#to gain friendships/relationships and what not

[authenticcadence18]

Yall we are actually getting new phineas and ferb this year I just remembered and am feeling like. Giddy, 2010s era joy about it 🥺🥺

[cian-meimei]

Commander Xia.

Pairing: Caleb (Xia Yizhou) x Reader

Tags: ancient times, duke's daughter x commander of the imperial guards, ancient arrange marriage, secret identity, love at first sight, childhood friends to lovers to stangers to husband-wife, Li Shen (Zayne) x reader if you squint.

Word count: 3k words

wordbank: commander of imperial guards = leader of the guards protecting the emperor, the three bows = done during wedding ceremony for filial piety etc, Imperial Medical Bureau = the one that handles the matters regarding health, chinese medicine, acupuncture etc of the imperial family, gege = older brother, meimei = lil sis

NOT PROOF-READ OR EDITED.

divider credits to @/thecutestgrotto

You are the Duke’s only offspring, meant to inherit your father’s mantle and be a duchess of your own right. You are an esteemed noble lady with extraordinary features and admirable skills, with many people vying for your hand in marriage. With your status and qualifications, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Emperor decreed your marriage with any of the Prince as the Princess Consort. In fact, it was the topic of every gossips in the Capital. Why haven’t the Emperor decreed your marriage with a Prince yet? It was no secret that the Emperor covets your father’s power, and wants nothing but to control your family. For this to happen, he could simply marry you off to one of his sons.

Everyone thought the Emperor gave up, so they dared to dream. Every bachelor dreams for a chance with you, but not everyone fancy you for you. What they have been aiming for is the power in your name, the influence of your father’s Dukedom.

Even as a child you know this, and you can easily discern anyone with the same intentions. You also knew why the Emperor chose not to betroth you with any of his sons.

It’s because the Emperor is a coward. He didn’t dare marry you off to one of his sons, because it means that the Dukedom would be closer to the throne and that son to take advantage of your power to go against him. He’s afraid that he won’t be able to control his wayward sons and allow you and your family to gain even more foothold in the Capital. So everything’s in stalemate, with the Duke and the Emperor playing a chess game under false pretenses.

You hated being a part of this chess game, so you have to do something to gain the upper hand. “Jiang Nan (Tara).” You called gently, exiting your chambers with a determined expression. Within a second, Jiang Nan arrived in front to you, with hand warmer in hand. She already knew of your plans today, but didn’t expect it to be at this moment so she could only grab the hand warmer and nothing else.

“My lady, we should take this. It might be cold outside in this weather. Do you need other things to bring?”

You hummed and gave her your jade pendant. “Bring some gold ingot with you. We shall depart within a stick of incense.”

Jiang Nan nodded like a chicken pecking at rice before scurrying over to the treasury. Within half of incense, she came back holding an inconspicuous pouch. “Let’s go, my lady.”

Jiang Nan has been your companion since you were a child. She’s your reading companion, and the third daughter of a lower noble. Since then, she has been serving you as your personal companion, taking care of your daily needs. You know where her and her family’s loyalty lie, so you trust her.

When you arrived at the agreed meeting place, the person you are meeting was already there, leisurely sipping tea as he gazed outside, unfazed by the cold weather. When he saw you and Jiang Nan enter the room, he stood up and gave you his salute.

“Grand Physician Li.”

“A pleasure to see you, Esteemed Noble Lady.”

Li Shen (Zayne), your childhood friend, and now the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau. All these years you have been friends with him, raising eyebrows of the masses due to the closeness of your relationship to each other. Some malicious enough to make assumptions that there’s more than friendship between the two of you. Both of you really didn’t care about some petty rumors and let it go. Aside from being friends, you have been in contact with him to gather intel about the Emperor, your meetings are under the guise of checking for your health.

Pouring you tea, Li Shen cleared his throat and put a talisman inside the room, isolating whatever conversation that will unfold in this room from anyone who dare to eavesdrop outside. Once the talisman became effective, your tense back relaxes and Li Shen’s stoic face softened.  

“How have you been, meimei? Anything wrong with your health?” Gone was the stiffness in his voice, replaced with fond familiarity.

With a smile, you waved your hand. “I’m fine. Anything in your end, perhaps?”

“Straightforward as ever, I see.” Li Shen smiled, not offended at all. Setting down his cup, he began to recount the information he had gathered with serious face. As he slowly revealed everything, your smile slowly fell off and was replaced with a frown.

“Simply speaking, there’s a change in power inside the Capital, meimei. I don’t know the specifics, but it might have to do with the elusive Commander of the Imperial Guards, Xia Yizhou.”

“Xia Yizhou…” You whispered the name in daze, feeling a spark of familiarity inside you but simply cannot name it. Li Shen hummed, continuing with his revealation.

“The Emperor hasn’t been in good health recently. Trusted and even lower ministers come and go in his chambers. It isn’t hard to guess that he’s about to stir a storm in the Capital. I advice you to be alert, because this might be about your family.”

Taking a deep breath, you nodded. “Thank you for the warning, Shen Ge. You as well, please do not let the Emperor doubt you. I don’t to get you in trouble for helping me.”

Li Shen gave you a small but reassuring smile. “Even if the Emperor doubts me, he cannot replace me easily. I’m the only Physician he can trust in the Capital. Removing me in the game would only be a death warrant to him. As for you getting me in trouble..” His voice trailed as he looked at the snowy scenery outside. “Take it as me repaying the Duke’s kindness all these years. After all, I wouldn’t be in this position without you and the Duke’s help.”

Li Shen came from a commoner’s family. He and along with another boy, were victims of the snow disaster in an obscure town many many years ago. You and your father happened to see the two boys in the brink of death at the side of the road and helped them. Your father might be prideful but he’s not unkind. When he reported it to the Emperor and the Emperor did nothing about it, he took the matters into his own hands and buried the victims, including Li Shen’s deceased parents. In the process, you got close with the two boys. You begged your father to help them, so the Duke then sent the two boys to a humble house, giving them a fresh start. But only Li Shen remained. As for the other boy…

“Now for the other matter,” Li Shen’s voice brought you out of your memories. You perked up.

“The investigation I did finally bore some fruit. It seems that our childhood friend, xiaozhou…never left the capital. Meimei…he’s always been here in the Capital.”

You have been in dazed the moment you left the restaurant, Li Shen’s words kept echoing in your mind.

Xiao Zhou, the other boy your father saved along with Li Shen, many many years ago. In fact, you and Li Shen wasn’t the closest back then. Li Shen is a quiet child who never smiles and often prefer reading medical books than to play with you. Xiao Zhou on the other hand, was a loud and cheerful little fellow. You and him has been the closest, he was like a brother you never had, Thought you a lot of things as a kid, even climbing a tree or catching a fish, things that a lady of your station should not do. Because of that, your father often scolds him. It was also because you almost died due to an allergy caused by eating a fruit given to you by Xiao Zhou that your father had decided to send the two boys out of the Duke Estate into the house of a trusted right handman of his.

You cried the whole night, begging your father to take them back, but your father only said. “Let them prove their worth, baobei. You’re a woman of power. You do not chase men. Instead, let them prove they’re worthy of you.”

You didn’t understand it back then, and only thought your father is punishing you for befriending someone of unequal status. You felt wronged, but grew to accept this arrangement as Xiao Zhou would still write to you constantly, and Li Shen too, sometimes when he’s not so busy studying medicinal herbs. It remained like that for years, until Xiao Zhou suddenly stopped writing to you, giving you his final letter dictating his farewell.

“This is my farewell to you as Xiao Zhou, for when the next time I come back to the Capital, I will be someone deserving of you.”

Li Shen told you that he had escaped in the middle of the night, never to be seen again even when the Duke ordered a search party. And even until now, you’re still searching for him.

“Meimei…he’s always been here in the Capital.”

You tried to control the tears that fell from your eyes, Jiang Nan scrumbling around trying to comfort you. But you became deaf to the noises everyone around you. The implication in Li Shen’s words became clear to you.

Xiao Zhou has always been here in the Capital all these time, but he refused to see and meet you, not even once. Why? Does he not want me anymore? Is he even planning to come back to me like he promised he would?

“My Lady, may…may I say something?” Jiang Nan mumbled, somewhat hesitant.

You simply nodded, not really in the mood to care what she would even say.

“I grew up with you, and also saw the bud between the you and Xiao Zhou grow. I believe he is sincere when he said he would come back for you. Perhaps…it’s simply not time yet, that’s why he’s still not coming back.”

“But I’ve been waiting for so long!” You yelled at the top of your lungs, spooking the horse and the horseman, making the carriage shake. You didn’t care about it as you cried and yelled. “That goddamn of a useless Emperor is already making moves to marry me off to deal with my father. How long do I have to wait?! Father is also starting to pressure me, I hate this!”

“MY LADY, THE STREETS HAVE EARS!”

In the next few weeks, a lot been happening inside the Capital, and like what Li Shen told you, it has something to do with the elusive Commander of the Imperial Guards. Some officials has recently been arrested, and what made you nervous was the fact that some of those officials are your fathers’ allies. It seems that the Emperor is truly getting desperate as his health continue to deteriorate. And it seems that the Commander is someone you couldn’t underestimate. This storm upon the Capital’s nobility is likely his doing. What fueled your suspicioun even more is that the Princes has also been making a move recently, with some showing good will to your father.

Due to this, your father has been extremely busy these days. In turn, you also became nervous and vigilant. You knew that to weaken your father, the Emperor would likely target you, the next in line to inherit the Dukedom. It’s either he’s going to marry you to some old geezer, or grant you a title of a princess and send you off to another country to become a hostage princess. Worse comes to worst, he might even kill you off. Which would be foolish, really. Your father might not be an Emperor but he had a lot of people on his side. Killing you off would only make the people’s opinion of his already destroyed reputation even worse. Even though people likes to gossip about you and your ‘unchaperoned’ meetings with Li Shen, the people generally has good opinions about you, that you knew so you aren’t worried for you life. It’s either you submit to the Emperor, or rebel against the Emperor.

Your father is a prideful man, but he won’t rebel and incriminate innocent lives in the process. It’s a tough decision, really.

So when your father was called to the palace, you couldn’t help the panic rising in your heart. You knew it’s gonna be you who’s going to take the fall, but if you don’t, then it might be your father’s head who’s going to be put on a spike the next day. You barely ate, waiting for the expected bad news. When your father returned from his private meeting with the Emperor, his face wasn’t good. The gloom in his face makes him a lot older than he actually is. You stood up, chest heaving. You braced for impact.

“Father…”

“Daughter,”

You stiffened at your father’s resigned but serious tone. He rarely calls you like this, as he often calls you baobei. You wrapped yourself with your arms, looking down. In this moment that felt like a death sentence, the name that kept popping in your mind is Xiao Zhou.

Xiao Zhou… Zhouzhou…

“The Emperor has decreed that you marry…the Commander of the Imperial Guards, Xia Yizhou.”

It felt like you plunged into an icy lake, your mind freezing as you blanked out. Commander? Marry?

“Anyone but him!” You screamed, “I’M NOT GOING TO MARRY SOME OLD GEEZER, FATHER!”

Fuck the Emperor! Fuck the Capital! If possible you will even lead the rebellion yourself!

Your father’s face twitched, complicated expressions flashing in his face before he walked closer to you and held your shoulders. “Listen to me, daughter. You know I’d rather lose my life than to use you as the sacrificial lamb for this family. In your mother’s death bed, she made me promise to not trade you with anything. Power, position, connection, anything. I promised her, and I wouldn’t break it even if she’s been gone for so long already. I was ready to defy the decree but…sigh, you’ll understand when you meet him. I’m sure you’ll understand.”

Confused by his roundabout words, you demanded for clearer answer. “What do you mean, father? I cannot understand!”

Looking at you straight in the eye with a helpless look, he smiled. “All I’m trying to say that this arrangement, is perhaps not bad at all. Whatever you decide, baobei, I will support you. But I advice you to save your decision until you meet him, alright? Also, he’s not old. Young, vigorous. Around Xiaoshen’s age.”

After saying those words, your father retired to his chambers, gloom still covering his whole figure, but his steps were lighter. His words left you confused and in shambles. In the end, you have no choice but to do your own digging about the matter the next morning.

Not even a week later, His Majesty the Emperor officially decreed your marriage to the Commander of the Imperial Guards, Xia Yizhou. It caused a huge commotion in the Capital. Some where unhappy, some happy.  Many lamented your misfortune. But you were desperately searching for someone else, not even bothering to care about your future spouse. Li Shen had also asked to meet up, but you didn’t have time to meet up with him when you whisk back into the Duke’s Estate to prepare for your wedding.

In the end, all your efforts were futile. You were in daze the whole ceremony, and the fact that you have your veil all the time prevented you from seeing your groom’s face.

“Bow to Heaven and Earth!”

You mechanically bowed, countless thoughts running around in your mind but none of those thoughts seems clear enough. Your mind is wrapped in a fog.

“Bow to Parents!”

You bowed facing in front, knowing that your father is standing there, watching with a resigned look. You felt the man beside you do the same, chuckling when you almost stumbled due to the heavy garment you’re wearing. His hand held your arm to help you, but you pulled your arm out of his grip forcefully.

The nerve of this man!

“Now, bow to each other!”

When the ceremony ended and you were escorted inside the wedding chamber, you released a sigh of relief. In your hand was a blade given to you by Xiao Zhou before he left, for self-defense. If this Xia Yizhou really forced himself on you tonight, you will stab him in the heart, then stab yourself so your father wouldn’t be implicated.

Although Xiaozhou had abandoned you, you’re still not willing to let some other man into your life. Much less a manipulative man like Xia Yizhou who were able to manipulate even the Emperor. You can’t tolerate a man completely controlling you all your life.

As the sound of celebration outside slowly receded, footsteps were heard, heading to your direction. You clutched the blade in your hand tightly, nervousness peaking the moment Xia Yizhou entered the chamber.

“It’s funny to see you so guarded like this,” You heard him say, sounding amused and sad at the same time.

Snorting, you retorted. “We doesn’t seem to be that familiar, Commander Xia. As a matter of fact, I believe this is our first meeting.”

Xia Yizhou sat on the chair in front of you, and you can feel his intense gaze burning holes into your veil. You cannot see his features clearly, but your father was right. He looked younger than what you had expected him to be.

“Oh, really?” Xia Yizhou hummed and poured the alcohol into the cups, no longer caring about the ceremony or tradition. Turning back to you, he said. “You seem to be very against this marriage. May I have the reason why?”

“I believe the Commander himself knew the reason, but since you want me to say it, then I’ll say it. First, my heart is already taken. I have no desire to marry another person other than him. Second, you manipulated the Emperor to marry me, and for whatever reason you have, I simply do not care. Third, you threatened and coerced my father. Are these reasons enough, Commander?”

Xia Yizhou began to laugh, so much joy in his voice that it made you felt insulted. You gripped the blade in your hand so tight you thought maybe you should just stab him right now and end this farce once and for all. Kill this crazy freak and then kill yourself. But before you can make up your mind, Xia Yizhou pulled your veil off in one swift move, meeting your gaze with a fond expression.

“Looking good, pipsqueak.”

Looking at your frozen expression, his smile widened. “Why, don’t you recognize me? I didn’t make you wait long, did I?”

“Meimei, xiaozhou is back. Won’t you give him a welcome kiss?”

[skeletwinsauaskbox]

Since I have the pictures ready now, I guess I could explain the Skeletwins version of Horrortale. Or, as I call it, Not-Quite-Horrortale.

So the story starts off as the same as Horrortale. Undyne becomes the Empress, the CORE breaks down, Alphys convinces Undyne to take Sans' eye (to my knowledge - I haven't read the comic), and of course, Undyne takes Sans' eye and leaves him with a gaping hole in his head and uses it to power the CORE.

However, here, there's a divergence. And that divergence is during Sans' confrontation with Alphys.

As far as I know, in the original story (which I have mixed feelings about, honestly), Sans destroys the CORE, takes back his eye and "lobotomises" Alphys (not a fan of that term). But here, Lento/Sans doesn't do that. He does lose his temper with her, but the most he does is destroy one of her machines or just a little bit of the CORE. It's not enough for it to be unrepairable, but it's enough to set the monsters back a bit. But he doesn't hurt Alphys, not physically. He basically lashes out at her, declares their friendship over and leaves, therefore giving Alphys a much bigger role in this version. Also, the famine does eventually get resolved because Sans doesn't destroy the CORE.

So the timeline diverged there. Now the story has two plots. One of them focuses on Alphys and Undyne, their relationship and their struggle trying to fix a broken kingdom, all while struggling with their internal conflicts and heavy guilt for everything they have done and will have to do. The other will focus on the twins, of course.

I don't have it all figured out, but I have this outline of getting Papyrus more involved in the story. After the incident, Sans and Papyrus continue to try and help Snowdin as best as they can, but Sans' head injury and resulting instability causes a lot of issues, which eventually culminates with him isolating himself to protect others from him in one of his more lucid moments. Papyrus, meanwhile, figures out what Undyne did to him and repeatedly confronts her, angry but at the same time desperate to convince her to stop doing whatever she's doing and hold on to their friendship. Of course, Papyrus doesn't want to give up on Undyne, because he's, well, Papyrus. But after a series of confrontations, Undyne snaps and outright attacks Papyrus, which inadvertently reveals that he also had the same energy Sans had in his eye. After that, Papyrus just... leaves and returns to Snowdin to focus on Sans and his town.

Meanwhile, Sans goes back and forth between talking to Toriel and isolating himself at home with Papyrus, only rarely appearing at Grillby's. One day, Toriel notices the toll his isolation and mental health problems are having on Sans and, relating heavily to this, invites him into the Ruins for a visit. One visit turns into two, then three, then ten... And eventually, Papyrus starts visiting her too. They bring her books from the library and talk about their lives, and Toriel teaches them about snails and talks about her past, and eventually, the three of them become a small family. It's not perfect, of course. They have their ups and downs, and Sans never truly becomes his old self again, but with time, they make it work, and they find happiness from it.

The twins also gain new outfits from Toriel, including a hat to cover Sans' wound! They even requested to have the Delta Rune on their clothes, so they kinda have their cute little family logo.

By the time Aliza falls down, Toriel and the twins are doing well for themselves, being each other's support systems. Over time, Sans becomes stable enough to help Snowdin again. Toriel invites the boys to live with her full-time but they refuse, not willing to just abandon Snowdin. Sans never fully forgives Alphys, but he makes peace with what happened, and Papyrus still doesn't want to give up on Undyne because he's Papyrus and Papyrus is awesome.

(Also, side note: I kinda see this running gag of Sans using his head hole for practical jokes after making peace with it. Like using himself as a teapot, or using it for storage, or even growing a flower inside his head. Leave it to him to see the funny side of things.)

When Aliza falls down, of course Toriel takes her in! But like all children, Aliza wants to go home. Toriel doesn't trust the rest of the underground (for very, VERY good reasons. Human sentiment quickly decreased and devolved into outright hatred during Undyne's reign, so the monsters would be a lot more aggressive and desperate to escape) so she calls upon the two monsters she can still trust, the twins, to personally take her to the barrier. Thus begins Not-So-Horrortale, where the twins basically join Aliza and help her out with silliness and horror all in one.

Ideas everywhere. Hehe. So, what do you think? Could you give me suggestions for Undyne and Alphys' part of the story? Could this possibly become its own thing entirely? Who knows? Have a wonderful life!

[medicallyfascinating]

I like Ferdinand and Dorothea's supports a lot. I think they accurately express Dorothea's trauma and why she acts the way she does.

I love watching Ferdinand having to fight for her friendship and approval whilst having no idea what he's done so wrong.

HOWEVER

I would have loved them so much more if their C support had been Dorothea calling Ferdinand out for glaring at her when he was younger and HE ACTUALLY HAD DONE IT

The reason I love Ferdinand so much is because he starts out so flawed and has to learn to be a better person and I think I would have loved to see him have to apologise and gain Dorothea's trust after having treated her so poorly because of how he was raised.

So if their C support had been Dorothea calling Ferdinand out and EVEN IF HIS FIRST SUPPORT IS HIM BLINDLY DEFENDING HIMSELF FOR WHAT HE DID

and then they have a c+ or b support where he admits he's wrong but she's like no- fuck off- I don't want your apologies and he has to accept that he's just damaged that relationship and there's nothing he can do to fix it

And then after the timeskip when Ferdinand has lost EVERYTHING and has to come to terms with the fact that actually, yeah, his upbringing was awful and he's done some awful things and now he has to change and grow and become a better person, DOROTHEA IS THE ONE who comes up to him and is like- hey- I'm ready to start forgiving you and their next two supports are them slowly, and a little unstable-y building a friendship and Dorothea forgiving him whilst Ferdinand has to learn that Dorothea needs some space and time to be able to not find his entire existence incredibly triggering.

In my opinion, I would have liked that a lot more than their Dorothea and Ferdinand supports that we got.

The original supports aren't bad, I actually really love them but I think they could have defined Ferdinand's character better.

I think they could also still very easily have a paired ending if you like Ferdithea

[mothbeasts]

please publically talk about her feelinsg on romance or i'll eat you alive 🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕

oukay I will

The Fabricator, to me, really holds up the idea of romance in her mind. She loves the idea of having a partner, going on dates, being in love and being loved in return. But every time she's tried it, something has gone wrong. She's been hurt, turned on, scorned- And now she's scared to try again. She wants to, she so desperately wants it, but she's terrified of what might happen.

I think she does love, still, but she never speaks about it. She keeps it hidden away and protected. Having her heart broken again... She wouldn't be able to handle that. She can't risk it.

[ahhhh-118]

AHH

MARÍ’S RELATIONSHIPS PT 2.:

Ivy 💃🌼👒:

Very fond of her! Maríanne claims that she is Ivy’s self-proclaimed mentor (seriously idk why she is like this). She trained Ivy when she first started working at the cafe. In their free time, Maríanne will offer to teach Ivy how to box and how to shoot a shotgun (like how Delilah taught her back in New York). When Ivy agrees, Maríanne gains a new training buddy and Ivy gets another shopping buddy! Ivy introduces her to the latest trends and they often hangout when they’re not training. Marí will try to throw in some life lessons during the hangouts but Ivy would be too busy on choosing between two different kinds of hats.

Thoughts: “it’s a tough world out there! In this dangerous life, I have to teach this young girl how to defend herself!”

Current: “I’m very proud of her but what is she doing?!”

Mitzi 🍷💸🦚:

She enjoys her company and may or may not see her as a slight mother figure! When Maríanne first arrived to Lackadaisy, Mitzi pitied her like Viktor. Mitzi would take care of Marí while she was recovering from her wounds bringing her food, fresh bandages, and pain medicine when Mordecai isn’t able to. She’d always dote on Maríanne and try to cheer her up as best as she could. Simply distracting Marí from her worries by asking about her journey out on the streets and about Rocky. Mitzi introduced Marí to Zib and the band once she heard about her street performance. She definitely had lend a hand in convincing Atlas to let Maríanne stay at Lackadaisy. As Marí healed, Mitzi would join in on Ivy and Marianne’s shopping sprees. Maríanne finds Mitzi very sweet and comforting, (sometimes getting unsolicited dating advice from her) and deeply cares about her.

Thoughts: “She’s very pretty, her soft voice reminds me of my mother sometimes. I don’t like to think too far back but she makes sure that I’m having a good day. I feel like I owe more to her than I do Atlas.”

Current: “I trust she could make it work and rebuild it. But from what Mordecai told me…her chances feel slim. I’ll do what I can to give her hand, I might’ve left Lackadaisy but I won’t abandon it completely. It was my home because of her.”

Horatio🐀♣️:

Not too close, but a casual friendship. Maríanne is very polite with him, indulging in some small talk and catching up on life. When the cafe is empty, Maríanne helps Horatio clean up and prepare the speakeasy for the night. They also feed the rats together. Fun fact: Marí loves rodents!

Thoughts: “Great man! Respects the rats and stands firmly at the door. Rocky refers to him as someone who protects the front gates of our a great kingdom. He’s our mighty guard!”

Wick🪨🥃💵:

Doesn’t really interest her. He’s just another rich man in her eyes. When they do talk, she finds him pleasant and less obnoxious. So she’s okay with him.

Thoughts: “Rocks and bugs? Interesting, I guess?”

Freckle🔫🪶🥪:

Heard about him through Rocky, so she has a very high liking towards him. When Marí meets him, she’s very enthusiastic. Doesn’t understand why he finds her so intimidating or why he’s so shy? Isn’t he Rocky’s cousin? When she sees his trigger happy mode, then she gets her answer. Sees that being a trigger man is his calling, although he is too reckless, she knows enemies will never see it coming due to his innocent face. Marí will care about him and take care of him for Rocky’s sake but is a little threatened by him.

Thoughts: “Great asset to Lackadaisy. I have my eye on him though, he maybe Rocky’s cousin but who knows what else he’s capable of.”

Atlas🪦:

If it weren’t for him, she’d be dead. Maríanne is indebted to him but doesn’t see him as a loving figure more like a mystery. She knows that he keeps a suspicious eye on her constantly when she first arrived, but there wasn’t malice just protectiveness over what’s his. It was better than her previous situation and was thoroughly surprised when he considered her to be a trigger man or the fact that he let her stay. Maríanne knew how much Mordecai looked up to Atlas, so she trusted that he was a good man. Deep down…she always felt something was off but was just happy to find a secure place.

Thoughts: “I was curious to know more about him but with people like him, it’s best to stop digging. When he died, I was devastated but not just for the death of ��the Atlas May’ but the death of Lackadaisy. A slow, unfair death…”

🐍🐍

THATS ALL FOLKS!! Thank you again @mivanti03 for the questions! ❤️✨

I’ve been waiting for someone to ask that! AH! Sorry it took so long but I hope I answered your questions well ❤️ Thank you! :>

Hello! I am curious what is Marìanne's relationship with Rocky? Also what is her opinion or relationship with the Lackadaisy crew? Does she have any thoughts about them and what is her job exactly?

Does Marìanne have a family? Does she knows about the Marigold?

That's all l could think of, by the way your oc is so pretty and I love that she has snake fangs (I do have another lacka oc that's base on a sliver fox and snake.).

Have a good day/Night!

AHH! Hello! Thank you for the Ask! ❤️ and thank you, she’s my lil snake (even if she denies it) and that’s awesome! I love your art style and how you draw your ocs, they’re all so pretty 🥺❤️ Below gonna drop as much lore as I can! (Of course it might change because my brain likes to keep adding on 🥲)

This is gonna be two separate parts just to space things out! Let’s start with some Maríanne stuff!

🐍🐍

MARÍ’S FAMILY:

Has an older brother with a 12 year age gap, his name is Estefan Villanueva (his name was changed it might change again). He took care of Maríanne when she was much younger. When he got older he found himself a husband with a kid. His future husband helped him raise Maríanne along with his own child.

Her parents are out of commission. It didn’t end well for them. Maríanne thinks about them sometimes but was mostly raised by her brother.

There are some extended family members in Mexico but some died during the revolution. But she has some aunts, uncles, and cousins still kicking!

MARÍ’S JOB:

Oh, yeah, it fluctuates. When she first arrived at Lackadaisy, she started working at the Daisy’s Cafe as a waitress. Taught Ivy the ropes when she came to work there.

Then to keep her mind busy, she becomes Mordecai’s assistant and does a bit of accounting (mostly in her head).

At the same time she starts to work out again and regains her strength, she catches the attention of Atlas. He put her as a trigger man but she always got hurt because she refuses to kill the enemies with a gun (this mentality won’t last forever) and only fights with her fists. She really tries Mordecai’s patience.

The last straw was when she took in a rival gang member and that’s when Mordecai insisted that she doesn’t join their trigger man ventures anymore. Of course, she is still brought along as extra muscle but only for negotiations, but she just cooks books with Mordecai for the most part.

DOES SHE KNOW ABOUT MARIGOLD?

Oh yeah. Yeah she does. When she finds about Mordecai joining them and betraying Lackadaisy, she’s pissed. Once she finds him, she tackles the hell out of him. After almost killing each other, they talked things out like civilized people (if pointing a shotgun and pistol at each other was civilized). They soon made a deal and allied with each other.

Onto her relationships!!

♣️

MARÍ’S RELATIONSHIPS/THOUGHTS Pt. 1:

Rocky 🎪🎭🎻:

As part of my “The Rattlesnake and the Jester” AU, they met on the road. After a few coincidences of meeting each other while Maríanne was traveling to Florida, they decided to stick with each other because why not, better than being alone. They do split off but not my by choice. Once they find each other again at Lackadaisy it was a joyous day!

They have a close relationship, always getting into trouble with each other. Performing together on the streets almost everyday made them in synch with each other, it frightens a lot of people when they mimic each other perfectly or say the same sentences at the same time. Chaotic in the streets and chaotic on the dance floors. Swear up and down, they can communicate telepathically by squishing their foreheads together. Their love is a little codependent (totally won’t backfire) but it’s a good one.

They act so stupid and goofy when they’re together, so much so it makes people underestimate them. Together they’re a dynamic duo and can swindle people in a heart beat with their combined charm. One moment you’re like “aww look how stupid they are” and next thing you know, whoops! Your wallet is gone. 🔥Partners in crime!🔥

Her first impressions of him: “He’s cute, funny, charismatic, weird, talkative, but I like it. I love hearing his frantic rambles and poetry, even though I don’t understand the bigger English words.”

Current thoughts: “I will die and fight for him (yep they’re getting together). I still think of him the same way but I understand his rambles now. I like joining in his chaos but I will pull it back once it gets too dangerous or it risks other people’s lives. He’s my safe space and wherever he goes, I follow. I don’t want to lose him again. “

Mordecai 🔪⏱️🔫:

Her mentor (Mordecai never agrees with it but it’s the truth). Back in New York, Marianne’s brother owned a shelter/soup kitchen where Mordecai and his family stopped by from time to time. Marianne’s brother hired Mordecai to be his accountant once he got to know him. Baby Maríanne always followed Mordecai around when he came to the shelter and watched him work. Despite being annoyed by this clingy little child, he’d let her watch because she stayed quiet.

During their prime lackadaisy era, it was no different. Maríanne would come into his office and watch him work or even help him (or tries to, she just ends up being more of an unpaid secretary instead of a fellow accountant cuz Mordecai is very picky).

First Thoughts-“I admire him and I aspire to be like him (people often wonder why). I try to adopt his menacing and stoic demeanor, but it never works. Next best thing is trying to be as agile and quick thinking as him. I really trusts in his advice and judgement. Often finding myself looking to him for answers but I’m not afraid to question them. He keeps me grounded and I’m grateful for the amount of times he kept my mind busy with work. Better than dwelling on the past. Occasionally, I fear him and fear for him. I don’t understand how he can be so cruel but I’m jealous on how quickly he can turn off his emotions. How does he sleep at night?”

Current thoughts: “Can I still trust him?”

Note- Think of Athena and Odysseus from Epic the Musical

Zib and the band🎺🎷🥁🎹🎻:

She loves them. They’ve helped her get through her toughest days and always went to them on her break. They’d sing and dance with each other to the annoyance of most. They f e e d into her gambling addiction (always tempted to gamble her house keys, cuz she believes she’s that good) and she always plays poker with the band. For fun she often plays their instruments, always reaching the trumpet more (iykyk). Marí always hangs with them until Mordecai has to drag her by the scruff to bring her back to work.

She’d mostly do some late night drinking with Zib and they both just wallow in self pity together. ✨Depressed drinking buddies✨ She’d often go to him to learn more about poetry and (before their reunion) would ask him to explain Rocky’s poems to her.

First Thoughts: “They’re fun! I understand why Mordecai refers to them as “lazy hooligans” but I always finds them as a place of peace to let loose. A bunch of talented cool cats! Deep down I want to sing with them on stage but the dance floor just calls to me.

Current thoughts: “They deserve better.”

Viktor 🔧⚒️🛻:

A friend but only talks to him on occasion. She know that Viktor pities her but she doesn’t take it to heart. Marí slightly fears him but sees him as a place to run when they’re creepy men tailing her.

First Thoughts: “Tall. Tall scary fluffy man. I find him incredibly intimidating but I want to be as strong as him. His unwavering strength encouraged me to get strong again. I always feel tempted to ask him to throw me at the enemies. Like a surprise attack! But he’d probably stare at me. I’m definitely going to use his stare as a negotiation tactic.”

Current thoughts: “I pity him.”

Sorry for the long post! Second part coming later today!

[fragmentedblade]

Not to be a jingfu on main, but it's so cute that Jing Yuan thought of Fu Xuan with those jelly beans

[eyepatchdate]

How do you get Bruce Wayne out of your life?

@abysskeeper Probably impossible for MY life, and equally impossible for the protagonist of this piece. AKA Weiss Schnee from RWBY.

I WILL make Icebat a real ship. And i WILL write a fic for it. Weiss Schnee/Bruce Wayne will be real. It IS real, as far as I'm concerned.

My whole premise for this is focusing first on Weiss' backstory and character (and how she is going to be for the DC Universe), since she's the most unique change I'm looking to make in the typical Batman mythos.

So I've inserted the Schnees as manufacturers and socialites in Gotham who were not one of the founding families, but still are known as old money and very well-established. (I do this so they can be inserted easily into the Court of Owls as members)

Weiss doesn't know the dark side of her family, but she has sniffed into things enough to know that she doesn't want to remain close to them, and that she envisions a very different life for herself. (I am undecided on if Winter escaped through the military like RWBY, or if she met a darker end at the hands of the Court--perhaps even being a Talon).

Regardless, Weiss basically disgraces herself as she rejects being the heir (which unknowingly saves her from being forced into the Court). Since she knows nothing, she isn't worth killing, and is merely a major disappointment, and is effectively blacklisted from all high society and business in Gotham.

She decides to try to use her voice, one of the only things she truly has left, to make her new life. She gets a few small jobs at bars and is able to sing for entertainment. Eventually, though, she ends up gaining the attention of Oswald Cobblepot. He knew her from both reputation and high society (when he himself was more permitted among the noncriminal elements), and he invites her to come under his employ at the Iceberg Lounge. He is still a known criminal, spending time in and out of Blackgate Prison, but he does have enough above-the-radar business that Weiss is willing to say yes. It helps that her situation is desperate.

So, she becomes the Ice Queen of the Iceberg Lounge. Bruce Wayne, who knew her from socialite life, is alarmed to learn she is now working for the Penguin, and is concerned that this girl he knew as a somewhat friend is possibly getting pulled down a bad path. He meets her, offers to help her himself, help she rejects. She is well aware how her family has been blacklisted, and she refuses to let that negatively affect Bruce or Wayne Enterprises. (Penguin, of course, is already blacklisted from such legitimate business himself--he loses nothing by employing her, and he actually *gains* a way to snub the high society life that has rejected him from even before he became a criminal).

Bruce still tries to help, to convince her to be somewhere else. She continues to resist, determined to make her own way, and to not make others suffer for her own dream of independence. That's where the story begins.

Eventually, Weiss will gain ice superpowers and become a vigilante, but that's a whole other part of the story. Also of note is that this takes place during the Jason Robin era, although I do think the story would continue beyond that as well, it just starts there.

Anyways, a scene, I've probably shown this one before to you, but the first time she runs into Batman and Robin is in the Iceberg Lounge, by accident (they are breaking in lmao):

also a bit i quite like, from Bruce talking to her:

[monsterblogging]

Links to Pacific Rim creator Travis Beacham's own posts on drift compatibility and drifting

Drift compatibility is psychological, not genetic

The better you know someone, the more likely you are to be drift compatible

Drift compatibility is potential, not fate

Drift compatibility can be a choice

Friendship is the foundation of drift compatibility

The drift requires trust

Trust is fundamental; also drift compatibility can be determined with anything that tests how well you can anticipate each others' moves

That even includes multiplayer video games

Many cadets wash out during Pons training when secrets come out in the drift and shatter their relationships

A lot of pilots get messed up by flinching over sexual thoughts

Trying to avoid thoughts just makes them worse

Not everything you see in the drift is always real; also the way to deal with thoughts is just let them flow by

Pilots communicate through "headspace"

Illustration of a conversation in headspace

First drifts can be very confusing, because partners don't understand each others' minds very well yet

The drift exposes pilots to each others' raw, unfiltered thoughts

Raleigh knew what Yancy was going to say

The drift doesn't let you read your partner's mind like a database, and you may not necessarily understand what you see. Also when Pentecost says he carries nothing into the drift he means he's calm and stable.

Pentecost gained this calmness through meditation

Trying to block your partner from your mind will make you lose control of the Jaeger

Pilots who fall below 90% sync will be in trouble

General information plus info on RABITs

You can chase your partner's RABIT

Another post confirming you can chase your partner's RABIT

More RABIT info

More general information

Travis Beacham defines ghost drifting

Partners' personalities can rub off on each other

Neural overload doesn't hit you all at once; it accumulates

The time a pilot can go solo varies, and it's a steep curve from fine to dead

More info on solo piloting

Being high in the drift probably makes it harder to avoid chasing the RABIT

[whyissupernaturaltrending]

May 16-20, 2024 - DJ Qualls and Ty Olsson are getting married!

"(...) And then, Ty and I were- became, like, inseparable at the very beginning. Like, just immediately, and over the last ten years our relationship evolved to what it is today, and now we're getting married. It's just so crazy that this person who was just my friend, now I think about all the time and he sends me the best messages and he supports me and loves me unconditionally in the right way. Because I would never abuse that. (...) And now we're going to be old men together."

DJ Qualls (Garth in Supernatural), was recently in a podcast "Locked and Probably Loaded with DJ and Kelly" (YouTube link & Spotify link) discussing his experience with Supernatural and his friendships with various cast members. He also talked about his relationship with Ty Olsson (Benny and Eli in Supernatural) and mentioned that they were getting married (quote above).

DJ also recently responded to a congrats tweet [x]:

And to some other tweets as well [x] [x] (and this):

On the podcast, DJ talked about how he'd initially declined the offer to play Garth and it took a bit to convince him. And he ended up finding some of the most amazing friends and his future husband.

Congratulations!

May 18 update: Misha Collins has congratulated the couple on twitter which gained some traction [x]. The post was liked by both DJ and Ty. Stands also had something to say in light of people not realising sooner [x]. She admitted however that she hadn't known about the new until recently herself.

[deepestdelulu]

Learning to love yourself ౨ৎ

Celebrate yourself. Every accomplishment deserves to be acknowledged, no matter how big or small. Stop putting yourself down by thinking that you don't deserve to celebrate your achievements just because others have accomplished "greater things." Also, there is so much fun in hyping small wins; call your girlfriend, bake a cake, and enjoy yourself!!

Invest time in things that you love. Doing what makes you happy is essential for your mental health. It's so important to pursue one's small and simple pleasures without the intention of turning them into profit!!

Boundaries and relationships. Learn to say no, define and set boundaries, question your current relationships and friendships, and distance yourself from people who make you feel unloved or worthless.

Allow yourself to grow. Let go of the notion that you are undeserving of growth. Acknowledge the past for what it is, learn from it, and grow from it.

Refelct. Getting to know yourself deeply is key to self-love; journaling is a great way to reflect. Ask yourself questions, question your habits, observe how you respond in certain situations, etc...

Trust yourself and your intuition. Listen to yourself, and don't dismiss the small cues that your inner voice gives you!!

Care for yourself. It is not selfish to look after yourself. Start exercising, eat balanced and healthy, stay hydrated, educate yourself, read complex literature, consume media mindfully, prioritise your sleep and routines, care for your skin and hair...

Be patient. Self-love takes time; you must slowly unpack and unlearn past habits, confront uncomfortable thoughts and memories, and gain a deep understanding of yourself. Give yourself time and approach this as a journey to enjoy. <3

[imbecominggayer]

Writing Advice: How To Trauma

In seeing the recent explosion of my "How To Write Trauma With Humanity" post, I have decided to jump back into this topic!

This cute post will be covering how to write complicated individuals with Trauma. From the good, the bad, and especially the ugly since people tend to assume that victimhood is inherently seperated from assholehood

A) Being A Person And Afraid

In my experience, the majority of people with trauma have simultaneously existing fears and desires that often contradict, complicate, or outright hurt themselves.

I call them "fear combinations"

It's these fear combinations that cause people with trauma to often act in ways that seem confusing to outsiders.

For example, the person that's always on the hunt for a relationship but whenever an opportunity for romance strikes, they create relationship havok so the relationship can end

Or a person tries to always sincerely bring attention to themselves but whenver the attention is on them, they just shrug it off as not being worthy of it

This behavior seems kinda weird until you stop to take a closer look at their psyche.

Example 1 is based off of my character, Monday Vũ who has a tendency of jumping into relationships with a sincere desire to find romance until the honeymoon period ends as Monday realizes that if the relationship continues they might have to settle down, forgo their entire identity, and all of their freedom. Then they sabotage the relationship under the guise that it's a selfless endeavour.

Example 2 is based off my character, Niko Preyr who uses grand public gestures and his friendships to prop himself up as a person to be known but if you ever spoke to him then you would quickly see one of the most insecure yet attention-hungry individuals you have ever seen.

"Fear Combinations" are an excellent device in making your characters complex. In my opinion, the trauma-writing scene is just a little bit too neat in it's displays of trauma. It's too logical. It doesn't feel real to my personal experiences.

"he has trust issues because of trauma" What if he also had issues with being clingy to people he sees as trust-worthy?

What if your characters weren't so easy to understand? But I hear you wondering.

How? How do these people manifest such confusing behavior? Why should I add this into my characters?

I'll tell you

B) Instinct Vs Terror, Fighting Against Yourself

In my opinion, "fear combinations" are either caused by the distortion of a human fear or the event in which an intrinsic desire is contrasted against a "survival method".

Humans are born with certain "intrinsic" fears and desires. Humans are born with a desire for belonging, a desire for vulnerability, a desire for self-fulfillment, a desire for independence, a desire for security in themselves.

And with desire comes the fear of "missing out". The fear that you want something that everyone wants but for some reason you won't be able to get it. The fear that you'll loose it. And the fear that your desire might put you into danger. What if you get rejected? What if you never find that group? What if you never find freedom?

In not-traumatized individuals, while it may take some introspection, people can and often do reconcile their fears and desires in a movie-montage when they're children with the help of a strong support system.

In traumtized individuals, what tends to happen is that either the fear of lose and the fear of gain tend to be increased to unpredencented levels

Either that, or a lack of a strong support system doesn't allow the child to safely confront their fears in order to get what they want.

This causes "fear combination"

Niko Preyr has the natural desire to be validated as "good", as "special", as "worthy". A desire we are all born with. However, his upbringing convinced him that he is underserving of what we all need. This causes Niko Preyr to use attention as validation. However whenever he receives this attention, his gifted fear that he is undeserving causes him to reject the attention. But he continues searching for attention to serve that need for validation. A hellish cycle.

Monday Vũ has two understandable fears that we all have. The fear of losing two necessary things: indepedence and security. Monday fears being abandoned, fears being engulfed into relationships. While children and adults can often reconcile those fears in their childhood through a strong support system, Monday never had that. Instead she had her father who emotionally left her and her mother who literally left her. Monday only had herself to rely on, at least thats how she felt. And now, as an adult, Monday wants to fulfill that desire we all have. To be loved. To be connected. But she's afraid. Afraid of being blindsided. Afraid of not having the last laugh. Afraid of being apart of something.

What if that loner wolf found someone who they think is perfect. Someone worthy of their trust. Do you really think that all those years of yearning for love, for connection, are just going to be smothered when they have the perfect person to unleash their childish, half-developed, horrifying emotions onto?

But what next? After we have our character's contradictory fears and desires, after we have the justification for why they feel like this, what's next?

It's this:

C) Self-Destructive Habits: Why We Understand And Can't Change

Let me tell you, unless in very specific conditions such as certain personality disorders and so on, people tend to understand that their behavior is foolish, illogical, and hurting other people.

Monday knows that betraying other people, hurting their trust and faith in their relationships, and entering relationships when she understands her history is bad. It makes her a bad person.

Niko knows that their habits are actively hurting their chances at finding worth.

That "Lone Wolf" understands, deep down, that no single person can handle the high expectations and emotions.

They know it because they can see it. Many times. Monday can see that characters in movies who have their relationship history tend to be casted as the antagonist. Niko can hear the gossip. That "Lone Wolf" can see the way that their loved ones cracked under the pressure and guilt.

So why do they do it? It feeds into their idea of the world. It feeds into what they want to be perceived as. It feeds into their stagnancy.

If Monday can ignore how they hurt others, then they can live under the Martyr label for the rest of their life without having to come to term with the fact that this isn't selflessness, it's called being pathetic.

If Niko can ignore how deep that hurt goes, then they never have to actually make the effort to change. To take that potential and make themselves into something. To be responsible.

If "Lone Wolf" can ignore how nobody can meet their expectations without crumbling down, then they use everyone's failure to feed into their cynical, self-hating notion of how nobody's trustworthy. How they don't have the responsibility of being considerate.

[aphrodeiities]

ꜱᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ʜᴏᴜꜱᴇ ʀᴜʟᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏᴜꜱᴇꜱ

follow for more content!

and i wanted to be kind and leave three mores spot for someone for a chart reading, £30 for any type of chart reading.

PREVIOUS

♇ what is a ruler in astrology?

♇ a ruler in astrology is a planetary ruler, a planet that rules over the sign that takes over a house, for example, someone with capricorn in their second house, will have saturn as their second house ruler.

♇ my second house is ruled by saturn, and saturn is placed in my seventh house in astrology.

♇ 2H RULER IN THE 1H ⟶ self value means a lot to them. distinct/nice voice can become famous for that. family-oriented or known as the most selfish family member. beauty and money oriented. very stubborn but beautiful, can imply that romance and communication is important to native.

♇ 2H RULER IN THE 2H ⟶ can be self-centred, being someone who is vocal. can be someone who is frugal as well. might like to sing, cook and create are. stubborn. could be obsessed with future spouse and can be someone who likes to many money. can be very sensual/sexual.

♇ 2H RULER IN THE 3H ⟶ very communicative. slow speakers or likes to take time to make their point. can be someone who likes to make quick money. pretty hands and hand writing. can be manipulative. values intelligent and siblings and cousins. spends money on food and travelling. beautiful relatives and pretty/loud neighbourhood.

♇ 2H RULER IN THE 4H ⟶ values family and order. very emotionally distant and private. very secretive and easily hurt. can be someone who is protective, and might become the money-maker of the family. being someone who has a nice aesthetic, and might sound like your mother, or a prominent female figure in the family.

♇ 2H RULER IN THE 5H ⟶ very creative people. superstars and values talent. could value children and be very protective over them. or could value healing the inner child. very intelligent and educated. very sexual and can value romance and sex. could moan loud during sex or could like listening to hot audios.

♇ 2H RULER IN THE 6H ⟶ troubles with eating. gym/health freak. can value order and good health. might like to speak on the phone a lot and can be someone who could love pets or animals in general. being someone who likes to win as well, very competitive souls. but can be critical or someone who fishes for compliments to other people.

♱ 2H RULER IN THE 7H ⟶ money from partners or business partnerships. can value connections with friends, family and people in general. can have a nice/airy voice, family relationship might've impacted how you behave in relationships. might love to buy aesthetically pleasing stuff and can be known to be pretty.

♱ 2H RULER IN THE 8H ⟶ very private and guarded people. family secrets can change them. gaining finances through spouse or a will. can be be intimate and values intimacy. secret siblings/family members. sensual voices, known for voice acting or even singing. could also be mean if they wanted to.

♱ 2H RULER IN THE 9H ⟶ values intelligence and travelling. could like to be flattered. being someone who could like to trade with other people. can be someone who values philosophy or having faith in something. people believing in them helps them become more confident, another placement where someone fishes for compliments all the time. can gain money through creative writing or directing. can have a big ego as well.

♱ 2H RULER IN THE 10H ⟶ popular business moguls. can be a famous vocal actress or actor. up-front person. nice deep/commanding voice. authoritative person, someone who values career, discipline and reputation. can be very self-involved and controlling. prominent financial life. coming from a respectable or known family.

♱ 2H RULER IN THE 11H ⟶ popular friends, values friendship and being independent. gaining money from the internet or through networking. distinct voices might sound animated. can be a humanitarian. weird food taste, found family core. being someone who loves privacy and charity. people are curious about your family, how you earn money. could have a wealthy future, or wealthy friends.

♱ 2H RULER IN THE 12H ⟶ drains through money. retail therapy. struggles with food. might be paranoid. light voices but shady people. unexpected talent, people are surprised whenever they're good at something. a family member might've gone to prison/been behind bars. manifestors. could be interested in the fae, could have dreamy beauty. might disappear a lot, and can be delusional.

masterlist

and i wanted to be kind and leave three mores spot for someone for a chart reading, £30 for any type of chart reading.

[darnell-la]

FRIENDS & CUFFS

summary: y/n has only been curious about Eddie’s handcuffs after they began dating. she wondered why he never used them on her, and at first, long told her she didn’t know anything about that life. she soon found out that Eddie had a lot to teach her.

warnings: quick friends to lovers storyline, making out, fem receiving oral from male, reader weakens after orgasm, slight innocent reader, drug dealer Eddie (not really mentioned), rough sex, bondage (Eddie’s handcuffs/chains), missionary, doggy, no protection, crying, whining, a lot of male noises, pet names, chocking, etc.

note: we haven’t done an Eddie Munson fan fiction in a while. we still love him, so, there will be more. more stranger things in general. you see what I did there? — nevermind.

———

Steve nearly asked Eddie every day since he graduated, when he was going to make a move on y/n. He hated watching the two drink and get close, yet never make a move.

When people would ask them if they were together, or assume, anyone could tell they the nervousness entered the room.

Not too long ago, y/n and Eddie finally made a move. It seemed so perfect how they both leaned in to feel each other’s lips.

“I think we should stop — You’re drunk, and it’s getting late,” Eddie whispered after y/n stopped fake fighting on top of him. “What if I won’t want to sleep just yet?” Y/n asked, a bit shy, but the alcohol in her body, helped her gain confidence.

“You’re drinks, princess, and I’m not. I don’t want you to regret this, and mess our friendship up,” Eddie said, really wanting to taste her, but she was afraid of showing what he’s been wanting to do with her.

“A kiss could never ruin our friendship, Eddie,” y/n said, slightly sounding desperate as her eyes could barely stay open. “Wanna do more than just kiss you, y/n,” Eddie admitted.

Y/n’s heart skipped a beat at what her best friend said. She thought she was the only one who wanted to experiment with him. She felt nasty, but now, she felt loose.

The two both crashed on each other’s lips, making g out rough but passionate. None of them have kissed like this before. They would’ve never mixed their saliva like this with anyone, but because it’s them, they wanted to do much more.

The night ended with y/n halfway passed out, and Eddie’s face resting on y/n’s thigh, dripping juice from y/n’s throbbing heat. “So good for me — I wanna get used to this,”

Now, the two are dating, happier than ever, but y/n has been curious lately. She didn’t pay much attention when they were just friends, but now that they’re dating, she thought about Eddie’s handcuffs.

Most partners would be jealous, but y/n? She was curious. She thought to herself plenty of times how he would use them on her, and why he hadn’t done it yet. They’ve only been sexual for a short time, but if he were kinky like that, why wouldn’t he mention it?

“You good, sweetheart?” Eddie asked after turning to his girlfriend who seemed to be daydreaming. “Yeah, I was just thinking,” y/n said, not knowing if she should bring this up as a conversation so soon her their relationship.

“What is it? What were you thinking about?” The metalhead asked as he leaned back on his bed, taking his eyes off the weed he was pre-rolling for his rich customers who couldn’t do it on their own.

“So, uh — I noticed the handcuffs, and I was curious,” y/n said as she stared at the cuffs that were basically chains, dangling from a hook in his wall. She knew that had to be for something sexual.

“Hey, y/n, look — I swear on my uncle, I’ve never used them in anyone, and never planned to. I just liked the thought of them near me. I’ve even thought about you in them,” Eddie spoke quietly, a bit embarrassed by his truth.

“Oh, wait, I wasn’t jealous or anything. I just was curious on why you didn’t use them on me yet,” y/n said, making Eddie's eyes widen. For the longest, he had thought y/n was innocent, and she was. She was just open-minded when it came to her boyfriend.

“You’re not ready for that, princess,” Eddie chuckled lightly. “Why not?” Y/n asked, a bit offended as she crossed her arms. “Being restrained means you can’t do anything. I don’t think that it’s a good idea to put you in something like that, knowing you’d wanna get out,”

“What do you mean, want to get out? I can take it,” y/n said, only making the man laugh. “You can’t even take me slow in doggy. What makes you think you can take me deep up front with your pretty hands cuffed?”

Eddie shifted in the bed to cup y/n’s chin, slightly teasing her because they both knew she wasn’t a taker. Especially with his length.

“I-I can take it — It’s not even that bad,” y/n said, making Eddie throw himself back onto his bed with a loud laugh, knowing his uncle wasn’t home to tell him to shut the hell up.

“What!? You’re mean as fuck, you know?” Y/n said as she kept her arms crossed. “Oh, really, baby? I’m sorry, it’s just — You’re a comedian,” Eddie kept laughing, only making y/n roll her eyes.

“C’mon, I’m just pullin’ your tit, baby,” Eddie leaned up to hug y/n, but she moved away. “Babe, don’t start this. I was just kidding,” Eddie tried hugging y/n again, but this time she pushed him away. Of course, not too hard. She was just being dramatic.

“And, that’s why we can’t do what you wanna do. You can’t even handle being picked on a little bit,” Eddie said as he pushed at y/n’s shoulder lightly, slightly feeling bad for what he did.

“Whatever, I’ll be fine,” y/n said, making y/n sigh as he rolled his eyes. “Fine — We can use em, but ion wanna hear none of that cryin', okay?” Eddie jumped off of the bed to get his handcuffs that had dust all over them.

“Really?” Y/n asked, a bit excited, but knowing she wouldn’t be too excited soon. “Ah huh, but only one rule,” Eddie said with a smirk as he untangled the chains. “Yeah?” Y/n innocently asked, not knowing how quick of a turn this would take.

“The only thing stopping me, is our safe word,” before y/n could agree with a smile, Eddie lunged at her, grabbing her quest roughly to cuff them as quick as possible.

“Hey,” y/n said with an eye roll, not knowing he’d get in the mood this fast. “Not a word from you, princess. Let’s see how good you think you can take it,” Eddie said as he placed the chains where they needed to be.

Seeing y/n in this sight, made him harder than he thought he could get. She was always beautiful, but seeing her innocent body slightly retrained, knowing she was actually ready for what was coming, made him want to burst then and there.

“Always thought about tying you up at school. I was a little perv-nerd when it came to you, princess. You always looked and smelled so good — Had to keep myself from throwing you in my van with your hands and legs tied,”

Eddie was in an emotion he couldn’t control. He was either not sure about putting his pretty girl through this, or he was getting too dark to the point he would black out and not remember anything he’d do to her tonight.

“Pretties thighs — Pretties body — Pretties fucking face,” Eddie slightly growled as he gripped y/n’s face. The younger girl whined with huge eyes, feeling her heat get wet.

“I know, baby — Hearts probably rising. Maybe a hint of fear, knowing you can’t get loose — Don’t worry. You know, I’ll take good care of you,”

Eddie quickly began tugging on y/n’s clothes until parts of her showed more than before. She had already had her night dress in, so exposing her bra-covered breast was easy.

“You sure you want this y/n because, fuck — I won’t be able to stop myself,” Eddie warned as he climbed on top of y/n, pulling her dress up as she slightly moved at his cold hands grazing her skin.

“U-Use me — Please,” y/n stuttered, not knowing if she should’ve said it. “What’s the safe word?” Eddie asked in a stern tone. “Red,” y/n said, feeling her heart raise. This was actually happening, and she only had to question him once.

“Good girl,” Eddie grunted as he reached into his jeans to pull himself out. “And, that’s the only thing I wanna hear from you tonight,” Eddie said as he pulled y/n’s panties to the side.

“I-I’ll try,” y/n spoke, making Eddie shake his head with a chuckle. “You’re always doing a terrible job. Just means I’ll have to start off rough,” before anything, Eddie doubly pushed through y/n’s walls, causing her to cry out in pain and pleasure.

“Yeah? You feel that? Feel how deep I am inside of you? I told you doggy would be the only position you could truly handle — This is next level,” Eddie couldn’t stop but grin down at the struggles woman.

“S-So much,” y/n whined low, only making Eddie shush her. “Nah uh, what did I say? Didn’t I say to keep that pretty mouth closed? Hm? — You’re the one who wanted this, so accept the journey,”

Eddie grabbed both sides of y/n’s waist before pushing down onto the mattress. Y/n knew he was positioning himself to fuck her rough. He’s never gone too rough, but she asked for it tonight.

“Hush it up, princess — You wanted it,” Eddie continued saying as he pounded down into y/n, going the deepest he could get at the start of his session. After being handcuffed, there would be no room for taking it slow.

“E-Eddie,” y/n cried out as she pulled one of her restraints. At times, she’d forget that she wouldn’t be able to get out. “Wanna break free? Keep trying, princess — Makes this so much hotter,” Eddie growled with a smile, looking down at the way y/n pulled on the chains.

“This is the tightest you’ve ever been — The way you’re soaking around me, only makes me closer,” Eddie felt himself twitch. He didn’t want to cum this quick, but it didn’t matter. He’s always been able to keep going.

“Eddie- Eddie, you — The condoms. You forgot the condoms,” y/n took forever to say what she was trying to say. “Oh, really? Guess that’s your luck, hm?” Eddie leaned in front of y/n’s face.

Deep down, Eddie felt bad for slipping into her without protection. He had completely forgotten, but he didn’t want to get out of character. He had to somehow make sure y/n was 100% with what was going on.

“Tell me you want me to stop. Tell me. Tell me!” Eddie slightly yelled as he snapped his hips, wanting to keep his work going. He could feel the way she fluttered around him. She was so close.

“Too much, Eds — I’m gonna cum,” y/n made the mistake of telling him how close she was. “And, you want me to stop? When you’re so close? C’mon,” Eddie leaned into y/n’s ear so she could hear his groans better.

The room was filled with wet slaps, whining, growling, and a bunch is cuss words from Eddie. He couldn’t keep himself together. This situation was too much for him. He was going to explode.

“E-Eddie, slow down — Please,” y/n tried begging the man, but he wouldn’t listen. Why would he? She hadn’t used the safe word yet. “Want me to slow down?” Eddie asked as he leaned up.

“Yes, yes,” y/n huffed, surprised he actually slowed down. She had thought he got soft, but little did she know, he was just getting a short break. “Want me to be nicer? Take it easy on you?” He asked as he softly placed his hands around her neck.

“Please-“ y/n was cut off by the grip of his hands. “Then you asked the wrong one to chain you up, sweetheart,” Eddie spat before he began slamming into her, making the young lady cry out instantly.

“E-Eds! C-Can’t anymore — I can’t!” Y/n kicked and arched her back, trying to control herself, but her cunt continued to squeeze around Eddie, only assuring him that he was doing exactly what she wanted. Using her.

“That’s it — Keep struggling — You’re going nowhere, and this isn’t even the beginning — I have so many loads I’ve been wanting to empty into you,” Eddie tightened his grip a bit more to hear her struggle for air.

For a second, Eddie thought he might have been going too far tonight. Quickly handcuffing her, saying mean things, pinning her down, and fucking get rougher than he’s ever done.

The only thing that helped him was her words. She never once came close to the word red. She would’ve said it by now, and she would never come to him later and say she was uncomfortable. Y/n wasn’t like that.

That’s how Eddie knew y/n probably enjoyed this more than him. She loved faking that she needed him to stop. He even saw a small pour from her when he slowed down a few minutes ago.

“C-Cumming — Cunming,” y/n’s body stiffened before she shook. “That’s it- That’s it — Fucking take it,” the older man growled as he pounded her, wanting her juice to splash anywhere it could.

“Ian stoppin’ either, baby — Told you to keep that fucking mouth shut, didn’t I?” Eddie asked, but y/n didn’t answer. Her eyes were landing everywhere but on him. She felt out of it already.

“Didn’t I!?” The man shouted as he shook y/n by her neck to catch her attention. “S-Sorry,” tears streamed from her eyes, upset at herself for not taking it like she swore she could.

Right as Eddie went to assure her that she was fine, she spoke, shocking him.

“I-I’ll be good, I promise. Please cum in me. D-Don’t pull out and punish me,” she cried. “I’ll do anything, Eds, just- Please, use me,”

“Jesus’s H. Christ,” Eddie huffed as he pulled out. He quickly turned his girlfriend around, knowing the chains were long enough for her to be comfortable. He took no time to push back in her, roughly, with a warning.

Y/n wanted to speak out loud to thank him, he she kept quiet. She wanted to be good like she promised.

“You’re just a slut, y/n — A dirty fucking slut, and I knew it from how you dressed at parties — You always got drunk before you sat on my lap, facing me- Dragging that pretty pussy across my clothes cock — Swore you even stained my jeans, once,”

Y/n whined, happy that he noticed his much she wanted him before they got together. Yeah, a bit of embarrassment was felt, but the thought of being caught was what made her close to another orgasm.

“You’re in for a ride with me, princess. Especially after I coat these walls,”

[togeppys]

the waiting game ;

tsukishima kei x reader

reader is childhood friends with tsukki, and has an ongoing bit where she'll ask him out periodically. she's grown used to him saying no, and doesn't expect it when he actually says yes.

You would easily consider Tsukishima Kei your closest friend. You grew up on the same street, went to the same schools, and were in the same class on multiple occasions, so your frequent proximity had forced the two of you to become very familiar with one another. Though he had a personality that others may find sour, knowing him for so long meant that you had seen every version of him, and knew that there was more to him than the reputation that he had gained. Sure, he was arrogant and standoffish a vast majority of the time, but you knew that he was also kind and considerate towards those he cared about. 

You didn't think that it was possible to gain feelings for a friend so close to you, but over the years you couldn't help but find yourself growing more and more intrigued with the idea of being in a relationship with your best friend. You cherished the friendship that the two of you had, but you couldn't help but wish that it could blossom into something more. Even as a child, you knew you wanted to make a move, but were held back by the fear that he would take it negatively, and you would lose a friend that meant the world to you. Sure, you both had other friends outside of each other, but a life without Tsukishima Kei by your side was not something you wanted to risk. 

The first time you asked him out was a joke to test the waters. The situation had been perfectly laid out for you, so you figured you might as well give it an attempt. 

At twelve years old, you, Tsukki, and your deskmates sat chatting about how White Day was approaching, with some members of the conversation more enthusiastic than others. One boy excitedly announced that he had started dating another girl in the class, and was planning on surprising her with candy on the special day. One by one, each of the boys rattled off who they wanted to give a present on the holiday, while the girls helped pitch ideas on how they could make their surprises even better. 

"Who are you getting a present for, Tsukishima?" a voice sounded next to you, a bright eyed girl addressing the one member of the circle who had not made a contribution. 

Tsukki stared blankly at her, before shaking his head, "No one, I don't have a girlfriend." 

The boy seated next to him accusingly pointed a finger in his direction. "There's gotta be someone you want to get a gift for. It's White Day, this is your chance to get one!" 

Your best friend scoffed, folding his arms in defiance. "It's a made up holiday, and a girlfriend right now would be a waste of time and money. Why would I buy chocolates for someone I don't have any interest in?" 

Sounds of protest came from everyone sitting at the table. Upon hearing his thoughts, you supposed that should have been a clear enough answer to whether or not he had an interest in anyone, but you couldn't help but think that he was only staying quiet because you were present at the table. While somewhat disappointed, you knew that this was your chance to prod him further and get a more concrete answer.

"Date me, I'm your best friend and I'll gladly take the chocolates," you half-joked, trying to play it off as cool as a twelve year old possibly could.

Your answer came quickly, not in the form of an answer, but in the ease of him brushing you off, not even considering the possibility that you could genuinely mean what you had just said. 

"I'm not getting anything for anyone, find someone else to buy your chocolates." 

Following that conversation, it had been a whole year before you took another chance at proposing the idea of a relationship, fearing that you would be shot down once again. It was a similar situation; the environment had given you the chance to casually slide the idea into the conversation, and you couldn't give up the opportunity. 

You and now-thirteen-year-old Tsukishima Kei stood in a convenience store on your way home from school, picking out snacks after you had spent a long day with your clubs at school. You were in the art club and had to take home a painting that you had done on a disproportionately large canvas. As you decided you wanted a barbecue pork bun, Tsukki picked yours up on your behalf, seeing as your hands were fully occupied with your artwork. Standing at the till, he gave the payment to the store owner, an elderly man with a strong gaze, and took the bag that was handed to him in return. 

"Young man, why don't you give the food to your girlfriend and carry that massive painting for her instead?" the elderly man chimed as the two of you began to pull away from the counter. 

Both your eyes widened, and you could see that the taller boy's cheeks had gone slightly red at being criticized by the man before you, along with the realization that you had been incorrectly identified as his girlfriend. He opened his mouth in protest, but the store owner gave him a pointed look, forcing him to place the bag back on the counter and take the painting from your arms. A large grin broke out on your face as you picked up the buns and gave the man a toothy smile while the two of you gave him a small bow before exiting the store. 

"That's more like it," you heard the owner's voice carry from behind you as the doors to exit the store chimed while you walked into the evening air. 

The second you were out of earshot of the man, you broke out into laughter, immediately turning to the boy who had turned an even deeper shade of red. 

"Hear that Kei? Carry the massive painting for your girlfriend," you mocked, taking your bun out of the bag and taking a bite, ensuring to make a grand show of the amount of freedom your arms had in that moment. 

"Tsk," was the only response heard from the boy as he turned his face away from you to try and hide the red that was slowly disappearing from his cheeks. 

"I say we should start dating so that you can become my personal artwork carrier," you quipped as you skipped ahead of him along your path. 

"Never going to happen," his voice sounded from behind you, unamused. 

"Go out with me!" you called back, continuing to skip ahead of him. 

"No." 

That incident had begun the joke that ran between the two of you. You would ask him out, and he would respond with some form of deadpan denial. Your friends had grown accustomed to it, expecting you to make the joke from time to time. On the days you spent with both Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, the shorter boy would even occasionally play along. 

"What in the world is that poster for?" you asked one day, noting an obnoxiously coloured poster stuck to a pole near the corner where you and Tsukishima split off from Yamaguchi on your paths home. 

"A couples dancing competition," the green haired boy read off with a laugh. 

"I wonder what the turnout would be, based on how ugly that poster is," your best friend commented, leaning forward to get a better look at the image before the three of you. 

"The two of you should sign up," Yamaguchi responded jokingly, matching the smile that was growing across your face, "It would be a sight." 

"You're so right, both of our incredibly above average dancing skills would blow the competition away," you joked, "the only thing we're missing is being an actual couple." 

"I'm not going out with you." 

"It was worth a shot." 

As you grew older, the two of you continued to remain best friends. You had shared sentiments over schoolwork, had jokes shared between each other, and you knew the ins-and-outs of each others' lives. You were closer than ever, but the fact that you two had only grown closer meant that it hurt even more that the two of you wouldn't be anything more than friends. As far as you were concerned, he only thought of you as a cherished friend, and all the times you had asked him out were nothing more than a gimmick resulting from a comfort level obtained from your level of friendship. You loved having him as a friend, but as you grew older and more mature, your feelings grew with you, and your childhood crush developed into infatuation with the boy living down the street. 

When high school came around, you both joined Karasuno together, acknowledging that it made sense for you to attend the same school once again. After the incident when you were thirteen, he had formed a habit of helping you carry your larger paintings on the walk home, and in turn you feigned some interest in the volleyball club, hearing what he and Yamaguchi had to say about their matches. 

When the boys volleyball team qualified for the finals of their tournament, you joined your school in supporting your two friends as they faced the top school in the prefecture. You were one of many loud voices cheering the boys on, though you liked to believe that amongst them all, you were cheering the loudest. When Tsukishima made the first block against the opposing ace, you felt a burning pride to see the boy you liked finally begin to show some emotion on the court, your excitement visible from the stands. 

Though you didn't understand the game well, it had you on your toes; everything that took place was crucial to the boys' success in the game. So encapsulated by the gameplay, and cheering on the series of blocks that Tsukki had done only moments before, you were confused when murmurs started to pass through the crowd and the players began to crowd around the tall blonde. It took a few seconds for you to realize that he was injured and was gripping his hand while the others spoke to him. Concerned, you left your spot amongst your classmates and approached his brother, who had a matching look of concern etched upon his face. 

"Akiteru, did you see what happened? Is Kei injured?" you questioned, standing next to the older Tsukishima brother. 

"I hope not," he muttered back, eyes carefully watching what was going on below. 

You both watched intently as your friend wrapped a towel around his hand and began to walk towards the gymnasium exit.

"C'mon, let's go see what happened," he stated, as you both left the stands along with the first-year Karasuno manager to go meet his younger brother. Walking down the steps you could feel the anxious energy radiating off of all of you, and you tried to shake it off so that the injured boy would not sense it too. The three of you met him outside the doors of the gym. 

"Kei, are you okay?" you asked, somewhat redundantly; of course he wasn't 'okay' if he was leaving the game because of an injury. 

"I'm fine," he quipped back, trying to act more nonchalant than you could tell he felt inside. You observed your friend as he had a back and forth with his brother over his physical state. He commented on how it was nice to rest after all the sets- you could tell that there was some truth to the statement, but you could also see that he had finally found his groove, and really wanted to be back in the game. As he began to walk away, you could see the frustration emanating from his stance, and you and his brother decided to follow him and the older manager to the infirmary.

You ran up to catch him, and walked alongside Tsukki, Kiyoko and Akiteru. You walked in silence, knowing that the middle blocker was busy ruminating on the events of the game, and could only think of getting back on the court, despite his efforts to pretend otherwise. As the four of you arrived at the infirmary, you sat beside him and the two others stood near the door behind you while the nurse took a look at his hand. You could tell that he was scared that the nurse would announce his hand was too severely injured and he would have to sit out the remainder of the match. 

To try and ease some of the nerves that he would be feeling, you grabbed his non-injured hand and gave it a small squeeze. 

"I'm sure it's fine and you'll be back soon," you whispered so that only he could clearly hear, "and once you get back, you'll win the game and go to nationals." 

You gave him a small encouraging smile, finally meeting his eyes, and for a few moments the boy did nothing but stare back at you. 

After a short pause he finally responded with a nod, "I hope so," before dropping his eyes as the nurse analyzed and dressed his wounds. The remainder of the visit, you four sat in silence, the volleyball player evidently deep in thought over what he would do when he returned to the match, however his eyes occasionally fluttered away, as if something were distracting him.

Soon, his finger had been wrapped and immobilized, and the nurse announced that he would be allowed to return to the game. The four of you sprung up, and began jogging back to the gym, Tsukki slightly out-pacing the rest of you. You and Akiteru stood by the doors as the other two ran to the coach to explain his condition and request that he be put back in the game. You and the other Tsukishima brother ran back up to the stands to watch upon seeing him take a seat on the bench, the substitution card in his hand. 

You watched as the remainder of the match unfolded, Tsukki back on the floor, knowing that he was still in pain though he tried to hide it. You didn't think it was possible, but you were even more captivated by the game in front of you, every movement drawing you closer and closer to the edge of your seat, more and more in awe of your best friend’s tenacity. When the final point was scored and Karasuno were announced as the winners, you jumped out of your seat, cheers and hollers all around you as your entire section cheered on the victory of your school's team. 

The victory party had begun, with Karasuno staff and students overjoyed alike, excitement filling the air. The team bowed to your cheering section, and you let out more cheers to your two friends before you. You first made eye contact with Yamaguchi, who had found you in the crowd sooner and you gave him a smile and a thumbs up to show your congratulations. Noticing his teammate's line of vision, your best friend found you as well and you beamed even more, changing your thumbs up into a heart that you made with both your hands. You could almost hear the half-laugh, half-scoff that came from the boy as he immediately turned away from your antics. You couldn't help but laugh as well when you turned away from your seat and started to join the crowd that had begun to trickle out of the stands. 

When everyone had finished mingling in the lobby, you excused yourself from your other friends to go greet the volleyball players who were dispersed outside the gym. You easily spotted the blond head of hair that stood taller and slightly apart from his teammates, the green-haired boy nowhere in sight. 

You decided that the best course of action to get his attention was to launch yourself at his back. So you did, and he let out a yelp as he caught you behind him, a small exasperated laugh being let out. You let go of him and gave him a proper hug, but from the front, despite his protests. 

"What did I say, go back soon, win the game, go to nationals," you said matter-of-factly, pointing a joking finger in his face once you had finally freed him of the hug, "I think I can see the future."

"I mean we were already so close to winning, the prediction was right in your face," the boy responded sassily, obviously trying to get back at your outrageous remark. 

"I don't know, I think I have a gift," you continued joking, "I'll show up to all of the nationals games and start predicting who's going to win, just you wait and see." 

"There are too many games going on, you'd never go to them all," the boy responded, trying to shut down your new aspirations. 

"No, I'll do it, just you wait and see. I'll go to all of yours too, up until you win it all." 

"You'd look like a stalker, the crazy fan of Karasuno who won't leave us alone." 

"Hmm... no," you responded back, "The best course of action is for us to start dating because then I would no longer be a crazed fan and instead a loyal girlfriend there to support my boyfriend." 

"Mhm okay." 

"And then if anyone asks I could just say that I... wait did you just say okay?" 

You had continued on your rambling, so focused on the dumb situation that you had thought up, that you had completely failed to notice the boy's response, or the way that he had been looking at you since the moment you had met him outside the gym. 

He now stood, smiling smugly at you, and you realized that while you had been going on and on, he had been looking down at you, a newfound admiration on his face. You couldn't say when exactly the change had been made, but you realized now that he was looking at you in a way that he had never once before, and you began to feel the butterflies in your stomach. 

"I did say okay," he stated plainly, placing a hand on the top of your head, making light of the fact that he towered over you. 

You were speechless and could do nothing but stare back at him in confusion. 

"After all this time, did you want me to say no again?" he asked, when almost a whole minute passed without a response from you. 

"NO, no not at all," you said finally, accepting that he wasn't just messing with you and actually meant it, "it just caught me off guard." 

The boy removed his hand from your head and smiled once again, less smug this time. 

"Okay, so now I'm expecting you to show up to all our games at nationals and be the supportive girlfriend cheering me on constantly." 

"Girlfriend already?" you retorted, once again taking his non-injured hand in yours, the difference being that now he held it as well, the feelings no longer one sided, "What happened to taking a girl out on a few dates before claiming that title?" 

"Did you really ask me out all those times just to not even want to be called my girlfriend?" he asked back, eyes narrowing in disbelief at the comment that you just made. 

"Nevermind, girlfriend it is." 

Bonus:

A week had passed since the volleyball team had won the game against Shiratorizawa. The boys had been busy following the win, so you finally had a moment to treat both your friends to a congratulatory dinner. The three of you walked in the direction of the restaurant on a Sunday, with you standing in between your two friends. You passed a hideous poster, identical to the one that the three of you had previously joked about. 

"Now that we've mastered volleyball, I think it's time for you two to take up dancing seriously," Yamaguchi smiled, recalling the previous joke that you had made over the poster. 

"I wholeheartedly agree," you said back, "this time we even meet the couple criteria." 

Yamaguchi stopped walking, turning to look at the two of you. You innocently looped your arm into Tsukki's, though your boyfriend stood still, no reaction evident on his face or through his body language. 

A few seconds passed before Yamaguchi unfroze and continued walking, a smile now plastered on his face. 

"Congratulations," was all he said at first, before he finished his train of thought, "but it was really about time." 

[malusokay]

Learning to love yourself 𝜗𝜚˚⋆

Celebrate yourself. Every accomplishment deserves to be acknowledged, no matter how big or small. Stop putting yourself down by thinking that you don't deserve to celebrate your achievements just because others have accomplished "greater things." Also, there is so much fun in hyping small wins; call your girlfriend, bake a cake, and enjoy yourself!!

Invest time in things that you love. Doing what makes you happy is essential for your mental health. It's so important to pursue one's small and simple pleasures without the intention of turning them into profit!!

Boundaries and relationships. Learn to say no, define and set boundaries, question your current relationships and friendships, and distance yourself from people who make you feel unloved or worthless.

Allow yourself to grow. Let go of the notion that you are undeserving of growth. Acknowledge the past for what it is, learn from it, and grow from it.

Refelct. Getting to know yourself deeply is key to self-love; journaling is a great way to reflect. Ask yourself questions, question your habits, observe how you respond in certain situations, etc...

Trust yourself and your intuition. Listen to yourself, and don't dismiss the small cues that your inner voice gives you!!

Care for yourself. It is not selfish to look after yourself. Start exercising, eat balanced and healthy, stay hydrated, educate yourself, read complex literature, consume media mindfully, prioritise your sleep and routines, care for your skin and hair...

Be patient. Self-love takes time; you must slowly unpack and unlearn past habits, confront uncomfortable thoughts and memories, and gain a deep understanding of yourself. Give yourself time and approach this as a journey to enjoy. <3

You guys ALWAYS ask about self-love and confidence, sooo I hope this can be a little helpful to some of you and as always, please feel free to share your own suggestions and tips in the comments!! ♡

love ya ･:*₊‧౨ৎ