#One of my friends put them on a powerpoint to make a point

[darth-memes]

HAPPY REVENGE OF THE 5TH!!!!!

[retiredteabag]

Unknown Rivals

Pairing: Sukuna x Reader

Synopsis: There was only one thing worse than being paired with Sukuna for an important school project, and that was realizing the slacker somehow had a higher class standing than yourself.

Tags: Academic rivals, enemies to eventual lovers, type A reader, anxiety, college!au

pt. 1 - pt. 2 - pt. 3 - next part

One thing was for sure about the past weekend, and that was the fact that your advisor knew not to assign you any future classes with this monster of a man.

You had three finals coming up, one of which came in the form of a presentation. And you had yet to practice said presentation and your partner scheduled that particular event at the most inconvenient of times. The whole endeavor was drawing a lot of your current anxiety. Of course, you didn't ask to reschedule.

You had looked over the combination of slides in your PowerPoint, waiting by the day for Sukuna to finalize his speaker notes, and everyday your distress only grew.

It was not uncommon for the dunning kruger effect to take hold of the arrogant men in your lectures. He may have brought up concerns about your own public speaking ability, but you have yet to see the man speak in full sentences before anyone.

Over inflated head, self-important, Oscar Wilde level egomaniac-

The class's presentations were split into two groups; the first half of the class would present on Thursday, and the latter half, on Friday. You were one of the unfortunate teams that would go first.

The nerves were getting to the point of being sickening every time you passed the auditorium. The hollow heartbeat swelled in your chest and you felt nauseated. Too soon, you would be in there, on that stage, stood beside that arrogant prick.

Being one of the first groups to speak might be better than having to be last; just get it over with... still, it wasn't great for gauging the audience, competition, or topics.

You were to present before the faculty, classmates, and employers looking for interns.

Maybe Sukuna had been correct. Yes, you could be "anal about this stuff", sure, but you had put too much money into your education to not put in equal effort. Since when was it a crime to try?

For the fifth time that week, you looked over his slides...still, no speaker notes on the later half.

He did look like the type to wing it. Read the SparkNotes and assume he could sound intellectual with the insertion of pauses and emphasis on basic information. For a normal assignment, a professor might be non the wiser, but for something as important as this final? He needed to know his stuff.

And what then, if he was asked a question? What if he didn't prepare? What if he crashed and burned? The smoke would affect you too.

That's why you find yourself waiting inside a private study room in the library that Wednesday. You had arrived right on time to the room you had reserved and were unpacking the contents of your bag when a pack of giggling students retched the door open.

There was a moment of silence that passed between all before you cleared your throat, "Sorry...I reserved this room..." the group looked around at each other, making pouty faces.

Eventually one of them spoke up, "Do you really need it?" They all shared a pitiful look, "Theres a lot more of us, we really need the room..."

You stood there for a moment, expecting someone in their friend group to have a speck of sense. It quickly became clear that none of them did, "Right... well, I'm sorry but I need the room too."

"Every other room is reserved by a group, this room is just you." One of them pointed out, speaking far too loudly to have the door open to the library stacks.

"I'm here to work with my project partner." You huffed, as if that made a difference. The room was yours! There was no way you were going to back down. You would be presenting tomorrow and needed a space to practice. "That's why I reserved the space."

They make faces as if you have committed some kind of hate crime, throwing their arms in the air in offense. "Your partner isn't even here, can't we just use it? You could literally go anywhere else."

The group nods at the boy who spoke up, fully supporting his argument as if he just slam-dunked you with a killer 2AR. You sigh looking down to check the time on your phone. If Sukuna wasn't here, you might as well just leave. Who’s to say he’ll come anyway?

You weigh your options, he hadn’t responded to your email this time either.

"Pretty sure it's you who can go anywhere else."

He wasn't loud, but his voice rang with conviction. Speak of the devil. You look away from your watch and observe his effect on the group.

Sukuna pulled the door back wider, he stood at least a head taller than the largest among them, and while he was never found with a smile on his face anyway, he looked particularly harsh in this moment.

"Can't we just-" one of the girls leaned into Sukuna, grabbing his bicep, "take the room?" She smiled sweetly, tracing an index finger over his arm, "There's a lot of us, you know?"

Sukuna practically jolts off of her, tearing his arm out of her grasp, and making a twisted face in the group's direction. "Get offa me." He moves through the rest of the students, tossing his bag onto the table with a bang.

You make brief eye contact before he watches you turn to see the pack of freshmen resolutely standing in the doorway. He swings back, rolling his eyes, "Now get out."

There wasn't any room for argument in his tone. The lot of them huffed and griped but made no real fuss as they crossed their arms and whispered insults. The door slowly slid shut.

You plug your laptop into the adapter, muttering, "Good to see you've finally showed up."

"I didn't have an attitude when you were late to the library."

He just stands there. Unzipping his bag on the ovular table in front of the projector.

You look at him, recalling that day well, you want to snip at him again but you cant help the short, somewhat shocked, laugh you let out.

He walks to the other side of the room, pulls out his notebook and looks at the screen. "So are we practicing, or what?"

"Oh, we're practicing, all right." You mutter to yourself.

You bring out the sheet from the first week you met in the library. It outlined the topics that each of you would need to cover. You open up the PowerPoint and turn to look at him, comfortably sitting down.

"We should probably start with introductions."

"We roleplaying this?" He sat with his legs spread on the swivel chair, arms crossed.

"You were the one who asked to practice." You point out, motioning for him to get up. "At the presentation, the students will have nametags, but we should still open up with a greeting so they know who to call on for questions."

He sighs, lifting himself from his seat like it took a great effort, he stood beside you, looking to his mock audience, he points to himself,

"Sukuna, Ryomen." Then he turns to look at you, jutting out his thumb in your direction, and as if it is the most natural thing in the world, calls out your full name.

It was so strange, you got caught searching for words. You had no idea he knew your name. If there was one thing obvious about Sukuna, it was his blatant dislike of his peers. It wasn't uncommon to see him rolling his eyes, or avoiding the fellow students that followed him around all the time.

"Right, okay, we'll smooth out that part later, for now, lets focus on the first few slides." You lean down and point out the screen of your laptop, "I'll go first. I’ll give my thesis as a roadmap for my information, then you can do yours."

You turn your face to the side, expecting him to still be standing behind you, listening to your explanation, but pull back in alarm to find his face right beside yours, he was focused on what you were pointing out on the slide.

You jolt back, taking a moment to regain your thoughts, "…I’ll get into my half and allow for a segway into yours.” He follows your motion, standing straight. “We'll have clickers.” You continue, “Let's just say that whoever finishes explaining the slide will be responsible for clicking to the next one, okay?"

He was so watchful, it was unnerving. Had he always been like this? Seeming bored, he gives you a nod. "Sure."

The following two hours flew by. It was actually nice to not have to dance around issues, you could be confrontational and know he wouldn't get offended. He was well versed in his area of the presentation, easily paraphrasing what he wanted people to grasp from his slides. It wasn't until he sat down, asking you to present for him that you started having issues.

"What?" He leaned back in his chair, spinning slightly, "Give your speech, do it like I'm the audience."

"No." You huff, "not if you don't." You point at him.

"I'll do it, but you go first, you we're the one who wanted to start us off anyway." He’s brought this on you somewhat out of nowhere.

You look around the room, feeling suddenly anxious. You had practiced both you and Sukuna’s parts to the point of near memorization. You had recorded your speaker notes and listened to them before bed nightly. You knew what to say. But you were feeling suddenly…shy?

"Don't act like I've put you on the spot," He waves a hand, "We're here to practice."

"I know." You look at your shoes, feeling small, stupid. It was embarrassing to have him watch you. He just screamed judgment. You huff, "Fine. Turn around."

He looked almost insulted at the notion. "What? No."

"Would you just do it?"

Assuming he wouldn’t complain, you wait for him to turn. He just squints at you,"I knew you worried over nothing but do you have stage fright too or something?" Sukuna leans down, elbows on his knees.

You didn't really know what the issue was. Performing on stage, you could probably disassociate long enough to not feel so uncomfortable, but here, alone, with only his eyes to see you, it was different somehow. "No...maybe... I don't know."

"Well." He shrugs, "Now's a great time to shake off those nerves. Go on, I'm sure you have all your information down."

He motions your way, and you force yourself to go over your work, starting from the top. You try to focus on your cadence, intonation, and scripted pauses from your recording. You turn to look in the corner of the room, mimicking the intentional body language you had meticulously practiced in front of your bathroom mirror.

You spent the time expressing what you would say rather than pretending to teach him. Having already used the room for hours, you simply focused on the main points of contention, explaining your slides with practiced ease. Once you finished, you moved onto his starting slide and cantered passed him to one of the opposing chairs.

He did not take your cue, getting up to present, however, opting instead to open his body language, "I woulda thought you had a script in front of you."

"Like you said, I actually know my information." You snark, huffing out a breath you hadn’t known you’d been holding. Starting to become tired and stressed at the idea of the upcoming exams.

He simply rolled his eyes as the suggestion that he might not, "You can't make eye contact."

He was speaking as if stating a fact. Your brows furrow, having been doing exactly that what he said you apparently couldn’t do. "When you're presenting, you don’t look at me" He continues. "It's weird, you have no problem with watching people but when you know that someone is watching you, you can't seem to acknowledge it."

Your mouth twists into a mock smirk; he reminded you in that moment of your previous first-year psych student roommate, who genuinely believed themself a genius among feckless plebs.

"When we're on stage, we won't be making eye contact with anyone really-" You were about to defend yourself before being interrupted.

"See. You’re doing it again. You can't look at me." He narrows an accusing finger in your general direction. Moving to stand, he grabs the clicker off the table and shifts into a teasing tone. "Here's how it's done."

You were still somewhat reeling from him pointing out a habit you didn't even know you were taking part in. Wondering suddenly if others had noticed it and if so, why nobody had said anything.

You felt suddenly irked and wanted to prove to him that, no, you very well could make intentional eye contact with someone making a point to notice you.

It was a grueling task, and, as you would find out, your brain seemed to be sending every 'I am uncomfortable' signal to your body while attempting it. You couldn't seem to stop swallowing, voluntarily blinking, or forcefully making your hands stop moving.

All these small tasks took up some serious mental effort but despite that, you were still able to take in his oratory skills.

For a man so lacking in the interpersonal communication sphere, he presented with poise, confidence, and knowledge on his subject. He paced himself well and it almost seemed as though his speech was conducted in a way that made note-taking ideal. He seemed aware of his space and motioned accordingly.

When he wasn't gesturing or looking back at the slides, he was looking at you, as if he was lecturing you with the information you had tirelessly slaved over when studying his speaker notes.

And on the topic of speaker notes? He totally strayed from them! He didn't even follow the same roadmap that you had seen nights before. You hated it, but none could deny, he was still a compelling speaker. You couldn't make a sensible complaint because of how undeniably well he spoke.

Besides, what kind of anal, control-freak, dictator of a school partner memorized someone else's speaker notes?

The issue arose in you suddenly that Sukuna doesn't need to make an effort like you do. He doesn't care to, he simply has the confidence in himself. He seemed to hold no anxiety and no care for how he was perceived. The only issue was, these types often flunked out of school, and here he was thriving.

While he wrapped up his slides, he crossed his arms over his chest, pointedly looking your way.

You think back to your previous interactions, Sukuna must see himself as so terribly generous, allowing you the time of day to practice with him. He likely thought the concept stupid. And worse? His efforts didn't ease your nerves, and they did not qualm your worries.

Your thoughts are cut off by the brisk striking of his knuckles on the table. You look up at him, "Get out of your thoughts." He slides past you to his bookbag, putting away a notebook. "We're in good shape."

You aren't sure what to say. You don't feel like you're in good shape but you don't want to discourage him, not that you thought it possible for him.

Before he slips out of the door, you turn to him, "I'm going to send you a list of mock questions so you can prepare some answers." He wouldn’t look at the email, you were sure.

He snorted a laugh, "Good to know you were paying attention."

And he was gone.

--

Sukuna was not terribly fond of school, that is, in the typical sense. He did enjoy learning and was dedicated to his area of study, sure, but being around people? He found it exhausting.

You hadn't stuck out to him, but it was hard to not notice you. You sat in the front of every single lecture, pristinely on time. You were one of the students that the professor felt inclined to call on. And he saw you in the library, often.

It was not until he had been enlisted as your partner for the practicum that he started to see why you had taken his notice.

At first, he shook it off, thinking himself crazy, but after three sessions in the library, it was clear what it was. You reminded him of someone.

You were just like his nephew.

Wednesdays and Fridays in the library, you would be rambling on about something, going over the expectations for the project draft, explaining the sources you wanted him to utilize, and he would be listening, sure, but he would be seeing Yuuji.

The little boy was a little shit, and despite being wildly more extroverted that yourself, he too was nervous about everything.

Sukuna was like a second parent to the boy, and as much as he would complain, he wouldn't change it for a thing.

It was weird, to see the kid in you. At first he stocked you up as a try-hard, but in reality, he assumes you're just scared. You really are just like that little boy.

--

You did not sleep well last night. You got to bed early but you simply couldn't slip away. And when you finally did pass over into restless sleep, you were promptly woken up by your own hyperactive consciousness.

You checked the clock each time. Had you really set that alarm? You would go over your script and the more you did, the sicker you felt. You craved more time to practice, you craved for your body to stop jittering with nerves, you craved to just fall asleep damn it!

After a few more hours of waking only to have found rest in literal minute increments, you arose. Dressed yourself and began to get ready.

Everything around you spoke of a good day, the weather was perfect, you looked great, and you had all the rehearsed information at the ready.

Still, internally, you couldn't reach peace.

Once you arrived at the auditorium, you spotted your professor and retrieved your nametag from him. Sukuna was no where to be found which only added to your panic. You paced in the box, the private room for speakers, behind the theater, and repeatedly touched your hair.

Even with potential hours to go, you were feeling overwhelmed, you were at the point of wishing you could just go first and be done with it all.

You were squeezing water out of a thin paper towel and placing it on your neck when the door creaked open.

You flipped to him, "Where have you been?!" You hissed.

You had plenty of time before you would be introduced but you couldn't hide the frustration in your voice.

Sukuna was dressed in a Mandarin suit, he looked perfectly relaxed and the notion only fueled your anger. "I had a class..."

He comes forward and sets his (backup) flash drive on the circular table in the middle of the loge. "Well, why didn't you say that before?” You make an exasperated face and feel your heartbeat quicken, “And where is your nametage?"

Even you could hear the hysterical twinge in your voice, you took a deep breath and told yourself to relax. He didn't say anything, just raised his brows while reaching behind to retrieve the very thing from his back pocket.

Embarrassed, you tear the makeshift cloth from your neck and rush to sit on the couch. You scrap the towel to shreds before disposing of it.

"Everything's in order, we'll be alright." He didn't come to join you on the sofa but watched from the side of the box. He didn’t sound comfortable but he certainly seemed to believe his own words.

"It doesn't even really matter." You had been telling yourself this very thing for weeks when someone took notice of how concerned you were. Not a part of you believed it but you hoped the phrase would ease your mind anyway.

"Oh, it matters." Sukuna laughed.

You wanted to be mad, but in all reality, he was just saying what you knew, him lying would not have comforted you. He started to come over now.

"It just isn't so important that you need to kill yourself over it." You rolled your eyes, knowing what he was saying.

"If we bomb, then that's that, so what?" He tossed his hands up slightly.

You looked at him, and without even needed to study his face, you knew he meant it. He believed it. ‘So what?’ You roll the words around in your brain, shaking your head. You couldn't have stopped the words from escaping.

"I hate people like you." You mutter it, undertones of a laugh there, nothings amusing. "Seriously, I hate how you can just say that."

He isn't mad. The bastard grins, "Oh, trust me, I know."

And then he’s leaving the room. You don't have much time to wonder about what exactly he was doing. You hadn’t thought he would be upset at your declaration. Then again, you hadn’t exactly been thinking when you said it.

What had he meant, that he knew? I guess a guy like him just assumes everyone who isn’t perfectly relaxed at all times is a suck up.

When he returned, he was carrying water bottles and complimentary fruit from outside the auditorium doors. This time around he does come sit, right next to you.

"Have some."

You don't feel thirst but you still accept it when he cracks open the bottle for you. He places the fruit on the table before you both and takes a drink himself.

"I didn't really mean that, I'm just jealous of how you live." He's leaned back and his suit pants clung to his legs.

He purses his lips and shifts his head from side to side, smirking, Mmm, I don't know, I think you actually meant it."

You both chuckle, the nerves are still getting to you. "I still hate you for what you did earlier this semester." You lighten your voice but glance his way to show you do mean it.

He turns his head now, brow raised but still comfortably leaning against the back of the couch. "What did I do earlier this semester?"

You laugh, rolling your eyes. It takes him a moment before he sees you’re not gonna reply, "No, what did I do?"

"The whole beginning of this project." You muse. He still isn't catching what you're saying so you motion with your hands. "Our meetings, in the library? You never told me you were top of the class."

“Should I go out and advertise it?" He clearly isn't getting what you mean.

"No, Sukuna, it sucks because you never told me that you were well versed in the class material.” He still doesn’t seem to grasp the issue, “I’m saying, it made me feel stupid to find out that the guy I thought I was tutoring was actually competing with me."

"It made you feel stupid?"

"In a way. Like you were mocking me."

Sukuna frowns, he leans onto his knees. "I wasn't mocking you."

"You say that." You poke his shoulder and he looks at you quizzically.

In all actuality, it was nice to be able to tell him these things, you didn't feel that anger anymore. As of it had rolled off, only shame lingered.

"I never minded our sessions in the library. I guess it made things easier, you're so..." he reaches for the word,

“Anal?” You recount when he had called you that very thing.

He rolls his eyes, "Organized."

"Thanks." Your voice is low, sarcastic.

He shrugs. Some of the nerves have left you, but suddenly you're hearing voices in the auditorium, one specifically telling people to file in through the doors, and you know you'll be speaking soon.

He turns to look at you again, legs parallel to your own, his palms flat on his thighs, "You care too much about what others think."

He's doing that thing, that I'm-going-to-make-intentional-eye-contact-with-you-and-it-will-be-an-unspoken-comeptition-to-prove-you-can't-do-it thing.

"Maybe you're too carefree." You offer silently.

Soon, someone will come through the doors before you with mic packs and you'll have tape on your face. Your heart pounds. "You should feel okay without having to prove that you’re worthy of validation from others."

He reaches forward for his water bottle, voices can be heard above you, to your sides. People are taking their seats. "You're a smart girl."

And for the second time this week, he says your name and it feels just as strange as it had that first time. "And you didn't have to prove it for me to see it."

And with everything else occurring in this moment, you feel the most upset about the fact that the obnoxious Sukuna Ryomen might just bring unshed tears to your eyes.

You’re silent as you stand, brushing unseen dust off your clothing. Sukuna is stood there by the door that leads to the area behind the stage, his hand is outstretched.

You look around frantically, turning to find his clicker that he must have left on the table, but before you can start searching, he scoffs.

He leans forward and grabs your arm, spinning you gently. He robotically shows you his hand again and places your own in it.

Oh.

He tightens his encompassing palm around your own and makes a tugging sensation to pull you ahead of him through the door he held open.

People in the tech crew were setting everything up and called you each over to get your mics on.

When he lets you go, your hand twitches involuntarily.

You hadn’t realized how cold you were until you felt the warmth of his hand. And for some reason, you couldn’t think of much else as you got mic’d up, despite the ever growing voiced in the audience.

〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰

Tags: @blueyesuguru @monimonster57 @p1nkfl0wers @giasssslife @csolya @esmedelacroix @sukubusss @v1sque @clp-84 @snowsilver2000 @blueemochii @bitchyfestivalbouquet @rodeorun @chosolovrrr @minethy

(if your name is here but you didn’t get tagged. I think it’s either because your blog is new/blank/empty where you need to check your privacy settings.) :[

[levandright]

And oh, how I'd love to go Paris again

pairing : jake x f!reader ୨ৎ content / warning(s) : non-idol au, love at first sight, fluff, strangers to friends to lovers(not stated but heavily implied), tension, they're in love your honor, fate reference/mention, can be read as either hs or uni au its up to you ୨ৎ word count : 5.9k

synopsis. you're overwhelmed with your school finals close by, while you are taking a short break from your studying, you couldn't help but reminisce about your precious memories in the city of love when a song that reminds you of your time in paris play. ୨ৎ lev notes : the class trip may not be 100% accurate but its for the plot okay... i had to make it inspired by the 1975 cause i love them too much not to do so + it fits with how i literally have them as my top artist this year :3 (i started writing this days earlier before spotify wrapped lol) also i literally had paris on loop for like 7 hours in total while writing this... anyways hope y'all like this cause it took a lot of brain power to write it, trust i will post what the heart wants as soon as i finish a surprise fic im working on rn ꒰⠀for @sugarikiz event 'ʏᴏᴜʀ ℰ𝓎ℯ𝓈 ᴏɴʟʏ ☁︎.𖥔 ' ꒱

you're at your school's library, cramming for your upcoming finals. with a little over a week to prepare for months' worth of lessons across multiple subjects, the pressure is taking quite a toll on you. two cups of coffee sit beside your laptop, one already empty. even though you've been studying for less than 40 minutes, you already feel the urge to down all the caffeine left in front of you just to keep from dozing off again.

sigh, 'just gotta finish this whole powerpoint. then, i can finally relax for a bit' you silently hype yourself out. with the reward of a break for an hour of studying, you quickly go through the entire lesson in a flash.

grabbing the not empty cup of coffee, you take a much needed sip to keep yourself awake for more hours of studying.

a while later, you're stretching in your seat after having finished with that specific powerpoint. 'finally i can take a break' you think to yourself

as you sit, and stare at your laptop's screen. contimplating on what to do to pass time, you decide to play music to relax yourself.

clicking the shuffle button on your playlist. you put your headphones on and rest your head on your arms, as the familiar tune of paris by the 1975 play.

the music pulls you into a memory, that unforgettable class trip to paris.

꒰ and oh, how i'd love to go paris again ꒱

you’re on the bus, the city outside the window slowly coming to life. everyone in your class is chatting excitedly, pointing out landmarks and planning what to do when you finally get off. the eiffel tower is getting closer, its towering frame making your heart race with excitement.

“can you believe we’re actually here?” keeho says, leaning over to nudge your shoulder. his energy is infectious, and you can’t help but smile.

hyunjin, sitting across the aisle, snaps a quick photo through the window. “this already feels unreal,” he says, grinning. “i’m going to fill my camera roll today.”

the bus comes to a stop, and your teacher announces a short break to explore the area. the three of you quickly stick together as everyone spills out onto the cobblestone street. paris feels alive—the air smells like fresh bread and coffee, and the chatter of locals blends with the hum of passing cars.

“we need food. let’s find a café!” keeho declares, already marching toward a row of cozy-looking places with outdoor seating.

you follow, laughing as hyunjin drags you by the wrist to keep up. he’s scanning every building, taking quick snapshots of anything that catches his eye. “wait, stand here,” he says suddenly, pulling out his phone to snap a candid photo of you and keeho in front of a flower shop.

“are you going to take pictures the whole trip?” you tease.

“obviously,” hyunjin replies, unbothered. “someone has to document how good we look in paris.”

eventually, the three of you settle at a small café. the waiter brings over menus, and you all take a moment to soak it all in. keeho orders a slice of cake, hyunjin gets a croissant and coffee, and you decide on a simple baguette sandwich.

“okay, this is officially the best food i’ve ever had,” keeho says after his first bite.

“it’s just cake,” hyunjin says, rolling his eyes but stealing a forkful anyway.

you laugh as they bicker, feeling a warmth settle in your chest. sitting there with your best friends, surrounded by the magic of paris, everything feels perfect.

after finishing your meals, you and your friends head back to the bus to regroup with your class. the energy is buzzing as everyone talks about their plans for the rest of the day. your teacher announces that the next stop is a famous museum nearby.

the museum is grand, with high ceilings and beautiful architecture that makes you feel small in the best way. inside, it’s quieter, with your classmates dispersing into smaller groups.

hyunjin immediately pulls out his camera again. “this lighting is perfect,” he mutters, snapping a photo of a sculpture in the corner.

keeho rolls his eyes with a smirk. “he’s gonna be like this the whole time.”

“he’s consistent, at least,” you joke, earning a laugh from keeho as the two of you start wandering through the exhibits together.

the artwork is stunning—paintings that feel alive, sculptures that seem to breathe. you and keeho take your time strolling through the halls, sharing your thoughts on each piece.

“i don’t get this one,” keeho says, staring at an abstract painting.

“it’s open to interpretation,” you reply.

“so… the artist spilled paint everywhere?”

you nudge his arm. “be serious!”

keeho grins but then glances around. “hey, i’m gonna find the bathroom real quick. don’t get lost.”

“sure, sure,” you say, waving him off.

as he walks away, you wander aimlessly, letting your feet carry you through the museum’s winding halls. you stop to admire a large painting of a serene countryside when, out of nowhere, you bump into someone.

“oh, i’m so sorry!” you blurt out, taking a step back.

the stranger turns to you, and your words catch in your throat. he’s tall, with warm eyes and a gentle smile. his presence feels calm, yet somehow magnetic.

“no worries,” he says, his voice warm and calm, with a hint of an australian accent you catch right away. “are you okay?”

you nod quickly, feeling your cheeks heat up. “y-yeah, i wasn’t looking where i was going.”

he chuckles lightly, brushing it off. “happens to the best of us.”

he pauses for a moment, as if waiting to see if you’ll say anything else. you manage a small smile. “thanks for being so nice about it. i’m—uh…” before you can finish, keeho’s voice rings out from somewhere nearby.

“hey, y/n! where’d you go?”

the spell is broken, and you glance over your shoulder to see keeho waving at you. turning back to the stranger, you offer an apologetic smile. “that’s my friend. i should go.”

“of course,” he says, still smiling. “take care.”

you hurry off toward keeho, your heart still racing. as you rejoin your friends, you glance back briefly to see the stranger walking away. something about the moment lingers, a small spark you can’t quite explain.

after regrouping with keeho and hyunjin, the three of you continue exploring the museum. hyunjin has finally tucked his camera away, much to keeho’s relief.

“didn’t think i’d ever see the day you’d stop taking pictures,” keeho teases.

“i’m just saving space for later,” hyunjin retorts, grinning. “besides, i want to actually enjoy this.”

the three of you move through the museum, pausing at different exhibits. keeho offers more of his hilarious “critiques,” while hyunjin points out details you might’ve missed. for a while, it feels like time doesn’t exist, just the three of you soaking in the beauty of parisian art.

after some time, you excuse yourself to find the restroom. as you leave, keeho calls after you, “don’t get lost again!”

“i won’t!” you call back with a laugh, shaking your head.

once you step out of the restroom, you turn a corner and nearly bump into someone again.

“oh—sorry!” you start, looking up. and there he is.

the boy from earlier.

“you again,” he says with a warm smile, his eyes lighting up with recognition.

“yeah, me again,” you reply, feeling your face heat up.

“i guess we’re just destined to keep running into each other,” he jokes, his tone light and teasing.

you laugh softly. “seems like it. i never got your name earlier.”

“jake,” he says, extending his hand. “and you?”

“y/n,” you say, shaking his hand. his grip is gentle but firm, and you feel your heart skip a beat.

“nice to officially meet you, y/n,” jake says, his smile widening.

the two of you start chatting, the conversation flowing easily. he tells you he’s here with his own group, visiting from another school all the way from australia, and you share a little about your own trip. his voice is calm and steady, and his subtle humor keeps making you giggle.

at one point, he gestures toward a nearby painting. “what do you think of this one? please don’t say the artist spilled paint everywhere.”

you burst into laughter, shaking your head. “no, no, that’s keeho’s specialty. i actually think it’s kind of beautiful, in a chaotic way.”

“good answer,” jake says, grinning.

before you know it, the sound of footsteps and familiar voices echo down the hall. “y/n! where are you?” keeho calls, his voice unmistakable.

you glance in the direction of the sound, then back at jake, your smile faltering slightly. “that’s my friends. i should go.”

jake nods, his expression soft. “of course. it was nice talking to you, y/n.”

“you too, jake,” you say, stepping away reluctantly. as you walk toward your friends, you can’t help but glance back once. jake is still standing there, giving you a small wave.

you rejoin keeho and hyunjin, who immediately start teasing you for taking so long. but as the three of you continue exploring the museum, you can’t stop thinking about jake. and though you don’t say it out loud, you quietly hope that fate will bring you together again.

it’s been a day since the museum, but your thoughts keep circling back to jake. his kind smile, the way he made you laugh, and that unmistakable australian accent—it’s all stuck in your head.

after dinner with your classmates at the hotel, the buzz of chatter feels overwhelming. you decide to step outside for some fresh air, hoping a quiet walk will help clear your mind.

the streets of paris are calmer at this hour, bathed in a soft, golden glow from the streetlights. a small park just down the road catches your eye, and you wander toward it, settling onto a bench beneath a tree.

you sit there for a while, letting your thoughts drift. the cool breeze carries the faint scent of flowers, and the distant hum of city life feels oddly soothing.

suddenly, you feel someone sit down beside you. you glance over, and your heart skips a beat.

it’s him.

jake.

the boy you couldn’t stop thinking about.

he notices your surprise and gives you that same warm smile. “hey,” he says casually. “fancy seeing you here.”

you blink, struggling to process the coincidence. “jake? what are you doing here?”

“could ask you the same thing,” he says with a light chuckle, leaning back against the bench. “i was out for a walk, saw this park, and thought i’d sit for a bit. didn’t expect to run into you again.”

you laugh softly, shaking your head. “paris must be smaller than we think.”

“or fate has a funny way of working,” he says, his tone teasing but his eyes sincere.

the conversation flows naturally from there. he asks about your class trip, and you tell him about your visit to the museum and all the places your group plans to see next. he shares stories about his own class, laughing about his friends’ antics and the moments that make the trip memorable.

“you’re telling me someone actually fell asleep in front of the mona lisa?” you ask, barely holding back laughter.

“yup. full-on snoring,” jake replies, grinning. “the security guard didn’t know whether to wake him or leave him there.”

the two of you laugh together, the sound blending into the quiet of the park.

after a while, jake stands up. “wait here,” he says, his tone playful but mysterious.

“where are you going?” you ask, watching him walk toward a nearby food stand.

“you’ll see,” he calls back over his shoulder.

a few minutes later, he returns, holding two neatly wrapped chocolate crepes. he hands one to you with a grin. “figured this would make the moment even better.”

you take it, smiling at his thoughtfulness. “thanks, jake. this is perfect.”

as you both sit there, enjoying the crepes and chatting under the parisian sky, you can’t help but feel like this moment is something straight out of a dream.

the days in paris pass like a blur, filled with sightseeing, laughter, and the magic of simply being in the city. but the most unexpected highlight of your trip that osn’t on the schedule—is jake.

you can’t quite explain it, but somehow, you keep running into him. these little moments have become the thing you secretly look forward to the most.

────୨ৎ────

you’re standing at the counter of a small café, debating between ordering a croissant or a pain au chocolat. the decision feels monumental, and you’re entirely lost in thought when a voice interrupts you.

“go for the pain au chocolat,” jake says, appearing beside you with an easy smile.

you blink, startled at first, before breaking into a grin. “jake? what are you doing here?”

“getting breakfast,” he says, holding up a cup of coffee and a bag. “didn’t think i’d see you again so soon.”

“neither did i,” you reply, chuckling. “are you always this lucky, or is paris just this small?”

“maybe both,” he teases. “need help deciding?”

“i was leaning toward the croissant, but now i feel like i have to trust your judgment.”

“always trust the chocolate,” he says, nodding sagely.

you laugh and order the pain au chocolat. as you wait, the two of you chat, his humor making the simple café feel like the best spot in paris.

────୨ৎ────

a couple of days later, you’re wandering through a mall with keeho and hyunjin, trying to find souvenirs to take back home. keeho is busy debating between two scarves for his mom, and hyunjin is glued to his phone, looking up recommendations.

you drift toward a small kiosk filled with handmade trinkets, running your fingers over delicate keychains.

“don’t tell me you’re buying one of those cheesy eiffel tower keychains,” a familiar voice says behind you.

you spin around, your heart skipping a beat. “jake!”

he’s holding a bag of his own, filled with souvenirs. “fancy meeting you here.”

“again,” you add with a laugh.

keeho spots jake and gives you a knowing look, while hyunjin just raises an eyebrow before wandering off. you try to ignore them and focus on jake instead.

“what’s in the bag?” you ask, nodding toward his purchases.

“just some stuff for my family,” he says. “and maybe a keychain or two.”

you laugh. “i thought you were against cheesy keychains.”

“only when other people buy them,” he says, his grin mischievous.

────୨ৎ────

the park has become your little escape, a quiet place to think and reflect. you’re sitting on the same bench as before, lost in thought, when you hear footsteps approach.

“do you have a permanent spot here, or are you waiting for me?” jake’s voice breaks through your daydream.

you turn, smiling as he sits down beside you. “maybe both.”

“lucky me, then,” he says, leaning back and looking up at the sky. “so, what’s on your mind today?”

you hesitate for a moment, then decide to be honest. “just… thinking about how much i’ve enjoyed this trip. and how strange it’ll feel to leave.”

jake nods, his expression softening. “yeah, i get that. it’s been a lot, hasn’t it?”

“yeah,” you say quietly, and for a moment, the two of you sit in comfortable silence.

that evening. your teacher gathers the entire class in the lobby of the hotel to deliver the news.

“you’ve got two days left to enjoy paris before we head back home,” she says. “make sure you start packing your things and grab any last-minute souvenirs.”

the room fills with murmurs of excitement and relief. most of your classmates are thrilled to return to canada, and part of you is, too. but as you head back to your room, a bittersweet feeling settles in your chest.

two more days. that’s all the time you have left before you have to say goodbye to jake.

you don’t know why the thought stings so much, but it does. and now, more than ever, you hope for one more chance to see him.

────୨ৎ────

the second-to-last day in paris feels like a blur of excitement and nostalgia. you, keeho, and hyunjin make it a mission to visit as many places as possible, squeezing every last drop out of your remaining time in the city.

as the three of you step into the vintage store, you're greeted by the faint smell of aged leather and a mix of retro music playing softly in the background. the shop is packed with everything from old records to racks of vintage clothes and shelves lined with random knick-knacks.

“okay,” keeho announces, clapping his hands together. “this is the place to find hidden gems.”

hyunjin raises an eyebrow. “hidden gems or overpriced junk?”

“you just don’t have the vision,” keeho shoots back, already digging through a rack of jackets.

you wander toward a glass display case near the counter, something catching your eye—a vintage digicam. it’s small, sleek, and looks like it’s been well cared for. you kneel to get a closer look, curiosity piqued.

“hey, what’d you find?” keeho asks, appearing beside you with a leopard-print scarf draped around his neck.

you point to the camera. “a digicam. looks pretty cool, doesn’t it?”

keeho leans in, inspecting it. “very cool. are you gonna get it?”

you hesitate. “i don’t know… do you think it still works?”

“only one way to find out,” hyunjin says, suddenly appearing on your other side. he gestures to the shop owner, a kind-looking older man, who unlocks the case and hands you the camera.

you examine it closely, turning it over in your hands. the lens looks clean, and the buttons feel intact.

“how much?” you ask the shop owner.

“twenty euros,” he replies with a smile.

keeho gasps dramatically. “a steal! you have to get it.”

“yeah, before someone else does,” hyunjin agrees, casually flipping through a rack of shirts.

you laugh at their enthusiasm and decide to go for it. “alright, fine. i’m buying it.”

as you hand over the cash, keeho strikes another pose with the scarf. “what do you think? parisian chic, or should i stick to my usual?”

“stick to your usual,” hyunjin says without looking up.

keeho sighs, draping the scarf back onto the rack. “you two have no appreciation for drama.”

you test out the digicam, snapping a quick photo of keeho mid-pout. the image pops up on the tiny screen, surprisingly crisp for something so old.

“perfect,” you say, showing him the photo.

keeho grins. “okay, maybe you do have an eye for the dramatic.”

hyunjin wanders over with an oversized sweater, holding it up against himself. “thoughts?”

keeho wrinkles his nose. “are you auditioning for a grandpa role?”

“i like it,” you say, defending hyunjin’s choice.

“thank you,” hyunjin replies, smugly tossing the sweater over his arm.

the three of you spend a bit longer in the shop, goofing around and trying on random hats, sunglasses, and jackets. you snap more photos with your new camera—keeho wearing an old captain’s hat, hyunjin attempting to look cool in aviator sunglasses, and a candid shot of the two of them laughing together.

by the time you leave, the bag with your new camera swings lightly at your side, and your heart feels full. the memory of this moment—just you and your friends being unapologetically yourselves—already feels like a keepsake all its own.

at a small crêperie, hyunjin’s crêpe is covered in whipped cream and chocolate drizzle.

“how are you even holding that without it falling apart?” you ask, staring at the overloaded treat in wonder.

hyunjin shrugs. “skill,” he says simply before taking an enormous bite.

keeho watches in horror. “that’s going to end up all over your shirt, and i am not letting you borrow mine.”

“you sound like my mom,” hyunjin says through a mouthful of crêpe.

by the seine river, you take turns with the digicam, capturing moments that feel like they belong in a movie. keeho makes exaggerated poses on the bridge, while hyunjin tries (and fails) to look mysterious.

when it’s your turn to hold the camera, you take a candid shot of the two of them mid-laugh. it’s perfect—pure and genuine, a reminder of how much these moments mean to you.

“alright, photographer extraordinaire,” keeho says, pointing dramatically at the eiffel tower in the distance. “get my good side.”

“you don’t have one,” hyunjin jokes, earning a glare from keeho.

as the day winds down, you find yourself lingering outside the hotel while keeho and hyunjin head inside.

“we’ll be in the lobby if you need us,” keeho calls over his shoulder, giving you a knowing look.

once they’re gone, you make your way to the park. the same bench, the same tree, and this time, jake is already there, waiting.

he stands when he sees you, his smile soft but bright. “hey.”

“hey,” you reply, walking up to him. “beat me here this time, huh?”

“had a feeling you’d come,” he says, shrugging.

you sit down beside him, the quiet of the park wrapping around you like a blanket.

“you’ve been busy,” jake comments. “i saw you earlier near the seine with your friends. looked like fun.”

“it was,” you say, smiling at the memory. “trying to cram everything into one day, you know? time feels so short now.”

jake’s expression shifts, just slightly, and you know he understands what you mean.

“speaking of time…” you begin, hesitating. “we’re leaving tomorrow. my class is flying back home.”

jake nods slowly, his gaze dropping to his hands. “i figured it was coming. my group leaves the day after.”

there’s a pause, the kind that feels heavy but not uncomfortable.

“do you think we’ll meet again?” you ask softly, not daring to look at him.

“i hope we do,” he replies, his voice quiet but firm.

the weight of his words lingers between you, saying everything that neither of you can.

you pull out your digicam, breaking the tension with a small smile. “can i take some pictures? you know, to remember this?”

jake’s face brightens slightly. “of course.”

you snap a few shots—some posed, some candid. jake laughing at something you said, jake looking off into the distance, and finally, one of the two of you together, taken with his help.

as the night deepens, you know it’s time to go. you stand, reluctantly. “i should get back before my friends come looking for me.”

jake nods but doesn’t move. instead, he reaches out, gently taking your wrist.

“wait.”

you turn, surprised, as he pulls something from his jacket pocket—a pair of silver rings, simple and elegant.

“for you,” he says softly, slipping the smaller one onto your right hand’s ring finger. the fit is perfect.

your heart races, words failing you as he looks at you, his gaze full of unspoken meaning. then, he leans forward, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead.

“goodbye, y/n,” he murmurs, stepping back.

it takes you a moment to find your voice. “goodbye, jake.”

as you walk back to the hotel, your mind replays the moment over and over, the cool metal of the ring on your finger grounding you in the surrealness of it all. that night, lying in bed, you can’t help but wonder if the universe will bring you and jake together again someday.

꒰ paris again, and again, and again, and again, and again ꒱

a tap on your shoulder pulls you out of your thoughts, and you lift your head groggily. you blink, trying to focus on the person standing in front of you. it’s keeho, grinning mischievously, while hyunjin stands behind him, sipping his americano with a slightly amused expression.

“y/n, what are you doing?” keeho asks, leaning in and waving his hand in front of your face.

you yawn, rubbing your eyes. “i’m taking a break. i can’t even keep my eyes open for more than a minute.”

hyunjin raises an eyebrow. “yeah, we can tell. you’re practically sleeping at your desk.” he leans against the back of your chair, his voice cool but teasing. “how about you stop pretending to study and actually join us for once?”

keeho’s grin widens as he jumps into the conversation. “we’re heading to a café to study, and you’re coming with us. you need a change of scenery.”

you groan, feeling your body resist the idea of leaving the comforting quiet of the library, but deep down, you know you’ve been at it for too long. a change of pace might be exactly what you need.

“come on, y/n,” keeho insists, his voice full of that playful energy you can’t ignore. “we’ll make it more fun. you can’t study like this. plus, you’ll probably get more done with us around.”

you hesitate for a moment, your mind torn between the need for a proper break and the looming pressure of your exams. still, you can’t deny how much you need a little distraction. “fine,” you sigh, finally giving in. “but if we end up just talking the entire time, i’m leaving.”

hyunjin chuckles, giving you a knowing look. “i think you’ll be okay. we’ll actually study this time. promise.”

keeho grabs your arm, pulling you up from your seat with a playful tug. “good, because you need us to keep you sane. now, let’s get out of here.”

as the three of you leave the library, you let out one last sigh, knowing that even though you might not get as much studying done as you hope, you could definitely use the company.

the café is warm and inviting, the soft hum of background chatter mixing with the aroma of fresh coffee and baked goods. it’s a stark contrast to the quiet, studious atmosphere of the library, and you find yourself breathing a little easier as you step inside.

you find a small corner table and set your laptop down, letting out a contented sigh as you settle in. keeho and hyunjin head to the counter to order, leaving you to fidget with your feet, trying to shake off the weight of the past few hours spent studying.

your eyes flicker to the window, watching people pass by as you idly tap your fingers against your coffee cup. eventually, you stop, catching sight of the ring on your right hand.

you pause, fingers tracing the smooth metal, your mind drifting back to paris. “it’s been three years since that time in paris,” you think to yourself, a wave of nostalgia washing over you. the memory feels distant now, like a dream you’re not quite sure was real.

you wonder if jake still remembers you, if he thinks about you at all. you’d been so wrapped up in the magic of those moments, so caught up in the fleeting connection between the two of you, that you’d completely forgotten to exchange socials, to keep in touch.

a soft laugh escapes you, tinged with frustration. you can still picture your past self—so carefree, so caught up in the magic of the moment, never once thinking about the things you should have done. and now, years later, it stings.

the photos you took back then are all you have left—memories frozen in time, but still, you find yourself wishing you had more. a way to bridge the gap between then and now, something more than a ring on your finger that’s become a quiet reminder of what you left behind.

a soft laugh from keeho breaks you from your thoughts, and you glance up to see him and hyunjin walking toward the table, their arms full of coffee cups and pastries. keeho places your cup down in front of you, his expression softening when he notices the faraway look in your eyes.

“you okay?” he asks, settling into his chair across from you.

you smile faintly. “yeah, just… thinking about paris.”

hyunjin raises an eyebrow but doesn’t push. he simply places a croissant in front of you and nods. “we’ll make it through these finals. paris will still be there when you’re done.”

you nod, but the bittersweet smile remains on your face, the question still lingering in the back of your mind. will you ever see jake again?

you manage to get some work done, but there’s plenty of laughter and light-hearted banter between you guys. hyunjin and keeho constantly bicker over the most ridiculous things—whether iced coffee is better than hot coffee, or if studying with background music is productive.

“you’re seriously telling me you don’t like the classics?” keeho says, shaking his head dramatically. “what kind of music do you even listen to, hyunjin?”

“i listen to music that doesn’t make my brain want to shut down,” hyunjin replies with a smirk, taking a sip from his americano. “but hey, if you need classical music to study, you do you.”

you laugh at their back-and-forth, shaking your head at their silly rivalry. the sound of their bickering is strangely comforting, distracting you from the pressure building up inside your mind. you feel a little lighter, even if it’s just for a moment.

after a while, you excuse yourself and head to the bathroom inside the café, needing a quick break from the endless cycle of notes and coffee. the place is busy, but the hum of quiet conversations and the scent of freshly brewed coffee make it feel comforting.

you take your time, refreshing yourself and letting your thoughts wander for a few moments. when you finally finish and head back out, you’re not paying attention to where you’re going, still lost in your thoughts.

and then—bam.

you collide with someone, the force making you stumble slightly. your reflexes kick in, and you immediately start bowing in apology, your words rushing out in a flurry of embarrassment.

“i’m so sorry! i didn’t mean—”

but before you can finish, you hear a familiar voice, soft and warm, with that unmistakable australian accent.

“y/n?”

you freeze, and the world seems to stop for a moment. you slowly lift your head, and there, standing in front of you, is none other than jake. in the flesh.

for a split second, all your words get caught in your throat. your heart races, and your brain scrambles to process the unexpected reunion. this can’t be real. is this a dream?

jake’s brows furrow slightly as he looks at you with concern, his voice softening. “are you okay?” he asks, stepping a little closer to you, clearly worried about your sudden silence.

you blink, feeling your heart thumping louder in your chest as you try to find your words, but they’re nowhere to be found. you stand there, staring at him, completely at a loss for what to say.

he leans in slightly, just enough to make sure you’re okay, his face showing that familiar concern. “y/n?” he gently says your name, and your body snaps back to reality.

“i—uh… sorry, i just—didn’t expect to see you.” you feel the heat rush to your cheeks, embarrassment flushing your face. "i thought… i thought i was imagining things."

jake chuckles softly, his expression softening with a smile that makes your heart flutter. “i didn’t expect to run into you here either.” his tone is light, playful, but there’s something in his eyes—something that makes the air feel a little thicker.

you both stand there for a moment, awkward silence hanging between you. the familiarity of this moment feels surreal, but there’s no denying the warmth that spreads through you at the sight of him.

“so, uh,” you start, finally finding your voice, “what are you doing here? i didn’t expect to run into you… again.”

jake’s lips curl into that familiar, soft smile. he shrugs nonchalantly, but there’s a glint in his eyes, something unspoken. “guess it’s just fate.” he says, his tone playful but there’s a layer of sincerity underneath it, one you can’t quite ignore.

you chuckle lightly, but the tension between you both is palpable now, thickening the air around you. there’s an undeniable pull between you, something that neither of you have fully acknowledged, but it’s there, lingering in the space between your words. you feel the heat of his gaze, and the sudden awareness of how close you both are makes your heart beat just a little faster.

“so… how’ve you been?” you ask, needing to break the moment but also curious, wanting to know everything about him since that last time you saw him.

jake rubs the back of his neck with a small, shy smile, a gesture you remember well. “i’ve been good… just been busy, you know. but i’ve been thinking about our time in paris a lot.” his voice is casual, but his eyes hold something deeper, a hint of vulnerability that you weren’t expecting.

you nod, understanding exactly what he means. you’ve been thinking about paris too. every memory feels like a treasure, something you’ve carefully tucked away, not wanting to forget any part of it. you wish you had more time to ask him about the things he’s been up to, to know if he’s felt the same pull that you have, the connection that neither of you can explain.

you glance down at your hand absentmindedly, and that’s when you see it—the ring he gave you in the park, so simple yet so meaningful. the silver band glints in the soft café lighting, and your heart does a little flip.

jake notices too, his gaze dropping to your hand. his smile softens, almost imperceptibly, but you notice it. there’s a quiet understanding between you two that you don’t need to speak aloud.

“i see you’re still wearing it,” he murmurs, his voice low, almost tender.

you look up at him, meeting his eyes, and for a moment, everything else fades away. you feel like you’re back in paris, standing in that park, with everything still ahead of you, full of hope and possibility.

“i didn’t want to take it off,” you say quietly, your voice barely above a whisper.

jake doesn’t say anything at first, his eyes locked on yours. then, without warning, he reaches out slowly, his fingers brushing lightly over your hand, and he gently presses a kiss to your right hand, right where the ring rests. the simple gesture feels like it speaks volumes, and you can’t help but feel a surge of warmth spread through you.

“i’m glad,” he says softly, his voice just above a murmur. “i’m glad you kept it.”

for a moment, neither of you speaks. the world feels like it’s holding its breath. the space between you feels charged, but neither of you is in a rush to break the silence. it’s as if this moment, this small, quiet exchange, is enough.

you blink, still a little stunned by the gesture, your heart racing, but a smile tugs at the corners of your lips. you can’t help but feel the warmth in your chest, the way his simple action makes you feel seen, valued, even though you never really said all the things you wanted to say.

when you finally speak, your voice is soft but steady. “i didn’t think i’d see you again.”

jake takes a deep breath, his eyes never leaving yours. “i didn’t either, but i’m glad i did.”

enha perm taglist. @dazzlingjaeyun @honeychocos @manaah02 @kozumesphone

©levandright

[cassiasims]

What do you think about the relationship between the ducklings with cuddy & wilson

taking ducklings to just mean the original gang, here. anyway. oh my god i actually have another use for the flowchart i made for my friend group’s niche powerpoint night (wherein i attempted to speedrun an explanation of house, duh):

as you can see on my handy dandy diagram, there’s a pretty big divide between the fellows and the ‘adults’ (specifically wilson and cuddy). i think it was @all-pacas who pointed out the one-way system between the adults and the fellows, wherein the adults are allowed to peer down but rarely engage with the fellows’ drama directly, so i won’t rehash that because her explanation is great and also i’m running on not a lot of sleep atm (it is deadline season). so let’s move onto the individuals.

i’ve talked about cameron’s relationship with wilson before: not really friends, but definitely more than just distant colleagues (which is essentially what wilson is to chase; they get basically zero scenes together until after cameron leaves lol). so i’ll skim over that because that post was pretty long and there’s no way i’ll rephrase it better over here (i’ll drop a link in the replies if i have time). moving on…cuddy and cameron is interesting, because they butt heads not that infrequently in s2 and 3; i’m thinking specifically of cuddy’s general eyeroll reaction to articlegate here, and also cameron’s massive wave of irritation at cuddy trying to intervene during camchase fwb era, but there are definitely way more examples i’m just not remembering specifics about. i think, on the whole, this is mostly because a) cameron and cuddy have pretty dominant, not entirely dissimilar personalities that clash when put together closely, and b) cameron in general really chafes at being judged/told what to do by anyone who isn’t house. absolutely hilarious to me that cameron gets invited to her baby naming ceremony but tbh the pettiness drops off pretty sharply after s3 so maybe they do make water cooler small talk in the background. for everyone’s dignity i will not properly acknowledge the weird ‘does cameron still have feelings for house uwu’ thing cuddy tries to investigate during saviors, because if i think about that episode too long i start twitching and i think it smells fear, but like. that is also a thing, for like five whole seconds. although to be clear if cameron parallels any of house’s other love interests it is stacy (in the grand camchase reenactment of house/stacy). anyway i do appreciate that cuddy is one of the few people who cameron drops the mask with and isn’t actively trying to win over. but also you know what i’m like. i want everyone to be friends and frolic in a field together and i do think cameron and cuddy’s friction is a leeetle bit suspicious (misogyny) when they’re the only main female characters for the first three seasons. but i digress.

onto chase: as previously discussed, he and wilson do Not Talk until cameron leaves. i’m pretty sure they don’t have a solo scene at all until private lives but please don’t quote me on that. and this…makes sense to me. wilson and chase are very different—not in a ‘ooo fight about it’ way but just in a ‘they’d have nothing to really talk about or bond over besides house’ way, yknow? wilson is hyperinvested in his patients. chase really doesn’t gaf outside of notable exceptions (usually children or nuns). and unlike with cameron, chase doesn’t spend anywhere near enough time with wilson for proximity to create any kind of fondness. i’m sure it’s cordial, and i am fond of the idea of them working together with cameron to Gaslight House at the start of s4, but that’s about it. as for cuddy and chase: pretty much the same? i mean chase doesn’t really have a problem with shrugging and going ‘lol not my problem’ to cuddy whenever she tries to rope him and cameron back in to deal with house in s4 and s5, but that’s not personal to cuddy, it’s more about his #boundaries era with house. and chase is like…infamously a kissass. cuddy does specifically say to house in human error that chase is a good doctor (she’s really the one harassing him to un-fire chase), and she clearly liked him enough to give him a position in the surgery department after he left diagnostics, so clearly he has made a decent impression on her…but that’s not really about chase as a person. i think cuddy likes him, and chase is kind of ambivalent about her, but like. even if she were not dean of medicine i can’t really see them hanging out. yknow?

saved the best for last: FOREMAN. i love that we see foreman calling out wilson’s bullshit in the pilot. one of my favourite gags in lines in the sand is foreman’s half hearted wave of acknowledgement when wilson walks in and sees them all ddxing in his office. it’s so cheeky. obviously it must kill house to have to answer to foreman in s8 but yknow what i bet it killed WILSON just as much. ultimate passive aggression vs straight up aggression-off. i think they both die inside at the knowledge that, by s5 at least, they’re the ones best equipped to deal with house’s nonsense but equally i think wilson is secretly thrilled that foreman stands up to house all the time. they’re so frenemies coded. and as for foreman and CUDDY…they crack me up sometimes. i love love their powerplay with each other at the start of s4. i love seeing cuddy relish in dangling promotion over him and then yanking it away in s2. in another life this could’ve been such a great forbidden ship dynamic. as the kids say, she is just always clocking his tea. i so wish she could’ve given foreman the telling off of his life about his misadventures with the huntington’s trial. foreman is just so allergic to Not Having conflict it tickles me!

[not-your-bro]

what i did and didn't (but mostly didn't) like about until dawn remake's character trait changes

hello friends and fans. i am super excited to welcome all my pals back to the latest episode of Laura Yaps About Until Dawn Remake. i've talked about the prologue here and here, and i plan on talking about other elements of the game (visuals, gameplay, narrative changes) whenever life and time allows.

before i go off about the character traits, thanks to @claarria for posting this handy side-by-side of old vs new. super helpful! i'll be using those images here.

and generally speaking, let it be known that i think the font change is so fucking ugly 💖 like god bless but it is so bad 💖💖 and they've made the layout so much less dynamic by just listing all the traits straight down, bullet point style?? it is all very microsoft powerpoint core and it sucks. anyway. onto the characters, in order of appearance.

sam

off topic but very importantly, how did they fuck up sam's face THAT bad?? ballistic moon sapped the life out of her and now there is literally nothing behind those eyes. HOMEGIRL WAKE UP 👏👏

one trait change here: adventurous -> brave. not wrong, but super redundant, because brave is one of the character stats in the menu, so like. at any point when i'm playing her, i can pop in the menu and see exactly how brave she is. it's pointless to put it here.

chris

one change: methodical -> loyal. and honestly. this one slays i can't lie. like yeahhhh 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

i know everyone loves to hate on chris now, but he pushes to help sam even when it puts himself at risk and he goes to the shed to get josh even though josh just traumatized the hell out of him lmao. boy is loyal asf and i'm more than happy to see it replace methodical.

jess

big changes here. i'm not jazzed to see confident go. i always thought smg included it purposefully, because this is how jess is trying to come across, even though she's actually insecure.

and imo trusting fits her far better than, say, driven. based on em's comment about her grades (and the fact that jess doesn't deny it lmao), i don't think she has much drive or ambition at this point in her life. she's always struck me as the kind of person who doesn't have a big dream or passion, and as high school graduation approaches she would feel sort of aimless? like she doesn't know where to go next.

i don't mean these as negatives, btw. jess is a top 3 ud character for me. i just don't think she's driven. and i think she is irreverent. and that's fine. 💖

emily

one change: persuasive -> forthright. like sam's change, this isn't wrong. emily is definitely forthright. but i don't like that we're shifting her further from mike (more on that later), and this change makes her use of words seem less purposeful. like she says what she wants just for the sake of it, instead of: she knows what to say to get people to do what she wants.

matt

matt's trait changes make for a much different impression. motivated and ambitious have been swapped with obliging and dependable, which shifts the focus from himself to others. we're drawing attention to an agreeable, go-with-the-flow personality, rather than the fact that he's got big dreams for himself (get that scholarship, bud).

i'm not sure i'm the biggest fan, because it kind of makes him seem like a doormat? it's possible that he never talks to emily about how she treats him, and he does film the prank on hannah even though he doesn't seem like he would. still...i guess i wish there was more of a mix here. he can be obliging and dependable, but he doesn't have to be, depending on your choices, and this really makes him feel like everything he does is for the sake of others.

mike

i appreciate ballistic moon pulling these shots back a little - some of them were really, like, up the character's nose lmfao. but bro those traits are unreadable against mike's skin 😭😭

anyway, mikey gets a complete overhaul. i've been over brave with sam. it's a waste of a slot. and it's not that mike isn't driven or charismatic. i mean, he is definitely charismatic, given his popularity in fandom. even i have this feeling of 'man, i should not be charmed by him' <- is definitely charmed by him. but i think we're losing a lot by separating him from emily, with whom he used to share 2 out of 3 traits (intelligent and persuasive). i always thought that said a lot about why they would be drawn to each other and start a relationship - but also why that relationship wouldn't last.

if i were to give mike any new trait, it'd probably be impulsive, which i think is a great fit for him. mike may be intelligent, but when it comes to decisions, he's a man of action - a doer, not a thinker. which is just as likely to lead to a bad outcome as it is a good one.

ashley

one change here (forthright -> sensitive), but god does it fucking suck. SENSITIVE?????? be fr. is ashley sensitive or is she traumatized nonstop for eight hours? she was upset when she was chained to a wall and thought she was going to die! when she thought her friend died! when she thought her other dead friend's ghost was trying to communicate with them! when she was put in a life-or-death trap a second time! that sure was sensitive of her!

if i could revert only one trait change, it would be this one. 0/10.

josh

must be said that josh's shot is much better in the remake. it could not have been worse, like i will never understand how anyone looked at that half-closed eye and open mouth and was like yeah that's a good first impression LMAO. so, cool with that.

tbh i also like josh's trait changes? this is another total overhaul, but honestly, at the risk of getting booed offstage, i'm happy with this. if i'm being real, complex was always a waste of a slot. like...yeah? i hope so? all of your characters should be complex to some degree. it feels like a weird shade to the other characters to point out one guy, specifically, as complex. so the rest of them are simple, then? 🤨 it's not that i would argue against josh being the most complex - i do think he is (though i realize my stance on that means little because i'm up this man's ass). it's just weird to draw attention to it.

as for the other traits, yeah, josh is thoughtful and loving. for sure. but i feel like these are sort of...level 2 traits. ykwim? and the new traits are level 1. if you hung out with josh in a casual way, in a group setting, remake traits would be more likely to spring to mind, to match that initial impression. i think you'd have to look more closely or spend more time to clock that he's thoughtful and loving, because outside of his sisters, i don't think he's particularly straightforward or overt in the way he conveys those things, and he wouldn't draw attention to them. maybe i'm leaning too hard on the version of him i've fleshed out in my mind, but josh is the kind of guy who would, like, remember one offhand comment matt made about liking a specific brand of beer. months later, at the next lodge trip, it's there in the fridge, and josh says nothing about it. but he remembered, and he got it. that's josh's brand of thoughtfulness. in my opinion.

none of these six traits are wrong, i just think the new ones are better 'first impression' traits for him.

[indecisive-specimen]

tagged for ☆ wip wednesday ☆!!!!! by my lover in christ @ronanlynchian

unfortunately all i have is airport porn and a powerpoint but enjoy anyway ig.

it's just a snippet but im putting it below the cut because it is explicit so be warned! also: my most egregious offense w this one is the gross overuse of italics. oh and it's jerejean btw.

powerpoint for funsies at the enddddddd

to clarify-- i wrote this in the airport, they are not in an airport 😭

“I want to finger you,” he says and Jeremy nearly chokes. He doesn’t know if he’ll ever get used to how blunt Jean is. “Is that okay?” Jean asks, one brow raised in a way that tells Jeremy he knows it is.  “Yes,” Jeremy says, and can’t stop himself before he tacks on “please,” in a breathless sort of whisper.  Jean’s movements still only for a moment, his eyes darkening in that way that has Jeremy squirming, then he’s tapping his first two fingers on Jeremy’s bottom lip and oh. Jeremy opens for him, Jean’s fingers— which Jeremy has studied, and fantasized about, and had inside him, though not like this— slip inside, down to the second knuckle before hooking around his bottom teeth and gently prying his mouth open for him.  “Beau,” Jean swallows, pupils blown, and this Jeremy recognizes, his blush no doubt intensifying as Jean seemingly talks himself out of something, shaking his head before unhooking his fingers and pushing them down on Jeremy’s tongue.  Jeremy’s brain must have short circuited at some point during the exchange, because— without his say so— his eyes slip shut and he’s sucking Jean’s fingers in to the very last knuckle, tongue sliding over the slender bones on top and calloused pads along the bottom and moaning around them. When his eyes open again, he finds his own hand wrapped around Jean’s wrist— practically trying to shove his whole hand in his mouth— and Jean is staring down at him, shaking.  “You never stop to amaze me,” Jean breathes and pulls his fingers out. Jeremy is almost disappointed, before he remembers where this is going; he bites his swollen lip, hooks a leg over Jean’s hip, pushing his own up in a manner he hopes is enticing.  Jean’s lips quirk at his antics, and Jeremy thinks that’s the best reward he could ask for.  His spit-wet fingers trail down Jeremy’s body, getting distracted at his chest. Jean toys with his left nipple, making him jolt in response, and the barely-there smile grows. “What do you want, Jeremy?”  Brain still shorting, Jeremy only hums in response, pushing his chest up into Jean’s hand— he wants more; he wants Jean to pinch and pull, to lick and bite— but he couldn’t ask for that, could never ask Jean for that. So he hums.  And then— and then he goddamn nearly shrieks. Well, it’s more of a squeal— he hopes— because Jean does pinch. Not quite his nipple, but a near spot on his pec. “Jeremy,” Jean insists, less reverent now.  Jeremy huffs. “I want whatever you want, Jean.”  Jean, by the now downward quirk of his lips, is not pleased with this answer. “No. You will tell me, or I will stop.” 

next, i started making a powerpoint to half explain, half coerce my close good friends and roommate into reading aftg 😭 heres some of my fav slides. literally no credit goes to me i stole all of this and just arranged it!!!@! all credit to original creators!!!!!!!

title slide

i organized it by teams, so i have a foxes slide first ofc but havent added anything funny yet so we'll skip it for nowww. (aka i started with the foxes and it got progressively less serious)

ravens slide

trojans slide is so unserious 😭 focus on the core four but honorable mentions for cody, xavier, and the dericks my loves ❤��� artists plsssss draw more xavier and the double ds im begging (ds are represented by dudes holding hands at the urinals)

conclusion slide but it's whatever this is?

next i want to add a (no spoilers) popular ships slide (at the request of my roommate who said 'i wont read anything that isnt gay') but i fear i will have to make ships involving kevin it's own slide 😭 i cant decide if i want to use fanart or just draw lines connecting him to people like a crime board.

[wheezyseeker99]

Concentrate

Warnings: pining, swearing, grinding, oral and fingering (female receiving), protected sex (fm, shocker ik)

18+, MDNI

Summary: UMich Cam is here because I started writing this during finals and I had intrusive thoughts. Didn’t finish this until tonight after the game (it’s been forever sorry y’all). It’s strangers to friends to lovers.

Happy New Year 🫶🏼

Every mindless day I sit in the library to do my assignments. Today is no different. I don’t even have classes on campus on Monday’s, but I can’t sit at home and do them. It’s too difficult to get anything done there when I’m behind on every chore. Finals are soon and I’m forcefully getting myself through these assignments one by one whether if I like it or not.

I stretch my legs out and shrug my shoulders in attempt to release tension but it doesn’t work. I don’t really talk to classmates or random people so I’ve just been stuck in this bubble all day. Granted, I should be working on this science powerpoint project, but I’m losing my mind. Science is the epitome of evil. Nobody can tell me otherwise. Sitting here with my thoughts and study material is driving me crazy. I need to yap even if it’s only for a minute.

I decide on getting a coffee downstairs at the cafe so I stand and grab my wallet before making my way to the stairs. The walk down from the third floor is always brutal, but I always take the elevator back up. Balance is key when it comes to exercise in college aka walking instead of taking the stairs only sometimes.

I step into the cafe and immediately get hit with a waft of coffee hitting my senses. I like coming in here just for that boost honestly because I already feel more awake. Then my world came crashing down in front of me.

Cute guy.

I see him sometimes on campus, and especially in this building during the week. I know he’s an athlete but I never took the time to look him up on any of the rosters. He walks around here like he owns the place like a commanding presence in every room he’s in. His ginger hair has long under his hat, and he’s wearing sweatpants with a white t-shirt. Simple yet the hottest man I’ve ever seen. He’s at the counter ordering. The older lady behind the register is charmed by him just as much as I am apparently. Whatever he said has her smiling. I get in line behind him, making sure to keep space between us. Goosebumps trail down my arms when I hear him talk

“Thank you Lora, you didn’t have to give me a discount.”

“Anything for our best defenseman,” the lady before handing off the cup to her coworker. “We’re working on your drink. Shouldn’t be more than a couple minutes.”

He flashes his beautiful smile and nods without saying another word. He turns around and looks me up and down for a solid second before walking toward the pickup counter. I feel frozen in my spot as I watch him.

“Next in line.”

I snap out of the spell he put on me and step up to the counter to order my usual seasonal drink. I mumble a thank you and sit down at an empty table facing the pickup counter. Cute guy is still standing and scrolling mindlessly on his phone. I try not to stare at him but I fail terribly. He has more scruff on his face than usual.

“Do I have something on my face?”

My jaw slackens and my eyes go wide. Well shit, I’ve been caught. My mouth opens but I can’t find any words. I clear my throat before trying to speak again.

“No, sorry. I just spaced out for a moment.”

Cute guy walks over and pulls the chair out opposite of me before taking a seat. I stiffen up almost immediately.

“It’s not the first time I’ve seen you look at me, but I’ll take your word for it,” he winks and then smiles again. “So, you come here often?”

I breathe out a laugh. He’s not only cute, but he’s funny. I’m down bad at this point and he’s barely spoken to me.

“Nice way to break the ice. I go to school here just like you.”

“I tried,” he shrugged and reached a hand out. “I’m Cam, by the way.”

“Y/n,” I say and take his hand while locking eyes with his. I try not to focus on how his hands feel but I fail drastically. They have callouses but they’re softer than I thought. We shake hands for as long as possible before our names are called from the counter.

“Well y/n, you and I are going to be best friends.”

.

A few weeks later, Cam and I are sitting in his bedroom at the hockey house. Most people on campus had just finished their finals. I’m studying for my last one that I have to take tomorrow morning in class. I can’t focus though because his roommates don’t know chill if it hit them in the face.

Before I started hanging out here I didn’t know that hockey guys are nerds. His roommates spend most of their time (outside the rink) doing their homework before turning on their gaming consoles. What’s even more hilarious is the fact that they play against each other while staying inside their respective bedrooms. They talk to each other on discord as if they aren’t across the hall from one another. They’re so loud, though. Constantly talking loud into their mics.

“Cameron I can’t focus anymore,” I whine and throw myself back on his bed.

Cam stands from his desk and moves my books to his nightstand, plugging up his and my phones to the charger before laying down next to me.

We’ve gotten more comfortable than I ever expected. I have never laid in a bed with a man that I haven’t dated, but Cam is the exception apparently. He takes off his hat and ruffles his hair. The only thought I have is ‘I want to ruffle it too’. While sitting the hat down on top of my books, he turns off the lamp that was illuminating the room. My eyes barely have time to adjust to the darkness when Cam lays down next to me, placing his arm around my middle. He tugs me into his warm, hard body. It takes me only a second to sink into him.

“Nap with me and stop being stressed out,” he whispers into my hair. “You’re going to ace that final. I know it.”

I breathe out a sigh. The feelings that I had before we officially met are still there on my end, but I can’t tell how he feels about me. He has said that he talks to me more than anyone and that he likes spending time with me. I just can’t believe that he wants me in his life in such an important way in only a few weeks. It doesn’t add up from a romantic standpoint, which is why I keep my mouth shut on the feelings part of our relationship.

“I can hear the gears turning in your head. Turn them off y/n.”

“I can’t,” I turn over and place my head on his chest. I can feel his heart beating steadily.

It feels nice to have a friend like him. One that wants me to take care of myself. It almost makes me feel bad for having romantic feelings for him. It’s the little things he does that comforts me - texting little reminders to do things I have to get done in a day, the invites to his place when I need to get out of my dorm, remembering my coffee order.

“What can I do to help?”

I can feel his warm breath on my forehead as I close my eyes. I bite my lip to stop any words from escaping. I keep my feelings close to my chest and I don’t want to ruin the friendship we have just because I’m tired of holding back. I can’t just say ‘I need you’ and elaborate without involving feelings.

“Just a nap is fine Cam.”

I don’t say anything else. Short and sweet, to the point. I shove my head deeper into his chest and breathe him in for a moment. He smells freshly showered, not like how he usually smells after getting home from the rink. He must’ve taken his time in the shower today.

“Y/n?”

Cam’s lips whisper against my forehead before he places a kiss there. I shiver at the contact. His arm tightens around me, and damn, it feels so good to be this close to him. I hum in reply, not trusting myself to open my mouth.

“You cold?” he asks while raking his fingers through my hair.

I shake my head and take deep breaths. He’s being so gentle. If anything, I feel like my body is on fire. Every touch is sending me spiraling.

“Mm okay,” he whispers unconvincingly. “You can spend the night with me if you want to. I’m not kicking you out any time soon.”

“Thank you,” I mutter back to him.

.

When I wake up, I know it’s the middle of the night. I freeze immediately when I notice the position we’re in. I’m sprawled on top of Cam in the most scandalizing way. My lower half is slotted to his and his hand is resting underneath the waistband of my leggings on my ass. Though he’s wearing thick sweatpants, I can feel his dick through them against my most sensitive area. It takes every ounce of restraint in my body to keep from grinding into him. My clit aches at the thought. I know I’m already wet from the touch I’m receiving. If anything else, I know I’m going to soak my underwear from the thoughts that pop into my head.

I keep my eyes closed and drag my hand up his body to rest next to my head on his chest. Cam lets out a curse under his breath, telling me that he’s awake too. I pretend to be asleep and riskily shuffle only slightly against him to see what would happen. His grip on my ass tightens but his touch leaves as soon as he realized where his hand was. I can’t hold back the whimper that escapes my mouth.

“Fuck y/n. This is killing me,” Cam groans. “Going to come in my pants if that happens again.”

Nope, I’m definitely dreaming. I bite down on the inside of my cheek and force myself to stay still. Right when I thought he might have fallen asleep, his hips rotate into mine. Once and then again before Cam tosses the blankets away from our bodies.

“Fuck,” Cam grunts and places a kiss on my forehead and then my cheek. “Shit baby, I’m sorry I gotta get up. Not getting off on you while you’re asleep.”

I guess I’m good at pretending I’m asleep because he lays me back onto his bed, tucking the blanket over my body while muttering a string of curses before he disappears into his bathroom. I open my eyes when he shuts the door behind him.

Not even a moment later Cam is quietly moaning and I can’t shut my eyes again. I feel like a pervert listening in to his deepest darkest secret. I hear my name and my soul nearly jumped out of my body. I reach a hand down into my underwear and feel the damage Cam has done to me. I toss my head back when my fingers reach my center. I swirl my fingers around, coating my fingers with the wetness he created. My other hand clutched the blanket and removed it from my overheating body. I slip my fingers through my slit, lightly tapping my clit as I go. My ears perk up when I hear Cam’s muffled panting on the other side of the door.

“Going to come, y/n.”

Shit. He’s going to be done soon and I’m making a mess over here on his bed. He’s going to open the door and see me like this. There’s no reasonable way to get out of explaining this to him. I feel my inner monologue start and the panic starts to settle in. My fingers stop working themselves and I slip my hand out of my underwear. My fingers are clearly still coated, but I’m not paying any attention to that.

Just say you were having a dream that made you horny? No that’s stupid.

Be honest with him? At this hour? I’d rather die.

“Y/n?”

My gaze snaps to the door where Cam stood. The bathroom light is still on so I can see that he’s standing there holding his shirt in his hand, looking at me with an expression I’ve never seen him make before.

“Yeah Cam?”

“How much of that did you hear?”

“I didn’t hear anything,” I lie. “I’m going to the bathroom now that you’re out.”

I jump out of the bed and attempt to slip past him into the bathroom, but Cam’s hand clutches my wrist. He lifts it up in front of his face and my knees threaten to buckle. I see his nostrils flare as I swallow the lump in my throat.

“Do you want to lie to me again, y/n?”

I shake my head. His icy blue eyes bore into me.

“You don’t really need to use the bathroom. Do you?”

I shake my head again and advert my gaze away from him.

“Well fuck. I didn’t expect to have this conversation at,” he looks over at his clock, “2:43 in the morning.”

“I’m sorry. I can go home-“ I stutter out but Cam cuts me off.

“You’re not going anywhere. We’re not leaving this room any time soon,” he states. My back connects to the door frame in attempt of keeping me on my feet. Cam isn’t far and his proximity makes my body buzz. He steps in closer, caging me in as he stares down at me.

I allow myself 3 seconds to imagine a life where I had a version of Cam that’s mine. What a glorious life that would be. He releases my wrist and presses his bare chest into my covered body.

Cam tilts my head up. His gaze drops to my mouth, lingering for a moment. Then he leans in closer. I feel his breath against my lips.

I’ve never wanted anything more than this.

His lips are on mine, kissing me slowly. My entire soul is captured in this kiss. I whimper against his lips when he kisses me deeper. Like he wants to take his time but at the same time he can’t get enough. My knees buckle completely at the worst time. Cam’s hands grip my hips and drive me closer into him before I can hit the floor.

When his lips tear from mine his chest is heaving. I’m completely unable to think even slightly. My head is so dizzy.

“Finally,” Cam breathes against my lips before capturing them again.

I’m lost completely in him.

Before I realize what’s happening, I’m being dragged back to the bed. I ignore the swelling in my chest while I tangle my fingers in the hair along his nape. I can’t stop myself from touching him no matter how hard I try. And grinding into him isn’t enough.

I need more.

Cam seems like he needs more too. He desperately pulls at my shirt as his lips leave mine and make their way down my jaw. I whine out his name and he finally disconnects from my body. The warmth leaves my body, making me whimper at the loss of contact.

My eyes flutter open to see Cam standing over me breathing hard. His hair is wild from where I tugged at it and his sweatpants are terrible at hiding his arousal. And God, his chest is incredible. Pale with freckles scattered everywhere, and just the right amount of chest hair. I stop perusing his body to force myself to meet his gaze.

His eyebrows are scrunched together. I reach up and drag my fingers across the creases to flatten them. Cam gently kisses my palm before I can move my hand away. Yeah, my heart is going to explode in my chest.

“We’re doing this?”

His voice is rough and it’s quite frankly the sexiest sound I’ve ever heard. I swallow and finally open my mouth.

“I need you Cam.”

Fingers take a hold on my shirt, dragging it up my body. I anticipate that everything is going to change after this, but I’ve lost the ability to care right now.

Cam is doing these things to you willingly, y/n. Shut up.

I bring my focus back to him when he finally removes my shirt and fumbles with my bralette until it’s removed. His beautiful eyes widen for a moment before he brings his mouth to my chest.

My legs open further for Cam and he slots between them perfectly, pressing further into me. We moan out at the same time once his mouth meets my nipple. His tongue flicks the sensitive peaks and my back arches off the bed. I need more.

I bring my hand up and grasp the back of Cam’s head. I tug his lips away from my body and capture them with mine. His hands don’t stop moving though. I feel his hand go inside my waistband. His calloused fingers meet my core and he tugs his lips away from mine again.

“Tell me what you did when I was in the bathroom y/n.”

Cam’s fingers circle my aching clit and slide through the wetness. His eyes search mine.

“I was awake before you went in there,” I breathed out. “I pretended to be asleep.”

He smirks before driving two fingers into me.

“I did this to you? Made you this wet with just listening to me? You’re fucking soaked.”

I nod and whimper in reply.

“Help me out y/n,” he demands. “Take off your pants. Want to keep my fingers inside you.”

I obey, lifting my hips and drag the fabric of my leggings and underwear. Cam’s other hand clutches the fabric and throws it behind him, leaving me completely bare in front of him.

“Fuck y/n.”

Cam’s fingers move inside me before he lowers his mouth to my clit. He slowly flicks his tongue against me, flattening it to taste my center. He’s taking his time, yet I desperately need him to go faster. My hands fly to his hair in need of holding onto something.

“Please Cam,” I gasp. “Need you inside me.”

“Watch me eat your pretty pussy,” he says between licks. “I’ve dreamed about doing this, and I’m not stopping yet. Lie there and take it.”

My hips buck involuntarily. I feel the pressure building inside me, like I’m about to explode any second. My grip on his hair doesn’t lessen. If anything, I clutch it tighter.

Cam eats me like it’s his last meal. Sucking and licking every part of me. I’m writhing while he explores me. He’s grinding against my leg and I’m shocking he’s torturing himself this long. I never expected Cam to turn into an animal. My thighs attempt to clench around his head, but he shoves them open and sucks harder on my swollen bud. I see stars, moaning and groaning his name over and over until I feel on the brink of what I believe is my death.

“Don’t stop Cam,” I pant out. I barely recognize my own voice at this point. It sounds so raw, I’ll be shocked if his teammates don’t tease us about this in the morning.

“So fucking sweet,” he slurs against my flesh before sliding two fingers into my entrance. I’m clenching around them instantly and I want more. He jacks his fingers into me until I’m shaking. He reached the end of my fuse and I explode against him. He sucks greedily at my clit and continues lapping my core.

This is the most turned on I’ve ever been in my entire life. I’m still dazed when Cam rolls on a condom. I didn’t even notice him taking off his pants. I’m so out of it. When he looks at me laid out before him, he looks more tenderly than he had before we fell to his bed. My thighs spread, inviting him back in. I need him more than I need to breathe right now.

“You’re incredible,” Cam says. He leans down and captures my lips while he positions himself at my entrance. When he takes his lips away from mine the look on his face is determined. Determined to do what is the question. Cam grasps my face and slides his thickened cock into me.

“This changes everything about our friendship. Do you understand?” Cam moans into my ear while sinking deeper into me, “this isn’t just fucking, y/n. This is me wanting to be with you.”

I nod and pull him further into me. My hands push him into me and urge him to move.

“Please,” I beg.

Cam takes the opportunity to pin me down and give it to me. His hips match mine in an ungodly rhythm, the tempo not ceasing. This makes me feel like I’m in heaven and I don’t want it to stop. Ever.

“Fuck baby. I’m sorry I’m being rough,” he grits out.

“No please” I gasp and clench around him, “feel how much I like it?”

Cam nips at my throat and brings his hand up to my throat. He squeezes gently.

“You like it rough? Yeah beautiful?”

I moan out because no words come to mind. I grind myself into him, letting my body take everything he gives to me. Cam lets go of my throat and digs his face into my neck, taking full advantage of his position before pistoning into me relentlessly.

I’m coming before I realize it. I’m scraping my nails down Cam’s back, holding his sweaty skin to mine. I plaster my forehead to his and attach our lips while he rides out his orgasm.

Once he begins to catch his breath, his pace slows.

“Tell me you need me,” Cam’s voice is raw and yeah, that’s the sexist thing I’ve ever heard.

“I need you,” I say back with no hesitation whatsoever. “I need you for everything.”

“You’ve got me. I’m not going anywhere.”

My heart explodes. I know he means it when my eyes meet his. Cam pulls out of me and rolls off the condom, tossing it in the bin next to his nightstand. I take in the creamy skin of his back and how it looks with my nail scratches running down the expanse of it. He lays back down and pulls me to him, skin to skin. His hand cradles my jaw and my eyes meet his for the billionth time tonight.

“I’m yours, you know that right?”

“I know Cam, and I’m yours too.”

He plants a final kiss on my lips and lets out a relieving breath.

“Sleep baby. I’ll wake you in the morning.”

I smile and lay my head down against his warm skin. My fingers mindlessly trace shapes on chest as I close my eyes. I can get used to this.

.

“Cam! Cam! I passed!” I screamed and threw myself onto his bed as soon as I got back from taking my final exam.

After finalizing my exam, my professor went over the answers and I made a better grade than expected. I immediately left from there and came here to find Cam still in bed. His hair is ruffled and he lazily grins at me.

“I told you so,” he says and kisses me gently. “Nap with me. No practice until 3 pm today so we have the rest of the morning to be lazy.”

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” I kiss his cheek and then his lips.

[blahblahbih]

late night yapping turned essay✨

i could be responsible and do my work but instead i'm gonna make one of these posts because i love reading them on other people's blogs and the best form of procrastination is yapping

ahem ahem

my driver tier list for the 2025 season is divided as follows:

ride or die:

lando: my comfort person who is also the source of all my problems, i cannot put into words the joy this man brings into my life and how much he has made me love this sport and how he cares about his fans and quadrant and the vlogs and streamer lando and open with his feelings and mental health lando and ughhhhh i got lost in those ocean blue eyessss, BUT i can very much put into words how much pain he causes me on the daily. the emotional attachment is strong with this one but i don't know how much i can handle, stay tuned ig

max: cutie patootie who can do no wrong, literally the reason i got into the sport. i love the mad max, i love the cat dad unhinged max, i love sassy max, i love soft and sweet max

oscar: i feel like the only reason he's not my no.1 is because lando and max were here first but omg he's close to overthrowing them. competent, a beast on the track, hilarious (if you think otherwise we can't be friends), the hair swoosh, everythingggg. every time people/fans/the media pit him against lando i lose years off my life but hey this is sports what can i do

you're growing on me:

george: i didn't care for him at all at first i was like oh this is alex's friend but omg why is he growing on me so much. consistent solid results, kimi's big brother, i'm starting to get his sense of humor, what is going on?? his powerpoint origin story is also too funny

charles: also confused as to why he's growing on me, i used to think the environment at ferrari the last couple of seasons was so toxic (which like it was) and i feel like this year it's fresher? also he's not as depressed so maybe that contributes, idk sports are weird

casual enjoyer (in no particular order)

lewis: objectively the best (professionally and as a person), i think he's not in the ride or die category because i never got to really see him in his prime (i got a taste during silverstone last season) so i never formed that emotional attachment, i lowkey don't care for his 8th wdc BUT i do want to see him succeed with ferrari i think it's gonna be so special

alex: wholesome man, solid driver, 10/10 insta dumps, lily's wag, no notes, i just don't have the energy to add him into the ride or die list

yuki: solid, great entertainment, i really wish him the best in that spiraling team pray for this man

carlos: at first i LOVED him because carlando but the amount of fighting that was going on between his fans and leclerc fans was honestly exhausting like i don't have the energy for that, love to see him thrive in williams tho he needs a break, also lowkey my crush ok sue me, also team 55 is simply too funny like at this point they're the main characters and he's the wag

pierre: this man is too funny and also puts in some great drives, underrated in my opinion

liam: ok edit I can’t believe I forgot to add him even tho I had a list of the drivers pulled up. solid driver, he got thrown into redbull too early so I don’t hold the start of the season against him, did I cry when he replaced daniel, yes, but I also get it. as someone whose fav movie is ratatouille, I respect his loyalty to cars

i'm rooting for you twin:

kimi: omg the wonderkid i've liked him since the prema days he's just too wholesome. i've fully adopted him, he's my child now

ollie: wowed me with his performance in saudi last year, also liked him since prema, i really want him to do good

isack: hilarious cutie patootie, i wish him the best, also north african solidarity bb i don't care what flag he drives under

no hate i just don't care (also in no particular order):

fernando: i don't get the appeal, sometimes he's funny tho

hulk: i tried ok, the haasbands were funny and i want him to get that podium, but i just don't have it in me

lance: go girl give us nothing? i respected his return after breaking his hand that was impressive but other than that he's just so meh

ocon: don't really care for him but also don't like all the unnecessary hate this man gets

jack: it's not really his fault i just want franco back

gabriel: i just haven't seen enough of him, he has potential to move up to casual enjoyer

if anyone would like to make a case for these drivers i'm all ears give me your unhinged thoughts

[saltydkdan]

Hello Salt man! You seem like an unhinged enough weeb for this question:

I’m going to be the president of the anime club in my highschool this year and have no fucking idea what I should do for activities and shit.

Any ideas? If not, that’s perfectly fine too!

(Also thank you for reblogging my Peppy drawing it made my day ^^)

No problem! I loved the art

I think it’s pretty obvious for an Anime club to watch Anime, however that shit is basic, and I have some unhinged ideas.

Trivia (the least unhinged)

—Make a trivia game on PowerPoint, or on Kahoot that feature questions based on various popular anime. Get specific and weird for the harder questions.

Anime Debate Club

—(be careful with this one because depending on the group it may get heated lol)

—At the end of a meeting, choose to random anime characters

—Tell members that they can pick sides on which of the two would win in a fight, then between meetings, bring together their arguments for why, they have to have actual citation and examples of the character’s powers, or reference specific canon material

—Bonus points if one of the debate teams puts together a PowerPoint slideshow on a character’s power set, or the other characters weaknesses

—Have a judge award points for valid arguments, but have them be cracked out of their minds about it (For example, awarding points to “Comedy” characters, like if an Osumatsu-San character surviving a Ki blast could be funny? That’s a point towards them. LMAO)

NOTES: Obviously the characters chosen cannot be Goku, Vegeta, Saitama, or in general overpowered characacters. Also, having completely fucking insane match ups, or wildly specific match ups is recommended. Like Bobobo VS Dio Brando from Jojo. Or General Tao from Dragon Ball VS Gojo.

If the fight is extremely one sided, just make a list of all the ways that one side would fucking dominate because that shit is fucking funny LOL.

Weekly Book Club but for anime

—This isn’t really “unhinged” but I recently did a manga book club with friends weekly and it was super cool to meet up and discuss the chapters of a particular series and such

—You can do this for anime and assign a set number of episodes, OR do manga and provide a way to read it online

—Rotate out series every so often so people don’t feel like they’re focusing all their attention to a single series the entirety of the year

—This could be a fun thing to do casually between meetings and to talk about a little at the start

Pitch your favorite

—Have people make a short presentation on PowerPoint to pitch their favorite series that’s 3-5 minutes each, or whatever depending on how many people you have

—If you wanna make it funny make it so they HAVE to include both Pros, AND Cons about it. (Like for One Piece: PRO would be the amazing worldbuilding, and a CON would be that Oda cannot draw women)

Make an Epic OC

—Force people to design OCs for a specific series for that week. If they can draw and want to, they can draw them. If they can’t draw? Make it a stick figure, or a shitty drawing a child would make. And have them make a small write up about the character and their powers.

—This can easily be taken seriously, or just have them make an overpowered self insert, all of it is fine

Anyway that’s all my ideas! Hope this helps or inspires some of your own unhinged ideas

[rebuke-me]

hiii bmc girls being friends headcanons bc canon won't do it so i have to

they absolutely love playing mario kart. chloe claims peach every time, brooke goes for rosalina, jenna exclusively plays bowser jr and christine swaps it up, but usually picks toad. chloe and christine are the most competitive (but jenna's the best). brookes just there to color code her car and cause chaos.

all of them adore watching dorky romcoms. their favorites are grease and mamma mia, because its the perfect intersection between their interests.

they have a groupchat together, and its full of the most batshit unhinged memes you've ever seen in your life. (christine is the least active, she lurks and then likes everything in a huge spree so everyone gets like 20 notifications at once)

jenna's house is the favorite hangout spot, because its kind of in the middle of all of theirs, and all of them ADORE her little brother. they usually let him play video games with them.

one time christine made chloe cackle so hard that she laughed soda out her nose. they do not let her live that down and now she can never drink pepsi zero ever again.

jenna and christine begged brooke to let them dye her hair, and she finally caved as long as it was temporary. they were partway through putting bright green on the ends when chloe point out that the dye they were using was permanent. (brookes tips were mountain dew neon green for a solid month after that)

brooke loves drawing on her friends skin with glitter gel pens, and she can usually be found doodling on their hands.

christine made them all friendship bracelets (and kept them in her bag for like two weeks because she wasn't sure if they would like them, but chloe did in fact cry a little when christine gave her a bracelet.)

chloe makes them all learn tiktok dances and they fuck them up SO many times, which means that theres like 9 drafts of them cracking up

one time they tried to start a prank war with the boys but it failed miserably because not a single one of them ever fell for the bait, so their prank war died in the water before it even started.

jenna and christine have been trying to do a powerpoint night for months, but they havent found anything that their friends havent let them ramble about for ages already.

chloes bad at showing affection, but will hand her friends gifts (that she clearly bought FOR them) and be like "uh this is something that my aunt/uncle/grandma got me but its not my style maybe you would like it or something idk whatever." they all know she got them especially for them. none of them will mention it but they think its sweet

[padfootscoldleathers]

i'll leave (a light on)

<<prev ch.8 next>>

Meanwhile, back at the hotel

“Remind me why you want to meet them again?” Tommy asks Charlie while Sunny hops after his jumping frog in the hotel hallway. A hallway that's a straight shot to the band’s hotel room and a one way ticket to Embarrass Land as Sunny, nearly three and intensely obsessed with Inside Out, likes to call it. 

“FIrstly, I’m consumingly curious about who your ragtag team of ‘friends’ are.” Friends, she says with fake quotations, which really makes you question why you actively make the decision to put up with teenagers? “What kind of old school pranks could people even pull when they're as ancient as you are?”

“Excuse me?”

“I mean you just barely grew up with the internet. The only apps you can use properly are Powerpoint and Microsoft Word but that's only because you’re a workaholic. The only people I ever see you hang out with outside of work are me and Sunny. Which is getting seriously sad to witness after a year.”

Tomny wraps an arm around Charlie’s neck and rubs a fist into her hair to give her a noogie. “Say, how do you feel about a drive down to the fire station?”

“What? So they can hose you down?” Charlie shoves her hands against his chest to get away and pinches her nose in disgust. 

“I smell delicious and you know it.”

“I wouldn’t say delicious. If I threw you in a pig pen right now I'm sure they’d eat around you.”

At that Tomny actually lifts his arm to smell himself he still smells like lemons and sugar just like his perfume. Yes, he wears perfume. That’s when he looks back up at Charlie’s cheeky ‘gotcha’ smile then in a split second she turns and sprints down the rest of the hallway to the band’s door. When she skids to a stop she crouches at the last second and Tomny goes toppling over her then Charlie knocks on the door with a bright smile. All the noise and rambling inside the room settles suspiciously quick and Charlie reaches down to pick up Sunny and settle him on her hip with his frog toy. 

Glowing, dark skinned gorgeousness opens the door asking her if she’s lost and Charlie just stands there physically, mentally, systematically frozen. She slowly turns her head to her left at Tomny who’s standing with his arms crossed gauging her reaction. The reaction is of course her eyes steadily getting wider and wider with more and more panic and the manic I-would’ve-changed-out-of-my-PJs-if-I-knew-I-was-meeting-THE-Dorcas-Meadowes look in her eyes. Dorcas looks from Charlie to Tomny whose smile is nearing the point of breaking his face. Charlie’s still looking at him with a smile on her face but an aggressive twitch in one of her eyes as she tries to sign around Sunny, “Your ‘friends’ are rockstars?”

Cas squints at him and calls back into the room, “Hey, Petey? Isn’t this your boyfriend?” 

That's when Charlie and Tomny kind of switch expressions. Now it’s Charlie’s turn to be smug and teasing and Tomny’s turn to apparently blush like a boiled lobster. 

“It’s just Teddy? Open the door then, it’s not like he hasn't masterminded this kind of thing before.” Charlie mouths boyfriend to him and nods teasingly and Tomny gives her a look telling her to knock it off. Cas pushes the door and it swings open to… Charls can’t actually tell what she’s looking at. What she does know is that it's a mess. Peter turns around to look at the door from the small step ladder he’s standing on and sees the two kids in the doorway. He slowly backs down and drops the bag of feathers hanging from his teeth straight to the floor. 

He looks to Tomny standing behind them, “It’s not what it looks like.” He says with his hands up like he’s playing Hiccup and Tomny is Toothless. 

Charlie’s jaw drops when she realises, “This is the Parent Trap prank.”

“Okay, it is what it looks like but what I meant was I already paid off the cleaners extra for the mess ‘cause I’m not evil. Inherently.”

Tomny’s still squinting kind of in disbelief but what was he really expecting from this lot? You’d think after half his entire life of Mary, Peter and eventually Remus pulling pranks at every turn from primary through highschool he’d grow to expect it but seriously? In a hotel? Is nothing sacred anymore? He introduces Charlie to the band and she’s kind of simply, absolutely starstruck just by Dorcas Meadowes. There's no “just” about it, it's Dorcas Meadowes, saintly woman she is.  Sunny immediately takes a liking to Peter and stretches out his arms to grab at his shirt after no time at all. 

“Who’s kids are these?” 

“Who do you think?”

Peter’s jaw slowly drops, “The adoption finally went through?”

“Only took them eight months just to sign a piece of paper.” Charlie mumbled from where Marlene was fawning over her freckles and sunflower eyes.

Tomny face cringes back a bit when he says, “Around right after you guys went on tour.” Peter gives him a look but doesn’t comment and Tomny can just feel an apocalypse coming on. Zombie arms grab at his legs but the look is gone because Sunny, angel he is, starts climbing all over Peter's head and shoulders the little acrobat. They look like twins, all blonde hair and blue eyes. Just past Sunny's little head he can see Charlie with her arms folded and eyebrow cocked and completely unimpressed. 

“Peter! Blondielocks is gonna help us out with the prank so can we get moving before the other half of your family gets back?”  

Tomny looks around the room exasperated but he’s not going to stop it because it's already halfway executed. “Remus is going to absolutely hate this.” 

Peter looks around the room too, bouncing a sleepy Sunny on his hip. “Remus will think I am the genius of our generation for this.” 

“How about I'm going to ban you for this.”

“It's funny you think you have that power.” 

“This is my hotel.” Tomny lowers his face into Peter’s at some amateur attempt at intimidation like he hasn't been taught his entire life not to mess with Spanish people. 

“Is it?” Peter walks into him and Tomny stumbles back flustered and staggering. 

“Yes?”

Peter looks him head to toe physically amused. “No. Try again tomorrow.” Tomny almost freezes in astonishment at the audacity but catches the door with his foot at the last second which HURTS because Peter basically tried to slam the door shut in his face. 

“You know I could have security escort you out.”  

“Are you threatening me with a walk of shame?” Peter grins bright and mischievous, “It’s not exactly my specialty. Though, I've seen you do enough to know what it looks like.” Peter grinds the heel of his foot on Tomny's toes and until he pulls it back ‘cause Peter really will grind his toes back to stardust.

“If you call security on me, you'd better start looking for somewhere else to go home to for Christmas.”

“You can't kick me out of Christmas?! There's gotta be at least four different places to stay at.” 

“The food is cooked at my house. By my mamá and my sister's and me. Christmas dinner is at my house. Christmas is at my house. I'm Colombian and Brazilian; please, throw me out the hotel and then grow the carajas to tread on my front porch. I dare you.  Fair warning, you'll be trespassing and this is America.”

“Is that a threat or a promise?” 

“Like you're always telling me ‘qué sera sera’. Tchau.” The sound of the door slamming in his face shakes the walls and echoes through the hallway. 

Tomny looks stunned with his mouth hanging open and looks both ways down the hall for validation from someone to feel disrespected. Shellshocked, he makes his way to the elevator when he hears a high whistle behind him and spins feeling objectified. Peter grins and Sunny laughs, “They don't come up without my say-so. You still know how to play guard dog, yeah?” 

dunno if i actually got the 2 hour limit i said i would but yeah. oh and remus does NOT think peter is a genius for this but Mary does

@moonyswarmsweaters @sspadfoot @thingthatoncewastruee @probs-reading @cheekyboybeth

@starving-marauder-lover @yourlocalbadgerscales @taleofapart-timepoet @mirrs-ball @tea-blankets-andstars

@where-is-vivian @amberlink @wastingawayinmyroom @ashes-to-ashesxx @percabeth-trash

@equippedtolove @moon-girl88 @jamespotterbbg @drunktayloratthevmas @labyrinthhofmymind

@s0ggyguts @nyx-taylors-version @will-vs-the-homo-sapiens-adgenda @siriusly-insane

[weebsinstash]

I keep thinking about Reader getting sick of YT's shit, physically fighting them (Totally, totally not projecting my own feelings at YT into that, whatcha talkin about? <<') and that being what leads to Miguel kicking them out of the Spider Society. Like, for the sake of this we'll say Reader made plans to meet up with the core group and properly set things straight- They've got a powerpoint ready, they've been running through a hypothetical dialogue tree all morning, they even got crayons too if someone's really not getting it. But most importantly, they've managed to scrape together proof of everything. So they rock up ready to plead their case, only to find YT already there doing the 'same'. YT somehow found out about this little meeting and decided to see if they could spin it in their' favour. At first Reader tries to explain what's really happening and that if they just look at the receipts they'd see that they're wrong, but the core group's just not having it. Peter's not having it, Gwen, Pav, fuck even Hobie, and Miguel's certainly not entertaining this anymore. They've had enough of 'their' lies and it's time they went home. At first Reader's devastated, weakly trying to tell them that they have no where to go back to, that they have no home that isn't here. But YT can't help but open their big fuckin mouth- low-key taunting them without giving anything away to the rest of the group- but YT and Reader know exactly what they're talking about. In that moment, something boils over in Reader. They can't stop themself from throwing the fattest punch at YT, and If this meeting started small it certainly won't be for long as Reader and YT's fight takes them all over. Hell, even spilling out into the rest of Nueva York. I'll spare you the rest of my ideas cause this is already getting long- But it certainly won't look good for Reader, now would it? :)c

That's the TRUE antagonist of the You vs YouTwo saga: making through this entire thing without absolutely beating the shit out of your doppelganger

It's all set up so perfectly. YT knows you're basically at your absolute breaking point and all but goads you into attacking them. YouTwo is standing there seeming like such the innocent little victim, having convinced all your closest friends that you're a fake, and you just absolutely explode

"I'll fucking kill you, you stupid fucking CUNT!!"

Punch them? They're lucky if that's all they get! The punch is essentially just to knock them down before you start trying to smack their head into the floor or straight up literally actually strangle them, and here come "your friends" to YouTwo's rescue. Pavitr's fighting style used to be a lot more cool to you before you got a solid gold bracelet cracking into the side of your head. You used to wish you could ask Gwen to teach you to be a little more graceful at gymnastics until she kicks right off of your face. You never realized how serious Hobie was when he told you he doesn't pull his punches until you're literally hitting a wall so hard it cracks underneath you because his guitar just slammed into your stomach. You never fully put two and two together on how Miguel's claws could CUT.

YouTwo may have gotten a little scuffed up but here you are, black eyes, busted lip, more than just a couple sprains and outright fractures as all of the people you considered your family, your FAMILY look at you with disgust. And suddenly you realize, with the biggest fucking pit in your stomach, that they just plan to open a portal to YouTwo's dimension and simply throw you through, completely unaware that you'll just slowly suffer and die after one of them swiped your watch during the scuffle. You'll have nothing to hold yourself together and tether you down, you'll just deteoriate and die and the thought fucking terrifies you. So you do the only thing you can think of, and you start absolutely running for your life for the Go Home Machine, because you either make it to that machine and prove you're the Real You, or you'll slowly suffer and die in another universe

The scene where Gwen gets sent home really does make the Go Home Machine look menacing. The way it can grab your arms and legs and drags you through the air kicking and screaming, holding you down at all costs, entrapping you in a bubble. You're just standing on the edge of the control deck with the gap and the machine behind you, still bleeding from wounds, and you're half wondering if Miguel is just going to kill you as he looks down at you with the coldest expression you've ever seen him make as he all but spits at you, "since you want to be the center of attention so bad, fine. Go home. Don't ever come back"

And you're being dragged back, left standing there on that platform feeling the most rage and sorrow and betrayal you've ever felt, you didn't even feel this fucking bad when your entire universe just suddenly poofed away, and all these people you thought of as your friends and family and coworkers are standing around, jeering at you, telling you you're not welcome there, some of them with your blood still on their hands.

The moment you're waiting for finally comes, the moment where the Go Home Machine finally goes to scan you, to throw you out like some anomaly, and it stops. It stops powering up as Spider Byte looks at the monitor in horror. Miguel is all but fuming as he storms over, "what are you doing?! Get them OUT OF HERE" and he freezes when he sees the same exact message Margo sees: 'NO DIMENSIONAL MATCH FOUND'.

Your vindication is finally here and you're so hurt by all of this that it honestly doesn't even matter. At this point you don't give a single fuck YouTwo stole your friends, because, they aren't your friends any more. You don't know any of these people like you thought you did, and apparently, they never really knew you either. They all get to stand there and feel bad for themselves as you stand there with your bruises and broken heart, starting to wonder where you're going to move now that you hate all of them and living in the Society is kind of traumatic now. They all try apologizing and talking to you, but you won't hear it. You're apathetic to it all, if not angered by it. NOW they want to be sorry?

They're trying to apologize, explain themselves, hug you, but you aren't having any of it. You've just got quiet tears streaming down your cheeks as you all but stumble your way back to your apartment, refusing medical treatment, refusing conversation, shutting the front door on all of them and finally crawling into your bed as a little voice inside of you says that you should hide yourself under the covers and never come back out

[pupkinpumpkin]

So sometimes, when I hyper fixated a little too hard on something in high school, I'd make a powerpoint on it. They'd be made very fast and sometimes weren't entirely too accurate due to the speed I made them, but they got the point across to my friends on why I cared so much about something

I was recently digging through my old powerpoints and I saw a slightly more recent one on Cole from DAI and thought I'd share that with the class (Tumblr)!

Again, this was made kinda fast and I joined the fandom after DAI, so if some of the information is wrong, please correct me (I'm thinking about editing the PP anyway, so criticism would actually be quite useful), and some of these are just straight up my opinions, so if you don't agree, that's completely fine. This was just done out of love that I'd like to share with other people on why I adore Cole so much. Any pictures shown are from images I just found on Google.

Oh! Some of this has spoilers from the Dragon Age book Asunder, which I have not read but got some summaries from the Dragon Age wiki, so beware spoilers and possible false information

Anyway: Powerpoint

(sidenote: I made a whole separate tangent on why I adore Cole's Odd Things so much. I'll see if I can put in the link in an edit)

Edit: Here it is!

[hopeless-eccentric]

detective fiction and the RCM

ive been thinking a lot about the RCM since playing disco elysium (especially because some dear friends asked me to use my detective fiction thesis knowledge on a powerpoint night about it) and it's such an odd and nuanced corner of the text that's made so much more complicated when approaching the work as a piece of political occupation fiction

when you get into the academia/lit theory about detective fiction, one of the first and most consistent things you'll read is that most of it is about a person (who the reader thinks they relate to) punishing undesirables on behalf of the government--William W Stowe puts it very well (and very bluntly) in this paper:

"Politically, morally, and epistemologically, detective fiction tends to affirm rather than to question, to take social structures, moral codes, and ways of knowing as givens, rather than subjecting them to thorough, principled criticism. In conventional detective stories crime is usually seen as a symptom of personal evil rather than social injustice, and the detective is depicted as an ideal incarnation of competitive individualism" (570, emphasis mine).

(i could get into how disco elysium does a ton of stuff to break out of that but it would be a long aside--thats a meta for another time)

in short, detective fiction is usually about affirming the idea that individual punishment is an effective and desirable way of controlling "undesirable" people, particularly coded as jewish, immigrants, communists, queer, etc. (if anyone's interested more in the marginalized coding of detective villains i can hook you up w some reading material btw)

so that being said, what the hell do you make out of the remnants of a rebel army who now enforce the repressive law of an occupying government, are the only citizens who get any kind of political representation in said occupying government, and whose leader is actively plotting an insurrection? theyre this really fraught and interesting microcosm of how the Moralintern has attempted to occupy Revachol (especially structurally and psychologically). on the one hand, they uphold an occupier's law which asks them to punish people their broken system has failed (particularly disabled and queer women, which ill get into later), while on the other, they cant quite escape into individualism, and as a department, seem deeply haunted by a spirit of collectivism and ICM-era tradition. the few we see seem to be at a breaking point of faith in procedure (especially when procedure actively harms someone's wellbeing), but we dont have any way of knowing if that's a department-wide culture or an individual experience

you definitely have your conservative/centrist figures who "affirm rather than question," (or, like kim, just do their best not to think about it), but it's hard to use classical detective fiction theory with the RCM. this classical theory assumes the detective is a willing and obedient appendage of the government, even if it's one that sees the rest of the body as corrupt and flawed. what do you do with an appendage trying to tear itself off?

in a lot of ways, they remind me of the union--distanced from their ideal "people serving the people" through systemic corruption of overbosses and the capitalist/imperialist system, now just trying to keep their heads up and stay alive. theyre also a lot like the union in that the potential for revolution is there, percolating, and hopeful(?)--you just have to have a high enough score in your camaraderie skill (esprit de corps) to see it

[sloanout]

Uh, so surprise turn for a blog conceptually for yapping about Sloan and practically for Solas discussion, but I wanna talk about Blackwall

He clocks in pretty high on the ranking of "characters that had the biggest impact on Sloan". He can't compete with Cole for the crown, but he does solidly land in the same echelon as Solas/Cassandra/Dorian etc. he's interesting, right? It's a common observation that the inquisition is made up of liars, but Blackwall's bullshitting is so powerful it gives the damn Dread Wolf a run for his money in the deceit department.

And I think that's by design. After finishing Trespasser, a friend of mine observed that he felt like Blackwall's role is to prime the player for Solas' betrayer, and intentional or not, I think there's truth to that sentiment. There are a lot of parallels between the two, from their constructed/assumed identities to a moral greyness in their actions, and ultimate chance at redemption by the Inquisitor's hand. The vibe is so similar that when I was giving the 3 Hour Sloan PowerPoint™️ I felt the need to remind the audience that it was Blackwall I was talking about when explaining Sloan's thoughts and feelings on the Thom Rainier situation.

The big thematic keystone here is, I think, that both instances reveal a character to be lying, then ask you to grapple with the reason for their lies and if their actions can be justified and forgiven, or are irredeemable and must be punished with death or imprisonment. It's not easy to figure out how you feel with either of them, there's a lot to chew on. Not gonna get into Solas cause that's what the rest of my posts are (lol), but with Blackwall, the initial crime is far more straightforwardly corrupt and reprehensible. He didn't do it to save anyone. It was a heartless political play, and it ended with a whole family being massacred. Worse yet, he had the chance to pull back when he realized his target was accompanied by his wife and child, but Thom didn't. He continued, mostly because he feared having to save face or face the consequences of his men sniffing out his true aim.

And like, while the material consequences are far smaller scale than Solas, the intent is much more unambiguously selfish and evil with Blackwall. That said it's also a bit of a one and done situation. He immediately regrets it, and while he doesn't turn himself in, he doesn't totally run away either. Being recruited by the Wardens is an easy out, but it's also a shot at redemption in its own right (at least in Blackwall's mind). Everything from there on is a grey mixed bag. He assumes the original Blackwall's identity, but he also trains recruits and follows through on serving as a Warden albeit in his own way sans a joining. I'm sure a lot of young Wardens owe their lives to his tutelage. He joins the Inquisition not out of faith or for gain, but because he's being called to a greater purpose that he can give himself too. Even before we know his crimes, he's already concretely working towards atonement. There's still cowardice in it, absolutely, but I don't think you can totally discount his good faith and effort.

I ended up playing Sloan as not merciful per se, but as someone who believed in restorative justice with hopes for rehabilitation on the side. She never sent anyone to Skyhold's prison because imprisonment just didn't make sense to her. It's sending someone to rot where they could be useful and an asset to the inquisition if not (and more importantly) to the people they hurt. Alexius serves the mages. Florien works the fields. The only time she killed someone was Erimond, because he had already proven himself to be a nuclear bomb of a person and there simply was no better option, and that single execution put her into her darkest hour because it ran so counter to what she believed and who she was.

Blackwall served as a perfect opportunity to refine Sloan's beliefs on justice and redemption to a fine point. He's such a fun character for her to play off of because he's so mired in regret. A core piece of Sloan is her peace with the past; she doesn't really get bogged down by mistakes and failures because she's very good at forgiving herself so long as she knows she did the best she could at the time. No sense cursing yourself for what turned out to be an ignorant decision - you literally didn't know better. No point beating yourself up over what can't be changed. Learn from it, absolutely, but don't suffer needlessly over what can't change. Like with her take on justice, she'd rather do something constructive with those feelings than wallow in them. Here's to the fucked up shit we can't erase.

Predictably, her take on Blackwall ends up being that he continues the work he was already doing in the inquisition. Who he is right now - the man that gave himself wholly to the cause without hesitation, worked tirelessly for it, and who turned himself in rather than let a man he ordered to do the crime hang in his place, that's a good man. He is already redeeming himself, and interrupting him now would do nothing but satisfy bloodthirsty Orlesians and weaken their cause in the process. Sloan believes more in the person someone is in the here and now, who they are choosing to be and working to be, than whatever baggage they're carrying around from the past. She doesn't even choose the secretive Leliana option, she just fully leverages the Inquisition's power to get him turned over to them. Shouts of corruption be damned. Truly she does not care about the human systems of power and propriety that rule the land.

It ended up hitting extra hard for Sloan since she cared about Blackwall - they weren't incredibly close or anything, but he was a bit of a father figure. He was the first one in Haven to tell her she was worth following not because she was sent by Andraste, but because she was a good kid.

In retrospect, a lot of Blackwall's praise for Sloan ends up feeling like it was more about his own shortcomings in comparison to her, imagined or otherwise. But I don't think that sours how much it meant to her. She needed to hear it, and he needed to see someone make the noble and honest choices he didn't and believe in moving forward whenever he doubted his footing. It was still reciprocal and helpful for both of them, caveats be damned. They believed in each other, and that meant more than either of them knew.

It all gets lent even more flavor and meaning by the end of Veilguard, but again if we really start talking about the Solas parallels this post will get too long.

[woodchipp]

I'm gonna be honest - along with OMORI pressuring the player into choosing the good ending lest Sunny kills himself, the whole DUET cutscene doesn't strike me as anything but very blatant emotional manipulation either. Every mention of it I saw was followed by fans talking at length about how thoroughly devastated they were left by that moment, but if you look past the Feels and focus on the Reals, what is there to be devastated about, really?

The (supposed) purpose of the cutscene is to show Sunny placating his depression by recalling the good times he had with Mari and his friends... except that is exactly what he's been doing via Basil's photo album throughout the entire game. That's what Memory Lane, which you have to go through right before the final boss, was there for. And just like the aforementioned two, the good times showcased in DUET are glurgy, meaningless fluff. They don't tell you anything new about the characters and they don't show them helping each other through thick and thin as people you could call "real" friends are supposed to. The fact that the cutscene itself looks like a PowerPoint slideshow or something you could theoretically cook up in Windows Movie Maker doesn't help, especially if you remove the music track altogether.

I think one of my "favorite" moments is Sunny and Mari meeting Kel and Hero, which is represented by the latter two literally popping out of thin air

You'd think that as a story with the power of friendship as one of its central themes, the game would show how the characters became friends in the first place and what makes them gel together, but no. This is all you get.

It's the same thing with Aubrey and Basil. The gang meets Aubrey for the first time while she's crying on the sidewalk before the game cuts to her introducing Basil to them. Was them comforting Aubrey over her lost shoe enough for her to befriend them? How exactly did she and Basil meet? I dunno, you tell me! Think about the plot so the writer won't have to!

So emotional. So peak. Two hundred thousand dollars was spent on this.

Speaking of Sunny and Mari, the cutscene's Peakest™ moment is the smash cut from a bright shot of Mari embracing a younger Sunny to a gloomier shot of the older Sunny sitting there all alone and morose, which delivers the message with all the subtlety of a nuclear bomb explosion

she passed on The Emo to him. truely devastating. also why do they both look malnourished. what the hell is this artstyle

Yes, game. I get it. The grass was greener when Mari was alive. That's roughly her gravestone's epitaph. What is the point of this? What am I supposed to cry about?

That brings me to what I believe is the main problem with DUET, and a problem with the game itself as well - the story doesn't put in any real effort to flesh out the characters you're supposed to feel bad for, yet expects you to feel bad for them anyway. Even after playing the entire 25 hours of this game, I don't know anything about Sunny, nor can I recall anything noteworthy about him except from him calling lemons "oragnes". I don't know anything about who Mari really was except that she's treated by the narrative as if she was Jesus in the flesh. They're not characters - they're effectively cardboard cutouts, and I have no idea why the game's imploring me to shed tears over two cardboard cutouts.

The cherry on top is Omori straight-up vanishing after the cutscene ends. One could argue that Sunny's victory was temporary, but that's not indicated - Omori seems to actually vanish once and for all after the game's events, and the main menu even features Sunny himself as opposed to Omori to mark the change. Because we all know that severe depression can be treated by thinking happy thoughts, right? tfw the powerpoint slideshow was so cringe that even the depression decided to peace out

Maybe I wouldn't have been as harsh if the story had Mari kill herself instead of it being a cover-up for manslaughter. Maybe then I'd have been able to see the tragedy. But given the context of the plot twist, all I can see is a coward and a liar soothing his well-earned guilt over committing a serious crime and lying about it in the most laughably melodramatic fashion possible.