#we used to be THE dynamic duo and i miss feeling comfortable and natural around someone i know that we would have a blast talking abt this

[elextric-sea]

Uh oh! Im missing my best friend!!!!

But anyway haha I didnt know you got my ex-best friends fave charas at the same time and I totally am not incredibly stressed and full of regret and bad memories rn 😍😍

[saphirered]

I have a request! How about a pre!Caleb x reader with a runechild reader that has been with Caleb and Nott from pre-stream? What would their friendship dynamic be with the two and how does Caleb react to them being hunted for experimentation by various magic users.

I’m so sorry this took so long to write. Double shifts have been killing me but I’m still trying to get these requests out regardless in whatever free time I get. I hope this one’s to your liking. It turned out pretty long 😅 . Enjoy regardless 😘

Prison. How did it come to the point where being stuck in a jail would be both the best and worst place for you to be? At least those after you wouldn’t be able to get you without getting in a lot of trouble or jumping through legal hoops giving you enough time to plan your escape. 

When word got out you were a runechild people praised you… and hunted you discovering your worth as a conduit for the natural magics as well as an arcane power source. You learned many before you were hunted and killed, or enslaved for just this fact so when people came knocking you weren’t going to stick around and find out their intentions and plans for you. You value your own life more than that no matter how curious you may be about what it means to be a runechild. 

Being on the run has its good sides; new places, new people and new experiences. The down side, no stability, no security and no long term friends, always on the road with barely a moment to breathe but at least you’re alive and not held captive and squeezed for every bit of arcane juju in your body. Though, you have to say you do miss having friends. Luckily you’re not the only one on the run from selfish mages with ulterior motives and as they say, birds of a feather… 

You’re sitting in the corner of your cell head leaning back against the wall and one knee propped up. There’s barely any light bleeding through the narrow window up high, the only way you’ve been able differentiate day from night and count how long you’ve been here. Time’s running out. You’ll have to make your escape soon. The guard schedule is the most difficult as you don’t see yourself overpowering all of them. Sure you can charm a few but brute strength isn’t really your thing and you’re kinda squishy compared to the armoured folks trying to keep people from escaping… You weren’t going to take your chances there and draw more attention to yourself. 

The barred door opens, the sound pulling you back to reality to see a rather filthy looking man and a child? Halfling? being pushed into your cell. Great. Company. Not like that eliminates what few plans you had… The door is closed behind them by the guard that gives the small person a kick in the back for good measure. You don’t respond as they cry out about to turn back around and attack the guard but are stopped by the man. The duo sees you as the guard leaves and sticks to the opposite side of your humble abode sitting down together and whisper. 

This would be the next few days; these new roommates of yours sticking to themselves barely speaking at all when not whispering. Not like you could blame them. You weren’t about to stick your nose in their business just like they hadn’t. Though, what you wouldn’t do for some warmth during the colder times like the small one, a goblin you learned, snuggled up with the raggedy man. When was even the last time you had a hug? It feels like ages. Whatever they had going on, you had to say you were slightly envious. At least they had each other. You were all alone and would remain alone for the foreseeable future. You’d give the world if that meant you could have something like they do. 

It’s been a few days since you were given any food. You’re hungry and by the grumbling stomachs of the man and goblin, so are they. Then the guard came by throwing a single slice of bread through the bars. Both you and the goblin scurry forward diving for the slice and you get it. 

“This isn’t enough for all of us!” You shout after the guard holding onto the slice. 

“It’s all you’re getting. Share or fight for the scraps.” The guard calls nibbling on some piece of fruit or something. The goblin woman curses after the guard who stops in his tracks. You quickly glance between the raggedy man and the goblin as the guard walks over to the bars. Casting the spell with nothing but your mind as the guard’s distracted by the screeching cursing woman, the guard’s form relaxes a little bit and eyes turn to you. 

“I’m so sorry about her, my friend. You wouldn’t be able to help us out, would you? It’s been a few days since we’ve eaten and we’re growing hungry. Could you be a dear and fetch us some good and proper food quickly? I’d greatly appreciate it.” You bat your eyelashes and smile innocently. The guard nods happily and hands you a pouch filled with what he was snacking on. 

“I’ll be back with more but please take this for now.” The guard says before he’s off to find you more food. You let out a breath of relief that it worked. You open the pouch and see some fresh berries. The goblin stares at you in confusion as the guard went from asshole to friendly in a split second. You hand her the slice of bread. 

“Now let’s hope the asshole returns within the hour.” You make your way back to your corner and sit down in your usual spot. While you do nibbling on the berries you feel the man’s eyes burn into you or rather a dimly glowing rune on your lower arm. You quickly shift hiding it, staring him down until he averts his gaze. You see from the corner of your eyes as the woman offers to share the slice of bread with the man with a slight hesitation. That amount of food is going to do next to nothing to sate an empty stomach for one, let alone two people. You look down at the pouch of berries while you pop one in your mouth. 

Cursing to yourself you get up, walk over to their side of the cell and sit down a couple feet away from them. You think for a second, pour some of the berries in your hand and hold it stretched out towards the man. 

“Look, we’ve seen you charmed the guard with your wiles to give you food but do you have to rub it in our faces too?!” The woman screeches petting the man’s shoulder in comfort. 

“I don’t think they’re taunting us. I think they’re offering to share.” 

“Take them before I change my mind.” You’re still half deliberating on eating them yourself with how hungry you had grown in the past few days. The goblin calms down demeanour instead turning to confusion trying to find some ulterior motive while the man takes the berries with a brief smile and shares them with the woman. 

The room turns silent again for the next thirty minutes or so before the guard returns with some plates of fresh food. Bread, not stale, butter, a couple of cuts of meat and even some steamed vegetables and rice. You rush over to the bars a little quicker than you’d wanted but even the smell’s enough to make your mouth water. You take the plates offering the guard a charming smile.

“Thank you very much, my friend. We won’t forget your generosity. Now why don’t you be back on your way and we’ll keep this our little secret alright?” 

“Yeah, of course. Let me know if you need anything else.” The guard nods before leaving the three of you. 

“You lot still hungry because this needs to be gone in the next thirty minutes or so.” The man pats a spot next to him and the goblin and you rush over handing them their own plates the three of you shoving down the food as fast as you can, to the crumbs, licking the plates clean. Not your finest perhaps but it only shows how long it’s been since any of you had a proper meal. After you return to your usual silence but remain seated with them. 

The consequences of your spell usage came as you expected and resulted in some bruises for you but they were worth it. Since you shared the food and took full responsibility for your actions the man, Caleb and goblin, Nott had grown a little more open with you and the three of you came to a nonverbal understanding to share what you got and distribute fairly. In the mean time you’d still been plotting your escape but your stunt had put a bit of a dent in that as they changed up the guard schedule too. Time’s running out. 

It’s afternoon and you’re laying on the floor curled up shivering from the cold facing away from Caleb and Nott. Your breath is visible in the air, the day unusually cold. A small hand touches your shoulder so you turn to see Nott giving you a pitied look. You sit up a little still shaking breathing into your hands and rubbing them together in the hopes of getting some warmth going. Nott grabs onto your hand and slowly pulls you in the direction of Caleb where she had been sitting before. You don’t resist as she sits you down right next to Caleb. You can’t help but cling onto him a little, responding to the warmth he brings and he does the same. While the difference is minimal, it’s better than none. Nott curls up in between the both of you on your laps using part of your coat to wrap around her, your own little heating pad against your stomachs. 

Caleb snaps his fingers and you feel soft fur scratch your neck, weight of a paw shifting to your shoulder and settle down. Looking down you see a bengal cat cuddle up like a scarf between you and Caleb. You make eye contact with the man. While your knowledge of the arcane might be limited you put one and one together and recognise the cat to be a familiar. You scratch the orange fuzz-ball’s head a little making it purr. 

“That trick you pulled a few days ago, you think you could do it again?” Caleb asks, voice shaky from the cold. You nod. 

“Good. We’re gonna need it if we want to get out of here. Together.” 

The next few days are repeated in kind, the cold sticking and freezing to death isn’t on any of your schedules. Caleb showed you a little trick of his to keep you warm when you were sure no guards would be near. The flame in his hands and cuddly cat Frumpkin, offered you some warmth and comfort when you most needed it. 

One day you’re in Caleb’s embrace, Nott in yours and you’re huddled together, when you feel some kind of amulet hidden beneath the layers of Caleb’s clothes. Caleb notices you noticed and freezes up. 

“Don’t worry I’m not going to steal it. Is it from your home?” You assure and while he grows a tiny bit less rigid he’s not back to his usual self.

“You could say that.” Caleb speaks absentmindedly, sounding a little stuck in his head.

“So not a good memory then. I won’t pry.” This puts him more at ease. He reaches into the neckline of his shirt and pulls out the amulet running his thumb over it. Curious what it looks like you’re slightly taken aback it matches something you’ve managed to keep hidden on your person too. 

“Looks like we have more in common than I thought. People with those kind of trinkets usually intend to stay hidden from people with a tendency to stick their arcane noses where they shouldn’t.” You take out the similar amulet from beneath your robes and show it. You’d rather not go into the details of how you procured this object. What matters is you have it and it keeps you safe from more persistent folks. 

“It appears so. If you don’t mind me asking, who would you be running from to need such an item?” You notice some wariness behind Caleb’s curiosity. Mistrust perhaps?

“No one in particular that I know of currently. It’s more of a precaution you see. The… origins of my abilities make me very wanted by those of arcane interests. They’d see me caged like some pretty songbird to be shown off to their friends or in chains, to be used as a power source for their spells and rituals without my consent. Certain powerful mages have been made aware of my presence in the Dwendalian Empire and seek to use me for their own plots. I prefer my freedom and staying out of their clutches.” You explain. You have no reason to hide this from Caleb. It just wasn’t relevant before. 

“I think I have a feeling I know about these individuals and believe me when I say you’re better off staying far away from them. I intend to do the same.” Caleb puts the amulet back in its place hidden from sight and you do the same. 

“A common interest then? Since we’re running from the same thing, perhaps sticking together after our grand escape until our paths diverge works in our benefit?” You deliberate as Nott listens along. You expected her to be asleep but apparently she had been listening too. 

“You can protect us and we protect you. You can study and learn together and become more powerful. We’ll protect each other. Caleb?” Nott speaks as she grabs yours and Caleb’s hands in her small ones giving them a light squeeze. 

“I don’t see why not.” Caleb mutters seeing the benefit in sticking together for the foreseeable future. He looks at you waiting for your answer.

“I guess. If you’ll have me, I’d very much appreciate the company.” 

And so you decided to stick together. Your breakout, not without its hiccups, successful regardless. You did as you agreed and had each other’s backs leaving your prison days far behind. You make a great team swindling people, stealing what you need to get by. Life on the road is hard but much more bearable with these two at your side. Nott has very much taken the mother role when it comes to the two of you, making sure you’ve eaten enough, studied enough and sleep instead of sticking in the books with Caleb. She’ll cuddle up to your side even on the warmer nights wrapping her arms around your arm or sides. Caleb shares his knowledge with you, as much as he can anyway hence the two of you studying together. He’s taken up the role of tutor and friend very well. The three of you while a little rocky at first have a good thing going on. You’re more than just friends. You’re family. You look out of each other no matter what and you stick together until the bitter end through think and thin because at the end of the day; birds of a a feather, stick together. 

[hekatekun]

Missed Opportunities: a look at 246 dynamics

This will be covering the relationships between Karamatsu, Ichimatsu, and Todomatsu. Specifically how they could be "better off" but for reasons aren't. Not blmatsu. A long post, but not particularly in depth. The great thing about Osomatsu-san is that things can be as serious as you want them to be; take all this with a grain of salt.

I would say the defining trait between 246 is that there is a lot of "missed opportunity" or "what could have been." You know, “things didn’t have to be this way.” More specifically, this is Karamatsu's relationship with the other two. Not that this cannot be remedied, but for now nothing is happening. Not any time soon, either. Probably. These aren’t shortcomings they’ll be getting over soon. Interestingly enough, I might have even said this was also applicable to 110 up until recently - so let's start there.

110MATSU: Something of a moving arc going here. Season 1 they’re at their most antagonistic towards each other, with their more docile moments occurring later in the season (most notably the hunt for 123 inside Dayon). Ichimatsu particularly, as Todomatsu has never been one to pick fights. He’s vindictive and isn’t afraid of confrontation, but doesn’t mean he wants to stick his neck out. Ichimatsu, on the other hand, has no qualms being aggressive. He will double-down on embarrassing the fuck out of Totty (as he should). If there is one thing the hivemind has taught all of them, it’s that no brother is above the other, and everyone will equally be dragged back to this self-made hell.

So S1 is the season of “no mercy,” but we see a shift! “ESP Kitty” lays Ichimatsu’s secret in front of everyone: vulnerability. Todomatsu (and 135) sees him like the normie he is for the first time in a real good light, a permanent change. Effectively, by “Dayon Tribe,” this lack of aggression when 456 are left to their own devices becomes a staple of the trio (if we ignore Jyushimatsu’s winter-induced insanity). 

In this same timeframe, Ichimatsu gets a real understanding of just how ruthless the crybaby youngest brother is. And by S2 they realize they have a lot more in common than they realized. A certain self-awareness that certain others lack. Totty could easily be lumped in with suiriku as a tryhard who doesn’t know when to quit, but it becomes apparent this isn’t the case. Sure, Totty’s a tryhard - he craves positive attention and will do what he can to get it, but he’ll never reach the level of Karamatsu and Choromatsu. 110 doesn’t need to “impress” each other. Completely vibing. They prefer each other’s company (and Jyushimatsu’s) over the other 3. They’re not each other’s favorite, by a long shot, but S2 they seem more comfortable around each other.

The movie provides a bit of catalyst, and S3 seems keen on keeping it apart of the continuity, so it’s not far fetched to assume their bonding moment in the movie is what led to their current relationship in S3. An ally has been established, and they can be more honest around each other as a result.

What’s “missed opportunity” is that they both underestimated the other, and what they have now could have been achieved earlier in life. Better late than never! However, they both still suck at communicating, but for now battling with barbed words or getting wrapped up in whatever holds their attention still shows they’re (usually) on the same wavelength.

ZAIMOKUMATSU: If Totty is similar to Ichi, it's not surprising he holds to same distaste for Karamatsu. Theoretically speaking, they should be each other's "brother." It's obvious that Choromatsu and Osomatsu are a "duo," and same with Ichimatsu and Jyushimatsu. Whether you wanna include Oso-kun or not, it's evident that they do not click the same way the others do with their “designated brother.” 

Oso-kun makes it more “angsty” though, or at least makes this reboot interesting. If Zaimoku was more established as children, this clearly isn't carried to their adult selves. That's just life. They fell apart, growing up, and letting time split them naturally. They still like each other, hang out, but there's no real spark there. How can you when one of you refuses to break character. You could say they're similar to Nenchuu, preferring each other's company only in the greater group dynamic. We’ve established they're both tryhards, but Todomatsu has the self-awareness to know when to drop his pretenses, and doesn't understand Karamatsu's more irrational quirks. Sure, tryhards try hard but they're brothers - they already know each other. No need to impress. For Karamatsu’s part of it, I would say it’s both “always needing to be on top of his public image no matter who sees him (including brothers)” and just... He wants to dress like that. So painful.

Todomatsu’s “fatal flaw” within the group is that he’s quite disconnected from the hivemind. This a repeated issue they address, from “Todomatsu & the 5 Demons” to “Todomatsu’s Line.” He doesn’t understand certain social conventions that “make no sense” from experience. For instance, “Todomatsu’s Line” addresses how secretive he is, but he’s only secretive because he knows if he told them about his life they wouldn’t care. They’re only getting on his ass because he’s pulling away from them. The 6 of them are “all or nothing,” so even just one brother leaving is detrimental to their weird inner-brother politics. It gets rid of the facade they perform under, and must confront reality as a result. And so, they punish him accordingly. We know Karamatsu is already the group punching bag, and Totty soon joins him.

S3E5 “Well, Yeah” with these 2 fighting over the cashier, Karamatsu is willing to challenge him because he considers Todomatsu "harmless." Karamatsu is easily intimidated, we know this, but holds none of those sentiments towards Totty. They're both petty crybabies, and would rather tear each other down than team up.

Zaimoku is amiable with each other (for the most part), but typically avoid each other - or at least wouldn't seek the other out if it can be helped. A simple mismatch. Good thing they have 4 other brothers.

So, they're both the bottom of the barrel, and yet they never have each other's back. As with all 6, they’re self-serving. There’s safety in numbers, and they’re better off joining 4 than defending 1. They have created an environment that punishes whoever wanted to be the bigger man. In the most literal sense: nice guys finish last around these parts.

I could keep going. Todomatsu being banished to sea for a whole skit, Todomatsu being fired from the family, the entirety of the Karamatsu Incident. No one’s safe, but truly Zaimoku sits at the lowest tiers, even in the family. 

Leftovers who don't even want to pick each other. Can't blame them, they're both insufferable. They don't respect each other, either. 236 is committed to personas that they think will make people like them. They all more or less hold the belief of “I’m not like these guys, I’m better.” However, Choromatsu genuinely likes Karamatsu. Totty does not. How could he when all he sees is a cringey dude who doesn’t know when to call it quits? Choromatsu is just as bad, and doesn't really consider Karamatsu anything but "harmless."

Being left alone and behind is the worst thing for them, but yet they still don’t want each other, even if they’re “clearly the easiest choice.” That sense of being the “default” choice, rather than a legitimate connection or personalities that get along. Another similarity to Nenchuu, where they’re better off being friends than not out of convenience.

IROMATSU: Take what I just said about Zaimoku and amplify the negativity. Rather than a natural falling out, it is a repeated violent rejection on Ichimatsu's part. It's genuine animosity, because Ichimatsu hates tryhards who lack self-awareness. It's no surprise he doesn't care for Suiriku's company and, until recently, Todomatsu's. The thing is, Ichimatsu is a tryhard. He tried hard in high school, and, though in the opposite direction (”I’m not like these guys, I’m worse”), continues to try hard now.

Concerning Karamatsu, he is equal parts resentful and envious. If the movie implies they used to be friends around high school, it wouldn't surprise me if he resented Karamatsu's "transformation" because Ichi was unable to get over his own issues ("regressing" after high school, though really considering how taxing it was to keep that up he’s probably been burnt out). So yeah, introvert buddies.

He admitted to Choromatsu he finds those who still try even in the face of failure "scary." Ichimatsu's greatest fear is putting himself out there and still being rejected despite his best efforts. That's, again, just how life works, but it's a valid fear to have. 

Seeing Karamatsu, someone he considers legitimately stupid, still put his best foot forward (probably on some level) does feel like a slap in the face. It's also just. Painful. Another cringeass clueless older brother, another ally lost.

(Also I can’t ignore how it’s Osomatsu - one of Ichi’s favorites/most tolerable brothers - is the one who calls Karamatsu’s support “teasing” after claiming himself Ichi would kill his own boss; Osomatsu knows how to talk to each brother in a way they’ll understand)

The difference between Zaimoku and Iro is that the former is always played off as joking and while the latter is still funny and over-exaggerated, it usually also comes across as “Did this cross a line?” It tips into real malevolence because, not only does Ichimatsu act opposite how he feels (except for cats), but even in comedy there’s always a hint of sincerity. They’re all cartoonishly violent, but that comes with the idea that that’s actually how they feel in some form. Ichimatsu can’t handle direct support and attention, and he certainly wouldn’t want it from a guy whose social anxiety is worse than his.

And throughout all this, Karamatsu just... ignores it. He doesn't get it, he probably wouldn't even want to know. He legitimately wants to be like this, and doesn’t really get how others don’t find it as attractive (like how Choromatsu doesn’t get why talking about his aspirations isn’t wanted in conversation - they’re not really ones to read the room when it comes to their own shortcomings). So he "avoids" 110. No point seeking out their company and be rejected for "no reason." He doesn't want criticism, and none of them want communication. I should reiterate, this is all comedy. It’s funny. I love it! But it’s slapstick with thought. 

Short-sighted, they prioritize instant gratification above anything else. The end result, unsurprisingly, is a group of brothers who find it impossible to talk to each other - to bully and harass - when they could do better for one another.

[quillname]

Lab Rats Headcanons: Part 2

 Lab Rats After-Hours & Golden Girls

Hello, did you miss us? Well, we’re back again for another round of inane rambling so buckle up my dears! On this thrilling installment of “wow, you guys really don’t shut up about these nerd characters, huh?” we’ll be featuring the following:

Burke, Luchino, and Bane (the Golden Girls), as well as BonBon (who makes the group into Lab Rats After-Hours)!

So, let’s talk about Golden Girls first before we hop into how BonBon shakes things up for them.

When he first showed up, our favourite lizard man saw Burke’s lab and had precisely one thought: I want in.

Okay, so like, Bane and Burke were friends with each other long before the games at the manor

They were both employees of the DeRoss family and they became friends in their time together as coworkers

As mentioned in their backstories, several incidents occurred. We headcanon that these events caused them to drift apart for a bit

(More on this whole dynamic and character history later when we talk about Bane and Burke’s dynamic specifically, because there’s a lot to get into with them - Quill)

They didn’t end up meeting Luchino until after the games at the manor had begun

When he first showed up, our favourite lizard man saw Burke’s lab and had precisely one thought: I want in.

At first, he tried many different ways to worm his way in politely but when it became pretty quickly apparent that that wasn’t getting him anywhere, he went for the next best thing: annoying Burke into letting him share the lab.

He would often just kind of insert himself into the lab and act like he owned the place, much to Burke’s annoyance

Over time, however, Burke did begrudgingly let him stick around

The three of them have an interesting dynamic, since none of them are particularly great at the whole “communication” thing.

They do all care for each other quite a bit, but they tend to show it in subtler ways. They do little things to show they care.

They check in on one another (especially if someone --- usually Burke, let’s be honest --- stays up too late and needs to be told to sleep), they make each other food/tea, things like that.

Bane and Burke have a long history and are good friends, although some parts of their history are a bit strained, at the end of the day they care about each other lots and both want the best for the other.

Burke and Luchino started out pretty at odds. Burke was annoyed by Luchino and Luchino cared more about the lab space than actually getting to know Burke himself. This evolved over time and they do actually care about each other now quite a bit.

Burke appreciates Luchino’s company more than he’d ever willingly admit to him and Luchino would be willing to go out of his way to help/do something nice for Burke (which isn’t typical for him) if he noticed him in a bad mood.

Luchino tends to yank Burke out of his comfort zone quite a bit. After years of being alone, Burke has developed some not-so-healthy habits and norms, like shutting people out and burying himself in his work when things are bothering him. Luchino is good at noticing when he’s started to wallow and pestering him into a healthier distraction

Like trying to stop a chaotic lizard-man from releasing 20 leopard geckos into the lab space.

No, but in all seriousness, Luchino is good at looking out for Burke in the roundabout ways that he can’t just outright turn down

Burke recognizes this and the amount of care it takes for Luchino to do so (though it does take him a while to realize) and he appreciates it.

Bane and Luchino is a bit of an interesting dynamic.

For us, they kind of got to know each other personally because of their mutual friend in Burke.

Sure, they’d met a few times around the manor before. Run into each other, possibly had a few Duo’s matches together, things like that. But they never really got to know each other through these things because Bane’s a pretty closed-off and guarded person and Luchino is generally apathetic towards getting to know new people. It’s not that he’s anti-social, he just doesn’t really care about getting to know people if they’re not really of use to him.

Because both of them were spending time with Burke, though, they began to run into each other more frequently and with more reason to actually know who the other was

At first, Bane was curious about the new person present around the lab that Burke had let in. He’d heard about him through Burke’s complaints back when he was first trying to break into the lab, but now that Burke actually seemed to be willingly letting him stay, it was enough to pique his curiosity.

Beyond that, he was also quite grateful that Burke had a new person in his life because he knew how important it was that Burke shouldn’t be alone.

For Luchino, there was a similar curiosity: he was intrigued what kind of person could matter so much to someone who seemed as adverse to people and human interaction as Burke (although he does later realize that this impression of Burke isn’t entirely accurate, either)

As such, they began to get to know each other a little more outside of when they just happened to both be in/around the lab at the same time

Over time, they formed a remarkably chill dynamic

Luchino is a little bit more subdued when he’s around Bane, likely because annoying him isn’t quite as much fun as it is with Burke and thus he turns that down a little. He’s still willing to be a bit chatty about his work or be a little chaotic but like, he’ll do it while sitting on the couch and reading a book rather than hanging from a lighting fixture in the lab.

Bane tries to show his appreciation for Luchino in the quiet ways he can. Luchino also tends to look out for Bane, both because he considers him one of his friends and also because he knows it’s good for Burke to know his friend is looked after.

On Duo Hunter days where he notices Bane to be tired, he offers to throw and do a friendly match (to note: this is very unusual for Luchino, who on his own will basically never throw a match. The man likes winning). When Burke asks him about it, he usually waves him off with excuses like the mode not being serious anyway. The small gesture is enough to make Burke smile though, seeing someone else care for Bane’s wellbeing. (That being said, Luchino does extend this to Burke when he’s tired. Burke however, is old and stubborn. He’d rather go down swinging. The two are more similar than they seem, but don’t mention it to Burke.)

Luchino is pretty good at recognizing when the other two are in a bad mood, and he does often try to help in the ways that he can. He has, however, also learned to recognize when the bad mood is probably caused by something he’s not exactly equipped to handle, usually involving either of their pasts.

When this happens, he knows it’s going to take more than helping to get their minds off of things or cheering either of them up.

He’ll usually find a way to direct them to try and talk to one another. Usually it leads to them working things out, though it isn’t always the fastest process.

Neither Bane nor Burke is particularly open about their pasts and he respects that enough not to push them about it.

Luchino feeling down about his own past and current situation is a much rarer occurrence, but still happens nonetheless.

Bane and Burke both do what they can whenever it hits. Sometimes that means listening to Luchino talk. Sometimes it’s offering whatever little bits of advice they can. Sometimes it’s just sitting with him quietly so he doesn’t need to feel alone.

Bane’s presence is quite calming, and given his stalwart nature, Luchino finds that he can fill the silence with sparse ramblings without feeling like he’s judged or unheard. Bane won’t ask him to talk upfront, but it’s an unspoken open door, and for him that’s more than enough.

Bane’s less touchy than he used to be, but he’ll sometimes give pats on the back, as an added support. Luchino allows it.

Burke’s not adept at navigating feelings, but he’s down to trade advice and talk it out (Eventually, once he opens up more. Once they as a group open up more) Luchino and him spend long nights at the lab, heavier conversations are bound to happen. Being someone who’s older and having gone through alot himself, once Luchino starts talking about his own issues, I think Burke would want to let him know that just as much as he’s been there for them, they’re here for him as well.

He mentions one night that if they are to be compared to a symbiotic relationship, then they have one that is mutualistic. Luchino pauses at that, doesn’t hesitate to huff and call Burke corny for using that term, but his eyes begin to blur and he does his best to look away from the old man. He really does appreciate Burke.

Miscellaneous

Burke and Luchino are both softies for Bane.They dote on Bane alot, to which both parties are oblivious. Luchino would deny it to the grave because he is a Bad Bitch, No Feelings™, Burke has given up on pretending he doesn’t care (post-talking-it-out™), that’s his dear deer friend and he’s glad to have him.

Oldie that does not make sense in canon but if there were saturday morning cartoons in the manor, they’d watch them together. Burke would have them running in the lab as background noise, Luchino would make some teasing/playful jabs but ends up intrigued. Bane walks into the lab to see the two of them not doing work and either laughing at punchlines or critiquing certain aspects, and the two motion for him to sit down and watch the rest of it with them.

Burke enjoys the animation medium and the technicalities behind it, Luchino finds the gags and visual effects fun (although he’ll squint at some of the logics), and Bane’s not quite into it as much but the prospect of having saturday mornings set aside to watch cartoons with his good friends is a charming one. Also, he quite likes the ones involving a certain rabbit and hunter. Beat his ass Bugs. Luchino likes the roadrunner cartoons.

Giving something potentially closer to canon timeline, Post-Manor Burke and Luchino find themselves at odds with the Betty Boop cartoons that start airing. Burke finds it neat how far animation is advancing, meanwhile Luchino took one look at her french poodle design and said no. (“Luchino, you’re a lizard.” “And?? At least I look like a lizard. That is not a poodle, you cannot convince me otherwise.”-broh3m3)

Bane and Burke start a garden together in one of the empty courtyard/atrium areas at some point. It’s just a nice little veggie garden that they take care of. It gives them a nice way to spend some time hanging out together.

Burke also has some sunflowers on one end that he grows. They’re the same ones he found growing in his old watering can when he found it while cleaning up the lab. He moved them into the garden to grow properly and so he could use the watering can.

Luchino also likes plants, and has a particular fondness for carnivorous plants. He used to keep a few in his room and a few in the lab, but once the other two start their garden, he starts keeping them in the small greenhouse in the courtyard.

The three of them maintain the garden together.

Because he’s a little on the reckless side and definitely down to cause chaos just to see what happens, Luchino ends up getting chewed out by Burke a lot. He doesn’t usually take it too seriously.

That being said, because he’s known him for so long, Bane knows when Burke’s being a hypocrite about something he’s nagging Luchino about and will sometimes point out an instance of Burke being just as if not more reckless/destructive with his experiments than whatever he’s currently complaining about (“You set fire to the desk, Luchino.” “When you were first testing out BonBon, you set fire to half the forest, Burke.” “...We don’t speak of that.”). It’s all done in good fun and is usually pretty silly.

Luchino is usually just happy to be privy to hearing about Burke’s own recklessness and he can get kind of smug about it. Burke tries to avoid chewing out Luchino about stuff he knows Bane would call him out on if Bane is around as a result.

Luchino tends to be the one making the most jokes of the bunch (or at least he’s prone to saying the funniest stuff) but every so often, on rare occasions, Bane will make a joke. Usually it’s said in a deadpan, and it’s often quite dry, almost to the point that the others wonder if he was joking at all. They’re usually pretty good once they land, though.

As much as we enjoy ‘Burke has detention’ jokes around Luchino, Bane is actually the scariest one to anger. Luchino knows an angry Burke, he sees it all the time. Angry Bane however…

That about does it for the Golden Girls, specifically.

With all that said, how does our loveable, resident penguin-bot shake things up for this group?

BonBon cares a lot about Burke (that is technically his dad, after all!) and enjoys spending time with him in and around the lab.

If he can help out Burke with something, he’s happy to do so, and if he can surprise him by doing something, he’ll be excited about that, too.

Burke doesn’t really say it, but he loves BonBon a lot, too.

As much as Burke insists that BonBon’s name is Guard 26, he still slips up and calls him BonBon now and then.

He actually does consider “BonBon” more of their name than Guard 26, but at this point he’s just stubborn about it. (His tsundere is showing)

Bane’s known BonBon since he was first built.

He’s a little more affectionate with him than Burke is, if only because Burke is not particularly affectionate. BonBon knows they can probably expect head-pats if they sit with Bane.

As a caretaker, BonBon enjoys looking after Burke. Very occasionally he also does the same for Bane. Because both are rather stubborn on that front, he usually has to be sneaky about it.

He’ll make them food or leave them a blanket or sometimes just sit by them to quietly keep them company.

Bane can usually catch on pretty quickly when BonBon is going out of their way to take care of him, partly because it usually involves them hanging out with him outside of the lab.

He appreciates it, though, and lets BonBon do what they want because he knows that they like to help others.

Luchino was a little weirded out by BonBon at first, not entirely sure what to make of him.

Once he got a bit more used to him, though, he decided he liked the little guy.

The two of them can cause untold chaos if left alone for too long. 

Bane is the good influence uncle, Luchino is the bad influence uncle. Burke is the tired father.

Luchino usually steers BonBon into helping him out, but he’s a decent enough person to not let BonBon be the one to get in trouble when they’re inevitably caught doing something Burke told them not to (Burke can usually figure it out on his own, but it’s the thought that counts).

Luchino also likes BonBon because they’re warm. When the weather gets cold or if he gets sick, Luchino likes to curl up against BonBon since they’ve got a built-in heater.

Bonbon is often the middleman for bets and arguments. He can however, be easily swayed, which both parties (see: luchino and burke, bane is chill) will try to work in their favor.

Love languages let’s go!!

Bane’s is quality time. He’s spent quite a bit of his life isolated in the woods and while he never really minded being on his own, it does make him value the time he spends with people he cares about all the more.

After the incident with the poachers, spending time with people who he loves and trusts is a comfort: a rare opportunity for him to let his guard down. He knows the others would help look out for him.

Luchino and Bonbon’s are acts of service. Bonbon is used to filling up the role of a caregiver, and naturally their means of showing affection manifests in doing little things for the others. They’ll tuck a blanket over the others if they fall asleep in the lab and they’ll make a favourite dish if someone seems down.

Luchino on the other hand, was someone who hardly mingled with his previous colleagues for more than necessary. To him, actions speak louder than words, so to go out of his way to do something for Burke or the others (ex. cleaning up the lab, taking over another’s tasks for the day, etc.) is his way of showing he cares for them and genuinely appreciates their company. ‘Cause like hell he’s verbalizing it (bad bitch ™)

Burke’s is also a form of “acts of service” in that the motivations underlying the actions he takes are the more significant manifestation of his care.

Sure, letting the Lab Rats use his lab is spending time with them, but the act of him not kicking them out of the lab is the more significant part for him. Likewise, when he chooses to make a gift for someone, it’s less about the material gift given, and more about the sentiment.

In a way, he’s kind of an amalgamation of multiple love languages, but the one that seems to encompass his motivations the best right now would be acts of service.

Completely random, but for favourite plants: Bane likes Bauhinia trees, Burke likes sunflowers, Luchino enjoys any kind of carnivorous plant but especially venus flytraps, and BonBon likes daisies.

That’ll be the end of that for now, but expect more Lab Rats in the future! This little found family can fit so many headcanons in them! Please take care of yourselves until then! :D

[knickynoo]

Doc & Marty Friendship Mega-Post

As anyone who sees my posts knows, one of my favorite things to explore in regards to Back to the Future is Doc & Marty's friendship. There are plenty of examples of great dynamic duos in TV and movies, but these two are by far my #1. I know I’ve said it (many) times before, but I’ll say it again: their friendship is beautiful for so many reasons. So, I decided to put together a huge list compiling my absolute favorite things and moments about these two time-traveling best buds. 

(Absolutely gonna need to put this under a cut. Going full-ramble, people.)

THE BED & THE AMP. Listen, I can’t even estimate how many times I’ve seen the first movie, and I never knew that there were two beds in the lab until like, 3 months ago? But it is such a good detail, and definitely one of my favorites. It makes sense too, because obviously there are probably nights Marty is helping out with a project & it gets super late so he just crashes there. But I can also imagine that Doc fully realizes that with Marty’s dysfunctional home life, his friend is gonna need a break from it all every so often. And the amp? Look, I don’t care how it came about. Maybe Marty asked Doc if they could build one. Maybe Doc decided completely on his own to just spend weeks putting the thing together. Either way, it is wonderful. Without any dialogue or backstory needed, these things tell us that Doc’s lab is a safe-haven for Marty. There’s a key right under the mat so he can come and go as he pleases, a bed for him, and a gigantic amp that he can play his music on without fear of being told he’s too loud. 

The whole “If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything,” line. I made a whole post about it, so I won’t go into my thoughts again, but yeah, it gives me feelings. (see post here)

How absolutely thrilled Doc and Marty are to see each other in the twin pines mall scene. (It is honestly one of my favorite moments in the entire trilogy, even though it’s almost a blink and you’ll miss it kind of situation.) In like 5 seconds, there are several things happening in rapid succession that wonderfully establishes their relationship. The warmth in the way Doc says, “Marty!”. The fact that they both immediately reach out to the other for physical contact. The smiles on their faces. This is not just a scientist and his assistant, people. These two need each other and bring genuine joy to the other’s life. I mean, look at them.

     And this whole little scene is even more significant when you take into account the McFly dinner scene that we got directly prior to this. (See my breakdown of that scene here-it was one of my favorites to write) You see Marty go from this still, quiet, solemn shell of himself at dinner to smiling and asking questions and moving all around in excitement and it is FANTASTIC. 

This line:

     There’s just something kind of warm and familiar about it? The way that Doc says it almost as soon as Marty starts to ask a question & the way he reaches out to briefly grab Marty’s vest in order to further get his attention just seems to convey that this is something Doc is really used to. Like he knows that when Marty is curious about something and excited that a barrage of questions is soon to follow, so Doc’s in the habit of quickly reeling his friend’s focus back in when they have a specific task to accomplish. I don’t know, I just like it a lot.

The fact that Doc doesn’t “dumb” anything down. He rattles off all his scientific jargon, knowing that Marty has the capacity to follow along as best he can and ask questions if he needs clarification (in which case Doc will completely break it down with models or drawings because he’s all about helping Marty to understand). Unlike Strickland, Doc does not see a slacker. He knows Marty just needs to be engaged and that once he is, he’s totally into all this science stuff.

Marty & ‘55 Doc being so comfortable with each other after only a few days. Because Marty of course has to adjust to this younger version of his friend and Doc obviously just met Marty when he showed up at his house, yet there they are...already totally in tune to each other and being the best of buddies. 

THE GOODBYE SCENES. See my ramblings here & here. For real though, Marty pulling Doc into that hug & looking absolutely broken with grief is probably one of my favorite movie scenes. Like, of all the movies I’ve seen. Yeah. 

Doc traveling back and forth through time to try to pinpoint what went wrong with Marty’s kids so that he can stop it all from happening. 

The scene on the roof of Biff’s hotel when Doc is there with the DeLorean as Marty steps off the ledge? And “Nice shot, Doc!” A+

The whole letter-reading scene in part iii. The way that Marty is wandering all over the lab in the background, touching everything and clearly trying to distract himself from the reality that he’s never going to see Doc again once he gets back to 1985. And when Doc is hyped out of his mind to end up as a blacksmith & Marty goes, “Pretty heavy, huh?” trying to smile but it vanishes instantly & there’s that look on his face that so clearly says he is miserable about this whole situation. And then. AND THEN.

THE ENDING OF DOC’S LETTER from part III. “You’ve been a good, kind, and loyal friend to me, and you made a real difference in my life. I will always treasure our relationship and think on you with fond memories, warm feelings, and a special place in my heart.” !!!!!! Honestly, sometimes I just think about the impact Marty must have had on Doc. Really though. Here’s this guy who’s spent most of his life in solitude. He’s super into science & shunned by the community for being a “nutcase” just because he’s a little different and quirky. So he throws himself into his projects, has only his dogs for companionship, and talks to pictures. Then here comes this kid one day who actually takes the time to SEE DOC and appreciate who he is. Who not only accepts him completely, but thinks he’s cool and totally best friend material. Imagine what it was like for Doc to connect with someone after so many years spent alone and looked down on. 

The look of awe on Marty’s face during the scene with the telescope, as he realizes how smitten Doc is with Clara. He gives this great expression with his head sort of tilted and there’s this disbelief and wonder in his eyes as he takes in the fact that he’s seeing his best friend in love for the first time. 

Just...all the times they risk everything to save the other’s life. 

The ease with which they show affection to each other. It’s so natural and refreshing to see. They’re open and honest about their feelings, allow themselves to get emotional, and are totally comfortable with physical closeness in the form of a supportive hand on the arm or a hug. 

** I of course have to acknowledge the completely baffling lack of a hug in the parking lot scene at the end of the first movie because...honestly, who was responsible for that? I would like a word with them. You’re telling me that after running all the way to the mall, scared out of his mind at the thought of Doc dying all over again, then the way that Marty just collapses and starts sobbing that he wouldn’t immediately grab Doc after seeing that he’s alive??? I tell myself that when the scene cuts after Doc delivers his line about the letter that there was a hug there**

So, um....yeah. I could go on I’m sure, but these are the main things that came to me when I started thinking about why it is that I enjoy these guys so much. It all goes back to the same theme I’ve mentioned in several posts. There is so much heart to these films, and a lot of it comes from the friendship between Doc and Marty. They’re both misfits in their own way. Doc is isolated from the community and Marty is living in a house devoid of support and healthy role models. They fill in gaps and are a source of safety and love in the other’s life. And I appreciate so much how these funny & exciting time travel movies are able to include such a complex, beautiful friendship between a 17 year old kid and an old scientist.

[cauliflowercounty]

Meet Me in the Middle Pt. I (Fred Weasley x fem!Reader)

House: Ilvermorny, your choice

Blood Status: You Choose

Warning: A swear :)

A/N: You’re from the US in this fic!

I/H = Ilvermorny house

-----

“Settle down, students!” Professor McGonagall calls out to the group of 7th years in front of her. She glares over at the twins and Lee who are busy sticking their noses up and imitating her. Once they notice her intense glare, they quiet down, trying to stifle their laughter, still giddy from the start of school energy and being reunited after a long summer apart. 

“This year,” McGonagall begins “we’re initiating a new program in partnership with Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the United States.”

A chorus of murmurs floods through the group.

“For those interested, we are starting a pen friends program. Because of the success of last year in fostering international relationships with the Triwizard tournament, we thought it would be beneficial for both the student body here at Hogwarts and Ilvermorny’s to participate in this new program,” McGonagall explains to the group. All of the seventh years start to whisper to each other excitedly. Many of them comment on how this hadn’t been a possibility before or how they wonder what the wizarding world is like across the pond.

“You’ll receive one pen friend and if you sign up, I expect you to represent Hogwarts well, and remember this is a commitment. Don’t send the person one letter and then never again or there will be consequences,” McGonagall warns everyone. Despite her severe words, people grin with excitement. Fred Weasley thinks about it to himself as all his classmates clamor with excitement. He’d like to have a pen friend from the U.S., but he’s busy wondering if he’ll have the money to send them letters. He and George hadn’t actually sold many of their products yet and he only had just enough money to send letters to his parents back home and the occasional Honeydukes sweet or Zonko’s product. “Postage to the US must cost a lot since owls can’t go that far,” Fred thinks to himself. Maybe giving up the occasional Hogsmeade indulgence would be worth it.

“Cedric would have loved this,” one Hufflepuff near Fred murmurs and everyone falls silent, knowing what the Hufflepuff just said is absolutely true. Everyone in this year definitely felt Cedric’s absence in their year, but in this moment, the air felt heavy with guilt. McGonagall nods in agreement and sets out a paper for sign ups, adding postage will be paid for by Hogwarts and Ilvermorny. Hogwarts students will also write the first letter. Fred smiles in relief. He won’t have to spend all his savings.

“Oi, Freddie,” George nudges him.  “Are you going to sign up?”

Fred nods and rushes up to the paper that his classmates are crowding around. He takes out one of his quills and scratches his signature onto the parchment with a flourish. Returning to his best friends, Lee looks surprised. 

“I didn’t take you for a pen friend sort of guy, mate,” lee comments.

“What can I say, I’m spontaneous,” Fred replies, sure of himself this was the right choice. Leaving the room with George and Lee, Fred heads to his dorm room to start writing his first letter.

When he arrives in his room, he gets out a piece of parchment and sets up a small workspace on his desk.  Just as he sits down, he stops and starts fiddling with his quill. After a few seconds of hesitation, Fred decided to suck it up and start writing.

Hello,

I’m Fred Weasley. I apologise if this letter is a little awkward. It’s my first time ever writing to someone I don’t know at all. I’m in 7th year and I’m a Gryffindor, which values courage and bravery, if you don’t know.  

I have a twin brother. His name is George. We’re like the school pranksters. We currently are developing a line of sweets that make you sick so you can get out of class and other products that people would want like little objects that go off to cause a diversion, We’re also thinking about fireworks, but our main specialty is sweets. It all shows promise.

Georgie and I have never been academics, we’re more pranksters at heart if I’m honest. We’re quite good at charms and enchantments, though. I’m rubbish at potions, though. I hate to be boring, but what’s your favorite subject? I can’t think of anything other than that to ask you, but maybe in a future letter, we can talk about more interesting topics other than school.

Hope to hear from you,

Fred Weasley

Satisfied with his work, Fred folds his letter up and seals it tightly with a wax seal. The next day, he turns it in to McGonagall, who informs him it will be sent within the week. Walking away from McGonagall, Fred starts wondering who his pen friend is.

~

As the following Tuesday rolls around, an unfamiliar owl swoops into the 7th year Gryffindor boys dorms. Attached to its leg is a neatly closed, pristine envelope with “Fred Weasley” written in unfamiliar handwriting.  It hoots loudly at Fred, who scrambles off his bed, knocking a few prototype sweets onto the floor he was just working on with George. 

“Oi! Watch it, Fred!” George protests, but Fed’s already at the window, trying to pry the letter off the owl’s leg. As Fred gets a better look at the letter, he finds the front has been stamped with a MACUSA red stamp reading “INTERNATIONAL” complete with an eagle beside it. Excited, Fred rips open the letter and sits down on his bed, ignoring George who’s trying to get his attention back on the products. Once he’s comfortable, Fred opens up the letter and starts to read.

Hello, Fred Weasley.

I’m y/n. There’s no reason to be sorry that your letter is a bit awkward. Letters like this are out of my comfort zone as well. If it makes you feel any better, your letter felt perfectly natural.

I’m a 6th year in I/H. It’s honestly the best house of all of them. Thunderbird is for adventurers, Pukwudgie is for healers, Wampus is for warriors, and Horned Serpent is for scholars. Fun Fact: Ilvermorny was actually founded by a descendant of Salazar Slytherin and a No-Maj!  

You and your brother must be quite the dynamic duo. Starting a business is no easy feat, but it sounds amazingly interesting. I can’t believe you two were the first to think of sweets that make you sick to get out of class, but I’m glad you two got to the idea first. Please keep me posted on how your other products are coming along! They all sound amazing!

I also like charms and enchantments. My Charms teacher is really awesome. I honestly can’t decide what my favorite subject is. All of them have their ups and downs.

What’s it like at Hogwarts? I hear it’s a castle, but what’s the inside like?

- y/n y/l/n

George looks over at his brother and notices how widely he’s grinning. George notices the “international” stamp on the envelope and realizes what it is and now he’s no longer mad at Fred for knocking the prototypes on the floor as Fred scrambles to grab some parchment to write back.

~

A two and a half months later, you and Fred have exchanged many letters; you’ve exchanges so many you’ve both forgotten what round you’re on. A week ago, Fred sent along some of his products after you told him about the two Wampus bullies in your year, James and Martin, who enjoy tormenting you about your looks, smarts, and everything else under the sun. The package included a box of sparklers and then some sickness-inducing sweets. Alongside the box of charmed sweets, he also sent a box of real chocolates and a note.

The red box with the “W” has the charmed sweets in it! DO NOT EAT UNLESS YOU WANT TO BREAK OUT IN BOILS! The other box has some of my mom’s English toffee for you to try.

Giggling a little from his warning note, you wrote back and thanked him profusely for the gifts and promptly used the sickness sweets on both Wampus lugs, who ran off to the infirmary with large puss-filled growths protruding from their face in embarrassment.  When your dorm mates asked who the real chocolates were from, you feel your heartbeat in your chest as a light blush flushes over your cheeks, thinking of Fred.

Getting out of Potions, you take a walk outside to study as an owl swoops down. You take the letter, recognizing Fred’s handwriting.  

Y/n,

I’m glad the sweets worked. The two of them absolutely deserved it and now we know the boils can last for over 48 hours. That’s valuable information for Georgie and me.

Listen, I don’t want to overstep, but I was wondering if I could know what you look like? We’ve been mailing each other for such a long time and It’s been on my mind. I usually have a face I can put to a name. I’ve enclosed a picture of me in this letter and If you’re comfortable, I was wondering if you’d send one back? No pressure.

F.W.

P.S. The canary creams are a hit!

You look behind the letter and pull out the enclosed picture. You see a tall pale boy with flaming ginger hair. He’s smirking along with someone who looks exactly like him in the background messing with a familiar orange and purple Weasley box. In the picture, Fred has circled the twin in the foreground and labeled it “Fred” and the one in the background “my less handsome brother, George.” You let out a little chuckle. This is exactly what you expected from Fred.

~

A week and a half have passed since Fred sent the letter with the picture in it. With each passing day, Fred worries he’s driven you off with being too forward. He’s considering writing a letter to apologize and beg things can go back to the way it was. he misses writing to you and having to enchant the parchment so it looks scrambles so Umbridge doesn’t read his mail to you about the D.A. and then getting back mail you’ve charmed to look like doodles in a notebook. It was like your own code that you’d both have to undo to read.  

He missed hearing about ilvermorny and your classes. He longed for the day he could hear about the plan you’d set up with Fred’s help for revenge on James and Martin where you’d charm fireworks to go off and chase them around the Ilvermorny grounds until they admitted they were assholes.

George and Lee assured him that he had nothing to worry about, that you probably got busy with school work and will write back soon. Lee also suggested your letter might have gotten lost in the mail, but that thought only made Fred worry. Maybe you had sent a message long ago and you weren’t getting a response because he hadn’t gotten one yet, and maybe he shouldn’t send a letter now because it might pop up once he sends his own letter and he’ll look like an idiot. he can only hope a letter from you is on its way now.

As Fred begins to descend into another pit of worry the next day, an owl comes to land at his side. Fred grabs the letter with fervor, nearly knocking the poor owl off its feet in excitement. The owl hoots angrily in protest at Fred’s sudden movement and flies away after pouting and ruffling its feathers. He rips the envelope open, almost damaging the letter itself. Taking out his wand, he rushes to a bathroom so no member of the inquisitorial squad or Umbridge herself can see him take the charm off the paper that currently has a drawing of a sloth on it.

Dear Freddie,

I’m sorry for not getting back to you in the last week or so. I had a midterm and I didn’t want to let you down by only sending you a scrap of paper saying I had a test. I hope it went well.

Thanks for sharing that picture with me. You and your brother are very cute together. I didn’t expect your hair to be so bright, but then again, I’m not around many people with red hair. I’ve also sent you a picture of me. It was taken during Care of Magical Creatures. The niffler unit was my favorite. They’re like magical platypuses!

I hope it’s what you expected? I don’t know what to say (haha).

Wow! The Canary Creams are working finally? That’s awesome! Did feathers get everywhere? Who was the poor test subject?

I’m glad everything is working out, Freddie.  

- Y/n

Fred smiles down at the paper from within the stall. You’ve always been supportive of the business. You were almost as excited about it as he and George were. He looks down at the picture you’ve sent along with your letter and his heart skips a little bit. 

You’re smiling at the camera with a niffler in your arms. As the picture moves, you laugh as the niffler squirms and tries to reach for the shiny watch on your wrist. As he observes the picture more, he sees there’s a warm twinkling in your eye. you look so happy. Returning to his dorm room, Fred opens his trunk and tucks the photograph into the corner of his trunk next to some logo designs and a family picture with a pair of horns and a monocle drawn on Percy. He smiles. That’s where that picture will stay.

~

Time has passed, yet you and Fred have kept in touch. Fred’s now living above the shop in Diagon Alley with George after their grand escape from Hogwarts, which you supported him through one hundred percent despite never ever meeting.  

Throughout the months, you’ve both been mailing and you’ve helped him develop new products, acting as a remote filter and outside perspective for the twins, which you enjoyed the process of.  

All the while Fred has supported you through your last year at Ilvermorny since you’re a year younger than he is. Even though he didn’t finish school doesn’t mean he can’t support and help you at all.  

Through your letters, you’ve started calling him “your special Freddie,” making Fred’s heart swoop and swoon as he imagines what your voice sounds like saying it to him.  Time goes on and he’s falling, but Fred doesn’t resist it.  You’ve always been there for him and he knows he’ll be there for you through think and thin.  As he realizes he’s in love, he starts to worry that you won’t return his feelings, but even if you don’t he still wants you in his life.  You make him happy.  It’s as simple as that.

After getting up one morning, Fred heads down to the shop to do inventory downstairs. He notices that it’s darker outside today, even more so today than usual. Both he and Georgie have noticed things have been darkening lately with Voldemort and his followers running around Britain, but today is especially dark.  

Fred hears a knock at the door of the shop. The shop was closed today and most of the regulars knew that this wasn’t a time they’d be open. Cautiously, Fred draws his wand and approaches the door, careful to not step into view in case it wasn’t a welcomed guest. Fred peeks around the corner and notices it’s his father. Wand still drawn, he cautiously approaches the door.

“Which twin said ‘honestly woman, you call yourself our mother?’ at the station before my third year?” Fred asks through the glass at the man he thinks is his father, knowing his dad wants to abide by Ministry guidance about identification.

“Fred did,” Mr. Weasley answers but notices how Fred’s face sinks a bit at his response.  “You did. Sorry, Fred.”

Fred cautiously lets him in, not putting his wand away,

“Fred, Dumbledore is dead,” Mr. Weasley explains.  “Snape was the one who carried it out.”

“That tr-” Fred starts, but Mr. Weasley holds his hand up.

“I know, Fred. I just wanted to come by and tell you before you get it from the Prophet. I also wanted to tell you... We’re not safe anymore. The ministry has most likely been infiltrated or will be infiltrated in the next few days. Keep your guard up. With Dumbledore gone, this fight just got much more difficult,” Arthur explains, sighing deeply and rubbing his face.  “I trust you’ll tell George?”

Fred nods as his dad says goodbye and gives him a “see you soon” before apparating away. Fred locks the door and puts down the shutters with his wand. He rushes up the stairs and scribbles on a piece of parchment his last letter to you before the war, explaining what’s happening, that the mail is probably going to be tracked and opened, that things are getting dangerous. He insists that you shouldn’t write back even if it’s tempting and that he’ll write to you once the war is over.  Fred considers signing it “Love, Fred” because this might be the last time he ever writes to you, but doesn’t; he just writes:

See you on the other side of the war, y/n. Stay safe. 

Yours truly, Fred Weasley

-----

Read Part 2 Here!

[crowleyellestair]

Could you write a Geralt x healer!reader where she is tagging along with Geralt & Jaskier. Over the time she has spent tending to his wounds and on occasion, saving him, Geralt begins to develop feelings for her but he doesn’t understand them (obvs) so he pushes it aside. But on one particularly awful part of their trek, she falls through some ice and plot twist! He has to save her now. The terror he feels when seeing her so close to death makes him realise what she means to him🥺

AN// Had fun writing this!! Let me know if you want a part 2!

Masterlist

 Jaskier was the one to convince Geralt that she would be a great asset to their team. The Witcher could hear the bard’s voice ringing in his head as he sat there in silence. His chin was laying on his clasped hands that were propped on his knees. Geralt hadn’t left that spot in roughly a day and he was willing to stay for as long as he needed to. He scolded himself, hating that his mind replayed the bards voice on loop.

“The Dynamic Duo turned Terrific Trio,” was said with as much gusto as Jaskier could muster. Geralt had rolled his eyes at the comment, but didn’t disagree. Jaskier was known to leave him for periods of time to focus on monopolizing the music community in any given area. Geralt had just assumed at the time that the same would be said for Y/n. He knows now that that was a fatal mistake.

He had been convinced she wouldn’t be a burden as their first encounter had involved her saving him. It was a ‘wrong-place-worst-time’ scenario that she had quite literally walked into. Y/n had left the apothecary through the back door and into a skirmish that was forced onto the man. Some radical townsfolk had thought it wise to try and pick a fight with the ‘abomination’ known as Geralt, and normally he would have been fine. But it was seven against one in hand to hand combat. Geralt couldn’t use a weapon to dispatch them, as that would fuel the rest of the town to take arms against him as well. He had taken out five, but the sixth member was really sucking his attention.

The woman had walked into their fight, the ruffian pushing her out of the way and onto the ground. Geralt gave a look, showing that using force against her had pushed a moral line of his. He laid a hit directly on the man’s nose, and he stumbled back far enough for Geralt to turn to finish off the last man. Y/n had regained her bearings, and noticed the sixth wasn’t completely taken care of. He quietly stalked up behind the Witcher, pulling out a small shive. Geralt had taken care of the last man, but she knew he wouldn’t turn fast enough to catch the aggressor. She jutted her leg out in front of the radical, effectively tripping him. He let out a loud gasp and he threw the knife rom his hand to safely catch himself. Geralt had finished him off before giving a silent look towards her.

They had stayed there in silence for a moment, Geralt breathing heavy and looking down at his surprise savior. She rolled her eyes before pushing herself off the ground.

“No, thank you for needing help.” Her hands went down to pat the dust and dirt off her pants. She let out a soft curse as she swung her satchel forward, taking inventory and praying none of the vials had gotten broken. Geralt just watched with a quirked brow before releasing a mechanical and awkward,

“No, thank you?” Her gaze snapped to him, giving a genuine, humor filled smile.

“You’re welcome. Safe travels.” She gave a halfhearted, friendly salute before walking away. Jaskier had pushed himself from his hiding spot, clearly and loudly criticizing the warrior.

“Geralt, that was plain rude. Even a cute girl can’t get you to show gratitude. You truly are lost sometimes.” Geralt had given a displeased, guttural noise in response.

 They had met again when he was given the task to liberate a small camp from a horde of wraiths. It was a few towns over, about a month from when they first met. He had been outnumbered tenfold, and when it seemed that he was exhausted and losing, a loud crash could be heard. His amber gaze raked the floor, finding four broken vials and a material quickly going airborne. He held his breath, but the odd shimmer was all too familiar. At first, he was impressed, thinking it was the bard who had come to aid, but when he turned to find the woman from before, he was taken aback.

His surprised gaze was met with an expecting one, and when he didn’t move, he finally heard the melodic voice that he couldn’t let go since the first encounter.

“Are you going to finish them off, or did I throw those in vain?” He had shifted immediately into action, swinging his sword and delivering fatal blows. He had sheathed his weapon as she approached with two empty vials in hand. She crouched down, gathering wraith dust in them, before straightening and meeting his gaze again.

“Why are you here?” He was confused at her innocent gaze and gesture to the vials. She had shown knowledge of dispersing dark creatures, and yet, she stood before him with purity in her eyes. She shrugged as her nonverbal reply didn’t receive a continuation of conversation.

“I didn’t think there would be twenty, I thought there would be like two. I was planning on using the bombs, pierce them with my sword, then collect the remains. I need it to help relieve a boy who caught yellow fever. I’m a healer, you see.” He gave a hum of acknowledgement and he started to walk back into the direction of town. When she followed, he gave only a questioning side glance. “Well, we both need to get back to town, so why not walk together? I didn’t catch your name before.” It was a fib, as she had heard Jaskier that day, but she wanted to hear him say it.

“That’s because I didn’t give it.” He was being honest, but quickly felt a tinge of guilt, as the phrase is usually used in a dismissive and rude context. She scoffed, and he gave her another side glance.

“Okay, that’s a little much. Heroes shouldn’t be shown such an attitude, but I’ll let it slide, Bartholomew.” Geralt fully looked to her, eyes furrowed. She matched his gaze with a playful smile. “Well, I need to call you something. Especially since it seems like you are my personal ‘damsel in destress’.” He looked forward, but after a moment, a quiet “Geralt,” passed his lips.

Her smile grew and gave a curt nod of content. They walked in a comfortable silence back to town, Jaskier waiting for his friend right outside of the tavern for his friend to return. When his gaze fell on Y/n, he looked to Geralt and smirked.

“Well, if it isn’t the lovely lady you failed to fully thank from before.” He grabbed her hand, bringing it up to place a kiss on her knuckles. “Let me give you thanks for him- tenfold because of the delay.” She laughed, but Geralt was surprised to find the usual blush women had to the bard’s tactics was missing from her cheeks. It seemed to him that she genuinely found Jaskier’s attempts funny. She dropped her hand, and smiled.

“Charming, but I’m going to have to pass.” She gave a polite and small bow to the bard. She turned to bid them a farewell, when Jaskier’s voice shrilled out of worry and surprise.

“Geralt, you’re hurt- how’d you get hurt?” Y/n’s gaze shot up to meet the man’s, before looking him over. Her brows drew in confusion, but she then stalked to the other side of him and lifted his arm. Her brows flew and her hands started pressing and prodding, trying to assess the damage. Gently dropping his arm, she gripped his wrist.

“Follow me back to my tent, I can patch you up.” She looked down; her next expression spoken in a hushed tone. “Why didn’t you tell me after I mentioned I was a healer?” Geralt threw a glare at Jaskier who shrugged, but returned a stern look. When Geralt looked back to the woman, who was solely absorbed in his injury, his gaze slightly softened.

She had never marveled or spat at the fact that he was a Witcher. Anyone who dare call themselves a healer knows about Witchers. They were born of magic, science and pharmaceuticals and revolutionary to the world of alchemy. Nothing she said was ever borne of awe or disgust. The only things to fall out of her mouth were friendly jests and inquiries. Even Jaskier wasn’t passive about Geralt’s true nature.

And since they first met, he hadn’t forgotten those facts.

So, when he caught his gaze softening, he was confused. This was the second time they had met, and the man had already lost self-control over his expressions around her? Geralt thought it uncomfortable, to say the least. His gaze hardened again, explaining,

“I don’t need help. I’m a Witcher.” Her gaze shot back to his again with an unconvinced and uncaring look.

“I can see that. The wound is deep- I won’t make you pay if that’s what you’re worried about.” That too confused him more, making him try to dissociate from the situation.

“I heal faster than humans. I’ll be fine.” He watched as she rolled her eyes and dropped his writ. Y/n planted her hands on her hips, puffing out her chest.

“Fine. I am looking to hire a Witcher to escort me back to my tent. As I am a healer, the only payment I can give is tending to wounds.” He squinted his eyes, the only reaction he could muster from the confusing emotions swirling inside.

“I decline. There is no danger here.” She leaned in, matching his squint with one of her own.

“I heard wraiths were running rampant in these parts.”

“Luckily for you, I just took care of the horde. You should be safe getting to your destination.”

“Unlucky for both of us, you didn’t let me finish. I heard men were also quite despicable here, just like every adjacent town. I heard you had a run in a month ago, so you should understand where a simple woman, like me, is coming from.” Geralt was impressed- and so was Jaskier for that matter. He didn’t know how, but this was definitely worming its way into a song or poem.

 Geralt hadn’t known that, when she successfully convinced him, he would be convinced again and again for the following year. After Jaskier’s suggestion on their third run in, Y/n stayed with the boys to travel. Geralt often gave up his bed roll for her or let her come along to hunts without argument only because he just did. He simply let it happen. He didn’t know why or when it started, but he never thought about doing it when he made these decisions. Geralt seemed to stop thinking when she was around, and all he had left were his instincts. It seemed to him that instincts said to bathe her with temporal affection. He hadn’t tried- no, hadn’t wanted to dwell on the meaning behind the instincts. He had reflected on how it never got to the extreme level it was at, ever with Jaskier. And he was sure Jaskier would be jealous if he really knew how much Geralt spoiled Y/n, in his own way, of course. The only other person to make him have this effect was… Yen. But he constantly thought about his feelings with Yennifer, and how if they did stay together, it would be too toxic. It would implode at any second, and Geralt didn’t have the inner strength to go through that.

Time and time again, Y/n saved Geralt in more ways than one. She would help out when he found himself stuck in battle, she would tend to his every wound, and she would keep him company even if all they did was sit in silence. He had just assumed that this was the making of a true friend, and he never dwelled on it passed that line of logic.

The trio had split up earlier in the week, Jaskier staying in Aar Carraigh. Y/n was planning on travelling to Aedd Gynvael, a fort close to Kaer Morhen, so they could continue traveling once winter had passed. The fort wasn’t too far past Kaer Morhen, so Geralt had offered to escort her there safely, especially since the terrain was treacherous. It was only a week into winter, but since they were so far north, ice and snow covered everything the eye could see. The only way to the fort from Aar Carraigh, where they had dropped the bard off, was to pass over Gwenllech River.

It was complete ice, and the crossing bridge was too far out of the way to get to in a timely manner. The two were doing great until something hit the ice from under them.

“What could have possibly done that?” Y/n’s tone was short and tense. Her arms were held out for balance, and her feet splayed. Her eyes were pinned to Geralt, who was trying to decide what it was. Sadly, he couldn’t come to a conclusion.

“It doesn’t matter. We only have a couple feet left.” She nodded and took a step towards the other side. The ice ratted again, and to keep her balance, she had to slide back, out of Geralt’s reach. From this pressure from under, the ice began to crack. Geralt knew he’d be fine on his own, but Y/n would need to carefully pass over the unsafe terrain. While he was confident in her, he wsn’t confident in the surface. He couldn’t pass to help her as one pass could break the ice, and they wouldn’t be able to get back over. Or, if it was structurally sound then, both of their weight passing over it surely would send them into the water. Gwenllech wasn’t known to be a passive body, and there most likely was a fierce current.

It seemed to the Witcher that Y/ had realized she was on her own by the look of terror on her face. She swallowed hard and looked down to the cracks. Geralt reached an arm out in a comforting way while trying to meet her gaze.

“Look to me, and only me. It will be easier that way.” She nodded with her eyes closed and took a deep breath. Her eyes, which the Witcher had grown quite fond of, instantly found his. She didn’t lift her feet off of the surface, slowly and gently making shuffling movements to close the distance.

Geralt hadn’t blinked- he wouldn’t dream of breaking the eye contact, but in a second she was gone. His gaze dropped just a hair too slow to find her body disappearing under the ice. Luckily, she had known to throw her arms up, instead of trying to catch herself. He was there in an instant, his hand piercing the water’s surface, and grasping her outstretched hand. He pulled her out as fast as she went in, but it was enough to have the ill of winter set in her bones. Being closer to Kaer Morhen, he simply brought her there.

Eskel would pop in every hour to check on Geralt in his quarters, but Geralt refused to leave the room. So, they sat and chatted, the brunette trying to get the significance of the girl out of the ashen haired one. Geralt saw Eskel as a brother, but he had yet to figure it out himself, only telling him it was complicated. Lambert had caught that end, pestering him, trying to understand if it was like the Yennifer situation.

Geralt had felt sour discussing the witch with Y/n in the room. The only emotion he could pin it closest to would be guilt. But why would he feel guilty? It wasn’t lost on him that she went out of her way to tend to Geralt’s every need. He was sure that if he were to receive a paper cut, she would still give him full treatments. Y/n had a pure heart, treating everyone to the best of her abilities, but it had never reached the level it had with anyone else. She would help Jaskier with blisters and callouses from playing his lute for too long, but he knew that if Jaskier would receive a paper cut, she would probably jest, and go they’d all about their day. Jaskier knew this too, constantly giving him nudges and suggestive shoulder or brow raises when Y/n would do something that qualified as ‘cute’. And it wasn’t that she hadn’t done something that qualified as that because she did- every damn day, just by being herself.

Friends could think the other is cute, dote on their every movement, and instinctively give them all the other had to offer, right?

Right?

Fuck.

 When Y/n had woken up, the first thing to catch her eyes were the wall to wall decorations. Different skulls and pelts were found littering every space of them. She would most likely find it off putting if her senses weren’t being berated by her favorite scent: Geralt. It was leather, metal and celandine flowers. Most wouldn’t assume that from a Witcher, but he was constantly around them as they were ingredients for a lot of the potion’s Y/n would make for him. They didn’t have an overbearing or really distinct scent; she was only familiar since she worked so closely with it. Y/n wouldn’t have it any other way, being convinced that no other scent would match him best.

When she shifted to her elbows, her eyes continued to inspect the place. She sort-of jumped in place when she spotted the crown of white hair at the base of the bed. Geralt hadn’t been facing her, and had settled on his knees to meditate. She felt bad, assuming this was his room. The only place he ever really considered a permanent home. And she was taking up his bed. Y/n pushed out to find that she wasn’t wearing her clothes. A Geralt-size shirt hung low enough to cover her small clothes. A blush crept up her neck, and she looked to the bed. The only disturbance was where she left from the middle of the bed. There was a mountain of blankets and a fire raged in the corner of the room in a small hearth. The moments before her passing out rushed to her, and it all fell into place.

Walking in front of Geralt, but a few paces out of reach, she called to him. She had learned that touching him or being too close alarmed him, as all he could process was something disturbing him. And while he didn’t have a ‘swing first, ask questions later’ mentality, it would still be jarring.

His amber eyes opened to her, and it immediately raked up and down her form. She thought she made it up when she heard a faint grunt of approval, but he small smile that graced him when their eyes met, told her otherwise.

Y/n felt her stomach drop when his smile wiped from his face. He felt that twinge of guilt again seeing her tense, but it suddenly came across Geralt that somehow, he would have to tell her his feelings.

Fuck.

 Part 2 is up - Called Geralt's Problem

[livesincerely]

it’s so easy (too easy) to love you, ch. 1

Also on Ao3

00000

Davey’s just gotten out of class—literally just walked out the door—when his phone starts ringing.

“Davey,” Tony says the moment he answers, not even giving Davey time to say hello, “can you swing by the apartment real quick?”

Davey sighs. “Are you locked out of the house again?”

There’s a guilty silence. Then, “Or maybe I just wanna see you, huh? You don’t know.”

“Tony.”

“Charlie’s the one that lost the spare,” Tony capitulates immediately, there’s an indignant “Hey!” somewhere in the background, “and I left my keys in my locker ‘cause I thought Charlie had his—”

There’s a scuffle of noise, then Charlie’s voice breaks in, “—don’t listen to him Davey, I asked him before we even got on the subway if he had his keys and he said he did but he didn’t even check—”

“—well, I thought you had yours, didn’t I?—”

“—and he was twenty minutes late picking me up from band practice because he was too busy making out with Spot Conlon to come help me carry my stuff—”

“—that was supposed to be a secret you little shit!”

“—you started it!”

Davey pulls the phone away from his ear as the other side of the line descends into a mess of indistinct yelling. He thinks about trying to get their attention, but he decides to just start heading towards the apartment, muting his side of the call while he waits them out—they’ll remember him eventually.

In the meantime, Davey sends a quick text:

Tony and Charlie locked themselves out of the house again

He’s not expecting a response, but Jack must be in-between projects because he gets one almost immediately.

jc again?

And you’re going to have to get a new spare made

fuck okay i’ll take care of it. are you heading over?

I’m walking there now

ur the light of my life dave

Davey can’t help but smile at this, a soft feeling fluttering in his chest. Before he can write back, Jack sends another text:

how did ur midterm go?

I feel good about it! Def did better than I thought it would!

duh youve been living in the library all week ofc ur gonna do great. ill swing by the grocery omw home and pick up some ice cream to celebrate. do we need anything else while im there?

Get a bell pepper and some tomato paste, I’m going to make spaghetti for dinner. And we need more laundry detergent.

fuck yes im starving! can we do garlic bread too?

Come home on time and we’ll see.

u drive a hard bargain. kerian owes me a favor so he can stay late tonight lol

“Davey?” The sound of Charlie’s voice, tinny and muffled, prompts Davey to lift his phone back to his ear; it seems like he might’ve been calling Davey’s name for a while. “Are you still there?”

“I’m still here,” Davey confirms.

“So are ya comin’ or what?” Tony cuts in, ever impatient. “I’m roasting out here!”

“Well, I was thinking about leaving you to ruminate on your poor life choices,” Davey responds dryly, “but I guess I can come let you in, since you asked so nicely.”

“Thanks, Davey,” Charlie says.

“I’ll be there soon,” Davey confirms.

“Hurry, will ya? Much longer and I’m gonna get heatstroke and die,” Tony declares.

Davey rolls his eyes. “Goodbye, Tony.”

00000

When he arrives at Jack’s building some twenty minutes later, Davey finds Tony and Charlie right where he expects them: crowded together in the little bit of shade the roof’s overhang offers, wearing identical grumpy expressions that brighten immediately when they spot him approaching.

"Finally!" Tony exclaims, shooting to his feet. "What took you so long?"

“Stop losing your keys and you won’t have to wait for me,” Davey counters, slotting his key into the deadbolt and hefting open the heavy exterior door. He props it open with his hip and lets Tony and Charlie scurry past him into the AC. “You couldn’t get anyone to buzz you in?”

“Old Man Davis hasn’t gotten his hearing aid replaced yet,” Charlie explains as they climb the stairs up to the second floor, “and Mrs. Ikeda isn’t home.”

“She joined a new book club,” Tony adds. “She won’t be back till late.”

“Oh, I’ll have to ask her about it when I see her next,” Davey muses.

He gets the apartment door unlocked and the boys pile inside, tossing their backpacks down with dramatic groans of relief.  Charlie makes a beeline for his bedroom; Davey expects Tony to do the same but he takes a seat at the kitchen table instead, booting up his laptop with a couple of keystrokes.

“I’ve got a paper due in English tomorrow,” Tony explains. “Can you look it over once it’s finished? Maybe later this evening”

“Of course,” Davey replies. “What’s it on?”

“Lord of the Flies.”

Davey’s nose wrinkles up. “Oh, I hated that one. What’s the essay prompt?”

“Identify Golding’s argument about human nature as proposed in Lord of the Flies,” Tony reads off the top of the assignment outline. “Then make an argument agreeing or disagreeing with his assessment, using evidence from the text.”

Davey rolls his eyes. “Good to see that high school literature classes haven’t changed much in the last few years,” he says with a sigh. “How much have you written so far?”

“Oh, I haven’t even started it yet,” Tony casually rebuts.

“Is everything going okay?” Davey asks, frowning slightly. “If things are getting worse we can make an appointment—”

But Tony waives his concerns aside. “Nah, this is regular old procrastination, not ADHD procrastination. Like ya said, Lord of the Flies sucks ass, so I just didn’t want to write it.”

“Well, let one of us know if you start having trouble,” Davey says.

"Okay, mom,” Tony agrees, somewhat distracted. He’s already got a blank document pulled up on his laptop, a battered and thoroughly dog-eared copy of the book laying open beside him.

Davey looks at him for another moment, then he shrugs and continues making his way into the kitchen—he figures there’s no need to worry unless Racer starts actually missing assignments. And he’s right: Lord of the Flies does suck ass.

By the time Jack gets home they’re each fully entrenched in different activities: Davey’s washed a sink full of dishes and is working on drying the last few pieces of silverware, Tony is still posted up at the kitchen table, carefully hammering out a draft of his paper, and there are the familiar sounds of Charlie working through different musical scales on his oboe in the back bedroom.

“Honey, I’m home!” Jack calls jokingly as he enters. There’s a rustle of plastic and soft thunk of the front door closing behind him, then he comes around the corner into the dining room with an armful of groceries.

“Hey, Jack,” Davey greets absently. He starts rifling through the bags almost before Jack can finish putting them down. “Did you get the tomato—?”

“I got the tomato paste,” Jack says, kicking off his shoes and leaving them in the entryway with all the others, “and I picked up some more of that fancy coffee you like from the place around the corner, even though it’s expensive as all hell.”

“Don’t judge me,” Davey replies, gathering up an armful of vegetables and carrying them further into the kitchen. “You spend a semester grading 'Intro to Shakespeare' homework and tell me how much caffeine you consume.”

“I’m just saying, the rest of us schmucks drink regular coffee and do just fine,” Jack continues. “You can feed your crippling caffeine addiction just as well with Folgers and it’ll cut down on the grocery bill.”

“Watch it, Kelly,” Davey says, pointing a finger teasingly in Jack’s direction. “Smartasses don’t get dinner.”

“‘s that so?” Jack asks with a grin. “Then why the hell are we still feeding Tony?”

“I heard that,” Tony grumbles from the kitchen table.

“Yeah, you were supposed to,” Jack says, moving over to Tony and slinging an arm around his shoulders, pulling him into a side hug. Tony bats at Jack’s hand but makes no real attempt to get away. Then Jack says, “So, I hear you and your brother lost another set of keys.”

Tony throws Davey a look of the deepest betrayal. “You told Jack?”

“Of course he did,” Jack says. “Someone’s gonna have to get new ones made, and it sure ain’t gonna be either half of the dynamic duo.”

“Charlie lost the spare,” Tony says, mercilessly throwing Charlie under the bus while he’s not in the room to defend himself. “And I didn’t lose my keys, I just left them in my locker.”

“Uh huh, save it for the judge,” Jack responds, ruffling Tony’s hair. “Just know if I end up having to change the deadbolt, it’s coming outta your subway money.”

“Jackie, leave Tony alone,” Davey comments mildly over Tony’s spluttering protests. “He needs to work on that paper and you’re distracting him.”

“Yeah, Jack,” Tony repeats, a little smug. “You’re distracting me.”

Davey turns to look at him, one eyebrow raised. Tony quickly busies himself with his homework.

Davey makes quick work of washing a green pepper and peeling an onion, then starts dicing both into small, neat pieces. He feels more than hears Jack sidle up behind him: the familiar weight of his gaze, the solid presence at his back. He stands there quietly, leaning against the counter-top and just watching Davey cook; unbothered, Davey leaves him be for the moment and moves to the stove, scraping the chopped vegetables off the cutting board and into a pan to start softening.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Davey glances over his shoulder at Jack and says, “Are you just going to stand there or are you going to help me with this? You know there’s no loitering in my kitchen.”

“Well, I’m nothin’ if not a law abidin’ citizen,” Jack drawls in answer, the corner of his mouth quirking up. He rolls up his shirt sleeves, exposing the long, muscular line of his forearms, and washes his hands in the kitchen sink. “Where do you want me?”

Davey licks his lips. “Think you can handle browning the hamburger?”

“I’m sure I can manage,” Jack responds with a smirk.

Davey steps out of the way, letting Jack take his place in front of the sauce pan while he gets a pot of water set up on a different burner, salting it so it boils faster. They settle into their familiar dinner-routine, moving around and past each other with ease as they work on getting everything ready, chattering idly all the while.

“I’ve gotta head back out this evening,” Jack says at one point, as he sets the tray of garlic bread in the oven to toast. “Johnson’s got me working a night shoot and I have to be downtown by 9.”

“How long is the session?” Davey asks. “Here, will you open this?”

“We’re scheduled for five hours, but we might get to wrap it up early if everything goes well.” Jack’s hand brushes against the small of Davey’s back and they trade places again, Davey stepping back up to the stove-top and Jack rifling around in one of the drawers for a can opener.

“Are ya spendin’ the night or are ya headin’ back to campus?”

“Depends on how much help Tony needs with his paper,” Davey replies, shaking his head. He takes the can when Jack hands it back to him and empties it into the saucepan, then gives the whole thing a good stir. “We might be at it a while.”

Jack huffs out a laugh. “Well, if you do spend the night, go ahead and take the bed. The extra blankets are in the usual place.”

Davey sets down the spoon he’s holding, crossing his arms across his chest. “Jack,” he says warningly.

“Davey,” Jack echoes back in the exact same tone of voice. In the background there’s the faint sound of Tony muttering, “Jesus, not this again.”

“Jack, I’m not gonna kick you out of your bed,” Davey says, rehashing the same old argument for what feels like the millionth time. “I’m perfectly fine taking the couch.”

“Or you could do the smart thing and just take the bed,” Jack counters as he always does. “I’m not even gonna be here to use it.”

“You’ll want an actual mattress when you get home, especially if you’re out late.” Davey argues. “I don’t even have class tomorrow, it’ll be fine.”

“If you don’t take the bed I’ll just carry you in there once I get back,” Jack says, as if that's a perfectly reasonable course of action. “So you might as well save me the trouble.”

Davey sputters. “That’s not— You can’t just— That only happened a couple of times!” he finally gets out.

"Well, actually, it's been more like four or five times," Jack says with a smirk. "But hey, who's counting?"

"That trick won't keep working," Davey grumbles, feeling the back of his neck start to heat up.

“You sleep like a fucking rock, Dave,” Jack says, rolling his eyes. “Why wouldn’t it keep working?”

“No, see, that’s exactly why I should take the couch,” Davey insists. “It’s not like the sound of you coming in will wake me up—”

Jack turns to face him. Davey cuts off, slightly startled—he hadn’t realized they were standing so close to each other.

“Just take the bed, Davey,” Jack all but orders, and those dark eyes with that low voice are a heady combination. “Please?”

Davey bites at his lower lip, suddenly flustered. “Fine,” he reluctantly concedes, hoping Jack will attribute his flushed face to the heat of the kitchen. “Just this once.”

"Thank you," Jack says with a dramatic heave of his chest, looking much too pleased with himself. "Now that wasn't so hard, was it?"

"You're letting the garlic bread burn," Davey answers tartly.

"Oh shit—!"

00000

Later that evening, after they’ve all finished eating and have cleaned up, Davey, Tony, and Charlie are still gathered around the table, working on various assignments.

Davey is finishing the readings for his Monday lecture in between helping Tony finalize the exact wording of his essay. Charlie sits opposite him, working through his geometry homework and every so often there’s a huff of breath and the rubbery scratch of an eraser—Davey makes a mental note to swipe some more pencils and notebook paper from the grad lounge when he’s there next.

Davey notices the time and frowns. “Jack,” he calls out, “it’s already 7:30. If you don’t leave soon you’re gonna be late for work.”

There’s a clamor of noise from down the hall, then Jack appears, freshly showered and fumbling to put on his socks and button up a clean shirt at the same time.

“Fuck, Johnson is gonna kill me,” Jack grumbles. He pats down his pockets, then groans. “Christ, has anyone seen my—”

“Your wallet and keys are on the counter by the microwave,” Davey says, pointing. “And take a jacket, it’s supposed to rain later.”

“Great, I’m sure the models will love that,” Jack says with a groan. “Hopefully we’ll be able to get through everything without getting rained out.”

He meanders his way over to the table, peering at Charlie’s homework from over his shoulder. “If Tony is still busy and ya get stuck, text me,” Jack tells him. “I probably won't be able to answer right away, but if ya send me a picture of the problem I can probably talk ya through it between shots.”

Charlie hums his acknowledgment, still scribbling furiously. Jack turns to Tony.

“Listen to whatever Davey tells you about your paper,” he advises. “The only reason I got through undergraduate writing was ‘cause Davey proofread all my shit before I turned it in.”

“I thought I was s’pposed to always listen to Davey,” Tony says distractedly, tongue poking out between his teeth as he types.

Jack pauses, considering. “Yeah, just do that.”

“Jack—”

“Oh, and Dave cooked, so you shitheads better do the dishes, get me?”

“Jack, you’re gonna be late,” Davey cuts in firmly, holding out Jack’s jacket for him.

“Alright, I’m going,” Jack says, shrugging it on, and he finally starts making moves towards the door.

He gives Charlie one last pat on the shoulder and cuffs Tony lightly across the back of the head in a slightly rougher, but no less affectionate goodbye, which is per usual. Then he turns to Davey, tips his chin up, and kisses him right on the mouth, short and sweet.

“Lock the door behind me and don’t forget to—” Jack stops mid-sentence, then turns bright red.

“Um,” says Charlie.

“Holy shit,” says Tony.

Jack’s mouth opens and closes soundlessly. Finally, he stammers out, “I u-uh— I-I d-didn’t mean—“

Davey doesn’t respond. He couldn’t, even if he wanted to—he’s frozen in place, his mind a sudden wash of static. For a moment, they just stare at each other. Then Jack blurts, “gottagoseeyoulaterbye,” and bolts out the front door.

Davey’s not sure how long he stands there, staring blankly into space, utterly dumbfounded.

“Davey?” Charlie asks hesitantly. “Are you okay?”

There’s a strangled, choking noise. A split second later, Davey realizes it’s coming from him.

"...What just happened?"

[seven-oomen]

Honey, honey | A Buddie One shot

Main ship: Eddie Diaz/Evan Buckley

Wordcount: +- 1600 words

Rating: PG-13, for language, abo mentions, and mpreg mentions

Warnings: Mentions ABO dynamics but isn’t explicit, language, mpreg mention but none of it is very graphic.

I’ve tried finding/writing sensible Spanish but I’m still learning the language so forgive me for making mistakes. I blame the duo lingo owl, he’s trying his best to teach me okay?

Based on the prompt: We've been living together for a few years now, your son calls me dad and recently you started calling me honey. But I never really connected the dots until after I posted a question online and a bunch of random strangers gave me advice. When I finally confessed my feelings for you, you told me you loved me and we've been dating since.

Based on the post: https://seven-oomen.tumblr.com/post/611873995367890944/adding-this-to-my-prompt-list-because-yeah-this

Tagging: @daughter-of-infinity​​ because I saw your reblog of that post and know you wanted a story like this.

He stared at the page before him, biting his lip as he pondered his next move. Was he really going to ask a bunch of strangers online a question like this? What if he was wrong? What if someone he knew found out? What if Eddie did…

But at the same time, he was tired of walking on eggshells. Of not knowing what was going on between the two of them. Don't get him wrong,  he wasn't against Chris calling him papa or against Eddie calling him cariño. Whatever that meant. But it was weird that everything had changed so gradually. He almost hadn't noticed it really, until Tia,  Eddie's aunt, had said something about Eddie finally finding a good Alpha to raise Christopher with at the last family gathering. She had looked fondly at Buck whilst she said it. And that got him thinking. Did she think Eddie and him were dating?

Wait...

Were they?

And so, here he was. Sitting in front of his computer, staring at the Reddit ask page in front of him.

Oh, fuck it. He was already here, might as well ask some random strangers on the internet what was going on. Surely it wouldn't come back to bite him in the ass.

He started tying.

Firehose asked a question:

What does it mean when someone changes what they've always called you?

I've (31AM) been living with my roommate and best friend (37OM) and his 11-year-old son for three years. We've been through so much together,  from earthquakes and the tsunami to a lawsuit and some bullshit with his late wife and other craziness. For us, that's just on the daily.  It happens. But it did forge a really strong friendship between us.

I care a lot about my friend and his son, to me they're family and I'd die to protect them and keep them safe. And I know he'd do the same for me. We're best friends and partners on the job but lately, he's been telling me that "I'm the best thing that's ever happened to him."

And I noticed his family has been smiling at me differently lately. I've been going to family meetings for two and a half years and consider them my family but the air seems to have changed, it's almost even warmer. I didn't think that was possible.

Anyway, I've noticed more things lately.  Like how my friend calls me cariño, I honestly don't know what that means,  and his son started calling me papa about a year ago. Which is absolutely adorable and something I encouraged, I'll admit.

But the cariño thing is bothering me as my friend smiles at me and touches my cheek when he says it. Now, we've always been very tactile in our friendship and we're completely comfortable around each other but this made me feel a bit weird. Not bad weird, just something that makes me feel something but I don't know what or why.

I just don't know what this means and I don't know how to respond to it except smile at him. Cause it does feel kinda nice. I don't know how to talk to him about it, we've never discussed our sexualities. Honestly, I'm still not sure of mine.

We've just always been really close,  shared a bed during nightmares kinda close but I honestly don't know how to breach the subject with him. Am I reading too much into this? Am I dating my best friend without knowing it? Honestly, any kind of advice would be appreciated at this point. I don't want him taking this the wrong way.

TLDR: My best friend calls me cariño and his son calls me papa. I don't know why and I'm too scared to ask. I feel a lot of things but I don't know if either of us is bisexual or gay. I don't know what to do with myself. Should I ask him if he has feelings for me?

The next few days were filled with responses from Reddit. All of them pretty much said the same thing. Just ask him out already. Talk to him. Or oh my god, you are totally dating, you dingus...

So he figured he might as well take the next step. He asked Eddie that night after they put Christopher to bed.

They were watching tv together on Eddie’s bed, a beer in hand and shoulders touching.

“So- you know how you always call me cariño? What does that mean?” He asked.

Eddie gave him a rather amused look and chuckled. “It means darling or sweetheart, maybe honey, you know. It’s a term of endearment. I thought you knew that?”

The Omega cocked his head at him and scooted closer, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. And it felt nice to be held, so he couldn’t help but relax in his hold, laying his head on Eddie’s shoulder as he stared at his beer bottle.

“I-” he bit his lip- “I didn’t. And I just- I don’t know. It’s confusing... “

“What is?” Eddie genuinely looked concerned. He felt terrible for causing it and he wanted nothing more than to hug his best friend and press a kiss to those lips.

Fuck.

“I- are we- Eddie are we dating?”

Eddie looked at him as if Buck had gone insane and snorted. “Excuse me? What do you-” Realization seemed to set in as Buck only looked more confused at Eddie’s amusement. “Oh, you stupid bastard…” Eddie chuckled, “Buck, we’ve been dating for two years.”

It was like a floodgate had opened and another realization came over him. The handholding, laying in bed together on most nights, taking care of Christopher, Buck coming with them to family gatherings, Eddie coming to him for comfort or affection. Holy shit... How had he missed all of that?

Neither of them had dated anyone else in the last three years, he hadn’t even looked at anyone. The only people he really wanted to spend his time with were Eddie and Christopher. Hell, they went to the zoo together, to the movies, they went out for dinner- just the two of them- in fancy restaurants even.

And it had never clicked. Not even once.

“Shit…” He looked up at Eddie in surprise before breaking out in one of his trademark beaming smiles. “Guess we have been.”

Eddie gently put both their beers on the nightstand beside him and pulled Buck closer, pressing a kiss to his temple.

“Eres corto de luces, pero te amo de todos modos.” Eddie mumbled, shaking his head. (You are not the brightest bulb, but I love you anyway.)

“And that means?”

“That you’re stupid but I love you.”

He couldn’t help but smile at those words, gently cupping Eddie’s cheek as he pressed his lips against the Omega’s. “At least I’m your idiot,” He murmured.

“That you are.”

-

UPDATE: What does it mean when someone changes what they've always called you?

TLDR: You were all right and I was dating my best friend without realizing it. But guess what? We talked and now we’re married with three kids. Crazy what a year can change, huh?

So yeah, you guys haven’t heard from me in a year but I decided it was time to let you all know what happened between me and my best friend. So we talked that night after I posted my original story. Turns out I was dating him all along and never put two and two together. Until he did it for me. We talked that night and some other stuff and decided to take the next step together.

Naturally, everyone I knew had a good laugh about that one. Apparently, there was a betting pool on when I would realize I was dating my roomie. My sister won that one by the way.

So within the week my friend and I were engaged. He asked me, with some help from his son. It was adorable, really. He set up this really nice picnic for the three of us in the park, near the lake where we like to hang out on our days off. And he had his son come up to me to show me something he caught. (We both like insects, it’s kind of our shared thing.)

Turns out, our son was actually holding a ring. An engagement ring. And when he handed me the box, my friend took my hand, kissed it and asked me to marry him.

So of course, I said yes. We got married about six months after that. But it turns out that our night of ‘talking’ had some unforeseen consequences, and my husband was six months pregnant with twins when we walked down the aisle.

Yeah, so we married and two months later our son and our daughter were born. Our daughter in an elevator during a power outage and our son in an ambulance, on the way to the hospital. Because nothing in this family ever goes as planned it seems.

It’s been a wild year and if I think about it, I have all of that thanks to you guys. So thank you, for helping me realize what I had all along.

-

He finally closed his laptop and looked over to where Eddie was sleeping on the couch, Robert and Rosalie on his chest as they napped. Chris was silently drawing some pictures next to him at the table and grinned when he noticed Buck was looking.

Yeah it had been a crazy year all around, but truth be told, he would do it all over again.

-

So let me know what you all think of this one, would love to hear it. I very much enjoyed writing this. It was fun to just let my thoughts go and not worry about writing something good. I had fun and it made my day a bit brighter. And honestly, I hope it does that for other people too. So let me know if it did for you <3

[the-evil-authoress]

GX Month Day 8: “The Power of Friendship!”

Favorite dynamic duo, two characters you think would have been friends if only they met, how friendship saves the day, or maybe a friendship fail. It’s up to you!

HERE. Have some super self indulgent hot springs shenanigans feat. my favorite trio! =D

“This is amazing...” Jesse groans, rolling his head against the rocks as he sinks into the indulgently warm water. It’s a bone deep warmth, chasing away any stress or aches and rendering his mind blissfully numb.

“Never been to one?”

It takes a moment to process Jaden’s words. “Don’t have ‘em back home,” he mumbles, shaking the pleasant fog out of his head just enough to formulate the sentence. “Wish we did. Feels like heaven.” He sinks a little further, practically boneless mush, before a nagging little thought drags him out of the bliss. “Å, where’s Chris? There aren’t dividers for privacy.” He rolls his head toward his companion.

“She’s around here somewhere,” Jaden says, eyes still closed as he leans against the rocks, completely unconcerned. Well, the two had spoken like they come here often so Jesse probably shouldn’t worry about it.

A sharp trill followed by a splash catches his attention. Not far away, Ruby paddles through the water, ripples parting around her. “What?” Jesse sits up abruptly.

“Oh, yeah.” Jaden snickers as Jesse stares at the contradiction to everything he knows about duel spirits. “Out here duel spirits can interact with nature more than usual. Chris said it’s something about the high concentration of natural energy.”

“Å?” There are too many question from that sentence alone for Jesse to pretend it makes sense.

“Oh, well, I guess it’s the reason Christina can see duel spirits?” Jaden says thoughtfully. “She can see a lot of things most people can’t, some things even we can’t.” A hand motions between himself and Jesse. “She can see a person’s-- what’s it called...? Not soul.” Voice dropping, he mutters to himself as he bites a thumb nail. “Energy of the body?”

“Aura!” Dark Magician Girl pops up without warning, and only having seven of his own spirits that like to pop up unannounced keeps Jesse from startling too badly. “She can see a person’s aura,” Dark Magician Girl continues eagerly. “And she’s pretty in tune with the flow of natural energy through the world; it’s why she can always spot the bad guy!”

“Aura?” The term sounds vaguely familiar. “Like a person’s soul?”

Dark Magician Girl shakes her head. “No, she can’t see your actual soul, it’s more like the light given off by your soul.”

Jesse blinks. Was that supposed to make sense?

Humming, Dark Magician Girl pressed a finger to her lips in thought. “Think of it this way,” she finally says, pintling to the sky. “You can’t look at the sun directly but you can still see the light it produces.”

“Å.” Still not sure how that relates to aura and soul light.

“Yeah, I never really understood it either.” Jaden offers a sympathetic grin.

Dark Magician Girl visually pouts before snapping her fingers with an, “Aha! Those lamp thingies you humans use for light! You put a lampshade over the bulb so you can’t see the bulb anymore, but you can still see its light! It’s like that!”

“So the bulb would be a person’s soul and the...” Oh, frick. How does he say this in Japanese?

Undeterred, Dark Magician Girl nods proudly. “Your actual soul is obscured by your physical body but we can still ‘see’ its essence - that is aura.”

Okay, that makes enough sense that Jesse can understand. He gets the feeling that it isn’t as simple as ‘seeing light around a person’, but he can probably ask Christina for more detail about it later.

“She can always tell what kind of mood you’re in too. I swear it’s almost like she can read your mind sometimes!” Jaden laughs.

“I can’t read your mind.” Jesse jerks to the sound of Christina’s voice, heat rising to his cheeks. The young woman stands waist deep in the water, her hair twisted up into a pile atop her head and one arm crossed over her chest to obscure it from view. Should he be looking right now? The polite thing would be to look away, right? She’s got some nice curves hidden under the baggy uniform... “I’ve just gotten really good at guessing what’s going on in there.” Christina pokes Jaden in the forehead, then sinks into the steam and frothy water on his other side and lets her arm fall away.

“Oh, hey! You did decide to join us!” Jaden beams as if there’s nothing remotely out of place with the situation. Is he that dense, or is Jesse missing a vital piece of information here? “Took ya a few months to be okay around Syrus, and you still haven’t come out around Hassleberry.”

The water ripples as Christina shrugs. “Hassleberry’s harder to read. I think it’s that fossil in his leg. Alters the aura. And Mana abandoned me so...” She stretches her arms, cracking her knuckles before settling against the rocks.

“Mana?” Jesse repeats with confusion, deciding that’s the safest option of the numerous questions he now has. Who has a fossil in their what?

“Me!” Dark Magician Girl giggles. “Like the royal magician of Pharaoh Set’s court!” she bounces in the air.

“It was easier than always calling her Dark Magician Girl.”

That makes about as much sense as it can, so Jesse nods and lets the lull of the toasty water claim him again. ‘Mana’ has wandered off when he looks up again, and Jaden leans comfortably against Christina’s shoulder.

“So I’ve been wonderin’...”

“No,” Christina answers immediately without even looking at Jesse, while Jaden turns a curious glance. In the confused silence that follows, she turns to look at him, the side of her chin bumping against the top of Jaden’s head. “Syrus asked the same thing first year. No, we’re not.” Which is not a terribly compelling argument when the side of her face is leaning against the top of his head, but at least she looked him in the eyes this time.

“Mm.” Jaden shifts against Christina’s shoulder, settling into a more comfortable position. “Geez, why do people keep thinking that?”

I dunno know, maybe cuz...that, Jesse thinks, slightly bewildered by the fact that Jaden finds absolutely nothing odd about his and Christina’s current position. Christina herself looks accustomed to the action, but Jaden appears downright oblivious. “You two seem pretty comfortable with each other,” Jesse says aloud.

“Well, yeah. We’ve known each other for years,” Jaden grins. “We used to take baths together when we were little, and kinda just kept washing each other’s backs ever since.”

The amused snort Christina gives in response tells Jesse there’s definitely a story behind that one. “And your parents were okay with that?”

“They were never home much,” Jaden shrugs and glances off as if in complete disinterest of the topic, but Jesse can see a story there too.

“And it never got awkward?”

Jaden blinks up at him with the absolute most sincere look of confusion Jesse has ever seen on a human being. “No?”

“Jay’s asexual,” Christina sighs as she tips her head back and sinks further into the water. Jaden emits a displeased noise at the shift of his pillow but sits up rather than try to adjust.

“Ah.” That explains a lot, actually. And now is probably a bad time to admit that he doesn’t actually have a preference. He can hear the Crystal Beasts snickering from the changing room. Y’all can just be quiet.

“Probably biromantic though,” Christina adds and Jaden twists to frown at her.

“Bi-what?”

“Romantic. You like to cuddle, Jay, and you don’t really give a crap if that person is a guy or girl.”

This gives Jaden pause. “Nah, so long as they’re comfortable,” he admits but just as quickly turns to frown at her again, “But I still don’t want to kiss them or anything.”

Jesse snickers as Christina shrugs. “What about you?” he asks with a glance to the redhead.

“Straight--” Christina begins as Jaden interrupts with a sly grin, “She likes bishonen.”

“Jaden!” the redhead snaps, water sloshing around her shoulders as she jerks to sit up straight.

“What? You say you’re straight but all the guys you’ve ever liked have been really girly,” Jaden jibes with a teasing grin.

“Bi...shonen?” Jesse repeats the unfamiliar phrase. What kind of boys?

“Girly boys,” Jaden deadpans.

“Pretty boys!”

“Same difference. I bet you even think Lex is pretty,“ Jaden taunts with a waggle of his eyebrows.

“Of course I think she’s pretty! You'd have to be blind not to!” Christina snaps with a pointed glare.

Jaden shrugs, nonpulsed. “Objectively, sure she’s pretty. Still doesn’t mean I’m interested.”

“Says the guy who agreed to be her fiance.”

“Hold on- what?!” Jesse sputters, jerking upright. Did he hear that correctly?!

“Christinaaa! I thought we agreed not to talk about that!”

“What??” Jesse gapes.

Jaden whines, giving his best impersonation of a kicked puppy but Christina has a Cheshire grin plastered across her face. “First year, there was this guy, a second or third year, who was hard core hitting on and harassing Lex. He sees Jay and Lex interacting, gets suuuper jealous, and challenges Jaden to a duel to be Lexi’s fiance. Jaden agrees, no questions asked.”

Jaden groans loudly, face pressed so hard against Christina’s shoulder Jesse wonders how he can even breathe. “It doesn’t count! I didn’t even know what it meant!” His protests fall on uncaring ears as Christina continues to grin wickedly, and he slumps in defeat. “And you’re never gonna let me forget it.”

Christina hums. “Of course I’m not gonna let such prime teasing material go to waste.”

A beat passes, then Jaden jerks back, shoulders rigged and voice tense. “Wait a minute, you don’t...?”

“Who said you were the only one I wouldn’t let forget?” Christina hums and Jaden wails. “Lexi never said no~o.”

Jaden shoves his face in Jesse’s shoulder. “Jesse! Save me! She’s evil!” he wails, and with Christina downright cackling, Jesse finds himself inclined to agree.

“Alright, newbie, what about you?” Christina asks when she finally recomposes herself.

“Me what?” Jesse croaks, still reeling over the revelation from the last few minutes of his life.

“Romantic preference.”

“Ah, I, ah, I don’t really have a preference,” Jesse admits, stumbling over the words as he drags his brain back to the present moment. “I’ve found I care more about someone’s personality than their gender or body type.”

An uncomfortable moment of silence passes. Jaden’s face is still pressed into Jesse’s skin. “Oh, that makes sense,” Christina says, quiet and thoughtful.

The tension drains with a breath of air. Jesse grins. “Re-evaluating a few things?”

Christina shrugs. “What is that called?”

“I don’t know? I don’t know if there is a word for that.” Much less how it would translate into Japanese. He might be able to passably keep up in a conversation but if actually being in Japan has taught Jesse anything, it’s that he’s basically still a beginner.

Christina huffs, obviously dissatisfied with this answer.

“Honestly, I don’t think ya really need a label for it, so long as you understand it. Sure, it’s nice to have a simple way to explain it to others, but it’s not all that important.”

Christina stares at him and Jesse wonders if he said something weird again or screwed up his Japanese or maybe both. That is entirely possible. Then she huffs softly with a grin and Jaden snickers against Jesse’s shoulder. “I knew I liked you.” He twists around and tips his head back to look up at the blunette. “The simple minded must stick together!” He punches the air with a dripping fist before sagging against Jesse laughing.

Christina looks like she can’t decide whether to be amused or exasperated.

An odd chirping noise pulls their attention, and Jaden bolts upright. “Aqua Dolphin! Hey, Aqua Dolphin!” He sloshes away excitedly, leaving Jesse and Christina alone.

“Spazz.” Christina smirks, a fondness in her eyes.

A comfortable silence settles between them, and Jesse remembers he still has questions. Let’s start with something simple. “So you’ve been down here with the others before?”

“A few times, mostly with Syrus.” Christina shrugs. “I’m not as concerned with things like modesty once I get to know a person well enough.” 

“Oh.” Is that a Japanese thing or a her thing? Japan does have a lot of communal bath houses, but aren't most of them separated by gender? Japan does produce a fair chunk of...questionable content. Anime is weird. Red hair tilts in his vision and Jesse realizes he’s been silently pondering this long enough for Christina to give him a concerned look. “Ah, sorry, I’m just...tryin’ to figure out if I should be flattered or not? I mean, we haven’t exactly known each other very long.”

“Yeah, but… I don’t know.” Christina gazes across the hot spring with a distant look. “It feels like we’ve known each other longer.”

Oh-

Something large hits the water with a great splash and sends the resulting wave crashing over both their heads with startled exclamations. “Amber Mammoth...!” Jesse complains loudly but laughs as he shakes water from his now dripping bangs.

“Sorry, Jesse!” Mammoth apologizes as he paddles off. Amethyst sniffs the water before sticking her nose in the air and trotting off. Emerald slips into the spring with a plop, gliding smoothly in another direction.

“This water really does feel great.”

Christina’s shoulders shake with her own amusement as Ruby hops up on Jesse’s shoulder, nuzzles the side of his head, and Jesse has to marvel at the way he can actually feel her fur, not just a disembodied impression of touch. With an exasperated sigh, Christina stands and reaches up to undo her hair, and Jesse should really probably look away like now but he finds his eyes stuck on the exposed skin.

“So much for keeping my hair dry,” the girl mumbles as red locks tumble freely down her back. Then, as if suddenly remembering her surroundings, she looks down at Jesse. Blue eyes meet green and this is the part where most girls in anime scream and hide right? Maybe slap the guy? Nope, she flashes him a sassy grin and places a hand on her hip as she pops it to the side and freaking poses--

“Like what you see?”

Jøss! Jesse tears his eyes away to stare at some very interesting rocks on the opposite side of the hot spring. Not a moment later, he hears the infuriating sound of mad giggles and a loud slosh of water. He nearly jumps out of his skin when he feels her hair against his arm. “You’re too cute,” she wheezes. “Ra if I could have gotten that kind of reaction out of Jaden...” she descends into giggles against his shoulder again.

“You are so not fair,” he grumbles, glaring at the rock and trying to will away the embarrassing heat in his cheeks.

“You know it.” He can hear the sharpness of her grin as she reaches up to flick his nose.

These people are weird, Jesse decides, but if he had a problem with weird he wouldn’t be here at Duel Academy.

A loud wolf whistle breaks into the dwindling giggles and Christina stiffens even before Jaden’s loud proclamation, “Go for it, you two!”

“Jaden Yuki!!” Christina bellows, leaping from the water as Jaden laughs and scrambles from his perch on the rock to run from his best friend’s wrath. “I’m going to strangle you!”

Jesse snickers. Yup, weird. But he kinda likes it.

[baekthecorgi]

queen’s greatest hits (mark) genre: fluff, roadtrip au warning: sexual tension words: 2.7k words summary: mark loves queen, but mark loves you more.

T'was the eve of Mark’s nineteenth birthday, yet here he was, eagle spread on the bed. His snores echo across his man cave, loud enough to wake the dead. For the past few days, a stack of paperwork bombarded your boyfriend, as well as lengthy essays and researches. Heck, this is the first time you’ve seen Mark barely alive and breathing. It just so happened that he was fast asleep. Mark lets out a low whine as he shifts to a more comfortable position. You know he’s had a rough week.

It’s not everyday fate takes Mark’s side.

Pulling out an air horn from your knapsack, you curse Donghyuck’s name under your breath. The kid suggested this idea in the first place. (Not that you really complained. You found it to be hilarious, too. Great minds think alike?)

A deafening sound blares through the air when you harshly press the button down. The sheets instantly scramble to the side as Mark awakens from his sleep, meeting the floor face first. Donghyuck and Renjun let out a cackle on the other side of the door when they hear the loud thud and Mark shouting a confused, “What the fuck?!”

“Good morning?” You greet him, innocently dropping the air horn.

He glances at the clock. 10:38PM was flashing in red, bold figures. Mark was still confused.

Mark’s expression immediately lights up at the sight of you. It’s as if an air horn wasn’t blown and a week’s worth of fatigue was lifted off his shoulders.

He asks, “What’s happening?”

You draw out his car keys then toss it to your boyfriend who was now kneading the back of his head from the fall. “More like, what’s gonna happen,” you correct him.

His puzzled face made you want to reach out and pinch his cheeks. “There’s exactly one hour and twenty-two minutes till you turn nineteen, babe.”

“And?”

“We’re going on an adventure,” you chirp, enthusiastically, “A road trip.”

Mark takes a double look at the clock then to his girlfriend. His girlfriend who appears rather rushed with your half-assed bun, a Queen’s t-shirt merch, a pair of khakis and why the hell did you enter his room still in your red Converse? What the hell, you’re angelic even under low lights so he lets you slide this time.

“Got you, babe,” He replies, standing up. He gives you a sly wink and throws a crisp black shirt over his head.

It sent you straight to your grave.

[Track 1: Another One Bites The Dust]

Mark Lee really is the dorkiest (read: sweetest) boyfriend in the world.

You’ve always let this thought leave the premises of your mind whenever he occasionally gives in to your PDA antics. And, hear me out, Mark Lee was smooth as hell when he’s in the mood to flirt. Well, aren’t you a lucky young lady?

Nope, you think to yourself.

He opens the compartment, taking another pair of sunglasses for you and a Queen’s Greatest Hits CD. Mark carefully withdraws the CD and slips it into the radio player. A few funky beats drop as the intro of Another One Bites The Dust plays.

“Seriously, babe? At this time? In this economy?”

You’re starting to doubt your taste in men.

Mark slides a pair of black sunglasses on. He rams the keys roughly, you think it’d be jagged the morning after. The engine revs as he steps on the gas, thick, grey smoke exuding from the exhaust of the Mustang.

Mark likes to think he’s one of the cool college kids, as per Donghyuck’s words.

(“Mark wears sunglasses in the evening. He thinks it’s cool. Is that stupid or is that stupid?” Donghyuck mentions, popping a fry in his mouth. “We all know you’re the cool one in this relationship.”

“Says who?” Mark’s eyebrows furrow. He hastily opens the ketchup packet, squirting some on his sweater.

Donghyuck rolls his eyes, directing your attention to your boyfriend’s now ruined sweater. He has a point.

His best friend was always third wheeling in your dates. He says it saves him money being a broke college student. Let’s just say Mark’s protests were completely ignored by the younger. This is what makes them the dynamic duo, you think.)

Mark loves his Mustang. Especially since the boy has an old soul, constantly collecting CDs from the past. But, Queen. Queen was a whole different story. It was the thing that made the both of you instantly connect.

He waits impatiently for you to slip on the sunglasses he handed but you refused. Have you mentioned how much Mark’s playful pouts melt your insides?

“Please put it on,” You neglected his request, eyes cast on the headlights, stretching the parking lot.

“It’s almost my birthday.”

You throw your hands in defeat before wearing the tacky sunglasses. Mark winces at the bite of your words. “You owe me one.”

“Hey, you said I’m the one in charge tonight,” Mark states, a matter-of-factly to which you rolled your eyes on. You did promise him that.

“Can you even see clearly through the sunglasses, Mark?” You question, annoyance lacing your voice. But you did it to imply something else if he even remembers it.

“No,” Mark says, embarrassed. He proceeds on switching his cool sunglasses with your favorite gold-rimmed circular glasses of his.

“That’s what I thought.”

Are you ready, hey, are you ready for this? Are you hanging on the edge of your seat?

[Track 3: Don’t Stop Me Now]

Tonight, I’m gonna have myself a real good time I feel alive

Tall city buildings zoom past your line of vision. The air is kinda stuffy inside the Mustang but there’s enough room for you to breathe. Mark notices your uneven breathing. He rolls his window down, making you mimic his action.

Mark didn’t like his windows rolled down but you were quite the spectacle. The cold city breeze plays with the strands of your hair. Streetlights color your face as you tuck your chin on top of your elbow, leaning your torso towards the window.

Honestly, you don’t know where you were going. It just occurred to you that a road trip with your man was the best option for tonight’s event. Needless to say, you and Mark were going nowhere, but it’s fine. As long as Mark’s by your side, everything’s perfect.

“Hey, babe?” Mark calls out, eyes shifting between you and the road. He places a hand on your thigh, thumb rubbing indefinite shapes on it.

I’m driving at the speed of light I wanna make a supersonic world out of you

Soon enough, the Mustang was zooming through an empty highway. You hum in response, too amazed at the view before you. The skyscrapers were no more as they were now replaced with lines of trees and a hazy, picturesque mountain at a distance.

“Don’t lean too much, you might fall.” He reminds before continuing, “I can’t afford you falling somewhere else. The only one you’re falling for is me.”

“Oh, s-shut up!” Mark bursts out laughing hearing your stuttering, abashed.

You hide the blush forming, throwing the air horn towards his direction. Mark dodges the can, squaring straight through the driver’s window. Risky, yes, but what’s more dangerous is Donghyuck finding out you lost his air horn.

[Track 5: You’re My Best Friend]

11:56PM, it read.

Mark takes a sharp right turn. Eventually, the Mustang slows down to a stop at the side of the road. He waits for at least five minutes for any vehicle to pass by. Fortunately, there were none so he guides you out of the Mustang. You’re My Best Friend starts to blast from the speakers. Mark turns the volume louder and lets the night air rush inside the Mustang – doors wide open.

Ooh, you make me live Whatever this world can give to me

“Finally!” You shout, stretching your limbs in all directions. “My ass was burning.”

“Your ass is nice, babe. It has always been so quit whining like a baby.” You raise a brow at his bold choice of words. Very unlikely of Mark. He checks his watch.

“We have a minute left before midnight.” Mark leads you down the middle of the road then lies down on the asphalt.

Ooh, I’ve been wandering around But I still come back to you

Baffled, you examine your boyfriend’s sanity, “Why are we doing this exactly?”

Mark shows you the ugly green glow of his digital watch (12:00AM, it read). He retorts, “Because it’s my birthday.”

“Stop using your birthday as an excuse for everything.”

Mark props an elbow on the ground and faces your direction. “First of all, it’s a valid excuse you can’t resist.”

“Second of all?”

“That’s it.”

“Ugh, dork. Fine.” You groan, puffing out your cheeks to which Mark had the audacity to pinch when you lied down beside him. He was fortunate you didn’t bite his finger.

You didn’t miss out the way he singsonged a cute “I love you”.

As soon as your back meets the asphalt, it roughly prickles the skin on your back. You were suddenly mesmerized at the wide expanse of the night sky, twinkling back at you. Your words are stuck in your throat, unable to voice out your complaints.

I’ve been with you such a long time

“So, can you spot the brightest star?” You wonder, pointing at the sky full of stars.

You hear nothing from your boyfriend. You hope he wasn’t dozing off. Turning your head, you find Mark ogling at you instead of staring at the natural phenomenon above you. His eyes were full of adoration and deep down, reassurance. And you’re suddenly reminded why you chose to love Mark.

You’re my sunshine and I want you to know

“Hi,” Mark whispers in a hushed tone. “I love you.”

It was like he was too scared someone else might hear his words even if you’re both alone. At midnight. In the middle of a road. Somewhere. But declaring his love for you was the loudest sound in the vicinity no matter how hushed his tone was.

“Hi,” you reply, “I love you, too. Happy birthday.”

That my feelings are true I really love you

Mark radiates a warm smile. He always does. It was warm enough to make you forget the asphalt and chilly air prickling through your shirt.

“What happens if a car runs us down?”

“Then we die together.”

“Real romantic, Mark Lee.”

“Wanna make out in the car?”

“Thought you’d never ask.”

[Track 7: Bicycle Race]

“God, you’re so wild tonight,” Mark says, trying to catch his breath. His hands rest at your waist, casually playing at the hem of your white shirt.

Being on top of Mark was a sight to die for. His hair was fluffy and disheveled that you had to fight the urge to card your fingers through his raven locks. Mark stares a bit longer than expected, his pupils full-blown and red lips attractively swollen.

“Well, it’s your birthday, you’re my boyfriend AND Queen’s playing in the background, so why the fuck not?”

“My dream girl.” Mark jokingly clutches his chest, earning a light punch from you. He doesn’t miss the sudden flush powdering your cheeks.

I want to ride my bicycle I want to ride my bike I want to ride it where I like

“Why is Bicycle Race suggestive?” You plaster an impish grin. Being a true fanatic that he is, Mark catches the song’s subtle implication.

“That’s Queen for you, baby,” he replies against your lips. Nonchalance laces his voice as if the situation wasn’t heated enough.

You catch the spark of mischief in his eyes gleaming back at you. Sultry looks are shot by your boyfriend but were latent behind his silly grin. Or was it a smirk? You didn’t know. Mark controls his raging hormones so well, you’d be lying if you didn’t say you’re in awe.

The birthday boy tucks a few strands of stray hair behind your ear before diving in for another round of kisses (read: make-out session).

[Track 9: We Will Rock You]

You learn that We Will Rock You was a strong aphrodisiac for Mark.

You remember Mark telling you it was part of his bucket list to make-out with the rock song playing in the background, but it never occurred to you that it was true.

The guitar solo shreds and suddenly, Mark is hungrier.

The kiss was messy and sloppy, teeth-clashing but just enough tongue to extract tempting moans from your lips. Sweat rolls down the side of Mark’s temples. You knew Mark was beautiful but whenever you’re under your boyfriend, he looked ethereal and a million times hotter. His hips were the definition of sin, grinding in perfect synch with yours.

Mark loves locking his lips on the expanse of your neck. You were sure red and purple flowers were blooming just above your collarbone. Mark was quite the artist.

“Fuck,” he would mumble, breaking the kiss whenever the bulge painfully confined in his jeans hit the right angle.

Mark bites his lips, failing to prevent low, throaty groans spilling from his mouth. And just by those sounds, you weren’t sure if you were seeing stars or Mark was just driving you crazy.

It’s actually both.

[Track 10: Bohemian Rhapsody]

The car screeches to a stop as Mark shifts the gear to neutral before pulling up the handbrake. Under Pressure was still playing with a minute left on the track.

The Mustang was still in the middle of nowhere. Nowhere near the city but somewhere else enough to be found. A few more hours and the sun was ready to paint the horizon with its pastel hues.

The adrenaline lingers, fizzling in his system when he glances at you messily mouthing the lyrics of the song. It was always an adrenaline-filled adventure whenever Mark was with you. And he sure as hell loves spending some quality time with you. Besides, you’re the only adventure Mark needs in this lifetime despite Donghyuck’s continuous teases of Mark’s boring adventures (or lack thereof). It takes a few seconds for you to notice the car has stopped and a certain someone was shooting you a thousand heart eyes from across the driver’s seat.

Turning your head, Mark feels his breath hitch. How many times must you render the birthday boy breathless tonight?

“I love you,” Mark breathes. “I really love you.”

Mark has a way with his words that just makes your heart flutter like a thousand butterflies. A light giggle emits from your throat. “I really love you, too, dumb ass.”

Mark presses a long, warm kiss on your lips. It wasn’t like the one earlier – rushed and needy. You smiled into the kiss. His cherry lips molded perfectly with yours, gently, carefully moving as if you were a fragile flower under his touch. Mark was the first to break the kiss, immediately snuggling up on your chest like someone was gonna take his favorite spot.

The strands of his jet black hair tickled your nose, readjusting your baby boy (yes, you read that right, baby boy) to make both of your positions comfy.

“Hyuck was right,” you tell him, making Mark look up at you. “You really are a man-child.”

“Yeah right,” Mark scoffs. “You love me, though.”

He intertwines his fingers with yours, spaces fitting exactly with his as if they were meant to be placed there. Sometimes, Mark the type of boyfriend who’s allergic to all kinds of affection but most of the time, out of the public’s eyes, he’s this baby wanting and craving your affection.

“Happy birthday, Mark.”

Mark closes his eyes and focuses on the pattern of your breathing. Calmness fills the night as your chest gradually rises up and down with the music. Bohemian Rhapsody starts to play as you thread your fingers through Mark’s soft tresses with your free hand.

He hears the faint thumping of your heartbeat against your chest and Freddie Mercury singing melodiously to the lyrics.

Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?

Gazing up at your eyes closed, head resting back, and silently listening to the 70s classic in the background, Mark understands.

Mark decides that the mellow beat of your heart is his new Bohemian Rhapsody – his favorite song.

note: im VERY busy with school ;; this is the first time i’ve written since summer rip my tumblr blog hsjfhjsd i missed mark’s birthday so this is kinda like my super late birthday gift for him. also, you guys are awesome omg 500+ followers tysm!! this was actually based on this post but i altered it a lot to fit the theme.

i was actually thinking of making hyuck’s version but with ABBA. i think it’ll fit him a lot tbh. tell me if ya want the rest of nct’s version hehe ;)

i hope yall liked this treat!!! (mark is a snack in black hair umff) pls send feedbacks and listen to Queen sjkfhsd

masterlist | twitter

[belzinone]

[old] guidelines

// these are my original rules. though they are still generally relevant, my newer, shorter, more concise rules post is here

A love letter from me to you! Please take it to heart.

The Lowdown: mod is an artist & supportive af｜selective｜primarily plot-motivated｜operates on mutual respect｜your friendly rpc fairy godbitch; gimme your wishlists｜zero tolerance for OC negativity & bigotry｜triggers present｜18+ content present｜consistent but occasionally capricious activity｜OOC communication appreciated｜lots of love abound ♡

Mod Sal (they/them/theirs; 24; PST)

     I study medicine and social justice with emphasis on emergency medicine and sex work, respectively. In addition to being a writer I’m also an activist, artist, and scholar. I’ve been writing Bel since 2015. She’s a very intricate and highly dynamic character who has gone through many changes over the years via her interactions. I look forward to developing her even more with your muse(s)!

     Before I talk about the kind of conduct I’d like on my blog, this is the type of roleplayer and friend I aspire to be. I’ll strive to be as attentive and supportive as I can about your muse, ideas, as well as ooc presence. If we’re mutuals, you can expect plenty of inboxes, tag games, headcanons, relationship tags, to be tagged in & sent posts relating to our muses, general interaction, and emotional support proportional to the depth of our interactions when I’m online. I’m an unapologetic 1-person hype squad at heart and will do my best to spread the love and return the love I get.

     If I’m not around here, you can find me on my snk blog and/or discord by request. I muse Eren and Levi as secondary muses, but they won’t be nearly as active as Bel and are only available to established mutuals. I also have untagged resource & nsfw musing side blogs.

Interactions

  When it comes to interactions, nothing motivates me more than an eagerness to develop our muses’ relationship. Depending on what works best for you, we can work on this via inbox submissions, plotting, or simply interacting. I have a tendency to write para/novella-length replies, but will strive to match you in length and style. Please include something I can actively respond to in your reply, because neutral replies can be very difficult to build upon, and please do not godmod her based on assumptions and/or stereotypes about her character/profession.

  With regards to ask responses, please feel free to turn them into threads by tagging me in a new post and cutting your replies. I’ll turn asks into threads if they inspire me, but you’re under no obligation to continue them if you’re not as motivated. When cutting, please don’t cut me out. Also, please don’t reblog asks with your reply or reblog replies with my tag if I don’t reply quickly enough. I track of all my threads to the best of my ability, so please check there first if you want to know the status of our thread. If I’ve missed a thread of ours, please help me out by sending it to me in a message so I can add it to the tracker. If you lose muse for a thread, please don’t feel pressured to continue it. We can always take a break or start something new. I don’t cap my threads and am always open to new interactions.

Selectivity

    Though I run a selective blog, I am not very selective in nature. I do have a preference for original and SnK/AoT characters, especially those that inspire me and challenge me. I’ll primarily look for interactions by checking blog rules for oc-friendliness, reblogging promos, asking to be mutuals in the tags, then follow back after that initial follow is granted. If you don’t want me to follow you, please block me completely because otherwise I’ll think it’s a mistake/glitch and follow you again. On the topic of glitches, they do happen so I apologize ahead of time if that happens above or below my radar.

    I don’t tolerate oc-negativity or ooc bigotry and will handle my blog accordingly. If you align yourself in any way with TERF, SWERF, homophobic, ace-exclusionary, racist, and/or xenophobic rhetoric, please do not interact. It’s important for me to surround myself with enriching content and community. I have boundaries and will be setting them for my own comfort as well as respect yours because mutual respect between muns is key to a healthy rpc.

Sourcing

    Please don’t do it. This goes for starters, ask memes, wishlist posts, and wanted connections. I understand we might not be the muse/mod duo you have in mind and that we don’t fit every situation, but please don’t fill my notifications with this sentiment, especially if we don’t have any established interactions yet. If our blogs have that much in common, there’s so much we could be musing about. If this happens excessively without us having any interactions, I’ll unfollow and/or block because I am a roleplay blog, not a resource hub. If you’re interested in my musing/resource posts, please show interest in muse interactions as well. The latter is why I’m here and there’s nothing more disheartening and discouraging to my creativity than being used and/or ignored when I present things.

Original Character Disclaimer

    It pains me that something like this needs to be said, but Bel wasn’t created to force ship with your muse and/or overpower our threads. I will absolutely under no circumstances tolerate any form of OC negativity. I don’t care if you think they’re “cringey”, “underdeveloped”, “overpowered”, or any other iteration of not meeting your personal criteria of a good character. Opinions are valid but unsolicited bullying is not. It is important to realize that canon characters are still original characters bar their capitalistic franchise. The mods of original characters are a goldmine of free and original content and deserve to be judged by conduct, not content.

    If you’d like to support OCs, I invite you to scroll through and reblog a thing or two from my OC positivity tag, as well as follow and engage in meaningful interactions with the OCs in your orbit. Your encouragement could be what makes a content creator’s breakthrough, so please be kind and supportive. Saying you’re OC-friendly while providing an extensive grocery list of double standards OCs must abide by to be considered acceptable isn’t OC-friendliness. Likewise, musing an OC doesn’t automatically make you incapable of being exclusive (unintentional or not) so please be cognizant as well  and lets support each other.

Shipping

    That being said, I’m just like every other mun. I enjoy shipping and the occasional smut scene given the chemistry is right and both muns are equally invested in the relationship as well as comfortable with it. The more we develop our muses, the more complicated their relationship will be and the more likely I’ll personally gift you with fanart. Above all, your comfort is paramount to our interactions so please communicate with me. Likewise, please respect my comforts when I speak of them. I am much more likely to be enthusiastic about shipping than Bel is, however, so please be patient with us and respect her boundaries as well.

# FREE THE FPN . SFW // ONLY IT’S NOT

    This is the tag I will use to mark sexually explicit content. Bel is somewhere on the ace spectrum, but is nonetheless a sensual character and has a couple verses that engage in sex work. Bel’s struggles with her identities are a very big part of her personal characterization, so please be patient with her. [Marilyn Monroe’s hinted asexuality] Likewise, if she’s not into your muse, please don’t push such interactions unless we discuss them as a plot element.

Trigger Warnings

    The SnK universe is rampant with violence, gore, psychological trauma, profanity, and grey morality. Furthermore, I enjoy writing dark themes and will provide the disclaimer now that this may be a rather trigger-heavy blog. However, that doesn’t mean you have to be subject to all these themes. If you’d like me to tag things in a certain way, please don’t hesitate to let me know because your comfort is important to me. I’ll gladly create a new tag for you to blacklist/filter and add it to my tag list. Furthermore, this blog will have the occasional explicit content so please don’t interact if you’re under 21.

Activity

   I’m finishing up my bachelor’s so classes and coursework will keep me from here sometimes. Furthermore, I struggle with mental illness and domestic abuse in my home environment, so bouts of these may also pull me from activity. I’ll be doing my damndest to keep my issues off the dash but if things are especially severe and I feel the need to post about it and/or reach out, I’ll use a semicolon tag (#;).  Nonetheless, musing, roleplaying, and plotting helps keep my spirits up so please keep me updated with your muse and share your discord with me, if you’d like. I’d love it so much if we could continue developing our muses as I slip off of and find my way back to tumblr, and I’d appreciate you very much as a writing partner and friend. ♡

Accessibility

    I’m not very savvy with code, but I do try my best to keep my blogging accessible as I tinker and learn. If you struggle with accessing any part of my blog, let it be font size, style, or anything else, please let me know and I’ll do my best to accommodate because I don’t want to perpetuate elitism or ableism in the rpc. As far as reply formatting goes, I’ll usually stick to once small text (particularly in novella length replies via ctrl shift -) and spare use of italics, bolding, and strikethrough text. I may use unicode and/or zalgo for art captions, personal musing posts, crack threads, and other posts that call for it. Every once in awhile, I will blog from mobile and as a result post text in default size, but I’ll still cut my posts and at worst, separate our replies with a symbol or icon if I can’t blockquote text through html.

Permissions

     One of my favorite things about roleplaying is sharing content and playing tag games. If you come across anything that reminds you of Bel and/or our interactions/plotting, please show me! Even more so, if you’re a content creator, you have complete and total freedom to use her and her inspirations in your work. I only ask to see it! Likewise, if I ever create any art for you, please acknowledge it at the very least. If you send in an art request and I deliver, please reblog it. Failure to do this kills my creativity as well as generosity so... please.

   Exclusive to this blog are my own art and edits as well as those gifted by friends. Please don’t ransack our labors of love and re-purpose them as your own. Bel’s Iva & Marie icons were collected by yours truly with a beautiful frame made by Shane. Other people who have contributed their talents throughout the years include madcapraccoon, L, desertbl00m, Eris, Justice, sangre-rebelde, emptyolivejar, desimouse, and the many rp blogs that have interacted with her. I’d also like to give a special shout-out to sjokohama for the boundless enthusiasm given to her development as well as the readers who have enjoyed and left amazing comments on her original fanfiction. She wouldn’t be out here if it weren’t for Y’all ~ ♡

If you feel like something should be added to or clarified in these guidelines, please let me know. I realize I have a lot to say as a consequence of being here for so long, but I still want to keep my conduct as transparent and accessible as possible. 

Thank you for reading! Please feel free to like this post and interact ~ ♡

[shookethbrooketh]

stars

chapter 21

like many moments of the day, it wasn’t even the physical contact that had him on the edge of his seat. it wasn’t sitting in phil’s lap, hands wrapped around his back as he placed soft, wet kisses up and down dan’s neck. it wasn’t phil’s hands in his hair as he gasped for air. it wasn’t urges he had to repress in the best interest of them both. it was just phil. It was just the two of them there, for the last time in the perceivable future. it was a goodbye, but it wasn’t. in reality, dan longed for phil not because of the sweet taste of his kiss, but because he knew that when they separated, it could be their last.

summary: dan grew up in a normal 1930s london family with his parents and little brother. everything was completely and utterly normal… until the bombs started dropping. When dan was fifteen his father went off to war, and when he was sixteen he and his brother hayden were sent off to a foster family in rural england. he looked up at the stars and couldn’t help but wonder how something that beautiful could exist in such a broken world. just when he thought things would never get better, dan met phil, and he became the shining star of his life. but when phil turned eighteen and went off to war, dan couldn’t help but wonder when, if ever, the stars would twinkle the same way again.

rating: t

genre: angst, fluff, history au, strangers to lovers, teenagers

whole fic warnings: warfare (not descriptive), bombings, fire, panic attacks, ptsd, epilepsy/seizures, homophobia, death, fighting/arguing chapter warnings: n/a

chapter word count: 3.4k total word count: 31.2k

read it on ao3 read it on wattpad fic masterlist

“I’ve been planning this day all morning,” Phil said, pride in his voice as they walked through the front door.

“Now I’m terrified.”

“It’s nothing bad! Just a sort of a... trip through time.”

Dan narrowed his eyes as he followed Phil up the stairs and to his room, where he’d taken Dan’s new radio from his room. It was playing upbeat jazz, and there were clothes laid out all over Phil’s bed.

“I think it’s about time for another dress up day,” Phil said with a playful smirk.

Dan couldn’t help but laugh as he thought back to the night he met Phil, when they’d gone driving and come back to Phil’s room so Dan could try on some of his clothes, since he hadn’t been able to bring along any of his own. It was the first good memory he had with Phil, as well as the one that reassured him that his relocation wouldn’t be so bad after all. “You’re really going to take me through all six months I’ve spent here, aren’t you?”

Phil grinned and simply nodded.

Most of the clothes they tried on were the same ones they’d done before, and they may have even used the same combinations, but it had a new dynamic they couldn’t quite describe that made the moment even more magical than before. There was a certain casual feel to the experience the first time they did it, but now that feeling had intensified. A lot had changed for them each, individually and as a duo, since they first played dress up six months earlier, and as they indulged comfortably in the often considered feminine act of creating their own outfits out of Phil’s clothes and modeling them for each other, it showed.

Each flung himself onto Phil’s bed, breath heavy as they glanced at all the clothes littering the floor around them. “We’re gonna have to clean that up, aren’t we?” Dan groaned, barely maintaining the energy to speak, let alone clean.

“I’ll have to pack most of it anyway,” Phil said, a painful reminder of the reason why they were having this extravagant day. There was a moment’s silence before Phil recognized the awkwardness and sat up, clapping his hands. “Time for activity number two!”

He took off down the stairs, and Dan sighed, still almost out of breath, and pulled himself out of bed to follow him. He was met by the front door flung wide open to the hot, summer day. Dan suspiciously stepped outside and down the steps into the grass, glancing around the yard but finding no one. Suddenly, he heard a noise to his right, and turned just in time to get sprayed in the chest with a thick stream of water. “What the-” He looked down at his chest and up at the culprit. Unsurprisingly, Phil stood a few feet away from him holding a water hose and grinning from ear to ear.

Dan was hit again, this time from behind, and he pivoted to see Hayden holding his own hose. There was another hose at his side that he picked up and taunted at Dan, who immediately got the hint and moved towards Hayden to take the hose. Apprehensive, he quickly snatched it from his brother’s hand and put some distance in between the two of them.

The air was silent for a moment, each of them staring each other down in the heat. “Every man for himself!” Phil shouted, roaring his hose into action. Dan ducked to miss his shot, swinging his hose in every which direction in hopes to hit one of his two opponents. Meanwhile, Hayden was charging straight for him, hose on full power. The force of the water stung his skin, but he was laughing anyway. This wasn’t the sort of summer activity one could do in London.

“Howells attack!” Dan shouted, nodding at Hayden as they both charged at Phil a few minutes into the fight. Phil’s eyes widened as he attempted to fight them off, but he stood no chance against the two of them, and eventually his hose slipped from his hands, Dan picking it up.

Dan and Hayden gave each other mischievous looks before turning back to Phil and turning all three hoses on him, knocking him to the ground. Dan strode over to him, placing his foot on Phil’s chest in dominance. “I am victorious!”

Phil glared up at him. “Dan, you’re soaked.”

“But at least I don’t have a muddy footprint on my chest.”

Three showers later, Hayden was in his room, and Dan and Phil were sat in the living room in front of the family radio. “You know, Phil,” Dan said shortly after joining Phil in the room, having showered last. “I don’t remember having a water fight in the last six months.”

“Maybe not, but you can’t exactly have a snowball fight in the middle of the summer.”

The pieces of the puzzle clicked together in Dan’s head, and he remembered the countless snowball fights they had over the winter, the first of those being on his first full day in the countryside. “Touche.” He smiled remembering the winter afternoons. “You even got Hayden in on it.” He thought about that for a moment, and his smile faded. “Does Hayden know?”

Phil nodded. “I told him last night after everything happened. He was a bit upset, but I think he’ll be happy to have you back to himself.”

They each smiled a bit, but neither of them were happy. The day seemed to have fallen into that pattern; they were mostly happy, but every now and then they would have a particular moment in which they remembered the situation they were in, and all that happiness faded, only to return as soon as the day roared back into action.

“What’s next?” Dan asked, anxious to get back into the happy part.

“This.”

Dan stared at him in confusion. “What?”

“This. All our winter days beside the radio. Our dances, our talks, our everything.” Phil reached over and turned on the radio, tuning it to the jazz station. “That’s it.”

Dan settled into his armchair as the host spoke, but he wasn’t there long. As soon as the first song started playing, Phil jumped up and extended him a hand. “May I have this dance?”

Dan rolled his eyes, despite being impressed by Phil’s openly romantic question in the middle of the family room, his parents probably in the next room over. “Gladly.”

Despite the romantic nature of the proposal, when Dan stood up to dance, the song was far from romantic. It was a fast, upbeat song that inspired them both to dance independently yet still together. There were a few songs like this, and they continued along the same path, memories flooding their minds of past dances until they became weary. Luckily, as Dan was resigning himself to finally sit down, the next song was slow, and he close instead to rest his head on Phil’s shoulder.

The last time he’d ever slow danced with anyone was his primary school dance, and he didn’t even know how to do it, but it didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered in that moment was the closeness of the two of them, Dan’s breath on Phil’s neck and Phil’s hands around Dan’s midsection. It was the dance they never had; it was the dance they may never have again.

Tears rolled down Dan’s face as the song ended and he picked his head up to put his lips to Phil’s; it was a short kiss, but it was an important one.

“It’s okay,” Phil said, wiping tears from Dan’s cheek as he struggled not to shed his own.

“I know,” Dan said with a genuine smile. They were sad tears, but they were just as much happy tears. He was going to miss Phil more than he could ever imagine, but the second he came home, and Dan tried as hard as he could to convince himself that he would, they’d be able to dance for the rest of their lives. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

A few recovery minutes later, they were outside in the yard again, but this time upon exiting they met Margo and Harold. They were dressed in their Sunday best, and each of them held a basket. “Happy Easter,” Margo said, handing her basket to Dan. Inside was a single egg. Dan turned to Phil, who was beaming.

“This time, don’t fall.”

And with that, he was off. Dan hesitated before realizing he was to compete against Phil and dashing off in the opposite direction.

“You have fifteen minutes!” Harold yelled, wrapping his arm around his wife to watch the boys search. Dan had never been much good at egg hunts back in London, and it was common knowledge that his previous one hadn’t ended very well, but his competitive side came out as he ran around the yard searching for eggs. The fifteen minutes passed faster than he would have thought, and they were called back to the front door.

Dan glanced into Phil’s basket and saw almost twice as many eggs as were in his own. “Oh, come on!” Dan scrunched up his face in fake anger. “Stupid home field advantage.”

Phil gave him a cheeky grin, placing his hand on his shoulder and clearing his throat in preparation to do the best possible Dan impression. “I am victorious!”

Dan rolled his eyes as Phil took his basket and gave them both to Margo, who trailed Harold back inside. Phil led Dan over to the truck and opened the driver’s door. “Your chariot awaits.”

Dan sighed, rolling his eyes for what must have been the millionth time as he climbed into the truck and drove into the field. “You better be ready to drive,” Phil said after a couple laps. “Because this time we’re going on the road.”

Dan turned to Phil in fear and disbelief, not because he was unconfident driving, but because he didn’t have a permit to drive on roads. “Is that legal?”

“Technically speaking, no, but most people here don’t particularly care. Just don’t tell my dad.”

Dan laughed, but he was still nervous. “Can’t you drive?”

“Nope,” Phil declared. “All part of the memory trip.”

Dan groaned as he pulled out of the gate and onto the road. He coasted down the country road, fairly comfortable. “See! You’re doing great! Phil exclaimed. He gave Dan little notes as they went along, reminding him of a time when Phil actually taught him to drive rather than just sitting in the passenger seat as he drove them up to the tree and back.

“Where am I going?” Dan asked as they neared the town.

“Take a right,” Phil said, overly laid back. Dan had never driven with any traffic, let alone the town, which was quite busy for countryside standards. Dan tried to ignore the driving anxiety and think instead of the surprise. “Left,” Phil said. There were only a few destinations on the cut-through road, but Dan still couldn’t figure out which one. “Here we are!” Phil clapped excitedly as Dan turned into the restaurant.

Dan probably should have assumed dinner, as it was 7:00 in the evening, but he still wasn’t ready for it. “Phil, we’re both barely dressed. I was planning to wear these to bed tonight.” Dan laughed at their clothes, which were probably better described as pajamas.

“So? It’s not like this is a fancy restaurant. It’s the most casual sit down place in town. Come on!” Phil shouted cheerily, hopping out of the truck and prompting Dan to do the same.

“Besides,” Phil said as they walked towards the door. “It’s like the date we never had.”

The ‘date they never had’ was absolutely different than anything they’d ever done before. Not only had the two of them never gone out to eat, but Phil had never cared less about keeping their relationship a secret. He wasn’t open, as that would be purely stupid, but he wasn’t near as reserved as he usually was. He was more open to joke around with Dan in public than ever before, and it probably had something to do with the fact that he was leaving indefinitely the next day, but Dan loved it.

It was an Italian restaurant, and, similar to their getups, they went casual and ordered a pizza. Dan didn’t realize how hungry he was until he got it, and they tore into it, demolishing the medium pizza in only an hour between the two of them.

Each of them picked up their last piece, and Phil reached out to stop Dan before he could take his first bite. “To us,” he said, extending his own slice of pizza. It took Dan a moment to figure out what the hell he was doing, but when he did, he couldn’t help but laugh.

“To us,” Dan repeated, giggling as he toasted the pizza slices and took a massive bite out of his respective slice.

They left the restaurant stuffed, and Phil agreed to drive home, but when they arrived back in the darkening yard, Phil didn’t stop. Instead he turned back through the gate and drove straight up the hill, parking beside the tree. Dan wasn’t expecting the move, but in hindsight it didn’t surprise him at all. What better way to end a flashback through their time together than on the hill looking up at the stars?

The stars weren’t out yet, but the sunset signaled that they would be arriving soon. Dan peeled himself off the seat, stomach still full of pizza, and followed Phil to the tree. He didn’t particularly want to start climbing in that state, but he knew it was worth it.

Phil was already up to their branch when Dan started making his way up and claimed his seat beside Phil. “This is it, isn’t it?” Dan asked, tearing his eyes from the sunset to make eye contact with Phil. “This is the end.”

“Yeah,” Phil said. “It is.”

A certain fear entered Dan’s stomach. He was surprised it had room with all the pizza, but it found all the space remaining and filled it with pure discomfort. In front of him, the sunset was beautiful, but he had a painful feeling telling him against every logical cell he had that it was his last. He knew he’d live to see another sunset, and so would Phil, but it felt like the universe would rip in half the moment he left.

Phil reached out and took Dan’s hand, placing them both on his lap. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“I was just thinking that,” Dan said, leaving out the rest of the thought.

“Yeah,” Phil said, letting the air fall static. They sat, each of them admiring the sunset and indulging in their individual thoughts as their time ran out until finally Dan’s voice rang out.

“Let’s just cut to the chase, Phil. This is your last night here for God knows how long. We’re not just gonna spend it sitting here and watching the time go by. I love you, and I want to be with you tonight, not a silent shell of you.”

Phil turned to him, eyes wide. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting or you to say that.”

Suddenly, Phil was on top of him, and he was pushed back against the tree trunk. They could barely balance on the branch, but neither of them seemed to notice, both their focuses on the kiss they were both entranced by. They seemed to pull closer with every breath they took until Dan was sandwiched between Phil and the tree. “Phil,” Dan moaned, distracted.

“Mmm.”

“Phil, there’s a branch in my spine,” Phil immediately backed off of him, allowing him to rescind down the trunk and back to the grass. By then, the world around them was dark, but they were more used to the dark environment than either of them would like to admit. “Well, come on!” Dan shouted up to Phil as he opened and climbed into the truck bed. Phil finally took the hint and scurried down the tree and over to Dan, where they picked up right where they left off.

That was something Dan valued about his relationship with Phil; they’d managed to get themselves into so many awkward situations throughout their friendship that now that they were dating, it took a hell of a lot to make something awkward.

And so they were left to themselves in the truck bed. No people, no branches, no distractions, just them. And Dan couldn’t get enough of it. Like many moments of the day, it wasn’t even the physical contact that had him on the edge of his seat. It wasn’t sitting in Phil’s lap, hands wrapped around his back as he placed soft, wet kisses up and down Dan’s neck. It wasn’t Phil’s hands in his hair as he gasped for air. It wasn’t urges he had to repress in the best interest of them both. It was just Phil. It was just the two of them there, for the last time in the perceivable future. It was a goodbye, but it wasn’t. In reality, Dan longed for Phil not because of the sweet taste of his kiss, but because he knew that when they separated, it could be their last.

Dan was reluctant to drop to his back and rest his head on Phil’s shoulder, but eventually he gave in and turned his gaze to the stars. It was like separating two pieces of paper recently glued together; they didn’t want to come apart, and they might have broken a bit as they did, but it certainly worked, and they were individual again.

So Dan laid on Phil, who ran his fingers through Dan’s curls. The only sight left for them was the stars overhead. “Dan, have you ever heard of the Big Dipper?”

“Yeah, we’ve talked about it in class before, but I’ve never actually seen it.”

“Look up there,” Phil said, pointing to a cluster of stars in the shape of a spoon. “That’s the Big Dipper.”

Dan nodded. “It sure is.”

“You know something cool about the Big Dipper? Or any stars, for that matter?”

“Hmm?”

“No matter where you are, you can still see them. If you sit out here and I sit out at night wherever I am, we’ll be looking at the same sky. The same stars, the same moon, the same everything. It’ll be like we’re in the same place.” Phil took Dan’s hand and placed something cold in it. Dan looked down to find the star Phil had given him the previous night. “I got it from your room.” Dan clenched it in his fist as Phil took both of his hands in his, staring into his eyes. In the darkness, Dan could only really see half of Phil’s face, but his eyes, twinkling like the stars overhead, were clear as day. Tears welled up in his own eyes, and he didn’t even try to stop them from falling. “I’ll always be with you. I hope you know that.”

Dan nodded, tears streaming down his cheeks. Even Phil’s eyes were beginning to glisten as he looked into Dan’s.

“I love you, Dan. So much. And I’m going to go out there and fight every single day to keep you safe and get back to you.” He paused, wiping some tears from his eyes and laughing at his own weakness. “That’s all I care about.”

Dan’s tears turned to sobs as he fell into Phil’s arms, and the sobs began to echo from them both. “I love you, Phil.”

“I love you too,” he said, pulling back and giving Dan a soft, short kiss. It was messy and teary, but it was real, and it was them, and Dan knew it was the last one they would have before he left, leaving him with every cell in his body wishing for more. “I always will.”

[iliketowrite1996]

Alphabet Soup

TRIGGER WARNINGS AND THEMES- bullying, natural hair seen as bad, lying, and mentions of teenage years, cheating, comfort, break ups, disappointment, heartbreak, child lost in store

I did a lot of this based off of my own experience, as well as experiences. Some of my friends and others have gone through these as well.

Memories between T’Challa and Autumn- from groundings to first dates to tears to smiles.

I’ve seen a few alphabet stories like this and decided to give it a try! The plot is original though!

@wakanda-inspired, @syreanne, @chaneajoyyy and @bidibidibombaclaat were huge helps with this!

A

   Autumn Elizabeth Udaku was born on a hot and steamy July day. Her parents are overjoyed whether arrival, tears streaming down both of their cheeks as they thank Bast for the new addition to their family.

   When he’s placed on Nakia’s chest, Nakia falls in love SHe whispers to her baby girl, promising to protect her and to love her as long as she lives. For the rest of her life, Autumn Elizabeth Udaku will be the love of her life.

   Autumn’s baba  is no different. He holds her timidly but carefully. Promises her that if he is half of the baba to her that T’Chaka Udaku is to him, then she’ll grow up just fine. The weight of the world is simultaneously on his shoulder and in his arms. Because he knows that he'd do anything to protect this little girl and to make sure that she knows just how loved she truly is.

B

   ‘’Say ‘baba’! You can do it, Autumn!’’

   Autumn gives her baba a toothless, drooly grin as he holds her hands and has her stand on his chest.

   The duo are in the floor of the living room, letting Nakia et some extra sleep. The four month old is spending time with T’Challa, who so rarely gets to see her during the day since he works in an office.

   ‘’Say, ‘baba’!’’

   She giggles and squeals, letting out unintelligible gurgles as she does so.        

   She’s been in this world for only four months, and T’Challa is so in love with being a baba. Don’t get him wrong, he’s still terrified. But he's mastered changing diapers and getting her babyformual just the right temperature and not crying when she gets her shots and begins to cry herself.

   So maybe he is still new to this Baba thing, but something tells him that he’s doing a pretty good job.

   He holds onto that thought five minutes alter wehn Autumn spits up on his face.

C

   Cradles are hard to put together.

   They’re even harder to put together when your wife is fixing you a judgemental glare from across the room.

   ‘’Eh, Nakia. Don’t look at me like that!’’

   ‘’It’s been an hour, T’Challa.’’

   ‘’I’d like to see you try, entle.’’

   ‘’I offered, husband. You claimed you could do it.’’

   ‘’You never know until you try,right?’’

   ‘’How long are you planning on trying?’’

   ‘’Nakia.’’

   ‘’Hm?’’

   ‘’Be quiet.’’

   She laughs loud and hard, before pressing a kiss to his lips and standing, with his help.

   She’s halfway into the kitchen when she hears a pained cry of ‘’Crap!’’ and the hammer falling to the floor.

D

   T’Challa enrols Autumn in dance class when she’s three-years-old. His other and dad suggested it so that Autumn Could have some sort of after-school activity, and because she clearly likes to dance.

   She’s all dressed in her pink leotard, pink tutu, pink tights, and pink shoes. Her curls are brushed up, and Shuri even gifted her a little net to put over the bun.

   She’s holding onto T’Challa’s hand as she stands at the door of the dance studio, watching others file in.

   ‘’Are you ready, intomba?’’

   ‘’Daddy, you come too?’’

   ‘’Of course. I’ll be right outside watching you,’’ he tells her earnestly, and that seems to be enough for the young dancer.

   Later that night, the dynamic duo will dance two Disney songs, T’Challa holding his daughter close as her giggles and the tunes form some movie about a princess fill the room.

   When she dances with him sometime later and wears a white dress, she’ll recall this as one of her favorite memories with T’Challa.

E

   ‘’Enough,’’ T’Challa sighs, taking Autumn's spoon and bowl for her.

   The two-year-old has squashed bananas and oatmeal all over the floor, and he’s stepped on it in his sock clad foot.

   How she got the food into her hair, he’ll never know. He can see gunks of food in ehr afro puffs. It’s not even nine yet, and he’s already tired.

   Nakia is not here, though, so he’s the only one that can clean it up and get Autumn cleaned and to N’Jadaka so that he can watch her.

   ‘’Let’s go get you dressed. Again,’’ Autumn tells his daughter lifting her out of her high chair as he discards the soiled rag he’d used to clean the floor, ‘’We’re gonna go see Erik?’’

   ‘’Erik?’’

   Other than her parents, Erik is her favorite person He play fights with her, picks her up and plays ‘’Spaceship’’ with her, talks in silly voices with her when he reads her stories.

   She’s his world, and he is a large part of hers.

   ‘’That’s right!,’’ T’Challa says.

   Autumn claps then, excitement radiating from her features at the thought of seeing her best friend.

   That’s the moment that makes T'Challa forget all about how hectic the morning was.

   Because this little girl right here is a calming force, even when she’s the biggest change in his life.

   And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

F

   ‘’Family,’’ Miss Jackson, ‘’Starts with ‘F’. Who are some people i our families?’’

   The other children all scream ,’’Mommy’’, and Autumn fills a pit in the bottom of her stomach.

   She has a mommy, but her mommy works farr from home. She was here to drop her off for her first day of preschool and they got pie together after school, but she's  not her now. Autumn isn’t even gonna see her for a bazillion more years! (It’s three weeks but try telling that to a toddler).

   She ponders this on the way home, and it makes her much too quiet.

   T’Challa notices.

   ‘’Intomba, what is wrong?’’

   She looks up at him, tear glistening in her eyes and threatening to spill over and down her round little cheeks, ‘’I miss mommy.’’

   T’Challa’s hear breaks for his daughter, and he picks her up.    

   She’s too young to understand the concept of divorce and the nature of Nakai’ job as a traveling author. He just knows she’s missing her mommy, and he wishes he could take that pain away.

   ‘’I know, intomba,’’ he kisses her cheek, ‘’Baba is here, though.’’

   ‘’Will mommy be back soon?’’

   ‘’In three weeks. We can count down the days together, Autumn, if you’d like.’’

   She nods then, wiping her eyes and throwing her arms around T’Challa’s neck and pressing her head against his shoulder.

   He carries her home like that, the young girl eventually falling asleep.

   Later in her life, Autumn will recall just how loved he made her feel and you'll realize that she didn't have her mom there all of the time, but she did, just like the other kids, have a family that loves her more than anything.

   And she loves them, too.

G

   ‘’Grandma, grandpa!,’’ Autumn giggles as Ramonda  and T’Chaka press kisses to her cheeks. SHe’s been gone for a week, having taken a longer trip with akai than usual. Why haven't seen the six-year-old in what feels like forever, and it shows. T’Challa watches on in amusement as her grandmother smothers her hair down, before removing the hair ties to redo them ‘’better’’ than T’Challa did.

   ‘’Tell me, lovely. How was your trip?’’

   ‘’I had so much fun with mommy! We went to the zoo, and we went to see a musical, and…’’

   She continues on and on, letting her grandparents know about her exciting spring break as they bond with her.

   It isn’t until later, when she is asleep with her head on T'Challa's shoulder that the room is silent. Her grandparents gently lay her on the couch, glad to have her visit for the night.

   Gone is the baby that came home wailing from the hospital. A beautiful, smart, kind little girl lies in her place.

   Time goes on and things change, btu T’CHaka and Ramonda will always admire that in her.

   Tomorrow they’ll take her to school and go to work.

   And by the end of the da. Autumn Udaku will have three new outfits and two nre toys waiting for her on her next visit.

H

   Hair.

   Autumn Udaku has been blessed with lots of hair.

   Autumn Udaku has been blessed with lots of coarse, thick hair, and T'Challa is trying to navigate his way through it.

   He silently wishes he’d paid more attention after Nakia let her hair grow out a bit, before she cut it. Because his daughter has thicker hair than hers, but it’s about the same length that hers was before she cut it.

   ‘’Baba, it hurts,’’ the four year old whines.

   He’s used to throwing it into a bun, because that in and of itself is work and she’s impatient.

   ‘’Baba is sorry, intomba. But we have to get this done.’’

   She nods and gives him a thumbs up but whines and winces when T’Challa attempts to detangle a section.

   When she’s fourteen years old, she comes home and begs him to let her take the twists out of her hair. She tells him about how the kids at her high school made fun of it. That she wants shiny, long, straight hair like the other girls, like her friends.

   When she is sixteen, she straightens . She spends all day flipping it over her shoulder and running her fingers through it. It’s beautiful and all, but it doesn’t feel like her. Her friend Vanessa, who relaxes her hair and loves it, asks her why she doesn't go natural again.

   She’s seventeen years old when T’Challa helps her detangle her hair, a year after she’s done the big chop and is getting used to her afro again.

   She’s eighteen when she sees her hair the way T’Challa hs seen it all along- thick, coarse, full, and beautiful.

   That’s a lesson she’ll later carry on and pass onto her own daughter, but that's another story for another day.

I    

   ‘’I love you’’ is written is squiggly letters, and five year old AUtumn udaku beams up at her baba as he holds the valentine.

   She’s dressed in her red pants and pink sweater and those black rain boots she loves so much.

   Her hair is in two pigtails, courtesy of Erik last night.

   ‘’Thank you, intomba. I love it,’’ T’Challa bends,tying her shoes and pressing a kiss to her forehead, ‘’Now, let’s get ready. You don’t want to miss kindergarten today!’’

   She nods excitedly before rushing off to grab her Iron Man bookbag (courtesy of Tony Stark himself) so she can match her ‘’boyfriend’’, Damien.

   He messages his girlfriend, confirming their plans for later before Autumn returns.

   ‘’I got one for Ms. Lillian, too! She’s the aid. I have one for Ms. Good and...and Ayesha and Damien and Naomi and Natalie-’’

   ‘’Alright,’’ Autumn chuckles, ‘’Well, let’s get going. Come on, intomba.’’

   The duo match down he walks, making their way to the elementary school in record time.

   Later, when he gets too his office, he puts the valentine in a spare frame for all to see.

   It’s the best gift he's gotten all day,and probably one of the best gifts that he will receive all day.

L

   ‘’Lying is wrong, Autumn.’’

   She looks down ashamed, brown eyes trained on the floor as she fiddles with her little fingers as she does so.

   ‘’People don't like lying, Autumn, It means that they can’t trust you anymore.’’

   The four-year-old has been caught lying. She said that she didn’t put all of the glitter on the floor, but she did do so. T'Challa sure wasn’t using glitter while he painted.

   He’s more upset that she looked him in the eye and told him that it wasn’t her than he is about the glitter, mind you. He doesn’t want to raise her to believe that she can or has to lie to hi,

   He stands then, so he’s not at her leave anymore, ‘’I’m disappointed in you, Autumn. I don’t want to speak with you for awhile. Go to your room.’’

   She does so, and sit on her bed, fiddling with her paper dolls.

   It’s an hour later that she emerges from the room in tears, seeking her baba out to apologize.

   ‘’I’m sorry I spilled the glitter and l-lied,’’ she whimpers before T’Challa sighs, picking he rup and pressing kisses to her cheeks.

   ‘’Apology accepted. I love you, you know that, yes?’’

   She nods frantically before wiping her tears on her sleeves, ‘’I love you, too.’’

   It’s a valuable lesson, one that she  appreciates later, even if she doesn't fully understand it now.

   For now, sitting with her baab and discussing why lying is wrong- he teaches her a lesson and she spends time with him.

   So, for the two Udaku’s, it’s a good time.

M

   Autumn is ten years old when she gets her first manicure, courtes of her Auntie Shuri.    

   She’s ten years old when she flaunts it at Sunday dinner, and Erik and Romanda and even T’Chaka compliment it.

   It’s also a moment when T’Challa realizes that she’s growing up. HIs little girl is in fifth grade and she’s not so little anymore.

   Is that tightening in his stomach normal?

   He decides that, okay, she’s growing up and she needs some girl time. So when nakia visits, he pays for the du to have a whole spa weekend to themselves. With her starting school in a month, it’s a little time for them to spend together.

   He doesn’t know it for many years, but she's’ forever grateful that he gave up his Daddy-Daughter Saturday with her to let her spend some time with her mom.

   It’s the day that she realizes this- if she does end up falling in love and getting married, she hopes that hat man is as nice as her baba.

N

‘’No.’’

‘’Baba! I am fifteen years old. I just want to go to the movie with my friend.’’

‘’Yeah, your boyfriend.’’

‘’No, space in between. Boy who is a friend. Damien Stark isn’t into me!’’

That boy is in love with her, and it’s as clear as day. He doesn't tell her that, though, knowing that the almost sixteen-year-old has a crush on the young man as well.

‘’Autumn, no. I’m sorry, but I don't feel comfortable with you doing that.’’

‘’All you ever say is no!,’’ she whines, and T’Challa fixes her with a stern look.

‘’Watch your tone,young lady,’’ he reminds her, and she quickly gets herself in check.

‘’Baba, please. You know me,a d you know Damien. No one else wants to see this movie. Can I please, please go?’’

T’Challa grains, knowing that he’s being unreasonable. Damien Stark is a perfectly nice young man.

Then again, that’s what T’Challa appeared to be and he was a teenage boy once, too.

On the other hand, Damien wouldn’t hurt Autumn and T’Challa trusts him.

So he agrees.

And he sits right in between the two, an annoyed Autumn and an amused Damien enjoying their first non date with their parental chaperone sitting right in the middle of them and holding the popcorn bucket.

O

It’s on an October day when Autumn is seven years old that T’Challa gets the call to come pick her up from the principal’s office because there's been a fight.

He leaves the office in a hurry, giving a half-baked explanation to his boss before rushing to the school.

There he finds his second grader sitting in the chair of the principal’s office, arms folded. Her body is tense and rigid, but her face is calm and serene.

He recognizes that.

She’s calming herself down, and it always starts with her facial expression.

‘’Mr. Udaku,’’ the principal clears his throat, ‘’There’s been a bit of a scuffle.’’

‘’She fought another student?!’’

‘’No,’’ the man clear his throat again, ‘’She got into a argument with a teacher.’’

T’Challa looks at his daughter in surprise, but she is actively avoiding his gaze.

‘’About what,’’ he finally takes his eyes off his daughter to look to the older man in front of them.

‘’Her hair.’’

T’Challa blinks once, twice, again.

‘’What about her hair?’’

Autumn's hair is very curly, very thick, and very dark. It falls to her shoulders in tight, kinky coils.

‘’A student in the back complained about not being able to see, and the teacher suggested that Autumn cut her hair.’’

‘’And I told her I’m not doing it,’’ Autumn huffs.

‘’Watch your tone,’’ T’Challa gently reminds her, ‘’Well, where is the teacher?’’

‘’She is teaching her class of course.’’

‘’Well, where is her punishment for telling a seven-year-old to cut her hair?’’

‘’Mr. Udaku, please do try to be reasonable. If it is prohibiting another student from learning, then-.’’

‘’You told my child that she should cut her hair and I should be more reasonable?’’

It goes back and forth like this for a while. T’Challa demands to know who gave this woman the right to tell his daughter to cut her hair, how it is possible disturbing someone who sits in the back.

‘’Sir, with all due respect… they sit in groups of four. Autumn is towards the back. SO how can’t that child se,’ ‘ T’Challa is seethig now.

‘’Mr. Udaku, I don’t tell the teacher how to run their classrooms,. Outside of bigger issues. Just like you don’t tell me what is and is not a problem,. I don’t tell you how to run your business or raise your daughter.’’

T’Challa breathes in and breathes out for a few moments.

‘’You’re right.’’

Autumn looks at T’Challa in betrayal before he stands, taking her hand and pulling her towards the door, ‘’I raise my daughter, and I decide what's best for her. At the moment. I don’t think that it is returning to this school. Have a good day, Mr. Bloom.’’

He guides his daughter out of the office, and she doesn’t cry until she’s home/ He pulls her close, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

‘’I don’t want you arguing with your teacher  like that, but I am so proud of you. You handled yourself well. Like a young adult.’

‘’Can we go get ice cream then,’’ she questions.

It’s then that he is reminded how young his daughter is, that today is probably a confusing and traumatic experience for her.

So, yeah. Ice cream for dinner this one time sounds just fine.

And it sounds just nice as a celebration the following Monday, when Tony Stark and T’Challa drop their kids off at school together, and Autumn is officially enrolled at the school that Damien Stark goes to.

P

Autumn’s playdates with Damien Stark have been more and more of a regular occurrence since the two got out for summer break. They'll be starting in the same kindergarten next week, and the two are still nearly inseparable.

‘’Mr. Udaku, I heard that when you go to kindergarten you learn how to read big words.’’

They can read their names and small, three letter sight words right now.

‘’You do, Damien! You are going to learn to read even more, make new friends, and lean a lot of neat things.’’

‘’Baba, does this mean that we are adults now,’’ Autumn asks, swinging her legs as she snacks on her animal crackers.

‘’No, intomba. You won't be adult for quite some time.’’

Thank goodness.

‘’So, Mr. Udaku,’’ Damien begins again, ‘’Does this mean me and Autumn will be able to teach you things?’’

Truth be told, he pair come to him, Pepper, or TOny with a new fact nearly every single day. SO, it’s not surprising f they do.

‘’You know, Damien. You just might.’’

The two finish their snacks and put the plates on the counter before running off, to pretend to be superheroes or knights or whatever it is they are pretending to be now.

They’re giggles ring through the backyard of Tony and Pepper’s place as the adults return from upstairs, with boxes of old clothes.

‘’These fit Dallas just fine. They should fit your new addition, too.’’

‘’Woah, woah, woah,’’ T’Challa laughs, ‘’No, this is for the clothing drive at my work. I’m not ready for another child yet, Pepper.’’

Autumn is a delight, but she is a handful on her own.

Still, later that night, when he’s with his loving girlfriend, he does entertain the thought of another child. A child with her.

Suddenly, the pitter patter of another set of tiny feet doesn't sound too bad.

Q

‘’She’s definitely going to win prom queen, Mr. Udaku. She’s so popular. Everyone likes her!’’

‘’Damien is exaggerating, baba.’’

Autumn is currently standing in front of T’Challa, her grandmother fussing with the mint blue fabric of her floor length, ball gown prom dress.

She's seventeen years old, in the last stretch of her senior year of high school. T’Challa is watching Damien Stark nervously pull at hsi amtching cumberband while Pepept Potts- Stark and Tony Stark take pictures of the duo.

They’ve officially been dating for seven months, but they’ve been together longer than that, T’Challa has watched them dance around each other for years, and it’s nice to see them finally be happy together.

Damien already knows the rules, and they all revolve around respecting Autumn and having her home no later than one. Yes, he is being lenient. Yes,all involved are surprised.

He has amount where he’s fixing Autumn’s corsage on her wrist while Tony and Pepper smooth out Damien’s tuxedo.

‘’You look like your mom.’’

She beams at that, thanking T’Challa before pressing a kiss to his cheek.

‘’I’ll be home no later than one, baba. I promise.’’

‘’Have a good time, intomba.’’

‘’Not too good of a time, ‘’Shuri stage whispers from where she is holding her youngest daughter, ‘’I don’t want to be a great aunt any time soon.’’

‘’Auntie Shuri!’’

‘’Shuri!’’

‘’I’m just being honest; she winks before hugging her niece, ‘’Have a good time. Stay safe.’’’

With a nod, the two teenagers say their goodbyes and head off to Damien’s car.

The last thing they hear is the combined laughter of Autumn and Damien before they get into the car, ready to head off to the and enjoy the prom.

R

The rain beats down on the window. Autumn Udaku stares out of it as the little raindrops make a pitter patter sound against the glass.

T’Challa runs a hand up and down the fifteen year old’s back, comforting her.

‘’I don’t see why he broke up with me, baba,’’ she whispers, wiping her freshly fallen tears.

She’s no stranger to disappointment, but she’s never known heartbraka like this. To find her boyfriend of six months, Tyler, has been cheating on her with Lyssa Moore? It hurts, and it hurts bad.

So who’s shoulder does she cry on?

Her baba’s of course.

‘’Relationships are often hard, intomba.’’

‘’Is it because she’s like, smarter? Prettier? I thought I was just as smart and pretty, but…’’

‘’You are, Autumn. I know this hurts. I’ve been here before. The thing is, he doesn't realize what he had. You’re an amazing young woman, Autumn.’’

‘’Baba, you have to say that. You're my dad,’’ she shakes her head.

‘’Do you want me to, like, go over and talk to him?’’

She laughs for the first time all day, wiping the back of her hand against her cheeks as she gets rid of more falling tears.

‘’No, baba. Damien already took care of that.’’

‘’Good. I’d much rather stay here with you,’’ he admits, ‘’Come on. Let’s go watch some television and relax.’’

Autumn stands with another nod, and her abab guides her to the living room. They watch old movies and her tears of sorrow quickly becomes tears of joy.

T’Challa wishes that he could protect her from anything that would break her heart, and from anyone who would hurt her feelings, but he can’t. He can only love her ad be there for her with life’s inevitable bumps in the road.

Autumn knows this, too. She’s just grateful for the safety belt that is her baba.

In six months, she’ll go on her first date with Damien Stark.

She’ll be thankful that he was there to catch her when she fell, too.

S

T’Challa loses his daughter in the store, and it terrifies him. He’s calling her ame and searching frantically for his five year old daughter, Nakia doing the same.

His heart feels like it’ll  beat right out of his chest, his tongue feels like it is coated with sawdust, his stomach is doing flip flops.

That little girl is his whole world.

And he’s not sure what he will do if eh can’t find ehr.

Thankfully, Nakia finds her two minutes later, talking to some strangers about their groceries.

He’s scolding her for running off before eh and Nakia are both pressing kisses to her curls, thankful that she’s alright.

That night, they  both talk to her about wandering off. She’s already small for her age, and that worries them in public enough.

From then on, she holds onto her ababa’s hand or ries patiently in the cart as it fills up with food.

Twenty years later, history will repeat itself as Autumn loses her child. She will experience the same emotions, find her son six minutes later, and press kisses to his head the way her parents did to hers.

It is then that she’ll understand even more how much her ababa and mommy love her.

And it’ll be a lesson that will keep her afloat when she feels less than.

T

Time marches on and thrings change. Autumn has grown into a bright young woman. She’s succeeding at her career and she’s got her own place.

It’s when she's twenty years old hat Damien Anthony Stark pays T’Challa a visit, a little, velvet  in his coat pocket.

It’s ten after three when T’Challa gives his blessing, and Damien Stark seeks out Nakia.

Because he knows Autumn- she may not be old fashioned but her parents’ approval means a great deal to her.

It’s ten at night when T’Challa gets a message from Autumn, her and Damien beaming a the camera as she shows off the diamond ring that now takes residence on her ring finger..

And it’s at ten thirty that T’Challa goes to bed, for once grateful that time is marching on.

Because Autumn has turned into a beautiful, smart, kind, resourceful young woman.

And only time will tell just how she uses all of these things to change the world.

U

‘’Umbrella! Umbrella starts with ‘U’!’’

‘’Good job, Little Bit!’’

T’Challa and Erik and Shuri and Autumn and her baba’s girlfriend are all at the beach, enjoying a nice day at the beach.

The six year old is collecting seashells, placing them in the bucket as her family lounges under the blanket.

Years later, before the wedding, her bhabi and her mother and she will rush into the water,the waves lapping against them as they let out carefree laughs.

This easily one of her favorite places,and these memories will live on forever,

And she may just make more memories here with Damien Stark and a family of their own one day.

But that day is something far off, and right now, she’s content with putting seashells in buckets and spending time with her favorite people.

V

‘’I’m sorry. You want to be called what?’’

‘’Vivian.’’

T'Challa stares at his eight year old daughter as she sips on ehr soy milk, her hair back in two pigtails that move as she shifts back and forth.

‘’Why?’’

‘’So people will not make fun of my name,’’ she says matter of factly.

This has been an ongoing conversation of the past year. T'Challa knows that kids can be cruel, knows that his daughter has dealt with the hauntings of her classmates. So he agrees to call her ‘’Vivian’’ for the weekend to test it out.

She often forgets to respond, but Autumn eventually catches on and gets sued to being called ‘’Vivian’’.

It’s a week later that she decides she loves her name. Her cousin Erik ahs told her why her parents chose the name and she loves it.

Gone is ‘’Vivian’’ Udaku, and here to stay is Autumn Elizabeth Udaku.

For the world, that’s gonna have to be good enough.

Because it’s definitely good enough for her.

W

‘’Wakanda is so pretty,’’ her eyes widen as she stares at ll of the beautiful sights, food, clothing, items and people around her.

T’Challa and Nakia brought their child to Wakanda, to show her more of her heritage, to show them the land that they grew up in. She’s as overcome by the beauty of their home as they often are. She takes two learning everything, absorbing it like sht epsonge that she is.

She leaves the trip with three books about Wakanda, two dolls, two clothes with vibranium stitched into them, and a love and appreciation of where she comes from.

That, to her parents, is worth far more than anything else that she got on that trip.

X

When Autumn Udaku is eleven years  old, she breaks her ankle. Dmaine and Naomi help her to the nurse and her stepmother is called and her abab meets them at the hospital.

An X-Ray is taken and she cries as she gets a cast.

T’Challa holds her hand the whole time and even makes her favorite for dinner.

She lies across the couch with her dad and stepmother and falls asleep to the silent humming of her baba.

Her X-Ray lies in her room, because Damien really wants to see it because he’s gonna be a doctor and all so he needs to know when things are broken.

She’s young and she’s scared about her ankle but it'll be alright.

Her family is there and they’ll help her get through this.

That’s one thing that the X-Ray can’t show her.

Y

‘’Autumn this is awful.’’

‘’Baba, you aren’t even trying.’’

T'Challa does not regret driving six hours to see Autumn for her college first Parents’ Weekend.

He doesn't regret the fact that he’ll be sleeping in a hotel not to far away from the campus and that his wife won’t be with him because of her obligations at home.

He doesn’t even regret agreeing to do this yoga class with Autumn even though he’s a bit insecure if he’s doing the yoga positions right.

He regrets not stretching before beginning, and that’s evident when his daughter has to take him back to his hotel, stifling her laughter the whole way.

‘’Such an old man.’’

‘’Eh, is that anyway to talk to your baba?’’

‘’I’m sending a picture to momma. Smile.’’

He gives the goofiest smile that he can muster and Autumn throws her head back laughing.

It’s rare that they can just have a moment where it’s just the two of them, just like the old days.

So he enjoys any time they have together. Soon, she’ll be grown and won’t come home for holidays, so he spends as much time with ehr ow as he can.

She’s a beautiful and bright young lady, and she has great things i store for her There's no doubt.

But she can be his little daughter for just a little while longer.

She feels that too, msisdn days where hr abap would give her piggy back rides. So, yes. They can go to dinner and get a grilled cheese and a milkshake each and talk, just like the hold days.

She's’ a young woman now, and things have changed.

But not everything has to.

And some things never will.

For that, both of them are grateful.

Z

T’Challa hugs his daughter, careful not to snag or pull down the zipper on the white, lace, tea length gown that she is wearing.

Today, she will officially become Mrs. Autumn Udaku-Stark. She’ll make a promise, as wilL Damien. T’Challa will give her away, and she’ll beigna  new life as a married woman.

T'Challa's crying and he’s not ashamed to admit it.

‘’Baby, don't’ cry,’’ Autumns ighs as Nakia fusses over her dress sme more, ‘’Mommy. Please. It is fine.’’

‘’You look so beautiful,’’ Nakia sings, stepping back to look at her daugher.

She’s her in mannerisms, btu T’Challa in the face. She’s got her nose, is, btu T’Challa’s eyes and T’Challa’s smile.

T'Challa looks at his little girl, who is everything he’s ever dreamed she would be. He’s so kind and loving and smart and beautiful and where did the time go?

She’s putting her veil on now, and she notices T’Challa staring at her in the mirror.

‘’Mommy, can you give us a moment?’’

Nakia nods, exiting the room. She had a private talk with her this morning so she doesn't mind giving T'Challa and their daughter a moment alone.

Autumn's steps down, careful not to snag her gown on anything.

‘’You look like a vision,’’ T’Challa takes her hand,t wirlign her.

Autumn’s life is sprinkled with fond memories of dancing with her baba.

She remembers being three years old and being dressed up like Bell from the Disney movie ‘’Beauty and the Beast’’ and him holding her hands and letting her stand on his toes.

A year later he did the same thing at the daddy-daughter dance at her school.

Tonight, when vows are done and ake has been eaten, she dances with her baba. He whispers words of encouragement and love that are meant only for her, and her head rests against his shoulder as tears stream from both of their eyes.

Damien is dancing with Pepper, who is clutching him and sobbing at the fact that her baby boy is all grown up.

T’Challa can relate.

Some moments are precious and can’t be duplicated. They’re meant for only the people in them to remember. This seems like one of them.

He finally releases her hand, and Autumn glides over to her husband,

She’s all grown up. She’s a young woman, no longer a hyoung child. Pigtails have turned to high ponytails and pictures of them as a family have turned to weekly phone calls. It’s sweet, though. She is and always will be his baby girl.

Now, it’s time to watch her continue spreading her wings.

She’s a bright young woman with a marvelous future ahead of her,

T’Challa is content with that knowledge.

After all, what more could a baba want for his intomba?

DISCLAIMER- I OWN NO MARVEL CHARACTERS,JUST THE PLOT AND STORIES. CHARACTERS AND THEIR FICTIONAL WORLDS,UNIVERSES AND SUCH BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS. 

@ashanti-notthesinger​ @destinio1​ @afraiddreamingandloving​ @starsshines-blog​ @airis-paris14​ @syreanne​ @chaneajoyyy​ @90sinspiredgirl​ @shemiahsmelanin @zillmonger @skysynclair19 @bidibidibombaclaat @marvelpotterlove @constantlycravingtheunknown @imaginewhoever @wakanda-inspired @pocmarvelworks @theunsweetenedtruth @dreampovx

[toonstarterz]

BECAUSE I’M NOT POPULAR, I’LL READ WATAMOTE: CHAPTER #124

Nico Tanigawa are really giving us exactly what we want with this chapter, aren’t they? I know I wasn’t the only one hoping that Tomoko’s middle school posse of Yuu and Komiyama would meet her new friends, so I was really pumped when that day finally came. But of course, the mangaka can’t throw us a bone without a little unexpected twist, can they? Naturally, this meeting proves to be a real insightful one. One I’m sure will stick with our characters onwards.

Chapter 124: Because I’m Not Popular, I’ll Watch My Friends Meet

Two panels in, and Minami’s insensitivity meter is already blinking.

I’m sure Mako expected Minami was going up to talk to her, so it must have been quite the surprise when Minami walked right past her to reach her soon-to-be-buddy Katou. As always, I’m sure Minami meant no harm, and maybe she just knew Mako was already going to go home with Yuri, but the fact that she didn’t even bother addressing her suggests that Minami’s current friendship with Mako isn’t as important right now as the potentially new friend she sees in Katou. Ouch.

Woah, I wasn’t expecting the field trip to be coming up so soon. Maybe it’s just me, but year three feels like it’s going by at a noticeably faster pace than the previous years. This is a little concerning, as I’m sure I’m not the only one who wants to savor Tomoko’s last year of high school as long as possible. But if it’s this mangaka, i’m sure the final year will be twice as impactful to compensate.

Akane, huh? Cool.

This is a particularly interesting scene because we aren’t entirely sure what the character dynamics are here, and even if we did, that could change if Minami becomes a regular member of their group. We’ve seen Okada hang around Katou before, but this friendship isn’t as clear as Nemoto’s posse. From what I can presume, Okada is aware that Minami is trying to edge her way into their circle, and is trying to accommodate her without being too obvious. If Katou’s the class mom, then I see Okada as the big sister.

Aww, Nemoto’s really taking that “I just don’t care anymore” philosophy to heart. It does feel like that apprehension she felt after “coming out” during the class introductions is no longer there, but I don’t think that’s too big a leap in character development or anything. After revealing she wants to be a voice actress, admitting an interest in anime seems like it’d be easier comparatively. In any case, good on you Nemoto! No more hiding. 

I do like the little ways that Komiyama shows just how little she sees Tomoko. Past experience has probably attuned her to Tomoko’s forgetfulness and ignorance, so I can’t really blame her too much. Naturally, Tomoko does not like being talked down to, especially since she’s shown to be well-aware of things that involve Yuu, so I can’t fault Tomoko too much either. It’s an ugly cycle of “I hate how you treat me, but I can’t defend myself”.

If these three are at a cafe together, then you know something big is gonna go down this chapter.

Ah, Yuu-chan, how I’ve missed you. Even if your popularity with the series has dwindled in response to all the new characters, you’ll always have a place with the fans as Tomoko’s OG friend. And I must say, your blissful ignorance to Tomoko and Komiyama’s frenemy status makes for some memorable moments. I wonder if she’ll ever catch on...

Have I ever mentioned how much I love that Tomoko and Komiyama openly resent each other? ‘Cause I do.

Poor, Yuu. Your bubble’s about to burst. Also, hearing Tomoko casually refer to her friends as “friends” still brings a smile to my face.

Even if Tomoko’s relationship with Komiyama is still rocky, I think it’s telling that the former is “telepathically” relaying her idea to Komiyama, as if sensing that she’s likely thinking of the same thing. When will they realize just how alike they are?

Interesting analogy, Komiyama. It’s a dynamic that’s actually prevalent in a lot of celebrities, not just comedians (Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman from Mythbusters come to mind). I think a lot of that trend is that once you’re obligated to deal with someone for an extended period of time, the pressure to socialize beyond that isn’t as heavy. Unfortunately, it also sometimes means that your partner is someone who’d be annoying if you dealt with them any longer than needed. Thankfully, Yuu hasn’t seemed to pick up on Komiyama’s big, fat lie.  

You know, Tomoko can be surprisingly manipulative at times. She managed to skewer Komiyama’s image while at the same time building up herself in Yuu’s eyes. Of course, this sort of thing only happens when Tomoko has the upper hand. And granted, it’s not like Tomoko is completely wrong. Her bullshit is grounded in her perception of Komiyama, which probably makes her delivery that much more convincing. Give Komi a break, Tomoko. 

Given that Itou is the first person Komiyama thought of when Tomoko brought up “that one friend”, I think it’s safe to assume that Itou is pretty much Komiyama’s only friend at this school. I seriously hope we get to learn the history between those two someday.  

Komiyama’s cuteness factor just rose a few pegs.

But yeah, it’s kind of crazy how just saying Tomoki’s name was enough to set Tomoko off. I mean, sure, Tomoko thinks Komiyama’s attraction to her brother is disgusting, but it’s still pretty harsh of a reaction. Perhaps an unspoken agreement was established between them, that Tomoki is a taboo subject that Komiyama should not utter when Tomoko’s around. But that’s speculation at this point.

As for why Komiyama pulled back, perhaps she realized that if she really went into it, she’d have to reveal that Tomoki got her wet the other day. Nice retreat.

I bet in Yuri’s mind, she’s started calling Minami “fanged bitch”.

People always seem to comment on how cute Yuu is whenever they first see her. Not that there’s anything weird about that. Judging someone from their appearance is a natural first impression. What I’m wondering though is whether Yuu’s cuteness comes to a shock when they see her association with Tomoko. As if to say, “how did someone messy-looking like Tomoko become friends with a cutie like her?”.

Did Nico Tanigawa get that name from those 4chan users who would call Yuri ‘twintails girl” because they couldn’t remember her name? Probably.

More of Yuri’s boldness coming through. Unfortunately, that may not be such a good thing in this case. Considering how even Mako is shocked by this, something about Yuu must have really set her off...

The first thing I thought when I saw this is that Mako takes the lead when introducing themselves, and Yuri has no discernible issue with that, suggesting this has happened before. That doesn’t surprise me too much given Yuri’s quiet reservedness, but it does make the implication that Yuri may be dangerously reliant on Mako when they’re in social situations. Makes me shudder at the thought of how Yuri might have turned out without Mako in her life.

I really like these panels and no, it’s not for the legservice.

It’s a great way to emphasize how totally separate these two groups are. There’s more free space between Yuri and Mako, suggesting an air of comforting openness between them. On the other side, the trio of Tomoko, Yuu, and Komiyama are all bunched together, further expressing their trio status against the duo across from them.

Oh, and I do know that it’s actually Komiyama speaking in this shot and not Yuri. Thank goodness, as I can’t see Yuri being this indelicate.

I’m seeing Yuri’s feelings in this chapter being a hot topic in the Watamote fandom, so I’m gonna try and space out my thoughts on the matter instead of having a wall of text at the end of the review. Saavy?

Initially, the first thing to come across Yuri’s head is how affectionate Tomoko and Yuu are, from using nicknames and “indirect kissing”, which appears to come as quite the surprise to her. It makes sense, given that Yuri has no knowledge of Tomoko’s prior friendships beyond their own field trip group. In that regard, it can also be assumed that Yuri believed that Tomoko had no one before they met each other.

But if that’s true, then could be that Yuri feels threatened at the thought that Tomoko isn’t as close to her and she is with Tomoko? And after seeing Tomoko with such an attractive friend, is Yuri worried that Tomoko will leave her since she’s already got someone lovely like Yuu around?

In short, Yuri be jealous.

I love how this whole scene plays out because it’s something that’s isn’t too out of place at the start. It’s just Yuri sharing a story from their field trip to Tomoko’s friends. Nothing odd at first...

But there we get to here and we realize that something is odd. First thing that stood out to me was that Yuri’s stories weren’t exactly positive. That sort of pivots the reader’s thinking, because we now know that Yuri isn’t trying to make Tomoko look any better in front of her friends. Rather, it would seem that what Yuri’s doing is just giving examples about their friendship. Which wouldn’t be such a bad idea except...

...this happened. It’s here when the reader may realize that, if you know Yuri’s character, suddenly going off on a tangent is very out of character for her, meaning that this scene is purposely trying to make the readers uncomfortable. At this point, it still unclear to what that may be, but the part when Yuri mentioned Tomoko groping Yoshida was when the lightbulb in my head went off.

Normally, that is something you would not bring up in a group setting, especially to people you just met. That fact that Yuri would do this reveals that this isn’t just casual conversation for her. Yuri is forcing herself to bring up something, anything that puts her friendship with Tomoko in the spotlight. And moreso, she’s directing the conversation to everyone and not just Tomoko, meaning that she intends to have everyone be aware of how buddy-buddy they are, despite having no real reason to prove it other than sheer jealousy.

Seeing Yuri so oblivious to what she had just done is both gratifying and disappointing. The gratification comes from realizing that Yuri wasn’t purposely being inconsiderate–she is a good girl, after all. But it’s also disappointing because it shows that Yuri didn’t have the forethought to be mindful of her actions. Who knows how many times Yuri’s been innocently insensitive?

Thank goodness for Mako. I’m not joking when I say things could gone way south if Yuri had really gotten into it. On that note, having the shadowy eyes on usually kind-hearted characters usually spells nothing but trouble, and I’ll tell you, I was genuinely nervous to turn the page.

Damn, I know I downplayed this in earlier reviews, but Yuri must really hate Minami. And Yuri, you’re great and all, but I can’t defend you here. That was a bitch move.

Not gonna lie, Yuri’s punch looked kind of silly to me at first glance, probably because her body language didn’t really line up with the punch’s impact. But at the same, this sort of physical violence is exactly what you’d expect from Yuri. Having one hand in her pocket adds an element of frightening casualness to the punch, and her hardened expression indicates some barely concealed rage. It’s also telling that Yuri is looking away from Mako, as if for that one second, Mako ceases to be her friend and is just an unfocused existence that’s pissing her off. That dark shadow in the mirror could also be a reflection of Yuri’s blind fury made visible to the readers.

Oh course, once the initial rage passes, Yuri’s sensibilities come a’crawling back. It’s not instantaneous though, because Yuri still has her fist on Mako’s arm, meaning that she isn’t about to regret her actions entirely. Naturally, people need convincing before admitting they’re wrong.

Well, shit. It’s not everyday that I have to call out my favorite character twice in a review, but I’m gonna do it. Yuri, please stop being so rude. Your pride is gonna get you in trouble one of these days. I understand that displays of stubbornness were a part of Yuri’s personality in previous chapters, so rather than blame her for being out-of-character, I see this as an honest-to-goodness fault that she needs to work on.

Yuu, the original “good girl”, always coming through when it really counts. 

There you go, Yuri. As expected, all she needed was a little time to cool off before her better nature comes around. Though interestingly enough, it only when shown an act of kindness does Yuri make the right choices (here, Yuu asking for her LINE, and before, getting a gift from Mako on the field trip). I’m not saying Yuri is so shallow that she’s easily swayed by special treatment, but that tangible, visible acts of friendliness are easier for Yuri to understand and internalize.

Also, I find it intriguing that apparently Tomoko doesn’t speak much of her school life with Yuu, especially now that has people to talk about. As a first year, she would’ve killed to have these kinds of stories to tell Yuu, so it tells me that Tomoko no longer venerates the concept of friendship and instead it has become just another everyday facet of her life.

This is exactly how I imagined Yuu and Yuri’s first meeting would end.

Am I disappointed? Not a bit.

Only Yuu could say diabetes-inducing lines like this and still have it come across as totally genuine. It’s almost kind of funny how stoic Yuri is in the face of pure-hearted kindness, but as we’ve seen in the past, her lack of expression doesn’t equate to being emotionless. I imagine that there’s a mixture of confusion and guilt in Yuri’s current state as her opinion of Tomoko’s best friend rises. In any case, the possibility of Yuu and Yuri bonding over Tomoko is almost too precious to comprehend.

Yowch. This one hit hard. We’ve seen before that Yuri has a bit of an edge underneath her general niceness, but that characterization was always inferred by the fans. This is the first time I can recall of Yuri being so self-deprecating and self-aware towards her own personality. The fact that she readily admits this says wonders about Yuri’s values and motivations, all while making her friendship with Tomoko all the more believable. Top-tier characterization as always, Nico Tanigawa.

Yes, I know Tomoko did not actually use her name here…

I love when the mangaka lampshades ideas that we as fans only thought we discovered, only to realize that the mangaka had already thought of that. As they say, nothing in a good story is incidental.

Tomoko never calling Yuri by her name is one of those things. As she muses, it’s only awkward when you bring it up. And to be fair, Tomoko could probably get away with never calling her by name if she didn’t have to. But now, Tomoko cares enough about Yuri that she’s willing to put in that little bit of extra effort to become closer to her. Notice how while Yuu and Komiyama are having their conversation, Tomoko is lost in her own thoughts? That’s a testament to how important Yuri is to her. 

And lastly, we can’t have a Yuu chapter without some of her low-key savagery. And it’s funny how it’s Komiyama this time that takes the heat and not Tomoko. Given their history together, it makes me wonder just how aware Yuu is to Tomoko and Komiyama’s flaws. My guess is that she’s subconsciously aware of it, but doesn’t realize it herself. In this instance, the readers may see Yuu’s comment as a stab on how Komiyama’s personality makes it hard to get along with her, but in Yuu’s eyes, she may just see it as nice people being attracted to another “nice” girl like Komiyama. Yuu’s mind can be a real enigma...

The way this series has been getting increasingly popular, it’s easy for the characters to devolve into two-dimensional characters–especially when the fans start clamoring for screen time of their favorites. Take Yuri Tamura, in this case. Her popularity skyrocketed at a pace that I never expected it to go but was secretly hoping it would. Many mangakas would play up her appeal even more as a form of fanservice. But instead, Nico Tanigawa pulled a move that was pure genius. They showed off Yuri’s flaws, and I’m not talking moe flaws like clumsiness and ditziness, but real flaws that most people would disapprove of. And in doing so, the mangaka actually added a layer of depth to Yuri that, ironically, could make people like her even more.

It’s something we’ve seen before with nice characters like Nemoto becoming passive aggressive, or the sexually frustrated Komiyama being purevert of heart. On the basic level, it’s the moe gap, but that gap is twisted and turned into something very refreshing and frankly, just entertaining to watch.

Next time, the Disneyland arc??

[survivesalem]

Episode 5 - “things got extremely messy.” -Raffy

After voting out Keegan, things got extremely messy. Lukas basically threw an entire tantrum in the tribe chat (which he claims wasn't one, but we all know it is one) that rubbed me completely the wrong way. He somehow found out that I was a person who threw the challenge last round. Apparently, someone in my alliance is a little rat. It wasn't Brien. And it wasn't Jessie. Because he's mad at Brien as well (didn't know Brien was flipping at all) and Jessie didn't know that we were throwing. That leaves Jay and Mac. Lukas apparently has quotes from the conversation that occurred. It can't be Jay because I never mentioned throwing in our PMs, so it has to be Mac who was probably trying to cover his own spot. That's why he keeps sending voice messages instead of text. He's definitely too strategic and wily. He's trying to cover himself on all bases when he doesn't need to. If he wasn't on my target list before, I know he is now. I don't know why he did it, but I am going to snake him out. Someone did tell Lukas. I feel like I can trust that. But all of this nonsense Lukas pulled has just sealed his fate. Also, on an alliance call, Mac was a little too quick to be like "I'll put a throw away vote on one of you to throw people on the other tribe off." And he wants to throw the challenge again? This dude needs to learn that not everything can be based on strategy. He's the traitor and I need to watch what I say to him from now on. We really need to win this challenge though. Because I am now in a super uncomfortable position with all that has happened.

So. My plan worked 100%. Mastermind shit. Things popped off afterwards. Lukas was a lil messy and quite annoying about being left out, even though they said A) Lukas said he knew Keegan was getting votes and B) Lukas and Keegan are good mates. Now, here’s my issue. Raffy doesn’t wanna throw this next challenge. I mean fair enough BUT...I’m pretty sure Raffy and Lukas are working together, and Raffy would want to flip at merge, probably take Jessie too. That’s super worrying. I’m happy the 5-2 vote worked perfectly. I just need some damn Olive Oil for this idol!

To be completely honest this is the most comfortable I felt all game and I know in survivor you’re not supposed to feel comfortable bc that’s when you’re blindsided but I would bet my bottom dollar that the vote is coming down to Keegan and Mac unless something changes hours before tribal.  the 4some of me raffy jay and Mac is strong at least for the time being Lukas and Keegan suspect something which means one of 2 things. 1 someone told them something or 2 everyone is being quiet with them and they are getting suspicious. I hope this is the right vote for me to allow me to make merge and not be the next boot but I know one thing is Lukas is gonna be mad coming back to camp without Keegan I came into this tribe I observed the dynamics and saw it was 3-3-1 but I took the swing vote power away from Jessie and flipped myself to hopefully give me more agency later in the game and more allies amongst all the original tribes. I feel bad voting Keegan but it’s the name of the game and he seems like a real nice guy otherwise

So tribal went well for me I stayed . I really thought Keegan was gonna pull some sort of advantage out but that never happened . So then we are all chilling on call a few minutes after tribal and Lukas joins the call and accuses us of throwing the last challenge . Everyone seemed kinda shocked so I was like yeah no we didn’t throw the challenge . So after that he spammed the chat for a good twenty minutes . I think he was drunk or high idk . Anyways according to him I have a blue aura and I am a Twizzler /jolly rancher when it comes to candy . So that was an eventful night oh yeah I also told the tribe to please give me the easy puzzle because I’m not good at puzzles . So today comes around and everyone’s quiet until Brien comes to me asking how I’d feel about a trio and of course I’m gonna accept like the fuck? Why wouldn’t I accept a group of some sorts I’ve been trying to get in one all game . So me, Brien and Mac the oak tree man are now a trio which is cool because I vibe with them. I’m also vibing with this lovely puzzle its spooky spooky . I am also loving these random items I pick up that don’t help me get advantages I’m really hoping there’s some merge spells that include this items . I mean I’m looking ahead to merge when I may not make it that far but I’m gonna hope I do . I really need to stop with these long confessionals but these are my thoughts so you know gotta get them out there ! Anyways witch out 🔮

Brien came up to me thinking about how Lukas knew about the throwing. He thinks Mac was the one to do it as well. I am glad we are both on the same page because I now can express my plans for if we go to tribal. I want everyone to put a vote on Lukas, then I want one of either Brien or I to put a vote on Mac. That way it will turn into a 5-1-1 vote. If Lukas plays an idol, then it will tie between whoever he voted for and Mac. And if he voted for Mac then it's even better. I told all of this to Brien who was concerned about how we would do if Mac did not go home. I told him that we can blame the stray vote on Jessie. At the very least, Brien and I do not trust Mac anymore. Thank god someone sees his treachery besides me. Brien was also concerned about Jay's relationship with Lukas. I feel the same way, but I think that Jay will stick with us in the long term because Jay is smart. I have no plans at the moment to turn on him like I do with Mac. However, I am going to keep my Lukas dislike at a minimum so that I do not rub Jay the wrong way. Who knew that I would end up being a duo with Brien lol. I've talked to Jessie more than I've had in the past few rounds which is good. She seems to be oblivious and not believe Lukas in the throwing. But, she might make for a great ally and snoop if we go to tribal. Because of the mess that tribal might become, I am really hoping that we can pull out this win. I've gotten the best that I possibly can get, and I put the people who would most likely throw on the same section so as not to fuck us up (Lukas and Mac). Crossing my fingers that all this planning is for naught and I can relax tomorrow for my mini.

JUST A QUICK BACKTRACK I REALLY DID EXPOSE AUSTIN AND GET HIM VOTED OUT I'M SHOOK ANYWAY. I think being shy is a bit part of my nature at first so I think I've come off as a lil blunt or not caring or something, I think that's also why I don't really have a solid alliance. I miss my boi Mac! I love Mac I truly do and not in a romantic way or anything but he's literally a brother and a friend for life. I wanna meet up with him and possibly meet people who are more willing to work with me. I miss Jessie too! I actually really liked her so I would love to work with her again. Gizmo right now is someone who I think I wanna work with the most I can see us 2, Alex & either Paolo or Christian forming something and taking out someone like Dylan who is super intelligent. I love Dylan I think they're a great person but Dylan is like a walking Wikipedia and Zach has also shown his strategically strong in the game. I've been using the "I'm new to ORG's this is my first what do I do" thing a lot but I think that's made my social game a lil shit so I need to befriend these people more. Wish me luck hoes adios

My tribe won. I personally would rather lose but it’s fine. I just need Alex and Liam safe. I need my kings at merge with me 🥺🥺🥺🥺. Meanwhile I don’t trust Raffy as much as I did. Jessie, Brien and I made a trio chat.

FUUUUUUUCCCCKKKKKKKK I MISS THE CABIN i didn't have to do anything.....i got food...........i didn't have to vote people out.......this sucks

So uh....we lost. my initial thought for a vote is Liam because he threw Dylan and I under the bus for leaving gizmo out of the last vote because we thought he would tell Austin. that’s not true at all. Tbh I forgot to tell gizmo lmao. I truly felt bad about it, but I’m not happy with Liam throwing us under the bus like that.

Well I have a 50/50 shot at being the one going home. Hopefully I did enough to cast the vote off me and onto Alex, but who knows. At this point I've really done all I can to get me out of this situation. Sadly, if I do get voted out my boyfriend will have to break up with me because who wants to date someone who gets pre-Jurried

So we lost which....i wish we could’ve seen individual scores so we have an idea of how everyone did? idk though. it sounds like the vote is Alex though. I truly am just following what other people are doing and trying to play low key this premerge