#yes i posted this two days ago but consider this i have an exam tomorrow

[haveyouseenthisskeleton]

And here's a little angst to end those three days of fanfics extract :D I hope you enjoyed it! We are back tomorrow with the regular ask posts, love you!

“I know that, like that, it’s not exactly thrilling." Papyrus said. "But Sans is not like that most of the time, I promise. And I won’t just give up on you right away, you will have time to adapt. I’m here for two more weeks, I will help you, and… Make sure he gets comfortable with you around. And even once I’m gone, Undyne, Alphys and Toriel can answer any of your questions, or react if something goes wrong. I just want… Someone to give him a chance, not like last time.”

“Last time?”

“This is not the first time I’ve trusted someone to take care of Sans. A few months ago, we tried to place him in a specialized structure, just for a week, as it was the anniversary of our arrival on the Surface and no one had enough time to give him the attention he needed. This is what he was talking about earlier.”

You grimace. It didn’t sound like Sans enjoyed the experience. Papyrus sits on the ground, you follow his movement.

“I don’t know what happened there exactly, and I regret it. Sans always had a hard time with the hospitals, and even if it wasn’t one, the rooms looked like hospital rooms. Sans refused to take his meds for a few days, and I believe they forced his hand or threatened him. He became violent and seriously hurt two nurses. I retrieve my brother in a police station, badly traumatized. The chief nurse called the police and since there is no legislation concerning monster handicaps, they considered it was normal to interview him like anyone. Sans struggled to answer, they screamed at him, and… He attacked the police officers.”

The skeleton brings his knees under his shin.

“When I arrived with Asgore, Undyne and Toriel, they refused to let us see him. But they made him exit the interview room at the same moment, and I saw him, handcuffed. Sans screamed my name and I couldn’t do anything to help him. I beg them to let me talk to him, that I could calm him down, they refused to hear anything and imprisoned him, as they judged it was too dangerous to let him free.”

“That’s bullshit.” You hiss, offended.

“Yes, it is. Asgore and Toriel fought days and nights to get him out of there. They went to meet the government to explain their point and make them realize how wrong it was. Asgore thought using the television could help, so I had to talk on countless human TV shows, with the less empathetic persons I ever met, and eventually, thanks to public opinion, Sans finally got out after twelve days. The state we found him in was very worrily. He didn’t take his meds all the time he was in prison, he refused to eat for a long time, or talk, and any physical touch made him jumpy… It was like we were back when he had his accident. He improved eventually over the next few months, but now, when he gets close to any hospital, he panics. But he has to go every two months or so so Alphys can check him. She tries to do it from home, but sometimes, she doesn’t have all the equipment for it. We need to find ways to take him, and when it’s not working, Alphys sedates him so he doesn’t realize what’s going on, even though it doesn’t help and can make his exam results false. The next one is in four days. He doesn’t know yet.”

“Alright. That doesn’t sound too good.”

The French door opens behind you, making both you and Papyrus jump. Sans gets out of the living room and slowly sits next to you. He looks tired, but he’s smiling again, which is encouraging.

“I thought you wanted to make them visit the house.” He notices. “I know our garden is nice, but that’s twenty minutes you’re observing it now, it must be boring. Are you counting the blades of grass again? I thought you were over it.”

“I struggled to grow this grass for months, I’m very proud of it and I have the right to observe it for how long I want!” Papyrus growls, falsely angry. “But also, we were chatting about… things.”

“Oh? What things?” He asks, colder, his white pupils probing your soul.

Papyrus hits you not so discreetly with his elbow in the ribs. You jump, before turning to Sans, panicked. You don’t know how to lie!

“Uh… Asgore’s and Toriel’s visit, this morning. I was asking Papyrus if it was something they were doing often. To… Um… See if it’s exceptional or if I have to get used to it, you know?”

“Exactly!” Papyrus approves with such control in his voice you immediately get jealous. “I was telling her how Toriel sneaked into everyone’s tent to give pie to every monster out of fear we die of hunger during the night, the day after we arrived on the Surface.”

Sans doesn’t answer. His eyes don’t leave yours one second. He knows it’s not the truth, you can tell. He’s going to ask questions, and get angry, and…

“Oh. Right.”

He shrugs and installs more comfortably next to you. You turn to Papyrus, in shock. He makes a sign to encourage you to leave him be. Right. Maybe it’s for the best indeed.

Remember the good days, chapter 7.

[crisisevil]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Мор. Утопия | Pathologic Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Daniel Dankovskiy | Daniil Dankovsky/Peter Stamatin, Andrei Stamatin | Andrey Stamatin/Eve Yahn | Eva Yan Characters: Daniel Dankovskiy | Daniil Dankovsky, Peter Stamatin, Andrei Stamatin | Andrey Stamatin, Eve Yahn | Eva Yan, Laska | Grace (Pathologic) Additional Tags: Fluff, there is some sad but come On it's pathologic, Memory Related, andreyeva is really minor but it is canon for me so i can't not put it in, they are having a good time ok this is sweet, Blood and Injury, very minor in the retelling, mix between p1 and p2 characterization because ipl isn't the boss of me Summary:

The first few months he was trying to get clean, he told Daniil that one of the things that made it most difficult was remembering. I didn’t like the person I was before, and I don’t like anything that led up to it. But Daniil remembered who Peter used to be. And he couldn’t really condemn the memory, when it was someone he had fallen in love with. “Well. It wasn’t really romantic,” he began, stroking his partner’s hair with one hand. Peter chuckled. “That was a given, if Andrey was there.”

[sorryimanon]

Character: Katsuki Bakugou

Parings: Bakugou x fem!reader

Warnings: 18+, characters are in their third year.

Word Count: 5.4K

The two honor students of UA so happen to be childhood enemies. During the succession that is exams, Y/N is determined to beat Bakugou.

-

Exam season has commenced on the campus of U.A. Students woke up in a frenzied state, slightly nervous to the late night studying they’ll endure for the weeks to come. Not enough caffeine can energize them to be in complete motivation mode. A couple of students have taken the leisure of paying those to exchange notes, considering most of the questions will be going over every little detail in each subject. The exams don’t begin till next week, but a few of the honor students have already hit the books, not once indulging in a break or two till the sun sets. One of those students just so happen to be you, an inspiring young hero with the hunger for being on top of everything. Ever since middle school, teachers would constantly praise you on your performance during tests. It was no surprise to anyone when you aced the entrance exam to U.A, a remarkable score leading you closer to reaching your dream. Although your scores on every test was superb, someone else would occasionally steal the spotlight with by topping your score. That person in particular has been tailing behind you ever since middle school, another honor student who also attends U.A as well. Did you mention he also is in the same hero course as you?

Katsuki Bakugou is his name. A name that burns the tip of your tongue whenever you gave roll call alongside Iida. The man is a ball of pure fury. He exuded nothing but anger and hostility whenever he’s in a room. Despite his aggressive exterior, Katsuki is an avid academic student who manages to score excellent grades in each of his classes. For the past 3 years of attending U.A, you two are considered the star studded scholars, never once failing a test, midterm, pop quiz , you name it! Now with your hero course almost coming to an end, you were determined to at least score the highest result this exam season, leaving Bakugou in the dust with his inadequate score. Maybe have him crying in the corner would suffice the drawn out rivalry you two established. No one verbally said it was an all out war between you two, but everytime those test results are posted on the board, everyone steered clear for the both of you to silently react. Everyone awaits for the day when one of you finally snaps and start clawing at each other. But alas, only the mere exchange of a side eye and a curt nod. Deep down you do want to slap the smirk that always resides on his face during those moments, showing him you weren’t just going to let him win by smarts.

That’s why now you sit alone on the cushioned couch in the commons area, books sprawled around you like a protective barrier. You had your eyes glued to a textbook about the history of quirks and their physiology, a class in which you needed to spend studying the most for. It’s been a a few hours into your little study session, and you were beginning to feel the drag of how much you needed to actually work on. All this including your current homework and your mandatory internship studies at an agency. It was all too much to handle. So, maybe you do deserve a break.

Pushing the book aside, you stretched out your cramped up arms and sigh in relief. In the corner of your eye you spot a familiar head of ashy blonde walking into the commons room, books and notebooks crammed into his armpit while holding what seems to be an energy drink. Your eye twitched watching him plop down onto the couch across from you, never once paying attention to your presence. Katsuki then rests his bare feet on the wooden coffee table, opening one of his textbooks with the swipe of his thump. For some odd reason, this really riled you up. And it was clear Katsuki noticed too.

“Am I bothering you? Hm?” He smugly asked, eyes not wavering from the text before him.

You scoffed.

“No. Just, don’t speak while I’m trying to study okay?”

He clicked his tongue at you.

“Doesn’t seem like you’re studying to me. Looks like you’ve given up already. What gives?”

His comment made you even angrier.

“Given up? Kacchan, you’ve barely started.”

Looking up, you can see a faint vein forming against the temple of his forehead. His fists clenched tightly, crumpling the sides of the textbook. His eyes now were averted to yours. The crimson death glare, you’d call it.

“I was training with Kirishima, dumbass. So of course I couldn’t hop onto my studies earlier,” he started. Katsuki opens his energy drink with one finger, the pop of the air leaving the can satisfying to your ears, and took a swing of it. “Also, don’t ever fucking call me that. If I hear it from your mouth again I won’t hesitate to use my quirk on you.”

An intriguing idea. Usually you’d be the one to threaten your enemy, but Katsuki like always beat you to the punch.

“No thanks, I’d rather be harassed by grape juice than be blasted from the likes of you,” the taunt in your voice triggered something within Katsuki, causing him to tense up in pure anger. “Besides, I’m planning on studying all day till my eyes fall out. So don’t expect me to leave this spot.”

His smirk was soon on full display, uncrossing his legs to lean forward so he can rest his elbow on his knee.

“Oh really? Just so you know we have an early training tomorrow in preparation for our final exam. Wouldn’t want ya to, cha know, fail?” He didn’t even sound slightly concern for yourself and your future study habits, you can tell he wishes for you to fuck up your sleeping schedule to miss the important training in the morning.

“I have an alarm set on my phone so I don’t miss my beauty rest. Wouldn’t want to pass up the opportunity of kicking your ass tomorrow,” you held your mobile device triumphantly, waving it back and forth to mock him.

With the roll of his eyes, Katsuki returned back to his studies, leaving you to sadly resume as well. Before he entered the commons area, you were about to head into your dorm room to take a nap, but now you were obligated to stay put without letting him think you’re already burnt out.

Silently, you both continued on with the unspoken competition.

-

Evening struck quicker than you expected, cascading the soft glow of the painted sky through the windows, illuminating both you Katsuki in a pink hue. Thankfully, Katsuki took your words into consideration and never spoke to you during the session, giving you an easy feeling of relaxation without him making it another competition.

Already you finished your notes for advance foreign language, quirk physiology, and mathematics. So far, you were ahead of everyone else, with the exception of Katsuki. Occasionally, you’d catch yourself glancing over at him working intensively in his small corner, highlighting and jotting down every minuscule detail in his notebook. This was your first time witnessing how Katsuki studies. To your disappointment, his regime was nothing out of the ordinary. Then how the fuck does he manage to score high grades? It simply baffled you.

A stampede of footsteps was to be heard coming from the hallway leading to the commons area. After what seems to be years, you cranked your head away from your notebook to see Kirishima and the rest of the gang marching towards the direction of both you and Katsuki, who was currently shooting daggers at the group of friends. The red head was the first to speak out of the four of them.

“Aye Bakubro! Wanna skip the studying for a little and eat with us at NoodleShop?” His smile gleamed brightly, showcasing his shark incisors.

“Y/N you too! Come join us. I’ll pay!” Mina chimed in.

Noodles sounded pretty appetizing right about now. You skipped out on lunch, too engrossed on the idea of getting a head start for the exams. Now you regret the decision of leaving your stomach on empty.

But you still had so much left to do. And knowing Katsuki’s competitive nature, he wasn’t going to move an inch from his spot.

“It’s okay Mina, I uh- already ate a big meal awhile ago,” you dismissed her, patting your belly to show you were indeed, full.

As if on cue, a loud growl erupted from the depths of your stomach, the noise reverberating across the soundless space. Denki and Sero both snickered.

To your amazement, Katsuki got up from the couch and trailed over to the group, slipping on his red hoodie that was draped on the arm rest. He took a quick glimpse at you and smirked over his shoulder.

“Watch my things for me will ya, extra?” And with that they all left the area as a group.

You huffed in defeat and stared back at your jumbled pile of notes, the writing transcending from neat to sloppy text. At least you don’t have an explosive blonde sharing the same air as you for now. You reached into your bag and grabbed another textbook, this one being more heftier than the others.

“Oh well, more time for studying...” you said to yourself as you skimmed through the pages of Hero First Aid: Volume 6.

-

The beautiful spring sky soon was replaced by the expanse of darkness, the twinkle of the bright stars catching your eyes. The moon alone helped cast a sheen of light, allowing you to work in the dimly lit up space. Bakugou didn’t return to retrieve his stuff, all of which were sat untouched in a hasty mess. You figure him and the rest of the gang would have been back on campus by now, but everyone in class 1-A have locked themselves in their dorms since lights out will commence in a few. Aizawa has yet to prohibit you from staying past the curfew. As long as you don’t go running among the halls like a lunatic and stay strictly to studying, he’s all game. And that’s exactly what you did.

A couple of students murmured as they passed by you, saying things like “Does she ever have a life” or “All she does is study...no wonder no one has asked her out yet”. As much as the comments sting, you knew they weren’t true to your heart. Last year, someone in class 2-B formally asked you to the dance. To their dismay, you rejected them on the spot. Only because you didn’t have time to date or talk romantically with anyone. It’s a distraction to both your education and future career.

Okay, so maybe they were partially correct. At least you had your first kiss before entering U.A? But the person who stole your kiss was obligated to do so, after being dared by their fellow acquaintances. Nothing more beyond that have you explored with another person.

Submerged in your own thoughts, you didn’t notice the presence of the angry blonde, hands stuffed in the pockets of his hoodie as he strolled to the couch that had all his materials. He began to gather his things when suddenly he freezes, remembering what you said about not moving an inch from your spot. He’s astonished to see you cemented on the same couch, in the same position, notes blanketing your thighs along with the pile books pooling at the edge.

You really are determined to beat him, he thought. Bakugou can’t deny he’s impressed with your ambition and drive to be the best among your peers, even if that means sacrificing basic human needs. Like food and sleep.

Although, looking at you right now in this state, with your eyes threatening to close shut, mouth slightly agape, and hair bunched up in a tight knot, it’s clear you were exhausted. He spoke without realizing it.

“Hey dumbass! The fuck you still doing here, huh? It’s almost lights out.”

His brooding voice startled you awake, causing the papers on your lap to spill on the carpeted floor. Bakugou coughed out a low chuckle, amused by how the mere sound of his voice scares you.

“Oh it’s just you,” you said, disregarding how that could easily irritate him.

“Yeah, it’s me. Anyway you should be getting rest. You’re smart enough to know that, idiot.”

Even though it was a subtle backhanded compliment, you couldn’t help but to appreciate him acknowledging your intellect.

“I can’t. I have to go over my flash cards for mathematics and then finish this week’s homework for tomorrow—.”

“Holy fucking shit shut up. Don’t you realize what you’re doing to yourself right now?” When you didn’t answer, Bakugou slapped his forehead. “You’re gonna burn yourself out dumbass! Then you won���t have any motivation left to study for when the exams are actually starting.”

Stunned, you watch as Bakugou stomps over to where you’re sitting at, crimson eyes never leaving yours. He then props his leg on the cushion next to your trembling thighs, out stretching his arm to grab ahold of something. Too focused on the proximity between you two, it didn’t register that he swiped your flash cards from your hands. What is wrong with him? Does he want to sabotage you this badly before exams?

“Bakugou! Give those back! I need them for my exam on Monday!” you ignored how whiny you sounded, not wanting to give Katsuki the satisfaction he thinks he deserves.

“You really think whining like a bitch will make me hand these over? Think again, dumb-.”

You cut him off with a surprise attack, shoving his entire body to the ground with the force of yours. Bakugou’s arms were pinned above him as you tried to pry the flash cards from his death grip on them. Stubbornly, he wiggles his body to keep you from reaching his arms, almost knocking you off his torso like a bull. Looking down, both of you were in a compromising position. Straddling his hips while he laid lifelessly underneath you, panting like a feral dog. You tried to keep the heat from spreading throughout your body as you felt his groin rub against your sex, but failed tremendously when he can obviously see the prominent blush creeping on your cheeks.

“What the fuck was that all about?! Why are you so adamant about beating me so much!” He yelled directly in your face.

A question that neither of you knew the answer to. Why were you so determined to destroy Bakugou? Shouldn’t a fellow honor student be happy that another is also making their education a main priority? Or maybe there is another underlying reason, something deeper under the dermis of your skin that you couldn’t quite reach.

You further the distance away from his face by leaning backwards, eventually hitting the front of his thighs and kneecaps.

“You don’t understand. I have to be good at everything. I need this in order to be the hero I’ve been wanting to be. Even if that means neglecting my own needs...” you paused, unsure if Bakugou was even listening anymore. “That is, until you came along and ruined everything.”

“Hah?!” His reaction was incredulous.

“Don’t “Hah” me! It’s been your plan all along since middle school to top me at everything. So why me?!”

“Well maybe it’s because I’ve always looked up to you dumbass! Have you ever considered that!”

The words tumbled out of his throat as if he’s been holding off on the sentiment. Bakugou Katsuki, the abrasive yet studious boy, just so happens to admire you? Never it occurred to you that maybe, just maybe, you also strived to be the absolute best solely because of him. The way he strides into a battle with confidence, not an ounce of doubt that he’ll lose. His diabolical strategies that somehow works out in the end. Or the way how underneath that rough exterior, he believes he’ll be the one left climbing to the top, along with his peers. It’s his sticky pride that kept the rivalry between you two so alive. But was it really a rivalry after all this time?

Eyes widen at the confession, you stay frozen on his lap, fingers bunching up the top half of his hoodie. The silence broke Katsuki. For once, he wanted you to at least admit it, that you were also in the same boat as he is right now. So, he hesitantly reaches out and rests his palm against your flushed face, basking in at your sudden reaction to him touching you.

“Why does everything have to be a competition between us?” His soft spoken voice was uncharacteristic for him, you were so used to his gravelly tone after years of being the victim to it.

You felt the traces of his warm finger tips tickling lines on your outer cheek, as if he’s done this before.

“Isn’t that our dynamic? Competitive enemies?” The comment made him quirk an eyebrow at you.

“Enemies? You were never one in my eyes in the first place...” He trailed off, getting distracted by how close you’ve gotten to his face. To his lips.

“Then, what am I to you?” you leaned in closer, hoping to catch a glimpse of something in his eyes. You took notice that his pupils were dilated, making his eyes darker than usual. The hand rubbing lines on your cheek snaked around behind your head, taking full comfort on the base of your neck. The feeling was quite foreign to you. How long you yearned till days on end for someone to touch you tenderly like this. Especially from someone like Katsuki Bakugou.

“Does this answer your question.” Was all he said before smashing his lips to mount yours, the sudden contact making you shiver in his arms.

You felt him breathe out in surprise against your mouth when you took the initiative by swiping your tongue on his bottom lip. The kiss was exquisitely slow and intense. So intense that Bakugou forgot where he even was at the moment, too engulfed at the texture of your tongue asking for entrance. The fingers digging into the back of your neck started to hurt, but you didn’t mind the pain, the pleasure overwhelming all your senses. You can hear the harsh undertones of his breathing every time you slightly moved the lower half of your body.

“Stop moving, idiot,” he said breathlessly.

He knew he was fucked by seeing the smirk forming on your lips.

“Oh, you mean like this?” You then grind your hips in a harsh motion, relishing in the bashful look on Katsuki’s face.

He let his hands go freely, attaching themselves on both sides of your hips, grounding you to stop altogether. He sat in an upright position, encasing you between his legs and hard chest, your legs wrapping around his torso. Any other time it’d be comforting, but right now you felt like a bird trapped in a cage.

“Who knew the good girl would be so disobedient? Kind of hot not gonna lie.” He bent his head to where it was directly hovering over the sensitive spot on your collarbone. “Even when we’re just making out, you have to make everything a goddamn competition huh?”

A gasp left your throat once his tongue licked a clean strip on the surface. He chuckled, loving the feeling of you squirming in his muscular arms and continued the attack on your skin. His feather-like kisses switched to full on feverish sucking and biting. He proceeded to suck on the area, letting go with a definite ‘pop’, then returned back by making out on the bruised skin.

The combination of his tongue, the death grip on your hip, and the bulge protruding from his loose sweatpants was too much stimulation already. Before you knew it, Katsuki abruptly stood up from the floor, along with you, and placed you back on the plush couch. Your legs were wide open, giving him a good view of your white panties beneath the school skirt. You clamped your legs together after seeing the blonde lick his lips at the sight.

“D-Don’t be such a pervert,” you squeaked out.

That didn’t stop him from slipping his hand in between the crack of your legs, spreading them wider than before.

“Stop lying to yourself. You’ve imagined me between these thighs haven’t you?” The silence following his question was enough to suffice him. “Such a naughty girl.” Those crimson eyes stared straight ahead as he tugged your panties down a notch.

Here?! Right now? Why couldn’t he reside both of you in his dorm? It was literally at the end of the hallway. Plus, the thought of your teacher, Aizawa, catching you would be mortifying.

Your hand quickly latched itself around Katsuki’s forearm, halting him from proceeding his lustrous actions.

“What are you doing?! We could get caught you idiot!”

Katsuki grins and says, “You’re right. We need to find a way to shut you up.” Without preamble, he practically ripped the thin panties with sheer ferocity, causing you to yelp. You were about to scold him for ruining your favorite pair when said panties got shoved into your open mouth. “Remember, don’t want to get us caught right? Now be the good girl like you are and stay quiet for me.” Obediently you nodded at his order and prayed that whatever he’s going to do to you won’t be too much.

Katsuki hummed, obviously pleased at how well you’re going along with this. He wonders how far you’ll go till you break. With the swipe of his tongue, Katsuki dragged it up and down on the opening of your drenched sex. You mewled at the new sensation, legs already trembling as he his own salvia covered your folds. He bit and nibbled on the sweet spot, the clit, and lapped a few lazy strokes with his pointer finger in circular motions. Before you could stop him, he inserted the lubricant finger into your hole slowly, pumping it a couple of times to get you loosened up. Muffled moans perked up the ears of Katsuki. Looking up, he saw the beautiful sight of your eyes rolled behind your head along with the familiar tint of red on your cheeks. Just like the secretive slut you truly are, you swayed your hips to create more friction. Katsuki acknowledged your needy movements and dipped his head between your legs again, returning back to kissing your sex open mouthed. The lewd noises of him sucking on your wetness elicited a long drawn out moan from you, making Katsuki’s own cock twitch at the glorious sound.

“You’re so fucking cute like this. Almost coming from just my tongue and fingers. Fucking slut,” he said between suctions. “God, what were we thinking...we could’ve just resolved our issues like this every time.”

You grabbed a handful of his spiked up hair and raised his head away from your lower region. While doing so, you spit out the soaked clothed panty from your mouth, letting it drift off to the floor.

“Just s-shut up and do something about m-me,” you manage to croak out. You flicked your eyes on Katsuki and to the hand buried inside your skirt.

“Ah, want more than just my fingers? Could’ve just said so. Why are you being so quiet with your needy demands, babe?”

This newfound nickname plucked a heart sting within you. You shook off his snarky comment and stood up from the couch. If it’s a competition he wants, then it’s a competition he’ll get.

“Take off your pants and sit on the couch.”

Craning his head back, his own roar of a laughter bounced across the quiet room. Laughter dying down, his expression changed seeing how serious you actually were.

“Tch. Whatever you say dumbass. Don’t want you to explode on me now.”

He did as you said and removed the article of clothing, leaving him in nothing but his red boxer briefs. The bulge grew bigger the longer you stared at it. He laid back on the plush cushion and rested his arms behind his head.

“Alright, I’m waiting Y/N,” he taunted you.

One by one, you unbutton your school uniform and let it fall off your shoulders, along with your plaid skirt pooling at your ankles. Arms crossed on your chest you tower over Katsuki, who was surprisingly not staring at your goods, but your eyes. Beckoning you forward with his glare, you straddle him immediately, hands resting on his broad shoulders.

My, all these years of being in the same class and never once did you take advantage of appreciating how chiseled he looked in his hero costume. Sometimes you’d glance his way or pretend to be busy, but really, you wanted to see him in action. The way how his muscles would contract with each swing or punch. It was enough to make a girl swoon. Now you were swooning for sure. On his lap to be precise.

“Oi, you gonna do something nerd? My cock isn’t going to finish off itself.” His voice snapped you back to reality.

It took a few minutes, but you were finally hovering over the tip of his throbbing member, the glistening of his pre-cum coating your fingers. You teased him by rubbing just the tip against your entrance, lubricating the member even more. He tried to muffle his whines, but failed tremendously after feeling his tip graze your sex. Both of you were heavily now, anticipation radiating off of your sweaty bodies. Tenderly, you kissed him open mouth while sheathing yourself on his cock.

“Holy shit, holy fuck fuck fuck,” the vulgar words spilled from his mouth against yours as you bottomed out. You stayed in that position. Still unsure what to do and what you got yourself into. Pretty sure you’re torturing Katsuki by the minute.

“F-Fucking move," He growled in your ear.

Leaning in closer you whisper, “You have to beg for it then.” You nibbled the loose skin on the bottom of his ear and tugged it gently.

“Hell no! God-fucking-damnit don’t make this a competition right now Y/N.” The palm of his abnormally large hand pushed your face away from his. You giggled.

“C’mon Bakugou, there’s no harm in it. Just say please?”

“Fuck you shitty woman...”

“That’s not begging,” you pouted.

He pursed his lips. Bakugou admittedly is getting more turned on by the minute, and not just because you were practically inside him.

“P-Please fucking move. I w-want you to fuck me so bad you have no idea. Please Y/N...”

Smiling, you raised your hips to where the veins on the side of his member scraped the walls within you. It made your cunt twitch in pure ecstasy. Slowly, you lowered yourself back down, only this time you weren’t stagnant. You repeated the same vertical movements, clashing your hips with his. Bakugou titled his head back on the couch, degrading sentiments leaving his mouth as his hands grasped the sweaty flesh of your ass, squeezing it harshly every time you bounced on his dick. The tip of his member taking your breath away as it prodded the spongy walls.

“Yes- oh fuck yes. Ngh, keep doing that. Yeah like that. Hah-fuck, don’t stop,” he said between the constant panting.

Due to your rapid bouncing, your boobs were flailing in the air, occasionally hitting Bakugou in the face. Katsuki took matters into his own hands and latched his mouth around one of your perked nipples. You squealed at the sudden sensation.

“B-Bakugou...don’t do that...it’ll make me come faster,” you moaned as he grazed his teeth on your taut nipple.

For revenge, he tugged back the areola till it reached a few centimeters from your chest. Painful yes, but you couldn’t deny it felt amazing. He quickly let go and returned to sucking on the tit, lathering it up with his own spit. All the while you were riding him till the muscles and tendons in your legs gave out. Steadying your hands on his shoulders, you grounded on your knees to give yourself a better leverage. Feeling touch starved, Bakugou shoved your hands from his shoulders and laced his fingers between them. Like a missing puzzle piece, you fit in perfectly with him. Everything about you was perfection. You defined it. Sitting here watching as you take him well, physically or not, he was completely enamored by the mere sight of you. He craned his head to brush just the tip of your nose. A nose he unmistakably mentally captured because he loved the feature so much.

Although, he couldn’t think straight after that once you bottomed out again and rolled your hips in tune to his panting. You made a mess out of the aggressive blonde. Each time you swayed your body to the side he’d grunt out a low moan, trying to contain his usual loud profanities from waking up your classmates. Bakugou reached down and teasingly rubbed the sensitive bud, getting revenge for all the times you’ve pissed him off. Under your breath, you moaned out his last name.

“Say my name,” he grunted, hands continuing to expertly work on you from below.

Confused, you obeyed and moaned, “Bakugou!”

Suddenly, a painful sting sparked throughout your lower back. Eyes glued shut due to the searing pain, you whimper feeling a calloused hand smooth over the spot on your ass.

Katsuki spanked you. And you liked it.

“My actual name, dumbass. I wanna hear it coming from your mouth.”

With a thrust, you continue moving up and down on his cock, never once missing a beat.

“K-...Katsuki. Katsuki-Katsuki...” his name sounded ethereal, as if he was a higher being.

Katsuki returned the favor and fisted your hair in a tight knot, your scalp screaming at how harsh he was pulling.

“That’s a good girl.”

With a playful slap to your behind, Katsuki roughly shoves you to mount his lips again. Lips parted, both of your tongues twisted against each other, sharing a decent amount of saliva. He slipped out and pecked your lips a few times before biting down on your bottom lip. It didn’t hurt like all the times he inflicted pain on you previously. But this time you swore you felt the trickle of blood trailing down to your chin. The coppery taste infiltrating your taste buds only increased your arousal. What a masochist.

Bakugou noticed the pacing of your movements decreasing, indicating you are already feeling worn out, and steadied his hands onto your hips.

“Just let me do the work here, dumbass,” he said as he thrusted sharply into your womb, causing you to whimper into his neck. “I’ll take good care of you. You deserve a break from studying after all.”

-

You woke up feeling dizzy and fatigued, body aching from your toes to your head. From what you can remember, you were in the middle of studying when...

Katsuki happened.

Then you realized you weren’t in the commons area anymore. Somehow, you were laying in a medium sized bed, covers strewn over your naked body, along with a muscular arm draped across your torso. To your side you can see a passed out Katsuki snoring quietly into his pillow. Even when he’s asleep, he still looks angry.

Jolting upright, you carefully pry his arm from your body. No prevail. He’s got a strong hold on you.

He shuffled in his sleep and tightened his grip around you.

“Mmm...not leaving...stay a little longer,” he mumbled.

You rolled your eyes. “We both can’t walk out of your dorm in the morning. People will get suspicious of us. Not to mention Aizawa,” you retorted back.

“Oh? Don’t like the idea of ‘us’ huh? That’s not what you said last night.”

You didn’t need to look to know he was wearing his infamous shit eating smirk.

“Shut up.”

For the first time you heard Katsuki genuinely laugh without forcing it. You looked over and saw his eyes wide open now, staring at nothing but you.

“Whatever, you love me Y/N.”

“I DO NOT!”

Grabbing your face with his rough hands, he pressed a tender kiss to your lips.

“Go to fucking sleep nerd, we have a pre-exam in a few hours.”

-

(You can obviously tell I got lazy at the end LMFAO. This has been in my drafts for a LONG time. Also, this isn’t edited so please excuse the horrendous text that is this post. Xoxo)

[burnedbyshoto]

disconnected

— Kirishima answers a phone call that wasn’t intended for him, and of course he can’t help but be interested in the beautiful voice and soul that angrily began to rant about their day. —

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pairing: kirishima eijirou x fem!reader

warnings: fluff, lil angst (lol sorry), cursing

word count: 7,786

a/n: this was a stupid thought that slammed into my mind, and here it is!!!! now I have a calc midterm tomorrow that I did not look at because why think about double derivatives and integrals when I can think about kirishima????

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It was eleven at night when Kirishima strolled out of his bathroom, ready to go to bed. After a rather long day, he was looking forward to sleeping and not having to wake up at the crack of dawn. Tomorrow for the very first day in a very long time, he wouldn’t have to work at the local coffee shop he was hired at. It was a job he had acquired with his good friends on the promise of it being a manageable job on top of his college work, and of course, the pretty girls who would go in.

From what Kirishima had gathered from the four months working there was that there were a lot of pretty girls who entered the coffee shop — most of which were focused on the angry ash-blond friend of his — and that it was so unnecessarily stressful. 

Some days he was up at four in the morning to open at six for the morning regulars, then he’d go to his afternoon classes, only to return for a two-hour shift in the middle of rush hour, and would leave while trying to keep the peace between a certain ash-blond and two new hires. To say the least, it was hell on Earth at times. 

Regardless, he didn’t have to open tomorrow morning, so he was content! On top of not having classes tomorrow, Kirishima was excited to sleep in.

Falling on his bed with a massive sigh, Kirishima snuggled his face into his pillow, rejoicing in the way that the laundry detergent still clung to the fabric and relaxed.

Sleep sounded so—

RIIING.

RIIING.

Kirishima’s eyes slammed open, his head snapping to see his illuminating phone on his nightstand. He had no idea who the hell was calling this late. There was no way it was Bakugou; he was asleep already at this point. Sero had broken his phone two days ago during a failed stunt and wouldn’t be able to get a new phone until the weekend. Kaminari only called him when there was a bug in his apartment, but he was currently closing… maybe it was Mina? Kirishima shook his head, no, he hadn’t spoken to Mina in ages.

Grabbing the phone, he didn’t bother to look at the caller ID and answered.

“Hello—?”

“Oh my god, I am fucking raging! You can’t believe what kind of fuckery I just went through tonight!” a voice shouted into the receiver, and Kirishima flinched a bit at the loud and angry voice. “So you know how I wasn’t supposed to work today, right? Because my coworker had sex with her ex-boyfriend like an idiot, and I owed her for covering my shift three months ago, but anyways irrelevant. I’m taking the order of this one group of adults. That’s right, A-D-U-L-T-S, adults! They are completely staring at my tits the entire time, and not my face. At first, I thought maybe you know, I had spilled something on my tits earlier, no. No! NOTHING! So I call them out on it, and they say something along the lines of ‘you could be a camgirl with that body, but like not in a sex sort of way’ I’m sorry, WHAT?! Like yes, continue sexually harassing your server who is a college student and therefore has no will to live, so will gladly beat your Gucci belt wearing ass into a bloody pulp! What they gonna do? Sue me? I have one dollar to my name, fucking take it, I don’t care, I’ll find another dollar in the sewer after I beat their asses up!

“But you know, I’m saying all this in my head because I’m broke and can’t afford to be fired from this place because the tips are hella good here. But they continue saying dumb shit, and then the obvious ringleader — I know he was the ring leader because his beard looks like it was the first picture printed on a new ink cartridge and his manspread was ten times wider than all of theirs — have the fucking audacity to slip his number while only tipping TEN DOLLARS ON A TWO HUNDRED DOLLAR TAB!!!!” Kirishima doesn’t know what to say, his jaw on his mattress, breathing having stopped while your voice wheezes from your lack of air. He makes a croaking noise, wanting to speak up and apologize for what had happened and for not being the person you thought it was, but it seemed that you weren’t over. “AND DON’T GET ME STARTED ON THAT FUCKING KAREN!!! ‘I didn’t like the way you looked at me so I won’t be tipping you tonight!’ yeah, well maybe if you didn’t order enough FOOD TO FEED AN ARMY AND KEPT SENDING IT BACK I WOULDN’T BE LOOKING AT YOU LIKE THAT!!!”

There was a pause, and Kirishima, while feeling entirely sorry for you, finally spoke, “Fuck, that sounds... horrible.”

“Damn right, it was horri— wait, who the fuck is this?” your voice squeaked, and Kirishima almost started to laugh at the difference in the tone your voice took. Once so loud, angry, and entirely ‘fuck the world,’ had changed into a meek and embarrassed voice.

“Um, this is Kirishima. Kirishima Eijiriou?”

“This isn’t Hagakure?” you moaned into the phone. “03-9082-2395? That isn’t this number?”

“2-2-9-5,” Kirishima repeated his own number back, a small smile overcame his features knowing that you had accidentally misdialed a number.

“Fuck my fat fingers,” you cursed, and Kirishima chuckled lightly at the mutterings that were poorly picked up. “Well, um, I am so sorry for calling you and dumping that unnecessary bullshit on you—”

“No, no,” Kirishima interrupted, rolling onto his back, staring up at the dimly lit ceiling. “It’s totally okay! You seem less stressed out now too, and it really isn’t a big deal!”

“You are very kind, Kirishima Eijirou,” you laugh, and Kirishima can’t help but imagine a figure curled up on a couch.

“Thank you!” he beamed, a hand threading through his hair, “um, but what happened with the Karen? And why were you typing in your friend’s phone number?”

“Do you really want to know?” you ask after a fit of bubbling laughter; it seemed that you were not at all convinced.

“I work at a coffee shop for one, so I totally understand the Karen situations! Secondly, all my contacts are on my phone, I don’t have a single one of them memorized!”

“Okay, okay, okay, I do not have this number memorized! Hagakure is my roommate, and she has a new number that she left posted on our fridge and because Mr. Sprinkles left in the middle of my rant, I called her to finish it!” you explain in what Kirishima could only consider being childlike glee. “And a coffee shop? Oof, Kirishima, you might have it just as bad as I do then.”

“Ever had a boiling cup of coffee thrown back at your face?”

“Shut. Up.”

“I wish I was joking!”

“The nastiest thing I’ve ever been put through is a highschool couple breaking up in the middle of the restaurant, and a bowl of cold soup and milkshake were thrown at me! And I had to work for another five hours!”

“That… that beat mine by a long shot…”

“Okay, but like, it was cold. If you hadn’t dodged, you’d be dead!”

As time passed Kirishima soon found himself sitting up on his bed, his back pressed against the headboard, a lamp on so that he wasn’t in the dark while he talked to you. Somehow conversation flowed so perfectly between the two of you, so smoothly, so naturally. You had extremely compelling energy and a pretty bright one at that as well. Your stories were exceedingly extravagant, most derailing into hundreds of side stories before making its way back to the main point, but he didn’t mind. Though there was no proof, he imagined that your arms were swinging around while you talked, a bright smile on your face, and lights shining in your eyes.

“So anyway, I had to beg my professor to let me remake this exam because, for some reason, my brain would not switch back to Japanese. I almost cried because I was only speaking in English, and I think because I am an amazing person, my professor let me do that!” you laughed after explaining an issue with being fluent in a third language. 

“My English skills deteriorated after leaving high school, I’m rather jealous you can speak three languages,” Kirishima admitted, his head falling back onto the cold wall. “My Japanese professors probably think my Japanese sucks too.”

“Just because I am amazing and can speak three languages doesn’t mean I’m perfect at it,” you laugh, obviously trying to make him feel better about himself.

“Mm, I don’t know, you’re painting yourself as a pretty perfect person,” Kirishima sighed. “Or you have an enormous ego…”

A loud scoff came from your end of the phone, and Kirishima waited for your verbal retaliation but was met with a moment of silence.

“Oh! Welcome home!” you called out, and Kirishima quickly put together that your roommate Hagakure was home. “Yeah, no, I’m talking to someone right now! ...who? Oh, um, a friend! ...no, I tried to call you when I got home but misdialed your number and got him instead! NO! You’re not going to get a pic of him! Wait, it’s what time?!”

Kirishima’s eyes fell over to his alarm clock and saw in the dim red light that it was 04:57. 

His jaw dropped.

“Well, um, Kirishima, it seems that our call is going to end,” you whisper into the phone, and Kirishima lets out a breathless chuckle, sudden sleepiness creeping into him. “It was pretty fun chatting with you stranger, thanks for putting up with that ranting in the beginning! Most normal people wouldn’t have picked up or let me rant like that!”

“It’s no problem,” Kirishima smiled softly, his fingers stretching out to turn off the light. He licked his lips, five hours on a phone call with an absolute stranger, and he didn’t have your name, and better yet, a part of him wanted to ask if it was okay to be friends. You were magnetic to him, and he wanted to know more about you, even if this was this weird modern and accidental penpal thing. “I didn’t have anything to do today, and you were fun talking to!”

“Aww, thank you!”

Silence.

Ask, he thought, his teeth biting down onto his bottom lip. Ask!

“Um, I know this is weird and all, but do you think I can keep your number?” you ask, your voice almost timid and meek.

Kirishima’s heart rate spikes at those words, he very much wanted that, but his mouth had a mind of its own it seemed. “Why?”

“Wha— well, I just had a lot of fun talking with you! It was fun, and I don’t know, you seem like a pretty chill guy!”

His fingers gripped his phone, a warmth spreading through him when he relaxed under his sheets. “On one condition.”

“Oof, if you’re going to ask to decide between Crimson Riot or All Might you’re going to be—”

“No, no,” Kirishima lets out a snort, his shoulders rolling while he imagines the curious look coming over your face. “I would like to know your name?”

“My name? Why would you want— HOLY SHIT! I never gave you—” there was a loud noise on your end of the call, and Kirishima heard you apologize profusely before returning in a hushed whisper. “Sorry! Sorry! I didn’t give you my name?!”

“No,” he laughed loudly, one that was pushed from his belly, spreading warmth through his body. “You never did, but I did learn every name of every person you’ve ever talked with!”

“God,” you groan, a small whine emitted from you. “I’m an idiot, I’m so sorry! Y/l/n y/n at your service!”

Y/l/n y/n, that’s a pretty name, he thought while imagining just what you could look like. 

“Well, goodnight y/l/n, I’ll save your number, and we’ll see if you still would like to be friends when you wake up?”

There was a small noise of agreement, “I’m like a drug, Kirishima, you’ll be back for more.”

“Okay, okay, goodnight…”

“Goodnight, sweet dreams!”

“Sweet dreams.”

Kirishima listened to the line ending, and he pulled his phone away from his ear and no sooner did he do that, a text came in at what he believed to be your number:

don’t let the bed bugs bite! 🕷😱‼️

He snorted and replied back before eventually letting sleep consume him.

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“You’ll never believe what just happened!” you squealed into the phone, and Kirishima laughed while wiping his sweaty face with a white towel. You had called thirty minutes earlier than usual and had caught him leaving the gym.

It had been a bit over two months since your misdial, and things with you had been going pretty well for strangers. The two of you didn’t talk every day, most weeks going by with just a single call, but they were always delightful talks. You worked most nights, and he most mornings, the two of you discovered. So most calls took place the night he didn’t have to work the following morning. 

“You got a customer who complained that there was too much salt in their meal that had no salt in it?” he asked, pulling a random story of something that had happened at his own coffee shop today. You let out an amused snort, a clear indicator that he was wrong, but found his guess to be amusing at the very least.

“No, but oddly enough, someone did ask for an insane amount of salt on their food and hated it!” you sang, clearly happy with how you found their distress to be funny.

“Close enough!” Kirishima laughed, but he was straight out of guesses, so he stopped. “So, what happened?”

“I tried coffee for the first time ever today!” you squealed loudly, and Kirishima cheered happily.

Through these two months, there were some hard facts that Kirishima had learned about you. One, you were living in the same city as him. Two, you worked at a semi-classy restaurant. Three, you had two roommates named Hagakure and Jirou. Four, you were twenty, just like him. And five, you were a child who only drank hot chocolate and tea because you were afraid of coffee.

~

“Caffeine is a drug you know,” you had snarkily teased him one night when he said he was going to make a cup of coffee. “Nice to know I’m friends with an addict!”

“If drugs were as amazing as coffee, I’d be an addict!”

“You know…” your voice whispered, your voice suddenly taking a guilty approach. “I’ve never actually tried coffee…”

“WHAT?!”

~

“Wow, look at you, becoming an old woman in front of my own eyes!” Kirishima chuckled, starting his walk back home. 

His fingers pushed the headphones to be more secure over his ears, hopeful that there it wouldn’t pick up too heavily on the wind of the outside world. 

“To be honest, it wasn’t that good, your taste buds are just tarnished from drinking that bitter crap all day!” you huff and he half imagined you turning your nose up.

“Okay, okay,” Kirishima laughed, a warmth flooding in his chest at the sounds of your muffled laughter. A visible indicator that you were also amused at this. “I hated coffee until I started working at a coffee shop, and that was because I needed to know my shit.”

“Wow, you only got that job while not being a coffee addict?” you tease. “Seems like a fake barista to me.”

“It’s pretty hard to believe, I know,” Kirishima stated his tone one of fake melancholy. “I’m so sorry for deceiving you, and honestly, I am a shit barista.”

“Aww, don’t say that!” you exclaim, and it seems like you’re ready to fight him. “I bet you put all those fancy TikTok baristas to shame!”

“TikTok?” he laughed, his pace speeding up just a bit so he would get home faster. “Wow, I am honored you think that!”

The light conversation continued, nothing too deep or too intense, just chatter about today's shifts and classes. Eventually, Kirishima made it back into his apartment complex, and stumbled into his room, collapsing onto his bed. 

“Can I ask something?” you ask suddenly, and Kirishima lets out a small hum.

“Yeah, of course, what’s up?”

“What do you look like?” you asked softly as if you were curled up in bed, seconds from letting sleep consume you. “I haven’t come up with a mental image that I like, and well, I want some hints.”

“I can just send you a picture of me,” Kirishima smiles, his eyes closing. “It would be much easier than me trying to explain to you what I look like.”

“No!” you disagree, and there's a long sigh from your end of the phone. “I’m not ready for that kind of information yet, Kiri. I just… I can’t accept a pic of you without sending one back, and I’m not mentally ready for that yet…”

“Don’t tell me the big fat Gucci bougie you is shy?!” Kirishima exclaimed, humor drowning his words as he referenced you to something you had called yourself one drunken night weeks ago.

“Not shy!” you bemoan, your voice muffling out at the end of it. “I’m more scared you’ll find me ugly and ghost me…”

“I don’t think that’s possible,” Kirishima interjected, his voice stable and confident.

“Which part?”

“Both parts.”

“How do you know that? You don’t know what I look like…”

“...call it… Kirishima’s intuition,” Kirishima slowly stated, his eyebrows furrowing. “I find your voice and your personality to be attractive on their own, so I would never ghost you. And of course, appearance isn’t anything; plus, there’s no way you’re not gorgeous.”

He says these words with honest truth, and a part of him fears he overstepped and made you wildly uncomfortable with the amount of silence that is heard from your end of the line. But finally, as Kirishima is ready to apologize to you, a soft exhale is heard.

“You’re a dork,” you whisper, and a soft grin spreads on his own face. “Anyways, I’ll ask questions, you answer them first, and then I’ll do the same.”

“Sounds good!”

“Hair color?”

“Black, but I dye it red.”

“Mm, edgy teenager, I like it, and also knew that because you complained about your stained sheets! Eye color?”

“Red.”

“Oh, am I sensing a theme? How tall are you?”

“I’m… a bit over six feet?”

The list went on, most questions becoming more of a joke than anything else, but he was glad that you were asking these things because now he had an insight on how you looked too. You had told him your eye color, your hair color, how tall you were, and a whole bunch of trivial things he would have never thought to ask about to begin with.

“Okay, last question!” you cheered, happy to have finally included Kirishima into your inside joke that revolved around your eyebrows. “Do you have any distinguishing features?”

“Well, I don’t actually...” Kirishima admitted, his fingers brushing against the scar on his eye, and then it hit him. That was one! “Oh, wait—” CRASH. A loud crashing noise emitted from your side of the call.

“Shit, hold on!” you curse and Kirishima can only remain silent while he hears you yelling in the background, it was too far away for him to quite understand, but it was enough to know that it didn’t sound okay. 

Kirishima sat on his side of the call, the phone pressed to his ear while he tried to strip his gross and sweaty shirt from his body. His teeth bit into his lip, his canine pressing into the permanent indent of his lip, an indicator of how anxious he used to be. 

“Fuck, Kiri?” your voice suddenly snapped back onto the call, your tone frantic and quick.

“Everything okay?”

“No, Hagakure showed up drunker than… a drunken drunk, I don’t know expressions, ANYWAYS I know tonight is our unofficial official call night, but anyway I can get a rain check?”

There was guilt that swallowed your voice, a pang of guilt that made Kirishima warm a bit because it showed that you valued these calls, just like him. 

“Of course, I don’t have class or work Friday morning this time around, so Thursday night?”

“That works perfectly,” you sigh, gratitude. “I owe you, text you later if you don’t fall asleep! Goodnight, sweet dreams, love ya!”

Kirishima couldn’t repeat the whole statement before you hastily hung up, but he couldn’t keep the smile off his face the entire time he showered. The shower didn’t take too long, and by the time he emerged from the shower, towel around his neck and his waist, he had a text message. 

sero - hey bro!!! i can’t pick up my morning shift tomorrow i know you have tonight to speak w y/n but todoroki and bakugou can’t cover it!

Kirishima sighed, he definitely didn’t have anything tomorrow anyways, he could manage with going in for an extra shift to help a friend.

kirishima - yeah sure what time?

sero - youre a life saver T-T im covering 8 am - 3 pm!!!

Kirishima sent a simple affirmative emoji before finishing up his nightly routine. 

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Kirishima looked at his apron while he was assembling himself in the backroom. The aroma of roasted coffee beans and pastries was almost pungent in the back, and he was eager to get out of there. As per employee regulations, he was to wear a black apron, a name tag, and something to hold his hair because it was a bit too long, for that, he wore a white bandana around his forehead.

“Wait, where’s my name tag?” Kirishima called out, his eyebrows furrowing when he turned out to Kaminari, who was currently in the back with him.

The blond froze and scratched the back of his neck, laughing awkwardly, “About that…”

So Kirishima was in the front of the store with a shiny silver name tag that read Hanta Sero. Because Kaminari was the best barista they had on hand currently, he was busy teaching Midoriya — their newest hire — around the bar. For now, Todoroki was nowhere to be found, and Kirishima was handling the cash register. 

Today was a slow morning, most people had their day off today, so morning coffee rush wasn’t in existence. Sure, there were a few outliers, but it was never chaotic. 

The gentle bell of the front door rang, and Kirishima automatically called out.

“Welcome!”

You had walked into the store, your eyebrows furrowed while you prayed that this was the coffee shop your roommates had been raving about. You’d never been here before, but it was the closest coffee shop available that wasn’t something generic and basic like Starbucks. You looked up from your phone at the voice, a thank you automatically being repeated while you neared the register.

You froze when you saw the red hair and the red eyes of the handsome man at the register. A careless thought entered your mind, Kirishima said he had red hair and red eyes… but he said he didn’t work today… 

A kind smile sat on his face, his eyes taking you in, waiting for you to approach him. 

This couldn’t be him, right?

The last time you had assumed a redhead working in a coffee shop was Kirishima, it had ended embarrassingly. 

“Um, hi,” you drawled out, your eyes reading the board to figure out your own order. 

Kirishima couldn’t keep his eyes off of you, you were exactly what you had described to him, but he wouldn’t ask until he was sure. He would ask you for your name after collecting your order for either tea or hot chocolate, and if it was you, he’d reveal that he was Kirishima. But he didn’t want to be wrong; he didn’t want to pin any other person as you, after all.

“I’ve never been here before,” you confess, your hand rubbing the back of your head. You were transfixed on the caramel macchiato that was spelled in the prettiest font, though, plus Hagakure promised all their coffee was good. 

“Oh, well, welcome! If you need any recommendations or have anything else to order, I can put those through while you look?”

His smile was kind, and you felt blood rush to your face, something you desperately tried to fight off by thinking of anything you didn’t like. 

“Oh! I do have two orders, though! There’s going to be one chai tea latte with three pumps of vanilla, and a lavender tea with a splash of oat milk.”

Kirishima nodded his head, “Will this be for here, or to go?”

His voice sounds so similar to Kirishima, you hoped, studying his face. While you answered that it was to go, you saw a distinctive scar on his right eye. Kirishima had said he didn’t have any distinguishing features… 

“What are your favorites here?” you ask, your eyebrows scrunched in confusion, your thoughts very evident in your face.

Kirishima couldn’t help but find hope bubbling up in his chest, there was always the possibility that you two lived in the same city-based off the same area code, and with what seemed like an incomplete knowledge in coffee, maybe…

Kirishima rambled off about the different seasonal drinks right now, his recommendations leaning towards the teas and non-coffee things primarily after his general and basic list. You seemed to take every word out of his lip like gospel, agreeing and nodding when appropriate, and his lips stretched into a grin when you bluntly exclaimed your ill knowledge of this all.

“To be honest, I only step into coffee shops to take a cute pic and then leave,” you laugh, pressing your hands against your lips and screaming a bit in your throat. 

Kirishima laughed, more confidence blooming through his body over the hope that this was you. It had to be you.

Your eyes then found the nametag on his apron, and like a sinking ship, you read Sero.

Not Kirishima.

“And for you?”

“I’ll have the caramel macchiato,” you decide, a grateful smile on your face while he looks down and writes the orders.

“A name?”

“Penny,” came your automatic response.

You never used your real name in coffee shops.

Kirishima suppressed the way that his mouth wanted to drop into a sad smile, and like two rejected teenagers, the money was exchanged. Before Kirishima could attempt to calm his disappointed soul, you walked out of the shop with the coffees and tea in hand.

“What was that about?” Kaminari asked, his eyes wide. “There was so much flirting and then poof, gone from both sides. Come on, dude, it’s my job to fail at flirting, not yours!”

Kirishima laughed, ignoring the way that his three friends looked at him with concern and curiosity. “Nothing, I just… the customer looked like how y/n described herself to be…”

“Oh… sorry, bro.”

“Nah, it’s all good,” Kirishima waved it off, and without so much as another slap on the back, he went back to work.

⋄⋆⊹⋄⋆⋄⋆⊹⋄⋆⋄⋆⊹⋄⋆

“What the hell are you doing?”

Kirishima looked up from his phone, his fingers mid-type pausing only for a millisecond before continuing to text blindly. 

“Oh, hey, Bakubro, what’s up?” he cheerfully spoke, ignorant to the controller in the ash blond’s hand. 

“It’s your turn, shitty hair, pay fucking attention!” Bakugou barked, tossing the plastic controller into his chest. Kirishima grunted, the feeling of the plastic slamming against his chest was less than ideal, but the smile on his face didn’t waiver while he offered his best friend the controller back.

“It’s all good, you can have another turn, I can handle being out this round!”

“Kiri, that’s six rounds in a row,” Kaminari spoke up, his face in a teasing smirk.

It was then that Kirishima’s face turned approximately the same color as his hair. “I didn’t—”

“Awww, Eijirou has a little crush on y/n!!!” Kaminari sang, resulting in agreeing with noises from Sero and Midoriya. Only Bakugou and Todoroki remained silent. 

Kirishima only laughed, he knew he couldn’t deny that fact, but he wouldn’t say it aloud — especially because Bakugou seemed to hate you. It had been now four months since the two of you had ‘meet,’ and while he still had no face to imagine you with, things had taken a slightly flirty route between the two of you.

Calls were much more frequent, nearly all nights the two of you would speak, even if it was just a measly summary of the day and a ‘sweet dreams’ and a ‘goodnight’ and an ‘I love you.’ It always happened nowadays.

Tonight was an exception, of course, because he was out with his friends, and apparently, you were doing the same. 

“You can’t be fucking serious?” Bakugou spat, a laugh spluttering from his lips, but it was cold and held no humor. “You caught feelings for a person who’s too much of a fucking coward to reveal a picture of themselves?”

“That’s not fair; besides, it's not about physical appearance!” Kirishima waved him off, pressing send to his text message.

have fun tonight! text me when u get back home if ur able to!

“Just how naive can you be?” Bakugou sneered, his hand taking the phone from Kirishima's side. “Six months of talking every week, texting every day, and this y/n still hasn’t trusted you with a single picture of them? I know you said that she told you how she looked, and all that shit, but let's be real, it’s so easy to lie about how you look like when you don’t have to provide a picture. What y/n say? Big tits? Big ass? Small waist? What about her did she say that made you so fucking insane over her?”

“N-Nothing! We didn’t talk about our body types!” Kirishima’s eyes widened significantly, the once comfortable atmosphere of the room wholly gone while Bakugou’s vermillion eyes seethed silently. “None of that matters! I told you the truth! I like y/n because of her personality, she’s manly, and I like that a lot! It’s not about her appearance, how pessimistic can you get, bro! I promise you, she’s trustworthy!”

“Is she really?”

“What?”

“How can you be in love with someone who you trust entirely, but doesn’t trust you at all? You said that y/n won’t show you a picture of herself because she’s scared you won’t like her? How is that trusting you? How is that fucking fair? To me, that sounds like some fucked up catfishing thing.”

“We talk on the phone, dude,” Kirishima said softly, but those thoughts were invading his mind. Did you not trust him? He knew he wasn’t the best option in the world, and he had accepted that in time and by improving on what he thought he was best at. But did you, after all this time, really not believe him when he claimed nothing would change when he saw you? “Catfishes don’t even do that… besides, the first call was by accident, why would someone—”

“Dunce face, what’s that one fucking idiotic thing you do for fun?” Bakugou snapped at the blond, not even bothering to look at him.

“Well, there’s a lot of things I do that you—” Kaminari laughed awkwardly, his smile tight and awkward.

“Kaminari.”

“I call… random numbers… pretending to have a big issue to see how they react…” he admitted, and Kirishima’s stomach clenched.

“And?” Bakugou snarled.

“I pretend to be a girl…”

“Don’t be stupid, Bakugou, this is more than one time!” Kirishima groaned.

“It's a voice that you can’t attach a face to, who knows if this is a person you can trust! People with voice acting exist in this world, how the hell do you possibly know that they’re not one of them?! Be fucking real, if ‘y/n’ trusted you, if that’s even their name, they wouldn’t be hiding their face from you.”

Kirishima didn’t say anything else, the acid piling in his throat was too much for him to even look at his friend. The night didn’t really recover from that conversation, and Kirishima eventually found himself back home.

He sat at the edge of his bed, his phone in his hands, waiting for a message from you. He couldn’t sleep, and even though he had work tomorrow morning, he found himself wide awake, unable to let sleep consume.

It was three in the morning when you sent a text, his eyes still wide awake, and with shaky fingers, he read the message.

i just got home can you believe that i drank three cups of wine and didnt get tipsy??????? thats on being a raging alcoholic ;D

Kirishima wanted to laugh; on god, he would’ve found this beyond delightful to read because he knew you couldn’t handle your liquor, but that bitter stream of acid destroyed the humor in his thoughts.

Were you really telling the truth? Was this all a lie?

He didn’t text back; instead, his finger pressed the call button, and he held his breath.

“Helloooo?” a voice picked up on the second ring, but it wasn’t your voice. It was a voice he didn’t recognize at all.

‘Voice actors,’ Bakugou’s voice reentered his thoughts, and the phone in his hand nearly dropped.

“Sorry, hello?” the voice he knew as you finally came through, and Kirishima let out a shallow breath, one so small, so mediocrely weak it burned his lungs.

“Do you trust me?” he asked softly, maybe too softly because you asked with a strained laugh for him to repeat his words. “Do you trust me, y/n?”

There was a pause on your end, too long a beat for Kirishima to be comfortable with.

“Of course I trust you, Ei, are you okay?”

“Do you actually trust me, or are you lying?”

“Woah there,” you said a small laugh on your tongue, but there was only confusion in it, not your contagious sound. “Did you drink? It’s a work night, you never do that!”

“Answer the question,” Kirishima spoke with finality, his shoulders tense, tears pushing past his eyes while he struggled to maintain composure.

Prove Bakugou wrong, please, prove Bakugou wrong.

“Of course I do,” you spoke with genuine clarity, but still, Kirishima was rattled, his confidence blown. “What’s going on?”

Did he want to confess to his insecurities? Was it worth it? His breathing became frantic, almost as if he was going insane just thinking about where his thoughts were. But Kirishima was never good at hiding things, no he was as open as a book.

“Why won’t you let me see you… we’ve been friends for six months, and the only thing I know about you is your eye color and your hair color. It’s so insanely generic that I can’t… I can’t do this.”

“What are you trying to say?” you ask, your voice small, almost a whisper of all the energy one could have at this time of night.

“I can’t be friends with someone who doesn’t trust me, who’s using me,” he spoke with perfect clarity that hid away his insecurities about this all. “For all, I know nothing about you is real, that this is all just some ploy to hurt me in the end. Six months and you can’t trust me with a single meet up or even a picture? I just… has this been a game for you, y/n? Or is that even your name.”

The call ended and a single message held on his screen, this call has been dropped, but you didn’t seem to want to call him back.

Kirishima didn’t sleep a wink that night, his words coming back to bite him in the throat each and every time he thought he was close enough to sleep. Insecurities riled up in him, consuming him entirely.

⋄⋆⊹⋄⋆⋄⋆⊹⋄⋆⋄⋆⊹⋄⋆

He tried to call back.

For fourteen straight days, Kirishima attempted to call you back.

Every time he called you, he would always hang up before he could take back his words. But each call, after he had prematurely hung up, he would recant his mean words to the unresponsive phone. He did trust you, he was weak, he was unmanly to assume those things. You could take, however long it took to finally trust him again because he would wait for you no matter what. He apologized again and again until the very last one he broke down into silent tears, a single message of ‘I hope one day you’ll forgive me’ hung weakly on his voice and put his phone away. 

It was sixteen days since he had spoken those cruel words to you, and in that time, he didn’t regret finally talking about his ill feelings towards wanting to reveal yourself to him. But he did regret the way it came out; instead of it being a deep and personal conversation, it came out as bitter and one-sided. The two of you were disconnected, and he felt empty.

But he couldn’t focus on it, not today, after all, it was Bakugou’s birthday, and everyone was gathering at the local fancy restaurant to celebrate. 

Kirishima dressed up presentable, wearing a navy blue button-up, and dark slacks. He walked towards the entrance of the restaurant where Kaminari, Sero, and Midoriya were eagerly leading the group of them into the building. Typically Kirishima would’ve been with them in terms of spirit, but he felt energyless at the moment.

With the moon high in the sky, Kirishima stilled when Bakugou called out his name.

He stared at his best friend, the ash blond’s lip curled into a sneer while he huffed, “Listen, Kirishima, I’m sorry for what I said that night.”

“What? Oh, no, it’s okay, Bakugou!” Kirishima laughed, his hand slapping to the back of his neck. “You weren’t wrong.”

“I never said I was wrong,” Bakugou grunted, his eyes locked on Kirishima’s while he shoved his hands into his pockets. Kirishima stilled, unsure as to where this would be leading. “I just don’t want you to get hurt. I know that Mina hurt you badly, and you’re too big of an idiot to not see when things arise. Maybe y/n is genuine, but if you aren’t fucking honest with her about your own feelings about how she’s so secretive, it’s not going to work.”

Kirishima smiled softly, a weak shrug moving through him, “I know, thanks, man.”

Bakugou nodded, and without a word, he continued on ahead where Midoriya was yelling at them to hurry up and come so they could be seated. 

Kirishima sighed, rolling out his shoulders before following afterward.

Kirishima followed after the hostess, smiling at her gratefully when she sat the group into their own private room and left. 

“Bakugou’s paying, right?” Kaminari stage whispered to Midoriya while staring at the prices on the menu.

“Eat shit, dunce face, learn how to save up your fucking money the next time you offer to come to this fucking place!” Bakugou roared, hearing the whisper.

“I’ll be covering the bill,” Todoroki informed with a smirk on his face. Kirishima laughed, looking at the prices and indeed agreeing with Kaminari’s statement. Having a wealthy friend was very convenient at times like this.

“Hi, welcome to Eiko, I’ll be your waitress today!” a voice chirped from the entrance of the room, and Kirishima froze, he recognized that voice and face.

It was the person he had mistaken for you all those months ago.

By the smile on your face, it seemed that you recognized them all too.

“And what is your name,” Sero winked, his eyes captivated by you.

“Oh, haha, sorry, my name is y/n,” you smiled, moving the menus you held in your hand to show the silver nametag on your uniform.

“Oh, like Kirishima’s y/n,” Kaminari laughed, pointing a finger at Kirishima, not at all being as quiet as he probably thought himself to be. But it seemed that he wasn’t the only one who thought that because while Kirishima was staring at your face, embarrassingly taking you in, you followed Kaminari’s finger.

Your sight sat on the redhead in the middle whose name was Kirishima, and you straightened up in what felt like panic. 

“You’re Kirishima?” you asked quietly, your finger grasping the menus so tightly, your knuckles turned white. “Kirishima Eijirou.”

“The one and only,” Kaminari voiced for him, his arm thrown over Kirishima’s shoulder while he nodded like a scholar. “And why do you ask?”

“Shut the fuck up, dunce face.” Bakugou hissed.

Kirishima continued to stare at you, a million words running through his head, yet not a single one being translated on his tongue. You were beautiful.

What should he say?

What could he say?

Your lips pursed, and you shook your head, a smile of disbelief spreading across your face, “Unbelievable.”

“Y/n—”

“Be quiet,” you snap, your tone angry, but your eyes beyond hurt. “What can I get you guys to drink?”

Dinner wasn’t exactly a pleasant time, you came in and left faster than anyone could blink, and yet none of their drinks went empty, nor did they really have a problem. Much quicker than Kirishima would’ve liked, they were done and were soon piling out of the restaurant after Kirishima decided to leave a very, very generous tip.

“I’m going to stay until I can speak to y/n,” Kirishima said, waving off his friends who were expecting him to follow. But he couldn’t, not when he felt like the world's biggest ass for what he did to you.

“Good luck,” they all wished him well before eventually leaving, knowing better than to stick around.

So there at the outside bench, Kirishima waited.

Two hours he sat there until you emerged from the front door, your hair was no longer put back, you held your apron in your hand, and your purse on your shoulder.

“Y/n!” he called out, his feet no longer cemented into place; he strode after you.

You didn’t seem to pick up the pace, nor did you slow down. You were focused on your car that sat at the edge of the parking lot, and you ignored his calls.

It wasn’t until his hand touched your shoulder, and he appeared before you did Kirishima freeze again. Angry hot tears slid down your face, your face screwed up, your shoulders stiff.

“What do you want, Kirishima?” you spat, but there was only exhaustion in your voice, nothing bitter, nothing at all what Kirishima deserved from you.

“I want to apologize,” Kirishima whispered, his hands struggling to reach out and wipe your tears away. You were crying because of him, he did this to you. “I was a dick, I was… beyond unmanly to you, and I’m so sorry! I just let Bakugou get into my head, and I’ve never been a secure person because, well, I’m just… fuck, I don’t even know, but all I know is that you didn’t deserve this. And I like you so much, but I didn’t — I don’t know what to do?!”

Your eyes stared up at him, they were bright with tears, wounded beyond anything Kirishima could hope to fix.

“That night, you said if I didn’t trust you, but I did trust you! I’ve always trusted you—” your finger jabbed his chest— “but it was you who didn’t trust me! I get that it’s hard to not have a picture of someone you care about after a long length of time, but we were always fine for a while! It was going to happen, but while I trusted you, I didn’t trust myself, okay?! I couldn’t trust myself to see that if you were so much more handsome than me that I couldn’t be confident enough to let myself be friends with you! I constantly fuck up relationships when I have crushes on people because… I don’t know, I just do! But you were someone with no risk and the highest risk, and I wanted to be sure in my own feelings before giving you a picture of me! But… fuck, Kirishima, you didn’t trust me!”

Kirishima’s throat tightened, the tears on your face a guilty reminder that this was because of him. But how could he fix this?

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his hands grabbing onto your arms just above the elbow, and his head hung by your forehead, not quite touching you, but just enough that his spiked hair teased the atoms between you. You were taller than he expected, but it wasn’t anything he couldn’t deal with, no, not at all. “You’re right, I didn’t trust you, and you didn’t deserve that. I don’t think there’s anything that I can say, or do for that matter, to change your mind, and I’m sorry. I just panicked because who gets into this type of situation, how do I tell my phone friend that I have feelings for her? I was weak, and I am so fucking pathetic, and I just want to make things better. If you’ll let me be your friend again…”

He slowly looked back up at you, and you were frozen in your place, tears falling down your face still.

“I don’t think we can be friends,” you confessed, and Kirishima’s heart broke in two, his hands dropping from your arms in his embarrassment and humiliation.

“Oh, well, I’m sorry still, um… maybe I’ll see you again?” Kirishima smiled despite it all, he kept smiling despite the crack in his chest and his soul.

“You will,” you murmured, and before Kirishima could blink, your fists wrapped in his collar, and you brought him down for an ardent kiss that he was not quick to respond to. It took three seconds for him to wrap his arms around your waist and pull you in, kissing you again and again and again.

It didn’t seem to matter to either one of you that you were both now kissing without a care in the world in the middle of a parking lot, because you both had your emotions exposed to the other, and you didn’t want to be friends. At least not when the man who held your heart confessed that you held his in yours. 

The two of you weren’t truly disconnected, it was just a little lost moment in your call.

[thegoddessofchaostxt]

COLORS Here I present my baby to you! This is my fist fanfic in english and also my first time writting in this language. I will leave a mini synopsis followed by the firts chapter. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it! SUMMARY Kira Todoroki is the youngest sibling of the bunch, being three hours younger than her twin, Shoto. Even though they are twins they couldn't be more different, Shoto's cold front contrasts with his sister's short temper and anger-filled nature. They barely know each other, as their quirks were not the same Kira wasn't allowed to spend time with her twin, growing closer to the rest of her siblings, specially Touya and Natsuo. At the age of fifteen, she's determined to be a pro-hero defying her father's will and surpassing everyone's expectations as excels at her grades during the U.A. entrance exam. There she will find people with whom she shares the same goals and a worthy opponent apart from her brother, someone who will push all her buttons making her more eager to do her best, no matter the cost 1.The decision Her hands were shaking, with the piece of paper in her hand she still couldn't tell if she had gone mad or if she was making the right choice. One look at the name she had written on that paper was enough, it was a clear and loud lie but it'd have to do so her father would sign it. Another all-girls private school, who would have guessed. Kira let out a sigh before entering his dad's home office. —I already decided, it's this one. She slid the piece of paper across the desk while keeping up with her serious act. She could feel her stomach moving around as a punishment, she hated lying but there wasn't any other choice. Kira had tried a week ago, three days after that, and even yesterday to convince her father but he wouldn't budge. Enji was not the type of man who would say yes to something like that, not at all, he'd already made a choice, Shoto was the only one who could be the hero, the only one with enough potential to go to de UA and that made Kira's blood boil. After all, who was he to decide such a thing? Her father looked at the paper and then back at her, asking silently if she was serious, to which she nodded. —Tomorrow they are giving a tour. If you sign the school will give me permission to go, it lasts most of the day. She added confidently, looking directly at his turquoise eyes while a little innocent grin crossed her lips. There were no words, he signed and gave the paper back to her —Thank you! —I want every detail about that school by tomorrow evening. Consider other options as well, you may go now. She left, not answering any of his words before running to her room to change the name of the school she was applying to in the permission paper so she could take the exam to get into the most famous and prestigious academy of heroes. — I saw that. The voice of Fuyumi called from the door frame, to which Kira simply shrugged, pretending to not understand what she meant at all. Of course, Fuyumi saw her, of course she knew, after all, she was always making sure she was ok after she had any conversation with Enji. — He won't know until it's too late. —He's gonna be mad, Kira. It's not a good idea. It's dangerous and you will get in trouble for this. —Shut up! I do not care about your opinion, or his, or Shoto's. Why can't you be like Natsuo? He said I could do it if that is what makes me happy. But of course, as I'm his daughter I have to do what he wants, right? I can't aspire to anything else, right? Her voice cracked, tears of anger filling her eyes as she put the paper back into her school backpack. It was always like that, even if she couldn't get used to it, that was her reality, she was the daughter of the number two hero, and his least favorite daughter, the unwanted one, the one he didn't care for. After all, she was the youngest, no double quirk, just fire, but that fire was the most dangerous one his father could ever imagine. After all the training she had done by herself she was at the same level as Shoto, if not higher, and she was going to prove it. — Answer me. She looked at Fuyumi, anger in her almost nonexistent pupils while she waited. —I just want what's safer for you. I'll call you when the diner's ready. With that, she saw her leave. Without thinking she grabbed one of her books from the desk in front of her and threw it to the open door, looking to relieve some of her frustration. Shoto saw that from across the hallway and decided that was one of the few times he was going to talk with her, after all, they barely saw each other, nor play with each other since they were three years old. Kira stood there, watching him get closer while her eyes widen almost in shock, what did he want? — Are you ok? That question made her frown, did she look ok? unconsciously her hand went to her hair, starting to detangle the ends with confusión. — Obviously. Did you lose something? He shook his head in response, entering her room, to which she took a step back. —What school are you going to go to? —UA. She answered, no doubt at all while looking directly into his heterochromatic eyes. He looked back at her, cold and surprise on his stare. — You didn’t aply for the recomendation test. Ithought father had tell you not to aply. He argued back in confusion, after all he was the only Todoroki who was supposed to enter there. — So? I will get in during the entrance exam. He doesn’t know. I don’t need the other exam anyway. —What do you even mean? —I mean that I'll get in fair and square with the entrance exam, no special treatment. Also, I'm going to be number one and kick your ass at every class we share. He smiled at her, as if not believing any of her words. He didn't know she trained. To him, she was just a hotheaded stuck-up little girl that just wanted to go agains her father. — If you say so... With that he went back to his room. Kira stood there, analyzing what just happened. Just one of her siblings believed in her. One lonely tear dropped from her eyes, which she quickly whipped out before closing her door, slowly falling to the floor. She'd have to strive if she wanted to prove she could be a hero. ----------- It’s a work in progress, yet I do have more chapters. I’ve been publishing it every Sunday and Thursay on both Wattpad and Ao3 so feel welcome to go check more of the chapters there, yet if this gets any interaction here and you do like it I will post another chapter. If not I will post at least the first 10 at the same time that I upload everywhere else

[mfingenius]

College AU

“What?” Harry asks, eyebrows raised.

Draco’s cheeks turn red, but he clenches his jaw determinately. “You heard me, Potter.”

“I did,” Harry says slowly. His brain seems to have stopped working. “I’m just contemplating the odds of you having gone insane.”

Draco’s cheeks turn even redder, and he rolls his eyes. “I haven’t gone insane. If you didn’t want me to say yes-”

“No, no!” Harry says quickly. He licks his lips. “It’s just – why?”

“It was recently pointed out to me that you were trying to be civil.” He says primly. “And

that I was not reciprocating. I am – trying to be – fair.”

He sounds like it’s taking him great effort to get the words out, and Harry very nearly

laughs. He manages to bite it back, and he nods slowly.

“Alright,” He says. Honestly, when he’d asked Draco – the most gorgeous git Harry’s ever met – to model for his final sketches, he thought he was murdering their very, very fragile relationship. He never expected Draco to say yes. “I – when are you free?”

His brain seems to refuse to put more than a few words together at a time. He can’t help it; he’s had a crush on Draco for almost a year now, and with this project coming up, he knows a lot of people wanted to draw Draco. He can’t blame them; Draco is gorgeous, and a classical ballet dancer, and their sketches are supposed to showcase the beauty in human movement. He’s the perfect subject.

He can’t quite believe that Draco said yes to him.

“When is the project due?” Draco asks, instead of answering. It’s fondly infuriating.

“Two weeks.” Harry says.

Draco’s eyes snap to him, disbelieving. “Two weeks? You left what is the equivalent of your final exam for two weeks before it was due?”

“You sound like Hermione,” Harry says mildly. Draco scoffs, and before he can get angry at Harry and change his mind about letting him draw him, Harry continues. “It’s alright. I can do it. I just need a few of your free afternoons.”

Draco rolls his eyes. “Fine. I need to practice for the presentation in June, anyway. I practice every day, from three to nine.”

“Apart from your dance classes? Aren’t you tired?” Harry asks, frowning lightly. Draco throws him a glare, and Harry holds his hands up in surrender. “Alright. When do you want me to drop by?”

“I don’t want you to drop by.” Draco says snidely. “I’m doing this as a favor, Potter.”

“I was under the impression that you didn’t do favors, Malfoy.” Harry shoots back. He knows it’s not the wisest course of action, angering his muse – and Draco is his muse,

has been for a long time now – before he’s drawn him, but he can’t resist. He’s never been able to keep himself in check when it comes to Draco, in any context or situation.

Draco merely glares at Harry and flips him off.

“You can come whenever you want to,” He says. “But text me before. I don’t want you to show up unannounced.”

And then he walks away.

“I don’t have your number!” Harry calls after him. “Figure it out!”

*

Harry gets Draco’s number from Hermione, who texts it to him with an eyeroll and a ‘kiss him already, will you?’. Harry thanks her and flips her off. He finds himself standing outside of the ballet building the day after Draco agrees, at 2:54. He doesn’t want to go in yet because he doesn’t want to be early, but he does, because it’s a building he’s never been in before and he thinks he might get lost.

He does.

“You’re late.” Draco says, when Harry finally finds the practice room Draco had set apart for this.

“Two minutes,” Harry huffs, dropping his bag and sitting on the only chair in the room. He takes out his sketchbook and a normal pencil. He’s just going to do some rough sketches today, trying to get as many moves of Draco’s dance as he can; he’ll sharpen them and redo them cleanly when he gets back to their dorm, and, if he needs to, he’ll be back tomorrow. “Whenever you’re ready.”

Draco rolls his eyes at him. “I need to stretch, Potter, I don’t fancy pulling something.”

Harry watches as he puts on music and begins stretching. He’s in a white shirt, black tights, and ballet slippers, and Harry can see every line of his body as he warms up; he moves with a grace that Harry could never achieve; where he is messy and careless, Draco’s every move is done with elegance and a delicacy that might be natural or might be learned.

Whichever one it is, it seems like it’s in Draco’s nature.

He finds himself mindlessly sketching along with Draco’s every movement, fluid and purposeful. When he finally begins dancing, Harry very nearly forgets what he’s supposed to be doing; every move takes his breath away.

When he finally begins sketching, it’s a struggle against time; he sketches quickly, barely looking down at the paper, because if he does, he’ll miss Draco’s next move, and he’s unwilling to do that. Draco does the dance again, and again, and again, and every time

Harry finds new things to fall in love with, new moves his sketches could never do justice to.

Draco seems to lose himself in it, doing every dance move fluidly, with the familiarity of someone who’s done something a thousand times and loves it. Harry’s never seen him like this, lost in what he’s doing, relaxed, passionate, happy.

He barely even notices time passing. By the time he notices that it’s been a while, it’s dark outside, and he’s filled several pages of his sketchbook with sketches of Draco. He checks his wristwatch and curses.

“It’s nine thirty.” He says. “I lost track of time.”

Draco seems surprised. He checks the clock, and then hums mildly. He turns off the music and begins picking up his things.

“Can I see you tomorrow?” Harry forces himself to say it before he can lose his nerve.

“I – alright,” Draco agrees, hesitantly. His cheeks are flushed, and Harry thinks they weren’t a minute ago, but they must’ve been, because it must be caused by the exercise. “Did you get anything good today?”

“Yes,” Harry says sincerely. “Your dancing is...” Enamoring. He doesn’t say it.

Draco’s cheeks go redder, and he looks down, eyelashes fluttering. Harry’s never seen him like this, embarrassed and shy. It’s endearing.

“Thank you,” he says, eyelashes fluttering as he looks around the room. “I – err. I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

“Tomorrow,” Harry echoes. He doesn’t want to say goodbye yet. In a desperate feat, he says, “I’ll walk you to your dorm.”

Draco frowns lightly. “My dorm is all the way across campus. Isn’t yours right by here?”

“Know where my dorm is, do you?” Harry grins, and Draco’s cheeks turn scarlet. Harry enjoys that look on him.

“You’re rooming with Weasley, and if you’ve forgotten, her girlfriend is my best friend.” Draco says snidely. “I’ve accompanied her enough times there to have memorized it by now.”

“Sure,” Harry grins teasingly, elbowing Draco’s side lightly.

Draco glares at him – the effect greatly diminished by the color on his cheeks – but he allows him to walk him to his dorm. When they get there, Harry walks him to the door – which is definitely more than unnecessary – and they find a red post-it on the door.

“What does that mean?” Harry asks when Draco groans.

“It means Blaise is having sex.” Draco glares at the closed door. “And I’m supposed to stay out of the room.”

Harry says it before he can stop himself. “You can sleep with me.”

Silence.

Then, “Excuse me?”

Fuck.

“I don’t mean sex!” Harry rushes to say. “I – I mean that – Ron is always at Hermione’s

dorm, so I have the dorm to myself. You can sleep there.”

Draco hesitates.

“Potter,” he says finally. “Why are you doing this? We’re not friends.”

“We could be,” Harry says.

“But we’re not.” Draco stresses.

“But we could be,” Harry repeats.

“We’re not.” Draco says.

Harry rolls his eyes. “Can’t I just do something nice for you?”

“But why are you doing this?” Draco asks. “No one does anything without a reason.”

“Why are you modeling for me, then?” Harry asks. “I’m not doing anything for you.”

“We’re not talking about that.” Draco snaps.

“Why not?”

“Because I know why I’m being nice, but why are you?” Draco asks, exasperated. “And don’t tell me it’s your unbearable hero complex, because I-”

Harry kisses him.

-----------

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[dontgotothenetherworld]

ap psychology

anonymous asked:  Can I request readers putting all her studying off till the week before AP exams and she starts studying an unhealthy amount, like sometimes forgetting to eat all day because of it and even made herself sick from stress over it but reader refuses to complain because she did it to herself and Lydia's just there helping her review and making sure she takes time to care for herself ect? Bonus if Reader thinks she did bad and Lydia assuring her she did fine and has an 'i told you don't moment? 

anonymous asked: Totally didn't request that bc that's my situation-

for some reason when i tried to queue this w/ the original ask, tumblr wanted to put the cut in the ask and i couldn’t delete it

this is out of date now, but i was uninspired to write for a hella long time sorry. also! i’m going to draw from my experiences w/ ap this year, and the only ap exam i had to take was psych, so that’s also going to be the case for reader :)

also, i feel like my lydia is a bit out of character? idk it’ll probably take a while to get back to the way i used to write her.

1303 words

cw: femreader. food

you cursed under your breath. months ago, months! you told yourself you would start studying for your ap exam. you only had the one exam to study for, so you told yourself that if you just did a little bit everyday, you would be fine.

but here you were, about three days until your ap psychology exam, and you hadn’t studied any of it. you had hardly even watched the videos your teacher had posted as the digital learning content. but to be fair, the stuff he was talking about in them were the last unit or two of psych, and you wouldn’t have to worry about them, because you weren’t going to be tested on them.

you groaned and dragged your feet downstairs, to where you hid your backpack. the friday weeks ago, when your school told everyone that classes would go digital for a few weeks because of the coronavirus, your teacher had come prepared. he gave everyone that showed up to class, which, granted, wasn’t that many but still- a huge packet covering everything that you had studied this year. it was some forty pages long.

okay, it was, like, thirty five because you crossed out the pages about personality and disorders. which was a shame, because those are the units that everyone takes psychology to learn about. no one goes, “oh boy, i can’t wait to learn about how to test if a baby has depth perception!” or “i can’t wait to learn about all the different types of visual illusions!” but whatever.

you flipped to page thirty five, to see how many questions you were in for. just over 250, except that’s counting all the charts as individual questions. yeah, that makes sense. one and a half pages of listing what researchers discovered what is equivalent to answering which cortex of the brain processes visual stimuli.

wait a minute. lydia was also taking psych. studying sucks, but if you could do it with your girlfriend, that’d be so much less painful.

you texted her, “hey lyds, have u finished the psych packet yet?”

”yea i finished it yesterday, why?” she texted back almost immediately.

shit. looks like you’ll have to suffer through this alone. “nvm”

you looked at the time, 1:46. damn, already? it felt like you had only just woken up. you made yourself a coffee, and set up shop on the desk you have never used in your bedroom, with laptop open beside you. you planned on googling everything, rather than going through your notes, mostly because you forgot where you put them, but this would still take ages.

an hour passed, and you felt like you were dying on the inside. if you had to answer one more question about behavioral psych, you were going to scream. behavioral psych is by far the worst part of psychology! watson and skinner be damned! people are people not some computer code! people have feelings! you can’t just ignore them! and the feeling you were feeling right now was not a good one!

you wanted to stop, but you weren’t sure if you stopped now if you’d be able to finish the packet. so you kept on going.

you went another five hours, taking five minute tik tok breaks every hour to keep you sane. you looked at the clock, and realized you hadn’t eaten anything today. you grabbed a box of cheez-its and made your way back upstairs, and went back to work. this time, you ate a cheez-it every time you finished a question, or you filled out a row in a chart.

you didn’t know when you fell asleep, but you woke up in the morning with about half the packet filled out. considering the exam was in one day, and four-ish hours, you thought that was good.

as you made your morning coffee, you checked the messages lydia had sent you. “are you doing okay? normally we talk a lot but…” “wait, are you working on the study guide?” “y/n! please take breaks! remember! you need food!” “and water!”

you sent back, “if i eat my cheez-its, and i drink my coffee while i study, then i don’t have to take breaks.”

you went back to your desk, and plugged your phone in across the room so you wouldn’t be distracted. but also because you forgot to charge it before you passed out, so it was at three percent, because apparently you had kept it open to tik tok all night, and the video just kept looping. oops.

for a while, the studying seemed easier. you felt like you had less to do, and you didn’t need to worry about getting it done in time, because you had more than enough of it. but because you didn’t need to rush, you became more productive.

you finished the second half of the packet by six that evening. you do admit, you got a bit lazy in the last few pages, but it was done!

shit. studying isn’t just writing stuff down, you have to read it over, right? you don’t really study that much.

but you decided to take an hour or two’s break for… breakfast? dinner? maybe even lunch? whatever, leftover pizza, because you had just only now just realized the intense rumbling in your stomach.

you checked your phone for the first time in hours. you were actually kind of proud of yourself. you usually were on your phone every waking hour, which was probably a problem, but you had shown enormous restraint… by spending every waking hour staring at your laptop. it’s all about choosing your battles.

you quickly dismissed some twitter notifications before tapping on a new message from lydia. “babe, i’m getting really worried about you, please call me when you see this.” you furrowed your brows. worried? about you? why?

you called lydia, and she picked up nearly immediately.

”y/n!” she gasped with relief, “don’t do that to me again!”

you felt stupid for wondering what she was talking about, but you kind of needed to know, “what do you mean?”

”you’ve been offline for hours, and i couldn’t get to you! and then when i heard what you were eating, that got me worried. have you eaten today?”

”three slices of pizza right now.” you swallowed a bite.

”is that your first meal today?”

”unless you count coffee, yeah. i’ll do better tomorrow, i promise. speaking of tomorrow, we’ve got the psych exam, and i need to keep studying. i’ll call after the exam, so like three?”

”y/n.”

”yeah?”

”you do realize this exam is online, right? and at home?”

”uh, yeah.” you swallowed.

”and you have both a laptop and a phone?”

”lydia, what are you saying?” cheating. she was definitely talking about cheating.

”i’m saying, that you don’t really need to know the definitions, because our dear old pal google can be there to help you out with those. and you’re smart, so i assume you know the concepts.”

”you think very highly, of me, my dear.” you took another bite of pizza. “so, what you’re saying is, i wasted two days studying?”

”yes, that is exactly what i’m saying.”

”shit. wait, why were you studying?”

”ugh, because i am nowhere near as good as you at being able to understand things.”

”you know, definitions explain the concept too.”

”what are you saying?” asked lydia.

”i think we’ve both wasted a lot of time studying when we didn’t need to.”

”fuck.” lydia breathed.

”yeah, we’re both idiots. do you wanna watch something on netflix? you haven’t finished parks and rec yet, right?”

”no, i just finished an episode before you called me.”

”which one?”

”season four, episode seven.”

”wait, is the next episode smallest park? we need to watch that, like, now.”

@meangirlsx @meangirlmurphy @eliza-is-confused @boredomimi @book--butterfly

[sa-gt-tarrius]

Done Deal [Secret Santa gift]

Warnings (the most prominent ones are in bold): Mild language, lots of crying, panic attacks, self-deprecating thoughts, mentions of malnutrition, unsympathetic Deceit, angst for weeks

A deal is a deal, that much is true. But snakes aren’t known for their integrity. Virgil should have figured that out months ago. Meanwhile, cryptozoology and rebuking the laws of mathematics disrupt Logan’s daily routine.

Excuse me while I post this before noon lol. I figured I’d give my secret sander some time to read their gift while I’m at work today.

@secret-sanders-sized — Thank you so much for organizing this secret santa! It can’t have been easy to coordinate such a big event, especially so close to the holidays. I applaud your hard work and tenacity, but I REALLY hope you get some rest once it’s all over.

@killerfangirl3 — I had a blast working on this and I’m proud of the result. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! (I’m so sorry about the block of text. I was aiming for 6k words max, but I got... carried away. Oof.)

~~~

Part 1:

Patton Sanders was one of the few people you could find awake during the witching hour. It was common to find him binging old cartoons or sifting through photographs through the dead of night while the rest of the world slept. And every morning, without fail, Patton would wake up one hour later than his roommate. He'd either dash about to get ready for the day, cry for a few minutes, or just give up and sleep until noon.

Logan never understood how Patton could, as they say, burn the candle at both ends. He'd tried discussing the possibilities of health problems stemming from erratic sleeping, only to be met with disheartened shrugs of agreement. Patton didn't seem to care, so Logan just let him be. As long as he was on time for work, there was nothing else Logan could do for him.

On the flipside, Logan’s sleep schedule was curated to a science. He was in bed at ten, asleep at ten-fifteen, and awake no later than seven the next morning. If Logan happened to fall asleep just minutes later than usual, he would be too tired to wake up in the morning, thus disrupting his entire day. Going to bed at the same time every night was not only ideal, but it was also necessary for his health and his sanity. Logan couldn't function without routine.

That’s why Patton was surprised when Logan stumbled down the stairs into the kitchen at 2:53 AM. Patton didn't even hear him at first; he was too busy checking the cookies in the oven to notice his roommate was nearby. At that moment, Logan resembled a nerdy cryptid, wandering the halls like a phantom. His eyes were baggy and bloodshot, and his face was drooping from exhaustion. Patton had to wonder if Logan slept at all.

“Logan?” Patton piped, eyeing the other man carefully. Logan hummed in reply, tiredly fiddling with the coffeemaker. Patton tried to grab his attention again, louder this time. “Kiddo... you’re up late.”

“Mmm, yes, yes,” Logan mumbled. He chuckled to himself, twirling a mug around in his hands. “I need coffee.”

Patton stared at his roommate, bewildered by his lacklustre response. He found it odd to be the coherent one of the two for once. Usually, it was Logan who struggled to deal with a delirious Patton. It was jarring to have the roles reversed. “Logan,” he said once again, “what are you doing at this hour?”

Logan turned away from the coffee machine, his weary eyes straining to focus on Patton. Was it because it was dark, or because he was just that exhausted? Perhaps it was because he had forgotten to put on his glasses. It took Patton a moment to remember that Logan never forgets his glasses.

“...It’s been a very long week,” Logan finally sighed, turning his attention to the sugar and cream. The machine beeped softly, and Logan got to work pouring a hearty glass of caffeine for himself. “Sorry for interrupting. I’ll be out of your way in a moment."

Patton blinked twice, taken aback. “What? No, no, no!” he exclaimed, raising his voice a bit. “I—I didn't mean it like that! I'm just worried about you. Are you alright? Did you have a nightmare?" 

A groan erupted from Logan's throat at Patton’s sudden outcry. His hands shot up to his temple, trying to ease his pounding headache. "I'm fine," he assured him. "I lost track of time is all."

"Oh." Patton frowned, then smiled again to cover it up. "Well, if you're up, why not come sit with me? The cookies are almost finished."

"Cookies," Logan deadpanned incredulously, "at three in the morning?"

"Don’t be a flour-puss, Logan," Patton replied with a cheeky grin. He turned to the oven, fishing out an oven mitt from a nearby drawer. "Go sit at the table. I'll be right there."

Logan simply nodded. He pulled out a chair and plopped down, swirling his coffee around mindlessly. Maybe it was because it was late and his brain was barely functional, but Logan's thoughts wouldn't stop racing. He was sure that if he were fully awake, he could handle this situation with ease. He'd tell Patton that everything was fine and that he was just stressing over an upcoming exam. But, for some godforsaken reason, Logan was considering telling Patton what he was really doing up at this hour. But would Patton understand? Would he even believe him?

Logan didn't even notice when Patton took a seat across from him. He only jolted out of his trance once a plate of cookies clattered onto the table, producing a quiet clunk that scared Logan more than he'd be willing to admit. Patton muttered an apology as he adjusted himself to get comfortable. Logan couldn't even meet his gaze.

“So,” Patton began, shifting uncomfortably. Logan wasn’t exactly looking forward to this conversation either. “...Up and about at three? You’re turning into me, kiddo. What’s going on?”

“It’s nothing,” Logan huffed, his tone a bit harsher than he would have liked. He immediately regretted opening his big fat mouth upon seeing Patton’s hurt expression. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I mean… it’s just been… busy. I’ve been distracted by my research project." 

"Research project?" Patton tilted his head. "You mean for your class?"

"No." As soon as the damning word left his mouth, Logan quietly cursed under his breath. "I mean... y—yes. For my class." Patton looked unconvinced. "Look, it's nothing important. I have nothing aside from school tomorrow. I'll be able to sleep in for a while. I’ll be fine.”

"Kiddo..."

"It's nothing, Pat."

Patton's expression softened. He reached out and grabbed Logan’s hand, squeezing it gently. "Logan, please. I’m worried about you. You know you can talk to me about anything, right? We’re friends. I’m here for you.”

Logan managed a smile. “I know you are, Pat. It’s just… Well... I’m not sure you’d believe me.” When Patton didn’t reply right away, Logan continued. “I’m not quite sure I believe it myself. Maybe I’m just delusional.”

“Delusional,” Patton repeated, holding back an ironic laugh. “Logan, you’re the most logical person I know. If you believe something, you probably have good reason to. Besides…” Patton glanced at their interlocked hands. “...you always do this. Keep things to yourself, I mean. It’s not healthy.”

Logan opened his mouth to retort, but no words came, so he nodded along.

“So please… tell me what’s going on with you. I’m worried.”

“Well, I…” Logan paused, tensing up. He glanced around the room, then tightened his grip on Patton’s hand. “Perhaps it would be better to show you instead.” He stood up, tugging Patton upstairs to his room. Patton didn’t argue. He simply followed and hoped that Logan would be okay.

Part 2:

Maybe Virgil was an idiot for borrowing tonight. At least one of the two humans was usually awake at this ungodly hour. But Virgil didn’t need much this time around—a paper clip from Logan’s room was all he had to grab. A paper clip would be perfect for making a climbing hook. Virgil misplaced his old hook somewhere, so he had to make a new one.

Deceit was out exploring somewhere, perhaps scouting a different floor, so Virgil had to go borrowing alone this time. That sucked, mainly because Virgil hated borrowing with every fibre of his being. It was dangerous, physically taxing, and took way too long. But it had to be done, so Virgil decided to just get it over with so he could go to his room and sleep. Once the coast was clear, Virgil silently slipped into Logan’s room.

Logan was the better human to borrow from, in Virgil’s humble opinion. Logan was predictable, almost to a creepy extent, making his belongings easy pickings. Besides, Patton’s room had bugs in it from being too filthy. Logan’s room was cramped and cluttered to be sure, but at least it was clean and somewhat organized. As long as Virgil was careful and left everything as he found it, borrowing from Logan’s room was fairly straightforward.

But this time around, something was different. Virgil couldn’t put his finger on it, but the room wasn’t the same tonight. It was… quiet. Almost too quiet. Wait, was Logan even in here? Virgil peered upwards to the bed, straining his eyes for a snoring mass beneath the blankets. Nope, Logan was nowhere to be found. That was odd, but Virgil would not waste this opportunity. He scrambled under the bed to orient himself before making the climb up the desk.

“Weird,” Virgil muttered under his breath. Logan was practically a robot. He did the same thing at the same time every day without fail. To see him breaking that routine was rare. Virgil crouched down on the carpet, leaning on a small paper box next to him. That’s when it struck Virgil—that box wasn’t any old box!

By some strange stroke of luck, Virgil stumbled upon the box of paper clips beneath the bed, which meant Virgil didn’t even have to step into the open. What a lucky break! Virgil didn’t think to question how they’d gotten under the bed frame. Instead, he frantically started stashing paper clips into his sack, being careful not to poke himself with the metal tips. Virgil technically only needed one paper clip, but they were versatile enough for most home repairs or impromptu tools, so Virgil thought it best to take at least five.

However, just as he was closing the paper clip box behind him, the bedroom door opened.

Part 3:

Patton didn't know what to expect when he entered Logan's room. The room was usually clean, if not disorganized from all the stray notebooks. However, Patton quickly realized that the whole room was a complete mess tonight. There were pencils and papers were scattered across the surface, and Logan’s laptop had over 30 tabs open, including multiple math and physics articles, an anatomy lecture on youtube, and a webpage detailing various mythological creatures.

Logan stopped by the desk, facing Patton with the most intense and pleading expression he had ever seen. "Promise me you won't think I'm crazy,” Logan said firmly. “Promise me.”

“I promise,” Patton said without thinking. In reality, he was quickly becoming worried. What could have Logan riled up this much?

Logan took a deep breath, full-screening one of the physics articles on his browser. “Are you familiar with the square-cube law?” Patton shook his head. “Right... In layman’s terms, as an object’s surface area increases, its volume increases much more than you’d intially believe. An object that is twice its original size will NOT be twice as dense as the original—rather, the volume increases by a factor of eight. The same principle applies to things decreasing in size. Do you follow so far?”

“Yes,” Patton said, despite not understanding a word Logan was saying.

“I’m getting to the point, I swear...” Logan pulled up a biology seminar, pointing at various graphs on the screen. He was getting excited now, pacing about the room as he spoke. “Many people have wondered what would happen if a human being were to become extremely small. The short answer is... no one could survive for long at that size. A miniature human being would encounter a multitude of problems that the species isn’t designed to handle… a shortage of body heat, bad eyesight, and the obvious problem of being too small to process oxygen—”

“Sorry, kiddo,” Patton blurted, looking rather dazed and confused, “but could you just, um… get to the point?”

Logan coughed, looking a bit embarrassed. “Well, the point is… erm... Heh heh, the idea of tiny people is ludicrous, correct? According to everything we know about biology and physics, it shouldn’t even be possible for a human being that small to exist.” He shuffled awkwardly, suddenly at a loss for words. “So… I suppose… it’s, erm… Well, it’s a ridiculous concept, anyway. But I can’t help but wonder if…”

As Logan stumbled his way through the sentence, Patton’s eyes lit up a bit. “Do you think… maybe it is possible after all?”

“Well, it shouldn’t be,” Logan huffed, “but it’s the only explanation I can think of. You see, I… I’ve been tracking some strange occurrences lately. Food has been vanishing from the cupboards. There are tiny hidden doorways in the walls by the floorboards. There’s three in the kitchen and two in the living room. It’s so peculiar.”

“Couldn’t it just be mice? Or some other rodent?”

“That’s what I thought, too. But then I found something…” Logan opened the desk drawer and pulled something out. He carefully placed it in Patton’s hands. It was a piece of twine, beaten up and fraying. One end was tied into a sturdy loop, and the other was attached to a hook made of a fishing hook. Patton bent down and stared at it, unsure of what he was looking at. “I found it in the cupboard with the ramen,” Logan explained. “No mouse is capable of constructing tools like this.”

“That’s true,” Patton muttered, stroking his chin. “But still… tiny people? Are you sure?”

Logan looked away, biting his lip. “Well… there’s one more thing I need to show you.” He clicked the mouse twice, opening a folder of videos. The timestamp on the most recent one clocked in at a whopping 61 hours. “I set up video cameras in here a few days ago. And I think I caught one on film.”

Patton gasped sharply. “What? Really?!”

“Yes… Here. Look at this.”

The pair kept their eyes glued to the screen as a video began to play. It was a fuzzy recording of Logan’s room from above the door. Patton shot a glance to that part of the room; sure enough, a security camera hung there, a pale red light flashing faintly from its side.

At first, it seemed like the footage was frozen. But then, in the corner of the frame, something moved. Patton couldn’t quite discern what it was. The shadowy figure scuttled across the floor and onto the desk, rummaging through Logan’s belongings.

“There.” Logan paused the video, pointing to the figure excitedly. He zoomed in, growing more excited as the faint silhouette of a person came into view. “There it is.” The footage was dark and blurry, but Patton saw it. The shape of a person, no more than five inches tall, hunched over on Logan’s computer desk. Logan tore his attention away from the screen to fix his gaze on Patton. “Normally, I’d acknowledge that this is a stupid hypothesis and I’m just sleep-deprived. But…” He paused, staring at the tiny figure on the video feed. “...I think I may be onto something.”

“I don’t think it’s stupid,” Patton said quietly. He slowly twirled the hook around in his fingers, enamoured by the impossibly miniature handiwork.“I mean… it’s weird, for sure. But the evidence is right there.”

“Indeed. I just have to make sure I’m right.” Logan hunched over the computer, closing a few of the tabs. “All of this evidence is for naught if I can’t prove anything. I have to know for sure. So I’ve been setting up traps that would be able to capture something more intelligent. I’m also considering checking out the holes in the kitchen more closely, although I’m afraid of scaring it away…”

“So this is your research project,” Patton said as the pieces clicked into place in his mind. “This is why you’ve been up late.”

“Yes, I believe that these creatures are likely nocturnal. But I haven't had much luck with finding traces of them.”

Patton grinned, leaning over Logan’s shoulder and closing the laptop. “Well, maybe I can help with that. Two heads are better than one, after all.”

“That... That would be satisfactory,” Logan said with a small smile. He should have known better than to doubt Patton.

Part 4:

Now, as far as they knew, Logan and Patton would continue to speak in total privacy. They discussed Logan’s findings and hypotheses about why tiny people are living in the walls. They argued about the possible origins of such a species, and what kind of bait to use to catch it, and whether glue traps were considered humane. What they didn’t know was that someone was listening to their conversation from beneath the bed.

Virgil’s mind was racing and his heart was beating so fast that he was sure it’d pop out of his chest. Damn it all! He was so careful, so calculated with his borrowing, never leaving a trace of his presence. But despite his valiant efforts, Logan realized that he was in the apartment. And they even had recordings of him! It was only a matter of time before they were captured. If only he hadn’t let them find his damned grappling hook...

Virgil didn't enjoy entertaining the thought of being caught by humans—it caused him too much distress. But the imminent discovery of borrowers in the apartment seemed fast approaching. Would they kill him? Keep him as some pet? Experiment on him? Toss him outside to freeze in the winter cold? Virgil wasn’t keen on finding out, which meant only one thing: they would have to move. Quickly.

Virgil had only moved once in the past, to move out of his parent’s home when he came of age. He was ill-equipped to move on such short notice on his own. But that was one solace Virgil had: he didn’t live alone anymore.

About a year ago, he’d met another borrower who was looking for shelter from the first snowfall of the season. He called himself Deceit, which was an apt name, considering he was the living embodiment of sliminess. He was the best borrower Virgil ever met; Virgil had to wonder how he became so adept.

Virgil quickly learned that Deceit didn’t talk about himself. All Virgil knew about Deceit is that he’d been alone for almost all of his life. The mysterious borrower never talked about the scars covering half his face, or the slight limp on his left side. He never talked about his family, or his past, or his tendency to hide away in his room for hours.

Thinking back, Deceit probably wouldn’t have given Virgil a second thought at first; the strange borrower seemed perfectly content on his own. But when Virgil pleaded for Deceit to stay with him after the winter passed—Virgil must have been lonely if he was willing to trust a stranger that much—they eventually agreed on living together.

It was a contractual friendship, so to speak. Deceit would usually borrow for the both of them, being the sneakier of the pair. In exchange, Virgil provided Deceit with a place to stay. Additionally, Virgil was a skilled builder and mechanic, able to construct all sorts of tools from scraps that Deceit found under the fridge and behind the couch. His home was fully insulated, wired with working lights, and outfitted with furniture. So not only could Deceit stay hidden with Virgil, but he was also warm, safe, and comfortable.

The two quickly adjusted to the balance. They’d been living together for about a year with little issue. Both of the humans in the apartment were unassuming, and Deceit never gave them any reason to believe things were amiss. But now... their delicate way of life was being threatened. Everything that they worked for was about to be for naught.

Shaking his head, Virgil retreated into the wall. He'd have to tell Deceit the bad news so they could start packing right away.

As he made his way through the walls, Virgil’s fear of being caught gave way to spite and anger. This would put a whole three years of borrowing to waste. Now what? Where would they even go now that they couldn't stay in the apartment? The snow was falling like bullets this late in the year, so they didn't even have the option of fleeing into the woods nearby. They'd have to pray and hope that there was a building close enough to move to.

At least he had Deceit with him. Having someone to keep him sane will be all too necessary now.

​”Hey, Dee?” Virgil called out, slipping into the main room. He immediately went toward his room, intending to fetch his gear. “Dee, we need to talk. It's important.”

When no one replied for a minute, Virgil entered his room to grab his stuff. It couldn’t hurt to get a head start with packing. Virgil ran through his mental checklist of supplies as he stepped into his room. He would need food for a few days, his collection of homemade jackets (he’d need all of them if he wanted to stay warm), and his borrowing gear. New hook, bag, blade… What else should he need? It’d been too long since he moved Virgil took a quick look around to get ideas on what to bring.

He paused, did a double-take, and stumbled back in shock.

His room was completely empty. There were no clothes in the closet, no bag of tools by the door, and none of Virgil’s journals on the shelf. The blankets from his makeshift bed were stolen away. Even the emergency rations he hid behind a loose board were missing. Virgil stood still and gaped horror for a good few minutes. What happened here?

Virgil quickly paced around the room, inspecting the empty room more closely. Somebody stripped the place of everything but the heavy furniture, like the side table and the dresser. Everything else was just… gone. Well... there was one other thing. A small folded note with Virgil’s name on it. Virgil hesitated before tentatively opening the note, dreading the contents.

virgil, the humans know about us. i just finished packing. meet me in the pantry right away.

Virgil read and re-read the letter a few times, relief washing over him. On a hunch, Virgil went into Deceit’s room too. It was empty too. Presumably, Deceit had already packed everything. Okay, Deceit knew too. And he’d already packed their things. That’s good. That’s good. Breathe, Virgil.

This was… good. As soon as they’d stocked up on food, they could leave. Leave it to Deceit to be two steps ahead of things. Virgil was at ease knowing that such a competent borrower would join him on the journey to a new home. However, as Virgil made his way towards the pantry, he still couldn't help but worry about what the future held. Virgil lived in this apartment building for most of his adult life. He wasn’t keen on leaving it all behind. And he still wasn’t sure where they could go. Maybe they could just move down the block? Would that be far away enough to throw the humans off their scent?

“Dee?” Virgil whispered, finally arriving at the pantry. He emerged from the hidden tunnel, carefully slipping into the open. Deceit was there, but hadn’t noticed Virgil yet; he was busy cutting into the tops of boxes and fishing food out of them. The other borrower was struggling to reach the cereal below him. “Dee, I’m here.”

Deceit perked up, whirling his head around. “Good. I need help with stocking.” He gestured for Virgil to climb onto the cereal box with him. “I can’t reach. Can you climb in and pass me what’s inside?”

“Sure.” Virgil made his way up the shelves, careful not to let his foot get caught between the thin metal bars that made up the shelves. When he reached the cereal box, he carefully lowered himself next to Deceit, peering inside. “How much do you need?”

Deceit squinted his eyes, scanning the contents of the box. “Just a few pieces should be enough. This'll be the last of it. I’ve already packed granola and some trail mix.” Virgil nodded, handing Deceit his bag and lowering himself into the box. He sunk a bit into the cereal at first but stayed close to the top of the box with a bit of effort. “Throw up what you can,” Deceit said. “Try to get bigger pieces.”

“Okay.” Virgil got to work tossing various bits of cereal up and out of the box. Deceit caught them and shoved them into his shoulder bag, filling it to the brim. After a few minutes, his bag couldn’t hold anything more. “Is that enough?”

“Yes, that’s perfect.” Deceit grinned widely, glancing around the pantry. Nope, no sign of the humans. “And with hours to spare.”

Virgil huffed, sinking even lower into the cereal. “That’s great. Can you help me out now? I’m sinking.”

Deceit blinked, staring at Virgil from above. “Oh, are you now? Isn’t that a shame?” He grinned even wider, adjusting the straps of his bag. “You’re a good person, Virgil. It’s a shame you’re so naïve.”

Virgil froze up. “What?”

Maybe it was Virgil’s imagination, but Deceit’s face seemed to darken in reply to Virgil’s stuttering. “I enjoyed our time together, Virgil. Maybe you’ll get out of there before you suffocate.” He laughed jollity. “Or before you… you know… get caught.”

“You tricked me!” Virgil hollered, momentarily forgetting that he should keep quiet while humans were in the house. “You’re stealing my stuff, you little—”

“Excellent observation, Virgil. You’re so clever.”

“I thought we were a team,” Virgil hissed as he struggled against the cereal, feeling his chest sink below the surface. Tears began to prick at his eyes. “We were in this together! We had a deal!”

“The deal is off,” Deceit hummed, vanishing from sight. His footsteps sounded from outside the box. Virgil could barely make his muffled voice out. “If you hadn’t left your hook lying around, I wouldn’t have to do this. When the cards are down, it’s every borrower for himself.” He paused, his voice growing quiet. “For your sake, I hope you escape soon. The humans will be here in a few hours.”

Virgil’s breath quickened. A panicking sensation began to well up in his stomach. “Where will you go?” He cringed at the way his voice cracked. “You’ll freeze out there. It's too cold.”

“Mmm, I don’t know about that. With all these jackets of yours, I should be warm enough.”

“You bastard!” Virgil screamed angrily, quickly becoming more and more desperate to get out. Was Deceit going to leave him here? After all they’d been through together? “Let me out right now, or I swear—”

“Or what? You’ll call me even more vulgarities? Why, I’m shaking in my boots.” Deceit let out a hearty chuckle. “I’d love to stay and quiver more, but I really must get going. Good luck, Virgil,” Deceit whispered coyly, “and thank you for everything.”

“Don’t you dare leave me here!” Virgil squawked, not wanting to believe the sound of Deceit’s footsteps pattering away. “Dee?! D—Deceit! Wait! Don’t leave me!” Virgil wasn’t exactly listening more than he was simply panicking, but he knew at that moment Deceit was gone for good. Where he went, he’d never know. Virgil was alone now, with nothing to his name, and with humans hot on his trail. He was trapped and afraid and all alone. He stopped shouting, and instead relegated himself to emitting quiet sobs.

Was this it, then? Was he stuck here forever? Or would the humans find him when the sun came up? Virgil didn’t want to find out. He grunted and cursed to himself as he writhed in place, but he only sunk ever deeper beneath the quicksand of sugary wheat crisp. Only his head and arms were above the surface now, and he wasn’t keen on having his entire body buried in sugar and wheat puffs.

Virgil grit his teeth, remembering the breathing exercises his parents taught him. Four in, seven hold, eight out. But more than ten minutes went by and Virgil couldn’t calm down enough to hold his breath for more than two seconds. His constant struggling and weeping were pulling his neck and shoulders underneath.

You have to calm down. Virgil shook his head, clearing his messy and diluted mind. Keep it together, Virge. You can’t give up just yet. He would stay alive—he had to. There was no way he was about to go down in such an undignified manner. Virgil steadied his breathing, keeping his entire body as still as possible. Then, ambling with care, he wiggled his feet around, trying to find his footing. If he could just get a foothold on something, then maybe he could hoist himself up and escape. But try as he might, Virgil’s feet helplessly sifted through the cereal like it was water. He couldn’t get to the top of the box.

Virgil’s next instinct was to writhe around and tilt the box onto its side, but the borrower was discombobulated from panicking—he did not know which way he was facing. If he knocked the box over the wrong way, the fall to the distant ground would seal his fate. And even if he survived the fall, he’d be too injured to escape before the humans found him.

That left only one option, which was to wait and bide his time. Perhaps the humans would walk into the pantry without checking his hiding place. If he could just listen for the direction of the pantry door, he’d know which direction to tilt the box without toppling off the shelf. It wasn’t ideal, but it seemed to be the only way out of this mess. So Virgil took a deep breath, willed his body to stay perfectly still, and waited.

Part 5:

Patton didn’t quite believe in the existence of tiny people in the walls. As Logan said, it was a bit outlandish. Still, something strange was going on. Logan showed him the hidden doorways scattered across the apartment; they were so well hidden that Patton didn’t see them at first, even after having Logan point them out. Patton also examined the hook a bit more while Logan scoured his security camera footage. It was well-crafted, with secure knots and loops holding the hook in place. It seemed too small for a person to make, but too complex and intelligent for a rodent to make. So even though Patton was still in doubt, he had to admit that Logan had a point.

That being said, their “research” wasn’t making any progress. Aside from what Logan already found, the two humans couldn’t find any further evidence of tiny humanoids in the apartment. And soon, it was time for Logan to go to bed. He'd have to be ready for class in the morning.  

“I don’t work today,” Patton said as he fished out two bowls from the drawer. “So we can look more when you come back.”

“Of course,” Logan replied. He was busy with the coffee machine again, discarding the filter he used earlier. “I’ll check the library on campus to see if there are any resources that might help us.”

Patton nodded. “And I’ll keep looking online.” He wandered into the pantry, reaching for the nearest box of cereal. “What should I do if anything comes up?”

Logan hummed, thinking for a moment. “Maybe just… call me. My ringer will be off when I’m in class, but I check it regularly.” He glanced over at Patton, who had finished pouring his cereal and was shoving his head into the fridge. Logan blinked thrice. “I didn’t know that brand of cereal came with a toy.”

“They don’t,” Patton replied as he dug out the milk from the fridge.

“Then what is that?”

Patton looked over at Logan. The other man was staring intently at the table, eyes widened and eyebrows raised. Patton followed his gaze to the aforementioned cereal bowl; a strange purple object was protruding from beneath the cereal. Cocking his head, Patton twisted the cereal box in his hands, searching the labels for any sign of a toy inside. He found nothing.

“That’s weird,” Patton muttered, turning his attention back to the bowl, only to screech in horror. That purple thing just moved. On its own. Logan jumped, nearly dropping his mug on the floor. Patton backpedalled across the room, his back pressed tightly against the fridge. “Wh—what is it?! It’s moving!”

“I’ve got it,” Logan grunted as he reached for a nearby dishcloth. He approached the bowl slowly, spreading the cloth out with his hands. Then, with careful precision, the dishcloth was neatly placed atop the squirming thing, effectively trapping it inside. “Patton… pass me the dish gloves.”

It took Patton a second to respond. He quickly grabbed the gloves from inside the sink and placed them on the table near Logan. “Thanks,” he said, focusing on putting the gloves on one at a time as to not take his hands off the cloth. “Now… stand back. I’m taking the cloth off now.”

Patton nodded, keeping his distance as Logan slowly peeled the cloth away. Both of them let out startled, disbelieving gasps.

“...I think we found it, Logan.”

Virgil didn’t want to believe any of this. He expected to wake up any second, back at home. He’d get up for breakfast and Deceit would chastise him for sleeping in. They’d eat granola and Virgil would ramble on about this strange dream he had where he was trapped in a cereal box for hours on end. But as the two human tenants loomed above him, staring him down and locking him into place, he realized that he wouldn’t be waking up. This was real. This was real.

“It’s…” Patton stuttered, taking a step forward. “It’s… a tiny person.”

Logan nodded slowly. His wide eyes remained glued on Virgil. “I was right... I can’t believe I was right!” He suddenly grinned, grabbing Patton’s shoulder. “Do you know what this means?! This is a massive discovery—it could revolutionize the field of biology!”

“I—I’m sure it could,” Patton chuckled humourlessly, still staring downwards. The tiny person half-wrapped himself in the dishcloth, cowering against the table. It appeared to be a young man, likely in his mid-twenties. He wore a baggy violet patchwork jacket and a black scarf that hung loosely from his neck. “Can it… talk?”

Logan turned back to Virgil. “I’m not sure. Theoretically, it’s vocal cords should be too small to produce audible sound… but at this point, it might as well be possible. Its very existence is unlikely.”

“Okay, then… um…” Patton broke away from Logan, who started furiously writing notes on a nearby napkin. “H—hi,” Patton began, smiling awkwardly. “Can you understand me?” When the tiny person didn’t reply, Patton kept talking. Maybe he was just shy. “I’m sorry about that… I didn’t know you were in there.”

Virgil quivered at the giant face taking up most of his vision. He had to look away—he was too intimidated to look into those massive eyes. “I—I don’t...” Virgil started to whimper out a sentence before shutting himself up with a quiet grunt. Don’t be stupid! You can’t talk to humans—you know the rules. Idiot.

But it was too late. Patton’s eyebrows shot up at Virgil’s halfhearted reply. “You can talk!” He smiled widely, his face lighting up. “Okay, that makes this easier.”

“Fascinating,” Logan muttered, studying Virgil carefully. “This can’t be real… You shouldn’t be able to speak with vocal cords your size.” He set the note-scribbled napkin aside, leaning over Patton’s shoulder to see Virgil better. “Where did you come from? Are you human? Are there more of you?”

“I’d... I’d go easy with the questions, Logan,” Patton whispered. “I think he’s getting overwhelmed.”

Well, Patton wasn’t exactly wrong. Virgil was totally and thoroughly petrified. He tried to rise to his feet, but he was shaking so badly that he couldn't even kneel without falling onto his stomach. His breathing was uneven and sharp, like he was struggling for air. Virgil let out a strained sob, becoming increasingly frustrated with his inability to run away.

Logan’s mouth sealed shut. He recognized the signs of a panic attack before Patton did. “Patton, get him some water.” Lowering himself as to not seem intimidating, Logan quieted his voice to a whisper. He held his hands in front of himself as a gesture of goodwill. “Hey… it’s alright. It’s alright.”

The tiny person heaved again, his whole body convulsing rapidly. “Y—you—you—“

“Shh… I won’t touch you. But you need to breathe. Do you know any breathing exercises?”

“F—f—f…” Sneaking a glance up at Logan, Virgil gulped and looked away again. “F—four, seven, eight.”

“That’ll work. Come on, I’ll do it with you. Breathe. Four in…”

As the tiny man and Logan breathed in sync, Patton got to work fetching some water. A normal cup would surely be too big, and they didn’t have any shot glasses for the tiny man to use. Sighing, Patton relegated to removing the gap from the jug of milk and using it to hold the water. He rinsed it out and filled it generously, hoping it would be small enough.

When he turned back to the two, the tiny man had calmed down somewhat. He was still shaking, but he was at least breathing steadily. Logan kept counting in a pattern, praising the tiny person the whole time.

“There we go. Good job.” Logan smiled softly. The tiny man forced a grimace in reply.

“Here,” Patton mumbled, placing the cap near the small person. He saddened at the way Virgil’s whole upper body flinched. “It’s water. Drink what you can, okay, kiddo?”

Virgil took a second to nod. “O—okay.”

Drinking water had never seemed like such a momentous task before. The cap was too heavy to lift, especially with how weak Virgil was, so he had to scoop up the water and sip it from his cupped hands. It was demeaning, but it wasn’t the biggest problem—the whole time Virgil drank, Patton and Logan kept their huge eyes locked on Virgil, never for a second looking away. It wasn’t just awkward; it was terrifying. They were so huge, much bigger than they seemed from a distance.

A cough sounded, then someone spoke. “Logan.” At the sudden voice, Virgil stopped drinking and craned his neck up. “My name is Logan. This is my friend Patton.”

Patton crouched down a bit, resting his chin on the table uncomfortably close to Virgil. “What’s your name, kiddo?”

“Uh,” Virgil stammered, fiddling with his sleeves, “m—my name...”

Logan’s eyes widened. He had to force his voice to stay level and quiet as to not scare him into silence. “Yeah?”

“...M—my… my name is… Virgil.”

Patton and Logan exchanged a glance. “Virgil,” they repeated, making sure they pronounced it right.

“Well, Virgil,” Patton whispered, “it’s nice to meet you. Would you like something to eat?”

“Uh…” Virgil hesitated, rubbing at his forearm. Patton’s question was rather sudden, wasn’t it? He wiped away a few dried-up tear streaks before answering. “Wh—what kind of food?”

“Whatever you’d like, kiddo.” He picked up the nearby box and shook its contents. “How does cereal sound?”

Virgil cringed at the suggestion—he wasn’t keen on cereal after being nearly suffocated by it—but nodded as to not anger Patton.

Cereal it was, then. Patton began the arduous search for the smallest bowl he could find. Logan looked like he wanted to say something, but kept silent. Instead, he glanced between Patton and Virgil, keeping his hand locked against his own mouth.

Virgil watched Patton with a cautious gaze as the human trickled a few drops of milk atop the wheat crisps. Once Patton finished and slid the bowl towards the silent Virgil, Logan pulled him aside. “Pat, can I talk to you?”

Patton snuck a look at Virgil, who was mindlessly chewing on a damp piece of cereal, then nodded. They slipped into the nearby bathroom, not noticing the baffled expression on Virgil’s face. Did they just… leave him here by himself? They did realize he could escape, right? Humans couldn’t possibly be this stupid, could they?

Virgil seized the moment of isolation to get a better grasp of his surroundings. He was sitting squarely at the centre of the kitchen table. Aside from the cloth he was seated on, there was nothing else on the table with him. The chairs were also pushed in, meaning that Virgil could probably climb down them with little trouble. There was an escape tunnel behind the fridge, if Virgil remembered correctly. If he acted quickly, he could make it there before the humans came back.

Having decided on his next move, Virgil rose to stand, only to find his legs were still gelatinous and wobbly. He remained standing for exactly two seconds before crashing onto his side. His throat bubbled out a pained yelp, and he clutched the shoulder he landed on. Okay, maybe the humans weren’t stupid for leaving Virgil alone. Maybe they were just sadistic.

Virgil paused as another thought crossed his mind: even if he escaped from Logan and Patton, what would he do next? He had no food, no clothes, no tools, and he was all alone again. There was no way he’d survive for long, even if he got the chance to escape. Everything was pretty much hopeless at this point.

“Stop crying,” Virgil growled to himself. But he didn’t stop. The tears just kept coming, welling up in his eyes and careening downwards like a waterfall. Virgil curled into a ball and cursed himself over and over, helpless as the tears rolled silently down his face. “You’re so stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid.”

Wasn’t he absolutely, positively pathetic?

Part 6:

Virgil’s inner torment went unheard by the humans. Once the bathroom door closed, ensuring their privacy, Patton spoke first. “You noticed it too, right?”

“Yes,” Logan grumbled. “He’s too thin. And he’s very pale... I think he’s malnourished.”

“We have to do something, Logan. Can you help him?”

“I can try.” Logan grit his teeth, massaging his face for what must have been the fourth time that night. “He needs food and water. And warmer clothes. Do we have anything he can wear?”

“Maybe there are some old doll clothes in Roman’s room,” Patton said thoughtfully. “I’ll have to look around. You watch him while I check.”

Logan bit his lip nervously. “An examination could be in order… but I’d hate to scare him.”

“We don’t have a choice,” Patton replied sadly. He opened the door a crack and peered outside at Virgil, who was curled in on himself and mumbling incoherently. He grimaced at the disheartening sight and turned away. “Just be gentle. And don’t talk too loud.”

Logan nodded firmly. “Of course.”

It was decided, then. Patton opened the door and rushed upstairs while Logan quietly approached the table. Virgil’s face was puffy and stained with tear streaks, and he was still shaking like a leaf. The tiny man eyed Logan wearily, never taking his eyes off him for a moment.

“I need to perform a medical examination on you,” Logan explained. He sat down in the nearest chair, pulling himself closer to the table. Virgil’s eyes went wide as a giant hand approached him, spreading its fingers as it reached towards his quivering form.

“N—no!” Virgil cried, clutching his jacket closer to his chest. His breathing quickened once again as the panicking sensation resurfaced. “I—I—I’m not—“

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Logan whispered, his hand still drawing closer. “I just need to make sure you’re uninjured.”

Virgil let out a strained and angry whine. “Don’t touch me!” he hollered, fists clenched. Logan frowned at the fearful reaction but didn’t retract his hand. Instead, with as much grace and gentleness as he could muster, he latched his index finger and thumb firmly around Virgil’s torso. The tiny man yelped as the hand hoisted him off solid ground, dangling above the tabletop for a moment before he was finally plopped into Logan’s other hand.

As soon as it set him in Logan’s palm, Virgil dropped to his hands and knees and scrambled back in the table's direction. Logan gasped and yanked him back by the hood of his jacket, holding him firmly in his palm. “Be careful!” Logan snapped. He moved his thumb over Virgil’s chest, pinning him down. With his free hand, he began manipulating Virgil’s writhing and trembling form, investigating each limb with care while gripping them too tightly for Virgil to escape. He twisted the borrower’s arms around, lifted his legs, and flipped his body between his front and back.

Logan did his best to search the minuscule body for signs of injury or illness, but it was hard to ignore the sobs coming from the trembling man in his hands. Virgil stopped fighting against the massive fingers once he’d run out of breath, which wasn’t saying much; he barely had any breath left in him. Logan continued to twist him around, prod him, and fiddle with his clothes. He paused his work every few moments to write something down on his napkin.

This went on for several minutes. During that time, Virgil got ahold of himself, although he was still terrified. “This won’t take much longer,” Logan finally muttered, breaking the thick and tense silence. “So… how long have you been living here?”

Virgil flinched as a giant finger lifted the back of his shirt up. Geez, that was cold! “U—um… I—I’m not.”

The shirt fell back into place. Virgil hugged himself closely as Logan wrote something down. “That hook I found belongs to you, doesn’t it? And those hidden doorways in the kitchen… you must have created those.”

Oh... right. Virgil forgot that Logan knew about him before being found in the pantry. He meekly nodded, hoping that telling the truth would leave him better off than lying would.

“I don’t understand how anyone could survive at your size. Do you get cold easily? Can you see well?”

“Uh… yes to both?”

“Fascinating. And what about your diet? How much do you have to eat to sustain yourself?”

Virgil let out an exasperated noise. “I don’t know! Twice a day usually gets me by, I guess?!”

“What sorts of things do you eat? Do you have allergies?”

“Can you stop with the questions?” Virgil cried, already becoming frustrated with Logan. Being interrogated was not fun, let alone when a human was doing it. "I can't tell you anything! I shouldn't even be here!"

"Why not?"

"It's..." Virgil grimaced. "...It's the rules. That's all I can say."

“But there’s so much I have to know. How long have you been small for?”

“I don't know, how long have you been annoying for?” Virgil retorted cheekily.

“Were you hit by a shrink ray? Like in those fiction movies? I was sure that they were scientifically impossible to create, but perhaps it's not too farfetched.”

Virgil let out a sharp hiss instead of answering the question. Logan reeled back, his expression unreadable. “I’m sorry… Did you just hiss at me?”

“I do that when I reach my limit with stupid questions.”

With a single eyebrow raised, Logan continued. “I just have a few more.”

“I don’t care.”

“How tall are you?"

"Not tall enough."

"Okay... Well, what about reproduction? Do you have—"

"Ew. No, hard pass."

Logan frowned. This wasn't going anywhere, was it? "Fine. Are you a social creature? Do you live alone?”

Wrong thing to say.

“Would you just shut up?!” Virgil screamed, pounding his fists on Logan’s hand as hard as he could. “Just shut up already!” Before he realized it, hot tears began rolling down his cheeks again. “Just... stop…”

The newfound silence felt like molasses. Logan’s mouth seemed to glue itself shut, but his eyes darted between Virgil and his notes. The human had plenty to ask, to be sure, but for some reason refused to say anything more.

Virgil’s anger gave way to numbness. He’d really done it this time, huh? Most borrowers weren’t dumb enough to lose their temper at a human being. And now he was crying again.

The silence carried on for what felt like hours, but it was eventually broken by Logan. “I’m sorry.”

“...What?”

“I’m sorry,” Logan sighed, having the decency to avoid eye contact. “I didn’t mean to overwhelm you.”

Well, this was interesting. A human apologizing to a borrower? Has this ever happened before? “Um…” Virgil cleared his throat and rubbed his arm. “It’s… whatever.”

“I hope you can forgive me for being so interrogative. Satisfying my curiosity should not have come at the cost of your mental stability.” Logan muttered something under his breath. He then turned to Virgil, his eyebrows furrowed. “I’ll stop with the questions now.”

Virgil was in awe. He’d screamed at Logan, called him annoying, and started crying like a child, but Logan wasn’t angry. He was actually very nice, despite his initial misgivings. Well, now Virgil simply had to answer the questions then, didn’t he? After the human was polite and said sorry and stuff. “I…” Virgil coughed, forcing the words out of his mouth. “I used to live with someone. But not anymore.”

“Oh.” Logan frowned, lifting Virgil closer to his face. The human’s features were tinged with a sort of concern; Logan slowly began to understand why the question set Virgil off. So he paused, choosing his words wisely. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Virgil opened his mouth to say ‘no’ but found himself forced into silence. Honestly? He wasn’t sure how to answer that. On one hand, Virgil didn’t even want to think about how his only friend abandoned him in a cereal box, leaving him in the clutches of a pair of humans. But on the other hand, Virgil wanted nothing more than to just blabber on and on about how he was feeling. Borrowers didn’t have therapists, and Deceit was never a terribly good listener. It’d be all to easy to overshare, to reveal all the borrower secrets in his moment of weakness. But... maybe if he was careful... he could talk without giving away specifics. A vent would do him good, anyhow.

Virgil decided to take the plunge.

“I trusted him,” he grumbled before he could think to stop himself. “We were supposed to work together. I helped him when he had nowhere to go. And what does he do to thank me?! He traps me in a cereal box and steals everything I own!” Virgil pounded his fists, growing more and more heated by the second. “I mean, I get it. We weren’t exactly friends. But we had a deal, and he… he just…”

Virgil’s words screeched to a halt, and he found himself unable to look at Logan without his gaze flickering back to the ground. The anger had died down, leaving the chill of fear and the hollowness of sorrow behind.

“I thought… I thought we were in this together. But he took everything from me. I have no food, no clothes, and… and I’m alone again.” Virgil snorted, crossing his arms. “I never should have trusted him. I was better off by myself.”

Logan said nothing at first, neither his hand nor his face moving an inch. Virgil slipped his hood over his face, hiding his embarrassed expression. Great, now he thinks you’re a crybaby too. Some borrower you are.

They remained stagnant in awkward silence for a few more minutes. But then, gradually, the hand holding Virgil began to shift around. A thumb started stroking his side with surprising gentleness, and the remaining fingers curled inwards towards Virgil, forming a protective barrier.

“I should say this upfront,” Logan said suddenly, startling Virgil out of his confusion. “I’m not good at comforting people. That’s Patton’s forte. That being said, I’m… very sorry that happened to you.” He pressed his lips together, and his eyes narrowed. “I can’t imagine someone violating your trust like that.”

Virgil laughed mirthlessly. “Yeah, he’s a filthy snake. I hate him.”

“Indeed.” Logan fell silent. “...You said he took your food and belongings?”

“...Yeah?”

“I see." A beat passed before Logan continued. “Well, if you happen to be in a position where you are unable to live comfortably, might I suggest staying here for a while? With Patton and I?”

Virgil’s breath hitched. “Stay with you?”

“You don’t have to,” Logan added quickly to cover his flustered demeanour. “I simply thought… if you have nothing to your name, we could help you resupply. And if you wish for company, we could provide that too. I’d hate for you to be alone and so ill-prepared for the winter.”

Virgil tried with all his might to wrap his head around what was happening. A human, the one thing he’d been told to avoid for his whole life, just offered him a place to stay. This had to be a trick, right? There was no way this was real.

“...So what’s the catch?”

A chuckle sounded. The human stroked his chin in mock-thought. “I do have a few caveats, I suppose. You’d have to join us for movie nights, as well as accept all Christmas presents given to you.” Logan snapped his fingers. “Oh! You’d also have to help bake cookies. Patton would appreciate the help.”

Virgil scoffed. “This is a scam.”

“I assure you, it is not.”

“So what do you get out of it?” Virgil craned his neck upwards, staring at the underside of Logan’s chin. “What’s in this for you?”

Logan thought for a moment, staring into space. “Nothing much,” he settled on saying. “The company of a fascinating human being would be sufficient.” Logan tightened his embrace on Virgil, holding him firmly against his chest. “You stay here, and in exchange, Patton and I support you however we can. That seems like a fair trade, no?”

“Well... first of all, borrowers aren’t human.”

Borrower. Logan filed that word away in the back of his mind. He’d ask Virgil about it later.

“Second, that’s not a deal I can make. How do I know you won’t keep me in a jar or something?”

“Well, I haven’t yet, have I?” Logan asked. “If I truly wished to harm you, I would have done so by now.”

Virgil grit his teeth. “Yeah, cause you don’t have to. I can barely move. No point in trapping me if I can’t run away.”

Logan opened his mouth to retort but found himself unable to come up with a sufficient reply. “I suppose… you’ll just have to trust me.”

Virgil was tempted to holler with laughter. Instead, he bit his tongue and looked away. There was still one thing plaguing his mind—would Logan get mad if he asked?

“...The camera footage.”

“...What?”

“You recorded me,” Virgil muttered quietly, tugging at his sleeves. “Delete the video.”

Logan was about to ask why but thought better of it. “Would that make you feel better?” A nod. “Very well. I’ll see to deleting it right away.”

Virgil didn’t say anything else. As far as he knew, Logan could be lying about deleting the video to gain his trust. There’s no way a human would comply that easily.

“So…” Logan looked down at the borrower in his hands. He loomed menacingly, though not on purpose, causing Virgil to flinch away. “Do we have a deal, then?”

“It’s not much of a deal,” Virgil sighed. He shifted a bit, still not used to the feeling of being held by such a giant creature. “Fine. Just... n—no cages or anything. Please?”

“No cages. Understood.” Logan’s other hand hovered upwards. A single index finger was left hanging before Virgil. “Shake on it?”

Virgil froze, hesitant, before tentatively reading out to grab Logan’s finger. He shook it firmly, or at least he tried to. The finger was just so heavy that he couldn’t budge it much. Logan nodded, satisfied, and Virgil retreated to the centre of the palm. “So… now what?”

Right on cue, Logan let out a hearty yawn. “Perhaps a nap is in order. I understand you’ve been awake all night. Resting would be beneficial.”

“A nap?” Shrugging, Virgil nodded. “Okay, but how is that gonna—whoa whoa WHOA!!” Virgil lunged backwards and latched the thumb beside him with a death grip, gasping deeply as Logan stood to his full height. The distant kitchen floor shrunk beneath him. “P—put me down!”

“In a moment.” Logan rubbed his eyes with his free hand as he stumbled into the next room. Virgil, through his dizziness and vertigo, immediately recognized it as the living room. The TV was on—although it was muted—and an unfolded blanket was crumpled on the carpet. Logan silently plucked the blanket off the ground and sat on the nearby sofa, huffing contentedly as he stretched his body out.

Virgil was finally given the sweet release of solid ground… sort of. Logan gently set him on his chest. Virgil moved to sit up but was pushed into a lying position by Logan’s finger. “I—” Virgil groaned as he tried to sit up, but was pushed onto his back a second time. “I—I didn’t think you were gonna sleep with me.”

“I’ve been up all night. I need to rest too.” He moved the blanket so it covered his body, then set the very edge of the blanket over Virgil. “Goodnight, Virgil.”

Virgil chuckled nervously, a bit annoyed and shaken up but still amused. He pulled the blanket upwards, trying to ignore the rhythmic pulsing of Logan’s heart right below him. God, that was weird. “Alright. Goodnight, I guess.”

Part 7:

Logan and Virgil slept very soundly that night. Much later, a few hours before the sun would begin to peek over the horizon, Patton finally rushed back down with a small plastic bin in his arms. “Logan! I found it! I don’t know if they’ll fit, but maybe I can… uh…”

Patton’s words died on his tongue at the sight before him. Logan, with his arm dangling off the edge of the sofa, was snoring quietly. Virgil was curled up in the nook of his neck, completely motionless. They must have been asleep for a while, Patton realized. He glanced at the bin in his arms, then back at the sleeping pair, and let out a sigh. A smile made its way to his lips as he carefully set the box down near the couch.

“Logan,” he whispered, tapping the sleeping man’s shoulder. Logan murmured, stirring awake. Patton grinned at the sight. “Go to bed. Don’t sleep on the couch.”

Logan exhaled deeply and moved his hand, holding Virgil securely to his chest as he rose to a seated position. “Okay,” he sighed, standing slowly as to not wake up Virgil. Luckily, the borrower didn’t budge. “Patton, about those traps I set…”

“I’ll put them away,” Patton whispered. “Just go sleep, kiddo… I’ll take care of it.”

Logan smiled sleepily. “Thank you, Patton.”

“Go on.” Patton gently shoved Logan towards the direction of the stairs. “Get some sleep, alright?”

Moving carefully, Logan made his way upstairs, cradling Virgil in one hand and cupping him with the other. Logan wasn’t really sure how this was going to work. Where could Virgil sleep? Surely not on the bed—he’d be crushed if Logan rolled over. A night table with a blanket could suffice, but it would no doubt be very uncomfortable. And he could easily fall off sometime during the night.

Logan glanced up as he reached the top of the stairs. His eyes landed on the glittery ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign that dangled from a dusty, scarcely used doorknob. The guest room.

Neither Logan nor Patton set foot the third bedroom often. It used to belong to a mutual friend, one they’d met while in their first year of college. But that friend had long moved away to an art school in a different state. Now the room was more of a storage room than an actual residence.

Logan pushed the door ajar and stuck his head inside. The room was a total disaster, as per usual. Laundry was scattered everywhere, pencils and books were strewn about haphazardly, and the closet’s contents were spilling onto the floor. How anyone lived in these conditions, Logan would never know.

Then, by some stroke of luck, Logan’s eye managed to catch a splotch of blue from within the depths of the closet. The man tiptoed inside as if Roman would appear out of the blue and scold Logan for intruding. Logan shook the thought away as he reached his free hand into the closet, quietly dragging out a large blue bin. The lid popped off with minimal effort, leaving a wide assortment of toys exposed for Logan to sift through. He dipped his hand into the mess of action figures and model cars, feeling around until his fingers grasped a familiar object. “Perfect,” Logan whispered, fishing the object out.

It was one of the pieces to Roman’s old dollhouse—a small bed, just the right size for a borrower. The rest of the furniture set was probably somewhere in that bin, but Logan couldn’t bring himself to find all the pieces. It would take him hours. As he stood to leave, Logan briefly considered if doll furniture would demean Virgil, but the practicality of it outweighed Logan’s concerns. He put the bin of toys away with as much care as he could muster before meandering back to his room.

The surface beneath Virgil shifted and swayed like a boat. He woke up with a start, instinctively grasping onto the nearest object. Coincidently, that object happened to be a thumb. Virgil was in someone’s hands.

“H—hey!” he yelped, trying not to peer over the edge of the palm. “What the hell?!”

The sudden shout caused Logan to flinch. He glanced down at Virgil with a frown. Virgil couldn’t even see Logan’s whole face with the way it loomed overhead. “You’re awake,” he commented dryly.

Virgil hid his erratic breathing behind a scoff. “Y—yeah, I’m awake. Could you, like… put me down? Please?”

“Of course. Just a moment.” Logan took one last look around the room before finally placing Virgil on Logan’s desk. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“It’s whatever,” Virgil muttered, clutching his clothes tightly. He steeled himself enough to look at Logan fully but found himself backpedalling as a giant hand lowered itself towards Virgil.

“Here you are,” Logan whispered, placing something onto the table next to Virgil. “Will this suffice for tonight?”

Virgil’s mouth hung open as a small bed, about the size of Logan’s hand, slid onto the desk before him. It was a perfect scale replica of a human’s bed, complete with blankets, a pillow, and a small toy bear. Virgil reached out to touch the bear, surprised to feel plush instead of hard plastic. His hand ran down along the blanket, feeling the intricate pattern weaved into it. And the pillow… Virgil couldn’t help himself. He grasped the pillow tightly and buried his face into it, exhaling in contentment. He’d never had a real pillow before. “Where did you get this?”

“Our old roommate keeps his collection of toys in the spare room. I found that bed with his old dollhouse set.”

“An old dollhouse set,” Virgil repeated, laughing curtly at the notion. This bed was nothing more than a toy. The borrower carefully clambered onto the tiny mattress, shocked at how soft and plushy it was. “It’s pretty comfy for a doll bed. Man, humans have the coolest stuff.”

As Virgil busied himself with bundling the blankets onto himself, Logan’s expression suddenly changed. His face softened, and his eyes didn’t seem so piercing anymore. He looked… sad. “Virgil,” he began, slowly seating himself on his bed, “have you ever owned a bed?”

“Uh… not really, no.” Virgil pulled the blankets up and over his legs. “I mostly used fabric scraps and cotton balls. Whatever I could get my hands on.” Logan failed to notice Virgil gripping the blankets so tightly that his fists were turning white. “...One time, me and Deceit managed to find an old hat in the alleyway. He kinda claimed it as a bed for himself, and I slept in it whenever he was gone. It was the closest we had to an actual bed.”

Virgil shifted uncomfortably, looking away from Logan’s attentive gaze. “I still can’t believe he’s gone.”

“I... I wish I knew what to say,” Logan stammered with a grimace. “I can’t imagine this is an easy change for you.”

“Not really, no.” The borrower muttered, hiding his face under the blankets. The blankets were so warm. Virgil found himself struggling to keep his eyes open. “But I’m okay now.”

Logan hummed. He looked unconvinced. “You don’t mean that.” It wasn’t a question, either. Judging by the bags under his eyes and the redness of his face, Logan could safely deduce that Virgil was, in fact, not okay in the slightest.

A laugh bubbled from Virgil’s sore throat. “Yeah, not really.” Virgil yawned, snuggling further into the pillow. It did a fantastic job of hiding the tears building behind his eyes. “But... I’m better.”

Logan hummed a second time, not quite satisfied with that answer. “I suppose that’s a more honest statement.” He moved to flick the lights off before pausing and turning back to Virgil. “Will you be alright sleeping there? I can move you elsewhere if you wish.”

“No, I’m good.”

Logan nodded and moved away. Darkness flooded the room; Virgil heard the sounds of Logan fumbling back towards his bed. The blankets were shuffled around as the human settled onto the mattress. “You are to wake me up if you need anything. Do we have a deal?”

“Meh.”

“I’m serious, Virgil.”

Virgil rolled his eyes. “Fine, I’ll wake you up or whatever.” Under his breath, he muttered something else, quietly enough that Logan almost missed it. “I hope hamster cages are comfy.”

Logan’s mouth was moving before he realized he wasn’t supposed to hear that last part. “I won’t put you in a cage, Virgil. I plan on keeping my promise.”

At first, Virgil didn’t reply. But then, a quiet voice spoke up. “How would I know that?” The borrower sniffled a bit. “I—I want to believe you're good, but I can’t afford to trust the wrong person again.” He paused to sob. “I just... can’t.”

“Virgil…” Logan sighed, straining his eyes to see Virgil in the darkness.

Virgil continued to ramble, choking back more sobs. “I want to trust you. I want to believe you. But I don’t wanna get hurt again.”

Logan dejected at that, silent for a moment, before standing up suddenly and shuffling across the room. Virgil eyed him cautiously, afraid of what the human was planning. But Logan simply sat down at his desk and opened his laptop, clicking his mouse a few times. Virgil couldn’t see what he was doing until the screen was suddenly rotated towards him.

Logan gestured to the screen. “The video has been deleted. There’s no trace of you in my files.”

Wait, he... he actually did it? That was unexpected. Virgil felt the tension in his body suddenly unwind at those words. “Oh. Uh… thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” Logan found his hand snaking its way towards Virgil, stroking the borrower’s side with a gentle brush of fingers. Virgil gasped in fright at first, but settled back down when he wasn’t being prodded or grabbed. “I know it must be difficult to trust me, especially after all you’ve been through tonight. But that’s okay. I don’t expect you to trust me right away—that would be foolish of me.”

Virgil sniffed again. “You’re not mad?”

Logan smiled, setting the laptop aside. “Of course not.”

That seemed to put Virgil at ease. His small body began to unfurl, slowly but surely. The sobbing continued quietly. “...Thanks, Logan.”

“You’re very welcome.”

Logan continued to soothe him, even though Virgil had gone quiet a few minutes ago. After a while longer, Logan finally noticed that Virgil fell asleep. The steady, shallow breathing could barely be heard from such a tiny throat. The human smiled wearily and retracted his hand. It was time for him to get to bed, too.

Logan allowed himself a few moments of peace once he was properly bundled within the blankets. Aside from the distant sounds of Patton downstairs and the strips of sunlight leaking through the closed blinds, the entire room was frozen in space and time. These moments of uninterrupted silence were usually welcome, allowing Logan to think without distractions. But now, the silence was a curse. The rampant thoughts swirling through his mind rose to a deafening roar. Logan pulled his pillow over his ears with a groan.

The man peeked out from beneath the pillowcase. Virgil was still asleep, tucked into a ball beneath the toy fabrics. Their meeting was such an unlikely occurrence that Logan had to wonder if he was seeing things. But he'd only been awake for about 25 hours straight; hallucinations due to lack of sleep didn't start until at least 30 or 40 hours of staying awake. Virgil was real, as difficult as it was to believe.

Perhaps he should skip class today.

Now that Virgil was asleep and calm—and far less likely to panic in his presence—it was tempting for Logan to take notes. He threw a sideways glance towards his notebook, sprawled open upon his desk by the laptop. The pages fluttered against the hot air coming from the nearby vent, taunting Logan incessantly. It couldn't hurt to just write some basic observations, would it? Things like height, behaviours he'd noticed earlier, maybe a quick sketch if he had time...

...But no. Virgil wouldn't appreciate his privacy being violated like that. The existence of these so-called borrowers seemed to be a secret Virgil was dead set on keeping, and for good reason. Logan wanted to know as much as he could about these mysterious miniature humanoids, but he also wanted Virgil to feel safe in his home. That’s why he offered Virgil a place to stay, after all.

Logan sighed; he'd have to put his curiosity on the shelf for now. His priority had to lie with Virgil's wellbeing. That was the deal. And Logan intended to keep his end of the deal, no matter what.

With that thought, he finally fell asleep.

[riskeith]

omg hi. sorry i disappeared for a few days, been super busy with school. i missed you a lot. how have you been?

i haven’t had the need to eat any food since i got barbara and noelle on my team. if one of them can’t shield, the other comes in a clutch haha. *bows* thank you ladies for your service.

i’d pay hard earned money to see fanart with the boy scouts playing with guoba.. :( and YEAH. that would be so fitting? + it’s gonna be liyue themed which is super nice. do you know any predictions over which four stars will be in xiao’s banner? and who do /you/hope will be there?

last time i played three days ago unlocked dragonspine.. i even did albedo’s quest i can’t believe i defeat that evil place sjshdksk. meaning i got so some primogems and some intertwined fate. i’ve been itching to use some of the intertwined fates to get xiangling c rate up... should i?

october 20 is such a cute bday. you know how some dates just look nice? that’s one of them shskdhs. i want to say my birthday too but i feel like if anyone reads our messages they’ll know who i am... sorry. you’ll have to wait for that information until we privately talk some day. big promise. 🤍

ooh. you kind of wing it too, then! in some ways. if you’re not feeling it do you leave the fic for the day after or give up on it for a while? (so many question... shut up @ me) i’m the same as you! but i also write sometimes in the day time and i feel like that’s when i produce my best work. yesterday i was at a cafe studying and during a break i just started writing a fic and for some reason it just flowed so nicely? so yeah idk skdjdhsk. whenever it strikes i suppose.

i do borrow my books sadly. i kind of have to because i don’t have anymore place to put my books (we live in a small apartment) and books are kind of expensive :( i don’t mind borrowing though because i don’t really reread books unless they’re super special so it’s fine. do you buy yours? I HAVE READ LEGEND. i read it waaaay back in grade school haha, it’s been ages ago. i’ve never seen anyone say it’s their favorite but i can see why you feel that way. it’s kind of underrated in the community for sure.

dude fuck... chongyun and xingqiu live in my mind rent free. i kid you not i just can’t stop thinking about those boys... please send me all the fanart you find i’ll literally give you my life for that <3

i just listened to the g-idle song and AAA? wtf? i used to really like them while i was into kpop and this is so nostalgic to me. i haven’t listened to kpop in literally years shdkdhdk. this song is great thank you for sending it, do you like g-idle? <3

WAIT ARE YOU MAKING A SECOND ACC? I WAS LITERALLY CONSIDERING DOING ONE IN ASIA FOR YOU... shdjdhdjshsjsj our minds. and yes i’m in american server... oh god. our co-op date can happen? 🥺 but if it’s too much work for you i’ve seriously actually considered doing one in asia for me i’m totally fine with starting all over so.. 🥺

god i’ve missed talking to you so much. once again i’m sorry for not being here, but hopefully after tomorrow’s exam school will be a bit more chill and i’ll be yours again.

hope you’ve been well babe. mwah!

hi!! that’s alright ahah, i assumed that was the case. i’ve been well!! and then not so well bc we weren’t talking 🤪 needless to say i’ve missed you a lot too <333

omggg QUEENS!!! i don’t have any healers but i don’t eat food either... LMFAO unless it’s a boss fight i’ll just keep going until i’m done with whatever it is then go heal at a statue fsdhfkdjs

!!! brb just gonna go get good at art so i can draw that for u 😩 i don’t have any predictions myself, but i’ve seen people say it’ll be ningguang + beidou + barbara possibly?? but of course, i would hope that xingqiu was there <3333 he can appear twice in a row come on mhy <3333 just think about that <333 and omggg i’d wish if chongyun came as well.. i really want to get him to c6 (but he was only two banners ago?) hbu do you have any thoughts on the matter~

AHAHAH good job im proud of you 😤😤 show that nasty place who’s boss!! if you want to, I don’t see why not! it’ll get you closer to pity as well so by the time venti is near, hopefully it won’t take you much to get him! lmk how it goes!!!! manifesting c6 xiangling for you 🔥

fhskdf thank you... is it weird to say i agree? FHDSKFHSDKFKJ like. 20/10 or 10/20... nice even multiples of ten numbers.. AHAHAH. no need to apologise at all!! 🤍🤍🤍🤍 share whatever you’re comfortable with whenever you’re comfortable <33

hm it depends. (i just reaslised i said this exact phrasing last time too lmfao) i think i usually give up on it for a while? but sometimes i try to force myself through it too, just to get over that section so i can hopefully move on to a better one wait sorry i misread your question LOL. i usually leave it for the day as opposed to give up on it for a while! if i’m actively working on something i’d prefer to continue working at it slowly, even if the progress is just me opening the doc and then exiting after 5 mins fhdskj. are you the same? (NO!!! DO NOT SHUT UP @ YOU i never get to talk about writing processes pls im enjoying this a lot)

nice!! the vibes when writing during the day are sometimes better as well, bc it’s still light and stuff you’re not sitting in the dark or with a light on.. lol. it’s more ~natural~ & omg legendary... i love that for you!! on that note, do you usually study at school/cafes/libraries? i pretty much can only study at home, i hate doing it anywhere else. 

ahh that’s fair :( and yeah i agree books can get so expensive? like the authors def deserve to be compensated for all their hard work but damn lmao. oh that’s a good point! i do buy books yeah, and i don’t even necessarily reread them i just like having them on the shelf fhdskfd (there are many i haven’t even read for the first time... oops.) what ages do grade school cover? sorry i have no idea what that means fhsjfkshsdkjs the different names for education levels will never not confuse me. !! yeah i really wish legend was more popular aaaaa

here are some recent arts i’ve bookmarked!! (rip i should find one more so every word is linked but cbs hfskdhfs) i’m also considering making a genshin twitter! idk why i’m so averse to following these amazing accs on my normal account lmaoo but i’m also thinking of posting pics from the 52485 photoshoots i do with chongyun..

oh nice!!! i’m really happy you liked it 🥰🥰🥰 and yeah i do like g-idle but i don’t stan them! that’s me with most groups tbh fshkfjsd but i do watch most of their MVs when they first come out~

FSHFKJSDHFKSD wait what if.. this but it’s us surprising each other in the other’s servers <33 and if i’m telling you the truth... i kinda despise the idea of playing in am*rica server FHSDKJFHSDKFHSDKKDSHFKSDHKKJ but we could compromise and both start again in europe?? ahah let me know what you think! if you’re happy to just do one in asia tho that’s fine as well~ 

me too!! and no worries for real, school comes first!! (even if it fkn sucks... @ school i hate you. i say, when i’m still on holidays FHDSKJFJS) aaaa good luck on your exam!!! i hope you smash it 💪💪 

also um “and i’ll be yours again”??!?!?!?!? be still my beating heart 😩😩😩😩 i shall be waiting for you wifey hehe

hope you’ve been taking care of yourself!! kisses, c.r.

[ineffably-good]

Faeted (Good Omens AU)

Summary:  Ezra fell is an English professor at a prestigious academy for boys. Crowley is the lord of the Unseelie court in the lands without sunrise or moonfall. Somehow fate will bring them together.

Excerpt:  “That’s the only part that concerns you?” Ezra exclaimed. “My heart’s desire is apparently a large reptile and you’re just concerned about the laws of magic?”

Read it on AO3!

Chapter One

Ezra Fell laid down his chalk and turned to face the twelve teenage boys in his care. Twelve bodies ensconced in navy blazers jittered in barely concealed anticipation; twelve pairs of eyes jumped between him and the clock on the wall, ticking loudly as the last minutes of Friday lecture faded away.

There was no competing with the weekend, even at a school as prestigious as St. Aloysius Academy.

“Yes, yes, all right,” he sighed. “I expect you all to read the next section of the Faerie Queen for Monday, and to complete your permission slips for next week’s field trip.”

The bell clanged and the room was suddenly awash with the screeching sounds of chairs being pushed back and students exploding into motion.

“Class dismissed,” he called futilely, over the chaos.

Ezra sighed and wiped the chalk dust from his hands as he returned to his desk and began to straighten up his papers. There was a knock at the door and he smiled to see Miss Device, his friend and the resident art teacher, standing in the doorway. Her dark brown hair was pulled back in a braid and there were tiny bits of paint speckled on her glasses and her cheek. She still wore the smock she’d placed over her dress to protect it from her students’ creative endeavors.

“Survived another week, did you?” she asked with a grin.

“Indeed I did, my dear,” Ezra replied. “And you? Still employed I assume?”

“So it seems,” she said. “So that’s a score of two for us, zero for the urchins. We just might get through this term yet. Supper at the pub at seven?”

“Of course! Wouldn’t miss it.”

Anathema sketched a little wave and disappeared around the corner towards her own room.

Read it on AO3!

--

Ezra gathered his things into his leather satchel and made his way outside. It was a beautiful fall day, and the air was crisp and bracing. He stretched in the angled sunlight for a moment and then headed off towards his home.

He passed through the school gates and enjoyed the walk for another twelve minutes before he found himself arriving at his own doorstep – a small, tidy, whitewashed cottage, just the right size for one. Many of the instructors at the academy lived on campus with the students, but Ezra valued his privacy and his quiet reading time too much for that; he’d felt lucky to find and purchase his own modest little home so close to the school when he’d been hired on five years ago.

He stopped to collect his post and examine the flowers in his front window box, and then let himself in with a contented sigh and immediately set about putting a kettle on to boil. Time for tea.

The clock over the mantel showed that he had a little over two hours before he needed to meet Anathema. With a happy wriggle, he carried his tea over to his favorite arm chair in front of the fire, sat down, and picked up the copy of The Mabinogion he’d been reading. It took him just a moment to find his place, and then the world disappeared as he was lost in tales of pre-Arthurian Britain.

--

Anathema was waiting for him when he parked his bicycle outside the pub later that evening. She waved to him from their usual table in the front window and he noted she had two pints ready for them.

“So, what were you reading that made you late this time?” Anathema asked.

“Oh, doing some background research on old Celtic and British legends,” Ezra answered. “Faeries and mounds and elfshot and fairy stroke and what have you. Fascinating stuff! I’m taking the boys out to visit a few sites on Monday afternoon and want to give them context.”

Anathema nodded. “Faeries,” she said solemnly, “are not generally the nice little creatures that people like to imagine. They are dangerous and unpredictable and not to be taken lightly.”

Ezra examined her closely. “In literature, you mean,” he said pointedly.

“Whatever makes you happy,” she said with an ambiguous smile.

“I know you believe in magic, of course, but are you telling me you believe in the fair folk too?”

Anathema shrugged and took a long drink from her pint. It left a bit of foam on her lip that she licked off before answering. “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

Ezra tutted at her fussily. “Now, now, using Shakespeare to win an argument with an English professor is completely unfair.”

“Who ever said I play fair?”

“Indeed,” Ezra said with a fond smile. “I keep forgetting that.”

They turned their attention to food, then to sharing the latest gossip from their respective departments as the munched on their fish and chips.

“What is your coven up to tonight, then?” Ezra asked pleasantly.

“Oh, you know. Preparing for the larger gathering next week. Scrying.”

“What are you scrying for?”

She shrugged. “It varies from person to person. Glimpses of the future. The face of your one true love. The essay question that will appear on next week’s exam.”

He laughed. “And you find that this works?”

“Well maybe not for essay questions,” she said with a wink. “Although if the will is strong, anything is possible.”

She stopped and looked at him more closely.

“Oh now, don’t start, my dear,” he protested, knowing what was coming.

“You should come join us,” she said. It was an old refrain and quite possibly the hundredth time she’d brought this up.

“My dear, covens are for women,” Ezra said primly.

“No, they aren’t,” she said. “We are an equal opportunity coven. And you’d fit right in.”

“Perhaps some other time,” he said, signaling for another round of pints.

“Really, Ezra. We’ve got a few men who work with us regularly. And with your powers of concentration and imagination, you’d be a natural.” She peered at him. “What’s the harm in giving it a chance?”

Ezra had to think about that one. Born into a conservative and very rich family, he’d long since abandoned his family’s religious beliefs and instead devoted himself to a life of the mind and the senses. He considered himself an open minded man, and didn’t mind at all that his closest friend considered herself a practicing witch. But to try it himself?

Anathema leaned forward and prepared to break out the big guns. “Really Ezra,” she said. “Where’s your academic curiosity?”

She sat back and tried not to grin while she watched that comment land.

He huffed in mock disgust. “You,” he said, shaking a finger, “are a menace. You are an American menace, come to Great Britain to corrupt the souls of our young.”

She continued to grin smugly at him, one eyebrow coolly raised.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” he said. “I’m not coming to your coven. But perhaps you can show me something about how scrying works, after dinner. I do admit to some curiosity about the process.”

Anathema made a fist pumping gesture, which Ezra primly ignored.

--

“Do you have some ink?” Anathema asked as they entered the cottage.

Ezra gave her a stern look and gestured around him at the overflow of books, papers, notebooks, and pens lying on every possible surface. “What do you think?” he asked. “Of course I have ink!”

“Grab it,” she said, “and a pitcher of fresh water, and a silver spoon if you have one, and meet me in the back garden.”

“No niceties? No sitting down for a biscuit first?” he teased.

“I’ve got a coven to get to in an hour,” she said, pushing her glasses back up on her nose. “If you want a little tutorial, we’ve got to do it now.”

Ezra set about gathering the items she’d asked for, placing them carefully on a wooden tray, and then stopped and added a few biscuits on a plate too, just in case someone got peckish.

When he emerged in the backyard, he found Anathema had upended the brackish water and leaves out of his old, stone birdbath and wiped it as clean as she could with just her hands, and then had pushed and pulled it out of its usual corner beneath the plum tree into a spot where it was open to the sky above.

“It’s actually a beautiful night for scrying,” she said. “Nice bright moon, no wind…”

“Oh lovely,” Ezra said, a tad sarcastically.

She punched him lightly in the arm. “You asked for a lesson in scrying. Don’t be a bastard.”

“Sorry, sorry,” he said, smoothing his face into a more agreeable expression. “What do we do?”

“First pour the water into the bowl,” she said, indicating the birdbath. “And then add a few drops of ink to make it darken. Then stir it with the silver spoon, three times clockwise.””

He did so.

“Now,” she said firmly, “it’s mostly about your intention at this point.”

“My intention?”

“What do you want to see?” she asked. “You don’t have to tell me, but think of a question in your mind, as clearly as you can, and focus on it while you take deep breaths and calm yourself.”

Ezra sat back and thought. What did he want to know? He thought about asking it to show him his family and what they were doing, but he wasn’t really interested in that, to be honest. His parents were undoubtedly at some fancy fund raiser, as that was how they spent most of their weekends, and his older brother was undoubtedly preparing for tomorrow’s sermon at his swanky parish. None of them were thinking about him and seeing them would just point out how hopelessly different their lives were from his.

Did he want to know about the possibility of love or romance? To be perfectly honest, he wasn’t sure. He’d never had a strong feeling that love and romance were for him. He hadn’t ever really met anyone who evinced a strong interest in him, other than the occasional school crush on an older boy or two. These interests were passing and short, and he’d found himself mostly content with his life alone. He had his books, and his students, and a few good friends. It wasn’t out of the question that cupid could encounter him someday, but it hadn’t happened yet.

“I don’t know what to ask for,” he finally admitted.

Anathema studied him quietly. “Why don’t you ask it to show you what you most need to see?”

He straightened up and smiled. “Why, my dear, that’s a perfect solution. Nice and open, difficult to misinterpret. I do like to be precise.” He closed his eyes and took a series of long, slow breaths. He concentrated on that statement, repeating it over and over. Show me what I most need to see. Show me what I most need to see. Show me what I most need to see.

After a few minutes, he felt calm and centered, and he opened his eyes to look at Anathema, who was watching him closely.

“Lean forward,” she said, “and look into the water. Keep breathing and try to relax, and just wait.”

“That’s it?” he asked doubtfully.

“That’s all it takes,” she said.

He placed a hand on either side of the cold stone basin and leaned forward to stare at the reflection of the moon in the dark, inky water. Nothing happened for several minutes. There was only his face, watery and distorted, and the reflection of the moon, wobbling a little as gentle ripples made their way out from the center of the pool. He realized he was holding the edges of the basin with a death grip and tried to loosen his hands a little, letting the tension flow out of him.

He took a deep steadying breath and leaned in a little further, still repeating the words in his head, and suddenly the image in the water shifted, into a pair of golden, snake-like eyes that blinked at him in surprise and then darkened in alarm. He had a brief impression of hair like flames and a sense of agitation as the eyes leaned closer towards the surface and then — disappeared.

Ezra leapt back as if the bird bath had bitten him.

“What did you see?” Anathema asked, taking in his breathless surprise.

“I — I’m not sure!” he stammered. “Eyes. Reptilian eyes. Possibly a snake? I think it saw me, too.”

“That’s impossible,” the witch said. “Scrying is one direction only; no one can see back across the connection.”

“That’s the only part that concerns you?” Ezra exclaimed. “My heart’s desire is apparently a large reptile and you’re just concerned about the laws of magic?”

Anathema started to make a smart comment and then noted his pallor and how rapidly he was breathing. “Come on,” she said, “let’s get a finger or two of scotch into you.” She took him by the elbow and led him into the house.

The encounter left Ezra off balance and out of sorts for the rest of the evening. He saw Anathema off after more tea and a bit of whiskey, then set about trying to settle down and focus on lesson planning, but found himself distracted by thoughts of those golden, reptilian eyes widening in surprise and alarm. Who on earth was that supposed to be? His soulmate? He might not know a lot about the larger world outside of the academy, but he was fairly certain that nobody human had eyes like that.

[breathings-of-the-heart]

Levi x Reader Part 1

Love me Black and Blue

A/N: It’s been a hot minute but voila! Part one!! Good news is, I’m currently on winter break and quite motivated to write. Other good news: Part three is nearly complete and four is already finished :) Going to work on the next part right after posting this. (I write very much out of order if I have scenes pre-planned-- I tend to be more inspired to type out certain things that aren’t necesarrily chronoligical haha.) Anyways, Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate!! Hope you enjoy!! The next part will defs have more romance.

P.S. This gif gives me life. Happy birthday, Heichou!! <3

(Part 2)

“Her. Who’s that?” Lance Corporal Levi questioned, nodding over to a small, (h/c) haired young woman. She was midway through her exam, slashing at titan replicas with speed that nearly surpassed his own. Her touch of finesse when riding her gear caught everyone’s attention, and all present members in camp turned to watch as she tore through the thick napes like it was childsplay. One popped up behind her, and as if she could sense it, she slit through the cardboard cutout, slashing it from top to bottom in the blink of an eye.

Erwin turned to his shorter comrade, who was observing the girl thoughtfully.

“Ah, yes. That one’s a good pick, for sure.” The blonde male noted. “(Y/N) (L/N). Just turned twenty, finished top of her class, and quite compatible with others. Considering having an addition to give you an even numbered squad is so last-minute, that factor will work in your favor.”

“Kill count?” Levi continued, watching as the girl of conversation landed on her feet, blowing a strand of hair from her face. Many individuals came up to her, chattering excitedly at the adept abilities she had just displayed. (Y/N) in turn gave a blinding, closed-eye smile, blushing at the attention.

When on the ground, she looked as unthreatening as they come, and Levi half-wondered if he was looking at the same person. Erwin smirked at his question.

“Thirteen solo, and eighteen in total.”

“Tch. She’s been out of training for three years. Most soldiers in the regiment die before killing that many,” he remarked incredulously. “And she looks more like the head-in-the-clouds type.”

The commander shrugged.

“She started out in the Military Police and was an active soldier on duty during The Fall of Wall Maria. Surprisingly transferred to the Survey Corps immediately after she heard about its occurence.”

The raven said nothing.

“Not sure if that changes your opinion, but it’s your choice, at the end of the day, Levi,” Erwin added, crossing his arms.

Said girl felt eyes burning into her, and shifted her gaze towards the two men. Her electric, seemingly all-knowing eyes met Levi’s, and she tilted her head in question. (Y/N)’s entire being gave an image of gentleness he’d never seen before, which increased the captain’s skepticism further. It didn’t seem as if this girl was hardened by reality like most soldiers. Quite the paradox.

Levi merely grunted in response.

“How curious. Call her over,” he instructed, one hand placed firmly on his hip as he broke their shared eye-contact.

“(L/N)!”

(Y/N) bid goodbye to her group of admirers, jogging over to where her two superiors stood as if expecting to be summoned. She pounded her fist over her heart, another behind her back, expression morphing into one of sobriety.

“Sir!” she exclaimed, voice containing more conviction than Levi expected. It was stern, yet fitting. But she was young. Barely an adult.

“At ease. (Y/N), this is Lance Corporal Levi Ackerman,” Erwin introduced. She peeked at the man in regard once again and went slightly pink, dropping her arms to her sides.

“Yes, sir. I’m well aware.” (Y/N) turned to acknowledge Levi directly. “I’m sure there isn’t a soul out there that doesn’t know what you’ve done for humanity.” Her voice was light yet she didn’t make her awe towards Levi expressive as most people he encountered did. It was obvious enough to anyone with an eye for reading emotion that she was, indeed, exactly that. It was a stimulating first impression.

She was unable to meet his eyes as the compliment spewed out of her mouth, though. Levi tilted his head curiously.

“He would like a word,” Erwin explained, quenching some of (Y/N)’s clear spirit of inquiry. “I’ll be in my office. Come find me when you’re finished.”

“Not a moment after, Commander.”

He nodded in approval and turned heel, striding dutifully back towards the castle where the base of the Scouting Regiment was temporarily settled. Everyone who turned to watch the interaction went along with their business, leaving the camp bustling with activity. Levi’s stare darted back towards the tiny female. He analyzed her for a minute, watching as she grew more flushed and uncomfortable under his piercing gaze.

“I’m recruiting you to my squad,” he told (Y/N), out of the blue. Her eyes widened in surprise and her head snapped up to look back at the stoic soldier. She paused a moment as if waiting for him to correct the statement, or reconsider.

Good. So she wasn’t cocky, either.

“R-really? Me?” she spluttered, body stiff.

“Tch. Are you stupid?” The cold comment caught (Y/N) off guard. His cold reputation preceded itself, yet the words were like a smack in the face. She stared at the ground in embarrassment, suddenly finding interest in the mixed sediment and patches of grass beneath her.

“I just meant--”

“--you’ll meet the others tomorrow. Don’t make me regret choosing you. I don’t like wasting my time on titan fodder.” He cut her off, as if uninterested in what she had to say.

“O-okay. Thank you for the opportunity,” she began.

But by the time the sentence left Levi’s lips, he was gone. (Y/N) facepalmed, willing her racing heart to calm itself. 

She was so self-absorbed with her baffled state that she failed to notice Levi stop, scanning her once more before letting himself disappear out of sight with a slight shake of his head.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your green cloak fluttered in the wind as air rushed around you, the earth seeming to barely match your pace as you rode the omni-directional mobility gear strapped to your legs. Natural instinct took over, hands and mind working as one. You backflipped and twisted elegantly through the buildings, relishing in a state of weightlessness as your eyes locked onto a target. Shooting out the grappling hooks, you lurched forward and spun around to face the sky, arms reaching towards it. Your eyelids fluttered shut. Quickly launching yourself upwards in the heat of the moment, slashing titans as you passed. The color of the roofs blurred, melting together into a sea of reds and browns and mixing with the blue shades of the upper atmosphere.

“(Y/N)! Watch out!” Eld called, forcing you to snap your eyes open. An irregular titan leapt onto one of the many conjoined houses, both arms outstretched in your direction as it prepared to jump once more, its speed alarmingly fast.

You paused for a moment to inhale deeply, going limp and falling towards the ground. Your hair whipped around like ribbons, framing the whistling sounds that filled the air. These motions were captivating to the eye, every movement calculated yet, outwardly, looked effortless. You relaxed into each one.

Its outstretched fingers grazed your uniform as you fell, and from the corner of your eye you observed Gunther and Petra latch themselves onto it, blades running through titan flesh as they worked as one.

Just as the ground was a mere five inches away, you pulled up with one hook, in a vertical stance once again and pivoting in circles with the grace of a ballerina, finishing the titan off with the last hit to its nape. You let your head fall back, and when a high ledge presented itself, slowed down and tumbled forward. Sunlight perforated through more clearly here, highlighting the soft landing as you touched down on both your feet. It was as if the 3D maneuver gear were your wings— an extension of yourself.

Petra and Gunther stood a few feet away, the steaming human-looking beast slung over the edifice. Gunther was grinning at you in admiration as your strawberry-blonde comrade ran over, clearly exasperated.

“How do you make it look so elegant?” she implored, studying you brush a strand of hair away from your face as if she could decode the simple mannerism into her answer. You brushed yourself off, striding towards the other member of Levi squad.

“Hush up, Petra. Stop selling yourself short,” you scolded. “You make it look that way too; you just have no way of observing yourself to realize.”

Said girl smiled, amazed at your kindness as she stared at her own gear. It was short-lived though, as you all sprung into action once more at an approaching 15 meter.

Despite the banter, you all knew the situation was grim. The announcement given only hours ago replayed in your mind.

“What do you mean, a breach?!” you shrieked, eyes wide as the mess hall scrambled about, preparing their horses and suiting into ODM gear. The piece of bread in your hand fell to the ground as you sprung to your feet, the solemnity in the fellow scouts’ eyes nearly convincing enough to consider the possibility of such a ridiculous statement.

Eld snapped his fingers in front of your face, regaining your attention.

“I mean exactly what I said,” he replied, hurriedly. “We’re on damage control. They’re calling it the armored titan; it supposedly smashed through the wall after the colossal appeared.”

Petra, from her spot standing next to you, gripped your wrist harshly. Confused, you gazed back at her, her doe-eyes blown wide.

“The cadets are all out there,” she whispered, the words barely audible above the noise the other soldiers were making. You suddenly felt nauseous.

You waved as Oluo, Eld, and Levi landed next to you, blood staining their uniforms.  

“Captain! What’s the call?” You asked, jogging up to him. He ignored you and scanned for injuries, along with the other two of his squad a ways behind. The area was becoming overwhelming to contain, and information was difficult to spread, so everyone was a on edge.

Levi brushed his bangs from his eyes.

“All of the citizens have been evacuated, but a lot of the cadets are unable to head back over the wall.”

“They’ve run out of gas, apparently,” Oluo elaborated, frowning. You looked at Humanity’s Strongest, confusion flickering in your expression as your disciplined mind urged you to remain calm.

“Isn’t there a bunker with refills available, towards the center of the city?” you inquired. Levi nodded, but his demeanor was pessimistic.

“Titans are surrounding it, preventing those inside from leaving and the rest from loading up on what they need. The Commander says retreating is our best option at this point.”

It seemed that under the orders of their commanding officer, the rest of Squad Levi were willing to reluctantly comply. Your heart sank at the ease of their submission, and you looked around at the hellish invasion in front of you. The whole thing seemed an impossible nightmare.

Back down at the meter attached to your gear, you realized you were starting to run low on fuel as well. Eld, watching as the short girl in front of him deflate, took a step towards your crestfallen stature as the anger built up.  

“We can’t just leave them!” you argued, practically snarling at the ridiculousness of the idea. The Captain held his arm out, halting Oluo from getting any closer and glaring at anyone who attempted to comfort you. His stare was intimidating, boring into your skull as if communicating a thousand things at once.

“As an elite squad member, this shouldn’t have to be explained to you,” he reminded. “You’re relatively new to this branch, I understand, so let me provide this simple, life-saving lesson.”

You looked at everyone in disbelief, searching for backup, amazed to find that no one shared the same opinion or was willing to think of another alternative. Instead, they all seemed to shrink under Levi’s change of tone.

Humanity’s Strongest motioned to the rest of the members.

“Meet us on top of Wall Rose.”

They nodded and zipped away, grim with the weighing guilt of leaving. Your gaze shifted to the ground as they tried to catch your eye, but you were unable to meet any of their glances. 

You were in for it, for sure.

As soon as they were gone, Levi reached out and gripped the color of your shirt, harshly dragging you forward. His normally expressionless blue-gray orbs were seething, flames practically exploding inside of them. But you refused to flinch.

“You may think you understand the military, but here, especially in the field, it’s a whole different game. You do as you’re instructed, when you’re instructed, no questions asked. Quite simple, isn't it?”

The Captain watched as your face filled with reverie. He raised an eyebrow. You were aware that he was about to speak, and felt uncomfortable underneath his scrutiny. 

His fist balled up your shirt and rendered you useless, but that was the least of your concern.

Letting people go when you had the ability to do something, even if it was in vain, had to be the most heart-wrenching part of this job.

“Look at me, (L/N).”

Slowly, you complied. His appearance and command were both brisk and cold, yet not unusual for you to hear.

“One more round of scouting for survivors,” Levi started, releasing his hold. “and then we go back. If you take too long, I’ll drag you over the wall myself. That’s a direct order.”

“Yes, sir.”

Just as you were about to turn away, you felt something warm stroke your cheek, and as your downcast orbs flickered to search for its source, the realization dawned. The raven brushed the back of his knuckles against your soft skin for a short instant, but the impression was ever-lasting. The fire in his eyes was gone.

“Fifteen minutes,” he contributed, a short display of sympathy revealing itself before he flew off. Your heartbeat thundered in your ears. 

So he had been right. You were not yet broken by hopelessness, even after years of being a soldier. You still aspired to do the undoable. The male sighed, realizing your Military Police roots were incomparable to the brutal reality checks the Scouting Regiment provided daily. You’d just have to learn the hard way, then.

But he would be lying if he said such passion wasn’t... refreshing.

[nikatyler]

No way, simmeronnie is doing replies again? :o It’s been a month, I know. It’s been hard, exams and all that. I’ve talked about that a lot. Now I’m in so much better place. I’ve read what I wrote in my diary a few months ago (February and March to be exact) and wow...just wow. If you compare me from now to me from those months, you wouldn’t even believe we’re the same person. Right now, I’m the happiest I’ve been in a while. Back then, I’m honestly surprised I didn’t give up. I was so tired of everything.

Onto something else. I thought I’d catch up on a lot of blogs now that my graduation is done, but actually, I got carried away reading a good book (and therefore I didn’t actually catch up on too many blogs). Guys, you all need to read Illuminae. I finished the trillogy today and man, it was so good. Don’t get intimidated by how big the books are, yesterday I read over 400 pages and I didn’t even know how. It’s just so good. Read it. Seriously. I hope you like a good plot twist because these books are full of them. It’ll leave you speechless.

I’m just excited I can read books that have nothing to do with exams again, okay? Tomorrow I’m starting...I’m not sure. Probably The Burning Maze by Rick Riordan. FINALLY.

Anyway, blog stuff. I thought I’d only do the latest replies since my activity feed was broken, but now I was able to scroll down a lot. I wasn’t paying attention and suddenly I was at comments from April. So yeah, that thing I screamed about this week, apparently it’s fixed itself. Though I’m still not sure if it shows all of the comments. Oh well. I worked with what I was able to get.

By the way, in these replies, I did not include the “congrats” comments when I said I got through my exams. But I saw you all, and honestly, thank you so much. I was thinking about this the other day, and I think one of the reasons why I made it through high school was simblr. This is my happy place. Most of the time.

autistichatkid replied to your photoset “Oh no. OH NO. Guys I fried another one of my sims.”

ronnie pls be more careful you know how these things go

*looks at my own sunburnt arms* I won’t ever learn

starburstshores replied to your photoset “Nerine no that’s not the way”

Jesus can walk on water, Nerine can swim through land

she’s a Reverse Jesus

starburstshores replied to your photoset “Nerine: “Wakey wakey…” Regan: “Huh? Wha - Nerine? What are you doing...”

This is some Edward Cullen shit she’s pulling ��

Let’s be real, even with how Regan and Nerine’s story is going, it’s still a better love story than Twilight  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Hold on, do people still say that?

tiny-tany-thaanos replied to your photoset “Regan: “Hi mum! What’s up?” Miracle: “Regan, you might want to sit...”

OMG WHAT"S HAPPENING OMG

alfalfalegacy replied to your photoset “Regan: “Mum?” Miracle: “Yes sweetheart?” Regan: “He’s going to make...”

Yoo he better make it ����

autistichatkid replied to your photoset “Regan: “Hi mum! What’s up?” Miracle: “Regan, you might want to sit...”

oh god no

I can’t explain how I felt writing this. I’m not too empathetic when it comes to other people (and it sucks), but when it comes to “ok how would my character feel in this scene”, I’m immediately in their shoes, and let me tell you, I actually cried, even though I knew damn well how it was going to end. But I also knew what was happening next, and that’s why I cried too. Writing is weird sometimes.

alfalfalegacy replied to your photo “Coming soon…”

Marie looks super pretty in this!!

Thank you. I forgot she was this pretty. I couldn’t believe that when I loaded her for the first time after all these months. I mean, in the regular legacy, I don’t even see her around anymore too much.

vintageplumbobs replied to your photoset “Nerine: “I hate to be doing this, but it’s the only way. I’m sorry...”

Eeeeeeeeeshk.

pxelatedtrash replied to your photoset “Nerine: “I hate to be doing this, but it’s the only way. I’m sorry...”

I stopped liking her when she would always shut Regan down but now I really don't like her and i hope beyond belief that Regan can get away.

dandylion240 replied to your photoset “Nerine: “I hate to be doing this, but it’s the only way. I’m sorry...”

Wow I didnt like her before I definitely don't like her now.

tiny-tany-thaanos replied to your photoset “Nerine: “I hate to be doing this, but it’s the only way. I’m sorry...”

Ahem

Hmmm I had a feeling that thee was something wrong with their fast developing relationship

There indeed WAS something wrong with her. I hinted at it a few times, sometimes it was just a little thing that probably only I saw as foreshadowing, but it kept getting more and more obvious towards the end. And wow. Yeah. She really went that far.

Also, can I just say, I weirdly enjoyed seeing how at first, everyone was like “yaaaaas, mermaid girlfriend”, whereas now it’s more like “oh no. OH NO. STAY AWAY FROM OUR GIRL”.

dandylion240 replied to your photoset “Regan: “Because…because I love you. You’re right. You’re all that...”

Nerine is awful! Someone please save Regan!

tiny-tany-thaanos replied to your photoset “Regan: “Because…because I love you. You’re right. You’re all that...”

EXPLAIN DIS NERINE!

fishingforsims replied to your photoset “Regan: “Because…because I love you. You’re right. You’re all that...”

My brain rn is just “!!!!!”

She just wants her. That’s her explanation. She doesn’t care about anything else, as long as her beloved human will stay right there in Isla Paradiso.

I’m just now thinking, how the hell did I go from the first story idea for Regan to this. In the original story, there were no creepy psycho mermaid girlfriends. There was...a lot of Bridgeport...some cheating...a lot of guilty feelings...more feelings towards Courtney...Felix didn’t end up with her in that storyline but there would be a love triangle with another person...and considering I’m not actually the biggest fan of love triangles, I as a writer am glad I somehow ended up with a psycho mermaid girlfriend story. It was way more interesting to figure out and write.

But if Regan could decide, I’m pretty sure she’d rather end up in a love triangle 😬

Let me tease you though: There’ll still be a lot of Bridgeport later.

tiny-tany-thaanos replied to your photo “Gwyneth Ellen Clare flirty | perfectionist | family oriented | neat |...”

Was it cliffhanger? Le gasp

Anyway I'm looking forward to see you BRP!

Oh I just saw the tagsXD Don't mind me I think I have to go to bed

Wait still a cliffhanger. Just not as big as I initially thought. Don't mind me��

Haha no worries, this happens to me all the time, I forget to read the tags or caption and then I’m like huh??? What’s happening?? :D But I’m glad you’re looking forward to the BPR, I’m happy to be finally posting it. I’m not sure if it’ll be just as fun as my NSB, but it certainly won’t be as sad as the current story. You guys deserve a break.

Oh, another teaser: Guess what you guys will get in my BPR? An idiot to yell at. Not Ross-level idiot, but still an idiot.

tiny-tany-thaanos replied to your photo “Coming soon…”

*patiently waits*

It’s coming...very soon!

cloudberry-sims replied to your photoset “Nerine: “Now. You were supposed to move out of the houseboat by the...”

Oh that's evil Nerine...

‘Cause baby she’s a nightmare dressed like a daydream

I’m sorry, I can’t stop referencing Taylor Swift, that’s just who I am

melien replied to your photoset “Regan: “This place is heaven on Earth.” Nerine: “Wouldn’t it be great...”

So yeah this was the post where I kind of figured out something seems off... if I'm not mistaken there were also posts where George warns her but I didn't think much of them

One of the things I enjoy doing when I finish the first draft of something is going back and making hints. Tiny little pieces of foreshadowing. And then it grows and grows and gets more obvious. This was never going to end well. I think I already hinted at it when Regan was saying goodbye to her family before going to Isla Paradiso, though I’m not sure. But I think I left first little clues there.

melien replied to your photoset “Nerine: “I hate to be doing this, but it’s the only way. I’m sorry...”

I first saw pics, then the text... and thought wow damn can mermaids do this? But yeah I love where this is going. I like this kind of creepy

Yeah I had to help myself with Photoshop here, there would be no other way to make it clear that she enchanted/brainwashed her. But damn, it would be cool if something like that was actually in the game. Sea creatures like mermaids don’t always have to be nice. What about sirens from the old mythology? I mean, what they did was getting people killed.

sinfulwunders replied to your post “Today is my graduation day and I’m already almost crying even though I...”

My graduation was last month and I was balling my eyes out �� I understand how you feel

Ahh yes...I was in a car today and we were driving past my high school. I started thinking about it all again and I just can’t believe that just two months ago, we were still sitting there in a classroom, praying for it all to end. And now it’s over and it’s weird and I want to go back because somehow I miss it.

dandylion240 replied to your photoset “George: “I’m worried about you. There’s something wrong. This isn’t...”

George take her away before it's too late!

He kinda...I don’t want to say he fucked up at this point, but if he hadn’t walked away, things could’ve really been different, huh?

tiny-tany-thaanos replied to your photoset “George: “Regan, what the hell is going on?” Regan: “You wouldn’t...”

Girl you are definitely not feeling well and this isn't love:/

tiny-tany-thaanos replied to your photoset “George: “I’m worried about you. There’s something wrong. This isn’t...”

Girl you do sound like zombie!

tiny-tany-thaanos replied to your photoset “Regan: “You say that as if it was a bad thing. Get lost, George. I...”

Whaaaaaa?

There better be a wizard near you to un-zombie you, Regan!

That’s how it is with brainwashed people, isn’t it?

No, all jokes and dumb remarks aside, when I wrote Regan in this brainwashed state, it was so hard. Not that writing was hard, handling my feelings was hard. I knew she was hurting everyone and I had to keep going because I wanted to tell this story. Like I said, writing is weird sometimes.

Also, speaking of wizards...how convenient it is that her brother is one now? :D Which actually...I didn’t plan for him to become a wizard just to save her. I didn’t plan for him to befriend a fairy just to save her either. It just all sort of happened. Just like life, huh? Nothing is perfectly planned, you just have to play with whatever you have, and I was lucky this time.

tiny-tany-thaanos replied to your photoset “Weeks had passed since my last meeting with George. Things got better....”

Yeah I wonder why? Maybe because they are worried about you, too? You never came and anything could happen to you!

She doesn’t care about that. Well, she does, but she doesn’t know that with this whole “your family is useless and I’m the only one who matters to you” haze Nerine put over her.

tiny-tany-thaanos replied to your photoset “Regan: “Hey mum. How’s life?” Miracle: “What did you just say?” Regan:...”

Miracle, come and get 'er before it's too late!

She would. Honestly, I believe she would, if things weren’t already hard at home for her.

Can we just take a moment to appreciate Miracle for everything she’s gone through? She was “unwanted” at school because she was half alien, she had to share a room with an awful bully at university, then when that hell was over, she became a mother to six children, and now this...when I think of all that has happened, I realize how strong she actually is, because none of this made her give up.

I’ve had so many issues with her story, but looking at her from this perspective, maybe I shouldn’t have.

dandylion240 replied to your photoset “Miracle: “Regan - he was asking about you. He was looking forward to...”

Ugh your girlfriend doesn't want you. She wants to control you. There's a big difference.

tiny-tany-thaanos replied to your photoset “Miracle: “Regan - he was asking about you. He was looking forward to...”

Sure your girlfriend WANTS it not YOU!

SAY IT LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK AND HOPE REGAN IS ONE OF THEM

I shouldn’t joke about these things but...it’s how I cope

tiny-tany-thaanos replied to your photoset “Will: “Sorry I left you waiting. I was with my mum.” Roan: “That’s...”

Nerine happened, Roan

Pretty much

autistichatkid replied to your photoset “Will: “What do you mean?” Roan: “Most mermaids - or so I’ve heard from...”

IM SO GLAD WILL AND ROAN ARE THE ONES TBAT ARE GONNA GO RESCUE HER AAAAAA

I was so happy when I figured that out too?? Honestly I thought Will and Roan were going to have the least interesting story but then they prove me wrong and uhhh

I love them so much??

melien replied to your photoset “Miracle: “Regan - he was asking about you. He was looking forward to...”

Poor Regan, I believe she's strong enough to get out of this mind funk... or someone cares about her enough to save her

It’ll all be revealed soon...

tiny-tany-thaanos replied to your photoset “Will: “What do you mean?” Roan: “Most mermaids - or so I’ve heard from...”

Omg

OMG

I actually really like when supernatural creatures have their let's call them quirks which define their difference to humans! That's really really cool!

Actually, me too, even when it means bad things for the main characters!

[thecandywrites]

Isthantari- The Series- Miranda

I’M  SO EXCITED YOU GUYS!! Ok so please welcome Miranda, who belongs to @cerealpandas who is a vet and has some serious scaring due to a car accident. And I would just like to say, not all Jika are awkward, some ARE SMOOTH AS FUCK. So here you go! I REALLY hope you like it! And I’m sorry this took so long but we had a funeral over the weekend and life went sideways on me a little. But FINALLY it’s done. Enjoy. 

Isthantari Series- Miranda and Jabril

You were at work when a Jika came in, carrying a kitten, cradled to it’s chest. The kitten obviously was just in some kind of fight and the Jika was buzzing in what would be universally understood as distress.

“Please? Can you help me?” The Jika pleaded as he came and showed the receptionist the kitten.

“Oh my goodness, yes, Miranda!” Julie, your receptionist called out before you came from your office to see what was going on and your heart broke.

“What happened?” You asked as you took the little kitten into your hands to check it over.

“I was flying over an alley and there was a dog trying to eat it.” The Jika answered.

“Well thank you so much for trying to save it! Come on,” you invited as you walked back into an exam room and looked it over and started dressing it’s wounds and examining it and slowly but surely the Jika’s distressed buzzing softened until it stopped all together.

“Please, I’ll pay whatever it costs to repair it.” The Jika offered and you smiled appreciatively at him for his generosity.

“It’ll be ok, it’s not that bad, I think you got it just in the nick of time.” You reassured him before you started treating the poor thing for fleas and trying to assess if it was old enough for it’s shots yet and figured it was close enough and began preparing it for that as well before you gave it a little bath to wash all the fleas and dirt off.

“There you are.” You cooed to the little calico kitten as you dried it off.

“Are you surrendering it? Or would you like to adopt it?” You posed to him once you were finished.

“Jika never surrender,” The Jika informed you proudly. “I’ll happily adopt it, um, what..do I need to do though?” He answered.

“Well, for starters, you should probably name her.” You grinned.

“Oh...it’s a female, uh, Kabira.” He decided.

“Ok, well, she’ll need food, a litter box, a scratching post probably, a collar, some toys. How much do you work? Because she’ll need to be handled a lot to make sure she’ll be tame.” You answered as you pet the kitten affectionately.  

“Oh.” He answered as he considered that.

“Come on, we have what you need up front.” You invited as you walked with him to the front and set him up with what he needed as he gathered a pet carrier and put what he needed in it before your receptionist had him fill out some paperwork where you learned his name was Jabril.

“Thank you so much Dr. Miranda Gonzales.” He thanked you earnestly.

“No problem.” You smiled as you watched him take a business card and consider it carefully.

He slid a card and paid for everything before he started cooing to Kabira in the Jika native language as he left your veterinarian office. Kabira nestled to his chest in two of his four arms.

“Well he was nice.” Julie sighed wistfully, thinking Jabril was a dream boat already.

“Yeah he was, I’ve never seen a Jika like him before, have you? His black had that purple sheen to it, it was really pretty.” You noted.

“Yeah, usually it’s green.” She agreed before she looked at the paperwork.

“Oh my god,” Julie giggled.

“What?” You asked.

“He’s a prince, look, he put it on the paper work, Prince Jabril Kizu, it’s even on his receipt, he’s royalty, probably why he didn’t sound so robotic like most of them do.” Julie shrugged.

“Also why he could afford to get that little kitten the best of everything.” You found yourself grinning.

“If he’s single, I call dibs.” Julie giggled.

“And what would Mike think of that?” You put to her, reminding her of her husband.

“Oh he’ll understand.” Julie cackled and waived off as you rolled your eyes.

“Although if he’s single, I could push you towards him.” Julie smiled mischievously.

“Yeah, no, I doubt that would ever happen in a million years.” You snorted a laugh.

Your life returned to normal for a whole two days until Jabril came back in, Kabira nestled inside what you could only call a cocoon on a sling made of the same material across his chest and looking absolutely happy and content and already much better.

“Is everything ok?” You asked as he came in.

“I came back because I was worried her cuts were not healing properly.” Jabari explained as he carefully pulled the kitten out of it’s cocoon to show you as you looked her over.

“Her cuts are doing great actually.” You reassured him.

“Oh, I was thinking she would heal faster. Jika only need a matter of hours to heal.” Jabari explained.

“Well here on earth, things don’t heal that fast, injuries can take days, weeks, months or even years to heal and sometimes there are things that can’t be healed, but give her just a couple more days and she’ll be as good as new.” You assured him. “I like your sling, is that a Jika thing?” You asked as you gestured to it as he took the kitten back and pet her and moved his mandibles out of the way so he could kiss her head and nuzzle her before she went back into the cocoon and got comfy again.

“Yes, I made it for her,” Jabari beamed proudly.

“Out of what?” You asked.

“Oh my silk, we spin silk like your earth silk worms do, usually we reserve it to spin a protective cocoon around the queen but since I’m not one of her consorts, I’m not expected to do that, I’m free to spin whatever I wish out of my silk and what better purpose that for making this for my Kabira?” He smiled fondly as he pet Kibira’s head and scratched under her tiny chin grinning when she purred in delight and kneaded the inside of the cocoon.

“Wow, can I touch it?” You asked as you reached out towards it before he closed the distance between you and you got to pet it. It was insanely soft. Like softer than silk or satin or anything else and you reached inside and noticed how the inside was retaining heat so that Kabira was cozy and comfy.

“It’s amazing, I wish I could have these for all the kittens that come in.” You mused aloud. “That wasn’t a request by the way, it was just wishful thinking, aloud.” You quickly added with a nervous laugh.  

“It would be my honor to make some for you.” Jabari added.

“Really?” You asked in amazement.

“How many will you need?” He asked.

“At least a dozen.” Julie answered from behind you.

“Consider it done.” Jabril nodded. “I will need a little bit of time to make them, maybe by tomorrow.” He added.

“Oh, take all the time you need. You can make them that fast?” You asked in shock.

“Yes. I made this for her in only a few minutes.” Jabril explained.

“Can I pay you for them though? I’ve never heard of Jika silk, I imagine it can’t be cheap or easy for you to make, or is there special foods you need to eat to make it?” You asked.

“No, it’ll be my gift to you. To show my appreciation for taking such good care of Kabira when she needed your assistance.” He insisted.

“Well, thank you so, so much, I really appreciate it, even if you can only make a few or even one, I’ll be happy.” You thanked him earnestly.

“Well you could go out to dinner with me,” he invited smoothly and you nearly choked on your spit.

“Yes! She’s free to go to dinner with you tonight.” Julie agreed for you as you turned around and gave her a meaningful glare as she smiled bright enough to shame the sun and gave you an encouraging look back. But Jabril was looking at you for the answer.

“Uh..sure?” You agreed. Holy shit was this really happening right now?!

“You can pick her up at 6.” Julie offered again.

“Yeah, sure, six is fine.” You found yourself agreeing to that.

“I’ll see you at six then.” Jabril nodded in agreement before he left again.

When he left you turned on your toes to face your secretary who was smiling so cheese-ily big and clapping softly but quickly in excitement.

“That wasn’t cool, I don’t need help with my personal life.” You growled at her.

“Yes you do! It’s been ten years! And almost three since your last date!” Julie argued.

“Julie! Look at me! I’m a middle aged, fat, widowed and scarred to fucking hell! He’s a fucking prince for crying out loud!” You argued as you gestured to the left side of your face and body, scarred because of a horrific car accident that took your husband. The scarring you sustained had made you withdrawn and self conscious and the last date which was in fact three years ago had been on a blind date your sister had set you up on and it had been a disaster. So you resigned yourself to being married to your work and loving animals because they never judged you based on appearance.

“And yet, he asked you out. I don’t think any of that matters to him. You heard him say that Jika never surrender, the Jika are warriors, some of the best in the universe. I’m sure he’s seen some shit by now and I’m sure he understands that scars happen.” Julie reassured you and you huffed when you realized she had a point.

“So, go home at lunch, put on some makeup and bring some nice clothes to change into after work.” Julie advised as she gestured to your scrubs.

“Fine,” you groaned as your stomach knotted as you stomped back to your office before more clients came in with their animals and before you knew it, you worked right through lunch because a dog’s broken limb required emergency surgery and so you didn’t get a chance to get cleaned up at all. Your hair was a frizzy mess, you’re pretty sure your deodorant died trying to pick up an obese bulldog and put him on the exam table and you’re sure you threw your back out too. Your arm got scratched by a cat you had to neuter and your face nearly got scratched too and you sadly had to put down a puppy who’s six year old owner fed it a freaking bag of chocolate M&M’s and both the mother and the son were a mess and if you had been wearing makeup, you would have cried it off that afternoon and you were performing an ultrasound on a french bull dog when Jabril came back to pick you up for your date.

“Shit,” you breathed before you printed off the pictures and wrapped up that appointment.

“Hi, sorry to keep you waiting, had a very long day.” You tried to explain as you tried to clean yourself up just a tiny bit before Julie shoved some mascara and her emergency eye shadow mini palate that she kept in her purse into your hands and you just shoved them right back at her. There was no point. It wasn’t going to help that much. This was just going to be a dinner, that’s it. You would never see him again except to hopefully spay Kabira.

“It’s no trouble, I made you those cocoons for the other kittens.” Jabril offered as he handed you a box with over a dozen little cocoons and even another dozen actual cat beds made out of his silk and you wanted to cry.

“Thank you, thank you so so so much.” You thanked him as your eyes watered and you couldn’t stop smiling, this was the most precious gift to you.

“Also I made you this,” Jabril said as he pulled a shall out from behind him, it was obviously combed and woven and you nearly dropped the box.

“Oh my god!” You exclaimed as you carefully put the box down to take the shall from him as you stared at it in awed wonder and hugged it before you wrapped it around you, it was a little big but oh, instantly warm. It was so heavenly.

“Thank you, thank you so much, I love it, it’s perfect.” You thanked him earnestly. Fuck. You were in trouble.

“Well if you’re ready, we can go now if you wish? Or are you still needed here?” He asked.

“Nope! She’s good! Have fun!” Julie practically shoved you both out of there before you took Jabril’s offered arm and walked with him to your car.

“So where did you want to go to dinner at?” You asked.

“I looked online and there are good reviews at Bonefish Grill.” He suggested as you took in a deep breath as you felt a little bit of panic bloom in your chest.

“Uh, I’m not really dressed...up...for a place like that.” You grimaced a little.

“Oh, I didn’t realize..that. Well we can go wherever you would feel most comfortable at.” Jabril offered.

“Actually there’s a taco truck spot just up the road that I like to go to.” You offered before you locked your car and just decided to walk down the road to it. You were lucky, it was in walking distance as you wrapped your new shall around your shoulders a little tighter as he walked you down the street to the place that had three taco trucks in a parking lot with a group of tables in the middle of them.

“If you want fish, they have fish tacos though and even a ceviche that’s really good.” You offered.

“Ok,” Jabril nodded in agreement as he walked you to the spot and waited patiently as you ordered what you wanted in Spanish before he surprised you by ordering in Spanish too, his Spanish was flawless and the guys behind the counter were just as surprised as you were and asked him how he spoke such good Spanish before Jabril explained that Jika spoke every human language put into the directory and that Spanish, in particular, high Spanish, spoken in Spain was put into the directory first however the Latin dialects were being added and that once it was uploaded into the directory and fed into the hive mind, it filtered down to every Jika through the hive mind. Which blew you away and put a proud smile on your face none the less. You got your food and sat down at one of the picnic tables and watched as Jabril practically inhaled his food.

“Would you mind if I asked you a personal question? I don’t want to be rude or make you uncomfortable though.” Jabril asked as he came back with his second round of food as you had begun a nice, friendly conversation, switching from English to Spanish back and forth at will with Jabril being able to keep up with you remarkably well.  

“Is it about my scars?” You guessed since you caught him staring all through dinner.

“Yes.” Jabril confirmed.

“About ten years ago, I was in a really bad car accident. These are the scars left behind from it.” You explained simply.

“My sincerest apologies.” Jabril apologized softly.

“It’s ok, it’s not your fault, but it does make me self conscious when people stare at them.” You muttered as he nodded and looked away from them and focused on your eyes instead.

“Is that why you told me that some things you never heal from?” Jabril asked softly.

“Yup.” You nodded as you suddenly felt compelled to tell him about it and so you did, all the gory details and Jabril listened very intently and then you got to the worst part of the story. “I...I uh...I wasn’t alone in the accident. I was with my husband at the time, he died in the accident.” You revealed, normally you wouldn’t like to just tell anyone that but you felt like he should know that.

“I’m sorry.” Jabril offered, in a low whisper as his antennae drooped.

“It’s ok, it happened a very long time ago, but because of my age, and because of the scars, I don’t get asked out very often, actually it’s been years since I was asked out on a date.” You confessed.

“But you’re still very desirable, you’re intelligent, compassionate, professional and perfectly competent.” Jabril praised as you paused and blinked in surprise.

“Uh, I think Jika and humans have very different definitions of ‘desirable’.” You gently argued.

“I know we do. My brother’s Isthantari, she’s a very large woman, larger than you, she didn’t think that of herself either but to Jika, females are always supposed to be large, soft and delicate, their exoskeleton is very thin, usually thinner than your own epidermis, and very fragile and needs to be protected, cared for and attended to constantly. She should be so large in fact that she’s immobile. So the term you used- ‘fat’ that is actually a very desirable trait. But the compassion and intelligence is what intrigued me about you and compelled me to ask you out on this ‘date’. And as for the scars, for a female Jika, they are treated the same way battle scars are treated and are harrowed by the hive. Because Jika females are in fact so delicate, for her to survive an attack is a sign of great strength. Same can be said about you. You survived something that killed another. That deserves praise, honor and respect and only serve to make you more desirable.” Jabril explained and you were dumbfounded. A prince, no, Jabril, thought you were desirable. Just the way you were. You wanted to cry. Again.

“Wow, thank you.” Was all you could say in response.

“So, I must confess something.” Jabril began as your eyebrows pinched in concentration.

“Technically speaking, I should not be dating, to Jika, the queen and caring for her and doing what she commands should be an all consuming task, but alas it is not. I have a job within the hive, to serve the hive and the queen, but it is an easy, simple job which leaves me a lot of free time and free mental and emotional availability. However, if we were to pursue this relationship, we would have to be discrete, since the queen should not tolerate ‘rivals’ not that you pose any real threat to her and not that you really are a rival to her in several senses, because one, you’re not a Jika that can take over the hive, produce Jika offspring and control the hive mind. And she has not taken offense to my brothers becoming committed to their Isthantaris which has given rise to a freedom that myself and the rest of my brothers had not previously entertained, in that we can have relationships outside of the hive, in particular to individuals who are not Jika. I know it may seem unorthodox to you but it has stirred in us a hope of things greater than we could have previously imagined. So, that being said, would you like to go on another date with me?” Jabril asked.

“Yes, I would love that.” You confirmed immediately before the conversation flowed much easier at that and you didn’t mind the occasional flick of his pupils to the side of your face and neck that had the scars. Because he obviously didn’t look at them with pity. He looked at them with admiration which was a completely new concept to you and you found the idea of it all exciting and fun and your heart and soul were completely willing to go ahead and dive in.

After you were done eating, you made plans for a second date and then as a surprise, he picked you up and flew you back to your car and set you down with the utmost care and gentleness. And the flying thing was the funnest thing ever.

“Hey Jabril?” You called after him after you paused in getting into your car as Jabril moved to fly away again but stopped and landed and came up to you again.

“Yes?” He asked hopefully.

“What’s an Isthantari?” You asked curiously.

“It’s a Jika term, it means ‘one I am devoted to for life’.” He answered with a grin.

“Aww, that’s so sweet! Well thank you so much for...everything, for the cocoons and for my shall, it’s my new favorite.” You beamed happily.

“You’re welcome. Good night, drive safe, oh, um, would you mind if I followed you home? I worry you’ll get into another car accident.” He proposed.

“I think I would crash being distracted by you if you did.” You winced.

“Oh, I do not wish for that to happen, I will refrain from such a thing, but please, drive with extreme care.” Jabril urged you.

“Ok, I will, I usually do.” You answered before you got into your car and drove home and true to Jabril’s word, he didn’t follow you. Instead you lost track of him shortly after he flew into the darkening skies.

‘So?! How was it? Text me when you get home!’ Julie texted you while you drove home and you rolled your eyes and got home and texted her back because you never texted and drove at the same time.

‘It was good, he asked what everyone asks. But we do have another date for Friday.’ You replied as you came into your house to find your three legged dog Buster, and your one eyed cat Sauron missing you, both of them happy to see you again as you pet them and refilled their food dishes and even made sure your cockatiel with the broken beak had it’s special food.

‘Oooh! You ARE going to dress up for that right?’ She pleaded.

‘Yes, I gotta take care of my peeps, ttyl.’ You texted her before you made your rounds in your apartment and got everything ready for the next day as you tried to shake the troubles of the day off which was easier than usual because of your impromptu date.

But when you laid in bed, you couldn’t help but smile softly to yourself about the date. Jabril was...perfectly charming, and thoughtful, and kind and showed more empathy and consideration that most did. You had learned to see beauty in everything long ago and you had to admit, you were finding a lot to appreciate about him. He was practically the perfect gentleman, but he could do so much better, he could have anyone he wanted. And if the Jika truly did find beauty in larger women, you knew there were so many who were even larger than you were, surely he would probably like them more than you and before you knew it, the smile vanished and morphed into a frown.

Friday came all too fast and you found yourself both thrilled and terrified. Surely this wouldn’t go past a second date. You actually could barely sleep Thursday night, you had gotten up early and had indeed tried to put makeup on, although you weren’t sure if this was really worth it, the best concealer in the world wouldn’t cover all this scarring. You felt so defeated. But Jabril had seen you without makeup at least, so he knew the extensiveness of it on your face. He had texted you and you had agreed to go out to eat with him somewhere really nice this time. You brought in a nice outfit to change into and even extra makeup to do touch ups after work.

You didn’t know if it was a blessing or a curse that it was a slow day. Blessing that at least your hair and makeup stayed nice. A curse because you became painfully aware of the time, six hours, five hours, four, three, two, one… oh god. You were so nervous you could barely eat lunch and by dinner time you were both nervous but starving.

You had barely gotten ready by the time Jabril showed up and he seemed very pleased to see you again before he handed you another shawl made out of his silk this time, it was like giant sweater that went down to your knees from your shoulders, practically a coat. It was even dyed a gorgeous shimmering magenta that faded into a magnificent purple. It was the most beautiful garment you had ever seen before. You felt like a queen wearing it and it wasn’t nearly as heavy as you thought it would be, it was just as light as the shall was and was big enough to wrap around you so that each side could overlap each other by over a foot of fabric. You wore such a bright ecstatic smile that your cheeks almost hurt from smiling and all uneasiness, stress and nervousness you felt earlier completely melted away.

“Thank you, so, so, so much, this is magnificent! I love it.” You beamed happily as you hugged yourself in the garment. It even went with your dress and these colors really complimented your rich skin tone. You happily hopped up into his arms as he then flew you to the restaurant and set you down gently on the ground outside before opening the door for you like the gentleman he was and to your delight, he had made a reservation and you were shown to your table immediately as you took the side of the booth that had your left side towards the wall. Still feeling a bit self conscious.

“Please, order whatever your heart desires, this is my treat and there is no expectation other than the hope to enjoy your conversation during the meal.” Jabril offered to you as you both looked over the menu and when the waitress came he ordered a lovely sweet wine and a few appetizers when you had shrugged in answer to if any looked good to you.

“How did you know I wanted the crab cake?” You asked curiously with a mischievous grin.

“I confess I watched your eye movements and facial expression, but please know that money is of little importance to me, I only wish to provide you with a lovely evening.” Jabril explained.

“Then do you know what I want for dinner then?” You asked in a light teasing tone as you closed your menu to look at him expectantly.

“I believe it is currently a toss up between the Caribbean cobia and the Chilean sea bass.” Jabril answered with a smirk of his own and your jaw dropped. It was like he read your mind.

“That’s not fair.” You playfully complained with a light laugh.

“No it’s not, as a prince and potential consort, I have literally been bred to read a queen’s facial expressions and body language and to anticipate her every need, want and desire and then provide that for her, so you would say it’s ‘hard wired into me’.” Jabril explained as your cheeks burned as you looked away, a bashful smile on your lips all the same.

“I’m sure there are others more deserving of your attentions than me though.” You countered softly.

“Perhaps you are right, but none that I would ever compare to you. And even if I were to try, they would pale in the comparison to you so I will do no such thing.” Jabril reassured you and you were at a loss for words.  “Is there anything I can say to dissuade your feelings of unworthiness? Do you perhaps question my sincerity?” Jabril asked.

“Well, I guess I’m just...getting used to be treated like a queen.” You couldn’t help but shrug again as you took your glass of wine and took another long sip, loving the sweetness of it. Last night, alone with your thoughts you would have doubted he was sincere, but it was like the moment you were in his presence all your doubts and fears vanished and you felt so at ease.

“Are you trying to make me your Isthantari?” You found yourself asking with a gentle, playful twist to your accusation.

“Yes, I have been looking for some time, years in fact. You see what you may not know is a queen Jika, is incapable of emotionally bonding with all of her consorts, she may only bond with a few while all bond to her and so while we give all of ourselves to her, she gives none of herself to us, emotionally speaking that is. And since my brothers have found Isthantaris that give all of themselves just as completely as my brothers give of themselves to them, it is that- that I am looking for. So while you may not see yourself as someone desirable or worthy, know that I do.” Jabril reassured you and you were ready to kiss him and do, well, so much more.

When the waitress came back Jabril ordered you both the sea bass and the cobia and got himself the shrimp and scallops with an added on lobster tail and you watched curiously as he ate the shells of his seafood too, seeming to take more delight in those than the flesh, but you chalked it up to him being an alien, a sexy, perfectly charming and smooth as fuck alien who just up and swept you off your feet.

Dinner was absolutely delightful and you drank just enough wine to relax you and open up but all the giddiness came from Jabril, he told jokes that had you in stitches, laughing so hard you were crying, he was reached out and touched your hands with his lower arms so that his upper arms could continue to gesture and traced your hands delicately and with reverence and he made you feel like it was just the two of you in a bubble and the rest of the world completely melted away and you found you cared less and less about it. You were with Jabril, that’s all that mattered.

After he paid for dinner he few you back to your home, even though it wasn’t the wine that intoxicated you. And when he put you down on your door step, you asked him to come in and he asked if you were sure you really wanted that, being mindful that you had been drinking but you were absolutely positive you wanted him to stay and so he bent to your will and allowed you to lead him into your home and he was even more delighted with your animals, and all your animals were so happy and excited to meet him and they took to him immediately as he was supremely pleased that you took in such creatures and that you saw beauty in value in them and reminded you that you needed to see beauty and value in yourself and when he offered to show you, your clothes seemed to melt off of their own accord and while normally you would want to shy away from such things, with him, it was as if your body was a kintsugi- pottery repaired with gold, only your body was that of a goddess, made even more valuable and precious because of your scars that covered not just the left side of your face and neck, but of your left arm, shoulder and side and he kissed all of it. All that you felt sagged in your age, he caressed and loved on and made you feel electric in the best possible way and you were on the edge of being overwhelmed with such emotions and attentions.  

When his royal jelly appeared out of a duct in his chest and he explained it’s purpose you helped yourself to it and moaned in delight, it was so good. Peaches, blackberries and sour-sop were the key flavors you got out of it, but hints of guava and banana were present too and you greedily sucked it down as his cock speared your hot sopping wet center. He was large and stretched you but while it was a snug fit, it wasn’t uncomfortable at all and the tingling sensation only enhanced your own desire. He started off slow, working his way in until you whined in protest at his pulling out and wrapped your legs tightly around his waist to keep him close. God you wanted that knot. You wanted all of it and grinded your pelvis onto it, urging him to go deeper, to take you harder and he seemed to get the hint and soon you found he had to wrap his upper arms around your shoulders to keep you pinned to the bed while keeping himself up by his elbows and forearms that were under your shoulder blades as one of his lower armed hands was kneading your voluptuous hips and rear while the other hand sweetly tormented your clit and it was all you could do to keep up sucking down that divine royal jelly and with his last final and completely desperate thrusts he finally knotted you and it was that- that finally sent you over the edge and you screamed as your whole body shook from the magnitude of this orgasm, surely the most powerful and magnificent orgasm of your life so far before your cheeks were now bulging almost painfully as a huge load of royal jelly gushed into your mouth and you fought to swallow it all down. It was so good you didn’t want a drop of it to go to waste and when the duct finally didn’t give you any more did you finally giving it one last teasing lick as Jabril shuddered as you let your head rest on the pillows and pant and try to catch your breath before you reached down and felt your lower belly feel like you were pregnant, but it didn’t hurt, you just felt...well completely stuffed as he rolled to lay on his side and still cuddled you close to his chest, your legs still wrapped comfortably around his waist and didn’t feel any pressure on your leg as his antennae tapped around your head attentively and when his cock shrunk and receded, the knot literally popping out of place, did you expel what felt like at least a gallon of his seed, but again, no discomfort came, just..relief with a tiny touch of disappointment that he wasn’t in you anymore.

“How do you feel my Isthantari?” Jabril cooed as he reached up to softly and delicately move the hair out of your face and gently traced your scars.

“Like a queen, like a goddess, like...the best I’ve ever felt.” You answered as you cuddled with his chest closely as he then went to pet and comb your hair with his fingers, loving and adoring it’s silky softness.

“Good, can I ask you something?” He asked softly.

“Anything.” You answered.

“Does your scaring cause you any discomfort at all? Or is it like any of your other epidermis?” He asked as he traced the skin around the scars, mindful not to touch it just in case it did.

“The scars on my face are very sensitive, the scars on my side feel numb actually.” You answered.

“If you were interested, would you be willing to try a Jika medicine to lesson them?” He asked.

“Yes,” you immediately answered.

“Then let me experiment with something just for tonight then, it won’t harm you, I promise- but I just want to see if it will help.” Jabril posed.

“My body is yours,” you giggled and he kissed you softly but with so much promise and you felt absolutely at ease as he reached down with his lower arms and scooped up his cum and began to apply to your skin as you looked down curiously at it, noting it’s holographic nature.

“Your cum cures scars?” You asked as you felt it’s slightly jelly like nature and watched as it shifted colors depending on the light and your skin felt a cooling, tingling sensation wherever he put it.

“Well I don’t know if it will completely, but one of the Isthantari’s, she was marooned an a tropical island with my brother and she claimed it cured her sunburn and she uses it as a beauty enhancer and so far it has done wonders for her complexion and she “collects” it from their mating and uses it exclusively, her skin has thus appeared very radiant since she started using it.” Jabril explained as he gently put it all over your scars all over your body.

“Well hell,” you giggled as you scooped some up and put it all over your face, quite liking it’s cooling and tingling properties and it did soothe the scars on your face better than anything ever had before. When you practically looked like a walking holographic highlighter, you scooped up the excess and put it into a jar before you gathered your bedding up to wash it and while you left to put it into the washer, when you came back with more bedding, you were both delighted and thrilled to find Jabril spinning you a bed with his silk,

“So that’s how you do it.” You gently teased as you put the bedding down and leaned on the door jam and watched him work as he smiled bashfully and ducked his head.

“Yes.” Jabril admitted as he finished making the perfectly soft and ridiculously comfortable bed on top of your mattress and he beckoned you over when he was finished and laid you down into it and you couldn’t help but groan in pleasure as you felt yourself melt into it as he laid down with you and pulled the blanket which was part of the bed itself up over you both fluffing the pillow like softness under your head so that any part he personally wasn’t cradling, was still cradling you nonetheless. That night, in Jabril’s arms was the best sleep you had ever gotten and in the morning when you bathed with him and he oh so carefully washed his cum off, he buzzed excitedly when your scars had visibly lessened. And even to you, the overly sensitive parts weren’t nearly as sensitive, in fact they felt normal while the parts that were numb, had even more feeling to them so that over all it felt more normal and even the parts on your arms and your chest and side, the parts you could see, the darker parts had lightened considerably and the lighter parts had darkened so that your skin overall evened out. You were in shock and amazement at it. It was too good to be true, you started crying tears of happiness again as you kissed Jabril deeply and before you knew it, he had you pinned up against warm shower wall and lost himself in you again, only this time, it was even better because he buzzed while he was in you and it was better than any vibrator ever had been and in mere moments you came and he hadn’t even knotted you yet and you came a second and third time by the time he did knot you, buzzing once he knotted you which was absolutely epic.

The rest of the day was actually spent on board the ship, exploring his rooms and he took you to the botany level and you gasped as you explored all the flora before he introduced you to the fauna from the Jika home world, the Jika equivalents to pets and things as you giggled as you picked them up and pet them, noting the similarities before you got to meet the other Ishtantari’s, Dr. Kimble especially excited and eager to note how your scaring lessoned with the application of Jika cum as Sable cooked the native Jika fruits and vegetables and Lenore let you try all the desserts she had started making with the Jika fruits as the other Isthantaris were really welcoming of you too and you felt like you were with friends, practically family.

Within a matter of weeks he was moved in with you, which all he possessed was simply Kabira and her things with a phone, it’s charger and a wallet since Jika didn’t really have clothes to speak of, but he did have weaponry which he stored in a closet, that’s all he took up and living with you and practically paying all of your bills and taking care of you and your home and your animals while you were away at work during the day and with you using his cum as scar cream, in no time they were barely noticeable, to the point, you didn’t feel you had to wear makeup other than eye makeup when you wanted to and everyone complimented you on your glowing complexion and your growing Jika wardrobe which you wore with pride. Who knew that you would find happily ever after from a kind soul rescuing a kitten.

[deanxfuckingadorablexwinchester]

Today I am going to talk about two things that are really close to my heart but firstly I want to apologise for posting after such a long time. I am still getting hang of things and trying to find my footing in the world of blogging while trying not to overthink every post I try to write. Moving on, the two things I am about to talk about are not just close to my heart but they made me into who I am as a person today. Lupus and Books.

I was barely a teenager when I was diagnosed with the Lupus and this is 2003 december that I am talking about. 27th December if we want to be precise. Internet was not what it is now. Not many people were aware of the disease. Hell, no one had heard the name of this disease. We hadn’t. The doctors barely knew about how to treat this. Even with today’s technology and awareness there are patients out there who are either misdiagnosed or not treated with the right medication so you can imagine how it was around 15 years ago.

I remember it so vividly. We had a school trip to Jaipur in November first week and it had been the best trip of my life and I was still on a high from that trip when I developed a fever. Obviously no one took it seriously thinking I over exerted or maybe it was a viral but it wouldn’t go down so all the routine check ups were done and all my bloods were clear. No one knew what was happening. For over a month I had this fever which just came down suddenly. It was gone and I was back to school thanking my stars and catching up with friends. Who was crushing on whom? Bunking classes to prepare a dance performance, entering my name in all curricular activities I could get my hands on. This 12 year old Sana loved school. She would reach half an hour early just so she could hang out with her friends and chill. This is the same Sana who loves sleep and would actually marry a bed if she could.

Unfortunately that spell of good health broke and I had two really swollen joints. I could barely move my hand. My wrist was twice its size which is when my pediatrician suggested I need to go to a doctor who was good at diagnosing stuff because she thought it was a multiple organ disease and she didn’t want to treat me for the wrong ailment. Everyone just assumed it was arthritis considering my mom and Nani both had this disease but we waited for the test results impatiently. I wanted to get back to my normal life and be rid of the pain. Christmas was coming and I was not going to miss the celebrations at school. I wanted to part of the show children were putting on. My parents on the other hand were thinking about the long term effect this was going to have on me. The over excited 12 year old hadn’t really grasped at the fact that this was going to be a long term disease. A chronic illness, a term I had never even heard.

Long story short I was diagnosed with Lupus and my world turned upside down(Lupus in simplest of simplest explanation is your immunity attacking your body instead of protecting you for those who don’t know about it and want to know more please feel free to message me on Insta or twitter. Both links are at the bottom of the page) I didn’t realise the gravity of the situation until much later which I am thankful for because otherwise I would have been a wreck. I didn’t have a phone and google on my fingertips to tell me the worst case scenarios. When I actually sit down and think about that time I don’t think I really understood what was happening and was taking one day at a time. This sana was hopeful and always smiling. Bright ray of sunshine no matter what. Everyone thinks I am brave because of how dealt with it all when in reality I was a really confused kid.

One of the medications given to treat lupus is steroids. It kills your immunity so it doesn’t attack your body but it is also leaving you vulnerable to getting anything and everything which is why I had to stay at home for six months. It wasn’t a suggestion. It was an order from doctor and something my parents refused to contradict. Doc’s word is the law in my house. She is basically my second mom.  What steroid also does is that you gain weight. You are hungry all the fucking time and then you gain weight. I gained around 15-20 kgs and I had to sneak out and go to the medical room to have a midday meal. It also damages your bones. Basically part of your bones stop receiving blood and because of that there are dead patches in the bones. It usually happens after a really long term use of steroids but I got it within like six months.

My friends who had last seen me in November were in shock. Some people didn’t even recognize me. I went from 45 kgs to 60 and I was in crutches. I wasn’t the active girl anymore, dancing and volunteering or even talking. I had gone into my shell and no one tried to even understand what I was going through. I was an outsider. Alone. No one wanted to hangout with me and that was a new experience for me. Unknown territory. I had always been confident person but after everything I had become shy and nervous and the friends I had didn’t really make an effort to be my friends.

That one day changed everything. I used to read before that but never seriously. It was rare and it was just harry potter. My mom noticed this change in me and we had a talk about everything. I told her how the best friends had vanished. Everyone had vanished. It had reached the level where I used to eat alone during lunch in an empty classroom because everyone went out and I couldn’t climb down two floors with crutches throughout the day.

My mom just told me to read more. She told me people are going to come and leave specially with me because of my issues but books? There are always going to be books around. They will never leave you. You can take them with you wherever you want and those words kind of just hit a mark. This is when I actually started reading. I talked to my librarian at school and when I couldn’t go in for a long spell my mom would go and collect a bunch of books for me to read while I was stuck in bed.

That was just the beginning of reading books obsessively (I remember staying up during my 12th board exam to finish reading twilight. Don’t give me that look! We have all been into the twilight hole). I would read every second I could get. It was an escape I hadn’t realized I needed. I could be in Hogwarts while I was hospitalized? How could it get any better, right? I found a passion in something I didn’t ever think was for me and I owe it to not only my mom but also my English teacher I had at that time. She was always encouraging when it came down to reading and writing. Yes, the books lead me to writing opening another whole new world for me that I didn’t know existed. I was talking to people from around the world. Finally people who were there. They weren’t judging me or starting rumours about how I am faking it all for attention or telling me I was depressing. Yes, someone told me that. A school friend. Someone I considered a really close friend of mine. I think we were around 24 and she said we don’t invite you to things because talking to you is depressing and we wanted to enjoy ourselves. Again, proving that books were more loyal than humans. Actually they are better than humans. Period.

I know its difficult to be friends with someone who is always cancelling plans or cant go out and asks the other person to come over. Sometimes they are bitchy too but can you blame them? They are fighting a battle with their own body every single fucking. Can you blame me?  Everyone you meet always says they understand but they truly don’t because by the time they understand they are already running away in the opposite direction.

Books don’t run away to begin with, they take you not just around the world but to worlds that don’t exists. To universe that is so vast and to make you dream. Books dare you to dream, they give you hope,too. For a better tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day. Am I right or am I right?

Pick up a book and show it some love guys. If you don’t enjoy reading then you just haven’t found your book. Just don’t ever stop looking!

Happy book hunting!

Sana

My Love Affair with Books Today I am going to talk about two things that are really close to my heart but firstly I want to apologise for posting after such a long time.

[svtntntn]

---habits--->

jock!seungcheol x classmate!you

this was something from a long, long time ago and now I'm getting around to finishing and posting it!! 

this is a small bit that goes hand in hand with this scenario ( snippet )

so you live next to the school

yes, you live right next door to your high school

your backyard is right next to the school's football/track field

the only thing separating your backyard from the school's field is a grand black cast iron fence

there's some shrubbery and bushes along the fence and your parents planted some flowers and tall plants to cover it up, but the football field still visible

your balcony can overlook the entire football field if you're sitting at the right angle

which honestly is a blessing and a curse

bc you can watch the games and events from your bedroom window and balcony but when you need to study or want to sleep in early, there's cheers and horns blaring outside your house

but in your best friend somin's opinion, it's also the best place to watch the jocks work out and run laps

staking out the most athletic and toned bodies in your high school on your bedroom balcony with your best friend on a weekly basis?

it wasn't something you were completely crazy about bc

1) wouldn't it be considered stalking?

and 2) your homework wasn't going to complete itself

she'd come over unannounced and set up an entire camp on your balcony

you'd protest your balcony being used as a stake out point to stalk cute guys but she repays you by bringing you food 

you don't really have an interest in any of the guys on the team except for a certain choi seungcheol

he's the school's heartthrob with his dashing good looks, his charming smile, his warm heart and natural leadership 

he's been the star quarterback for your high school since his sophomore year which is a new record as the youngest starting quarterback in school history

so somin's always calling you over to the balcony and saying that seungcheol is running laps around the track or that he's doing drills on the field with his teammates hansol and mingyu

or that he's just sitting on the bench looking as handsome as one could be with a sweat-drenched shirt

she literally wants you to die from your crush on choi seungcheol

which makes you less responsive to when she says his name, "(y/n)! seungcheol’s on the field!"

you stay sitting at your desk, "is he just taking a water break? again?"

somin is quiet for a beat, "okay yes, but look!"

you don't look and turn back to your hw

and you continue to daydream about your crush bc in all actuality, you've never talked to him or introduced yourself to him so he technically doesn't even know you exist 

one day you’re doing homework and somin’s on the balcony when she tackles you on the bed, "(y/n)," she says gravely, "choi seungcheol is outside your fence"

"whAt?"

you both peek out the balcony doors and this boy is standing on the other side of your backyard fence looking sheepishly nervous for some reason

but when you step out behind the doors, you spot a football in the middle of your yard, and then seungcheol spots you! 

he does a giant wave at you with a beaming smile and motions over at the football

you wave back before turning away from the balcony and somin is literally pushing you down the stairs bc you’re paralyzed from the shock of seeing him

you walk outside trying to act all nonchalant and caught off guard like "oh, hi there!" 

but you trip over the very thing you’re supposed to be returning to seungcheol

if that football was a person, you’d be murdering it 12 different ways and hiding it across the country where no one would find it

your cheeks burn red as you hear seungcheol chuckle to himself and ask if you’re okay

you nod slowly and toss him the ball over the fence and he catches it with a single hand 

showoff

he jogs back to the field with the ball and you’re left feeling crazy embarrassed bc you just tripped over a stupid football in front of your crush like thIS WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN

you suddenly hate football

somin tries to cheer you up with her never-ending optimism, "hey at least he knows your face and where you live now!"

"he saw me TRIP in my own backyard" you bury your face in your hands, "good thing he doesn’t even know my name"

days pass and you try to forget your terrible first impression, but you end up replaying the whole event in your head whenever you think of him 

now your crush on choi seungcheol is tainted by this one terrible memory and you kinda hope he forgets about the whole thing

little do you know, he doesn't;)

and then fate interferes: you're paired with him for a project in your literature class

just a quick partner presentation and of course, you draw seungcheol’s name from the hat

"hi (y/n), right?" seungcheol find a seat next to you and slides into it, "choi seungcheol"

his handshake is very firm and strong and you can already feel your cheeks blushing from how handsomely handsome he is

but you ignore the butterflies in your stomach and get down to business and set up a whole outline and plan of action for the presentation

seungcheol attentively listens to you and gives his feedback, which is refreshing bc most ppl would just nod, sit back and let you do the bulk of the work

you two set up a time after school to work on the presentation and you hope he doesn't bring up the whole 'hey aren't you the girl who tripped over a football' thing and thank goodness he doesn’t

before you know it, class is over and done with but when you leave the classroom, seungcheol is calling your name and walking with you down the hallway, "hey (y/n), I was hoping if I could get your number? to message you about our study session! I might come late because of practice and I don't want to make you wait for me or anything"

"oh! uh sure, of course" you punch in your number on his phone and he grins

"I'll see you tonight" he winks as he turns into another hallway, meeting a chorus of "hey's" from his friends

it takes you a solid minute to realize that choi seungcheol asked for your phone number and he got it under the guise of a study session

and you didn't even think much of it in the moment

seungcheol does come late to your study session in the library, but it's alright, you spent the 15 minutes sitting alone wondering what even to say to him in terms of small talk 

and when he gets to you, he’s apologizing to you profusely and you and him get your presentation done in under an hour, seeing as you're both smart and efficient students:)

the sun is setting outside when you both walk out together, "(y/n), let me drive you home, you're right next to the school anyways"

you brush over the fact that seungcheol remembers you live right next to the school, “no no! it's okay, I can walk home, I usually do”

seungcheol gives in, "okay… I'm walking with you though"

"you don't have to, really, it's such a short walk "

"I want to" and so, after a short stop to his car to drop off his football gear, he starts walking with you to your house

which makes your stomach flip and turn as seungcheol walks side by side with you

the awkward silence is replaced with seungcheol first breaking the ice and telling you some type of corny joke and making you laugh

you both get into a rhythm of talking about music and classes and friends when you get to your front door 

seungcheol has this tiny little pout on his lips that he hides when you mention that you'd rather just sit and talk to him longer

"we have tomorrow to talk more! and we can text each other" he promises, holding up his phone, "I'll text you when I get home"

you're over the moon when you enter your house!! everything's just perfect!! 

seungcheol does text you when he's home and you two end up staying up all night texting one another

this goes on and on and on for the next couple of days

it becomes less about your project and more about everyday things and trivial questions that you both know the answer to

seungcheol would text you before and after his football practice and you'd both stay up till the morning texting each other

during actual school tho, he'd spend time with you at your lunch table, walking with you in between classes and hanging out with you before his practice starts

if someone needs to find him, they’ll find you with him

you help seungcheol study for upcoming quizzes and exams in your respective classes in the school library

he ends up lending his letterman jacket to you when you two are studying in the library together;)

if you're up for it, which you usually are, seungcheol will take you out for dinner after his practice

like a gentleman, he always pays for you until you try to sneak money back into his pocket or his backpack

somin doesn't find out that you and seungcheol have been talking outside of class till she spots you with seungcheol at the burger place near the school 

she waits for you at your house when she basically tackles you, "(y/n)!!! tell me everything!! who, what, when, where, why, how! wait I already know who—it's mr. choi seungcheol, your dream man" 

his teammates always end up interrupting you two when you're walking around campus, joshua always introduces himself politely while jeonghan and chan are both like 'who are you?' 

while mingyu and hansol are like 'oOOO, you're the girl who lives at that one house near the football field'

everytime he's sitting with you at your lunch table or when you two are walking down the hallway, both of your phones go off with text messages 

bc somin's sending winky faces and heart emojis to you with seungcheol's name in it and seungcheol says it's just the team's groupchat asking about practice times and stuff for the friday's game

but they're all teasing seungcheol with heart eyes emojis and winky faces too;)))

so basically, now the whole team and somin know of seungcheol’s major crush on you and your crush on him

but bc of the upcoming competitive season, you begin to see seungcheol less and less, as he’s swamped with meetings and practice 24/7 that he only really sees you in class and around campus

one day, you're studying in your room again when you hear seungcheol's voice from outside your balcony

and there you see in your yard that same brown football that first irked the heck out of you just as seungcheol says, “sorry, mingyu keeps threw it over here by accident”

he's running his hand through his hair and even when he's a sweaty mess, he still looks super handsome damn it

you toss it over to him again, “it's fine, just as long you don't break anything over here”

“don't worry, I won't break your heart” seungcheol reassures you with a smirk, nodding at you as he walks backwards, “bye (y/n)!”

and again, the next day the football magically appears in your backyard again

"(y/n)!" seungcheol's standing right outside your fence, explaining how hansol kicked the football too far this time 

you take the ball in your hands and throw it over the fence again, "I think this ball keeps appearing here more often than on the actual field, seungcheol"

"maybe the football just gravitates to here, just like how I do to you"

you start laughing at his dumb line,"oh my gosh"

"see you, (y/n)" he winks at you before jogging away again

this continues for so long and when you tell somin everything, she's suspicious

bc why would they kick the ball horizontally across the field rather than length-wise where the actual goal posts are?

you've never thought about it until she points it out to you, making you shrug but somin's still curious as to why the ball keeps appearing in your yard for no legitimate reason

so she does the obvious and camps out by your balcony for you as you do your homework at your desk 

somin yells for you once you finally get productive and ready to start your english essay, "(y/n)! look! come over here! it's seungcheol!"

you slide over next to somin and she points at the figures of seungcheol, hansol and mingyu on the field, all of them sitting on the benches tiredly as just practice appears to end

you watch as seungcheol stands up and toys with a single football in his hands, spinning it in the air before catching it himself

he tosses it to mingyu and starts running across the field, towards the direction of your yard as mingyu hands it to hansol, who then punts it to seungcheol

and of course, it goes over your fence and into your backyard

now you see hansol and mingyu slouch tiredly on the bench as seungcheol comes running nearing your backyard fence

making you and somin hide back in your room before you're caught 

"does seungcheol know you’re home?"

"why does that matter?"

"because, he's going to call for you because he likes—"

"(y/n)!" and when he says your name, it clicks in your head

tHIS BOY HAS BEEN PURPOSELY THROWING THE FOOTBALL IN YOUR YARD TO TALK TO YOU

okay, so he's been making hansol and mingyu throw it in your yard, but the sentiment is still the same

you step out on the balcony and once again, there's choi seungcheol leaning against the bars of your fence 

this time, you slowly pick up the football, spinning it around in your hands, "hansol really needs to get better at kicking this the other way"

"yeah, we're working with him tonight on that, sorry again… I don't even know how or why it gets all the way here"

"I think I know why" you spin the football in your hands again and seungcheol raises an eyebrow, "why are you making hansol kick the ball this way?"

"what?"

"I watched you hand the ball to hansol and he kicked it this way knowing fully well the goal posts are the other way, and you even started running in this direction before he even kicked the ball"

"ok ok, you caught me" he sheepishly confesses, scratching the back of his head nervously, "well since I've been so busy with practice and with games every week and so, I barely get to see you anymore… and I like seeing you"

"you still see me around classes and around campus, we have literature class together"

"yes, but… that's during school... and never mind, can I have the ball back please?"

"but what seungcheol?" you still hold it hostage as seungcheol groans

"I like you, (y/n)! that's why I make hansol and mingyu kick the ball this way and into your yard, because since the first time you tripped over it and ever since the project in lit class, I can't get you out of my head"

"you still remember that?" you're embarrassed that he remembers your terrible first impression of you tripping over the dumb football and he breathes out a laugh

"of course, I've never seen someone so mad at a football before and you were, or are pretty cute"

"I tripped and nearly fell on my face" your face heats up at the memory while seungcheol shakes his head

"you tripped cutely" he tries, reaching out and touching your arm through the fence, "so…"

"so what, mr. quarterback?"

seungcheol pulls his best pouty face, "may I have the ball back and would it be too much to ask you out to dinner tonight?"

"I don't know… I do have a lot of homework to catch up on because someone keeps distracting me by throwing their football into my backyard"

"tomorrow night then?"

you toss the ball over to him and he easily catches it, "don't you have a game tomorrow night?"

he frowns and sighs at the football in his hand, "after then, after tomorrow night's game," he promises as he runs back, "see you (y/n)!"

the next night, you decide to watch the game from your balcony, proudly wearing your school's hoodie while eating some popcorn to get into the whole school spirit thing from the comfort of your own house

somin keeps you company as she writes an essay to turn in last minute with your help, making you lose track of who's winning or losing with her endless amount of questions

you're proofreading her paper when she stands up and drags you out of your chair, "(y/n)! seungcheol is waving this way! for you!"

when you look up, you can see seungcheol's hand waving in your direction and to anyone else, it could just be him pointing up in the air for no reason

you try and wave back, but you don't even know if he can see that far, so you quickly put your hand down to not look like a fool

it's the last two minutes of the game and your school is in the lead by three points when somin already bets seungcheol and the team are going to win

and of course, you go along with her and when the final timer runs out, you see everyone swamp the field in celebration

you hug somin, but you just wish you were hugging seungcheol in congratulations

soon, you see the large batch of ppl slowly trickle out of the field, only a couple members of the team standing in the middle before there’s only one person

you stand on you balcony as notice the only person left on the field gesture in your direction, his arm motioning for you to come over as you promptly look around to check if it is for you

you notice a football fly into the air and into the middle of your backyard again, and so of course you know exactly who's on the field

you rush downstairs and take the football from the ground, briskly walking to the middle of the field in your hoodie and jeans to meet the one and only choi seungcheol

he's dressed in another jersey's of his, his hair damp with either sweat or water with his gear and duffle by his feet

you toss the ball over to him and he catches it with one hand as you approach him, his other hand staying behind his back, "congrats, mr. quarterback"

"hey (y/n)" he smiles innocently at you

"why did you throw the ball into my yard again? I was going to come over here anyway, you already have my attention"

seungcheol's flustered by you last comment before clearing his throat, "old habits die hard, and for some reason, the ball just wants to go in that direction" 

you roll your eyes at his excuse as you take the football in your hands, spinning it around and he takes a step closer to you, "and speaking of habits, I was wondering if you could help me with a new one?"

"if it means retrieving the ball for you always, no. you should really break that habit of throwing that my way"

"no no, I don't mean that," he pulls out a single flower from behind his back and smiles at you, "go out with me?"

you accept the flower and step closer to him, "I thought I already agreed to this date?"

"the thing is with habits, they occur over and over again, yeah? and so I'm asking you out on multiple dates, you know?"

"are you ever going to break this habit?"

"if you say yes, then never. I'll never break this habit" 

your eyes dart to his lips and his eyes dart to yours and he leans closer to you to try and kiss you but you chicken out at the last moment

you hold up the football in front of your face, blocking his lips with the winning ball, "ah ah ah, you haven't even taken me out yet"

"I can't get a kiss for winning the game?" he bashfully pouts

"hmm, let me think about it…" you pretend to think about it for a moment before leaning towards him, your lips super close to his cheek, but not touching his skin before you mutter into his ear, "nope, you have to take me out first, remember?"

you teasingly smirk at him as you run towards the field's exit, waving him over from afar as he starts jogging towards you with his duffle and his gear slung over his shoulder

seungcheol has this cute little pout as you wrap your free hand in his, swinging his arm as you walk together

he stops in his tracks and drops his duffle and gear on the ground, "wait, I need to do something, real quick"

he holds out his hand for the football and you apprehensively give it to him, watching him jog the distance back to the middle of the field and throws the ball to its usual spot, back to your backyard

you watch with your jaw open as the ball flies over and seungcheol runs back over to you, "oops, bad habit"

.

[svtmatokis]

Hello! I fell in love with your work and I was wondering if I could get a story where Vernon helps you study your med school notes or something? Thank you sm!!!

Hi!! Sorry it took so long but there were so many directions I could’ve taken this in. I hope you enjoy it and if it was what you wanted ^_^

Pairing: Reader x Vernon

Genre: Fluff

Words: 1912

“ I REALLY cant go out today.” you said into your phone while walking to your dorm room..

“Y/N come on!!! It’s the final party before finals! You HAVE to go!” the boy on the other line said in a whining tone and you sighed.

“Finals are  the reason why, I can’t go out tonight. I need to study, med school doesn’t pay for itself you know.” you said as the boy on the other line snickered.

“It does for me.”

His statement caused you to roll your eyes, “Well considering your father is the director of the university hospital…anyways I can’t go out tonight. My first exam is the day after tomorrow and I need to study and finalize my notes.””

The boy sighed on the other side but you noticed it sounded more exhausted than frustrated., “Fine…Where are you now?”

“Just about to get back to….my…” your hand which was holding the phone dropped to the side as you stared the person standing by your room door.

“Vernon?”

Vernon looked at you with a nod of his head and hung up the phone. “Let’s go.”

You and Vernon met on the first day of Medical School and were assigned to the same lab group. Many tried to befriend him to get on the directors good side and Vernon was well aware of that.  It was the main reason why Vernon kept his friend circle tight and you were one of the lucky ones.

You intrigued him with your professionalism and also the fact that you didn’t openly flirt with him like alot of the female med school population did. He liked that you were always striving to do you best and always ended up in the top 1 percentile only second to him.  It was a friendly competition the two of you had and to this day, he would only beat you by the slightest in marks

What he didn’t know was that you were working hard to keep up your grades. You had admitted to yourself long ago that you had crush on Vernon but never thought he’d feel the same way and never acted on your feelings.

“I told you, I can’t go out tonight-” you tried to explain while opening your door but he cut you off.

“I’m helping you study tonight Y/N.” he said stepping inside your room and made himself comfortable on your bed while looking at your exam calendar that you had on your wall. You were fortunate enough to not have a roommate and made good use of the space.

“You don’t have to Vernon….” you said as you put your things away and took out the books you needed to study.

“I know I don’t have to.” he chuckled, “But I want to. Come on, we have a long night ahead of us and I have several take out menu’s in my bag so you can choose what you want for dinner after.”

You smiled at him as he grinned at you, “Are you sure?”

“Sure that I want Chinese tonight? I was thinking more fried chicken…” he said pretending to not know what you were talking about making you roll your eyes.

“The party Vernon, I know it’s the biggest one before finals..”

“And you’re right, finals are important so let’s get the books cracking young lady.” he said taking your closest textbook and handed it to you finally making you give in.

For the next few hours you and Vernon sat on your bed as he helped you review your notes for each class. You were well aware of how close your bodies were getting as you readjusted yourselves to get more comfortable. In the end, you were sitting between his legs as he quizzed you over your shoulder. His breath tickling your ear as he spoke and you could almost feel the brush of his lips on your cheek. You tried not to blush at the almost contact and focussed on your notes.

“Okay, I need a break!” you said lying down as your shirt rode up exposing your mid drift.

Vernon watched as you stretched with a small smile. He knew you were ready for finals and despite lacking the confidence there was no doubt that you’d do well. He looked at his phone to check the time and agreed. It was about time for dinner anyways.

“Are you hungry?” he asked and at the same time your stomach growled causing the two of you to giggle.

“I guess we have our answer.” you said as you held your hands up towards him. “Can you pull me up? I worked out yesterday and I’m still sore.”

Vernon grabbed your hand and pulled you towards him so your faces were only inches apart.

“Thank you,” you said almost breathless from the force of the pull. Your small hand remained pinned under his much larger one behind him but you didn’t bother to try to pull away.

He smirked at you and brought his face closer to yours and tilted his head so your lips almost met. You could feel his breath brush against your lips and if either if you had moved a mere centimeter, your lips would have touched.

“No problem” he whispered before releasing your hand and you pulled away trying to calm your heart, that was threatening to jump out of your chest.

“So…what should we order?” you asked as you hid your face behind the menus so he couldnt see your face.

“Mmmm, I was thinking fried chicken…but if you want something else-” he started saying but you cut him off.

“No fried chicken’s fine” you said looking through the menu. After ordering the food, you went back to reviewing your notes as you continued to calm your beating heart as Vernon went through the various messages he got from his friends who were all at the party.

He looked down at you and smiled, even if his friends were having a blast without him, he was happy that you agreed to let him help you study.  He knew the day would come where he was going to tell you his feelings but also took into consideration that this was your hardest year and the labs and homework came first. As the years went on, Vernon was starting to realize that he was seeing less and less of you. He knew that you were volunteering part time at a local hospital to build up your repertoire and between that and school, you barely had time to meet up with your own friends and he was almost sure that if it weren’t for your best friend Eunwoo; who secretly updated Vernon of your whereabouts from time to time, you would forget to eat.

Once the food arrived, the books were put away and you turned on a movie while the two of you ate in silence till all the food was gone. The movie continued playing and the two of you made yourselves comfortable on your bed promising to get back to the books once it was over.

The weight on Vernon’s shoulder told him otherwise.He looked at you from the corner of his eye and chuckled softly.

“Typical Y/N”

He moved his arm so that it was now wrapped around your shoulder and he gently moved your head so that it was placed in a more comfortable position on his chest.  He decided that he would finish the movie first and then decide what to do after, plus you had studied so hard and deserved the rest and he couldn’t find it in his heart to wake you.

A few hours later, Vernon was getting ready to leave after he tucked you into bed. He found sleeping you so cute that he turned on another movie to savor the moment of having your head on his chest. He tidied around your room before finally picking up his backpack. Leaning down to kiss your forehead he whispered, “I’ll see you after finals are over.”

He knew that once you woke up tomorrow, you’d be on lock down and probably wouldn’t do anything until your last test was done. He was the same way and was preparing for the ones he had himself. He made a mental note to text Eunwoo tomorrow to make sure that you had something to eat or may he would drop by with lunch…yea maybe he’d do that..

Vernon was right though, outside of his and Eunwoo’s periodic drop bys to your room with food and in Vernon’s case, to study more. You did not leave your room willingly until a week later when your last exam was done.

A few weeks later, the results were posted and you fought your way through the crowd of people to see what your marks were.You had a feeling you didn’t do too well this time around, having lost a lot of sleep thinking of a certain Hospital Director’s son and what not but you had to at least done decently right?

As you got to the front, people turned to look at you with shocked faces while others started whispering. Looking up at the results, your jaw dropped.

“Congratulations. I knew you’d do well.” a voice said behind you causing you to whip around and there was Vernon holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand while wearing a smirk on his face.

He took a step towards you, “I was going to wait till after grad…but I really don’t think I can wait that long anymore…” he cleared his throat as he noticed that people had formed a circle around the two of you, “You are one of the hardest working people I know and I know how important becoming a doctor is for you and I had no doubt that you’d top the class this year. My dad even called it when he saw your lab reports but I didn’t believe him until now.”

Vernon looked down, it was now or never. Looking back up at you, his eyes were filled with hope and you couldn’t help but feel the same way. Did this mean…Was he saying what you thought he was going to say?

“I didn’t want to ask you then because I knew we weren’t ready. But I really really can’t wait anymore Y/N. Put me out of my misery, stitch up my heart and be mine….please?”

The next thing you knew, your arms were around his neck holding him tightly as he lifted you off the ground and spun you around as howls from whom you assumed were from Vernon’s friends were heard off in the distance.

Once he put you down you both let out a breath.

“So is that a yes?” he asked and you nodded making him grin.

“Good, cause then I can do this and not care that anyones looking.” he said leaning down and gently placed his lips on yours and suddenly the world melted away and you actually felt like the stress of exams were finally worth it.

You were in the arms of a man who would mend you up whenever you were down and burnt out but he was also the man who would be your rock throughout your career and sure, things wouldn’t be perfect but you wouldn’t want another doctor taking care of you either way.

-Anna