#this whole video is full of action!
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ghastbutlikegay Ā· 2 months ago
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I have concluded that YouTube shorts does not deserve bistro huddy
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downtherabbitholewithlucy Ā· 2 years ago
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Snippets of Wes behind the scenes for "Lie"
(x)
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swampjawn Ā· 5 months ago
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Why The Dungeon Meshi Adaptation Worked So Well
The final episode of Dungeon Meshi season 1, (ep. 24) is like if you took all the best parts of the series so far, all the elements that make it what it is, arranged them all into a luscious charcuterie board, and scraped the whole thing into your mouth in one go like the hungry little bastard ye are.
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Series director Yoshihiro Miyajima has shown his dedication to the story and ability to stay true to the source material while enhancing the most important elements and making adjustments when needed to better fit the medium, and that's on full display here with the final two anime original scenes that hint toward the future of the plot and take what would have been a good but not amazing ending for the season and turn it into a great one.
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As well as Nobutoshi Ogura's storyboards, whose symmetry and point-of-view and reflection shots always add a touch of foreboding and personality to what's already there in the manga.
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Or the addition of color to the scene in the tram where the deep green benches and warm orange glow of electric lighting gives it the comforting atmosphere of respite from the hectic action that came before it -- or a calm before the storm (?)...
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But most obvious to me in particular was they carved out a spot for many of the eccentric key animators who have defined the visual style of the show (and who I've pointed out specifically in past episodes of my breakdown series) to go nuts and do what they do best.
Ichigo Kanno's bombastic action with stylized character designs and insanely detailed wrinkles and shadows:
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Atsushi Yoneda's clean line work and uncomfortable realism:
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Haruki's character acting and subtlety:
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Despite the slight awkwardness of having to finish off the changeling plot in the first half, this really is a culmination of everything that's come before and a great end to the season.
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There's a whole lot more where this came from, and I get a lot more into the details of the animation in this video where I broke down the entire episode in detail, so if that's something you're interested in, check it out!
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Thank you for reading, and double-dog-thank you if you've been here through this whole series -- I had just started trying to figure out how to use tumblr when I started making these breakdown posts and the response has been amazing both on here and on youtube, so thanks!
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paintingpuff Ā· 3 months ago
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So with the terrible Minecraft movie trailer dropping,
I've seen a lot of people bringing up better stories in the world of Minecraft, like Story Mode or the books or the SMPs, but may I add another option that would be a way better use of your time and money than the Minecraft movie (esp cuz its free)?
Animation Vs. Minecraft
(Note: contains out of context spoilers for this series to give you a sneak peek of what's waiting for you)
There's a good chance you've seen the first video, since it's one of the most watched minecraft videos on youtube, made by the same guy who did Animation vs Animator.
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But did you know that the stick figures pick the game back up and continue the series?
There are now three completed seasons packed with fun episodic content that naturally blossoms into a larger, engrossing story that amounts to /several hours of animated content/. It's got fun characters, gorgeous fight scenes, and even musical numbers, all told with next to no dialogue!
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The whole thing is a love letter to Minecraft, with way more passion and knowledge of the game than WBS.
New episodes would show off the latest updates, like when the main characters explored the ancient cities and lush caves before they were officially released.
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There are even homages to the Minecraft animation community, such as the episode featuring Monster School (my favorite part of this is the way they purposefully imitate the old janky animation in Herobrine's movements)
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Not a fan of piglins always being villains? While there's certainly some bad piglins in this series (though I'd argue they're under duress), the main cast also befriends some, include this adorable piglin child.
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Still not over Reuben's death from MSM? Well they've also got a pig (named Reuben by the community), and it both doesn't die, and occasionally does some badassery himself!
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Speaking of the action, this series doesn't just reference minecraft's world and creatures: it expands on the mechanics and worldbuilding, creating avenues for some truly incredible action that can only be achieved within minecraft. It takes full advantage of the medium and world.
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My personal favorite example of this is the team's expansion on the Lucky Blocks mod, exploring the idea of a "randomizer" power to its fullest extent.
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The action scenes are the kind where you have to watch them five times over because each character is doing something completely unique and fun.
Here is all the episodes of season 1 compiled in one video to get you started, though there are also playlists out there:
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All in all, this series is funny, gripping, and adorable, and is worth your attention far better than some corporate schlock.
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mx-pastelwriting Ā· 2 months ago
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Kinktober Day 5: Knotting
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Eddie BrockĀ x GN! Reader x Venom
Summary: Both you and Eddie still learning things about Venom even in the bedroom.
Warnings: Smut, Rough, Little bit of Eddie, Tongue, Licking, Pain, Knotting
Kinktober Masterlist
Minors do not interact!
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Head buried back into a pillow, feeling Eddie's hand continuously glide and grip your body, sweat mixing against pressed skin. Cock buried deep within your walls, unlocking an overflow of moans that echoed in your shared apartment.
Feeling as Eddie's hips grew sloppy, alerting you to the end of the heated night, only to watch as Venom took over. Engulfing your lover, trading Eddie's cock for his own.
Flooded with Venom's cock, sparking every nerve that lined your walls, the euphoric feeling causing your chest to rise and moans to grow in volume.
"Venom, p-please, I can't." You stutter for mercy, but he gives you none. Hearing as the bed thrusts against the wall matching his, both you and the bed threaten to break under Venom's feral hunger. Turned on by his labored breaths, hazily temped to push him back just to suck the alien off.
Having no chances on that plan, feeling as his grip grew stronger, groans growing louder, and hips and thighs pounding into yours, buckling as they do. Keeping a grip of your own on Venom, together building up your climaxes.
Taking no longer as Venom sped up, cracking the wooden headboard and bruising the back of your tights. All the chaos ends with both of you cumming loudly, the bliss overloading your bodies. Venom lending forward in shock at the first ever feeling of cumming, saliva dripping from his mouth onto your twitching body.
Coming down from the heavenly moment as your body sharply trades it for pain, hearing Venom's groans loudly, painfully putting the pieces together, it all being his doing.
Crying out for Venom, but only hearing his reverberated breathing as his tongue touches down, hot and wet, licking your neck with teeth grazing along, adding to the pool of pain. Hurting to move, you stayed still full of Venom's cum, hoping he wouldn't move either while stuck in you. Knotted together.
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Hello, I hope you enjoyed if there is any grammar mistakes or misspellings sorry about that feel free to let me know in the comments, have a great day/afternoon/night!
Fanfiction is protected under copyright law when plagiarism is involved. If you plagiarize my work, either a piece or whole in any language, I will take legal action. Inspiration or the same idea does NOT apply to this, only word-for-word plagiarism in any language.
ā™„ mx-pastelwriting does not consent to their fanfiction being copied, copied & credited, translated, used in videos and/or audios, screenshotted, used in AI, or reposted on any other platform without permission.
ā™„ mx-pastelwriting does give consent to "reblog," sharing links to direct work, and being in recommend lists.
Kinktober Taglist: @shadyloveobject @bimbo-bunni @aoi-targaryen @sophieissleepy @d3k4z-bl00d
@reidsbookcase @writtenbyhollywood @hoffmanfan13 @rosecentury
@vaexox @akari655 @nct38 @iloveslasher @akneld
@jay-cosplay-bin @m-281 @hoffmanfan13 @wh0re4-alexademi @nerdywitchgeek
@caffeine-addict3295 @supergingerlocks @ner-dee @chocolqtelle @laurenyas
@taylorthetable @f-ckm3hhhg @racco0ngirl13 @fran-soup @hope69world
@supersoldierswhxre @erensslut @hotchners-wifey @abyssaloverlord @raajali3
@crustyowos @fly-on-the-wall @nyx2021 @www-interludeshadow-com @nct38
@carolb111 @thays0 @theescorpiolovechile @0banes0 @bibella8swan
@ingybobingysblog @lokiiified @asmalls0723 @wonderlandofsilence @lia1521
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sleep-0-deprived Ā· 3 months ago
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Dom bottom Older coworker Yandere imagines ~ ą»’ź’°ą¾€ą½² ā—ž ā—Ÿź’±ą¾€ą½²įƒ
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A/N Iā€™m going into over drive on these Yandere thought of mine ą«®ź’° ą¾€ą½² >āøāøāø< ą¾€ą½²ź’±įƒ
Just imagining you moving into a house somewhere in the suburbs, you have a neighbor heā€™s in his mid forties youā€™re pushing twenty seven. Heā€™d slowly peek through his blinds just to see you moving boxes inside your house watching your body flex under those shirts of yours, his eyes following you nearly drooling seeing you walking to the mail box in grey sweats showing him the outline of your cockā€” oh god thats what you were packing?
Just imagining the Yandere neighbor working a nine to five in some office living by himself all alone, setting up cameras on your patio and whenever he introduces himself getting you to let him in long enough for him to set cameras up around your house while you make tea for the two of you. The older male watching you on his desk top in his office watching one of his hidden cameras peaking over his shoulders making sure his boss isnā€™t around to see how heā€™s ogling your groin just imaging your cock stuffed deep inside him.
Just imagining your Yandere neighbor being ashamed of his actions right after he orgasms to videos of you, but that all gets washed away whenever he sees you your face. His obsession unhealthy all he can do in his office is daydream what it would taste like to have your cum spurting down his throat? What faces would you make when he is deep throating you? Do you tense up or do you trembleā€” oh his mind runs wild full of dirty fantasyā€™s a man of his age shouldnā€™t be having for a man whoā€™s just pushing thirty.
Just imaging your Yandere neighbor being fucked by many men in his past a few one night stands here maybe a cheap motel fuck there but when he finally gets you on top of him. His whole word crumbling how could a man of his age never been fucked so good before in his whole life? His orgasm hitting him like heaven cumming hands free with his hands in the sheets just going ā€œdoin so good, boyā€” so damn good for meā€ while your cock bullies his prostate.
Just imagining when the Yandere finally gets you to himselfā€” thereā€™s no ifs, ands, or buts about it he knows heā€™ll get you! Sending you nudes from his office bathroom spreading his cheeks showing a pretty blue butt plug inside him sending you a little lewd message attached while youā€™re busy doing your own think knowing heā€™ll leave you a flustered mess just cause thatā€™s the kinda boy you are. Packing and like a horny rabbit when youā€™re jackhammering into him but a total lover boy outside of sex.
Just imagining having your Yandere neighbor on his knees right between your thighs during one of his ā€œvisitsā€ sucking you off not letting you thrust your hips or grab his head as he goes at a painfully slow bob ā€œbe a good boy and Iā€™ll let u fuck me after?~ā€ heā€™d coo to you with his mouth half stuffed with your tip while you sit on the couch whining with a flushed face looking like the most beautiful man heā€™s ever seen, heā€™d build a shrine to worship your body every day if he couldā€”
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zaephix Ā· 3 months ago
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I LOVE THE CAMERA SO, SO MUCHā€”AND THE CAMERA LOVES ME ! / / xavier , zayne, rafayel & sylus . . .
ever since you went viral on the internet, your relationship has become the evvy and dream of users globally. just what about you guys was so groundbreaking?
warnings: f!reader, established relationship, modern!au without the monster protocore stuff, ooc!sylus??? this is my first time writing him im scared, internet fame, fluff, suggestive on zayne's part, relationship tingz mostly inspired by douyin couple tiktoks (im so lonely brah.)
w/c: 2.15k (500-600 each)
author's note: if u guys can figure out what photo reference i ws talking ab in zayne's ily (hint hint that one nanami fanart) also did u guys peep the rv reference in the title??? art cred: angye on twt
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XAVIER didn't think that he'd go viral for something as silly as interupting your tiktok by carrying you away, then again he didn't even know you posted it.
it didnt just go viral because the two of you were in the cutest matching hoodies, but because he swept you off your feet so smoothly and almost effortlessly.
soon after that, comments flooded your page gushing about how they'd wish they had a boyfriend as clingy and affectionate as him, and you two had started a new trend.
after that video, many followed you because they fell in love with you and your relationship, almost begging for more crumbs of you two. your page was then full of the two of you more so than before, photos of you two in onesies cuddling, stargazing, and even little day-to-day vlogs.
your fans just kept eating them up, and he had to deal with the impending consequences of it.
"XAVIER, come pose with me!"
the grey-blond haired man sighed, dragging his feet towards you. "don't you think we're done? we've taken so many already..."
you raise a brow, "we didnt take any this whole week? cmoon, the camera's rolling, let's do that dance i taught you!"
"but it's late, and i wanna go to sleep... we can take some tomorrow morning or something..."
you give him the sternest look you could muster, and he generates the biggest puppy eyes he'd ever done, looking down at you with a small pout as his hands hung loosely around your waist.
"a kiss then?"
you roll your eyes affectionately, "you can have your kiss after this i promise! pleaaaseee xavier?"
it seemed that he wasn't gonna take no as an answer, as he kept leaning in towards you, determined as ever.
your face was burning as you chuckle nervously, leaning away from him. he slowly inched closer, until you were at a point where you could go no further without any help.
realizing you had no other choice, you sighed with a pout of your own, and XAVIER took this as a chance to pull you closer and press a kiss to your lips, making you giggle. you pressed your fingers lightly to his lips as he swayed you side to side, and you couldn't help but laugh and follow suit.
"XAVIER!"
you posted the video not long after that, a cute song in the background to cover the sounds of your voices. within just 2 hours, it went viral, taking its spot as your number one video.
"ughhhhhh is this too much to ask for?"
"if you look closely you'll see me laying on the street."
"u guys r my fav couple ever pls don't ever break up!!!"
it was safe to say you never got your dance.
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ZAYNE took quiet pride in being your boyfriendā€”and he took it very seriously as well. he'd fuss over you even more than before, making sure you were okay at all times
you'd joke about how he was acting more as your husband than your boyfriend. he'd brush your comments aside, saying you think too much (funnily enough his ears were quite red)
your relationship went viral due to the sillyness you brought into it, the little antics you'd pull around him as you two would go through your day-to-day life being the highlight of the week for your viewers
but what really made you two so popular was in the gentleness he'd treat you with. his words may seem curt and blunt, but his actions said anything but that. in your mini vlogs, ZAYNE would display tiny gestures of affection, ranging from delicately fixing your jewelry and carrying your purse to zipping up your dress and putting your heels on for you.
"hey god... it's me again..."
"i want a rich doctor bf too!"
"my parentsssss <3"
your viewers would nitpick at every little thing, hundreds of fan edits taking over the app by storm, and you'd repost every single one of them
"ZAYNE! i'm home! sorry, usually i'd be the one to be early but the association had-"
you stopped, frowning as you realized the lights were off, the only source of light coming from your kitchen. making your way there, you were met with the back of your boyfriend, seemingly working very hard on something.
"zayne?"
he turned around, greeting you with a soft look of surprise. "oh. you're here." he stepped towards you, and now you could see that he was wearing an apron over a dress shirt and pants.
"go to your room. i left a change of clothes for you on your bed."
you looked at him confusedly before realization and guilt struck you. "...oh! oh my gosh, i'm so sorry! i forgot it was our anniversary! i'll-"
you shut up as he looks at you with an amused lift of his brow, taking this as your cue to go get changed.
turns out, ZAYNE had taken a day off without you realizing it. he spent the day getting your apartment ready for your anniversary. and he had everything set alright.
"i can't believe you did all of this yourself... i mean- wow..."
you two enjoyed a nice candlelit dinner with your favorite foods and drinks, and you kept having to resist the urge to just tug him closer with his tie and plant kisses all over his face.
wait, unless...
"ZAYNE, could you come here?"
ZAYNE thought the two of you were done, wanting to spend the rest of the night with you in his arms-it turns out you had a different idea
"you still haven't gotten your reward."
you uploaded a new post to your instagram page, captioned "my sweet doctor <3" with pictures of your dinner that night
and on the very last slide, was a picture of him turned to the side with lipstick covered kiss marks over his face and shirt, ears a pretty shade of red, and your hand pulling him in by his tie
your fans could only ever imagine what happened after that
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it was just after your date with RAFAYEL at the aquarium did the topic of who his lover was striked appeal to the media. apparently, some fans recognized him and sneakily took photos.
at first, he was annoyed by it, but after seeing compilations of videos where he'd see you two, he supposed it wouldn't hurt to indulge the public.
soon after that, his pages both on instagram and tiktok had tiny easter eggs of you, whether it be your clothes, a second of you in the background of his videos or even in his paintings.
the comments would be full of "did u guys see the ___ in the background?" or "to have a painter as a bf... im jealous..."
to fuel the fire, you'd feed your already large fanbase your own easter eggs of him. one of his paintings in the background, a shirt of his on your couch, a split second of your wallpaper shown, etc.
you were just having fun, you didn't expect anything to really come out of the antics you both were pulling in front of the public.
however, you both thought wrong, as it didn't take long for the people to put two and two together.
"RAFAYEL... my legs hurt... when are the fireworks gonna start?"
"shhh just be patient, we can stop here if you want?"
you two were at one of the largest beach festivals at linkon, and after a whole day of running around and trying everything, your legs had gotten sore.
you and RAFAYEL sit down on the cool sand, the water from the waves inching closer and closer. you could hear the commotion coming from the festival, but all you could focus on right now were the waves in front of you.
"ugh... you're right. all that running around has made me exhausted. don't be surprised if you have to carry me home."
you flick him on his forehead as he weakly puts his hands up in surrender and lays down on the sand. you lay beside him, your arm propping your head up.
"i had fun today though. it's felt like ages since we went somewhere in public together."
he hums, pulling your hand towards him to rest on his face. "yeah... its too much... maybe we should just settle down back at-"
"oh my god, is that RAFAYEL? and... is that his girlfriend!?"
you quickly turn around and were met with a group of fangirls. you turn back around to rafayel to see him already sat up, motioning for you to follow him.
"i know you said you were tired but..."
you read his mind instantly, getting up and grabbing his hand. you both start to run away from the clicks and flashes of the paparazzi, giggling and laughing while doing so.
the fireworks had finally started behind you.
after that whole fiasco, you and RAFAYEL retired to his bedroom back at his studio, breathless and exhausted.
as you two soundly slept, the internet was currently in shambles after finding out your secret relationship, leaked photos of you two running together and getting into your car having made it on every platform.
and as his phone rang with notifications, he had an inkling of what happened.
"whatever..." he thinks tiredly as he pulls the covers over you and him.
"...i can deal with that tomorrow."
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SYLUS was never shy in showing you off as his girlfriend, but never once discouraged nor encouraged your moves to post the two of you together
yet the moment you posted the huge bouquet of roses he'd sent to your apartment via luke and kieran and it blew up, it was almost like he was urging you to show him off
you didn't even mean for it to go that big, you just thought they were pretty
and yet, he'd sneak in small comments during your conversations like "the view here is pretty, wanna comemorate it?" or "look, our outfits are matching, i could get kieran to take a picture of us together if you'd like?"
you'd taken the hint pretty quickly, rolling your eyes as you brushed it off each time, until you had a change of heart one day
you posted a video of you touring the city on his motorcylce, one hand wrapped around his torso and the other holding your phone, showing off the view and the well, broad, shoulders and back of your boyfriend
and as you can probably tell, it went viral, with many users commenting how they'd wish they had their own biker boyfriend who'd take them across cities
he scrolls through the comments in his freetime, lips turned upwards and already planning your next hit
"SYLUS...? what's the meaning of... this?"
just a minute ago, SYLUS walked up to you and asked if you'd like to go shopping, that it was on him. you agreed hesitantly as you got up, suspicious of his intentions already.
and without giving you time to think, he picked you up with one arm and has not put you down since.
"well, i thought it'd be nice to treat you, it's been a while afterall."
"...we went to a michellin star restaurant like two days ago?"
"hm."
sighing, you reel your head back and notice a glint in the dark hallways of his manor, along with hushed voices and camera clicks.
was that... luke and kieran?
"wait, wait, wait, waitā€” i think i saw luke and kieranā€”"
he swiftly glaces behind you two with furrowed brows, and then gave you a small smirk. sometimes you can't tell if he's teasing you or not.
"pay them no mind, they're probably up to something again. best not to find out now."
he looks at you curiously, "or is this your way of saying you want out? i was gonna pay a visit to the claw machine with you... i heard they had a new limited edition plushie..."
your eyes snap back to his, "no, no! this is fine... i'm sure i was just imagining things."
he gives you a triumphant smile and keeps walking, yet your mind can't help but wander back to what those twins were doing...
and it turns out your suspicions were right all along, for after you came back home from a successful night of shopping, your phone was abuzz with notifications coming from your friends
luke and kieran had secretly recorded the two of you when he picked you up, and made sure to show the black card that was in SYLUS'S possesion
you'd have never thought he'd go along with a plan as silly as this with the two of them, but they were his assistants afterall.
later, you were bored out of your mind, so you decide to scroll through the comments.
"hows it feel to live my dream!?"
"i'll get it one day... one day...."
"if i ever had a boyfriend like that, i'd never let him rest."
and as you look over at the sleeping man beside you, you definitely understood them.
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fuckyeahgoodomens Ā· 9 months ago
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Oooh! A great Gavin Finney (Good Omens Director of Photography) interview with Helen Parkinson for the British Cinematographer! :)
HEAVEN SENT
Gifted a vast creative landscape from two of fantasyā€™s foremost authors to play with, Gavin Finney BSC reveals how he crafted the otherworldly visuals forĀ Good Omens 2.Ā Ā 
It started with a letter from beyond the grave. Following fantasy maestro Sir Terry Pratchettā€™s untimely death in 2015, Neil Gaiman decided he wouldnā€™t adapt their co-authored 1990 novel,Ā Good Omens, without his collaborator. That was, until he was presented with a posthumous missive from Pratchett asking him to do just that.Ā Ā 
For Gaiman, it was a request that proved impossible to decline: he broughtĀ Good OmensĀ season one to the screen in 2019, a careful homage to its source material. His writing, complemented by some inspired casting ā€“ David Tennant plays the irrepressible demon Crowley, alongside Michael Sheen as angel-slash-bookseller Aziraphale ā€“ and award-nominated visuals from Gavin Finney BSC, proved a potent combination for Prime Video viewers.Ā Ā 
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Aziraphaleā€™s bookshop was a set design triumph.
Season two departs from the faithful literary adaptation of its predecessor, instead imagining what comes next for Crowley and Aziraphale. Its storyline is built off a conversation that Pratchett and Gaiman shared during a jetlagged stay in Seattle for the 1989 World Fantasy Convention. Gaiman remembers: ā€œThe idea was always that we would tell the story that Terry and I came up with in 1989 in Seattle, but that we would do that in our own time and in our own way. So, onceĀ Good OmensĀ (S1) was done, all I knew was that I really, really wanted to tell the rest of the story.ā€Ā 
Telling that story visually may sound daunting, but cinematographer Finney is no stranger to the wonderfully idiosyncratic world of Pratchett and co. As well as lensingĀ Good Omensā€™ first outing, heā€™s also shot three other Pratchett stories ā€“ TV mini series Ā Hogfather Ā (2006), and TV mini-seriesĀ The Colour of MagicĀ (2008) andĀ Going PostalĀ (2010).Ā 
He relishes how the authors provide a vast creative landscape for him to riff off. ā€œThe great thing about Pratchett and Gaiman is that thereā€™s no limit to what you can do creatively ā€“ everything is up for grabs,ā€ he muses. ā€œWhen we did the first Pratchett films and the firstĀ Good Omens, you couldnā€™t start by saying, ā€˜Okay, what should this look like?ā€™, because nothing looks like Pratchettā€™s world. So, youā€™re starting from scratch, with no references, and that starting point can be anything you want it to be.ā€Ā Ā 
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Season two saw the introduction of inside-outside sets for key locations including Aziraphaleā€™s bookshop.Ā 
From start to finishĀ 
The sole DP on the six-episode season, Finney was pleased to team up again with returning director Douglas Mackinnon for the ā€œimmensely complicatedā€ shoot, and the pair began eight weeks of prep in summer 2021. A big change was the production shifting the main soho set from Bovington airfield, near London, up to Edinburghā€™s Pyramids Studio. Much of the action inĀ Good OmensĀ takes place on the Soho street thatā€™s home to Aziraphaleā€™s bookshop, which was built as an exterior set on the former airfield for season one. Season two, however, saw the introduction of inside-outside sets for key locations including the bookshop, record store and pub, to minimise reliance on green screen.Ā Ā 
Finney brought over many elements of his season one lensing, especially Mackinnonā€™s emphasis on keeping the camera moving, which involved lots of prep and testing. ā€œWe had a full-time Scorpio 45ā€™ for the whole shoot (run by key grip Tim Critchell and his team), two Steadicam operators (A camera ā€“ Ed Clark and B camera Martin Newstead) all the way through, and in any one day weā€™d often go from Steadicam, to crane, to dolly and back again,ā€ he says. ā€œThe camera is moving all the time, but itā€™s always driven by the story.ā€Ā 
One key difference for season two, however, was the move to large-format visuals. Finney tested three large-format cameras and the winner was the Alexa LF (assisted by the Mini LF where conditions required), thanks to its look and flexibility.Ā Ā 
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The minisodes were shot on Cooke anamorphics, giving Finney the ideal balance of anamorphic-style glares and characteristics without too much veiling flare.
A more complex decision was finding the right lenses for the job. ā€œYou hear about all these whizzy new lenses that are re-barrelled ancient Russian glass, but I needed at least two full sets for the main unit, then another set for the second unit, then maybe another set again for the VFX unit,ā€ Finney explains. ā€œIf you only have one set of this exotic glass, itā€™s no good for the show.ā€Ā 
He tested a vast array of lenses before settling on Zeiss Supremes, supplied by rental house Media Dog. These ticked all the boxes for the project: ā€œThey had a really nice look ā€“ theyā€™re a modern design but not over sharp, which can look a bit electronic and a bit much, especially with faces. When youā€™re dealing with a lot of wigs and prosthetics, we didnā€™t want to go that sharp. The Supremes had a very nice colour palette and nice roll-off. Theyā€™re also much smaller than a lot of large-format glass, so that made it easy for Steadicam and remote cranes. They also providedĀ additional metadata, which was very useful for the VFX department (VFX services were provided by Milk VFX).ā€Ā 
The Supremes were paired with a selection of filters to characterise the showā€™s varied locations and characters. For example, Tiffen Bronze Glimmerglass were paired with bookshop scenes; Black Pro-Mist was used for Hell; and Black Diffusion FX for Crowleyā€™s present-day storyline.Ā Ā 
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Finney worked closely with the showā€™s DIT, Donald MacSween, and colourist, Gareth Spensley, to develop the look for the minisode.
Maximising minisodesĀ 
Episodes two, three and four of season two each contain a ā€˜minisodeā€™ ā€“ an extended flashback set in Biblical times, 1820s Edinburgh and wartime London respectively. ā€œDouglas wanted the minisodes to have very strong identities and look as different from the present day as possible, so weā€™d instantly know we were in a minisode and not the present day,ā€ Finney explains.Ā Ā 
One way to shape their distinctive look was through using Cooke anamorphic lenses. As Finney notes: ā€œThe Cookes had the right balance of controllable, anamorphic-style flares and characteristics without having so much veiling flare that they would be hard to use on green screens. They just struck the right balance of aesthetics, VFX requirements and availability.ā€ The show adopted the anamorphic aspect ratio (2:39.1), an unusual move for a comedy, but one which offered them more interesting framing opportunities.Ā 
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Good Omens 2 was shot on the Alexa LF, paired with Zeiss Supremes for the present-day scenes.
The minisodes were also given various levels of film grain to set them apart from the present-day scenes. Finney first experimented with this with the showā€™s DIT Donald MacSween using the DaVinci Resolve plugin FilmConvert. Taking that as a starting point, the showā€™s colourist, Company 3ā€™s Gareth Spensley, then crafted his own film emulation inspired by two-strip Technicolor. ā€œThere was a lot of testing in the grade to find the look for these minisodes, with different amounts of grain and different types of either Technicolor three-strip or two-strip,ā€ Finney recalls. ā€œThen weā€™d add grain and film weave on that, then on top we added film flares. In the Biblical scenes we added more dust and motes in the air.ā€Ā Ā 
Establishing the showā€™s lighting was a key part of Finneyā€™s testing process, working closely with gaffer Scott Napier and drawing upon PKE Lightingā€™s inventory.Ā Good Omensā€™ new Scottish location posed an initial challenge: as the studio was in an old warehouse rather than being purpose-built for filming, its ceilings werenā€™t as high as one would normally expect. This meant Finney and Napier had to work out a low-profile way of putting inĀ a lotĀ of fixtures.Ā 
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Inside Crowleyā€™s treasured Bentley.
Their first task was to test various textiles, LED wash lights and different weight loadings, to establish what they were working with for the street exteriors. ā€œWe worked out that what was needed were 12 SkyPanels per 20ā€™x20ā€™ silk, so each one was a block of 20ā€™x20ā€™, then we scaled that up,ā€ Finney recalls. ā€œI wanted a very seamless sky, so I used full grid cloth which made it very, very smooth. That was important because weā€™ve got lots of cars constantly driving around the set and the sloped windscreens reflect the ceiling. So we had to have seamless textiles ā€“ PKE had to source around 12,000 feet of textiles so that we could put them together, so the reflections in the windscreens of the cars just showed white gridcloth rather than lots of stage lights. We then drove the car around the set to test it from different angles.ā€Ā Ā 
On the floor, they mostly worked with LEDs, providing huge energy and cost savings for the production. Asteraā€™s Titan Tubes came in handy for a fun flashback scene with John Hammā€™s character Gabriel. The DP remembers: ā€œ[Gabriel] was travelling down a 30-foot feather tunnel. We built a feather tunnel on the stage and wrapped it in a ring of Astera tubes, which were then programmed by dimmer op Jon Towler to animate, pulse and change different colours. Each part of Gabrielā€™s journey through his consciousness has a different colour to it.ā€Ā 
Among the rigs built was a 20-strong Creamsource Vortex setup for the graveyard scene in the ā€œBody Snatchersā€ minisode, shot in Stirling. ā€œWe took all the yokesĀ off each light then put them on a custom-made aluminium rig so we could have them very close. We put them up on a big telehandler on a hill that gave me a soft mood light, which was very adjustable, windproof and rainproof.ā€Ā 
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Shooting on the VP stage for the birth of the universe scenes in episode one.
Skyā€™s the limitĀ 
A lot of weather effects were done in camera ā€“ including lightning effects pulsed in that allowed both direct fork lightning and sheet lightning to spread down the streets. In the grade, colourist Spensley was also able to work his creative magic on the showā€™s skies. ā€œGareth is a very artistic colourist ā€“ heā€™s a genius at changing skies,ā€ Finney says. ā€œOften in the UK you get these very boring, flat skies, but heā€™s got a library of dramatic skies that you can drop in. That would usually be done by VFX, but heā€™s got the ability to do it in Baselight, so a flat sky suddenly becomes a glorious sunset.ā€Ā 
Finney emphasises that the grade is a very involved process for a series likeĀ Good Omens, especially with its VFX-heavy nature. ā€œThis means VFX sequences often need extra work when it comes back into the timeline,ā€ says the DP. ā€œSo, we often add camera movement or camera shake to crank the image up a bit. Having a colourist like Gareth is central to a big show likeĀ Good Omens, to bring all the different visual elements together and to make it seamless. Itā€™s quite a long grade process but itā€™s worth its weight in gold.ā€Ā 
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Shooting in the VR cube for the blitz scenesĀ .
Finney took advantage of virtual production (VP) technology for the driving scenes in Crowleyā€™s classic Bentley. The volume was built on their Scottish set: a 4x7m cube with a roof that could go up and down on motorised winches as needed. ā€œWe pulled the cars in and out on skates ā€“ they went up on little jacks, which you could then rotate and move the car around within the volume,ā€ he explains. ā€œWe had two floating screens that we could move around to fill in and use as additional source lighting. Then we had generated plates ā€“ either CGI or real location plates ā€“projected 360Āŗ around the car. Sometimes we used the volume in-camera but if we needed to do more work downstream; weā€™d use a green screen frustum.ā€ Universal Pixels collaborated with Finney to supply in-camera VFX expertise, crew and technical equipment for the in-vehicle driving sequences and rear projection for the crucial car shots.Ā 
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John Hamm was suspended in the middle of this lighting rig and superimposed into the feather tunnel.
Interestingly, while shooting at a VP stage in Leith, the team also used the volume as a huge, animated light source in its own right ā€“ a new technique for Finney. ā€œWe had the camera pointing away from [the volume] so the screen provided this massive, IMAX-sized light effect for the actors. We had a simple animation of the expanding universe projected onto the screen so the actors could actually see it, and it gave me the animated light back on the actors.ā€Ā Ā 
Bringing such esteemed authorsā€™ imaginations to the screen is no small task, but Finney was proud to helped bring Crowley and Aziraphaleā€™s adventures to life once again. He adds: ā€œWhatā€™s nice aboutĀ Good Omens, especially when thereā€™s so much bad news in the world, is that itā€™s a good news show. Itā€™s a very funny show. Itā€™s also about good and evil, love and doing the right thing, people getting together irrespective of backgrounds. Itā€™s a hopeful message, and I think that thatā€™s what we all need.ā€Ā 
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Finney is no stranger to the idiosyncratic world of Sir Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.
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wizard-dax Ā· 11 days ago
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AI in Unification?
If you, like me, couldn't fully enjoy Unification because there was a horrible feeling in your gut the whole time of "is this AI? Did Shatner really let them use AI? That seems like a thing he'd do, because he's kind of awful" then you've come to the right place.
I did a deep dive of the technologies used for Unification and while this isn't a 100% comprehensive guide here's what I've learned:
According to Trekmovie.com's article about the film, the production team used a "team of artists and animators, who combined digital and physical prosthetics with live-action location photography, virtual production, and CG set extensions" and used "OTOYā€™s ā€œOctaneā€ rendering software and the ā€œRender Networkā€ decentralized GPU rendering platform. Characters and props were digitized using OTOYā€™s Academy-Award winning ā€œLightStageā€ scanning system."
So what are all these proprietary names / jargon, and are any of them AI?
LightStage: A scanning tech that allows for digital capture of a human face (probably used to capture the stand-ins faces and superimpose older footage of Spock / Kirk like they would for a video game motion capture or something) = Not AI
OctaneRender: "Fastest unbiased, spectrally correct GPU render engine" (Probably used for sets based on the example I'm seeing on OTOY's website. It DOES use AI for "denoising and lighting" but this is a feature of the program and not the only thing the program does, so it is unclear if this is something they would have employed for the shot film. If they did, this would not be used for character work / deep fakes, and given what little information is written about this tech I'm almost curious if it is even a full AI system at all or just an automatic denoiser that they've dubbed as AI to look impressive. So I'd say results inconclusive here at best.)
The Render Network: "The network connects node operators looking to monetize their idle GPU compute power with artists looking to scale intensive 3D-rendering work and with machine learning developers looking to train and tune AI models. Through a decentralized peer-to-peer network, the Render Network achieves unprecedented levels of scale, speed, and economic efficiency. " (This basically means people can use the platform FOR AI but means nothing in the context of whether AI was used for this project.)
TL;DR: AI is an umbrella term for a lot of technology and it seems if anything, there may have been some AI used in the background rendering process but nothing generative AI / deep fakes. In my cynical opinion, if they HAD used AI in general for this, I feel like they'd be shouting it from the rooftops right now since people who love AI won't shut up about it. I'm tentatively saying this was 99% made with traditional CGI and artist work as is stated in the Trekmovie.com article, but I wouldn't be surprised if that opinion changes as the day goes on and more information is released.
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just-jordie-things Ā· 9 months ago
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we werenā€™t just friends - okkotsu yuuta
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word count: 11.9k warnings: heavy second base action (no tops, dry humping) but no smut, swearing, drinking but itā€™s legal summary: their friends think that if thereā€™s tension between new roomates (y/n) and yuuta, then they should just act on it.Ā  more info: college!au, aged up characters,Ā roommate!au, childhood friends, unrequited(?) love
part one:Ā ā€œface it, you want it, you crave itā€ ___
Having Yuuta as a roommate was never all that weird for (y/n).Ā  Things sort of just worked out that way, and honestly she was so relieved that she didnā€™t have to scramble to find a stranger to split the rent with- or face homelessness- that she hadnā€™t really given it much thought until a few days after heā€™d moved all of his things in and had settled into their now shared space.
On paper, he was the perfect candidate after all.Ā  Theyā€™d been friends for years, having known each other since childhood it was easy to trust him in her space.Ā  He already spent so much time in her dorm when she still lived on campus that having him in her living space didnā€™t seem like itā€™d be that much different anyways.Ā  Not to mention she knew him to be tidy and a pretty good cook, so as long as he was able to supply half the rent every month, she was content.
The day heā€™d moved in sheā€™d been so happy that sheā€™d hardly focused at all on helping him unpack.Ā  Most of her time was spent dancing around to the moving playlist sheā€™d made, and she insisted they jam out while they- he- unpacked his things in the empty room adjacent to hers.Ā  When she wasnā€™t dancing, she was rambling on about how delighted she was that he agreed to move in with her.Ā  Looking back it was probably a little much, but Yuuta wasnā€™t overwhelmed by her excitement in the slightest.
As soon as sheā€™d mentioned being on the hunt for a roommate he hadnā€™t thought twice about offering himself.Ā  They both just so happened to decide to move off campus to find cheaper, and steadier housing.Ā  The market wasnā€™t all that great so living alone wouldnā€™t have been possible even if either of them had interest in the roach infested studios in the area.Ā  Even the two bedroom apartment they shared was rather tiny, the living space and kitchen was essentially all one room, and there was only one bathroom, but they made it work.Ā  It was still more affordable than living on campus, and thatā€™s all they cared about.
For the first two weeks it had been fun, even.Ā  It felt like a sleepover with their best friend, but every night.Ā  They spent most nights in cozy pajamas curled up on the couch sharing their favorite movies and swapping snacks.Ā  (y/n) couldnā€™t believe how lucky she was to have him, and she was happy to tell him so every chance she got.
Yuuta couldnā€™t believe how lucky he was to get to spend all his free time with her.Ā  No longer did he have to coordinate around both of their schedules in order to have quality time with his favorite person.Ā  If she had to study for the evening and couldnā€™t hang out, heā€™d happily sit on her bed scrolling on his phone or reading.Ā  When their friends were free theyā€™d come over unannounced, because either (y/n) or Yuuta were bound to be around to hang out with.
It was just so easy, it almost felt like a dream.Ā  The beginning of having their own space as young adults to do with as they please.Ā Ā 
Yuuta bought a fish tank for their living room, a whole ten gallon aquarium for a pretty betta fish that (y/n) helped him pick out.Ā  They spoiled it with plants and cool rocks for decoration.Ā  They took turns feeding him every three days, and regularly sat in front of his tank to admire him.Ā  If one of them werenā€™t present, the other would spam their phone with photos and videos of it swimming around, doing next to nothing, with captions full of hearts and emojis to swoon for their pet.
(y/n) spent her freedom a little differently.Ā Ā 
At first it was decorating her new room with a maximalist aesthetic.Ā  Posters, tapestries, string lights, and any strange pretty thing sheā€™d taken a liking to covered her walls so thick that most of it began to overlap.Ā  It could be overstimulating to some- as Maki had remarked when she first visited the place- but she loved it that way.Ā  It took her a full three days to collage a whole wall full of her favorite photos.Ā  Ones from childhood, some from grade school, most from her most recent experiences and adventures through college.Ā  If she were to pull out her phone and snap a photo to make a proper memory of the day, it was likely getting printed out the next day and taped up to the wall.Ā  Soon, those too began to pile up and overlap, but again, she loved it that way.Ā  Even Yuuta began to take pictures for her, printing them out when he found the time and sticking them to the fridge to surprise her.
Once the project that was her room had been tackled and she was satisfied with the home sheā€™d made for herself, her desire for freedom took the form of heavy drinking.Ā  It might have been concerning, Yuuta certainly panicked a little bit when heā€™d come home from a late study group session and find her dancing around the kitchen with her favorite handle in her clutch and the belting of her favorite song echoing in the small space.Ā  Eventually her time of drinking alone proved to be just a phase, one too many hangovers having taught her a lesson on time and place for drinking hard alcohol straight.Ā  But he did come to learn that she was quite comfortable as a social drinker.Ā  So if the Zenā€™in twins and Toge were coming over, it wasnā€™t odd to find a drink in her hand.Ā  At least she started taking his advice and ending the night with a full glass of water and an ibuprofen.
All in all, living together hadnā€™t been too strange of a milestone for them.Ā  It was fun, it was easy, and they really couldnā€™t have asked for more out of a roommate.Ā  Being best friends was an added perk that just made it all the more smooth.
Until recently. ___
ā€œIā€™m tellinā€™ you,ā€Ā 
(y/n) huffed as she pulled the straw from her mouth as she spoke.Ā  A signature vodka cranberry mixed to perfection after months of honing the skill of a perfect pour.Ā  Her movements are a little delayed and awkward as she leaned back into the kitchen counter, her elbows coming to rest on it to hold herself up as she leaned her head back dramatically.Ā  Maki, who had only been semi listening to the girlā€™s ranting, remained silent as she raised a brow at the display.
ā€œI think heā€™s doinā€™ it on purposeā€ (y/n) finished with a mumble.
It was difficult to hear her over the game of mariokart that Yuuta and Toge were currently playing in the living room- they got quite competitive when it came to that game in particular- but Maki caught enough of it to understand where she was going.
She looked over at her sister with only mild interest in her expression.Ā  Mai touched her fingertips to her mouth as she chuckled to herself, finding the situation far more amusing than Maki.
The situation began as simple as this: In order to save time in the mornings when both (y/n) and Yuuta had class, theyā€™d been working on a bathroom schedule in order to optimize their time.Ā  For example, (y/n) had started doing her hair and makeup at a mirror in her room, where sheā€™d sit on the floor and go through her skin care routine, and any other beautification and styling sheā€™d felt inclined to for the day.Ā  That helped a lot with cutting back on hogging the shared bathroom.
Yuutaā€™s idea of helping to cut back on time, is to go back to his room directly after a shower to dry his hair and get dressed for the day.Ā  It was a great idea in theory, and would definitely save an extra five to ten minutes.
However twice now (y/n) had run into him in the short hall from the bathroom to his room.Ā  She shouldnā€™t have been so flustered.Ā  Realistically, she wasnā€™t seeing anything she hadnā€™t seen before.Ā  There had been plenty of times sheā€™d seen him without a shirt.Ā  In the backyard of the home sheā€™d grown up in theyā€™d often set up a sprinkler to run through.Ā  In high school theyā€™d gotten their volunteer hours in through lifeguarding together.Ā  In their freshman year of college theyā€™d gone to just about every frat party, bonfire, and beach day that was thrown, just to be able to say they had taken on the party scene in their younger years.Ā  Seeing Yuuta shirtless was nothing new.
But twice now sheā€™d practically run into him, with nothing but a towel held around his waist, damp hair sticking to his forehead and falling around his eyes, pale skin still littered with droplets of water, and had he started working out-?Ā 
Even thinking about it now she felt her face heating up.Ā  She shouldnā€™t have committed that image to memory- but it happened twice already so it couldnā€™t have been more than her mind staying sharp, right?Ā 
ā€œIf heā€™s doing it on purpose,ā€ Maiā€™s voice had (y/n) snapping her head up as she crash landed back in reality.Ā  Her blush was obvious to the twins, but she hoped to play it off as the alcohol in her system.
Certainly not the thoughts that had started littering her mind, thoughts that you just donā€™t have about a best friend and roommate.
ā€œThen why donā€™t you just do something about it?ā€ Mai finished with a small smile on her face that suggests she has quite a few ideas in mind on how she could fix this problem.
(y/nā€™s) eyes widen, and she brings her drink back to her lips to ease her racing heart and spiraling thoughts.
ā€œLike what?ā€ She mumbles, as if there was a chance the guys could possibly hear their conversation.
Nothing could compete with the sound effect of a blue shell incoming, and Togeā€™s defeated screeches.
Maki scoffs before laughing, finally finding entertainment in this whole ordeal (y/n) had gotten herself so worked up about.Ā  The last ten minutes of their girl talk in the kitchen had been for nothing, it seemed, if she wasnā€™t going to act on her obvious infatuation.
ā€œJust bone?ā€ She suggests with a small laugh.
(y/n) swears her eyes were going to bulge right out of their sockets, and what was meant to be a small sip of her drink turned into a gulp as she sucked a little too harshly on her straw.
ā€œMaki,ā€ Mai hisses, smacking her sisterā€™s arm, before turning back to (y/n).Ā  ā€œSheā€™s not wrong though, that would definitely solve everythingā€Ā 
ā€œI canā€™t do that!ā€ (y/n) squeaks.Ā  ā€œI just- itā€™ll pass, itā€™s just a little crush, right? Thatā€™s normal, right?ā€Ā 
She looks between the twins for confirmation, validation in her silly feelings that were bound to pass with time.Ā  Mai winces.Ā  Maki rolls her eyes.Ā  This wasnā€™t looking promising.Ā  But perhaps they were just too eager to set up their friends and see some drama to unfold, so (y/n) decides that their advice might be a bit on the biased side.
ā€œJust test the waters a little first,ā€ Maki suggests, shooting Mai a look as she tries to telepathically tell her to reel it in.Ā  ā€œDip your toes in a little.Ā  No harm in that, right?ā€
ā€œYou live together, how have you not experimented a little already?ā€ Mai mumbles, her brows furrowing together as her eyes glaze over, as though trying to process how it could be possible.Ā  The calculations simply werenā€™t adding up.
(y/n) gnaws on the inside of her cheek, and her fingers begin to tap on her glass.
ā€œI guessā€¦ā€ She says, but her uncertainty is obvious.Ā  ā€œWellā€¦ how much is a little?ā€Ā 
The twins burst into laughter, and theyā€™re looking at each other like thereā€™s an inside joke sheā€™s not in on, and (y/n) pouts at them for teasing her in their silent twin way.Ā  This wasnā€™t the first time, she should be used to feeling like an odd man out when it came to hanging out with these two, but they were her last hope for guidance, so she took what she could.
For now, she determined that Maki and Mai werenā€™t going to be of much help as they snickered and muttered to one another.Ā  (y/n) couldnā€™t make out what they were saying exactly, but she gathered enough to realize they were slights against her, and she had enough of the bordering-on-friendly fire.
ā€œIā€™m playing mariokartā€ She huffs, strutting out of the kitchen space and across the floor to the living room.Ā  In this small apartment it was an open floor so the couch was only ten feet away, but it was far enough that she couldnā€™t hear their laughter anymore, and for now that was enough.
Yuuta and Toge were sitting on the sofa, both heavily concentrating on the competitive game.Ā  Their wrists are flicking the switch controllers with precise movements as they steer, but when it comes to using items and drifting, their fingers are smashing buttons viciously.Ā  As she rounds the sofa she eyes the screen, seeing that the pair are battling it out for first place, with Yuuta currently claiming the spot.
That is, until (y/n) plops onto the cushioned armrest right beside him, and he glances up at her out of habit.Ā  The two seconds that he takes to smile up at her- even though sheā€™s watching the screen- is all Toge needs to creep up Yuutaā€™s character and throw a green shell directly at his kart.
The remote tingles in his hands with a familiar vibration, his character having taken a hit.Ā  Yuutaā€™s head swivels back to the screen, as he desperately tries to make a comeback, but two other characters have already passed him, and now heā€™s in fourth place.
ā€œWhat the hell!?ā€ He groans as he realizes his demise is inevitable.Ā  It was the third lap of the game, and Togeā€™s Yoshi was about to cross the finish line.Ā  ā€œThat was so uncool!ā€Ā 
Togeā€™s cackling to himself, proud of his sneaky attack.Ā  He had a feeling it would work, all he needed was the perfect distraction.Ā  And nothing distracted Yuuta like (y/n).
As Yoshi crosses the finish line, Yuuta drops his controller to his lap with a defeated huff.Ā  He leans back into the sofa, head hitting the cushion as he glares at the screen displaying Yoshiā€™s victory dance, before he turns to (y/n), who gives him a sympathetic smile, before offering her drink to him.
ā€œThat was a dirty move,ā€ She sides with him- typical, Toge rolls his eyes at the two of them, which goes unnoticed- ā€œYouā€™ll get him next timeā€Ā 
Yuuta takes the glass from her hand, sipping from the straw experimentally.Ā  There had been a period of time where her drinks were so strong he was about ready to cut her off from alcohol altogether.Ā  When a perfect mixture of vodka and cranberry juice hits his tongue, heā€™s pleasantly surprised that itā€™s not too bitter.Ā  His eyes light up at her before he swallows.Ā  She giggles at the obvious reaction.
ā€œYeah yeahā€ She mutters before he could even say anything.Ā  He didnā€™t have to for her to understand exactly what he was thinking.
Yuuta chuckles at her, before scooting over on the sofa, closer to Toge, so that there was some space for her to sit next to him.
ā€œYou want in?ā€ He asks, holding his controller out to her.
She squeezes awkwardly into the small space, her legs still hanging over the armrest, and her back almost completely pressed into his side.Ā  Toge had shifted completely to one side of the couch, giving Yuuta more than enough space to also move so that (y/n) could sit properly.Ā  But neither of them seem to notice the blonde boyā€™s silent offer.Ā  Or, if they did, they didnā€™t pay any mind to it.
(y/n) takes the controller with a grin and a nod, and Toge starts up the next round.Ā  Yuuta had chosen Rosalina as his character, a favorite between them that they often fought over so much she was usually off limits when the two of them played.
Despite having a delayed start because Yuuta had finished the last race somewhere in the middle of the lineup, (y/n) makes a good comeback for the both of them.Ā  He cheers for her, leaning forward in his seat again as though he were still focused on the game for his own win.Ā  (y/n) remained in a relaxed position slumped back against him, her fingers moving with swift ease over the controller.
She giggled at the way Yuuta was on the edge of his seat, literally, sipping down the rest of her drink as he watched her play.Ā  He threw out advice when she picked up items, and winced for her when she took a hit.
ā€œUse that! Throw it! Throw it at-!ā€Ā 
ā€œYuuta youā€™re being a backseat driverā€ (y/n) said calmly, keeping the red shell in her inventory despite his demands.Ā Ā 
Toge barks out a laugh, still coasting in first place without much competition from the computers.Ā  But (y/n) was quickly gaining on him, drifting and gliding past the other spots with ease, and Yuuta began to realize her strategy.Ā  With a knowing grin on his face he leans back into the couch again, and puts his faith in her abilities.
She kicked his ass most of the time when they played one on one anyways.
Soon enough she was in second place and Yoshi was in sight.Ā  Yuutaā€™s hand happily tapped at her shoulder, giddy with his excitement.Ā  Toge had gone eerily silent as he put all of his focus in remaining in first.Ā  But his efforts were wasted, without an item to defend himself, (y/n) was able to take him out with one blow, stealing first place for herself and crossing the finish line on the final lap shortly after.
She raised her arms victoriously, but even more excited than her was Yuuta, who bragged in Togeā€™s face before wrapping his arms around his roommate and congratulating her on her win.Ā  She laughed, her head falling back on his shoulder as she laughed at his antics.
He beamed at her, and even though it was silly, there was no doubt in her mind that his pride in her was anything but authentic.Ā  Yuuta was just like that.Ā  He celebrated even the most minor of conquests.
Toge tossed the controller onto the coffee table with a string of curses muttered under his breath.
ā€œGood timing,ā€ Maki calls, dangling her keys in her hand and catching their attention.Ā  ā€œAre you crashing here or are you leaving with us?ā€Ā 
(y/n) lifts her head up from Yuutaā€™s shoulder, peeking over the back of the couch at the twins who suddenly had their shoes on.Ā  She gives them a pout.
ā€œLeaving so soon?ā€Ā 
ā€œWeā€™ve been here for eight hoursā€ Mai giggles.
ā€œItā€™s one in the morning you maniacā€ Maki rolls her eyes.
ā€œYou could just spend the night,ā€ (y/n) offers, her features brightening up at the idea.Ā  ā€œSleepover-!ā€Ā 
ā€œNo,ā€ Maki shakes her head firmly, despite Maiā€™s excited expression at the idea.Ā  ā€œWe have class in the morning, weā€™ll do it another time, okay?ā€Ā 
(y/n) nods, satisfied with that answer.
Toge shuffles off the couch, giving a bitter congratulations to the winning pair of mariokart, although he made it clear to Yuuta that he only won because (y/n) took over.
They bid their friends goodbye, promising to meet up again at some point soon, knowing fully well they wouldnā€™t make a plan, and someone was bound to show up on their doorstep without invitation tomorrow or the next day.
And then it was just (y/n) and Yuuta.
She was still tucked under his arm, he was still drinking the remnants of the drink sheā€™d made for herself but had conveniently forgotten about so he could have the last of it.
ā€œAre you going to bed, too?ā€ She asks him, and he chuckles at her desire for staying up late.
Theyā€™d always been opposites in that aspect.Ā Ā 
(y/n) was a night owl through and through, whether party mode was on or not.Ā  She was most productive when the sun went down.Ā  It wasnā€™t odd to find her studying or doing chores at odd hours of the night.Ā  Heā€™d actually had to tell her she couldnā€™t vacuum in the middle of the night, claiming she was going to make their neighbors complain.Ā  But it was a treat for him to wake up and find the apartment spotless and organized.
Meanwhile Yuuta was an early to rise kind of guy.Ā  He had a decent morning routine for himself that involved an alarm going off at eight in the morning every morning, and it wasnā€™t often he broke that routine.Ā  Heā€™d be up for a few hours before (y/n) would drag herself out of bed and into the kitchen for breakfast- which was usually waiting for her on the counter.
ā€œIt is the middle of the night now,ā€ He tells her, before checking his phone.Ā  ā€œActually itā€™s not technically night anymore, itā€™s Friday morningā€
(y/n) frowned at him.Ā  He chuckles again.
ā€œFine, fineā€ (y/n) starts to sit up, but doesnā€™t go too far.Ā  She pulls her legs onto the cushion beneath her, and then turns to face him properly.
For some reason when she looks up at him again, sheā€™s brought back to her conversation with the Zenā€™in twins, and she canā€™t help but wonder what they would have advised her to do if sheā€™d stuck around for the rest of their conversation.Ā  She wondered if Yuuta had ever experienced this dilemma, or if she was the only one creating the tension in the apartment.Ā  She wondered if he even felt it.
ā€œSomā€™thinā€™ on your mind?ā€ Yuuta asks after a few beats of silence pass.Ā  His eyebrows furrow in the slightest, and (y/nā€™s) expression eases into something calmer.Ā  She mustā€™ve been thinking too hard, she supposes.
ā€œNot really, just had a weird talk with Maki and Maiā€ She tries to brush it off as not a big enough deal worth talking about, but for some reason, this seems to catch his interest.
ā€œOh yeah?ā€ He muses curiously.Ā  ā€œDonā€™t tell me they want to move in-ā€Ā 
ā€œNo!ā€ (y/n) let out a burst of laughter as she shook her head.Ā  ā€œWhere did that come from? Where would they even stay?ā€ She asks, gesturing to the small space around them.Ā  Yuuta laughs with her, shrugging his shoulders.
ā€œMy thoughts exactly,ā€ He agrees quietly, as though they were keeping it a secret just between them.Ā  ā€œBut everyone hangs out here all the time, I donā€™t want them getting any ideas,ā€ He says, half seriously.Ā  ā€œThis is our sweet deal,ā€
Yuuta laughs again, but this time when she laughs along with him itā€™s soft, almost unsure.Ā  Her heart flutters in her chest at the sentiment he shares for having this place with her.Ā  Even after all this time, she feels relief in waves of warmth when he voices his happiness here.
ā€œWhat is it then?ā€ He asks.Ā  He leans back into the couch cushion, but keeps his eyes on hers.Ā  She tilts her head and hums in question.Ā  ā€œYour weird talk,ā€ He reminds her, ā€œWhat was it about?ā€Ā 
ā€œOh,ā€ (y/n) drops her gaze from his, her face warming up at the idea of admitting to him what theyā€™d been talking about.
Iā€™ve just been thinking about you shirtless a lot lately, and sometimes I canā€™t sleep over it just doesnā€™t seem to be an appropriate thing to say to a long time best friend who she now lives with.
ā€œThey were just asking questions about what itā€™s like to live togetherā€ She settles on a half lie.Ā  They had been curious about the living situation.Ā  She didnā€™t necessarily have to disclose that Mai found it unthinkable that they were able to share a living space and not tear each otherā€™s clothes offā€¦ right?
ā€œFor us to live together?ā€ Yuuta raises a brow.Ā  (y/n) tucks her hands into her lap and nods.Ā Ā 
She tries to get comfortable leaning her back against the arm rest, but everytime his gaze falls on her, it feels heavier than usual, and she struggles to sit still.Ā  Her hands fiddle in her lap, she squirms in her seat, and she can only hold his eye contact for a minute at a time.Ā  Did he always look at her like that? She wondered when she dared to meet those deep blue irises again.Ā  Was it the few drinks heā€™d had that made them look darker? Or was she seeing things?Ā 
ā€œWhy was that so interesting?ā€ He asks.Ā  ā€œI mean, itā€™s been six months,ā€Ā 
Again, her heart flutters at the thought of him knowing exactly how long theyā€™d been living together.Ā  Or maybe she was being stupid and he was just keeping track of the rent.
ā€œWhatā€™s so interesting about now?ā€Ā 
(y/n) shrugs, a small smile on her face that she canā€™t help.Ā  ā€œI donā€™t knowā€Ā 
But he sees through the statement, especially with that smile on her face that tells him there was more she wasnā€™t telling him.Ā  Curiosity gets the best of him, and he raises a brow at her.
ā€œWell,ā€ He ponders, ā€œWhat were they so curious about?ā€Ā 
(y/n) drags her bottom lip between her teeth as she narrows her eyes at him, proving that she could read him well, too, and she could tell that he was trying to pry even though sheā€™d been repeatedly dismissing the subject.
ā€œNosy tonight,ā€ She scolds him as she kicks her legs out to throw them over his, stretching the sore muscles from sitting on her feet for too long.Ā  ā€œWere you eavesdropping, Okkotsu?ā€Ā 
ā€œNo,ā€ He lets out a small laugh.Ā  ā€œThough now I wish I had been, since youā€™re being unusually cryptic about itā€Ā 
ā€œUnusual?ā€ She repeats the word in a drawl, tilting her head and pretending to think it over.Ā  ā€œI wouldnā€™t say unusual,ā€ She argues softly.Ā  ā€œI donā€™t tell you everythingā€Ā 
ā€œYes you doā€ Yuuta replies matter of factly, his expression doesnā€™t even flicker.Ā  (y/n) blinks at him.
ā€œNoā€¦ā€Ā 
ā€œOh yeah? Tell me something you havenā€™t told me thenā€ He challenges, his lips curling into a smile.
She huffs, and quickly tries to rack her brain for something sheā€™d kept from him.Ā  Secrets and embarrassing moments fly through her train of thought as she tries to latch onto a memory that she was sure she hadnā€™t shared with him.
Her eyes light up as she finally remembers something sheā€™s sure he didnā€™t know.
ā€œOh!ā€ She leans forward with eager anticipation to prove him wrong.Ā  ā€œRemember my first boyfriend? In middle school?ā€
Yuuta raised a brow, but nodded in confirmation.
ā€œOn our first date, he took me out-ā€Ā 
ā€œMhm,ā€ Yuuta hums, recalling the details of that date without much thought at all.Ā  ā€œBowlingā€ He said calmly.
ā€œRight,ā€ (y/n) chuckles, flustering a bit that he already seemed to remember the event as easily as she had.Ā  ā€œWell, at the end of the date, when we were waiting outside for his mom to pick us up, heā€™d asked if he could kiss me while we were alone, before she got there,ā€ Her words are a little slurred, which she was quick to mentally blame on the few drinks sheā€™d had.Ā  ā€œBut I told him n-ā€Ā 
ā€œ- you told him no because you ate chili fries while you were bowling and you didnā€™t want him to taste it and then he kissed you anyways and you slapped him on instinct and he was a little whiner about it and said you did taste like chili fries and you smacked him againā€ Yuuta filled in the rest of the story, his head rested back against the cushion again, as though he was bored just from retelling it.
(y/n) blinked, her lips parting into an ā€˜oā€™ shape as she realized maybe he did know everything about her already.Ā  Should it have been obvious to her from his confidence on that matter? Probably.Ā  Did she still feel a determination to find something, anything, that he didnā€™t know? Definitely.
At her lack of response, Yuuta rolled his head to the side, a lazy smirk tugging on his lips when he regarded her soft surprise.Ā  Her eyes narrow in the slightest at him, playful mockery of his know-it-all attitude.
ā€œWell, then,ā€ (y/n) scoffed as she took on a refreshed attitude when it came to rubbing in his face that she knew something he didnā€™t.Ā  ā€œI suppose you already knew that the twins were curious about how you and I seem to manage living together without some kind of netflix-romcom-level sexual tensionā€Ā 
The teasing tone in her voice and eager gleam in her eye seem to disappear as soon as the words come out and she realizes what sheā€™s just said.Ā  In slow motion, and as her face falls into one of regret, she realizes two things.
One, that by addressing the sexual tension, whether it existed or not, it instantly thickened in the air.Ā  All at once sheā€™s aware of it.Ā  Suddenly the weight of her legs in his lap is so heavy she feels a desire to curl up into him completely.Ā  Yuuta has one arm draped over the back of the couch cushions in her direction, his hand hangs loosely just in front of her shoulder.Ā  If she were to lean forward in the slightest movement, his fingers would graze her sweater.Ā  His other hand lays on her knee, and sporadically he taps his index finger against it.Ā  Sometimes she thinks heā€™s playing a familiar beat thatā€™s been stuck in his head, too, but then he pauses and she loses track of figuring out what song that is.Ā  Even her breathing is suddenly manual, and sheā€™s afraid if she sucks in a breath too sharp, heā€™ll question it.Ā  So she takes slow, shallow breaths, barely filling her lungs with oxygen.Ā  Was that why she was getting so dizzy?Ā 
Two, now that sheā€™s admitted what her and the twins had been talking about earlier, (y/n) fears that sheā€™ll have to confess that the reason they were talking about the sexual tension was because sheā€™d created the sexual tension- and yet she had gone to them to blame him for it.
Yuuta blinks, his brows furrowing at first, as though to process the information, but he just as quickly relaxed his face and pursed his lips, giving her a small nod.
(y/n) doesnā€™t dare utter a word.Ā  Instinct claws up her throat and begs her to take it back, make a joke and apologize to smooth it over and hopefully theyā€™d never mention it again.Ā  The words die before she can utter them.Ā  She remains frozen beside him, focused on his every microexpression, hoping to figure out what he was thinking before he voiced it.
ā€œI see,ā€ He says, a small smile gracing his features that has her relaxing just a little bit.
Yuuta can feel her weight shifting as she sinks further into the couch cushion.Ā  He could sense her nerves from a mile away, so he spoke carefully, hoping not to spook her into retreating early.
Comfortingly, his hand smooths over her knee, long fingers grazing her thigh from the short caress.
ā€œI donā€™t think I wouldā€™ve guessed that,ā€ He admits with a chuckle through his nose.Ā  His eyes flicker over to hers, watching her closely.Ā  Her cheeks are pink, and her gaze shifts between his eyes at a faster rate than usual.Ā  Sheā€™s still anxious.Ā  ā€œBut I canā€™t say Iā€™m surprisedā€Ā 
Her lips twitch with a curious emotion Yuuta canā€™t read as well as before.Ā  Her brows pinch and then relax.Ā  Sheā€™s reading him, he thinks.Ā  His mind is a little hazy from the few drinks heā€™s had, so he might be seeing things that arenā€™t there, but heā€™s equally intrigued by the conversation.
ā€œYou donā€™t think itā€™s weird?ā€ She asks.Ā  Her voice is quiet, but he doesnā€™t mistake it for uncertainty.Ā  In fact, he can tell just how genuinely interested she is in obtaining his thoughts.Ā  Just as he is, sheā€™s on the edge of her seat, and only pushing further to see where this new line of thought would lead them both.Ā  ā€œLiving together, I meanā€ She clarifies, unnecessarily.
The pad of his finger taps against her knee, once, and then twice.Ā  His lips purse and she watches the movement with her breath hitched in her throat.Ā  The room was getting hot from the thickening tension that sheā€™d created.Ā  It was almost uncomfortable, her body screamed for her to get up from this couch, pull herself from where she was half draped over his lap and put as much distance between them while she still could.Ā  She was approaching a line between them that sheā€™d never even tiptoed across before, and she wasnā€™t sure what lied on the other side, but god, she was just dying to find out.
ā€œWeird? Not in the slightestā€ Yuuta murmurs honestly.Ā  She can tell from the way his eyes lock onto hers that he does mean it, and relief flooded her.Ā  Before it came back in the form of excitement, and now her skin was buzzing everywhere that their bodies were touching.
ā€œYouā€™re not just saying that?ā€ She double checks, leaning forward off of the arm rest to study him up close.Ā Ā 
They were already close enough, but there was a quiet desire in the back of her mind longing to push closer, until she could make out the individual swirls of blue in his irises.Ā  Her lips curve into a soft, lovely smile as she admires him, and Yuuta fights the way his own breath chokes up in his throat.
ā€œYou really donā€™t think itā€™s weird weā€™ve neverā€¦ā€ She trails off, her head shaking in a small movement, just enough to make a few stray hairs fall into her eyes.Ā  ā€œI dunno, like, even kissed or anything?ā€Ā 
His eyes grow rounder at the question, widening just a little bit, but enough for her to notice.Ā  She knew such a blunt question would make him nervous, Yuuta always grew nervous at any sort of romantic prospect.Ā  Heā€™d been that way since they were kids.Ā  If he had a crush on someone it was obvious, but as soon as (y/n) would press about it, heā€™d get red in the face and begin to stutter.Ā  It had always been cute, if not a little silly.Ā  But now it had her curious as to why.Ā  Theyā€™d been friends for so long, and even now that they were older, it was like his initial response to such questioning would make him shut down.
ā€˜You could bring girls here, you know,ā€™ Sheā€™d told him once, shortly after theyā€™d settled into the apartment.Ā  ā€˜I could even leave for the night.Ā  Stay with the twins, or somethin.Ā Ā That way itā€™s not weirdā€™Ā 
Heā€™d laughed, and given her a puzzled look, like the mere idea was ridiculous, like he didnā€™t even understand what she was suggesting.Ā  The pink in his cheeks told her he knew fully well what she was saying.Ā  Sheā€™d returned the confused look at the time.Ā  ā€˜Donā€™t you want to bring girls here?ā€™ Sheā€™d asked point blank.
ā€˜N-no, well, maybe,ā€™ His response was immediate but he had no clue what he was saying.Ā  ā€˜I just havenā€™t thought about itā€™ Heā€™d said instead.
Sheā€™d teased him for it, but dropped the subject.Ā  It mightā€™ve been entertaining to watch him squirm, but she didnā€™t want to make him uncomfortable.Ā  So sheā€™d simply reminded him that it was alright with her.Ā  Followed by, ā€˜I mean, you wouldnā€™t mind if I brought someone here, would you?ā€™Ā 
Heā€™d stared at her for a minute, his answer not as instantaneous as the last.Ā  His heart lurched to his throat, or perhaps it had been bile, and he found himself biting down on his tongue to keep from speaking too quickly.Ā  His expression hadnā€™t flickered even for a moment, remaining neutral as she stared at him, awaiting his response.
Yuuta hadnā€™t said a word.Ā  He simply shook his head, and then left the conversation completely by returning to his studies, hoping that giving his attention back to his textbook would drop the topic.Ā  It had worked, sheā€™d moved on right away, and it hadnā€™t been brought up since.
Neither one of them had brought a visitor to the apartment, besides their friends who frequented regularly.Ā  There were no dates, no lovers, no visitors of the night snuck in, or even mentioned.Ā  Pondering it now, Yuuta supposes there were very few things she didnā€™t tell him.Ā  Then again, he didnā€™t exactly have an interest in knowing those things.Ā  In fact, the mere idea of it had bile rising in his throat.
Yuuta arched a brow at her, silently questioning her train of thought.Ā  Since that conversation early on in their roommate-ship, (y/n) rarely brought up this sort of topic.Ā  Occasionally she had a date, but nothing seemed to last longer than a couple of weeks, and she didnā€™t talk much about those events in detail.Ā  Always beginning with a simple ā€˜I have a date tonightā€™ and later followed up with ā€˜it didnā€™t work outā€™ and a shrug as sheā€™d cozy up to him on this very sofa.Ā  Yuuta never met any of the people sheā€™d go out with.Ā  (y/n) never offered him to.Ā  They left it that way, unspoken, and simple.
Well, it wasnā€™t all that simple at all.Ā  The nights sheā€™d spend out of the house on these mystery dates Yuuta found himself sitting frozen and staring off into space, letting time lapse slowly as he waited for her return.Ā  A part of him hoped no one ever lingered at the door, so he wouldnā€™t have to see who it was she spent her time with, who it was that was her type.Ā Ā 
But another part of him, the part that he tried to bury deep down, longed to look one of these men in the eyes, just once.Ā  He wouldnā€™t even say anything, he was sure he wouldnā€™t need to.Ā  If he could get one good look at them, he was sure he could make it clear just how undeserving of her time they were.Ā  Because at the end of the day, she had him, and she had him in every way that mattered.Ā  Since they were children, heā€™d been there, showing her what true love really looked like, felt like.Ā  He was there for every important event and milestone.Ā  He was here now, sharing a living space with her.Ā  And heā€™d be there for everything that came next.Ā  Because he cared about her.Ā  Because he loved her.
And when she had him the way that she did, wrapped around a perfectly manicured finger, how could anyone else be remotely deserving of her?Ā 
The gears in Yuutaā€™s mind are operating as fast as they can, spinning and whirring as he tries to decipher where exactly sheā€™s going with this.Ā  But the alcohol in his system has him under a haze, and he realizes he has yet to give her an answer to her question.
He clears his throat, and his lips twitch into an amused smile as he locks eyes with her.
ā€œIs kissing the true evaluation of roommates?ā€ He asks, a teasing lilt to his voice that has her blushing and rolling her eyes at him.Ā Ā 
A chuckle rumbles from his chest as the back of her hand smacks into his shoulder, the action soft, as though she were trying to be gentle with him, as though he were fragile, even with his broad shoulders and lean muscle built into his body.
He canā€™t help but tease again, for the sole purpose of seeing her continue to fluster before him.Ā  The idea of making her forget how to behave around him after all this time has his heart skipping a beat, and a mischievous glint flashes in his eyes.
ā€œWhat exactly are the Zenā€™ins feeding you, hm?ā€ He asks, and she struggles to look him in the eye now.
ā€œI wasnā€™t trying to suggest- they just- they got in my headā€¦ā€ She huffs defeatedly, her bottom lip sticking outwards in a small pout.Ā  Yuutaā€™s eyes catch the plump pink skin, and they linger there for a moment longer than they shouldā€™ve before meeting her gaze again.Ā  Her eyes have noticeably widened, proving heā€™d been caught, but he doesnā€™t feel as much anxiety about it as he should have.
ā€œSo what,ā€ He speaks curiously.Ā  ā€œAre you asking me to kiss you?ā€
A small laugh escapes her, a tinkly little sound that is exhaled with the breath sheā€™d been holding.Ā  Yuutaā€™s lips quirk upwards at the nervous response, his excitement getting the best of him the longer he watches her shift her gaze and fluster.Ā  Why this had been on her mind, he didnā€™t quite understand, but in their current predicament, he didnā€™t care too much to peel it back layer by layer.
ā€œI didnā€™t-ā€ (y/n) starts to shake her head, but her uncertainty overcomes her and she tries to switch gears.Ā  ā€œI donā€™t knowā€¦ I guess they made me sort ofā€¦ curiousā€ She admits bashfully.Ā  Her eyes focus on her fiddling hands in her lap before turning the question onto him.Ā  ā€œIs that weird?ā€ Her voice is quiet again.Ā  ā€œHave you everā€¦ I dunnoā€¦ thought about it?ā€Ā 
The hand that he had resting before her shoulder reached out then, fingertips barely grazing along the soft material of her cable knit sweater.Ā  His gaze followed the motion as his fingers twitched and moved further on their own accord, stopping at the hem of the neckline, just before skin could touch skin.Ā  He looks back at her, surprised to find her attention locked on him again.
All of the fucking time, his brain is so loud it almost overpowers the heartbeat pouding in his ears.Ā  I donā€™t think Iā€™ve ever truly stopped thinking about you.
ā€œI suppose youā€™ve got me thinking about it nowā€ Is what he says, quiet and smooth, although the blush on his cheeks betrays him and makes him appear a little softer than he was going for.Ā  (y/nā€™s) lips twitch into a smile nonetheless, relieved again that he hadnā€™t made a fool out of her for admitting such a thing.
When she leans closer to him, his fingers finally graze against the side of her neck, and he wastes no time in sliding his large hand around the nape of her neck, not quite pulling her any closer than sheā€™d already brought herself, but the presence of his hand is firm, making sure she wonā€™t distance herself too soon.
ā€œDo you want to?ā€ She asks, her eyes lighting up with an excitement heā€™d sparked as soon as heā€™d validated her curiosities.Ā  Her voice holds the silly eagerness of a girl much younger than she is.Ā  A schoolgirl with a crush, Yuuta thinks to himself as he eyes her bright eyes and slowly growing grin.
The hand on her knee flexes with anticipation, giving her leg a slight squeeze.Ā  He wants to say all the right things, he wants to do all the right things, because jesus christ this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and Yuuta could not afford to waste even a second of it.Ā  He wanted to commit it all to memory, her soft voice, the smell of her perfume, the curve of her lips, the stars in her eyes- there was so much of her to take in, and not nearly enough time for him to adore it all properly.Ā  With hooded eyes he studied every feature as best he could, wishing he could slow down time, or even freeze it altogether.
ā€œYeah,ā€ He mumbles, and the word drawls out of his mouth in a long sigh as his eyes move between hers and her lips with a longing sheā€™d never seen on him before.
If she didnā€™t know any better, (y/n) might have thought that look was desperation.
ā€œYeah, I want to,ā€ He repeats a little louder, and he moves closer to her then, invading her space and clouding all of her senses with him.
His eyes, dark from how blown out his pupils had grown, his low almost raspy voice, the lingering remains of his musky cologne, the way his tongue barely poked out of his mouth to wet his lips- her heartbeat was racing, and her hand trembled as she reached out to place it against his collarbone.Ā  Her touch was feather light, almost experimental despite having touched him on plenty of occasions before, just never quite like this.
Her long lashes flickered quickly as she too struggled with where to look.Ā  When their gaze caught in passing, Yuuta gave the back of her neck a gentle squeeze, silently instructing her to hold his stare.
ā€œYouā€™re sure?ā€ He asks softly, and she almost laughs at how thoughtful the question is.Ā  How thoughtful he is.Ā  But she doesnā€™t.Ā  Instead, she gives him a sweet smile and a shrug of her shoulders.
ā€œItā€™s just a kiss, right?ā€ She murmurs, blissfully unaware of just how worked up Yuutaā€™s gotten himself over the prospect of just a kiss.Ā Ā 
He doesnā€™t wait for further confirmation.Ā  He simply draws her closer by the back of her neck.Ā  Her eyes flutter shut and she tilts her chin forward in the most miniscule of movements, and yet he can read her anticipation with ease.
Her breath hitches in her throat, and Yuutaā€™s closing the rest of the distance as his lips touch hers.
For half a second theyā€™re both frozen, paralyzed by the sudden fear that there was no taking this back, there was no going back from this.Ā  (y/nā€™s) blood ran cold in that brief moment, worried that Yuuta also realized this was a grave mistake.
But then his mouth moves over hers.Ā  His warm lips catch hers with a soft yet determined kiss, and she gives into every temptation that consumes her.
Her hand presses into his chest a little harder, before her fingers are curling into the soft cotton of his tee shirt.Ā  Her other hand falls against his shoulder when he tugs her closer in a moment of thoughtless desire.Ā  Yuuta pulls her by her knee, sliding her closer until her legs drape completely across his, the curve of her ass flush with his thigh.Ā  As soon as he does it he panics again that heā€™s made a mistake and taken this experiment of a kiss too far, but she responds so eagerly, with a quiet hum against his mouth and her hand curling around his neck as she deepens their kiss.
For a kiss on a whim between friends, (y/n) kisses him with the fervor of a woman starved, and Yuuta internally struggles on where the boundary between them currently lies.Ā  His hand twitches on her thigh, squeezing the plush of her leg and aching to move, to explore the rest of her warm and inviting body, to touch her everywhere he could reach.Ā  He has to hold her a little tighter just to fight the urge.
(y/n) is less worried about taking strides across the gray area of a boundary between them.Ā  The hand on his neck slides into his hair, scratching at his scalp before her fingers tangle into the dark tresses.Ā  She gives it a small tug, and his lips part against hers as he gasps, before chuckling quietly at her curiosity.Ā  He feels her smile against him before sheā€™s pressing closer again.Ā  Her tongue darts over his swollen bottom lip, and she gives him no time to react to the hot and wet sensation before sheā€™s capturing his lips again.
Yuuta wasnā€™t sure what he shouldā€™ve predicted when theyā€™d drunkenly admitted to sharing a curiosity for kissing one another, but he hadnā€™t expected this.Ā  Her hands have a tight hold on him, on his shirt and in his hair, and her sweet, cranberry flavored lips feel relentless as she slots them into his again and again.Ā  He supposes heā€™s treating this little experiment the same, meeting each of her kisses with the same amount of heated excitement.Ā  He tries not to think about when heā€™s supposed to stop, when heā€™s supposed to pull away and say ā€˜well that answers that.Ā  Goodnight!ā€™.Ā  So for now he pretends that moment wonā€™t come.
On the other hand, (y/n) knows she should stop.Ā  She knows she should pull away from his addictive lips and release her shackles from him before she gets carried away.
But sheā€™s already too far gone, isnā€™t she?
Shakily, she releases his shirt, and her hand blindly maps across his shoulder, then down his arm.Ā  Her touch is light but the tips of her fingers burn across his skin.Ā  His muscles are taut, and she wonders if heā€™s flexing to be impressive or if heā€™s filled with so much anticipation heā€™s fighting the urge to go further.Ā  When her hand reaches his it stills, and she presses her palm into the back of his hand where it lies on her leg.
A shudder escapes her and she pants softly into his mouth, breaking their kiss as she grabs his hand a little tighter, and moves it.
Yuuta breaks away instantly, wide eyes meeting hers and an apology on the tip of his tongue.Ā  But before she can pull his hand away from her, he realizes sheā€™s holding it to place it somewhere else, not to pull it away.
She blinks her eyes open lazily as she sits up further, curving one of her legs across his lap, setting her knee down beside his hip.Ā  Yuuta follows her movements in a daze, his hooded eyes flitting across her body as he watches her straddle his lap and settle back into him carefully.Ā  Sheā€™s slow, agonizingly slow, giving him ample time to halt her, to say the word that he was done and his curiosity had been satiated.
He doesnā€™t.
Her hand pushes his again, guiding it up to her waist, and then down over her hip.
ā€œThis okay?ā€ She mumbles, and his gaze moves from where sheā€™s still lowering his hand.Ā  He tilts his head back as he looks up at her, and the look in his eyes has her melting right in his lap.Ā  Her free hand spreads out over his chest, fingers stretching as far as she can reach to feel as much of his heated skin through his tee shirt as she could.
He looks at her with his pupils so blown they almost eat up every last splash of blue in his irises.Ā  His lips are swollen and parted as he takes in quiet, heavy breaths.Ā  He nods at her lazily, drunkenly, and she wonders if itā€™s from the alcohol or from her.
When she pushes his hand under her ass, she doesnā€™t have to guide him any further.Ā  He squeezes into the supple flesh right away.Ā  She giggles quietly before his other hand is pulling her into him again and smashing her lips against his.
Theyā€™re much closer now, it had taken little to no effort for him to pull her into his chest, and their hips collided at the sudden movement.
All she thinks about as she tangles her hands in his hair and parts her lips for his tongue to lazily explore her mouth are those couple of times sheā€™s caught him in a towel fresh out of the shower.Ā  How sheā€™d scurried into her room and tried to ease her mind of the dark thoughts heā€™d made blossom.Ā  She thinks about how there hadnā€™t been anything to quite satisfy those thoughts.Ā  Ignoring them did nothing, acting on them in the safety of her room and her hand down her panties made them worse, and even now she feels tortured by the image, making her ache for more, more, more.Ā  Nothing was quite enough.
His teeth sink into her bottom lip and she whimpers, her brows pinching as her hips stutter against her will.Ā  She feels as though she should apologize for grinding on him so shamelessly, she could feel what this makeout session was doing to him after all, but he doesnā€™t seem to want an apology.Ā  His hands grip her hips and he pulls her down again, dragging her slowly over the growing hardness in his pants with a low groan.
The guttural sound reverberating from his chest only spurs her on, and she complies with the rhythm he sets on her hips, slow and painful.Ā  Their kiss breaks as she lets out a few soft pants, but she never fully catches her breath as she grinds into him.
She canā€™t help but peek her eyes open at him, falling in love with the way his eyes are screwed shut and his lips are parted as small moans fall from his mouth.Ā  The sight makes something spark send a jolt of pleasure down her tummy and to her core.Ā  She knew she shouldā€™ve given him a quick peck of the lips and called it a night, because sheā€™s not sure she could muster the strength to stop where she so desperately wanted this to go.
As though annoyed that sheā€™d stopped kissing him for too long, Yuuta pulls her in again, his hand curling around the back of her neck as his lips plant hot kisses down her throat.Ā  A high pitched gasp escapes her as his mouth drags along her skin between each kiss, and her hands are curled into his long hair again.Ā  Her hips stutter in their pace, but he has no issue with grabbing them tighter and guiding them back through his favorite rhythm.
His mouth lingers at what little of her collarbones are exposed, leaving wetter kisses there as he appreciates them as fully as he could, before traveling up the side of her neck.Ā  His teeth barely graze the sensitive skin, and heā€™s dying to mark up every inch of her, but he restrains himself from doing so, instead compromising for lingering nips and gentle sucks against her skin.
ā€œSo fucking beautiful,ā€ He praises in a husky murmur, biting down on a particularly sensitive spot just under her jaw.Ā  Heā€™s rewarded with a sudden rut of her hips and a pretty little moan as she angles her head further back to expose more of her neck to him.Ā  He soothes the spot with a painfully slow drag of his tongue before kissing it sweetly.Ā  ā€œSo perfect, so perfect fā€™meā€Ā 
The praise sends her into a dizzy spell so strong sheā€™s not sure sheā€™s still on earth with him.Ā  This must be another universe, maybe heaven, maybe a dream.Ā  Her fingers fall from his hair, tugging at the collar of his shirt with an irritated whine.
When she tugs a few more times and he doesnā€™t get the hint, she throws her hands against his chest defeatedly.
ā€œYuuā€ She whines, and the sound of his name has his dick twitching in his pants, which heā€™s certain she could feel.Ā  His face flushes with embarrassment, but she just as quickly grinds into him with a roll of her hips.
He hums questioningly against the side of her neck, before tilting his head and kissing his way to the other side to give it attention too.Ā  She sighs, half irritated, half pleasured, as he sweeps her hair to the other shoulder with one brush of his hand.Ā  (y/n) continues to paw at his shirt, bunching up as much material at his shoulders as she could, her desperate attempts were weak, barely exposing the skin of his abdomen.Ā  When he still didnā€™t comply with her unspoken desire, she opted to reach for the skin that she could get her hands on.
Yuutaā€™s abs tensed and he shuddered as her fingers ghosted over the exposed skin.Ā  At first she barely trailed her fingertips over the muscle, but watching him twitch and shiver had her eager to slide her hands up his stomach, eagerly mapping their way up his chest, and pushing the rest of his shirt upwards on their mission.
His face is completely red as he watches her heavy gaze admiring his body.Ā  He wants to laugh and remind her that sheā€™s seen him without a shirt many times before now, and heā€™s never seen her look at him like this, but her eyes are darkened with lust and his voice is stuck in his throat, so he doesnā€™t say anything.
Instead, when the hem of his tee shirt is bunched up at his chest, he leans forward off the couch cushion, and takes his hands off of her hips so he could grab his shirt from the back, lifting it over his head in one quick yank.Ā  (y/n) watches with her lip between her teeth as his hair falls back in his face, and heā€™s left shirtless before her.
The idea of slowing this down now is far from either of their minds.Ā  She hums with appreciation as her hands smooth along his collarbones, fingers drawing loopy shapes into his skin as they travel down his chest, slowly exploring the skin sheā€™d been fantasizing about for weeks now.Ā  His blush runs down his neck and stops just short of his collarbones, and (y/n) admires every inch of it.
Eventually her stare is too intense and Yuuta begins to stir, wrapping his hands around her hips once more to pull her against his chest before his lips meet hers.Ā  Itā€™s a slow kiss at first, and her tongue brushes over his in a way that almost feels sweet.Ā  He could still taste the vodka and cranberry juice in her mouth, and he swears it's enough to get him buzzed.Ā  But as his hands climbed her hips and dipped below the hem of her sweater, she picked up her pace, and he could feel quick puffs of air from her nse hitting his cheek.
Sheā€™s getting worked up again, and heā€™s eager to see just how far he could push her before she gives in completely.
He pulls her in close enough that her hands dart back into his hair, gripping at the back of his head tight enough that he couldnā€™t tear his lips from hers if he wanted to.Ā  Not that heā€™d want to, with how drunkenly sheā€™s sucking at his lower lip and whimpering into his mouth with every roll of her hips.
Learning sheā€™s so vocal when sheā€™s turned on was a mistake on Yuutaā€™s part.Ā  Because now all he longed to do was find all the right things that made her tick and do it more.Ā  Every strained whine and whimper was music to his ears, wordless praise that he was doing something right, and heā€™d be damned before he found every spot that had her making those sweet noises for him.
Calloused hands roam over her abdomen, feeling it dip as she inhales sharply, and smirking against her mouth when he reaches higher, skimming the hem of her bra.
Unlike him, she wastes no time at all.Ā  Leaning back from their kiss abruptly, and grabbing her oversized sweater from the bottom and pulling it over her head with great urgency.Ā  Yuutaā€™s eyes fall to her chest instantly, wide and eager as they take in the simple red bra and how pretty the color makes her tits look.Ā  The thin lace on the edges complimenting the swell of her chest so beautifully he hopes he commits this image to memory.
Now itā€™s her turn to fluster and blush while he unabashedly stares.Ā  And she could tease him, remind him that heā€™s seen her in a bikini, that this was the same amount of skin heā€™s been gifted to see before, but she finds herself growing bashful under his heavy gaze.Ā  She can feel the way his eyes take a mental picture of her before he finally leans forward to enjoy the exposed skin further.
ā€œFuck,ā€ He mumbles, lips brushing over her clavicle before kissing downwards, between the valley of her breasts.Ā  ā€œYou really are sā€™fucking beautiful, yā€™know that?ā€ His words are slurred as his hands roam up her sides and hesitate just before reaching her chest.Ā  ā€œCan I touch you, pretty girl?ā€Ā 
The praise and pet name swirl in her mind in a sweet haze that gets her high.Ā  She gives a soft mhm and a nod of her head before his hands gently cup over her chest, squeezing with a surprising softness into the warm flesh.Ā  Yuuta continues to kiss along the exposed skin he could reach, her collarbones, the swell of her tits, her shoulders, his lips dragged over every inch, making sure to disperse his attention diligently.Ā Ā 
ā€œSo beautiful,ā€ He sings praises between each kiss, noticing the way it has her squirming in his lap.Ā  ā€œSo perfect, every part of youā€Ā 
He grabs her hands by the wrists, pulling them up to his shoulders, until her fingers twitch and reach for his hair again.Ā  Her hips roll over his with a quiet moan.Ā  He lifts his head at the noise, a lazy smirk on his lips as he gazes up at her.Ā  She furrows her brows at him as she moves her hips again, trying to get more friction between them.
His hands squeeze her tits simultaneously, before his left thumb drags over the thin material covering them, finding her hardened nipple with ease and rolling over it teasingly.
ā€œYuuta,ā€ She sighs, tilting her head at him as her gaze drags slowly down his body, the desire in her eyes obvious.Ā Ā 
It made the room thick with sexual tension, and they both only grew hotter in temperature the longer this was dragged out.Ā  When her eyes met his again it was undeniable what she was thinking.Ā  Her every want and desire was clear solely from her eyes focused on his, and how her fingers tightened in his hair, pulling him close to her face, but not quite kissing him.
His hands slid up her chest, fingertips prodding at the lacy cups of her bra until it gave way and he could slide his hands over the soft skin beneath.Ā  Her bottom lip quivers with what she wants to say next.
ā€œYuu, I-ā€Ā 
A sharp rap of a fist against their door has them jolting back to reality with a harsh swivel of both heads turning towards the sound.Ā  Without thought Yuutaā€™s hands fall to her waist and he pulls her into him, instinctively covering her barely exposed body if someone was to let themselves into the apartment.Ā  But the door doesnā€™t move, and the knocking persists.
ā€œWhat the- itā€™s two in the morning,ā€ (y/n) mumbles with a brow furrowed in confusion.Ā  ā€œWho could-?ā€Ā 
The pair lock eyes as realization floods over them at the same time.Ā  Oh.
ā€œShitā€ Yuuta curses, and (y/n) quickly scurries off of his lap as she begins searching for their discarded articles of clothing.Ā Ā 
Yuutaā€™s faster, tossing her a shirt and pulling one on for himself as he gets up off the couch and quickly heads for the door.Ā  He glances down at his pants with a wince, trying to adjust the obvious hard on, but to no use.Ā  He tugs as far as he can at the hem of his sweater to cover it.Ā  Itā€™s a half decent job, and as he approaches the door he hopes itā€™s enough to hide it.Ā  He gives (y/n) a quick look to make sure she was decent.
Sheā€™s still sitting on the couch, her head peeking over the cushions curiously as he goes to open the door.Ā  Her hair is a mess, and her cheeks are flushed, both obvious giveaways to what sheā€™s been up to for the last fifteen minutes.Ā  Yuutaā€™s sure he doesnā€™t look any better, and his hands rush to his head to smooth his hair down before he finally grabs the door knob and swings it open.
ā€œWhat?ā€ He greets Toge with more annoyance than usual, and the blonde on the other side of the door raises a brow at the tone.
Lavender eyes sweep over Yuutaā€™s flushed face and messy hair.Ā  He points into the apartment, vaguely towards the living room.Ā  Yuuta steps aside, letting his friend in for whatever it was heā€™d forgotten.
Toge gives (y/n) a friendly smile and waves as he strides into the living room.Ā  She returns the smile with weak lips.
Their visitor grabs a hoodie off of the arm chair to the left of the couch, something neither (y/n) or Yuuta had noticed left behind.Ā  He shrugs it on and stuffs his hands into the cozy fleece-lined pocket with a satisfied smile before waving goodbye to (y/n) and walking out of the room just as quickly.
ā€œSorry I didnā€™t notice it sooner,ā€ Yuuta says sheepishly as Toge passes.Ā  ā€œI couldā€™ve brought it to you tomorrowā€Ā 
Toge waves a dismissive hand, before twirling his finger around and shrugging.Ā  He mustā€™ve still been in the area, Yuuta realizes.
Heā€™s about to step out the door and leave without a catch, but he hesitates just as he steps over the threshold, his eyes doing a double take as he notes the dark green cable knit sweater Yuutaā€™s wearing.
His eyes linger on the article of clothing, brows pinching with familiarity, before he lifts his gaze to Yuutaā€™s, whoā€™s also suddenly aware of the shirt he was wearing.
Before he can stop himself, Yuutaā€™s head is swiveling to where (y/n) was still watching them both from the couch.Ā  Sheā€™s sporting a tee shirt too loose on her frame to be hers.Ā  Toge follows Yuutaā€™s gaze, his eyes widening with realization.
ā€œAnyways!ā€ Yuuta clears his throat as he turns back to Toge with a grin so forced his cheeks hurt.Ā  ā€œIā€™ll see you later?ā€Ā 
Toge opens his mouth, a grin of his own forming and a small laugh coming from his throat, but before anything could be said, Yuuta was ushering him through the rest of the doorway, already trying to shut the door in his face.
ā€œYeah, later, goodnight, Toge!ā€Ā 
The door closes a little harsher than he meant it to, the frame shaking as the latch clicks into place.Ā  Yuuta locks it just as quickly, before groaning and hitting his head against the wood.Ā  It felt like his heart was beating in his throat.Ā  He worried he might throw up from the anxiety coursing through his veins.
ā€œThat was close,ā€ (y/n) says quietly, just loud enough for him to hear.Ā Ā 
Heā€™s too anxious to look at her.Ā  He squeezes his eyes shut and stays put against the door.Ā  Distantly, he remembers his dick is still hard.
He can hear (y/n) stirring, getting up from the couch and padding closer to him.Ā  She pauses just before she reaches him.
ā€œDo you think he noticed the shirts?ā€ She asks quietly.
Yuuta sighs, finally lifting his head from the door only to throw it back and stare at the ceiling.Ā  He doesnā€™t want to see how worried heā€™s sure his expression looks.Ā  He doesnā€™t want her to get the wrong idea about the regret pooling in his stomach.
ā€œProbablyā€ He admits in a quiet groan.
(y/n) shuts her eyes as she winces, covering her face with her hands.
The tension in the room is no longer due to sexual desire overtaking their inhibitions.Ā  It was awkward.Ā  Painfully awkward.
ā€œI feel so stupid,ā€ She mumbles into her hands.
Yuutaā€™s head snaps towards her, taking in the shame in her body language.Ā  His heart sinks towards his stomach.Ā  Had they made a massive mistake? (y/n) drags her hands down her face before looking up at him, her brows drawn together with a knot of worry between them.Ā  Had he made a massive mistake?Ā 
ā€œI am so- Iā€™m so sorry,ā€ She tells him weakly.Ā  ā€œI shouldnā€™t have- that was- I was-ā€Ā 
She canā€™t even finish a thought, much less an explanation on how ridiculously impulsive and embarrassing that was.Ā  Her face is growing pale and she feels sick to her stomach.Ā  She couldnā€™t believe sheā€™d just ruined one of the greatest friendships sheā€™s ever had over a silly conversation with the Zenā€™in twins about a silly crush.Ā  She couldnā€™t believe sheā€™d just ruined the perfect living situation with the perfect roommate over a crush that probably would've gone away on itā€™s own had she just handled it maturely.
ā€œItā€™s okay-ā€ He starts to say, trying to find the right way to explain to her that he wasnā€™t upset in the slightest about what happened between them.Ā  Heā€™d only been embarrassed about practically getting caught.Ā  He knew their friends well, and he was sure that Toge wasnā€™t the only one to notice the swap of shirts.Ā  Surely Maki and Mai had already been given an earful about the whole ordeal.
Before he can say anything else, (y/nā€™s) cutting him off.
ā€œI should go to bed,ā€ Her voice is too soft to overpower his, but he shuts up as soon as she speaks.Ā  ā€œIā€™mā€¦ Iā€™m really sorry, Yuuta,ā€Ā 
His eyebrows furrow as he takes in her sad, apologetic eyes.Ā  She really meant it.Ā  She really felt guilt over what had happened.Ā  His stomach twists with disturbance, and fear.
ā€œPlease forgive me, Iā€¦ I hope you can forget aboutā€¦ thatā€Ā 
Forget? Noā€¦
But sheā€™s turning away from him, running her hands through her hair in a stressful manner as she quickly darts for her room.Ā  Yuutaā€™s left standing at their door, wide eyed and open mouthed in his shock.
Did that all really just happen?Ā 
His palm comes up to cover his mouth, the realization settling into his bones and making his blood run cold.
God, it did, it really did.
Heā€™s slow as he puts the switch remotes back on the console to charge, before turning off all the lights and going to his own room.Ā  He unzips his pants and kicks them off somewhere in his room before crawling into bed, not bothering to change into something proper to sleep in, or take off the sweater heā€™d accidentally stolen.Ā  He lays on his back, eyes focused on the blank ceiling of his bedroom as he replays it all over and over in his mind.
(y/n) also sits awake in her bedroom.Ā  But sheā€™s far from frozen.Ā  She repeatedly kicks the covers off herself before tugging them back on, undecided on if she was hot or cold.Ā  Sheā€™d abandoned her pants and laid awake in Yuutaā€™s tee shirt, the scent of his cologne and something else that was distinctly him still clinging to the fabric.Ā  Tears welled in her eyes as she curled in on herself, hugging her pillow to her chest in a desperate attempt to seek comfort.
Neither one of them gets much sleep. ___
xoxo ~ jordie
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peachbibi Ā· 4 months ago
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the one in which spencer didnā€™t tell you about meeting his ex
genre: angst, fluff
warnings: silly spencer, silly reader but happy ending because iā€™m too soft for this
a/n: i just saw that video with mgg and his ex and got sad. honestly thought i just want him to be happy with whomever
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ā€œI donā€™t think thatā€™s fairā€
You stand in front of your boyfriend, trying your best to understand why he acts the way he does. Although, itā€™s been almost twenty minutes since you started this conversation. Annoyance mixed with pain and confusion are spreading through your chest like ivy.
ā€œWhat do you mean itā€™s not fair?ā€
Spencer looks bewildered. As if you arenā€™t speaking the same language he does. As if he doesnā€™t understand how his actions make you feel.
ā€œI mean what I said, Spencer. You are not being fairā€ you grit through your teeth.
Deep breaths. You try to look at the clouds through the kitchen window; soft and white they are drifting in the sky. Look anywhere but his face because you are sure you will start crying pretty soon.
ā€œI just went for a coffee with friendsā€
You leave an exasperated sigh, almost choking on it. The way he said it so nonchalantly and simply it breaks your heart. Your eyes search his face for any sign of delusion.
ā€œShe is not just a friend Spencer. You dated for three years. You wanted to propose!ā€
ā€œI didnā€™t plan to see her that day. She just joined us for a coffee. I donā€™t understand why you are getting so angry about it.ā€
Because he didnā€™t tell you. Because he came home after work acting as if nothing happened. Because you love him so much sometimes it scares you. The fact that he loved his ex enough to propose makes something small and ugly churn at the pit of your stomach.
ā€œIm not angry. Im upset because I found out about this from Penelope and-ā€
ā€œYour face is flushed, nostrils flared and you are clenching your fists. You are clearly angryā€
ā€œDonā€™t profile me!ā€
ā€œTechnically, itā€™s not profiling since you are not a criminal and you didnā€™t commit any-ā€œ
Heā€™s rambling with his brows stitched together. His hands are moving as if heā€™s explaining something so simple only you canā€™t understand. You can hear ringing in your ears. Itā€™s getting harder to breathe.
ā€œNo, stop it. I canā€™t talk to you anymoreā€
You dismiss him and bolt towards your bedroom. His bedroom. You shut the door and let your body collapse on the floor. With your knees pressed tight to your chest and your back pressed to the wooden floor you finally let yourself cry. For some reason, it was always difficult for you to cry in front of Spencer when you were arguing. You would feel defeated. Now, hot tears are streaming down your cheeks as you think about the conversation you had earlier in your relationship. How he was in love with his ex girlfriend and how he even bought the ring. How she broke his heart by the phone. How he was scared to fall in love again because of how damaging the whole experience was for him. How he struggled to open up. You wipe your wet face when you hear a hesitant knock.
ā€œHeyā€¦Can we talk?ā€
Spencerā€™s voice is soft and full of warmth and you just hate the way he affects you. The way he makes your heart jump out of your chest, beat rhythmically with his own, squeeze so tightly it hurts.
ā€œDependsā€ you sniff.
ā€œI apologiseā€
You stand up and open the door. Even though you try your best to look cold and distant, you look wounded and lost.
ā€œOh, angel..ā€
You can see his hand twitch at the sight of your red eyes.
ā€œYou should have told meā€
ā€œI know. I panicked. I honestly didnā€™t know she would want to sit with us and then Derek-ā€œ
ā€œBut you understand why Iā€™m upset?ā€
His eyes are big brown circles. Like a deer in the field he is watching you.
ā€œI think?ā€
ā€œSpence, you were so in love you wanted to get married. The fact that you tried to hide that you met up with her is soā€¦painfulā€
Vision is getting blurry and you start blinking rapidly. Spencer just stares at you. Silence is so loud you canā€™t bear it.
ā€œYou think I have feelings for herā€
He finally speaks. You donā€™t say anything because youā€™re not sure. Do you? Your gaze falls to the ground. Spencer makes a step towards you. His big palms reach behind your back. Your face is pressed to his chest and you feel helpless.
ā€œIā€™m so sorry, angel. Thereā€™s no one else but you. You know that. I need you to know that. I love you so much. Please, tell me you know that. The only reason I didnā€™t tell you is because I didnā€™t want to upset you and I understand now that I was wrong and stupid and you deserved to knowā€
Spencer kisses the top of your head and rubs your back.
ā€œNothing happened. I swear. Derek and Penelope were there and they can confirm that. She just joined us for a coffee and left. Please, forgive me for not telling you straight awayā€
He pulls away to take a look at you. You know he is telling the truth. You know that thereā€™s a part of you that feels a little insecure but thatā€™s not his fault. Spencer never did anything to make you doubt him. He was always so caring and loving and attentive that itā€™s easy for you to believe that he just wanted to protect your feelings.
ā€œYou are the only one I wantā€
He kisses your forehead and you melt. More tears are pouring down your face but mostly because of how overwhelmed you feel. How much love and even relief you feel after his words. Spencer brushes the tears away with his thumbs.
ā€œPlease, donā€™t cry. I donā€™t know what else to do. If you want me-ā€œ
ā€œNo, I believe you. I justā€¦I love you so much itā€™s scary sometimesā€
Spencer smiles and plants a sweet kiss on your lips.
ā€œI know exactly how you feelā€
You pull him into another kiss. A more sensual one. The desperation and need to feel him right now is so intense you just want to drown in him. Good thing that he indulges you.
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halarealmadridd Ā· 4 months ago
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your touch
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pairing. jude bellingham x reader genre. angst to fluff warnings. fighting, cursing request. Hii i love ur work, can you write something about jude and you getting into a really really big argument, it's about him letting other fans/or girls kiss his cheek or something for a photo and him doing nothing about it, And so you two dont talk for 2-3 days, and you guys live in the same house, he didnt even try to apologise and he thinks hes right, But after a week or smth he noticed he missed your touch and other things so he apologized by writing a big big letter for when you wake up, since he has practice early in the morning and you still sleep authorā€™s note. this request is so good! thank you sm lovely i hope you enjoy šŸ©µ
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you had no problem with jude giving out hugs, handshakes or something along the lines of those, but kissing is where you drew the line. you couldnā€™t stand someone else kissing your man, and him doing nothing about it. unfortunately, that was the reality you had to face today.
chilling in your bed, you scrolled through tiktok, until you found a video with a fan kissing judeā€™s cheek for a picture. the worst thing happened when you checked the comments. they were full of people saying that they shared the same experience, jude kissing their cheek. you were already fuming, but the attitude of those girls was your last straw.
storming out of the room, you were met with a confused boyfriend stating at you with adorable puppy eyes. they almost make you give in, but you refused.
ā€œjude, what the fuck is thisā€ you angrily exclaimed, while shoving the phone in his face to make sure he sees the video.
ā€œthatā€™s just what they asked for, no feelings involvedā€ jude explained, gobbling down a tube of cookie dough ice cream.
ā€œno feelings involved? do you think i give a fuck about that? you let astral stranger kiss you?ā€ you roared, making him furrow his eyebrows.
ā€œbaby calm down, this is nothing seriousā€
ā€œnothing serious? we have talked about this earlier, i said i donā€™t want anyone kissing you in any formā€ you shouted, tears brimming your eyes.
the audacity jude had to just laugh at you and continue eating the ice cream made you furious.
you rushed to the bedroom, covering yourself in blankets, curling into a ball, sobbing your heart out. you thought that when jude heard you cry, he would come looking for you, but no, he stayed there, sitting on the couch, eating the last piece of his ice cream.
you ended up crying yourself to sleep. the next morning you woke up to an empty cold bed. you figured jude was sleeping on the couch.
the next few days went over with neither of you speaking to each other, because apparently in judeā€™s mind, he was in the right. jude could be a silly person sometimes, but this was just a whole different level of silliness that he had never shown yet.
finally jude came back to his senses and decided to write a full A4 page letter, apologising for his actions. he also placed a bouquet of flowers and candies beside it, in hopes to cheer you up. eventually he left for training, leaving you in the house alone.
when you woke up, you made a bee-line towards the kitchen to make breakfast, but instead of thinking about breakfast, big letter caught your eye.
tears rolled down your face while reading the letter due to the sincerity of it. you wiped your tears and waited for jude to come home.
after a good wait, you heard the familiar sound of the door unlocking. you raced to the door, and jumped into judeā€™s arms. his face had a tint of confusion painted on it, but it later turned into a big grin.
ā€œwhoa, i missed you tooā€ jude whispered into your hair, letting you down.
you placed a kiss onto judeā€™s lips, and guided him to the kitchen, where you had prepared some pancakes for him.
after gobbling down the pancakes, you and jude popped down onto the couch and started watching your favourite show. however, the show was long forgotten, as you guys ended up just cuddling each other to sleep.
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swampjawn Ā· 25 days ago
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What happens when you let a film nerd make an anime?
Fuuga Yamashiro (山代é¢Øꈑ) joined Science Saru in 2017 as an Assistant Production Manager during production of "Night Is Short, Walk on Girl." He was essentially Studio Co-founder Masaaki Yuasa's secretary, but he worked his way up to assistant director on "Keep Your Hands off Eizouken" and finally got to direct his own first full Anime series, Dandadan.
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Having worked so closely with one of the greatest living auteur directors, you might think he would share that overpowering individual creative influence, but as he has pointed out in interviews himself, it's much the opposite.
Instead of relying on his own creative voice, which he doesn't seem confident about in interviews, he literally collects techniques from his favorite movies, breaking them down into storyboards and adding them to his arsenal to re-contextualize later. And as you may be able to tell from watching Dandadan, his biggest influences aren't anime and manga, but live action film -- something he seems to have studied obsessively.
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And when you compare the anime to the original manga (which itself is already filled with references to old movies and TV) subtle adaptation choices make the deft application of techniques borrowed from other storytellers very clear. Every choice is made for a reason and furthers the story being told in some way; nothing is there for no reason. like the simple, controlled camera pans and tilts that make the serpoian spaceship feel cold and sterile, or the crazywackysilly, un-predictable wide-angle camera movements that intrude on that cold sterile world when turbo granny shows up.
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In one interview during the production of "Keep Your Hands off Eizouken" Yamashiro pulls out his notebook where he had collected all these techniques and gives an example:
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"There's a technique called 'Dolly Zoom', which is a technique that changes the perspective of the background while keeping the size of the subject." [ā€¦] "In 'Cult of Chucky,' which I saw recently, there is a scene in which a long passageway is filmed in telephoto, while a wheelchair moves forward. The character is 'getting closer, but the viewer feels farther away'. This is the kind of thing I collect." [ā€¦] "I'd like to combine these things in various ways and do it in animation." (I took some liberties with this, the translation was pretty rough)
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And sure enough, that exact same type of dolly zoom rears its head in Dandadan as Okarun sprints away from Turbo Granny and the mouth of the tunnel stretches impossibly into the distance.
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It may seem counterintuitive to ascribe too much importance to the creative vision of one person who specifically talks about his own lack of strong creative vision, (and to be clear, he's far from the only person playing a major role) but I think it's precisely that encyclopedic knowledge of film techniques and that pragmatic, meticulous attitude that may have acted as a stabilizing force for Yuasa, and that also provides some needed structure to a ball of pure energy like Dandadan, while still preserving its essence and the eclectic influences that it wears on its sleeve.
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Also, mad respect for using the seventh installment of the Child's Play franchise as your example of a dolly zoom instead of, like, Vertigo, Jaws, or Goodfellas.
This is just a sliver of what I talk about in this full video! A minuscule piece of the pie! Some tiny little crumbs for the peasants! So if you consider yourself worthy, go watch the whole video. I think it's good.
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Uhh also reblog! I spent way too long on that intro animation, so I need it. Bad.
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mx-pastelwriting Ā· 2 months ago
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Kinktober Day 1: Stuck
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Severus Snape x GN! Reader
Summary: Stuck in the shelving of Snape's potion storage room, leaving only him to help you.
Warnings: Claustrophobia Warning, Established Relationship, Smut, Stuck, Grinding, Dry Humping
Kinktober Masterlist
Minors do not interact!
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Hearing dusty potions being taken down one by one placed on a new surface, no longer rattling a threat against your struggle with their old one. Comforted by the warm hand of your Severus, pressed softly against your body, taking the brunt of the shelf's wooden detail that had kneaded at your skin.
Faintly tasting freedom away from the dark, rotten wooden shelving of the potion storage room. Slowly and steadily backing out right into his lap, halting progress.
Instead of moving out of the way, you feel him grind up against your ass, pushing you back to square one. Feeling as his hands hungrily traveled down, seeking out your hips. Landing on them quickly, pulling on them, inviting you to feel his tented cock.
ā€œHold stillā€ his deep voice moaned echoing in the small room, announcing his pleasure. Soft humps sharply turned into feverish grinds, further nailing you into the shelving. Nails digging into your riled hips, peeling away the clothes that prevented his cock from entering you.
Obscured from the view of Severus's face, how his eyes engaged onto your body, wanting only to feel your warm insides. The next piece of clothing to go was his. Released from the fabric prison, his cock falls with a slap against your ass, causing a light hiss to escape from his lips.
ā€œSeverusā€ you whined as he steadily drawing his cock around, lubing it up with your arousal, making sure every inch was covered. Squirming under his teasing, your moans quickly heated the small space of the bottom shelving; the pleasure from his actions buckled you down onto the wood.
Arching your back, giving a full view of Severus. Relishing in the growing bliss as his cock finally glides into you. Igniting nerves at every inch, fogging up your mind and vision. Stirring the feeling of thrill and fullness, his cock and hips tilt down, burying further into you.
Hearing as the shelving shook with rhythm, threatening Severus to calm. Ignoring the threats, hands pulling you against him, cock carving deeper, electrifying new nerves. Feeling he explores the new soft terrain, charming gasps from your throat, ecstasy building with every one of his thrusts.
Hurried moans sound from Severus, warning you to his buckling hips. With one last pull, you are free from the bounds of the shelving. The pain mixed with the blinding thrill of cumming to his cock, hearing as he did so too. Pulling out quickly, spilling ropes of his warm cum on your bare ass.
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Hello, I hope you enjoyed if there is any grammar mistakes or misspellings sorry about that feel free to let me know in the comments, have a great day/afternoon/night!
Fanfiction is protected under copyright law when plagiarism is involved. If you plagiarize my work, either a piece or whole in any language, I will take legal action. Inspiration or the same idea does NOT apply to this, only word-for-word plagiarism in any language.
ā™„ mx-pastelwriting does not consent to their fanfiction being copied, copied & credited, translated, used in videos and/or audios, screenshotted, used in AI, or reposted on any other platform without permission.
ā™„ mx-pastelwriting does give consent to "reblog," sharing links to direct work, and being in recommend lists.
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2-dsimp Ā· 8 months ago
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ā€”ā€”|ā€”ā€”ā€”-|ā€”ā€”ā€”|ā€”ā€”ā€”
Yandere hitman squad
Introducing the Boss
ā€”ā€”|ā€”ā€”ā€”-|ā€”ā€”ā€”|ā€”ā€”ā€”
Yandere Boss whoā€™s known as a lazy sleezebag that makes the squad carry more weight than needed. He can never be bothered to do anything that he deems as tiresome and is often just chilling in the background. However, when it comes time to flip his ON switch thatā€™s when he truly starts making boss moves.
Yandere Boss is a closeted Otaku of anime. Having shelves upon shelves of figurines, mangas, and unopened collector items. As well as walls covered in iconic wall tapestries of his favorite characters. Along with a secret closet filled with cosplay costumes thatā€™s yet to be touched.
Yandere Boss that happens to go to AnimeCon one day in a shady disguise silently admiring the authentic cosplays and merch. Until something caught his eye which was you in the most glamorous mouth watering homemade cosplay that left him gasping for breath and leaning up against the wall as he tried to calm his pounding heart from how fantastic you looked.
Yandere Boss who immediately became a fan. Lacking the drive to part the Red Sea of cosplayers flocking to you like a bunch of fruit flies he settled for admiring you from afar following your every move from a short distance as he began snapping photo after photo, and even taking videos of his newfound cosplayer crush that heā€™s becoming absolutely obsessed with like it was love at first sight.
Yandere Boss who gripped his phone screen so tightly that it cracked from him spotting two losers harassing you now that you were in a somewhat secluded area. With a long drawn out raspy sigh he retreated from the wallā€™s corner and came out the shadows behind you.
Yandere Boss that tentatively slithered his lean arm around your shoulder towering over you with his tall lanky frame. Peering down at the two creeps with a deadpanned expression like they were nothing but sad insects as he taunted them with an disgusted sneer. Insulting the two harassers, his sharp tongue automatically cursing them out calling them gross dickless losers and disgraces to the anime community all in one. While flipping them a slender manicured middle finger painted black as he told them to fuck off since you were taken by him.
Yandere Boss who purposely made a whole scene causing everybody to collectively to look his way and ridicule the two offenders despite his inclination to being under the attention of the masses as he was doing this all for his lovely little cosplayer. He had a look of smugness on his face, seeing the two fools be escorted out by the security for trying to commit disrespectful acts at the convention. But in the end he got a tad overwhelmed from the attention thrown his way and began sweating a bit under the pressure.
Yandere Boss who couldnā€™t help but feel his social battery burning out at a fast paste due to the cheers of the crowd awarding his smartarian actions when to be honest he was just acting out on his own selfish impulses since he couldnā€™t stand those filthy losers touching his newfound idol he was going to worship for the rest of his days.
Yandere Boss who damn neared almost suffered a heart attack when his sweet idol saw his dilemma and guided him swiftly away from the crowd that chanting how much of a chad he was. Grasping onto the arm he slung over their shoulder with their soft hands. He couldnā€™t help but become stiff like a robot as his face flushed his natural tired aloof features with splotches of a rosy red on his pale skin.
Yandere Boss whoā€™s lungs got caught in his throat as you spoke to him with your adorable voice continuously thanking him. He watched you intently as you paused for a moment to ask if you could give him a hug noticing how antsy he was with the the attention that was focused on him. Saying no words he opened his arms invitingly tired eyes now sparkling full of life as if heā€™d just received enlightenment from god while he nodded frantically to the point where afterimages of his bobbing head could be seen in 3 different layers.
Yandere Boss who fist pumped himself in victory after you gave him your number and left the scene. He was feeling faint with a rush of endorphins flooding his senses from the interaction. Relishing in your sweet scent that covered his clothes, he vowed in his head that heā€™d never ever wash these clothes that were touched by his adoring idol. He was already picturing them framed up in his closet to commemorate this beautiful moment in his life.
Yandere Boss whoā€™s your number one fan and supporter for life, and will always be sure to disregard his duties if only to fawn over you like the crazed fan that he is.
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norrizzandpia Ā· 1 year ago
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Used (Part 2) (LN4)
Summary: Even in times of pain, theyā€™ll find their way back to each other.
Warnings: very emotional, but happy happy ending, landoā€™s actually depressed its so sad, cisca norris to the rescue, oscar and lando are enemies for a while
Note: HII ITS HEREEE I REALLY HOPE YOU LIKE IT I THINK ITS PRETTY SLAY? šŸ¤žšŸ»
In the wake of Landoā€™s actions, Y/n was left with a broken heart and a hole in her stomach. Constant emptiness plagued her, contradicting the love that had once filled her for a boy who used her and took every inch of her.
She was quiet, once more. Lonely, once more. Oscar couldnā€™t do anything to remedy the pain she felt, neither could her parents or friends. Simply, she sat within herself, retracing all the memories they shared together.
On the other hand, Lando was faced with the consequences of his actions. While the public didnā€™t know what happened, they were aware something had gone down with Oscarā€™s hostile driving toward his teammate every time they found themselves together on a track. If it wasnā€™t because of that, it was because of the angry fights accidentally had between the two men fans consistently caught on their cameras. And if it wasnā€™t because of the fights, it was because of the disappearance of interviews. Both drivers not being seen in a room together for a good 4 weeks straight after a particularly aggressive video sourced online of Lando and Oscar shoving each other behind the McLaren Garage. Yelling at each other about something the camera couldnā€™t pick up on, but angry faces and hands flew about for minutes before Landoā€™s dad rounded the corner and split them up.
Nonetheless, when Lando went to bed at night, he didnā€™t think about the fights with Oscar or the negative press he was getting online. He thought of Y/n and only her. His mind replayed moments of her bright smile, a warm feeling lingering in his stomach before his hand drifted to the cold, empty side of his bed and reminded him of his loss. It was almost as if he mourned her. She no longer showed up to races and if she did, her appearances were strategically planned so as to not have the couple run into each other. He had pleaded with Charlotte, McLarenā€™s PR manager, to ā€œsomehowā€ slip up on their schedules, but she wouldnā€™t budge. What he didnā€™t know was that Charlotte had gotten an ear full from Oscar and his parents about how Y/n was not to see Lando. The poor girl had been utterly ruined by him and his extortion of her.
Whether he liked to admit it or not, Lando knew that.
He knew she would never be the same because he had been reckless, and he knew the chances of her ever even looking at him again were slim to none. Still, he allowed his soul and heart to continue being tied to her. If he was being honest with himself, his whole being would always be tied to her, whether she loved him or not.
He tried convincing Oscar of this, of his love for her, but the Australian just continued screaming.
ā€œYOUā€™RE A DICK, YOU KNOW THAT?ā€ His blonde hair tangled after tugging on it so much as Lando stood in the corner of the room, taking the punches because he deserved them.
ā€œI know. Iā€™m sorry.ā€ Lando whispered, his hands curling in his pockets as his tears threatened to fall.
ā€œSORRY? SORRY WILL NEVER CUT IT FOR WHAT YOUā€™VE DONE!ā€ His arms flailed around. Oscarā€™s own tears gracefully fell to the ground as his rage consumed him.
There was a moment as the two boys looked at each other, both broken to the core for 2 completely different reasons, yet over the same girl.
Sighing, Oscar stepped back before plopping onto the couch, ā€œWhyā€™d you do it?ā€ He whispered, his head falling into his hands.
Lando came to sit beside him, ā€œThereā€™s no good reason, but the only thing I can tell you is that I have always loved her, since the moment I saw her. Martinā€™s bet gave me an excuse to fall back on if she rejected me like I thought she would. When she didnā€™t and we started going out, I tried to push it away. But, Martin kept calling me and texting me, taunting me with how me and her had actually started. Throughout it all, though, I love her. I continue to love her even though she refuses to see me and I still love her even though sheā€™s blocked my number. Iā€™m starting to think I always will. Love her, I mean.ā€
Oscar turned his head to the side, capturing the blue eyes of his teammate and the ones that were so clearly defeated, ā€œReally? It wasnā€™t a joke to you?ā€
Lando shook his head immediately, ā€œNo, of course not. It never was. I tried to explain that to her when everything came out, but she wouldnā€™t listen. After she shut the door on me when she found out, I tried to knock and ask her to let me in, but I donā€™t think she heard me because all I heard on the other side was crying. Oscar, Iā€™m so sorry for what I did. If I could take back how it started, I would, but I wonā€™t, and will never, wish to take back the moments we shared together. Even now, when communication between us has stopped, the memories keep me going. Just the memories of her are enough for me. Iā€™ll always be grateful to even have them with her, having been able to experience that kind of love with someone who reciprocated it is something I never expected to feel ever in my life.ā€
ā€œI wish you wouldnā€™t have done it. I wish you would have just gotten with her naturally. I really thought you two would get married.ā€ Oscar said slowly, trying to let Lando down easily.
However, Oscarā€™s attempts failed as the sorrow hit Lando all over again. Flashes of the night when she opened up to him under the sky bounced around in his mind as he wondered what it would have been like to marry her, spend a lifetime with her.
Wiping a hand over his face to conceal the physical signs of his despair, Lando averted his eyes from the boy that reminded him too much of her, ā€œYeah, me too.ā€
ā€”
ā€œY/n?ā€ Her motherā€™s voice filtered through the door.
She shifted under the blankets, groaning quietly at the disturbance, but her motherā€™s next words made her falter.
ā€œMrs. Norris is here to see you if youā€™re up for it.ā€ The door creaked open before soft footsteps made their way to her bed, the mattress dipping before a hand came to rest on her side.
In the time she and Lando spent together, Cisca became like a second mother to Y/n. Whether the woman intended for it or not, her soft-spoken voice and gentle, motherly touch had filled Y/n with comfort during times of self-confliction or arguments with Lando or the other men in her life.
ā€œHi, darling.ā€ Her hand rubbed slowly up and down her torso as Y/n untangled herself from her blankets, sitting up to meet the older womanā€™s eye.
ā€œMrs. Norris, itā€™s so nice to see you.ā€ Her smile wasnā€™t as big as it used to be, Cisca noted.
Giggling, she smoothed a hand down Y/nā€™s cheek, ā€œEven after all this time, you still call me ā€˜Mrs. Norrisā€™ā€.
They laughed together for a second before silence overtook the moment and Cisca was watching Y/n retreat back into her heartbreak.
Her small voice cut through the stillness, ā€œIā€™ve never seen him like this before.ā€
Y/nā€™s head tilted to the side as she pleaded with Landoā€™s mother to not begin this conversation, for the sake of her healing process. However, Cisca knew, deep down, that this conversation would do more good than bad.
So, she continued.
ā€œHe wonā€™t talk about you. He shuts down the moment we mention your name.ā€ Cisca took Y/nā€™s hands in hers, cradling them as she had cradled her son the night Y/n had blocked his number. Lando had shown up unannounced at his parentsā€™ home, clutching his phone in his hands as if it was the only thing anchoring him. The moment she had opened the door, his eyes told every bit of pain he had tried to force down as he convinced himself he wasnā€™t allowed to feel grief if he was the one having screwed it all up. His legs gave out and he had fallen into the safe embrace of his mother, clutching onto her as he rambled about losing Y/n. Cisca had brought him into the house and sat with him on the couch all night as he poured his heart out to her, tears and all.
He didnā€™t leave their house for a week after that.
Now, she sat with the girl who had destroyed her son, just as he had destroyed her. Prepared to try and reconcile something so beautiful.
ā€œIf he loved me, he wouldnā€™t have done it.ā€
Cisca nodded, completely agreeing with Y/nā€™s logic, ā€œI understand, but Y/n, we both know this is much more complicated. You two have loved each other for a long time. I would even say from the moment you first met, but I wonā€™t speak for you. When he said he loved you, he meant it. From the start. Yes, he messed up and did something I did not raise him to do. However, Y/n,ā€ Ciscaā€™s hand moved to turn Y/nā€™s face, forcing her to look his mother in her eyes, ā€œI know my son and I know when heā€™s gone for someone. Heā€™s utterly gone for you. Hell, heā€™s so lost without you, the boy canā€™t even tie his own shoes.ā€
Cisca wiped away the tears Y/n didnā€™t even know were falling before the girl in bed whispered, ā€œBut, what if he hurts me again?ā€
Sighing, Landoā€™s mother scooched to squeeze on the bed beside Y/n, putting her arm around the girl and hugging her into her side, ā€œI know itā€™s hard, but just give him a chance, yeah? He betrayed your trust and a lot of other things, so it will be difficult to let him in again. But, and this is hard to understand because he was your first everything, what you two had was unlike anything I have ever seen in my entire life and Iā€™ve been married to his father for years. The way you two understood each other was on a level that I think would be a shame to not fight for. You were good for him, really good, and I wouldnā€™t be a good mother if I didnā€™t do everything I could to make my child happy again. It just so happens that, in this case, it would also benefit the person he was in love with too.ā€
Nodding, Y/n hugged the woman tighter, ā€œIā€™ll think about it. Thank you.ā€
Seeing as her job was done, Cisca got up and made her move toward the door, but not before she stopped to turn around and look Y/n in the eye once more, ā€œWhen you talk to him, be gentle, okay? I know it sounds stupid because he should be being gentle with you after everything he pulled, but you donā€™t know how hard heā€™s beaten himself up over this. There are only a handful of times in motherhood where you will see your child grieve so hard over someone, they vomit. Itā€™s hard to watch your son destroy who he is because he loved so hard. If you wonā€™t do it for him, do it for me. Thereā€™s only so much a mother can take when it comes to seeing her child in pain.ā€
Y/n smiled lightly as she promised the woman she would be soft with the man she loved.
The man she loves.
ā€”
ā€œCan you at least shower?ā€ Max asked softly as Lando curled further into his bed.
Sniffling, Lando mumbled, ā€œThereā€™s no one to smell good for. Donā€™t see the point.ā€
Max rubbed a hand over his face, hating how his best friend had become the shell of a human, ā€œLando, itā€™s for your own health. Please, itā€™ll be good for you. You havenā€™t gotten out of bed for a week. Iā€™m worried about you, mate.ā€
ā€œI donā€™t ca-ā€ Lando started, but was interrupted by a knock on their front door.
Maxā€™s gaze shifted between his best friend and the slab of wood, not wanting to let Lando leave his sight, yet knowing he needed to open it. He exhaled a breath as he stole a quick glance at the body under all the lumps of blankets before making his way to the door.
Opening it, he sighed in relief at the sight of Y/n, the remedy for his best friendā€™s turmoil.
ā€œI donā€™t know why youā€™re here, but I think itā€™s for a good reason. I hope itā€™s for a good reason.ā€ He said as he let her in.
She smiled at him, still a bit nervous to see Lando, but relieved she had finally gone through with it this time.
ā€œIs he here?ā€ She asked quietly.
Max laughed, ā€œIs he here? Yeah, he has been for the last eternity.ā€
She cringed before making her way toward his room, inhaling a breath before opening the door.
ā€œMax, Iā€™m serious. Leave me alone.ā€ He said, annoyed, from under his pillow. She couldnā€™t help the smile that took over her face at his voice and common stubbornness. She had missed him like the ocean missed the sun when it disappeared in the night. Missing his soft touches, hushed kisses of warmth, and the light he continually exuded on both good and bad days.
ā€œLando, itā€™s me.ā€ She said as she rounded his bed, sitting down on the side of it.
He froze. His brain tried to convince him he was going clinically insane, no longer seeing her in his head but hearing her in his room. However, his heart contradicted the argument when he felt the bed dip and he just knew. He knew it was really her by the way his skin lit up at the close proximity and his breath stopped for a moment before filling his lungs once more like life was returning to his body.
He lowered the blankets. Her face coming into view almost had him breaking down, but this newfound chance at redemption had his brain short-circuiting, and crying so hard he couldnā€™t speak didnā€™t seem like a good plan.
ā€œY/nā€¦ā€ His tone was subdued as if she was an angel, completely struck by her and her existence.
Her hand reached out to caress his cheek. The igniting touch had color pumping through his body again as he leaned into her touch, seemingly reconnecting with his lifeline.
ā€œI thought we could talk.ā€ She said as his eyes fluttered closed, her thumb rubbing circles over his cheekbone.
ā€œOf course,ā€ He said breathlessly, enamored by her and the way she made him feel.
She giggled, a sound that Lando was etching into his brain as if he was going to lose it again, ā€œOkay, but youā€™ll have to open your eyes for that to happen, Lan.ā€
He blushed at the nickname. The last time she had called him the shortened name was when she was confronting him over what he had done. The reminder of the moment when she walked out on him hit him hard. He stared at her, scared she had only come back to him to give him a taste of what he couldā€™ve had only to take it away once more.
She must have realized his agony because she was grabbing his hand with hers, coaxing him away from the dark place to come back to her, in the now. The funny part was that she didnā€™t need to physically bring him back, he would always return to her just by the comforting presence of the person he fell in love with.
ā€œDating me because of a bet hurt like hell. I thought I would never come back from that kind of pain, but as I rotted away in my room, I realized that, even though you had hurt me so deeply, I still loved you. It took me time to understand what that meant seeing as you have been my first love, my first everything, but I think Iā€™ve got it down, now.ā€ She squeezed his hand as their eyes welled together, ā€œEven though those times we spent together had been created under such a gross circumstance, I wouldnā€™t want to forget them. Ever. Because I love you, Lan. I was talking to my mom and she explained to me that giving people second chances isnā€™t always a bad choice, if theyā€™re good for you. Thatā€™s when it clicked for me. Giving you a second chance is a no-brainer because youā€™ve never wronged me before. I fell in love with you and when you fell in love with me, you always showed up. Even when I found out about the bet, you still showed up. You stayed on the other side of Oscarā€™s Driverā€™s Room door, asking me to come in before he showed up and forced you away. Youā€™ve always been there for me, always secretly supported me, and wished the best for me even when I rejected you completely. Over this time by myself, I came to the conclusion that I donā€™t want anyone else to root for me on the sidelines other than you.ā€
His arms had found their way to her, loosely circling around her waist as he tested the waters. When she didnā€™t push him away, when her arms twisted around his neck, he leaned in. What she thought would be a kiss was actually a bone-crushing hug that was, surprisingly, way more intimate than any kiss he could have planted on her at that moment. His tears wetted her shirt and hers did the same to him as he whispered how much he loved her in her ear. Softly, he explained to her just how much she made his heart stop, ā€œThere isnā€™t a day that goes by that I donā€™t wish I could go back in time and treat you with respect. Iā€™m so sorry for what I did and for what I put you through, my love. The thing that was so scary for me when I realized how much I loved you was that you had always been in front of me. Like, youā€™d been standing right in front of me for years before I understood who I needed you to be to me. I never thought that one singular person could change the course of my life and how I lived it let alone someone I had known for so long, but itā€™s always been you. Iā€™m not sure if you always felt that same way about me, but I have. Once I began looking to you when shit in my life hit the fan, I knew I wouldnā€™t be able to love anyone the way I love you. It would always have to be you because, if it wasnā€™t, thereā€™d be no one else to fulfill me the way you have. You came into my life and flipped it right side up, not upside down.ā€
When his hushed words ended in her ear, she pulled away. Tears tracing the outside of her lips, she scratched at the hair at his nape, something she knew he always loved.
Realizing that he had never fully lost her, Lando whispered an ā€œI love youā€ before smoothing the hair out of her face.
When he was finally able to see his favorite face, only then did he kiss her.
End.
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