other side from his workplace all the way in central London. His office is almost empty, devoid of any homely photos or colleagues: they had all gone home to their families long ago, and yet he stayed behind. He had no work to finish, no cases glaring to be solved. There was nothing to do but leave, but Harry didn’t.

“You’ve said that before.” Y/N pointed out blandly, her forced smile fading slightly. Many times had Harry said he was on his way home, only to send a letter the next morning apologising for suddenly getting swamped with unavoidable paperwork. “Please come home Harry, I’ve even made your favourite for dinner.”

“That sounds good, I promise I’ll be there soon. I’m just leaving the Ministry now.” Harry replied monotonously, not sounding nearly as happy as Y/N wished he would. Perhaps he had just had a bad day at the office, he must have done. But he had just one too many bad days now, and the reality that he might not want to see her was beginning to sink in.

Shaking off that horrible thought, Y/N inhaled a sharp breath and chewed the edge of her top lip. “Alright, if you say so. I’ll see you then.”

“Bye.” Harry said shortly before putting the phone down and staring at his office, desperately trying to find a reason to stay at work. He did love Y/N, he did. Heck, he had even asked her to marry him and kissed the edge of her lips as they set the date. And then postponed it. And then postponed it another year after that, all because of some urgent work that Harry had suddenly come across. He was just so young, forced to grow up so quickly he didn’t even have time for a scrap of a childhood. Maybe that was why he didn’t want to see Y/N, why going home to their apartment often felt like a chore.

Back at their cosy flat in the nicer part of Greenwich, Y/N put the phone down after hearing an abrupt beep on the other end that let her know he had hung up. She sighed before walking over to a tall cabinet that stood to the side of their kitchen, taking out a set of nice china plates her Grandmother had left her and crystal wine glasses. It was the lovely cutlery only used for things like Christmas and obligatory dinner parties her family forced her to hold.

After setting it out on the table, Y/N checked the time and supposed that if Harry really had left as he said, he would be back in just a minute through the wonders of apparation. Carefully so she wouldn’t somehow spill the food in her clumsiness, a quality Harry once said he loved about her, Y/N moved the food from the oven, to plates and then through to their front room where the fancy cutlery was set up. A smile made its way onto her face, a beaming, gorgeous smile of confidence that her and Harry would finally have the night she deserved. One where work or his reluctance to put effort into their relationship, even if she did pretend she knew nothing about this, didn’t get in the way.

Alas however, minutes passed and there was no sign of Harry anywhere. The food grew colder and that wonderful, rare smile of hers faded into an all too comfortable frown, the crease between her eyebrows deepening with not only disappointment, but anger. A growing resentment for Harry’s lack of care or even acknowledgement of their engagement. He didn’t seem to give two hoots that she had made a lovely meal; after all, he had only called it ‘good’. Not fabulous or decadent or even something praiseful. Just good.

They hadn’t said ‘I love you’ before they hung up the phones. Harry had only said one word. Y/N’s mind began to spiral, her breathing growing quicker and sharper as the thought that it might be time to confront Harry about the buildup of letdowns over the course of the last few months. A year even, since he had properly spent time at home. At their home, the one in which he had knelt down on one knee and told her he wanted to grow old with her by his side, failing at muggle card games on the front porch as they watched their grandchildren play.

Not knowing exactly what to do, Y/N retreated to grasping at the doorframe to keep her body from tumbling to the ground. Her mind whirred with the usual possibilities to try and chase away his lateness. Got caught at work, perhaps Ron called. But none of it compared to the looming threat that Harry was scraping any old excuse together in order to stay away. That he was lying, something she never thought she would have to think about him doing. Harry had always been such an honest person, even as a child.

Y/N remembered how nervous he was when he first asked her out during their fifth year at Hogwarts. He had been on this disastrous date with some Ravenclaw she couldn’t quite remember the name of, and come back utterly defeated. Feeling sorry for a friend she had always harboured a crush on, Y/N had stayed up all night convincing him something better was around the corner. It occurred to Harry quite quickly after that that Y/N was that somebody. She liked him, and at the time that was enough to make him think he was in love. To some degree he was, but not nearly as much as Y/N had fallen for him.

It was almost midnight when the front door to their apartment clicked with the turn of a key, and Y/N, still standing in the same sad place by the door to their living room, finally saw Harry step into their home. It had been hours since they were supposed to eat the food that Y/N had worked to hard to create. There it still sat however, with the plates and crystal glasses and unopened bottle of wine in the same place, completely untouched.

Y/N had a thousand things to say to him. Usually it would begin with her asking him where he had been galavanting off to, but not tonight. Tonight was the final tear in her elastic heart, just enough to finally make it tear into two broken, hollowed out pieces. She stood, silent and just watched as he took off his shoes and put his coat back in it’s place without saying anything. Harry wasn’t even trying anymore, and that hurt more than him being late to begin with.

“Sorry for the delay, something came up.” Harry said, standing a few metres away from her. There was no affectionate kiss to the forehead like when they were fresh out of Hogwarts with teenage dreams and ambitions. No arm comfortably slung around her waist in a protective manner. Y/N missed that especially out of all the things that had faded away. That simple gesture that showed he wanted to hold her above all else, above everyone else who had ever wanted to touch the Chosen One like she did.

“Something.” Y/N repeated, no emotion in her voice. It sounded almost like a recording being played back to him, just with any tone sucked away. “It’s always something, isn’t it?” She continued, not finding quite the right words to encompass the flummox of emotions seeping into her veins. “Work. Ron called. Hermione called. Work. Work again.”

“There really was something.” Harry pathetically added. It was a lie of course, he had spent the hours at his desk alone and staring aimlessly at a fountain pen as it leaked ink onto the black carpet of his office.

“Do you really think I don’t know you at all? Stop lying to me, Harry, just stop it. I’m done with being lied to.” Y/N says, her voice remaining as monotonous as ever as if she’s already grieving something. “I want to know what was so important that you’ve missed the dinner I made. The last thirty dinners, in fact.”

Harry just runs a hand through his messy hair as he tries desperately to think of something to say. But he can’t. There’s nothing to say that would make him any less guilty.

“I’m so sorry, Y/N.” He manages to whisper.

“You’ve said that already.” Y/N points out without missing a single beat. She’s exhausted of pretending that she doesn’t know what Harry’s been doing, drained of all energy to put in effort anymore.

“Just tell me what the problem is and we can fix it.” He begs, but his voice is shaky and the words sound as though he’s reading them from a script.

“Fine. When did you stop being in love with me?” Y/N asks, sadness seeping into her voice. Tears began to form in her eyes but were quickly blinked away; the last thing she wanted was for Harry to see her as weak. She might be pathetic, pitiful, stupid for not realising earlier... but Y/N was not going to be weak. Not now, not ever.

“Why would you think that? Y/N, I could never stop loving you.” Harry said, trying to wrap her into a hug only for Y/N to quickly wriggle out of his cold grasp. His fingers left icy burns where they had briefly touched her arm, and Harry’s face dropped as he realised she didn’t want him anywhere near her.

“But you have, Harry. Otherwise you wouldn’t be coming home at ridiculous times, or avoiding even looking at me like you are now. You don’t love me, you tolerate me because you don’t want to be alone. I feel like I’m begging to be in the footnotes in the story of your life, not a main character anymore.” Y/N explained quietly, neither expecting her to be so frank but once the blunt words were spilling from her lips, not even she could stop them. She watched as Harry’s face crumpled, sadness twisting her gut as she fervently tried not to cry herself.

“Y/N... I don’t know what to say.” Harry trailed off. Y/N used to be so infatuated with him, so desperately in love that she was blind to his flaws, much like his ridiculous fan base. But she had grown up from the teenager with a crush to a young woman with heart and with ambitions, and Harry was no longer apart of what she wanted out of life. She had stopped being a part of his long ago, she just hadn’t realised it then.

“Is this in my head? Tell me I’ve got it wrong somehow, Harry. Because please believe me, I could do it. I could leave.”

“I can’t.” Harry finally said. “I did love you once, Y/N. I’m not even sure what happened to us if I’m being completely honest.”

“That’s the problem: you don’t really even want me to stay. But that’s the thing... you built an entire new wizarding world after you defeated You-Know-Who, and where was I? I’m sorry for being dramatic and shit but I’m taking this dagger out and finally going where I need to be.” Y/N continued, not pausing as not to give him any time to ask her to stay, not that he would. Her mind was made up, and even Harry could see that.

“I’m sorry, Y/N.” Harry whispered, his voice trailing off as Y/N went to get her coat from a peg just beside their front door.

“It’s alright, really. I know you don’t hate me, but both of us know this isn’t working anymore. I deserve someone who celebrates me and my love, and that isn’t you. I’m not really sure that it ever was.” Y/N said, a sad smile gracing her delicate features. She looked almost relieved. Utterly broken-hearted, but relieved all the same. “I’ll come back for my stuff tomorrow.”

“You’re leaving me?” Harry said. Even though she had told him why, it still came as a shock. Y/N nodded. “I’m so sorry I didn’t treat you how you deserve.”

“I’m sorry about that too.” Y/N replied, both warmly and coldly at the same time. “Goodbye, Harry Potter. All the best.”

“Goodbye.” It was all Harry could fathom to say as she pressed her engagement ring back into his hand, the final recognition of their relationship officially being over. It was a beautiful piece of jewellery, one she at one point she thought she would never take off her finger. There were no more words exchanged about the gesture for none were needed, all had been said already.

One simple word that locked the door on their relationship, the one that Y/N had finally gained the courage to close in the first place. It had taken her so long, so pathetically long, to realise that something wasn’t right. That Harry was meant to love her, that love shouldn’t and can’t survive while being one sided. It shouldn’t have to be tolerated, and Y/N had finally learned that through all those lonely nights of wondering where Harry was, what he was getting up to at work, if he even was there.

But as Y/N’s grandma used to tell her every Christmas, as one door closes, another always opens.

-

A/N: hoped you liked it anon!!!

Nancy xx

[katnissmellarkkk]

Okay, onto my liveblog for chapter two of The Hunger Games :

Katniss’ flashback to falling out of a tree and being unable to breathe is such a good analogy, I steal it all the time in my own fics.

I wish the boy who held her up so she didn’t fall was given a name? Katniss just can’t provide names very easily, can she? 😅

“The odds had been entirely in her favor. But it hadn’t mattered” is actually an amazing quotable moment, someone make an edit pronto 👏

No one’s happy when a twelve year old is chosen but ya know. As soon as that kid turns thirteen, off with them! Fair game! 😭😂😅🙃

Hmmm how many of these kids knew immediately Katniss would volunteer for her sister? The way there was a boy ready to catch her before she fell and the way they all just cleared a path for her...

Katniss’ love for Prim had to be prominent because the other kids all seemed to be aware she would volunteer and Katniss claims this is a completely radical, unheard of thing to do. Sooo yeah. Her school peers probably noticed her a lot more than she realized.

Ooo. I just noticed the word choice in “district twelve hasn’t had a volunteer in decades”

Was there a point in time when Twelve had volunteers?

Awww the mayor being sad that Katniss is probably gonna die because he knows her as Madge’s friend 😭😩🤧.

Awww Katniss got presented a medal when her father died, I forgot 🥺🥺🥺

“Bet my buttons” is the worst phrase in history 🤨😐🤭

I like that Katniss’ dead father still has a reputation around these parts 🤧

Helps my fic writing brain to clock it for future reference

Maybe I’m just not nice but I don’t see how Prim is so wonderful that no one can help but love her. Like idk. I feel like this is just Katniss’ bias leaking through. Which is fine it’s better than some clinically detached narrator I hate those FYI

Omg everyone is saluting Katniss and she’s realizing people adore her 🥰🥰

Also ... does this mean Peeta did the three finger salute to her just before being called himself? Idk random thoughts, ignore me.

Katniss is in danger of crying. If this was me, I’d just be sobbing on the ground already.

Haymitch , the og rebel. Looking right into the cameras and calling the Capitol out.

Also ironic how the first thing Haymitch says to / about Katniss is “I like her!” when he spends the rest of the series pretending he, in fact, does not.

“Oh no, not him” is such a love interest introduction, y’all. Gale never stood a chance.

I like how Katniss considers it bad luck for her that Peeta was called 😅. Like... already taking ownership of the boy, sweetheart?

I feel like this is a good time to remind people that medium height is like 5’10. Stop headcanoning Peeta short. Poor Joshy though.

I like how she has never spoken to Peeta but describes the way his hair falls in waves over his forehead 😭🤧

Seems like Katniss thinks Peeta took being called relatively well.

“He has two older brothers, I know, I’ve seen them in the bakery” why is she already trying to defend herself to the audience like “I wasn’t really paying any attention to Peeta Mellark I just happened to notice he had brothers because I saw them once okay?”

Omg Katniss just outright asserting that Peeta’s middle brother definitively won’t volunteer for him. Girl, you just said you don’t know him or his family 😅😅😅.

“Why him?” Still has such a destined, soulmates feel to it. I know they weren’t destined and that’s what a lot of people admire about their relationship but the writing here has always had such a “this guy right here is her soulmate” slant to it, I’m sorry.

“He’s probably forgotten our only interaction. But I haven’t. And I know I never will.” Still continuing with the soulmate-y narration here, Suz Suz, I see.

Oh my god I don’t even remember this line but it’s so sad 🥺🥺🥺🥺🤧🤧🤧🤧🤧🤧🤧🤧😩😩😩😩😩

“The numbness of his loss had passed, and the pain would hit me out of nowhere, doubling me over, racking my body with sobs. ‘Where are you?’ I would cry out in my mind. ‘Where have you gone?’”

I’m so sad now. 😭😭😭

I like that Katniss said “no amount of pleading from Prim” would affect her mother’s depression, as if Katniss easily believes that her own pleas don’t matter but her sister’s are what’s impossible to ignore.

She really needs to stop putting Primmy on this pedestal though it’s not as cute the second or third read around.

“I suppose now that my mother was locked in some dark world of sadness, but at the time, all I knew was that I had lost not only a father, but a mother as well.” I feel like this is just criminally undiscussed. Katniss didn’t know or understand or grasp what depression even was. Like it’s hard enough for kids to forgive parents who abandon them to mental illness when they’re aware what mental illness is. Let alone if you’re just stuck for months / years, not knowing that your mother was sick, instead thinking she just stopped caring for you.

Omg Katniss saying she couldn’t let Prim go to a community home 🤧. Selfless of her. But also sister worry about yourself.

I’m just kidding, I know it’s her character to only be concerned with her little sister above all else.

Mr. Everdeen hating how coal dust settled on everything in the Seam is such a small but interesting detail.

Omg so the meadow is a common place to find corpses of those who starved to death? We maybe should stop romanticizing it.

I like that Mr. Everdeen took Katniss places with him but was like “Hmm, imma leave Prim home, she isn’t cut out for the hunting life”

Idk Katniss being too afraid and shy to go to the Hob without her dad is such a little kid thing though.

Katniss explaining that she was essentially in the merchants backyard

She was essentially dying in Peeta’s backyard 🤧

Wow, I forgot how blatantly violent Peeta’s mother was

Maybe it’s just Katniss’ perspective but every interaction is just her screaming

Aww, his mother called him a stupid creature, why don’t I remember this.

This is so sad omg.

Poor both of them.

One’s starving to death, the other’s utterly abused mentally, verbally and physically.

What’s a weal?

I always read that word as a welt.

Ok I googled it, it’s a big red swollen mark.

So same thing.

Omg now Katniss is saying Mrs. Mellark hit him with an object weapon. This just keeps getting more and more.... sad.

Honestly I haven’t read the books cover to cover since I was a teenager, some of this is a surprise to me.

I always wondered though how that bread was any good, it literally fell onto the wet ground. 😟🤢

Aww, Katniss saying Peeta would get a full beat down if discovered that he burned the breads to feed her 🥵🥵🥵

Okay but if his mother hit him with an object and his eye swoll up and blackened the next day, that could be another reason why he tossed the bread in her general direction and didn’t look at her. I know it was so he wouldn’t be caught by his mother but also he probably couldn’t even see clearly where she was.

The dandelion symbolism 🤧😅😭🥳

Her sarcasm 🤣🤣🤣

Katniss just keeps comparing Peeta to the loaves of bread 😅😅😅

Also she keeps calling him warm and solid and steady

I’m starting to think unconsciously she was already finding herself attracted to him even here.

Him squeezing her hand reassuringly and her chalking it up to a nervous spasm 🙃

I hope when they got married they got a nice screencap of this shot of them on TV facing the crowd, shaking hands.

Make a nice anniversary photo.

Okay, that’s all for my thoughts on chapter two! 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳

[honeymooneyy]

Hii, I just wanted to say that I'm in love with your writing and what you have done so far <3 and I was wondering if you could do a pt 2 on missed you :).

Take care,

- m.i

omg thank you!! here you go!!! i hope you enjoy <3

Missed You - part two

Remus wasn’t the type to spend an excessive amount of money on beauty products - or really anything to spoil himself.

But at the sight of Sirius’ hair, he couldn’t help but buy the most expensive shampoo and conditioner the store had. He also bought an assortment of other snacks, including Sirius' favorite crisps and candies.

Remus didn't think they gave him many fun snacks in Azkaban.

Even though he wanted to dote on him and make up for the abuse he put up with for twelve years, he knew it wouldn't make a difference. He wasn't even sure if he'd eat the crisps seeing as he was more often a dog than not. Remus suspected it was some sort of coping mechanism.

But either way, he took those baby steps with Sirius. Even if it meant watching the telly with Padfoot curled up on the other side of the couch - all that mattered was that they had each other for company. And it seemed to be making a difference.

The other day, Remus caught Sirius humming along to a vinyl playing and it warmed his heart. In another lifetime they'd be singing along together as they cleaned the house for a dinner party for their friends, and the fact that it could never happen hurt Remus beyond belief. But he had Sirius.

Thankfully, Dumbledore hadn't roped them into another mission for the Order, so the two had time to readjust to their old lives. Everything felt so painstakingly familiar.

Remus noticed the small things, the way they both took the same sides of the couch as they once did, similar to their seats at the kitchen table. Remus was still the one to cook while Sirius set the table, and while Sirius didn't come up behind him to distract him with kisses, it felt comfortingly familiar.

They still had yet to bring up their old relationship and it was killing Remus. He knew they couldn't go back to "normal", but he longed to have some sort of closeness with Sirius. He missed their mindless touches while watching the telly, feet thrown on the other's lap, or even just sitting close enough their shoulders brushed. He missed hooking their ankles together whilst eating dinner. He missed holding him while they slept. Remus missed the side of Sirius only he got to witness.

One Friday night, when Remus was almost certain Sirius had gone to sleep, he let himself pull out a bottle of firewhiskey. He had just opened it up when Sirius' bedroom door cracked open and he emerged. He had spent the day as Padfoot, but now he was back to himself.

"Thought you were asleep," Remus mumbled, feeling much like a kid who got caught drinking. He had to remind himself that he was an adult and it was his flat and he could drink whenever he'd like.

Sirius just shrugged, "I was gonna lie down but I'm not tired. I haven't talked to you in a bit."

Remus nodded, holding out a glass which Sirius accepted. Remus tipped his head back, finishing off what was left in his shot glass. When he straightened, he realized Sirius had been staring, his eyes flickering to Remus' lips and then back to his own glass. Remus' stomach flipped at the intensity of his stare and mirrored him, instead studying his glass.

"I haven't drank in so long," Sirius mused, studying the small glass intently. "How much you wanna bet I'm a lightweight now."

"Let's see," Remus grinned and it only widened when Sirius matched it. He held out his glass and Sirius clinked his own before downing it.

One turned into two turned into four and Sirius was definitely a lightweight.

Remus wasn't hundred percent sure how much the two of them had drank but it was definitely too much. The drinks had loosened Sirius up and he was actually laughing along with Remus and humming along to the vinyl Remus had put on.

"I can't believe Snivellus is a teacher at Hogwarts," Sirius snorted, shaking his head. "Dumbledore is crazy."

"Dumbledore doesn't think of anyone but himself," Remus rolled his eyes. "Did he really think we'd be able to get along as colleagues?"

"Did you?"

"Merlin, no. He made my students write essays on the ways to kill a werewolf when I missed class for a full moon. He never got over it, did he?"

"What the fuck, did he actually?" Sirius' eyes widened and he sat up straighter.

Remus shrugged, "It's fine. I'm not a kid anymore, I don't care."

"I hate him. Always hated him, always will."

"Cheers to that!"

The two drank another shot.

In the end, it was Remus who had to put a stop to it. It was well past midnight and they weren't teenagers who could stay up all night anymore. Sirius was piss drunk and could barely stand, yet was still cursing Snape's name.

Remus couldn't help but laugh softly as he rounded the table to help Sirius up. "C'mon, love, let's get you to bed."

Both of them froze at what Remus had said. The nickname came so naturally, he hadn't even put any thought into what he was saying. Remus realized with a start just how close they were standing, with the way he had an arm around Sirius and his other hand clasping Sirius' as he been trying to lead him to the bedroom. He immediately dropped his arms, taking a step back.

"Shit, sorry."

Sirius just shook his head, turning to face Remus, "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so dramatic. I just- I haven't heard that in so long."

"I didn't want to make you uncomfortable or something, I wasn't trying to start anything. I know it's been a decade and we're not who we used to be."

Sirius' silvery eyes bore into Remus and then he was stepping closer and grabbing his hands. "You couldn't make me uncomfortable if you tried. I missed it, honestly."

"I missed you," Remus whispered, leaning down to place his forehead against Sirius'. Sirius just let out a soft sigh before leaning up to wrap his arms around Remus' neck, wrists crossed.

Remus realized the music was still playing, and as if it could sense the mood, a slow song was playing. Biting back a smile, he dropped his arms to Sirius' waist and began rocking them back and forth. Sirius happily complied and though neither of them said a word, the silence was comforting.

When the song ended, they pulled away with light blushes. As if he suddenly remembered the reason they had originally stood up, Sirius turned towards his bedroom.

"I should sleep," he mumbled, hooking a thumb towards the closed door.

Remus nodded and was about to turn for his own room before changing his mind. He strode towards Sirius instead, leaning down to press a soft kiss against his cheek. Sirius was just staring up at him wide-eyed and Remus reveled in the fact that he still had an effect on him.

"Goodnight, I'll see you in the morning," Remus murmured and finally left to his room.

He faintly heard Sirius whisper a goodnight, his voice high and airy. Maybe, just maybe, they'd be able to find a new normal.

[ickymichi]

Hi! Thank you for the event. Could I request “You’ll be the prince and I’ll be the princess, it’s a love story, baby just say yes” + Iwaizumi with Oikawa’s little sister

𝐅𝐂𝐊𝐘𝐀𝐄𝐆𝐄𝐑’𝐒

𝟓𝟎𝟎 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓

𝒔𝒇𝒘 𝒐𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏!:

𝒊𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒛𝒖𝒎𝒊 𝒉𝒂𝒋𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆 & 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔. 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝒚𝒆𝒔

<3 word count: 1k

<3 warnings: fluff, swearing cause it’s iwa <3

<3 note: omg i love the best friends little sister trope sm & i haven’t fully written for iwa yet and we love him here. but i hope this was okay bby and thank you for wating and for requesting! <//3

Being oikawa toru’s little sister wasn’t easy, being bombarded with fan girls and boys alike everytime you tried to go somewhere with him, being the victim of his silly antics every day. But the one thing that was the hardest, but also a blessing in disguise, was dating your highschool sweetheart, his childhood best friend, iwaizumi hajime.

When iwaizumi realised he had feelings for you he tried to push them deep down and eventually forget about his lovesick thoughts. but the more he tired the more he realised, he can’t just push them down. He told himself then and there it wasn’t just a teenage crush. He wanted to spend all his time with you, now and forever. So that night he snuck into your room at the ripe hour of 2 in the morning to ask you to be his girlfriend. He had no idea if you even liked him back but your joyous reaction was his answer.

That was nearly a decade ago and even now he gets nervous when oikawa visits back home, wondering if he actually ‘doesn’t mind that much’ if you and him are still together. Oikawa always said you two look like that couple that would grow all wrinkly together- also saying he needs to find someone like that himself, maybe in Argentina he could. But that’s what iwaizumi wants, to grow old with you, be with you forever and always. and he’s decided, with the help of his not so helpful two friends, that today’s the day he’ll make it happen.

He remembered how you always said if he was ever gonna propose to never do it in a public place. That was one thing he knew you’d be grateful for. So with the help of mattsun and makki, they decorated your apartments balcony to make it look like a restaurant with a candle lit dinner and fairy lights along the walls. One may argue that it’s a public place, but he knew also, today your on the late shift for work, so you wouldn’t be home till the early hours of the morning. Therefore, no audience to see you to- perfect.

Speak of the devil and she appears, the sound of the door clicking open and your shoes hitting the floor made iwaizumi straighten up his posture on the couch. “hi baby, how was the shift?” trying to act like it was just a normal night between the two of you, yeah he definitely wasn’t shitting a brick house, nope not him. “ughhh, it went on forever and i was stuck with that girl you know, the one who always eyes you up? Yeah her all she did was talk about her terrible love life and you.” Walking toward the couch while telling your lover about your oh so terrible work shift, you plopped down beside him and rolled your neck on the back of the couch. Stopping your gaze at the balcony door you noticed the setup and whipped your head to iwaizumi. “what’s all that?” rubbing the back of his head he tried to sound not as nervous then he actually was. “you know, just a little dinner cause you’ve been working so hard lately.” “awe how sweet of you haji, I didn’t miss an anniversary or anything did i?” “no no! you didn’t don’t worry, just come sit” ushering you to sit on one of the metal chairs, in-front of you a white table cloth covering the table with your favourite food on one of the plates only used for special occasions. Opposite you iwaizumi was pouring two glasses of wine into a pair of “were engaged!” champagne glasses makki got you as a gag christmas gift. Clinking your glasses together and sipping some of the liquid, you then began to dig into the delicious looking food.

The dinner went just as anyone other would, talking about what happened in your times you were away from eachother. Laughing at some of the stories iwaizumi would tell you about the japan team.But you noticed that the whole time he was slightly on edge so the final time he cleared his throat you decided to find out what was troubling the poor man. “hajime, what’s up? you’ve been kinda on edge or something” looking up over his glass he shook his head “nothings wrong don’t worry i’m fine, fine” looking back at you he seen your deadpan expression. He let out a sigh and you watched him stand up before getting down onto one knee, pulling a small velvet box with a gorgeous ring inside. “I didn’t really know how to do this whole thing, so you can thank the others for this whole set up, but one thing I knew is that I want to be with you forever and always, I know that I want to grow old with you and maybe have kids of our own running around one day. So with all that, would you, please do me the honour of marrying me my love.” Looking down at him with tears blurring your vision, you nodded your head over and over until he laughed and took your hand in his, slipping the ring onto your finger.

The rest of the night was spent cuddled on the couch finishing off the wine and letting friends and family know the news. The last person you called was your brother, all because you didn’t know what his reaction would be. The facetime rung three times before a sleepy groan came through the speaker and his bed head appeared on the screen. “you better be dying or worse for waking me up this early.” You didn’t respond with a retort only holding up your hand to the phone and letting out a little “ta-da!”. Squinting his eyes at the screen, oikawa seen what it was and let out a scoff, “so he finally did it huh? About time. tell him I said well done.” Iwaizumi grabbed the phone and scrunched his eyebrows at his best friend- now brother in law’s- response. “i’m right here jackass”. Laughing at their bickering, you watched them until iwaizumi got too fed up and abruptly hung up. The last thing you heard from your brother was: “I call being best man and cake decider!”

-end <3

[peaches-writes]

how to appease your asian aunties ch. 1 - christmas

description: in the immortal words of wine aunts and aunts you’re not even related to but forced to call your aunt at gatherings, ‘do you have a boyfriend?’ member: jisung / han genre: fluff, fake dating au, implied rich kids au, eventual childhood / best friends to lovers au, college au, implied fem reader (but i still used they/them pronouns) word count: 7.5k chapter warning: food, drinking, explicit language, one comment about weight note: insp by a twt meme + this is my first attempt at making a story with parents having a bigger role in them omg

ch. 2 // ch. 3 // series masterlist

Though you’re a semester away from graduating college, with your own circles of friends, clubmates, and close classmates, you still can’t understand why your mom and her sorority batchmates feel the need to have reunion parties every single year. Maybe it’s the product of growing connectivity in this modern age or just simply your wide age gap preventing you from having the same nostalgic feelings attending these dinners; nevertheless, ever since your mom started bringing you to these parties to socialize with her friends’ children when you were four, you've always personally found it a bit troublesome. 

They see each other at mall sales, weekend brunches, weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries all the time—a lot of them even work closely with each other. For as long as you can remember, you can’t help but endlessly wonder in this time of year: will they ever get tired of each other?

As you adjust your coat over your semi-formal attire for this year’s dinner party, you sigh in front of the full-length mirror by your house’s front doors and mentally conclude that they probably never will. This is your 19th reunion dinner now and even from meters away in the kitchen, you can hear your mom fuss to your dad and the helpers either worriedly about the desserts that everyone in the house (and your nearest restaurant branch) was forced to bake two nights ago; or excitedly about seeing her college best friend, Mrs. Hwang, even if they literally just dragged their respective families to the monthly brunch last weekend—like she always does minutes before you leave. She always sounds like a crazed woman but you know deep inside that she’s excited to see her friends again and reminisce about the same old college memories you’ve even memorized by heart now.

It’s cute and all, maybe you’ll even end up the same in a decade or so but you swear at present on the dinner menu tonight that the more you spend your first day of Christmas break attending these dinners, the more you’ll slowly lose your mind over this unofficial holiday tradition: from your mom’s dramatic ramblings at the start of the night to the prospect of spending the rest of the evening laughing off your unofficial aunts and godmothers’ unnecessary backhanded comments and trying not to get caught in the trouble the younger children make.

It really just isn’t exactly your type of scene. It’s like family Christmas parties but with more passive-aggressive internalized drama since you’re not related to any of the guests by blood.

“Y/N, dear, come along now, we’re running late!” Your mom scolds you as she approaches your direction to the double doors, carrying cupcake caddies and cake boxes with your dad and your six house helpers. She’s wearing the dress you helped pick out last month, you observe, which is another tradition of hers. Rich people and not wanting to be seen wearing the same clothes twice, you guess. “Oh dear, I need to fix my hair in the car!”

You take one last look at yourself in the mirror before sprinting to the doors and helping your dad open them. You also take a couple of boxes from one of the helpers as you all pile outside, letting everyone pass through before closing the doors behind you. 

The nine of you then head to your dad’s Ford you parked outside the house gates earlier this afternoon, loading the everything in the back of the car without much difficulty before parting ways with the helpers for tonight with the same house instructions from your mom to not wait up for the three of you.

“Bye!” Your mom waves at your helpers through the rolled down windows on the front passenger seat as your dad begins to drive away from the house. 

Once your house begins growing smaller in the distance behind you, only then does your mom attend to her hair while your dad closes all the windows and locks the doors.

You, on the other hand, lean back in your own seat, taking out your phone to pass the ten minutes travel time to one of your godmothers, Mrs. Kim’s house in the adjacent subdivision.

“Y/M/N! Y/F/N! Welcome!” Mrs. Kim greets you at her house gates with her own mini army of house helpers, kindly helping you and your parents unload your party contributions and transfer them inside her recently renovated kitchen. “Oh, Y/N! Look at you, you look so beautiful tonight!”

You smile politely through the wave of compliments and ‘oh you gained a bit of weight’ comments that follow as you try your best to not to trip over the slippery marble steps leading to the house. Contrary to what your mom has been worrying about earlier at home, you eventually discover that you’re fairly early to the party for the 19th year in a row with only half of the families already in attendance to greet you when you entered the house.

“Y/N, all the teenagers are upstairs on the second floor, by the way.” Mrs. Kim informs you once your cupcakes have been neatly organized in the caddies at the very end of the buffet table, making you cringe internally at her preferred term for you and the other older kids in the house. “Dinner is at 7:30.”

“Thank you, auntie.” You smile one last time at her before excusing yourself to go upstairs, sighing internally in relief that her son, Seungmin, has smartly gathered everyone upstairs for the third year in a row to avoid the aunts and uncles for as much as possible.

You’re not completely fond of the parties, sure, but you can’t deny that there are little parts that have unconsciously grown on you—like your unlikely band of childhood friends and your shared hatred for this particular party.

Climbing up the slippery staircase as fast as you can with a death grip on the railings, you reach the second floor in no time to be greeted by six out of the eight people you’ve sort of grown up with in these parties occupying the common area: Felix and Hyunjin having a Wii dance battle in front of the television, Seungmin and Minho having a violent game of UNO on the coffee table, and Ryujin and Yeji scrolling through their phones on the sofa before abandoning them to approach you at noticing your presence by the staircase.

“Y/N!” Ryujin calls you in as she reaches you first for a brief hug and a short exchange of compliments on each other’s outfits, as if you didn’t just meet at one of your shared class’ Christmas parties yesterday. Though all of you attend the same university, you see Ryujin the most since you’re in the same college, just in different departments. “So nice to see you again!”

“Yeah, yeah, hello to you too again.” You chuckle, more genuinely now in the company of party guests you’re actually comfortable with, before waving hello at Yeji who trails behind. 

Yeji then naturally hugs you next, pulling you a few steps away from the staircase so the two of you don’t topple over when she leans her weight on you. “Y/N, took you long enough!” She says next to your ear. “Hyunjin and I were starting to make bets if the aunties suddenly trapped you downstairs like Chan and Miyoung.”

You hug her back with equal force, a little more than you did with Ryujin, pulling away after to playfully slap her arm for the teasing comment. “I’d sell my arm first before I let that happen.” You retort as the two of you laugh. “I just helped set up desserts—mom made us do an extra two boxes of brownies and cookies this year so you better get a lot later!” 

“Of course, but only if you eat a lot of the spaghetti my mom made!” She reminds, kindly fixing your hair for you. “I missed you! You look so pretty tonight!”

Behind the two girls, the boys also greet you in scattered casual ‘hi’s and ‘hello’s before going back to their own activities. You greet them back as they acknowledge you (and even reciprocate Felix’s long-distance high five mid-dance), crossing off everyone’s names in your mental attendance list as your gaze wanders around the room.

Since Chan is busy being a grown-up and showing off his fiance downstairs, you conclude that only one person is missing among your eight friends.

“Ya, Han Jisung!” As if on cue, the missing eighth person in your list emerges from the staircase behind you as Minho calls his name. “Welcome back!” 

Jisung greets everyone back in their second wave of scattered greetings as he walks to Minho and Seungmin’s direction, purposely acknowledging you last by suddenly turning around and walking backwards to send a wave and wink your way. He almost trips over the long ruffles of the big accent carpet as he does this, making you, Yeji, and Ryujin laugh as the only witnesses.

“Oh my God.” You place a hand to your forehead in secondhand embarrassment, stifling your laughs as your best friend regains his balance and looks behind him in case anyone else saw (which, unfortunately for you, they didn’t). You can’t believe that despite missing last year’s party because of his study abroad program’s strict schedule, he still manages to do his ritual clumsy carpet accident somehow. “This dumbass, I swear.”

In front of you, Jisung only laughs it off as well. “You didn’t see that!” He adjusts his coat with one hand and scratches the nape of his neck with the other in between laughs, walking forward to you properly after with his arms extended for a hug. “Stop laughing and come here, ugly. I missed you.” 

You feign a scowl but hug him back anyway, Yeji and Ryujin slyly stepping away with knowing smiles that only you can see with Jisung’s eyes turned away. You stick your tongue out at the two girls as they abandon you and walk back to the sofa before slapping Jisung’s back harshly for the familiar insult. “Speak for yourself, you ugly. I missed you too.” You reply to his latter comment with an amused chuckle of your own. “How are you?”

“Better now that I’m seeing you in person again.” He pulls away after with his signature flirty smirk, visibly eyeing you up and down now while his hands are still on your upper arms. Though he knows such gesture irks you, especially when it comes to the aunts and uncles downstairs, Jisung is the only one among your friends confident enough to tease you this way. Knowing each other a bit longer than everyone else has its perks, he’s come to realize over the years. “Look at you, all dressed up tonight. For me?” 

“Of course I’m all dressed up tonight, it’s Chan’s engagement announcement later.” You retort, swatting his hand away to adjust your now wrinkled clothes. “You’ve known me for twenty years, already; I think it’s time to stop assuming I’ll ever dress up for you now.” 

He only shakes his head, his teasing and lighthearted mood unwavering in front of you. “Nah, I really think you dressed up for me tonight.” He insists jokingly, a hand lingering over the fabric of your coat. “If I get welcome back parties like this from you in the end, should I just do more one-year study abroad programs?” 

“And leave me to fend off the aunties every other year? I don’t think so.” You’re quick to turn down, walking pass him to rejoin your group now. Jisung naturally follows along like a lost puppy, suddenly changing his mind on joining Minho and Seungmin to follow you around now that you’ve started conversation. “You owe me for leaving me to take all the ‘I can set you up on a blind date with my godchild’ and ‘are you dating anyone’ comments last year.”

The two of you sit next to Ryujin and Yeji who, without even looking up from their phones, quickly scoot away to the other end of the big sofa which makes you send pleading looks their way while Jisung laughs and gains enough confidence to sling an arm on the sofa behind your shoulders.

Another annoying thing from this yearly reunion party is how it’s an unspoken rule in your group to leave you and Jisung alone whenever you’re engaging in your usual banter. You and Jisung are the enemies type of best friend, for God’s sake. You don’t understand how everyone (yes, even Seungmin) thinks the two of you are being cute. 

“I keep telling you, you wouldn’t get all those comments if you just tell them you’re dating someone, dummy.” Jisung returns to your conversation once you’re settled, purposely placing a suggestive emphasis on the pet name. “That’s just the most natural thing to do in front of the aunties.” 

“And who would I show them if they ask who?”

“Try me.” Jisung answers smugly, earning him an eye roll from you.

“As if.” You deadpan, leaning to his arm anyway as you take out your phone and connect to the wifi. “Given your new fuckboy look to the aunties, I’m pretty sure they’ll see past that kind of bullshit, especially Yeji and Hyunjin’s mom and Minho’s mom. They’d be more convinced if I tell them I’m dating Seungmin instead and he’s already in a relationship.”

You don’t even have to look to your side to see Jisung pouting as he whines in complaint, his free hand going up to your side to shake your arm. “That hurts.” He dramatically points to his chest when you show the slightest hint of turning his way. “And having Bumble on your phone isn’t being a fuckboy, I don’t even use it to get dates.” 

“That’s not what the aunties think.” You point out, knowing just how much your aunts and uncles easily misunderstand concepts from your generation like social and dating apps. “I’m telling you, I prefer you swaying the conversation for me over you pretending to be my boyfriend.”

Jisung is quiet for a moment and you’re convinced that he’s decided on ending the conversation at this point until he suddenly twists his body towards you and challenges, "Do you wanna bet? Test out that theory?” He smirks again. “It’d really spice up this party, besides Chan’s announcement, of course.”

Only then do you look up at him since you sat down, deadpanning, “No.” 

“Come on, it’d be really interesting!” He taps you on your shoulders with a laugh, a combination of habits he always does whenever he’s trying to involve you in his usual trouble-making antics. “My mom will finally get off my back for always nagging me as a ‘fuckboy’ and our mom’s sorority friends will finally get off yours for not dating.” 

“You’re crazy.” You comment, crossing your arms in front of him. “I think I’ll just re-download Bumble too and bring someone to the party next year.” 

“You’re really taking too much jabs at my heart right now,” He sighs with a contrasting smirk. “and we’re not even past dinner yet.” 

“Because you deserve it,” You chuckle back at him, pretending to punch him on his stomach which he reacts to dramatically. “I’ve always known you’re a dumbass but that’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard from you.” 

Stubborn, he shakes his head in disagreement as you speak. “Nah, nah, we’ll see about that.”

And as if on cue, Mrs. Kim emerges from the staircase and announces that dinner is ready, luring everyone out of the second floor before you can even ask Jisung what he means with his words. 

“Ya, Han Jisung!” You call for him when he sprints to Seungmin’s side when the latter begins leading everyone downstairs. 

You try catching up to him but the staircase becomes too narrow for you to squeeze past everyone, forcing you to walk with Minho and Ryujin at the back of the group. With this, Jisung then takes this as an opportunity to look up at you from the turn on the staircase and send you another wink, a more confident one this time since he doesn’t trip after. 

Your ‘age group,’ as the aunts differentiate you from the younger children, hogs the extensive buffet and steals the best table in the backyard, near the karaoke machine so you can stop the uncles from singing too much of ‘My Way’ once they get drunk later on and as far away from the children’s table as possible so you don’t have to be obligated to take care of them later on. Chan, the eldest among you now, joins your table with his fiance, Miyoung, after they’ve officially declared their engagement before the buffet opened, happily handing out their save the date cards for their May wedding.

“Just remember, Miyoung, that you can literally get all your wedding needs from us, okay?” Yeji comments amidst all the talk about the wedding, gesturing to everyone as you eat and drink champagne. “Like Y/N and Seungmin for catering, Ryujin for the attires, Felix for your honeymoon trip, me and Hyunjin for the flowers and documentation, and Jisung can dress up as a clown for your reception.” 

“Ya!” Jisung protests to your left, cheeks full of steak and spaghetti that makes the whole table erupt in laughter. “Chan’s and Minho’s studios can arrange the music and the decor; my mom will probably argue with Miyoung’s mom for the locations and hotels.” 

“I can just tell my dad to hire you as a clown, though.” Minho shrugs nonchalantly, further fueling your laughter. To your right, you can even see Miyoung giggling through her glass of champagne, having given up on stifling her laughs. “It’d make good entertainment.” 

Jisung then leans over to you to turn to Miyoung on your other side with a pout and a pleading look to her and Chan. “You two are just letting them drag me like this?” He whines dramatically before turning to you. “Y/N, back me up here.”

“No!” You press a finger up to his forehead and playfully push him back on his seat. “It’s a great idea, what are you talking about?” You tease as you do so, much to more whines from him. “There’s like five months before the wedding, think about it.”

Next to you, Miyoung forces herself to stop laughing, teasingly asking Chan, “Babe, what do you think? Should we just demote Jisung from groomsman to clown?” 

“I’d very much prefer being a groomsman, please.” Jisung asks over Chan, leaning over the table. “I can’t compete with Changbin for best man but as long as I’m not dressing up as a clown I’m good!” 

“Hey, how come Jisung’s a groomsman?” Seungmin complains from across you, frowning cutely at the couple. “Miyoung, I’m your cousin! I introduced you and Chan in university!” 

“You’re a groomsman too, Minnie, don’t worry.” Miyoung reassures with a warm smile before elbowing her fiance. “As long as you can get your parents to cater with Y/N’s family.” 

The offer makes Seungmin’s ear perk up in interest. “Okay, call!” 

“Can we all be in the wedding party at this point? I’m seriously pushing it now, I want to dress up really cute!” Yeji, who sits on Chan’s other side, pleads. 

“Me too! I second that!” Felix backs her up immediately, the two now leaning over the table expectantly in Chan’s direction. “Though I’m not so keen on designing things.”

“Ah, but we have to make more room for actual relatives.” The groom-to-be in question laughs sheepishly. “Though, knowing our parents, I’ll try to squeeze everyone in somewhere in the program. Just let us iron out everyone’s contributions first.” 

“Yeji, I’ll take note of your suggestion, though.” Miyoung points at the younger girl with an appreciative grin. “I’ll message the groupchat once Chan and I meet up again with the planner.” 

Meanwhile, Chan’s last comment gives you and Minho an idea and the two of you suggest in chorus, “Get Seungmin to sing!” 

“Jinx!” You and Minho exchange winks and long distance-high fives from Jisung’s two sides after while Chan and Miyoung ask Seungmin about said idea, making Jisung pout at you. 

The general table conversation then naturally flows to other matters, mostly about the famous names you might be expecting at the wedding, but Jisung doesn’t participate much anymore, turning to you instead and asking, “Ya, are you cheating on me with Minho now? You sacrifice me as entertainment then back Minho up but not me!” He rambles in between mouthfuls of food, making you and even Minho chuckle in amusement despite the latter being in another conversation with Ryujin and Seungmin. “I just left for one year and you’re already doing this to me!” 

“What are you on about again, dumbass?” You roll your eyes with a scoff, stealing a piece of steak from his plate for the third time this dinner. “Finish your food, everyone’s done and you’re so slow!” 

Jisung then belatedly swats your chopsticks away, “I’m almost done, dumbass, stop mooching off my plate!” 

"Then hurry up, you still have to accompany me to the dessert table.” You point out, referring to your least favorite part of this reunion parties: getting attacked by invasive questions on your return trip to the buffet table. “Remember, you owe me. I’m not going in there alone again.” 

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” He replies on his last two bites of food, eating one then handing the other one to you. “Have the other one, then.” 

He pokes your lips with the last piece of steak and you instinctively lean your head away, catching the food with your own chopsticks instead. “Thanks.” You bring the food to your mouth before carefully patting the oil he ended up smearing on your lips with your table napkin. 

Across the table and out of your earshot, Yeji elbows Hyunjin and points to the two of you. “They’re at it again.” 

Without you or Jisung looking, Hyunjin looks at the two of you in feign disgust. “I know, every damn year.” 

On Hyunjin’s other side, Seungmin nods frustratingly in agreement which makes Yeji laugh. “We shouldn’t have taken last year for granted, 'no?” He sighs. “Last year was so peaceful without them together.”

“Agreed.” The Hwang cousins agree in chorus before listening to the table’s general conversation again.

Meanwhile, Jisung finally finishes his food and excuses the two of you from the table to get dessert. Miyoung waves at you politely and Felix playfully orders that you two get him cupcakes but the rest only acknowledge you with simple nods as they’re completely engrossed in betting on whose dad will be singing My Way on the karaoke machine first (everyone’s in the middle of betting on Mr. Bang). With that, you and your best friend then take your leave, going back inside the house and making a beeline to the kitchen.

Unfortunately for you, you catch your mom, Mrs. Han, and Mrs. Hwang gossiping by the punch bowls once you reach the kitchen’s open doorway—literally the worst combination of sorority aunts to be bombarded with invasive questions.

“Shit.” You mutter under your breath loud enough for only Jisung to hear, the two of you still out of the three women’s sights. Looking up at Jisung with pleading eyes, you ask, “Should we just go back later?” 

Quickly seeing this as an opportunity to get back at you, Jisung only smiles evilly and links his hands with yours, dragging a hesitant you inside the kitchen and towards the direction of the dessert table. “No, let’s get dessert now, baby.” He dismisses your silent pleas teasingly, making sure his voice is loud enough to get your worst nightmare of trio’s attentions. “Felix also asked us to get cupcakes too, remember?”

And like vultures, the three women immediately turn to you and Jisung as you head in their line of vision, three different shades of questioning looks on their faces. You especially catch your mom’s face, a mixture of surprise, amusement, and genuine curiosity for some reason, which sets all the gears in your head into panic mode while Jisung only gains more confidence from this. 

You swear at that moment on Jisung’s sort of untied shoelaces that you just want Mrs. Kim’s new kitchen floor tiles to swallow you up right there and then.

“Hey, mom!” Jisung greets his own mom with a wave, coming off as sweet to her but mocking to you. He then bows politely to your mom and Mrs. Hwang and you’re forced to follow along for the sake of courtesy. “Mrs. Y/L/N, Mrs. Hwang.” 

The three women look at each other curiously, as if in a silent debate on what they’ve just heard, while Jisung pretends to be unfazed, passing you a dessert plate and examining tonight’s dessert options. 

“Jisung, I swear to God,” You hiss at him as you take a slice of chocolate cake for him. “I’m going to kill you after this party.” 

He leans close to your ear while gathering cupcakes on a separate dessert plate, whispering, “I think it’s too late for that, though.” before your mom, Mrs. Han, and Mrs. Hwang suddenly appear in front of the two of you on the other side of the buffet table with sickeningly sweet smiles, and a million questions. 

You especially fear Jisung’s mom. Mrs. Han and your mom often go to the mall together, especially when there’s an ongoing sale, and you’ve been forced to carry all their shopping bags over the years because Jisung and his older brother usually bail on you. Though she’s very sweet, you’ve always known her to be very picky on some things and it just makes you think that she’s picky on who Jisung dates too. 

“Mom,” You call for your mom with wide eyes. “Do you need anything?” 

But she waves her hand dismissively with a reassuring smile at your question. “Oh, nothing, Y/N dear,” She answers, eyes darting almost threateningly between you and Jisung. It makes your hand shaky as you now complete your tower of dessert plates. “your aunties and I were just talking and we didn’t mean to but we saw you and Jisung so we just got curious and thought we’d ask how the two of you are.” 

“Oh, just ask them already!” Mrs. Hwang exclaims excitedly, slapping your mom’s arm like a school girl. “If you won’t, I will.”

But Mrs. Han is already leaning over the table with a knowing smile, straightforwardly asking, “Are you two kids dating?” which immediately makes your mom and Mrs. Hwang erupt into fits of giggles. “Come on, the aunties want to know!” 

“Oh, um—” You stammer out before Jisung beats you to it. 

For the second time tonight, you feel Jisung’s arm on your shoulder as he speaks over you confidently, “Y-Yeah, we’ve been for a while now!” He then places his dessert plate back on the table and boyishly rubs the nape of his neck which only elicits swooning reactions from the three women, a complete contrast from your expectations a while back. “Just some time before my program ended so it’s been a bit long-distance for the most part.” 

“Oh? But how?” Mrs. Hwang asks curiously. “I didn’t hear of you going to Malaysia this year, Y/N, and Jisung, your mom told me you didn’t have time to go home!”

“You could’ve just told me, Sungie! Then, I would’ve had you sent home earlier if you wanted to see Y/N!” Mrs. Han adds as well, clasping her hands in satisfaction. “I knew this was coming! You two have always been so cute together!” 

Your mom agrees, “Luckily, I refused Mrs. Park’s offer to set Y/N up with another one of her nephews a while back. Had I known you two were dating, I wouldn’t have talked to her tonight at all!”

You open your mouth to try and speak but Jisung beats you to it again. “We’ve been in touch: message, calls, and video calls, you know.” He half-shrugs casually, as if he’s been rehearsing the line for a while now. “It’s our first time meeting since we started seeing each other so telling you guys just kind of flew past us.” 

You groan internally but you also can’t help but sigh in relief at the prospect that you avoided getting set up by Mrs. Park again because of Jisung. Though this doesn’t completely erase your annoyance over him for putting you in this situation, you still owe him a ‘thank you’ after somehow.

So, you conclude that you should just follow along. It’s fake dating your best friend over another pointless blind date at this point now, after all. “You’re okay with this, right?” You decide to ask in a follow-up, pretending to not know that they’ll agree anyway. Next to you, Jisung’s eyes visibly widen and, seeing it from the corner of your eyes, you quickly elbow him in response before giving your most innocent look to your mom. “I mean, Jisung won’t be studying abroad now and we’re graduating, anyway, so it’s cool, right?”

Judging by their softened reactions, you feel like you could challenge Hyunjin to acting now. 

“Of course we’re okay with it!” Your mom answers first, Mrs. Han nodding along happily. “I’m glad that it’s someone I know at least and I’m sure your dad wouldn’t mind.” 

You hear Jisung gulp nervously at the last comment. If you’re afraid of his mom, he’s afraid of your dad because of the one time he helped you practice for your driver’s license and the two of you almost ended up crashing the Ford on your subdivision’s club house. You allow yourself to relax and laugh at this, making him tighten his grip on your shoulder. 

“Me too, sis.” Mrs. Han agrees, gesturing over to her son. “My Jisung here’s been going on dates with strangers online before this so I’m glad he’s finally stopped and settled for your kid! Modern love, huh?” 

“Oh my God, mom!” Jisung whines, his free hand coming up to his face in embarrassment. “I’ve told you before, I use them to meet friends! Not in front of Mrs. Y/L/N and Y/N please!” 

“Ay, it’s the same thing!” His mom insists to him before turning to Mrs. Hwang and your mom. “Social apps, dating apps, they’re all the same. Why do you even use them if you’re just going to fall in love with the person right in front of you? I taught you better than that, Sungie.” 

“Mom!” Jisung hisses, cheeks tinted pink. “This is so embarrassing!” 

You snicker next to him, catching his attention. “Your mom’s right, you know. Tsk, dating people from miles away and you just end up confessing to me on FaceTime.” 

He scowls at you in a way that scolds you for suddenly turning this situation in your favor. You only smile triumphantly at him which the three aunties take as a really sweet moment. 

“Aw, look at them! So cute!” Mrs. Hwang gushes before turning to her two best friends. “Should we just leave them alone now? We’re intruding!” 

“Right! It’s especially embarrassing since we’re both here, Mrs. Han.” Your mom agrees, leading the three out now. She then turns to you and Jisung, “I guess we’ll be off now, then? Don’t want to intrude to you two lovebirds anymore!” 

You smile up to your mom, making sure Jisung does too. “It’s fine, mom, we’re going back to our table now too, anyway.”

But Mrs. Han waves her hand dismissively at you. “No, no, we’ll run along now first! See you later, okay?” 

You and Jisung bid your moms and Mrs. Hwang goodbye, overhearing your mom bragging that she’ll share this new information to Mrs. Park while Mrs. Han and Mrs. Hwang agree before the three completely exited the kitchen. 

Once they’re out of earshot, you sigh in relief and elbow Jisung harshly who responds by dramatically taking a step back and massaging his side. “Ow!” He winces, careful not to hit the dessert table. “What was that for?” 

“I told you to drop the fake dating thing a while back.” You protest, threatening to hit him with your plate of chocolate slices. “Now I have to have you at home more often. I’ve already had enough of you at campus, here, and when your mom visits at home.”

“Ya, but you played along!” 

“That’s because I was put on the spot! And they did mention another blind date from Mrs. Park’s army of nephews.” You explain. “It was between you and another blind date.”

“At least I got you out of another potential blind date, right?” He points out defensively, proceeding to put your hand with the chocolate slices down on the table with caution. “And more effectively now than before, too! So why’d you hit me?”

“Yeah, I know but still, that doesn’t cancel out how you got me out of that.” You frown in disappointment, taking both of your dessert plates now. When he holds his hand up defensively, as if expecting you to throw them to his face, you only roll your eyes and walk past him to the direction of the second kitchen exit. “Now, I have to fake date you for real either until Mrs. Park lays off the blind dates or until I actually date someone.” 

Jisung immediately follows you suit, genuinely rubbing the nape of his neck in a bashful way now. “We don’t have to, maybe they’ll forget about it.” But when you give him a pointed look, as if suggesting that what he just said seems unlikely, he ends up suggesting, “Okay, fine, should we break up after Chan’s wedding, then?”

He then glances over at you to see you contemplating and calming yourself down so he instinctively insists on carrying the dessert plates for you, walking a little bit ahead as well and opening the screen door leading back to the backyard. 

When you’ve made yourself calm down and think more rationally, you firstly point out, “That’s too far away and wouldn’t that be too scandalous? It’s a big event so it could become gossip.” 

Passing the entire length of the backyard now, you receive a few congratulations and questions confirming your relationship from some of your mom’s sorority friends and their husbands, forcing Jisung to hold his thought until you’re not being swarmed again. 

“But if we do it before, it’d be too suspicious since we’d only be dating for less than 6 months.” He counters once the adults have left you alone, glancing ahead and seeing your entire table looking at you with quirked up eyebrows and comically intimidating looks. “Remember when my older brother did that as a joke to the aunties and got caught because they only did it for 3 weeks? They smell fear and deceit, Y/N.”

You sigh in defeat, “Let’s just figure it out later.” With that, you reach your table, setting your plates down and asking, “What did we miss?”

Judging by the way they eye you, your mom has probably told Mrs. Kim who’s gone table to table. 

“It’s fake, isn’t it?” Ryujin speaks up once you’ve settled back in your seat, making the table break character and laugh. “It can’t be a coincidence since you two were just talking about that a while ago inside!” 

“Please be fake.” Seungmin adds, gesturing to you and Jisung. “It’d be more annoying for all of us next year if it’s true.” 

You and Jisung, having the same thought and trust for your friends, nod simultaneously at Ryujin’s question, eventually joining in on the laughter. 

“Oh my God, I can’t believe you’d actually try that!” Ryujin cackles, a clear giveaway that she and Yeji were eavesdropping on you and Jisung a while back to a degree.

“To be clear, though, it’s his fault!” You add in between laughs for clarification, pointing to Jisung with your dessert spoon. “He started it!” 

“And they were about to get set up on a blind date by Mrs. Park again.” Jisung gestures to you back, completing the thought. “I was being a good Samaritan.”

“Ooh, and what did they say?” Felix asks curiously, one elbow propped up on the table as he listens intently. 

Jisung groans in exasperation as he eats his chocolate cake. “We bumped into my mom, Y/N’s mom, and Mrs. Hwang so you can imagine how they reacted.” 

“I can imagine, especially our mom.” Hyunjin sighs with his hands carding through his hair in secondhand embarrassment. 

“At least now we know where you inherited certain qualities from.” Chan teases, making the younger boy exclaim ‘ya!’ at him. 

“This is good, though isn’t it?” Yeji asks curiously over her iced tea. “I mean, Mrs. Park’s wouldn’t set you up on blind dates now.”

“Yeah, but that leaves me as Ms. Park’s only target!” Ryujin moans in frustration. “You know Mrs. Park doesn’t get convinced with dating people online!” 

You shake your head at Ryujin’s complaint. “Yeji can fake date you, though.” You point out, much to the girl’s annoyance. “Or ask out that girl from our lab.”

“So, does this mean we’re getting a dramatic break-up at Chan and Miyoung’s wedding?” Hyunjin interjects, having moved from playing with his now long hair to his glass of champagne. “Because if so, then you better tell us now so we won’t get too drunk at the reception until it happens!”

“I honestly want to see that happen too.” Seungmin agrees, the two high-fiving at the thought.

“That’d be interesting, breaking up at weddings.” Minho chuckles along now too. “People usually propose or hook-up so this is new.” 

“Hey, no stealing my spotlight on my wedding!” Miyoung complains playfully to you and Jisung this time. “We’re all supposed to have a good time there!”

Chan nods in agreement. “If you break up at our wedding, you’re getting kicked out.” 

So you shake your head reassuringly in between eating cupcakes. “We aren’t planning to.” 

“You’re going to date for real?” Felix asks teasingly, earning him a glare form you.

“Gross, no.” You and Jisung turn down the thought in chorus.

“Jinx.” Jisung adds, stealing a spoonful of cake from your plate.

“So when are you breaking up?” Chan asks, leading the whole round table to look back to you. 

“Whenever, I guess.” You shrug casually, belatedly swatting Jisung’s hand from your plate this time. “Until Mrs. Park gets off my back and Jisung actually stops fucking around on Bumble.” 

“I don’t fuck around on Bumble!” Jisung complains over a mouthful of chocolate cake.

“Well, that’s going to take a long time.” Chan dismisses. “At least let us all know so we can schedule faking a whole drama in this group.” 

“Anyway, it’ll die down soon, surely.” Jisung assures with a half-shrug. “Also, our parents only meet up constantly during this reunion party. If anything, we just have to fake date in front of our moms since they meet up more often.” 

“And Mrs. Hwang.” You point to Hyunjin and Yeji. “Since we all go to brunch once a month.” 

At the mention of the monthly brunch, Yeji’s eyes widen. “Does that mean Jisung has to be at our monthly brunch?!” 

“Oh, ew!” Hyunjin adds in disgust. “I’ve had enough seeing you at campus already!” 

“Why does everyone keep saying that?!” Jisung exclaims back in complain. “I doubt I’d get invited to that, we’re supposed to be dating not getting married!” 

Jisung turns to you expectantly, sighing in relief when you say, “That seems unlikely, it’s my mom and Mrs. Hwang’s thing, anyway. It’s not the Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner brunch.” 

“It better be!” Hyunjin says with crossed arms. “Hopefully our moms don’t get that kind of idea.”

You quietly agree. Having Jisung on your monthly brunch with the Hwangs would just cause so much trouble and cement him in your mom’s good graces—but as your boyfriend, this time.

That’s probably not good. 

The party officially ends some time around 3 AM, when most of the parents with elementary school children have gone home hours earlier and, besides the Kims, it’s just your family, the Hwangs, the Hans, Chan, and Miyoung left at the front gates, bidding each other goodnight.  

“Thank you for having us again, Mrs. Kim.” You bid Seungmin’s family last since they’re the hosts, bowing politely to Seungmin’s parents before giving Seungmin a high-five. 

“See you after break.” Seungmin greets you after your high-five. “Have fun in Japan.” 

“And you enjoy your trip to New York.” You reply with an enthusiastic smile. “I do hope your mom reconsiders staying longer so you can spend the New Year there.” 

He nods with a sigh, “Yeah, I know. Still, I’ll try my best to convince her.” 

Your mom then approaches the two of you, bidding Seungmin and his parents goodnight before taking you away by the arm then turning you towards the direction of Jisung and his family. “Goodnight, Seungmin, Mr. and Mrs. Kim!” She smiles warmly to them before turning to you. “Y/N, aren’t you going to say goodnight to Jisung?” 

“I already did.” 

“Ah, but go to him anyway! Your dad still has to start the car.” 

You groan internally. After a whole night of drinking, singing, and gossiping with her friends, you’d think that she would’ve forgotten about earlier. 

Yet you oblige anyway, excusing yourself from your parents and approaching Jisung whose parents are busy having last-minute small talk with Chan and Miyoung, probably endorsing their chain of hotels as early as now for the wedding. 

“Hey, ugly.” You greet him casually as you approach, both your parents out of earshot so the old nickname naturally comes out. At this, Jisung immediately turns from scrolling through his phone to looking up at you with wide eyes. “My mom didn’t see us say goodnight a while ago so I’m here.” 

“Oh,” He muses, eyes flitting to your mom behind you once. When he sees her glancing expectantly, he turns to you and suggests, “Should we hug?” 

“Yeah, I guess.” You sigh, going straight into his extended arms. “‘Night.” 

“’Night, baby.” Jisung hums gently, too sleepy now to throw more witty comebacks besides the cheesy pet name that originally got you in trouble tonight. “See you after the break.” 

“No, see you on our moms’ next shopping spree.” You correct firmly, pulling away from his warmth before you could accidentally fall asleep on him. “Since we’re ‘dating’ now, you’re morally obligated to attend shopping bag duty now, too.” 

This makes Jisung sigh in defeat, “Fine, fair enough. See you on our moms’ next shopping spree, then.” He pauses for a moment then asks, “The day after New Year, right?”  

“Yeah.” You confirm with a nod when you catch him pouting, “You started this so don’t pout now.” 

“I know, I’m regretting it now.” He rolls his eyes with a scoff, only making you chuckle. “I suppose it’s different when we hang out as friends and when our moms think we’re dating.”

You continue laughing anyway until a thought crosses your mind and softens your gaze up at Jisung. “Anyway, thanks for saving me from another date—I almost forgot. The means is still annoying but I have to appreciate it somehow, right?” 

This time, it’s him chuckling, “Now you appreciate my efforts. See, I told you, something good comes up with this.” 

“Whatever.” You dismiss before you hear your mom calling for you as your dad pulls up in front of the Kim’s gates. “Okay, that’s me. Bye, ugly!” 

“Hm, bye!” With a final wave, Jisung then sees you off before joining his parents who he didn’t even realize have already gone to their car. 

Seating himself at the backseat of his mom’s car a moment later, Jisung accidentally glances over to his mom from the rear view mirror only to see her wiggling her eyebrows at him. 

“So,” Mrs. Han says. “you and Y/N.”

“Yeah?” Jisung response with a questioning tone. “Me and Y/N, what about it?” 

Mrs. Han only shrugs from the driver’s seat as she now drives away from the Kim’s house. “Nothing, you’re just both really cute.” She comments casually with a proud smile. “I like it. Though it is too bad we can’t invite them to dinner since they’re going to Japan for Christmas this year.” 

“How about next year?” Jisung’s dad suggests. “We can go on one of our hotels abroad.” 

“Ah, but—” Jisung stammers, only to be interrupted by his dad again.     

“Or, honey, when you and Mrs. Y/L/N go to the mall again.” Mr. Han quickly quips in to Mrs. Han before turning to their son in the back seat. “I expect you’d stop bailing on your mom when she goes to the mall now since Y/N’s always at these shopping trips.” 

At this, Jisung shakes his head, “I won’t. I’m ‘morally obligated’ now, apparently.”

“That’s good.” Mr. Han says, turning back to the road ahead and relaxing into the front passenger seat. “You better.”

Jisung sleepily props his elbow up by the window and sighs, letting his parents enjoy this new prospect of him seriously dating someone now. “Yup.” He ends the conversation, closing his eyes and getting a few minutes of sleep before arriving back home. 

Suddenly, this is probably not a good idea—lying to his already hyped parents. 

ch. 2 // ch. 3 // series masterlist

tag: @t-toodumbtocare​ @sandaigdigan-reads​ @pwarkhans​ @ruellelix @malai-barfi @mahalau​ @milkywayfelix @qweens-stuff​

[fireheartwraith]

So, I decided to watch Fate: The Winx Saga after some deliberation (I saw the trailer and it looked cool). As I never watched the original Winx Club, I'm coming into this pretty much blind to the lore, so if you want to know what someone that doesn't have the "it's different from what I wanted" baggage thinks of the show, let's go!

Episode 1 and Episode 2

• Ooh, this is giving me flashbacks to my first day of university... Luckily Pedro is a good soul and saw me just standing there and asked me if I was a freshman (yes), if I was lost (very much so) and if I wanted help (please)

• I can tell the the show wants me to ship these two because meet cute but... I didn't think it was cute. He was kind of rude in the beginning and it wasn't *sparkles* it was small talk. My talk with Pedro was pretty much the same, except he was nicer. Being a decent person doesn't mean romantic attraction, Show, if you want me to ship this you will have to try harder

• Oh, he's the ex

• Something tells me Stella wasn't this bitchy on the original show. I am not here for the female rivalry, specially if it's because of a basic white dude

• I have never related to someone as much as I relate to Terra since I too tend to talk too much, too fast, and overshare to make up for my insecurities and anxiety. My mom is the plant gal though...

• I want a succulent!

• Bloom, who the heck talks on the phone with the speaker turned on in a room full of people you don't know???? Show wants me to believe you're an introvert when you pull this shit???

• I love Aisha

• I also love Musa

• Is a burned one kind of like a werewolf? Where if it scratches you, you turn into one? If that's the case, is there a way to get them conscious again? Like the wolfbane potion in Harry Potter

• I'm gonna pretend everyone is over 18 bacause I can't handle another Riverdale

• ........ everything changed when the fire nation attacked

• I'm sorry but you can't talk to me about the elements and expect me to not think about atla

• Being an empath in high school must suck. All that teenage angst....

• Changeling! Makes sense. My bet is that her father is the leader of the burned ones and the principal is her mom

• I get that she's missing home and normality but her mom was a bitch

• I'm glad they revealed this now and not at the end of the season, when literally everyone would know

• Stella quit being a bitch

• I expected the princess of Solaria to be a fire fairy, not an air one....

• Riven and Beatrix deserve each other

• Protect my gay baby!!

• MAGIC LESSONS

• Bloom needs to meditate and Stella needs to chill

• What kind of human parents name their child Bloom??? Aisha sounds like a human name, not fucking Bloom. I bet it's a white people thing, like Ashleigh

• Stop being mean to Aisha and Terra! They're just trying to help!

• Musa really found the one bitch in this place that doesn't have anxiety and went 👀 huh

• No! Don't use anger! Are you the only kid that never watched A:TLA?? Have you learned nothing from Zuko???

• No! Don't follow the whispery voice in the woods! That's how people get killed in horror movies!

• Oop, that's a lot of bodies

• Something tells me that burning a burned one isn't going to help

• Aisha to the rescue!

• Gross

• SO THERE IS A POTION

• Silva is a really common surname here in Brazil.... We're fairies confirmed

• Oh, they are going to pretend that Sam being Terra's brother is drama worthy huh

• Stella quit being a bitch /rt

• Yes! BOND

• huh

• That's different

Episode 3

• Have I already said that Aisha is the best??

• I still don't get what the specialists are. One the first episode Sky told Bloom "you are a fairy" as if he isn't one, and the only thing I've seen specialists do so far is fight with sticks. What are they doing in magic school?

• So, Silva can't get better until the burned one that infected him is dead? I'm pretty sure there's something like this in vampire or werewolf lore

• Is Silva Sky's dad or something?

• MAGIC LESSONS

• Don't go to the dark side Bloom! Beatrix bad!

• How many headmasters does this school have??

• Oh yeah, this dude is evil too. I forgot he existed

• Uh, do all hetero coupled do cringey shit like that?

• My mom starts talking to me about something she was thinking about as if I have the context ALL THE TIME!! We're all Terra #PowerToTheNerds

• But I'm more of a coffee addict than a tea aficionado

• Oh thank god they are using km

• RIP Silva

• Aaawww suite to the party!

• Okay but grown ups gossiping while being 100% of what the youngsters are trying to hide is my favorite trope ever

• All these pop songs are going to age the show

• Terra that was so awkward omg

• What the fuck Stella???

• How old do fairies get? Like, do they live for centuries?

• Is it bad that I discovered what shotgunning is through a smutty wolfstar fanfic? 😬

• Rosalind? Former headmistress Rosalind?

• Oop, another dead body

• Oop, Silva..... F 😔

• Bloom can't you listen to Aisha for once??? You are going to get yourself killed

• That's a sweater, not armor

• Because that's not creepy at all

• You could at least have phoned a responsible adult before running off into the forest looking for a toasted slender man

• Your suite mates don't qualify as responsible adults but it's better than nothing I guess

• Oh look, a portal to another dimension!

• Look! A responsible adult!!

• Oh, he's still alive

• Oh wait, nevermind

• Did she just Thanos him?

• Hugs!

• I still don't get what the specialists are

• My best friend in high school was adopted so I'm having flashbacks... Her birth parents got in contact after almost two decades of radio silence. It was a very difficult time for her, with lots of different and sometimes opposite emotions about the whole thing. In the end she accepted that whatever happened, happened and that the mom that raised was her real mom, no matter her faults. I hope that Bloom can get to the same conclusion

• Alright, I wasn't expecting Rosalind to be in magic cryogenic coma

• Why can't they meet? Is Rosalind evil or something?

Episode 4

• At least now Bloom is aware that her friends have their own lives and aren't they just to be her sidekicks

• Girls sticking together!

• Still don't get why Musa needs to hide her relationship with Sam.... If I was Terra I would be more upset that my friend was hiding the relationship from me than the relationship itself

• Last episode was Sky's daddy issues, so this one is Stella's mommy issues. And, of course, the whole show is about Bloom's issues (general)

• The Queen of Solaria is named Luna?? Huh

• This episode is also about snooping

• I'm going to find whoever thought hdr was good idea and force them to watch something on Netflix when the screen is so dark you can barely see what's happening

• I'm going to pretend that's a p!atd reference

• I'm going to pretend I didn't hear 2004

• Can the camera stop spinning, I'm getting dizzy

• Anakin noooo

• Rehabilitation magic?

• So Queen Kindness is not so nice after all

• I want to give Sky points for figuring it out but let's be honest here, it was not that hard

• When did they name themselves "Winx"? And what does that even mean?

• ANAKIN NO

• Good for you sky

• Yes! Tell the responsible adults!

• Push her

• So your parents were from Aster Dell

• Well they both are redheads

• Oh sweet Anakin...

• SEE???

• Silva that's shady as fuck

That's all for now! I will watch the rest, but don't know if I should make another post or just edit this one...

[gisellelx]

aaah your carlisle and edward headcanons are so lovely omg. could you elaborate on what kind of situations result in terse conversations with carlisle literally restraining edward? because somehow that just feels so on brand for them: the adventures of carlisle and his feral teenage son. and how did edward end up injuring carlisle like that? (and how many decades did he spend angsting about it lol)

It is so on brand, isn't it? Reference post (because I went on vacation for two weeks with only my ipad and no keyboard and left my inbox alone).

Edward does not deal well with additions to the family. He was an only child (though my HC as to why is more complicated) and he was an only child as a vampire, also. This was all the more exacerbated by Carlisle's intense need for him--he's Carlisle's special child. So the first headlock conversation was during Esme's change. Edward threw furniture at Carlisle but in the end he ended up sobbing in a wrestling hold in the middle of their living room. He was terrified he would be pushed out of his place in Carlisle's heart which was both right and wrong.

An almost identical thing happened with Rosalie, except this time Edward felt he had the upper hand because Esme was also not enthused. Carlisle had to assure him that he wasn't going to be supplanted, which he did, over the course of about half a day, while refraining from breaking Edward's nose.

Their other major, "held for hours" fight was somewhat of a reverse, and after Esme's first kill. She managed it while Carlisle was at work and out of his own shame, he blamed it on Edward, who was only too willing to take it. But he screamed at Carlisle anyway, and Carlisle took him down, only to break down himself, eventually, and admit to his own despondence about what he'd allowed to happen. He apologized to Edward for blaming him and they had a long talk about the guilt and responsibility Carlisle carries.

There's a very thin and diaphanous line between a wrestling hold and an intimate embrace and Carlisle takes advantage of this periodically.

(As to the second part of your ask, I have another answer coming.)