#upbeat and always with a smile on his face who is nice to everyone and enjoys his life without ruining anyone else's

[zhoufeis]

i binged the first season of the summer i turned pretty and everyone who is team conrad is plain wrong

[pottersmiracle]

Drunk words are sober thoughts

Sparrow!Ben Hargreeves x Fem! Reader

warnings: tiny bit of angst here and there-fluff-drunk ben-clingy/affectionate ben-klaus teasing you both-use of y/n-small bit of pet names (by ben)-drunk ben talks about being married to you 👀

summary: your boyfriend tries his best to act like the umbrella academy being there doesnt affect him, he also tries to act like he doesnt care that they don’t like him. But he’s horrible at hiding it from you.

a/n: rewatching tua - if this man doesnt get a smidge of happiness in season 4 im rioting - someone give sparrow ben a hug and a kiss - not proofread don’t murder me - pls send requests for umbrella academy characters 🙏

Masterlist

Ben was drunk. Really drunk. You were sitting next to him at the table and Klaus came over and started talking to you both, mainly you because you were actually interested in talking to him, “eleven people.” Ben mumbled. “Huh?” Klaus asked, you looked at Ben confused. “There are only eleven people left.” He says looking at both of you.

“Okay.. drunk ben clearly likes numbers and.. shrimp.” Klaus says looking at Ben’s plate. You laugh softly as Ben looks at Klaus, “and you couldn’t even invite me to your stupid bachelor party.” You sigh and lean back in your chair. You were right

“Oh.” Klaus said taken aback, “have we finally flicked off bad benny’s hard candy shell?” “Why don’t you like me?” Ben asked, his words slurring a bit. “Because you’re a big puckering asshole!” Klaus admitted. Actually its not like you could disagree with him, Ben was an asshole to klaus and the others.

You let them talk and walked around talking to everybody, congratulating Luther and Sloane, even having an actual nice talk with Reginald, Ben was staring him down the whole time though.

You walked past Fives table and nodded at him, you could tell he was severyly drunk and it was honesty humorous. He raised his glass to you and nodded as you laughed and walked back over to your boyfriend who was watching you as you sat down.

“You left me.” Ben pouted. You laughed and scooted your chair closer to him, “you were having a conversation. I gave you two some privacy.” Klaus gave you a smile and took a sip of his drink.

Ben groaned in response and took a bite of his shrimp as you all watched Reginald stand up to make a speech. You rubbed Ben’s back softly as Reginald talked, as he talked you notice Viktor and Allison. They were in a heated argument it was obvious but Allison ended up leaving the wedding.

“The sun rises over a lily’s field. A mother veiled, her lips concealed. The mourners come in droves of black to bury what their hearts unpack. With shallow breath and time eclipsed, i pray you miss death’s gentle kiss.” Reginald finished his speech and looked at everyone.

You clapped lightly and klaus cheered, “Beautiful! bravo dad! Bravo!” Ben stared at his father, “makes no sense.” He mumbled, you smiled at him and held his hand.

Chet turned on some more upbeat music after Reginalds dark speech. Everyone got up to dance except for you, Ben, and Viktor. “Can i tell you something?” Ben asked sitting up to look at you, his words were slurring but not enough to not understand him. “Of course.” You said.

“I would’ve loved getting married to you.” He admitted. “Just.. not at the end of the world.” He said slowly. You looked at him, you were shocked that he said that. He was always affectionate but not like this. He got up and kissed the top of your hand before standing up, “come on, let’s dance.” He had a wide grin on his face, he was officially in his chaotic stage of drunk. You tried to push off what he said as, he’s just drunk, its nothing to think about.

Although drunk words are sober thoughts..

After the fun dancing, everyone sat on the roof and hung out. You sat next to Sloane with Ben and Klaus trailing behind you, Ben sat next to you and wrapped an arm around you and Klaus sat next to Ben.

Ben rested his head on yours and Five got up, he wobbled around and everyone started yelling and laughing, “i feel like im gonna throw up.. actually, i’m hungry.” He said his goodbyes to everyone before going inside followed by Diego and Lila.

Ben and Klaus got up to leave as well. “Oh god.” You muttered standing up, “i should follow them. Goodnight guys, congratulations.” You smile at Luther and Sloane who smile back, “goodnight!” Viktor said goodnight to them as well and went inside with you.

[blakeswritingimagines]

Grumpy Cregan With a Sunshine You

It's certainly an odd experience. You are a delightful person, but he finds that your optimism can be…trying. You constantly want to spend time together and make small talk when all he wants to do is focus on his work. In the end, he's learned to accept and even appreciate your bubbly personality. After all, your sunny disposition is a perfect complement to his more serious nature. And who knows - maybe you'll rub off on him a bit too.

Well, it's like the sun shining on you while you're standing on a mountaintop surrounded by a bunch of clouds. The clouds are constantly moving and trying to block out the sun making it hard to breathe and see, but whenever the sun breaks through, it warms your heart and lifts your spirits. It also has its advantages since the clouds keep the sun from getting too hot or direct for long periods of time. And the sun gets to see the clouds from new angles and feel the fresh breezes coming off of them, so overall it's a good combination.

You know how they say opposites attract? Well, it's true. Having a partner who always sees the glass as half full can bring a welcome ray of sunshine on even the darkest of days. But, sometimes, he worries that his gruff manner might bring you down. You always reassure him that it doesn't and that you love him just the way he is, but he can't help but think you may be trying to spare his feelings. Sometimes he feels like a grumpy old man surrounded by a world full of playful children who don't understand.

It's not that easy on him. On the one hand, he always has to have a dark, brooding attitude for everyone to see…but on the other hand, he finds himself giggling at random, silly things you'll say. That's the danger of dating someone so optimistic and upbeat. You might find yourself becoming a bit sunnier yourself. In short, dating someone so sunny and sweet isn't an easy task, but it has its moments of joy and warmth.

It's like a constant battle of wills. He will get more stern, which will make you even louder and goofier. He will become more stoic, and you'll become even more exuberant to fill the silence. He will roll his eyes silently at one of your jokes, and you will just give him an even wider grin out of sheer delight. He will sigh after one of your corny antics, and you will respond with an even louder laugh and an over-the-top display of affection.

He loves to see how you look at the world. When you see something, you'll point out how beautiful it is or you'll find something special in it, and it makes him look at things in a different way. It makes him appreciate things more. The world is a better place when you can see the beauty in the small things. It is also sometimes good to have someone to balance you out. It is nice to have someone who can bring light to your darkness and to bring joy to your days.

It is both a blessing and a curse at times. For someone like himself, one who tends to be more reserved emotionally to be paired with a ray of sunshine such as his partner can be both comforting and infuriating at times. He is not one who enjoys opening up and baring his soul to anyone, yet he knows he must do that when it comes to the one he loves. But at the same time, to be paired with someone who is so filled with love joy and happiness can be overwhelming and taxing at times as well.

Honestly, it can get a bit frustrating. You are very energetic and are always up for something while he is more reserved. But you are not one to let him get away with being a grump for long, which he thinks is why you both work together. You are the perfect complement to his grouchiness.

Well, there are days when he feels like he's a burden to you since he's so doom and gloom all the time. And there have been times when he's wanted to just break down and cry about things that are bothering him. You always manage to cheer him up and bring a smile back to his face with your sunny disposition and optimism. He'll admit, that dating a ray of sunshine is a challenge, but it's also an adventure, and he wouldn't have it any other way. The ups and downs make it worthwhile.

It is hard to put into words the emotions that come with being in such a relationship. Sometimes the joys and love that he feels when he is with you are immense. You seem to wash away all the darkness and misery and allow him to feel like he is whole again. But at other times, this very same person can seem to overwhelm him with your constant optimism and joy and it seems as though he is fighting against you, even if he has no intention of doing so. There is an emotional rollercoaster that comes with such a relationship as he is not used to being loved in such a strong way.

He also appreciates your patience and understanding when it comes to his mood swings. Even though he can be quite moody and hard to deal with at times, you don't take his tantrums personally. You understand that this is just how he is, and you accept him for who he is. Of course, you do still get annoyed sometimes when he acts like a complete grump. But the fact that you are willing to put up with his grouchiness and still love him all the same is one of the things he adores most about you.

He is not one for overly romantic displays of affection. He does not enjoy things such as holding hands or whispering sweet nothings in someone's ears. His preferred form of affection is through simple acts such as providing for you and doing things for you such as cooking, cleaning, or organizing. He also enjoys spending quality time with you, whether that is going hunting together or simply sitting down for a good meal and some drinks. He has also found that simply having a partner who is always there to listen and provide moral support is a type of affection that he truly appreciates.

One of his favorite kinks is being used as a prop for the fantasies of you. For example, allowing you to use him to experiment or to live out certain scenarios you may have. He enjoys being your canvas or your outlet to explore your desires, whatever they may be. That type of trust and willingness to submit and surrender is a huge turn-on for him.

He also enjoys being a bit of a voyeur. Being able to just watch you is such a treat and being able to watch you take pleasure in your own body while he watches only brings him more joy.

He always has been a fan of some more hardcore forms of play, such as bondage and domination/submission. He enjoys the power struggle between you and himself and the trust that he gives you when he submits to you completely.

He also enjoys the feeling of vulnerability that comes with this kink. Being entirely at the mercy of you and submitting to your wants and needs, he finds it to be quite exhilarating and arousing. When he can let his guard down and allow someone else to have complete control over him, there is a certain thrill that he feels and he finds that to be quite enjoyable.

He loves to feel wanted and needed by you. He enjoys being at your command and being ordered to do the things you crave. It makes him feel wanted and loved and desired. He also loves to surprise you with things that you did not expect. When he takes the initiative and does something unexpected for you, he wants it to make you feel special and cherished and that is what is most important as far as he is concerned.

[acroagoraphobe]

What Makes a Man a Monster.

Chapter 2: Normal To The Human Eye?

(Gonna do a much longer chapter this time. Enjoy this trainwreck!!)

After an estimated few hours, Sixer stirred once again after rolling roughly down the hill from the Goodsprings Cemetery so... Unceremoniously. It was genuinely pathetic for a being of his status of omnipotence. He picked his ass up and stumbled towards a nearby saloon, dragging his still blood soaked boots as he walked. He didn't have time to read the sign or look back at the people giving him horrified looks of a man seemingly walking off being shot twice in the head. Everyone heard the gunshots in the night, but no one bothered to check what it was, so they didn't have to risk their own asses.

This was absolutely not the average day for the various folks in the bar, seeing a man with two gaping holes drilling through his head, saunter on in like it was just his average day. Hell, looking only slightly annoyed even. It was genuinely difficult to tell due to all the blood and bits of brain splattered across his face. No one even dared to approach Sixer as he sat down in a booth, fearing they'd seen death himself. But before you could blink.. he looked fine again, Although the blood still made his shirt stick to him and yes it's as uncomfortable as ever.

Blood dripped down his face and onto his neck, Making his clothes more ruined than they already were. Covered in dirt, muck and.. By the Lord whatever the hell else. That ratty old tank top he wore stuck to his skin and was honestly more of an inconvenience to him than the gunshot wounds in his head. The dusty old floorboards creaked beneath his boots, their dry, dead appearance getting dotted with bloody dust... or dusty blood. Because there's obviously a difference between the two.. Totally. But either way, Sixer was a fucking mess. Dirty, bloody, and dusty, walking into a bar.

The seat creaked beneath him as he sat down in the old booth in the dark corner of the bar, Sixer began to asses his situation. His bag was gone, his gun was gone, And worst of all, his damn dignity was gone. Not like he really had it in the first place, but still.

Soon enough one of the folks in the bar grew interested in this man, Sitting down in the booth across him. A woman with a dog that followed around at her ankles despite it's size and that It could very easily trip her. "What the hell happened to a newcomer like you all the way out here?" Her voice questioned Sixer, Who had to pretend he didn't already know her name. Sunny Smiles. He had to wait and be polite for her to actually introduce herself. Ah, the akwardness of omnipotence is.. greatly annoying. She looked so upbeat despite seeing a man covered in his own blood and chunks of brain.

[ Lot's of reasons I'm out here, none of them I can really explain. ]

And they did. They always did, so predictable.

Sixer uttered, with a voice unknown to him, but well known to everyone around him. Sunny looked slightly suspicious but kept that same smile on her face. It was damn annoying how nice she was, at least to Sixer. But a lot of people were annoying.. People are very simple minded creatures. All he had to do was wait for the usual "You better not cause any trouble then." words to come out of Sunny's mouth. It's always what people said when he came around like this.

[Not planning on it, I just want to get a drink then hike my ass outta here.]

"Well, Let's hope you don't cause any trouble around here. We're a peaceful little town here." Sunny Smiles said with caution, her dog looked a lot less trustful of Sixer. Well.. more like it wanted to maul him. Dogs hated him.

Sixer responded to her statement, before he remembered his lack of caps.. or anything to his name.

[Or not, Forgot I have.. No caps whatsoever.]

Sixer muttered under his breath as he shifted in his seat. blood continued to drip down onto his clothing, but it was from his nose, not his head.

"Well, since you seem to be pretty down on your luck here.. I can get you a drink this once. Since youre new here." She smiled, standing up and talking to the woman tending the bar. Sixer knew her name too, but it wasn't exactly relevant. Sunny placed down a few caps at the counter and came back with a beer in hand, setting it on the table Sixer was sat at.

[Thanks, I'll be out of your hair soon, Don't worry.]

Sixer took a swig of the beer and took a deep breath. He had no idea where to go.

[cupidsdolll]

to give everyone something to look forward to and because i’ve managed to write a good portion of this one shot i’ll put a sneak peak of it below the cut. i’ll announce the release date and time when i get close to the end. see you soon 🩷.

She hates when they go to parties and he leaves her, usually letting her know but sometimes he’s dragged away and never comes back until he’s drunk. Another reason she hates parties is how he acts when he’s drunk. She turns into a babysitter, making sure he’s careful not to throw up on himself, bump into some guy who had too much to drink and wants a fight, and has to drive them home when she doesn’t even like driving. Not to mention, she hates how affectionate he becomes. He’s always cuddling up to her, holding her hand and calling her all sorts of sweet pet names.

She thinks that’s the worst part, because not only does it fill her heart and make it swell, but it also causes her to be the target of all of the nasty glares from the girls at the party. That’s exactly what’s happening right now, he’s managed to bring her to yet another party even though she all but begged and pleaded not to come along. It was bigger, louder, and plain annoying. She just wanted to stay in bed, cozied up underneath her softest blanket with a book and her favorite songs. Harry insisted yet again that she’ll have fun, and it shouldn’t be too big. Insisted that they wouldn’t be there very long, and that was two hours ago. Y/N’s head hurts, her back and feet hurt as well and she doesn’t know any of the songs playing through the speaker. She’s just having a miserable time meanwhile Harry’s having the time of his life, she’s lost count of how many drinks he’s already had including the one currently in his hand. She knows it’s enough to get him to loosen up, to not care about the way he’s pressed against her, one tattooed arm wrapped around her waist and his breath fanning the side of her neck as he sings along to whatever song is blasting through.

They rock gently together as if it’s not an upbeat pop song, lost in his own drunken world and she just wants to go home.

“Honey, you’re just the sweetest thing. Y’know that?” His voice all but oozed into her bloodstream, warming her skin and making her fight back a smile.

“And you’re drunk, I think we should go home Harry.”’She says, hoping he listens and tells her to take them home. Instead he nuzzles his face into the crook of her neck and squeezes her.

“Don’t wanna leave yet, m’having fun with you.” She can’t help the smile that tugs on her lips at his words.

“I know but we could have so much more fun at home in our pj’s. Doesn’t that sound nice, Harry?” He only hums and squeezes her tighter.

“M’having fun with you baby. S’nice seeing you all pretty. Look so pretty every day.” She can’t help the heat that rushes to her cheeks at his words, the main reason she doesn’t like attending parties with him.

He’s so cuddly and loving, the line they’ve made blurs whenever he’s drunk and makes it hard to differentiate between just friendship or something more. She knows he doesn’t mean any of it though, at least not in the way she hopes he means it. She can feel the nasty glares from all of the other girls, knowing they’re wishing to be her in shoes. Who wouldn’t want to be wrapped in Harry’s arms with him whispering in your ear and a goofy looking smile on his lips?

“Thank you, Harry. We can still have fun at home though, I won’t change so I can still be all pretty for you and it’ll just be the two of us. I’m sorry, I just wanna go home, Har. It’s getting to be too much.” She says just loud enough for him to hear, her eyes scanning the crowd. He sighs before kissing her neck ever so gently, a kiss so feathery soft that if she weren’t so sober she wouldn’t even feel it.

“Fine, let’s go home then baby. Don’t want my girl to be overwhelmed.” He says before unwrapping her from his embrace only to intertwine their hands together as he leads her to the exit.

[a-reader-and-a-writer-for-all]

She’s Imperfect, But She Tries for the ask game? (Song lyric fics my bELOVED)

Thank you anon! I do actually know this song! That's a first for me (but anything from a musical your odds are pretty good I'll know it 😅). However, this isn't a direct lyric fic but I hope you still like it!

No one knows where Bob disappears to every afternoon just after training is over. Most of the other aviators relax in their rooms, hang out in the common area, or head down to the Hard Deck for drinks. Yet like clockwork, Bob is nowhere to be found from 3-5 every day. Finally, the other Daggers decide to figure out this mystery and follow him. To their surprise, he goes to a small hole-in-the-wall dinner on the edge of town and sits down at a booth in the corner alone. Following him inside, they make a big deal about being surprised to see him there, though he looks equally surprised and flustered at the Daggers' sudden appearance. But before he can say anything, a waitress comes over to the table. She is cute, though sort of plain, her hair tied up into a messy bun on top of her head. But it is instantly clear she is the reason Bob comes here every day based on the smile that breaks out across his face. And the waitress smiles back just as brightly. "Hiya, Bobby. Wow! Looks like ya brought the whole gang with ya this time! I'll have ta get more menus!" "T-thanks, Jenna. Sorry about this. I didn't know they'd all be here." "That's ok, honey! The more the merrier!" She winks at him, takes everyone's drink orders, and hurries away. When she is gone, Hangman leans over and whistles. "Way to go, Bob-o. She's a real catch." Bob shakes his head. "It's not like that. Jenna is… She's just a friend. I stumbled on this place a few months ago and stopped for a quick bite and she was just really nice. So, I started coming back and we've gotten close. But she's just a friend," he insists again. Jenna comes back with a tray of drinks. As she sets them down, she gives half of them to the wrong person, spills Phoneix's water, and it turns out she got Rooster a Sprite instead of a Coke. The Daggers exchange side-eyed glances, but Bob never takes his doe-eyed stare off of her. When she rushes off to get some more napkins, Rooster chuckles. "Damn, Bob. You've got it bad for this girl. No offense, but she's not so great at her job. Yet you keep coming back just to see her?" Bob shrugs. "I guess everyone is looking for a perfect person. Someone with no flaws or who never makes mistakes. Jenna isn't that. She's imperfect, but she tries. She always has a smile on her face and remains so upbeat and kind, no matter what happens. And she never gives up or stops trying to make things better. I've never met someone like her…." He trails off in a dreamy sigh as he watches her pick up a stack of menus she had just knocked over. "Bob, just ask her out. You know you want to," Phoenix urges. "It's clear she likes you too." "I-I don't.." Bob blushes a deep red but shuts his mouth as Jenna comes back with the napkins. "Sorry about that! I can be such a klutz sometimes!" When she has cleaned up the water, she places a plate in front of Bob. "And I went ahead and brought yoa your pie, Bobby." She smiles as she turns to the other Daggers. "Every day he comes in here for a slice of the flavor of the day. The boy does love his pie!" "Actually…" Hangman pipes up. "I think he's more interested in something else… or should I say someone else." Bob kicked at Hangman under the table, but missed and hit Rooster instead. He let out a small yelp, but Jenna didn't seem to notice. Instead, her eyes were locked on Bob, a hopeful gleam shining in them. "Oh? Really? Bobby, is there sometin' I can get you?" Gulping audibly, Bob whispers "You…. I mean, would you maybe wanna go out sometime?" Jenna squeals as a smile breaks out over her face. "Boy, do ya know how long I've been waitin' for ya to ask me that?" "You… you have?" "Why sure! I mean, I know our pies are good and all, but honey, no one loves pie enough to come in here every day for months just for that. I was hopin' ya'd eventually get up the nerve to ask me out. But I didn't wanna push ya into it either." She winks at Hangman. "Luckily ya got some really good friends to do that for ya." Bob looks around at the Daggers. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."

send me a made-up fic title and i’ll tell you what i would write to go with it

[iluvwerewolves]

when i close my eyes (monprom/oc/sona drabble)

just an idea i had late tnight while procrastinating hacking a robot(), words under the cut

In the chilled breeze of the early fall, Fallon Sprite sat at a picnic table, argyle blue sweater pulled around his shoulders. Outside of the Spooky Academy men's locker rooms, he stood his ground against the quiet after-hours of the school, the place all but abandoned by most scholars and troublemakers alike. He sat with his computer out and glasses on, reading through an old, archived text. Lines and lines of barely discernible Latin or German or Italian somehow made sense to him moreso than anything else; he'd found comfort in old tomes of bygone knowledge.

As he motioned to adjust the rounded spectacles, the doors to the locker room swung open as a group of a few members from the Wolfpack poured out, some other species of monsters filtering through the grey metal doors too. The water fae's eyes traveled to the doors, tracking the faces of each that stepped out, waiting for the one. Person after person. Arthur, the grey skinned, red-haired one followed by his cousin, the wrong cousin, the ever-upbeat Scott. the two were talking about something menial, maybe sports, maybe video games. Yet, the two were not the werewolves he was searching for.

Finally, as a few other monsters filtered through, the brown hair of the man who he was searching for was insight. Wearing a denim jacket and a white shirt, he looked around for a second, before waving to the half-nymph. Fallon waved back him, cracking a smile on his face as the large werewolf bounded up to him.

"Hey there, bro! I hope ya weren't waiting too long." He smiled, tail wagging.

"No worries. I kept myself busy," Fallon said, mentioning his computer. He picked it up and began to put it back inside of his satchel. "What am I helping you study today?"

"Oh! I was kinda...hoping we could go over potions again. I'm still not doing well with that class." Freddy brought a hand to the back of his neck.

Fallon hopped up from sitting down. "Sounds like a plan then," he softly smiled at Freddy. The two had been sharing a class for the semester as of late. Freddy's older brother, Scott, had introduced the two of them. When Scott found out from Fallon that he was also in potions, he practically dragged over Freddy who was struggling with that class. They had gotten closer in the weeks following. "My place or yours?"

Freddy rose an eyebrow for a second, thinking. "Does mine sound alright?" The tall werewolf grinned, fangs showing. Freddy had been enjoying the time the two spent together, loving Fallon's company. A nice break from the testosterone junkie family of his, the water fairy was laid-back, calm, and smart. That last factor helped Freddy a lot during his academic career. The Wolfpack's house, their den, wasn't too far from school, and Fallon secretly liked going there as living alone for a couple years had made him notice the hum of silence all too well. Plus, he liked Freddy's room. It smelled like him, comforting, kinda like a wet dog, the forest, and a little sweaty. Fallon nodded as the two of them began walking to Freddy's red truck, they exchanged small talk. The grey skinned fairy hopped in the passenger seat as the werewolf turned the key, hearing the car sputter and shake, groaning alive.

Fallon looked over at Freddy with a look he didn't know he had, one of peace and kindness. Freddy was warm and happy, loud and boisterous. Something that Fallon wasn't. He was happy, sure, but he found himself often quiet, reserved, content living life on the side. Freddy was a rock to him, the werewolf dragged him back into reality when he was up in his own head.

Freddy smiled at Fallon with a grin he used for everyone, but with a hidden intimate nature behind it. Fallon was cool and mysterious, quiet and observant. The small man was always thinking about something, and Freddy wanted to know what was on his mind. Fallon was the most interesting thing to him, like a new chew toy or a new scent flitting in during a boring class.

The two young men spent the night together, studying until late. Fallon had dinner with the Wolfpack, talking to Grandma Howl about the new things in his life, while Freddy messed around with his brothers. The two went to Freddy's room, where they began to study together. Freddy was questioned by Fallon, flashcards, mnemonics, and mind games casting the information in the plaster of the mind. The moon rose above the trees, high above the land below. That grey sea of sleep beckoned louder and louder as the lamplight was the only source of the day. The two called it a night, and Freddy offered to the smaller man to stay the night. Fallon said he'd sleep on the floor, Freddy said he would, and they traded back and forth until Freddy let Fallon sleep in his bed, sharing it as friends do. Nothing more, no matter how much either of them laid mere inches from each other wishing to bridge the gap that felt miles long, to close the void that separated dreams from matter, mind from reality. No matter how badly, how much the aperture between them threatened to fade away like smoke, how the chill of the falling seasons became apparent, how the silence of the room became a roar, they would not cross that bridge yet. Not yet.

[overthattwilight]

OC: Carole Whitherte

Riddle's cousin. Unlike his strict cousin, he is sweet and gentle to everyone. He always tries his best on anything he can do.

(OC template by @unfinished-projects-galore)

Finally, I get to introduce my oc living in my head...

More of the info is in the read more

Class: 2-A(No. 30) Birthday: October 16(Libra) Age: 17 Height: 160cm Dominant Hand: Right Homeland: Queendom of Roses Club: Science Club Best Subject: History of Magic Hobbies: Ballet Dislikes: Cold weather Favorite Food: Candy Least Favorite food: Pepper Talent: Mock trials

Background

Carole is a Second year from Heartslabyul dorm, and a cousin to Riddle

He lives in the suburbs of the Queendom of Hearts, where there is a sea nearby

His parents are attorneys. His father is a judge, and his mother is a prosecuter

Carole find he can use magic at quite a late age. But he didn't use magic that much

At his childhood, Carole was interested in Ballet. He spent his time after school at ballet lessons, and had a dream of being a professional dancer

He was preparing for entering an art school at middle school. He has prepared all his middle school years for that

However, due to an accident Carole was injured. Due to being hospitalized, he lost the chance for the entrance examination

After failing his goal he desired, Carole didn't have any idea what to do. His only option seems to just enter a normal school, until he got the admission letter from NRC

He was a little scared when he went to NRC, since he doesn't know anyone. Until he saw that Riddle was there too

Since he failed going to the school he wanted, Carole started to do his best at NRC. Which includes being a good cousin

Personality

Carole has a sweet personality. He is gentle to anyone he meets, and rarely gets mad

Even if he gets angry, he doesn't express it a lot. He doesn't raise his tone or scream. He just shows a disappointed face

He always try to be nice to anyone, and rarely shows disappointment to them

He is likely the person who yield and go 'Okay, you win'. The one exception is when it comes to rules

He thinks following rules is important, since his parents told him that since a young age

He tells what shoudn't be done, with a gentle, soothing tone

He doesn't have a villain smile, because of his personality, but he can make one as a part of acting

Mostly he stays positive and upbeat.

Before Riddle's overblot, Carole often was daunted due to Riddle's scolding. He couldn't say anything when Riddle is angry

Of course, things got better after Chapter 1. Since then he tries telling Riddle not to go far at occasions

Unique Magic

All ways are the Queen's ways All the flowers are the Queen's flowers Here, you are in the Queen's domain Queen's Garden(薔薇の迷路庭園)

Carole's unique magic is 'Queen's Garden', a magic which creates a magic barrier

The magic barrier created by 'Queen's Garden' is very strong, and doesn't break by anthing that would break a normal barrier

The exception is when the barrier get attacks by an overblot. The longer it is, or the stronger it is, the barrier will be broken sometime

Carole can't control the size of the barrier. It can only be created in a cemicircle with a radius of 4m. Expansion of Contraction is impossible

The barrier can't be moved either

Also, the barrier can only be created around Carole, with him at the center. Therefor when Carlole has to protect someone, he has to rush to that person

When the magic barrier is created in the air, the barrier is created as an orb with a radius of 4m.

Trivia

Carole is twisted from the King of Hearts, from Alice in Wonderland

His full name is 'Carolus Whitherte'. However, people rarely call him as 'Carolus'

He always wear a hat and a coat, except when the weather is really hot. This is because he really hates the cold, and is easy to catch a cold

Riddle once told Carole to take them off, and resulted him having a cold for a week. Eventually Riddle allowed the coat and hat, if Carole is wearing his uniform properly inside

He doesn't wear the coat at physical education subjects or alchemy class, but still wears his hat on those classes too

The only time he doesn't wear them is when he's wearing his dorm outfit

Despite his cute appearance, Carole is quite physically strong. He can hold Riddle with his two arms without any difficulty

Carole likes cute and pretty, and he adapts it in his dancing. He thinks it fits him well and doesn't see it's weird

The reason Carole is in the Science Club is because Riddle recommended it. He said Carole should be in a club that will be educational

Carole has candy in his pocket all day. He buys a bulk of candy every week at the Mystery Shop

However, Carole actually eats 4~5 candy every week. Most is to give them to others.

He hands candy to anyone, mostly students from Heartslabyul and his friends. The one who took many candy from Carole is Floyd

Aside his friends who are from Heartslabyul, most of his friends are from Pomefiore. There is a sense of beauty Carole understands, they say

[lotusthewriter]

There's a little black spot on the sun today

Fandom: Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia

Rating: T

Relationships: Midoriya Izuku/Kirishima Eijiro

Characters: Midoriya Izuku, Kirishima Eijiro; MENTIONED - B/akugo K/atsuki

Summary: “B-But what about Kacchan? I thought you guys usually studied together.”

Much to his surprise, his upbeat classmate’s smile immediately drops at the mention of Katsuki. Kirishima probably notices it since he masks his dread with a smirk.

“Nah. He’s not exactly the best teacher."

Canon divergent.

Word count: 1.882

AO3

A/N: Me? Writing salt fics for BNHA even though I dropped it, like, two years ago? It's more likely than you think.

I still care about Kirideku and Tododeku, but I also wrote this to vent for the most part. I can guarantee you that all my BNHA fics will be salt lmao.

Admittedly, this fic is not exactly romantic, but I did not write this in a platonic view, personally. This ship means a lot to me and I just need to see more of Kirishima to be done with B/akugo.

I'm not sure if this will be out of character since I dropped BNHA, so I'm already warning you. Either way, I hope you enjoy!

TRIGGER WARNINGS - abuse and bullying, and implied/referenced suicidal baiting and suicidal thoughts

NOT BAKUGO/BAKUDEKU/KIRIBAKU FRIENDLY. HATE WILL BE BLOCKED.

P/roship DNI.

--

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather study with someone smarter than me?”

“Yeah, of course! You’re my role model!”

“A-Ah, really?”

“Yeah! You always know what to do, especially in dire situations. Like our exams,” Kirishima grins like he’s the literal sun right in front of Izuku. “That’s what makes you so manly!”

Izuku only laughs with reddened cheeks. “You’re too nice, Kirishima-kun!”

“You’re the most skilled and smartest person I know, Midoriya. I’m not exaggerating.”

With how sweet Kirishima sounds now, Izuku’s face grows hotter, unable to deny his friend’s compliments. Not to mention how ungrateful that is.

“Thanks, Kirishima-kun.” As he nervously looks around, the boys surrounded by books and notebooks alike on his bed, besides the countless All Mights watching over them, Izuku plays with his hands and his pencil. “B-But what about Kacchan? I thought you guys usually studied together.”

Much to his surprise, his upbeat classmate’s smile immediately drops at the mention of Katsuki. Kirishima probably notices it since he masks his dread with a smirk.

“Nah. He’s not exactly the best teacher,” the red-haired teen clarifies. “I may be hard, literally speaking, but my head hurt for two days straight. I’m surprised I was even able to get through the theoretical exam like that.”

Izuku doesn’t laugh, despite Kirishima’s jokey tone. The former can still find the pain in the latter’s red eyes.

“Yeah…” Izuku says awkwardly. “Kacchan can be… a handful.”

“Tell me about it.” This time, Kirishima sounds bitter.

Izuku gulps, for some reason. Maybe because he’s never seen his classmate in this state before. Kirishima is probably the nicest guy he’s ever known, besides Uraraka. Kirishima seems to be the kind of person that doesn’t let other people get to him, that holds no resentments. Hence why he was always eager to befriend Katsuki.

As Izuku remains silent, Kirishima sighs in defeat.

“Honestly, I don’t even know why I try. Bakugo is just… he’s such an asshole,” he vents, “for literally no reason. Like, he treats everyone like crap, but even though it might seem like he respects me, I’m still just his personal punchbag. And maybe that’s my fault, I dunno. I must’ve thought, ‘oh, he seems cool, maybe if I prove to him that he doesn’t have to be a jerk all the time, then we can be friends!’.” Kirishima only sounds more and more frustrated. “He hits me, he constantly insults me, he never calls me by my name… after everything we’ve been through, after everything I’ve done for him, I thought things would change, y’know? But Bakugo is still the same guy who calls me Shitty Hair. And why my hair of all things?! It’s my brand!”

His cheeks are as red as his spiky hair, which is now smoothed down. Yet his flushed face is not endearing here, as Kirishima’s hardened fingers grab some of his hair, as if wanting to rip it off.

If Izuku isn’t seeing things, it might as well look like Kirishima is crying.

Although the latter is usually open, he has never been this… vulnerable before. He has never shown such strong emotions like this, if not when Katsuki was kidnapped. Otherwise, you’d look at Kirishima and not believe there’s anything tormenting him, but now Izuku knows better.

(And he hates to admit that this sight, this situation… is very familiar.)

“Kirishima-kun,” Izuku calls him, as his scarred hands gently take Kirishima’s solid arms, abandoning the pencil and all the papers the students were reading. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with you. You’re the coolest person in class. You have a good heart, you’re a great example of a hero to us. You’re my role model, too.”

Kirishima blushes, now flattered. Some tears end up rolling down his face, and he dries them with his sleeve, his quirk likely quieting down.

“I’m sorry Kacchan made you feel like that,” Izuku says rather sadly. “I know how it is to be his punchbag.”

Admittedly, he didn’t mean to add that last part.

But now it’s too late, as Kirishima appears to be on alert.

“You mean, like… you guys aren’t rivals?” He questions. “Or even childhood friends like everyone says?”

“He’s not my friend,” Izuku tightens his voice, regretting it when Kirishima shivers, so he adds, quietly, “he never was.”

The air around them feels heavier on their shoulders, a painfully familiar environment for Izuku.

“He… He tried to kill you in All Might’s class,” Kirishima reminds grimly, like he’s trying to pick the puzzles himself, and probably feeling stupid for not doing it before.

Izuku nods, head lowered.

“... he did worse than that,” he mutters.

“Worse?”

“Much worse.”

“Like what?” Kirishima begins to sound angry, but not at Izuku, as far as he’s concerned.

The green-eyed boy, in contrast, is completely closed off now. He feels empty.

“When we were little, I could never stand close to him because he would literally blow my face off,” Izuku narrates. “Since then, he’s called me useless, worthless, a damn nerd, a waste of space…” He doesn’t cry at all. “He would also pick on other kids, and I was always there to stand up for them. But since no one looked after me back then… I was the one who got the worst of it.”

Although he doesn’t look at his classmate, Izuku can sense the rage coming from Kirishima, even if the latter tries to hide it.

The moment Kirishima opens his mouth, Izuku dares to worsen the heavy environment.

“... then he told me to kill myself.”

Inflamed silence.

“He did WHAT?” Kirishima reacts.

Izuku, on the other hand, shrugs and replies, “‘Take a swan dive off the roof’, Kacchan said. So maybe I would be lucky in another life.”

His friend only breathes weird, like he’s going to have a full breakdown. Izuku is simply… there, remembering all of these things.

“I guess Kacchan got… a little better since we entered U.A. But if I get in his way he’ll literally want to fight over anything. And he’s still a horrible person to a friend as incredible as you, Kirishima-kun,” Izuku vents. “I definitely know how hard it is to rely on him, because in our practical exam against All Might, Kacchan yelled the entire damn time. He slapped me on the face when I tried to think of a plan. It sure was a miracle that we passed. Ugh.” He hugs himself, clutching his own skin. “He’s the worst.”

There’s yet another long, aching pause between the two boys, neither of them sure what to say next. Izuku doesn’t look at his friend much, which reminds him of Middle School, when he tried to avoid people the best he could. It was the only way he wouldn’t get hurt.

(Does this mean he’s expecting Kirishima to hurt him?)

Finally, Kirishima speaks up again, after what feels like half an hour.

“... do you believe him?”

Izuku frowns. “Huh?”

“Do you believe Bakugo?” Kirishima clarifies. “That you’re… worthless and useless, and a waste of space?”

The freckled teenager is speechless, not knowing what to answer. The words seem to be stuck down his throat.

“Do you…” Kirishima hesitates. “Do you really think… you’d be better off dead?”

Izuku’s chest tightens, hurts. Has he been exposed? Is Kirishima right? Because Izuku always does everything to convince himself that Katsuki doesn’t affect him anymore, except he’s only proving the contrary right now. Just like Kirishima, Izuku has his own baggage regarding Katsuki. And it’s certainly heavy.

With his lack of answer, Kirishima pushes aside all their school books to… hug Izuku. The latter stiffens, not expecting the solid yet soft warmth to embrace him despite this moment. It holds Izuku together from breaking into meaningless pieces, from breaking and destroying his bones over and over again. The sort of hug Izuku hasn’t had until he reunited with All Might at the beach, after the Number One Hero’s fall.

The thing about Kirishima, however, is that… they’re actually a lot alike. He’s always putting on a smile to reassure his friends and everyone else that everything will be alright. He’s the first one to rescue someone in need. Kirishima might not be mainly inspired by All Might, but he’s also very loyal and cheerful, always up to a friendly approach with everyone around him. Kirishima, though, is far more sociable than Izuku, seeing as he gets along well with everyone in class, while the greenette stays with his closest friends only.

Truthfully, Izuku was never this close to Kirishima before. He wonders if it’s because the latter hung out with Katsuki. He wonders if he feared Kirishima would find Katsuki way better than Izuku. Or if he just fears everyone in general. Maybe it’s all of these things at once.

Either way, Kirishima keeps him together for what feels like forever, as if only Izuku’s room exists in the world. Nothing else matters, as they’re up to the stars, the All Might comets flying around them. Izuku realizes his green eyes are wet, yet he doesn’t openly sop like he usually does. He’s been so strangely silent today. Maybe after everything that has happened, Izuku’s batteries are beyond low, so Kirishima does his best to recharge him, even if just a little.

And of course, it works.

Izuku melts entirely in the hug, it’s almost pathetic. He knows, though, that Kirishima is the last person that would ever judge him for it. He also knows that his red-haired friend probably needs the recharge as well. Neither of them want to let go just yet. If they could, they would abandon all their inner demons and stick together.

Both boys relax, sinking on the bed. Still, Kirishima is the one who organizes everything to make Izuku more comfortable.

“You’re leaving?” Izuku asks, blushing once he notices how needy he sounds.

“Honestly… I don’t want to.” Judging by his tone, he likely doesn’t want to go to his room, which is right next to Katsuki’s.

“You can stay here, if you want.”

Kirishima smiles fondly. “Yeah. I don’t want to leave you alone, either.”

Izuku likely blushes red again at the other’s soft concern, and even more so when his classmate finally joins him, the teenagers lying close to one another, their hearts beating together, after hurting for so long. At the very least, they get to look out for each other.

Knowing Kirishima, he likely won’t want to leave things with Katsuki the way they are. He would get to the end of things, especially when it comes to the bully hurting Izuku. Regardless, Kirishima won’t want to force anything, because all he wants is to keep Izuku safe. All he wants is to let Izuku know that he isn’t worthless or useless, that he doesn’t deserve to die. That Izuku means the world to him, as well as his other friends – his real friends.

For now, they don’t need to worry about any of that, nor the upcoming exam (mainly because it’s not tomorrow). Because right now, Izuku feels safe, and Kirishima might second that. Only they know how long they’ve needed this.

The two of them likely fall asleep at the same time, breathing together, protecting each other. No explosions will ever destroy what they have.

[paris-geller-was-straightwashed]

February Writing Challenge (3/28)

day three!

this one is coming out a little late, and it may or may not be due to me getting too caught up in the final of the great canadian baking show..

Prompt: ‘Dance’

Pairing: Dustin Henderson/El Hopper-Byers (Stranger Things)

Words: 2,097

Rating: G

Notes: a different take on what might’ve happened if nancy hadn’t rescued dustin during the snow ball. honestly, I’ve always had a soft spot for henderhop bc it’s so sweet, and this idea has been in my head ever since s2 but I never found time to write it - until now!

“Okay. Okay. It’s okay. It-it’s fine, it’s..just – inhale – deep breath. There, see? You can bounce back! Who cares about dumb ol’ Stacy you know..popularity’s so overrated anyway! And all those other girls, pssh, who needs em? I’m sure if one of them hadn’t already had a date, you would’ve been picked! Yeah..it’s fine! It’s fine. It’s better then fine..”

As far as pep talks go, Dustin isn’t so sure this one is working. He’s just lucky that no one else was in the boys bathroom with him. Frankly, someone else spying in on him trying to talk himself up and splashing cold water over his eyes to get rid of the red haze, would really be the cherry atop the cake of this whole thing..

He could still hear the dull thrum of the slow-dance music leaking in through the door. It was about to end soon. He sighed, staring down his reflection in the smudged mirror. He came running in here as a refuge after...what happened. He was trying to salvage his ego from where it’d shattered (and not cry in front of everyone either).

It was embarrassing – all his friends had a girl to dance with. Mike with El, Lucas having won over Max, even shy wallflower Will; all of them had scored tonight. And what did he have to show for tonight? Nothing, except a cowards retrieval and a stupid hairdo.

It was one thing, if you’re a nerd who’s got a bunch of equally nerdy friends who all have poor luck with girls. You can feel a bit better about that. But it’s not like that anymore, it seems. Everyone in The Party was getting picked off, leaving him by his own – the toothless freak.

Getting laughed in the face and rejected was one thing – and then losing out on getting the girl too. It wasn’t anything against Lucas; he was one of the best friends you could ask for, and Dustin knew he’d treat Max right. But...was he really that detested?

Doomed to be a lonely freak forever.

Dustin furiously scrubbed his sleeve over his stinging eyes. C’mon now – buck up. That’s what his mom always said when he was small, a gentle encouragement whenever he fell and scrapped his knee or had a nightmare. The night wasn’t over yet, and he guessed he could still have fun with his friends.

I’m definitely not helping my image by hiding away in here.

It was settled then. Dustin stood back up and cleared his throat. Straightened out his suit coat. Made sure his hair was still in place. Did his best to smile and double-check for any wetness under his eyes.

It’s fine.

When he’d finally opened the swinging door, the slow-dance had ended and the couples had dispersed from the floor. Instead, a more upbeat bob played and friend groups of Hawkins High milled about. He spotted his at their table, chatting over snacks. It was just Lucas and Max, with El too.

“Hey.” He cleared his throat as be broached, trying to make sure to hide any cracks in his voice “What happened to Mike and Will?”

“Mike went to go help Will with something.” Lucas answered as Dustin sat himself down between him and El “Where’d you go?”

“Bathroom.”

“What, to go pull the twigs out of your hair?” Lucas cracked a grin. Earlier might’ve been funny, but now Dustin wasn’t really in the mood to hear it.

“Screw you.” He grumbled. He decided to turn away, his eyes finding place on his other neighbour, on El beside him.

She looked very different then she normally did. Her hair was styled back, and she wore a nice dress of a pretty blue. She’d dusted make-up around her eyes with a matching blue – where did she learn to do that? Certainly not when Mike did her make-up – and sitting there as she waited for Mike’s return, quietly observing the busying crowd, she looked almost angelic. Her head eventually turned and she caught his gaze, almost surprising him a bit, like he’d been caught leering or something. But El simply smiled back at him in that gentle way she had. He did the same back.

“You look nice El.” He complimented. Her smile grew.

“Thank you, Dustin. You look nice too..” She spoke gently, her smile soon departing as her brow drew together “But..why do you look sad?...”

Dustin froze up. That’s something he forgot – there was no hiding anything from El. She caught every detail meticulously. As he floundered on an answer, Lucas and Max caught into the conversation, prompting Lucas to ask.

“I thought I saw you try to go ask out Stacy or some insane idea?”

Dustin sighed. So much for wanting to keep this a secret. He chewed on his tongue, all his friends eyes on him which definitely wasn’t helping anything. What was the least...pathetic way, to explain this?

“I think I know what happened..” Max muttered then, eyes narrowing across the dance floor. They all followed her gaze – finding Stacy nestled in with her friends off of the court. They were snickering amungst themselves, with Stacy herself pointing out some other nerdy kid with limbs far too twig-like to be trying the dance he was not-so-elegantly performing. Dustin watched at his table, his friend’s glances become glares once they realized, and even El, who was abit behind on picking up on ques, was furrowing her brow at these heavily make-up’d girls for the cruelty she could easily read in their laughter.

Dustin quickly looked away. Lucas turned to his friend, sympathy written all over.

“Hey, man, don’t worry about it – you’re way too cool for that airhead stuck-up anyway.”

“Pretty sure you have three times the amount of braincells for the half-of-one she has.” Max tacked on. Dustin just shrugged. Maybe they’re right, but, it still would’ve been nice to dance with a pretty popular girl..

“Yeah, whatever..”

El, however, was still glaring out at the dancefloor. This wasn’t sitting well with her. She swung her head back at Dustin.

“She didn’t want to dance with you? Why?”

Dustin let his head fall back in defeat. He knew his friends meant well, but how many times was he going to be forced to relive his embarrassment through constant questioning? Frustrated, he blurted out,

“I dunno – maybe because I’m a toothless freak who’s probably going to die alone before any girl would be willingly seen with me?? That’s probably why all them laughed or walked away!”

“Dustin man, don’t say that –”

“Don’t bullshit me Lucas, you already got a date!”

“Exactly, so you will too!”

“Yeah, and, to be fair Dustin, stalker here clearly, barely made it through a sentence to ask me to dance, so..”

“When did this become about me?”

Dustin simply sighed again. He stared back out at the gymnasium, back to pretty, perfect Stacy, and all the other giggling girls hanging off her shoulder. Trying not to think about how happy Max looked dancing with Lucas. Really, who had he been kidding in the first place?

“I’m just a socially low-bar freak, I guess.” He muttered, the pod of popular kids laughing away amungst themselves “Just gunna have to fess up to reality..”

The other girls, Stacy included, continued to giggle away, unaware of the fragile emotions they’d stomped all over, and Dustin felt as though his only lot in life was to just stare from the side-lines, always second best –

There was a sudden, girlish shriek. Dustin’s eyes went wide when out of nowhere, Stacy’s punch cup she’d been so innocently holding jumped up in the air, sending the bright red cough-medicine like liquid splattering all down her dress. All the clingers-on flew back wide-eyed, looking just as flabbergasted as Stacy was as she cried out at the massive red stain that’d no doubt ruined her dress for the evening,

“It..it just flew out of my hand!!!”

Dustin, as well as Lucas and Max, couldn’t believe the sight, at the total improbability...and then Dustin started grinning. Like a slow reveal, he moved his head just to the right – and found El slyly wiping her hand under her nose. Lucas started smiling too, Max, beside him excitedly whispering did she do that?? in his ear as he nodded back. With Stacy running off in tears, El casually hid away any evidence and simply turned back to her friends – catching Dustin’s gaze again, and letting loose a small smile.

Dustin’s grin grew.

He really did have the coolest friend in the world.

Then, El did something not-so-like her shy nature. She abruptly stood up from the table and her pale hand grabbed his wrist, smiling back in assurance at his confusion.

“They’re mouthbreathers.” She declared “I’ll dance with you.”

Dustin didn’t have a much of a choice, suddenly tugged up from his chair. It wasn’t a slow sway this time; instead, everyone was dancing around in glee to a playful Wham! song playing. El led Dustin to the edge of the pool of kids, skittering to a stop. They stood there for just a second, staring at one another, a little unsure of how to take this forward. Dustin flicked his eyes to the crowd, to their peers just tossing themselves to the beat in abandon, twirling each other around. He started to smile, an idea growing.

This time, he reached in, gently grasping El’s hand. Quick enough to be snappy but not too much to startle the timid girl, he twirled El around in a perfect, playful circle, watching the bottom of her baby blue dress flare out. Just faintly, he could hear her quiet gasp under George Michael’s voice – but, when she made the circle around, he found her giggling.

He made El laugh. The blooming pride had Dustin grinning back; you hardly ever saw anything more then a sad nervousness on her, she just looked so happy in that moment.

Excited, Dustin shouted ‘watch this!’ – still holding onto her hand, he extended out their arms, only to twirl her around again so she’d spin into him, bumping into his shoulder. She started giggling again, her nose scrunching up. Dustin couldn’t help laughing too, the noise contagious.

That was all it took. The two friends starting spinning and jumping around each other – El reaching up on her toes to spin Dustin around this time, careening around so hard they had to not laugh when they bumped into other people, with Dustin only faintly aware of onlookers leering at them in confusion (was that girl actually dancing with Dustin Henderson?). It was way more fun then he would’ve ever had dancing with Stacy or any of those other girls. He knew for sure, he wouldn’t be trying to regain control over his breath through his laughter as El leaned her forehead into his shoulder to stifle her own.

“..Seriously, though, El..” Dustin started as they both calmed back down, finding her soft brown eyes “You don’t..have to do this if you really don’t want to..or you, like, want to go wait for Mike or something..”

“..You’re my friend.” El furrowed, questioning why he would even bring it up “I want to dance together.”

Dustin was so surprised at her earnesty, that he honestly didn’t have a reaction. But when El nervously held up her hand and asked if he could spin her around again, Dustin broke out into another grin.

Looks like he wasn’t picked last after all.

They continued to dance around, making each other laugh. Soon, Lucas and Max came up to join in on the party, laughter spread around at the simple, honest fun shared together, even if they looked a bit ridiculous. Lucas and Max rolled their eyes at Dustin’s attempt at the moonwalk, but El just giggled at the silliness – and that was the most important part to Dustin.

The night did eventually have to come to an end. This time, his mom was coming to pick him up, and he waited patiently for the old car to roll up into the parking lot – the music gone, the lights dimmed, and parents milling around as they took their kids home. When Dustin slid into the front seat, his mom immediately had to ask,

“Did you have fun tonight honey?”

Dustin sat back with a deep breath, and then a smile, thinking about how when Mike offered to walk El back to where Hopper was waiting for her, she gave him a wave goodbye.

Eat your heart out, Stacy. An actual, live supergirl wanted to dance with me.

[garebearandnan]

A BIT OF ME'

NEW CHAPTER POSTED- LITG Season 2 Day 10 Part 3

FOR FULL CHAPTER CLICK ON EITHER LINK BELOW:

SUMMARY: The Ministry of Sound are throwing a party in the Villa, and there are some surprises on the guest list… A secret kiss… causes chaos.

Song plays: Rock Wit U (Awww Baby), Song by Ashanti ♪ Can you rock with me? (Awww, baby) ♪ ♪ Nonstop with me ♪ Can you take it to the top with me? ♪ ♪ I just wanna love you, baby (Love you, babe) ♪ ♪ Always thinking of you, babe (I'm thinking of you, babe) ♪ ♪ Can you roll with me? (Ooh, baby) ♪

You sway your hips right, stand on your toes, and raise your arms after a few steps and finger snaps. Placing your palm over your heart to express the emotion of the lyrics. While swaying your hips side to side, your arm and fingers reflect your thoughts as they reach towards him. You roll your body smoothly and rhythmically from your head to your hips. You maintain a playful and confident attitude while dancing, matching the upbeat and sultry vibe of the song. You slowly run your hands down your body from your shoulders to your hips, keeping it sensual.

Villa entrance: Another jeep pulls up to the Love Island Villa. A stunning blonde yelled "Woo-hoo!" swinging her arms above her head. She squealed with excitement. She jumped out of the red jeep as soon as it stopped. She quickens her pace as she approaches the front door in an effort to keep up with the tall and muscular boy who is walking next to her. He asked, “You okay?”

She had a smile that conveyed both excitement and nervousness at the same time, and she said, “Ooh, yeah, I’m really scared. I was like, ‘Oh, my god, I’m gonna trip over.” The pretty blonde girl latches onto his muscular arm, and he laughs. Not a quiet laugh—a booming one as they walk out onto the stone terrace.

Garden: Bobby cried out loudly, “Why did the music stop?” The dancing immediately stops, and smiles vanish from everyone's faces.

You hear footsteps approaching. A guy says something… 

Lottie declared, “Sounds like a new boy.”

…and then a girl answers, “Babes, this place… Oh, my goodness, gracious. Great balls of fire. I might faint.” 

Marisol chimed in, “And a girl?”

Love Island introduction Montage: Chelsea

The screen behind her displays her Instagram feed in rapid succession. Chelsea looks at the screen and giggles. “Hi, everyone! I'm Chelsea. I'm a 24-year-old interior designer from Buckinghamshire." She flashed a grin. “I've been single now for about three years. I’m wanting to have a really fun summer.”

“I've got a lot of energy, so I will be bouncing and dancing my way around the Villa!” She laughs.

"What am I like in the bedroom? Oh! Em! Gee! My mums watching, seriously.” Her nose wrinkles up in disgust. “Well, I am quite fun and spontaneous in my life. That’s all I’m saying.”

Love Island introduction Montage: Jakub

“I’ve been single now for about 6 months,” Jakub gives a flirty wink and chuckles. “I’m into fitness, so I want someone who shares similar hobbies. Looks wise: fit, and I like athletic girls. Long legs and a nice, rock-hard bum. Hair - I love that balayage look, girls are very impressed when I say that!”

When asked to describe himself in bed, he responds with a sly grin, "If I had to describe myself in bed, it would be... magnificent. I give her what she wants.”

"What makes me the perfect Islander?" He smiles a mischievous grin. "The guys need an alpha male, and I feel like that's me. The girls have Lottie, who says it how it is, but the lads are all like little sheep."

_____________________________________________________________

Bobby said, "Wow, they weren't kidding around when they said, 'Beauty and the Beast!'"

Beach Hut Lottie: "Cricky!" She exclaimed. "He is built like a brick shit house” (quite muscular). “Of course I'm keeping my options open. Pfft! It's gonna be an interesting night.”

FOR FULL CHAPTER CLICK ON LINK ABOVE. ENOY!

[inspotlight]

❝    having    a    home    with    you    is    such    a    beautiful    thing.    ❞    she    says,    the    sweetest    expression    on    her    face.    she's    so    happy    that    they're    here    now.    it's    wonderful,    making    a    home    with    him,    a    life    with    him.    every    night    was    like    the    ones    they'd    had    to    sneak    around    to    have    in    high    school.    it    had    always    been    the    most    comforting    to    her    to    be    able    to    fall    asleep    next    to    him    and    now    she    didn't    have    to    pretend    like    she    was    going    to    bed    alone.    ❝    logically    i    know    that.    making    myself    really    believe    it    has    been    the    hard    part.    ❞    she    admits,    telling    him    in    such    a    soft    voice.    

❝    i    was    glad    to    be    there    to    make    you    feel    better,    even    if    what    made    you    feel    better    was    making    sure    i    wasn't    freaked    out    by    the    arguing.    you've    always    taken    such    good    care    of    me,    i    was    always    happy    to    divert    your    attention    back    to    me.    ❞    she    had,    admittedly,    been    freaked    out    when    his    parents    would    argue.    it    was    always    so    loud    and    sounded    so    mean.    her    moms    never    argued    like    that,    if    they    even    argued    at    all.    but    if    she    could    make    it    that    much    easier    for    ricky,    she    was    happy    to    be    there.    she    was    happy    to    be    there    anyway,    but    taking    care    of    him    was    always    so    important    to    her.    ❝    you're    the    most    talented    person    i    know.    ❞    she    says    before    pressing    a    kiss    to    the    underside    of    his    jaw.

❝    it's    really    nice    to    live    so    close    to    them    but    still    be    able    to    come    home    at    night    and    just    be    with    you.    ❞    there    were    plenty    of    nights    she    still    stayed    with    her    moms',    but    she    loved    the    life    she    had    begun    to    build    with    ricky    and    coming    home    felt    like    the    right    thing.    she    nods,    smile    stretched    across    her    face,    and    nuzzles    his    shoulder.    ❝    so    you    think    it    sounds    authentic    enough?    i've    been    so    worried    that    people    are    going    to    think    i'm    lying    because    i    tried    to    keep    my    social    media    presence    upbeat    and    happy.    you're    the    only    one    who    saw    through    all    my    fake    smiles.    ❞    it    was    easiest    for    everyone    to    believe    that    she    had    been    happy    with    brody,    but    knowing    ricky    had    never    believed    her    smiles    for    a    minute    felt    like    the    validation    she    needed    to    be    able    to    move    forward    with    the    songs    she'd    written    while    she    was    in    that    relationship.    ❝    getting    away    from    la    sounds    like    the    best    plan    right    now.    the    album    is    almost    done,    i    can    take    a    short    little    getaway    and    it'll    be    fine.    seeing    mimi    will    be    great    and    getting    to    explore    the    city    with    you    will    be    so    fun.    we    could    have    a    really    good    little    adventure.    ❞    she    giggles    at    his    offer,    but    they    both    know    she'll    eagerly    accept.    ❝    by    all    means,    carry    me    to    our    bed.    i    am    very    sleepy.    ❞    as    if    on    cue,    mouth    opens    in    a    yawn    she    almost    wasn't    expecting,    hand    raising    to    cover    her    mouth.

    ❝    it is nice. being grown up and just- this being our normal. we just spend the night together every night and no one can say anything about it.    ❞    he beams. and he'll always love the memories of their nights together, cuddling in his room or hers late at night back in high school. and that time they'd missed... as she sighs... he's doing his best to help make up for it now.    ❝    i know, my love. but angel, you are so loved. and you absolutely deserve it. and i'll keep telling you until it's easy to believe it. i'm here, and i'm yours. i always will be.    ❞    

    ❝    well you definitely succeeded. i felt good with you. always. i didn't like it when they would argue while you were there, either, honestly.    ❞    he frowns, nuzzling her hair softly.    ❝    i was so grateful i had you. no matter what i knew we were going to be there- together forever.    ❞    she was his best friend. and that had always been the case, since they were young. that still matters so much to him. and having his best friend with him, being with her, in love with her, it was so special.    ❝    i'm so lucky. loving you, being loved by you...    ❞    and hearing her talk about her music is exciting.    ❝    i'm excited for the album. and getting away from it all to make it is definitely helpful. everything i've heard so far is so true, and it's really yours, and i love that.    ❞    

    ❝    well you make me very proud, my angel. and i love hearing that you think i'm talented too. i really love working with you.    ❞    ricky hums, kissing her softly on the forehead as she cuddles against his chest.    ❝    yeah, that makes sense. it's not your childhood bedroom. and we have our own home now, where we can sleep in our bed together every night... but it's nice we live close enough to your moms you can see them too.    ❞    he nods at her words.    ❝    we'll just figure out a good time to go. and i'd definitely be down to do new york, baby. double dates, you can hang out with mimi, we can enjoy the city, get away from la for a bit... away from the drama    ❞    nuzzling her hair, he offers her a soft smile.    ❝    i can carry you up to bed if you want me to just turn the tv off, you're a sleepy little neens tonight, hmm?    ❞    he chuckles, softly teasing. ricky loves this girl so much.

[arcanestage]

WHEN IT GETS COLD

characters: yuno / nozel / yami / fuegoleon / william / julius x f!reader

a/n: heres a little holiday treat hehe sending love and virtual warm hugs to those dealing with seasonal depression and/or those generally struggling over the holidays. its that time of the year again *sigh*

warnings: none

yuno — lends you his jacket

it always amused him how cold you easily get - shivering even at a temperature everyone would consider as comfortably cool. even more amusing is how you always forget to bring a coat, a habit you never really got rid of.

yuno loves you more than he likes to admit and it’s pretty evident by the way he looks out for you. he always took note of how you would subtly rub your palms together, blow on them a few times, then slip them under your thighs. you would do so absentmindedly while managing to hold a pleasant conversation with him.

“you’re cold, aren’t you?” his tone half worried, half annoyed.

“y-yeah…” you blushed. “i’m fine though,”

tsk

“didn’t i tell you to bring a jacket? you know how cold intolerant you are y/n,” he tutted and nagged while taking off his coat. he rounded the table and draped it over your shoulder. “better?”

“mm-hm… sorry for being such a scatterbrain,” you smiled sheepishly, tugging the coat tighter around you.

he rested his hands on your shoulder for a bit then kissed the top your head.

“your forgetfulness will be the death of you someday,” he chuckled. “but i’m here to make sure that never happens. i’ll give you all my sweaters if i have to,”

nozel — gets you a dozen wool mittens

the winter season had always been your favorite. you were drawn to the festivity it brings: colorful lights everywhere, upbeat music playing at each street, genuine smiles from everyone you meet. nozel however, dreaded it. he loved seeing you happy this time of the year, yes. but you could never stop complaining about how chilly and biting the weather was which irritated him to no end.

he noticed how you complained about your hands feeling the coldest. true enough they were always cool to the touch. he loved holding your hand but its coldness was just too unbearable for him. and so he decided to prepare a little present for you.

you were surprised to see thick sweaters with matching mittens of different colors and patterns laid out on your bed.

“so you can enjoy the holidays without having to complain about the cold,” nozel sauntered towards you, picked up a pair of wool mittens, and slipped them on your freezing hands. they fit you perfectly. “and when i tell you to dress warmly, that includes your hands y/n.”

“you did this… for me?” you looked at him, your doe eyes holding all the love you had for him.

“i’m getting quite sick of hearing you complain,” his lips flickered into a small smile. “although all that really matters is that i could now hold your hand for as long as i want to,”

yami — holds you close

as the air in clover kingdom grew colder, your insomnia worsened along with it. even in complete exhaustion, you struggled getting proper sleep. yami was persistent in finding the perfect remedy for your insomnia, dedicating a full day just to try out every tip and trick he managed to gather. you weren’t hopeful but still, you played along.

as expected, nothing worked, pushing everyone in the squad to give up and retire to their bedrooms.

you laid beside your man who had always been a heavy sleeper. you stared at the ceiling wide awake, feeling the bitterly cold air cut through your skin. how could anyone sleep through this?

yami stirred in his sleep. he rolled over to his side facing you, his arm landing on your stomach. with one eye half opened, he hooked his hand on the curve of your belly, silently asking for you to wiggle closer to him.

“your ki is off…” he mumbled.

“must be the weather,” you managed to croak out through the extreme dryness of your throat.

“c’mere, i’ll keep you nice and toasty.”

you were enveloped in his strong arms and for the first time since the frost and the sleepless nights began, you felt at ease. you felt warm and safe.

your eyelids felt heavy and so you let them fall, let the slumber finally come to you.

perhaps you’d make it through the winter after all.

fuegoleon — sit by the fireplace with you

ever since the snow started to fall, you’ve been spending most of your days indoors. not even fuegoleon’s feeble attempt at doing puppy dog eyes could convince you to step outside. your boyfriend respected your wishes, making it a point to come by your little cozy home to spend time with you.

he arrived that day a little later than usual. in his hand was a large bottle of cabernet, an apology present he said. you giggled, impressed at how quick he was in making amends.

“it’s alright. you’re here now and that’s what matters,” you said as you strode towards the couch by the fireplace.

fuegoleon settled beside you, 2 glasses of wine in his hands. both of you sipped your drinks in comfortable silence, watching the fire dance and flicker in its place.

“do you remember what i said the other day?” he blurted out.

“you tell me a lot of things, fue.” you laughed. “which one?”

“that i’m always at peace whenever i’m with you,” he blushed.

you felt a little flustered, unsure of why he was bringing that up out of the blue. you avoided his eyes and stared at the empty glass resting between your hands. “i do remember. what about it?”

he shifted awkwardly in his seat, feeling the heat rapidly creep up to his cheeks.

“nothing i just… i want to do this with you for the rest of my life,” he whispered, barely audible.

a shy smile made its way to your lips. you gazed up at him, the fire illuminating his beautiful features like a spotlight, like he’s the only thing that matters in this room and to you.

“i’d like that,” you said.

fuegoleon reached for your hand and locked it in his. you both stayed like that for the rest of the evening: fingers intertwined and dreaming of the future you want together.

william — brews a cup of warm tea

so begins the winter season, also known as the season where you suddenly become sickly. you’ve been having the good ole common colds for a couple of days. it wasn’t bothersome at first, but since you refused to rest, your symptoms worsened rendering you weak and immobile.

you felt terrible. it was william who kept reminding you to rest but you never listened. when he saw your condition worse than ever, he only sighed.

as you were resting up, you heard someone knock on your door. the person slipped inside holding a small tray. it was william. he had been checking up on you before and after work hours without fail.

“i heard you’ve been feeling colder than usual so i made you a cup of warm tea,” he placed the tray on the bedside table then sat by the edge of the bed.

you smiled weakly then carefully sat up, taking the dainty cup from his hand. you took a small sip, savoring the warmth and the flavors bursting in your mouth. you were truly grateful for william’s existence.

“what would i do without you, will?” 

“i could ask the same to you,” he chuckled, ruffling your hair. “you take good care of me too, you know.”

“we’re good at looking after each other huh?” you beamed at him.

his lips tugged up into a smile, like an epiphany had come to him. “i’m quite unsure of how soulmates work but i think that’s what we are.”

julius — keeps a blanket to share with you

visiting julius had always been tricky. for starters, marx was always there to keep an eye on him, making sure his duties were being fulfilled. even with julius’ supposedly strict schedule, you still manage to sneak into his office once in a while.

snow had just begun blanketing the whole kingdom. slowly but surely, the winter season settled in. you watched the windows in your quiet home frost and become blurry, the cold making you long for julius’ company even more.

you paid him a visit that night, letting yourself in through the window. julius was ecstatic to see you but at the same time worried because you look like you were about to faint.

“it’s extremely cold out, how did you manage to survive that?” he said, encasing your freezing hands in his warm ones.

“barely did,” your voice trembled. “but i wanted to see you.”

julius sighed. he sat you on his couch then quickly shuffled toward the cabinet to grab a large blanket. he sat beside you and draped the blanket over the both of you. underneath, he wrapped his arm around your waist for additional warmth.

“thank you,” you whispered. he smiled then kissed your forehead.

“i wish we could stay like this forever,” he mumbled. “you and me dozing on our own couch underneath one giant blanket -- happy, contented, with nothing to worry about.”

you looked up at him, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. “we’ll get there eventually. but for now, these little, fleeting moments we share are enough for me.”

[jaestrz]

sincerely, yours. -Mingyu

- idol!au - gyuxreader - fluff - little angst - soft hours -

“even if you’re on your hardest days, the reason I came into your life is to make you feel better and protect you.”

🤍🤍🤍🤍

you couldn’t comprehend everything that was going on around you, it’s like something was going too fast. you couldn’t catch the detail you were supposed to understood and the frustrating was pinning you down too much till it was getting harder to breathe.

Woozi recorded a new song. It was great. But then it wasn’t really well went it came to deciding who gets to sing which part. He worked so hard to composed a song, you didn’t have the gut to decline his suggestions. Either a yes or just a nod, you had to push yourself.

An upbeat song. With lots of raps. And that made you spaced out.

“I feel like you should try something new. There’s a part I think will fit your voice. What do you think y/n?” You stared at the lyrics sheet. It was filled with scribbles of rearranging, changing and writings by Woozi and maybe some other members too. Your mind was thinking twice, wondering if you should really follow his orders. Because…

You never say no to Woozi when it comes to producing songs. He stayed up endless nights trying to start a song from scratch with or without Bumzu. If you said no then it surely would give him a negative reaction. You suck in a breath. “I think it’s nice, but you know it’s not what I usually get in a song right?”

He nodded. “I think you’ll be alright. I want to give you all fair lines and everyone has some rap part.”

The last time you did something that wasn’t familiar in the vocal team activity was a b-side track years ago. You didn’t sound pretty well in rapping either. It was a relief it wasn’t a song to perform often.

-

It ended you alone in the vocal room.

Repeating the same lyrics, over and over but it always fails. If it was the hip hop team, this would’ve been their easiest job in 3 minutes. You thought, gripping the water bottle in your hand, only the sound of plastic crinkling could be heard in the cramped room. You were wondering if you could actually burst a tear with all the frustration that’s bubbling in you.

Until a knock on the door that scared you as it opens. Revealing Mingyu in a sweatshirt with a soft smile on his face. His familiar scent of strong cologne filled in and he was hugging you.

He came by after he found out you had to do something you’re not familiar with. Indeed he thought that line was hard as well, but now he only could think of guiding you to get through it. “It was really hard huh? It’ll be alright. I’m here.” He kissed the top of your forehead and you let your frustrations out with tears.

-

He put on a hyped attitude every single day just to get you to like rapping. Either jumping like a 5 year old or cracking up a joke to get your mood started as a laughter.

He played the beats on his phone and helped you with starting it slow and it went a little faster resulting you in some twisted words with a annoyed sighed.

“It’s okay. It went well. I like that.” Gyu complimented, tucking a strand of your hair behind your ear so it wasn’t a disturbance to your view.

But it wasn’t a one day practiced. He helped you every single day when you needed and he was glad to help you. And at night, he made sure to compliment how good you were each day. Tight in his arms and hear him saying how you improved a lot and how much he loves you.

“I think you can quit the vocal team now.” He joked, playing with your hair as you lay in bed with him. A chuckle left your lips. “but I’m still learning baby.”

Mingyu hummed. “ but you are really good now. I don’t think you need my help anymore.”

You tilted your head up to see his face and Mingyu looks at you as well. He saw your hardships throughout everything you’ve been through. And he was actually there. The person to help you.

“I love you.”

“I love you too baby.”

-

On recording day, you felt anxious. Even though you had to ask Woozi for a take 5, it still went alright. Woozi looked satisfied and a smile planted on his face. “You did pretty well. Nice one y/n.” Woozi told you.

You muttered a thank you before exiting, that anxious feeling left your body as soon as you got out. Mingyu and other members were on the sofa. “You did great.” He said and you just smiled.

.

민규🌟

i couldn’t express my feelings by how much thankful I am to have millions of people supporting me and loving me. I wouldn’t be who I am today if it weren’t for my loved ones. Throughout this moment, I had learnt a lot. I feel glad that I could be someone to lean on when they think they have no one. There’s time where things gets hard for me but then I thought about the reason how I stood up until today. I’m grateful how I could receive this kind of love. Please support on our comebacks in the future. Our members worked hard and y/n went through some hardships during it. I remember seeing her almost gave up and it really did have her a lot of pressure. With now she’s back, I hope our team will stay together until the end ^^ for y/n, I’m proud of you for getting this far with me and seventeen. Since trainee days I know how hard it was for you. But now you’re back, let’s love each other sincerely like we always did and never hide our difficulties from each other. Everyone please stay healthy and be sure to eat a lot! Goodnight! 🤍

sincerely yours, Mingyu.

[i-heart-slashers]

"C’mon, smile for me! It’s not like I’ve done anything yet.” + “Running doesn’t matter. I’ll hunt you down if I have to.”

Pairings: Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader

Warning(s): kidnapping, yandere, implied stalking, obsession.

Taking a ride from Eddie Munson was practically social suicide, but after he missed the turning to your street, you began to wonder if it was closer to actual suicide climbing into his van.

You had never really believed any of the rumors that had spread about him.

In a way, you felt almost bad seeing him return back to school year after year, but he weirdly didn't seem phased by it. He always seemed upbeat and chaotic; maybe that's why you chose to trust him.

Driving up to you while you walked in the rain like a knight in shining armor, his broad smile beaming as he opened the window calling your name and motioning for you to jump in.

When Eddie pulled into the secluded part of Skull Rock, you began to truly worry, but you were a nice person and gave him the benefit of the doubt. 

Maybe he just needed someone to hang out with but was too embarrassed to ask.

It was that kind of naive thinking that got you thrown over Eddie's shoulder as he dragged you into the back of his van. 

Not long after stopping the car, he lunged for you and pulled you across the seats onto his lap before dragging you out of the vehicle.

Tears rolled down your face as you burrowed yourself into the back of the van, as far away from Eddie as possible. The metalhead was busying himself, pulling a rope from the junk it had coiled around.

Feeling a breeze, your eyes moved towards the van's open door. If you could get out before Eddie could realize you had moved, you might have enough time to outrun him.

His loud laugh spooked you from your daydream. "Running doesn't matter. I'll hunt you down if I have to." he threatened sardonically as he finally unraveled the rope.

You shivered as he crawled towards you, pulling your hands together and expertly tying them together. "How come the only way I can get your attention is like this, huh?".

His words were obviously pointed at you, but his tone made it seem like he was talking to himself. He was known for ranting out loud; maybe if you let him vent, he'll realize how crazy he's being.

"Other guys trying to get my girl's attention-" with every bitter word, he tightened the rope around your wrists "-but she's mine." He gives a dark chuckle, and your stomach tightens as the danger of the situation hits you.

He wasn't messing around, and he didn't take you here just to talk or make friends.

Eddie Munson was as crazy as they say, but not how everyone thinks. 

They see some satan worshipping demon, but you were seeing the real Eddie here, the one who took hours of his day to follow you around unseen by you or anyone else.

You would never have guessed that he liked you or even thought of you as his, but the more he rambled about your life, the more you came to see how he knew every little detail.

Like how Andy from the basketball team had been in your house, it may have only been for studying, but that didn't matter. He'd gone missing a week ago. Now you know why.

The curly-haired crazed guitarist stroked his hand down your cheek with a fake pout "C'mon, smile for me! It's not like I've done anything yet."��His eyes flashed dangerously as his thumb traced your lower lip.

Seeing Eddie's ring-covered hand slowly closing the van door, your tears began to fall even faster as the light from outside disappeared, leaving the van in darkness.

Your hands were suddenly forced above your head as Eddie's lips touched your jawbone "...yet".

[doublejango]

Unless he absolutely could not take the time away from work, Vox had a personal policy: he always accepted invitations to business meetings, especially when they came from fellow Overlords. Whether the Overlord in question owned one soul or a thousand, or a hundred thousand, didn't matter to Vox. He always sent a hand-written thank-you card -- his desk pen was a sharp stub nib, the cardstock rich and creamy, the ink a deep oxblood -- along with his response.

Usually, the meetings were a snooze, some sad little lost soul pitching terrible ideas, or just wanting to ramble off bizarrely violent fantasies and fetishes in the hopes that he would put a show together for that specific thing. Vox always tried to stay polite and upbeat, cheerful and engaging; whenever he was in the public eye, he assumed he was being watched. It was never just the eyes of whoever he was meeting with on him. It was all eyes on him. That was the only way to keep himslef sharp enough to never show his disappointment or frustration. He treated each and every one of them like a valued companion, even when it killed him a little inside, even when he struggled to find a friendly, upbeat way to say No. And all too often, it was a No. Not always--Vox loved to try new things, loved to be innovative--but most of the time, because most of the time, it felt like someone would need to suffer to make a certain pitch a reality. Val might play fast and loose with his employees' happiness and wellbeing, but Vox valued his--

And considered everyone a potential subscriber, a rich and bountiful vein to be mined for gems and gold.

Besides, most people in Pride--in all of Hell, for that matter--were already his customers whether they knew it or not. He was in damn near all of their modern technology, he could see out of any camera that connected to any of his many, mny networks at any time, he watched every credit card transaction, he paid attention to surges in the movement of souls-as-currency. Vox violated everyone's privacy to sone degree, and it was absolutely glorious. So, they were all his customers, and he would always, always make time for customers.

Still, walking into Visage's club? He was fairly certain he had made a mistake--or that she had. Given that the invitation was to her own establishment, he'd brought a bottle of decent wine with a nice ribbon on it as a gift, but the moment he set foot in here? He felt drastically out of place. He was tired, the ports in the back of his head ached from overuse that day, and he wanted to go home and unwind. Why was he here? This place was thriving, the flow of cash certainly noteworthy, and the dancers looked...

"Excuse me," he said, reaching out to stop one who was dancing nearby.

"You're supposed to go to the VIP booth, sweetie, keep going to the back," she told him, without missing a beat.

"Oh, no, I'm--yes. Thank you. May I ask you something?" At a nod from her, he frowned, hesitating briefly, studying her face intently. If she was going to lie, he wanted to know it. "Are you safe here?" Because that was it, wasn't it? That was why this place didn't feel as sticky and seedy as the haunts Val liked to drag him to? The employees here didn't look furtive, didn't look frightened or harassed.

The sparkle in her eyes before she smiled said it all. Stunned, Vox hurried on to go meet this strange new Overlord.

-

When he saw Visage, he was sure of it. He wasn't supposed to be here. She must have gotten him mixed up in her mind, and intended to invite Valentino. The woman was stunningly beautiful, enough that Vox actually noticed, despite so rarely letting himself notice. There was a sultry energy to her, but a sharp intelligence to her eyes.

Confused, he nonetheless offered her the wine--French, smuggled in from the living world, worth a few thousand souls or nothing at all, depending on one's tastes.

"Visage!" Vox's smile was bright and professional, and he stood with his customary poise and confidence, as if none of-- of this was happening around him. "I hope you'll accept this, a token of my gratitude. Thank you for thinking of me, and inviting me here." He offered his hand. "It looks like the night is going well? Profitable, anyway!"

(For @doublejango's Vox, because I have no impulse control. WHOOP! WHOOP! -- Visage despised politics. It was one of the many reasons she had never been all too thrilled at her 'promotion', but that ship had long since set sail. It was what it was, and she had done her best to make the most of it. Indeed, to make more of the position than many of those that were her peers. Where most of them saw fit to jealously covet their power and collect the souls of the downtrodden, Visage had instead seen an opportunity for change. There was a better way--she would prove it to them. Unfortunately ... going against the grain, especially in an industry so near and dear to another Overlord's heart, didn't come without its fair share of risks. Valentino was not a rival to take lightly, by any means. And while she lacked to power, experience and resources to face her opposition directly ... if she was clever, maybe she didn't have to.

Setting up a meeting with any of the Vees, for someone in her position, probably seemed like suicide on the surface ... but Visage felt confident all the same. Misplaced confidence based on inexperience? Perhaps. There was only one way to find out. Having deliberately chosen one of the busiest nights at the club as an opportunity to show how her business was thriving, the hellhound waited patiently in her personal VIP booth near the rear of the club. The invitation she had extended to the Television Demon had been accepted, but would he actually show...? Time would tell. Normally, the lupine Overlord preferred more casual attire or a 'business chique' sort of look when she was on the clock, but not this time. This was a night of making lasting impressions, and so she had taken the task to heart, dressed in a figure-hugging black glittering leotard with several large sections of missing material ... with just enough in just the right places to keep her breasts covered. These were paired with black metallic cargo pants with a low enough waistline to show that she was not, in fact, wearing any undergarments beneath that leotard. Just enough to make it seem that she just so happened to be caught on a night where she was wearing more revealing attire. Pure coincidence, really.