#to my bro-in-law for this whole ordeal

[erigold13261]

Sooooo... yeah.

My basement kinda flooded.

My sister was moving boxes in the basement and she needed help with moving a box so I went down and helped her. We put the box on another box, which was on like a shelf/table.

All was good until my sister pushed the box trying to make more room and she broke like a valve right off of our water filtration system (look, I know we shouldn't have had shit blocking that thing, but we don't have a lot of room and it was going to be temporary while we made room somewhere else).

So yeah, that thing broke, water was gushing everywhere. My sister tried to hold the water to stop it and it broke some more. We called my brother-in-law (sister's fiance) and he was trying to tell us to turn the power off but we couldn't find the switch (in the end he came home and turned the whole house off which we should have done but in the moment didn't think of it).

We were able to get the water off, and used towels and stuff to get most of the water out of the basement. Our system is super fucking old though. Most of the switches and valves are like rusted shut or felt like they would snap off and start spurting out water themselves.

Thankfully brother-in-law works at a plumbing place. Hopefully he can find the right parts to fix what we broke and we can have running water again. Heard my sister say it might not be until Monday that we could get water again, idk.

Anyway, that's just a little update. Honestly feel bad since if I told my sister no or realized we shouldn't have been blocking the water system earlier this whole thing might not have happened. But hindsight is 20/20. Oh well.

[nomsfaultau]

Hiiii, just wanted to say that your work is amazing and it’s completely consumed my thoughts and—

How would karaoke night go with the Fault crew? Sprinkle all the mundane/chaos that can ensue…Let’s say that against all odds, they’re in a safe enough period where they don’t have to worry about anything and just muck around! On a scale of 1-10, how would each person fare?

Also if it’s alright can we find out how Skeppy and Halo are doing, please say they’re having a happy life somewhere off the grid like the forest or deep within the mountains ekekeiwkwk

Okay Tubbo can't sing very well. However. If anyone points this out, Tubbo can start singing the song of the End Times and literally destroy the world. So. Everyone is careful to give them lots of compliments while Tubbo grins mischievously. They have a pretty broad variety of songs, and Jasmine demands a turn to sing the ABCs (because there are 26 of them! AND it's hard to get them in order) and gets thunderous applause. Or else. 100/10, just threaten the jury!

Wilbur try-hards it in a way that's very cringe. Like, you AREN'T supposed to be good at karaoke, but nobody told him that? So it's out here like harmonizing and it's like bro....bro now everyone else feels inadequate......the only thing leveling the playing field is he only knows songs that play in Walmart and has a trash memory. So he's purely playing it by ear, but that just makes it worse when it's still amazing. Also Wilbur found out the buffet table is infinite and has eaten everything except the nachos, which are inedible even to him. 0/10

Philza scrolls through the music selection for a very very long term, a little misty eyed as he picks songs literally no one has ever heard from that hold memories of old Collecteds. About half way through he gets a fragment of a song stuck in his head and desperately googles it for two hours. It's from like 5 centuries ago and when he finally unearths some recording of music he gets cross that 'those aren't the right lyrics!' But other than that he's having a swell time and okay yeah he's a little tipsy and keeps gushing about how much he loves his kids but other than being sappy and old, not the worst karaoke companion. 7/10.

When they first get there, The Blade swears he's doing one song AND THAT'S IT. Because he's built it up a little as an ordeal in his head and is nervous. His voice is perpetually pretty gravelly, and he has zero idea how well he's doing since the voices are singing along too. But then he kinda has fun with it and starts bopping, and unwinds since his friends are only lightly teasing. So he ends up going the whole night. The Blade exclusively sings Taylor Swift titles. Tommy is going to kill him. I think Rosalind had a Taylor Swift phase so Tubbo is just embarrassed. He makes sure to clap for everyone else and he hooves go clack clack cklack. Does not fit in the table booth tho. and the mic is so so tiny in his hands. He accidentally breaks it at least twice and they have to wait for a replacement. 5/10.

Someone else has to hold the mic for Tommy to avoid contamination, so he ends up in a lot of duets. He's incredibly enthusiastic and asserts that he has the most talent of anyone. Mostly very recent popular hits (from his pov). Tries to rap but gets completely tongue tied. Eventually tries to find the songs with the most cuss words so he can see how bad the muffin censorship gets. About half way through the night Tommy starts trying to sneak alcohol. Except actually he realizes that no one in the room can rat him to his mom, or even really knows about underage drinking laws. Okay Tubbo does, but like he's surrounded by friends some of which are sober, so the kiddo's fine. 7/10.

For some reason I always pictured Skeppy and Halo living in a sitcom apartment alongside Charlie, the woman Charlie body horror puppeted in order to escape, her wife, and Chad Bowinger my beloved. But I guess a bunker in the mountains makes more sense! Medical attention was probably the first thought, trying to patch up Halo's wings. Maybe they eventually heal and because Skeppy lost so much weight in the Foundation he can now be flown around? Very bittersweet but still. And Skeppy can show Halo all the movies and books he missed in the decades he was trapped, with the humans and Charlie catching them up on everything else. I picture mostly lighthearted recovery and awkward bonding between strangers from starkly different backgrounds. Lots of shenanigans too.

[berivan-noctisia]

You resumed everything so perfectly I am crying

Also everybody keeps talking about the Law and how untouchable it is while everyone is just... Going around committing crimes against humanity like they breathe air lmaoooo???

Students nearly dying at the exam? Children should have studied harder. Students getting awfully beaten and horribly bullied? Losers. Students are going missing? A normal Tuesday. Corruption ? To be expected. Eugenics? As God intended. Slavery? Merciful. Murder? Like slapping a mosquito. BRO WTF flgfjgorkrkrrk man students might as well be getting coins per body count

Someone not having magic or being a decent human being? CALL THE POLICE!!!

LIKE. THAT'S WHERE YOU DRAW THE LINE? COME ON

Also the whole secret caves under the school??? That's cool AF tbh

Puzzled by how children and barely adults are being given that insane amount of political power so young, like wtf but also slay I guess, at least the youth is being taken somewhat seriously

Lemon makes us, delulu believers, feel seen. She's living the dream, in her head. You go girl. Slay.

Finn just wants a quite life, he's peak "fuck that insanely stressful elitist careerist lifestyle" of kids torturing themselves and each other, selling their soul to the Devil while at it, to get a status, he just wants a peaceful job and no problems. #IAmFinn

Rayne. 👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇 The Man. The Hero. The Legend. The softest soul??? MY HEART 💘💘💘💘💘

Mash is best boy™️, the saint of muscles, compassion and honesty. He's a silly little guy. He's adorable. A baby. An angel. And he will send you to hell if you hurt people.

Also he was insane for being able to cook anything into puff creams or cream puffs, I have no idea in which order it should be written or whether that's the English name lmao

He was also insane for being so well emotionally regulated in that fucked up environment. The insane pressure of his and his father entire fates' on his shoulders? Never wavered in his beliefs, eating puff creams, getting his beauty sleep every day, as he should. Being bullied? Not giving a fuck. Being betrayed? Forgiving. Also??? Love??? Accepted, received and given back freely. He's there calling out people "cute", man finds it so cute his friends worry for him and sees right through them (when lance refuses to leave him alone with the owls), he loves his father, he loves his friends, he gifts them puff creams all the time, he doesn't hold grudges, he doesn't start fights unless he has to, he helps people (Abel) with their emotions (explaining why Abyss cares for him, because he offered something invaluable to him), he thanks people, he asks for permission, he COMPLIMENTS people, he lives for his passions and DGAF about people's opinions. Thanking people??? Saying sorry??? Being genuinely sorry??? Seeing the best in people??? Compassion??? Being understanding of people's situation??? Putting himself in their shoes when he can??? Believing in redemption??? Not an ounce of toxicity (like toxic masculinity) to be found in that boy's heart

Also, can we talk about Abyss and Abel??? I??? They??? 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈??? Abel offering more respect, love and compassion to Abyss than anyone else in his godawful entire life (in a really fucked up way)??? Abyss' sacrifice??? Abel's confusion??? Feelings, what is that??? Abel gently cradling Abyss and caring for him until he's safe and sound??? Abel following Abyss around and being a supportive BF as hell??? Going to the party for him??? Talking to girls when he panics???

(Grandpa and the cop are definitely having the most insane ennemies to """business bros""" relations while sipping tea together in the forest lmao what's the need to stick together 24/7??? Is the cop his bodyguard now??? Does he sleep at the house??? Is he even working anymore??? Does Grandpa cook for him??? Are they having deep philosophical debates in front of the fire sipping tea about how, yes, the whole Law and religious ordeal is bullshit??? Do they send small packages of puff creams to Mash once in a while??? Or other gifts??? Also why did the cop put grandpa's head on his lap when grandpa was unconscious???)

been watching mashle and oh my god, the eugenics???? the way lance's parents were so ready to give up their daughter??? no second thought???? just "why did this child have to be born to us?"???? um everyone talking in mash's face about how non-magic people are inherently worthless???? the triple line dude fucking making dolls out of people and somehow no one??? is??? checking him???? and then when questioned immediately jumping into "well humans are little more than mindless beasts and i will become a creator deity and reshape the world in my liking!"????? the, um, corruption in the government??? the way this story is so clearly "h*rry p*tter if it was actually funny"??? the slytherin coded characters are blood purists???? they took out hufflepuff??? one of the magia lupus' mage's powerset was just big shuriken???? another one is rip off kisame???? lance is a siscon and the first thing mash says is "that doesn't make it better"???? lemon is genuinely so fuckin funny??? dot is incel-coded but like in a funny way??? dot says that lance is playing life on "easy mode" cause lance has a good face??? dot likes tea??? dot has good manners??? everybody only has one spell they can use??? finn ames is like if you transported is regular human into this stupid ass world??? i think the old man and the cop have explored each others bodies.

[thanksjro]

More Than Meets the Eye #30 - The Cybertronian Judicial System is a Friggin’ Joke

Have I mentioned that I’m not a huge fan of court case stories? I think they’re pretty boring, on average, so the last couple of issues have been slightly dragging for me.

Anyway, back to Megatron’s trial. 

Our issue opens up with a full back shot of Ultra Magnus.

Artists take note, he really is built like a capital T.

As Magnus reads out Megatron’s statement retracting his “guilty” plea, we get some decent points as to why. See, telling a guy that you’ll stab him in the brain, so his trial can be over as quickly as possible, maybe isn’t such a hot idea. Megatron wasn’t a huge fan of that, or of how those memories they would’ve yanked outta him would have been used to fuel the Autobot propaganda machine. Why, you may ask?

Well, I don’t know if you knew this or not, but Megatron… doesn’t particularly care for the Autobots, nor the rhetoric they uphold.

I know, I was surprised too!

There’s also the fact that Optimus Prime is the judge on this whole thing. You know. Optimus Prime. Off and on leader of the Autobots, whenever it suits him. The guy who fucked off into space for a year after the war. The guy who threw a hissy fit when someone pointed out that he was compromised the last time they did something like this with Megatron. This guy:

Yeah, there might be a slight conflict of interests here. Remind me again why this had to be a military trial?

Anyway, enough of that, it’s time for a fight scene.

A swarm of Decepticons storm the arena, going after Megatron so they can help him escape. Magnus, though acting as Megatron’s defense, cannot abide by this disorder in the court.

Wild to think there’s a tiny little Pringles man with anxiety in there, isn’t it?

Optimus joins the fray, because there really are, just, so many guys to deal with here. A dude goes to collect Megatron, stating that they brought teleport packs for this little shindig. Megatron isn’t super jazzed about that though, not bothering to grab on before the dude gets shot to death. There’s a brief recess, I guess so the janitorial staff can deal with the mess of corpses littering the courtroom.

Meanwhile, in the present day, Rung’s building a model spaceship in Swerve’s, which is a very brave thing to be doing, seeing how sticky and gross bars can be. Brainstorm’s brought a flask to the bar, and proceeds to pour the contents into a funnel sticking out of his arm.

Our bartender for the evening- I’m assuming it’s evening, but I doubt the concept of time has any real weight in space- is Bluestreak. Bluestreak was stationed on Earth for a while, which is some Phase One stuff, and took a liking to human media while he was there. He’s the guy who handles movie night these days, seeing as Rewind’s too busy being dead to do it, and I doubt Chromedome has the emotional bandwidth to take over for his late spouse.

Bluestreak’s favorite movie is Zulu, a film glorifying the colonialism of the English over the native populace of an African kingdom. Make of that what you will.

Whirl wants to watch À Bout de Soufflé, or Breathless, as it was translated for the English-speaking world, which is a French New Wave film about a criminal who shoots a cop, hides from the police in a journalist’s home, who he seduces and likely impregnates. She eventually finds out what he did, reports him to the police, but then has a change of heart and lets him know what she’s done. He runs, but is shot, and dies in the street. The film is notable for its final scene, in which the following dialogue happens, between the dying criminal Michael, his lover Patricia, and an officer.

Of course, any poignancy would almost certainly be lost on the average comic book reader, and is also somewhat nullified by Whirl praising the film with internet lingo.

Then again, I suppose Whirl would be the type to dismantle any deeper reading of his interest in such a film, lest he be subjected to the horrifying ordeal of being known.

Over with Skids and Riptide, it’s revealed that Megatron’s been teaching classes on the Lost Light, specifically on the Knights of Cybertron. Riptide’s getting an education, because he’s been feeling pretty lost since the war ended- we’ll get to the potential whys of that later on. Swerve isn’t a fan of this community college thing that’s going on, stating that Megatron’s using it as a distraction, so he can devise plots most foul.

Back in the past, Autobot high command is having a talk about what Megatron’s demanding, and man is it a doozy— turns out, since the trial’s happening on Luna 2, the trial proceedings are subject to the laws of the moon. One of these moon laws is the right to request being judged by the Knights of Cybertron. Now, this is a problem, seeing as the Knights of Cybertron have been AWOL for the last several million years, but the law is the law, and you can’t just go ignoring it when someone’s pointed it out.

Bro, your SIC just suggested y’all pull the trial so you could slap it on Cybertron, thus negating any need to pay attention to the Knight law. That’s such a gross miscarrying of justice, it’s genuinely baffling. You’ve got bigger issues going on than flouting. My god, Optimus, you were a cop—

Oh wait, that’s right. Carry on, then.

Back on the Lost Light, First Aid’s checking to make sure that the coffin Rodimus they revealed last issue is true and proper dead. Now, this may seem like a given, but you’ve got to remember that Brainstorm was mostly dead for over a year and a half, and nobody fucking noticed, so it’s probably for the best that they’re checking.

First Aid’s been pretty withdrawn since Ambulon died, so this autopsy is really good for him, since it got him out of his room. Pretty fucked up that it would take a dead body to get him out and about. Has Rung checked in on his poor son of a gun, or has he been spending the last six months getting his professional rocks off psychoanalyzing a genocidal warlord?

Our coffin Rodimus died from having parts of his brain removed, and potentially died screaming.

Yes, that is a Furmanism, thank you peanut gallery, moving on—

Ratchet hands the phone over to Ultra Magnus, saying that a call has to be made, and it can’t be by him, because the callee is mighty upset with Ratchet at the moment.

Oh, I guess he’s fine after all. This must be where the sci-fi bullshit really starts kicking in for the series.

Because seeing your own dead body is likely very traumatic and awful, Rodimus is taking a while to string together his thoughts on the matter. Megatron doesn’t particularly care, because he’s not terribly sympathetic to this sort of thing, and the two get into a spat, where it’s revealed that they’re co-captaining the Lost Light.

Because things weren’t chaotic enough on this fucking ship. Need to mix in some peacocking between the McDonalds twunk and the man who killed half of Beijing.

Back in the past, Optimus Prime visited Megatron in prison to have a little chat. It’s not about that little rescue attempt, though the fact that those Decepticons may have been released from the Lost Light’s brig is certainly interesting. No, Optimus is here to sit way too close to his mortal nemesis on the floor of his room and talk about how Megatron is a sneaky bastard.

You remember the Hellraiser puzzle box from a couple issues back? Yeah, that was a communicube, one that was passed to Optimus to suggest that the trial be held on the moon, so the arena there would be able to hold all the people wronged by Megatron. This seems pretty damn convenient in hindsight, but Megatron swears that the legal loophole wasn’t his only intent when he sent the cube.

Because it’s all about you, isn’t it, Megatron? It’s all about how you’re perceived by future generations. Fuck the guys who had to actually deal with what your personal choices caused to happen.

Megatron wants to make amends with all those who were wronged by him. This doesn’t include being acquitted of his crimes, which, y’know, good- at least he’s being slightly realistic about how this is going to turn out for him.

What he wants to do is find Cyberutopia, so the Cybertronians have a replacement planet, since Cybertron kind of sucks now.

Oh, sorry, did I say realistic? I take it back.

In the present, Rodimus is still bummed out about being dead. Still, the day doesn’t stop just because it’s a bad one, and he calls in the experts.

CHROMEDOME YOU PROMISED TO STOP THIS SHIT

Yeah, no, Chromedome’s fallen off the wagon again, and does his thing on the coffin Rodimus. As he does, Megatron suddenly gets squeamish, Brainstorm pulls out his early early-warning device to lean on the fourth wall, and it’s revealed that the coffin that coffin Rodimus was in was built in the fashion of the Spectralist faith.

All Chromedome can suss out of coffin Rodimus’ memories is the really big important stuff, which includes the speech at Rivet’s Field inviting folks to come join the Knight Quest. Aww, that’s sweet.

With the analysis of the innermost energon complete, the results are in— the coffin Rodimus is a Rodimus. A real one, from the near future. Bummer.

I suppose denial is one of the seven stages of grief, isn’t it?

As everyone argues over whether or not Rodimus is going to die, Nightbeat brings up a good point— there aren’t any numbers carved into the coffin Rodimus’ hand. Rodimus is about to reveal some Ratchet-original wisdom, when things start getting really weird; whole sections of the Lost Light are disappearing.

Over at Swerve’s, Tailgate is regaling his peers with the story of his derring-do against Chief Justice Tyrest. Everyone is very impressed, and this includes our good buddy Getaway.

Jeez, think you’ve got enough antagonist shadows on this guy? It’s almost as if the art’s trying to tell us something about him.

Getaway lays it on real thick, saying that Tailgate could totally be the next Prime, with how courageous and awesome he is, all while completely ignoring Tailgate’s personal space and having a weirdly tiny hand. This seems to seriously bother Cyclonus, who is watching this shit go down from the doorway. Our purple space jet leaves once the drinks start being poured and conversation starts happening. God knows he hates talking about his insecurities.

Then the Pipes is Friggin’ Dead alarm goes off. But Pipes has been dead for a while now, so that must mean something else awful is happening.

Back during the trial, I guess because Optimus has a soft spot for Megatron, he allows him to join the Lost Light’s Knight Quest… even as he says that he could keep the guy locked up until Rodimus and pals find the Knights. However, there are rules to this, and one of the rules is that Megatron must publicly denounce the Decepticon cause.

It is a slow and painful experience for everyone involved, as he reads the statement he was given. It’s an immediate call to action- or rather, inaction.

Geez, think they could’ve made it any more obvious that this was being ghostwritten? I can’t wait to see how long it takes for “Megatron was blackmailed into saying this by the Autobots” to be a plotpoint.

Outside the prison, Ratchet and Rodimus are taking in the brand new Rod Pod, which is genuinely ridiculous in how large it is. Rodimus admits to having taken Atomizer’s list, though he knows that trying to use it to keep those who voted him off would be a pretty shitty thing to do.

Also, no one’s told him about Megatron coming along on the trip. As captain.

Or you could, I dunno, lock him up from the start. Or, if you want to give him a chance to prove himself, slap him into a bottom-rung role, like bilge cleaner, or sewage mucker, or whatever the equivalent would be on a spaceship full of giant gay robots. We don’t have to give the guy any power to hold him to scrutiny— any minimum wage worker will tell you that scrutiny comes far harsher for those who actually carry out orders than those who give them.

But what do I know? I’ve never fought in a several million year war, and I don’t plan to.

Getting back to the list, it seems as if Ratchet and Rodimus are on the same wavelength, in that both agree it’s only going to cause trouble and hurt feelings to keep the thing around. Rodimus destroys it with his usual flare, only to be blindsided by the fact that it was fake this entire time. How does Ratchet know this?

Because his name wasn’t on it.

...Man, that’s gotta sting. No wonder Rodimus was upset enough to not take his calls.

In the present, everyone’s in a panic, as they all bolt for the shuttle bay and start pouring into shuttles. The Lost Light is disintegrating around them, which is sort of a problem. Despite this nightmare scenario happening, Rodimus and Megatron still find the time to be assholes to each other. That’s dedication right there.

As the two bicker, multiple shuttles zip away from the rapidly disappearing ship, including the Rod Pod.

Man, now it really is the Lost Light.

[chenziee]

Dine and Dash (chapter 1)

[Read on AO3 or under the cut]

Can you believe it's been 11 years since Ace was saved from Marineford? Yeah, me neither. Still feels like fucking yesterday. So happy they managed save him in the end :) #ForeverInDenial

I took the opportinity of the anniversary of chapter 574 being published to finally write the obligatory Everybody is alive and nothing hurts AU that we all deserve, especially a certain beautiful, precious fire boy <3 (And yes, I know the anniversary was yesterday, I fucked up but shhh)

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Relationships: ASL brothers, Law/Luffy

Rating: Teen and Up

Words: 1894

Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Everybody Lives, Nothing Hurts, Portgas D. Ace Lives, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, lawlu being cute, Protective Sabo (One Piece), Protective Portgas D. Ace, best big bros protective of their innocent baby bro, ASL Brothers, what else uhhh, i might add more as i go, Donquixote "Corazon" Rosinante Lives

Summary: When the three brothers who had once terrorized the Grey Terminal as well as the Goa Capital come together, nothing good can come of it. Even though they're not children anymore. Or maybe especially since they're not children anymore.

Or; the obligatory Everybody Is Alive And Nothing Hurts AU

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When Ace jumped from his raft up onto the railing of Luffy’s ship, he honestly didn’t expect someone to be standing right where he landed. He couldn’t blame Nami for screaming like she did in favor of a normal greeting, and it was also no surprise when Luffy’s voice came only a second later, asking what was wrong in a voice full of alarm. What was surprising, however, was when Luffy’s head popped out from behind what looked like a large polar bear sleeping right on the deck of the Thousand Sunny. Seriously, Luffy and his tendency to pick up the weirdest things.

"Hey, Luffy," Ace greeted, waving at his brother.

A bright smile appeared on Luffy's face when he realized just who the intruder was, scrambling to his feet and immediately falling over, nearly landing face first onto the lawn. Ace just had to laugh at the sight, but his amusement soon died down. Instead, he had to frown at the pained groan and cursing in a voice that was decidedly not Luffy's, and neither did it seem to have come from the polar bear who was still snoozing away without care.

"Sorry, Torao," Luffy apologized with a sheepish smile directed at the person he had apparently tripped over.

Who the hell was ‘Torao?’ Who was the person Ace could only assume his baby brother was napping with? Seemed like an interrogation was in order. Later though, there were arrangements to be made first. After all, having back up on this couldn't hurt and he had the best back up just waiting for him on the next island.

Picking himself up and running over, Luffy nearly crashed into Nami in his hurry this time, but his navigator managed to side step him at the last second, probably expecting something like this to happen. Luffy only shot her a crooked smile and a half-hearted apology, prompting her to shake her head at him, crossing her arms over her chest in a scolding manner.“Honestly, how is your entire family like this? One of you is going to give me a heart attack one day.”

“Sorry,” Ace and Luffy apologized in unison, the both of them bowing to her for good measure. After all, they both knew all too well that Nami’s wrath was scarier than anything they had ever witnessed on the Grand Line so far.

Nami huffed, shooting one last unhappy glare at them before she turned around and said, “We should be arriving at the next island in a few hours, I’m going to check what we need and get things ready.”

Ace sighed in relief; it seemed like they had somehow managed to avoid the worst.

"Ace, what are you doing here?" Luffy asked as soon as Nami walked away.

Ace grinned, finally jumping off of the railing he had been perching on. “Can’t I just come visit my favourite baby bro?”

“Of course you can,” Luffy said, sticking his tongue out at him. “I just didn’t expect you. Weren’t you going to Wano to see Tama?”

“Yeah, but there was a change of plans. Sabo’s actually on the island you’re heading to so I took a detour,” Ace explained with a shrug.

The reaction was immediate. Just as Ace expected, Luffy perked up even more, his smile going impossibly wide and Ace could swear there were stars in his eyes. He was also basically vibrating in place and Ace had to chuckle at the sight. He understood Luffy’s excitement, neither of them got to see the revolutionary nearly as often as they would have liked for obvious reasons, but Luffy was just too cute when he got like this. How he even did the… bright all over thing was something beyond Ace’s understanding but he loved seeing it every single time regardless.

“Sabo’s there?! Why didn’t he tell me?” Luffy cried out, grabbing onto Ace’s arm in his eagerness.

Before Ace could reply, the other person who had been hidden behind the polar bear until then stood up, muttering seemingly to himself, but loud enough for both Ace and Luffy to hear, “Oh great, there’s going to be three of them.”

“Torao~,” Luffy whined, turning to look at the grumpy man with a pout. “Don’t say it as if it’s a bad thing,” he finished, bouncing away from Ace to stand in front of the other man instead.

Ace scowled at the sight of Luffy peeking up at ‘Torao,’ who only stared back impassively as if he wasn’t bothered in the least by Luffy’s puppy eyes. Ace didn’t think that was even possible. Not to mention they were standing way too close to each other for Ace’s tastes.

“It is a bad thing. There’s way too much energy just with you, Luffy-ya. I don’t need more of it around me,” Torao told him, finishing with a light flick to Luffy’s forehad. An action that nearly had Ace toss a fireball at him if only Luffy didn’t start giggling over it.

Suddenly, Luffy stepped even closer to the man, wrapping his arms around his waist and grinning up at him. “You love it,” he announced, sounding all too proud of himself.

“In very small doses,” Torao admitted before leaning down and kissing the top of Luffy’s head.  

Oh, Sabo was so hearing about this.

Ace cleared his throat loudly, raising his hand to make sure the fire crackling threateningly in his palm was the first thing Torao would see when he looked in his direction.

“Nice to see you again, too, Fire Fist-ya,” the man said flatly, one eyebrow raised.

Ace smiled at him, making sure it look as fake as he could make it. “Trafalgar Law. What do you think you’re doing to my little brother?”

“What does it look like?” Law shot back, showing a smirk that only managed to irk Ace further. If Luffy wasn’t standing right there, he would really have thrown that fireball at him.

“Ace?” Luffy asked, tilting his head to the side in confusion as he looked at the fire dancing angrily under Ace’s command.

Ace sighed at that, reluctantly putting the flames out. That asshole was seriously so lucky Luffy was there. He and Sabo would have to corner him later and threaten him when Luffy wasn’t looking. “Anyway, as I was saying—” Ace shook his head, trying to make himself focus on the matter at hand— “I don’t think Sabo knew you were this close to the island. He said he only had one afternoon free and absolutely needed to see me for some reason. So, Luffy. Want to come with us to get something to eat?” he asked, even though he knew the answer. As if Luffy would ever say no to that.  

“Let’s get meat!” Luffy exclaimed loudly, full of enthusiasm and throwing both arms in the air. He nearly punched Law in the face.

Sadly, it really was only nearly but Ace still took great pleasure in returning the smirk Law had given him earlier. He quickly turned back to Luffy, however, and replied, “Well, Sabo seemed like he had something in mind already so let’s just go and see.”

Luffy nodded at his words, a bright, happy smile that looked just the same as it did all those years ago at Mt. Colubo on his face, and Ace felt his previous smirk melt into a fond smile in return. There was warmth in his chest at the sight, the knowledge that his little brother was still the same even after everything that had happened over the years making him incredibly happy.

Without even realizing, Ace’s hand came to touch his own exposed chest, his fingers tracing the rough, large burn scar that Akainu had left there during the war four years ago. It was honestly a miracle he was even alive. He had fully accepted death back on the execution scaffold but then Luffy crashed in, just as loud, just as unexpected as always, bringing so much chaos with him that it changed the entire course of the whole ordeal. And then he accepted it once more when he threw himself in Akainu’s way to protect Luffy.

But now here they were, both of them miraculously alive—thanks to Jinbe, Marco, Vista, and, as much as it pained him to admit it given the very recent circumstances, mostly thanks to Trafalgar Law’s incredible timing and medical skill—and both bearing lava burn scars on their chests as a reminder of what could have happened; what was so incredibly close to happening. It was incredible how much the experience had changed them, yet somehow, how they were still the same as they used to be when playing pirates in their little tree house base.

And when Sabo had appeared in front of them again, with tears and apologies and so very alive, it felt almost inevitable.

Ace shook his head at his own thoughts. This was no time to get all sentimental. “Okay, Sabo’s waiting. Are you ready to go? Striker isn’t really a two person boat but it should be okay,” Ace said, gesturing towards his fire powered raft.

“Yes!” Luffy shouted like he had just won something. “Your boat always seems so fun to play with,” he sang, running over to look down at the slim, sleek raft that was gently swaying along the Sunny.

“Glad you’re so excited,” Ace chuckled.

He went to jump back down on Striker immediately, but Luffy stopped him when he spoke up next, “Oh wait. Do you think we could take the Mini Merry? Torao is meeting his dad on the island, too.”

Ace paused, looking at Luffy with a slight frown. What the hell was a ‘mini merry?’ But more importantly, did they really have to take Trafalgar with them?

Thankfully, Law had saved Ace from having to deal with either of those questions when he spoke up instead, “Thanks but I’ll stay here, Cora-san won’t be there until evening anyway. Plus, I’m not going to risk your brother drowning me on the way.” He shot Ace another one of those smirks when he finished and Ace almost wanted to burn it off of his face but…

“Fair point,” he admitted instead, surprised at the laughter that bubbled out of his chest. He shuddered in horror at the idea of this asshole growing on him.  

“I have no idea what you two are talking about,” Luffy mumbled in annoyance, but perked back up a second later when he announced he was going to let the crew know he was going on ahead.

Ace and Law looked at each other, Ace trying to convey with his eyes the threat of bodily harm that he was thinking in regards to the man standing in front of him. He could only assume he had succeeded when the corners of Law’s mouth twitched up slightly, followed by the surgeon flipping Ace off before he turned around and walked off, sitting down and making himself comfortable with his back resting against the somehow still asleep polar bear.

He was seriously pissing Ace off.

He did have to give it to him, though; if nothing else, this asshole had guts. Reluctantly, Ace had to admit that was probably the most important qualification to pass as Luffy’s boyfriend. He was still not getting out of that interrogation though.

---------

[chapter 2 coming...... as soon as I can finish it]

[angelisverba]

no need to be sorry

in which y/n realizes she loves Jason, and he can’t touch himself to the thought of her because it makes him feel guilty

word count: 12.8k

pairing: y/n and her brother’s best friend, jason

warning: strong mentions of sexual trauma and abuse. please read at your own caution if you are not comfortable with that .

author’s note: originally this was supposed to be a super long piece (and the last one) but i wanted to put something else to make the last part even longer :) THIS IS NOT EDITED, sorry not sorry hehe

March is a very confusing month. 

For y/n, it meant SAT cramming and intensive camps for the retake in may. A maxed out speed on her brain as to keep up her grades (and even improve them because God knows her math grade needs urgent care) and constantly keep her nose in her books because finals were approaching soon. 

For Jason, and the entire senior class for that matter, it meant renting out tuxedos and making appointments at the beauty salon in preparation for prom, buying tickets for prom, finding a prom date, asking out said date in a cutesy way that was memorable for both parties.

It meant asking y/n to be his prom date, but not drag her away from her studies because that just wouldn’t be fair.

Hell, Jason still hadn’t taken his girl out on a second date because she was such a busy bee, and had to settle for ‘study dates’. Really it was just him watching her chew on her bottom lip as she transferred notes from her chemistry textbook to her notebook, his own work splayed out in front of him, meaning to be completed but his attention diverted elsewhere. She’d glance up with burning cheeks to tell him that his glasses were sliding down his nose, and Jason— quite nearly in a hypnotic daze— would smile dopily at her and say ‘you’re so pretty’. She would shush him and tell him to get to work, or sometime ask for his help, and Jason would use that as an excuse to wrap his arm around her waist telling her ‘gotta whisper love, come close’ and proceed to explain how the law of gas, ideal gas, and Dalton’s Law of partial pressure differentiated from each other. 

He didn’t mind this. Any time he got with her he treasured, but god did he want to keep her tucked at his side at all times to show him off. It was selfish of him to be jealous that she wasn’t spending time with him when all she wanted to do was study for her future; for college. Selfish because Jason already had everything worked out. He’d gotten a scholarship to his dream school via football and his good-ish grades. Dorming and transportation was all set-up; he was 100% ready to go. 

But y/n? She’d confessed to Jason that she had no idea what she was doing with her life. That she was studying and doing all these things to look good for her college application, but her biggest fear was that they still wouldn’t accept her and she’d wind up going to community college. There were times where her bouncing leg would violently shake their table in the library so much, Jason would drag her out of the chair and take her on a short walk around the library (if her eyes were teary he’d sneak her into a corner and peck at her eyelids softly until she giggled). An effective strategy that resulted in a noticeable tent at his crotch, and a dreamy-eyed y/n that peeked up at him through her lashes with heated cheeks. 

He’d say, “Are you relaxed now? Or should we go home?” 

Home was his house. Y/n had her home, and Jason had his- respectively- but he referred to his place as ‘home’ and she never bothered to correct him.  More often than not (once it got to this point) y/n would nod and they’d head over to his place. 

And, well, who was she to pass up that opportunity? 

Y/n enjoyed reading her dog-eared SAT book on Jason’s bed and falling asleep on her crossed arms. Only because she would wake up an hour or so later, glued next to his side, with him also napping, lips puffy and hair extra fluffy. His hair, how a complete chocolate brown color, closely cropped since he’d cut off all the blond, fanned on the pillow and curled around the frames of his tortoise-shell glasses that he never remembered to take off. 

She’d always take them off for him, and the movement would startle him awake, his green eyes fluttering awake, eyebrows furrowed in a confusion that disappeared when he realized that it was just her. His sweet y/n with sleepy eyes who took his glasses off ever so gently, and reached over him to place them on his bedside.

They were wrapped up in their own little personal heaven when they were together, alone, and it was only disrupted when it was time for Jason to take y/n home. Grabby hands and kissy faces consumed them when she received a questioning text from her parents or brother, and the whole ‘do you really have to go’ ordeal took its course. And maybe- just maybe- Jason enjoyed the goodbyes because y/n always put extra effort into her goodbye kiss, leaning and pressing up against his mouth so their noses were squished against each other, her hand at the collar of his shirt to pull him even closer, communicating to him how much… how much she would miss him. 

She knew that Jason understood, and when they broke apart with a wet suction noise, and her eyes fluttered open to meet his, Jason knew that she knew that he knew what she was trying to say. It was a slight moment of vulnerability on her part, because it was the closest they’d get to admitting/discussing the sexual parts of their relationship. Or rather, the lack of.

But never mind that, it didn’t matter to any of them. They could be intimate without having sex. 

Right?

*                                                      *                                  *

Jason was confused. 

As silly as it was, prom was a big deal. It signified the closing of an era in a teenager’s life; the end of high school. A party to honor their struggles and begin a transition to a period of more struggles. 

Traditionally, you attend a dance with a date. A girlfriend, a crush, a last resort. One could go with friends but, Jason has a girlfriend now and he’d be damned if he didn’t take his pretty girl and show off that he was the one that got her in the end.  

The only issue was: the prom-posal.

He knew that y/n and him didn’t hang in the same crowd, and while they were both mellow, y/n held a little more reserve to public announcements.

She was shy. 

Needless to say, Jason had a very big quest on his shoulders; to find a way to ask y/n out to prom in a way that was memorable and attune to her likings. He thinks he doesn’t think he'd be able to get over it if he messed this up. 

“Jason? Bro are you even listening?” Andrew asked from across the lunch table. Kent stuffed french fries into his mouth, and glanced from both his friends. 

“Sorry, man. What was that?” Jason presses the lock button on his phone, and places it down on the table. 

“I was talking about the rager at Greg’s, is everything alright? You’ve been distant for a few days now, not having issues with y/n are you?” Andrew’s facial features darkened slightly, the deep concerns for his sister shining through his demeanor. Kent picked on the change of atmosphere, and his chewing stops. 

Jason sighed, his shoulders slanting downwards and the fabric of his letter-man jacket coming to a close at his chest. His heart-shaped lips come to a pensive pucker, debating if he should tell his best friend what was on his mind. 

At the troubled look on his face, Kent smiles encouragingly, and says, “You know you can tell us anything, J.” Andrew turns to look at his Kent while he’s speaking, and when he turns back to Jason, he nods, a knowing glimmer in his eyes. 

“What’s up?” His girlfriend’s brother leans forward, prepared to listen.

“I don’t know how to ask y/n to go to prom with me.” 

Andrew and Kent’s facial expression drop to a deadpan, and Jason’s eyebrows furrow in response, confused at their reaction. 

“What?” He looked back and forth between his two unimpressed friends, who suddenly burst into laughter; snickering and pointing fingers at him through wheezed words. 

“You’re fucking whipped,” Kent said, slapping a hand on Andrew’s shoulder and doubling forward.

“My sister,” their laughter calms down momentarily, “has you this upset?” And at his comment, the boys start laughing again, loud enough that it drags the attention of nearby tables. 

“Guys,” the corner of Jason’s lips struggle to stay down. “It’s not funny.” 

“Yeah, it is. Your panties are in a twist because of y/n,” Kent said, “Where is she?” He stands up from the bench and glances around the cafeteria, looking for her. 

Jason’s eyes widen, and his jaw drops, amazed at his friend’s response. “Dicks,” he mutters. “She’s with her English teacher, preparing for an exam.” 

Andrew’s chuckles die down again, and he shakes his head while rubbing his fingers on his forehead, grinning. “Deadass?”

“Yes!” Jason juts his head forward, nodding wildly. “Help me!”

Kent sits again, and places his chin on his palm. “Just go with what she likes, man.”

“Gee, thanks so much.” The stressed boy looks away, defeated.

Perhaps, it was a mistake bringing it up. Instead of receiving help, they were taking the piss out of him. He thought that maybe, because Andrew was related to the girl he was dating, he’d be a bit of hel-

“She keeps bugging me to take her to the aquarium.” 

Jason whips his head around to look at his friend, crossing his arms on the table and leaning with interest. 

“The aquarium?” He asks, eyebrows raising.

“Yeah, they remodeled a few exhibits and she’s been wanting to see them. Sent me a text about it a few days ago,” Andrew reached back to pull out his phone from his back pocket, unlocking it and pulling up a thread of texts from his sister. “Look.” 

The boy takes the phone from his friend’s hand. Y/n had sent her brother a link to the aquarium’s announcement of a reopening that occurred a few weeks before, along with ‘pleeease can we go? pleeease?’ and a puppy-eyed emoji. Andrew had only sent a curt ‘we’ll see’ to which the girl responded with screenshots of seals and penguins. 

A pang hit him straight in the heart, and he was saddened that she hadn’t asked him, given that he had refrained from taking her out in fear of distracting her from her studies. Yet, here she was asking to be taken to the aquarium, and Andrew showed no interest.  

“Take her. Ask her there. The only reason why I haven’t taken her is because she’ll ask for something from the gift shop and they’re expensive as fuck.” Andrew shrugged.

Bingo. 

With a composed look, he clicked off the phone and slid it back. On the inside, he was hopping up and down, pumping his arms with joy because everything had clicked, and he knew exactly what to do.

*                                                      *                                  *

Y/n still felt butterflies every time Jason looked at her.

Every girl wanted to be looked at by someone the way he looked at her.

A soft, dreamy daze that took over his face, eyes shining with an enamored gleam. Lashes fluttering adoringly, and lips coming together in a smirk, like he held all kinds of secrets and wanted to share them with her. His look alone said it all. I want you and only you.

It was overwhelmingly passionate. So intimate; an open admission with no shame. 

“You’re not even paying attention to me,” she whined, flopping over onto her back and throwing an arm over her head. 

They were- as usual- laying on Jason’s bed, with one of y/n’s textbooks spread open in front of them. 

“Can’t help myself,” he pushed up his glasses and raked his hair back. “You’re so pretty it’s distracting.” 

At that, y/n turned herself over so she laid next to Jason again, but her face was still nestled in the crook of her arm where her cheeks flamed. “Stop it,” she said, words muffled. 

“I’m serious.” She felt his weight dip on the bed, his hand coming to brush away hair that blocked the side of her face, and then puffs of air on her arm. Tilting her head so her eye peeked out, she saw that Jason’s mouth was hovering millimeters away from her skin, and when her eyes glanced up, an intense emerald gaze fixed on hers. “Like an angel, you are.”

Fire, heat, tingles littered the areas where his lips pressed against a trail into his skin. A blossoming feeling of affection imprinted onto her arm, and up to her cheek, where his lips lingered right underneath her lashes.

It became too much for her to handle, her heart and mind becoming muddled and confused through the overwhelming sensations that traveled throughout her nerves. Her cognitive senses seemed to refuse to acknowledge the difference between welcomed attention and… unwanted but forced attention. And, in efforts to prevent a hysteric scene or breakdown, she sprung up from her position, pressing a quick kiss into Jason’s cheek so he wouldn’t suspect anything, and sitting so she was almost completely off the bed. 

Jason watched her with… rejection. But, she wouldn’t know that because she refused to meet his eyes. Instead she said, “Have you got marshmallows in the cupboard?” 

“Uhh,” Jason cleared his throat, standing up and heading out of his room. “Yeah, I think so.”

She followed after him, shoulders hunched; ashamed. Mentally, she was pushing away repressed trauma from what seemed like yesterday. A haunting memory that refused to leave like paranoia. 

“Tiny ones or…?” He heads straight for the silver door knob next to the fridge, stepping in to squat at the lower shelves. Y/n stands in the doorway, hands awkwardly at her sides. 

“The big ones, please.” She doesn’t look up when he extends his hand to give her the fluffy white bag, and he doesn’t ask what's wrong.

Silently, y/n walks over to the kitchen island to pluck a skewer out of the drawer, and pops her hip to shut it. Jason lifts himself to sit on the countertop, his white shirt lifting to expose the pale sliver of skin that escaped from his grey sweatpants. Out the corner of her eye, she could see the enticing movement, and it caused her hands to shake, but she hid it in the twisting wrist movement of turning on the stove. 

A tearing noise comes from behind her, blending in with the clicking noises of the stove turning on. Jumping at the startling disruption, she turns to see Jason with an Oreo midway to his mouth. He gives her an open lipped smile, eyes wide as if shocked, and it makes her burst into a chuckle. 

“Can I get one?” She asked.

Wordlessly, he passed her a cookie. She took it, and it seemed that he purposely grazed his fingers over her palm. 

Y/n yanked her hand away like he’d burned her. 

Alarmed, Jason hops off the counter and moves to stand next to her.

“Y/n, is everything al-”

“Do you want a marshmallow?” She interrupted him, her breaths tense. 

“Uh, no.” He said, his head slightly shaking in disbelief at her actions. Had he done something wrong?

The girl stabbed the skewer through the white candy, and twirled it over the flames, the edges quickly turning a golden color. 

“Baby, what’s wr-” 

It catches fire, and her lips blow them off before it turns completely black, the fuh noise that escapes overpowering Jason’s gentle words. She was scared of breaking in front of him. She was scared to show him how much she was holding in.

“Can you hold this?” Voice small and squeaky.

He took the skewer out of her hands, holding it while she opened the oreo cookie. Knowing what she was gonna do, he gingerly placed the melted marshmallow on top of the frosting covered cookie, and pulled away when she sandwiched the top cookie on top.

Y/n takes a bite out of the treat, and relishes in the slightly burnt, woodsy taste of the white taffy and how it melts on her tongue and slides with ease down her throat. So much so, that a small noise of appreciation comes from the depths of her chest.

“S’good?” Jason asked, a breathy-uneasy- laugh whooshing through his nose.

She’s nodding before she looks up at him, and her head stills when she locks eyes with him. 

It’s the same, intense, focused look from before.

The one that promised so much. And it just- god she was so confused. 

So confused that she leaned forward to kiss him, disregarding the fact that- in that moment- she didn’t want affection. She needed a bit of distance and time to process her emotions.

 And instead of doing so, she lunged and connected herself to him in a smoldering embrace of their mouths. A sudden flood of inexplicable physical impressions, claiming, pleading.

Jason didn’t hesitate to respond, his hands appearing to cup at her cheeks, thumbs gingerly rubbing on the apples of her cheeks. He breathes deeply; a sharp inhale into her mouth that pulled his frame taught against hers. The forgotten treat pressed up against the divot of his pectoral muscles. 

The instant his tongue snaked into her mouth, he was bombarded with the warm and sweet taste of her mouth. Marshmallows and just her essence crowding over his taste buds; his nose also breathing in the fruity scent of her hair and woodsy burnt candy. Urgently, his lips suckled on her lower lip, y/n gasping at the sudden, ardent actions. 

Had she been any other girl, that would have been the night she finally let herself have sex with Jason. 

The mood was right; they were both bleeding mad for each other. 

But, y/n was y/n and that’s not how she was wired to go. Her mind began again with the confusion, her heart rate picking up double the rates from both the proximity of the boy and what was going to happen if the kiss continued. Did she want this? Fuck, of course she wanted this! Why was she…

“She’s not gonna do it because she’s a prude!” said one of the girls in the room. 

“No, I’m n-”

“Yeah, you are y/n. You’re a virgin. Probably wouldn’t even know what to do,” said the same girl.

Y/n had been invited to a party that the cheerleaders in her class were throwing, and boys from rival school had been invited to. They were all sitting in a circle- enough people to fill up the living room of a rich man’s house- playing a game of truth or dare, and they’d just gotten to y/n. 

She’d gotten dared to give one of the football players of the opposing school a blowjob… in the middle of the living room, with everyone watching. When they all saw her face fall, redden, and then pale,  no one wasted time to verbally pounce on her hesitance.

“Look at her! She’d pathetic Marcy, she’s not gonna do it.” The girl who invited her, Marcy, looked at her with a smirk. 

Embarrassed, and just numb to everything that was going on around her as well as what may come depending on her decisions. All she knew is that she needed to do this because she’d look bad if she didn’t. She didn’t want to be known as a prude. Even if she was a virgin. She didn’t want to be thought of badly. 

“Yes, I will.” Her meek reply had silenced the whole room.

“Come over here, and blow me.” Chris was a sophomore that was known for his promiscuous ways, and the fact that he had a big… that was evident when y/n came to kneel in front of him. 

Shaking, she sat in front of him with wide eyes, her back burning with stares and her heart pounding so hard she could feel it in her hands. 

Throughout it all, she felt disgusting. Ashamed. And unable to breathe because the guy wasn’t letting her come off, holding her down with a strong grip in her hair. Tears burned on her lashes and down her cheeks, partly from being unable to breathe, and the other because she was scared. 

God, she was so scared. What would happen to her when this got out? What then? When everyone knew what she’d done? There were more than enough witnesses present to attest that she’d given head to a guy she didn’t even know.

She’d felt a hand on her breast, and her eyes snapped open from their painful clench; alarmed. The guy sitting next to Chris had leaned over to touch her, and at her scared look he only laughed and continued to do it. His hand trailed lower and lower, and eventually she felt something hot spill down her aching throat. Her ears were ringing, her eyes bleary. 

Much of how she escaped had been... blurred through her panic.

But the feeling… that dreadful, terrorized feeling. It was what deer felt moments before being impacted by a car. 

She’d never forget it.

It was the same feeling creeping up on her then. The niggling, freezing, ambushed fear. It’s the reason why she pulled away from him, and said in a wet whisper, “I can’t.”

She hugs her arms across her chest, oreo still in hand, and turns away with her eyes dropped to the floor.  Y/n’s mind is reeling, utterly confused and just so scared scared scared.

“Did I do something wrong?” Jason asked, trailing after her to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. His lips are a dark shade of pink, the skin of his cheeks a flushed color; if one were to look down, they’d see the heather grey color of his sweatpants was slightly lifted. But his arousal was pushed aside by his concern towards the small girl, who shivered when his fingers grazed her shoulder. He could see her eyes were shut closed, but a tear escaped to roll down her cheeks, and at that the thick hairs of his brows dipped to crinkle on his forehead. “Y/n?”

“I’m sorry.” She sighed, her words hitching and cracking. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry-”

Jason pulled her into his chest, his head shaking no no no to her apologies. “There’s no need to be sorry, dovie. It’s okay. You’re alright.” 

“But I am! I so sorry, Jason. I-” Her words died on her tongue, collapsed by a series of sobs that ruptured out of her lips. She was guilty. So so guilty. She felt like she was lying to him by not telling him of what had… occurred. 

“Baby, baby, hey. Y/n,” He pulled back to cup her face with his hands again, forcing her to gaze into his calm, forest eyes. “Listen to me. Deep breaths,” he began to inhale, his chest expanding with the intake of air. “You’re okay. I’m not mad at you for anything, dove.” 

“You don’t know what I’ve done,” Y/n sets the cookie on the counter, and goes to wipe at her eyes roughly, Jason tugging at her wrists and doing it himself, shushing her as he does. 

“Well I can’t be mad if I don’t know, yeah?” He gives her a small smile. “Do you wanna talk about it?” 

“N-no,” she shakes her head. “No, I don’t.”

“Okay.” He nods, still smiling. “That’s okay. I’m here to listen whenever you’re ready.”

Y/n just nodded and gave him a sad attempt to seem happy, but her chin began to tremble, crinkles appearing underneath her lip, and she rushed to dig her nose in the crook of Jason’s neck. 

“Oh, sweetheart, I wish you’d tell me what’s got you so upset.” He murmured into her hair, his arms wrapping around her. 

“Please, Jason. I don’t wanna,” She sniffled. “Don’t wanna talk about it.”

“Alright. I’ll stop asking. Don’t wanna stress you out anymore, dovie. You need a break as it is.” Jason rubs a warm hand up and down her back soothingly when he feels her nose dip into his collarbone. 

She sniffles some more, a slight hiccup in her breaths, and Jason continues, “speaking of breaks,” this catches her attention, and y/n tilts her head so she’s able to rest it in his shoulder and look up at his side profile. “Would you like to go to the aquarium with me next week?” 

At this, her head springs up so she’s eye level with Jason, her wet eyes gleaming as a surprised smile plays on her mouth. “The aquarium?” 

“Yes, the aquarium.” Jason laughed at her response, his eyes flitting between hers. The skin of his chin crinkled because he was looking down at her, and y/n wondered how he still managed to look so good with a double chin. “A little birdy told me you’ve been wanting to go.” 

Squealing, she said, “Oh my gosh, Jason please! Can we?!” 

Jason pressed a small kiss to her nose, “Of course, silly. It’s why I asked.”

“I’ve been asking Andrew but he….” she trails off, and her eyes become squinty, “heeey, did he tell you?” 

“Mayb-” She jumped suddenly at the feeling of her phone vibrating in her back pocket. The Simpsons theme song blaring through the quiet kitchen, and letting her know her brother was calling. Most likely to tell her it was time to come home. 

“I’ll go get your stuff,” Jason mumbled, separating himself with a wistful look in his eye. 

Y/n mumbled a ‘thank you’ and fished her phone out of her back pocket, pressing the green call button and holding it up to her ear.

“Hey, lover girl. Mom says it’s time to come home. See ya,” and he hangs up before y/n can even respond. 

Rolling her eyes, y/n heads upstairs to help Jason pack her stuff with all her troubles plaguing her heart like weeds.

*                                                      *                                  *

Y/n had eased up a little on her avid studying habits because the SAT had passed, and she studied hard enough that she wasn’t planning on re-taking the exam-- no matter the score. In addition to that, there was enough to place on her shelf to make her look… well, better than good. Years worth of community service work, volunteering, participating in and starting clubs, all about to finally pay off. It was surreal. Kinda stressful, too, but now that she had time off she wanted to decompress. Enjoy herself some. 

To begin with, much of it was taking time off with herself. Meaning, no Jason, or Andrew, or her parents. Just her. She didn’t even have to explain to Jason that she wanted to be alone because after her initial comment of taking time off alone, he’d kissed her palm and murmured about how proud he was against her skin. No bitterness or spite attached. He’d even made a joke about ‘bro time with Andrew’. 

The gym nearest to her house was offering a free month trial-- which just so happened to be the amount of time she was planning on taking to relax before starting to study for finals again-- and she took it up instantly when she found out that they offered yoga and guided meditation classes. It was most likely the best thing she’d ever done.

Apart from getting an hour of physical exercise a day (because yoga is harder than it looks) she was the most relaxed ever. Her sleep was the best it’s been in so long, and her body felt so light. Time to reflect, she’d decided, was very important.

 Plus, her self-esteem had gone up knowing she was doing something to better herself for* herself. 

For the most part, that was how most of her days went.

Go to school, sometimes she’d eat lunch with Jason, get a ride home from him (the goodbye kisses ignited her), head to the gym, come back home and fall right asleep. She took advantage of the first three periods to finish any work that she had to turn in.

It’s only logical that she’d be nervous the day of her date with Jason, since it hadn’t been on her mind at all, and she hadn’t been spending time with the boy so his presence has not consoled her. An anxious fervor had plotted itself in the depths of her belly, goading her like a devil on her shoulder. Better watch how you act, it said, or you’ll fuck this all up.

Jason was the same way. 

The poor boy had also taken to working out to release his...stress. Sleepless nights were spent with the weight-rack in his father’s home gym- arms aching from the strain of bench pressing. Shirtless torso draped in a sheen of sweat, flushed a pink color and littered with prominent veins as he pulled his body upwards, jaw clenched and mind focused, having already reached the point where he listens to his body’s begs for mercy. Rhythmic release of tense breaths escaped through the hard line of his lips, muscles defined under a glint of perspiration beneath the lights of the room, shorts low on his hips. His curls dripped salty beads down the line of his nose, and matted on his forehead. 

He lost himself in the repetitive movements, body going numb until his brain turned off. 

It was almost better than sex. Hell he did it to forget about sex.  

He swears his body chose to betray him every time he was getting ready to fall asleep, projecting filthy images of a girl so sweet, he felt guilty just humoring them. Swollen red lips, hot mouths, soft hands, perky breasts blotchy with his marks. These pictures were so explicit and vivid in his brain about y/n, who was nothing but sweet and kind, and had never come close to even insinuating the things he imagined. 

Hell on earth-- torture is what it felt like, having to ignore sticking a hand down his pants and pulling at himself until he found relief with such an innocent girl on his mind. It made him feel icky and gross because she was so pure. Jason preferred to turn to exhaustion of his body rather than pleasure. And, more often that not he greeted his father’s gym with a scowl and determination to distract himself, pushing himself until he was nothing but a breathless, strained heap laying all tired-out on the bench, salty beads running a path down his forehead and dripping down his neck where his shoulders drooped-- defeated.  

Waking up the next day was a burning adventure; muscles feeling as if they’d been shot through and pricked with needles over and over again.  

But, his dignity was still intact and he was able to look y/n in the eyes with no remorse. The one time he’d jerked off to her, he was a sweating, burning mess as he made his way up to her in the halls.

He’d learned his lesson then.

His nerves didn’t run as deep as y/n’s, but he did second guess himself the more intricate his plan got. Take a certain route, be there at a certain time so there wouldn’t be so full, alert the personnel of his presence. 

Jason had approached his mother, Anne, the night that she had come home, and questioned her about her friend’s sister that worked as a zookeeper, to see if she had connections to the aquarium. Turns out, she did and-and, 

“Honey, what’s the sudden interest in Penny’s sister?” She looked up at her son while chopping green onions. 

Stammering, he rubbed his neck and said, “I was kinda… wondering- maybe, uhm… you could call in a favor for-for me…”

“What for?” 

“I wanted to ask… y/n to prom at the uhm.. The aquarium,” his cheeks go pink and he can’t keep steady eye-contact with his mother. She’s smiling at him knowingly, smiling at him from underneath the lip of the wine-glass she holds up to her mouth. 

She smacks her lip, “Y/n? The prom? When did this happen?” Anne smirked at him, scraping the onions off the cutting board with a knife onto the pan. 

This would be the moment where the distraught teenage boy goes off on his mom for being absent and not knowing a single thing about him. Slam his firsts against the counter-top while sneering. 

But Jason loved his mother and they maintained good communication, so there would be none of that. “Start of February…” He bites his thumb.

The sound of sizzling onions is what fills in the silence of their gazes. His mother slowly nodded her head, and Jason blushing. 

“I knew it.” 

Jason furrowed his eyebrows at his mother’s statement. “What?” 

“I knew this would happen. I knew it the day she first came in with Andrew. The instant you said her name, I knew.” 

Jason furrowed his eyebrows at his mother’s statement. “What?” 

“I knew this would happen. I knew it the day she first came in with Andrew. The instant you said her name, and that look in your eye…” She gleamed at her son. “You love her, don’t you?” 

The boy gaped at his mother. Had he really been that transparent from the beginning? So much so that not even he had noticed his feelings? “You knew?” 

“Course I did. Pushed you out of me didn’t I? Know you like the back of my hand.” His mother set the glass down and continued cutting vegetables. “It’s a mother’s instinct to know when her boy has been swept off his feet.” A soft pat on the cheek meets a dazed Jason. “Now, what’s this favor you wanted?” 

*                                                      *                                  *

Y/n was scared to admit how deep her feelings were for Jason.

Scared to admit that the usual fluttering gnaw at her ribs had developed into an inferno that took over her entire body, centering at her heart and spreading through her nervous system, leaving her skin a tingling network of her emotions.

Basically, take puppy love, and remove ‘puppy’. She loved him. With her entire being and more she loved him. She could see her life with him more secure than anything in her life, which was a big admission because the poor girl was all about security. And Jason made her feel more comfortable than anything in her life at that moment; he made her forget about anything that wasn’t them together in that moment. 

The morning of their date was like one of those scenes in movies where the character just has that really big realization, and all her feelings hit her at once. Y/n pieced it all together in a few seconds. How much he meant to her, how she loved him* and how scary it would be if she were to admit her feelings and receive nothing in return. 

It was at cause of these thoughts that her nerves revved up to their max, mind overthinking different ways that her feelings might cause this date to go wrong. Like something might slip from her lips; a rushed, urgent proclamation of her devotion full of jumbled stutters and met with a stunned look and a freshly single boyfriend.

“Honey, Jason’s here!” Called her mother at the base of the stairs. 

Y/n watched herself grow pale in her reflection, teeth sinking in her bottom lip. No turning back now. 

“Coming!” She took one last look at herself, pulling on the sleeves of the cardigan she layered over the long, white-eyelet dress she was saving for an occasion like this. It was a light, summer material with white embroidered flowers and a nice frilly detain around the waist. The creme cardigan served no purpose other than the fact that she was nervous, and covering up calmed her down. There wasn’t much to cover, but bare shoulders made her heart want to start a riot, screaming at her that people were looking and it was time to get anxious about whether she looked good or not. 

She forced herself to tear her eyes away from the dewy makeup on her face, drawing her mind away from picking at it until it was perfect because it would never be that and it’s okay. Instead, she focused on what lay ahead of her for the day— and maybe that was a tad bit worse but that didn’t matter because she was already in the witch’s pot and the brew was boiling— her date with Jason looming with possibility. Not to mention, she’d finally be getting to see the newly added exhibits she was longing to see. 

Cute baby sea lions, penguins and jellyfish that quickly outweighed all the disastrous scenarios filling her mind. 

Skipping down the steps with an eager smile on her lips, y/n struggled to hold in all her happy squeaks because downstairs Jason was waiting for her and-

“There she is!” Her mother greeted her at the base of the stairs, and winked at her daughter with a smile, a cheeky expression displayed upon the fact that what was happening was a surprising event. Her little y/n going out on a date with none other than her favorite out of Andrew’s friends, Jason.

This would have been the moment in the movies where everything freezes and everyone else disappears. The camera comes to a zoom in on Jason and y/n’s faces, the screen split in half but it the same, dreamy, loved-up expression on both their faces. Y/n’s cheeks warmed with a soft flush and a cheek splitting grin on her mouth, lips that shined with the gloss she had put on them, and eyes that shined under the kitchen lights with an extra sparkle that had floated up from her chest that had become the cavern where she shoved all her emotions.

Jason is equally stunned, unsure of how his girlfriend could get any more beautiful. Bunny teeth on full display, hands in the pockets of his blue jeans. He wore a satin bomber jacket with a tiger on the lower right side of his abdomen that was perched on snow-capped mountains that stretched up to his chest, a swooping eagle on his left breast. Two buttons were left unclasped, the collar of a white under-shirt peeking out, and the dip of his breast-bone on display, highlighted by the glint of the golden cross necklace his grandmother had given him when he was eight.

Meanwhile he took in the sight of her, y/n did the same as well, eyes roaming all over his figure and settling on the eyes that were already set on hers. He loved how she turned a pretty bothered color when they locked dreamy gazes. How her demeanor changes to shy glances when he smiles at her all toothy- his dimples prominent on his cheeks. The boy straightened, looking proud to be able to take her on a date. 

“Well are you guys gonna stare at each other all day, or go to the aquarium?” Andrew asked. He was standing at the kitchen entrance, a bag of Cheetos in his arm, and one cheek bulging with chips. 

“Andrew!” His mother playfully swatted his bicep. “Be nice! You’ll be the same, just wait.”

“Ready to go?” Jason asked, giving a sluggish nod towards the door, his being still transfixed in y/n, who nodded equally as slow even though her heart raced a mile a minute. “Alright, let’s go then. I’ll bring her home before 10, Mrs. Y/L/N.” Y/n walked towards the hand that Jason stretched out for her to grab, her hand swimming in his. It suddenly made sense why he was able to launch a football 400 meters. His hands were big, with a wide palm and nimble fingers that wrapped around hers, the top of it striped with the pleasing ridged of his veins. 

“Bye, hunnies! Have fun…. But not too much fun!” The mother clutched at her chest, her eyes soft at the sight of Jason opening the door for her daughter. 

“Ew, mom!” Andrew said, crumbling the bag to a close and retreating up the stairs, presumably to his room. He stopped at the base, and turned to say, “And I’ll be here, the brother forgotten by this best friend, woe is me!” 

His friend twisted around with a hand on the doorknob, “You know I love you, babe!” 

Andrew said something stupid along the lines of ‘show me, ya stud!’ before his mother shushed him up and waved at the couple that it was okay to leave, approaching the doorway to lock up.

Y/n peeked sideways at Jason, finding him already looking at her with a cheeky smirk. 

“Caughtcha looking,” He said, taking hold of her hand again and giving it a mall squeeze, leaning over to peck her cheek. “Missed you, y/n.”

She wanted to stop and pull him in by both sides of his face to smash their lips together, but she knew that her mom was probably watching through the window. “Wanna kiss you good so bad, but my mom’s probably watching through the window and I don’t wanna hear about it later.” 

“It’s okay, baby, I know. Wanted to ravish you when I saw you coming down the stairs, but that’s not the most appropriate thing to do when my girlfriend’s mom is present, is it?” They reached his car, and he sped up slightly to open the door for her, placing a hand on the small of her back. The grip on her phone increased at the sudden warmth on her body, her mind jumping to dirty assumptions on where this could lead to. 

She got in the car with a quiver in her belly, and it jolted away when Jason shut the door behind her. What was she thinking? Their relationship was built upon glances and sly touches, and how she was flustered in a non-sexual way over him? Strongly?

“Did you wanna get food anywhere before?” He said when he opened the door to his side, leg hiking up and to the side to take a seat. “Dunno ‘bout you, but I’m really really craving those chicken-avocado paninis from that one little coffee shop, and I know you really like their milk tea, what do you say?”

“I say that’s a really good idea.” Y/n said, nodding with a pinch on one side of her face, her true feeling hidden. Eyes trained at the way he held the steering wheel; one hand at 12 while he turned the key into the ignition. Maybe he would hold her neck while the other rubbed at her…

What the fuck? She needs to cut it out. 

Clearing her throat and looking out the window she said, “I could definitely go for a milk tea right now…”

“Yeah? Are you excited for today?” He twists to check behind him before pulling out of his parallel position to the curb, and y/n uses that moment to glance at the smooth skin of his neck, imagining how it would feel underneath her fingertips… her mouth…

“Yes,” She chokes, saliva collecting at the back of her tongue and slipping through. There’s a small pause where she coughs, and Jason plucks a bottle of water from the glove compartment, the back of his hand grazing her knees and the tops of her thighs, which only makes her cough harder. 

“Are you okay, my love? Here,” using the flat of his wrist to take hold on the steering wheel while he opened the bottle, “drink some. I don’t want you to die before you’ve seen the jellyfish.” 

A feeble ‘thank you*’ left her lips before the water bottle occupied it. The liquid washed out anything that had agitated her, and she drank extra to fill the time for at least a few more seconds. She was terrified of doing something wrong. 

The car was pulling up the parking lot of their local cafe when she placed the bottle in the cup holder between them. Jason didn’t have a clue what was going through her head, or the fact that he should be concerned because her thoughts had traveled to him fingering her while she made a mess of his seat. He was simply so grateful to be spending time with the girl who he loved. 

Who he loved.

The boy had realized the extremities of his regards after his mother had spoken them aloud. 

You love her don’t you?

Yes, yes he did. He had known that it was there. The guzzling, spritzy feeling he felt over his chest- like when a sip of a freshly opened can of Sprite goes down your throat- when he saw her, felt her touch, thought about her, had always been there. Always. It was there the day he bumped into her outside of the locker room, her tiny frame going unnoticed when he rounded the corner of the locker room where she was waiting for her brother because he was busy texting some girl, but the moment he heard a squeaky ‘oh, I’m so sorry!’, it was there. 

In some aspects, Jason was a bit dense, and this was one of them. He didn’t act when he should’ve. Or at least recognized what was going on in that broad chest of his-- he doesn’t think he would’ve acted because Andrew wouldn’t have held back. They hadn’t developed such a strong bond to come to the understanding that they did (Jason had made a really bold statement about life long partners and Andrew had been too blown away to stay mad). 

Jason loved y/n, and he always would; that was just facts.

“Wanna stay in here or go inside with me?” He asked her, taking the key out and placing a hand on the door. 

She was lightning quick to say “With you!” a bashful look overcoming her when he looked at her all knowingly, like he could see right through her. “I’ll go with you so you don’t have to carry everything,”  y/n blubbered in efforts to reclaim her dignity, and stepped out of the car. 

He feigned being hurt, “Owie, that stung. Are you saying I’m not strong?” Jason followed after her, a playful pout in his lips, “Tell you what,” he placed an arm around her neck, tugging her close to him and putting his lips by her ear, “I can carry you and the food, at the same time.”

Tables with umbrellas were located at the front of the cafe, people sitting with their computers open or having a chat with friends. Some looked up, some didn’t, but the stares of those who did made y/n feel thousands of times shyer than what she felt. 

The girl couldn’t help but squeeze the fabric of her sweater around herself, her thoughts getting the best of her, the feeling of his lips an enticing action that drove her mad…

He knew it too, chuckling to himself as he opened the door. 

Inside, only a single person made up the line for ordering, and she was already in the process of giving the man her card to pay. Jason and y/n stood side by side, looking up at the menus as if they were thinking over their choices, but really just thinking about each other. 

“Nex- Well, well, well.”

Y/n doesn’t think she had ever forgotten that voice. And hearing it ten, with Jason at her side, brought back the fear she hadn’t even begun to overcome. Her face went white, her lungs freezing, and her feet glued to the ground. 

Shock, was the medical term for it. 

When your body is submerged into temperatures it can’t handle, it goes through a series of procedures to attempt survival. It begins to slow down to conserve energy, shutting down to keep in heat, or await help. Hearts slow, lungs slow, and in extreme, abrupt situations, a person can faint. 

At the appearance of Chris after nearly an entire year, y/n wanted to faint. She wished she had, that way she wouldn’t have to endure Jason’s confused glances, and Chris’s malicious, salacious smirk. 

“Y/n, long time no see, baby.” He said, a piece of gum that he had hidden in his cheek appearing as he started to chew, leaning forward on the counter and giving Jason a once over. “Who’s that?” 

Jason’s eyebrows furrowed at the audacity this guy had, calling his girl ‘baby’. Y/n wasn’t looking at him, she couldn’t- she wasn’t aware of what was happening anymore, retreated into deep parts of her brain- but had she, she would’ve seen a bone-chilling, intimidating look of dominance in his usually kind green eyes. “I’m her boyfriend, who are you?” He said, stepping forward so his thighs were flush with the edge of the counter. His body was pulled tight like the strings on a violin, one pluck away from releasing a disastrous melody. 

Y/n’s eyes began to tear from not blinking them, her heart going from beating normal to beating so hard she could feel it in her fingertips, her stomach dropping like it had been ripped to her feet. 

“Who am I?” Chris licked the inside of his cheek, and y/n gagged. Repulsed, her feet tripped over themselves in attempts to get to the trashcan by the pickup site. “There wasn't even anything in your mouth, babe! Guess that thing they say about muscle memory is true, huh?”

Jason didn’t pay attention to the last thing that he said because he ran over to hold his girlfriend’s hair, rubbing her back and whispering that ‘it’s okay, my love, take deep breaths’. Her body started to tremble when nothing came out, her eyes emitting actual tears now, feeling undeserving of Jason’s affection because of what she’d done.

“I’m so-rry,” she whispered, her face a splotchy, red color that made him panic on the inside at what could plague her. “Can we go?” 

“Yeah,” He nodded quickly, no questions asked.”Yeah, let’s go.” 

Y/n shot up then, practically running out of the store while Chris laughed a belly-clenching laugh that pushed her out further. Jason looked back at him once, anger on clear display because whatever the guy had done, it was bad if it made her this upset.

When he turned around, y/n’s figure was disappearing  through the view of the store’s window, arms clutching herself as she ran to the parking lot. There were more stares than when they first arrived when he ran out after her with a call of her name. 

“Y/n!” He turned the corner to see her yanking violently at his door handle, tears streaming continuously down her cheeks now. Her shoulder jerked back and pushed forward until her knuckles collided on the material of the car. She was hurting herself. “Hey!” He yelled, yanking her back and wrapping his arms around her torso to restrict her movements. 

She thrashed for a few seconds, sobs leaving her until she went limp, which was when he let her go. His eyes were wide with concern, not being able to believe what had just happened. 

“Dovie? Look at me, dovie,” With a curled finger, he gently encouraged her to look at him. Irritated, doe eyes blinked with...  fear. 

“Do you want me?” Were the words that left her mouth in a breathy tremble. 

“I always want you,” Jason said, not hesitating to respond to her abrupt inquiry. His thick brown eyebrows were still knitted, however, and she knew that she owed him answers. As much as she couldn’t bring herself to give them up, y/n said,

“Would you want me even if I was used?” She shut her eyes tight, not being able to bear looking at him. It felt as if she were the one using him then, comforted by his presence, but lying to him as well. 

He scoffed, head shaking. “Yes. Even then I’d still love you.” Jason’s composure remains the same,neither alarmed or shocked that he had let it ‘slip’ past his lips because he hadn’t. He loved her and he told her. 

Y/n, on the other hand, burst into tears and dropped her head, her forehead on his chest, chanting a pathetic, “I don’t deserve you. I don’t deserve you.”

“Y/n, I need you to tell me what just happened,” He crooned into her ear, his lips kissing her head in attempts to show his affection to comfort her, “Let me help you.” 

She shook her head, and the gold zipper of his sweater scratched her forehead when she did. “No. No, I’m sorry.” She looked up at him, her voice pleading, “I don’t want to ruin our date. Can I tell you after?” Jason looked at her with lips pressed into a firm line. “Please.” She begged.

“Not gonna ruin our date, dovie,” He kissed her right cheek, and her eyelid, the bridge of her nose, and nudged his forehead against hers, “Spent so much time waiting for you, that I’m not gonna let a silly thing break us apart. I’m willing to fight, y/n. I already have.” He fumbled behind her, unlocking the door and propping it open before he pressed a kiss to her lips. A deep press that conveyed everything he just said. I love you.

A shaky, relieved breath left her when they parted, her eyes still shut when he said, “Get in the car, my love,” with another, plushy kiss to her lips before he stepped back to see her get in the car. Her eyes opened slowly to see him smiling at her, no trace of anything strange in his eyes- like he had forgotten everything that happened in the past 10 minutes. 

Y/n mumbled an ‘okay’ and got inside, putting on his seat belt as he closed the door and walked over to his side. She wondered if this was it, if this was her messing up and at the end of the day she would be crying into her pillow because he’d broken up with her. If e was just playing nice because that was just Jason, his MO.

Lost in her own thoughts, she didn’t notice that he had turned on the radio until he started singing along to it. An oldies station that he always had on if there wasn’t any music coming from his phone. It was in the middle of Prince’s Nothing Compares 2 U to which Jason didn’t hesitate to start singing. 

“I went to the doctor’s and guess what he told me, guess what he told me,” he looked over at her while he was singing, a playful look in his eyes, and he shimmied his shoulders. It was a classic ‘sing to your girlfriend so she’ll never forget this song and always associate this song with you’ moment. 

“I went to the doctor’s and guess what he told me, guess what he told me,” he looked over at her while he was singing, a playful look in his eyes, and he shimmied his shoulders. It was a classic ‘sing to your girlfriend so she’ll never forget this song and always associate this song with you’ moment. 

“He said girl you better try to have fun no matter what you do,” his singing voice was a direct reflection on his character, smooth like honey, but deep and slightly scratchy like the comfort of burning wood, “but he’s a fool.” 

Just then, his voice gets a little louder, “Cause nothing compares to you.” He placed a hand on her knee, his lips forming an exaggerated ‘o’ shape on the ‘you’. Jason was clearly singing to her, his eyes flickering from the road to her as a sweet gesture to direct his words to her. 

Y/n sniffled and laughed, using her finger to trace the veins on the back of Jason’s hands, looking up at him while he sang to her. She had the sudden urge to reiterate what he had confessed in the parking lot. How it swelled in her chest, and consumed her. 

But she couldn’t. It was hard and she didn’t know why. Maybe it was because he didn’t know the whole truth about her. Instead she wrote it on his hand. Her caresses going from random to spelling out letters on his knuckles. He noticed this. How the movements were calculated now, and the singing stopped. Green eyes went from the road to her eyes, to the road to their hands.

I love you, too.

She wiped her hand over his when she finished, and didn’t dare look up at him, so she looked out the window but left her hand in his hold. He brought it up to his lips, and kissed her knuckles, rubbing his lips over them repeatedly.

*                                                      *                                  * 

Jason stepped out of the car, and took long, quick strides over to her door, y/n admiring how long and muscular his legs looked in his jeans. He pulled the door open, leaning back so the door could swing past his torso, but staying relatively close to the car, giving her just enough space to get out. Y/n didn’t think anything of it, until she stood, and was face to face with his face, her nose swamped with the toned down scent of fresh, spring scented body wash merged with the soft smell of his skin. 

Given how close she was, she could see the lines on his cupid's bow where his skin color changed from a golden tint to the strawberry of his lips. 

“Can you kiss me properly now, baby?” He said, voice low and raspy. Hands came to flatten on the hood of his Prius, caging her in so she was close to his torso. A blush formed from the way he stared at her mouth like he was starved. 

“P-properly?” She muttered, her hands taking purchase on his hips, and smoothing up his sides, the material cool under her hands. 

“Yeah,” He licked the inside of his cheek, his head tilting, “Like this.”

Jason pushed forward until her back hit the car, and their hips were flush, y/n’s hands stuck between them, but she maneuvered them to she could palm at his chest, her nails digging in like cat’s claws when his lips found their way together, pillowed between each other in a passionate embrace that warmed her to her toes. 

“Mmph, baby ‘ya marking me with your fingers,” He spoke in a sotto voice, heavy breaths and wet noises of their smacking lips resonating through their ears.

It took everything in her not to moan, and she knew that if they kept going it would be inevitable, so she unclenched her hands with a reluctant squeak, and ducked her head into his neck. Breath hot on his neck, “I’m sorry.”

“No, no, no, no. I… uhm, I liked it, my love. You didn’t do anything wrong, don’t be shy.” He flexed his jaw, his eyes rolling at the back of his head at recalling the feeling of her hands- dainty and small, and sweet,, and god* it was just her*- clawing at his chest. Jason dipped forward, and kissed her neck. His lips staining her skin with scorching heat, the soft skin creating a magnetic force between them. 

She moaned at that, her teeth scratching at his neck tentatively.  “Stop it,” Her head felt floaty, her limbs soft, “Wanna see the fishies and the way that you’re…” “The way that I’m what, dovie?” He’s stunned by her moan, his brain haywire. “Tell me.”

“The way you’re talking is gonna me make me wanna stay here, and I really wanna see the fishies. Please?” She’s whining; voice an embarrassingly high pitched tone. Her hands gripped the collar of his sweater for stability because her knees were shaking. 

“Alright. Alright, let’s go see the fishies, baby.” Jason pecks her one last time at the juncture of her neck, and takes a step back to grab her hand. “Come on.”

*                                                      *                                  * 

 “So, they’ve got McDonald’s, Tam’s Burgers, Ruby’s Diner, and Sushi.” Jason holds a tri-fold directory of the aquarium in one hand, and y/n’s hand in the other. 

“Sushi? At an aquarium?” She skews half her face to the side like she tasted something sour. 

“I know right?” He copies her face, “The irony. Up for burgers? It’s all they’ve got.” 

Y/n’s stomach grumbled at the mention of food, and she giggled when Jason noticed and laughed at her. “Burgers sound good,” she said, rubbing her stomach comically.  Although she was still heated by their earlier interaction, both were pretending like nothing happened, and like they didn’t have a big thing waiting for them at the end of the day.

Like she wasn’t going to reveal how sh-

“Anything for you, baby.” Jason Jason held up the tri-fold again and blew out of his lips as he made out the route to Tam’s burgers. 

When they both got there, they ordered the same thing: one cheeseburger with a vanilla milkshake. Oh, and they were sharing chili cheese fries.

It was the epitome of a perfect date for a young couple in love. They chose to sit on the same side of the booth because they were greedy to get everything they could from each other. Unnecessary touches were made more than the amount of things they said to each other. Him brushing hair behind her each, hand on her thigh, rubbing her cheeks, feeding her, wiping her mouth, her arm hooked through his, pecking his cheek after a sip of her milkshake, nudging his feet with hers, caressing his thigh. It was on the rubbing his thigh part where things would get slightly heated, and Jason would stop to kiss her, licking into her mouth to taste the vanilla that was also on his tongue.

Jason paid for their meal, much to y/n’s begging, and then walked her over to the penguin exhibit.

“Heard one of their eggs just hatched, and I want you to see it.” He said, swinging their hands between them.

“Really?” She asked, her features lifted with excitement. “Well then let’s go!” Y/n ran ahead of him, looking back at him and pulling at his arm. Laughing, they swerved around people and ran past the large tank that represented the reef ecosystem, blue light from the sun that streamed through the top of the tank dancing on their skin like shadows. It was a magical moment, even though they looked like weirdos. In their head they were in their own movie, their own world.

 “Jason, honey? Is that you?” A woman in green cargo shorts and the customary blue shirts with the aquarium’s logo on the left breast called from the inside of the penguin expedition. She had raven black hair in a low bun, and red lipstick paired with a bright smile. She was feeding the animals from  two buckets on the edge of the pool where they were jumping in. 

“Hey, Janet!” Jason called out, waving from behind the glass barrier. “Long time no see, have you gotten younger?” 

She laughed and turned around, walking through an archway and disappearing from view. A male walked out, and smiled towards the couple, nodding once and turned his attention towards the penguins. He whistled once, and they all came to him, huddling around him expectantly.

Then he bent downwards and placed the back of his hand on the penguins tummy, pressing back and they waddled backwards. He did the same to four others, pressing them so they were in a straight line, and they stayed where he placed them. Janet came out then, with black objects in her arms. 

“What are they….” Y/n asked, confused as to what was going on because she had been to this aquarium several times and had never seen such things. “... doing?” 

Janet removed one of the items from her chest, and y/n could see that they were large letters. A ‘P’ which she placed at the feet of the first penguin. ‘R’ on the one following. They rested against their bellies, and after an initial peck at it, they left it alone and watched their keepers expectantly, presumably for food. ‘O’ followed, then ‘M’. And as the question mark was being laid on the last penguin, Jason turned to watch his girlfriend’s face, waiting for the realization to hit. It didn’t take very long.

“Oh my gosh, Jason, look! Look it spells prom!” She pointed at it excitedly, a smile from ear to ear as she looked on at the animals, amused by their antics. She looked over at him to share her glee, and found him watching her with a dreamy smirk. “Look at the animals! Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Will you go to prom with me?” 

Y/n’s jaw dropped, the full realization hitting her. This had been planned, more specifically, Jason had planned this. “You did this?” She asked. Looking back and then at him again as he nodded slowly, still waiting for an answer. She stood there for a moment, stunned, and after a blink she jumped into his arms. “Yes! Yes! Yes, I want to go to prom with you!” 

He didn’t waste any time in wrapping his hands around her waist and twirling her around, laughing. Kissing her cheek, he set her to her feet and she was watching him with bleary eyes, a pout on her lips. “You did this for me?” 

“Technically, my mom did, but yes. Had her call in for me. Did you like it?” He put his hands in the pocket of his bomber jacket, his lips puckered as he tried to conceal a proud smile. 

“I love it, so much, Jason I-” She’s left speechless, and she glances up at the animals again, where Janet and the other keep were throwing fish at them. “Thank you.” The tips of her fingers came to cover her mouth, tears of joy threatening to slip. 

“Don’t cry, dovie. You weren’t supposed to cry,” he cooed, slipping his hands out again to wipe at the tears that fell down her cheeks.

“Shut up and kiss me,” Leaning up on her tip-toes, y/n abruptly yanked at his jacket, and crushed their lips together. 

“There we go! Your mother would love this!” Janet whooped, and her cheers caused the couple to split from each other with red faces, laughs covering their embarrassment. 

“Hush up, and let me kiss my girl will ya?” Jason pointed a finger at her and pretended to scowl. “We’re leaving to somewhere where we can smooch in peace!” Nearby people laughed at his jokes.

“Bye, sweetie! Tell your mother I said hello!” She waved goodbye, and returned her attention to the penguins at her feet. 

Y/n waved a goodbye along with Jason, yelling a ‘thank you’ as she walked away. Her brain was still trying to process what had happened when they turned the corner and walked into the new exhibit of the darker layers of the ocean. A long, winding hallway where the only light was the glow coming from the bio-luminescence animals in the water. 

An influx of serotonin swimming through her veins, squeals leaving her where she noticed where they were. 

“The jellyfish!” She left Jason’s side to stand in front of the large glass. An abundant amount of jellyfish bobbed up and around each other at slow, hypnotizing speeds. Glowing, long tentacles swaying in their trail; networks of veiny light streams present in each of them. The blue hue reflecting off of her skin, and onto the pane where it showed her amazed reflection.

“They’re beautiful,” she mumbled. Jason caught up, and stood besides her, his figure also appearing on the glass pane that held the jellyfish. “I could watch them all day.” 

His eyes drifted from the jellyfish to her side profile, admiring how ethereal she looked in that moment. Her face was soft with curiosity and wonder. “Me too.”

“You’re not even looking at them.” She gives him a side-eye glance. 

“I know.” He turned so his feet pointed to her, and combed his hair back because a few curls were tickling his forehead. “Can’t believe I’m gonna have the prettiest girl as my prom date.” 

Y/n’s nostrils flared and she sucked in her lips to suppress a smile. “Stop it.”

“S’true. Everyone’s gonna be so jealous of me.” He sucked in a breath, “Gonna have to hold on to you so no one steals you from me.” 

She knows he means every word that leaves his lips. And that the words are meant to tickle her heart with their honesty. While they do so, they also break it. Y/n thinks she’s living a lie. Not her relationship with him, but the way she acts and portrays herself. So much of herself, she kept hidden. It hurt knowing that he was being so genuine, and she wasn’t. It hurt more than knowing he could break up with her if he knew the truth. 

So, she decided to come clean. Even though they decided on the end of the day, her conscience wasn’t letting her live. 

“Jason, I have something to tell you.” She said, her throat closing up on the second syllable of his name, and crying by the end of her sentence. 

The boy brings his palm to her lower back, and moves his thumb up and down comfortingly. “Deep breaths, y/n. I’m listening.” 

“That boy?” She tilts her chin so she’s looking at him, and he nods when they make eye contact. “From the cafe? I knew him from a party.” Deep breath. “We were playing truth or-” a sob leaves her, shoulders sagging as her composure breaks. 

Jason raises his hand from her back to her shoulder, and steps closer so she’s pressed against his chest. “It’s okay. I’m right here, baby. I’m not leaving you. Take your time.” 

It would’ve been a lot more embarrassing if people were passing, but they were the only ones there. Had there been someone, they would’ve seen a terribly emotional y/n and a very concerned Jason. 

A creeping feel of panic like the one from that night teased her toes, anxiety of her confession crawling up her spine. But she had to push through. She needed to get this off her chest. 

“We were playing truth or dare, and… and I got dared t-to suck him off in front of everyone else,” another hiccup interrupts her words, and she had to stop to take a deep breath like Jason said, giving him an ashamed, fleeting glance.  Not long enough to see that his eyes were wide with astonishment, eyebrows furrowed with bubbling rage.

“What?” He said, more on the rhetorical side to encourage her to keep talking. His mind kept jumping back to the guy at the cafe and the way he said ‘there wasn’t anything in your mouth, babe’ with a knowing look in his eyes. How he practically violated her with his eyes. Rage filled him; all he wanted to do was punch the guy in the face. 

Anger made itself present in his stunned comment, and y/n took it as a disgusted comment. She jumped to explain herself, “I didn’t want to do it! I swear I didn’t put they started calling me names, a-and I didn’t want them to be upset with me so I-” another collapse of her words, chest rising and falling with desperate breaths. The panis increased, rising up to her chest and gripping like a boa. 

Jason knew that she needed reassurance on that moment and said, “Sh, sh Dovie, deep breaths. It’s alright, I know you didn’t, my dove. That’s called peer pressure.” 

It was clear that this was something she struggled with for a long time, and it hurt him so much inside that he had so blindly lived in the presence of her pain. Held her, touched her, and never noticed that she was so deeply in pain. The anger in him became a mix of bitter remorse at the fact that he had done nothing to push at her, or present himself in a way that showed she could trust him. He was unaware he was crying too until his own vision became blurry with moisture. 

“I left right after he… after he…. Because the other boys started touching me, too. That was when you found me under that tree. Remember?” Shiny doe eyes glimmered with the light that came off the jellyfish at him. They seemed to beg him for forgiveness, for understanding that she was sorry.

“Yes, sweetheart I remember.” Soft fingers crawl up her cheek, caressing like silk at the tears that still fell. Kisses were littered in her temple with strong pressure, a display of his comfort. “Oh, I’m so sorry that you had to go through that, baby. It’s not your fault.” 

“I should have said no. I should’ve l-left or something…”

“No. No, y/n this wasn’t your fault. This wasn’t on you. You were under pressure, and they were bullying you as well… Oh my god, baby, this- You don’t want to tell authorities?” 

“No! No, no, Jason I can’t l-let anyone find out I did…” Her eyes shut with distaste, “That. Please, don’t tell anyone.” 

“Yeah, yeah, okay.” He nods.

“Do you still want me?” Her cross, and her nails dig into her arms. Y/n bowed her head and sniffled. Jason took note of this, and pried her hands off so she wouldn’t bleed. His heart clenched at the tone of desperation in her voice. It hurt him to even think that he’d leave her so easily, and his words came out more emotionally tainted than he would’ve wanted.

“Y/n look at me.” His hand cupped her cheek, and the other held both of her wrists. She wrapped her hands around his wrists and squeezed him tightly. “I’m not leaving you. Can’t you understand that I love you, baby? I’m not leaving you, not now.”

“God, Jason. I don’t deserve you.” Y/n leans into his touch, sniffling.

“No, dovie. You’ve got that all twisted. It’s me who doesn’t deserve you.  You’re so good to me, so kind, and sweet,and I’m so so sorry thing happened to you. But it’s gonna be okay, yeah? We can work through this, I’ll be there by our side. I won’t leave.” The boy followed after her eyes, wanting to maintain eye contact with her, but she was shifty with her gaze. He wanted to be able for her to see-- in his eyes-- that he meant every word.

“I love you.” Y/n jumped into his chest and wrapped her hands around his neck, happy to be free of guilt, and blissfully happy that she had Jason. That he loved her, and she was able to tell him that she loved him.

After a moment of just standing in each other’s arms, head’s buried in each other’s neck with Jason muttering into her ear just how much she meant to him, they stepped back  to look at the other, and y/n laughed halfheartedly, wiping at her eyes and underneath her nose. Quiet ‘thank you’s were exchanged and they took one last good look at the jellyfish in silence. Y/n suggested they go home, and Jason said he wanted to stop by the gift shop first. Something about how how he needed a polar bear to hold onto at night.

In reality, he bought her the sea otter she wouldn’t stop petting, and a key chain with the date engraved on it. He didn’t give these to her until they were in front of her house, and he reached into the bag behind her seat.

“These are for you.” He said, placing the stuffy on her lap, and the key chain on her open palm. “A memoir. The first time we said I love you... among other things.” 

His tone was serious, mouth set in a grim line, but y/n was smiling.

“I knew something was up when you told me to wait outside. Thank you.” Leaning over the console, they both met each other halfway, and kissed each other goodbye. At the first taste of her lips, he removed his hands from the steering wheel in favor of having them on her face, holding her too him a few seconds longer than she usually would have let herself stay kissing.

“You’re welcome, dovie. I love you.” He said, pecking her lips once more, and then her nose, making her laugh through her nose. “I’ll see you tomorrow, but I’ll call you tonight. Yeah?”

“Yeah. I love you, too.” She opened the door, and waved once more at her boyfriend who smiled at her from inside the car.

Y/n was slightly upset over he fact that he hadn’t gotten out to walk her up the steps, and in any other situation, he would’ve. But out of his eagerness, Jason waited until she was inside, and lifted his hips to get his phone out of his pocket, calling the one person he knew would have his back if he wanted to set things straight.

It rang three times before he picked up.

“Andrew. It’s an emergency. Come over to my house tonight. Don’t let anyone see you leave.”

[eternaliax3]

Just For Show

One Shot | AO3

Fandom: Frozen (Disney Movies) Relationship: Kristoff/Anna, Elsa & Kristoff Friendship Rating: T

Words: 10,647 Notable Tags:  Fake Dating, Coming Out, Lesbian Elsa, AU - College, Slight mention of mild eating disorder, Ice Bros, Kristanna end game

Summary:  Kristoff meets someone he becomes infatuated with at first sight, and wants to be with her. Too bad he was dating her older sister. Well, fake dating.

“I need to ask you for a favor.”

The hulking man sat in the library with textbooks open in front of him on the table, peacefully working on his coursework. He looked up to see his best friend Elsa look down at him, biting her lip. Kristoff leaned back and put his arm on the back of his arm with one eyebrow raised. He had never really seen her this nervous before.

“Yeah, sure. What is it?” he said nonchalantly. He actually really needed to get back to his work.

“I need you to be my boyfriend.”

“Excuse me?!” Kristoff’s indignant yell echoed through the library, the two being met with awkward stares and glares from the people scattered about. His amber eyes were comically wide as he stared at Elsa. “Last time I was aware, you weren’t even into guys,” he whispered harshly.

Kristoff and Elsa had always been friends once they met in college. He was studying business management to take over his adoptive parent’s ice trading business and Elsa happened to be preparing for law school. They had to take a general education course in their freshman year and got partnered up in a group project for which they had two other useless people who didn’t do nearly as much work as them. They bonded over the fact that they were generally anti-social, except for a select few in their lives. They both were diligent, but he always knew Elsa had more ambition than him. He appreciated her silent but fierce personality and they usually studied together.

He didn’t think much of her not dating throughout the years, even though she had a lot of attention from other guys. He thought she was stunning as well, but he never felt drawn to her romantically. So it became a normal habit for her to reject men on the daily. She was dubbed the “Snow Queen” for that very reason.

So it came as a surprise that she came out to him as a lesbian. Well, sort of.

“Well, that explains a lot.” Namely how she seemed to blush uncontrollably around a special person who went by Honeymaren.

And he nodded and they both went back to work. Elsa had a relieved smile on her face and he knew that she appreciated his nonchalance as a reaction. He wondered at her secrecy throughout her depression that she had during her teenage years and if that was how she and her sister had drifted apart. Kristoff had ever met her, even through all of these years. But Elsa had talked about her fondly and with so much love that her eyes glittered in the light.

Now two years later and they are both in their junior year. And he found himself in this strange predicament.

“I know, I know,” Elsa shook her head, the blonde tendrils that escaped from her braid drifting about. “But there’s a family gathering soon for Thanksgiving, and my family has been hounding me about getting a boyfriend. I’ll never hear the end of it if I don’t go with someone.” She nervously twirled a strand of hair. He didn’t think he had ever seen her this nervous before. Was she really that afraid of her family?

“And you know, they don’t really know about…that. And I’m afraid of telling them. They’re not really the open and accepting type. They’re really old school.”

“Elsa, this is a lot to ask.” He leaned his head back and sighed. Even though he felt bad for her plight and how crap her family members are, her sister possibly not one of them, he just didn’t think he could do it.

“I know, I’ll make it up to you though. You can use our family’s cabin in the mountains as a little getaway during winter break.”

“For how long?” Kristoff’s interest was piqued. He did love being in the cold woods, away from people and just with his dog, Sven.

“As long as you want,” Elsa smiled sweetly, knowing she almost had him hooked. “And afterwards, I’ll just tell them we broke up. No big deal, and you would never see them again. It’s just for two days.”

Kristoff pondered for a few moments. Nothing could really go wrong, could it?

“Ok, deal.” They both grinned. 

                                          _____________

Kristoff drove with Elsa back to her home. He knew they had money, but geez, a large home in the middle of the woods was really expensive. It was like they owned the entire forest.

“So, how much longer?” he asked curiously.

“We’re about a half hour away,” Elsa replied. She held up her head on the windowsill, watching the trees fly by.

“Hey, everything’s going to be alright,” He knew she was worried. “I’m not gonna care about what your family thinks of me.”

“And you shouldn’t,” Elsa’s stern gaze was fixed on him. “They can be a bit much, but I’ll try to handle them as much as I can.”

“Hey, I’m not worried. I’m doing this for you, Elsa.” He smiled at her.

“And for that, I owe you so much.”

“I know, that cabin is gonna be mine for the winter!” He thumped his fist on the steering wheel triumphantly as Elsa laughed and shook her head.

The rest of the ride was drowned in companionable silence. They both weren’t ones to talk much, and for that they were good friends.

He finally reached the estate. Whoa, it was really that big? What, you guys have a lake too? He put the car into park and got out, opening the trunk and starting to unload his and Elsa’s luggage. Elsa came around to help.

“Elsa!”

They both turned around to see a fiery redhead bouncing up to them.

“Anna!” Elsa exclaimed, and the redhead almost literally jumped into her arms.

“Oh, I’m so glad to finally see you again.” She had a bright smile, which Elsa returned. “Oh, and is this the rumored boyfriend?”

She turned towards Kristoff, who towered over her and she stared up at him, and wow. Her blue eyes were bright and shiny and seemed to pierce into him. He didn’t think he had ever seen eyes so blue, and Elsa’s were pretty much like ice. Her sister’s however, were like the comforting blue sky during summer. Kristoff had no words for a moment, and he coughed into his hand. He didn’t want to admit it, but he might have just simultaneously developed a thing for redheads. Her face was adorably dusted with freckles and seemed to smile with her as she waited for him to answer.

“Uh, yeah. I’m Kristoff.” He held out his hand for her to shake, and he couldn’t help but notice how small her hand was in his. He almost engulfed it.

“I’m Anna, Elsa’s little sister. It’s nice to meet you!” He smiled back at her. Her energy was somehow infectious.

“Elsa, you really have to tell me how you met him! He’s so handsome!” She gushed excitedly, and Elsa couldn’t keep the smile off of her face. He could tell that Anna had a very special place in her heart, the fondness in her eyes told it all. And he couldn’t help but feel a rush of pride at the fact that she found him handsome, but also a sinking dread. He almost forgot he was supposed to be Elsa’s “boyfriend” after all.

“I will, I will. Let’s go inside first.” Elsa took her hand in hers and lifted up some luggage with the other. Kristoff helped her to take the rest in, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach that was growing.

This just got a whole lot more complicated.

                                         _____________

“Hi mom! Hi dad!” The energetic redhead seemed to never be lacking in excitement as she ran over to give her parents a big hug. The tall blonde and brunette looked at both Anna and Elsa with happiness, and welcomed them back into their home.

Kristoff lumbered in after them, a bit of nervous dread building in him but mostly nonchalant as he stood behind Elsa. Was it bad to say that he wasn’t afraid of embarrassing himself in front of her parents but instead more of Anna?

“Oh mom, dad. I want you to meet someone,” Elsa said quietly. Kristoff could tell the slight tremor in her voice was from nervousness, and he tried his best to stay calm. “This is my boyfriend, Kristoff.”

He could feel their appraising eyes on him and he tried to match their stare. So these were the parents who Elsa were afraid of telling? He didn’t really understand how Anna could ever be so unaccepting of Elsa, she seemed to love Elsa unconditionally. He could feel the redhead giving him an encouraging and welcoming smile, even if their father was trying to burn a hole through him with his glare. Somehow it didn’t feel as biting as Elsa’s though. Maybe she got that from her mother.

He tried to not look at Anna throughout the ordeal.

“It’s very nice to meet you.” He tried to give a charming smile but it felt unfamiliar and awkward on his face.

The tall blonde man (who was glaring at him) stepped forward and held out his hand, now giving a smile.

“My name is Agnarr. And this is my wife, Iduna.” He gestured to the elegant brunette next to him who welcomed him with a kind smile.

“It’s so nice to meet you, Kristoff. We’re so excited, Elsa finally has a boyfriend!” She gushed.

Elsa groaned and put her hand to her forehead, and Anna laughed. It sounded like bells.

“Well let’s just go in and get you guys settled.” Anna saved the day and Krisoff mentally thanked her for ending the semi awkward (for him and Elsa at least) first meeting with their parents.

Just two more days to go. What was he thinking agreeing to do this? Oh yeah, Elsa was one of his best friends. Who had a beautiful younger sister—ok stop there, Kristoff. He thought to himself. At least break up with Elsa first.

He brought in his luggage and gaped at how expansive the house was, it somehow looked even bigger on the inside. How was that possible? Elsa and Anna walked inside, arm in arm, while Anna gushed about her classes. His ears picked up the fact that she had a new boyfriend, and he felt his stomach drop in dejection. Of course she would have a boyfriend. One that treated her like a princess, he would bet.

They sat at the dinner table and chatted amicably. He explained how he was doing in his classes, very well he might add, much to the impressed Agnarr. And they explained how they had met in class and started to spend more time together, which blossomed into their “relationship” now.

“Wait,” Anna stopped them. “This is Kristoff? Your best friend, Kristoff?” her eyes widened.

“Yes, Anna,” Elsa said coolly.

“Oh my gosh, why didn’t you tell me you guys were already dating? We could have had double dates with me and Hans! I had no idea, I mean, Elsa you had told me about Kristoff lots of times but you guys have been dating for a few months already!”

“Well, you know-” Elsa struggled to find the words as Kristoff mentally tried to catch up with her chattering.

“We’re pretty private people. We just didn’t want it to be public for a bit,” Kristoff supplied. Elsa looked at him gratefully.

“Oh, I see.” Anna nodded. She seemed to know her older sister very well.

“Where is Hans, by the way?” Iduna asked.

“Oh, he went back to the Southern Isles to visit his family,” she said, “But he’s been texting me everyday.” Her smile was bright with affection.

Kristoff and Elsa both sighed in relief as the conversation shifted over to other topics. Anna was studying psychology with the intent to become a therapist, which Kristoff thought was very fitting to her personality. Anna kept the tone of the conversation light and happy, and everyone seemed to be having a good time.

Kristoff and Elsa were walking back to their rooms, their separate rooms, and Kristoff wondered about the relationship with Anna.

“How come you haven’t told Anna yet?”

Elsa stopped in her tracks, her shoulders tense. She knew exactly what he was referring to.

“It’s hard, Kristoff. We haven’t...had the best childhood growing up. I was always isolated and didn’t want to spend time with her. I was so depressed I just locked myself in my room. I always felt different, and couldn’t bear to tell her in case she didn’t accept me,” she whispered.

“I don’t think she’ll be like that at all,” he said gently.

“I don’t want to ruin what we have now. I finally fixed our relationship together and we’re acting like sisters again.” Her stubbornness on the matter was clear through the set of her shoulders and he sighed.

“I think you should explain. I don’t think she’ll react the way you think she would.”

Elsa pondered his words, and he left her standing in the hallway to go into his room after wishing her a good night, to which she didn’t respond.

                                        _____________

The next morning, he woke up bright and early. The mattress he was sleeping on was downright heavenly, and the sheets were so silky. He didn’t even want to know how much they cost.

Anna had joined the rest of the family for breakfast much later, yawning adorably along the way. Elsa had teased her mercilessly about her sleeping habits, and Anna stuck out her tongue. Kristoff couldn’t help but smile at their exchange, to which Anna smiled back at him and he swore his heart skipped a beat.

“So what’s the plan for today?”

“Well, we have to prepare our Thanksgiving dinner, of course!” Iduna answered and Anna clapped her hands in excitement.

“And then we’ll play charades after!” She said, her eyes bright.

“Ugh, do we have to?” Elsa said with a groan.

“Yes! It’s our tradition, you can’t back out of it!” Anna retorted. “Besides, you just don’t want to play because you’re so bad at it.” She leaned back in her chair with a smirk.

“I’m not that bad at it.”

“Yes, you are.”

“Girls, that’s enough,” Agnarr laughed.

“I’m actually excited to play,” Kristoff said, sending a smirk at Elsa, who glared at him indignantly.

“Ugh, fine,” Elsa relented and Kristoff and Anna shared a triumphant look.

Cooking dinner with the family was much like cooking with his own family, chaotic and fun, and full of laughter. Mostly from Anna’s antics. She would chuck ingredients at others and at one point her and Elsa almost had a full blown food fight. Anna seemed to draw out Elsa’s competitive streak. It was Iduna who made them stop with a single glare. Ah, so that’s where Elsa gets it from.

The day was mostly enjoyable and he couldn’t help but laugh with Anna most of the time. She was the life of the party, it seemed. He didn’t mind that at all though. She had a way of making things seem easygoing, and like the world wasn’t so bad. Whoa, that was pretty sappy, he thought to himself. He reminded himself that she had a boyfriend. One that apparently was two years older and was studying political science. He tamped down on the jealousy that arose in him at the thought of this “Hans.” He sounded like a pretentious jerk from what Anna had said about him.

Elsa seemed to relax as well, enjoying the time around her beloved family. Kristoff felt a bit out of place, although Anna did her best to include him in their activities, as much as he wanted to be on the sidelines.

They sat around the dinner table, lit up with candles and the turkey as the centerpiece. Elsa and Iduna were the main chefs of the house, Anna and Agnarr seemed to have no culinary expertise. But they had done a great job, and the food looked, and smelled, delicious. Kristoff and Anna proudly presented their salad and mashed potatoes. They said they typically have a live-in chef, but Thanksgiving dinner was their own tradition.

“Agh, I’m absolutely stuffed.” Anna smiled and leaned back in her chair.

It was so endearing watching her eyes sleepily regard the rest of her family, as she tried so hard not to fall asleep there. Kristoff gave a small smile at the sight. He would miss her after this, although this charade he was doing with Elsa seemed to be falling apart anyway. They both tried their best to be “couple-y” and hold hands and hug each other, but it felt really awkward. He found himself wishing that it was Anna that he was doing that with, she would take his hand without hesitation and drag him along wherever she wanted to go, and he would follow.

Kristoff could see it so vividly, and it scared him.

Anna amazingly perked up with energy again once they cleaned up the dinner table and sat in the living room to start their game of charades.

Since they had an odd number of people, they decided to forgo making teams.

“It would always be Elsa and I on one team, and mom and dad on the other,” Anna had explained to him. “But this makes it more fun! It’s like a free for all!” Her smile was bright and happy.

He couldn’t help but laugh at Elsa since Anna was right, she was kind of bad at this game. Her actions were a bit awkward and stiff, and it took a while to get what she was doing guessed correctly. But it was fun nonetheless, as Anna was so enthusiastic. She had guessed his turns correctly most of the time.

“A bear! Oh, setting a table? Riding a horse!” Though her guesses could get more and more wild, he learned.

It was her turn and she made a grand show of arching her hands and arms and growling loudly. Almost like a roar. He was pretty impressed, she seemed like she was having loads of fun, and he was too. Even if he didn’t want to admit it.

“Beast! A bear!” He yelled. Anna shook her head.

Iduna guessed next. “Wolf?” Anna shook her head again. But the buzzer went off, signaling her time was up.

She let out a breath. “Villain!” she said.

“Oooh,” they all said in unison.

She went and sat down, giving a smile to Elsa as they sat next to each other. They played a few more rounds, and they went to retire for the night, as they had a long drive back to campus in the morning.

Anna would be going back in her own car a bit later, as she liked to sleep in. Kristoff realized it probably would be the last time he would see her, unless it was around campus. He hoped that she wouldn’t be angry with him once Elsa told her they “broke up.”

In the hallway, Anna got to her room first, but turned to Elsa and Kristoff to wish them a safe trip.

“Kristoff, you have to come back here for Christmas break!” she said, and he didn’t have it in him to turn her down. Not when she was looking at him like that—like she was so happy that he was there.

“Alright,” he said dumbly, and Anna’s grin widened as she said good night. He ignored Elsa’s quizzical look at him.

                                       _____________

The next week then passed without event, Kristoff not seeing much of both Elsa and Anna, as exam season arrived with a vengeance. He himself had a bunch of presentations and papers to sift through as well as research for them so he was also pretty busy. It happens.

As he was walking back to his apartment near campus he felt his phone ring in his pocket. He pulled it out and was shocked to see Anna’s name flashing across the screen. But he answered.

“Hello?”

Gaspy breaths and a sniffle came from the other side.

“Kristoff?”

“Anna? Oh my god, are you alright?” He couldn’t help but feel an enormous wave of worry for her as he heard her obvious crying, despite her trying to hide it.

“Yeah I’m fine.” A lie. “I was just wondering if you knew where Elsa was?” Another sniffle, but quieter this time.

“Uh, no sorry. I think she usually stays at the library until late at night during this time to study. And she usually keeps her phone off to not have distractions.”

“Oh.”

Kristoff’s worry for her grew as she stayed silent.

“Thank you for letting me know, Kristoff. I’ll see you around.”

“Wait!” He exclaimed before she could hang up on him. “Where are you?”

There was a small pause from Anna as she seemed to be taken by surprise by his tone.

“I’m outside of Elsa’s apartment,” she said quietly. “I thought she would be there.”

Kristoff immediately turned around to start walking quickly to Elsa’s.

“Alright, I’m on my way over.”

“Wait, really?”

“Yeah, really.” He quickened his pace. “Just stay there, alright?”

“Okay.”

“I’ll see you soon.” Kristoff hung up and started to run, it was just a few blocks away and getting there as fast as he could was his first priority.

He reached the large apartment building and ran up the stairs to the fourth floor to where Elsa’s apartment was. He found Anna slumped against the wall wearing a black dress and heels. She lifted her head up to look at him and he took note of her blotchy eyes and red nose.

“Kristoff.” She mustered up a smile for him despite her crying.

“Anna, what happened?” He frowned at her demeanor and was mildly horrified at the fresh onslaught of tears that question evoked.

“It's Hans.” He made out from her soft sobs.

“What about him?” He felt his own voice become low and threatening, but Anna didn’t notice.

“I found out he was cheating on me with some other girl.”

“What?” Kristoff exclaimed. “That asshole!”

Anna couldn’t keep eye contact with him and stared at the ground. Kristoff didn’t usually do any of the affectionate things, but he felt compelled to try to cheer her up.

“Come here.”

Anna tilted her head at him and he engulfed her petite frame in a hug. He tucked her head underneath his chin, the heels that she was wearing managing to make her tall enough to fit perfectly in his arms.

“Hans is an asshole, alright? He didn’t deserve you.” And he meant every word.

They stayed in that hug for a while, at least until Anna’s frame stopped shaking and her sobs subsided and her sniffles became less frequent.

She pulled away first and gave him a smile. It was at that moment he knew he was taken with her, for good.

“Thanks, Kristoff.”

“Hey, no problem.” He smiled back. “Come on, let’s go.”

“To where?” Anna followed him as he started walking down the hall to the elevators.

“I know just what you need to cheer up.”

                                        _____________

“A diner?” Anna stares up at the blinking sign and then at Kristoff who was smiling. By now she stopped crying and only had the slightly red face to show as evidence of it.

“Hey, they make the best breakfast dinner here, hands down.”

Anna couldn’t help but giggle at his enthusiasm. He must really like breakfast for dinner.

“Alright, alright. Let’s go!” She was the one to go inside first and she heard Kristoff chuckle as he followed her inside. The smell of delicious waffles, fried chicken, and something like doughnuts wafted into her face and she breathed in deeply.

“Wow, it smells so good!” She felt her stomach growl in response. After all she was supposed to have dinner with Hans today, but that wasn’t ever going to happen again.

“Told you.” Kristoff smirked at her. “Come on.”

He led her over to a table by the window and she sat across from him. She felt horribly overdressed in her dress and heels, but Kristoff smiled at her and she relaxed. There weren't many people in the diner at this time of day anyway, and it was near closing time.

“Is it ok to be here so late?” she couldn’t help but ask.

“Oh yeah. It’s no problem.” He shrugged and handed her a menu. His own menu laid unopened in front of him.

Anna took a look at the delicious options in front of her and she couldn’t help but feel an urge for curly fries but she shut it down.

“Kristoff’s here!” A loud voice came from behind her and her eyes widened as she saw Kristoff slump back into his seat. He had an endearing smile on his face though as a woman came up to their table. Her smile was wide and kind as she looked down at Anna, and turned towards Kristoff.

“You didn’t tell me you had a date!”

“Hey, ma.” Kristoff said. “It’s not a date, this is Elsa’s sister, Anna.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Bjorgman.” She hoped her face wasn’t blotchy still and that she still looked presentable. It turns out she had nothing to worry about as she watched her face brighten with happiness.

“Oh dear, none of that now! You can call me Bulda.”

Anna giggled. “Alright, Bulda.”

“Now what can I get ya?”

“Oh I’m not sure.” She bit her lip. “There’s just so much to choose from.”

Kristoff regarded her through pensive eyes and she looked towards him.

“Is there anything you recommend?” she asked him.

“Sure, the waffles and chicken are great, they’re my favorite.” He looked towards Bulda and she winked at her.

“I do make them pretty darn good, if I say so myself.”

Anna smiled widely. “It sounds delicious, I’ll get that then!”

Kristoff laughed. “Same for me, ma.”

“You got it, hun. Two waffles and chicken, coming right up!”

She grabbed the two menus and went into the back in order to put the order in.

“You mom is so nice.” Anna said.

“Yeah, she can be a bit much but she definitely is welcoming.” Kristoff grinned.

They both stared out the window, watching the cars drive by and people walking in the street.

“Thank you again, Kristoff.” she said quietly.

“It’s fine, Anna.”

“No, really. I don’t know of anyone’s boyfriend that would do so much for their girlfriend’s sister.”

Anna smiled brightly at him. She was still really sad at what had happened with Hans, and extremely angry, but she didn’t think she was going to burst out into tears randomly anymore. The sneer that Hans has given her when she found him kissing another woman at his apartment was enough to make her want to explode during the moment.

But being in the soft and inviting diner made her more relaxed. Kristoff was such a nice guy, despite his tough and quiet demeanor when she first saw him.

Now, watching him devour the waffles and chicken made her giggle, but when she took the first bite of it she moaned and dug in, shoveling bites and bites into her mouth as if she was starving for a year.

“Hey, slow down there. There’s a lot to eat and it’s not going anywhere.” Kristoff’s voice held a hint of laughter but she didn’t want to stop, it just tasted so delicious!

“I can’t, I haven’t had this in a few months!” she said with her mouth full, and she didn’t really think Kristoff understood her with it being all muffled by the food.

“Wait, what? You haven’t had waffles ever?”

“No, pay attention. I haven’t had it in a few months.”

“Why?” His face was quizzical and she found it kind of adorable.

“Well, I wanted to watch my figure.” She paused and remembered all the salads she would eat and while they were good, she remembered feeling hungry sometimes.

“Is this because of Hans?” He asked, his quiet voice coaxing her to slowly meet his gaze.

“Well…” she hesitated. “Yes. He said I wasn’t skinny enough.” Now that she admitted it to Kristoff, she realized how absurd she was being.

“That’s bullshit. Anna, you’re perfectly healthy.”

“I didn’t realize it when I was with Hans. I thought it was normal.” She felt her face fall, and she frowned. “No more of that though!” She shoveled more food into her mouth.

“Hey, I want some curly fries too!” Her eyes were probably wide with excitement and she thought Kristoff would be weirded out by being excited about some measly curly fries, but she hadn’t had them in so long and they were her favorite...along with BLTs, steaks, and so many others. Her mouth practically drooled with the thought of all these foods that she had kept away from.

To her surprise, Kristoff only laughed and shouted out to Bulda for an order of curly fries. An exuberant “you got it!” was yelled back to them.

She practically bounced in her seat as the delicious curly fries were set down in front of her. And she took a bite of them and absolutely melted in her seat. And another, and another. She was in curly fry heaven.

And when they were finished eating (she took the rest of the food to go in order to eat later), they walked in companionable silence back to her dorm.

“Thanks again, Kristoff,” she couldn’t help but say.

“How many times do I have to tell you, it’s no problem.” He jokingly scolded her.

A light laugh escaped her. “Let me know how I can make it up to you.”

Kristoff smiled and she felt her heart beat a bit faster. Oh no.

“Just go and have a good rest. You deserve it after today.”

“Alright. Good night Kristoff.”

“Good night.”

He didn’t leave until she went through the door.

Later, her phone rang as she settled into her bed, after a relaxed bubble bath and in her fluffiest pajamas.

“Hi, Elsa!” she said cheerily.

“Anna?” Her sister’s regal voice sounded into her ear, laced with worry. “I have four missed calls from you and three texts. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I was looking for you earlier at your apartment.”

“I was at the library studying, I’m so sorry I won’t leave my phone off anymore. What happened?”

“Oh…” Memories of him with the other woman floated back and she was hit with a wave of sadness again at the reminder. “I found out that Hans was cheating on me.”

“That piece of shit!” It was funny how similar Elsa and Kristoff were. No wonder they were dating.

“It’s alright, I was going to his apartment to meet him before our dinner so we could walk to the restaurant together, and I saw him with someone else.”

“I’m going to kill him!” Elsa growled in her ear.

“I’m so sorry, Anna, do you want me to come over right now? We can have a movie night and ice cream.”

“Nah, I’m good now,” she said happily. “Actually I called Kristoff to find out where you were and once he heard me crying he rushed on over and took me to a diner to cheer me up!”

A pause on the other end. “He did?”

“Oh, it’s totally fine though! There’s nothing to worry about, there wasn’t anything romantic about it at all. He was just being nice to me, please don’t be mad!” This whole thing sounded absolutely terrible and she didn’t want to be the other woman, especially since she knew how it felt. The pain was still there of the very recent heartbreak, even though it was a dull fade at the moment, but it was there nonetheless. She wouldn’t ever do that to Elsa.

A light laugh floated out of her phone and she relaxed. “Anna, it’s fine. I’m totally okay with that! I’m just glad he cheered you up.”

“Yeah, he’s a really good guy. I’m really happy you guys are dating.”

There was a slight cough on the other end.

“Elsa?” she asked in concern.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Well if you’re sure you don’t need me to come over…”

“I’m fine now, Elsa. You just concentrate on your exams.”

“Alright. I’ll text you tomorrow.”

“Okay! Night!”

“Good night Anna.”

She hung up and set her phone on her nightstand. She stared up at her fairy lights that twinkled and blinked at her and thought about how lucky she was to have good friends in her sister and Kristoff.

Exams came and went, and Anna didn’t see Elsa or Kristoff at all during then. She texted Elsa in order to find out where she was and remembered that she was typically in the library.

Walking down the aisles of books she passed by people with their heads down, either scribbling furiously or typing furiously on their laptops. She searched for a hint of blonde hair.

She reached the end of the library and found a table, with a familiar looking light blue tote bag. It was definitely Elsa.

Anna was about to call her name, but stopped as she heard furious whispers. She rounded the corner and spotted Elsa glaring at Kristoff, who was doing the same. She froze.

Elsa spotted her first and her eyes widened.

“Anna!”

“I’m so sorry if I’m disturbing you. I just wanted to see if you two were up for a little late lunch? But I see that you guys are busy! I’ll just go now you guys can continue or I don’t know, try to fix it—” she spitted out in a ramble while taking slow steps back from the awkward situation.

Kristoff broke her tirade.

“Hey Anna, wanna hang out with us?”

There was no way that Anna missed the glare that Elsa sent him as she asked that. Uh oh. She knew Elsa was mad at her for going to the diner with Kristoff!

“No, it’s okay, I was actually just gonna go! Yeah, I’ve got a lot of work to catch up on for one of my classes and I don’t wanna disturb you, so I’ll see you guys later!” And she booked it.

It was such an awkward situation and she did not want to escalate it further. She liked that Elsa was happy with him and didn’t want to do anything to disturb that. She made the resolve to no longer try to see them together.

                                           _____________

Kristoff glared at Elsa after he watched Anna twirl around and leave. He was met with one of her own and he rolled his eyes.

He didn’t think today would start off like this and he knew it looked like they were having a lovers’ quarrel. It couldn’t be farther from the truth. Although Elsa was happy and grateful for him cheering up Anna that one night, he brought up the idea of just telling her the truth. He was immediately met with an ice wall that was both chilling and stubborn. Typical Elsa.

“I mean, she’s your sister! She thinks the world of you and she would never judge you.”

“We’re not going to talk about this.”

“I can’t keep being your fake boyfriend forever.”

With that, her eyes softened and she looked down guiltily.

“I know,” she said quietly.

Kristoff felt his anger cool. Just a tad though. He didn’t like the situation she was in, but then again it was her idea in the first place. He won’t lie and admit to himself that he was angry because he felt himself more and more drawn to her little sister by the day.

“Listen, you have to go and tell her. Or I will.”

“You’d tell her my secret?!” she hissed, blue eyes flashing in indignation.

“No!” he started. “Just the fact that this is all fake.” He wouldn’t ever tell her that Elsa was a lesbian. That was Elsa’s business and Elsa’s business alone.

Elsa closed her eyes and leaned her head back.

“I know. And I will.”

“You’ll what?”

“I’ll tell her the entire truth.”

Kristoff waited anxiously for Elsa to give him the news that she admitted to everything. This fake dating thing was only supposed to be for a few days after all. But then Anna, sweet Anna came along. The cabin up in the mountains didn’t even matter to him anymore. He just wanted to see the two sisters happy and knowing the truth about Elsa’s secrecy and motives for the whole shenanigan.

But he knew it was ultimately up to Elsa. And he would stand by her decision no matter what. No matter how sweet and pretty Anna was. He groaned.

How did his life become like this?

Elsa texted him later that day. He was already studying for finals and he wanted to get a head start. Looking at her text saying we need to talk, he called her.

“Elsa?”

“Hey.” Her voice sounded troubled.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Is this about Anna?” he asked.

A sigh. “No. And yes.”

What was that supposed to mean?

“Elsa?” His tone held no room for her hesitance.

“Okay! So my parents and Anna want you over for Winter break.”

“Winter break?!”

“I’m sorry! Anna just started rambling and I couldn’t get a word in since it was a video call with my parents in it. And I just wanted to tell Anna, not them so I just went along with it.”

“Ugh.” Kristoff ran his hand into his hair. This was just great. For all the times he thought about cool and nothing-fazes-me Elsa, he thought she sounded like Anna just then.

“How about I come along, and I help you tell the truth to everyone. That way it’s not just you. We don’t have to talk about you not being interested in guys, but we can just say that you weren’t looking for a relationship or whatever.”

“You’d do that?”

“Yeah. It seems like you’d need the support.”

“I do. I— thank you, Kristoff.”

“Anytime.”

Time to focus on final exams and then to a daunting winter break. Yay.

                                      _____________

Anna resisted the urge to text Elsa. She didn’t want to meddle in her affairs too much but she was absolutely dying to know if Kristoff and her made up.

She gasped with a smile. Of course! She could text Kristoff and give him some tips if he hasn’t won her back yet. She ignored the quizzical bump of pain in her chest as she pictured him bringing her older sister flowers and chocolates.

She shook her head as she shot Kristoff a text.

[Anna] Hey Kristoff! Just wanted to see if you made any progress in your lovers spat with Elsa?

A moment later her phone jingled, and she rushed to look at it.

[Kristoff] Nah, she’s still a bit mad at me. But it’s not something I can just ignore.

Oh man, it must have been big in order for the two most level headed people she knew to argue like this.

[Anna] Ok, so you guys need to talk. When you do though, she’s more receptive to you if you bring her something she likes.

It’s like you thought of her and want to make her happy even when you’re angry at her.

[Kristoff] yeah?

[Anna] Chocolates! Definitely chocolates. Dark chocolate truffles are her favorite!

Oh and an apology of course.

[Kristoff] Lol how do you know I’m in the wrong and she’s not?

[Anna] Excuse you sir, this is my sister you’re talking about.

[Kristoff] Ok feisty pants, chill out.

[Anna] I’m kidding!

In all honesty I think you both will get through this and I’m rooting for you!

It was a few minutes before his next text came in, and she waited anxiously.

[Kristoff] Thanks Anna

[Anna] Anytime!! Ask me for advice on Elsa whenever you want! Good night!

[Kristoff] Good night

Anna smiled at her phone and turned back to her open textbook. Now to finally stop procrastinating…

The next day brought a genuine smile of surprise and an excited wiggle as she saw that Elsa and Kristoff were sitting at their usual library table studying. She held the bags of takeout carefully as she went towards them.

Yeah, they weren’t supposed to eat at the library but this was a desperate time of cramming and they needed all the time they could get.

“Hey guys!” she greeted cheerfully.

Elsa gave her a tired smile in return. Whoa she must have really been crammed.

Kristoff’s was bright and wide as he saw her. He was probably happy she got them food, she thought. He also looked haggard and tired. But still good, as the sleeves of his shirt clung to his strong biceps—whoa, Anna. She felt guilty even thinking that, especially since she’s been thinking that a lot more lately.

As they munched on the takeout and poured over their books—or at least Anna tried to, she was never the type to learn from reading, she thrived on auditory learning and hands on training, she snuck a glance towards the two.

They seemed to be on good terms again, since they’re sitting next to each other. The tiredness is probably from just stress.

She found her chance to find out more as Kristoff excused himself to go to the restroom.

“Pssst, Elsa!” she whispered.

“Yeah?” she mumbled back.

“How did things go with Kristoff?”

Elsa stopped writing, her eyes frozen on the page.

“What?”

“You know! After your argument. Did he bring you chocolates like I said?” Anna gushed excitedly. She wanted all the details.

“Chocolates?” Her eyebrow twitched.

Anna rolled her eyes. “Yes! C’mon Elsa, don’t leave me hanging here. I wanna know everything! And is he coming to stay or winter break?”

Elsa leaned back in her seat.

“Yes, we apologized to each other and he gave me chocolates. The end.”

“Elsa!” she pleaded for more detail.

“And he is coming to stay for winter break.”

“Yes! It’s gonna be so fun!”

“Not for the whole time though. He has to go back to visit his own family too,” she spoke in a guarded tone.

“Of course, of course.”

“Just focus on finals for now, Anna.”

“Okay!” She was just so excited for the two.

                                           _____________

Kristoff sighed as he packed his things for this winter break excursion. Who knew that this charade would go on for this long? Well, it was ending soon. And he wanted to get home quickly after telling the truth to everyone.

It might mean that Anna hates him forever, but he hoped not. He really hoped not.

She was just so earnest about him and Elsa that he felt guilty for playing along with being the fake boyfriend. The text messages they shared when Anna was giving him advice about Elsa was almost too painful and awkward. He thanked god that he wasn’t in front of her in person when that happened, there’s no telling what expression he would have made throughout the ordeal.

He trudged onwards to his truck and mentally prepared himself for what was to come. But he knew that whatever he was feeling was nothing compared to Elsa.

The whole car ride was made in thoughtful silence and when he arrived he had no idea how to face Elsa. He decided to go with a supportive smile, and she returned it gratefully. Their friendship was stronger than this and he was thankful for that.

Facing Anna was easier than he thought it would be, seeing her cheerful face again made him happy. Elsa gave him a look that he did not want to decipher at the moment, but he definitely knew that she knew what he thought of Anna.

Her parents greeted them all with hugs and happy smiles, which he tried his best to return. He knew Elsa was on edge so he tried to make the focus on him so she could gather her thoughts and courage.

That was how he found himself being thrown into conversation with everyone at the dinner table. They had a chef prepare the dinner this time instead of them making it, and while the food looked absolutely delicious, it tasted bland and dry in his mouth.

“So, how did your semester go?” Agnarr asked.

Kristoff has food stupidly stuffed in his mouth and he coughed. Anna started talking in place of him.

“Oh, I’m sure he did great! Him and Elsa were always studying together and he was always working hard.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he said in between coughs. He threw Anna a grateful look. “It was pretty good. I did better than expected with my finals and I ended up getting good grades.”

Agnarr nodded in approval. “That’s wonderful to hear. After all, Elsa needs someone smart and strong next to her.”

Wow.

“Actually dad, there’s something I…”

“But it’s absolutely wonderful that you’re able to spend winter break with us. We have a lot planned for tomorrow and we should turn in early tonight.” Elsa was cut off by her father’s suggestion.

Dinner ended shortly after that, and the topics of conversation went by too quickly for Elsa and Kristoff. She headed off to her room in silence, and Kristoff wished her good night.

He went off on his own to the backyard, which is absolutely huge if he should say, and he sat down on the bench. There was a cozy little bonfire lit up in front of it and watching the flames dance drew him into his own thoughts.

“Hey, you look a bit troubled. Did something happen?”

He turned to look into blue eyes that were gleaming with worry, though Anna smiled at him encouragingly.

“Nah, nothing happened.” He tried to smile at her.

“So what’s up?” she asked cheerfully.

They went into a nice conversation, talking about their semester, aside from Hans, though she did mention that she wanted to go back to Bulda’s diner again. “Those curly fries were so good!” she had exclaimed.

He told her about Sven, and she cooed and awed over photos of him on his phone. She made him promise to let her meet him sometime. He knew Sven would absolutely adore her. After all, she could make even the coldest of hearts warm.

The evening air grew more crisp and biting, and Anna had wrapped her arms around herself in order to be a bit warmer. Coincidentally, they had started to inch closer and closer together, so that their knees were touching. Neither seemed to mind. Kristoff knew that he didn’t.

The little bonfire had slowly grown smaller over time, and the embers lit up their faces with a dim glow.

Kristoff noticed her tiny tremors and the shake in her voice, and he took off his jacket and laid it across her shoulders. Her eyes grew wide as he did so, and a blush bloomed across her face.

“Thank you,” she said quietly.

“No problem.”

His arm was still around her from when he put the jacket on her.

Their faces were so close, and Anna’s eyes were locked with his, wide with wonder and a hint of something else. Desire? He saw her eyes dart to his lips and he so badly wanted to kiss her. He vaguely wondered if she wanted to too as she licked her soft lips.

Then, she pushed him away.

“Oh my gosh, it’s so late already!” she said in a rush. Her eyes held the gleam of tears. Fuck.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? Good night!”

“Anna, wait!”

But she was long gone, her footsteps pattering on the cobblestone pathway, and past Elsa who stared at them with bewilderment.

Oh boy.

                                          _____________

Elsa knew that whatever had happened, it wasn’t good. Well, it might have been good for the two but since Kristoff and her were still “dating,” technically it wasn’t. How did things get to this?

She spotted Anna’s tears as they rushed down her face, and she turned to Kristoff with a glare.

“What did you do?” she hissed.

“Nothing!” She continued to glare at him.

“Okay, so maybe not nothing, we were getting closer and I gave her my jacket because she looked cold and our faces were just really close.”

“So you guys almost kissed?” She didn’t know whether to be elated for them both or to just smack him into next year because her sister was under the impression that they were dating. The latter. Definitely the latter.

“Ow!” She rolled her eyes.

“You deserve it.” She turned around and walked off to the stairway.

“Where are you going?” His voice called out after her.

“Something I should have done since the beginning.” Her voice was resolute, and she knew that he knew, that she was finally ready to tell her. Anna didn’t deserve this. Kristoff gave her a look of worry, as if to ask if she was sure about this. Her own stare said it all.

“Anna?” Elsa knocked lightly on her door. She winced as she heard her soft sobs from inside the room. It was funny how she herself had locked people out when she was younger, and now she found herself on the other side of the door. She didn’t like the feeling.

“It’s me, Elsa.” Anna didn’t answer. “I’m not angry, you know.”

Soft footsteps followed her words, and stopped in front of the door. Slowly, the door creaked open just a bit, and Elsa smiled softly at Anna from the small crack.

“Why not?” Anna asked. “I’m a terrible person.”

“No you’re not, Anna.”

The door opened fully now.

“Yes, I am!” Her face was full blown and crying. “I’m terrible because I wanted to kiss Kristoff and he’s your boyfriend! I’m the other woman and I hate that!”

“Oh, Anna.” Elsa pulled her in for a hug. She didn’t realize that this would happen, but that was life, wasn’t it?

“I mean it. I’m not angry at all.”

“You should be.”

“Maybe, if this relationship was real in the first place.” Anna went still at that.

“What?”

Anna pulled away and Elsa looked at her. She knew that she would never do that to Elsa and the fact that she was so torn over it meant that she felt so, so guilty. She didn’t have to be.

“C’mon. I’ll explain everything.” Elsa shut the door behind them and led Anna over to the bed where she snuggled underneath her arms, just like how they did when they were younger, and before Elsa had shut her out.

“I asked Kristoff to be my fake boyfriend in order to get mom and dad off of my back. They’ve been asking if I had a boyfriend for so long that I finally caved and asked him to come over for Thanksgiving.”

She took a deep breath and continued. Anna listened with rapt attention.

“The truth is, I was never interested in men.”

Anna turned towards her, to see her face. Her face held wonder and awe, but there was no judgement. It was funny to see how those few words were so easy to form mentally, but so hard to physically speak. She regretted keeping it a secret from Anna for so long.

“That...explains a lot, actually.” She finally said, and Elsa chuckled.

“Yeah, doesn’t it?” Memories of playing with figurines and dolls had sprung up, and Anna had always been the romantic one, wanting to have a prince or handsome rogue marry the princess. But she had always found it off-putting.

“But, I understand why you didn’t tell me, Elsa.” Anna smiled softly. “And it’s okay. I’m really glad you told me.”

Elsa wrapped Anna up in a warm hug.

“So, you see? You don’t have to be angry at yourself for almost kissing Kristoff. I’m actually glad that you did.”

Anna looked at her quizzically. “Even if he was your fake boyfriend, wouldn’t you still be angry?”

“We both knew it was fake. I honestly was going to let him stay at our winter cabin for free with his dog during this break if he went through with it.”

“Wow, the one up in the mountains that no one goes to?”

“That very one.”

“Somehow, it does fit him,” Anna said after thinking for a bit.

“Doesn’t it?” They both laughed. Elsa was delighted to see that Anna’s face was getting less red from crying. She lifted up a finger to Anna’s face to wipe her tears from her eyes.

“Kristoff is crazy about you, you know.”

“He is?” She blushed.

“Oh yeah. You should have seen him whenever you would show up to study with us or to bring us food as a surprise. He was always so happy to see you.”

“He is sweet.” Anna admitted. “But actually, I have a lot of questions for you.”

Elsa looked at Anna, the latter had eyes that were excited and filled with delight.

“Alright, Anna. I’m ready.” I’m finally ready.

And they talked throughout the whole night, laughing and gossiping and feeling themselves grow closer than ever before. It was when they were both almost asleep and yawning, that Anna had asked another question.

“Are you going to tell mom and dad?”

Elsa bit her lip. “I don’t know,” she admitted.

“Well, whatever you decide, I’ll be there to support you. Okay?” Elsa smiled down at her. Her support was all she needed.

“I know.”

Anna hummed happily and snuggled into her arms, finally falling asleep. Elsa rested her head on top of hers, and even if it was uncomfortable, she was more than happy to stay in that position.

The next morning, they awoke with the sun heating up their faces, and although Elsa was up and ready to get out of bed, Anna rolled over and put a pillow over her head. Elsa laughed quietly and pulled the blanket up to cover Anna’s shoulders.

And she walked out of the room to see Kristoff leaving his, with his duffel bag slung over his shoulder. She raised an eyebrow at that and crossed her arms.

“Leaving so soon?”

“I just feel awkward around here now.”

“Yeah, I understand.”

They both stood in silence for a beat.

“I told her.” Kristoff looked at her.

“Yeah?”

“And you were right. She didn’t judge me at all.”

“I’m glad you did.” Kristoff smiled.

“Me too. Now I’m going to tell my parents.” Elsa looked at him resolutely. Kristoff looked really surprised, but Elsa wasn’t going to back down.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. Come on, I’m going to tell them in the study.”

Kristoff followed her and they both made their way to the study. Telling them was much more difficult than telling Anna, and that had technically held more weight than them as she had effectively shut her sister out for most of their teenage years. She had to go through a lot of therapy to get to where she was now, but now that they all know, she felt like she could be herself. Agnarr was, for what she expected, perplexed. But Iduna took it more in stride, saying that it doesn’t matter who she loved, just that she would be happy with whomever it was.

Elsa smiled gratefully at that, while Agnarr had coughed and awkwardly tried to change the subject. Iduna and Elsa shared a look that only women would convey, and Elsa knew that her mother would make him accept it. Or at least, not make degrading remarks or ask stupid questions. Thank god for moms.

Kristoff had apologized for deceiving them, and while they were perplexed and mildly angry that they were lied to, they still invited him to stay for the rest of the break. He politely declined, and Elsa knew he felt uncomfortable.

She followed him out to his car, and watched as he helped to load up his truck.

“Have a safe drive back home, Kristoff.”

“Yup, I will.”

“You sure you don’t want to see Anna and say goodbye?”

Kristoff looked back at the mansion, and after a moment shook his head.

“Nah, I think she needs a break from me. We did almost have a moment, I don’t want her to be confused or anything.”

“I don’t think that’s the case at all.” Elsa also looked back towards the manor, hoping Anna would bound down the steps to the car in order to talk to him.

“But seriously, get away from here and take a nice long break. This charade has gone on long enough.” They both laughed.

“You feel better after telling them?” He asked seriously. She knew that he was looking at her with worried eyes, that he would honestly throw hands with her dad if he felt that he needed to.

But she could honestly say that she did. Deep inside, she felt free, and that she could be herself now. Something that she couldn’t say she was for most of her life.

“Yes.”

“That’s all that matters.” He smiled as he shut the passenger side door of his truck. “I’ll see you next semester, Elsa.”

“Bye!”

And he went around and drove off, the dust trailing behind him. She walked back into the house and went back to the bedroom, smiling at Anna who was still in a deep sleep. She would tell her to meet him when they were back on campus, when she woke up. But for now, she felt a bit tired. So she was going to rest some more.

                                         _____________

Kristoff walked around on the first day of the new semester, finally sitting at the usual library table again. He didn’t really look forward to the new semester of classes, but it was a challenge and he wanted to get ahead. As per the norm lately, he wondered how Anna was doing. Was she back on campus yet?

He waited for Elsa to show up as she always did, she had let him know she would be free sometime in the afternoon. So he opened up a book, ripping off the plastic. God, he hated buying textbooks, they were so overly expensive. He turned the pages to the first chapter on macroeconomics and started to read.

But a brown bag was placed on the side of the table across from him. The smell of fries wafted over to him and he drooled. He didn’t realize how hungry he was.

“Oh man, you brought food, thanks Elsa!” He smiled, but when he looked up, he was met with Anna’s shy gaze.

“Anna.”

“I thought you would like it, I got it from your mom’s diner.” she said quietly, looking at him through her lashes and Kristoff coughed, a blush rising.

“I do, thank you.” Somehow Anna seemed even prettier today, her hair in waves and a cute blush showcasing her freckled cheeks. He couldn’t stop staring at her.

“Do you want to have a seat? Share the food?”

Anna smiled and nodded. “I got you a burger if that’s okay.”

“That’s more than okay, it’s terrific.” He munched down on it greedily and Anna laughed. She nervously picked at her curly fries.

“So…” she started.

“Yeah?”

“Would you like to have dinner with me sometime?” Anna asked, her eyes wide and excited, and also scared.

“Like a date?” Kristoff couldn’t help but smile. He was absolutely ecstatic that she asked.

“Like a date.” She nodded.

“I’d love to.”

Anna’s delighted smile warmed his heart, and he started to checklist potential restaurants in his mind. His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he looked at it to see a thumbs up from Elsa. He looked up to see her peeking out from behind a bookshelf with a wave and a small wink.

A second later, another text popped up.

[Elsa] Bring her sunflowers. Those are her favorites.

He smiled to himself. What a stroke of luck that being a fake boyfriend for someone would lead him to someone that he would be a real boyfriend for. They snuck glances at each other from across the table and he knew that he would treasure her forever.

FIN

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! :D

[prongsmydeer]

Ayesha Liveblogs Oh My Ghost (2018) Ep. 9-16

Part 2 of this post because tumblr would not let me save anymore either because of the numerous images I’m commenting on or because of how many times I use the word H*rny 

Kaopoon is frustrated bc Real Jiw is now vibing with her new BF Sun while she is sitting sadly on a swing set [Alexa play Sadness and Sorrow]

Backtracking to the other kind of drama: Lieutenant Murder is finally going to murder someone on screen (specifically his fellow police officer) because Lieutenant Murder jumped him for getting too close to solving Nammoon's hit-and-run case, which is at this point obvious he committed)

I love when Sun and Jiw flirt through their apartment wall

Jiw and Sun are dating now but the remaining point of contention is how much Horny Ghost just wants them to sleep together instead of getting to know each other to which Sun thinks “Jiw do u only want me for my body 😔?”

I can't believe that Lieutenant Murder's tragic backstory is that he was an orphan oh my god. Adoption is normal!! Murder is not!!

Lieutenant Murder was possessed by an evil spirit????? (After the first time he tried to murder????) WHAT WHAT WHAT

Sous Chef Rain is yelling at the restaurant staff bc of forgetting his birthday, bc he is, truly, a perennial pain in the ass

They are all out for Rain's birthday except for Sun bc of his and Jiw (Kaopoon)'s sex fight and so he is very anxious about his girlfriend being out with The Guys without him

Also Study-Abroad Win is handsome to the point of distraction AND nice  where is his romance? Where is the justice for the male models of the world

Sun's Mom does not know he is Dating and Housing his employee possessed by a Horny Ghost He Thinks is One Facet of Her Personality

Presented without commentary:

Win has been politely pretending not to notice that Sun and Jiw are in a relationship and now I'm thinking he will get a romance and it will be Ida, to wrap up most of the loose ends of this relationship pentagon. Based on no other reason than that they are both single

Dkjhgkjgh lmao @ Sun going to his whole staff: “WHO WANTS TO GO TO THE MARKET?” and then saying no to everyone one by one except his girlfriend

Kaopoon is making Sun help her dad install a restaurant hose in the middle of their work day hahaha

FINALLY PROOF THAT LIEUTENANT MURDER IS A MURDERER. Warning for murder related description, there was a flashback where it showed a still body (face obscured) wearing Kaopoon's outfit on his bathroom floor

They really hammered home the ‘he is a murderer’ thing, he has a bag full of evidence of his crime

In more lighthearted news, Sun's rice intolerance is psychosomatic bc his mum never cooked rice for him and it's Sad Boy Hours

Sun and Kaopoon!Jiw seem like they're finally ready to have sex (they've talked out their feelings and are going away together) but there are FIVE MORE EPS and the murder stuff still lingers so I wonder what other madness this show will unleash on me

Actually, six more eps!! Ahhhh that's so much time

Oh how the tables have turned now Kaopoon is the one too in love with Sun too have sex (bc she will go to the afterlife if she does -- But if she doesn't she'll be an evil spirit so... stuck between a rock and hard-on) 

I have been suspecting for a while tho that the sex will not change anything. She will probably have to solve her murder to pass on

You know what that is? Growth!!

Now they are back to the weird energy of Sun going “Now that we are in love I would like to have sex,” and Kaopoon!Jiw going “Sex????? Never heard of it!!”

Against Kaopoon's credit, she has not informed Jiw that their relationship has progressed this much. She's just like "yeah things are normal" bc she wants to spend as much time with Sun while she has the chance

Win and Kaopoon!Jiw are just being good bros and Sun, in tandem with the sex-back-and-forth, is jealous of their dynamic

Kaopoon has begun to solve her own murder!!! Unfortunately the first thing she did was point out inconsistent evidence to Lieutenant Parin, who extremely Murdered Her

I feel so happy for Jiw when she gets to experience normal boyfriend moments with Sun like these cheesy matching necklaces. <3 Why does Jiw's life have to be so complicated?

Kaopoon is... spiritually breaking up with Jiw, so she can end the messiness of her involvement with Sun

Ehkjehrrk Jiw is back to living her own life and a spirit just tried to grab at her and she just whacked their hand off and said, "Don't bother me now!" so she could keep cooking, love that for her

The employee-boss affair's out of the bag!!

They also keep cutting to Lieutenant Murder with his knife ready to go after Jiw for Knowing Too Much kjhgkhgjh so I guess the last four-and-a-half eps will dedicated to crime-fighting

Auntie Pu is kind of my favourite character on this show bc she goes from Ghost Nemesis to Ghost Mom all while having Sun's mom as her BFF and Sugar Mama

Hahahaha all the other restaurant staff (minus Win, who is chill) are sucking up to Jiw now bc she's dating Sun

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Jiw felt guilty about dating Sun when half the things he loves are things that Kaopoon did and now the Horny Ghost is out of the bag

I can only assume, bc he thinks she's bipolar, he will assume this is product of a hallucination

Reservations on the commentary on bipolar disorder aside, what DO u do when the person you love tells you that they can see ghosts and key relationship moments you had together were the product of them being possessed by a ghost

Sun now believes in ghosts but he's very upset about the romantic implications of this knowledge

“I think the reason I haven’t been reincarnated... isn’t the fact I’ve never slept with a man after all” HORNY GHOST CONFIRMED FOR DETECTIVE GHOST. VINNNNNDICATION!!!!!

Awww the restaurant staff are all surrounding Chef with support in his time of romantic woe

“But I want the two people I care about the most to be happy” I want Win to date Sun AND Jiw he's so good to them

AYYYYYYY Sun found out that Jiw made the recipes for the blog he liked (and called his soulmate) and now he's visiting her grandma bc he truly is in love with both Jiw AND Kaopoon

Sun said, “I acknowledge this is a complicated situation but I'm willing to work through the ghost thing and figure out how we feel about each other”

Cutting back to Lieutenant Murder, he has just meowed at his coworker threateningly in response to being investigated (for attacking that same coworker!!)

Lieutenant Murder wears this same stupid outfit every time he's gonna do a crime recently and can I just say: I hate it

WHAT'S HE GONNA DO, KILL EVERYONE WHO KNOWS SOMETHING ABOUT ONE OF HIS MANY CRIMES?? THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE! AUNTIE PU! JIW! THE FORESENICS ANALYST! ALMOST-SUN? HE CAN'T EVEN KILL KAOPOON BC HE ALREADY KILLED HER AND SHE'S A GHOST!!!!!!!!!!!

“Chef, is something wrong?” Jiw asked, after telling Sun that his brother-in-law is a murderer who also probably hit his sister with a car

Sun said, “Pls don't be a murderer I love u bro” and Parin said “My life of crime is very important to me”

This is Kaopoon possessing Auntie Pu so that Kaopoon, Jiw and Sun can be a crime-fighting trio, love that for them

There are SO MANY crimes going on right now I cannot even begin to describe but just know Lieutenant Murder is responsible for all of them

So Jiw has been kidnapped (GUESS WHO) and Sun is investigating every school in the area and Kaopoon has a network of ghosts looking for her while Jiw tries to find a way to communicate her location. The Crime-Fighting Trio Continues!!!

You'd think more people would notice  what a creep this guy is considering that he is literally DIGGING A GRAVE for the woman trapped in his cupboard!!

Poor Nammoon she has no idea her husband is possessed by a murderous ghost. Which like, to be clear, he did try to murder before the ghost possessed him sooooooooooooo

“You're a good person,” said Nammoon, to a man who has committed at least three murders with a fourth on the go

Sun rescued Jiw via high speed car chase and now Auntie Pu and Kaopoon have taken Sun's car to chase Parin and GET HIS ASS

Also Jiw got 2 attack Parin which I think she deserved to get to do

Oh yikes it's possible she fatally injured him which doesn't bode well for the psychological implications of this whole ordeal

Nope I was wrong the ghost-busting continues

Well I don't know what's more perturbing, the resolution of that fight or the fact that there is still one more episode of 1 HOUR left jhfkjhkfjh this better be a happy filler ep where Jiw and Sun get married omg

HORNY GHOST SHOW REALLY MAKING ME TEARY-EYED ON THE LAST EP

The entire restaurant staff is a collective of morons who love Jiw for who she is  

Jiw won a cooking scholarship and gets to study abroad in Europe for two years so it's Sad Boy Hours with Sun again

THEY GOT A SECOND DOG THIS IS THE BEST THING THAT'S HAPPENED ON THIS SHOW

SCREAM NOW AUNTIE PU IS A RICH AND FAMOUS GHOSTBUSTER MEDIUM

Sun has expanded his restaurant business, leaving Rain in charge, and so they have been sent a new employee Summer, who I guess is everyone's new Pain in the Ass just for fun kgjhkjhkgh

He was merely a plot device to prove the Chef Boys are Bros 4 lyf

In a weird turn of events Parin is still alive with amnesia???? Even if all of what he did as an adult was ghost possession stuff.... he did still try to attack a baby as a teen. That's a thing he did! Are we forgetting this????? I guess!!!

GET SOME THERAPY NAMMOON!!

BACK TO THE DOGS:

Sun is strumming a guitar woefully because he misses Jiw:

SHE'S BACK AND THE JIW SUPPORT SQUAD IS THRIVING:

Sun is presumably somewhere sadly shaking a tambourine

IT'S FINALLY HAPPY BOY HOURS

[hybristique-a]

✈️          —          ⌜   𝒿𝑒𝑜𝓃𝑔 𝒿𝒶𝑒𝒽𝓎𝓊𝓃, 𝒸𝒾𝓈 𝓂𝒶𝓁𝑒, 𝒽𝑒/𝒽𝒾𝓂   ⌟             ↝           

have you heard ? it seems like the heir of the   𝐒𝐄𝐎   was very close to Liam Yu too. they go by    𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐄𝐔𝐋   and they were Liam's    𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃 / 𝐄𝐗 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐓. their network is of   𝟖𝟎𝐌   and they’re only   𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄… what a burden it must be. i heard they can be very    𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐔𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐒   and     𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐄   but these last few months, their    𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒   and   𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐔𝐃𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓   personality has been showing more. the media is sure having a filled day with them! i hope this road trip with friends will help them. did you know that   𝐂𝐀𝐑 𝐃𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐍𝐎 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍, 𝐀 𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒, 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒, 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀𝐍 𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐘 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐖,  really show their true persona ? maybe Liam was the only one who knew that ..  

hi hello   !!   my name’s julie   (   she/her   ),   i’m twenty-two   &   from europe   !   i’m super excited to be here   &   feel free to ask for my discord if you wanna talk there   !!   🥺🌷  

without further ado,   here’s some info about haneul   !!

TLDR;    oh to be a rich man w/ a fragile ego .. 

*   /      𝖎𝖓𝖙𝖗𝖔𝖉𝖚𝖈𝖎𝖓𝖌    ;     𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 

name:                    haneul seo 

age:                      twenty-three

sign:                     scorpio sun   /   capricorn moon     (   CLICK   )

occupation:                        app developer

sexual orientation:                       bisexual

romantic orientation:                       biromantic

alignment:                        lawful evil 

*   /      𝖊𝖝𝖕𝖑𝖔𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖌    ;     𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲

his father is the chairman   &   ceo of a bank,   who got talked into marrying his sugar baby   /   a social climber after getting her pregnant

haneul doesn’t remember much of his childhood.   he just recalls being raised by maids,   as his father was constantly working   &   his mother was Out partying and traveling the world 

his parents weren’t happily married.   his father is a textbook workaholic   &   his mother   (   20 years his senior   )   only got married because she wanted to live a life full of glamour after being raised in a lower middle class family 

neither of them had the time nor interest to look after their son 

which   </3   he would obviously miss his parents,   causing him to throw a whole lot of temper tantrums at his maids 

he was an awful child maybe   ..   FHDSJKFGJFDKS   (   also maybe he Never fully grew out of that   ..   )

aside from that he had a fairly normal upbringing   !   he would cause trouble bc daddy was always there to bail him out,   he got a kick out of blackmailing people   /   getting dirt on others,   &   was overall like those snobby rich popular boys who think they’re invincible bc they never learned what it’s like to face limitations   /   have setbacks in life

but.........   remember how i mentioned that his mother is a social climber   ?   basically all those years ago she convinced haneul’s father not to sign a prenup when getting married aka when she had an affair with another billionaire   &   decided to run off with him,   she also managed to steal all of his father’s money during the divorce settlement   🙈

it...   was honestly a vv hard pill for both haneul   &   his father to swallow,   as they had to file for bankruptcy   &   had nothing left anymore

it was then that liam offered haneul to work for him as a personal assistant,   since they were good friends,   basically saving haneul’s life 

he never truly recovered from his mother’s betrayal,   the entire ordeal leaving a whole lot of trust issues for sure   (   he wasn’t   ..   a vv trusting person to begin with   KDJKSDFDSQ   ) 

working for liam basically made him a little more goal orientated in life   !!   working 9 to 5 made him realize that life is more than partying   &   throwing away money aka he tried to figure out what he wanted to do with his future

eventually he got the idea of developing some sort of new dating app   (   liam being the one who invested in it   &   got the project off the ground   )   

the app was a huge hit   !!   it made him gain his $$$ back which   ..   good for him   <33   

he basically didn’t have to work for liam anymore   KJDKSDFDSQ

*   /       𝖉𝖎𝖌 𝖉𝖊𝖊𝖕𝖊𝖗   ;     𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲

haneul he   ..   has loose morals   LJDKSFKDFKDLSQ

his sense of entitlement is   ..   through the roof   😔   basically no one in his life ever humbled him down 

haneul isn’t the best person around,   especially once you get to know him better   /   see through his facade,   but people tend to stick by his side because he has influence   /   can be charming when he wants to be

like   ..   you never truly know how he’s feeling  HFDJSKFJKDFD

like one moment you accidentally steal his parking spot   &   when you’re like   ‘   oh shit sorry man   ’   he just smiles and is like   ‘   haha bro dw its fine   ’   but then the next thing you know haneul slept with your mother   &  caused your parents to get a messy divorce   ..   SDHJSKFGJKG 

he’s a snake    <333

he literally only looks out for himself   &   if he feels like your muse doesn’t serve a purpose to him anymore he’s like   ..   k bye <3 

*   /       𝖋𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖌   ;     𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦 𝐲𝐮

liam   &   him were childhood friends   !!   

haneul highkey saw him as competition   DHJSKQSDFKDFL

literally he wanted to be the best   ..   so when liam was there living his seemingly perfect life,   haneul couldn’t help but feel so much anger n jealousy inside   ??   like he   ..   couldn’t stand seeing other people succeed   /   doing better than him

so imagine his humiliation when haneul was in debt   &   liam offered him that job

he knew he couldn’t say no bc he was desperate for money

but also haneul never stopped holding a grudge for that though   (   even though it saved his life,   his ego was hurt...   😔   )

like he has to bite his tongue whenever people still refer to him as liams ex assistant ...

also haneul was good at his job though   !!   just behind the scenes he was kinda like keeping track of documents   /   info he could potentially use to blackmail liam when the time was right   ??

like liam truly did so much for him   &   haneul just had his head so far up his own ass that he didn’t see   &   thinks liam was out there to get him  

ugh i hate men 

DJSKQSDFJKSDKFQ

anyways he likes to pretend liam was his bestest friend   &   savior,   but don’t be  fooled haneul’s only saying that to get some sympathy points   &   using liam for his own gain one last time   </3 

[mother-of-a-murder]

Daily Life in Quarantine Update/Musings

Here we are, folks. Both mine & Eric’s workplaces got closed down til further notice. This was shortly after a state wide ordinance was issued for all restaurants/bars/etc. to be closed to reduce public masses because (obviously) of Coronapocolypse. Important Sidenote: we didn’t lose our jobs. We’re just not allowed to come back til things clear up.👍🏻 Not gonna lie, I was freaking horrified for the first few days. It didn’t help that the local office phone numbers to file for unemployment were flooded, and even their website was crashing repeatedly. To put things in perspective, I wasn’t able to use either option up until Thursday afternoon, already after one whole week of not working :/ So who knows how much longer unemployment will take effect. Another worrisome detail looming over us (intelligent) Alabamaians is that because our state governor, Kay Ivey, loves nothing more than being one of Trump’s cock-holsters, and if Trump tries to prematurely cut off social distancing protocols during this disastrous pandemic, Ivey’s most likely gonna automatically jump on that notion too. And seeing as I work in a restaurant, inside a hotel no less, this is a rather terrifying concept to think about.

BUT... that all being said, I am also blessed to have amazing family & friends whom have already been swift to help us out. My Father-in-Law & his wife bought Eric & me a good chunk of groceries to boost our pantry size, so when we got paid, we didn’t need to get that much, aside from some odds & ends. Along with that, my sister & bro-in-law helped us with some extra financial padding to boot. So with all this aid, I think things will be okay for us for a lil while yet. And if things get real hairy, another silver lining in my favor is that since I’m still on my workplace’s payroll, this means I won’t lose any of my upcoming paid-vacation time that I always acquire yearly on my anniversary, which will amount to 160 hours. So again, there are a few twinkle-lights at the end of this horrifyingly dark tunnel.

On a more personal note, this whole thing has given me lots of time to think; it really hasn’t been a total dumpster fire. I’ve stayed consistently employed & working full-time hours since 2008, and I graduated highschool in 07. And aside from PTO, I’ve never felt this strangely foreign sense of freedom. It’s one thing to be off via PTO, cause even when you’re relaxing on vacation, there’s still a sense of subconscious pressure to enjoy that limited time off. This is a completely new experience to me, and it is both scary & strangely exciting. Eric & I have managed to get lots of cleaning done that’s been embarrassingly long overdue to get done. Oh, and the art desk I bought with last year’s tax refund? We finally got it assembled after a whole year sitting in my spare back room 🤣👍🏻 Along with cleaning/sorting projects, I’ve also been enjoying lots of Elder Scrolls Online, and thinking up new art ideas & projects to try.

So, all in all, while the current circumstances of this whole ordeal are far from ideal, I’m still finding the time to enjoy a newly found sense of freedom I haven’t experienced in a long-ass time. So, my dear lovelies, stay safe, wash your hands, and lets all try to get through this insanity together.

@justahopeless-dreamer @mypreciousmind1 @sarabeth72 @harpo7879 @maxwell-demon @abbessolute @quoting-shakespeare-to-ducks @lowhostrikesback @amatasera @izhunny @wolfsmom1 @angelus80 @calgal48 @storylover92 @pedeka @writernotwaiting @slytherin-pixie @thecutestlittlebunbunfairy @chrisamarie @kittenblade @rebekahmarie13 @ice-queen-of-music @icybluepenguin @neither-blue-nor-green @adamcansuckme @adder24 @angryschnauzer @hallotom @loricameback @inkededucatednnerdy @ourladybinxthings @elfpunk @wandering-shepard @morriggannlostinfandoms @awolfbeneath @peskipixi @adarkprincereborn @tomkurbikston @tomhiddleston-kikibfairy @lokilover9 @frenchfrostpudding @bookworm-christina

[canumoveurseatup-no]

Baby Boy

Summary: Tony always takes care of everyone and it takes a toll on him. You take matters into your own hands and let him know he doesn’t always have to be the big guy.

Requested by: @mbaku-babygirl

Pairing: Sub!Tony Stark x Dom!Black!Reader 18+

WC: 4.1k

Warnings: sub!Tony, pegging, a little angsty, smut. This is after civil war, Infinity war didn’t happen and they’re all back together but there’s still a bit of tension

A/N: I never in my life have been dominant and never will be dominant, I am strictly a sub so I did my best with this request ( this is more soft!Dom than anything) but I hope you guys enjoy this. Please leave feedback💕

Everyone was back together and it’s been six months since they came out of hiding. The government realized the accords weren’t actually helping and the others were able to come out of hiding. Surprisingly, Tony let them all come back and they all tried to make amends. Bruce and Thor were back. For a long while it was just you, Tony, and Rhodey, he was glad to have everyone back but you could tell he was anxious about it all.

He catered to everyone’s needs just like he always did and barely saved anytime for himself. You weren’t so forgiving though. You tried to avoid Natasha because she wasn’t able of letting go of her double agent persona. Had she just did as asked this all never would have happened. You stayed away from Steve because he was supposed to be Tony’s friend and knew what his old war friend did and that Bucky... sure he didn’t know what he was doing back then but it doesn’t change the fact you never got to meet your in-laws.

Everyone else can suck it except Thor and Bruce, but you stuck around Tony when he wasn’t around them. He would beg you to come to dinner with them all the time and while they all sat at the table, you’d sit on a stool at the island. It was the same thing tonight. Now, you were washing dishes and everyone had dispersed except Natasha. She stood awkwardly in front of the island.

“Y/N/N,” She mumbled

“Y/N,” you corrected, “You know I only allow friends to call me by my nickname,”

She sighed in defeat, “I am your friend, Y/N,”

You shook your head and continued to dry the dishes, “No.. you lost the ability to call yourself my friend the day you let those two leave. The day you let them get into that jet and fly away which in turn caused Rhodey to get paralyzed.” Your tone was low and cold. Yeah Rhodey had gotten better but with no thanks to them.

“Tell me, Natalia,” you spat out her birth name, knowing she hated it, “Does it ever get exhausting having to put makeup on two different faces each morning?” You placed your hands on the counter and looked her, waiting for her to answer.

She sighed and clenched her jaw, “Tony forgave us, why haven’t you?” She wore a small confused frown on her face.

“I’m not Tony. All he ever wanted to was to keep you all together. He was so selfless when it came to you all. Sure he didn’t always go about it the right way but dammit that man cared for you all and you guys just shit on him in return,” You loved Tony more than anything, so you took his feelings and efforts seriously. “You all were the closest thing to a real family he ever had and you betrayed him in the worst way possible. How or why he forgave you? I’m not sure. But don’t expect the same thing from me,”

You finished washing and drying to dishes, she continued to stand there speechless, not sure of what to say. You walked away and found Tony and Bruce in the lab with Vision and Wanda. “Hey Bruce,” you smiled and gave him a side hug. You were okay with him and Thor, he explained where he’d been and why he left in the first place. While the others were in hiding, Vision had evolved and now the science bros were back and trying to figure it out.

You kissed Tony’s cheek and he smiled at you, “What movie are we watching tonight?” He asked while fiddling with something on his computer, “The team wants to start movie night again,”

He sounded so happy and as often as you’d like to be happy for him that he has the team back, you just couldn’t. Your smile drops and you arch an eyebrow, “Whatever you guys want to watch I suppose but I won’t be in attendance ,” you turn and play with his screwdriver, finding it more interesting.

He turns to you and frowns, “Please? For me?,” he used those puppy eyes on you and as hard as it was, you had to say no.

“Sorry, babes. But you know why I won’t,” you saw him nod his head in defeat.

“Maybe it it won’t be that bad, Y/N. It could be fun and bring us back together like old times,” Wanda nervously spoke and lightly shrugged her shoulders.

“Old times are just that, Maximoff,” you kissed Tony’s cheek once more and walked out of the lab, leaving Tony to apologize for you.

———

When it came to training you held nothing back. Taking all of your frustrations out on them. Especially Steve. The way you moved against him to attack had taken him by surprise, you’ve changed your techniques. Sam ended up in the infirmary with a concussion, Natasha ended up with a broken clavicle, Wanda wouldn’t even go up against you. Most of Clint’s weapons ended up ruined and Bucky wouldn’t even put up a fight, understanding your place of frustration. He hurt your husband and too many times Thor would have to pull you away.

“Sweetheart, I think you should tone it down,” Tony pulled you to the side and you knew your attitude on the whole ordeal wasn’t helping Tony much. He missed them, of course he’d be relieved they were back. You on the other hand had given up on them coming back a year after Steve helped them escape. You let that hurt go.

You unwrapped your hands and threw the tape on the ground, walking out of the training room. You walked into the kitchen and sat down with a protein shake from the fridge. You smoothed out your forehead as you noticed you were frowning.

“You coming to the party tonight?,” Steve slowly crept into the kitchen. You huffed and rolled your eyes and got up, trying to get away, “Y/N, please talk to me. Listen, I know I hurt Tony-,”

“No!,” you pointed your finger angrily, “You clearly don’t Steve because had you known how hurt he was or even would be- you would have been honest with him from the door about everything and you know what I mean!,”

Steve stood with his hands in his pockets, eyeing you like a child who was getting punished.

“You wouldn’t have hurt him the way you did that day! God, the way I found him w-was horrifying,” you swallowed thickly and felt tears well in your eyes, “You will never get my forgiveness. The woman you knew three years ago is not who I am now. You can hide behind a beard and this new tough guy persona but you’re still a coward to me, Steven Grant Rogers, all of you are!!,”

FRIDAY had notified Tony of your accelerated heart rate and he was in the kitchen in no time trying to analyze the situation, “What’s going on?,”

You smugly smile and shook your head, “Nothing, just having a heart-to-heart. Aren’t we Stevie?” You tilted your head and cocked an eyebrow. Tony turned to Steve and he just lightly nodded his head.

“What is the party I’m just now hearing about?” You turned your attention back to Tony and he just twiddled his thumbs.

“Just a celebration that we’re all back together, I figured it’d be good since they’ve been back for a while now,” he smiled as if that would make you any less angry. You tried your best to hold in your bitter laugh but you just shook your head. You really tried to empathize with Tony about how good he felt that they were all together again but you cared about him too much to forgive the people that hurt him the way they did.

You saw the hopeful glint in his eyes before swallowing your pride and clenching your jaw. You gave him a half smile, “Well then... what color will the Starks be wearing tonight?,”

———-

Cerulean. He picked cerulean and while you looked amazing in this color, you wanted to take it off because you didn’t want to go to this damn party in the first place. You walked around with a glass of champagne in you hand, greeting the guests. “Mrs. Stark!, it’s so good to see you. The set up is amazing. How are things with everyone back together?,” A measly interviewer found his way into the venue and you rolled your eyes, “No comment,”

You walked past the chocolate fountain and groaned. Tony hates those things, you know he only did it because Wanda and Sam love them. All the food and little desserts reminded you of the parties from the past and you just frowned. How could anyone expect you to just easily re-adjust to them being back like this? 

“Penny for your thoughts?,” Vision came up beside you and you wanted to walk away but you were here to support Tony so you would be cordial so you wouldn’t made a scene. 

“Tony hates the ahi tuna cucumber bites,” You frowned before putting the appetizer in your mouth. Vision just barely nods, “Yes but Natasha requested them,” 

“Of course she did. I’m sure you all being on the run didn’t necessarily offer you 5 star dinners now did it?,” You kept frowning at the food table. Nothing on this damn table was anything Tony liked. He hated all this shit. The damn fountain, the ahi tuna, the deviled eggs, the certain array of finger sandwiches, the types of steaks being cooked by the hibachi chef, even the damn drinks! Tony friggin hates Veuve Clicquot! He’s a Krug Clos d’Ambonnay kinda guy. He really catered to everyone else with this. Usually he’ll have something here and there that he likes but he strictly ignored his own wants for this and you didn’t really like that.

“We are sorry, Y/N,” Vision spoke, pulling you out of your own head rant. 

“Sure you are. But riddle me this, if you break a glass plate and apologize to it does it get put back together?,” 

Before he can answer you walk away to find Tony with a few of the others as well as a few other businessmen and agents.

“There she goes! The lovely Mrs. Stark,” He was having such a great time and you really tried to as well because this wasn’t about you, it was about him and the team. You loved to see that smile on his face, the tune of his laughter. It was great, so seeing him smile at you tonight in his matching suit, you felt yourself release some tension in your frown and shoulders.

He lightly grabbed your hand and pulled you into him before planting a kiss on your temple. You saw the way Steve, Bucky and Sam avoided eye contact but you just kept it moving. 

“Gentlemen,” you nodded to the other men and agents.

“Y/N! It’s good to see you. How great is it to have everyone back like before?,” one of the agents asked before sipping his drink.

You spared Tony a glance and carefully thought about what you were about to say next, “I... I’m just glad Tony is at ease again. His feelings matter to me so despite what I might really think and feel... it’s him that matters to me,” you shuttered out a breath and felt Tony pull you more into his side in comfort. He smiled down at you and admired you. He knew this was hard for you but he was glad you still stood by him. Without you, he would have become a complete and utter, unfixable mess.

“I’m gonna make you some food after this, okay? You don’t eat a single thing on that table over there and I know you’re starving and need real food,” 

He shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly, “Eh, the ahi tuna bites aren’t that bad,” 

“Anthony,” you said his name sternly and you saw the way he froze up at your use of his full name, “You’re not going to sacrifice your comfort for this party, you hear me?,”

Tony felt a shiver run down his spine at how you spoke to him and he hesitantly nodded his head, “Y-yes. Yeah. I hear you,”

You patted his cheek and kissed his lips, “That’s my boy. I’ll be roaming around greeting our guests. Have fun, don’t drink too much or stay up too late. End this at a reasonable time,”

He just slightly smiled at you and nodded. You talking to him like that had him blushing and feeling small but he wasn’t against that feeling. He enjoyed it and it confused him a little.

---------

You had retired the party early to clean yourself up and cook him something for him to eat. With a clean face and wearing nothing but his Black Sabbath shirt, you danced around the kitchen listening to his playlist while he wrapped up the party and sent everyone home with a taxi or designated driver. The team went to bed and he came to find you in the kitchen. You nodded your head and swayed your hips to the guitar riffs of Into the Void. He watched you from the kitchen doorway, loving the way you looked in his shirt and bare faced.

“I see my music taste has rubbed off on you,” He came to the island as you finished putting his meal on a plate. Of course you’d gone out the way to give him his protein, veggies and starch.

“Eh, just a bit,” you winked and told him to sit down, giving him his plate and giving him a bottle of water to which he frowned at, “You’re gonna drink that water, Tony. You drank enough tonight,” 

He just loved when you talked to him like that. He quickly opened the bottle and took a big gulp from it and started eating as you cleaned up the kitchen of the little mess you made. Once you were finished you sat close beside him, rubbing his leg.

“Is it good, baby?,” you ran your hands through his hair and he lulled his head back into your touch.

“Yes, thank you so much,”

“Anything for you, baby boy,” you kissed his cheek as he finished up. He felt that same chill run down his spine and he stiffened up in his seat.

“Y/N,” He clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white.

“Yes?,”

“I uh... I have a request,”

--------

You were right beside Tony soothing him as he trusted you to do this for him. Tony loves being babied but his job as Tony Stark and Iron Man took that from him and you were more than willing to do this for him. It’s been a fantasy of yours for a while anyway, which is how this beginners strap on came into play. You laid beside Tony, kissing his cheek and slowly jerking him off with lube.

“You like that, baby? Like the way I use my hand to please you?,” 

Tony’s head fell to the side and a little moan escaped his lips, “More, please,” he sounded so helpless and it was the cutest yet hottest thing ever. You went a little faster and he started bucking his hips, “Stay still for me, baby boy. Just relax. I got you,” you whispered in his ear and focused on the head of his dick, making him dig his heels into the mattress.

“Oh, please can I cum?,” The way he looked into your eyes was a different look than he’s ever given you and it only encouraged you to continue with your actions, “please, Y/N,” 

The begging, the panting, his little whines had urged you to pump your hand faster.

“Cum for me. Go ahead and make a mess,” you saw the way his stomach muscles tensed as you continued pumping, long white ropes on his cum landing on is lower stomach, “There you go baby,” you encouraged and praised, “Good boy, baby,” you kissed his cheek and crawled in between his legs to lick all of his seed off his stomach. Hearing hims mewl at the feeling. You kissed the head of his dick and swirled your tongue around it, making him call out lightly.

You removed the vibrating toy from his little hole and massaged more lube into it. You and Tony had spent some time cleaning him out so you know he was ready for you. Adding some lube to the strap on, you took his dick in your other hand, stroking him once again, “You ready for me, baby? It’s gonna feel so good,” you lifted his legs around your waist and leaned forward.

“Look at me, baby. Do you trust me?,” You held the head of the dildo against him and his breath shuttered.

“Yes, I trust you,”

“What was the safe word we agreed on?,”

“Nanotech”

“Good boy,” you kissed his lips and littered kisses all over his neck and chest, calming him down before you took care of him like he’s been scared to ask for all these years. You pressed the tip of your strap into him and he tensed up, “Be still baby, if you want this I’m gonna need you to relax,”

You ran your hands along his chest and he melded into the bed and peered up at you through half closed eyes. You slowly pushed in inch by inch and he relaxed completely. He softly panted at the pleasure and he finally let go. Your rolled your hips and he held onto the back of his thighs while you held his legs up by his calves.

“Look at you, baby. Opening right up for me,” You cooed to him and he just whined back up to you. The pillow he had under the small of his back helped you get the right angle so you can get that special spot within him. “Feel good, baby? Glad you finally spoke up like a big boy and asked for what you wanted?,” You so easily got into this role of being dominant, this was your thing and you’re glad he was okay with admitting he needed it.

“Y/N, oh my God, baby,” Tony gasped and started jerking himself off as you slowly thrust deep in him, picking up the pace, “Fuck, that’s so good, sooo good,” his eyes were squeezed shut and he started moving his hips against you.

“Don’t get greedy, Tony. Take what I give you like a good boy then maybe I’ll give you some more,” 

His whines were only fueling you more but he loved that you didn’t give into him easily. He loved that you made him work for it. He stroked himself faster and his eyes rolled back into his head. “Y/N,” he dragged out your name in pleasure and you felt your clit throb. You turned on the vibrator that was built into the strap on and felt your own pleasure setting in.

“Want more, baby. Please,” he begged, your smiled down at him and hooked his legs on your shoulder before leaning forward and placing your hands by his head.

“Want me to fuck you faster, baby? Need me to give it to you harder and fuck you like the good boy you are? Bet you wanna let go of all the stuff that runs around in that head of yours, let go and lemme fuck all of that out of you, baby. You trust me to do that for you?,” You smiled down at his state and he feverishly nods his head.

“Yes, yes. Please please,” you were infatuated with how desperate he sounded. You bit your lip and braced yourself, withdrawing your hips from his body, you thrusted hard and a groan got caught in his throat, usually the sound of your skins slapping came from him fucking you and that turned you on, but this time, the sound intoxicated you and had you moaning against his lips.

“Look at me and tell me how good it feels to have me inside you like this, baby. Deep in you, hitting that special spot, bet you’re ready to cum already, aren’t you?,”

His eyes snapped open but had a hard time staying that way from the intensity at which you were fucking him with, “It feels so good, Y/N. Almost too good,” his voice was so small. You attached your lips to his. The kiss didn’t match the way you were fucking him. It was slow and smooth, a way to tell him how much you love him and how good he was doing. He pulled back for air and held onto your forearms by his head

“Y/N, please... choke me please. I need it,” He needed it to let go completely and you happy obliged. You pulled back a bit and placed your dominant hand around his neck, softly squeezing at the sides as he told you to squeeze harder, “Don’t be afraid, Y/N. I need it, I’ll be fine. I trust you,” Him saying he trusted you had filled you up like fuel to a gas tank. You squeezed at the sides and felt his pulse pound against your fingers and you felt yourself turn feral. 

You fucked into him faster as you felt yourself about to cum from the vibrator attacking your clit.

“Fuck, Tony,” you moaned and he gasped for air and moved against you, “You’re doing such a good job taking me in your little hole like this,”

“O-oh my God,” you felt his thighs wrap tighter around you. You started jerking him off with your other hand and you knew that would be his end. With you hitting his special spot over and over along with you choking him and jerking him off, he was being stimulated in many ways and wasn’t sure which sensation to focus on, he was becoming overwhelmed and you could tell.

“Please, Y/N, may I cum?,” 

You cooed at him and smiled, “My sweet boy. You don’t have to ask tonight. You’ve been such a sweet boy to everyone. Always taking care of them, putting them before you. You don’t have to worry about that tonight, baby. Cum all you want. Take it like a good boy and cum, you deserve it,”

Your praise had pushed him over the edge and he had cum so much more than the first time. You were milking him of his cum and his body was lightly shaking while he called out your name along with swears. You were so proud of him and how well he did and how well he took you, well, your strap, but either way, he did so good. He truly was your good boy.

“O-oh God, I-, Y/N,” his words were chopped and his eyes were fluttering as you continue to fuck into him, coaxing the rest of his orgasm out of him as you chased yours, you were so close. 

“I’m close, baby,” you stilled your hips and the vibrator hit your clit at the perfect angle at the right time and you felt your cum running down your legs. You rutted into Tony a few times, earning yourself a few more grunts from him.

You kissed his lips softly and he barely returned it from his fucked out state but you were okay with that. You slowly withdrew the strap from him and he whined like a kitten, “S’okay, relax. I’ll be right back, okay?,”

He barely gave you a nod as you took the toys you used tonight and removed the batteries as well as the dildo from the holder in the strap harness. You went to the kitchen, filling a pot full of water and throwing them in there and turning on the stove for them to boil. Proper toy cleaning etiquette. You took a water bottle from the pantry and rushed back to the bedroom. Finding Tony had not moved a muscle. You quickly got two warm, wet rags from the bathroom and cleaned him up and used the other for yourself. You crawled in bed with him, helping him sit up so he could drink some water.

“How you feeling?,” You kissed his cheek and held him in your arms.

“Like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” he lightly laughed.

“I’m glad you finally spoke up about your needs, Tony. Don’t be afraid to put yourself first, okay?,” 

He kissed your lips softly and curled down further into the bed and your side.

“Will you just try to be nicer to everyone else?,” 

You sighed and knew that that’s all he wanted from you with them back and working through things. You could do this, not because you missed them, but for Tony. He was the priority.

“Of course. I’ll do anything for you, baby boy,”

----------

Okay I hope this wasn’t as bad as I feel it is. I hope you guys enjoyed this. I will get better with my Dom!Reader fics, I promise. 

Don’t forget to leave feedback, it means a lot!

Tags- @sideeffectsofyou @chonisberonica @majikmelanin @vozit @mirajanestrauss1999 @babybubastis @yournonlocalpoc @amethyst-dreams-and-candy-canes @scarletlingeries @mbaku-babygirl @blackreaders-assemble @curlyhairclub

[imagines-mha]

I really dunno how to ask for a request in this situation, but, I'll try my best.. So, there was this guy, that for an entire month he flirted with me and bought me snacks, but always insisted on doing math homework together; so as just as the exam they came he stopped talking to me and I was sad but also angry at me for being so naive. So I wish I could get, I dunno, a fic of Bakugou or Izuku reacting to seeing their crush being tricked like that...? plz?

:0000 dude that is HORRIBLE. It reminds me of that episode of victorious and Tori sings beggin on your knees @the dude only the real ones will get it 😎

Fr tho bro u deserve so much more than that and ily ok i’ll give u Bakugo

He was always so infuriated with the...situation from the beginning. How the fuck could someone else, someone who wasn’t him win your attention so easily, when you clearly deserved so much more. He wasn’t even that attractive either, in fact he looked like trash, and-

“Man, you’re staring again-“ Kirishima giggled, waving his fingers in front of Bakugo’s face. The ash-blonde boy grunted and moved his body away from the scene unfolding a few tables over. Every one of his friends felt for him, because Bakugo’s never really shown so much care for someone before, but with you it was almost love. All that was missing was...well you

You were sat with this boy in the cafeteria- munching on some chocolate he got you while you explained simple concepts to him so his idiot brain wouldn’t get confused again- and you didn’t even notice Bakugo staring over at you both every so often, almost begging him to leave you the fuck alone

The boy noticed though- and he was slghtly put off by the explosive boy’s glares. It wasn’t the only time, either. Anytime they had classes together, he would find himself be glared down until he physically felt uncomfortable, he would find that every single time he messed up- a loud snicker would sound from Bakugo. He just felt...threatened- and he didn’t like it at all

——

“Why are you even fucking helping him anyways?” Bakugo glared slightly while you were both talking one day

“I dunno...he’s kinda cute and i-“

“Bullshit. You think THAT’S cute?” He rolled his eyes, “he looks like a fucking rat-“

Okay it didn’t take a rocket scientist to know he was jealous

You raised an eyebrow with a soft smile, “he’s sweet Bakugo-“ you told him, before the boy interrupted you both by snaking an arm around your waist

“Ready to study? You look cute today-“ he commented as you both waved bye to Bakugo (who looked disgusted at the whole ordeal) and went off to study for the big test tomorrow

——-

It was no surprise to Bakugo when the boy stopped contact with you after the test, because it was almost TOO perfect to be real. But damn- did he have to be so harsh? That was a fucking dick move, the lowest of the low- and especially on HIS fucking girl/boy/nb?! How DARE he.

He was so enraged he hadn’t even processed him calling you his- and could now only focus on the sparks coming out of his hands and the red covering his line of vision. If it hadn’t have been for law- the boy would have been dead

It wasn’t long before Bakugo found him- and it was an even shorter time period before Bakugo gave him what he deserved. It was safe to say the stupid boy wouldn’t be able to show his face for an entire week without being called out for it being busted and swollen- but Bakugo was content

Next he found you- and he planned his next move carefully. He warned himself not to use the words ‘i told you so’ in the same sentence, so he just stopped to think- and quickly walked the opposite direction to you. If he wanted to do this he had to do it right, because you were obviously upset

He went to the shop and returned with all your favourite foods, hunting you down again

“Yo, Y/N-“ he called, walking up with the same angry look, handing you the bag

“I told yo-“ he stopped himself, “He was a prick. You don’t uh...you shouldn’t have...you...” he was blushing? This was odd, especially for him. Was he FLUSTERED?!

“Bakugo are you-“

“JUST FUCKING TAKE THE FOOD-“ he shoved the bag into your hands, “and next time, choose someone who’s fucking good at school, you’re not a teacher-“ he nodded quickly

And from then on you both just...blossomed. He would always look out for you, and the looking out turned to him walking you to class, and then walking you home, and then walking you to a restaurant for date nights, and soon you were both so caught up in eachother’s love it would be stupid for you not to become a couple...

So you did- and it was so much better than what he could have been

[razberryyum]

A Gintama chapter a day keeps the ending away...Lesson 506

MY 10 FAVORITE MOMENTS IN LESSON 506:

Even though I didn’t choose any of the exposition scenes as my favorites, I did find all the Iga and Oniwabanshuu history fascinating. I loved the developing story and at this point, I remember being still distressed by everything that Zenzou was doing because I couldn’t figure out what was going on.

1) I was both impressed and concerned about the sheer number of enemies surrounding our gang. They looked completely outnumbered!

2) All the fight scenes in this arc are awesome, it’s impossible not to love them as I come across each one.

3) The stark image of the two of them being completely surrounded by the enemy was chilling.

4) I wish their fight wasn’t over, but I loved that they tried to kill each other up until the last minute.

5) I wanted this fugly ape piece of shit to DIE for putting his stinking ape foot on our beautiful Queen. 

6) I think I screamed...I mean, of course at the back of my mind I knew it wasn’t possible for this nobody to kill Kagura, but the blood and Gintoki’s shocked expression totally got to me.

7) BLESS HIJIKATA. BLESS “TOSHI”.

8) He’s so damn gorgeous as a ninja. Is this man ever capable of NOT looking beautiful?

9) Kondou looked pretty cool too. And it was sweet that he would be the one to save his future bro-in-law.

10) SHI-CHAN!!!! Ok, one of my favorite moments in this arc because his appearance immediately absolved Zenzou of his murder AND that was a pretty damn cool entrance. In retrospect, I do feel bad for doubting Zenzou in the first place and I really should’ve guessed the man he “assassinated” was a decoy, especially since he was so ready to let Abuto examine the head. That’s usually a good sign it’s a ruse.  

SHIPS TALLY:

Okita x Kamui: I refuse to believe they weren’t flirting. I mean, come on, they even gave each other pet names. “Policeman”. “Villain”. Get a room already, you two.

Kondou x Hijikata: if I shipped them, I would totally be fangirling over all the back-to-back fighting going on like they were one unit.

Gintoki x Sacchan: by now, anytime Sacchan is near Gintoki, I have to count them out of respect for her. But I was both impressed and glad by how professional she was throughout this whole ordeal. 

Hijikata x Kagura: her “Toshiiii” like they were close was adorable, and he did come to her rescue.

Disclaimer: Gintama is not only about shipping. Gintama is hilarious, clever, exciting, poignant, heart-breaking, loving, brilliant, and just so freaking amazing.  It is only due to Sorachi-sama’s generosity that I can enjoy Gintama on yet another level, the shippy level, and I am forever grateful for that. GINTAMA IS LIFE AND LOVE.

5/27/2018

[141-point-12]

Quite a week...

Under a cut for a *lot* of personal venting regarding my in-laws.

I wasn’t really sure if I was going to write this all up here, but posting 140 character blurbs on twitter was too limiting, and posting my feelings on facebook just yielded a lot of “Be patient! :3 It’ll be okay!″ from my family members etc when what I really want is a “Wow, that sucks. Sorry bro.”

Right now I have a 3 hour “calming spa music with water sounds” playing. I have made heavy use of such videos over the last week, often having to rely on them to calm down enough to sleep. The reason sounds sort of stupid- my in-laws came in to town for a visit, but these people have a way of taking a totally normal situation and forcing it to explode until something as simple as “returning the rental car” is a code red.

This isn’t new behavior. The family is flat out dysfunctional. But there were a few different things to deal with this time around.

The last time my MiL came to town, she got into a prolonged “argument” about why I hadn’t had any children yet. (Obviously this was something on my shoulders, nothing her son had anything to do with, and certainly not our business to decide.) To make a long story short, she went around and around telling me things like having pets means wasting valuable time you could be spending on children, people primarily get married to have children, if there was some medical reason I couldn’t have children I should have told them before I married their son, an adopted child wouldn’t really be “ours”. She barked this at me for over an hour while my husband was out of the house. He threw her out the following morning, raising his voice for the third time in the nearly 15 years I’ve known him.

After that, we decided she was not welcome to stay in our home. His father (difficult in his own way, but we’ll get to that) could stay with us, but she would either have to stay with my husband’s brother, or in a hotel. When we were told (not asked) about their visit- we explained this to the FiL in a number of ways. That she made herself unwelcome the last time she was here. That she stressed my husband out triggering a lot of my husband’s health issues, etc. His response was always dismissive. Up until the day they arrived, we were preparing for a full on fight when we insisted- because he never treated this information with any kind of regard. Luckily, when the day came, she went to my BiL’s house with little fuss.

Their visit itself was stressful in a number of ways. This couple is incapable of doing something as simple as picking a restaurant for lunch without it becoming an ordeal. Arguments happen over nothing. FiL has a lot of health problems, but makes it everyone else’s job to cater to him, without acknowledging the effort. MiL is a whirling dervish of frenetic energy who wants to see and do everything but can’t calm down enough to listen to the information being given to her. She constantly and repeatedly asks questions without waiting for the answer, and then barrels on ahead with no information or context. 

To be honest, MiL wasn’t at her worst this visit- which is exhausting in its own way. This is a woman who has run out her goodwill by being classist, racist, and absolutely inconsiderate of others around her while pushing for her own agenda. Any attempts to appease her are not noticed while she asks for more. And then she has moments of near normalcy that make you think everything might be okay- but the moment you trust her, she reverts to her regular behavior. She can’t take no for an answer. She is constantly chasing “Kodak moments” with her family so she has something to share at brunch with her friends, but never forged genuine emotional connections with the people she wants to show off. If it had been only her, this might have been simply a taxing visit.

However- this time around, my FiL really showed what he was made of. Which is to say a thick mass of manipulation, covered in a thin veneer of intelligence and the familial goodwill he has left with his sons. He even said things like he could “control” his wife, so she should be allowed to stay in our home. First of all, he can’t, at all. Secondly...ew?

It is only in about the last year or so that my husband has realized that the cycle of dysfunction in their home isn’t only due to their mother. Their father absolutely enabled her behavior to take over, leaving everyone else in the house constantly arming battlestations as they tried to minimize the damage. There is no open channel of communication in their home. There is only conflict and argument- even over things that should be occasions for joy. 

What has ended up happening is that my MiL has come to represent the emotional, the irrational, and the bad. Meanwhile logic and rationality are theoretically championed by his father- but his father is just as emotional and temperamental, it’s just that when he throws a fit it’s because he thinks everyone else is being too irrational to see reason, not that he has done anything wrong. As such, the idea of emotional wellbeing is basically laughed at. Even my husband’s brother didn’t seem to understand my husband’s need to keep a calm household for his own wellbeing.

After only two days of their bickering, my body entered a very obvious set of fight or flight symtoms- but there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t physically fight these people, nor could I go anywhere. So I just... stayed that way. For hours. That’s... not how that’s supposed to work, and my body partially shut down. Another 24 hours later and my husband experienced something similar. It was a week of constantly checking in on each other- giving each other wide berth and space when there was little to be had. 

Their visit was extended because Hurricane Irma shut down travel back into Florida. My MiL kept calling themselves “hurricane refugees” as though they’d actually fled their home, and not just come off of a month long cruise around Europe. She kept insisting they should get special treatment at car rentals and hotels as though our city isn’t currently full of people with real, actual needs- not just on extended vacations.

Two days after their planned departure, my husband and I had had enough. The boundaries we set had been breached (FiL convinced MiL to stay the night at our house, despite my husband having made it clear that was not what we wanted- bringing the total number of times he has raised his voice within earshot to four). We were stressed out, nothing we did to try and satisfy them was helping them, so we decided to help ourselves. We took a brief trip out of town (for a total of about 2 days, although we only spent one whole day out of their company) with plans to return before their actual departure. There was plenty of resistance from my FiL, of course, but thankfully my husband stood firm. 

It was a much needed break for us, and even then we were still checking in on the home front, making suggestions for activities in town that we thought they might enjoy etc. We came back more ready to handle them in their last day with us.

They left, finally. There was much more stress involved in the process than necessary, and I’ve firmly come to believe that with no hobbies or interests to speak of, my FiL has no pasttime other than being miserable and spreading that out in a search for... sympathy, I guess? 

In the end, I can only be thankful that my husband and I are on the same page about these people and their behavior. It would be another thing entirely if he somehow thought this was acceptable- but the fact that we could talk every night about what was happening, and how we wanted to handle things and proceed the next day already means that we are light years ahead of this pair when it comes to communication. I told him I was proud of him for deciding to prioritize our wellbeing and mental health (when there was honestly nothing we could do to make his parents happy) by taking a few steps back and taking a short trip out of town. Today he told me how happy he was that we could pick a sandwich shop for lunch in less than a minute and carry on from their without it becoming an ordeal. Simple things- but not ones I can take for granted anymore.

[alphacrone]

i found this post in my drafts and have ZERO memory of writing it (thank u alcohol) so im gonna put it in my queue lol

ok but imagine 

Bitty comes out to his parents but he doesn't tell them about Jack, thinks it's for the best, maybe to ease his parents into things or maybe to keep the pool of People Who Know as small as possible 

and like yeah Ransom and Holster are super oblivious but Suzanne Bittle is not, not when it comes to her son, because she is a certified Nosy Southern Mother and she can see he's been acting differently, happier but quieter, always on his phone and blushing when she asks about boys

and he talks about the team a LOT 

Jack's one of his best friends and he's just started his NHL career, so of course Bitty’s never gonna shut up about Jack

(Same goes for Shitty and law school. And eventually Ransom and med school. Dicky is proud of his friends and wants everyone to know. He gets that trait from Suzanne, she understands)

but he keeps talking about this one Boy, how sweet he is and how his smile is like a sack of puppies and how bitty's always making this boy do things with him like baking and getting froyo and going shopping and Suzanne is like. Yes. This must be Dicky's secret boyfriend. 

 the next family weekend or whatever, Suzanne demands to meet this Chowder boy who's stolen Bitty's heart

Bitty is both confused and mortified

“No, Mother,” he says. “Chowder is my friend, I mean look at him, that sweet precious baby fawn of a goalie-”

Suzanne is Not Convinced

“Mhmm,” she replies. “Sure, baby. Sure.” 

but bitty can’t disobey his mother, so he drags the Frogs into the kitchen and introduces them all at once

so dex is like “um ok nice to meet you ma’am” and nursey’s all “sup mrs. b” and then Chowder - sweet Chowder - goes over and hugs her and starts rambling on a mile a minute about how much the team loves bitty and gosh it’s so nice to meet you, mrs. bitty’s mom, thank you for the care packages and oh do you watch hockey what team do you root for my team’s the sharks they’re ‘swawesome hey are you coming to our game tonight i think the coaches are gonna start bitty which is So Great because bitty is So Great of course the entire team is So Great but you know we all just love bitty So Much-!

Suzanne is Very Much Convinced

bitty’s gone bright red and none of the Frogs can figure out why

so i think by this point Ransom & Holster have a running joke about Bitty’s Secret Boyfriend bc, even tho they know, they’re Major Shitheads

(”Who’re you texting, Bits?” “Oh, uh, Jack.” “Pshyeah right, look at that blush. Who are you really texting?” “Oh, my God, I swear I’m just texting Jack.” “Bro, it’s gotta be your secret boyfriend.” “Adam Birkholtz, I swear to Jesus-”)

so R&H are messing around in the kitchen as bitty and his mom make a pre-game pie or something and bitty’s texting with jack about how mortifying his day has been when, of course, it gets worse

“Dude, stop texting your Secret Boyfriend,” Ransom says, giving Bitty a shit-eating grin.

bitty goes super pale. 

normally the joke is just kind of annoying but His Mother is Right Here And

Suzanne perks up.

“What was that?” She asks in that slow, sweet, unassuming way that all middle aged southern ladies use when they smell blood in the water

Bitty knows he’s Fucked

“Oh, hahahaha, just an inside joke, Mama, I’m just texting Jack, these boys and their silly little jokes, tell her it’s a joke, Justin”

so now Suzanne is almost certain Bitty’s hiding a boyfriend from her. she gets it, her mama never knew about half the guys she dated and she never had to Come Out to her mama. but Suzanne is not a saint and privacy doesn’t really exist when it’s your flesh and blood

“So, Adam. Justin. Tell me more about that sweet, little Christopher,” she says. “He’s real cute. Don’t you think so, Dicky?” 

to bitty’s delight, though, R&H go straight into Captains mode

“Oh, yeah, Chow’s a great asset to the team.” “One of the best goalies I’ve ever known.” “Real go-getter attitude.” “Hard worker. Weird fear of pucks, though.” “Still. What a guy.” 

Bullet dodged, crisis averted. Bitty breathes easy for a moment. 

so in this time he’s managed to text Chowder and has asked him to AVOID MAMA BITTLE AT ALL COSTS WHICH

chowder is clearly unable to do

“why????!?? did she not like me?!??? did i say something???!!”

so bitty is trying to calm chowder down and suzanne’s all Sugar Bear Sweetpea Fruit of my Loins WHO ARE YOU TEXTING

and chowder barges into the haus, apologizes a mile a minute for literally Anything he can think of

“I’m sorry for not asking you if you wanted a drink! And I’m sorry for not offering you a tour of the Haus- though I guess Bitty’s already done that- oh! Did I not say it’s nice to meet you?! It’s so nice to meet you!!!” 

and r&h have No Idea what’s happening but they love to Stir the Pot so they’re kinda egging chowder on and Mama B is very, very confused but so happy to see Dicky’s boyfriend is so thoughtful, if not a little...excitable...

So of course this is when the Frogs and Lardo wander in, drawn to sounds of a panicked Chowder

now bitty is on the edge of hysterics, trying to calm chowder down, trying to tell his mother that he’s Not dating chowder without saying those exact words, trying to text jack because who Else would be text while losing his shit??

and then she says it

suzanne just fucking says it

“oh, gosh, honey, i don’t know what you’re apologizin for, but it’s nice to know how polite my dicky’s boyfriend is.”

the silence in the kitchen is heavy with pent-up shock and laughter.

now. chowder can be naive, but he’s a smart cookie. it takes him those few, awkward moments, but he manages to put a couple things together - why bitty wanted him away from Mrs. B, why bitty was acting so weird, why suzanne was being so friendly

so chowder, bless his tender lil heart, plays along

“oh! uh!! well, i just want! to impress my...boyfriend?! my boyfriend’s mom!!”

dex and nursey are beyond confused; lardo has to leave the room so she can laugh

this is Not What Bitty Wanted, however

and then

enter Jack Zimmermann

bitty is just about ready to curl up in a corner and die of Shame

so Suzanne does her whole heart-eyes Jack Zimmermann routine, asking after his father and yadda yadda

but jack definitely heard everything with chowder. and as jealous as he is, it was also hilarious. 

and we all know jack l zimmermann is kind of a little shit

“so I see you’ve met bitty’s boyfriend” he says in his best monotone

(now ransom has to leave because he’s about to wet himself holding back laughter)

“oh, yes, jack, i’ve finally gotten dicky to introduce me, you’d think he didn’t want me to meet sweet christopher”

bitty’s done. he’s leaving samwell immediately. already has a new name picked out for himself, is gonna hitchhike west and dye his hair brown and never speak to anyone east of albuquerque again

“oh, i can’t believe he’s being shy about chowder,” jack says, knowing that he’s probably getting himself into Trouble but plowing forward regardless. “they’ve been together almost a year now”

“WHAT.” is the reaction that comes from three different people in three very different inflections 

(now dex and nursey are taking bets; holster is recording the whole thing to send to shitty; ransom and lardo are watching from the hallway)

“oh, yeah,” jack continues on, with what is probably his Funniest and Most Terrible joke ever. “after they both got dumped by their dates at Winter Screw. right, Bittle?” 

bitty has his face buried in his hands. chowder is Beyond Confused as to why jack’s taking it this far. 

suzanne is THRILLED

so Jack is weaving this long, ridiculous story of the Epic BittyChowder romance that never was and chowder’s starting to feel uncomfortable about the way suzanne is staring at him and bitty is going to Murder his boyfriend if the mortification doesn’t kill him first

“...which is why I’m here today. to fight for bitty’s hand.”

yup. jack 110% zimmermann Goes There. 

“you’re in love with my dicky too??” “do i....do i really have to fight jack??!”

and bitty sees the look in jack’s eyes, the imperceptible nod, and the dam finally bursts: “mother, i’m not dating chowder. and i never wanted you to think i was, but chris was just trying to help me out.” 

and suzanne’s face falls and chowder sort of awkwardly...runs away...to stand in the hall with lardo and ransom

“but then why is jack here?” suzanne asks,

and jack wraps his arm around bitty’s shoulder, smiling down at bitty, and bitty finally gets to say to his mama, “because he’s my boyfriend, mother.” 

suzanne Freaks Out and cries a little and calls bob. in that order. 

but before all of that she hugs them both tight and refuses to let go. 

(years down the road, they play holster’s camera-phone video of the whole Ordeal at the zimmermann-bittle wedding. chowder literally never lives down the chirps, but hey -- that’s what best men are for.)

[theconservativebrief]

The exit of CBS chair and CEO Les Moonves from the company in the wake of a dozen accusations of sexual misconduct, chronicled in two separate articles by the New Yorker’s Ronan Farrow, was a frustrating, slow-moving ordeal.

As Vox’s Emily Stewart has already outlined, CBS gave Moonves a graceful exit he didn’t deserve. The company twisted its hands too long, fretting over how to deal with what Farrow’s articles suggest is a dark and disturbing pattern of behavior. CBS prioritized its bottom line over doing the right thing. It might still pay Moonves a hefty settlement. It thanked Moonves in its press release announcing his departure, and the interim CEO who will oversee the company while a permanent replacement is chosen is a longtime Moonves compatriot.

The company’s behavior is maddening on many levels, and it’s too generous to think of Moonves’s exit as “justice,” since he will remain rich and powerful, just without immediate access to the levers of power. And yet Moonves’s ouster suggests a moment of progress for the #MeToo movement — and that its continued focus on the horrible behavior of Hollywood’s rich and powerful has altered the entertainment industry’s codes of conduct more than it’s been given credit for.

I certainly didn’t expect anything to happen to Moonves beyond, perhaps, an acceleration of his retirement and succession, so that he would leave CBS by 2020 or 2022 instead of later than that. (Moonves turns 70 in 2019, but executives of his status tend to stay in their jobs for long periods of time.) For as slow-moving as his exit was, it’s something that wouldn’t have happened at all even five years ago.

Make no mistake: For all the valid anger surrounding what’s happened here, Les Moonves is the most powerful person yet to have been brought down by bad past behavior coming to light. And his fall suggests that things aren’t just changing in Hollywood, but have already changed.

Les Moonves (left) made the careers of many, including James Corden. Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

Since the fall of 2017, when the Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey revelations were published, many other powerful men in the entertainment industry (and other industries) have been exposed as guilty of sexual misconduct. But reporting these stories isn’t easy, and many rumored predators have remained hidden for lack of verifiable evidence. That’s how it’s always been in Hollywood — and it’s how the industry’s titans would prefer it to remain.

For example, in late 2017, I heard from a couple of people I trust that a fairly prominent person in the television industry who had long been dogged by rumors was dogged by said rumors for a reason — they were true, and there were people willing to talk about them. (The person I refer to is not Les Moonves, or anyone else who has been successfully reported on for their bad behavior.)

The further I got into digging into the story, the more I came to suspect the rumors really were true, and I found a few pieces of corroborating evidence. But I never got any further than that. I never found someone willing to tell their story, on or off the record. And it wasn’t just me. I knew of multiple other journalists, from several outlets, who were trying to nail down this exact story and encountering the same roadblocks I was. This person still wielded considerable power, which made breaking the story incredibly difficult.

Every entertainment journalist has some version of this story. They hear rumors about some Hollywood bigwig. They come to suspect the rumors are true. They find sources who are willing to talk. But then the sources start to get a little jittery as publication becomes a real possibility, and legal departments get concerned about libel laws, and everything dies on the vine.

That’s how the reporting and vetting process is supposed to work, of course. Nobody wants the press just making stuff up. But it’s also a process that powerful men in Hollywood have used to protect themselves for decades. They could always threaten to kill the careers of would-be actors or writers or directors for speaking to reporters, in order to maintain their powerful hegemonies. Harvey Weinstein was revealed to have made a habit of doing exactly that, among other things. But even in the wake of Weinstein, the power imbalance that made Weinstein’s behavior possible has remained largely intact.

Weinstein was an important figure in the film industry, to be sure, but his company was increasingly seen as on the edge of irrelevancy and even insolvency in the months leading up to the bombshell reports in the New York Times and New Yorker that ultimately ended his career. And that decline in his power has frequently been cited as a reason for why he fell. It suddenly became less likely that he could ruin whole careers in one fell swoop.

What’s more, he was a mogul atop a studio, but a small studio and one operated largely by him. He wasn’t a mogul on the level of Moonves, whose company controls the most popular broadcast network in America, the second most popular premium cable network in America (Showtime), and many other major TV brands (including a part of the CW and CBS All Access, to say nothing of the CBS Studios production studio).

With that said, Moonves’s own level of power had declined slightly in recent years. CBS went from being one of the biggest fish in the television pond to being a slightly smaller fish in a pond that was expanding so quickly, thanks to streaming and the era of Peak TV, that the company could hardly keep up.

The company remains a big player in TV, but it simply doesn’t have the assets to compete with a Disney, a Netflix, or a Comcast in the way it will eventually have to — which leads to occasional speculation by TV observers and journalists that it will eventually be gobbled up by a larger company.

And yet Moonves was still a massive figure within the television landscape. He’s the guy who built CBS into the country’s biggest broadcast network. He’s the guy who best navigated the incredibly tumultuous rapids that have beset the last 20 years of American television. Hell, if you go back to before the CBS days, he’s the guy who developed ER and Friends at Warner Bros. Television. And the beloved 1990 miniseries version of Stephen King’s It? That was him, too.

My point is that, within the TV industry, Moonves’s roots are deep, and they spread beyond his most recent domain. And CBS is simply too big to fail, considering how much of the industry it props up, and how much cash it has in its coffers. Given how tied to CBS’s good fortunes Moonves was considered to be, I’m still a little surprised that its board took any action against him, much less removed him — especially before the official investigations it has ordered are complete.

Indeed, the best comparison to Moonves is probably John Lasseter, the Pixar and Disney executive who was finally pushed out of the company after a protracted leave, followed by a particularly drawn-out resignation. There, too, Lasseter’s behavior (which involved several detailed accounts of sexual harassment from women who worked at the company) was seen as horrible — and there, too, there were fears that Lasseter was so integral to a hugely profitable company that he would quietly be kept on board. Instead, like Moonves, he was pushed out, albeit in frustratingly slow-moving fashion.

Morgan Freeman, accused of sexual misconduct, remains an executive producer of CBS’s Madam Secretary. Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

As I said above, five years ago I would have fully expected Moonves to keep his job, even if everything else about the situation were the same. But, honestly, we don’t even have to look back that far to find an example of someone keeping their job in the face of evidence of sexual misconduct — we don’t even have to look back more than one.

The most troubling case of sexual harassment at CBS prior to Farrow’s reporting on Moonves involved former NCIS: New Orleans showrunner Brad Kern. Kern has been investigated three times for misconduct since 2016, and earlier this year, he was demoted from showrunner to a consultant, shortly before the third investigation commenced. But he’s never left CBS’s payroll, and he’s always remained deeply involved in the series, even as these investigations have been conducted.

And there are plenty of other examples of bad behavior at the company being quietly swept under the rug. Nothing has happened to Madam Secretary executive producer Morgan Freeman, who’s been accused of misconduct, nor did CBS punish Jeremy Piven, the star of its one-season-and-done drama Wisdom of the Crowd who was similarly accused of misconduct and assault.

The one time CBS has acted decisively was to remove the showrunners of Star Trek: Discovery, who were said to have verbally berated staff writers — though no sexual misconduct has been alleged. (It’s worth noting, if only for curiosity’s sake, that neither of those showrunners, Gretchen J. Berg and Aaron Harberts, is a straight man.)

It was the treatment of Kern that struck many industry journalists and observers as possibly indicative of broader problems at CBS as a whole. Similarly, the company’s news division is singled out frequently in Farrow’s initial New Yorker piece on Moonves as a part of the company that has been rife with harassment.

Did all of this trickle down from the top? It’s not hard to imagine it did. But if CBS follows up Moonves’s resignation with further actions against those suspected of misconduct (as it already has with 60 Minutes executive producer Jeff Fager), it will only help to bolster the impression that change of some sort, however small, is filtering through the company.

I realize that it is absolutely unsatisfying to argue that “This quarter of a loaf is better than none.” And I, too, am frustrated by the slow progress of what passes for justice in these situations. Unquestionably, CBS still has lots of work to do, and its framing of Moonves’s departure as a business decision rather than any sort of ethical one prompts eye rolls, especially after a bruising fight for control of the company with CBS and Viacom executive Shari Redstone.

But Moonves was removed, as was John Lasseter, even if it took longer than it should have, and even if it seems to have happened largely because corporate bigwigs, in both cases, seemed nervous about the PR problems and legal issues inherent in keeping both men around.

Has something shifted irreversibly in the culture? It’s far too soon to tell, and terrible men are ensconced in positions of power both throughout the entertainment industry and everywhere else. (This is to say nothing of figures like Louis C.K., who are not dependent on corporations keeping them employed and can, thus, mount their own comebacks.)

But it seems that companies like CBS are increasingly convinced that keeping those accused of serial sexual misconduct in positions of power is, at the least, not worth the hassle. Maybe that’s not anything major, but it’s also not nothing.

Original Source -> Les Moonves’s resignation is the most significant #MeToo moment yet

via The Conservative Brief