#they're nice but also. i have no clue if i can use them

[ineffable-gallimaufry]

i keep wanting to expand chaotix somebody stop me

[shyhaya]

Hii! Can i plzzzplz request hcs/ or scenario of Barou,Rin, Kunigami and isagi liking the manager of their schools soccer team :DD???

Hi darling, here's your request! please forgive me for taking so long

──────♡──────

Oh Wait, Am I In Love? [Barou Shoei, Itoshi Rin, Kunigami Rensuke & Isagi Yoichi x GN! Reader / SFW]

❯── Barou ──❮

What an interesting situation.

I don't think he would notice his own feelings towards you until he's in too deep.

His teammates certainly noticed before him but they were all scared of telling him anything.

Nevertheless, maybe he heard them talking about his 'soft' if we can call it that attitude towards you.

He did treat you like a peasant, like everyone else, but he actually listened to you when you talked.

Plus, you got to be around him and even tease him sometimes and not even once he reacted brashly towards you!

Everyone in the team is shocked.

When he finally realizes this fact, his entire view of you changed slightly.

Now he understood why he tolerated your presence and even liked to hang out with you.

He was a bit clueless on how to approach you on this topic, but he's driven by the thought of possibly having even more of your attention.

Congratulations! You've been promoted from useful peasant to the King's consort! :3

──────♡──────

❯── Rin ──❮

This one's tough.

Rin can be dense sometimes, but he was the first one to realize he fancied you.

It wasn't even obvious to anybody else, but he noticed the slight changes. How he found you attractive and not a lukewarm like the others.

He liked your advice and actually followed it, and your presence always helped him concentrate or not during practice and even real games.

But what is Rin Itoshi if not a stubborn brat?

He wouldn't tell you about his feelings right away.

If someone notices his almost kind attitude towards you he would deny it or just say it isn't anyone's business.

Soon though, he gets jealous of the rest of team because they're all nice and close to you.

This would be enough for the dam he built to contain his feelings to break.

He had a feeling you liked him too, so there's no way he's letting you go.

Good luck.

──────♡──────

❯── Kunigami ──❮

Oh, Rensuke baby, love, honey- I'll stop now.

He's clueless at first.

You're really nice to everyone, so he naturally gets along with you.

He doesn't find different how he's soon hanging out with you often he's like a big puppy!

During practice he's focused and still can't help but to glance at your direction, finding you adorable as you watch the practice match and how your eyes sparkle as they meet his.

Every time someone from the team mentions you, he immediately perks up.

His teammates realize this and they are the ones who make him realize.. he did like you, but in a whole different way than the rest of them did.

After that he gets a bit flustered every time you're close or when you get worried if he gets hurt during a game or practice.

He's an honest guy though, so he would tell you. No beating around the bush.

He's hopeful that you'll accept him, and can't wait to have you his own I accept my love, I'll even marry you if you want-

──────♡──────

❯── Isagi ──❮

Man, he realized his feelings for you fast.

He was kinda clueless at first, but after analyzing your interactions and how he couldn't help but to admire you, he accepted he was smitten.

He's the one who's all flustered when you're being your usual kind self and asking him if he's alright.

Stutters a bit more and is distracted by how pretty you are.

It's adorable how he tries to act normal but he's also trying to compliment you and maybe give you some clues about how he feels.

All of his teammates notice this and soon they're all teasing him every time they see him looking at you during practice.

He wants to test the waters first, figure out if you like him before he confesses.

If he notices even a slight chance of you liking him back, then he will take the chance. It's what s striker does anyway.

He's so sweet when he actually tells you.

Please say yes, this guy spent all night thinking of all the possible scenarios of how his confesión would go.

[areislol]

A walk in the park

►— pairings. genshin men x gn! creator! reader

►— warnings. crack/fluff, happy sappy stuff

►— synopsis. albedo created a machine where it would bring back their creator, who was stuck in another world, back to where they belonged. but instead of bringing you here to them, it brought them to where you were.

►— a/n. the more i write the more it feels like these are more like fillers.. sigh. once the angst settles in maybe it'll feel more eventful!

►— wordcount. 6k

✧ part five | ✧ part six | ✧ part seven | more tba.. NAVIGATION

recommended to listen to: what once was - her's

Who would've known that all 29 men would be pumped to go out for a picnic?

For a couple of weeks they've been in your home with only a selected few going out to accompany you out for shopping, and through those weeks you've felt like they lacked the sun and the outside world.

Not only that but they were curious about your world as well! So it was the best idea to take them to a park nearby your street and have a picnic as well. Not many people went to the park and if they did it was normally to walk their dogs.

You were more than happy when they all agreed to the plan to go out to the park and have a picnic.

Not only can they have more time to spend with you (ahem cross out the fact that you spend time with them every weekend) but also go out and see the view that they've been wanting to see for a while now.

You along with Diluc discussed about what you were going to bring, what snacks and meals to bring so that Thoma could prepare them with the help of Aether.

It was a nice change after a while, to be outside and having a nice little picnic with your favourite people (don't say who they'll have a fight, from your experience).

One thing that you were most excited about was how this wasn't just an ordinary park. Instead of the normal, prickly grass landscape with benches and a playground for children, there were no playground equipment and no benches at all.

Well.. you could just say that this was more of a plot of unbought land than a park. It was a comforting and quiet area that came with a river beside it, not only that but there were Willow trees near the river line.

Pretty romantic, right?

You were sure they had no feelings for you so why would you care if it was romantic or not? You had no clue as to why.

(No feelings for you? They're literally HEAD OVER HEELS for you, if their advances and courting don't work then they might as well make it obvious to you this day by doing everything they can!)

Currently, you were sitting on the floor, hands smearing sunscreen all over their face like how a mother would to their young child. It was an endearing sight.

Aether happily and quietly sat down in front of you, his eyes screwed shut as you smeared the sunscreen over his cheeks, chin, nose and forehead. You were careful not to touch his eyes with your hands.

Baizhu, Venti and Heizou stared at you in admiration and adoration, the way your brows furrowed in concentration as you tried your best to be careful and gentle with your touch.

They wouldn't wait for their turn, to feel your hands on their face... would it be just like how they imagined?

No matter what they knew they wouldn't be let down, if anything it'd be better than what they imagined from the first place!

Aether looked more than happy, you were just happy that he wasn't like Wanderer (the previous "victim" before Aether) who grumbled and scowled as he tried to swat your hand away a couple of times, he wasn't used to this type of affection.

Never in a million years would he resist his only creator who touched his face, and only after you gently told him to stay still did he listen.

"When do I need to reapply it?" Aether asked, eyes blinking open before moving to the side since you were now done with him, Tighnari came forward and sat down, waiting for his turn.

"Uhhh in like two or three hours? Don't worry I'll remind you!" You smiled, looking up at his face which was covered in white substance.

Aether happily hummed in return before walking away, proudly showing the rest of the men his sunscreen-covered face to the rest of the men. "You look quite giddy, Aether," Zhongli spoke, amused.

"I can say the same for you guys," Aether chuckled plopping down on the couch. Truth be told, they were all giddy to have your hands touch their face, most were teasing Diluc with the fact that he was blushing too hard, his cheeks almost the same colour as his hair.

"You can not be teasing me about blushing when you all are flustered as well! Don't act like you aren't."

Well... he wasn't lying.

For you to even touch them... the mere thought of it would certainly make them faint, but they needed to stay strong and pull it together, what would you think if you were just applying sunscreen on their cheeks and suddenly they passed out?

While you were busying yourself with your own job, Diluc, Kauzha, Itto and Ayato were all packing everything that they needed. You had given them a paper note with everything they needed, consisting of:

Water bottles Hats Bug spray (just in case) Snacks (no beans because of Itto) Extra pencils for Albedo and Tighnari to sketch with Tissues Sunscreen if it gets sunny Jacket just in case it gets cold

"Huh? Why's it crossed out?" Itto questioned, glaring at the scribbled-out sentence hoping that the scribbles would magically clear. Ayato shrugged, grabbing the pack of tissues that were stored in the drawers. "Guess we will never know, now get back to packing!"

Itto let out a small "ouch!" as Ayato hit him with the same packet of tissues. Ayato turned his back on Itto, a faint smile on his lips. He was a genius, minutes before he had scribbled out the last necessity, it had no need whatsoever.

Why have a spare jacket "just in case" when you can have his? A genius, he knows.

"Let's not waste time, they're probably waiting for us, you know." Diluc chimed in, both Ayato and Itto knew better than to stay idle. After a bit, they were finished packing everything.

Everything except the jacket, that is.

But Ayato dismisses it off to you being silly and writing it on accident. "Look outside, the weather is immaculate!" Ayato announced, pointing at the sun shining down onto the floor, small dust particles floating in the air in the sunlight.

Kazuha nods his head, a gentle smile on his face. "Indeed, the weather is amazing. If Y/N does need a jacket by the time we arrive at the park then we could lend them ours."

His idea was what Ayato worried the most, and now he had said it. Fuck, he wanted to be the one to have the idea to lend you his coat. But of course, Kazuha was Kazuha, a gentlemen.

After a couple of minutes they finally finished what they were supposed to do. "Is that everything?" Diluc asked after watching Itto zip up the stuffed bag. "Yup! All we have to do now is tell Y/N that—"

Itto hadn't even finished his sentence when he noticed Diluc walking away with the bags in his hand. Since when did he grab the one out of my hand?! Itto was appalled, obviously he did not expect Diluc to move so swiftly and quickly.

Diluc made his way towards the main area where everyone was, bags in his grasp as he stood near the couch where Aether, Wriothesley and Lyney sat.

Lyney gasped as he noticed the bags and coincidentally, the fresh and warm aroma of baked goods. "Does this mean we'll be going out soon? Oh I can't wait 'till I smell the fresh air..." Lyney sighed in relief, but his moment of happiness didn't last long as Aether playfully slapped his shoulder.

"Did you forget about the times you went outside in the yard? Is that not fresh air?" Aether raised his brow. Lyney rolled his eyes, nodding his head relunctantly while muttering a low "yeah yeah".

Finally, after what felt like infinity you finished applying sunscreen on all of them, it took you longer than expected but you didn't mind, the soft plush of their cheeks—the way they squinted their eyes as you carefully applied the cream near their eyes, was a sight you enjoyed.

Al haitham remained seated on the floor, and to your confusion, you cocked your head to the side. "You're the last person Al haitham, are you tired?" Ah, you were still as sweet as ever.

Your eyes scanned his face, he looked adorable with his almost white-covered face. There was no sign of discomfort at all. Al haitham shook his head, thankful for the sunscreen that covered his arising blush.

"I'm fine, thank you. I just want..." His voice trailed off, eyes darting away from yours. "Just waaannnttt?" You repeated, leaning in towards him with a curious gaze. Damn, you weren't helping at all.

Al haitham sighed, looking back up at you. "Nothing, don't worry about it." Your brows furrowed at his response, knowing that he was lying but backed away reluctantly.

You studied his expression, noting the delicate pink tainting his cheeks (the sunscreen did not justice whatsoever) and the troubled look in his eyes. "Are you sure?" you asked softly, your concern evident in your voice.

He hesitated for a moment. "Positive." he replied, his tone sounding believable for the moment. But your interaction was broken as Venti burst out laughing before yelling out something that Al haitham would most likely chase him for.

(He did.)

"Al haitham is feeling shy, Y/N~! I think he may be in L-O-V-E with you!" Venti giggled, acting drunk even though he has never drunk an ounce of wine in your world. As you turned your head towards Venti your cheeks a light pink ue.

Unbeknownst to you, Al haitham was staring daggers at the bard menacingly, deep down he did not want to deny his interested in you but now.. now was not the right time. He didn't like you, he was just... interested in you is all. Nothing more.

"Shy? Why would he—" "I am not feeling shy, Venti." Al haitham stated before he muttered a small "I apologize, Y/N" all the while his eyes were trained on Venti. The tension in the air was more than enough to get you to stand up and let out a dramatic and loud sigh.

They immediately looked at you, their gazes filled with confusion, anxiety and concern. But more of anxiety at the fact that they might have upsetted you, or more specifically, at the fact that Venti may have upset you and an upset you was definitely anxiety inducing.

Your eyes flickered between Venti and Al haitham, clearly disappointed in them. But by some miracle before they could get scolded, Diluc cleared his throat, catching the attention of you and the others.

"I'm sorry if I interrupted anything but Y/N, we're done packing. Is there anything else you want me to do?" His eyes bore into yours, too intimate for your liking. You shake your head, there was nothing else to do. "No it's fine, I'll go get ready now. Give me a couple of minutes!"

Diluc watched as you got up and scurried to your room, watching as the door closed shut. After your figure left his sight he quickly turned away, about to walk away he was suddenly smacked face front with a pillow.

The room went silent before Childe let out a small "oops.."

Clearly, that pillow wasn't meant for Diluc but for another. "Ah, Diluc. You know I didn't mean that—"

"Save it, Fatui."

Thankfully you were too busy locked in your room wondering what you should wear out. But instead of wasting time choosing and pairing up different clothes, you opted to just go for a casual look with a large straw hat for extra style.

Once you were done you stepped out of your room with your newly changed outfit, perfect for the occasion and weather. You were too busy patting your shirt down to notice the many stares being directed at you.

Despite not physically seeing the men staring at you, you could definitely feel their gaze. It was embarrassing honestly, them and the way they would stare at you. You were sure that you'd get used to them by now but every time it happens you never fail to melt into a large puddle.

You didn't have much time to walk away or prepare the others as you felt much larger and warm arms wrapping around your waist. You tensed up, looking over your shoulder to see—

"Childe!" You exclaimed, warmth creeping to your cheeks as you realised how close he was, he buried his head in your neck, arms snaked around your waist and holding you closely pressed against his stomach.

"Save me from that madman!" He pleaded, pointing to the furious red-haired male. You quirked your eyebrow, trying to grasp the situation.

Wait, was he... using you as a shield right now?

Shaking your head, you stared at Diluc, letting out a sigh before removing Childe's hand from your body and walking over to Diluc, pinching his cheeks.

"Just what are you doing to Childe?" You asked, scolding him all the while Childe watched, smirking.

Diluc muttered a small "nothing" when you stopped pinching his (chubby) cheeks, a delicate pink reaching his cheeks. Just as Childe was about to speak Venti interrupted him, much to Diluc's relief.

"Y/N! When are we going? We're all ready." You turned your head to the side and he was correct, they all looked dolled up and ready to leave. The sight itself made you smile. "Right now."

—

You really wanted to book a cab to save yourself some time to walk, but with 28 men? Yeah, no chance.

Currently, you are on your way with 28 men trailing behind you with Ayato and Wriothesley beside you. The park wasn't that far but since everybody had different walking paces sometimes you had to stop and wait for them (cough cough Baizhu cough cough).

Despite the occasional stops, the walk was filled with lively chatter and laughter. Venti played a cheerful tune on his lyre, and the sound of it seemed to do the opposite of lifting everyone's spirits.

When you finally reached the park, the men wowed in aw. The sun was shining, birds were singing, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the trees.

You found a perfect spot under a large oak tree with ample shade and enough space for everyone. Alhaitham and Zhongli set about laying out the picnic blanket while Diluc and Kaeya carried the baskets filled with food and drinks.

Lyney and Tighnari helped you settle down, making sure you were comfortable. The others began to gather around, forming a loose circle. Xiao and Cyno were already scoping out the area, ensuring it was safe and secure. You couldn't help but smile at their actions.

"It's safe don't worry," You spoke, trying to ease their worry. Xiao nods his head. "I know… I was just making sure." He murmured, a faint blush on his cheeks though you dismiss it as the heat.

"Alright, everyone, let's settle down!" you called out, clapping your hands together.

The group erupted into action. Kazuha and Kaveh began setting out the various dishes they had prepared, each one looking more delicious than the last. Pantalone and Pierro arranged the drinks, ensuring there was something for everyone.

Albedo, Baizhu, and Thoma took charge of ensuring that the surrounding area was safe from dangerous bugs and whatnot. You wanted to help as well but they all (scarily) disagreed with a synchronized "no." and "we'll do it, you just relax and enjoy."

As everyone settled down, you found yourself sandwiched between Venti and Wanderer, who seemed intent on keeping you by their side. Across the blanket, you could see Albedo and Tighnari deep in conversation, likely discussing some fascinating "alchemical theories".

You glanced over at Baizhu, who was taking a moment to rest. Baizhu caught your eye and gave you a reassuring smile as if to say he was fine and enjoying himself.

The aroma of various dishes filled the air, making everyone’s stomachs growl in anticipation.

"Are you not going to eat?" You asked, cocking your head to the side as you watched Baizhu lie down on the blanket, seemingly bored out of his mind. He hums softly for a moment before replying.

"I'll eat later don't you worry. However, the naan and chicken curry smells delicious. You should try that first."

You nod your head. "Sure—"

"No, you should definitely try the salted chips, I ate some earlier and it was so good!" Venti intervened, a bright and wide smile on his lips as he spoke of how delicious the salt was on the chips.

"You should try the dango first," Ayato insisted, holding out a stick of the sweet treat.

"No, the chicken skewers are the best way to start," Childe countered, waving one in front of you.

"How about some fresh fruit? It's light and refreshing," suggested Tighnari, offering a bowl filled with colorful slices.

"Soup first," Diluc said firmly, presenting a thermos of warm, savory broth.

You couldn't help but laugh at their attempts to sway your decision. "Alright, alright, I'll eat everything eventually," you said, trying to calm the frenzy. But they only seemed to become more determined.

But after a little, they gave up (some merely pretended to) with low, disappointed mumbles. Everyone began to pick out their food and ate, talking amongst one another, playing cards or simply just admiring the view (you).

You were about to eat some chicken when Venti interrupted once again. "Here, try this," Venti said, playfully feeding you a bite of apple pie. You chewed and smiled, the sweetness filling your mouth.

"How about this one?" Xiao asked, gently offering a piece of grilled fish. You accepted it, savouring the flavor as the others looked on with amusement and jealousy.

"Hey, no fair, we wanted to feed them too!" Itto exclaimed, crossing his arms.

"There's enough for everyone," you reassured, reaching out to take a bit from the various dishes presented to you. Each bite brought new flavors and voices vying for your attention.

Amidst the laughter and friendly arguments, you felt a wave of happiness. This chaos, this silly competition to see who could please you the most, was very amusing to watch unravel before you.

After everyone had their fill, you wiped your mouth and looked around at the eager faces. "Alright, you can go play now," you said with a grin. Childe erupted cheers, being the first to jump up, thanking you and grabbing Ittos arm.

"Finish the chase you started," He sneered, wanting to show everyone of how much of an idiot Itto was. "Oh, you're on!" Itto replied, beginning to chase Childe like a madman while Childe taunted him.

"Those idiots.." Diluc sighed, looking away from the embarrassing sight. You hummed in response, continuing to bite down on the fruits as you watched them both. "How do you even put up with them?" Diluc asked.

You shrugged your shoulders. "I don't even know."

Albedo, Tighnari, and Cyno stayed behind, preferring a quieter afternoon. They sat with you, Albedo sketching in his notebook while Tighnari discussed botanical topics. You listened intently, occasionally asking questions there and then.

Zhongli and Wriothesley settled beside each other, munching on the snacks. and offering you some there and then. Al haitham, Kaveh and Ayato simply talked to one another, playing the game you taught them—"I Spy".

It was quite fun, it started off as a small group but others began to join after overhearing them play. It seemed fun. Needless to say, Heizou, Dottore, Gorou, Lyney, Venti and Wanderer joined in, some screamed out in excitement, their eyes scanning the area to find the answer.

The sight was funny, for you anyway. Seeing them get all riled up over the wrong answer and fighting over who would go next.

Neuvillette, Thoma, Kazuha, Kaeya, Diluc and Baizhu all did their own things, Neuvillette was staring at the lake, watching the ducks swim by and the frogs hopping on one lily pad to another.

Thoma secured each container and made sure that the rubbish was in the rubbish bag, Kazuha watched the scenery and scribbled in his book, Kaeya laid down on your legs, feeling content as you played with his hair. Diluc finally got seated down next to you and simply sat there, enjoying your presence.

And Baizhu was now seated up, snacking on some of the food that you saved for him and ChangSheng.

While watching the things around you, you felt happy, overwhelmingly happy, the aura was so positive, and everyone was having fun and that made you happy.

It made you realise that you needed to record the memories somehow so that you could always look back and remember the feelings you felt back then.

Grabbing your phone from your pocket you pressed the record button, recording the men playing I Spy, they laughed and yelled, enjoying themselves.

You took a moment to soak it all in, feeling a warm sense of contentment. Being surrounded by so many people who cared about you made your heart swell with love.

"What are you doing?" Diluc questioned, leaning towards your side and watching you record them. You don't take your eyes off the phone and just smile. "Recording memories, they look so happy."

Diluc hums, eyes glancing up at you and then down at your phone. "Do you mind if I borrow your phone for a moment?" he asked, his voice gentle.

You glanced at him, surprised but trusting. "Sure, go ahead."

He took the phone from your hand, and you expected him to record the others playing. Instead, he turned the camera towards you, your phone capturing your surprised expression. "Smile," He softly said.

"W—Wait! Not my face!" You shrieked, instinctively covering your face with your hands, your voice muffled behind your fingers. You could feel the heat rising to your cheeks, embarrassed by the sudden attention.

"Why not? I think it's important to have memories of you as well," he replied, his eyes meeting yours through the screen. He gently pulled your hands away from your face, trying to coax you into letting him capture your smile.

You peeked through your fingers, feeling both shy and touched by his words. "Because… I don't know. I just prefer being behind the camera," you admitted, eyes not meeting the lens.

"Well, I think it's time you get used to being in front of it," Diluc said, his smile still so gentle and tender. He held the phone steady, patiently waiting for you to relax.

Taking a deep breath, you slowly lowered your hands, trying to muster the courage to face the camera. "Alright, but just for a moment," you said, your voice shaky yet determined.

He began recording again, and you tried to smile naturally, feeling embarrassed. "There you go," he encouraged, his eyes never leaving yours. "See? It's not so bad."

You couldn't help but laugh at his persistence, the sound light and genuine. "Fine, you win," you said, finally giving in.

Diluc laughed along with you, "Perfect," he said, his voice filled with affection. "Alright, let me record the rest of them now." You laughed, getting back your phone and making sure that you videoed everyone.

But that wasn't enough. You began to take photos of everyone, mid-eating pictures, photos of Childe and Itto panting, falling onto the ground as the passerby looked at the both of them in confusion. There was a picture for everyone.

You took some photos of the scenery as well, especially the sky and the lake although some of the photos included the faces of the men. "Is it okay if I post this on my story? It's friends only." You pointed at the photo in your gallery, waiting for Ayato's response.

Ayato smiled, nodding his head. "I don't mind, just make sure that I look good before posting" You rolled your eyes playfully. "Of course, I wouldn't do you dirty."

You took your time in picking out a good song for the picture for your story, making sure to edit it and make it look aesthetically pleasing for your friends. You posted a lot, around six or more photos, even some silly filter selfies with you and Diluc.

(Diluc would rather die than admit it but he really enjoyed the silly filters with you, especially the alien and dog ones.)

"Why do we look like that?"

"It's called a filter! Here, look.." You flipped the camera around, the lens focusing on Heizou's face as he continued guessing, unaware of the filter on his face that sharpened his features and gave him a whole facelift.

Holding back your laughter you let out small laughs, trying to not attract attention. "See?"

"Do it on Pierro."

"Oh, you're evil."

The sun began to dip lower in the sky, casting a golden glow over the park, Some of the men had fallen asleep, and you were fighting the urge to just fall asleep in a click.

You felt a wave of drowsiness wash over you and leaned your head on Diluc’s shoulder, your eyes growing heavy.

Diluc, silent as ever, noticed your weariness. He adjusted himself slightly to give you a more comfortable spot, his shoulder a firm support.

Childe, who had recovered from being chased around by Itto, bounded towards you, ready to call out your name with his enthusiasm. “Hey, Y/N–”

His voice died in his throat as he caught sight of Diluc’s glare. “Wake them up and I’ll murder you,” Diluc’s eyes promised without needing to utter a word.

Childe, recognizing the threat behind those eyes, immediately clamped his mouth shut, smiling sheepishly before turning around and walking over to where the others were.

The other men, aware of your state, exchanged nods and communicated in hushed tones, not daring to wake you up.

"It's getting late, should we go back?" Kazuha questioned, his eyes scanning the sky and the park, there were fewer people and it was comfortingly quiet with the occasional chirping of the birds.

"The sun is setting…" Neuvillette pointed out, his gaze wavering on your sleepy face. It didn't take long until the rest of the men agreed that they should leave.

Diluc carefully shifted, preparing to carry you back home. With the help of Zhongli and Ayato, they managed to hoist you onto Diluc’s back without disturbing your sleep.

As they began to walk back to your place, the gentle rhythm of Diluc’s steps and the warmth of his body slowly roused you from your sleep. You blinked groggily, realizing that someone was carrying you.

Diluc’s warmth enveloped you, his warmth was comforting and he smelled good as well. You instinctively nuzzled closer to him, feeling safe and content.

“Sorry for waking you,” Diluc’s voice was soft, almost apologetic. “We’re heading back now.”

You smiled sleepily, the drowsiness still present. “No, it’s okay,” you murmured, your voice barely above a whisper.

Diluc’s hold on you tightened slightly, the others walked around you, occasionally glancing back to ensure you were alright, their faces a mixture of concern and affection.

The walk back was quiet for the most part, the earlier energy of the day giving way to a peaceful silence. The night air was filled with the sounds of crickets and the soft rustle of leaves.

Each step Diluc took was steady and deliberate, the warmth radiating off his back made you want to fall back asleep but as you lifted up your head you realised that you were near your home.

Finally, arriving at your place, Diluc gently lowered you down, ensuring you were steady on your feet. The men began to settle their things, chatting softly among themselves about the day's events.

Thoma and Aether immediately took charge of the kitchen, efficiently cleaning up and wrapping the leftovers with practised ease.

You made your way to your bedroom, grabbing a white top and shorts before walking into the bathroom, and stepping into the shower, the warm water cascaded over your skin, washing away the tiredness and leaving you feeling rejuvenated.

You let the water run along your back, letting out a sigh from the sensation. This is what you need after a day out.

The familiar scent of your body wash enveloped you, a comforting aroma that lingered even as you stepped out. Dressed in a simple white top and shorts, you felt ready to wind down for the evening. You stepped out of the bathroom and walked towards the washing machine, throwing your clothes into the machine.

"Feeling better?" Aether asked, looking up at you as he sat on the couch, reading a comic book. You nod your head, plopping down beside him. "You smell good," He crooned, leaning in towards you, his nose almost touching your neck.

You let out a whine at the ticklish sensation, pushing his head away. "It's my body wash, maybe you should try it." Aether offered you a small smile. "Hm, maybe."

One by one, the rest of the men took their turns in the shower, each emerging looking more relaxed and at ease. Despite the tiredness evident on their faces, there was an underlying sense of contentment from the day well spent. It was already 7 pm, and the house buzzed with a quiet, tired energy.

Diluc, always attentive, handed you a cup of tea. “Here, this should help you relax,” he said, his voice soft and caring. You took the cup gratefully, the warmth seeping into your hands as you sipped.

“Thanks,” you murmured, giving him a small, appreciative smile.

The living room was soon filled with the men, some lounging on the couches, others finding comfortable spots on the floor. Xiao sat nearby, his usually stern expression softened as he listened to the soft music that played on your record player.

Thoma and Cyno joined you on the couch, Thoma still drying his hair with a towel. “Today was fun,” Thoma said, his eyes sparkling with the remnants of the day’s excitement.

You hummed, taking another sip of your tea. “It really was. I’m glad we got to spend time together like this.”

Cyno smiled warmly. “We should do it more often. It’s good to take a break. And the games we played were fun as well.”

Before you could respond, the persistent buzzing of your phone pulled your attention away from the peaceful evening. You picked up your phone, noticing the flurry of notifications from friends reacting to your latest story.

Messages like

"Oh my gosh!! So pretty!" and "You didn't invite me?? :(" filled your lock screen. Some friends commented, "Looks like you had a lovely time, next time invite me xx" and "WOWW!! Who are those cuties??"

One particularly bold message read, "You gotta give me their number, mannn, they…" trailing off suggestively.

Smiling, you responded to each message, enjoying the interaction. You took a little more time replying to Elisa, your new friend who had recently joined your circle. Despite her outward friendliness, there was something about her that felt off, but you pushed that thought aside.

Perhaps she was just shy?

Her message read,

"Hey, saw your story! That looked like so much fun! Are you free tomorrow night? There's this amazing party my friends hosting at 8 PM, it's going to be epic and it lasts till the next morning. There will be plenty of boys and girls as well~ You should totally come!"

After a moment's hesitation, you replied,

"Hey Elisa! Thanks for the invite. That sounds fun! I think I'll come, no drinking though…"

Elisa's response was almost instant.

"Great! Can't wait to see you there! Wear something cute! If you can't find any I'll lend you mine, or I can help you piece 'em up together! Night!"

As you put your phone down, you couldn't help but feel excitement and slight unease about the party. "Everything okay?" Zhongli's calm voice broke your reverie. He had a knack for sensing your moods.

"Yeah, just got invited to a party tomorrow night," you replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Will you be going?" he asked, his eyes steady on yours.

"I think so," you said, smiling. "It might be nice to get out with my friends for a bit."

Zhongli nodded, though his gaze remained thoughtful. "Just be careful. Parties can be unpredictable."

Wriothesley, sitting nearby, chuckled. "We'll make sure you get there and back safely." You smiled gratefully at his words. "Aw, thank you! You guys are the best" Wriothesley let out a cough, looking away with a slight tint of red at the tip of his ears.

Suddenly the wall looked interesting.

The evening went on, the men gradually settled into a comfortable silence. Albedo and Kazuha were engrossed in a deep discussion about poetry and science as usual, while Kaeya and Itto exchanged playful banter, their laughter filling the room.

You found yourself gravitating towards the large window, looking out at the darkening sky. The stars were beginning to twinkle, and the moon cast a soft glow over everything.

Childe plopped down next to you, his usual boisterousness tempered by the day’s events. “You did good today, keeping everyone together,” he said, a hint of admiration in his voice.

You chuckled softly. “It’s not that hard when you have such great company.”

Childe grinned, his eyes twinkling at your words. “Still, it’s nice to see you enjoying yourself. You deserve it.”

The room gradually quieted as the tiredness caught up with everyone. Diluc suggested that everyone get some rest. “We’ve had a long day. Let’s all get some sleep,” he said, his tone gentle yet firm.

You nodded in agreement. “He’s right. We should all rest up.”

The men began to disperse, finding their respective sleeping spots. Some of them opted for the couches and floor cushions, while others made their way to the guest room or into your room.

Today, Baizhu and Lyney would be the (lucky) ones to sleep in your bed. They all made their way to your bed with Baizhu going first, you, and then Lyney. Settling in, you pulled the covers over you all, feeling snug as you immediately began to melt into your bed.

"Night guys," You yawned, sleeping on your side, closing your eyes as Thoma closed the lights and rolled the blinds down, the room fully dark now. "Good night." They responded all at different times, some had already fallen asleep.

"This week I can leave campus early, so I'll go buy some more mattresses for you guys okay" The men hummed in response. "Who's coming with you?" Wanderer asked because if you didn't have someone set in your mind, he called dibs.

You let out a sigh, thinking about your answer. "I'm not sure… anyone I guess."

"I call dibs." Wanderer quickly stated.

"Hey no fair! I was going to call dibs!" One said.

"I dibbed in my mind so I was the first one" Another said.

"It doesn't work like that, idiot!"

The house soon fell into a peaceful silence, the only sounds being the occasional rustle of blankets and the soft breathing of your companions.

But for some odd reason, you couldn't fall asleep despite how tired you felt (possibly might be because of the tea). You couldn't shake the nagging thought that… the joy you experienced might be the last time you would see them all.

You knew that they didn't belong in your world, that they would have to return one day, but in the back of your mind, you prayed that luck would be on your side. But the realization hit you like a punch to the gut, wondering what the future held for them all.

You knew better, you told yourself, "Don't get attached." but now? You could care less, even if would hurt you in the end. Instead, you chose to embrace the present moment, savouring every laugh, every smile, and every shared memory as if it were your last.

You closed your eyes, feeling the comfort of the day’s memories. Surrounded by the people you cared about, you let yourself drift off to sleep, knowing that no matter what, you were never alone.

taglist: @tomansimp @one-offmind @miitchiji @dainsleif-when-playable @momoewn @stygianoir @irethepotato @v4an @imetsk @fiannee @sunnyf4lls @goldenglow149 @rhwm @urlocalheizousimp @hexvx @saltlovetale-blog @backintomykpopphaseagain @toramune @oreo-ren @serenity-loves-red @flooofity @minteasketches @amiaaaaaq @lovelive-animequeen1029 @roseapov @yurassia @chellazhef @fulldoves @kateybuggi @wanderingconstellations @mini-shower @160ccm @rosariashield @sickize @sarah22447 @dreamlessnight @gimmealamp @bebeluvs @caramelstarlight @sukiidreams @oceanisty @achy-boo @alhaitie @dilucragnivindr-my-beloved @that-mom-friend @v-ish @merormerry @gojoulen03 @scarletttcroww @hadischara @kithewanderingme @keiqqo @livelaughlovekuni @chirikoheina @wr1t3rfum1k0 @issacdaholi @yu-ulda @alysinbshsu @vanilla-sweets @your-locoal-reblogging-kazoo @be-gay-do-crime-ahaha @seipaws @clavichordcleffa @uhhiwassup @youdontneedtoknowlol @the-lazy-perfectionist @isaacdakknight @lucienbarkbark @bizzybkd @lazy-panther @silverstarred @blughosts @deepobservationninja @chericia @paper--angel @gtxthatonegirl @meigalaxy @blurryperrtymoonlight @creativecupcake

(if the usernames aren’t highlighted that’s because I can’t tag you so I’ll dm you when I post a new chapter! if i forgot to tag you im so sorry!)

additional notes: i may not be able to see your comment to be added to the taglist for the earlier chapters (1, 2, 3, etc) so please hop in my inbox and tell me as it'll be easier for me! thanks for reading :)

liking + following + reblogs are greatly appreciated!!!

[delta-orionis]

How Big are Iterators?

One thing Rain World does very well is portraying a sense of scale when it comes to iterators. They're massive superstructures large enough to have entire cities built on their roofs, and their processes are literally so powerful that they alter the natural environment around them.

I think in-game they're kind of meant to be unknowably huge, especially since the player character is literally a small animal who can't possibly fathom an iterator's entire extent. Despite this, I decided to try and figure out exactly how big they are.

Just a warning, this post is a bit long. I really fell down a rabbit hole here.

In-Game Clues

Five Pebbles and Looks to the Moon are the only iterators that the player can explore, but they're so huge that it's impossible to see exactly how big they are from so close. The only glimpse we get is from atop the big tree in Outer Expanse, where Five Pebbles' superstructure can be seen in the distance.

He's so big that his entire can doesn't even fit on the screen.

(Ditto, minus the clouds)

With nothing else close by to compare him to, it's almost impossible to tell exactly how big he is from this image.

However, we can see the entirety of other iterator cans in the distance from atop The Wall.

Here's what they look like not obscured by clouds:

The Speculation Zone

I made some assumptions about iterators to make my calculations easier.

An iterator's can (the large rectangular section) is 2 times as wide as it is tall.

Their legs are 1/2 the height of their can.

Their can is half obscured by a relatively uniform cloud layer.

These assumptions might not be entirely accurate, but they make the math easier.

Cloud Layer Height

At first I was tempted to try and estimate iterator height based on the cloud layer surrounding them, but I made the mistake of assuming the cloud layer is made up of rain-bearing nimbostratus clouds (which can reach up to 5km in height). This would make them literally taller than Mt. Everest. Iterators are big, but I don't think they're that big. I think it's safer to assume that the cloud layer is made up of low-lying stratus clouds that form a thick fog.

The way iterator rain functions could be an entirely different discussion, but I personally think it's caused by a sudden expulsion of large quantities of hot water vapor which very quickly condenses into rain clouds. A topic for another time, maybe. The takeaway is that I think the weather created by iterators doesn't have a clear analogue to real life weather, and it's misguided to assume that they function the same way.

Skyscraper Height

One thing that iterators have that can be compared to real life, however, is cities.

The largest buildings in these cities can be seen at a distance.

This in-game iterator sprite is 122 pixels tall, and the tallest building visible is 20 pixels tall. This means the top of this iterator's can is 5.6 times as tall as the tallest building on its roof.

We can compare these skyscrapers to the largest buildings on Earth. This requires some additional assumptions:

While the civilization that built the iterators is likely able to create skyscrapers much taller than the ones humans have created, I'm going to assume that the ones visible here are comparable in size.

I'm also going to assume that these skyscrapers are residential buildings, built to fit a high population density on top of an iterator. The tallest buildings on Earth tend to have very tall antenna spires which add to their overall height but are not inhabitable. Residential skyscrapers tend to be significantly shorter, so I'm going to use them as a comparison rather than the tallest skyscrapers on Earth in general.

According to Wikipedia, the current tallest residential skyscrapers range from about 300 meters to 475 meters tall. I'm going to assume the one in-game is 400 meters tall, as a nice even number.

5.6(400m) = 2240m

This would make an iterator's height, from ground level to the top of their can, about 2240 meters (2.24 kilometers, 1.4 miles).

Here's a diagram comparing that to the heights of some of the tallest free-standing manmade structures:

And here's a size comparison between a typical iterator can and Mount Everest:

Smaller than a mountain, but still huge.

Conclusions

Based on these estimates, I think typical iterator cans are about 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) in height.

This would make iterators significantly taller than anything created by humans, but I personally think an advanced society like the one that created the iterators would have no problem creating a structure this tall. (They canonically created thousands of iterators, after all.)

This estimate is also much shorter than my misguided original calculation, which made them taller than an entire mountain. While I do think iterators are meant to be unfathomably huge, I don't think there would be enough material on the planet to feasibly create thousands of identical mountain-sized superstructures. The player is also able to ascend from the ground to the top of Five Pebbles in just a few cycles (if they're quick), and I think it's much more feasible for an animal like a slugcat to be able to ascend a height of ~2km in a couple of days than to climb up an entire mountain. But again, this is pure speculation.

I made a ton of assumptions and rounded a bunch of numbers, so I could be completely wrong. There's probably other ways you could try to estimate an iterator's height that I haven't explored here. Let me know what you think; I love hearing about other people's ideas and theories.

Thank you for reading!

[love-belle]

yeah my boyfriend's pretty cool !!!

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ in which they're living the childhood best friends to lovers trope.

or

for when you just can't help falling in love. ˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

social media au // charles leclerc x fem!reader

warnings - language

author's note - just had the most amazing idea for a daniel social media au omg!!! anyways i hope u like this i love you thank you for reading <3

≡;- ꒰ °instagram ꒱

liked by lewishamilton, carmenmmundt, charles_leclerc and 896,525 others

yourusername they say home is where the heart is

7,826 comments

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lilymhe chuckles knowingly

*liked by yourusername*

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charles_leclerc no surprise he had to cook considering you can't even make cereal

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≡;- ꒰ °instagram ꒱

liked by maxverstappen1, landonorris, yourusername and 936,685 others

charles_leclerc eyes like sinking ships on waters so inviting i almost jump in

8,627 comments

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*liked by charles_leclerc*

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yourusername charles is a swiftie confirmed ⁉️⁉️⁉️

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≡;- ꒰ °instagram ꒱

liked by f1wags_, chxrleslxclxrc, hearts4y/n and 78,637 others

paddock.news charles leclerc and y/n gasly spark dating rumors after "soft launching" simultaneously on various social media platforms. rumors have always surrounded the pair through the years, but this time we believe that they're not just rumors. they have also been spotted out on "dates" as y/n has been attending various grand prix to support her brothers and friend and now apparently, boyfriend. they've also been posting each other on their instagram stories a lot lately. neither of the parties have made a comment about this, though we are rooting for them. for more details, click on the link in our bio.

5,267 comments

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≡;- ꒰ °instagram ꒱

liked by yourusername, pierregasly, carmenmmundt and 892,915 others

charles_leclerc no i don't like the tshirt

tagged yourusername

8,156 comments

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*liked by charles_leclerc and lewishamilton*

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≡;- ꒰ °instagram ꒱

liked by lewishamilton, carmenmmundt, charles_leclerc and 916,628 others

yourusername yeah my boyfriend's pretty cool but he's not as cool as me argue in the comments

tagged charles_leclerc

comments are disabled for this post

[zaahvi]

a little breakdown of the new mural:

the context: this is part of a quest named "regrets of the dread wolf" in which rook uses a wolf statuette to "restore" this damaged mural in the lighthouse. it's referred to as a "regret" and seems to echo a memory linked to the events shown in the mural

"[Solas'] history, along with the history of the other elven gods, is baked into the Lighthouse, and you learn more and more about the threat you face as you unlock Solas' murals with various wolf statues. You even get to see some of his memories firsthand." [source with timestamp]

first, the imagery:

these "star" symbols are the same as on the "death of a titan" mural from trespasser, and even have similar halos. there are three visible in the circle here, which itself is cracked and there's a beam of light coming from above, sort of mirroring the titan mural:

it's interesting that the beam of light is coming from above, and is hitting the circle at the bottom, illuminating the outline; it seems like the light itself is what "cracked" the circle? there's also light shining from above, and elgar'nan is looking up at it, so... maybe it's the sun? the halos around the hands are also reminiscent of the left figure on the titan mural.

for triangle symbolism enjoyers... there are triangles around the light beam a little further up 👀

this is also our first look at mythal <3 she had dark hair and her headpiece is silver like flemeth's, a nice contrast to the golden crown elgar'nan has! they're like the sun and moon...

elgar'nan appears to have silver hair here, much lighter than the dark greyish he seems to have in-game. i'm thinking that either the blight darkened it, solas painted it differently, OR that the lighting that we've seen him in so far just hasn't shown off the colour properly. on his robes there is a sun pattern on his shoulder :) the bottom of the robes seem greenish and has patterns similar to the lyrium veins(?) on the titan mural above, and now that i look at them side by side... he kinda looks like the figure on the left, doesn't he?

solas with hair real!!! and he has his signature wolf pelt :) he's standing among some kneeling elves, and, notably, none of them have vallaslin.

these leafless trees - usually used as symbols of mythal - are almost framing the piece. the blue coming from the cracked circle is also interesting: solas rarely uses blue apart from his murals inside skyhold, so maybe it means something? it could be lyrium, or the titans' power?

the story:

remembering the context: this is one of solas' old memories, and a "regret" of his. looking at the imagery and pairing it with the dialogue seen, the events portrayed become clear:

Elgar'nan: They need strength. Mythal: And wisdom. Elgar'nan: They need gods who can protect them. Solas: We are not gods. You will learn that.

this is the evanuris first declaring themselves gods, seemingly after whatever war the elves fought; possibly with the titans, judging by the hints in these murals.

elgar'nan and mythal came first, which lines up with the dalish legends. i'm very curious if they were actually a couple or if they were just paired together in legends because they were the first gods (like how falon'din and dirthamen were paired as twin brothers in dalish tales but had no familial connection in elvhen lore). and from what they say... using "they" to refer to the elves rather than "you", implies this was a private conversation, which leads me to believe that they did originally intend to protect the elves. for instance, if they'd said "you need gods who can protect you", that's a whole other story which could be clearly interpreted as installing themselves as rulers in order to gain power and oppress the people. but this? the elves need strength, and wisdom, and protection? it's our first real clue that the evanuris were not always tyrannical, and that is just so interesting! i am very excited to see the story of how they became corrupted 👀

solas has an interesting line here also. using "we" instead of "you"... there's a popular theory that solas was a spirit of wisdom who was asked by mythal to join her, as implied by these lines from cole:

"He did not want a body. But she asked him to come. He left a scar when he burned her off his face." "Bare-faced but free, frolicking fighting, fierce. He wants to give wisdom, not orders."

so maybe solas was a general alongside the evanuris, and was clearly opposed to becoming a "god" like the rest of them. i find it interesting he doesn't have vallaslin on the mural here. the cole lines implied he had mythal's vallaslin, and i would've assumed he "burned it off" when he started his rebellion. the only thing i can think of is that the vallaslin may have originally acted as a spirit binding (like binding a spirit to a body) but if it could be removed then... idk.

finally, circling back that this is referred to as a "regret"... i suppose this is his regret of not having stopped them before everything that followed. and with regret mentioned as being one of the key themes of the game... aghh this is gonna be so good

[cremedensada]

Yandere fem demon who has been trying to tempt you to sinning. Dragging you to shops and boutiques, highly amused when you insist everything she's been trying to get you in has been pretty revealing.

Yandere demon who uses her body to further tempt you. A flirty look here, a lingering touch there - she's pulled out all the stops.

But why weren't you at the very least tempted? Why? Whywhywhywhywhywhywhy.

Yandere demon who, while busying herself with seducing a different human, finds herself cornered. It's fine, she's a demon anyway, she'll let these stupid humans think she's fragile and shit.

But you arrive just before she slits their throats - courageously demanding they leave her alone. Brave despite the croak in your voice, and the shaking of your hands. You successfully drew the assailants' interests, abandoning her in favor of you.

In a sudden surge of unnamed emotion, she uses her powers to kill the assailants swiftly before any of them could touch you.

Yandere demon who, cradled in your embrace, figures this is the time to get you. In a way, it's a perfect set up, isn't it? A damsel in distress (not really) being saved by a hero. It's only fair she rewards you for your deeds, right? Surely you would never turn down her offer.

Yandere demon who, before she can voice out her thanks, finds the words disappearing at the tip of her tongue. Looking at your terrified expression, panicked and blubbering out words of concern and apologies.

What were you apologizing for? You didn't know something like this would happen. She's used to this.

Yandere demon who gets stunned as you shouted in frustration when she voiced out her thoughts with nonchalance. Staring at you in awe and surprise as you, frustratedly, insisted how it's exactly the reason why you're sorry.

Why?

You know she's got a reputation, she's beautiful - of course that'll get people's attention. And some people aren't so nice with trying to get her attention on them.

You don't know she's a demon, or that she's befriended you just so she can doom you to sinning. But she did befriend you.

"I care about you. Do I need any more reasons to make sure you don't get hurt?"

A sudden spike in her heartbeat, a flush of her cheeks (demons are actually capable of blushing? Who knew - certainly not her). Touched by your declaration.

You have no clue what you've just made her feel.

Yandere demon who still takes you to boutiques, urging you to wear the clothes she picked out for you. They're less revealing now, but still stylish - which you appreciate. The clothes are nice, but you were never here for them anyway.

You aren't allowed to wear anything remotely revealing anymore. Not if she can help it. Every single inch of your skin is for her to see. Every single part of you is hers.

Constantly hanging around with you, arms linked and touching you. Your popularity spikes the more the two of you are seen together - simple cause and effect.

She kills the people showing open interest towards you - also simple cause and effect.

Yandere demon who abandoned her duties as a demon tempting mortals to sin, in favor of attending to you. For your affection. You care for her, remember? You made that declaration.

Yandere demon who, in a way, got her plans with you fulfilled. She's doomed you, as she intended. Not to eternal damnation - but to herself.

this is so all over the place but i needed to write her immediately. shes invading my thoughts get her out!!!!!

[thefatedthoughtofyou]

Was having some thoughts about Steve joining Hellfire. They are as follows.

I'm thinking maybe they start him off with smaller weekly oneshots. Unbeknownst to Steve they are also still meeting for their regular other campaign, he figures that out later. That Eddie's been writing one shots for him on top of his other bonkers story he's got going and Steve is like "oh 🥺".

BUTTT! during the one shots, all the kids have their moments of being RUDE to Steve. Mike is the worst (cuz I dislike him and his fucking attitude). But everytime one of them is rude to Steve, and it's like legit mean stuff, like them calling him stupid. Things like that. Steve usually kinda gets quiet. And then, whenever the kids do that, Eddie starts making notes in his notebook. Then whoever said the mean thing, their characters die.

Like, Mike gets the worst of it cuz he's just such an ass. But Eddie's got a SYSTEM in these notes okay!!! There are straight tallys, for actually hurtful mean things, there are wiggly tallys for things he can tell are meant to be teasing but that he can tell definitely still kinda hurt Steve a bit. And then there are stars. People get stars for helping Steve along the way.

Be that helping his characters, or just helping him with his math or helping him understand something about the game when Eddie is busy or "distracted". Cuz he legit always notices when people help Steve. Most of the time it's cuz he hears Steve's genuine thank yous. Lucas, and surprisingly Erica, have the most stars, aside from El. Max gets stars sometimes just for back talking Mike's rudes comments with shit like,

"mike what does it matter? we're all about to die anyway. That sphinx is gonna fucking eat us. Who cares. Leave him alone."

Because her and El have of course been invited too. But they've been playing just a LITTLE bit longer so they know a small amount more. El only has stars because she is legit always helpful. Steve has taken to sitting between El and Erica because they're the nicest to him. Lucas usually sits across from him.

Dustin has lots of wiggly tallys cuz he just can't control his mouth sometimes. But one day Mike gets brutally killed again and starts whining about it and Steve has noticed Eddie making little notes. Has no idea what they are. Cuz he doesn't look through other people's notebooks. Thats rude.

Everyone has noticed the notes. No one has asked. They all have theories. And when Eddie is like,

"I'm trying to teach you a lesson. Not my fault you aren't smart enough to figure out what it is." And his voice has such a BITCHY tone when he says it. Because Mike had JUST been hounding Steve for missing "obvious" clues and not being smart enough to figure it out and walking into a trap.

And steve had gone red from his ears all the way down his neck, he also felt bad cuz he'd gotten El's character hurt. And then Mike had been an ass. Steve was upset. So Eddie killed Mike. And then he's whining and Eddie's about to say something else when El speaks up, looks across the table with a scowl and says,

"just be nicer! It's not hard to be nice. Steve is our friend. Be nice to him." And she rolls her eyes at Mike, puts her hand on Steve's arm and is like,

"I will be fine. Will can heal me." And Will pipes up and is like,

"yeah. I can heal her no problem." But it's El's outburst that makes Steve kind of wonder more about the notes Eddie takes.

He'd never ask, and never look. But he stays behind one day to help Eddie clean up, they have weekly games at the community center.

So Steve's staying after and helping with chairs and tables and getting books and dice and things stored away and Eddie's notebook is RIGHT THERE. Open to the page he's always scribbling on. And Steve just sort of... stops. And looks at it. And it's everyone's names with tallys and marks and stars. Erica has wiggly marks AND stars. But mostly stars. Because she helps him with his math almost every game.

Also she "accidentally" let mike get hit with an attack in the game cuz he was being rude. El's is all stars and scrawled under them in Eddie's chicken scratch is,

"She's a literal angel oh my god."

So Steve's eyes are just wandering over this page and his brow is all creased and he doesn't hear Eddie come back until he says,

"figured out what's missing yet?" In that teasing sweet little voice he uses on Steve that makes him feel a little dizzy sometimes, give him butterflies in his stomach, and his whole body jerks and he looks up and Eddie's leaning casually against the wall near the door. And Steve immediately apologizes and Eddie laughs, shakes his head, walks closer. And is like,

"It's okay Steve. But you didn't answer my question." He licks his lips, steps closer. Steve looks back to the notebook for a second and then back to Eddie.

"My names not on there?" He asks, worrying his finger into the table top next to the notebook. And Eddie is nodding.

"Yup." And Steve's like,

"The tallys are about... me?" And he's frowning. But Eddie steps a bit closer, standing next to the table now. And he smiles, all shy and soft and is like,

"yeah Steve. They're about you. Got kinda tired of all the kids talking shit about you. And to you. So I came up with a system. Anyone says anything about you being stupid, I kill them." He grins, wide like the Cheshire cat and Steve feels kinda pinned down by it. Feels kinda hot all over.

"You didn't- have to do that. It's fine. It doesn't bother me. I mean I know I'm not smart." And he just shakes his head and looks at the ground and Eddie kinda slams his hand down on the table, startling him. He looks up and Eddie looks mad. Not at him. Just, mad.

"You're not though. Is the thing. I mean... you're incredibly good at strategy. I know you don't know enough about dnd yet to know this, but you've been a crucial part in winning like, the last three games." Eddie steps closer, his fingertips brushing the back of Steve's hand.

"You're not stupid. You're just smart in different ways." Eddie shrugs. Gives Steve a little lopsided smile.

"You think I'm smart?" He asks, biting his lip to stop the giddy smile that's threatening to spread. Eddie doesn't stop his smile, just lets it go, lets it dimple his cheeks and make Steve's knees weak. And he's like,

"yeah man. Just cuz some jumped up little tweens can't see it doesn't mean I can't. You're kinda hard to miss." He does bite his lip then, fingers playing with his hair, Steve knows he's trying not to hide behind it.

"I just uh-" Eddie clears his throat,

"I'm really petty. And protective. And it's ridiculous cuz you're not even mine but- I just- felt like I had to protect you. Or stick up for you. Or something? I dunno. Feels stupid now that I'm saying it out- oof!" Eddie huffs when Steve slams into him. Arms wrapped around his neck. He may or may not be crying into Eddie's hellfire shirt. But he gives Eddie a squeeze and then pulls back, looks at him, smiles and says,

"I am though." With a little shrug. And Eddie's like,

"you... are?" Confused. And Steve laughs, light and sweet and says,

"Yours. I am yours. If you'll have me. Or want me. Or- mmfph!" Steve's words end in a high pitched hum as Eddie's lips hit his. Just a firm press. His hand on Steve's cheek. He pulls back fast, pink in the cheeks.

"Sorry I just- if you let me have you, Steve. I may never let you go." He chuckles, giddy. Steve snorts, his head falling to Eddie's shoulder for a second before he looks at Eddie, cups his cheek genlty.

"Who says I want you to?" His brows jump, challenging. Eddie goes redder, down to his neck.

"Wanna try that kiss again?" Steve asks.

"God was is bad? I've never- I'm not... good. At that stuff." Eddie cringes. Steve cups both his cheeks until Eddie's wide eyes are staring at him, his cheeks a little squished.

"It wasn't bad. It was kind of perfectly you. But we can get you good at that stuff. You're a fast learner right?" Steve smirks, Eddie's eyes go impossibly wider as he nods aggressively, cheeks squishing even more.

"Yes, sir." Eddie mumbles between his squished lips. Steve nods, once and then moves forward, slowly, determined to show Eddie just how thankful he is for him. How thankful he is that Eddie sees him.

Petty.

And protective.

And Steve's.

[a-simple-imagine]

Bigender asian with pronoun fuckery

synopsis: you're a rising star at godu. just cracked the top ten but a budding relationship with jordan li may bring everything crumbling down

pairing: jordan li x fem!reader

words: 5.2k+

a/n - not sure how i feel about this but i am putting it out there. if this gets enough attention, I can work on another part that goes a little deeper?? I use all pronouns for Jordan but mainly they/them

WARNINGS - swearing and drug use

a groggy groan slips past your lips as you bury your face further into the gentle embrace of the pillow. it is early. too early. you have no clue what time it actually is but whatever the case may be, you weren't ready for the day to start just yet. it takes a moment to realise you're alone in this bed. you hadn't been when you fell asleep. it doesn't bother you too much though. they're probably just getting ready. that is until you hear a curse word muttered quietly; perhaps an attempt to not disturb you or maybe they just wanted to hide their frustration. "what are you doing?" your words half muttered into the pillow.

"rankings are out." that was it? rankings? you sometimes forget how competitive they can be. it's not like you're not interested. you've wanted that top spot since freshman year. alas, golden boy holds that spot and you'd never be a pretty blonde white boy if you tried. this semester you've been working extra hard. Everyone knows you're in the best chance of scoring a city contract if you can break the top ten but the seven? they want the best of the best. sure it's not impossible to be lower and also become part of the team, the deep managed it, but that was an anomaly. most supes just end up as walking advertisements for vought. and as much as you may enjoy the occasional acting class. you weren't here to end up on some CW show or a Netflix special. you were gonna make it into the seven. you were gonna prove to everyone that you are one of the best.

"who cares," you mumble, rolling onto your back and spreading your arms out wide.

"oh, so you don't care that you're now second."

"come back to bed." you urge. a silence seals the room until your brain catches up to what it just heard. did they say second? as in second place? as in one spot away from first? you didn't mishear that. sitting up, you eventually spy a feminine presenting Jordan sitting at her desk, illuminated by the blue glow of their tablet. their short bob falls to one side. a perfect backdrop for such a pretty face "Are you fucking with me?" they don't bother responding just shove the tablet out in your direction. grabbing it you see your school ID photo with a massive '#2' next to it. you blink a few times. scroll down a little. refresh the page. but again it's still there. it was real. "fuck"

"My thoughts exactly," Jordan reacts. you glimpse at them wondering what that comment means. it could merely be a jest or a reflection of their current mood. you take a moment to look at the rest of the list in search of their name. they were no longer top three. you found them sitting nicely at number five. double fuck. you had taken their spot. they're still top ten which most would be happy with but not Jordan. tossing the tablet aside, you drop back against the bed. letting your eyes fall closed. "we have class in like an hour."

"I don't need to go to class. I'm number two now," you press.

"not how that works," A dramatic groan falls past your lips, pulling the covers up over your head. bed sounded better than a morning lecture. you wish they would just join you or leave you be. "get out of my bed." Jordan huffs after a moment. "we're gonna be late." you don't move. you frankly don't care. "if you don't hurry up, no breakfast."

"fucks sake." you whine, emerging from beneath the darkness of the duvet. "fine. I'll let you buy me Jitterbean."

"thought so," they offer you a tight smile. you could never say no to a free treat before class. "chop-chop."

Drink in one hand, pastry in the other, you're feeling brighter as you stroll into class. Jordan trails behind you. they'd been usually quiet on the walk over. you put it down to all the attention you were attracting today. couldn't even walk across campus without people asking for pictures or saying hi. you weren't sure you liked it just yet but for right now it was fine. when you spot cate you offer a scrunched up smile which she quickly returns. you and cate had been friends since day one. something just clicked. "there she is," cate starts as you approach your usual spot in class. "the girl of the hour. you're literally all anyone can talk about."

"aren't i always," you tease.

"we're going out tonight"

"are you asking-" you begin as Dean Shetty strides into the room. guess brink was out today. "or telling me?"

"telling," cate's smile quirks up before she turns to focus on the class. guess that was the end of that conversation.

you linger by your desk as everyone else filters out of the room after class. Dean Shetty requested a word. you can't imagine what it's about. surely she isn't that bothered by your attempts at chatting through her lecture. you offer up an awkward little smile as you push off the desk you were leaning against; slowly making you way across the room. "so what have I done wrong?"

"you mean other than talking through the entire class," you internally cringe a little. maybe she was bothered by all the whispering. she watches you for a moment before continuing. "it is nothing like that. don't worry."

"then why am I here?"

"I just thought we should have a little chat." your brow furrows. what did you and the dean of an entire university have to discuss? was this about your ranking? was she about to tell you there had been a mistake? "I believe congratulations are in order- such an extensive jump in ranking, you must be proud."

this felt like a conversation that could have been an email. "sure. thanks." you shrug. you're not really sure what to say. of course, you're proud. you were the second highest ranked student in a school of exceptional kids. "is that all?"

"no," her head shakes a little. I wanted to make sure you understand the gravity of the position you're in." when you don't respond she decides to just continue. "being a superhero is about more than just your abilities. it's also about how you present yourself. people care about you. they wanna know what you're doing. who you're hanging out with. One minute you're taking a picture with a nice girl you met at a party the next you're fighting nazi allegations for hanging out with a white supremacist. do you get what I'm saying?"

you shrug. "don't hang out with nazis, got it."

"I'm saying you need to look at yourself more like a brand. Be careful about what you say and who you spend your time with. you're the sum of the people around you."

"I know. I took branding." everyone knew how this worked. being a good person only took you so far and if homelander was anything to go off, that doesn't even matter that much. it's all about how you market yourself. it's about how many followers you have. how much attention you can get. inevitably, how much money can you make for Vought? Dean Shetty smiles but it doesn't quite reach her eyes.

"you do want to be number one, correct?" you nod a little. "I want to help you get to the top but only if you wanna help yourself."

"what about Luke?"

"he is far from my concern right now." what did that even mean? "so?"

you hesitate. you did want this but you weren't entirely sure what you were agreeing to here. If Dean Shetty can help you secure first place though, maybe it was worth the risk. she was an expert here. should you even bother questioning why the sudden interest in you? "I want this."

"Good," her smile seemed more genuine now. "I know you can go far, just keep in mind what I said."

"I will," you start edging towards the stuff you left on your desk. "thanks."

"also try listening during lectures. I'm sure you and Miss Dunlap can talk some other time."

"Sorry." with that you practically run out of the classroom before she can continue talking.

it's a particularly chilly night smushed in the back seat of an old car. bright lights zoom past the window and music blasts through the speakers. you're not really paying attention to the noise around you. it's a mess of meaningless conversation. Dean Shetty's words play over in your head. She certainly would not approve of this little venture out into the night past curfew; what she didn't know couldn't hurt her. Jordan eventually pulls your attention; in his hand, he holds two small red pills. you don't really question it before popping one into your mouth. a second for later. tonight was gonna be fun or if nothing else you can abuse enough substances to pretend. the secret location is just a massive warehouse. on the outside, you'd think it any old thing. inside you find massive tanks of rainbow fish, long sweeping curtains, jester-themed masquerade masks and other eccentric decor. it is the most random selection and yet it works so well. creates the perfect balance of sexy and mysterious but inviting. you find yourself in a booth with your friends all around. "so how's being number two going for ya?" Andre asks. "feeling the pressure yet?"

"I don't know," you shrug. "people are weird."

"what do you mean?" Luke questions.

"Dean Shetty said some things to me after class."

"-I come bearing gifts." Jordan appears, now in their feminine form with a couple of drinks followed by Marie. "courtesy of the young gentleman at the bar."

"What did Dean Shetty say?"

"it doesn't matter." you shrug it off. "two will never be one right."

"has it not hit yet?" Jordan wonders.

"i know what it's like to suddenly have all this pressure on you but try not to think about it much," Luke reassures you. "just keep doing what you're doing. you've got this."

"my guy. you're supposed to be happy here," Andre leans forward slapping his hand against your leg. "we're out here celebrating you, dude. cheer up."

"I'm plenty happy," you grumble sinking further into your seat. you appreciate their attempt to cheer you up but it's honestly not needed. you're happy to be in second place even with all the newly founded pressure; just a little confused about what was expected of you. "ecstatic even. let's talk about something else."

your head feels fuzzy. nothing feels real anymore. but it's good. great even. you feel so fucking good. like you've rid yourself of every lingering thought that wrapped itself around your body. you're light. you're free. the shimmering blue of the giant fish tanks is so mesmerising; you almost want to climb in but instead, you watch. colours morphing and shifting before your eyes. back and forth. back and forth. you jump a little as something touches your shoulder. "here you are." their words seem distant; muffled even. "you good?" you nod a little continuing to stare at the fish. two hands slip around your waist and connect in front. you feel their body press into yours from behind. you know it's Jordan. you know they're masc. You know them well. their smokey cologne. the way their body feels around you. the subtle differences between both forms. taller. bigger. firm. you let out a content hum. it's a rarity for such open affection. "what are you doing?" whispered in your ear.

"Just watching the fish,"

"why?"

"do you ever wonder what it would be like to be a fish?" you wonder softly. "to just swim around all day without a care in the world… no complex family systems. no pressure to be the best. just… swimming and pretty colours." their chuckle is temperate. affectionate. it almost seems like they somehow get closer.

"you're fucked, huh?"

"I'm good. I'm great," you respond. they just chuckle again, planting a soft kiss on your shoulder. your relationship with Jordan was hardly one of romance. you have slept together. a few times actually. and some kind of feelings are there; at least for you there are but you're not dating. you're just… having fun. maybe you want more. who knows? you don't. would they even want more? probably not. you'd like it. maybe. doesn't matter. they make you feel warm. safe even. and that's all that really matters.

"shall we get you a drink?" you nod a little. "yeah?"

"yeah," you repeat nodding more eagerly. a dopey smile settling on your lips as you let your head fall back; nuzzling against him. "something fruity, please."

"let's get you something fruity," arms vacate your waist replaced with a hand in yours.

"bye fishies," you throw a wave back. "say bye Jordan."

"Absolutely not." they interlock your fingers before leading the way back into the turbulent crowd of the club.

"you're no fun." you groan playfully. weaving through the mass of people back towards the bar, you come across cate. as you approach, Jordan let's go.

"you found her then," shouted over the heavy bass and mess of voices.

"she was alone staring at the fish tanks," they respond.

"the fish were really pretty," you contribute with a bright smile.

"you gotta stop running off, silly."

"but the fishies-"

"I know they're pretty but still," cate continues. "do you wanna come dance?"

"hmmm… yes." you respond brightly. "jordan's gonna get me a drink. jordan get cate one too."

"yeah Jordan, get cate one too." cate repeats playfully. her hand slides into yours and she pulls you towards the dance floor. it's a lot of blurred colours as you sway and move alongside the blonde. she wears a playful smile and smells so good. really sweet. like freshly baked cookies. "are you good?"

"mhmm,"

"you sure?" it's so loud out here. there are so many people around you. it's hard to pick up what is being said.

"I am so good, cate," you respond loudly. "I mean definitely fucked but yeah. are you good?"

"yeah," she nods. "I'm-" the rest of her sentence is impossible to comprehend.

"what?"

cate places her hands on your shoulders bringing you to a stop as she leans in extra close. "i said i'm proud of you."

"you're starting to sound like my mom," you joke. she playfully hits your arm. "but thank you."

"i think you could actually take luke's spot."

"i definitely can." you declare proudly. "dean shetty offered to help."

"really?" cate seems shocked by the idea. "why?"

you shrug. "i'm gonna be in the seven one day." you yell loudly. nobody cares. everyone is being loud. it'd drowned out by everything else. cate stares at you for a moment before letting her smile return.

"fuck yeah, you are," cate shouts. your smile brightens. fuck yeah, you are.

your head pounds with the weight of your bad decisions. maybe you went a little too hard. Nausea settles deep in the pit of your stomach. you think you're gonna throw up. you don't. you breathe deeply through it. a long groan forces its way past your lips as you roll onto your back; stretching out your limbs as far as they go to very little relief. A pain radiates from your left leg. god only knows why. you're just a little achy. how did you even get here? the last thing you remember is dancing with Cate; having fun.

"she's alive," the voice catches you off guard. it sounds like… wait. your eyes finally focus on the person in the room who definitely wasn't your roommate. that black hair. that pretty face. the effortless expression of too cool to be here. jordan li is still in the exact same outfit as last night. why were they here? "how's our newest celebrity?"

there were many ways you could answer but your brain could only come up with. "shitty."

"I bet," they approach the end of your bed, holding out a glass of water. "here."

you slowly push yourself up into a seated position. trying desperately to ignore the intense pressure building in your head. "why are you here?" you ask, accepting the glass and taking a long, big gulp.

"Jordan stayed all night," your roommate, Beth, interjects. By her tone, she was not happy with your newfound company. "would have been nice to know."

"I'm allowed to have people in our room, Beth." you hand the glass back to Jordan before falling back down against the bed. rubbing your eyes with your thumb and forefinger. "I wanna die."

"tell me next time." Beth continues to argue. "instead I wake up to a stranger in our room."

you groan loudly. this was too much talking for your poor delicate head to handle right now. "I'm right here, guys," Jordan insists. "I literally spoke to you last night."

"I'm making a point." your roommate argues. "I'd like a heads up."

"gooooood! okay- sorry," you groan. you really don't care this much

"Okay, well, I gotta go," Jordan hums. "wasn't supposed to stay this long just wanted to make sure you're cool."

"I'm fine. go," you wave a dismissive hand as your eyes flutter close. "thanks for getting me home."

"any time," their weight leaves the bed and you roll onto your side to face the wall. pulling the duvet closer around your body. "I'll text you- bye Beth."

"bye Jordan." you hear the door click and an uncomfortable silence fills the room. it's preferable to the loud conversation that just happened. it's a relief to your head. you just want to go back to sleep. "they must really like you."

urgh. you don't want to talk anymore. "yeah, jordans cool."

"no, I mean, they like you," Beth continues on. you bury yourself further into your cocoon of pillows and duvet. "stayed the whole night just to keep an eye on you. I said it was fine- you'd be fine but they insisted."

Jordan insisted? just how fucked up were you that Jordan li of all people would stay the night just to make sure you were okay? you guys were good friends but most of the time they were either bullying you or treating you like a child which is like a subset of bullying you. you remember them wrapping their arms around you as you watched the fish last night. you've seen Jordan's softer side obviously but yeah. "we're just friends, dude."

"All I know is that Jordan li, as far as I've seen and heard, would not do that for just anyone. they're into you."

"sure. fine. whatever." you growl. you just wanted this conversation to end. Jordan was cool but if you think about this for too long your head is gonna explode. right now, sleep was what you needed. "Jordan Li is in love with me. I'm going back to sleep." it's hard not to think about what Beth suggested. that Jordan was into you as more than just a friend and occasionally fuck buddy. is that something you should talk about? What if Beth was wrong and you bring it up and it makes things super weird? you can't handle that. you have like a million classes together, you would never be able to escape them.

it was a bright sunny day in the quad of Godolkin University. you sit in the courtyard. a laptop, criminology textbooks and a water bottle spread across the table. you have an essay due in a few days. you had sat down to work on this essay multiple times with a beautiful blank document and many hours on TikTok to show for it. "hey," your TikTok time is interrupted by none other than Jordan Li. you had not seen them since that night or morning. you hadn't really spoken either. you weren't avoiding them by any means. you were just busy and they hadn't seemed too eager to talk so. "hey," they say after a moment. "how's the essay going?"

"so great," you flash a smile. "I've written so much."

"that good, huh," they joke awkwardly taking a sip of their coffee. you just hum in response. you need to get this done. no time to add Jordan to the list of distractions. after a few moments of silence, they speak up again. "I was hoping we could talk

"Can this wait? I really need to get this done."

"I guess…" Jordan trailed off. you look at him for a moment. he seems disheartened by your request.

"what's up?"

"it… doesn't matter. don't worry." a small smile settles on their lips. "I should go."

"you sure?"

Jordan pushes up from their seat. "I'll see you later."

that was weird. definitely something you need to come back to later when you're not working on a deadline. for now, you had an essay to, at the very least, start.

"Have you spoken to Jordan recently?" you ask Cate as you slide into a booth at the on-campus Vought - a - burger. the smell of deep-fried food hangs heavy in the air and you know damn well this table is probably gonna be sticky as hell. "I feel like they're ignoring me."

"What makes you think that?"

"the fact that they're quite literally ignoring me. I've text them a couple times and nothing. even in class, they can hardly look at me." you reach into the bag to pull out the food; placing it on napkins in front of you. cate hands you your drink in exchange for her order. "I feel bad. they tried to talk to me the other day but I wanted to get my essay done."

"they've seemed fine to me but I've been working on a project for my hero management class." Cate shrugs. "is this about what happened the other night?"

"what happened the other night?" you questioned, popping a fry into your mouth. it actually tasted fresh and salty; guess you came at the correct time. you hate it when they're all soggy.

"I don't know if it's my place to say- you were pretty high."

"did I do something… bad?" you didn't remember that night but you never imagined you would ever do something inappropriate.

"no. not bad." you can tell she regrets bringing this up; whatever this is. torn between wanting to help and not overstepping boundaries. She is about to continue when two girls approach the table. freshmen you presume. you've never seen them before.

"Can we get a selfie?" the taller of the two requests. you frown a little.

"we're actually trying to have a private con-"

"it'll just take a minute," they turn around and hold the camera out, snapping a picture before you have a chance to react. "thanks." they scurry off almost immediately. you'll probably find yourself tagged in a picture on Instagram later. it had been happening a lot recently; so much so that you had to turn notifications off.

"the fuck?" you share a confused look with Cate. "people are so rude."

"they're just excited. you're basically a celebrity to them," Cate chuckles.

"do you think Jordan hates me now?" you wonder bringing the conversation back to Li.

"it's probably just because of the rankings."

"you mean because I took their spot?"

"Jordan has always been pretty intense when it came to rankings. they've wanted that top spot for as long as I've known them." Cate explains, hiding her mouth as she shoves more food into her mouth. "must suck that you just jumped to two and have the dean in your corner no less." you never really considered how Jordan must be handling all this. you knew they'd be a little upset but this seemed extreme.

"I never really thought about that," you sigh softly. "should I apologise?"

"I don't know," Cate resumes, biting the head off some fries. "if you think it'd help."

"I don't know why they didn't just tell me that when we first found out," you frown a little. "they were a little distant but they seemed cool when we went out."

"maybe you should just try talking to them," Cate suggests, picking up her drink. She takes a swift sip before continuing. "if it's about rankings or the other night- I don't know. only Jordan does."

"what happened the other night?" you ask again.

"ask Jordan."

"I'm asking you, Cate."

"you were just a lot and said some things."

"Cate!" you huff, falling back. you know Cate well. you know when she's avoiding something. "I know you're being cryptic so I give up on it."

"it's just not my place. it's between you and Jordan. I don't wanna get in the middle." Cate presses sharply. "did you get your essay done?"

"no," you shake your head. "I ended up getting an extension- how am I supposed to speak to them when they're ignoring me?"

"i don't know- can we please talk about something else?" Cate pleads.

"Sure," you hum softly. taking another fry you dip it into some sauce. "let's talk about how I'm about to fail criminology."

you text Jordan that you're coming over. It wasn't a question but a statement. no option to refuse. you needed to sort this out and being direct was the best approach. did every inch of your body buzz with anxiety as you made your way towards their dorm room? yes. but it beat constantly thinking about every little interaction you had with Jordan in the past week trying to figure out exactly what you had done wrong. the only blank spot was that night and Cate had unintentionally convinced you that you had done something absolutely awful. maybe you told them you hate them or invalidated their identity in some way? fuck. you swallow hard staring at their closed door. you shake out the nerves before knocking. knock. knock. knock. and the door swings open to reveal Jordan. "hey," they hum before retreating into the safety of their dorm. shutting the door behind you, you step inside the all too familiar space; you had been here a great many times and yet today there was a weird vibe. it felt foreign. cold even. "so what did you wanna talk about?" for a split second you almost forgot why you were here. you turn to Jordan who is sitting on the couch, a laptop thrown off to the side now. your eyes fall to the homelander Vought-a-burger toy that has somehow become a staple of this room. leader of the seven. currently facing major allegations. "you good?"

"Are you mad at me?" you blurt out. "is it about the rankings? I know they mean a lot to you and I basically took your spot so I get it if you're mad. it's a little unfair because I've always wanted this too but like I get it." your rambling but you can't help yourself. you need to get this all out as quickly as possible before your brain catches on and you chicken out. "And I'm sorry about the other day, I just really needed to get my essay done. I ended up getting an extension because I was so stressed out about it, I just couldn't start." you can't bring yourself to look at them. "or if I did something shitty on that night out. I'm sorry. it was fucked-"

"whoa dude, chill out," Jordan ultimately interrupts. "you're talking a lot." you dare a glance at them. their face is pretty neutral so you have no clue what was going on in their head. "what are you even asking?"

"why are you avoiding me?" you ask. "I've clearly done something wrong."

a heavy sigh leaves their lips as they fall back against the plush fabric. "I'll admit I was a little annoyed with the rankings at first but I'm working on it. this is like a really big deal for you."

"so you're not mad at me?" you sound so pathetic. an even bigger sigh leaves their lips. you're not sure what that means but nobody sighs that heavily for good reason. they push to their feet, crossing the room towards you.

"I'm not mad at you," they say softly as they approach. for a second they hold your gaze as they linger close but then they flicker away. "I'm just… confused."

"About what?" they take a step closer. so close. too close. their hot breath pricks at your skin but you don't dare move away. you almost feel drawn to them.

"Is this okay?" they say quietly.

"Are you only doing this so we'll stop talking about it?" their head shakes just a little.

"no," their hand graces over your neck and up to the bottom of your jaw. Their thumb gently brushes your skin, sending a chill down your spine. there would always be something about Jordan Li that made you melt inside. when they're here and so close, you almost forget all your worries. the way they look at you. like you're the only person in the world. a feather-like embrace is enough to send you spinning. "I don't think I can just be your friend anymore," whispered against your lips. "I… like you too." they pull back.

"Jordan,"

"I need you to say it- I need you to say it sober so I don't feel like a fucking idiot," say it sober? when did you say it in the first place? maybe this was what Cate was talking about. the thing you couldn't remember. you admitted to having feelings for Jordan. fuck.

"I…" you trail off, the words are caught in your throat. this is gonna change everything?

"It's cool," they declare loudly, letting their hand fall as they away. "I get it."

"no Jordan-"

"no it's fine. you were fucked. it didn't mean anything- I shouldn't have said anything."

"Jordan," you say louder, reaching out for their hand. a deep regret fills your stomach. you liked Jordan. they meant a lot to you and you were throwing it all away because you were scared; terrified even. if this doesn't work out then you ruin everything. there's no coming back from this.

"don't," they yank their hand away. "please don't. I don't want your pity."

"It's not pity."

"I don't get you." they huff. "you're all over me and then you want nothing to do with me. you tell everyone you like me but then… nothing? it's… confusing-"

"Jordan just- stop please," you say loudly. "I… like you, okay?"

"don't say things you don't mean."

"I mean it," you say a tad more confidently. "I like you." you try to reach for them again. they let you take their hand. " i don't know what it means exactly but I do… like you… too." you squeeze their hand slightly. it's warm and fits so perfectly in yours. they turn back to you with a smile. a small genuine smile that fills you with butterflies. they really did mean so much to you.

"so… now what?" they ask.

"I don't know." you pursed your lips, shrugging your shoulders. "but I do have to go."

"Seriously?"

"I have a meeting with Dean Shetty." you express. "I'm sorry. She wants me at some dinner so."

[yayakoishii]

Lucky Bastard | Kalego x Reader

Fandom: Mairimashita! Iruma-kun

Pairing: Naberius Kalego x Fem! Reader

Word Count: 1.4k

Genre/Tags: Plotless, Silly, Fluff? Crack?

Summary: It's your birthday and the class just found out that you have a husband. Who is the lucky bastard?

A/n: this was absolutely random. it has like, no plot, no purpose, just me writing a short silly fic abt teachers who are married and haven't told the students !! such a fun trope ;; I'm like, 3 eps away from finishing the anime's season 3, but this fic is spoiler free!! hope you enjoy this <3

also available on ao3!

You hummed happily under your breath as the students filed in for their lecture. You were one of the most friendly and popular teachers at Babyls because you were approachable and kind. All the students always greet you happily and strike up conversations without hesitation.

"Good morning, (y/n)-sensei!" Elizabetta said cheerfully as she passed by your desk. You wished her back but she paused and instead looked at you with wide eyes. "You look really happy, sensei! Did something good happen?"

"Not quite," you answered, giving her a warm smile. "You could say it hasn't happened yet, I suppose."

"So something good is going to happen?" Lied said from behind Elizabetta. Everyone was in the class already and they all seemed curious about your unusually happy and excited state.

"It's not all that interesting to you guys," you waved it off and gestured to the two to go sit on their seats.

"But I'm curious about what's got you so happy too, sensei," Iruma added. Everyone around was nodding so you just sighed and gave them a tiny smile.

"If I answer your question, will you all be good students and pay attention?" You asked. A chorus of incoherent affirmations echoed and you shushed them. "Alright, alright. It's just that today is my birthday–"

"It's your birthday?!"

"Sensei, you should have told us!"

"We'd have got you a gift!"

"No need for that," you sighed but felt touched nonetheless. "As I was saying, since it's my birthday, the principal let me have the rest of the day free the moment my lectures end so I'm going on a date with my husband. It's been months since we got to go on one, y'know."

There was pin drop silence surprisingly. You blinked and then there were shouts and screams. The class had no clue that you were married! You had somehow let it slip by them without them even realising.

"Calm down, calm down!" You shushed them again. Thankfully they listened and you picked up your book. "Alright now, that's enough about me. You come to school to learn and gain knowledge."

"We just learned something new about you, though, sensei!"

"This is important knowledge too."

"It really isn't," you laughed and opened the textbook to the page you had stopped at last time. "Now. Last lecture, we were discussing the importance of pronunciation when casting spells…"

You started the lecture, unknowing of the commotion you had accidentally also started. Everyone's favourite teacher was married and had a husband? The news spread like wildfire amongst the first years and by the end of the lunch break, everyone was talking about what your husband might be like. The senior students already knew who your husband was but it was always fun to watch the freshmen try to figure it out.

"He has to be a really nice and sweet person to be married to (y/n)-sensei, right?" Kerori suggested. "She wouldn't like someone who is unkind and rude…"

"What if her type is a bad boy though?" One of the boys butted in.

"Can you even imagine that?"

Everyone silently thought over it and decided that Kerori was probably right.

"Whatever he's like, isn't it super romantic?" Elizabetta squealed lightly, hiding her cheeks under her hands. "They're married but she was so excited to go on a date with him! They must be so in love."

"He's one lucky bastard," Lied said, clutching at his chest dramatically.

"Yeah," Clara chimed in, looking jealous. "He gets to play with (y/n)-sensei all the time!"

"Um, guys," Iruma laughed nervously. Everyone looked at him. "Weren't we going to get her a gift?"

Oh.

They forgot all about that.

•

Kalego didn't know what was going on but he could tell that his class was up to something. They were all fidgety and not paying attention (although, that wasn't rare or even surprising) and he could still hear incomprehensible murmurs. They usually did a better job of hiding their conversations too. Something was definitely up.

When the bell rang, a few of them automatically sprang up but Kalego didn't even blink and glared at them.

"Sit down," he said sharply. "We'll have ten minutes more of class time since you all displayed such great concentration today."

The class collectively groaned and started complaining. The purple haired demon crossed his arms over his chest and gave them his meanest look.

"I could have held you back for a whole hour but I have something to do today," he said calmly. "Be grateful it's only ten minutes, you idiots."

"But (y/n)-sensei will be gone by then!" Lied complained. Kalego paused and raised an eyebrow at him.

"And what do you need her for?" He asked, looking even more eviller than usual. Lied shivered and instinctively hid behind Jazz, who just laughed nervously.

"Don't you know, sensei?" Elizabetta tilted her head in question.

"It's her birthday today!" Clara jumped on the spot, vibrating from the desire to escape the classroom. Kalego just stared at them all so the class decided to continue.

"We made her a gift!" Goemon produced a big box wrapped in paper of your favourite colour.

"She will be leaving now," Jazz added. "If we don't give her this now, she'll be gone before we can do it."

"Please, Kalego-sensei," Iruma pleaded, giving his best puppy eyes. Kalego humphed and looked away. He was about to say something when a familiar voice could be heard from outside the classroom.

"Kalego, are you done, dar– Oh!"

You were standing at the doorway, wearing a cute outfit. Surprised by the students inside, you gave them a small smile.

"I'm sorry, is the class not over yet?" You asked Kalego. "I didn't interrupt, did I?"

Everyone turned to look at Kalego who just glared at you then sighed.

"No, we're done," he answered. Everyone cheered and immediately pounced on you, who startled at the sudden enthusiasm as they pushed a big gift in your hands.

"What's this?" You asked, surprised. You hadn't actually expected them to get you a gift so quickly.

"It's something we made for you, sensei," Iruma smiled up at you. Your chest felt warm as you looked at the students who were all beaming and singing happy birthday to you.

"Happy birthday to you~!"

"You're all very sweet," you told them when they finished, ruffling Clara's hair. "Thank you for the gift."

"Anything for our favourite teacher!"

That made you laugh. You were totally going to tease Kalego with this later.

"You look really beautiful, sensei!" Elizabetta beamed. Your eyes softened at her compliment.

"Thank you, I'm sure my husband thought the same when he bought it for me," you smiled down shyly at the outfit. The girls started giggling and awwing over your blush and it only embarrassed you more, considering you could feel Kalego's intense stare over your figure. "Ah, I have to leave now. Kalego?"

"Ready," he popped up next to you and you tightened your arm around the gift as you smiled gently at him. "Let's stop by the dorms first so you can drop your gift off."

"Ah, sure," you nodded. The two of you started walking out. "I'm sure this has nothing to do with the fact that you totally forgot an outfit to change into."

The class watched you two leave, happy from the success of giving you the gift in time. Until…

"Wasn't she going to go on a date with her husband after the lectures?" Lied mumbled.

"Why would Kalego-sensei need to change his clothes?" Kamui asked.

"Why did she come here first?"

"Didn't Kalego-sensei say that he had something to do today?" Even Alice couldn't help but add on to the conversation.

The class looked at each other. There were no words to describe the shock, horror and disbelief they were feeling.

"There's no way."

"We're just jumping to conclusions," Jazz insisted.

"Yeah, there's no way she would ever like someone like him, much less marry…"

Even as they tried to deny it, suddenly all the interactions between you and Kalego made sense. The way you always hung around him. The way you always smiled so warmly when you were talking to him. The way Kalego's rare soft smile had been that one time when you had been laughing too hard at a student's submission (which Jazz had reported after witnessing it in the staffroom).

The way Kalego always glared harder when the class talked about you.

"He's totally the jealous and possessive type, isn't he?" Jazz sighed, placing his fingers at his temple.

"I can't believe this."

"Does that mean I was right? (Y/n)-sensei likes bad boys?"

Everyone resigned themselves to the knowledge they had just received. After all, denial would not change reality. Their favourite, kind teacher was married to their sadistic class teacher. Lied burst into tears as he cried:

"Kalego-sensei turned out to be the lucky bastard!"

°•❀•°

all likes, comments and reblogs are appreciated! ♡

[bi-badass-geek]

Hades 1 vs Hades 2 Designs

● Hermes besides Hypnos was first character that made me think when i saw him oh some time has passed since Zag's escapes indeed, makes you feel that time skip. In this particular debate between those i'm really digging both but if needed to say which i prefer would go with second. I feel it should be said he sure rolls nicely with longer hair i would say darker outfit too but that's probably because pallet that's used for levels.

Ps. I saw post that mentioned how his ring is the same as ones Charon is wearing in first game and if it's a hint at something i'm here for it!

● Zeus for this god specifically there is discourse about how his pose is less dynamic and oh boy if i don't agree with that so much. In first game you see him and his look makes you think yeah this is the king of gods while in second game man is just there with posture i take often because i'm useless gay that don't know what to do with my hands and feels like they took all this might and put it into chiseling his nipples & abs into his golden chestplate. Not to mention the detail of missing the iconic bolt! Don't think it needs to be said but 100% would pick Hades 1 design out of those options.

● Poseidon the King of the Sea another example in my humble opinion where they went with flattening that dynamic looks exchanging it for man that just standing there chilling which is good for him but where first screams cool uncle second one goes uncle that wants retirement. I really like how we can see the trident now tho and need to point out his outfit sure got more print on it. When it comes down to pointing out which one is the winner in my eyes it would be 2020 one.

● Aphrodite if she wasn't the one that got thrown into drama because people double standards and hypocrisy. Design from first game and the pose straight up makes you think of love, lust, seduction all the things that are associated with said goddess. As for Hades 2 version i have no clue why it feels like this considering it's actually the opposite because we can see armor on her legs now but she feels less covered for me, do i find it negative or in any way problematic? Not one bit let the woman show off all her assets all day long! Really love the adds of her weapon and shield makes you immerse in the store of oh fights are happening around these parts. From seduction to i stand here at the ready kinda vibe and i'm really digging it.

Ps. Another post i read was about fact that her war paint i will call it (not 100% sure if that is it or just line for the giggles) is reference to Ares and considering her myth i really like that touch!

● Hypnos was the first OG i saw and was like man not only catching up on his sleep but also got such glow up i absolutely adore the design. Not to say he looked bad in Hades 1 but there it was like okay nice to Hades 2 like Damnnn and his lil helpers that keeps him up! Love the fact that of all things they made him be tucked into his cape like burrito.

Ps. I really do hope by the end of the game we get to wake him up so he can try out that nectar that we all leave there waiting.

● Chaos so many things to say and at the same time silence says it all. Seen people focusing on fact some out there call them he or how it's a downgrade from previous but don't even elaborate why they think that because everyone has right to have their own preference but at least put it into words instead of going trash next..there was also notion how they resemble Meg and while i see where people get that idea from for sure before reading that my mind didn't went there at all. I think both designs really work with someone who is primordial originator and how time goes so can their form. I find it very fascinating that they put old skeleton with new one and adore galaxy under suit makes me think of Nyx right away and how they're connected. Can totally see how between those two gamers got major stance that left reminds them more of male and right of female beings but at the end of the it chaos is chaos. Gotta take chair routine from Meg while they at it! The face on the shoulder surely throws me in loop tho fits? Sure. Does it disturb me in micro scale? Yes. About frames and poses don't have much to say cause both caption the essence of i mind my business everything unrelevant until i say so.

Ps. I know it's about physical aspect but let me say Chaos roasting Mel about how her brother is amusing one out of two Hades spawns is living rent free in my brain.

[cuttergauthier]

Fresh Start

Jack Hughes x Female Edwards Reader

Warning: cussing, fluff

word count: 1.0k

let me know what you guys think🤍

I was starting my last year of University, I used to go to the University of Michigan but after a bad break up I ended up transferring to Columbia University. 

Columbia university is only a few minutes from Jersey, the team my brother was drafted by. My younger brother and I are pretty close, I could have stayed in Michigan and spent my last year with him there, but I needed a change, and to be somewhere I wouldn't run into my ex.

My brother will be in Jersey in a few years and I can't wait.

Since my brother started playing for the Michigan Wolverines he became close with his teammates, he’s pretty close to Luke Hughes, who was also drafted by the New Jersey Devils, now there roommates in Michigan, Luke playing in his last year before he joins his brother jack in Jersey who already plays for the devils.

Because both Luke and Ethan got to Michigan at the same time, along with a few others they stuck together, and are really close.

My brother introduced me to his teammates and I became friends with them, mostly the older ones. Now when I told the guys I was transferring to Columbia they were all sad but they understood why. Luke and Ethan both made it their mission to tell Jack, Luke’s brother to make sure he looks after me, they don’t think I know but it was pretty obvious.

Last summer when Ethan was invited to the Hughes Lake house, they also invited me, since according to Luke I became like a sister to him. That’s where I met Jack for the first time, Luke introduced us. Jack and I didn’t talk much that summer but I know for a fact that Ethan and Luke told him to look after me when I was at Columbia, I’m not stupid even tho both Ethan and Luke are younger than me, ever since my break up they’ve been protective.

Now I've been in Jersey for about a month and a half. University started a few weeks ago, Jack came by my apartment during my second day here, he said he wanted to show me around but I knew Luke told him. 

Jack showed all the best places to go to in New York, he also introduced me to his teammates, they're all really nice and welcoming, so is Jack.

Ever since I got here, we’ve been spending a lot of time together when he doesn’t have practice and I’m not busy with homework. 

Today is Wednesday. I had class from 8:30 to 10 a.m. This morning, Jack had the day off so he asked if I wanted to hang out after class and I agreed.

I just got back to my apartment. It's now 10:30 p.m. Jack said he’d be here at 11 a.m. so i went and changed out of my jeans and put on a pair of black Lululemon leggings so I could be more comfortable.

Once I was done I went and sat down on my couch, I turned on Netflix and put on the new season of Outer Banks so I could watch before he got here. 

Thankfully I didn’t have any homework to do since I finished it last night. Ever since i’ve gotten close to jack i started to get feelings but there’s nothing i can do about it since i doubt he feels the same way. My brother will be his teammate in a couple of years and I also don’t want to make things weird between them.

At around 11:02 a.m. there was a knock on the door, I paused the show and went to open the door.

“Hey, this is for you” Jack greeted me smiling with an extra coffee in his hands, when I opened the door.

“Hey, come in and thank you, you didn’t have to get me a coffee” I replied smiling and taking the coffee from him, while opening the door wider so he could walk in, once he did I closed the door. Jack took off his shoes and we made our way to the living room.

“ it’s nothing, i know you had class this morning so i thought you might need one” 

“I really did, so thank you” 

“ What are we doing today?” He asked 

“I have no clue, what do you want to do?” I said

“I was thinking maybe if it’s okay with you, i could take you on a date” he said looking at me waiting for my response. I was shocked. I didn't think he felt the same way.

“I’d love that” i said smiling softly

“Perfect, do you want to go after we're both done with our coffees?” He asked

“That’s perfect” i said nodding

“How have you been? How are your classes?” 

“I’m good, my classes have been a bit stressful but it’s normal since it’s my senior year.” 

“Makes sense, are you excited to be graduating in May?”

“Yes, I can't wait,” I said eagerly, making him chuckle.

“Jeez, it is that bad” he said sarcastically making me chuckle 

“No, i’m just excited to be able to do what i love full time” i said smiling

“I’m glad”

“Are you ready to go out?” He asked once I took the last sip of coffee.

“Yeah, let’s go” i said smiling

We put on our shoes and jackets before making our way out of my apartment. I grabbed my hand and I looked at him smiling.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked curious

“It’s a surprise” he said smiling

Jack ended up taking me out to one of my favorite restaurants that he showed me when i first moved here, it was an amazing date, i had a lot of fun. 

Now Jack dropped me off at home. He walked me up to my door.

“I had an amazing time tonight” I said, turning and looking at Jack who already had a smile on his face.

“Me too, any chance I can take you on another date soon?” He asked.

“I would love that” i said blushing 

“Perfect,” he replied. 

He leaned in and kissed my cheek.

“I’ll talk to you later, have a good night Yn” he said before leaving.

Once I made it in the apartment and closed the door I couldn't stop smiling.

Another date? I like the sound of that!!

[misty--nights]

So I'm watching the show yet again (usually I struggle watching shows, I don't know how I've managed to watch it twice already and still want to watch it a third time), and here are some things that I've noticed in episode 1, after the read more because it got longer than expected.

Charles calls himself the brawn and the protector of the two, but it's Edwin who goes all serious and says "I would not let that happen" when Charles asks what they'd do if Death came for them. I'm sure/concerned that he'd try to fight her if she ever came to take them...

Edwin knits!! When they are wearing their disgusses to get the demon out of Crystal he knitts while Charles reads the newspaper. Granted, you can only see him doing for a short moment, so I don't know if he's doing it properly, but I like to think he is. I have many thoughts about this, but it would take over the whole post. I'm still willing to make a whole post for it if anyone is interested but yeah. Bottom line is, Edwin can knitt!

The tone of voice that Crystal uses when she first wakes up in the Agency and in her walk with Charles is really different to the tone she uses the rest of the season. In hindsight, it's pretty obvious that is her mean girl tone, but still, I just think it's a nice detail.

Edwin takes Crystal's coffee cup when she takes the mail? We've just stablished he's not going to drink it, so is he just being petty? Is he going to throw it away or hide it just to be a nuisance? Is he investigating what she got? This boy, I swear...

I know people have pointed out all the Clue boards in the closet, but there's also a ouija board there? Hilarious. Maybe some ghosts prefer communicating with that instead of speaking? Or Charles got it because he thought it was funny and then never got rid of it?

I like that the thing that convinces Edwin to take the Becky Aspen case is Charles asking if he's going to let a little girl die. But more importantly, the title card right after that says "three flights". I've had this question for a bit, but what do they do during those flights? Do the boys spend those just standing in the hallway next to Crystal's seat? Do they sit in the cockpit? Do they hide in the bathroom until someone comes to use it? Do they hope for empty seats they can use? I don't know, every possible version of their trip is so funny to me. I know ghosts don't get tired like alive people, but the idea of them just standing awkwardly off to the side for more than 10 hours is hilarious.

No big detail here, I just love Crystal's purple coat thing she wears in this episode. Never really noticed that it has like flowers embroidered at the bottom, and the color of the whole thing is so nice.

"Maybe he's our fucking demon now." Crystal I love you, that is one of the funniest lines in the episode. I also really like that she gets to be angry and scared. Even if later Jenny talks her down from the worst it, it's not her anger that she points out, it's the fact that people are just like that and how the boys act is nothing personal. Her anger is not directly attacked (except by Edwin, but that's just him being petty), because she gets to be angry about all that's happening to her.

The flashback to Edwin's life at St. Hilarion's changes the video aspect (is that the proper term for that? It makes the screen square like in older films is what I mean.) Also he card for that flasback specifies "Edwardian England" even while having the date at the bottom. I don't know, it made me chuckle that they felt the need to clarify the era even while having the date there. They don't put "modern day England" for Crystal's flashback.

With the way the cat reacted to the sardine, I'm willing to bet he would have told Edwin everything without the binding spell if Edwin had a few more fish for him.

When they're talking behind the shop and Crystal says she gets angry, Charles looks down and takes a bit to respond. I think this is the first time he relates to her. The first time he can call that pull twards her something more than mere attraction. He has this very vulnerable look when she says it and then immediately shows her his parents and tells her something he's never told anyone before? This boy saw his anger in someone else and thought maybe it's fine for him to be angry too.

Is it a trick of the light in the scene where she meets Niko, or does Crystal have a septum piercing?

"If you're sticking around, you gotta let us in." Charles, I love you, but you are the last person who should be saying this. Specially after that sad look he gets when Crystal says it must be hard not being able to talk or hug his parents. You just agreed to what she said, as if that were the truth of why you check on them, what do you mean "you gotta let us in"? (I do get that they haven't known each other for long so he's not going to open up about all his trauma, but precisely because of that, it's wild for him to expect her to do it.)

I never noticed Charles quickly returning the mirror to normal when Edwin comes. I'd noticed the audio cue for the mirror changing back, but I never noticed Charles moving to do it and he looks so panicked about it.

Considering how Edwin is about touch, the fact that he lets Crystal take his hand when she tells the that the case matters is huge.

Why are they planning down at the shop when they have Crystal's room all to themselves? Besides the ambiance, of course. I think Jenny's reaction is completely justified.

Esther leaves her turntable on when she goes to the post office. Is it for Monty? The atmosphere? Did she just forget?

Not a new discovery, just a reminder of something I really like. There's this very specific editing thing (like the quick cuts between the instruments and then the opened lock, I don't know what to call it) that they do pretty much every time Charles picks a lock / opens a door, and it makes me very happy each time. The sound they use for it is perfection.

Edwin's attention to detail is insane. The fact that he can recall one cupboard is further forward than it was in the plans is really impressive.

Charles sounds so done when he throws the magic backpack. "Put her in the bag-of-tricks backpack." Man, I can hear the eye roll in that sentence. Good to know Edwin isn't the only bitchy one in this relationship.

And that's it for episode 1. I think I might do this for the others as well as I watch them. It was really fun to do, and it forces me to pay attention to the details, so I think it's worthwhile.

[stuck-writing-sickos]

Slick (yandere coworker)

TWO

[Masterlist]

[T/w: suggestive content, misogyny]

<<hey do you fw this guy? ik hes not performing nearly as well as Lukas and Yuki but tbh i like writing him. the bite-sized nature of this story is liberating, as is the inner-monologue style ive chosen. given how busy ive been this feels good to write hahaha. lmk how we feel about this one.

Also if you noticed how misogynistic my characters all are - lord knows i tried not to build them this way. Unfortunately ive interviewed (informally) a lot of straight cis men in my life and i'll tell you what - they are even WORSE than what ive put down here. My commitment to psychological realism may be my demise. Sorry if you came to me looking for escapism. But hey, at least these guys commit to the bit, huh? dont fw this kinda guy irl tho lol>>

For my own sanity, please don't give me the truth.

So you are the type to fuck me then leave me, I see.

You were gone by morning. When did you sneak out? I have no clues. It was my fault, I didn't hold you tight enough when I drifted to sleep. Can you blame me, though? You worked your magic on me like your life depended on it. You treated your tongue and fingers like they were that of the Devil, and the rest of your body as if you were on a mission to recall the soul I owed you. You even attentively wiped me down, smiling, your lips butterflying on my sweaty forehead. You acted like all the trickstery you had pulled were out of love.

No... it really was my fault. I should have been the one giving you the time of your life. Instead I let you play me like a fiddle... my god. How embarrassing. How very emasculating. I can't fault you for being gone so soon when I lied sprawling and broken after you were done with me. For godsake, I whimpered and whined under you.

I tried texting you, but you took half your Sunday to respond. What the hell were occupying your time? Did you have any idea how each hour agonizingly crawled past me? I guess not. I asked if you got home okay. You said "of course, thanks for checking in on me. You're so nice!"

Man, fuck you.

I bit the bullet and asked you out again. No respond for the rest of the day. Fine. No big deal. I was never one to be bothered by juvenile texting etiquettes. You were busy. I get it. You had plans. You're a busy person. All good.

Or you lost interest in me.

I feel used, but I wasn't sure for what. You weren't on it for a free dinner, that's for sure - you have never looked like you were strapped for cash. As for my body... I don't believe what I gave was nearly adequate. You didn't even give me a chance to prove myself - hell, you pushed me down on my own bed and wringed all you could out of me. Why on Earth did you humor me, if you got nothing worthwhile out of me?

Maybe you found that out afterward. You saw me at work, then at dinner, then in bed, and you decided that I wasn't worth your time.

I'l give you one - I now know that you are very funny.

Elsewise, I got nothing.

Given your secretive nature I suppose you wouldn't kiss and tell. There's nothing in it for you, except for an even more tarnished reputation. We all hate you anyway.

Well, they all hate you.

The others didn't hold back when they talked about you - they made fun of your clothes for being "too nice" (whatever the hell that means). They also laughed between themselves about your overly formal and distant attitude - did you know they think you're a robot? You are especially NOT popular with the girls, by the way. They think you're, and I quote, a stuck-up bitch.

The fellows mostly don't mind you. With the way you conducted yourself around me, I'm sure you know how easy us men are by now - if you're kind to the eyes, we wouldn't have any qualms with you. But, we also have this pathetic thing we do where we agree with the ladies around us. They're easy on the eyes as well, and we want to scutter around them long enough to maybe get something out of them. Long shot, I know. Extremely desperate. Well, I know that, too. Forgive us when we nod along or laugh between one another when the gals make degrading assumptions about the men you might have slept with to get all the nice things you have, like your shoes or clothes or earring or that enviable sense of financial security.

Again, I'm sorry.

I used to not think about their gossips, but the way you dominated my body and self worth stirred something ugly at the depth of my guts. Did you do this before? How many man have you spent the way you did me? How many were driven a wreck?

Actually, never answer that.

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

Snakes of Africa: Ball Pythons

This is the first of a series on African snake species, where I go through how they live in the wild and attempt to demystify some aspects of care and myths surrounding African snakes.

We all know the myths about ball pythons. They're from "a narrow strip in Africa," they don't need to climb, they don't need really high humidity...let's challenge some of those ideas!

If you don't know just how big Africa is, it's easy to underestimate how big the ball python's range is, too. I think it's easier to understand if you look at it on a global map:

That's a big area! Wild ball python habitats range from grasslands to forests, cutting through arid savannahs and even into rainforests.

Because the climate across the ball python's range is so variable, they are best understood as habitat generalists - they have perimeters they prefer, and they can find ways to adapt in different environments.

A large portion of the ball python's range is arid, and that leads to one famous fact about them: ball pythons love termite mounds, because they provide them with a nice and very humid area to nap. Even among people who know wild ball pythons love termite mounds, that's often used as reason to justify keeping them in too-small enclosures. After all, termite mounds don't sound like they're very big...

But they are.

Termite mounds are one of the reasons ball pythons are such good climbers.

Despite their arid habitat, wild ball pythons (aside from seeking out termite mounds) will also seek out wet areas, such as streams and lakebeds. In captivity, humidity isn't something you should skimp on for a ball python. At least 60% humidity is essential, and closer to 70% is ideal, and a humidity box allows your snake to have an area that's close to 100% humidity at all times. Humidity boxes also allow for a range of humidity conditions, like your snake would experience in the wild!

An extremely common myth about ball pythons is that they don't climb and won't take advantage of enrichment. This couldn't be further from the truth! In the wild, ball pythons are excellent climbers and are known to even hunt in trees. Multiple studies surveying wild ball pythons have found nearly half of their subjects in trees. These are not solely terrestrial snakes.

Another stereotype about ball pythons is that they're "pet rocks." If you give them enrichment and look at their wild behavior, this couldn't be further from the truth! Wild ball pythons are observed as being very active snakes who will actively hunt and seek out food rather than relying on strict ambush predation strategies. That's one reason it's best to feed your pet ball python when you see them out and "hunting!"

Of course, wild snakes will be more active than pet snakes simply for the sake of survival, but their activity level in the wild is indicative of what it should be more like in captivity. Some inviduals are a bit lazy, sure, but by and large most ball pythons will take advantage of every inch of space you give them. Climbing branches, tunnels, and new things to check out are a must!

Because wild ball pythons are habitat generalists, that also clues us into what enrichment they most enjoy. In the wild, along with climbing (which they love!), ball pythons are also known to swim (though they mostly only due this when necessary) and dig burrows. In captivity, many pet ball pythons enjoy an occasional soak, so it's good to provide a big enough water dish for them to curl up in, and some individuals enjoy digging burrows. If you provide an extra few inches of substrate for your snake to dig in, you might be surprised by how much they enjoy it!

Now, let's talk about food! In the wild, ball pythons eat a wide variety of rodents and a lot of birds. In fact, their semi-arboreal habits mean they even eat a lot of bats when they can catch them! Unfortunately, one of the tricky things about their diet is that their favorite foods in the wild include shrews, jerboas, African soft-furs, rufous-nosed rats, and other rodents that are just honestly impossible to source for your pet ball python. In captivity, a diet of rats is appropriate, and unfortunately it can be hard to provide variety to many ball pythons simply because a lot of them just prefer more hard-to-find rodents and will resist switching back to rats. For good, non-picky eaters, though, other rodents and chicks make excellent treats.

Ball pythons have a reptutation as very picky, finicky eaters, but honestly it's my experience that this effect is much, much lesser when their husbandry is consistently appropriate. Making sure to provide adequate humidity seems especially important in ensuring your ball python is a good eater! Additionally, ball pythons tend to like it a bit hotter - 90 F (32 C) is a good hot-side temperature for most ball pythons.

If there's anything to take away from this brief look into wild ball pythons, it's this: these snakes will thrive best if given the opportunity to engage in more natural behaviors. Climbing, digging, and exploring are essential for any ball python!

Ball pythons are so much more than just "pet rocks." If you provide them with space and enrichment, you'll be delighted by what fun, active, curious, and engaging pets they are!

(This message is approved by my sweet girl Miriam.)

[bloggingboutburgers]

hello! I was wondering about QPR relationships? Like how do you know if it's a crush or smth like a huge huge friend likeness thing? And like some examples(if its fine!) Thank you!

Sorry for the late reply! Hmmm... I've talked about it before on this tag, and I can only ever really talk about my own experience, but I'll try to give examples that are as concrete as possible that sorta clue me in on the fact that it's not romance from what I can understand of my own situation :

I don't feel jealousy or possessiveness when it comes to my partner and it's mutual. We like spending time together but we're perfectly alright with the other spending their time with another person without getting worried about it. It doesn't feel lonely either – it's just nice to know they're vibing.

In fact we're very much encouraging each other not to put each other at the dead center of our own lives. It would feel like too much if that was the case.

If it ends someday, it'll feel lonely, sure, but not world-shattering. Not any more world-shattering than a friendship ending at least – which yeah, granted, IS pretty world-shattering, but it wouldn't get worse than that, at least as far as I can imagine.

I never really felt extra nervous towards my partner personally, like no heart-beating-faster kinda thing or losing sleep over it.

We have some physical affection, with boundaries, and pet names, with boundaries, but one of our favorite things past that is chatting and bursting into laughter over something we find funny mutually.

When I call them "my" something, I always feel the urgent need to specify "just as a matter of speech, 'cus you're not mine, you don't belong to me".

Also some two cents from my partner @civiart who was the one bringing up the fact they had a squish on me, and that I feel might be more useful:

They can see themselves having key life events with me, like moving in together or whatnot, or traveling together or such, but they have trouble picturing ourselves in typical "romantic situations" for what it's worth. They say that was helpful in figuring that out for themselves, although it was a year-long process in their case.

It doesn't depend on orientation strictly, since anyone from any orientation can have a squish, and some people on the aromantic spectrum can feel romantic attraction depending on their place on the spectrum.

One last thing I very much agree with: it's a very personal thing and at the end no one can make that call but yourself. It's about what feels right to you and what it feels right to label yourself as – if it feels right to use a label to you in the first place!