#I’m better than queue and queue know it

[mjfass]

Do you get déjà vu?

[solarpunkani]

Dude, I think it's super awesome that you haven't been able to post as much because you are busy organizing. I went to my local DSA info meeting this month and too feel inspired to actually start doing something. One of the things I mentioned in response to the question of why I was interested in joining the org was that I was tired of just seeing it on the internet and feeling helpless.

So I def won't blame you for not posting, nor should anyone else. Plus seeing ur post further motivated me to keep going and solidified my choice to become a dues paying member. Thanks.

Oh I uh

Thanks

But I wanna be clear I think I’m organizing in like. The lightest most gentlest sense of the term. I’ve done a couple trash cleanups and gone to like 2 meetings total. Three if I can make it to the January one? Thats about it.

Well we also did a Squad Hike but yknow.

Me and some other buddies are trying to take over a derelict community garden to grow like veggies and herbs and stuff for whoever wants to take but thats not a DSA thing. Though we did meet through the DSA. Highkey I started yapping about gardening and then a new channel was made and we were emailing the city. (Im not the one in charge of it because its like 20-30+ min from my house so I can’t go Super Regularly but I’m like. Helping.)

But like. I’m still too awkward to do the phone banking or anything. They were concepting maybe doing a rally on inauguration day and I’m too anxious to really consider going even though they say rallies are usually chill. I haven’t even gone to one of their chill post-meeting hangouts because I’m A: awkward and B: don’t like the food at the restaurants they go to like that

Like literally I cannot emphasize enough I was literally just riding the high of doing a trash cleanup once every other Saturday and yapping about plants that I genuinely forgot that the tide of global politics was shifting into drowning mode for two wholeass months.

Though working the Christmas rush at Target might’ve also helped with that because MAN…..

[apastronism]

general tag dump + dynamics ✨

[minminambus]

Runs around!!! The pharmacy!!!!

[wildaers]

tag drop part two .

[reformedmercymain]

@amazinglyspicy it’s been like a week now and I’m just as obsessed with it now as I was on day one. I honestly didn’t expect to be interested but I literally play pretty much exclusively it and have done every event “challenge” except win a game on every hero because I can’t be bothered to queue on every tank or play like.. genji or smth because I’m a hitscan queen sorry but it’s SO absurdly fun and it’s even better in a group. I’ve even grouped with entirely random people who I’d normally never meet because there are no placements and everyone starts at the bottom so there r some cute interactions

Btw for those of you who haven’t tried it yet: stadium is ABSURDLY fun. Even if your mains aren’t in it yet, trust me it’s worth going into it and trying it out

[lambkinstock]

confessions

the tale of one (fictional) woman's journey (through fiction). told to you by way of a (fictional) story, featuring (fictional) characters.

✶⋆.˚✶⋆.˚✶⋆.˚✶⋆.˚✶⋆.˚✶⋆.˚✶⋆.˚✶⋆.˚✶⋆.˚✶⋆.˚

If you’re reading this, you’re probably a pervert.

Yeah. You read that right. You’re a sad, lonely little pervert, and we’re all talking about you.

Really, we are. You keep us up at night. All you do is stare at your screen, scrolling and typing and clicking and posting. You’ve probably got a whole queue of posts dedicated to this shit, right? Weirdo. What’s wrong with you? Don’t you have any friends?

Of course you don’t. You’re here! And if you’re reading this, it’s probably because you went looking for it.

That’s where our problem begins.

Joel clicks his fingers in front of your face. “Hey. Are you even listening to me?”

“What?” you ask, looking up from your phone. You’ve been talking to your only friend again; a gray floating head with shades on. You’re not sure what it is about them, this faceless figure: they just get you.

“Unbelievable,” Joel says. He shakes his head and struts off.

“I was listening,” you call, chasing after him. “I heard you.”

“What’d I say?”

“You said something about immorality. And therapy. About me needing therapy. Right?”

His jaw clenches, releasing some sort of disapproving grunt. He gauges the distance between you, making sure it’s a respectable, appropriate five feet before he responds. “That’s about it, yeah.”

“Yeah…” You scratch your head. “And what do I need therapy for again?”

Well, that sets him off.

His eyes widen in shock. He gestures between your body and his, gaping. “How about you trying to dream up some world where you and I are in a sexual relationship? I mean, my God, Fellow Legal Adult, it’s like you’re attracted to me or something.”

Fellow Legal Adult. This is his new thing, the nickname he’s been using since baby girl is too inappropriate in today’s climate. He calls his fictional daughters baby girl, and you’re wrong and sick and twisted for enjoying the sound of it in his waxy Texan accent.

“I just thought it might be some fun to imagine it,” you admit. “I don’t actually want to do it, I just want to play pretend and maybe write a story about doing it.”

“No,” Joel says. “Writing a story about something is the exact same as doing it. Every work of fiction ever is actually the writer’s endorsement of that thing. Shakespeare has been cancelled for years over Macbeth, or did you miss that Twitter thread?”

You pull at the skirt of your sundress. Shit – my bad, you’re not wearing a sundress. That’s overdone. Also kinda slutty. You’re only wearing it for easy access, right? Come on, now. This isn’t one of those fics from 2023, with zero plot and just sex. We’re better than that. We’re literates.

That’s why we’re on Tumblr.

You pull at the skirt of your frock. It’s now ankle-length and much more self-respecting. “I’m confused,” you reply. “So you’re saying no?”

“Yes.”

“You’re saying yes?”

Joel sighs, taking another conservative step back. “No. We can’t. This would be wrong.”

“What’s so wrong with it?” you ask, impatient now. You’ve met all the required terms and conditions of pursuing a romantic relationship with a man who does not, never has, and never will exist outside of the confines of your imagination.

You’re not his best friend’s daughter, because – ew, right? Who the fuck wants to fantasize about a clandestine summer fling with a mature, intelligent man who only has eyes for you, against all odds and rules of society; a man who would put his closest friendship on the line because you are just that insatiable to him; a man who treats you with the respect, trust, and – my God, I’m about to say it – the love that no other boy ever has or ever could?

It’s not like you’re calling him daddy, either. What fucking twisted piece of shit would do that? Doesn’t Joel know about the decades of usage of that term, the sheer number of people who buy into such whimsy, the little fantasy one might like to indulge in while existing on this hellish lump of rock and partake in sex so immoral, so filthy, so – incestuous? And here you are, promising to refrain from such practice. Protecting him and yourself from the dreaded patriarchy, which solely oppresses fictional characters, as everybody knows.

Really, he should be grateful.

Jesus, what else? You dress in a frock and petticoat; your ankles are never on display. You don’t allow yourself the fun of pretty, girlish clothes which feed the patriarchy and may lure the untrained eye into thinking you are – oh, Christ, a child! In actual fact, you’re fifty-two – supremely middle-aged – just like Joel. Actually, you never were a teenager, nor a twenty-year-old, not a dreaded, unsightly, geriatric thirty-year-old at all. And if you ever were, you sure as shit wouldn’t write fiction about it, because it is uncouth, tasteless, and downright predatory to imagine yourself a day younger than you currently are.

No. You marched straight from your poor mother’s body, armed with a smartphone in one hand, X-formerly-Twitter pre-downloaded, with some hefty conservative views to punch into it as soon as you learned how to spell the four most important words: romanticize, fetishize, sexualize and normalize. You’ve spent your entire life hunched over the thing, foaming at the mouth and wiping thick globs of saliva with the back of your hand; screaming at people you don’t know, will never know, and reminding them what ugly, loathsome, untalented, worthless people they are.

What the fuck isn’t there to like about you?

Joel sighs. He shakes his head, then reaches around to his back pocket for his phone.

“I have to check what the people online would say about this,” he says. “You know, the ones with blogs dedicated to policing this kind of thing. They give their summers up for this, Fellow Legal Adult, they’re really brave and inspiring and I owe them a lot for keeping my reputation safe. With all the innocent survivors I’ve killed over the years – not to mention the entire hospital I shot up to save one little girl – I really don’t need a completely fictional relationship to turn me into some kind of bad guy.”

“But it’s just fantasy,” you say. “None of it is real. You’re not even real.”

His jaw drops. “Excuse me?”

You scrape together an explanation.

“I just meant: nothing we do actually means anything. We’re just words on this person’s screen. Look at them, reading about us right now. We’re figments of their imagination! I wonder if I have brown or blue or green eyes; I wonder if you have a full beard or you’re the other guy with the curly hair. It wouldn’t matter either way, because neither of us exist! Right?”

“Not the point.” Joel shakes his head, logging in to his account. “It romanticizes unhealthy sex practices.”

“Joel,” you whisper, with love and patience, holding his little brain like it’s a smooth lump of damp clay. “We’re not actually having sex. Same as you didn’t actually blitz a hospital. And anyway, if I consent and you consent, and nobody gets hurt, what’s unhealthy about sex?”

“It normalizes kink and taboo, that’s what.” He nods, dignified, proud of the argument. It took him a whole hour to come up with. His brain grew one wrinkle in the process. For a little extra punch, he adds, “It’s propaganda I’m not falling for.”

“Using normalize and taboo in the same sentence feels a little contradictory, Joel. You’re starting to sound like one of those freaks with a stan account dedicated to Ellie or Tommy.”

He rolls his eyes and shoves his phone back into his pocket. They’re debating the ethics of reblogging other writers’ work right now, and he hasn’t the time to get into it. “You wouldn’t understand,” he grunts. “You’re fetishizing me, you’re glorifying your own abuse and manipulation, and you’re forcing everybody else to be on board with it too. It’s disgusting, Fellow Legal Adult, I’m actually disgusted.”

“Nobody has to be on board with anything they don’t want to,” you say. “That’s a pretty basic rule of thumb in anything, but especially sex. Are you sure you’ve had enough sex to understand the basic concept of consent? Maybe if you spent less time yelling in your tags, someone might want to…”

He laughs. “You’re just a girl who doesn’t know the ideologies she’s playing into.”

“Which ideologies are those?”

He hesitates. “Patriarchy,” he spits out, the word wobbling across his tongue. It sounds like a big word and it victimizes women, so it must be right. It seemed to come up a lot when he asked ChatGPT for an argument which both liberates and subjugates women. He has no idea what it actually means or how it ties into this discussion.

“So, let me get this straight. You think you’re punching a hole in the patriarchy by talking down to women and comparing them to real-life criminals, all for writing some stories on a fandom website?”

He hesitates. Again. He’s not used to having human interaction without his keyboard to hide behind.

Also: he hesitates because he’s not real. I can’t stress that enough. I’m making this dude do whatever the fuck I say. Look, now he’s on a pogo stick. He’s bouncing all over the fucking joint. Joel would never pogo, I hear you say. Too bad! Now he’s going no hands. Damn, this guy’s good.

“Why would women want to fantasize about some of the shit you write?” Joel asks.

Fuck. That’s a great question. I better make him put the pogo stick down.

“Sexuality is a complicated thing,” you reply. “It always has been. We’ve never really understood human desire; that’s kind of why it’s such a heavily-covered topic in media. It’s not supposed to be interpreted literally. The crazy thing is literature is full of metaphors and symbolism, but people only have a hard time understanding that shit when it comes to erotica.”

He scoffs, twisting the pogo stick into the ground. “So you want me to believe you don’t actually want to fuck the people you’re writing about?”

You purse your lips. “I feel like it says more about your intelligence level that you can’t wrap your head around the concept of a metaphor, than it does mine. Maybe you wanna read more books and less anonymous messages?”

“No, thank you,” he says, waving his hand. “I don’t like to be made to feel uncomfortable. By anything. Ever. I live in my bubble of legality and morality. We’re all good people here. That’s why we have an obligation to bully the living shit out of anyone we disagree with, and threaten their personal safety in the process.”

“Right.” You back up, dragging the heels of your sneakers – sorry, your Victorian boots, no ankles. Suddenly, the thought of sleeping with someone so stupid and immature doesn’t feel as fun anymore.

“Where are you going?” he asks, pogoing after you. His voice shudders as the stick makes contact with the earth.

“I think I’m gonna close this doc,” you mumble, gathering your frock as you jog. “I’ll just open a new one and write a version of you who’s normal and doesn’t talk out of his ass as much.”

“Good luck with that,” he replies. “That’s totally out of character for me.”

In one click, he pauses, glitches, pogo stick springing – before he plummets into the recycle bin on your screen. The silence is bliss.

You look around the room. Outside, birds sing and cars soar by on the street. You remember that the real world exists; with real rules and real codes of conduct which help to protect real people. With real patriarchy: not fictional girls in sundresses who like summers of sex, but instead an insidious rot which runs so deep through society, it threatens to permeate the fantastical.

Here on your screen, a blank page and cursor blinking, just waiting for the stories and silliness you might spill into it – none of that shit has to matter. You are safe within the realm of fiction to be whoever you like, do whatever you want. Even shit that makes other people uncomfortable. Think of it like an intellectual jungle gym for adults.

You can paint yourself brave, beautiful, funny, smart, sexy. You can chase your wildest dreams, accomplish the impossible, fraternize with your favorite characters and exist in faraway universes. You can be desired by everybody you ever wanted, or nobody at all. You can explore things that make you feel good, things that make you feel scared, and no harm can ever come from it.

Hell, you might even learn a thing or two about yourself in the process.

That’s the fucking point of fantasy, you incel pieces of shit. Read a fucking book.

[kaiyunsim]

after the storm —

pairing : bully!ni-ki x student!reader (no pronouns used)

summary : you run into the infamous bully, nishimura riki and eventually get partnered with him as well.

warnings : fluff, enemies-to-lovers, angst if you squint hard enough, featuring boynextdoor’s myung jaehyun, aespa’s karina, jay, jake, and heeseung.

a/n : first ‘long’ fic. i hope you guys enjoy it !! i love enemies to lovers so much :] (my gift to you guys during finals season)

queueing : after the storm - kali uchis, tyler the creator, bootsy collins

— wc : 5.4k — not proof read —

you don’t mean for it to happen. really, you don’t. but monday mornings are the worst, and the crowded hallways of your school aren’t much better. your arms are weighed down with textbooks, and you’re running late to class because karina begged you to grab coffee with her before school.

the chaos of the hallway hits you like a wave as you round the corner—students yelling, slamming lockers, rushing to class. you’re too focused on navigating the crowd to notice the tall figure directly in your path until it’s too late.

your shoulder collides with someone’s arm, and there’s a sudden, sharp gasp followed by the unmistakable sound of liquid spilling. you freeze, looking down to see a large coffee stain spreading across pristine white sneakers.

"you’ve got to be kidding me," comes the irritated voice, sharp and cutting. you look up to find yourself face-to-face with nishimura riki—or ni-ki, as everyone calls him.

he’s infamous. the type of guy who can get away with murder just by flashing his signature smirk. tall, broad-shouldered, and perpetually annoying, ni-ki has a reputation for making people’s lives just a little harder than they need to be.

"what, no apology?" he snaps, glaring down at you. it felt like it was piercing a hole into you with how intimidating it felt.

"sorry," you mutter, trying to sidestep him, but he moves to block your way.

"sorry doesn’t clean my shoes," he says, lifting one foot to inspect the damage. his tone is sharp, but there’s something about the way his lips quirk up that makes it clear he’s enjoying this.

but you’re not in the mood to deal with his shit right now, "maybe if you weren’t standing in the middle of the hallway like you own the place, this wouldn’t have happened," you snap back, your irritation getting the better of you.

his smirk widens, and he tilts his head, clearly amused. "oh, so you do have a spine. didn’t think you’d bite back."

the comment makes your blood boil, but you force yourself to stay calm. "are you done? i’m late for class."

he steps aside with a mock bow, sweeping his arm dramatically. "by all means, don’t let me stop you. but maybe try walking without causing a disaster next time." he says, the last few words more teasing than the others

you glare at him, giving him a side-eye and refusing to let him get the last word. "maybe next time, you can stop being a walking inconvenience."

you don’t wait for his response, pushing past him and disappearing into the crowd. even as you walk away, you can feel his eyes on you, that smug smirk of his practically burned into your memory.

later that morning, you’re venting to jaehyun and karina at lunch.

"he’s such an ass," you complain, stabbing your fork into your salad. "he acted like i spilled coffee on him on purpose."

karina raises an eyebrow, sipping her iced tea. "ni-ki? yeah, he’s like that. he likes messing with people, especially if they react."

"and you definitely reacted," jaehyun adds with a laugh. "i mean, come on, you basically called him a walking inconvenience."

"because he is," you argue. "i swear, i don’t know how anyone puts up with him."

karina shrugs. "jake, jay, and heeseung seem to like him well enough. maybe he’s different around his friends."

you roll your eyes. "or maybe they’re just as bad as he is."

jaehyun chuckles, but karina gives you a knowing look. "just be careful. he’s the type to hold grudges, and i’ve seen him turn teasing into a full-blown hobby."

"great," you mutter, already regretting your choice to snap at him.

—

it’s the next day, and you’ve successfully avoided ni-ki all morning. you’re starting to think you’ve dodged a bullet… until english class rolls around.

you’re barely settled in your seat when the teacher announces a new group project. the groans from your classmates echo through the room as she begins listing the pairs.

"let’s see... y/n, you’ll be with nishimura riki."

you freeze, your eyes widening in disbelief. you whip your head around just in time to see ni-ki’s face light up with a smug grin.

“you’ve got to be fucking kidding with me,” you mutter quietly to yourself

"looks like we’re partners," he says, sliding into the seat next to you.

"this has to be a joke," you mutter under your breath.

"nope, pretty sure it’s fate," he says, leaning back in his chair. "guess you’ll have to get used to me."

you shoot him a glare. "you’re insufferable."

"and you’re stuck with me," he says, unbothered.

later that afternoon, you’re sitting in the library, waiting for ni-ki to show up for your first project meeting. you’re determined to keep things professional—finish the project and avoid him as much as possible.

but of course, he shows up fifteen minutes late, strolling in like he owns the place.

"you’re late," you say, not bothering to hide your annoyance.

"fashionably late," he corrects, dropping into the seat across from you. "besides, you’re so eager. it’s kind of cute."

you ignore the comment, pulling out your notes. "let’s just get this over with."

he raises an eyebrow, leaning forward. "wow, you’re really fun to work with, huh?" he says sarcastically.

"if you actually helped instead of wasting time, maybe i would be," you snap.

he laughs, shaking his head. "relax. i’ll help. what do you need me to do?"

you narrow your eyes at him, suspicious of his sudden cooperation. but you hand him a set of notes anyway, deciding to give him the benefit of the doubt… for now.

as you work, you can’t help but notice the occasional glances he throws your way, the way his smirk softens when he thinks you’re not looking. it’s almost enough to make you question your first impression of him.

keyword: almost.

—

you tell yourself you can survive this project. a few study sessions, a presentation, and then you’ll never have to deal with nishimura riki again. but as the days pass, you realize it’s not going to be that simple.

the second study session doesn’t start off any better than the first. you’re sitting at the same library table, waiting for ni-ki, who, predictably, is late again. you’ve just started debating whether or not to text him when he finally strolls in, looking completely unbothered.

"you really need to work on your time management," you say as he drops into the chair across from you.

"and you need to work on your patience," he fires back, flashing that infuriating grin.

you groan, pulling out the project materials. "can we just get this done? the sooner we finish, the sooner i can stop seeing your face."

he pretends to clutch his chest. "ouch. and here i thought we were bonding."

"bonding?" you repeat, raising an eyebrow. "you’ve done nothing but annoy me since day one."

"exactly," he says, leaning back in his chair. "it’s called building rapport."

you roll your eyes, choosing to ignore him and focus on the task at hand.

despite the rocky start, you manage to get some work done. to your surprise, ni-ki actually contributes… when he’s not cracking jokes or making sarcastic comments, anyway.

"so, about this section," he says, gesturing to the notes in front of you. "do you think we should focus more on the analysis or the context?"

you blink, caught off guard by the seriousness in his tone. for a moment, he actually seems... focused.

"uh, the analysis, probably," you say, regaining your composure. "it ties everything together better."

he nods, scribbling something down in his notebook.

you study him for a moment, curious despite yourself. "you actually care about this?"

he looks up, smirking. "what, surprised i have a brain?"

"a little," you admit, earning a laugh from him.

"guess i’ll just have to keep impressing you," he says, and while his tone is teasing, there’s something in his expression that feels almost genuine.

the cracks in his facade start showing during the third study session. it’s late, and the library is quiet except for the soft rustling of papers and the occasional sigh from ni-ki.

"you’re awfully quiet," you say, glancing at him. "what’s wrong? run out of sarcastic comments?"

he snorts, but his usual grin doesn’t reach his eyes. "just tired, i guess."

you hesitate, not used to this version of him. "long day?"

he shrugs, tapping his pen against the table. "something like that."

the mood shifts, and for a brief moment, you see past the cocky exterior. the ni-ki who’s not always so sure of himself, who might actually have a soft side buried somewhere deep.

but just as quickly as it appeared, it’s gone. he flashes you a smirk and says, "don’t worry, though. i’m still smarter than you."

"and just like that, you ruined it," you say, rolling your eyes.

he laughs, the tension broken, but the moment lingers in the back of your mind.

—

the night before the project is due, you and ni-ki are sitting in the living room of your dorm, putting the final touches on your presentation. your friends are busy, leaving just the two of you to finish everything.

"we actually make a decent team," ni-ki says, leaning back on the couch.

you glance at him, surprised. "that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me."

"don’t get used to it," he says with a grin, but there’s a softness to his tone that makes you pause.

"why do you do that?" you ask suddenly, the question slipping out before you can stop yourself.

"do what?"

"act like... this," you say, gesturing vaguely. "like you don’t care about anything."

he blinks, clearly caught off guard. "what makes you think i don’t care?"

"because you never take anything seriously," you say. "you’re always joking or teasing people, like it’s all just a game to you."

he’s quiet for a moment, his usual smirk replaced by something more thoughtful. "maybe it’s easier that way," he says finally.

"easier than what?"

he shrugs, avoiding your gaze. "easier than letting people see the parts of you they can use against you."

his words hit you harder than you expect. you’d never considered that there might be a reason behind his behavior. that his teasing and sarcasm might be a shield instead of just his personality.

"that sounds lonely," you say softly.

he looks at you then, his eyes meeting yours in a way that feels too intense, too vulnerable. "maybe it is."

the silence stretches between you, heavy with unspoken words. for the first time, you see ni-ki not as the cocky, infuriating guy who spilled coffee on his shoes, but as someone who’s more complex than he lets on.

"you don’t have to do that with me," you say quietly, the words surprising even yourself.

he stares at you for a moment, his expression unreadable. then he smiles. small and genuine, without a hint of sarcasm. "thanks," he says, and you can tell he means it.

the next day, the two of you present your project in class. it goes off without a hitch, and for once, ni-ki actually seems serious and focused.

"we did pretty good," he says afterward as you’re packing up your things.

"we did," you agree, and for the first time, you smile at him without any sarcasm or annoyance.

he grins back, but there’s something different in the way he looks at you now—something warmer, softer.

"guess i’ll see you around," he says, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"yeah," you say, watching as he walks away.

you’re not sure what’s changed between you, but you know one thing for certain: this is only the beginning.

—

the weekend has finally arrived, and after a long week of school, you’re more than ready for some peace and quiet. your dorm room is a sanctuary of calm, with soft lighting, cozy blankets, and a pile of books waiting to be read. jaehyun and karina are out with their own plans, leaving you alone to unwind.

you’ve just made yourself a cup of tea and are settling in with a book when you hear a soft knock on your door.

"coming!" you call, setting your tea down and pushing yourself up from the couch. you open the door, expecting to find one of your friends—or maybe a neighbor—but instead, you’re met with a familiar face.

ni-ki stands in the doorway, looking far too pleased with himself.

"ni-ki?" you say, blinking in surprise. "what are you doing here?"

"well, i was just walking by," he says casually, although you can tell by the way his eyes sparkle that he has an ulterior motive. "and i thought, hey, maybe i could hang out."

you stare at him for a moment, unsure whether to laugh or roll your eyes. "how did you even know where i live?"

"oh, that was easy," he says, grinning. "i just asked karina for your address."

you can’t help but stare at him. "you bribed karina for my address?"

"not bribed," he says, feigning innocence. "i just asked really nicely."

"she gave it to you?" you ask, incredulous.

"yeah," he shrugs. "she said it was no big deal. something about ‘you two are friends now,’ i don’t know."

you lean against the doorframe, still processing. she probably just decided to give it to annoy you, "and you thought i’d just let you in?"

"well, yeah," he says, flashing you that signature cocky smile. "why not? i’m charming."

"you’re insufferable," you mutter, but you step aside anyway, gesturing for him to come in.

"thanks," he says, stepping into your room and looking around as if he owns the place. "this is nice. much cozier than i expected."

you can’t help but chuckle. "yeah, well, i like it simple."

"simple, huh?" he says, raising an eyebrow. "i thought you’d have some crazy expensive decor or something."

"i’m not exactly the ‘luxury’ type," you reply dryly.

"good to know," he says, sitting on your couch without asking. "so, what are we doing today?"

you blink, caught off guard by the question. "what do you mean ‘what are we doing’? i was planning on having a relaxing day. just me, my book, and my tea."

"boring," he says, groaning as he flops back into the cushions. "you need to live a little."

"i’m living just fine," you reply, rolling your eyes. "now get off my couch."

"come on, just for a little while," he says, grinning up at you. "let me hang out. i swear i’ll be quiet."

you stare at him, considering for a moment. "you’re not exactly known for being quiet."

he shrugs, looking unbothered. "fine, i’ll be your idea of ‘peaceful.’"

you sigh, sitting back down on the other side of the couch. despite yourself, you can’t help but feel a little amused. ni-ki’s presence is annoying, sure, but there’s something oddly comfortable about it too.

—

it’s around late afternoon when you start to hear the telltale sound of your phone buzzing on the coffee table. you reach over and glance at the screen, seeing a text from jaehyun.

jaehyun: "hey, you up for dinner tonight? karina and i were thinking of grabbing some food."

you frown, glancing over at ni-ki. "i already had plans with jaehyun and karina," you explain. "we were going to grab dinner."

ni-ki raises an eyebrow, his usual grin appears. "let me go with you"

you stare at ni-ki in disbelief. he stands there with that cocky grin of his, arms crossed, as if he’s just asked the most casual thing in the world.

"invite you to dinner with jaehyun and karina?" you repeat slowly, as though you can’t quite process what he’s saying.

"yeah, why not?" he shrugs nonchalantly, a playful glint in his eyes. "i’m not doing anything anyway, and it’d be more fun with me there."

you raise an eyebrow, considering the idea. "you want to crash our dinner plans? you’re really bold, you know that?"

"hey, it’s not crashing if you invite me," he says with a smirk, stepping closer. "besides, i’m fun. i’ll make it interesting."

you glance at your phone, seeing jaehyun’s text still sitting there. ‘are you coming or what?’

you look back at ni-ki. "i don’t know..."

"come on," he insists, giving you a look that makes you feel like you’re being peer-pressured in the most annoying but strangely convincing way possible. "it’ll be fun. jaehyun and karina will love me."

you frown. "do you even know how to act in front of my friends? they don’t exactly have the best impressions of you” you admit.

"how hard can it be?" he grins. "besides, it’s jaehyun and karina. they’ll get me. and if they don’t, i’ll just charm them."

you’re about to protest, but then you realize he’s not going to back down. and, for whatever reason, the thought of spending time with ni-ki, jaehyun, and karina all together suddenly seems oddly appealing.

you sigh, giving in. "fine, but don’t make it weird."

ni-ki beams. "deal. i’m going to be the perfect guest."

when you arrive at the restaurant with ni-ki in tow, jaehyun and karina are already waiting by the entrance. the look on jaehyun’s face when he spots you, and then ni-ki, could only be described as a mix of surprise and mild confusion.

"uh, what’s going on here?" jaehyun asks, blinking rapidly as he looks between you and ni-ki.

"what, you didn’t think i could bring my new ‘friend’ along?" you ask, feigning innocence. "he’s harmless."

"new friend?" karina raises an eyebrow. "that’s ni-ki, right?"

"yep, that’s the one," you say, nudging ni-ki with your elbow. "don’t let the attitude fool you, he’s alright."

ni-ki smirks and waves at them nonchalantly. "hey, guys. don’t mind me. just here to steal your food."

"you’re going to steal our food?" jaehyun asks, laughing as he steps forward to greet you both. "i should’ve known. ni-ki’s always up to something."

"i’m really not," ni-ki says, shrugging casually. "but i might steal your fries if you’re not careful."

karina eyes him with mild amusement. "alright, let’s just sit down before you scare us off."

the four of you sit down, with ni-ki taking the seat next to you, of course. jaehyun and karina sit across from you both, watching the dynamic between you and ni-ki with growing curiosity.

"so," karina starts after a few moments of awkward silence, "what exactly made you invite ni-ki to dinner?"

you glance at ni-ki, who looks entirely too pleased with himself. "he insisted," you say dryly. "he wouldn’t let up about it."

jaehyun chuckles. "that sounds about right. ni-ki can be pretty persistent."

"persistent, huh?" ni-ki smirks, clearly enjoying the attention. "i like to think of it as… persuasive."

"persuasive?" karina repeats, raising an eyebrow. "are we talking about the same ni-ki here? the one who bullies everyone he meets?"

ni-ki looks over at her and grins. "bullying? me? i prefer to call it ‘challenging.’"

you can’t help but laugh at his confident response. "yeah, he definitely challenges everyone. whether they want to or not."

jaehyun laughs. "i think we’re going to get along just fine tonight."

as the dinner progresses, it’s clear that the initial tension has dissipated. ni-ki’s usual teasing doesn’t feel as sharp when he’s around jaehyun and karina. he’s surprisingly… well, charming, in his own way. he cracks jokes, makes sarcastic remarks, and even joins in on the conversation when karina and jaehyun talk about their plans for the upcoming break.

you find yourself watching him more than you intend to, surprised by how easily he fits into the dynamic. there’s no tension between him and your friends, just a playful back-and-forth that somehow feels natural.

"so," jaehyun says, after a long stretch of conversation, "ni-ki, what’s your deal? you don’t really seem like the type to hang out with this lot." he gestures toward you and karina, giving you both a teasing smile.

"hey," you protest, "we’re cool."

"oh, i know," ni-ki says, grinning at jaehyun. "i just like to make things interesting. gotta keep them on their toes."

karina laughs. "that much is obvious. i’m surprised you didn’t try to make everyone do push-ups or something."

"who says i didn’t?" ni-ki winks, clearly enjoying himself.

you roll your eyes. "i’m going to regret this, aren’t i?"

"probably," karina says with a knowing grin. "but i have to admit, i wasn’t expecting him to be so… entertaining."

the rest of the dinner passes by in a blur of laughter, playful banter, and way too much food. by the time the check arrives, you’re not sure whether you’ve just had a fun night with your friends, or a chaotic, slightly ridiculous one.

as you step outside the restaurant with jaehyun, karina, and ni-ki, you feel an unexpected sense of contentment. ni-ki might have started as your enemy, but somewhere along the way, he’s shifted into something else. and now, with him standing next to you, joking around with your friends, you’re not so sure what to make of it all.

"thanks for inviting me," ni-ki says, glancing at you as you all walk to the parking lot. "i had a good time."

you glance over at him and shrug. "you weren’t as unbearable as usual."

he grins, a genuine, soft smile tugging at his lips. "i’ll take that as a compliment."

"you should," you say with a smile of your own. "because it’s the nicest thing i’ll say to you all week."

he chuckles, the sound warm and easy. "fair enough. i’ll take what i can get."

as you make your way home, you can’t help but think that this unexpected dinner with ni-ki might be one of the most fun nights you’ve had in a while.

—

you’re sprawled out on karina’s bed, watching as she types furiously on her laptop. jaehyun is sitting cross-legged on the floor, flipping through his notes from last week’s lecture, though he’s clearly not paying attention. it’s one of those easy afternoons where nothing seems particularly urgent, except for the thoughts swirling in your head.

you’d been trying to ignore them all day, hoping they’d go away on their own. but every time you close your eyes or let your mind wander, ni-ki’s face pops up, that stupid grin of his haunting your thoughts.

"alright," jaehyun says, breaking the silence. "spill."

"spill what?" you ask, trying to sound casual.

"whatever’s going on with you," he says, gesturing vaguely at you. "you’ve been weirdly quiet today. it’s creeping me out."

karina glances up from her laptop, narrowing her eyes. "yeah, now that he mentions it… you’ve been off. something on your mind?"

you groan, sitting up and burying your face in your hands. "why do you guys have to be so observant?"

"because we’re your friends," karina says simply, closing her laptop. "now, out with it. what’s going on?"

you hesitate, chewing on your lip as you try to figure out how to phrase it. "it’s… it’s about ni-ki."

jaehyun lets out a low whistle. "oh, this should be good."

karina leans forward, her expression instantly intrigued. "what about him? did he do something?"

"no," you say quickly, shaking your head. "he didn’t do anything. it’s just… he’s been hanging around a lot lately, and… i don’t know."

"you don’t know?" jaehyun repeats, raising an eyebrow. "that’s not very convincing."

you groan again, flopping back onto the bed. "okay, fine. i think… i think i might have feelings for him."

karina gasps, clapping her hands together like she’s just uncovered the juiciest piece of gossip ever. "i knew it!"

"you knew nothing," you mutter, covering your face with a pillow.

"are you kidding me?" she says, yanking the pillow away. "it was so obvious! the way you look at him, the way he teases you… i’ve been waiting for this moment."

jaehyun nods, smirking. "yeah, i kind of saw it coming too. you two have this weird energy whenever you’re together."

"weird energy?" you repeat, sitting up. "what does that even mean?"

"it means," jaehyun says, "that you two act like you’re in a rom-com. all the banter, the teasing, the lingering looks. it’s textbook ‘we’re pretending to hate each other but actually we’re into each other’ vibes."

karina nods enthusiastically. "exactly! and ni-ki? oh, he’s so into you."

"he’s not into me," you say quickly, shaking your head.

"he absolutely is," karina insists. "the way he looks at you? please. he’s head over heels, even if he’s too proud to admit it."

you frown, playing with the hem of your sleeve. "i don’t know… what if you’re wrong? what if he’s just messing around, and i’m reading too much into it?"

"we’re not wrong," jaehyun says confidently. "trust us. if ni-ki didn’t like you, he wouldn’t be spending all his free time with you."

"he literally shows up at your dorm uninvited," karina adds. "that’s not just friendly behavior. that’s ‘i like you and don’t know how to say it’ behavior."

you let their words sink in, your heart racing as you try to make sense of your feelings. maybe they’re right. maybe ni-ki’s teasing and constant presence mean something more.

but the thought of confronting those feelings, of admitting them to yourself, let alone to ni-ki, feels terrifying.

"what if i just… ignore it?" you suggest weakly.

karina groans. "you’re impossible. just talk to him, okay? or better yet, wait for him to confess. he’s bound to crack eventually."

jaehyun smirks. "and when he does, we’re going to say ‘we told you so.’"

you roll your eyes but can’t help the small smile tugging at your lips.

—

it’s a typical afternoon after school, and you’re sitting on the low wall near the campus courtyard, scrolling through your phone as you wait for karina and jaehyun to finish up their club activities. the sun hangs lazily in the sky, and most students have already scattered to their dorms or headed home. the courtyard is unusually quiet, except for the faint rustle of leaves and the occasional distant laugh.

you’re about to text karina and ask how long she’ll be when you hear footsteps approaching. without even looking up, you know who it is.

"what are you still doing here?" ni-ki’s familiar voice cuts through the silence, his tone casual, almost bored.

you glance up to see him standing a few feet away, his bag slung over one shoulder and his hands stuffed into his pockets. his hair’s a little messy, probably from running his fingers through it all day, and there’s that usual smirk on his face, the one that makes you want to roll your eyes.

"waiting for karina and jaehyun," you reply, tucking your phone into your pocket. "what about you? i thought you left already."

he shrugs, stepping closer and dropping his bag onto the ground next to you. "thought i’d stick around and see what you were up to."

"oh, how generous of you," you say dryly, swinging your legs idly as you look at him. "and here i was thinking you had better things to do."

"believe it or not," he says, plopping down on the wall beside you, "you’re pretty entertaining."

you snort. "wow. i’m honored."

he grins, leaning back on his hands as he looks up at the sky. for a moment, neither of you says anything, the comfortable silence settling between you. it’s strange how natural it feels to be around ni-ki now, how his teasing doesn’t grate on you the way it used to.

"you’ve been hanging out with me a lot lately," you say, breaking the silence. "what’s up with that?"

"what, you don’t enjoy my company?" he quips, glancing at you out of the corner of his eye.

"not what i said," you reply, giving him a look. "i’m just curious."

he shrugs again, a nonchalant gesture that seems almost rehearsed. "maybe i just like spending time with you."

your heart skips a beat at his words, but you brush it off, chalking it up to his usual teasing. "you’re terrible at answering questions, you know that?"

"i know," he says, smirking. "but you still put up with me, so i must be doing something right."

you roll your eyes, but a small smile tugs at your lips. before you can retort, ni-ki speaks again, his voice softer this time.

"it’s because i like you."

the words slip out so casually, so easily, that it takes a second for you to register them. when you do, you freeze, your brain scrambling to process what he just said.

"what?" you ask, turning to look at him.

he blinks, like he didn’t even realize he said it out loud, and for the first time, you see a flicker of uncertainty in his expression. "uh…"

"did you just say you like me?" you press, your heart pounding.

he scratches the back of his neck, looking anywhere but at you. "maybe."

"maybe?" you repeat, staring at him in disbelief. "ni-ki, you just said you like me. like, like me like me."

he sighs, finally meeting your gaze. "okay, fine. yeah, i said it. i like you. happy now?"

you’re not sure how to respond. your mind is a whirlwind of emotions. shock, confusion, and, if you’re being honest with yourself, a little bit of excitement.

"you’re kidding," you say after a moment, your voice barely above a whisper.

"do i look like i’m kidding?" he says, raising an eyebrow. "look, i wasn’t planning to say anything, but it kind of just… slipped out. so there you go. now you know."

you stare at him, trying to gauge if he’s being serious. but the way he’s looking at you, half-defiant, half-nervous, makes it clear that he’s not joking.

"why didn’t you say anything before?" you ask, your voice softer now.

"because," he says, running a hand through his hair, "i didn’t want to make things weird. we have this… thing, you know? the teasing, the banter. i didn’t want to mess it up."

"but you like me," you say again, like you’re trying to make sense of the words.

"yeah," he says simply, leaning back on his hands again. "i do. and it’s fine if you don’t feel the same way. i just… figured you should know."

you’re quiet for a moment, your thoughts racing. you think about all the times ni-ki’s teased you, all the times he’s gone out of his way to spend time with you. maybe he’s been trying to tell you this all along, in his own roundabout way.

"you’re such an idiot," you finally say, shaking your head.

his eyes widen, and he sits up straight. "wait, what? why am i an idiot?"

"because," you say, a smile tugging at your lips, "you could’ve just told me instead of being all weird about it."

he frowns. "i wasn’t being weird."

"you’ve been weird," you insist, laughing softly.

"okay, fine," he admits, rubbing the back of his neck. "maybe i’ve been a little weird."

"just a little," you tease, your smile growing.

he looks at you then, his expression softer, more open than you’ve ever seen it. "so… what now?"

"well," you say, pretending to think, "i guess you’ll just have to deal with the fact that i like you too."

his eyes widen again, and for a moment, he looks genuinely surprised. "wait, you do?"

"yeah," you say, laughing at the look on his face. "what, did you think i was going to reject you?"

"maybe," he admits, his lips curving into a sheepish grin. "i mean, you’re kind of out of my league."

"don’t push it," you say, swatting at his arm.

he laughs, the sound light and carefree, and you can’t help but join in. for once, there’s no teasing, no pretense. just the two of you, being honest with each other.

in the distance, you hear a loud whistle, followed by familiar voices calling out.

"oh my god, did they just confess?"

you whip your head around to see jake, jay, and heeseung standing a few feet away, clearly having eavesdropped on the entire conversation.

"i told you it was going to happen today," jay says, nudging jake.

"this is better than a drama," jake adds, grinning from ear to ear.

ni-ki groans, burying his face in his hands. "can you guys not?"

"what? we’re just here to support you," heeseung says, giving him a thumbs-up.

you laugh, the sound bubbling out of you uncontrollably, and ni-ki glances at you, his own smile breaking through despite his embarrassment.

"i hate them," he mutters, but there’s no real malice in his voice.

"you love them," you say, nudging him playfully.

"yeah, yeah," he grumbles, but he’s still smiling.

and for the first time, everything feels exactly as it should be.

[sainzztappen]

fuck it, yes i did.

f. colapinto x reader blurb

“i said im sorry, baby… please, i-” franco begged.

“franco, i know, i just- i need some time, okay? i need a second alone…” you explained.

franco sighed, letting you walk to your bedroom and shut the door. he knew this was his queue to leave, so he did, walking back to his own apartment a couple blocks away.

the truth was, as much as he hated to admit it, he missed his girl, he missed the way you made fun of him and your cringy, idiotic jokes. how could one miss someone in just a couple hours?

he needed to get out of his head, go out for a walk.

franco then stumbled across a flower shop, his heart thumped once he saw a bouquet of your favorite flowers and something inside of him — maybe the way his mom had always raised him to treat a woman well and give her flowers, or the way everything reminded him of you — made him want to buy them instantly.

the man speed walked back to your apartment, knocking on your door.

“oh.. hi..?” you greeted the man.

“yeah- hi, uh.. i didn’t mean to annoy you.. actually screw that. yes. i did. i missed you, and i got you flowers.”

“franco you’ve left for like- two hours…?”

“and i missed you. what about it?”

you couldn’t help but chuckle at his sassy attitude, your eyes drifting down to the bouquet he held… your favorite flowers.

you had told him one time. once. and he remembered it like it was the national anthem.

he followed your eyes wherever you looked, never taking his eyes off you, mirroring your smile.

“fran.. i-”

“please? please, baby, i’m begging you..” nothing better than a man who yearns.

you pull him inside, shutting the door and kissing him.

he smiles between kisses, sighs — which you couldn’t figure out if they were moans or relief — left his throat.

“i love you, im sorry.”

“it’s okay-”

“no, its not. i shouldn’t have talked to you that way.”

“franco, we both had long and stressful days, let’s just enjoy each other’s company, yeah?”

he nods, hugging you, holding your head to his chest as if you were a baby.

[hotshotsxyz]

where else but here, who else but us?

(8x06 coda) (buddie) (986 words)

Eddie wakes to the smell of bacon frying and coffee brewing, and for the first time in maybe his entire life, he lets himself luxuriate in it. If he’d actually made it to bed last night, he might even go back to sleep.

He stands and stretches, then shivers a little bit as the cool morning air tickles his bare thighs. Eddie grins. He just—

He did something for himself, and the world didn’t end. He did something for himself, and not only did the world not end, it got a little bit bigger and a little bit brighter. He did something for himself and Buck showed up, and that joy he was feeling burned a little bit hotter.

Eddie scoops his phone up off the floor and finds that it’s completely out of juice. He huffs a soft laugh and plugs it in. It’s a silly thought, but—Eddie can’t remember the last time his phone died. How could it, when he’s been so damn determined to avoid anything that might bring him a little joy. Hell, he hasn’t even been letting himself text Buck unless Buck texts him first.

He pads down the hall and into his bedroom and pulls on the softest pair of sweats he owns. He changes into an old, threadbare t-shirt, leans against the wall and exhales.

In his kitchen, Buck is making breakfast. In Texas, Christopher is safe and probably still asleep, and that’s a whole lot more than Eddie’s been letting himself acknowledge.  Here in LA, Eddie is alive and healthy and, if the priest that was maybe hitting on him is to be believed, allowed to forgive himself. He’s not there yet, but he can let himself join Buck in the kitchen.

On his way, Eddie makes a pit stop in the living room. His phone, up to an impressive 8% battery, has already reconnected to the Bluetooth speaker that’s tucked behind one of the photos on the mantle. He queues up a playlist that he and Buck have been curating together for years. Soft music fills the room and Eddie kind of wants to cry.

This is what he’s been denying himself. Easy mornings and raucous evenings and his best friend filling all the empty spaces he’s always been too afraid to try to fill himself. Eddie walks into the kitchen and finds Buck already looking for him.

“Morning,” Buck says, a little rough, like it’s the first word he’s said today. It probably is.

“Hey,” Eddie replies. He steps into Buck’s space and pulls him into a hug, just because he wants to. He feels Buck exhale and melt into him. “You okay?” he asks softly.

Buck pulls back from Eddie’s embrace and bites his lip. “I, uh—honestly?”

Eddie nods.

“I don’t really know,” Buck admits. “I think I just—or, I thought—I don’t know.” He lets out a frustrated huff.  

Eddie slides his hand down Buck’s arm until his fingers are circling Buck’s wrist. “You don’t have to,” he offers.

Buck’s head tips to the side. “You seem different,” he observes quietly.

“I am, I think,” Eddie says.

“What does that mean?” Buck asks

Eddie considers for a moment. “I think I’m just… ready to let some things go,” he says. “Maybe let some new things in.”

Buck smiles, small but genuine. “That’s—I’m glad.”

“Me too.” It’s incredible, but Eddie’s pretty sure he actually means it.

Buck’s gaze slides away from Eddie and hits the floor. “I, um. Me and Tommy. We—or, he—he broke up with me,” he says.

Something clenches in Eddie’s chest. “Then he’s an idiot,” he says.

“Maybe,” Buck says with a kind of hopeless shrug.

“He is,” Eddie says with conviction. “You’re—“ Sunshine. Joy. Perfect. Everything. He lets go of Buck’s wrist and twists their fingers together. “You’re the best person I know,” he says. “If Tommy couldn’t see that, that’s on him.”

Buck blows a disbelieving breath out through his nose. “He said I was going to break his heart.”

“Getting his heart broken by you would be a privilege,” Eddie replies before he can think better of it.

Buck lets out a pained noise. “But I wouldn’t—or, I didn’t want—” He cuts himself off with a frown. He looks up through his lashes and Eddie and Eddie—

Oh, Eddie wants.

“Anyone who’s lucky enough to be loved by you, even for a second, should know it’d be worth it,” he says.

“Eds,” Buck breathes.

“I mean it,” Eddie says, squeezing his hand. “And if you don’t, I’ll believe it enough for both of us.”

Buck laughs wetly. “You make it hard for a guy to wallow in a breakup, you know that?”

Eddie grins. “Good.” He steps back, tugging Buck’s wrist as he goes. “Come here,” he says, and Buck follows easily.

The coffee and bacon are quickly cooling on the counter, but there’s music in the air and Buck’s in his arms and Eddie’s pretty sure he wants to kiss his best friend. And he thinks that might even be a good thing.

“Eddie, what?” Buck asks breathlessly as Eddie puts a hand on his waist and spins them both.

“We’re dancing,” Eddie says, smiling.

“O-okay,” Buck says, clumsily following his lead.

Eddie can’t help the laugh that bubbles from his chest. A small grin spreads across Buck’s face.

“Maybe I would have,” Buck murmurs quietly.

“What?” Eddie asks, spinning him again, just because he can.

“Broken his heart.”

Warmth spreads from Eddie’s chest to his fingertips. “Yeah?” he asks breathlessly.

Buck hums but doesn’t clarify further. Eddie, though, Eddie’s pretty sure he gets it.

He and Buck—well. It’s hard to imagine a world where they don’t choose each other, over and over and over again. It’s them. How could they ever end up anywhere but here?

Eddie wants. He tightens his grip on Buck and keeps dancing.

[thatdammchickennugget]

Hi Marky! 💘😽 thought id pop in for a request - I liked this groceries idea but I thought I’d spin it a bit. For a au pinning where you flat with Blaise and Theo and one time when Mattheo is over you’re out of groceries so he offers to go with you. And it’s just bit pining over doing a mundane task together - kind of inspired by the song groceries by mallrat sorry if this is shit lmfao ily! 🤍

pairing - mattheo riddle x fem!reader

warnings - fluff, soft matty, theo and blaise are pretty useless

a/n - thanks for the request flower, I love it 💕

wordcount - 849

“Whose turn was it to buy groceries?” you asked, staring into the barren wasteland of the fridge. A half-empty carton of orange juice and a single, lonely lemon mocked you from the shelves.

“Not mine,” Blaise called from the living room, where he was sprawled across the couch like a Renaissance painting.

Theo, perched on the armrest with a mug in hand, raised a brow. “It was yours.”

You slammed the fridge door shut. “No, it wasn’t. I went last time. It’s someone else’s turn.”

Blaise didn’t even glance up from his magazine. “I vote Theo.”

“You can’t just ‘vote’ me,” Theo retorted.

“Watch me.”

You rolled your eyes, leaning against the counter. “You’re all useless, you know that? The only thing left in this flat is desperation and vibes.”

“And even the vibes are questionable,” Theo said, earning a snort from Blaise.

At that moment, the front door opened, and Mattheo strolled in like he owned the place. He glanced at the scene—Blaise reclining like a bored prince, Theo sipping tea like he was better than everyone, and you looking moments away from a breakdown—and smirked.

“Trouble in paradise?” he asked, shrugging off his jacket.

“We’re out of food,” you replied flatly.

“Out of food, out of coffee…” Theo mused. “Out of patience, if we’re talking about her.”

You shot him a glare. “Don’t test me.”

Mattheo chuckled, leaning casually against the counter. “Sounds like you need to hit the store.”

“She does,” Blaise chimed in, flipping a page.

“Well, I’m not going alone,” you said, crossing your arms.

Mattheo raised a brow. “You scared of the big bad grocery store?”

“No, I just know that if I go alone, I’ll end up doing everything, and then you three will eat it all and leave me with nothing but crumbs.”

“Harsh,” Theo said, though he didn’t look particularly offended.

“I’ll go with you,” Mattheo said, surprising everyone.

The room went quiet for a beat. Blaise raised his head, looking between you and Mattheo with barely concealed amusement. “Since when do you volunteer for manual labor?”

Mattheo shrugged. “I’m feeling generous.”

“Generous?” Theo snorted. “Is that what we’re calling it?”

“Shut up, Theo,” Mattheo muttered, his ears tinging pink.

You hesitated, glancing between the boys. “Fine. But if you’re coming, you’re carrying the bags.”

“Deal,” he said, already heading toward the door.

“Have fun, lovebirds,” Blaise called, earning himself a glare from Mattheo and a not-so-light smack on the back of the head from you.

♡

The grocery store was quieter than usual.

Mattheo grabbed a cart without being asked, his fingers drumming lightly on the handle as you started down the first aisle.

“You’ve got a system, right?” he asked, glancing at the list in your hand.

“I don’t need a system,” you replied, tossing a loaf of bread into the cart. “I know what we need.”

“That’s a system,” he said, smirking.

“You’re a system,” you muttered under your breath, and his chuckle sent a small thrill through you.

The two of you moved through the aisles in a rhythm that was surprisingly natural. He handed you things from higher shelves without asking, tossed in snacks you didn’t have the heart to scold him for, and even managed to charm an older woman into letting you skip the queue at the deli counter.

“You’re awfully good at this,” you said as he expertly steered the cart around a corner.

“Don’t sound so surprised,” he replied, smirking.

“Sorry, I just didn’t peg you as the domestic type.”

He shrugged, adding a pack of chocolate biscuits to the cart. “Maybe I’m full of surprises.”

You tried to ignore the flutter in your chest as he said it, focusing instead on grabbing a box of cereal.

By the time you reached the self-checkout, the cart was full, and the air between you felt lighter, more comfortable. He took over scanning the items, his grin widening every time you tried to help.

“Are you having fun?” you asked, exasperated.

“Maybe,” he said, scanning a box of tea. “It’s cute when you get all bossy.”

You opened your mouth to reply, but the words stuck as his grin softened into something warmer, more genuine.

Mattheo carried most of the bags without complaint, the muscles in his arms flexing just enough to make your heart race if you looked too long.

“Thanks for coming with me,” you said after a while.

“Anytime,” he replied, glancing at you out of the corner of his eye.

You hesitated, feeling suddenly self-conscious. “You didn’t have to, though. Blaise or Theo could’ve—”

“They wouldn’t have,” he interrupted, his voice quiet but certain. “And even if they would’ve, I wanted to.”

The simplicity of his words left you momentarily speechless.

By the time you reached the flat, your heart was racing for an entirely different reason. As you unpacked the groceries together, his hand brushed yours, lingering just long enough to make you wonder if it was on purpose.

And when he smiled at you—soft, a little shy—you couldn’t help but smile back.

Masterlist

Requesting Guidelines

[theemporium]

[1.7k] they want to believe jack when he says he has a girlfriend. they really do. it's just kind of hard to do so when they never see her. or, in which everyone is worried jack has found himself in a parasocial relationship.

.

“Fuck.” 

Jack raised his head, finding his attention drawn to his captain sitting on the aisle across from him on the bus. He watched as the man began patting himself down before he let out a sigh, standing up to reach for his bag on the overhead shelf. Yet, whatever he was trying to find was a fruitless endeavour as he settled back in his seat with a frown on his face.

“You good?” 

“Hm,” Nico hummed, letting out another long breath as he leaned back in his seat. “Yeah, I just forgot my headphones.”

“Nico Hischier not being organised?” Jack teased, a smile growing on his face. “Someone alert the authorities.”

Nico huffed out a laugh. “Ha. Ha. Ha.” 

“Just messin’ with you, cap,” Jack mused, deciding to be the better person and not point out the fact he could see Nico’s dimple even if the boy tried to act like he wasn’t laughing. “Here, I’ll share my music with you. Because I’m nice like that.”

The older boy raised his brows. “Your music for the full five hour drive?”

Jack raised his brows in return. “Do you have anything else better to do?”

“Fair enough,” Nico murmured before he reached over, taking the airpod and slipping it into his ear. “But I get to add some songs too.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jack waved him off before handing over his phone. “Maybe try more English rap songs so I can understand them too, yeah?” 

“Sure, because I’m nice like that,” Nico said with a grin before he turned to shift his attention to Jack’s phone. He clicked on the queue, his brows furrowing slightly when he saw the songs lined up. “Huh.”

“What?”

“Nothing,” Nico murmured. “I just thought you were a country music kind of guy. Never thought you’d be into the rock scene.”

Jack’s cheeks burned as he let out a slightly strained laugh. “I was, uh, broadening my horizons.”

Nico turned to look at him. “So you chose one band? You know, I know a couple of bands if you want them—”

“I’m fine with that band,” Jack said, flashing his captain a smile. 

“You’ve liked every one of their songs.”

“Mhm.”

“So, you know you like the genre, at least. Maybe you should try—”

“I’m good.”

“Jack—”

“Start queuing songs before I take my phone back, Hisch.”

Nico stared at him for a few moments, noting the way he fidgeted in his seat with his cheeks flushed far brighter than they should be with the bus AC blasting. But, Nico decided he would be nice this time around and not bring it up.

Not yet, at least.

Plus the band Jack had chosen was pretty good, if he did say so himself.

...

liked by jackhughes and 837,278 others

yourusername ready to rock north america❤️🖤

view all 13,738 comments

user i am going to the nashville show!!!

user she is THE moment

user omg i can't believe the tour has already started

user BKEWBFJBWEKFBKWEJBF

jackhughes congrats on the tour!! ur gonna kill it!!❤️‍🔥

user JACK HUGHES????

user who the fuck is jack hughes?

...

“What are you giggling at?”

“I’m not giggling at anything.” 

Luke narrowed his eyes. “You literally giggled as you said that.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Unfortunately for Luke, this had been a recurring conversation over the last few weeks because, despite what he said, Jack spent the better part of his free time giggling at his phone. It was sickening and annoying and Luke was so done with trying to scroll through TikTok with his brother snickering like some teenage girl in the background. 

It was starting to grate on his last nerve.

“You’re so full of shit,” Luke grumbled as he shoved a spoonful of cereal into his mouth, narrowing his eyes on his big brother from over the kitchen counter. 

“Maybe you should find someone to text and stop bothering me,” Jack retorted, the words slipping past his lips so casually, almost like he hadn’t realised what he said. 

But Luke heard loud and clear.

He straightened up in his seat, his annoyance now replaced with curiosity and he flashed his brother an inquisitive look. “Who are you messaging that has you giggling?” 

“I am not giggling,” Jack huffed out before he lifted his head, finally looking away from his phone screen to catch his brother’s gaze. “And, for your information, I am texting my girlfriend.” 

A few moments of silence passed as both boys stared at each other.

Luke blinked. “When the fuck did you get a girlfriend?” 

“It’s new,” Jack said with a casual shrug of his shoulders. 

Luke’s eyes narrowed. “How new?” 

“Just a couple of months or so,” Jack murmured, at least having the guts to look a little sheepish as a light blush spread across his cheeks. 

“Months?!” Luke repeated with a scoff, the bowl of cereal he was snacking on now long forgotten. “How come this is the first time I’m hearing of it?” 

“We are keeping things private!” Jack defended. 

“I’m your brother!” Luke retorted. “You’re meant to tell me shit. I’d tell you if I had a girlfriend! Quinn would tell me if he had a girlfriend!” 

“But neither of you do,” he snapped back with a shit-eating grin. 

“And you supposedly do,” Luke muttered, shaking his head. “What’s her name?” 

“That’s not important.”

Luke blinked. “Uh, yeah, dude, I think it is.” 

Jack shrugged again. “Maybe I don’t want you to know.” 

“Why not?” Luke questioned, watching his brother just shrug again—not that he was getting fucking sick of that or anything—before he glared. “Is it someone I know?” 

“Maybe.” 

“You’re being ridiculously vague right now and it’s annoying as fuck,” Luke told him. 

Jack’s grin widened. “I know!” 

“Fine, keep your stupid secrets,” Luke grumbled as he reached for his spoon again, rolling his eyes when he heard Jack laughing. “Like I fucking care anyways.” 

But he did. 

He really fucking did and he would find out who this secret girlfriend was if it’s the last thing he did. 

...

liked by jackhughes and 213,839 others

yourusername las vegas, you ALWAYS make me feel at home❤️🖤

view 12,930 comments

user MOTHER!!!

user hot AND talented. your fav could never

user new music when!!!

user THE SHIRT-

jackhughes ur so pretty😍😍😍

user not this guy again

user not a man

notzegrasipromise JACK???

...

...

“Yeah, I mean, I love my parents but I wish my girlfriend could’ve made it out. It would have been nice to have her here for the family skate too.” 

That was all it took for the hustling and bustling of the locker room to come to a screeching halt. 

Jack frowned, his hands holding his jersey in his hand that he had just taken off as he glanced around the room. All of the boys were giving him different looks: some concerned, some amused, some confused. It was throwing him off. 

“Uh, what?” 

“You have a girlfriend?” It was Dawson who eventually asked, his brows furrowed together in questioning.

“Yeah,” Jack nodded, feeling an odd sense of deja vu from the conversation he had with Luke a few weeks ago. “Geez, I didn’t realise we had to announce stuff like this now.”

“I mean,” Jesper spoke up, shrugging his shoulders. “We’re close, yeah? We usually just tell each other these things. You’ve never mentioned her before.”

“Don’t bother asking for her name,” Luke grumbled from the other side of the locker room.

“She’s not coming to the family skate?” Nico questioned, focusing the attention back to Jack who simply shrugged.

“She travels a bunch for work,” Jack explained. “Or, at least, for right now. She’s out in Nashville right now so she couldn’t make it.”

“But I thought you were all over that rockstar girl,” Simon spoke up from his stall, leaning back against the cubby, half dressed and legs spread. “Every time I open Twitter, I see it.”

Jack’s cheeks burned. 

Jesper gave him a disapproving look. “Don’t tell me you’ve been commenting on another girl’s instagram when you have a girlfriend. What does she think about it?”

“She likes them!” Jack defended. 

Jesper frowned. “I find that hard to believe.”

“Yeah, you’re kind of desperate on instagram,” Simon continued with a snort.

“Well, she hasn’t told me to stop,” Jack huffed.

“Yes, because a rockstar with a couple of million followers would personally reach out to stop you,” Luke drawled, a heavy layer of sarcasm dripping from his words.

“She would, considering she is my girlfriend.”

Once again, the locker room fell silent.

“You’re fucking shitting me,” Luke eventually spoke up, shaking his head. “You really think we believe that you pulled her?” 

Jack frowned. “What’s so hard to believe about that?”

“She’s an international rockstar and you’re just a dude who plays hockey,” Luke retorted. 

“So are you!” 

“Yeah, and I’m not sitting here trying to tell people I’m dating Taylor Swift, am I?”

“This is different,” Jack huffed before looking around the room. “I’m dating her! I really am! We met at that rock bar in Jersey City a couple of months ago and we’ve been chatting ever since.”

The boys all gave each other various looks.

“Fine, don’t believe,” Jack grumbled as he leaned down to start untying his skates. “I know I’m telling the truth. It’s not my fault you don’t believe me.”

For the record, only Jim and Ellen Hughes showed up to the New Jersey Devils’ family skate. 

...

liked by jackhughes and 362,373 others

yourusername east coast, we are coming for you!!❤️🖤

view all 14,737 comments

user i cannot believe the tour is almost over

user NEW MUSIC WHEN

user i'm seeing you in eight days!!!!

user oh my god she is so hot

jackhughes coming back to the better coast❤️🖤

user omg he is copying the hearts too

user he is delusional

user it is the devils colours

user you sound just as delusional as him

...

“So, I’ve been talking to Luke.” 

“Oh great,” Jack grumbled as he sunk further into the pillows of the living room couch.

“And I went on Twitter.”

“You must have been pretty bored to redownload it,” Jack commented, suddenly finding interest in the strings of his hoodie, instead of his brother’s face on the phone screen. He should have known it was odd when Quinn messaged to check he was home alone before he called.

“Jack.” 

“Don’t look at me like that,” Jack whined as he tried to hide himself deeper into his hoodie. “Whatever Luke told you is bullshit.”

“So you’re not telling people you’re dating an international rock sensation?” 

“Well, I’m not telling everyone,” Jack corrected. “But I am dating her!”

“Uh huh.”

“Not you too,” Jack groaned, throwing his head back and finding his gaze locked on some random part of the ceiling. “Quinn, why would I lie about this?” 

“Because you took a rough hit to the head.”

His head quickly snapped down to glare at his older brother who had the audacity to smirk in response. 

“We’re just worried, Jack. You don’t mention a single thing about talking to her. Then you’re showing up in her comments. And then you’re claiming to date her. All whilst playing and training like normal.”

Jack rolled his eyes.

“It’s fine if you have a little crush or something but—”

“She isn’t just a crush, she’s my girlfriend,” Jack repeated for the umpteenth time. “You’ll see soon.”

Quinn didn’t look awfully convinced  but he knew better than to push Jack on the matter any further. He instead shifted the conversation to a power play from the game before and, thankfully, Jack took the bait. In fact, he was far too busy rambling to even notice Quinn typing out a message straight to Luke. 

quinnifer: ur right 

quinnifer: he’s a fucking lost cause

...

liked by jackhughes and 983,373 others

yourusername tour was a dream but happy to finally come home to you jackhughes ❤️🖤

view all 37,373 comments

jackhughes glad to have my girl home❤️🖤

user WHAT

user a hard launch post tour??? oh she is sick

user i can't believe we lost her to a man

user IS THIS NOT THE HOCKEY DUDE

user omg he actually stood a chance

trevorzegras WHAT THE FUCK

trevorzegras WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK

user omg one sings rock and the other plays at the rock

user IT WAS WRITTEN IN THE STARS

lhughes_06 holy shit

_quinnhughes didn't see that one coming

trevorzegras HOW WHAT WHEN WHERE WHY

user i think hockey dude broke his hockey friend

jackhughes he will be fine

trevorzegras NO HE WILL NOT BE FINE

trevorzegras ANSWER YOUR PHONE ROWDY

jackhughes leave me alone, i'm trying to spend time with my girlfriend

yourusername it's true :) very little clothes included

trevorzegras i'm going to go throw myself off a cliff

user what the fuck did i just wake up to

.

[wip]

Tips to build an audience.

Hey folks. We recently received this submitted as feedback:

It is extremely hard to get any sort of attention to your posts/ page I don’t know if I’m not putting enough tags or what but it just turned me off the the app because it felt pointless. I want people to see my art, to make friends, and to see something besides the same 5 post over and over again.

This felt like a good chance to start a conversation with you all. How do you build your audiences? What are your tips for tagging, blog settings, themes, and paid options? How do you get attention to your posts and pages? How do you get people to see your content, make friends, and see more posts?

But first, we can say that building an audience can be challenging—it’s also a lot of fun, and very rewarding! Using tags, for example, can help reach users who might be interested in your art (if any of your posts has content that is not suitable for minors, please remember to apply Content Labels to your posts). Why not check these pointers below from our old tips blog? But please consider that some features mentioned in that blog are no longer available:

Tag it up.

Some tags are better than others.

Run a Q&A.

Using the queue.

In addition, you can Blaze your posts to promote your content even further and help you build an audience.

There's a poll coming. Stay tuned, and keep submitting your feedback!

[dateko]

a/n: another rando drabble... twas hiding amidst the dust in my drafts... i will never get to see the four of these silly geese happy ever again and they only exist in my google docs where nothing bad ever happens to them...

“Sensei, what is Sensei to you?” Yuuji asks suddenly, causing Gojo to stop in his tracks.

“Huh? Me?”

This time, Nobara groans. “No, you blindfolded idiot! That Sensei!” 

Gojo follows his young student’s gaze as she tilts her chin towards the field where the second-years are training. 

There, standing beside the ever-adorable Panda, is you. You watch with a proud smile on your face as the second years spar with one another, calling out praises along with death threats coming from Maki. It doesn’t take long for you to notice the first years and their slender mentor watching you from the steps. Your lips fight to bite down a smile as you throw out a wave, watching Satoru lift his mask to wink at you.

“See! See! Like that!” Nobara starts again excitedly, pointing at her teacher. “What is that woman to you?”

“Eh?” Gojo raises an eyebrow before lowering his mask. “She’s… A close friend of mine.”

“Sensei, you’re being secretive.” Yuuji offers him a skeptical look, to which Nobara nods along with adamantly. “Fushiguro, what do you think?”

Megumi glances at your figure with a dragging sigh before walking in front of his classmates. “If you ask me, she’s the one.”

Thing 1 and Thing 2 erupt with rowdy exclamations, practically bouncing off their teacher. Megumi continues to walk with a somewhat satisfied expression. The boy’s known you his entire life. Especially how much you mean to his blue-eyed benefactor. 

“B-but how do you know she’s really the one?” Yuuji asks this time, fully invested in his teacher’s love life.

Gojo shrugs nonchalantly. “I have good eyes, you know.”

“Well, now I just feel sorry for her. She has to deal with you every day!” Nobara deflates immediately, unsure of how to feel knowing someone she respects is romantically affiliated with her headache-inducing instructor.

“Hey! It’s a blessing to deal with me!” 

A pair of footsteps sneak up behind the group. “Deal with who?”

With a hand on your hip, you stop to tilt your head at the pairs of wide eyes looking at you. Even beneath his mask, you can tell Satoru looks more than guilty. 

“Something on my face?” You pat a hand on your cheek, wondering why no one’s said anything to you. 

Nobara breaks the silence by walking up to you with her head down, a downcast expression on her face. “Sensei… I’m so sorry for you…”

Confused and admittedly very concerned, you shoot Gojo a look before patting Nobara’s head reassuringly. And your lover holds a sheepish expression as he holds his hands clasped behind his back, an old habit he used to do when he knew he was in the wrong. 

“Alright, I might as well just say it,” Gojo starts, fixing the collar of his jacket. “I told them about us.”

Your eye widen at his words, lips sputtering for a normal response. “You told them we’re married?”

“Wait, married?! Meeting each other with good feelings is one thing, but married… Sensei, I thought you were better than this…" Nobara shakes her head dramatically before walking off, flashing you a disapproving look before dragging Yuuji along with her.

You watch the younger student walk off with a confused brow before returning to face your lover, who is grinning wildly at you. He's clearly over feeling guilty about exposing your little secret. Your questionable silence comes to Gojo as a queue to pull you into a loving embrace, a quiet apology for blowing your cover.

Without skipping a beat, you return the hug, giving up on trying to scold him. You squeak when Gojo rocks the two of you back and forth, pressing never-ending kisses on your jaw. “Just an FYI, Megumi was the one who told them.” He mutters, nose pressing itself into the crook of your neck.

You gasp, holding his face while you step back to look at him. “He wouldn’t do such a thing!”

“He said that you were the one.”

“Isn’t that what you said?”

“Shut up.”

You let out a giggle, a sound Gojo could listen to for hours on repeat. “You used to be so corny when we dated. Still now.”

“I don't think I could ever stop being corny. Only when it comes to you.”

[justcruisingaroundrevived]

Can I get headcanons for the TEC boys with a reader who’s good at art?

Never A Frown With Golden Brown

Summary: TEC x Artist! Reader

TW/CW: mentions of crime scenes

A/N: Good news, guys! REQUEST ARE NOW BACK OPEN!

Knocked out the majority of my queue, so fill free to request anything (as long as you read my DON’Ts first! <3

Reblogs are appreciated!

- Bill isn’t a muse, and he told you as such

- Anytime it was time for portraits for school, his mom was too poor to pay the extra money (though it became more obvious it’s because she didn’t want to have any reminders of him)

- It would be no different with you. He spotted you during art class actually paying attention to the assignment, and scoffed

- “You know, there are better ways to put your normie brain to the use”

- You simply pretended not to hear him as you continue to draw the still life in front of you

- Overtime, you would catch him watching you draw, paint, photograph, even write sometimes. He got red faced and mad when you pointed it out, but that didn’t stop him

- In fact, you just made him more curious. He’ll admit: your inking was acceptable, you knew how to compose a shot and he guessed your coloring was alright

- You probably drew him Major Violence with Battle Broad for his birthday, and he just held onto the piece of paper like it would be lost forever if he didn’t

- Will stuff every doodle/unfinished drawing you’ve threw out over the years. Will get pissy if you point this out, saying that “YEAH! Well, maybe I want to draw better than you!”

- I actually think he does know how to draw, just doesn’t apply himself. If he’s feeling generous, he’ll return the favor by drawing you in a notebook and tear it out for you

- Would die of embarrassment if he was asked to be your muse for photography. Of course he’s going to agree to, just that it’s embarrassing he’ll be seen in this light! DUH!

- (Later on, would ask if you have any copies he could take home)

- It’s weird being admired like this. He’s only seen this with artists from a long gone era…not with his pimply nerdy self

- ….but maybe he’ll accept it. Maybe.

- Josh saw you drawing for the journal club. They needed a cover, and you were the “art kid”, so you were made to take the burden of it

- He likes to think he’s artistic himself (writing wise), but the way you effortlessly blended in the watercolor onto the paper…it entranced him

- He stayed up all night writing the “perfect” sci fi story for you to visualize. Maybe you can draw it like Frank Frietrzza, or even Jack Kirby

- Slides it in your locker and hopes for the best.

- Waits a couple of days, and calls himself foolish for even thinking someone of you fallible (while also stating that “you couldn’t handle the caliber of my art skills!”)

- It isn’t until he sees you also slip in a visualization of the drawing that he was sold!

- Loves to watch you in art class while you produced the most beautiful landscapes within just your imagination

- Wants to hear about your process at all times and would get giddy hearing you talk

- Secretly? He’s jealous. He can never seem to get the ideas in his head right onto the paper. It’s like a mental block for him or something.

- So, he may or may not steal some of your drawing ideas from you. Will adamantly claim he didn’t, but you knew. You always knew

- I’m you can get past that, maybe you two could be a creative writing duo

- Josh takes control of the writing; you take control of the illustrations

- It’s a weird harmony of sorts, but it works nevertheless

- For Pete, I think he would actually like a photographer

- I don’t know why, but staring at movies all times of the day means he has a keen eye when it comes to the little details

- Saw you at the darkroom while you were about to finish up. He (sort of) followed to the light and watched you examine the last photograph

- Woah…even in black and white, you know your stuff! That lighting really hits the plants well, and the composition almost wraps said plants into something…monstrous

- You end up catching him in the act, but unlike the others, he just continued to stare…creepy

- When he got home, he spread out his favorite horror films and capture every one of his favorite shots (probably stole a camera or used a shitty camcorder)

- Maybe asks you if you can take shots like this (yes, he be one of THOSE people who want free requests)

- He’s a little sleaze ball as well. The type that would BEG you to go into crime scenes and take pictures of everything, but especially the bodies

- If not…maybe a portrait of himself? Probably never got one because his parents were too poor to get one themselves

- Since Pete’s also a creative person (FXS), those “self portraits” are him in his zombie crawl look

- Internally kicking his feet when he gets them done, but acts all tough when you asked his opinion on it

- Even if you guys did break up, he still has them, sometimes even looks at them when he’s feeling bitterly nostalgic

- Jerry would love a sculptor. Someone who can seemingly make fantastical stories with just a piece of clay and such

- You met because he accidentally destroyed one of said sculptures. You were letting it air dry and Jerry was tripped up by some bullies (or even the club), crashing right down onto one of them

- After helping him clean up, he started to also notice your other work on the ground and WOAH! Is that Xena the Princess Warrior?!

- Didn’t have time to stick around, but would watch you sculpt during free time in art class

- The way your hands meticulously move around the clay itself…how it made these blobs into impossible shapes…fascinating

- It distracts him every day of his life. Even at club he’s starting to feel flustered when thinking about you and your work

- Will eventually ask if he could watch you up close while you sculpt

- He’s a romantic at heart (a little). Absolutely red faced and flustered watching you. He’s never met anyone this talented since…well, forever, really

- I think you could inspire him to create a little. “Checks out” (stalks) your profile and tries to replicate some of your more simpler pieces

- It’s…something, but he’s trying, alright?

- Would bond making mini figurines of DnD characters and keeps them up his shelf to admire

- He loves his artistic S/O so much <3

[corvessa]

Queues, Questions, and Unexpected Love

a/n: Call me weird, call me a geek but AU where theo is like a model/actor dating a weird programmer girl sounds perfect to me. Honestly thought about making more one-shots about this if it goes well, just because its cute.

Summary: As you sit and wait to get out of the low priority que, your boyfriend decides to pop in your stream and create a wholesome moment talking about how you two met

The timer on the screen ticked slowly.

9:52 remaining.

You sighed, stretching your arms above your head as your League of Legends client counted down the latest low priority queue sentence—five games, each with a ten-minute wait, because someone (you) had rage quit during a dodgy ranked game three nights ago.

"Guys, I swear this system is rigged," you muttered into your mic, spinning slightly in your gaming chair. "I’m gonna be out of low priority when I’m 40."

The chat buzzed.

- girl ur gonna age like milk before that queue ends - low prio AGAIN?? lmao - karma for locking in jungle and then leaving

You smirked. “Y’all are fake. You know I’m the best jungle you’ve ever seen.”

The minutes crawled by, and you leaned back, looking at your second monitor. The other screens were lit up with VSCode, a half-finished Godot project, and a Twitch dashboard. Your mug of coffee was cold. Your hoodie sleeves were half-pushed up. Your hair was messy, your eyeliner slightly smudged, and you were exactly where you wanted to be.

A soft knock echoed from off-camera.

“Babe?” came the warm voice.

You turned, grinning instinctively. “You wanna join me while I suffer?”

Theodore Nott appeared in the corner of the frame like a cutscene character unlocking mid-game. Tousled hair, worn grey T-shirt, sleepy blue eyes. Your chat lost it.

- OMFGGGGGGGG - IT’S HIM. THE FACE. - how is HE real. no bc HOW - chat behave 😭 this is a sacred moment

Theodore sat beside you and slipped one ear of your spare headset on, resting his chin in his hand as he scanned the chat with a lazy smile. “What are we playing?”

“League,” you muttered. “But I’m in timeout.”

He laughed. “Ah, the punishment corner.”

The chat pinged again, and then came that message. Bold. A bit rude. But... not entirely unexpected.

- Not tryna be mean but like… how did he fall in love with her? No offense. Y’all just seem like total opposites.

The chat stalled for half a beat. And then:

- uhhhhhh bro?? - MODS?? - 👀 this is gonna be good

You blinked. “Oh no,” you whispered. “Here we go.”

But Theo didn’t flinch. Instead, he leaned in a bit, resting one arm on the back of your chair as he looked into the camera—calm, amused, completely unbothered.

“How did I fall in love with her?” he repeated aloud, with that slow, melodic accent that made everything he said sound like it belonged in a Netflix drama. “Easy.”

You glanced at him, raising a brow.

He smiled, eyes still locked on the chat. “She didn’t care who I was. Not once. First time we talked, she rolled her eyes at me. Called me a distraction.”

Chat: 🔥🔥🔥

- STOP THIS IS SO MOVIE CORE - SHE WON - calling a model a distraction = power move - I’m kicking my feet

“She had this setup—screens everywhere, cables like some futuristic spaghetti. I asked what she was building. She said, ‘A better world than the one you’re walking around in.’”

You slapped a hand over your face. “I DID NOT SAY THAT.”

“You did,” he grinned. “Exactly that. And I just thought, Dio mio, who is this girl who talks to code like it's poetry?”

- SHAKESPEARE WISHES - i would combust if someone said that about me 😭 - I need a Theo in my life. rn.

“She built her own PC. Built her own games. Built a community. And she still thinks she’s the ‘weird one’ in the relationship?” He shook his head. “No. I’m the lucky one. I get to love the smartest person I know. The fact that she also looks very good in sweatpants is just... bonus.”

You groaned and shoved his shoulder gently, hiding your face in your sleeve. “Theoooo.”

He chuckled. “It’s true!”

Another question popped up in chat, and Theodore read it aloud.

how did y’all even meet??

He grinned, glancing at you.

“Oh, this one’s my favorite,” he said. “So. I walk into the wrong building in Milan. Looking for a press junket for this indie film I was promoting. I see flashing lights and think, ‘Cool. Art installation.’ Turns out it’s not art—it’s her, setting up this monster of a computer at a tech convention.”

You leaned into the mic. “He asked me if it was a robot. I told him to move because he was blocking the airflow.”

Chat:

- LMAOOOOO - pls she negged him into love - girlboss levels: MAX - blocking airflow = grounds for breakup tbh

“But I was intrigued,” Theo said, shrugging. “So I stayed. I asked questions. She answered. I offered to carry her tower rig back to her car and nearly dropped it.”

“You did drop it.”

He looked sheepish. “Yes. But then I showed up to her stream that night. And every stream after. Even when I didn’t understand what the hell was happening on screen.”

You looked at him, your smile softening. “You still don’t.”

“True,” he admitted, nudging you. “But I understand you. And that’s all I really wanted to know.”

You went quiet for a second, watching the queue timer hit 00:18 and counting down. It almost felt like a metaphor.

- BRO SAID “i understand YOU” 😭😭😭 - I can’t even get a text back and she’s getting Shakespeare - chat’s collectively in love with Theodore now - someone propose to someone RIGHT NOW

The game launched with a soft chime.

“Welp,” you muttered. “Time to carry.”

Theo kissed your temple. “Don’t rage quit this time.”

“I make no promises.”