#which of you is digging up my art from sophomore year of high school | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

bandaigaeru · 4 years ago

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comfort place - yang jeongin

→genre: friends to lovers →synopsis: comfort can manifest itself in many forms. some find it in the fantastical world of the arts. others find it in sports. but, for you, comfort is a person. →word count: 6.5k →pairing: jeongin x gender neutral reader →warnings: drunk jeongin, mentions of puking

“Why are you doing that?”

“Doing what?”

“That,” your eyes go wide as you nod at his stature. He’s hunched over your trash can. Blue gloves shield his hands as he digs.

“Oh. I think I lost my earring or something.”

“And your first instinct was to search my trash can?” you quirk an eyebrow. Perhaps you should mention that this isn’t just any trash can, it’s your kitchen one. Full of discarded, burnt ramen and your roommate’s weird protein shakes that will clog your drain otherwise.

He nods, as though this is the most normal first step to a lost earring. Yang Jeongin is many things, but being questionable is one of his strongest traits.

You slip behind him to get to the fridge. Water bottles line the right half, more commonly known as your roommate’s side. You reach for one.

“What are you doing on March twenty-fifth?” he asks, arms deep in your trashcan. He’s really going to endure this conversation without a single shred of his pride disappearing.

You try not to look at him as you glance at the calendar. Two weeks away, the small square for that Saturday reads “NATIONALS” in large red letters.

You hum to yourself. “Dog sitting.”

“What?” he looks at you, eyes squinted in confusion, “Why?”

“Danceracha’s going out of town for the dance contest. I told you this.”

He exhales a deep, surrendering sigh as he straightens his back and plucks the gloves off. He shakes his hands in the cool air before starting for your sink. The calm stream of water trickles out. “Man. That sucks.”

“Why?” you question. Your fingertips draw marks of condensation along the plastic.

“I was gonna invite you to a party,” he mutters. A pout comes to his lips. For a moment, your heart drops. He looks the same as when you met him. All those years, long with memories but short in quantity, whizz past you.

“Party?” you repeat.

“Yeah,” he nudges the water stream off.

Parties and Jeongin don’t mix well. History has proven this.

“Whose party is it?” you start for the living room, knowing he’ll follow.

“You don’t know him,” he says, his voice never once fading because, indeed, he’s on your tail.

“Okay, but what’s his name?”

“Chan. Actually,” he hesitates, “you might know him.”

As you sink into the couch, chipped leather scratching your legs, you glance at him. His eyebrows are scrunched into his thinking stance. Then, his features light up once he finds the answer. “Do you remember sophomore year’s biology class?”

You nod.

“Remember when that senior came in to make fun of Mr. Lee?”

Again, you nod.

“His best friend is Chan. You probably saw them in our freshman yearbook for spirit week. They dressed up as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum for Twins Day.”

Your mouth forms into an acknowledging part. “Got it.” In fact, the recurring image instantly pops into your head. You can thank all the hours spent staring at it with stifled laughter for that.

“So what’s the party for?”

He shrugs, “Some college achievement shit.”

“And you got invited?” you laugh. Jeongin barely made it out of high school. He took one harrowed glance at the local campus and nearly cried. You don’t blame him, though. That place is stressful. Even as a freshman you can say this.

He rolls his eyes. “I’m cool, you know? I don’t need to be in academics for them to know that.”

“Sure,” you nod.

“I’m serious!” His lips quirk up in a defensive manner that sends a spark through your chest.

Among other things, Jeongin is confusing. Questionable and confusing. These are the words you say when someone asks you what he’s like. Because seriously, why does he always do things so infuriating yet endearing?

He runs a hand through his hair as he unlocks his phone. His thumb works quickly to swipe through a message log before he tilts the phone so you can see. “See?”

The conversation in question is short, a maximum of four texts. The details blur as he snatches his phone back as quickly as he showed it. Again, infuriating.

“Are you planning on going alone, then?”

This question makes him freeze. He stares at the wall wielding a mounted TV, whose black screen reflects the image of him by your side, shoulder to shoulder. A small smile tilts his lips. “I guess. People want me there. So I’ll find my niche.”

See? Endearing.

You have no doubts that he can find a place to fit in. He did it in high school and he’ll proceed to do it in the future. That’s just how he is. Plus, maybe he can allow someone else to feel safe too. Like he did for you.

ii.

High school is a demon with a comforting smile. When you’re forced to transition, they tell you it’s all fun. Sunshine and rainbows, if you will. What they don’t tell you is that luck will always make it so you don’t get any of your friends in your classes. And this, with your contradicting lunch shifts, will slowly force you out of the friend group you had stuck with since elementary school.

Perpetual tears are stocked behind your eyes. Waiting for the perfect moment to fall because let’s be honest, any minor inconvenience could push you over the edge. Stress does that to you.

In third period of your second week, your math teacher announces that she’s decided on her seating chart. She makes you line up against the walls as she grabs her reference sheet, lined with the images of desks, names scribbled atop them. “Jeongin,” she says, pointing to a desk in the front row.

A boy a few feet away from you steps out from the crowd to claim his desk. He’s wearing an oversized maroon hoodie whose back is marked “Yang” in white letters.

Your teacher stops at the seat next to him. She glances at you and your heart drops. “Y/N,” she points to a desk.

Sitting up front is worse than the incessant plagues of high school drama. All eyes permanently burn into the back of your head, even when not a single soul acknowledges you.

As you try to settle into your seat, back a little stiff from trying to shrink yourself into a tiny marble, the boy beside you leans over. “Hey, you okay?”

For the first time, your eyes lock. His remind you of the innocence of childhood, that blank yet full gaze. You nearly melt, but instead, your back loosens.

“Yeah. I just don’t like sitting in the front,” you chuckle awkwardly.

He smiles. Not one of the pity ones, but a real toothy smile. “Aww. Me neither, I always feel like everyone’s watching me.”

Finally, a person who gets it.

“But I just have to trick myself into not caring,” he says, glancing at the whiteboard. Shadows of poorly erased marker line the corners.

Abruptly, after his serene gaze, he jumps back to you. “Do you like coffee by any chance?”

Despite the initial shock of the question, you say, “Yeah, I do.”

As it turns out, his family owns this huge coffee shop right next to the bookstore you used to frequent. His mom was rather happy to see a new face. On that day, she accepted you as family.

And math didn’t turn out to be so hard that year.

iii.

The apartment grows quiet after Jeongin inevitably has to leave. Your roommate’s dog comes trotting out from his room. His nose is upturned, scouting for a soul to give him attention.

“Come here, Kkami,” you pat the empty spot on the couch beside you. He runs the rest of the way. Instead of resting on the couch cushion, he prefers your lap. This pickiness he obtained from his owner.

Hyunjin’s anything but a bad roommate. He does the dishes, sweeps when he finds a large puff of Kkami’s fur traveling your hardwood like a tumbleweed, even brings home coffee when you have a huge study night ahead of you. However, when it comes to you and Jeongin, your mutual hangouts on weekends, he has a very specific need. And that’s to be around you two as little as possible.

He claims it’s because he can’t stand third-wheeling. Jeongin refuses to understand this concept. “If we’re not dating, it’s not third-wheeling?” he’d said, numerous times.

Hyunjin won’t budge on the subject.

The tune set as Jeongin’s ringtone, chosen by him, plagues the air. You reach for your phone, placing a protective hand on Kkami’s side to prevent him from falling.

“Hello?”

“Problem: What would you do if your brother told you he got a girlfriend?”

You squint at your reflection in the TV between scene transitions. It looks odd without him beside you. “Which brother?”

“Guess which one would make me more dumbfounded. Hint, it’s not the older one.”

“Your younger brother got someone before you?” you snicker. Jeongin holds his pride in his individuality. Losing to a younger brother with something like this is hilarious.

“This isn’t funny! Should I be a serious big brother and talk to him or should I just seethe in silence?”

“Neither. Leave him alone.”

He does something akin to a whine. “But-”

You stick up a finger, though he can’t see you as you interrupt, “C’mon, Jeongin. He’s a teenager. Let him be.”

Sometimes, it feels like he’s the outsider and you’re the true, reasonable sibling.

He sighs. You imagine him pushing his hair out of his eyes and staring up at his ceiling. All lost in the possibilities that lay before him, since you and him both know he won’t listen to you.

“Can I hang up now?” you ask, glancing at the front door.

“Are you gonna abandon me for your significant other too?”

You scoff as the front door opens. “You’re ridiculous.”

Hyunjin steps into the apartment. His hair is damp with sweat and lays jagged in front of his eyes. You raise a hand to wave.

“It’s a real question, though. You know whoever it is will be jealous of me.” Now, you know, he’s just prodding for a reaction. You can practically hear the smirk in his voice.

“Yes, Jeongin. I would one hundred percent drop you for some person who offers emotional stimulation,” you monotonously chide.

Hyunjin gives you a curious look as he passes. You would think he’d be used to this by now.

“Okay but,” Jeongin’s voice grows low as he settles onto his bed, “would you really? Tell me you won’t.”

“I won’t,” you press your back deeper into the couch. It’s not like you’ve had many romantic opportunities since meeting him. Jeongin, though also needy, is more interesting than anyone else you’ve met. He’s a shiny emerald among a sea of charcoal.

“Good,” he says, and you can tell he’s smiling. The image of his little dimple indenting makes you mirror the sentiment.

“Now can I hang up?”

“Fine,” he sighs.

Through a laugh, you manage, “Goodnight. Love you.”

“Love you too.” And then the line goes dead.

iv.

“Are you sure you don’t like him?” must be a trendy replacement for ‘good morning.’

“Who?” you ask, rubbing your eye as you start for the cereal cabinet.

“Jeongin. Who else?” Hyunjin says. He sits at the kitchen table. A plate of freshly heated blueberry waffles sits before him.

Without turning to him, you say, “I’m sure.”

It’s a reflex, really.

He exhales in the most exaggerated way possible to grab your attention. His eyes are cold with the hunger for an answer. A real one.

“I don’t like him,” you say slowly, allowing each word time to sink into the air.

The thought has surely crossed your mind. It’d be unrealistic to say you’ve never pondered the great possibility of being in love with your best friend. But ultimately, you don’t think you are. Sure, you’d take a bullet for Jeongin. Just not in the ‘wow I’m madly in love with you’ kind of way. You tell yourself it’s in the ‘you’re going to do so much good for the world’ kind of way.

“Fine,” Hyunjin admits, picking up one of his waffles and taking a caveman bite.

Most of breakfast is quiet as you sit opposite him, staring into your bowl. Your milky reflection takes you off guard a few times.

“You know,” Hyunjin says after a while, his voice raw and a little croaky. He has to bring a hand to cover his mouth as he clears his throat. “You should get him to stay with you while I’m away.”

As you look back up at him, he adds defensively, “I’m not trying to play Cupid.”

You shrug, “He probably has other plans.”

Yet when you text him a few hours later, he jumps on it. “It’ll be like a sleepover! Don’t you miss when we did those?”

You did, but you don’t admit it.

The week of nationals arrives too quickly for your mind to process. One minute, you’re studying for an upcoming exam and the next there’s a knock on your bedroom door. It doesn’t wait for a sound before opening.

“Hey, I’m leaving.”

Hyunjin’s dressed in black sweatpants and a black hoodie, which covers his messy hair. Perfect for his night of sleeping on the bus. A duffel bag packed and puffy hangs off his shoulder.

“Good luck,” you smile up at him.

“Thanks. Don’t try sneaking into the venue with your rat like you did last year,” he returns the smile.

“Hey, it wasn’t my idea,” you rush to defend yourself.

He scoffs. “Yeah, right. You still played into it.”

“And we got to support you as your lovely friends.”

“You were the only people cheering during the contemporary dance,” he mumbles, stepping back into the hall.

“To be fair, we couldn’t realize because we were so involved!” you shout to match the increasing distance.

“Right!” he calls, a laugh shaking his words.

Studying is now a failed mission. Every time you glance at the words printed on the textbook’s glossed pages, they just blur together until your mind drifts to Jeongin. When is he coming over? He said he’d be here by seven. It’s roughly a quarter past. He has a key, so it’s not like you have to be free when he gets here.

When you succumb and close the textbook, you hear shuffling in the living room. Shortly followed by Kkami’s familiar barking, which he only pursues when someone’s here.

The feeling of a generously excited puppy fills you as you follow the source.

“Hi,” you smile.

Jeongin has treated himself to a coffee. He must have just worked a shift.

“Hi,” he hands you the paper cup.

“Oh, is this for me?” you take it. It’s hot against your palms.

“Yeah. It’s hot chocolate. Thought you might want it.”

He drops his backpack, likely stuffed with potential party outfits, by the couch. He stands and scans your face as you take the first sip of the drink. The sweetness takes over and makes you shiver, but the warmth minimizes the shiver to nothing. Surely enough, this is his mother’s hot chocolate.

“Thank you,” you say, looking into his eyes. The living room light has speckled his eyes with stars.

“Of course.”

A moment passes of just looking at each other. Not a single word. You’re not even sure if you’re remembering to breathe.

It breaks when he glances at the TV. “Movie time?”

Settling on the couch doesn’t take long. He sits close enough to you, resting his head on your shoulder. He’s done this for as long as you remember, but why does it feel so close all of a sudden?

He chooses the movie. A tradition you’ve established ever since you accidentally chose a movie so repulsively awful you had to take a break from watching movies at all. The teasing was barely bearable.

Even now, when someone says something similar to that movie, you shiver.

“Are we feeling sci-fi?” he asks.

You almost shrug until you remember where his head is. “I don’t care,” you say instead.

He chooses a romance movie, his safe pick.

And he falls asleep not even ten minutes in.

Hyunjin’s question returns to you in neon lights. Certainly, this tight feeling in your chest couldn’t be akin to liking someone. When you like someone, there’s always a telltale sign. There’s a bright moment of realization. That’s never come for you. Even now, all you can do is question. Question. Question. Question.

vi.

Jeongin’s party outfit is the most conspicuous thing ever. A light blue tee from middle school that has all his classmate’s signatures on the back. Black jeans with holes at the knees. You can’t tell if he’s going to a child’s party or not.

He catches your tilted gaze, matched with the furrowed eyebrows, and huffs. “Would you rather I get puke on a good shirt?”

You blink. “I’d rather you not puke on yourself.”

A noise close to laughter bursts past his lips. “Ha. Funny. I won’t reach that point. I’m thinking people puking on me.”

You nod. Jeongin’s a lightweight, from what you know. But hey, if it helps him sleep at night.

He departs after a long phone call with Chan. He offers a little wave as he opens the door. “I’ll give you live updates.”

“You don’t have to.”

“But I will.”

And indeed, he follows through. Selfies bombard your phone every three minutes. One is taken with Chan, but it’s so shaky and dark that they look like blobs with highlighted cheeks.

These only make you more confused. Maybe Hyunjin was right. But you don’t want him to be. Nothing makes you feel more foolish than catching feelings for a friend who is just that. Friend. That painful, heartbreaking word.

You open Hyunjin’s message log, prepared to reach out and ask if he can help you break down what you’re feeling, but his contact transitions to consuming your entire screen—perfect timing, he’s calling.

“Hello?”

“Guess what?” His voice is drowned out by external shouts.

“What?”

“We took second place!”

“Congrats,” you smile to yourself, leaning against the couch arm.

“It’s all thanks to Felix’s freestyle. That surprise category threw us off, but he really came through,” he rambles. He tells you about all his points and each error, which ultimately seem mundane but apparently make a difference in his detail loving mind.

“Anyway, I just wanted to call. See how you’re doing, you know.”

“I’m doing good,” you nod as though to convince yourself.

“How’s Jeongin?”

“At a party,” you say as your phone buzzes again. Another selfie. This time, he’s in a lonesome bathroom and posing in the mirror. A peace sign that surrounds his eye. That stupid dimple makes your heart jump.

Hyunjin giggles at something on his end and says something not aimed at you. He quickly returns to his serious tone with, “How are you really feeling? Don’t bullshit me.”

You stifle a laugh. Resting your head on the back of the couch, you glare at the ceiling, “Confused.”

“About Jeongin?”

He slips into a quieter place. You sigh. Why are your hands shaking all of a sudden? “Yeah.”

“Well,” he starts, “I pushed you into thinking about it for a reason.”

“He doesn’t like me like that.”

“How do you know?”

“Because friends don’t like friends like that.”

“But you like him like that, so doesn’t that ruin your statement?”

You sit in the silence for a minute. “I guess so.”

His breath is amplified and you can hear each inhale and exhale. “You’ll probably just brush this off, but I think you have a shot.”

You nod. “Sure. A shot at going to the moon maybe. A shot at Jeongin liking me? No way.”

“Look, pessimism isn’t gonna get you anywhere. If you’re too much of a pussy to talk to him, I will. But not because I want to, because it’s terrible seeing you sulk,” he mutters.

A round of applause for your roommate.

“Just give me some time. I still don’t know if I like him,” you glance at the dog, who’s cuddled up on a pile of blankets. Why can’t your life be that simple?

“Not trying to force you or anything, but I think you know the answer to that.”

He’s probably right. It’s not like you can retaliate anyway. There’s a distant knock before he says, “Sorry. I gotta go. I’ll be home tomorrow.”

The following silence is truly suffocating.

vii.

That party changes everything.

Jeongin stumbles home, each step a potential path to faceplanting. It’s this exact stumble that forces him to trip over a box.

The noise draws you from sleep. Through squinted eyes, you stare at him as he tries to regain his balance. His arms are splayed out, searching for a stable support beam.

“Jeongin?” you whisper, though you know it’s him. Who else would be drunkenly returning home at, you glance at your phone, three in the morning?

“Y/N,” he gasps. Your voice prompts him to follow it.

As you stand, he finds his way through the narrow path between couch and coffee table. He throws his arms around you.

“I missed you,” he mumbles, words meshing together.

“I missed you too?” It’s only been six hours.

He holds you at arms length, palms resting on your shoulders. “I love you,” he slurs, eyes drunkenly taking a long blink.

“I love you too?”

“No, like, I really love you. ‘The moon is beautiful’ type of stuff,” he nods.

You’re not sure what he means by this. But it doesn’t matter if you try to question him, because he continues.

“I think about the future a lot,” he says, hands falling to his sides before he falls onto the couch. “Nothing’s ever consistent. But you’re always there.”

“That’s-” you begin.

He wasn’t finished. “I think our wedding would be nice.”

Now, he goes silent as you stand there in shock. He thinks about that? How often?

The moment your lips part to ask these things, a light snore escapes his lips. You grab a blanket from your room, the Totoro one he loves, and you gently cover him. You lean over his face. His cheeks are a little swollen, as are his lips. You push his hair away from his eyes before going to your room. You’re careful not to make a noise as you shut the door.

He’s gone by the time you wake up. For the first twenty-four hours, you shrug it off as a painful hangover he’s just sleeping through.

Most hangovers don’t last a week, though.

One time, sitting beneath a sky littered with stars, Jeongin released a deep breath. “Do you think we’ll ever stop being friends?”

Jeongin’s not insecure about many things, as his philosophy is that if one person finds something unattractive, there’s a hoard who will think otherwise. But this topic is an exception.

“Unless you do something unthinkably terrible, no,” you mumble. And you truly meant it.

So, Jeongin: You haven’t done anything unthinkable.Why have you disappeared?

Life without Jeongin has been incredibly boring. It’s prompted an imminent heartache. Attending class is a lame option considering your bed is so much more comfortable. You never knew missing someone could form a black hole in your body, consuming each grain of energy.

Hyunjin’s the only reason you’re eating. Since he knows you’re not up for any meal, he brings you snacks and another bottle of water—to add to the mountain of empty bottles on your desk.

“Do I need to go break his ankles?” Hyunjin asks one day, nearly a month after his tournament.

You shrug. You know he’s joking, but laughter doesn’t seem to bubble up. It’s lost in the dark cave that is this confusing state.

“I texted him today. No response yet,” Hyunjin adds.

You nod. You got the same treatment, but you stopped trying a while ago.

“Have you gone to the coffee shop? To see his mom or something?”

You shake your head. “No point in it. He doesn’t tell her much. Plus I don’t want to pin her against him or anything.”

Hyunjin sighs. He doesn’t know what else to say, or offer, or do to help you. Not that you’re a lost cause, but he’s starting to lose the ounce of hope he had. To him, you’re too good for this. Telling and convincing you of that is a difficult task.

When he leaves you alone, you cry again. At this point, your eyes hurt when you aren’t crying. But hey, at least you’re sleeping nice. The desperate need to escape can do that to you.

viii.

You tell Hyunjin your conclusion at dinner—something he’s finally tricked you into eating. “I think I love him.”

He nods. “Yeah. Didn’t we already establish that?”

You push the noodles around. “I didn’t want to admit it.”

“Why?”

Averted gaze set to the ramen, though his remains scalding. “I don’t know.”

He reaches across the table to regain your focus. He knows the noodles aren’t that interesting. “That’s okay. Look, we can go beat his ass if you want. Or we can hunt him down and hold him hostage-”

He stops when he sees the small hint of a smile turning your lips up. One of his own appears, and in his mind, he’s breaking into a congratulatory dance. The crack in the sadness is exposed, and it’s slowly breaking further. All that’s next is revealing the ravine of happiness.

After dinner, you sit on the couch and decide to watch a movie. Unlike Jeongin, he gives you movie pick. It reminds you of the bitter taste that’s overcome your mouth since he up and left.

Halfway through the movie, some shitty one Jeongin and you watched a few months ago, Kkami barks at the couch. He looks between you and the crack behind it as if to say, “Hello? Get my bone!”

You glance at Hyunjin, who also waits for you to get up and retrieve the dog’s lost bone. Normally you take turns with this task, but he seems to have forgotten it’s been his turn for the last five times.

With a muted sigh, you pull yourself off the couch. Hyunjin doesn’t even bother to pause the movie. Jeongin wouldn’t do that.

You lower yourself to look into the dark tunnel. With a blind hand you swipe against the floor. A small object connects with the palm of your hand. You drag it out. A small metal earring glares back at you. You drop it in the pocket of your hoodie—which was a gift from Jeongin as you drifted into adulthood. You return to the bone search with a sting in your eyes.

ix.

Happiness is a fragile object.

At the same hour that Jeongin had said the unthinkable, your phone buzzes loudly against your side. Ultimately, this brings you back to the post-sleep daze as you trudge to answer it. Looking at the contact is the last of your concerns.

“Hello?” Your voice is raw. A long gulp of water would be kindly appreciated.

“Hey, Y/N, right?” This is a voice you’ve never heard before. You pull back to look at the contact and, unsurprisingly, there isn’t one. All that stares back is a string of numbers, unique to this person.

“Yeah?”

“Hi, sorry for the late call. I’m Chan-” you nearly hang up out of defensive instinct, but you let him finish. “I kind of need a favor right now.”

“What kind of favor?”

In the background, there’s a loud retching noise. “Um, so Jeongin, right?” Chan nervously laughs.

“We’re not really-” you start.

He interrupts, “I know. But he’s been talking about you nonstop. He’s really a wimp, you know. Actually, I guess I’m not really asking for a favor. I’m doing you a favor.”

You know where he’s going with this. “I’m sorry, Chan, but I don’t think that’s a-”

“Hush,” he says before his voice distances.

“Y/N? It’s Y/N?” the familiar, slurred voice asks.

He wasn’t going to give you an option. Deep down, you’re kind of grateful for that.

When Chan returns to the phone, he says, “I can send you the address. We’re on the first floor, so it shouldn’t be too bad. I would offer to come pick you up, but I’m babysitting.” At these final words, he laughs.

You consider waking up Hyunjin to take you—he’s the one with the car—but you think against it when you realize it’s only a five minute walk.

Despite the daytime weather that is clear sky and sun that hugs your skin, the nighttime

version is a little less welcoming. Indeed the air is breezeless, but it’s a bitter cold. Grabbing a hoodie would have been smart, but alas.

Chan opens the door with a smile. “Hi, come on in.”

He points to a closed door, “Jeongin’s in there. He should be decent. Just a little pukey.”

You follow his directions, while he starts for the couch. At least he’s allowing privacy, you think. You knock lightly on the door. After a long trial of waiting with no response, you slowly push the door open.

His cheek is resting on the cold porcelain of the bathtub. Through dazed and squinted eyes, he looks at you. “Hi?”

“Hey,” you say, stepping into his space for the first time in over a month. Despite the stain of puke on his shirt, you realize that he hasn’t changed much. What physical changes can someone go through in a month? Well. Everything.

You appreciate your mind for allowing his appearance to never leave. Otherwise, you might have looked at him just now and been disgusted. Because it’s Jeongin, and because of this weird tugging feeling in your chest, you don’t. In its place, you look at him as though he holds the world’s most valuable object.

He tries to sit up, nearly falls on his face, but manages. “Do you hate me?”

“No. I don’t think so,” you squat next to him. The familiar weight of his head meets with your shoulder.

“I shouldn’t say this,” he laughs. His mind is going a mile a minute, but his lips refuse to go at an accompanying speed. “I love you.”

You stare at the top of his head. “I love you too.”

“Really?” he lifts his head. He seems to search your eyes for the similar sparkle his hold.

“Yeah,” you nod. You decide to save your cheesy comments until the morning. No point in wasting them if he won’t remember this when he wakes up.

“Did you know that I,” he says, trying to lift himself to his feet. He leans a little too far on a foot, prompting you to rush and steady him. “thought you and Hyunjin were dating for the longest time.” He laughs again.

You squint at him, “Is that why you disappeared?”

A drunk smile finds his lips and his cheeks glow beneath the bathroom light. “Guilty.”

“You’re stupid for thinking it’d ever be anyone but you,” you whisper, glancing anywhere but him. You could say this to the mirror too. Stupid for thinking it could be anyone but him.

He’s ridiculous. Ridiculous enough to allow his smile to drop a little as he leans closer to your face. “I’m going to kiss you,” he whispers.

You watch as he leans a little bit closer. Bit by bit. You even close your eyes at one point. At the last minute, when his breath begins to mingle with yours, he pulls away. “No. Let me brush my teeth first.”

You watch in a stunned silence as he stumbles to the living room. “Do you have a spare toothbrush I could use?” he asks Chan.

Chan responds quietly with, “Yeah, under the sink.”

You beat Jeongin to it, offering him the packaged toothbrush.

“Thanks, love,” he says.

Questionable Jeongin who calls you pet names. You like it, though you’ll try your hardest not to admit it. That’d only feed into his questionable choices.

Minty Jeongin has sobered up a little bit. Instead of kissing you immediately after rinsing his mouth, he stares.

“What?” you prompt.

“Nothing.”

And then he leans in and kisses you. In all honesty, it’s exactly how you imagined kissing him. There’s no stereotypical sparks. It’s just Jeongin, whose lips happen to be on yours. That’s enough. Afterward, though, you acknowledge that Cloud 9 is beneath your feet.

Chan drives you and Jeongin back to your apartment after a difficult talk and one final puke. (The puker looks at you when he feels it coming and asks, “Can you hold my hair back?”)

As you’re helping Jeongin out of the car, Chan leans back in the driver seat and glares a strong eye at Jeonign, “Run away again and I will beat your ass.”

Jeongin chuckles. “Right. Catch me first.” As he says this, he throws his arm over your shoulder for stability. Though, he’s sober enough to walk on his own now. The occasional stumble, sure, but he’s not in dire need of someone to guide him.

You take it as his way of saying he plans on staying.

However, when you make it into the apartment, you don’t bear right to the couch.

Keeping him close will prevent him sneaking out and running away again. That’s a thing of the past, and you’ll make sure of it.

He doesn’t even complain.

“Don’t puke on me, please,” you whisper as you climb into bed. He follows shortly after. Arms naturally find your waist as he pulls you closer to him.

He hums. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Dreamless sleep takes over you, but the entire time you’re aware of his arms and his proximity. In a way, it’s better than dreaming.

It’s even better when you wake up before him. His lips are a pretty shade of pink and for a moment you forget about his eventful night. You press a light kiss to his cheek.

His eyes don’t open, nor does he stir. He’s in that beautiful, drunken sleep. You try not to laugh at the thought of his hangover to come. God, he’s going to be so whiny.

You try to slip out of his arms, but the death grip only becomes tighter. He whines a little, mutters something like, “Don’t go.”

After a few more minutes of just staring at the sleeping boy, boredom takes over. Yeah, staring is nice and all, whatever, but it reaches a certain intolerable point. Ten minutes is that point.

You nudge him, “Jeongin, let go. I need to go to the bathroom.”

“No,” he mutters, burying his face deeper into the pillow.

“Jeongin.”

“What?”

“Let go.”

His eyes finally open. They hold a small sense of surprise, which prompts you to tease, “What? Do you need a breakdown of what happened? Were you seriously that out of it?”

“No. Well, a little,” he stumbles over the words.

“What do you remember?”

“Puking,” he winces as he laughs. There’s that signature headache.

“You don’t remember kissing me?”

Wide eyes stare back at you. His lip shakes as he tries to force words out. “What?”

You laugh quietly. “Yeah. You did that.”

“I’m sorry,” he sits up. His vacant arms feel cold.

“No it’s okay. You only kissed me because I told you I loved you,” you sit up to match him.

His head turns to look at you. Tufts of hair stick up in an oddly symmetrical way. “Really? Since when?”

You nod. “Yeah. Time frame is unknown, but I think the feeling might have always been there. So you wasted a month of your life hiding.”

He tips his head, “Hey now, I had a valid reason.”

Your eyes squint at him. “It could have been avoided if you answered my texts. Or Hyunjin’s. Or if you checked your voicemail. Or-”

“Okay, I get it,” he nods, leaning in to shut you up. He presses a quick kiss to your lips. “I’m sorry.” He doesn’t say how weird it feels to kiss his best friend—but he’s incredibly excited to get used to it.

“It’s fine. I think. My grades kind of tanked,” you comment, glancing at your desk. The tower of water bottles still stands. Somewhere buried beneath them are your abandoned papers.

“Because of me?” his voice is soft, as are his eyes as he fights back the sting of tears. Of all his intentions, this wasn’t one of them.

This look pains you. “Kinda. I thought I had lost my comfort place.”

In order to disguise his tears, he pulls you into a tight hug. “I’m so sorry. I’ll be good to you. We can make latte art together at the shop and stargaze at stupid hours. Whatever you want.”

You laugh into his shoulder. “Is that a promise?”

He sniffles. “Yes. I love you. That’s the second promise.”

xi.

Hyunjin’s reaction is lackluster. A forced gasp as he waves his hands in surprise. “Wow. I totally didn’t give Chan your number or anything,” he says.

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah. He called me trying to drop him,” he points at Jeongin, “on me.”

“And you didn’t want to get out of bed?” Jeongin asks, bringing his mug of freshly brewed coffee to his lips.

“No,” Hyunjin sticks a finger up in defense. “Kkami wouldn’t let me move.”

What he means is: Yes, I didn’t want to get up but allow me to use my dog as a ploy.

You and Jeongin share a glance to confirm this thought. You burst out laughing.

“Do not tell me you’ve developed a couple's telepathy already,” Hyunjin whines, throwing his head back as he begins to pace the kitchen.

Jeongin begs your stare again. He wiggles his eyebrows to pseudo-communicate.

“I’m going to retail therapy,” Hyunjin sighs, dragging his keys off the counter before starting for the door.

A loud fit of laughter fills the air as the door shakes in its frame.

“He’s so overdramatic,” Jeongin manages, wiping a stray tear away from his eye.

You allow this time to watch him intently. All of his details flood over you with definitive clarity. His skin has gotten its first film of tan now that spring is in full swing. A change of season which you had missed out on together. It’s okay, he’ll take you to see the cherry blossoms next year.

“Oh, I found your earring, by the way,” you say when he catches you staring.

“Really? Where was it?” On instinct, he brings his hand up to his right ear. The lobes are not blinged, but it’s still worth checking.

“Behind the couch.”

He gapes at you. “How’d it get back there?”

“How would I know?”

You allow a silence to lay upon you as his face twists to think. All at once, it lights up again, “Ah. It was probably when we had that wrestling match. I didn’t have the back on because my ear was itchy or something.”

Interesting Jeongin. Questionable Jeongin.

Yang Jeongin is many things. Home. Comfort. Love. Above all else, he’s a friend. Who you happen to kiss from time to time.

#posted on april fools because surprise haha #also because i don’t think this is my best but eh #yang jeongin #jeongin x reader #jeongin imagine #jeongin oneshot #stray kids oneshot #skz oneshot #stray kids jeongin #stray kids imagine #skz imagine #bandaigaeru

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slapshot-to-the-heart · 4 years ago

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veracity - v. dunn

As promised, here’s one of our many resident himbos, Vince Dunn, in “I didn’t realize wer were dating.” As I’m sure a lot of other writers have experienced lately, reblogs have definitely been down, so I would love it if you’d give a reblog if you like it. I also read the tags! Alternately, feel free to keysmash in my inbox or let me know what your favorite parts were.

word count: 4.9k+

warnings: light sexual content (brief)

Aly Kalinski had never bothered leaving her home town. Why would she? She loved St. Louis. She was born there, went to public schools in the city, and barely moved ten miles away from home for her art degree at SLU. For all its faults, she loved her city. Aly met Vince her sophomore year of college, an accidental run-in at her favorite sandwich shop that had turned into a friendship that had turned into a relationship. So it was a no-brainer decision for Aly to stay once she graduated, getting a position teaching middle and high school art at a school in the suburbs and a loft in downtown. She didn’t want to leave her parents, or her city. Or Vince.

They had just gotten together, and it really hadn’t come as a surprise to anyone but them. Her older sister rolled her eyes when Aly told her, saying that “it was only a matter of time. You two practically act like an old married couple already.” Her parents were shocked even less. Vince’s teammates had actually been some of the biggest perpetrators in the first place, not-so-subtly leaving them in rooms together at parties and encouraging Aly to admit the feelings she wasn’t even sure she had until a few months ago. But it had happened organically, so naturally that Aly really couldn’t even put a pin on the point where their friendship had turned into romance. All she knew was that she was falling hard for Vince Dunn, and for once in her life, she wasn’t trying to stop herself.

September

Clashing teeth and her hands running through his hair and his fingernails digging into the backs of her thighs was all Aly felt as Vince held her up against the door. “Vin, bedroom,” Aly gasped, pulling away for air.

“Mhm,” he said absentmindedly, his lips trailing kisses down the column of her neck as her legs wrapped around his waist. He walked backwards into his room, dropping her down on the bed. She fumbled with the buttons on her shirt as he frantically pulled his belt off. God, it had been too long since they had touched each other. Vince had only recently returned to St. Louis for training camp and the start of pre-season, but he had been so exhausted from drills and scrimmages that all he could manage on nights they got together was curl into Aly’s side with some take out and turn on reruns of Kitchen Nightmares. She had visited him in Toronto for two weeks in July and August — it didn’t always work out so perfectly, but she was thankful that teaching meant most of her summers were free — and they had obviously had sex while they were there, but she had been missing it more than she wanted to admit. Missing him.

So when they went out to a downtown bar with the rest of the team to celebrate the end of training camp, and Aly didn’t have work the next day, they were both more than happy to indulge in a little liquid courage. Which meant a couple of drinks and a few more flirty touches later and the pair made their excuses to the rest of the group, Vince pulling up his Uber app before they were even out the door. And they weren’t exactly subtle about it — Sammy had definitely shouted “USE PROTECTION” while Vince threw him a middle finger — but they they needed each other too much to really give a fuck.

Vince trailed his fingers up her now-bare sides, the clasp of her bra falling open with a well-practiced flick. Aly palmed him over his jeans, trying half-heartedly to reverse their positions. Vince groaned. “Not tonight, baby. I need you.” Well, it’s not like she was going to argue with that. Her leggings came off in record time. His jeans followed. Aly dropped her head into the crook of his neck as he slid into her. God, they could do this a million times and she’d never get used to how good he felt. “You’re fuckin’ incredible, Aly, you know that?” Vince gasped out.

She pressed a kiss onto his shoulder. “You might've mentioned it once or twice, but feel free to keep going, Dunn,” she said.

He quickened his pace. “I will.” Ten minutes and two orgasms later, she was wrapped in Vince’s arms, trying to savor every last moment before she had to get up and use the bathroom. “I meant what I said, you know?” Vince said, one hand carding through her hair. “You really are incredible, Aly. And when we’re together…” He paused, searching for the right words.

“There’s only a few things in my life that have always come easy. Hockey, never being able to say no to ice cream, and you. I never feel like I have to be anyone other than exactly who I am when I’m with you, and I don’t know if you know just how meaningful that is for me. I need it, and I need you.” Aly smiled, turning over and pressing a soft kiss to his lips. This was the closest he’d gotten so saying he loved her, and she’d take it.

January

Aly sipped her champagne, her eyes surveying the downtown St. Louis ballroom where she found herself on a Saturday evening. Her free hand fingered with the sequin-adorned cloth of her dress, brushing up against the thigh-high slit. It wasn’t something she would have ever bought for herself, but she loved it. It caught the light like nothing she’d ever seen and Vince’s jaw had nearly fallen off the second he saw her when he picked her up for the gala. He had bought it for her, too, insisting that if he had invited her the least he could do was spare her the expense of going out and buying one on her own.

Her job paid well for a teacher, especially one in their first few years, but she wasn’t about to complain when Vince gave her his card and sent her into the shopping district to find a dress for the night. He had told her to get something stunning, and she had delivered in spectacular fashion. It was the Blues’ big fundraising gala for the year, an annual charity event to benefit the children’s hospital. Essentially, the night was an opportunity to party on the team’s dime while wining and dining Midwestern elite in a bid to get them to open up their checkbooks. It was something that Alexandra Kalinski was proving surprisingly adept at; even though she didn’t have nearly the rapport with some of the businessmen and philanthropists as most of the players and their partners did, she was able to turn on the same “teacher” charm she used on back-to-school nights, lay the accent on a little thicker than she usually would, and tug at the heartstrings of multi-millionaires with a story of a seventh grader in one of her intro painting classes who had been treated for leukemia in the hospital’s oncology ward. They couldn’t write the checks fast enough.

But Aly found herself at the bar a few hours in, next to Sammy as Vince smooth-talked someone she vaguely recognized as an exec for the Cardinals. Transitioning from friendship to being a couple, at least in regards to their social lives, had been much easier than she had thought. It had all just been so natural that people probably wouldn’t have even noticed if it hadn’t been for the looks she gave him, or her now-permanent spot on the “good chair” in the family box — that everyone else claimed was too lumpy but Aly swore up and down was the most comfortable place in the whole room — or the time Colton had walked in on them hooking up in a supply closet at the Enterprise Center during a wine tasting with season ticketholders. But she had loved everything in their relationship so far, loved how welcoming all of the other WAGs were and how happy everyone had been for them when they finally got together. “God, it was about time,” Sammy had said.

She could see that the person Vince was talking to had started making his way over to the reception table, where all the donations were being collected, and caught his eye just as he was being swept into yet another conversation. Vince liked people, there was no doubt about it, and he loved being able to help out a cause as incredible as the children’s hospital, but after almost four hours of schmoozing and small talk it was beginning to take a toll on even him. Aly gave him a tiny nod, a signal that anyone else probably would have missed, but one that Vince understood instantly. She was coming to get him. Alexandra was by his side in thirty seconds flat, her hand resting between his shoulder blades while she smiled apologetically to the man across from them. “I’m so sorry to interrupt, but I’ve got a headache and have had a bit too much to be driving myself home. Would you mind taking me?”

Vince nodded, trying to keep his enthusiasm dampened. “Of course, babe. No problem.” He gave the businessman his best PR smile. “Sorry to have to leave so abruptly, but duty calls. Thank you so much for coming out tonight and supporting such a great cause, it really means a lot to me and the whole team.” With a perfunctory handshake, they began heading towards the exit, his hand gripping hers as they wove through the crowd. “Thanks for that, Aly,” he said as he opened up the passenger door for her. “I really was running on empty there.”

She smiled softly back at him. “Always.”

May

Vince’s arm was draped casually over the back of Aly’s chair, his fingertips dancing over her shoulder. She was beaming up at the couple under the flower-covered wedding chuppah at the end of the aisle, leaning into Vince’s side. Her cousin Olivia was getting married, her and her soon-to-be wife Yara had been together for years and had finally decided to take the next step. When she got the invitation four months earlier, she hadn’t hesitated to invite Vince as her plus one. They had been dating for a little under a year by that point, but seeing as how most of her family was local — some of her mom’s family was in Wisconsin, but nobody really aside from that — he had already met everyone important.

The ceremony went by in the blink of an eye, Yara and Olivia broke the glasses, and everyone began milling over towards the barn for the reception. Olivia and Yara had already met Vince some six months before, and had immediately taken to each other. The brides came over to their table after thanking everyone for coming, and dinner was served. She had never seen anyone eat as many dinner rolls in one sitting as Vince did.

---

“Alexandra!” Aly heard an excited voice from the other corner of the room over the cacophony of the music, and barely turned her head quickly enough to see who had called her name before she was pulled into a warm hug.

Aly laughed when she saw who it was. “Nice to see you, Aunt Ruth. Aunt Ruth, this is Vince. Vince, this is my Aunt Ruth,” Aly said, gesturing to the woman across from them.

Vince held out his hand, but Ruth waved it off. “We’re huggers here, Vince. She brought you to the wedding. You’re practically family.” She raised her eyebrows at the couple. “When’s it going to be your turn, hm?”

Aly groaned. “Aunt Ruuuth.”

Ruth shrugged. “I’m just saying. Your bubbe’s not getting any younger, and I’m sure she’d love to see some of her grandchildren with kids of their own.”

“How about we, uh, get off of that subject,” Aly said, her cheeks burning. “That’s up to this one, after all,” she said, patting Vince on the arm. Vince ducked his head, understanding the grip of Aly’s hand on his arm as I love this woman but I swear to God if you don’t get me out of here I think I might combust.

He smiled apologetically to the older woman, feigning a glance at his watch. “The ceremony was amazing, Ruth, but I think I’ll have to be taking Aly home now. We’ve got early breakfast plans tomorrow and I’m sure you know how this one gets when she doesn’t get a full night of sleep.” Aly squeezed his hand in appreciation.

“Of course,” Ruth said, smiling at the pair. She winked as they turned towards the door. “But think about it.”

Aly ran her hand through her hair as soon as they turned the corner into the dirt parking lot. “Thanks for that, Vin. We don’t have breakfast plans, though?”

Vince shrugged, an impish smile on his face. “Guess we do now.”

October

“I bought that tea you like,” Vince said from his spot on the couch. “I didn’t want you to be over here while you’re looking after Henry and run out.” Henry was Vince’s rottweiler, a rambunctious eleven month old that he had adopted at the middle of last season.

Aly smiled as she opened the cupboard, seeing her prized brand of Irish Breakfast next to his favorite type of coffee. “Thanks for that, Vin.”

He shrugged as the corner of his mouth twitched. “Don’t mention it.”

The Blues were about to leave for their first real road trip of the year, and it was an unspoken agreement by this time in their relationship that Aly would stay over at his apartment while he was away. Early on in the relationship, she’d just stop by a few times a week to water his plants, and then he got a few fish, and then Henry came along. It didn’t take much convincing from Vince for Aly to agree to look after them; Henry loved her almost as much as he did Vince, and getting to see him before and after school helped to curb some of the loneliness she felt in Vince’s absence.

She turned down the hallway, taking her bag into his bedroom. He had a guest room that would have been just as convenient to stay in, but she had grown used to the feel of his sheets and liked having the ensuite bathroom. Plus, she had already not-so-subtly taken over one of the drawers in his dresser. Her bag had the jeans, button downs, and blouses she’d need for work — her school mostly adhered to a smart casual dress code, plus she was an art teacher — but there were plenty of sleep shirts, underwear, and leggings in the dresser. If push came to shove, she also wasn’t above stealing Vince’s old sweatshirts. He always said she looked better in them anyways.

Even when Vince was back in town, she slept over enough for it to make sense for her to have a space of her own; it just wasn’t practical for her to have to drive fifteen minutes to her apartment and back again just to grab a shirt if she wanted to spend the night after a movie date ran long. They hadn’t broached the conversation of moving in together yet, though. It was something that had crossed Aly’s mind, and if she knew Vince as well as she thought she did, he had thought about it too. But she wasn’t in a hurry to break her lease and he hadn’t said anything about it, so she had decided to let sleeping dogs lie.

She tucked her bag into the corner of his closet, padding into the bathroom and closing the door. She cursed herself as she pulled down her shorts, realizing that her period had started and, conveniently, her purse was out in the living room. Biting her lip, Aly decided to rummage around in the vanity, praying to God that she’d left something from the last time. It wasn’t like she thought Vince would be weird about it if she asked him to bring her something from her purse; he never had been before, even when she had bled through a pair of his sweats one night staying over. “Not a big deal,” he had said, shrugging and tossing them in the washing machine. “I needed to do laundry anyway.” But she’d rather not ask if she didn’t have to. She crossed her fingers as she pulled out the last drawer, her head turning to the side in confusion as she saw an unopened box of tampons. Her eyes softened in realization. He had bought them without her ever having to ask.

January

It was bye week for the Blues, which meant everyone who hadn’t been picked for the All Star Team suddenly had an extra week in the middle of the season and nothing to do to fill it. Or, rather, had a week in the middle of the season and had to find something to do to fill it. In Vince and Aly’s case, that something turned out to be a trip to the Bahamas with some of his teammates and their wives. It had been a no-brainer for him to invite Aly; everyone else was bringing their partners and Vince knew she had a few vacation days saved up from work. They had been planning it for months, Aly having requested the time off as soon as she was able, and had blissfully traded in the chilly winters of Missouri for a balmy week on the shores of Nassau.

Vince had wanted to go to Iceland originally, half to do with the hiking and half to do with the ponies he saw in a National Geographic article as a kid, but one Google search from Sammy led them to the unfortunate realization that being so far north, there were only about six hours of daylight each day and the temperature topped out in the mid 30s. Vince looked a little deflated when he read the forecast. “Don’t worry,” Aly had said, squeezing his arm in reassurance. “We can go in June, after school lets out and before you head home for the summer. I’ve heard amazing things about their hot springs.” Sammy wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Aly hit his shoulder.

But the Bahamas were proving to be one of the most beautiful places she had ever been. “Better than home?” he asked as they lay stretched out on the sand while they watched the sun dip below the horizon.

She scrunched her nose at him. “Unfair comparison. St. Louis is hovering around freezing and perpetually covered in a layer of slush this time of year. And, to be fair, it’s an endearing layer of slush and I love it. But right now I think I’d rather be where it’s 75º and sunny and I can lay outside looking hot as hell in a bikini without worrying about freezing my tits off.”

Vince choked on his rum punch. “Worried about that, are you?”

Aly shrugged. “I’d rather deal with a sunburn. Which, speaking of,” she glanced over at Vince, “you’re looking a little red. Don’t worry, though. I’ve got as much aloe vera as I could pack in a single quart bag. Would have tried to sneak in a whole bottle, but didn’t want the feds after me.”

Vince laughed, a whole body laugh that all but consumed him for a few moments, before pulling Aly in to rest against his chest. “I’m really happy you came, Aly. You know that, right?”

“Why wouldn’t I? All-expenses paid trip to the Carribean with you and our friends, getting to hang out on the beach all day and drink cocktails without having to worry about driving home after?”

Vince gasped in mock offense, the hand that wasn’t wrapped around her waist coming to clench at his heart. “You’re killing me here, Aly! You mean to tell me this whole time you’ve only been using me for my money? I expected more from you.”

“Not just your money, Vin,” she giggled, settling into his touch. “I tried to pay for my share of the expenses, you wouldn’t have it. But seriously, I do really love it here. It’s gorgeous, and so peaceful, and there’s really not anything I think we could do to make it better. I love you, Vince Dunn.”

“I love you too, Aly Kalinski.”

April

“One sec, I’ve got to go grab something,” Vince said, smiling at Aly as he pushed his chair back from the table. It was the day after he had come home from a two week road trip, and he had invited her over for dinner, told her to dress nice, and made what actually turned out to be a very respectable dinner of ravioli and roasted vegetables.

She nodded as her heart started to pound faster and faster, coming to a peak when she thought her chest was going to burst as Vince returned from the bedroom, turning a blue velvet box over in his hands. “I know it might seem unexpected, but I saw this the other day while I was downtown with Sammy and I don’t know, just somehow knew you were meant to have it. Knew it was meant to be yours. Something I hope you’ll see as a sign of how much I love and care about you and how even though we might not always physically be together, you’re the person I trust most in this life.”

He slid the box across the table to Aly, who opened it with shaking hands. Inside was a silver necklace with a pendant of an olive tree on it. It was absolutely gorgeous — and Vince was right, very her — but it was not what she had been expecting.

Aly snorted, burying her face into her hands. “Oh my God, I’m going to have to call my mom.”

Vince was confused. “Why?”

Aly rolled her eyes. “I told her I was coming over here for dinner and you told me to dress nice. She thought you were going to propose.”

“Propose?” Vince asked, dumbfounded. “Why would I propose?”

She tried to wave him off, but Vince could see the shimmer of hurt behind her eyes. “I mean, we’ve been together for almost two years. It wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility.”

“Together?” He looked over at her. “For two years?”

“Yeah?” she said slowly, thinking he had forgotten their anniversary. “Come June, two years.”

Vince swallowed hard as it began to dawn on him, looking down at his hands. “Together...She thinks we’ve been together for,” he looked up at the ceiling, “twenty-one months.”

“You keep repeating that word, babe. Together. What’s confusing about it?” Aly said, giving him a weird look.

God, how was he supposed to tell her? “I didn’t know we were together. Are together? Let alone that your mom was expecting a proposal.”

Aly’s blood ran cold. “Let me get this straight,” she said, pausing. “You didn’t know we’re together? What did you think we’ve been doing for almost two years?”

“Being really good friends?”

She shook her head. “Why did you tell me to dress up when I came over, then? Why did you make dinner?”

He fixed his eyes on a chip in the coffee table. “I knew you’d been having a rough week and I wanted to do something nice for you.”

“What about the vacation?” She questioned.

He shrugged helplessly. “Everyone else was going in couples, and you’re my best friend down here regardless.”

“Me coming to all the games? Sitting up in the box?”

“You’ve become friends with all the WAGs, and I love having you there to support me,” he tried.

“The sex?” Aly asked incredulously.

Vince winced. Okay, that one was a little harder to explain away. “I just always thought that we were both single, both hot, both too busy to get into relationships. Each other’s best options.”

God, Aly felt like a fucking fool. She felt like she’d been played, because in a weird, sort of twisted way, she had. “You said you thought it was because we’re both too busy to be in relationships now. But Vince, I know you have no think energy out your ears, but I need you to concentrate for a minute. Think about most couples you know. They get together a few times a week if they don’t live together. We do that.” He nodded.

“They have a drawer or a part of a closet at each other’s places, they look after each other’s plants and dogs when they’re out of town. We do that. They become friends with each other’s friends, they visit each other’s families, they take weekend trips together and fly to the Bahamas with friends when they have a week off. We did that.” She looked up at him, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. “They dance around in the kitchen together and make love and go to the zoo at least once a month because I love seeing the otters. They comfort each other when they’re at their worst, encourage each other at their best. You said you didn’t have time for a relationship, but you didn’t realize that that’s what we’ve been doing, Vince.”

Now it was Vince’s turn to be struck speechless. Aly wasn’t meeting his eyes. And honestly, he couldn’t blame her. He turned to look at her, but she had stood up abruptly from the couch, pacing nervously as she slowly made her way to the door. “I, uh, I think I should go,” she said, looking down at her hands.

Vince stood up, taking a half step towards her before deciding that it was best to give her space. “No, Aly, you don’t have to go. We can talk. I think —”

“No, I think. I think you don’t feel the same way, and I’ve been misreading things for two years. And that’s fine, I can’t force you to fabricate feelings that aren’t there, so um. I’ll go,” Aly said, shaking her head stiffly. She opened the door and shut it, and Vince was suddenly stuck in the loudest silence he’d ever heard. It was like he couldn’t move for a minute, as if all of his muscles were paralyzed, and then he came back to reality. Aly had only been gone for maybe a minute at most, but it felt like an hour.

Vince bolted out of the door, not even bothering to lock it, running straight past the elevator. Stairs would be quicker. He caught her just as she was exiting the front door, one of her hands coming up to wipe a stray tear off her cheek. “Aly!” Vince called. She hesitated for a moment but kept walking. Vince ran across the lobby, not even caring about his complete lack of shoes. “Aly! Wait up, please.”

She turned around, eyes watering, and sighed, walking over towards one of the chairs with a defeated look on her face. She didn’t even sit down, just perched on the arm like she wasn’t quite comfortable with actually settling in, like she needed to be able to up and leave at any given moment. “Please, Vince. Don’t make this any harder than it has to be. I’m not mad at you for not feeling the same way, it wouldn’t be fair of me and people can’t control their feelings, but I feel like a fucking idiot right now. Like I spent so long misreading all sorts of signs and signals and words —”

“What if you didn’t?” Vince asked breathlessly.

Aly looked startled. “What do you mean?”

“What if you didn’t misread anything, Aly? What if you didn’t have to be mad at me for not feeling the same way, because I do?”

Aly sunk into the chair, her eyes meeting his for the first time since she had left his apartment. “Then why...Why did you not say anything? How did you not know we were in a relationship?”

Vince ran a hand through his hair, squeezing his eyes shut. “Because I thought that’s all you were going to give me. And if that was it, that was enough for me,” he smiled sadly. “I thought everything, the sex and the wedding and the Bahamas, was just me being a good friend and you needing a stress relief and someone who’d always be in your corner. I never knew this was supposed to be a relationship. I didn’t think you wanted anything serious. And I had resigned myself to that, come to terms with only getting stolen kisses on late nights and early-morning coffee runs before you had to head to school. If I only got you halfway, I was okay with it, because I love you and that was better than nothing.”

“You what?” Aly’s breath caught in her throat.

“I love you,” Vince said. It was the easiest thing he had ever admitted. Because it was true.

He had told her he loved her before, but as Aly searched his face, she could tell that he meant it in a different way. In the way she always wanted him to. “You love me?” she asked, voice cracking.

Vince nodded. “I do. I’m in love with you. And you don’t know how good that feels to admit.”

Aly gave an airy laugh, reaching up to tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear before Vince had a chance to get it for her. “I think I might.”

“I’ve just got one question, though,” Vince asked.

“Which is?”

He cracked a smile. “You’re not going to make us change our anniversary date, are you? It would be pretty weird to explain to everyone and I really don’t want Aunt Ruth to find out and show up at my door to chase me around with a chainsaw.”

Aly giggled, leaning over and placing an exhilarated kiss against his lips. “No.”

#hockey imagine #hockey smut #vince dunn #nhl imagine #hockey imagines #hockey writing #nhl imagines #nhl smut #nhl writing #nhl #vince dunn writing #vince dunn imagine

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dbzebra · 5 years ago

Text

Surpassing the Strongest

Im back on Marten bs lol

This is something Ive wanted to do for a while now. A 28th World Tournament / End of Z retelling, which focuses on Goten’s plans to follow in his fathers footsteps like Goku originally planned back in the Buu Saga. Ignores DBS obviously. Anyway this is just a oneshot for now but may possibly make it into a longfic.

Enjoy!!

May, Age 784.

Ten years of peace had passed since Majin Buu's defeat.

The cool spring air blew in from an open window of Orange Star High School. Son Goten was lost in thought as the lecture droned on from in front of him. He couldn't hear what the teacher was saying. Rather, he didn't really care. He wanted to be outside and enjoying the day. Flying around or out on a date.

Ya know, something that was actually fun.

Something, anything but being cooped up in a stuffy building all day on such a nice afternoon. If Goten closed his eyes, he could feel himself soaring through the clouds on the Flying Nimbus, the wind in his hair and the whole world below him. Ever since he learned to fly, it's been his absolute favorite thing to do.

"Man, I wanna go to the beach!" Goten whined to himself and continued daydreaming about the endless possibilities of summer fun when he heard two kids whispering from the back of the classroom that piqued his attention. Super sensitive hearing really came in handy sometimes!

"Did you hear? Mr. Satan won't be participating in the World Martial Arts Tournament next week. He announced his retirement yesterday."

"What, really?! Maybe I should enter then. Now I'll actually stand a chance."

"Noooo! Mr. Satan can't retire!" Another kid chimed in, slamming his fists down on his desk in despair. "He's my hero! The strongest guy in the whole universe!"

"It's true man. I saw it on TV. He's all bald now too. Mr. Buu is gonna sweep with him gone. He's unbeatable next to Mr. Satan!"

"Awww… Yeah, you're right. Buu is unstoppable! He's never even been touched in a fight once!"

Goten snickered to himself. If only they knew the truth. "Speak for yourself. Me and Trunks almost beat him when we were fused together!"

The more Goten thought about it, the more it intrigued him.

He always loved the World Tournament, ever since he was a kid. Growing up, Goten loved hearing stories from his dad, Yamcha and Krillin about their fights from the old days. He collected all tons of World Tournament merchandise over the years, most notably of which were figures of every finalist leading back to the very first Tournament. The premium edition figurine of his father as a teenager during the 23rd Tournament was his most prized possession. He had to send in like one hundred postcards to a sweepstakes to win. The day he got the letter in the mail saying that he won, he almost flipped.

The news of the upcoming Tournament re-ignited a fire in the young Saiyan.

"Maybe I should enter! I'll run it by Mar later..."

__________________________________________________________

The final bell rang as class was let out for the day.

Goten stretched his arms out wide upon walking out the front doors of Orange Star High with an extra pip in his step. It was finally the weekend!

He spotted his girlfriend leaning against one of the pillars at the front gate, sporting her signature twintails. She was waiting for him! He grinned and picked up his pace a little bit. Marron twirled a strand of blonde hair in her fingers as she absent-mindedly watched a capsule-plane go by from above.

Being a sophomore, sixteen yer old Marron was on the cheer squad and wrote for the school newspaper. Like most girls her age, Marron loved shopping, but her true passion was writing. It all started when she used to read fantasy books and write in her diary as a little girl. She hoped to work for a big fashion designer as a writer when she got older.

"Hey there, gorgeous." Goten said while he snuck up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

Marron flinched in surprise, but lit up when she heard her boyfriend's voice. She swung around and jumped into his arms, planting a kiss on her boyfriend's face. "Goten! It's great to see you!" Marron said and kissed him again, just for good measure. He definitely wasn't going to object.

“You too! So how was class?

“Boring. I’m starting to see why you and Trunks skip all the time.” Marron huffed, and then playfully poked his chest. “I guess being a delinquent like you has its perks~!”

“Told ya!” He said with a cheeky grin, eager to tell her about what happened today. “Anyway, ready to go?”

Marron smiled and grabbed his hand affectionately. A date was just what she needed right now. "Sure! Where are we going~?"

"There's an ice cream stand near the park about three blocks that way." He replied, gesturing over his shoulder with this thumb. "I'm friends with the guy who runs it!"

"Sounds great! It's such a nice day out! And I don't have to be home anytime soon anyway, so we have the whole afternoon to ourselves!" Marron chirped and playfully pulled him along.

After a bit of walking, they reached their destination . It was one of the more popular spots, so there wasn't a surprise there was a line.

"If I don't get something in my stomach soon, I might just eat my own hand!" Goten whined, his stomach growled almost as if it was agreeing.

"I'd pay to see that." Marron laughed.

Soon enough, it was their turn.

"Well well, look who it is! My number one customer!" The man at the stand said. He was an older man, about Goku's height. He had a kind face with short grayish hair. "Welcome back, Goten!"

"Hey Mr. Sherbert!"

"On a hot date?!" Mr. Sherbert said as he winked at the two teens. "You'd better treat her right, you hear?"

"Yeah! I'd never do anything bad. Right Mar?" Goten grinned. Marron blushed a bit from next to him.

"So what can I get for you two kids today?"

Goten already knew what he wanted; he had thought about it on the way over. "You first."

"Hmm..." Marron scanned the options until she found just the right one. I'll take a medium sized scoop of mint on a waffle cone, please." Marron said, eyeing the green-colored ice cream in the picture.

"Comin right up, miss! And how 'bout for you, big guy? The usual?"

"You bet!"

The older man laughed out loud. "I'd expect no less! A triple deluxe cone of vanilla, strawberry and chocolate with rainbow sprinkles, comin' right up!"

"How much do I owe ya?" Goten said, digging into his pocket for his wallet.

"This one's on the house, kid." Mr. Sherbert said, waving off Goten's attempt to hand him money.

Goten and Marron both looked shocked.

"What, really?"

"Yep. Don't worry 'bout it."

"Wow! Thanks a lot!"

"Just make sure you show this nice young lady a fun time on your date, okay?" Mr. Sherbert said with a kind smile, as he and Goten shared a laugh.

"I promise!"

After that, Goten and Marron got their food then took a seat on the grass in the park across the street and ate their snacks together.

"So, tell me. What's the big news?" Marron asked as she finished off her food, feeding off his anticipation. She could tell it was something big- whatever it was. "You've been antsy all afternoon!"

Goten fell backwards onto the grass and put his hands behind his head. "Well, I heard something interesting in class today!"

"You mean you actually paid attention?"

"Nope!" Goten declared without hesitating one bit.

Marron rolled her eyes with a giggle. She expected that response.

"It's about the World Martial Arts Tournament."

"Oh yeah!!” Marron exclaimed. “That’s next week, right? What happened?"

"Mr. Satan retired. And I'm considering entering. I’m sure Trunks and my dad will too.”

Marron gasped and clasped her hands together joyfully. "Oh my God, Goten, you totally should!" Marron exclaimed, putting her hands on his knee. "It would be so cool! Plus, it'll be like a little vacation for us!"

"You really think so?"

"Of course! You'll do great!" Marron declared happily. She gently took his large hand in her smaller ones and stared deep into his eyes. "You've been training so hard these past few years. I know that better than anyone. You said you wanted to surpass Goku someday, right? Well this is your biggest chance. I’ll be your cheerleader the whole way!” Marron declared that as if it were a love declaration. But it didn’t matter what place he came in. To her, Son Goten was already number one.

Goten liked the sound of that. He sat up and stole a quick kiss from Marron's lips when she wasn't paying attention. He pulled back and saw that the blonde was staring down at her dress, a scarlet-red hue covering her cheeks from ear-to-ear.

“You're the best, Mar. And you're right. I'm entering. And I'm going to win!"

"W-W-Warn me before you do that! I-I-I wasn't ready!" She stammered out, fixing her hair to distract herself from the sudden kiss. It was only a moment, but she felt the love and appreciation he had for her in it.

A sly grin made it's way onto the half-Saiyan's lips. "Okay then. I'm warning you now."

Marron didn't have time to react as she screamed with laughter when he pounced on her a moment later. They fell back onto the grass together and started making out, not caring who saw them.

_____________________________________________________________

It was almost dusk when Goten and Marron parted ways for the night. As the young Saiyan approached his home in the mountains from above, the sky had become a brilliant orange and red hue. It was like a wild flame slowly dying out into the calm darkness of the night. Sunsets were always soothing for him. When he was still a small child, Goten used to watch the sunset and think of his dad, wondering if he saw the same sunset from Other World.

Goten dropped down onto the grass in front of his house; smoke coming from the chimney. Goten smiled widely. He could smell dinner from here! "Oh boy! My favorite! Nothing beats Mom's cooking!"

“I’m home!” Goten called upon walking in.

“Hey kiddo! Grab a seat, it’s chow time!” Goku waved to his son, already seated at the table.

Chi-Chi placed the last plate on the table and then sat down herself. “Welcome home, honey!”

Goten sat down and together the family of three started eating. Chi-Chi paced herself while the boys ate in typical Son fashion-- as if it were their last meal ever (and seemingly never even came up to breathe). Chi-Chi sighed with a smile. She was used to it by now.

“Man Chi-Chi, you outdid yourself! This is really great!!” Goku exclaimed and went back for a fifth helping. “Your food is the best in the whole world!”

Chi-Chi touched her cheeks, bashfully smiling. She was even blushing a bit. “Oh, stop teasing, Goku. You're embarrassing me!”

“I’m serious!” Goku continued.

“Um, Mom…” Goten started hesitantly. He scratched the side of his cheek, thinking how to word his next question. “Sorry to ask this so suddenly, but… can I take a week off from school?” He said and then braced himself for the ‘no.’

Without flinching, Chi-Chi put down the tea she was sipping and smiled. “Planning a romantic getaway with your girlfriend~? I don’t mind, but if something happens are you prepared to take responsibility? A girl’s virginity is a special thing, Goten!”

Goten instantly did a spit take. He hacked and coughed and Goku patted him on the back. Once the teen caught his breath, he went pure red from embarrassment. Or was it from shock? Probably both.

“What I do with Mar is none of--- W-Wait! There’s no romantic getaway!” Goten practically shouted.

Talking about that type of stuff with Trunks was one thing, but it was the absolute LAST topic of conversation Son Goten ever in a million years wanted to have with his mother.

“Oh honey, stop being so dramatic. I’m no fool. I know how much you two love each other, it’s only natural!”

“Mom! Enough! I’m not talking about this with you!”

In the years since Buu, most things didn’t bother the Son matriarch anymore. Chi-Chi let things slide. She even started wearing her hair down or in a ponytail more often than not. And became brazent with her playful teasing. Too brazent for Goten’s own good. First Gohan, now him. Goku almost felt bad for them. Almost. He found it amusing.

Goten slapped his cheeks and quickly shook off the image before his mind could wander any further to any thoughts that might make him not able to ride the Flying Nimbus anymore.

“Besides, 18 would kill me, revive me with the Dragon Balls, and then kill me again!!” Goten said, getting a laugh from his parents. They were laughing because they knew he was right.

“Of course, honey. Now what’s the real reason?” She knew Goten would likely skip anyway. Goten didn’t think she knew, but she did. She was smarter than she looked. But still, she appreciated that he came to them first, whatever the reason was.

“I want to enter the World Tournament.” Goten declared, surprising both of his parents.

“I’m in too!!” Goku replied with the same confident grin his son had. Goku had a feeling Goten would. “There’s this guy I’ve been keeping an eye on lately. He’s got some insane power within him, more than he realizes. I have a hunch he’ll be entering the Tournament next week.”

Though he didn’t say this aloud, Son Goku had another reason he wanted to enter the Tournament. A lesson that his master had taught him long ago.

“A hunch?” Chi-Chi asked, somewhat worried. She had gotten used to the peace again. They all had. The last thing she wanted was another creep with an inflated ego dragging her boys into another universal death battle. “Sounds like bad news to me.”

“No need to worry. This guy’s totally pure of heart.” Goku replied, easing his wife’s fears.

“So who is he then?” Goten said, in between heaps of food. “Do we know him?”

Goku flashed his signature wide grin. “Sorry! Not telling. You’ll have to wait and see for yourself!”

Goten slouched back in his seat and frowned. “That’s lame. You’re no fun.”

“We’ll have to train for the Tournament just to be sure! I have a feeling this is gonna be a fun one!”

“Yeah!”

“I had a feeling this day would come sooner or later.” Chi-Chi said, sighing slightly. It was tough for her seeing her baby boy growing up into a man. He was almost done highschool, in a loving committed relationship, and now following in his father’s footsteps as a fighter. Soon he’d be out of the house and out on his own. The thought almost made her tear up, but she supported him nonetheless. The Son matriarch excused herself from the dinner table to hurry into the hall closet and pulled out a large white box with a bow on it.

Upon returning, Chi-Chi glanced to Goku for a moment and then handed her son the box. “I know your eighteenth birthday isn’t for a while, but I… we wanted you to have this before your big day. I made it myself.”

Goten raised an eyebrow at the box, shaking it slightly. It didn’t sound like a game or anything like that was inside. Now he was really curious. He carefully lifted the lid off of the box to see a brand new gi. His current one was fine and all, but it was getting a little too small and worn out over the past months of consistent training.

“Whoa! This is…” He gasped.

It was an orange gi, much like his father had worn for decades. But what made it different from Goku’s was instead of blue, Goten’s new gi had a black undershirt, and matching black belt, wristbands and boots.

Goten smiled as wide as could be as he lifted the gi out of the box to get a better look at it. “This is great! Thank you so much! I’m gonna go try it on!!” He said and ran to his bedroom to change.

Goku and Chi-Chi idled about in the meantime, cleaning up from dinner when the teenaged Saiyan returned shortly after.

Chi-Chi’s eyes lit up like stars while Goku proudly beamed from beside her.

“Oh, look at you! You look so handsome!” Chi-Chi gushed, fussing all over her son despite his protests. “You look just like your father did when he and I reunited at the Tournament all those years ago! Ahh, those were the days~!”

“Yup! Lookin’ just like his old man!” Goku said. “Except for the hair!”

“Hey! Don’t hate!” Goten whined. “This hairstyle is stylish!”

Goten had recently changed his hairstyle to stand out from his father. Instead of his father’s signature palm-tree hairstyle, Son Goten let his hair grow out. It still shot out in most directions, but was now much longer and shaggier, reached the back of his neck. He liked it a lot more. Even better, Marron said it made him look super cute. So he decided to stick with it!

“Training begins tomorrow!”

Goten smirked. He couldn’t wait.

The next day, Son Goku came into Goten’s room bright and early, ready to start. They didn’t have much time to prepare! He found the teen was curled up in a ball, clutching his pillow for dear life.

“Rise and shine, kiddo!” Goku swung open the curtains, bringing the hot bright rays of sunlight right onto Goten’s face.

Goten winced and half-opened one eye. “...Dad? It’s ...7 AM! On a Saturday. Come back in like three hours.” Goten grimaced and then pulled the covers over his head, hoping his father would go away. It was too early for this! He was in the middle of an awesome dream too!

“No way. We’ve only got six days till the tournament! We’re gonna train for three days, and then rest for three days.” Goku said and yanked the covers off the bed entirely. “We’re getting breakfast out on the road, so get up or you’ll miss it!”

Goten groaned even louder than before, finally sitting up. The teen rubbed his eyes and yawned loudly. His hair shot out in every direction even more so than normal. Under most circumstances he wouldn’t mind early morning training, but his bed was too comfy to leave it right now! If he went back to sleep now, maybe he could continue the dream he was having! “Can’t today be a rest day?”

“Nope. Now be outside in ten minutes or your mother said no dinner for you!” Goku grinned teasingly, knowing that was his son’s weakness.

“Oh come onnn! That’s--. Ugh. Fiiine!” Goten whined. “Cheater.”

After brushing his teeth (still half asleep) Goten threw on his new gi. Knowing how their sparring sessions usually went, he hoped it wouldn’t get destroyed after not even having it a full day.

He tiredly dragged his feet out to the kitchen where his mother was waiting for him.

“Never shoulda entered this stupid Tournament…” He mumbled to himself and yawned again.

Chi-Chi shook her head, laughing. “Oh hush. It’s not that bad. You know how your father gets in times like this.”

“Yeah, yeah. He could’ve at least waited another hour though!” Goten said and then went outside to see his father talking with Gohan as little Pan ran around at their feet.

“Oh, hey Gohan!” Goten said happily.

“I see Dad’s puttin’ you through the ringer, huh?” Gohan chuckled when he saw his brother drag his feet out onto the grass. “I was down that road plenty of times growing up.”

Goku had traded his signature orange gi for a blue gi with dark bluish-green pants, black shoes and orange wristbands. He still dearly treasured the Turtle School colors, but wanted something different for a change.

“Uncle Goten!!” Pan cried happily. The toddler wore a little red gi, a present she got from Goku and Chi-Chi for Christmas the previous winter. Pan jumped into the air and came flying at him like a football player trying to take down the quarterback.

Goten braced himself for the hug just as Pan slammed into him, laughing. “Hey, squirt!”

“I’m not a squirt, I grew two inches!”

Pan giggled. She loved her uncle so much. He was like a big kid, but also an adult! Pan didn’t really get how that was possible, but she just wanted to be just like him. He showed her all the funnest games, and always knew all the coolest places to go! Plus whenever he visited he always snuck her candy when Gohan wasn’t looking.

“Guess what Uncle Goten? Daddy says I can enter the World Toonament!”

Goten couldn’t help but laugh at her pronunciation of the word tournament. “Wait, what? You’re sure it’s okay if she enters, Gohan?”

Gohan nodded. “When she heard Mr. Satan used to be the Champ, it’s all she wanted to do. Videl and I agreed that since there’s no threats anymore, it wouldn’t be a big deal. There’s no Junior division this time, but we’ll all be there anyway. So no harm done.”

“You’re right about that! Besides, I think she can give Goten a challenge!” Goku said, winking up at Pan.

Pan tugged on Goten’s pant leg. “Is it true you’re comin’ fishin’ with us?”

“Sure is, Pan! Come on! You can ride on my shoulders!” Goten said and picked the little one up. She felt so tall!

“Alright, we’re heading off!” Goku said. Pan cheered while Goten smirked and pumped his fists. Now that he was fully awake, he was ready for action.

Gohan trusted his father more than anyone else in the world. He went over to affectionately pat his daughter’s head. “Bye, Panny. Be good for Grandpa and Uncle Goten!”

“Okay Daddy!”

And with that, the three were off. Gohan watched them go and then went back inside for his morning coffee.

The three followed the dirt path to a pretty meadow nearby. Dew glistened on the blades of grass, as the sun continued making its way over the mountain horizon. A river gently flowed into a waterfall that spilled into a sprawling crystal clear lake.. It brought back a wave of nostalgia for Goku as he could remember the countless times he went here to fish with Grandpa Gohan growing up.

Goten placed Pan down and stretched as the toddler immediately ran over to the river’s edge and stared in awe.

"Alright before we start training, whaddya say we get some breakfast? I’m starving!" Goku said, already prepping.

"Sure! I got it covered! I’ll get us some fish!”

"My favorite!” Goku said. No matter how many times he ate Paozu tuna, it didn’t get old.

In the meantime, Goku gathered firewood and then fired a tiny ki blast to start a fire. Pan helped by throwing sticks to make it bigger. He placed three large wooden stakes over the fire, one for each of them to roast their breakfast on.

Goten got down to his boxers and dove into the river. It was cold, yet refreshing. If he wasn't fully awake yet, he was now. The teen swam around a bit until some huge fish caught his eye. Common for this area, the Paozu fish were at least five times his size, and normally blue and white in color (but there were other colorations as well). Four of them spotted Goten at once and rushed towards their prey, each with the intent to swallow him whole.

Goten became motionless, waiting for the right moment. As the first approached, he swam down and kicked it in the side, killing it instantly. The teen then disposed of the other three aquatic attackers in a similar fashion.

Goten swam around and gathered his food. One for each of them and one extra! They could split the last one.

With their breakfast caught, the three generations of Sons sat around the fire, enjoying the morning together while they ate their breakfast in typical Saiyan fashion.

Goku burped and rubbed his stomach upon finishing. “Man, that hit the spot! Now it’s time for training!”

“I wanna train too, Grandpa!” Pan exclaimed.

Goku ruffled Pan’s hair, making her giggle. “You like flying, right?” He asked, knowing the answer already.

“Mhmm!” The four-year old gleefully said, raising her little hands into fists.

“Alright, well how about this? I want you to fly around the world as fast as you can!”

Pan’s little eyes lit up. “Really? Okay! Can Uncle Goten come with me??!”

Goten laughed and knelt down to be on eye level with the toddler. “I’d love to, Panny, but I gotta train! Next time I’ll go with you! And I’ll show you something real cool!”

“Pinky promise?” She said, holding up her little finger.

“Of course.” Goten grinned and they shook on it.

“Alright, bye Grandpa! Bye Uncle Goten!! I’ll be back soon!!” Pan waved and took off to the east.

Once Pan was out of sight, the Son boys could truly focus on their training.

“So, what’s on the agenda??”

"Okay, Goten. First, I need you to power up as high as you can possibly go." Goku folded his arms and smiled confidently. "I know things have been easy in these peace times, but I wanna see the progress you've made. You've been training primarily with Trunks, right?"

Goten nodded. "Yeah. At first it was pretty casual but these past two years or so we've really gotten serious."

Goku had full faith in his son. Though Goten was suppressing his energy, Goku could feel the sheer amount of power he had within him. In his fight with Buu, even as a child, Goten showed glimpses having more potential than even Gohan. At only seven years old, he became a Super Saiyan just by sparring for fun. And when fused together, Gotenks was one of the strongest fighters in the entire universe.

"...Alright, then. Here goes!" Goten smirked. He then took a deep breath and let out a mighty roar as his power skyrocketed. "HRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

A wild golden aura erupted around the teenager's body while lighting violently sparked around him. Goten's muscles bulged somewhat while his shaggy hair stood completely upright, becoming sharp and jagged. First, Goten's eyes turned to an emerald green. Then, his dark black hair became the signature golden-yellow. The lightning increased in intensity as Goten didn't stop there and kept powering up until a burst of light shot from the teens body.

There stood Son Goten in a fully-powered Super Saiyan 2 state. The splitting image of his father. His facial features were relaxed and he was in complete control of his energy; a far cry from ten years ago when he had gotten carried away at the Tournament.

"How's this?" Goten asked, smirking slightly. “At first, it took a lot of rage to transform, like I had to picture Majin Buu hurting Mar or Mom again. But it’s easy now!”

"Amazing, Goten! Wow! I'm so proud of you!" Goku beamed with pride at how far his son has come. At only seventeen years old, Son Goten had mastered Super Saiyan 2. Goku wouldn't be surprised if he was on the edge of unlocking Super Saiyan 3!

"Me and Trunks are just about equals."

Equals?! They were equals? If that really was the case, Goku could truly put his worries about leaving the earth to the next generation to rest. "No wonder You got so strong so fast!"

"How would you compare us to Majin Buu? Like a ballpark."

"You mean the evil one? Hard to say exactly, but you're definitely stronger than Vegeta and I were at the time. If both of you attacked together at full power, you could have possibly beaten him before he split good from evil and lost most of his power. But you know more than anyone how unpredictable Buu can be. Even though he's good now, you have to be careful. If you get matched up against him, you can't afford many mistakes against a guy like that.”

Goten pumped his fists happily. "Right! Thanks, Dad! So, what now?"

"Power down to normal. Goku said and slipped into a fighting stance. "Let's have a quick spar. This time, no transforming.”

"Huh? Are you sure? But you'll kick my ass!"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. I'm gettin' old ya know! Now come on.”

Goten nodded and after a deep breath, his hair and eyes returned to their normal black color. He clenched his fists and then slipped into a fighting stance. “Just watch the gi, okay? It’s brand new, and I was hopin’ to surprise Mar with it.”

Goku smirked. “Sure. I’ll let you have the first move.”

“You’ll regret that!!” Goten instantly burst forward, appearing as only a blur. He swung a volley of powerful kicks directly at his father's face.

Goku smirked as dodged with ease but Goten was relentless. Kick after kick he didn't stop. That continued until Goku grabbed Goten by the leg, and prepared to counter. "Got ya."

"Not so fast!" With his other leg, Goten swung but that too was caught. Goten squirmed and fought to break loose, but Goku’s grip only tightened. Growling, Goten spread his arms wide, unleashing an Explosive Wave at point blank range.

Goku was hit dead on and lost his grip, staggering back somewhat as Goten landed. "OWW! Good one! That actually hurt! But I'm not even getting started yet!"

Goku vanished from sight and reappeared behind his son. Goten swerved around just in time to see his father pulling his fist back, ready to strike.

However the blow went right through his son as if it were an illusion.

“An afterimage...” Goku said, smirking.

Two copies of Goten reappeared to Goku’s side. Then, the real Goten appeared from above and swung a ferocious kick at Goku, but that too was nothing but an illusion.

“W-What?!” Goten exclaimed and jumped backwards, searching around for his father’s energy.

“I invented that move! Ya gotta be better than that!!” Goku said from a few yards away, smiling mischievously with his arms crossed.

Goten ran towards Goku again, but this time Goku vanished completely. The teen flipped backwards just as Goku came into sight, narrowly dodging the counter. Goten burst forward and immediately slammed Goku in the back of the head, this time hitting finally it’s mark.

Goku was sent careening down towards the ground, but he caught himself and safely landed on his own two feet. He winced, rubbing his head where Goten hit him. “He’s tougher than I remember!”

Goten continued his assault, flying down towards his father and firing multiple energy waves at Goku.

Goku deflected the blasts away from himself, sending the blasts far away from the fight to explode in the distance. Goten charged a bigger blast in his left hand, firing it directly forward. Goku stayed absolutely still, waiting for Goten's blast. At the last moment, Goten curved the blast up and it exploded into multiple blasts that shot in every direction, wildly zig-zagging around without any sense of direction or course.

Goku watched each blast intensely, waiting for the right moment.

“He’s distracted!” Goten blasted forwards, head first, at full force, slamming directly into Goku’s back.

Pulling his arms back into the signature pose, Goten his hands together. “KAAAAA… MEEEEE…” The blue energy began to build as Goten’s ki spiked. “HAAAAA… MEEEEE…”

Goku recovered and came to a sliding halt on the grassy terrain. The Saiyan hadn’t felt this excited in years. Goku smirked and raised his power level to match Goten’s. Just then, Goten vanished.

Goku’s eyes widened and crossed his arms over his face, just as Goten appeared in front of him.

“HAAAAAAAAAA!!!!”

The blast hit Goku dead on, creating a super massive explosion that could be felt all the way at the Son house from far away.

Goten jumped backwards to gain distance. The teen hovered there, his senses on full awareness, waiting for his father to emerge from the smoke. A palm-tree hairstyle and bluish-green gi appeared through the smoke soon enough, completely unharmed. He was smiling!

“I see you’ve finally mastered the Instant Transmission. Great work!” Goku grinned, folding his arms.

The Instant Transmission technique. Goten had asked his father to teach him the attack about two years ago when he started his training. Right around the time he started dating Marron. Goten motives were as clear as day.

“Yeah! Thanks again!” Goten said.

“You won’t fool me twice with that move though. Come on, let’s keep going!”

“You bet.”

They rushed each other at the same time and collided. A powerful yet invisible tremor shook the area as their fists met. The father and son duo crashed blow for blow as they rose higher in the air. Their attacks grew more intense the higher they went.

Eventually they disappeared, and could only be seen by the tremors echoing throughout the grassy training grounds.

At first, Goten traded blows evenly with his dad, countering each blow with ease. But as their struggle continued, Goku slowly raised his power and started overwhelming his father. He managed to land a crushing blow to the gut, making Goten falter. Goku went to punch him but Goten phased out of the way, reappearing some significant distance away and hid his energy singal.

“Now’s my chance!”

Goten got into position and powered up to full. In an instant he pulled his hands back, charged two blue blasts of ki in his hands and fired. The beam exploded in a marvelous blue light, hitting its target dead on. “Gotcha.”

Goten waited for movement. But when the smoke cleared and Goku was gone! The teen growled when he saw his father simply dusting off his gi on the grass below.

“Dammit! He’s not even hurt!”

To Goku’s own surprise, he was just a bit out of breath. ”If I’m not careful, he actually may get the advantage. He’s even further along in his training than I originally thought.” He smirked and then raised his hands close to the center of his face with his fingers spread out toward his eyes. “This was fun, Goten, but you’re not winning this fight.”

Goten braced himself and shut his eyes. “Oh crap!”

“SOLAR FLARE!”

A blinding white light exploded from the Saiyan father’s body as if a second sun was right there on the battlefield with them, covering everything in sight.

Despite being temporarily blind, Goten’s other senses kicked into high gear. He felt where Goku was going to appear and attempted to counter, but missed every attack. Goku simply side-stepped or caught everything Goten threw at him.

Goku smirked, reappearing right behind his son. "Come on! Focus! You're better than that, Goten!" He said right before flipping behind Goten and kneeing his son right in the back.

Goten was flown forward as he grunted from the impact of the hard hit, trying to regain control of his body as his sight finally began returning to him.

Goku pursued his son, pounding him into the ground causing cracks and the ground itself to rise up from the impact. Goku then grabbed his son by the legs and threw him into the air. Goku flew straight up, stopping above Goten. He threw a punch at Goten but Goten managed to duck, countering with a jab to the gut.

Goku vanished and kicked his son upwards, and with a flare his energy unleashed a monstrous kiai that had Goten flying backwards, unable to recover.

A boot connected with the boy’s face and he was sent shooting towards the ground yet again.

“Try and stop this one!!” Goku cried and unleashed a volley of rapid-fire blasts. Goten’s head was still spinning from the kick, so he didn’t have time to block the dozens of golden Ki spheres that crashed into his body one after another seemingly without end.

Finally, Goku built up one last, super-large energy ball for the final attack.

Goten had just enough time to land on his feet and catch the ball of ki. He grunted as he felt himself being pushed back, but with a flare of his aura--almost turning Super Saiyan until he remebered the rule, managed to send it flying away. A massive explosion echoed from afar where the impact was.

Goku floated above him with his hands on his hips, smiling proudly.

Goten heaved and huffed, now feeling exhausted as if he sweat from his brow. He really could have kept going, but decided against it and shook his head. “I’m done for now. You win....” He said and plopped down on the grass.

The fight was over. Goku grinned and flashed dual victory signs. “You did amazing, Goten. Really had me there!”

“One of these days, I swear, the shoe is gonna be on the other foot!” Goten declared in between heavy breaths. At least his gi didn’t get ruined.

“And I think that day will be sooner rather than later.” Goku smiled and sat down next to Goten on the grass as they waited for Panny to come back.

Only six days remain until the 28th World Martial Arts Tournament begins!

#dragon ball #dbz #goten #marron #marten #goten x marron #goku #chichi

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dorkylittleweirdo · 4 years ago

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crazy shit that happened during high school

freshman year:

my favorite teacher (pe coach) ended up being a pedophile. it’s kinda scary to think about bc like,, that was my favorite teacher and i trusted him and if he tried anything with me i don’t think i would’ve stopped him and just yikes. but yeah, it was a whole thing. once the school found out they got the police involved and he fled the state. they got him in the end but i mean,, i spent a lot of time in the secretary’s office crying about it bc i really trusted that dude and i was distraught over it. that might’ve been where my trust issues started??? fun stuff

my school shut down. like i mean,, bc it was a charter school and we had to get the charter renewed. but the board at my school wasn’t using their money the way they were supposed to. it was a whole thing, like the principal left that school year bc he knew what was happening, couldn’t stop them from doing it, and didn’t want to be part of it. so they had a lot of meetings that us kids were allowed to go to so we could see what was happening and all that. i only went to one and it was A Time bc the lady who was recording everything passed tf out and of course nobody was a doctor and my pipsqueak thirteen year old ass went “i know what to do” bc i Did so i had to help her which was a trip in and of itself. but anyways, the school’s charter got denied, and everyone had to transfer, but the district promised that we could go to any school we wanted, not just the one we would have to go to by zip code

sophomore year:

i ended up going to a private christian school. big fucking mistake. absolute disaster. nothing really happened that was crazy by their standards, but it was for me

so they have a house system. think of harry potter, it’s EXACTLY like that. we have points, we have competitions, we have all that extra stuff. it was such a time, like i don’t,, i don’t even know how to explain how fucking weird that shit was

i came out in the middle of class. the principal’s daughter was our sub and she goes “okay so everyone is gonna tell us something that nobody knows about them” so when it was my turn i go “so it’s not a secret and y’all should know this but clearly y’all don’t: i’m not straight”. silence. dead silence. we could hear the class next to us it was so quiet. some girl whispers “i knew it”. another girl leans over and whispers to my friend “i’m so sorry”. principal’s daughter gives me the most threatening, condescending smile i’ve ever seen and goes “thanks for sharing”. i had to come out to my mom that same day bc i told me friends and they panicked on my behalf bc when people found out that they were gay, the principal told their parents. and i was Not about to be outed by the principal. my mom has since told me that the principal never contacted her about it so i came out for nothing but i mean i really like being out so we’re good

so instead of prom, cult school has this thing called “the ball”. sophomores, juniors, and seniors are allowed to go bc there’s less than fifty people per grade so if sophomores don’t come, there’s not enough people. so i went bc my friends were all going and i was like “yeah why not might as well”. three dance lessons. three fucking dance lessons for this stupid ball that i didn’t dance once at. i literally had three panic attacks in the span of an hour at the second one, and then i had swim practice right after. fucking exhausted. felt like i ran five marathons by the time i got home. the last lesson i didn’t do any dancing, just vibed with my friend in the corner. so at the actual ball, same friend and i vibed at the tables the whole time. we went to the bathroom for like an hour and took mirror selfies and tried to make our asses look bigger bc we’re Like That

SO AFTER THE BALL, there was apparently a massive party and there was alcohol and stuff. so my friends and i were blissfully unaware bc nobody liked us bc who tf likes the school sinners. so we walked to get ice cream after in our fucking ballgowns and suits looking like All That. so the principal thought that it was one of us who hosted the party and we were like “??? what party?”. literally almost got in trouble bc the principal thought we were LYING. i told my mom and she takes No Shit, so when the principal called her demanding to know if i went to/hosted the party, she marched her ass down to the school and was like “i know y’all have something against mexicans and people who are different from y’all, but that’s no reason to blame my daughter for something that your so called “perfect” students did”. my mom got Heated, roasted the fuck out of the principal, then LEFT. principal never fucked with my mom after that

so there was a fire like across the street from the school. the fd told us to evacuate, but noooooo the school was like “god will protect us” i’m like “okay but i’m gay and apparently your god hates that so i think we’re gonna Perish”. the fucking POWER went out and they STILL wouldn’t let us go. my mom called to sign me out so i could go wherever the fuck i wanted in the school until my friend’s dad came to pick us up bc she couldn’t get there bc of the fire. so i vibed next door to my friends’ class and i was like “heeeeey god’s trying to kill the gays” and we laughed about that until my gay ass got saved lmaoooo

okay so this is the funniest memory i have. in chemistry once, our teacher took us outside and started digging a lil hole next to the school. and keep in mind, my chem teacher used to be a hardcore atheist druggie, like fucking meth and coke and shit. took a theology course and converted. so he’s really sweet and nice but he’s also Slightly mad scientist vibes. so anyways, he puts something in this little hole, lights it on fire. i forgot why he did it, but i was standing back with him and one of the exchange students and the three of us watch in Horror as the rest of the class makes a circle around the fire and start doing some weird dance and saying something. it wasn’t like a chant, idk what to call it, but they were like counting like “and one, and two, and three, and four” and then the dance would get more intense and they’d get louder. so eventually they were screaming and going apeshit and i looked at my teacher and he’s just,, watching them do this. i’m like “and i’m satan, huh?”. like these kids really trying to summon the devil but i’m the bad one bc i like girls

junior year:

so technically this was during the summer but i’m putting it here. they have like a house party after the school year ends. i made cookies. apparently they “looked weird” so nobody ate them, two of my soon to be teachers kept insulting them. i called my mom to pick me up, took my cookies with me, got back in the car in tears. had to have a whole conversation with the principal and those two teachers so they could apologize bc i wanted to leave the school after that. dw tho, i took my cookies to the guards at my summer camp and they appreciated the hell out of them bc they were Very Good Cookies

so my ap bio teacher was an enabler. i was his favorite bc i wasn’t a religious nut and it was very obvious that i believed in science and not whatever the hell this cult was doing with their creationist bs. also he was a parasitologist and i’m super into parasitology so he had fun talking about it to someone who both understood and was extremely interested in the topic. i rolled up to class one day like “hey so i’m gonna buy hissing cockroaches from amazon, if my parents find out and don’t let me keep them do you want them??” and he’s like “yeah”. i brought them to class a few times and everyone Hated it but my teacher was like ayyyyy. and everyone thought he was either and atheist or agnostic, so when some girl asked how he thought mary conceived jesus to see what he said, he looked at me like “y’all hear somethin/hel p” and i go “parthenogenesis” and he Went With It, talking about how it was theoretically possible in humans but we ignored the fact that the baby would’ve been a girl bc the class is dumb none of them have ever heard of parthenogenesis before jesus is the true trans icon we all need

my art teacher was my favorite and she knows that i’m gay. she’s the only teacher from my school that i’m still in contact with. so every big project we did, i made it gay. and i knew, and my friends knew, and she knew, but the rest of the class had no idea. i’m like presenting my project and the class would get sus and they’re like “so are those two really good friends” and i’m like “so she has a rainbow heart on her choker and she has a lesbian symbol on her shirt”. the class was still confused and my friend yells “they’re LESBIANS”. it was iconic

my brit lit teacher was bi. she never said it, but i know she was. always talked about how much she hated men, then was like “women are very very good”. no way this woman was straight. so we read dracula and it’s got that Subtext, so one time i leaned over to my friend bc he sat next to me and i go “the Homoerotic Subtext”. and i didn’t realize that the teacher was right in front of me until she tapped my desk and goes “it gets better”, told me a page number that i flipped to, and it was Even More Gay and i was like 😏. also she assigned me a gay poet for my poetry project and i talked about that for my whole presentation in front of the class and it was the biggest paragraph in my essay and i got 100% on it even tho i choked at the beginning. also i mentioned in passing that i liked sappho and she goes “ooh i love sappho” i’m like “ma’am please leave this cult and get you a gf”

senior year:

i left the cult finally. went to the one school i actually liked. i made friends who actually like me and they were patient and they were amazing and i love them all very much even if i’ll never tell them. my classmates were great, v friendly, i had a great time. however,

so many fires. school got cancelled like five times bc of how bad the fires were

the school shooting. i don’t think i need to go further into that, it’s pretty self explanatory

covid. again, don’t need to go further into that, v self explanatory

#school #high school #school stories

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slutforalistairtheirin · 5 years ago

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Sanders Sides High School AU

Roman Prince:

-16, Sophomore

-Drama geek, almost always gets leads in the school musicals/plays

-Best friends with Virgil

-Very very very gay. Out to the school but definitely not his parents.

-His parents (or at leas his father) are very homophobic

-Lives only a few blocks away from the school

-Has a major crush on Logan

-His mom is Cuban

-Father is very white

-He speaks Spanish but avoids doing it around his father

-Loves Virgil’s dad

-has very bad anxiety

-Loves make-up/dressing up

-He’s usually a huge charmer until someone calls his bluff *cough* Logan *cough*

-Always has impeccable outfits

-Mama’s boy

-good cook

-His friends mean the world to him

-Dreams of going to Broadway

-unfortunately he lives in the middle-of-nowhere Indiana

-On the swim team

-His dad wanted him to be an athlete and said he could only stay in theatre if he joined a sport

-Actually adores being at school

Virgil Windsor:

-16, Sophomore

-Roman’s best friend

-Demisexual

-Stylish emo

-purple hair obviously

-Out to everyone

-Adopted

-Adores his father

-Also drama geek, usually stage-managing

-Lives a ten minute walk away from Roman’s house

-Enjoys teasing Roman about his crush

-Often has sleepovers at his house with Roman, Grace, and occasionally his little sister will join

-Would literally die for his sister

-History whiz

-Eats lots of gummy worms

-really digs dragons?

-Can’t cook worth shit but he can bake for days

-Sometimes has nightmares about his birth parents dying

-Calls Roman Princey

-has throwing knives

-has really good aim

-Lowkey has a crush on Remy but would never admit it (not to be confused with Remus)

Logan Addison:

-17, Junior

-Debate team, yearbook photographer, runs school instagram, Mathlete

-Super gay. Not officially out to anyone but his mom but it’s not like he’s hiding anything. Everyone knows.

-Dresses kind of like a hipster

-Had dark blue hair a in middle school so now he has a few blue streaks leftover. Barely noticeable unless you’re looking for them

-Lives kind of far from the school so he drives there

-Drives a blue Ford Fusion

-He has doctor who stickers all over it

-He’s a sucker for Neil Gaiman

-His only sibling is in college

-His older sibling is Joan btw

-knows all the science

-mostly just psychology actually

-he aspires to be a psychiatrist

-eats a pretty healthy diet, but he really enjoys brownies

-Pretty infatuated with Roman

-Terrible at expressing emotions

-His debate hoodie has “Data” on the back

-Enjoys the paranormal

Patton Windsor:

-35, works at the local library

-Asexual/aromantic

-loves books, animals, and hot cocoa

-he also likes dying his hair different colors

-his favorite so far has been pink

-Dresses exactly like Jim Hopper in ST3 but like everyday and times 100

-Drives a minivan even though he only has two kids

-He has hippie/rainbow bumper stickers

-loves his kids with his entire heart

-Loves easy to enjoy books, such as Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, the like

-Loves carbs. Always makes some kind of pasta or comfort food for dinner.

-Adopted Virgil when he was 5

-Virgil’s favorite that Patton cooks is Potato Soup

-Patton also adopted a baby girl when Virgil was 10

-The baby girl is named Isabel

-Adores his kids

-Very openly emotional

-Has lots of #1 Dad paraphenalia

-Loves Roman, too

-Absolutely 100% willing to adopt him

-The sweetest man you will ever meet

-Wears large, round glasses

-has freckles literally everywhere

Remus Prince:

-15, Freshman

-Roman’s half-brother

-The result of Mr. Prince having an affair

-aromantic homosexual

-Lives with his mom

-Doesn’t meet his father/brother until he’s about 7

-Doesn’t have many friends, he’s a little bit odd.

-While he doesn’t often hang out with Roman, his brother is there for him when he needs it

-Dyes his hair green

-Dresses very dramatically

-He’s really good at chemistry

Dee Harper:

-17, Junior

-On the debate team with Logan

-Asexual, homoromantic

-When they were sophomores, he had a crush on Logan, but he was never interested

-Dee is very good at math

-likes the color yellow

-dresses very well

-Logan and Dee are good friends

-No one ever actually catches Dee’s eye, but he’s okay with being single

-He lives in the rich part of town with his wealthy grandparents

-Loves old classic books. Like Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, The Anne of Green Gables books, Oscar Wilde, all of them

-He also loves The Lord of the Rings

-He has a pet snake named Legolas

-and a rat named Gimli

-he plays the sims a lot

-volunteers at the zoo

-Dee is a very good singer

Remy (Remington) Gray:

-16, junior

-hella gay, out and proud

-extremely intelligent

-and intuitive

-most people think he’s a psychic

-honestly he never denies it

-he plays along

-thinks school activities are dumb

-but he does work at the local art museum

-he has a great appreciation for art

-he’s also a really good artist but no one knows that

-he likes to draw people

-including his friends. He’s very close with Logan and Dee, and eventually will be with Virgil and Roman

-Virgil is his favorite to draw ;)

-its rumored that he’s from another planet

-really he’s just eccentric and mysterious

-likes birds

Mr. Sanders, Thomas:

-30, drama teacher

-really, really gay

-connects really well with his students

-he’s very empathetic and just a sweet man

-He always dresses super eccentrically and nobody questions it because that’s just Mr. Sanders

-Sometimes he bets with the other teachers about which students will end up together

-he usually wins those bets

-perks of being the favorite teacher

Characters that aren’t sides:

Grace:

-16, sophomore

-Roman’s other best friend

-raging lesbian

-she’s very sweet, but she can also be very scary

-do not piss her off

-she enjoys hiking, travel, and theatre

-she aspires to be an anthropologist

Mr. Prince, Fred:

-40, lawyer

-Roman’s father

-he’s extremely homophobic

-he had an affair with a 30 year old woman

-also kind of racist but he married a cuban woman??

-he doesn’t let her speak spanish

-he’s also borderline abusive to Roman and his wife

-He doesn’t like Virgil. or any of Roman’s friends for that matter

-Honestly he’s an all around shitty person

-he’s not going to have an arc okay

Mrs. Prince, Estrella:

-35, works at the library with Patton

-Roman’s mother

-Not homophobic, but if Roman ever came out to her it would take her a bit to get used to it. She wouldn’t hate him at all though. She would still love him equally

-She wants to leave Fred, but she hasn’t been able to make enough money to get her and Roman out of there.

-sweetest mother

-always worried that Roman isn't eating enough

-she even thought Virgil had an eating disorder, but he’s just skinny

-delightful woman

Isabel Windsor:

-6, 1st grade

-she only cares about Voltron, Mickey Mouse, and rainbow crayons.

-her brother is her best friend

-she adores Roman

-all of Virgil’s friends are also her friends

-Sometimes Virgil and Roman pick her up from school and they go get ice cream.

-She loves cats

-she thinks unicorns are real but not santa

-she’s a very bright kid, too

-she loves coloring books

All done! Man that was longer than I expected. This is based off of my Logince fic. Feel free to send asks about this!

#high school au #sanders sides #logince #platonic prinxiety #virgil sanders #Logan sanders #patton sanders #deceit sanders #roman sanders

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britneyshakespeare · 6 years ago

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thanks nancy @pavlovers for tagging me 💖✨🤧 now i get to talk to myself which is my favorite thing ever

rules– answer 21 questions and then tag 21 people who you want to get to know better

nickname(s): a couple, but i wish i had more epithets. the mysterious one. (the bi ace poetess)

zodiac sign: i blow in my tissue more personal information than this

height: 5′7

last movie I saw: uh i dont know but i got a bad movie night coming up w a bunch of my new College Friends (i became cool recently but only w a bunch of white improv guys so it’s... small prize i guess) and we’re gonna watch the room and a bunch of other shitfests like that. it’ll be. fun. two of them own matching tommy wiseau boxers. i hate to say it but i looked it up after and

they’re kinda stylish.

last thing I googled: well, now it’s tommy wiseau boxers.

favourite musician: 💖💗💕💞💞✨ MARiANNE ✨💞💞💕💗💖 FAITHFULL 🐇🌸🌷😘😍😸 BARONESS VON SACHER-MASOCH 😸😍😘🌷🌸🐇

song stuck in my head: i was talking to kaily in the car on the way to barnes & noble, and i said something about DNCE’s cover of Do Ya Think I’m Sexy with Rod Stewart, and then when i was waiting in line to pay, it came on in the store. DNCE’s cover of Do Ya Think I’m Sexy with Rod Stewart.

other blogs: follow @creatediana if you want my body and if you think i’m sexy (come on sugar tell me so)

following: 839

followers: 2885

do I get asks: yeah a little. little asks. very small ones.

amount of sleep: certainly enough

lucky numbers: i almost bought paradise lost by john milton when i was in barnes & noble and i was really tempted to, because i’m an early-modern english slut, but i’ve been in the middle of the knight’s tale (from chaucer’s canterbury tales) for weeks now in between a bunch of other reads. but you know, paradise lost is comparable to canterbury tales, because they’re both long english poems. but i’m rereading frankenstein by mary shelley for the first time since i was a SOPHOMORE IN HIGH SCHOOL (which references paradise lost and it’s quite thematically significant), and it’s really fascinating. and i haven’t read paradise lost in full, i feel like i HAVE to do that at some point. no, i don’t feel like it, i KNOW it. i do have to read milton. perhaps after i read more of the complete poems of alexander pope i got for christmas, i’m still in the pastorals, but really, i have so many volumes of poetry. most of which are cracked, because, like, no one just sits down and reads an entire volume of poetry in a couple of days like it’s a novel. yuck. no. you let it sit. i’ve been reading the complete poems of w. b. yeats for at least like a year and a half (serially. i’ve read random pieces here and there since 2016ish). and i like letting a poet’s works be a slow burn. but then again, most of my volumes ARE complete works. such as yeats, pope, rossetti, anne sexton. and others are collected but not complete, just highlights, like shelley, plath, tennyson. truly i don’t own many volumes which were meant to be read all together at once, which were published purposefully together and written in accord. but i do have canterbury tales, and the knight’s tale, that’s an especially long tale. it’s like, 2000+ lines. i can’t even tell you how many i’ve read. i started it as something i’d read between classes at college but i just finished finals on friday and don’t go back till september. and whenever i told myself i’d read something at school i typically didn’t, because when i have a free moment at school to really dig into a nice long-form reading, i’d just rather write something myself. i need to finish the knight’s tale before long, though, so i don’t forget everything about palamon and arcite and emily. i’m so silly for thinking i should’ve bought paradise lost. i’m so silly! i haven’t even finished canterbury tales. no, diana, you can buy paradise lost another day.

(what i did buy was two volumes of maya angelou & margaret atwood because i was feeling very modern poetry & very feminist. i prioritize Lady Literature always, i tell myself whenever i buy books that it’d be a disgrace if i put ALL of my money towards men—yuck!)

what I’m wearing: oh it’s a total Teacher Outfit.

dream job: siren perhaps. poet. unrealistically wealthy teacher. enjoyable and electrifying widow who lives in a big house w a private library and has regular wine and cheese tastings on the second floor, mingling with a bunch of intellectuals and dilettantes, all of whom have at least mild disregard for each other but come for the appearance of being a member of High Society.

dream trip: i don’t think much about visiting PLACES so much as EVENTS. i always think it’d be much better to travel through time than space. if i could take a vacation into, say, early victorian england and hang out w the bronte sisters. or if i could mingle amongst the preraphaelites and pose for rossetti or waterhouse. pop into the 60s and fiddle around a melody on some exotic instruments with brian jones. those kinds of fantasies amuse me more than going to just, places. patches of dirt. i don’t like dirt, i like art and people.

favourite food: i eat more chocolate than anything else. that’s barely an exaggeration.

instruments played: haven’t played much of anything in awhile, but i’m trained in guitar.

languages: english is the only language i feel so privileged as to say i can speak and write comfortably, but i can read/understand varying levels of spanish, french, latin.

favourite songs: poem 16 by catullus

just a little taste.

no actually that reminds me awhile ago i found some guy who made a bunch of catullus lines into a bad rap song and i love it.

random fact: my dogs are very very good & i love them.

aesthetic: i’m standing on a sidewalk i see w my eyeball watchin all these couples pass me by like that’s what i want china (that’s me) why did you break away like taiwan thinkin bout you every night like sleepin w the lights on

kay i’ll tag some buddies now whom i love @laurenthelyricist @sneez @bohemian-brian @captainweirdboots @mylittlehappy and you know. anyone else who sees this & wants to do it. just tag me i’ll be happy. :-)

#this ended up being more chaotic than expected #tag

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snelbz · 7 years ago

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Orchids and Ink - Chapter 1

A/N: Chapter 1 is finally here! Its been a long time, I know! But I’m back, you guys! Regular updates, I promise! If you haven’t had a chance to read the teaser, you can find it HERE! This weekend has just been a bit hectic, with my friend getting in the car accident, so I apologize for not getting the update out yesterday! I hope you all enjoy this and I’m hoping to start a tag list for Chapter 2! If you’ve requested to be tagged previously, I’ve got you on the list!

The bell above the door jingled and Elain ran back to the front of the store from the small back office she’d been eating her lunch in. A familiar head of red hair was looking at an arrangement of camellias and lilies, and she leaned against the counter as he looked over the flowers. They were hues of gold, orange and red, reminding her of fire — and of the man looking them over.

“Looking to be one of my first purchases?” She said, and he spun on his heel, looking at her. Elain took in his khaki slacks, crisp pale blue button-down, and clean loafers, the way his long red hair was tied back at the nape of his neck. There were many things to be said about Lucien Vanserra, but no one could doubt that the man knew how to dress.

His eyebrow quirked up as he made his way to the counter. He leaned on the glass until he was level with Elain’s eyes. “One of? I won’t be the first?”

“Nope,” she said, popping her lips on the ‘p’. “Afraid not. A sweet older gentleman came in this morning and bought a dozen roses for his wife for their 40th anniversary.”

“How sweet of him,” he said, running a finger down the delicate petal of an orchid in an arrangement. “Well, since I wasn’t able to be your first sale, how about I take you to lunch? I don’t have to be back at the office until 11:30.”

Elain resisted the urge to look over her shoulder at the sad, wilted lettuce that could barely be called a salad she’d been eating only moments before. She wanted to go with him, she really did.

She loved nothing more than spending time with Lucien. He’d been her best friend since the first day of her sophomore year at Velaris High School after the Archeron’s had moved for their father’s new job. He was an office assistant and had been her guide around the school. She’d fallen in love with him almost immediately. They flirted and he took her dinner a lot, but she had no clue how he felt about her, even after 8 years of friendship. They’d been there for each other through breakups and horrible first dates. He’d been her shoulder to cry on when her long-term boyfriend had broken up with her to transfer to a college in another state. He’d helped keep her mind off of Greyson with movies and putt-putt and dinners. He’d helped her study for her midterms and had been her biggest cheerleader during finals. He yelled the loudest at her graduation, shocking since both of her sisters were there.

But he’d never asked her on an official date. There’d been a hundred nights where they’d fallen asleep on the couch, curled against each other, but the next morning, when one of them was gone, they never talked about it. They went on with their days as if nothing happened.

“Sure,” she smiled. “Lunch sounds wonderful. There’s a little cafe on the other side of the Square.” She pointed at a little restaurant situated catty-corner from her shop. He nodded and held out an arm. She glanced at it and blushed, but covered her embarrassment by walking behind the counter and grabbing her purse. “I need to set the alarm real quick. Step out front and I’ll be right there.”

He did as he was told and Elain ran into the office and punched her newly memorized code into the keypad. Once the code was set, she had 30 seconds to get out the door. It was plenty of time, but she still rushed every time.

Blowing out the door, she turned to find Lucien - and smacked directly into a wall of hard muscle.

She jumped back, a warm wetness, running down her chest and stomach. Coffee was all over her white shirt and splattered onto her jeans and shoes.

“Oh my, God, I'm sorry!”

“I’m so sorry, holy shit.”

She and the other person both began to apologize immediately.

“It’s my fault, I wasn’t looking where I was going,” he said, as she looked down at her ruined clothes. She only lived about 15 minutes from the shop. She could run home and change, but it wouldn’t really give her any time with Lucien for lunch. She looked up at the stranger and her mouth dried up.

His dark hair was messy, in a deliberate way, and it kept falling into his eyes. His hazel eyes were watching her every move, calculating, as if he was making sure she was okay. Black ink was peeking out of his t-shirt and she could see it slinking down his arms and into the black, fingerless gloves he wore. One of the two piercings just under his bottom lip moved as he chewed on it, worry on his handsome face.

She swallowed and remembered she could speak. “No, no, it’s fine. I shouldn’t have been rushing.”

“Elain, are you okay?” Lucien asked, finally stepping into the conversation.

“Yeah, but my shirt,” she said. “It’s ruined. I’ll have to run home and change.”

“You’re Elain?” asked the stranger. A faint, pink blush was coloring his cheeks.

She nodded. He held out a hand.

“Not exactly how I’d liked to have met you, but I’m Azriel. I own Illyrian Ink.” He tossed a thumb over his shoulder toward the doors.

“It’s nice to meet you, I met your brother earlier, uh.” Elain was drawing a blank on the violet eyes man’s name.

“Rhysand,” he supplied.

“Yes!” She said.

Azriel smiled. “Yeah, he likes to work the early shift. Hey, we’ve got some merch inside. Hats, stickers, t-shirts. I feel bad about ruining your shirt. Why don’t you take one of ours, that way you don’t have to go home?”

Looking down at her jeans and shoes, she saw that her shirt had taken the brunt of the mess. And that her baby blue bra was proudly on display through the thin, soaked material. She quickly covered her chest. “That would be wonderful. Thank you.” She turned to Lucien. “Why don’t you go ahead and head over to the cafè? I’ll be there in just a second.”

He nodded, but he didn’t seem to be listening to a word she was saying. His eyes were on Azriel’s shoulders as he headed towards Illyrian Ink’s glass doors.

“Luc?” She said, and his eyes snapped to hers. “Go. I’ll be right there.”

He nodded again and turned, heading off across the Square.

Azriel was waiting at the doors and Elain walked over to him. He held the door open for him and she walked inside.

Illyrian Ink was….not what she was expecting. It was bright and open and - well - clean. She could hear the quiet buzzing of a tattoo gun from somewhere in the building, but couldn’t pinpoint where exactly it was coming from.

“Good morning, Az,” a sing-song voice came from behind the main counter. A black haired beauty, who seemed to be only a few years younger than herself, popped her head up and dropped a stack of magazines on the glass counter. “Oh! Who’s your friend? And what happened to her shirt?”

“Morning, Reina. This is Elain, the new tenant next door.” He dropped his now-empty cup in the trash can next to the desk and stepped around Reina. “Elain, this is Reina, Rhysand’s sister. She’s our receptionist/social media guru/walking appointment book.” He bent down, digging in the glass case facing the front of the store. “What size shirt do you wear?”

“A small is fine,” Elain said and he pulled a couple of shirts out of the case. He handed her the smallest of the two and she noticed his shirt had gotten a good bit of coffee on it as well.

“You can go change in my room,”’he said and pointed down the hall. “It’s the door on the left-hand side.”

Elain nodded and went down the hall. She expected to see pictures of their tattoos on the wall, but instead, there was actual art. All delicate lines and shadows. Stopping at the door on the left, she knocked just in case before she twisted the knob. It wouldn't budge.

Making her way back to the front, she said, “It was locked, so I couldn’t-.”

She froze at the sight in front of her.

Intricate, black wings had been inked onto his back. They covered nearly all of the skin, save for his spine, which had rune-like tattoos etched in neat lines. He turned as she came around the corner and she was met with tanned skin, a tight, muscled abdomen and more ink covering his chest and arms.

She had forgotten how to speak again, so the fact that she was able to say, “Door was locked,” was a miracle in itself.

“Oh.” He moved into action, pulling the black t-shirt over his head and fishing his keys out of his pocket. He moved past her, his arm brushing against hers, and unlocked the door. “Sorry about that,” he said, and gave her a shy, crooked smile.

She stepped into his room and looked around. It was a bit darker than the rest of the shop, a dark grey paint covering the walls instead of the bright white in the rest of the shop.

“I’ll, uh, let you get changed,” he said and pulled the door shut.

Elain looked in the full-length mirror he had in the corner. Her jeans and shoes weren’t really too bad at all. Her shirt, however, it was done for.

She pulled the sopping wet material over her head, careful not to hit her hair, and dropped it into the empty trash can next to the door. She took a few paper towels from next to the sink and wet them, wiping the stickiness from her skin. Satisfied that she was as coffee-free as possible, she pulled the black t-shirt over her head. Looking in the mirror, she turned and saw that the back of the shirt had the same wings on it as Azriel had on his back.

After a minute, she came back up front and found that Azriel had disappeared, leave my just Reina in the front of the shop.

“Where did your brother go?” Elain asked, wanting to apologize one last time before she left.

Reina glanced up from where she was typing away on her laptop, a clear image of a college textbook on the display. “Rhys? Oh, he’s still with his 10:15 appointment.”

“No,” Elain said, quickly, needing to clarify, though she didn’t know why. “Azriel.”

“Oh!” Reina started laughing, and Elain didn’t understand why. “Azriel isn’t actually my brother! We all grew up in foster homes together, but Rhysand is my only blood relative.” She paused and smiled. “Cass and Az might as well be though, for how they threaten my dates.” There was affection in her voice and Elain could hear the love she had for the other two men.

“Well, will you apologize for me again? I have to go meet a friend for lunch.”

Reina smiled, her eyes, a shade darker than her older brother’s, sparkled. “Of course I will. And if you ever need anything, come over anytime. I’m here from 9-6, every weekday, and at least one of the guys is always in the building.”

Elain could feel the sincerity in the younger girl’s words. “I will. Thank you, Reina.”

“Hey, your friend?” She asked, playing with a piece of her dark hair. “Is he the one with the long red hair?”

Elain was surprised. “Yeah, that’s Lucien.”

“I just wondered. I saw him get out of his car. We don’t usually see people around him that dress as nicely as he does.”

With another dazzling smile, she waved to Elain, and Elain was out the door.

She stepped off the curb to cross over to the cafè, but hesitated, looking back to the tattoo shop.

She unlocked her door and ran inside, turning off the alarm and grabbing one of the mugs she had just brought from home.

She popped a pod into her coffee maker and brewed a fresh cup of coffee, grabbing a couple of sugar packets and the creamer out of her fridge. She tossed the creamer and sugar into a bag with her logo emblazoned on the front and grabbed the fresh cup of coffee. She made her way back over to Illyrian Ink, bumping the door open with her hip.

“Elain?” Reina was coming back up the hall from each of the appointment rooms.

“Would you mind giving this to Azriel? I feel bad that he didn’t get his morning coffee,” she said, setting the cup and bag down. “I didn’t know how he drank it, so I brought cream and sugar too.”

Reina’s dark eyes softened. “That was sweet of you, especially since he dumped it on you.”

Elain shrugged, not knowing why she was so determined to make something right that wasn’t actually her fault. “Like I said, I felt bad.”

“I’ll give it to him,” Reina said, smiling and taking the bag and flowery mug. “By the way,” she winked, backing towards the hall. “Black, with two sugars.” She winked and turned back down the hall, heading towards Azriel’s room.

Glancing at her watch, Elain realized she’d lost another 10 minutes of her time with Lucien.

She ran across the Square, and found him sitting at a table out front.

“Hey,” she smiled. “Sorry, I had to change and then I felt bad about his coffee, so I made him a fresh cup.”

Lucien’s returned smile was a bit forced. “That was nice of you.”

Lunch passed without event. Lucien talked, Elain listened, which is usually what happened when she had something on her mind. They walked back to her shop and she made him an arrangement of calla lilies and roses to take back to his office. He left, promising to call after he got off work and she went about her day as normal. She had a few more sales, and at the end of the day, she locked up and walked to her car.

She glanced over her shoulder, looking at the tinted windows of the tattoo shop, and knew at least one of them was still inside, thanks to the flashing open sign. Sighing, she got into her car and drove home.

When she pulled around the corner, she saw that both Nesta and Feyre’s cars were already in the driveway. Unpacking the car, she smiled, knowing they were going to be able to sit down and have dinner together, just like they used to.

The Archeron girls never imagined they’d be living together in their twenties, but since they all moved to the same city around the same time, it made sense, both financially and logistically. Feyre and Nesta both attended the University of Velaris, the former getting her undergrad and the latter, her masters. Feyre worked at the local art studio, spending her life amongst her precious paints. Nesta was a bartender at a dive just off campus. When Feyre and Elain left for work or class in the morning, Nesta was still asleep for hours.

“I’m home,” she called, hanging her keys on the hook by the door.

“Dinner’s almost ready,” Nesta hollered back, while Feyre cried, “Come tell us about your first day!!”

Elain lovingly rolled her eyes at her sisters as she walked into the kitchen. Nesta was busy at the stove, while Feyre was laying tortillas and topping out on the counter. Elain took a deep breath in through her nose, the scent of tacos and refried beans filling her senses.

A glass of wine was in her hand before Elain had even had a chance to sit down, thanks to Feyre and the twin glass in her own hand.

And so the story of her day began, from the violet-eyed Rhys to Lucien’s surprise visit, to the mysterious Azriel who spilled an entire cup of coffee on Elain’s favorite white t-shirt. She just left out the fact that he was ridiculously handsome.

Feyre’s day of classes was pretty normal and she had the day off of work tomorrow, so she promised to come see Elain.

“How was your night, Nesta?” Elain asked, refilling her glass of wine.

“Awful,” she gritted out. Both Feyre and Elain paused to look at each other.

“Why’s that?” Feyre asked, hesitation in her voice.

“This… This…asshole was sitting at the bar the whole night. He only had, like, two beers in the hours he was there and every time I asked him if he needed anything, he’d say ‘your companionship,’ or ‘your phone number,’ or some other cheesy line like that.” She paused to take a large gulp of her wine. “I told him I only date classy guys. He told me he was classy. That he was a ‘business owner’.” She threw air quotes around the offending words. “Please. He was an egocentric pretty boy who wouldn’t know class if it kneed him in the balls.”

Elain just stared at Nesta while Feyre stared at her. Nesta kept tracing the pattern on the tablecloth.

“Well,” Feyre finally said, lifting her glass. “Here’s to tomorrow being completely uneventful. Just a normal day in Velaris for all of us.”

They clinked their glasses together and drank. Little did they know, normal would never be the same.

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loveinpanem-blog · 7 years ago

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Love in Dark Places

@mega-aulover gets a the credit for this title and some ideas that made there way here. Thank you @chele20035 for being my bata last minute! This is rated E for smut.

Happy Valentine’s Day Everlarkers! ❤ @savvylark

Something about you makes me feel like a dangerous woman.

This should feel wrong but it feels so right. His hot kisses have become more intense and more delicious. His lips make a trail down my neck, leaving a fire in their wake. He bites and sucks my pulse point and I lose my breath. I trail my hands up and down his broad chiseled chest and mural of beautiful body art, tattooed in his skin to camouflage the painful childhood scar his mother left. I shove him down to the bed and make a point to kiss every single scar. We don’t talk about it, but we know they’re there, and where they came from.

He moans and draws a need deep within me for more. He finds the clasp from my bra and frees me. His talented fingers trace my spine. I sigh in his touch.

We don’t talk about how we once knew each other years ago. We pretend we were strangers, attracted to one another, who met and flirted at a bar thousands of miles from where we grew up.

As his luscious lips trail down my chest I can’t help but hum in anticipation. My heart is pounding wildly, and I’m nearly breathless as I watch this perfect man slowly unravel me. Fulfilling all my teenage fantasies.

He lifts his gaze to meet mine, deep blue eyes meet silvery gray and I could almost pretend that he’s thinking the same thing, that he’s fantasized about this. He bites that sexy lower lip and can’t help but gawk at his near perfection.

I’ve never wanted anyone like I wanted Peeta, but he was off limits, which only fueled my growing and frustrating desire for him. Some of these feelings I chalked up to physical attraction and teenage hormones. The dangerous desire of forbidden love. Yet, I could never ever shake this innate connected feeling with this guy. Clearly, nothing in this room has anything to do with hormones, the chemistry and heat has been mind blowing.

How many times had I tried to pretend I didn’t get lost in these very deep blue pools of his eyes that speak depths of wonder, beauty, and pain?

How distracted I would get with those impossibly long eyelashes! They should get tangled up, but somehow never did.

How I would daydream about his plump lips wrapped around my bottom lip, wondering what he would taste like. My heart seems to do a double take in disbelief.

I reach up to capture his lips again just to confirm this is real and not a daydream I’ve imaged since high school. My lips are greedy as I pull and nip and suck his. Our tongues meet and dance, stroking and exploring. Like kindling, building the heat and fanning the fire inside me.

His hands crawl up my ribs and brush the sides of my breasts teasingly a few times. I twitch a little in anticipation. When his hands finally cup my breasts I make a low noise I didn’t know I was capable of. I try to remember to breathe as his lips travel down my neck again. I feel a smile from his face on my collarbone.

He’s remembering the time I tried to land that jump and fell off Madge Undersee’s bike, breaking my collarbone. The first real instances we got close without his step-sister around. He felt responsible because it was definitely his fault. You don’t dare Katniss Everdeen to do something, even if I was only an 11 year old and he was 13, I refused to back out of the challenge. He knew it too, and he used that slick tongue of his to convince me. That slick tongue is traveling down my shoulder.

I’m brought back to the present as he bite my shoulder, while his fingers brush and squeeze my nipples. I moan and wiggle my hips, shifting my thighs, attempt to find any kind of friction.

I was entirely awkward about anything remotely romantic or sexual for the longest time as an early teen. While other girls were fantasizing about prince charming I was prancing around with Gale in the woods, probably full of mud. My mother assured me that I was just a late bloomer. I had even wondered if I had any sexual preferences at all because I wasn’t attracted to anyone in that way.

Until one day, wrestling champ and golden boy Peeta Mellark and I were seated on the porch of the house his mom and the major call home drinking lemonade. Nothing out of the ordinary, but usually we have his step-sister Madge as an optimistic buffer.

I can’t even remember what lead to such a dark turn in our conversation but we accidentally started to talk about painful memories of our past. Instead of the conversation being awkward, it was amazingly cathartic. It felt like releasing the pressure of a painful festering injury.

Everyone saw this picture perfect boy, when the truly painful things he continued to struggle with had a way of digging in and eating away inside. He hid it all with a kind smile and quick humor.

There was a moment where we stood gaping at each other. Suddenly I saw him in entirely new light, but what truly scared me was, I saw something I identified with. I recognized his soul being just like mine, battered and bruised, but resilient and courageous.

That Emily Brontë quote runs through my mind once again, “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”

I tried, but I’ll never forget how my heart leapt out of my chest upon the recognition, the awakening within me. I was captivated by this man.

I started having dreams about him, innocent at first, just he and I against the world in various settings, hand in hand. I started to find myself more attracted to Peeta Mellark with each time I saw him. The dreams took on a more physical and eventually explicit nature.

My attention is drawn back as Peeta’s searing lips reach my nipples and I arch into him. His hands run down my back and start to play with the waist of my jeans. My fingers sink into his wavy blond hair. I love it longer and unruly like this.

It may have been my imagination, but it seemed from that day, the way I saw Peeta changed, he started to go through his own metamorphosis. He dropped out of wrestling, “One championship title was enough,” he said. He spent more time concentrated on artwork, dropped the debate team, in favor of drama club.

He was also able to stand up for what he wanted, despite what his mother pressured on him. Insead of his neatly styled Ivy League haircut he grew it a little longer on the top. His preppy attire shifted to reflect a more creative and darker Peeta. It fit him better and people took notice.

In my naive mind, I used to think that I was the catalyst for Peeta taking his life back and,not being a piece in his mom’s calculating chess game. I let go of that idea a long time ago.

My hands grip his back slip down the plains of his muscular back, I trail my hands around and down his abs, follow the happy trail and ever so quietly lessen his belt and lower his zipper ever so slightly. I have admired his infamous backside and appreciated how nicely he fills out a pair of jeans. I dip my hands past the band of his boxer briefs and cup each cheek while he lavishes the other breast with strokes of his tongue. I’m writhing under his ministrations.

He still has the same familiar scent of herbs and a specific peeta sent that brings to mind memories of happier times. Of innocence, but also the thrill of desire for him that courses through me. The familiarity alone is starting to drive me wild. I smooth my hands around his hips and down each let as I start to ease his pants down.

He’s momentarily startled, as I hear a sharp intake of breath. I wriggle and use my feet to push the pants down further. I tangle my legs with his and a line our hit centers and move my hips in slow figure eights. The guttural deep moan I’m rewarded with shoots spark to my very core.

Peeta looks up at me with an intense look I only recognize because I might be giving him the same one. I don’t understand how this can be the most intensely hot encounter to date and yet this connection feels like coming home all at once.

Peeta was so hot in high school, it was no secret. He dated the most gorgeous girls to walk those halls. His artistic endeavors didn’t put a damper on his popularity, he was still crowned homecoming king. His artwork was displayed all over the school. He seemed more mysterious Peeta and that much more alluring. The more artist dark Peeta challenged text book popularity, his depth and commitment to being true to himself started tidal wave of change in people all around him. Cliques didn’t matter, race and sexual orientation seemed to fade as a division. Peeta boldly accepted everyone and cause others to question their prejudice.

It meant a lot to me that he still chose to walk with me, a lowly sophomore and his little (step)sister’s sullen and surly friend to choir on his way to the drama department his entire senior year. I always tried to keep my heart from pounding out of my chest, but once he started our conversation I was always put at ease. I kept thinking he would get side tracked by a friend more worthy of his attention, but he was unwavering.

Still unwavering, and so much sexier in present day, Peeta is hovering over me. His eyes, hazy with lust make my stomach flip, I tremble under his touch. His hand smooths over my hip, and get the strong urge to kiss him again.

Oh lordy, I might actually be addicted to his lips. I grab his head and pull it down to mind. Our lips smash together not as aggressively this time. Our tongues meet and dart and chase. His hand now cups the front of my pelvis and I moan into his mouth. Instinctively I reach for his length, I don’t know what I was expecting but it’s impressive, I gasp.

“Oooh Katniss!” I hear his low voice groan my name in my ear.

This is the first time either of us has acknowledged that we know each other beyond tonight. I think it’s been 6 years since either of us has set foot in our shitty hometown, and just about the same that we’ve seen one other. I wonder what this means for the evening, for our little game?

I run my hand up and down his manhood a few times teasingly. His ragged breath against my throat is doing things to me. His fingers wonder and tease until he rubbing me with more pressure and more purpose. I release him as he scoots his body further down to kiss my stomach and dip his tongue in my belly button, his kisses trail lower. I pant in anticipation as he continues to stroke with just the right amount of pressure on my core.

I think of all the times I admonished myself for these dirty thoughts. The pep talks I had in my head about how he was off limits, and how dangerous it was to fantasize about such things with Peeta of all people, most wanted man of Panem High. After Madge’s falling out with her former friend and brother’s ex, we made a pact, brothers and step-brothers are off limits, until further discussion.

There were a few times when we had Show Choir performances at the All School Assembly. I could have sworn I saw Peeta’s eyes locked with mine as I sang, in some sort of trance. Like he knew I was singing for him. Like he was aware that he gave me courage to do so, with every day that he existed. With every fiber of his being. I had to brushed it off the thoughts. Just my imagination playing tricks on me.

But the look he was giving me earlier, eyes boring into my very soul, recognizing it's… no, don’t go there, just enjoy this.

My underwear is flung across the room and he pins my legs down and draws them further apart as if a man on a mission. I blush at the vulnerable feelings I have, drape my arm over my eyes and sigh. His hands travel up my thighs and I desperately try not to growl.

I’m a girl on fire, a raging inferno is building inside me, only be quenched by a man that doesn’t know he possesses my heart. This tattooed tortured artist with mesmerizing eyes, and the kindest heart despite this cruel world.

His strong tongue and slender fingers reaching where I had been waiting years for him. Elicits in me things I didn’t know were possible. I’m dazed and lost in wave after wave of pleasure. I’m flying and its glorious. Fantasy and daydreams be damn. As the euphoric energy sends my head buzzing I am awakened some how. I feel like a new woman. I feel dangerous. Aggressive. Desired.

I shove Peeta down and straddle him with a wicked grin. His eyes meet mine. Predator and prey. I roll my hips and a deep moan reverberates through him. I bite my lip in attempt to hold in the smile and satisfaction I feel from his primal reaction. I gave him that reaction.

He sits up reaching for his wallet on the nights stand to retrieve a condom, I keep my body flush to his and trail kisses along his jawline. I hear the foil packet crinkle. The anticipation does weird flowery things to my heart. I should feel lucid with lust, instead I’m giddy, like I’m about to get away with tasting forbidden fruit I’ve wanted for eons.

He takes the lead, he wraps me in his strong arms and whispers the most poetic filthy things about my body. I growl and murmer my appreciation as his hands travel and explore.

I gasp as he teases my cavern with the tip. He lifts my left leg and drapes my ankle above his shoulder.

“Please Peeta, I need you. Ruin me.” I repeat some of his desires he whispered in my ear.

We share a moan as he slides deep inside me. My slick walls welcome him and the safety and confidence I feel in him, in this moment of vulnerability are not lost on me. I open my eyes search his face. Awe and wonder, probably read in my face as well. His blue eyes seem to dance with emotions. I’m so swept up in this moment I don’t try to understand it. I just grip it for dear life with my very being.

Somehow, I don’t have words, but it feels as if being reunited, being pieces together. To recognize my own heart entwined with someone else’s in an other worldly sense.

We move as one colliding and giratung, a slow and sensual dance. We are one and I am whole.

I can’t look away, I’m locked in place with his gaze and I feel like I’m soaring high above this world. “Ooooh, Katnisss you feel incredible.” Peeta groans as his low baritone vibrates into my chest where his face is buried between my breasts.

I never pretended to understand love, but the depths of affection I’m pouring out as waves of pleasure wash over me forces me to recognize that this might be similar.

I should be scared. I should hide and escape the intensity, but I’m not strong enough. I can’t escape how deeply he’s rooted himself in me. Someone who became a very part of my being a long time ago.

The tension in the air and friction our bodies create hurl us forward, we dive and dip, faster and harder. He murmurs filthy things in my ear as he pulls me on top of him. His expression euphoric, jaw dropped, eyes nearly rolling back in his head and filled with emotion. I ride him until we’re tumbling into oblivion. I collapse on top of him as he mutters broken obscenities into my neck, sputters and grunts that indicate his release. I continue to squeeze and milk him deep within me until I know he’s finally sated. I catch my breath and let out a light chuckle, relief and happiness revealed. Peeta wipes away the tears that escaped my eyes mid-orgasm.

I sigh. My hands lazily roam over his shoulders and the plains and dips of his chest. He holds my gaze and flashes a shy crooked smile, wraps me in his warm embrace and pulls me tight. He smooths a lock of hair out of my eyesight and studies my eyes and face for ages. I wish I could read his expression, or the look he’s giving me but I can’t place it. I also haven’t seen him in a very long time.

There’s so much I want to say to him but words elude me.

You’re the one I’m on fire for.

You left a mark on my heart and memory forever.

I don’t believe in soulmates but this is making me rethink everything I thought I knew.

Don’t ever let you me go.

Peeta holds tighter to me as if I am something precious he could lose. My heart melts, I’m putty in his hands.

The fear of parting ways grows heavy on my heart. I don’t know how to fight it, but if we don’t talk it may strangle me from the inside.

“Do you–”

“Where do–” we speak at the same time then laugh nervously.

“Where do you call home Katniss? I know you’re here on a business trip like I am.”

#LiP 2018 #vday 2018 #fanfiction #submission

162 notes · View notes

wannawrite · 7 years ago

Text

In Your Area

who?: Yuehua’s / Idol Producer’s Zhu Zhengting genre: 🌸 type: bullet point - I’m sorry I promise scenarios soon

blog navigator.

neighbours! AU

• you aren’t quite sure what to make of your new neighbour but hey, he’s nice and pretty cute

Zhengting is so boyfriend material no one understands how I feel :”) I thought Justin was immortalised as my YH baby but Zhengting popped off ʕ·ᴥ·ʔ Thanks for requesting fluff anon!! I really needed it

- Admin L

a/n: sorry this took like two decades and can y’all vote if you want us to start writing for IP in 2018. drop us a message/ask!!!

disclaimer: pictures used do not belong to be and credit goes to their original owners.

everything written is purely fictional

ZT’s diary: (/^▽^)/ moving day

what. the. hell. is. happening.

the dream that played out like a perfect movie scene in your head was VERY rudely interrupted and ruined by the ‘clings’ and ‘clongs’ scarring your ears

wrapping your stuffed pillow around your ears weren’t providing much help either

‘you’ve got to be joking...’

you groaned, realising there was, in fact, a new neighbour moving into that empty apartment next door

eyes closed, paradise fought to overpower your current reality

it was drifting in the distance, just out of reach, beckoning you to immerse yourself in the paradigm once again

but a loud crash resounded through the atmosphere and shattered whatever serenity there was

muttering complaints under your breath, you peeled your eyes open and slowly clambered out of bed

sickening...who moves in at this unholy hour

it was 9am

I found out that sleeping until 9am isn’t a hard task I thought it to be

do these people have a conscience? are they not aware that weekends are time for people to sleep in?

while complaints and rants ran through your mind, your cousin and flatmate, Wenjun, threw the door open and barged into the room

‘WAKE UP!’

his face displayed an enthusiastic puppy-like smile. ‘WE HAVE NEW NEIGHBOURS!’

great

‘wonderful, I can tell. Now, go give them some gifts and greet them,’ you tell Wenjun before flipping over and pulling your blanket over your head

‘NO! You come with me! Aren’t you supposed to be the older cousin?’ he complains. ‘It’s rude if I go alone.’

saying hi isn’t exactly the first thing I want to do

you sigh. ‘Okay, okay but later. We should give them some time to settle in. Besides, we need time to get a proper gift.’

I just really need a couple more hours of sleep why can’t you get any hints Wenjun :((((

huh maybe this is why you’re still single even though all of the college kids are in love with you

I follow the confessions page on ig, you don’t even know

oblivious, really

‘just go get something appropriate from the mall nearby.’ you shove Wenjun, eyes still shut and head still resting on your pillow

‘we have to choose it together so it’s more meaningful,’ he says. ‘sleep can wait.’

this child knows nothing about junior year in college

lucky sophomore

sunlight begins to gently flitter in from the curtains, you almost enjoy the warm sensation as it lulls you back to sleep

that is before Wenjun decides to be a little pest and yanks the material apart, bathing your room in ample sunlight

it tickles your face and burns into your eyes, effectively driving you out of bed

‘OKAY! Just let me get ready first,’ you huff grumpily. ‘Wait till your mother hears about this.’

Wenjun just sticks his tongue out and prances off

brat

hastily and half asleep, you pull on a random college camp shirt and walk out in your sleeping shorts

‘get me my sunglasses like qinfen’s and car keys,’ you order Wenjun since it is HIS fault for making me arise so early

I can’t let Mrs Lau on the 8th floor see me like this...geez that nosy auntie

she’ll tell this whole block for sure

I know she secretly tracks our movement to arrive at the lift and the exact time when the gossip is fresh

she really has too much time on her hands being the newest third wife of her current sugar daddy of a husband

I hope our new neighbours aren’t like her...I also pray they know what they’re getting themselves into by moving into this condominium

if we get just ONE more snobby, rich, gossip digger neighbour, I’ll gladly pay for that 11.2 million mansion Wenjun was looking at

there’s no denying the estate you and your cousin resided in was a rich one, flourishing with the younger generation of old-money families

it didn’t help that prestigious universities were planted nearby

okay fine, you and Wenjun lived big because of your family

but y’all weren’t stuck up, gossipy or as gold-digging, as the majority of the neighbours you had encountered

the new ones next door better not be any of the above

click click click

Wenjen pops his head over your shoulder to stare at your phone. ‘Why are you searching up that mansion? Are we moving house?’

your eyes swivel to check if anyone was lurking in the corridor before whispering in a hushed tone, ‘No but we will be if our new neighbours are anything like the existing ones.’

Wenjun sighs and shakes his head dramatically but his lips quirk up playfully

‘I’m sure they aren’t that terrible. C’mon, let me get my new Gucci sneakers.’

remind me why my kid cousin wants to wear his 2K shoes to the mall smh

no one is going to see them

besides, isn’t Gucci a little overexposed nowadays?

yes, I went to the local Gucci store to check it was like 1.9K? but round it up

pushing the gate open, you manoeuvre your way around the piles of cardboard boxes

simple cardboard boxes

nothing at all like the usual sleek black boxes embellished with the family name in silver calligraphy font

all of which ended up in the trash bin afterwards

dumb

flip flop flip flop

‘...could you at least get a new pair of...marketing slippers?’ Wenjun pointed out, blinking in horror at your worn out slippers, the left side’s sole was loose and threatening to fall

‘oh stuff it rich kid. These were from Rubi and there was a sale!’

that led to a family bicker over slippers right outside your front door

the two of you were so engrossed that you didn’t hear the pairs of footsteps drawing closer

‘um hi?’

you froze

Wenjun had a faster reaction time. He beamed brightly and cleared his throat. ‘Hi! Welcome to the neighbourhood! Have you guys eaten yet?’

吃饭了吗？

your eyes scanned over the two boys who would now occupy the last flat at the end of the corridor

they both had dyed hair just in differing colours, one blonde and the other jet black

both were tall

one seemed older and more athletic than the other

‘I’m Bi Wenjun and this,’ Wenjun paused to shove you the in ribs. ‘Is my cousin, Y/N.’

the boy with the blonde hair spoke first, smiling to reveal pearly whites. ‘I’m Zhu Zhengting and he’s my brother, Justin.’

not related but YH are so close they’re all fam

OH SHIT

AM I SERIOUSLY GREETING TWO HOT NEIGHBOURS IN MY PYJAMAS AND FLIP FLOPS

WITH MY HAIR LOOKING LIKE A FRICKIN BIRD’S NEST

at least there are Coach sunglasses perched on my head,,,not so bad not so bad

Wenjun had already started making small talk. Just smile and wave!

THIS IS SO HUMILIATING

I’M NEVER WEARING THIS SHIRT AGAIN

i need new shorts and slippers pronto!

• UGH

‘oh! China School of Fine Arts! I go to the same college,’ Zhengting suddenly spoke up.

at which Justin rolled his eyes at. ‘Pfp, not for a term. Don’t worry if you don’t recognise him, he never actually attends classes.’

Zhengting blushed and elbowed Justin away

hm cute

‘oh cool,’ your tone was clipped and you feigned disinterest, trying to get your burning face to cool off. ‘I suppose I’ll see you around.’

m o v e you tried to send a telepathic message to Wenjun

I CAN’T STAND ANOTHER SECOND BEING IN ZHENGTING’S PRESENCE WHEN I LOOK LIKE SHIT

times Wenjun has been oblivious today: 2

the wait seemed excruciating and when Wenjun finally bid them goodbye, you took of in the direction of the lift with a carelessly wave

it was good that your neighbours were people around your age

just so happened that Zhengting was incredibly good looking and currently the only dateable candidate available

IF YOU CHANGED YOUR OUTFIT, THINGS WOULD HAVE TURNED OUT SO MUCH BETTER

all drive long, Wenjun kept teasing you about your appearance or gushing about how well he and Justin got along

he insisted on gifting them the most expensive hamper from Tangs

you didn’t see a need for two young adults to have bone strengthening essences meant for elderly

but they were complementary in the particular hamper so...

supermarket was particularly quiet that morning

and it seemed to be offering an alarming amount of samples and candy promotions

candy was more suitable for a high schooler and college student but you weren’t up to argue with Wenjun

he seemed too whipped for Zhengting and Justin

‘I need ice cream to get over this,’ you moaned. ‘There’s no way I can ever look our neighbours in the eye again!’

call me overdramatic but you would have done the same

I haven’t even had breakfast yet

stupid Wenjun

I think it’s low blood sugar that’s causing me to be like this

‘sweetie, it’s 10.30am in the morning and you are on a strict diet. Remember that detox tea you ordered a week ago?’ Wenjun reminded, shovelling free samples of chocolate chip cookies into his mouth

why does my kid cousin always have a point...but my day was absolutely terrible!

‘whatever, f*ck it. I’ll just pass those to Cheng Cheng.’ It was your turn to sample those cookies

don’t you just love supermarkets?

you didn’t think the back seat of your car would be stocked with boxes of biscuits

morning supermarket runs are interesting in the Bi household

luckily, there were no snooping neighbours in the lift lobby to witness the Bi cousins haul about a dozen plastic bags filled with questionable groceries

such as croutons without a leaf of a lettuce

lift buttons were nearly hidden from view by white plastic

bring your own bags to shop!

there were no longer any boxes lining the corridors when you guys arrived home

thank god

imagine going all American Ninja Warrior with arms full of grocery bags

there was a lot of packing going on in the kitchen

and ripping open almost all of the cookie boxes by the time y’all were done

Wenjun went over to lend a helping hand while you hibernated in your room, reflecting over your outfit choice and eat more

it was just sheet embarrassment that plagued your mind and influenced your actions

might as well be all comfortable and sappy around them because they’ve seen me in my pyjamas

AND ZHENGTING IS PROBABLY MY BATCHMATE

i hope he doesn’t follow the school’s confession page

those thoughts made you crunch down on the biscuit with unnecessary strength

ding dong

the melodious - rather generic - chime of your doorbell broke your train of miserable thoughts

‘hamper delivery!’

as you were still clad in your wonderful get up, you opened the door wide enough for only your head to be seen

‘send it next door,’ you hissed quietly. ‘Say it’s from your new neighbours with love. Thanks!’

oh my god

WITH LOVE?

HEY ZHENGTING AND JUSTIN I LOVE YOU

WENJUN IS GOING TO LAUGH HIS HEAD OFF LIKE A DAMN HYENA

you slammed the door faster than the delivery man’s reply and raced to your bedroom

‘i’m ruined.’

*cue dramatic Disney princess sob fest on bed*

a few heart-pounding minutes passed, you strained your ears for any sign of reaction

unfortunately, people paid for soundproofed walls around here

yet, there seemed to be a sound coming from outside

out of curiosity, you peeled away your balcony door to take a look

lo and behold

Zhengting was standing on the balcony, tossing small pebbles onto yours

visual reference: Songyi and Minjoon’s apartment balconies from Kdrama ‘My Love From The Star’

is...he really wasting the decorative pebbles...

SHIT I’M STILL IN THE SAME OUTFIT NO NO NO

battling a blush of complete mortification, you gestured for him to say something

‘Thanks for the hamper!’ Zhengting yelled with a bright smile. ‘We appreciate it!’

on impulse, your lips stretched into a grin. ‘No problem! Welcome to the neighbourhood!’

he looked at the small trench of bamboo and pebbles separating the two balconies and then back at you

please please please stop judging my outfit

‘hopefully, we’ll see each other a lot.’

HUH?

he shot one last smile, maybe a soft chuckle before stepping back into his room

his words confused you

maybe he meant to spite your outfit choice

or maybe he genuinely felt like seeing you more often

that’s because he’s new and probably needs someone to show him around the estate and would rather have a friendly next-door neighbour do it than the security guard

get your head out of your ass he doesn’t mean it like that

hmm...

ZT’s diary: one 1/2 months of living with Justin╰( ･ ᗜ ･ )╯

over the course of a month, you learnt that Zhengting and Justin were very inconsiderate neighbours

there was always some loud music playing from their flat at every time of the day

fortunately for them, you and Wenjun were the only neighbours on the right side of the 12th floor and you didn’t really care much to complain

the resident care committee was rather useless anyway

regardless, their music still annoyed and distracted you to an extent

according to Wenjun their apartment was larger and thus, they had extra rooms to build a dance studio in

that was how you found out Zheng Ting was a dance major in CSFA

he just had to be under Professor Zhou or Professor Cheng

Cheng xiao’s real name is so cute omg

at least he was in a different major

you wondered if he knew Professor Wang

Professor Wang knew everybody and Zhengting looked like a popular kind of guy

+ the guy who actually liked his major

while it was touching to see how hard he worked, you wished ‘I am the sheep’ wasn’t stuck in your head while you were studying for a quiz

the clock read 2am, that was the time you finally snapped

popping panadol pills wasn’t going to take a headache away

the soundproofing here sucks! it only works whenever it wants to

shockingly, Wenjun was tucked away in his dreamland, wrapped up in a cocoon of his blankets and oblivious to the world that surrounded him

you grabbed your phone and stormed to your neighbour’s apartment, pounding furiously on the front door

it took a while but the music stopped playing and a few clicks of locks could be heard

‘hi,’Zheng Ting panted out, wiping the sweat that was beading on his forehead. ‘It’s about the noise level isn’t it?’

suddenly, the want to yell at him was gone

he! was! just! too! knowing!

it made you feel a bit ashamed

not to mention that his white shirt was slowly becoming see-through

you clasped your hands together, grinning.

‘No! Not at all! I-I j-just wanted to find out the song you’re dancing to.’

lie lie lie?

Zhengting seemed to ponder about that for a moment before beckoning you to enter his apartment

not shady at all

let’s go

be sure to take off your flip flops before entering houses

each room was slightly larger than the ones in your home

surprisingly, the house was kept neat and tidy, minus the odd one or two boxes that had yet to be unpacked

‘where’s Justin?’

the lack of the younger boy’s presence in the flat noticeable

Zhengting revealed that Justin was away for a week visiting his family

no wonder Wenjun seemed a bit sulkier

Zhengting pushed open the door to his cosy little dance studio

honestly, it was spacious enough to have a group of dancers practice

very well lit by the fluorescent spotlights and outfitted with a panel of mirrors

there was even a ballet bar on the other side

and Zhengting had hidden this treasure how?

his personal studio was comparable to the ones at school

suddenly, you came face to face with an iPad, an iTunes tab open

‘these are all the songs I’ve been choreographing to recently, and uh...loudly as well,’ Zhengting said, handing you the device

all of his fancy music equipment was organised in a small shelf

cut

he’s so damn invested into his dancing career

‘why are you working so hard for?’ you wondered out loud

even during finals, Professor Wang never gave your class so many assignments to work on

this is so inaccurate ^ btw, don’t take my word for anything

Zhengting nibbled on his bottom lip and nervously readjusted his headband. Pink flushed his cheeks as he took a step closer to you

with his lips so close to your face, you could feel the ba-bumps of your heart quickening

if I tell you, will you promise not to reveal it to anyone else?’

so secretive

you nodded, eager to find out what Zhengting was hiding

‘all these are for the school’s dance showcase. this year is more exclusive and getting a seat in the audience is invite-only,’ he disclosed. ‘Scouts from all the prestigious academies are coming to take a look.’

a small gasp of astonishment left your mouth, hands flying into a congratulatory clap

*iPad falls from your grip and your reflexes aren’t quick enough*

forget the iPad

rip screen

ZT has a million more in some boxes anyway

showcases were a MAJOR event for CSFA students, this had to be out of the world spectacular!

discovery: praise only caused your neighbour to turn redder than a tomato

‘will I receive an invitation any time soon?’ you teased, gently nudging his side with your elbow

please say I didn’t smash his iPad screen

hey, I placed it on the floor G E N T L Y

a mischievous glint twinkled in Zhengting’s brown orbs

you guys KNOW that look

he let out a huff and pretended to be in deep thought, weighing out the pros and cons

arms akimbo, you willed for him to stop teasing and provide an answer

he genuinely has no idea if Professor Zhou will grant him so many passes, stop being so pushy😫😔

Zhengting clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth triumphantly, finally able to decide on his answer

‘okay, IF you help me fine tune my choreography a bit more, I’ll beg Professor Cheng to save you a seat,’he offered

SCORE!

‘sure, of course! I am a composer and rap study though,’ you quipped in reply, hoping he would still go through with the proposal

ZT shrugged nonchalantly, ‘the more diverse an opinion the better. And please, you’re all Prof Jin and Prof Jackson brag about to our classes.’

now was your turn to blush and deny his claims

who cared if his iPad was broken

at least his heart wasn’t

ZT’s diary: month two of living with Justin＼(・ω・)/

commotion

yet again

and it was early in the morning

history does repeat itself

thank goodness it wasn’t the sacred hour of 9am but 11am

still early on in the new day

however, havoc seemed to be wrecking your neighbours flat

• one moment, the sharp charring of a vacuum cleaner could be heard and the next, shattering items or dropping of boxes boomed through the flat

basically, just huge chaos

not wanting to seem too nosy, you kept yourself from going over

however, the level of pandemonium was getting so out of hand that Wenjun put down his gaming control and asked if he should check it out

what could be so wrong on a Saturday morning?

you opened your mouth to answer but was abruptly cut off by two urgent knocks on the front door

the door creaked open to reveal a panicky, oddly-dressed Zhengting holding onto handles of pet crates

‘hi,’ you quickly greeted, unable to stand the awkward silence. ‘Is everything alright?’

‘just peachy,’ he replied, tongue slipping over his chapped lips

ZZT WITH CHAPPED LIPS ???

WHAT WAS UP WITH HIS CLOTHING CHOICE TODAY?

my most fashionable neighbour is clad in a shirt that cost more than my life from some new streetwear brand and lounge pants - probably from the market - with yellow butterflies on them

what a fit, a fashion statement

such fittingly random sense of style today

something obviously wasn’t right

yes, I’m referring to his pyjamas featured on idol xinfan

YH sprouts rlly wear questionable clothes to sleep no offence

...at least they don’t sleep nude right?

like that’s living life on the edge imagine getting your period while sleeping that’ll be awful

anyway

turning your gaze on the pet carriers, you spot a pretty white kitten and a caramel coloured puppy

in separate carriers

‘I’ll explain later but um our parents are coming for a surprise visit and they don’t know about my babies yet so could you please look after them for an hour or so?’Zhengting begs, desperation creeping into his voice

an ear-splitting crash echoes from their apartment before Justin yells, ‘ge! I can’t get the cat fur off our clothes!’

this is an emergency!!!

you take the pets from his hands gleefully and throw out your lint roller in exchange

‘try this!’

in no way am I advertising lint rollers I don’t even think I have one

Zhengting shoots you the brightest smile you’ve ever seen and hurriedly dashes over to Justin

Wenjun joins in a few moments later, leaving you alone to bond with your neighbours’ pets

a puppy and a kitten? sign me the f*ck up

sorry, couldn’t find if he was more a dog or cat person so you get the best of both worlds

the snow white kitten cautiously pads onto your ottoman while the more adventurous puppy bounces happily onto your bed

I think your heart just melted into a puddle of goo

just imagine Zhengting playing with these two cuties

ba bump, ba bump, babump, babumpbabump

since you’re worried the young animals might pee on your bed, you take them out to the balcony to play

an animal approved balcony

they mess with a collection of small potted

after which, grow tired and begin snuggling up to you for comfort

without caring you’re attempting conversation with pets - that are not even yours, you pose shy of a billion questions

like ‘is ZT treating you well?’, ‘does he look better with his hair up or down?’,‘isn’t he so cute?’

‘Zhengting’s so attractive,’ you muse wistfully not realising the man standing on the neighbouring balcony

ZT chuckles, feeling red tint his cheeks

he only emerged from his room to inhale a breath of fresh air before the intense grilling by his parents could pepper him

yet he felt his heart grow warmer than ever, prior to your heartfelt confession

*intermission*

the front door clicked shut behind Justin and the brothers flopped onto the living room carpet, finally able to breathe normally

we pulled it off, we did it,’ Justin gasped in disbelief, wondering if all the cleaning he had done was a lucid dream

but the realness of Zhengting’s high-five and sparkling counters proved him wrong

ah ha! whatever ge’s parents said to him also proved it happened!

‘soooo,’ he drawled out teasingly. ‘pa and ma think you’re attracted to our neighbour.’

Justin’s hand reached to pinch Zhengting’s steadily crimsoning cheeks

He only snickered when his ge swatted his fingers away as if they were pesky flies

puppy love

speaking of puppies, Justin insisted that Zhengting collect their babies back

knocking at your door, Zhengting had no idea why he felt more anxious than usual

his throbbing heart seemed to want to jump out of his chest

at least he was momentarily distracted by your endless gushing of love for his pets

compliment after compliment, love confession after love confession

shhh...he kind of wished you were referring to him

‘they’re such great listeners too!’

oh!

they admitted that I’m handsome!

Zhengting raised a smug eyebrow, mouth curling upwards. ‘So, you think I’m attractive huh?’

ABORT MISSION ABORT MISSION I REPEAT ABORT MISSION

*sweats nervously*

thankfully, he doesn’t prompt for a reply as he takes the pet carriers from your grasp

with a wink, Zhengting walks off

leaving you in a frantic yet charmed mess

you: ZZT, you did NOT hear that

the text is fast, your fingers flurry over the keyboard

his answer isn’t delayed either

zhengting: hear what? your Romeo&Julietesque confession of your love for me?

you: pft just bc we both have balconies doesn’t mean we’re Romeo and Juliet

you: it didn’t happen

you: I take my words back

zhengting: mhm and you definitely did not talk to my pets as if they were humans

you: SHUSH

zhengting: no :)

zhengting: come to the balcony

zhengting: please

zhengting: where are you

zhengting: :(

zhengting: come out or I’m calling Wenjun and exposing you

you rolled off your bed and onto your balcony faster than Usain Bolt

Zhengting had already propped his arms on the dividing decoration, awaiting your arrival

‘hey, secret lover,’ he poked. ‘Missed me?’

your orbs rolled in perfect circles,

‘please, I saw you a couple of minutes ago. If anything, I miss your puppy more.’

‘come over tonight.’

what? excuse me?

‘I really need help with my choreography. Please? You promised!’

Zhengting looked needy enough for you to say yes...plus, you wanted tickets to the showcase...and it couldn’t hurt to spend more time with help him right?

also because you wanted to see his pets again

you told him you would come over after dinner

the temptation would be too great to arrive on an empty stomach when a full-course meal awaits

Justin was clad in his baby blue onesie and carrying the small white kitten when he opened the door

how childlike

I should get matching pjs for Wenjun too

with a knowing smirk, he mentioned that Zhengting was in his room

in return, you filled him in on the new video game that Wenjun bought

and then let him into your apartment to bug Wenjun

hehe

family goals

you ventured further into the flat, a tad bit more familiar with your surroundings

Zhengting must be playing with his puppy as excited barks were coming from the inside

you rapped your knuckles on the door then entered

bc you’re a cultured person who knocks the door before entering!

you learnt you to knock after walking in on many...unpleasant things

such as wang ziyi and cai xukun proclaiming their eternal love

then catching xukun on a date with zhang yixing a few days later

not the kind of things you want to recall

as you expected, Zhengting is on his bed, playing with his puppy

oh wow can I just say

bedhead ZZT with his shirt sliding off one shoulder to reveal a defined collarbone

his grey sweatpants have loosened around the waist to reveal his Calvins and the very tip of his waist tattoo peeking out

wow

so sexy

but no, in reality, he’s just cradling his puppy and cooing sweet nothings into his ear

‘what’s his name?’ the puppy pads over to greet you, flicking his small tongue over your hands

‘Justin and I decided to name him Ry, taken from the end of Jeffery,’ Zhengting replies while casually fixing his top

...as in Jeffery from school?

oh goodness, of course, these boys had connections

they must be popular

even though ZZT never attends class???

what sorcery

an awkward silence passes

you both communicate without opening your mouths

eventually, you’re seated on the floor of ZZT’s dance studio, cuddling Ry - not exactly paying attention to his dance

honestly, I think Zhengting’s focus is unbreakable

but when it breaks...it shatters

you go from trying to explain that his left arm needs to be at the same height as his right arm

to ‘oh my god I really like your new phone case.’

and then he’ll pick up the conversation from ‘thanks my phone case is from bare bears official.’

he loves being cute deep down and we all know it shh

then it goes back to ‘one two...three...stop! pose. Wow, you’re a great choreographer.’

not even dance counts ^

blame Professor Wang for influencing my class with dance

I’ve been dragged to deep down

eventually, the night wears on and the two of you simply sprawl out on the dance floor

tired

Ry cheers you up by licking your face though, cutie

you’re curious to find out more about zhengting, now seems like the perfect opportunity to pose questions

‘what other animals would you want as a pet?’ Though, you can’t picture Ry and the kitten having TOO many friends yet.

you watch as Zhengting pouts, thinking hard

‘maybe a pet piglet. My friend, Mubo has one and I played with it once at his place. It was so adorable that all my friends were in love with it.’ Zhengting laughs fondly at the memory.

‘my mother would kill me though,’ he adds quickly

idk man we could like share a pet so we both gain from it and become piglet parents

wh00ps did I say that out loud? Why is he giggling at me?

‘yes, yes you did,’ Zhengting speaks between his chuckles. ‘I already am a Zhu so might as well be a piglet parent.’

朱 (last name) and 猪 (pig) are both ‘zhu’

jokingly, you say, ‘I’ll choreograph a celebratory dance if you take up my offer.’

that’s when Zhengting gets all excited and seriously considers buying a pig

one hour passes just researching on pigs

how to care for one

what to feed it

where to buy one

is it legal

how much does one piglet cost

not that the cost affects his decision ^

‘let’s do it,’ Zhengting decides surely, the determination in his tone. ‘Let’s be piglet parents.’

‘you’re kidding...’ your voice trails off when you see he is COMPLETELY on board with the idea

what :) have :)) I :))) done :)))

I CAN’T BE A PARENT TO EARLY ON

yet I really like the idea of Zhengting as a pet dad

with me

it’ll be a small family

‘we’ll work out the custody issues later,’ he jests. ‘Are you ready to sign some adoption papers? I found a reputable place.’

there’s this look of certainty and assurance in his eyes that only read ‘with me, everything’s going to be fine.’

maybe that was when you realised you were SO ready to admit you wanted to be with him

maybe confession could come later but for now

piglet parenting?

hell yeah

‘I’m in on it.’

I’m so glad you moved in next door

I’m so happy Justin chose the right apartment complex

worked on this for one whole week oh my god and this lowkey became crack

rlly wanted to get this up for his birthday!!!

so happiest 22nd/23rd to the gorgeous Zhu Zhengting!!

can’t believe he’s joining the old men club on Idol Producer I’m so proud :)

I fell for him on Pd 101 but unfortunately, his incredible talents weren’t recognised

he and Justin were my Chinese kings and now they’ve both come back to claim their kingdoms

Zhengting is just so talented, hardworking, kind-hearted and humorous

I love

tbh idk what lies ahead for his future bc YH’s plans look a bit scattered for the SKR and CH side

but whatever happens, I only wish the best for him and I hope that he would achieve his dream

literally, I would marry this man if the age gap wasn’t so big and if we shared the same religion

God bless him and his household, they deserve love and grace too

@ zhu family, thanks for raising such a wonderful man

朱正廷，祝您生日快乐！我希望正廷哥哥会得到耶稣的祝福，会继续努力也会好好照顾自己的身体。我希望有一天我们可以见面。加油吧！我一定会支持您。我爱您。💝💞💘

pls don’t bash me for my errors, my ancestors are disappointed enough already :”)

#HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZHU ZHENGTING #zhu zhengting #yuehua trainees #idol producer #produce 101 #idol producer scenarios #produce 101 scenarios #yuehua sprouts

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mplaylistdiaries · 3 years ago

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January 2018 Playlist

Summary: I was still processing my uncle’s diagnosis of stage four liver cancer and my grandmother’s passing in the summer of sophomore year at the time. I don’t think I realized how much at the time her passing would affect me physically and mentally during my junior and senior year of college.

Which was already looking pretty full when I was stage managing my last musical, training the new stage manager to take over my job, prepping for my Junior Oral Examination, trying to find a job for the summer, an internship, and so much more. Which, was a pinnacle of a lot of anxiety for me at the time because if I didn’t get them all done. I felt like I was falling behind and failing at life or something.

On top of this, I was dealing with a very toxic and narcissistic friend at the time and I tried to justify his actions because he didn’t mean to make them because he was going through a lot. Plus, I felt like I was being a terrible person if I left the relationship when he was struggling, but looking back I think I was just scared at the possibility of losing another relationship. Even though, that relationship wasn’t the greatest for me. It still hurt a great deal for me. So, I hope these playlists helps someone out there who might be struggling with their own issues and problems with a friend, family member, a romantic partner, or even just yourself.

PLAYLIST LINK

Prelude by Christophe Beck

Arabian Nights by Bruce Adler

Evermore by Dan Stevens

Where You Are by Christopher Jackson, Rachel House, Nicole Scherzinger, Auli’i Cravalho, Louise Bush

Kingdom Dance Epic [COVER] by Froststudio Chambersonic

What a Day in London by Judy Kuhn

Belle by Emma Watson, Luke Evans, and Ensemble

Misfit by High Dive Heart

A Dream is A Wish Your Heart Makes by Ilene Woods & Mice Chorus

Prince Ali by Richard Darbois

Starlight by Neverest

Up At Night by Cimorelli

Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts

Crusin’ for Brusin by Ross Lynch, Jason Evigan, Grace Phipps

There’s a Party Here in Agrabah by Robin Williams, Gilbert Gottfried, and Chorus

Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride by Mark Keali’i Ho’omalu, Kamehameha Schools Children’s Chorus

Chillin Like A Villian by Sofia Carson, Cameron Boyce, Booboo Stewart, and Mitchell Hope

A Cover is Not a Book by Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Company

Dig A Little Deeper by Jenifer Lewis & Pinnacle Gospel Choir

Prince Ali (Reprise) by Jonathan Freeman

Alice’s Theme by Danny Elfman

Kylo Ren’s Theme [COVER] by Samuel Kim’s Music (feat. Imperial March by John Williams & London Symphony Orchestra)

Friends on the Other Side by Keith David

Piece of Art [COVER] by Aruvn

Love Me or Leave Me by Little Mix

Control by Halsey

Mother Knows Best by Donna Murphy

Stay by Rihanna ft. Mikky Ekko

Immortals by Fall Out Boy

I’m the Bad Guy from Wander over Yonder

Colors of the Wind by Judy Kuhn

Mother Knows Best (Reprise) by Donna Murphy

About Us by Neverest

I H8 That by Macy Kate

Different People by Artist vs Poet

Believer [COVER] by darknightcore

The Mob Song by Richard White & Chorus of Beauty and the Beast

Part of Your World by Sierra Boggess

One Of Us by Chorus Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride

Dark Horse by Katy Perry ft. Juicy J

DNA by Lia Marie Johnson

Rocketship by Shane Harper

Kiss the Girl by Samuel E. Wright

Belle (Reprise) by Emma Watson

Do What You Gotta Do by Dove Cameron & Cheyenne Jackson

The Plagues by Ralph Fiennes & Amick Byram

Heartless by Evaride

Lullaby for a Princess by Ponyphonic

I Need A Hero by Jennifer Saunders

How to Save a Life by The Fray

Night Falls by Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Booboo Stewart, Cameron Boyce, Thomas Doherty, China Anne McClain, and Dylan Playfair

Location by AJR

It’s Always Been You by Phil Wickham

It’s Over Isn’t it? By Deedee Magno Hall

There’s a Party Here in Agrabah Part 2 by Liz Callaway, Merwin Foard, Gilbert Gottfried, and Chorus of Aladdin and the King of Thieves

Rey’s Theme Epic by Samuel Kim Music

Like I Did by Shane Harper

You’ll be in My Heart by Phil Collins

Safe In My Hands by Eli Lieb

Warrior by Evaride

When Your Feet Don’t Touch the Ground by Matthew Morrison & Aidan Gemme

Just A Dream [COVER] by Nelly, Christina Grimme, Sam Tsui, and Kurt Hugo Schneider

The Goo Goo Dolls by Iris

Hole In My Heart by Luke Friend

Kids Again by Artist vs Poet

Neverland by Matthew Morrison & Laura Michelle Kelly

Sunrise by High Dive Heart

Here Comes a Thought by AJ Michalka & Estelle

Hysteria [COVER] by Aruvn

Symphony [COVER] by Cimorelli ft. Zara Larsson

Zen Zen Zense by RADWIMPS

Love Like You by Rebecca Sugar

1000 Years by KT Tunstall & Bleu

Little Wonders by Rob Thomas

Sparkle by RADWIMPS

It’s On Us by AJR Lyrics

Where Do I Go From Here from Pocahontas II: Journey To A New World

Today is Beautiful by David Dunn

Find Yourself by Brad Paisley

#playlist #diaries #therapy #music #mental health

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aggressivetapdancing · 7 years ago

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It had to be you

Fandom: Stranger Things

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Reader

Requested by: @interwebseriesfan24

“Hi. I'd like to request a fic where, remember my headcanons about Steve's friends all moving away just before high school? Yeah. Can Y/N be one of the friends that don't move away? And yeah. Anyway. Uh. idk is this how it works”

A/N: Hello again!! I kinda incorporated a bit of my own idea into the fic, and i’m hoping to make it into a kinda slow-burn series kinda thing... but i could always just turn it into a two part if that’s what the people want lmao

Still hope you enjoy it tho!! (even though it’s like a basic ass intro and it kinda sucks whOOP)

Warnings: Ew it’s school yucky, Some swears

Word count: 1.4k

(send me a message in my ask after reading this if you want it to be a slow-burn or a two part!!)

Chapter 1

Steve Harrington.

Five years ago, that name meant slushies at the arcade, bike rides in the park, horror movies that were way past your bedtimes, and “best friend”.

Five years ago, that name was an important part of your life, him being one of your main friends in your little group. It was always you and him and a bunch of other little children- but Steve made it clear that you two were the closest out of all of them. Little gestures such as arm-around-the-shoulder hugs, having the most play dates; anything you could think of- you and Steve had done it.

But you see, a lot of things change over the course of five years, and boy, did things change.

So tell me, what exactly did happen?

Well, since the majority of your old friends had moved away to different towns far from Hawkins, you had made some new ones; Nancy Wheeler to be exact. The two of you were as close as you and Steve had been, always at each other’s houses, giving each other advice and all that jazz. The two of you were practically joined at the hip, each one almost never leaving each other’s sides.

She had began to be your friend in second year, and continued to be your friend all up until now: Senior year. You were sad that you were going to leave her, but the two of your promised to stay in touch even until after high school.

Now, What happened to your so called best friend you may ask? Well, high school came along, and Steve had clearly moved on to a different path. He began to hang out with the wrong crowd and ignored you for the majority of freshman year. It was heartbreaking at first, seeing your middle school best friend pretend you didn't exist; but as the years went by, you learned to live with it, and him. Skip to senior year, Steve Harrington was the same douche from freshman year, no longer pretending you didn’t exist- but still an asshole for not even trying to at least have a decent conversation with you.

And you clearly gave no shits about him whatsoever.

Now it was another day in Hawkins High, the sun was shining much too bright for the morning, the birds were obnoxiously chirping, and the school (as usual) reeked of left-over lunches and jock athlete sweat.

Festive.

You made your way to your locker, quickly swerving and dodging incoming students left and right. Lost freshmen hung out over there, try-hard sophomores over there- and- Oh? The Douche isn’t here today?

Steve Harrington, usually seen picking at his locker, was absent. Or late.

You pinned your assumptions on the second option, as he’s been late before. Three times this week.

But why did you care? You didn’t- You shouldn’t.

Shaking your head and turning around, you unlocked your locker, took out your books and waited for your usual encounters with - 3.. 2.. 1.. There she is.

Nancy Wheeler, your best friend was making her way towards your locker. Her face was painted with a look of disgust as she watched two boys wrestle in the corner. You grinned at her expression, loving her mutual hate for the shithole you’d call high school.

“Morning” You greeted her, in a monotone voice. “I had absolutely no sleep last night.”

She smirked and looked you up and down.

“I can tell.”

You slapped her arm teasingly, slamming your locker door shut. “Oh shut up, you look like a mess yourself.” You retaliated, playfully pouting when she returned the gesture.

“See, the only difference is, I can pull it off.”

Morning retorts like this were a usual with you and Nancy, the two of you somehow finding some way to playfully point something out about each other. It was all jokes though, the both of you knowing when too much was too much.

You rolled your eyes and hugged your books to your chest, walking towards the hallways to your next subject.

“Oh shut up, let’s just get to class.”

The hallway was now empty, except for one lone schoolboy who- you guessed it- was Steve Harrington himself.

“What do I have? First period- English?” Steve murmured to himself, cursing quietly under his breath as he rummaged through his messy locker. The boy had woken up late again, that being the reason for his equally messy hair. He had stayed up late trying to cram in some study notes for an upcoming test later in the day, but he knew he’d probably bomb it. Steve was trying his best though, it was senior year after all, and he wanted to have some direction in his life. Any direction, really. He had to get into one decent college at least, and he couldn’t count on a basketball scholarship.

He continued to dig through his locker, but finally shrugged in defeat, hoping for the best as he bounded down the halls to his next subject.

“Good morning class!” Your teacher greeted you. “I have some news for all of you- today, we’ll be starting to work on our poet-

Before your teacher could finish his sentence, he was interrupted with an obnoxious, loud, proclamation- made by Steve Harrington. Of course.

You watched as the brunette scrambled into his seat, feverishly running a hand through his hair, in attempt to fix it from the current state it was in.

“I’m here!”

“No shit” You mumbled under your breath, bringing your attention back to your teacher.

The old man only sighed, ticking off a little box in the attendance, which you assumed meant “late”

He placed the folder down before turning back to the class.

“Alright Steve, May I continue now?”

The brunette nodded his head, slumping into a more comfortable position, and played with a pencil as your teacher explained the newest project.

“As I was saying, We’ll be working on our poetry unit, which means- another project! Woo hoo!” Your teacher proclaimed with false enthusiasm. “I’ll be letting you work in pairs.”

Eyes darted the classroom, a murmur of conversation filled your ears, as you began to doodle in your notebook. Each student made eye contact with the partner they’d choose to be with- before your teacher raised his voice again.

“I’ll be choosing.”

A low groan was heard throughout the classroom, as your teacher continued.

“I’m picking pairs to work on your newest poetry project- and Yes, yes, I know- Poetry is boring… So, That’s Why I’m letting you incorporate some photography or art involved with your project.”

Scowls were now turned into intrigued grins and smiles; some students already jotting down ideas on scrap pieces of paper.

“Um, Sir? What will the poetry be about?” You chimed, actually interested in this assignment.

“Ah- I was just getting to that Y/N.”

Eyes and ears perked up, your teacher grinning at the sudden attention he had gotten.

“I’ll decide on the poetry topic based on the art or pictures you hand in. Be aware that this will be a little bit of a challenge, as the topics I’ll be choosing to be a little difficult to write about at your age.”

You nodded, scribbling down some notes in your notebook, as your teacher continued.

“Now, without further ado, let’s start getting our partners now shall we?”

A good five minutes had passed, and the majority of students had already been partnered up, leaving you in a nervous state, dreading the moment when your name was to be called.

Now, you didn’t have a problem with anyone in the class, well- except Steve maybe. But those were for obvious reasons. It was three years ago, but it still hurt a bit knowing that he purposely pretended you didn’t exist for a good five months in freshman year. You couldn’t help but hold a long grudge against him, a grudge that probably wasn’t going to go away for long time.

Four words resided in your mind, repeating over and over again.

Anyone but Steve Harrington. Anyone but Steve Harrington. Anyone but Steve Harrington.

“Y/N L/N?”

Your head shot up, palms suddenly clammy at the thought of your project partner.

Anyone but Steve Harrington. Anyone but Steve Harrington. Anyone but Steve Harrington.

“I’m going to pair you up with… Steve Harrington.”

Your eyes darted to the brunette at the front of the class, his eyes similarly darting to yours. He gave you a small smirk, before picking up his books and plopping down to the desk beside yours.

“Y/N… We haven’t talked in a long time.” He stated, desperately trying to make conversation.

Your teacher only smiled at the two of you, before turning to his next pair.

You’ve got to be kidding me.

#steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington fanfic #stranger things #stranger things 2 #stranger things x reader #stranger things 2 x reader #aggressivewritingyeet

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alexidewrites · 6 years ago

Text

Mari

A/N: Do NOT read this story if you have any triggers that can be found in the tags. Otherwise, proceed to under the cut to start reading this short story. You have been warned.

Empty boxes lined the dining and living rooms waiting to be recycled, while Alex finished unpacking the office and Elaine the bedroom. The two had moved into their new townhouse two weeks before, but due to work and wedding planning, only the essential boxes had been unpacked, namely bathroom and bedroom supplies, kitchenware, and pet supplies. Their cat, Snickers, lay in one of the boxes, somewhere.

While Elaine remembered what was in most of the boxes she had brought with her during the move, Alex couldn’t remember which box he had packed which thing in. He thoroughly regretted not labeling them now as he moved about the office looking for the box that housed his personal collections.

“Ah,” Alex said, shuffling boxes around for a moment before stopping and standing straight up. “I guess it got moved to the bedroom. I should’ve known that.” Alex moved out of the office into the hall, spotting Snickers jumping between boxes.

He walked into the bedroom, chuckling to himself.

“Snickers jumping around again?” Elaine looked up from digging through the box that Alex had just been looking for.

He nodded, moving to help her with his mementos.

Elaine handed him a few of his trophies from high school and college. “He’s been doing that all day. And you’re sure you can carry them all?”

“Yes, I can carry them all.” He took an armful back into the office with him.

“Hey, Alex?” Elaine called, moments later, as he set them down on the desk. “Do you know what’s inside this?”

“What’s inside what?” Alex walked back into the bedroom, seeing a wooden box roughly the size of a watermelon with a lock on it in Elaine’s hands. He stopped right in front of where she sat on the ground. “Where’d you find that?”

“It was in the bottom of this box.” She set it down in front of her.

Alex pulled his keys out of his pocket. As he sat down, he flipped to the small key that would open the box. “It’s a bunch of memories from high school and college. My parents must have snuck this in while I was packing it. I don’t remember what all I put in here.”

The lock looked just as old as he remembered, one of the rusted ones he had snagged from his dad’s lock box during the summer of his freshman year of high school. It looked as though his parents had attempted to polish it, to no avail, though, due to the slight glimmer from the metal. He smiled as he opened the box, excited to see what was inside. A miniature figure of Super Saiyan Goku sat on top with a lanyard holding his high school ID on the end. He pulled them out and passed them to Elaine.

“You weren’t kidding when you said you’ve been into Dragon Ball for quite some time.” Elaine laughed, setting the figure down next to her. She looked at the photo on the ID and chuckled something along the lines of how cute he was as a fourteen-year-old.

Alex paid no attention to her. He pulled out more items: a Hatsune Miku photo, a manga that no one had ever heard of, the very first comic of Captain Marvel he had hunted down during his junior year of high school and saved up enough money to buy among other comics he’d thought he’d lost, a couple of medals from his days playing baseball, a couple letters he had kept from friends who had moved away, and an envelope with only “Al-kun” written on the front. His smile waned as he held the envelope in his hands.

Alex stood up, turning towards the door. “Can you put everything back when you’re finished looking through it, Elie?”

Elaine looked up quickly from her smiling at all of the stuff he had pulled out of the box. “Sure.” She noticed the envelope in his hand and instantly frowned. “Is everything okay?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I just remembered why I haven’t bothered looking for that box in six years.”

“It’s because of her, isn’t it?” She carefully placed the figure in her hands back inside the box. “Do you want to put that back in there, too?” She motioned to the envelope.

“No. I think I’m finally ready,” he said, giving her a wry smile.

Elaine nodded in response, a knowing smile on her face.

Alex shut the bedroom door behind him, making his way down the hall towards the living room. He looked at the envelope as he sat down on the couch. “Al-kun,” Alex read the front of the envelope again. The name in a big cursive calligraphy that the girl, no… woman, who had written it developed. She’d been the only one to use it, too, and had never let anyone else attempt it. Just like she was the only one whom Alex had ever let her call him Al. He hadn’t particularly liked the name at first but had grown accustomed to it over the years after having met her their sophomore year of high school. “Art class, if I recall correctly.”

This girl had sat at a table next to a giant window of the art room, always staring at the outside world. Alex had sat right next to her. A book and a sketchpad always sat in front of her on the desk, so her drawing and calligraphy had caught his eye initially. It was the first time he’d seen her distinctive style, big, curly and elegant. He hadn’t been able to bring himself to talk to her in those first few weeks, only admire her work from afar.

Alex flipped the envelope open and slowly pulled the flap out. The edges of a picture and a piece of paper lay neatly inside, where he had left them. Having never read the letter due to not having the strength at the time, Alex had placed it with his most beloved picture of the two the night after their senior prom. They had laughed and danced the night away, among good friends, and family that night.

As he pulled the picture out, he smiled at it as his eyes began to water. They sat on top of the bar at his uncle’s restaurant where after-prom had been held. The girl’s amber eyes caught his attention first. Thin black eyeliner lined her upper eyelid, flowing out to a thin, but graceful wing tip. Her eye shadow faded from a deep purple along the outer edges of her eyelids to a soft lilac in the inner eyelid. They smiled back at him along with her gorgeous wide smile she was well known for. Her reddish brown hair fell in tightly kept curls barely falling past her left shoulder, still in the loose pony tail she had tied it up with. She wore a pink top with white flowers falling down the side and a pair of jeans, along with a corsage of white and pink flowers on her left wrist. He had delicately taken the corsage off later when they had chosen to taken the next step of their already two and a half year relationship, intimacy.

“Mari,” Alex muttered, a tear glimmered in the corner of his eye. He set the picture down for a moment, closing his eyes. He could see her laughing that night, having found himself laughing right along with her at another stupid joke of his, one that his uncle had told him when he had helped set up the bar for after-prom party earlier in the day. A grasshopper walks into a bar and the bartender says, “Hey, we have a drink named after you.” The grasshopper says, “You have a drink named Derek?” That had been right before a friend of his had taken the photo. The scene shifted. He could feel her hair between his fingers and his in hers. They lay intertwined on his bed, laughing about how much fun the entire night had been, including the awkwardness between them for a brief moment.

As Alex look back at the photo, he found himself smiling. His hair in the photo was slicked back, as it had been an inch longer then compared to now. He also sported a school t-shirt, along with khaki shorts. He held her right hand in his, smiling back at the camera, his mouth partly open from laughing so much. That had definitely been a night to remember, and one he would never forget.

He set the picture down on the coffee table in front of him. The letter sat waiting for him to read, but he wasn’t ready yet. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, letting memories of their time together come flooding back: the two of them moving each other’s items into their dorm rooms at college, only three rooms apart from each other; dancing to the music of the cicadas as the sun set in the park; hanging out and playing video games or watching anime at her house; splashing each other with salt water at the beach with friends the summer after high school graduation.

Alex even remembered what their first fight had been about, which universe was better, DC or Marvel. Mari had been so adamant about Marvel being better than DC, but Alex held his ground. They’d have fought over this multiple more times, if they hadn’t had other stupid and silly arguments that they’d argue about periodically, such as which Vocaloid was the most emo, and which anime adaption of the manga was better. They’d always make up and kiss, possibly more later on, laughing about how silly their fights were, but agreeing that they could manage to come to terms by agreeing to disagree.

What popped into his mind last, though, was the day he first asked her out to the homecoming dance their sophomore year of high school, only a month after he had first noticed her in their art class. Mari had been quietly reading a book at the lunch table. Alex had noticed that she wasn’t a social light, but could tell that she was friendly to those who talked to her from paying attention in the classes they shared. He had been wanting to talk to her for quite some time, but hadn’t had the nerve to ask her yet, until that particular day, one friend dared him to ask her, leaving him with no choice but to walk over to her. She had looked up from her book, as he asked her out. “Only if you can make me laugh,” she’d said with a smile on her face. So he told her the one joke he could think of.

If anyone asked him now what joke he had used to get her to laugh, he always said he didn’t remember, which he really didn’t. He only remembered that it had something to do with whatever food she had been eating for lunch that day. He could still hear her giggling slightly all these years later, which caused him to reach for the letter.

Taking another breath, he began to read the letter as he opened it up. Even though he hadn’t wanted to cry, he found himself crying from the very beginning. The amount of tears grew the farther he read. After reaching the last line, he lay down on the couch, the piece of paper on top of him.

Elaine found him that way when she finally left the bedroom and made her way out to the living room. Alex sat up for her to sit down on the couch, then laid his head on her lap. Having noticed his tears, she asked, “Are you okay?”

“I’ll be okay.” He smiled up at her. “You’re here with me.”

She smiled back at him, running a hand through his hair. “We can stop unpacking for a bit if you’d like.”

Alex closed his eyes. “That sounds nice.”

After a moment, Elaine spotted the letter and asked, “Can I read it?”

Alex looked up at her, his eyes still watering. “You’ll cry.”

“No, I won’t.”

“Trust me. You knew her, too.” He held the letter up for her to grab. “Just don’t stop with the hair, alright?”

Elaine nodded in response, giving him her understanding that it would be soothing for both of them. Taking the paper into her hands, she began to read, letting the tears fall if they were destined to fall.

To My Love, My Dear Alexander,

You will never understand why I did what I did, but I will try to explain it to you anyway. I grew up in a house where I could have anything I wanted, to an extent. I had loving parents, grandparents, extended family, etc. I was in so many extracurricular activities until I found my passion, calligraphy, and art. Eventually, everything in my life started to look dim for no apparent reason. I couldn’t understand why I felt the way I did in middle school, always feeling sad, but hiding it with a smile. This feeling grew to even greater lengths in high school, that is, until I met you, or so I thought.

You know, the first time I saw you, I couldn’t take my eyes off of you. Your dark hair and eyes caught me by surprise, even if you looked dorky in your gym clothes freshman year. (Yes, we did have gym class together, just with different PE teachers.) .) I ended up having the biggest crush on you, but you had no idea who I was, and I was okay with that. Well, maybe I was just content with that for a while because when I noticed something had changed about you, I grew excited. You started to notice me.

When you approached me sophomore year and asked me to go to the homecoming dance with you, I had to play it cool, but I was actually extremely nervous. That’s why you got the “only if you can make me laugh” response. You told a really stupid, but funny and cute joke, too. “Why did the tomato turn red?” “I don’t know. Why?” “Because it saw the salad dressing.” “I assume that’s a yes then?” I had no choice but to agree, not that I didn’t want to go to the dance with you. I’m really glad I went with you. That turned into four amazing years with you that I will never forget, especially the night of senior prom. I don’t need to explain that. I’m sure you remember.

You changed my life. You erased most of whatever it was that caused me to be depressed. You gave me a reason to live, even if I ended up with only nineteen years of life. That’s why I couldn’t tell you that some part of that feeling, the depression, was still there, still fighting over control of my mind even though I thought it had disappeared. Which is why I’m writing this letter to you now. I’m pleading with myself to stop, to not go through with this. I want to live the rest of my life with you like we’ve discussed. I want you to propose to me. I want to say yes. I want to live in a happy home. I want to have three beautiful children with you who will grow up to be wonderful human beings just like their parents. I want to pursue that double degree in psychology and psychiatry so I can help people like me, people who don’t understand why they feel the way they do, who don’t feel like they should feel this way because they have great and amazing lives. I don’t want to disappear. I don’t want to... but I don’t think I can stop this feeling.....

I need help. I know I need help. But by the time you, or anyone, find this, by the time you find me, it will be too late. I’m too far gone. I’m not even sure how to come back. I can’t stop myself, but I want you to know that I love you. I love you with every fiber of my being. Please find it in yourself to live a happy life, make some amazing girl your wife, and please know, you are perfect in every sense of the word.

I love you, my Al-kun. I will always love you.

With All My Love,

Mari

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philomathstudies · 7 years ago

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Introduction: Hi! I’m Annie, I recently graduated as valedictorian of a class of almost 700, and I’m about to be a freshman at Johns Hopkins (go blue jays!!). High school was some of the best and worst moments of my life, and looking back, there are so many things that I wish I’d done and things that made me successful, so I wanted to share them! Of course, disclaimer, these tips may not apply to everyone!

(These tips generally apply to all classes, but if you have a specific subject you want tips on, I’ve taken these AP courses: european history, world history, us gov’t, macroeconomics, lang, lit, calc ab, chemistry, physics 1, physics c, environmental science, art: drawing, biology, human geography, chinese, and art history. Feel free to message me!)

College applications are a crapshoot- I can’t begin to tell you the number of incredible, brilliant people with extraordinary, international level achievements that got denied at top schools in favor of those lacking those accomplishments. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean those who got in don’t have qualities that earned them a spot, it just speaks to the unpredictable nature of the college application process. When deans of admission at top schools openly say they could reject all admitted students and build the same exemplary class from the waitlist, or that they have enough qualified applicants to fill 3 or 4 classes with, there’s a certain amount of luck involved. Therefore I urge all rising seniors to go into this process realizing that the odds are not in your favor. I went into the process with too much blind hope, too confident in my ability to be that lucky 1 in 10 (or less) that would gain admission, and I was sorely disappointed. So that leads me to my next tip…

Don’t do things just for your college application- Those slim acceptance rates are the exact reason I urge you not to join things solely for how good they look on a college application. It seems counterintuitive; wouldn’t they give you a better chance of acceptance? However, my point is not to dissuade you from extracurriculars, but rather to commit to ones that genuinely make you happy. As I wrote above, the process is so competitive that even international achievements may mean rejection, so don’t waste your high school experience by dedicating so much time and effort to something that you feel obligated to do.

Try everything your freshman and sophomore year- My biggest regret is not joining clubs where my passions lie simply because I was too lazy or scared of things like public speaking my freshman year. It’s much more intimidating to join as upperclassmen, and you may not be able to participate at all the levels/in all the ways people who have dedicated 3-4 years can. Even if you don’t think its for you (like debate for me because of my fear of public speaking), I urge you to expand your horizons and push yourself out of your comfort zone. Many clubs give you great opportunities to build leadership, public speaking, etc. skills and to find your passions.

Know both sides of the flashcard- I learned this tip from my organic chemistry class, and I’d never though about how useful it is. For example, if you’re memorizing polyatomic ions, it’s extremely important that you know both the formula and the name, as either version may show up on the exam. Not doing this also makes the weaknesses in your memorization evident- whenever I study vocab, I tend to glance at the side with the term and only memorize the definition. This meant that when I was given only the definitions, I couldn’t remember the word they defined, because I was so used to being given the vocab word and responding with the definition.

The first lecture of the unit is one of the most important for STEM classes- I know the beginning of the unit can often seem like the perfect time to tune out, as it goes over information you’ve previously learned or the easiest material of the topic, but it often forms the foundation for everything else in the unit. For example, the first lecture on a stoichiometry unit will probably teach you dimensional analysis, a skill integral to calculating molecular or empirical formulas, moles or grams of a substance, etc.

Buy/sell books secondhand- Everyone knows how expensive college textbooks are, but between SAT and AP prep books, and books for English, high school books can cost quite a bit of money too. Unless they redesigned the exam recently, you absolutely don’t need the newest edition of the review book, so buy from upperclassmen and then sell it to underclassmen the following year.

Learn to self study- Unless you’re really lucky, you’re guaranteed to have a teacher who doesn’t teach, teaches badly, or whose teaching style just doesn’t work for you. Personally, I find that self learning, especially if I’m struggling because resources such as textbooks and online explanations, and videos seem to contradict, really helps me understand the topic throughly. In AP bio, my teacher had us create claymation videos on the processes of cellular respiration and photosynthesis independently. It was incredibly frustrating and confusing because all the resources described the cycles in varying degrees of details, but I felt like I genuinely understood the topic, instead of having been spoon-fed the information and memorizing it. Obviously, this method isn’t very efficient for frequent use, but the key is to try to understand the material independently instead of going to the teacher the moment you hit a snag.

Keep your backpack/binders/notebooks reasonably organized- When teachers ask for homework to be passed up and you have to dig through mountains of papers in your backpack, not only is that super stressful, but a lot of teachers won’t let you turn it in after they have already collected all the papers. I was definitely guilty of being lazy and just stuffing papers, once I got them, into my backpack instead of taking a few seconds to slide them into a binder, and as a result I got 0s on lots of homework because either I couldn’t find it at the time or because everything was so messy I didn’t remember there was homework. Try to have some sort of organization system going on or at least a homework folder, because those 0s add up and can be the difference between an 89 and 90.

You’re gonna get senioritis, badly, and that’s ok- I’ve always been the type of person who did every homework assignment and was very focused on grades, so the idea that I would completely let myself ago seemed absurd to me. Don’t underestimate what senior year does to you. I can honestly count on one hand the econ worksheets that I actually turned in during senior year, and I made my first B in a grading period during the spring. I was very stressed about how awful my grades were, but unable to muster the energy to do anything about it. And you know what, it’s ok. It’s senior year, you can give yourself a break. Yes, your senior grades are still important for college applications, so don’t go from straight A’s to straight C’s, but for the most part, all the hard work is behind you. Do keep in mind that these habits may haunt you when you’re a college freshman. I haven’t started classes yet, but based on how little I studied for the math placement exam for my college, senioitis doesn’t magically end when you graduate, so don’t let it get completely out of control during the year.

Learn how to do math without a calculator- If you take either of the AP Calculuses or the SAT, you need to master this skill because there are sections of the exams that are strictly non-calculator. Beyond that, when you get to calculus, you’ll be introduced to complicated concepts, where not being able to multiply by hand will drag you down.

Keep old notes- Not only for finals, but some topics are very interdisciplinary, like biochemistry, so it’s very important that you have a working knowledge of both biology and chemistry. As you take advanced classes, such as for me, taking physics c after physics 1, it will be assumed that you have completely mastered the basics, and they will be skipped or referenced very quickly. It is very useful to look at notes on the basics, which provide the foundation for the advanced material you learn.

Invest in a whiteboard- Whenever I was learning about processes or cycles, from the Krebs cycle to organic chemistry mechanisms, it was really useful to practice drawing the steps over and over again. Then when it came to the test, I could do a brain dump and draw out the information as a reference.

Understand formulas instead of blindly memorizing- This basically has physics and calculus written all over it. In physics, you should be given formula charts during exams, and in any case, something like F=ma isn’t terribly hard to memorize. The problem comes when there are a multitude of formulas that are derived from one of the fundamental equations. Of course, deriving from scratch each time is incredibly tedious, but I want to dissuade you from simply memorizing it or storing it on your calculator, because that means you probably don’t understand the physics behind it. What makes physics so difficult and different from any other subject you’ve taken is that every problem will have a slightly different scenario that tests your understanding of the physics behind it.

Use all the time given to you during tests- I know I hate looking back through my test because I just get so bored halfway through, but missing points because of silly mistakes is honestly the most frustrating thing ever when you had plenty of time to check. Depending on if I have time, I like to cover my original work and resolve the question. If checking answers is not your thing, try slowing now when you first see each question, and checking your work briefly each step.

Form study groups- Talking about something, especially teaching it to someone, always helped me remember something so much better than reading it on paper. It’s also so important to have second interpretations of the information you’re studying to ensure that you don’t make a huge misconception.

AP students: released/practice exams are your best friend- Obviously, they’re the best resources for studying for the AP exam, but they’re also a great tool for a hint at what your teacher’s tests may look like. AP teachers have access to tons of College Board material and will often use questions directly from old exams.

If you start getting confused during a lecture- Many times this is because I didn’t pay attention during the very beginning, so I’m missing that important foundation I talked about in the previous tip. Of course, I typically wouldn’t recommend doing things other than listening to what is currently being taught, but in this case, I would just get more confused and it’s a waste of time. So I discretely go back to my previous notes and focus on understanding them.

The most stressful part of schoolwork is just thinking about your assignments- There’s always specific period of time that threatens to kill me- a week where I had two competitions simultaneously, in cities 3 hours apart. When you’re taking 7 AP classes at the same time, just reading over your to-do list will make you want to cry. Even on a normal day, as I go to classes throughout the day and my list of homework gets longer and longer, it makes me so stressed to where I’m planning out how to finish everything and I’m no longer listening in class. It overwhelmed me so much that I just wanted to take a nap and avoid school. But every single time, stressing about the work I have is 1000x worse than sitting down and actually going through each task. I find that what had seemed impossible before was very doable, and many times I even finished early enough to relax before bed. Keep a positive mindset, don’t underestimate your abilities, and have the discipline to start working immediately on the hardest days, and you’ll be fine. Of course, this doesn’t mean that the workload that is able to be handled by one person can work for another, and things like mental illnesses are things I have no experience in, so this is definitely just something that worked for me and is not applicable to everyone.

Best of luck with high school! If you have any questions, feel free to send me an ask!

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Asks I’ve answered about school

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