#but I’m down for the holiday sentiments >:33
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Merry Christmas Scoups 🥳
Merry Christmas 🎄🎁
#for me it’ll be Christmas in about 12 hours hahahaha#currently Christmas Eve#but I’m down for the holiday sentiments >:33#happy holidays y’all#my thougts#a scoup of life 🔫🦆#kongu 992#asks
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[the letter is paired with a bouquet of glaze lilies mixed with the occasional qingxin and silk flower along with a bag of your favorite chocolates/candies]
To my dearest, Mika,
Happy Valentine's Day, my dear. I'll give you your other gifts when I see you tonight, but I couldn't help delivering this a little early. Forgive this old man for getting a little sentimental. I'm still getting used to having someone to celebrate this holiday with for the first time in however long.
As such, we'll do whatever you want. I would like to take you out for dinner but the details of that dinner, I'll leave up to you. Though, I do have my suspicions of where we'll be eating in that regard.
I would much prefer to convey my feelings for you in person, but I do understand the merits of having it written down, so let me say… I love you so much, Mika. I truly am grateful to have a person like you in my life.
I hope the day treats you well up until you're in my care again. I'll wrap up here as I'm sure you have other things you need to be doing at the present moment.
See you tonight.
Yours,
Zhongli
[hey, mika! I hope you have an awesome day today~ - april]
WAAAAA I JUST SAW THIS I’MM ILL???.×.# this is a very late reply but GOD what a wonderful thing to wake up to. ZHONGLIIII UEEE i love this old man i really do hehehe and I LOVE YOU TOO APRIL <33 thank you for, as always, being so silly and kind and I’M GONNA SQUEEZE YOU AGHH
#⠀my dearest archon⠀𑁋⠀17.03⠀#⠀new letter received !⠀#by the way i saw the other diluc letter and trust me when i say i was insane over that too.#i’m going to repay the favor once i get the energy to!!! I SWEARRRR GET READYYY mwa mwa
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100 OC Question Meme!
created by marchenvillain <3
Your Wings edition: Shiemi Shuzenji!
1. What’s a unique skill they have? Is their any reason why they can do it?
Shiemi can harness the power of the sun in order to heal wounds. Her Quirk is a mixture of her mother’s (who can bend light) and grandmother’s (who can heal wounds).
2. What are their favourite possessions? Why? (sentimentality, history, price, etc)
The necklace that Hawks gave her is very important to her. She sees it like a symbol of their love.
3. Do they get jealous easily? If so, what usually causes it?
She gets insecure, but she never acts on her jealousy. Often times, if women fawn over Hawks, she gets all up in her feels.
4. Are they a good gift-giver? What do they tend to give as gifts?
She’s more of a practical gift giver. She pays attention to what someone really needs and she’ll get it for them.
5. What’s their reputation like? Does this reputation contrast what they’re really like?
People (especially when she worked in the hospital) hail her as a good doctor but one with little to no social skills. She’s quiet, so a lot of people think she’s mean. Others, like her old boss, like her polite and respectable nature.
6. Do they prefer to have a big social circle, or a few close friends?
Definitely a few close friends. She’s content with Aizawa, Kayama, and Mic.
7. What’s their “type”? What romantically attracts them to another person?
Men who are confident! If one looks at her track record, her old boyfriends in high school were all jocks who loved the limelight. Hawks is cocky, but a lot of that haughtiness is a facade. She loves that he knows how to tone it down and come back to Earth.
8. What does their dream house look like?
She’s a simple woman: a modern white home with a huge lawn for a garden. She’s always wanted to plant sunflowers. I’m a huge horror fan, so for some reason, I’m envisioning the villa from The Human Centipede… Just the outside! eheh... is that weird?
9. If they could change one part of their appearance, what would it be?
Shiemi is actually very lithe; her mother says she’s got no meat on her bones. She would love to bulk up! Also, her cup size is a B. She would change that, too, if she could.
10. What’s a simple thing that brings them joy?
Well, Shiemi’s love language is acts of service. It really warms her heart when people help do things with or for her!
11. What is their dream pet?
A cat! A fluffy white one. Maybe Aizawa had some influence on her? ❤️
12. What’s their position in their friend group? (leader, mom friend, chaos goblin, etc)
The voice of reason. She likes to have practical fun! She’s not as rigid as Aizawa, but nowhere near as wild as Mic.
13. How forgiving are they? What do they consider unforgivable?
Shiemi is definitely forgiving, so much so that it is sometimes her downfall. However, she believes there is no excuse for villainy.
14. Who do they go to in a crisis/emergency? Any particular reason why they choose that person?
Hmmm, it’s funny because most people go to her in an emergency since she’s got that nifty healing Quirk haha! Shiemi has plenty of people to depend on like Midnight or Recovery Girl, but Hawks is the one she always turns to when she needs saving.
15. How good are they at conversation? Are they a small talk master, bad at initiating, etc?
The only person she likes to make small talk with is Hawks, really. She’s not much a talker, and prefers to let others do the talking. This is why she and Aizawa click so well because they both can appreciate silence.
16. What food do they absolutely hate?
She actually doesn’t care for greasy foods. Pizza, for example, upsets her tummy.
17. Do they show a lot of affection, or are they pretty reserved?
She’s not into PDA, but she loves to be held and kissed. When she’s sad, she almost always needs a hug. ❤️
18. If you had to represent them with a flower, colour, and animal, what would you choose?
I feel like she’s more of a white lily, which I hear symbolizes humility and devotion. Her color would be blush pink, for her more timid nature and her affinity for that color. As for an animal, I think she’d be a snowshoe hare!
19. What’s their unusual quirk?
(Quirk with a lowercase q, haha) Shiemi has always had very strong intrusive thoughts, and I’ve made this obvious from the first chapter. I based this on my own struggle with intrusive thoughts, so Shiemi and I can relate on the issue of fighting our inner voices to be better people.
20. Are they easy to wake up in the morning, or grouchy and sleepy?
She’s an early bird! Very easy to wake up in the morning.
21. What’s their ideal date like?
She loves night walks on the beach followed a busy night of makin’ love ;)
22. What’s their silliest or most unusual fear/phobia?
Probably spiders. She’s not the type to scream when she sees one, but if it’s big and hairy, she’ll leave the room.
23. Is their pain tolerance high or low?
Pretty low, all things considering. She knows how to fight, she just doesn’t like to because she can’t really handle her own.
24. Are they a fussy eater?
Nope! She’ll try just about anything. She understands the importance of eating healthy, so she makes sure to eat her veggies every day. (Unlike me…)
25. What are their dreams like?
As the writer, I’ve always made her dreams symbolic. They often reflect her true feelings or the things on her mind.
26. Are they technologically savvy?
Yes! Working in the hospital, she’s a quick learner, and working in the hospital, she’s had to learn how to use all the equipment.
27. Are they forgetful? What do they tend to forget? (plans, phone, keys, etc)
No, she tries to be very organized. The most that she forgets would be if she’s got a lot of work to do, she might forget one assignment.
28. Describe their morning routine.
Open the curtains first (she needs sunlight), drink black coffee, watch the news, take a shower. Suuuper adult of her, I know. She’s a creature of habit!
29. Are they a good cook? If they are, what do they like to make?
She’s an okay cook. Certainly not as good as Hawks! She can make basic food, but a lot of it lacks flavor -- something Hawks has had to teach her.
30. Do they consider themselves a “hero” or “villain”?
Hero! Definitely. She’ll heal anyone in need, but she works for the heroes, on the side of good.
31. What holiday do they like the most? (Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day, etc)
Christmas. It’s the one time of year she gets to spend with her whole family. Even though tensions are high, she still loves her family more than anything.
32. What are they like at parties? Party animal, or awkwardly sitting in the corner drinking punch and reading?
She’s the wallflower. She’d rather grab a bite to eat and sit back, people-watching.
33. Are they adventurous, or do they prefer to stay in their safe zone?
She prefers to live life on the safe side. Though life with Hawks definitely makes things exciting!
34. What’s their favourite drink? (Coffee, tea, juice, hot chocolate, soda, etc)
She loves coffee; preferably black coffee. Her go-to drink at Starbucks is a venti black cold brew or a cappuccino.
35. Are they good with children?
Yes! Her serene nature tends to calm kids down. She especially used to love healing kids at the hospital.
36. Do they trust easily? What would you have to do to earn their trust?
She’s normally very wary of people. She automatically has her guard up when approached by someone new, but honestly it doesn’t take much for her to let down her guard. For example, she was cautious of Twice when she met him, but once she saw that he and Mr. Compress needed help, she immediately dropped everything to help. Blame her big heart, I guess!
37. Are they a hopeless romantic, or is that stuff just not for them?
God, YES!! When she first met Hawks, she tried to act all tough, but she’s such a SAP! In her relationships, she devotes everything to her significant other.
38. Do they get lost easily, or are they good with directions?
Nah, she’s great with directions. She tries to have a good understanding of her surroundings.
39. Are they superstitious?
She doesn’t believe in superstitions; she’s more of a woman of science.
40. Do they like physical activity, or staying inside?
She enjoys a bit of both. She especially likes to go for walks, but doesn’t mind spending the whole day inside reading a book.
41. What would they dress up as for Halloween?
A zombie nurse -- and I mean that in the laziest way possible. She would put on her uniform and paint her face and call it a day haha
42. Do they like fast food, or fancy restaurants?
Fancy restaurants, for sure. She’s a bit of a snob. She’ll eat fast food if she’s on the go, but she grew up in the lap of luxury, and really enjoys the finer things in life.
43. Are they a chaotic bastard, pure angel baby, or tired mom friend?
Pure angel baby. SHIEMI MUST BE PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS.
44. Do they have a good attention span?
Yes, especially when it comes to her friends. She’ll sit there and listen to someone talk for hours.
45. Are they always late, on time, or early?
Shiemi thinks that if you’re not 15 minutes early, then you’re late.
46. Do they cry, gasp, laugh, etc, while reading a book, or do they remain relatively stone-faced?
Stone-faced. She might furrow her brow if she’s into it, but she’s more internal with her reactions.
47. Do they keep a diary?
She stopped carrying a diary when she was a teenager and her parents read through it without her permission.
48. How dramatic are they?
She’s not haha She cries easily, but that’s just because she feels very deeply.
49. Do they put a lot of effort into their appearance, or do they just make themselves presentable and go?
She’s comfortable with her looks, so she mostly curls her bangs and thinks it good to go.
50. Why would they be a good partner for a road trip?
She would be president of the backseat! Delivering snacks, giving directions, listening to you talk and talk for hours!
51. Why would they be a BAD partner for a road trip?
She’s not much for small talk. If it gets quiet, she’ll let it happen and whip out a book.
52. What topic should nobody bring up around them, lest the other person be subject to a massive ramble/rant?
Anything bashing on heroes, or criticizing hero society. She’s so deep in it that she’s blinded to its flaws. She’ll defend Heroes till the day she dies.
53. Are they clumsy?
No, she’s too cautious!
54. Are they a law breaker, or stickler for rules?
Stickler for the rules. Not as bad as Iida hahaha but she doesn’t do anything she’s not supposed to. Blame her strict upbringing!
55. Choose a vine you think perfectly encapsulates their character.
I LOVE THIS QUESTION! I feel like she’s: “Road work ahead? Uh, yeah, I sure hope it does >:( ” or “Is there anything better than pussy? Yes, a really good book.” OOH, OR “How do you know what’s good for me? THAT’S MY OPINION!!”
56. Do they like to share?
Yes, my girl is very giving ❤️
57. What’s the most chaotic thing they’ve done?
Have sex with a bird man she just healed the night before :U Shiemi has a high sex drive
58. Which friend do they immediately become a zero-braincelled idiot around?
She gets all smitten around Hawks tbh She can compose herself around everyone except for him. Then she’s just a puddle of GOO
59. Do they love or hate surprises?
She does not like surprises! They make her uncomfortable and awkward.
60. What sappy thing will they cry at? (romance movies, cute cat videos, etc) Would they deny crying about it later on?
She’ll cry during sad movies, but she’s stopped being ashamed of being a crybaby
61. What’s their favourite and least favourite subject in school?
Health and science are her best subjects, but her favorite was literature! Her least favorite was probably physical education just because it took her away from the books!
62. Do they take a lot of photos? If so, what of?
She prefers professional photos; her camera roll is practically empty!
63. Do they wear makeup?
Blush, mascara, foundation, but she only ever wears makeup for special occasions.
64. Describe what their social media would be like.
Instagram: “NO PHOTOS” but plenty of tagged photos from Mic and Midnight. Facebook: articles on social issues or new medical breakthroughs.
65. Do they give people a lot of nicknames?
No, she doesn’t, actually!
66. What nicknames do others call them by?
She thinks it’s sweet when people give nicknames to her -- e.g. “Doc,” “songbird,” or “sunshine.” Side note: I was really into Yagami Yato when I first started writing, so of course Hawks calls her “Baby bird.” And now I really regret not being more original because goddamn... I’m not gonna go back and change it because Yagami doesn’t own the nickname, but just know that I am upset
67. What’s an outrageous story about them nobody believes?
Uhh, that’s a great question. I can’t think of anything, to be honest.
68. Are they easy to fluster? What would you have to do to truly fluster them?
Yes! Despite being so cool, calm, and collected, it’s easy to make her blush. Hawks is a pro at getting her all worked up!
69. What’s their dream vacation like?
She dreams of traveling, preferably somewhere along the Caribbean islands where she can bask in the sun and discover new plants and creatures.
70. Are they a good liar?
She is a notoriously bad liar, mostly because it eats her away inside. She can make a lie work if she commits to it enough, but she’ll always come out with it eventually.
71. What do they want to do in the future?
She wants a family. She’s always wanted to be a working woman and come home after a long day to her family. She wishes that a certain someone would be a stay-at-home dad...
72. How do they feel about love?
Again, she’s a hopeless romantic. She believes in having strong bonds with both family and friends, but she does dedicate most of her energy into her romantic relationship.
73. Are they more book smarts, or street smarts?
oh my god, BOOK SMARTS. She wouldn’t last a day on her own out there, but man she could recite a whole scene from Shakespeare if you asked her to.
74. What’s their guilty pleasure?
Sex. She doesn’t come off as promiscuous, but she would get some every day if she could.
75. Is there anyone they consider their rival?
No, in fact Shiemi tends to keep to herself. She’s respectful and supportive of everyone. She does have enemies, of course, like Dabi or Mr. Compress.
76. Do they have any notable physical features?
Her eyes are described as gray, but they’re more purplish-gray.
77. What’s their music taste like?
Classical music takes up most of the space on her phone; Joe Hisaishi is a composer that she admires a lot.
78. What’s something they’re really bad at?
Keeping her opinions to herself. She’s brutally honest, to a fault.
79. Do they have a good sleep schedule?
Yesss, her whole life runs on a schedule!
80. What’s their aesthetic sense like?
Oh, I’m not sure how to answer this?
81. What’s something they’re really proud of?
Her degrees and awards make her feel accomplished. She has a hard time seeing her worth, but the diplomas on her wall are proof, to her, of what she can do.
82. How would they spend a free day?
In bed, reading a book, snuggled up beside Hawks ❤️
83. What are they like as an s/o?
Lowkey, kind of clingy. She loves attention and wants to spend all her time with her significant other, doting on them, making them feel good.
84. What’s one thing they like that they don’t want anyone to know about?
Her sex drive (> w >);;
85. Do they have a sweet tooth?
She doesn’t; she’s more of a savory or salty person. I actually really like this dichotomy between Hawks and Shiemi, for some reason? The fact that she takes her coffee black and he takes his sweet is kind of nice.
86. How would you describe their fashion sense?
I once had a beautiful professor at university who only wore maxi skirts and nice blouses. Her fashion sense inspired my vision of Shiemi a lot. If she’s not wearing her hero uniform, you can find her in a pink maxi skirt and a white blouse.
87. Do they like spicy food?
She can definitely handle her spice, but she wouldn’t choose it!
88. Are they lucky? Do they believe in luck?
By all means, she has the worst luck! Can’t say that she believes in it, though.
89. What would they get into a petty argument over?
Shiemi stands her ground on her opinions, but she’s more or less an agreeable person. She doesn’t like to argue or cause tension, but she will if it means standing up for herself.
90. Are they a good artist?
She can’t draw and she’s got that doctor handwriting lmao
91. Do they prefer hot or cold weather?
Hot! Shiemi’s Quirk is most powerful if she’s in direct sunlight. When the sun is behind the clouds, it takes more energy and time for her to heal someone. Despite all that time in the sun, the poor woman can’t tan!
92. Can they play an instrument?
Her parents made her play piano when she was a child, but she doesn’t dabble in it anymore.
93. What type of movies do they like to watch?
Romance and mysteries! Her favorite movie is Titanic. She cries every time!
94. What does their room look like?
Neat and organized. She’s got a lot of bookshelves in her room and a nice set up for her computer space.
95. How do they feel about bugs? Scared? Fascinated?
She’s fascinated by bugs, but from a distance. She won’t touch ‘em!
96. What’s their sense of humour like? (Dad jokes, morbid humour, basic knock-knock jokes, stand up comedy, etc)
She laughs really hard at stand up comedy. Since she’s a little more serious, she can appreciate how goofy Hawks is!
97. What do they keep in their bag?
Cell phone, earbuds, portable charger, folding scissors for emergencies, Band-Aids, and if she’s not wearing it, she’ll fold up her lab coat and put it in there, too.
98. How competitive are they?
She’s only competitive with herself. She doesn’t have to be the best, but she can’t stand being the worst. (I’m the same way.)
99. What would they wear to a formal event? Describe their outfit!
She actually wore that beautiful red dress in chapter 10! If you Google “Elizabeth Banks Vanity Fair 2020” it’ll pop up.
100. If you, the creator, met them, would you two get along?
Yes! I think that it’s impossible for any author/creator to make a character without at least adding some personal elements in them. Shiemi isn’t a self-insert, but she and I share a love of reading and we’re both overachievers. So I think she and I would make great friends!
#your wings ao3#shiemi shuzenji#bnha oc#oc#oc questions#my hero academia oc#my hero academia#archive of our own
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every single lmam song, ranked.
i just finished listening to let’s make a music for the first time, and Oh My God it rocks. it’s a great podcast and if you’re reading this without having listened to it...i don’t know what to tell you. i don’t know what you think lmam means. but, that aside, if you haven’t listened to it yet: go listen to it! it’s not a crazy long podcast, overall or episode length-wise, so it’s manageable even for people who usually can’t handle podcasts (like me!) anyways, now that it’s over, what’s left for me to do with my time and energy that i used to spend thinking about lmam?
listen to the episodes again so that i can rank all fourty-one songs from worst to best, of course. so that’s exactly what i did.
i mostly ranked these on my gut feeling, because i didn’t come up with the idea of ranking it on a set of points before like...five minutes ago. there’s a bit of personal bias in here, so if you disagree with me on rankings, hey! send me an ask, or a dm. we can talk about it.
so, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get into it! let’s...make a ranking. haha. that’s just a fun little lmam joke for you.
41. the roquefort stank
this song only gets points for laura’s stanky noises in the background. i love laura.
40. shan’t he shanty
weirdly catchy. for a sea shanty, that is. that’s all i have to say.
39. well, i’m on child...
i do love a good gay song about polyamory but it just wasn’t enough in this case. truly heartbreaking.
38. dog trash
i’m not a big fan of polka in general. that’s all i have to say. i don’t have to explain all my decisions. this is my journey. and it’s your journey that you’re taking with me.
37. echoes of wednesday
it’s not my favorite but i do think it’s sweet and i like all the laura vocals. also the zuko vocals.
36. brothers in legs
not their best character song but it’s still a song you could quietly headbang to. i just don’t love full story ballads (there is an exception to this, you’ll see) most of the time.
35. ol’ tim’s tricks
i’m not saying it’s a bad song, i’m just saying it sounds like it was once in a made for tv disney channel-esque movie about a girl who finds her calling in sports and friendship.
34. don’t give me that altitude
very queen-esque with general 80s vibes and i like that.
33. dreamless
if it was longer i think it would be a lot higher on the list, because it’s Good. but i don’t feel right putting a 45 second song above, like, tobie’s razor. still! i love the mellow, kind of sad and eerie tones of it.
32. holiday crime!
look i know this one’s fairly low on the list, hear me out: it’s a good song and it’s pretty memorable as well! but as far as holiday songs go, i don’t think it’s their best or most iconic one. laura’s laughing and beat in the back is absolutely wonderful and heartwarming, though.
31. mr. dad
this one gets a higher rating than the previous holiday song for its good good harmonica and because when i heard the lyrics “but you love to watch him go” used to describe mr. dad i almost toppled my chair backwards with me still in it.
30. mourning ritual
the biggest load of 1980s bullshit i’ve ever heard in this decade. somehow it’s also got a big panic! at the disco vibe and i’m not sure how i feel about it but it’s definitely Strongly There and i can’t deny it.
29. outback sadhouse
it’s RIDICULOUS how well they nailed the sufjan stevens vibe with this one. plus the restaurant dialogue bit in the back of the song really adds a lot.
28. let down my better dynamite
it’s really easy to bop to and the instrumental in the background is FANTASTIC! jonah really killed it with this one. plus they talk a lot about rats in the episode which is nice for me because i love rats. also it’s the first episode with an instance of “brian does a bit”.
27. the tale of the greazzy creek
i just think it absolutely nails the vibe of a rural campfire grizzled old cowboy song while also being a really catchy theme song. like, i think you could’ve snuck it into holes (2003) and i would’ve been like, yeah, that sounds right.
26. turn around and come down slowly
not one of their more iconic songs but brian’s voice is so pretty in this and it’s really soothing.
25. ratless randy’s
i don’t know why it’s this high on the list either, but it is. ratless randy’s really IS the place to be, guys.
24. tobie’s razor
i will be honest. when i saw the title for this episode for the first time i just thought “occam’s razor” and as i type this i can’t even think of what that actually is, so..... anyways, i’d say this song absolutely NAILS the vibe but i have no idea what vibe it’s even remotely related to. certainly does nail the internal childhood monologue though. i think this song is the first one where they really started hitting their stride, also. not that it’s better than some of the earlier ones, but this one forward their songs were pretty consistently high quality. plus, and no one will be surprised by this by now, it gets extra points for laura.
23. armoire of royals
it’s weird, it’s synthy, has a vaguely billie eilish-esque part near the end which is not necessarily a point in favor depending on your taste but it Definitely is surprising and cool, and it’s got fake british accents. what more do you need out of a song?
22. sybil’s night scare
the piano in this is perfect and fantastic and the comedic timing in the song is just right. jonah’s delivery of “they’re actually real human eyes” is so goddamn good and his singing is Also great and frankly i think we can all agree we’re fucking tired of him saying he can’t sing. i mean, i assume (i fucking hope) he’s stopped saying that by now considering he had the majority of vocals on silo by a bit but Still. it’s a good peppy halloween-y song.
21. chalice for your thoughts
two spooky songs in a row! honestly, i’m not sure what reasons i have for ranking this song as high as i did. i just like it a lot. they were able to include a lot of weird twitter suggestions fairly seamlessly, and it’s just soft and pretty. spooky, but still pretty.
20. 21st blitheday
i admit it: i fucking hate the voice brian uses in this. but i really, really like the song. the beat’s very good and somehow brian still manages to sing the chorus well and make it sound nice even though his affectation is Stupid as hell <3 the background whistling is nice and his robot voice, which he’s used for several of his videos but i think most notoriously for scrundler in his week in revue series (here), is also featured. it’s a real bop, i think.
19. monday night boomball
i genuinely think this is their weirdest song, ever. it’s incomprehensible and it’s so fucking theatre kid of them, and it’s dumb as shit but it’s really funny and enjoyable and strange and i love it.
18. gentle light
this is a really good song. it’s not weird or funny, it’s genuinely just a really soft, calming, normal song. i can’t in good conscience rank it above the others for this reason, because it’s easier to make a regular song good than it is for a song about fucking a tree, but i want to be clear: i really love this song. it’s a song that you could fall asleep to, cry to, cuddle up in a blanket to, whatever the hell you want to do to it.
17. proud egg mouth
extra points for fitting the word “maw” in any kind of song, a feat i’m not sure anyone else has ever accomplished. also for brian actually singing with an egg in his mouth.
16. you can take that to the bank
brian does an incredible randy newman impression and i love him for it. also it’s just a good song! it’s not my favorite but it’s very pleasing to my ears and it’s well made.
15. rainbow trout eggs
i listened to a shit ton of colbie caillat in middle school and i can tell you with confidence that the lyrics “i feel so alive and i know that i’m happy na na na na na hey hey” would be in one of her songs. it’s a good song with completely ridiculous lyrics and it’s a better character/full story ballad than their previous ones, in my opinion. which is what you’re specifically here for!
14. car mitzvah
i think this is a song my dad would listen to if it came on the radio. i also think it deserves to be in an early 90s or maybe coming of age movie. brian’s vocals are fantastic in this, also.
13. dr. brims
“it’s a new year, Ha Hah!” this song is sooooo fucking funny and exemplary of a lot of their other songs that came afterwards. i’ve been saying that a lot i think. writing reviews is hard.
12. let’s make a music (theme song)
maybe it’s the emotional value of this song being the song i associate most with the podcast, since it’s the theme song, or maybe it’s just really good. (spoiler: it’s both but mostly the second one) the episode is also really funny in general and if you’re new to the podcast and don’t care about order, i highly recommend this one first!
11. heartbreak in michael’s
a very very very good sad gay love song and i recommend it to the ends of the earth! because this is the internet, and i can!
10. arbor day!
you try making a horny song about deforestation.
9. why don’t you like our song title?
such a fucking bop and showcases their skill for just doing whatever the hell they want and STILL making a fantastic song or video or whatever. they just stop saying words in it and it does not take anything away from the song. could you do that? i mean...maybe! but for the sake of this review and my point i’m gonna be like fuck you no you couldn’t. moving on.
8. akimbo
the backing track in this is ABSOLUTELY what makes the song. plus that one video of brian strutting but technically that can’t affect my review of the song because Technically it’s not part of the song. anyways it’s really peppy and fun and enjoyable and Good.
7. heartbreak in michael’s (reprise)
it’s the perfect finale song. like, it genuinely sounds like the song that plays at the end of a romcom after everything’s finally worked out. i Did cry when i heard brian sing the theme song at the end but that’s just because i’m a sentimental son of a bitch. so besides that ending bit that i can(’t) guarantee will make you tear up at Least, it’s really fucking fun! it’s upbeat and happy and i think they made the right song to go out on. or to go on a hiatus on, if brian’s website is to be believed. i don’t believe it, but hypothetically, y’know? hypothetically...
6. debutaunt ball
if the met gala doesn’t make this their theme song i will personally burn next year’s event to the ground, i swear to god. also it’s a good song to show off both jonah and brian’s range. it’s not like a lot of their other songs but it’s SUCH a banger and i adore it.
5. madame zamporium’s wax emporium
fuck yeah. learning that the “ooh come on baby” from several unraveleds came from a let’s make a music is the reason i finally started listening to the podcast in the first place. but BESIDES that, since that’s not a reason for my ranking (just a fun little fact about me!), this song slaps a ridiculous amount. they went insanely hard and it’s the first song they made that really sets the tone of the podcast, which is: great comedy, great high production music.
4. alan rickman’s edible zoo
GOD! the anti-celebrity, anti-capitalist rock song i’ve been waiting all my fucking life for! also it’s anti-america but only in one lyric. but in Another sense....throughout the whole song. PLUS, and most importantly, it features jonah’s literally and i mean LITERALLY impeccable alan rickman impression. like, it’s fucking bulletproof. alan rickman was in the goddamn room.
3. horsecar!
look. when this song started playing for the first time i went...fuck no. in general i don’t tolerate country or cowboy songs very well because they just don’t sound appealing to my ears most of the time. i put up with country road only because of a funny mario edit someone made of it and now the original song has more value to me. this is relevant only because the same thing happened with horsecar! in that the chorus KICKS ASS. i may make a post on just my favorite lmam songs and also this is already a crazy long post so i won’t go into it too much but i will say this. the shock value of going from the first verse in this song to the chorus is...........Incredibly high and it Works So Fucking Well! it literally makes the song. and not even just for the short term value of Oh My God That’s A Twist, it lasts through the whole song. i’m listening to the song as i type this and i’m currently at the country/cowboy part and i don’t hate it because i know the chorus is incredible. in fact, i’d argue that the chorus on its own may be the best thing lmam ever made, even better than my two actual favorite songs of theirs. i’m definitely going to have to make a full post on this. (SIDE NOTE: BRIAN’S VOCALS ARE FUCKING CRAZY AND HORSECAR! IS ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF THIS. his goddamn RANGE!! SIR!!! his falsetto is literally ridiculous my pants are OFF)
2. dragon me to this wedding
this is what i meant when i said there’s an exception to the “i’m not generally a fan of full story ballads”, because this is one of my all time favorite lmam songs. as in, it’s in the top three. which i guess you can tell from it being number two in the top three. in fact, it’s probably one of my favorite songs in general. the first time i listened to the episode i went back and listened to the song again three times in a row, and all three times i cried real tears. it’s GAY it’s REALLY PRETTY and i LOVE IT.
1. save 2 4 tony
so we’ve finally made it to my all-time favorite lmam song. maybe it’s that i recently graduated myself and so this song hits a little harder, but it also just GOES hard. i genuinely think they peaked when they recorded this. it’s one of those bdg songs where you’re listening to it, you’re just chilling, and it’s like “yeah wow this is nice!” and all of a sudden he hits a falsetto and you go “oh FUCK that guy can SING!” literally his vocals in this are incredible and it’s very fun (and on brand) that the Oh Fuck moment here is the line “tony hawk babeyyy!” plus jonah killed it on the backing and composition and everything. it’s the best let’s make a music song and i won’t take constructive criticism.
#i fucking LOVE lmam and once i finished it i knewwww i was gonna make this.#brosephs if anybody would like to talk to me about lmam my inbox and dms are always open!#i've never said brosephs before. out loud or in written form. it's a year of trying new things i guess#this took quite a bit of time. which is like. thank god i've needed a project for so long sfdfsd#lmam#let's make a music#brian david gilbert#laura kathryn gilbert#jonah scott#f.txt#bdg
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cash machine || kth
pairing: kim taehyung/f!reader
genre: fluff & humor. crack actually. crack cocaine.
word count: 11.1k
warnings: strong language, drinking, an unwated kiss (not from tae), unsanitary jokes (i’m immature), implied sex, vomiting
extra: (fr)enemies to lovers, road trip au, rich kids au but it’s barely there also they’re on summer vacation, also this story takes place in the usa JUST to drag the trip out tbh
summary: Jungkook and Seokjin get a little problematic, you have anger issues and Taehyung is under the impression that he killed a man. Also, did you mention that you’re on your way to your unfunny cousin’s wedding? Go on a road trip from Missouri to Las Vegas and you’ll be in for a hilarious yet scary experience!
a/n: hi! i’m just starting this account out, so reblogging would mean a lot to me. i’m a novice to writing, so criticism is welcome as long as you’re not rude about it. have fun reading (i hope)! i also have a jungkook fic planned next (:
song
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Jungkook has that look in his face, the one he makes where the person sitting opposite of him is about as depraved as he is. He’s given it to you while you were explaining to him how to scam desperate men under the preface of a faux premium Snapchat and he’s given it to Jimin when they were finishing their high school careers and decided to release grasshoppers in the principal’s office.
However, if there’s one person that’s about as fucked up in the head as he is, it’s Seokjin. The man also suffers from SMSTS as well (Serious Misconception of Sexual Tension Syndrome, and yes, that’s quite a lot of s’s), which doesn’t hurt given the current affairs.
While Jungkook is aware that Jimin and Hoseok are always up for a bit of mischief, he has ruled them both out as incompetents and moved on to the real deal. Jimin has these rare moments of sanity and Hoseok, as your most loyal little bitchboy, would probably tattle the situation with made-up details to you before the plan is even set in action.
So, Seokjin it is.
The story begins in a faraway land before Jungkook knew about the tragic facets of your family’s relationships. Though his friend group is on good terms with your siblings and your other close relatives are aware of their existence and somehow only have good things to say about them, he never thought they’d be invited to your cousin’s wedding. To be fair, you had to do some serious persuasion for your family to allow you to invite six more people to somebody else’s wedding so there’s that factor contributing, but still, the offer is out of the blue.
Somewhere along the way, you went on a tangent about how much you hate your cousin and how your aunt doesn’t have eyebrows and how bothersome it is to look at her face. Your horror stories were mostly you just being your usual dramatic self, but they also revealed that the [L/n]s aren’t what they appear to be.
You begged and begged for them to accept the invitations, and though Namjoon and Yoongi, unfortunately, couldn’t make it, the others agreed.
Then arose the problem of the sixth spot that couldn’t be filled. You would’ve just let it be but your parents insisted that if you’re going to ask for something, you should fulfill it until the end. It was Namjoon you’d asked to come first, but he was busy with visiting family back in Seoul, and Yoongi then declared that he didn’t feel like humoring you this once. And that was the exact moment Jungkook decided to strike.
“You want to play matchmaker?” Jin asks. And though he looks almost skeptical, his tone is definitely an excited one. “With [Y/n] and Tae, of all people?”
“Well yes, think about it logically,” he explains as he is about to say something completely illogical. “She has that sixth spot to fill, she has no other friends and they’re perfect for each other. All the other shit we’re gonna pull is just for fun, though.”
Jin laughs an evil laugh, always one to be up for evil schemes. Just another evil day in the evil life of Kim Seokjin. “Well, [Y/n] is Tae’s perfect mean girl. And that girl needs either therapy or to get laid, but like, same.”
“See? You get me.”
“To be fair, I think that goes for all of us. No offense.”
“None taken,” Jungkook agrees. “Anyways, I was thinking of a… road trip.”
“Well you didn’t have to be so dramatic about it, this isn’t The Godfather. Though I do feel like I’ve definitely got a bit of Michael Corleone in me.”
Jungkook shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly at the other fiend’s remark. “You can pray to god all you want. Here in these streets, the only thing we believe in is El Chapo.”
“I— Okay…”
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[11:05] LeBruh James: wtf is wrong with u
[11:05] LeBruh James: get help seriously
[11:06] jk the slump god: all i said was that u should invite taehyung as the 6th person to ur cussin’s wedding
[11:06] jk the slump god: overreacting arent we
[11:10] LeBruh James: what the hell is a cussin bitch im gonna kill u
[11:13] jk the slump god: not like u have anyone else to invite tho
[11:13] jk the slump god: hes not that bad ur just being urself
[11:14] LeBruh James: ur literally Not helping ur case rn
[09:45] LeBruh James: none of the girls want to gooooo
[09:45] LeBruh James: fine if it has to be taehyung ig ill live w it
[10:30] jk the slump god: great he already said yes
[10:30] jk the slump god: btw we’re gonna go in las vegas at the end of a road trip u in?
[10:33] LeBruh James: HE SAID YES BEFORE I EVEN INVITED HIM…
[10:33] LeBruh James: EYE. OK.
[10:33] LeBruh James: on one hand i kind of dont want to see any of u but if ur all gone i wont have anything to do b4 the wedding so i guess im in by proxy
[10:34] jk the slump god: lovely doing business with u y/n-chan
[10:36] LeBruh James: call me y/n-chan again and I Will Put ur Dick-Chan in a Freezer-sama and then Cut-san it off
[10:39] jk the slump god: i dont think ur using the honorifics correctly tbh..
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“I don’t see how this is a good idea,” you state with a dramatic pout while looking out of the window. Your expression is solemn.
Taehyung kind of can’t believe that you’re throwing a tantrum just because you had to sit next to him in the three-row SUV, but on the other hand, he’s kind of into it. You’re more appalled by the fact that he’s not as disgusting up close as you’d imagined him to be. Well granted, you’re being immature, but it’s your shtick so they take it with a grain of salt.
“Why’s that?” Jungkook asks obtusely. He ruined your life the moment he started calling you [Y/n]-chan and he has that bad case of crazy eyes he gets sometimes when you look at his reflection in the mirror going on right now. You’d be more understanding of his condition, hadn’t your trip started barely five minutes ago.
“What do you mean why is that? We’re all unstable backstabbing lunatics, do you think we can survive together for six whole days?! Stranded or even in a hotel? And then the ride back to Springfield?”
“Hotel? You’re funny. It’s always been my dream to sleep in a motel,” Jin pipes up.
“Seriously? No limo, now this.”
“Hotel, motel, holiday inn,” Hoseok starts singing. Perhaps if it was queen Britney, it would’ve curbed your temper but fate doesn’t seem to be that kind.
“Hotel, motel, holiday inn! Hotel, motel, holiday inn! Hotel, motel, holiday inn!”
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“So we’re not going to visit the Grand Canyon?”
“It’s in Nevada,” Jimin explains. “We don’t have any business there except for going to the wedding. I’d be more down to do it if I wasn’t afraid that one of us, meaning [Y/n], would push one of the others, meaning you, in the gutter.”
“Just a little visit?” Taehyung is talented at only hearing what he wants to hear. However, that doesn’t make the conversation any more productive.
“Well not to be the acrophobic buzzkill, but why are you so adamant about visiting the Grand Canyon?” This is the first time you’ve directly addressed Taehyung since the beginning of these mind-numbing two hours. Jin, hands still on the wheel, dares to take a peek at Jungkook and smile an asshole-type smile before almost accidentally crashing into a pole.
“Watch the road!” Hoseok cries out. Everyone else either refuses to acknowledge what just occurred or decides to spare themselves from doing so.
“Jin says that he always wanted to sleep in a motel. I have another dream.”
“To visit the Grand Canyon?”
“Not exactly. I want to take a shit in there and see if I can hear it splatter. Think that’s possible?”
“Maybe if you angle your butthole the right way—” Jimin’s explanation is cut short.
“Oh my god, you are disgusting. Shut up. I don’t want to hear it.”
“What did I tell you about El Chapo, [N/n]?”
“What about El Chapo?”
“Holy shit, I think I’m confusing conversations,” Jungkook admits. Jin offers no more than an eye-roll.
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Tulsa is a dump, really. Unfortunate that you had to make a stop here but also you’re satisfied because your right asscheek feels numb right now. Might have to take Kelly for a walk, though.
Taehyung stumbles out of the vehicle after you and all six of you seize each other fleetingly before making your way towards the gas station, a tense sort of silence following. You’re first to speak up. “Y’know, I’ve been listening to your voices for so long now that I don’t wanna look at your faces.”
“This tbh,” Hoseok agrees with your most profound sentiments as per the usual. He’s quick to match your pace, trailing after you like a lost puppy, successfully getting Taehyung out of his way. He puts his arm around your shoulders casually and you give him that sardonic smile that’s only really reserved for him.
“Don’t say tee-bee-aytch out loud. I get humiliation by proxy.”
Jungkook makes an exaggerated gagging sound before nudging Taehyung subtly enough that Jin is the only one who sees the interaction. Though the eldest had agreed with his deranged idea, there’s one thing that Kook knows that Jin hasn’t come to find out.
Taehyung has an ongoing problem or maybe he’s a masochist. He’s always been one to internally get attached to these girls who’d never give him the time of day, who can’t stand him at all. The tragedy-comedy that is his best friend’s love life started on a rainy day in second grade when a girl by the name of Seulbi punched him in the face and he was hooked on her for three years after.
After the infamous Seulbi, came Yeonji from the cheerleading club who blew off his invite to his first-ever party when they were fifteen. She’d called him a loser to his face and he was smitten with her for a while, too.
And then, you appeared in his life seemingly out of nowhere. Hoseok’s catty best friend with a tongue sharper than her stilettos and lipstick that goes perfectly with her skin tone.
Of course, he was aware of your existence prior to that accident he calls his first conversation with you—be it from the exciting yet flat-out brain dead antics Hoseok would describe you’d gotten caught up in at the time or from the sound of your heels sinking into the floor promptly before you entered math class. You were always late but claimed that the teacher should be grateful because you cut in line to arrive at school earlier. You always had one of those shitty overrated pumpkin spice lattes in your manicured hands.
Simply put, Taehyung likes you. Though after your disastrous first meeting during which, blunt-natured and seemingly lacking a sense of self-preservation, he called you a stuck up moron and you threatened to make an attempt at his life. With your bullheaded nature, things never did solve themselves after that one instance.
It’s not something that he’s expressed outwardly, but Jungkook knows him better than he knows the back of his hand. Unfortunately, he knows you too, even if not as well and he knows how you can’t get a boyfriend because you either scare them away or you find out they’re only after a quick fuck and some money.
Regardless, Jungkook writes off his inner ramblings as irrelevant before turning to Jin in what could be described as a conspirative manner. While clumsily handing the cashier gas money, he whispers something in the other man’s ear and Jin’s eyes literally twinkle like he’s in a low-budget porno.
He nods, furiously so, and the cashier simply stares at them like they’re two idiots that somehow merged into one. It’s not a pretty sight.
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“What? We’re sleeping out here?” Your whining is to be expected by now. Had any of your friends written an actual, physical, list of all the things you’ve complained about so far, it’d probably fill a notebook. Thankfully enough, said list remained as a mental compilation of your not-so-epic moments. “What about the motel?”
“Oh, so now you want a motel?” Jin quips back with a smirk. “They always come ‘round.”
Despite his boasting and apparent eagerness to go to a motel, that doesn’t change the fact that you all find yourselves in a campsite. You’re not an outdoor person save for going to parties or on a shopping spree with Hoseok. And well, your surroundings are a bit too green right now.
Taehyung is the next person to speak up, with a tense posture and his arms crossed over his chest, almost defiantly so. “Honestly, if you don’t want to be here, I don’t understand why you keep coming to these things.”
“Well, I don’t understand why I had to invite your dumb ass here either. I guess the inner machinations of my mind are an enigma.”
“Yeah, I thought Namjoon or Yoongi would be more fitting for your taste of guest,” he says, outright taunting you now, as if to remind you of your failed love rendezvous with your now close friends.
“Well yeah, but they both denied, so I had to invite you.”
“Ah,” he gives a slight sigh and you dismiss the sadness you register in his voice as something deserved for annoying you, “that does make more sense. Lucky me, I guess.”
“Awkies,” Jungkook announces as if it’s something that needs to be announced. Hoseok simply shrugs, and though you’re definitely not looking forward to sleeping out in the woods, he seems excited to try something new.
There’s something hilarious about seeing a bunch of upper-class kids trying to set up tents and start a fire. You’ve converted to the cavemen with Hoseok, seemingly unaware that engaging in a one-sided debate with a bundle of sticks won’t make them randomly engulf in flames while Hoseok is trying out a trick he saw in the movies.
Honestly, it’s enough of a miracle that you actually went out in the woods and helped without tripping your silly ass and getting lost among the catacombs. Granted, Hoseok would’ve been compassionate enough to look for you had you gotten lost, but you probably wouldn’t get over the trauma of being covered in mud.
Taehyung notices you both struggling. Part of him wants to make amends with you and a bigger part of him wants to leave Jimin to scramble on his own. Not that he’s sadistic or anything, he just likes seeing others suffer sometimes for entertainment purposes.
Anyways.
He approaches casually, like the kind of casual where you can tell that the person has an ulterior motive that they don’t want to reveal. Hoseok appears happy to see him, like he’s a savior on a white horse, while you don’t acknowledge him that much except for a sharp question regarding what he wants.
He greets the older boy with one of these grins you won’t admit you enjoy looking at before roaming through the pockets of his jacket. Now that you’ve noticed him wearing one, you come to the sudden realization that it is getting quite breezy.
Taehyung has the habit of scrunching his nose when he’s looking for something and then unconsciously smile broadly after succeeding in finding it. You don’t like that you’re aware of that and you especially don’t like that you can pinpoint the repetitive action.
It appears that Taehyung was looking for a lighter, of all things.
“I thought you quit smoking?” You simply give him an incredulous look.
He doesn’t grace you with an answer. Though he doesn’t reek of the putrid smell, you’re still hoping that the answer to that question is yes. Instead of soothing your curiosity, however, he uses the lighter to ignite a spark in the firewood and you guess that it’ll have to do.
“Well, that was quite pathetic,” you comment unhelpfully.
“Better than Hobi’s attempts and uh, whatever the fuck you were doing.”
Hoseok is enthusiastic to announce that the bonfire’s ready. You watch the clumsily prepped three tents in disinterest, not bothering to defend your attempt at enchantment to him. “Hoseokie, you’re gonna share a tent with me right?”
“Hoseokie,” Jin repeats, but in good fun, “I thought you were gonna crash with me tonight?”
You roll your eyes before redirecting your gaze towards Jimin and Jungkook. By the guilty smile Jungkook gives you, you can tell he doesn’t plan on letting Jimin out of his clown clutches. You narrow your expression and jut your lip out disapprovingly.
“Well, Mr. Handsome,” Jin interrupts whatever you have to say with a thank you, “since you and Kook have been jointed by the assholes since we got here, I don’t see what the problem is.”
“I think you’re just saying that because you don’t wanna sleep with Tae,” Hoseok comments obliviously.
“What he said. Also, these crackwhores are planning something, and I’m going to find out what.”
“Well, you’re in tough luck because Hoseok promised,” Jin argues, emphasizing the word promise. He has a shit-eating grin on his face and he’s not even denying your accusation.
Taehyung coughs once. The second time is overkill and sounds even faker than the first one. “Sorry, but if [Y/n] isn’t comfortable sharing the tent with me, it doesn’t really matter what Hoseok promised.”
You gape at him. This is probably the first intelligent thing that you’ve heard come out of his mouth. You almost reconsider your treatment of him after that, but then you remember that a guy being half-decent isn’t something you’re supposed to celebrate. You suppose that even he looks like a saint compared to some of your exes.
Everyone notices the conflict on your face but doesn’t say anything about it. Jin admits that Taehyung’s right with a wail yet the tension doesn’t dissolve, somehow. You excuse yourself by declaring that you’re going to get the blankets out of the SUV.
“Damn, that bad huh?” Jungkook laughs. It’s the hyena laugh that kind of doesn’t suit his face but also the one he does when he’s having fun for no good reason.
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“I heard in the girls’ bathroom once that this girl went on a diet where she only eats bananas for three months. Like, five a day,” you explain while you munch on your banana in front of the bonfire. Needless to say, you’ve come out to be severely underprepared in terms of food on your first day.
“That sounds like a strategy to make yourself unhinged,” Hoseok retorts. He believes your story but he’s skeptical about that banana business. “I’d never do that.”
“Me neither. Diets are stupid, anyway, can’t a bitch eat?”
Jungkook reaches over and high-fives you, looking at you like you’ve just invented air or some shit. “Amen to that sister.”
“By the way, what’s the plan for tomorrow?” Jimin is the one to speak up this time.
“I have quite the plan for you, alright,” Jin laughs. His next statement, however, is the embodiment of his immature nature. “But that banana talk had me all distracted.”
Everyone collectively groans. You’re not really sure if what he said would classify as a dad joke at this point; you’re now entering single-and-desperate-dad joke territory. Can’t say that you’d enjoy it coming from someone else, but Jin is Jin.
“Anyways,” he dismisses his previous remark with an easy-going smile and a wave of his hand in thin air, “we’re going to a breakfast place first thing in the morning. By foot.”
His grin is mischievous. You think this is the worst idea he’s had yet and no one else present seems attracted by the prospect of it either, so you vocally oppose him with a raised brow. “Don’t you realize how likely it is we’ll get lost?”
“Yeah, I also don’t wanna walk too much.” Hoseok’s always one to back you up.
“Technology doesn’t lie, [Y/n].”
“If technology doesn’t lie how come I had a D on my maths test in junior year when I used Photomath?”
Hoseok agrees, remembering the incident. That day was truly one of sorrow.
“Technology only lies if you’re gullible enough,” Jin now changes the narrative.
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You sneak out of your and Hoseok’s tent with a brief explanation thrown over your shoulder. Something about getting your make-up wipes from the trunk. Hoseok mutters inspiring words of advice—be careful, it’s dark and who knows what animal puke is on the ground—and you stumble your way to the SUV.
Shoving the keys in the hole proves to be a difficult task, however. You aimlessly jut it in, hoping to hit the correct place by some sort of miracle. This is the moment that you realize that your eyes aren’t so good at adapting to the darkness.
“Hey, what’re you doing?”
You jump up out of pure reflex. Startled, you whip around with a bemused look on your face. You’re gonna get wrinkles, damn it.
“Woah, girl jumps in heels,” Taehyung comments dryly.
“Don’t sneak up on me, you idiot cokehead,” you retort. You’re not sure why you said that. He’s not a cokehead.
“No, but seriously, what’re you doing?”
“I’m trying to look for my make-up wipes.”
Taehyung takes the keys from you. Without half as much fumbling as you’d done previously, he opens the trunk and you proceed with looking through your purse, only to come to the conclusion that you’ve forgotten your make-up lines somewhere. There’s now a new resolve, clear as day in your twisted mind—you have to find the supermarket you passed by on your way here and buy new ones.
“Did you find them?”
“No.” You scoff. An angry thaw and the trunk is now closed. “I’m going to buy some.”
“Woah, calm down tiger. Can’t you just sleep with it?”
“No! Do you know how bad that is for your skin?”
“Well, we could find a river and you could wipe your face with the dirty water.”
You give him a blank stare, barely suppressing a small giggle. “Do you understand how ridiculous you’re being?”
“I’m being ridiculous?”
Silence.
“...You’re not planning to go off in the woods during the dawn of asscrack, right?”
“The what? Yeah.”
Taehyung looks towards your tent only to see that the light is completely shut down. Hoseok must be asleep already. “I’ll go with you.”
You roll your eyes. “Do whatever you want.”
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“So, why do you hate your cousin so much?” Taehyung asks abruptly from behind you.
Most of your walk has been a silent one, so far, except for an occasional grumble from you and an absentminded one-liner from him. There’s also the sound of sticks crumbling under your high-heels that’s slightly irritating.
“Because she’s unfunny,” you reply seriously.
“You have issues.” This is probably the least significant reason someone has ever hated somebody else for, in the entire history of hatred. Strangely enough, however, Taehyung can’t help finding it endearing how outlandish you can be.
“I’m sorry, I must have Alzheimer’s because I don’t remember asking,” you snap with a roll of your eyes.
“You know, I have a dog,” he begins dramatically. “And sometimes he shits on the carpet and one time he puked on me, but I still love him very much. He’s gang, you feel?”
“I don’t see how that helps with my family situation.”
“I never said it’s supposed to help, I just wanted to talk about myself.” He snickers. You’re getting the most violent of urges.
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Leering over the thin metal fence that looms over an otherwise mundane hill gives you an idea. Down the admittedly high hill, the supermarket is obnoxiously lit up. However, the hideous sight doesn’t deter you—this is what your nirvana looks like in the given moment.
With one bold move, you lift your leg up the fence and Taehyung considers you, your motives and perhaps even your life until now. “What are you doing?”
“It’ll be faster if I go down the hill.”
“You’re gonna break your ankles in these shoes,” he rebuts, his voice a tilted monotone. “Also, I can see your underwear like this.”
“Perveeeeert.” This is your final taunt before you do make it over the short fence and onto the other side. Examining the hill from up close—but not before you roll your miniskirt down—you come to two conclusions. The first one is that it’s quite steep and the second one comes when you’re one step down, that maybe, just maybe, you’re a bit deranged.
With your back turned to him, you don’t get to see Taehyung experiencing the five stages of grief. There’s obvious conflict on his face and to be precise, his current dilemma is between worry for you and a lack of power to stop you. Perhaps had you turned around, you’d find the sight entertaining.
His movements are leisurely once he does get in motion. Taehyung’s plan is to simply help you up now that he noticed that you’re hesitating to go further than you’ve already gone.
His voice cutting through the night’s silence startles you. “Hey, you really shouldn’t do this.”
You stumble.
As tragic as that is, there’s something else to placate you; you’ve never seen Taehyung move so fast. Not even during the blip test in high school. The rest of his actions are less endearing—he throws you over his shoulder carelessly, stumbles onto the sidewalk and drops you like it’s hot. And then your legs are a bit wobbly, but you pretend they aren’t.
The unnerving silence remains all the way to the supermarket, then back to the campsite and even when Taehyung’s awkwardly using his phone as a flashlight in your face while you remove your make-up. There’s nothing to say, except maybe if he were to ask you a question that’s not to your liking.
(He’s not that bad.)
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Jin is in a hurry, but you’re not sure what for. It’s been practically less than a day since you started this road trip, but it feels longer. You’re conflicted about how to feel regarding that, but even so, Jimin and Hoseok’s enthusiasm is hard to ignore.
The feline smile on your face drops the moment Jungkook basically drags you out of your tent, bare-faced and severely underdressed. Well, to be honest, you blend in with them just fine, but in your head, you’re severely underdressed. Something more boujee is usually your style, but you realize your predicament won’t magically change the longer you’re walking in what feels like the middle of nowhere.
Tusla is gross, yes, but maybe Oklahoma is just gross in general.
When you’re unhappy, you don’t get shy about it—honesty is the best policy, after all. So you’re going on one of those annoying tangents you like to go on like it’s second nature to you. Maybe it is.
Taehyung drones out whatever it is you’re saying the moment you start talking about a pimple in your nostril that has hair growing out of it. He’s not particularly grossed out by this revelation, rather, he doesn’t like listening to you go on and on about everything you don’t like about yourself.
“And I couldn’t put on that necklace you got me for my birthday,” you complain before linking your arms with Hoseok’s and feigning a sniff.
“That is pretty horrible,” he hums in agreement. “I think I have a rash on my thigh.”
“See, if Jungkook wasn’t being horrible I could probably get some kinda product to smear on it.”
Taehyung feigns a loud yawn. Tagging along with you and Hoseok isn’t as tiring as he’d like to make it out to be.
“What’re you yawning so blatantly for? I hate being interrupted.” You roll your eyes cockily.
“Sorry, I almost fell asleep during this uninteresting speech of yours.”
You fume again and Hoseok reassures you with something along the lines of don’t worry, [Y/n], it’s very interesting. Then, silence follows. It always seems to end up like this between the two of you.
“Well, if it helps,” Taehyung starts, tone breezy, “you’re still beautiful.”
You feel your face heat up. Sure, boys have given you plenty of compliments before—you’re no stranger to it—hot, sexy and maybe pretty on a good day. But beautiful? Especially without any make-up on? This is definitely something new.
Hoseok smiles. “Yeah, he’s right.”
You don’t want to admit just how flattered you really are. “Of course I am.”
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You take the first thing you find to your liking once you reach the breakfast place. Actually, it’s more brunch than it is breakfast, but all that walking is making you starve so you don’t feel particularly inclined to be hung up on semantics.
“It’s on me.” Jungkook sweeps in smoothly, giving you a flashy smile.
“Fuck off. I’m still mad at you.”
“You might be, but not for long,” he argues with an obnoxious grin on his face. “They call it… The Kook Effect.”
You shake your head. “I’m pretty sure you just made that up.”
“Yeah? Remember when you won a bet against Jimin and he had to call you Supreme Majesty in freshman year? And then you pretended that he did it out of his own volition.”
“Oh, I’m not taking this from you and your dead trim.”
“My trim is fine, thanks.”
“Dead trim!” you repeat, almost frantic. You’re so caught up with Jungkook’s dead trim that you don’t notice that Taehyung is giving you a cheesy smile as he buys you your food. He looks like the greasiest gentleman alive when he hands it to you.
“And what’s that about?”
“In junior year, at summer camp, they took away our phones because someone recorded the instructor jerking off. And then like, blackmailed him.”
You quirk an eyebrow up at this, unsure what he’s hinting at. “Right.”
“Right. And then they took all of our phones for a month and you started crying about how your life is a living nightmare.”
“Right…” you trail off, suddenly embarrassed as if that hadn’t happened a whole two years ago. But like, it totally was a big deal! “The no phone rule was the worst. Even worse than the public bathroom rule.”
“I did it. I’m making it up to you,” he explains.
You feel your mouth twitch into a small smile, one that he hasn’t quite seen on you before. “I forgive you this once, then.”
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“We’re going to a hotel after sightseeing,” Jin explains. It’s like he’s got everything figured out all by himself and perhaps with the help of Jungkook’s annoying personality. “I arranged the rooms and everything while you were eating.”
“Quite epic,” Jimin comments absentmindedly. “Wait, rooms? Like, you mean who’s rooming with who?”
“Yeah, I finished the registration.” He stares directly at you and then Taehyung. “You could switch if you wanted to, it doesn’t really matter.”
You give him a light glare, already having a brief idea of what he’s done, but don’t comment any further. With a sense of deja vu, you speak up again. “What about the motel?”
“I wasn’t sure if we’re going to be passing by one today, so I thought hey! Better safe than sorry.”
Everyone nods in half-agreement until Jin speaks up again. “Plus, you guys reek. You should shower. Couldn’t be me.”
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Predictably, Jin did set you and Taehyung up. You can’t tell what kind of game he and Jungkook are playing, however, the poor boy isn’t half as insufferable in your eyes ever since this road trip began, so maybe you should thank them. Still, you don’t trust them—their minds are as twisted as yours.
As the two of you are dragging your luggage towards your shared room, Taehyung reminds you that you’re free to tell him if you don’t want to sleep with him. “I could go to Jungkook’s room or something.”
You find the idea of being alone more unfavorable than you thought you would. Perhaps your high-school, drastically more histrionic, self would’ve found anything more pleasant than sharing a room with Taehyung. You’re a (slightly) changed person now, though. Or at least you’d like to believe you are.
“Let’s put it like this. I hate a lot of things.”
“You don’t need to tell me that, I already know,” he interrupts with a crude giggle.
“But you’re not one of them,” you admit.
There’s also the fact that the two of you are blatantly ignoring that you could switch with Jin and sleep with Hoseok instead.
No more words are spoken between the two of you that day. New Mexico isn’t half as bad as Oklahoma was.
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You wake up before Taehyung does, punctually so. Rolling out of bed, you partly don’t care whether you wake him but at the same time, you try to avoid making too much noise before slipping into the bathroom. Though you’re definitely one to value your beauty sleep, yesterday’s incident left you paranoid over whether Jungkook or Jin would catch you unprepared.
You go through your routine calmly and by the time Taehyung goes in the bathroom to take a piss, you’re ready to start doing your make-up. You stare at the foundation in your hand but before you can apply it, you hesitate.
Do I need make-up to be desirable?
Of course, you’re aware that not all women who use make-up are insecure, or that it’s always necessarily toxic for your self-esteem. And you thought that was the case with you as well, but your doubts suggest otherwise. Swiftly, you put all of your stuff away, stick with your trusty lipstick and nothing else.
“Morning,” he says, groggy still.
“Morning.” You look over to him from the corner of your eye and he looks kind of dazed. “Jin says we’re staying here until tomorrow morning.”
“Cool. Hotel’s nice. The scenery too.”
“I guess.”
There’s something cripplingly awkward when the two of you aren’t hurling insults at each other, you realize.
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You’re off somewhere with Hoseok and Jin when Taehyung is hanging out with Jimin and Jungkook. Turns out their room has a nice balcony, and with the others out of the picture, there’s some kind of buzzed chatter about incoherent topics swirling around.
Jungkook suddenly decides that it’s a good idea to start talking about his sexcapades. Maybe it’s the alcohol or maybe his mind’s slipping. Jimin kind of wants to admit how much he doesn’t care what his friend does outside of watching anime and playing video games, but there’s also a part of him that’s morbidly intrigued by Jungkook’s words. Like a dark spell or something.
“I wanted to hit it off with [Y/n] in high school,” he admits bluntly.
The other two stare at him.
“Oh really? What made you change your mind?” Jimin asks, now more awake than ever.
“Dunno. Like, she’s more like, the bitchy rival in rom-coms, not the protagonist. I liked her, but I didn’t think I could handle her,” he admits.
“Once we were clubbing and this guy was messing with me and I complained to her about it,” Jimin begins, leaning into his chair with a fond smile on his face, “and she was all like, I’ll show him. And I was like, what? And she was like, I’ll show him who he’s dealing with. And then I was like, okay, maybe don’t show him that much.”
The three of them chuckle. Taehyung talks for the first time in a while. “Nah, I agree.”
“You dig it though, right?”
Jimin gives him a knowing look right after Jungkook shoots his question with a drunken smile. He guesses that since Hoseok isn’t here, he can finally admit it.
“Yeah. Yeah, I do. But I can’t get things right with her.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s like, we’re either fighting or it’s really awkward.”
“You’re on your own.” Jimin dismisses him with a wave of his hand. “I don’t think she hates you that much. It’s always Taehyung this, Taehyung that.”
“True,” Jungkook agrees. “Like yes, maybe she’s complaining about you half the time and I know she loves gossiping but I’ve never heard her talk about someone else that much. Except maybe Yoongi. What I’m sayin’ is, you should give it a shot.”
“Why do you guys even fight so much?” Jimin laughs. “Whenever it happens, I like, forget what even happened to lead up to that.”
“Well, you know me. I’m always too honest for my own good and when I hit her with some snark she starts getting all defensive. I just...” He sounds defeated by the time he’s finished with his explanation. Taehyung’s shoulders visibly slump and his frame slides down the uncomfortable chair. “I just want to get along with her.”
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The fourth day is the first time you actually aren’t sure where you are. Save for supposedly being close to Nevada by now, you tuned out the rest of Jin’s explanation despite your previous attempts at keeping up with your location.
Regardless, what’s important is living in the present. And the present for you right now is walking down a nameless street, in a mess of other tourists, with your pants uncomfortably sticking to your ass with sweat. In short, you feel gross.
Taehyung doesn’t seem to be having the same problem, while you can’t even fake being unfazed. You envy him just the tiniest bit.
A trashy souvenir shop seems to catch Taehyung’s attention. In the scorching heat and sand-yellow scenery of this town, however, even that seems more appealing. So when he urges you to go with him, you find yourself reluctantly agreeing.
When you step in, the air conditioning of the otherwise homey shop welcomes you like taking a breather during an overcrowded party. You let an unconscious smile take over your face when you greet the cashier. She’s cute and her adorableness factor only spikes up when she practically beams at the sight of customers.
“Hi! Please, feel free to look around.”
“We will,” Taehyung answers offhandedly. Her gaze lingers on him.
Most of the things don’t interest you. Actually, they’re hideous if you had to be completely honest. He doesn’t seem that enamored by them either, but you can tell he finds more redeeming qualities about them than you do.
Your eyes almost bulge out of your face when you see the most live-laugh-love-esque decoration to exist. Like something your mom would laugh-react to on Facebook.
The offender is no more than three inches tall and wide, a ceramic plate with a cartoony burger portrayed on it. It’s holding a flag that says two simple words: “Nice Buns!”
You can’t tell if it’s the radioactivity of Jungkook’s cooking from earlier or if this thing is what’s making you nauseous. However, food-poisoning or not, you’re quite disgusted by what you’ve just seen. “Oh my god, the caucasity.”
“Aw, you don’t like it?” Taehyung says with a mocking pout. “I think it’s cute.”
“What’s wrong with you? It’s corny.”
“No, it isn’t. It might’ve been if it was a corn-dog, though.”
You heaved an over-dramatic sigh. “You’re saying words that have no positive impact on my life.”
“I think I’ll buy it,” he declares, before checking the price and realizing he hasn’t brought enough money with himself.
You shake your head. “I’m not gonna be an accomplice to… that.”
“Well, of course not. This is your Valentine’s present.”
“Go to hell. As if I’d be your Valentine in the first place,” you reply sardonically before pushing him out of the way.
Taehyung realizes something at that moment. Even outside your evident disinterest in him and his affairs, the two of you are completely incompatible. You, too quick to judge and be offended and him, too quickly to say the first thing on his mind, obviously don’t mesh smoothly.
Neither of the boyfriends you’ve had that he’s spoken to is anything like him, either. If Namjoon and Yoongi have one thing in common, it’s that they’re both calm, collected and have a good head screwed securely on top of their shoulders. He’s not like that.
Even so, that revelation only makes the concept of being with you more alluring.
Kim Taehyung is an idiot. But more importantly, with one glance towards the admittedly good-looking cashier making googly eyes at him, Kim Taehyung makes a decision.
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While you’re taking a shit in a nearby cafeteria, you receive a text from Taehyung. This is shocking by itself since despite the two of you having each others’ numbers, you never really text.
[15:30] pain in the neck: im going on a date w/ the cashier
[15:30] pain in the neck: feel free to leave
[15:45] Princess Complex: i’m just gonna hang with jungkook thank god
Why is your stomach sinking?
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Once you meet up with Jungkook, you explain the situation briefly. He quickly looks you over, confusion evident on his face. “What? On a date?”
“Yeah, he just kinda left me in the toilet,” you confirm with a shrug. “Anyways, where do you wanna go?”
It’s not like Jungkook is an oblivious idiot with the emotional capacity of your aunt’s mutated sixth toe, even if he may appear to be. But you never thought he’d call you out the moment your overly confident facade starts slipping. His gaze softens. “Are you sure you’re okay with that?”
He isn’t examining you when he asks. No, he appears to be looking off, somewhere behind you. However, you remain ignorant to that fact.
“Yes! Why would I care? I’d rather drink toilet water for ten years straight than spend any more time with that moron,” you snap, too worked up for someone who supposedly doesn’t care.
“Is that how you really feel about Taehyung?”
“Yes! Yes, oh my god, let it go.”
Jungkook makes one more helpless expression, shrugs lightly, and you fail to realize that neither of those gestures is directed at you. “Let’s go to the arcade.”
“I’m not really into video games,” you lie as you run your hand through your hair, “but fine.”
“Hell yeah.”
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When Taehyung goes back to your room in the trashy motel, notably late during the night for a mere first date, the atmosphere is tense. There’s a crease in your brows when you unlock the door and obvious bite marks over your bare lips. He stumbles ahead to enter, but you continue blocking his path with your arms frigidly crossed over your chest.
“You’re late.”
“And what’s it to you?” He’s never spoken to you so harshly. There are moments where his words bite, but never does he say them with an expression and tone that are so frosty.
“Nothing in particular.” You move out of his way, finally, and he enters. You briefly wonder if he’s had alcohol before you start talking again. “I’ve been stuck in this room for like, an hour because the keys are in me. Waiting for you...”
“Poor you.”
“Excuse me?”
“I heard what you said about me to Jungkook. You know, I’m starting to understand why you scared away all your exes.”
Warth washes over you in waves for a millisecond before it disperses into nothingness, a cold numbness that makes your back shiver. Your gaze on him is empty yet livid at the same time and he cowers under it. You’re not sure if the guilt on his face is a flicker of your imagination or if it’s genuine, but you hope it’s the latter.
It’s never his words that are a big deal to you. It’s the way he speaks every syllable, so earnestly with truth laced in every letter, that makes you go off the hook. Because deep down, you’re aware that he doesn’t mean to be malicious or to offend, it’s merely him telling his truth.
You grab a few things impulsively with a mundane declaration, before storming off god knows where. “I’m not sleeping here tonight.”
When the door clicks behind your frame, Taehyung backs down and sprawls out across the bed. Truthfully, he regretted his words before he even opened his mouth. But he was so angry, be it with you or with himself.
It just seemed so unfair that you could blow him away time after time and yet, on his date the only thing on his mind was you. The mediocre make-out session and him awkwardly leaving out of nowhere didn’t help, either. And then you had to be so perfect, waiting for him instead of locking his ass out like he thought you would.
It isn’t the girl’s fault she’s raised to be as sweet as sugar while you’re more like citrus. He’s always had a knack for lemons, anyway.
The fact that you spent the rest of the day with Jungkook only aggravates him further, the younger’s words repeating in his head. I tried to hit it off with [Y/n] in high school, or whatever it was that he said exactly. All of this is his own fault, anyway—if he hadn’t been so temperamental, you would’ve stayed with him for the rest of the day.
Taehyung stares at the cheap lights hanging on the ceiling until his eyes hurt that night.
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Half-way through your trek to Hoseok’s room, you crumble. A sob escapes your throat and then another one. After these two instances, your tears don’t cease.
At first, Jimin is excited to see you at their door but his smile slips the moment he realizes what a bad state you’re in. You’re practically making whale noises while desperately searching for Hoseok.
“I’ll give you two a moment.” He gives you one final look-over and leaves with a not-so-threatening threat. “Or maybe thirty. You better be smiling and singing Toxic by the time I’m back, [Y/n].”
Hoseok rushes to hug you. “God, girl, what’s wrong?”
“I like Taehyung.”
“Is that it? You’re a strong girl, y’know, I never pictured you crying over some pretty boy.”
“No. I’m crying because I’ve liked him all this fucking time and I tried to run away from him because I’m scared. And he said the most horrible thing to me,” you explain as you bury yourself deeper into his embrace. “That’s why I’m crying.”
“I hope he isn’t allergic to hands, because he’s about to catch them. Actually, I hope he is allergic.” Hoseok isn’t one to ask about details. He lets you get it out of your system, makes a few promises (most often of violence) and then allows you to elaborate if you wish to do so.
You laugh, but it turns into choking considering how much snot you have running down your face by now. “He said that he understands why my exes run away from me. I mean, I— I said something rude about him first, but Jungkook was backing me into a corner and I didn’t know he would even find out about it, I just—”
“Forget about him, forget about Jungkook, everyone. Tonight is for Britney,” Hoseok commands more than he asks you.
You smile sadly at him before uselessly wiping your tears away and giggling like you’re on the brink of losing your mind. Perhaps you are.
“My 45-carat booger. Hey, let’s make Jimin do the chicken dance,” Hoseok starts off like he’s coddling you in his strange way of doing so, but then quickly turns diabolical. He throws some tissues at you and you accept them. If there’s one thing you’re truly grateful for, it’d be your best friend.
You nod, suddenly more excited than you should be. Hoseok’s right—you don’t need some pretty boy when queen Britney is watching over you.
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The next day, you’re wearing a full-face of make-up, and Taehyung notices it. Hoseok’s driving and you’re in the passenger seat, talking about some nonsense as usually do. The atmosphere is light, with Jimin and Jungkook occasionally joining in your conversation and Jin sleeping with his forehead pressed against the window.
Truth to be told, Taehyung feels like a zombie right now. Pretending that your scuffle with him meant nothing to you only convinces him further how little you care about anything that has to do with him.
“I think we’ll be in Las Vegas soon,” Hoseok announces cheerily.
On one hand, you’re happy to finally be seeing the end of this road trip. Though you’ve technically just been relaxing, you wanted to be done with your cousin’s dumb wedding and go back to spending an average amount of time with your friends. You want to forget how flippant things are between you and Taehyung, your quote-unquote friendship dictated by mood swings rather than actual feelings.
“Fuck yeah! I wanna get drunk in Vegas,” you say with a smirk. “It’s on my bucket list.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“You want to get drunk everywhere,” Jungkook corrects with a laugh. You can’t help agreeing with him. “And Jin will probably stay in the hotel and play Candy Crush or something.”
“Ew, ew, ew, a fucking millenial,” you exclaim in mock disgust.
“Jin can be a beast if he wants to. Remember when he twerked in front of the whole school on Taehyung’s birthday party?”
“Shit was wild, man.”
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No one except you, Hoseok and Taehyung himself is aware of what transpired yesterday. So Jungkook and Jin are still stubbornly placing the two of you together, yet you’re too powerless to fight it.
The hotel is a fancy one, courtesy of your annoying cousin. She’s been texting you and you sent a short message back to inform her you’ve arrived, but you haven't bothered to deal with her provocations any further.
After dumping his luggage near his bed, Taehyung was straight out of the room and you started getting ready. And that was that.
You feel more like yourself when you find the wine hidden in the fridge, a free present from the hotel. Or maybe your cousin’s way of making peace. Ha, as if that’d happen.
When Taehyung comes back to get dressed, you’re already tipsy and acting like a fool.
“Drinking already?” There are many things that Taehyung wants to say to you. An apology he’s too sober to say and a confession you’re too drunk to hear, to begin with.
“It’s pre-game,” you explain dizzily. “You know. I never told you why I hate my cousin so much. She used to bully me and she stole my first boyfriend from me. And we never got past it.”
With your trademark look, high-heels, acrylics, a fancy yet revealing dress along with whatever else you consider fashionable at the moment, Taehyung feels familiarity staring at your lopsided smirk. Though he’s gotten glimpses of other sides of you during these past few days, like how you like cuddling during the night, this is the epitome of who you are.
“Yeah,” he replies agreeably, though you’re not sure what for.
“Well, I don’t know about you, but Hoseok is waiting for me. So, this is bye-bye.”
“See you there.”
“Probably not.” You snicker. Taehyung can tell that you’re still upset with him.
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You’re so wasted that the things happening around you aren’t really making sense anymore. While you and Hoseok were drinking together for a while, at one point Jungkook whisked him away, then there’s a blank in your memory and now you’re here. Alone. And you’ve lost count of how many drinks you’ve had.
A man, that’s definitely a few years older than you, finally approaches you after observing you from afar. He says some sort of sleazy line—you’re not sure what it is, you’re not really listening—and offers you a drink.
You consider him. He’s not your type at all and that pornstache isn’t helping his case but, when you look at Taehyung and see him talking and having fun while you’re being an alcoholic by your lonesome and moping about him, you quickly accept his offer. Pornstache or not.
“Pick anything you’d like, kitten,” he purrs, in an attempt at being seductive.
“Well first off I’m not a furry so don’t call me that,” you snap with a self-assured grin. And then you start listing off the most expensive drinks on the menu.
This man is so enamored by you that he buys you all of them. You’re three steps closer to alcohol poisoning when you clumsily stumble onto the dance floor along with him, running your hand over his jaw in what you believe to be a sensual manner. He seems to dig it, but from an outsider’s perspective the two of you look like junkies trying to get off.
Your experience in the club is romanticized. The dim lights are reminiscent to those few times you’ve gone to a rave and it reeks of alcohol, overpriced perfumes and sweat. You and your nameless pathetic fan mingle with the grinding crowd and begin imitating them.
As the poet Lady Gaga once said, “redlight pornographic dance fight”.
The act itself is indifferent to you. From across the room, Taehyung locks eyes with you and you’re not really sure why but you feel this sudden need to provoke him, even when you know he most likely wouldn’t care. You sloppily kiss your suitor’s cheek while looking at him intensely from across the room. A red trail from your wet lips makes its way down his face.
For the sake of pettiness, you might’ve gone further—I mean, you were already playing some weird game of tug-and-war but with clothes—but you don’t want to know the feeling of this guy’s lips against yours. He finds the mostly innocent action as an invitation, though, and abruptly halts your staring contest with Taehyung by forcing you into a greedy kiss.
Pushing him away, you give him a pointed stare and rejection is clear on his face. “Excuse me…”
He’s a terrible kisser.
Pushing through everyone that’s in your way, you make your escape through the first door you find. In your intoxicated parade, you fail to make sense of the words ‘CLOSED’ that are so blatantly taped over the entrance. So, you find yourself in front of a swimming pool.
The cold breeze outside prickles at your skin unpleasantly, and a quick look around tells you that there’s no one around to put this in their cringe compilation. Apparently more disgusted than you’d initially thought, you puke your guts out in front of the pool. Now light-headed and somehow empty, you stare at your vomit and take a deep breath.
“Hey, why’d you run away?” Your suitor from earlier appears to have followed you outside. You stare at your feet—doesn’t he understand that you wanted to get away from him?
“You’re a bad kisser,” you say bluntly after getting over your little trance.
“Give me a chance to change your mind then,” he offers smugly, taking menacing steps towards you. You move away instinctively before you’re quickly backed into a wall, with his two hands trapping you in between.
Your eyes widen with fear and you sink into yourself. If you had anything else to puke out, you’re sure you would’ve done so at this point. “I have sharp nails and I’m not afraid to use them.”
“Oh, she bites-”
The events that play out next happen so slowly, you’re not sure why you’re surprised. Taehyung appears, and you do see him in your peripheral vision, stares for a bit before knocking the guy out with a punch to his temple. He falls unconscious on the ground.
“Oh god, did I kill him?” he asks, a vacant look on his face. He imagined his first kill to be more thrilling, but on second thought, he’s not sure why he was thinking about that without being under the influence of substances in the first place.
“I’d be happy if he’s dead, if that helps,” you comment dryly.
“Do we dump the body in the pool or what?”
The two of you are drunk enough to consider it. Your mind is blank for a bit, before you finally speak up. “I’m trying to think of what I saw on How To Get Away With Murder, but it’s not coming to me. But like, on Blacklisted, there was this guy who like, made the corpses turn to gas or something!”
“You watch too much TV. Also, I’m pretty sure it’s called The Blacklist.”
“Whatever. Do you know how to do that?”
“No.”
“Hey, what’s going on here?” A new voice cuts in.
“You better come up with something convincing or we’ll have to kill him too,” you urge.
“Did you say something?”
“No.”
“Umm, awkward believe it yeah,” Taehyung begins, a strong start. “This guy slipped on her puke and hit his head. And he has a concussion now.”
“Man, that sucks,” the guy says. You’re relieved that he’s as trashed as he is, otherwise the situation would’ve went really badly, considering how Taehyung straight-up lied to his face. “I’ll go call someone over ‘ere.”
Once he’s out of sight, the two of you stare at each other and decide to flee the country. But then change the plan with the more economically-efficient idea to simply leave the club.
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“Why were you with that guy anyway?” Taehyung asks. Frankly put, neither of you know where you’re going, but you’re boldly leading him through the artificially-lit streets of Las Vegas as if you’re born there. Where you end up is a concern your sober selves of tomorrow should worry about.
“I wanted to make you jealous,” you reply, bold, like everything you do when you’re drunk is.
“...I don’t get it.”
“You pissed me off so much yesterday. And you made me jealous when you went out with that cashier. But also, you killed a guy for me, so I guess I’m not mad at you anymore.”
“Well aren’t you high-maintenance,” he retorts sarcastically, gaining what feels like a confidence spurt because of your sudden confession. “You don’t have anything to be jealous of, anyway. The only thing I had on my mind during that stupid fucking date was you.”
You freeze up. You thought that your own attitude was what made any possibility of him returning your feelings seem laughable. Even if it’s drunk blabber, alcohol is an honesty elixir, at least in your case. “Kiss me?”
He doesn’t need to be told twice, attacking your lips so eagerly you’d consider it funny if you were in a right state of mind. Still, your reciprocation is just as hungry, so maybe you don’t have any room to laugh. He is indulging you, after all.
The wipeout that happened at the club happens again and you’re left to wonder how things escalated. From teeth clashing against each other in pure excitement, you’re left hovering over Taehyung’s form and straddling him unsteadily.
He reaches under your already high dress and the glimpse of your panties seems to excite him. “You have no idea how much I’ve thought about this,” he admits breezily.
You smile, a teasing one, adjusting yourself better. “You don’t need to be so dramatic about it, it’s just underwear.”
“Dramatic is how many times I’ve jerked off after we went to the supermarket and you flashed me.”
“Ewwww, we shared a bed like three times, freak,” you scold and he pouts when you distance yourself from him.
“I was just trying to be funny!”
“Not funny. Didn’t laugh. It’s better when you don’t talk,” you instruct before leaning down again to kiss him. At least he’s having fun with groping whatever he can get his hands on.
“You’re so annoying it turns me on. Always whining, it drives me nuts how much I really like you.”
You snicker. “Well, I sure am feelin’ the love here.”
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When you wake up, you register three things. Four, actually. First—your left shoe is missing. Second— Taehyung is knocked out cold next to you. Third—you don’t know where you are, except for the fact that there’s a garbage bin next to you. Fourth—your head is throbbing with pain and you’re so sore you’re not sure if you can walk. Needless to say, you had the wild night in Vegas you wished for in your bucket list, and you only half-regret it.
You see your shoe discarded near you and nudge it with your toe for a bit before finally gathering enough power to sit up and put it on. Or so you think, because the moment you’re propped in a standing position, you vomit like you did yesterday.
Speaking of yesterday, the only thing you remember is that you and Taehyung were convinced that he’s now a murderer on the run, confessing your feelings for each other in an anti-climactic manner and then having like seven rounds of public sex.
With a recap of yesterday’s events, you digress and put your shoe on before reaching in your purse. Surprisingly, you haven’t been robbed. Fishing your phone out, you come to the conclusion that you’ve been knocked out cold for way too long.
Hoseok has generously spammed you with seventy texts, but you don’t bother to read them, already assuming that the gist is something about where the fuck you and Taehyung are. Instead, you call him immediately.
“Hi,” you greet casually.
“[Y/n]! Where the fuck are you and Tae? We were so worried. Jin almost declared you two missing. But on the positive side, Jungkook didn’t care because he got food poisoning yesterday at the club.”
“I don’t know where we are, but he’s with me.”
“What do you mean?!”
“I’ll send you my location. I don’t have money for Uber, love you, kisses and hickeys,” you say in one breathe before hanging up quickly and doing what you said you’d do.
At first, you thought this road trip was an opportunity for you to grow and mature. However, after yesterday’s shenanigans, you’re almost convinced your sociopathic tendencies are now higher by 5%.
You start shaking Taehyung until he wakes up and swats your arms away. Now upon closer inspection, while you’re aware that you look bad right now, he’s not looking too hot either. The lipstick marks you had left on his face make it look like you’ve either slobbered all over him or that he’s a vampire, you’re not sure. And you’ve bitten him so much somebody could think he got attacked by a racoon judging solely on those bruises.
You quickly explain the situation to him as you’re fixing up your bra and top. Considering the fact that you were bordering on nip-slip territory, that was your priority. Smoothing your dress is easy enough, but your pantyhose is mysteriously ripped in some incriminating places.
He reaches out, rips out the fake eyelash that was pathetically hanging off the corner of your eye and throws it away. You take care of the other one, wipe off your ruined make-up and then wipe off the lipstick on his face.
Your head hurts so much that you don’t know what to say to break the silence. Though you also don’t doubt that he’s in the position, and so, for the first time it doesn’t feel awkward between the two of you.
“Hey, [Y/n], are we like… dating now?”
“I think so? You can be my date to the wedding if you want.”
A dopey smile takes over his face. You realize you’ve made someone this happy before with merely being yourself. It fills you with a kind of warmth you’ve never felt before.
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“Your cousin won’t stop calling you,” Taehyung emphasizes as you’re pointedly ignoring your ringtone while you get ready. Considering the atrocious state both of you came back in, the process taking longer than usual shouldn’t be a surprise. Especially since you had to take turns for the shower.
Also the part where the two of you got into a fight over who should go in first—your thesis being arguably stronger once you mentioned the mud ingrained in the left sole of your feet—only slowed you down further.
“I know right? Can’t this pregnant moron get a life.”
“No, I think she’s calling you because we’re late to the wedding,” he elaborates. “You should pick up.”
“But I hate her!”
“You can roast her at the wedding and I’ll hype you up if you do what I ask.”
“Oh my god, promise?”
“Promise.”
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“Look who finally showed up,” your cousin greets you with a tight smile. You can only return the sentiment as Taehyung dumbly trails behind you.
Well, as much as you don’t like your cousin, the wedding is certainly nice. With a light atmosphere and a fancy ceremony, he can’t pretend he hates it—that much is certain. Though he can also tell that it’s a lot of money wasted on food that doesn’t look appetizing in the slightest the more he examines the buffet.
“I see you’re not wearing the dress I shipped to you. Is it too tight, perhaps?” She’s smiling fakely and sweetly as she waits for your answer to her provocation. Of course it’s too tight; what else could it be when she picked it two sizes smaller than what you usually wear. And she did it on purpose too.
Despite the rather mundane conversation happening, the tension is thick.
“I’m going to be quick. You look like a greasy manatee.” You give her your own uptight smile before strutting away, cueing Taehyung to follow after you.
“Pregnancy-shameeeeed,” he yells out as he offers her finger guns and speed-walks in your direction.
Once he’s caught up with you, he speaks up again. “I know you could’ve been more brutal than that.”
“Oh please, I’m sophisticated, I’d never engage in some barbaric behavior.”
You both burst out laughing at your blatant lie.
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“Do you think they’re dating now?” Jin asks, looking at the two of you as you dance and joke around. Though he imagines that you could only be having a deranged conversation, one that isn’t as sweet and lovey-dovey as it might look from an outsider’s perspective, it’s still quite disgusting how smitten Taehyung looks with you.
“I don’t care,” Jungkook answers. Him saying he doesn’t care is a metaphor for how much he doesn’t care about anything after his food poisoning.
Jimin rolls his eyes. “Oh definitely. I saw them making out near a garbage dumpster when we were driving back to the hotel.”
Seokjin chokes.
#bts scenarios#taehyung x reader#bts x reader#bts fanfiction#taehyung fanfic#bts fluff#kim taehyung#taehyung scenarios#taehyung imagines#taehyung fluff#bts fanfic#mine
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okay and this ended up being more of a new years present than a christmas present, but regardless! my final gift fic for @xivuuarath ! they requested more of our “villanelle and ravage go on assassin missions together” au complete with ravage interacting with konstantin. note that i was originally going to do something crazy and fun for this but... then i got the idea to set it post-killing eve season 2 and it kind of took a more weighted and painful turn. this is an inevitability no matter what dynamic storm and i write together, so,
storm i hope you have (/had) a wonderful holiday!!! i know this year has been very difficult with caretaking and family stuff but i still think... it’s showcased an incredible amount of progress, and i’m always so happy for you and proud of you when i hear that you’re managing to write more or do more confidently in school. i know we also haven’t talked as frequently this past year, but you are still a friend who i love and value and have been through so much with, and that remains as important to me as ever <33 good luck with everything you do in 2020!!!
For better or for worse - whether it’s a weakness or a precious remnant of a more righteous cause that he ought to sink his claws into and never, ever let go of - Ravage has a habit of doing the right thing when he can afford to.
Patience might not be considered a virtue when it makes you a methodical, effective killer, but Ravage has rarely ever lacked it when it counts either way.
But these human spies the Decepticons have temporarily aligned themselves with -- they test him, sometimes. He detests most of the higher ranking members of the Twelve, frankly. They all reek of greed and wealth and apathy, and if there comes a day when Soundwave decides it might be beneficial to get rid of them, Ravage certainly does not plan on grieving.
Thankfully, the contacts he works most closely with - the assassin and her handler - are not quite so insufferable. Or at least, Villanelle is insufferable in a different way, and Konstantin... well, he’s the only human in this entire operation who Ravage can sometimes detect a whiff of decency from. Ravage occasionally halfway respects him, when he’s not seeking secret entertainment in wringing exasperation from him.
It is not like Konstantin to be late.
Ravage has waited for nearly an hour past their agreed meeting time, lurking in the shadows outside a Roman cathedral, his deflectors keeping him invisible to passing eyes.
Something’s gone wrong. Too much time has passed. Ravage would have given up and left, except that this operation is too important. He cannot report back until he knows for certain that Aaron Peel’s weapon has fallen into the correct hands.
He is debating throwing caution to the winds and going to sniff out Konstantin himself, though, when the man finally appears.
“You took your time,” Ravage growls, flickering into visibility and making no secret of his impatience. “I hope you at least have good news for me.”
“The best,” Konstantin assures him, but his smile does not quite reach his eyes. “Aaron Peel is dead, and we have successfully confiscated his weapon before he could sell it off. Sorry it took me so long, I was -- held up.”
And despite his outwardly calm, amicable air, Ravage instantly smells something jarring and distinct. Guilt. It is an emotion ill-suited to Konstantin, and Ravage can’t imagine what might have caused it. Unless --
“Where is Villanelle?” he asks slowly, and he knows his guess is correct the moment Konstantin’s expression falters.
“Ah. She is... gone. We have parted ways, for the time being.”
Well. It’s not dead, at least, but Ravage can also tell it’s not the whole story. But instead of calling Konstantin out, he merely stands there in silence, his optics glowing with the silent indignity of the transparent lie by omission.
And whatever actually happened must be itching under Konstantin’s skin, because it doesn’t take him long at all to crumple. “...We perhaps withheld certain details about our part of the plan.” Sensing Ravage’s incredulity, he quickly and defensively adds, “It had nothing to do with the Decepticons. Just -- our people. Our business.”
“Evidently, she was supposed to be my partner. You don’t think that makes it my business?”
Konstantin is quiet for a while. Then he comes out with it, plain and simple, “Carolyn Martens wanted her dead.”
Ravage processes that silently.
“The plan was that she would kill Aaron Peel, and then one of the Twelve’s other operatives would get rid of her. I tried to provide her with an escape, of course, but she... was not happy with me.”
“Shocking,” Ravage says disdainfully, and that’s when he places the emotion churning in his spark -- shock. There had been many an occasion, amidst his and Villanelle’s endless banter, when they had compared handlers - Ravage being elusive when it came to details of his own, of course - but while Konstantin could certainly never hold a candle to Soundwave in Ravage’s opinion, he hadn’t anticipated... this. The strained, complicated love between Konstantin and Villanelle had been something, at least, perhaps enough to blind Ravage a little to the brutal way these things often go.
These people have no loyalty to each other after all, he thinks in disgust.
“Where is she now?” he hears himself ask without even fully knowing why.
“Gone.” Konstantin’s eyes look sad, and Ravage, of course, can tell that he means it. “I told her to get out, but she would not leave Eve Polastri, and so...”
It would be unbefitting to let Konstantin have a read on him now, so Ravage suppresses the hiss of frustration he wants to let out. Always Eve Polastri. Ravage cannot understand Villanelle’s reckless obsession, her willingness to compromise everything else, for the supposed agent of the enemy who once nearly killed her. It is irrationality almost unparalleled to everything else he has seen in his millions of years. For that, he might have sardonically congratulated her, had the stakes been different. “They’ll get themselves killed.”
“Or one of them will kill the other,” Konstantin suggests grimly. His eyes are lost, and he still stinks of regret. “I think... Villanelle is misreading the situation.”
That wouldn’t be anything new, but Ravage bites back the retort and stews silently until Konstantin asks, “What will you do now, Ravage?”
Ravage resents him for asking, and resents even more that his answer is less immediate than it should be. “Stick to the plan and report back,” he says finally, prowling towards the mouth of the alley. He wants to add something more biting, maybe tell Konstantin that he will be requesting to work with someone else in the future, but that would be -- overly sentimental. So he doesn’t.
“Ravage,” Konstantin calls after him. “I did not want it to be this way. But orders are orders. You know this as well as anyone.”
He does, of course. And it’s an excuse he’s starting to get sick of hearing.
---
Once he has briefed Soundwave, Ravage finds himself... disconcertingly conflicted. Soundwave tells him to lay low for the time being - until the ripples caused by Peel’s death die down - which is easy enough. But it also leaves him with too much free time. Ravage would like to feel efficient. He would not like to be left alone with his thoughts. It might end with him doing something embarrassingly reckless.
Like tracking down Villanelle. Which he inevitably does.
On one hand, he rationalizes, she is a loose end, a rogue agent formerly associated with an organization allied with the Decepticons, and thus at the very least worth checking up on. But Ravage has tried never to make a habit to lie to himself, and he knows it’s not only that.
For better or for worse - whether it’s a weakness or a precious remnant of a more righteous cause that he ought to sink his claws into and never, ever let go of - Ravage has a habit of doing the right thing when he can afford to. Not that war affords him the luxury very often any more, but perhaps that only means it’s all the more important to try when he can.
And so. Here he is.
He knocks down a vase that looks like it might be the most expensive fixture in this hotel room to announce his presence, taking momentary satisfaction in the way it hits the ground and shatters into several pieces. And of course, it has the effect he intended: Villanelle is up off the bed and alert within a second’s reaction time, weapon in hand, scanning the room in search of the source of the noise.
Before he reveals himself, Ravage takes a moment to observe her. She looks... tired. A little more disheveled than she usually does. Both of these things, he notes, are oddities, and when he tries to get a read on her emotional state he finds her even more difficult than usual. It’s a difficult thing to explain, but Villanelle’s emotions do not have quite the same scent as most sentient beings’. Like she gets different flavors of sad, or angry, or elated, than everyone else does. Ravage has been around her long enough that he can sometimes puzzle her out anyway, but today he finds her irritatingly contradictory.
“I thought you’d be used to me breaking your things by now,” he growls smoothly, uncloaking.
Villanelle narrows her eyes in recognition, and after a moment, she lowers the gun. But it takes her a while to say anything, and when she does, it’s not a sharp, cheery quip like usual. “What do you want?”
“Your employers didn’t send me, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Ravage pauses. “Konstantin said you’d left.”
“Yup.” Villanelle pops the ‘p’ and sits down on the edge of the bed, already making a point of looking disinterested in the conversation. “So what? Haven’t you ever thought about leaving your people? It must get boring, after thousands of years.”
“Millions,” Ravage corrects her not for the first time, pausing. “And no.”
He thinks of Megatron with a quiet ache in his spark.
“Why not?”
“My handler has never once conspired to leave me for dead, for one thing.”
Villanelle huffs in exaggerated disbelief. “I guess he really was better after all.” But the joke feels almost inappropriately hollow, and Ravage doesn’t deign to comment on it. It’s a moment before Villanelle continues, “He says he did it to protect his family. Can you believe that? With that little gremlin daughter of his shaving years off his life.”
Konstantin hadn’t mentioned that part. Ravage’s optics glow faintly in the dim light. He can admit to himself, easily, that he would have done the same for Soundwave and the cassettes.
And yet... he’d had the impression that Konstantin and Villanelle were whatever passed for human family.
He watches her lie back on the bed and stare at the ceiling, her expression blank, devoid of anger or grief. But there is something uncharacteristically somber and still about her now, nonetheless. Ravage almost finds it disconcerting.
“He also said you left with the MI-6 agent,” he continues after a moment. “Where is she?” Because he can’t catch Eve’s scent anywhere in the hotel room -- as far as he can discern, Villanelle is alone.
And this time, her reaction is noticeable. Her arms wrap around herself, and her nails dig pointedly into her side. Ravage doesn’t know much about human flesh, but he figures that has to be painful. Abruptly, Villanelle turns over on her stomach, facing him, her legs dangling limply behind her. “Ravage?”
He’s going to take that as a ‘he’s not going to get much information out of her just now’. “What?”
“Can you tell me what love feels like?”
Ravage briefly forgets to hide his surprise. It’s an odd, straightforward, vulnerable question, coming from her of all people. He hesitates, considering for a long while. “No.” Villanelle’s eyes dim slightly, and he continues, “It’s not something you explain. It’s just something you know, when you feel it.”
Perhaps 25 years - or whatever ridiculously young age she is; Ravage can scarcely keep track - is too short a time to feel anything as powerful and complicated as love. Perhaps humans have to spend their whole lives trying.
Villanelle shifts, another question bubbling up. “Then can you tell me what... regret feels like?”
Ravage is silent for another moment. “What’s happened, Villanelle?”
Villanelle stares at him. Then she sighs and rolls over again, spread out, eternally dramatic. “You are noooot being very helpful. Why did you even come here to find me, if you are not going to kill me, and you are not going to answer any of my questions?”
“Because I don’t think you’d understand, if I told you why I was really here.” Ravage flicks his tail behind him once, and then settles into a careful crouch, still watching her. Debating. “...Regret is not always the all-consuming force of nature people like to make it out to be.”
To show she’s paying attention, Villanelle sits up a little.
“Sometimes it’s small, and feeble. Sometimes you don’t even realize it’s there. And sometimes you do, but you know it won’t change anything, so you push it down and away where it can’t be a bother.” Again -- Ravage will not lie to himself, will not say he has not known regret after regret in millennia of brutality. But there’s no shame in that. Not when he hasn’t allowed himself to falter, either. Unbidden, Megatron comes to his mind again. “...But even when you do, it doesn’t mean it can’t eat away with you. Slowly, over time. I’ve seen it hollow people out with empty spaces.”
Villanelle breathes out slowly. “I am already all empty spaces. Maybe that’s why I can’t feel it.”
Ravage takes a long time choosing the words to respond to that. “I think you don’t know very much about yourself.”
Villanelle doesn’t agree, and she doesn’t object. She just keeps staring at the ceiling, and they share their silence, and that feels empty, too. “Will you stay?” she asks after stretch of this.
“For a little while,” Ravage agrees, because he’s already made up his mind.
Villanelle doesn’t ask him why, and he doesn’t tell her, and perhaps it’s easier for both of them that way.
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Stuck On You - a sequel to Stick With Me, but it can be read separately! 💖
read on ao3
He found the first note taped to his favorite coffee mug. It was a mini-Valentine’s Day card, Alec realized.
On the note was cartoon of a smiling coffee cup, with ‘Words cannot espresso how much you mean to me’ printed underneath. He flipped it over to find a little heart and Magnus’s name scrawled on the back. Alec grinned, rolling his eyes even as he blushed.
It wasn’t the only note, Alec soon realized. Magnus must’ve hidden them last night, Alec thought, warmth curling in his stomach remembering how he’d fallen asleep while cuddled against his boyfriend during their reality tv marathon. The second note he’d found had been taped to the bathroom mirror. This one had a picture of Simon Cowell with the note ‘It’s a yes from me.’ Alec snorted. He snapped a quick mirror selfie, his eyebrow raised for the picture.
TO: Magnus — Sent 8:06 A.M.
[Image attached]
--really?
His phone buzzed only a few seconds later. Alec huffed a laugh, pleased at how eager his boyfriend was for his reaction.
FROM: Magnus — Received 8:06 A.M.
--There’s more where that came from, darling ;)
Magnus wasn’t joking. The next note slipped out of the new copy of 1984 he’d been reading as soon as he opened it to read while he drank his coffee. This one was merely a post-it note, and the sentiment in itself left him with a warmth more invigorating than his coffee. ‘Big Brother isn’t the only one with his eye on you,’ Magnus had written. He snapped another picture.
TO: Magnus — Sent 8:33 A.M.
[Image attached]
--Is this your way of telling me you’ve been stalking me?
FROM: Magnus — Received 8:34 A.M.
--You’ve been watching too much YOU, darling
Alec rolled his eyes, the corner of his mouth twitching up.
TO: Magnus — Sent 8:34 A.M.
--Stalk me all you want, but I draw the line at murder
He returned to his book, making it a few pages before his phone buzzed again.
FROM: Magnus — Received 8:39 A.M.
--Oh no, there go my big plans for this evening
Alec sent back a heart emoji and glanced at the time. He groaned, pulling himself up from his kitchen table to get ready for his morning class.
He shouldn’t at all have been surprised to find another note taped inside his backpack. This one was bright pink, with… Is that the lady from those Life Alert commercials? He closed his eyes. It was. The note read ‘Help, I’ve fallen for you and I can’t get up.’
TO: Magnus — Sent 8:53 A.M.
--You’re a dork
FROM: Magnus — Received 8:54 A.M.
--I’m your dork
--Go to class
Alec sent back a quick “yes, sir” and slung his bag over his shoulder.
***
His day dragged on, classes incessantly boring when all he wanted to do was go cuddle with his boyfriend. He and Magnus had plans for later that night. Nothing too fancy, they’d decided. After all, they’d only been dating a few months, and they’d both much rather spend the night curled into each other than go out and contribute to the commercialized spectacle of the holiday.
“Valentine’s Day is supposed to be about the people you love and want to spend time with,” Magnus had said, “so I don’t care what we do as long as I’m with you.” Alec had never understood why people always said there were butterflies in their stomachs, but suddenly he had as it felt like thousands were flitting about his bloodstream when Magnus said “love.” They hadn’t said that yet, still hadn’t, but Alec wanted to. He was sure there was something incredibly cheesy about saying it on Valentine’s Day, but given all of the notes he’d been finding all day, he was also fairly sure Magnus wouldn’t mind cheesy.
Alec hadn’t found another note in a few hours, unable to go back to his room in between classes and spending most of the day in the library. His heart was full, though, and everytime he remembered one of them he couldn’t stop his smile from growing, which is exactly what he was doing as he walked into his last class of day. He dropped into his seat beside Clary and she quirked an eyebrow at what he assumed was his very goofy expression.
“You’re in a good mood,” she said.
“Is that surprising?” Alec asked defensively.
“Have you forgotten who you are? Alec Lightwood, notorious grump,” Clary snorted.
Alec huffed. “I’m not a grump. I’m delightful.”
“Sure,” Clary said, the sarcasm dripping out as she rolled her eyes.
Alec turned to his backpack and pulled out his notebook. He flipped to the first blank page, his eyes immediately drifting to the bright pink square dead center in the middle of the page. On it was a picture of a Sharpie and the words ‘r u a sharpie, bc ur ultra fine.’
Clary elbowed him. Hard. She was peering over his shoulder, a huge grin on her face. “Did Magnus put that there?”
“Yeah, he hid a bunch of them. I’ve been finding them all day.” His face felt like it was on fire and he was sure if he looked in a mirror he would resemble a tomato. Or a firetruck.
“That explains the good mood,” she sang, sitting back as their professor called the class to attention.
***
Finally he was free. He could go back to his room, he could get the present he’d made for Magnus, and he could finally head over to his boyfriend’s apartment for their planned evening of takeout, cheesy rom coms, and cuddling.
Clary had been so enamoured by the little valentine taped into his notebook, Alec thought. If only she knew the “notorious grump” wanted to do nothing more than curl up on the couch in his boyfriend’s arms. It would be instant blackmail material, he thought.
He hurried through his building, barely noticing the note on his door as he slid in his keycard. He jerked to a stop as he saw it. A post-it note. His heart swelled at the memories of last semester, of the notes he and Magnus had left each other back and forth until he’d finally learned who was leaving them.
‘I have a surprise for you,’ the note read. Alec hurried inside.
He went to set his bag down on the kitchen table and froze again. Someone--Magnus--had made a heart on the table using red sticky notes. In the middle of all of them was another note, this one with a smiling cartoon of a cactus and the words ‘Let’s stick together.’ Magnus had hand drawn a speech bubble coming from the cactus as well. Alec leaned closer to read what he’d written. ‘Turn around,’ it said.
He whirled around and there was Magnus, standing in the doorway to his bedroom with a single red rose and a smile the size of the sun. If Magnus’s smile was the sun, then Alec was Icarus and he would gladly let himself fall if it meant he got to be close to it for even a single moment.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Alexander,” Magnus said. Alec was in front of him before he even realized he’d been moving and suddenly they were kissing. Alec pinned Magnus against the doorjamb, trying to pour every single emotion all day into the kiss. They pulled away breathlessly. Magnus was flushed and Alec was sure he was, too.
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” Alec whispered. He pulled away slowly, the hands that had found their way to Magnus’s waist reluctant to lose the contact. “I have something for you,” he said before disappearing into his room and searching through the closet. He returned with the gift and Magnus’s mouth fell open, the surprise and disbelieving happiness apparent. “These took a long time to make, and a lot of papercuts, but I think they turned out pretty well,” Alec said, holding out the gift.
He’d spent weeks making it. A bouquet of roses made entirely out of post-it notes. He’d only told Izzy about it and she’d swooned. “Who knew sticky notes could be the most romantic thing in the world?” she’d asked.
“Alexander,” Magnus breathed. “I had no idea you were so crafty. I’m almost offended that I didn’t know this.”
Alec laughed. “You know I had to make all the name tags and bulletin boards on the hall, right?”
“A fair point,” he said. His eyes were shining somehow even brighter than his smile when he looked up at Alec. “I love them, Alexander. Thank you.”
“I love you,” Alec said, surprised the words slipped out so easily. Surprised his nerves hadn’t gotten the best of him until he was overthinking and letting the moment and words pass unsaid. The only thing he wasn’t surprised about, in that moment, was that he was confident nothing he’d ever said had been as completely and utterly true.
Magnus’s smile was consuming his face, had somehow grown impossibly larger. Impossibly brighter. “I love you, too, Alexander.”
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27 and 33 for TMI tuesday ship asks?
of course!! i’ll do all three OTPs 😊
27. Do they have kids? Grow old together? Split up?
emilia x alistair: em wants kids soooo much!! 😭 it’s really so sad the way the taint doesn’t let them. i’m hoping they find a cure so that they can. but whether the calling reaches them sooner or later, they absolutely stay together until the very end.
aurelia x fenris: no kids here!! and although they’re not the lovey-dovey marriage type, i have no doubt they’ll be together until they die. they’re just made for each other.
ellinor x cullen: so i think ellinor was a bit on the fence about kids, given the uncertain future. but after seeing cullen interacting with his nephew, she comes around to the idea! and i know for sure that if even all of their differences and their volatile first impressions can’t keep them apart, nothing ever will. they’ll be together forever.
33. What kind of presents do they get each other? Do they only do it on special occasions?
emilia x alistair: alistair is the big gift giver!! he’s very thoughtful whether it comes to just regular material things (a new dress or a pretty necklace he thinks she might like) or more sentimental things (the time he knitted her a blanket scarf for satinalia). em gives gifts also, but they tend to be more practical.
aurelia x fenris: so these two aren’t huge on gifts, even for holidays or special occasions. aurelia will give fenris a book she finds that she thinks he’ll like, or he’ll get her new boots if hers are wearing down, but it’s kind of in a “don’t mention it” kind of way.
ellinor x cullen: these two looooove gifts, but they’re almost always very sentimental or meaningful. ellinor gives him a lot of teas that she thinks could help with his withdrawal symptoms. cullen gives her new fleece blankets after learning that she thinks his bedroom is chilly. all of their gifts are very cute because THEY are very cute. (i’m biased. they’re my faves.)
tmi tuesday ship asks
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for Felicitas!: 1, 7, 9, 19, 20, 22, 33
01. What does your character’s name mean? Did you pick it for the symbolism, or did you just like the way it sounded?
Both, kind of!
I always thought it was a pretty name and was just waiting for a character it would fit, so when I decided on playing a Tiefling bard I finally decided now is the time! Then I realized I could actually come up with a good in-game reason as to why her mother gave her that name in particular, since it means “good luck” or “good fortune”. Her mom simply wanted her to have good fortune in life despite being different.
Brightsong isn’t really her actual last name (she never had one cuz her mom was just a simple peasant woman), it’s a stage name. She chose that one after her master pointed out that she always looked happier and noticeably brightened up when she was singing and making music.
So you could say her first name was given to her by her mother, and her last name was given to her by her father figure, both people she loved/loves a great deal, which I thought was a nice sentiment cuz I’m a sap :’)
07. Is there a catchphrase or sound that they tend to make a lot (likely without being aware of it)?
Okay so she’s so BAD at talking about feelings because it’s just something she’s never learned how to do properly so whenever an emotional conversation gets too much and she doesn’t know what to say anymore she’ll usually end said conversation by saying “Good talk.” which has become an inside joke in our group to the point where our campaign discord even has an emote for it lmao.
09. Do they have a favorite season? What about a favorite holiday
Favourite seasons are definitely the warm ones, like late spring/summer/early days of fall, mostly because apart from suffering through the cold season herself she’s probably seen a few people too many freezing to death in the streets in the city way up north where she spent most of her teen years during winter and that just left an impression on her.
Regardless, going by the list of holidays our DM gave us in the very beginning of our campaign her favourite holiday would be the 31st Phoenix which is the day everyone celebrates the end of the year, usually with lots of alcohol involved.
Also definitely a day in her past where she could tell herself that she made it through this year despite everything, so she’ll make it through the next one as well. A small personal comfort, and motivation to keep going.
19. Would your character be the kind to get into fights? (physical or verbal) Would they be a good fighter or cave in rather easily?
Feli is not one to easily start throwing fists, she cares too much about her appearance for that lol, but her mouth definitely operates faster than her brain most of the times so she’s quick to pick verbal fights.
Backing down is not something she’s fond of doing, unless someone whose opinion she cares about will step in and talk her down.
20. Does your character like animals? What are some of their favorite animals? Would they want pets? What about mythological creatures?
She actually likes animals a lot, and for someone who’s so bad at interpersonal relationships and showing genuine affection to the important people in her life, she’s suprisingly gentle with animals in general.
Cats are by far her favourite and she always wanted one, but her circumstances just never allowed it.
While in the Feywild, however, she adopted a cat (with a golden peacock tail tho cuz fey) who really wanted to come along - her name is Lady Theka and tbh Feli loves her to bits. She even learned “Speak with Animals” from a druid friend of the group to be able to talk to her (and learned that she’s pregnant while she was at it, so we’ll have cute lil kittens soon! :3)
As for mythological creatures, Feli would really LOVE to see a dragon. Like, not up close and personal, but from a safe distance… but the thing is, dragons have been extinct for a couple hundred years in her world, so alas that’s proooobably not gonna happen (or is it? only our DM really knows lol)
22. What kind of tattoos, piercings, birthmarks, freckles, and other such unique physical features do they have?
Apart from the general Tiefling traits (horns, tail, red skin, glowing golden eyes and sharp teeth) she has a tattoo of an outstreched hand on her neck just below the hairline, which she received upon joining the thieves guild as a child.
She also most likely has some scars from all the battles they’ve been in so far tbh.
33. If your character wanted to be alone, where would they go?
Anywhere where she is truly alone and nobody can see her have a breakdown would be a good enough place.
She spent most of her past few years travelling around the country with her master and never stayed in one place long enough to get familiar enough to pick like one (1) favourite spot or smth, and she’s not a religious person either so you wouldn’t catch her dead going into temples to find some quiet alone time spent in prayer if she didn’t absolutely have to.
Get to know my characters! :D
#answered#guilty-butterfly#SUCH GOOD QUESTIONS OMG ;__;#THIS WAS FUN THANK YOU SO MUCH <3 <3 <3#felicitas brightsong#dnd#i wrote pheasant instead of peacock oops
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Epic Movie (Re)Watch #233 - National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Spoilers Below
Have I seen it before: Yes
Did I like it then: Yes.
Do I remember it: Yes.
Did I see it in theaters: No.
Format: Blu-ray
1) There are five theatrical films in the Vacation franchise, this is the only one I’ve seen. I’ve never seen the need to see the other ones, honestly. This one’s already good enough.
2) The opening animation over which the credits is a strong start to the film. It establishes a classic Christmas vibe and silly/slapstick humor. There’s nothing particularly PG-13 about the animation, just PG. It’s not raunchy or rude, just funny. I think that’s an important thing because it’s what makes Christmas Vacation as good as it is. Not the occasional raunch (which is very limited, I think) but instead the silly family elements. Not to mention it sets up a great original song.
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3) The opening carols scene in the car with the Griswold clan does well to establish that dynamic. Clark is a little TOO enthusiastic but it’s sincere, Ellen is supportive, and the kids are kind of over it all.
4) This first encounter with the truckers is very strong. It shows two of the films best comedic elements: Clark’s ability to take things too far and then the build of it. Each choice makes the situation worse and worse leading to an inevitable, unexpected, hysterical climax to the scene.
5) I love Ellen.
Ellen: “Clark, stop it! I don’t wanna spend the holidays DEAD!”
6) Honestly, there are a lot of great little dialogue exchanges in the movie. I dig it.
Ellen: “Clark.”
Clark: “Yes honey?”
Ellen: “Audrey’s frozen from the waist down.”
Clark: “That’s all part of the experience, honey.”
7) When you make a comedy, you HAVE to have a good sense of humor. That’s the entire point! This film succeeds there. It’s odd, ridiculous, slapstick, and silly. Born from escalating problems and crazy “solutions” as well as a nice element of absurdity humor. Clark’s sticky fingers, everything on Christmas Eve, the sled, it all lends itself to this idea.
8) Julia Louise Dreyfus is in this movie. That is all.
9) Of course Chevy Chase is great in this movie, he’s freaking Chevy Chase! But Beverly D’Angelo is equally as good.
While the straighter of the two actors, the one who sees more clearly, D’Angelo gets a number of clever and hysterical moments in the film. She has a great chemistry with Chevy Chase but helps to make her Ellen MORE than Mrs. Griswold. She’s her own character, full of life and personality, patience and flaws, just truly wonderful.
10) I always like that Clark has a Tasmanian Devil coffee mug. It speaks to his fun energy as a character.
11) I never really got why Clark lies to Mary about not being married. It gives Chase a funny outlet to play flustered, but there’s nothing in this film which suggests to me he’d cheat on Ellen.
12) The arrival of the extended Griswold clan is perfectly done. A clear sense of family conflict and insanity is conveyed not only by the performances but the quick editing and off kilter camera angles. It’s very well done.
13)
Clark: “Russ, when was the last time I overdid anything?”
14) Remember how I said Beverly D’Angelo is crazy funny?
Audrey: “Do you sleep with your brother? Do you know how sick and twisted that is?”
Ellen: “Well I’m sleeping with your father.”
15) Much of this film benefits from a pacing that allows us to check in with the whole family here and there, supporting its heart and characters.
16) I actually analyzed the scene where Chevy Chase falls off the roof for a Physics for Filmmakers class. The class was horrible but I had fun with the project. I’d share some of what I wrote but it’s long and boring. Basically the gist of it is the ice can’t travel to the gutter like that but also the velocity of the gutter changes between shots.
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17) I don’t know why, but my family always quotes this line like crazy.
Margot: “And why is the carpet wet, TOD?”
Tod: “I don’t KNOW Margot!”
18) Clark’s failed lights attempt.
There are two things which stand out in this scene: Clark’s in-laws are freaking awful and his immediate family are great. The in laws just relentlessly mock Clark leading Audrey to stand up for her dad.
Audrey: “He worked really hard, Grandma.”
I love that. I love seeing Audrey getting to show some real love and support for her dad instead of being sidelined as a stereotypical teenage girl. It’s freaking great.
19) Clark in the attic.
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Firstly, Clark’s mother in law is an idiot. “Oh, the ladder to the attic is open. It must’ve just fallen or something, there can’t be ANY way a person is up there. I shouldn’t check or anything.” Jerk.
But most importantly, the attic scene is the best representation of the film’s heart. Holiday movies need a good heart to it, good emotion, otherwise they’re just a lazy cash grab. This film’s heart, its focus on family and familial love, are one of the reasons it has held up as well as it has 28 years later. Clark’s sentiment over watching old home movies, supported by a great Ray Charles song, is one of the best parts of the film.
20)
Clark: “Honey, you honestly think I’d check thousands of tiny little lights if I wasn’t sure it was plugged in?”
21) The fact that the solution to the problem with the lights is so abundantly simple is great. Also relatable. How many of us have plugged something into the wrong plug and obsessed over what was wrong?
22) Cousin Eddie just showing up when he does helps give the film an extra bit of energy to propel it in its last hour. Honestly if we had stuck with what was going on with no change or development it might’ve gotten a little dull, but Eddie is just a perfect source of fun family conflict.
23) Some of Clark’s asides when Eddie shows up are just freaking hysterical.
Clark: “If I woke up tomorrow with my head seen to the carpet I wouldn’t be more surprised than I am right now.”
24) Randy Quaid as Cousin Eddie.
Eddie is this film’s ultimate scene stealer. Quaid, reprising his role from the first Vacation film, plays Eddie as totally sincere and honest. Yes he’s a dumbass, yes he causes problems, but there is not a hint of malice in his performance and that’s important. You need to like Eddie, despite his idiocy, you need to root for him along with the other characters. He’s a sweet guy, he just causes a lot of problems, and he fits perfectly with the rest of the cast.
25) Brian Doyle Murray as Mr. Shirley is a great Scrooge-like character in this film. You understand he’s pretty much a pill before you even learn what he did about Christmas bonuses.
26) The saucer sledding scene is crazy fun, but I never got how Cousin Eddie and the kids were able to see Clark go as far as he did. Like, we see him go through woods where no one else is, across a highway, and into a WalMart. And they’re just up on the hill reacting?
27) Clark’s pool fantasy.
The key part to this fantasy is not the presence of a pool, but how happy it makes his family. Clark doesn’t want to let anyone down. He wants to be a traditional patriarch and provide for his family. To not succeed 100% feels like a failing to him, that’s why the pool is so important to him.
28) The conversation Clark and Ruby Sue have together about Santa Claus continues to show off the film’s heart but mores how it balances heart and humor. There’s some crass language mixed in but it doesn’t undermine the emotion of the scene.
29) And now it’s Christmas Eve, and EVERYTHING on Christmas Eve is just one big problem after another. The night descends further and further into chaos before the movie is over which is truly freaking great!
30) Aunt Bethany and Uncle Lewis are a great late addition to the film. For animation fans, the actress who plays Aunt Bethany is also Betty Boop and Uncle Lewis is Dr. Finklestein from The Nightmare Before Christmas. They’re totally nuts, nonsensical, and just fun to watch.
31) All the cat-in-the-box movement is done by Chevy Chase.
32) That Turkey is SO dry!
All the crunching is so uncomfortably funny, leading into a hysterical extended dinner table scene which is a lot of fun.
33) Honestly these next batch of notes are going to be commenting on how each gag works so well. For example: the dad cat gag, for some reason, is extremely funny!
34) Ah, the Christmas bonus.
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This scene is so freaking great. The entire film set it up, we’ve been waiting for this bonus. Meaning the surprise of it is as great for the audience as it is for Clark. The big setup, how much is riding on the bonus, means the fall is even greater. And Chevy Chase’s rant is one of the greatest movie rants EVER! I love it.
35) Clark’s following mania is great to watch, specifically the hilarity and insanity of the squirrel chase.
36) I’m just gonna leave this here.
Clark: “This is a full blown four alarm Holiday emergency here! We’re going to press on and we’re gonna have the hap-hap-happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap danced with Danny FUCKING Kaye!”
37) The heart to heart between Clark and his dad is a nice reclaiming of the heart that Clark almost lost with his rant. And just when everything seems okay…
38) Eddie happens.
39) I love Ellen.
Ellen: “I’m sorry, this is our family’s first kidnapping.”
40) The police response seems a little excessive, but I guess when a wealthy white guy is kidnapped they bring out the freaking marines.
41) Where Ellen’s hand is in this scene (and where it returns to) was improvised by Beverly D’Angelo.
42) And despite the movie ending on a joke, the ending does have a nice sweetness to it. A sincerity about the madness of the holiday spirit and its equal success.
Christmas Vacation is a holiday treat that grows better with time. The humor is supported by a strong cast and equally strong heart. Chevy Chase is obviously great, but other cast members such as Beverly D’Angelo and Randy Quaid get their time to steal the show. Filled with endlessly iconic holiday movie moments, it’s a great treat for the holiday season.
#Christmas Vacation#National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation#Chevy Chase#Beverly D'Angelo#Randy Quaid#Epic Movie (Re)Watch#Jimming the Camera#Brian Doyle Murray#Movie#Film#GIF
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Gabriel Appreciation Week: young Gabriel
day 1, day 2, day 3
thank you @cakeezz for being the inner voice i lack sometimes while writing and for being the lovely person that listens carefully and excitingly to everything i think of <3 i guess today's prompt is for you!
(don't forget that this amazing week is being run by the lovely @wearemiraculous, so thank you too <33)
Ever since he was little, Gabriel had a thing for art. He remembers it well, looking at things around him and seeing a sudden potential coming from it to become something great, something notorious.
He was a visionary after all, only that he didn't know what it meant back then.
When he was six, he remembers his mother plastering his drawings in front of her friend's faces. She spoke proudly about every single thing he did, from the ordinary family portraits to his failed attempts to draw landscapes and clothes. Sometimes he would grab leafs and other things from the floor and arrange them together into a harmonic install that only he could understand and see through. That is the problem of a visionary, they are often misunderstood and judged by the lack of critical eye from outsiders. But it's not their fault.
When Gabriel turned ten, their parents offered him his first sketchbook and a set of color pencils. He still remembers his delighted look, feeling every blank page with the tip of his fingers, thinking about how he could turn them into a world of his own.
Soon it became the last in a pile of many sketchbooks, each one fuller of masterpieces compared to the last one.
By then he was sure there was something different about him and his art, about the way he looked to the world and made wonders out of it. And that notion was mostly because other kids his age weren't minimally interested in art whatsoever, the only thing invading their hormonal brains being football and mocking innocent ones.
By then he was sure that art was more than a hobby for him, it was a way of expressing himself with more than one thousand words yet using none. A hideaway from the cruel world. And it was way more than a talent, more like a divine gift he was still learning how to use and benefit from.
With fifteen, his art teacher noticed his talent (more like his gift) and started helping him how to manage this powerful tool that was creativity. They would stay in school after hours chatting about their ambitions and wildest fantasies while working on random drawings. The art teacher had been the first friend Gabriel had in years and the one who believed blindly in him and was always there for him when needed. Like how friends normally do, but Gabriel didn't really know about that.
One day he let him present some of his works in the school halls, during the school day. They were greatly appreciated by everyone but not by Gabriel. He looked at them and saw nothing more than some planned pencil strokes on white paper. Something was wrong with him and he didn't know what! He was always so certain about his art and now a wave of doubt and uninterest crushed him like a bug. Could it be his end? No, it was only the beginning.
That day, when he came home, his little sister ran to him with a bunch of doll clothes on her hands. She whined endlessly about how boring and plain they were and that she was tired of them. In other words, she wanted him to design some clothes for her dolls.
Not wanting to let her down, Gabriel accepted the offer but told her to not expect much for the final result since he didn't know how to sew and most importantly that his talent was fading away. (How dramatic, though.)
Of course, the final result was astounding and her requests became more and more frequent. Gabriel didn't mind though, it was an excuse for him to play with all the possible combinations of patterns and colors and mixing them together into a harmonious piece and to learn how to sew, of course.
On his sweet sixteen, he got his first sewing machine: a secondhand Singer Talent. It was the launch of his dream, but he was still rather uncertain if it was the right path to follow or not.
His room stopped being a sanctuary of random thoughts to slowly become a tiny boutique: sketches, clothing patterns, pieces of fabric and threads glued all over the walls and spread all over the floor like this chaotic mess that was his head. His Singer would accompany him every afternoon, the infernal sound of the needle calming down the darkest corners of his mind.
He found himself hanging more often in sewing shops and department stores, reading more and more about fashion, always saving enough to buy the last issue of Vogue and hopelessly trying to recreate some of the designs he saw.
Then he started to sneak up into fashion shows, looking closely and carefully at each design and its details. Taking down notes about how he could improve his style and trying to not be kicked out by security. (The wildnesses he did for fashion). But even with all this progress, a hint of uncertainty about it followed him everywhere as if appreciating fashion was committing a crime.
On his summer holidays, before going to university, he started working with a tailor in a shop. By day he would do nothing more than his work, but by night his enchanted hands touched every piece of fabric and turned them into astonishing masterpieces, probably not worth more than 98 francs but who cares about money when it's sentimental value is way superior to it! Those clothes made him happy; they expressed his mood and reflected his true being, the purest image of himself and the best part was that anyone could see it, anyone could carry it with them and be proud about his clothes, proud about him!
Slowly, he started to make some changes to some of the works the tailor assigned him to (or at least thought in changes he could do) and during his free time he would become closer and closer to the tailor's old sewing machine, creating such an intimate bond with it that made the needle break more than five times a day.
Piles and piles of his creations started to grow in the storage room and Gabriel panicked, not knowing what to do about that. The tailor didn't know he overused his installations to feed a thirsty dream that was becoming too big to keep doing it at home. And what once began as an uncertainty ended up being a burning passion that now was too late to stop.
And finally on this sunny day, a lady opened the tailor's door to look after him and rant about how marvelous, practical and fashionable his arrangements looked. She was truly amazed by his work and her eyes begged for more of it. So as a sign of gratitude, Gabriel packed some of the clothes that were hanging on the storage and gave it to her.
"I can't keep them all." He said. "I'm sure you'll make a great use of them, madame."
Looking at woman's radiant smile and watching her dreamy posture when she left the store, Gabriel wondered what was this weird mixture of happiness and satisfaction that he never felt before and haunted him for the rest of the day.
And when his day was over and he locked the tailor's door, he finally understood what it was. It was his uncertainty about fashion being finally knocked off by a solid confirmation that this would become the right path, no matter how hard he had to fight for it.
On that day, Gabriel Agreste was one hundred percent sure that fashion would become his life.
#Gabriel Appreciation Week#We Are Miraculous#my writing#gabriel agreste#holy shit i love this one aaaaaaaaa#this was heavily inspired by the greatest shownan ost as well <3#i really hope you like this one :')#because when i first tought of it i never tought it would turn up to be so good lmao
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Hello everyone and welcome to williyehet drabbles! The rules are very simple: choose one scenario and two sentences to go with it, and don’t forget the genre. It’s as simple as that! I’ll be taking requests for both exo and bts. Let’s have some fun together!
❁ Scenarios
1. A cozy night together.
2. The aftermath of a fight
3. After the first date
4. At a bar
5. Finally home after a long day
6. Someone is jealous
7. Someone’s birthday
8. First Holiday Together
9. Miserable/bad mood
10. Love Confession
11. Breaking up
12. Date Night gone wrong
13. Lost in the middle of nowhere
14. Wrong place at the wrong time
15. Home after the hospital
16. Stuck indoors
17. In bed at 2am
18. Cuddling
19. after a long time of not seeing each other
20. pretend relationship
❁ Sentences
1. “I’m with you for a reason, stupid.”
2. “I had a lot of fun, surprisingly.”
3. “Look me in the eye; are you sure you’re alright?”
4. “Sometimes I hate you, sometimes I love you. I’m trying to decide which I’m feeling right now.”
5. “We are not dancing right now.”
6. “Hey, things could be worse, right?”
7. “I can’t help it. You’re just really warm. Like a giant heater.”
8. “I love you. I love you more than I’ve ever loved anybody.”
9. “Listen, I know it’s hard, but I’m not going anywhere.”
10. “I just want you to be happy. With or without me.”
11. “Your hand is in my personal space. Not that I mind.”
12. “I know it’s late, but I don’t know where else to turn.”
13. “I could give you a ride, if you want.”
14. “The guilt is eating me alive.”
15. “Do you need a massage? A cup of tea? A hot bath?”
16. “You don’t get to apologize after you’ve hurt me so bad.”
17. “This is so unfair. You’re bigger and stronger than I am.”
18. “I’m sorry, I can’t hear you. Would you mind saying that again?”
19. “I’m really busy right now. And what you’re doing is distracting.”
20. “It may not have a ring or a bouquet of flowers, but the sentiment is still the same.”
21. “I know you might not think so, but you look really good right now.”
22. “You’ve been working too hard and need to get some rest. There’s bags under your eyes.”
23. “You look really peaceful when you’re asleep.”
24. “I’m not very flexible, you know.”
25. “That looks like my shirt, but it can’t be. I know I left it in my closet, with all the other shirts you try to steal.”
26. “I don’t like it when you’re alone with them”
27. “I’m never letting you out of my sight ever again.”
28. “Please never do that ever again.”
29. “You look like you need a hug.”
30. “I just want to be alone right now, okay?”
31. “I hate that I need you around to feel safe. Because what if one day, I lose you?”
32. “You? Tackle me to the ground? Don’t make me laugh.”
33. “It was an accident, I swear.”
34. “You didn’t have to scare me like that.”
35. “I just want to let you know that I love you. A lot. Never forget that.”
36. “I can’t believe you, sometimes.”
37. “A cup of coffee would be nice.”
38. “You’re one of the most important things in my life.”
39. “Do I love you? Yes. Do I like you? That’s still up for debate.”
40. “You didn’t have to do this, you know.”
41. “You’re lucky you’re cute, because your taste in music is awful.”
42. “I wish I never met you.”
43. “No, I love you too much to let you walk away like this.”
44. “Need some help?”
45. “Tell me what you’re thinking right now.”
46. “Well geez, if you don’t like what I’m wearing, I can go and change.”
47. “If you think I don’t feel anything for you, then you’re more stupid than I thought.”
48. “There’s nothing to be scared of, okay? I’m right here.”
49. “I like spending time with you.”
50. “I promise I’ll always be there for you. No matter what. You’re not alone anymore.”
51. “What? No, I never said that…”
52. “Don’t tell me what to do.”
53. “They’re wrong about you.”
54. “I can make you some tea or something? Read you a story. Lie down in bed.”
55. “Hey, at least the stars are beautiful tonight, right?”
56. “I never want you to feel like you’re not good enough.”
57. “You don’t have to do that. Really.”
58. “We should go out more often. You’ve been so busy lately. It’s like we never have fun anymore.”
59. “Sorry. You’re just…really adorable.”
60. “If I kissed you right now, what would you do?”
61. “You’re not nearly as smart as you think you are.”
62. “You smell nice.”
63. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
64. “As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”
65. “It’s too hot.”
66. “It’s 2am. Go back to sleep.”
67. “You wanna bet?”
68. “It’s okay. We’ll figure it out.”
69. “You’re stuck with me, like it or not.”
70. “You just feel really good. Soft and warm…”
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100 Questions about me.
1.) Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, and find line 4.
"Hello, I paint better than some of these men, and I am completely talentless."
(Princess in waiting by Meg Cabot)
2.) Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotels?
Yes, my mom and I keep a big plastic bag of them under the sink. They're perfect for mission trips.
3.) Who was the last person you texted?
My cousin taylor.
4.) Have you stolen a street sign before?
No I stole a Disney World bathroom sign though.
5.) Do you tan or burn?
I burn terribly then it turns slightly dark then fades.
6.) Have you ever had to have surgery?
Nope!
7.) Are you a righty or a lefty?
Righty
8.) Do you have freckles?
ALL. OVER. THE. PLACE.
9.) Do you always smile for pictures?
Depends who else is in the picture and what it's for.
10.) What is the last thing you downloaded onto your computer?
Microsoft Office 365
11.) What’s you zodiac sign?
I'm a Taurus.
12.) Have you ever peed in the woods?
Yes.
13.) Have you ever pooped in the woods?
No wtf
14.) What’s your hair color?
Ginger
15.) Do you chew your pens and pencils?
Not really.
16.) How many people have you slept with this week?
None this week.
17.) What color are your eyes?
Ocean blue.
18.) Do you wear the hood on hoodies?
Yes sometimes.
19.) Is it OK for guys to wear pink?
Yeah if they want to I don't care.
20.) What’s the farthest away place you’ve been?
Los Angeles, California.
21.) Are you allergic to anything?
Penicillin.
22.) Do you wear glasses/contacts?
Glasses when I feel like it.
23.) Where in the world would you like to travel?
My top choices are Paris, Greece and Australia but really I want to go all over the place.
24.) Do you like watching scary movies?
I love horror movies.
25.) What were you doing at midnight last night?
Making a September playlist.
26.) What movies could you watch over and over again and still love?
Tangled, a walk to remember, pretty woman, Cinderella live action, how to lose a Guy in ten days.
27.) Last person you kissed/kissed you?
My boyfriend.
28.) Do you have any phobias?
Not accomplishing my dreams or ending up alone.
29.) Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine?
Yes I think so.
30.) What’s under your bed?
Man, lots of things, mostly clothes.
31.) Can you change the oil on a car?
Not exactly but I have watched my dad do it.
32.) Ever gotten a speeding ticket?
Nope, surprisingly.
33.) Ever ran out of gas?
Nope!
34.) Are you sarcastic?
Pretty darn.
35.) Best thing to eat for breakfast?
Peanut butter covered pancakes or French toast and strawberries.
36.) What color are your sheets?
Grey.
37.) Are you lazy?
I'm the very definition of it.
38.) What was the name of your first pet?
It was Marley.
39.) What is your Chinese astrological sign?
A bunny.
40.) How many languages can you speak?
English but I'm starting to deepen my French.
41.) What magazines do you read?
Cosmopolitan and seventeen.
42.) How are you feeling right now?
Worried and sentimental.
43.) Are you stubborn?
I invented being stubborn.
44.) Can you whistle?
Nope.
45.) Have you read the Harry Potter series?
Yes I love it.
46.) What’s your favorite candle scent?
Anything pumpkin, coconut or christmas-y.
47.) Do you sing in the car?
EVERYDAY.
48.) Do you sing in the shower?
HECK YA
49.) Have your pants ever fallen down in public?
Nope.
50.) Can you close your eyes and raise your eyebrows?
Yes? Is that not common?
51.) Do you make wishes at 11:11?
Not really.
52.) Do you think musicals are cheesy?
No
53.) Dogs or cats?
Dogs for sure.
54.) Can you touch your nose with your tongue?
Yes I'm proud of it too.
55.) Can you walk in heels?
Yes.
56.) Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid?
Ballerina, artist, Veterinarian.
57.) Do you believe in ghosts?
Nope.
58.) Ever have a Deja-vu feeling?
Yes.
59.) What inspires you?
Successful people, kind people, art and nature. Beautiful things.
60.) Do you wear slippers?
I would all the time if I could.
61.) Do you wear a bath robe?
Yes a pink one.
62.) What do you wear to bed?
Big tshirt and boxers.
63.) Have you ever eaten a crayon?
Nope.
64.) What’s your favorite season?
Fall but I do love spring.
65.) What’s your favorite holiday?
Christmas and Halloween
66.) Do you turn the water off when you brush your teeth?
Sometimes.
67.) Peanuts or Sunflower seeds?
Sunflower seeds.
68.) What is the last thing you watched on Netflix?
Gilmore girls.
69.) Ever take dance lessons?
Yes ballet and pop.
70.) Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing?
I don't really know.
71.) Can you curl your tongue?
Yes.
72.) Mac or PC?
Mac ya
73.) Have you ever cried because you were so happy?
Yes.
74.) Do you remember your dreams?
Not usually.
75.) Do you wear perfume?
Yes.
76.) Do you regularly burn incense?
Nope.
77.) Ever been in love?
Yes.
78.) Who would you like to see in concert?
Anyone! I just love music and especially love music. But I'd adore seeing maroon five or selena gomez sing live.
79.) If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
France or Greece or Sweden.
80.) Hot tea or cold tea?
Cold over hot but I do love hot tea.
81.) Tea or coffee?
Coffee.
82.) If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy?
I would pay off all my parents bills and debt and my brothers student loans.
83.) Can you swim well?
Yes.
84.) Can you hold your breath without holding your nose?
Yes.
85.) Are you patient?
Aha no.
86.) DJ or band at a wedding?
Dj.
87.) Last time you swam in a pool?
Labor Day.
88.) Have you ever had plastic surgery?
No but I've thought about what it would be like.
89.) Which are better: black or green olives?
Neither.
90.) Can you knit or crochet?
I can crochet.
91.) Best room for a fireplace?
Bedroom or living room.
92.) Do you want to get married?
Yes.
93.) Are you listening to music right now?
Nope I'm watching a movie.
94.) Is there anything that you’re disappointed about?
A couple things and a couple people.
95.) What quote do you live by?
I like a lot of quotes but "Be kind and have courage" always stays with me.
96.) Do you have kids?
No not right now.
97.) do you want kids?
YES
98.) what are your favorite colors?
Pink, lavender and sea foam green.
99.) do you miss anyone right now?
Yes very much.
100.) do you have any pets?
Not anymore. But I wish!
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★ FILL IN THE QUESTIONS AS IF YOU ARE BEING INTERVIEWED FOR AN ARTICLE AND YOU WERE YOUR MUSE.
TAGGED BY: @twiilightmultimayurp ( thank you darlin’! )
TAGGING: @txnukichika | @hekigankiseki | @muse-eutopia | @idolstart | @sxnodaumi | and everyone else who wants to do this!
1. WHAT IS YOUR NAME?
"Kotori! It’s nice to meet you!
2. WHAT IS YOUR REAL NAME?
“Th-That is my real name…I guess I could give you my full name; that’s Kotori Minami!”
3. DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU’RE CALLED THAT?
“Not really, though my mom and dad gave me the nickname little bird because they said my voice was high-pitched and song-like, and that I was just flying all over the place! Hehe~”
4. ARE YOU SINGLE OR TAKEN?
“Yes! Wait --- Oh, u-um...Nico and Umi would kill me if I said yes, so I’m just going to say ‘No comment!’, okay? Please put that in the article instead.”
5. WHAT ARE YOUR POWERS AND ABILITIES?
“I don’t have any superpowers, though everyone says that I’m really good at designing and making clothes, my cooking, my maid work, my work in the nurses office, and my singing and dancing. So I suppose those could count as abilities!”
6. WHAT COLOR ARE YOUR EYES?
“Honey yellow!”
7. HAVE YOU EVER DYED YOUR HAIR?
“No, and I don’t ever plan to in the future. I like my hair the way it is now!”
8. DO YOU HAVE ANY FAMILY MEMBERS?
“Yup; I have my mom and all the people in μ! They all take such great care of me, and I’m glad to have loved ones so close to me~.”
9. DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS?
“Ah, not anymore. We used to have a family golden retriever ( check cite ref. 4 or Kotori’s Holiday ), but we gave it away to a family member who lives more down south, my mom and I becoming too busy to take care of it properly...But! One day I would like a pet again! Though, I’m not sure what kind...”
10. TELL ME ABOUT SOMETHING YOU DON’T LIKE.
“Hmm...I don’t like garlic that much. I rarely use it when cooking, unless it’s in a marinade bottle I buy, then I try to overpower it wit other flavors.”
11. DO YOU HAVE ANY HOBBIES OR ACTIVITIES YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
“Other than sewing outfits for idol work and practicing everyday, I sew clothes for myself to wear around town or on special occasions! And I suppose all of the things I mentioned as abilities count too, hehe...”
12. HAVE YOU EVER HURT ANYONE BEFORE?
"I...I think I did once. Though I was hurting too, I didn’t realize the effect my words and actions had on her and snowballed onto everyone else. But that’s in the past now; we made up, said our true feelings, and now everything’s okay again!”
13. HAVE YOU EVER… KILLED ANYONE?
“E-Eh?! No; of course not! I would never hurt anyone physically, let alone steep so low as to murder another living being!” ( The kotocult hints otherwise, darlin’~ )
14. WHAT KIND OF ANIMAL ARE YOU?
“I’m a bird! I even use the emoticon all the time! ( o 8 o )”
15. NAME YOUR WORST HABITS.
“...I can be indecisive about things sometimes, getting Honoka or Umi to help me make a decision or just make it for me outright. And I’m not the best at expressing my emotions, either, a-at least the negative ones. I need to work on both of those more; b-but I’m trying my best!”
16. DO YOU LOOK UP TO ANYONE?
“Honoka and Umi. They’re so strong, and their personalities shine so brightly, unafraid of showing off everything about themselves. There’s also my mother; so wise and with such a calming nature about her. I want to be just like all of them someday, and be able to walk next to them as equals in their own rights.”
17. GAY, STRAIGHT, OR BISEXUAL?
“I’m Bisexual!”
18. DO YOU GO TO SCHOOL?
“Of course! I go to Otonokizaka High School; my mom’s the chairwoman!”
19. DO YOU EVER WANT TO MARRY AND HAVE KIDS SOMEDAY?
“Mm, I do. I think it’s be really great if I could design my own wedding dress and my spouse’s wedding attire; maybe even my kid’s clothes too! Ah, everyone would look so cute~!”
20. DO YOU HAVE ANY FANS?
“I do have a small fandom, I suppose, what with my idol work and with being ex-charismas maid Minalinsky; even though I lost the title as charisma maid in Akiba, a lot of people still love to come and see me, which makes me really happy for their continuous support!”
21. WHAT ARE YOU MOST AFRAID OF?
“...Losing my friends and loved ones is a big one. I’ve lost loved ones before and it’s...It’s not plesant to say the least. A little fear of failure and loneliness stems from that too; I want to make everyone proud of me and smile and be happy, and I want them to be around me always. But sometimes, life just doesn’t work out like that, you know?”
22. WHAT DO YOU USUALLY WEAR?
“Besides my school uniform and maid outfit, usually it’s trendy or cute blouses and nice shorts or skirts to match! Jeans and fashionable jackets when it’s cold, and I love changing up the bow in my hair with different ribbon or even sometimes hair clips and hats!”
23. DO YOU LOVE SOMEONE?
“E-Everyone, honestly...*coughs*Nozomi, Minato, Justin, Umi, Honoka; they all rock my world*coughs* O-Oh goodness! I’m so sorry; I must be catching something! Hahaha;;” ( all of the names a links; go love them now )
24. WHAT CLASS ARE YOU?
“H-Huh? Do you mean year? I-I thought everyone knew...Regardless, for those of you who don’t know, I’m a second year! Does that answer your question?”
25. HOW MANY FRIENDS DO YOU HAVE?
“Well, the other eight girls in the idol group, Hideko, Fumiko, Mika, Justin, Minato...P-Plus all of the sweet fans that always love and support me!”
26. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON PIE?
“I love pie! It’s not my favorite dessert, but it’s still great!”
27. FAVORITE DRINK?
“Ah, anything calming, sweet, or caffinated...I suppose those are all on opposite ends of the spectrum, huh? Hehe, maybe I’ll find drink that’s all three of those things one day! Though I doubt it.”
29. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE?
“At home, or wherever I’m loved, and surrounded by friends and loved ones~”
30. ARE YOU INTERESTED IN SOMEONE?
“W-Well, yes...But I’m not saying who, or giving any hints, so everyone will just have to guess!”
31. WHAT’S YOUR DICK SIZE?
“I-I have no such thing! A-Are you okay; do you know exactly who you’re interviewing? Do you need to go home and lay down?”
32. WOULD YOU RATHER SWIM IN THE LAKE OR THE OCEAN?
“The ocean, even if the water at times can seem so vast and scary. But it’s also so beautiful and mysterious, and everyone else has fun at the beach and swimming in the ocean, which makes me forget about my small worries!”
33. WHAT’S YOUR ‘TYPE’?
“Ah, let’s see...Somebody who’s very kind and sweet, and that I can feel warm and safe around. Someone who can make me smile just by walking into a room, and who can lift me up on my worst days. Someone I can love and hold forever; give them endless amounts of affection and they wouldn’t mind, and be able to hold me in the same kind of emotional embrace or kiss me in the most sentimental way...Th-That might have been too much detail; c-cut that out please?”
34. ANY FETISHES?
“I-I’ve never...I’ve never had sex before or done anything sexy or fetishistic before. I’v thought about what I’d maybe like, but it’s more just turn ons and not fetishes, and I wouldn’t know if I actually like them until I actually do them, s-so...For right now, no.”
35. TOP OR BOTTOM? DOMINANT OR SUBMISSIVE?
“A-Again, I’ve never had sex, so I wouldn’t know. Though...I-I suppose I could be a bit of both? P-Probably more submissive, b-but you never know, I suppose...”
36. CAMPING, OR INDOORS?
“Oh thank goodness, no more romance questions...Um, I love both! I’ve done both before with all of the girls, and they both offer unique adventures and memories to make!”
37. ARE YOU WAITING FOR THIS INTERVIEW TO BE OVER?
“Y-Yes, a bit, actually...”
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Okay, so after four scratched stories, I've settled on something cute and fluffy and not complicated and multichaptered as @lexiconallie ‘s Christmas present. It's very late; thank you for your patience and I hope you like it!! <333
Also, thanks to @minchen0897 for saying she liked it and I trust her so now I actually feel like I might have written something nice once again <33
Dead Robins Society
Summary: It's Christmas Eve and Damian is perched on a roof instead of celebrating at home
[Read on AO3]
“Okay kid, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be back at the manor, celebrating?”
“I don’t like Christmas.” Damian shrugged as Jason sat down beside him on the roof top. “I have to be nice to everyone - including Drake.”
Jason knew a joke when he heard one. The little bean had been getting along with the family for quite some time now. He was a good kid but he did like teasing Jason. Rubbing his neck, Jason bit his lip to stop himself from smiling.
“Okay, fine,” Damian whined, not suppressing his own smile. “Tell me what you got him.”
Chuckling, he pushed his hands into his pockets, grabbing hold of the lighter inside. “Naa, you’re just gonna make fun of me.”
“Of course I will,” the kid amended. “It’s my prerogative as your younger brother, isn’t it?”
“Brother?” Jason grabbed the lighter tightly, glancing at the kid from the corner of his eyes.
Damian’s face was flushing, a faint dusting of red on his dark cheeks that wasn’t just from the cold. “You’ve been adopted into my family for years now, Todd. Get with the program.” After a beat, the kid huffed, straightening his spine and looking anywhere but Jason. "It has come to my attention that people give presents to those they care about during these holidays."
"Astute observation, bean bag. What gave it away, the noisy TV ads or Pennyworth asking for your wishes since the season started?"
Damian huffed, his breath a steamy cloud in the cold air. "You're obnoxious, Todd. I don't know why I made the effort."
With a jerk, Jason slipped the lighter from his jacket, trying to disguise his reaction as he patted his pockets down for cigarettes.
And, it really was strange. Jason wasn’t quite sure how to take that statement - Damian was thoughtful, of course. Damian wouldn’t just buy random things, instead, he’d take the time to find the perfect present. That’s what he had been trained for - Talia wouldn’t have it any other way. She had poignantly told Jason to make sure he knew his mark’s heart, their deepest desire. It was a thing an assassin more than often needed to know. So it really shouldn’t have come as such a surprise Damian had made an effort with his present. Deep down, Jason knew that wasn’t what had surprised him.
“Didn’t have to get me anything,” he grumbled, lighting his cigarette.
“That is true.” The kid fidgeted, producing a red envelope with Jason’s name on it in Damian’s ornate cursive. “But I wanted to. I’m not sure I got it right, though.”
The lump in Jason’s throat made it hard to answer, so he hid by taking a drag before even looking at the boy. People didn’t give him presents. It didn’t happen. Sure, once or twice, he’d been offered a freebie by some of the working girls he had saved, or got offered money by some asshole for this or that, like letting them live, and, sure, Alfred did buy some things, but they both knew Jason wouldn’t come to pick them up. By now, Jason was pretty sure the old butler was re-using last year’s gifts. And the gifts from the year before that and so on. Jason Todd didn’t get presents. Not present presents. Not the kind that actually counted.
Damian’s hands were shaking almost as much as his own when Jason put the burning cigarette aside and took the envelope. They would both blame it on the cold, of course, but they knew either would be telling a lie.
The envelope was light, not much more than a few pages inside tops - probably just a card. People did hand out cards around Christmas, right? They still did that, right?
Carefully, Jason pushed a finger under the seal. Because the pretentious little bean would not just use glue, oh no. It had to be a good, old-fashioned wax seal with his initials on it. Not wanting to break it, Jason pulled back, reaching instead for the knife he was carrying in his boot.
“Just rip it,” Damian scoffed, blowing on his hands to keep them warm. His eyes flitted between Jason and the letter, only to stare straight ahead when the kid noticed Jason grinning at him. “It’s just some thing. Nothing of value.”
The knife cut through the thick paper almost effortlessly, satisfying in a way little else was. Jason put the tool aside, keeping the envelope in his hands for a while, only marveling at it. Maybe it wasn’t anything expensive, maybe it was just a stupid Christmas card, but it was for him. The kid couldn’t know, couldn’t even fathom what that meant.
“It is to me.” His voice was low, getting swept away by the icy wind blowing and tugging at their clothes, but Damian understood.
“You haven’t even seen--” The accusation veering off into a shriek when he saw the first tear roll down Jason’s cheek. He could not tell if it was because of the sentiment - or the present itself as Jason had pulled the card out by now. Only a little bit, but it sure was enough to recognize the likeness of one Catherine Todd.
Damian hadn’t had too many pictures to work with, but he was still a little proud of that drawing. It was small, just a little charcoal on some good paper, but it did look like the woman he had only seen in a handful of newspaper clippings and mugshots.
“I... I hadn’t seen her in any of your safe houses. It... It wasn’t because you don’t want her around, do you?”
The kid sounded weird. Uncomfortable. Like he hadn’t just pulled out Jason’s heart with his bare hands. They both had their mommy issues alongside the obvious daddy issues. They both knew their mommies could’ve been better and maybe Jason should’ve hated Catherine. Maybe he shouldn’t even call the woman who had raised him his mother at all. She wasn’t actually biologically related to him, was she?
“Thank you.”
Damian blinked, not understanding the tone of his voice and Jason couldn’t blame him. He wouldn’t have understood the strange love-child of a croak and a whisper that left his throat either. Instead, he reached out, making sure the kid knew what he was doing before clutching Damian to his chest.
“Thank you,” he repeated, his face buried in the kid’s shoulder.
“It’s fine,” Damian said. “I’m glad you like it.”
Chuckling, Jason squeezed the boy a little, wiping his face with the ball of the hand still holding onto the envelope. He refused to let the brat go. Not right now, at least. Not completely.
“That why you were outside tonight?” Jason looked down at the kid who frowned at him in return. He probably hadn’t wanted Jason to see the tears and snot run over his own face, but hey, they were both giants messes and that should’ve been common knowledge, so Jason didn’t comment on it.
“Maybe I just don’t like Christmas.”
“Or maybe you just don’t like everyone pretending that they do.”
Sniffing, Damian leaned into his shoulder. “Or maybe I just plain don’t like Christmas, Todd. Don’t make this a big thing.”
But it was, right? Damian cared too much for all those assholes - including the biggest asshole, Jason himself. The little nugget cared and it was no secret.
“Wanna go back there and exchange the decorations for Halloween themed ones?”
“What?”
Whatever the little bean bag wanted, Jason would get it for him. And if that meant finding a way to keep the family from pretending and lying all night just because they were supposed to be ‘happy’ during the holidays, Jason would do just that.
“We could just fuck things up a little. Make it less serious, less... you know.”
Wiping his face with both hands, the kid turned to look at him. “You’re serious.”
“Like a heart attack.”
“You think if we take away the pretense for them to act all...” Damian waved his hand about, trying to convey his hatred for all the false cheer waiting at home.
“Christmas-y”
“That’s not even a word.”
“It so is.” Throwing his forgotten cigarette off the roof, Jason stood, motioning for the kid to follow. “D’you know Tim and the old man didn’t even celebrate before they got to know Dick? Christmas is not such a big deal as they make it out to be. They’re just looking for an excuse to make everyone else happy.”
“Yeah, well.” Damian straightened his jacket before looking up to frown at Jason again. “They should stop. It’s making me uncomfortable.”
Laughing, Jason tousled his hair. “They could definitely learn a thing or two from you. -- Care to teach them a lesson?”
“Are we really going to...”
“We’re gonna steal Christmas. It’s kinda tradition anyway.”
“How’s that tradition?” Damian grumbled as he followed Jason off the roof.
“Hatchling, have you never heard of the Grinch? We really need to get you more books.”
“Maybe I should put it on my wish list.”
“Maybe you should.”
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1. What have you eaten today? I had a piece of toast with vegemite and a piece with ginger marmalade, i had some lamington, i had a sao cracker with vegemite and cheese, i stuffed a perfetta roll in my mouth as i left the house, i had a yogo and some green tea and this afternoon i had some fig yoghurt and ginger and apple iced tea. Very random i know.
2. Who was your last kiss with? Was it pleasant? what passes as a kiss
3. What color shoes did you last wear? black leather
4. Who has made you laugh the hardest in the last week? maybe Wendy
5. What is your favorite scent? freshly peeled mandarins or bush fires or that coastal smell you get driving through beach suburbs
6. What is your favorite season? Why? maybe late autumn and early spring because its cold but not too cold
7. Can you do a handstand or cartwheel? i can do both
8. What color are your nails? a very chipped yellow
9. If you had to get a tattoo on your face to save your life, what would it be? the words “Have a nice day”
10. What is something you find romantic? when someone kisses your hand
11. Are you happy? happy enough
12. Is there anything in particular making you happy or sad? anime, Wendy and uni have been making me happy, i think thinking about my school friends is the only thing that really makes me sad... or anime.
13. Dogs or Cats? ahhhhh both but i really want a black cat called liquor
15. Which do you prefer:a museum, a night club, the forest or a library? the forest
15. What is your style? explosive in a controlled way, its crazy but it has some order to it.
16. If you could be doing anything you like right now, what would it be? swimming in the ocean
17. Are you in a relationship or single? single pringle
18. What makes you attracted to the person you like right now? he a sad bitch (yurio)
19. If you could replace your partner/best friend with a celebrity of your choice, would you? Who with? i don’t know who i’d replace them with but i just want Jake Gyllenhaal hes such a man child
20. Are you holding on to something you need to let go of? If so then what? nothing
21. How did you celebrate last Halloween? i spent it with Gibby and Taylah and we watched The Brothers Grimm and ate spring rolls and vege chips
22. Have you recently made any big decisions? um UNI
23. Were you ever in a school play? yes and it was hella !
24. What movie would you use to describe your life? Amelie
25. Is there something you have dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven’t you done it? Well i have always dreamed of moving to melbourne for a little while and well i haven’t because im a poor bean at 18
26. Complete this sentence, “I wish I had someone with whom I could share…” my artistic desires with.
27. What are two things that irritate you about the same sex? cause so much damn drama, complicate everything
28. What are two things that irritate you about the opposite sex? stubborn, i can’t think of another i honestly think boys are super chill and cool
29. What is the best thing that has happened to you this week? i made a pouf
30. What is something that makes you sad when you think about it? bad people
31. How long was your longest relationship? i suppose like a year
32. Have you ever been in love? a 13 year old version of love
33. Are you currently in love? no
34. Why did your last relationship end? the same way it started, it didn’t (i know it doesn’t make sense)
35. What jewelry are you wearing right now, and where did you get it? i’m wearing earings from nundah lifeline with bears holding umbrellas.
36. When was the last time you cried and why? um when i had a realisation that i’m not exciting enough to make or keep friends by comparing myself to someone who can easily because they’re so charismatic but then realising that we are completely different and i can make friend in different ways.
37. Name someone pretty. My friend Tabetha
38. What did you receive last Valentines Day? hmm lets see, some sunlight some day time i got a good sleep maybe some lunch thats about it
39. Do you get jealous easily? not really
40. Have you ever been cheated on? no thank god
41. Do you trust your partner/best friend? i trust Taylah but shes not my partner or my best friend
42. Ever had detention? yeah for not wearing shoes THE FUCK
43. Would you rather live in the countryside or the city? countryside but if living in the city means im closer to the beach
44. What do people call you? my name
45. What was the last book you read? On The Road
46. How big of a nerd/dork are you? minor
47. What kind of music do you listen to? ALL except for that screamo and country music stuff that
48. How tall are you? 172cm
49. Do you like kids? yeee
50. Favorite fruits? rockmelon, mango, banana, strawberries, peaches.
51. Do you wear jeans or sweats more? jeans
52. What’s your earliest memory? idk maybe the garden down along the side of my old house at ascot
53. Ever had a poem or song written about you or to you? no but ive writen a poem for someone else
54. Do you prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it? behind but both is nice
55. Do you have a collection of anything? stamps, birthday and christmas cards
56. Do you save money or spend it? i like the feeling of saving money but i also like spending it on small puchases like op shops, spending large amounts is scary but i do it if i know i really want it
57. What would your dream house be like? um a little wooden cottage style shack thing at the beach
58. What top 5 things make you the angriest? when people swear unnecessarily, when people make jokes about disabled people, disabilities etc., ibis, when people complain about their first world problems, other angry people.
59. What top 5 things always brings a smile to your face? when people say good morning or smile at you when your walking down the street, dogs, cats, when people comment on what you’re wearing, boys being sentimental
60. You are walking down the street on your way to work. There is a dog drowning in the canal on the side of the street. Your boss has told you if you are late one more time you get fired. What do you do? do firefighters deal with that stuff?? cause i’d call them.
61. 72: You are at the doctor’s office and she has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. a) Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? b) What do you do with your remaining days? c) Would you be afraid? ok i wouldn’t tell everyone right away i know im the kind of person who doesn’t like burdening people with my problems, i would perhaps book a holiday i’ve always wanted to go on and yes i would be afraid
62. Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word; heart. i think of it literally when Mr Boddice stuck a probe through the chambers of a pigs heart
63. You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go? Canada
64. Do you like the beach? YES
65. Ever sleep on the couch or a bed with someone special? well yeah ive slept on a couch with Kanya and Taylah many times, i’ve slept with James and i’ve slept with Gibby and i’ve slept with Rosie not that thats anything special cause she rolls all over me.
66. Do you have a middle name? If so what is it! ALICE
67. Do you talk to yourself? all the time
68. Describe your hair. a mop
69. What is the meaning of life. passion
70. What is your ideal partner like? easy going, beachy, spunk, is a bit of a quirk like me i.e. doesn’t think my anime obsession is weird or my crazy eyeshadow and doesn’t judge me
71. Do you want to get married? yea that’d be cool
72. Do you want to have kids? yea that’d be cool
73. Like or dislike your family? i like them
74. Are you Chunky or Slim? slim
75. Would you consider yourself smart? smart enough to get around
76. What would you change about your life? nothing
77. Religious or Not? nah
78. You’re drunk and yelling at hot guys/girls out of your car window, you’re with? Nikita
79. You’re locked in a room with the last person you kissed, is that a problem?nah
80. Does anyone regularly (other than family) tell you they love you? Gibby aw
81. If the person you wish to be with were with you, what would you be doing right now? i kinda want to see Jam man again and idk maybe he’d play Halo on our new xbox
82. So, the last person you kissed just happens to arrive at your door at 3AM; do you let them in? who the fuck are you
83. Do you like when people play with your hair? yES
84. Do you like bubble baths? bubble baths are life
85. Have you ever been pulled over by a cop? no
86. Have you ever danced in the rain? yes
87. Do you trust anyone with your life? Taylah
88. What was your first thought when you woke up this morning? do my siblings ever stop arguing
89. If money wasn’t an issue, what top 10 places would you travel to? (You get to stay at each place for a week) Canada, Melbourne, Tasmania, Colorado, Switzerland, Italy, Japan, Nepal, Vietnam, Turkey
90. How was your day today? it was really good i got up and read my book and spontaneously went to nundah and got soome good op shop buys
91. Play an instrument? i can play trumpet
92. Describe the what you think of the ocean. it wants you to be afraid, it can sooth you or it can devour you but you learn to be friends with it
93. Do you believe in aliens or ghosts? i believe in aliens and i suppose i believe in spirits
94. Honestly, are things how you wanted them to be? honestly, its how i always expected things to be, i think i wanted more adventures and friends
95. Do you have a mean bitchy scary side? no
96. When are you vulnerable? when my social battery is dead
97. How much free time do you have? a lot
98. Do you like to go hiking? yes yes very much
99. Odd or Even Numbers? even
100. Would you ever go sky diving, bungee jumping , cliff diving, wing suit gliding, parasailing, snorkeling, or other extreme activities? id go hot air ballooning and snorkeling and i’d love to go in one of those shark cages
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