#since they can stand i can display her real easy too

[purpldawne]

GUYS I GOT MY HANDS ON ONE OF THE PATTY3 BEARS LETS FUCKING GOOOOOO

[spotlightlowlife]

ep 6, heaven haz no benefits

Charlie once again proved her silliness.

No surprise there, I'll get to that..

In heaven we meet a rather sensible bunch in the angels, some approachable, some friendly, some very wary, a good mixed bag. Dude bro Adam is there but clearly able to tone himself down in more professional settings and it's clear he isn't in charge, so at this point it why not attempt to tackle the subject matter of exterminations?

We didn't meet anyone who spoke of their fear of hell overpowering heaven, nor anybody with any particular authority other than Adam. We met Sera, someone who up kept professionalism whilst being empathetic, fair and making it clear that her hands are tied.

Adam is also revealed to be the first person in heaven. Why I wonder? Will the significant biblical figure Abel be addressed at some point?

Like Lucifer in the last episode, Adam was needed to take the story to the next level, however Adam in very few words and scenes has become a character who really outshines Lucifer and his downgraded to understudy daughter. He is the true powerful innovator, a creator since he's technically the parent of sinners and now he's revealed to be the one with the most say out if this little bunch of angels, even though Lucifer had difference with his kind back when Adam was man? He even outclasses fellow 'moved up in the world' Alastor, whose plotting and mystery amongst a load of subplots doesn't stand out.

Adam is more action and get up and go.

Why is it that the across both shows the villains writers try so hard to have the audience hate with their crass attitudes and supposed counterproduction, turn out to be are the characters who are crafted the best and able to move the plot somewhere else? Intentional or ironic.

So, silly Charlie.

As expected, she sung, that's fine.

In a little scene, a whole other scene to the song, one that lasted but a few seconds, Charlie presented her case that sinners can display decency, only her case was observing Angeldust stand up to Valentino in real time on screen.

What part of this was a 'heavenly' act?

Why did Charlie think it was a good idea to encourage the sinners to enjoy themselves whilst she goes out? She essentially let the teenagers throw the house party. Why not ask them to behave themselves because she's going to heaven to fight their corner?

Still, this was the most she did to sell her pitch, springboard off another characters progressive scene for a moment. This scene could have presented a good argument of how exactly she was going to help sinners with their PRESENT situations, let alone whatever bought them to help in the first place.

What did she have to do with Angeldust bickering with Valentino? Is she going to go back and be supportive of Angel now having it spelt out to her his situation and how he feels about it?

Is Charlie going to leave heaven tougher with a leveled up perception and new approaches?

Doubtful, because yet again her time got dominated and she now has more major things to worry about, like her hotel being under attack.

Good thing Charlie and the residents have Vaggie at their side, who dispite having a little spat with an angel and getting a backstory, I actually managed to forget she accompanied Charlie to heaven.

Vaggie actually got a big reveal that was hinted at in a previous episode..

She's an angel, a fallen one, and that's that really, we aren't allowed the time to tackle this information and it's almost safe to say it certainly won't matter to Charlie.

Emily the cutesy angel who's whole personality was she agrees with Charlie was so forgettable that I near forgot her too had it not been for the rewatch? She's just as idealistic, just as youthful, vibrant and out of grown folks business as Charlie, she also has well meaning wise elders to answer to, she can't do anything without them giving a go ahead. They're so alike yet that's easy to put forward in them just mirroring eachother, only they have next to no chemistry yet still just blend into one. Considering heaven can watch the antics of hell on 'TV', even down to the goings on in Charlie's hotel, Emily could have been a fan, she could have approached Charlie with a whole host of things she observed, what she agreed with, what she would have done had it been her, they could have made friends on the spot and atleast tried to cook up a way to keep in touch, which may be an underhanded way of getting around their restrictions, but no, they were just there in the room together.

This character served to let us know that Charlie has an ally on the other side, along with one from the other side, shame this angel had even less chemistry with Vaggie, all things considered.

Decent episode, like 5 it was definitely needed to pick this series up, no thanks to any leading character.

Again, another ep with no gifs, the wik page hasn't been updated neither. Where are these rabid fans where it actually matters?

[allllium]

Christmas Eve

~ I have multiple things I'm currently writing but it might take a bit before they're posted. Between being sick and now having an ear infection I want to do literally nothing

~ Fluff, WC: 1,456

~ Matt and Reader celebrate their first Christmas together ~

You and Matt didn't get together until after Christmas of last year, meaning this is your first Christmas as a couple. Before, being friends meant Christmas never had this kind of pressure to give the perfect gifts.

But now it's different. You've been worrying all month about finding the perfect gift for Matt. It's hard to shop for someone who keeps insisting all he needs is you. As sweet as that is, you already know he has something for you. You refuse to give him something in return.

“Foggy, I'm serious. I've been everywhere in Hell's Kitchen. I can't find anything.” Today is Christmas Eve, and you still haven't found anything good enough to give Matt

“I've had his gift picked out for months.” Foggy shrugs from across you.

“Of course you have, and I should have one too, but now that we're dating it feels like there's all this dumb pressure.”

“Matt will love whatever you give him. You don't even have to get him anything. Just spend the day naked, and he'll be more than happy.”

“I hate you. You are zero help.”

“You're putting too much pressure on it. Nothing has changed just because you're dating now.”

“What did you get, Marci?” 

“Some of her favorite perfume and a necklace.” 

“Ugh, she'll love that.”

“I know. She's easy to shop for.” He finishes off the rest of his sandwich and wipes his hands on his pants. “I have a meeting with a client. Are you good?”

“Yeah, I'm good. I'll figure it out. Bye Fog.” He nods at you and walks back to the office.

On the way back to Matt's apartment, you walk by a little store having a Christmas Eve sale. The best part is they have an adorable daredevil stuffie in the window.

It's exactly what you would've gotten him in the previous years. It's perfect.

“What did you get?” Matt asks the second you walk in the door. Smelling the paper bag it came in. 

You walk over to him on the couch, placing the bag on the counter, and sitting in his lap. “I can't tell you it's for Christmas.” 

“I thought I said you didn't have to get me anything.” He gives you one of those beautiful smiles he has. It's unfair how he always looks this good. He hasn't changed out of his work clothes, now just sitting in his dress pants and shirt. 

“And I thought I said if you get me something, I'm getting something for you.” You run your hand softly through his hair, enjoying his touch after a day apart.

“I don't want you to spend money on me.” 

You roll your eyes at him. “If you keep saying that I'm gonna spend all of my money on you until I go bankrupt, and then I'll be homeless.” 

“You wouldn't dare.”

“You wanna bet?” 

“Fine, you can spend as much money as you want on me.” He looks so cute when he pouts.

“That's what I thought.” You lean down to kiss him for the first time since you got home. “Hi, Matty.” 

“Hi, sweetheart.”

“How was work?” You turn your head to lay on his shoulder.

“It was good. It's a lot slower close to Christmas.” 

“Hm, good. Y’know, Foggy suggested I spend tomorrow naked as your Christmas present, but you definitely wouldn't like that.” You giggle as his face turns up in fake disgust.

“Oh no, that would be terrible. I wouldn't enjoy that at all.”

“Yeah, that's what I thought.”

“Or maybe that's my gift to you.” 

“Oh no, can't both be naked. What would we do all day?” You ask in fake concern. He leans up to kiss you again, but you pull away. “I have to go wrap your present.” 

“No, do you have to do that right now?” He pouts.

“Yes, I do. You're adorable when you pout.” When you go to stand, he follows you with an arm around your waist.

“Can't it wait?” 

“No, it can't. Christmas is tomorrow. Matthew let me go.” You use his real name to display your seriousness, although it's not as effective when you're laughing.

“You don't have to wrap. I can't see it anyway.” 

“Matt!” You laugh. “I'm wrapping it, and you can't stop me. So why don't you stay here and order us some dinner? Okay?”

“Fine, I'll just stay here all alone.” He plops back on the couch as you shake your head at him. 

“Have I ever told you how dramatic you are?”

“All the time.”

“Yeah, I'll be right back.” You go into the bedroom to wrap Matt's present in leftover wrapping paper. Matt has no idea people have made anything daredevil-related. 

“See, that took me like two minutes.” You announce to Matt as you walk back into the living room.

“That was way too long.” You move to sit with him once again.

“Why are you so clingy today?”

“No reason, it must be the Christmas spirit.”

“Hmm, yeah, this Christmas does have a lot of spirit.”

“The first Christmas after we met, I was gonna ask you out.” You turn to look at him in disbelief. 

“What? Why didn't you?” 

“I was nervous, and you didn't show any signs of liking me.”

“No signs of liking you!? Matt, you could hear my heart.” 

“I could, but I assumed it sped up like that because you were anxious about meeting a new person.”

“And you thought I was like that for two years?”

“I didn't want to ruin anything!” He defends. “Hey, why didn't you do anything!?”

“Because I didn't want to ruin anything!?” 

“Exactly!” You both laugh at the direction this conversation has taken.

“Well, we're together now, so it was all worth it.” You point out.

“Yes, it was.” He smiles and pulls you closer. Your head lays on his chest.

“Wait a minute, Matt, I told Karen I liked you multiple times while you could hear?” 

“Maybe it was a different Matt.” 

“Matt, what the fuck?” You laugh again. 

“I liked you. I just didn't believe you liked me the same amount.”

“You liked me?” 

“Yes, I liked you, now I love you.” 

“You're lucky you're so sweet 'cause sometimes you have no common sense.” He plants a kiss on your forehead.

“You have just as much common sense as me.” 

“Uh oh.”

You wake up the next morning to the smell of peppermint and the faint sound of Christmas music filling the apartment. 

“Morning, sweetheart.” He comes into the room with a mug of hot chocolate. He hands the mug to you as he sits next to you on the bed. 

“Good morning, baby. What's all this for?”

“Well, it's our first Christmas together. I figured it should be a little special.” As you listen to him, your heart warms.

“Thank you, Matty. You're amazing y'know.”

“I do, thanks to you.” 

“Hm, good. So what do you have planned?” You sit up in bed.

“I think first we should open our gifts, then we'll hang out with everyone.” 

“Sounds good. You're going to love what I got you.”

“You're gonna love mine too.” He grabs your hands and pulls you out of bed. 

You both make your way to the tiny Christmas tree sitting in the corner. Only two presents under it.

“Here you go, honey.” Matt hands you a small square box wrapped in red paper. “I had Karen wrap it.” 

“I can tell. Karen also wraps presents perfectly.” When you pull the paper off the box, there's a black jewelry box. When you open the black box, there is a silver bracelet. “Matt, this is beautiful!” 

“Look at the side.” You pull the bracelet out of the box and look at the side. On each side, there is an engraving. One side says ‘my heart,’ and the other is in braille. “It says my name.” 

“Holy shit Matt this is amazing!” You throw yourself onto him in a tight hug. 

“I'm glad you like it.” He has a giant smile at your reaction. 

“I don't want you to spend money on me.” You mock his words from last night. “This must have cost so much.”

“I know a guy, don't worry.”

“Well, now my gift isn't as good in comparison.” You hand him the box containing the stuffie.

“Is this me?” He asks in surprise as he rips open the paper. 

“Yes, it is. It's Daredevil merch.” 

“They make this stuff?” 

“Yes.” You laugh at his shock 

“Thank you, sweetheart, this is so cute.” 

“Yeah, and it looks just like you.” You joke. The little stuffed devil looks nothing like Matt.

“Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Matt.” You lean your head on his shoulder, still admiring your bracelet.

[nerdasaurus1200]

For the ask game, #3 and #8 for Cass and Eugene? (not romantic tho ahah)

I am so so so sorry this took so long, anon. I started this and life got in the ay and then the holidays came around. But I finally got around to finishing this! Consider it a late valentines day gift ^_^

3 and 8, "snuggle weather" and "warm soup"

To say Cassandra was exhausted was an understatement. Her ankle was still tender, but the royal medic insisted the cast had to come off today. She didn't see why it mattered, she would still be wheelchair bound for weeks to come. And even worse, there was a terrible storm brewing so she couldn't even spend the evening mapping like she had originally planned. Normally she liked storms; autumn storms were the best. The storms in Corona were freezing thanks to the coastal winds, which made it perfect to snuggle up in a blanket. And she always enjoyed watching the lightning split the sky. Something about it was soothing.

Unfortunately this storm was different. Both Rapunzel and her father were stuck out in it. According to the briefing she was coming back from, Rapunzel had decided evading her security was a good idea and her father had gone after her to make sure she came home safe. Thank goodness she'd put on a pot of lamb stew to simmer before the briefing; she was now far too tired to start cooking. As Cassandra entered her room, she heard Owl ruffle his feathers and give her a soft sleepy hoot in greeting.

"Hey. Go back to sleep for now." She whispered, giving him a boop, "But wake me when the stew's done." Her wheelchair rolled right beside her bed, Cassandra stood up and let herself fall onto the...body??

"Heyyyyy get oooff..." a man's voice whined and Cass jumped back. Instantly, Owl hissed at the intruder as he sat up.

"Fitzherbert." Cassandra snarled, "What the fiddlestick are you doing in my bed???"

"Calm down, Cass, I just woke up, gimme a second." Eugene mumbled tiredly, rubbing his face to wake himself up. After a stretch that was far too long to be real, Eugene finally spoke, "The girls are cleaning my room, and yours is comfier."

"Well they're probably done by now." Cassandra rolled her eyes, "So go nap in your own bed."

"I'd love to, but I'm too tired to walk all that way." Eugene shrugged. Owl snapped his beak at Eugene and puffed his feathers so he looked nearly twice as big. Even though the sight was clearly a display of aggression, Cassandra always found it so adorable.

"Easy, Owl." Cassandra carefully limped over to Owl and stroked his head, "Rapunzel's boyfriend needs his eyes for preening. He preens way more than you do, after all."

Eugene opened his mouth to make a retort back, but then he finally got a good whiff of what was on the fire.

"Ohhh no, Cass!" He scolded, "You know what happens when you cook!" He made a move to "save" the pot, but Cass yanked him back.

"It's lamb stew, Fitzherjerk. For your information it's the one thing I can actually cook. And it's almost done, so don't touch it." She snarked at him.

"Wait, something you can cook? This I gotta taste!" Before Cassandra could stop him, Eugene made a beeline for the pot again and eagerly tasted it.

"Holy moly, this is delicious!" Eugene marveled, "How'd you learn to make this? This is even better than when Mis Claire made it at the orphanage!"

Cassandra blinked in surprise and smiled at him. No one had ever asked about her stew before.

"It's an old family recipe...I think. The secret ingredient is Saporian black pepper." She answered. She leaned over the pot a bit and gave the stew a stir, carefully checking if it was ready.

"You think? What, are you and Cap a little fuzzy on family recipes?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I've been making this since before my Dad found me." She explained, "Mother...my mum...I think she taught me. I remember standing over the pot, with my hands on her wrists as she was stirring."

"That...that sounds nice..." Eugene mumbled.

"It was." Even though Cassandra wasn't looking at Eugene, he could tell that she was smiling sadly. Shoot, his plan was failing! Gotta think of something to avoid missing parents....

"What are you doing?" Cassandra asked when she noticed him rummaging through her shelves.

"Looking for a good book, but all I can find is maps and history stuff." He griped, "Oh my god, of course you're a Seven Dragons fan."

"Hey! That's the best book of all time!" Cassandra defended, giving him a playful glare.

"Oh come on, it's the worst book in the Flynn Rider series! He's barely in it!" He protested, "That's why I only read it once."

"That's because it's Ramona's story, not-" Cassandra began, but then cut herself off, "Wait....you only read it one time?! How long ago?!"

Eugene bit his lip to hide his smirk. He had her right where he wanted her.

"I dunno, like ten years ago, why?" He asked, maintaining the perfect air of nonchalance.

"Oh that's nonsense, we're reading it now. Get in the blanket. But don't get any stew on my bed." Cass instructed. Eugene finally let himself smirk once Cassandra turned her back towards him. She fell for it, hook line and sinker. Hopefully this would be enough to keep her from worrying about Rapunzel and the Captain until they came back.

[skylarmoon71]

Aaron Hotchner (Criminal Minds) Chapter 34

The spot he’s chosen is fairly popular. You both arrive a few minutes outside of the given time, but your seat is ready. You both sit down, and your waiter goes off to get you drinks as you think about what you’d like to have.

“Nice choice.”

Glancing through the menu, there seems to be so much that you’ll enjoy.

“I’ve noticed that you’re very fond of seafood.”

The fact that he pays attention to that isn’t even strange. It’s a bit difficult to turn off his profiler brain.

“I do. My mother was obsessed with that cuisine. I think it rubbed off. Especially-”

“Shrimp.” He finishes. 

You grin.

“Yep. It’s my favorite. It’s even funnier because my dad isn’t as crazy about it. This one time my mom had just eaten shrimp. My dad wanted a kiss. So he had to decide between a smooch or shrimp breath."

 The memory you share makes even Hotch laugh.

“I take it he chose the former. “

“He really did.”

You were a bit worried that this would be awkward, but it’s going very well.

“I know I don’t say it enough, but your contribution to this team is valuable. “

“I’m glad to hear you say that. You all are like family to me. I know I haven’t been here long, but it feels like I’m where I’m supposed to be.”

“I’m happy you feel that way. I know I never made it easy for you. I apologize if my actions made you doubt your place here.”

“Hotch, you never have to apologize for protecting the people you care about. I understand. I’d do anything to make sure the people I love are happy, safe.”

There’s a pain that follows those words, he sees it for a second in your eyes. But you school your features too quickly for him to make any real conclusions.

“I’m glad to be a part of this team.”

You mean it. You wouldn’t trade it, not for anything.

~

Three hours later and Hotch is dropping you off at your apartment. Since you’d left your car at Quantico, Hotch has offered to pick you up in the morning.

“Thank you for the dinner sir. I really did enjoy it.”

For Hotch, you know this is a treat to sort of welcome you to the team. There were points when you thought there was interest on his part. He did ask you out. But you convince yourself that this is purely platonic.

Because you aren't sure you can take any more heartache if you’d created it in your head. He has Hailey. Although they are still divorced, there will always be that love. You won’t get in the way of that. Not after all you’d gone through to bring her back to him.

“You’re welcome.”

It’s one of the rare times where he smiles. You’d almost forgotten what they looked like. When the both of you were together, he wore them so often. But this isn’t then. Right now you’re practically strangers. He isn’t yours anymore. You're not entitled to those looks.

Standing at your doorstep is a bit daunting. It just resurfaces those old feelings. The ones you’d train your body months to forget. You can’t accidentally touch him when you think he needs comfort. Or kiss him when you know all he really wants is support.

“Why do you always look at me that way?”

You snap out of your pity party when he speaks. In that moment, you can physically feel your heart drop. You scramble to gain a neutral expression.

“I-I’m sorry I don’t know what you mean sir.”

“I’ve been watching you. Since the moment Strauss recommended you. The way you interact with the team displays ease, as if you’ve known them for months. Your resume was extraordinary, and your work in the field is remarkable. “

“Ummm, thank you. I’m just trying to be an asset to the team sir.” 

Hotch takes a step closer, and you swallow.

“The fact that Strauss was the one who placed you on my team has always made me weary. But when I look at you, when I’m around you every bone in my body tells me to trust you. Yet whenever you look at me, all I see in your eyes is grief..and love..”

You want to scramble away. Make a break for it before he says anymore and you fall apart right there. It’s only when his palm rests on your cheek that your body has regained the ability to move.

“S-Sir we shouldn’t be..doing this..”

“Can I kiss you.”

You feel as though you stop breathing altogether, and you no longer have the ability to stop the tears. Hotch looks shocked at the way your eyes water. He doesn’t even get a chance to ask, because you kiss him.

It’s like Deja vu.

You’re very first kiss, both this time, and the one before.

Hotch is slow to respond, but when he does, he wraps his hands around your waist, pulling you as close as your bodies will allow. He can feel the wetness of your tears on his cheeks, but it doesn’t stop him, if anything it encourages him. His hand is pressed to the door for support as he deepens the kiss. You open your mouth and your tongues collide. It’s so raw and wet. You’re begging to taste every bit of him, and Hotch complies wholeheartedly. Your fingers dig into his suit, and you’re both so taken in the kiss that you don’t see the lights flickering above your head.

Hotch is the one who parts. It’s slow, and he pulls in heavy breaths. You’re not much better. Your eyes open simultaneously. When Hotch looks back at you something is different. There’s a recognition in his eyes that you hadn’t seen before.

“(Y/N)...”

His tone is so familiar, but that’s

“Impossible.”

You read right through his thoughts, and when he looks at you, that’s when you know.

“A-Aaron..?”

His smile is weak, like he’s apologizing.

“ I’m sorry that it took so long.”

You sob, and pretty soon you’re crying. Not those controlled tears you always see on television. No, this is messy. You’re full on bawling as you clutch onto him. Because the last six months have been hell for you. Watching the man you love walk around with no memory of you. Potentially losing him. It’s finally caught up.

Hotch just holds you, because he knows right now, that’s all you need. 

[aajjks]

NWO!JK

you weren’t expecting to see this. your best friend on his knees begging for your forgiveness looking so pathetic. tears fall from his eyes as he confesses his true feelings for you which has you a little confused since you were sure he was more into mj than you but that’s not true.

he’s tired of running from something he’s known since the moment he laid his eyes on you: he loves you so so much. he’s never loved anyone like he’s loves you and he tried to display that love through acts of kindness. although you continued to push him aside, he remained faithful and loyal to you because he believed that one day you would be all his.

in the back of your mind, you knew he still loved you but his crush with mj seemed so real, especially when she told you that she got to be with him on a more intimate level but apparently not.

his tears look so convincing and so does his apology but that would only make things too easy. shouldn’t you be tougher and push him aside like he’s done you? some would say it’s what he deserves but you can see in his eyes that he’s apologetic and if he could take it all back he’d do it in millisecond.

hurting you was the worst mistake of his life and he promises not to ever lay his hands on you ever again.

“you really are a piece of shit, jungkook. you’ve called me a hypocrite, told me to fuck off, said i whine too much in your ear, and hurt me all in one day. i should kick your ass. i should slap you, punch you, and cut off all communication with you. the shit you did to me is something i’d never EVER do to you. you couldn’t pay me to hurt you because…because i love you too”

are his ears deceiving him? did you just say that you’re in love with him like he’s in love with you?

“i care so much about you and i always have. i shouldn’t have pushed you away but i thought that if i did, you’d fall in love with someone else but it only led us back to each other. why would you do that, jungkook? tell me the truth. is that how you really feel about me? what you said at school, was that true?”

~🫧

He cannot believe this.

Did you just really say that you’re in love with him too? And that you would never hurt him like he’s hurt you? “Y-Yn what are you saying? Are you in love with me too? But what about that guy that you were saying that you’re into someone else?” He questions dumbfounded still on his knees.

Are you just trying to prank him or are you really telling him the truth?

“Y-Yn oh my God, I cannot believe this. You love me too huh? Oh my God.” He exclaims, sniffling. “this is the greatest moment of my life.”

He cries out in a dramatic way, “Can I please get up now?” he asks for your permission. Once you give him the permission to stand up, he stands up and he grabs one of your hands before slamming it hard across his cheek.

“Fuck. I deserved that.” He finally leaves your hand then, “none of the words I said at the school today were true you know I’m so stupid. I was so fucking jealous. OK it was my jealousy speaking and I didn’t mean to push you but it just happened.”

He doesn’t know what took over him, but he was just so angry in that moment he was blinded by his rage and jealousy.

“I don’t know what happened to me, but I was really angry. It was like my anger had blinded my vision and senses.” he’s actually really confused about his behavior with you and all of the people today.

He even beat up young jae.

“Yn I don’t know what went wrong with me because today when I woke up, I was so angry and then I misbehaved with my aunt-I accused her of not loving me…” he confesses, tears still falling from his eyes like waterfalls “and then I misbehaved with you and… eunwoo. And then I beat up young jae because he was gossiping about you, and I broke his nose…” he hisses, in pain, his injuries are still fresh.

He looks into your eyes finally. “I don’t know why, but there was this voice in my head telling me to hurt you all.” it sounds so stupid. You’re probably gonna think that he’s insane, but it’s better if he tells you the truth.

“I never wanted to hurt you and you have no idea how much in pain I am because I bruised you.:. I want to hurt myself, but I can’t take away your pain even if I do that.” He speaks softly, ashamed.

“I love you so much and… I hurt the only one I love so much..”

[daimyosprincess]

fym the librarian isn't counted it's literally us like 🙄 anyways ship game gimme 14 18 19 27 and 48!!! RIGHT NEOW!! (also maybe add a little 50 for angst 👀)

Ship ask game

Lmfaoooo 😂😂

It makes me so soft to know you guys wanna hear more about Professor Boba and his princess jgslkdjsklgjs anyways here we go

14. Do they enjoy PDA, or are they more private with affection?

Boba is a more private person by nature so he doesn't do overly much in the ways of public displays of affection, saving those for more private times and places while she's more comfortable with PDA but respects Boba's boundaries and doesn't force him to show more than he's willing. He does encourage to voice her wants and needs freely and trusts her to respects his comfort, so if she asks to hold hands or have a kiss in public he'll almost always give it to her

(also I must add that although it's not really PDA but Boba absolutely keeps a hand on his girl's thigh at pretty much all times when he's driving with her in the car 🥴)

18. How do they care for each other when one of them is wounded/sick?

Oh hoo boy if she's not feeling well because she's sick/on her period/having an off day it is absolute princess queen goddess treatment because he cannot stand knowing his babygirl is even the slightest bit uncomfortable (unless she wants to be 😈). If he can't be physically with her, it's phone calls and messages and making sure she has everything she needs as best he can. If he is able to be with her then he is, stopping by between his classes to bring her soup or meds and making sure she doesn't lift a finger. If she's having cramps, he's more than happy to be her personal heating pad, letting her snuggle up against him while he rubs her back.

Miss princess is just as astounded by Boba's superhuman immune system (how is the man never sick??) as she is frustrated at his tendency to put aside his own comfort to power through whatever task he's set before himself, whether that be staying up too late grading papers or not taking it easy at the gym when his knee is giving him trouble. She usually resorts to threatening him with such punishments as not sleeping until he does or putting Fennec on his case, but if she's really concerned about him she'll sit him down to talk about things.

(I have some plans to write a little something about princess taking care of her professor in Volume II of Ex Libris 🤭)

19. Do they wear each other’s clothes/jewelry?

Ok listen I am going insane over the thought of library princess making like a lil friendship bracelet type thing during like a library program or something and giving to Boba just to be cute then her realizing that he's been wearing it every day since dkgjaljggajg

Now since our beloved princess is a reader insert she doesn't have a body size so I can't say she would be able to wear any of Boba's clothes (so it's up to you my lovely readers!) but in a future Ex Libris chapter Boba is going to give her his class ring to wear on a necklace 😭

27. How do they say “I love you” non-verbally?

Answered in this ask

48. Do they talk about their future together? Why or why not?

So far, both of them have just been enjoying their relationship with no real expectations for the future (marriage, kids, etc.) but the way they're building their relationship easily leaves it open to those type of discussions.

Now when the topic of the future does come up and Boba tries to pull the old man card ("don't waste the rest of your life on an old man, princess") just know that she fucks him six ways from Sunday until he gets it through his head that she's not going anywhere without him 😌

50. Would they ever break up? If so, why? Who would handle the breakup better?

@baufraus how dare you bring up angst in a house that enjoys angst (with a happy ending sksksk)?!?!!?

With the strong foundation that the two of them have set, I don't think there's a lot that could break the two apart. Both Boba and princess value and have made communication a cornerstone of their relationship inside and outside the bedroom so if there's something that could possibly be relationship ending, they would do their best to talk about it and figure it out before it gets to that point.

NOW for the true angst: what if for some reason they did break up???? Boba is shutting down internally, just completely closing himself off to any emotion. He's throwing himself into his work and won't see the light of day unless Fennec yanks him out of his office by his collar. He'll carry on but in black and white, without the joyful color his feisty babygirl brought to his life--no more flowers on his dining room table, no more kisses stolen before class, no more laughter snuggled under sheets.

BUT that's never going to happen because library princess is never going to give her man up without the fight of a lifetime 💖

Taglist 💖

(if you don't wanna be tagged in ask stuff just let me know!)

@agirlnamejacq @burningfieldof-clover @marierg @dukeoftheblackstar @imarvelatthestars @saradika @baufraus @historianwithaheart @andrakass2 @samspenandsword @liadamerondjarin @sleepingsun501 @sgt-morgan @rescuethewretched @rexxdjarin @ladytano420 @writingwintermoon @pheo-nixpas-calian @acatalystrising @erinthevampire @xxladysquishyxx @lune-de-miel-au-paradis @kimiheartblade @shinyshayminflower @wings-and-beskar @thirsty-boba-fett-posts @wolffegirlsunite @echocola @100lxtters

[aerodaltonimperial]

forgiven, not forgotten

pairing: hookhausen (background dante/skye) rating: gen prompt: proposal on a beach tags: @wrestleprompts

Of all things to decide to plan, a “beach day” excursion was not on the top of Hook’s list. Yet here he is, standing on a beach getting sand in his sneakers while the sun beats down overhead from a cloudless sky. It’s hot. It’s so god-damned hot out here, and he’s not feeling up for the socialization required to share one of the rented umbrellas.

He resigns himself to walking along the surf, kicking at the foam of the waves that get close to his feet. He wishes he were anywhere else. He’s not really comfortable at the beach; without the hoodie, he’s got nowhere to hide, constantly on display, even with the t-shirt. He just needs the fabric to slink down into when things get overwhelming, when he can’t deal with the noise, the people, the hubbub.

It takes awhile before anyone approaches him. It usually does, honestly; the way he likes it. And he ends up doing a double-take as the figure approaches, because he’s out of practice. He doesn’t remember the face as well as he used to. He’d once known those features by heart, had memorized them under the shadows thrown by street lamps through the window, had tattooed them into his waking thoughts.

He could run. He could, honestly, but he doesn’t. Maybe his self-preservation has finally fled for good. He waits as Danhausen approaches, hands in the pockets of his board shorts, toes dragging along the tide, face bare. He waits, when he could have bolted.

He’d like some karma for that.

“Hi,” Danhausen says, easy, like it’s not the first words they’ve said to each other in over half a year. Like this isn’t the first time Hook’s looked at his face, the pale skin that’s got a bit of sunscreen caught at the temple, since they jettisoned out of each other’s orbits.

“Hey,” Hook returns, woefully inadequate.

Danhausen gives him a strained sort of smile. “How has Hook been?”

“Uh, shit, honestly,” Hook says. He laughs. It’s so awkward. So awkward, and awful, and his heart is hammering against his ribs. “How about you?”

Danhausen nods. “Same.”

There’s a long moment of silence between them, heavy, and Hook’s lungs ache with the weight of it. Finally, Danhausen laughs a bit, and says, “This is weird, right?”

“Yeah.” Hook shakes his head; the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth is involuntary. “Why’d you come over here?”

“Danhausen misses Hook,” Danhausen says. It’s so fucking honest. He’s always been able to do that, to be real, to be genuine, in an unaffected way Hook would kill for. Hook can’t even order food without second-guessing himself.

Hook glares at his sneakers. Maybe he should have bought sandals for this. “I miss you, too.”

Behind them, commotion starts. Hook turns, watching Danhausen do the same, until they have both cast their focus back to the area where most of the roster has congregated, near the grills and the coolers and the umbrellas. Dante is down on one knee. He’s got something in his hands, and Skye is screaming, and Hook just kind of winces as she throws her arms around Dante’s shoulders.

“Well,” Danhausen says. He pulls a bit of a face. “In front of everyone?”

“I’d kill him,” Hook replies, serious. “I’d absolutely kill him.”

Skye seems happy enough, though, but Hook’s skin is crawling. He’s too close to a very public display of affection, and it’s rattling all the way down to his bones.

Danhausen turns to him, tilts his head to the side. “Wanna walk?”

“Yeah.” Hook nods.

They start in the other direction, following the line of the sand. It’s easy; it always was between them. After ten minutes of silence that doesn’t echo, Hook is back to wondering why he panicked the first time around, why he shut it all down as fast as he did. At least now, the company is at their backs, and they are far enough away that Hook can barely even make out the umbrellas: red against the bright blue of the sky.

“Hook asked for time,” Danhausen begins, haltingly. Maybe the syllables hurt on the way out. “Has there...has there been enough time now?”

Hook closes his eyes for a second, opening them again when his sole comes down on a seashell. “Why would you still want me after this?”

“What do you mean?”

“I pushed you away,” Hook says. His spine itches, a shiver beneath his skin he can’t shake free. “I...panicked.”

“Hook asked for time,” Danhausen replies. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“It was too much, too fast.”

Danhausen nods, slowly, as though he’s thinking about it. “Sometimes it’s like that.”

“I’m not good with stuff like that,” Hook mumbles. He casts his gaze to the side to watch how Danhausen reacts.

And Danhausen just nods again. He doesn’t look angry. He doesn’t look mad. “That’s alright.”

“Is it?”

“Of course.” Danhausen’s eyes flicker to Hook’s. “How does Hook feel now?”

“Like an idiot,” Hook admits.

Danhausen laughs, and that’s something. “But do you feel better about things?”

“I feel like...” There’s space between them and the roster, now; distance that helps settle some of the jittery nerves in Hook’s stomach. “Like I just really miss you.”

“Hook could have called.”

“No.” Hook rotates his shoulder back, wincing when it pops. “I’m not good with this. I told you, I don’t...I don’t know how to do it.”

Danhausen stops. Hook’s halfway through a step when he realizes it and ends up having to backtrack, to slide back through the sand. They’re face to face, hands shoved into their pockets. Hook wonders what they look like. Dante and Skye had been puzzle pieces that slot together. He and Danhausen are probably a pair in a matched set, only the colors have faded, the sort of thing one isn’t quite sure of going together anymore.

“Hook,” Danhausen says, voice pitched low. There’s no one around; they’ve walked to a secluded section of the beach that’s mostly rocks, little sand. Unusable for most tourists. “Danhausen would like to try again, if you’re willing.”

“Why...” Hook’s mouth has gone dry. “Why would you want me after that? I just...freaked out.”

“That doesn’t make Hook a bad person.”

Hook laughs, a little wild. “Doesn’t it?”

When Danhausen reaches for him, Hook doesn’t bolt. He doesn’t panic. His heart skips a beat, but it’s out of excitement instead of dread; he’s ready this time, maybe. He’s thought about this, mourned this, beat himself up over this. He’s gone through the full cycle of grief already and ended up right back at square one.

Danhausen’s fingers slide along Hook’s cheeks. “No. It doesn’t. It makes Hook human.”

Unbidden, Hook’s hands rise to grasp Danhausen’s elbows. He wonders if he’s trying to keep the man in place. “A damaged human, maybe.”

“Damaged doesn’t mean unlovable,” Danhausen murmurs. His expression opens, going vulnerable. Hook knows, deep down in his core, that if he pushes Danhausen away now, he won’t get another chance. This is it. “Danhausen wants to kiss Hook, but he won’t do it if Hook doesn’t want it.”

“I want it,” Hook whispers.

They’ve had far more intimate kisses before. Hook remembers the way Danhausen always sighs before he parts his mouth, the way his whole body reacts to being slowly unfolded. This is a simple, chaste sort of kiss, a single press of Danhausen’s mouth against Hook’s own.

Danhausen pulls back only far enough to separate them. Their noses bump together. “Okay?”

“Yeah.” Hook’s never been surer of anything, and that’s saying a lot, considering he was so fucking sure of running away the last time. “Yeah, it’s okay. It’s good.”

“Okay,” Danhausen repeats. It’s got conviction this time. His thumbs drag along Hook’s face. “Okay.”

“Just don’t propose to me on the beach,” Hook says. He’s only halfway joking.

Danhausen laughs again. “Perish the thought.”

They start back for the umbrellas and grills again, slower. Unhurried. Danhausen doesn’t reach for Hook’s hand, but he does bump their shoulders together a little. It’s enough. It’s just enough to avoid skipping along Hook’s skin like an unwanted intrusion. And Hook thinks things will be different this time.

He’s ready, this time.

[useless-bi-otch]

Cookies'n Cream - Chapter 21

Last chapter / MasterList / art by @aneenasevla

Chapter 21 - Masterstroke

“I swear, you have no idea who you've messed with, schmuck!"

"You've been saying the same thing for three matches in a row, Okubo."

"This time it's for real! I let you win the previous ones, I wanted to study your movements, understand how your head worked. Now you don't stand a chance!"

"Yeah, sure thing. Just pay attention to the screen, I've already given you two combos and it hasn't even been two minutes since the match started."

"All part of the strategy! Now you'll see that Okubo Naoya isn't called the “King of Combat” only inside the octagons! Take this, and that e- aaaaaargh! Noooo...!," Okubo grabs his head with both hands and throws it back, wailing dramatically and making other players around them jump. "I got the combination wrong!"

"I said to talk less and play more," Kaneda smiles satisfied, raising two fingers of his right hand in a V for Victory while the screen of the arcade machine displayed his character's victory stand. "With that, that's four consecutive victories. Are you sure you want to continue betting? At this rate, there won't be any money left in your wallet, hahaha!"

"Shut up! I don't accept that I can't beat you in absolutely any of these games!," He points to him while yelling. "I'll find a game where I can beat you, even if we have to turn this arcade upside down, do you hear me?!"

"Seriously, Okubo, why do you still insist on challenging Kaneda on these things?," Himuro asks, bored, with his eyes glued to another arcade machine. "It doesn't matter what you play with him, he always wins and cleans your wallet dry. It doesn't qualify as a robbery only because you're the most willing victim I've ever seen."

"You shut up too, Himuro! You want me to give you hell on The King of Fighters too?!”

"As if you could. And watch your language, we have ladies in attendance. Okay, see? It isn't that difficult,"  Himuro smiles at the two girls who surrounded him, watching his demonstration attentively. "It's all a matter of motor coordination, knowing how to switch between the buttons and the lever, setting the timing..."

"Ooh, Himuro makes it look so easy!," The chubby one whimpered, pouting as she clung to his arm. The other, thinner than her friend, nods and squeezes his shoulders affectionately.

"I know, right! Nanao and I are going to need a few more demonstrations, maybe more direct help..."

"I'd be a terrible teacher if I said no, wouldn't I?," He laughs, opening space for them to approach. "Here. Who wants to be the first one?"

The two girls got into an argument over which one of them would be the first to receive arcade lessons, while Himuro grinned in the middle of them, delighted to be up for grabs. Kaneda sighs.

"Not even when we are killing time in the least conducive environment possible to get dates you guys abandon the hunter mentality..."

"Hey, don't put me in the middle of this! I'm here, minding my own business, just waiting for you to put another token in the machine," Okubo declares, frowning, his arms crossed. "I still haven't given up on my rematch."

“Heh… you'd probably have better luck hunting down for dates, to be honest."

"No chance. For the moment I'd rather crush your spirit until there's not even dust left to tell the story."

“Wow, that came straight from your heart!," Kaneda laughs, looking over his shoulder. "Are you listening to that, Rihito? Okubo found a motivation unrelated to women! You should follow suit-"

"I swear to you, there is nobody in this arcade capable of beating my record in OutRun! Stick with me and I'll teach you everything you need to know!," Rihito was saying, a little too loudly, to two other girls occupying an arcade machine, both staring at him with a mixture of confusion and discomfort. "Tell me, do you want some help? I can show you the best way to pull the lever, hehe... and then, later, we can go out for something to eat, how about that? Come on, don't be shy, I promise I won't do anything you don't want! Here, lady, your posture is kinda wrong, if you want I can help you correct it and- hey, where are you going? Hey!," He exclaims when the two girls walk away quickly, half shrunken. "Wait, I...! Uugh, how does Himuro manage to do that?! Fucking hell, I can't do anything right..."

Kaneda sighs again. "Eh, never mind. He's a goner. I'm just surprised you don't want to join him like you always do..."

Okubo looks to the side, his expression a little uncertain, before shrugging and returning his focus to the arcade machine.

"I already told you, I'm more worried about my rematch. Come on, Kaneda, I know you have more tokens there! Don't run away from me!"

Kaneda decides he isn't going to try to argue anymore. But Okubo better not think he didn't notice all that hesitation. He took great pride in his observation skills, and they were rarely wrong. He inserts another token into the machine, smiling to himself.

He wondered if Rihito and Himuro had also noticed how Okubo seemed so uninterested in the female clientele around them. Women made up a significant portion of arcade goers, contrary to what many thought, and when they decided to go and spend their free day in one, Kaneda had already been preparing for the inevitability of finding himself alone while his friends were going to hit on any creature wearing skirts nearby.

Not that he had much to worry about, as Himuro was the only one there who got lucky in those endeavors. Rihito and Okubo were too pushy and desperate, they always had been, and it didn't take more than half an hour for them to give up and come to him while licking their wounds. It had become routine by now.

Or at least it used to be routine. Now, Rihito was chasing women away by himself. Okubo, on the other hand, hasn't shown interest in absolutely any of them so far.

Kaneda knew very well why. He knew, but he wanted to hear it from the accused party himself before making assumptions. He takes a couple of steps away from the machine to let Okubo choose his character.

“Are you sure you want to keep challenging me? It's silly to throw money away like that because of a game..."

"It's not money thrown away if I know that one hour or another I'll end up winning," He declares with conviction. "And anyway, I want to gather more tokens. There are some cool prizes here..."

"Yeah, there really is," Kaneda looks at the area where the arcade prizes were displayed. "But you can try to win tokens by playing alone, instead of betting them with me..."

"I know, but now it's become a matter of honor, man!"

"Honor or masochism? I wish I had that much cash in the bank so that losing a few yen wouldn't be a worry...," Himuro grumbles, holding the hand of one of his newest friends while helping her with the lever. "But relax, girls, I still have enough for a few more matches with you, maybe even for dinner afterwards, haha..."

The girls laugh, and if Okubo had rolled his eyes more, he would have been able to see the insides of his own skull. Apparently, a pretty face was an essential factor for those stupid pick-up lines to succeed. He was glad he didn't need it anymore...

"If you're broke to the point of needing to warn your friends, Himuro, don't worry. Let's play and bet while we're at it, and if I win-"

"I'm not going to give you the number of one of my friends, forget about it."

"I wasn't going to say that! I was going to say that if I win, I want half your tokens."

"Oh…," Himuro blinks, exchanging a brief look with Kaneda before nodding. "That's all? Alright then. If I win, you'll pay my bill on our next night out."

"Deal!"

"And he still complains when I say he throws money away…," Himuro rolls his eyes. "Just don't complain after you make a fool of yourself in front of the ladies here."

"You're the one who's gonna make a fool of yourself! Just let me slay this lil' fucker here first," He declares as he also chooses his character. Kaneda doesn't even try to argue, shrugging.

"Okay. Let's just bet the tokens this time, Okubo, otherwise you won't have any money left over to pay the bet with Himuro..."

"Are you already assuming that I’m going to lose?! I won't say out loud what you are only because we have ladies present in the room!," Okubo snorts, and suddenly focuses his attention on the girls surrounding Himuro. "I want to ask you ladies a question, if you don't mind."

“Uh… sure, go ahead,” The chubby one exchanges a bewildered look with her friend before they nod, a bit hesitant, while Himuro shoots Okubo a warning look. If he even tried to rain on his parade...

"If you were to choose one of those prizes, what would it be?"

It was hard to say who had the more astonished expression there: if those two girls or Himuro himself. The three stared at Okubo as he pointed to the prize counter beyond, waiting for an answer. The girls look at each other again.

"Uh… well, I don't know," The thinner one looks sideways at her friend. "One of the electronics, maybe? I've been needing a new headset, but they cost a shitload of tokens..."

"Yep. But there are some more affordable prizes that are cute, like those keychains in the shape of arcade machines.

"Yes! And the teddy bears..."

"And the neon signs! They are a nice decoration for the bedroom, or for the kitchen area..."

"A neon sign!," Okubo exclaims, smiling excitedly. "Damn, how come I didn't think of that before? Now I know exactly what to spend the tokens I'm going to win on!," He turns to the arcade machine, even more determined. "Thanks for the female opinion, ladies!"

"Uuh…you're welcome!," They nod, still stunned, but also looking relieved. "Anyway… will you continue teaching us the mechanics of the game, Himuro?"

“Uh… oh yes! Yes, of course, excuse me...," Himuro nods quickly, returning his attention to the arcade machine, but not before exchanging a somewhat astonished look with Kaneda. The later just can't resist, wanting more details while he and Okubo go back to playing.

"Hey, don't you already have one of those neon signs in your apartment?"

"Yeah, in my reading room. There, take this sequence, sucker!"

"Oh, there will be payback! But seriously, why would you want a female opinion to get another sign?"

"Oh, the sign isn't for me," Okubo shrugs, almost pressing his eyes to the screen in his concentration. "It's for Tomori. Something cool for her to put in her kitchen..."

Kaneda had suspected that since Okubo started asking Himuro's friends questions, but it was good to hear confirmation. He smiles to himself, hoping that Himuro had heard that too.

"If that’s the case, I might let you win a couple of matches, just to increase your chances…"

"Don't you dare! How am I going to give her a gift that I got only 'cause my opponent pitied me?," He asks indignantly. "I couldn't consider myself a worthy man! Forget it, I'll get those tokens on my own merit!"

“Then you'd better step up your game, because at this rate you won't even be able to pick up pins from the prize counter. Aaand I won again!"

"Argh, no! Holy shit, you...! You distracted me on purpose!," Okubo points accusingly at him, furious, to which Kaneda shakes his head, smiling cheekily.

"Baseless accusations are the weapon of losers. Your tokens, please."

"Uugh… I'll get them all back, just you wait! But on another game, 'cause I already gave up on this one..."

Kaneda was still laughing when Rihito approached them, hands shoved in his pants pockets, face twisted in a spectacular frown.

"No luck on the hunt, I suppose," Kaneda deduces, to which Rihito snorts.

"What do you think? Even the nerds don't care about big, bulky guys! All they want is the pretty boys, with their lustrous hair and their sissy colognes..."

"If that's not an incentive for you to take more baths, I don't know what else would be."

"Shut up, Himuro! Look, he's just being an asshole, okay? I take lots of baths!," Rihito exclaims to Himuro's companions, in a rush that makes them take a step back. "Even when I don't have to!"

"Yeah, right. And relax, he looks like a gorilla in heat, but he's harmless," Himuro assures the girls. "And he won't participate in the lessons either, I'm a feminist teacher who values ​​female education above any other, haha."

They laugh, leaning closer to him again, whereupon Rihito glares at him with a rage that would've set him on fire, if looks could kill.

"Ugh, I'm so fucking pissed!," He snarls, almost knocking over a nearby machine by abruptly inserting a token into it. "Are you guys seeing this? And he has the gall to complain when we get together to beat his ass, right, Okubo?"

"Yeah, he’s a narcissistic asshole," Okubo nods, then points "Anyway, let’s play OutRun, Rihito! I'm tired of fighting games for now..."

"Kaneda made you his punching bag again, didn't he?"

"Fuck off! Do you wanna play or not? I know I can beat you."

“Ohoho, you shouldn't have said that. I'll turn you into roadkill! C'mon," He makes room for Okubo to join him. “This way I can distract myself by destroying you so I don't have listen to that man-whore's cheap pick-up lines!"

"Yeah. It's a win-win situation," Okubo nods, and Kaneda watches as he concentrates completely on the game, while Rihito continues to throw irritated glances at Himuro and his friends from time to time.

"That fuckin' playboy… I'm sure he does that on purpose."

"Yeah...," Okubo just nodded, absorbed in the game.

"Rubbing his conquests in our faces… what would it cost him to lend a hand to his pals? It's not like he lacks female attention!"

"Yep..."

"He's picking up two chicks at the same time. Two! Y'know those documentaries about compulsive hoarders? That's what Himuro is! A hoarder, and he needs an intervention in the form of a beating!"

"For sure."

"Doesn't that make your blood fucking boil? I know Kaneda doesn't care but we're basically starving for pussy and he doesn't even take pity on us!"

"I know, right."

"... I mean, it's not your case anymore, right? You have Miss Uta now, you haven't banged her only 'cause you're a sucker..."

"Yeah..."

"I knew it!," He slams his hands on the panel, indignant. "You're not even listening to me, you asshole!"

"I was paying attention to the game! The game you just lost, by the way," Okubo points to the screen, smiling devilishly. "Who's the sucker now, huh? Finally I got something out of this shit, man!"

"What- did you do it on purpose? Have you became this lil' fucker's apprentice or something?!," Rihito points indignantly at him, and even Kaneda laughs at that, putting a hand on his chest and pretending to wipe away a tear.

"They grow up so fast!"

"Let's pray that he doesn't grow even more, otherwise he won't be able to go through any more doors..."

"Shut up, Himuro! Anyway...," Okubo huffs while Himuro's friends giggle. "I was really concentrating on the game, but I heard you muttering incessantly and concluded that I could use that to my advantage, hehe!"

"Son of a bitch."

"Hahaha! No, seriously, what were you talking about, man? It was something about Himuro..."

Rihito stares at him as if questioning his intelligence. Or his sanity. Probably both.

"Dude, are you serious? You always get as mad about it as I do!"

"Mad about what?"

"What do you mean 'about what'? About how easily Himuro picks up chicks, while the two of us are always left with crumbs!," He exclaims in frustration, opening his arms, and Himuro, further on, flinches when his two friends stare at him with wide eyes.

"Ahaha, he's exaggerating, that idiot... stop raining on my parade, you jerk!"

"Shut up, that's what you get for not being more humble! And you," He turns to Okubo again. "Since when have you been so indifferent to his conquests? Just because you already scored with one girl? Or..."

Rihito falls silent as Okubo widens his eyes a little, his face starting to flush, unmistakably red under the neon lights inside the arcade. Kaneda takes a step closer to them, curiosity getting the better of him. Even Himuro stopped paying attention to his new friends to listen to their conversation intently.

"Okubo...?," Rihito calls, starting to widen his eyes too. "You…?"

"H-Hey, what's this? Are you going to keep changing the subject instead of demanding a rematch like you always do?," Okubo interrupts him quickly, putting his hand in his pocket to pick up a token, which he almost drops in his desperate rush. "Let’s play more, c'mon! Unless you're scared of losing to me again..."

"What the- as if!," And with that, Rihito's attention is masterfully diverted,his fists clenching with determination. "Just you wait, I'll get my tokens back and rub your ugly mug all over that panel!"

They focus their attention on the game, while Himuro and Kaneda once again exchange a look that was worth many words. Rihito might have the attention span of a hyperactive child, but they weren't like him. They weren't going to drop that matter.

After some time of gameplay, name-calling and threats from one of the arcade employees that Rihito would be thrown out if he punched another machine, the four of them had won a lot of tokens between themselves, Okubo in particular. He happily counted them, ignoring Rihito's resentful glares.

"There's going to be payback, do you hear me? I’ll come back for more!"

"Of course, man, my ass beatings are quite addictive!"

"Shut up, you lost a match against Himuro and two against Kaneda!"

"And thanks to you I recovered all the tokens I had lost in them. Thanks a bunch!," Okubo pats Rihito on the shoulder, and walks away laughing when he threatens him with his fist. "Come on, Rihito, you also won enough tokens to get a prize at the counter!"

"Yeah, but not as much as you guys! Speaking of which, you got enough tokens for what?," Rihito asks Himuro and Kaneda, who were also counting their tokens.

"Enough for a mini-game, I think. But I also got two phone numbers, so I have nothing to complain about," Himuro comments, ignoring when Rihito flips him the bird. Kaneda, on the other hand, smiles excitedly.

"I think I have enough for that headset! It's what I wanted, so I'm satisfied."

"Lucky for you… if I manage to get a t-shirt with the arcade's logo, and one that fits me, it'll already be a lot," Rihito snorts, turning to Okubo next. "And you? What prize will you take?"

"One of those neon signs! There are some cute ones that I think will look cool in Tomori's kitchen... what?," He blinks when he sees his friend's disbelieving expression.

"Are you going to get a prize for Miss Uta? Aren't you going to spend that pile of tokens on yourself?"

"Of course I will, man! With what's left over, I can get that cool Ultraman keychain-"

"What keychain, man! There's so many cool things to choose from that counter, and you choose to spend your tokens on a gift for a girl who isn't even here playing with us?," Rihito insists on his questions, gesticulating agitatedly. Kaneda looks from one to the other, very interested, while Himuro rolls his eyes.

"If you followed that example, you'd get some phone numbers too..."

"Shut up! I know you wouldn't spend your tokens on any chick!"

"Yeah, I wouldn't spend it on chicks with whom I'm just fuck-buddies with,  anyway. But in Okubo's case..."

"Ugh, leave me alone!," Okubo turns his back on them, the tips of his ears red. "What I do with my tokens is my problem, okay? If I want to spend them on someone else, it's my fuckin' right!"

"Yeah, but I don't see how you're going to be able to bang someone with a stupid neon sign..."

"Ugh, forget it," Okubo rolls his eyes. "Lets just go to the counter already, I don't want anyone passing in front of me and taking that Ultraman keychain..."

The other three don't argue, following behind. But Rihito continued to stare at his back suspiciously. Himuro and Kaneda just hoped it didn't take too long for him to get what was going on too.

The prize counter was currently full, the attendants having to split up to tend to the queue of players who wanted to claim their prizes. Fortunately, no one there seemed to have won as many tokens as they did. It was one of the perks of being fighters with superhuman reflexes.

"We need to come back here more often. This is the perfect place to get useless, cool trinkets," Himuro comments, and Kaneda nods.

"I know, right! How about we take a day to choose the most expensive prize and join forces to gather enough tokens?"

“The problem is, we'd have to share whatever the prize is in that case. But I'm up for it, if y'all don't try to be smart asses about it."

"We were the ones who should be telling you that! You're the one who most needs to learn the concept of sharing..."

"Is this about those girls' phone numbers? I won't give you one, stop insisting!"

"Come on, what would it cost you? You have five hundred others in your contacts!"

"I swear, Rihito, you're worse than those elementary school kids who want everything the others have in their hands..."

"You could at least arrange something with one of them for me! The thin one had a prettier face, but the chubby one had a nice ass..."

"Man, I swear I want to help you, but I can't do shit when you don't help yourself!"

"Aren't you going to ask for the phone number of one of those girls too, Okubo?," Kaneda asks, while the other two argue. Okubo looks to the side before shaking his head.

"Nah, I'm good. It's not like Himuro would give one to me, anyway..."

Kaneda nods slowly, his fox-like eyes fixed on him as he leans toward the prize counter, inspecting it with interest.

"Man, it's kinda hard to choose. There aren't many with a culinary theme," He comments, frowning a little. Most are gamer-themed..."

"Huh. I wonder why? The fact that we're in an arcade shouldn't have anything to do with it."

"Shut up, Himuro."

"Why not choose one with a broader theme?," Kaneda suggests, leaning over to inspect the signs, which were exposed on the wall just behind the prize counter. "The one where you read 'Smile and Smash' is funny, because the word can refer to both food and fights. .."

"You're right!," Okubo smiles, excited, taking the tokens from his pocket and depositing them on the counter as he called, raising his arm, "Hey, lady, excuse me! I want to exchange these tokens here for that sign-"

"Hey, no! I want that sign there!"

Okubo immediately looks over his shoulder in surprise upon hearing the voice that exclaimed in agitation. He assumes a defensive posture, placing himself in front of the counter, straightening his back so his height and width are clearly evident. He didn't enjoy intimidating civilians, but if he had to...

"Oh, come on, don't make that face! I swear I'm willing to negotiate for it, haha."

Okubo's determination to fight for the prize wanes a little when he realizes who his challenger is. A woman was approaching quickly while smiling sympathetically at him, carrying a bag full of cute pins and charms. She nods in a friendly way, and if it weren't for the words she used, he would never have guessed that she was talking to him.

“Uhhhh…” He scratches the back of his head, exchanging a brief look with his friends, to which they just shrug. He turns to the girl again. "Sorry, lady, but… do you want that sign? That one specifically?," He points to said sign on the wall, to which the woman nods.

"Yes! Sorry, but I've had my eye on it since I walked into the arcade earlier."

"Well, so did I," He frowns a little, looking to the side. "Look, can't you pick another one? There are some really cool models too, and some even cute, girlier-"

“Hey, that's stereotyping, you know?," She puffs out her cheeks a little, and the expression reminds him a lot of Tomori. "I want this one, it's the one that best matches the aesthetics of my apartment. Why don't you choose another one? There are much more masculine ones there-"

“Hey, now you're the one stereotyping!,” He complains, raising his index finger in warning. And to his surprise, instead of taking his cue and raising her voice, she laughed. And it was a very delicate, bashful laugh, a hand with well-painted nails over her mouth.

"Ahaha, fair enough! Sorry about that. It's just that when you see a man as big and strong as you, a cute neon sign isn't the first thing you associate with him."

Okubo blinks, taking a few seconds to understand her words, as well as the slightly ingratiating smile that accompanied them. He distinctly hears Rihito mutter a “you gotta be kidding me…” from behind him, and he couldn't help but share the sentiment.

Holy shit… he would've looked around for the cameras recording a possible prank if he wouldn't look ridiculous doing it. He clears his throat in an attempt to find his voice.

"Uh... yeah, I'm a little box full of surprises, haha ," He laughs a little too loudly. "But the truth is that the sign isn't for me…"

"Is it for a sister? A niece? Anyway, it's very sweet of you," She deduces, her smile widening, "I'm even embarrassed to keep insisting on taking the sign, in this case."

"Uh- no, actually it's for-"

"How about we make a trade then?," She suddenly suggests. And at his confused expression, she laughed again. "Oh, am I being too forward? Sorry, I didn't even introduce myself. I'm Hirata Chise, but you can call me just Chise. And you?

"Huh... Okubo. Okubo Naoya," He answers, without thinking too much. And his surprise only grows when her eyes widen in sudden recognition.

"Okubo… wait, isn't that the name of that famous fighter? The MMA one?"

... Seriously, was that some kind of delusion? Was he dreaming and he didn't realize it? Or was he suddenly transported to a universe where women recognized him and were interested in him as if he had switched places with Himuro?

He again looked over his shoulder, wanting to see if Rihito, Himuro and Kaneda were listening to make sure he wasn't freaking out, but the three had walked a good few steps away, seeming interested in what the prize counter was displaying. Or at least they pretended to be. He'd known those fuckers long enough to know they had their ears pricked.

"Ahaha… yeah. That's me,” He nods, scratching the back of his head again, and the girl lets out an excited gasp.

"Damn, I can't believe I'm talking so casually with a guy like that!l" She exclaims, clapping her hands excitedly. "One of my friends back there commented that she thought you looked familiar!"

"Wow... I'm flattered, being recognized like this by a group of pretty girls. It doesn't happen every day, haha!," He comments without thinking much; if he hadn't been able to control his silver tongue all those weeks, he wouldn't be able to now. "But in that case... do you think an autograph and a selfie are enough to pay for the sign?"

She laughs again, shaking her head. "Nice try. But I was actually going to propose a more specific exchange."

"Oh... I'll cover part of the price for the sign, if that's the case, no fuss-"

"No, that's not it," She turns her head a little. "I'm not interested in money. I'm more interested in knowing a little more about the guy offering it to me."

... Holy fuck. That was the only reaction his mind was able to conjure up at the moment. Just... holy fuck.

He now wondered if the girl's initial intention was really to convince him to give up the sign, or if it was all just a pretext to get closer. And he wondered, too, if he wasn't being too arrogant to consider that possibility. But after all those years, he couldn't conceive a reality where women spontaneously flirted with him. None had done so before.

None, except for...

“Uh…look, lady-”

"Chise."

"Chise," He corrects himself. "I… damn, I don't even know what to say, haha…"

"You don't have to say anything, just answer if you accept my proposal. What do you think?," She plays with a lock of hair, tucking it behind her ear, and again, Tomori's smiling face appears in his head. "Want to go grab food after we exit the arcade? Your friends can come too! One of my friends even wants the number of that tanned guy..."

Okubo distinctly heard one of the guys further back having a coughing fit. Rihito, probably. He, however, concentrated on taking a closer look at the woman before him.

She must've been a little shorter than Kaneda. She was dressed casually and a little heavy, considering it was summer, but with the arcade's AC running, it shouldn't have been a nuisance to her. A delicate white wool cardigan over a baby blue boatneck top, a pink slant skirt, tights and ballet flats. It all complemented her proportionate figure. Her hair was black and straight, framing a face with skin so fair it was almost freckled. Her eyes were large and expressive, and her pink painted mouth looked very kissable.

Verdict: she was a pretty girl. Beautiful, even. Hell, two months ago he would've accepted the invitation without even thinking twice! But now...

Well, now all he could do was look at her clothes and think that cute pastel style would look just as good on Tomori.

Holy shit, if he'd had any doubts before that he was really fucked, it was gone for good.

"... I appreciate the invitation, Chise, seriously," He assures, smiling with a certain guilt. "But I can't accept it. What I was trying to say is that this sign is a gift for a woman, but not a sister or niece. It's a friend. But she's still someone important to me.

“…Oh,” Chise blinks, and her disappointed expression manages to make him feel a little guilty. “Wow, I- I didn't know you had a girlfriend…”

"I don't. But..."

“But she is a candidate for the post. Got it," She nods, looking to the side while making a face. "Damn, that's kinda embarrassing..."

"Don't feel bad, you're pretty as hell! It's just that I-"

"I understood. You don't have to try to make me feel better," She interrupts him, waving a hand. "I'm late, that's okay. Life goes on."

"Uh… my tanned friend can still give you his number, he's available," Holy shit, when would he have thought that one day he would offer Himuro's contact information to random women without seething with rage and envy?

"Oh… well…," She looks from behind him, suddenly interested. "Yeah, he's really hot, wow!"

He didn't know whether to be relieved or offended that she had recovered from his rejection so quickly, and all because of that man-whore's presence.

"Yeah, that's what they all say. I can call him right now if you want-"

"Hey, lady, is that a number you want? Well, you can stop looking for it now!"

Rihito's loud voice, right next to his right ear, made Okubo jump, but not as much as Chise did. She takes a step back as Rihito claps his friend's shoulder in a friendly way, smiling a bit too enthusiastically at her.

"So, what do you say? My pal here is not interested, but I sure am! You're a knockout, y'know?"

“Uh…thanks, but I-”

"And you still came with a bunch of equally hot friends! Wonderful, so none of my pals will be alone. Let’s exchange numbers! Then we can schedule a mixer!," He offers. "In the meantime, do you want help choosing another prize, since my friend here wants that dumb sign?"

"No, no need to-"

"Come on, don't be shy! I just want to lend you a hand, be a gentleman. You like gentlemen, right? I can be that and much more with the right encouragement, hehe- hey, hey, where are you going? We haven't even exchanged numbers yet! Hey!," he calls, a little too loudly, as the girl hurries away with a grimace. He sighs. "Man, it's always the same. But hey, this time it was for a good cause."

Okubo imitates poor Chise's grimace.

"Wait, is this serious? Like, it's nice of you and all, bro, but there's no need to scare the poor girl away just so I wouldn't get in a tight spot-"

"What? I didn't do this for you, what the hell! I did it because Himuro already got two numbers, and I'd be even more pissed if he got a third."

"... Son of a bitch. A genius, but still a son of a bitch. And stupid, because you ruined a chance to go out with that girl, I could have introduced you, to her, dumbass."

"Wow," Rihito raises an eyebrow. "Were you really going to introduce me to her? You, the guy who's as pussy starved as I am? So does that mean you weren't interested in her?"

Okubo's eyes widen at his friend's question, but he takes a deep breath, both to avoid punching him in the face and dying of embarrassment. "​​I can't do two different things at the same time outside the octagon, I'm focused on getting my freakin' prize!," he points to the sign. "And really, if you're that desperate, go to Miss Rino's club and leave me alone!"

"Without you? Man, the problem with your dick is worse than I thought..."

"You're going to have a problem with yours if you don't quit your bullshit…," Okubo threatens, getting tense, the tokens in his hand crumpling. "Either you stop bothering me or I'll make you a punching bag and we'll never come back here again!," he looks Rihito in the eyes, showing his full height, the shadow passing over the other. Himuro and Kaneda knew that pose very well, but he had never threatened Rihito with such anger.

Rihito blinks, momentarily perplexed. But considering how his expression darkened as well, he recovered pretty quickly.

"Huh? Are you trying to intimidate me,you jerk? You're thinking I'm afraid of your fucked-up face or something?," He yells, advancing and pointing to the other. "You're big but so am I, fucker! Fuckin' come at me!"

"Not as big as I am, asshole!"

Both raise their fists.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!," Himuro's voice interrupts them, while he puts himself between the two with Kaneda. "Let's stop right there because things are getting very serious! Seriously, Rihito, dude's hung up on only one girl, so let him be. And you, Okubo... you can stop hiding it, we already know that you got it bad for Miss Uta. So calm the fuck down, grab that stupid sign and lets get the hell outta here, okay?"

If there was a more effective way to quell a heated argument, Okubo didn't know it. He stares at Himuro, dumbfounded, mouth gaping in mute shock. He turns to the other two, wanting to say something, but his voice just won't come out. Rihito crosses his arms, frowning and still breathing heavily, while Kaneda just sighs heavily, running his right hand through his hair.

"Look, Himuro is right. Let's just get our prizes and leave before the arcade staff come shooing us out for good. We can talk better once we're out."

Rihito lets out a disinterested grunt, shrugging, while Okubo can't think of anything to reply. The expression 'deer in the headlights' seemed to have been made for him.

They exchange the tokens for the prizes and leave the arcade very quickly, being followed by several pairs of eyes. Yeah, apparently their faces wouldn't be forgotten so soon. Once on the street of the shopping area, Okubo seriously considered running away, but decided against it after concluding that those three would easily catch up with him, considering the movement around them. He didn't want to look like a coward, either.

He winces as he feels the three pairs of eyes glued to his back, practically burning the back of his neck. He wanted to tell them to fuck off, Rihito in particular. What the hell did they want him to say?! That he was sorry for not saying anything sooner? As if they had an obligation to share every single detail of their lives with each other...

"So," Himuro sighs. "We already know, big guy. Spit it out."

He lets out a huge grunt, throwing his head back in an exaggerated motion. Kaneda sighs too.

"Don't be dramatic, Okubo, c'mon..."

"I'm not! Why do I have to spit out something?," He asks, a little too aggressively, as he glares at them over his shoulder. "Haven't you already figured it all out on your own? Aren't you hard-boiled detectives, the fucking japanese Sherlock Holmeses? So there's that!"

"Yeah, but we still want to hear it from your mouth..."

"Well, it ain't gonna happen! And you won't make me, not even if you threaten to beat the shit outta me, the three of you at the same time," He warns, pointing to them. Rihito, Himuro and Kaneda looked at each other, communicating non-verbally in a way that got on his nerves. And then Rihito snorts, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his phone.

"Oh, we won't? I didn't want to do this, but you gave me no choice."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"If you don't say what we want to hear right now, I'm going to call Miss Uta and spill the beans to her."

"What- No!," Okubo almost screams, turning around immediately, his eyes bugging out. "It doesn't- I mean- you're bluffing, you asshole! You don't even have her number!"

"And how do you know?," Rihito narrows his eyes menacingly. "I entered her house even before you did, remember? What guarantee do you have that I haven't had her number for a while too?"

"Rihito...!," Okubo growls, getting redder by the second, and Himuro and Kaneda move away to avoid the collision, in case he charges at the other. "I swear I'll rearrange your whole fucking face! Drop that phone!"

"Eh, I don’t feel like it," He slides his thumb up and down the screen in defiance. "My thumb is itching to press the call button..."

"I'm serious! Give me that shit!," Okubo reaches out, furious, but Rihito is faster, throwing the phone aside. The device is deftly picked up by Himuro, and Okubo just wants to scream in frustration. "Damn you...! What do you want from me?"

“We want the truth, man. That's all," Himuro shakes the phone from side to side as Okubo scratches his scalp hard.

"Ugh, why? Didn't you already figure it out on your own?!"

"Yes, but it's still serious enough to demand confirmation from the accused party himself," Kaneda declares, and when Okubo tries to steal the cell phone from Himuro's hands, he more than quickly throws it to him, and Kaneda puts it inside his garments. "Come on, just say yes or no. Are you in love with Miss Uta?"

"I..."

"Don't give me that 'I' crap, it's yes or no, dipshit!," Rihito rolls her eyes. "Go ahead, spit it out, or Kaneda will have a lot to talk about with Miss Uta on the phone.”

"Fucking hell, I hate you guys...!"

"We love you too. Now answer us, goddamn it, before-"

"YES!," Okubo finally shouts, throwing his arms up in absolute frustration and making some people passing nearby jump. "I've got it bad for her, damn it! So much so that it even scares me a little! I keep thinking about having the sappiest moments possible with her and I can't even be embarrassed about of it, for fuck's sake! I know this all started because I wanted to get laid, but now that's not all I want, okay? She's cute, funny, firm in her convictions and fiercer than half the guys I've faced in my matches! I want that woman all to myself, and if I have to give up the playboy lifestyle, then so be it! She's worth ten thousand others!," He faces his friends, furiously red, breathing hard. "There, I said it! Are you jerks happy now?!"

Rihito, Himuro, and Kaneda just stare at him, eyes wide and jaws slack. The uncomfortable silence lasts for almost half a minute, where they are sizing each other up, waiting for someone to make the first move. Some people on the street were watching them, curious, worried about the shouting, some even laughing as they sneered at Okubo. Did he have time to run to the light and throw himself in front of the first car that passed?

It is then that Himuro lets out a farting sound, turning his face to the side. Kaneda hides a chuckle by covering his mouth with the sleeve of his robes, and Rihito opens a huge devilish smile.

"Yeah, man, now we are. But you wanna hear something funny?"

"What?!"

"I was really bluffing. Miss Uta never gave me her number. Sorry about that, hehehe."

“Wha- oooooh, you fucking bitches!," Okubo almost squeals, barely making himself heard amidst the laughter of his friends. "You tricked me! You deceived me! You stabbed me in the back! You fucking traitors! You deserve to burn in Hell!

"Hell? After everything we've been doing to help our soap opera protagonist? Our little allotment in Heaven is already reserved!," Himuro declares, imitating his dramatic tone, and Rihito laughs mischievously.

"Reserved with all honors, because only a saint can endure all this sissy shit without wanting to pull his hair out, hehehahaha!"

"But our mission will only be complete when the main couple is made official, which I hope will happen without half of this fussiness, for the sake of Okubo's dignity," Kaneda comments, still laughing, and the three disperse between laughs while Okubo tried to kick them, mortified.

"I'm going to make your death certificates official, you assholes!"

"Don't do that, Okubo! You can't tell Miss Uta everything you told us from inside a prison cell!"

"No, he can! This will only make the soap opera even more dramatic and interesting to watch!"

"A statement straight from the penitentiary, guys, it's pure originality! It's just a shame that Okubo won't be able to remain faithful in that case, if the stories about what goes on in the showers there are true!"

"Seriously, can you guys remind me why we're still friends? At the moment I can't think of any reason! You shitheads...," Okubo gives up on his rage, putting his right hand on his furiously red face and groaning, trying to ignore how the other three laughed in his ear.

"Want a reminder, you jerk? Don't forget that we've been willing to accompany you all these weeks to that sugar shack, all the times you wanted to see this girl, without asking for anything in return," Rihito points at him, to which Okubo rolls his eyes.

"Anything? I've already lost count of how many cookies, donuts, croissants and nightcaps I had to pay you."

"And that, for your bank account, is the same as nothing!"

"You really think that I shit money, don't you?"

"Doesn't matter! The point is," Kaneda starts, raising a finger. "We've always been here, supporting you, haven't we? We helped you with every doubt you had about the best ways to approach Miss Uta."

"We even agreed to learn how to cook rice balls and research about flowers when you insisted on that complete bouquet shit," Himuro crosses his arms. "Is that being a traitor? You ungrateful asshole."

Okubo blushes again, remorse overcoming his anger and embarrassment. He presses the neon sign box to his chest.

“I… I'm sorry, guys. It's just that...," He then sighs, running a hand over his face. "I've wanted to be open with you for a while, but I couldn't..."

"Why not?"

"Because I knew you were going to make fun of me, damn it!"

"Of course we would! It's one of life's inevitabilities!," Rihito shrugs. "Even more so with that statement of yours now. We really didn't expect you to give in with such enthusiasm..."

"Give in? What does that... oooh, you...!," His eyes widened when he realized. "Was all that antics, from the arcade until here, on purpose? Even your teasing, you bleached fag?!"

"That's not what your mom called me last night! But yeah, it was on purpose," Rihito admits, not seeming at all ashamed of it. "After seeing you rejecting a babe like that, we had no more doubts. It was all about getting you to spit it all out.

"Yep! And there's no 'we', Himuro and I had realized it a long time ago," Kaneda says. "I just wanted to make sure that you yourself had realized it too."

“Yeah, I… I already had. It's been a few days, actually," Okubo admits, a little grudgingly. Now that he'd given himself away like an idiot, there was no point in trying to hide it. The four of them resume walking, still talking. "Since that day I entered her house for the first time."

"Jeez, since that day? But…," Himuro then blinks. "Wait, wasn't it the same day you found out about the posters in her room?"

"Holy shit, it is! So that's why you didn't bang her?," Rihito asks, a bit indignant. "Because you realized that you've got it bad for her? Was the poster thing a lie?"

"Hell no, it was true!," He reassures quickly. "I didn't send pictures to prove it only because I was too shocked at the time!"

"And because it would be a tremendous disrespect for her privacy, right?"

“… Y-Yeah, that too."

"Good lord..."

"Anyway!," Okubo shakes his head, his face red. "I did intend to finally get to third base with her that night, and the fucking posters got in the way. But then when I realized how I felt... I concluded that this was no longer my priority. I'm not saying I don't want it anymore!," He warns when Rihito opens his mouth to say something. "Because I really want to! It's just that this is no longer my main goal, but a consequence of it."

"So your main goal is for Miss Uta to be your girlfriend, is that it?," Himuro asks, and Okubo nods shyly.

"Yeah. My official girlfriend, the kind I won't hide even from paparazzi."

"You wouldn't have to, it's not like you need to worry about paparazzi on the same rate as Sekibayashi or Gaolang…”

"Fuck off, Himuro."

"Anyway, it's like Kaneda said, isn't it?," Rihito says suddenly. "The soap opera doesn't end while the main couple isn't made official. As long as Miss Uta is not officially your girl, this hullabaloo will never end. So in that case..."

"What? Are you- Are you still going to help me?," Okubo asks, surprised and a little emotional, "Even with the change of plans?"

"Of course! I mean, it's not like I can make a pass at her right after you any longer. I would be the biggest backstabber this side of Tokyo," Rihito shrugs, "And if you become a fallen soldier, there's less competition during our 'hunts'."

“And one less desperate idiot to bother me when I'm gathering phone numbers,” Himuro nods, and Okubo stares at them, unimpressed.

“I should've figured it was because you were going to get something out of it…"

"Yeah, we all got something out of it. You included. Come on, we still want to see you happy, and we've proved that to you from the start, haven't we?," Kaneda smiles, giving him a friendly pat on the back. "We're just going to keep doing what we've always done. Not even our strategies need to change. You've seen how good we are with them."

"Yeah! Thanks to our masterstroke, you spilled the beans," Rihito raises a thumb, smiling sharply. "We just need to maintain the quality of the service and Miss Uta will be yours in no time. And it's not like she doesn't want the same anyway."

Okubo swallows a little, trying to clear a sudden lump in his throat. Those fuckers managed to prove themselves the best of friends even when they were acting like self-serving assholes, holy shit...

"Yeah... thanks, guys... but do you really think she feels the same?"

"Bro, only an idiot wouldn't think so! She's been crazy about you from the start!," Rihito gestures, to which the bald man shakes his head.

"She was crazy about me from the beginning like a fan is crazy about her idol. But now things have changed between us. And even with the dates, kisses and fun times spent together, I don't know if her feelings are growing alongside mine, at least not at the same speed..."

"Dude, give us a fucking break!," Rihito rolls his whole head along with his eyes. "Worrying about this now will only get in the way of your plans. If she doesn't happen to feel that way now, just make sure she feels that way from now on!"

"Man, it's not that simple..."

“Actually, it is that simple. Yes, Rihito is right, as absurd as it may seem," Kaneda nods, ignoring when Rihito gives him the middle finger. "Even if by some chance she hasn't reached the same level as you in terms of how she feels, nothing prevents her from reaching that point eventually. Just keep doing what you're doing, it's been working so far."

"But I personally don't think that's the case," Himuro comments. "The way she was looking at you when Murobuchi showed up at the bakery that day... if that wasn't the look of a girl who was completely smitten, I don't know what else would be."

"Really?!"

"Trust me, I'm somewhat of an expert in that department."

"Stop using our pal's amorous afflictions as a pretext to boast, you man-whore!"

"Ahahaha!," Okubo laughs loudly, his free hand on his stomach. The other three stare at him in disbelief.

"He didn't give a shit about Himuro's exhibitionism… yeah, he's really fucked."

"Yeah, but he seems to be happy about it too. That's what matters, I guess."

"No, that's- that's not it! It's just that I…," Okubo coughs a little to try to control his laughter. "It's just that I'm feeling lighter, after finally telling you guys the truth. It's too good to know that I no longer need to hide, pretend, make excuses..."

“Yeah, well, now you're free to be the hopeless romantic you've always been inside. We're not going to judge you… too much," Rihito adds after thinking, and then he laughs at Okubo's frown. "Come on, man, isn't it enough that we're on your side? That we want this to happen almost as much as you? I said that day, making this girl yours is now a matter of honor!"

"Yes! Seriously, thanks, Rihito-"

"And if you want to thank me when you two are officially together, her friend's number is enough payment!"

"Holy shit, this obsession of yours reached pathological levels! You fucking nutcase!"

The four of them continued walking, laughing and teasing each other, normality returning with an ease that Okubo was very grateful for. In love or not, he hoped he never changed how he saw his best friends, and he hoped they wanted the same...

It is then that Rihito's phone, still inside Kaneda's robes, vibrates. Kaneda stops walking, taking it out of there and giving him back to it's owner.

"Here, man. I forgot about it during the conversation..."

"Well, it served its purpose and that's enough, hehe. Okay, let's see who's bothering me this time...," He comments without much interest, dragging his thumb up on the screen. "A message from Kazuo about the thing with the licenses, and... wow!," He suddenly stops short, widening his eyes, as the other three almost run into him.

"Damn, don't block the way like that, dumbass!," Himuro exclaims. "What is it?"

"It's a message from Koga!," Rihito clicks on the contact, opening a huge, excited smile. "They did it, guys! Miss Kanami and the whole gang from the bakery found an available location!"

"Wait, really?!," Okubo exclaims, a little too loudly, while Himuro, Kaneda and he run to crowd around Rihito, wanting to see the messages too. "They really did?"

"Yeah! Apparently Gaoh found an empty lot not far from the SJPW headquarters that is the perfect size for the new facility. They went to check with Kazzy to see if there was a way to get in touch with the lot's original owner, and then Yoshitake helped too," Rihito explains while sliding the screen upwards with his thumb. "Now it's official, the lot is now Auntie's property!"

"Oh, this is great!," Kaneda exclaims while the other three punch the air excitedly. "​​After all these weeks, their efforts finally paid off! They honestly deserve it..."

"For sure! And we were part of it!," Himuro exchanges a high-five with Rihito. "Miss Kanami must be throwing punches of joy around, hahaha!"

"As long as it's not at us, I support it!," Okubo laughs loudly. ​​"Man, that calls for a celebration!"

"Koga and you thought the same thing, bro!," Rihito laughs out loud too, bringing the phone closer to Okubo’s face. "He’s already inviting everyone to a party at the sugar shack, that’s why he sent these messages!"

"What, today? Now?"

"Yeah! What do you say, gentlemen?," Rihito smiles invitingly. "Is there still room left in those bellies of yours for a feast?"

"Hell yeah!," Okubo, Himuro and Kaneda exclaim in unison, throwing their arms up. Hell, there would always be room in their stomachs for the wonderful food at the Heavy Bakery, especially when it had the sweet taste of victory going with it!

And for Okubo, that was another excellent excuse, because he could celebrate alongside Tomori! He could congratulate her on that achievement, eat and have fun with her in a happy and festive atmosphere and who knows, maybe even ask her to dance if they decided to play music...

It's then that an idea pops into his head, making him pause, arms still outstretched. He turns to his friends, his excitement building.

"Wait, guys, time out! I just had the best idea, but it's going to require us to go back to my apartment. We're going to need my car."

The other three stop celebrating and stare at him, curious.

"Oh yeah? Why?"

Okubo smiles in a hopeful way.

"Well, you won't want to carry our musical instruments on foot, on your backs, will you?"

NEXT CHAPTER

[laeorinel]

FFXIV Write 2023 - Day 29 - Contravention

Today was a real struggle to get this done, but it's done. If I find time in the future I may rewrite this because I'm really not happy with it.

Major spoilers for early Endwalker, since I have a few friends who sitll haven't got to this point.

Thancred sighed with relief as he saw a certain Au ra off in the distance. The last few hours had been frantic, all of the Scions scattering to try and find their wayward warrior. As the hours ticked by and with little to show for their search, it had become harder not to begin to consider the worst-case scenario. He held himself back from charging off to meet her; G'raha Tia and Alisaie could have that honour. He would like to say it was because he wanted to protect the outward look of stoicism and professionalism, but in truth, the feeling of relief had lurched violently towards foreboding.

It all felt wrong. For her to disappear in the blink of an eye, dragged away to Gods knows where by their enemies and then walk back into camp no more than a few hours later with no injuries or looking any worse for wear? All of his training and experience said this was too easy, too convenient; this had to be some enemy ploy and not fate looking kindly on them for once. Every instinct he had was screaming at him. He could not place what caused it exactly, but something about her visage in the distance filled him with dread. And he was not alone in that feeling. With the exception of G'raha tia and Alisaie, the rest of the Scions had not moved an ilm.

"And so our wayward hero returns, and without injury." While Alphinaud sounded relieved, the way he spoke did little to hide his suspicion.

"So that is indeed our friend?" Y'shtola muttered, a hand reaching out towards Urianger to steady herself. For once, she was genuinely blind, her aether sight availing her little in this frigid hellscape.

"Is her visage not reflected in thine eyes?"

"Their aether is…different. Clouded and murky. I can scarce tell the difference between their aether and the surrounding environs."

Thancred and Estinien shared a look before glancing back towards Samara. The two people who knew her best placed her under scrutiny. The feeling of dread settled in Thancred's stomach the more he noticed what was wrong. The way she walked, her mannerisms, the lack of expression on her face as she saw two of her friends approaching and the lack of a visible weapon. None of it added up.

"It's not her." Estinien growled, taking up his spear and setting off towards 'Samara' at full sprint, not waiting to see if anyone else followed or answering any questions.

"G'raha! Alisaie! Get away from them!" Thancred roared as he charged off after Estinien. As he got closer, he saw the twisted grin on the imposter's face, warping the features of the woman he loved. His stomach dropped as he saw a flash of red, a large scythe materialising in the imposter's grasp, the first swing of the wicked sharp blade coming perilously close to catching Alisaie across her chest. They would not be fast enough to stop the second swing. Fate, however, had a different agenda as a sword soared through the air, the point aimed at the imposter's head, forcing them back a few steps away from Alisaie, the edge of the blade catching on skin and scale. It gave them enough time to regroup, each of the Scions readying themselves for a fight, except the imposter's attention was more on the Garlean soldier half crawling towards them.

The bloodied and broken Garlean soldier crawled forward, little more than a walking corpse. It was a miracle he was even standing, much less attempting to fight. Blood seeped from gaps in his armour, open wounds on full display, splintered bones breaking through skin and cloth with limbs twisting in abnormal directions. Nothing but sheer willpower, hate and stubbornness were fueling him now. Laboured breaths broke up their words; every word said clearly a struggle.

"Ze…nos…get…away…"

"Impressive. I did not expect you to arrive so soon."

Thancred's skin crawled as he heard the imposter speak. It was Samara's voice, but the pitch and tone were all wrong.

"You have discarded your weapon. What exactly do you intend to do? Your friends will not strike you down; how do you intend to stop me?"

The soldier reached for something on their belt, a standard issue pistol given to every Garlean soldier. The sickening crunch of bone filled the air as the soldier pointed it to their head.

"I die…you never…get your…battle…your…choice…"

"You expect me to believe you would end it here and now? To leave this world in a flash of gunpowder rather than steel? To leave your mission unfinished just to save them?"

Her answer was to squeeze the trigger. The soldier finally fell to the ground, dead once and for all. The Scions all stood there in stunned silence. They barely noticed the flash of red coming from Samara's body, but none missed the taunting voice of Fandaniel.

"Not to worry, your hero is alive. Returned safe and sound to her body. Thank her for me, will you? Her antics have been most entertaining." said the Ascian as he floated in the air next to Zenos's nightmarish form.

"Monster! How can you not baulk at this contravention of nature?!" Alisaie screamed, already mid cast as aetheric blades formed around her.

"Oh my dear, if only you knew…this entire world is a contravention of nature." muttered Fandaniel as he and Zenos disappeared through a portal before the blades could connect.

[hoursofreading]

On Friday, when the horrible news popped up on my phone, I was standing by the Hudson River near Riverdale in the Bronx, waiting for the graduation of my high school’s first ever senior class. I couldn’t think of a more wholesomely beautiful place to encounter such terrible news. Parents were filing in, and students who I once taught introduced me to their little siblings. I was a hot air balloon of pride, practically existing on the outer edges of the atmosphere. And, as the graduation progressed, I thought a lot about love. I felt extremely weepy, seeing students I had taught for two years walk across the stage and take selfies and shout for their friends and just generally be joyful and ecstatic, and I spent the better part of an hour perpetually on the verge of tears, or in the aftermath of them. It’s easy to get radicalized just by paying attention. I thought of that, too. I looked closely at some of our students’ caps, and how they had decorated them. Each one made me even weepier. Some students inscribed little quotes. Some made these lavish, colorful displays of art that flowed in the wind. One student just wrote the word BYE in big, sequined letters. I laughed (but also cried) because it suited her so well. And another student had taped a bunch of folded up pieces of loose leaf paper to the top of his cap. When asked about it, he said that each paper was a letter he wrote, thanking someone who helped him get to that graduation stage. He said that he was planning, after he received his diploma, to hand-deliver each letter to each person. I sat behind him for most of the ceremony and looked at the letters affixed to his cap and thought about that act of wild generosity. I thought of the parents that sat behind me and the teachers near me. I thought of my own mother, and how rarely I tell her I love her. I thought of that question from Phil Levine’s “What Work Is”: How long has it been since you told him you loved him? I thought of all the acts of love — ongoing and enduring and sometimes difficult — that help people just live. I want us all to be radicalized by such love and toward such love in a world that makes it more and more difficult to love and live for so many people. And I want to be more like that student — to wear the notes of my love on my body, and to offer them out to the world as often as I can. To offer them in real ways — ways that are generous and true, a handwritten letter pulled off of my body and into your hand. What a beautiful thing. Look, I can’t stop thinking about it.

[actualaster]

Major plot spoilers. Mentions of brainwashing (both fantastical and more realistic, including mentions of real-world manipulation in the instances of police and military worship). Mentions of medical abuse in the context of brainwashing.

Uh... also fucked up implications about brainwashing and picking a life-partner

Oh, also assisted suicide mention.

So basically the part of the story that is just dropping a TON of fucked up shit on you at once (most of it isn't new to the series, but wow that a lot at once), and connecting some of the fucked up dots you've found along the way

Agdhdhfjw

Aloy, commenting on a holo display: "they tried to make it look like these soldiers had a last stand against the dinosaurs"

Seyka: "that's ridiculous. ...Aaaand kinda awesome"

Seyka, starting to see what Old Ones liked about our patently ridiculous media premises XD

Aloy: "Do you think baby dinosaurs were cute... or scary?"

Seyka: "both?"

I love them both so much

OH. OH FINALLY. FINALLY A COMMENT ABOUT MACHINES.

Looking at a raptor holo Aloy: "Kinda looks like a Clawstrider"

Seyka: "They travel in packs, too. Huh."

I was wondering if somebody would comment on the appearance

(No, I don't count on the comment about a long-necked one being the size of a Tallneck because they didn't comment on the shape, and many things can be the size of a Tallneck)

...So. Sounds like Londra may be planning to clone his Quen devotees. Makes sense, his brainwashing worked pretty great on these ones but if he could have more of them raised with it from birth? Loyal followers forever, and so easy to claim it was by his benevolent power ones who died before were born anew.

...So possible implication that he's been using medical modification to brainwash the Quen, to a degree at least?

So he's got a brainwashing DEVICE, as well. He worked wonders using (false) charm on people who had suffered a lot, at first to indoctrinate them into his little cult to have devoted slaved and sacrifices for his goals and comfort. Then used the device for more complete brainwashing that would be less likely to have people still questioning things. Likely a combination of brainwashing recordings with medically induced altered consciousness states to increase susceptibility to the recordings, if the stuff found in the infirmary is any indication.

PLEASE let me put a spear in his face. Please. He deserves it I want to stab him so bad.

...Jesus fuck it was LIKE OFFICIAL BRAINWASHING??? "Muntiny Suppressiom Program" used on employees to ensure they didn't nudge asteroids being mined into destructive orbits??? I mean like yes real-world conditioning does very much happen, not just at companies but like state-sanctioned (look at the way cops are conditioned in the USA, look at the cult of worship built up around and through the USA military as well) so like y'know shit already happens.

And I guess it shouldn't be surprising in the setting they'd take it a step farther using more advanced tech to do it since that's the sci-fi aspect of the series. And of course the deniablity would be the same--"it's for safety, it's not brainwashing or mind control, it's just making sure they know (what we want them to know so they'll do or not do what we wish/don't wish)". But somehow it feels extra creepy even though it's legitimately just a logical progression of the kinds of things that already go on IRL

OH FUCK HE'S CONSIDERING USING SEYKA'S SISTER IN THE CONTEXT OF HIS BRAINWASHED MATE?! Jesus fuck it gets more fucked up without end

...Oh. I thought. Nova maybe wanted to be free. No, she. Wants us to kill her. Shell help us so we can stop Walter in exchange for killing her because she wants to rest. ;_; (not the first suicidal AI in the series, Minerva hit that as well in the main HFW story. But ouch)

Okay, back to lighthearted stuff for a moment, I did laugh when I backtracked go grab the last Dino figure and did the Dino Digits.

Seyka: "Did you have fun?"

Aloy: "...A little"

I love them so much

Olay back to the fucked rich asshole who needs to die because he's a creep.

"Crush you like an insect" he says before summing an Apex Slaughterspine.

Okay. While they're not the easiest machines to tackle I hunt them for sport so. (Obviously that was just a precursor)

DUDE WHAT THE FUCK HE JUST. LET A TERRIFIED INNOCENT GET CRUSHED. I mean yes he's a sick monster but come ON god I hope we kill him personally

Aaand that's a wrap for this segment. The Horus fight will be in the next one I bet. Do a quick check for sidequests and activities and stuff first though.

[ultraericthered]

Now that Wish is on Disney+ and I'm able to look the film over and rewind, fastfoward, take pauses in it and take it in more, I can say at the very least that I do now see more of what they were going for with their presentation of Magnifico. While his care for his kingdom, trauma-induced protectiveness/controlling tendencies, and rationalizing his approach with the wishes as being for the good of all is depicted as sincere, which I don't like, and he is allowed some understandable humanizing moments like not liking the idea of being taken advantage of by his apprentices, which I do like, what's meant to permeate those early scenes with Magnifico is that he's a covert narcissist. Covert narcissism is defined and recognized as when a person pathologically craves admiration and a sense of importance, lacks empathy toward other people, and wants to be able to control everything in their life including the very image of their own selves, but they behave in a different way than an overt narcissist would. Prior to taking in the forbidden dark magic and consuming wishes, Magnifico only gets overtly vainglorious and prideful in private, with either his wife or his own reflection. But in all his other scenes for the film's first half he hits off many of the covert narcissist marks exactly - Owing his personality disorder to a combination of genetics (from outer space!), childhood trauma, an imbalanced relationship with his caretaker (his wife), and a bad temperament. Getting triggered by being ignored and/or disrespected, threats to his ego, being shamed, a lack of control, and not getting the attention he believes he is owed and deserves. Blaming and shaming others. Creating confusion in others. Procrastination and disregard for the needs of others. Giving (and giving and giving and giving) only with the goal of what he'll get in return from his adoring subjects. Emotional neglect. Condescends to those he feels have slighted him. Creating a public image that's over-inflated to look too good to be true compared to his private behaviors. Belittling the "lesser people". Expressing rage but then denying the reality of his outbursts and his feelings. It's all there, and there's a remark by Allison Moore on the feature on Magnifico about how "I've dated some of those before". When you date a narcissist, odds are you do not realize that they ARE a narcissist until you're already with them. A bit like Asha and her application with her king.

That said, I still stand by what I said about the alterations that I feel needed to be made with Magnifico's character to make him work to his fullest potential, and think even with the angle of him as a covert narcissist hiding behind a goody-goody benevolent ruler mask, it should've been refined in a way that's, again, SUPER EASY: he just needed more Jerk Moments during Act 1. Pronounced bits where he creates dissonance between his friendly, charming demeanor and what he's actually saying or asking of Asha to do. Where the ruse slips and he talks like a smarmy, self-satisfied douche much like he does during the wish granting ceremony, but always laughs it off as though it's all playful and in good humor rather than malicious. Think Mother Gothel's "I'm only kidding" shtick with Rapunzel and magnify it, creating a person that the audience could potentially be able to spot as a not-very-good person but makes it believable that very few people in-universe would be able to do the same, as his snippy, partonizing asshole-ness would be marinating in superficial charm and the calculated facsimile of exuberent banter and whimsy that has his cultish devotees falling for it and see nothing wrong in the man. Definitely feasible since we've got a good deal of it in real life politics, entertainment, academia, and religious cults of personality.

Had the writing made that come off, we'd not have ended up with a lukewarm display of Rosas' problems and a confused antagonist who does the world's shortest lasting Twist Villain routine for his opening act before moving towards the Classic Disney Villainy we wanted.

Another King Magnifico Post

A common criticism of Wish is that King Magnifico, like pretty much every character in the film, doesn't seem to have any solid motivation driving his actions in the story, and that the backstory we're given doesn't sufficiently set up any such motivation. I partially agree, but partially disagree. It's not that motivation for Magnifico's villainy isn't there in the story, it's that the presentation of it in the movie that fails because ironic enough for a simple fairy tale, they overcomplicate it.

King Magnifico's motivations, made simple:

Keep his crown, his power, and his iron-fisted control over Rosas and the system of wishes he created so that he may continue to make his own wishes come true, even if at the expense of all other wishes, and his people's reverence of him and dependence on him endures.

King Magnifico's motivations post-forbidden magic book:

Still that, but with the added feature of him being so drunk on power that he wants to take and break wishes, along with Star itself, to add to that power with which he'll quell any dissent to his rule and re-subjugate the dissenters, and in this state of mind, he would rather see his kingdom razed to the ground than relinquish that power.

King Magnifico as seen in the movie:

Safeguard all wishes in Rosas because he sincerely believes in the value of wishes due to his tragic backstory, so that THAT will never happen again and no one in the kingdom he built will suffer the sort of trauma and heartbreak that he did...but he's a little too tight with how he asserts his control, is too paranoid, biased, close-minded and self-interested in how he judges which wishes to grant and which ones to not grant, hoards so many ungranted wishes away for their magical blessings, and doesn't simply return the wishes he won't grant because reasons, possibly because he fears pulling away that carrot on a stick would disillusion people with him and he'd lose his relevence, attention, adulation, and respect. 'Cause he's a malignant narcissist who is so comically in love with his own self-image that he has a God Complex/Savior Complex that makes him more arrogant and power-hungry, don'tchya know. But he also loves his wife, wants to protect her too, and will trust her judgment when she advises him to not go to extremes...except when he doesn't. And when Star is in Rosas spreading a new magical power that isn't his, Asha acts out in rebellion against his rule and system, and the people all start to question him rather than give him the blind respect, adoration, and complacency he feels so entitled to, he spirals into madness and villainy to the point of opening up the forbidden magic book...which drives him to madness and villainy even more, and once he's drunk on this power and learns that breaking wishes enhances it, he wants to break wishes and add Star itself to his power and make everyone all sad and disspirited forever with no more wishes so that they'll stop resisting and he can oppress them without consequence. Because he's evil, has lost all good in him, and nothing about the character that was set up in the first half of the story really matters anymore.

Where was I? Oh yeah!

Had the movie shared a fuller account of Magnifico's backstory with us at the very beginning, and then alluded to it at only a few key points in the story to clearly link how Magnifico presently percieves something and feels about something with what happened in his past that set him down his path to becoming the bad man he is now, and otherwise just played straight the simplified motivations of the first two paragraphs up there, his characterization and descent into full-on villainy would've been all the stronger and easier to follow for it.

[obsidiancreates]

OBSESSING over the concept of the DHMIS guys having been real people (I mean not real people as in Humans but real people as in Still Puppets But Living Actually Normal Lives) before they got like, suddenly snatched by some Being into their little world, and their families have been searching for them for years. And one day they manage to free them! All of a sudden Red Guy and Duck and Yellow Guy have names and personal histories and time is passing in a linear fashion and they don't know how to handle it.

They don't remember any of it. These people are strangers to them. This world is a strange one.

Red Guy has a brother and sister who now have to take care of him, because he can't seem to adapt back to his old life. He used to have a real job and his own apartment and a very average life, and now he gets anxious when he's home too long, but also when he's out too long, and he gets anxious when the day passes without someone singing something but he gets anxious when the singing goes on too long. I also think it'd be fun if he's a more vibrant shade of red than he used to be. His siblings are younger and they tell him about who he used to be and he can't connect with any of it.

Yellow Guy lives with his mom and older brother. His older brother is older by quite a few years, old enough to kind of stand in as a dad since their dad is gone (it's not Roy, his mother never knew any Roys). He used to be a bright kid, maybe not the smartest ever, but he wasn't... like this. They keep having to intervene because he has no concept of Permanent Consequence anymore. He doesn't seem to understand Injury anymore. "But it'll go away," he says when his mother takes a knife away from him after he was running around with it. "Everything goes away. ... Mummy, where are my friends?"

Duck had a partner, apparently, and a niece. His sibling doesn't visit often, but his niece does. She says it makes her parent too upset to see him when he doesn't remember them. He says they need to get over it, who can remember things that happened before today anyway? But suddenly he can, and he starts having a hard time with it. "It's too much remembering!" he squawks. "How am I meant to keep track of it all if every day I know what happened before I went to sleep?!"

And all three keep asking about each other.

"Where're the other two?" Red Guy (he never remembers his name, and usually doesn't respond to it, and the same can be said of Duck and Yellow Guy) asks one say. "The smallest one usually sits somewhere around there, and uh, the other one, right about there. Where've they gone?"

"I miss my friends," Yellow Guy whines one day. "He told me about the military, and-and I miss that. And he's supposed to sit right there, and-and the tallest one is supposed to sit there! Did they leave me alone?"

"At least the other two weren't so dull," Duck grunts one day while doing a crossword (well, trying to, and struggling with such easy hints that it makes his partner feel sick). "Even when they tried to be. What? No, I don't know any specific stories. What a strange thing to ask someone."

The families do decide to chance a supervised meeting of the three a few months after getting them back.

The shift is strange. Red Guy is less anxious, but also more irritable. Yellow Guy is happier, but more afraid. Duck is content but more demanding. And they all sit there, acting so comfortable and yet so... strange. Like they're just... waiting. Biding time for something. The whole room feels still, stifled, and their families find themselves feeling the anxiety and confusion and irritation that the three usual display.

When all three are together there's just this.... uncanniness, to the air. The colors are brighter, in a way that hurts the eyes. The silence is thicker, and the sounds that cut through are sharper. Everything feels poised to collapse, a choking and stifling feeling that makes their families dizzy. And they sit in it and seem more comfortable than they've been since their rescue, if not for the way they keep checking around the room in almost grim expectation.

But nothing comes. So their families finally say it's time to go again.

"But we're not supposed to split up," Yellow Guy pleads.

"Stuff usually goes a bit off when we do that," Red Guy says flatly, but there's an undercurrent of stress to it.

"We'll be perfectly fine right here, thank you," Duck says stiffly. "We don't even know you freaks."

But at the same time they let themselves be dragged off like they have no other choice, no ability to fight back, until they're all back at their own homes with promises that they'll see the others again sometime.

One day the phone rings in Duck's house and he goes still. He walks towards it slowly, and picks it up with shaky hands. It's Red Guy, his partner (if they're really his partner anymore, they still love him and want him to get better but it's clear the person they were in a relationship with may never return) deduces from the muffled voice. It's shaky, and Duck's reply is shaky too.

"Is this real?" they hear Red Guy's voice say through the phone.

"I don't know," Duck says back. "It always feels like it is."

Maybe getting them out of there wasn't enough. Maybe their missing family brought some of that strange place back with them. Maybe they left something behind.

And no matter what kind of day it is, if it's a mild day with few episodes or a day full of confusion and panic, there's one very strong constant. When something happen that spikes their fear, when something makes them frightened or just simply uneasy, there's one form of comfort they always refuse.

Don't hug them. They're scared.

[huneekrispee]

Where is my lover?

Pairing: c!Dreamwastaken x gn!Reader

Summary: Living outside the Dream SMP, far from the war and chaos, Dream was able to find comfort in you. One day, he leaves, promising to come back to you. It's been months, now you're left wondering... where is my lover?

Warnings: cursing, use of dream's real name, spoilers for the Dream SMP Finale, tiny bit of fluff at the start, angst

Word Count: 2.4k

A/N: I've been watching Attack on Titan recently, and the song 'Call Your Name' has me in the feels :( Sorry for being away for so long :( School has been an ass to me, I hope you enjoy it!! -Hunee <3

Also! Please don't mind the pronouns in the song! This is a gender-neutral fic, I merely just wrote the song lyrics as they are :)

She lost her brother a month ago

His picture on the wall

And it reminds me

When she brings me coffee... her smile

I wish I could be with her until my last day

In the forest, a cottage lays peacefully in a secluded meadow near a running stream. The tall trees lay their shadows onto the grassy floor, leaving marks from the sun. Water solemnly runs along, moving to its next destination through the stream. Grass rustles and a soft sigh is heard.

Stretching his arms above his head, a man clad in green slowly sits up, emerald eyes darting around. He yawns. "(Y/N)!" He's now standing up, searching for his lover. Dream's hand reaches down to grab his mask left abandoned on the grass, quickly putting it on.

Preparing his sword, his hand on the hilt, Dream slowly steps toward the cottage. He rests a hand on the door, waiting for something, anything.

A scream is heard.

He now slams the door open, netherite blade on full display, ready to attack. Looking around, he notices no one but (Y/N) in the cozy home, with a kettle on the ground next to them. Lowering his guard, sighing with relief, he sheathes his sword once more, walking over to his distraught partner.

"Are you alright?" Removing his mask, he takes their hands in his. Dream looks at them. (Y/N) looks down, taking their hurt hand out of his. Sighing, Dream quickly leads them over to the sink, running the tap. "What happened?" The coldness of the water helped soothe the burn. "I just, accidentally burnt myself with the kettle. It's okay, I'll live, Clay."

The man remained silent. The only sound heard in the cottage was the running tap water. After treating the burn on their hand, Dream leads (Y/N) to the chair on the side of the room. "You. Sit. I'll finish doing whatever you were doing. You just sit there and take it easy, you just burnt your hand." Bending down to their height, Dream stands face to face with (Y/N). He narrows his eyes slightly. He was always like this. Whenever (Y/N) got hurt in any sort of way, Dream was always on it, almost suffocating them with his overwhelming protectiveness.

They sighed, avoiding his eyes. "I- I was just... I just wanted to make you a coffee this morning. I know you're going to be busy later, so I wanted to make sure that you were energized for your work." Fiddling with their bandaged hand, (Y/N) smiled gently. "I see how you're always so dedicated to the stuff you do, and I wanted to return the favor, even if it's just a cup of coffee."

Dream's eyes softened. It was true, he was dedicated to his work. Running an SMP was hard, especially with some people interfering with his plans recently. He had plans to take power over the server again. Finding and taking everything his people were attached to was difficult, but at least he had (Y/N) to come home to. It was all for them. It was worth the hard work and pain just to see (Y/N) smile at him, showing him their love.

"It's okay. Thank you for wanting to do that, but you don't have to." Running his hand up to their cheek, he smiled. "I do all of my work for you, to help make a safe place for you. Once I sort out the rebellious people, I promise, I'll come back to you, and we can live together in my SMP." (Y/N) gazed up at him, looking into his eyes. They smiled, beaming at the idea.

"Alright! I promise I'll wait for you! I'll always wait for you. I love you, Clay."

"I love you too. I promise I will come back to you. Always."

He would do anything to see that smile on their face all the time.

She said she gave all her love to me

We dreamt a new life

Some place to be at peace

But things changed... Suddenly

I lost my dreams in this disaster

It had been two days. Two days since Dream had left. (Y/N) had since then tended to the flowers and read a few books Dream had gotten them from a faraway village.

'I wonder what he's doing now?' Looking up at the sky, (Y/N)'s mind began to wander. What was dream doing right now? Maybe he was still on his way back to his SMP? Or maybe he was trading with villagers for resources?

They smiled. Dream had been one of (Y/N)'s lifelong friends turned partner. They had met when (Y/N) used to live in a village as a child. (Y/N) was nine and Clay was ten. Dream had gotten into a rough fight with two skeletons and a zombie. He was stumbling around, trying to find help for his injuries.

That was when (Y/N) appeared. Hearing the boy's cries, they ran out of their family home, taking Dream into the house to be treated, screaming for their parents to help him.

They had grown up together as best friends after that. Meeting George and Sapnap, the group loved to go on little adventures together and play their favourite game: manhunt. Dream would always insist on running, with George and Sapnap chasing after him. Sometimes, (Y/N) would join them, but they quite enjoyed seeing the trio panic during the game. It was fun.

A couple years ago, Dream visited (Y/N), saying that he was starting up his own SMP, a place where he and his friends could have fun and just be themselves all the time. The two of them spend hours in (Y/N)'s room, talking about their big plans and ideas for the SMP. Dream wanted to build a cottage near a stream, and live there peacefully with (Y/N). They were shocked, Dream wanted to live with them? "Why?" They asked.

"Well, because of... I'll just show you."

That was the day Clay had kissed (Y/N) for the first time.

I'm crying

Missing my lover

I don't have the power

On my side forever

A month had passed. Nothing from Dream. Usually, he'd send a message through on their server communicator, asking how they were and informing them of his journey and new discoveries. But that didn't happen, not this time.

It was hard. Clay had been such a big part of their life that sometimes they found it hard not to worry about him. They knew he was strong, he could take down armies of people, but everyone had their limit.

Raising the iron hoe, (Y/N) swung down, making way for the new seeds of crops that would grow over the next few months. Wiping their forehead with their sleeve, they sighed.

All they wanted was for Dream to be safe, and for him to come back home once he finished his business in the SMP.

Oh Where is my lover

And I got no power

I'm standing alone, No way

Calling out your name

Heavy pants of breath echoed throughout the underground bunker. He was panicking. It wasn't supposed to go like this.

The plan was to kill Tubbo and make Tommy give him his disks.

It all went to shit when Punz showed up with backup, showing the people of his SMP that had turned against him fully.

"W-woah! Okay! Tommy, calm down!"

The blonde boy didn't listen, hands gripping the axe of peace and lifting it high above his head.

"Tell me why I shouldn't kill you Dream, right here, right now."

Dream silently gulped. For once, his plan failed. It backfired on him and blew up in his face. 'Sorry (Y/N). Guess I'm not coming back tonight.' He just wanted this to be over. He just wanted to be back in the cottage near the stream, sitting with his lover.

His green eyes darted around to everyone in the room. They looked disgusted, some disappointed, others angry. He knew this would never change. He would never get his SMP back. They hated him. Wanted him gone.

"Does Y/N know you're like this?"

His breath hitched. Eyes went wide.

Sapnap had stepped forward, sword out, pointing it threatening at Dream. "Do they know just how bad you are? How corrupt you've become?!" He was yelling at this point. Sapnap was upset as well. It was hard to believe that his best friend would do all of these bad things, it hurt to betray him, but he had to do what was right.

"S-stop. Stop talking about them."

For once, Dream was vulnerable. He hated it. He was always so soft when it came to them. When it came to (Y/N). Sapnap knew that. He had seen it when they were together, how happy dream was when he was with them, following them around like a lost puppy, longing for their love. It went both ways, (Y/N) was the same.

"Who the fuck is- Nevermind. Dream. Give me one good fucking reason why I shouldn't-"

"Tommy stop." Sapnap stepped in again. "This is important to not just me but for another person as well." Tommy stepped back, axe still prepared to lash out just in case. Tommy kept muttering to himself, something about a green bastard.

"Dream. Where is (Y/N)? You said they would join the SMP with us, but they're not here, nobody has seen them, probably besides you. You said that they changed their mind about the SMP, or was that a lie too?"

Dream gulped, words caught in his throat.

"Tell me, you bastard! Where is (Y/N) and do they know?!"

"No. They don't know. All I wanted to do was protect them from something I knew would happen. The wars, the chaos of the SMP. They didn't need to be a part of that. I didn't want them to get hurt."

It was almost like a plea. Dream's voice was quiet like he didn't want them to hear what he was saying. Sapnap stepped back, somewhat satisfied with his answer. He was also upset, he hadn't seen (Y/N) in years, not since before the SMP started.

Tommy finally stepped forward.

"Now. Tell me why I shouldn't kill you, Dream."

"I can bring people back to life. I can bring Wilbur back."

I said I gave all my love to you

We dreamt a new house

Some place to be at peace

But things changed... Suddenly

I lost my dreams in this disaster

Three months. It had been three long months without him. (Y/N) would spend every other night crying in their bed, missing him. They missed everything about him. No messages from him on their communicator. No death messages about him either.

They had never thought that three months could feel so long.

Surely he was busy doing stuff that would mean the world was safer for them. That's what he always said. He said that he worked for them and that he promised that they could settle down and make a new cottage near a different stream, closer to the SMP.

He said he needed to dig out the rebellious people and make his SMP a better place.

All (Y/N) could hope for was that he was safe and doing okay.

We don't know what is wrong tonight

Everybody's got no place to hide

No one's left and there's no one to go on

All I know is my life is gone

Dream was not feeling safe and right now he was feeling anything but okay.

Tommy had just broken his mask. Split down the middle, from the axe of peace.

He didn't want anyone to see his face, no one but (Y/N) and the people who had already seen it before he started wearing the mask.

His mask was his safe haven. A facade he could hide behind. With it gone, there was now no place for him to hide.

All he had done was tell Tommy that he could bring people back to life. When he mentioned Wilbur, Tommy seemed shocked, but then he seemed to come back to his senses after remembering what Wilbur was like before he died.

He went crazy. Insane. All because of Dream and his stupid motives. He only fueled Wilbur's change, encouraging him to blow Manburg up after Jschlatt took over. Thank God for Karl destroying the button the first time. The second attempt was successful and sealed Wilbur's fate as a psychotic, destroyed ex-president swayed by the masked man into committing destruction.

Tommy was angry at that. At the fact that Dream would even think about bringing back Wilbur.

Enraged, he brought the axe down onto Dream's cowering figure.

I'm crying

Missing my lover

I don't have the power

On my side forever

Sitting up, (Y/N) slowly looked around the room. It was the same as always; no Dream insight. They woke up every day with a feeling of hope that they would turn around and see Dream at the door, back from his trip.

The situation was too much. (Y/N)'s breaths quickened, eyes blurring up with tears, the salty water slowly dripping down the sides of their cheeks. They let out a dry laugh, bringing up their sweater paw hands to their face, wiping the tears.

They stared at the sleeve of the hoodie they had on. It was green.

It was his.

He always left a spare here, just in case.

It always came in handy when (Y/N) missed him.

They sighed, flopping back down onto the bed, curling into themselves and the hoodie. It smelt like him. He always smelt like a run through the forest, with a hint of saltwater and citrus.

It was comforting.

He was comforting.

The tears wouldn't stop. Every time (Y/N) wiped them away, fresh ones would keep coming. Where was he? Was he okay? It was all they could think about.

(Y/N) hugged themselves, hoping to recreate a hug like his. It didn't work. It never worked.

Nothing could ever compare to his hugs.

Still sobbing, (Y/N) cried themselves back to sleep, despite it being morning.

Not like they had any motivation to do anything without the assurance of him being okay anyways.

Oh Where is my lover

And I got no power

I'm standing alone, No way

Calling out your name

Beep.

(Y/N)'s communicator went off.

Dream was slain by Tommyinnit.

[impishsensei-a]

after satoru said his piece, he expected that all was already said and done and that their conversation was best dropped and left at that. he'd felt quite smug with himself and his suggestive little roast directed at this saihara guy, but it seemed the guy took it real personal as he started going off on satoru, talking all about how he knew jangmi so much better than satoru, and how she never bothered to tell any of them about satoru. honestly, yeah, that did bother him a little bit. she really brought up everyone else except him? well, she brought up the fact that they fucked, kind of, but even then... she hadn't bothered to mention his name.

huh. 

did he really hold such little importance in her life? even though they both long since agreed that their arrangement was solely for pleasure as friends with benefits, he still found himself feeling some kind of way because they were friends, right? right? sure, he knew she wasn't in love with him or anything like that, but he thought he was more important to her than just some guy she regularly got dick from. he certainly didn't view her as just an easy lay. never one to let his mask falter, though, satoru feigns being completely unbothered.

❝ is that so? that's good for you, saihara-san. i don't recall mentioning that i cared about being the most important guy in her life, though? she's an old friend and she lets me fuck her whenever i want. i really don't care about any of the rest of that crap you're going on about �� i'm glad, actually, ❞ he says, and he doesn't truly mean that. it sounds harsh, framed like that, but he doesn't want this presumptive asshole thinking he's got something over satoru. satoru doesn't care, and that's something he needs to insist to himself. he can't care too much. it's a slippery slope for himself that'll only end in pain and disappointment, and he knows that. he's not even entertained the idea, he swears. right. 

❝ you can go ahead and pursue her all you want. i really couldn't care less. there's plenty other girls dying to warm my bed in her place if my arrangement with her ever ends. you care a lot more than i do, clearly. hopefully she'll get off her back for me to notice a nice guy like you, right? ❞ satoru says, and again, he doesn't mean it. it's for saihara only, really, because satoru is pissed off and annoyed and he totally cares and he's trying to force himself to believe that he doesn't. but why would he be in such a foul mood if he didn't care? satoru is hard to piss off. he's thankful jangmi's off with her friends — she didn't need to hear or see any of that. he's tempted to fire off a small red that would send the other man's glass on the table careening toward him, thus drenching him in his drink. he wouldn't know what hit him. 

in fact, that's a great idea, actually. no one ever said satoru was mature, and this display of his is a prime example of how childish he can be. he doesn't even need to say it, just does a slight gesture with his hand and the drink tips over and splashes all over the nice and expensive shirt saihara's wearing. satoru feigns a shocked expression, though there's the slightest of amused smiles on his lips.  

❝ you should be careful, saihara-san. clumsiness isn't a valued trait in grown men, ❞ and with that, satoru's turning to stand. he needs some damned fresh air before he decides socking the guy in the face is a good idea. 

"Oh my God," Jangmi lamented, though the corners of her lips were upturned. She couldn't exactly be mad at her friends for being curious. Besides, she had expected some questioning... She just hadn't thought they would deduce that Satoru was the man she had previously brought up whenever they discussed their sex lives. "Okay, okay, yes, you are all right. Congratulations, super-sleuths."

"But I thought you told us you're just friends with benefits," Yuna was quick to point out. "Taking him to meet your friends is sorta..." She shared a look amongst the girls--one that had Jangmi blushing profusely. Thank God for the club lights bathing them all in a purple glow at the moment.

"Do you like him, Mi-mi?" Ayumi asked, looking seriously at her friend. It should have been quick and simple to say no. In the past, whenever they had asked after her mysterious lover during their girl talks, it had been as easy as breathing to remind them they were just friends. Now, however, she swallowed hard and her heart raced, hesitating before she shook her head. Kumiko raised two fingers to Jangmi's pulse point, smirking as she confirmed for herself the sorcerer's reaction to the question.

Jangmi waved her friend's hand away and sighed, finding that her chest felt heavy as she explained, "It doesn't really matter. He's not interested in something more serious."

Namie's brows quirked up. "...Are you sure? I haven't been able to stop looking at him since you two came in, and he looked kinda pissed when Saihara was hugging you." Jangmi blinked rapidly, not having noticed that at all. Kumiko and Namie shared a look, grinning devilishly before one hurried for the DJ booth and the other for the bar.

"Forget about him for a little bit. Dance with me." Yuna took Jangmi's hand and swayed her hips as she came closer, Jangmi soon following suit. Ayumi came behind Jangmi to press up against her back, hands easily finding a place on her friend's hips.

Saihara shrugged, scoffing. "And how often do you do that, exactly? She's pretty busy, right? Meanwhile I'm in all her classes. We eat lunch together every day. We talk together between classes. And of course, I'm always included in her plans like this." He took another sip of his drink, his own lips pulling into a smug smirk as he sized Satoru up. "You've known her since high school? I've known her since undergrad, and she never once mentioned you, never tried to introduce us to you. You're not here as her guest tonight, either. Just as her ride. So I hate to break it to you, I may not be 'the best dick she's ever had,' but compared to me, you're just a tiny slice on the pie chart of her life."

He leaned back in his chair, turning his head to watch Jangmi, and his demeanor relaxed a little more, though his eyes were definitely following the path of Yuna's hands as she felt up Jangmi while they danced. "You don't know that she still cries on the anniversary of Haibara-san getting hit by that truck, huh?" Saihara looked to Satoru again. "Or that she worries about getting burned out by lawyer life the way her friend Nanami-san got about the salaryman life." He cocked his head a little. "We even heard about how heartbroken she was to have a falling-out with her first love, Geto-san. But we haven't heard a word about a Satoru. Except now, I guess."