#one of my favorite frames in the newest season

[mayexiled]

"From You, 2000 Years Ago."

[bdbueckers]

ballin' | p.b

"bet i get you wet now, bet i make you sweat now"

pairing: paige bueckers x fem!reader

warnings: smut, fluff, them being down bad for one another, jealousy(?), fingering, thigh riding, a little dirty talk, i think that's all lmao

word count: 4k-ish (sorry i'm a sucker for pwp)

summary: you and your beautiful girlfriend finally have the time to dedicate a night out to yourselves...or something like that.

author’s note: hi! this is my first fic about paige and it's been marinating for a while but ima stop acting scary and let y'all have it. this could technically read as a part 1...i have more written but it was getting pretty long so i found that the ending on this was a good stopping point. but, let me know if y'all want the rest! i tried my best to proof read so if i missed anything i'm giving it to god. enjoy! (if you hate it don't tell me)

date night was always long awaited for you and paige. between school for the both of you and the season underway for her, there was little time to dedicate to yourselves for something like a dinner reservation. undoubtedly it was understood that making time for one another was necessary and of course it came in many other forms, but this, an entire night to yourselves to do anything your hearts desired was so hard to squeeze in. until now.

excitedly texting your friends with your final outfit choice and starting your makeup way before you even needed to so it could be perfect, you were more than ready to get out of the house. paige had stepped out a bit ago to “get gas” and you anticipated at the very least being ready before she got back. you hadn’t seen her before she left with you cooped up in front of your vanity getting ready, but you could only assume that she looked as gorgeous as always.

finalizing your makeup with a lip combo you scurried to the closet where your dress hung. a backless halter neck mini dress, simple in your eyes. of course you loved it enough to wear it out, but not as much as paige loved it on you. the first time you tried it on for her some time ago you could’ve sworn you saw her drool a bit. her eyes immediately blown out, a smirk painting her lips as she tried to get her hands on you. there was no denying that it quickly became one of her favorite things she had ever seen you in so it was perfect for tonight.

you slipped into the dress, grabbing shoes to match and spritzed some perfume on before attempting to get some pictures to post later. before you could get more than a few flicks of yourself in the mirror you heard the jingle of keys unlocking the door. giggling in the mirror like a schoolgirl, you do a once over of yourself and walk out of your room to meet paige at the door.

when you see her you feel your heart skip a beat and you honestly have to resist the urge to moan a little. she’s got on some mascara to make her eyes pop, her hair falling over her shoulders in waves. she’s dressed in a short sleeved button down and a crop top that fits her frame perfectly. her jeans sit on her hips in just the right spot to show off her toned abdomen and her newest pair of sneakers. oh, and of course all of her jewelry catches the light perfectly.

to finish the look off she holds a bouquet of roses.

you don’t know if you want to giggle, cry, or drop to your knees to give her some of the best head she's ever known in her 23 years of life.

“baby, what’s with these?” you break the silence, creeping towards her with the biggest smile on your face. she extends an arm to wrap around your waist pulling you in for a hug after handing you the flowers.

“just a lil sumn for my princess. you knew i wasn’t gonna step to you empty handed, when have i ever?” she taunts, placing a kiss on the crown of your head as you pull back from the hug, quickly placing another right on your lips.

the kiss is sweet, just a peck at first. but when you both lean in for another you can’t help but slowly slide your flower free hand up the front of her body to then rest on the back of her neck. moaning into the kiss when you feel her tongue slide between your lips to meet your own, you feel warmth flood the pit of your stomach. her hands are low on your waist, one making its way to your ass causing you to gasp a bit as she smirks into the kiss.

you pull back first, holding eye contact with your girlfriend as she is very clearly stifling a laugh.

“thank you for the flowers paige, they’re beautiful” you whisper into the few centimeters of space between your lips and hers, your eyes glossed over as you look up at her.

“beautiful like you baby. it was only fitting.” she replies with a wink as you reluctantly pull away, still holding onto paige at the waistband of her pants.

“you’re so corny.” you mutter, still a little wrapped up in the kiss

“and you’re clearly in love with that," she retorts, "but you really do look beautiful baby, do a spin for me?" her voice a little lower this time, dropping one of her hands down to grab your own waiting for you to oblige, and of course you do.

she lets out a whistle, hissing after it. clearly you've got her right where you want her and this dress was a great choice.

"let's get out of here while we still can because part of me wants to bend you over right here and say fuck the dinner."

"paige!" you say with a giggle, finally separating yourself from her to grab your purse and phone.

she's waiting for you at the door with the goofiest smile on her face as you manage to pass her and make your way to the car without another word. she opens the door for you and waits for you to situate yourself inside before closing it and walking around to her side.

while she’s getting in the car you can’t help but stare. she always looked good, that was a no brainer. but maybe it was the thought of having her all to yourself tonight that had your mind going crazy. you’re analyzing her from head to toe several times over before you realize you’re squeezing your thighs together for some sort of relief. she stops at a red light, almost feeling your eyes on the side of her head before she turns to you.

“what are you staring at?” she asks with the raise of an eyebrow, making direct eye contact with you.

your mouth is still agape for a second before you can figure out something to say.

“you. you look good. i mean, you always do but right now i’m just thinking about how i have you all to myself tonight.” you respond, looking away from her as the light turns green.

“wowww..you have such a way with words baby, thank you” she chuckles, placing a hand gingerly on your knee to squeeze. your eyes are on her hand as it creeps up your leg until it’s on your thigh, heavy and now partially under your dress. she never takes her eyes off the road but you know she can feel the heat radiating off of you.

you don’t even realize you're at the restaurant until the car stops and is put into park. her hand is gone before you can process anything at all and she is out of the driver's seat and on the way to retrieve you from your spot in the passenger seat. she sweetly grabs your hand, basically dragging you from your dirty thoughts.

dinner is officially the farthest thing from your mind right now.

the restaurant is perfect. it’s dimly lit and not too crowded, a hostess greets you at the front.

as paige gives a name for your reservation you catch her eyes drifting over your girlfriend’s frame more than once. of course to your understanding paige is paying her no mind but her staring is becoming a problem and you have yet to even watch her pull up said reservation.

you clear your throat once and you assume she takes a hint. her cheeks flush before she mutters a quick,

”right this way.”

as you follow behind her and are led to a table you feel paige’s lips next to your ear, “if you can behave so we can enjoy ourselves here, then we can enjoy each other even more when we get home.”

scoffing, you place your hand over hers that’s resting on your hip, “yeah well as long as she gets it together i’ll have no problem behaving.” you turn your head and respond hastily without losing stride.

you’re sat at a table and quickly order a glass of wine before you can gauge the entire menu, almost opting for the entire bottle.

the situation with the hostess is nearly forgotten, as you and paige start a bit of small talk about how school and work are for you and how the season is going for her. how you’ve been managing a balance of things and how she’s been getting along with new teammates and such. then you catch another glance of the woman from earlier out of the corner of your eye and your thoughts are scattered. you hadn’t intended to snap, whether it had been at her or at paige. your girlfriend was always being watched, sought after, talked to. she’s paige bueckers, of course people would stare. at the end of the day you were the only person that mattered to her and she had made that abundantly clear since the first day you'd met.

it’s not a big deal. paige seems fine, just leave it be.

“what’s goin’ on in that pretty little head of yours?” your thoughts are once again interrupted.

you hadn’t even realized you’d be thinking about this shit for that long. paige had finished her story about what happened at practice and just watched your mind wander off for god knows how long.

“sorry baby, i didn’t mean to zone out," you pause before continuing, figuring that there was no point in trying to lie.

"i just wanted to make sure you knew that earlier i wasn’t upset or anything. i did get a little snappy but i'm sorry, it’s not a big deal.” you ramble, looking off to the side at the end of your sentence to avoid her eyes.

“baby, it’s okay if it did bother you. but you know i’m not worried about anybody except you, right?” she starts, reaching across the table to grab your hand.

“of course. i’m okay babe don’t worry, i’m sorry for even bringing it up, tonight is about us and us only.” you respond, interlocking your fingers with hers and bringing her hand to your lips.

“you know you can bring up anything to me at any given time. that’s what relationships are about,” your gaze softens even more as you nod.

her voice drops a bit lower ensuring that only the two of you can hear, “and to dead any of your concerns i wasn’t even aware that i was being looked at until you said something, i was too focused on how good your looks ass in that dress and thinking about what i’m gonna do to you when i finally get you out of it.” she finishes.

you close your mouth, forgetting whatever snarky reply you'd been thinking of as heat creeps up your neck. both of your eyebrows raise in minimal shock. her expression immediately mimics yours before she can continue.

“you thought you could walk out of the house in that and i wouldn’t immediately be itching to take it off of you?” paige says, gaze drifting down towards your cleavage before finding your eyes again.

“no. that was the plan.” you say, raising your second glass of wine to your lips your tone a bit sultry.

“perfect.” she responds, before your moment is interrupted with your food finally arriving

the previous conversation is long gone as you dive nose first into your plate of pasta and also another story from paige about the team and their silly competitive games after practice. the rest of dinner went exactly how you’d hoped. no interruptions. just you and your beautiful baby over a nice meal and a little conversation.

two more glasses of wine down and you’re just as tipsy as could be. you’re focused on what paige is saying until you're not. your eyes momentarily find her lips the way they move while she’s speaking, how she occasionally licks them between a sentence or two before continuing, the heat between your legs quick to return.

you’re waiting for the bill when you get an idea. uncrossing your legs and extending your right one until the toe of your pump is met with her calf, you watch her facial expression falter. you sensually drag your foot up and down until she stops talking.

“didn’t i say behave?”

“baby, i don’t know what you’re talking about?” you taunt nonchalantly.

she notices what you’re trying to do and decides to play your game.

after placing her card down with the bill she's reaching towards your ankle that is now near her knee. her touch gentle, causing goosebumps to arise on the freshly shaved skin of your legs. nodding to the waiter that grabs the check, her attention is back on you. holding piercing eye contact with you she lightly draws foreign shapes on the parts of your outstrechted leg that she can reach.

"alright, that's enough." you say lowly with a playful roll of your eyes, attempting to pull your leg back down to the ground. she quickly strengthens her hold on you, raising her brow again.

"is it?"

before either of you can say anything else the waiter comes back with the check and a receipt, you use the shift of paige's attention to return your foot to the ground.

she scribbles down a signature and tip before quickly making her way to her feet, waiting for you to stand. taking your hand in her own she leads you out of the restaurant and to the car.

before she opens the door for you she mounts you to it with a hand on your hip, towering over you. you reach out to bring her head down to your own until you’re eye level.

“i want you so bad,” you almost moan, taking her free hand in your own and sighing desperately when she leans back standing at her full height.

“i can tell baby, you can’t keep your hands to yourself.” she responds, placing one of her legs between both of yours, smirking when your head falls back against the car door.

paige chuckles a bit before pulling your body towards hers so she can open the door and get you into the car.

the car ride back is comfortable. full of tension, but comfortable nonetheless. paige’s hand back on your thigh, you’re still tipsy as hell, taking photos and videos of yourself to distract from the throbbing between your legs.

when you get home you can’t even wait for paige to open the door for you before you’re out of the car and on the way your front door.

“hey, you know i don’t like when you do that.” she calls out from behind you with a frown as you’re trying to force your keys in the lock, fumbling a bit when you feel her body heat behind you. she cages you in, quick to press her front into your back placing hot kisses onto your neck as her hands are feeling you up.

you finally unlock the door and let yourselves in, careful not to disconnect yourself from paige. she shuts and locks the door behind you both.

“okay let’s make a deal, i’ll never open the car door for myself again if we have sex right now.” you say, throwing your purse and keys to the side as you turn in her arms to face her.

“deal,” she groans as her hands make their way underneath your dress, just to discover that the entire night you’ve been prancing around with no panties on.

“surpriseeee.” you drag out in a whisper leaving sloppy kisses all over her skin that’s gradually exposed as her shirt starts to fall off her shoulders.

she places one hand on your neck forcing your lips onto hers. it’s messy but clearly neither of your care. soon you’re backed against a wall. her other hand slides up your leg and under your dress, two fingers firmly pressed to your clit causing your jaw to fall open in a silent moan.

“should i fuck you right here? you just couldn’t wait to have me, maybe i bend you over now? hmm?” she mutters against your lips, applying more pressure to your cunt slowly tracing figure eights there until she feels more of your arousal leave you and leak into the palm of her hand.

“whatever you want—fuck, just do something..please” you pant, groaning as you feel two of her slender fingers enter you like clockwork. you’ve been wet since you laid eyes on her three hours ago and now several wine glasses deep you can’t help but feel like you’re already about to cum.

the moan you let out sounds borderline pornographic.

“miss impatient...you look so pretty like this baby. i’ve barely done anything and you’re gushing into my hand.”

“mmh–only get like this for you”

“i know. but you’re gonna ruin your pretty dress. the dress you wore all for me huh? just couldn't wait to have all of my attention?” she rasps into your ear, almost in a mocking tone while her fingers pump into you skillfully.

“yes baby, all for you– FUCK!” you try to keep up but she quickly curls her fingers inside of you, hitting that spongy spot almost immediately.

“we’re just getting started, you gonna cum already?”

paige teases, watching your eyes roll back and your mouth open in a silent moan while she speeds up the thrusts of her fingers if humanly possible.

“mmm—i’ve w-wanted you since you walked in here holding fucking flowers.”

“i know mama”

“please baby, don't stop i’m so close” you let out in a string of whines, hand grabbing onto her shoulder for support as you hook your leg around her hip.

“let go, make a mess on me baby you know that’s what i want.” she whispers, messily mouthing your nipples through your dress, licking a line up the valley of your chest to the underside of your jaw, leaving a wet kiss there.

“FUCK PAIGE–“ you manage to let out before you feel that familiar warmth in the pit of your stomach and your eyes starting to roll back into your head.

“i know baby, i know” she shushes you.

your first orgasm of the night crashes over embarrassingly quick. you’re rambling words that don’t even make any sense, them falling deaf to your ears. paige is with you the entire time you ride out your high, leaving hot kisses over any inch of exposed skin her lips can find and whispering praise into your ear.

there’s a heartbeat worth of silence and then you pry your eyes open and almost cum again when you catch sight of your girlfriend. her lips puffy from all the kissing, a slight sheen of sweat across her face and chest, and her eyes hazy.

your eyes drift down to the few fingers that were just inside you and in record speed you reach down to bring them up to your own lips, tasting yourself.

paige lets out a groan, her head lulling to the side as she watches you intently as you carefully suck your release from each of her fingers.

before you can think of anything to say she’s got both her hands under you as she lifts you up. you let out a yelp and a slight giggle, still spent from how hard you came.

paige carries you up the stairs and to your bedroom before placing you on the bed. as she stands over you and begins taking off your heels for you there’s a glint in her eyes.

“you’re really beautiful, you know that?” you mutter softly, never breaking eye contact as she throws your shoes aside and leans down, both her hands on the sides of your head, chain catching your eye as it dangles directly in front of your face.

“have you seen yourself? i had to try real hard not to lay you down in the backseat before we came home.“

taking her by surprise you wrap your legs around her and flip the two of you until you’re sat atop her lap, one of her thighs between yours. she’s got a look of shock on her face but one of her hands immediately lands on your thigh, the other resting on your hip.

“you’re wearing too many clothes paige..” you whisper, starting to peel her shirt off her arms completely. you sigh when the only thing separating her upper half from your view is a teenie black crop top.

you lean down for a kiss, using two fingers to pinch one of her nipples. you take charge, your head turned slightly to the side as your tongue slides between her lips. she moans into your mouth as her hand comes down hard on your ass grabbing a handful of the same spot that she smacked. it's your turn to moan.

you don’t even realize the way that you’ve begun grinding down against the rough denim of her jeans. she immediately noticed, helping you guide your hips over her flexed thigh as you whimper pathetically. your head thrown back.

"look at you baby. just using me to get yourself off, so fucked out you can barely hold your head up," paige utters.

ironically enough this makes you bring your head up and lock eyes with her again, a slight smirk on your lips. using every little bit of composure you have left you slow the motions of your hips.

“paige, earlier when i said it didn’t matter that you were being eye fucked by that hostess i lied. honestly…i was a little pissed at first. but then i thought about how i’d have you under me just like this at the end of the night.”

you change the angle of your other leg so your knee is placed right against her clit, then you start rocking back and forth with a little more intent, determined to get her off like this.

“fuck,” paige hisses, her head thrown back into the pillows. sucking on one of her fingers she pulls the top of your dress to the side to play with your tits.

you whine and bite your lip, holding eye contact with her as she’s fondling you.

“now i just wanna fuck you until i pass out. because nobody else will ever get the chance.”

“fuck" she groans, "baby nothing is stopping you."

this flips a switch in your head. placing your hand over hers that was on your tit you lean down to kiss her, never stopping your knees assault on her bundle of nerves. at this point you’re both a little spent, paige whimpering against your lips as she gets closer to her release.

“you gonna cum for me paige? you wanna give me that? i waited for this all night” you pant into her mouth, your own clit too sensitive by now from your previous orgasm.

“yes—f-fuck, i’m so close baby. you’re riding me so good i could cum just looking at you”

knowing that even when she was on the edge of her own orgasm she would never rob you of some praise pushes you closer to your own release.

freezing for a second you bring two fingers up to your lips and wet them as she watches. finally unzipping her pants and slipping your hand into her underwear you press onto her clit firmly, making tight circles shortly after.

"you're so wet baby...i guess you really do love this dress?" you tease, her head immediately thrown back into the pillows underneath her.

“shit—babe, i’m gonna cum” paige rasps out, not expecting to feel your fingers.

“give it to me. please?” you whisper in her ear.

she loses it. her chest heaving, legs moving underneath you. her hands tight in their gasps on your hips as she grinds up into your fingers, chasing the rest of her high. you leave hot kisses on her neck, sucking on her ear just a little until you feel her breathing become even underneath you.

you pull back to check on her and see she’s already looking at you.

“we're not even close to done. strip.”

[universetrash]

And Just Like That - In which the reader is the newest member to join the path of the Trailblaze and quickly finds their place on the Express.

Content warning �� Crappy writing; slight mention of injury (Welt); ooc characters; not edited

Notes — A platonic/found family 'fic' with Welt, Himeko, March 7th, Dan Heng, and Stelle (fem Trailblazer); very ooc Welt (I have the hardest time writing for him, istg); gn reader; reader is referred to as Y/N; I have a vision where the reader is from a planet that's mostly covered in water with one or two big land masses and various single islands and archipelagos; kinda goes from the first few weeks from joining to being a well seasoned Trailblazer with the others;

Edit: I forgot the masterlist

— Himeko was one of the first to welcome Y/N when they first boarded the express, seeing as Welt was busy with something else and the other three were off doing their own things.

— Himeko is the unofficial mother of the crew on top of being the navigator. It’s a given with how much she taken into account for the rest of the trailblazers aboard the express.

— Y/N’s first few weeks on the express was just Himeko learning their story and what they gravitate towards. Learning Y/N’s favorites and their mannerisms.

— The first time Himeko showed that she paid this much attention to detail was on Y/N’s first birthday with crew only a month after they joined.

The sound of heels clacking against the tiled floor was muffled behind closed doors, the gentle sound of heals against the tile floor came to a stop in front of the newest member's door. A box wrapped in dark blue paper with stars scattered along it, containing a special gift for the person on the other side of the door. Himeko raised a hand and gave a gentle knock on the door, listening for any movement behind the door. A soft sigh left Himeko's lips, knocking again after a moment of silence from the other side of the door. "Y/N... are you awake?" After Himeko called out, there was some shuffling on the other side of the door. The wait wasn't long as Y/N pulled the door open with one hand pulling on a jacket over their pjs. "Mornin'..." Himeko could tell by the disheveled appearance and the sleepiness behind their voice that Y/N just woke up. Himeko held the neatly wrapped gift in her hands and smiled at the somewhat half-asleep Y/N before holding it out to the newest member. Himeko chuckled at the confused expression that crossed Y/N's face when the box was suddenly placed in their hands. Y/N just blinked as they looked down at the box in their hands before looking back up at Himeko. "What... what's this all about?" "It's a gift for you, it is your birthday after all." "My... birthday?" Y/N paused and glanced over at the digital calendar, eyes focusing on the date before looking back at the redhead that stood in front of the door to their room. "How did you know?" "I remember one of the people from your home planet briefly mentioned it. Once I heard you decided to join the Astral Express... I decided to pick up a little something to remind you of home." Himeko smiled as she spoke, noticing Y/N's tired expression turning from confusion to a more awake smile on their face. Y/N took a peak at the wrapped box in their hands and they were filled with a sense of excitement. If it's something from their home world... the possibilities ran through their head. Maybe it was the newest book from their favorite author? Or maybe some memento to remind them of home? "What are you waiting for... open it?" Y/N glanced up at Himeko for a moment before looking back down at the box in their hands before they backed up into their room, gesturing for the red head to come into their room. As Y/N lightly tossed a few things to the side—shoes and a few other miscellaneous items remaining on the floor—Himeko entered the room and leaned against the frame of the door. Y/N glanced up at Himeko again before they went ahead and started to unwrap the nicely wrapped gift. Y/N's eyes practically lit up the second they finished opening the gift and seeing what it was. They could recognize the design from anywhere. Y/N's hands carefully reached into the box and lifted up the model of the ship they've been tinkering on with their father figure. The slim body of the ship they spent years repairing, tinkering, and sailing. The ship they were sure they wouldn't be seeing in a very long time was now in their hands and fit in the room they were sitting in. It reminded them of home. Himeko noticed the tears brimming at the edges at Y/N's eyes and threatening to spill over. The woman was worried that it hurt the newest member of the express and that it wasn't something they were wanting to be reminded of. She opened her mouth to say something, but Y/N beat her to it. "Thank you, Himeko, I love it."

— Welt was the second person that Y/N officially met as part of the crew after they were pulled in and had that desire to join the path of the Trailblaze.

— Welt, being the old man he is (says Stelle, but Y/N doesn't really see it) is persistent on the safety of the members of the Express. On the first mission with the 'power trio' Y/N was given all the information they needed before the expedition.

— After Y/N comes back wounded from the expedition, and with Himeko (one of the only person Y/N has become comfortable with) busy with other issues, Welt decides to take it into his own hands to step in and help Y/N.

It's been around three months since Y/N joined the Astral Express. The newest trailblazer was out on a expedition to a planet that was a barren desert with one major city that was surrounded by an oasis. Welt and Himeko remained on the ship instead of joining the others on Xylophia-IV. For some unforeseen circumstances, the outcome of the exploration of a planet the Nameless hasn’t stepped foot on went sideways. Nothing major with a stellaron, or a world altering fight, just some issues with evading some hostile entities. 

After the conflict, the four were quick to return and call quits on the mission at hand, deeming it unsafe for them to continue on with the exploration and travel. March and Stelle seemed to be mostly unscathed (other than a few miniscule scrapes that didn’t break the skin), Dan Heng got a few light open cuts and bruises. Y/N on the other hand didn’t have it lucky, being at the brunt of the attack when it happened. Y/N didn’t have any major injuries that need immediate attention, just a small gash on their arm that wouldn’t require any stitches, various bruises… and a sprained ankle. 

Y/N, being the slightly stubborn person they are, were refusing help from the others while they were heading back to the Express. Not necessarily to be toxic towards their self because it’s the first time they’ve gone out with the others, but because they were worried that they’d be ambushed again. Their adrenaline masked the ache in their foot before, but now that Y/N was on the ship… they were starting to feel it. 

Having a chance to actually assess their self, Y/N determined that they didn’t need any help, they just needed to get to their room and hope their ankle doesn’t swell up. Y/N went ahead and dismissed their self from the common area and started to make their way to their room, being grateful they didn’t have to combat stairs in order to get where they needed to go.

Y/N was just a few seconds away from opening the door to their room, ready to just flop on their comfy bed and rest. It's been one hell of a day after all.

"Y/N"

Y/N let out a mix of a frustrated sigh and an exhale, slowly turning around. "Yes, Mr. Yang?"

"I heard from the others that you were injured during the fight. You aren't hiding any other injuries that need to be addressed, correct?" Y/N could almost taste the serious tone that was being used.

"No, other than the obvious, I think I'm fine." Y/N forced a small smile to make their statement more believable.

"Then what about your arm?"

Y/N shot a confused look towards the man in front of them before looking down at their arms, finally spotting the scratch that went from the middle of their forearm to their elbow. "I... missed that one I suppose."

Welt let out a sigh at Y/N's confession and gestured for them to go into their room, stepping away to grab the first aid kit. In less than two minutes, Welt was in Y/N's room and instructing them to sit down on their bed. Welt removed topical antibiotic and a few bandages from the kit and started to treat the cut on Y/N's arm.

Y/N watched as Welt started to put away the supplies that weren't used to patch up their arm before he'd close the lid and walk towards the door.

"Make sure to get some rest, Y/N, I don't think you'd want to miss out on the next adventure."

— March 7th was the easiest for Y/N to grow accustomed to, with her bubbly personality and joyful spirit, who wouldn't?

— Y/N would always end up having pictures that March would take and print physical copies of all over their room.

— March and Y/N would somehow always snap random little photos when someone on the ship wasn't looking. Said photos ranging from low quality to absolute works of art

— For some reason Himeko was really photogenic compared to Stelle and Dan Heng (Dan Heng threatened to use Imbibitor Lunae on the two... Y/N couldn't tell if he was being serious or not-).

— When Y/N sees all the photos March takes at each stop the Express makes, Y/N's curiosity gets the best of them and they ask March about the photos.

Y/N hummed to their self as they walked down the train car, looking at the doors as they passed by. As they passed by March's door, they heard faint rustling indicating that energetic woman was awake. With that knowledge, Y/N decided that they didn't have anything better to do that morning and went to step closer to the door and knocked, following a certain pattern.

The faint rustling on the other side of the door stopped before footsteps approached the door. A few seconds later, the door opened revealing March already dressed and ready to take on the day.

"Can I come in?"

March gave Y/N a closed eye smile as she nodded. "Of course you can! I was just going through all the photos I've taken, do you want to look with me?"

Y/N couldn't help but smile as well, March's smile being contagious, even this early in the morning. "I'd love to. You did promise to show me pictures from previous places you guys went to so... I'll take it!"

March stepped aside to let Y/N walk into the room, they taking the invitation to step in. Y/N walked to March's bed where there was a box containing the photos and a few recent Polaroids sitting on the bed.

March sat down next to Y/N and took out a stack of photos, starting to thumb through the photos and showing Y/N a few. Y/N eventually took their own stack of photos in their hands and started to go through them. A lot were from the views of the massive windows in the main car on the express, a few planets seen in a few. Y/N even saw a few of the photos from their home planet. Y/N swore they could spot their self in the background on one of the beaches before they even met.

As they continued to go through the photos, they stopped at a particular interesting one. "Hey March, what about this photo?" Y/N held up the photo they were talking about. March was the main focus of the selfie, a large moon in the horizon and the sky was a dark shade of blue with stars littering the sky and a snowy background. Y/N could see that Dan Heng and Stelle were in the background, Dan Heng looking at Stelle... while Stelle looked like she was just about to bust her butt on ice.

"Oh, that one! We were going to Belobog to see one of Serval's concerts. We arrived late the night before and the sky was so pretty. I wish you could've seen it in person Y/N, we have to bring you there sometime soon."

"It looks like it's pretty. I think I've seen other photos you've taken from there, along with the Penacony photos you took. They all look amazing. If we ever go to Jarilo-VI again, I want to go with you guys. A little cold won't kill me."

March chuckled and nodded her head at Y/N's enthusiasm. "Yeah, there's a lot of places I want to show you someday." March took a glance at one of the other photos that Y/N was previously looking at. "Wait- is that you in the background?!"

"Yeah! Looks like I was meant to meet you guys and join the express."

— Dan Heng, by far, is the one that intimidated Y/N the most when they first joined, that somewhat cold, 'don't bother me' expression making him seem less approachable.

— After one sleepless night and stumbling into the room that contained the Data Bank, Y/N was quickly proven wrong that Dan Heng wasn't as scary as he seemed.

— Dan Heng and Y/N now formed a little bonding time ritual where if Y/N has a difficult time sleeping and Dan Heng is awake, they'd sit in the room going through the Data Bank and learn new information they can get their hands on.

It's been hours and Y/N still couldn't fall asleep. At this point, Y/N could just get up from their bed and start making an elaborate breakfast for the others. Maybe that's what they'll do.

Y/N grumbled as they rolled out of bed, straightening out their pjs and threw on a pair of slippers Stelle gifted them a few weeks ago. Maybe they could find the ingredients for a local breakfast dish from their home world. Yeah, that'll do... if not, they can make really fancy pancakes... that'll also do.

Once Y/N reached the kitchen, they pulled out their phone and started to look up the recipe so they could make what they had in mind. It took a few hours of preparation anyways so if they wanted to make it, they needed to start now.

"Y/N? What are you doing awake at this hour?"

Y/N glanced up from their phone, squinting their eyes as they looked at Dan Heng. They noticed the steaming cup in his hands and shot a confused look. "I was going to see if we had ingredients for a local dish from home. Can't sleep so I figured I could get started and make breakfast."

Dan Heng let out a small sigh and shook his head. "Y/N... it's one in the morning."

Y/N let out a sigh, setting their phone face down on the counter. "I know... tonight is going to be one of those nights where I can't sleep. So I might as well occupy myself."

Y/N watched as Dan Heng set his cup down on the counter a few feet away from them and turned to grab another cup, opening a tea bag and pouring hot water into the cup. A minute later, Y/N found a steaming cup of tea in their hands and following Dan Heng to the Data Bank.

"What tea is this?" Y/N adjusted their hold on the cup, making sure they weren't going to spill it as they stepped inside and moved to pull out one of the chairs in front of the computer screens.

"It's chamomile tea." Dan Heng followed suite and took the other chair out and sat down, setting his cup to the side and started to pull a few things up. "It's supposed to help with insomnia and stress related problems."

"Ah... thank you." Y/N lifted the cup to their lips and took a sip of the tea. "What planet or star system are you going to tell me about tonight?"

"Actually, I was hoping you could tell me more about Thalasia and it's customs."

Y/N almost choked on the tea once they heard their home planet. They were far from a scholar and was just a simple mechanic back home. They weren't qualified for educating the children, let alone giving information about the planet.

"Well- uh... damn, you really caught me off guard there."

Y/N took a moment to think about what they could talk about. They could tell him about local foods... or traditions. Or maybe about this annual festival that'd be happening around this time of year.

"I can't vouch for any of the other tribes on Thalasia. But around this time, the people of my island and a few other surrounding islands would gather and we'd celebrate our ancestors. We'd light lanterns and release them as tribute to them. There's a bunch of food stalls and activities for children. The atmosphere is always lively and welcoming to locals and tourists alike."

Y/N continued to talk about their home planet and local customs from their tribe. Even though they weren't an expert, they were glad to tell someone about customs and traditions.

— Stelle gives off the vibe of being one of those chaotic gremlin siblings. At a first glance, she may seem a little standoffish, but Y/N would be quick to learn that she's one of the goofiest people out there.

— Y/N and Stelle would participate in harmless, 'mischievous' activities when outside of the Express, nothing to damaging to whatever goal that's in place.

— Despite being followed by a bit of chaos, Stelle always welcomes Y/N with open arms and brings them on adventures. Though she tries to keep it tame compared to the expeditions she and the rest of the crew experienced.

It's officially been a year since Y/N has joined the Express. They have developed their friendships with the rest of the crew and have officially found their new home. It took them some time to become accustomed to the path of the Nameless but they've grown attached to the lifestyle.

Y/N was currently packing a bag, double checking the contents of the small backpack and was making sure they had clothes, sleepwear, and other necessities for this trip Stelle and March clearly seemed excited about. It led to some suspicion but... Y/N wasn't going to question it. They trusted the others and knew they weren't going to drag them into something dangerous.

Just as they were satisfied with the contents of their backpack and that there wasn't anything getting left behind, they heard a knock on the door. "Y/N? Are you ready? We're about to warp to our destination then we're going to head out."

Y/N lifted the backpack from their bed and slung it over their shoulder. "Yeah, I'm ready. I'll meet you out in the main area Stelle, give me two minutes."

Y/N moved to their shelf and looked at the small model of the ship they were working on before they joined. Carefully lifting the model off the self, they moved to put it someplace more secure, fearing that it'd fall off the shelf and break during the jump. Nothing of theirs fell off the shelves before, but they couldn't be too careful. Not with how valuable this was to them. Once it was finally in a secure place, they left their room and headed towards the main compartment of the train.

They sat down on the couch and prepared for the takeoff, chatting with the others and asking about where they were going. Of course, all they received was a vague answer, but they guess that's what they get if it's supposed to be a surprise.

Once the warp was over and they reached their destination, Stelle stood up from her seat and stretched out her arms. "C'mon, let's go."

Y/N followed suit with March right behind them. The three exited the express and stepped foot in the lobby of The Reverie. Y/N looked around in awe as the trio made way to the reception desk.

"Penacony... how did you guys get a reservation here without an invitation? Isn't it... extremely expensive?"

"We may have some connections."

Y/N looked at Stelle with a raised eyebrow before looking over at March, who just shrugged her shoulders. Y/N let out a small sigh and shook their head, they knew better than to question it. So they'd just go ahead and follow the procedure to enter the dreamscape.

The moment they first stepped foot in Golden Hour they were taken away by the sheer size of the place and by how many shops and buildings that surrounded them. It was like they stepped onto one of those planets focused around shopping. Stelle and March were right behind them.

Y/N spent the day with the two girls wandering Penacony and taking in the sights. They've seen photos from March's collection, but it was so much better in person. Their travels eventually leading them to the Radiant Feldspar. Y/N and Stelle going off to 'explore' the ship (it's mainly Y/N exploring with Stelle tagging along.

Eventually stumbling upon the Oragami Birds stationed on the arcade machines.

"Wait... those two look a bit like... you and March? Oh my gosh, those are so cute."

"Wanna play? I'm sure we can make one of your own if you'd like!"

Y/N glanced over at Stelle, shooting her a look like she was crazy for asking them such a question. "Of course! How do I play?"

Y/N and Stelle ended up spending hours playing the game going against each other and making Y/N's own origami bird. March having to come and drag the two off so they could continue to sight see and meet up with friends.

This has been hostage in my drafts since... the middle of June.

I clearly gave up at the end of writing this. Just felt like I've been working on this forever and wanted to finally get it out 🫠

[waffleweirdo]

One of my favorite moments of the newest episode is Kumiko complimenting Reina's role as drum major.

This single moment alone is so good. (The position framing Reina just like the past shots of Asuka is so-)

Asuka is of course the primary person that Kumiko looks up to, so of course this means a lot. But thematically its just so cool.

Although Asuka was the vice-president she left most of the actual club guidance to Haruka and was mostly just interested in getting to play her own instrument. While her skills were spectacular she rarely went beyond that. In contrast to this season three highlights how much Kumiko has grown to be far more active and how she and Reina are working to grow the club as a whole (specifically with the moment leading up to this line showing Reina's guidance and encouragement of the new members), they are surpassing the past!

On top of that the significance of the dynamic between Reina and Asuka as prodigies with deep personal ties to music is definitely relevant. But I think most interesting is their existence as being 'special'. While Asuka is widely regarded as special by the rest of the band that's ultimately a false assumption (see her entire arc in season 2), meanwhile Reina strives to be truly special through her achievement in music (see season 1 episode 8). Reina being the person who surpasses Asuka is her as a character moving towards her dream authentically!

Kumiko being the one to say this to her as well, who knew Asuka's struggles the most, well I think both she and Asuka would be happy to see someone finally surpass Asuka...

[upontherisers]

AAAAND ❛ you’re such a tease. ❜ for dealer’s choice! 😋

a/n: how does post war hazel and jack foreplay sound for everyone? some post war hazel and jack foreplay for the table? content warning for choking. (nsfw under the cut.)

“You’re such a tease,” Jack says, leaning on the doorframe behind Hazel as he does up the cuffs of his shirt. He hasn’t buttoned it yet — thank God — so she can glimpse the flat, lithe plane of his torso under the crisp white cotton. Chicago has put color on him, turning his freckles the same brown eggshell as the tilled fields outside of Akron, and it’ll be a shame to cover up all that good warm skin with three layers that’ll have to come on and off again according to the manners of the evening. Might as well not let him get too dressed up.

Hazel doesn’t respond, only looks at him through the bathroom mirror and leans into her reflection to carefully apply her lipstick. Raven Red is his favorite shade on her — perhaps because it’s all she could find after the first time he’d asked her to dinner in East Anglia and she had to run into town to borrow a smear from a fresh-faced girl of seventeen, who watched, bewildered, as an WAC lieutenant commandeered her lipstick. She can’t put on too much because she intends to eat if he really makes them go to this thing. He could grant her that after he’s run her across the city and back three times now, not to mention the meetings and the lunches and making polite conversation with his secretary because he’s been held up on so-and-so call.

This is about calling his bluff; neither of them want to spend an evening politely clapping at trite speeches celebrating his father’s third promotion in as many years while the newest wife sits on his left and his two children sit in the back because they wouldn’t pay him for the good seats. It’s a matter of which one of them will break first.

Her money’s on Jack.

“Where’d you get those?” he asks.

She turns over her left shoulder so that he gets her good side and the beauty mark on her cheekbone. Her smile is soft, unassuming as she runs a hand over the lustrous black silk at her hip. “Oh, these old things? Found ‘em in my mama's attic. Forgot I even had ‘em.”

Sliding a hand into his pocket, he rests his head on the door frame and gives her a long, hungry look that burns up her ankles, the backs of her thighs, her spine, and across her bare shoulders, heating her skin to a low simmer and kicking up her heart rate. His mouth gives him away with the faintest of half-smiles, that look of amazement he gets right before he finds it in him to be ten minutes late instead of fifteen minutes early.

But she’s not aiming for late, she’s aiming for absent. Now, if she could only get her mascara on and bat her lashes and tell him that her feet hurt oh so terribly from all this walking and Franny probably won’t show either and we still have some cake in the refrigerator.

The custom lingerie is a bit heavy handed, she knows that, but she’s missed him so much and she’s been in town four days already with frighteningly few hickies to show for it. A night in won’t kill him and won’t kill her, more importantly; he’s been showing her around Chicago like he’s about to start selling her real estate, but what she wants more than a home is him and if she has to doll up to remind him that there’s a half-dressed woman in his apartment who’s been aching something awful since they last spent a week together, then so be it. The food is always overcooked and under seasoned at these things anyway, and they’ve got red beans and rice next to the cake.

As she reaches for her mascara, Jack pushes off the door and takes his sweet time getting to her. Arms around her waist first — fingers first actually, eager and strong, then his long palms — followed by his chest against her back, and his skin sears on hers, and finally his chin against her ear and a shiver she can’t hold back as his lips ghost past her earlobe. His cologne, bright and sharp, washes over her and fires her nerves in excitement as her whole being responds to having him so close. It would be so easy to give in now and let him set her on fire until he checks the time and dashes out to get his tie from the bedroom, but she’s keeping her eyes on the prize.

Pushing onto the tips of her toes, she leans forward and brushes her hips into his. He makes a sound between a gasp and a groan, but she presses on and meticulously wands her lashes without regard for the fingers coming to dig into her sides. She’s soft there, with a year of stateside eating in her; let him grab.

He’s hard already — silk lets her feel everything — but that’s no guarantee they’re staying in. She wants it in writing.

One wiggle of her hips, then another, and she’s simply just going about her business getting ready for an event that he insisted on attending when a hand pulls her hips flush to his and runs up over her navel, between her breasts, pans over her sternum before settling under her chin and holding her throat. 

Her eyes flutter shut and it’s hard to think with her pulse thrumming under the heel of his hand. She needs to… she needs… All she knows is the wiry muscle of his forearm holding her to her and the growing need at her core, but it’s no use rubbing her thighs together as her stockings are starting to itch with sweat. The only reason she hasn’t taken them off is because he likes to, undoing her garter clasps with his slow, unique brand of patience that leaves her pawing at him fruitlessly.

He presses a firm kiss to her temple and she lets her head fall back on his shoulder with a sigh. Now was this so hard?

“Haze.”

“Hm?” His fingers are so long that his thumb can rub over the underside of her jaw. She wants it in her mouth.

“Hazel.” He squeezes for a moment and her eyes roll in their sockets. “Look at me, Haze.”

Her lashes are wet already as they part and his green-blue eyes meet hers with concern and authority. “My sister really wanted to see you.”

“I’ll ring her first thing in the morning.” She’ll say anything, anything to get him to sweep her into the bedroom and lay his love down by moonlight as the city races by outside.

“Promise?”

She’s distracted by the thought of him covered in her lipstick, Satsuma plum purple smeared across the freckles of his neck and chest. “Uh-huh.”

He squeezes again and she whines, arching her back and feeling the throbbing length of him pushing against her ass. “Use your words.”

“Yes,” she says, “I will, I will.”

He presses another kiss to her temple — her sign that he’s calling the shots now — and she slumps into him as his free hand wanders under the waistband of her panties.

[bloodydeanwinchester]

hi jenna gif questions for u 💜 what's your favorite part of making gifs? what's the most valuable thing/tip/trick you've learned? what's some of your favorite gif sets you've made?

hi ida!!!! sorry i took a couple days to answer this i wanted to wait until i had some time to think about it before i answer! i loooove these questions tho so thank you so much for sending them 💜💜

my favorite part about making gifs is probably coloring and like...that moment when i get the gif to look exactly how i want it to. i like to play around with coloring and try a lot of different things with it and that can be so fun! i think over the last like 6-8 months my coloring has really improved a lot and i've been having a lot of fun learning new ways to do things! but i actually had a really hard time coming up with an answer for this question because i mostly enjoy the entire process! the only part that i don't really enjoy is picking out the frames for each gif. i always start with way too many and then i have to cut stuff out and i hate that part. also it's reaaally hard sometimes to not end up with like 20 gifs cause there's so much i want to include!!!

okay im gonna cheat on this one and give a few things i've learned since i started that have been sooooo valuable to me. first is the importance of having a good quality download to start with. i think my gifs got significantly better when i finally downloaded all of the episodes in 1080p instead of using the screen recording on netflix like i had been before. second sharpening is so important! i did not do any sharpening on my first gifs i made! sharpening makes the gifs loook sooo sharp and crisp and pretty. third and kind of similar to sharpening was learning/figuring out how to use the camera raw filter. there's sooooo much you can do with camera raw filter (coloring sharpening lightening). and finally one thing i learned that i think made my coloring look significantly better was to try not to lighten the gif too much and/or to figure out ways to lighten darker gifs without it messing up the background too much (sometimes when they're lightened too much it will like pixelate the background and it looks awful)

and finally (in order of when they were made from oldest to newest) here are links to some of my favorite gifsets:

Bloody Dean Throughout the Seasons Set - this one actually came out really good considering the fact that it was made only a month after i first started making gifs! if i remember correctly it's the first set that i ever used sharpening on.

6x20 F+TM King Set - this one is a favorite mostly just because i love the song so much and tmwwbk is one of my favorite episodes. i think some of my favorite sets to make are the ones that i add lyrics to.

2022 Nov 5th Set - i was really happy with how this one came out! it's so hard to get gifs from episodes over different seasons to look the same! and this one had gifs from 12 different seasons! also i think this was the first set i ever made that got over 1000 notes which i remember being really excited about!

Laughing Dean Set - this one is a favorite purely based on the content of the set. it feels like injecting serotonin every time i look at it<3

1x12 Faith Set - another one based on the content of the set. i just love this episode so much.

Season 9 Dean Set - i LOVE the coloring in this set! and season 9 dean is so beloved to me. he is just so beautiful and bloody and sad.

2023 Cas Day Set - another f+tm lyric set! i love the space overlay that i added and the blue-pink of the coloring so much!

4x18 Destiel Every Episode Set - i loooove this scene so much! this gif series has by far been more popular than any of the other gifs that i post and this set is definitely the most popular in the series. no other set has ever even come close to getting 4k notes like this one did. also i really like the purple coloring a lot<3

[starswallowingsea]

For the ask game, uhhhhhhhhmmmmmmm hm. HiMERU

ask game

My first impression

haha rinne's acting real gay with this guy i wonder what their deal is (re: mainstory interactions where himeru says the whole convo was a waste of breath and rinne says what you want me to kiss you to give you that air back?)

My impression now

eternal torment nexus for this one. he's everything to me and i want him to be happy but to be happy is first to suffer and be totally bare to your friends and let them into your life. at least tatsumi pretends to do that.

Favorite thing about that character

i think the way we still know almost nothing about oremeru as a person. odd thing to say about a character but we know his motivations for taking over for his brother and can theorize about some aspects of his "true" self but in reality he's still such a mystery and i want to know more about him. i have high hopes for the new event.

Least favorite thing

uhm. nothing because i think his flaws are also funny as fuck

Favorite line/scene

any time he talks about kaname in his head, wondering what kaname would think and how he's holding a space for kaname. just because the world doesn't remember you doesn't mean that i don't. i'm sorry i couldn't tell you i love you soon enough.

Favorite interaction that character has with another

PASTEL B BROTHERS i'm so excited they canonized an in universe name for him and kohaku. they're so cute together and ohhhh kohaku being not a kaname replacement but oremeru being more emotionally aware of what teenagers want/need out of the adults in their lives and trying to do his best but not wanting to give up his act. the way kohaku said that himeru will softly smile as he helps kohaku with stuff in the main story when they think crazyb is going to be disbanded and how they're all family despite only knowing each other for a short time.

A character that I wish that character would interact with more

another madara answer but partially bc i wonder what he really thinks about double face's activities when they were active. we saw niki's perspective on that but given himeru's past. i do wonder how he would treat madara knowing the full extent of those activities.

Another character from another fandom that reminds me of that character

going to just leave this here. contextless 18trip spoilers.

A headcanon about that character

himeru was in his college's drama club to learn more about acting outside of what the priest taught him for impersonation. he was never quite cut out for the lead but uhm. you haven't seen a3 but i think he'd take on roles similar to what homare does.

A song that reminds of that character

i left you a note by chad lawson it was the season 2 theme for unobscured and it's just instrumentals but it fits him i think. at least the more melancholic aspects of him.

An unpopular opinion about that character

this is more about crazyb in general but the fact that there are still people who think all of them need to be "saved" from rinne is insane. all of them have the ability to just fucking leave. himeru had a solo career before this he can find a new unit if he really wanted to. they're there because they want to be. if you like all of a unit but one member and think they suck then you do not understand that unit's dynamics sorry everyone is in their current units for a reason.

Favorite picture

would it be too cheap to say his newest event card unbloomed. the trip album framed in the background. kaname's hand. what would you do in this situation.

also going to include his card from the souma ts2 scout he looks so nice. and and his unbloomed from the last globalstars campaign

he looks nice in sunsets he should have more sunset cards

[connecting-the-stars]

Well the newest season of ‘The Bear’ released! And ofc I’m a fan of the arcs set up for all our characters and seeing them pay off in different positive or negative ways. Tina’s development from last season building into her thriving at culinary school and becoming one of the blocks to hold the restaurant intact. Marcus flying over seas to gain new skills and brainstorm his dessert ideas to return with new confidence and wonderful plates. Ofc, the all star girl, Sydney absolutely killing it this season with taking charge with planning of the menu and keeping things moving in the restaurant’s development. Which flows into her taking on the pressure in the last episode and pushing through an almost disastrous first service. And her relationship with her Dad was so sweet and seeing him try to support her the best he could despite his concerns was wonderful.

Now, with most of the positives laid out… those negatives. Well, I knew from the first instant that it showed Marcus being anxious about leaving his mother to travel, that something utterly sad was gonna happen. His care for her was palpable and his anxiety was very relatable. When everything had picked up in the other plot’s lines and his mother wasn’t mentioned as much, I had nearly forgotten but that last frame of his phone lighting up hurts. I know we are gonna see the heartbreak and grief that comes with his loss, and I’m wondering if Nat or Carmy will be able to support him at least some due to their own recent loss. Next season will most likely have Syd being a pillar of support and relatability for him, due to her grief of her mother. Thus, on to head strong and doubt-filled Sydney, she’s got to be my favorite character from the whole cast that I enjoy. Her Dad being nervous for her throughout the season was almost hard to watch as he attempted to be supportive while also pressing her about her decisions, added on by Syd constantly seeing different restaurants that closed. The intense anxiety and burden of running The Bear as the sou chef really shows in the later half of episode 10. Her mind repeatedly playing the tickets and her stomach upending itself in the alley was gut wrenching as I could feel her panic. Both arcs with Marcus and Sydney were completed so well as they were formed over the season, but damn am I not concerned for both of them in the future. (I want them all to be happy, but I guess this makes fans invested. I am very invested.)

Remember grief repressing and anxiety riddled Carmy from season 1? Well I can’t say he gets a arc I completely enjoyed, but the writers found a way for the audience to get pissed at him for sure. Digging himself into his own downfall was very… I don’t know how to put it… Relatable? Satisfying? Depressing? It made my heart twist when I heard him claim that he doesn’t need amusement, telling the fridge door how he rejects any resemblance of happiness. Despite him neglecting his responsibilities and his commitment to the restaurant and Sydney, I can sympathize with Carmy’s juggling act of being pulled in two directions. That being said, the dialogue and visual reminders for him to call the fridge guy paid off almost hilariously as it blow up in his face. For the first few seconds, I had burst into laughter at the absurdity and suddenness as it cut into the flow of the scene in the fast paced kitchen. But after that, the amusement definitely just nosedived into concern and sadness as Carmy frantically bashed his fists into the door yelling. Ofc, his first relationship, someone from his past that he attached himself to so much, was gonna end in ruins by his own hands. Just like the fridge handle snapping off. From my perspective, the writers set Claire up as a personification of his past. It was brought up repeatedly how she remembered or knew something about the past or his family, being the very loud topic brought up in the flashback episode, one of Carmy’s main scenes. The panic attack weaving images of screaming family members and old pictures of her made it clear that she is associated with his painful and tragic upbringing, surrounded by adults with their own issues that violently conflict and clash with one another. Mikey’s silent suffering after carmy gifted him his sketch of their restaurant made me want to cry.

Mikey is gone, and Carmy forced himself to go back to Chicago to desperately fumble The Beef into a half way functional sandwich shop. Then, right at the end of season 2 second episode, it has Claire appearing as a blast from the past. That fact that it’s brought up how he’s “always” had a crush on her is interesting, other characters tell us this, but when Carmy himself is faced with the choice to invite her into his chaotic life - he chooses to give her a fake number. This being his first real relationship and lacking role models for healthy positive relationships could play into his hesitancy to call her his girlfriend. In the early half of of the last episode, there is a moment where the camera lays out the situation between Claire and calling the fridge guy, appropriate that he doesn’t even have the proper name, and then he chooses to do neither - redirecting to help Marcus with something. During the first service, Richie presses him to go talk to Claire, and in the context of moving forward or returning to someone of the past, Carmy refuses the first time. He focuses all his effort into the restaurant’s success, and denies looking back - visiting a distraction. If Claire is a version of the past, last season Carmy was clinging to the past as his grief ran through his heart and pulled him back to The Beef. Then, the temptation to return to something familiar, to fall into a routine and not move forward is hard for anyone. The Bear is his and the restaurant’s way of moving forward and making something better than it ever was before. But Carmy gets caught on someone of the past, someone who reminds him of a time his brother was still alive. When cooking with his brother was a place to laugh and smile wide as the sun shined on their faces. (S1 flashbacks of Mikey, Richie, and Carmy.) In the end, Carmy is left literally self isolated, his first relationship shoot through, and on horrid terms with Richie, all because he could not delegate time revisiting the past and stepping forward. He fell between the cracks.

I love this show and it’s flawed characters, I loved the arcs for everyone. I haven’t even brought up Richie’s development, my dude whooped that Big Black Dog’s ass this season!

(Depression: 0, Richie: 100)

[katsidhe]

Top 5 Sam flinches.

7) 12.03. Mary hugs Sam and tells her sons she’s leaving. Sam watches her all the way up to the door, but he still flinches resoundingly when it shuts.

6) 12.09. Sam, alone in his cell, as the metal door slams shut on his isolation: iconic. Wonderful. Season 12 gets rights for this, for the horrible nervous tension that Sam carries in confinement. (it occurs to me that I could probably do a top five Door Flinches tbh.)

5) 13.21. AAAAAAH. The only reason I’m ranking this so low is because it doesn’t have a ton of psychological subtlety, especially not compared to the lovely scene that follows, which is relatively flinch-free (Sam is twitchy around Lucifer, as usual, but there aren’t big flinches that stand out). But its purpose isn’t subtlety: it’s a jumpscare, and a fantastic one. It’s made all the better for how intentional Lucifer was with it: the flashlight, the waiting in the dark. And Sam and I both got fucking terrified. 13.21 My Beloved. 

4) 14.18. Dean smashes an entire wooden chair. This has been a quietly building scene--both Sam and Cas have been trying to placate Dean. Then Rowena reveals Mary is gone for good, and I love how deliberate the focus is here on the violence of Deans wrath and grief. There is real fear in Sam’s eyes. It’s not of Dean directly, per se--not that Dean will hit him with a chair, but it is of Dean’s mood, of what violence he will channel his devastation into. Of what shape this newest pain will be. He’s right to be afraid, because that anger will be directed at Jack.

3) 13.18. Another Dean flinch, but this one is anger specifically at Sam. Sam’s just explained that there’s no archangel grace left for another portal, that he used it all to heal Gabriel. He could barely get the words out through the horrible silence--there’s no music, nothing to blunt the tension of Dean’s anger. Dean’s outburst and Sam’s flinch, when they come, are abrupt and deafening. Notice how here, Sam ducks his head down and looks away, how he’s trying to deflect, how he’s trying to breathe deep and not react.

2) 15.20. it’s the Toaster Flinch (tm) of myth and legend. Sam and isolation: the loneliness of him and his toaster and the way every tendon in his neck spasms when it goes off. He’s the only living person for miles and miles, he’s mired in his mind, and he can’t help these nervous, visceral physical reactions. The space here is what gets me: it’s framed so deliberately even though there isn’t a specific narrative reason for Sam to react to a toaster, not like Lucifer or Dean or a threat--just the piled on years and years of reasons, of grief and trauma and his vicious and inescapable hypersensitivity. 

1) 7.01-7.02 are SO FULL of Sam flinches that I couldn’t choose only one. There’s one every few minutes. The mark of an S-tier episode. Actually, Season 7 in general is a treasure trove, and I wanted to add ones from 7.15 and 7.17, but I’m trying to restrain myself at least a little bit here.

I love the way that, fresh out of a hallucination, he reacts to Dean not by pushing or hitting him, but quickly pulling back, hovering one hand over Dean’s arm and pushing his other against the wall for support. Like he’s wary of resisting or fighting even before he’s realized it’s Dean.

This one is just. Really really nice. Similar thing, where he pulls away and quickly stops. He’s hearing Lucifer’s voice and Dean’s.

UGH THIS ONE THOUGH. It’s my favorite. It’s so violent but understated. The way Sam’s eyes flick automatically to his hands, and then the way his face settles into something both hurt and reproachful, how his mouth tightens into this very nearly chastising little line. The way that it’s an intentional and obvious trick, it’s a form of mockery that Sam is very very used to but still can’t help but react to. It’s clearly a sick shared joke. The mutual understanding unspoken here, the history, drives me absolutely bonkers. It’s imprinted on the back of my eyelids.

[putawayurhalo]

Out For Blood | Chapter 11: The Munson Family

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Fem!Munson!Reader ; Eddie Munson x Fem!Henderson!O.C.

Warnings:  Strong language, season 4 vol. 1 (NONE FOR VOL. 2 YET) spoilers, angst, secrets being kept, steve being a dingus, alcohol abuse, parental death *mentioned*, emotional abuse - in the italic backstory part you can skip that if you need to! BARELY EDITTED BECAUSE I GOTTA DRIVE 5 HOURS LMAO BUT I WANTED THIS OUT FOR YOU BABES SO ENJOY

Word Count: 3.4k

Author’s Note: Yeah... this took me longer to write than I wanted but you know life and moving haha... anyways Eddie in the backstory flashback should be like 12-13 and the reader would be like 10-11 - I even at the age of 22 have a favorite stuffed animal that I have to travel with for comfort so shut your mouths.

Series Masterlist | Main Masterlist

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October 1979

“Youuu can’t take my kids from me, Wayne.” Jessica Munson slurred her words as she swayed slightly in the kitchen of the small family home they lived in.

“Jessica, you need help.” Wayne stepped toward and she stepped back raising her right hand, Wayne put his up and stepped back.

“I don’t need any hel-help.” She hiccuped.

“Jessica, the kids have started to notice something is wrong.” Wayne gestured with one of his hands towards Eddie and (Y/N) who sat next to each other at their dining room table, their backpacks laying on the top of the table (Y/N) working on her math assignment and Eddie with headphones on listening to the newest AC/DC album. 

“They probably just miss their worthless daddy.” She grabbed the bottle of whiskey off the counter and took a drink from it, “Piece of shit.”

“Jessica… you don’t mean that.” Wayne tried to ease her.

“Yes I do!” She shouted catching the attention of the youngest child, “Their good for nothing daddy left us.”

“Jessica, he went to prison.” Wayne spoke quietly, not trying to get the kids involved, “Look, Jess… I think it’s best if the kids stay with me, at least for the week, giving you a break and some time to sort things out.”

“No, absolutely not!” She shouted, she swung an arm at Wayne.

“Mom! Stop!” (Y/N) screamed at her. Eddie took his headphones off after hearing his sister scream and looked over at the situation.

“Kids, get a bag packed with your things, you’re staying at mine for the week.” Wayne told them sternly. Eddie nodded and grabbed his sister’s hand dragging her towards their rooms.

“You can’t take them from me Wayne!” Jessica screamed and walked towards the hallway, “Kids! Kids you’re not going anywhere, wouldn’t you rather stay with your mother?” Eddie exited his room first, he got close to her as he passed her to go help his sister, she reeked of alcohol. He shook his head before entering his sister’s room and closing the door.

“KIDS!” She pounded on the door, (Y/N) looked up at her brother with tears in her eyes. Eddie frowned before helping her grab some of her things, including a framed photo of the family together and her favorite stuffed animal. “KIDS!” She kept shouting, (Y/N) continued to pack some of her clothes before zipping the bag shut with the framed photo on top. Eddie hugged her before grabbing her bag for her and handing her her stuffed animal, he opened the door and pushed past their mother.

“(Y/N)...” Jessica pleaded with her daughter and stopped her at the door, “You don’t want to leave your mommy do you?”

(Y/N) just looked up at her mother, clinging onto her stuffed animal for dear life. Her mother reached down and gripped the stuffed animal fighting, “Let go.” She pleaded with her mother but she wouldn’t let go.

“(Y/N/N), just let it go.” Eddie told her but she wouldn’t let go, the two continued to tug at the toy before it eventually ripped at the seam of the neck as (Y/N) fell to the ground. 

“Fuck.” Eddie mumbled and dropped the bags.

“Language.” Wayne told him as he watched Eddie walk over to (Y/N) and help her up. 

Jessica was red in the face as she watched her two children comfort each other, “Fine you ungrateful brats,” She tossed the head of the stuffed animal at them, “Go with your uncle, but don’t fucking come crawling back when you realize how good you had it here.” 

“Okay,” Wayne opened the door to the trailer and let the kids walk in first, “I’ve got to get ready for work… but there’s a bed in the room on the left, and there’s the couch. If anything bad happens Mrs. Jong across the street can help…” He trailed off before walking down the hallway, “There’s some canned food in the cabinet, Eddie you know how to use a stove top right?”

“No shit.” He mumbled, as he set his bag on the couch. He looked over at (Y/N) who was holding both pieces of her stuffed animal in her hands with a frown on her face, “I’ll get it fixed, (Y/N/N), I promise.” Eddie reassured her as he walked into the kitchen opening the cabinet and grabbing a can of spaghettios.

 “Yeah.” Eddie snorted, as he held a can of spaghettios in his hand, “You’ll do.” He closed the cabinet door and grabbed a pot. Last time he had eaten spaghettios was the night him and his sister moved in with their uncle… and that same night their mother had died. 

Eddie looked over to the living room where Jenny was asleep on the couch, he pulled out two bowls and split the spaghettios between the two of them… he had a sense of deja vu as he did but he shook his head and walked over to the walkie Dustin left them.

“Hey, Dustin, this is Eddie the Banished…” He looked over at Jenny again, “and Jenny the Princess… are you there? Dustin, can you hear me? Dustin? Earth to Dustin.”

“Hey, it’s Nancy.” Nancy’s voice rang through the speakers.

“Wheeler! Hey, um, Jenny and I are gonna need a food delivery, like, really soon, unless you want me going out into the world or the jocks following Jenny back here.” Eddie replied as Jenny stirred.

“No. No, no, no. Don’t do that. Just stay where you are, and we’ll be there as soon as we can.” 

“Yeah, yeah, listen um… can you pick me up a six-pack? I know, it’s stupid as shit, drinking right now, but a cold beer would really calm my jangled nerves.” Eddie asked as he watched Jenny who was starting to sit up.

“Uh hey, I’m gonna have to call you back.”

“No, don’t you da- Wheeler? Wheeler?” Eddie shouted, Jenny now fully awake and sitting up. 

“Eddie, what?” Jenny asked.

“Nothing… just asking Wheeler to bring us food… spaghettios?” He held the bowl out to her.

“Sure…” She took the bowl from him and began eating, the two sat in silence and ate together.

“Do you think (Y/N)’s still mad at me?” Jenny asked after a few minutes.

“No, she’s definitely not. A little upset that neither of us told her? Sure, but not mad. She loves you too much.” Eddie shook his head as he continued to eat.

“Munson, it’s the uhhh other Munson, do you copy?” (Y/N)’s voice rang through the Walkie.

“Yes, yes we hear you.” Jenny answered it.

“Hey Jen… we need to borrow you for something.”

The group got out of Nancy’s car, Steve helping Jenny, Dustin, and (Y/N) out of the back. A small “thanks” was muttered by the Henderson siblings, a “thank you, Steve” and a smile was given to him by (Y/N). He smiled back at her before he turned his head toward the house and his smile dropped, “Yeah, that’s not creepy.”

They all walked up to the house, (Y/N) staying back with Jenny as Steve continued up the steps with Nancy, the two started to pry the wood off the door. “I mean, what exactly are we supposed to be looking for in this shithole?” Steve asked.

“We’re not sure. We just know this house is important to Vecna.” Nancy replied to him as she continued working on the door.

“Because Max saw it in Vecna’s red soup mind world?” Steve stopped working.

“Basically.” Nancy didn’t even turn to look at him.

“Great.” Steve sighed and went back to prying the wood off.

“Maybe it holds a clue to where Vecna is. Why he’s back. Why he killed the Creels. And how to stop him before he comes back for Max.” Dustin puts forward.

Lucas looked around before speaking, “We don’t think he’s in here, do we?”

“Guess we’ll find out.” Max shrugged.

“Ready?” Steve asked Nancy as they finished.

“Mm-hmm.” Nancy hummed as they pushed the wood over.

The rest of the group jumped slightly as it fell, “Jesus H. Christ.” (Y/N) muttered as she shuddered.  

“Sorry, (Y/N/N).” Steve half-smiled before he turned toward the door and grabbed the knob, the knob not moving. “It’s locked… should I knock, see if anybody’s home?”

“No need,” Robin spoke, the group turned to see her holding up a brick. “I found a key.” Robin shrugged before passing it to Steve. Steve tossed it slightly in his hand before looking at the door and throwing it through the stained glass. He reached his hand in and opened the door and walked in stepping to the side allowing everyone to pass him, (Y/N) was the last one in and was the only one to thank Steve as he closed the door. 

Lucas tried flipping the light switch, “Looks like someone forgot to pay their electric bill.” He muttered, him and the other’s all pulling out flashlights and switching them on.

“Where’d everyone get those?” Steve asked Dustin.

“Do you need to be told everything?” Dustin looked at Steve like he had just said the dumbest thing he’s ever heard, “You’re not a child.”

“Thank you.” Steve replied sarcastically.

“Huh,” Dustin took his backpack off and handed it to Steve, “back pocket.” 

Steve scoffed, grabbed the flashlight, and dropped the backpack turning toward (Y/N), “Can you believe this kid?”

“I mean…” She trailed off and bit her bottom lip to stifle a giggle from escaping.

“Not you too.” Steve groaned as they started walking around.

“Sorry, Steve, it’s just… even I brought one and I’ve been involved with this whole ‘the upside down’ thing for like two days and you’ve been doing this for four years? Shouldn’t you know what to bring?” She tilted her head to the left as she asked him the question.

“Oh that hurt.” Steve shook his head as he slightly laughed. The duo continued walking around passing by Nancy and Robin.

“They just left everything.” Nancy shined the light around the dining room.

“I guess a triple homicide isn’t good for resale value.” Robin’s quick witted response caused a slight laugh to come out of the girl. 

“Hey, guys? You all see that, right?” Max asked them.

“Yeah.” Both Dustin and Steve said as they looked at the grandfather clock.

“Is this what you saw? In your visions?” Nancy asked her, Max only nodded in response.

“I mean, it’s… just a clock. Right?” Robin asked before walking up to it and cleaning the dust off with her hand. “Like a normal old clock…”

“Why is this wizard obsessed with clocks? Maybe he’s, like, a clock maker or something?” Steve asked out loud, (Y/N) only shook her head.

“I think you cracked the case, Steve.” Jenny replied to him. 

“All I know is the answers are here. Somewhere.” Nancy ignored what was said, “Okay everyone stay in groups of two. Robin, upstairs.” Nancy grabbed Robin’s hand and led her upstairs. 

“Come on. Let’s go.” Max motioned to Lucas and began walking toward the living room.

Jenny looked between her three options before turning to Dustin, “Come on little bro.” Before walking into the dining room area.

(Y/N) looked at Steve and shrugged before nodding her head towards the stairs. She let Steve lead the way up the stairs, almost slipping off of one as she was distracted by one of Steve’s many assets. 

“You good?” Steve asked her as he heard her quiet squeal.

“You know me, always the klutz.” She brushed it off as she hurried up the stairs. The duo walked into a room together shining their flashlights around.

“Hey, uh, y/n…”

“Yeah, Steve?” She turned toward Steve.

“Can you maybe clarify what sort of clues we’re supposed to be looking for here?” Steve asked her as he still looked around.

(Y/N) stopped in her tracks, “How am I supposed to know?”

“I don’t know, isn't this kind of like Clue?�� He asked her.

“Steve seriously?” She walked toward the bathroom and Steve followed her. He went to the grate as (Y/N) searched the medicine cabinet. She was reading a name on a prescription bottle when she heard Steve start shouting. 

“Steve what is it?” She asked him.

“SPIDER!”

“SPIDER? STEVE WHAT THE HELL GET AWAY FROM ME WITH THAT!” (Y/N) started freaking out with him keeping a distance as they both ran out of the bathroom.

“Whoa, whoa, what’s wrong?” Nancy asked them both. 

“There was a spider.” (Y/N) mumbled as her hands slightly shake.

“What?” Nancy asked her.

“It’s a black widow.” Steve answered as he closed the door. 

“Okay…” Nancy trailed off.

“Don’t go in there.” Steve turned around to look at (Y/N).

“Oh, oh. Wait, just…” Nancy stopped him as she began to pick spider-webs out of his hair.

“What? Something? Shit.”

 “Wait. Stop moving.” Nancy told Steve as she continued to pluck webs. 

“Okay.” Steve moved slightly.

“Stop. I just… I got it. I got it.”

“Thank you.” (Y/N) rolled her eyes and walked away. 

“If there’s a spider nesting in there, you’re never gonna find it ‘til it lays eggs and the babies spill out.” Robin spoke as she passed by Steve and Nancy.

“What’s wrong with you?” Steve asked her.

Robin chuckled as she walked toward where (Y/N) had gone.

“Robin, seriously… She’s got problems.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.” Nancy replied with a smile.

“It’s cool you two are, like, friends now.” 

“Yeah… friends.” Nancy blushed silently thanking whoever that Steve couldn’t see her face at the moment. 

“Maybe after we find Vecna, kill him, save the world and stuff, maybe we can all go out or something. You know? Me, you, Robin, Y/N, Jonathan, when he’s back, Jenny, maybe even Eddie. It’s not like we’re dating… Me and Robin, that is, we’re dating. Right, she told you? That we’re not?” Steve rambled.

“Yes, she made that very clear, besides Jonathan and I… we broke up.” Nancy softly spoke, “but I don’t want to talk about that…What about you and (Y/N)?”

“I would date her but… I kind of ruined that last summer with the whole getting stuck in a Russian lab thing and not being able to tell her.”

“Right…” 

“I haven’t felt this way about anyone… not since you Nance.” Steve told her.

“She must be very special if she’s got Steve Harrington blushing and twirling his hair, practically giggling like a schoolgirl.” Nancy teased him.

“I’m not…”

“Robin would argue with you on that. She was telling me that you’re like some lovesick puppy when it comes to (Y/N) Munson.” Nancy finished pulling the webs out of his hair.

“Robin?” Steve turned around and raised an eyebrow at her.

“Mm-hmm.” Nancy hummed.

“Why’d you walk away from Steve?” Robin asked (Y/N) as they walked down the stairs.

“Because he was busy… besides how can I compete with someone like Nancy Wheeler?” (Y/N) asked Robin and continued walking. 

“You don’t have to compete with Nancy Wheeler and you know that.” Robin tried to reassure her.

“Have you seen the way he looks at her Robin? The way he’s always looked at her?” (Y/N) stopped walking and turned toward Robin, “He’s still in love with her and it’s obvious.”

“Have you seen the way he looks at you? Because I’ve never seen him look at any girl like that, not even Nancy frickin’ Wheeler.” (Y/N) didn’t respond so Robin continued, “He looks at you like you put the sun, the moon, and the stars in the sky just for him. He worships the ground you walk on, and we know he lacks some serious brain cells but he still put it together that you have the same symptoms as Max, Chrissy, and Fred and grabbed your file from Ms. Kelley’s office.”

“He did what?” (Y/N) asked Robin, Robin immediately stopped her rambling and her eyes widened.

“Shit, I wasn’t supposed to tell you that.” Robin said with an apologetic look on her face. She went to continue as one of the kids called them into the living room. (Y/N) stood there just looking at the wall, as Steve came down the stairs, he went to reach (Y/N) and tapped her shoulder but Robin shook her head at him.

“It’s like the Christmas lights.” Nancy spoke as the group stood in a circle together looking up at the chandelier. 

“The Christmas lights?” Robin leaned in toward Nancy and questioned.

“Yeah, when Will was in the Upside Down, the lights… came to life.” Nancy leaned into Robin as she answered

“Vecna’s here in this house…” Lucas looked over at Max, “just on the other side.” 

The light dimmed out, “I think he just left the room.” Robin spoke.

“Did he hear us?” Max asked, looking around the room at the others.

“Can he see us?” Steve turned toward Max. 

“Headphones.” Lucas told Max, she immediately put them over her ears.

“Wait, wait.” Nancy got everyone’s attention, “Everyone, turn off your flashlights and spread out.” Everyone but Steve followed instructions.

“We’re not gonna be able to see if we turn off our flash… lights… Jesus Christ… (Y/N) wait up.” Steve turned his flashlight off and started to follow her but she picked up her pace, “(Y/N) what’s wrong?”

“I don’t know Steve why don’t you ask my file from Ms. Kelley’s office.” Her snarky reply confused Steve.

“What?” He asked her before his eyes widened slightly, “(Y/N) no it’s not like tha-”

“I GOT HIM! GOT HIM!...” Robin’s shouts interrupted him and the duo ran toward her voice.

“I got him. I… I had him.” Robin looked over her shoulder at the group.

Steve’s flashlight began to glow, “Oh, whoa. Oh, I think he’s moving.” Steve began to walk and then panicked lightly, “He’s moving. He’s moving!” The group followed him up the staircase, “Shit,” Steve’s flashlight had gone out, “I lost him.”

Max pushed past Steve, “No, you didn’t.” She opened the attic door and looked at the group before walking slowly in and going up the stairs.

“It’s an attic. Of course it’s an attic.” Robin muttered before going up the stairs, everyone following behind her besides Dustin and (Y/N). 

“Hold up, guys. What if he’s leading us into a trap?” Dustin asked, (Y/N) sighed before going up the stairs, “(Y/N), seriously you’re the one who watches horror movies all the time you know this is a bad idea… Guys, guys. Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit.” Dustin followed her up the stairs, the group all walking toward the light hanging in the middle of the attic. Dustin’s flashlight began to shine, “Flashlights.”

Everyone pulled their flashlights up and formed a circle, Jenny sticking close to her brother and (Y/N) clinging to her best friend’s side avoiding standing next to Steve. “Okay, what’s happening?” Steve asked as the lights in the circle began to take turns glowing brighter until eventually their flashlights broke and pieces of the bulbs and the reflectors flew all over the place.

“Jesus H. Christ.” (Y/N) mumbled, “Fuck it, I’m done with this.” She quickly walked down the stairs and out of the Creel House. 

“(Y/N)...” Jenny tried to stop her.

“I’ve got it.” Steve told her as he began to follow (Y/N). “(Y/N)... (Y/N)! Slow down!” 

“Why Steve? So you can play the hero?” (Y/N) continued down the steps. 

Steve stopped in his tracks, “Why are you being like this?” He asked with genuine concern.

(Y/N) stopped at the bottom step and turned around to look at Steve and laughed, “Steve, you have my file I’m sure there’s something in there that will explain this.”

“I don’t have your file!” Steve shouted.

“That’s hilarious, Harrington.” She scoffed, “Look lightning tends to strike the Munson family tree every five or so years like clockwork and we were long overdue. That’s the only reason I’m here and we both know it…”

Steve walked toward her but stopped at the top of the three steps. (Y/N) looked up at him, “Why did you take my file?” 

“I only took the page with your symptoms listed… after Max said what hers, Chrissy’s, and Fred’s were, I put two and two together…” Steve trailed off and went down the steps, he grabbed her wrist. “Was I right to be concerned?”

(Y/N) just shook her head and ripped her wrist from his loose grip, “You know what Steve, maybe, this was meant to last forever.”

“What wasn’t meant to last forever?”

Author’s Note: sorry to leave it on a cliffhanger of sorts but I have a plan.

Taglist: @preciousbabypeter​ @honeymunson​ @willgrahampills​ @secretsicanthideanymore​ @tanyaherondale​ @lettyshush​ @kayt-marie​ @live-the-fangirl-life​ @burn1ngw00d​ @alainabooks143​ @kamala-khann​ @dessmxsworld​ @xstormiii​ @guichu​

[justasparkwritings]

The Littlest Dumpling {1}

Pairing: Min Yoongi x OFC

Genre: Non Idol AU / Author AU

Rating: PG 13

Warnings: Swearing!

Word Count: 4.7K

Summary: Yoongi’s ready to shop his newest book idea, what he isn’t ready for is you.

Master List

Tag List: @4ksj, @jagiya, @ot7nem, @knjkitten, @teamtardis-notdead​

Tag List

       A dark sky streaks with lightening, thunder rumbles throughout the land.

       Boulders quake, but our hero stays strong. He pushes his sweatband up and adjusts his hanbok. The sweat still drips down his brow, his scar, long perpendicular to his eye shines in the flash of lightning.

        “I am not my brother,” Lil King Yoongi said, his sword unsheathing itself from underneath his garment. “I am not my father, either.”

        “Then who are you?” The hooded figure asked. His sword was drawn too, ready to strike in attack.

        “I am King Yoongi.”

        Lil King Yoongi Volume 1

April

        “Damn it,” Yoongi throws his pen across his desk, watching as it nails the framed picture of him and his parents, holding his first ever published piece of writing from when he was a teenager. It was small, a local newspaper that held an essay contest. He had written stunning prose about why he loves books, and the local library. His essay had won, beating out all the competition from his 1000 person high school and surrounding areas. The prize was having his essay turned into a column, and getting to shadow the local newspaper staff for a month. He was allowed to create a column and run 4 articles. Naturally, he chose to read and review books.

        Yoongi’s Reading Review became a hit, and after the success of it’s limited run, he was offered a junior staff position. He submitted 1 article a month, full of up to 5 book reviews. He reviewed everything, novels to essay collections, to biographies and new comic book editions. In Summer months, when his classmates were off from school, hanging out at the local pool and the mall, making out on the empty football field and gearing up for football season in the fall, he worked. In the summer they upped his count from one per month to two, and as a rising Junior they upped it again to three. Every dollar he saved went to buying more books, despite what his parents wanted (saving all the money), he couldn’t help but reach for that hardcover fantasy novel. He couldn’t stop himself from indulging in a reissue of a comic he just discovered. Yoongi loved it, exploring new lands and times, sharing what he’d discovered with other people his age. It hadn’t made him popular, perse, but it had ignited a fire within him.

        A degree in creative writing, and MFA and a series that has garnered him a Newberry honor, and he’s sitting at his desk. The desk he started writing on as a boy, refinished and brought to his apartment from his parents house, still had indents from when he would write so hard on loose leaf paper that he permanently changed the make up of the desk. Now he has glass resting on top of it, protecting those early scribbles.

       With his favorite pen now lost behind a table, the words in front of him look like utter shit.

        “Fuck.” He mutters. “Fuck!”

        Yoongi has a meeting with a new publisher, someone his agent set him up with so he could make his first foray into official childrens books. He had the idea, and the concept and what he wanted to say, but he couldn’t well, say it. Nothing came when he thought about his newest project. And what did was complete and utter shit.

        Why had he thought he could do this?

        Easy, he had to. Just like breathing, he had to write.

        The Littlest Dumpling, is a story about a little boy who looks, much like he did and does, like a boiled dumpling. He becomes brave as he goes through school and out into the world. His mom calls him Little Dumpling, affectionately, his brother teasingly, and his father prefers more traditional nicknames for his youngest son.

        It’s meant to be both hopeful and easily identifiable as a story any kid can cling to. But he can’t get started. And that is terrifying.

        Lil King Yoongi had flown out of him. He had written four volumes of it before he got a publishing deal. He knew it inside and out, every aspect of it. His agent had wanted him to make a spin off when the last book came out last year, but he wouldn’t do that. That felt so disingenuous to the characters. There was no prequel, there was no sequel. Lil King Yoongi was complete.

        So he took five years off. Went to Korea with his parents, saw his friends, rested and did a few guest review spots for new books and his local paper that still asked him to. All in the hopes that he could, when he was ready, put pen to paper and write his next great work: The Littlest Dumpling.

        Then the deadline came - his agent, Marc, set up a meeting with a new publisher. And he tried. He really really tried. But now, sitting in the waiting room, bouncing his leg and trying not to crack his knuckles, he’s going into this meeting with an idea and no pages to show.

        “Mr. Min?” Alexis, the assistant asks. “She’s ready for you now.”

        Alexis guides him to the office, through a hallway of framed book covers, pictures with authors holding their books and quotes pulled from said books. It’s a gallery wall to end all gallery walls, and Yoongi kind of wishes he was a part of.

       Inside the office, which seems more like a fort than a functioning structure, you are standing behind a desk, waiting.

       “Mr. Min, welcome to Serendipity Publishing, where we believe every book we create is meant to be. Have a seat. Alexis will you bring some coffee?” You rattle off in quick succession, no hint of annoyance in your voice, but a little sparkle of fire in your eyes.

        “Sure thing,” Alexis smiles.

        “I’m Y/N,” You extend your hand to him, and he takes it cautiously. ”And I get paid to say that phrase, though I’d much rather not.”

        “Oh,” Yoongi’s taken aback. “Okay, then please call me Yoongi.”

        “Okay Yoongi. Welcome. I’m so excited to meet you and discuss your work.”

        “That won’t last long,” Yoongi mutters.

        “What?”  

        “Nothing - just, don’t get your hopes up. I don’t know if I have anything, good.”

        You’re caught off guard by his deprivation, tipping your head to the side and staring at him quizzically. “That seems unlikely given the success with your graphic novels. But note taken. I am ready to be pleasantly disappointed.”

        “So, I have this idea -

        “Wait,” You hold up a hand and stare at Alexis who has just entered the room. “Do you want cream or sugar?”

        “Black, just black,” Yoongi says.

        “Great.”

        Alexis, hot pink curls bouncing, sets two cups of coffee down and walks out, shutting your office door behind her. Yoongi takes the opportunity to glance around. It’s an office carved out of book shelves. There’s a window, a window seat and your desk in the middle. Every single wall is covered in what appears to be clear floating shelves filled with books.

        “Have you edited or published all of these?” He asks.

        “The company has, but if you keep looking you’ll find a few that aren’t our label. I snuck them in,” You say.

        “Aren’t you going to get caught?”

        “And what, fired? I’d love to see them try.”

        He nods approvingly. “So you’ve been here long?”

        “Yeah, straight out of college, started reading the reject pile, found a few gems, got moved up and eventually here I sit: Head of New Acquisitions, Young Adult and Children’s Lit.”

        “That’s a fancy title,” He says.

        “Better be, Vassar wasn’t cheap,” You crack a smile, and his shoulders relax.  

        “Ah you’re a Vassar grad?”

        You shrug. “That’s what my diploma says.”

        “Interesting,”

        “Not up to snuff?”

        “I expected a Sarah Lawrence or like, Whitman.”

        “Small college in Eastern Washington. Wow!” You laugh. “That’s not where you went, is it?”

        “Nope,”

        “Berkeley?” You already know.

        “Yep.”

        “How’d you like the rain?”

        He shakes his head and offers a gentle smile. “About as much as you want to drink black coffee.”

        “Ah, you noticed?”

        “Yeah, I assume you brought yours from home?”

        “Of course.”

        Yoongi reaches for his mug, with the company logo in gold and rainbow across the front, and takes a sip.

        “It’s hot!” You say quickly, watching as he winces.

        “Fucking fuck,” Yoongi mutters. “Thanks for the warning.”

        “Who takes a sip of coffee like it’s ice water?” You ask, your mind racing to decide if a lawsuit is possible from too hot coffee. How embarrassing, going down for serving an author coffee that was scalding.

        “Valid,” He accepts your sympathy easily.

        You let the moment pass, then start again. “So you wrote a book.”

        “The new one, or the old ones?”

        “The new one, and your agent wants you to what, shop it around? We’re willing to make you a deal today, Yoongi.”

        “What if my idea is shit?” Yoongi’s earnest gaze is a little concerned, vulnerability and weakness showing through.

        “You wrote a five part saga about a lil king that has sold millions. It’s one of the most popular graphic novels in the history of graphic novels. You could go anywhere, do anything,” You lean forward, your voice just above a whisper. “But you’re here.”

        “How serendipitous,” he jokes.

        “Precisely. So tell me, Mr. Min, Yoongi, what is this new project?”

        He takes a deep breath, wishing he had water instead of this coffee.

        “Our parents all give us nicknames as kids, whether or not we want them. We either grow into them, or out of them. My new project takes shape with a little boy who affectionately is called, Little Dumpling.”

        “Oh my god,” You mutter. “I’m already hooked.”

        “The Littlest Dumpling is about this boy. I want the first book to be about his nickname, how he got it, what it means. Then the next to be about adventures he has as his alter ego, Littlest Dumpling, and as himself.”

        “Let me guess,” Your elbows prop, chin resting in hands. “You can’t fucking write, can you?”

        Yoongi stares at you, unsure how you could possibly know he’s had writers block for a year.

        “I - I currently have writers block. But, at present, I have outlined the first three installments.”

        “What’s book 1?”

        “His classmates find out his nickname.”

        You take out a piece of paper that has his name written across the top in very curvy lettering. “And two?”

        “His bully picks on him for the lunches he eats.”

        “Traditional Korean?”

        “Yes,” He agrees.

        “I’m in. I love it.”

        “But, I don’t have anything written.”

        You wave your hand through the air, dismissing his objection. “That’s okay, I’ve signed deals with people who had far less than you do.”

        Yoongi isn’t sure if this is comforting or concerning.

        “I see that look - but think about it, look at where I am. I know what I’m talking about.”

        “I don’t doubt that you do, but I’ve never gone to a publisher with an idea and no pages. It’s like streaking across the football field at halftime.”

        “I get it, and i know we’ve only been talking for twenty minutes, but trust me, Yoongi. You can do this.”

        He inhales through his teeth, sucking in air loudly before exhaling and doing it again.

        “I’m going to be incredibly difficult about the illustration, it has to be perfect.”

        “Understood, and editing too, I’m assuming?” You ask, jotting his answers down.

        “Yes.”

        “I have an editor and illustrator in mind for you, both have done work with our authors before to great success. I’ll get the contract sent to your agent and legal team today for them to go over and discuss. What we’re paying you will be included and competitive.” You switch to your computer, drafting an email to legal. That’s what it looks like to Yoongi, but really you’re typing send the contract ASAP.

        “That’s fast.”

        “Look, you’re Yoongi Min. I can tell you right now there’s at least five other agencies and publishing houses who want you to sign with them. Your current agencies is shitting themselves over losing you and your future projects. The sheer fact that you’re leaving your primary publishing house is, the most exciting get anyone could imagine right now. I know that’s pressure, I know that that means that you are having writers block. But Yoongi, I’m telling you, and I will keep telling you, we are your best option. You can pick who you want. You can go anywhere, truly, but we are dedicated to children’s literature. We are dedicated to the highest quality illustrations and collaboration amongst all our artists. We aren’t some big magnate, or conglomerate. We aren’t going to license your work without you knowing, and we aren’t going to publish something you aren’t 100% proud of. I promise you that.”

        “Okay.”

        “So, once I send the deal over, please take your time to look it over and understand it all. I will give you a list of editors with a single name starred for who I think you should work with, same for illustrators. But it’s up to you. Serendipity is a fabulous publishing house, and I can guarantee you will not regret signing with us or working with me.”

        “You’re incredibly convincing.” He says.

        “Like I said, Vassar. Business and creative writing degrees.”

        Why are you so hellbent on impressing him?

       “Double major, damn.”

        “I’m incredibly impressive, Yoongi. And I won’t hide it.”

        Yoongi wants to smirk, to keep calm, to remain somewhat nonplussed. But he can’t, not when you are looking at him like he’s the hope diamond and you haven’t yet realized he’s cursed.

        He can’t look away, so he whispers instead. “You shouldn’t.”    

“So, like I said. I’ll send it over and we can meet next week to sign or you can come by for more hot coffee and turn me down. Either way, we should talk again.”

        “Yes, okay, sounds good.” He agrees.  

        “Great. Do you have any questions for me?”

        Yoongi does. “What’s your favorite children’s book?”

        You smile, not waiting a moment to respond. “Harriet the Spy for classic literature. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library for contemporary. Oh and The Westing Game.”

        Yoongi beams, he hadn’t been expecting that. Not one book, but four?

        “Okay, okay, I haven’t read three of those.”

        “You should. You can borrow my copies,” You stand and move to a specific corner of your book shelves, taking down all four and handing them to Yoongi. “Then you have to come back and see me.”

        “Okay, sounds like a deal.”

        “If you bend pages or damage them in any way I will take it out of my offer.” You warn him, finger pointing accusingly at the middle of his chest. He’s standing a little too close, he realizes that as he backs away.

        He picks up his coat and mutters, much louder than he intended. “You’re feisty.”

        “Thank you. It’s one of my winning qualities.”

        Yoongi has met with a few publishers in his day, and at the behest of Hoseok’s girlfriend, sat through many episodes of Younger starring Sutton Foster and Hilary Duff. But his meetings were never quite like the TV shows, or films, that glamorized publishing houses. No one was itching to sleep with each other, or fuck him while editing his books. But then again, he was in children’s publishing. Perhaps if he wrote a book geared towards adults, he’d have a similar sexy experience. But he hasn’t. Instead he’s just… Yoongi.

        The littlest dumpling that ever lived, slinking into his agent’s office to discuss the deal. Or, if his agent has anything to say about it, you.

        “She’s the hottest new publisher in the game, Yoongi’s,” Jane Huang says. Her quaffed hair is the color of flames, reds and yellows blurring into orange and curled atop her head. The sides are delicately shaved and bleached blonde. He always gets distracted by the ancient Chinese symbols dancing up her forearm, giving way to rich greens and emeralds that make up the bonsai she has stained into her skin. Jane, or Janie as Yoongi calls her, stares at him from her place behind her desk. Her office far less occupied than yours. “She’s promising you the world. Or at least, what sliver of it she can.”

       “It’s all great - but how does the contract look?” Yoongi asks.

       “She’s offering more than the others.”

       Ah yes, the others. All the notable publishing houses, the few that still cared about his work after his brief hiatus. All offering far less than Serendipity, with a publisher far less enthused than you.

       “The contract is clear, you aren’t going to get a better deal for the amount of work you’ve put in,” Jane says.

       “I’ve put in a lot of work! There’s a concept, I have outlines!”

       “But you haven’t written shit, don’t try to bullshit me, Yoongi.” Her tone is reminiscent of a scolding from his mother - which he knows if he points out, she will absolutely ream him for it.

       “Noona, I know. But there will be,” Yoongi waits for her to erupt, hoping for sparks ready to ignite.

       Instead she gently rolls her eyes. “I hate it when you call me noona. I’m not even that much older than you, and you have known me for long enough to know that.”

       “Sorry, Janie.”

       “Thank you. I’m glad you’re feeling confident. I was beginning to think you lost your nerve, and how embarrassing would that be for either of us? Humiliating.”

       He scoffs. “I haven’t lost my confidence, mostly. I mean a little. Most of it is totally gone and tied up with my writing ability which, now that it’s lost and probably never coming back, seems like a great time to sign a new contract with a new publisher who -

       “Yoongi!” Jane interrupts. “Stop spiraling. You’re fucking fine.”

       “Sorry,” He says sinking deeper into his chair.

       “She wants to meet with you again?” Jane asks. She finishes putting stickie notes where Yoongi needs to sign the elaborate and thorough contract.

       “Yes, to officially sign the contract.”

       “Isn’t that why Doc-U-Sign was invented?”

       “Yes, she also lent me a few books so i have to give those back too.”

       “I’m sorry, she did what?” Jane asks. She keens at him, elbows on her desk, body moving towards him as if she’s about to pounce. “She did what?”

       “She lent me a few books -

       “Books she’s published?”

       “No,” He’s desperately trying not to blush.

       “So, social books? Books about writing children’s books?”

       “No,” Deeper red, the colors of hell.

       “Yoongi,” Jane’s voice rises an octave, screeching in his ears.

       “Well if you’d let me get out more than a word I’d tell you that i asked her what her favorite children’s books are, and she let me borrow the ones I hadn’t read.”

       “And have you read them?” She asks.        

       “Of course,” He rolls his eyes.

       “She’s flirting.”

       “She is not.”

       “Yoongi, you’re dense but not stupid.”

       “She lent them to me, I read them. I’ll give them back when I sign the contract. That’s it.”

       Jane is still smiling, more like smirking and only a little green with envy. “Good, because no matter how hot and talented she is, you can’t fuck your publisher.”

       “Who says I want to?” Yoongi feigns ignorance, of course he wants to. He has eyes and ears that heard you spill genius to him.

       “The glimmer in your eyes, Yoongi. That’s who.”

       “Come on, you’re fucking some younger guy, why can’t I do something a little reckless?”

       “And jeopardize your career?”

       “I wouldn’t, she wouldn’t.” Though Yoongi has no idea what you would and wouldn’t do, with him. Or anyone that works for you.

       “You’re an idiot if you think sleeping with your publisher won’t absolutely tank your reputation and career,” Jane says.

       “It’s a hypothetical. I didn’t even know she was flirting with me until two minutes ago!”

       “You definitely knew she was flirting, because you were flirting too,” Jane teases. “Of course you were. Have you seen her?”

       “Have you seen the guy you’re sleeping with?” He tries desperately to pivot.

       “Uh, yes?”

       “Great because I haven’t, so tell me who he is.”

       “Yoongi!” Jane tips her head back in exasperation.

       “And not that we’re coworkers not friends shit, because you have been my agent for five years and we are more than just coworkers.”

       “Work friends is better than coworkers,” Jane reminds him.

       “You’ve told me about every exploit you’ve had over the last five years, and yet for some unknown reason you won’t tell me about this new person. Is it someone I know?”

       Yoongi and Jane met when he won a collegiate award for an initial draft of, what would become the first draft of Lil King Yoongi. He had busied himself turning his Yoongi’s Reading Review into a city wide column, and then in college leading his collegiate paper and winning writing scholarships. She’d been following his career as they both experienced tangential success. Jane had won some of the same prizes years before him. That’s how she got her start, and how she stumbled upon him. Reading his work in a contest for a 5K scholarship.

       To say in the last few years they’d become best friends would be a stretch, but Yoongi is right. They’re more than coworkers.

       “You know they’re younger than me, what more do you want?” She asks.

       “You’re being shady,” Yoongi accuses.

       “You’re being nosy.”

       ”Ms. Huang, I believe I am just trying to be your friend,” Yoongi says.

       “He isn’t in publishing if that helps,” Jane concedes. “And he’s around your age. And incredibly hot.”

       “That’s more information than I had… so I’ll take it.”

       Jane lets a beat pass. “But he isn’t as hot as Y/N.”

       “I didn’t even -

       “You have eyes, idiot. You know she’s a stunner.”

       ”Fine - she’s beautiful,” It’s his turn to concede.

       “Thank you!”

       “But I’m not, she isn’t interested in me. She wants my book, she wants my story. That’s it. That’s all.” He says.

       Jane shakes her head. “You don’t really believe that, do you?”

       “I do.”

       “No, you don’t Yoongs,” She leans forward again, staring intently at him.

       He’s uncomfortable under her gaze. “How do you know?”

       “Your eyes, Yoongi. Your eyes.”

       “You’re back!” You say, smiling widely at Yoongi as Alexis brings him into your office. “Oo with presents?”

       “Just your books,” Yoongi hands the bag to you. “I liked them. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon was my favorite.”

       “I’m glad! So, tell me, good news or bad news?”

       “Uh, depends?”

       “On?”

       “I’m ready to sign my contract.”        

       “Oh shit! Yes! Great news!”

       “What would’ve been bad?”

       “If you didn’t want to sign it, if you decided you didn’t want to write The Littlest Dumpling. If your old publishing house offered you more money to write more Lil King Yoongi’s. There are a lot of possibilities, Yoongi.”

       “Clearly you’ve thought of all of them.”

       “Isn’t that my job?”

       “That’s fair.”

       “Well, while the contract is printed, let me show you the list of illustrators and editors. I’ve already starred the ones that I think would be great for this project.”

       You open a folder with his name neatly printed and take out a piece of paper with two columns. Passing it over to him, Yoongi doesn’t take long to skim it and choke on his own spit.

        “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” He says, looking across the top of paper to you.

        “What?”

        He’s quick on his feet. “I will sign the contract, but I have one stipulation.”

        “Oh?” You ask, surprised he doesn’t have more. A lot more. He could ask for almost anything and you’d oblige. You need this win.

        “Yes, I will not, under any circumstance, work with him,” Yoongi hands over the list and watches as your eyes linger on the name you had starred.

        “Okay, why not?” You ask.

        “He’s an asshole.”

        “Okay, but what about his work?”

        “Who cares?” Yoongi snaps.

        You clear your throat, trying a different approach. “Did he wrong you in your past? Is that what it is?”

        “Maybe.”

        You nod, understanding. “So you won’t work with him because he was a dick in college?”

        “High school. And we were childhood friends before that. Our parents are still best friends,” Yoongi rushes through it. A sordid past told in a quick breath.  

        “Oh my god! Yoongi! That’s even more pathetic.”

        “Is it?”

        “Yes, it is. Your parents like him, why can’t you?”

        Yoongi shakes his head, because really it’s more complicated than a petty disagreement or squabble in high school. It goes back years, decades really, and has hurt Yoongi the entire time. It’s so much more than his parents liking Seokjin, actually his parents liking Seokjin is part of the problem.

       “I will never, ever work with that man,” Yoongi says softly, his eyes hard and his jaw set.

       “So you’re telling me you won’t sign the contract if I make you work with him?”

       “Correct.”

       “Okay,” You nod and lean back in your chair, watching him. “So you have two options: One, walk away from Serendipity. Or, two, which I definitely think you should consider: get over it and push your feelings aside to create a great piece of work. Jin would be a perfect editor. He is incredible and has edited several best sellers. He is the best, and it would shock you to know how much we pay him to keep him here instead of going to Penguin or Random House or another boutique publishing house. Insane.”

        “I - that’s it?”

        “What, I’m not entertaining your teenage angst? Nah, I’m not doing that. I run a business, and if your ego is so fragile you can’t grow up, fine. But that’s who you’re going to work with.” You tell him.

        Yoongi exhales. His agent had prepared him for this, well not the Jin of it all, but the potential that his pettiness would be overruled and ignored. He would have to work with people he didn’t like, or who didn’t like him, no matter what field he was in. But this?

Maybe he should grow up and move on. Though Seokjin is the last person he wants touching whatever masterpiece you think he’s capable of writing. But- again - maybe you’re right. Maybe Jin is the best option, and he is finally ready to move past it.

        Yoongi inhales deeply through his teeth. “Fine.”

        “Fine?” You ask.

        “Fine - I’ll,” He exhales sharply, “I’ll bitch about it the entire time.”

        “I don’t care.”

        “You’re going to be the one who hears about it.”

        You smile, already looking forward to it.

        “That’s my job. Now tell me, what did you think of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library?”

        Having signed his contract and returned home with another two books that Serendipity had in fact published, Yoongi felt ready to finally put pen to paper. Though the physical demand of crawling on the floor to dig his pen out from behind the table seemed beyond reproach. But, he finally, truly wants to start writing this new piece.

        That is, until his phone buzzes, and a new email has arrived.

Subject: Untitled YM Project: Editing

From: Seokjin Kim

        Yoongi -

        Wow! It’s been a long time. What a weird coincidence you’d stumble into Serendipity Publishing. I am excited to work with you on this next project, Dumpling.

        Let’s get coffee and discuss your plans soon. I am eager to figure out a schedule and start working!

                           Seokjin

PS - I know you’re probably going to request I be taken off this project, and I’d love to tell you there’s a solution besides sucking it up and dealing with me… but unlucky for you, there isn’t. Lucky for me, I get to helm the latest project from Yoongi Min. What a partnership we will be.

        Yoongi throws his phone at the wall.

        Fucking pompous asshole who thinks he’s god’s gift to literature. What an asshat. Who emails like that? Who says that shit? Who flaunts their status and power in front of someone they have to work with?

        Fuck.

        Seokjin.

        Fucking.

         Kim.

        Yoongi’s fucked - because of course Seokjin is right. You were right when you said it earlier. There is no one better than Seokjin Kim. And Yoongi, despite his protesting and frustration and youthful hatred, absolutely has to work with him.

Next: The Littlest Dumpling {2}

[halliescomut]

KinnPorsche Week 2022-Day 6: Favorite Location

So, my choice for favorite location is the Kittisawat home (pic from @colourme-feral ; link):

And now in a shocking twist here is my rambling discourse about why this is my favorite location.

So, as mentioned before, I was not raised in a well-to-do household, the reality is that my family was never even considered middle class during my childhood (This is specific to America, so there's probably going to be some differences for non-American readers). But the general idea is that we lived in a nice house, but it was never renovated or updated, it still has the original 1964 teal bathroom even (because it still worked so why would we change it?). But anyway, because of my own life experience, I kind of can't relate to many of the other locations in the show. The safe house and minor family residence get closer, because they're far more personal, and I've been to a bar that has a similar vibe to Yok's, but outside of that there's not much for me to personally connect to. The major family compound is a mix of a residence and a business, decorated/furnished practically, but not with a great deal of personality (outside of Tankhun's room).

Returning to my original point, the Kittisawat home has far more personality than many of the other locations. It's warm, and vaguely shabby, and reflects the life of Porsche and Porchay , at least to me, but y'all know how I like to over analyze. I wasn't sure how I was going to structure this, but I think I'll focus on the main sections of the house we see, and we'll start with the exterior.

So the house itself is lovely, and clearly would be out of reach as a residence for Porsche and Porchay if it wasn't their family home. The set decoration of the home exterior is simple, with furniture that's practical as well as worn down. Pieces bought many years ago, and just due to their quality are still in good usable condition. I like that they've set multiple seating areas on the exterior, having a dining table outside of the patio door, the concrete table in the yard, and then the swing as well. For night shots, the inclusion of the string lights gives lovely atmosphere while also being something that would be fairly cheap, since the expectation is for us to believe that Porsche and Chay hung them up. From what you see the yard is vaguely unkempt, certainly not left to grow wild, but it gives the impression that it's something Porsche might forget to do until it starts to get a little crazy, because really why would that be at the top of his list.

Moving inside we have the Living Room

Again we've got nice, fairly basic, and sturdy furniture. The space isn't overly styled, and through the season you see different furniture pieces moved around inside the space, which I find very nice. There is always a concern of continuity from take to take, but I always find it a bit strange if nothing ever moves in a show. As for decor/clutter, there are pieces from their parents, and match what we see during the finale flashback scenes, and some other decor from those scenes is gone in the present. But that gives an amount of believeable continuity to the story of the series. Over the past 10-15 years some stuff would have been packed away, moved to other spaces, broken, possibly sold since we know there's financial stress. Homes that are lived in don't stay the same, so it would be far more odd to see the house still exactly matching the past. One sweet touch you see in the space is a framed photo of Porsche and Porchay, that you actually see Apo and Barcode take in one of the behind the scenes videos (episode 12).

Next location is the Kitchen:

A lot of the same themes from the rest of the house repeat here. Simple, good quality, but a slightly outdated feel, and the kitchen is no different. The newest things we see in the house are probably the fridge (and the flat screen tv in the living room), but other than that the whole kitchen looks like it could be 30 years old. It's serviceable, fairly clean, and gives a lived in feel. The set design with the condiments and spices just grouped on the counter next to the stove, the dishes still in the drying rack, they give more of that lived-in homey feel that we don't see a lot in the other residences.

Now on to our last location, Chay's room:

Chay's room is one of the most interesting, but sadly we don't get a whole lot of time there. I love the behind the scenes stuff for the show, but I would love entire eps with the set designer and the costume designer. Like I just love that shit. Back to my point. This is the only personal space we see in their home, everywhere else is communal space. Yes there are personal items, but not to the extent we see in Chay's room. Again, the designer's done a great job fitting the space to the occupant, there's posters hanging, but they're hung with tape, we have the string lights. There's the oddly placed bookshelf in the doorway, which appears weird, there's no where else to put it. It would block the light switch and crowd the bed if you had it on the wall to the right, and it's exactly the type of shit a 17/18 year old would do. I imagine Porsche picked it up wanting to have somewhere for Chay to put his awards and stuff, but wasn't considering whether it would fit in the space, and they just made it work. There's also a nice passage of time-continuity to the space, with some toys, the stack of cds, the sort of layering the bookshelves, that indicate that as things become less used, other things get placed in front of them. This again brings more realism to the space, and makes it feel familiar to the viewer. Like, we don't have the stories behind each item, but the characters are presented in a way where we could guess. Additionally with the layering, on the WiK wall we see pictures layered over each other, which for me really sells it. Technically we know that the set designer and dresser would have been handed a bunch of these pictures to put up, and our instinct would be to put them up in a more ordered manner, but they're meant to have been added over a couple of years. Chay would have gotten them from magazines, or printed them out and stuck them up kind of wherever they fit. I also love that there's not just WiK, but other music-based pictures and art.

My closing statements---the lighting and cinematography!

I've talked in previous posts about how beautiful the cinematography of the series is, and it's truly gorgeous. In relation to the Kittisawat home, it's always presented in a warm golden light. Every other location we visit more than once is colorgraded differently based on the emotion of the scene. But even in the flashback scenes of the death of Porsche and Chay's father, when told from each perspective, that warm golden tone is still there. By choosing to light the space the way they have they're adding onto that feeling of homey-ness and comfort. They've built this space where essentially everyone who steps into feels that warm comfort, and they've made it look incredibly simple, but I am CERTAIN that it was a lot of work. Especially for a space where they spend relatively little time over the course of the season.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my thoughts about this topic. 1,300 words and about 3 hours worth of screen-capping and writing. Definitely worth it. Hmm....what should your reward gif be today??? How about...

[cloveroctobers]

Can I request for Asher Adams or Olivia Baker or Spencer James with a biracial reader

October prompts — 10. Spencer James ; All American

Prompt: don’t tell me you’re afraid of the dark. ❜

A/N: yeah this was supposed to be out yesterday but living life was more important in the moment lol. Hope you’re all enjoying this spooky season if it’s your thing? If not…I still hope you’re enjoying this fall season then. This is a short one since I still have 2 (maybe I’ll do a bonus one to make unlucky 13 but we’ll see) more prompts I think left in my drafts that I want to get out before I take a break from writing or until inspiration flows again for me!

This was originally a prompt for Olivia but I decided to switch to spencer because he needs more love…after all is he not the main character? 😂 also this is a fuck Billy baker account—OFFICIALLY! + I watched the newest paranormal activity last night so you may see a touch of inspiration from that in here.

•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*

You were being fake.

Faker than hell, except hell was not fake. (Depending on who you asked but whatever) You were positive about that since you’ve seen some things…back when you would spend time with your grandparents in Pennsylvania. Long story short about that? You always thought Pennsylvania was eerie whenever you visited and that didn’t help your suspicions since your grandparents lived close by a Amish community.

You meant no harm on your judgments about the community but one tale about a family in particular didn’t sit right with you.

Let’s just say that.

See, your friends had set favorite holidays: Layla and Simone loved Valentine’s Day, Jordan and JJ both loved April Fool’s day, Kia loved black history month, Coop and Patience loved Thanksgiving, You and Olivia shared the same love for Christmas, Darnell always boasted about news year eve, and lastly and surprisingly Spencer, Asher, and Chris all shared the same love for Halloween.

It was their fault this whole halloweekend trip was a disaster…at least in your eyes. Spencer brought up the idea to you first and you tried to play it off that you were listening while you actually Dissociated from the conversation once: touring a haunted place was brought to the table! Spencer picked up on the vague responses almost immediately but waited to address that.

“Black people don’t be doing this shit and it’s safe to say we’ve done had enough fear in our lives,” Patience started with her arms crossed, “but…it is spooky season and we deserve some fun.”

And here you thought the curly headed girl would be on your side. Or at least Simone and Kia but nooo with very little persuasion they were on board too! Layla was already looking up places and writing down suggestions that Asher already began researching but Chris kept shutting everyone of them down.

“Why not just go to Hollywood Horror nights for a night?” You spoke up while your group of friends fell into easy conversations of excitement.

Olivia hummed, “We did that last year, y/n.”

Shit you did? You must have been so triggered from the last experience that you forgot all about that.

Spencer wrapped an arm around your waist bringing your frame close to his, ready to question what was up but Layla suddenly stood up with a grin and a notepad?

“I’ve got it, I know this perfect place where we don’t even have to leave the state. I can’t believe I forgot!” She bounced on her toes.

Chris waved his hands around, “well spit it out girl, what is it?”

Which made Olivia flick her boyfriend’s ear who failed to dodge her attack and complained at her action.

“It’s this haunted hotel in the outskirts of California. Its definitely driving distance, a good hour or two tops. My dad knows the owner of the place quite well so I’m sure he’ll give us a nice discount to stay for a night or two or however long we want.” Layla informed.

Darnell shrugged, “I’m with anything if there’s a good bargain price.”

Chris gave the boy some dap in agreement while Coop should her head at them, a laugh flying past her lips as she mumbled up to Patience, “broke boys United.”

“Yo, whatcha one hit wonder ass say?” Chris was on her ass and before any bickering could start, Spencer let out a whistle to shut everybody up.

The group turned to Spencer who moved his arm from across your waist to lean against his knees, “Layla, thanks for the recommendation. Let’s make it happen, we’re three days away from the weekend and I know this is probably pushing it since places get booked fast.”

Layla fanned her hand as she reached into her back pocket to grab her phone, “oh please, Bram loves me, he’s never too busy.”

“Did you say bram as in the same name as that doll movie,” Jordan asked just before he tossed some m&m’s into his mouth.

Layla already stepped away, phone pressed to her ear, with her business woman voice on as everyone fell into chatter again.

“Are you good?” Spencer nudged your shoulder to get your attention.

You immediately nodded, “yeah, great. Never better!”

That was a lie.

Which is why it’s always important to be honest even if the truth hurts or someone can’t handle the truth. Maybe if you were honest, you currently wouldn’t be losing your mind right now in this hotel room with Spencer.

You had your arms and legs attached to his back, clinging to him the minute the room went completely dark. This blackout made you feel as if your heart was trapped in your throat instead of your chest.

“Don’t tell me you’re afraid of the dark?” You could feel the smirk in Spencer’s voice, as he held onto you with ease.

You huffed squeezing your arms tighter around his throat, “shut up, you. What the hell is happening?”

“It’s probably part of the haunt experience? They did give us walkies and night vision goggles.” Spencer said just as the hotel door slowly creaked open.

In that moment you almost forgot how to breathe.

When you first settled into your room for the evening, after having a welcome dinner in this large ballroom-like area, each guest would be locked into their rooms until the big event occurred.

“Guess that means it’s show time,” Spencer moved his hands from underneath your thighs to rub his hands together.

You hopped down from his frame as Spencer moved around the room grabbing the correct equipment. While you stayed close to the window just in case you suddenly have to turn into catwoman and leap from the room, with or without Spencer at this point.

He did the honors of slipping the goggles against your forehead, leaving you to slip them on if you chose and handing you a walkie. He then moved his fingers through the dark in search of your face, “you know I gotchu right? Nothing bad will happen to you as long as you stick by me.”

“What if that’s what this place wants you to think? What if they purposely try to separate us then what? This could all go wrong like those horror movies I desperately hate.” You sighed as you felt Spencer place his forehead against yours, followed by a caress to your cheek.

He said next, “then I guess it was fun while it lasted then, hm?”

And that’s when you shoved him as he let out a laugh.

“I’m just playin’, damn, if you were this scared then you should of said something. I had a feeling you weren’t really vibing with this too.”

You scowled, “and be the only loser left out on this? I don’t think so.”

“I mean…I don’t think anybody would have clowned you that hard if you wanted to sit this one out. At least, I wouldn’t let them to do that to you, baby.” Spencer gripped your forearms, rubbing them gently.

You took a deep breath before listening to light patter of footsteps in the hallway followed by some familiar voices that most likely belonged to your friends.

“If I die tonight—

“You’re not gonna die, y/n.” Spencer interrupted you.

You continued as if you didn’t even hear him, “my soul shall forever haunt this place, you, and each of our crazy ass friends.”

“I see vengeance is one your…traits.” Spencer chose his words carefully.

You smiled in the dark, “you got it! so don’t ever think about breaking my heart.”

Walking forward you could tell Spencer was watching as he slipped on his goggles, his vision illuminated in pale green. He wouldn’t dream of it and before he could tell you that, a knock on the side of the wall sent you falling onto the floor, right on your ass along with a scream ripping past your lips.

Spencer balled up his fist to cover his laughs as he went over to help you up.

“Damn y/n, it’s just me.” Simone commented with her own goggles on, “I was just coming to get you guys so we can all stay together while we walk through each floor.”

Now that plan? Made perfect sense.

•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•**••*•*•*•

Continue along with my anthology October prompts here

[ask-megamind-blue-defender]

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Halloween Season has officially begun, (it starts on August first and you can't tell me any differently,) so your favorite Blue Defender is working on this year's terrifying new addition to the Fright Nights Haunted House! (As residents of Metrocity already know, this attraction raises money for several charities, and I secretly provided truly fantastic and horrifying custom-made animatronic props to it even before I became a hero.)

Before you ask, NO, I will not tell you what my newest creepy creation is going to be. You'll just have to buy tickets when they go on sale and see for yourself... if you dare! MUAHAHAHA! (Come on, people, it's for a good cause!)

However, I will give you something else... Literally! This year, I'm building not one but TWO Awesome Atrocities of Ghoulish Genius! I've just finally worked out the last kinks on a... wait for it... MOBILE, REMOTE CONTROLLED, VOLUMETRIC HOLOGRAPHIC GHOST!

Warning: Science Lesson Ahead

For those who don't know, a volumetric hologram requires trapping particles, actually takes up space, and does not need a screen or smoke to appear. A true volumetric hologram, meaning one that, although not hard-light like the images produced by my disguise watch and therefore not tactile, is still essentially created from captured particles, is also truly three-dimensional. No matter what angle it's viewed from, it looks real. While teams of scientists have managed to create something similar, (although stationary,) in labs, I'm proud to say that this is the first fully self-contained and mobile device of its kind. It's also the first of its kind not to require a mechanized frame, but rather to be bounded by invisible energy shields. Long story short? To get a more realistic-looking ghost you'd have to find the real thing!

End of Science Lesson

So, be warned, Metrocity, this year certain Halloween events might just be haunted! None of these, of course, will include family events--the kiddies are safe from my Ghastly Ghost!-- but if you're planning to attend certain adult-only October celebrations, prepare for a scare! These include: Metrocity's Midnight Mayhem event, the Spooky Swing Cocktail Party at the Midtown Art Museum, the Burgers Blues and Boos Festival, the Undead of the Night Metal Concert, the Specters and Spirits Haunted Pub Crawl, and the Monster Bash Costume Party and Horror Movie Marathon.

(Please also keep in mind that this year most of these events are requesting that patrons show vaccination cards upon entry. Help us keep Metrocity safe while still having fun!)

I'll let you know as more events are added to the roster. Fair warning: if Minion and I are called to duty during any of these events, the Ghastly Ghost will be remotely piloted by Roxanne, and my Love has a surprising wicked sense of humor when it comes to Halloween pranks. MUAHAHAHA!

In the meantime, if you want to create your own (far less technologically advanced) holographic ghost for your own home haunt, you can find instructions for Pepper's Ghost HERE! If you're more into mechanics than technology, you can also find instructions for building a Flying Crank Ghost HERE! Happy Haunting!

[awkward-gay-bro]

A New Chapter

Tom wanted to start a new chapter in his life, that’s why he left. He’d done some amazing things, and despite what anyone said, he was leaving behind a legacy. But to him, it felt different. He’d fought alongside these men for a long time. Hell, he’d played for the team for twenty seasons. He joined that team before most of Gronkowski’s slam pieces could talk. So to him, he wasn’t just leaving behind a legacy. He was leaving behind a family. That’s why Gronk was making him go out tonight. They were celebrating an end of an era, and as Julian had said, they were cementing that their bond would last beyond any team. 

Tom was hesitant for this boy’s night out, he was a good decade older than his former teammates. He may be in peak physical condition, but he couldn’t deny that he couldn’t keep up with them on any sort of club scene. He’d much rather be at home with his family, just enjoying a beer. Tom had tried to convince Gronk that they should just come over, have a nice dinner, and maybe a game of poker, but his playboy friend wouldn’t have it. Gronk had insisted they go out in a blaze of glory. 

So after picking up Julian, he and Tom met up with said playboy friend, and they all jumped into the overly extra escalade limo. “I told you we’d need a driver, Tommy boy,” Gronk said as he pulled open a bottle of cognac and started pouring. “We’ll ease you in with a drink now to get you’re warmed up, but we are definitely taking shots right after.”

“Guys, I can’t go too hard, I’ve got early morning brunch with Giselle and the kids tomorrow,” Brady pleaded to deaf ears. Gronk shoved the glass into his hands before taking a swig directly from the bottle. 

“What’s the point of the driver if we don’t have some fun?” Gronk chuckled. He rose to his feet, pulling Brady up with him and said, “Tom, look at me.” He placed his hand on Tom’s shoulder. “This is our last hurrah, you can go back into family mode in the morning. Tonight is all about having fun, right Edelman?”

“Right,” Julian responded, laughing at his friends as he reclined into the cushiony limousine chair. 

“You said you wanted to start a new chapter, Tommy boy, well that starts with us closing this chapter. You want to give it a proper ending don’t you?” Gronk said, putting out his hand for a shake to seal the deal.

Tom reluctantly grabbed the other man’s hand, finally giving in. “Fine, but you have to explain my hang over to Gise-” Before he could finish his sentence the limo came to a crashing stop. Brady and Gronkowski went flying from the impact, and everything went black. 

************************************************************************

Tom woke up in a room he’d never seen before. It looked like a hospital room, but one that would be on the set of Star Trek. There were all sorts of machines he’d never seen in a hospital before. He couldn’t understand what anything was or why he was there. Then everything came back to him. He was standing in a limo with his friends and then…

“Rob! Julian!” 

“Julian’s fine,” a soft voice said. Tom looked over and saw his former teammate laying in a hospital bed like his own. He looked deflated. The rugged face and imposing frame Tom was used to seeing was gone, replaced by a softened face sitting on a withered body. 

“That’s good, what happened to us? How long have we been out?” Tom asked in a panic, assuming it must have been a long time if Gronk’s muscles have atrophied to such a degree. 

“The crash was last night, you slept in for a while but not much more than a hangover would have caused,” came an unfamiliar voice. An insanely tall man walked into the room, “My name is Vince, and I think we should have a talk, Tommy.”

“My name is Tom,” he yelled, “And what’s going on? Where are we?”

“You’re in our lab. You suffered a fatal accident last night, so you were brought here,” the man said calmly. 

“How could it be fatal if we are talking?” Gronk yelled out. 

“We have found a way to heal even the most egregious wounds. A way to pull someone back even when they have one foot out the gate. However, there are some side effects,” the man said, moving towards the two. “Your colleague, Julian, is quite the fan of ours. He quickly called us and got in touch with your families. We filled them in with what we could do, and what the outcome would be otherwise. We also filled them in with what our end of the bargain would be, and they all agreed.”

“What do you mean your end of the bargain? We didn’t agree to anything,” Brady said angrily. 

“It’s simple enough, you’ll be the newest additions to our new wrestling league,” the imposing man said, “And I assure you, all of the paperwork has been signed and the contract is binding.”

“I think I’d rather stick to my current career,” Tom responded, “I don’t know much about wrestling.”

“I think you’ll find your body isn’t much fit for football anymore, and don’t worry, this isn’t your typical wrestling. I think you’ll be a fan favorite soon enough.” As he said this, a nurse walked into the room, pushing a rather large mirror. “Now brace yourselves, boys, this step in the process can often be jarring. It’s time to meet your new you.”

Tom and Rob started to climb out of their beds, their feet dangling above the floor. Reality began to set in to both men, formerly well above six foot, that it wasn’t just their muscles that had shrunk. They walked to each other first, which gave them a terrifying glimpse into what their own appearance would look like. Rob realized that he’d lost the two inches in height he’d usually had over his friend. Realizing he didn’t know the size of this room, he had no focus point to find out his new height. 

“How tall are you Vince?” he whimpered. 

“Well, I tell everyone 6’2’’, but I’ll be honest. I’m 6’1’’.”

Both men’s eyes went wide, this imposing man was standing three to five inches lower than where they should be. And they didn’t even meet his chin. Gronk oddly held out his hand to his friend. He needed support to take that next step of looking in the mirror. The former ladies man wouldn’t have ever felt the need for that physical embrace, but for some reason all he wanted was the former Tom there to protect him. The new Tom’s hand was small and dainty, void of any of the callouses two decades of ball had given him, which made Gronk’s stomach drop and flutter simultaneously.

“If you’d like a moment to take everything in, I can step away. I’ll be back in a few minutes so that you can redress.”

Hand in hand they walked in front of the mirror and took in their new selves. Their hospital gowns fell shapelessly, masking their new silhouettes. They undid the strings and let them flutter to the ground. With their hands still clasped, they studied every nook and cranny of their lithe new frames. Their muscled chests had been completely flattened, and their rigid abs had been completely smoothed out. The dainty hands that were still entwined were connected to slim and hairless arms. Their shoulders had collapsed in on themselves, showing that their backs would no longer have the straining muscles either was used to. 

Their bodies weren’t the only things that had changed. Though they could still recognize each other, there was no denying that their faces were slightly different. Most obvious at first glance was the complete lack of hair beneath their eyes, while the rest of their hair had grown more lush. Even their lashes were longer, fluttering whimsically every time they blinked. Rob’s lips had filled out, something that he’d love to see on a girl about to go down, but it was jarring on his own face. No longer did Tom look older than his peer, all signs of age had vanished from his face, crows feet, laugh lines, they’d all faded away leaving him looking twenty years younger. 

The men took a deep breath and finally looked down. Their once proud packages had dwindled away to nothing. Gronk had always been proud of the girth that he had hidden, but now it would like tiny even in his own diminutive hand. They were completely devoid of hair, it looked like they’d gotten the full Brazillian. Tom caught himself staring more at his friends package then his own, he’d seen it in his former glory time and time again, and didn’t know why he was missing it so much. For a moment, Tom realized that he was standing naked, holding a man’s hand, staring at his package. But that thought quickly faded, as Rob was the only part of this whole experience that felt right. 

When Rob looked over to do his own inspection of his peer, he was shocked to see that something hadn’t shrunk at all. If anything, it had grown. “Holy shit, that’s huge!” he said, his jaw dropping. For the first time since they’d stripped he untangled his hand as he walked behind his friend for a better look. “Tom, you’re thicc.”

“What are you talking about?” he said as he placed his hands on his rear. His once perky behind had grown massive. He could still feel muscle, but it was now behind a healthy layer of jiggling fat. Before he could continue his exploration, Rob pushed his hands away, placing his own palms on the other man’s naked ass. The two ballooning cheeks felt even bigger with his now tiny hands, and he couldn’t help himself from tightening his grip firmly on them. This sensation shot all the blood in his Tom’s body directly to his package, his tiny nub now standing firmly at its full inadequate two inches. Never before had a man’s touch caused this sort of feeling, which put him into a panic. Rob was dealing with a panic of his own, as all he wanted to do was dive face-first into the other man’s new assets. Quickly stopping himself, Gronk turned around to check out his own rear end, looking to see if he’d gained a similar new shape. 

Tom was terrified that his friend would see his erection, but his smaller endowment went completely unnoticed. They both craned their necks to look at their new buns in the mirror. Gronk was actually happy with his new butt, he’d been known to shake his booty on the dance floor. His butt looked like it had stayed the same size, while the rest of him had shrunk around it. But even with how disproportionate it was, it was still overshadowed by the mammoth behind his cohort had grown. 

“Knock, knock” Vince said. Quickly the men pulled up their robes, not comfortable with someone who’d been smaller than them seeing their fairy like frames. As he entered the room he chuckled quietly, noticing that neither man was able to keep their shelf like bubbles contained in their robes. “I hope that was enough time for you to get acquainted with your post rejuvenation bodies. Now let’s get down to the nitty gritty of your new contracts. Obviously, Tommy, we’ve made the appropriate payments to the Buccaneers and your contract with them has been dissolved.”

“You can’t do that!” Tom yelled. 

“I think you’ll agree that you don’t belong on a football field anymore. Now, due to some of the psychological aspects of this change, we’ve found that it’s best you have a care taker. We’ve decided it best to keep you both together, so we’ll be setting you up with a nice apartment for your caretaker and you both.”

“I have a family! I’ll be living with them! My wife-”

“Your wife is well aware of our new arrangement and is in full support. She’d rather you be alive like this than not at all. And she understands that you will have certain new needs that she can not provide. She also advised us she didn’t want your children seeing you like this just yet. Now, the nurse here has been kind of enough to help you both get dressed and drive you to your new residence, so be polite to him. I will meet you there where we can get you set up with your new wrestling personas.”

************************************************************************

As they waked into their new apartment, the nurse bid them adieu with a nice goodbye smack on Brady’s ass. Tom was more shocked by the soft moan that the grab had elicited, so he quickly started to explore the new apartment. It was a pretty nice place, wonderful view, nice modern set up, but though it had multiple rooms set up, only one had a bed. The bed was bigger than any he’d seen, but he was still shocked to find he’d have to share with Gronkowski. He made a note to himself that Gronk would have to sleep on the couch. 

As Tom walked back into the living room he saw Vince standing there. “Ah good, you’re finally here,” Vince said. “You’ll find the room down the hall has your new costume, Tommy. Robbie, yours in the room to your left. Your handler has filled us in on the personas that you would both be most comfortable with.”

As they’d time had gone on, both men had grown more complacent with their new lot. Though Tom hated it, he found that if even his wife wanted this, there was nothing he could do. Gronkowski at first was furious at his loss in stature, but all the attention he’d received from the nurses and lab staff had made him start to enjoy his new role. Even if the attention had all come from men, he was an attention whore and he’d take it where he could get it. As they both made their way to their rooms to change, they heard the noise of a door opening and a familiar voice coming from the living room. 

“Ah, you’re finally here. I’m sure you’ve filled out all the paperwork and you understand your new duties as a member of our company?” they heard Vince ask.

“I do. And honestly I’m elated to get to be a part of it. I’ve been a big fan of the new league. Are they here yet?” The other voice asked.

“Yes, Mr. Edelman, they are getting changed into the costumes you suggested as we speak.”

“Oh, call me Julian. And I’m so excited you liked the names.”

“Alright boys! Time to come out!” Vince yelled down the hall. As the two former athletes walked out to the living room, they were shocked to find their former teammate standing in front of them. “Julian, meet the Playboy and the Patriot.”

Julian looked down to see the scantily clad twinks that had once towered over him. Tom Brady was wearing a blue tank top that showed off his supple lithe arms, which had his former number twelve emblazoned on the breast. His small package was now concealed in an American flag styled speedo. Julian smiled to himself as Tom tried to shield the view from his bulge, and smiled harder when he saw how far those stripes stretched out on Tom’s backside. With Tom, the tank top at least hung a bit to hide his upper body, but with Gronkowski, the skin tight black leotard was painted on. Julian was ecstatic to see the direction they’d gone with his Playboy idea. Bunny ears stuck up from Rob’s styled hair, while his neck and wrists were encased in a cute bow tie and adorable cuffs. The piece de resistance however, was the fluffy bunny tail resting above the tight end’s wide receiver. 

“Tommy, Robbie, I couldn’t handle what had happened to either of you and I knew I couldn’t go on in a world with either of you missing. So I called Vince’s people right away and of course I volunteered to be your handler when they explained the mechanics of the situation.” 

Rob had always had to look down at his smaller friend, but now he was staring straight up at the other man. He’d never really thought about it in his former life, but he couldn’t help noticing now that Edelman looked as much like a model as he did a NFL player. His heart fluttered as he walked over to his friend. Tom had a similar feeling, wanting to be mad that Julian could do something like this to him, but he also felt an unusual feeling while he stared at the sculpted man. Again he felt his tiny nub raise to attention, hardly noticeable even in his skin tight briefs. 

“Come here for a second, Robbie,” Julian beckoned. Gronk’s heart fluttered a bit as he walked over to his friend, who reached down and tugged on his fluffy bunny tail. Immediately Gronk moaned out in pleasure, confirming Julian’s theory of how the tail was kept in place. “Nice,” he said as he moved his hand down to cup Gronk’s left cheek. 

“Now you will all have plenty of time to discuss your new arrangement boys, but our league moves fast. We have to go out and take some promotional pictures of you in your new personas. You’ve got your debut match coming up this Friday and you’re going up against the most popular tag team in the League,” Vince explained, rushing the men out the room. 

“Don’t worry guys, I’ve been talking to Dean, their handler. I think you guys are going to do so great against the Leather Lads. Now in this form of wrestling it’s less about taking your opponent down and more about getting your opponent off,” Julian said as they walked. With one hand already around Gronk’s waist, he grabbed Tom’s enormous shelf with the other and pulled him into his arm. He slid his hands beneath Tom’s speedo and began to slide a finger in and out. Until this point, Tom had still been putting up a fight. But the pleasure he was feeling now was unlike anything he’d felt with any of the women he’d been with. He arched his back pushing Julian’s finger deeper into him as Julian slipped in a second finger. All thoughts of sleeping on the couch dissolved as he started to fantasize about the different things him and his former teammates would be doing each night. 

Walking with both men pressed into him, he said, “Dean was even telling me about a new idea where you would work together against the other wrestler’s handler, trying to get them off before the other team. You two versus Dean, while I go up against Seth and Brad.”

The men all arrived at the camera set for their upcoming match to find the other wrestlers were already mid photo shoot. Dean Ambrose stood there with his leather clad twinks, Seth Rollins and Brad Maddox.

“Oh yeah, we are definitely doing the handler match,” Julian said, his eyes focused on Brad’s perky little tush. 

“Agreed,” Tommy said, his mouth watering at Dean’s broad shoulders.

[uwua3]

helloo! i was lurking through ur blog and ur writing is so good??? ur angst fic for tsumu was so painful and now i'm 😭😭 so can i pls request for hcs for tsumugi with an affectionate s/o? thank youuu 😭😭😭💖

i promise you i have 5 drafts right now but the moment i thought about this prompt, it wouldn’t leave my mind and i knew i had to write it! also, i’m so happy you liked my tsumu angst 🥺 it’s my least popular writing so i didn’t know if it was just awfully written or T___T but yes! angel deserves love ♡

summary: when all else failed, flower language was there to win over your crush

author’s note: this might be a bit different from what you were expecting, anon! the affection so much isn’t... obvious? well, you’ll have to read it and tell me if you think flower language is affection ♡

i absolutely adore flowers, so i was so thankful to put this romantic knowledge to use! if you are looking to be timeless, woo your crush with flowers please~

word count: 2,992

music: dream – suzy & baekhyun, love is the way – red velvet

yellow tulips means there’s sunshine in your smile.

❄️📚 tsukioka tsumugi

tsumugi loved flowers

it all started when he worked as a florist. the store was the same as always, even after he came back. it was overgrown, with decades of flora & fauna taking over the storefront as there wasn’t a single dead leaf in sight. greenery gave the usual urban, grey road life as the sunshine felt warmer in the makeshift forest. displays of annual flowers made tsumugi smell the roses, and he came by daily ever since he was a teenager

tsumugi liked to check out the produce and greet his favorite little old lady nicknamed “ma” that ran the small store. she always coddled him, pinching his cheeks and affectionately saying he grew up handsome as he blushed under the praise. she liked retelling stories she remembered of his young self working in her shop, laughing at his low stamina but unbreakable will

she reminded him of his own grandmother, and often arrived after work with new flowers he had harvested from the mankai courtyard to impress her

it was a particularly lucky day. one of tsumugi’s blooms came earlier than expected, and the moment he noticed it whilst gardening and whistling a tune, he took one as he left the dorms in his gear. when tsumugi arrived nearly out of breath for attempting to run the entire length, he was about to call the grandmother’s name but noticed someone else was tending the plants

(strange, ma never needed help, tsumugi thought before he glanced at your smile and was blinded. you were the sun)

when you bloomed into his life like the most beautiful flower, tsumugi swore he nearly dropped his pot when he saw you the first time. you saw him in gardening overalls stained by dirt and his rural appearance, and he admired you like you were at full bloom

tsumugi wasn’t good with words, in fact, he couldn’t even speak when he saw you. he just nodded quickly, gesturing to the random new arrivals he was pretending to be interested in. as you went further into the store, tsumugi sighed and could feel the vines within his lungs crawl and tighten around his chest

he wanted to talk to you, but he was afraid you’d be a cherry blossom that lasted for two weeks before fluttering away

so tsumugi approached you the only way he knew how: with flowers

it was your first week working as ma’s apprentince florist, but you had found a minature flower bouquet by your door. it was tarragon, a herb with tiny green & yellow flowers, gently wrapped with a delicate pastel yellow ribbon

tarragon: lasting interest

when ma came upon the boquet, she smiled knowingly, as if she had some dirt on the secret giver. however, you couldn’t get ma to budge (that woman was incredibly stubborn and had seen too many things to yield to a young adult!)

you decided to keep the herbs, pressing the flowers so they’d dry and twirled the ribbon around your finger as the empty lackluster hours expectedly came and went throughout the day. you wondered if the person who brought you such a beautiful present knew of flower language?

tsumugi did

tsumugi was a hopeless romantic at heart despite living in a world of fleeting love. he remembered learning flower language for situations like this, though, this was the first time he ever had to (or wanted to) use it

he still came to the shop every other day to be the victim of ma’s endless teasing, her short frame not stopping her from jabbing him in the ribs with her elbow. but this time, with a knowing smile. nothing ever escaped ma, she was too observant for her own good

(tsumugi was the only person she knew who tied his ribbons that way)

(she only knew because every mother’s day, tsumugi liked giving her the best assortment of flowers she had ever seen ever since he worked for her)

as the days went by, you had begun to notice the quiet, timid boy with the shyest smile and brightest eyes always standing near the front in the sun as you hid away inside wherever the fan was

(perhaps you regretted that, when you heard his gentle laugh twinkle across the shop like wind chimes, you thought of tarragon)

one day, when you decided to look up after intensely reading a library book on botany behind the register, you saw him immediately avert his eyes and awkwardly laugh at something ma said. she glanced back at you, gesturing you over with a flick of her hand. you didn’t even bother arguing against it, closing your book and heading out front

(no one fought ma and won)

“this is my newest employee, tsumugi! they’re such a green thumb, it’s like they bring my flowers back to life.” ma bragged, laying a hand on your arm and pushing you forward so you were even closer to the boy you’ve been noticing out of the corner of your eye. he couldn’t look you in the eye, he was staring at everything but your eyes

(tsumugi couldn’t look at you because you shined so bright, he almost had to cover his eyes)

you introduced yourself properly, and as tsumugi finally tore his sight away from the new red roses in season, his eyes widened at something around your neck. you subconsciously lifted your hand to it and—oh

it was the yellow ribbon you had been gifted last week

ma grinned, feigning shock at your new acessory around the collar of your uniform. “my dear, i never noticed such a pretty little thing! haven’t you been wearing it everyday?” ma pretended to reach out for it but you leaned back, protectively putting your hand over the bow

(for some reason, you had become oddly attached to the ribbon)

“i... i have. just thought it was lovely, that’s all.” you justified, seeing tsumugi’s shoulders drop when he exhaled with... relief? tsumugi complimented the shade of yellow, saying it often fit the summer season and compared it to a dahlia

so, when it was the next day and you saw ma waiting for you with another knowing smile and a single yellow dahlia in her hands, you remembered tsumugi

the dahlia was pastel yellow, just like the ribbon you had on today. when you took it, you turned it over and watched the petals rustle in the summer wind

dahlia (single): good taste

“you know who it is, don’t you?” you interrogated ma, holding the dahlia close to your chest. it was clearly grown with care, in fact, it almost saddened you to see such a beautiful flower given to you when it could’ve kept on growing

ma just shrugged, doing her morning round of watering as she slipped on her gloves and got to work. you were about to do the same before something caught your eye

blue salvias

you didn’t even need to ask ma before she passed you a pen and floral tag you could attach

you bundled up blue salvias, tying a navy blue ribbon (you thought of tsumugi’s eyes and hair that glistened in the sunlight) with a note attached

“thank you, may all your flowers bloom during this summer season!”

you finished it off by signing your name, and left it in ma’s very capable hands. she complimented your ribbon choice with a snicker, but you didn’t question it. ma knew way too much neighbourhood gossip from being the local cupid with her flowers

(you were out back on break, taking notes from a herbs textbook you borrowed. while you were dutifully learning, you never noticed ma pass tsumugi a bouquet of blue salvias and his shocked, flustered blush as he accepted the flowers graciously)

blue salvias: i think of you

(“next time, my boy, just give the flowers to me. you’re much too obvious for your own good.” ma patted tsumugi’s cheek with her wrinkled hand, an aged look to her as if she knew it all)

(when tsumugi went home, he tied the dark blue ribbon around his watering can and put the salvias in a vase)

it didn’t take long before ma whacked a bouquet of flowers over your head, reprimanding you for slouching while reading

you took the gift, noticing a note but before you could read, you smelled the white camelias. but when you realized what it meant, you turned as red as the carnations beside you

white camelias: you’re adorable

“if only you were the sun, then all my flowers would be happy. though, they could never be as bright as you.”

as you unlooped the white ribbon this time, you put aside the note as you tied the ribbon around your neck. now, you had two equally cute ribbons that had you thinking of this secret admirer all day

as the fan blew towards you, the note floated to the floor as you leaned down from your stool to catch it mid–air. you checked the back of the tag, there was a name you would’ve missed: tulip

did they want you to address them as tulip? without a second thought, you had an assortment of red carnations held by a red ribbon and another note

“tulip? why is that?”

(you signed the back with “sunflower”)

red carnations: alas for my poor heart

next day, you received a dwarf sunflower with a bright yellow ribbon and a note you held closest to your heart

“perhaps, i just wanted to make you smile. — forever thinking of you, too, tulip”

dwarf sunflower: adoration

for the next month, you slowly forgot about the shy boy with the blue. tsumugi stopped by less, or at least he came during your break time. you wondered why, since he refused to look into your eyes and hid his face during the rare chances you did get to see him

(tsumugi always gave ma the flowers when it was break, he didn’t want you to find out)

you and your secret admirer kept exchanging flowers like it was mail. by this time, you had so many ribbons and you always received questions on why you wore them all

(“no reason.” you’d lie, and gently ran your fingers over the thread)

(tsumugi began tying the ribbons you gifted him everywhere just so he’d remember you. sometimes even around his pinky when he wanted to feel connected to you like soulmates would. he’d lay his head on his desk, pretending he was pulling on your string of fate and watched the ribbon flow elegantly around his hand with a small smile)

you had grown fond of tulip. his handwriting was delicate and light, you could tell he didn’t push down hard on his pen even when he doodled the flowers he was giving you that day. he had such a unique style, it was comforting to write to someone so genuinely kind and pure–hearted

although your affections to tulip were unparalleled, you often smelled the flowers he gave you and stared out at the horizon, wondering who this person was. you wanted a real name to connect to a face

(maybe, you were scared that whatever you were feeling was too much for a nameless unknown)

you knew it might have been too soon to demand answers, but your actions were readily supported by ma as she took the bouquet without letting you think it over

a purple bittersweet, also known as nightshade, with a deep violet ribbon and short note this time

“i must ask you, tulip, is it truly too much trouble for you to share your name? — best, sunflower”

(when tsumugi received these flowers with an impatient look from ma, he faltered, looking into the store but seeing you were no where in sight. ma jabbed him again, frustrated with his fear. “tell her!” ma insisted, but tsumugi shook his head and left)

(ma sighed, rubbing her temples as she shut her eyes. “kids, these days.”)

bittersweet: truth

“i am afraid, once you know the real me, you won’t want me anymore. i know it is selfish of me, but i just want to have you, just for a little longer. — always yours, tulip”

you read the next day and twirled the red columbine with a sigh. maybe you were afraid, this love would only bloom in the summer and tulip thought the same thing

red columbine: anxious, trembling

(you didn’t respond for a few days. you couldn’t, you were just as scared of what you felt for them)

you had started your day off bright and early, arriving at the local library to continue your research into flower language. you had chosen a book after becoming interested by its familiar drawings on the cover and took it to the shop, waving to ma as you rested in the back moss garden

you wanted to find the perfect flower to comfort tulip. even though your curiousity was overwhelming, you couldn’t help but understand where they were coming from. the relationship you guys had built was so nice, it would be a shame to question it

you turned the page but furrowed your eyebrows, automatically opening to a bookmark. it was custom, with dried flowers and a ribbon at the end through a hole. you noticed two initials at the bottom in light handwriting

T.T.

you were about to take it out to return it before the wind made you lose your place, going to the back of the book where the card pocket was. you put the bookmark at the back and found the letters aligned to a name that borrowed the book most recently

T.T. tsukioka tsumugi

tsumugi... that must’ve been the full name of the blue boy who came by so much. then, you noticed it

the handwriting was familiar, for a good reason. tsumugi crossed his t’s the same way as tulip, the ends of the t’s were curved in a similar fashion, too

you remembered the first time you met tsumugi

(“yellow, like a dahlia.” tsumugi hummed, reaching out to fix the way it was uneven. he almost didn’t notice it, until he looked up at your eyes. he moved back, made some excuse of how busy he was, and disappeared)

(you had touched the ribbon, wondering why you didn’t stop him)

you quickly moved to the front desk, shuffling through the countless stacks of paper and decorations until you reached the drawer where you kept all the notes. you took a random sample, realizing it was one of the more recent ones before you had asked their name

it had been stained with dirt. they must’ve wrote it in a hurry, like they just had to say it

“would it be too soon to say i want to see you, even though i know i can’t? — i miss you, tulip”

(you remembered this. pink camellia, pastel pink ribbon)

pink camellia: longing for you

you put the scrap of paper side by side with tsumugi’s name, tracing the letters with a shaky hand. how had you not realized it, was the boy you had become fascinated with the one you actually liked? sure, you thought the silent affection for the client was temporary, like a cherry blossom

turns out, he had survived the summer and would stay with you even until winter

was tsumugi tulip?

you had closed the book, attempting to process the revelation. all those things you said, all the secrets you exposed to the world, and he felt the same. sure, it was silly to think you could fall in love with the way someone wrote

but then, you thought about when you saw him the first time under the sun. he was glittering and sparkling like a streaming river, blue and beautiful. you wanted to see tsumugi again, you had to know

you didn’t usually send bouquets first, so when you handed one to ma, her face hardened and she seemed to know

“you know who it is, now? are you ready?” ma asked, placing the flowers down to envelop you in a motherly hug. you hugged back, nodding with resolve as you placed your chin on her head

“i... i need to know,” you chose your words carefully, but you glanced up and saw all the floral ornaments you had made from their gifts. their sweet, well–meaning flowers that brightened your day. then, your gaze fell upon the red columbine

“i need to know if this is real love.” you finished, ma patting you on your back comfortingly as she listened

“he loves you, little sprout.” ma simply said, but it meant everything when you waited until the next day with the flowers yourself

it was your break time. tsumugi came in with a bouquet just like you, but his steps stuttered when he saw you standing out front with flowers at your chest

you looked at him and softly smiled, the admiration and affection you had for a mysterious boy flourishing out of you. you took a small step forward, but tsumugi took two steps back. he hid the flowers behind his back

tsumugi was about to apologize, beg for your forgiveness before you smiled, your neck decorated with the tens of ribbons he had gifted you

“i love you, tulip.” you confessed, needing no note to hide behind when you held the bouquet out to tsumugi

red tulips, red ribbon

red tulips: passion, a declaration of love

tsumugi took a moment to admire you, the way you stood tall just like a sunflower. maybe it was too fast and he was being impulsive, but he felt it. he felt love, he wanted you to feel it, too

tsumugi offered you a bouquet in return as you laughed at the situation, pulling him into a close hug and taking in his warmth

yellow tulips, yellow ribbon

yellow tulips: there is sunshine in your smile

“i love you, too, sunflower.”