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the-bau-quinjet · 3 years

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Round 2: Tik Tok

Bucky x reader

Part 2 to Round 1: Fruit Snacks

Summary: You enlist Peter to help you prank Steve, Sam, and Bucky.

Warnings: Language!

Word Count: 1795

a/n: Ahh, part 2! Gotta love tik tok. This entire part was inspired by the first Chris Evans tik tok I linked... I linked all the tik toks I referenced, but the descriptions in the fic have been edited a bit to better fit the scene!

Masterlist

"Peter!" You called to him from the other end of the hallway as he entered the elevator. "Hold the door!"

He smiled back at you, holding the doors open as you ran down the hallway.

"Perfect. I need your help." You whispered as the doors closed, never knowing if a super soldier could hear you or not. You had an evil glint in your eyes that clearly said you were scheming.

"Oh, okay. What do you need Ms. L/N?" His eyes were wide, never having seen you this devious before.

"Peter. How many times have I told you to just call me Y/N? You make me feel old, and I am not old." You huffed, stalling for time.

"Right, Y/N. Got it. What do you need my help with?" He asked as the elevator doors opened.

You peaked your head, looking both ways before exiting. You gestured for him to follow you, exiting the compound and walking toward the gate where May was picking him up after a date with Happy.

"I need you to play the video on this flash drive at Tony's next party." You said when you reached the end of the driveway, handing him the mentioned flash drive.

"Why?" He took the device, albeit with a bit of hesitation.

"Because, I'm pranking Steve, Sam, and Bucky. They tried to get me the other day and failed miserably. Honestly, just watching them on edge has been great, but it's time for payback." You smirked, knowing the prank wouldn't do any real harm.

"Oh, Mr. Stark told me about that!" His eyes were wide with recognition. "Good job with the fake crying, I would've loved to see it."

"Well, you can help me get them back if you play that on the projector screen at Tony's next party." You nodded toward the flash drive, wanting to confirm the plan.

"What is it?" Peter looked nervous, unsure if he should get involved.

"Don't worry, it's nothing bad. Just a few tik toks I found from fans. Three for each of them." You smirked, already picturing the blushes. This would really get Steve and Bucky more than Sam, but when you came across the first video you couldn't not do it.

"Alright. I'm in!" He smiled, happy to help you. "But, why can't you just play the video?" He questioned, obviously not well versed in the world of pranks.

"Because, if they see me doing anything out of the ordinary at the party, they'll know something's up. I have to act normal, so it's a surprise." You outline the plan, explaining the need for two people.

"Why me?" He asked again, genuinely curious.

"Because, they won't think I'd go to you for help. They think you'll do anything to get them to stop teasing you, so they won't see it coming."

Peter nodded, understanding your logic. "Wow. You've really thought of everything." He smiled as May pulled up.

"I know. It's going to be great." You smirked, turning and running back inside before anyone could see you.

The night of the party, it took everything in you not to wear the world's biggest smirk.

Sam, Bucky, and Steve have been on edge ever since your warning, waiting for you to strike. They were huddled by the bar, appearing deep in conversation.

"Hi boys." You greeted them from behind, causing them to jump at the intrusion.

Sam recovered first, smirking at you. "Y/N. We've got a theory."

You raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

"You warned us about your next prank, and then planned nothing." You bit your lip, trying to appear deep in thought.

"Interesting theory. What do you have to support it?" You tilted your head to the side, waiting for more of an explanation.

"It's been a week, and you haven't done anything." Steve started, less confident than Sam, but still sounding sure.

"I haven't?" You questioned, enjoying watching them squirm. "You sure?"

Bucky shook his head with a grin. "You're doing it again. Trying to make us paranoid."

Your gave them your sweetest smile, running your hand up and down Bucky's arm. "Whatever you say, dear." You said it with mock reassurance, then walked away grinning.

The three men shared a look, trying not to seem overly paranoid, but failing.

You felt eyes on you for the entire party. There was never a minute at least one of them wasn't watching your every move. You were fairly certain they were even keeping tabs on Wanda and Nat, just to make sure you hadn't enlisted their help.

You chatted with Nat, Wanda, and Pepper, danced for a bit, and ate some food, all while ignoring their stares.

Around 9:30, Peter managed to get the video queued up. All eyes were on the projector screen at the sudden noise.

A tik tok started playing, flashing different images of Steve as the music played.

"Hush hush hush, blush blush blush, you are now my big fat crush."

Steve's face grew redder as the video played, turning into a tomato by the end.

"Love me, and hug me, and touch me. And well, fuck me."

Another video immediately started playing, also featuring pictures of Steve.

The caption read "Let me present to you: Steve Rogers Walking" backed by some sexy music.

"When marimba rhythm starts to play, dance with me, make me sway."

Clips of Steve walking, whether it be in uniform from a news clip or in suits from press events, graced the screen.

He was hiding his head in his hands, too embarrassed to even think you could have done this. He had been watching you all night, you couldn't have set up the video.

Bucky and Sam laughed as a third video started to play.

The on screen text read as follows:

"People: how do you sleep at night? Me:"

A girl fell into her bed, swaddled in a blanket covered in pictures of Steve.

The screen flashed black for a few seconds, making everyone think the impromptu display was over. That is, until a new video began playing.

A heavy bass started thumping as a girl appeared on screen, counting down with her fingers along with the sound.

"3, 2, 1."

Sam appeared on screen, a plethora of his most used interview and press clips being played.

He was enjoying the praise, although slightly embarrassed at the video being played in front of all these people.

Another video began playing, showing Sam acting out different Avengers in a game of charades.

"Oh!" It was highly edited to draw attention to his amusing sound effects.

Finally, a clip from an interview Sam did with Steve and Scott came up.

"The problem isn't the kids, the problem is the parents."

You knew he wouldn't be embarrassed by the same things as Steve, so you chose a few random videos you found to call him out for not always thinking before speaking.

The screen flashed black again, transitioning to videos of Bucky.

A clip that had gone viral from Sam's account was edited with new music, resulting in the crowd hearing Bucky say:

"Suck my dick!" Followed by the song "if you gave me a chance, i would take it."

These videos were really just for you. You watched them so many times while looking for the three best ones.

Although, Bucky's wide eyes and rosy cheeks definitely didn't hurt.

The next video began with Sexy Back by Justin Timberlake.

"Take it to the chorus. Come here girl."

Pictures of Bucky flashed across the projector screen, showing off his physique. You don't know where fans find this pictures, but you loved them for it.

The last video of Bucky was a pov someone made about yours and Bucky's relationship. Although the two of you were flirty, nothing had been discussed.

Maybe that's why you chose this one.

You and Bucky were having a fake conversation that went as follows:

Y/N: "Bucky, I like your last name."

Bucky: "Oh thanks, that's sweet."

Then, in sync with the music in the background:

Y/N: "Can I steal it from you?"

Bucky: "Of course, doll."

Y/N: "What'd he sayyyyy?"

The crowd laughed at that one, knowing how the media and fans speculate about your relationship.

Finally, the screen went dark, no more videos lined up to play.

You made your way over to the guys as everyone resumed their normal party activities.

"What a show guys. Really well done. Don't forget to thank your fans." You slow clapped, enjoying their flustered faces.

"How long were you planning that?" Steve, blush just beginning to fade, questioned you.

"I've had the video made for 6 days. I started planning the second you left for the store." You grinned, enjoying the high of a good, harmless prank.

"We've been watching you all night. How did you manage to queue the video?" Sam questioned, eyes narrowed.

"I had help." You shrugged noncommittally. You wouldn't give up Peter's role in the prank unless he wanted you to.

"From? We had eyes on Nat and Wanda." Bucky questioned further, but you just shook your head.

"I can't reveal my sources." You laughed again at their matching looks of annoyance.

Suddenly, something clicked for Bucky.

"So, you chose all of the videos?" He sounded so curious, you couldn't help but fill him in.

"I did. It didn't take long. The internet is full of videos of the three of you. They were pretty fun to look through." You laughed at a few videos you opted to leave out of the montage.

"What's this about you liking my last name then?" Bucky had a new confidence about him with this question.

Having expected this question at some point, you had already thought of how you would answer.

"Well, the fans want what they want. Maybe we should give it to them." You stepped closer as Sam and Steve awkwardly shuffled away.

"You think so, doll?" Bucky relied, hands moving to your waist.

"I don't see why not." You closed the distance, pressing your lips to his in a moment you had been thinking about for months.

You moved together, pulling each other closer even when you were already chest to chest.

Eventually, the sound of a throat clearing caused you to break apart.

Tony was playfully glaring at the two of you.

"L/N, if you ever use my protégé to pull a stunt like that again, at least include some videos of me." He whined.

You laughed at his statement, having expected him to be annoyed at you interrupting his party.

"Can do Stark."

He walked off as you turned back to Bucky, whose mouth was hung open like a fish.

You gave him a questioning look as he sputtered.

"Parker helped you?!"

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@averyhotchner

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the-shiftshop · 3 years

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One Touch - Part 2

Inspired by @dark-limbo. Might want to check this blog out!

TO VOTE FOR THE POLL FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER, CLICK HERE

Today is the day I’ll be free to do whatever I want without thinking about anything else. Mom had allowed me to rest out of town all by myself for a week. Dad had lend me allowance which I can spent on what I had planned for.

Upon arriving to a beach resort, which was like 5 hours away from my hometown, I was feeling a little nervous. Technically, this has been my first vacation alone, away from anyone I know. Having the ability to hypnotize anyone doesn’t come with less worry about what dangers there would be. I may be confident to get anyone I want, I’m still scared that I might get in trouble with things and I wouldn’t be able to get away with it.

Trying to loose up, I just took a deep breath and decided to look around the lobby.

Looking over to the seats to the right near the windows, I’ve noticed this guy staring at me. He looked away after realizing I’m staring back but I know we had eye contact. He had his chest muscles peaking through his shirt and I can’t make myself look away. This guy’s interesting. I’ll come back to him later. But for now, let me drop my things to my room.

After reaching my room on the third floor of the hotel, I had to quickly drop my things and lie down on the bed. To be honest, choosing somewhere far to test my powers is not that important, but I had to make sure I’ll be going somewhere nobody I know lives, and somewhere I can enjoy at the same time. This is just to save from all the trouble of failing and letting everyone I am acquainted with know that I can hypnotize anyone I want.

Lying down the bed, I took a rest for a while. I started thinking of all the possibilities I can do here. Meeting all the men I might find attractive, pulling them in, and finally making them do what I please. All these thoughts are already making me hard, but I might need to save this up for later.

After lying down for a few minutes, only to be more frustrated because of my hard on, I decided to go out for a while and explore the resort.

Just as soon as I walk out to the back of the hotel, there I saw him again, dipping down into the pool. As soon as he descend down, I noticed that he was staring at me once more.

As I stare back at him, I notice him smile and look away. That’s already a hint, or if ever that I’m assuming things, I can always fix things up. Nevertheless, I’m nervous but excited at the same time. My own fun is about to start!

I walked near him as he keep his shoulders under the water.

“Andrei” He said.

“Nice to meet you.” I replied.

“So, you alone?”

He’s already asking if I went here alone. That’s already a big assurance he’s hitting on me.

“Yeah.” I answered.

“I actually saw you come in the resort, and you seem like you’re that type who never had been on vacation without their parents. Is it your first time around here?”

“Damn, you’re great at guessing.” I smiled. “Yup. It’s my first time here. I might need a little bit of company.” I looked at him, hoping he would get me.

“I’m actually with a few friends.” He replied, sounding a little more solemn, “But it wont hurt if I could help you explore around for a few hours.”

His eyes sparked up and it felt like mine too as we stare at each other. I chuckled and squat down in order to be much closer to him. I don’t want to play these mind games anymore, I want to go straight to the point.

“Or we can explore each other in my room.” I teased.

I was expecting him to brighten up more, but it seems like my assumptions were wrong. He furrowed his brows and stared at me, but this time, his eyes were of a different gaze.

“Ah. Sorry man, I don’t swing that way.” His tone of voice changed, slightly sounding disgusted. “I... I just thought that you might’ve need some help since you seemed lost.”

I knew it would turn out this way. Getting fooled by the nice guys. Even my face somewhat contorted to dismay. “I- I’m sorry, man.”

“Sorry, but, just leave.” He began to get out of the pool. I don’t want to cause a fight right now, especially when I just started my vacation. I should act quick.

“No, I mean, sorry. I didn’t mean to. I can still use a bit of-”

“Dude, get out of the way!” He tried to move me away but before I could even back off, my hands found their way to his arms.

Here he was now, in trance of my touch. I fell his shoulders rise as he take a deep breath in, keeping eye contact with me. He wasn’t moving, just frozen in place. I look around to see if anyone is watching. Lucky enough, we’re alone.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“No. I’m mad.” He answered. Monotonous, but you can hear how natural he speaks even under my control.

“No. You’re not mad. You’re happy.” I said.

“Oh. Yeah! I am happy!” He chuckled.

“You’re happy because you finally get to know me, you’ve been longing for me.” I whispered in his ear.

“I’ve been... wanting to know you...”

“Don’t speak a word. Dry off and change your clothes here. After that, follow me to my room.” I commanded.

It was a firm command. He didn’t speak at all. He proceeded to climb up the pool ladder and went to his things. He got his towel and his clothes to change into. He was under my control. He didn’t mind changing his clothes in public. He first took everything off, giving me a clear view of all of him from his muscular back. I want to touch him again right now, but I just let him change his clothes first. He wore his white tank top and his spare red short. Putting all of his things back into his bag, he hanged it over his shoulder and wore his flipflops.

I nodded and started walking back to my room. He followed.

Walking through the hallways was unintentionally nerve-wrecking. The fear that he might look like he’s in trace and other people might get weirded out, or that someone will call his name and since he’s under my command, he can’t talk, but luckily, we have arrived to my room.

I didn’t waste anymore time. I pushed him on the bed and started touching every skin I could. Exploring his whole body while he’s left frozen and unable to talk. I moved a hand to his crotch and gripped on his balls through his shorts. He wasn’t reacting whatsoever, but it took just one command.

“Match with me.”

With that, his hands moved up my back as I hear him give me soft but satisfied moans. I pushed my lips to his and forced my tongue in, which became much easier as he opened his mouth for me. My knee moved up the bed to his crotch as I massage him there with it. Both of my hands slowly took his tank top off, over his shoulders and off his head. He did the same, taking my shirt off. I pulled his face near my chest and he gladly sucked on my nipples.

“A-Ah...” The feeling was sending shivers all over my body. I want more than this. “Suck me off. Make me feel better.”

His hands moved down to my shorts as he try to pull it down. I stood up and let him take it off me. After finally exposing my raging hard on, I moved up the bed, with his legs in between mine, almost as if I can sit down on his lap. He continued kissing my chest, moving down to lick my abs, then finally to my cock. He proceeded putting all of my shaft into my mouth. He pull me closer as he lie down on the bed, my hands supporting myself on the bed while he’s under me, bobbing his head. I thrusted my hips slowly into his mouth. Everything feels so good. I can almost feel myself near my release. He flipped me over, now I am the only lying on the bed while he tries to get rid of his shorts. He pull my leg and aligned my hole to his shaft.

“No!” I exclaimed. “Not yet. I’m not ready.” I said. “I’ll be the one penetrating you.”

He smiled and dropped my legs down. He then moved to my cock, this time him aligning his hole to my shaft. He gave me a long painful grunt as he push himself down to my cock, then back up. I can’t endure seeing his face contort because of the amount of pain he’s having right now, but at the same time I find his hot.

He fell close to my chest, still my cock in his hole. We rolled over so this time I’m above him once more. He had put his arms around me as I thrust my hard on into him, slowly at first, but it wasn’t long until I quickened my pace. I muffled his moans as I pull him for one more kiss. My hand on his nipple while the other is stroking his cock that had been begging for attention.

I broke out kiss as I feel myself nearing climax “Fuck! Fuck! I’m gonna!” I screamed. I thrusted much faster than before until I pull out and came all over his body, spewing all my hot juice all over his muscles. We were left panting on the bed. Andrei, though, still was hard as ever. I still have not managed to make him cum yet so I decided to move back down to suck him off.

Not being able to say words, he keeps moaning and moaning as I explore his cock with my tongue. Bobbing up and down while my tongue pushing on his skin made me realize this might be giving him a lot of pleasure. His hands moved to my hair as he push me more, violently.

Soon, he screamed as he came into my mouth. I gladly swallowed all of it. He came too much though that some of them leaked out of my lips.

I finally pulled his cock out and stared at him while we both pant. For one last time, I moved near him, kissed him and hugged him as we rest.

Later this afternoon, I might need to release him back to his own control, but right now, I’ll just enjoy the skinship while it lasts.

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Thank you everyone stopping by. If the poll does not appear below, click on the link to lead you to the poll website!

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#mind control #One Touch

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peach-pops · 4 years

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Amorentia || Kuroo Tetsurō

summary: amorentia has a different scent or aroma for anyone who smells it and the potion, if done correctly, can remind the user of things or more specifically someone they find most attractive, even if the said person is oblivious in their attraction.

word count: 3.1k

warnings: none

authors note: i dont know why i always end up writing for kuroo but this dude just speaks to me on an inspirational level ya know? kuroo is a ravenclaw in this but the reader is gn and i didn’t specify what house the reader is in to make it a bit more inclusive. credits to @rhymewithrachel for the picture of kuroo which you can find here and pls check out their page for more amazing art! also i def feel like i’ve written the last few lines on like another piece i’ve done but oh well if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it

The library was eerily still for a Thursday morning but you relished in how quiet it was. You had found the perfect sweet spot; not too late where you would forget breakfast but early enough to where you would avoid the morning rush of students who would try to find a quiet spot to study.

The lowly lit lanterns were useless since the sun was beginning to peak its way through the windowpane behind you and the small semblance of light drew your attention to the dust that was floating lazily in the air.

Even though there were hardly any students around you, you felt as though you were tucked away from the world as you spread your legs out against the leather couch with a Magic Potions: Basic for Beginners textbook settled in your lap. Besides the ever so often sound of a few students rustling their papers, it was truly peaceful.

“ Good morning beautiful, mind if I join you?”

Bloody hell.

You looked up from your textbook to see Kuroo standing over by your legs that were neatly crossed over each other. You would be lying if you said you weren’t slightly taken aback by seeing him so early in the morning but even if he did manage to wake up on time for class, his hair was still a disheveled mess from his horrid bedhead.

“ You’re up early,” You replied normally as you turned your attention back to your book,” by the way, your tie is crooked, might want to fix that, yeah?”

You and Kuroo were both in the same year but you two didn’t officially get acquainted until your fourth year when he had “accidentally” spilled butterbeer all over you and then attempted to wipe it off with his bare hand.

“ Shit, I-I am so sorry! Let me just-”

“ Can you stop feeling me up and get me a napkin instead, you creep?”

“ A creep? I’m nothing short of a gentleman- speaking of which, are you dating anyone by chance?”

“ Are you joking? As if I would be under the accompaniment of a clumsy Ravenclaw like yourself.”

Your vow was fully ignored and by some weird alignment of the planets, you two had been inseparable since. Of course, Kuroo still spent his time over the past two years trying to woe you in some way and while you used to find yourself flustered over his charm, you managed to get used to the constant flirting between the two of you.

Who were you kidding, the flirting was mostly one-sided unless you weren’t exhausted trying to think of witty comebacks to try and get him stumbling over his words like the first time you two met.

However, you weren’t blind. You were bold enough to admit to yourself that over the years, Kuroo got progressively wittier, taller, and yes, possibly more attractive. You would never admit it out loud but there was a slight possibility you were starting to see him in a different light.

Nonetheless, you figured feelings like those would just come and go, and surely you didn’t actually have feelings for him.

Kuroo looked down at his tie and shrugged nonchalantly before fixing it,” I was tossing and turning all night, poor Akaashi had to sleep in the common room because I was keeping him up too. Quidditch tryouts are this afternoon and I’m hoping we can get a strong team together so we can keep up our legacy.”

“ First-year as captain and you’re already nervous,” You clicked your tongue against your teeth as you took another bite of your raspberry scone, utilizing the silence between the two of you as you finished chewing,” hopefully Ravenclaw will get some wins this year. You know, for your own sake and my sanity.”

“ Okay ouch, first of all, you know you’re not supposed to eat in the library it’s forbidden,” Kuroo crossed his arms playfully over his chest as you only hummed in response,” and second of all, maybe if I had someone special cheering me on, I would do immensely better.”

You knew he was only being smug since you always showed up to his games but nothing was more entertaining than watching Kuroo practically gush over Quidditch only for you to act somewhat disinterested.

“ Aw, do you want me to show up with some blue and bronze paint over my face? Maybe even bring a poster with your name on it with little hearts decorated on the border because I have sooo much free time on my hands?” You teased as you played with your hair while pouting back up at him, relishing in the way he shifted from side to side,” honestly Kuroo, you know I have better things to do than to watch you fly around like a lunatic.”

Kuroo smirked to himself but said nothing to retaliate as he offered his hands to help you out of your seat once he saw the time,” Come on, you know Slughorn will throw another fit if we’re late again and by the looks of it, you can’t afford falling behind.”

For a moment, you thought that maybe you had gone too far. His response was almost disappointing in contrast to how he would usually retort with something wittier of the sort but it was out of your control now.

You closed your textbook and grabbed Kuroo’s hands so he could help you off the leather couch but once he got you up to your feet, his strong grip on your hands didn’t release.

Your chests were almost touching and the distance between you two was so small, you could distinctively smell his signature vanilla aftershave that he put on every morning. You looked down at your hands that were fitted perfectly against his as Kuroo leaned down close to your ear, his breath tickling your neck.

“ Don’t act so coy, Y/N. I know you would love nothing more than to wear my jersey so that everyone else could know you like me.”

You could feel the heat rise from your chest to your ears as you slipped your hands out from his to hold your textbook to your chest, as if it would cool you down. You fiddled with the spine of the textbook as a distraction as Kuroo smiled back innocently at you to give you time to compose yourself.

“ D-Don’t say things like that, you’re my friend and that’s all,” You stammered as you slapped his shoulder to make the tension less thick,” and wipe that grin off your face, you look like an idiot!”

Kuroo laughed, easing whatever tension was left in the air as he bumped your shoulder with his, “ Fine, fine, I’ll stop but only because you’re my special friend.”

“ You’re the worst.”

“ And you love it.”

“ Are you sure we’re doing this right?” You asked Kuroo as he sprinkled in the powdered moonstone while you stirred the concoction slowly.

You surveyed the room as you watched your fellow classmates fail miserably at the assignment at hand, some being greeted with thick clouds of smoke while others potions just combusted into flames.

You flinched at the sound of shrieking and looked up to see Sugawara and Daichi backing away from their cauldron as a mass of black tar started to slither out towards them. Slughorn had warned everyone that this potion was tricky to master but you didn’t think it would be this difficult and as time passed, the more anxious you grew.

Kuroo, as unbothered as ever, looked down at the instructions for a moment before turning his attention back at the cauldron,” Yep, triple checked it and everything. You sure are nervous today.”

“ I’m always nervous during this class, you know I’m awful at potions. Plus look what happened to Oikawa, he’s in the hospital wing because of this lab.”

“ He’ll be fine, the flames weren’t too high, he probably just lost an eyebrow,” Kuroo teased, trying to keep your mind at bay,” are you sure you’re not nervous because we’re concocting Amorentia?”

You continued to stir the mixture carefully as you only scoffed,” Why would I be nervous of a silly little love potion?”

“ First off, Amorentia is one of the most powerful love potions in existence so show some respect,” Kuroo said as you only rolled your eyes back at him,” And second of all, maybe you’re nervous because this will finally prove that you have feelings for me.”

“ Knock it off before I send you to the hospital wing nerd,” You replied hastily as Kuroo put his hands up in defense,” Are you sure you’re not the nervous one? You’ve been acting weird since class has started...like more mouthy than usual.”

If you didn’t know any better, you could’ve gone the whole lesson completely oblivious to Kuroo’s nervous tics, but after years of being friends, you knew better than to pass them off as normal tendencies.

Kuroo rubbed the corner of the textbook page between his fingers as his eyes read the directions over again to try and ground himself in his thoughts. He had re-read the same step of the last instruction for the past couple of minutes to look occupied but his facade was starting to fall apart.

“ If you paid more attention to the assignment instead of me, maybe you would pass the class, huh?” Kuroo smirked to try and ease your mind but the action only made you feel more annoyed.

“ Enough with this back and forth, are we almost done? You’ve been reading the last step for a while now, is it that hard or are you just stupid today?” You nudged Kuroo out of the way and bent your body over the table to read the last step, wanting nothing more than to get this class over with.

Kuroo watched as you began to stir the concoction slowly, his eyes trained on the top of the cauldron to watch for any sign of steam.

“ What color are the spirals supposed to be?” You asked as a dark, pink-colored steam started to slowly rise from the mixture,” did he say pink was right or purple? Maybe red I don’t even remember.”

Kuroo carefully leaned closer beside you to get a better look at the steam,”Looks right to me. You smell anything?”

“ The only thing I can smell is that god awful aftershave of yours so back up.”

You leaned your forearms on the table and took in a deep breath of the potion. Almost instantly, you felt a comforting warmth spread throughout your body that started in your chest and moved all the way down to your head and toes. You felt your body completely relax and it felt almost similar to the feeling of submerging yourself into a hot bath after a long day.

It would make absolutely no sense to describe the scents as something so oddly familiar and distinct while not being obvious at all yet that was where your headspace was as you tried to identify the scents.

Almost immediately, once you pinpointed one scent, the rest came flooding in one after another,” I smell something like cinder-a burning logfire...and....I know what this is it’s kinda like- oh, broomstick polish!”

You took into another deep breath to try and identify the last scent but you couldn’t put a name to the scent which only made you more frustrated.

“ Kuroo, can you help me? I can’t figure out the last scent,” You sighed as Kuroo closed his eyes to take a turn, even though he could already pinpoint a few scents from his spot,” do you smell the logfire too?”

Kuroo only smiled to himself as he felt the warmth spread across his body before shaking his head,” That’s not how it works. Our scents would be different for example, I smell…freshly clean linen, old parchment paper, and… butterbeer froth.”

Once the words left Kuroo’s mouth, he opened his eyes and turned to you to read your reaction. He looked for something, anything behind those eyes of yours to watch it all click in your head but as usual, you were completely oblivious to the huge hint he had given you.

“ Lucky you, I wish I could smell what you can- this is harder than I thought,” You pouted as you noticed some of your other classmates were getting distracted by you and Kuroo’s Amortentia,” maybe we did this wrong.”

“ We did it right, don’t worry,” Kuroo cleared his throat as he gave you a nudge with his shoulder which only made you nudge him back even harder,” maybe you should try again, think really hard. Try to see where you recognize the scent instead of what it is.”

You closed your eyes and just like before, the same warm sensation flooded your body but this time, you could feel yourself leaning closer and closer to the cauldron, almost as if the potion was pulling you in deeper.

“ Burning logfire, broomstick polish and…” You took in another deep breath but you were only meet with more frustration,” for the last time, can you give me some space, Kuroo? I swear all I can smell is your-.”

You opened your eyes and practically pulled yourself away from the table once an unsettling realization had started to develop quickly in your mind. You knew exactly what the scent was but there was that lingering sensation in your mind that still tried to convince itself that for once, maybe you were wrong.

Kuroo let out a breathy laugh as the back of your neck and ears began to grow hot,” Something the matter-”

Without thinking, you grabbed Kuroo’s collar and pulled him down to your eye level. Kuroo’s face started to grow red as you brushed your nose against the side of his neck to get a better smell. You had to be going crazy, there was no way- it all had to be a trick.

“ Are you sure we did this right? You’re absolutely positive?” You asked softly as you let go of his collar.

Kuroo smoothed out his collar and nodded as he looked back at the cauldron,”I’m absolutely positive- why are you freaking out?”

Because I smell your stupid vanilla aftershave.

“ I’m not freaking out,” You lied through your teeth as you turned your attention to Slughorn as he dismissed the class for the day,” You know what, I’m actually not feeling well- Can you clean up for me? I’m feeling a little lightheaded.”

“Y/N-”

“ I’ll see you around,” You gathered your things quickly but as you reached for your potions book, Kuroo snatched it off the table and held it behind his back,”enough Kuroo, give it back.”

“ Clean linen, parchment, and butterbeer froth,” Kuroo listed as you tried to grab your book from behind his back but Kuroo was quick to hold it above his head,”did you hear me?”

You looked up at how high he was holding your textbook and as embarrassing as it was, you decided to hold on to the little dignity you had left and not jump up and down for it.

“ Yes I heard you but I don’t care.”

“ You do care and you’re not listening to me. I smelled clean linen, parchment paper, and butterbeer froth so now it’s your turn, what did you smell?” Kuroo asked, this time a bit louder. It was obvious in the way he was enunciating his words that he was trying to lead you down a certain conversation but you were slow to pick up on it.

You didn’t want to tell him, all you wanted to do was go back to bed and pretend as though this day had never happened. The idea that all this time you actually had real feelings for Kuroo only made you feel flustered.

It wasn’t that you were ashamed of liking someone like him but for years, you had convinced him and seemingly everyone else that you would never have feelings for Kuroo. In reality, you couldn’t have been more wrong.

“ Do we have to do this right now?” You asked softly as you nodded over to Slughorn who was dusting the corners of his desk but it was obvious he was eavesdropping on the conversation.

Without missing a beat, Kuroo nodded and lowered your textbook back down to hand it to you.

“ You’re right, we should discuss this someplace quiet and private, how does dinner sound?”

You shook your head at the boy as you tried to grab your textbook from him but you couldn’t pry it off his strong grip,“ Quit flirting with me, now isn’t the time.”

Kuroo couldn’t take it anymore; the years of endlessly flirting and being ignored was taking a toll on his pride and he couldn’t stand it. He knew you were prideful but this was on a whole different level.

“ Now is the perfect time since now I know you like me after all.”

“ How- I do not-”

“ You’re a terrible liar Y/N, the aftershave was a dead giveaway and I don’t know whether or not I’m more hurt by the fact that you’re too embarrassed to admit you like me or that you think my aftershave is god awful,” Kuroo said as he loosened his grip on the book so you could take it from his hands,” aren’t you tired of pretending you don’t have feelings for me?”

You carefully took back your textbook as if it was a fragile vase and held it close to your chest as if you were shielding your heart.

“ For the record, I don’t think it’s god awful, I just think you put on way too much,” You mumbled as Kuroo stood up straighter,” and I’m not tired of pretending, maybe I don’t like you or maybe I do have feelings for you.”

“ But maybe you like me more than you dislike me, am I right?”

You opened your mouth but quickly closed it after thinking his words over for a moment,“Emphasis on maybe...but don’t let it get to your head. You get one date so don’t ruin it.”

Even though it wasn’t the confession Kuroo wanted, it was the only confirmation he needed to hear from you to let him know that the feelings were mutual.

Kuroo couldn’t help but wear a huge goofy smile on his face as he collected his things and followed your lead as you both started to walk out the classroom. You and Kuroo politely nodded and said goodbye to Slughorn, who was pretending to read the textbooks along the shelves.

Once you two left the classroom, Kuroo’s hand slide down beside yours and started to play with your fingers carefully. Your hand recoiled from the feeling but once you made sure the hallway was clear of any onlookers, you let your hand slide back down and let his fingers intertwine with yours.

“ You know, I knew you really liked me, I called it since day one-”

“ Okay, that’s enough Kuroo.”

“ You said and I quote,’As if I would be under the accompaniment of a clumsy Ravenclaw like yourself’ and look at you now, holding hands with one!”

You shook your head at him and wondered to yourself if this is how things would be now yet you still couldn’t bring yourself to hide the small smile on your face,”You’re the worst.”

Kuroo squeezed your hand in his and shared the same lovey-dovey grin on his face,” and you love it.”

taglist: @goopyartiste, @sugas-sweetheart, @kirislut, @estridries, @hannahalanib1, @art0saurus, @shoutamajiki, @yee-harr, @animatedarchives

#haikyuu x reader #haikyuu!! x reader #haikyuu hogwarts au #haikyuu hogwarts #kuroo x reader #kuroo tetsuro x reader #kuroo scenario #nekoma x reader #nekoma hogwarts #kuroo headcanon #kuroo imagine #kuroo tetsuro headcanon #kuroo tetsuro scenario #tetsuro kuroo x reader #tetsuro kuroo scenario #tetsuro kuroo headcanon

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harrysweasleys · 4 years

Text

sweet as apple pie //d.m

Summary: hi! i was wondering if you could do a draco x reader where draco is only soft and sweet to a ravenclaw girl but gets embarrassed when other slytherins notice? you can end it however you’d like!

Warnings: none

Word Count: 1.8k

A/N: i wrote this in like an hour because i was so inspired and in one of those ‘loving draco malfoy’ moods, as always! hope you enjoy! :)

—

The Black Lake, though the thought of going in was slightly terrifying, brought you great peace and comfort on sunny afternoons where you’d find yourself homework-free. Some of your best afternoons were spent here, really.

The soothing ripples lapped against the rocks and shore as you sat in the shade of an old beech tree, the birds chirping melodically and the occasional bee buzzing by to land on a flower. The grass swayed in the fresh spring air and the smell of nature took over your senses.

You’d sit here for hours, reading silently or sketching the view under the comfortable shade, the distant laughter of students being the only distraction you could be faced with.

However, that was proven to be false as Draco strolled across the grass and sat across from you, his face lighting up immediately as you smiled over at him.

“Thought you’d wait for me outside the common room,” he grinned, teasing you as you placed your bookmark in the page you had just been invested in, putting the book aside and turning your attention to him.

“Sorry,” you forced a fake pout, “The sunshine was calling to me and I didn’t want to wait in the mouldy dungeons.”

He placed a hand over his heart, pretending to be offended, “Mouldy? I’ll have you know that’s currently where I reside, thank you very much.”

You tossed your head back against the tree, laughing at his dramatic twist of your words.

“I don’t blame you, though,” he looked up to the cloudless sky with squinted eyes, “It’s a rather marvellous day.”

You nodded, your laughter subsiding, “It is, I agree. The only problem is that you’re too far away.”

“This, I also agree with,” he raised his eyebrows and stood up, walking closer to you and sitting under the same tree, his arm pressed up against yours. He was close enough for you to smell him, to take in the delicate features that graced his face. You could even see the adoration in his eyes — the fondness — causing you to bite your lip in order to suppress your growing grin.

“Better?” he asked with a smirk, catching you in the act of staring at him as if in a romantic daydream. Not that you hadn’t stared at him in that exact same manner on countless previous occasions, of course. But he’d tease you about it anyways.

“Much,” you replied softly, the pink hue forming on your cheeks. You wanted to tell yourself it was due to the heat, but you knew damn well it was Draco’s doing.

He wrapped his arm around your shoulder, pulling you in to his side. His grip tightened slightly as he pressed a kiss to your forehead, butterflies fluttering wildly in your belly at his touch.

Nearly a year of dating and this man still had you as giddy as you were on your first date.

You knew he was well aware of the effect he had on you — he relished in it, actually. He’d send you winks during class to see the blush form on your cheeks, he’d also purposefully leave his sweater behind so he could compliment you non-stop as you wore it the next day. Every little thing he did would cause your butterflies to erupt and your cheeks end up sore after smiling like an idiot.

“Your hair smells like apple pie,” he muttered after a comfortable period of silence, his head resting against yours, “I like it.”

“My shampoo is actually citrus,” you chuckled, “but thank you.”

“Oi, Malfoy!” a loud, abhorrent voice called out and ruined your intimate moment. You looked over with a grouchy expression to see Crabbe and Parkinson crossing the lawn, their eyes squinted under the peak sunlight as they headed straight towards the two of you. You internally scowled as they got closer, already wishing they would just leave.

Draco’s arm retracted from around you and he waved weakly at them, his face dropping and all traces of the soft, loving person he was just moments ago was covered up. Your heart sank slightly as you shifted away, causing the distance to grow between the two of you.

“What is it?” Draco snapped, the tips of his ears slightly pink as he stared up at Crabbe’s obliviously blank expression.

Crabbe’s eyes widened at the tone, “Just wondering where you went. Thought we’d see what Potter was up to.”

You bit the inside of your cheek, wanting to speak up but knowing it was best if you didn’t. Draco’s friends, as witless and brainless as they were, could be quite arrogant if contradicted and the last thing you wanted was to put Draco in a weird position.

“I’m alright,” Draco replied dryly before looking over at you, “I’ve already got plans.”

You relaxed at his words, glad he wasn’t leaving you to hang out with his idiot peers. Not that he ever really had before, but Draco always seemed to hold himself to a different standard around them.

Crabbe and Parkinson looked at you, both furrowing their eyebrows before turning back to Draco.

“Malfoy growing a little soft, is he?” Pansy asked, placing her hands on her hips and grinning down at the boy next to you. You smirked at her teasing tone, knowing how easily flustered Draco could get.

“What — soft? No —,” Draco rambling was cut off by Pansy’s rambunctious laughter.

“Let’s go, Crabbe. The lovebirds clearly don’t want our presence.”

Crabbe rolled his eyes in disappointment and followed after her as she dragged him away, leaving you and Draco in silence.

“So, embrassed by me, much?” you asked, crossing your arms and cocking an eyebrow.

Draco sighed, dropping his head, “No, of course not, love,” he reached for your hands, “I just — I don’t know — feel like I have a reputation to uphold. Especially around them.”

You nodded, not upset or offended, but simply just wanting to know what was going on in his complex mind. There had been a few instances, usually around his Slytherin peers, where Draco would pull away from you or act a little colder when people pointed out the way he behaved around you.

Softer, nicer, calmer.

You loved it. Loved that he cared about you enough to show his softer side. You knew you were the only one he showed it to. But you only wished he was confident enough to not shy away every time someone caught him like that. That he’d be more open to having others see him be more human.

“Draco, you realize no one actually cares if you’re nicer to me?” you smiled at him, “I’m your girlfriend. If anything, it’s better. It’s making you nicer to other people too.”

He shook his head, “Is it? Ask anyone in this school — I don’t think any of them would describe me using the word nice.”

“That’s only because of your stupid reputation,” you mocked his voice, causing his lips to turn upwards into an amused smile.

He picked up on your teasing tone and flashed you a smile, shaking his head, “You’re something, you know?”

You nodded, “Oh, I know. But next time, please don’t shy away. I’m proud of having you as my boyfriend and I want to show that off.”

He failed at trying to hide his flushed cheeks as he pulled you close, “Okay, I promise. I’ll show the whole school you’re mine.”

——

The atmosphere in the Great Hall was tense leading up to tonight’s Quidditch match between Slytherin and Hufflepuff. With good reasoning, though, as whoever won this match would play Gryffindor for the Quidditch Cup in a few months.

You looked over to the Slytherin table, noticing how Draco would hesitantly pick at his food and put it back down. Clearly, his appetite was leaving him as the nerves settled in.

Usually calm and collected, Draco would rather die before telling anyone he was nervous. Lucky for you, though, you could read him like an open book.

Dinner ended and he stood up, walking straight towards you as you finished your food and bid good evening to your fellow Ravenclaws as you jogged over meet Draco.

“Are you going to be at the game?” he asked quickly. He had asked the question so quickly that it took you a proper moment before you could process the words that had come out of his mouth.

“Course,” you replied with tilt of your head, “Always am, aren’t I?”

“Wear this,” he peeled off his emerald green ‘Slytherin Quidditch’ sweater, leaving him only in his button up shirt, and handed it over to you, “For my luck, of course. And because you’re my girl.”

You beamed as your cheeks grew hot, “Alright.”

Pulling the sweater on over your head and smelling his cologne, your heart did a jolt. He grinned at you, leaning down and pressing his lips against yours, right in the middle of the crowded Great Hall.

He had only ever kissed you in private before.

Shocked by his open reaction, it took you a second to register the kiss and reciprocate. You wrapped your arms around his neck and leaned into him, deepening the kiss and pouring every ounce of love that you could possibly muster into it.

You heard wolf whistles, whether from his friends or yours, you couldn’t tell. You didn’t care, either.

“Well,” you mumbled as you pulled away, lips feeling swollen and your heart rate definitely increasing, “Wonder how good the kiss will be if you win tonight.”

“Guess you’ll have to find out, love,” he winked your way.

Forget an increased heartrate — your heart was now going into complete frenzy. You nearly forgot to breathe for a second.

Draco Malfoy and his damn charm.

And, luckily for you, Slytherin had pulled off a glorious victory. Draco had caught the Snitch and Slytherin had won loud and proud. You had cheered him on from the sidelines, donning his sweater and grinning like a fool every time he’d pass by you and shoot you a thumbs up.

You could tell his confidence was very much present as he zoomed around on his broom, not bickering with the other team and focusing his attention on actually playing the game. So, when Slytherin won, even though you weren’t in said house, the victory felt very well deserved.

You were one of the first to rush down onto the field afterwards, Draco too busy priding himself over his catch to even notice you charging in his direction. You hopped onto his back, wrapping your arms around his neck and pressing a large kiss to the side of his cheek.

“You did it!”

He put you down and spun around, wrapping his arms around you and lifting you off the ground, not even caring that practically the entire school could see the two of you. His smile was wide and his eyes wild. You didn’t even care that he was sweaty and sticky — you were too proud to care.

“Time for my victory kiss, love,” he grinned as you lowered your head and met his lips with yours, the world vanishing around the two of you.

Who’d have thunk that a Slytherin would be so soft for a Ravenclaw?

—

taglist:

@grierpilots

@hxfflxpxffs

@mikumana

@msmimimerton

@pit-and-the-pen

@diary-of-an-onliner

@theweirdsideofstuff

@ickle-ronniekins

@thoseofgreatambition

@theweasleysredhair

(message me to be added!)

#draco malfoy #draco malfoy imagines #draco malfoy imagine #draco malfoy one shot #draco malfoy one shots #draco malfoy x reader #draco malfoy reader insert

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davidfarland · 3 years

Text

Writing Tips: Heating Up

Years ago I heard a story that has stuck with me. Back in West Virginia, a good man stopped going to church. After a couple of years, a preacher stopped by the man’s cabin in the mountains to invite him back, and the man argued that he no longer needed it.

A fire was burning in the hearth and had died down, so that only hot coals shimmered in the fire. The priest took a pair of tongs and pulled a coal from the fire and set it on a stone in front of the hearth. Within a few minutes, the coal began to cool and its fire died.

The priest needed only to raise an eyebrow, and the man got the lesson. Sometimes we can do more together than we can alone.

I got to thinking about this about a year ago. I was talking to my son, who works as a counselor for writers, and he mentioned how very often, when a writer changes one little habit, her entire writing system unravels.

For example, he mentioned one writer who would play a game of solitaire for a few minutes before he wrote. Soon that game consumed whole hours and whole days. The writer’s schedule was unraveled by one bad habit, and my son simply has to tell him, quit playing solitaire. And that reminded me of on international bestseller who once told me, “I lost two years of my life playing Civilization.”

You see, people often go through phases where they write wonderfully. Maybe they’re doing something subconsciously—like reading good books, or writing in the morning when their bio rhythms for writing are at a peak, or they’re writing in a genre they love—and suddenly they change and magic stops flowing. My son once said that in many cases, he identifies that change and then tells the writer simply, “Go back to what works.”

The same, I have seen, may be true with writing groups. I’ve been in several of them, and recently I started the Apex group. I started it because I perceive a need for such a group, one where talented individuals share their passion, their wisdom and triumphs.

Years ago, I read a letter in which Ernest Hemingway had been trying to figure out a title for one of his novels. He had searched in vain for one, and asked some of his friends for help. He went first to one writer, someone who later won a Nobel Prize, and asked some advice that didn’t work. So he asked another writer—who offered up the title “The Sun also Rises,” and that worked. Coincidentally, that author also won a Nobel Prize.

So here were three writers in a writing group, exchanging advice, and all three winning Nobel Prizes.

Similarly, I would have loved to have gone to Oxford eighty years ago and hobnobbed with the likes of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien about writing fantasy. And the notion has often struck me that in today’s world, we’re free to find our own partners in writing inspiration—our own Hemingways and Tolkiens. I know one fine author who works as a shepherd in New Zealand. He’s a long way from anyone who might heat him up, but in today’s world, he can reach out via the internet.

Yet writing groups so often fail. They don’t always fail due to bruised egos. I belonged to a nice one in college, but after college I moved away and it became too inconvenient. A number of other good writers also moved away, and all of us, like simmering coals removed from the fire, lost some of our heat.

So I’ve been thinking a lot about group dynamics. What is it that you want in a writing group? Here are a few thoughts.

First off, let me explain that any one person might fulfill several roles. In other words, you might be able to fill three or four roles. Just as you can be a loving father, a tough soldier, and a devoted son to your mother, you can fill any of these roles listed below. In fact, to some degree you have to fill all of them. Yet if you are in a group with others who help support you, you may be stronger together than you are apart.

The Motivator:

Some people are engines. They get groups started and keep them moving at a solid pace. These are the people who set goals for themselves and encourage others, then blow past goals without even thinking.

The Idea Generator:

Years ago, I asked some writing students to help come up with ideas for some short films. In a class of 20 students, I got several excellent ones, but soon I noticed that almost all of them came from one person, an author named Dan Wells, who has since become famous. He just has a gift for great story ideas, for seeing interesting situations that others don’t recognize. He recognizes ideas that are stale and finds those that are fresh and exciting.

The Storyteller:

The storyteller is someone who envisions how to instantly transform a good idea into an original story. Not only does this person have deep insights into the human condition and understand character motivations, they understand the possibilities with stories. When a character is confronted with a problem, the storyteller sees a dozens ways that the protagonist could try to resolve that problem, and of course how those attempts could be hilarious, heartbreaking, or revelatory.

The Stylist:

This person has a love for words on a micro level and an ear for poetic diction—for meter and internal rhyme. This is the kind of person who might be moved to tears by metaphors or who quickly recognizes a sentence that is not right for a character’s voice or a word that has the wrong connotations. I’m not sure why, but many great stylists seem to be terrible storytellers—and vice versa.

The Professor:

The professor knows everything. He or she is like Norm on the television show “Cheers.” Want to know a little about Acadian languages? Ask Norm. Want to know the seven types of Chinese unicorns? Ask Norm.

The Accountant:

The accountant is a person who recognizes opportunities to make money with writing, who is always searching for ways to publish in new formats or to win awards or be first to publish in a new magazine. They may be great time managers, too.

I think that I’ll stop here. You may see other interesting character types that you need in a writing group. For example, I think that every writing group needs a bailiff—someone to maintain order and, if necessary, throw out a person who is disruptive or not performing. Maybe every group needs a priest, too, to help settle disputes and heal fragile egos.

The thing is, a group need not be large. You could one of those rare writers who is a solitary genius, but more likely you will find that others are great help. You might be an exceptional stylist, for example, and find that Lucy’s input is still valuable.

In other words, I suspect that nearly all of us would be better off in small, manageable groups. It’s easy for a good group to grow too large, so that writers are critiquing manuscripts instead of creating new ones. In Apex, we have a large group of people from all over their world, but many of our writers are finding, for example that they are doing well in smaller groups that meet for brainstorming sessions or writing sprints or to critique manuscripts. All of those are really worthwhile.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you notice a kind of person who fills an interesting role in a writing group, send me an email to [email protected]. Much appreciated!

Our Apex writing group is about to enter its first year and is expanding. I’ve seen tremendous growth in several writers who finally have written books--one person finishing a first novel after twelve years. Another writer finishing and publishing eleven novels this past year. Others have begun to win awards, hit bestseller lists, and receive rave reviews.

If you’re a coal that would like to share some warmth come join us at www.apex-writers.com.

https://mystorydoctor.com/david-farlands-writing-tips-heating-up/

#creative writing tips #writrblr #writr

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softowlhours · 4 years

Text

by the lakeside

bokuto koutarou(horror!AU)

it should’ve been the perfect summer getaway. you were both in need of some down time away from your busy careers. but things get a little eerie when there’s a voice in your head that isn’t yours and you find out that you’re not alone in that pristine white house on the hill.

genre: horror, angst, fluff if you squint

tw: descriptions of drowning, asphyxiation, strangulation. suggestive sexual situations.

a/n: i promise i’ll proofread this later and also write an epilogue but until then please enjoy this story it took me way longer than necessary to write. i’ve read it so many times that i don’t find it scary anymore. but i hope you do! :)

word count: 6k

my body feels like an empty shell sometimes, a carcass I am dragging around. when I look into the mirror I don’t recognise myself. i don’t recognise him, either.

∷ ∷ ∷ ∷

bokuto’s hair gleams silver in the glorious morning light. wind blows through your own strands as you zip past the lush green meadows. you could see the sheep dotted on the grassy planes like puffs of pure white clouds. far away, there stood giant mountains. their high peaks looked like they were breaching the baby blue ceiling of the sky. you only notice your gorgeous surroundings with half a mind, because your eyes keep trailing back to the man besides you. you admire his profile, the sharp slope of his nose, the chiselled cheek bones and jaw line. you zero in on the plush of his lips and it is then that you notice his teasing grin.

‘admiring the view?’ he asks.

‘mhmm. a sight for my sore eyes.’ and he truly is. your gaze drops a little lower. his toned chest peeks from where the buttons of his shirt have come undone. his biceps flex and strain against the fabric as he manoeuvres the steering wheel. he looks like a movie star, straight out of the golden age of film. the red vintage convertible he drives only adds on to your day dream. you can’t help but feel like a heroine starring in your own block buster romance. heat rises to the tip of his ears and the back of his neck at your shameless appraisal. bokuto notices the way lust is barely concealed on your face. he fucking loved the way you looked at him, like he was the guiding star you were always attuned to. the one for whom you’d always search for in an endless night sky.

‘your eyes are sore from staring at your computer screen all day everyday.’ he ignores your attempts at flirting, and instead addresses what has been eating away at his mind lately. he’s been worried about you. you often called him out for pushing himself to the point of breaking when it came to volleyball. but, you never noticed how you were inclined to do the same when it came to you own work; buried under papers and ink, day after day as your work ethic kept you confined to your study room. you being a best selling author, him a pro volleyball player; you truly were the power couple worthy of everyone’s envy and admiration, but your lives could get stressful at times.

‘kou, I’m sorry ‘m dragging you away from your routine. the game season starts in two months. you should be hitting some balls right now.’ you withdraw your hand, and he instantly misses your touch. you appear a little crestfallen as you opt to idly fiddle with the lace bordering your sundress.

‘hey,’ his voice is silky, tone slightly chastising. ‘don’t apologise. this was my idea anyways. we need some time away. from everything.’

‘you know that,’ he continues, ‘i’ll never be too busy for you, right? it makes me feel lonely when you just withdraw from me... shut me out.’ his face eyebrows furrow a little. ‘for you I’ll always carve out time.’

bokuto had a way with words that always left you stupefied. they weren’t embellished and gaudy, like yours. all you ever did was spin fairy tales. Yes they were beautiful, but they were also false. unlike you, he always spoke from his heart, and you wonder if that was why his sentiments without fail reached others.

‘oi- don’t fall asleep.’

‘i’m not sleeping!’ you snap out of your reverie. ‘i’m sorry i… never realised you’d feel that way’ puffing out a sigh, you lean back lazily on the leather seat. ‘i haven’t been feeling much inspiration lately, and when i do write i just hate every word of it.’

‘maybe I should retire,’ you muse. ‘never write a word again. let people remember me as the genius author I’m not.’

‘but you are a genius writer!’ bokuto insists. ‘give it a fifty years and they’ll be teaching your work as a part of the curriculum. i’ve never read anything better!’

‘that’s because you rarely read!’

‘i am a picky reader,’ bokuto shrugs, cocking an eyebrow as he looks at you haughtily. ‘so congratulations that your writing actually piqued my interest.’

snorting, you pinch his thigh.

∷ ∷ ∷ ∷

it’s almost evening by the time you drive past a small sleepy town. the few houses have their curtains drawn. there’s a small supermarket and a polyclinic but you notice how the streets are mainly empty, save for a couple of children who play seven tiles on the roadside. fifteen minutes and more grassy meadows and sheep later, you arrive at what looks like the edge of the world. surely you’re being a little dramatic calling it that, but the road winds up the gentle slope of a hill and on top of it sits a pristine white house. bokuto pulls up the car in front of massive wrought iron gates, a chain holds it shut.

‘okay, but when nori said ‘vacation home’, this is not what I had in mind. Is he actually the heir to a conglomerate or something?’ you observe, definitely appalled.

‘uh- knowing his stingy ass, i’m not sure?’ bokuto sounds and looks puzzled as well, so you know he wasn’t expecting it either. he reconfirms the address konoha had messaged him. ‘do we climb the gates? because he never gave me a key or anything. he said the place has a caretaker who’d-’

‘how can I help?’

your heart leaps to your throat, and both you and bokuto snap your heads to your left to look at a man who stands on bokuto’s side of the car. neither of you had seen him approaching and it was as if he were a magician, materialising out of thin air. old, sinewy and dressed sharply in a suit, he’s hunching to be at your eye levels. upon closer look the fabric of his clothes looked worn out and they fray at the edges. his hair is slicked back and he wears gold rimmed spectacles, its lenses the shape of half moons. his smile is serene, demeanour dignified but there’s shrewdness in his tone.

‘um- hi.’ bokuto greets recovering first. ‘i am konoha’s friend. i assume you’ve been expecting us?’

a beat passes.

‘indeed. allow me to show you around.’

bokuto parks the car under a shed close to the gates and you walk down the stretch of the garden. it is immaculately kept, and roses of all colours bloom neatly in rows. a giant sycamore tree stands close to the house, its branches brushing the roof. when you stand on the porch of the house the gate seems miles away. bokuto wraps an arm around your waist and pulls you close to his side. he sneaks a soft kiss under your left ear as the caretaker opens up the door for you.

the inside of the house is splendidly furnished and it leaves you awestruck. simple but gorgeous, a modern castle of sorts. a cream colored leather sofa sits in the centre of the living room, the rug in front of it is white and fluffy. There is a box television- the kinds popular decades ago, and you wonder if it actually works or if it’s just for show. the chandelier above is a million crystals and an open kitchen makes up the far end of the living room. a stair case winds its way up. but, what truly catches your eye are the massive french doors which open up to the stretch of a green lawn. calling it a backyard would be a bit inadequate; for the trimmed grass meets the surface of a great lake, its water like molten lava reflecting the evening sky. you can see the outline of ducks waddling away, probably on their way home. the lake stretches out for almost a mile and after that you see nothing but the thicket of the woods. it is almost the end of july, so while the days are warm, the temperatures tend to dip quite a bit at night. you shiver a little and snuggle closer into bokuto’s side. the caretaker, in his monotonous voice, explains to you how your room shall be upstairs, the one to the right. there were four other rooms which were mostly empty and locked for the sake of easy maintenance. you tune him out when he moves on to the instructions regarding the heating and locking systems.

you’re entranced by the house, and standing there in its magnanimity you feel like you’ve been drawn into a picture book. you can imagine breakfasts every morning on the front porch. afternoons spent lolling on the grass besides the lake. you would keep a vase filled with freshly cut roses from the garden, in the centre of the kitchen table. spend the nights sitting in front of the fire place when winter laid its thick blanket of white snow outside. your high flying careers felt like a distant dream. your laptop back home could collect all the dust it wanted to. you could just stay here forever wrapped up in each others arms.

i’m lonely. i hate how you’re always away from home because of volleyball.

bokuto notices your distant look , the slightest way your lips are set in a grimace. it tugs on his heartstrings. makes it difficult for him to breathe.

bringing his mouth close to your ear, he whispers your name bringing you out of your head. you blink, biting back the ugly realisation that had just intruded your brain. you had never felt that way before, you had forced yourself not to. it was long ago when you had decided that you’d never make him choose between you and volleyball. or maybe that loneliness was something you’d always felt. but because you were afraid of it; you had hidden it under your skin, in between your bones.

if i could, i’d steal you away and keep you all to myself. in a cage just for me and you.

too afraid that he’ll somehow read your mind, you step away from him, disoriented by the venomous voice of your subconscious as you look around for the old man.

‘he left while you were zoning out, princess. said he’s going home.’ he pulls your back against his chest, long fingers begin snaking up a well known trail up your thighs. your cute little sundress does little to stop him. ‘he’ll be back by noon tomorrow, to tend to the garden and all that.’ bokuto speaks in between the kisses he’s placing along the side of your neck. ‘apparently, he lives in that town we drove by earlier.’

‘mhmm.’

‘want to live in a house like this someday.’ he asks you, his voice hushed. you rest your head back on his chest, as love and lust pools in your stomach and clouds your thoughts.

i’m scared someday you’ll leave me behind.

“me. you. maybe a dog. maybe… children?” he continues and your eyes widen at that.

‘you want all that?’

‘with you? yes I want everything. i’ll take everything that you can give me.’

liar.

you turn around and pull bokuto into a heated kiss. his chapped lips meld into yours and your teeth clack a little from the suddenness of your movement. by now it is completely dark outside and the living room is dimly lit by a lamp. bokuto seems unaware, too lost in you to be notice space and time. but, a weird sensation surrounds you. you feel the whisper of a cool breeze, a murmur disturbing the stillness of the house. with one hand, bokuto cups your behind. the fingers of his other rake through your hair. it’s a buzz now, like a thousand bees hovering over your heads. you feel dazed, you’re needy, you’re confused.

there’s someone else here. the two of you are not alone.

‘ow,’ you yelp in pain.

bokuto jumps away from you, but his hands are badly tangled in your hair.

‘I told you to tie your hair in the car!’ he is laughing. ‘it’s a nest in here!’

the buzzing dies down. the silence that follows is deafening. you wonder if you’re delusional with the lack of sleep.

as bokuto carefully weaves his fingers out he places a chaste kiss on the little crease in between your eyebrows. he finds you so cute, it physically hurts him.

‘don’t worry, babygirl,’ his voice drops a few octaves. ‘windswept looks sexy on you.’

∷ ∷ ∷ ∷

later that night as you are lie under the drapes and canopies, you notice how the bedroom is much like the rest of the house- fit for royalty. bokuto snores softly, but you lie awake with your head on his chest. his heartbeat is a mind-numbing rhythm. a thin sheet of sweat covers your bodies and you try to ignore the wetness in between your legs. you should probably change the sheets as well, but your body refuses to move and you don’t know where to find any new ones. sleep evades you so you let Bokuto’s question roll around in your mind. a forever with him. of course you would say yes. there was nothing more that you wanted than that. but the dread from earlier which you had managed to keep at bay with lust, slowly begins to resettle in the pit of your stomach.

he promises you an eternity now, but he’ll leave you behind soon.

you somehow clamber out of bed, making sure not to awaken bokuto. picking up his shirt from where it lies on floor, you put it on. the bedroom has identical doors from the living room, made of glass, and they open onto a small balcony. you draw open the lacey curtains and step out into the chilly night air. the sight that awaits you makes you gasp. a fine mist rolls over the water, but the lake itself is still. its surface is like taut cellophane. beyond the lake where the woods begin, it is pitch black darkness and you cannot tell where the woods meet the moonless sky. it’s a new moon night, but where you expect to see the stars is an empty hollowness. its eerily silent. too silent. no insects trill. no wind blows. you stare intently into the water for so long that you swear you see something lurking just underneath its surface. the mist that hovers slowly inches towards the house, coiling like endless bony fingers.

that pool of velvety darkness, i wonder what it’d feel like against my skin.

come to me then. feel it for yourself. your voice, no, her voice purrs.

you whirl around to see bokuto. he’s standing a feet away from you, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

‘whoah! easy,’ bokuto exclaims, surprised by your jumpiness. no way it had been him who had spoken moments ago. ‘what are you doing outside?’ he asks. ‘i nearly got a heart attack when I saw someone standing out here.’

you look back towards the lake, and you’re utterly confused. the mist seems to have instantly vanished. you can even hear the water now, softly undulating. it appears akin to a creased sheet of silk.

had you been hallucinating? dreaming with your eyes open?

you fight down the growing panic and instead walk over to him, squishing his cheeks. you softly kiss his pout. ‘aww. baby’s scared?’ you coo.

he grumbles something about you catching a cold but tugs you inside and you decide to let it all go. you’re tired and tomorrow will be a new day.

had you turned around, you’d notice how the stars were glittering like cold hard gems in the night sky.

∷ ∷ ∷ ∷

you were pleasantly lazing about in the sun. the lake was a glittering blue and the woods looked benign during the day. they weren’t as dense as they appeared to be in the absence of light. from where you lay, the house looks like an entity of its own. imposing and regal. bokuto is dressed casually in a t-shirt and sweatpants as he plays around witha volleyball, tossing and spiking it all by his lonely self. you didn’t remember seeing him pack a volleyball, but then again somehow he always seemed to miraculously have a one at his disposal. today, he hasn’t gelled his hair up in its usual style, so it flops onto his forehead in a way you wished he’d leave it more often.

‘y/n! nice receive!’ he hollers at you.

he spikes the ball aiming straight for your stomach and you somehow manage to block his assault. thank god he hadn’t used a quarter of the strength he usually puts into his spikes.

your strong and annoying man.

‘you trying to murder me or what?’

he pulls you up to your feet. ‘i’ll be teaching you how to spike, drama queen. it’s insane how you’ve been with me for all these years and haven’t learnt a thing or two about volleyball. people would die for a one on one training session with me.’ he brags as he fetches the ball from where it had rolled off to.

you try to copy his motions, but what he can effortlessly pull off is an impossible feat for you. you send the ball upwards and jump as you try to match your timing to spike it. but before you can hit the ball it lands on your head.

bokuto is losing his shit, doubling over with laughter. and you try to look angry but end up giggling with him.

‘i give up!’ you complain. plus my boobs jiggle since i’m not wearing a sports bra,’

‘babe, thats kinda the point!’ he beams.

a perfect spike lands on his face.

‘owww, that’s foul play, y/n! ’ he yells. rubbing his nose, he walks over to you.

‘you should be punished!’ he scolds you, but places a kiss on your temple. his hands wander downwards to unzip your dress. he lets it fall to the ground. you know where this is headed. you think he’s going to kiss you so you close your eyes and lean towards him but before you can react, he’s bending down and suddenly you’re being lifted. he has you over his shoulders and your peals of laughter warm his heart. he hadn’t heard that sound in a while.

bokuto marches straight into the lake and dumps you in. the water is cool and refreshing, just as you had imagined it. it’s shallow enough so you’re chest deep in the water when your feet are planted at the bottom. his body glistens with dampness, hair a floppy wet mess. he was so beautiful, that even though it was irrational you felt a little bit shy. you’re splashing each other with water, the atmosphere’s light and bubbly with amusement. bokuto tries to catch you but you slip out of his reach. he is being his loud and dramatic self as he falls face down into the water, complaining as he comes up with his eyes screwed shut.

‘i swear i’d rather be blinded by your beauty than this water.’

you shake you head, feigning disdain and then you’re swimming away from him, towards the safety of the house. it must almost be noon, and you vaguely remember its time for the care taker to come around. you did not want to be seen in your wet underwear. bokuto calls out to you, apologising. there is water in your ears, it laps all around you as you swim. it dulls all sound and every other sense until the only thing you hear is your thumping heart. when you come up for air, you can see the blue sky, when your face is in the water you can see the stones and pebbles littering the bottom.

but, when you come up for air again, the sky is overcast. laden with dense gray clouds.

the water runs icy, lead flows through your veins. your body is sinking like a ship. it feels like you’re trying to move through viscous jelly. when you try to pull up for air you cannot break through, the surface traps you like its the cellophane you remember seeing the night before. a tight grip on your waist, abruptly pulls you under. your flailing hands try to grasp at nothing in particular. you wonder if its bokuto just messing around, but you know it isn’t. you don’t feel his presence anywhere. your fingers suddenly entangle into something. your eyes burn when you try to open them and look. jet black strands of hair, a bone white face, a mouth that is open like a gaping wound. you scream and nothing but gurgles and air bubbles escape you. you try to pull back but your hands are stuck in the weedlike hair. Funny you think of the evening before, when bokuto’s fingers had entangled in your messy hair the same way.

‘kou…koutaro!’ you try calling for him. you hear your disembodied voice, feel the water flood your mouth, your nose. but you feel all alone with that woman straight out of nightmares. fear has you in its grip, your minds a mush.

you hate him so damn much. you hate him, you hate him, you HATE him. a voice repeats the same words in your head. you wonder if it sounds like your own or someone else’s. you cannot tell the two apart.

you feel a hand wrap around your arm, its large and warm and it feels like home. as it drags you out of the water the ashen face seems to quiver and distort. her eyes flicker open. they roll in their sockets but when they fixate on you, you see eyes just like your own. but they are transparent like marbles; burning with betrayal and accusation.

∷ ∷ ∷ ∷

you wake up with a start to screams piercing the air. they are shrill and blood curdling. your hands are on your ears as you try to block out the sound but it only gets louder. it takes you a moment to realise that the screaming had been you. bokuto holds you in his arms, you can feel him shaking underneath your palms that grapple at his back.

he’s crying.

no! why is your bokuto crying? you pull away a little just enough to look at him, but the way his features are twisted in melancholy punctures a hole through your heart.

‘y/n, babe… babe,’ his lips quiver stealing away speech but he forces himself to speak. ‘ i looked everywhere in the water but I couldn’t find you. you were swimming and then you just stopped. i thought you were fooling around but you were down there for too long. so i come over but... I couldn’t see you anywhere at first. i panicked! holy shit... i was panicking.’ he shifts away from you, an arms length away. leaning back on the sofa, he stares up at the ceiling. ‘You weren’t even struggling, just stopped moving. Do you remember what happened?’ bokuto drags a hand down his face. he’s visibly distressed.

‘i don’t know what happened,’ you croack. ‘it felt like I was stuck. my feet wouldn’t come lose. as if someone was there with me in the water, holding me down…’ a sob escapes you.

bokuto pales a little at your description. but there had been no one but the two of you in the water. hell he hadn’t even seen any fishes.

he had pulled you under in the first place hadn’t he. there’s no one here but the two of you.

you remember not being alone in the water. you remember the heaviness. but nothing else.

bokuto opens his mouth to say something, but you cannot concentrate. the urge is too strong. before you can think, before you can answer. you are bending over and puking your guts out.

∷ ∷ ∷ ∷

you spend the rest of the day, clinging to bokuto. and he doesn’t mind. he seems to be craving that constant feeling of your skin on his. something to remind him that you were okay, that you were here now. he makes his way around the kitchen with you stuck to him like a little koala.

“sit down on that chair just for a minute, y/n. i can’t find the plates!” he tries to loosen your chokehold on him but you only tighten it and bokuto booms out a laugh.

‘i swear you’re lucky you’re cute.”

‘just consider this weight training.’

bokuto had put together a light meal. you reckoned you’d be unable to stomach anything too heavy.

‘we were supposed to be having fun. i feel like i’ve ruined everything.’ you mumble gloomily. you’re sitting on the chairs you pulled up around the kitchen island. a make shift dining table.

‘it’s okay. its enough to just be together.’

‘oh no been away from you for a five whole minutes.’ your expression is of mock worry as you rush over onto his lap. you immediately bury your head in the crook of his neck, his familiar scent calms you down. he chuckles at your antics.

‘do you think we can just go home?’ you ask apprehensively, still feeling bad about having spoilt your perfect little getaway. ‘i don’t feel like staying here anymore.’

‘sure, baby girl .’ bokuto replies in a heartbeat, and you wonder if he feels the same unease in remaining here any longer.

‘we can leave tomorrow morning.’ he suggests. ‘it might be a bit too late to leave now. plus, caretaker-san didn’t even show up today.’

‘is it okay to just leave?,’ you ask.

from where bokuto sits on the dining table in the kitchen, he can see the doors in the living room that open up to the porch. it’s around three in the afternoon. the weather was beginning to turn awfully gloomy.

clouds slowly fill the sky eclisping the sun that had shined all day. it leaves everything in shades of gray.

∷ ∷ ∷ ∷

you wake up alone in bed. the remnants of an eerie dream still lingers in your mind. you had been combing your hair, which was unusually thick, dark and long. you kept brushing the silky smooth strands, on and on and on, until they started coming loose in your hands. shuddering as you recall it, you turn around to see the wall clock read nine p.m. where was kou? at some point you had fallen asleep although you did not remember coming upstairs to the bedroom. he must’ve carried you from where you and him had been lying on the sofa downstairs, idly chatting.

your body is still heavy with exhaustion but you force yourself to sit up. hearing the water running in the bathroom, you call out to bokuto. ‘kou?’ you pad your way over to the bathroom. when you open the door there is no one inside. water drips from from a leaky tap into an empty bath tub. strange. where had the sound been coming from then?

you find yourself mesmerised by your reflection in the mirror right across from you. when you step inside the bathroom, the tiles are dry and frigid underneath your feet. the lights are off, however, the bathroom is faintly lit up by the light filtering in from the frosted windows. the bags under your eyes are dark and puffy, your lips look ashen. you look like you had lost a tonne of weight over the span of the past few hours. tracing a finger along the outline of your reflection, you notice how your eyes were a forlorn abyss. hollow like the dead.

mine. stay with me. don’t leave me alone. a voice whispers to you and you listen, enchanted.

you see the corners of your lips quirk up in your reflection. your expression twists into that of deranged happiness.

so, you’ll stay?

you don’t feel the smile on your face.

you’re backing away slowly. a scream dies in your throat.

that isn’t you. it’s her.

you’re running full speed out of the bathroom and you make it just in time as the door slams shuts behind you. the edge of your thin white slip gets caught in between but you yank it loose with enough force. bursting out of the room like a bat out of hell you’re hurtling downstairs. you have to look for bokuto. you must leave. now!

you’re me, i am you. he doesn’t love you, so just stay with me. I’m lonely.

you try to call out to bokuto but you cannot find your voice.

and then you see him. sitting on the sofa. the relief you feel is momentary. the old television is on, and the screen is grainy with static but bokuto’s eyes are intent on it. he’s still as if he were carved out of stone. he doesn’t acknowledge your presence just keeps staring ahead with an owlish gaze. you place a shaky hand on his shoulder and he finally turns to look at you.

his eyes that usually are like pools of golden honey are dark and murky like cheap kerosene. his features are sharper, more cunning. a devil in your lover’s skin. the mist outside thickens, appearing as if they were pale white walls surrounding the house.

i told you to just stay with me. you should’ve stayed with me in that cool dark water.

he doesn’t love you, i do.

suddenly bokuto is stalking towards you, his movements hypnotic like that of a panther, sinuously fluid, predatory. a feral look glints in those foreign eyes. he slams you against the nearest wall, his hands tightening over your neck. your head meets the hard surface with a thud. those large arms that have always felt like home suddenly feel empty and cold like a prison cell.

you’re just a prisoner in his cage. he doesn’t love you like I will.

black spots fill your vision, as your air supply is slowly being cut off. ‘kou- please don’t.’ you whimper. a flicker of recognition flashes through those eyes, but the grip around your neck only tightens. ‘kou-’ you call again softly. tears fall freely down your face. your hands go limp by your sides and in the process you knock over a vase that had been on table besides you. it falls to the marble floor with an obnoxious crash. the ceramic splinters into a hundred pieces. bokuto’s eyes widen and the darkness from his face lifts. it is as if a thick patch of clouds obscuring the moon had drifted past, letting its pure light fall to the earth once again. he’s your bokuto once again.

horror struck he lets go of your neck and catches a glimpse of the angry red fingerprints left behind like a morbid necklace. you collapse to the ground.

a door bangs shut somewhere in the house, startling you both. bokuto is about to crouch down next to you when suddenly the volume of the television is cranked up. the harsh static sound grates your ears, like a drawn out growl. there’s thumping coming from behind every surface of the house- the walls, the floors, the ceilings. every door, every window swings open only to shut back with a bang, over and over until shards of broken glass lie like a carpet all over the floor. the house is alive with the breath of countless souls that live in its every crack and crevice. you both look on with horror as heavy mist begins to pour into the house. bokuto’s teeth chatter with fear, and he tries to get you to stand. he follows your gaze which is fixed to where your bedroom had been. and he sees it then. on the door which opens into the room, there’s a shadow of a woman. he can discern the long straight hair which she combs on and on and on.

‘f-fuck!’ he spits.

he harshly pulls you over his shoulders but transfixed you crane up your neck to continue looking at the shadow. hastily he manages to grab the keys which he had hung on a hook by the main door. the shadow grows darker, more defined as if whoever it belonged to was coming closer. he feels you struggling and you scream to be let down.the main door to the house is already open so with one last glance at the chaos behind, you are both bolting out of the house.

‘y/n, run! to the car. hurry, hurry, hurry!’ he shuts the door, hoping it would buy you some time. he’s not really sure what he’d just seen or what any of it meant. but thinking would come later. he grabs your hand as you start the mad dash across the front garden. you notice despite your compromised vision due to the mist, how the roses look wilted. the grounds gooey and wet underneath, and your feet sink into the soft mud making movement sluggish. but you don’t stop. moments later, the door behind you flings open with enough force that it comes loose from its hinges. the whole house seems to be angry.

come back here.

don’t leave me alone.

an overgrown root coils around your calf and yanks you back. your hand slips out of bokuto’s and he turns around, horrified, to see you being dragged into the ground. like you were falling into quicksand.

‘hold on to my arm,’ bokuto bellows, ‘and just don’t. let. go!’

the circulation in your leg is being cut off and you cry in pain. you can feel the disgusting way the soft earth keeps parting further to let you in. you want to let go, give in to the struggle. maybe it’d be better to just lie buried here, decomposing till you forget whats fear, whats pain.

your name is rolling off bokuto’s tongue like a chant. his muscles burn with strain. the sweat and slick makes his grip on you weak and he notices how you’re letting go. he reads the resignations on your face. but why are you letting go? why are you trying to leaving him alone?

bokuto loses his footing and falls backwards and almost loses you, but he manages to interlock your fingers. he’s grunting with effort, and roars with frustration when it doesn’t seem to be working. it is then when you see the blood covering his feet, the glass splinters buried deep into his soles. in your haste to get away you never noticed how he had walked all over the shards with you over his shoulder. the ache in your heart swells. you know he’d never leave you behind. it was the two of you, or none of you who’d make it alive out of here.

the thought of bokuto buried deep into the ground, lips blue and crusted with mud gives you a renewed conviction. with the last spurts of energy you hold tight onto bokuto’s arm with one hand. the other digs into where you find soft but solid ground. you attempt to claw your way out and fight the drag of the noose around you ankle that tries to pull you in the opposite direction. away from bokuto. bokuto is inching backwards, his voice hoarse with all that screaming as he does his utmost to haul you out.

rain begins to pour in heavy cascades even though there hadn’t been a single cloud in the obsidian sky. and suddenly you feel earth’s hold on you go slack. bokuto and your efforts come to fruition as your foot comes loose and you tumble straight on top of bokuto’s body. but its too early to celebrate. a loud thunderclap spurs you both into action and you run and run, fighting the burn in your lungs until you reach the car. bokuto, is grateful, infinitely grateful that the keys had remained in his pockets during that struggle. he hands you the keys and with no time to waste you’re running to the car, afraid that something inauspicious might happen again if you didn’t hurry. bokuto notices with relief that the iron gates are not chained shut like they had been upon your arrival, and with some effort he swings them open. bokuto clambers into the passenger seat and you floor the gas as you drive straight out of the gates, into a calm quiet night.

it takes you a moment to notice that the rain had stopped.

∷ ∷ ∷ ∷

the two of you are covered in dirt, in blood. absolutely shattered with exhaustion. bokuto finally feels the pain that had been dampened by adreneline. it now ignites like an inferno. he almost tears his lip trying to bite back a whimper. in the rear view mirror, you catch a glimpse of the house. it looks regal and imposing, as it had when you’d first arrived. you can see the dimly lit bedroom, the curtains billowing gently in a slight breeze. the glass on the doors is intact. the garden is immaculate once again and you can see patches of soft grass spread out where the mud had almost eaten you up alive just a few moments ago. a shaky laugh escapes Bokuto, and before you know it, feeling delirious, you’re laughing with him.

bokuto’s phone rings and the sound cuts short your hysteria. with some effort he retrieves it from the dashboard where he’d left it two days ago. he had planned on not letting anything distract him from you on this short getaway. he puts it on loudspeaker.

‘they picked up!’ you hear Konoha say to someone and the collective sighs of relief are audible.

‘dude, where have you both been? we’ve been calling you all day. ms. nakamura told me that you never made it to my vacation home?’

‘ms. nakamura?’ bokuto rasps.

‘yeah, the caretaker I told you about?’

‘the caretaker was a man!’ you snatch the phone with from bokuto with one hand while other remains on the steering wheel. you’re yelling at the receiver like a mad woman. ‘we came to your villa, but that man opened the gates. listen, there’s something wrong with the house and lake behind it is-’

‘what lake? there are only corn fields behind my house. which is, by the way, a traditional japanese one. where the fuck have you both been?!’

you and bokuto look at each other in confusion, and you hit the brakes. you glance back at the house which is now far, far away. if you squint your eyes you can see the outline of a man at the gates. the lamp in his hand glows golden like a distant star.

a woman’s shadow is dark and lonely against the delicate lace of the bedroom’s curtains.

#bokuto koutarou x reader #bokuto x reader #bokuto koutarou #bokuto #haikyuu!!#haikyuu imagines #haikyuu scenarios #haikyuu!! x reader #haikyuu x reader #hq!!#hq #haikyuu angst #bokuto angst #bokuto fluff #bokuto imagines #hq scenarios #hq imagines #haikyuu fluff

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galaxysweeper · 4 years

Text

Can we talk about Wilt?

Specifically like, his backstory, in Good Wilt Hunting. I didn’t notice when I was younger but having been through the ringer a couple times since then, I realized that. Oh my god, Wilt nearly killed himself.

This ended up being super long but I can’t bring myself to cut it down so Wilt feels under the cut. I recap the episode and then rant a lot about Wilt’s mental state.

The Episode

For those who don’t quite remember, let me refresh your memory. Good Wilt Hunting starts with an event at Foster’s where adults come to revisit their friends from their childhood. The main cast reconnect with their kids but Wilt is visibly uncomfortable, avoiding Mac and Bloo’s questions about where his creator is and hiding in the house. That night, he leaves without telling anyone and the gang go on a trip to get him back.

It turns out that Wilt was made by a kid named Jordan Micheal (sound familiar?) who really wanted to be great at basketball. One day, another kid with his imaginary friend challenged Wilt and Jordan to a game. The other friend, named Foul Larry, was overly forceful the whole game, and nearly crushed Jordan. Wilt shoved Jordan out of the way and, in doing so, got his arm crushed and eye destroyed. They lost the game and Wilt left without another word, feeling as though he had been a bad friend and failed his kid.

Through the episode, Wilt makes a bunch of detours to help other people and cringes every time someone calls him a good friend because he feels like he’s tricking them in some way. At the end, he challenges Foul Larry to another game, and when Larry does the same move that injured him the first time, Wilt jumps in the way, leaving himself to be completely squished by the move in an attempt to block the ball. Jordan, now a professional basketball player, pulls him out of the way and explains to Wilt that the experience had shown him that friendship was more important than winning and invites Wilt to come live with him. Wilt refuses, on the grounds that some other kid out there might need him some day, and chooses to stay at Foster’s.

The Analysis

Most kids leave their friends because they outgrow them. Wilt left his out of shame and a feeling of failure. This fundamentally changed who he was as a person. His biggest trait is being a doormat to those around him and apologizing all the time. He goes out of his way to be the best and most helpful person ever in an attempt to make up for what he “did” to his own kid. Even then, he feels like a fraud, like he’s somehow “bad” at his core, and all of the nice things he does are lies and that he’s tricking his friends into believing he’s someone he’s not. This is classic impostor syndrome.

Wilt’s been at Foster’s for 30 years, the longest out of anyone of the main characters. He’s repeatedly said to have been one of the most helpful, being named “Friend of the Month” countless times, helping everyone as much as he can, even at cost to himself (When There’s A Wilt, There’s A Way). He’s been manipulated, taken advantage of, even sent to jail, and that’s only in the time with Mac. He’s done all of this and taken so many hits for people and yet, he still thinks it’s all a lie. He still harbors intense guilt about his original kid, feeling that he failed to do the biggest thing that an imaginary friend is supposed to do - Be there for their kid no matter what. He saved his kid’s life that day but he can only focus on the fact that he let the kid down by losing the game.

In one day, Wilt lost his arm, eye, kid, and all of his self esteem. No matter how sad it made him, he self-flagellated by leaving the kid despite not even talking to him after the game. In Good Wilt Hunting, he does this again, leaving Foster’s in the middle of the night without telling anyone he’s leaving, where he’s going, or even saying goodbye. We see that a lot of imaginary friends have abandonment issues, for obvious reasons, and despite this, Wilt thinks he deserves to be abandoned. He’s completely blindsided by the fact that his friends, people who he’s lived with and helped for thirty years, came to look for him.

And, the biggest part. When he almost dies. He was crushed by Larry’s landing the first time and lost an eye and an arm. This time, he jumped in between Larry and the wall that he slammed into and left a hole in. In the show, the moment is accompanied by a screen shake and a loud explosion sound, clearly shown to be a very powerful and dangerous move. When Wilt sees Larry going for the same move, he pauses. His face grows determined. And he jumps between Larry and the wall.

In that moment, Wilt decided that his life was worth less than winning the game.

Being suicidal takes many forms. In some people, it manifests as active attempts on their lives. In others, it shows up as extreme disregard for your own well-being. It can be crashing your car into a tree on purpose or making the choice not to wear your seat belt because you don’t care what happens if you crash.

All the self-sacrifice we see throughout the series peaks in this moment. Every time that Wilt thinks “helping my friends is more important than watching a game” or “supporting my friends is more important than going to eat” comes to ultimate conclusion that “making it up to my kid is more important than me.”

When Wilt looks at himself, he doesn’t see an incredible, helpful person, who inspires others to become better. He sees a fraud who is desperately trying to make up for his past mistakes even if he never can. Wilt has lived a life all of his own, he’s old enough to be someone’s dad, and he’s spent so much of it thinking that he doesn’t deserve what he has.

No wonder he has such a hard time saying no. The first time he refused to do something, when he refused to score a point instead of save his kid, it changed him, physically and mentally, forever. He can never come back from that. And the episode, “Where There’s A Wilt, There’s A Way”, where at the end, he finally blows up after having missed the game?

Maybe Jordan was playing in that game. Maybe the games were the only time he could see his kid again, all grown now and famous. Maybe it was the luxury he gave himself, knowing that ever if he failed the kid in the end, that pass right there or the free throw near the end, he taught Jordan that. Maybe it was of the only things Wilt could reason to himself that, yeah, he may have messed up, but that? He definitely did that well. That maybe, he did the kid some good after all.

#fosters home for imaginary friends #fhfif #wilt #fhfif wilt #good wilt hunting #long post #fhif #fhif wilt #idk which it is #suicide tw

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capesandshapes · 4 years

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Could I? (Adrienette)

A fanfic partially inspired by the Seven Minutes in Heaven Scene from 13 Going on 30.

When Adrien and Marinette are paired together for a game of seven minutes in heaven, he has a realization about who his classmate really is... and what he’d like to do more than anything else.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Oh come on, Marinette, it’s just a little addition to spice things up!” Chloe proclaimed, her voice tainted with a tone that suggested that it was anything but that. “Sabrina did it.”

It was only through Chloe’s frequent insistence (and the coincidence of fashion week in New York happening to be in full swing that day) that Adrien was allowed to come to the party, but he was already slowly beginning to regret that decision. He was the idiot who’d told Chloe that he wouldn’t come to the party if Alya and Marinette weren’t invited, but if he’d know the turn it would take, he would have just stayed home.

They crowded around a glass bottle on the floor, nearly all of the classmates sitting shoulder to shoulder in a circle as they watched the bottle whir. Marinette had been its newest victim, chosen almost as soon as Sabrina had returned from her stint in the closet with Max. But of course, she had no intention of going down quietly, not to Chloe.

“Sabrina would do anything you ask her to,” Marinette deadpanned, pushing away the bottle. “Besides, I don’t really want to play if--”

“Lila and I came up with the twist, Marinette! Everyone agreed that it was fine, and you chose to play, so…” Chloe pulled her ladybug print sleeping mask from the tip of the bottle, smirking as pink dusted Marinette’s cheeks when she offered it to her. “Go on, put it on.”

To be fair, Marinette had agreed to it, Adrien supposed. Lila and Chloe had suggested putting a spin on seven minutes in heaven, and all members of the party had technically agreed… Though a few were likely swayed by elbows from others. Chloe had squealed in delight when even Marinette had agreed, and Lila and Chloe seemed determined enough that everyone would get a turn, likely hoping that Adrien would end up in the closet with them, but he didn’t like to think of that.

The rules were simple enough:

1.The first person that the bottle lands on has to be blindfolded and wait in the closet for their partner.

2.The partner had to be chosen by an additional spin of the bottle, and there was no butting in on someone else’s time.

3. Upon Alya and Nino’s insistence, and much to Chloe’s dismay, you didn’t have to do anything with the other person in the closet if you didn’t want to. But, Lila had declared, you could not, under any circumstances, leave before those seven minutes were up.

Adrien supposed that Marinette didn’t think she would end up having to wear the mask. Unfortunately, Marinette hadn’t had the foresight to realize that, for the most part, Chloe was a well-practiced bottle spinner. Chloe’d played these games too often to lose, he supposed.

“Come on, Marinette,” Chloe stated with a mock pout, “You wouldn’t wanna be a party pooper, would you?”

“It’s just a little fun,” Lila said with a grin.

Marinette opened her mouth to speak, but Alya interrupted her before she could get a word out. “Girl, it’ll be fine, I promise,” she said, placing her hand on Marinette’s shoulder. “I’ll spin for Marinette. We wouldn’t want anyone to think things were getting a little unfair, would we?”

“What?!” Chloe exclaimed, “But I’ve done it the whole time! Besides that, even if it were to fall on someone a bit more interesting, wouldn’t that make the game a little bit more fun?” Chloe made no effort to hide her pointed stare at Nathaniel from across the circle, likely figuring that she could embarrass both him and Marinette through making him sit in the closet with his ex-crush.

“Alya’s got a wicked spin,” Nino began, “no one will know where it’s going to land.”

Chloe faltered but finally gave in when Adrien found his voice, irritation coating her features at his response, “I think it’s a good idea, things were getting a little… predictable?”

“Ugh, fine,” Chloe responded, slamming the bottle down on the floor, “get in the closet, Marinette.”

*****

After Sabrina had returned from escorting Marinette to the closet the group reformed their circle, Nino placing his hands on Alya’s shoulders as she leaned forward to spin the bottle much like a seasoned gambler would. “One good spin,” She proclaimed, her teeth biting down hard on her lip. Something about the ridiculous, over the top action made Adrien chuckle.

And then the bottle was off, each student’s face changing as the top briefly pointed in their direction before moving onto the next person. Nino did not lie; Alya had a truly wicked spin. Chloe and Lila scrunched their eyes shut and crossed their fingers as the bottle flew, Sabrina following suit.

And then… it slowed to a stop.

“Nino!” Chloe proclaimed, immediately reach to snatch the bottle up, as if the rest of the class somehow hadn’t seen it already.

“Um… No, dude.” Nino said, trying to protect the bottle from Chloe’s grasp but instead finding his hand squeezed into place. Beside him, Alya’s eyes widened as she took a sharp breath, not releasing it as her head swiveled around to face Adrien.

“Oh!” Adrien found himself blinking in confusion as he looked down at the bottle pointing to him, “it’s me.”

“You know, I really am tired of this game,” Lila quickly declared.

“It’s fine,” Adrien immediately replied, relief overtaking him when he realized that it was just him going into the closet with Marinette. He couldn’t live within himself if something happened to Marinette, especially at a party that he’d practically invited her and Alya to.

Still, there was something strange about the way Alya reacted, or how most of the girls seemed to perk up as the bottle landed. Even Nino looked a little pleased.

“It’s just seven minutes, right?” Adrien asked with a smile as he stood up from the circle. “I’d spend seven minutes with Marinette any day.”

*****

Alya escorted Adrien to the closet quickly, with Chloe and Lila trailing behind the two as they tried and failed to convince them that the game should be over by now. It’s unceremonious the way Alya opened the door and pushes him in, even more so the way she quickly whispered, “have fun,” into his ear. But the door closed behind him all the same, leaving him to stare at the door. Suddenly he was alone with Marinette.

“Hello?” Her voice called out as he stared at the wood, suddenly finding himself without words. “Is anyone in here?” She asked, “or did Chloe leave me here alone as a joke?”

“No,” he replied, but his mind was elsewhere. For some strange reason, Marinette sounded different when he wasn’t looking at her, her voice was familiar but he didn’t remember it being hers. “You’re not alone.”

“Oh!” She replied, her voice was light and he could tell she was pleased. “Well, you can sit down. I mean, it’s only seven minutes, so you could stand if you want.” It was strange hearing her speak without a stutter for once, or mixing up her words. Maybe that’s what was confusing him? Marinette continued talking, unaware of how Adrien internally compared her voice with nearly everyone in the class. “I have to admit, this is a bit harder than I thought it would be. I don’t know who you are at all; I think I’m a little voice-blind.”

Adrien couldn’t help but smile in response, slowly sinking down to the ground as he turned to her, “me too, I think I’m a little…” He trailed off, his breath catching in his throat as he finally got a good look at her from the small bits of light that came in from the corners of the door frame.

Oh.

OH.

Had she always looked like that? Had she always sounded like that? Was he going crazy? Maybe her voice had cracked or-- No, that wasn’t a thing that happened to girls, was it?

She looked too much like her, he decided, sitting there in the red and black ladybug mask with those pigtails. There was something about her, the freckles that laid just below her eyes peaking out from under the mask and her lips just looking so… perfect? Dear god, he could almost mistake her for Ladybug.

“Are you okay?” She asked.

He’d heard those words too many times, but never from Marinette’s mouth. Or at least he thought not from Marinette’s mouth.

“No, I’m fine,” Adrien lied, “for a moment you just sounded like another one of my friends.”

“Are we not friends?” Marinette asked, and he could swear he saw her eyebrows narrow in concern.

“No! We are friends…” He flinched at how that word sounded now, how restrictive it was in nature. Without another moment’s hesitation, he selfishly rephrased himself, “I’m your friend.” It was better that way, more honest. Adrien was Marinette’s friend and Ladybug was much more than a friend to Adrien. Simple.

“You’re my friend,” the corners of her lips went up, she didn’t quite catch what the correction meant. “...You sound like someone I know. But, he wouldn’t be at this party.”

“He wouldn’t?” Adrien asked, trying to sound conversational. “I don’t know, you would be surprised, I mean, even Adrien Agreste showed up.” Idiot, he was an idiot.

“He did,” Marinette’s face glowed, “I’m glad he did.” It then occurred to him that the words she had said before were true. She had no idea who was in that closet with her, he was so sure. The only name that she could likely pull… “This is going to sound stupid, but...Has anyone ever told you that you sound like Chat Noir?”

And there it was. Had she always said Chat Noir that way? How much of an idiot was he?

“I’m sorry, I know that was stupid,” Marinette sighed. “Again, I’m not very good at this. At least the time is almost over.”

That didn’t make things better somehow. A million thoughts were racing through Adrien’s head, but somehow the time had been one to escape him. And there she was, for god’s sake! Right in front of him, trying to hold a conversation with him. He had to say something, anything, and quickly.

“I’m sorry, I know I’m kind of boring in situations like this.”

“No!” He started himself with how quickly he responded, the words seeming to just tumble out of his mouth, “you’re not, I just… I… You know, I wish you weren’t wearing a mask right now.” He caught the confused look on her face, and raised his hands in the air innocently as he replied, “I really wish you could see me right now.”

“Why?”

“Because I…” Honesty was the best policy, wasn’t it? How was he supposed to feel as reality began to set in, how was he supposed to approach the realization that had come crashing over his body? “Because I really want to kiss you right now.”

A strangled breath was all that escaped Marinette, her hands balling into fists atop her legs as she grew stiff. If the lights were on he knew he would see her blush, if her masks were off he knew he would see her eyes widen. She struggled for words to reply to him, unknowing that nothing she could say could make this feeling go away in that moment.

He was a stranger, more than that, he was Chat Noir. She already liked someone, and that someone probably wasn’t longtime friend Adrien. He wasn’t an idiot, his father had already told him how the world worked, and Ladybug had already rejected him. Still, he couldn’t help but lean forward, his hand resting slightly upon her cheek as he asked, “could I?”

“Time’s up, Adrikins!” The door flew open before Marinette could respond, and Adrian practically leaped back from her, his face a glowing red. Chloe was the picture of radiance as she held open the door, her sing songy voice declaring, “you can now leave this drabby old closet and go back to the circle.”

Chloe seemed to have a gift for completely ignoring the room, as she somehow managed to ignore Adrian’s mortified expression. Across from him, Marinette had practically clawed off the mask upon the first creak of the door hinges. Blue met green and Adrien could see the humiliation in her eyes, he’d done it, there was no way that Marinette Dupain-Cheng would ever talk to him again.

“Adrien,” Chloe’s voice floated into his ears again as she shoved her perfectly manicured hand in front of his face, “you absolutely have to come, I have a feeling that your next turn is coming up really soon!”

“--I have to go.”

“What?” Chloe asked, her voice louder than the strangle noise that Marinette had made. Did she say Adrien? No, he couldn’t be sure of that.

“I can’t play anymore, Chloe. I have to go home,” he stood up from the ground too quickly, his head whirring from both emotions and the sudden movement. “Thanks for inviting me, though,” common sense was flooding back to him now, and he had already begun to process the huge mistake he’d just made. He couldn’t stay there; not knowing that Marinette was Ladybug, and definitely not knowing that he had stupidly asked to kiss her while knowing that she was in love with another boy.

No, his seven minutes of heaven were up.

#adrienette #Marinette Dupain-Cheng #adrien agreste #miraculous ladybug fanfiction #ml fanfic #miraculous ladybug #seven minutes in heaven #one shot #i shat this out so im sorry #my fanfic

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calliecat93 · 3 years

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ST: The Next Generation Season Two Episodes 19-22.

Manhunt: Lwaxana is back… yay. Yeah I made it no secret that I thought that she was uttery obnoxious in her first episode even if Majel Barret played her very well, and when I read the description for this I became even less enthused about her return. I’ll give her points in that she does seem to be a better mother towards Troi this time around. But… yeah this episode did nothing to make me like her better, if anything her advances on Picard who clearly didn’t feel the same way only made me dislike her more. Admittedly Picard calling in Data to ramble about different cultures was funny, but still I am NOT liking Troi’s mother at all, coming off as more obnoxious and forceful than sympathetic. Looking for a new husband is perfectly fine, but it’s not funny at least to me and no the explanation about a Betazoid woman’s s*x drive increasing at middle age doesn’t make it any better especially when she tries to make Riker marry her. I guess it was funnier than the last one since only the ‘can you continue the petty bickering’ line got me to laugh, but somehow this one annoys me more. I like the dress uniform being an actual dress though and the men wearing it with no complaints. In your face gender norms! Otherwise outside a few amusing bits like the holodeck scenes and me feeling bad for Picard and Troi, I very much disliked this episode and it may be my least favorite thus far this season. 1/5

The Emissary: More romance, yippee… this time it’s Worf and a half Klingon, half human emissary. I really liked K’Ehleyr. The actress was freakin’ excellent and her character, a woman struggling with two sides and seems utterly afraid of her Klingon half as well as a general distrust f Klingons makes her very interesting. It feels kinda bigoted but still adds character. Or I just really like tough women and that’s why I liked her, but still. Also she was totally flirting with Troi. You cannot convince me that she wasn’t. As far as her and Worf being old flames go… didn’t really feel it? Maybe I’m just not into the whole old flames dynamic or the flirting with Troi got to me, but eh. Not sure how I feel about Worf’s part of it. It kinda feels like he wanted to force a marriage thag K’Ehleyr made clear that she wasn’t ready for, but I guess his insecurites about being a human-raised Klingon out of touch with his culture remains if I’m reading things right. And the climax shows how his experience in Starfleet has done good for him and his Klingon knowledge ultimately saved the day. All in all, it was an okay episode. No strong feelings or opinions. I liked it better than the last one, that’s all I’m certain about. 3/5.

Peak Performance: So for this episode we have Riker, Word, Geordi, and Wesley undergoing a simulation/training exercise against the rest of the Enterprise with Riker leading the former. Also on board is an asshole who is supposidly a master strategist and even beats Data in a strategy game. It’s an okay episode. No real strong opinions. I liked seeing Riker’s group being competent and being able to match the Enterprise. The asshole guy insulting Riker’s competency annoyed me because the odd mo ment aside, Riker is a very capable First Officer and leader and if anything his charming, jovial personality makes him someone to inspire others. Data is also down after losing and becomes worried about failing, especially as he’s the acting First Officer with Riker on the other team. It felt like Pulaski kind of relapsed I feel, but she DOES apologize to Data so that’s still better than earlier. Oh and the Ferengi came back, been a while. I think this also shows how being knowledgeable about strategy and using it in a game is NOT the same as actually using those skills in a battlefield or having the experience. Hence why Riker is awesome and the asshole is not. Again, a fine episode. No strong feelings. No strong positive or negative thiughts. It was just fine, and sometimes that’s all I ever ask for. 3/5.

Shades of Gray: Season finale, hooray! I made it~! So how do we end the season? Riker hurting himself on a planet that they know nothing about and is now dying! Of course, wouldn’t be Star Trek if the First Officer didn’t hurt/almost kill himself! So how does this potential for an emotional episode about the loyal, devoted First Officer clinging to life and Troi and his friends/fellow officers facing losing him while trying to find a way to save him? We have… Diker reliving his memories over the past two seasons. That’s right folks, it’s a clip show! Umm… yeah I’m… disappointed? I don’t necessarily hate clipshows bit this could have been a really good episode for Riker and allow some emotions, even show how far things had come since the start. Which tbf a clip show can still allow, but as it’s Riker just dreaming through old memories and not the crew reminiscing or talking to him whole he’s sleeping about those memories, the effect a clip show could have… well, fails. It impacts Troi I guess since she’s sensing his emotions, but that’s ot. Also since I know she just gets dropped without even mentioning her, this is Pulaski’s final episode… and she just does her usual doctor thing. Bjt considering the reception towards her that I’ll go into in another post, maybe this is the best sendoff for her. Overall it’s not a bad episode and not even a bad finale necessarily, but it doesn’t really do much. Though I guess it reminds me of why I like Riker at least and remember a few moments, so there’s that XD 2/5

And thus, Season Two is oficially done! It took FAAAR too long to finally get to it and… well I’ll delve into my feelings in the overall thoughts post that I’ll hopefully have ready for tomorrow. For now, let’s just say you never knew what you were getting. It’s been a ride though, that’s for sure. I’ll begin Season 3 on Tuesday and we’ll see what awaits us thrn. Until then, it may have taken a while to get back underway, but the S2 journey is complete. But there’s still much more to go.

#st watchthrough

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just-a-caffeine-addict · 3 years

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Quotes Accrued in a Decade

“…as you well know, the source of the Nile remained invisible to those who lived next to it for a thousand years. Identifying it required a stranger. (A fresh pair of eyes may see what others miss)” –Sherlock Holmes (From The Perils of Sherlock Holmes: Short Stories)

“A couple of years before he died, I kissed my father goodbye. He said, ‘Son, you haven’t kissed me since you were a little boy.’ It went straight to my heart, and I kissed him whenever I saw him after that, and my sons and I always kiss whenever we meet.” –Terry Wogan

“A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows the public opinion.” –Chinese Proverb

“All great truths begin as blasphemies.” –George Bernard Shaw

“An army of donkeys led by a lion is better than an army of lions led by a donkey.” –Genghis Khan

"An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it." –Mahatma Gandhi

“Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” –Cesar A. Cruz

“As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” –Marianna Williamson

“Ask not what your country can do for you –ask what you can do for your country.” –John Kennedy

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply give you courage.” –Lao Tzu

“Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know.” –English Proverb

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.” –George Bernard Shaw

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” –Confucius

“Can you really have a bad experiment? I don’t know. But can you have a bad result? Yes.” — EvanAndKatelyn (From Can Resin Preserve a Pumpkin Carving?)

“canon is but the sandbox in which i strike lightning to form glass. trouble me no more with your quibblings and quorums, lest i grind you to dust beneath my heel and build stories from the remnants of your bones. Avast, foul fiend” —taako waititi (From Tumblr)

“Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?” —Victor Hugo

“Cucullus non facit monachum (A cowl does not make a monk).” – Fool/Feste (From Twelfth Night)

“Demons run when a good man goes to war…” –River Song (From Doctor Who)

“Due to high cost of ammo, there will be NO WARNING SHOTS FIRED.” –Warning sign

“Every couple needs to argue now and then. Just to prove that the relationship is strong enough to survive. Long-term relationships, the ones that matter, are all about weathering the peaks and the valleys.” –Nicholas Sparks (From Safe Haven)

“Everyone gives the title of barbarism to everything that is not in use in his own country.” –Michel de Montaigne (From Of Cannibals)

“Families are the compass that guide us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter.” –Brad Henry

“Fiction reveals truth that reality obscures.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Fools take a knife and stab people in the back. The wise take a knife, cut the cord, and set themselves free from the fools.” –Unknown

“Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.” –Chinese Proverb

“Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” –Thomas Edison

“Herr, wirf Hern vom Himmel -oder Steine, Hauptsache er trifft (Lord, throw some brains from the heavens -or stones, as long as he hits the mark)!” –German Proverb

“History is for human self-knowledge...the only clue to what man can do is what man has done. The value of history, then, is that it teaches us what man has done and thus what man is.” —R.G. Collingwood

“Humor is emotional chaos remembered in tranquility.” –James Thurber

“I can pretend I’m a fish, but I shouldn’t try to breathe underwater.” –Unknown

“I have the patience of a saint. Saint Cunty McFuckOff.” –Words on a cup

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 1,000 ways that won’t work.” –Thomas Edison

“I made some good deals and I made some bad ones. I really went in the hole with this one.” –Quote on a grave

“I occasionally think, how quickly our differences worldwide would vanish if we were facing an alien threat from outside this world. And yet, I ask is not an alien force ALREADY among us?” –Ronald Reagan

“If I have seen further than others, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” –Isaac Newton

“If our impulses were confined to hunger, thirst, and desire, we might nearly be free; but now we are moved by every wind that blows, and a chance word or scene that that word may convey to us.” –Victor Frankenstein (From Frankenstein)

“If the world tells me I’m mad, whereas I know I’m not, which of us is right? Thus, being mad is what? Inventing a life one hasn’t lived or loving a woman met in another lifetime? Is it clinging to unsatisfied desires?..” Doriel (From A Mad Desire to Dance)

“If you’re afraid - don’t do it, - if you’re doing it - don’t be afraid!” –Genghis Khan

“If you’re going to be a writer, the first essential is just to write. Do not wait for an idea. Start writing something and the ideas will come. You have to turn the faucet on before the water starts to flow.” —Louis L’Amour

"If you're not asking the questions in a thoughtful way, you're not going to get any results that are useful or interesting." –Tony Wagner

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” –John Quincy Adams

“I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.” –Jimi Hendrix (From Axis: Bold as Love)

"Imagine a world in which every single person on the planet has free access to the sum of all human knowledge." –Jimmy Wales (Founder of Wikipedia)

"In caucus terrae, luscus rex est (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king)." –Latin Adage

“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” –Abraham Lincoln

“In time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” –George Orwell

“It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.” –André Gide (From Autumn Leaves)

"It's not that I'm so smart. But I stay with the questions much longer." –Albert Einstein

“It’s true. I forget important things sometimes… Sometimes I do think I should give up-- just let the crown win and the world freeze, with me in it. Some days I can’t remember a single reason to keep fighting. Some… Some days I-- I can’t remember her. But giving up’s EASY. You know what’s hard? To BELIEVE in your own worth, to KNOW you’ve got something special in you even if nobody else can see it. Even when YOU can’t.” –Ice King |Simon Petrikov from Adventure Time

“Learn yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.” –Albert Einstein

“Learning to trust is one of life’s most difficult tasks.” –Isaac Watts

“Life is a dream for the wise, a game for the fool, a comedy for the rich, a tragedy for the poor.” –Sholom Aleichem

“Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses.” –Ann Landers

“Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within.” –James Baldwin

“Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.” —“The Wonder Years”

“My family is my strength and my weakness.” –Aishwarya rai Bachchan

“Names are the sweetest and the most important sounds in any language.” –Dale Carnegie

“No man chooses evil because it is evil; he only mistakes it for happiness, the good he seeks.” –Mary Wollstonecraft

"No mortal can keep a secret. If his lips are silent, he chatters with his fingertips." –Sigmund Freud

“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” –Lin Yutang

“NO TRESPASSING. Violators will be shot; Survivors will be shot again.” –Warning Sign

“Nobody knows you as well as our spouse. And that means no one will be quicker to recognize a change when you deliberately start sacrificing your wants and wishes to make sure his or her needs are met.” –Stephen Kendrick from The Love Dare

“Notice: Anyone found here at night will be found here in the morning.” –Warning Sign

“"One thing nature is very good at is creating incredibly complex microscopic structures. That's because nature's machines are the size of molecules, while our crude versions are the size of rooms." –Theodore Gray (from Molecules: The Elements and Architecture of Everything)

“Only the sufferers know how their bellies ache.“ –Burmese

“People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war, or before an election.” –Otto von Bismarck

“People think intimacy is about sex. But intimacy is about truth. When you realize you can tell someone your truth, when you can show yourself to them, when you stand in front of them bare and their response is ‘You’re safe with me’ - that’s intimacy.” –Taylor Jenkins Reid (From The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo)

“Play taps for my ass, cause it’s dead as hell.” –Unknown Quote

“Six of one, half a dozen of the other. (It doesn't matter which one we choose; Equally involved, equally responsible)”

“Sometimes people are beautiful. Not in looks. Not in what they say. Just in what they are.” –Markus Zusak (From I Am the Messenger)

“Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.” –Theodore Roosevelt

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can” –Arthur Ashe

“Take nothing but pictures; Leave nothing but footprints; Kill nothing but time.” –Caver’s Creed

“Take with a pinch of salt (Don’t completely believe what’s told).”

“The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life.” –Richard Bach

“The end of one thing is only the beginning of another.” –Unknown

“The family is a haven in a heartless world.” –Attributed to Christopher Lasch

“The helper seeks to help others because he knows what it is to be helpless.” –’ Zen’ Wander (From Wander Over Yonder)

"The million-dollar question: Why aren't we kinder? The second million-dollar question: How might we become more loving, more open, less selfish, more present, less

delusional?" –George Sanders

“The need for a body of common knowledge and common reference ...grows more necessary so that people of different origins and occupation may quickly find common ground and, as we say, speak a common language...it also ensures a kind of mutual confidence and good will. One is not addressing an alien, blank as a stone wall, but a responsive creature whose mind is filled with the same images, memories, and vocabulary as oneself.” —Jacques Barzun

“The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true best friends. Don't let go of them.” –Marilyn Monroe

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself!” –Roosevelt

“The only time you should look in your neighbor's bowl is to make sure you have enough.” –Louie CK

“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” –Albert Camus

“The sacrifice which causes sorrow to the doer of the sacrifice is no sacrifice. Real sacrifice lightens the mind of the doer and gives him a sense of peace and joy. The Buddha gave up the pleasures of life because they had become painful to him.” –Mahatma Gandhi

“The secret of a good memory is attention, and attention to a subject depends upon our interest in it. We rarely forget that which has made a deep impression on our minds.” —Tryon Edwards

“The secret to humor is surprise.” –Aristotle

“The surplus wealth of the few will become, in the best sense, the property of many, because administered for the common good.” –Andrew Carnegie

“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.” –G.K. Chesterson

"The word 'why' not only taught me to ask, but also to think. And thinking has never hurt anyone. On the contrary, it does us all a world of good." –Anne Frank

“The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong in the broken places.” –Ernest Hemingway From A Farewell To Arms

“There is no satisfaction in vengeance unless the offender has time to realize who it is that strikes him, and why retribution had come upon him.” –Jefferson Hope From Sherlock’s Adventures

“There will be something you hate in every job. The trick is finding a job where you love the good parts enough to make up for the crappy parts.” –post

“There’s a name for you ladies, but it isn’t used in high society… outside of a kennel.” –Crystal (From The Women of 1939)

“Though we tremble before uncertain futures… may we dance in the face of our fears.” –Gloria Anzaldua

“To forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time.” –Elie Wiesel (From Night)

“Un sot trouve toujours un plus sot qui l’admire (A fool always finds a fool to admire him).” – Sherlock Holmes (French translation)

“We’re taught Lord Acton’s axiom: all power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely[...] I believed that when we started these books, but I don’t believe it’s always true anymore. [...] What I believe is always true about power is that power always reveals. When you have enough power to do what you always wanted to do, then you see what the guy always wanted to do.” –Robert A. Caro

“We call that person who has lost his father, an orphan; and a widower that man who has lost his wife. But that man who has known the immense unhappiness of losing a friend, by what name do we call him? Here every language is silent and holds its peace in impotence.” –Joseph Roux

“What we have done to ourselves alone, dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.” –Brother Albert Pike

“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” –Henry Ford

“When you wish upon a star, you’re a few million light years late. That star is dead. Just like your dreams.” –Unknown

“When you’re a brat, running fast is enough to make you popular. When you’re a middle-schooler, the guys who can fight will be popular, and after that it’s the guys with brains who can get the girls.” –Master of Protagonist (From The Fruit of Grisaia)

“Where we love is home –home where our feet may leave, but not our hearts.” –Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

“Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.” –Plato

“You are the company you keep.” –Unknown

“You must be imaginative, strong-hearted. You must try things that may not work, and you must not let anyone define your limits because of where you come from. Your only limit is your soul" –Chef Gusteau (From Ratatouille)

“You walk around a drunk, you get a tired drunk. Splash ‘em with water, you get a wet drunk. Give ‘em a coffee, you’ve got a wide-awake drunk…” –Unknown

#quotes #sayings #everything associated honestly #some I need to review

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discovisiondreams · 3 years

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Top 15 First Watches of 2020

I’ve never been good at staying current on pop culture, and that became especially pronounced in 2020. A year where most of the anticipated theatrical releases were pushed to VOD (and the price nearly tripled) meant that a lot of flicks I was excited for got added to the end of the “Maybe Someday” watchlist.

But in this strange year, I did manage to watch 245 movies- and 195 of those were first-time watches. Some were new, only available on the (virtual) festival circuit. Some were Criterion mainstays, films I’m horrified to admit I hadn’t seen before. But this year, when movies cemented themself as my biggest joy, I began to really track what I watched- including a “top 5 first watches of the month” roundup for every month. These top 5s weren’t ranked, and weren’t even based on technical ability, strength of dialogue, or critical acclaim. They were just the 5 I loved the best.

So without further ado, here are my top 15 of the year- one selected from the top 5 of each month, with some bonus entries thrown in as well. As a general rule, I only included features on this list- I was fortunate enough to catch shorts that streamed at Chattanooga Film Fest, Celebration of Fantastic Fest, and more, but to add them to the running would have made writing this listicle absolutely impossible.

HONORABLE Honorable Mention: The Holiday. Inspired by the fine folks at Super Yaki, I finally watched this Nancy Meyers classic. Why is it two and a half hours long?! Why is that two and a half hours so significantly lacking in Jack Black?! The scenes that Black is in, though, really shine. This one is going to be a Christmas mainstay in the Disco household (and not just because I spent money on the DVD).

15: The Love Witch (Honorable Mention, April). This one came highly recommended to me by friends of all sorts, and like most of my 2020 first watches, I’m deeply embarrassed that it took me this long to get to it. Upon finally watching it, on a rainy Sunday, I described the movie in general (and the color palette, specifically) as “sumptuous,” which is one of the most complimentary visual descriptors I can bestow upon a movie. The plot felt a little convoluted at times, but I still found The Love Witch incredibly enjoyable and am hoping to explore more of writer-director Anna Biller’s filmography in 2021.

14: The Guest (Honorable Mention, October). The Guest is one of the few movies I watched multiple times this year- and the only one I watched twice in one week. From the sultry industrial soundtrack selections to the numerous visual nods to Halloween III: Season of the Witch, The guest was Extremely My Shit. The casting here is truly tremendous- especially Maika Monroe, who was similarly brilliant in It Follows. Also of note: Lance Reddick, one of my current favourite character actors.

13: The Fast and The Furious (Honorable Mention, May). 2 Fast 2 Furious (and its bespoke theme song, Act A Fool, by Ludacris) came out when I was in the 6th grade. Do you remember the music and movies that entered the world when you were in 6th grade? Do you have an inexplicable zealous love for them? 2F2F was the only film in the Fast Cinematic Universe I had seen for a long, long time. Then I saw Fate of the Furious. Then I bought the series box set, as a joke?? And then, slowly but then also all at once, I genuinely started to love this franchise. Some of them are truly ridiculous. Some of them are genuinely bad. But the first one? The Fast and The Furious (2001)? Timeless. Point Break updated and adapted for the early-aughts, The Fast and the Furious walked so The Italian Job (2003) could run. Without The Fast and The Furious, Paul Walker would just be “the guy from Tammy and The T-Rex” to millions of casual cinemagoers. The cultural impact of The Fast and The Furious simply cannot be denied!!

12: Come to Daddy (Top 5, July). Honestly, this is the exact flavor of bonkers bullshit I’ve grown to expect from Elijah Wood, and that is not an indictment. Wood’s genuine love for genre film is evident here, in what can only be described as an uncomfortable film of family, reunion, and redemption. The tense and abrasive first half gives way to a surprisingly relieving wave of violence and exposition in this critically-acclaimed flick.

11: The Stylist (Top 5, September). The feature-length debut of writer-director Jill Gevargizian, based off her short of the same name, is female-led horror that pays homage to genre mainstays like Maniac and Psycho while still being decidedly singular. Not only shot in Kansas City, but set in Kansas City, The Stylist made my midwestern heart happy. This is one that I really, really would have loved to see in a crowded theater auditorium, were this year a different one.

10: In The Mouth of Madness (Top 5, March). Despite being the beginning of pandemic awareness, March was a slow month for me, movie-wise (even though it’s not like I had anything else going on??). But I finally made time for this Carpenter classic, and I’m so happy I did. I’ve long been fascinated by stories about stories, and the people who find themselves trapped within those stories, and this one is truly, in the most basic sense of the word, horrifying. Sam Neill proves that he belongs in horror here, making his role in Event Horizon seem like a natural fit. Also a highlight: noted character actor David Warner, best known (to me) as “Billy Zane’s bodyguard guy in Titanic,” who never ever fails to be unsettling.

9: Profondo Rosso (Top 5, April). Before this year, my only Argento exposure was Suspiria (which is phenomenal), but Deep Red goes off the deep end in all the best ways. The score (by frequent Argento collaborators Goblin) is truly groovy. The number of twists and turns the plot takes is kind of mind-boggling, but also delightful. Daria Nicolodi (RIP) is at the top of her acting game here. This quickly became one of my beloved background movies- if I opened Shudder and Profondo Rosso was playing on one of their live-streaming channels, it stayed on while I was cleaning or cooking or paying bills. Profondo Rosso is a must-watch for those hoping to get into giallo.

8: Crimson Peak (Top 5, November). This one was definitely not what I was expecting, but it was GORGEOUS. I loved the world immediately (a Del Toro trademark, to be honest). As a longtime Pacific Rim stan, it made my heart happy to see Charlie Hunnam and Burn Gorman reunited under Guillermo Del Toro’s vision.

7: Palm Springs (Top 5, August). I am not typically a time-travel movie enthusiast- but I am a sucker for witty repartee and Andy Samberg. This one made me ugly-cry, which I should probably be a bit more ashamed to admit. August had a lot of really great first watches, but the Hulu exclusive takes the cake due to its novel premise, some truly heart-wrenching reveals, and the amazing casting (is there anything JK Simmons cant do?).

6: Scare Package (Top 5, May). Is there any format I love more than the horror anthology? While there have been so many over the years (Creepshow, All the Creatures Were Stirring), Scare Package might be my favourite of them all. A variety of fun and inventive stories combined with a genre-lovers dream of an overarching narrative make this one a must-see- in fact, it was the whole reason I bought a pass to this year’s online version of Chattanooga Film Fest. There’s a cameo here that absolutely knocked my socks off (and continued to do so even on repeat viewings). While the scares here are honestly minimal, Scare Package is a great love letter to the genre at large.

5: Do The Right Thing (Top 5, June). Yes, it took me until 2020 to watch Do The Right Thing for the first time. The palpable tension, the interwoven stories of Bed-Stuy’s residents, all seem timeless. Giancarlo Esposito is, as always, a joy to watch.

4: Knives Out (Top 5, February). “It’s a Rian Johnson whodunnit, duh,” states the SuperYaki! T-shirt famously worn by Jamie Lee Curtis, star of Knives Out (2019). This one has received worlds of critical acclaim, I truly do not know what I could even hope to add to the conversation. I want more old-school murder mystery cinema.

3: The VelociPastor (Top 5, January). It should be testimonial enough that The VelociPastor beat out Miss Americana, Netflix’s Taylor Swift documentary, as the top pick for January- but in case it isn’t, let me end 2020 the way I began it; by evangelizing the HECK out of this movie. Written and directed by up-and-coming triple-threat (Director/songwriter/prolific cat-photo-poster) Brendan Steere, The VelociPastor is a true love letter to genre cinema, complete with a big wink to the criminally underloved Miami Connection. Alyssa Kempinski shines as Carol, a doctor/lawyer/hooker with a heart of gold. The VelociPastor premiered in 2019 but gained tons of attention in 2020 (thanks in part to YouTube sensation Cody Ko)- attention that it truly deserves. A sequel is rumored to be in the works, but mark my words, anything to come from the imagination of Brendan Steere will be worth a watch.

2: Dinner in America (Top 5, October). I genuinely feel sorry for the other movies I watched in October (there were a lot) (they were all SO GOOD). Dinner in America, which I caught during the Nightstream hybrid festival, was not at all what I was expecting. While the other features were all very solidly genre flicks, this was…. A comedy? A modern love story?? I’mn honestly still not exactly sure, but I do know I loved every second of it. I laughed. I cried. I threw my hands up in the air exuberantly (in front of my laptop, looking like a true fool). I did not shut up about this movie online for weeks. I told anyone and everyone that Kyle Gallner is the most underrated actor of my generation and I still believe it! Dinner in America, the story of a punk band frontman who unwittingly takes refuge from the police in the home of his biggest fan, was an unexpectedly heartwarming tale of family, young love, and arson. Watch it as soon as you can.

1: Promising Young Woman (Top 5, December). This last-minute debut from Emerald Fennell, originally scheduled to hit theaters in April of this year, finally made its way to the big screen on Christmas Day, and became the 2020 entry on my annual “Christmas Day Trip to the Theater” list.* Carey Mulligan is an icon and deserves all of the awards for this. The soundtrack is sublime. The casting choices are truly incredible. While I have no doubt that the general themes of the movie will be polarizing, I absolutely loved this one- I sat in my car in the theater parking lot for a WHILE, considering just buying a ticket for the next showtime- that’s how badly I felt like I needed to see it again immediately. I look forward to writing its inevitable Criterion essay.

*Nobody else in rural iowa was interested in seeing this movie at noon on Christmas Day. I’m shocked.

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thecosmicsen · 4 years

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✮ ┆ HAPPY BIRTHDAY INÊS !!! @shesin

he is nervous. of course he is. birthdays are one of the biggest milestones of a relationship if not the top one when anniversaries are prioritised. had someone told him a few years back that he would be painstakingly agonising over his demon girlfriend’s one thousand something birthday, he would have thrown them a dirty look for their attempted jinx to curse his love life. but how the tables have turned, the love of his life is indeed a demon who defiantly stands opposed to the side of God who appointed Jaewoo himself directly. call them star-crossed lovers doomed to an ill fate, Jaewoo will beg to differ. none of the calamity prospects deter him when he knows himself for a fact that it is Inés’ hand he is meant to intertwine his fingers with and ardently commit the rest of his faithful adoring efforts towards. which is why he worries himself sick with the meticulous planning of his lover’s birthday, especially when she has no recollection of her birthdate to spend the day celebrating. everyday is my birthday, she had smugly informed Jaewoo with a flirtatious wink to accompany. nevertheless, she dutifully followed up on her promise to dig around and find out when she came into existence. finding out it was merely a few days before his own, he started meticulously stressing over the most intricate details and nitpicking at the underlying symbolism.

after telling her to go out and spend a little while away ( but not a place where she will forget about him he had to remind her as his heart constricts to think about Inés going off somewhere without him ), he gets to work right away and leaving himself till the last moment. triumphantly lighting the last candle, he observes the setup with a critiquing eye before skilfully interjecting all her presents on the table in a way that melds with the decor. naturally, he includes himself as a gift to her too but in the sense that he believes he can provide her with a little something for the day and he has to look the part too. dressing himself up takes up even more time than the preparation and implementation of the apartment’s birthday setup since he has a go at self-tied bondage with black silk ropes he brought for the occasion which tickles him underneath the suit he carefully wiggles into, already have a hard time with his exceptional sensitivity. trying to ignore how each of his movements is excruciatingly reminded of the silk ropes that rub across his skin with the barest friction, he grabs his phone to text her that she can come back now and begins to start the playlist he made to complete the overall glowing rosy ambience.

( KKT: love of my life sweetheart baby angel girlfriend Inés ) you now have permission to come back but let me know when you’re five minutes away please !! I love you 💕💖💝💞🧡💛💚💙🖤♥️😘💞💕💖💗❣️😍😍😍❣️💕💖💝💞🧡💛💚💙🖤♥️❣️

now he is left with nothing but his arrangements to be perceived by the love of his life. if he could easily sweat, his bangs would be matted down from his bouts of nervousness. to compose himself for the waiting game now, he grabs the handwritten he wrote for her to proofread it for the nth time to make sure he hasn’t oversaw any foolish mistakes. the letter reads as the following:

dear inés,

I sat down for the longest time with the pen in my hand and thought about how I could express the depth of what I feel for you in this moment. you might think that I have a way with knowing what my own emotions are and how to verbalise them but I also struggle with this sometimes as well. the truth is, I could compare how I feel for you with the ways of how the moon and stars never fail to make me feel comforted with their permanent presence in the sky makes me feel protected by a guardian angel who created something so beautiful. I could tell you that you bring back my memories of what it feels like to be happy when I was alive like the times I used to go out play in the park during the peak of the summer and how I’ll never forget the way how the stickiness of the melting ice-cream would drip with my sweat. or I could tell you that I could sit down right now and write four thousand letters to annually send to you for the next four thousand years and those words still never be enough to convey how much I love you with all my heart.

sometimes I wish we had met when I was still alive just so that my human body could have kissed your semblance and have a piece touched by you because I hate to think of an existence devoid of yours. I would like to believe that we did unknowingly cross paths before but I know for a fact that if we had, I would have felt the heavy presence of my soulmate nearby. that euphoria touching my soul probably would have stopped me from the end that I had but I still firmly believe that this is all fate. I don’t remember everything from my life before but I do remember that my overseeing sergeant used to tell us that the worst peak of training is something we should look forward to because it means nothing but anti-climatic resolution is heading right after and that nothing seems so bad in comparison. that’s how I feel at the moment when I have the guts to reflect over the little I remember about my time spent alive. it seemed like a never-ending dragged out battle but I received the decline of the aftermath with some peace when I found you and got to experience the type of love you possess to give to me.

but today is your birthday and we are going to celebrate your existence so let’s start off with some reasons why I love you !

♥️ you have the most unique affinity I say this because I haven’t met anyone who has the kind of self-assurance and confidence as you do. I have met a lot of people as my time spent over the last forty four years as an apparition but nobody even comes close to you. there are so many people who pretend to have full genuine confidence but it usually covers up something they hide about what they don’t like about themselves. you are the only one who doesn’t have this and I could tell straight from the start. it’s very sexy of you. I know you already know this but I wanted to let you know that your aura affected me from the very start because I always had this unshakeable feeling about you that you were special and you are special. how did I manage to find you? you’re one of a kind.

♥️ you have a hidden kindness in you you probably disagree with this but I haven’t forgotten about the time we went to the playground . . . well I convinced you to come with me. remember the little toddler who came up to us? I saw how soft your eyes got when you looked at him and the way how you waved him off. that natural gentleness threw me off guard but it was so raw and real in that moment that I couldn’t stop thinking about how a demon has a soft spot for babies. I got to know that you have a different type of kindness in you that you don’t show to everyone but since I’m lucky and got to witness it and even be a recipient of it, I feel so blessed to have it. you learnt my boundaries for a relationship and did your best to adapt for a monogamous relationship so your willingness to learn is something I am always so grateful for. there was a kindness in that too because you never got mad at me for saying those things and always did your best to make sure that I feel happy. I always see your efforts like how you put hot packets in my jackets till you got me a heated one or how you would give me a kiss when you could tell I was feeling down and needed one.

♥️ your bravery is incredible you are probably raising your brows at this one but you are very brave inés. I don’t know everything you have been through but you don’t let anyone intimidate you. but most importantly, you didn’t back out when you were at your most vulnerable and emotional state. I know it was probably the hardest thing for you to do was to call me up when your emotions were coming in full force again after having them repressed for years and years on end. it must have been so simple for you to be numb of such intense emotions for the most part. but then to be hit with something as powerful as that, especially when emotions are already as fickle as anything, to hit you back with its sheer intensity . . . it was not easy for you at all. I would have felt the need to shy away from the world but you took the chance with me to let you in your space during your weakest. and I see that as the most valiant form of bravery. nobody is as strong as you or have the guts to invite someone else in who you don’t know too much about either. well you knew me but it wasn’t like I was Cyril or anything where you knew me since forever. I really look up to you for that. and as you know, it changed my perspective of you indefinitely.

♥️ you are so driven to have what you want it just feels both inspirational and I can’t really lie, it makes my dick hard when I see you doing your business calls or chasing after what you want even if it’s something like going on a hunt for a body even though I wish I could be your eternal and endless supply of blood but that isn’t the case. you know your mind. you know you like money, sex and blood. you took that into consideration afterwards I confessed to you and asked you if you would be willing to be in a monogamous relationship with me and I’m still over the moon that you decided you wanted to have me. it’s another very attractive trait of yours which I know you know but you know yourself so well and how to get what you want and then you getting it . . . wow.

♥️ you chose love it speaks in your actions everyday. you choose to be with me every sunset. you text me when you’re away from home. you always greet me with hugs and kisses when we are back with each other again after a long day of running around doing our own thing. you know exactly what to say to comfort me and what not to say. you gave up centuries of habits you were doing before being in a relationship with me and gave up on your lifestyle so you could be with one annoying ghost who can’t even take a step out of Seoul. you continue to consciously make this sacrifice of the kind of life you led before so that we can be together and love each other so I hope you know that I understand the gravity of the condition I asked for you when I said I want to be with you but it can only happen monogamously. I wasn’t sure if you thought I was worth giving up your lifestyle for but you chose me and I’ll never be able to find the words that convey my gratitude and love for you that you gave up on that for me and only me.

I hope you can feel a lot of my love for you today and through the presents that I got for you !! I love you with my entire, heart, soul and body. I can’t wait to spend the rest of your birthdays together with you because your entire existence should be celebrated and worshipped everyday but a little bit more for your birthday. when can I meet your parents to thank them for bringing you into existence ? I’m so so happy and grateful that you are alive and by my side.

with lots and lots of love from your one and only adoring boyfriend, ahn jaewoo

the said presents include a locket heart neck [ v1 + v2 ] , long distance touch bar bracelets but to make it less ugly paired with matching ‘ love ’ bracelets , an album of polaroid memories , ring claws for her hunts to choke him with , personally handcrafted flower crown , a vial of his blood , this wallet with an extra lil surprise in it , reversible octopus plushie , advent calendar so she count down the days she gets to hunt *********** and lastly handmade assorted coupon card .

and finally, the almost sweating but groomed up mess of an apparition boyfriend perches himself in the middle of all the flower chaos with a single rose in his mouth in the paint me like one of your french girls position.

happy birthday Inés ♥️

#ngl this kinda felt like writing out a wattpad story #there is like a lot for me to explain behind his choices #but basically Jaewoo said #happy birthday #you gonna remember your mine everyday tho look at me :)) look at us <333 #will probably add more presents later #BUT HERE WE GO #TO THE BEST FEMALE OC AROUND #HAPPY BIRTHDAY INÉS #THANKS FOR CHOOSING THIS DUMBASS BOY #enjoy :)#shesin #* : ✮ ┆ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑘 𝑒𝑦𝑒𝑠 𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑎𝑟𝑠𝑒 𝑙𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑦 (𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠).

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pompamaroon · 4 years

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2019: A Year of Ups and Downs

In this post, I will go over some reasoning as to why 2019 was a slow year in terms of providing content or updating my tumblr profiles, and how I was feeling. Most will be seeing this coming from either SHSL Scans and/or my Manlyronpa profile. This is not a necessary read, but it will also go into why my interest in the Danganronpa series was at an all time low and despite a burning passion, I overall just gave up on the fandom and community for awhile.

My year started off quite strong, with my occupation changing from something draining to something that allowed me to build a career and have new opportunities. This was definitely the high point of my year, and I was even able to save up enough to take a trip to see someone I had grown close to across the country, something I’d only dreamed of up to this point. However, during the trip, I found myself in awe of the location and in awe of the presence of the person I went to visit. They are truly one-of-a-kind and always know how to make me smile just with their company alone. In comparison though, I felt I just could not stand beside them. Personally, I felt I was a 180 in about every way to this person and I still feel this way. It was a bitter sweet feeling, and by the time I left, I got the feeling that I’d truly given it my best, and I would have to push aside the feelings I had for this person. I attempted to set aside these feelings by devoting myself to my career which was honestly a great escape. Not only did I have a dream job, my co-workers were great to work with and bounce banter off. Additionally my managers and supervisor all had great senses of humor and I truly felt welcome to my position, resulting in a comrade dynamic that is very rare in the work force. Thanks to this boost in motivation at work, I actually managed to be able to consistently pay and commission for things. This is where I first encountered some issues with the DR fanbase. Admittedly, I had commissioned some adult works and the material in these works made it obvious it was me who asked for them, or inspired others to get them. Around late may/early June, I ended up reaching out to some SFW work artists because I wanted to commission something a bit more wholesome involving favorites, however due to my notoriety of my earlier commissions, 2 artists turned me down as they were either not interested or did not want to be associated with NSFW artists and another artist ghosted me. It was admittedly a bit of a weird situation to deal with, but overall I felt discouraged. Additionally, the NSFW artists I had commissioned before also were not interested in drawing anything further, and so I ultimately had nowhere to go with my ideas. While I understood being turned down is completely in the artists right, I felt that my ideas were just bad, which lead to me feeling like what I enjoyed about the DR series or wanted to see from the DR series was wrong altogether. I sat down and seriously thought about it and realized that despite everything I had done to contribute to the community, that ultimately, there were no real connections made with anyone. The people I had worked with in terms of manga had either stolen my raws, or spoke negatively about other contributors(something I was also guilty of) or even in a surprising case with a certain person, just ended up leaving with out a word! In the middle of nearing completion of a large project as well! Out of everyone I’ve ever met thanks to DR, there are only 2 people I’ve consistently continued to talk with on a somewhat daily-basis. The rest ultimately just cast me aside in various ways, leaving me feeling alienated further and like I just was not going to fit into the community no matter what I tried or what I did. I did get a lot of messages from people of course, but most were reaching out for where they could find more DR manga or what they could get from me. Eventually, I got so frustrated with it, I decided to just not do anything else in the DR fandom. I no longer felt a need to be exceedingly contributing to it or seeing it grow further, and so, after literally pulling out all the stops, the final V3 anthology release was the last thing DR related I dared to even open for a long time. I really wish that the completion of that anthology series could’ve been something more optimistic, but it just ended on a sour note for me feeling very resentful towards the fandom and community. So I shifted to doing manga I personally enjoyed, and just actually reading manga which ended up being fun! It was awesome indulging in stuff that made me happy and while it was not as popular as the DR stuff I released, I didn’t care. I wanted to treat myself. Once completed(and even during the process) though, I did have an annoying unsatisfactory feeling that I had so much DR manga unfinished. So with a new fire in me, I tackled the manga again, completing the Genocider Mode manga as I was close to completing it but also had promised someone like, 5 years+ ago that I’d complete it. After that, there was a lot of silence, but not because I had lost interested. Instead it was around the end of August and I was in peak form. I wasn’t just killing it at work, I was going all out with the DR1 Anthologies. I had started working on them in early 2018, however, there was just a large demand for V3 stuff, so I was mostly working on that. I was on a hot streak until early November, when one of my close higher ups was let go. This completely fractured our team and we were all getting divided up as our company began to slowly change. This was a huge shock for me as the high points of my days were going to work, and those were slowly being phased out. My friends at the time also were busy with work and this left me alone for a looong time. This sent me into a depression that I could just not dig myself out of. Of course, I still functioned and went to work, but with no feeling of social connection with anyone inside or outside of work, I felt no reason to continue my work on the anthology. I had completely given up and there were only 3 stories left to work too. This went on until January of 2020, when the new year started and I had received a promotion at my work due to my continued perseverance and growth. Since then, we’ve received lots of good news at work even with the epidemic going on, and concerning the Danganronpa series, I found my fire being lit anew. Of course, I’m anxious and worried, especially after DR3 and DRV3 failed to impress me, however with both the creators and devs wanting to give off the feeling of a “Class Reunion” for DR’s anniversary, I’m feeling excited that regardless of what we get, it will be something familiar and hopeful and like DR1 inspired me to truly take steps forward, I’m hoping the major game they announce will help me reconnect with those feelings of wanting to just move forward and not let my previous experiences to go to waste. I’m more than ready to give it my all to make this anniversary great as possible too by releasing as much manga as possible, even if it is just by myself. I truly do enjoy the series and am thankful for the few good things it was able to bring into my life by getting me out of the dark place I was in before I played it and this will hopefully be the year I can truly convey that.

#Yaz's stuff

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thevagabondvantage · 4 years

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8.28.2018

Jenn Demorris is a goddess. She has the entire office wrapped around her soft, auburn locks; her perfume acting as a sort of siren’s song. Jaws drop at the sight while hearts stop at the scent. Everyone stares as she enters the conference room. She may act unaware, but this is exactly how she wants it.

“Where are the edits from PR?” she inquires toward some generic assistant.

“Right here, Miss,” he stammers. Silence diffuses across the room as she looks over the edits. There’s no standing rule against speaking while she focuses, but no one wants to take the chance. Seconds burn on, she does not break her gaze; all the while towering over the ensemble of office chairs.

“They call this an edit? Hm…” She sets the documents aside and takes her seat at the head of the table. She crosses her legs, which are kept muscular through pure intimidation.

“Could I trouble someone for a water?” Another generic assistant shuffles out to assure her hydration. Hour-long moments go by, no one is quite sure what to say. She continues,

“What do we think of extending our promotion from last month through the end of the year? Some may think it’s wild and foolish, but - if anything - it’s been wildly and foolishly successful, so who cares what they think?”

Jack wasn’t sure who they were, but he certainly wasn’t going to tell her that. In fact, Jack wasn’t sure of a lot of things at this point. Was there an email he missed informing him of what the hell was going on? How many questions was she going to ask before someone would speak up? Were these questions rhetorical? Did she only speak in questions?

“What’s the time?”

Yep, she definitely only speaks in questions. Jack was sure of it now. This whole company wasn’t even a business, just a strategy game where employees played to see how many questions this woman would ask without being answered before firing their asses. Why did he even start working here in the first place? Sure, his college buddy Joe hooked him up with the job right when he needed one, but did he even want to be here? He has a master’s degree in Humanities. He always saw himself ending up as a professor, owning a bookshop, or manning a non-profit. He’d live somewhere like Seattle or Portland and go biking on the weekends. Life would have it, though, that he needed job security, so he traded weekends for never-ending weeks. Sure, he could have fulfilled his dreams, but he liked the idea of having a 401(k) instead of having 401k in debt.

“Isn’t anyone going to give me the time?”

Great, another question, he snarkily thought. Wide eyes, sweaty foreheads, and all, everyone turned to him. He’d apparently been elected as the spokesperson of this merry band. He barely consults his watch. “Maybe about 9:50, Miss Demorris…?”

“Hm.” Finally, a damn statement. She glances away for a moment, but her cunning eyes find their way back to his. She studies his face a moment and - much to Jack’s dismay - returns with a question. “Your name?”

“Jack Tanner,” he sighs. This was probably accompanied by an eye roll, but no one could be certain… He didn’t mean to have such a rotten attitude, but it seemed to come with the job description. Jenn upgrades her stare from inquisitive to relentless, almost as if planning a way to dismantle his well-being. She certainly isn’t evil - she’s actually a great vice-president of marketing and gives amazing gifts at the company Christmas party, but she has no regard for human worth the other three-hundred and sixty four days of hell.

Jack never could quite pinpoint why he hated working here and working for her so much. Maybe it’s the way she flounces about the office or can’t be bothered to make direct eye-contact with someone in a God-forsaken cubicle... Regardless, he’s had it. Jenn finally reaches her moment of divine inspiration and speaks to him.

“I’m not sure how they did things at the Panera Bread you miraculously crawled out of, but when a woman of stature asks for the time they’re sure as hell not asking for an approximation or a guess sprinkled with sharp ignorance.” Everyone hastily makes eye-contact with the floor so as to not be caught in the line of fire. The color immediately washes away from Jack’s cheeks.

“So,” Jenn continues, “Let’s try that again, shall we?” Her questions were beginning to sound more and more like unadulterated statements. She rises from her chair to her full height in a contained rage. “What’s the time?”

Jack knew this could go one of two ways. He could actually look at his wrist watch, his phone, and his computer and give the woman the most accurate time possible, or he could be a smart ass.

“My apologies, it’s exactly 9:51. Did they not teach you how to tell time in the underworld?” He chose to be an accurate smart ass. One of the generic assistants from before - “waterboy” as he’d eventually be called - returned with a Dixie cup with water for the woman.

“I couldn’t find any bottled water or even a glass of any sort, so I hope this is-”

“It’s fine,” Jenn failed to convince. Waterboy tried to hand her the cup, but her focus couldn’t be broken. She was carefully aiming, ready and willing to shoot something back at Jack. She sat, folded her hands on the lip of the table, and waited. Everyone caught the drift and slowly fled the room, but Waterboy needed one last lick of clarity.

“Should I take the water with me, or-” She shoots him a look that would have denuclearized North Korea and all its friends. He swam away.

Jenn couldn’t find words. No one, and I mean no one, had ever spoken to her that way; not at Waterwood Prep, not at Yale, not even when she worked at Chicago Starbucks for an hour in the early 2000’s, and she can’t get enough. She speaks,

“Right now, I don’t know if I want to kiss you or shove you off of a bridge?”

“Can I pick?” Jack was terrified, but loves every minute of it. The tension between the two reaches its peak. The plan has been set; now for the follow-through.

Jenn rises once again with the grace of a swan and passion of a tiger. She sits on the table next to him, gets as close as she could without giving HR something to complain about, and says in a hot, heavy whisper,

“What’s the time?” Jack is at another crossroads. He could submit to this despicable, yet sexy woman and give her the time without further commentary, or he could take matters into his own hands. Jack stands as he straightened his tie, knowing exactly what needs to be done.

“9:53, Miss Demorris,” he humbly declares. Neither know exactly who initiated the actions that followed, but their lips unite for an agreeably furious moment. This is everything she’d ever wanted and more than he’d ever deserved. The ball still in his court, he breaks the interaction and says with full satisfaction, “I quit.” He gathers his things and leaves without a smooch or a smile, leaving Jenn Demorris desirably speechless.

He walks briskly, carrying himself with a smug grin. He finds himself at one final crossroad. He should leave it, let it go, find a new job, and assume the life he’d always wanted, but he knows he won’t. Against his better judgement, he opens his phone and writes a message to the godforsaken woman.

“Want more? 343 Saint Richard Drive, Apartment 33B. Come when you can.” She responds in seconds with a simple, but loaded, “See you then.” He snickers as he dials a phone number.

“Hello,” asks the voice on the other line.

“Phase two has begun,“ Jack declares. He ends the call, throws the phone in the nearest trash bin, and walks a little fast.

She’ll never know what hit her, he cannives. Operation Demolish Demorris has officially commenced.

#creative writing #quick write #short story

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blehbleehhhh · 5 years

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Bubble Gum ft. EreMika❣️

A lovely reader requested a super sweet fluffy modern childhood fic that I'm really excited to share! Hope you'll enjoy. ❤️

ps: my mom calls me ladybug, just humor me.

The sun was a blazing fiery ball, twinkling its peak midday golden rays over a small sleepy town and the playground where local children congregate when their parents send them out to play. Titan's Fury Park happens to be one little girl's favorite place of solitude where she can steal away if only for a moment to add drawings to her sketchbook since there are many beautiful places to sit that never fail to inspire a doodle or two. Somewhere in a small group of boys are her two best friends playing a very competitive game of football. Mikasa has witnessed it herself many times, where Eren will rub it in Jean's face that his team had won the game by aggressively throwing the ball into the grass, while Armin sits on the sidelines feeling uninterested in the sport, but he'll keep score as he reads one of the many books off his shelf that's most likely already been read.

The precocious, green eyed boy was instructed by his mother to keep watch over Mikasa, who later stubbornly insisted that Armin and Eren do their own thing since she fully intends to work on filling her sketchbook instead of playing. But one of the local girls who only recently started to pick on her had other plans. "Where's your cute friend?" Annie inquires, blowing a small bubble with pink gum as she stands confidently before the girl sitting cross legged on a bench. Mikasa sighs with irritation, deepening the shading on her closeup tree bark sketch. "Hey, I asked you a question. Look up from your stupid scribble book." But the girl remained strong and ignored how demanding and harsh these words were being spoken to her by such a blunt person, carefully smudging a spot on her sketch with the pad of her pinky. "Excuse you," Annie hisses under her breath obviously feeling impatient as she suddenly grabs Mikasa's long hair with a truly evil grin. "You know, you really have such beautiful hair. It would be a shame if you had to cut it." Her victim frowned and reached for her hair only to have it painfully tugged in retaliation, making her whine in discomfort as she holds her scalp protectively.

"Well, you don't have to worry about that, because I'm not cutting it."

"Uh-huh, where's Eren?"

"I don't know!" Mikasa rushes to say as her hair is tugged once more. "Why?!"

"Because I think he's cute and I want you to talk to him. Aren't you his sister or something?"

"Not by blood..."

"Tell him that Annie thinks he's cute."

"Can't you do that yourself?!"

"It would be so much more fun to see you do it. And if you don't, I'll destroy your sketchbook."

"Fine..." Mikasa reluctantly agrees, shyly darting her eyes from Annie's stoic expression. "I'll talk to him later."

"Thanks." Annie smiles as she spits her gum out on her hand and smushed it with raven hair, rolling the wad around between her hands to mix everything together. She snickers to herself as she walks away, leaving Mikasa with stinging eyes and a quivering bottom lip already feeling humiliated to the point where her cheeks and the tips of her ears felt hot. It was with a heavy heart that she gathers her belongings and holds them to her chest as she takes off running in search of Eren, the one who she always has and always will turn to in stressful situations.

Eren was found playing football with his friends like she anticipated, but he's currently on the ground after being tackled aggressively by Reiner and Jean for the ball. Armin cheers for his friend from the sidelines while Bertolt, Marco, and Connie watch intently to learn the final score of their fourth game. "HA! I GOT THE BALL! CONNIE! CATCH!" Jean roars with laughter, cackling triumphantly as he rushes to throw the ball at Marco not far away to finish the game in their favor.

Until they heard truly hysterical crying.

"ERENN!" Mikasa cries, her voice wailing his name at the top of her lungs as tears streamed down her face. He immediately sits up from where he was laying in the grass recovering after being tackled so aggressively and his heart sunk to see her so distraught.

"What?! What?!" Eren hurried to his feet and stumbled a step as he runs to embrace her. "What happened?! Why are you crying?!" She looks up to meet his concerned and inquiring gaze with watery eyes, her tears making him cloudy until she blinks them away.

"Someone was mean to me and and -" She coughs suddenly from crying, making her cheeks even hotter with embarrassment. I don't want all this attention! Her foot stomps angrily. "She put gum in my hair!" Dreading the consequences of Annie's actions, Mikasa bursts into tears because she knows that she needs to have this obnoxiously large wad of gum cut from her hair, when she happens to love how long it's grown to barely above the waistline of her long skirt. Eren's blood boils with anger and the look in his eyes is one that only someone close to him would recognize. It somehow made her cry even more to feel validated that what happened was indeed a horrible thing. He sighs deeply to keep his cool and studies at the wad of gum in her hair, holding it carefully in his hand.

"Who did this do you?"

"It-" She sniffles and takes in a few involuntary breaths as her body tries to settle itself, his fingers releasing her gummy hair. "It was Annie. She was telling me to tell you that she thinks you're cute, when she just squished her gum in my hair!" The embarrassed little girl sighed with sorrow as her best friend wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gently brought her in for a hug, letting her cry into his shirt. He glanced up at Jean, who just gave an understanding nod to let him know that it was more than okay for him to skip out.

"Figures," Eren sighed as he rests a hand on the top of her head the way his mother comforts them at home. "Annie asked me the other day if I liked her and I think she meant the like like way, so now she won't leave me alone," He maintains an arm around her shoulder and gives a small wave at his friends while they go over the score together and rehydrate. "Come on, Mika, I'll take you home."

"But I want you to stay here. I can walk home by myself..."

"I know you can, but I want to be there for you when you're, like, sad and bummed out. Those guys understand."

"But why?" Mikasa's voice was soft and her breathing has already begun to settle much to his relief.

"Because you're my best friend and I really really hate seeing you anything but smiling. It's beautiful," Eren smiles at first until he realized what he said, and it make him chuckle awkwardly. "I mean you're beautiful. I-I mean.." But it was too late. His slip of the tongue has already made her giggle amidst her soft sniffling as she wipes the tears staining her cheeks with her fingers. He swallows hard and his face grows hot, but her laugh always makes him smile. No matter what. "Never mind." She tucks her hair behind her ear and plays with her fingers anxiously.

"You're so funny, Eren.."

"I wasn't really trying to be funny, but thank you." He chuckled as they came up behind his mother outside while she was gardening, who did a double take and immediately dropped her tools in the flowerbed, running over to Mikasa terribly concerned. "Hi, Momma, someone was mean to Miki and put gum in her hair."

"This will never come out!" Mikasa whines, stomping her feet in the grass as she looks down at the wad of gum and hair, trying desperately to untangle the gooey mess with her little fingers to no avail. Carla frowns as she carefully takes the girl's hands in hers and holds them while Eren wipes tears from beneath her eyes. "Aunt Carla, I don't wanna cut it!"

"Mikasa, I'm so sorry.." Carla opens her arms to offer a hug that was happily taken. "This does need to be cut out, ladybug, but it'll be alright. Your hair will grow out before you know it, I promise." She gently pats the little girl's back before pulling away to stand up, offering her hands for both children to take as they followed her inside the house. "Why don't you two wait for me by the sink so I can find a pair of scissors?" She says as they enter the kitchen, their little hands departing from hers while they run to the sink together and little sneakers squeak on the hardwoods. Carla soon comes over with scissors in her hand and a sad look on her face because she has to cut these beautiful raven locks. Mikasa sighs softly as the scissors were positioned to cut above the gummy mush. "Hold still, okay?" Raven hair drops silently on the kitchen floor as the scissors slowly work their way around her head, leaving her with just as luscious shoulder length hair. "You cutie pie, look at you!" Carla smiles as she sets the scissors on the counter and carefully runs her fingers through Mikasa's hair to make certain all of the gum has been removed. The little girl offers a small smile in return as she wipes her tears from beneath her eyes.

"It actually feels good to have my hair cut.."

"I'm so glad that you like it."

"Thank you for fixing my hair. Eren was right, you do have super powers."

"Mikasa!"

"Oh, my sweet baby boy," Carla laughs and brings the embarrassed child in to plant a kiss on his forehead and ruffle his hair. "You’re in desperate need of a haircut as well, but I can take care of that later. Why don't you take Mikasa back to the playground?"

"Will you take me?" The little girl turns to her friend with a hopeful look and he simply grins.

"Will you smile for me?"

"Okay.." Mikasa smiles and found her cheeks to be hot when his face immediately lights up in response. Before she knew it, his hand was in hers and they were well on their way back to the park. It was still hot outside from the midday sun, its blinding rays invading their vision frequently, but Eren still manages to spot blue wildflowers growing along the sidewalk. He stops and his heart races as he picks the flower for her while she's far enough ahead not to notice. "Eren? Where are you?" She hollers, turning in a slow circle to see him running up to her.

"Sorry! I'm right here!"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Eren smiles as his ears grew hot, twisting the tiny flower stem with his fingers behind his back. "I'm great. Are you okay?" He asks as they start walking once more, the park in clear distance.

"I'm..I'm good. Your momma is so nice."

"She's pretty cool, but so is your momma. And your dad is so funny."

"Yeah, he is. Your dad is silly, too." Mikasa giggles, her sneaker kicking a rock out from her path. "I know you're angry at yourself for not being there and I just wanted to say that you don't need to be so hard on yourself. It makes me sad."

"Yeah, well, it's true. I'm sorry Annie is so mean to you now."

"I think she's jealous that you and I are so close."

"Probably, but who needs her? You're way cooler than Annie anyway." Eren smiles, her giggle gracing his ears once more as they make their way to the swing set. She sits gracefully on a swing and he takes the one beside her, still twirling the blue flower he picked for her between his fingers. "Mikasa?" He turns to look at her and swallows hard to gather his nerve.

"Hm?"

"I...I like your hair short," He smiles shyly and they both blush as he scoots his swing closer to hers. "I mean, I like it long, too, but you look really pretty with it short." She grins, his hand raising hesitantly to push hair behind her ear and gently tucked the flower in that gap. But then, Mikasa did something he hadn't ever anticipated her doing and leaned in, clearly feeling slightly unsure as she kisses his blushing cheek.

"Thank you, Eren.."

"You're welcome," He smiles as their swings separate and stands up so he can be behind her. "Can I give you a push?"

"Yeah!" She says excitedly as her legs kick the air.

"Okay," Eren laughs in amusement as he pulls her swing back and pushes her forward. "Here we go!" She giggles as she's pushed, and he can't help but think about how cute she is no matter how hard he tries to fight it.

"Push me higher, Eren! Push me higher!"

"Anything to hear your laugh again." And with that he gives a harder push to her lower back, making the swing soar even higher. She cheers in excitement and giggles as her short raven hair blows in the breeze, holding the blue wildflower safely in her hand against the swing chain so it doesn't get lost. They remained this way for a while, just enjoying each other's company and sharing many laughs knowing that there will be more in the future.

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