#she can easily spot on something wrong with someone even not knowing them very much (an and mafuyu)

[sylhea-raemi]

next shiraishi an event is gonna be bout for beside you part 2 with worse trust issues (thanks ken), worse abandonment issues, worse inferiority feeling

[imagining-in-the-margins]

Viral Video (S.R.)

Summary: Someone recognizes Spencer and Reader from a viral video. Request: Spencer and Bau!Reader are secretly dating and while they’re hanging out with the team someone recognizes them from a photo posted on some Insta/TikTok of them being all lovely dovey in public. Like dancing or holding hands or something Couple: Spencer Reid/Fem!Reader Category: Fluff Content Warning: None! Word Count: 1.1k

MASTERLIST

There is something idyllic about a cafe in the early morning. Even with the busy, bustling people, it’s calm compared to the BAU bullpen. That was why, at least once a week, a few of you would sneak out to grab a quiet(er) cup of coffee.

On this day, however, work begins to bleed into the reprieve. Although she isn’t a profiler, Penelope’s attention is fully captured by someone seated behind you. You almost think to ask her what’s going on, although you assume, like usual, she is simply distracted by a beautiful man.

But, as you quickly learn, it’s somewhat of the opposite.

“Why is that teenage girl staring at you two?”

Curious, you glance over your shoulder before you answer. You spot the young woman easily, in part because she tried to hide her ogling the moment you’d turned around.

Using basic logical deduction, you shrug.

“She’s probably staring at Spencer,” you say.

“Why would she be staring at me?” he asks.

On another day, you would mock him for such a stupid question. But you were feeling merciful, so you offer him a simple reassurance.

“You’re very attractive.”

“What?” he balks, “Who thinks that?”

He wouldn’t get his answer.

“No, she’s definitely looking at both of you,” Penelope corrects kindly.

Anxiety begins to blossom throughout your chest as the pressure mounts. You clutch your coffee mug tighter to try to fight the urge to bolt.

The small idiosyncrasy is enough to pique Emily’s interest.

“I don’t think so,” you answer late and with a notable urgency.

You can feel Emily’s eyes on you, burning through your defenses at an alarming rate. You’re almost relieved when you notice her attention shift.

But the panic quickly returns when she speaks.

“Looks like we’re about to find out.”

Slowly, you turn to reveal exactly what you’d expected to find. The young woman stood awkwardly, complete with a nervous smile and her phone held tightly against her chest.

“Sorry, this is super awkward, but are you two the couple from that video in the botanical gardens?” she asks.

You glance at Spencer, who mostly seems perplexed by the question. You are hoping he provides the right answer.

He doesn’t. Instead, he just says, “What?”

“No, sorry,” you shout over him at the same time Penelope asks the question you were dreading.

“What video?”

The girl is thankfully too caught up in your defensive response to answer.

“Oh, I just figured because you’re wearing the same dress and he—,”

From the corner of your eye, you see Emily’s mouth open with an amused shock.

Much louder this time, you squeak, “You have the wrong people, sorry!”

But the others are too intrigued. Over your protests and across the table, Emily shouts, “No, wait, I want to see the video!”

“No, we don’t,” you insist to no avail, “No, we can let the teenage girl go back to her teenage girl life.”

“Sure,” Penelope agrees.

You are almost hopeful until she continues.

“She’s free as a bird… after she shows us the video.”

You can’t blame the girl. She doesn’t realize what she’s doing when she hands the phone to the tech genius and staunch romantic Penelope Garcia. She knows naught of the terror she is inflicting on the pitiful couple she so clearly adores.

You wonder whether you could factor the cost of a teenage girl’s phone into your budget. You decide that you can’t.

As soon as the screen lights hit her eyes, Penelope gasps.

Even without seeing it, you know what it shows. That day is so burned into your brain that it is replaying before you can even think to stop it.

You can almost feel the light summer breeze on your skin. Briefly, your mind is tricked into smelling the hundreds of blooming flowers. You give into the memory, allowing yourself to escape to that magical place—the little garden with its unavoidable romance where the two of you stole a moment.

It was just a dance, a kiss, a silent exchange of sweet nothings. It was something beautiful enough to make up for all the horrors that plagued every other day in your lives.

It was meant to be a secret. Neither of you had realized that there had been at least one person in the audience (and now, unbeknownst to you, millions more).

Still, as you bask in the warmth of a precious memory, you admit to yourself that you wouldn’t have changed it even if you could.

Soon after, you are transported back to the cafe with a chorus of “Awwwe.”

“Oh, how sweet is that?” Emily whispers through a smirk.

You are trying to turn your glare into daggers but it’s difficult when you can’t unpuff stubborn, frustrated cheeks.

“I need this air dropped to my phone like, five minutes ago,” Penelope urges while frantically tapping the poor screen.

Beside the chaos, you swear you see Spencer smile.

“I need to save this and preserve it for a million years,” Penelope practically yells, “Thank you for this. Thank you!”

“You’re welcome?” the young girl laughs. Then, to be clear, she turns to you once more and asks, “So, it is you two, right?”

You sigh.

“Yes. Yes, it is.”

“Oh my god! That’s so cool!” she squeals. “I have like, a million questions.”

“I do, too,” Emily chimes in coolly, “Like, when’s the wedding?”

“Can I be a bridesmaid?” Penelope follows up.

Finally, the girl realizes her error.

“Did they not know?” she gasps.

You don’t know how to answer without making everything worse. So, you dodge the question with a very related proclamation.

“I’m never leaving my house again.”

She is unpersuaded by your disinterest.

“You two are still together, right?” she asks.

For the first time since the start, Spencer speaks. With a lovesick smile plastered on his face, and without a hint of shame, he answers, “Yeah, we are.”

“Do you have social media? So many people would follow you.”

Spencer is wholly uninterested. He looks at you instead, only to find that you have buried your head in your hands.

“Seriously, it’s like right out a storybook,” she continues to gush.

“No, sorry, we don’t.”

His eyes are still on you. His smile grows wider when you abandon your wallowing and begin to wrestle Penelope for the teenager’s phone.

He knows all about the woman behind the tough facade. He recalls her with perfect clarity and even begins to find a hint of her through your almost imperceptible smile.

“But feel free to tell everyone not to worry,” Spencer reassures the somewhat disappointed young woman. “There really is such a thing as a happily ever after.”

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Thanks for reading!

[autism-connoisseur]

what's your take on karkat now that you know his big secret?

genuinely amazing how his whole personality is a defense mechanism.... this guy cares he cares so much but his whole life hes had to push people away lest they Find Out.... living in constant alert ever since he had consciousness of how Different he was and how dangerous that was for him, knowing that everyone around him would cull him on the spot if they found out about It.... if im not mistaken trolls' tears are the color of their blood so he also had to repress himself to Not Cry. and for a person as emotional as karkat thats such a challenge!! not even out of sadness, or grief, but people also cry out of happiness, nostalgia, frustration, anger... those two especially i can see happening to karkat. and hed hate it.

he can be so Mean sometimes, perpetually angry... sure, it might be part of his personality, he is definitely easily irritated and prone to heat-of-the-moment decisions (like when he ran sollux's code and promptly exploded his computer and cast a curse on himself & his friends) but like i said, he's lived his entire life having to be Alert, not being able to let his guard down, because he would die if he did!! and at the same time he needs to prove himself, prove that despite being Wrong and Different he can do things!! he can be useful!!! maybe if he makes himself useful enough someone will even see him as a person and not just a mutant... thats why he is so dead set on being the leader. much like dave he has lived his whole life Needing To Be In Control Of Things (rose too, but shes more like she needs to Understand People, if she can read people correctly then she can avoid them flipping on her (no she cant that is not how it works babe)), but whereas dave is content with letting june be the leader (even if he wants to surpass her, hes very much doing his own thing anyways) karkat NEEDS to be the leader because that way he will prove that hes capable (to his friends in particular but to society as a whole, they are basically a mini representation of society anyways with each of them representing each caste).

but also he blames himself, he blames himself so much whenever anything goes slightly wrong and that feeling just gets amplified since he ran sollux's virus. it's a vicious circle for him since he needs to be in control and call the shots to feel like hes useful (defense mechanism, you wouldn't get rid of an useful pest even if he was a pest now would you?), but whenever something goes wrong under his command he freaks out (maybe relating it to his blood color? like he is Bad so this happened. also we know he takes sollux's virus's curse very seriously), he takes it as proof that He Personally Is Wrong and obviously everyone knows this, but since he doesnt want to be seen as that and he wants society to accept him without ever realizing there was a reason they shouldnt (see: also why he wanted to join the military or some part of it at the very least) he doubles on his efforts on Controlling everything.

and when he realizes they created our universe, it finally gives him a chance to be above someone. to be the powerful and not the powerless, the respected and not the shunned. its why he treats the beta kids as stupid, inferior beings, and why he constantly points out that he is their god even though he isnt (well he technically is but you get it). it mimicks the way some highbloods treat lowbloods, but where the highbloods are like that because society told them it's their natural right that they were born with, karkat does it to forget what that same society told him: that he was somehow intrinsically worse than anyone else. so bad, in fact, that he'd be better of dead. actually, he'd be so better off dead that they want him dead, that they will kill him as soon as they find him. so of course he takes the chance to not feel like that! of course he wants to feel superior! he needs to be the one above for once, he needs that control over someone instead of feeling like he needs to watch out for everything and anything. he sees a chance to not be the lowest link in the chain, and he takes it. sure, he may be a mutant, but theyre human... and not just any humans. the very same humans that doomed their session, the session karkat threw himself into because not only did it grant him escape from a planet that hated his existence (as much as he also idealized, trying to fit in, trying to not be seen as Abnormal even though all the beta trolls are Abnormal & don't fit in), it also gave him the chance to, like i said, prove himself.

he trusts his friends, he does, and he said he'd tell them his blood color eventually. but he needed to be ready and that's why both jack noir & terezi, or at least their reactions, are so important to him. neither of them shuns him, they don't attack him, they don't make fun of him of call him aberrant or do anything that most trolls would. fair, jack noir isn't a troll, and he doesn't even understand why karkat is freaking out. but when he shows him his own blood, the same color, karkat is suddenly not alone. even if red blood doesn't mean anything special to jack, to karkat it means the world to see that he is not some abomination, that the universe didn't signal him out to be different than the rest forever and always. and terezi, terezi is what really does it for him. shes somewhat high in the hemospectrum, she is someone that karkat likes (and apparently kissed! good for him because God knows the kid didn't let anyone in out of fear of being found out), she is a troll. and she doesn't mind. she even calls him adorable in the same log! the beta trolls are outcasts of the alternian society; and they are karkat's friends. that's why he was willing to tell them eventually: it was his secret to keep and his secret to share. and even if terezi found out when he wasn't ready yet, her reaction was absolutely positive. again, these kids are the furthest away from troll society as they can be, almost its opposite, which is why karkat thought about telling them, is willing to tell them. he knows hes safe with them.

ive seen people point out how his handle (carcinoGeneticist) references his sign (carcinogenesis is the process by which an organism gains cancer) and both these things represent how hes considered an anomaly & something to be rid of, something sick; i also think it's. ironic that he's the knight of blood, but i don't know enough about classpects yet to analyze that. it must have felt like a cruel joke to him, though, being told that his literal title was someone who fights for the same thing he's ostracized for. it would certainly piss me off that's for sure.

[kazu-naito]

𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐄 — cassiel x audrey

astrea's broken heart | rating T | @rc-catalog

Audrey was leaning against the counter, staring at the wall filled with every type of alcohol one could imagine. After the last few days all she needed was a good drink, but unfortunately for her, she wasn't a connoisseur in the matter - for a moment she wished David was there to serve her something. Defeated in her mental quest, she ended up settling for scotch and poured herself a glass.

Not that used to strong alcohol, Audrey was taking her sweet time and slowly sipping the amber liquid. It tasted very woody, but she also noted a sweet undertone to it. She ruminated with it while watching the moonlight from the window - the faint gust of wind and outside noises were just in sync with the layers of her drink: slightly unpleasant and smokey at first, but ultimately soothing.

Audrey wasn't thinking about anything in particular as the liquid burned down her throat, but at the same time she was lost in thought, locked inside her own mind. So much so that she didn't even hear Cassiel coming in. “Really? A Glengoyne?” His voice startled her but she was too tired to even show it, “I didn't know what to pick.” One look at her and Cassiel could tell something was wrong, she wasn't in the mood for jokes. Was that how others felt around him? He didn't really care. But for some reason he did care about the fact she was drinking alone in a dark room, illuminated only by moonlight. He didn't know how to console people, that was kind of her job, not his, but he wasn't going to leave her alone. He circled the counter and grabbed an Ardbeg bottle, “You should try this one, it has a far more complex taste,” he poured himself a glass and looked at her, to which she nodded, so he gladly poured another glass.

For a while they drank in silence. Audrey didn't feel like talking, but she was grateful for Cassiel’s presence, she was surprised at how easily he read her. He somehow knew she wasn't seeking advice nor someone to listen to her wailes, but deep down she didn't want to be alone. The shimmer of the night illuminated their faces, making them look like otherworldly creatures - the scene in itself was ironic, an ethereal exterior and the most mundane worries raging inside.

She glanced at Cassiel, nudged him slightly and they looked into each other's eyes for what felt like an eternity. It’s no wonder people say the eyes are a portal to the soul, they could see so many emotions that would never be voiced, so many contradictions: fear, longing, anxiety, calmness. Cassiel was looking at Audrey like she was made of crystal, he could see right through her. “I can handle it,” he whispered. Their hands were now touching, and neither of them dared to move.

The touch of an angel. The taste of a drug. The look of a stranger who has seen too much. The addictive, albeit fleeting, bliss they were experiencing at that moment. His words touched a rough spot deep in her soul, hardened by time. How come this man, who hardly knew her, was showing more sympathy than those she had known for years? People didn't care about others’ problems, not really. They asked questions out of politeness but hoping no one would start venting - they didn't want to hear it, no one did. Audrey was used to it, she tried to ignore her problems just like everyone else did. But he wasn't asking out of politeness, he was genuinely concerned. She knew how to read people well, in fact, she got paid for doing that, and yet she still wondered if it wasn't just the alcohol clouding her mind. That seemed more believable than someone actually caring. But he did care, and deep down she could feel it, faint as it was.

“Nothing comes for free, Cassiel.” She broke his gaze and downed the drink. Indeed it tasted better than what she was having before.

“But you can pay with your heart.” He refilled her glass to the brim, spilling some of it on his fingers. “If you got one.”

Audrey laughed hoarsely. She couldn't tell whether the man was joking or not, but she decided to play along anyway. “Tell me all your questions, all you got to ask.” Cassiel was licking his fingers and shuffling his mental cards, even though Audrey said to ask everything he knew whatever he asked first was gonna determine the entire conversation.

“It’s not just about the beast.” He wasn't asking, he was stating a fact. “What happened to you?” Audrey was always so composed and took her job very seriously, she'd try to understand everything instead of panicking. So if she was willingly drinking a ridiculous amount of strong alcohol it could only mean she already knew something he did not.

She was silent for a long time, pondering what to say. He was very vague in his question but she knew what he meant. What happened to you in your past? Before you became a psychiatrist?

“I grew up in a very religious community. Many things I could not explain happened there. I’m no stranger to death, and my blood is not innocent.” Audrey was mostly emotionless, as if she was recalling a long lost tale, but the way she spat out the last part made it clear those were vivid memories that she could not bury, no matter how hard she tried. Ever so attentive, Cassiel knew exactly what she meant by that: whatever happened in that community, her family was involved; maybe deep down she thought she too was to blame for it.

Cassiel linked his pinky finger with hers, snapping her out of the melancholic stupor she was diving in. Upon noticing a lone tear slowly making its way down her elysian face, he couldn't hold it anymore - he pulled her into a very much needed hug. Tears were flowing relentlessly now, an ocean of words built by her own silence that almost made her drown. Cassiel held her close, not letting go.

Audrey started speaking again, telling Cassiel about her most traumatic experience - how she felt the pressure as she sunk deeper and deeper and how eventually the need to scream was gone. She learned to deal with it, she locked it all away in a vault profoundly into her soul, she had to wear down to her knees to cancel their names from each one of her experiences. She started anew, she managed to leave it all behind. Tears were still silently running down her face, her words were painted blue, but her heart was unusually warm - as for once, she wasn't alone. Cassiel was calming every tornado in her blood with his gentle touches and reassuring whispers.

“I swear to God that from tomorrow there will be no more pain.” He was cupping her face, tenderly caressing her cheek with his thumb. “I could bring the world down to its knees for you.”

In a way, her chest was opened up during her childhood, a moment in which they took everything she got without ever caring about the consequences. She believed in no devil, for she thought hell was empty and all of the demons were roaming free in the world - she had definitely witnessed it firsthand. However, at that moment Audrey believed in it again. The existence of a Devil implies the existence of a God, she was sure none of them were real, but how else could she explain Cassiel - if not someone sent by God? She leaned into his soft touch as her chest was opened a second time, now it was filling up with everything she had previously lost. She didn't need the alcohol anymore, she was drunk off of him. Audrey couldn't truly give a shit about the danger she’d have to face, she knew he'd come along.

“Just don't leave me alone.”

[nickeverdeen]

Hii! It's been a while since i last requested here! I hope school isn't torturing you that much.. Wanted to ask if you could right an Eric Coulter headcanons or imagine having feelings and/or dating a fellow dauntless leader? She's a dautless, so were her parents, so she doesn't feel like she has to prove herself to anyone and is easy going but baddass when fighting?? (Not important, but if you could add her being an expert in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu i would love you forever)

Eric falling for you:

Eric always knew he had a weak spot for you, but he tried not to show it

At first for him it was just a little crush he thought he’d move on from quickly

He was wrong

His crush on you grew and it didn’t take long before Four knew about it

Four was definetly teasing Eric from time to time, but not in the childish way

Eric ended up asking you if you wanna help him with training the new members

He wanted to show off so he asked you to fight with him in front of the new members

Boy didn’t know you were skilled in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Normally Eric would feel angry that he lost to anyone, but he didn’t get angry at you at all

After all, he had a big feelings for you

Although after losing a fight against you he feels a little bit embarrassed, but it quickly washes away

Four started teasing him about his protectivness towards you as he always did his best to keep you safe while training

He’s not gonna let you win “War Game” to be honest

You falling for Eric:

You had feelings for Eric for a long time

As a leader of Dauntless you couldn’t really pay much attention to it

You had a lot of things to do as a leader after all

When Eric asked you to join and help him with training you agreed not thinking much of it

Your feelings for him started to grow more and more as you sometimes caught yourself staring at him

When Eric asked you to fight him you flexed a little and pulled out your best Brazilian Jui-Jitsu skills

You could tell that Eric wasn’t angry about losing to you which made you suspect that he may have a soft spot for you

You and Four were close friends and when you caught Eric glaring at Four you’d be confused

But Eric is Eric after all

You noticed that sometimes when someone tried to flirt with you and you were uncomfortable Eric would often do something about it

You noticed that Eric got kinda jealous at Four for being your right hand as you are the leader

The fact that you knew you didn’t have to prove yourself to anyone was something that many people liked about you

You’re not much of a show off or anything like that in general

But when you have to fight… you’re the most badass bitch of all of them

Dating:

Eric can get easily jelaous of others, despise knowing you would never leave him

You two are a very powerful couple

As a leader your day is full of responsibilities so after your day Eric would help you relax

You sleep in his room with him for sure

He doesn’t have a problem with sleeping on the floor if you want him to, but he’d prefer sleeping in a bed with you

Eric would probably just lay you down on his chest while sleeping

You are the only one who can calm Eric down and prevent him from doing something very stupid

If someone would flirt with you he wouldn’t even give the person a second warning before fighting him

His first warning would be very intimidating

Eric isn’t much of a PDA person, but he surely is down for flirting with you in public a little bit

Eric has a very teasing and flirty comments sometimes during the day

You’re a very respected woman not only because you’re the leader, but mainly because of your personality

Eric is very protective of you in your relationship

He knows you can handle yourself, but still

You’re his girlfriend after all

He doesn’t want anything to happen to you

Eric doesn’t like to let other people know that you’re his soft spot

He is absolutely shocked and also smirking when he sees how good you are at Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

And how badass you look while fighting

You’re really not that agressive or badass looking normally so he wouldn’t think that you can be such a badass

The only time when you go against each other is when you and the new members are playing “War Game”

————————————————————

Hey, thank you so much for requesting. I haven’t done any requests in a while so yeah it means a lot to me.

I’m truly sorry if this ain’t what you expected and feel free to tell me what I should change

And unfortunately the school is torturing me, but it’ll get better. Thank you for asking in the first place 🫶

I might try to also do an imagine, but I’m not sure what it’d be about tho

[cheegu3]

Hi, can I request yandere twice reaction to s/o wanting to break up with them

hi, sorry for the long wait, hope u like it c:

tw / trigger warning; yandere themes, emotional manipulation, insults, jealousy, objectification, mentions of self-harm, swearing, restraints, mentions of sex, naive reader - don't read if it makes u uncomfortable

this was based on my twice profile, which is why Momo is absolutely insane lol

Twice - reaction to s/o wanting to break up with them

Jihyo

This would not sit well with her at all. There's no way she'd let you get out of her grasp that easily.

Not only that - but the fact that you even thought about it and asked her for it too? Unacceptable.

However, since she had a bit of a sadistic side, she'd entertain you for a bit. Making it seem like you were free to go while she had people spying on you the whole time. It would make you enough paranoid to lose a huge amount of sleep, making you a bit deranged and not as clear in the head as usual.

Then your ex-girlfriend would magically appear out of nowhere at a café you frequently visited. She had many body guards around her.

'' What are you doing here? Did you follow me here you psycho? '' you spat out the accusation and took a few cautious steps backwards.

Jihyo smiled sweetly at you, but a hint of irritation flashed across her face since you were close to causing a scene and alerting the other customers around.

However, she seemed to have no problem with quickly brushing off the irritation and playing in character again.

'' Follow you? Why would I do that? '' her face contorted into a look of offence now. '' My group was filming nearby so I decided to get a drink during the break. ''

Then she stepped closer, concern in her eyes.

'' Are you okay, y/n? You look really scared? Is something bothering you? ''

And just like that - the bunny had walked into the fox's trap. After you'd vented, your ex with her heaps amount of money seemed to be the most obvious solution to your stalker problems.

She could surely find out who it is right?

Nayeon

Although she felt nothing but utter rage inside, strategic tears sprung up in her eyes as soon as the words ' I want to break up ' left your mouth.

She'd fall to her knees, pretending as if her heart was breaking so much it hurt to stand up. When she sobbed so loud it drowned out your voice, her hands desperately grabbed onto your own as she begged,

'' Please don't leave me. ''

'' What? '' was all you could say, staring at her in utter confusion.

'' What's wrong? Why are you acting like this? ''

Amidst her acting, Nayeon managed to scoff at your cute dumbness.

'' Because I can't live without you! ''

It felt as if her words echoed in the deadly silence that followed her heartbreaking words.

Your own heart that you thought had already been broken into nothingness, broke a little more as you felt the first hot tears drop down your face - it seemed that you still had a soft spot for your ex, so what if you stayed a little longer?

Jeongyeon

She had been strict, yes - but still fairly nice throughout your whole relationship. That's why she couldn't figure out why you'd want to leave her?

Was there someone else you liked? Was it one of those friends Jeongyeon was paranoid about and deleted their texts from your phone?

Whatever it was, she'd make you regret it. That nice, sweet girlfriend that you were used to seeing would be completely gone; replaced with a psycho ex-girlfriend that would do anything to get you back.

Now, she longer cared if you were terrified of her. Since she knew your passcode, she'd sneak it late at night, tie you up and take pictures of you.

Then she'd wake you up, mocking you for how easy it was to ' catch you ', and claim that she's the only one who could protect you from this world.

'' If I could do that so easily, who knows what other things fucked up people might do to you if I'm not around to protect you. ''

You shook your head.

'' You're fucking crazy. ''

Jeongyeon smiled, a smile only a very twisted person would pull so easily.

'' Yes, I am. ''

Momo

You were her pretty doll and she was the scriptwriter of the play that was your relationship.

Since everything was pretty much fake, and you two were actors; this would enrage Momo. Any time you went off-script or wasn't in your character, acting the way she wanted you to, you'd get punished.

At the same time she felt a bit sad, like you had ripped her heart out and stomped on it. You weren't happy? Why? Did she not take care of you every day? Bathe you, feed you, dress you, pay for you and love you?

Why was that enough, what more could she possibly give you?

'' No. ''

'' Momo, I'm not acting now. '' you tried reaching for her hands but she snatched it away, a frown forming on her face.

'' No. '' she repeated.

'' I'm sick of this. At times you don't even make me feel like a person, it's- '' you waved your arms around trying to come up with the right words, that you were sure still wouldn't get into her head.

'' Humiliating! '' you finished.

Something seemed to flash behind her eyes. Before you knew it, she was right in front of you, menacingly staring you down with that look you knew all too well, '' Go to the bedroom. I will lock you in. ''

Sana

She's extremely delusional and very much the definition of crazy in love. There's no way she'd accept what you were saying, in fact, she'd probably think you were joking until you were screaming with tears of frustration.

Only then would reality kick in and she would start crying and freaking out.

Similarly to Nayeon, she'd beg you to stay and say that she couldn't live without you - which for Sana was absolutely true.

She would threaten to hurt herself, while saying things that she knew would get to you; because it would probably successfully guilt-trip anyone that heard it.

'' Sana please, I'm sorry. ''

Your hands were shaking, just like the uneven breaths you took while you held your ex-girlfriend. The two of you were crying enough to fill an ocean.

'' I really can't live without you. '' she whispered, gazing straight at you through bleary eyes.

'' I know. '' you guiltily say.

'' So how could you do that to me? ''

Mina

She was usually cold, barely showing what she was feeling through her face.

So it wasn't a big surprise that she'd just stare at you with a blank expression, not saying a word. Even as you packed your things and left, she just looked at you leaving.

In reality, she was processing things while also trying to come up with a plan.

She'd get you back, but definitely in a very different way - revenge.

Using her natural charm, Mina would text your friends and try every trick in the book to seduce them. Then, cunningly she'd get proof of your friends expressing their attraction to her and interest in hooking up.

Send them to your phone and ask to meet up, all she had to do was wait after that.

Soon enough your crying self would show up at the same apartment you had left a couple of days ago. She would gladly let you in, feigning a sympathetic look.

'' I knew they were fake, all along. ''

You didn't answer, only sniffling as you buried your face into Mina's shoulder.

'' I'm the only one in your life that's good for you...You will realise that soon enough. ''

Dahyun

She's one of the worst types of yanderes; paranoid and jealous to an extreme.

This lead to you being tied up in her basement most of the time. Seeing the sunshine was almost as rare as you being saved like the locked away princess you sometimes imagined yourself as.

The idea of you even attempting to break up with her when you'd be stuck right after, with no power of your own to walk out of her house - was a death sentence.

Even thinking of her reaction made you shudder in fear.

But one day after you'd been fighting with her all day, her coming down in intervals to scream her lungs out about new revelations she'd come up with while being upstairs alone, and you fighting back just as fiercely.

The words slipped off your tongue in the heat of the moment. You were tired and just wanted to hurt her.

'' Let's break up then! ''

You regretted it straight away, sensing that you had fucked up by the way she stopped mid-sentence, her eyes narrowing as her lips curled up in disbelief.

'' What the fuck did you just say? ''

Chaeyoung

She would panic as soon as the door slammed in her face. Sure she was crazy but she didn't hurt you that much...did she? No matter how many times she raked her brain, Chaeyoung fell short of answers.

It felt unfair, like you were doing it on purpose to break her heart because she'd done some small thing to upset you - the small thing in question was her looking through your phone when she thought you weren't looking, causing you to completely mistrust her and break up on the spot.

Hours passed where she just stared at the wall, feeling empty. She always felt empty when you weren't around, like she wasn't her own person, she wasn't whole without you.

That's why Chaeyoung eventually left to follow you.

It wasn't hard to recognise the bubble-pink car that seemed to conveniently be in every place you visited. Whenever you went to your car it was always there, like a painful reminder that you could never escape her.

After it showed up even as you went to your mom's house, you'd had enough. You angrily delivered a few rapid knocks to the window.

'' What, honey? ''

Her nonchalant tone made you bite your lips in anger.

'' What are you doing here? ''

The door opened, forcing you to back away. Chaeyoung stepped out of the vehicle and almost immediately grabbed your wrist hard enough to leave a mark.

'' You didn't think I was gonna leave without you, did you? ''

Tzuyu

She didn't want to show that she was hurt by your words. She simply let you walk out, despite her tears being ready to fall the second you'd be out of sight.

The next couple of weeks or months, she'd keep an eye on you while she also tried catching it.

Posting all over social media anytime she went to a party, posing with pretty people and hooking up with many more. It didn't fulfill her much since she only did it to get your attention.

But eventually, her efforts didn't go to waste as you started to get jealous.

She was popular, rich, beautiful and wanted by pretty much everyone. Your friends started to tell you that you had messed up, made a mistake and that someone else was going to win her heart.

Thinking of that made you furious, erasing any ounce of logic you had left in you.

So in the end, she won very easily. You showed up outside her doorstep like a puppy and she welcomed you in, smiling behind your back when you hugged her.

'' I've missed you. '' you bashfully admit.

'' I know. '' she says, trying to play it cool while her heart was beating out her chest.

[infamous-if]

How do RO flirt? How will they react to a mega shy MC?

Sebastian is shy himself so it'll be like two people not knowing what to do with themselves. Sebastian's way of flirting is very sweet and innocent. Maya would actually be the one to be huffing like "are u guys srs ur adults get it together"

G finds teasing someone who is purposely shy fun, they'd lay it on thick. They're not shy at all so they'd have extra fun trying to get MC flustered. G's flirting is pretty suggestive and they're very blatant about it. G is an open-book (for some things...others, not so much)

But that's very lighthearted. When G really likes someone, they start second-guessing themself. They become more careful with their words and what message they're trying to send. G can be a little shy at times too, especially when they actually care about what the person thinks.

It really depends on Seven. When Seven was MC's best friend and MC got shy/flustered, Seven would take any opportunity to point it out and tease them. Now, let's say they used to date, it'd make Seven shy in return because there's now romantic history behind it. Seven is a mixture of both, I think.

Seven isn't a straight forward flirt. They're more of the flirt where u don't know that they're flirting. They walk away from a conversation leaving MC wondering, "wait was that a compliment?" Yeahhh lol. But of course they think MC should know even though they don't make it easy lol.

Orion would point it out but not to be funny but genuinely like, "why are u blushing was it something i said?" He would be so oblivious to social cues he'd just put MC on the spot out of genuine curiosity. Orion's flirting is like Seven's in the sense that you do know whether he's just being unusually kind or if he's actually trying to make a pass at you.

"You are talented and have exceeded my marginal expectations" can be the highest form of praise (and romantic signal) coming from someone like him lol. He gets a little more romantic and obvious once he likes the person enough.

Victoria is one of those flirts who likes fishing for the compliments, or likes being doted on. Like G she can be quite suggestive, but masking it with a layer of innocence as if she's not actually doing anything wrong. She'll lay it on thicker with a shy MC but she'd innocent towards it.

August is genuinely oblivious most of the time and they get embarrassed really easily, but August is surprisingly attuned to what people feel. Once they know that MC has a positive reaction to them, they'd try to flirt at any given opportunity, but even with a shy MC, they're kind enough to pretend to be oblivious just to spare them the embarrassment lolll

[slocumjoe]

Nsfw headcanons but, like, not horny. Potentially "gross"

Cait; So much pubic hair. It mats and needs to be shaved off, has broken razors and shavers. Has gotten dangerously close to clipping her labia. Prone to acne down there, and prone to UTIs. Nothing wrong with that, we don't body-shame here. See a doctor though, that can't be comfortable. Gets way too hung up on topping and being a top. A lot of kinks are a hard no for her, no matter what side of it she's on.

Curie; Doesn't get...horny? But still likes sex, if she ever has it. It's the same kind of enjoyment you'd get from, say, roller skating or something. Probably has said "This is fun!" in bed conversationally, with no ~heat~. It's very clinical, but Curie likes clinical stuff. If you refer to parts incorrectly, will correct you. Hope you weren't into dirty talk. Knows more about sex than you and God help you if you take a patronizing tone with her.

Danse; Erectile dysfunction, and struggles to get it up even if he's DTF. Nothing wrong with that, we don't body-shame here. He doesn't really notice anyway. Very worried about consent and what you want (good!) that he ends up not doing anything without being explicitly told to (can get tiresome). Please just make him be a dead fish bottom. Needs intense aftercare/cuddling every single time. Angry/hate sex would legit traumatize him, not trying to be funny. It would fuck him up in a bad way.

Deacon; Also has a bit of ED, but is more embarrassed about it. He knows how easy and fun sex is when you're able. Likes role play but it always goes off the rails. Sex with Deac has plot twists and third-act breakdowns. Its fun, but don't go into it requiring an orgasm. He's now invested in the story he's crafting. Skin is...pretty unpleasant to touch. Very leathery. His genitals have undergone lots of different operations even when he wasn't changing his sex. On one hand, will change it to suit what you like. On the other, feels really weird.

Hancock; Also feels really weird. His body fluids are irradiated and unsafe to...be around, really. Don't swallow. A condom is needed for safe sex, in a major way with Hancock. That and some rad-x and rad-away. His dirty talk is always too much for whatever you've got going on. Likes his sex spontaneous but also really worried about consent. Ping-pongs between 'lets surprise them' and 'if I so much as move their limb weird I deserve to die.'

MacCready; Smaller side. Nothing wrong with that, we don't body-shame here. He just gets...kinda hung up on it...he can also be pretty immature when it comes to sex. Like, cartoonishly so. Most likely to use hand gestures and charades to refer to genitals. Giggly in the bedroom. Ultimate sexual fantasy is being kidnapped by the Mistress of Mystery and Silver Shroud and...'interrogated.' JO'd to assaultatrons once. The post-nut clarity on that one, oh boy...

Nick; has to wear an oven mitt on the one metal hand and a plastic glove on the 'flesh' hand. The flesh hand attracts dirt and filth like nobody's business and doesn't wash easily. He is not sticking that thing in you. Basically needs a condom for his hand. Will quote poetry at you and its 50/50 if its weird or lands. Lacks genitals, so you've only got voyeurism or wireplay to satisfy him. I do believe DiMa has a dick though; why else would he wear pants?

Piper; her periods are nightmarish. Needs so many pads. Always ends up bleeding through. And it's never just one little spot. It fully looks like she crushed someone's head between her thighs. Has gone with that story before. Needs a lot of lube for penetrative sex, and God help you if you try to use your hands with dirty nails, or your mouth without brushing + flossing. Really insecure about how she smells and tastes. Girl. That was bullshit before the nukes.

Preston; takes so long to finish, often doesn't. He's chill with it. Doesn't make noises during sex and its honestly kind if off-putting, even if his expressions line up. Has a lot of skin tags and moles around his thighs, and a scar from where a molerat almost ruined his bedroom habits, so to speak. Wears, like, three cups. Very low libido, once a blue moon is in the mood. Has a thing for prominent veins.

X6-88; Asexual. It's not a courser thing, a surprising amount of them have sex. Was really weirded out when he figured this out about himself, despite always lacking interest in sex. Except for porn. Porn is fucking hilarious to him. Gets really into analyzing what literary elements he can, psychoanalyzing the characters in the 'plot.' Would totally be into Fifty Shades of Grey and other hot-mess porn media. If anyone found out about this interest, he would commit a murder-suicide.

[kyra45]

Yeah I'm jerk if you're going to be a jerk. I call scammers beggars because that's basically what they do in my opinion. You've been asked nicely for help and you got very defensive and offended that they didn't research them. That person looked up to you by the way, was trying to help catching scammers since we have to deal with them on a regular basis on many platforms and in reality. Wanted your opinion but once again she lost trust to people and thinks that she did something wrong. Well have fun on Tumblr guys and I hope that you stop as many scammers as you can

Funny how your mood changed real quick after calling me sketchy. Scammers aren’t beggars, you wasn’t calling them beggars. You was saying everyone asking for help is a beggar:

“And no I'm not reading blogs of every single beggar out there.”

Secondly, I was offended that you didn’t look at the OP of the post you likely saw to figure out was my own account which only posts verified charities and you, as quoted, asked me if i was butthurt:

“Damn you seem really butt hurt don't you? “

Lastly, you asked me to check if someone was a scammer and I told you, very simply:

“Anon did you even try to contact the person before asking me or did you see them share the post from my own blog. Because I only got this ask when someone shared their reblog from my other account and I personally feel like your just assuming it’s a scammer right off the bat without bothering to look at the account the GoFundMe is posted from. Otherwise I’ve verified it’s a legitimate account. But you could have just asked them. Nicely.”

And your response to that was, as quoted:

“Do you expect me to nicely ask a potential scammer if they're scammer? The answer is obvious.”

And

“I will only trust someone by approving that the person they claim to be really exist, maybe through social media or other ways that can officially confirm them.”

Implying that you could have actually looked up the information yourself but you opted to ask me instead of asking the person who would have been able to tell you what you wanted to know better than I would have been able to elaborate.

Also:

“Your "instructions on how to spot a scammer" show some basic schemes which every dumbass can copy and paste. They do much more than that. Although most of them just like you get angry easily when confronted :D”

Scammers don’t change their tactics all that often and basic isn’t bad it just makes it easier to understand and I am not claiming I’m the best as making guides. I know what scammers do. Also you wasn’t confronting me. You just called by behavior sketchy just because I was annoyed. There’s a difference between a scammer being sketchy when confronted and someone being annoyed when people don’t do a simple task.

I wasn’t being a jerk. I called you one for how you was acting. The rudeness of saying ‘dumbasses’ can do this and that people who ask for mutual aid are all ‘beggar scammers’.

Scam busters are trying their best but it’s difficult when people don’t want to do their own stuff before asking someone else. If you had done what I said you would have know the account was legitimate but instead this mess happened.

It’s a shame you call yourself a scam buster and this is how you’re treating me. Just because you didn’t like my reply.

Also my fanbase? Going after you? Do you think I just sick my followers on anyone who pisses me off. No, I don’t. I specifically tell people don’t harass anyone I mention here and make it clear that anyone who does so are doing it themselves.

[lassieposting]

Actually. Also. While I'm SABposting.

The whole "Dark & Dangerous Morally-Questionable Immortal vs Safe But Bland Childhood Friend love triangle? Is boring. It's been done to death in every single YA series ever written.

But. Y'all know what could've been super refreshing and highkey entertaining?

Kirigan and Mal getting along.

Like. Mal is supposed to be a promising young soldier anyway, and when they meet, he's just succeeded in hunting down a folkloric magical creature that nobody has caught in hundreds of years. And then he has the sheer brass balls to withhold said creature's location to try and negotiate with someone who outranks him to an almost inconceivable degree.

This is. Probably not a smart career move, because noblemen are petty and prone to pissing contests, and Kirigan could make Mal's life very unpleasant. But it is brave, and Kirigan has been a soldier long enough to both a) spot untapped potential and b) respect bravery when he sees it.

(It's interesting to me that Mal often forgets to salute/call his superior officers 'sir' in the First Army scenes, but he absolutely remembers his manners with Kirigan. He needs this guy to like him, so he can see his bestie.)

And getting on each other's good side would actually benefit both of them - which Kirigan especially would know - being however many centuries old and with strategy as his fucking job.

On Mal's side - he's kind of languishing in mediocrity because he's an orphan with no contacts to give him a foot in the door to promotion. When he applies to transfer to better units where he'd learn new skills or have more opportunities to distinguish himself in the eyes of his superiors, he's shunted aside and overlooked in favour of someone whose father knows the king, because fatcats all look out for each other. But if he applied for the same transfer with a recommendation from the Black General, his potential new CO would take him far more seriously as an option. He certainly wouldn't suffer for having an affluent, influential man at the top of the military totem pole keeping an interested eye on his career.

On Kirigan's side - having Mal around, even infrequently, will settle Alina and make her feel more at home, and she'll know he pulled strings for Mal to boot. He's been intercepting their letters, because Alina writing all about the daily goings-on in the Little Palace is a fucking security risk, and she's understandably angry with him for it, but if Mal has a reason to come by the Little Palace now and then, to report to him on something or other, she can see him in person and won't need to write letters that could so easily fall into the wrong hands. And - well, at some point, Mal will owe him so much that he'll have to be loyal. Because betraying him would cost Mal everything. He's patient. He can wait.

Except. Mal turns out to be likeable, in the salt-of-the-earth sort of way Kirigan sometimes misses from when he was a serving soldier himself, all those centuries ago, and he is full of fun facts about Alina and amusing (for Kirigan, Alina would say embarrassing) anecdotes about shit she got up to as a child. He's gotten used to the intrigue and the backstabbing and the plotting that goes on at court, but there's none of that with Mal, because the boy is a shit liar and has no guile whatsoever. It's refreshing. And Mal has grown up being schooled about battles that Kirigan fought in or masterminded, and he has Questions that at some point he gets to actually ask, and for a minute while they're conversing Kirigan sort of stops being this terrifying Grisha freak of nature in his mind and is just. Another old soldier, like most of the COs he's ever had, telling war stories, and there's common ground, between them.

And like Alina is aware that they've formed a tentative truce for her sake and she is very pleased that they have, and then one day Aleksander makes a comment about how "the boy isn't a complete imbecile, I suppose" and she starts to think he might even like Mal, in his own prickly way,

And then she walks into a room during a fete and sees them talking, and that's lovely because they both look actually interested in the conversation! And she's smiling at them, right up until Mal starts flapping his elbows around and pulling comically horrified faces and she just knows he's telling Kirigan about the first time she ever rode a horse, when the damn thing spooked and took off with her at top speed and dumped her in the - yes, there he goes, pretending to pick pondweed out of the hair he doesn't have - lake. And Kirigan creases up and almost chokes on a mouthful of wine and saints, he's such a horse girl he'll be bringing this up forever and. Yeah she is going to have to murder the pair of them because she will never hear the end of this otherwise

[dreamofmetoday]

KARINA AND WINTER DYNAMIC READING

this reading was a paid request, a big thank you to the buyer!

overall:

so they’re just very out of sync, they can get along somewhat often but it’s as if every time they’re getting along they know they’re only 2.5 seconds away from them pissing each other off. they don’t really seek to be best friends but they do want to get along. i get the vibe of wanting a work bestie almost - it’s sort of like, they know a lot of members in other groups are not actual friends but when they travel together they’re able to explore the new city or country together and still have fun so they wish to achieve that sort of dynamic. they really both don’t want to waste the unique experiences that come with their job especially, knowing that these travels and events should be cherished, so it really is motivation for them to get along. in this sense they’re both definitely putting in a somewhat significant amount of effort, this effort is also coloured by what they’ve learnt about each other over the years and is genuine compromise (and comes with pushing down their feelings and inhibits some natural behaviour). so, for example, what ends up happening is essentially winter doing things like, “okay since i’m not a picky eater, i don’t mind eating what karina wants to eat so i will just go where she wants to” and karina doing things like, “instead of getting annoyed that i almost stepped on winter’s dirty laundry again, i know she is genuinely forgetful so i will just pick it up myself (or joke about it instead of addressing it angrily)”. there’s also a sense of trying to not get annoyed by what the other person says, both of them finding each other unnecessarily hurtful or irritating. however, where the problem lies is that it’s much more difficult in practice or when it’s actually happening, which is why in the beginning i said it’s as if they’re only 2.5 seconds away from pissing each other off. basically, they both tell themselves they won’t get annoyed but then when one of them actually says something annoying it’s like, “well how am i supposed to not be upset now?” and the mood shifts from being light to awkward or tense. overall, they really try to be responsible and practical with this connection but the fact that it feels like a responsibility becomes overwhelming.

how does karina see winter:

she sees winter as someone who doesn’t care what people think, for better or worse (she likes that winter is going to be who she is but finds that she’s really immature at times). she thinks winter is almost rebellious but thinks she is clever (think: giving a real answer in an interview and not a PR one but being really smart and even funny about it), karina likes this at times but it still makes her nervous. she views winter as someone who is genuinely giving, as someone who makes an effort to be a good person to other people and gives more than she receives in most cases (which karina appreciates). however, there is the sense of understanding the fact they’re not really on the same wavelength so she sees winter as someone who is inherently different from her. she also knows winter is someone who can make her laugh a lot but also someone who can make her mad easily (so karina is honest and aware of the connection in this sense, knowing winter makes her “emotional”). she has a genuine soft spot for winter, wanting good things for her and sympathising with her rather easily but it comes with a condition almost, the condition being that winter knows her place and doesn’t try to outdo her. lastly, she thinks winter can be childish and that she can be too impulsive (even in small ways, e.g. she thinks winter is likely to say the wrong thing on bubble due to immaturity and thoughtlessness).

how does winter see karina:

winter views karina as highly capable, thinking that karina just knows the correct way to do things. winter admires this about karina but thinks it also makes karina overly demanding sometimes and impatient when people aren’t as intuitive or as smart as she is. she thinks karina has great stamina and drive, that she sees karina work hard practically every single day to achieve her goals (even in small ways such as being very strict with her diet and never making an excuse to not exercise). in this sense, winter sees karina as really authentic and honest - kind of like, “when i met karina she told me she was going to make it to the top and stay there and that’s exactly what she does daily”. winter also thinks karina values money highly but doesn’t actually see her as very selfish even though she can tell karina wants to show off, she thinks karina is very generous to her family (and likely especially her mother) and tries to share and give them a lot. she thinks karina is pretty ruthless and mean sometimes but a part of winter admires this too, since she thinks a lot of people in the industry are cruel and that karina is strong for this and won’t easily be taken down. she thinks karina is pretty, seeing her as wanted by many people but also in the sense where she views it in awe a little (e.g. why does karina wake up looking refreshed everyday and i need to shower and everything before i look normal). however, she views karina as quite lonely and that her intense focus on career is harmful - both in the sense it means she focuses on other things (such as personal connections) less and also in the sense that she’s easily upset (such as crying often when she thinks a stage or variety appearance went poorly). this is also why winter thinks her and karina simply just value different things and it causes them to walk at different paces.

[eveandtheturtles]

So you think bayverse Mikey gets insecure about being the shortest/smallest ?

Lol this is so random and you can completely ignore this but it's been in my mind all day and how his brothers would conform him and stuff😭

Huh! You know what! I think you are right and you should say it louder. To be fair I think he has other insecurities as well (and honestly all of them do. Raph, Leo, Donnie. But it's not about them rn).

Brace ya self I am having HC/ opinion and might be speaking outta my ass lol. And oh I am very chaotic with my thoughts so there's that

In Poland we say "it's darkest under the lamppost", which means the most obvious things are hardest to spot. Mikey is perceptive to others emotions but kinda blind to his own until someone points something out. Like

"Mike, why do you keep flying on that board."

To be fair I think the height insecurity easily relates to his other fears. He is the youngest, the smallest. He isn't as smart as Donnie and often says things others find annoying. He doesn't have "a great burden of leadership" like Leo, isn't the big protector like Raph. He is the silly one. He just wants his family together and have fun with them. Be with them. But he sometimes feels worse than them. Smaller than them in both height and purpose.

Maybe it was a mission that went wrong. While the other brothers were trying to run damage control Mikey didn't know what to do? His brothers' backs now so much taller and competent than his own.

I think first to notice something would be April. She is the most inquisitive - pros of being darn good reporter.

She notices how Mikey isn't cracking as many jokes as before. He spends a lot more time up in the pipes, not even flying around just sitting above everyone.

Mikey has always been an open book. He wears his heart and thoughts on his sleeve like 90% of the time. So a gentle push and a smile is all it takes for him to spill his guts and worries to her. Plus, how can he say no to April, his favourite human.

He wished to be taller, like Donnie. He could reach further, maybe go faster. Prevent bad things from happening. Help people better.

April reassures him or tries to and just hopes to get him to talk to his brothers. She promises she would be there with him to provide support. He's also her friend.

So she gets them all together. She gives Mikey the stage and he starts talking. Probably too much because now he's crying and the brothers just group hug him and just remind him of all the times he saved their hides. Yeah he's wild but being their wild card is good. He's so artistic, great at music and what's important he has so much compassion for others and emotions are so easy for him. Being the heart of the family doesn't make him less important. Without him the family is out of whack.

Raph probably remind him how being shorted than him has it perks because Raph can't get through narrow and tight spaces like Mikey can. And he's not as fast as Mikey.

Family isn't being uniform unit. It's their differences that make everyone work so well together - Splinter reminds them to cherish who they are and build each other up because of the differences not inspite of them.

Then Raph grabs Mikey and sits him on his shoulders. He wants to be taller? Then big bro can carry him around.

Special pizza delivery that night ;)

Hope this was something you were looking forward to XD

@turtle-babe83 @leosgirl82 @madammuffins @thelaundrybitch @dilucsflame33 @sharpwindow @pheradream15 @m1dnyt3-w0lf

[the-journey-was-the-point]

The Psychology of Linnéa

I did this for Callonduin, and I'm glad to finally be able to do it for Linnéa!

Entering Linnéa's head is like entering a maze-- an introspective, convoluted, philosophical maze. She's a character who morality-wise starts off the story already standing on a downhill slope. She adopts a very apathetic attitude, and only seems to show impatience when doing questionable things to achieve her goals.

And yet for such a cold character, I show her having a massive soft spot for kindness and sincerity. She struggles with her conscience, often vacillating between compassion and indifference. I plan for Elrond to, at a certain point in the story, describe her as someone who stands at a crossroads and needs to make important decisions on the type of person she wants to be.

She is someone who can either cure you or kill you. But what's behind this duality? It took me forever to put it into words but here it is:

Task-oriented

Linnéa is, by nature, very task-oriented. This means that she focuses on results and how to get them. She's the type of person who is more likely to give advice than comfort. When faced with a problem, she will look for ways to solve it.

This is a neutral trait! And it's a great skill to have, but for her, this also means that she can overlook feelings. When taken to an extreme, it means completely disregarding others. This is one of her blindspots, that even when not meaning to, she can forget to consider other people in pursuit of a goal.

2) Highly Adaptive

For better or worse, Linnéa adapts to situations pretty quickly. It's good that she's a fast learner and absorbs information very easily... but not when around the wrong influences. It just makes her susceptible to being corrupted, and unfortunately for the good guys, more of a threat when she does end up on the wrong side.

This goes not just for skills, but for emotions as well. Linnéa can adapt very quickly even in environments where she would need to hide her feelings or push away her conscience. She can quickly become desensitized to doing wrong (and by the time the story starts, she's kind of already there).

However, this raises an interesting question about her: how much of it is her, and how much of it is a defense mechanism? Is she truly indifferent to the suffering of others, or is that just something she numbed herself to in order to go on? Does her anger/irritation only shield her softer emotions, or is it a case of "becoming the mask"? Because if she were truly heartless, why would she still have moments where she struggles with her conscience?

3) Untrusting, Anxious, Controlling

The nature of her work involves danger and deceit. Over the years, she's come to distrust others, and unlike Callonduin who has a good radar but otherwise comes in with an open mind, Linnéa writes off everyone as untrustworthy from the start (even when they're genuinely good).

Apart from personal experience, there's an element of psychological projection to this. Linnéa knows just how deceitful other people can be, because she herself is like that. When one is capable of hurting others, it's hard not to be acutely aware of how the same can be done to them. With this in mind and so much on the line, she doesn't like to be vulnerable, and her vindictive and power-hungry tendencies can come out when this is violated.

4) Disconnected

Linnéa is someone who is generally disconnected from others, which leads to her disregarding them. There are two causes for this: the first is her work, which as mentioned, leads her to detach herself from others for her own protection.

The second is her immortality. She has difficulty relating to those with mortal lifespans so when having to make a tough choice, she prioritizes herself, believing that as the one who will outlive others, she needs to make choices that will benefit her in the long run. It's a case of not pride but practicality to her, since she knows that in the end, she'll be the one affected by her own decisions forever.

But when she's in an environment where she can connect with others, it brings back her empathy and gets her to be more caring and conscientious.

5) Tired and apathetic, impatient

A core trait of hers is how generally tired of life she is. I want to explore how if even older Elves become weary, what more a half-Elf who perceives time like a human but is immortal?

Linnéa is tired of being alive and it weighs down on her. It's another reason why she behaves so indifferently, taking no interest in the world around her. After holding out for so long, she cannot wait a moment longer to achieve her lifeline goal of sailing to Valinor.

Lanthir at a certain point calls her out, saying that she "doesn't value life", and this is exactly true. She stopped valuing life when she stopped valuing living, and this extends to how she sees the lives of others.

6) An Unattainable Goal

Linnéa's shallow goal of sailing to Valinor is posed as near-impossible from the start. Being a half-elf, let alone one with a human appearance, the likelihood of her being able to sail is low. Her Elf father disappeared and kept her family's existence a secret, the one guy who knew about them took advantage of her with false promises of help, and then it turned out her family has a history of screwing powerful people over, which really doesn't do her any favors.

It's made clear to her pretty early on in the story that the odds are against her. There are many obstacles in her way, and in pursuit of her goal, she actually pushes herself farther from attaining them.

7) A Desire For What You Lack

Despite all of this, Linnéa shows her inner goodness through the things that make her cave. She displays the tendency to desire what one lacks, and in her case, it's sincerity, goodness, and hope.

To begin with, it's Fíli's stubborn kindness that gets her to accompany him on his quest. Around her friends, she defrosts when she sees how supportive and trustworthy they are with one another. Much later, Lanthir's stalwart virtue and genuine compassion bring out her good side when she begins to go downhill.

Linnéa doesn't see a lot of sincerity, goodness, and hope in her life, so when she sees it, especially despite a person's hardships, she can't help but marvel at it like it's a light in the darkness.

----

Additionally! There are 3 key concepts that I like to write her character around:

What happens when you can't get what you want?

Though there's always an AU, I think it's pretty important that she doesn't get to sail to Valinor. The goal you worked so hard to achieve and pinned all your hopes on just isn't happening. Now what?

What do you do with your life?

This is a question everyone faces, exaggerated by her immortal lifespan. Given the duality of her nature, Linnéa is often put in positions where she has to consider the type of effect her actions will have on the world, what she'll have to live with, and the knowledge that life will keep going on and on.

Doing the right thing can cost you. It can also require a leap of faith.

Another concept addressed by her character is how being good takes sacrifice, which can mean going into the unknown. It tackles having to willingly give up the things one worked hard to cultivate and facing the day after, and having no control or knowledge of what comes next.

----

And that's it! I'm really just glad I can enjoy writing her now. I used to be frustrated, now I'm frustrated in a fun way XD I find it entertaining that it's just never a straight answer with her.

[civilight-eterna]

may i please ask that you write gravel being a fucked up little knight for a pretty girl. pretty girl can be of your choice (though amiya is envisioned during this ask), thank u i love ur writing. may kjera bless you always.

oh god i am always so down to write amiya with most anyone anon. i've been eyeing this ask for days and mulling it over with much care so I hope you enjoy it!!

...

"Aww, my. I'd say I was sorry for flustering you so badly, but I'm not in the habit of lying to pretty girls. The way your face gets all red just makes it even better for me."

The clear, instant distress on Amiya's face is to die for. Gravel could only hold the deepest of respect for her, for having the courage to seek her out in private to clarify her intentions in the way she'd greeted her, even as easily embarrassed as she was to be talking about it at all.

"S-So...you kissed me, b-because...?"

"...What if I never told you? Would you seek me out again, just like this time?" Gravel walks her back against the door, her hand coming to rest on the wall beside her face. "Would you let me kiss you again, each time? Would your curiosity get the better of you? Would you keep coming back to see what it makes you feel like?"

Gravel curls her fingers beneath Amiya's chin, her index finger breaking rank and ghosting up over the front of her lips, tracing their shape with a slow stroke down the bottom one to part them.

Soft as the petals of a rose, dewy and tender and flush with color like the rest of her face.

She inclines her chin, tilts Amiya's up, and waits.

She could close the distance. It would be so easy, to eliminate the gap, to ease her tongue into that pliant, pretty mouth until she's too dizzy and lovesick to stand.

"...How does it make you feel, Amiya?" Gravel breathes against her lips, "Can you see anything but me?...Can you think of anything, but this?"

"M-Miss Gravel..." Amiya's voice is wavering with reluctant reproach, her eyes round and wide and teeming with bewilderment; so painfully innocent.

She drops her chin away from Gravel's fingers, laying a hand against the now rapid rise and fall of her chest.

She's adorable. Gravel can imagine so clearly the way she would respond to being kissed senseless-her meek voice whimpering, wobbling lips, fluttering eyelashes, and her jaw falling slack with surrender.

She can sense something of a kindred spirit in Amiya; maybe it's the doe-eyed look of someone in over their head? Maybe it's the overly-serious downturned curve of her mouth?

Things that actually, aren't very alike to Gravel right now at all. Not anymore. Not for a long time now.

"I mentioned before, right? It's just a little hello. Your mouth might stick like that if you keep frowning so."

"Um. I...understand that it might be something that comes very easily to you. I truly do not wish to offend, but, I..." Amiya's throat bobs subtly as she swallows hard, and Gravel can already sense the rejection poised on her lips, "...that sort of expression, might be easy to misunderstand, and-"

"Hehe. I won't lead you astray. I promise."

"A-Ah, no, I didn't doubt you like that...! But all the same...I can't allow others to get the wrong idea. It would put our company in something of a tight spot-"

"So all that's keeping you from letting me kiss you is the idea that others might get, then?" Gravel's smile widened, coy, "I daresay that's even better than I had hoped to get with you, Miss Leader."

Amiya's face ignited bright red, from the bottom of her neck to the tips of her ears. Gravel giggled and placed a chaste peck on her forehead.

"...Hehe, poor thing. You're just too much fun to tease, you know? Here-this might be a little more your speed. Come here."

"-?!"

Gravel pulled her into an embrace, warm, but with the heated atmosphere from before dampened just enough to let her new charge relax into the hug.

"Aah..."

"I won't cause you any trouble. I promised, didn't I? I'll take good care of you and your Doctor, and if you have second thoughts about anything...that door isn't closed."

"I'm...sorry, Miss Gravel." Her voice is small but resolute against her shoulder, "But, I think it...should be."

"Hmm. Then you can open it whenever you want."

"...I...will be leaving it that way."

Gravel is not often taken aback, but here she hears such a sense of finality in Amiya's tone that it neuters her carefree buoyancy instantly.

It's been a while since she's felt ashamed. Is that what this is?

Perhaps the world is playing some cruel cosmic prank on her after all. Because now, faced with Amiya's resolute surety to her responsibilities, she can only regard her so much more fondly than she'd ever thought possible.

She won't be the one Amiya confides in. She won't be the one she bares her burdens to. The door is closed and Amiya will hold the handle tight.

Just as unease begins to prick at her heart, Amiya's arms fold around her, returning the embrace.

Almost like she knew just how she was feeling.

"Thank you for looking out for us. Even...if I can't..."

Oh, this is miserable.

"Shhh. I can handle myself. Let me save a little face. My blades are with you regardless. When you're in danger, just call my name-"

They pull back from the embrace.

"-and I'll make sure your kisses are in more conventionally-appropriate places. Like this."

Gravel gives Amiya time to move away-she does not-and presses her lips against her forehead.

"...Mmwah."

"Th-Thank you-" Amiya stammers, "-Miss Gravel."

"Senomy."

"Hmm?"

"...Call me Senomy."

[scienter]

Not much happened in this week's preview chapters. It felt mostly like winding down Day 2. Anyway, let's jump into chapters 27 & 28.

CHAPTER 27

Father glanced at their larger stone, then at this one. “A single rock is a blessed anomaly. Two… might mean more. It might mean the spren have chosen this region.”

Reiterating that the spren are connected to the stone. hm.

I’m interested in learning more about the connection between the stone, wind, and spren and how they fit into the mythology/magic of Roshar. So much attention is given to the shards that I forget they aren't the only elemental forces in the cosmere.

“Can’t you just… tell me what to do?” Szeth asked.

Szeth's developing an internal moral code seems to be the focus of his character arc in this book. It makes sense; he’s always followed someone else's directions. Including childhood, apparently. He has to do it to progress to the 5th ideal becoming the law.

“No, I don’t think that I can,” Father said. “Unfair to put you in this spot, I know, but the spren gave you the first sight. You should decide. We can move the rock, or we can move our home. I’ll accept either one.”

The spren gave Szeth the first sight . . .  wtf does that mean?

CHAPTER 28

Epigraph: “I do not have answers, and there will always be some who denounce me for this decision I made. But let me teach a truth here that is often misunderstood: sometimes, it is not weakness, but strength, to stand up and walk away.” – From The Way of Kings, fourth parable

Did Nohadon abdicate? Or think about abdicating? I don't remember.

Anyway, I wonder if Nohadon's decision is tied to the Stormfather and Honor’s "shame"?

In this case, it injected the anti-Light, making it seep through her. It wasn’t painful, not compared to the actual wound, but it was wrong. A cold that prowled through her veins, carried through her body with every beat of her heart. Painspren clawed up from the stone ground around her. This feeling was unnatural, counter to her very nature, but… she felt she could have drawn it in like normal Light. She decided not to try, as it did not seem to be able to hurt her so long as she set her jaw against the pain and refused the normal Stormlight that would heal her. Because if those two met…

Well, that was less dramatic than I was expecting. 😐

The whole scene felt a little . . . underwhelming? Short? idk. I didn’t expect that Shallan would so easily get away once she was caught. That said she can’t be locked up for a significant amount of time when there are 8 days remaining and a lot of plot to get through.

Those buildings seemed so unprotected, practically shouting for the storms to take them. Though they were distant, he thought they were wooden, and appeared flimsy. With flat walls to the east, and windows on those sides as well. He knew people here didn’t have to fight the storms, but those homes unnerved him. Made him think the people must be weak, innocent, in need of protection. Like lost children wandering a battlefield.

Oh, Kaladin. His brain always defaults to protecting people. Even if they don't need it.

Szeth glanced at him and shook his head. “Something is wrong here. Not the things you see with a stonewalker’s perspective, Kaladin. Look. Does that region seem… darker than it should?”

This is one of the Unmade, right?

Regardless, when a person is elevated as I was in my youth, they travel to each monastery on pilgrimage, training at those that have an Honorblade, mastering each Surge. 

Has it been explained why the Shin would do this? Why train elevated individuals in the surges via the Honorblades? Were they preparing for something (e.g., the final desolation)?

Kaladin insisted, however. Thankfully Szeth joined him, and offered no further complaint about a cookfire. Because Kaladin needed this man to open up. And he figured he’d try an old standby.

Yeah, it worked with Bridge Four, but will this work with Szeth? I don’t know. He's a tough nut to crack. Either way, I love seeing Kaladin in therapist mode.

[paranormals-of-ilvermorny]

Chapter 10 (double digits whooo!)

Sunday, October 19, and Lorelei woke up with a very bad stomach ache. She knew fully well that it had nothing to do with what was served for dinner last night, butternut squash gnocchi with spinach, but more to do with the fear of being wrong. There was nothing bad if she was proven wrong on any other subject but this one. Spending longer than usual to start her day, Lorelei lay in bed, motionless and fed her anxiety with fearful thoughts. What if there was a skinwalker? What then? Probably tell the headmaster, he’ll know what to do. But what if he doesn’t believe us? What about the students that have no idea, they could be at serious risk of getting hurt. Or worse, killed.

It took a while, far longer than she had hoped, but eventually Lorelei had a long talk with herself. If, and it’s a very big if, there was a dangerous beast looking to sink its teeth into someone, Lorelei was going to do everything she can to make sure no one gets hurt. To further strengthen her assurance, and quiet the anxious thoughts, Lorelei thought of the not-so realistic probability that a Skinwalker is wandering around Ilvermorny. From doing more research she found out that they are mainly found in the Southeastern part of the states, the complete other side of the country. There have also been no known cases or sightings of them north in the last forty-three years. So with this knowledge, and a very deep breath, Lorelei got out of bed and began to dress for the midday Quodpot match. The uneasy feeling she previously felt in her stomach moments ago had calmed down.

This Sunday Robin was in a mood. She sat in her unassigned-assigned seat in the dining hall, eating some hot oatmeal with brown sugar. It was rare for her to wake up so early on a Sunday, especially when she didn’t have a game, but something was different today. It was also a rare occurrence for Robin to seek inwards for why she feels or acts a certain way; choosing to rather talk to others than to herself.

But this morning she chose to do exactly that. She picked a spot on the table, a bowl containing berries, and asked herself why it mattered so much to be believed about this ‘mystical’ animal.

Growing up in a magic household meant that every weird incident she saw was easily believed when retold to her mom. One time, on the eve of Yule, Robin swore she saw a mouse with three tails run across the fireplace and steal a piece of popped corn from the tree. When she ran and told her mom who was in the kitchen baking gingerbread wizards with Quinn, her mom full heartedly believed her. She even asked little Robin to draw what the mouse looked like, although she admitted to never hearing of such a creature before. Later that week Robin told her friends at the park but they just laughed at her and said what a dumb thing to make up. She got so worked up over not being believed by them that her mother had to come and give her a break.

Lisa Copper explained to her daughter that not everyone has the same imagination, but all Robin heard was that her mother didn’t believe her either and was just humoring her. This, along with a few other times people couldn’t trust what she was saying, built up a wall of animosity towards those who don’t think Robin can be truthful. It exposed a sore in her that festered whenever someone would say, “I don’t think so” or “that’s not true”, but worst of all was, “you’re lying”. Lying to Robin was the biggest crime one can do. Aside from murder, obviously. But to lie about something means you don’t like the truth. Sometimes it's to defend yourself or a friend, other times it's to protect someone’s feelings.

But Robin prides herself on her blunt honesty, even when it's gotten her in trouble a few times. Many times. Of all the people she trusts, the number one person on that list is herself. And she knows she saw something in the woods.

It’s just a matter of getting Lorelei to see it too.

The sun was shelled behind a cloudy sky, but that only made for perfect conditions to play Quodpot.

Today saw the Pukwudgies versus the Horned Serpents, not that Lorelei cared about winning too much. She was more competitive against herself than anyone, sometimes the odd scholarly rival. She, along with Robin, sat in the stand that had the best viewing of the forest’s edge. According to Robin, that is.

As the girls watched the game start, the teams making their grand entrances and agreeing to play by the rules, Lorelei couldn’t help but feel Robin was taking her job very seriously. Sitting with her hands on her lap and eyes glued to the trees, Robin wasn’t going to let a silly little thing like a Quodpot match distract her from catching a glimpse of her monster. Lorelei quietly hoped that by the evening, she’d have her easily distracted best friend back.

The match started with quite a lot of vigor, the Serpent's starting with the Quod and the Pukwudgies trying to delay the amount of time the Quod had before hitting the pot. There were many good plays and passes between team members, David Florian performing a certainly dangerous move around the neck, as the round continued.

”WOAH! LOOK AT THOSE SERPENT’S GO! THEY CERTAINLY KNOW HOW TO SLITHER AND SLIDE.” Grant announced from the speakers box, annoying those unfortunate enough to be sitting nearby. “CACHE BLOCKED BY NUTTER, THEN PASSES THE QUOD TO FIR… WHO SCORED INTO THE POT! SERPENT’S ONE, PUKWUDGIES ZERO!”

The team celebrates before getting ready for the second round, starting with Pukwudgie with the Quod. A team member passed the Quod over to Orville, before he too was blocked and sent the ball to another open mate.

Lorelei had the perfect view of Orville as he rode his broom through the air, still chilly from the lack of sun. His uniform was green with copper colored stripes to show the school his Pukwudgie pride. It was easy to see the way his body works hard to keep up with the sport, the slight definition of muscle strength making Lorelei’s heart beat wildly. She really couldn’t be blamed, how else was she supposed to react to such a dreamy vision as a sweaty Orville wiping his brow and running his hands through his hair. What Lorelei wouldn’t give to comb her fingers through his dark locks while he reads to her from her favorite book.

“CROWELL THROUGH THE QUOD FOR THE POT…”

Not to mention the slight grunts of exertion he emitted as he played…

“OOHH AND MISSES BY A DRAGON FANG!”

…or how his large hands clenched in his fingerless leather gloves…

“THIS EARNS THE TEAM A HALF POINT FOR LANDING IN THE SCORING CIRCLE.”

…his bum snuggly seated upon his broomstick…

“NEXT ROUND STARTING SOON!”

“I’m feeling a little hot, gonna get an ice cold cider, be right back!” Lorelei rushed out to Robin before leaving her seat quickly, her cheeks warming by the second.

The match was looking pretty grim for the Pukwudgies, but that never stopped them from keeping up morale. A Pukwudgie’s spirit can never be broken beyond repair.

With the score nine to four it was shaping up to be a landslide win for the Serpents, but the crowd was still looking forward to the winning goal or any special plays. There was still a chance for the Pukwudgies to win, but considering this round was started by the Serpents, it was highly unlikely.

The whole game Robin has kept her eyes locked onto the tree line, not once jumping up to cheer with the surrounding audience, or laughed when the Quod blew up and left harmless soot on Ulysees Yowie’s face. She was determined to spot the creature and get Lorelei to see it.

And believe her.

As the Serpents passed the Quod back and forth towards the pot, Lorelei took a second to glance at her friend. She was completely oblivious to the game, her only focus was the forest. For the first time all game, Lorelei decided to follow Robin’s gaze and peered across the pitch into the surrounding forest.

When she saw nothing of excitement, she was ready to turn her attention back towards the game. But something caught her eye. There was movement by the tree line, a dark figure, almost tall enough its head reached the top of the tree’s branches. It moved, long limbs gliding quickly, with something flowy like a cape following the movements. Lorelei stared aghast as it moved about six feet from one tree to another, then to a thicker one before it disappeared completely. She saw it, just like Robin said, the ears, the limbs, and the height.

Still in shock of what she just saw, Lorelei looked to her side where she met Robin’s eyes. She too had seen the creature a second time, her mouth open with her corners upward in an astonished expression, almost happy to have seen it. Lorelei however had her own mouth slightly open and her eyes twice their size, the implications of what this means hitting her like a boulder.

There was a Skinwalker roaming Ilvermorny’s woods.

The music was loud, the lights were blaring, and the smell of sweat and dirt was overwhelming. It was safe to say, the Pukwudgie common room had never seen such a lively party.

Even though they lost, the Puk’s were known to throw parties that ranged from mild to “can’t remember last night” for the littlest things. First snowfall of the year? Hot cocoa party! Don’t have a date for Valentine’s Day? Singleton’s party! Lost the house cup? Who cares, let's party! The ongoing theory as to why they celebrate such redundant events, like National Gnome Day, was the food. No one knows how really, but there was always a table of delectable on theme snacks and drinks for the festivities. It seems more like the house members are trying to live up to their house’s name by always feeding the students of Ilvermorny.

Tonight on the infamous round snack table were some classics like popcorn, cider, pumpkin juice, chips and dip. For tonight’s celebration there were also chocolate pretzel brooms, house color cupcakes, and mini Quod’s made from chocolate truffles.

The common room was also decorated in various colored streamers, balloons, and even some glitter shaped like brooms covered the floor. Usually, the green velvet furniture wasn’t sparkling, the wooden tables used for studying didn’t have colorful runners, and the many medicinal plants weren’t covered in crepe streamers. There was also a large antique apothecary cabinet stocked with different gauzes and remedies from a common cold to a broken bone. The Pukwudgies acted as a second hospital wing, which was helpful when you didn’t want to disclose how you got a noticeable scar on your cheek. On the wall nearby was also some herbs drying upside down, most likely to be used by students to make a healing tincture. And of course, a marble statue of Hermes, Greek God of medicine, that as of right now had a party hat and streamers someone placed on him.

Poor guy.

Lorelei wasn’t really in the party mood, having been dragged along by Robin because they “needed a reward for studying so hard”, as she said. So Lorelei kept to the wall, away from the crowd, and watched her friend dance and have the time of her life with some of her Quodpot friends. It was moments like this Lorelei found it hard to believe they know each other, let alone are friends. But that was one of the things she loved most about Robin, how she pushes Lorelei to step out of her comfort zone and try new things, meet new people.

She wouldn’t have such a problem with that, if they both hadn’t seen a possible man-eating beast hours ago.

Trying to take her mind off of what she saw, Lorelei decided to have her own kind of fun until Robin said she wanted to leave. Or she ate all of the snacks. Keeping to herself, she picked up vial after vial of the different homemade healing supplies in the common room’s first aid cabinet. So far she’s seen pastes made from calendula, marshmallow root droplets, and ginger root tablets. By reading what was in each bottle, Lorelei felt like she was expanding her knowledge of medicinal herbs.

She bit into the Quod truffle she grabbed from the snack table, taking a bite and was surprised with the crunchy center. Some sort of nut? Her palette wasn’t the most refined, but if she had to guess…

“Hey, hope your enjoying yourself”

The sudden intrusion to her silent corner scared the living daylights out of Lorelei. So much so that, embarrassingly, she began to choke on the truffle. “Oh Merlin, drink this!” Suddenly a bottle of pumpkin juice was thrusted into her spasming hand. She quickly grabbed it and drank about half of the bottle’s contents. “I’m so sorry, Lei, didn’t mean to sneak up on you like that.”

As her breathing began to return to normal, and her vision started to clear from the tears the coughing fit induced, Lorelei had a whole new reason to be mortified. Standing next to her was the one and only Orville Doe, and she just drank his pumpkin juice. Great.

“It’s okay,” she choked out, not sure if she could blame the truffle on that, “the music must have obstructed your footsteps.” As the air continued to reach her lungs without problem, Lorelei also realized his large hand was on her back, probably trying to keep her alive. Unfortunately, the realization made Lorelei go stiff at the close contact.

To her relief, Orville huffed out a laugh at her joke. He then brought his hand away, almost like it was burned by her, and ran his fingers through his hair. Lorelei felt even more embarrassed than before, watching him bring his hand away so quickly and distancing himself from her. He’s just trying to be nice, don’t read into things.

“Sorry again, I just wanted to check on you since you seemed to be over here alone.” Great, he probably thinks I’m a loser who doesn’t talk to people. Which I am.

Desperate to change the subject, Lorelei steered the conversation away from her. “Honestly I have a bit of a stomach ache,” not a lie, “and was looking for something in your cabinets. I hope that’s okay?”

He had a somewhat dumbfounded look on his face, but on him it looked very cute, shaking his head before responding. “Oh, yeah, of course you can! Here,” he used his long arms to his advantage and brought down a small crate of different glass bottles. “This is specifically for stomach aches and nausea. Let’s see we have ginger, peppermint…Oh, and some fennel seed!” He said lifting the glass bottle of long, thin seeds. He took the top off and poured some into a nearby mortar and pestle, begging it to grind them up. “These are good for lots of stuff, like indigestion, built up gas, it even helps breast milk production.”

A pregnant pause, pun intended, waves through the pair after Orville realized the words that escaped his mouth. Lorelei, not wanting him to feel uncomfortable, decided to play along and ease his embarrassment. “Well, I’ll have to remember that for the future. The very far off future, heh.”

The downward spiral of embarrassing thoughts, evident by his shocked expression, came to a halting stop when Lorelei spoke. Orville’s deer in headlights look was replaced with a small smile and eyes that screamed relief at her understanding. The fennel seeds forgotten, he lifted his hand to scratch the back of his neck, something weighing on his mind. “Uh, hey, Lorelei, do you think—“

“ORVILLE, DUDE!” Screamed a loud voice. Out came Grant stumbling from the uneven ground, making his way to his friend. “Wattaya doin’ over there in the corner, join the party man!” He reached his much more balanced friend and tugged his arm, encouraging his return to the group. “Thanks for keeping this guy company Lori!” He shouted as the two of them walked back to the music and smells. Orville sent Lorelei a mouthed apology as he was dragged away, which she responded with a shrug of her shoulders and a smile.

Looking back to the forgotten fennel seeds, Lorelei grabbed a pinch and put them into her pumpkin juice. They added a slight taste difference, but nothing unbearable. Deciding the night was late enough, Lorelei walked over to the front door and made her way back to her room. The thought of sharing a bottle of juice and Orville’s attention to care warmed her as she walked through the castle on this October night.

Finally, after what felt like a day that would never end, Lorelei was back in her bed ready for sleep. The warmth of her quilt and cotton pajamas warmed her body, but nothing could calm her mind. It always happened when her body would yearn for rest, but the many thoughts that swirled around her head felt like she was running. There really was some dangerous animal on school grounds, and this wasn’t the first time it’s been here. What if the last Quodpot match wasn’t the first time either? Could there be more of them? How long did we have before someone got hurt? What does it even want?

As Lorelei’s brain continued to run down a tumultuous road that spiraled into fear, not even the safety of her four-poster bed could protect her. Lorelei’s stomach ache from earlier returned with vigor, the fennel seeds nor the comforting thoughts of Orville could subside the pain. Tossing onto her side and curling up, she tried to think of pumpkin juice, chocolate, and slow dancing with a handsome young man to calm her mind.

The last thing Lorelei hears before drifting off to sleep is the far off howl of an unknown animal.