#stop drawing my designs it makes me want to curl up in comfy blankets and wrap your art in a death grip waghghhghg DUUUDE

[yuriyuruandyuraart]

Wabtabda :D

HERRRRRRR IT'S MY BABY IT'S MY GIRL THE WOMAN EVER!!!!!!! <33333333

[lovelybarnes]

get the girl- p. parker

pairings: peter parker x reader, mentions of ned, betty, mj, and brad warnings: unrequited love (kind of?? implied), lotsss of pining and fluff, a little long about: requested! (DF4) “you fell asleep, i couldn’t move.“ + (DF31) “maybe if you stop staring at her and actually talk to her, you might have a chance.” a/n: been wanting to write a peter parker friends to lovers for a while, so thank you so so much for requesting this. i swear i don’t usually take this long?? i got carried away and it got way longer than i expected, i hope you enjoy! thank you for requesting!

peter thinks it’s hopeless. the cliche he’s stuck in seems cruel- no matter what the movies you (and, fine, yes, him sometimes) make him watch say. nothing that happens in them ever transpires to real life; beautiful girls don’t fall in love with their nerdy best friends and guys like peter parker don’t get the girl.

it’s fun to fantasize, though. and especially fun to look at you, particularly when you’re laying on his bed, oblivious to him standing in the doorway, observing as you twist your neck to get a good look at the polaroids he hung up on his wall. a familiar smile grows on your face when your eyes scan them, flickering to the polaroid camera you got him for christmas years ago.

you move to try to get a better look at them without standing up, glancing down when you feel a sharp edge poke at your skin. he watches as your eyebrows furrow in possibly the prettiest way possible and you pull out a polaroid from under you. and oh, peter is just now realizing exactly what that photo is and why it’s on his bed instead of hanging off the empty miniature clothespin that comes from the pack you thrust at his chest when you noticed the increasing pile of pictures on his desk.

he’s moving on autopilot towards you, the foot already halfway through the door used as a stepping stone to go to your side faster. he’s with you in less than three steps, tugging on your ankle and then tackling you as sensibly as possible, laying his whole body on yours. you oof, dropping the picture, having seen it for too little to really question it, and laugh breathlessly. “pete!” you wheeze, curling your arms around his back, one of your hands absentmindedly drawing figures through his hoodie and your other one inching up to his hair, already beginning to thread through the chocolate curls. “yes?” he hums innocently, furtively grabbing the polaroid you dropped and shoving it in the pocket of his hoodie before his arms wrap around your thighs.

“i told you if you keep doing that, one day you’re gonna get hurt,” you scold, looking attentively as peter leans his head against your chest. “me?” he questions, feeling you nod under his cheek. “uh huh, you. you’ll hit your head or something. for a spider-”

“spiderman. superhero,” peter corrects, you ignore him, “you are really clumsy.” peter huffs in dissent, letting a comfortable silence blanket over the both of you for a minute before he looks up at you. “what?” you ask, a smile brimming at the edges of your words. you’re so pretty, peter wants to say, but instead, he goes with a more best-friend-friendly question, “d’you wanna watch a movie?”

you nod at him, pulling your hands away from his head to play with the strings of his hoodie, “sure, what do we want to watch today?” peter’s eyes immediately light up, and you realize you never actually needed to ask. “fine,” you agree, trying not to grin too hard at the way his face brightens. “which one?” you request, watching his freckled cheeks flush pink in excitement, “sixth one. the best one, of course.” you smirk, shrugging, “right, don’t know why i asked, i basically know the movie word for word now.” peter can’t help but give you heart eyes at the knowledge of your knowing the script of his favorite movie. god, you really were the dream girl.

“‘kay, go make some popcorn and get everything ready while i go to the bathroom,” you request, tapping peter’s shoulder as a way to tell peter to let you out from under his body weight. he does the complete opposite of what you imply, however, nuzzling further into your chest and inhaling deeply. “peter,” you laugh, poking his shoulder again, “‘m comfy,” he mumbles, eyes closed. “pete, c’mon, i gotta pee and you’re lying on my bladder,” you whine, “also, don’t you wanna watch episode six of star wars while i eat popcorn and play with your hair?” you singsong. he’s suddenly moving his body off of yours to let you go, although not before pressing a sloppy- friendly- kiss to your arm, “hurry up.”

you giggle as you stand, stretching out your limbs and walking to the bathroom while peter watches you walk away. once he hears the bathroom door shut, he digs his hands into his pockets, fingers tugging on the polaroid he had shoved inside. a smile grows on his face without his permission when he holds it at his stomach, the light reflecting off of the smile that was printed on the picture. he traces a nail over your face, bright and open in the way that makes you gleam. it’s his favorite picture ever, the only one that managed to catch you so in your element, your natural halo of glow apparent in your outline. peter had scrawled the words best girl in red marker on the white space at the bottom- something he thought he could explain away easily if he had to. the picture had its own designated space on his wall, right in the middle so the importance was clear, but it was rarely actually up there, instead always next to him for inspiration when he was doing homework and on his dresser for when he couldn't sleep.

his lips quirk one last time at the photograph before walking to the wall where all the rest of them reside. he hangs it up, glancing at it once more until he turns to walk out of his room.

the movie is ready to play when you walk into the living room, and peter is in the kitchen making your popcorn. “it smells good,” you say in a greeting, sniffing the air and exhaling in satisfaction. peter laughs, “you do that every time we have a movie night.” you tilt your head at him, “do what?” he motions to you, “that. the whole smelling thing and letting me know how good it smells, it’s cute.”

your face heats when it slips out of his lips, pausing to absorb the words he doesn’t seem to have noticed he said. his back is to you, dumping the popcorn into a bowl for you. you can’t see it, but he’s freaking out, trying to think of an excuse if you decide it was too weird. you don’t do anything to imply that, though, just blink until the words dissolve in the air. “thanks,” you finally reply, as nonchalant as you can make it while you grab his m&ms. he hums in response, turning around to head to the couch, “star wars time,” he winks, making you grin.

you follow him as he heads to the couch, settling down next to him once he puts on the movie. the star wars theme starts, the tune fringed by peter’s humming. cute, you think, snuggling deeper into the crook of his arm and shoving popcorn into your mouth. “hmm, good,” you compliment, watching the scenes you’d seen so many times pass on the screens. you mouth along when you recognize the lines until your eyes feel heavy and they shut completely.

-

quiet thwips wake you up hours later, when the black of the night has bled the sky blue and the stars have littered over the clouds, the moon replacing the sun. you see that the movie is long over when you blink yourself awake, beginning to cuddle deeper into your pillow when you realize it’s too warm and hard to be a pillow. you are met with the vision of your best friend, lip tugged in between his teeth as he concentrates on something behind you. he doesn’t seem to notice that you’re awake, trying to remain as still as possibly while the thwip noises continue. he mutters a curse, scrunching his nose adorably before flicking his eyes to you. they widen when he notices you’re awake, dropping his hand. “what’re you doing?” you yawn, sitting up and away from the warmth of peter’s embrace. “uh- i just- the movie ended and you didn’t wake up, so i tried to get the remote, then i got hungry…” he scratches the back of his head awkwardly, scanning the room and you turn to observe, stunned to see the mess of webs and dropped items you weren’t sure how you didn’t hear. “oh my god, what the- did you try to get everything with your webs?” you ask in bewilderment, eyeing a bag of gummy worms open and on the floor, you snap your neck towards him to observe his burning cheeks. “um. yes,” he confesses, blushing harder. “why didn’t you just get up?” you question, looking back at the ruined living room, exhaling in surprise as you notice the remote on the ground.

“you... you fell asleep on me. i couldn’t move.”

you pause, tilting your head slightly to look at peter, “pete, god, that’s so sweet. but you really don’t need to…” you motion to the dropped items, “do all that,” you laugh. peter shrugs, and you notice the tips of his ears are red, too. “i didn’t want to wake you up. i know how much of a light sleeper you are.”

you feel like you’re melting, every single muscle in your body drooping in the loveliness that was peter parker. you weren’t sure how the boy was real. you suddenly drop yourself on him again, wrapping your arms around his burning neck, “thank you, peter,” you say into his skin. like a reflex, his own arms go around your waist, holding you securely so you won’t fall, “‘f course.”

a moment of quiet follows until peter’s stomach rumbles suddenly, making you laugh, “i think i’ve starved you long enough. you pick today. also, when did you get so ripped? your arms are so big--” peter cuts you off with a groan, dropping his head on your shoulder, “you had to ruin the moment--”

-

peter doesn’t know what it is with you (actually, he does) that makes you so distracting. you’re just waiting in line for lunch, standing next to mj and laughing occasionally when she says something. all you’re doing is standing, and maybe it’s peter’s boy-hormones combined with his spider-hormones that magnify every single perfect feature of yours, but he can’t take his eyes off of you. you’re so pretty. the curve of the smiles that pulls into your cheeks, the twinkle that remains permanent in the color of your eyes, the way you look in that skirt--

“maybe if you stop staring at her and actually talk to her, you might have a chance,” a voice points out from next to him. peter scoffs, ripping his sight away from you to turn to ned. “i talk to her all the time. she’s my best friend.” ned shakes his head and sighs, “you talk to her about star wars, you talk to me about star wars, how is that supposed to help you have a chance--”

“i have a chance,” peter mumbles, trying to believe it himself, “she knows that she and you stand at different levels of best friends--” ned looks offended, “different levels? what is that supposed to mean--” peter stares exasperatedly at his best friend, “it means i want to date her and i don’t want to date you--”

“that’s a little rude--”

“hey you guys,” you greet, sitting down on the seat in front of peter’s and patting the seat next to you for mj. she stares at you silently, and you frown, patting the seat harder, “sit.” you instruct. she sighs and does what she’s told. “what were you guys talking about?” you ask, picking up your small plate of cherry pie to replace the bowl of orange slices that you took from peter’s plate. “thank you,” peter mumbles, digging his fork into the pie the moment you set it down. you hum, stealing a cherry tomato from his salad.

“oh, you know. the usual, your friendship with peter,” the latter shoots him a look and you raise an eyebrow, “that’s the usual? a little strange, don’t you think?” ned shrugs, “did you know that you and i stand at ‘different levels’ as peter’s best friends?” peter nearly chokes on his pie, glaring at ned. you cock your head at peter, thinking as you steal another tomato, “i… guess i thought so? i’ve known peter since, like, preschool, and we tell each other everything.”

“everything, huh?” ned wonders, a sound of pain falling from his lips when peter kicks him under the table. “peter.” he hisses. mj narrows her eyes at the two boys, “what is going on with you guys today? you’re acting weirder than normal.” peter’s face screws up in confusion, looking to you for help. you shrug, “she’s right.”

“i usually am,” mj mutters.

“so what is it?” you query, popping an orange slice as peter cringes at the mere thought of the taste. “peter has a crush,” ned informs helpfully, oblivious to peter’s dismay, “i- i don’t-”

you blink, feeling mj’s elbow shove into your ribs as her own way to make sure you’re okay. you ignore her, and it tells her everything she needs to know. “it’s liz, right?” you guess, trying to mask the hurt on your face with a teasing smile, “i saw you looking at her the other day. she’s pretty.” “no! it’s not- i mean, yes, liz is pretty, but i don’t like her or anything- ned doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” peter rambles. “pete, you don’t have to be embarrassed, i’m just upset you didn’t tell me,” you lie. peter’s eyebrows furrow, “you’re just upset that… i didn’t tell you?” he repeats. you nod, biting into another orange slice. “just that?” he asks meekly. you cock your head at him.

“i just- never mind. it’s not liz,” he says, poking at his pie. “so you admit you have a crush?” you start with a fake smirk, jabbing at your best friend with your fork, “just not on liz?”

“i didn’t… i didn’t say that-” peter stutters. your eyes narrow at him, lip tugged between your teeth, “i’m gonna find out who it is by the end of the day.”

peter is unfortunately sure you will. he’s not subtle as is, but you’re never deliberately looking for the signs, which makes it a lot easier to hide his embarrassingly large crush on you. but now, you'll be paying attention to his every move, and knowing you, he knows you won’t stop until you find out what you want, unless he tells you to back off. but, does he want you to back off?

he pushes his tray away, suddenly not feeling so hungry.

-

you stay true to your promise, hanging off his arm for the rest of the day, observing the way he acts around some of your classmates, but somehow not noticing the way he blatantly refuses to look at you- which proves humiliatingly difficult; peter never realized exactly how much he turned to look if you laughed at the joke too, or to catch one of your smiles when you hear something funny or peter whispers a joke into the shell of your ear.

by the end of the day when you’re walking to the train station together, you’re groaning at him, putting your full weight on his arm as you tug at him. “who is it? is it betty? oh my god, is it mj? is that why you kept looking at her?” you ask excitedly. peter wants to tell you the truth: he wasn’t looking at mj, he was looking at you, because as much as he tried, he couldn’t pry his attention off of you, who just so happened to sit next to mj.

“not mj. not betty,” he replies, pulling you inside the subway and scanning for free seats. you trail behind him when he finds a spot, letting you take it as he stands in front of you. “not them… it has to be liz, right?” you pry, sighing when he shakes his head. “brad- it’s brad, right?” you grin, whining when he denies it again. “can you just tell me if i got them already? i’ve practically said everyone in the school,” you complain, “they do go to school with us, right?” at peter’s nod, you drop your head against his abdomen, “and you have not said their name yet.”

“peter,” you drag out, reaching out for his hand to pull it, “just tell me! i can probably set you up with them!”

“y/n, just drop it,” he sighs, and you sigh too, mumbling a fine before noticing an older lady standing at the door. you wave her over, standing next to peter and letting her take your seat. peter feels like his heart will pop out of his chest.

the bumps of the subway push you close enough to him to feel the thundering of his heart, and your eyebrows knit together in worry, “are you okay? your heart’s beating, like, really fast-” yeah and your hand on my chest is not helping- “‘m fine.”

“is it because of the crush thing?” yes, “because i’m sorry about annoying you about it so much, if you don’t want to talk about it, i won’t bother you with it. just know that if they don’t like you back, they’re insane, because you, peter parker, are a ca-”

it was like a rubber band snapping, and peter suddenly couldn’t help it anymore, pushing his lips against yours, effectively cutting you off and catching you so off-guard, you freeze for a second before reacting, pulling his jaw closer. you almost tug him back when he pulls away, before you remember you’re still standing on a crowded, moving subway, and while kissing your best friend had been all you wanted for way too long, you were absolutely going to miss your stop if you didn’t stop.

“i- i’m sorry, i just-” peter stammered, stepping back. “no! so, please don’t apologize, seriously, it’s fine, it’s, like, better than fine.”

a beat of awkward silence passed before the tube halted to the stop right before yours. “it’s you. in case that didn’t… come clear. you’re the person i like,” peter informs quietly. “really?” you ask, cheek already pulling in a shy smile. “really,” peter assures.

this time, you don’t really care if you miss your stop, and neither does peter, now that he knows that, sometimes, peter parker does get the girl.

[13uswntimagines]

Always Have a Place (Preath x Teen!Reader)

Request: learning to love part 2 with reader being super attached to Chris and Tobin then someone coments about it and reader starts to feel insecure about it again and Tobin and Chris has to reassure her again

You pulled the blankets tighter around you, padding through the chilly apartment towards the sound of your mama’s voice. The cold Manchester weather wasn’t quite agreeing with you, and paired with the holidays, you had been a bit on edge for the past few days. 

You never understood what the big fuss around Christmas was (as you had never been visited by Santa when you were younger), and Christmas Trees kinda freaked you out (Forster father number 3 had sent one through a window on your first Christmas with them). Though Christen and Tobin tried to show you some holiday traditions, you just didn’t understand why making cookies and drinking hot chocolate were supposed to put the world in a more giving mood. 

You rounded the corner, glancing to the left where Christen was sitting on the couch, and Right where Tobin was talking at the dining room table. You thought it was strange they never did video calls from the same room, but if it made them happy then who were you to judge. 

You sighed, deciding that Christen looked more cuddly, and began shuffling in her direction. She glanced over the top of her laptop at you, opening her arms to invite you in as she took in your tired form. 

“Hmm, you’re warm,” You mumbled, wigging into the woman to find your favorite spot. Christen giggled, wrapping her arm around you and pulling you closer, placing a kiss on the crown of your head. The two of you had grown close (almost as close as you and Tobin) in the past few months, and while you and Tobin bonded over art, you had become her cuddle buddy. Plus with the bad feelings the holidays always dredged up, you had been a bit more clingy than usual (not that her or Tobin were complaining) and her calming figure had put you at ease. 

“I’m glad baby, just a few more minutes and then we can all go to bed alright?” Christen asked softly, running a comforting hand through your hair. 

“You don’t have to rush, I’m comfy now,” You mumbled, allowing your mom’s scent to relax you. Now that she was here to ward off your nightmares, you were finding it difficult to stay awake. 

“Awe, is our favorite designer in training tired?” Megan jested from the screen, and you stuck your tongue out at her. 

“In training? My design sold out in less than a day,” you grumbled. You had been honored to work with your Ma on the popsicle capsule and were super excited that your work had done well. It was nice to know your art was appreciated, even if it wasn’t the typical portraits you did. 

Megan laughed, nodding in concession, glad you had warmed up to her. You were making amazing strides with not only the women that had become your moms but with the team as a whole. 

“The time change is a little much for us all I think,” Tobin said, glancing over at the two loves of her life from the kitchen table. God, you had come so far, had grown so comfortable coming to them when you weren’t feeling alright. 

“We all know the truth, that kid is just super attached to you, and probably can’t even sleep by herself,” Kling laughed, not noticing how you flinched slightly. You didn’t know Kling as well as you knew Megan or any of the other members of the USWNT and you weren’t quite sure how to take her teasing. 

“I can attest that Y/n is pretty cuddly. I don’t know how you detach her to train sometimes,” Pino shrugged and your eyebrows furrowed. Did Pino think you were too clingy too? Did she think you were holding your mom’s back? If they couldn’t train, they couldn’t be the best. They wouldn’t want you anymore if you were hindering them. 

You twisted slightly uncomfortable, pulling away from Christen’s comforting embrace. 

“I’m gonna go back to bed,” You mumbled, tucking your Batman blanket tighter around you. 

“You sure babe?” Christen asked, brushing a strand of hair away from your eyes. 

“Hmm,” You hummed, shuffling off to go and cuddle Roary. Hopefully, he could keep your nightmares away (not missing Tobin’s “Nice going, Kling,”). 

****

You woke with a start, sitting bolt upright and clutching your blanket tightly to your chest. You gulped down the bile that rose in your throat. You ran your hand across your forehead, pushing the sweaty strands of hair from your clammy skin. 

You blinked at the red number of the clock, the little 2 mocking you. It was the 4th time this week. Every part of you longed to go find the comfort your Mom and Mama always offered when you had a nightmare. But you couldn’t bring yourself to disturb them. Kling was right, how the hell were they supposed to play well with you bothering them every time you had a little scary dream. You were 14, not 4. 

You sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose and smoothing your thumb over both of your closed eyes in an effort to chase away the images that plagued your sleep. You were never going to get back to sleep now. 

You leaned over and grabbed your trusty drawing pad, before quietly tiptoeing out of the room, and down the hall. You paused as you passed the slightly ajar door to your moms’ room. They never complained about your frequent visits to their bed or pushed you to tell them which ghost from your past had made you end up there. 

You shook your head, taking a second to convince yourself that not going to them was going to benefit you in the end. If you stopped bothering them, being so clingy, they wouldn’t get tired of you. They wouldn’t get rid of you. 

You continued down the hallway, bypassing the kitchen in favor of turning into the living room. You stared out the bay windows, wishing for a minute that you were back in Portland. That you had the balcony to stand on and collect your racing thoughts, and the cool night air to ground you back in reality. Alas, you were here in the UK instead. 

You sighed again, curling up on the little window seat, staring listlessly at the drizzly night sky, and flipping mindlessly through the pages of your sketchbook. 

You settled on a blank page, mindlessly tapping your pencil on the paper. Your thoughts wandered, taking in the skyline as though it would tell you what to draw, how to set your mind at ease. The movement of your reflection in the window caught your attention, and suddenly you knew exactly what to draw. How to get your brain to stop obsessing over them leaving you. 

****

Tobin sighed as she entered the living room. It was the 5th time this week she had walked into the same sight of you slumped against the living room window, your pencil paused over your coveted sketchbook, which was balanced precariously on your knee. 

“She’s out here Chris,” Tobin called quietly down the hallway. How they had gone to waking up with you almost always cuddled between them (or on the foot of their bed) to you virtually pulling away entirely they weren’t sure. It hurt to see the brick wall around your heart rebuilding itself in front of their eyes. 

Christen padded up next to her, wrapping her arms around Tobin's waist and resting her head on her shoulder. “Again?” She asked, the sadness evident in her tone. They thought they had gotten over the hurdle of convincing you to come to them for help, plus she was starting to miss her cuddle buddy. 

“Hm, we need to get to the bottom of this,” Tobin mumbled, leaning back into her wife. It wasn’t healthy for you to be awake all night, even if you were processing your emotions through art, if for you to be pushing them away. They tried not to push you too hard, tried to let you come to them, but you clearly weren’t. They were going to need to intervene soon. 

“I’ll make the coffee, if you want to wake little miss up,” Christen murmured into her neck, placing a soft kiss before heading off towards the kitchen. 

You may have been her cuddle buddy, but you always had an easier time opening up to Tobin. Her chill demeanor set you at ease. 

Tobin nodded making her way over to you, making a mental note to put an extra blanket on the window seat in case this was going to continue. 

She crouched in front of you, carefully maneuvering the dangling sketchbook out of your hand, barely glancing at the still open page as she set it on the coffee table, and placing a gentle hand on your knee. 

“Hey kiddo, it’s time to wake up,” she said softly, rubbing your leg to rouse you. 

“Hm, what time is it,” You asked, pushing your forehead against the cool glass and blinking sleepily at the woman. 

“Just after 8. What time did you come out here?” She questioned softly. 

You shrugged, yawning loudly. “Like 1:30. I couldn’t go back to sleep after my dream so I decided to come out here for a bit,” You lazily gestured towards your sketchbook “thought I could work through it and I guess I fell asleep,” 

“Why didn’t you wake Me or Mom up, we would have hung out with you until you could get back to sleep,”  The woman pressed, cupping your face and running her thumb over your cheek, brushing the dark circles that had grown more prominent under your eyes. You leaned into her touch, allowing it to ease your fears for the moment. 

“Didn’t wanna bother you. Your both starting today,” you said. 

Tobin squinted at you, her head tilting to the side. You were more important to them than any starting position, they thought you knew that. It was a piece to the puss me that was this change in your behavior, but she couldn’t seem to put her finger on the rest. She couldn’t quite see how it fit. 

“You could never be a bother to us babe, we love you and want to help you. And you’re our priority, never worry about soccer when it comes to stuff like this. If one of us has to sit out, it’s no biggie,” She said, looking you in the eye, repeating the words that had become their mantra to you. 

You hummed noncommittally, abruptly pulling yourself out of her grasp, looking away from her piercing gaze. That was too close, and you didn’t want her to make a promise you knew she wouldn’t keep. It would hurt less later if you didn’t believe her. 

“Is mom making pancakes?” 

*****

Christen was worried. Very worried. She hadn’t meant to go snooping, but the sketch on the page of your open notebook had caught her attention, and once she started she couldn’t stop. 

It was a striking image. The drawing of the view from their apartment was nice, but what really caught her eye was the reflection of you in the glass. There was something about your expression that tore at her very soul. 

You drew what you felt, and if you had this much disparity, then something was very wrong. 

“Have you seen this,” She asked her wife breathlessly. Tobin glanced at the page, nodding once. It had been the same sketch 4 days in a row, the only thing that changes were the expression. The eyes growing emptier, the shadows getting bigger. She bit her lip. 

“We have to let her come to us, babe. All we can do is try to be there for her,” 

And try to be there for you they had. They increased their touches (trying not to feel hurt when you pulled away), Tobin scheduled extra time for the two of you to work on the capsule together. Hell, Christen even started leaving hot chocolate in the window seat for you. But nothing seemed to be working. You were slowly slipping away and neither of them knew why. 

Christen sighed, glancing back at the sketch, so beautifully haunting. “I just want her to let me help,”

“She will, you just have to let her sort through whatever it is first,” 

*****

Your moms were on their feet mere seconds after your first shriek, racing across the hall and into your room, searching for the threat. They released a breath they didn’t know they were holding when they saw you alone in your bed until another strangled cry left your lips. 

“No, I’ll be good, please don’t leave,”

That was all it took for them to jump into action, Tobin flipping on your bedside light, and Christen crawling into bed beside you. 

“Hey baby, wake up, it’s just a bad dream,” your mom said, wrapping you up in her arms and rubbing your back to rouse you from sleep. 

“Mom?” You asked disoriented, trying to fight the gentle hands keeping you from accidentally hurting yourself. 

“Shh, I’m here, you’re ok,” Christen said, pulling you into her lap. You buried your face in her neck, gripping her nightshirt so tightly the cotton was straining in your grasp. 

You sobbed into her neck, your tears making the skin sticky. “Don’t leave me please,” You begged, the words garbled by tears and your adamant refusal to pull away from your favorite hiding spot. Christen shushed you, rubbing your back with one hand and cradling your head with the other, sharing a worried glance with Tobin over your head. The other woman stood next to your bed, her hands opening and closing, shifting foot to foot unsure how to help you. 

“Never baby. We’re not going anywhere,” Christen soothed, gesturing for Tobin to take your other side. She did, hugging you from behind to let you know that she was there too. 

They held you as you cried, whispering sweet nothings over your unintelligible whimpering. 

“I’m sorry I’m too clingy. That you can’t practice as much as you used too,”

“No baby, we don’t feel that way at all. We love you, and we want to be here for you,”

“But Kling and Pino-“ You protested, only to be cut off by Tobin solemnly shaking her head. “Were joking, they didn’t mean anything by it. They’re both glad that you are opening up to them,” 

You stared at her in disbelief (and Tobin made a mental note to murder her friends for being assholes. They needed to learn that even though you felt comfortable, your fears and insecurities were not something to be picked on, even with the best intentions). 

“And so are we. We’re glad and honored that you’ve opened up to us, and let us see your goofy side, and your amazing art,” She added, brushing a wild curl from in front of your eyes. 

“Really?”

“Absolutely. We love how cuddly you are- it makes up for the 13 years we didn’t get with you,” Christen said, squeezing you tighter just to prove her point. It had taken you a long time to let them in, and though it was still a work in progress, they were honored you trusted them. That you had let them in further than anyone before. 

“Will you stay?” You asked in a small voice, almost afraid of the answer. 

“Always,” Your moms answered together. Tobin pulled back the covers, allowing Christen to maneuver the two of you inside before joining you. You sighed, reveling in their safety. Here, wedged between the women, you knew you would always have a place. 

[kirby-the-gorb]

reply roundup!

I didn’t realize how long it had been, whoops! below a readmore for length.

on [edgeworth]:

@isdisorigionalenoughforyou​ said: OH MY GOD OP I LOVE YOU

aahhh thank you!

@nokomitsu​ said: this is the only good edgeworth fanart i have decided.

that is high praise indeed :O

@jadeharleyofficial​ said: kirbworth kirbworth! edgeby...

both are very good options....

@escargon​ said: kirbworth.

I guess you’re the tiebreaker vote lol

@ow-the-edge​ said: :0

who knew he could be this unthreatening lol (nah edgeworth’s actually a big dorky softie under all the trauma)

on [float]:

@jeremy-the-bear-orca-hybrid​ said: *happy poyo noises*

he’s having a good time!

@inexplicably-spookified​ said: floaty orb

he’s very buoyant.

on [:0]:

@dragonofcupcake​ said: *axolotl yawning meme intensifies*

definitely one of my favorite memes lol. I’m gonna have yoshi’s island stuck in my head all day tho if I’m not careful!

on [thumbs]:

@the-halo-of-my-memory​ said: you always make him look so cute, i love seeing him whenever you post

aahhh thank you! your tags are always a delight too :’)

@knightmareindreamland​ said: gamer!

he’s a hardcore gamer! he only plays on easy because otherwise he’ll just embarass everyone else!

@dragonofcupcake​ said: the little chubby thumbs-

he can grow thumbs at will I guess. gotta push the buttons!

@tomhardyon​ said: :3

:>

on [yellow]:

@rick-the-hamster​ said: look at that smile

he’s having a nice day!

@dragonofcupcake​ said: hes just standing there... menacingly

wee-woo wee-woo wee-woo!

on [music]:

@the-halo-of-my-memory​ said: *plays my bologna*

I’m partial to “now that’s what I call polka” myself lol

on [tea]:

@kitten-solari-completed​ said: poyo

wise words. *nods*

@squawylaous​ said: Me but with soup

yeah! you can put whatever you want in a mug. tea, soup, cake....

@inexplicably-spookified​ said: i’m not a tea person but i would happily enjoy a cuppa with the gorb

he also has hot cocoa on hand!

on [detective]:

@inexplicably-spookified​ said: kirby the orbtective!!!!!! on the case (to find the best snack)

a tricky case indeed! can it ever be solved?

on [princess]:

@the-halo-of-my-memory​ said: absolutely adorable. im soft. i love princess gumdrop so much

;x; princess gumdrop.... an extremely good pair of words....

on [folk]:

@swiggity-switchface​ said: My son

kirby has so many parents! he’s very well loved!

@frankie1205​ said: he looks like every bland battle cat design

@pickls-n-pinks said: yeah.

hmm yeah that’s valid.

@tailgxted said: hm

-thinking emoji-

on [rest]:

@the-halo-of-my-memory​ said: me too gumdrop, always wrapped in a blanket

blankets are good! (they’re fun to make too! which is why I always have too many)

@berrykirby​ said: little kirby all curled up. op your tags about rest, needed that !

good! I’m glad you got a reminder you needed -u-

@inexplicably-spookified​ said: i wish i had a life-sized kirby plush to snuggle with in bed, that would be Very Nice. i love my lil pup one though his name is cobalt and i've had him for ages. he's a blue heeler c:

oh man, that would be so comfy. I’ve seen that giant one in person once before, that’s like 2′ diameter or something, it was fascinating. (and cobalt sounds like a very good pup!)

on [smash]:

@dragonofcupcake​ said: [Insert Koolaid Man reference here] wait a second maybe this is where he went-

(in reference to stroll below) ah! it must have been very important business!

@inexplicably-spookified​ said: H U Z Z A H

@akirenhell​ said: HE'S HERE

he has ARRIVED

on [green]:

@the-halo-of-my-memory​ said: adore this lil gumdrop

thank you :>

on [hello]:

@bubblesthesanddragon​ said: hello! o/

@victoryfanfare​ said: hello babie

kirby is happy to see you all! \o/

on [stroll]:

@the-halo-of-my-memory​ said: his tiny face just makes me so happy 🥰

same tho! small face. big heart.

@dragonofcupcake​ said: kirby has made his way to the town.

he has traveled at a reasonable pace.

@apollo-hemingway said: have a kirb to get u through these tough times

yes! that is what he’s here for!

on [stealth]:

@inexplicably-spookified​ said: goooood shit

lol ty

@the-halo-of-my-memory​ said: peekaboo! i def want to see him around plants and flowers, he's so wholesome ☺️

yeah I don’t know why I forgot I can draw him with cute friends! he pairs very well with plants.

@dragonofcupcake​ said: this reminds me I should water my plant-

good idea!

on [flower]:

@bubblesthesanddragon​ said: flower!!!!

yeah!!

@victoryfanfare​ said: rond....

he really is, huh

on [luigi]:

@gigilefache​ said: luigi orb

I’m trying to think of a funny portmanteau and I can’t -n-

on [jinbei]:

@inexplicably-spookified​ said: god i wish that were me

highkey same tho

@boopdamouse​ said: mood. thats really cute btw!!

thank you! :>

I hope everyone is as safe and well as possible right now. it’s important that we keep respecting each other and ourselves, and make sure decisions are being made with compassion. (and resting is very important! you make better decisions when you’re well-rested, and stopping to rest means you can give even more later.)

[lakesandquarries]

Brimstone In My Garden (Chapter 4)

Chapter Four: you can bring the fire

Summary: When he was five years old, Midoriya Izuku went missing. Now, ten years later, he’s one of the top villains, whether he likes it or not. When an attack on UA leads to him encountering his childhood best friend, new possibilities open up for him.

Pairings: todobakudekukiri

Notes: Villain Deku au, will have quite a bit of violence and gore later on, along with implied/referenced child abuse. None of this is appearing just yet, but I’ll warn when it does happen.

Today is my birthday, but y'all are the ones getting a present!

< Chapter One < Chapter Three Chapter Five >

Read it on AO3, or under the cut!

Someone’s coming.

Bakugo is standing in the middle of the league of villains secret base with a passed out Deku at his feet and no idea of how to get out, and someone is coming.

He’s glad he brought the rope now. It takes a few minutes, but he manages to tie Deku to his back, wearing him like a backpack, his actual backpack attached to Deku. It’s...weird, but it works.

He looks around Deku’s room for a bit, grabbing anything that looks like it belongs to Deku. There’s not much, just a few pieces of All Might merch and some random crap that probably holds weird sentimental value. Under the bed, he finds some notebooks and an old magazine, and he grabs them too.

With that, he sets out, attempting to retrace his steps in the winding halls of the league. He gets lost quickly, which isn’t a surprise, but is annoying. Everything here looks exactly the same. And the whole time, he hears footsteps behind him.

He’s so close. If he can just outrun those footsteps, figure out where the hell he’s going, he could get back. But this place is probably designed to be confusing.

He regrets knocking Deku out. Not a lot - it was better than leaving him there or continuing that stupid argument - but Deku probably knows his way around the place and that’d be very helpful right about now.

He’s barely focused on where he’s going, instead looking at where he’s been, trying to keep track, and that’s when he slams into someone.

Bakugo scrambles back, uncomfortably aware of the boy strapped to his back. The man standing in front of him is a terrifying figure; black hair, bright blue eyes, and bizarre, almost patchwork skin. He looks like the staples in his skin are the only thing holding him together.

“Hey,” he says.

“Fuck,” Bakugo says.

“Whatcha got there?” the man says, nodding his head towards Deku. Bakugo tries to stand up taller, to block the man’s view, but this asshole is tall.

“Nothing.” His voice shakes, badly. Bakugo has never been more afraid in his life.

“Sure looks like something to me.” There’s no emotion in his voice, and that's the scariest part. He doesn’t look concerned or annoyed or happy. He’s completely blank, and it’s terrifying.

“We’re leaving,” Bakugo says, tilting his chin up. “You can’t make him stay here.” His palms are sweating, blood replaced with pure fear. This is where it all goes wrong. This is where Bakugo gets him and Deku killed, and no one will ever even know. There’s more footsteps coming - backup, probably.

“You’re taking him with you?”

“Yeah, and you can’t stop me.” This time, his voice is steady. “I’ll - I’ll fight you if I have to.” He holds out his hand, preparing an explosion. Any explosion he sets off is likely to just draw more attention, based on how much he’s sweating, but the man doesn’t know that. “So don’t get in my way.”

The man is silent for a moment, blank as a brand new sheet of paper.

Then he nods at Bakugo. “Exit’s that way.” he points back the way Bakugo came. His facial expression never changes. “Take two rights and then a left. I’ll buy you some time, but you should go soon.”

“You’re helping me?” Bakugo lowers his hand. “But -”

“You’re running out of time. Get him out of here,” the man says. His expression softens, just enough for Bakugo to notice. “....take care of him for me.”

“I -”

“Go.”

Bakugo has a thousand questions, but he doesn’t ask any of them. He goes.

---

Getting back into the dorms is much easier than any other step in the process. All he has to do is text Hatsume, who immediately starts doing her thing, and texts him back less than a minute later to give him the go ahead. With the cameras and sensors shut off, he can just walk back in without anyone knowing.

Once he's inside, he realizes he has no idea what to do next. He hadn’t really expected to get this far.

Still strapped to his back, Deku starts to stir, and Bakugo decides he’ll just do the first thing he can think of - build a hiding place.

He puts Deku on the bed for now and gets set up. There’s built in closets in each dorm, but Bakugo never uses his, instead using the dresser he brought from home. Hanging up clothing is too much effort for him.

That means the closet is empty, with plenty of space to hide a certain (former??) villain. Of course, he’s not gonna wanna stay in a plain, empty, uncomfortable little space, so Bakugo starts piling some blankets and pillows in there, turning it into a sort of nest. There’s not as much as he’d like, since Bakugo doesn’t have many extra pillows, but it’s comfy enough.

It’s better than Deku’s old room, at least. Bakugo hadn’t stayed long, but it didn’t look like a place for someone to live. Everything was gray and black and cold, from the walls to the tiny desk in the corner to the hard plastic chair to the too small bed. It wasn’t a place for anyone to live, much less Deku.

So, maybe it’s just a closet, but it’s cozy. Comfy. And that way, Deku can stay safe while they figure out what to do next.

With that settled, he gently moves Deku in the closet, leaving the door open. For all his movement earlier, Deku is still now. Bakugo paces back and forth, waiting for Deku to wake up, and also dreading it just a bit.

He didn’t think this far ahead. They’re in unknown territory now, and Bakugo has no idea what to do. What if Deku wants to go back? Bakugo can’t really force him to stay here. But if he does want to stay, he’ll have to be completely hidden, from students and teachers alike.

Bakugo takes a seat on his bed. Deku’s safe, now, and that's what’s really important. They’ll figure out what to do. Bakugo had seen the way he looked, the place where he lived. There’s no way he wanted to stay there.

He looks peaceful, curled up in the closet. Bakugo can see how he’s changed since they were kids better, and how he’s stayed the same. The most obvious difference is the scar that runs across Deku’s face, starting next to his eyebrow and traveling across his nose before ending right under his eye.

He looks so much like he did when they were kids. The same big green eyes, same freckles, same messy hair. Yeah, he’s older, and a little messed up, but he’s unmistakably Deku.

It makes something in Bakugo’s chest clench up. He’d been so awful, when they were kids. Maybe now he can finally make up for it.

There’s so much he still doesn’t understand. Deku didn’t have a quirk when they were kids - what was with the plants at USJ? Even weirder is the man Bakugo ran into.

“Take care of him for me.”

The man was clearly a villain, and yet he helped out. He wanted Deku to be safe. Why?

Too many questions, not enough answers. Bakugo flops onto his bed, dropping an arm over his face. Rescuing someone is emotionally exhausting, and he’s tired.

Despite his frantic thoughts, he falls asleep.

[salamandergoo]

Brian gets turned into a toddler and the grumps have to care for him.

[kronieknits]

How The Spaces Students Are Living In Affect Their Well-Being And How Textiles Can Improve These Environments (pt2)

Creating Cosy Comfortable Living Spaces

Students may not get much choice in how their accommodation looks or what furniture is in their rooms when they move in, but that doesn’t mean they can’t dress it up and give their own personal, cosy touch. My first-year accommodation had concrete cinder block walls, harsh lighting and a single small window. However, this didn’t stop me from trying to make the room as cosy and inviting as I could. There are many simple, easy and cheap ways students should be able to do this. Hygge (pronounced hoo-ga) is one of these ways.

The art of creating a warm, welcoming, cosy space can seem to elude many people. Whether this is due to time restraints, costs or motivation, many people’s living spaces can and will remain bare and cold. The Danes, on the other hand, are people who prioritise the atmosphere within their homes and bedrooms and dedicate time and energy to creating cosy spaces. Hygge, is the term used by the Danes to describe their attitude toward how life should be lived, and is a large factor as to why Denmark is ranked as one of the happiest countries on earth despite it being cold and dark for most of the year.

If you have ever wondered why the Danish seem to be obsessed with interior design, it is because they see the home as the Hygge headquarters, their homes are the centre of their social lives, always inviting friends and family round to experience Hygge together. Hygge originates from the Norwegian word meaning “well-being” and roughly translates to ‘cosiness’ in English, but it is much more than simply feeling cosy. Hygge is being curled up by a fire with cosy socks on and drinking mulled wine, its sitting in a café reading your favourite book and sipping coffee, its being together with friends and family around the dinner table all enjoying a cooked meal together. Hygge is more than a feeling, it is an experience of content and togetherness which can last a few fleeting moments or an entire evening. To the Danes, Hygge is a way of life.

Meik Wiking, the founder of The Happiness Research Institution, in his book ‘The little book of Hygge; the Danish way to live well’ wrote ‘Hygge is about giving your responsible, stressed, achiever adult self a break. Relax. Just for a little while. It is about experiencing happiness in simple pleasures and knowing that everything is going to be okay.’ (Wiking, 2017)This mind set is how young adults, if not everybody, should treat life. How can people expect to stay high functioning, successful and happy with their busy day to day lives without putting effort into treating themselves and enjoying the little things? Life isn’t meant to be so strict and demanding, all the deadlines and assessments need to be balanced with restoration periods for the body and mind else breaking down may be inevitable. Appreciating the little things can be made a lot easier if we surround ourselves with things that can be appreciated in our living spaces. Appreciating the little things and experiencing happiness through simple pleasures could be achieved as simply as making a cup of tea and lavishing the few solitary moments you found yourself with, or it could be much more deservingly indulgent with hot chocolates and throws and pillows and candles and incense.

A hyggelig interior is as much about how things feel as how things look. We perceive the world through our 5 senses; sight, touch, smell, hearing and taste. These senses integrate to help us create perceptions and memories and can trigger emotions which, as we go through life, allow us to build a library of experiences. These experiences are what inform future decisions as to what we do and don’t like, so why not surround ourselves with what we know we like? Think about how the materials you are sitting on and touching feel, are they soft, fluffy, bouncy, warm, is there lots of mixes of textures, do you like them? Textures are so important as they can be a way of creating the sensation of being hugged, and who doesn’t love being hugged? Everyone loves being hugged or touched as this action releases the hormone called oxytocin, the hormone of love.

Oxytocin is an important hormone when it comes to our well-being as it has physical, emotional and psychological effects on the body, including influencing social behaviour, personality traits and reducing stress and anxiety. This hormone is also a neurotransmitter that is involved in motherhood, child birth and sexual behaviour. Research published by Psychopharmacology suggests that oxytocin has been found to improve self- perception in social situations and increases likeable personality traits such as trust, openness, empathy and altruism (Psychopharmocology , 2012). Other researchers reported that people in the early stages of a romantic relationship had higher levels of oxytocin in their bodies for at least the first 6 month, this was compared to single, unattached people (MacGill, 2017). There is so much evidence showing that this hormone changes our mood for the better so it would make sense to surround ourselves with soft, cosy, comfortable materials that improve the production of oxytocin. These material things then become a form of self-care which naturally promote well-being and enhance the aesthetics of a room all at the same time.

Despite cosy material things being important for self-care, they can be underappreciated items that every bedroom benefits from but don’t always contain. Students tend to not want to spend money on things they don’t feel they need, but cosy throws, pillows and rugs can completely change the atmosphere and comfort of a room. These necessities can be purchased cheaply from charity shops or online, or can even be made by hand with simple instructions and materials. Making these items by hand may possibly make them even more hyggelig as they then hold sentimental value and the experience of crafting them can be therapeutic. This is one of the best things about Hygge, it can be cheap, sometimes even free, there is nothing extravagant or luxurious about a chunky knitted jumper or a pair of ugly woollen socks. An intrinsic feature of Hygge is that it is humble, slow, and easy, it is choosing simple over posh. This is so true in Danish culture that bragging about your wealth and flashing expensive material things is considered poor taste and frowned upon because it breaks the sense of Hygge. Helen Russel, author of ‘The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World’s HappiestCountry’, wrote in an article for the Independent, ‘The best explanation of Hygge I’ve encountered during three years in the land of Nord is: “the absence of anything annoying or emotionally overwhelming; taking pleasure from the presence of gentle, soothing things.”’ (Russell, 2015)

The Hygge Manifesto

In The Little Book of Hygge, Meik Wiking has created the Hygge Manifesto, a sort of checklist for achieving Hygge in your own home. The manifesto is as follows;

1.     Atmosphere

2.     Presence

3.     Pleasure

4.     Equality

5.     Gratitude

6.     Harmony

7.     Comfort

8.     Truce

9.     Togetherness

10.  Shelter

If these attributes can be achieved then Hygge should supposedly be easy to create. Here I have created a fun and informal list of suggestion, recommendations and inspirations for students and young people to look through, hopefully helping them gain some ideas as to how Hygge can improve their living spaces -

Atmosphere

·     Turn down the lights. Things like side lights, fairy lights and candles can create a soothing and warm atmosphere within a room, instead of the harshness of a single main light source.

·     Although the Danes may prefer non-scented candles, I would recommend fragranced candles and incense as to fill the room with your favourite aromas.

·     Music is also one of the fastest ways to create an atmosphere in pretty much any situation. Put on your favourite tunes in the background of whatever you are doing and I guarantee it will lift your spirits. (especially if you’re cleaning or doing dishes) I’d recommend investing in a speaker if you are able to as you will notice and appreciate the sound quality.

Presence

·      Think about all the times you have wasted 30 minutes or so scrolling through Facebook or Instagram gawking at other people’s lives. Why not put down the phone and spend that same time thinking about yourself. Try listening to music, reading a chapter of a book or maybe drawing or writing about something that has happened that day.

·      If you are with others, such as friends or family, then try leaving your phone in another room and giving all attention to the conversation.

·      You may cringe when hearing this, but it is truly about living in the moment, even if that moment only lasts a few minutes. Those moments may be the only time of peace you get during that day so why not savour it? Afterwards you will be able to think about how good those few moments were and will start naturally enjoying the moment more often.

Pleasure

·      Don’t be afraid to give yourself what you enjoy, you deserve it.

·      Shamefully indulge – cakes, chocolate, coffee, crisps, all these things can help sweeten the workload.

·      Cooking yourself a big meal can be the height of pleasure, especially if you have dessert too. Don’t worry if you feel you’re not a good cook or you don’t have time every night, even if you make a big dinner once or twice a week can be enough and can become something to look forward to.

Comfort

§ Take a break, even if it is just for half an hour.

§ Find what makes you relaxed and surround yourself with it. My personal favourites are big fluffy slippers, thick heavy blankets, and multiple layers of comfy clothing.

§ Throws, rugs and large wall hangings give the cold, bland surfaces of your room an extra lift of texture, colour and comfort and can be found relatively cheaply in charity shops, emporiums and re-use centres.

Harmony

·     It’s not a competition! If you’re hanging with friends or family then try to remember to not brag about achievements or material things too much, this breaks the sense of Hygge. Try to start conversations about things that inspire you. This could be movies, books, nature, music, things you want to do or places you want to go.

·     Sharing the air time during conversation is also very important. Listen to your friends and allow them to voice their opinions, and hopefully they should do the same for you.

·     Trying to build a sense of togetherness can be fun. “Do you remember that time we…” is one of those gateways of conversation that allows us to reminisce about old times, strengthens relationships and makes way for future plans.

Gratitude

·     Allow yourself to be grateful for things, grateful that the sun is shining, grateful if your flatmate makes you a cup of tea, grateful for whenever you get to have a long lie in in the morning.

·     It is easy to get annoyed and frustrated, especially once you get tired and stressed out by the day, being grateful for the little things can really help shine some light and speckle the day with positivity.

Personalisation  

·     Posters, wall hangings, keep sakes, nik-naks and plants are essentials for making a room really feel like your own.

·     Sentimental items are especially good as decorations too, things like postcards, letters, movie or concert tickets, leaflets from events and drawings can all help personalise your room.

·     For me, and I am sure many others out there, plants are a necessity within their living spaces. Plants clean the air in your room and have been proven to reduces levels of stress and anxiety and improves levels of productivity (Chignell, 2018). It is easy to get attached to plants as you get to watch them grow and change over the months thanks to them needing watered and cared for. Plants can also surprise you occasionally with new leaves or stems beginning to grow and pops of colour from flowering plants.

Crafts

·     Handmade crafts can be a very therapeutic experience which allow you to focus your brain on something other than your phone for a little while.

·     Try out crafts such as knitting, weaving, crochet, sewing, drawing, painting, collage, sketch booking.

·     Making physical objects can be so much fun and gives you something sentimental to be proud of to have made. If you really enjoy it then there is even the possibility of selling some of these objects you have crafted.

Everyone needs to take the time to take care of themselves, mentally and physically. These suggestions are just a few small ideas that can really add up to feeling less stressed, more content and ready to take on and deal with the pressures of life and university. So, next time you’ve had a long tiring day and go to watch TV or scroll through Instagram like you usually do, why not try listening to music, reading a book, playing board games with friends or making some food. These things can seem like arduous tasks when tired but are almost always worth it, and will allow you to forget about the stresses you were obsessing over earlier that day, even if just for a moment.

Music

Music can make any situation better, such as getting ready in the morning, cleaning the flat, doing dishes, showering, hanging out with friends, doing course work or relaxing. Imagine a party without music, a movie without music or a sports event without music, it’s just not the same, is it? A life without melody of any kind would be dull, boring and unimaginable.

Music is essential for almost all aspects of life. It is much more important than what people may realise, it is arguably one of the most intrinsically human things created. The Netflix original series ‘Explained’ has a very interesting episode explaining how and why music is so important to the human species. Music is uniquely human; no other living thing can comprehend music quite like we can. There has been extensive experimental evidence documenting that people have a deep connection between music and emotions (Feiles, 2018). Music of any kind, from Classical to Grime, can help anyone get into the right frame of mind and has even been shown to make people treat each other better. The things music can do for your mood is wonderful, if you want to feel happy then play some happy songs and allow the chipper beats to brighten your mood. The most important reason we listen to music is for pleasure (DNEWS, 2011), we create and admire music because we enjoy it so greatly so why not play it as often as possible?

Exploring the music world can be a very fun and interesting experience, especially if you are beginning to get sick of your current playlists. There are thousands and thousands of songs, albums and artists on Spotify, YouTube, SoundCloud or Apple Music, so why not delve in for an hour and see what you can find. Listen to your friend’s public playlists and add songs you like to your own playlists. The discover weekly and suggested songs features on Spotify are key tools for broadening your music library and keeping things interesting. Personally, I always keep a very open mind when listening to new songs or artists. I find it is very important to not be put off by music just because it isn’t in the charts or because it’s not what your friends are listening to. If you like a song then save it, listen to and find more like it. Don’t be afraid to branch out your music tastes, always be on the hunt for more music, the discovery of a new song you like can really help keep life interesting. Let your music library grow and evolve with yourself and it will help you get through pretty much any situation.

Còsagach (Cos-se-coh)

Còsagach is the Scottish equivalent lifestyle trend set to rival the Danish Hygge. Còsagach is an old Gaelic word for the feeling of being snug, sheltered or cosy. The Visit Scotland tourist board is encouraging businesses to create escapes that ooze a sense of warmth, cosiness, tranquillity and most importantly Còsagach that allow visitors to unwind. To a Scottish person, Còsagach is most likely second nature even if they never realise it.

Còsagach is all about taking shelter from the cold and harsh weather - which we get in abundance in Scotland - in warm, cosy log cabins, bothies or more importantly, pubs. Visit Scotland says Scotland’s “tranquil seascapes, vast open valleys and many warm and welcoming pubs make it the ideal place to boost wellbeing and contentment.” (Frost, 2017)There is something about going to the pub with a couple mates that really allows us to unwind and forget the stress of the day. Whether you drink alcohol or not, even just being in that cosy environment laughing away with friends or family is relieving, especially if the rain is lashing down against the windows outside and there is a roaring fire crackling away inside. It doesn’t matter if you’re catching up with mates, celebrating, having some pub food or just simply treating yourselves to a pint after a long day, the pub is somewhere everyone can unwind. Why not invite mates to meet at the pub every now and then, and if not everyone wants to go to a pub, then cafes, parks, even your universities Student Union are all places that can harbour a catch up with your friends. And if you do go to the pub, then the ring of the bell after last orders is always a time to notice the fondness you have felt all evening, and wonder on home full of content, or maybe run home if it is still pouring with rain.

First Hand Hygge-fying

As an experiment to see how effective the look and feel of a room can really be on well-being, I helped a friend hygge-fy their bedroom, turning it from a bit of a mess to a very welcoming, cosy space.

The bedroom mainly just needed a clean and tidy, but we added a few things and moved the furniture around a small amount to help make it feel more comfortable and inviting. We added loads of different textures to the room with extra blankets, throws and pillows to the bed and chairs. We also hung paintings, posters and prints we bought for pennies at an art fair, although there was still plenty more space on the walls for more personal touches, and I suggested he find items he liked to fill these spaces with. We also bought some ornaments from charity shops and some plants from a plant sale the university was holding at the student union which really helped the room become a much more nurturing environment. We also made sure to have music playing from the big speakers while doing this which turned it into quite a fun experience when usually tidying your room is an arduous and draining task.

Once we finished re-arranging his room, my friend told me, “I feel much more comfortable in my bedroom already and find it a much nicer environment to come home to after a long day at university. It genuinely feels warmer and cosier which I love as I find I can de-stress easier.” I was glad to hear this reaction as it is shows exactly how much of an affect Hygge can have on a person and their well-being and is how I hope everyone should feel in their living spaces. This transformation was very easy and cheap to do so I am hoping this, along with the list of recommendations above, prompts more people to think about how their bedrooms can become cosier, safe spaces.