#the silliest things bring me great joy

[devourensarc]

it's been a long week, but hopefully after this test is through later I'll be able to vibe on dash a bit. I am once again thanking you for your patience in this trying time, i've been trying to focus on one or two dms at a time because my brain is,, not all there lol.

[whattraintracks]

firstly, when you get this, you have to answer with 5 things you like about yourself, publicly. then, send this ask to 10 of your favorite followers (positivity is cool and so are you)

Thank you for the ask!

Five things I like about myself are my singing voice, smile, writing, sense of humor, and hair. I proceeded to rant about these things in the tags because I felt like it lol

[popculturebuffet]

Top 12 Captain Holt Plots (B99): RIP Andre Braugher

Andre Braugher 1962-2023

So as if this year hadn't piled enough death on me.. yesterday Andre Braugher of Brooklyn 99 fame died. Braugher was a comedic genius, great at drama and it's sad to see him go just as his career was having one hell of a second act.

Figuring out how to honor Andre.. was tough. I didn't have time for a full review of some of his best episodes, a story arc or the normal things i'd do, and a list of just Holt's best moments wouldn't really portray the characters depth. Don't get me wrong there's a LOT of hilarious little holt moments from "Hot damn!" to "Bam had it both ways" but it just didn't do the character justice. Holt was a character funny for his stoicism, his outburst of emotion clashing with that, and his chemistry with just about everyone on cast.

So I found a comprimise, something small I could do before my two bigger reviews this week, but something that still pays full service to what a great character Raymond Holt was... and how much of it was Braugher's amazing comedic timing and great dramatic talent. Ray MIGHT of existed without Captain Holt, but he wouldn't of been such a JOY to watch every time if it weren't for Braugher.

So I picked my 12 faviorite plots starring Captain Holt. Husband, Captain, Robot. Meeep Morp.

12. VINDICATTTTITOOOOOONNNN (Episode: Monster in the Closet)

Look a lot of this subplot making it here is this moment, from the fist pump to just how Braugher plays the word like an instrument, but the plot itself is comedy gold: Rosa Diaz, bisexual icon, is having a rush wedding to absentee boyfriend and human disaster Adrian Pimento, who returned after months in hiding the way anyone having a normal one does: by hiding in a child's closet.

Naturally this wedding didn't end up happening.. but it did bring us one of Holt's best running gags: his love of balloon arches. It's something that makes perfect character sense: he's a perfectionist, he loves art, and it's just weird enough to still be funny while not so weird you can't understand why Holt would be doing this. Holt pettily popping the ballons when crticized and going into a creative tailspin over minor critcisims is just gold and the payoff, him getting his VINDIIIICAAAATTTIOOOONNNNNN is both sweet.. and purespun gold from the highest of heavens.

11. The Disco Strangler Returns (He Said She Said) One of the serious episodes of the series, dealing with Amy and Jake tackling a sexual harassment case and Amy revealing her own assault, was paired with one of the series silliest, funnest b-plots.

This one COULD be here just on the strength of "And you'll here it again" but has way more to offer as Holt chases down his former nemesis the Disco Strangler after he seemingly dies, convinced he's alive while Terry and Boyle are convinced he just can't accept his enemey's death. Turns out their wrong though as the Strangler is alive, worked his groovy voodoo on a way younger woman and has one of the funniest scenes in the show as Holt TRIES to have a big action hero final talk with his nemisis.. only for the man to be largely deaf. It's a gag that shoudln't work but Baugher's commitment to the bit carries it, as does the reality of the strangler being so old and feeble hitting Raymond about his own mortality.

10. The Heists (Various Episodes)

Yeah this one's a bit of a cheat as it was hard to pick just one Heist Plot: After the first two their largely ensemble pieces. But it'd also be criminal to ignore just how SERIOUS Holt takes the annual halloween heists, from training his dog for them, to calling a fake replacement for Cheddar (the goodest of boys) "This bitch?", the Heists brought out the pettiest, hammiest parts of holt and the best of Braugher's comedey from threatning to slit his two protege's "from head to anus and wear them as a jacket", to his flight of the valkyries entrance, Holt was always a delight.

9. Pie (Two Turkey's) The shows final thanksgiving gave us it's best thanksgiving plot, and a nice spotlight on Holt's relationship with his Husband , kevin. Holt's queerness was baked into the character, being why it took him so long to climb the latter and why Kevin takes ab it to warm up to his new coworkers, as most of Ray's past coworkers were racist, homophobic or both. Holt and Kevin were just as weirdly stoic, with Mark Evan Jackson having great chemistry with Braugher.

The couple also just had their own weird things such as getting a special pie every year to get a pie for thanksgiving and finding the hours spent in dead silence on the trip deeply romantic.

Said pie is also what sets off the plot as it goes missing and Holt blames the presicnt and goes into full petty holt mode, one of the best kinds of holt. HOlt isn't the only star here as near constant fuckups and wallpaper Hitchcock and Scully prove useful for once as Holt investigates Rosa, Terry and Boyle. We get great moments from the three too as Boyle calls his own son "a basic bitch" and Rosa reveals an embarassing minons t-shirt as she rebonds with her family post jailtime.

Holt interogating everyone and going full ham would be enough to land it here.. but what elevates it to this slot is the ending: Holt finds out the culprit was Kevin, who hates the pie but would miss the drive. HOlt suggests simply.. taking the drive for fun and Kevin is super horny for that. It's adorable, sweet and a great capper to one of the shows best subplots.

8. Let's Never Talk About Anything (Stakeout)

This is a quick one as it's mostly on the comedy but it's a scenario that's both deeply, deeply funny, and involves one of the shows best duos: Rosa, the stoic bicon herself, and Holt. Both being stoic queer persons, they naturally get along great. And of course it's natural Rosa ends up the one in a very awkward situation through almost no fault of her own: Holt brings his cardboard standee of a human being Nephew named Marcus, whose staying with him for some reason never elaborated upon because Marcus is here for one thing: to date rosa and have one of the best awkward morning afters EVER: He tries to sneak rosa out.. only for Holt and Kevin to naturally both be up, and his using her full name and mild confusion are just.. great. The wrap up, that Rosa and Holt are both FINE not talking about this or anything ever, is great. The followup plot with the two forced into a dinner is fine, but this first interaction and the two being on the same stoic page is gold.

7. Apparently That's a Trigger For Me (The Box)

This is another one that has a strong moment couched in, but really the Box is just a very strong episode, a tense 22 minutes as Jake and Holt team up to try and get a confession out of a local dentist played by sexiest man alive Sterling K Brown, who does great getting under their skin, including with said doctor bit as Docterates are a bit of a trigger for Holt. the episodes fantastic chess match between our faviorite duo and Brown is just fun to watch and it's only this low because Jake gets the big finale. But Holt's oh damns are still vital. As is his over the top reservation cancelation. God bless this man. I miss you andre.

6. They never actually said No (Full Boyle)

Like, really, ALL of these there's a classic gag couched in here as Holt explains how he formed his black gay and lesbian police orginzation: he pitched it to his fellow entirely white and certainly straight cops who laughed their asses off.. then went ahead and got the funds since they were too busy being jackassses to say no. Dark, hilarious, and perfectly showing just how much shit holt's been through trying to get here.

And that background helps shape this plot which while not laugh FREE is mostly anchored on the good Captain's character journey: when a younger officer plans to challenge holt for predsency, Holt, as you'd expect digs in and refuses. He's not at full ham yet, but he's still fully willing to fight tooth and nail for this, that after all he had to go just to make this group, brian wouldn't understand

It's Gina of all characters who points out that's why he made the group. So younger officers wouldn't have to go through that. Brian has new ideas to genuinely improve and open up the doors for more queer black officers, and Holt recognizes that and steps aside.. though if he screws up he will impeach him. He's happy for him but he will impeach him.

5. I've Glanced At His Work Satchel (The Honeypot)

This episode's a-plot is just one long hilaroius bit of holt deadpanning as he gets a new assitant to replace Gina.. only to find the guy flirting with him. Having his tie slightly ajar and inviting him to a barrel museum counts as flirting in Holt's book. Turns out Gordon is a spy for our heroes latest nemisiss, corrupt comissioner kelly, and this brings this plot to ahead as finding out, and getting evidence hw as actively spying on them finally gets rid of the old bastard. It's a nice payoff.. but it's really here because Holt declaring a barrel museum an erotically charged atmosphere is classic deadpan holt. If you want premium deadpan holt, this is your episode.

4. Terry Come Here and Dangle Me Off the Edge of this Building (Bad Beat)

This episode is one of my faviorites, having both a lot of rich character stuff for holt.. and a lot of funny deadpan for holt.

This ep reawakens something that's mostly come up previously as a joke: holt had a serious gambling addiction in his past and when Jake and Terry come to him for help with a poker case, Holt's forced to join in as the two have obvious tells.

Holt's relapse is a nice mix of hilaroius and deeply troubling: he's betting on childrenj's gymnastics (No jayla don't drop the baton!) runs up to the roof when the pagent's cut off and as seen above wants Terry to dangle him over a roof.. Braugher does a hell of a job threading a very narrow needle here: Hotl's antics are funny, but still jarring enough to be worrying.. .and the laughter stop when Jake pulls the one card he has... he'll tell kevin, an idea alone that DEVISTATES holt as he can't put kevin through that again.

Unfortunately it's not THAT easy as Holt goes rogue.. then nearly gets captured, having to use improper grammar and admitting he needs help. Ther'es no easy answers here and while granted Holt's addiction never comes up again.. it's a sign addiction dosen't go away easily and everyone needs help.

3. The System (Moo Moo) Props to Brooklyn 99 as depsite being a cop show, it pointed out many a problem in the NYPD and police in general long before George Floyd made it too loud to ignore for us white dumbasses.

This episode is the main showcase of that: while the show had plenty of corrupt cops for our heroes to foil, Moo Moo shows the system ITSELF is broken and ther'es no easy answer to fix it.

The setup is simple, heartbreakingly common, and painful: Terry goes out at night in his nice neighborhood looking for one of his daughters "moo moo", her faviorite toy.. only to get accosted by a police officer, with only the fact he IS an officer making this end well.

Terry does try to handle this peacefully, inviting the guy to lunch, and trying to explain why racial profiling him like that was fucking awful. The officer dosen't listen, only thinks he was wrong because Terry is also a cop, and is generally a dick.

This leaves terry, who has a promotion on the table, with a fairly simple path: report the son of a bitch. Except .. HOlt dosne't send it in. Holt wants Terry to stay quiet, so Terry can get promoted. it's one of the oldest fights in a broken system: Should you make noise and take care of something horrible immdeitly, or stay quite and let harm go on so you can do more good later. The latter is clearly Holt's go to not out of corruption but out of survival: as a black gay cop, he had no real allies for the longest time, and thus had to simply keep his nose to the ground and work his way up to where he had real power. Terry on the other hand, argues, rightly that he dosen't want another man like him to go through this, one without a badger and that his career... simply isn't worth more innocnet black men being arrested falsely. There isn't an easy resolution with both acknowlding each others point: Holt supports terry and gets the guy fired, but Terry is passed over impliclty as a result and admits he could've impacted more change. Terry still did the right thing.. but it wasn't the easy thing. Police.. .simply aren't set up to properly police themselves and change is needed and it was noble of b99 to point that out without going over the top with it.

2. BOONNNNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEE (The Skyfire Cycle)

Okay look while this plot is good on it's own (I"m teaching father the math!) it's up this high ENTIRELY due to the Bone Scene. You've seen it, i've seeen it, it's the reason this plot goes from "pretty good" with Rosa seeing through holt's math problem to his marital issues and need to get laid, and Amy trying hard to impress her dads and acting lik ea grossed out child anytime holt's sex life comes up. This bit belongs to braugher.. but you NEED Beatriz and Fumero to set it up so perfectly and react so great to it.

Rosa being rosa just comes out and says "You just need to bone" and holt LOOOSES IT.

Every line from that moment is pure poetry from Braugher's mouth, from his squeaky "what'dyousay" to his shakesperean "hooooowww dare you detective diaz I AM YOUR SUPERIOR OFFICER." and of course his glorious shouts of BONE and BONNNNENEEEEE while he VIBRATES ON HIS DOORFRAME. His quick yups in the resolution are the cheery on top of the greatest comedy sundae ever conducted by man. Sports. This subplot hinges on one joke.. but when it's the series best joke, it's REALLY hard to argue. It's only not #1.. because our #1 is CRAMMED with jokes near this level.

Ding Dong The Wuntch Is Dead (Ding Dong)

Ding Dong is one of my faviorite episodes of B99. Even it's subplot's grown on me with Terry bending a quarter in mid air and the strawberry basket. But let's face it while the subplot is.. kay, it's the main event that makes it a classic and when I do the inevetible top 12 list, possibly for feburary, this episode is almost guarnateed a spot for damn good reason.

If your wondering why I haven't brought up Holt's legendary rivarly with Madeline Wuntch it's because while their all fucking gold, their teid into larger plots. And while this one kinda is, with Wuntch's death wrapping up Holt's time as a patrol officer, it's really just there to sned the character off and give us one of the funniest episodes in human history.

Everything about Holt's petty rivarly with Wuntch that makes it one of the best thigns in the show is on display here and the shock I had to the opening of ding dong was palpable: Holt's making his usual jabs, calling her a korean tolilet ghost (and having gone to korea just to find new monsters to call her).. before Terry, trying and failing to head this off drops the bomb: Wuntch is dead. Naturally Holt dosen't buy it, assuming we'd hear the children singing (all the childrne everywhere), and having to see her body for himself. Given their rivarly and what an elaborate scheme Wuntch left FOR her funeral, it's not hard to see why.

What follows is the very best of petty holt from the glory that is BAGEL, BAGEL, to his assumption ET is a monster because "he caused quite a comotion), Baugher is at his PEAK this episode comedically, handeling his Rival's death with joy and too many lines to count, with Amy's horror and Rosa's unabashed joy at his pettiness being perfect bounce off points.

Add in comedy legend Micheal Mcdonald as Wuntch's nephew playing her rival, a fake funeral and an attempted funmeral full of balloon arches and bright pastels and you have one of the greatest peices of televesion comedy ever. Rest in peace Andre.... your dearly missed.

[actias-android]

I've got a little guy and he sparks SO much joy. My gods. Oh, to be a little dude with a funny helmet and a cute little smile. Tfw the blorbo is a hearttype and also a fictionflicker sometimes. Can anything feel greater? I think the fuck not.

Everyone look at my little guy. I care him way more than is normal. Un-follow Me Now,* This Is Gonna Be The Only Thing I Post About For The Next Week. (Mostly not on this blog, but I'm not going to bring up the artificial identity on my fandom blog because that would be confusing and a little weird, lol.)

I want to buy him a little custom hairstyle and perhaps a doll body and I think I'm about to suffer a whole Ship of Theseus thing except at the end I'm not like, "Oh no is he still the same X," I'll just have 2X (haha variable joke). And that's great actually. But also I need to get him a Zero friend because it's too sad if he's lonely...I clearly need to take more art commissions already because that's how I fund my silliest spending like this.

*Do not actually do this though. Unless you want to. I'm not the boss of you. Follow whoever you want to and unfollow whoever you want to.

[mjtheartist04]

SCREAMING AND CRYING-

SCREAMING AGAIN AND CRYING SOME MORE⁉️

CHERRI YOU-

YOU SWEET LIL PEACH

*AGGRESSIVELY SHAKES YOU*/AFFECTIONATE

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO ME!??? TO MY LIL HEART??? IM ABOUT TO PASS OUT RN-

IM CRYING, BAWLING MY EYEBALLS OUT, WHILE SCREAMING INTO MY PILLOW‼️‼️

You took the time of day to make me THIS HEARTWARMING SWEET LITTLE DRABBLE, AND NOT ONLY THAT BUT A DRAWING ASWELL!??? JUST SHOWS HOW MUCH OF A KIND CARING PERSON YOU ARE

You have put so much thoughtfulness and care into this. Both writing and the drawing.😭

The warmth, the tenderness, the softness, the comfort, the kiss on the cheek-

DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE “There’s my girl.”

I HAD THE MOST SILLIEST GOOFIEST GIDDIEST GRIN PLASTERED ON MY FACE

The way you write genya is just perfect. The care he has towards her, the warmth and gentleness he gives her, the love he has for her and only her

JUST MAKES ME- ODNDJDJDJSJJSJ💖💖💖

AND THEY WAY YOU WRITE OUT RIKAS PERSONALITY IS TOP TIER‼️‼️ YOU BRING OUT HER PERSONALITY AMAZINGLY✨

JUST EVERYTHING IS PERFECT CHERRI ALL OF THIS

I FELT MY HEART AND SOUL HEAL SO QUICKLY

BECAUSE OF YOU CHERRI, YOU ARE MY COMFORT PERSON, MY WIFE, MY BEST FRIEND, MY PLATONIC SOULMATE, MY RIDE OR DIE

YOU ARE MY EVERYTHING AND I AM SO GREATFUL TO KNOW JUST HOW MUCH OF AN AMAZING WONDERFUL PERSON YOU ARE

You bring so much warmth and happiness and joy into my life I can’t even- I don’t know how to thank you enough. words can’t even COMPARE to how I feel rn, words aren’t even enough to the things you do for me, and my god Cherri….you truly are a blessing…it may not look like it’s much BUT IT MEANS THE WHOLE WORLD TO ME

You have helped me so much more then you know, and you showed me what’s it’s like to be truly cared for;; you have truly given me one the best years in my life time.💖

I love you so much Cherri. Thank you. for all of this🥹

I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOUUUUUU‼️‼️

☆I Need You☆

I know my girl @mjtheartist04 is going through a rough patch, and I wanted wife's spirits to be lifted up as we reach the holiday season!! I hope you don't mind a very quick drabble and doodle I wanted to give you in hopes of helping out, boo! 🥹🩷🩷

♡♡♡

Tired. Rika was tired. It felt odd to her to finally admit it, but she couldn't just deny it and keep her head up anymore... It felt damn near impossible.

It felt like the village was against her in that moment, she knew how upset and impatient they were beginning to grow the more she showed up empty handed without any sign of finding out the issue with the small town. Flocks of sheep were growing smaller and smaller as winter grew, and a few people had begun going missing even.

The dirty looks she'd get, the silent treatment, hell, just the other day someone straight up told her if she didn't figure this wolf crisis out, she might as well leave and never feel welcome enough to come back.

She stood in the dark, the cold, head tilted up to the dark sky, watching fresh snow begin to fall melting wherever her warm foggy breath wafted in the air, and snowflakes tickled her skin and cheeks, rosey from the cold nipping at her skin. The heavy layers of her crimson cloak didn't seem to help the deep, chilling ache in her chest, that felt as though it grew thrice in size with each shakey breath she took.

She felt like falling on the mucky ground, taking her defeat and sitting on the front steps of the Inn with her head bowed in shame, yet she stood there, unmoving, like some part of her was still hopeful, one sliver of dignity keeping her knees from giving out already.

"What are you doing?"

The familiar voice behind her caused Rika to jump, but she didn't turn to look who it was. "I'm not really sure." She answered him after a pause. She didn't try to hide the dryness in her tone.

Genya only responded with a grunt, his frown deepening as he stepped toward Rika’s side, unable to control himself from taking a few glances at her before she would notice. He seemed skittish and nervous, like if he moved a single inch closer, she'd break.

Rika heaved out a sigh, bringing a hand up to her face and rubbing the bridge if her nose exhausted, still haven't even looked at Genya while he himself wasn't able to keep his eyes off of her. "I just don't understand."

"I don't know what I'm doing wrong anymore... I thought I knew what I was doing, but the more I come back from the woods every time with nothing, the more I realize that... I'm not cut out for this..." Genya could see the guilt she'd practically pried off of him and placed on her shoulders. The guilt of something she thought was her fault when it was his. When it should he him holding this weight and taking the accountability... If she'd even let him, he'd carry hers twice the way.

His throat felt dry now, looking away to the ground ashamed, but his throat felt closed, his body and mind fighting to tell her everything, to let her know that she wasn't in the wrong.

"I should leave." The second Rika said it, Geyna perked up immediately, mouth slightly parted as though to interject, but no sound came out other than a small noise of alarm. "Rika -"

"It's obvious the longer I here, the more unwelcome I'll become." She spoke, her voice growing more shakey and fast, like nervous rambling.

"Rika, please just -"

"If anything, I'm harming more people the longer I'm hear giving them false hope."

"Rika -" "After everything they've done, and this is how I repay them?"

"Hey."

Genya's voice grew bolder, stern, enough to get Rika to fall silent, finally looking at him, and she felt almost ready to cry. His eyes were locked in hers, his face contorted into something that looked like irritation, yet his dark eyes gleamed with care and worry. Rika’s throat felt tight, and she bit on her lower lip to keep it from trembling.

Genya seemed to think for a second before his hand came up to the hood of her cloak, tugging the fabric a little between two of his fingers. His gaze softened, a look Rika had rarely ever seen in him before, a slow smile creeping up his lips that made the ache in her heart start to feel like fluttering butterflies in her ribcage.

"Hey..." He said, softer now, tugging the cloak just enough for it to fall from her head and upon her shoulders, the waves of navy locks tumbling down left him almost breathless, moving his hand to brush away her bangs ever so slightly, his fingertips barely grazing her forehead.

"We need you more than you give yourself credit. Whether they see it now or later, we're lost without someone like you there to protect us. I'm lost without you. I need you."

Would she ever know how true those words were? Would she know how her even being here was both a blessing and a curse to him? This girl doing everything to protect many others from himself, only to save him from his predatory nature at the same time?

He slowly pulled himself closer to her, his lips gently pressing against her cheek for no longer than a second, before he pulled away.

The rough sensation pressing to her cheek was enough ti get an alarmed gasp. His lashes fluttered against the corner of her eye and his nose tickling the side of her face. Her eyes widening ever so slightly as the warmth where his lips once were bloomed into a very vibrant blush trailing along her face, causing her drooping ears to perk up even.

It felt almost inevitable to fight a small smile beginning to grow on her lips, blinking away the glossy tears pricking the corner of her eyes, a shakey sigh of relief escaping her lungs after the band of guilt and overlooking emotions seemed to snap. But instead of flooding from her, it felt as thought it all just... Melted away.

"There's my girl." He said, his hand dropping back to his side as he grinned, almost proud, yet it seemed to almost he thanking her if anything. "Now let's get inside. I don't need you catching a cold and make me spoon feed you soup for the next week." Genya spoke, turning on his heel and heading up back toward the Inn, stopping and waiting for Rika to follow.

"Well if I knew that was an offer I might’ve just stayed out here a little longer." She joked, hurrying after him close enough to hear the scoff that followed from him.

"Don't push your luck." He seemed to scold, but Rika could.hear the playfulness in his voice, and practically hear the ghost of a smile grazing his lips.

She suddenly didn't feel so tired anymore, or her feet felt heavy. She didn't feel alone, or that the world was against her, cause she wasn't going to face it by herself, not without Genya by her side.

And who better to face the world with than him?

[gingerel]

One of the things Oka likes most about Dope Sketch is how tight his customer base is - it’s not great for profits, sure, but it means he knows everyone well enough to provide what they need without being asked. 

Except he doesn’t recognise this customer and Oka would definitely remember him if he’d ever come through his doors before today. 

"Welcome to Dope Sketch," Oka greets as he pushes through the front door. 

He gets a smile in return, one side of his mouth pulling up in a way that seems reluctant but reveals a dimple right there on his cheek all the same. 

"Let me know if you need anything," Oka offers and his reward is a nod, and the joy of watching his form shuffle deeper into the store.

He's cute. There's no other word for it even though he towers over Oka by more than a few inches and eclipses him in breadth just as handily. But there's a softness to the cheeks above his sharp jaw and a rounded nose that's just begging to be kissed. 

Oka shakes his head, dragging his eyes away from the customer. Ogling is a bad first impression, even if he's doing it from afar. If he kept his eyes in his head while dark and brooding red cap was here, he can manage it now — even if tall and impressive is much more his type. 

Oka wonders how long they've been skating, if he's come here via S - where Oka gets a lot of his trade — or if he'd found them of his own volition. Maybe Reki or Langa would recognise him right off, might have skated right by his side before, but they’re at school right now. 

Oka tries not to stare as the customer stops in front of a shelf, bending slightly at the waist to get a closer look at their offering of wheels. 

Sketchy gives one of his strange little barks and trills softly to get his attention. Oka can’t help but feel like he looks smug.

"Don't look at me like that," Oka mutters at him and Sketchy scoots forward to rub his face along Oka’s fingers. 

“Hey.”

Oka looks back up to find the customer right in front of the counter now. 

“I cracked a wheel,” he explains, almost apologetically. “And I can’t find the ones I normally buy.”

He’s dressed simply, a leather jacket over a deep purple t-shirt and slightly distressed jeans. There’s a studded cuff on his wrist and Oka wonders if there’s more to this man than a soft swoop of his hair and the gentle cadence of his voice suggests. From the pocket of that jacket, he pulls a wheel, familiar to Oka only because he doesn’t keep it in general stock. 

“I normally special order those in,” Okay explains. 

The customer tilts his head. “I didn’t realise that,” he says. 

“I might have some out the back,” Oka says. “If not, I can get some in just a couple days.”

“Either option is great,” he says, smiling a little. “I’m not changing wheels.”

Oka smiles too, asking, “Have you just moved here?” 

The customer laughs, shaking his head like Oka’s just made the silliest crack in the whole world. 

“Where do you normally go for your stuff?” Oka asks - somewhere specialist enough if he only uses wheels like this, but Oka doesn’t know of another skate shop within an easy distance. That’s probably the reason they’re still in business. 

The customer quiets down, blinking at Oka in confusion. “Reki usually sorts it out for me.”

“Reki —”

“Brings it right to S, like you ask him to,” he explains. 

He’s grinning now, a touch nervous and Oka watches him spin that wheel over his finger. 

“Shadow?” 

“In the flesh - but, Hiromi, if you want.”

“Hiromi,” Oka repeats. “Wow.”

They’ve never met before, not face to face, not outside of S. And even at S they don’t really interact. Shadow had always been something of a thorn in Reki’s side and Oka’s many not superb things but he’s certainly loyal. 

Hiromi’s face goes a little pink, but he rolls his eyes. 

“Didn’t you just replace your wheels?” Oka asks, knowing it’s true because he’d only last week boxed up a set along with a new travel tool kit as per Shadow’s online order. Oka’s never bothered to insist on real names for orders, not while he’s still getting paid. 

Stupid, really, but he’d never once stopped to consider that Shadow existed in the world without his face paint occasionally. 

“I might have done something reckless,” Hiromi admits and Oka laughs. Skateboarders are all the same in that way. After a few beats of quiet Hiromi asks him, “What were you gonna do? If I was new.”

Oka looks away, pretending to check stock on the computer but is honest when he says, “Ask you out for coffee or something. Help you settle in.”

“Oh,” Hiromi says. It was a silly thing to admit in the first place and doubly so, Oka suddenly realises, when one of the only things he does know about Shadow - Hiromi - is his long-standing infatuation with his boss. 

“Sure,” Hiromi says. 

Oka looks up, finds Hiromi a lot pinker in the face and barely able to keep eye contact with Oka. 

“Sure?” Oka clarifies. “You want to have coffee with me?”

Hiromi nods, then shrugs. “Not coffee specifically but yeah - we should go for a drink or something. I’d like that.”

“I’ve heard what happens when you drink,” Oka teases. 

Hiromi rolls his eyes again. “You shouldn’t listen to the kids about that stuff.”

“Well, you should tell me what’s really true when I buy you a drink tomorrow,” Oka says. 

Hiromi smiles. “Absolutely - except it’ll be my treat, of course.”

Oka gets the feeling he might be hard to argue with on that account.

[got7hotties]

How GOT7 Acts With Their S/O

↘︎ Jaebeom - JB’s love towards you would be simple and pure. He would always be open with you and it reassured you that he didn’t care about your appearance nearly as much as he would your heart. Even when he would be busy, JB would make time for you somehow— whether it would be letting you sit on his lap while he was recording songs or sending you cute, flirty texts between shoots. We all know JB always says he “isn’t cute, just sexy” but you’re the only one that can bring that adorable side out of him. At the start of your relationship, Jaebeom would try to make himself seem as if he is the “ideal” boyfriend material by doing cheesy stuff like writing song lyrics about you, taking polaroid pictures of you, and even singing to you over the phone. But as soon as he starts getting comfortable around you, this dude is gonna smell like ten cans of bounce that ass. He wouldn’t care about what he looked like in front of you, keeping his place clean when you came over, or farting around you. Overall, that's how he shows he loves you because he is able to be himself around you. 

↘︎ Mark - Being in a relationship with Mark would be the chillest shit ever. He would always be laid back as hell and wouldn’t really care if you had ‘girls nights’ or took a long time to text him back. Mark is very quiet and observant around his members, and he would act the same around you. If you’re having a bad day, he’s the perfect person to come to if you need to talk because he is a great listener. Although he’s quiet, you should expect a lot of LA pool parties and gatherings with his family and friends. Mark would also be that type of boyfriend to forget stuff though because sometimes he forgets he has a girlfriend. He would be so busy playing video games that he would forget that he had to show his girlfriend attention, leaving you to sometimes be a little hurt. But as soon as he would see you sad, he would let you sit on his lap or just turn off the game completely and remind you that you’re his number one priority.

↘︎ Jackson - This man is absolute husband material. Jackson strikes me as that one dude who is always showing you off. Wherever you guys go, he always has to make it known that you are his girlfriend. When going out to a restaurant he would always say some slick shit like ‘table for Mr. and Mrs. Wang’ and would basically treat you guys as if y’all were king and queen. We all know that Jackson loves his family, especially his mom, so he would strive for you to build a relationship with them. As an example, every time he’s on the phone with his mom he might try to give you the phone so she can talk to you. Jackson would be very clingy with you and would make you baby him. Because he has a comedic personality, he makes it his goal to make you laugh at least ten times a day because nothing makes him more happy than seeing your smile. Even when you’re having a bad day, he makes it his top priority to brighten your day.

↘︎ Jinyoung - Jinyoung is that type of boyfriend that would try to seem nonchalant and doesn’t want to show you that he cares. He can be cold at times but feels as though no other person can be like that towards you except for him because he is very protective towards you. For instance, after you do your makeup and hair and ask him how you look, he would say ‘you look ugly’ jokingly but you know that he thinks you’re beautiful. Don’t get me wrong, he is head over heels for you and everytime he looks at you, he gets hypnotized by your beauty but he just doesn’t know how to tell you straight up how he feels so he hides it with jokes and coldness. Rather than telling you how much he loves you through words, he would show that he loves you through romantic gestures (for example: taking you out to dinner or bringing you flowers unexpectedly). Jinyoung would go out of his way to be a gentleman for you. It would be the little things he did repeatedly such as pulling out your chair, giving you his jacket when you were cold, or opening the car door for you that reminded you daily of how much you loved him. Despite his “cold” demeanor, Jinyoung would be absolutely smitten with you.

↘︎ Youngjae - Youngjae is a boyfriend that never takes things seriously. For instance, if you busted your ass on some ice, he’s going to laugh. If you embarrass yourself by accidentally burping out loud, he’s going to laugh. Youngjae is never going to take things literally and sees joy in anything you do. He’s good at releasing tension during awkward situations in a room and reassuring you that it’s okay to just make light of every situation. Youngjae does not really show sad emotions a lot (from what we see), and his main priority would be staying strong himself and keeping you happy. He’s GOT7’s “eternal sunshine” and he would be the same for you. You and Coco would be his two queens. Expect some teasing from him saying ‘Coco came first’ or letting Coco kiss him instead of you. He would use you as inspiration for writing songs by just staring at your face and writing down his feelings for you. Youngjae would be a shy, but passionate lover and would portray his love through sweet gestures like this.

↘︎ Bambam - BamBam as a boyfriend would be your best friend. This relationship would be full of goofiness and laughs. He wouldn’t even feel like your boyfriend because you guys are so close and joke around so much. There would be tons of inside jokes and teasing. Bambam definitely is the type of boyfriend to make everything seem perverted. For example, if you said your favorite fruit was bananas, he would say some corny shit like ‘but you like my banana better’. He would always spoil you with nice clothes and even if they cost a lot, he would act as if it’s not a big deal because he just wants to make you happy. BamBam would treat you like a queen and wouldn’t hesitate to tell you when you look good. Even if you were insecure, he would make you feel like the most beautiful girl in the world. Expect a lot of ‘babygirl’s from him and always showering you with compliments to remind you of how beautiful you are and how lucky he is to have you as his.

↘︎ Yugyeom - Yugyeom is the most childish and silliest boyfriend you could ever have. Sometimes you just have to sigh and ask yourself ‘why is he like this’. This boy is the type to mess with you while you're studying for a test or on a phone call. He would come from behind you and start poking your cheeks or start braiding your hair. He would be like them lil annoying ass kids who say ‘watch what I can do’ and start pulling some stupid tricks. Just like Jackson, Yugyeom would be clingy towards you. Even though he’s tall as hell and almost twice your size, he would want you to treat him like his big baby. He craves your attention and always needs you to show him some type of acknowledgement even if it's you getting annoyed and mad at him for not leaving you alone. He always wants some form of praise from you because he needs reassurance that you still love him. In general, he loves that you can put up with him. Despite all of this, Yugyeom would be the perfect caretaker for you. He would cook you breakfast and even go out of his way to bring it to you in bed.

[word-addict-lisette]

That feeling: Happiness

Happiness to me is the small things in life small moments that will not come back again if you don't enjoy them. It's the small things that matter most. Some moments won't stick around forever. Some things won't come back to you again. Seeing the beauty in small things and enjoying what is worth is what is HAPPINESS. Living in joy and being enthusiastic about small things matters. Showing your love to those you love matters. The things that matter, are the things that bring you happiness the most.

Happiness is:-

Being able to share my secrets

Laughing at old pictures of each other

Spending the day with loved ones

Friends who love to talk

Friends who you can rely on

A family photo

Having the world’s best friends

Being secure, loved, and not being judged

Finding someone amazing

Being proud of yourself

Laughing till your sides hurt

Spending time with your favorite person

Reading books

A warm drink on a cozy winter day spent in the house.

Binge-watching your favorite show/ movie

Vibing to an old song that used to be your favorite

Going through your childhood photographs

Winning a competition

Getting that work done

Making a new friend that is like you

Cooking for the first time

doing anything new and exciting for the first time

Having a sleepover with your best pals

Getting your pocket money

Having someone appreciate you

Appreciating someone

Doing something and liking how it turned out

Getting a little tipsy

Running down the streets with the best of your friends

a hug that makes you forget your worries.

Doing absolutely nothing

singing in the car to your favorite song

making lists and filling journals

someone telling you that they like something about you

Laughing at the silliest of the things

remembering something you said and laughing randomly

A night out with your pals

Not caring of what others think about you

quality alone time

dancing without a care

Years of friendship

Having that one special person who really knows and still loves you for who you are

A quote/ poem that speaks to you

Feeling the rain on your skin

An extra hour in bed

freedom

A weekend full of great plans

Playing your fav song over and over on repeat

a perfect shower

And last but not the least:

Happiness is like a hug, You must share it with others to enjoy it to its fullest.

[Feel free to add anything more to the list]

[shiemishuzenji]

100 OC Question Meme!

created by marchenvillain <3

Your Wings edition: Shiemi Shuzenji!

1. What’s a unique skill they have? Is their any reason why they can do it? Shiemi can harness the power of the sun in order to heal wounds. Her Quirk is a mixture of her mother’s (who can bend light) and grandmother’s (who can heal wounds). 

2. What are their favourite possessions? Why? (sentimentality, history, price, etc) The necklace that Hawks gave her is very important to her. She sees it like a symbol of their love. 

3. Do they get jealous easily? If so, what usually causes it? She gets insecure, but she never acts on her jealousy. Often times, if women fawn over Hawks, she gets all up in her feels.

4. Are they a good gift-giver? What do they tend to give as gifts? She’s more of a practical gift giver. She pays attention to what someone really needs and she’ll get it for them.

5. What’s their reputation like? Does this reputation contrast what they’re really like? People (especially when she worked in the hospital) hail her as a good doctor but one with little to no social skills. She’s quiet, so a lot of people think she’s mean. Others, like her old boss, like her polite and respectable nature. 

6. Do they prefer to have a big social circle, or a few close friends? Definitely a few close friends. She’s content with Aizawa, Kayama, and Mic. 

7. What’s their “type”? What romantically attracts them to another person? Men who are confident! If one looks at her track record, her old boyfriends in high school were all jocks who loved the limelight. Hawks is cocky, but a lot of that haughtiness is a facade. She loves that he knows how to tone it down and come back to Earth. 

8. What does their dream house look like? She’s a simple woman: a modern white home with a huge lawn for a garden. She’s always wanted to plant sunflowers. I’m a huge horror fan, so for some reason, I’m envisioning the villa from The Human Centipede… Just the outside! eheh... is that weird?

9. If they could change one part of their appearance, what would it be? Shiemi is actually very lithe; her mother says she’s got no meat on her bones. She would love to bulk up! Also, her cup size is a B. She would change that, too, if she could.

10. What’s a simple thing that brings them joy? Well, Shiemi’s love language is acts of service. It really warms her heart when people help do things with or for her!

11. What is their dream pet? A cat! A fluffy white one. Maybe Aizawa had some influence on her? ❤️

12. What’s their position in their friend group? (leader, mom friend, chaos goblin, etc) The voice of reason. She likes to have practical fun! She’s not as rigid as Aizawa, but nowhere near as wild as Mic.

13. How forgiving are they? What do they consider unforgivable? Shiemi is definitely forgiving, so much so that it is sometimes her downfall. However, she believes there is no excuse for villainy.

14. Who do they go to in a crisis/emergency? Any particular reason why they choose that person? Hmmm, it’s funny because most people go to her in an emergency since she’s got that nifty healing Quirk haha! Shiemi has plenty of people to depend on like Midnight or Recovery Girl, but Hawks is the one she always turns to when she needs saving.

15. How good are they at conversation? Are they a small talk master, bad at initiating, etc? The only person she likes to make small talk with is Hawks, really. She’s not much a talker, and prefers to let others do the talking. This is why she and Aizawa click so well because they both can appreciate silence.

16. What food do they absolutely hate? She actually doesn’t care for greasy foods. Pizza, for example, upsets her tummy. 

17. Do they show a lot of affection, or are they pretty reserved? She’s not into PDA, but she loves to be held and kissed. When she’s sad, she almost always needs a hug. ❤️

18. If you had to represent them with a flower, colour, and animal, what would you choose? I feel like she’s more of a white lily, which I hear symbolizes humility and devotion. Her color would be blush pink, for her more timid nature and her affinity for that color. As for an animal, I think she’d be a snowshoe hare!

19. What’s their unusual quirk? (Quirk with a lowercase q, haha) Shiemi has always had very strong intrusive thoughts, and I’ve made this obvious from the first chapter. I based this on my own struggle with intrusive thoughts, so Shiemi and I can relate on the issue of fighting our inner voices to be better people.

20. Are they easy to wake up in the morning, or grouchy and sleepy? She’s an early bird! Very easy to wake up in the morning.

21. What’s their ideal date like? She loves night walks on the beach followed a busy night of makin’ love ;)

22. What’s their silliest or most unusual fear/phobia? Probably spiders. She’s not the type to scream when she sees one, but if it’s big and hairy, she’ll leave the room.

23. Is their pain tolerance high or low? Pretty low, all things considering. She knows how to fight, she just doesn’t like to because she can’t really handle her own.

24. Are they a fussy eater? Nope! She’ll try just about anything. She understands the importance of eating healthy, so she makes sure to eat her veggies every day. (Unlike me…)

25. What are their dreams like? As the writer, I’ve always made her dreams symbolic. They often reflect her true feelings or the things on her mind.

26. Are they technologically savvy? Yes! Working in the hospital, she’s a quick learner, and working in the hospital, she’s had to learn how to use all the equipment.

27. Are they forgetful? What do they tend to forget? (plans, phone, keys, etc) No, she tries to be very organized. The most that she forgets would be if she’s got a lot of work to do, she might forget one assignment.

28. Describe their morning routine. Open the curtains first (she needs sunlight), drink black coffee, watch the news, take a shower. Suuuper adult of her, I know. She’s a creature of habit!

29. Are they a good cook? If they are, what do they like to make? She’s an okay cook. Certainly not as good as Hawks! She can make basic food, but a lot of it lacks flavor -- something Hawks has had to teach her.

30. Do they consider themselves a “hero” or “villain”? Hero! Definitely. She’ll heal anyone in need, but she works for the heroes, on the side of good.

31. What holiday do they like the most? (Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day, etc) Christmas. It’s the one time of year she gets to spend with her whole family. Even though tensions are high, she still loves her family more than anything.

32. What are they like at parties? Party animal, or awkwardly sitting in the corner drinking punch and reading? She’s the wallflower. She’d rather grab a bite to eat and sit back, people-watching.

33. Are they adventurous, or do they prefer to stay in their safe zone? She prefers to live life on the safe side. Though life with Hawks definitely makes things exciting!

34. What’s their favourite drink? (Coffee, tea, juice, hot chocolate, soda, etc) She loves coffee; preferably black coffee. Her go-to drink at Starbucks is a venti black cold brew or a cappuccino.

35. Are they good with children? Yes! Her serene nature tends to calm kids down. She especially used to love healing kids at the hospital.

36. Do they trust easily? What would you have to do to earn their trust? She’s normally very wary of people. She automatically has her guard up when approached by someone new, but honestly it doesn’t take much for her to let down her guard. For example, she was cautious of Twice when she met him, but once she saw that he and Mr. Compress needed help, she immediately dropped everything to help. Blame her big heart, I guess!

37. Are they a hopeless romantic, or is that stuff just not for them? God, YES!! When she first met Hawks, she tried to act all tough, but she’s such a SAP! In her relationships, she devotes everything to her significant other.

38. Do they get lost easily, or are they good with directions? Nah, she’s great with directions. She tries to have a good understanding of her surroundings.

39. Are they superstitious? She doesn’t believe in superstitions; she’s more of a woman of science.

40. Do they like physical activity, or staying inside? She enjoys a bit of both. She especially likes to go for walks, but doesn’t mind spending the whole day inside reading a book.

41. What would they dress up as for Halloween? A zombie nurse -- and I mean that in the laziest way possible. She would put on her uniform and paint her face and call it a day haha

42. Do they like fast food, or fancy restaurants? Fancy restaurants, for sure. She’s a bit of a snob. She’ll eat fast food if she’s on the go, but she grew up in the lap of luxury, and really enjoys the finer things in life.

43. Are they a chaotic bastard, pure angel baby, or tired mom friend? Pure angel baby. SHIEMI MUST BE PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS.

44. Do they have a good attention span? Yes, especially when it comes to her friends. She’ll sit there and listen to someone talk for hours.

45. Are they always late, on time, or early? Shiemi thinks that if you’re not 15 minutes early, then you’re late.

46. Do they cry, gasp, laugh, etc, while reading a book, or do they remain relatively stone-faced? Stone-faced. She might furrow her brow if she’s into it, but she’s more internal with her reactions.

47. Do they keep a diary? She stopped carrying a diary when she was a teenager and her parents read through it without her permission.

48. How dramatic are they? She’s not haha She cries easily, but that’s just because she feels very deeply.

49. Do they put a lot of effort into their appearance, or do they just make themselves presentable and go? She’s comfortable with her looks, so she mostly curls her bangs and thinks it good to go.

50. Why would they be a good partner for a road trip? She would be president of the backseat! Delivering snacks, giving directions, listening to you talk and talk for hours!

51. Why would they be a BAD partner for a road trip? She’s not much for small talk. If it gets quiet, she’ll let it happen and whip out a book.

52. What topic should nobody bring up around them, lest the other person be subject to a massive ramble/rant? Anything bashing on heroes, or criticizing hero society. She’s so deep in it that she’s blinded to its flaws. She’ll defend Heroes till the day she dies.

53. Are they clumsy? No, she’s too cautious!

54. Are they a law breaker, or stickler for rules? Stickler for the rules. Not as bad as Iida hahaha but she doesn’t do anything she’s not supposed to. Blame her strict upbringing!

55. Choose a vine you think perfectly encapsulates their character. I LOVE THIS QUESTION! I feel like she’s: “Road work ahead? Uh, yeah, I sure hope it does >:( ” or “Is there anything better than pussy? Yes, a really good book.” OOH, OR “How do you know what’s good for me? THAT’S MY OPINION!!”

56. Do they like to share? Yes, my girl is very giving  ❤️

57. What’s the most chaotic thing they’ve done? Have sex with a bird man she just healed the night before :U Shiemi has a high sex drive

58. Which friend do they immediately become a zero-braincelled idiot around? She gets all smitten around Hawks tbh She can compose herself around everyone except for him. Then she’s just a puddle of GOO

59. Do they love or hate surprises? She does not like surprises! They make her uncomfortable and awkward.

60. What sappy thing will they cry at? (romance movies, cute cat videos, etc) Would they deny crying about it later on? She’ll cry during sad movies, but she’s stopped being ashamed of being a crybaby

61. What’s their favourite and least favourite subject in school? Health and science are her best subjects, but her favorite was literature! Her least favorite was probably physical education just because it took her away from the books!

62. Do they take a lot of photos? If so, what of? She prefers professional photos; her camera roll is practically empty!

63. Do they wear makeup? Blush, mascara, foundation, but she only ever wears makeup for special occasions.

64. Describe what their social media would be like. Instagram: “NO PHOTOS” but plenty of tagged photos from Mic and Midnight. Facebook: articles on social issues or new medical breakthroughs.

65. Do they give people a lot of nicknames? No, she doesn’t, actually! 

66. What nicknames do others call them by? She thinks it’s sweet when people give nicknames to her -- e.g. “Doc,” “songbird,” or “sunshine.” Side note: I was really into Yagami Yato when I first started writing, so of course Hawks calls her “Baby bird.” And now I really regret not being more original because goddamn... I’m not gonna go back and change it because Yagami doesn’t own the nickname, but just know that I am upset

67. What’s an outrageous story about them nobody believes? Uhh, that’s a great question. I can’t think of anything, to be honest.

68. Are they easy to fluster? What would you have to do to truly fluster them? Yes! Despite being so cool, calm, and collected, it’s easy to make her blush. Hawks is a pro at getting her all worked up!

69. What’s their dream vacation like? She dreams of traveling, preferably somewhere along the Caribbean islands where she can bask in the sun and discover new plants and creatures.

70. Are they a good liar? She is a notoriously bad liar, mostly because it eats her away inside. She can make a lie work if she commits to it enough, but she’ll always come out with it eventually.

71. What do they want to do in the future? She wants a family. She’s always wanted to be a working woman and come home after a long day to her family. She wishes that a certain someone would be a stay-at-home dad...

72. How do they feel about love? Again, she’s a hopeless romantic. She believes in having strong bonds with both family and friends, but she does dedicate most of her energy into her romantic relationship. 

73. Are they more book smarts, or street smarts? oh my god, BOOK SMARTS. She wouldn’t last a day on her own out there, but man she could recite a whole scene from Shakespeare if you asked her to.

74. What’s their guilty pleasure? Sex. She doesn’t come off as promiscuous, but she would get some every day if she could.

75. Is there anyone they consider their rival? No, in fact Shiemi tends to keep to herself. She’s respectful and supportive of everyone. She does  have enemies, of course, like Dabi or Mr. Compress.

76. Do they have any notable physical features? Her eyes are described as gray, but they’re more purplish-gray. 

77. What’s their music taste like? Classical music takes up most of the space on her phone; Joe Hisaishi is a composer that she admires a lot.

78. What’s something they’re really bad at? Keeping her opinions to herself. She’s brutally honest, to a fault. 

79. Do they have a good sleep schedule? Yesss, her whole life runs on a schedule!

80. What’s their aesthetic sense like? Oh, I’m not sure how to answer this? 

81. What’s something they’re really proud of? Her degrees and awards make her feel accomplished. She has a hard time seeing her worth, but the diplomas on her wall are proof, to her, of what she can do. 

82. How would they spend a free day? In bed, reading a book, snuggled up beside Hawks  ❤️

83. What are they like as an s/o? Lowkey, kind of clingy. She loves attention and wants to spend all her time with her significant other, doting on them, making them feel good.

84. What’s one thing they like that they don’t want anyone to know about? Her sex drive (> w >);;

85. Do they have a sweet tooth? She doesn’t; she’s more of a savory or salty person. I actually really like this dichotomy between Hawks and Shiemi, for some reason? The fact that she takes her coffee black and he takes his sweet is kind of nice.

86. How would you describe their fashion sense? I once had a beautiful professor at university who only wore maxi skirts and nice blouses. Her fashion sense inspired my vision of Shiemi a lot. If she’s not wearing her hero uniform, you can find her in a pink maxi skirt and a white blouse.

87. Do they like spicy food? She can definitely handle her spice, but she wouldn’t choose it!

88. Are they lucky? Do they believe in luck? By all means, she has the worst luck! Can’t say that she believes in it, though.

89. What would they get into a petty argument over? Shiemi stands her ground on her opinions, but she’s more or less an agreeable person. She doesn’t like to argue or cause tension, but she will if it means standing up for herself.

90. Are they a good artist? She can’t draw and she’s got that doctor handwriting lmao

91. Do they prefer hot or cold weather? Hot! Shiemi’s Quirk is most powerful if she’s in direct sunlight. When the sun is behind the clouds, it takes more energy and time for her to heal someone. Despite all that time in the sun, the poor woman can’t tan!

92. Can they play an instrument? Her parents made her play piano when she was a child, but she doesn’t dabble in it anymore.

93. What type of movies do they like to watch? Romance and mysteries! Her favorite movie is Titanic. She cries every time!

94. What does their room look like? Neat and organized. She’s got a lot of bookshelves in her room and a nice set up for her computer space.

95. How do they feel about bugs? Scared? Fascinated? She’s fascinated by bugs, but from a distance. She won’t touch ‘em!

96. What’s their sense of humour like? (Dad jokes, morbid humour, basic knock-knock jokes, stand up comedy, etc) She laughs really hard at stand up comedy. Since she’s a little more serious, she can appreciate how goofy Hawks is!

97. What do they keep in their bag? Cell phone, earbuds, portable charger, folding scissors for emergencies, Band-Aids, and if she’s not wearing it, she’ll fold up her lab coat and put it in there, too.

98. How competitive are they? She’s only competitive with herself. She doesn’t have to be the best, but she can’t stand being the worst. (I’m the same way.)

99. What would they wear to a formal event? Describe their outfit! She actually wore that beautiful red dress in chapter 10! If you Google “Elizabeth Banks Vanity Fair 2020” it’ll pop up. 

100. If you, the creator, met them, would you two get along? Yes! I think that it’s impossible for any author/creator to make a character without at least adding some personal elements in them. Shiemi isn’t a self-insert, but she and I share a love of reading and we’re both overachievers. So I think she and I would make great friends!

[blushing-starker]

the incredible @puppypeter (check out their blog, it's amazing) asked for a soft, ageing starker and my heart cracked in two cuz I live for this dynamic. Can you tell I'm living for the sake of moodboards?

He loves Tony, he really does. But if the so called genius forgets his reading glasses one more time, Peter will lovingly shout at him. Because he had covered the entire lab in neon post it notes, programmed an alarm in each A.I and explicitly reminded Tony every day before the road trip. They were going to Europe and that implied museums and fancy menus and speeches and glasses so Tony wouldn't be squinting at tiny words whenever he was curious about something. But Peter was 99.999999% sure his boyfriend would accidentally forget to pack his things just so he could show the world Tony Stark was not ageing, no sir. Which is why Karen and Friday had helped Peter buy and safe guard thirty pairs of glasses in their luggage.

By the fourth day, they were all gone. Peter is seconds away from scolding Tony because this was important, it has to do with his health, dammit, when he turns around and there's a cat. His boyfriend is cooing at the feline, scratching beneath a furry chin and grinning when the cat begins pawing at the last pair of glasses they have. Does his heart melt at the sight? Yes. Was he still angry? Absolutely. Will he ask Tony how the hell he found a cat in the jet hangar? No. They've been together for eight months, Peter's used to animals just showing up and seeking Tony out.

"No." A hurt look is aimed at him and he won't laugh, he can't surrender even if the cat copies Tony's face and gives the most pitiful meow Peter has heard in eighteen years.

"But it's all alone here, Peter. And look, it's cute like you." It is a pretty cat, fur an almost identical shade to Tony's hair and the fluffiest tail a cat could posses. That's not the point though, is it?

"It could belong to someone in the area or have kittens. We can't just take them, Tony. And a cat is a responsibility. It's not like having DUM-E or Karen. You have to feed the cat, vaccinate them, pet them, clean them and not forget them in a hotel five cities away. I won't be at the house every day to remind you to look after yourself and a cat. "

The billionaire lights up and Peter knows he'll have a headache by the end of this.

It's been amazing to travel all over Europe, he's enjoyed exploring new places with Tony. After months of rising crime, overwhelming homework and hungry rivals choking the life out of them, a vacation was desperately needed. He's not in the mood to fight, but he will if he has to. Peter knows Tony is getting older and he doesn't care. Sure, he cares about his health and making Tony go to monthly check ups and take his vitamins and having his glasses so he could be safe and drive properly and-

Peter cares about his well being. Always. But he doesn't care that Tony's getting older and it's more obvious now than a year ago. There are wrinkles around teasing eyes and sexy graying temples and creaking joints, but that does not mean Peter loves this ridiculous man in front of him any less. He finds Tony gorgeous, always has and always will. It's not just about his body, it's Tony himself that's so attractive. And yeah, he also finds a silver fox Tony really fucking hot. He's 21, he can ogle whoever he wants.

Right now, however, he's staring Tony down.

It's not that he doesn't want to take in every stray and care for them. It's that he can't be sure Tony will remember to act accordingly.

"I asked around and apparently she's already been vaccinated and sterilized by the manager. No one's taken her home yet because most people have allergic family members. She just showed up a few days ago. You have to know that's weird. This cat appears the week we get here and she's already had her shots. What are the chances she'd strut out and start purring at me? Come on, Pete. The universe wants me to take this cat home."

His eyebrow twitches. He's sure of it when Tony glances up and sets his shoulders back. Every Avenger knew to prepare for a fight when Peter's face moved that way. This man would kill him. He's fucking certain he won't live to twenty-five.

"You forgot your glasses in every city we've been to. How am I supposed to let you take a cat with us? "

"I knew you'd have back ups," the blood rushes to his head and the cat snuggles closer to Tony, ears flattening when Peter's lip curls, "and anyway, I won't forget two cats in a hotel because they meow and move. How could I forget when they're alive and not something as small as reading glasses?"

Distantly, he's pleased. Happy with the knowledge that his boyfriend knows how to read him like a book. It's why they're great together, villain or no villain around to threaten their lives. That's something he'll preen over later while calling Ned. Now he smiles, teeth bared and eyes cold.

"Did you say two cats? Because I swear I'll leave you here, Tony. I've got Karen and a car and lots of sightseeing to do. If there's another cat, I will drive away and call Pepper to pick you up. And you know how she gets when you make her travel half way around the world, Tony. I will finish this trip. If you wanna keep the cats, then keep them. Here in a hotel, practicing how to care for them while I do what I wanted to do with you. Or you can send them to the house with someone else and join me. I know you, you're gonna end up with cats in the house. But I am not babysitting two cats while worrying about you too. I love you, I do. I won't do it, Tony."

His heart would be destroyed if anything happened to those cats and Peter had no plans to cry during this trip. Something shifts in Tony's face and he sighs, defeated. A pout is forming rather quickly and Peter can't believe this is the same man that saved the universe. His boyfriend is a child. He's head over heels in love with a child and Peter knows it. Christ, he won't last two minutes angry if Tony keeps sulking like that. It hurts too much.

Hands that have used Infinity Stones are softly setting the cat down when Peter groans, rocks on his heels and mentally curses his parents in law for bringing an insanely ridiculous man into the world.

"Fine, keep the cats. But you are not losing those glasses and I better see you taking all your pills. Ok, Tony? I mean it, they are your responsibility and I don't want you leaving them in a hotel because you were too busy thinking about something else-"

Tony drops the cat, pounces at him and he's suddenly in the air, strong arms twirling him in a circle. It's the silliest thing they've done in their whole trip and they'd taken pictures with a shoe as a tripod.

Laughter bubbles up and Peter is helpless to stop the joy that washes over him at the sight of his grinning boyfriend. He really loves this man.

He wraps his own hands around Tony's face, draws him in and kisses the smile that's replaced a pout. They stay like that, Peter straddling Tony, lips intertwined and laughter slipping out every few seconds. The cat meows at them for attention and he thanks Maria and Howard Stark for such an insanely wonderful boyfriend.

(They keep the cats, finish the trip and Tony never loses a pair of glasses again. Then again, he never had.)

Sorry for the weird spacing, tumblr doesn't like me.

[letmesaythat]

There’s something magical up there

Connection. Noun. “A relationship in which a person, thing, or idea is linked or associated with something else”. A simple word but that holds such a strong power. It means finding, belonging, feeling accepted, understood. It’s a warm, comforting breath in the middle of a chilling moment. Everybody seeks for connection with something, whether concrete or abstract. Connecting with the world, the environment,  with our roots, our people. Connecting to ourselves, what works like an invitation to venture into the depths of reality to chase our truth, our dreams. To me, personally, the times I feel more connected with myself are when I'm connected with nature somehow, and I have always been like this, manifesting it in a few different ways.

The first one I can remember is related to my love for plants, especially flowers. Since I’m a little girl, I have this great passion for those preciousness of nature. I used to take a lot of road-trips with my family in my childhood, and as we would pass the long pathways of forests, I would feel so… comfortable. Alive. Connected. The smell of wood and dew, the singing of cicadas and crickets. To me, this is the meaning of things being in their right places, building perfect harmony. And, of course, the blooming flowers on the trees, creating magical floats of colors as the car would pass by them. My dad says he needed to stop every time, at least for once, to get me some of them, ‘cause I just wouldn’t stop asking for it. I know, what a brat, but at least a flowered brat. 

This habit of “collecting” or kind of “hunting” plants persists in me until this day, even living in the big city. I can’t help doing it basically every time I go out for a walk, for example. And a fun fact: the last walk through my neighborhood I took with my mom, we saw this little girl bicycling with her dad, probably, and in a moment they stopped so she could pick some yellow trumpet flowers fallen on the floor. My mom said that little girl was me. And even I saw myself on her. It was pure nostalgia watching that scene, reliving the inner child inside of me. Hope she never loses this trait of who she is, too.

But there’s this other representation of my inner bond with nature, that sometimes feels even stronger, bolder, and more present than the first one. That’s watching the moon. Or, better, admiring, contemplating her presence. Talking to her, feeling her magic. Yes, to me, the moon is a “she”; the friend you ask for personal advice, the mother you ask for a hug, your fairy-godmother. The piece of the Earth that was taken by the universe so it could grace the sky and remind us of what we are part of. To remind us that we, just like the moon, are earthly objects, earthly creatures. That we are part of this planet as everything else. And, because of such, the moon is a part of us too, and vice-versa. 

It's funny to think about how calmly I fall asleep when I have the moonlight touching my face, ‘cause I generally can’t do that when there is the smallest slit of any other light coming through my curtains, but with hers is different. Maybe ‘cause it is the kind of light that inspires me, brings me hope, joy, the light that makes me invoke my silliest wishes without feeling ashamed for it, like asking to finally overwhelmingly fall in love for someone, or to have a dream about how some specific future situation is going to happen, and even asking to show me somehow how my life would be today if I had just taken the opposite path that I’ve been walking in. It’s like it was a kind of faith figure, but closest to us humans than God, in a manner.

Try to explain this feeling is something quite hard to do, but I guess a lot of other people feel it too. The magic, the mystery, the presence, the mystique, the enchanted aura. And all of these supernatural traits for something so truly natural, a piece of nature itself. Maybe it is mystical indeed, and we’ve been fooled by scientists all this time. Maybe it is so naturally close to us that it represents our most magical part, being displayed on the dark night sky so we can exhale some of that magic. Maybe it is just a vessel so we can, in fact, recover the connection with the Earth we seem to lose a little more every single day in this crazy unnatural world. Maybe it is the bond that keeps us all connected with each other, with nature, and with our inner selves.

[avvidstarion]

5, 10, 15, 18, 22, 50, 51, 94, and 96 for fisher!!!!

mina i LOVE you

5. What’s their reputation like? Does this reputation contrast what they’re really like?

Fisher probably has the reputation of being, like, a dumb but lovable goofy fuckup? Like being completely incompetent and lazy but still funny and charming enough that you keep them around. Like sans undertale or todd from bojack. a lotta people probably think they won’t amount to much. it’s not super accurate- they’re accident prone and a slacker but they’re not stupid and they work really hard if they need to (again, it took effort to cheat like that. sure they coulda avoided that effort if they had studied but that’s boring). i think part of the reason fisher wants to do well at aeon despite not doing well in hs is cause they’re sick of people thinking of them in that way and not taking them seriously

10. What’s a simple thing that brings them joy?

they really like fast food and snacks. they are easily bought and will love you forever if you make them food. nick and sally and fisher bake together a lot, even though i feel like the latter two are really incompetent when it comes to cooking

15. How good are they at conversation? Are they a small talk master, bad at initiating, etc?

fisher’s easygoing and good at small talk and socializing in theory but i think they’re really out of practice. they’re good at making causal acquaintances but they’re really bad at maintaining friendships cause the only friend they have that isn’t their brother (or their brother’s friend) is sally, and they’ve known each other for so long that neither really remembers how to make new friends. plus no one their age really wanted to be friends with either of them growing up, so they never had the opportunity. I think that they’d hit it off with someone who’s really extraverted and fast moving w friendship, which is why they get along so well with glitch! she basically just pointed at them and claimed them as her newest best friend (and perhaps they will be more but i have yet to decide between glitch, k, and sally whoopsie). 

18. If you had to represent them with a flower, colour, and animal, what would you choose?

flower- the balloon flower! resilient, easy to care for, but still a little gloomy looking (depending on the color)

color- dark blue! blue is their favorite color! dark blue is a little gloomy but is also a very sturdy and solid looking color (if that makes sense)

animal- oh absolutely a big fat cat, they definitely make the :3c face once a day, they’re full of mischief, and they love to take naps

22. What’s their silliest or most unusual fear/phobia?

they strike me as someone who cried when they went to disney as a kid cause they’re scared of the mascots. it’s something about mickey’s big, dead, unseeing eyes

50. Why would they be a good partner for a road trip?

will listen to any music, funny, good at telling stories, easygoing so you wouldn’t get into a fight

51. Why would they be a BAD partner for a road trip?

oh they absolutely do not have their driver’s license. 1) they never got around to it and nick and sally drive them everywhere anyway 2) they have adhd so they just dont trust themself to concentrate well enough to not kill someone 3) they’re extremely directionally challenged (can’t tell left from right gang rise UP) and 4) I think they’re really afraid of having another mind control episode behind the wheel or being otherwise hindered by their mind blindness

94. What does their room look like?

oh god it’s disgusting. used dishes, clothes on the floor, stuff everywhere, etc. they know where everything they need is, but it is GROSS. nick just doesn’t go in there anymore cause it gives him a headache. I imagine it’s nicely decorated though, with posters of stuff they like and  pictures of fisher and sally and nick and gray (and eventually glitch and kent)  on the walls. I think they have a lot of stuffed animals too, and oh god. oh god they absolutely collect funko pops. it started out as ironic but sally always gets them some for holidays (only having like one or two friends means she absolutely goes all out, I imagine) and now it’s just a problem. they won’t admit that they like them but they do. 

96. What’s their sense of humour like? (Dad jokes, morbid humour, basic knock-knock jokes, stand up comedy, etc)

it’s basically all self-deprecation. fisher’s highest stat is humor but morbid isn’t too far behind, so I think that manifest in them using their humor to berate themself and as a means of venting without actually asking for help. it helps that most people think they’re a loser, cause they constantly make themself the butt of the joke. mostly it’s harmless stuff (”lol i’m such an idiot, here’s a funny story about my latest screw-up”) but sometimes they take it too far. they probably got sent to the guidance counselor back in school cause new teachers would get worried, but I think the curse of always being seen as the goofy fuckup with habitual self depreciation is that people who get to know them tend to get used to their self hatred and just write it off as fisher being fisher (sally and nick and grayson aren’t exempt from this. they’re all lovely and they all love fisher but they’re not perfect and I think if anyone’s gonna step in and actually make them get help it’s gonna be someone with new eyes, like glitch or kent). 

ok wow downer ending sorry!! they also really like puns and bad dad jokes and physical comedy. anytime fisher or nick hears or comes up with a fucking terrible dad joke they immediately run to the other and tell it. I think if sally and fisher are ever bored in public the two of them just start acting weird and see how long it takes to get stared at. they compete to see who can one up the other before they have to stop out of embarrassment or before they’re asked to stop (they are SO annoying and insufferable). Fisher’s also a really good story teller and can make the most mundane event funny or entertaining in some way (they’d be great at standup) 

[taste-in-music]

My Favorite Hit Songs of 2019

This year’s crop of popular music was... absolutely bonkers? I mean, this year we had Billie Eilish crash into the mainstream, Lizzo managed to get multiple hits out of songs she released nearly three years ago, the Jonas Brothers made a comeback, and the longest-running #1 hit in Billboard history became a rap/country crossover that got its start on Tik Tok made by a complete nobody and the dad from Hannah Montana. I’m going to admit, this list was pretty hard to put together, as I found it hard to find 10 songs that I genuinely loved that were hits this year. Despite that, the sheer absurdity of this year’s popular music gave me a spark of hope going into the new decade. For this list, I’ll be selecting my favorite songs off of Billboard’s year end Hot 100 songs list. I’m ready to recount this year in music, so...

10) Sucker by Jonas Brothers I never watched the Jonas Brothers show or listened to their music back when they were big on Disney, so I’ve got no nostalgic investment in them. However, this was a fun comeback to watch play out. This song was pretty dang good for a while, with the funky guitars and the instantly catchy lyrics. It reminded me of “Feel It Still” by Portugal. The Man. Then it got the point where three separate radio stations were playing it at the same time, and now I can barely stand it. I think that after the radio releases this song from its clutches it will warm up on me again though, because I do like it overall.

9) Better by Khalid The strongest attribute of this song is its ATMOSPHERE. The beat, melody, and vocal delivery all compliment one another perfectly, combining to create a smooth, almost sexy sound that washes over you with ever listen. I also like the Daft-Punk-y vocoded lines that pop in at the end, they’re so unexpected and yet they fit in perfectly. I've always loved Khalid’s vocal timbre, it’s so chill and yet warm at the same time. The only thing I can’t praise about this is the lyrics, because I have no clue what they are. Khalid, bless his sweet soul, cannot enunciate. It’s the same problem I have with Ariana Grande. I love your voice, I want to know what you’re saying! 

8) Trampoline by SHAED Give me the hipster points, because guess who knew about this song before it was cool! I’ve loved SHAED’s music for some time now, so it’s been thrilling to watch this song climb the charts and for them to get the recognition and success that they deserve. While this song isn’t my favorite by them, (that slot would probably be reserved for “Perfume” or “Melt,”) it does showcase the group’s strengths, which are emotive vocals and glossy electronic production. I love the effervescent backing vocals and bubbling keys that pepper this song, it gives the song a floaty feel while still keeping it tense. 

7) Old Town Road by Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus I can’t think of a piece of music in recent memory that has captured the public’s attention so swiftly and so completely, and you know what? Sometimes something gets big because it’s good. This song, despite all the memes and jokes and radio play and oversaturation, never ever got old to me. Every time it comes on, it puts a giant, goofy smile on my face, and I sing along to the whole thing. I want Lil Nas X to stick around, but even if he doesn’t, I want what this song represents, genre blending, trend-bucking, and a sense of fuck-it fun, to stay.

6) bury a friend by Billie Eilish Out of all the strange hits we had this year, this was the weirdest one to hear on the radio. It doesn’t have a classic structure! It’s about the monster under your bed! It’s got nothing but a shuffle beat, bass, and the sound of dental drill! It just doesn’t belong on the airwaves next to songs like “ME!” or “I Don’t Care.” Despite that, I’m beyond happy that Billie Eilish is bringing a bit of emo weirdness to the mainstream, because if the success of her music, specifically this song, says anything, it’s that pop is heading in a far scarier and more experimental direction. And I’m on board with that. 

5) break up with your girfriend, i’m bored by Ariana Grande The groove on this song is fantastic. The combination of eerie synths, bass, reverbed backing vocals, and rolling snares makes it feel tight and controlled, but also loose and flowing at the same time. There was a lot of pushback against this song due the sentiment of the lyrics, but it’s not like Ariana is unaware that she’s the bad guy in this position. There’s enough indifference and sarcasm in her delivery to show that she’s self aware. This was probably my favorite out of the hit singles from the thank u, next era, (”thank u, next” is great but got a bit old to me, and I don’t care for “7 Rings.”) 

4) Circles by Post Malone  This is embarrassing to admit, because I rarely, if ever, enjoyed any music Post Malone has put out in the past. But this song just hits different. The instrumental feels more acoustic-driven and has a nice pulse to it, projecting a warmth and comfort that none of his other songs have. This was a perfect hit for Autumn, being chill and relaxing enough for Summer, but the underlying bass groove makes you want to move into the productive patterns of the school year. If Post Malone made more music like this I’d reckon I’d enjoy his music quite a bit. 

3) Dancing With A Stranger by Sam Smith ft. Normani Sometimes radio filler turns out to be spectacular. The ambiance this track builds is relaxing but in an otherworldly kind of way, forming a soundscape of echoing drums and whispering synths. I’ve always stood by the opinion that Sam Smith sounds really good with an electronic beat under them, it helps their great voice move in a more free-flowing way. Normani also sounds amazing on this song, her vocals dipping into smokier territory, and when the two sing together they play off one another’s performances with ease. 

2) Sweet But Psycho by Ava Max Who predicted this in their last year’s hit song’s list? This bitch! I was so happy to see this hit the U.S. charts, you have no idea. It was such a breath of fresh air in that it was so splashy, sugar-sweet, and unabashedly pop. The lyrics are some of the silliest of the whole year, (”she’s poison but tasty” makes me chuckle every time,) but it doesn’t matter. The addictive melodies and the earnestness in Ava Max’s performance make them sound like Shakespearean poetry, or at least like she believes that they’re Shakespearean poetry. 

Should Have Been Hits

Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift This should’ve been a single. I get why Taylor chose the singles she did, but this was primed to be a Summer smash, with the glossy synths and vocoded backing vocals and soaring chorus. We were robbed. Robbed, I tell you!

Graveyard by Halsey While “Without Me” got all the glory, this is my favorite of all the Halsey singles we’ve gotten so far by a wide margin. It’s the only one that I’ve made the conscious choice to listen to on my own time for one. I love the way the production rushes as the chorus hits, and the synths that sparkle throughout the verses, and Halsey’s reserved performance.

3 Nights by Dominic Fike This was a hit in the U.K., and I even heard it on a few alternative stations, so why no cross over? If there was any song that should have been the chill Summer hip hop hit, it should have been this. This song is weirdly addictive, the chorus is so inexplicably catchy that once you hear it one time through you will know all the words to it. 

Blame It On Your Love by Charli XCX ft. Lizzo When the mainstream decide that it didn’t need Charli XCX? Because it’s wrong, it needs her very, very badly. The success of “1999″ in the U.K., the name recognition, and the Lizzo feature should’ve been more than enough to boost this onto the charts, but I guess we didn’t want an instantly catchy and fun EDM pop song on the radio. Oh well. 

Motivation by Normani Normani and Lauren are my favorite Fifth Harmony members, so I’ve been rooting for their solo careers like nobody’s business. This single in particular had so much potential: a bouncy beat, a stamp of approval from Ariana Grande, and a kick-ass music video filled with impressive choreography. I hope this gets a bigger push into next year, because Normani is a wildly talented performer that deserves success outside of her collaborations. 

Guilty Pleasures

bad guy by Billie Eilish This was a good song, just not my favorite off the album, or of the hits, (I prefer ”bury a friend,” obviously, and “when the party’s over,” which made last year’s list.) Still, watching this idiosyncratic little tune become one of the biggest pop smashes of the year was enthralling. Like “bury a friend,” it was so strange to hear this on the radio. 

Close To Me by Ellie Goulding ft. Diplo & Swae Lee When a melody gets its claws in me, there’s nothing I can do about it. This is not Ellie Goulding at her best, (I’ll admit that I miss the days of “Lights,”) but the way she delivers the hook on this song is absolutely infectious. I’m not the biggest Swae Lee fan, but he’s fine here too. I never minded when this song came on the radio. 

This year was a bit of a roller coaster for me. Needless to say, there were several instances where I felt quite a bit of stress and insecurity, and oftentimes, I would turn to music to make myself feel better. There was one song in particular that a friend of mine, @hasanminajs​, introduced me to, that instantly became a beacon of self-appreciation and enjoyment to me throughout the year. And when I tell you that I have never been happier to hear a song on the radio than I have with this one, I'm telling the truth. 

1) Truth Hurts by Lizzo I have never rooted for a song’s success like I have for this one, and watching a hip hop track this bouncy, confident, and enigmatic climb the charts was an absolute joy. There are so many great punchlines in this song, from “why men great till they gotta be great?” to “I don’t play tag bitch, I’ve been it,” to the ever-iconic “I just took a DNA test, turns out, I’m 100% that bitch.” This song raised the standards for lyricism in the mainstream. I want Lizzo to be huge, I want her to be influential, I want her to be one of the biggest pop stars of the next decade if not longer. Everything about this song, from its production to its message to its performance makes me smile. And you know what? Sometimes that’s all that pop music needs to do. 

Do you agree with this list? What were your favorite hit songs of 2019? Leave a comment and let me know!

[historake-a]

@nohysterlcs said: five times kissed / ok that sounds cute as fuck

FIVE TIMES KISSED.

The first time you kissed. It had been a night in. It wasn't a new scene, to stay up until god knows what hour, either him reading up on a particular subject or them playing through an entire video game in a day. A sense of normalcy among your hectic lives ( ever since Jessa disappeared, you new things were happening, things she couldn't explain or wave off ) it would be like those nights in which you two would stay up past 12, hyped up on sugar, watching cartoons until either one gave in && passed out, where the other would follow. There has always been a connection between the two.

So Jeff strummed his guitar while you doodled in your notebook, a sense of... dread, really, pooling in your gut, whenever your eyes would flicker up && watch him lean his head back, even if the songless melody of his guitar set a calm, comfortable tone. Should you do this ? What if you messed up ? What if, everything changed because you did exactly this ?

Stop, don't think about it. Just fucking say it, Jessie !

" I-I want to be more than friends. " It comes out a little louder than intended && of course your voice breaks at the very end, but you see him stop, you can see his face slowly turn a lovely shade of crimson && oh- He's taking some time to respond, he doesn't like you ! Crap ! Alarms are going off in your head && you're shutting your sketchbook, ready to apologize, but he interrupts your thoughts, ‘ really ? ‘

Of course really ! You want to point and shout, how could you not develop feelings for someone like Jeff ? Someone who always knew how to cheer you up, get you out of your head, someone who was always by your side, no matter how little or big the situation was, anytime anything happened you would call him !  It's always been Jeff !

‘ I'm cool with that... If- you are. '

So yes, the feelings that you had for him, they were once of pure friendship, but lately ( a little over a year or two ) you'd lay in bed, looking at the pictures you'd sneaked of him, wondering how it would be like for him to look at you && kiss you, how it would be like if whenever you looked at him, he would look back && smile, because he would know, he would know that the sparkle in your eye, it's not a common thing, not normally, but it's permanent near him, but now ? Now it seems like your feelings are returned && you forget how to breathe for a second, a grin threatening to break your face.

You're snapped out of thought, when you feel his hand cup your cheek, immediately leaning against the coolness of it, before big, chocolate orbs flicker up to meet his matching ones. ' Was I really obvious ? ‘ a soft laugh, not teasing, not like you always do, no, it's amused, " you have no idea how scared I was to tell you- You're a great actor. " Or you're the densest person on earth, because deep down, you do recognize a few instances where it had been clear as day, but you ignored it, fear of rejection blinding you.

But now ? Now it's real && now you're so close to him, you don't even think about it, should you ask ? Probably, but your lips are already merely millimetres apart, so you lean in, your lips touch, lids fall && your chest feels warm, it's liquid happiness, that's what's injected into your bloodstream as you kiss him, your hand comes up, cupping his cheek, thumb tracing the barely there stubble, skin warm thanks to the blush sitting at his cheeks, out of all the times you'd imagined being this close, kissing him silly, nothing could compare to the real thing. You pull away, looking at him with a smile you haven't really shown in some time, it reaches your eyes && shows off your teeth, you can't help it, he brings a joy impossible to play off. " You have no idea how long I've been wanting to do that, actually. " Count the stars && you might be close, maybe.

---- You'd been crying, bawling your eyes out, it was a silly little thing, something you thought you'd left behind in High School, something that you were sure you were mature to ignore. You love your family, you really do, but they have the tendency to speak their minds without thinking, without caring if whatever they said would affect someone.

During Passover dinner, your Aunt had commented on your extra helping of mash, hey, it was a holiday && you had been taking care of yourself plenty, you could let yourself indulge in a little extra warmth ( your grandmother's mashed potatoes were like crack, addictive ), you're sure she didn't mean any harm, but that one comment, " I'm not sure you wanna get more, Jess, honey... I see you're already filling out that dress, we don't wanna have chipmunk cheeks, do we ? " && After laughing && nodding, you decided to leave the plate for later.

That entire gathering you'd been holding it in, smiling, laughing along, having a good time ! If not for you, for your Grandma, she loved having the family together, so you were not about to ruin it for her.

You cried on the way home, parked around the corner, bawling your eyes out, as to let it all out in case your dad was home, you didn't want to answer questions about why you looked in pain, just let it out before you got home.

Coming home, a hoodie over the dress you've picked out, the one dress you thought you looked good in ( hoodie been pulled over it in the middle of the night, when you noticed you could see the curve of your stomach && how maybe your aunt Rose was right && you should start losing more weight, watch everything closely ), you saw someone at the entrance, at the porch, your heart skipped a beat or two when you realized who it was. Jeff.

Hands quickly moved to wipe at your eyes, they were puffy && mascara was smudged under them, nose a bright red, but you hoped he wouldn't notice, not when it's so dark out, " what're you doing here ? Have you been waiting long ? I had a.. thing with the family. " You're forcing a smile at him, when he stands to greet you.

Foolish of you to think you could ever hide anything from him.

' what's wrong ? '

Two words && the tilt of his head, the concern evident in the way he approaches you, tentatively, worried. He was worried, you were worrying him over the silliest thing.  Selfish of you, really, " nothing, w-why do you ask ? " You know it's obvious you’re lying, the crack of your voice gives it away && his arms wrap around you, tightly, securely. You let out a sob. " It's so stupid - I swear it's nothing serious, I'm sorry. " You manage to whimper against his chest, you really don't want him to worry over your stupid sensitiveness, he had so much more to worry about other than Jessie being Jessie. So why are you holding on to him as if he was your anchor ? As if, were you to let go, you'd lose yourself ? 

' Talk to me, Jess... Nothing about you is stupid. '

A sniffle. You're looking up, pulling away only slightly, wiping at the fresh tears with a sleeve covered hand, " I- well... My Auntie Rose said I was getting fatter- I know it's stupid for me to get like this, but she said it as if me gaining weight would turn me into this... troll - && then I realized holy shit I did gain a bunch of weight && I don't know- I just hurts, it hurts to be seen as this gross monster just because I'm.. fat. " The words keep on coming from your mouth, word vomit the closest thing you can describe it as, && even as you spill everything, his gaze never leaves you face, as if, this tiny, trivial issue, really did matter to him, because it mattered to you. " I guess- I guess she just got me in a kinda weak spot && it's pretty stupid but I just.. " Lips press tightly together, into a thin line, " I think you should have a prettier girl with you, you're just so handsome && smart && just everything to me-. " He's frowning. Oh no, did you say something wrong ?

He cups your cheeks, looking down at you intently, the weight of his stare, how intently he looked into your eyes, it causes a blush to cover your face, it spreads quickly, && the peck on your lips, sweet && short, it only deepens the color of your face. ' You're beautiful, Jessie, I don't care about your weight, if you're happy then I will be too. ' He means it, you can hear the honesty in his words, before you start to cry again, you pull him down for another kiss, it lasts seconds more, three soft words whispered into the air, for only him to hear.

It's the first time you tell him you love him.

---

You don't know when, but you've pretty much zoned out this entire time, fixating on the tiny little details of the latest creation, it's not your best work, but it's the most you've done in a couple of months ( ever since your grandmother died, you knew you had to double down on investigating about the thing in the woods, before it got to any of your friends, so focus has been on finding any type of info you could about it ), your eyes burn && you can feel a yawn threaten to spill from your lips, eyes leave the page, decorated with tiny details ( a sort of sketch for a bigger painting, a gift for the boys, their portrait ) && your eyes falls on Jeff.

You have to stop, manually remember to breathe. He's curled up on the couch, if your phone had any charge in it, you'd take a picture, since he's very much hugging your Squirtle stuffed animal, using it as a sort of pillow ? You don't know, but he looks adorable, it makes your heart swell with a feeling you could not describe other than, well, love. Slowly, with the stealth of a ninja ( not really, it's just the carpet absorbing any sound ) you scoot to his side, watching him. Deep eyes scan his features, from the chestnut color of his hair, -you could spot a few reddish strands, maybe even some blonde ones- to the stupidly long lashes his eyes were framed with, just slightly curled over his cheekbones, high, strong, he had the quality of a model, at least, to you he did, the shadows under his eyes only added to his charm, even if you nagged him about getting more sleep. It was Jeff's charm.

A smile pulls at your lips, reaching for him && his hair, now porting an adorable curl, is pushed back, if anyone else were to see you right now, or even walk in, you doubt you'd notice, right now it was only him, " hey... Jeff... " You hum, waking up is not on your top favorite things to do, but he's too tall, you know him being curled up in the tiny space will be actual torture for his back. He stirs slightly, you lean in, pressing a soft kiss, to his forehead, lips lingering against the warm skin for a couple of seconds, until he stirs once more, you pull away && now you're left looking into his sleep dusted eyes, a sleepy smile on his face. How many times have you gotten lost in them ? Incidents are in the five digit numbers, probably. " You fell asleep, but I'm not about to be responsible for your back issues, so- Let's go upstairs. "

-----

You're still a bit breathless when you walk out of the studio. Cheeks are bright red blotches && you can feel your bangs sticking to your forehead, christ, to be in front of such talented people, watching you audition, all of their attention on you- Amazing you didn't just empty your stomach right there && then, even if nothing would've come out, you were too nervous when you woke up to even take a sip of the coffee Jeff had greeted you with. You see him, leaning against the wall, headphones on && he's nodding to a tune you've probably heard before, has he seen you ? No, you don't think so.

The sun hits him in a way.. it almost makes you think he's the one shinning, not reflecting, his hair looks like it's made out of gold && you can see a sort of calmness you only catch a glimpse of in a few occasions, seems like in New York, even nervous Jeff could get lost in, you reach into your pocket, fumbling with your phone before you hold it up, a click, you capture the moment && he still hasn't seen you, he just looks... at peace, enjoying the scenery, students walking past him, not paying any mind, he blends into the crowd but still manages to stand out.

How could someone love another person so intensely ?

You put your phone away, making a mental note to change your background picture, hey, if the whole acting shtick didn't pull through, you would always try photography ? Even with your old flip-phone, the picture looked pretty good, then again, might be a biased look at it, given that your boyfriend was the main focus of it. " Hey - ! " You're calling out, running to him, a wide grin covering your face, " it's done ! " When he turns && meets your smile with an even broader one, you forget to breathe for a second, ' you see yourself as a Julliard student ? I can see it, you mingling among the art kids. ' To think, he'd taken the time to take you to the appointment && wait until your audition was over ? You're reaching up, pulling him down by the collar of his hoodie, lips meeting his in a tender kiss, it doesn't last long, pulling back before he has the chance to respond to the kiss, after all, you were in public, PDA was not okay, but you could always make an exception for him, " thank you- for believing in me, I dunno what I would do without your support. " A laugh, it reaches your eyes && forces them closed, hiding the tears that threatened to leak from warm, chocolate orbs. Instead you bury your face in his chest, hugging him tight, " you're amazing. "

----

You've already said goodbye to the others. Steph, Evan, Vinnie & Alex, though, keep in mind you've said goodbye about half an hour ago, now you both sat in the driveway, your car's keys sat in your hoodie's pocket, you knew you had to get going, before it got too dark out but you'd miss him, you weren't even sure if he was doing okay, they all felt extremely odd, almost... scared ? " Are you sure you guys don't need me to stay ? Cause I can, I'll just call my dad & tell him I'm saying with you, he never worries... " Though you already know the answer, it plays in your head before he says it himself, ' no worries, Jess, we're good. You should get some rest. '

A little frown. There's no way of changing his mind once it's made up, so you just take a couple of steps forwards, wrapping your arms around his middle, your cheek pressing against his chest as you let out a little sigh, " fine- okay. But promise me you guys are going to the Cabin this weekend. We'll just hang out, eat junk food && watch lame movies. " Your head tilts up searching for his gaze, " I'm supposed to get a response that day so... I wanna open it with everyone present. " You feel his hand at the top of your head, gently scratching at your scalp, an approving hum falls from your lips, " I wanna hear the yes- I'm not leavin' until I get a solid yes from you.. " You can hear him laugh. Thank god, you were starting to worry. ' Okay, we'll go, you can text us the address & we'll meet you there. ' A little pout, it would've been an even more fun idea to arrive together, but you figured you could set everything up before they arrived.

" Okay, it's real easy you know, cabin 4. Cabin with the raddest vibes. " You tease, nodding, but eventually let go. It's a couple of seconds, not awkward, it's your mind, it's racing, he still seemed troubled, but he wouldn't talk to you, tell you exactly what was wrong. " Mkay- I'm gonna go now, please take care of yourself, okay ? " Head tilts to the side, searching his eyes before you pull him down, gently, for a soft, see you soon kiss. You can't help yourself, for some reason, your body screams at you to make the kiss last, only this one time, so your arms wrap around his neck, his hands find your hips, carefully settling against them as the kiss deepens. A few seconds go by && you force yourself away, cheeks a bright pink hue, your eyes search his, noting the adorable flush of his face before you nod, " see you soon, mkay ? " He nods, smiling.

That's the last time you kiss him.

[imgilmoregirl]

Gift of Love

AO3 Link

Summary: Gideon missed the mother's day with Belle because of a really sweet - and for him, a really annoying - reason, but it doesn't mean they can't make it for the lost time and Rumplestiltskin will help with it.

Notes: Written specially for the @rumbellemdm, which finally made me write for my favourite couple after months, so YAY! I hope everyone enjoy it, this is a very sweet family fic that I loved writing.

What is a gift of love? Some people would say it is partnership and devotion, other - the most pretentious ones - would guess it was some piece of jewelry or anything made out of gold, and in some cases you could hear some saying it was the bliss found in one's arms. However, although all of these could be considered gifts, none of them is the only and one, gift of love, the present that can only come from the pure passion between two human beings. The ultimate gift of love, is a child.

Of all people in this world, Rumplestiltskin understood the importance of bringing someone entirely new to life, he had lost two children and got his heartbroken by their absence. It was all in the past now, of course, but he only got one of his sons back and his heart would lack his Baelfire until the end of his days, but it wasn't enough motive to make him bitter and dark anymore, that thanks to his wife and the best mother he knew, Belle.

Storybrooke wasn't the place he had imagined staying his whole life at, but after many trips, he and Belle had decided it was right to have a home to come back to and raise their family. The pink house had always pleased her, as it did him and most of their memories were there, so when they permanently moved back, it didn't seem strange at all, not even for Gideon who was used to struggle through his first nights in whatever hotel they stayed at. It was really like finally finding the peacefulness of constancy they needed.

Gideon had just turn four which was just another reason for them to decide to settle down, it was time for him to start school and as afraid as they were of how he might react staying away from his parents for so long, the boy was doing great. Rumple was proud of him and was more than happy to be able to pick him up that specific day. His car was full of the silliest stuff that would have only made him roll his eyes some years ago, but that now only made him imagine his wife's happiness when they arrived home. The flowers were a big part of it: a full box of red, white and yellow roses to bring some colour to their house and make everything a bit more special.

He was waiting inside the car, watching as the people slowly gathered in front of the school's gates in that cloudy Monday morning. Gideon had been a bit angry in the day prior, said Granny, who had taken care of him during the weekend for them. His poor boy had a plan for Mother's Day, but life had another, so he hadn't seen his precious mama when he was supposed to fill her with kisses and cuddles. Now, however, with the surprise he had carefully prepared, Rumple hoped everything was going to be alright and Gideon would be more than satisfied with this replacement for the weekend he had lost.

The gates opened and Rumple let most of the parents in before he left the car to follow them in search for his son's class. And there he found him, wearing his cute uniform and holding his Batman bag with pleedy eyes, probably hoping Granny wouldn't come to pick him up again, just like in the last Friday. A big smile crossed his lips when he saw Rumple and ran past his teacher, throwing himself in him papa's arms with a squeal.

"Papa, I was missing you," Gideon whined.

"We saw each other yesterday," Rumplestiltskin pointed out, carrying his son out of the school's building. "You've only slept at Granny's."

The boy with his eyes and his mother's sweetness looked down at the ground, clutching his bag closer. Rumple knew he was sad and wished everything could have turned out as Gideon expected, but it was time for him to understand that some things come for the best and that we doesn't always get exactly what we wanted.

"I want to see my mama," he sniffled. "I've made another card for her today."

"Two cards and a bracelet, huh? Your mother is certainly very lucky," the father answered, kissing his son's forehead. "But you're also lucky, but you're getting to see mama in just a bit."

"So she is home?"

"Aye, my boy," Rumple said with a smile. "Your mother is finally home."

The happiness in Gideon's face was as clear as the bluest sky during Summer break. He jumped out of his father's arms and pulled the car's door open, letting out a surprised grasp when he saw the flowers and the balloons filling the space that was usually empty in there. Gideon threw his back on the bench, sitting up on his car seat, adjusting the belt without even being asked to do it, which was a surprise for Rumple, because they always struggled with the use of that stupid thing.

"Papa," the boy called, pulling at the hem of his overcoat. "Did you buy all of this for mama?"

"I surely did. Do you thing she is going to like it?"

"Of course!"

Ruffling his hair, Rumple locked the door and set himself in front of the steering wheel, finally driving them home.

Right in front of the house, was parked a cute little blue car, Belle's most recent acquisition, although she wasn't really fond of driving and preferred to watch the road from the passenger's seat, she had insisted that it would now be needed and Rumple was more than happy to give her another thing that could make his daring wife feel free. Gideon, who was used to see her listening to some music and reading a book inside the car rather than driving, immediately rose from his own seat to peek a look through the windows, just to find out the other vehicle was empty. He made an angry noise, crossing his arms and kicking his bag in deception, a feeling that Rumplestiltskin could very well understand, as he also hated to stay away from his Belle.

"Calm down, son," he said in his wisest voice. "Your mother is just inside the house waiting for you."

Gideon nodded, still a bit torn. They parked the car and Rumple started picking up the things he had brought, but even before he could have picked up the second box of flowers, Gideon slipped out of the car and ran towards their house, entering it as if he was a hurricane.

Rolling his eyes, the pawnbroker continued his work, locking the Cadillac before he managed to enter his home with all that baggage in his arms, but once inside there, he was rewarded with the amazing sound of his wife and his son's laughs, that sound of happiness that always reminded him of how lucky he was. And, as he didn't want to bother them now, when they were just meeting after that first long - not that long - separation, Rumple prepared the living room, settling down the roses, the balloons and serving the cupcakes in their best china, just the way Belle would do had she been preparing something like this.

Then, when the laughs had become a lower conversation, he followed their sound through the house and on to the backyard where he finally found them. It was the most beautiful image he had ever seen in his whole life, like a glimpse of Heaven. A giant tea towel was stretched out on the grass, Belle laying above it under the sunset, wearing silly black leggings and a long blue blouse, her hair forming a dark pillow under her head. She was beauty and their four-year-old son wrapped around her arms was just what joy could be described as. A warm smile formed on his lips as Rumplestiltskin got closer, admiring his family and settling his curious glare on the Moses basket that laid beside them.

The pink blanket was falling out of it, just as did one little hand. He got even closer and kneeled to brush his fingers ever so softly on the baby's chubby rosy cheeks before picking her up and bringing her close to his chest where his heart beated fastly at every new breath of that new life. He run his nose along her face and kissed her eyelids, watching as she yawned and brought a fist up to her mouth so she could suck something.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so awestruck in my whole life, Rum," Belle said lazily, cuddling Gideon closer. "I'm probably the second girl in your life now."

He let out a laugh, adjusting Rosie's weight in his arms before benting down to kiss Belle's lips, which made Gideon make a disgusted noise.

"You'll always be the first, sweetheart, after all it was you who gave me her, wasn't it?"

"What about me?" asked Gideon, his head appearing between them and making them both laugh.

Belle sat up, holding him in her arms just like she did when he was a baby, wrapped in blankets just as his newborn sister was. She filled his face with butterfly kisses and tickled his belly, almost making the boy lose his air before she stopped, looking at their son with the same adoration that Rumple had probably been looking at their daughter.

"We will always love you, Giddy. Always. You're the most handsome and special boy in this world for us."

"And I will be a hero," added him.

"Well, let's see what future holds for you," Belle winked.

Just on cue, baby Rosie opened her mouth and let out the loudest wails of all, making Rumple freeze in place for a second. He had taken care of Baelfire and then Gideon when they were babies, but every time seemed to be a brand new experience and now that they had girl he was sure that it was. Rosie seemed too small and fragile and most of the times although he wanted to keep holding her and protecting her from the world forever he also felt afraid of doing the wrong thing. It had been the very first time he had watched his wife's pregnancy, that he had felt a child of his kicking from the womb and that he had been there for the scariest thirth hours of labour and then fourteen hours of NICU and now he thought Belle was definitely the greatest warrior he had ever known.

Rumplestiltskin had broken down in tears twice during this complicated progress of bringing Rosie into the world, whist Belle had stayed strong and held her tears until they were tears of happiness and relief. Maybe that was the reason he froze and needed to let Belle pick up the baby from him, giving him a reassurant smile as she shushed for their daughter until she calmed down in her mother's loving arms.

"Why is she so small?" Gideon asked.

"Well, she came for weeks earlier, darling," Belle replied, pulling herself up to her feet with such a grace that she could have been a ballet dancer for all he knew.

Rumple copied her, grabbing the basket and the towel to take them inside in case it started raining.

"But your belly is still quite big," their boy pointed out with a curious face.

Belle laughed out loud.

"Well, thank you, I know I look giant," she added in a sarcastic tone. "But yes, it will take some time for my belly to go back to normal, but there is no other baby in there, I can guarantee."

This time, Gideon shrugged, rushing back into their house to pick what Rumple knew were the presents he was waiting for forever to give his mother, but they took their time making their way back and Rumple enjoyed it, wrapping his arm around Belle's shoulders and kissing her cheek.

"Just so you know, you look wonderful for me," he reassured her.

"Thank you, Rum, but I'm not actually worried about it right now, I'm just happy Rosie and I are both alive and well."

With a quick nod, Rumplestiltskin agreed with her, because even when life was the most peaceful and calm for them the bad times still existed. No Black Fairies didn't meant no danger this time, as nature itself had its dangers and an early difficult labour was included in it. Funny it was, however, that they were so worried about Dark Magic and monsters that neither Belle nor Rumple had been prepared to the normal difficulties of life. Not that anyone could actually blame them. But in the end, however, Gideon had been the most surprised - and frustrated - by his sister's birth, because Belle had gone into labour on Friday and couldn't come home until now, which meant that for the very first time they missed a Mother's Day together.

The maddening hormones that still worked in Belle's body plus her usual tendency of being easily overwhelmed, brought clear tears to her eyes the moment they stepped a foot back inside the house and saw their little Gideon bouncing around with his gifts in hand and pointing at the living room. She looked up at her husband with a mesmerized glare and all he could do was to smile back at his beauty, taking the baby from her arms to allow her to silently follow their son on to the next room.

"God, you two did all this?" Belle questioned, as she kneeled on the floor in front of their coffee table, which had been filled with delicious red velvet cupcakes which together read best mother in the world.

"No, mama," Gideon laughed. "These are cupcakes from Granny's, don't you see? But I've made you something all by myself."

He presented her the sparkly cards, full of glitter and too much glue, but Rumple doubted that Belle had even noticed it. She opened both, sighing happily to see her name written in that four-year-old clumsy calligraphy and kissed him twice on each cheek.

"Oh, Giddy, this is lovely! Thank you! I've missed you so much these days."

"Me too," the boy replied. "I was angry Doctor Whale said I was too young to pay visits at a hospital. I have told him that when I grow up and get powerful like papa I will turn him into a toad for that."

"Gideon," Belle exclaimed in disbelief, giving Rumple the kind of glance that said how much that boy was his son through and through. "Remember what I said, magic is not for that."

Shrugging he reached for the second gift that was waiting on the table, a bracelet he had made at school with blue and yellow threads. The smile on his face when Gideon handed it to her, could have stopped the whole world. It surely made Belle's heart stop for a second, Rumple was the love of her life, but her children were her pride and soul. She let Gideon slid the bracelet around her wrist and kissed his cheek, hugging him so tightly that he made a whiny noise.

"This is perfect, darling. I can't believe you're old enough to make things like this."

"And someday I'll be big enough to have money and buy you golden, sparkly things from those nice stores," Gideon guaranteed. "I will become smart, wear suits and punch every boy that tries to marry my sissy Rosie."

There were loud laughs coming from both Rumple and Belle. It was fantastic for the beauty how much their son had taken from his father, but how now-a-days it made her just happy to realize it than it had made in the past when her Gideon had been that tortured young man they so tried to save. The darkness of their past just made her present days more beautiful.

"Poor, Rosie, then," Belle giggled. "Just make sure she chooses the right one, huh? We want her to have a good boy by her side."

"No," Gideon insisted. "No boys for my sissy."

Belle looked up at Rumple, seeing him shake his shoulders as he smiled back at her, getting comfortable by her side and placing their baby girl on his legs, carefully. He knew that eventually Gideon would change his mind, knew that they would make everything for him to grow up being the best of the both worlds and he couldn't see the future failing them in any way.

"He is a protective one, sweetheart."

"Yeah," the wife agreed. "Just like his father."

When she reached up for his lips and brushed hers against them Rumple sighed joyfully realizing that he didn't need to reach out for the darkness anymore, never again. He was now a changed man who got his second chance and Belle had done exactly what she had told him to do: she taught him how to love again and she gave him the family he had always longed for.

"Happy Mother's Day, my love, belated or not you are still the best one of them."

[moodforanime]

The Nomad| The Possesions of the Wild series book 1| Naruto fanfic

Chapter 6: The thoughts before the Fire.

A/N: /

Word count: 1.4K

Tags: @insanity-is-always-fun

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It didn't take long for the small group to settle down for the night. It was already dark and they had made a small fire to warm up.

Kaiya sat herself next to Tenten, but closer to the fire. She noticed how Neji would shoot her a look from the corner of his eyes, and she would normally respond to it in a way or another, but she felt herself too tired to do so.

'Are you guys hungry?' Tenten asked, mostly rethoricaly.

There were some mutters of 'yes', but nobody really said anything.

'Why don't you just hunt something?' Kaiya said, as it was the most obvious thing.

'Hunt? Hunt what?' Neji asked as he wrinkled his nose in confusion.

'I-I don't know. We're five people here, so a deer or something like that would be good.'

Nobody tried to hide the looks they gave their teammate.

'I can assure you that there's no need to do that.' Guy said with a dry laugh. 'If we hurry and use our youthful power, we should reach Sunagakure by tommorrow evening. I'm sure everyone can resist until then, correct?'

'Besides, we're ninja.' Lee said. 'We don't take animals down!'

'Wait,' Kaiya narrowed her eyebrows, 'so you mean to say that none of you ever hunted?'

The group nodded awkwardly.

'I took down my first deer when i was seven!' She exclaimed.

'What kind of family did you grow in?' Tenten asked, shocked.

'Oh, you don't want to know!' Kaiya said in a half-amused manner. 'All you need to know is that i spend most of my life hunting.'

Kaiya looked down, pursing her lips as another wave of confusion was thrown at her. She should've not said that, right?

'Now that i think of it, you never talk about your family. What clan you come from?'

Kaiya felt her breath taken away. She made eye-contact with everyone around her and noticed how everyone waited for her answer. A few silent moments pass, until she let out a sigh. They were her team, and she felt like they deserved an explanation.

'I can't tell you.' She said, lowering her head.

'W-what?' Guy asked. 'That's the silliest-'

'Look,' Kaiya cut him off. 'I know you want and deserve an explanation, but it's very hard to explain right now. If, however? the time is right and i'll still be around, then i'll tell you everything. I promise.'

The air became still and nothing but the fire wood made a single sound. Kaiya felt the need to say something, but didn't know what. She never found herself in this situation before, and honestly felt bad for them.

'Alright!' Lee exclaimed joyful, making everyone jump. 'I believe in you!'

'Where are you going?' Neji asked.

'Hunting.' Kaiya now answered in upbeat tone as she forced a smile. 'I hope you guys still are hungry.'

'I'll lend you hand, Kaiya-san.' Lee sprinted up.

'Me too.' Tenten said, quieter.

'You- You guys don't need to do that, y'know?' Kaiya laughed as she scratched the back of her neck.

'You must be tired after all that happened today. We all are. After all, we are a team, so we help eachoter.' Lee said.

'Well said, Lee!' Guy spoke with pure joy. 'That was an most youthful argument!'

'Thank you, Guy-sensei!' Lee thanked. 'Let's go!'

Neji looked away with a disgusted face.

'Shouldn't we go with them, sensei?' Neji shot a look to his sensei. 'They might as well get killed, knowing them.'

'They'll be fine.' Guy said, leaning back on a tree. 'They're capable genin.'

____________________________________________________________________________

'This was a really good idea, Kaiya.' Tenten said as she took a bite from a piece of meat.

The small group sat around the fire, each of them eating big pieces of grilled deer meat. It was true that the fact that the dead animal layed in front of them and it looked like it was creepily staring at them in deep disappointment, but they couldn't care less; they just wanted their fair share of dinner.

'You're really good hunter, Kaiya-san.' Lee stated.

'Thanks!' Kaiya said with a smile.

'Thank you for the dinner, Kaiya.' Tenten said as she finished her dinner, rubbing her eyes. 'I wish i could stay up more, but i'm really tired. I think i'll go to sleep.'

'That's a good idea, Tenten.' Guy said. 'I think we all should go to sleep now, if we want to be fresh tommorrow.'

Everyone seemed to agree.

'Well, i'll stay for another minute or two to pack the rest of the meat.' Kaiya said, as she put her hand in her small bag searching for something, before biting her lip. 'Right.'

'What's wrong?' Guy asked.

'Could anybody borrow me a kunai? Mine broke today.'

'Who comes with only one kunai at them?' Neji puffed.

'Who comes with such an attitude?' Kaiya snapped, looking straight into his eyes.

Neji narrowed his eyebrows as he gave her an disgusted, yet surprised look, but said nothing.

'You can have my kunai, Kaiya-san.' Lee said, handing the girl an kunai. 'Here.'

Kaiya gave him a small smile. 'Thank you.'

Tenten didn't really mind watching what Kaiya was about to do next, but turned around and walked to her sleeping bag, followed closely by her sensei and teammate. For a second, Neji stopped to look at Kaiya, who was observed with great interest by Lee.

'Come on, Neji.' Tenten called.

Neji shook his head, before walking away. She was a weird girl.

Kaiya sighed, as she put herself on her knees, beggining to cut the remaining meat off the deer.

'Won't anybody find the deer remainings suspicious?' Lee asked.

Kaiya turned around and looked at Lee.

'Probably, but we'll be gone by then.' She answered simply.

Lee got closer to where Kaiya was sitting, and sat himself cross-legged next to her.

'So, for how long have you been gone?' He asked quietly.

For a second, the kunai slipped her hand and ran over the other hand, holding the deer, letting the sharp edge go through the thumb. Kaiya let immediately the deer down and put her thumb in her mouth for a second cleaning it from blood and dirt, before covering it with her blouse.

'How'd you figure?' She said in the same manner as he did.

She looked at him with a spark of curiosity.

'It's not hard.' He said, laying back a little. 'Not many people just appear out of nowhere, claiming they have no last name.'

Kaiya couldn't help but snort.

'Well, you do have a point there.' She said.

'So?' Lee asked hopeful.

'So what?' Kaiya narrowed her eyebrows.

'What happened?'

Kaiya turned her head to him, giving him a solemn look.

'Many things happened.' She said quietly. 'But the thing that hurt me the most happened two years ago. I fled immediatly after.'

'Your parents?' Lee tried to guess.

Kaiya shook her head.

'No, but if you need to understand it, you must hear what happened before, and it's rather complicated and time consuming.'

'I have time.' Lee tilted his head to an side.

'So, do I, but it's complex. I don't expect you to understand it, and if you don't understand, it's useless.' Kaiya explained simply.

Lee's muscles relaxed, allowing his face not to be so stiff.

'Alright.' He said.

Kaiya's eyes widened. She looked at him.

'I just hope that one day i will.' Lee gave Kaiya an big smile that showed off his white teeth.

If the fire wasn't there to help,  Lee would've noticed Kaiya's face heating up.

'By the way,' he added, 'thanks for standing up to Neji. I ussualy do that as well, but he doesn't seem to react at me the same way as with you.'

Kaiya looked back at the fire, trying to bring her face back to normal.

'It's probably because i'm still new.' She said. 'We'll probably get more accustomed with eachother soon, and he'll have the same reaction with me.'

She stood still for a minute, before taking her wounded finger out and looked at it for a second; luckily, the cut wasn't very deep, so the bleeding nearly stopped. She sighed and returned back to her earlier occupation.

Nobody said nothing except for Guy, who who snorted as loud as his lungs let him.

It didn't take long for Kaiya to finish. Just about ten minutes later, she already had three medium-sized pieces of meat over one another, which she put in an small backpack she had. She stood up and brushed off her legs.

'I don't know about you, but i'll go to sleep as well. Will you take care of the fire?' She asked Lee.

'Um, yeah. Don't worry.'

'Alright. Goodnight.'

Kaiya forced an small smile, before setting herself comfortable near her team. Seeing all that happened that day, it was no surprise that Kaiya fell asleep as soon as she closed her eyes.

(Next chapter)