#this one definitely turned out better than manatee

[elliott-the-creature]

Silentreader. Get muted lol.

(once again inspired by @sinusoidaldysfunction )

[doitforbangchan]

Midnight song- P.SH

Pairing- Siren!Seonghwa x Pirate! Reader (afab/fem)

Warnings- cursing, death, pirate themes and maybe more idk

WC: 2.3k

Just a lil something i meant to put out for Halloween.. oh well plz enjoy anyways :)

Masterlist

They say that a siren's song is the most tempting sound in all the seven seas. That the delicate melody is pure seduction in its most refined form. The same could be said about the siren itself though too. 

The ‘they’ in question are the sailors- the pirates that travel the open waters far and wide. As the daughter of a notorious pirate captain you grew up hearing many tales of the creatures that dwelled beneath the waves; none more notorious than the siren. They were always depicted as beautiful beings, with the most attractive faces and the body of a fish. 

Your whole life was spent upon a ship; at first your fathers then when you became an adult you found a crew of your own. Now you were almost as famous a captain as your father, a woman captain was nearly unheard of let alone one as cunning and quick witted as you. You worked hard for your reputation, showing off your prowess and not letting any man or law stand in your way. 

You had never believed in such tales of any fantastical creatures, having never seen one yourself in all your years of sailing. Never once had you encountered anything particularly out of the ordinary- until you did. 

The night that you saw it - saw him- for the first time had been a dark one, the moon shrouded by heavy gray clouds covering everything in a sheet of black. You and your crew had come ashore to celebrate a particularly plentiful plunder. The bar you had spent most of your evening in had become boring, the men in there were too far up their own ass to take you seriously, so you decided to take the party back to the ship that was docked down by the shore. 

As you made your way down the dock you noticed something from the corner of your eye. There was an unnatural shimmering down by the edge of the dock, a stark contrast to the dark wood, that drew your eye. Just as your head turned to fully see what was causing the light a loud splash was heard and the shimmer was gone. 

You rubbed your eyes with the back of your palm, staggering over to the edge of the dock. You peered down into the dark murky depths, narrowing your eyes to find the source (if there was one anyway). Just as you were about to continue on your way, you saw it again. Faintly there was a glimmer that seemed to be moving slowly under the dock. 

You dropped to your knees, your shins hitting the wood roughly and you stuck your face closer to the water. Maybe it was the copious amounts of liquor that was coursing through your body, or maybe the sea hysteria was catching up to you faster than you had anticipated, but looking down into the water you could make out a mass.. And a face. If you didn’t know any better you would even say that the figure waved at you. 

But you did know better. It was the alcohol, it had to be. There was no way there was anything of note down there. A manatee maybe- but definitely not a person. Either way the mass was no longer visible to you. With a shake of your head to clear your thoughts you stood back on your feet, albeit wobbly and mildly unsteady, and you made your way back to the ship.

The next time you saw him was out in the open sea. Your trusted ship - the ‘Halazia’- was speeding through the water, allowing the wind to guide you to your next adventure. The sun was beginning to set, giving the sky a deep orange glow that was fading into decadent purples. Most of the crew was below deck preparing to turn in for the evening, leaving just you on the top deck.

 You were looking over a map you had recently acquired, the old parchment laid out on a barrel that you were leaning upon. A sudden thud of the wood of your ship was heard to your right, making you jump slightly and spin around, your hand going to the hilt of your sword. 

A gasp escaped you as your eyes made contact with another pair- a much darker pair, so dark you could not make out the whites of them. Someone, or something, had climbed up the side of the boat and was peering over at you. Only the top part of their head and face were visible as the being stared at you. 

Your hand did not leave your cutlass as you held his gaze, his eyes unblinking as they drank you in. Somehow you just knew this was no normal person. For one there was no way anyone could have made it on your ship without your knowledge. And reason number two was you were out in the middle of the ocean, miles and miles from the nearest island. 

The beating in your heart accelerated as your mind raced. You felt like you could not move; as if you were frozen in place under this beings scrutinizing gaze.You did not know what was happening to you, or what he was and why you were reacting this way. The last stow away was swiftly dealt with with the very blade that sat on your hip. 

The two of you stared at each other for what felt like hours, though logically you knew it was only a few seconds, before a loud clamoring of footsteps were heard making their way up the steps to the top deck. 

The sound broke the spell you seemed to be under, making you turn your head quickly to see a few members of your crew making their way up. Just as quickly as you looked at the crew you looked back to where the being was, only to find he was gone and a loud splash was left in his wake. 

It was three weeks before you saw him again. It was late- much too late for you to be awake- but you could not find an ounce of sleep. You had been tossing and turning in your quarters for hours, unable to get comfortable. The stuffiness of your room did nothing to quell your unrest and you found yourself craving fresh air. With a gruff sigh you got out of bed and slipped your long coat on, then made your way out onto the deck. Since it had to be nearing three in the morning the whole crew was asleep, leaving you alone once more. You did not mind though. The solitude of night was a nice change to the normal chaos of the day. 

You sat on the railing overlooking the open seas. The water was mostly still tonight thankfully, giving you a sense of peace. This was exactly what you needed, the salty air and sound of the moving waves were already doing an excellent job of lulling you to sleep, your eyes growing heavier by the second. 

That was until a delicate voice called out to you. 

“Hello.” 

Your eyes snapped back open, the sleep knocked from you like a punch. Leaning over the side of the ship directly next to you was that being again, only this time his whole head was showing and he was resting it on his forearms as he drank you in again. Although you did not see much of him last time you inherently knew he was the same creature as before.

 You felt like you could not speak nor move under his gaze. You could do nothing but notice how handsome he was. His black hair was shaggy as it framed his face, his lips a pouty and a rosy pink color. The light from the moon was doing wonders in illuminating him for you.

He smiled when he saw he had caught your attention, addressing you again with his deep purr, “Hi there.” You tried to reply but the words were caught in your throat, unable to come out. He noticed this and a giggle left him, his head tilting in amusement. “Hmm, you can’t talk? Siren got your tongue?” 

Siren.. Siren.. No fucking way

All of the air returned to you at once, making you gasp quietly, and finally regain some of your composure. “Who are you?” You asked. 

“Seonghwa.” He replied, never blinking as he twirled a piece of his hair. “You’re Y/n.” 

“How do you know my name?” You demanded, frightened but intrigued all the same. No, not intrigued, more like enthralled by him.  

Seonghwa shrugged coyly, tapping his sharp nails on the wood. “Heard a lot ‘bout you. Been watching you for a while.” He leaned in closer as if he was going to tell you a secret, “I like looking at pretty things. Do you like pretty things too, Y/n?” 

You found yourself nodding to his question, face heated up at his words. His voice was deep and sensual, like soft silk. “Yes.” 

His lips curled into a charming smile. Damn he was the most gorgeous man you had ever seen. “Mm,” Seongwha ran the tip of his tongue over the front of his teeth, showcasing the sharp canines- sharper than what is natural. “Then how about you come take a good look at me?” 

You could feel a sense of trepidation at his words. He was tempting, too tempting, and the warning alarms in your brain were starting to go crazy. As much as you wanted to get closer to him you could not. For the first time in the last few minutes you defied him. “N-no, I will stay o-ver here.” You mentally chastised yourself for stuttering, wanting to remain the strong captain you knew you were.

The creature narrowed his eyes at you, clearly showing his annoyance at your resistance. His nails tapped even harder against the wood. Then he smiled again, an innocent look taking over his features and he batted his long lashes at you. “Aww, you don’t wanna see me? You’re gonna hurt my feelings, darling.” He lowered his voice even more, the timber of it sending chills down your spine. “Come over here, before I make you.” 

You vehemently shook your head, denying him even though you felt your toes move as if they were inching towards him anyways.

Stay strong. Y/n. You must not give in to him. 

Seonghwa gave you a pout then you heard a loud banging sound coming from beneath him, as if a large mass had smacked harshly against the side of your ship. “Alright pretty girl, we’ll do things your way. Remember you asked for this, hmm?” 

The siren began to hum, a rich melody flowing from him in waves. He sang to you, in a language you had neve heard before yet you understood it instantly. It was a song of longing, of need and fulfillment. It was absolutely bewitching. 

As his voice grew louder you felt your brain begin to fog, like your inhibitions were releasing slowly from you. Your body was swaying to the tune and your feet started to move against your will. It felt less like walking and more like you were floating towards him. 

His voice felt like warm honey as it engulfed you, sticky and sweet and oh so delicious as it ensnared you. You wanted to drown in it- in him. 

You had made it, albeit slowly, over to the edge, now standing directing in front of him. Seonghwa ended his song with a soft, pleased sigh. “There she is, my jolly sailor bold. Did you enjoy my song? I sang it just for you.” He lifted his hand and ran one long finger down the side of your cheek. Even in your dazed state you could feel how cold and clammy he was as he caressed you. 

A mindless nod was your only response. Words would not find you- could not find you- while he had you under his control. Not that you currently mind. The only thing on your mind was him, him, him. Nothing else mattered. 

His hand traveled from your cheek down your neck and then to your shoulder. His nails traced the veins under your skin as he went, his black eyes never faltering as he watched the trail. “So delicate, too soft for a pirate. This life isn’t suitable for a pretty thing like you, don’t you agree?” Another nod was all you offered. “Mmm, you don’t want to grow old out here, become weathered and grizzled and burdened by the piracy. No no, I think it’s best to stay this way. To stay soft and tender and young. Forever.” 

His final word came out like a deathly hiss as he grabbed you forcefully, yanking your whole body over the edge of the ship with him. A scream was caught in your throat as the cold water washed over you, your limbs thrashing violently. 

Even though the saltiness burned your eyes they were frantic and wild as you fought with your captor. From this close you could see him fully. Could see the lower half of his body was indeed not human. A long fishtail with iridescent scales was in place of where legs would normally be. From down here his teeth were sharper and they were curled into a teasing smirk. 

You fought against him but he kept dragging you down further and further into the depths. Water was filling your lungs making them burn terribly. Seonghwa dug his nails into your skin breaking the surface making rivers of blood trickle out.  

The dastardly creature cooed at you as you struggled, “It’s ok darling, it’ll all be over in a second. Then you will always be remembered just as you are.” 

You could not get away. You knew your fate was sealed as black dots started to fill your vision. The last thing you would ever see is this monster's teeth tearing into your shoulder and a flurry of dark red. 

©doitforbangchan 2024

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Permanent tags: @athforskz , @jehhskz and @seungfl0wer

[jacobsnicket]

fictober prompt 3: "i know you better" | transcendence au (gravity falls) | G

read on ao3

Mabel’s dreaming of the ocean when he finds her, gallivanting around an undersea city with a sparkly mermaid tail and a blue sweater that is somehow completely dry. She sees him and swims over. In ten years, she’s gotten good at lucid dreaming. “Dipper! Hi! You need a tail too!”

Dipper frowns. “I really don’t.”

“Well, you can’t just go swimming around in your sad little suit.”

“Ugh, fine,” he groans, because this is Mabel’s mind and she’s in control here and if he doesn’t do it she’ll just do it for him. With a snap of his fingers, his legs turn into a tail, dark and spiny like an eel’s. “How’s that?”

“Definitely not shiny enough,” Mabel says, regarding the tail with her chin resting on her hand. “But I guess it’s okay.” She swims off, towards the city, beckoning him to come.

As they swim, she tells him that this is Atlantis, and Dipper doesn’t tell her that Atlantis actually collapsed centuries ago and is now only home to tiny corals, undersea octopi, and the occasional sea serpent. He’s too busy chewing at his cheek until it bleeds. The calm ocean is more conducive to self-reflection than he’d like, and today is the worst possible day for self-reflection.

Mabel must notice his silence, because she pauses in the middle of her explanation of her dream Atlantis’s diplomatic ties to the Manatee Kingdom. “You good there, Dip-dop?”

No matter how different it may look, his blood still tastes the same in his mouth. He doesn’t know whether to be thankful for that or not.

“Yeah, it’s fine,” he mutters, trying to spit out the blood. It coalesces into a little blob in front of him, honey-gold and flickering like TV static, like he’s in zero gravity. Dipper doesn’t think that’s how liquids are supposed to behave in water. But hey. Dream logic!

“Don’t even try to tell me that, man. I know you better than that. You’ve been staring into the middle distance for the past five minutes.” Then Mabel sees the little blob in front of him. “Are you bleeding?”

“What– no!” The blob disappears with a wave of his hand. “It’s whatever.”

“Come on, bro-bro, what’s going on?” She pauses. “Oh, is it— yeah, that’s today, right? Isn’t it?”

“Yep.” Dipper sighs, and little bubbles float out of his mouth. “Today.”

They didn’t need to say it out loud. They were too familiar with the date already.

“It’s just,” he starts again, “ten years. That’s a long time to be… this.” He waves at his form, the eyes, the claws, the wings sprouting just above his stupid dream-tail. “In a few years, I’ll have been a demon longer than I wasn’t one, you know?”

Mabel smiles sympathetically. “Yeah. Time marches onward and all that.”

“What if—” His voice cracks in a way it hasn’t for years. “What if I forget what it was like to be anything else? Anything but this?”

“You’re not gonna forget, Dip,” she says, surprisingly forceful. “You’re still breathing, right? I can feel it.”

He is still breathing. He doesn’t need to, but he likes the motion of it, the way he can feel his fake lungs expand and contract inside his fake chest. “But I’m doing it wrong, I know it.”

Mabel’s hugging him before he realizes that she is, with her hair pressed under his chin and her ear at where his heart would be, if he had one. Her voice is muffled by his jacket. “I don’t know. It sounds pretty good to me.”

[artistcaptainbendy]

Running from termination

chapter 1- The beginning....with snacks

It was a dark and cold night, the only light was from the moon and stars as the trees towered above. Lumberjack Krupp was walking down the same path he's always been down multiple times before, with his axe to his side. He wipes some sweat from the day's work from his head.

‘’ Ah, I love me some late night tree chopping, nothing’s better. Well, some homemade cheesecake from my sweet logroll is definitely a close second.’’ He said, slightly chuckling to himself.

He continues deeper into the wood and soon hears a sound, but not the usual woodland noise, it was the sound of someone calling his name. He stopped in his tracks and looked around to see who could be calling. The soft, calming voice spoke again ‘’ Benjamin….Benjamin….Benjamin…’’

“ Agh, not again!” he exclaimed “ I told you ghost children this before! I’m not joining your party! I’m sure that cake is a lie!’’ 

The voice kept calling to him and after a while, he noticed that this voice wasn’t the same as the ghost children from before, it almost sounded like his own voice, but different. He begins to follow where the voice is coming from, walking though some bushes and trees, going deeper and deeper into woods until he reaches a blue light and in front of him was a glowing portal to who knows where. He looked at it confused.

“What in the world is this?” he said with confusion. He looked at it for a moment , almost trying to study it and after studying it for a bit he started to turn around. “ Well, I should probably just leave it be, might just be my mind playing tricks on me again and if it is real, who knows where it goes. It could lead to some ghost ready to haunt me or maybe send me back in time to when the space aliens had control of the world or even worse…..my parents house…..’’ he shivers at the thought. ‘’ Nope! Not gonna do it, I’m just going to go home” he then proceeds to start walking away from the portal, but then stops and thinks out loud. ‘’ Then again…this could be the doorway to bigfoot and my apple peeler!” quickly turning back around he ran right into the portal, a bit of bright light hits him but quickly fades to reveal a hallway.

The hallway was darkly lit with flickering lights being the only light source.The walls were cracked and aged with webs on the corners and what seemed to be some black goo on the tile floor. 

“Umm, I think i should be going now” but as he turned around to leave, lumberjack krupp saw that the portal was now gone leaving him to only go one way….down the hall. He waited a moment and started to walk down the way, step after step until he approached a room. The room was in just as much disarray as the hall, it had a big screen on the wall and two pathways to each side of it. It seems to have been some type of waiting room with some chairs tipped over and more of that goo. The goo was what really got his attention and as he started to get closer to it, suddenly the tv turned on. There was some static, but then a clear image came though and the video started to play.   

‘’ Welcome and hello my fellow Krupps! I’m SP! Krupp! Your bestest buddy, your all around pal, and the founder of Krupptopia!! It’s a working in progress title hehe, here you can experience all the fun and thrills a Krupp can enjoy. We have a fully stocked kitchen with all kinds of food including guacamole, a massive swimming pool with swimming lessons on wednesdays, reading room, lounge, game room, ball pit, manatee viewing, venting zone and so much more!! I hope you enjoy your stay here and if you have any questions just come see me, I’ll be around bye!” The video turns off and lumberjack is just more confused than before.

‘’....ok? At least I know now this place has a game room…oh and who to talk to about getting out of here. Hmm odd, that guy looked familiar, but i just don’t know where I’ve seen him” He pondered a bit but decided to think about it later. Looking down the two paths, he chose to go right.

Walking down the hall, he could tell the withering had worsened and even more goo on the walls. LJ takes a closer look at the goo and sees that it wasn’t completely black, but had faded colors of space and stars. Before he could even question what this stuff is, a loud thund could be heard farther down the hall. He slowly walked to where the sound came from, coming across an opened door. Looking inside the room it looked as if a tornado went through, chairs thrown around, tables flipped over, and vending machines broken into. In the middle of the room someone was led over and eating some of the snacks from the vending machines.

“ Oh! Hey it’s great to see another person around here. I was worried I would be alone here, you don’t mind sharing some of those snacks do you?” he asked with joy in his voice.

The man stayed silent and slowly stood up, the same goo that covered the walls was on his arms, legs, and face. The only thing visible was his teeth as he started to make gasly noises as if it was hard for him to breathe. He took a step closer to LJ leaving a trail behind him. LJ, shocked at what’s looking at, slowly takes steps back out of the room.  

With fear in his voice he said “ I’m actually not hungry anymore, y-you can keep the snacks and I’ll just get going” He tried to reach for his axe, but the creature let’s out a rawr and charges at him causing him to run out the room and farther down the hall. Turning multiple corners and down different paths, every few seconds looking behind him to see the creature is still behind him. LJ tried to run faster to lose his pursuer, he was able to get ahead far enough and hide behind a wall. He could hear the creature run past and down another hall, he could feel his heart racing and took some deep breaths trying to put together what he just saw. He just needed a moment to relax, but then the intercom above him started to play loud static and cut to a familiar voice.

“Hello everyone! It seems we have a new krupp to join that party! Now why don’t we all give him a big welcome! I’ll even sing the welcome song!” he then processed to sing “ Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! To our fun place! Come and take a seat and have a little break! Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! it ‘s great to have you here! Where everyone is happy and spreads a little cheer!” The song goes on and on. LJ starts to panic, knowing that all the noise will attract the creature to him “ shut up, shut up, shut up” he starts looking around to find a way to turn the intercom off and remembers he has an axe, quickly throwing it at the intercom and breaking it into pieces. 

He picks up the axe from the floor “ hehe, looks like I stopped it just in ti-” suddenly a giant goo fist comes at his head and he quickly ducks down as the fist hits the wall.

“ RAWR!!” The creature let out about to strike at LJ again. 

LJ runs under its arm and down the hall and it gives chase again, many twists and turns, hallways starting to all look the same, doors that won’t open, the creature getting closer and closer, he was starting to feel his heart racing faster and faster, any turn could lead to a dead end. 

“ Game room or not! I hate this place!” he screamed out, running down every turn of the halls till he reached a hallway with a single door at the end, seeing it as the only way he ran to the door, the creature not far behind him. What feels like a mile long run, he makes it to the door and is able to open it with only seconds before it could get him, he gets in the room and closes the door behind him, pushing his body against the door, banging could be heard on the other side. Looking around the room he sees boxes and other objects near him and pulls it in front of the door blocking it. 

After a moment, the banging stops and the sound of goopy steps could be heard walking away. “....HA! Can’t get me now! The power of a door and random items have saved the day again!” LJ lets out as he catches his breath, but suddenly some boxes in the corner of the room fall over to reveal someone in the shadows. Taking his axe out and pointing at the mysterious figure he asked “ Who’s there?! I’m ready this time you freak and I’ll be taking the snacks because I am hungry!” 

There was silence as the figure slowly came from behind the boxes.

“You’re…..you’re not infected?” The hooded man said, almost shocked.

“Infected? What are you talking about? And who are you?!” he stated now with more anger in his voice. 

The hooded man takes his hood off to show a face similar to LJ just without a beard and scar over his left eye.

“I’m….GP.”

[nanaminokanojo]

Play the Game | Nanami Kento X You | Part 2/8

CHARACTERS: Nanami Kento X You (fem!reader | PLEASE READ THE NOTES BELOW*) | Gojo Satoru | Geto Suguru | Shoko Ieiri | Utahime Iori | other JJK Characters CHAPTER COUNT: 2/8 WORD COUNT: 4500+ GENRE: romance | fluff | slight angst | eventual smut | ooc depictions | female reader with described appearance* | modern au | rich people au | aged up characters CHAPTER TRIGGER WARNING: profanity | age gap | strong/mature/suggestive language | mentions of bullying, macabre stuff SPOILERS: n/a

collection masterlist

one - two - three - four - five - six - seven - eight

"Play the Game" Masterlist

The sun hasn’t even risen when Nanami came to consciousness as usual. It did not matter whether he was on vacation or working, he just automatically wakes up at the same time each and every morning without miss. It’s regardless of whether he slept enough or not. He saw no point in tarrying in bed – it was unproductive – and immediately got up without skipping a beat in his routine.

“You’re too vanilla,” he remembered you commenting when you stayed one weekend at his place in the city for an art symposium, having met him on the hallway on your way to bed after staying up all night playing video games. He just brushed your remark off with a grunt back then, but at present, he couldn’t help but muse over the fact that everything he did reminded him of you.

It was a bit light outside when he emerged from the adjoining bath of the guest room. He threw on a pair of grey sweats and a white shirt and grabbed a water bottle and a small towel on his way out of the room, mind set on going for a run. If there was something great about staying at Gojo Manor, it was the fact that it was surrounded with acres of grassland and forest with trails great for walks and jogs.

Nanami particularly grew fond of the path that led to the lake at the bottom of the hill where the mansion stood. There was a direct view of it from the balcony at the back of the structure, appearing like a jewel in the middle of the woods, and it had always been his favorite spot. The late former clan head told him it was man-made and has been there for more than a century that it became a natural feature of the estate. It was a spot in the property with a great history and great value to the clan, thus his gravitation towards it.

It’s her favorite place in the whole estate, too, he thought indulgently.

Inhaling deeply, he set out to the back doors that led to the patio and the walled gardens, starting in a slow jog before building his momentum as he reached open grounds.

And thus, his day began as such.

He came back from his run when it was already too hot, heaving deep breaths and desperate for a shower as his white shirt and grey sweats stuck to his body, drenched in sweat. His leg muscles ached, but it had been a good run.

Greetings from the staff met him as he reentered the manor which he returned with polite nods. He was headed to the stairs when he passed by the breakfast room and happened to hear Gojo talking to you. It went against his principles to eavesdrop in an evidently private conversation but he stayed rooted on his spot upon hearing you speak.

Despite your seeming foul temper upon leaving him the previous night, you seemed to have bounced back to your usual self, your tone sounding more jovial than usual. Your words were at odds to your tone as you told Gojo not to piss you off so early in the morning.

"Are you sure there's nothing going on between you and Kento?" Gojo asked just as the person in question was about to pass the doorway.

"It's really none of your business," you responded, voice devoid of any emotions. He did it, Gojo. He finally fouled up your mood.

"But I'm your brother!" Gojo protested, acting all dumb around you again. He just had that complex where you were concerned. He has always been very soft on you yet he was also fiercely protective. You hated his attention though. Yours was a strange dynamic.

"Worry about your wedding, will you? Geez. Don’t you have a luncheon to host?"

"Why did you kiss him then? On the mouth no less!"

Nanami’s heart skipped a beat, anticipation rising like cold water from his toes going up his chest. He wanted to hear what you had to say. Fuck principles. He needed his answers, too. It did not matter in what way he was getting them at that rate. He was secretly hoping you will say something a little bit more revealing about what goes inside your head given that he cannot just pry inside it even if he wanted to.

"Because I wanted to." You stated it so matter-of-factly that Gojo was at a loss for words for a moment. “Didn’t you hear me? I was dying to do that since he arrived.”

“You’re not serious, are you?”

“You tell me.” That’s becoming your signature line. “You won’t understand unless you kiss, Nanamin, too,” the tenor of your words turning fanciful. “He has such an alluring taste to him.”

What is this woman on about?

“Oh, god, stop it!”

"You should have seen the looks on your faces though. I was half expecting your eyeballs to roll on the floor. Wouldn’t that have been grand? It’s definitely shocking but a good subject for art if not a medium." At that, you laughed, the sound hitting Nanami like tinkling bells. It was such a happy sound that reminded him of better days although the thought that prompted it was utterly macabre. “Maybe that should inspire my next work. It would be like Munch’s The Scream, the next of its kind.”

"Hmm. Good point…” Gojo mumbled, sidetracked, obviously sharing your sentiments on the idea of such grotesqueness, but regained his composure just as quickly. “It's not funny!"

"But it is." Your laughter subsided as quickly as it erupted from your throat as if it wasn't even there to begin with. Your capricious nature was surfacing once more, and if there was something that was more frightening than your strong, habitual liking for trifling with people, it was that. "So what if I have other intentions behind it? Are you gonna get mad at me or something?”

"Well, do you?!" Gojo sounded like a manatee on the throes of death.

“But what are you going to do, brother? Stop me perhaps?"

He of all people should know just how unstoppable you were when you have set yourself into doing something. “N-no –”

“And what if Nanamin has the same intentions? What will you do then?”

“Hey, that’s enough of you. I know you’re trying to trap me into saying something again.” He clucked his tongue. “I seem to be the only one who isn’t in on your games, and if it is one, I have to know. You’re just way too outrageous these days that I cannot tell what’s serious and what’s not anymore.”

Gojo took a deep breath, sounding distressed as he exhaled. “Is there something else going on?”

"Maybe,” you answered noncommittally.

"That's not an answer at all!" he snapped.

You clucked your tongue, sounding irritated. "Stop screaming, Satoru."

"Do you like him?"

“Is your emphasis on that word supposed to change its meaning?”

If Nanami’s heart was skipping earlier, it has now stopped completely, robbing him of air as it seemed to have affected his lungs, too. You were maddening, not only to Gojo but to him as well. It was evident that you were in your gaming mood again, and although you were only intentionally riling your brother, he was also directly in your line of assault.

Gojo sighed in defeat, mirroring Nanami’s feelings. “Y/N, please, just answer the question,” he whined.

“I guess.” There was a pause then you said, "I mean, what's not to like?"

"What?!"

“Like it or not, Nanamin is a very excellent specimen of the male populace. He’s fucking irresistible and that’s an understatement.” You scoffed. "Even you like him."

Your voice was followed by your footsteps as you neared the door. In a daze at your vocal expression of how you find him physically attractive, instead of backtracking, Nanami stepped forward and collided with your form, nearly knocking you off your feet. He was after all twice your size and a good foot taller than you.

"Careful," he said between deep breaths, one arm securing you by the waist while his other arm gripped onto the door jamb, the position making the veins and sinews of his arm rather pronounced.

“Speak of the devil…” You straightened up, not making any effort to hide the fact that you were checking him out. Your head turned towards the direction of the breakfast room, making him mimic the action only to see Gojo standing slack-jawed, watching what was unfolding before him with eyes wide with shock. Nanami could've sworn his best friend just went into a state of catatonia.

"Didn't see you there," you said, addressing Nanami, your blue eyes assessing him as if in suspicion.

"I'm sorry," he muttered under his breath, feeling the tips of his ears heating up. Before you could notice, he stepped aside, heading towards the direction of the stairs.

"Hey, Nanamin," you suddenly called, making him halt and turn his head to your direction. You were smirking at the direction of your brother as you said, "Nice ass."

He shook his head. It was really just a ploy to get to Gojo’s nerves, and he was your pawn.

**

The sound of graphite scratching on paper like a harsh slash of sword punctuated the impending absence of thought in your mind. Nothing mattered but the sight of your hand gripping a pencil as it created unintelligible strokes on the plain page of the sketchbook on your lap. It progressed to furious scribbling, your movements becoming faster, the sound dominating your corner of the room. Everything has been drowned out – the endless chattering, the sound of porcelain and silverware hitting each other in chaotic cacophony – heightening in a painful crescendo of auditory abomination and dying in the air, overwhelmed by the picture you were creating on the blank expanse of space.

“You must be so proud of your daughter.”

Scratch.

“Who wouldn’t be? It must be great to have geniuses for children”

Scratch.

“She’s just as famous as Satoru.”

Scratch.

Just like that, they didn't exist. The room was empty save for you and the view outside the window coming to life on paper. Your eyes darted from your sketch to the familiar yet equally exhilarating view just outside the parlor. Gojo was animatedly talking about something, easily excitable as always. His fiancée laughed on the side while Nanami was witheringly eyeing him, stoic as always. Shoko, who arrived the previous evening, also joined the group. All that was missing was Geto. You wondered if you should draw him somewhere in the sketch.

The image before you reminded you of those days when reality seemed far away, back when Gojo was still a student, exceptional as always but still young, not the renowned genius tycoon he was at present. His friends would always be around him, lounging around the manor like they hadn't a care in the world.

His crowd grew in number with Geto and Nanami being the two closest pals he had. Shoko joined in shortly in middle school. On the other hand, Utahime came during his university days, also starting off as Gojo’s friend and eventually becoming his girlfriend. Now they were about to get married and it seemed to punctuate all the changes that came with being the grown-ups that they are.

It scared you.

Fact is, growing up and growing old and the changes that come with it was terrifying. Even if you yourself were already twenty four, seemingly had your life together and appearing to have matured without a hitch, that wasn’t the case at all. Genius or not, your brother also had his issues even while he was rising to his current position in society.

The problem was within you, you knew it. That and the fact that you did not really know what growing means. Your work grew, matured like crazy. You didn’t think you yourself grew, stuck in those days when everything was relatively easier. At least then, you only had to worry about your classmates hating on you. Now a part of the public did.

Looking at Gojo and his gang, they’ve all handled that well, making you wonder how they did it. He is one of the youngest CEOs in the country, having built his business empire at just seventeen. Your future sister-in-law is a professor, Geto is a sought-after model and Shoko is a forensic pathologist. They were all great at what they did, struggled as well, but came out with perfect grace.

However, you think the best one out of them was none other than the object of your pining – Nanami Kento. The man made transitioning to adulthood look rather easy. Maybe it was because he had always been mature and held himself in perfect equilibrium. Sure, he was no Gojo Satoru, but he was innately intelligent and became one of the youngest barristers who held the position of a famous attorney’s partner. He handled controversial cases and is one of the best prosecutors in the country with a high winning percentage. His work aside, he seemed to have the least struggle out of everyone.

Your lips curled up at the corners at the thought of the man. Your gaze flicked to him from the sketchbook, sitting there with a beverage in his hand, the noon sun glimmering on his hair and the planes of his face, looking more laid back without a blazer on. He was dressed rather casually in a pair of khaki trousers and dusty blue button-ups, but he still looked smart. He always dressed that way which you found very attractive although seeing him in more casual clothes like that morning was another level of hot altogether. He’s quite a bit formal, making him seem monotonous, but it’s that consistency that you liked about him. It was only a bonus that he was devastatingly handsome with those sharp features and the suits made him look so sexy in that it left everything about his real physique to imagination.

One just could not get enough of him, at least you couldn’t, but you did see how his partner’s paralegal eyeballed him all the time. (You secretly wanted to gouge her eyes out.) That’s the kind of man Nanami was. He doesn’t speak much, but when he does, it leaves profound dents to one’s psyche. And man, was he hot in court! He’s fucking sarcastic when he wants to be, to the point of being vile, but one just can’t get offended with the kind of logic he has. Once he speaks his mind, one wishes he wouldn’t stop, but he does and leaves that person craving more, his hypnotic, deep voice a rare treat. He wasn’t big on actions, wasn’t expressive, but when he does something, it’s always with purpose and precision, never over the top and always with disciplined stoicism.

You chuckled quietly, your pencil drawing perfect strokes of his hair when you were pulled out of your trance.

“Yuuji!” you heard Gojo say, pulling your attention to the direction of the window.

You broke into a grin at the mention of the name, hurriedly getting on your feet and running out of the room, deaf to your mother’s protests against your unladylike behavior – the commotion foreign to the ladies in the room who moved with the minutest rustles. You made your way out to the patio, that familiar tuft of pink hair coming into your line of vision. You sprinted through the glass doors towards the person whose name your brother called, smile wide and genuine.

“You kept me waiting long enough,” you called out, voice louder than usual. You’re hardly ever giddy nor were you easily excitable like your brother, but Itadori Yuuji was a different story altogether. You loved the boy with a fierceness akin to a mother and were always ecstatic to be around him but suppressed it by acting gruff. You were crazy like that.

“That’s because you won’t help me with my final requirements,” he retorted good-naturedly, wrapping his arm around your shoulder and nuzzling the back of your head as if you were a fuzzy plush toy, making you drop your drawing implements. Well, you were considerably smaller than him, and he was probably the only one who could do that to you and get away unscathed.

You rolled your eyes, noticing how Gojo had picked up your stuff, looking at the page where it was opened. “You should exert yourself more. You’re no genius after all.”

“That’s mean!”

You smirked at him, your eyes straying to your brother who was smiling at your drawing. He had such a proud, fond look on his face that you couldn’t do anything but stare. He has always been ever since you first held crayons and drew him as a cat. “You even included Suguru,” he cooed, pointing at the missing person you included then proceeding to show it off to his friends. “Guys, look. My baby sister drew us.”

“Surprise, surprise,” you sallied, but you were happy that he’s always showing you off.

Utahime and Shoko stood beside him, also looking at the sketch. The latter raised a thumb at your direction. “Damn, kid. You’re really great at what you do. How do you make things come alive with just a pencil?”

You smiled awkwardly. “I –”

“Give it here,” Nanami suddenly butted in, hand reaching for the sketchpad which Gojo promptly handed him.

You felt Yuuji elbowing you while you stood there, observing the man who was in possession of your drawing.

Nanami blinked then, handing it back to you. “How come I don’t have a face?” he asked, expression expectant of your response.

Annoyed, you snatched it back from him.

“It’s obviously not finished yet,” Shoko commented, but she couldn’t have been more wrong.

It was not that you cannot, but you would never draw his face. Ever. You tried tons of times if the tens of pages of sketchpads at your apartment filled with different angles and parts of him would be a basis for that. You could draw everything else about him, just not his face. No amount of contemplation and practice helped you to know why, but you attributed it to the fact that you could not do his face justice, at least in the sense that you would not be able to bring it to life as Shoko said.

Finally, you said, “I didn’t feel like drawing your face.” You turned away, dragging Yuuji with you. The boy was still giggling like a hyena until you got to the second-floor balcony where you propped yourself up on the balustrade, looking sulky.

"You might fall there, you know," he commented, jumping up the marble balustrade to join you.

"I can say the same for you," came your quiet reply. "Where's Megumi?"

“He’ll be here before lunch.” Yuuji leaned close to you with a mischievous grin on his face. “What, or rather who, is that look on your face for?”

"I think you know the answer to that."

"Did you tell Nanamin?" He addressed the man just as you did and got away with it, too, for some reason.

"Tell him what?"

He scoffed playfully. "Are you seriously playing this game with me? I'm your best buddy. I know everything."

"As irritating as that is, it's true."

Yuuji pouted at you. "I heard what you did yesterday. Why do you have to make games out of everything?"

"That's how I communicate. I thought you knew everything."

Harsh as always, he thought. "Be a normal person for once and just tell him." His brows knit together. "Well, you're anything but normal," he mused aloud. “I meant that nicely.”

You blew a raspberry. "You're just as normal as I am if you claim to be my best friend. Which you are. No take backs."

Yuuji couldn't help but smile at that. You have always been a loner and you did not mind being alone. He was grateful you wanted him around despite that.

"But you should stop doing this. He wants you. It's obvious."

"It's not that simple."

"What isn't simple? If it's Satoru, he'll understand for sure if you just try to be honest. I'm sure he just isn't for it more because he doesn't know how you feel. I mean, if I were him, I'll also protect my baby sister from my male friends. That's just how it is."

You blinked, pivoting your whole body so you were facing him.

"Well, of course, Nanamin needs to fight for it, too," he was quick to throw in, rambling to himself when he suddenly felt you reach out towards him, gently running your fingers through his pink hair. He leaned towards your touch, smiling contentedly.

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine."

"I'm not –"

You narrowed your eyes at him. "Are you seriously playing this game with me?" you asked, mimicking his words earlier. "I'm your best buddy. I know everything, one of them being the fact that you worry worse than my mother."

Yuuji jumped off the balustrade, reaching out to grab you in a bear hug despite your protestations. Just like how you were with everyone else, you shunned his affection, but he knew better than to let go when you were saying exactly that. He found that trait of yours adorable.

"You're so irritating," you hissed, flipping your platinum white hair over your shoulder when you finally managed to get off his grip but he wrapped an arm over your shoulder nonetheless, undeterred by your words.

"You know you love me."

"Shut up."

Yuuji pouted. "You sound like Megumi."

"I heard that," the person in question suddenly spoke from the direction of the entry, his deep voice making you and Yuuji turn towards him. "They're calling everyone for lunch."

Yuuji followed behind as you approached Megumi, also one of your closest friends and practically your brother, keeping you in check more than Gojo ever can.

"Guess what," Megumi said to you as you walked beside him. In one of the rare moments you would see it, he grinned and you knew it wasn't because of anything good.

"What?" you and Yuuji, who thought the same by the look on his face, chorused.

"Nobara switched your name card with Miwa's. You're now seated next to your man candy. You're welcome."

“Isn’t that more of a perk for Miwa? She’s scared shitless of Nanamin, you know.”

The three of you laughed while Yuuji could just shake his head at the inescapable trouble that will follow. His only consolation was that it’s fun when it involves you.

**

What were the odds, Nanami thought to himself. He didn't have to look twice to see whose name it was on the card on the spot next to him. He exhaled loudly, unfolding the napkin and placing it on his lap. This could only lead to hullabaloo he was not exactly in the mood to deal with especially after you just told him you did not feel like drawing his face. You sure were mean when you wanted to be.

He surveyed his vicinity. Your father, the current head of the clan from whence your blue eyes came from, was seated at the head of the table, your mother to his right, while Utahime’s parents sat to his left. It seemed to have been the only formalities observed in the arrangement. From across Nanami sat Utahime and Gojo while on his right were a couple he only knew as cousins to the Gojo main family.

He was internally pinching the bridge of his nose. You really had to be the one seated next to him and right across your annoying brother, too.

The luncheon started without you. It wasn't a formal gathering after all except they were serving a full-course meal. It was more of a way to get everyone to know one another over the week for some reason he cannot fathom, and he was glad that only your father was the one who had engaged him in a conversation, mostly about work. It was easy enough to deal with.

"Where are Y/N and her friends?" your mother asked Gojo out of the blue.

Utahime, answering for the clueless person beside her, pointed towards the direction of the door to the banquet hall where you were leisurely walking towards your designated seat with Yuuji and Megumi. The former rounded the table to sit next to Gojo.

"Still managing to be late even when you're already at the venue, baby sis?" Nanami heard Gojo say as you assumed your seat. It was evident in the way his eyes shifted from Nanami to you that your tardiness wasn't exactly the problem.

You blatantly ignored his comment and turned your attention to Nanami. "Had a good run this morning, Nanamin?"

"Just so," he answered, side-glancing at you.

"Yeah. You looked super hot this morning," you said just as Gojo was taking a sip from his wine glass.

Megumi snorted when the older male started choking on his drink while Yuuji was trying hard not to laugh.

Nanami knew he would have reacted the same way except that he had been bracing himself for whatever you will say the moment Gojo opened his mouth. Of course you will use him in your counter attack. It's yet another game, not that he was less affected by your words.

"You should have seen him, Iori," you continued, addressing your brother's fiancée. "He looks so much less uptight in casual clothes."

It didn't escape Nanami’s notice how Gojo was looking at him. He looked about ready to drop onto the floor, but paid him no mind as he leveled his mouth to your ear. "Y/N, let's not make your dear brother snap, shall we?"

"Oh, sweetheart, maybe that's what he needs right now," you deadpanned, meeting his gaze squarely, your disposition unreadable as you let your eyes linger on him longer than was deemed appropriate.

Yuuji finally laughed, earning him a kick to the shins under the table courtesy of Megumi.

What it was about you that made everything else irrelevant and nonexistent when you’re that close to him was something beyond him. You always made him lose control, tempted him to break the rules. He only knew he couldn't act on it. Most of the time anyway. He also felt like laughing, oddly enough.

Utahime just chuckled good-naturedly breaking the tension. "Since the two of you are here, I should tell you that the final fitting for your clothes for the wedding is this afternoon. So, you better go together at the shop."

"Traitor." Gojo pouted at Utahime but nobody was really paying attention to him anymore. For someone so important to society with a flawless image, the closest people around him sure were good at disregarding him when they deemed it fit.

"Okay," Nanami said, looking at you for confirmation.

It was you who looked away this time. "I'm free."

"That's set then." Utahime clapped her hands and to Nanami she cheekily said, "Maybe wear something less formal."

At that, you grinned wickedly at him. So much for avoiding trouble with you.

-end of part 2-

*I used “you” here, but since my character is Gojo’s little sister who is established to be his female clone for reasons essential to the plot, she possesses the same blue eyes and white hair. I did not exactly want to create an OC (although technically, I did by describing Y/N), but I opted for the best of both worlds in this fic, leaning more towards the literary aspect of it as opposed to it just being reader/you-oriented. I hope this isn’t iffy to anyone, and yeah, i’m not being exclusive or whatever.

If you want to be included in the tag list, please DM me :)

Thank you so much for reading. Likes, comments and reblogs are deeply appreciated! Hope you enjoyed it.

© ORIGINAL WORK BY nanaminokanojo. CHARACTERS ARE INSPIRED BY GEGE AKUTAMI'S JUJUTSU KAISEN. [20210709] PHOTO/IMAGE/GIF/FANART SOURCES CREDITS TO THE RESPECTIVE OWNERS.

[realcube]

BNHA shopping headcanons pt.2

part 1 here! (momo x reader, todoroki x reader, iida x reader)

Uraraka x Reader

Bakugo x Reader

Kaminari x Reader

tw// cussing, irresponsible moeny-spending 😳

Ochako Uraraka

if you have ever watched mha you should know that Uraraka is  canonically dirt poor

well maybe not dirt poor as from what i know, she isn’t homeless but..

it’d be a fair assumption that she is an extreme cheapskate

she really is that bitch at the cinema who deadass walks in lookin built like manatee from the neck down but her skinny face really doesn’t sell the act

and she smells like off-brand skittles and soda from a mile away but box office clerk pretends not to see shit because they are too underpaid to deal with an determined, skint bubble girl first thing in the morning

oh and did i mention she exclusively takes you to early bird specials for the huge discount

so, needless to say, when you want Uraraka to come see a movie with you in the afternoon, you have to pay for her ticket

now, with that in mind, why would she ever want to go shopping as a date? shopping!

the whole premise of ‘shopping’ is spending money - something she is very much against

so, obviously you thought it was a prank when she texted you to ask you on a date to the local mall

none the less, on the day you showed up - with a pocket knife in your purse, just in case - and to your pleasant surprise, Ochako was standing there outside your favourite jewellery shop with a cheesy grin on her face

“(Y/N)!” She called out, skipping up to you and throwing herself into your arms. “Guess what?!”

You giggled, delighted to see her so happy but confused as to why - as usually she gets upset when she is surrounded by so many expensive things. “What, bubbles?”

She pulled out from the hug to reach into her pocket, grab her hand-me-down wallet from her dad and unzip it to show you the many notes she had cramped inside there. “Look! Remember when I told you I couldn’t come on dates on weekends with you anymore because workloads at the UA were increasing? Well, truth is, I couldn’t see you because I’ve been holding down a secret job at a dessert place for the last few months - and look! I’m rich!”

You felt your cheeks heat up and your eyes become glossy for some reason, it just made you emotional seeing Uraraka so happy and excited, despite the fact you noticed that the money in the purse was definitely no more than ¥5500/£40/$53 - so either she had already started spending or she had been severely underpaid for 4 months of work.

“Ochako..” You croaked, sticking out your bottom lip and doing nothing to resist the tears that came rushing down your cheeks. “I’m so proud of you.”

Uraraka shook her head rapidly, “No!” She whined, shielding her eyes with her wallet, “Please don’t cry, (Y/N)! Then I’ll start crying too!”

You nodded, wiping away your tears with your thumb, “Okay, bubbles.” You mumbled, feeling the spark of emotion inside you die down, “So, where shall we go first?”

“Um..” Uraraka hummed in thought before pointing to your favourite jewellery shop which stood behind her, “There! I’m gonna buy you a necklace; to make up for last year when you got a me a really pretty bracelet for valentines’ day and all I could afford to get you was a candy necklace.” She mumbled the last part before taking your hand and dragging you into the shop.

She didn’t even spare a second so you weren’t able to explain to her how you actually really liked the candy necklace - it was delicious! 

Also, while she shifted through all the pretty necklaces looking for one that would ‘compliment your gorgeous eyes’, you realised something - she definitely wasn’t built to be poor.

I mean, yeah, she is very stingy when it comes to shopping for herself

but when it came to buying you a necklace, she was ready to take a mortgage if it meant you’d be satisfied with your gift

or maybe you could call that reckless spending-]

Katsuki Bakugo

when y’all go on dates it’s usually to one of your houses or maybe an abandoned park or something

but because you said you had a way better aim than him - he challenged you to a game of laser tag! and since it was just you and him, he said you could consider it a date

however, when you both arrived at the laser tag arena, it was closed 

neither of y’all checked the opening times on the website so how were you supposed to know that it was closed on Mondays?

after a long while of bickering between the two of you, y’all just decided to spend the rest of the day at the mall next door

and when i tell you bakugo should be on bargain fkn hunters

he is also very clueless when it comes to giving gifts so he takes this as an opportunity to figure out what you want for your birthday/valentine’s time

you show him a crop top you think is cute and he is like ‘i literally do not give a fuck’

he says he is just following you around the shop bc he doesn’t want you to get kidnapped 

but in reality, you see him out of the corner of your eye typing in his notes app ‘black crop top’ as soon as you turn away to hang it back up on the rack

he refuses to shop for himself because ‘all the shit in these shops are ugly and overpriced’ 

as if that is a good enough excuse to hide the real reason why he won’t look for clothes in these shops; which is that he exclusively shops in Hot Topic and ASOS

he gets butterflies whenever you show him any article of clothing and say it’d look good on him, despite the fact his response it usually something along the lines of 

‘fuck off, that shirt is so ugly! why would i want to wear that?!’ or

‘of course i’d look hot in that - its a fucking tank top! don’t be stupid, (Y/N).’

and mentally he does the same for you whenever he sees a cute shirt or a cool pair of shoes but he stays silent, wanting to keep up his ‘i don’t give a fuck’ façade.

in fact, the whole time y’all were shopping the only thing he recommended to you was a revealing piece of lingerie that a mannequin was displaying in the window of a Victoria’s Secret 

“hey, that’d look good on you, (Y/N)!” he chuckled, pointing at the set from across the hall

you rolled your eyes, punching his shoulder without missing a beat, “Of course i’d look good in that - it’s fucking lingerie! don’t be stupid, bakugo.”

“HEY YOU CAN’T USE MY OWN LINE AGAINST ME!”

Denki Kaminari 

y’all hang out at the mall quite a lot but mostly for the food court

by now y’all have probably eaten at every single chain in that bitch at least twice so obviously you go there quite a lot

after you eat, y’all stroll through the mall window-shopping since you probably spend all your money on food 

however, after Kaminari’s birthday he was pretty loaded so he was finally able to walk around the mall and actually buy something other than food! crazy, i know. 

you both were so hyped to buy shit - you forgot how to act

anyway, kaminari hadn’t decided what he was going to spend his ¥7000/£50/$66 on

‘clothes?’ you suggested

‘what’s wrong with my clothes?’ he replied defensively.

‘body spray?’

‘are you saying i stink?’

‘hair product?’

‘i have more than enough, heh.’

‘phone case?’

‘i have one..’

‘toiletries?’

‘that’s a funny word-WAIT!’ he yelled, shock running through his body as the ‘best idea of all ideas’ dawned on him. ‘wait here, (Y/N). I’ll be right back.’ 

with that Denki ran off, leaving you outside Sephora with no money 

It took him a while to come back but once he did, a foolishly wide grin painted his features, “(Y/N)! Look!” He yelled, motioning to his huge white bag.

He opened it to show you what was inside, “A yellow blanket?” You asked, cocking your head to the side.

“Yes! It’s 5x5 feet because you said the blanket home that we cuddle in is too small.” 

You blushed, rubbing the back of your neck, feeling kind of bad that Denki spent him birthday money to make you happy. “Oh, well, I didn’t mean that-” 

“And feel it! It’s so fluffy and soft!” 

You nodded, reaching down and stroking the blanket, “Oh my-” 

“It feels like heaven!” he finished your sentence

[whaleiumsharkspeare]

Okay so I know it's a lot of numbers but also please keep in mind that a part of me wants to ask you ALL OF THEM so this is actually just restraint.

3 6 8 12 13 16 20 24 25

Well okay but get ready for a long post!

3.) My hair is very simple. I pretty much wear it down or in a ponytail because I’m not very experienced with doing different things with it. I let it dry naturally most of the time, which gives it some nice waves that I like. And I wear bangs straight across or slightly side-swept to the left. Sometimes I like to wear headbands or a tropical flower clip. But in general I keep it very simple

6.) I’ve always wanted to go to a concert because I’ve never been to one (excluding the virtual showing of Jeremy Jordan’s one man show Carry On, which I suppose I did buy tickets for rather impulsively). I’d also love to just take a random trip one day, somewhere really fun, like Disney World or someplace scenic. I also found out that Jeremy’s sister-in-law has a bakery one state away from where I live and one of these days I’m gonna get in my car and just drive there and get me some cupcakes just to say I got them from her

8.) One skill that I have is singing. I love to sing and I consider myself pretty good at it, but not a lot of my friends know that I can because as much as I love to sing, I can be a little shy about it. Obviously my family and high school choir friends know I can sing but here at college most people don’t realize it unless they’re some of my roommates and they happen to come into the bathroom while I’m in there singing in the shower

12.) I love stars and constellations a lot. I love to stargaze and I even have a pair of socks with constellations on them, but I don’t think I’ve ever made up my own constellations. I just like trying to find the real ones lol

13.) I have bangs and I’ve had them for as long as I can remember so I guess by definition, yes, I like it when my hair is in my face lol. But I don’t like them to be too long, and if I’m studying or taking a test or doing something else that requires a lot of focus, I like to have my hair back in a ponytail to keep the rest of it out of my face. But the bangs stay

16.) It would perhaps be easier to ask what songs I don’t sing in the shower lol. A lot of showtunes, a lot of Disney stuff. And then I’ll do some pop, like lately I’ve been singing Dog Days Are Over and Drops of Jupiter (which I suppose is more rock, idk). Pretty much anything that isn’t rap or heavy metal or anything like that is fair game in my shower repertoire

20.) Honestly, Let Me Make You Proud stuck with me pretty much right away, to the point that I even have a bracelet that says that on it. It struck a chord with me a number of reasons. One being that it was the first song I ever heard Jeremy Jordan sing and turned me into a fan immediately. But then the lyrics mean a lot to me, because I’m always trying to do my best like in school and I wanna prove myself. Not that my parents aren’t proud of me because they are and they let me know that but sometimes when I feel like I could be doing better, I think about that song. Not in a bad way necessarily but just like “yes, I will make you proud.” Again my parents are a lot more open about that than Quirin but idk, it just means something to me

24.) My freshman year of high school, I was like the only kid in my biology class that ever seemed to answer the teacher’s questions. I guess because science is my thing. But anyway this one day he shows us a picture of a dugong, which is an animal very similar to a manatee. And he asked if anyone knew what it was, so I raised my hand because I knew it. And he looked at me like “this again?” and he said “Really? You know what, let’s let some other students try to answer this one and we’ll come back to you.” So I put my hand down and leaned back in my chair like “alright, but good luck.” And he called on some other students who said anything from a manatee to a dolphin but no one got it right. So finally I put my hand back up and my teacher, who sounded really done at this point, said “alright, what do you think it is?” And I, with all the confidence in the world, said “it’s a dugong” and he was like, so surprised. He said “yeah, that’s actually right” and I felt rather smug about it and I’ll never forget it.

Oh! Also the time in 7th grade when I got a solo in choir for our Christmas concert. I was really shy and not prone to singing out very loudly (also I was in the alto section that year and those low notes were murder on my throat. I’m definitely a soprano but I didn’t know it then). But there was this solo that I really liked and I wanted to audition. And I was up there standing in line listening to the other girls singing it before me. And I got up to the front, and I wasn’t very popular in school and not a lot of the girls really knew me that well, so when it was my turn they were all sitting on the risers just talking to each other. And my choir director played the intro on the piano and I started singing and I kid you not the entire room went silent and they were all watching me. It was so scary and nerve wracking but I also felt very proud to have even tried. I wound up getting the solo in the song “Yes, Virginia” and because of it, I really grew a lot in my confidence after that

25.) My favorite holiday decoration is this Barbie ballerina Christmas ornament that I’ve had for as long as I can remember. It’s from the movie Barbie in the Nutcracker and it’s Barbie in this pretty pink and light green tutu with sparkles on the skirt and she’s doing some ballet pose. She is missing a hand but it’s because she’s well-loved. Every year I insist on it being the first ornament on the tree and I always place it very prominently so it can be easily seen and appreciated

Thanks for all the asks, Kazzy!

[lightupmyass]

Pairing: Professor! Namjoon x College Student! Reader

Genre: smut, slight angst, comedy and some fluff I think?

Warnings: unprotected sex, dirty talk, fingering, mentions of masturbation, slight soft dom Joonie, semi public sex, cream pie

Summary: Being the class clown is all fun and games, until you take things a little too far...

Word Count: 4218

You’ve been waiting for this for months. After a boring summer back home, you finally get to come back to school. Most people dread going back, but you loved it. Your hometown was so boring. You loved being at school, seeing your friends, meeting new people. It was exhilarating to you. You fix your hair one more time before grabbing your bag and heading to your very first class of the semester.

As you walk in, you smile wide when you notice a familiar face, and when you catch his eyes, he does the very same. “Yooo, no fucking waaaay.” You laugh, going up to your friend and high fiving him. “That’s my bitch! You didn’t tell me you had this class.” Taehyung laughs, pulling the chair next to him out for you. “Well you didn’t tell me either, man. Bro this is gonna be fucking great.” You smile. Taehyung has been one of your best friends since you started uni, sharing your sense of humor. He was the class clown everywhere he went, and you thrived together. You looked around, seeing a few other familiar faces, but no one you really talked to.

As you and Taehyung caught up, telling each other all about your summers, something else caught your eye. A man walked into the room, his blonde hair slicked back with a small strand falling onto his forehead, round glasses perched perfectly on his nose, and a dark blue button up shirt tucked into black slacks. He looked young, older than any other student, but too young to be the professor. You Tried to ignore him, but watched him out of the corner of your eye, seeing him set his things on the teacher’s desk and grab a marker from the white board.

“Alright, good morning everybody.” He turned to face the class, a small smile on his face, his dimples prominent, giving him an even more youthful look. “My name is Mr. Kim.” He says, writing it on the board. “I am your professor for English 3. Are their any questions before we get started?” He asks. One of the girls raises her hand, and he points at her. “Sorry if I’m being too forward, Professor, but how old are you?”  She asks, smiling at him. “Ah,” he chuckles, “I’m actually 27. I just graduated last year actually so this is my first year teaching.” He explains. Damn, he’s pretty young. “Any other questions?” When he asks that, you get an idea. You nudge Taehyung, smiling as you raise your hand. “Yes?” Mr. Kim asks, pointing at you. “Um yes, I have a question. Do you think busses in medieval times were just very long carriages, Sir?” You ask, Taehyung bursting with laughter the second you stopped talking, a few of the other students chuckling as well. Mr. Kim raised an eyebrow at you, putting his hands behind his back. “Do we have anymore questions about this class?” “Ooh, I have one Sir!” Taehyung raises his hand, a big, wicked smile on his face. “Can we do magic tricks in here?” Mr. Kim looked at him, a small part of his soul leaving his body as he realized what he had gotten himself into. Why did he become a professor? He may never know the truth. “Yes, you can absolutely do magic. In fact, if you keep asking me questions that waste my time and the class's, I’ll do one myself and make you disappear.” A round of ooohs echoed off the walls, Taehyung slumping down in his seat. For once in his life, Taehyung might’ve met his match. This made the young, handsome teacher all the more intriguing to you.

Over the next month you and Taehyung had stuck your claim as the class clowns, as you’ve been doing since the two of my met. You were a chaotic duo that made the best out of any boring lecture. You did ask a few more stupid questions in Mr. Kim's class, but he never acted upon that little “threat" he made on the first day. In all honesty, he didn’t seem like a bad guy. He was funny, sweet, and still super attractive. He was also very philosophical, always bringing up discussions in the classroom that were open for debate, which you gladly joined with complete seriousness. His face when you first spoke without making some joke for comic relief was one of shock, to say the least.

You enjoyed his class very much, but it wasn’t until one night that you really saw Mr. Kim for who he was. It was a night where you and Tae had decided to go out to a little bar that was off campus you two found during your second semester of school. It was quiet, relaxing, and intimate. Not many people from your school come in, so you don’t have to worry about embarrassing yourself in front of fellow classmates (which you never worry about anyway but, you know). Tae had left you alone in favor of going home with a girl he had met, meaning that you were sitting at the bar, alone and bored. As you wave the bartender over to ask for another drink, you see a familiar, tall figure slouched on the bar, a big difference from his usual perfect posture, his normally slick blonde hair falling onto his forehead, looking as soft as a cloud.

Curious, you get down from your stool, making your way over to him and putting a hand on his shoulder. “Mr. Kim?” You ask, grabbing his attention. He turns on his stool, his cheeks slightly pink as he straightens himself up. “Ah, Y/N. Didn’t expect I’d see anyone from school here.” He mumbles a bit, a slight slur in his voice. He must’ve been here for a while. “Yeah, uh, Tae and I come here a lot. Mind if I sit?” You ask, Mr. Kim nodding. Taking the seat next to him, the bartender brings you your drink. “Are you alright, Mr. Kim? You don’t look like yourself.” You ask. He stiffens up a bit, running his fingers through his hair, the action making his button up shirt tighten around his biceps and back. “Yes, I’m fine. Just kinda, drowning away the work week, you know?” He answers. “I’m sure being a professor isn’t easy. Especially with idiots like Tae and I.” You chuckle, Mr. Kim doing the same. “Nah, you guys aren’t that bad. I actually enjoy some of the things you two come up with. I mean, ‘who would win in a fight between a manatee and a praying mantis?’ like what?” He laughs loudly, making you feel good at the question you asked him just last week.

“I thought we annoyed you. You’re always so serious in class.” You admitted. “On the contrary, you guys brighten my day. Since this is my first year of teaching, I have to try and maintain a strict classroom in order to feel as if I’m actually doing a good job, but its always good to have a laugh every now and then.” He smiles at you, his dimples making your heart flutter. “Why did you become a teacher so early?” The question sneaks up on you, and you’re not sure if it was a good one or not, but you’re curious. “Honestly, I just needed something that would give me money while I wrote my book.” He answers. “Book? You’re writing a book?” He chuckles a bit, taking another sip of his drink. “Of course I’m writing a book. I’m an English major, its not like I can go get a CEO position in a big business with a paper that says ‘I know how to read and write good'.” He jokes, putting a smile on your face. “Well, Mr. Kim, I never expected you to be such a jokester.” You chuckle. “Please, we’re off campus. Call me Namjoon.”

For the rest of the night you both sat there, talking about his book, your childhood, pretty much anything that came up until the bartender called last round and you realized it was almost 4 am. “Oh, wow, I guess we should be heading out.” You giggle, the alcohol definitely running rampant through your system. You take your card out to pay your tab when Namjoon pushes your hand away. “Its okay. I got it.” You thank him, smiling warmly at him. “Are you okay to go home? Do you want me to walk you? Or call you an Uber?” He asks. “Well, we’re going back to campus, so I feel that an Uber would be better. Don’t want anyone to see us and get the wrong impression.” You point out, him nodding in agreement. He walks you outside, waiting with you. “You know, I have always wondered something about you, Y/N.” He says, catching you a bit off guard. “What’s that?” He stiffens a bit, putting his hands in his pockets as he props himself up against the brick wall. “You’re an amazing student, always turn in exceptional work, so why do you act out? Why not just go through school like normal and be great? Let your work and your character match?” The question actually surprises you a bit. “Well, I assume it could be related to the constant need for attention due to the lack of it from my parents, growing up as a middle child in a family of five kids.” You give him your honest answer. “That makes sense.” There’s a bit of a silence for a moment before he speaks again. “Tonight turned out a lot better than I expected. I normally drink alone, but having company was nice.” He smiles. “The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Kim. I had a lot of fun too. I saw you as an actual person for once.” You respond. There’s a moment when you turn to face him, his cheeks still tinged pink from the alcohol and his eyes hazy, his body leaning lazily against the wall. There’s a moment when your eyes meet, and the sounds of the last few people leaving the bar fades away, where its just the two of you, and you can’t help the way your heart races, an urge so strong you want to act upon. However, you don’t even need to, because before you know it, his lips are on yours, heat radiating between you in this moment, this moment of passion, where you forget who he is, what he is to you, where all you can think about is how soft his lips are, how his strong hands grip your waist, and how his chest feels pressed against yours. Before you know it, the moment is over, he pulls away with heavy breaths, leaving you cold with his taste still on your lips. “I-I'm so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. God I’m such a fucking idiot.” He steps back, putting his hand on his forehead as he leans back against the wall. “No, no its okay. I didn’t mind-" You stop when you see him looking behind you, the light from headlights flooding where you were standing. “That’s the Uber.” He clears his throat, straightening himself up again. “Have a good night, Y/N. I’ll see you in class on Monday.” He says, and just like that, he’s gone, walking alone in the shadows in the opposite direction.

Another month passes by. You have to admit, there’s a lot of tension between the two of you ever since that night. However, the kiss has somehow made you even more dangerous to him. Not that he was afraid you’d tell someone, because for someone who was a loud mouth in class, you assured him you knew how to keep a secret. Yet the knowledge that he was attracted to you gave you more power in other ways. You started to dress a little different in class, hoping to tease him a little bit, the kiss making you crave more from him. Short skirts and sundresses were now your typical outfit, and you could tell that he enjoyed seeing them without him needing to tell you anything. Even after your chat that night though, you never slowed down with your stupid questions or remarks, keeping your title in the class. You liked pushing him a bit, trying to see where he’d draw the line. No matter how hard you pushed, he didn’t seem to waver at all.

Class started normally, just like any other day, Mr. Kim calling roll call and Taehyung answering with something stupid. It all changed when Mr. Kim asked “Does anyone have any questions before we start?” and oh boy did you have a great one for today. You raise your hand, the look of false annoyance already washing over his face. You know he loves your jokes, he just has to act like he doesn’t. “Yes, Miss Y/N?” Now is your time to shine. Maybe this’ll be his limit. “Ah yes, Sir, I would like to know, where do babies come from?” You ask, Taehyung immediately erupting with laughter as a few other student giggle, a few others groaning, sick of your bullshit. Mr. Kim nods a bit before responding. “Y/N, I need you to stay after so we can discuss your behavior in my class.” The seriousness in his voice scares you, the only thing able to come out of your mouth is a small “Yes Sir".

The rest of class drags on, the fear of what will happen after class making your stomach hurt. You wonder if you really did it this time, if you pushed him past his breaking point. The moment he dismisses everyone is the moment your heart drops into your stomach, Taehyung patting you on the back before leaving the classroom, leaving you and Mr. Kim alone. “Mr. Kim, I-" “Namjoon. Call me Namjoon now, Y/N. Its just us.” He corrects you, a bit of your worry fading away at the calm tone of his voice. “Namjoon, I’m sorry if I took it too far. I really am.” You apologize, and for once in your life its genuine. “Its alright, Y/N. Come up here.” He says, coaxing you to the front of the room with two fingers. You move quickly, something about the dominance he radiates right now overwhelming you. He gets up out of his chair, walking slowly to the door. “You know how much I enjoy your jokes,” he starts, locking the door, “but there is a limit. However, I do strive to be the best teacher I can be, Miss Y/N, and if one of my students needs help in a certain area of learning, I am willing to teach them.” He says, making his way towards you, the bottom of your ass already resting on his desk. “W-What do you mean?” You stutter, hoping that you understood him right. “Well, you asked me a question, darling. Do you want me to teach you?” He asks, his body now right in front of yours, towering over you as he presses himself against you. You can’t believe this is actually happening. All the tension between you two is at an all time high. You feel dizzy, the need for him to touch you in any way growing with every inhale of his scent, his cologne overpowering your senses. “Yes. Please, Sir.” You whisper.

Without hesitation, his lips find yours, the passion and hunger greater than that night, a newfound ferocity taking over as you wrap your arms around his neck, his hands gripping your thighs to lift you onto the desk. His hips nuzzle their way between your legs, your sundress riding up, making it easier for him to press against your core, your thin panties doing very little to conceal it. Small moans leave your throat, instantly swallowed by him, the kiss growing deeper and deeper by the second. Its not until he places his hands on your lower back, pulling you towards him to grind you against his growing bulge that you gasp loudly, tipping your head back and giving him access to your neck, which he gladly accepts, leaving wet, sloppy kisses all over he expanse of soft skin. You whine, moving your hips on your own in hopes of getting his attention. He hums against your neck, his hand moving from your back to your front moving your dress to cup your heat and rubbing you through your already slick panties. You’re speechless, the only response you’re capable of being whines and moans as he uses his knuckle to trace over your slit, pressing against your clit every now and then. Finally, you manage to form words, a small “please" escaping your lips. He pulls back, resting his forehead against yours as he looks down at your legs, slowly moving your dress up your thighs, your panties on full display for him. “And you’re absolutely sure this is okay?” He asks softly, tilting your head up by your chin to look him in the eyes, his other hand still rubbing your thigh gently. “Please, Namjoon. I need you. I’ve been craving you ever since you kissed me. I need you so bad.” You beg him.

“I know, baby. Me too. Seeing you in class every day dressed like this, wanting to taste your lips again, feel you on me, wanting to hold you and touch you and please you. Do you know what I’ve imagined? Hm?” His whispers in your ear, his fingers gently moving your panties to the side. “I've sat in this chair, teaching you and your classmates, just imagining how you feel. How you taste. Been dying to feel you around my cock, beautiful.” You gasp at his words, pure sin dripping from his lips. You can’t deny that you’ve thought about him too, your hand deep in your panties late at night as his name fumbled from your lips, imagining how nicely he’d stretch you out, how his soft lips would feel on your dripping cunt. Yet, as he slowly slide a finger inside of you, nibbling on your earlobe as he does, nothing could’ve prepared you for the feeling of intimacy you felt from him, the way he carefully pumps his finger in and out of you, twirling it around to make you feel all of it as he kisses your neck softly. This wasn’t the normal fucking you were used to. Even though it wasn’t the most ideal setting, you could tell there was something more. He leaned forward a bit, pushing you down to lay on the empty desk, your back arching as his finger reaches a new depth inside of you. His free hand roams your body, pulling the top of your dress down to expose your breasts, the lack of a bra delighting him. Another finger slips inside of you, his pace quickening as he grabs your breast, occasionally pinching your nipple, earning a needy mewl from you.

The way he curls his fingers in you has you losing your mind, your toes curling as your hips squirm, the slick sound of his movements making your cheeks red. His touch is driving you crazy, but you still crave more, the need to be stretched out even more unbearable. “Namjoon.” You moan, reaching down to grip his wrist. He stops, pulling his hand away from as he leans over your body, his clean hand ousting the strands of your hair out of your face. “What is it, baby?” He asks, concern laced in his voice. You sit up, running your hands over his chest, feeling the soft fabric of his shirt under your fingertips, the rigid lines of muscles hidden underneath tempting you. Curiosity takes over, your fingers moving to unbutton his shirt, his torso being revealed to you with every button. He stays silent, watching your movements as he rubs your thigh again, eager to figure out your next move. As you reach the last button, you pull the hem of his shirt out of his pants, now seeing the bulge in them properly, your mouth watering in anticipation. You’d love to have it in your mouth, but at the moment, you’re not sure if you have the patience for that. There’s always next time, right? “Need you.” You mumble, unbuckling his belt. A groan rumbles in his throat as you cup him through his trousers, his package a lot bigger than you had anticipated. “Well, I did promise to teach you where babies came from, didn’t I? What kind of teacher would I be if I didn’t follow through?” He chuckles, moving your hand away so he could pull his boxers down just enough for his cock to spring free, the large appendage bouncing as its released from its tight confines. You gulp, wondering if it’ll actually fit inside of you. You’re glad that you’ve been on birth control since you were 15, because right now you need to feel him inside of you.

He kisses you again as he grips himself, positioning himself at your entrance. “Are you ready, beautiful?” He asks, you nodding in response. The second he pushes into you is nothing like you’ve ever experienced. He moves slowly, the burn of your walls stretching around him making you lightheaded, but for him it was completely worth it. You wanted to be consumed by him, happy to let him claim you as his and not caring who knew. He groaned loudly into your ear, gripping the side of the desk as he fully sheathed himself inside of you. You’ve never felt like this before, never been so full in your life, and when he moves to pull back out, you bite your bottom lip to stop yourself from moaning loudly. “Ah fuck, you feel so good baby. Better than I ever imagined. Fuck.” He almost growled, pushing back into you as you gripped his shoulders, trying to steady yourself. As he starts to set a steady pace, you can already feel yourself losing control. He wraps his arms tightly around you, holding you as he pistons in and out of you, his gentle demeanor now gone as he fucks into you hard, leaving marks from his nails into your skin as you bite his shoulder, trying not to scream. “Fuck. So fucking tight and perfect. So fucking beautiful. Like you were -mmph- fucking made for me.” He groans in your ear, your whole body jolting with each  hard thrust of his hips. “Mm, fuck Namjoon. Feel so fucking good. Fucking me so good.” You moan into his ear, each sinful word giving him more bravado to give you exactly what you two have been craving since the bar. “Yeah? You like how I fuck you? What do you want, baby? Want me fuck you so hard you stumble out of this class room, huh? Want me to cum inside you so everyone can see the little trail of my cum dripping out of your dirty little pussy?” Holy fuck. You have never imagined that your uptight teacher was capable of such words, yet here he was, moaning them in your ear as if you were the only girl in the world as he fucked you senseless. “Oh, shit, please. I want it so bad. Wanna feel your cum. Fuck, Joonie.’ You whimper, your fingernails scrapping against his back. He lets out a loud moan, the nickname not going unnoticed as he grips your hips, pulling you onto his cock as he continues to destroy your insides. You can feel the heat building inside of you, his cock hitting your sweet spot perfectly. All you need is the small push over the edge. You lean back, reaching down between your bodies to feel your clit, rubbing it as he thrusts into you, the contact making you absolutely lose it. “Ah, shit, ah fuuuuck!” You whine, coming undone. It was powerful, washing over and making you see white. “Shit shit shit shit!” Namjoon grunted, pushing into you once more as you felt a warmth spread through you, his hips stuttering as he released into you. There was so much that with every slow thrust, small drips spilled out of you, leaving you a creamy, sticky mess.

You laid back on the desk, putting your hands above your head as you smiled, chuckling a bit at how good you felt. He leaned over you, resting his upper half on top of you as his cock softened inside of you. You wrap your arms around him, placing a kiss on the top of his head as he uses your breasts as a pillow, completely worn out. “Oh my god. That was, holy fuck.” He said between deep breaths, earning a giggle from you. “I know. Fucking amazing. Can’t believe I ever thought my own fingers could compare to that.” You joke, but he straightens up a bit, leaning on his hands, hovering above you. “Miss Y/N, did you touch yourself to the thought of me?” He asks, a cocky smirk on his face. “Maybe.” You tease, propping yourself up on your elbows. “Well then, I think next time you’ll have to show me how you did it so I can guide you properly on how to do it correctly.”

“Yes Sir.”

[everwitch-magiks]

dance with somebody (ch. 11)

start from ch. 1 | back to ch. 10

Whiskey had been the one to suggest meeting at Founders.

The library is one of the few places on campus where it’s not-so-likely that he’ll run into anyone from the team. Unfortunately, it’s not completely guaranteed – it does happen, on occasion, that one of his teammates find it within themselves to actually hit the books – but it’s definitely Whiskey’s best bet when he wants some form of privacy at Samwell. Annie’s would’ve been much cozier, of course, if it hadn’t been for the fact that Whiskey would’ve run into at least six hockey players in the first half hour. Which is not happening, thank you very much. Whiskey is determined to avoid that onslaught of prying questions for as long as he possibly can.

Thankfully, Miguel had no objections to Founders.

And so, here they are. At Founders. Studying – really, just studying. Their statistics textbooks lie open on the table and everything. That’s right, nothing to see here, just two classmates being perfectly cordial classmates. It’s whatever, really. It’s almost nothing.

Except maybe, Whiskey thinks, daring yet another glance in Miguel’s direction and feeling his heartbeat quicken as he finds those brown eyes steadily meeting his own, it might actually be a little bit more than nothing.

Maybe, it could be something.

Miguel holds his Whiskey’s gaze for a moment, his expression unreadable.

Then he pushes his textbook aside.

“I wish I could just cram for the final, pass and then be done,” he complains, his tone a little wistful. “Like, I wish I didn’t actually need to know this stuff.”

“You do?” Whiskey asks curiously.

Miguel grimaces.

“I want to have a career in marine research. My academic advisor says I should try to include at least twenty credits of statistics and applied mathematics in my degree.”

“Oh,” Whiskey says, surprised. Although maybe, he doesn’t have a reason to be. “Your major is… Biology something, right?”

That makes Miguel smile.

“Marine biology,” he confirms. “Yeah.”

“Water polo, and marine biology,” Whiskey says, feeling like he’s starting to connect the dots. “Wait, let me guess. Scuba diving?”

Miguel grins, perhaps a little self-consciously.

“Bingo.”

“That’s really cool,” Whiskey tells him, because honestly, it is. “Do you, like. Go diving with dolphins and sharks?”

“No, goodness no!” Miguel laughs. “Try sea cows. And sometimes octopuses.”

“... Wait, really? I was kidding.”

“Sea cows are actually so cool,” Miguel says, sitting up a little straighter. There’s a glow in his eyes that definitely wasn’t there before. “I’ve mostly seen the antillean manatees, since there are a lot of those in Belize where my grandparents live. It was after my first time diving there that I knew I just had to do it again, and again and again, preferably. So I’m hoping that a degree in marine biology will make it possible for me to become a marine researcher, working in the field.”

“Huh,” Whiskey manages in return. There’s something about Miguel’s animated expression that’s making it unusually difficult to string sentences together. “Are there, uh. Are there many career opportunities for field marine biologists?”

Miguel’s smile falters a bit.

“I mean, I know it’s something of a long shot,” he admits, his tone a little quieter. “It’s definitely going to be very competitive. But I still want to try and get there, if i can.”

“No, I mean – of course you should,” Whiskey says hurriedly. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

Miguel is still frowning slightly.

Whiskey takes a moment to try and find the right words. He thinks about long shots, about hundreds of prospects competing against each other in a draft, about elusive seven-figure-contracts and his actual chances of landing one. Statistically? Probably not that great.

“It’s better to try than to live with regret,” Whiskey finally settles on, and fucking fuck, that sounded a whole lot better in his head. “I mean. Isn’t it?”

Miguel raises both eyebrows. He looks decidedly unimpressed.

Whiskey sighs.

“I want to play in the NHL,” he offers, somewhat desperately.

That makes Miguel’s eyes widen.

“You want to do what?”

Whiskey smiles weakly.

“I know. Extremely long shot.”

“I mean, yeah,” Miguel agrees. He still looks sort of shaken. “Are you, um. Do you play well?”

“Yeah,” Whiskey says. He doesn’t need to hesitate on that one. “I really do. Although there’s a lot of really good players out there, so there’s absolutely no guarantee that I’ll ever make it. But I just know that I have to try. I have to. Failure can’t be worse than living with so much regret.”

Miguel nods, thoughtfully. And this time, Whiskey notes with relief, he looks more understanding than confused.

“I get that,” Miguel tells him gently. “I really, really do.”

Then he starts to smile.

Whiskey quirks an eyebrow.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Miguel says, even as his smile keeps widening. “It’s silly, it’s just... I just knew that you’re a Slytherin, you had to be. And I was totally right!”

“Oh,” Whiskey says. Then he grins. “Actually, no – Beauxbatons Academy all the way.”

“Right,” Miguel laughs. “How could I possibly forget?”

“Maybe I’ll take you there sometime,” Whiskey offers loftily, surprising himself – he has never, ever been this smooth. “France should be nice, this time of year.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Miguel returns, his tone irresistibly playful. “How’s Saturday?”

“Saturday’s... “ Whiskey begins, before pausing. “We have a game, Saturday.”

“That’s totally fine with me,” Miguel says, and for some reason it sounds like the answer to a question. “What time?”

Oh.

Oh, fuck. Fucking fuck.

Then again, everything went perfectly fine with Beth. Why should this be so different?

“Four p.m.,” Whiskey says bravely. “There’s, uh. There’s going to be a party, after.”

“Oh,” Miguel says, tilting his head in a way that looks a little bit indecisive. “At the hockey frat, I guess?”

“The very one,” Whiskey confirms. And then he continues, quite firmly, before he changes his mind. “You should come.”

“Okay,” Miguel agrees, his expression immediately brightening, almost as if those three words were the password he’d been waiting to hear. “Cool. I’ll be there.”

“Cool,” Whiskey repeats stupidly, his mind still spinning from this unexpected turn of events – what in the world is he going to tell the team? And, perhaps more importantly, what is he going to wear?

Miguel grins.

“Cool,” he parrots back, his tone amused. “Super cool. The coolest of cool.”

“Right.” Whiskey swallows. Wasn’t he totally smooth, like, five minutes ago? Where did that Whiskey go? “Should we, uh… Should we maybe study?”

“I mean, probably,” Miguel says. Except he doesn’t reach for his book. “Hey. Do you wanna go get ice cream?”

Whiskey blinks. Miguel is smiling towards him, that same playful smile from before. It’s still completely irresistible.

They get chocolate ice cream at the murder Stop-n-Shop.

It’s probably not the best ice cream Whiskey’s had in years. Yet somehow, it tastes like it is.

(ch. 12)

[puckngrind]

Skating Lessons part 23

Summary: Christmas with Josh and Mason

warnings: foreplay, mentions of sex, swearing

Word count: 1639

Series Masterlist

The lights dancing over the awe in both of your boys’ faces as they watched the light show for Wildlights was worth the fact that you couldn’t feel your toes and face. Josh learned while he ordered hot chocolates there is such thing as kid temp and ordered his the same. The rest of the trip you asked if his tongue was being burnt. Finally he pulled you in when Mason was fully invested in the manatees to whisper, “My tongue burnt would be a problem for you later.” This made you blush at his promise which he of course mentioned again when you were in bed.

Josh had a few home games leading up to Christmas break and you were thankful to be back in the WAGS section which is funny because a few months ago you begged Josh to find seats in the upper bowl.

Between home games Torts gave the team the day off and Josh jumped at the chance to plan a shopping trip with you while Mason was at preschool.

“So this whole Santa thing is fun.” Josh tosses a Black Panther and Captain America Nerf gun into your cart.

“Stressful but yes, fun. His face last year was the best. And we don’t need two Baby.” You lean to grab the Captain America Nerf shield.

“Yes WE do. He needs someone to fight off the evil doers with him.” Josh puts his hands over yours and kisses your cheek while standing behind you.

“So should I write Josh on the shield?” You laugh.

“Nah, he could play with a friend too. Options you know.” Josh laughs and pushes the cart from behind you the rest of the shopping trip.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go home?” You asked for maybe the tenth time since learning he had a decent break for Christmas. He just started the car and his look was the same as the first nine times you asked.

“My answer is always the same (y/n). This is home and my family is use to celebrating at different times plus maybe next year the three of us could go with some planning. The whole Santa thing would have to be coordinated with my mom and sister.” He paused for a second to look at you. “They would love that but planning needed.”

You were able to place all the presents in hiding before picking Mason up from school. He popped into the car jabbering all about his day and how the gingerbread man ran away. Josh listened intently asking very serious questions.

“Speaking of cookies. We need to make some for Santa!” You chimed in and both your boys ears perked up.

You wasted no time getting home for cookie making. Mason grabbed his stool and Josh pushed up his sleeves as you ordered them to place certain ingredients in the bowl.

“No recipe?” Josh’s eyebrow raise and look at you.

“Momma has it in her head since she’s been making them since she was little like me.” Mason answers for you and you nod to confirm.

“Impressive.” Josh gives you a sly look then focuses on not screwing up the batter.

The cookies decorating was definitely more interesting with Josh’s commentary but they looked good. Mason selected the few for Santa and the rest the three of you picked over the next day.

Christmas Eve was spent at your parents with extended family.  Some that haven’t met Josh before and clearly were threatened not to be idiots and ask stupid questions.  You did catch your cousin’s teenage son trying to take a selfie in front of Josh and Mason playing knee hockey.  “You can just ask him for a picture you know.  He won’t say no.”  You leaned over causing him to almost drop the phone.  He did just that.  

“My extended family sometimes acts weird too you know.”  Josh wrapped his arms around you.  “I use to find it odd but it comes with the territory.  I love you family (y/n), they are all great.” He kisses you gently. “Now let’s go open some presents.”

Your parents got the three of you matching pajamas which Josh insisted you change into. Which actually made it easier when you got home.  Mason was already tired and to do you normal traditional Christmas Eve.  You had presents from Mason’s Santa shop from school.  He got both you and Josh something and he was so excited about it.  

“What’s this dude?”  Josh shakes the sparkly wrapping.  He opens a “You are the best” mug.  “Oh, this is cool!  Thanks Mace!”  You notice your boyfriend’s eyes are a touch glassy as Mason hugs him. “Momma’s turn!”  Josh turns the attention to you.  Mason hands you a similar package.  Inside a mug that matches Josh’s in color but says Mom’s favorite mug then on the back Mason’s familiar signature with a heart below it in his writing.

“Baby boy.  This is the best!”  Between Josh’s glassy eyes and the mug with Mason’s writing you couldn’t keep the tears back.

“Momma, you okay?” Mason asks.  

“Oh I’m better than okay.”  You pull him into your lap and Josh sits next to you and puts his arm around you both.  “Let’s read our Christmas book, place our cookies and milk out and head to bed okay?”

You did just that and once you were sure Mason was asleep you dragged out his Santa presents with Josh.   “Has he ever woken up?”  Josh asked as you placed the last wrapped present under the tree. 

“Yes.  When he was two.  Luckily he couldn’t open his door and I could hear his little voice saying Santa dat you?”  Josh laughs hard and you place your hand over his mouth.  “I don’t want a repeat Anderson!”  Josh scoops you up and takes you to your room.

“It’s CHRISTMAS!”  Mason lands on the foot of your bed jumping up and down!  Josh just laughs hysterically while you rub your eyes.  

“What time is it?”  You look at the clock.  

“The sun is up so I’m up!”  Mason announces.  “Can we go see if Santa came?”

“Sure thing little man.” Josh answers and the three of you head towards your family room.  Josh’s face was as in awe of the magic of Christmas as Mason’s.  Mason celebrated every present.  You sip your coffee and take in the new Christmas experiences with Josh and Mason.

“Hey, what’s that behind the tree?” Josh points after Mason opened his last present.  Mason pulls out a long thin wrapped box in the same Santa paper as all the rest of his presents.  You eye Josh because this is clearly his doing.  Mason rips open the paper and box to find a Warrior hockey stick that matches Josh’s.

“Just like yours!”  Mason shouts and starts pretending to shoot with it.  

“Oh awesome!  Josh will have to help you tape it up Mace.”  You shoot a look at Josh again and he’s beaming.

The rest of the morning was filled with playing with his new toys and snuggling with Josh on the couch.  “So I asked your parents to take Mace tonight.”  Josh whispers in your ear. 

“Oh really?”  You look up at him.

“Yeah, figured we could exchange presents and have some actual alone time.”  Josh kisses you tenderly.  

“I don’t hate that idea.  Mace, want to sleep over at Grandma and Grandpa’s?”  You turn your attention towards your still going strong five year old.

“YES!”  Mason shouted.  

After dropping Mason off, you and Josh ate dinner under the tree laughing about the day and kissing between bites and exchange gifts.

“This has been an amazing day.” Josh pulls you onto his lap and you wrap your legs around him.  

“Best Christmas ever.”  You breathe into him and feel him growing under you.  “I have another Christmas present for you before we....continue.”  You shift off of him and start looking at the tree.

“(y/n) what are you doing?”  Josh grabs at your waist to pull you back into him

“I’m looking for your gift.”  You spot the small box you placed in the tree.  “You aren’t the only one with surprise presents there Babe!”  You hand Josh the small box.  Josh eyes the tiny box and slowly opens it.  Inside a key.

“A key?”  Josh’s face looks confused as he holds up the key you placed in the box.  “Babe? A little help on what this present is?”

You breathe out and smile at him.  “It’s a key Josh.”  You giggle a little.

“To what?” Josh jingles the key in your face.

“The house.” You smirk at him.

“I have a key to the house.”  Josh’s face is even more confused.

“I know.  It’s more symbolic.  Move in with us?”  You simply say and pull you lip between your teeth.

“Are you serious babe?”  Josh’s excitement is evident.

“You practically already live here since the accident.  Mason wants you here, I want you here.  You should just be here with us.”  You place your hand on his cheek.  “I’m just sorry I haven’t said something sooner.”

Josh crashes his lips into yours. “Yes, fucking yes.  One million times yes. Of course I want to officially move in Babe.  This maybe the best Christmas present ever.”  Josh leans you down under the tree and presses his body into you.  “Having this all the time every day forever is exactly what I want.” Josh kisses you and runs his hand down your body.

“I’m glad you said yes because tonight would have been really awkward if you said no.”  You kiss down his neck.

“You must have been confident in my answer, eh?”  Josh hums into your skin as he kisses down to your core.

“Oh, I was pretty confident.” You moan as Josh continues to make you weak.

[aardvark-123]

Gensokyo Festival Day 30: End

~Contentious Issue Time~

Another day came to an end and another mischievous youkai felt the wrong end of Reimu's wand. Another bottle of sake was uncorked in the shrine.

"Tonight," said Marisa loudly, "we drink to victory! Our land is safe from the hair-eating goat demon of Makai!"

"I'm sorry, all right?! I genuinely didn't realise people didn't like having their hair eaten!" a lanky woman with horns protested.

"It's fine. We all make mistakes," said Reimu, pouring her a glass of wine. "Just make sure you don't do it again."

Marisa cleared her throat. "Let's try that again. To victory!"

"To peace!" yelled Reimu.

"To love!" toasted Sakuya.

"To other nice things like that!" cheered Sanae.

"Um," said the hair-eating youkai, "to improving one's behaviour and becoming a better person?"

"That's the spirit!" laughed Marisa.

Kosuzu raised a glass of orange juice. "To friendship!"

Ten curious eyes turned to face her. "Uhh..." Kosuzu almost seemed to shrink. "Aren't we doing toasts any more?"

"What are you doing here? You didn't solve this Incident!" said Reimu archly.

"Yeah, I didn't see you when we were fighting those kage-onna triplets," said Marisa disapprovingly. "And we could have used your magic eyes in the Library of Alexandria's ghost!"

"Um, well, I'm not that good at danmaku. I'm just here to congratulate you?" said Kosuzu nervously.

"You think you have the right to celebrate with us?!" demanded Marisa. She rose angrily, knocking her chair down with a clatter. "You didn't fight, you didn't protect anyone, you didn't do a thing! You don't deserve to stand here!"

"B-but I don't- I'm not s-saying I did anything!" Kosuzu's knees knocked as she backed away. "I-I can go if you want me to..."

"Not before we punish you," growled Sanae.

"P... Punish...?" Kosuzu flinched as her back met the wall. "You can't! I-I haven't done anything wrong!"

"Attempting to see the resolution of an Incident when you yourself did nothing towards resolving it is a terrible sin. You, Kosuzu, if that truly is your name, are a disgrace." Sakuya took a knife from her pocket and smiled wickedly. "And I don't think you deserve to have so many organs inside your cheating little body. Is that fair?"

"N-no... Please!" whimpered Kosuzu. The wall was unnervingly firm behind her. There was no escape.

"I intend to gut you like a manatee," said Sakuya calmly.

"Then I'll burn her to a crisp!" declared Marisa.

"Do you want my help?" asked the goat woman.

"No, the situation is in hand," Sakuya reassured her.

"I'll jump up and down on Kosuzu's ashes!" bellowed Sanae.

"And I'll bind your worthless spirit to-"

"I JUST WANTED TO SEE WHAT YOU WERE DOING! IS THAT REALLY TOO MUCH TO ASK?!"

Silence descended. The Incident Resolvers were too stunned to speak.

"For pity's sake, all I did was come to your party! I'm not hurting anyone!" screamed Kosuzu. "I love you! You're my idols! Even if I'm not as strong as you, or as fast or as good at dodging bullets, why shouldn't I get to spend time with you?! I'm not pretending to be a hero! I just..." She sniffled and wiped her eyes. "It's not my fault I'm weak. I don't deserve to be left out because of it. Do I?"

"Er..." Reimu's gaze dropped to her feet.

"She might not," said Sanae, in a small voice.

Marisa bit her lip. "Look, threatening to kill her was a bit harsh. There are still rules, though-"

"And we would all do well to remember them."

All eyes turned to the front of the shrine. Yukari was stepping out of a purple void full of eyes, as per usual.

"Don't get me wrong," said Yukari, "your situation is a perfectly decent allegory for the frustration people feel when they struggle with a certain series of vertical-scrolling shooting games. However, in a franchise with a heart of supplementary materials and fanfiction running through its veins, you can hardly complain of being left out."

Kosuzu gave Reimu a beseeching look. "What's she talking about?"

"'She' is the cat's mother," said Yukari wryly. "We must not forget the will of he who is responsible for Gensokyo, either. You all know of whom I speak: a certain young game developer with a passion for musical composition who left his company to follow his own path, now a kind-hearted family man neither uninspired nor sober for twenty years and counting."

"A man?!" gasped Sanae. "I'd forgotten they exist!"

"Well, Sanae, you aren't always the brightest," Reimu tactfully pointed out. "But there definitely isn't a man responsible for Gensokyo. Or if there is, he must be very-"

"Please don't worry about things beyond your comprehension," said Yukari firmly. "As I was saying, between our creator and all those who follow in his footsteps, there is more than enough Touhou for anybody to enjoy. And it is his wish that nobody should see the true ending of an Incident unless they solved or helped solve it with their own strength and talents."

"You're not saying one of the gods is upset with me?!" wailed Kosuzu.

"Well, no, he isn't a god and he probably isn't aware of what you were trying to do," said Yukari. "Whether it is right for him to demand such a degree of secrecy in a series where many people prefer the characters and the storyline to the gameplay is debatable, but he has the right to do so. Do we not owe him that much?"

[highfivecalum]

Dad!Calum

You were standing in the toys aisle with your Starbucks in your hand. You had made a trip to your local Target and had to stop at the Starbucks that was inside of it. You had a love-hate relationship with Target. They had everything you could think of which is what you loved about it, but you hated it because you always left with more than you actually went there for. It was a win-lose situation for everybody that went there.

You were deep in thought about which toy to buy for your four year old nephews birthday when something bumped into your leg. You looked up from the two packages of Avengers characters and didn’t see anything. You looked back down and saw a small figure with his small hands wrapped around a tall Starbucks cup. You looked around and saw nobody else around.

“I sorry!” The little boy looked up at you with wide eyes. “I didn’t mean to run into you, miss.”

You smiled at the boy and couldn't help but laugh as he sucked his cheeks in, taking a large gulp of his drink. “It’s okay.” You bent down to be eye level with the small boy and cocked your head. He looked about your nephew’s age. “How old are you?”

“I’m free!” He held up three small fingers and you smiled. This was one of the cutest little boys you had ever seen. You then realized that this thee year old boy was roaming around Target by himself.

“What’s your name?” You asked.

“Rowan.”

“Nice to meet you, Rowan. I’m Y/N.” His small hand shook your own and he gave you a toothy grin even though half of his teeth were missing. “Where are you parents?”

“My daddy is somewhere around here. He was looking for razors and soap and I got bored and walked away from him.”

You nodded your head. His dad was most definitely, probably frantically, looking for his son. “What about your mommy?”

“Don’t know,” Rowan shrugged with a cute expression on his face. “I never met her before.”

“Oh,” you frowned at the boy. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay because I have the best daddy ever! Like the best daddy in the whole wide world!”

“That’s good, bud.” You laughed a little and nodded your head. You remembered the action figures in your hands and thought you would ask Rowan to help you pick which one he liked better and then you would go on a search to find his father. “Which one do you think a four year old boy would like?”

“That one!” Rowan pointed to the package with eight Avengers action figures in it and it was the more expensive one, of course, being twenty-five dollars, but you didn’t mind that. It was for your nephew who you adored and loved with all of your heart so the price wasn’t your biggest concern. Your biggest concern was your nephew not liking the present you got him.

“Mmk. This one it is!” You smiled and stood up. You took Rowan’s hand in yours and pulled him along with you. “Let’s go find your daddy now, yeah?”

“Yeah!” Rowan cheered and led the way. You told him to keep and eye out for his dad since you know toddlers aren’t the best at remembering things. You knew he would get distracted and forget that your were looking for his father. You looked down each isle and Rowan claimed that he couldn’t see his dad anywhere.

“Rowan!” You both spun around at the sound of his name being called and a frantic guy about your age ran towards the two of you. Rowan dropped your hand and waddled to his dad. His dad pulled him into his arms and you smiled at the sight. You were expecting Rowan’s dad to be some older man with a beer belly not an extremely attractive male with muscular and tattooed arms. “Jesus, you scared me! You can’t just run off like that, you know that, Rowan.”

“I sorry daddy,” Rowan frowned and looked from his dad to you. “But I met a bery nice lady!” The dad looked up from his son and made eye contact you with. You pursed your lips and awkwardly waved to the man. He stood up completely and made sure Rowan was holding his hand before approaching you. “Isn’t she pretty daddy?!”

“She is very pretty, Ro.” The guy smiled at you and you tried but failed to hide the blush that was on your face. “Thank you for watching him and making sure he was okay. I’m Calum.”

“Y/N,” you shook his extended hand. “And it’s no problem at all he was actually helping me pick out a present.” You held up the Avengers package and Calum laughed a little bit knowing that Rowan absolutely loved the Avengers.

“She liked what I picked out, daddy!” Rowan looked so proud of himself and it made your heart swell. What a cute kid, you thought. “Can we go now? I’m bored.”

“Yes, Ro, we can go.” Calum rolled his eyes at his son and you laughed. “Sorry about him, we’re going to the zoo and he’s really excited since he’s never been before.”

“I love the zoo!” Your eyes lit up like a child and you blushed a little, again, when Calum looked at you with an amused expression. You were twenty-two years old and gushing about how much you loved the zoo. How lame could you be?

“Oh! I have da best idea ever!” Rowan pulled on his dads arm as he jumped up and down with his Starbucks drink still in hand. You guessed he was hyped up on caffeine from the drink. “Miss Y/N should come wiff us to da zoo!”

Calum’s eyes widened and he looked from his son to you. “I don’t know, Ro, she probably has plans.”

In all honesty you had absolutely no plans at all, but you didn’t want to intrude in their father and son time. Rowan looked up at you through his eyelashes and pouted out his bottom lip. “Pwease miss Y/N? It will be so much fun! And daddy never has pretty girl friends around anymore.”

“Rowan,” Calum scolded him and you giggled quietly.

“Would I be intruding if I tagged along with you guys?” You asked Calum and he seemed completely surprised. He never in a million years thought you would actually want to go to the zoo with them. He couldn’t deny that he was happy, though. Rowan was right, he hadn’t had a girlfriend or anything remotely close to that for a year or two so an attractive females company would be good for him.

“Not at all,” Calum assured you.

You told him you were going to quickly buy your nephews gift and you would meet them in the parking lot. The zoo was only a fifteen minute drive so you had decided that you would drive yourself and meet them at the zoo. You thought that would be the most reasonable thing to do just in case you two didn’t hit it off and you wanted to leave early. You were sure that wouldn’t be the case, but you would rather be safe than sorry.

“See you guys soon!” You waved before getting into your Jeep and pulling out of the Target parking lot. Your phone was plugged into the AUX cord and you sang and nodded your head along to the music playing throughout your car.

The whole time you were driving you thought about Rowan’s mom and how he said he had never met her before. It’s usually the father that children don’t meet, not the mother, so you were more than curious. You wanted to ask Calum about it but you thought that would be too intrusive to ask since the only thing you knew about the guy was his first name and his son.

You stopped your thoughts about the mysterious mother situation and paid the five dollars for parking. You found an open spot a few down from Calum and you finished your Starbucks drink before turning your car off and making your way over to Rowan and Calum. They stood next to each other, Calum’s tall body towering over his small sons, and you smiled at the sight. Rowan looked just like Calum with his dark hair and eyes and tan complexion.

“Two adult tickets and one child ticket, please.” Calum spoke to the man behind the glass and he handed him his credit card before you could protest. You felt bad since the adult tickets were thirteen dollars. They had changed the actual tickets to wristbands which you thought was more convenient.

“You didn’t have to do that, Calum,” you spoke as he wrapped your wristband around your wrist. His touch made goosebumps appear on your skin and you hoped he didn't notice.

“I know, but I wanted to.” Calum shrugged. “We dragged you along with us so it’s the least I could do.”

“You didn’t drag me. I wanted to come.”

Calum was about to speak when Rowan interrupted him. “Can we go see da penguins first, pwease?”

“Course we can, little man.” Calum smiled down at his son and your own smile mirrored his.

“My uncle Yuke loves penguins, Y/N!”

“They are pretty cute, aren’t they?” You watched as they swam around in the water and hopped in and out. You looked at Calum who had Rowan on his shoulders and looked away quickly before Calum could catch you staring at him.

After the penguins you wanted to see the manatees and Calum made fun of you for that jokingly, but you just rolled your eyes at him. The manatees interested you and you always made sure to see them every time you went to the zoo. You then saw the elephants and then the flamingos because Calum just thought they were so interesting.

“Where to next?”

“Ice cweam!” Rowan yelled happily and you agreed with him. It was a warm day and the sun beating down on you made you hungry for some ice cream.

You waited in the ice cream line for ten minutes before finally being helped and you were overly excited to find out that they still had dippin’ dots. Calum was excited too, as was Rowan.

“Can I get one medium cup of cookies n cream dipping’ dots and...” you looked up at Calum. “What do you guys want?”

“We’ll share a large cotton candy dippin dots.”

The girl nodded and rang you up. Your total was just a little bit over thirteen dollars and you handed the cashier your card before Calum could even get his out of his wallet. He frowned as you handed him his dippin’ dots.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Calum spoke as he and Rowan sat down at the picnic table with you.

“I wanted to,” you shrugged.

“Daddy can I go play on da playground?!” Rowan tugged at his dad’s shirt as he pointed to the small playground that was only a few feet from where you were sitting.

“Yeah but stay close, okay? And don’t go running off like you did in Target.”

Rowan sheepishly nodded his head as he took one big bite of his dippin’ dots before running off to the playground, leaving just you and Calum at the picnic table. You sat in a nice silence and you could feel Calum looking at you but you pretended not to notice.

“Thank you for coming with us today,” Calum finally spoke up and you looked away from the playground and to Calum who had a small smile on his face. He looked genuinely happy that you were there with him and his son. “I don’t know why Rowan was so adamant about you coming, but I’m glad you did.”

“I’m glad I did, too.” You smiled. “I think maybe he just wants a mother figure i his life, ya know? He told me he's never met his mom.” Calum nodded his head silently. You bit your lip and your curiosity got the best of you. “Can I ask what happened or is that topic of disucssion off limits?”

“It’s not off limits,” Calum shook his head. “When we found out she was pregnant we both knew we had to put the baby up for adoption. We never even went to find out the sex of the baby since we knew we weren’t going to keep it. We were nineteen and neither of us were ready to be a parent. But, God, when she had him I fell in love with him right away. I had a son and he was beautiful and I knew that I wouldn’t be able to give him up. But Cassie- his mom- didn’t want to keep him. Like at all. Which I kind of understand now I guess, but I don’t know. Anyway, she told me that I had to pick- her or him. It was a no brainer, really. I wasn’t in love with her but she had just given birth to our son and she didn’t care about him at all. So I chose him. Once I had realized what I had just done I kind of freaked out but my parents and my sister were really supportive and they still are. I haven’t seen Cassie since Rowan was born.”

“Wow,” you were speechless. You weren’t expecting that and you definitely weren’t expecting Calum to be so open about it when telling you, but you were happy that he did. “That’s awful of her. Do you miss her?”

“Not at all,” Calum admitted. He felt that not missing her made him a bad person but it didn’t. At least you didn’t think it did. “I hate the fact that Rowan is growing up without a mom because I’m scared of how he’ll turn out. Like I don’t know if I’m doing a good job and I know that every child should grow up with both parents around or they don’t fully know what it’s like to be loved. Or maybe I’m the only one who thinks that.”

You shook your head. “You’re not completely wrong. I grew up without a dad and I wanted a father figure in my life so bad, but I never got one and I think I turned out okay, but other it definitely takes a toll on people. I think it’s just different for everybody.”

“I can tell Ro wants a mom so bad and it makes me sad that he doesn’t have one but even if I did find a girl that I wanted in my life she wouldn’t be his mom. Maybe a mother figure, but not his real and biological mom.”

“I think once he gets older he’ll understand.”

“Y/N! Y/N! Come push me!” Rowan yelled as he tried to push himself on the swing. You giggled and finished your dippin’ dots before getting up to throw them away and push Rowan on the swing.

Calum watched in admiration as you pushed his son on the swing and how you had a genuine smile on your face that whole time. You didn’t seem bothered or annoyed by this child who was making you push him on the swings and Calum was so happy. Every girl he met had shied away from Calum when they found out he had a son, but you? You didn’t seem to mind at all and that made Calum hopeful. Maybe, just maybe, he thought you would stay in his life.

[five-hour-anxiety]

depresssion vlog 😥😴👎💭🏳️ | The Theory Of Real Activity | thursday vlogs

Taglist: @zerogettie  @spacevirgil@tree4life25@thebiggestnaturaldisaster @pailettehazel@jordandobbertin@thecityofthefireflies @the-fabulous-kimball@azuranightsong@virmillion @erlenmeyertrash @irish-newzealand-idian-dutch @the-sanders-sides @punch-you-with-friendship@captaincantatrice@clovenpinetree @jughead-is-canonically-aroace@aplaceinthevoid@that-random-fandom-girl @zennyo

Word Count: 4431

Warnings: depression and talks of anxiety

Pairings: platonic prinxiety, platonic logicality, platonic analogical

Summary: Virgil is in the middle of a spiral and the back to back bad days are making it hard to function. He texts a few friends for help, and this is the result.

Designated Nerd:  Virgil, it has been some time since I’ve heard from you. Are you feeling well?

Me:  i mean, am i ever fine

Designated Nerd:  Well that is indeed worrying. Is there anything I can do for you, or would you rather I contact our more… emotional friends? Do you need me to come visit?

Me:  no, i dont want anyone over right now. this is gonna sound so stupid but,,, could u tell me what u do when ur upset

Designated Nerd:  If it helps, of course. I tend to listen to stimulating music and take hot showers. Please try to brush your teeth sometime soon as well, as hygiene is something that we all tend to be lax with in these states.

Me:  i should have expected advice like that

Designated Nerd:  Is it not useful? I apologize.

Me:  o no, its good. thx lo

Designated Nerd:  Anytime Virgil. Do not hesitate to contact me if you need anything else.

 ***

Sir-Sing-A-Lot:  hey panic at the everywhere, u still breathing

Me:  wow didnt kno u cared that much

Sir-Sing-A-Lot:  of course i care u ass how u doing

Me:  i mean im not dead. thats a fucking victory dude can i get a hell yeah

Sir-Sing-A-Lot:  hell fucking yeah bro im proud of u

Me:  hey while ur here,,,, how do u deal with ur bad days.

Sir-Sing-A-Lot:  poorly

Me:  damn dude

Sir-Sing-A-Lot:  yeah well thats life but i also light candles and fucking moisturize. unlike u u heathen

Me: thanks u fucking prick

Sir-Sing-A-Lot: hate u too u asshole c u this weekend~

***

Pat-Dad:  hey kiddo!! haven’t heard a peep outta you lately, just wanna make sure you’re still okay!!

Me:  im not okay, actually. but im glad u texted bc i have a q for u

Pat-Dad: anything for you kiddo, tell me how i can help!! :)

Me: wat do u do on bad days. like, how do u deal with the shitty emotions

Pat-Dad:  language kiddo.

Me: hellcrab.png

Pat-Dad: i dont have the profanity manatee on me so just pretend i sent that. anyway! i like to watch a bunch of funny shows and sit around in my favorite clothes! gotta feel good somehow!! and like, a lot of pillows are involved.

Me:  is this permission to turn my living room into a pillow fort

Pat-Dad: absolutely!!! but make sure you eat something today kiddo,,, making food is gonna be better than takeout btw. Feels good to have made something, trick the brian into enjoying the food more.

Me:  brian

Pat-Dad:  *brain, oh hush up

Me:  thanks 4 the help. <3 u

Pat-Dad: anytime kiddo!!!! :) <3 love you more!!!!!

***

   “Welcome back to the Theory of Real Activity -- today’s vlog: not what you all signed up for.” Virgil sighed, running a hand through his hair. “As I’m sure a lot of you have noticed, or at least the twitter crew has, I haven’t been as active on the channel lately. And I’m sorry about that, but I think I’m ready to talk about why now.

   “As many of you know, I have depression and anxiety. No way around it, there’s the truth. Often, these diseases prevent me from functioning like a healthy person would. That’s what’s been happening to me for the last few months. I’ve had a hard time getting up and dragging myself anywhere, much less making new content for all of you. Talking to friends via text is really hard too, so Twitter is something I can’t deal with either.

   “And I know a lot of you out there are the same way -- heck, when I do use Twitter and the likes, I see messages like that all the time. And I’m happy I’m able to help you all through those days when I can. But I can’t always be around to make stuff like that, so today I’m gonna talk you guys through helping yourselves when the days get bad and the voices get loud, okay?

   “But don’t let the start of this video fool you -- this isn’t a ‘oh we’re all gonna be okay if we just believe!’ kinda thing. Because there’s a lot of those. Don’t get me wrong, those are all wonderful messages and I really appreciate them, but I don’t think we need another one right now. What’s the point in trying to be motivated when the energy just isn’t there? I don’t know about any of you, but I almost feel worse when I watch those because I know whoever is on the other side of the screen wants me to work for happiness and I just… can’t. I can’t do it when I’m that low. So, no, this is not one of those videos.

“This is something completely different, I really hope it clicks with a few of you.”

   The camera switches out of selfie mode to reveal a table full of shopping bags. Virgil laughs off-screen and there’s the sound of papers shuffling.

   “Ladies, Gents, and everyone beyond the binary welcome to ‘How to Kinda Cope with Shit Brains’, starring yours truly. Let’s begin, shall we?”

***

   “Logan, you didn’t tell me you were uploading a video today! What’s this one about?” Patton squealed, clicking on the notification. Logan peered over his shoulder, trying to make out the display behind layers of smudges and a few cracks.

   “I- I did not upload a video today as Thursdays are typically reserved for anything Virgil wishes to post. That’s why there have not been any midweek videos recently.” Logan pulled out his own phone, giving up on Patton’s, and quickly unlocked the screen. “There is no one else with access to the account, so who- oh never mind. That is clearly something of Virgil’s creation.”

   “My goodness, he sure loves emojis, huh?” Patton giggled, reaching into his pockets. Logan groaned something like ‘you have no idea’ and pulled out a screen cloth for Patton. The younger man took it and quickly cleaned off his screen before pulling out his earbuds

“Do you wanna watch it together?” He asked, dangling them in front of Logan. Logan stared at him, grimacing.

   “Do you know how unsanitary sharing earphones is, Patton? I have a split connector in my bag, allow me to retrieve it and we shall view it together.”

***

   “So, I have compiled a list of things my friends do when they’re having bad days, as well as a few activities of my own, and we’re gonna test them. I’ll take note of how I feel before I start, do the activities, and then I’ll rate them by how I feel afterward. And if that sounds complicated, it is! Kinda. Logan says it’s the proper way to test things, by having a starting point and an end point, so go ask him? I don’t know, he’s always talking about control groups and I don’t know about any of you but I don’t want to make myself have bad days back to back just so I can test a bunch of things ‘fairly’.

“Anyway, first up: Roman’s list. He- he actually didn’t have much to say, just “moisturize bitch’ so I just pulled ideas from what he normally does on off-days. Sorry, Ro, but you brought this upon yourself.”

   Virgil reaches into the bag marked “Bed, Bath, and Beyond” and fishes out a bottle of something pink, as well as a purple container of lotion and a green candle.

   “I know for a fact Roman prefers grapefruit face wash, so that’s what we got here,” he shakes the pink bottle, “so we can gift this to him when we’re done here. And we have a bottle of lavender-scented lotion to go with it. I read somewhere that lavender helps with anxiety or something, but like,” he points at the camera, “it just smells good, and I am not ashamed to admit to that. Don’t read too much into this.

   “I also bought a scented candle, because that’s the only other thing Roman offered advice-wise. I fact-checked this one, and apparently good scents are supposed to help you think more clearly? Or something. I don’t know, I read the article at four in the morning, there’s not much I can really remember about it. Four am Virgil is really bad at retaining information.”

   The camera jostles as Virgil picks it up and walks into his bathroom. “Uh, just for like, the starting point? The best way to describe this type of anxiety is the buzzing and tensing of your muscles and the tightness in your chest. There’s nothing I want more than to dive under my bed sheets and sleep until tomorrow and try again later.

   “But I’m going to do this, so wish me luck.” He mutters, turning the tap on and grabbing a washcloth. The screen cuts away to black as an upbeat nineties song plays, and the text on the screen reads ‘Roman’s results’.

   “So,” Virgil starts, his face covered in white foam, “this stuff kinda burns? Roman, what the hell is wrong with you, you like this stuff? Ugh. Also, just so everyone knows, the smell of artificial grapefruit and lavender do not mix. Like separate, they are really good smells but just… don’t mix them together. It’s a really bad idea. We may have to do my list next so I can let the house air out for a while. As it is, I didn’t even try to light the candle, we do not need to add spearmint to this stink bomb.

   “Beyond that? The face wash is definitely waking me up. I feel a little more ‘oh hey, I’m a person’ that I did before so, yeah. This wasn’t a total bust. And my skin is soft! I understand the appeal of moisturizing now! Roman, how dare you keep this a secret from me?” Virgil laughs, rubbing his hands together. “Holy shit I feel like a million bucks. I am keeping the lotion, you can take this demon face scrub.” Virgil reaches off screen and picks up the pink bottle, scanning the back panel of text.

   “So overall, I’d say Roman’s tactics work. You just gotta like, make sure you get complimentary smells so you don’t stink yourself out of your house,” He says, still reading the bottle, “And you should definitely read the instructions on the bottles because this,” He holds up the pink bottle, “says to wash off after a few minutes, and it’s been ten. I’m gonna go get this off my face now.”

***

   “Babe, you seriously didn’t read the instructions?” Roman howled, throwing his head back into the couch. He could hear Virgil scoff from the kitchen.

   “Excuse me, but I thought it was like one of those face masks you leave on for half an hour! How was I supposed to know!” He asked, walking back into the room and plopping down beside Roman. “They look the same when you put them on, and you have a few long-lasting ones that smell like grapefruit! I had no way of knowing!”

   “You could’ve called, man. I would have helped you!” Roman lifted his arm, inviting Virgil to crawl under it. He took it and wrapped his arms around the taller man’s chest. “You bought face scrub, which is definitely not the same thing. Both are good though! Just, not that same.”

   “Yeah, well, I know that now,” Virgil muttered, burying his head in Roman’s hoodie.

   “We can do actual face masks after this if you want.” Roman offered, picking his phone back up. “Your pores could really benefit from one.”

   “You’re a dick. Turn that thing off.”

   “Love you too, bastard, but there’s no way in hell I’m turning this off.”

***

   The camera cuts again, and this time Virgil is in his bedroom. The window is open, and the sound of passing cars is almost inaudible but still present. His peach walls are bathed in a warm glow of the setting sun, a light breeze pushing his bangs up every so often.

   “Okay so, next up is Patton’s list. As per my own ‘rules’, I’m feeling mentally exhausted and ready to check the fuck out right now. But despite this, I’m actually… really excited for this one? It involves food, there’s no way this can go poorly.”

   The video cuts to footage of Virgil screaming as food on the stove erupts into flame. The 1812 Overture is playing the background. Whatever was in the pan is no longer food, as the burnt sustenance is bubbling in an ominous manner. The oven mitt is no longer on Virgil’s hand and is instead in a smoky heap on the kitchen counter.

   “No way this can go poorly” Virgil’s voice echoes as he runs off camera screaming. He returns with a fire extinguisher, the lens becoming jammed with foam just before the video cuts back to Virgil in his room eating Chinese takeout.

   “Okay so. It turns out it can go poorly. Patton said that making sure you eat, like, actual food and not six servings of chocolate cake with a glass of cherry coke on the side is supposed to help with the depression thing but like. It definitely didn’t help with the anxiety. Something about the food you worked to make tasting better?

   “So, I cheated and ordered take out. But hey! This stuff has got a bunch of veggies in it, so I think I won this round. Moving on,” Virgil puts the food down and leans down to grab something off the floor, “Patton also recommended watching some shows that I know I enjoy, so let’s do that next.” Virgil puts on the purple headphones he had grabbed and pulled his laptop onto his lap. He clicks off the light on his desk and plunges the room into darkness with only his computer light illuminating his face.

   “We’re watching the entirety of the Brooklyn Nine-Nine Halloween episodes, so be prepared for a highlight reel of that while I stuff my face with rice.” He twirls his finger around in a ‘roll film’ motion and kicks his feet up on the desk.

   The camera cuts to a black screen once more, the same upbeat music playing in the background. The text now read’s “Patton’s results”.

   The next few minutes is a series of clips strung together, many of them consisting of Virgil mouthing the lines along with the characters, and screeching with laughter. The last one shows him crying into his takeout, mumbling about how much he loves the relationship between Jake and Amy. He had taken his feet down from the desk at some point, now curled into his chair and bundled in his hoodie almost entirely.

   The video cuts away to a slightly more composed Virgil, who is now cuddling a pillow and scraping the bottom of the takeout box. His eye makeup had run down his face over the last few hours and he looked unnaturally pale in the weird lighting.

   “Yeah that uh,” He coughs awkwardly, “that worked. Ten out of three Patton, way to go. Got my brain to shut up for like, I don’t know, two hours?” He takes a deep breath and puts the takeout container on the desk. “It’s late, I think I’m gonna just do Logan’s and I’s lists tomorrow.”

***

   “Should I be concerned that he set the kitchen on fire and didn’t call anyone?” Patton whispered, pausing the video. “Why didn’t he call anyone? Did he get burned?”

   “I do not think you speeding to his house would have done any good, Patton, as he got the fire out by himself. That being said,” Logan pinched the bridge of his nose, “he is not allowed to cook for game night. Ever. What was he even trying to make?”

   “He can join me in the kitchen ban, then. The store-bought cookie club just gained a new member.”

   “God help us if you ever cook together. I’d have to take out a loan for a new apartment. I already cannot pay my student loans, I fear the possibility of adding to my life debt.” Logan shuddered, reaching over to unpause the video.

***

   “Okay, good morning internet. It’s buttcrack early outside, I don’t even think the sun is up yet? That’s good, actually, and I’ll get to why later.

“So, all that’s left is Logan and I’s lists, and to be honest? Logan may have already won the whole thing, looking at this on paper. He actually cares about like, not dying by germs or some shit.,I can guarantee his list will be practical. I gotta go set some stuff up for my list, so hang tight.” The screen cuts to a slightly more awake Virgil.

   He grins and gives a tiny wave before tapping the screen to switch the camera and show a hammock.

   “So, I’m next. I’m also gonna save Logan’s advice for the end of the video so you guys watch this whole thing. Give people an incentive for sticking around. Because I can see the stats on this, I know half of you like, exit the video halfway through. Stay for the whole thing, dammit, I need the ad money.” He laughs, gently putting the camera down. The screen shows a new sunrise, one full of soft purples and oranges. Above the sun and its halo are a few stars that have yet to go out for the day, barely visible behind the hazy clouds. Virgil picks the camera back up, the footage shaky.

   The camera stills to a shot of Virgil’s legs, the hammock swaying gently in the breeze. A few frogs can be heard singing in the background and Virgil hums a few notes. His voice is low as he speaks, still rough from sleep.

   “Again, to follow my own rules: I feel so awful I don’t even want to talk about it, guys. Sorry.” Virgil is quiet for a while longer, the occasional whispered lyric picked up by the microphone. Eventually, he speaks once more, a lighter tone to his voice.

   “Sure, this looks peaceful, but if you could all hear what kind of music I’m listening to right now, you’d be calling my therapist. Hey, Paul, I apologize my bro, but wow are you not gonna like me the next time I’m in.

   “So yeah, my list is just ‘get sun and get songs’. You Gucci fam, just stay out here until you either feel good or get cold. Probably gonna be the last one but, hey, you tried. Gold star. Bring a blanket if you wanna aim for the best possible outcome.”

   The camera cuts again, this time looking down from what is assumed to be a porch. The sky is dark once more, and the only source of light is a small candle.

   “Huh. What do you know, the candle works after all. Spearmint -- the poor man’s anti-anxiety. You know, I actually looked that up. Spearmint is supposed to be a good stress reliever and some kind of mood booster. The more you know, huh?”

***

   “Virgil, what the hell does that mean?” Roman chuckled, rubbing Virgil’s arm.

   “It means that when I’m panicking at work I just pop in a breath mint and BAM I am suddenly closer to reality than I was ten seconds ago.”

   “Do I wanna know how you discovered that?”

   “I had a hangry panic attack in high school and the only thing I had to eat in my bag were breath mints I was meaning to gift to you.”

   “Oh, that’s pretty- hey.”

   “You could still use some, man. Keep your nasty breath away from me.”

   Roman just hummed, looking at Virgil from the corner of his eyes. He smiled softly, his eyes sad and concerned. Pulling him closer, he unpaused the video and listened as he continued to hold his friend.

***

   “And last but certainly not least, is the list of the late, great Logan. He’s not dead. He’s just always late to dinner dates. Like a pretentious nerd, his excuses are ‘oh, I was studying’, ‘oh, I had an exam’, or ‘Patton set the kitchen on fire again, call 911’. What an ass.

   “Anyway. This list, which doesn’t have a cool name because Logan is against emojis and stuff, just has like, five items on it. In order that is: brush your teeth, put on some clean clothes, wash your hair, put on some socks, and the last one is a surprise. Because it really took me off guard and I need you all to be as surprised as I was.

   “And right now, I just feel apathetic. In case someone gets upset that I didn’t mention I felt going into this, I just feel apathetic.”

   The video cuts away to Virgil’s bathroom once more, and the leftover mess from the other day can be seen in the sink.

“Uh. Just, just ignore that mess. You know what it’s from, I don’t feel bad about that. Anyway, teeth brushing. Let me just find the toothpaste…

“You know, I can’t remember if I bought toothpaste at the store. Of all the crap I bought, don’t think toothpaste made it into the bin. So, let’s just see if I still have any of the travel samples from the dentist.”

Virgil riffles through his cabinets, pulling out items such as combs, hair dye, bleach, and a bottle of pills. He hums for a second, before crouching down to look under the sink.

   “I feel like, and I could be the only one who experiences this, I feel like anything that gets put under the sink will never see the light of day. So maybe I won’t be brushing my teeth today- wait. Wait! Oh gosh, thank you Jesus- there’s a- there is a bottle in the back there, but I can’t reach it. Outta my way, makeup kit, I got teeth to be cleaned!”

   Virgil pops back into view, holding up a half used mini bottle of toothpaste. It’s the kid’s kind, that tastes like berries and bubblegum. He uncaps it and starts to squeeze it out onto his toothbrush buts stops short.

   “Why the hell are there sparkles in this thing? That- isn’t that a, like, choking hazard or some shit? Okay, sorry Logan, teeth brushing is not happening in this video. I think you’d agree with me on this. When you get to this point in the video, feel free to add toothpaste to our shopping list.”

***

   “Jokes on you, Virgil, I added it yesterday when I spent the night and had to use that monstrosity.”

   “I use that stuff all the time, Logan, there’s nothing wrong with it! Look at me, I’m perfectly fine!”

   “That’s… that’s a, uh, great point Patton. Explains a lot.”

***

   “Okay, so next on the list was clean clothes. I’m doing that off camera, you nasties, so hang tight for a word from our sponsors.”

   The screen is black, with white text reading “crofters plz sponsor us logan is desperate.”

   Virgil reappears, in the same hoodie and shirt. He smirks, pointing at a pile of clothes on the floor.

   “Ha, I own two of these hoodies and three of these shirts. I am a cartoon character, y’all will never see me in a different outfit. You can dream, but my job is to crush those dreams.” He makes a fist as he says this, laughing through his teeth as he tries to appear tough.

   The camera cuts again, this time showing Virgil singing into a hairbrush while a towel is wrapped around his head. The scene doesn’t last long, as we are once again taken back to Virgil’s bedroom where he is set up with a laptop. This time he’s on his bed and the curtains are drawn.

   “It said to wash your hair, and you can’t wash hair without serenading the monsters living behind the shower curtains we all feared when we were little. Just because we aren’t afraid of them doesn’t mean they aren’t real!

   “Anyway, this is the last part of Logan’s list. It’s actually really sweet? Like, I am a grown ass man, and I am not ashamed to say I sobbed over this.” He continues, voice starting to tremor.

   Virgil spins his laptop around to show a YouTube video that’s about half an hour long. The title reads, ‘the best of Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street’. Virgil sniffs real fast, raking a fist over his eyes.

   “He uh, he knew these guys were my heroes growing up. And he knew it would cheer me up. Guess w-hat man,” Virgil sniffs again, “It- it worked like a fu-fucking charm. I uh, I’m actually feeling things after going through your list, so like. Nice work, I guess, I owe you dinner. Like, dinner at a restaurant, not a cooking dinner because I don’t want to poison you.

   “Ahem. Anyway. That’s the best thing in this whole video, you win Logan. And that about wraps up the Thursday vlog. Thanks for listening everyone, here’s the obligatory ‘we’re gonna be okay’ message, because as corny as that is -- it’s true. Find yourself a Bert to go with your Ernie and it’ll be okay. Maybe throw in an Elmo or a Zoey if you wanna round out the group. And my metaphor is getting too complicated, so! Virgil out! See you this weekend for the next Theory of Real Activity -- Logan and I are joined by Patton this time and we get into wild shit this week, let me tell you.”

***

   “Well, what are we still waiting around here for?” Patton asked, turning his phone off. He disconnected the earbuds, stuffing his haphazardly into his front pocket. Logan winced at the sight, and quickly but carefully wound his up into their case.

   “I’ll text Virgil to make sure he knows to expect us. Patton, if you could text Roman?” Logan asks, standing up and smoothing out his shirt. Patton nods, already poking away at his phone.

Me: Greetings, Virgil. Patton and I are on our way over to your house if that is okay?

Virgil Jackson: cant tell you no, you practically live here

Me: Yes, well, that is true. Is there anything I should bring with us?

Virgil Jackson: would it be lame to say a hug

Me: Not at all. If there is anything this group is good for, it’s hugging and crying. The occasional yelling, but that could go either way.

Virgil Jackson: whatever nerd, get over here already

[fweeble]

Episode 2: In Another Country

I hope everyone stays hydrated, whether or not they’re currently suffering through summer! I’ve got my set up all prepared (with the tissues and pillows being the most important, but that’s preference). Hope everyone else is comfy as we start episode two! 

We’re gonna need it. 

Looks like we’re jumping right in. OOF. Ibe’s face ruins me. He’s so worried about Eiji. Someone needs to hold my hand, my heart hurts and I’m already prepared to cry everywhere. 

None of this was ever supposed to happen, Charlie. Just save Skip and Eiji --just save them, Charlie. Save them.

Ibeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Your decision to cover American gangs will bring you so much heartache. So much. Q AQ

Not even half a minute into the episode and my boy Shorter makes an appearance. My heart. Look at that lighting... the glow... the colors. Oh my god, just slay me with the colors. Hnnnnnnng. Also: three motorcycles. I am secretly hoping that Shorter’s just casually commandeering Ash’s since Ash rudely yoinked his away. I can dream, can’t I? Disappointed how they cut out some of Shorter’s insightful dialogue, but time constraints, I understand.

Shorter, your gut is very spot-on. 

Seriously, Mappa could just murder me with these gorgeous backgrounds. Look at the attention to detail. I know this is a hostage situation but let’s take a moment to bathe in the beauty that is this (old, abandoned) scenery. Aaaaah.

And here is Arthur, trying to look intimidating and ominous by hiding in the shadows, but he’s sadly overshadowed by everything else. As usual. Is anyone else impressed with all the effort that goes into everything? I’ll try not to wax lyrical but look at all those gang tags and planks left around, the cracked tiles and the smudges --someone had to draw that.

Everyone knows it’s a trap, Arthur. You’re clever, but you lack a certain degree of self-awareness and ability...

but do keep talking. Your only positive point is your smooth, buttery baritone. Nice. I will enjoy your villainous monologue. It will match your laughably stereotypical evil ‘do.

Truly, subtlety isn’t your strong point, Arthur. 

Also, lying. But please, lie more. 

Eiji and Skipper together is my favorite thing. Skipper is this tiny, determined ball of controlled kick-ass. Eiji is utterly out of his depth and looking around curiously because boy, Japan wasn’t like this!

These two cuties. Please.

Fuck ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooff.

PUNCH HIS FACE IN!!!

*WILL SMITHS THIS SCENE* I have so many feelings, I have so many things I want to scream about, I want to dissect just how much this one line underlines the differences between Ash and Arthur despite the fact there are plenty of superficial similarities between the two and I just --HNNNNNNG. *clenches fist* I HAVE FEELINGS AND THEY ARE STRONG.

Skiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip. Eiiiiiiiiiiiiiijiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. So many props to Eiji for staying relatively calm in a frankly terrifying situation. 

Skiiiiiiiippeeeeeer. *STRANGLED DYING MANATEE NOISES*

*INTENSE SOBBING* SKIP, YOU ARE TOO BEAUTIFUL, YOU PRECIOUS STARCHILD. HE IS SO PROTECTIVE OVER EIJI. MY HEEEEART.

Why are you such trash, Arthur????

EIJI’S FAAAAAAAAAAAACE. SAAAAVE HIIIIM.

I’M TOO EMOTIONAL, SOMEONE FUCKING HOLD MY HAND ALREADY!!!

You didn’t even lose your fingers. You just have some scars. Talk about disproportionate retribution???

Oh my god there’s an actual opening segment, I thought they were forgoing it altogether because 19 volumes in 24 episodes, but I guess not. I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t prepared. Aaaaah.

Seriously, the background???? I’ll try to keep the gratuitous snapshots to a minimum. I’ll try. Honestly.

I think from now on I’ll start all my Nanner Fish Liveblogs with this. 

Why does this break my heart. (No, don’t answer. Just leave me to wallow.)

Beautiful juxtaposition. Also, rude. I love that lighting through the trees, though. Q AQ

*HYSTERICAL SCREECHING* MAPPA, Y’ALL ARE THE RUDEST ASSHOLES TO EVER ANIMATE AND I AM SO OFFENDED, EVERYTHING HURTS, NOTHING IS MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN THIS, LAY ME TO REST.

Yut-luuuuuung.

WHY MUST MAPPA BE SO CRUEL AND HURTFUL.

GOSH, THIS IS GORGEOUS. MY HEART. WHY DO THIS TO MY DELICATE BABY HEART???

Guys, guys, guys. Look at all that gang tagging. SOMEONE HAD TO DRAW THAT. THE COLORS MAAAAN. Also: Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing.

FUCK OFF. I HAD TO STOP FOR A BIT. JUST. WHY. FUCKING WHYYY.

MAPPA YOU BASTARDS.

Every.single.fucking.time, Marvin. 

*high pitched distressed noises*

Ash, you beautiful, sassy smartass. PLEASE BE A LITTLE LESS SASSY.

My heart. 

Just call him Florence Nightingale. 

*more strangled high pitched noises of distress* I wish Ash wasn’t so right.

THEIR SLEEPING POSITIONS. SKIIIIIIIIIIP. EIJIIIIII. MY HEART.

SERIOUSLY PUNCH THAT FACE IN.

Oh my fucking god. I thought he was just a random new mob character, but he’s that dude who looked exactly like Charlie!! The first time I read Nanner Fish I was convinced Charlie was a mole because of him!!!

HE ALSO LOST THE PORN ‘STACHE. CONGRATULATIONS. YOU LOOK SO MUCH BETTER. A LOT MORE INTIMIDATING.

I totally went off-topic. The topic being: Marvin is gross, the scum of the earth, and should be punched a lot in sensitive places.

Thank you, Skip.

I am the worst person, I’m sorry, because I spent this entire slow pan up Ash laughing hysterically. This is secondhand embarrassment at its peak. Pffffft. 

Ash, please.

Poor Eiji. Pffffffffffffffft.

Marvin, you are honestly dumber than a bag of bricks. Beautiful wounded gazelle gambit, Ash. I love how Skipper is jumping with excitement, cheering Ash on, and Eiji’s holding himself like he needs protection from the latent gross that emanates from Marvin constantly.

*side whispers* This is it.

The turning point.

*blows kisses at Mappa* GORGEOUS.

I’m breaking things up a bit since I’m just. Full of feelings. Eiji making a decision, inspired by Ash. Skip automatically assuming Eiji’s making a Last Stand, because that’s what he is: a fighter to the last. 

But Eiji is a civilian, and he doesn’t fight the way Skip does. 

And this is beautifully animated, and it definitely shows Eiji’s resolve and determination... but it bugs me.

Because they gave one of Eiji’s lines to Skip.

They turned a line that showed Eiji’s determination, his acknowledgement that he could severely injure himself --could even cripple himself --but he was willing to bet it all on a chance, and made it into an argument Skipper has against Eiji’s Hail Mary decision. 

And I hate it.

I really love the soundtrack they use, though. Nice.

How the cat fell in love with the bird.

Seriously, look at those colors? Look at that rainbow effect while Eiji’s in the sky. The textures. *sends all the kisses Mappa’s way*

Eiji... what about your bleeding. I mean, yes, run for help, but also: what if you pass out before you get help? A quick tourniquet, please!

He did indeed. It was beautiful.

Shorteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer. 

HIS TINY SATISFIED SMIRK.

I AM TOTALLY UNBIASED. IT’S NOT LIKE I LOVE SHORTER A RIDICULOUS, LOPSIDED AMOUNT. WHAT LIES ARE YOU SPREADING. *cries* I just love Shorter so much.

More smartphones trying to save the day.

And again. No more phone booths!

Seriously, I suspect I will forever be smitten. Muwah. Gorgeous. Muwah Muwah.

Finally! Plotty things! And why automatically suspect Ash, Charlie?? You trusted him enough to let him near civvies but you automatically suspect him when Golzine’s up to something sketchy? 

Oh, Ibe. You’re gonna have white hair soon, Eiji is gonna make you worry lots.

I know you are, Eiji. Q AQ

Nice, thank you Mappa! Now I know Eiji’s A pos. (Or AB pos.)

*wounded hippo noises* THEY ARE SO LOYAL AND DEDICATED TO ONE ANOTHER. SKIIIIIIIIIIP. AAAAAAASH.

CMSDKLFMLDSF. SOMEONE SAVE SKIIIIP.

Beautiful. The best part about Shorter and his garish colors is that you can always pick him out of a crowd. <3

I didn’t mention it last time, but I’m so happy to see Ash’s crew! Hi Aleeex!

Just casually taking snapshots of Shorter being awesome. That’s not a crime. I swear.

BONES! I think. I forget. I get their names mixed up. 8( Where’s the other one? You can’t be Ash’s power trio with just the two of you! (I guess Shorter’s there too. Q vQ)

Totally just took this screencap because I’m basically an embarrassing parent who likes to show of their kid. Lookit Shorter. Isn’t he awesome?

Nooooooope.

Nooo, no no no.

Marvin you idiot, Golzine said alive. Your Papa Dino? Remember him?

Nooooope.

For fuck’s sake, noooooooooo.

SOMEONE FUCKING KILL MARVIN FIRST.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. SKIIIIIIPPER. Q AQ

Skiiiiiiiiiiiippeeeeeeeeeeeer...!!!!!!!!!

KILL HIM.

Ash, what black voodoo magic did you do to get that car going??? You didn’t turn or put in any keys, you certainly don’t have the fancy electronic keys on you. What the hell? Did some lazy mafia asshole leave their fancy electronic key in the damn car?

ASH STOP LEAVING SHORTER BEHIND FOR FUCK’S SAKE!!!

I love how this implies the cops are on good terms with Shorter.

Shorter, did you even tell them where you were heading??? You’ve got a smartphone now!!! Use it!

Shorter...

Because you were stupid enough to shoot Skipper. All you had to do was not shoot.

CMLKSDFMLDSF. DINOOOOOOO.

Because people aren’t pets, Dino!!!!

Trust your instincts, Ash! Turn back!!

He honestly deserved worse.

Ash....

*sigh* I’m so smitten. That’s gorgeous. (Sorry, Ash.)

Jenkins and Charlie will believe you, Ash! But...

Obligatory corrupt cop Evanstine won’t let them help you. This is his jurisdiction. 8(

Oh, Jenkins. Charlie. You’re gonna regret it...

Another asshole who deserves his face punched in.

Is no one going to dress Ash’s wound? It’s still Eiji’s tourniquet there. It’s gonna get infected you shithead.

Fuck oooooff.

Oh look, someone who needs to slip on a pickle, fall, crack their head on the counter, and die face first in their own piss. That’s you, Evanstine! 

Please. Die horrifically.

Ash... Q nQ

Please don’t take it personally, Jenkins... Skip just died in his arms... he was framed for murder... and a scumbag just ambushed him with his past...

Cmkalsdmfklsadf. DINOOOOOO.

We’re so blessed, guys! So much plot this episode!

Charlie... don’t do this. Please... don’t.

Oh, Charlie. You’re so earnest. You’re still so pure. Q AQ

And Ash... takes after his middle name. He is jaded. He knows better. He knows Dino. How do you indict someone with so much money, power, and influence? He has judges in his pocket!

And Charlie...

And an intermission from my previous thought because boy howdy am I still swooning over these gorgeous visuals. *blows even more kisses Mappa’s way*

Back to my previous train of thought: ...Charlie can’t give up.

Ibe’s face, though. It’s the face of a dad going “son, could you please stop putting yourself in dangerous situations I’ve already gotten fifteen new grey hairs and I’m only 30 please don’t do this to me.” Poor Ibe. That’s exactly what Eiji’s gonna do.

Charles Dickinson: Poster boy for Not Givin’ Up, We’re Taking Dino Golzine Down the Right and Proper Way, Just Believe in Us Ash!

Noooooo, not with the emotional blackmail, Charlie! (Besides, as much as I love Ash, preeeetty sure Eiji was incidental. He was chasing after Skip, wasn’t gonna let Eiji, an innocent civilian get caught in the crossfire of a gang war, and at no point did he risk Skip’s life. He contemplated his own, but never Skip’s.)

What a cute bird. Q vQ <3 <3 <3

*clutches chest* Eiji. Why. 

Skipper... you will never be forgotten. 

DAMMIT WHY IS NO ONE HOLDING MY HAND??? I NEED EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.

THE FUCKING ART DIRECTION. CMKSLDMFOWEMFDSLF. MAPPA NEEDS TO BE ARRESTED FOR MURDER. MY MURDER. 

It’s okay, Eiji, I wouldn’t be able to, either... Q AQ

Seriously, how is that even remotely legal????

Fuck Golzine and his connections. Fuck him with a power saw.

*intense feelings about later volumes and how this relates to both Ash and Eiji* CMSKDLFLSDFJLSDJFOEWIMSFD. *strangled dying manatee noises about foreshadowing*

*lies on ground, emotional and useless*

Hnnnnnnnnng, that’s just gorgeous. Ominous, but gorgeous. u 3u <3

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand prison wardens are also in his pocket. Seriously, Charlie, do you not see why Ash is the way he is?

There’s also a brand new ED, but I’m seriously emotionally drained after the OP and Skipper... It doesn’t really have anything particularly foreshadow-y or relevant that my dead soul can see. It’s lovely and a nice end to an emotionally charged episode. I’m going to just quietly cry into my pillows now.

<<Episode 1                                     Masterlist                                          Episode 3>>

[alyjojo]

Advice to Work on Yourself 📸 in June 2022: Cancer

Judgement - 2 Pentacles - The Emperor

Regarding: 4 Wands

You are absolutely terrified that your romantic person is jumping into some new thing with someone else. It looks like they’re ready to take a leap of faith with you, possibly moving in together, and it’s got you freaked out because you don’t reaaaally trust them. It’s possible this person doesn’t have Aries in their chart, but not likely, everything is screaming Aries, and I’ve noticed that happens with this sign in particular 😆 It likes to be known, no guessing. They are a very desire & passion driven person, which bothers you, because you’re looking for something stable and long term. That’s the whole problem really. They’re wanting to rush ahead in this relationship and you’re pumping the brakes to a HARD stop, because you’re not looking for a temporary thing, you’re not just another person on their list to check off and move away from. You want something solid, stable, & long-lasting.

You’re really stuck in your head weighing the pros and cons of moving forward with this person. Do they mean what they say? HAVE they been with someone ELSE seems to be the question that’s torturing you, keeping you up at night, you’re tossing and turning and can’t stand it. Are you the only one? Spirit is saying YES, it’s just you. Judgement shows you two have split or simply separated, you’re clearly not together with 9 Pentacles, but you may not have been apart for long. This person is alone. The Emperor and The Hermit. You’re just terrified that they’re deceptive, sleeping around, lying to you, tricking you, and they’re not. If you’re judging them based on this, then that’s what’s unfair with Justice rev. They didn’t do anything like you think they have, though there was clearly something to make you think so. That’s valid. It’s just not as bad as it appeared or you feared it was. Right now this person is alone and wants to either come home or rush into making this better again. The advice is to simply see the truth.

Animal Oracle: Manatee 🦛

Accept the situation as it is rather than fighting to change it.

There are times to fight for what you believe in and times to lay down your sword and surrender. If you or your family were in danger, it would be quite natural to defend yourself by either fleeing or fighting, whether through actions or words. Extreme situations may even require extreme measures. There are definitely wrongs to make right and situations where the spiritual warrior in you must take the lead. However, it’s not the case here. What will work best for all concerned is for you to surrender and accept things as they are. Yield to overcome. Lay down your sword, not in defeat or self-sacrifice, but from a realization that this isn’t the fight you want or need to engage in. As the saying goes, choose your battles. This is definitely not one to waste your time and energy on. Let go of your righteousness and your ego’s need for control, and find that peace of mind that you so cherish and have available simply by choosing it. The Serenity Prayer may help you greatly.

Artist Oracle: FILIPPO MARINETTI

- Forward march. Looking backward ensures a broken neck.

- Your art should wage war.

- The only constant will always be contradiction.

Advice:

- Complete A Fitness Challenge

- Level Up A Skill

- Improve Your Listening

Charms:

Fractal Moon 🌙 on 4 Wands shows there are a lot of missing pieces to the fears & anxieties you have in regards to a relationship that seems to be very stable, or at least this person is intending for it to become that with you. You could fear the parts of the story that you don’t have, but there may not be any, or what exists isn’t important. The point is it’s stable, committed, and they mean it 💯

Broken Heart 💔 on Manatee can simply show that what’s done is done, and you’ve been using your hurt as a means of control where it’s not necessary, or fair. Take your person at face value, listen to what they say, I don’t get the feeling they’re lying to you. Not with 4 Wands. That’s fear speaking, and it wouldn’t come out like this if it weren’t to a level of self-sabotage. You could be getting rid of a beautiful thing, or are in danger of missing your true person, out of fear not fact. Let go 💜

[fantroll-purgatory]

@sartoonis

Art is mine-

FIRST: Alternia or Beforus or some type of AU?

Alternia!!!

Name (preferably include how you came up with it and why): Kazmal Nepila

I think Kazmal can stay because it sounds like a change from “Kamal,” a name which means “perfection/excellence” in Arabic and “lotus/pale red” in Sanskrit. I think it’s fitting both because tailoring means fitting something with precision and because you’ve written a character who is defined to an extent by his pale red relationship - his moirallegiance.

For the last name, how about Halgus for hallux valgus, another name for bunion, which is a sneaky reference to a tailor’s bunion which was commonly developed from tailors sitting crosslegged while they worked and developing joint deformity in their pinky toes. Also fitting because he is in a situation in which the nature of his work for his moirail is causing him strain and deformity in his self.

Please help with my name- I like it but like i just randomly picked letters and stuck them together

Age: 7 sweeps

Strife Specibus: hornkind

He uses his horns to ram his victims (they jut out front and point. They kinda act like blinders on a horse but they are very sharp and pointy)

I like it as a concept but I feel like if we wanna tailor (heh) his bio a little more closely we could go with needlekind? And if we wanna play into him being a purpleblood he could have a chucklevoodoo doll that he uses as a pincushion and could weaponize against those his moirail tells him to kill.

Fetch Modus: no clue really

Let’s go with a seamripper modus; captcha would be ‘sewn in’ and he would need to rip the seams to get it out; if he makes a mistake he could damage the item itself.

Blood color: Purple!

Symbol and meaning: Capririus

Sign of the contender (Derse + Hope) (if you can help with the sign that would be great too)

I don’t know that he seems like a Dersite or a Hope player. As a blind follower who would rather reshape himself than reshape the world around him he’s a definite Prospitan. For his aspect, I think we could reasonably swing Space, especially since sewing and the like is so intimately associated with physical manipulation in Homestuck.

Trolltag: none yet tbh

If we wanna go GCAT maybe greatCouturier? I assume a lot of his work is for fellow purplebloods since Alternian trolls generally think fashion is stupid and purplebloods are like…the only caste that wears patterned fabric? This trolltag would indicate his status in society but also seem insufferably frou-frou to most other trolls, making him a likely target for harassment.

Quirk: he doesnt use any capitalization. even when mad. he has committed to having almost a monotone kind of tone to his typing.

Special Abilities (if any): does tailoring count?

I think I wanna add the chucklevoodoo doll to his abilities given that purplebloods gain abilities from being in the juggalo cult.

Lusus: :00 a bull head on a rhino’s body, actually

In general, purplebloods live near the sea and have lusii that can presumably exist in some form both in and out of the water. I like the big grey thick-hided aesthetic, so how about a manatee with a rhino head? You could also have him wrap thread around his dad’s horns either for sewing assistance or as a way of showing his dad he loves him. You could still keep the theme of isolation this way, too; purplebloods’ lusii are more likely to be out at sea. They can’t pursue their parents since they’d be encroaching on seadweller territory, and they have no way of knowing if their lusus has been culled to feed Gl’bgolyb.

Personality: he is a blind follower. Hes manipulated by his moirail to murder other trolls, trolls in castes lower than him that she couldnt get away with so she can cook them. She acts like she cares but then will shut him out. But he clings to the relationship because he feels like thats all he has. He has hope that this will all turn out good for him and her. He keeps a stoic expression and thus paints on a face to make it seem like he is smiling. But he isnt really. He seems void of all emotion but in reality hes just really good at hiding them. He likes to make things for his moirail to show his compassion (even though she never wears or uses said things and sometimes throws them away right in front of him)

I think this has a lot of potential! First off I’m very intrigued by this cannibalistic moirail of his, but second off, I want you to expand on his relationship with her! As a reminder, a moirallegiance is not necessarily akin to being a best friend; it’s a partnership with the very specific purpose of each troll balancing an imbalance in the other. Now, this doesn’t mean that every moirallegiance is healthy; while we saw Nepeta and Equius as the platonic ideal of one, we saw plenty of examples of kismesissitudes and matespritships that devolved into something sinister. This can be a really good example of that if you answer the following questions: what does Kazmal think he’s getting out of this? What is it about this relationship that makes it an unhealthy moirallegiance rather than merely an unhealthy friendship? What imbalance does he think his moirail corrects in him, and what does he feel he gives to his moirail?

As an example, how does Kazmal feel when his moirail throws away the things he makes? Does he view that as a critique of his work? As encouragement to work towards getting better? How does he view her requests to murder other trolls? What does he think he’s giving her? Does he feel he’s protecting her from something? What is the imbalance he thinks is being corrected, and how does he envision the “perfect” version of this moirallegiance? Answering these questions will tell you a lot more about Kazmal’s relationship.

Interests: tailoring :0 this man loves making clothes!!! Even if he isnt so good at it he still loves doing it. He made his own!! He is currently working on his ultimate clown suit for when he has to inevitably fully commit to this clown juggalo cult aesthetic thing. He also likes to ram his horns into things like trees or punching bags with his lusus for fun.

Title: seer of hope (idk what i m doing help)

Man given Homestuck’s history of Pages as gentlemen who try very hard and get pushed around by the people they care about, I think this dude is for sure a Page of Space, which would eventually make him incredibly powerful. It especially fits with his being a not-yet-great tailor whose moirail throws his stuff away. Also, because the Robin Hood outfit would be funny to stick a tailor in.

Land: idk rlly

Land of Rips and Frogs (LORAF). I like the idea that he’d have a planet that was extremely broken and full of ravines, and that his job as a Page of Space would be to mend these enormous rifts in order to advance to Echidna (and would make frog hunting harder, though not impossible).

Dream Planet: Prospit

Aha, so here you say he’s Prospit. Good. We’re in agreement here! Which makes his sign Caprigo, Sign of the Lacuna! WHICH MEANS A GAP IN A MANUSCRIPT OR A BONE. This dude’s themes are LOCKED THE FUCK IN with gaps and gaps and gaps.

Horns - I usually try to sprite horns from scratch but naphal’s sprite sheet had a set that just worked so incredibly well with his symbol and the whimsicality of purple horns??? Edited them very slightly but it’s mostly presented as is. If you want a set from scratch just lmk and I’ll work on it.

Face Paint - I gave him Flowey’s smile from Undertale! Firstly because it’s the smile he gives us when he first says “it’s kill or be killed,” a philosophy Kazmal is no doubt subjected to by his moirail, and secondly because Flowey is himself a character who represents being trapped in unhealthy cycles.

Eyes - once again edited from Naphal’s sprite sheet.

Mouth - purplebloods tend to be toothy, so I gave him very narrow and needle-like teeth.

Clothes - aside from some plain black pajama pants, this is all naphal. I deliberately wanted to avoid the neutral colors we usually see in Alternian outfits. I surmised from your design that Kazmal’s moirail is a goldblood, though if that was incorrect I’m happy to fix it up. I wanted his color scheme infected by his moirail’s as if by a virus, culminating in the apron, which is so subsumed by his moirail’s color that his symbol looks quite lost in it! I also wanted some clashing patterns both to represent his struggle and to show that he’s still a fledgeling designer. The vine-y pattern on his apron is courtesy of mirz123 on deviantart.

Shoes - these are some comfy slippers from fan-troll, which I have elected to keep as his blood color to…I dunno, inspire some hope? Despite all the bullshit he’s going through, he’s still fundamentally grounded in his own sense of identity.

So that’s my review of Kazmal! Thank you for sharing him!

-TR