#why not swimming recreationally

[kidrat]

[id: scribbled drawings of andalites. They are underwater, among some simply drawn fish and reeds. At the top, is an andalite in a horizontal position. It's legs are tucked up, and it's arms hang by it's chest. At the bottom of the picture is an andalite in a similar position to the first. However it's legs are tucked closer to it's body, it's head is down, and it's arms are outstretched in front of it, squeezed around it's head. It appears streamlined, and closer to how mermaids are often depicted swimming. A third andalite swims in front of the other two. It is even more hastily drawn, and shows a variation of the second andalite's position, in which it's arms are held straight by it's sides. All the andalites' eyestalks are shown to drag behind them slightly, indicating forwards movement. end id]

Been thinking about how andalites swim. @c-rowlesdraws art among others has convinced me of wiggly andalites with more spine flexibility than the typical centaur. Most human swimming strokes either require you to out-turn your feet for a better kick (breaststroke), or to point your toes to slice through water easier (front and back crawl). Hooves can't do either of these things really, so I imagine andalite tails would do the 'kicking', so to speak. They're big, strong, and prehensile. Maybe the tail blades are even used for streamlining purposes, or even steering, who knows.

But yeah, I imagine andalites swim much like water monitor lizards, or like a human doing butterfly stroke. maybe otters are another good comparison. In my head their tails/bodies wiggle up and down to propel themselves, but side to side could work too. Possible they default to up and down, but switch to side to side if they're swimming forward while laying on their sides (ie. you and your andalite buddy are swimming together and chatting. They're herd animals!)

The uppermost andalite in the picture is what I imagine to be casual/instinctual swimming - their equivalent of doggy paddle. The others are variations on a more serious, effective form.

[flight-freedom]

When I feel shitty all I want to do is run/get an endorphin high and I don’t really know why.

i don’t think about other people or substances or.. anything. I just want to use my body to feel something. Like once I felt shitty so I went hiking on a 32 mile route, planning on camping but after 15ish miles I didn’t feel like stopping so I hiked for 22 hours straight.

[mulders-too-large-shirt]

my favorite mulder moments from s2

him having no faith in episode 1 after the x files are terminated, not even believing what he knows to be true regarding his sister’s disappearance

(and then being the moodiest motherfucker for the foreseeable future)

the fact that he got a fish in between s1 and s2. this brought me so much joy, you don’t even know

his monologue in episode 1, addressed to scully, who was not present: “before I could only trust myself, now I can only trust you, and they’ve taken you away from me… my life up until this point has been about seeing her again, but what would I do if they really come?” <- dear goddddddd. sometimes you get some lines that cut right to the heart of a character and this is one such example.

seeing his horrific workspace where he listened to audio recordings, a job he loathed- it was covered in sunflower seeds, pages with doodles, him stabbing an empty cup. truly a man with no fucks to give.

very very very fluffy hair in the early episodes

when episode 5 opens on him swimming in a big pool. there really was no narrative reason for that except we now know he swims recreationally and that is exactly the kind of thing i’m interested in knowing.

in episode 6, when he meets scully’s mom after her kidnapping, he listens to her say she dreamt of her being taken away, and hugs her

(and all throughout that episode, how he was told to go home because he was too close to the case, but instead got more and more involved. he even drove out to try and find her while falling asleep behind the wheel. dangerous behavior)

((and when he thinks scully is at the top of the mountain, he pulls his gun on the man who runs the ski lift to MAKE SURE he can get to the top as quick as possible. this one was WILD to me. pulling a gun on someone, just to get to her as fast as he can!!!!! he did not care about proper protocol! job be damned he was getting her HOME))

(and when they finally DO get duane barry, he sees scully's blood and hair on his wristband, and starts CHOKING him. you do NOT want to mess around with this man. he tells krychek that NO ONE is to interrogate the suspect but him. NO ONE. he is in what i affectionately refer to as bloodhound mode; there shall be no rest until an answer is sleuthed out)

trying to return scully’s necklace to her mother, who refuses to take it, so he can give it back to her

he has a lot of really emotional moments with scully’s mom, such as telling her she can’t give up hope even as they are picking up her gravestone in episode 8, which he cannot bear to look at

when scully is found, he bursts into the hospital, screaming at the doctor and saying he’ll do anything to figure out what they did to her, to the point where he had to be escorted from the room

(also love when he’s waiting to hear news on how she is doing, and he’s pacing his apartment, bouncing a ball, entirely unable to sit still, he’s so terrified)

after she is found, x tells him to walk away and never look back, and he immediately disregards this information to go chase down whoever knew anything about scully’s disappearance

when her family decides its time to remove her life support, he refuses to go in with them, looking the saddest and wettest a man has ever been

“you could spend the rest of your life finding every person that’s responsible, and it’s still not gonna bring her back”, says melissa. “including myself?” he asks. always taking the blame.

breaking into CIGARETTE MAN’S HOUSE. gun to his head. why her, he asks.

his confrontation scene with skinner, who refuses to accept his one-sentence resignation letter, and who tells him of his own demons. allowing for some skinner lore and deep connections to be made.

again in episode 8, he’s waiting in his apartment for the folks who took scully to arrive so he can kill them, but melissa puts him into his place- “why is it so much easier for you to run around trying to get even than just expressing to her how you feel? i expect more from you. dana expects more from you”

so he leaves his apartment and the one chance he’ll ever have to know who did this to her, and instead goes to sit by her bedside, holds her hand, and talks to her comatose body

(then, we he returns to his apartment, which has been ransacked by those involved with the crime, he falls to the ground, sobbing)

but how BIG he smiled when he heard that her eyes were open!!

in episode 9, when he finally has her back, how he helps her out of the helicopter when they fly to a distant volcano research base <3

also, in episode 10, when they’re being driven to a farm, and he lets her take shotgun so he can lounge about in the back

when he drops this banger line while sitting at a picnic table in episode 12: “i’ve often felt that dreams are the answers to questions we haven’t yet figured out how to ask” (and then does not elaborate)

at the aforementioned picnic table, the detective vaguely describes seeing some sort of symbol, and he immediately realizes it was the logo for the 1939 world’s fair, which is SO funny to me. because WHY does he know that!

when he lifts the caution tape over scully so she can bring her umbrella to the rainy crime scene in episode 13 <3

talking to a random guy in a town they’re visiting for an investigation: “you know andy” “no, I don’t” “well, andy knows you” <- another instance of him being famous in the nerd community

all the times he starts rambling about different belief systems, like the idea of obtaining a new soul in the ep 13, or the concept of wicca in episode 14

when they go to the refugee camp in episode 15, and a child tries to sell them a good luck charm, which he pays a nice $5 bill for

getting hit by a car in episode 16, and then making some dumbass quip about how he should have used the crosswalk

going back home when his "sister" is found, tucking his mom into bed with a kiss

then his dad confronting him, blaming him for losing his sister in episode 17,  leaving him crying as he tries to process the grief of getting her back just to feel guilty for her death

(don’t worry though- it wasn’t really her. but damn, he thought it was, and this scene was devastating)

finding his faith again with scully at his bedside after almost dying of alien poison

when he goes for a jog in florida (episode 20), arguably the hottest and most miserable of all continental US states, in a sweatshirt and sweatpants. and i cannot explain this behavior. he is deeply peculiar.

on the investigation of the sideshow performers, he flirts with the man fixing scully’s pipes to get him to leave. or as i call it: “weaponized bisexuality”

when he slides through a tiny trap door in a haunted house to come and find scully. great visual gag. i chuckled.

feeling sick at home, taking advil in his slutty little tanktop in episode 25. then proceeding to go wild because he was being drugged. don’t worry, he ends up okay. thanks only to scully.

[femsanzo291]

Thoughts due to doing a beach fic with the Junoverse characters and how well they can swim.

Vespa the strongest swimmer due to having grew up in the swamplands and needing to know how to swim to survive. Theatens not to save the others when they get over their heads, but will save them when they inevitably do.

Jet can swim quite well but often doesn't as he can just stand up in most pools and water that the people he's with wants to swim in. Helps Rita into her pool floats and makes sure the floats don't float off with Rita in them.

Juno is surprisingly good swimmer for having grown up on a desert planet, but does not love to swim. Likes waiding in water and walking in the shallows and along beaches.

Rita loves the pool and the beach cute bodies on display in cute swimsuits all for her to be able to look at. Can swim, not the strongest and loves lounging on a pool float or on a lounger with her snacks

Buddy was once a very strong swimmer is no longer after all the radiation damage. Loves to walk along the beach and get her feet wet.

Nureyev will not get his face or hair wet at all. Can swim, not the best but can, if he has to do it, if he knows how to swim at all. He would have learned for a heist required it but otherwise doesn't know how to swim. Does not understand why people would do it recreationally but that is because he has not worked on anything that would help him not get exhausted quickly and only works on it around heists that need it. Also has to be lathered in so much sunscreen because he will burn when on the beach.

The Ruby7 just loves watching the rest of the crew have fun when they go to the beach.

[pomefioredove]

Alright my first time asking for a matchup. My personality type is INTJ-T. I have two cats that are the focal point of my existence. My hobbies are mostly reading, obsessing over anime and shows, and some slight gaming. I am a third-degree black belt in Taekwondo and did swimming but due to an injury I have switched to doing archery recreationally. I have been traveling a lot recently and am going to Stanford this summer (both very excited and nervous).

I have really been enjoying your content so far. Congrats on 500 subscribers. ❤️

I match you with 𝐈𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐒𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐝

this one was a bit of a draw between Lilia and Idia, but Idia won me over in the end for a few reasons

The First Impression:

Idia is always nervous around new people (and a little pretentious). He considers you a normie for a while before overhearing you talking about one of his favorite animes, which both humbles and excites him. It takes him months just to work up the nerve just to ask for your Magicord handle, if you have one (with lots of enthusiastic encouragement from Ortho).

Why He Fell:

"You're different from everyone else" is the initial rationale. You're like him! Well... kind of. There's always this lingering feeling that you're too cool for him, but you still hang out together, so maybe you aren't aware of it yet...?

Either way, he's totally taking advantage of this until you do drop him for a cooler friend.

But... you don't.

What starts off as messaging turns to voice calls which turns to video calls, and soon you're hanging out in his room. By that point, he's already too far gone.

It's not just that you make him comfortable, it's that you challenge him. He's already mega impressed by your smarts, and your athletic background is a little intimidating for someone who would get blown away by a strong breeze (but seriously!? Martial arts? he thinks that's the coolest thing in the world, like you're straight from a shounen anime). You're not only someone he can talk to, but someone he can discuss and debate things with.

(...I think there's also something to be said about Taekwondo in itself. It requires a lot of discipline, patience, strength, and routine, which Idia both understands and admires. It's a lot like working with technology, in a way).

The Relationship:

Whether or not you guys end up getting "together" is totally up to you, because he would not ask first. Though, Idia can be surprisingly open to lots of different types of relationships (given that he feels important enough), so it's not really a big deal to him. He's just happy to have your company. Ecstatic, really.

Either way, you can be sure he'll always be online if you need him. Your discussions, whether through messages or IRL, are always enriching for the both of you, and Idia could never get enough of them. He loves dissecting your favorite media together, either one of you infodumping, and hearing about you and your life. He finds himself caring a lot about your feelings and wellbeing. And your opinions, your thoughts, so on and so forth...

...Hey, maybe your travel stories will even inspire him to get out more! You never know.

And you can be sure he'll spoil and baby your cats to the fullest extent.

[bigfan-fanfic]

Which of the avengers prefer Speedo’s, and why and what would they look like?🥰

after a fascinating historical dive, I have found that Speedo, an Australian-originated company, only started exporting to the US after World War II, sometime in the 50s, so unfortunately Steve would never have worn a Speedo, and furthermore, if he did ever wear a swimsuit, it'd probably be a one piece with an attached shirt, since in America, the swimsuit game only started giving us a look at the bare male chest around the late 40s. So he's a little surprised that those kinds of things even exist.

I headcanon that Banner wears loose clothes not just because of turning into the physically larger Hulk, but possibly because of shapeshifter-induced body dysmorphia, so he'd likely not wear one either.

I don't think Clint swims recreationally, and would spend pool time in board shorts, not a swimsuit.

Tony doesn't swim, but wears designer swim trunks.

so that leaves Thor. And I think someone knew what they were doing when they gave him a speedo to swim in. Thor appreciates the aerodynamism.

[limbushusbandry]

Okay so my neighbor have this pet Meursault and he always comes into my backyard at a specific hour in the afternoon to stare off the distance or stare at me when I’m in the kitchen from the window then he leaves to go back to my neighbor’s house at later specific time or when I go outside and he quickly goes back to my neighbor’s yard every time so why he does that? Is that normal behavior or what?

meursaults have a very strict schedule that they adhere to for personal comfort, it's probably an absolute cooincidence that he stares out at your yard, unless there's something specific in your yard that he wishes he had, like maybe if you have a pool. a lot of people actually think meursaults dislike water because of their thick coats, but they do enjoy swimming recreationally, even though they're more known for dust bathing behavior.

[barbiegirldream]

Idk if I’m remembering correctly but didn’t he do swim in school, tennis and soccer recreationally, and track like there are so many sports which he has some established connection to why don’t people build on that

idk he said he's played all sorts of sports rugby was thrown in there he played drums at one point. george like many kids just did lots of stuff

[unitedgaragedoorrepairofmesaaz]

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[zorilleerrant]

15 Questions for 15 Friends

Tagged by the amazing @confusedshades

Are you named after anyone?

Supposedly my middle name is sort of after a celebrity but I'm not sure I believe it

When was the last time you cried?

Rewatching Buffy when one of her speeches got to me again

Do you have kids?

No, never.

What sports do you play/have played?

I've done several forms of dance, gymnastics, cheer. Badminton for a while. Swimming and running recreationally. You have to understand though I hate sports and I've only done them when forced to pick one by school, summer camps, and my parents.

Do you use sarcasm?

No, never. Why would anyone use sarcasm, the least useful rhetorical device in the English language?

What's the first thing you notice about people?

Whatever's on their t-shirt/sweatshirt, usually. I'm a sucker for logo designs. So, outfit, generally.

What's your eye color?

Dark brown/black

Scary movies or happy endings?

Not a huge fan of either, as a general rule. Scary movies either aren't scary, are too scary, or gross me out, but I am a fan of spoopy media. Happy endings are alright if they're earned, but having a happy ending promised to me too enthusiastically before I read/watch is a surefire way to make me pick something else. I'm a big fan of mysterious and ambiguous endings.

Any talents?

No :(

Where were you born?

US

Do you have any pets?

Also no :( I want a tortoise but I don't think I'd be able to get it enough sun so I'm worried about getting one

How tall are you?

5'7"

Favorite subject in school?

I really enjoyed French; it was fun to watch movies, read books, and make little comics and things.

Dream job?

There's this kind of zoologist that's basically a matchmaker for endangered species. They talk with other specialists all around the world to figure out how best to conserve species. I don't remotely have the qualifications for this and I doubt I'd be very good at it but from the first time I heard about them I've thought this was the coolest job ever.

Tagging: everyone, go for it

[valtharr]

I can't swim. The reason for that is because I start to panic when I'm in water and can't feel the ground beneath my feet, and I panic even more when I'm in deep water and someone else holds me. The multiple swim teachers I had throughout childhood probably thought holding me would send the message of "don't worry, I got you, I'll save you if something happens", but my brain was more like "your life is now in another person's hands and they could drown you at any moment if they'd like to." All of that probably stems from the fact that my first grade teacher thought the best thing to do with a six year old kid who's already scared of the shallow end of the pool is to grab him and literally throw him into the water. Pretty much every lesson.

Anyway, a few years ago, I went to a psychiatric clinic for six weeks to treat my depression. During that therapy, I got also eventually put into a special therapy group dealing with fears and anxieties, mainly for my social anxiety. But when asked about fears we have, I mentioned the water thing. The therapist asked if I wanted to swim. Like, if my fear suddenly disappeared, would I actively choose to go swimming recreationally. And I said... no. I really don't think I would, I don't think it's something I'd find particularly fun, even if I wasn't scared by it. And the therapist basically said "well, then it's not really a problem, is it?"

Fears and other mental problems keep us from doing things, but so do other factors. Why is it that, if you're just scared of doing something (that you don't necessarily need to do), people expect you to work on it, but if you simply don't want to learn a skill, for example, people usually accept that (at least more than if you said you're scared)?

I love seeing those posts where people are like “if you have headmates or whatever you should be on meds because that’s not okay” posts. Like neurotypicals just think that there’s some magical pill out there that will ‘cure’ anything they don’t consider ‘normal.’ Meanwhile, in the land of reality, my shrink thinks it’s pretty healthy that I’m finally getting to know my headmates, and has no intention of putting me on magic pills, because as long as I’m not hurting myself or anyone else, who cares what neurotypicals think is ‘normal?’ Actually, let’s be real: who cares what neurotypicals think at all?

[allstarring-a]

⸻ TASK #002: CHARACTER SHEET.

BASIC INFORMATION.

FULL NAME: Dustin Lee Howard. NICKNAME(S): Dust(y). STAGE NAME: Chuck Taylor, Chuckie T, DUSTIN. BIRTH DATE: April 22nd, 1986. AGE: thirty-seven years old. GENDER: cis male. PRONOUNS: he / him pronouns. SEXUAL ORIENTATION: bisexual, slightly in the closet about it. MARITAL STATUS: single.

FAMILY & BACKGROUND.

FATHER: Donovan Howard. RELATIONSHIP WITH FATHER: Dustin has a good relationship with his father, largely because his father was the "fun parent," which is also largely the reason why Dustin has issues with male authority. MOTHER: Rhonda Howard. RELATIONSHIP WITH MOTHER: Dustin also has a good relationship with his mother. He's something of a momma's boy, and he's nearly the spitting image of her in appearance and stubborn personality. SIBLING(S): Landon Howard. BIRTH ORDER: Dustin's the oldest child, older than his younger brother by three years. PET(S): a Maltese-Yorkie named Walter. HOMETOWN: Murray, Kentucky. INVOLVED IN SPORTS?: he played baseball until he started wrestling training at fifteen years old. SCHOOL EXPERIENCE?: he hated school, but had a normal experience. EDUCATION LEVEL: bachelor's of science in television production. MISDEMEANORS?: public intoxication. TICKETS AND/OR VIOLATIONS?: three speeding tickets.

CAN YOUR MUSE . . .

DRIVE?: yes. JUMP-START A CAR?: no. CHANGE A FLAT TIRE?: yes. RIDE A BICYCLE?: yes. SWIM?: yes. PLAY AN INSTRUMENT?: no. PLAY CHESS?: no. BRAID HAIR?: no. TIE A TIE?: somewhat. PICK A LOCK?: no. COOK?: yes.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE & CHARACTERISTICS.

EYE COLOR: gray-ish green. HAIR COLOR: dark brown. GLASSES/CONTACTS?: no. HEIGHT: 6'2". WEIGHT: 195 lbs. TATTOOS: none. PIERCINGS: none. MARKS: very faint freckles on the bridge of his nose. SCARS: none. NOTABLE FEATURES: doe eyes. USUAL EXPRESSION: resting dead inside face.

PSYCHOLOGY.

MBTI TYPE: ENTP / ENFP. ZODIAC SIGN: Taurus. FEAR(S): losing his loved ones. also clowns. DRUG USE?: once recreationally and socially with hallucinogens, but only edibles, if that, nowadays. ALCOHOL USE?: less often than he used to, but still often. SECRET?: early career was rife with harassment and threats. it's the reason why he'd guarded, now, and exerts his masculinity while suppressing his sexuality. CHARACTER LABEL: the stepford. THEME SONG: Your Mind Is Not Your Friend.

MANNERISMS.

QUIRKS: fidgets, always has to do something with his hands. HOBBIES: video games, writing. BAD HABITS: repressing his feelings. also never putting his clothes away. POSITIVE TRAITS: lighthearted, dependable, easygoing. NEGATIVE TRAITS: can be insensitive, stubborn, irritable. SENSE OF HUMOR: dry.

FAVORITES.

BOOK: House of Leaves. COLOR: orange, according to AEW Unrestricted. HOLIDAY: Halloween. MOVIE: The Thing. MUSICAL ARTIST: Swallow the Sun. SCENERY: the mountains. SCENT: coffee. SPORT: basketball. TELEVISION SHOW: he mostly only watches cooking shows and true crime. a real middle-aged mom. VIDEO GAME: Silent Hill 2. WEATHER: sun showers. VACATION DESTINATION: he's a simple man, he's happy wherever he goes, but he would enjoy somewhere like Vermont for the fall foliage.

[ot3]

edgeworth and maya do like the steel samurai yes but i think we as a fandom owe it to them to at least invent a couple more interests they could theoretically possibly have. here i’ll start edgeworth enjoys puzzle-heavy video games on retro consoles (ones he could have played as a kid) and maya swims recreationally. sure. why not.

[samuel-de-champagne-problems]

It's Delicate: Part III

Summary: Spencer Reid finds himself at a gas station at 2:00 am, thinking he’s only leaving with a cup of crappy coffee. But something taped to the door catches his eye. Spencer leaves the gas station with more than he intended: the chance at a friend, and maybe something more along the way.

Word Count: 3.9

Author’s Note: Here's Part 3!! This was super difficult for me to get out, but I think I'm happy with it. I rewrote it like 3 or 4 times

It's Delicate: Part III

Spencer notices everything. He’s been trained to notice the slightest change in his environment. He supposes that his profiler training has helped him be more comfortable in social situations. But still, Spencer feels like a fish out of water as he pushes the door to the bookstore open. He knows he should feel at home when he’s in a bookstore, but his heart seems to be racing. Spencer tries to quiet his nerves before he can feel himself running away.

Thinking that it might be a good idea to distract himself, Spencer walks over to the bookshelf filled with books from the floor to the ceiling. He runs his fingers along the spine of the books. Some are old and used, and others are well cared for with their enabled and embossed writing on the spines. He recognizes some titles, but others aren’t too familiar. There’s a whole world of books out there that Spencer has yet to explore. There’s a couple other patrons in the store, an older woman who sits on the soft rocking chair in the back corner and a young woman who already has a pile of books tucked under her arms.

Looking around, Spencer walks towards the back of the store where a glowing sign directs him to the restroom. He goes into the Men’s Room and locks the door behind him. Spencer looks at his reflection in the mirror. He wouldn’t consider himself a vain man, nor would he consider himself aloof about his appearance. He’s very much aware of the deep lines that collect around his eyes and the dark bags underneath. Spencer runs his fingers through his hair, wondering if he should have gotten a haircut. He likes the way his longer hair looks. It took so long after getting released from prison to get his curls back. His hair is the one part of his physical appearance that Spencer can say he likes; the rest he’s a little less than indifferent about on a good day.

Spencer shuts the light off in the bathroom and heads back to the front of the store. He approaches the store clerk, who sits behind the counter. She’s talking with the young woman who had the pile of books tucked under her arms. Spencer looks around the store, trying to find a sign for where the book club meets. He realizes that he doesn’t even know what Y/N looks like. He decides to take out his phone to text Y/N that he’s here. Spencer walks to the short stories section of the store and looks for the “P”s. Once he finds the book he’s looking for he takes a photo and attaches it to the message.

Spencer: How have I not discovered this place sooner??

He doesn’t expect for Y/N to text him back right away, so he tucks his phone back into his pocket. Spencer walks to the front of the store. The display highlights the books of the month with different authors, genres, and themes. It’s a quaint little store and Spencer wonders why he put off visiting so long. The young woman finishes with the clerk and brushes past Spencer, her face buried in her phone. Spencer walks towards the shelves of True Crime books. He sees Rossi’s latest release about the Golden State Killer. Before Spencer can pick up the book, he feels his phone buzz in his pocket.

Y/N: Ooooh a man after my own heart :) I’m guessing you’re here too

Spencer: Yes...I just realized I don’t know what you look like?

Y/N: Well, I guess that means you have to find me

Spencer looks around at the patrons in the store. The older woman and the younger woman seem like the only logical candidates. The young woman doesn’t look up when Spencer brushes past, her attention is intently focused on the book across her lap, while the older woman swipes on her e-reader.

Spencer: You know I could just call you and your phone would ring

Y/N: That’s like cheating

Y/N: Turn around

Spencer turns around and is greeted by the young woman who brushed past him before. She smiles up at him and Spencer can’t help but grin back at her. He didn’t really give much thought to what Y/N looks like, and he can only hope that she didn’t think too much about him in that way. Spencer has to stop himself from that spiral, and remind himself that it’s not a date.

“You’re Y/N?” Spencer asks, hoping that he doesn’t sound too nervous.

“Yes, and I really hope you’re Spencer,” she says, “you’re nothing like I pictured,”

Spencer’s face must have shown his shock because Y/N’s hand comes up to gently touch his upper arm in an attempt to quell his worry.

“No, nothing bad, Spencer. You just text like a grandpa so I figured you were a lonely old man. I’m just surprised that you’re pretty...young is all,” Y/N finishes her voice climbing up a couple of scales making her nerves evident.

Spencer nods in agreement, used to people thinking he’s older than he actually is his entire life. He supposes that’s because of his intelligence coupled with his social ineptitude.

“Well, judging by your texting, I predicted that you would be around my age, or younger,” Spencer says he’s always had difficulties keeping conversations going, yet right now his mind is swimming of different things he can tell Y/N.

“So you ready for your first Book Buddy meeting?” Y/N asks. The corners of her mouth turn upwards in a playful smile. Spencer likes her smile and grows disappointed that the only time he’ll be able to see it is when they meet together. As much as he is technology adverse, he wouldn’t mind being able to see her smile through her emojis and snarky messages.

“I’m still not too sure what we’re supposed to do, but at least I’ve got you to show me,”

“Come on Book Buddy virgin,” Y/N says winking at Spencer as she walks past him to the staircase that leads to the store’s basement.

Spencer tries to ignore her comment, but even with his brain power he can’t stop his ears from turning pink. He’s always blushing around people who listen to him, especially when those people are so enthralling to watch.

In the basement, there’s shelves and shelves of books lining the walls. A couple of couches and sofas are tucked in the corner with a table and lamp. The soft light is warm and inviting. Spencer’s eyes can’t help but to scan the various titles in the collection. Y/N flops down on the couch and taps the seat, signalling for Spencer to sit next to her.

Sitting down next to her, Spencer wonders how much space he should put between them. He doesn’t want to sit so close and have her think he’s only here to make a pass at her. Nor does he want to sit so far away, because the scent of her peppermint and eucalyptus perfume threatens to mesmerize him.

Y/N brushes her hair from her face with her right hand, that’s adorned with a ring and a couple gold bracelets. She looks over at Spencer apprehensively and he tries to give her a comforting smile back, but he’s afraid that he just looks awkward. He suddenly is very aware that his breath tastes like stale coffee and his hair is wild, pointing out in several directions.

“So Spencer,” Y/N says, “usually we meet in a big group to do these Book Clubs, but this year the store decided to do this Book Buddy thing. Reading and picking out books for someone can be a very personal thing, so I’d like to get to know you a little bit better if that’s alright?”

Spencer’s eyes steady the woman before him. She looks over at him, her eyes never breaking from his. Psychology shows that holding eye contact is a sign of confidence, for a litany of reasons, Spencer has always had difficulties maintaining eye contact. He sighs loudly. It’s almost a mix between exasperation and confusion. Even though Spencer has spent a good portion of his adult life surrounded by very forward people, he still feels slightly nervous when he comes across those types recreationally. Especially when those types seem to have smiles so contagious that they throw every scientific study on germs out the window.

“You want to know about me?” Spencer repeats. He can feel his ears flush, and is thoroughly reminded that he hardly knows who he is.

“Yes, I want to know all your salacious stories Spencer,” Y/N says with a sly smile.

Spencer chokes out a strained laugh before he tries to think of an answer. He can’t remember the last time someone wanted to get to know him. Or maybe he does, and just wants to pretend that those memories died with her. But he can’t, because they are painful and real.

“I’m an FBI Agent, uh the Behavioral Analysis Unit specifically. We track down serial killers and other time sensitive cases,” Spencer says, used to giving the speech about his job on the rare occasion he does talk to another lonely soul at a random bar in a city.

He looks over at Y/N, ready for the reaction he usually gets. Sometimes it’s pity, other times it’s awe. But it all tastes the same with a shot of whiskey.

“That must be an incredibly exhausting job, Spencer. It takes a special kind of person to do that,”

That’s strange, Spencer thinks. Her words aren’t full of pity or awe, but almost understanding. It’s strange, but Spencer likes strange things, after all.

“It is,” Spencer says. He doesn’t feel the need to fill the silence with useless words that he knows are stale and meaningless. Somehow the silence doesn’t feel awkward.

“How long have you been in the FBI?” Y/N asks. She’s curious, but cautious to proceed and Spencer appreciates that.

“Since I was 22. I’m 34. I’ll be 35 soon,” Spencer says, still not fully believing that he’s spent nearly 13 years at the BAU.

“22, that’s a baby. I didn’t think that the FBI would recruit that young,”

Spencer grimaces, realizing that sooner or later this conversation would arise. He figured it would have come up when he got through the books in an hour or two. Spencer hates having to tell people about his intelligence. He never wants to make someone feel inferior about themselves because of his brain chemistry and genetic lottery.

“I’m kinda smart. Technically I’m a genius but I really hate that term. The idea behind intelligence testing has a very sexist and racist background. Besides, I don’t think true intelligence is accurately quantifiable,” Spencer tells her, repeating his speech usually reserved for arrogant detectives.

“That sounds like something a genius would say. You’re a humble genius. That’s a rare breed, Spencer” Y/N says, that contagious smile turning up the corners of her mouth and threatening to take over Spencer’s.

“I think that’s a compliment,” Spencer says “what about you? Tell me about yourself?” Spencer says, trying to remember the points of the conversation books he used to read as a kid in hopes of making a friend.

“Let’s see, you already know the boys. I don’t have any siblings and my mom lives in Florida, so we don’t see each other too often. I’m a Funeral Director in Alexandria, took it over after my dad passed a couple years,” Y/N says.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Spencer responds. Y/N smiles again, clearly a little tense to be talking about a sensitive topic.

“So Second Cat, I take it you’re a Poe fan,” Spencer says, holding to help ease into a more pleasant conversation.

“I like his short stories the best, but Emily Dickinson poetry will always have my heart. There’s something so ordinarily beautiful about the way she writes. She was so brilliant. And her and Susan, that’s a tragic love story,” Y/N finishes. She plays with the hem of her jacket absentmindedly almost like she wants to say something more.

“I first read “The Tell Tale Heart” when I was around 5,” Spencer starts, he rests his elbows on his knees to tell a story and he can’t help but feel a little excited when Y/N leans in a little closer to listen in, “I checked it out from the library and brought it home to read. Now it just so happened that I got a chemistry set. I will not incriminate myself but I may or may not have used the set as the directions intended,” Spencer says, holding up his hands in innocence.

Y/N scams him with a calculated stare, it’s not mean or judgmental, but cautious and careful. It’s like she’s deciding if she can trust him or not. He supposes she does when she winks back and says, “I’m sure that’s true Agent Reid,”

“It’s actually Dr Reid, but I’ll get there another day,” Spencer says quickly, eager to get back to his story, “so the chemistry set had some chemicals, the kind that won’t hurt kids. But I stole some sodium chlorate from the local gardening store and a pack of gummy worms from the Mini-Mart. Then I got back home and took out the chemistry set. I drop some of the sodium chlorate and gummy bears into the test tube and it starts to glow!” Spencer says, his voice gets excited when he remembers the experiment. There’s very few happy moments of his childhood, and this is one.

Y/N, listening to him eagerly, wears an excited expression as Spencer continues with the story. He’s forgotten what it’s like to have someone so interested in what you have to say.

“How does Poe fit in?” Y/N asks. Spencer’s fingers make a “1” as if to tell her to be patient.

“So I do the experiment and there’s pieces of molten gummy worms in my hair and on my clothes, but then I hear my mother walking up the stairs so I panic,” Spencer says, he’s an animated storyteller and Y/N is a captivated audience. He tries to not pay close attention to how her eyes hardly leave his or how they seem to be looking at him with wonder. But it’s hard to ignore that when you’ve never been looked at like that before.

“I scramble into my bed and shove the experiment under the bed, and it’s still smelling like burnt chemicals and gummy worms, mind you. And I pretend to read, but I’m reading The Tell Tale Heart, which you know is about a man who’s trying to cover up a terrible deed but literally shoving it under the floor. You know I think my 5 year old mind exploded that day,” Spencer says, he leans back so his head rests against the wall.

“It must have made quite an impression on you at what 5? How on Earth did you read Edgar Allen Poe at 5 years old? I didn’t read that until like Freshman year of high school,”

“I told you I was kind of smart,” Spencer replies, hoping that it would suffice.

“Yeah, but like a child prodigy that must have been very lonely,” Y/N says in a voice that tells Spencer she knows a thing or two about being intensely lonely.

“No one ever says that,” Spencer says in a hushed tone, “no one ever gets that it’s a lonely thing being a genius,” he finishes, putting air quotes around genius to show his discomfort with the term.

Y/N nods, “I’m not a genius by any means, Spencer, but I was an only kid. Part of me thinks it’s my fate to lonely,”

“I’m an only kid too,” Spencer says, “when I asked my mom why they didn’t have anymore kids she just told me why mess with perfection. I know it was meant to make me feel better, but part of me wonders what it would have been like to have a built in friend,”

“Tell me if I’m overstepping, I tend to do that, but do you want kids?” Y/N asks, she twists a ring that’s wrapped around her finger over and over like it’s a bad habit. She looks at him, expecting an answer, from the corner of her eye.

“I did,” Spencer says in a quiet voice, terrified that he’ll reveal too much to this enticing woman with eyes that never seem to want to look anywhere, but his.

“So did I,” Y/N tells him. Her voice mirrors his in it’s guarded, yet scared to reveal too much tone. Spencer is too busy hiding his own worry to recognize Y/N’s.

“I was thinking,” Spencer starts, determined to end the stale silence that settled between them, “of what book I thought you’d like. It’s actually a personal copy of mine. I had know clue how these things work, but I thought we could write notes in the margins. You know our thoughts and ideas about the book,”

Y/N gazes over at Spencer intently, as if she’s trying to think of how she’ll respond. Spencer notices the way Y/N pauses to think before she speaks, he tries to subdue the profiler training that ebbs to the surface, but he can’t control what his instincts tell him. He knows that Y/N is holding something back, but then again, so is he and who is he to judge.

“You’re okay with writing in a book?” Y/N asks, “I know that could be touchy for some,”

“Most of my books have little writings in the margins. I always thought that a book is a love letter from the author to the reader. You get to see inside their mind and to me that’s incredibly personal,” Spencer says, rubbing his palms that grew sweaty on his pants. It’s useless, because they just slide off.

“Well, you’ve convinced me, I brought a book too, but it doesn’t have notes,” Y/N says, “but if this works out, I’ll do it next time?” Y/N asks him, the hope in her voice apparent.

“I’d love nothing more than that, Y/N,” Spencer says, wanting nothing more than to reach out and brush his fingertips against Y/N’s. Her hand keeps on creeping closer to Spencer’s, he thinks that she’s trying to send him a signal, but Spencer feels too wounded, too raw to take that first big leap.

“So,” Spencer starts, he decides to clasp his hands together to avoid this new predicament, “what book did you decide on?”

“Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, it’s one of the few books that is perfect,” Y/N says, putting emphasis on the “perfect,”. Spencer thinks that he can grow to be eager to wait each week for the hour or so he’s able to watch Y/N speak with such passion and love.

“I’ve heard about, but I generally read technically books and other that it’s mainly just books that aren’t in English,” Spencer tells her, he rummages through his bag, looking for his book for Y/N.

“Close your eyes please,” Spencer says, he hides the book behind his back, he smiles as Y/N’s absurdly contagious smile grows.

“Come on Spencer, I don’t like being teased,” Y/N whines, faux pout and all.

Spencer grabs her hand and guides it to the cover of the book, The Goldfinch. He lets go of her hand; his practically stinging from the way her fingertips pressed up against the back of his hand, even though it was only for a couple of seconds.

“The Goldfinch” Y/N says, “ooh how on Earth did you know I love Donna Tartt?”

“Lucky guess, I suppose,” Spencer says, a surge of confidence bolstering him enough to wink at Y/N.

Spencer watches as Y/N flips through the pages of her book. Spencer read it a couple of weeks ago and loved the way the author intertwined the mystery to create a riveting story. Spencer checks his watch, realizing that nearly two hours have passed since he and Y/N sat on the couch.

Just as Y/N goes to say something, Spencer’s phone rings, ripping him from his modest paradise. He gives Y/N an apologetic look and mouths “work” as he steps away from Y/N.

“Reid,” he says, he forgot to check the caller ID, a little too excited to finish this call and get back to Y/N.

“Is that seriously how you greet your favorite person in the world?” the voice, presumably Garcia asks.

“Garcia,” Spencer says, unable to hold back his slight annoyance.

“I know it’s time off, but I guess like male serial killers don’t respect women, they don’t respect our time off either,” Garcia quips.

“I’ll be there in 20, I’m out and I’ll need to get my go bag,” Spencer tells her, preparing for the inevitable.

“I know exactly where you are, Spencer. A little birdie told me you’d called him in panic. I really hope your lady friend appreciated your lavender shirt,” Garcia says. Spencer can hear the click of keys as she talks.

He rolls his eyes, but knew that this was to be expected, “Later, Garcia,” he says, hanging up the phone call. Spencer walks back over to Y/N, whose face is buried in the book. She twirls a pen in her right hand, like she’s thinking about what she’ll write in the margins.

“I’m so sorry, Y/N, but I have to cut this short, work emergency,” he explains to an Y/N understanding Y/N, who nods her head.

“Don’t worry, text me that you got home safe, please,” Y/N tells him, looking up at him with genuine worry in her eyes.

“I promise, Y/N. I’ll see you soon,” Spencer says, grabbing his book and making his way up the stairs. He reaches the top flight when his phone buzzes.

Y/N: I mean it :)

Y/N: It was nice meeting you officially….

Spencer reads over the messages as he walks, replaying the interaction in his head. It’s strange to have someone care if you make it home say. The only people on Earth, besides Spencer’s mother, that care if Spencer makes it home are the people that risk their lives with him as well.

Spencer shoots a quick message back.

Spencer: I promise and I hope you like the book, it’s very special to me.

Y/N: I’m sure I’ll love it! Now go save the world :) :)

Spencer smiles to himself as he reads the message, amazed that her contagious smile can make its way through the string of code from his smartphone. As he drives off, Spencer thinks about the way Y/N actually listens to him or the way her hair sees fall perfectly into place. He thinks about her laugh and the way she almost makes him feel safe in the short time he’s known her.

But all those good thoughts amount to nothing, when the biggest thought on Spencer’s mind revolves around the shiny ring that sits on her left hand on the finger between her pinky and pointer finger.

A wedding ring.

-TAGLIST- (Comment to be added or if I forgot to add you)

@shemarmooresfedora

@april-14-blog

@willowrose99

@calm-and-doctor

@spideygenius

@measure-in-pain

@nomajdetective

@spencerreid9

@saspencereid

@laurakirsten0502

@thatsonezesty13 (I'm trying what's wrong with this tag)

Thank You For Reading

[opalyap]

hello... i am totally Not Doing This Super Late. if you just saw this, that's on you, not me /lhj

thank you to my lovely skrunklies for tagging me!!

1) Are you named after anyone?

my name is a compilation of my family's names... ahaha 😭

2) When was the last time you cried?

genuinely cannot remember. it must've been when i watched the fnaf movie with my skrunklies? shed a few tears... curse my not-immovable soul

3) Do you have kids?

do i look like??? (/lh) no. i really don't plan on having any and i don't think i even have the capacity to look after them, let alone myself. maybe a dog though... or multiple...

4) What sports do you play/have played?

i used to not engage in sports whatsoever because i have really bad asthma, and i was really insecure about not being good at them (the perfectionism streak runs deep). i really enjoy watching them and consuming them, but participating in them has always been a wonky thing for me. i like to swim and to dance though! i would like to have more sports under my belt though... recreationally, of course. competition within sports especially scares me

5) Do you use sarcasm?

aha, i do sometimes. i don't think i use it that much though! generally i don't want to come across as rude, and i know it can be hard to understand.

6) What's the first thing you notice about people?

it's hard to say. i feel like i tend to notice people's demeanours at first? whether they're excitable, tense, nervous, bubbly, cautious—things like that. it helps me navigate how to talk or interact with them. i generally think i'm pretty observant (whether consciously or not).

7) What's your eye color?

nothing cool, just dark brown. lighter than black, but pretty damn dark.

8) Scary movies or Happy endings

why not both? life is no fun with just one.

9) Any talents?

uh... hm. huh. well. i think i give people the illusion that i have talents or skills because i adapt well. i guess i read fast? i have a discerning ear???

10) Where were you born?

australia 🤟 girt by sea and all that /lh

11) What are your hobbies?

i have too many to count tbh. i like to try a variety of things. the ones that pop up the most frequently are reading and gaming though.

12) Do you have any pets?

i have a pembroke welsh corgi, he's a real menace. he occupies about 5% of my stresses in life

13) How tall are you?

i wish i could tell you. probably 161cm or something? taller than 160cm but shorter than 165cm i think.

14) Favourite subject in school

dependent on the teacher tbh. i hated menial work and time-consuming things. i think i much enjoyed goofing around with my classmates or my friends way more than the actual subjects itself

15) Dream job?

i really want to be a musician of some kind. i love music. but i don't think i'm talented enough for it. i don't really know what i'm doing though, honestly. just going through life as it is consumes about 90% of my brain power

15 Questions 15 Mutuals

The rules are: Answer the 15 questions and tag 15 of your mutuals.

ty @trvbblemaker for the tag :D

Are you named after anyone?

not that i know of

2. When was the last time you cried?

like last week after the orthodontist lmao

3. Do you have kids?

i have plants

4. What sports do you play/have played?

i did gymnastics and dance now i do nothing~

5. Do you use sarcasm?

it's somewhat of a coping mechanism

6. What's the first thing you notice about people?

how they dress/their hair

7. What's your eye color?

hell if i know

8. Scary movies or Happy endings

happy endings :]

9. Any talents?

i'm rlly good at overthinking and ignoring problems (like genuinely tho ig i'm good at art)

10. Where were you born?

america 🇺🇸 (i hate it here)

11. What are your hobbies?

crocheting, watching shows, drawing

12. Do you have any pets?

cat named otis <3

13. How tall are you?

i think technically 5'4 1/2"

14. Favorite subject in school

art

15. Dream Job?

something i don't hate hopefully in an art field

no pressure tags: @newtness532 @lirdgorl @rainysaturdayafternoon @justkeepwalkingnothinghere @snek-amiga @deusetco @crayonssmellgood @arshemelsoe @lizvi @bbreaddog @noworneverphantom + open tag

[trainsinanime]

Thanks to @animatics-ill-never-make​ I’ve been thinking about the Miraculous Ladybug Wings AU again, and the fanfic I began writing for it that never went anywhere. Here are some key points:

The title would have been "Learning to Land”, possibly something like “(learning to fly means) learning to land” or some other bracketed thing.

Concept: Marinette teaches Adrien how to fly, secretly. And/or Chat Noir.

Plot: ??? Yeah, that was the big problem.

Special focus on a lot of cycles of taking off (easy), flying a circle (easy), then doing a graceful landing (impossible). Marinette would arrange two mattresses in an L form to provide a soft and relatively safe landing area.

No “Adrien’s wings have been clipped”, that was too angsty for me.

My concept was that flying there was kind of like swimming for us (or like flying for chickens): It’s possible, it’s fun, but humans aren’t that great at it. Going somewhere by flying would take a lot of energy, so it’s really something you do recreationally rather than for getting around.

That’s the explanation for why rich people would even be able to say that “flying is beneath them”. (Actually, wouldn’t it be above them?) 

The world would consequently still be full of staircases and elevators and so on. 

The core of the whole thing would essentially be a gender-swapped version of this:

Ultimately I wasn’t able to think of much of a plot, and I try not to get started on fanfics when I know they’ll be “chapter 2/?” forever (and also I’m really lazy), so while there is some draft text in my relevant dropbox folder, I’ve decided to not write this for now.