#or else you just become a miserable and insufferable person

[wereh0gz]

Man. I genuinely don't get how idw sonic haters (Ian Flynn haters at this point, bc they shit on like literally *everything* he does for sonic) don't get tired. Like. You look at one and it's just post after post, paragraphs upon paragraphs abt how much they don't like this guy's writing

Isn't it exhausting. Constantly making yourself engage with something you clearly hate so much. Like what even is the point. It doesn't even look like they're having fun or trolling or whatever it's just genuine hatred

What is there even to gain? It's not enjoyment that's for sure. Attention? Is that it? I don't see any other reason why. Unless they think their "criticisms" are actually gonna do something to push the franchise in the direction they want

It makes me wonder if they even truly like sonic at all. It really doesn't feel like it with their constant negativity abt almost everything coming out of it recently

[riddle-me-ri]

The Riddler’s being possessive??? Someone tries to talk to his S/O alone and the Riddler wants attention so he kind of places himself between their conversation or pulls S/O aside? I’m not sure if this is a good ask, but thank you. I love your work!

a/n: oh no anon don’t worry this is a beautiful ask. Being the absolute attention whore he is and the moment he finds someone that will give him that attention, you can bet he isn’t going to let that slip away AT ALL

The Riddlers Being Possessive

Arkhamverse Riddler:

Edward tries to hide his possessiveness over you. 

After all, he doesn’t care what you do or why you do them-just as long as you’re out of his way–

However, there is no denying the weird knot in his gut at you getting closer to the other Rogues. 

Why do you want to spend time with them? Surely, you could be learning far more useful and intelligent things from HIM.

He starts coming up with menial tasks for you to do, so that you are too occupied to see anyone or have anyone steal your attention. 

You have to always be by his side whenever there’s a gathering of rogues. 

Edward will often be the barrier between you and the others, even childishly blocking you from even waving at Harley. 

Edward thinks he’s hiding it well, he’s being clever about it, but it’s pretty blatant to you and the others.  

Reevesverse/Dano Riddler:

Edward already can’t believe that he has you.

He sure as hell isn’t going to let someone else sweep you away.

He freezes every time he sees you talking to someone else. 

Who are they? Who are they to you? Family? Friend? Ex-love?

A possible new love interest to come and take you away and leave him miserable like the world continues to do to him?

Edward is already plotting to find out who they are, where they live, and how to dispose of them–

He’ll already have several different plans by the time you get back to him.

You’ll have to do a lot of reassuring and grounding him back to Earth, and that you aren’t going anywhere. 

Gotham Riddler:

Ed doesn’t like how much attention you draw to yourself. 

And it’s even more frustrating when you don’t even see what you’re doing. 

Edward constantly feels like he has to cut in on your conversations. 

He has to pull you away and bring your attention back to him

Ed will instantly question the conversation, what your intentions were, etc. 

You are by his side the rest of the time no matter what. 

Even if someone approaches you, he’ll instantly interject, and squeeze his arms around you or hold your hand tighter. 

No matter where you are or what the situation calls for, everyone will know you’re his. 

BTAS Riddler:

Edward knows better than most what it’s like to have something you care about taken from you suddenly. 

When it comes to someone he loves…there’s definitely less control and more opportunities for loss. 

He wants to be confident in the relationship, to not be possessive…

But he’s still worried about losing you somehow…

He sees you smiling and enjoying yourself with another person…

Ed has an internal conflict of just leaving you be. 

Or coming over there and making sure…nothing was happening. 

He’s trying his best…

Zero Year/Capullo Riddler:

Pfftt…please.

He couldn’t care less who you are with, who you’re talking to-

Ed’s seeing and talking to other people too, you can too. 

He doesn’t own you and you don’t own him–

Yet when he wants your attention…and you don’t give it to him?

Ed becomes absolutely insufferable. 

He’ll blow up your phone, he’ll show up at your place unannounced, cancel whatever plans you had with whatever company. 

Yeah, you can do what you want, to a point anyway. 

TWOJAR Riddler:

Edward doesn’t hide the fact that he’s possessive.

He always has to have you by his side. 

Ed’s arms are always around you, hands on you, you are always sitting in his lap.

No one should really dare to approach you, but regardless some people don’t get the memo.

He won’t disrupt or anything but he will definitely keep an eye on your interaction. 

Ed will wait for a moment before swooping in and stealing your attention back to him.

Not before making the other person…extremely uncomfortable anyhow.

He doesn’t care, as long as the message is clear; that you’re his.

Telltale Riddler:

Honestly, he’s the least likely to be possessive…

Much like Arkhamverse, however he’s a bit better at hiding it by distracting himself. 

He does have his moments where he constantly asks you what you’ve been up to..

Edward’s very observant, he notices you not being around much.

Or he’ll overhear you talking to someone on the phone–you sound very amused…

He’s not bothered just interested…

Totally not concerned that you may be leaving him for someone more…emotionally available. 

Young Justice Riddler:

Eddie truly doesn’t mean to come off as possessive. 

His possessiveness, like Dano Riddler, is fueled more or less by his insecurities. 

He doesn’t want to lose you, and he’s aware of that possibility at every waking moment. 

However, he’s also aware that he may be coming off…controlling…suffocating. 

Ed will see you talking to someone and will immediately get self-conscious. 

Especially if he sees you smiling and clearly enjoying the company. 

He goes through a bunch of worse-case scenarios that continue to snowball into you leaving him…

Until you walk up to him with a bright smile and hold his hand, instantly comforting him.

[takingchences]

𝐔𝐋𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐩𝐭. 𝟏𝟒

Where the descendant of a legendary quirk longs to rewrite history by becoming a hero. But in order to fulfill her dream, she must first face off against ghosts from her past and a growing attraction for the insufferable Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight.

Pairing: Katsuki Bakugou x fem!oc

Warnings: mature language, angst

series masterlist + my masterlist

Before the final round, the students were allowed to rest and refuel. Sana decided to wait for the cafeteria line to die down, wandering the halls absently without a set destination in mind.

After a few minutes of walking, however, she came across the very last person she wanted to see; Yoichi Sakano stood tall and proud in a sleek black suit, his fingers typing on his phone furiously. When he heard her approaching, he put his phone in his pocket and held his arms open as if inviting her in for a hug.

She stayed where she was.

"Congratulations," he smiled, his glasses glinting in the fluorescent light. "You didn't make a complete fool of yourself." He dropped his arms back to his side. "Though," he adjusted the frames on his slender nose. "I wouldn't say fourth place is anything to brag about, would you?"

"Says the man that's practically quirkless," Sana scoffed. "I'd like to see you try and do better."

Her father's cheerful facade dropped. Everyone in their family knew his dirty little secret, and how sensitive he got whenever the topic was brought up. It was the reason they arranged for him to marry her mother in particular, despite her not having a light-based quirk.

Because Yoichi Sakano was born weak.

Since the day he was born he'd been praised, their family having concluded that he would be the strongest Sakano in generations. Until the day he'd presented his quirk, and they realized that they'd vastly miscalculated. Sana found it amusing, really. How her family was so obsessed with power, ruining so many lives with quirk marriages, only for it to backfire on them. She assumed that his own insecurities were why he felt the need to criticize others so harshly. And why he seemed to loathe his own daughter's existence as much as she'd grown to despise his. Because as it turns out, she is the most powerful, not him. And it wasn't due to the Great Sakano Bloodline, either, but her mother's quirk.

Sana is a physical reminder of Yoichi Sakano's failure, his inadequacy. No amount of fame or money could buy her father the happiness he seeked. So he tried to take everyone else's away. If he had to be miserable, then so did they.

"Such an insolent thing," he chuckled, though the sound was cold and hollow. "So much like your mother." He tutted, shaking his head. "Remind me... where did that get her?"

Now he'd hit her weak spot. Touché.

Suzume Sakano was an unsolved mystery to everyone around her. Sana herself knew next to nothing about the woman. Her memories of her mother were vague at best, the woman having left when she was still very young. Most of the public assumed the woman was dead, and her father took no action to deny the claims. As an alleged widower, he could use sympathy in his favor.

But Sana refused to believe she was dead. No, her mother was simply lost.

If the strawberry blonde concentrated, she could remember jasmine perfume and warm hugs. She caught glimpses of blonde hair and delicate smiles in her dreams. She assumed they'd shared the same eye color, but she couldn't be sure. She didn't remember, and there was no evidence of her existence anywhere in the house. No one ever spoke of the woman. The subject was considered taboo in their household.

So how had Monoma known to bring her up?

The solar girl scoffed. "You're a real bastard, you know that?" The man smiled, as though she'd said something amusing. "Does the name Monoma mean anything to you?" She eyed him warily.

"No." Yoichi dismissed. "Should it?"

Sana sighed. So he just made a lucky guess, huh? That, or I'm just that easy to read. "I guess not..."

Her father bowed his head thoughtfully. "Endeavor's brat seems particularly fired up today." He gazed out the window and down at the stadium below, his hands tucked behind his back. "I heard he hasn't been to the house in months. Trouble in paradise?" His mock sympathetic tone was really starting to grate on her nerves.

"You would know, right?"

The last time her father had been called to the Todoroki house was to discuss a quirk marriage between their children—her father ultimately refusing Enji's offer. Not because it was morally wrong, but because he feared Shoto's quirk would overpower her's and any children they might have in the future would not inherit her family's power. "Maintaining the legacy" and all that garbage.

Yoichi frowned. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"Shoto and I haven't spoken in nearly a year... since that time you met with Enji. Did something happen?"

Yoichi chuckled, but the sound still wasn't quite right. "You think I have nothing better to do than meddle in my daughter's life?"

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time, would it?" Sana crossed her arms. "You and Enji are more alike than you think."

The orange haired man scoffed. "Enji Todoroki is a fool. A pathetic, broken man chasing after a meaningless title. His children are no better. The youngest is gifted, yes, but lacks motivation and discipline. Enji's 'masterpiece' is but another failure in a long line of mistakes. Like father, like sons, I'd say."

The strawberry blonde's frame trembled with barely concealed rage. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth as she bit her tongue. How dare he disrespect T-

"Besides, I told you before. Your quirks aren't compatible. It would've been a terrible match... However," his tone changed, immediately putting her on edge. Her father only sounded like that when he was scheming. "That Bakugou character..."

Sana felt her world grind to a halt, the ground crumbling beneath her feet.

No. No. No.

"I'd be curious to see the outcome of such a smart match." His lips thinned into a devious smile. "The possibilities are endless."

¸☾⋆*･ﾟ¸☾⋆*･ﾟ¸☾⋆*

Sana managed to grab a quick bite to eat just as the break was ending, though needless to say her appetite was nonexistent after the encounter with her father. His last words haunted her memory.

Her father wanted to arrange a quirk marriage with Bakugou? Her friend? The boy she was quickly falling head over heels for?

Sana banished the thought. She couldn't afford to be distracted before the finals. She needed to focus on what was right in front of her, which at the moment, were her classmates... in cheerleading uniforms?

"What the hell?"

Apparently, Kaminari and Mineta had tricked the girls into dressing up as cheerleaders. They hadn't been able to find Sana, so she'd (thankfully) been spared the embarrassment. Of course, that didn't mean she couldn't help the girls get back at the two idiots later on.

Midnight explained how the final round would work, each of them going head to head against one another until only one remained.

Ojiro and an unknown student stepped forward to announce their withdrawal from the competition, despite the protests of their friends. Midnight enjoyed the display and bumped up two members of Team Kendo to even out the number of finalists. It was then that the first set of one-on-one battles were announced: Midoriya vs. Shinso, Bakugou vs. Uraraka, Iida vs. the pink-haired girl from Midoriya's team, Shoto vs. Sero, Tokoyami vs. Momo, Kirishima vs. his dollar store knockoff, and Sana vs. Kaminari.

She grinned wickedly as they locked eyes, the honey blonde winking as he shot finger guns. Oh, this is gonna be fun.

"Let the battles begin!" Midnight purred.

¸☾⋆*･ﾟ¸☾⋆*･ﾟ¸☾⋆*

There was something different about Izuku Midoriya. Strange. Odd. Out of place. She'd noticed it for some time now, like how he always seemed to be at the center of things. Just earlier today she'd questioned what made him special enough for Shoto to issue him a challenge. Her old friend had mentioned the greenette being connected to All Might. Was that all it was?

No, there had to be more to it than that.

She'd trained with Shinso. She'd taught him ways to defend himself, both if them aware that he couldn't always rely on his quirk to get him out of trouble. She'd also been brainwashed by him multiple times in the weeks leading up to the Festival. She'd volunteered to help him test his limits, and not once had she snapped out of it on her own. So how was it that Midoriya was able to wake up just before his foot could cross over the boundary line?

Shinso appeared to be just as shocked as the rest of them. Not good. "Come on, Tosh!" Sana yelled, worrying her lip as she leaned forward, literally on the edge of her seat as the two fought.

She was friendly with Midoriya, but he would have numerous opportunities to prove himself if he lost now. For Shinso, this was it. This was his one chance to prove himself capable of becoming a hero. If his efforts weren't recognized today, he'd have to wait a whole year to try again.

The lavender-haired boy held his own for as long as he could, but Midoriya was more experienced in combat, and quickly overtook him. Her general studies friend was understandably upset over the loss, so she cupped her hands around her mouth, shouting encouragement nonstop.

"You were amazing, Toshi!" She leaned over the rail, grinning as he slowly looked up at her. "Super kickass!" A small, reluctant smile appeared on his passive face. Other general course students joined in to cheer for him, praising his quirk and valiant efforts. She clapped for him as he exited the arena.

He'd worked so hard to stand on the biggest stage in Japan. He'd made it to the final round, only to fall short of winning because of a bad matchup. Sana was sure that with his quirk, he'd had a real shot of placing in the top 5, if not higher.

Sana only hoped that someone in a place of power had paid as much attention to his performance as she had.

¸☾⋆*･ﾟ¸☾⋆*･ﾟ¸☾⋆*

Soon, it was Sana's turn to warm up, her fight with Kaminari up next. The rounds were flying by fairly quickly. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. She did her usual warmups, plus those she'd learned from ballet so long ago. Her dance background came in handy even in combat, the intense workouts helping to strengthen her stamina and flexibility, all while maintaining a lean, muscular frame.

Present Mic's voice filtered through the speakers above her head, naming the winner of the latest battle. Sana slowly rose to her feet, releasing a deep breath to calm her sudden nerves before heading towards the main stage.

The roar of the crowd nearly sent her sprinting back to the waiting room. It was so loud, and coupled with the voice hero's quirk, it was impossible to hear her own thoughts. Mindlessly, she took her spot across from her golden-haired friend.

Outwardly, Denki seemed relaxed, but there was that ever present glint in his eyes that always made it seem like he was up to something.

"I'm not into hurting girls, Sana, especially ones as pretty as you." He called out to her, brushing his bangs out of his eyes in an exaggerated move. "After I win, how about I make it up to you with a candlelit dinner for two?"

"Oh, Denki," Sana shook her head with an amused smile. She could see Midnight raising her whip in her peripheral vision. "I wouldn't worry about me getting hurt."

With a snap of Midnight's whip, the fight began.

The dark blonde sent a stream of currents towards her, the strawberry blonde easily dodging. She knew that she needed to be overly cautious with Denki. She didn't know what effect his quirk would have on her, unsure if she would be able to absorb the attacks the same way she might've done if she was up against a heat-based quirk. So, until he wore himself out or she figured out a way to neutralize his quirk, she was stuck playing defense.

If only she could neutralize his mouth.

"What's your dream date?" He continued to talk, as if they weren't in the middle of a fight in front of a crowd of thousands, not to mention that the feed was being broadcast nationwide. "Whatever you want, babe, it's my treat." His boyish grin almost made her want to say yes.

Almost.

"Sorry, babe, but I'll have to raincheck." She rolled out of the way as he fired off another impressive wave of energy. He was pushing himself too hard, too fast, putting too much power into his attacks when he should've been conserving his energy. The electric boy already looked sweaty and mildly dazed. At the rate he was going, he'd be out of it in no time. "I already have a date."

The mix of confusion, disbelief, and kicked puppy on his face was honestly adorable.  The poor thing looked dumbstruck. "Wha- seriously?"

And that was her opening.

She dashed forward in a blur, shoving him back with all her might. Denki stumbled back, so startled by her sudden proximity that he accidentally triggered his quirk. Sana jerked back as the dark blonde fell flat on his butt.

It hadn't hurt as much as she'd expected, which she was immensely grateful for. She'd managed to solidify a layer of light around her hands to protect herself just in case Denki was able to set off a counterattack. Her skin buzzed and tingled from the after effects. They stared at each other for a moment, both their faces slack with surprise. The blonde scrambled to his feet, his face steaming.

Sana giggled breathlessly in surprise.

She curiously wiggled her encased fingers and watched them crackle with electricity. She tilted her head innocently at the blushing blonde. "No hard feelings, right?"

Bursts of energy shot out from her glowing palms and straight into Denki's chest, sending him flying backwards and straight over the boundary line.

She cupped her hands to her lips. "Sorry, babe!"

Maybe that'll teach you not to underestimate your opponent.

¸☾⋆*･ﾟ¸☾⋆*･ﾟ¸☾⋆*

Sana frowned as Pros and even classmates criticized Bakugou for fighting Uraraka so fiercely. Mr. Aizawa was the only person willing to defend the boy other than Sana herself. The teacher put the pros in their place, while the solar girl dealt with her peers.

"Just goes to show how little respect women get, even when they posess powerful quirks. We're only viewed as equals in theory, but never in practice." The strawberry blonde sighed.

The complaints of her classmates died down, the crowd around them falling silent as they were berated for their prejudice. "We're gathered on the biggest stage in the country right now to prove ourselves, yet people still want us to hold back. There are two female heroes ranked in the Top Ten. They didn't get there because others 'went easy on them.' Do you think villains care what gender you are? They won't show mercy, regardless of whether or not they're opponent is female.

"Bakugou is the only one here acknowledging Uraraka's strength. She's more than capable of handling herself." Most of her friends had to look away from her harsh glare in shame and embarrassment. "As for Bakugou, we all know that he wants to be the best, and he's willing to take on anyone to prove it. Saying he's bullying a woman by giving her the respect she deserves just proves how warped our society is."

Kirishima looked ashamed. If he was a puppy, his ears would be flat against his head. "Dammit." His fists shook in self anger. "You're right, Sana. I should've never said something so unmanly." His eyes went wide before a sheepish expression appeared. "I mean, uh, unwomanly?" The corners of her lips quirked in amusement.

"Thanks, Eiji."

After the round was finished, Bakugou returned to the student section to find his classmates waiting for him. "Sorry, man. We shouldn't have judged you." Kirishima held out an arm for a fist bump. Bakugou's brow furrowed deeper.

"Huh?"

The ash blonde listened, stone faced, as the class apologized for being so biased during his fight with Uraraka. "Sana never doubted you, though. She was pretty fired up about it, actually." Kirishima rubbed the nape of his neck, his cheeks dusted with pink.

Bakugou searched for the familiar head of strawberry blonde hair, but found nothing.

"She went to meet someone." Sero spoke up, noticing his wandering gaze. Bakugou grunted. Her fight had been quick and easy. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that she'd beat Dunce Face. Speaking of which...

"Why are you acting weirder than usual?" Jirou nudged Kaminari with her boot. The lightning boy had been pouting since the moment he got back to the stands.

"I missed my chance, Jirou!" He whined, twin rivers running down his cheeks. "She's taken!"

"Dude, what are you talking about?" Sero laughed, thoroughly enjoying the scene. The rest of the class watched on, most in amusement while others were mildly concerned.

"My dream girl rejected me," Denki shook the raven haired boy's arm. "On national TV, too!"

"Who are you talking about?" Jiro's eyes went wide. "Wait, Sakano?!" She cackled.

Bakugou's ear twitched, tuning into the conversation. "You asked her out during the match?" Kirishima held out a fist. "Dude, that's so manly!"

Kaminari shook his head dejectedly. "You don't get it. She already has a date."

Bakugou clenched his jaw. His vermilion eyes slid to the red-and-white haired boy sitting in the row behind him, frowning down at his feet with a distant look in his eye. He grunted, kicking his boot up on the back of the seat in front of him.

¸☾⋆*･ﾟ¸☾⋆*･ﾟ¸☾⋆*

Sana scowled up at the flaming mass of muscle standing before her. "Look," she sighed. "I know we aren't exactly each other's biggest fans, but we have a common problem now: Shoto can't stand either one of us, and he refuses to acknowledge that I exist."

"My son doesn't need friends." Endeaver crossed his arms. "He needs to unleash his full potential."

"What he needs," Sana snapped. "Is help. He won't get there on his own." Sana insisted. "And we both know you're the last person he'd go to for that. So, I have a proposition for you. Lend me your fire... and I'll make sure he uses his."

¸☾⋆*･ﾟ¸☾⋆*･ﾟ¸☾⋆*

By the time Sana made it back to the stands, the first round of battles had ended. She slipped into the seat next to Bakugou with a sigh. The ash blonde turned to face her with a frown. Her cheeks were flushed pink and her pupils were dilated. His frown deepened. "The hell were you?" He grumbled. "Off with your secret boyfriend?"

Sana looked disgusted, remembering exactly who she'd snuck off to meet. "Please," she scoffed. "Besides," she tilted her head and batted her eyes. "Why would I choose some extra over your dumb ass?"

Bakugou huffed, his lips curling up into a small, satisfied smirk. "Always thinking about my ass."

"And your tits."

He made a growling sound, which only made her laugh harder. Bakugou faced forward, still making angry noises. Sana sat up straight, no longer clutching her sides. His clenched fist rested on the arm rest of his seat. Wordlessly, she placed her hand over his as Midnight announced that the second round of battles were about to begin. Bakugou stared down at their hands in surprise. He waited for the familiar tingle that came with her using her quirk, but nothing happened.

She was simply holding his hand.

Bakugou blushed angrily. The rest of their friends hadn't noticed them yet, otherwise they definitely would've had something to say about the way they were sitting together. Suddenly, Kaminari's words from earlier came to mind.

"She already has a date."

Bakugou drew his hand away from under her's as though he'd been burned and crossed his arms. His vermilion eyes were unreadable. Sana glanced at him in confusion. "Screw off. I don't have time for your games."

There was a flash of hurt in her eyes before her expression went blank. "Fine. I'll find someone else to play with." Her tone was dripping with sarcasm as she stood and stalked to the opposite end of the row to sit with Mina.

"Dammit," Bakugou punched the armrest in frustration. That's what I'm afraid of.

[scoobydoodean]

the way bronlies are so obsessed that they’ve just become sam in the way they don’t like/won’t allow dean to have other friends 😭

it’s crazy to me, especially for a question whose different answers are both true to an extent bc your definition of “knowing somebody” is totally subjective!

lol that said, i am curious, soo… who do you think knows dean best, sam or cas? somebody else? do you think it changes over the seasons?

One of my friends was just saying that about bronlies and Sam sjhbfhsdhjf. Truly tho they're more insufferable than Sam's ever been. Bronlies are every spoiled child antagonist in every children's book. The Veruca Salt's of fandom. Miserable little cry baby brats screaming throwing tantrums trying to hit everyone with their baby rattlers... over Supernatural (2005) POLLS.

Their indignantion at that poll is pretty hilarious, because Sam doesn't start out the series actually knowing who Dean is at all. He thinks he knows who Dean is, but he doesn't, and this is illustrated to us over a dozen times in season 1. I do think Sam grows to understand who Dean is better over time, but he still sucks at understanding Dean for the vast majority of the series, because in many ways, he doesn't actually care to stop and think and study who Dean is and ask himself whether he actually knows him. He prefers an image he's made up in his head of who Dean is instead—an image that comforts him or bolsters his own self-image in some way. Dean is smart when Sam wants him to be smart and stupid when Sam needs to feel smarter (1.10, 1.16, 4.12, 8.14). Dean is strong when Sam wants him to be strong and weak when Sam needs to feel like the strongest person around (4.10, 4.11, 4.14, 4.16, 4.20, 4.21). Dean isn't opening up enough (2.02, 2.03, 2.04), then Dean is too emotional and soft and needs to get over it (2.10, 2.11, 2.14, 4.14, 4.16). Dean is a protector and nurturer who is failing to nurture and/or protect Sam adequately (3.09, 4.04, 8.23), then Dean is smothering (5.07, 8.20).

Basically, because Sam spends so much time trying to force Dean to fit into the shape he wants Dean to fit into, instead of actually trying to understand who Dean is, he often (unknowingly in some cases) completely lacks insight into who Dean actually is, and I'd say while he gets better at recognizing this, and better at understanding who Dean really is over time, surrounding certain subjects (especially things like grief), this refusal to see the actual real Dean continues through the entire run of the show (ex: 13.04).

I guess the question is then... is Cas actually better at understanding Dean than Sam is? And for me? Honestly I think it's a wash. I don't actually think either of them is Mr Amazing Perfect Dean Understander to be quite honest with you. I mean—practically Dean and Cas's entire schtick is perpetual misunderstandings bolstered by their own insecurities? They understand the important parts like that they each have good intentions and are good hearted, but I don't think Cas ever really understood how their repeated cycle of conflict made Dean feel. I don't think he ever understood how deeply entwined Dean's well-being became with his own, to the point that Dean was Not Fucking Okay when Cas was dead. I think Cas had a leg up in getting genuine insights into Dean's feelings straight from Dean for a long time because of the childhood dynamics and previous events that have made using Sam as a confidant uncomfortable and/or unsafe for Dean (2.03, 2.11, 4.14, 4.21, 5.01, 5.02, 5.03). I think Cas also understands Dean’s feelings more than he lets on and often acts on his perceptions of Dean's feelings without communicating those perecptions to anyone (and sometimes he's right... but sometimes he's also very VERY wrong).

We get a sort of back and forth with Sam and Cas understanding or not understanding different aspects of Dean's feelings or behavior. Think about "Nihilism" for example, when Sam and Cas walk through the darkness of Dean's mind, and Cas is shocked by the amount of trauma in Dean's mind and Sam just says, "Well. Yeah." But then compare that with 10.03 "Soul Survivor" where Cas was able to explain to Sam why demon Dean didn't want to be cured no matter how much blood they gave him. Sam didn't understand, but Cas understood Dean's perspective immediately (and that entire episode was a scathing commentary on Sam's lack of insight into Dean tbqh).

All of that said, I think I did vote in that poll and I picked Cas, and I would do it again. :) In fact, I will vote against Sam in any moment of uncertainty in any poll I see going forward, because bronlies are pathetic cry baby brats victimizing themselves 24/7 over Tumblr polls and can get fucked.

[marshmallowprotection]

Physically and emotionally, how do you the the process of Unknown getting his tattoo done been?

I mean...there must obviously be someone with some sort of tattoo artistry at Mint Eye for him to get it at all

But imagine the pain of enduring not only just a little tattoo - a massive and intricate tattoo like the one he has??

That would've been agony, right?!

And the thoughts going through his head???

What would he have been thinking, as he suffered that??

That tattoo is the ultimate symbol of his Mint Eye role - would he have been thinking 'wow I'm so great, I'm so important to get this' - but deep, deep down...feeling still so broken?

Maybe even...doubting it all?

Power.

Devotion.

Proof of commitment.

What goes through your head when you, Saeran Choi, nameless by choice because the sound of your name makes you break out into a swarm of hives, want to prove yourself to the woman who has spent years drilling lies and falsehoods into your ears in the name of never abandoning you?

How do you prove yourself?

How do you show the world that you're committed to revenge, even in the name of torture that seems endless for you?

How do you show proof that you won't turn against this insufferable organization that makes you feel like there's a hot poker in your spine but it's the only place you're safe from your who wants to hunt down his bastard son for blood sport? How do you show this woman who's hurt you but promised you eternal salvation if you drive your body in the ground for her whimsy?

What choice do you have?

You've been in a living hell for years, and parts of you have been destroyed—

Parts you don't know but feel so deeply inside your chest that's had to become apathetic to survive because the last two were destroyed for having a heart, a conscious, and remorse. You're allowed to live in that place because you were born to not care. You have to live like it... like you don't care, and you don't. You don't care. You just want to let them all bleed for making you become this apathetic, cold, unfeeling thing in the first place.

But, no matter how much you scream and writhe, you are just a dog on a chain and you can only get revenge for your miserable life if you obey and prove yourself to your master. What can you do to show her that you won't bend? What can you do to prove that you will obey her every order as long as it gets you what you want?

What can you do to ensure you survive her growing malice because she no longer is truly capable of seeing you as a son... just a tool... a weapon... something to be replaced her goals were abandoned in the darkness as hatred and misery took the place of whatever her original goals were?

Well, what better way than to mark your body with what you know she could never view in contempt? So, you create a tattoo that will bleed into your skin and prove your devotion to this organization, not just to show you won't turn against her, but to prove to yourself that you have nowhere else to go and revenge is the only thing that will be worth it.

You need justice, retribution, and salt in the wound because it's been years of agony and somebody else needs to know what you suffered and taste the misery for the rest of their life so you can have a—

single.

solitary.

moment.

of.

peace.

You get the tattoo.

You don't think twice.

You designed it yourself, made it look like something a powerful and cruel monster would wear, and you cloak yourself in the darkness of your anger and apathy because that's all you're allowed to feel. Your eyes never waver when you look in the mirror and see the mark that cannot be erased. Why would you? You're not allowed to regret... not allowed to feel remorse. You're not a person. You're a weapon. You're a tool... a means to an end.

This tattoo is nothing more than proof of that.

You don't own your body.

Mint Eye owns your body, mind, and soul.

So, you turn your head to revenge, because that's all you are allowed to experience in this life. You don't get anything else... and that's why when the stars don't align and the person you sent to the apartment messes up, does the wrong action and the universe spirals, and they bring the people you loathe into your room, you get rid of him first... and then, get rid of yourself.

What's the point when everything is meaningless... even when the promised revenge is meaningless and gives you nothing to show for the misery. That's what you think.

Even if that person does everything right and you're wrenched away from Mint Eye one day, hands bloody with something that can never be taken back, you still look in the mirror, knowing that tattoo marks you as a filthy monster and that's all you'll ever be... because you still don't know if you can ever feel remorse... even with blood caking your hands no matter how hard you scrub.

Apathy is all you have, and the tattoo is proof of that.

You won't remove it the tattoo.

You won't let yourself forget what you did. You were a pawn for Mint Eye and you won't forget it. You won't let yourself forget it. You will... spend your life in agony, unsure of how to live when all you've truly dreamed of for years is revenge and then the embrace of sleep that never ends... because if you couldn't feel anything, there wouldn't be any point.

But, you can't do that now, any more than you could before since your fate is controlled no matter where you go or what you do. Be it because Rika wanted a leash, V wanted to save you thinking it may bring back someone who was already dead in your mind, or just that Saeyoung begged you on his hands and knees not to go and you are well aware he'd never let you go.

You're controlled by everyone... but yourself. The tattoo is just the icing on the cake... because you did that to yourself, in your right mind or not, knowing that you would always be a pawn in the name of revenge... until you weren't... but now, you don't know how to live any other way... and you've got this tattoo, no control, and apathy in your heart that won't let you find the peace the young boy in your heart once dreamed of.

Oh, well.

You have the clouds and the endless sky... at the very least, you have that and it makes up for something... God knows what, but that's the least the universe could give you and you're fine with that. As long as you have that, you won't think about the pain and the ache that can't be taken away underneath that apathetic face.

[sapphire-heart-tippy]

Pretty tired right now, but hopefully I'll remember to do this one day:

Looking back at my old art work (pre transition), I realized that I would draw my s/i scowling all the time. My s/i was always in a bad mood and so was I. I would try to make them be fun and mischievous like how I do with my s/i now, but it would always fall flat without fail.

My s/i was miserable, and I don't think that many people (myself included) actually liked them very much. Though I did get fan art and stuff, my s/is were just so insufferably bitter and gloomy. I don't regret the friends I've made, the laughs and the fun I've had, but I do regret not knowing I was trans sooner.

Admittedly, I knew deep down in my heart that I was queer in some way. I couldn't put my finger on it until about last summer or so. That's when my s/is started smiling...

When I found out, I am indeed, a boy... That was when the smiles came out. That was when I felt happy. I had finally unlocked a door to my life that allowed me to experience a certain joy and freedom I have never felt before.

Pre transition, I felt miserable. I was bitter, hateful, mean, cold, jealous... Yes, jealous. I'm not going to lie, every now and then I still struggle with jealousy just a little bit. That does not make you a bad person, it's an emotion (albeit negative, but so is anger). I would never press my jealousy onto anyone, but it sure as hell beat my ass. (If you struggle with jealousy as well, just know you're not "ToXiC™", you have certain feelings that need to be addressed and handled with care instead of ridicule and shame. For some reason, I've noticed this is one of those emotions people actively encourage you to bottle up. Which is extremely unhealthy. If you have a therapist, please bring it up with them. From my own personal experience, it was something deeper that stems from childhood. I believe in you, you are not a bad person for feeling "bad things" or having "bad" mental/emotional issues. You are just as worthy of help and care as everyone else.) (I digress, I'm sorry)

Now that I'm fully aware of who I am and who I want to become, I feel no reason to be jealous or have such a negative demeanor anymore...I have no need to feel miserable and have it eat away at my insides anymore. I'm free.

The only s/i of mine that ever smiled in their introduction page, is the one I have right now. He's happy. He's content. He's everything I am and want to be.

One day, I'll do a little collage of my pre transition s/is for comparison with my newest one, just to show the stark contrast of emotion. He's funny, he's silly, he's a jokester, a lighthearted little imp who pulls funny pranks on his crush and soon to be boyfriend/husband. Yes, he's still traumatized and struggles with the pain sometimes, but he's happy. He's finally fucking happy... And that self insert is me. 🏳️‍⚧️💙💙💙🏳️‍⚧️

[alltimefail-sims]

Idk if I'm super late to this or if I missed a response, but I'd like to hear your thoughts about Roberto Crinkletop being Robert Crumplebottom. I'm not sure how I feel about it and would be happy hearing somebody else's opinion

You are not late on this nor did you miss a post from me about Roberto, but oh boy do I have thoughts! LOTS of them! I forgot about EA's atrocious little video until this ask remined me. Thank you!

I considered making a whole lore post on Agnes and I still might - but this whole thing with Roberto has re-contextualized her lore in the most inconsistent way, in my opinion. It has also discouraged me from wanting to talk about her. No surprise there though - they have fumbled the ball with lore in TS4 time and time again, and I think I am apart of a minority that just doesn't want them to address it any more. Even the slight mention of the Landgraabs in their most recent livestream made my skin crawl in the worst way. I just wish the Sims team would just stop pandering to a fanbase they do not care about in order to seem like they're putting thought into these families when they make them (spoiler: it's clear they don't put that much thought into them, if any at all. I truly believe they used to care, but that has been lost to time and that's why the games just aren't the same as they used to be. Trying to fuck with preexisting families, like the Goths for example, is only ruining what made them good in the first place... but I digress.)

Basically though, I'll sum it up now by saying that it seemed to be canon that the death and/or disappearance of Agnes' husband is what made her turn sour and callous (grief is what made her the person she is today, grief and loss made her hate romance). But then that wretched video drops and they decide to portray young Agnes as this mean, naggy wife that her poor husband (eye roll...) had to escape from? It even feels like they're insinuating that she was actually abusive because he says coming to Chestnut Ridge and becoming a nectar maker literally saved his life. Like holy shit! Just seems really fucking dumb to me if we're being honest!

It's just lazy writing, and it doesn't make sense with what we know of Agnes from TS2/TS3. In the original games it felt like she was a nuisance and a miserable old woman who we're supposed to feel bad for. In TS2 her actions aren't explained, but we know she is adverse to romance. In TS3 we see her in a whole new light, and it's pretty devastating how the loss clearly impacted her (that half unfinished nursery lives in my mind rent free). It was implied that they loved each other, in my opinion, but it seems like the Sims team will never miss an opportunity to villainize a female premade. I'm serious - it's actually getting concerning how the negative traits or actions of the male characters in this game are always twisted to be endearing, understandable, or momentarily misguided. But the women? Oh no, they're insufferable nags, abusers whose husbands need to leave them, women who never really loved their spouses at all, they're evil, they're mean, they're distant, they are bad wives and mothers, they are money-hungry, they are killers, and that's the whole of their marketing.

Poor uwu baby boys, save them from the mean ladies!! And if they cheat on the mean ladies, the ladies deserved it! If they are a serial cheater who will go as far as to leave their fiance at the aisle, that's okay because they're just a lovable himbo! If their wives go missing and they date a woman much younger than them, that's okay - she's actually the money hungry one! Yes he is lazy and does not have any ambition or drive, but his wife is so mean for being tired of their life being stagnant - she is the problem! She is a money hungry evil woman and he is just her husband who has no idea! He's rich and literally lives with her but uhhhh he's so nice that the estranged son (who looks just like him) isn't even his!

Ugh. Give me a break sims team. I'm tired!

[sithisreadingcorner]

Hello I’m Sol. July. 3. 1999. She/Her

I would absolutely love to request a reading! My question is what would it have been like if DH He/Him was my brother? Thank you in advance I’ll provide feedback/review.

I liked and rebloged all your posts!

🧿

thank you. Take care:)

Hello Sol, and welcome! I appreciate the reblogs and the feedback 🥰🙏Really interesting question! Let's see what the cards have to say!

death (riding). the moon reversed. the hawkmoth ROGUE: An NPC friend of yours (the DM's choice) becomes hostile towards you. The identity of your new enemy isn't known until the NPC or someone else reveals it.

You know, this reading is kind of strange. There's one of those every once in a while. I laid out some cards, and at a first glance they seemed not only miserable but kinda random and irrelevant (I dont remember which ones, but the reversed moon card was one of them!) I felt like maybe I need to lay another hand. Then my entire deck fell on the ground! I collected them, shuffled everything back together, pulled three more cards, and this is what I got. I don't think the cards are willing to answer this question, but they seem to be trying to communicate a reason.

It seems to me that right now you are in a period of your life when you had to transition from one thing to another at an unexpectedly rapid pace. And I believe that you are improving or healing something in the process, but you can't really see that far... and to be honest, it feels really miserable. It seems like you are constantly under just enough pain that it feels nagging, and it's not unbearable per se but because there is no end in sight it just feels eternal and insufferable. Did you notice that you have been feeling this way? Now that I've said it, do you feel like it's true? It's almost as if you had been tuning it out.

The way that this becomes full circle with what you asked, is because I think you are using hypotheticals like this one to try to escape the present instead of handling the real issue at hand. You are focusing too much of what could have been but will probably never be. I know the present reality is really hard to deal with, but it's something that you can change. For real though. Let's just think this through with me for a minute - if you knew the answer, what would you do with that information? How would it change the present circumstances? Do you think your life would be improved? Without really knowing anything about the situation, I would guess - if it's good, then it would just make you long and daydream for a life that never was, and if it's bad, it would just make you feel sad. 😔

I think what you need to remember in this moment is that you are a powerful person. You can change so many things in real life, not just in the realm of your fantasy. It's time to stop life from just happening to you and take back the reins. I pulled a fortune cookie for you asking how they would suggest this could be improved, which says: "You should respect the power of words and choose them with caution." I believe, this means the words not only spoken to others but the ones that you tell yourself as well. You know, there is a thing that I read someone say - something along the lines of "You can't bully yourself into feeling better."

I apologize that I could not answer your question, but that was the message for you today. I hope it could help some way. 💗

august readings (4 of 5)

tips? 💗

[irlbkgs]

2, 3, & 7 for the ask game!! whoever you want :3

tyty <3 gonna do suguru and stan bc i don't talk about them basically ever and lestat bc he's new and i need to talk about his. everything (i love him very much he is insufferable)

2. What are some ways in which you and your F/O don't mesh well? How do you overcome these differences?

for suguru it's mostly communication. he internalizes a lot and so do i but it's almost like in opposite directions. he can put up a very good mask to seem like everything's fine and i tend to take people at face value unless they give me a reason not to, so he just goes on being miserable while i think everything's fine. on the other hand i won't talk about my feelings either but it'll be pretty obvious when im in a mood, so he will just poke and prod until i spit it out, even if i don't want to. it's for the best ultimately but in the moment i hate it.

with stan it's kinda harder to pick smth bc we are very much opposites in a lot of ways but that's what makes it work. id say me and suguru are also opposites but it's more of an issue there than with me and stan. really, again, id say it comes down to communication, but even that's pretty minor. we both kinda don't talk about things until it just spills out which can lead to issues but it's also something that we obviously understand, which makes it less difficult. otherwise id say like ways we cope, he sorta just shuts down and Doesn't cope but i like channel all my feelings into other shit so i don't have to think about it. he has to stop me from overwhelming myself with side quests and i have to stop him from withdrawing or it leads to well. erm. im sure we can all guess.

lestat...dear god. um because of our traumas, though they're are very similar, we react in very different ways. for me i just sort of take bad treatment like it's no big deal and this even extends to him, id let him do anything to me as long as he stayed, and this is Bad bc when he gets triggered he tends to lash out or force me to stay in situations/conversations where id rather just take a moment and gather myself and my thoughts before saying or doing something i regret. on the flip side of that tho i can admittedly also become very manipulative or lash out when im triggered and since he reacts the same on that 2nd one there's like only two options which are fighting or using kink to cope which is not always great when nothing can be planned as a result of like heat of the moment feelings. but we also rly understand each other in ways nobody else could bc we have such similar traumas and can be our worst selves to each other without worry.

3. What was your SECOND date like? Was it an improvement on the first in some way?

i cannot picture me and suguru going on traditional "dates" especially bc we were friends before hand but probably like the 2nd outing we had after becoming official was just lunch with ice cream after. very simple, pretty much on par with the 1st date and all our hangouts before. can't really be that much different when u know somebody for so long before getting together that you're already comfortable around them by the time dates happen.

id say the same kinda goes for stan in terms of the energy, we were def friends before so it's like date 1 and 2 were very similar vibes wise but we do actually have like planned dates vs hangouts. date 2 was a late night showing of the outsiders and we both fagged out like god intended. he's a big fan of johnny and would blush whenever he came on screen.

now lestat is actually different bc it was like. we were pursuing each other from the jump. just a deep fascination on both ends, but not necessarily respect or an interest in the others personality, just intrigue and a bit of lust. so dates at first def had a bit of like. tension over whether or not we wanted to claw each other up or take things back to the coffin. 2nd date had slightly less of this and a bit more actual interest in each other as a people, i know i was starting to become less put off by the front he has of being confident and above it all when i began to realize he was at the very least passionate about what he does, which makes the confidence seem more earned. still, there was moments where i considered saying fuck it and ripping out his throat with my teeth. it wouldn't be a conversation with lestat if he didn't do something to piss you off.

7. If your F/O were a type of dog, what breed would they be? Maybe a mix?

pls forgive me bc ive got very limited dog knowledge butttt

lestat is one of those fancy standard poodles that's perfectly groomed. white fur of course. pink collar and gets mani pedis weekly.

suguru is a saint bernard, big but naturally gentle, well trained enough that you can take him in public off leash but also dangerous when he feels like his person is threatened

and stan...hmm im thinking a whippet. just tall and skinny and a bit weird on the surface but pretty chill and loyal.

[tsukimefuku]

no more patience behind the wheels ✦ kiyotaka ijichi

summary: your friend ijichi has become the unwilling listener to all your woes, and it is definitely taking a toll on him, so he decided to take the matters into his own hands and try to solve your communication problems for you.

cw: platonic/friendship ijichi x reader, comedy, fluff, very suggestive regarding reader and someone else.

wc: 850ish

notes etc.: this poor, poor man. somebody please give him some time off, he truly needs it.

✦ collection of stories: "jujutsu partners au" → masterlist

To say Ijichi's life was turned upside down on an almost daily basis due to sorcerer's shenanigans would be an understatement. He saw himself constantly having to deal with tomfoolery, being jumbled around by you all, as he tried to do his job the best he could.

But for the past few weeks, you, especially, had become absolutely insufferable, to say the least. 

The poor man had lost count on how many times you called asking for him to help you back to your house after getting hammered at the bar. You were feeling miserable, and with good reason after some shit went down in your life, but goddammit woman, get a grip.

Not only that, but the way you were always on and on about how you loved Nanami, and how things were going to end up terribly, and how you had tried before and it didn't work out, yadda yadda was really wearing Ijichi down.

At first, it was a little jarring for him to hear you speak so casually and in such detail about your personal life completely unprompted. Then, it was actually fun hearing your love life ramblings, it felt like a soap opera — the entire story of how you managed to 'screw up two shots at happiness', in your own words (he did not agree, but made no comment on the matter). But now, it was tiring, especially due to the fact that you seemingly forgot every occasion you poured your heart out in his ears.

So, of course, every time he picked you up to drag you back home, it was the same whining.

Every. Damn. Time.

You were about to become his 13th reason.

Ijichi honestly felt like he'd rather face a curse in your place than having to hear that wailing yet again, so he decided to take the matters into his own hands.

"Nanami-san, permission to speak freely for one minute" he said, voice uncharacteristically steady, as he looked at Nanami — whom he had just picked up from a mission — through the rearview mirror.

Ijichi's braveness was a byproduct of his own desperation.

Last night, after your endless ramble about your love life failures, you managed to ruin a perfectly good pair of shoes with vomiting.

His poor shoes.

Nanami had his arms crossed over his chest, and lifted an eyebrow after hearing those words, looking at the assistant in return.

"What would it be about?" the sorcerer curiously inquired, given that Ijichi was rarely — if ever — the type of person to ask for these kinds of things.

"Personal matters. Some guidance is... needed." 

Nanami sighed. "I don't think that would be very appropriate during work hours, Ijichi."

"Please," Ijichi said, his voice taken by some kind of underlying misery, which Nanami noticed. 

He relaxed his shoulders and nodded.

"Fine, go ahead."

"Nanami-san, do you love her? Do you want to be with her?" Ijichi blurted out.

Nanami was immediately taken aback in a mixture of shock and surprise, tensing up his muscles.

"Well, that's a highly inappropriate question to-"

"Nanami-san, she has been calling me to pick her up at the bar these past few weeks, and every time she's completely hammered and rambles about many things, more specifically, how much she loves you, and everything that has happened," Ijichi interjected, still driven by anguish with a knuckle-white grip on the steering wheel.

He'd surely resign his duties if he had to listen to your moping one more time.

"Against my will, I have been completely made aware in excruciating detail about everything, over and over again, and she won't stop. Please, I can't hear these same stories another time. I am begging, do something about it. She is truly fond of you, to say the least."

"... Everything?"

"Everything," Ijichi confirmed.

They were both silent for a moment, and Ijichi was slowly coming back to Earth, realizing that, in his desperation, he had basically just scolded Mr. Mature, Nanami Kento.

I'm done for.

"Ijichi-san" Nanami began in his characteristic impassive tone. Ijichi immediately gulped, bullets of sweat starting to prickle on his skin.

"Y-yes?" He whimpered, involuntarily making himself smaller in his driver's seat.

"Your minute is up," Nanami concluded, turning his face to look outside the window, seemingly done speaking.

Ijichi sighed with bated relief, until he heard Nanami's voice again.

"I'll handle her. Thanks for informing me," the ratio sorcerer said impassively, and the assistant thought, for a moment, that he saw through the rearview mirror a content smile flash on Nanami's face.

Finally, Ijichi thought, sighing, as he began moving the car. Tomorrow I'm getting another pair of shoes.

... Wait a second, did Nanami-san just say he'd... 'handle'... her...?

Realizing it, Ijichi blushed violently, and coughed a few times as he stopped by a red light.

"Is everything alright?" Nanami inquired.

"Y-yes. J-just fine, nothing's wrong," the assistant stuttered, more embarrassed than he had ever been in his entire existence, ready to shove his head in a hole on the ground, realizing what his request — please do something about it — actually sounded like.

Maybe this thorough embarrassment was even worse than listening to your gibberish, after all.

Tag-list: @marikuchanxo

Also sorry marikuchanxo this took me so long to post 😅

[ear-worthy]

Book Review: So Long, Chester Wheeler

Author: Catherine Ryan Hyde

Rating: Four out of Four “Positive Attitude” buttons

Ease Of Reading: 296 pages. Flows nicely. Narrative excellence and and ear for dialogue.

When To read: After accidentally being at your grandparents’ house when they have Fox News on the TV 24/7.

You can’t make a living being an author of uplifting novels without experiencing pain, regret, anguish, and sadness. So, a successful writer like Catherine Ryan Hyde doesn’t offer her readers a Pollyanna version of life, nor any toxic optimism. No, Hyde understands that life is too often like walking through mud with snowshoes on. Her novels reflect the sharp needles that surround us in life, and the secret map to avoid those cuts and slashes, and discover redemption in the most unlikely of ways.

So Long, Chester Wheeler, published in December 2022, is a novel torn from the maelstrom we call the news cycle and carefully caressed by the author to release revelations about the spiteful virulence life can inflict, and how we deal with them.

Here is an excellent summary from What’s Better Than Books? book review and recommendations website. It’s one of the best out there.

“Lewis Madigan is young, gay, out of work, and getting antsy when he’s roped into providing end-of-life care for his insufferable homophobic neighbor, Chester Wheeler. Lewis doesn’t need the aggravation, just the money. The only requirements: run errands, be on call, and put up with a miserable old churl no one else in Buffalo can bear. After exchanging barbs, bickering, baiting, and pushing buttons, Chester hits Lewis with the big ask.

“Lewis can’t say no to a dying wish: drive Chester to Arizona in his rust bucket of a Winnebago to see his ex-wife for the first time in thirty-two years — for the last time. One week, two thousand miles. To Lewis, it becomes an illuminating journey into the life and secrets of a vulnerable man he’s finally beginning to understand. A neighbor, a stranger, and a surprising new friend whose closure on a conflicted past is also just beginning.”

Fox News and conservative radio and podcasts add daily to their enemies list — LGBTQ, minorities, immigrants, teachers, progressives, pro-choice advocates, gun control supporters, and mask wearers. That’s the world of Chester Wheeler. When Lewis agrees to drive Wheeler to Arizona to confront his life demons, we, the readers, are confronted with an ugly yet inescapable reality. Hate always needs a fall guy.

Chester Wheeler has lived simmering in this slow cooker of grievance until the death in the form of terminal cancer forces him to rip off the bandage that has protected him all these years from his own life miscues. The wound is raw. A failed marriage. Feelings for another man he felt were shameful, and a loss of his children. For Wheeler, and people like him, life is hard, perhaps too hard. Blame must be assigned and weakness must never be displayed. The enemies surround him, and he fights back with angry words, hateful bumper stickers, and a cruel streak sharpened by his decades of disappointment.

But the title character, Chester Wheeler, is really the stage decoration for the main act, which is the reclamation of Lewis’s psyche. After all, when we first meet Lewis, he doesn’t exactly have life figured out yet. He’s broke, out of a job, out of a bad relationship, and without a goal other than just survival.

Of course, when Lewis first works as the home health aide for Chester Wheeler, hate burns red-hot in his mind. It’s late in the novel that we find that Lewis has a realization about Chester Wheeler, people like him and people like himself.

“…that I started to understand him. Because somewhere along the line . . . somewhere down the road in this process I got something. All the way down to my gut, I got something I’d never gotten before. I got that when a person is rude and abusive to me, it’s not about me at all. They can say something terrible to me or about me, but they’re revealing themselves, not me. It has nothing to do with me. They’re just showing me the landscape on the inside of themselves as they project it out onto somebody else. Does that make sense? It’s the first time I’ve tried to put it into words.”

It’s this revelation by Lewis that brings the sun streaming into his cloudy life. It’s why Jackie Robinson was handpicked to be the first black player in baseball’s Major Leagues. Robinson didn’t back down from racism, but he survived and thrived in an institution with a long heritage of hating and abusing people of his race.

Ultimately, So Long, Chester Wheeler is an uplifting novel. The author does not sugarcoat or downplay the animus that grips Chester Wheeler or Estelle, his next patient. Catherine Ryan Hyde doesn’t slide into cheesy aphorisms about love triumphing over hate. Instead, she wants us to understand that sometimes the last people in the world we’d expect to connect with are those who need that our help the most.

The author expects that “haters gonna hate” but wants to know what we’re going to do about it. Like any good novel, So Long, Chester Wheeler asks more questions than it offers pat answers or simplistic solutions. After, good books are about getting us to think, not telling us what to think.

You can purchase So Long, Chester Wheeler at bookshop.org, which supports your local bookstore instead of Amazon.

[scott-mccall-the-hot-girl]

my ultimate guide to thiam fic !!

( as a new teen wolf stan )

-

the classic post war, long ass (multi chapter) fic !!with great development that genuinely made me laugh out loud, they have the best friendship in this & i love it very much. ( like theo teaches liam to drive and i just *happy sobs* ) a fundamental in thiam fanfiction !! all stans have probably already read it but if you haven’t this is in fact a threat ,, go show this vv iconic story some love !!

Airplanes - Captainmintyfresh

Summary: After the Anuk-ite and the hunters are dealt with Liam needs a break. Cue Theo and a road trip that Liam should know better than to think will be peaceful.

Not Rated, No Archive Warnings Apply, Completed, 43/43 Chapters, Words: 236,875 (236k)

-

okay okay so this one is also post 6B !! but ,, now we introduce fighting monroe & the hunters again ,, so we get the boys & a new mission !! so if you like an intresting plot 11/10 would recommend !! just to be clear this ISN’T complete ,, if that turns you off i understand but definitely give this one a read !! it litterally have theo doing crossword puzzles & fighting zombies

Vacancy Signs - LovelyLittleGrim

Summary: Theo and Liam are in Manhattan negotiating a pack allyship when the zombie apocalypse breaks out. Now, the two of them have to find their way back to Beacon Hills without getting eaten by zombies or killing one another.

Rated: Explicit, Graphic Description of Violence, Not Completed, 15/17 Chapters, Words: 89,605 (89k)

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Royalty AU !! I REPEAT ROYALTY AU !! a fantastic au where i stan their moms more than i stan them !! genuinely so good at the childhood rivals to lovers trope !! i’m genuinely obsessed with this one. has made me cry more than once ,, hurts in a good way <3 the ending is just *chefs kiss* also one of the tags is genuinely: # theo and liam make bad choices for over 130k straight !! if that doesn’t sound appealing i don’t know what does !!

Artificial Love - songbvrd

Summary: Prince Theo and Prince Liam are forced to spend every Summer together from age five onwards. They hate each other, and usually find ways to make each other miserable as much as possible in their six weeks together. But when they're reunited because of intended unions as adults, things change. They're both supposed to be married to noble women, but neither of them is as interested in anyone else as they are with their childhood rival.

Rated: Mature, No Archive Warnings Apply, Completed, Chapters: 32/32, Words: 172,935 (172k)

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so if you are in the mood for a crack fic that’s not explicitally a crack fic this is for you !! okay so i’m really hit or miss with AU’s ,, sometimes i feel like they don’t quite capture the characters right but this story have the BEST dramatic liam i have ever seen in my life !! basically they all live in the same apartment building & it’s fantastic !! i saw this one floating around a lot but the summary didn’t really unrest me until i have it a shot !! so go read it rn !! also nolan & brett are genuinely fantastic and make me wheeze ,, LIKE ACTUALLY VERBALLY LAUGHING !! all i’m gonna say is that my fav characters are scott & the beetles but that won’t make actual sense until you read it !!

The Neighbors Song - TheodoreR

Summary: “I always hear you singing on your balcony every morning, but suddenly you’ve stopped?”

Or the one where Theo annoys Liam every morning with his awful singing until he doesn’t anymore and Liam is even more annoyed. Liam hates every single thing about his mornings -the fact that they happen in the morning alone is enough. The thing Liam hates the most about his mornings though is the terrible voice of the guy who lives below him. He can’t sing for shit and Liam tried to politely let him understand that by throwing flour and water on his balcony, and also by shouting it to him, you can’t sing for shit!, and then by writing it into a note he proceeded to attach to his door, but this Raeken guy just keeps doing it, every single morning, like a fucking rooster. Liam did nothing to deserve this. He probably didn’t do anything to deserve better either to be fair, he doesn’t expect to open his window and be welcomed by some angelic voice singing him good morning, he’d just be happy with nothing. Silence. That’s something Liam can appreciate in mornings. Just some bark from his dog and the sound of his misery and that’s it. But no, god forbid the new guy lets him have that.

Rated: Explicit, Creator Chose Not to Use Archive Wanrings, Completed, 8/8 Chapters, Words: 42,814 (42k)

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me: i’m not a big fan of AU’s ,, proceeds to talk about ANOTHER au… OKAY BUT THIS ONE !! it’s not complete but the author has been updating regularly ,, vv slow burn !! but in a REALLY intresting way !! i lOVE LIAM IN THIS SO MUCH ,, he is such a diaster of a person and it’s wonderful !! they have a great dynamic & i’m sucker for general puppy pack content ( and erica reyes being a badass ) !! also theo plays lacrosse in this & i really like it ahhhhh ,, also liam is just being an artic monkeys stan the whole time & theo is like *que confused repressed gay noises*

Inglorious Roommates - honeyscape

Summary: A roommate is defined as “a person with whom one shares a room.”

Theo would say a roommate was more along the lines of, “The person who's the bane of his existence. The weirdo that sleeps for days. The spaz that exercises at 3am. The guy with a revolving door of annoying friends. An insufferable human being that Theo has no control over living in his room.”

Example: Theo hates his roommate Liam.

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okay okay i hate myself but i have another WIP for y’all !! this one is jUST FANTASTIC. i’m genuinely so upset it’s most likely not going to updated again *incoherent screaming ensues*. for this story ,, it’s very theo-centric bUT thats bc it ends right before liam becomes a concrete member of the story !! ANYWAY: basic plot = theo & acquiring not one but two children ,, so #dad theo but he is still crusty & homeless and i love him very much. it’s just so GOOD !! just read if you want to experience my fav theo coming out story & him etching high school musical

Look who's talking - Captainmintyfresh

Summary: Theo had been labeled many things in his life. Evil, failure, monster. He'd never thought Father would be one of those things but as he looked across the table to a six year old with blue smears of bubble gum icecream across her face trying to coax the first words out of her sister. Finger jabbing towards Theo's face as she repeated 'Daddy' again and again he couldn't bring himself to dispute the label.

(Theo accidentally adopts two young werewolves)

Not Rated, Creator Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings, Not Completed, Chapters: 16/?, Words: 48740 ( 48k )

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so here me out: post-canon ( poetry like angst ) summer get away !! just the boys doing cute little domestic things together whilst pining !! theo’s guilt in this is just so powerful & aGjffkgkkfkvkdlv !! i think it’s so interesting to see how they interact in this one, it’s just very heart warming !! and it features one of my favorite niche teen wolf tropes of theo being great with like seven year old girls- it’s just so good ,, very much a wonderful little one shot that just makes your heart happy.

(next time i see you you'll show me) a hundred different ways to say the same things - cherrysprite

Summary: “...You deserve good things,” Liam says eventually. He makes sure not to look at Theo even though he can feel his eyes turn on him. Somehow he can already tell that Theo doesn’t believe him.

Liam instantly makes that the goal of this summer - making Theo believe him.

Rating: Teen and Up, No Archive Warnings Apply, Chapters: 1/1, Words: 28875 ( 28k )

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okay so this next section of fic recs is a bit different !!

two of my favorite authors !! and a compilation of fics i’ve read by them both !!

for context: these two have written some genuinely gorgeous fics, like pure poetry, they explore the real gritty & scary side of our boys relationship in such a wonderful way. they’ve both used some of my favorite tropes & i love them very much !!

whenever i need something soothing but so genuinely intresting & enticing these are my go to !! ( also they both write a lot of good nolan angst & some vv good fics with hayden )

go check out:

eneiryu

as well as fallingforboys

here are some of my favorite fics by them ~

darling i want you here in my arms (kiss the pain away, i know you can) - fallingforboys

even before you touched me, i belonged to you (all you had to do was look at me) - fallingforboys

memories linger like tattoo scars (but your touch on my skin is just as permanent) - fallingforboys

skin, bones, a stolen heart, and an ugly creature lurking underneath -fallingforboys

i don't know how to breathe in the place i called home - fallingforboys

whisper your gossamer truths into the shadow, maybe you'll find the answers you're searching for - fallingforboys

between the mountains and the valley we built a monument to our regret - eneiryu

cracked the hinges of the cage and waited for you - eneiryu

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okay and finally: since i am a self centered whore

my own fic: an rendition of the # elevator scene

it’s basically my version of post canon if we did get the kiss in the elevator. we got a classic liam pov in which he is has 12/10 for extreme bi diaster energy even whilst being shot at !! so go him ig…

Fuck Off, Fuck This & Fuck It! - nefelibata_peach

Summary: Liam thought to himself heart rate climbing, they were bound to be dead by morning. So he thought with everything but his brain and he kissed him.

Where Liam Dunbar is very confused, slightly traumatized, and just a bit scared but hey, aren't they all! Bad decisions ensue as two boys fight in a war they never did sign up for.

Rating: Teen and Up, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Chapters: 1/1, Words: 3558 ( 3k )

[takingchences]

𝐔𝐋𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐩𝐭. 𝟏𝟐

Where the descendant of a legendary quirk longs to rewrite history by becoming a hero. But in order to fulfill her dream, she must first face off against ghosts from her past and a growing attraction for the insufferable Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight.

Pairing: Katsuki Bakugou x OP!fem!oc

Warnings: mature language

series masterlist + my masterlist

Today's going to be a great day.

The day of the world famous Sports Festival had finally arrived. The class of 1-A was tucked in a room below the stadium, waiting for the opening ceremony to begin. Some sat and fidgeted nervously, while others joked and laughed like it was any other day. Sana was somewhere in the middle. She was nervous, yes, but not about the competition. She was more confident in her abilities than ever after the intense training regimen she made with Bakugou. The Sun was out, and there wasn't a cloud in sight, so she didn't have to worry about conserving her energy.

No, she was worried about something else.

Her father.

Umi had stopped her on her way out that morning to inform her that Yoichi would be attending the event. It wasn't a surprise, really, only an inconvenience for them both. Her father droned on and on about how heroes were nothing more than attention seekers and how her dreams were meaningless and a waste of time and resources, but he had to keep up the appearance of doting father for everyone watching.

Just like someone else she knew.

Her eyes flickered over to Shoto, who looked even more self-isolated than usual. She was sure it had to do with the fact that Endeavor would also be making an appearance. The Pro had a knack for making his children as miserable as possible and special days like today were no exception. If anything, he'll probably be more irritating and overbearing than usual. Yippee.

She longed to embrace Shoto, squeeze his hand and assure him that everything would be fine, that they would get through this day together. But she had a feeling that if she tried to approach him now, given the stressful situation and tension still between them, it would only worsen the half-and-half boy's already foul mood.

She feared that if she upset him further, he'd say something he could never take back. Something that would end their friendship for good and shatter her already battered heart.

Sana felt someone watching her.

She forced herself to look away from her former friend, only to lock eyes with Bakugou. He was leaning on the wall with his arms crossed.  He looked like he'd just downed a bag of lemons, though she wasn't sure what she'd done to piss him off this time. She hadn't even spoken to him since the day before, when he'd made a surprise appearance at her house.

She arched her brow in question.

He huffed, his expression unreadable as he turned away. Boys, she sighed with a shake of her head. Why do they have to be so complicated?

"Midoriya." The familiar voice pulled her attention back to Shoto once more. The greenette looked startled as he turned to face the dual-haired boy. The room fell silent, all eyes now on the two boys.

"Todoroki," he squeaked. Sana hoped Shoto wouldn't be too hard on the poor boy. He was practically trembling under the taller boy's predatory gaze, and the Festival hadn't even started yet. "What is it?"

The dual-haired boy before them was angry. So angry, in fact, that he'd almost appear indifferent to anyone who didn't know him. His expression was apathetic and as harsh as an Arctic tundra, but she knew from personal experience that a raging fire was currently rampaging through his body.

"Looking at things objectively, I think I'm stronger than you."

"Huh?" The freckled boy rubbed his neck, clearly unsure of how to respond to such a bold statement. "Uh, yeah..."

Sana frowned at the unlikely pair. She knew it was petty and selfish of her to think, but if the red-and-white haired boy was going to address anyone in the room right now... shouldn't it be her? His best friend? His confidante? She knew exactly how he was feeling right now. She was in the same boat with her father present. Except, unlike him, she wasn't lashing out under the burden of her fear and anxiey.

Was he challenging him? If so, why not challenge her as well? They'd been rivals their entire lives! In the training exercise at the start of the term, he'd criticized her for not being on his level. But hadn't she proved herself more than capable that same day? She'd shown him just how far she'd come without him. Was she wrong to think that he would notice or care?

Sana clenched her fists, feeling her palms heating up. Her jaw clenched painfully as her eyes burned with the ferocity of a thousand Suns.

It was so frustrating. Why couldn't he call a truce in their cold war for one day? Surely they were mature enough to put their differences aside for a few hours to come together and hold each other up? Why couldn't they just talk and work through whatever was bothering him?

What made Midoriya so special?

She hated thinking that way, but a part of her didn't care anymore. She'd been vying for Shoto's attention for a year now, bending over backwards to try and win her friend back. As far as she knew, she hadn't done anything wrong in the first place, but she'd apologize until she was blue in the face for whatever wrongs she'd apparently committed. They'd gone through too much together, meant too much to each other, to throw their friendship away over... what? She didn't even know!

But she was done crying over him. She was done crawling after him and pleading for mercy.

The dual-haired boy continued. "But... All Might has his eye on you, doesn't he?" Sana raised a brow at that. She'd noticed the hero's interest in her classmate, but had assumed like most of her classmates that it was simply because they both had strength quirks and dismissed the thought. Did Shoto know something the rest of them didn't?

Midoriya certainly looked spooked. Maybe he's on to something after all... "I'm not trying to pry about that," Todoroki stated, Midoriya too shocked to respond. I am, Sana argued.

"But I am going to beat you."

Kaminari, trying to lighten the mood, inserted himself in their public, yet somewhat private, conversation.

"Oh?" He wiggled his eyebrows, throwing a loose arm around each of their shoulders. "Is the best in class making a declaration of war?" He laughed. Shoto shrugged him off roughly, his heterochromic eyes laser-focused on Midoriya.

"Hey, hey, hey! Why are you picking a fight all of a sudden?" Kirishima stepped in, ever the peacemaker. He put some space between the two boys, hoping to break up the tension.

However, Shoto was in a worse mood than she'd thought.

"We're not here to play at being friends." She felt his slice her like a knife. A rush of air left her lips as he finally looked at her for the first time since that day in the infirmary. He might as well have been looking through her. "So what does it matter?"

Her throat tightened, feeling the unwelcome prick of tears she'd never allow to fall. But she held her head high, meeting his gaze head on. She refused to shed another tear over him. If he wanted to be angry, that's fine.

She can be angry, too.

Midoriya stepped forward. "Todoroki, I don't know what you're thinking when you say you'll beat me, but of course you're better than me." He shrugged helplessly. "I think you're more capable than most people." The greenette's meek voice slowly gained confidence as he spoke of the other courses and how everyone would be aiming for the top, himself included.

The class fell into silence once more, not even Mina or Denki daring to say anything. Thankfully, it wasn't long after that they were told it was time to line up outside.

As Sana moved to leave the waiting room, a calloused hand gripped the back of her shirt and held her back. The sweet scent of caramel and woodsy cologne washed over her.

"Yes?" She asked, not bothering to turn around. Bakugou, never one to be ignored, spun her to face him.

"You're acting weirder than usual." He pointed out with narrowed eyes. "Is it your shitty quirk?" Sana wondered if he was genuinely concerned and hiding it, or just worried that she wouldn't give it her all in the tournament. Either way, she appreciated the sentiment. It meant that on some level, he actually cared.

The strawberry blonde sighed, her entire body feeling weighed down as though her bones had turned to lead. Bakugou's hold on her collar was probably the only thing keeping her upright in that moment. She'd trained so hard... but she hadn't anticipated the emotional strain of today. Not only did she have to deal with a pissed off Todoroki and her own fucked up feelings, but now their fathers have thrown themselves into the mix. Fan-fucking-tastic.

"Not this time." She didn't elaborate, and for once, the ash blonde didn't push her for a better answer. Smart boy.

"What?" He cocked his head, a half smirk on his face. "You mad Icy Hot didn't challenge you?"

"If I recall correctly," she smiled sardonically. "He didn't challenge you either." His eye twitched in annoyance, his mouth twisting into a snarl.

"What you said yesterday... did you mean it?" He almost sounded normal, which was incredibly rare for Bakugou. So, in true Sana fashion, she had to tease him about it. She figured they both could use a sense of normalcy before all Hell broke loose in the stadium.

She tilted her head to the side to appear clueless, tapping her chin.

"I dunno. What did I say yesterday?" The blonde grit his teeth, his pale eyebrows nearly touching from how furrowed they were. But all the peach-haired girl could focus on was the color quickly rising in his cheeks. From rage or being flustered, she didn't really know or care, so long as she was the reason for it.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about!"

Bright and early that morning, Umi rushed to answer the door before whoever was on the other side splintered the wood under their booming fists. The front door opened to reveal a scowling ash blonde dressed head to toe in black. He clenched a bouquet of flowers in one hand, the other hanging in the air between them, ready to beat the door into submission. His scowl darkened at the sight of the older woman, his bright eyes narrowing into slits.

"Who the hell are you?"

Umi plastered on the polite smile she saved for unsavory guests at dinner parties or for Yoichi Sakano on the rare occasion he was home. "I could ask you the same, young man."

The blonde clicked his tongue. "The name's Bakugou. Where's Flashlight?" Umi was convinced the blonde had a few screws loose and opened her mouth to run him off when-

"Who the hell is pounding on the door so early?" Sana whined, rubbing her sleepy eyes as she shuffled down the stairs. She nearly missed a step after spotting the figure in her doorway. The strawberry blonde paled, suddenly aware of how underdressed she was. She was wearing a silky blue pajama set decorated with white bunnies, matching fuzzy blue slippers, and her hair hadn't been brushed yet.

Oh, shit.

She quickly ran her fingers through her messy locks, trying to style it as she hastily descended down the stairs. She slipped past Umi to join the blonde on the porch, pulling the door closed behind them... but not before catching the confused and curious eye of her housekeeper. She would hear about this later. There was no doubt about that.

"What are you doing here?"

Bakugou glanced away, the veins in his neck straining. He practically threw the roses at her. She rushed to catch the bouquet before it fell to the ground. "Geez."

"For last night," he mumbled, shoving his now free hands into his pockets. "I was an asshole."

"...only last night?" Sana jested, lips curling into her usual Chessire grin. His own mouth softened into a lopsided smirk, his sharp canine poking out.

Out of all the impressively exaggerated facial expressions he was capable of making, this was by far her favorite: relaxed and carefree. Bakugou allowing himself to openly express his feelings (the positive kind, not just anger and hostility) was a rare and beautiful thing to witness.

"Shut up, freak." He said without his usual bite.

She giggled, bringing the stargazer lilies up to her nose and inhaling deeply. They were her favorite flower... not that he could've possibly known that. They were wonderfully vibrant, the various shades of pink and orange highlights reminding her of her own unique coloring. Even the ribbon wrapped around the stems was nearly identical to the one she used to tie her hair back in training. The thought made butterflies erupt in her stomach. He had to have noticed, too. Bakugou is annoyingly detailed. He doesn't miss a thing.

"The hell are you wearing?" Bakugou's brows furrowed as he finally took in her appearance. The sight of her kid pajamas nearly made him snort.

"Shut up!" Sana shrieked, her face glowing in embarrassment. "Your loud ass interrupted my beauty sleep." He barked out a laugh. It was gruff and incredibly attractive. The low sound didn't help the warmth in her cheeks. She had to clear her throat before attempting to speak again. "Thank you for the flowers. They're beautiful."

He shrugged nonchalantly, but his satisfaction was evident in the way his chest puffed out, his terrible posture straightening up.

"Are you ready for the Festival tomorrow?"

She already knew his answer. He'd been boasting about his inevitable win since the Festival had been announced. But she wasn't quite ready to let him go just yet. Not after everything he'd said last night, so she'd listen to him brag for as long as he wanted so long as he stayed with her a while longer.

"I'm gonna beat your ass into the ground." Sana went to make a sly remark but he interrupted her before she could. "Fuck off." She laughed.

"You're that confident, huh?" She shook her head in amusement. "Care to make things a little more interesting, Katsuki?"

"The hell are you yapping about now?" He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. It was her turn to shrug. His words from the previous night had haunted her mind on a continuous loop. He'd all but admitted to having feelings for her, she was sure of it. But when she'd pushed him for an answer, he ran off, disappearing into the night. She'd tossed and turned all night, unable to relax with all of the questions bouncing around in her brain.

But here he was now... apologizing and bringing her flowers that felt like they were expertly chosen to reflect her and her quirk. If he wouldn't confess his feelings, she'd just have to flush them out of him another way.

"A friendly wager," she moved the flowers to one hand, holding her other out for him to shake. "As an added prize for the winner... what do ya say?"

"Oh, right. That," Sana nodded, feigning innocence as she waved her hand. "Sure, why not?"

He shifted his weight, eyeing her suspiciously. "You never said what the prize would be."

"Why spoil the fun?" Sana wiggled her brows, backing out of the room. "Good luck, 'Suki!" She called as she turned and ran out of the room to rejoin their class. She heard his heavy footsteps trailing behind her, grumbling to himself as she linked arms with Mina.

Today's going to be a great day, she repeated to herself like a mantra, hoping that if she said it enough times, it might come true. But after talking with Bakugou, she realized that the fog of fear and dread and nerves that had been shrouding her all morning had dissipated.

Today's going to be a great day, she reminded herself once again.

And this time, she almost believed it.

¸☾⋆*･ﾟ¸☾⋆*･ﾟ¸☾⋆*

After what has to be the worst opening speech in history given by one Katsuki Bakugou, it was time for the first round to begin. Midnight, in all her uncensored glory, revealed the first challenge to be an obstacle race.

Easy right? Wrong.

They were forced into a narrow tunnel, impatiently waiting for the round to begin. The scenario reminded her of the chaos in the hallway after the security breach. Back then, she'd had Bakugou there to help guide her through the crowd with his larger body.

Now, she was on her own.

She grimaced as a bony elbow burrowed into her ribcage, a large shoulder pressing into her's from the other side. This must be part of the challenge, she realized, ducking and shoving her way forward, gliding through the space between hot, sweaty bodies. Hisses and yelps followed her as she activated her quirk, her skin lightly steaming as her body rose to an uncomfortable temperature. She almost didn't notice the chill in the air.

Almost.

"START!" Midnight's voice reverberated throughout the stadium, followed by the snap of her whip.

Sana jumped straight up, keeping her palms parallel to the floor. With a burst of energy from her palms, she soared above the countless students that were now trapped within Shoto's ice.

With a self-satisfied smile, she shot out of the tunnel like a rocket. There was a commotion behind her as her classmates broke through the congestion. She was pleasantly surprised by the number of them that managed to make it straight out of the gate.

For one moment, Mineta was in the lead, only to be sideswiped by a giant green robot. They were dozens of them, appearing out of nowhere to block the only path forward. With minimal difficulty, Sana weaved between their large bodies, staying airborne as ice and metal rained down on the people below.

Present Mic's colorful commentary was nothing but background noise. She wasn't focused on anything but directing her quirk.

Explosions could be heard close by, a loud voice cursing at her and Todoroki. Daring a glance back, she quickly spotted him propelling himself through the air using small bursts from his hands. His feral expression was both hilarious and unnerving.

"Great minds do think alike, huh, Suki?" She called over her shoulder.

"Screw you!" He spat. "I did that shit first!"

She remembered their first day, during the quirk assessment test. Back then, they'd both done similar moves, and now here they were again months later, still imitating and learning from each other.

"Maybe," she eventually conceded. "But I do it better!"

"You-!"

The blonde was cut off as he moved to avoid the robots suddenly collapsing around them. The edges of the metal were still glowing bright orange from the heat used to slice through them like butter. Todoroki isn't holding back, so why should I?

Sana shot Bakugou a wink, her eyes an iridescent pink. "Gotta blast!" She cheerfully saluted with two fingers before flipping him the bird.

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

[snelbz]

Life As We Know It {Chapter One}

Summary: After the sudden deaths of Nesta’s sister and Cassian’s best friend, they gain guardianship of their nephew, Nyx.

Based on Life As We Know It (2010) and a prompt sent in by anonymous for our Nessian fanfic contest. This is a modern au.

Instead of doing a tag list for this story, we have decided to have a set posting schedule. Chapters will be posted weekly on Mondays and Thursdays. Chapters will be posted on both my and Tara's blogs! >> @tacmc.

Life As We Know It Masterlist

Shelby's Masterlist

Tara's Masterlist

5 years later….

Nyx looked at his birthday cake and the lone candle that was lit atop the icing before looking up at Feyre with a confused expression on his beautiful, little face.

His mother laughed, quietly, before leaning forward and taking out the candle. She had just blown out the flame when Rhys barely pushed the cake closer to Nyx, who put his chubby, little hands smack-dab in the middle of the icing and dug in.

Everyone had come to celebrate, and even Nesta couldn’t stop her smile from showing. At least, she let it show when she was on the opposite end of the house from the one and only, and massively self-centered, Cassian Nazari.

Of course, he would be at Nyx’s first birthday party. He was Nyx’s uncle - maybe not by blood, not that blood mattered when it came to Cassian, Rhysand, and their other lifelong friend, Azriel.

He, too, stood across the kitchen, watching as Elain snapped picture after picture of the jubilant baby, the mess atop his high chair the largest Nesta had ever seen. She knew Elain was taking notes for their own daughter’s birthday party, though she was barely three months old.

Rhysand’s smile was as big as Feyre’s as they watched their son, listening as his giggles filled the kitchen. Nyx realized quickly that the cake was for him alone and after smashing it for a few moments, he lifted a large handful to his chubby face and took a bite. His eyes lit up and that started the giggling anew.

Nesta loved her nephew and niece, had loved him since the day they were born, but she didn’t envy her sisters and their happy families. Unlike them, she had remained perfectly content on her own, especially after the endless string of disaster dates she had been forced to sit through throughout the years.

And children? It wasn’t that Nesta disliked kids. Not all kids, at least. She loved her nephew and niece, anyway. Having one of her own, though? Having to be around one every day? Every night? Having to constantly try and make a tiny person content?

No, thank you. That was a challenge she had little interest in.

A deep rumbling laugh came from across the house and Nesta looked up to find Cassian entering the kitchen, still chuckling at something Mor had said.

As hard as she tried, she couldn’t keep her lip from curling slightly as she looked at him. It only infuriated her more when he caught sight of her as he raised his beer to his lips and winked.

He was absolutely insufferable.

After their catastrophe of a date years ago, which Nesta had made Feyre promise was a stunt she’d never pull again, she had only been forced to be around Cassian Nazari a handful of times.

One of which was during Feyre and Rhysand’s wedding, only months after their date.

“You only have to walk with him for thirty seconds,” Feyre had sighed, while Mor continued to pin and curl her hair into place. “You don’t have to be happy about it.”

“Good,” Nesta said, draining the glass of champagne in her hand. “Because I’m not.”

As Feyre’s maid-of-honor, it was customary that she was supposed to walk out of the wedding arm in arm with Rhysand’s best man. She wished that he’d picked Azriel, but since it seemed the Cauldron hated her, it had to be Cassian.

Elain, who was harboring the world’s most obvious crush on Azriel at the time, was thrilled with how they’d be exiting the wedding. Nevertheless, she said to Nesta, “I think you two got off on the wrong foot. He’s a really good guy, Nes.”

Nesta shot her youngest sister a look of pure annoyance through the mirror’s reflection. “Have any of you ever been on a date with the guy? And not only a date, but the worst date of your life?”

Feyre snorted, fully aware of where this conversation was headed. “No.”

“Then you have no room to talk,” Nesta snapped, admiring herself in the mirror. “Mother’s tits, Feyre, he wore jeans to the nicest restaurant in Velaris!”

“At least he didn’t wear his boots,” Mor muttered, then she caught Nesta’s glare in the mirror. “Really? He wore his boots?”

“He was dressed for an all-night, summer bonfire,” Nesta said, shaking her head. “And he’s completely full of himself. And, he forgot his wallet!”

“Not like you can’t afford dinner,” Feyre said, and Nesta’s lips snapped shut. She was fully aware that the conversation had somehow become a let’s-pick-on-Nesta session.

Feyre added, “You have to walk back down the aisle with him, share an entire table during dinner, and that’s it. No one is asking you to dance with him, but be nice.” Nesta met Feyre’s eyes, her jaw set. Feyre sighed, “Fine, be civil.”

She scoffed, but nodded. “Fine.”

The ceremony itself went off without a hitch. It was beautiful and elegant and the perfect wedding Rhys and Feyre had always wanted.

She ignored Cassian’s unending looks the whole night, managed to give her maid-of-honor speech without snarling at him, and after that, took advantage of the open bar her sister and new brother had so kindly provided.

She was coming out of the bathroom, a glass of wine still clutched in her hand, doing her best not to trip over her own feet when she walked into a wall.

A wall of solid muscle that turned out to be Cassian’s back.

When he turned around and she looked up at him, his eyes were nearly as glazed as hers.

“Hello, Nes,” he said, smirking down at her.

She bit out, “Don’t call me that.”

“That was a pretty, little speech you gave,” he said, leaning against the wall. “I know true love exists cause I’ve seen it first hand. Poetic.”

Nesta scoffed, brushing off the skirt of her dress as if he had tainted it. “Don’t flatter yourself. I wasn’t referring to you. I was talking about Feyre and Rhys, in case you thought otherwise.”

“Oh, I didn’t,” he promised. “Honestly, I didn’t think you were talking about anyone. Just some fluffy shit that sounded sweet. Unless it’s that guy that showed up at the restaurant and ruined our date. Oh, wait,” he began, tapping his chin as if in deep thought, “You dumped him though, right? Poor bastard.”

“You’re a prick,” Nesta bit out. She refrained from saying that Tomas hadn’t ruined their date. It was sad that seeing her ex was one the bright points of her night, rather than seeing the Greek god standing before her. The pretentious, cocky asshole of a Greek god.

He only grinned. “But am I a liar?”

Nesta’s jaw locked. She eyed his tux. “I’m just glad you decided to clean up for your own brother’s wedding. No jeans?”

He scoffed. “Is that the worst you’ve got?”

“Do you prefer me to give you my worst?” she asked, brows furrowing. “If so, you may want to be careful what you wish for.”

Cassian said nothing, just lifted the beer she hadn’t noticed in his hands to his lips.

Nesta rolled her eyes, brushing past him, and made a move to head back into the reception.

His voice called out behind her, “You don’t have to be such a miserable bitch, you know?”

She froze, looking back at him. He was no longer smirking at her. Instead, his eyes were intense. “Excuse you?”

“You’re so miserable that you won’t allow anyone else to have any fun, won’t allow yourself to either,” he said, still leaning against that damn wall. He crossed his arms over his muscular chest, his dress shirt tight and loose in all the right places. “You want everyone else to suffer, just because you’re forcing yourself to, for whatever reason.”

“You don’t know a damn thing about me,” she bit out, stalking back over to him. She was so close she had to look up into his face.

“I don’t,” he said, words clipped. “I tried, but you didn’t seem very inclined to let me get to know you during our date. You were more concerned with my attire and your ex than you were with me. You thought all I wanted to do was fuck you.” His eyes, still glassy and glazed, dragged down her body and back up again. “Besides, you’ve got that damn stick shoved so far up your ass, there wouldn’t have been room for my cock even if I’d really even tried.”

A blink was Nesta’s only reaction. Then her hand was moving of its own accord, splashing her full glass of wine directly in his face and all over that pretty, white shirt.

“Go fuck yourself,” was all she’d said before she walked back into the ceremony, leaving him there to drip on the venue’s fancy carpet.

“Nesta!”

She blinked, Feyre’s voice drawing Nesta out of her memories, looking over at her sister. She stood next to Rhys and Elain, who had her camera in her hands, and Cassian stood behind Nyx’s high chair.

“I want a picture of him with his godparents, come here,” she beamed and Nesta tried not to cringe.

She had been so proud, her heart feeling like it would burst when Feyre and Rhys had asked her to be Nyx’s godmother. There was no hesitation when she said yes, tears lining her eyes as she’d hugged both her sister and brother-in-law.

She tried not to think about the fact that when they’d told her Cassian was his godfather, she nearly asked them to give the distinction to Elain.

But she hadn’t, wouldn’t. Despite what others, especially Cassian, thought of her… Nesta loved her nephew.

She loved her family.

With a sigh, Nesta meandered over to Nyx’s high chair. “Alright.”

“Closer,” Feyre ordered, gesturing Nesta to move in closer beside Cassian behind the high chair.

Nesta’s lips pursed but she took another step toward the boys for her sister’s sake.

“I’m not poisonous, Nesta,” Cassian muttered, smiling at the camera as he spoke. “You won’t burst into flames if we brush arms.”

“You’d be so lucky to brush arms with me,” she muttered back, hoping the smile she was giving her sister was convincing - and knowing full well that it wasn’t.

Without another word, Cassian tossed his arm around Nesta and said, “Cheeeeese!”

Nyx was giggling, looking up at his godparents behind him. There was so much joy and adoration in those big, beautiful eyes that Nesta didn’t have the heart to storm off, leaving Cassian in her dust, no matter how much she wanted to.

The camera’s flash went off and Nesta pushed Cassian’s arm off her shoulder.

The rest of the party was perfect. Feyre took Nyx up to the bathroom to clean him off, while Rhysand, Azriel, and Cassian hauled his many gifts out into the living room. Feyre opened them one by one, despite everyone knowing Nyx had no clue what was going on, though he did clap his chubby little hands and giggle at a few particular items. Nesta stood off to the side with Elain, holding a milk-drunk, sleepy Seph in her arms.

Azriel and Elain’s little girl had been a surprise, neither of them planning on Elain getting pregnant so soon after they got married. They both fell into the role of parents so seamlessly though, that Nesta knew another baby would be in their near future. They adored the baby girl, and she was the most perfect baby Nesta had ever seen.

Persephone hardly cried, only doing so when she was hungry or needed to be changed, and once whatever wrong was taken care of, she became a happy, smiley baby again.

Nyx, on the other hand, had been a hellion as a baby.

Which was to be expected, considering who his father was. Although responsible when necessary, Rhysand was just as much of a madman as Cassian...especially when infused with alcohol.

“You look good with a baby,” Elain crooned from beside her sister.

Nesta rolled her eyes. “You can keep trying to push me down the marriage-baby road, but I just won’t take it. Wasting your time.”

Elain sighed, dramatically, with that little grin remaining on her soft pink lips. “As long as you stay such a good auntie, I suppose I can’t complain.”

Nesta looked down at the sweet, sleeping infant in her arms. She didn’t mind those little snuggles.

She did mind the diaper blowouts, constant spit-ups, and loud crying, though. That’s usually when she gave Seph back to her parents and blissfully enjoyed her independent life.

Feyre gasped and Nesta looked up. She was holding a little guitar that had Nyx’s name and the night sky engraved into the dark-stained wood.

Nesta’s eyes snapped to Cassian.

Cassian smiled, fondly, at Feyre. “I know he won’t be able to start messing with it for another few years, but I couldn't help myself.”

“He made that himself, you know.” Nesta’s eyes shot to Elain, who was watching the scene before them. She whispered again, “He doesn’t do it for a living, of course, but it’s a hobby of his, making guitars. He’s really good.”

She blinked, the information catching her off guard for whatever reason. But all she said was, “That’s nice.”

She spent the rest of the afternoon, ignoring the man as much as she could, as she always did. But as the guests began to dwindle, as Nyx and Seph went down for their naps, the three sisters gathered in the living room, while Rhys, Azriel, and Cassian went out back to inspect the small jungle gym Rhys was building for Nyx. Again, he was too young to use most of it, but the tiny swing and slide would be hours of fun for the little man.

Feyre brought two cups of coffee out to her sisters before collapsing next to Elain on the couch. “That could not have gone better if we tried.”

Nesta leveled her a look and raised an eyebrow.. “If we tried? You had a minute-by-minute itinerary for a one-year-old’s birthday.”

“Everything was perfect,” Elain smiled, cutting off Nesta, blowing on her coffee gently. “Nyx had a good time, neither he nor Seph had a blow-up, Cassian and Nesta managed to be in the same room without stabbing each other. All in all, a good day.”

Nesta rolled her eyes before throwing a vulgar gesture towards her sisters, who were both laughing.

“Fine, new subject,” Feyre grinned. “Oh! Before I forget, Rhys and I are going out of town for our anniversary in a few weeks. I was hoping you could watch Nyx for a few days.”

It took Nesta a moment to realize that Feyre was talking to her. She froze, having been blowing on her own hot coffee. “I’m sorry, what?”

Feyre laughed, quietly. “I was hoping that you could watch Nyx while Rhys and I go away for a long weekend. We’re going to the mountains for our anniversary. To his family’s cabin.”

“Oh, that sounds nice,” Elain said, looking at Nesta.

Who blinked, having only unfrozen to set her coffee down on the table between them. “You want me…to watch Nyx…for the weekend? Alone? By myself? Just me and him?”

“That’s what I was hoping for, yeah,” Feyre said, nodding as she sipped from her cup. “You can come here, where all of his stuff is in one place, and make yourself at home.” She shrugged. “I’ll leave money for takeout and the key to the wine cabinet.”

Nesta hesitated. “I’ve only babysat Nyx a couple of times…all for, like, an hour each.”

“It will be fine,” she said, a genuine smile on her face. “It will only be three nights, really. We’ll leave after work on Thursday and be home Sunday evening.”

Nesta stammered and shook her head. “I have to work on Friday, the restaurant-.”

“I’ll keep him during the day on Friday,” Elain offered. “I don’t have any shoots that day, so he can spend the day with me and Seph.”

“You could keep him the whole weekend,” Nesta tried, looking at her younger sister hopefully.

“Seph is enough of a handful,” she chuckled, glancing at Feyre, who was nodding as well. “I don’t think I can handle two at once for an entire weekend.”

“Please, Nes,” Feyre said, drawing her eldest sister’s eyes to her. “I know you can do it and it would be nice for you to spend some time together, just you two.”

“And you can call me, if you need anything,” Elain added.

Nesta looked from Feyre to Elain. “You two already planned this.” They at least had the wherewithal to look guilty. She sighed, closing her eyes and shaking her head. “Fine. But I’ll probably end up calling both of you every thirty seconds.”

“I can work with that,” Feyre said, just as Elain said, “Then it’s settled!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Nesta snorted, shaking her head. “But, I hope you know that I wouldn’t do this for anybody else.”

“Oh, I know,” Feyre grinned, “which is what makes you such a wonderful, wonderful big sister.”

“I am pretty damn wonderful,” Nesta agreed, grinning as she sipped from her mug.

As she drank, she peeked out the window, where the boys were putting together the playset. Once she did, only one thing caught her eye.

Cassian was already watching her.

And when he caught her gaze, that stupid little, cocky-ass grin appeared.

She hated that grin, hated it with every ounce of her being.

And she wouldn’t feel bad for it, no matter how much her sisters adored the guy.

She hated him, hated Cassian Nazari.

And she always would.

[seeminglyseph]

Mini-fic to get it out of my brain, Ari and Jeremy have a chat at the Holden Wedding reception

Jeremy groaned as Ari took a seat beside him even though he had finally managed to catch a break from "Leon's", torturous egomania. "I still have no idea what your sort gets out of clinging on to people like me and Mr. Personality over there."

Ari snorted as he looked over to what Jeremy thought were much more appropriate friends for the newly minted Holden pair. They all were laughing and energetic, much like he wasn't, but then as Ari's gaze turned to him it felt heavier than expected.

"What sort am I again? Is it stupid or crazy?" There was a nonchalance to the young groom's demeanor that Jeremy could just barely identify as entirely fake. His bright green eyes seemed to shine with a mix of amusement and probably anger, though the low light made it hard to tell.

"You look like you're gonna punch me again if I give the wrong answer to that." Jeremy pointed out with a sigh, he really only sort of remembered earning a fist to the face when they'd met, but since the man'd invited him to his wedding it didn't seem like a grudge Ari still held. 

"I think Cove would divorce me if I started a fight at our wedding. Or Baxter would, after all the work he did to make things perfect." Ari laughed and waved the idea off.

"Your wedding planner will divorce you?" 

"You never know, he's highly skilled in the art of ghosting me.” 

"How does someone ghost the world's clingiest couple?" 

"Mm. Almost, but don't wanna let you dodge that one." Ari smirked and raised a split eyebrow quizzically. The scars the man had as an adult had at first left Jeremy to wonder if fighting was a normal routine for the similarly short and green themed man, but it didn't take long to figure out most were self inflicted. "What sort of people do you think I am Jeremy?"

It was a little frustrating that both Ari and his husband both wanted his opinion on them as if they didn't have far better sources for that information. 

"You're obviously still stupid if you're asking me." Jeremy sighed heavily, but did stop to think when Ari's laugh did nothing to break the expectant stare he had levelled at him. “Insufferably persistent if nothing else."

"People have called me a jackass for many reasons, that's true enough." Somehow Ari's acceptance of the insult was more frustrating than if he'd argued.

"Was one of the reasons also because you do dangerous shit to make people like you?" Jeremy wasn't entirely sure that was a correct judgment, but Ari's embarrassed reaction confirmed it.

"I guess I can't really hold it against Leon for spilling my secrets since we made him spill yours." Ari laughed sheepishly and scratched his chin, there was a slight rasp of stubble against his nails and Jeremy was briefly reminded that he hadn't actually met Ari as a little boy and how little that made a difference.

"Shiloh didn't tell me much of anything about you, really. It's just kind of obvious. If you need validation so much that you're asking me about it you're obviously insecure." That was… harsher than he'd intended it, but it would probably be a blessing to have this conversation end. Unfortunately, Ari only laughed in response.

It was honestly more laughter than brushing off an insult should involve. 

"Most schools don't have clubs for difficult people, you know? And probably most towns have more than 3 kids who live there. Isolated outsiders who… mm. Lack proper socialization? What kind of people do we become?" Ari's laughter trailed off as his gaze drifted to his giant dopey husband. 

"Angry." While Jeremy was probably one of the few people in the aquarium tonight who had been the focus of Ari's temper, he was aware he knew the least about it. Even so, he had a feeling that he might've been one of the few people who Ari had allowed to see that side, even if it was just that he'd managed to push the right buttons at the right time. "And then tired and miserable."

Ari  clicked his tongue and snapped a fingergun in Jeremy's direction, "That we do. And when everyone is determined to only see the good in you when you feel like the core's gone bad?"

It was on the tip of his tongue to protest the association between the two but Jeremy bit down and let himself listen instead of react. He did know how infuriating it could be to have people refuse to acknowledge your own opinion, especially about yourself. "So, you keep me and Fields around to insult you?" he asked dryly.

"Maybe. Maybe I just need honesty from people who don't care so much. Cove and Cliff spend so much time acting like I did them a favour just by existing around them, sometimes I dunno if I'm a Holden now 'cause they want me in the family or if anyone else'd been there they'd be just as grateful…" Ari shrugged, seemingly trying to invalidate the feelings even as he said them.

"I was right the first time. You are an idiot." Jeremy sighed heavily at the sad mix of self-doubt and sentimentality.

"That was my nickname for a while, you know?" Ari grinned wryly without much amusement for this nostalgia trip. 

"Your nickname was Idiot?" Somehow that seemed unlikely even to Jeremy, even kids were more creative with insulting nicknames than that.

"Well, no. Technically it was 'ljit' like with the accent? Some girls I was trying to be friends with gave eachother cute nicknames like 'Boony' or 'Katten' and other animals pronounced slightly wrong, but I was sick the day they decided them and when I got back they didn't want me to have one, and when I got too annoying about it they decided I would be ljit." Ari was fiddling with the cufflinks on his sleeves, seemingly focused on them and not whatever reaction Jeremy might have to the story. "So, I was ljit for about 3 years before junior high started and the girls went to different schools."

"I guess tenacity makes up for a lack of creativity…" Jeremy muttered as the ridiculous nature of the nickname made more sense.

"And then when I was finally free some jerk with a bowlcut and a bad attitude brought it up again." Ari's grin was toothy and mean but somehow in a way that seemed playful instead of angry.

"Sounds like a loser, hope you punched him." Jeremy couldn't help a little smirk growing across his face.

"Yeah, his head was harder than I expected though, it really hurt my hand."

"How unfortunate, hope you learned your lesson."

"Mm. Yup, body blows are the way to go. If you're lucky they puke. If you're unlucky they puke on you."

"Thanks for the advice, I'll take it to heart."

[just-mya-writing]

Break Up

Kenny x reader break up. Also Kyle x reader break up. Much angst. Writing this through tears. Gender neutral reader. 

TW//: implied suicide 

You and Kyle used to be the perfect couple. All throughout high school, you two were always seen by each others side. If your class was on the third floor while his was outside, he’d walk you to class every single day. He did football, so you did sports medicine. You did theatre, so he did orchestra. Whatever you did, wherever you went, Kyle wasn’t too far behind. You even shared multiple AP and honors classes together. After all, who could possibly make for a better lab partner?

Cartman extended his mistreatment of Kyle towards you, but neither of you cared for what the fat man said. Stan became one of your closest and dearest friends, becoming the unfortunate third wheel. Meanwhile, Kenny-

Kenny.

Kenny was...your ex. A bittersweet relationship between the two of you lasted a whole three years before the ugly end. You don’t like thinking about it. You don’t like talking about it. You hated him. Hated all the tears he made tumble down your cheeks. Hated the ache you felt in your heart, in your stomach, each and every time you saw the color orange. You hated the sunsets you’d used to watch together and the constellations he had learned just to impress you. You hated his goofy smile, and unkept hair, and large warm hands. 

You hated Kenny McCormick. 

From that bittersweet summer of eighth grade all throughout high school. Every time something reminded you of the boy, the pain and resentment swirled around inside, fighting for dominance. But perhaps the one thing you hated most of all was the fact that you couldn’t stop thinking of him.   

That summer was rough. The breakup, the fighting, the tears. It happened just like it does in all those stupid movies you watched with him. Unlike those movies however, there was no big reunion. No ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘I need you in my life’. Nothing. Just like you felt when you ran, barefoot, away from his house. Tears and insults flying behind you. Your intended destination was the park. You didn’t go to the park.

You heard the red haired boy gasp your name as you tumbled inside, hiccupping sobs still coming out from clenched teeth. You did the first thing that came to mind. The first thing you could think of. You hugged your friend Kyle. Tightly wrapping your arms around his skinny body, you pulled him as close as you could. His mom was yelling at him to close the door, or maybe she was yelling at him to come back to the dinner table. You don’t know. The only thing that you could think about was your boyfriend. Your ex-boyfriend. And the way Kyle’s arms felt around you. Soft. Sturdy.

Safe. 

He comforted you through tears and a bottle of room temperature water. He didn’t have to, but he did. Of course he would...it’s Kyle. He’d stand between you and an angry hornet if he had to. That’s just the kind of person he was. You were thankful, apologizing when you weren’t thanking him for sitting beside you. Your soft whimpers turned silent as he soothed your thoughts and wiped away your tears. You knew he was saying something, but couldn’t remember the words. But you remember the warmth felt while being with Kyle. Kenny’s name and crime soon melted away from your mind from a single kiss on your forehead. Kyle’s lips were soft. As soft as his chest, which was softer than your favorite pillow. You hated how quickly you fell asleep that night. You hated how you didn’t hear him as he confessed his love for you, smiling the whole time. You hated how neither of you had talked about that night for days afterwards. But now, you hated how you agreed to go out with him. 

Kyle was very different from Kenny. Obviously. Kenny took you on random trips to the beach and ran through sprinklers with you on his back. Kyle planned coffee dates and walked through the park with you my his side. Kyle kissed you as if he cherished every last second. Kenny kissed you as if it were his last second alive. Kyle wanted to take things slow. Kenny joked about the names he thought of giving the kids you were going to have. Both had told you he loved you more than anything else. 

“...I guess that was a lie.” you whispered to yourself. You wanted to laugh, but all that came out was a dry chuckle. You watched as your phone blinked 1% for a few short seconds before finally dying. It too had given up on you when you needed it. You placed the dead phone on the sidewalk you were sitting on, staring at your reflection. You couldn’t register the person staring back at you was...you. The person in the reflection looked sad, miserable. They had tears in their eyes. But you don’t-

Oh. You were crying. You didn’t bother wiping them away, letting large drops splash on top of your useless phone. The streetlight you sat under fizzled, then shut off, leaving you in near complete darkness. Alone. You were tired. You wanted to go to sleep. You laid down on the cold sidewalk, curling up in a futile attempt to conserve as much body heat as possible. You heard his voice echoing in your head. 

“It’s just not working out anymore”

You tried to shut it out, tried to ignore the feelings that bubbled up to your throat. 

“I can’t do this anymore...I just can’t! You’re insufferable! I just. I need to be alone!”

“Kyle...please” you whispered. Teeth chattering. You were scared that the tears sliding out from your closed eyes would freeze them shut forever.  

“Get out. I said get out! Out!”

You wouldn’t have minded never opening your eyes again. 

“Kyle...you-you promised. You promised me forever...was that just-”

“For fucks sake, get the hell out of here already!”

You’re starting to thing Kyle wouldn’t mind either. 

“Hey...hey Ken. It’s, uh. It’s me.”

“Ooooh, hi hi me. Helloooo” 

“I-Kenny are you drunk?”

“...maybe”

Not even Kenny, the boy who said he’d move mountains for you, would care if you just...if you’d...

“Pfft. Skkrt...bwahaha! You mean. You’re actually-aha to tell me. You? In New York right now? Yeeeeah right. I’m no dumbass, dumbass. Your the dumbass...d-d...dumbass.”

Maybe he was right. You were a dumbass. But hey, at least now you know. 

“I won’t miss you”