#ope let me squeeze right past ya there

[thatgayunoriginalbastard]

Casually breaking out the “ope” and “welp” and “y’all” in the voice chat to constantly remind the online friends that I’m a simple midwesterner instead of the ~far superior~ north easterner or westerner folk who are lacking in such fun and useful words of their own

[lesbian-cowpoke]

Some Kansan things I think Clark and the other supers from Kansas would say or do, by a Kansan:

Yee Yee: an exclamation said before one does something exciting, such as hunting, fishing, or shotgunning

Ope let me squeeze right on past ya there, sorry

Yeehaw: definitely said while flying around.

Have overly weird "salads". I don't even know how or why they are classified as salads, but that's what we call them. (Smth like lime jello salad)

Clark as a teen has definitely tried weed. There is jack fucking shit to do in KS but fight and do drugs (in gas station parking lots). That's how he knows drugs don't work on him. He tried them.

Aldis.

Brooding in fields.

Trader Joe's!

They all know way too much about different types of grass. Just going to school in Kansas does that to ya.

*grabs wild animal* this here is a friendly lil guy, innhe? *animal is biting, hissing, and spitting*

Yes to the overly politeness, even if they don't like someone. But if they don't like someone, it's passive aggressive. So, so passive aggressive.

That's all I can think of for now. There are probably more.

[cowboysmell]

Arthur might have vauge southern accent but to me hes midwestern. Ope. Ope he says. Let me squeeze right past ya . Its supper time

[pfhwrittes]

💚💚👋

Your list of slang phrases was amazing, and I'm definitely stealing some! I'll offer up some of my own Midwestern phrases for your consideration:

1. Jeet? - an affectionate way of asking someone "Did you eat?"

2. Ope! - This is THE Midwestern phrase in my opinion. It's usually followed up by one of two things: 1. Lemme just squeeze right past ya OR 2. Sorry! This exclamation can be used to express surprise, dismay, disbelief, astonishment, etc. It's a real Swiss army knife tbh.

3. Where y'at? - where are you? What are you doing? When will you be here? We folks here in the Midwest have a habit of ending our sentences in prepositions (this is called prepositional stranding).

4. Oh fuck, I almost ate shit! - I almost fell or I almost crashed. I've had many people react with dismay and confusion when I've said this outside the Midwest lol

5. God willin' and the creek don't rise - this is more often used in rural communities as a way of saying "as long as everything goes well".

6. Yeah no yeah - an agreement or transitional phrase

7. No yeah no - a disagreement

8. Yeah no - a disagreement, an expression of disgust

9. No yeah - a reluctant agreement

10. I'd rather eat dirt - same sentiment as "I'd rather shit in my hands and clap", however I've also heard people use this phrase here too! My partner is from a rural farming area of our state and has said "I'd rather slap a bull's ass" to similar effect.

11. Happier 'an (than) a pig in shit - someone is thrilled with something, someone is pleased with themselves. A very strong phrase!

Let me know if you want to talk more slang - it's one of my particular interests, and I'm always happy to hear/discuss it!!!!!

hiya friend! i love all these midwestern phrases, they're great! also, i love the fact that i can pick out some similarities to my own speech patterns!

3. Where y'at? is SO similar to the welsh "where yew to ('en)?" and it means the same thing! the 'en (then) is optional depending on which part of wales you're from. it's common in my valley to stick 'en on the end of "where yew to?" but it can be heard as an indicator of impatience!

6, 7, 8 and 9 remind me so so much of the irish "no, yeah" and "yeah, no". very good, i approve of this! (i also know that aussies have cornered the market on the "yeah no yeah" too!) i also use "yeah no yeah" when i talk and it drives people up the wall!

2. Ope! reminds me of the welsh "oh never!". there is a difference however, you use it to express disbelief at someone/something someone has said. let me give you an example:

person A: and then she turned around, after making a fuss about wanting to make mam's birthday all about mam, and gave us all baby onesies! she used the whole day as a way to do a pregnancy reveal!

person B: oh never!

person A: i know! and then i said....

anyway, thank you for sharing your midwest-isms! they're fantastic!

[comfycel]

roman could never understand the minnesota experience 😔 also imagine mencken saying half the shit tom does LMAO. *mencken voice* ope, let me squeeze right past ya

LMAOOOO i can't

[helloitshaley]

Being born on the east coast, raised in the midwest and now living in the south is weird because I'm likely to say some nonsense like 'ope let me just squeeze right past ya to grab that hoagie there y'all have a nice day go birds'

[poltoncarayko]

jaden schwartz, honorary midwesterner

[harrysgoldenline]

When In Italy - Part 2

Word Count: 2K

Warnings: um not sure, I think there are bad words so sorry? also again not proofread bc I am lazy. 

Note: PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINKING ABOUT ME DOING PERSONALIZED IMAGINES/BLURBS! PLEASE TALK TO ME ABOUT THEM!

Part 1

There will be a part 3!!! All comments/feedback is encouraged :)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You didn’t dare to turn your back, hands shaking as you felt his presence behind you, his footsteps approaching closer as you desperately tried to make it into the guest room as quickly as possible. 

“I’m sorry.” you barely get out, trying to keep your voice strong, “I-I’ll pack and clean up the glass and I’ll get out of your way.”

“Can you look at me so we can talk about this?”

“No” You say with an exhale, shaking your head as your knuckles turned white with your tight grip you had on a pair of sweats you were throwing into your bed, “no, I can’t.”

You just hear him sigh, knowing him well enough to picture how he ran his hair through his hair and pinched the bridge of his nose, something he always did when he was frustrated. You wondered if she knew that too, wondered how he could just be with someone so quickly after everything you’ve been through together. 

“You’re staying. This is your home as much as it’s mine.” He said, getting closer to you and pulling the suitcase back, “we can just… I don’t know, we’ll figure something out, you stay and we can maybe just stay in the main-”

“Are you serious?” You snap, interrupting him with angry eyes, gripping a shirt between your hands tighter as your hands shake, “you want me to stay in this house that we bought together, while you are down the hall sharing a bed with another woman? How could you even… are you insane?”

“You’re right.” He sighed, running his hands along his face, “You’re right, I’m sorry… I just, I don’t know.”

Your eyes were glued to the bed, trying to not look at him as you felt your bottom lip start to shake, seeing him in his peripheral vision and you wished nothing more than to just disappear, or wake up from this nightmare.

“Please…” he whispered, “y/n… I-I, can we please talk?”

“About what, Harry?” 

“I don't know… us? I haven’t seen you since…”

“Us?” You scoffed, bottom lip beginning to wobble again before you bit down hard on it, “haven’t seen me since we broke up. We were together for years and now you’re already with someone else? I just… I think I’m gonna go find a hotel.”

Harry quickly chases after you, coming up behind you and reaching up, arm brushing against your shoulder as he reaches in front of you and closes the door, leaving you trapped between it and his body, eyes falling to the floor, refusing to turn around and face him. 

“Please, just let me go, Harry.” 

He stood silently behind you, hand still against the door and when you looked up you instantly noticed he was still wearing the ring you got for him on your two year anniversary. You could remember the way he looked at you, a wide smile as he instantly slid it on his finger and you could feel it as he held your cheek, pressing a hard kiss on your lips. 

You wondered how much she knew about you, if the ring was from you, if she knew the house belonged to both of you. You didn’t want to hate her, you didn’t even know her but you couldn’t help but feel angry at her, angry at her for having him. 

Harry's hand fell from the door, his fingers brushing yours as he pulled the handle of the suitcase from your hands as you still stood frozen and he put it on the bed, unzipping and pulling a few things out before you could hear the soft creak of the bed falling under his weight and you two sat in silence for a few moments as you still stood frozen at the door, wishing you could just disappear. 

“I’ll get out of your way, y/n, but please don’t feel like you have to leave.” He softly spoke, “…know how much ya love it here, so please don’t feel like you have to leave because of me. The drivers on the way back and I’m already getting a room at a hotel. You stay, okay?”

You slowly nodded, looking down at your hands, picking at you nails before slowly turning around, meeting his eyes instantly as he was already looking at you and offered you a soft smile.You let out a shaky sigh, making your way to the balcony and quickly walking past him, figuring he would just walk straight out of the room now that you weren’t standing in the way. 

Yet, he sat still. Sitting on the bed as you stood against the railing on the balcony, closing your eyes and feeling your muscles relax as the cool, soft breeze hits your skin, the smell of the ocean making you sigh, wondering if you’ll wake up on the beach where you were sat a few hours prior, but you were met with the bittersweetness of the beautiful view in front of you, with the burning presence of your ex-boyfriend still behind you. 

You shivered in the presence of another, stronger breeze, your hair still slightly wet from the bath not helping keep your body any warmer. Pushing through, you stood your ground, still not hearing the sound of footsteps or the door opening you didn’t dare to risk looking over your shoulder to even see if he had left, you knew he was there.

What you didn’t know though, was he was approaching, stealthily walking up behind you and placing a warm, knit blanket over your shoulders causing you to jump, the sudden contact of the seafoam material coming around your shoulders and large hands giving them a squeeze before leaving your skin. 

“The car is here.” He spoke softly, coming up and standing next to you against the railing as he knew you weren’t going to turn and look at him, “I would love to see you tomorrow if that’s somethin’ you’re comfortable with, I’d love to catch up.” 

“I don’t know, Harry.” You retorted, voice soft as you hugged the blanket closer to your body, hoping he will sense your thanks without having to say it, “Maybe, I’m just not sure if it’s a good idea for me to actually catch up with you for the first time with her, I’m sorry I just don’t know if I’m read-“ 

“It would just be us two, I just want to talk.” He spoke, seeing him turn his head and look at you in your peripheral vision, “We haven’t spoken in so long, used to talk everyday. I’d like to know how you’re doing, what you’ve been up to if that’s okay.”

“Okay.” 

“Breakfast tomorrow? I can have someone come pick you up at 10? Know you don’t like waking up early.” 

You let out a soft laugh and you slowly looked over at him, your smile growing slightly when you saw him let out a soft laugh too and you felt like you were transported back in time, a better time. Your eyes met, staring into each other's eyes probably a few moments too long before you turned the other way, looking back towards the view and nodded.

“Okay.”

Harry nodded, leaning against the railing before pushing himself back and shoving his hands deep in his pockets. He stepped closer to you for a moment and you saw him stutter step back just as quick and his hand came up to scratch the back of his neck. 

“Okay, um, well I’m gonna head out.” He spoke, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

And just like that, he was gone all over again and you could hear the muffled sound of him explaining what was happening and you were thankful you couldn’t hear whatever kind of response she gave him. Shivering again, you walked back into the bedroom and collapsed onto the bed, looking at your phone on the nightstand and wondering if you should call (y/bff/n) and ask her if you should go to breakfast, ask her if you should stay in Italy or just go home. 

But you decided against it and just stared up at the ceiling, wondering how in the hell you got in this situation. Wondered how long he knew the woman that he was with, wondered what the status of their relationship was.

You tossed and turned in bed for what felt like hours and you couldn’t help but to pull that seafoam blanket closer to you as you cuddle it into your chest, hating yourself for wishing it smelt like him and you even thought about walking into the master bathroom, seeing if Harry still had that extra bottle of cologne stored in the cabinet but you didn’t let yourself give in.

Instead, you swung your legs over the side of the bed and went to go get yourself a glass of water, hoping it would clear your head long enough for you to fall asleep. Your feet padding softly against the floor was the only sound, thankful that they weren’t staying there but you couldn’t help the nausea that hit you when you thought about them staying at a romantic resort. 

You downed the glass as soon as you filled it up, standing by the fridge as you downed its contents before filling it up again, breathing slightly heavy as you focused on the water filling it back up and when you turned around you were met with a familiar photo, fingers running softly over the photo of Harry and his mom on the private beach, a bright smile covering their faces.

You then looked over at the hallway, seeing all that Harry had cleaned up the glass and frame you had knocked over.

 *** 

You hardly slept that night, tossing and turning all night, waking up every few hours and honestly a lot of just laying there, thinking over every single possibility. 

Now, you were trying on about your eighth outfit, trying different combinations and looks, not sure what to end up wearing. You’d hate to show up looking too nice for breakfast, but you also didn’t want to look too casual, or of course looking like a complete mess. 

What the hell are you supposed to wear to meet an ex boyfriend? 

You finally found the perfect outfit, something that made you feel cute but was still casual, making you also feel comfortable that it wasn’t going to look like you were trying too hard. That was the last thing you wanted. 

The knock on the door caused you to jump, glancing over at the clock and seeing that the driver was right on time and you quickly rushed over to the mirror, looking over your appearance quickly before grabbing your purse and rushing to the door with shaking hands. 

Swinging the door open your breath catches in your throat, body freezing and your eyes flash wildly to take in your surroundings, seeing Harry stand before you instead of the driver like you had expected. 

“Hey,” He said, giving you a quick smile, “I, uh, actually decided to pick up the car this morning so I thought I could come pick you up… if that's okay?” 

“Yeah” You squeak out and hesitantly nod, “yeah- um of course, that’s fine! Let me just, um, lock up.” 

He nodded and stepped back, giving you enough room to step outside and turn around to lock the door. You hopped down the steps, shoving the keys into your bed and headed to the car, eyes widening slightly as you saw Harry open up the passenger door for you, giving a soft thank you before sliding into the car, looking up at him through the window as he shut it and jogged over to the other side of the car and slide in next to you.

“You wanna go to Ristorante Principessa?” He asked with a wide smile, bringing up the breakfast place you two would go to almost everyday.

“I would love to.”

[nepobabyjimkirk]

Listen. Scotty is intensely Scottish. Bones is pretty damn southern. I really wish that we got a Jim Kirk who was just incredibly midwestern. Jim dropping things and saying “ope” under his breath. Jim running into things/people with an “ope, sorry”. Jim trying to get through crowds with a “let me squeeze right past ya”. Jim going on about how corn from Iowa is clearly the Superior Corn, far above other midwestern states’ corn and DEFINITELY better than non midwestern corn, which isn’t even worth eating in his humble opinion. Jim taking 30 fucking minutes to say goodbye to someone to the confusion of some alien culture who can’t figure out why Captain Kirk keeps stating his intention to leave but is STILL FUCKING HERE. It would have been beautiful and it’s a damn shame nobody was brave enough to give it to us

[non-suspiciousname]

i wish i was midwestern

i want to say ope let me just squeeze right past ya when i pass by someone. I want to eat salads made with crushed pineapple and cool whip. I want to shovel snow off the driveway every winter

[eldritch-bf]

No one:

Literally no one:

Midwesterners: Ope sörry let me squeeze right past ya!

[icicledream-archive]

after i watched @purrluto play portal 2 we Discussed a lot of stuff and among the things we discussed, we came to the conclusion that, yeah sure wheatley is british haha whatever, but he absolutely has the mannerisms of a midwestern american.

like, he'd absolutely say shit like "ope, let me just squeeze right past ya"

[libraryofloveletters]

Okay so potential fic idea? You’re PG’s best friend and she sets you up on a blind date with Derek 🥺

Dinner And A Drink 

Derek Morgan x Reader 

Warnings: first date awkwardness, alcohol mentions and consumption

Category: fluff 

Word Count: 2k

Author’s Note: the convos are kinda dull cause first date awkwardness and ishi, I'm so sorry I took so long to write this omg 

----

“I promise he’s a nice guy!” Penelope gave your shoulder a little nudge, 

“I told you I'm not ready Penny” you ignored her pleas. 

Penelope had been your best friend since you moved to Virginia for university, you worked in a little coffee shop right by her apartment building. She’d stop in every morning, or whenever she got called into work, for a coffee. She wasn’t overly picky at first but as you got to know her, more of her bubbly personality came out as well. Penelope was only a few years older than you, but it wasn’t a major difference. 

She was currently trying to get you to go on a date with one of her coworkers. It had been a few months since you broke up with your ex boyfriend and she thought it was time for you to get back out there. 

“I just don’t want to set myself up for disappointment again pens” you wiped off the counter. She twirled her spoon in her cup, the shop was empty and it was only the two of you in there. 

“I promise he won’t be a disappointment, just this once. He’s the sweetest guy I've ever met” 

“Do you have a pic-” 

“A picture ? I do but I'm not going to show you” She smiled at you. 

You looked at her wide-eyed and brows furrowed, “what do you mean you’re not going to show me?” you asked her. “That’s the purpose of a blind date” she replied.

“Okay fine” you sighed, “let me ask you a few questions before I officially decide” 

She took a sip of her coffee, waiting for you to question her. “What’s his name ?” 

“Derek” 

“How old is he ?” 

“That’s for you to find out” 

“What does he like ?” 

“You can ask him that on your date” 

“Are you going to keep telling me to ask him my questions ?” 

“Yup” 

You sighed, “fine, just this once” Penelope smiled and pulled out her phone. “Oh good we still have time, let’s go” she grabbed her coat and your hand before pulling you towards the door. 

“Time for what ?” 

“To get you ready for your date sugar plum” 

“Tonight ?! Penelope I have to find something to wear, I gotta do my hair, I need-” 

“You're coming to my place. Let me worry about the outfit, you do your hair” 

The love you had for Penelope was unmatched, hence why you’re getting ready for a date with only a 2 hour notice. She made a phone call to who you could only assume was Derek on your way back to her apartment. 

The 2 hours went by rather slow. Penelope worked her magic on you, she fixed your hair, picked out your outfit and even gave you a little pep talk to calm your nerves.

Penelope drove you to the restaurant, she told the bare minimum about Derek on the way there so you weren't at a total loss and so you didn’t have time to pick apart the information she provided you with. 

“Okay honey bun, just tell the girl at the door you’re here for Morgan, she’ll take you to the table” 

You sat in the car for a moment, looking out the window at the restaurant. Penelope gave your hand a squeeze. “If you want to leave, just tell him. He’ll understand” she kissed your cheek leaving a little red kiss mark on your face. You got out of the car and before you could say goodbye to her, she had driven off. 

No turning back now.

Taking a deep breath, you brushed off the wrinkles from your shirt and headed into the restaurant. “Hi, uh I'm meeting someone here” you told the girl, she could see you were nervous. “First date ?” she asked, you nodded. 

“What’s the name ?” 

“Morgan” 

She led you back outside to the patio. The man had his back to you, you could already tell that he was attractive, even with the lack of hair (which Penelope seemed to leave out of her information but it didn’t matter) 

“Derek ?” you asked, walking to the other side of the table so he would be able to see you. “That's me, I'm guessing you’re y/n ?” “That would be me” you smiled at him. He stood up and stretched his arms out towards you, you stepped forward and felt his arms wrap around you. 

Holy shit, he gives good hugs 

You sat across from him, Derek had broad shoulders and a nice smile. Penelope had good taste in men and she knew your type to a T. “Did she ambush you with this date too ?” you asked, just wanted to get past that awkward first date phase of the conversation and Derek laughed. “Not exactly. To tell you the truth, I had seen a picture of you on babygirl’s desk and I was mesmerized” he chuckled, “she then explained that you were single and she would ask you if you were up to go for dinner or maybe drinks, nothing too over the top” he handed you a glass of wine. 

“Oh that’s- wait, did you say baby girl ?” 

“yeah, sorry shouldn't really call someone else baby girl while I’m on a date huh?” he chuckled. 

God, even his laugh was attractive

“Oh no, that’s alright but Penelope said only one person calls her that and that’s her ‘chocolate thunder’” 

“That would be me” 

“You’re telling me she sent me on a date with her chocolate thunder?”

“She would tell you that it’s a ‘blood in the nostrils’ type thing so I wouldn't stress it” 

Well this was off to a strange start 

“What do you do ?” Derek looked over at you while you told him. 

“I’m in the arts project at Columbia University” 

“Isn’t that in New York ?” 

“Yeah, it is but I'm finishing up my last co-op program here at the art museum” 

“That’s really cool, so you paint and draw or like what’s your specialty?”

“I don’t really have one but I do draw and paint. Art curator is the dream job, if not then jewellery designer is the next one” 

“I’m sure that’s more fascinating then my job” 

“You’re a fricking F.B.I agent, I don't think there’s anything cooler than that” 

Derek laughed at your enthusiasm for his job. “You think so ?” 

“Oh totally” you smiled as you took a sip of wine. 

Dinner was nice, the two of you talked about Derek’s job and your plans for after you finished university. “Are you thinking of staying here or moving back to New York ?” “well, nothing’s set yet but I'd stay if I had something keeping me here ya know?” 

“Dessert ?” 

“Oh, no thank you, unless you want something” you told him. 

“How about a drink then ?” he asked 

“Sounds like a plan” you smiled at him

You could feel your phone buzzing against your leg continuously. “Excuse me for a minute, I'm just gonna run to the bathroom” “take your time” Derek smiled at you.  

When you got into the bathroom, you checked your phone. It was Penelope texting you to check how your date was going. 

From Penny: sorry for zooming off like that haha, I didn’t want you to change your mind :) 

From Penny: sooo how’s it going ? 

From Penny: do you like him ? 

From Penny: god I hope he’s not being rude to you 

From Penny: i’m sure he isn't 

From Penny: he’s an angel on earth I promise 

From Penny: okay don't answer me then :( 

From Penny: I'm going to have a serious talk with Derek when I see him 

From Penny: he’s stealing you from me right now

From Penny: I NEED DETAILS!!! 

From Penny: NOW!!!!

You decided to text her back before she shows up to see if everything is okay. 

To Penny: It's okay, it's good you left or I would have changed my mind. he’s not being rude, he's been very sweet actually. He’s super funny and I like him so far. We’re going to get a drink now, I'll text you after. 

From Penny: oh good I'm glad to hear that! :)) 

To Penny: Satisfied now ? 

From Penny: yes I am, have fun now 

You chuckled before slipping your phone back into your pocket and heading back to the table. “All set ?” Derek asked as he stood up. “Yeah, what about the bill?” you went to get your card from your pocket when Derek grabbed your hand. 

“Don’t worry about it sweetheart, I got it already” 

“Oh, thank you” 

“No worries” 

His hand rested on your lower back as the two of you walked out. “Where too ?” he asked

“There's a place down the street or if you want to go somewhere else ?” you suggested 

“Anything’s good with me” 

“My place then ? if you don't mind of course. I have a bottle of whiskey that’s just begging to be opened” you chuckled. 

He smiled, “sounds good” 

The restaurant wasn’t far from your apartment so you walked back. It wasn’t cold outside but it wasn't warm either. It was a normal autumn night, there was a warm breeze. You hadn’t remembered if you had tidied up or not and you invited him over to your place. 

Good job y/n 

You pushed open the door and braced yourself for a mess only to be met with a clean apartment. You let out a sigh of relief before stepping inside, Derek following you inside. 

“Make yourself comfortable” you slipped off your shoes before heading to the kitchen. Derek mirrored your actions, he took off his shoes and followed your steps to the kitchen. 

“Wow” Derek stood by your kitchen window, “how’d you end up with such a nice view ?” your apartment overlooked downtown and it was always beautiful when the sun was setting. 

“Honestly, I just got lucky” You pulled the bottle out of your cupboard. 

It was one of the bottles with the cork tops that you pull off but you couldn’t seem to get it off. A grunt and a ‘ow’ from you caught Derek’s attention, he turned around to see you rubbing your palm and the bottle was on the counter beside you. 

“Can I ?” 

“Be my guest” 

Derek grabbed the bottle and you turned away from him to get glasses. A loud pop caused you to turn, Derek stood there with the opened bottle in his hand. 

“Are you kidding me ?” you groaned making him chuckle. 

“You know, I almost had it, your muscles just helped” you told him before resting the glasses on the counter. 

“I’m sure you did sugar” he poured some into each glass. 

Derek picked a glass up and you picked up the other. “To new friends and new beginnings” he said, you clink your glass against his before taking a sip.

“Can I tell you something ?” 

“Of course” 

“I wasn't even going to come tonight” 

“How come ? If you don't mind me asking” 

“I just didn’t want to set myself up again, what if it didn't work ? what if I didn’t know what to say or do when I saw you, ya know ? but it wasn't like that. You made me feel comfortable and safe” you admitted to him, Derek smiled. 

“I’m glad I did. I really liked getting to know you y/n” 

“And I you, Derek” 

Derek's arm rested on your shoulder, your hand coming up to meet his, your fingers interlocking. 

“Maybe we can do this again?” you asked him quietly

“I’d like that” Derek pressed a small kiss to your temple. 

--

Taglist: @haleymalaffey @aaronhotchnerr @mac99martin @aaron-hotchner187 @tclaerh @luke-alvez @iconicc @lieberhers @pumpkin-reads @ssa-holmes @katexrichardson @sluttytears @thelukealvez

[ptergwen]

truth serum

a/n: ok ok ok i've had to post this four times now because it won’t show up in tags for some reason? i’m so :/ tumblr pls stop setting me up bruh. but moving on here’s a summary of the original request and i hope ya like

warnings: little bit of cursing here and there

-

when tom asked if you‘d be interested in going to a comic con with him, there was only one answer: yes. you‘ll take every chance you get to see him in his element. you’re looking forward to checking out some of the cool exhibits they’ll have — and people. comic con is a safe space for all your nerdiness. so really, both of you will be in your element that day.

the only thing you’re uneasy about is tom’s fans. you have no idea how they’ll react to seeing you by his side for hours on end. paparazzi caught you together once or twice, but you couldn’t tell much from their blurry pictures. that didn’t stop everyone from talking.

you’ve been named his new “mystery girl,” and tom still hasn’t adressed the whole situation. no matter how much he loves his fans, he’s not willing to spill every single detail of his personal life. spending time with his girlfriend doesn’t need some big explanation to please the public.

this is the first time you know for sure that you’ll be seen with him. comic cons are huge, and somebody always has their phone out at these things. you don’t want the fans to end up hating you for being there, or tom for bringing you. the way he sees it, they should just be happy he’s happy. anyone who isn’t never truly cared in the first place.

tom usually arrives early to go over his schedule and any last minute details. this time, he’s sleeping in a few hours extra with you. no one knows better than him that all day events can be draining. he wants you well rested and feeling good for it. since people are already at the venue, you’re using a different entrance to avoid getting mobbed.

“stay close, okay? i’m not sure what it’s like in there yet. might be a few people by the door, or a crowd.” you’re walking hand in hand with tom through the back lot. he feels you tense up next to him at the mention of a crowd. they overwhelm the hell out of you, and you’re suddenly feeling way underprepared for this.

“but we’re going in through the back. how are they gonna know that?” you grip his hand tighter without realizing. tom half smirks at your question and leads you over to the door. “my fans figure everything out... almost everything. you ready?”

shrugging your shoulders, you lean into his side for comfort. “sort of. i’m just getting nervous about being around so many people.” “i know, baby. not gonna lie, it’s pretty scary at first. but i’ll be with you the whole time.” he presses a quick kiss to the side of your head. you do feel better knowing he won’t leave you alone when you get inside.

“just try turning your nerves into excitement. it works for me every time. “i’ll do my best. i guess we can go in for real now.” tom’s thumb brushes over yours reassuringly, looking at you once more for any signs of doubt before he opens the door.

only a couple of fans notice tom is there, so it’s not as hectic as you thought it would be. he waves to them and says hi, a smile lighting up his face. you chew your lip nervously and let him take you to where he needs to be. obviously, you get a few stares. some pointing, some whispering. they’re all things that come with being pressed into tom holland in front of thousands of people.

tom brings you over to the check in area and gives both of your names. a woman with a headset on hands him two ID cards. he thanks her before pulling you aside so you two can have a moment of privacy.

“how is it so far? feeling okay?” his voice is soft unlike the yelling around you, which is nice. tom slips the lanyard with the ID over your head. “i’m getting used to it. i don’t know how you do this almost every day,” you admit, tugging on his own lanyard that he’s holding. he wraps an arm around your shoulders.

“i’ll tell you what, it’s a lot easier when you’re with me,” he mumbles into your ear, using that as a way to subtly leave a kiss to the skin. the little things like that are what will keep you together throughout the day.

a man with a headset and planner comes up to tom. why are so many people wearing headsets? he reads off tom’s plans for today, then ushers the two of you over to do meet and greets once tom has everything down. tom already called and explained that you’d be joining him, so he had it arranged for you to sit with the photographer and watch.

that’s definitely going to get people curious. he doesn’t mind too much, as long as it makes the experience more comfortable for you.

“i’ll be right over here. you’ll tell me if you need anything, yeah?” tom gazes out at the long line of fans waiting to see him, meeting your eyes after. “don’t worry about me. go give your fans some hugs.” you squeeze his hand and smile to let him know you’re okay. he smiles back even bigger before going over to greet the first person they send over.

this set up is way better than what you’d expected. you get a front row seat watching tom do silly faces and poses, and he can check in with you from time to time. there’s the occasional “who is that?” or “is it true that you’re dating her?” question from someone nosy.

tom responds with something along the lines of “that’s y/n. she’s a really lovely girl. she’s super awesome,” followed by a wink only for you to see. you find yourself having to hide your blushing face from all of his antics.

after about two hours, tom gets a break from photo ops. he decides to use the time to do whatever you choose, since you’ve been watching him for a while. you just walk around until there’s an announcement that a hypnotist show is about to start, and anyone can attend. you’ve never seen people be hypnotized in person, and it sounds like it could be fun.

tom lets you pick the seats. you end up towards the front for a closer look. his hand rests on your thigh as soon as you’re both seated, missing being able to touch you all day. you lace your fingers with his and watch as the show starts.

you’re both having a good time, laughing along at all the different segments. the guy hosting it is really entertaining. “now, let’s move onto a part of the show i like to call ‘truth serum.’ it’s simple. i’ll choose a member from the audience and get them to spill their guts for all of you, about anything i ask. who shall it be?” he rubs his chin and looks around the room.

he makes eye contact with people around you. you’re regretting getting seats in the third row. you pray he won’t call you up, but that would be too convenient. “ah!” he claps his hands together, gesturing to you. your mouth runs dry. “thanks for volunteering, come on up!”

you look at tom, silently asking if you should. “go on. i kind of wanna see this,” he wiggles his eyebrows at you devilishly. clenching your jaw, you walk past him and onto the stage. the hypnotist taps a chair for you to sit. you just had to be the lucky person he chose. “can we get a round of applause for...” he holds his microphone down to you.

“y/n,” you say into it, your voice coming out shaky. there are at least two hundred people staring up at you right now. “y/n!” he repeats. “everyone put your hands together for this brave soul.” the audience claps, tom cheering the loudest among them all.

“so, y/n. you seem excited to be up here,” the man jokes. tom watches with amusement as you give an unsure smile at the audience. “is it that obvious?” you get a few laughs. maybe this won’t be the train wreck you’re anticipating.

“extremely. y/n, i want you to look at your right hand for me.” he takes a step back, you doing as he says. “focus on your fingers and how they’re curling towards you. keep focusing. notice how you’re feeling more and more relaxed.”

everything he’s saying is actually happening. wanting to remember this, tom takes out his phone and starts recording. “bring your hand over to your forehead. let yourself feel the skin to skin contact. just like that.” you’re starting to feel sleepier. “and close your eyes.” the hypnotist snaps, and there’s silence throughout the auditorium. “you’re in a deep sleep. well done.”

you’re completely passed out with your head hanging low. everyone claps again, gasping and chatting to each other. tom is one of the gaspers. “y/n, you just guzzled a whole can of truth serum. you’re an open book. you love to share. when i snap again, you’ll wake up and answer whatever i ask you. truthfully,” the hypnotist tells you.

he waits a moment, then snaps his fingers. your head immediately snaps up. more gasps. tom puts his hand over his mouth, muffling his laughter at whatever you’re about to say.

“good morning, y/n. how are you doing?” “stiff. my neck hurts a lot for some reason,” you answer honestly, rubbing the back of it. the hypnotist has a smug grin on his face. “very good. we’re going to start off with some basic questions to see where you’re at. they mirror the five senses. y/n, what’s your favorite thing to hear?”

“my boyfriend’s voice. oh my god, and he has the cutest hiccup laugh,” you clasp your hands under your chin. tom is glad his phone is hiding his face so no one can see his cheeks turning pink. “hiccup laugh?” the hypnotist makes a face. “it gets stuck in his throat sometimes. it’s actually so cute.”

“what about your favorite smell?” “oh, that’s an easy one. sandalwood.” you casually reveal to the audience. “tell us why you like sandalwood so much, y/n,” the hypnotist prompts you. “it’s the scent of shampoo my boyfriend uses.” tom practically melts when he catches on. all your favorite things so far are related to him.

“i think we should skip ahead and talk about that boyfriend of yours. you seem to really love him, huh?” “more than anything. if you were planning to ask about anything else that’s my favorite, i’d say him.” there’s a big “awwww” from the whole audience, tom included.

“isn’t that sweet? where is your boyfriend right now, y/n? i’m sure he’d want to hear this.” “he just did, he’s in the audience.” you tell the hypnotist as if he should already know. tom’s lovestruck smile fades away. he hopes the hypnotist realizes it’s too personal to make you keep talking about something like this.

you have no control over what you’re saying, and it’s not going to end well. “why don’t you point him out for us so we can give him a big round of applause?” scanning around for tom with bright eyes, you get out of your seat. you point at him. “he’s right there.”

the whole audience turns to look at who you’re pointing to. tom lowers his phone, his mouth open in shock. everyone starts shouting as soon as they notice it’s tom. you’re confused over what the big deal is, since you’re still not fully yourself. the hypnotist realizes the mess he just caused, quickly sitting you down again to bring you out of it.

“y/n, i’m going to snap again. when you wake up this time, all the truth serum will be out of your system,” he says just to you over the noise, tom sinking down in his seat to avoid questions. the man snaps his fingers. there’s silence like the first time, everyone waiting to see what you’ll say.

you have no memory of anything that happened a few seconds ago. all the eyes on you are freaking you out. “wh- what did i say?” you ask him, biting down hard on your lip. his eyes dart over to tom. he speaks to you without the microphone. “you told the audience about your boyfriend.” it takes a second for you to register what he said. then you see tom down low in his chair, and you’re humiliated.

for yourself, but mostly him. you can’t believe you exposed your relationship in front of all these people. you run off the stage and out of the auditoruim, too embarrassed to say anything else. tom doesn’t hesitate to chase after you.

you’re breathing hard and fast, stopping somewhere there aren’t too many people around. your mind is racing while you try to figure out what’s going to happen next. someone puts a hand on your shoulder. it’s tom. he turns you around to face him.

“fuck, i- i’m so sorry. i don’t know what was going through my head, i shouldn’t have talked about any of that stuff. this is gonna be a nightmare for you,” you spit out all at once. tom only pulls you to his chest. he rubs circles around your back, trying to calm you down.

“it’s not your fault, angel. you didn’t have a choice about saying those things. you know that, right?” huffing, you hide your face in tom’s chest. “but still. i exposed us and i exposed you and now everyone knows something you didn’t want them to. you should hate me right now.” his lips press into a deep frown at what you’re saying. he rests his chin on your head and sighs.

“baby, i’m not mad. the only reason i wanted us to be a secret was for you.” you look up at him hesitantly, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. “so i didn’t destroy your whole career in two seconds?” “of course not. there have been way worse things i’ve had to deal with than publicly dating my really lovely, super awesome girlfriend. this won’t be easy, but i promise we’ll get through it together.”

you cheer up a bit hearing him repeat his words from earlier, nodding as you let yourself process everything.

“do you think anyone got me on video? or will they just post about what i said and everyone will believe them?” “i personally recorded the whole thing. not sure about the rest of the audience though,” tom proudly admits to you, making you groan into his chest. “great. that means we should probably say something before the twisted versions of the story come out,” you reason.

he considers it for a moment, and you can see when a lightbulb go off in his head. “what if i officially introduce you to some fans at my next round of photo ops? tell them about us, see how it goes. then we can decide what our next move is.”

it’s a huge relief that he’s taking this slow and giving you a say on how to go public. feeling brave, you peck his lips as a thank you. he’s surprised at first, but kisses back. he can finally see why those annoying pda couples exist. his arm takes its place around your shoulders again, yours going around his waist this time.

“let’s go share our not so secret relationship with the world.”

[roseprincess1994]

A Wonderful Life...

Okay so I know I didn't sign up for the DTs secret Santa project this year for many reason that I won't really bore every one with but I did want to put up something for Christmas. And I want to sort of dedicate it @promiseddifferent and to @rikareena both have been SO supportive and encouraging of me. I am still so new to writing but they have always been there to pump me up. So this is my little Christmas gift to them.  

(So heres a little present for you guys!! @promiseddifferent and @rikareena)

Also I hope that everyone can enjoy this little story! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!! I wanted to put something happy and warm out there for everyone, its been a hell of a year for us all and the holidays is a time to remember that we should be thankful for the things that brig us joy and to cherish them. And for me Ducktales has been such a outlet and a way to get away from all of the craziness and anxiety inducing situations. So happy holidays, stay safe and be kind. 

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A Wonderful life

The twins had at last been put to bed, a long day of playing out in the snow, baking Christmas cookies, and helping their uncle layout traps for Santa, it had been just the ticket to tuckering out a pair of rambunctious four year olds...it was also the key to keeping their minds off of how this Christmas would be different this year.  This year instead of celebrating the holiday with their mother and father they would be celebrating with their uncle.

Scrooge sighed, pushing the unpleasant thought to the back of his mind there was no since in getting misty over events that he had no control over.

“Your brooding again.” A voice came.

Scrooge turned his gaze away from the fire burning in the harth to the woman who had spoken and locked eyes with her. “I don’t know what youre talken about he grumbled.

Goldie rolled her eyes before walking over to him and holding out a glass of scotch. “ Look i didn't agree to spending Christmas with you and the twin terrors just so you can sit here and brood in front of the fire like a moldy old codger.” she said with a slight annoyance in her tone.

Scrooge gave her a glare before talking the glass from her, mumbling inaudibly into the glass as he took a sip. Goldie rolled her eyes once more before sighing and taking a set on his lap and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “You know Christmas was Hortense’s favorite holiday after moving here to America, even more so after sailor boy and fly girl game into the picture. She would always get into the Christmas spirit, I remember her going on and on about why she loved the holiday, it was because it brought families together. You also know that she would clobber you for being a grinch, I can hear her now “Scroogie ya best not be moping about on my account! I'm counting on ya to be given my wee ones the best Christmas! So help me I’ll come back and string ya up by your tail feathers with garland I will!” Goldie said immitanting Hortense trying to lighten the mood.

Despite his sour mood Scrooge couldn't help but crack a small smile. “Aye, your right lass.” He said giving her waist a light squeeze.

“Of course I’m right, I'm always right.” Goldie replied before taking a sip of her whiskey. Now it was Scrooge's turn to do the eye rolling, but he knew it was best not to say anything. The two slipped into a comfortable silence as they sat in front of the roaring fire and enjoyed the comfort of one another's presence.

Goldie finished off the rest of her glass of whiskey before setting the glass down on the side table. “Well I think I’ll be turning in, it will be morning before we know it and the little hellions will be paying us a rude wake up call I am sure.” she said as she stood up from his lap. “Try not to brood too much longer, you know frowning causes wrinkles and you don't need any extra help in that department Sourdough.” She gave him a teasing wink before adding a kiss to his cheek as he grumbled under his breath, something that sounded awful like “Your one to talk” but she decided to let it slide since it was Christmas. 

 As Goldie exited the room and headed upstairs to turn in Scrooge once again went back to sitting in silence, watching as the fire danced along the longs, slowly sipping his drink. As he finished off the glass he sat the glass down on the side table as well before standing and going over to the book shelf and pulled out one of the books, it was old, worn, and leather bound photo album with a thick layer of dust on it. 

Scrooge slowly made his way back over to his chair to sit down before carefully oping the album wincing as the spice creaked in protest. It was a old family photo album sprinkled with pictures of his parents and he and his sisters as children, there where not many photos, just the few that the family had been able to afford now and then, the pictures spanning years and years. He paused on one particular photo os he, Matilda, and little baby Hortense if he had to guess they where nine, five, and a few months old respectively. He was holding the little babe in his arms, he and Matilda had big smiles on their little dirt covered faces. Scrooge sighed heavily and blinked away the sudden sting in his eye, which he attributed to the dust. “Merry Christmas Tessie.” He said softly as he ran a finger over infants face, and made a mental note to call his parents, along with Matilda and Ludwig in the morning, knowing they would want to talk to the twins and he also admitted to himself that he was feeling a little home sick and wanted to hear the sound of his families voices. 

Shaking off the feeling of gloom, Goldie was right he didn't need to be wallowing in things of the past, he stood up from the chair wincing as his joints cracked, he went back over to the bookshelf and put the album back, making another mental note to start showing the kids more of the old album and other photos of their mothers side of the family. He himself slowly made his way upstairs towards his bedroom. 

When he arrived at the bedroom the lights where off and it appeared that Goldie had already fallen asleep. The only source of light was from the full moon reflecting off the snowing and sting in through the window. He quietly went towards the bathroom, after changing and brushing his teeth he silently made his way towards the bed, gently pulling back the covers and sliding into bed being carful not to wake the other occupant. Scrooge had just settled when Goldie rolled over to face him, he should have known she would still be awake. 

“Hey.” Goldie spoke up softly, reaching over to gently turn his face towards hers, stroking his cheek with her thumb. “You okay?” she asked. 

Scrooge couldn't help but smile at her rare moment of tenderness, he placed his hand over hers giving it a gentle squeeze. “Aye, don't you worry my darlin I’m fine...just thinking about how I’ll probably give my parents and Tilly a call tomorrow. I’m sure they will want to talk to Donald and Della.” He replied.

Goldie just looked at him for a moment trying to gage if he was telling the truth or not, finally she just nodded before scooting closer to lay her head on his chest. “Night Moneybags.” she said softy as she settled down. 

Scrooge moved his arm to wrap around her shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze, tugging her closer and placing a gentle kiss into her golden locks...soaking in the warmth and comfort she always gave him. “Good night Goldie Girl.” he whispered before settling own himself. 

     It was some time after midnight when both Scrooge and Goldie where awoken by the distant sound, both where light sleepers and where always able to be awake and alert at the sound of a pin drop...you didn't get to live as long as they did by letting your guard down even in sleep. They laid still and listened for a moment, the sound came once again. Goldie frowned and went to sit up but Scrooge held her tightly in place. “Is it Santa?” She mouthed. Scrooge frowned listing for a moment before the frown slowly melted into a knowing smile, before he could reply the bedroom door opened and two small figures appeared in the doorway. Before they knew it Donald and Della where standing at the foot of the bed. 

Not bothering to wait for a invitation Della crawled up on the bed before turning to help Donald up on to the bed as well. Scrooge had an amused expression on his face as he watched the kids and also the annoyed look on Goldie's face. 

“Is there something we can help you with?” He asked sitting up slightly, as Della crawled up to the head of the bed and made herself comfortable between the adults sitting down close to her uncles side, just as Donald settled down close to Goldie side. 

“Donnie had another nightmare and was to scared to go back to sleep. So told him that we should come find you and aunt Goldie cuz you two fight off monsters and bad guy all the time and would protect us,” Della explained. 

“Is that true lad?” He asked looking as Donald, Scrooge could clearly see the dried tears on the little boys face. Donald only nodded his head in response. 

“Well in that case I supposed you two can stay here tonight.” Scrooge said ignoring the look Goldie was sending him. “Your aunt Goldie and I will keep ya both safe.” he continued, 

The two little ones quickly settled down and the adults fallowed soon after. 

“Uncle Scrooge, can you tell a story?” Della asked struggling against her uncles side. When Scrooge glanced down he couldn't help but notice her eyes...his sisters eyes looking back at him. “Aye lass I suppose so, how about I tell you about how I urned the tittle Buckaroo of the Badlands?” He asked Della nodded excitedly, she loved to hear all about her uncles adventures and longed for the day she could grow up and be a great adventure just like him, but Della also liked to just listen to her uncle talk...because his accent reminded her so much of her mama. 

Donald on the other had was more interested in Goldie having cuddled closer to her side. Goldie raised an eyebrow at the little boy. “Something I can help you with?” She asked when she notice him just looking at her. Though he didn't seem to acknowledge that she had spoken, instead with the thumb on his one hand in his mouth and with the other hand he reached out a graded onto a lock of her hair seeming truly intrigued. His aunt Goldies hair was so different then his mamas, his mamas hair had been a deep red, to match her temper, curly and thick, Goldie hair was soft, wavy, and the same shade of gold as the coins his uncles money bin. Goldie frowned for a moment but then sighed at least the little tike was being gentle and it seemed to be keeping him quite and content so she supposed it was worth the sacrifice. After a few moments she unknowingly began humming...an old, old lullaby...a distant and buried memory...one that tugged at the corner of her mind but she chose to ignore. Goldie would never admit it but the kids where pretty cute. She had begun to gently stroke the little boys forehead causing him to slowly drift off to dream land. Goldie glanced up at the same time Scrooge did, he had just finished his story. The couple locked eyes over the children’s heads both sharing a soft smile. 

“Merry Christmas Scroogie, I love you.” Goldie whispered before shutting her own eyes. 

“Merry Christmas my darlin...I love you too.” Scrooge whispered in reply before gently wrapping his arm around his family pulling them all close. 

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night. 

[currywaifu]

𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: save file 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩: chigasaki itaru/reader 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: sfw 𝐰𝐜: 3.0k words

𝐚𝐧: itaru event? itaru fic! me loving fake dating + direct af titles? nothing changed~ sequencing of events might be weird, oops~

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Itaru’s not the least bit surprised at the sight of your wrinkled nose; neither is he shocked at the crease that formed between your brows nor the narrowing of your eyes. It must be a lot to take in, truly, but it had to be done.

“Chigasaki-kun,” you said, immediately trailing off as though you couldn’t convey the rest of your thoughts. That was fine, he thought, he can wait for his SP to fill up for 100 minutes so surely he can wait a couple more minutes for your response.

It’s a bit embarrassing, but maybe he needs to explain a bit more? He doesn’t mind too much, he was putting you on the spot, after all.

“I know it’s sudden,” Itaru said apologetically, “but I need you. You’re the only one who can—“

“Chigasaki-kun,” you repeated, sounding firmer this time around. At this point, Itaru noticed that your eyes never left the cafe table that separated the two of you, or rather what laid right smack in the centre of it. As soon as he slid it towards you, your eyes had gone from wide and surprised to squinting, almost as though it had offended you.

He was so focused on your line of sight that he failed to notice the sudden rush of red that raced across your cheeks. After a moment of silence, you let out a deep breath.

“Why the fuck did you just give me a replica of Byleth’s ring from Fire Emblem?”

“Oh, don’t worry,” he dug through his pocket to bring out another ring, the exact same design, “I have another one.”

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“Hey, you made it! Thanks for coming, Chigasaki-sa—“ as he took in the sight of your locked hands, his co-worker let out a comically loud gasp, before trying and failing to cover it up with an awkward cough.

Itaru’s not stupid, at the very least he’s definitely not blind or deaf. Besides the gracious host, he can tell everyone is shocked and staring. They’re not even trying to be discrete about it anymore.

The people from his department had been gossiping for all of last week, creating speculations on his love life. The theories had a lot of exaggeration, a lot of denial.

You squeezed his hand a little tighter, him reciprocating to reassure you.

Envy. Judgement.

Still, as he glanced at your face to check for any sign of discomfort only to find a poised smile, he was once again reminded by your strength and fortitude. He always admired that from you, and it was always so enthralling to see that side of you in action.

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“You’ll come, won’t you?” Itaru let out a quiet hum, yet refusing to answer immediately. Though he’d prefer to sit out of most gatherings, he particularly disliked going to non-essential get-togethers where the only real purpose was for his co-workers to eat and drink less restrained as they would with the higher-ups around.

Normally he would have some excuse conjured up, maybe even pretend to check his phone calendar and reject the invite apologetically. However, he had already skipped out three times, consecutively.

He already breached the three strikes and you’re out rule, and he’s not so sure risking going for four would be the smartest play for his reputation… but it probably wouldn’t hurt to save game and set aside his decision making for later.

“I’ll have to check my schedule. I just need to check with someone first,” he said, thinking back to the director and the rest of spring troupe. Would any of them give him an excuse he has yet to use?

“Ahh, feel free to bring your sister then!” the man paused, a small smirk appearing as his eyebrows waggled. “Unless you wanna bring, you know, a friend.”

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“You just don’t want to suffer alone,” you said, using your fork to prod at the meal he treated you to. Surely a one time gathering wasn’t all there is to it? Chigasaki Itaru, who always kept his life outside work private, suddenly wanting people to know he had a significant other?

Even though he didn’t?

“I’ve been to those— I know they suck,” you continued, your eyes darting away from the silver band to look at him properly, “will this even benefit you?”

“It’ll probably be annoying at first,” he replied, keeping eye contact to let you know how serious he was, “dealing with everyone’s questions, but they’ll eventually just accept it and stop bothering me.”

“What about me?”

“You work somewhere else— they won’t get the chance to bother you,” he pointed out, propping his elbow on the table as he rest his cheek on his knuckles. He continued seeing as you stayed silent, “plus, don’t you have anyone bothering you about your lack of a love life?”

In any other instance, you probably would have made a remark about him being too dedicated to his waifus to date as well, but you could only grimace as you recalled the upcoming family reunion. If your aunts teased you again for not being in a relationship… if your mom kept insisting that you were just hiding a secret boyfriend to delude herself…

“Fine, but in exchange—“

Itaru let out a chuckle, “so the matching rings aren’t enough? I’ll have you know, they’re Class A replicas.”

You snorted, “stop, stop! I’m being serious here!” you said, lightly kicking his feet from beneath the table. When he moved to retaliate, you hastily pushed your feet beneath your chair.

“Oi—“

“Just kidding, just kidding!“ he said, raising his hands up in surrender, “so, how can I help you?”

“… you up for a family reunion lunch on Sunday?”

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“So, like, do we need to prepare any— dude, dude, dude what the…? This part of your island is—” Even without heading over to where you were, he immediately knew which area you were cackling about.

“That’s the nature dump! Obviously not gonna terraform it yet?” Itaru replied, “I need a place to place all the normie flowers?”

He heard you scoff, your animal crossing character running up to his and hitting him with a net.

“Not that dump, dummy! Why are there toilets? The fences— toilets—“ you trailed off, unable to help yourself from bursting back into laughter. He instinctively laughed alongside you, knowing the monstrosity you were talking about.

“What kind of idiot makes a pathway out of toilets?”

“Hey! They create a cool effect when you walk past it!” he said, defending himself as your character hit his on the head again, “kind of like a clam opening up—“

“It’s a toilet! Not a clam!”

“Ya? Well I, Taruchi, am a resident of Urinetown, subtitle: actually an island and not a town,” Itaru said, almost as if he was proud of himself. “Before you come from me, Urinetown is a musical about capitalism. What’s your excuse, Pen Island?”

You gasped, obviously fake but dramatic enough to continue your banter “I’ll have you know, the actual name is Pen Isles? Also, you named our Stardew Valley farm—“ you paused, as though realising something, “wait, wasn’t I going to ask you something?”

“… pfft, GJ.”

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Itaru watched you introduce yourself to the rest of the room, your words polite but brimming with a confidence that was rare to see from his friend turned pretend s/o… or at least, that was what he initially thought.

Maybe this side of you just so happened to be particularly evident tonight, ringing throughout your voice and exhibited by your body language; that didn’t mean it was hidden before this instance.

There was a certain charm to you. Always been, but he never really acknowledged it. It was the little things, like how you were never hesitant about adding to his commentary when you two played Co-Op, or the playfulness you showed from time to time, or your genuineness around him— kind, but not taking bullshit from him or anyone.

If he was reading the room right, he can’t blame them for being even a little bit enthralled with you.

Even if it didn’t exactly sit right with him.

“I didn’t know Chigasaki-kun was dating someone!” a brave soul piped up from the sidelines, probably vocalising what everyone else was holding back from saying. Huh, wasn’t she one of the people who fiercely denied the rumour that he was in a relationship?

He doesn’t miss the way the corners of your lips quirked downwards for a split second, before lifting back upwards as though it never happened.

“Well, Itaru can be a bit private,” you replied, a muffled but silvery giggle escaping escaping your lips, “though I suppose I’m a bit of the same? Might be why we’re compatible.”

The woman who asked flushed slightly, and he was sure it wasn’t from any alcohol consumed. Even still, he found himself mirroring the pink hue.

Itaru?

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“Itaru,” he repeated to you for the third time tonight.

“Shoot, sorry,” you apologised, making your animal crossing character portray your shock at your slip-up again. Lmao, that was cute. “Damn… it’s weird going from Chigasaki-kun to just Itaru.”

It was his turn to hit your character with a net.

“Taruchi isn’t that far from Itaru, and you call me that all the time,” he stated, snorting at the little huff that was somehow still audible on call.

“Calling you your IGN is way different though?” you protested, “I can’t just call you that in public?”

“Shame it might expose me irl,” he sighed in disappointment, “it would have been cute to have my gamer s/o go ‘uwu Taruchi, fighto!’”

“Hahhh? Was it ever cute any time I called you Taruchi?” you asked, incredulousness present in your tone as you proceeded to mock him, “uwu, Taruchi, fighto!… there, was that cute at all?”

Itaru’s hand slid up to cover his face, his growing smile lifting his cheeks upward. You were clearly just joking around, but, well, “who knows? Maybe if you said ‘Taruchi-sama, ganbatte! I’d be able to—“

“Itaru!” you interrupted, immediately making the human equivalent noise of a keyboard smash, your little avatar running around in circles as he imagined what expression your face had right now.

Amidst his unrestrained laughter, he managed to squeeze in his next sentence in parts. “You— you finally said it! Otsu~”

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You had only called him ‘Itaru’ that one time, every other time being ‘Taruchi’ in private or ‘Itaru-kun’ in public. Still, hearing you say his name in person instead of on the phone made it feel like the first time again.

Luckily for him, he didn’t get that much time to dwell on it. Someone had lead you two to sit somewhere, surrounded by more of his polite and friendlier coworkers. Exchanging pleasantries with them was easy enough, as was answering questions about your relationship.

They’ve had multiple test runs after all. There was no way they were messing up any details, there was no room or possibility of either of them even fumbling.

“How long have you two known each other?”

“We’ve been friends since university,” you replied, something that was actually true, “it took years for me to even confess! I’m just glad Itaru accepted,” you gave him a purposeful glance, your bashful expression nearly enough to lead him to believe that you really did have a crush on him all this time.

“So you two have been together since—?”

“After my graduation,” Itaru supplied helpfully, “so it’s been a few years.”

“That’s so sweet! You know,” the woman in front of you lowered her voice, and you leaned in a little closer to listen in, “a lot of us were wondering if Chigasaki was dating anyone after we saw his ring. I thought it was just a fashion statement, but now I know it’s the real deal!”

She eyed the silver band on your ring finger, one that completely matched his.

“The rings are beautiful! The design is completely unique,” another person commented. Itaru felt your ring finger loop around his own, and the two of you turned to look at each other, sharing an amused grin.

If only they knew it was actually really well-done game merch.

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“What’s the point of the rings, though?” you asked, curious of just how far Itaru was taking this plan anyway.

“Do you not like it?” Itaru asked. Undeniably, he would be a bit upset if you ended up not liking the ring. After all, he bought it because—

“It’s lovely,” you said sincerely, carefully picking up the ring, “just surprised you already had rings on hand?”

He chuckled apprehensively, “I was going to save it as a friendship anniversary gift,” he explained, “I still feel a little guilty I didn’t get you anything last year.”

“You don’t have to get me anything anyway,” you said reassuringly, “but I appreciate it.”

He watched you slip the ring on your left ring finger, mouth opening up to apologise as he saw how loose the ring was on you, about to offer to have it resized immediately before you interrupted with quiet laughter.

“It’s a bit awkward right now, but I love it.”

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The get-together was going really well, surprisingly. He still would have preferred to be in the comfort of his room, but your presence just made everything so much easier. Even the questions people threw at the two of you weren’t so bothersome, dodging the more nosy people and sticking with anything general.

It had somehow become a game between the two of you. It was like an act off, almost, of who could give the more impressive or heart fluttering statement. Whether it was for the sake of your audience or to just affect each other remains unsaid.

“What do you like about Itaru?”

You looked away from him, closing your eyes as though you were thinking. To be fair, anything real personality or gaming related was out of bounds. Would you cater your response to his work persona, or—

“Everything!”

He nearly choked on air, trying to ignore the urge to clutch at his heart.

“That’s no fair, give something more specific!”

“I do like everything about Itaru, though?” you said with a cute pout, “but I guess I like his kindness the most. He’s always so thoughtful and considerate. He’s a busy man, but he always finds the time to help me out when I need it.”

Everyone cooed at the two of them, but he found it difficult to concentrate on that when he could only cling onto the words that started to sound more and more real as the night went by.

Out of context, everything you said could be interpreted as you just being friendly, but there was something in the way you pronounced his name and the expression on your face as you talked about him that was… different.

“What about you, Chigasaki?”

Escaping from his thoughts, his mind was filled to the brim with thoughts, but the words refused to spill from his lips.

Was there a way to describe how captivated he was at your little quirks, from the random filler noises you’d make on call or text when words failed you, to the literal quirk of the corner of your lips as you shifted expressions.

Was there a way express his appreciation for sticking by him for years, regardless of his hidden side? Was there a way to express his gratefulness for the laughter rendered and the tears wiped off by you; the smile blooming on his face as he imitated your own subconsciously?

This was the one thing he couldn’t have a manual or guide to study, so he could only hope that he went with the right dialogue choice.

“Everything too, actually.”

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The drive back home was quiet. He was exhausted, and he could tell you were too, but as he neared your street his driving got slower and slower, almost unmoving. From the corner of his eye, he saw you fiddle with your ring, twisting it around your fourth finger before pulling it off completely.

“Oh, we’re here,” you said out loud, yet you didn’t make a move to reattach your seatbelt.

“Itaru.”

Oh, wow. If hearing it a while ago trumped hearing it over call, then hearing you murmur his name in private, with just the two of you present, was…

“You look like you have something on your mind,” you continued, “all throughout the whole get-together, actually. Are you okay?”

When everything about this, about you simultaneously felt so new yet so familiar to him, how could he possibly convey his feelings? His admiration, no, his love for you?

He took the ring from your grasp, and before you could question what was up, he had grabbed your hand as well. With a serendipitous conscientiousness, he slid the ring back onto your ring finger, admiring your rosy glow that managed to be visible even with how dark out it was outside.

“The things you said a while ago,” he began, some hesitance still remaining as his thumb glided over your ring, “sounded really convincing.”

You wouldn’t meet his eyes. For a few seconds the both of you kept silent, until you finally broke it off, “maybe I wasn’t lying in the first place.”

He stiffened, pausing his previous ministrations as you continued, “… were you?”

Looking back at the past week, he almost laughed. Other than already being in a relationship, was anything between the two of you ever a lie to begin with?

“I wasn’t, either,” he replied. Taking in a deep breath, your gaze finally locked with his, he took the next step.

“If… if I promise to always be there for you, to hold your hand, help you fight your battles, and shield you from attacks… would you have me?”

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