#seeing a pattern of dinosaurs all over it.

[wienners]

the worst thing (and probably the the thing that spurred my everymanhybrid rewatch) was watching the q&as as background noise a few months ago and realizing i have the same fucking khols button up

[5sospenguinqueen]

Needle Little Love | Charles Leclerc x Ferrari! Reader

Summary: When you’re announced as Ferrari’s newest driver, fans love the budding friendship between you and Charles, especially when he adopts your penchant for crochet puns. Netflix expose that there’s more to the story. 

Warnings: Slightly suggestive content. Swearing. Fluff

2023-2024 timeline. Pinterest pics.

Requested: Yes by @rebelwrites. Find the full request here

A/N: There's a blurb halfway down

F1 Masterlist

━━━━ ༻𖥸༺ ━━━━

its_ynln just posted

liked by charles_leclerc, olliebearman and others 

its_ynln chronicles of yarnia 🧶

1,609 comments 

francisca.cgomes okay but i’m gonna need that top in all colours please

→ its_ynln let me get your measurements at zandvoort 

user1 what is charles doing here

→ its_ynln i’m plagued by his brother and we both like to go zoom?

→ arthur_leclerc just for that, i’m not coming to your celebration party in zandvoort. i’ll go party with charles

→ its_ynln don’t want you there anyway 

→ oscarpiastri @/charles_leclerc the girls are fighting again 

→ user2 i love how they’re just assuming she’ll win 

lilymhe i love my pillow! thank you thank you thank you 🌼

→ alex_albon she literally carries it everywhere and i’m not allowed to touch it 

user3 we love how racing is just her side hobby 

jackdoohan day 116 of asking you to make me my own dinosaur 

→ its_ynln i can make a voodoo doll of you if you don’t stop pestering me

→ jackdoohan i’ll be glad when you’re gone

→ user4 gone where! 

→ user5 well she is currently leading the f2 championship, and they won't let her back 

user6 drop the patterns please, babe

user7 i love how half the people here are because of her crochet, not because she drives

━━━━ ༻𖥸༺ ━━━━

f1 just posted

liked by ferraridriveracademy, oscarpiastri and others 

f1 welcome to the team @/its_ynln we look forward to seeing you on the grid in the new year 

5,533 comments

its_ynln what can i say, it’s knot just another hobby

→ user8 babe, stick to crochet. stand up comedy is not for you 

ferraridriveracademy take good care of our girl 

→ scuderiaferrari thanks for letting us have her

charles_leclerc welcome to the team 😄

→ user9 why is this the blandest welcome ever 

→ user10 someone feels threatened

→ arthur_leclerc *trying to contain his excitement

francisca.cgomes this is the best news ever. will you teach me to crochet?

→ pierregasly because stealing my girlfriend over summer break wasn’t bad enough?

→ its_ynln are you still salty that she let me touch her boobs

→ user11 i know it was to measure her chest for clothes but still.. 

scuderiaferrari are we going to have to pr train you? @/its_ynln

→ liamlawson30 yes

→ alex_albon yes 

→ jackdoohan yes

→ its_ynln why am i being attacked by twice the amount of people now? 

arthur_leclerc thank god she’s not my problem anymore 

→ its_ynln i’ll always be your problem, little leclerc 

→ oscarpiastri oh fuck, she’s my problem now

charles_leclerc just posted

liked by maxverstappen1, pierregasly and others  

charles_leclerc winter break spent somewhere sunny  

2,316 comments

scuderiaferrari come back, we miss you 

user1 um, whose hand is he reaching for in that first pic 

→ user2 idk but we should be saying thank you for dressing him in that shirt 

its_ynln is your skin ferrari red yet 

→ charles_leclerc no, i keep getting slathered in sun cream :(

→ arthur_leclerc factor 50? 

→ user3 i love that she’s bullying him before she’s even been his teammate on track

user4 this shirt looks similar to one yn posted a few weeks ago??

→ user5 and the hat!!

→ user6 omg how cute would it be if charles was asking her to crochet him some clothes 

→ user7 we love a supportive teammate

landonorris rocking the bucket hat, mate. think i can get one in papaya? 

→ charles_leclerc i’ll hook you up

oscarpiastri i miss you, dad

→ its_ynln i’m not babysitting next year. just putting that out there ahead of time 

→ charles_leclerc not even if i ask nicely?

→ its_ynln maybe if you let me win

→ charles_leclerc 🤔🤨

user8 why are we skipping past the sneaky soft launch?

━━━━ ༻𖥸༺ ━━━━

2024

“You know, we both have driver’s rooms for this sort of thing,” you breathed, giggling when Charles’ facial hair tickled your neck. 

His mouth sucked gently on the pulse point thrumming beneath his tongue, tracing kisses from your ear down to your collarbone. The stack of worn tyres cushioned your back as he pressed your harder against them when you reached around to pinch his backside. 

“Oi, I’m talking to you.” 

“I’m sorry, mon ange, but you looked so good when you were giving that interview. And you kept laughing-”

“Oh, so it’s not that I’m so irresistible that you couldn't wait until we were safely in the garage. It’s that you were jealous.” You raised an eyebrow at him, unable to fight the smile at his rougish grin. 

“You are irresistible,” he murmured, hands snaking around your waist to pull you flush against him. “Why else would I be making out with you in an alley behind the motorhome?”

“Because you’re a horndog.” 

You and Charles had been dating for the past year, having met after he caught you winding up his younger brother one race weekend. Ferrari had been eyeing you up all year, asking the Monagesque what he thought of you, prompting him to pay closer attention. Prior to you signing your contract, you’d had to disclose your relationship to Fred Vasseur. Whilst the senior members of the team were aware of your more-than-teammates status, the majority of the paddock were in the dark. Both of you wished to keep the relationship under wraps until your rookie year in F1 had passed, reducing speculation that Charles was the only reason you got your seat. Sneaking around the motorhome was a lot safer than making out behind tyre stacks, but Charles didn’t care at this moment in time. 

“You going to be nice and let me win today?” He teased, nibbling at your lower lip. 

“I think you mean, am I going to let you massage my feet after I win? I won here last year.”

“Yes, yes, bow down to you.”

“Well, I do like you on your knees.”��

Grinning, Charles captured your lips with his once more. Tongue swiping against your bottom lip, he groaned against you when your tongue met his. Hands snaking into his hair, you tugged gently on the soft strands, enjoying the whimper you pulled from his lips. He tilted his hips, pressing himself against you. 

“The things you do to me.”

A loud cough - more of a throat clearing - tore the two of you apart. Wide eyed and panting, you both turned in horror to look at the misfortune person who stumbled across you. Fred Vasseur stood at the end of the alleyway, shaking his head at his two drivers. It was bad enough watching them make heart eyes at each other during data reviews but this. Behind him stood a cameraman and a mic guy, mouths agape at their luck. Drive to Survive would be flooded with viewers once they teased this. Breaking News: Ferrari drivers caught locking lips in secret tryst. 

“I’ve got Netflix following me around today.” Fred said bluntly, staring you both down. 

“Oh crap.”

“Yeah.” 

━━━━ ༻𖥸༺ ━━━━

next day

charles_leclerc just posted

liked by its_ynln, arthur_leclerc and others

charles_leclerc you could say we’re a close knit bunch

4,416 comments

its_ynln i fell for you hook, yarn and stitcher 

user8 not charles adopting her crochet puns 

jackdoohan so he gets a toothless keychain and i still don’t get my dinosaur? 

→ liamlawson30 that’s because he’s sleeping with her

→ jackdoohan if that’s the price...

scuderiaferrari finally. we were getting sick and tired of archiving all the pics we took of you both being cute. now we can post! 

→ arthur_leclerc please don’t. it’s bad enough seeing it in person for the past two years. i don’t want it on my timeline

→ user9 two years! they’ve been together two years! 

alex_albon can’t believe you posted a photo of her in a nice dress and didn't even give her photo creds

→ its_ynln he’s intimidated by my raw talent 

→ oscarpiastri i watched you flip over the handles of your bike the other day 

→ its_ynln raw talent

→ charlesleclerc @/its_ynln when was this? why didn’t you tell me? are you okay? 

georgrussell63 did she beat you?

→ charles_leclerc i let her win

→ landonorris yeah, you’ve been saying that all season, mate

→ its_ynln you got a nice consolation price out of it tho

→ arthur_leclerc ew!

user10 i love that charles has posted this and yn hasn’t mentioned anything about him lol 

→ user11 her entire insta is the two sides of her personality; car and yarn. can't have a man ruining the aesthetic

━━━━ ༻𖥸༺ ━━━━

A huge thank you to @rebelwrites for the request. I hope this lives up to expectations

Requests for F1 smau's are open. You can see who I write for on my Masterlist :)

[orphicsun]

.・College Ellie Headcannons゜・

Note: This is more loser Ellie-centric, I wanna maybe do a part two with just reader and her. Some sexual content and mentions of getting zooted below so 18+ warning!

•Art major, but she’s not the typical hot artsy lesbian you dream of her to be. More like rolls a fat blunt and sketches in her journal, it’ll either turn out to be a masterpiece or look like a crackhead had a go with her paper.

•Speaking of art major, when she’s horny and frustrated because she refuses to hook-up…she draws the lewdest art known to woman-kind. Those are her real masterpieces, but she can’t exactly turn them in for credit in her art class, can she? Fuck, the things that woman can make, though. Lowkey uses her exes naked bodies as inspiration though, maybe kind of weird but who’s gonna stop her?

•Doesn’t eat the food on campus half the time. She is embarrassingly addicted to Tai Pei containers and the occasional microwavable egg-roll. “That shit’s nasty, Ellie! Goddamn, just eat the Tacos 4 Life we have on campus.” Her friends will all tell her, but no. It’s like a guilty pleasure. Maybe it’s cause she grew up lower class and is used to TV dinners, has a special trauma bond to food that should be banned and probably is outside of America.

•Wardrobe consists of band tees, honorable mentions to Gorillaz and Falling in Reverse.

•Is actually an insanely talented writer. After reading her journals I feel like nobody talks about how emotional her entries are and she keeps a journal of her own in college for sure, not only for sketching and organizing art but also to write all her feelings out.

“Fuck me, this is my last year being gay.” -After her and Cat’s break-up, probably.

•Hates coffee. Definitely game-cannon, but this is important to the college setting. It’s the classic Monster or nothing, and she will absolutely judge you for drinking coffee. She calls it “the devil’s dirt.” So dramatic.

•Used to watch bad Hallmark movies because of Dina, now watches them alone because she misses Dina. There’s nothing like crying your eyes out to Christmas Under Wraps!

•Has a collection of rubber ducks on her shelf. Doesn’t use her very small space for normal things like her wallet or books, no. It’s rubber fucking ducks.

•Also has a slipper collection in her tiny closet, from Pikachu all the way to dinosaur feet.

•Has the “two-seater” t-shirt (iykyk) but refuses to wear it in public because she’s a pussy

•Favorite fruit is grapes. I just know my girl loves grapes when she can get her hands on them steer clear bc she will NOT share. Favorite candy is gummy worms!

•Actually wears rain boots when it’s wet outside or snowing

•Likes wired earbuds over airpods, listens to Pearl Jam when she misses living with Joel

•Is oddly good at making those little paper stars and has a huge grocery bag of then in all different patterns and colors

•When she starts dating you she shows you her dinosaur cookie-cutter collection because you're really good at baking. (Also bc she wants to see you in a frilly cute apron!)

•Is a slut for hugs. Kisses are cool, sex is great but agghhh Ellie just loves wrapping her arms around you and sometimes when you two are in her dorm she'll just hug you for what feels like hours on end, she calls it her 'weekly therapy.'

•Loves high sex because when she's sober she hates feeling like she's awkward or all up in her head. She also has a tendency to invite you over for sex after smoking.

•Has a septum piercing. Maybe this one is self-indulgent because I would go ballistic over seeing actual Ellie with one, but I say that college Ellie got hers pierced at 16 and didn't cry over the pain but wanted to literally jump off of a bridge the entire healing process it was so bad.

•Sometimes when you kiss her, her septum will slide over and look uneven and she feels fucking NIGERIA FALLS in her boxers when you fix it for her. Also for those of you who are sluts for glasses, you can fix her glasses too and it'll make her just as weak.

[woso-dreamzzz]

Torn IV

Kewis x Child!Reader

Summary: You zone out sometimes

It was Kristie's fault.

Or, really, Kristie was blaming herself.

Time off from football meant spending time with family which has now transformed into wedding planning.

Wedding planning with Sam was a bit like getting blood from a stone. Sam didn't really care about colour pallets and flower types and patterned tablecloths.

Kristie had to practically hold her hostage every time they sat down to plan and, with all her focus on keeping Sam in one place, you'd kind of slipped through the gaps.

You'd always been an independent player and you'd never had any problem asking for attention when you wanted it but it was up to Kristie and Sam to notice when things went downhill health wise for you.

It was one of the odd days that Sam was out, having another check up on her knee and Kristie was the only one at home with you.

You're playing by her feet, making a series of growls and chirps for your dinosaurs. Helen sits on the table in front of you, absentmindedly cleaning herself.

You go silent suddenly and Kristie leans forward to see why.

You've frozen in place though, staring straight at Helen like you can't even comprehend she's there.

"Chook?" Kristie calls," What is it?"

You don't answer.

"Chook? Chook!"

It can't be more than fifteen seconds before you snap out of it, almost immediately going back to playing with your toys.

Helen mews at you softly and you look up at her in confusion as she wanders over to butt her head against your hand.

"You want to play too, Helen?"

"Chook?"

"Yes, Mommy?"

"Why did you stare at Helen like that?"

You frown, turning to look at Kristie. "No I didn't."

"Chook." Kristie's voice goes firm. "Don't lie."

"I'm not!"

"Chook, I'm not trying to tell you off. I was just curious."

"But I wasn't, Mommy!"

"Chook-"

"I didn't! I didn't!!"

"Chook-"

You get up and run off to your room, slamming it closed with a thump and Kristie sighs deeply at your behaviour.

She pushes the thoughts away though, forgetting about them and not mentioning them at all to Sam. It was just a little thing. It hardly mattered, not when getting Sam to finally decide on the menu for the wedding was more important.

But it's still there in the back of her mind. Somewhere very deep in the very back of her mind because she finds her watching you zone out every so often.

She times it, almost always around fifteen seconds. You zone out randomly, sometimes you blink, sometimes you smack your lips together or jerk your hand in random intervals.

But you don't seem to remember it, immediately going back to what you're doing.

Kristie watches you do it now, at her bedside in the middle of the night. You're just staring at her, blinking randomly and she reaches out for you.

"Chook?" She asks," Chook, baby, are you okay? What's wrong?"

You're still frozen for a little bit before clarity appears in your eyes again and you say," Helen threw up on my floor."

Kristie sighs, whacking Sam on the shoulder, jerking her awake.

"Sam," She says," Helen threw up in Chook's room. We need to clean it up."

"Wha-? Huh?"

"Helen threw up," Kristie repeats," All over Chook's new carpet. We need to clean it."

Sam drags herself out of bed. "I've got it. Come on, Chook. Let's go check on Helen, huh?"

You nod and Kristie gets out of bed too, frowning.

"Chook," She calls as Sam gets to work cleaning up your carpet," Can you come here a sec?"

You pad over obediently, letting Mommy touch your forehead and check down your throat.

"Mommy," You complain," Helen's sick! Not me!"

Kristie's not convinced.

They've been happening on and off for days now. It's a wonder it takes this long for Sam to notice but eventually she does.

It's a quiet day off and, for once, Kristie isn't jumping down her throat at wedding planning.

Sam's planning on relaxing with a movie but she's staring at you instead.

You're staring at her too, technically but you're not really. You've got that glazed-over look in your eyes that your teacher had told Sam about just two days ago when she picked you up from school.

Your teacher told Sam to try to snap you out of your daydreaming but she thinks this is different. You have no concept of what's going on around you.

You have no idea Sam's waving her hand in front of your face.

"Kristie!" She yells out, panicked," Chook's being weird!"

Kristie doesn't seem as panicked when she comes in though, inspecting your face before sighing.

"We need to take her to the doctor."

[leisureflame]

"I CANT THINK"

If you write, I assure you you have thought that.

Fear no more child, for I have found a solution.

it's called Rapid writing

something we learned when I was in 9th grade drama class and I cannot emphasize enough just how effective it is. Its actually what gave me the idea for my first book.

Stop what you are doing and do what I tell you

go grab either a pencil and paper (or open an empty document)

set a timer for 2 minutes

ask a friend to give you a random sentence. I have a few examples that I myself rapid wrote to: a) I looked around and saw b) the old lady hung from the ceiling and laughed c) purple paint dripped from her long purple fingernails d) there is a hole in my ceiling. e) when I am sad I... f) When you close the door, I... g) there is a wooden door with a gold doorknob

Now the most important thing is not to think of this sentence before you start writing. as soon as you decide which one if you are choosing from my examples (or as soon as you hear it if you are getting if from a friend), start the timer.

start writing the sentence and without hesitating just keep writing. the #1 rule here is to not stop or hesitate for a single second until the 2 minutes are over. you can write nonsense if you want and if you REALLY can't continue then write some random words for a couple of seconds then continue AS LONG AS YOU ARE STILL WRITING.

another rule is that you are not allowed to delete. even if its a spelling error, just ignore it.

after the timer is done, I promise you will have something to work with. now copy the paragraph you wrote and paste it below, here you can start fixing spelling errors and adding things at your own pace because now the creative side of your brain has opened.

don't think about the way you are writing or the words you use, think about the story you are telling. the idea.

Sometimes you will get something beautiful and deep like I did here:

When I am sad I go to my blanket, not many people know about it, all they think is happening is that a child likes to cuddle in a blanket, but no. my blanket has a special thing about it, it is a magical blanket, well, not the blanket itself but the embroidery on the blanket, it simply takes my sadness away but it adds the story of my emotions to the embroidery, my blanket is a very pretty one, it is a pastel blue color and it has so much silk embroideries that you just think its patterns, but it isn't, if you look deeper you will find stories every one of those stories came from someones tears... my tears. whenever i cry, i wipe my tears with my blanket and my pain goes but my story stays.

or

there is a wooden door with a gold doorknob on the door there is a painting of you, and there are many locks on the door from top to bottom, when you open the door, there is a mirror. this door is the door to self discovery, from the outside there is a painting of how people think you look like but when you open the door, you get to see what you really are in detail and look at yourself they way you want to, you can smile or cry and the refection on the mirror will change but on the painting, it doesn't show ur emotions, just how people see you usually.

or you can get something so stupid like i did here:

there is a hole in the ceiling in my classroom. everyday a dinosaur would a pear and eat my lunch and i keep coming home hungry but my mom dsays she packed me enough food. so she didn't feed me. i told her a dinasour was eating my lunch but she said that disasours only live in Norway! so i went into the school vents looking for that idino and revenge my food, we met at last, held our weapons, i was holding a subway sandwich and the dino was holding a bana na MY BANANA  i lost it, so i attacked him one hit on the head and the whole species were extinct , people thousand of years from now said dinos got extinct because of a meteorite but i know better, also i am still alive because whoever kills a dino becomes immortal, also i killed my mom for not believing me and let her starve in her grave just like she let made me starve. and then i killed everyone who was a flat earther because i hate them and now i can kill anyone once i tap them with my super subway sandwich 

(by the way, ignore the horrible spelling, the examples i gave were from the unedited version.)

THE POINT IS ITS ACTUALLY SO HELPFUL. you can use it for a new story idea (i used the blanket one as an element in one of my WIPs and it helped the story a lot) or if you get something stupid like the dino one I wrote THATS GOOD THATS FINE because now you have your creativity going.

I challenge you to actually try this and PLEASE share it with me I LOVE reading other peoples rapid writings. have fun <3

tagging @cosmosandcapybaras24 @ajsbookshelf @gloryofdawn, @chaoticharmony93 @deception-united and anyone else who's interested to try this out and share with me!

[sirhamburrger]

all i want for christmas is some decently wrapped presents (ryusei shidou x gn!reader)

ryusei shidou is one aggressive person - no holiday activity is safe, not even giftwrapping. luckily, he has you to teach him the ropes. "i just want you for my own, more than you could ever know" || wc: 488 || tags: gn!reader, reo slander || borders by @saradika-graphics series m.list

“hey, ryu, i’m home - what the…”

ryusei sits in the middle of the living room in a pile of colourful, festive wrapping paper - shreds of it, more like - and the gift boxes are strewn across the floor. he wears a strained sharp-toothed grin, and his hair is a little messier than usual. you don’t think you’ve ever seen a disaster of this magnitude. that’s really saying something, seeing as you’ve babysitted kunigami’s twin toddlers before.

a strip of paper falls from the sleeve of his sweater where it’s gotten snagged.

“... evening, babe!”

at first he seems much too cheerful for someone who’s just made a huge mess, but you know him too well. the vein pulsing at his temple is an indication that he’s fast losing his patience. that combined with his slightly manic smile, the huge mess and the hints of papercuts on his hands…

“aww, baby… were you trying to help with the gift wrapping?”

you set your things down, narrowly avoiding tripping over the stack of books in front of the couch. (they’re for barou, gagamaru and reo, if you remember correctly.) cushioned comfortably by both the shaggy carpet and the loose paper shreds, you let out a quiet sigh of relief, your muscles relaxing.

“yeah,” he mutters, averting his gaze and blushing in a way you think is absolutely adorable. “damn paper just won’t fold right.”

“see, you gotta crease the paper properly,” you say patiently, grabbing a book off the top of the stack entitled ‘the intelligent fund investor’. “okay, this is reo’s, right? right, ryu?” not looking up, you prod him, and he jolts. “hey, are you paying attention?”

“hmm? oh, yeah, i’m so paying attention. crease the paper properly so we can wrap up this finance book for barney the dinosaur -”

“ryusei!” you laugh, pushing his shoulder; he cackles, pushing you back. “okay, have a shot at it, i’ll teach you as you go.” you pick up barou’s marie kondo book, walking your boyfriend through the steps as you make the creases alongside him. it’s kind of endearing seeing his large, calloused hands trying so hard to be careful and meticulous. the complete opposite of what he is on the field - brash, bold and brutal.

but he’s with you now in your shared home, so domestic it doesn’t even seem real.  his leg brushing up against yours, his tongue poking out from his mouth slightly. in his maroon sweater and the matching star-patterned socks you got him, his nose scrunched up as he fiddles clumsily with the tiny tape dispenser. it makes you want to plant a kiss on the tip of his nose.

he’s wholly yours, and you’re completely his.

so when you’re finally done wrapping all the presents, and ryusei carries you up to the bath he’s drawn for you –

all you can think of is how excited you are to give him his present in a week’s time.

a/n: domestic shidou aughhhhhh (let us all ignore his freaky for a minute)

taglist: @anglefish3008 (closed, event completed)

bllk masterlist || general masterlist

© sirhamburrger 2024

[butchreg]

cg ! caitlyn kiramman with a baby boy regressor headcanons !!

requested by 🦁 anon. hai new anon ~ヾ(＾∇＾) . i've been cooking up a storm in the past few days hehe. 1 more request after this one then i will likely turn anons back on if any of my lovely anons would like to chat / request some more or if anyone else is itching to do so but shy. i'm also getting pretty close to 100 followers ! wowowowow :O thank you all sm ! i'm wondering if there's something i should do to celebrate? lmk if there's anything special you'd like to see from me to celebrate that milestone. okay yap over thanks for listening ! arcane masterlist here , upcoming list here

caitlyn loves to play peekabo with her baby boy, getting really into it. babies aren't good with object permanence though so if you're to get fussy she drops it right away. "shh, baby. no need to cry, mummy's right here !"

she's so attentive to your babbles, nodding along as if you're speaking coherently, encouraging you. "uh huh, is that right my love? you're so smart, who's mama's smart little boy?"

caitlyn loves seeing you smile, often tickling your tummy or chucking your chin to hear your little giggle. she always kisses your dimples which makes you giggle as well.

she's taller than you and is able to lift you onto her hip which you love. you're always making grabby hands at her, wanting her to pick you up. you love being carried so much, it makes you feel so tiny and loved.

caitlyn picking out your outfits, telling you how handsome you look. she loves shopping for you buying more clothes than you'll ever need.

she also buys you so many toys. she knows a lot of facts, telling you all about each of your dinosaur figurines and animal toys. she doesn't know much about cars but she looks up facts about the ones you like the best.

she buys you special patterned diapers with dinosaurs and jungle animals on them. if you're feeling fussy about needing a change, she'll talk you through it having you pick which diaper you want and praising you when you're done. "there, all done ! you're such a good boy, feeling better now?"

caitlyn is one of those mamas who soothes their baby by bouncing them on her hip, or carrying them around. she boops your nose, or rubs your back until you doze off in your mama's arms.

caitlyn bottle feeding you because you're too small to eat solid foods. :( she's got you on one hip while you fuss as she warms your bottle. "shhh shhh, it's coming silly boy," she chuckles, testing the temperature before sitting down in a comfy spot with you so you can nurse it. "is that yummy, hmm?" she smiles, holding your head up with one arm and the bottle with the other. your eyes slowly begin to flutter sleepily and she coos. "there we go, all done?"

caitlyn bathing you oh so gently, getting fishy bath toys for you to play with. you love baths with mama, sometimes if you're feeling especially tiny and clingy you'll bathe together, not wanting to break contact with your mama. caitlyn letting you soap up her hair and play with it, laughing at the silly styles you come up with. caitlyn giving you a soap beard and being so careful when she's washing you, checking in periodically to make sure you're still comfortable. you never want to get out, crying when the water gets cold and mama makes you get out. you have a bunch of animal head towels, which she wraps you up in immediately. she wipes your tears away, soothing you verbally as she gently dries you off. "i know buddy bathtime's fun, huh? don't cry my love, we'll have another bath soon."

[rootedinrevisions]

Cute When You're Jealous

SUMMARY: Glen misses out on an event the two of you had planned to go to together. So a friend takes you instead, but it leaves Glen feeling a little jealous.

PAIRING: Glen Powell x Reader

A/N: Thanks to the Anon who sent this request in! I tried to do something a little different with it and make Glen the jealous one instead of the reader. I hope you like it!

PROMPT: "You're really cute when you're jealous."

WARNINGS/TAGS: None. Just Fluff.

WORD COUNT: 850

TAG LIST: SEE COMMENTS

If you would like to be added to any of my Tag Lists please feel free to comment, send an ask, or send a DM and I'll be happy to get you added!

The two of you are stretched out across Glen’s couch, perfectly tangled together after the few days he was away. One of your legs is draped comfortably over his thigh, and you’re curled into his side, with your arm resting across his stomach. He’s got one arm wrapped firmly around your waist, his other hand resting over your forearm. His fingers are tracing light, soothing patterns up and down your skin—a touch that feels both intimate and grounding.

You smile up at him as you begin telling him about the Jurassic Park screening, the one he had wanted to take you to. He’s watching you closely at first, but as you start talking about the details of the night, his fingers gradually stop moving. He’s silent as you describe the T-Rex scene, his hand stilled against your arm, and you notice he’s not looking at you anymore. Instead, his gaze is fixed somewhere down near his feet, and the usual ease in his expression has gone quiet.

“Glen?” you ask softly, studying him. You can feel the slight tension in his shoulders, the subtle way his arm around you has stiffened just a bit. “Is something wrong?”

He blinks, glancing up at you with a sheepish, almost-too-casual smile. “Hmm? No, no, I’m good,” he says, brushing it off with a chuckle. But there’s a hint of something else in his tone, a little edge of restraint.

You tilt your head, giving him a look that says you’re not buying it for a second. “Okay, try that again. Because I know you, babe. Something’s definitely up.”

He tries to wave it away, running a hand through his hair, but he can’t fully hide the reluctant smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. 

“It’s really not a big deal. I just, uh…” He lets out a breath, finally looking back down at you. “I guess I just hate the idea of missing out on things with you. I was the one who planned that night, you know? And here I am, getting scooped up to New York, and then someone else gets to be there with you instead.”

You feel a warmth spread through you, and you give him a reassuring squeeze, your fingers brushing gently over his ribs. 

“So you’re saying you’re jealous,” you tease, your voice light, though your heart aches a little for him.

He scoffs, rolling his eyes like the very idea is absurd. “Jealous? Of what? That you spent a night quoting some dinosaur movie with Joe? Hardly.”

You raise an eyebrow, unable to hold back a smile as you reach up to brush a stray lock of hair from his forehead.  “Uh-huh. So, no jealousy at all?” you press gently, catching his gaze and not letting him squirm away this time. 

He shifts under your gaze, his cheeks tinged with a faint blush. 

“Maybe just a little,” he admits, reluctantly, his voice barely above a murmur. “Not in a jealous-jealous way. I trust you, and you know Joe and I get along great. I just… I don’t know. It feels weird when someone else gets that time with you, especially when I want to be the one there with you.”

“You’re really cute when you’re jealous,” you murmur, leaning up to press a soft kiss to his cheek.

He groans playfully, rolling his eyes even as his smile betrays him. 

“Oh, stop it. I am not cute right now,” he insists, though his arm tightens around your waist, pulling you closer.

But you shake your head, grinning up at him. 

“Nope, you are. And anyway, it’s not the same without you,” you say, laying your head back on his chest. “I had fun, but trust me, I’d take a cozy movie night with you any day over some big theater experience with anyone else.”

His expression softens, and he shifts his hand up to brush his fingers through your hair. 

“You mean that?” he asks, his voice carrying a vulnerable edge you don’t often hear.

You nod, meeting his gaze. “Absolutely. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be right now than right here with you. How about we make up for it and watch Jurassic Park together?”

His face lights up, and he leans down to press a gentle kiss to your lips, letting it linger. When he pulls back, his eyes are warm, his earlier hesitation melting away. 

“You’re sure?” he asks, though the grin tugging at his mouth tells you he’s already in.

“Positive. Besides,” you say, snuggling closer to him, “I’m counting on you to give me the full experience, T-Rex roars and all.”

With a chuckle, he reaches for the remote and turns on the movie. His hand returns to your arm, gently running his fingers along it again as the opening credits start to play. 

He presses another kiss to your forehead, murmuring, “Best movie night ever.”

And as the familiar music fills the room, you can feel the last of his tension ease away, leaving just the two of you, tangled up and exactly where you want to be.

[httpisaoki]

i. lazy morning + kiss countdown

sypnosis: It was the week before your girlfriend's birthday but while her schedule was jam-packed and stressful, unbeknownst to her--- you prepared the best surprise you've ever planned for her.

alternative: phase one of y/n's plan to annoy her birthday girl!!

warnings: fluff, established relationship, jimin is sleepy, jimin is wife material (as always), she's so gf material :((, kisses, pure flufffff, cooking for the birthday girl!!

-> part one of the birthday series!! if watched the jimin birthday cooking video you'll get the soup reference lmao. wc is 1.8k!!

series masterlist. next.

ever before you and jimin started dating, you always managed to surprise her with weird things on holidays, most especially on her birthday.

on her 20th birthday, you surprised her with 20 cakes for her, all with her favorite dinosaur on them. on her 22nd birthday, you surprised her to a trip to jeju, another dinosaur-themed birthday was checked on that day.

and finally, on her last birthday, you surprised her backstage during her concert holding multiple banners with her name plastered on everyone in different patterns and holding up the 5 layered cake in your hands– least to say, you absolutely loved celebrating her birthday with her. i mean who wouldn't want to just spoil a girlfriend like her, right?

but now, it was 10 days before jimin's birthday and you showed her no sign of celebrating at all this year, but that was your plan. 

you had gave her subtle hints, gifting her the things she thought were pretty, just spoiling her with anything she asked for or wanted, but you planned a set of surprises for that day, and it was by far the best surprise you planned.

the night before her birthday, phase one had began. You had set up your alarm for 12:00, the second it was april 11th, you would wake her up and try to annoy her for at least 10 minutes. It was mean, yes, but it would be worth it to annoy her on her day just to see the look of surprise on her face once jimin realized your plans.

Jimin had texted you, saying that she would be late. You chuckled at the sight of the text, you guessed right. And your plan was slowly falling into place. So you did the next step, sleep and wake up to your alarm right after the clock hit 12.

—

your alarm woke you up, shifting your body to face your girlfriend, staring at her facial features like she was a piece of art (i mean she is). you grow fond of how peaceful she looks while she slept, always so gorgeous even when sleeping.

you grinned as it was already time for your plan. You sit up, pecking her lips, stirring her awake. 

she groans, "baby?" you hummed, "23 left." you teased, wanting to see a reaction from her. she furrowed her eyebrows, her eyes slowly opening as she realizes. horror in her face as she did.

you chuckled, pecking her cheek, whispering "22 more. you better wake up, yu jimin."

she grumbled, "please," she said in a soft tone, hiding her face away again, trying to go back to sleep. she rolled over away from you, but you pulled her back. 

she tried to cover her face with the blanket to hide away from you, but you kept pulling it away, grinning and chuckling while doing so.

you placed one more peck on her cheek, telling her in a teasing tone, "21 more.."

you pat her head, "yah, happy birthday, jagi.." you smiled at her. 

she scoffed at you, a smirk growing on her face, "shut up," she said, now rolling over to face you again. before she rolled back over, she grabbed your arm, pulling you to her, and grabbing you close. 

but she didn't let go, still holding you tightly in her grasp. it was so warm and cozy, you didn't dare to move at all.

"you better go back to sleep.." she muttered, before she slowly drifted off to sleep again, still clinging onto your arm tightly.

You laughed, "alright fine. it's midnight anyway. sleep well, baby" you cooed, watching her slowly fall asleep as you waited for the night to pass by. 

as the hours passed, you couldn't help but feel a bit impatient. not only was that because you wanted to see the look on her face once you surprised her, but also the fact that you've been planning this for so long and didn't want to risk her finding out accidentally.

you felt her grip on your arm slowly started to loosen, her hand finally released it. her breathing seemed a bit more steady as she was finally into deep sleep.

You were amused that it was so easy to plan your surprise, ‘how could she not realize?’ You chuckled, thinking to yourself before falling asleep.

—

hours later, the sun slowly shone into the room, making your girlfriend stir as she slowly woke up. a yawn escaped her lips as she slowly opened her eyes and stretched, and she glanced towards the clock, and she glanced at her phone on the nightstand next to you.

"morning..." she mumbled, stretching and rubbing her eyes.

"mhm... good morning," you replied softly back to her, wrapping your arm around her to pull her to you as you cuddled her close. she mumbled, a yawn escaping her lips once more followed by a tired groan and a small huff.

she then nuzzled into you, making herself comfortable as she cuddled into your grasp. it was so warm, soft, and cozy, that you didn't want to let go, just wanting to continue holding her in your arms.

"happy birthday, baby," you whispered, pulling her even closer as your arms wrap around her.

"m-mmm..." she mumbled sleepily, slowly shifting her head to face you, her expression being tired still. she groans, "you better let me sleep..." she muttered, turning around to face away from you, before slowly shifting in your arms as she tried to get comfy again. she slowly cuddled into your side as she nuzzled her head up to your neck, nuzzling you gently for a moment.

"alright," you pat her head again, slowly standing up, "rest more, alright? don't go out until you've risen from a coma," you joked, pecking her lips before turning to leave the room.

 "20 more!" you yell out, closing the door before she could protest.

she grumbled, sighing as she heard the door shut, now alone with her thoughts and her phone beside her. 

she yawned again, groaning quietly as she slowly sat up on the bed. she shifted herself around, making herself comfortable and slowly started to scroll through her phone, not doing much, just trying to occupy herself or waste the time.

"I wonder what she's doing," she mumbles, and eventually the smell of her favorite dishes catches her attention.

the scent of food wafts over her nose, catching her attention easily. she slowly sits up, a small smile growing on her lips as her stomach growls, and her eyes glaze over. 

she stands up from the bed, adjusting her position as she walks over to find the source. she walked out of the room, the smell getting brighter as she got closer.

she soon found herself in the kitchen, the dishes she could smell were exactly what she thought they were, her favorites.

her eyes beamed with delight as she saw your back, her stomach rumbling at the thought of the smell alone.

she took her steps quietly, sneaking over to the kitchen as she watched you from behind. the smell was so strong it made her mouth water.

she couldn't help herself, standing on her toes, watching you cook silently from behind. suddenly, her arms wrapped around your waist from behind, and she nuzzled into your back, "mmm..." 

she was silent for a moment, before she whispered, "what are you cooking?"

You hummed, "sea mustard soup." you replied, grabbing a spoon, scooping up some soup, and gesturing it for her to taste. "here." you carefully hold up the spoon close to her face.

she grabbed the spoon, taking the spoonful of soup from your fingers. she looked at the soup, smelling the familiar scent, before finally taking a bite. her eyes glaze over, her mouth watering as she did. 

she took a moment before replying, "mmm... it's so... good..." a smile grew on her face as she ate a few more spoonfuls, eating some of the vegetables before looking up at you.

"eat now. the soup's almost done. I won't be able to be with you while on your schedule but enjoy your day, alright birthday girl?" you teased, pointing towards the dishes already set on the table.

a smile grew on her face, now taking some of the dishes and starting to eat. there were fried veggies, rice, soup, and some meat, and everything looked and tasted delicious. 

she hummed quietly as she ate silently, before stopping to look at you, her lips curling upwards in a playful pout. 

"why can't you join me?" she asked, her tone being a mixture of a playful whine and a teasing tone at you as well.

she then continued eating, but her eyes lingered on you, watching you as you finished up the last bit of preparations. she then glanced towards the table and her phone beside it, noticing her schedule. 

she hummed, eating some vegetables before looking back at you. "could you sit with me?" she begged, tilting her head before she looked down at the ground, a blush growing on her cheeks due to her begging.

you walked over to the table, her favorite birthday tradition in your hands. her face brightened as she noticed the sea mustard soup was ready.

"I need to go to work after, baby," you give her an apologetic smile, knowing she didn't like it when you didn't eat together.

she sighed, a small pout growing on her cheeks, "alright... but promise me we'll eat tonight together too?" she asked, her eyes begging you for a little bit of compassion. 

her lips then turned into a smirk, "pleaseee?" she begged quietly, looking at you with her cute, big, brown eyes, the same eyes she used to convince you to do stuff for her.

you smiled, "well, of course, I already told manager unnie after your schedule that we'd go out after." you take a seat across from her, chuckling at her pout.

she sighed in relief, a small smile growing on her lips as she sat back down before leaning back in her chair. she nodded, "alright... i'll be looking forward to that, jagi," she hummed, picking at her food again before she continued eating silently, now wanting to enjoy the rest of the peaceful time she had before she prepared herself for the day ahead.

she slowly ate the rest of her meal, now finishing up her plate before her phone was once again calling out her attention. her eyes glazed over, seeing that it was 10:30am on the schedule.

she sighed, before slowly standing up from her chair, glancing at you as she did. "gotta prepare for my schedule today, can't be late," she muttered quietly, before leaning over the table, giving you a quick peck and a tight hug.

"see you in the evening," she mumbled, her tone being softer, more affectionate, and more gentle compared to this morning's earlier interaction. she gave one last smile before she gently untangled herself from the hug, now beginning her morning routine. she walked out of the kitchen, making her way to the bathroom, but not without taking a single glance back at you one last time.

[honestlyluckyhottub]

Josh's Day with Daddy and Max

Josh groaned as he stirred awake, feeling the whole bunk bed shake beneath him. His eyes blinked open, only to see Max bouncing around on the bottom bunk, giggling to himself.

“Max, stop,” Josh mumbled, rubbing his face.

“But I’m not even doing anything!” Max whined, even as he kept jumping, making the bed creak.

Josh sighed. It was way too early for this. He shifted under his blanket, feeling the familiar bulk of his colorful nighttime diaper. It wasn’t much different from Max’s pull-ups, just thicker, and covered in fun patterns—dinosaurs, cars, and even little fish. Their dad always made sure to buy them ones with fun designs.

Their room was filled with soft morning light from the window. Against one wall stood a big changing table, complete with two straps to keep a wiggly boy still. Next to it was a toy box overflowing with stuffed animals and action figures. Their desk was covered in crayons and coloring books—mostly Max’s, though Josh would sometimes doodle in them too. Across from the beds was a bookshelf decorated with truck stickers. It mostly held baby books, though Josh’s schoolwork was tucked away on the top shelf where Max couldn’t reach. The large rug on the floor was covered in bright dinosaurs, making their room feel like a mini prehistoric jungle.

Just as Josh was about to tell Max off again, their dad walked in, stretching and yawning. His broad, hairy chest was bare, and his pajama pants hung loose around his waist.

“Morning, boys,” Daddy said in his deep, groggy voice. “How are you doing?”

Max instantly stopped bouncing and grinned. “I’m good! I’m not wet! See?” He proudly tugged at his pull-up.

Daddy chuckled. “That’s a first.” Then he looked up at Josh. “And you, kiddo?”

Josh shrugged, still waking up. He knew what was coming next.

Daddy patted the side of the bunk bed. “Come on down. Let’s check those pants before breakfast.”

Josh climbed down and plopped onto the dinosaur rug next to Max. Daddy knelt down in front of them, reaching for Max first.

“Hmm,” Daddy hummed, giving Max’s pull-up a squeeze. “You were telling the truth. Good boy.” He ruffled Max’s hair, making the four-year-old giggle. “Go put a sun on your potty chart.”

Max shot up and ran across the room, sticking the bright yellow sun on his chart before running back with a big, proud grin.

Then Daddy turned to Josh, pressing the front of his diaper. It was swollen and squishy from the night. He sighed and gave Josh a small pat on the knee. “Soggy again. Go put a rain cloud on the chart.”

Josh groaned, but he waddled over to the chart anyway, sticking on the little gray rain cloud before coming back.

Max, still beaming, suddenly perked up. “Does that mean I can wear big boy undies?”

Daddy chuckled and nodded. “Yes, Max. Go get your Paw Patrol ones.”

Max cheered and ran to his drawers, grabbing a pair of Chase underwear. Daddy helped him step into them before pulling up a pair of joggers and finishing with a hoodie that had Chase on the front.

Then Daddy turned to Josh.

“Alright, kiddo. Your turn.”

Josh didn’t even have time to react before Daddy lifted him up with ease, laying him down on the changing table. Before he knew it, the straps were clicked into place across his tummy and chest.

Josh whined, squirming slightly. “But Dada, I don’t need the str—”

His protest was cut off when Daddy popped his paci into his mouth.

“Shhh, baby,” Daddy soothed as he untaped Josh’s diaper and began cleaning him up. Josh sighed behind his paci and just let it happen.

Once he was all clean, Daddy slid a fresh daytime diaper under him—this one thinner but still decorated with fun colors. He taped it up snugly before grabbing clothes.

"Alright, let’s get you dressed," Daddy said, holding up a pair of skinny jeans and a cozy jumper with a tiger on it. Josh pouted slightly. The jeans would make his butt look bigger, but there was no point in fighting it.

Daddy helped him into the outfit, then patted his bottom lightly. "There we go, all set."

Max giggled. "Joshy’s got a big diaper butt!"

Josh huffed. "Shut up, Max."

Daddy sighed. "Hey, no fighting, you two. Now, who's hungry for breakfast?"

Max shot his hand up. "Me! Me!"

Josh sighed again, but when his stomach rumbled, he raised his hand too.

Breakfast was ham and cheese sandwiches with prune fruit pouches, served on tiger plates. Josh sat at the table while Daddy strapped Max into his booster seat.

As Josh pulled out his phone, Max gasped. "Daddy! Josh is on his phone!"

Daddy turned around. "Josh, you know the rules—no phones at the table."

Josh groaned. "But Daddy, I’m 16! Stop treating me like a baby like Max."

Max's lip trembled, and within seconds, he started crying.

Daddy sighed. "That’s it." He grabbed Josh by the arm and brought him to the naughty corner.

“I’m not happy with your attitude,” Daddy said firmly. “You can come back when you’re ready to apologize.”

Josh stood there, cheeks burning, while Daddy made Max’s oatmeal and sippy cup of milk. After a few minutes, Josh finally turned around.

"I’m sorry for being naughty..." he mumbled.

Daddy nodded. "Thank you. Now go sit down and eat your breakfast."

After they finished eating, they played in the living room for a while. But then Daddy clapped his hands.

"Alright, boys. We need to go to the pharmacy to get more diapers for Joshy and some medicine. Then we’ll go to the park."

Max cheered. "YAYYY!"

But as they walked, Josh misbehaved, shaking the stroller. Daddy warned him. "Do that again, and you'll be going in just a jumper and diaper."

At the pharmacy, Max teased Josh about getting diapers, and Josh kicked him, making him cry. Daddy scolded him, pulling him aside.

"Stop this now, or you'll be going to school in just a diaper."

Josh froze, knowing Daddy wasn’t joking. But then, his stomach churned, and he filled his diaper. Face burning, he whispered, "Daddy… I went poopy."

Daddy sighed. "Alright. Let's get you changed."

The public bathroom had a changing table near the sinks. Daddy laid Josh down and strapped him in while another boy, about Josh’s age, watched.

"Hey, can you watch them while I use the potty?" Daddy asked.

The boy smirked. "Sure."

Josh cringed as another man walked in, laughing at the sight of him strapped to the table.

Daddy came back and changed Josh, humming nursery rhymes the whole time. Afterward, they finally left and went to the park.

Later, when they got home, Daddy changed them into pajamas and tucked them into bed. Josh, in his shark footies, lay in the top bunk while Max snuggled up below.

As the lullaby mobile played, Josh sighed. Even though he was embarrassed, he knew that, deep down, Daddy would always take care of him.

The End.

---

Sorry I haven't posted I've been busy I hope you like it and DM me as I need more story ideas

[fruitviking]

Listen, you gotta

You gotta create joy for yourself

As an adult

Small joys

Like, take your daily multivitamin, but make it a fruit-flavoured gummy

Wear patterned clothes. Colourful clothes! Get the dinosaur shaped earrings

Play your music loudly

Listen to something new

Buy yourself a treat when you're grocery shopping. Reward yourself for a job well done

Try new recipes. Fail at them! Learn from them

Keep Skittles or M&Ms in the little box with your pills. Take your meds and also candy

Write things, even if you don't finish them

Experiment with crafts. Find one that works and if none of them do it's okay. There are other ways to create

Decorate your room. Find the glow in the dark stars you always wanted as a kid and put them all over. If you're not good with plants get fake ones

Open your curtains! Show your face the sunlight

Eat. Sleep. Rest.

Do your chores. Yes they are hard but seeing the results will make you feel so so good

It's okay to do things in stages, break them down into chunks. Microdose accomplishment. Don't burn out

Light the candles

Drink the nice coffee, with the caramel syrup

Drink the water too

Find what you like and what you love

Say no and walk away if you want

Make things

MAKE THINGS

Create create CREATE

Create JOY

Create YOU

[urbaebarnes]

unethical

summary: you hadn't figured your life after the breakup would be so weird, after all, who expects all the men they date to disppear?

bucky barnes x fem reader

warnings: jesus christ how do i even tag this - kinda dark bucky (?), stalking, swearing, obsessive bucky, jealous bucky, nonuse of y/n, she/her pronouns used, thisnis weird af okay

okay so im pretty sure this came to me in some weird dream (a nine hour flight) and honestly this is fucked up and weird im slightly embarrassed but here we are. also sorry for being so inactive im honestly being slow af cause im in florida atm anyway ignore this monstrosity that was written on my notes app or not i guess ahh

word count: 2.3k words

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that you’d had many interested men since your breakup.

You were a hot, single, 20-something year old who had every man and woman’s eyes on you. The only problem was that every single one of them seemed to disappear.

You weren’t saying it was a pattern that every man who showed the slightest interest in you seemed to quit his job and move or skip town in the dead of night, but granted, you were the common factor here.

Your breakup had been around 10 months ago, and your ex -James Barnes- had also seemingly disappeared since you’d said your final goodbyes and taken your stuff from the apartment. He’d always worked for long periods of time, which wasn’t an issue at the beginning of your relationship when you were clearly his priority, but after 6 years together, it was clear that this couldn’t go on.

Yes it was sad, and yes it felt selfish when you told him you wanted to end things, and yes, of course you missed him dearly, but your lives weren’t compatible and you couldn’t be the girl at home anymore. You were sick of bringing up excuses when you’d planned couple activities with your friends but he cancelled last minute because he volunteered to do a last minute mission. 

You’d told Bucky you’d always be friends, that at the end if the day, you cared about him above pretty much everybody else, but as much as he nodded and muttered a yes, you hadn’t heard a single thing from him since.

When you’d been together, you and Bucky had shared an apartment in New York, but you’d moved away back to your childhood hometown since. Within a month, you’d happily settled in to your faniliar small town life, and there were plenty of familiar faces from school that were more than happy to see your return.

It started off with Bryan, a brunette that was heavily invested in Jurassic Park. He was funny and kind and would stutter over his words when you’d bump into him down the milk aisle. And even if he wasn’t quite Bucky, he plucked up the courage to ask you out 3 months after the end of Bucky and yours’ relationship, and you said yes.

Throughout the date, it became obvious that your shared interests ran thin, although you had promised that you’d rewatch his beloved dinosaur movies with him for a second date. You’d hugged him goodnight but couldn’t quite get the feeling of reluctance out of your chest.

By the next morning, you’d were slightly confused by Bryan’s lack of appearance down the milk aisle, but shrugged it off. It was your unofficial meeting place anyway. You messaged him that night, only to find that he’d blocked your number, and after a week, it seemed that he’d told his parents he decided to move out of state.

If being with somebody so heavily involved in spy work, you didn’t buy it for a second, but what could you do. Maybe he really did decide to move at 3am.

Next, a month after Bryan’s last sighting, came Richard. You’d known him in high school as a cocky arrogant arsehole, but he’d seemingly changed for the better as he sent you sweet smiles and flirty comments.

He’d just come out of a long term relationship and wasn’t looking for something very committed straight away, and thankfully, neither were you. So when he walked you home one night, he asked if you wanted to spend the day with him as something a little more than platonic, and why wouldn’t you?

The day was brilliant, filled with laughter and ice cream, and you didn’t mind the nagging in your heart this time as much because apparently you were both feeling it. He even got a kiss on the cheek by your door as you pressed a hand to his torso and pecked the side of his face.

That time, a second date was scheduled for two days later in the coffee shop down the street. 

With Richard, you didn’t have his phone number or an unofficial meeting spot, just right person right time. Although, maybe you’d gotten the time wrong or he’d chosen the wrong person since you were promptly stood up.

You had bumped into him a few days later only to find him with a black eye. As you spotted each other across the street, he quickly scurried away before you could even tilt your head.

Then, there was Denis. He was a dickhead, there was no redemption ark or sweet story for him, he was just a dick, However, he was an attractive dick at that.

The two of you had spoken a maximum of three times but his hand had been resting on your thigh at the bar for a good hour. Your friends had created a night out with the sole purpose of getting you laid, after all, it’d been months and months since you’d last actually had sex, and Denis seemed like the perfect no strings attached opportunity.

All you needed was one night, just one to forget your troubles and the ache in your heart at the moment of even kissing a man who wasn’t your Bucky.

But the curse struck again as Denis went to the toilet and never actually returned. Your hopes sank further and further as you swilled your drink, glancing over to the restroom every few minutes until you left with the rest of your friend group.

The next morning, it was the talk of the town, Denis had quit his job- left for good. He didn’t have any family ties here, but his job had good pay especially for a man with so few qualifications. It was obscure and strange, but stranger things had happened.

However, you’d had it. Three potential suitors and every single mother fucking one of them just… left. So that was it, no more men. And maybe, just maybe, this was the universe’s way of telling you that you weren’t ready for a relationship, that even though you suggested the breakup, maybe you’d just wanted to have your Bucky back. Maybe he was the only one you could picture spending your life with.

Or less so the universe, and more Bucky.

It was shameful, and he knew that, he swore he did, but the very thought of you on your own terrified the living shit out of him. He had a duty to protect you, not just from the organisations that had threatened the ones he held dearest over and over again, but also anybody. Everybody. The world was dangerous and you were so helpless and selfless, you’d help anybody you could and that scared him beyond belief.

So maybe it was weird to buy a house in your hometown, maybe it was weird to make sure that nobody ever bothered you when walking home alone, and maybe it was weird to be insanely jealous of the glances you just gave out to anybody like free testers at the supermarket.

Yeah, it was a little weird. But Bucky Barnes had lost a lot in his life, and he couldn’t lose you to this world or the cruel people in it. 

He could barely stand to be apart from you, but he knew he had to respect any of the boundaries he could, so he kept his distance, only there to observe, only interfering if it meant keeping you safe and happy. 

At least, that was the plan until the man that you exchanged pleasantries with in the milk aisle seemed to want to exchange numbers too. That was too much, a step too far, it’d only been a few months, it was too quick and you were too perfect, too pure for just some guy.

So yeah, it was definitely weird when he sat across from the two of you in the restaurant, keeping his head low.  But this guy seemed like a fucking idiot, and how could he protect you from any danger? How could he make you smile in the same way Bucky could?

He even managed to catch this dude trying to go in for a kiss, but you took it as a hug and wished him a goodnight in the same way you used to whisper sweet nothings to him as you both used to fall asleep, limbs tangled together.

Now what he did next was definitely weird and wrong and horrible, and he knew that, but there were far better people he’d pushed up against walls and threatened before, and this one, well this one was flirting with his girl, had the audacity to take her out.

It wouldn’t last anyway, he told himself. At the end of the day, your souls were surely bound together, intertwined by fate. Bucky hadn’t allowed himself to do anything selfish in years, but you were his, his selfish little delight, because you were his.

So, as he pushed the guy against the brick wall, taking him by his collar and making sure to push against the wall with enough force to convey the message, Bucky told himself it would all be okay because he loved you and you loved him, he knew it. He just needed time to prove it to you, and this guy- well he was in the way.

Fucking ‘Bryan’ didn’t even put up a fight. In fact, he’d only threatened the dude to stay away from you, not even telling him to leave town, he was that much of a coward. And you didn’t need a coward, somebody who wouldn’t go down without a fight. You needed somebody who would rather die for your love than give it up

After that, Bucky kept a close eye on you, but an even closer eye on everybody around town. The old women around town had declared you the town’s most eligible bachelorette, obsessing over your perfect features and perfect manners and just perfect you.

After a few long weeks, Bucky had been called back to New York by Fury. He’d pretty much told everybody to screw themselves and that he was taking a very long, very well needed a vacation and left before anybody had time to argue. But seemingly, they couldn’t spare him for long enough to come up with a fully prepared plan.

By the time he got back, Bucky could feel his blood boiling as he drove into town and spotted some weird shit holding his hands with his girl. The park looked perfect as a picture except for the fact that some stranger was swinging your intertwined arms back and forth, your cheeks a little dusted with pink.

Honestly, he leaves for a few days and by the time he’s back some slimy looking jock has slithered his way into your life.

So that night, he swears it’ll be the very last time that he does this, it’ll be the last time before he wins you back. He just needs a little more time, just a smidge.

Now this one, and he’ll give credit where it’s due, does put up a little fight. When Bucky corners him, grabs his shoulder a little tighter than necessary and warns him that nobody is allowed near his girl, and this motherfucker protests- well, Bucky can’t be faulted for the punches that get thrown. He shouldn’t be held responsible for the black eye he gets.

Look, maybe that one went a little far, but it’s fine! He got the message and now he knows to stay away from his perfect sweet girl.

After that, he puts every bit of work into preparing the perfect surprise for you. He’s got it all sorted out, candles in a field, your favourite food ordered in advance from your favourite restaurant, he was going to be perfect from now on and so was everything in your life.

In his downtime, when he knew you were safe from the big scary world, Bucky often found himself at the bar near the centre of town. The bartender was a guy named Lucas with long hair and a southern accent who didn’t ask questions about what a guy like him was doing in a small town out here, or why he always wore gloves even in the heatwave that was occurring.

But tonight, tonight it wasn’t a place to unwind or relax, tonight Bucky figured Lucas could see the steam coming out his ears as he watched some man’s hand rest on your thigh. Look, holding hands was one thing, but how dare he manhandle you like that, a grip so tight like he was a child gripping a stuffed toy.

He watched as he leaned in to your ear, whispering something that had your pretty lips curving into a smirk as you looked down, slightly flustered before getting up and strolling to the bathroom with unheard of confidence.

Bucky couldn’t hold back for any longer, he downed his drink, kissing his teeth before storming into the bathroom, pausing as he saw the guy smoothing over his hair in the mirror. He quickly put an end to his preening and yanked him outside through the backdoor. Maybe this threatening was a little extra, and sure maybe the knee in the groin was a little much, but every time the voice in the back of his head told him to stop, all he saw was his hand on your thigh.

Either way, he left and after that, the town’s most eligible bachelorette seemed to swear off dating. That was until Bucky pretended to bump into you one day, and surprised you with the candlelit dinner with flowy table cloths as the sun set and wept you right off your feet.

Yes, maybe some of the ways he went about getting you back were slightly unethical, but it’s not as though you’d ever find out. Either way, he wouldn’t fuck it up this time, he loved you far too much for that.

anway im sorry for this-

[thestalkerbunny]

Stalky's Live Direct React

It's mainly regarding Pokemon Z-A cause that's all I DEEPLY AND CARNALLY CARE ABOUT but let's get French

New Trainer fits look cute; the male protag looks a LOT like Sycamore.

ALL THE CHIKORITA HATERS CAN FUCKING HUFF MY DUFF, MY GIRL IS BACK, NOBODY TOUCH ME, THIS FUNKY LITTLE MANDRAKE DINOSAUR IS HOME. EVERYONE SUCK IT HARD.

Why it look like he on an awkward lunch date?

Now a new game changing mechanic: PARKOUR AND FALL DAMAGE /j

Tf is you

TF is YOU?

Mega Evos are BACK Bay BEE

LOOK OUT ITS A WELL DRESSED FRENCH WHITE WOMAN (With insignia possible new team boss?)

I HAVE FOUND THE WEIRD OLD MAN I WILL BE HYPERFIXATING OVER, EVERYONE ELSE MAY LEAVE, ME AND THIS WEIRDO NEED TO BE ALONE.

Wait....Wait is that the fucking GIANT from the last game.....

Oh my God it fucking is, That's AZ.

Someone getcha dog off the damn roof.

Hottest take-I think the overall theme is going to be Progress Vs. Nature. Much like the Art movement of Art Deco Vs Art Nouveau; human design compared to natural design. As seen in the Z and A logo Straight rigid lines vs organic curves.

NOTHING LIKE CHATTING WITH YOUR HOLOGRAM SON.

Ah I love the scent of french trash in the air.

One of these things is not like the other-one of these things is ANCIENT.

Ah that's who you is.

GOD HE'S SO FREAKISHLY TALL-FUCKING CROTCH HEIGHT TO HIM. Also HIGHLY cool choice to show him with a knee brace and a cane because in recorded history and science-WE ARE NOT MEANT TO BE THAT TALL and people who do reach that height often need disability aids to help.

We gotta get her. She's a fucking CEO.

I love that he just....has a hotel now. He's got old classic hotel vibes. Honestly-I really like it because if there's one thing I DONT like in design is ultra modernism where it's minimal with no colors or patterns. It actually irks me the heck off-I get pissed off walking into an apple store.

Fucking gated communities.

Ah...I don't think we'll be exploring the rest of Kalos and be primarily centered within the city itself. A tad bit disappointing, I was looking forward to returning to Laverre City to see what happened to the charcoal remains I left when I went there in XY and BURNT EVERYTHING TO ASH

New game feature: YOU ARE NOW IN THE ATTACK RANGE, FUCKING BRACE YOURSELF IDIOT.

THIS. THIS IS WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT FUCKING COMPANIES WITH FUCKING MINIMALIST DESIGN AND LOGOS AND SHIT PISS ME THE HELL RIGHT OFF.

DETECTIVE? D--DETECTIVE?!??! -frantically climbs over chair- DETECTIVE??!?!?!?!?

GET YOUR CRINGE ASS WORM OFF THE ROOF

Ah I love when Pokemon comes out around my birthday. It makes me feel so SPECIAL like it's a unique little treat just for me.

I'm honestly rather excited, Having the entire game take place in a contained singular city is a new angle. We're very used to being thrown willy nilly out into the wild to rough it between god and sheer luck. But now it's Urban Exploration. Which I think can be a strong idea on how FAR Lumiose city has developed since we long last saw it.

[musubi-sama]

Shopping with Kento

A happy little shopping trip with your dear husband and some suggestive banter.

Walking along the covered sidewalk, you and Kento peek into stores and eye up the products. Stores filled with chopsticks, kitchen apparel, knives, plates, industrial-sized cooking vessels.

Ah, this looks promising! Pulling your husband into a cramped and densely-packed store filled with long, tall shelves filled with all manner of kitchen utensils and wares.

Quickly losing Kento as you slipped past patrons, you are caught up examining a collection of chopstick rests. You reach for a pair of adorable dinosaurs, a wooden triceratops and a coordinating brachiosaurus.

SLAP

A surprise slap hits your ass and you let out a muffled moan, dropping the mini dinosaurs as you clasp a hand on your mouth. Furiously looking around, you snap your head and spot Kento with a small smirk on his face.

“May I help you?” you ask, feeling a warm flush through your ears.

“Just testing out the wares,” he looks over your shoulder at the dinosaurs. “I’d like to get a new spatula and multi-taksers are a far superior choice.”

“Multi-tasking?”

“Those are adorable, pick out two you like. I’m going to look downstairs.”

Kento turns on his heel and walks off. You’re left in a haze and confusion. While you’re no stranger to cooking up new fun in the kitchen, you’ve kept kitchenware out of the equation thus far.

Grabbing the dinosaurs and heading downstairs, you spot Kento looking at a lovely collection of white and blue plates.

“Wouldn’t I make a better plate than that?” You stand up on your tippy toes and whisper in his ear.

“Don’t tempt me,” he takes a deep breath and slowly, deliberately, gently places the plate in his hands back on the stack.

You stand back down on your heels, hands running down Kento’s wide back and tracing the edges of his harness. Feeling the tense muscles around the soft leather, your mind wanders to what his back would look like wrapped in just the straps of an apron. Surveying the shelves nearby, you spot a rack filled with a rainbow of apron choices.

“What do you think?” you hold up a frilly green and orange affair. Kento starts to make his way over to you.

“If that’s what you want,” he gives in his most non-committal tone, nose wrinkled.

“Hm, how about this one?” you hold up a yellow and black patterned option.

“It’s a bit full-coverage, don’t you think?”

“Who do you think I’m shopping for?” you tilt your head as you hold it up to his chest for a quick guauge of sizing. Pleased with your choice, you sling it over your arm and start walking off to the register, happy with the items you’ve chosen.

Back outside, your purchases on one arm, the other wrapped around Kento’s arm as you continue wallking down the crowded streets in Kappabashi. Falling into a lock-step together, you can smell a light whiff of his gentle cologne. One of your favorite scents. You steal a glance upward at his stong jaw, unable to see exacltly where his eyes were pointed due to the dark lenses of his glasses.

“Let’s cross here, I think Kama Asa is just over there,” Kento points at a shop a bit further down the road.

“We can stop in every shop if that’s what you want, love,” you squeeze his arm as you both come to a stop at the crosswalk waiting for the light to change.

Entering the store, you see a few neat tables of shiny pots and pans. Fry pans and woks of varying sizes, shiny sauce pan…bowls? Why are they missing handles? You slip over to the display to inspect the wares and figure out how you would use a saucepan without a handle.

Meanwhile, your husband is standing at a long display of frying pans, eyeing up one with a dark sheen and a long handle. He’s speaking with a store worker who slips away after giving Kento a quick bow. He makes his way over to you, placing a small kiss on your temple.

“I found a great frying pan, it’ll arrive in two months. Hand-made in Kanagawa prefecture,” Kento is giddy as he explains the details of his new pan to you. While you enjoy cooking, Kento loves it and is the primary chef in the house. He not-so-secretly loves looking for new kitchen hardware, trying to find the elusive perfect utensils and tools.

“Yeah? And then what?” you wink and bite your lip lightly.

“I-what? And then I season it and make you fried eggs. What is going through your head?”

Your smile starts to fall and a light blush washes over your face. But then you hear a warm chuckle from your husband as he places his hand on your lower back.

“I’m not going to turn a frying pan into something sexual, unless you’re really into that old Atari game,” he continues at a whisper, mostly to himself. “Besides, I think it would hurt, and not in a pleasurable way, first and foremost.”

You shake your head as you get back to examining the handle-less pots.

“Well that’s clever. Using a speculum to grip a pot,” Kento reaches out to a metal gadget you were staring at.

“Excuse me?” you’re incredulous the word speculum just fell from Kento’s mouth. Sure, he’d knowledgeable about anything you’ve ever asked him of, and this entire outing has been nothing but hornily-charged banter and innuendo. But speculum?

“Surely you see it. Are you into doc-ow!” you cut off your husband with a light jab to the side and an exasperated sigh. The sigh is mostly filled with the contentment that he’d never say this around yours or his friends. Content that he can open himself with you to let all the weir

“Not at all! Let’s get on to the next place, I’m starting to get hungry.”

Back out on the street, you both slip into a shop dedicated to all things coffee gear. And you walk out with the receipt for a new syphon brewer to be shipped directly to your house.

You attempt a poorly-constructed joke about syphoning Kento however it falls flat. But the laughs still flow.

"An admirable attempt, but next time I'll just take a sip of your sweet nectar," and again, your husband causes you to gasp on lost words, feeling a twinge of arousal grow.

Kento rounds the corner and spots the shop he’s been looking for during this entire excursion. A knife shop to get his heirloom cleaver cleaned and inspected. He carefully pulls it from his bag in a protective case and box. The shop owner immediately recognizes the age and craftsmanship and he promises to treat it carefully. He asks you both to return in three hours.

“Let’s get lunch while we wait. What are you in the mood for?” Kento asks as you exit the shop.

You steer the two of you into the nearest hourly hotel.

“Kento, which bag has the spatula?”

Suddenly lunch can wait.

[jadeshifting]

— ONE ( boring ) DAY IN MY LIFE LIVING ON JURASSIC WORLD

　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　　　

5:30 AM .　　. 　 ˚　. the soft glow of dawn filters through the curtains of the modest cabin nestled just on the edge of Jurassic World’s sprawling jungle. i stir beneath the blankets, the distant, guttural calls of the velociraptor pack pulling me from the dream i was having. the morning air is crisp, tinged with the scent of dew-kissed foliage and earth. i rub the sleep from my eyes and slip out of bed, the worn wooden floor cool beneath my feet

6:00 AM .　　. 　 ˚　. the cabin is teeming with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, and i pour myself a mug and step outside onto the small porch. Jurassic World and the island are waking up—birds chirp, and the distant roar of a tyrannosaurus echoes like thunder through the misty canopy. my dad, Owen Grady, is already up, and he’s doing a little bit of work in the small vegetable garden by the side of the cabin. he nods good morning at me, and i wave back

6:30 AM .　　. 　 ˚　. wearing my beat-up park uniform, i head to the raptor paddock. the walk through the jungle is a symphony of rustling leaves and distant dinosaur calls. as i approach, i hear Blue, the lead raptor, chirp in recognition. my bond with the pack is palpable, built on literally years of mutual trust and respect. i greet each of them in turn, their scales glinting in the early morning light, their eyes sharp and intelligent

7:00 AM .　　. 　 ˚　. training begins. dad isn’t far behind me, and i assist him with the morning routine, guiding the raptors through their exercises. it’s a combination of hand signals and verbal cues, my movements confident after so much time spent dealing with them. the raptors respond with precision, their bodies moving with a predatory grace. it’s all trust and understanding, a daily ritual that reinforces the balance between human and dinosaur—kind of like reminding a stubborn employee that you’re their boss, and you have their best interest at heart (and begging them please don’t eat you)

8:00 AM .　　. 　 ˚　. with training complete, i head back to the main park complex for a quick breakfast. the cafeteria buzzes with the hum of employees gearing up for the day. i grab a plate of scrambled eggs, toast, and fresh fruit, sitting for a while to enjoy the brief respite before i dive into my next set of the day’s responsibilities

9:00 AM .　　. 　 ˚　. i settle into the research lab, poring over data collected from the raptor pack. i meticulously log their behavior patterns, noting any changes or anomalies. my fingers dance across the keyboard, the hum of the computers blending with the distant chatter of scientists and researchers. the lab smells faintly of antiseptic and paper, a stark contrast to the wildness outside

10:30 AM .　　. 　 ˚　. next on the agenda is a down-low talk with a few members of the park’s administrative team—see, i’m not technically supposed to be involved in official park business, but i present my findings, and discuss the implications of the raptors’ behavior on park operations and guest safety. my voice is steady, my insights are sharp. it’s a testament to years of living and breathing the intricacies of Jurassic World, and the reason why i’m allowed to weigh in at all

12:00 PM .　　. 　 ˚　. lunchtime rolls around, and i take my sandwich outside to the open air. i find a quiet spot outside the park, by a small pond, the water reflecting the lush greenery around me. the scent of tropical flowers mingles with the faint musk of the jungle, and i eat peacefully, the occasional flutter of wings or distant dinosaur call my only companions

1:00 PM .　　. 　 ˚　. back at the raptor paddock, i conduct individual check-ups on each raptor. i examine their claws, check their teeth, and ensure they’re in peak condition. the raptors tolerate my presence with a mix of curiosity and familiarity, their eyes watching my every move. sometimes they’re calmer with me than they are with my dad—they’ve known me since i was a toddler, after all. if they attacked me, it would be like trying to chow down on the kid you’ve been babysitting since they were born

3:00 PM .　　. 　 ˚　. the afternoon is dedicated to guest interaction. i lead a small group of visitors on a guided tour, rambling about the raptors and the vital role they play in the park’s ecosystem. my voice is animated as i go on and on about the prehistoric world to my captivated audience, even more invested in it myself than they are. it’s Jurassic World, after all—it never gets boring to me

5:00 PM .　　. 　 ˚　. as the sun dips lower in the sky, i return to the cabin. the jungle is bathed in a golden glow, the air thick with the scent of impending rain. dad and i prepare dinner together, grilled fish and some assorted roasted vegetables, with herbs from the garden. it’s simple—neither of us are exactly culinary masters

6:30 PM .　　. 　 ˚　. i hang out with dad while we eat dinner together in the cabin. he laments the absurd requests the investors have for the dinosaurs, and i tell him about the notes i took on the raptors. it’s an uneventful, good dinner

8:00 PM .　　. 　 ˚　. after cleaning up, i unwind with a book on prehistoric ecosystems, the flickering lantern on the front porch casting shadows on the walls through the window. the sounds of the jungle lull me half to sleep, the distant calls of dinosaurs a familiar lullaby as i thumb through my book

9:30 PM .　　. 　 ˚　. i step outside one last time before bed, the night air cool against my skin. the stars twinkle above, the jungle never quiet and instead roaringly alive with nocturnal sounds. i watch the property and listen to all the island’s sounds before i retreat back to my bedroom for the night

10:00 PM .　　. 　 ˚　. snuggled up under a fuzzy blanket AND a quilt, i drift off to sleep. it was a normal day, fulfilling—boring is preferable to scary, i think. the line between past and present blurs here, and it can be easy to lose track of time when every day is a new chapter in Jurassic World’s story

　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　　　

[autisticlenaluthor]

Garden

After tutoring, Lena spends her afternoons in the empty backyard where nobody bothers her, pushing dirt around with a stick.

She draws faces, bumblebees, and butterflies, all in the spot that one day, is going to be a garden. And when that gets boring, which it does rather quickly, Lena begins to pace the strip of grass. She walks back and forth with her eyes fixated on the ground, using her stick like a cane.

Sometimes, she’ll look up over the top of the fence. There, Lena can vaguely see into the yard owned by the other half of the building. From the ground, there’s not much to look at except red metal bars and the four gray chains that hang off them.

Lena knows that together, they make a swing set. She can see the full thing from her bedroom window. It has two swings even though only one kid lives next door.

Lena isn’t sure if she’s supposed to know all this. But sometimes when she’s meant to be working on her flash-cards, she stares through the glass, at the blonde girl playing below.

She’ll see her hop off the swings and try to climb the metal poles like a monkey. There– she throws her head back and shakes out her hair before jumping down and landing on her hands and knees like a superhero. Other times, she hangs from the middle of the bar and swings back and forth. She knows how to hook her legs over the metal and dangle upside down with her arms swinging behind her.

A few times, she’s gotten stuck like that, and Lena’s watched her mom pull her down.

She replays the memory in her head as she turns the corner of her yard for what feels like the millionth time.

Dropping her stick, Lena releases a frustrated huff. She’s sure she’s been walking for hours by now. She has no idea when her new Dad will be home from work or if he’ll even want to talk to her when he is. Lex has already pushed her out of his room, and the nanny is inside cooking dinner– something French and gross sounding that Lena already knows she’s going to hate.

Turning her head, she lowers her brow and gives the wooden fence separating the yards a good hard stare. It’s made out of old wood with stains and mossy green stuff. On multiple occasions, she’s heard Lionel talking about hiring someone to tear it down to replace it because it’s just another eyesore in this ugly, old home.

Lena doesn’t think the house is ugly but it certainly is old. Maybe more than a thousand years. And the fence is probably even older. One of the boards has a hole in it, about a foot from the ground, exposing a glimpse of the flowers on the other side.

Curiosity piqued, Lena kicks her stick away and makes her way over to the fence. She squats down in the dirt and squints her eyes, then presses her hands into the wood. She tries to see as much as she can through the hole but the blobs of orange and red block her view.

She thinks for a minute, brow furrowed, before scooting away just far enough that she has room to stick her index finger through the hole. From there, Lena wiggles it around and wonders if she should call out to get someone's attention.

Back home– at her real home in the country, she wouldn’t have thought twice before yelling. She used to yell with her mom when they played in the garden all the time. Sometimes, her mom would even yell with her – just not in the scary way like other grown-ups do.

No, Lena’s real mom would call out pretend spells from their favorite fairy book while Lena shrieked with excitement, bouncing around and flapping her hands because what if a real fairy found them? She’d cackle with laughter when her belly got tickled after a bath, wrapped in a fluffy white towel made for someone five times her size, and jump through mud puddles in her favorite sparkly rain boots.

Her clothes were soft and always felt nice on her skin– all bright colors with different patterns and shapes. She used to wear her favorite shirt, the one with all the dinosaurs on it, almost every day. And when her mom let her pick her outfit, Lena would pair it with the pink tutu that made her feel like a ballerina, her fairy wings for when it was time to play in the garden, and, of course, her sparkly rain boots.

Here, things were different. Grown-ups were quiet and they didn’t play games. The yelling only happened at night and when it did, it was the kind that made her want to hide in the closet. The closet that was filled with itchy, boring clothes without dinosaurs or glitter.

As Lena looks back at the fence, she frowns. If she yells and Lex hears her, he’ll tell the nanny and she’ll get another consequence. So she continues to stare through the hole, zoning out as she wiggles her finger until she hears a:

“Hello?”

The voice is high-pitched and followed by a fierce giggle. Lena pictures the blonde girl from the swings on the other side and wonders how long she’s been there.

Without warning, a bright blue eye appears in the center of the hole.

Lena scrambles backwards and her own eyes grow wide. Her heart pounds, her mind rushing a mile a minute. She hadn’t thought this far ahead- she wasn’t prepared, she doesn’t know what to say!

This girl could be mean like Lex, she could be laughing at her. She could yell at her for poking her finger through the hole or worse, she could tell her mom who would tell their nanny who would tell Lillian who–

“Are you a spy?”

Lena swallows. She shakes her head and draws her legs in close. She should’ve just kept walking. The kids at her new school aren't as nice as at her old one and she isn’t sure she can handle another bully.

Silently, Lena watches as the other girl mimics her by poking her own finger through the hole, then giggles once more.

“Are you playing a game?”

Lena shakes her head. She pulls back even further and hugs herself as tight as she can.

“Well, do you want to play a game?”

“Um…” She isn’t sure why she says anything. She’d just wanted to get a look– maybe touch the air on the other side. But now the girl is talking and she isn’t being mean. She’s aggressive with her excitement, sure, but the scariness it ignites isn’t like the scariness Lena’s used to.

“What game?”

The girl goes silent for a second. She’s no longer holding her eye to the hole so all Lena can see is a flash of blonde hair and the blue on her shirt.

“I dunno,” she says. “Why were you poking your finger in here?”

Lena shrugs. She leans forward and rests her chin on her knee. The girl's voice is high and soft. It makes Lena think of caramel.

“Just, um… got bored.”

“Don’t you have any toys?”

Lena shakes her head.

“I can’t see you, silly!” The girl exclaims. “You gotta talk!”

“Just… um… chess,” Lena says. “But I had-a play it a lot.”

“Ummmm, well, I could play a game with you,” the girl says. “And we can be friends! My name’s Kara and I’m five and three-quarters! What’s your name?”

“Lena.” Lena removes her arms from around herself and puts them on either side of herself, her heart rate finally starting to even out. “‘m five.”

“Hi, Lena,” Kara responds, smiling bright like the sun. “Your voice is funny. I like it.”

“Oh… that’s ‘cause I’m from Ireland.”

“Where’s I-ruh-land?”

“Far.”

Lena leans forward and tries to look through the hole again. She hugs herself tightly as she moves, her fingers moving up and down her torso the way her mom’s used to.

“I flew a plane,” she says. “But… um… I was only four. A long time ago.”

“Was it scary?”

“Yeah… but…” Lena looks down, knitting her brow with thought. “I was small. And now I’m kinda scared of planes but, ‘cause I’m a lot bigger, it’s not as much. But… so… when I get really big, like, when I’m ten, I wouldn’t be scared at all. ‘Cause I’d be big.”

Kara hums and nods knowingly.

“I’m scared of volcanoes,” she says.

“There’s no volcanoes in Top-o-lis.”

“Yeah, that’s what my mommy says.”

“But… then why are you scared?”

“I dunno.” Kara laughs. “What’s your favorite color?”

“Um… green?”

“Mine’s blue. Did you know I can do a cartwheel?”

Lena furrows her brow. “How would I know that?”

“‘Cause I see you watching me in your window,” Kara says matter-of-factly. “I tried to watch you too but all you do is walk in circles with a stick.”

“Yeah! ‘Cause I already told you, I don’t have any toys!” Lena frustratedly retorts, any remnants of her anxiety having been forgotten. “Don’t you pay attention?”

“Well, then, why don’t you just come to my house?” Kara asks. “We could go on the swings and I have lots of toys and a dollhouse we could play with.”

Lena’s about to answer when a door creaks open loudly behind them. It’s followed by the sound of Kara quietly groaning and mumbling something unintelligible to herself.

“Kara, love, come on, it’s time for dinner,” a voice calls out. It’s an older woman– her mom, Lena figures.

“No!” Kara cries. “I’m talking to the girl in the other house– just gimmie five minutes and I’ll come inside!”

Her voice is shrill and high– it makes Lena want to cover her ears.

Somehow, she resists the urge and instead, pulls her knees back into her chest. She considers leaning over to tell Kara through the hole not to talk back because, maybe she doesn’t know yet, but if you’re disrespectful, you get consequences. You have to listen so the yelling doesn’t start.

But if the woman notices Lena whispering she might get mad at her too. She’ll tell Lillian that Lena was being distracting and Lillian will get mad again.

“Kara–”

“Please!” Kara begs, the word long and drawn out. “Pleasepleaseplease just five minutes?”

“Honey, I already gave you five minutes,” the older woman responds. “It’s time to come in now before your food gets cold, okay? I made mac-and-cheese like you wanted.”

She says the last bit in a sing-songy voice like the one Lena’s pre-k teacher would use when she called the class over for circle time. She isn’t loud or angry, she's just… she’s nice.

“But Mommy, I was just asking if Lena can come over, maybe, this weekend or a different day like– like on my birthday or after school so we can go on the swings and play in my room.”

There’s a moment of silence before Kara’s mom sighs.

“Okay, you can ask Lena and then it’s time to come inside. You understand?” She asks.

Kara nods eagerly and scrambles back to the fence, pushing her face right up against the hole.

“Lena!” She exclaims. “Do you wanna come to my house on a different day for a playdate?”

Lena doesn’t say anything. She’s too focused on Kara’s mom and the sound of her voice. How soft it was, like it’s never been raised before– not even a single time. How even when Kara whines, she doesn’t change. She stays kind and soft, like the kind of mother who means it when they say I love you.

Lena hugs herself tighter as her mind begins to wander.

She wants mac-and-cheese too, not gross French food from her nanny. She wants the orange kind that comes out of the box that her mom used to make, sometimes three days a week. She wants to eat it on the couch with the TV on, watching cartoons after a long day of running through puddles and reading books about dinosaurs and the ocean. She wants her mom to talk to her in the soft voice that Kara’s mom uses; so quiet and gentle, without an ounce of anger to be found.

Lena’s face feels hot as she thinks about it, her eyes welling up with tears. She can still see the old house in the back of her mind– the grassy overgrown lawn and her little playhouse in the back. Her sparkly rain boots and closet with clothes that don’t itch– clothes she actually liked, that her mom would help her pick out.

Why does Kara get to have it and not her?

“Lena?”

Lena’s lips pull down into a frown. Her chin quivers and quakes– eyes stinging like they’re on fire.

She wants to run right back to her mom.

Sometimes she still thinks maybe when she comes downstairs– she’ll be there in the kitchen making breakfast. She’ll have tracked down the new house after months of searching and when Lena runs to her, she’ll pick her up and hold her so tightly– tighter than she’s ever been held before– then tell her it’s time to go home.

The hole in Lena’s heart will get stitched back up. Her aches and pains won’t be gone but she’ll be able to live with them because finally, they will have been tended to. She’ll be scarred and stapled, sure, but at least she’ll have been pieced back together.

Lena does all she can do to keep from crying in front of her new friend but the effort isn’t enough. The tears are falling– hot and furious. They make her want to scream because it isn’t fair. None of it is fair and gosh, she just wants to go home.

Determined not to let Kara see her, Lena scrambles to her feet and brushes the dirt off her thighs. As Kara calls her name again, Lena sprints right back to her house.