#and all of that I hate to change my habitat I hate to not know where I'm going and to not know where I'm at-

[alexjcrowley]

And if I were to drop on here just to say that I Love To Travel from The Frogs by Stephen Sondheim is Frodo-and-Sam-at-the-beginning-of-their-journey coded?

[alpali]

pt 2 of oikawa being a dork in love

After your small declaration of a truce. Oikawa acts like he’s won nationals.

You’re still mean to him. Which confuses him to no end but you enjoy it. You’re not hateful like before it’s just teasing.

“So does this mean I can finally take you on a date?”

“Absolutely not.”

“But why!”

It’s routine that you guys eat lunch together at the same spot you made up.

“Ooo your food looks good lemme try it.”

Swat!

“Hey!” He clutches his hand with a pout and you purse your lips.

“Don’t touch.”

“I need this hand to play you know!”

“I barely even touched you.”

“Kiss it.” He grins.

“Ew no!”

He’s wounded.

Oikawa helps you out with your studies that you’re struggling with. Often hosting study dates, as he loves to call them.

“I’m tired.” You groan out, sprawling your arms across the table, your cheek squished against the table.

Oikawa smiles, moving a stray piece of your hair behind your ear.

“We can take a little break.” He doesn’t miss the way your cheeks redden.

His routine still hasn’t changed. He still visits you before class but now he always brings your favorite drink with him.

“Here ya go pretty girl.” He places the can on your desk, ruffling your hair.

“My hair!” You narrow your eyes.

“Sh, it’s okay you’re still beautiful, look.”

He has a habit of taking pictures of you. Not in a creepy way, they’re mostly off guard so he can get back at you with your teasing. But also just because you really are beautiful. He knows he’s made it when he finds photos that you took of yourself and even of him when he’s left his phone unattended. Sending them to you and saying.

“You got my bad side :,(. Do better next time.” 

It takes him awhile to convince you to actually come to his games.

“Come on please! Prelims are coming up. I need you there.”

“I don’t think I could enjoy it with all your girls there.”

“Is someone jealous~”

“Oh please. As if all your attention isn’t focused on me anyways.”

“That’s my girl.” A dumb smirk lacing his features.

However he isn’t aware when you actually do decide to show up. Iwaizumi is actually the first to notice and honestly he’s not really excited for the Oikawa he’s about to put up with. Yet he tells him nevertheless.

With a nudge Iwaizumi is gesturing to the stands and Oikawa looks up, his water bottle gripped in his hand. You sit there and the both of you lock eyes. He visibly lights up and blinks, not believing his eyes. You honestly weren’t expecting to have that much of an impact on him but you can tell just how much it really does mean to him.

“She came!” Oikawa gushes, smiling up at you as you send him a small smile.

Iwaizumi is a little surprised at just how much Oikawa adores you. Guess he lost that bet with Shigeru. He’s attacking more during this game which confuses his teammates a little but they take the set and secure the win with ease. Once he finds you in the hallway, he’s jogging up to you.

“You actually came.” He says out of amusement.

“Just thought I’d check it out.”

“So how was it, seeing me in my natural habitat.”

“Pretty impressive, sadly.”

“Hey! All of those points were for you!” He sulks and you giggle.

Oikawa flushes, a genuine smile on his face. Out of pure adrenaline and love he has for you he kisses your head, pulling you straight into his sturdy chest.

“Thank you. Really.” He whispers, holding you a little tighter. You flush in his arms, gripping the ends of his jersey.

After that, he’s more persistent than before. He starts asking to hangout whenever he has any kind of free time. He just wants to be in your presence.

He’s over the moon when you agree to play volleyball with him. He’s teaching you how to set and when your form is wonky. He comes up behind you, placing his hands over yours he adjusts them.

“Then you just wanna let the ball touch your hands.”

When you actually get a decent set in, he cheers.

“I think I just fell in love with you all over again.”

“Be quiet.”

“Never! My perfect little setter.”

After a couple months you finally agree to let him take you on a date and he’s spoiling the hell out of you. He insists the two of you get matching keychains.

When he’s walking you home he’s so corny it makes you wanna laugh. The way he subtly tries to grab your hand. He opts to holding your pinkie instead. However this act has him STRESSING. You reach your doorstep and it’s obvious he doesn’t want you to go.

“Thanks for tonight…Toru.”

He’s deceased.

“T-Toru?!”

“Don’t make it weird!” You both are flustered now.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” You mutter but right before he steps away you plant a kiss on his cheek.

Hitting the nail on his coffin.

In a flash you’re gone, in the comfort of your house as he stands there recollecting what the hell just happened. His fingers slowly gracing his cheek as his whole world was just altered. He fist bumps the air, even skipping as he makes his way home.

“So are we gonna talk about yesterday?”

“no.”

“Will I be receiving more of those?”

“Depends, will you ask me out?”

“I think I’m gonna cry.”

“Never mind.”

“No wait! Come back!”

[cry4mina]

Changing Lenses

(Momo x fem!reader)

Word Count: 12.3k

Slightly Angsty (but for like 2 minutes) Fluff/Smut

Summary: Your ex girlfriend’s best friend transfers to your school and you’re forced to complete a photography project with her. In time you realize that maybe she’s not who you thought she was…maybe even way better than you hoped.

TW: drinking, food, eating, camping, sex, oral, a lil degradation, a little choking, a little this and that. Taking a picture mid-sex, uhhhhh talks of abusive moments in past relationships. There’s a bear.

AN: Happy Early Momo daaaaaay! Thank you to @psylocke142 for yapping with me about this and helping fuel my delusion!

Please enjoy and drink some water today! Ask are always open and feedback is always welcome! :)🖤

“I’m actually kind of excited for this project! I’m really hoping whoever I’m paired with wants to get the nature prompt too. Especially because the mountains are literally right there.” pointing out the window to show an array of different hilltops that you and your friends frequented for the trails.

“I hope I get the ocean.” Tzuyu, your best friend, flips her hair and checks out the girl who sat in the corner of the study hall.

“You just want to work with Chaeyoung…and she wants the ocean prompt…you can’t even swim.” smirking and giving a light chuckle while shaking your head no in a half hearted tease.

Tzuyu whips her head around, gawking at you while giving her classic “oh my god shut up” look before giving up and swooning over Son Chaeyoung again.

“Well…maybe she will teach me.” sighing as she rests her head on her palm and daydreams about getting partnered with her crush.

“I truly don’t even care who I get partnered with, I just want the mountains. It would be fun to go explore and find animals in their natural habitats, don’t you think?” excitedly leaving your lips as Tzuyu is lost in her delusion.

“Alright everyone!” the professor calms everyone down, bringing their attention to the front of the room.

“We will be doing the pairings for the project shortly, but before we do, I’ve got a new student want to introduce you to!” ushering them into the class room.

Bright blonde hair in a bob style was the first thing you noticed, a red polo that’s cropped and had white stripes across the shirt horizontally was second, the pants were brown and high waisted and her sneakers tied all the colors together.

The girl turns to face the class and immediately your stomach drops, a small gasp follows the dip in your stomach when you realize who she is and why you know her.

“Everyone! This is Momo. She just transferred here from across town. Momo is a very talented photographer, some of her pictures have been featured on the schools website! We are very excited to have you here Momo.” the professor nods her head at Momo and then looks at the class.

“And I’m sure everyone is going to make you feel welcome, right class?” a glare from the teacher and everyone is nodding their head.

Momo finds a seat in the back of the class room next to Chaeyoung and makes small talk with her and you try not to freak out.

“Damn, did you see blondie? She’s kinda cute.” biting her lip and making her eyebrows dance at you continuing her normal playful antics.

“Tzu…I hate to break this to you but no way in HELL am I speaking to that woman.” the distain in your voice could’ve been picked up a mile away.

“Why not? What’s wrong with her? She’s got a fashion sense, the blonde bob is working for her AND she’s a good photogra-”

“That’s Sana’s best friend, Tzuyu.” cutting her off mid sentence so she could understand the gravity of this.

“Sana’s best friend?? Oh, shit.” her typical doe-eyed expression molted into a stunned appearance as she brings her full attention to you for the first time today.

“Yeah, oh shit is right.” rolling your eyes and crossing your arms before laying your head on the desk.

Sana….Minatozaki Sana, your ex-girlfriend. The relationship between the two of you was…well, it wasn’t great.

Hence, the ex part.

You dated for a few years and she was always busy with everyone but you, including Momo. Prioritizing everything but you and your relationship, it hurt you. Of course, it hurt you. At the drop of a hat, you would’ve done anything for her but it wasn’t a shared sentiment.

Not that you and Momo didn’t get along but she always kept to herself when you were around, not wanting to partake in conversations, even small talk, seemingly keeping a distance.

Getting over Sana wasn’t easy by any means. The way she made you feel altered your brain chemistry, and not for the better. Feeling like an accessory to her, only really calling you when she wanted you around her arm, was excruciating every single time.

Still trying to heal from the open wound Sana left you with, you remember the times that didn’t seem so bad. The memories flashing before your eyes before settling coldly in your chest, you weren’t going to crucify Sana but you did still hold some anger towards her.

“Y/n!” professor shouting your name to get your attention.

Startled by this, you jump in your seat - causing a small wave of laughter through the classroom.

“You’ll be paired with Momo. I trust that you will teach her anything she might be behind on, should there be anything.”

The fakest smile you can muster graces your face, even if you were internally screaming - hellfire, blood and brimstone in your lungs because of course this is your luck.

“I’d be happy to.” through clenched teeth.

The professor gives you a strange look and then carries on with pairing people. Tzu and Chae got paired together, Tzuyu almost fell out of her seat when the professor partnered them up.

“You will be responsible for taking pictures of animals and their natural habitats in order to capture unique moments in nature as if it’s for national geographic. Due to to safety concerns, we will be excepting shots from farther away than normal. If any of you see a larger animal that can cause harm, DO NOT APPROACH IT. I’m looking at you, Chaeyoung. That’s why you and Tzuyu are paired up so she can keep you out of trouble…and why you got the ocean prompt you wanted…I don’t want another replay of last time, do you understand?” the tone of her voice is somehow stern, yet playful.

Last project, Chaeyoung befriended the raccoons behind the school, bringing them into class to show them off with the pictures she took of them. They created a massive mess in the classroom and have been trying to sneak back into the building sense.

“I wouldn’t be able to bring a shark in here anyways…” Chaeyoung rolled her eyes at the professor before making eye contact with Tzuyu and offering a wink to her.

Chae has to know, especially with the shade of red that Tzuyu turned when she saw the wink, along with the little gasp - she turned away and proceeded to gay panic to you about it.

Too lost in thought and worried about how this project was going to go, unable to think about anything else. You even considered not participating in it, despite how excited you were moments ago.

It was too big of a grade to skip out on, unfortunately.

The bell rings and you are out the door so quickly, leaving Tzuyu behind and practically running to your car.

“Hey! Wait!” a voice calls from behind you.

Stopping dead in your tracks, you knew exactly who it was.

Tensing up, you take a deep breath and turn around slowly to see Momo jogging towards you, trying to catch up to you with a sheepish smile on her face.

“Hey.” offered to her only out of wanting to be polite.

“Hi.” she offers the same fake niceties back to you.

Both of you shuffle your feet around, not really knowing what to say before she breaks the silence.

“I know this is going to be a little weird considering…but I know you’re very creative and I did always admire the pictures that you took so maybe we can put all the weirdness aside and just do the project?” there’s something genuine about this that peaks your interest.

Hirai Momo, best friend of Minatozaki Sana was being nice to you…?

“I can put my anger aside to work together in this sense.” Momo squints her eyes at you.

There it is.

“HA! Your anger? What could you possibly be angry about Momo? Me breaking up with your best friend because she treated me like shit and decided to only be my girlfriend when she wanted to? Or was it something else?” the sharpness of your tone and remarks catch her off guard, not expecting you to react the way you did.

“Wow, Sana was right…you really are a bitch.”

“Wow, you really are Sana’s best friend…can’t even think of a proper comeback, can you? Do you get mad when people stand up to you too?” rolling your eyes and sighing.

“You have my number. Text me when you’re less…whatever this weird defensive thing is.” turning and walking away for this weird situation you found yourself in.

Very happy to find your car, you slip into the drivers seat and take a deep breath. Unable to believe this was happening to you. She was pissed about what exactly?

“I guess it doesn’t matter.” said to yourself as you turn the key, sparking the ignition and driving off of campus to your apartment.

—

“I can’t fucking believe her.” pacing around your small shared apartment on the northside while Tzuyu is checked out and scribbling hearts with and initials, T+C to be exact.

Stopping in your tracks, you turn to face Tzuyu who is laying down on her stomach on the couch, kicking her feet and humming to herself.

“Tzu…are you even listening?” snarky in your question because you knew the answer was no.

“Of course! Momo sucks and Sana sucks. That’s the tldr.” going back to doodling her hearts in her notebook.

Scoffing at her, you plop next to her on the couch and turn on the TV. Grabbing your back pack and pulling out your laptop.

Time to make a list of the animals that you’d try to take pictures of, depending on what was out at the time. I was close to fall so the odds of a few different animals being visible was high.

The national park website was a nightmare to navigate, you click on a few different links and compile a list of what you should be looking for.

-***Otters*** (prevalent in national parks, should be able to find them easily- in or around the rivers)

-***Deer*** (also prevalent in parks, kind of everywhere so just…look?)

-***Black Bears*** (omnivores and should get picture from distance if seen)

-***Barn Owl*** (Not rare, but cute)

-***Maybe a leopard..?*** (super rare, less that 100 but what a dream that would be)

-***Whatever else we see***

Focused on your research, your phone startles you when it goes off. Looking down to see her name just the way you typed it when you first met.

***Momo:*** Hey, I’m sorry about today. [4:12pm]

***Momo:*** I know that this is awkward and I’m sorry for being passive aggressive. [4:13pm]

***You:*** It’s fine. [4:15pm]

***Momo:*** So…how do you want to do this project? [4:17pm]

***You:*** Well, I’m going to go camping in the mountains that we have our assignment in this weekend. Friday to Sunday. [4:20pm]

***Momo:*** Great, I’m coming with you. I’ll pick you up at 3pm on Friday. [4:23pm]

***You:*** Fine. [4:25pm]

Tossing your phone on the couch, you look over at Tzuyu who is still in her own little world, texting who you can only assume is Chaeyoung.

“Oh my god, Chaeyoung just asked me if I wanted to go to the beach with her!” screeched out over the movie playing in the background.

“…For the project?” coming across as bitter in the moment, stress getting to you more than usual.

“Well…I mean, yes. But think about what you wear to the beach…and also it’s the beach!” jumping out of her previous position to hop up and down in place.

Rolling your eyes, you stand up and gather your things, backpack, laptop, and phone before making your way to your room.

“I’m happy for you, Tzu” trying not to sound dismissive as you close the door behind you and put your stuff down next to your desk in the corner.

Taking a deep breath- you try to forget. Not just the Momo situation but what it brings up for you. All the thoughts about Sana rush back into your mind’s eye, remembering all of what she put you through and the harsh words exchanged when the unhealthy relationship was brought to a point.

A single tear falls from your eye, though this was a year ago…it still bothered you. It rewired the way you thought about relationships and life with others. It made you want to isolate as she would say some horrific things to you subtly and wore you down until you thought she was the only person who could truly love you for you.

It was heavy to carry on your shoulders.

Plopping down on the bed, you try to decompress a little bit. A few deep breaths just to try and focus yourself back on the present, but it failed.

Dissociating for the rest of the night seemed to be your body’s plan, trying not to hurt your own feelings by reliving the memories with Sana and the future anxieties about having to work closely with Hirai Momo.

—

“I think that is everything.” whispered to yourself, sifting through the few changes of clothes and the camping equipment you decided to bring with you.

Most of the bigger things were in the truck of your car. The small grill, the wood for the fire, and a a cooler for some food you were going to bring with you. The tents you were bringing are currently tangled in your back seat but you would sort that out while you wait for Momo to arrive.

Not putting it past her to just leave you high and dry, you wonder if she will actually show up. Besides, her best friend was flaky, why wouldn’t she be?

Bringing down your bags to the car, you see Tzuyu is already gone. Chaeyoung and her went to the beach about an hour down south and rented an Air B&B so they could stay the weekend and complete their project.

A smirk on your face, you wonder how much of the project they will actually do considering Tzuyu is head over heels for Chaeng and Chaeyoung seemed interested enough to pay for the rental on the beach, which wasn’t exactly cheap for a broke college student.

Looking at your phone, the time reads 2:17pm. Momo said she would be here at 3pm so you’ve got 45-ish minutes to untangle these tents. Arguably the most important part of camping.

Not even bothering to ask Momo if she was going to bring anything, you just assumed she wouldn’t so you packed just about everything you would need - she would probably be unbearable the entire time and just complain like a certain someone she was close to.

Rolling your eyes at this scenario, you keep tugging at the ropes and trying to undo the massive knots that built up and strengthened over the years of sitting in storage.

A honk startles you out of concentration.

Looking up, you see a black SUV in the parking lot behind you. Blonde bob in the driver’s seat subtly waving at you. Waving her to come over to you, you say nothing. Just point at the pile of supplies that will sustain you for the next few days.

“Do you want me to load this up while you…uh, untangle that?” shouted out the window of the car.

“No, I’ll help you.” putting the tent back in the back seat of the car and closing the door, planning on returning to that after everything was packed up in the car.

Momo turns the car off and gets out. She’s wearing a crop top and some cargo pants, a little out of character for her but okay…we are camping, after all.

She walks around the car to open the trunk, you can’t help but notice how toned she is. Her abs and arms are muscular…No, no. You can’t have those thoughts about her. This is Sana’s best friend, snap out of it.

Bringing a few duffle bags to the trunk, you toss them in the back. Momo grabs the cooler full of ice and various food items and puts it in the trunk without even wincing….damn, she’s strong.

Once everything was done, Momo closed the trunk and you both got in the car.

“Alright, are you ready?” looking over at you, she was trying to be polite though you had a hard time believing that.

“Yeah.” softly as you turn your attention to your phone and try to tune her out.

“Are you sure? Because we are going to be out in the middle of a national forest so I just want to make sure everything you want, you have.” the tone this comes with is more caring that snarky, which surprises you.

“I’m sure.” Looking up from your phone to give her the smallest smile you could, she returns the gesture and starts driving towards the park where you would spend the next few days together.

—

The drive was long with no talking between the two of you, grateful she had good taste in music at least, you can’t help but wonder if this is as awkward for her as it is for you. 2 hours of music you both enjoyed was a better start to this adventure than you anticipated.

You didn’t know Momo well, but you knew her well enough to know that you had a few things in common. Photography being the biggest one, but you’re now discovering that music taste is also something that you shared.

“I love this song.” softly to her as she turns into the park.

“Me too.” as she pulled up to the small building that blocks off the entrance and rolls her window down.

“Good Evening! Do you have a reservation?” the man dressed in all khaki cheerfully asks as you pull out your ID.

“Yes, it should be under L/n Y/n.” chiming in from the seat over and passing your ID to him.

“Great, give me one moment.” the man walks back to the office and does something on his computer before returning with a tag for the rearview mirror of the car.

“You ladies will be on lot 64! Please remember to throw away your trash and leave the site how you found it! Here is a can of bear mace, just in case as it is the season where they are preparing to go into hibernation. Please also remember to not leave any food out as that attracts them! Enjoy your stay!” the man taps the car lightly and waves you off.

Find the spot was tricky, the numbers were not in order at all but you managed. Happy to see the spot was a little deeper in the woods and closer to the trails than you thought it would be - you could take better pictures this way and it was secluded, which was always nice.

Momo put the car in park and hopped out. You took your time, putting the bear mace in the glove box, taking a deep breath and closing your eyes before getting out.

She’s already in the trunk, unloading things and putting them where she thought they would go.

Helping her in this task, you start setting up.

Placing the wood to the side and gathering some of the dry leaves from the trees around you, being sure to push them away from the fire pit before building up the wood so it would catch easier.

The silence between the two of you is awkward, wondering if there would be any reprieve to the tension of being out here with someone you only saw in a negative light.

“Hey Y/n…” the tone takes you off guard, it sounds concerned.

“Yes, Momo?”

“Did you remember to pack the tents you were untangling?” her brows are furrowed, glaring at you because she already knows the answer.

“…Shit.”

“Shit is right… Don’t worry, that’s why I told you I was driving.” turning around to face the trunk of her car, before crawling inside.

“What do you mean?” confusion paints a picture on your face as you walk over and watch her pull a latch on the back seats and push them down, they hit the front and end up at an angle.

“Well, your car is a car. This being an SUV, if it rained or got too cold or anything, we could just sleep in the back. Like a back up plan, you know?” jumping out, she walks over to the driver’s seat and scoots it all the way up, doing the same for the passenger seat.

The back seats slip down past the front seats and land flatly, creating a somewhat spacious area. There is a small handle located on the floor of trunk in the SUV, Momo tugs on the latch and you hear the bulky plastic click, opening up her spare tire compartment.

“Can you toss me the sleeping bags?” a hand reaching out to catch them while she holds the door open.

Doing as she says, you bring her the sleeping bags and watch as she tugs a massive king sized fleece blanket out from the compartment and close it.

“I’m going to get a fire going…” quietly as she rustles around with the bags, linking them together and getting tangled in them.

“K!” shouted back to you as she starts to lay them flat and spread them out to fit the entire back of her car and partially up the sides of the back doors.

Walking over to the fire pit that previously had your attention, shoving more of the dried leaves into the bottom and stacking them against the wood that was holding itself up. Sparking your lighter, you put the flame to the kindling and let it catch before backing up.

The fire took no time to roar in front of you, catching the logs quickly and creating a lovely source of heat.

“Wow, I didn’t know you were a boy scout.” Momo walked over and nudged you playfully.

Smirking at the comment, you catch yourself before she sees the pleasant reaction from you. Brows furrowing before a monotonous dry “whatever,” leaves your lips.

“I’m going to walk down this trail and see what we are working with…stay with the fire.” before grabbing your backpack with your camera equipment and scurrying away from her.

There was little daylight left but you needed some time away from her, you were going to follow the path so it’s not like you would get lost. You just wanted a breather and to scout the area that you were in for potential spots to get the pictures you needed for this project.

It was astounding to you that she was being so…civil, especially considering the interaction you had with her on campus just a few days earlier. Deep in thought with this, you walk down the path, leaves crunching under your feet.

Some how the deep thoughts turned into you remembering her abs…how chiseled they were…and her arm muscles and the way she carried all that equipment without even breaking a sweat. Unable to remove her from your mind, you were frustrated with yourself.

Of course she was attractive, she always was but you can’t help but see her in a different light now. Not even knowing if she resented you for the past, it seems like she’s willing to let go of whatever grudge she might have been holding onto and that settled your mind more than you anticipated.

The crisp fall air was lovely this time of year, just nice enough to wear a hoodie and some jeans and be comfortable.

Perfect for this adventure, even if it was with Momo…but was Momo who you thought she was?

Rustling behind you startles you, freezing in place as you try to gauge where the sound was coming from. Rotating your back pack, you pull your camera out of it very slowly so whatever was behind you didn’t hear or run away as it might be an opportunity to snag a picture.

The sounds of the twigs snapping behind you was light, nothing that would’ve been a threat to you, thankfully. Quietly turning in place, a deer reveals itself to you from behind the shrubs of the path you had just walked past.

Looking over at you, you stand very very still, not wanting to frighten the deer…thought it was definitely a buck, big points on the antlers that were velvety, typical for this time of year, though you had never seen it yourself.

Lifting your camera to angle the shot properly, you are sure to zoom in on his face and click. Capturing the stillness of him in a millisecond. He hears the camera go off and looks directly at you.

A bit of nervousness shivers through you as you make eye contact with the buck, not too sure about the temperament when they’re in this part of their natural cycle.

Despite this, you take a few more shots of him. He decides you are not a threat and simply carries on his way.

Flipping through the pictures you just took, there is one in particular of him looking directly at you that you fall in love with. Starting to walk back towards camp as the evening turns into night, you reach camp right as the last drop of sun sulks behind the hills.

“Hey, Momo. Look at this.” walking over to where she placed the chairs in front of the fire without looking up from your camera.

Being so proud of this picture, you feel an excitement to show someone who also loves this hobby as much as you do.

“Oh, wow! That’s an amazing picture! Especially with the colors, the balance of them across the screen is fantastic.” Momo looks up at you, catching your eyes in the process and offers a smile.

Smiling back at her for the first time without hesitation, a warm feeling bubbles in your stomach. Quickly realize that maybe she wasn’t so bad after all…but you were still apprehensive on getting close to her.

There is no harm in a little kindness, right?

“While you were gone, I made you some dinner.” Momo turns her attention back to the fire that had a metal grate with four legs placed on top of it that she must have brought with her because it was not in what you packed.

A pan set on top of it, using a utensil she flipped over a piece of meat that she took upon herself to cook for you.

“You…cooked me dinner?” sitting down in the chair next to her before she offers you a fresh plate of veggies and steak with gravy drenching both.

“Well…yeah, I know that we haven’t exactly gotten off on the right foot…so I thought this might be a nice peace offering?” shying away from you as you start to slice the perfectly cooked beef.

“I will say…This is very gourmet for camping.” laughing as you took a bite of what she offered you, it was delicious.

Eyes widened and then close, humming into the mixture of flavors that paired so well. Immediately digging into another bite as soon as you swallow the first.

“Yeah, well I like to eat good food so you have to know how to cook at least a little bit for that to be consistent.” giggling at your reaction to your first bite.

“Peace offering accepted!” shouted while goofily pointing your fork in the air before taking another huge bite.

“I had no idea…” speaking with your mouth full because it’s just that good.

“That you could cook…” chopping down and enjoying the flavors thoroughly.

“Like THIS.” pointing down to the plate and swallowing your second bite.

“I think there might be a lot of things you don’t know about me, Y/n…” softly spoken to you over the chewing of your food and the crackling of the fire.

“You’re probably right…it’s not like she would ever let us get close enough to learn personal stuff about each other…and you did keep to yourself a lot when I was around.” thinking back, it was always weird how Sana kept you to herself.

Sure, you went to parties with her and out to dinner with her and friends, but anytime you struck up a conversation with anyone that wasn’t her, she would interject and try to get your attention.

Being blinded by her love bombing, you didn’t think it was for any reason in particular but you were now realizing that it might have been to keep you separate from those she held close so she could warp the narrative in her favor…

“She told me you broke up with her because you fell in love with someone else.” Momo recalled timidly.

“Sana said that you basically told her to fuck off because you wanted to sleep around and be with other people…she called me crying the night you broke up with her about it.” tensing at the memory, you freeze at the false claim spoken to you bashfully.

Blinking multiple times, you look at Momo in confusion.

“What?” the infliction of your words showed that they were essentially false, but you felt the need to defend yourself.

“That’s not true at all…I told her that I wanted to feel like a priority and not an accessory and if she couldn’t do that then I wanted to end things. She tried to justify the way she treated me but she couldn’t because she knew I wasn’t asking for too much. So I ended things. There wasn’t anyone else involved at all.” a single tear rolls down your cheek, reflecting Momo’s shock at the way you had been painted to her.

All this time, Momo assumed that you were just a shit person, without knowing your side of the story. Why wouldn’t she believe Sana? After all, she was her best friend. There was no reason to question her story until now.

“I’m so sorry…I shouldn’t have assumed that what she said was the truth…” A genuine apology, a nervous one, but real care was placed in those words she gave to you.

“It’s okay…it’s not like you knew what was going on behind the scenes…” reassuring her that you didn’t blame her for reacting the way she did.

“I should’ve known something was up though, especially with the way you reacted to me talking about being angry with you when we first spoke on campus. That’s why I’ve been trying to be nice because I don’t think the person that she described would have reacted that way or said what you did.” Her eyes shift to the ground, seemingly lost in thoughts about the stories that Sana told you about her, a twinkle of something else shined through but she was still too unfamiliar to tell what that was.

“Hey, Momo.” standing up and placing the rest of your food down on the small table between the chairs you both sat in.

“Hi, I’m Y/n” sticking your hand out to offer her a handshake.

Momo giggles and stands with you, placing her hand in yours and shaking it firmly.

“I’m Momo, it’s nice to officially meet the real you.”

“The feeling is mutual. Fresh start?” offered to her to see if maybe there was a friendship that could be built with her.

“Fresh start.”

—

Spending the next few hours taking about life and finding common interests was surprisingly easy for both of you.

Photography and dance were her main passions, she transferred to the college you both attended due to moving over in the area and the photography program.

Telling her about your experience with Sana and why you moved out here, the photography program of course, and to just get away from your home town where everything was tainted with the lavender flavor of Sana.

“Everything reminded me of her, so I left to get away from it all. There was too much history there for me so I decided I wanted a clean slate.” nodding your head and yawning as midnight approached.

“I can understand that.” Momo stands up and starts burning the paper plates you had eaten off of in attempts to clean up a little bit.

“I think it’s about time we head to bed, no? It’s getting late and we should get up early tomorrow and explore.” kicking some dirt into the fire that was dying down to kill it faster as you stood up and stretched.

“It’s cold tonight, I’m glad you drove.” chattered through your teeth while grabbing a lantern and a charger to plug into the car so you could charge your phone.

“Go get comfortable, I’ll be there in a moment.” straightening up the camp site some more as you made your way to the trunk, hanging the lantern by the handle on a hook that was attached to the ceiling for some light.

Momo laid out the sleeping bags in an interesting way, connecting the two via a zipper a the bottom and still allowing them to over lap at the top, creating one queen sized sleeping bag. The big fleece blanket was folded over the top of the connected wind breaker like material to add an extra layer of warmth.

Crawling in, you took off your hoodie, folding it up and using it as a pillow. Laying your head down made your eyes heavy, wrapped in the warmth of the woman-made cocoon. Fighting your eyes to try and stay awake, you wanted to wait for Momo but it seemed the full stomach, the chirping of the crickets, and calmness of the night got to you quickly.

Dozing off for a moment, you sleep softly before the REM cycle hits. The SUV’s suspension gives Momo away no matter how quiet she was trying to be to not disturb you.

Shifting in your spot, you open your eyes halfway to see her crawl under the covers after closing the trunk and locking the car from the inside. She’s brought your camera and hers with her into the car.

“While you were sleeping, I saw a barn owl and got a really cool shot of it. I’ll show you in the morning.” yawning as she finishes her sentence, turning the electric lantern off and you both drift off to sleep.

—

The sun shining through the back window wakes you up, checking your phone- it’s 7:15am and Momo is sound asleep next to you looking peaceful and delicate while she rests.

Admiring her for a moment, you take in her visage and wonder how you could ever assume this person could be anything other than what she showed you she was last night.

Sitting up, you stretch - cracking your back and taking a deep breath in before sneaking the keys away from her silently and opening the trunk to try and slip out without waking her.

Successful in this, you leave the trunk open and make your way to the fire pit to start a fire and make some coffee. Bringing a metal pitcher with you, filling it with two bottles of water and some instant coffee, you let it simmer on the fire and take in the morning air.

It was crisp outside, you wondered if it was going to warm up any today when you remembered what Momo said while you were half asleep last night about the picture she took.

Sneaking over to the car, you grabbed both your camera and hers so you could see the shot of the barn owl that she had taken.

Going back to the seat in front of the fire and turning the camera on, you come across a few shots of the bird in a tree with pitch blackness in the background. The owl being a little over exposed but still a very detailed picture that was worth some praise.

Flipping through, it looks like Momo took a few different shots of this owl from different angles. Hitting the button several times, you find a candid picture of yourself in what seems to be mid-laughter with the fire in front of you.

When did she take this…? Last night while you were talking?

The camera is suddenly snatched out of your hands aggressively. Looking up to see an annoyed Momo plopping down in the chair and glaring at you.

“I never told you that you could look through my pictures. I could’ve had private things on here!” the irritation she was feeling reverberated off every rib in the cage of your chest, worried that you might have just ruined the friendship you just cultivated with her.

“Momo…I didn’t mean to violate your privacy, I’m sorry. I was interested in the photo of the owl…” not mentioning the candid picture she took of you when you weren’t paying attention, not wanting to make the situation worse.

“Please don’t do that again.” pouring herself a cup of coffee and standing up, she starts walking down the trail by herself.

Time for her to get away from you for a moment, just like you took your space yesterday. Not chasing after her, just allowing her to take the time she needed to cool off - no matter how much you wanted to fix things.

While you watch as she walks down the trail and around the bend, your mind wanders back to that picture. The one of you laughing and smiling at her, the way your eyes sparkled…

Physically shaking your head and trying to knock the thoughts out of your brain, you decide to just focus on the nature around you to escape the thoughts of Momo and the picture…even if it was only for a moment.

—

Momo returned within the hour, camera in hand and excitement on her face. Running over to you and crouching down next to the chair you were relaxing in, too thrilled with the contents of her camera for pleasantries.

“LOOK!” shouted with pure enthusiasm as she flips through her camera so you could see the screen.

The picture showed of a leopard sleeping in a tall tree. The shot was perfectly exposed, no over saturation or awkward angles. Just a perfect picture of a very large and very rare cat snoozing on a branch.

“Holy shit!” loudly exclaiming as your eye widened in surprise.

There were less than 100 of those leopards out in the wild and this picture was immaculate.

“Right?!” Momo is bouncing up and down like a child who just got ice cream, shimmying goofily in place and waving her camera above her head in sheer joy.

Admiring her with her guard down, you admitted to yourself that she was more than pleasant to be around - her authentic self was lovely.

“That’s an incredible picture…I think you actually should submit that to national geographic…not even as a joke.” happy that she wasn’t angry at you anymore.

Just being around her when she’s beaming like this was a treat in itself…the warmth returns in your stomach, the bubbling up of something you now recognized but didn’t want to admit.

“You think I should?” Stoping her victory dance and looking to you for some direction in the matter.

“Absolutely! Look at it, I mean they could use this in texts books and so many different things…Momo, you have to submit this. No question.” Looking at the picture of the camera in her hand again, but you could feel her eyes on you.

“But do me a favor…be careful, please. I know you can probably fend for yourself but there are very dangerous animals around here and I don’t want you to get hurt…okay?” Gently spoken to her with care that had never threaded your words before.

Looking up, your eyes lock - there’s a bit of tension but it wasn’t the resentful tension that previously laid between the two of you a few days prior.

This was very different.

Momo’s eyes soften, half lidded in the way that she held your gaze.

Heart thumping in your chest when you realize what the tension is - this has sparked some panic in you.

Feeling the tips of your fingers quiver, you break the eye contact and kick the fire out. Grabbing your own camera that hung off the side of your chair, you walk up to Momo and smile.

“Well, we’ve got another full day here, why not explore a little together?” cocking an eyebrow at her before starting off down the trail with great haste, trying to out run the sparkling shiny feelings that would soon catch up to you.

“I think there’s a river up north a ways, why don’t we go see what we can find over there?” looking back to see her hurrying after you, blushing as she catches up.

There’s something here…you both feel it, right?

—

After walking and snapping pictures of the different flora in the area, you finally found what you had been looking for. 30 minutes of beautiful nature down the trail to find a crystal clear, calm river and the bridge that went over it where the trail continued on.

You and Momo walk down to the edge of the bank, looking over the water to see the fish swimming around along with a few otters underneath the bridge, holding hands to not get separated.

Nudging Momo with your elbow, she looks up at you in confusion. Putting your finger to your lips to keep her from speaking too loudly, you point over at the otters that were heading towards you - floating down stream lazily together, fast asleep.

Both of you grabbing your cameras, you snap pictures together. Both getting different angles and then making whisper suggestions to the other, ensuring not to wake up the sleeping water puppies - but then you get an idea.

“Hold this a second” hushed toned, handing her your camera before removing your shoes and socks.

Stripping your pants and shirt off so you’re just in your underwear, you take a step into the water and shiver for a moment.

Momo is beat red, trying not to look you up and down as you snatch your camera back from her and wade into the cold water to get a closer look at the otters and get a better shot of them.

Flush red, speechless, and completely taken off guard would be a very mild way to put what was currently happening to Momo. Her jaw was on the floor, her hands were sweating and she was shaking to take pictures of the otters from the bank.

Turning around and giggling at her, you wave to her to get her to come into the water with you. Waist deep and already snapping shot, she joins you in her sports bra and underwear, sheepishly.

“Don’t be so shy.” whispered to herself as she tries to get a clean shot of the otters, you find this to be adorable.

Unaware that you heard her, you look at her and realize that maybe that’s what the tension was. Maybe she just found you attractive and was unsure how to express it. Maybe it’s because you were Sana’s ex…maybe she didn’t want to cross boundaries… or maybe she didn’t care what you used to be and only really cared about who you are now.

But were you bold enough to make a move?

Was she bold enough for that? Seems like she might need a little encouragement.

That’s the question you asked yourself when your eyes lifted from your camera and you saw what could potentially be the scariest thing you have ever seen.

A massive black bear.

Not just any black bear though, a mama bear and her two cubs - seemingly having the same idea that you had.

Taking a dip on a nice day.

Stepping back slowly, you don’t think that they had seen you yet. Grabbing Momo’s arm you pull her, trying to get her to move without causing a panic.

“One second, I think I’m getting close to the shot I want.” whispered at you, completely oblivious to what was going on around the two of you.

“Momo, there isn’t time…take a step back. Now.” sternly breathed back to her.

“What are you tal- oh shit.” finally realizing the danger you both were in as she followed your movements backwards cautiously, without arguing further.

Slowly getting out of the water and making as little sound as possible, you grabbed your shoes and clothes, not bothering to put them on and crept back to the trail.

Momo slipped her pants and shoes back on while you snuck over to the bridge to see what the bears were doing and if they caught on to the fact that you were so close to them.

The cubs were playing around and splashing in the water and it looks like mama bear was just wading in the shallows, looking for some food - no doubt.

Utilizing the camera, you zoom into the cubs, framing them as best you could and snap a few pictures of them playing.

“They’re so cute.” coming from behind you, startling you.

Turning around to face the voice, you watch as she stands next to you. That’s when you fully realize how stunning Momo actually is.

The water that soaked her bra was dripping down her stomach, following the curves of her abs in a way that made you swallow every rude moment you ever said to her, the guilt weighing heavy in your stomach.

Momo was too distracted by the bears to even notice you gawking at her, so you took a step back and slipped your clothes on again, leaving your shirt off to try and dry out your bra.

She leans against the wood of the bridge with her head resting in her palm, admiring the cubs playful demeanor and sighing at the cuteness that they displayed, splashing around without a care in the world while mom kept watch.

Pointing your camera at her, you took a photo.

One single photo.

You’d argue it was the most perfect one.

“Are you ready to head back to camp?” inquired without looking in your direction, still looking in adoration at the creatures dancing in the water.

“I’d say so. I think we have all the pictures we need for the project too…so we could leave tonight if you want…” even with the suggestion, you could feel the knot of regret in your stomach.

Not really wanting to leave, you were enjoying this time with her - even if you didn’t want to admit it to yourself, let alone her.

“No, we should stay. You did pay for the two nights so we might as well use them! Plus, who knows what else we can see while we are here.” looking to you and offering a soft smile.

On the way back to camp, you are lost in your thoughts. Trying to organize your brain about this situation you find yourself in. Your ex girlfriends best friend…who you’re spending time with and actually enjoying spending time with…who can cook and likes to take pictures…who is adventurous…and also wildly attractive…

Oh boy.

It snaps into your mind like a rubber band shot across the room, a flash of lightening igniting your entire nervous system into flames and disintegrating you into a complete pile of chemically compounded dust.

You like her.

You romantically like her.

“Well, shit.” unintentionally out loud for the entire forest to hear, Momo included.

“Is everything okay?” stopping in her tracks and checking in with you.

“Yes, yes. Everything is fine. I was just lost in thought.” trying to avoid the conversation entirely as you weren’t really sure if you were ready to tell her your new intel about this crush you now have on her.

“Are you sure? I’m here for you…if you want me to be.” turning to face you and placing her hand on your upper arm.

Swooning was an understatement.

Her touch was like that of a thousand suns burning your skin all at once, the warmth, the care and the undivided attention of her left you wondering what it would’ve been like if you actually got the chance to get to know her before Sana.

If you would’ve dated, or had more positive interactions.

If her judgement of you wouldn’t have been warped by someone else’s lies.

“Thanks Momo…that means a lot coming from you.”

She offers a smile and you both continue walking back to camp with you still completely lost in the “What ifs”

—

This night was similar to the last, Momo made dinner again, similar to the night before but with a little twist. You broke out a bottle of tequila and some pineapple juice you had tucked away and you drank with her and shared some of your fondest memories from your childhood.

She shared with you the asperations of her life, how she wanted to be a professional photographer and that she actually would prefer to shoot models and fashion but really enjoyed the photography you guys did together on the trip.

The drinks were working on you, loosening you up and making you more carefree. Allowing her to know the real you was not as tough are you thought, thank you tequila.

Building up the courage, you finally ask her a question that had been burning on your mind since you saw the proof this morning.

“Hey, Momo? Can I ask you something?” apprehensive even with the alcohol in your system.

“Of course, you can ask me anything.” taking a swig of her drink and a bite of the meal she made for the two of you.

“Why did you take that picture of me last night?”

Momo freezes, it was very obvious that she was not expecting that to be the question you were going to ask.

Taking another big swig of her drink, polishing the glass off before looking at you and placing her elbows on her knees, clasping her hands together - she took a deep breath and what came next, shocked you.

“Do you want the truth?” voice shaky while she builds up her courage.

Unable to help but admire how adorable she is when she’s nervous, you try to break the tension she’s holding within herself.

“Lie to me.” laughing as you say it.

Momo cracks a smile and then takes one more deep breath.

“I’ve had a crush on you since before you and Sana dated.”

“What?”

“Yeah, I saw you in the halls at school and thought you were so beautiful…I stupidly pointed that out to her and she decided to go after you. That’s why she never let us get close…that’s also why her and I are no longer close…” exhaling after the sentence to relieve the stress.

Everything now makes sense, the dinner, the way she made the bed in the trunk, the making sure she spent time with you on this project and the most important thing being that comment she made about her anger…she was never angry at you, only angry at the situation and the judgement you placed on her because of Sana.

“…I had no idea…I thought you hated me because of what happened between Sana and I…I didn’t realize…”

“I know you didn’t…but don’t beat yourself up about it…It’s not like she told you and it’s also not like I told you either.” There was a comforting shift in her voice, no longer shaking as she tried to sooth you for the information you hadn’t previously had.

Grabbing your camera that was hanging on the side of your chair, you turned it on quickly and went to the gallery, finding that picture you took of her and passing her the camera.

Momo’s jaw dropped, staring at the picture and realizing when you took it.

“Can I tell you something?” offered to her in exchange for the vulnerability shared to you previous.

“Of course,” another deep breath as she braces for the truth.

“Remember when I said “well, shit” earlier?”

Her eyes perk up.

“Yeah?”

“It’s because I realized that I like you…”

Even you’re shocked by what just came out of your mouth.

Did you really just admit that?

“…really?” inquired in the smallest voice, never thinking Momo could sound so timid, despite seeing some moments of it previously.

“Yes…once I lost the image that Sana put in my head of you, and stopped assuming you would be like her…Once I really got to know parts of you, I realized that I wanted to learn more and more about you.” shying away from her gaze on you as you carried on with your statement.

“I…don’t know what to do with myself.” Momo blurted out between nervous glances at you.

She’s so cute like this, you really can’t help yourself.

Standing up and taking a big step so you were in front of her you reach down to cup her face. Leaning in, you taste the drink you made for her off her lips.

Drunk from alcohol or Momo’s soft lips against yours, you were not sure but you were feeling dizzy at the touch of her mouth on yours. Soft pecks that were laced in sweet subtle movements and the pinning for more of her in everyway, already addicted to the feeling of her skin on yours.

Breaking apart from the kiss, you watch her lick her lips and that releases something within you that you hadn’t felt in a long time.

Yearning, wasn’t the word.

It was a violent want.

An aggressive need.

Though you both had been drinking, would it be a silly idea to see if she was interested in pushing this way past a kiss?

Maybe it was better to wait?

“If you kiss me like that again…there might be an issue.” Momo finally speaks up between your inner monologue, standing up and getting so close to your face that your noses touch.

“Oh yeah? How so, Ms. Hirai?” poking a little fun at her, giggling as she wraps her arms around you, and leans into you.

“Maybe I’ll show you on a night where we haven’t been drinking.” whispered in a sultry tone into your ear making you melt in every single way possible.

“Fine!” scrunching your nose in protest and stomping off playfully back to your seat.

Momo chuckles and follows you, sitting on your lap like it’s always been her seat and resting her body against yours.

“I’m getting sleepy, the anxiety of today was a lot.” yawning in confirmation that it was a shared tired.

“Why don’t you go and get comfortable? I’ll take care of everything out here.”

“Let me help.” in a half asleep argument.

“No, go get cozy! It’s cold so you have to warm up the sleeping bag.” rubbing her back gently to further her sleepiness.

Mindlessly getting up, she starts walking over to the trunk and strips her shirt off on the way. You’re, of course, watching her as she walks. She reaches behind her and unclips her bra, exposing her bare back to you.

Turning her head back to you and winking before crawling into the trunk.

This brings a need to do everything as hastily as possible so you can go a lay down with her, wondering if you would be able to even sleep next to her now that she was completely bare from the waist up.

Kicking dirt over the fire to put it out, you notice the sheer coldness that had crept in while you were sitting next to the blaze.

Scanning the site to make sure everything was put away well enough to go to sleep, you grab the keys and the cameras before heading to the trunk where Momo was laying under the covers with the lantern on and shivering.

“I-it’s s-so c-c-cold!” Teeth chattering as she watches you crawl in and close the door.

Slipping the cameras and keys into the front seat, you take off your shirt and crawl under the covers with her, flicking the light off and getting comfortable.

“Come here.” Pulling her closer to you so your body heat would help warm the two of you up.

Scooting into her, she rolled over and lay her head against your chest. The sting of her iced touch lingers for a moment before you feel her thawing out. Running your hand over her back a few times to try to conduct friction to bring her temperature up faster so she can be more comfortable.

Very quick to realize she still wasn't wearing a shirt, you tugged the sleeping bag over her shoulders as well as the fleece blanket to trap the heat, and to save yourself from the tipsy mindset of wanting more than just a kiss.

“Did you just cover my shoulders more?” Laughing into your chest as she realized what you did.

“I’m simply preserving your warmth, Momo!” Kicked back to her but she already knew you were lying.

Heart beating a million miles a minute as her chest was pressed against your stomach, feeling her nipple against your skin and her fingers tracing lightly on your back sent you into a spiral of trying not to go completely feral.

Laying with each other in the back of Momo’s SUV was not something that you thought would ever happen, but you’re very very glad it was happening.

Leaning down, you kiss the top of her head and try to pull her ever closer.

“Feeling warmer?” cooed to her.

“Yes, now I’m cozy.” Nuzzling into you and holding you tighter.

“Good”

Momo tilts her head back and extend her lips out to you, asking for a good night kiss to seal the deal on everything that had happened in the past few hours.

You quickly comply and play with her hair as she falls asleep in your arms.

—

Birds chirping loudly in the trees nearby tug you out of your dreams and into the Sunday morning that was upon you.

Rolling over you notice that the trunk is open and you can smell the campfire going.

Momo is awake already.

Sitting up and stretching your arms out, you rub your eyes before scooting out of the cabin and letting your feet hang outside the trunk, sitting up while you take in the autumn morning.

“Good Morning, sunshine.” Momo walks over with a cup of coffee and a smile, offering you the cup and kissing your cheeks.

Taking a sip of the warmth in a mug, you notice that Momo is wearing your shirt.

“Cute shirt, where’d you get it?” Pointing at it before sipping the coffee again.

“Oh you know, this girl I have a major crush on…I stole it from her. But don’t tell her! It’s a secret.” Lifting her finger up to shush you lightheartedly.

“Is this girl your girlfriend? Should I tell her that we kissed? She won’t be happy about that!” Winking at her and matching her silliness.

“She is not my girlfriend, but she should be…Maybe I should take it off then? So she doesn’t get jealous?” Lifting the hem of her shirt up slowly over her stomach before tugging up and taking it off, revealing her breasts to you with barely any warning.

Stunned at the sight you have practically woken up to, you scan her up and down and watch as she brings herself closer to you, placing one hand on each of you knee and spreading them apart so she can get in between them.

“We are sober now…” kissing your cheeks before lifting your face to meet hers.

“No one’s around, I haven’t seen anyone drive by since we’ve been here…” another kiss, this one on the lips and deeper than any one you had shared before.

Hands finding their way to her waist as you pull her closer to you, trying to fill in the space between your bodies as any space between you was too much.

Tongues starting to dance with each other as things picked up, Momo reaches behind you, unhooking your bra and throwing it to the front of the car.

Guiding you onto your back by pushing your shoulders, she ushers you up and gets you to scoot inside farther so she could have more space to crawl on top of you.

“I’ve waited for this…” a kiss to your neck renders you incapable of focusing on anything but her.

“…For so fucking long…” dragging her mouth down to your chest and a tongue flick to your nipple make you arch your back and whine softly, hand trailing up and gripping her hair as she descends the length of your body.

“…and I will have you…” kissing down your stomach and to the waistline of the shorts you wore, tugging on them, removing your underwear with them, and placing them to the side.

“Are you going to be a good girl for me?” Dragging her mouth down your hips, grazing her teeth against your skin so gently but it ignites the hostile craving that was put on the back burner last night.

Never in a million years did you think you’d be in this position with Hirai Momo but here you were with her now wrapping her arms around your thighs and laying gentle soft pecks down until finally her tongue swipes your slit causing a jolt from your hips and a guttural moan from your lungs.

“So what do you say, baby? You gonna be good for me and let me eat my breakfast in peace?” Seductively before another tender lick from your entrance to your clit renders you in capable of formulating any words other from “fuck” and “yes please.”

“Good girl.”

Momo kept her tongue against you, writing unspoken poems of the care and attraction she had for you for all these years against the most sensitive parts of you, taking her time and making sure to lick every single drop of slick off your folds.

Though she was slow in her movements, every ounce of pleasure she gave you was so divine and delicious, it left you yearning and pinning for more like you had finally quenched your thirst after years without a single drink.

Unable to keep still underneath her as she spells out how much she’s wanted this with her mouth, you mewl and whine for her, thrusting your lower body up while your hands wandered to the back of her head in attempts to pull her closer to you.

A finger teases your entrance, dipping the first knuckle of her pointer finger inside of you causing you to rock your hips softly, showing her exactly what she was looking for.

“You want my fingers inside you, don’t you?” Only removing her mouth for a second to tease you with the thought.

Only being able to hum in agreeance, you try to say yes with thrusting your hips down. She brings her left arm up and across your pelvis, pinning you done into place to keep you still.

“Beg.” stern in tone but somehow still drenched in need for you as she removes her finger and waits.

“Momo, *please.* I *need* to feel you insi-”

Before you could even finish the sentence, her fingers spread your folds apart and her tongue dips into you.

One.

Two.

Three times, before returning back to gradually circling your clit, her lips visibly coated in your essence and her eyes hungry for more.

Bringing her finger back to where you wanted it, she slowly glides it inside of you and presses up against your G-spot while gently building up the pace of her tongue around your most sensitive area.

“*Momo… oh, fuck..uhngh”* moaning for her and only for her, you would be happy to exist in this context for as long as possible but you need and wanted more.

Leaning up on your elbows, she sees you look at her and makes half lidded eye contact with you while her tongue does all the talking. Allowing her to taste you for a moment longer before you slip a hand under her chin and detach her mouth from you.

Momo reaches over to her camera without removing her finger from inside you. Turning it on with one hand and angling herself for the perfect shot, her thumb graces over you lightly, causing you to squirm.

“Is this okay?” Before focusing the camera on your body.

Nodding your head, you spread your legs wider for her so she can get the full image of how your body reacts to her.

A few clicks and she turns her camera off, placing it back where it was on the bed and tries to lean back into you.

You had other plans.

Taking her finger out of you, she has the look of confusion on her face. Lifting her finger up to your mouth, you suck your own slick off of it and pull her fully into the trunk.

“Close the door.” quietly and seductively, you hand other plans for her.

Already so weak for you that she immediately does what she’s told, you smile and cock an eyebrow at her, wondering how far you could get her to go with such requests.

“Take your pants off.” orders given and followed, she strips her pants off quickly, leaving her in a black thong.

Watching and she tugs on her black stringed waist band, you can see a string of her slick attached to the fabric and she removes it.

Clenching at the sight of her being just as aroused as you, you’re quick to maneuver yourself to sit on her thighs and wrap your legs around her.

Dripping onto her legs from how badly you want her, she smirks at you before her hand descends and returns to your pussy, thrusting two fingers in this time and pressing upwards.

Hissing out of pure pleasure, you drape one arm around her neck and the other slips between her legs so you can rub her clit while she’s inside you.

Eye contact between your mutual grunts of pleasure rattle the car windows, feeling the suspensions bouncing and help you with the rocking of your own hips, you bring your face so close to hers - noses touching and rubbing against each other before you bring your hand to the back of her head and pull her into you for an open mouthed kiss.

Being able to taste yourself off her tongue sent you reeling, moaning into her mouth while her free hand trails up your sides and slithers over to your stomach before ascending up to your neck, wrapping her fingers around your throat and gripping it tightly.

“Such a slut for me…” growling into your mouth as you gasp against her lips.

“Look how fucking wet you got when I started choking you…would you drip this way if I tied your hands behind your back too?”

*Oh fuck.*

Her fingers are moving faster now, palm against your clit as you buck your hips into her creating a mess of her entire hand and her legs beneath you.

Barely even cognoscente from the knot rapidly building in your stomach, you slip two fingers into her and begin giving her the same speed and pressure she was giving to you.

Momo’s moans did you under, the gratification of her losing her “mean domme” demeanor by your touch was enough to put you right at the edge.

All you needed was a little push.

Clenching around her fingers, moaning into her with your fingers tangle in her hair and soaked from her pussy - you whimper at her and she knows.

“Is my good girl going to- *fuck, baby -*cum for me?” fingers picking up momentum when she feels her own climax creeping up on her.

Nodding your head before placing your face into her neck and biting down hard as you release all the tension that had built up in the few days that you spent with her, coming completely undone around her fingers.

The bite from you has her blissed out while your fingers piston haphazardly inside her, you clenching around her fingers and moaning into her causes Momo’s own ecstasy to drown her in a paradise that she had never felt before.

Both of you riding out your own orgasms on each other’s fingers, thrusting your hips into each other and causing the car to rock back and forth rhythmically.

Both of you slowing down your movements and sharing a few soft pecks, she lays down flat on her back with you on top of her - both of you panting and gasping for air.

Tucking a piece of your hair behind your ear, she kisses you again before removing her fingers from you and slipping her pants back on but remaining shirtless while you just held each other for a while and enjoyed the moment.

“So…what happens when we get back?” there’s fear in Momo’s voice when the question slips between her teeth.

“What do you mean?” brows furrowed like you weren’t naked in the back of her SUV after having fucked in the middle of no where.

“I mean…I don’t know, are you looking for something with this?” voice shaking and reminding you of earlier, the nervousness of rejection is very loud in her.

“I mean…are you?”

“With you, yes.” no hesitation on her end at all.

Smiling at her, you sit up and tug her with you.

“Momo…”

“Yeah?”

“Do you want to be my girlfriend?”

“Oh…I uhm….yes.”

Tackling her to the floor and peppering her face with kisses - you didn’t even need to think about what you wanted - her.

Giggling at your actions, you both sigh and just lay with each other for another moment.

“Not to break this lovely moment we are having, but what time is check out?” sitting up and throwing your shirt on to cover up, leaning down to kiss your cheek before opening the door.

“Uhm….noon, I think?” rolling over and grabbing the hoodie you had been using as a pillow and tossing it on before slipping your own bottoms back on.

“Okay, I’ll start packing up.” grabbing the stuff she brought to cook with and packing it away in the bag she must have brought them in.

“Hey Momo?”

“Yeah?”

“Would you…want to stay the night at my house tonight?” eyes shifting as you ask from sheer nervousness.

Already having spent so much time together this weekend, you weren’t really ready to separate just yet. You truly hoped she would share that sentiment.

Momo places the bag of cooking equipment into the truck, walks over to you and faces you. Grabbing your hands and raising them up to kiss your knuckles and then your lips and smiles.

“I would love to…plus I want to know what happened between Tzuyu and Chaeyoung this weekend, Chae’s got the biggest crush on her so hopefully it went well.”

“No way…Tzuyu has been crushing on Chae the entire year!” exclaimed as you started gathering the chairs and moving the left over wood to the back of the campsite for another camper to use when they arrived.

“Seriously?!” gasped at the statement you just made.

“Yes!”

“Well we better pick up a bottle of wine before we get back to your house then!” grabbing the bag of trash you had compiled over the weekend and bringing it to the SUV so you could dispose of it before leaving.

Hopping in the car after packing everything up, you start the drive home with your new girlfriend, hand in hand. The two hour ride felt like 10 minutes, just talking about life and classes, the project and how you both wanted to set everything up for it.

Looking over at her as she pulls into your complex, you realize how excited you are about this new phase of life you’re about to embark on, with her intertwined in all aspects.

Who knew that this unexpected weekend would turn out to be something so absolutely pleasant.

[brokenmutations]

Angry Little Wolverines

Logan Howlett • She/Her Pronouns • Mutant!Reader [Speak to Animals/Mind Reader for Animals] • Have you even seen a Wolverine before? • SFW • TW: Minor injuries

“Okay, you’re called the Wolverine. Have you ever seen one before?” Y/N scoffs when questioning Logan as he was left speechless given it was indeed true. He’s never seen one before. “Jeez, Logan! You can’t take their whole style and not know what they look like”

“I didn’t name myself! How the fuck am I supposed to instantly know what they look like?”

“You lose your memory. Find out you’re named Wolverine…you weren’t curious?”

All the man did was shrug to such, making his partner scoff at him again before heading toward the garages promoting him to quickly follow in confusion.

“Where are we going?”

“To the worse place in the world” Y/N snatches the keys to his truck off the hook. “The zoo”

“How is that—-“ Logan stopped himself when she whipped her head quickly back at him in anger. “Right. Animal captivity. But why go if you hate it there so much?”

“Because I’m not driving all the way to western Canada to find wolverines in their natural habitats. Plus…”

“We ain’t doing a prison break. The cops are still pissed last time”

“UGH fine” Y/N sighs, opening the drivers side and letting herself in while Logan got in on his side.

The drive was pretty quick given Y/N went on and on about wolverine facts.

Did you know that the scientific name for wolverines is Gulo gulo and it comes from the Latin word glutton?

They average around a weight of 30-50 pounds and can take on grizzlies!

Wolverines chirp and coo at their young maybe that’s why you have a softer tone with Marie compared to everyone else

Not a part of the wolves family! Weasels actually

And she went on and on, Logan found himself irked in the beginning but eventually ease into the comforting rambling that came from Y/N about the creature.

Once they arrived at the zoo, Y/N couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed when they arrived given she could hear everything the animals were talking about. More specifically what they were complaining about. Logan expected to go straight to the wolverines but stuck by Y/N as she went to every animal talking to them to make them feel a bit better.

That stupid child wouldn’t stop tapping the viewing glass! The lioness roared at Y/N from the exposed area of the enclosure as she instantly turned to glare at said kid only for Logan to block her gaze.

“Are you going to fight a kid?”

“I will if I must!”

“Fight the parents instead, sweetheart. But also let’s not get kicked out of the zoo before we see this animal that shares my name”

Your boyfriend is the Wolverine? Another lioness came up to her friend on the perch, chirping at Y/N as she nods. Resulting in a huff from the lioness. Do you know what the exhibit has?

That brought a bit of anxiety to Y/N as her tensed posture made Logan instantly wrap an arm around her shoulders to ease some of it.

Even if the worry was toward nothing once it revealed the few signs at the wolverines enclosure that “There’s a hero named after us” and has images of Logan that he didn’t even know was taken of him.

“Least the rest of the world knows what wolverines are, Wolverine”

Logan scoffs as he watches Y/N approach the railing, she leans over to find a few wolverines huddled around something.

Need to escape

Need to escape

Baby doesn’t deserve this

Baby needs to escape

Let’s just say, Logan shouldn’t have turned away when he heard some bird cawing in a different part of the zoo.

“Well now I know what they look like and I should change my name”

“No! You’re a hero to them too yknow” Y/N gave him a soft smile as she sits in the passengers seat this time around, holding her chest for a moment that concerned Logan until it started to move. “What?”

“…You gotta stop reading their minds”

“What are you even talking about?!”

Logan squints at her leaning back in his seat crossing his arms. “They have a baby, a baby doesn’t deserve to live in captivity!” He repeats her words back at her, same words she uttered when they left the enclosure and INSTANTLY left the zoo. “Charles isn’t going to let you keep it”

“Well he can argue with me til he’s blue in the face!” Y/N opened the first few buttons of the flannel she wore to reveal the wolverine cub. “You can’t blame me!”

“This is kidnapping!”

“Not when the parents consented and helped me get the baby!”

“HOW DID YOU EVEN GET THE CUB OUT?!”

Angy The small cub started to growl at Logan, only for the man to growl back resulting in the baby hiding in her shirt.

“DONT BE MEAN TO OUR BABY!”

Logan face palms to such, but to her surprise, he started the car and started the drive back to the mansion.

Someone else can argue with her about whether to keep it or not…and to make sure zoo security doesn’t ban her.

[tojislovergirl]

gojo x metalhead!reader

satoru had always done is best to support you and your interests. however, he was admittedly a bit scared. he had never done anything like this before. a couple weeks ago, you had approached him and asked if he wanted to go to a concert with you. of course, he agreed without fully knowing what he got himself into.

“so what band are we going to see?” he asked, trying to hide his nervousness. “bad omens, they are my favorite,” you reply with a smile. your smile calmed him a bit. he knew you were into heavier music as he had listened to some of it with you. but, he had never once thought about going to a metal concert. he smiled back, grabbing your hand and pulling you closer to him. he pressed his lips against yours softly. the cold metal of your piercings giving him a strange sense of comfort.

“you seem nervous,” you said, looking up at the tall white-haired man. satoru was good at hiding his emotions from one but not you. you were the only person who could read him like a book. “me? nervous? never,” he scoffed playfully. “you’re such a bad liar. you don’t have to go, toru,” you replied.

“of course i want to go,” he said, “i guess i’m a little nervous i’ll stick out a lot…not really sure what to expect.” you gave him a reassuring smile before wrapping your arms around his neck. “you have nothing to worry about, toru. we can stick to the wall away from the mosh pit. that way we can just enjoy the music,” you reassured him, “as for sticking out, i’ll give you one of my band tees to wear.”

satoru nodded and followed you to your bedroom, so he could change. he put on one of your oversized black band shirts before looking at himself in the mirror. he was used to looking so casual, but he didn’t completely hate the look. “so what do we think?” he asked. you turn to look at your boyfriend, who is now wearing all black. “oh you look so cute!” you squealed.

you and satoru walked into the venue hand in hand. he looked around still unsure of how to feel. you squeezed his hand to reassure him that everything you be fine. he followed you as you pushed your way through the crowd until you found a place that didn’t have quite as many people but still had a good view of the stage.

soon, the lights went dark. everyone in the crowd including yourself let out excited screams as the band took the stage. they opened with one of their heavier songs, leading to a mosh pit opening up almost immediately. satoru looked at the group of people running into each other with smiles on their faces. he was a bit confused by the concept. however, he did make sure to stand between you and the pit just in case the pushing got too aggressive. he looked back at you to see you jumping around and screaming your lungs out. in all the time you had been dating, he can only recall you looking this carefree and happy a handful of times. it’s almost like you were in your natural habitat, which made satoru relax.

after a few songs, satoru became more acclimated to his new environment. it also helped that the band had played the few songs he had listened to with you. “i know this one,” he yelled excitedly, bouncing up and down. you smiled and cheered with him. he sang along with you, excited to finally know one of their songs. you looked at your once tense boyfriend finally relax and live in the moment.

as the band started another one of their heavy songs, satoru couldn’t help but feel drawn to the pit. “i think i want to join the mosh pit,” he said, leaning down so you could hear him. you looked at him in utter shock before the widest smile broke out on your face. “you should!” you encouraged. he smiled widely before heading towards the middle of the crowd. you followed close behind him, pulling out your phone to capture this moment. right as satoru had joined the pit, the lead singer of the band commanded the pit to get moving. you watched from the edge of the pit as satoru pushed up on people shoving them and of course helping those who fell over. needless to say, you felt proud of your boyfriend for trying something he would typically never do.

as the concert came to an end, satoru ran back to you with a big smile on his face. his hair was sweaty and stuck to his forehead. his cheeks were red. his breath was labored, but you could tell he just had the time of his life. “that was so much fun!” he exclaimed. you giggled at your boyfriend, who was going on about how much he enjoyed the concert. “i’m so glad you enjoyed yourself. thank you for going with me,” you said, leaning your head against his arm as you walked back to the car. he placed a kiss on the top of your head before opening the car door for you. “of course, baby. i want to go to another one soon,” he gleamed. it warmed your heart knowing that satoru had given another one of your interests a shot. it meant more knowing that you would be able to share more of these memories with him.

“you think i should dye my hair black?” he blurted out. you let out a surprised laugh before placing your hand on his. “satoru baby i say this with all the love in my heart but hell no. i love your white hair too much,” you giggled. he pouted just wanting to look more like the metalhead he was slowly becoming.

a/n: not so shameless plug for bad omens because they really are my favs forever, but they can be subbed for your favs! i thought this was a silly but cute idea as a metalhead myself :P not proofread

[moretomhardy]

My main thoughts after ep 3 of the Murderbot show is: why do they keep doing things out of order? They are completely changing the meaning of the interactions by doing this, and they're pretty much having the opposite impact on the characters/relationships.

We start this episode with Mensah ordering SecUnit to keep it's helmet down, which it obviously is extremely unhappy about doing, because 1) it can't say no, 2) it barely knows these people and doesn't seem to like them much.

In the book, Mensah doesn't ask it to keep the helmet down until much later, after SecUnit has been outed as a rogue and 1) therefore has a meaningful ability to say no, 2) it kind of does want to be a part of the team at that point! And because of those critical differences, it's a big emotional moment where SecUnit expresses trust for probably the first time (and isn't that also the first time it's insides go melty?? I'm pretty sure it is)!

The show did this same thing in ep 1, where Mensah didn't go to check on SecUnit in the cubicle until the next day, and it wasn't because she cared about if SecUnit was doing alright, it was because she wanted to go test it and evaluate for herself Gurathin's claims it was evil or whatever.

While in the book, Mensah goes and checks on it like first thing after they get back to the habitat and get Bharadwaj settled, and she only does it because she is genuinely worried about it after seeing it's report on how much it was hurt! In the show, she doesn't give a shit about how much it was hurt, she just orders it to come out and talk to them as soon as it wakes up.

I just don't understand why make those changes?? It's kneecapping the Murderbot&Mensah friendship before it can even start. And sure, the rest of the DeltFall events will occur, and I'm guessing the writers are banking on that to clear the slate of these bad early interactions so that friendship can actually get started. But I'm still so annoyed by it, like, why remove all the depths of their friendship like this? What's the benefit? I know TV hates to let characters with helmets just keep their damn helmets on (looking at you, Star Wars), but like, just deal with it, we don't need to see Skarsgard's face this ep.

[lunajay33]

Change

•🩰🎀🩷•

Summary: Y/n is a loner but loves ballet but her family doesn’t have enough money for her to dance at the studio, Daryl is a redneck who hates people and prefers bikes, until one day these two run into eachother and their lives change drastically, will Daryl toughen her up? Will y/n soften Daryl? Or both? How will things go when people start coming back from the dead

Pairing: Young Daryl Dixon x f!reader

A/n: This is going to be a series, it’s gonna start with how they met eachother and their lives before the apocalypse, eventually it’ll blend with twd story line!!

•Masterlist•

I’ve always wanted to dance, to strap on pretty pink ballet slippers and wear the tights and everything, ever since I was a little girl and first watch Swan Lake, watching how there was a light beautiful side but how also a dark side to a person it hooked me, but that dream was quickly crushed when my parents refused, saying they didn’t have enough money to put me in ballet because my older brothers football was more important and they couldn’t afford both at once

It’s always been like that, whatever my brother wanted he’d get within a reasonable price, but when I asked for the simplest things they would get mad and always turn me down, saying I should get a job if I ever wanted anything. So that’s exactly what I did, I got a waitressing job at the little diner in town, working after school and on weekends just hoping to be able to save enough for ballet classes, but balancing school and work everyday is exhausting and having a terrible home life ontop of that doesn’t help

My older coworker told me to make some friends and that might help things, help distract myself for a while and have a person to relay on for once but it wasn’t so simple, if you weren’t drop dead gorgeous, or had nice clothes and money in my school then the girls treated you like a ghost

So here I am sat at my usual bench under the wilting tree behind the school for lunch, sitting in the cafeteria all alone at a whole table felt pathetic, embarrasing, plus it was more comforting here, no pry judgemental eyes, plus the air out here smelt of fall, fallen crisp leaves, the towns forest right behind the school, it was comforting

I finished my lunch putting the book I was ready away in my bag and made my way back for my next class, biology and today we were getting a new seating arrangement, one I’ve been waiting for the whole month since I was sat next to one of the mean girls, I took my seat right as the bell rang

“Okay class today we are moving around, so find your spots” she said as she projected the new seating up on the board, I found my name at the second table to the back on the left, I made my way noticing I was sat with Daryl Dixon. He was quiet, usually kept to himself kind of like me, people would always talk bad about him but never dared say anything if his older brother was around, I remember the times my brother would complain about how obnoxious Merle Dixon was….as if he wasn’t the exact same

I plopped down next to him taking out my books and pencil case

“Hi”

“Hey” he said keeping his eyes on the table

That’s all we said to each other the whole period until the end of class

“Okay everyone, whoever you’re sitting with is now going to be your new lab partner, you’ll be working on this project together outside of class and it’ll be due at the end of next week, so I advise you figure out a time and place to work on this” she said as she handed out papers seeing it was a project on the cycle of frogs and their habitats

There was 10 minutes left in class for us to figure out how to get this project done, I turned in my seat looking at Daryl, up close I noticed he was actually kinda cute in a mysterious way

“Would you like to come to my house tomorrow so we can work on it?” I asked as tomorrow was Saturday

“Sure” I wrote down my address and gave it to him right when the bell rang

I was getting ready for Daryl to come over, I don’t know why I was so nervous maybe because I’ve never really had many people over and that my parents and brother were psychotic and mean and I didn’t want him to witness that. I looked in the mirror brushing out my hair that I’ve combed through a hundred times already, hoping my outfit was nice enough, a whiteish sweatshirt that had a hint of blush pink to it, paired with black leggings just wanting to be comfortable but hopefully still cute, that’s when I heard a knock at the door

“ILL GET IT!” I screamed not wanting anyone else to answer especially not my brother since he knew Daryl was Merle’s brother

I stood infront of the closed door huffing out a breath to calm my jitters, I opened it and there he stood, hands in pockets with his usual gruff demeanor

“Come in” I said stepping aside for him to come in

“Do you wanna work in my room?”

“Sure” he said as he kicked off his shoes

I lead the way to my room, it wasn’t a big house so it wasn’t like we had to go down hallways to get to my room, I closed the door when we got in as he dropped his notebook on my bed looking around my room which made me anxious, my walls had little framed photos of Swan Lake, little painting of ballet slippers, my room wasn’t much since my parents put so much into Jackson’s room but these photos were all I had to keep me happy

“Nice room” he said with a smirk

“You don’t have to lie” I said smiling as I crawled on my bed sitting up against the head board as he followed to sit at the foot of the bed

“I ain’t, it’s…..different, do ya dance?” He asked looking back to the pictures I adored

“No, I’ve always dreamed of it though”

He looked at me with a strange look I couldn’t read

“Well why don’t ya?”

“My parents won’t let me, said Jackson football is my important and will lead to something” I said shrugging my shoulders, if anyone could understand brother problems it would be him

His usual glaring eyes softened but I didn’t want the pity, I thought about my crushed dream enough I didn’t want to think about it more so I flipped open the text book to the section we needed and we got to work, it was silent for the most part and I welcomed it, until we took a break

“Merle says yer brother is always runnin his mouth, talks bad about ya” my heart thumped in my chest, Jackson could say anything about me and I’d have no way to deny it since no one really liked me and he had his whole football team full of guys who only thought with one thing

“What does he say?” I asked nervously

“Says yer a weirdo, says ya run around sleepin with every guy on his football team” my heart felt like it stopped and shrivelled up

“What……..I would never, I can’t believe he would say that, I don’t know why he hates me so much” I said as my bottom lip quivered try to control myself, not wanting to cry infront of him and make him uncomfortable

“Merle an I, we don’t believe ‘em……..plus it ain’t like everyone else in that damn school ain’t like that” he said looking back down at his note book, fidgeting with his pencil

“It would be better if I had friends that would believe me and be on my side” I said huffing a little sarcastic laugh

“I can be yer friend” he said so quietly I almost didn’t hear him

“You don’t have to pity me, I know you don’t like people” he looked back up at me with he glaring expression but for some reason it didn’t bother me

“I ain’t pitying ya, yer one of the few people that don’t annoy me at school, yer nice and keep to yer self” he said bluntly making my heart flutter

“Okay, I’d like to be friends then!” I said smiling as we both went back to work

After 2 hours of going back and forth working and talking we got the project done, I led him to the door standing there as he laced up his shoes, I opened the door as he stood back up

“So uhh, ya wanna hang out again tomorrow?” He asked gripping his backpack strap

“Sure, I have a shift at the diner in the morning but you can come by and we can eat there after I’m done, I get a discount!” I said excited

“Sounds good” he said about to leave before I stopped him

“Wait, here’s my number, it’s for my room phone so you can call anytime if you want” I said handing him a piece of paper with my number

“I’ll call ya later then, see ya” he said in his gruff voice as he left watching him disappear up the side walk

It was the next day and I was almost done my shift, I’d covered a lot of tables and was now just wiping down the counter waiting to see Daryl walk through the door, the door bell chimed and I looked up excited but instead it was Jackson and some of his football team members, they came in loud and obnoxious as usual

They came to the counter, filling three seats along the counter

“Jackson what are you doing here?” I asked putting down the rag I was using

“Oh come on sis we’re just hungry” he said sarcastically as his friends laughed with him

I sighed taking out my pad “well what do you wanted?”

“I wanna see you bent over my truck” his friend said, I was disgusted but I wasn’t good with this kind of thing

“Cute little thing like you mmmmm, what I wouldn’t do” his other friend said

I was beyond embarrased I just wish someone could help me, and as if my prayers were answered someone came in to intervene

“Leave er alone jackasses” I looked down to a seat further down the counter seeing it was Daryl, he must have just came in

“Oh ya and what’re you gonna do Dixon?”

“Just get outta here” he said sending a glare that could kill, they huffed and got up with a commotion

“Whatever, we’ll see you around bitch” they said to me before they left, I made my way to where Daryl was seated my face felt so hot

“Sorry you had to see that?” I said giving him a glass of water

“Do they do that often?”

“Ya usually when I’m working on the weekend, they think it’s funny”

“I can get Merle, set them straight” he said making me smile

“Nah it’s not your problem but thank you, I’m kinda use to it by now, even though it incredibly embarrassing” I said covering my cheeks

“Anyways, I’m done now so I’ll go clock out and be right back” I said trying to change the subject, I walked to the back taking of my waist apron and got my purse

“You done for the day sweetie?” My older coworker May asked

“Yeah, but me and my friend are going to have some lunch here”

Her eyes lit up “Friend? Did you finally manage to snatch someone up” she said twirling her pen as she smacked on her cherry gum she always had in her mouth

“Yes, he’s just easy to be around”

“HE?”

“Yes May my friend is a boy don’t get all crazy, but he’s waiting so I have to go before he thinks I left” I said blushing as I went back out and sat next to him at the counter

May took our orders and left to attend to the other few customers that were still here

“So why do ya work here?” He asked

“My parents said if I ever wanted anything I needed to get my own money, plus I’m trying to save to be able to afford ballet classes, it may be stupid but it’s my dream”

“It ain’t stupid, yer workin fer what ya want, I get that” his voice was kind but the grumble to it made me tingle

“Thanks, do you work anywhere?” I asked as May gave us our meals, my strawberry milkshake and grilled cheese, and Daryl’s coke with a burger and fries

“Sometimes I work on fixin people’s bikes ‘round town ta make some extra money, Merle said I’d make more if I did what he did but I don’t wanna fall into that crowd” I knew what Merle did, the whole town did

“Maybe one day we can get outta this town where people won’t judge us and we can have actual good jobs”

“Ya maybe”

With that we silently ate our food until we finished and May gave us our checks with my discount then we were leaving heading the door bell chime

We walked down to my house as neither of us had cars, until we stopped infront of the house awkwardly

“Lunch was nice, thanks for coming bye, you can come anytime”

“ ‘course, I’ll……I’ll see ya tomorrow then?”

“Ya I’ll see you tomorrow Daryl” I said smiling as we went separate ways, I closed the door to the house my heart thumping against my chest

I finally had a friend

Part.2

This will be a series so if you like to be added to the taglist and get notified of the next part comment below!!:)

Taglist: @deansapplepie

[rosegoldenatlas]

Dear all fans of Joel Smallishbeans, here is your weekly reminder that C!Joel is definitely a fae who is desperately trying to learn how to lie to fit in with everyone else.

Reasoning/evidence:

Look me in the eyes and tell me he doesn't give dragonfly vibes

He pulls tricks a lot! You know what else does that??? Fae!

He's a bad liar, fae trait.

He's a smol boy

His character traits change in fandom and canon spaces to match with the biome or habitat he's in. Body changing to fit nature?? Nature fae moment.

He has pulled so many people so fast, you know what creature is known to be inhumanly beautiful and charismatic? That's right. Fae.

Pretending to be a god is such a faerie move.

In esmp s2 he was the one to make Jimmy a sentient toy and convinced the entire server to play along. Fae curse also fae move.

Esmp s1 he was unaffected by Xornoth's magic, I dunno about you but that sounds like fae bullshit to me :/

Esmp s1 again, he worshipped a MOTHER TREE that BROUGHT LIFE to HIM AND HIS ENTIRE AREA. If you need a reminder, FAE ARE BORN OF PLANTS 9 TIMES OUT OF 10 AND FIERCELY PROTECT NATURE SURROUNDING THEM.

Esmp s1 again, He brought nature an plants into a mesa. Like c'mon man. He's a fae.

Esmp s1 again again, he hated Scott, a canon faerie from what I assume to be the winter court? (Judging by Rivendell) Joel would probably be from the summer court. Obviously as both are on two ends of the extremes they wouldn't clash very well.

-------------

Fae Joel lore and my 'evidence' aka fuck you he's a fae.

Joel is a summer court fae! Which also means he is Seelie. My reasoning for this is a combination of two things: personality traits and aesthetic

For personality he aligns with a lot of the Summer fae traits, he is kind and more benevolent than a fae from the Unseelie courts but is still capable of a lot more cruelty than the spring court. Fae of the summer court usually are rather frivolous and hotheaded. They hold politeness and manners highly but not as high as say the spring court. Fae from the summer court are more willing to cut losses and not force life. (Ex if the see a dying animal they would be quicker to put it out of its misery and feed it to another animal rather than spent long hours of trying to save it. They acknowledge death as a part of life and see more of the negative side of things but still choose to focus of positive aspects. Summer fae tend to lead a more arrogant and hedonistic lifestyle but do not enjoy pleasure at the expense of another happiness. They are more willing to spend time helping another than themselves.

As for aesthetic: Summer court colors are Forrest greens of healthy plants and rich golds an oranges of the sun, they also lean towards richer pinks and reds than spring fae. So you know, Mezalea, Stratos, his normal green?

----------

Headcanons to go with Fae!Joel

-Joel is definitely a fae who will spend decades learning how to lie like other creatures. He's still terrible at it because fae can't lie, but he has spent so much of his life around humans and other creatures able to lie that he has the capacity for sarcasm and white lies. He's still working on real lying though (see: Secret Life smp)

-He is immortal until proven otherwise.

-He's a dragonfly based fae with wings and antennae to match

-When Scott killed him in third life he definitely damaged Joel's wings and Joel wasn't able to heal them until he was off server. So he didn't really like him.

[fairydustttx]

Pluto Projector

Robert Reynolds x Ravyn Lawson (Black OC)

“When you say my name, nothing's changed, I'm still a boy inside my thoughts”

A/N: A lot of this does not align with some timelines and some plots but I tried to make it make as much sense as possible. Promise.

Warnings: Not proofread in the slightest.

Wc: 2088

Summary: Before he was The Sentry he was just Bob—reckless, unstable, and most importantly hers. Years later, Ravyn Lawson is a government psychologist assigned to assess a dangerous new superweapon... and comes face to face with the man she tried to save. He doesn't remember her. Not really. But something in him still knows. And that might be the most dangerous part of all.

PART ONE - THE PAST PART TWO

The bookstore café was the kind of place that tried too hard to be hidden. Nestled between a boarded-up laundromat and a vape shop, it didn't have a name on the window—just a faded symbol painted in gold: a tilted ampersand that looked like it had been brushed on by accident. Inside, it smelled like roasted beans, melting wax, and the faintest trace of old wood and dust.

Ravyn wasn't supposed to be there.

She had planned on spending her Saturday night at home, reading over a dense article on trauma theory for class. But Andrea, ever charming and relentless, had dragged her out with the promise of "bohemian chaos and questionable open mic poetry." Like that was insanely intriguing.

So Ravyn stood in the back of the crowd, arms crossed, curly pixie-cut haloed in the soft gold lighting, the dark richness of her skin catching the reflection from the stage. Her lips were painted in clear lipgloss, and her stare was both unimpressed but also quite amused.

Bob saw her before he had even made his way inside.

He was outside for a full five minutes, pacing near the curb, pretending to smoke a cigarette he didn't have. Every time he glanced through the foggy window, he saw her standing near the bookshelves like she owned the place, her head tilted slightly as she listened to some guy rant about capitalism through a spoken word haiku.

She looked untouchable. Composed. Bob felt his stomach twist and almost walked away twice. But something about her pulled at him. Not in the cliché way, not in the love at first sight kind of way. More like a thread catching in his ribs.

So he walked in. And hovered.

Bob lingered near the back, mumbling a quiet hello to those he passed while also trying not to trip over a stack of secondhand philosophy books. He almost turned toward the coffee counter—safer, easier—but then she glanced over her shoulder and met his eyes.

Ravyn didn't smile. Just held his gaze for a second too long.

Bob panicked and looked away.

Then, steeling himself, he walked toward her—slowly, like approaching a sleeping dog you weren't sure would bite.

"Hey," he mumbled so quietly, it would have been difficult for most human ears to pick up.

Ravyn arched a brow, only half-interested in the guy that stood before her in a thrifted denim jacket and threadbare T-shirt.

Bob shoved his hands deep into his jacket pockets, rocking on his heels. "You, uh... you look like you're trying not to hate it here."

That got him a smile. A small one. But a smile none the less. Sharp at the edges.

"I'm succeeding," she said. "Mostly."

"First time?" he asked, his voice quieter now.

"Yeah. My friend Drea dragged me, I was told there would be snacks."

Bob smiled "So, you're not here for the poetry?"

"I'm here to supervise Drea, she has a thing for emotionally unstable musicians and this seems to be their habitat."

Andrea, her best friend since high school, swore the musician she had met at the bookstore café the previous week "looked like he might be hot if he showered." Whatever that meant.

"You're doing the Lord's work."

The pair stood in silence for a beat. Then Bob glanced at her coffee cup and blurted, "They water the espresso here. Just letting you know. Like... aggressively, it’s really disgusting."

Ravyn laughed. It was short but real. "Thanks for the heads up."

"I'm Bob," he added, a beat too late. He offered his hand, then looked like he regretted it halfway through the gesture.

She shook it anyway. Her grip was firm. Confident. "Ravyn. Like the omen, not the bird."

He blinked rapidly. "That's the coolest thing I've ever heard."

Ravyn smiled, despite herself. "You're very easily impressed Bob."

"Probably." He looked at her for a moment. "You seem like someone who makes people nervous."

Ravyn tilted her head. "Do I make you nervous?"

"Yes," he said immediately, then cleared his throat. "But in a... good way. If that's a thing."

There was something raw and endearing in his honesty. No arrogance, no performance. Just him. And Ravyn, who had met more than her share of smooth talkers and self-proclaimed poets, found herself intrigued.

"Are you reading tonight?" she asked.

Bob shook his head. "Oh God, no. I'm just... spectating. Thinking about reading, maybe. Eventually."

"Stage fright?"

"More like... people fright." He smiled, sheepish. "But you're helping."

Ravyn gave him a curious look. "Me?"

"Yeah. Talking to you is distracting me from how much I really want to leave right now."

That made her laugh again. A real one this time.

Bob looked genuinely pleased with himself. Not smug—just surprised, like making her laugh was a happy accident.

"I don't usually do this," he admitted. "Talk to strangers. Especially the terrifyingly pretty ones."

"You're doing fine," Ravyn said, sipping her coffee, grimacing. "Except about the espresso. You weren't kidding."

He relaxed a little after that, standing beside her instead of in front of her. They made quiet commentary on the next few performers—he mumbled clever quips under his breath, and she tried (unsuccessfully) not to laugh. There was an ease forming between them, fragile but undeniable.

When Andrea came back an hour later, she found Ravyn still standing in the same place—arms uncrossed now, smiling at something Bob had just said.

"Now who's this?" Drea asked, eyeing him.

Bob looked like he might run for the nearest exit. But Ravyn just smiled.

"This is Bob," she said.

And for once, it sounded like enough.

⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆

When Bob walked Ravyn home, it was accidental.

Or at least that's what he told himself.

They'd lingered outside the bookstore café after the open mic had ended, both pretending they weren't quite ready to go their separate ways. The cold had settled in for the night—sharp and biting—but she didn't seem in a rush, and he wasn't about to be the one to say goodbye first.

Ravyn had her arms folded, a beat-up denim jacket hugging her frame, and Bob watched her breath mist in the air like smoke. She was talking about university—something about a seminar—but Bob couldn't really focus on the words. He was too busy memorizing the way her voice dipped when she was thoughtful, how her mouth tugged at one corner when she said something she knew was clever.

"I don't usually do this," he said after a lull, stuffing his hands deep into his coat pockets.

"You don't usually do what?" she asked.

"This." He looked at her, eyes a little too earnest in the dark. "Walk people home. Talk for hours. Be this... open."

Ravyn raised a brow. "You say that like I asked you to confess something."

Bob laughed, low and quiet. "You didn't. I just... I don't know. You make it easy."

She didn't say anything right away. Just kept walking beside him, her shoulder brushing his upper arm sometimes when the sidewalk narrowed.

They reached her apartment—a third-floor walkup, all creaky floors and mismatched curtains—and she paused on the stoop. The street was mostly empty, just the rustle of a newspaper caught in the wind and the distant bark of a dog.

"You wanna come up?" Ravyn asked, not smiling this time.

Bob blinked. "Uh. I mean—only if you want me to."

She smirked. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't."

He followed her up.

Inside, the apartment was warm and lived-in—books stacked sideways on every surface, an ancient couch draped in colourful throws, and a kitchen that smelled faintly of cinnamon and lemon cleaner.

Bob stood awkwardly near the door, unsure of what to do with his hands. Ravyn kicked off her boots and gestured toward the couch.

"Sit," she said. "You want tea or something, considering that coffee was pure shit?"

He nodded mutely. She moved into the kitchen with the kind of quiet confidence that made Bob feel like she'd been living on her own since she was fifteen. He watched the curve of her shoulders, the way she moved through space like she belonged in it.

When she came back with two chipped mugs, she handed him one and sat beside him, one leg tucked under her.

"You always this nervous?" she asked, voice gentle.

Bob sipped. The tea was too hot, but he didn't flinch. "Only around people I like."

That earned him a smile. "Flatterer."

"I'm serious," he said, setting the mug down. "You're... intense. In a good way. You don't say much, but you don't have to."

She tilted her head. "You think I'm quiet?"

"No. You're not. I mean—you are, but not like me. You speak with intention. Like your words are... measured."

Ravyn stared at him for a moment, then leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees.

"You really talk like someone who's been invisible most of his life," she said.

The words hit him in the ribs and he didn't speak for a long time.

"Yeah," Bob said finally, voice rough. "I guess I have."

She didn't offer him pity. Just silence. A space to breathe in.

That was the first night he fell asleep next to her. Not in some tangle of limbs and heat—but curled on her couch, t-shirt still on, while Ravyn read in bed with her door cracked open.

The next morning, she made him toast.

And neither of them said anything about the fact that it already felt like something real.

⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆

Their relationship wasn't a fast burn. It was slow, steady, quiet. Built in late nights and stolen mornings.

They wandered through museum exhibits and dollar bin bookstores. Ravyn taught him how to use her stovetop espresso maker, and Bob taught her how to fix a leaky faucet with a rubber band and a paperclip. He started leaving books at her place, second hand books with scribbled notes in the margins.

He told her about his old band—13th Crimson Street—and how he used to think music would save him. She told him about her mom, who walked out before she hit double digits, and how her dad and stepmom raised three girls on tips and grit.

"You're a fighter," he said once, watching her flip through case studies on trauma. "You don't even know how to quit."

"You say that like it's a good thing," she muttered.

"It is," he said. "It's what keeps me here."

He didn't always elaborate. But she learned to hear what he didn't say. That he didn't have anyone else. That she was his tether to the world.

Three months in, they lay tangled on her bed—Ravyn on her back, Bob curled toward her, one hand resting lightly on her back.

She was tracing circles on his other wrist, her voice low and slow.

"You never talk about your family," she said.

He stiffened. Just a little.

"I don't have much to say," he replied.

"No siblings?"

He shook his head, even though he didn't see convinced with his own answer. "Only child."

"Parents?"

Bob stared at the ceiling. "Gone. Not dead. Just... gone."

She waited.

"My mom was sick for a long time. My dad wasn't good with that. Or with me." He swallowed hard. "We don't talk."

Ravyn didn't push even though she know he was holding something back.

"You ever think about going back?" she asked after a while.

He laughed, bitter and soft. "There's nothing to go back to."

She shifted, turning to face him fully, hand cupping his jaw.

"You've got me now," she said. "Even if you don't know what to do with that yet."

Bob didn't cry. But something in his face crumpled a little—like someone smoothing out a paper that had been balled up too long.

And then she kissed him—slow, deep, and grounding.

They weren't perfect.

Sometimes she needed space and he clung like a bad itch. Sometimes she asked questions he couldn't answer. There were days when he disappeared into himself, and she had to knock on the door of his silence until he let her in.

But there was love, always.

A steady hum between them. A knowing.

He left her notes when he knew he had messed up. She wrapped her arms around his neck when the world was too loud. He learned how to listen. She learned how to wait.

And they built something out of that.

Not flawless.

But real.

[20doozers]

★hard day,soft night★

TW: cuddling, fluff, some nudity mentions, m!reader, two very gay and in love teens, 2005-2006 georg, American football player Georg, sweet nickname “baby”, very sweet and patient Georg, I think that’s it

A/N: I’m sorry this is so short I really am neglecting you guys but life is super busy recently

Georg groaned as he trudged to his bedroom after a long day of school and aching joints from football practice. It had been a rough day, just doing exercises and running laps around the field because they’d lost last week’s game. Georg was miserable and only wanted to climb into bed. Georg tossed his backpack on the floor before going over to his closet to grab a clean pair of sweatpants to wear to bed. Yet when georg stripped off his hoodie and tossed it in the general direction of his bed he heard a little grunt come from under the blankets.

Georg froze, slowly turning to look for what had made the noise when he spotted a sleepy looking m/n poking his head out from under the blankets. M/n being around Georg’s was always common and sometimes m/n waited at his place for Georg to finish practice so they could hang out and relax.

“Oh, hi m/n, sorry about that..” Georg couldn’t help but laugh, m/n looked pissed, like an angry animal being disturbed in its natural habitat, his hair messed up and a little sleepy scowl on his face.

“…I hate you..” m/n grumbled quietly as he sunk back into the blankets, hidden among them once more.

“Uh-huh sure you do.. I’ll be there in a minute.” Georg just continued to get changed before eventually climbing into bed with m/n, gently sliding an arm around his waist to pull him closer. M/n gave a few soft noises of disapproval but didn’t put up much of a fight when Georg tucked m/n against his chest and kissed his head gently.

“I hate when you have late practices..” m/n whined, much softer and less mad at being provoked.

“I know you do bud but it’s only for a few more weeks, then football season ends and I’m all yours for the winter.” Georg reassured, gently rubbing a hand up and down m/n’s side, shushing him softly.

“Promise…?”

“Promise. I’d never ever ever lie to you m/n.”

“…okay..” m/n finally settled against Georg’s chest, letting out a yawn as he curled further into Georg.

“Tired?”

“Mhm.. so tired..” m/n whimpered, barely able to keep his eyes open as Georg gently rubbed his back and held him close, the warmth and love too much to handle.

“Then sleep baby.. I’ll be here when you wake up, it’s a weekend after all.” Georg murmured softly, craning his neck to kiss m/n’s head.

“..baby..?” M/n croaked weakly, looking up at Georg confused.

“Shhh.. just sleep, we’ll talk in the morning..” Georg whispered, and with that m/n was soon fast asleep against Georg’s chest, warm and content in the arms of his bestfriend? Lover? Whatever they were they loved eachother and that was all that mattered right now. Two dumb teens in love.

YAYYY I finally finished a fic. I wish I would have posted this on Georg’s bday cuz the days lined up exactly but unfortunately I just haven’t been able to write really well lately. And this new tumblr layout makes my layout look terrible so I’m sad💔 This is a super short one and I feel bad about it but it’s the best I can do right now so please be nice to me😞 okay anyway I love you guys! Take care of yourselves!

Tags: @itsmealaiahh @itsmealaiah @itsangelll @billskeis @divinelolita (let me know if you wanna be on the taglist!!)

[vampyprince]

100line hitting themes too close for comfort >< ❗

the moment we knew about world death, i was like 'omg, they're tackling such vividly frightening stuff!!'

climate change, the destruction of other creature's habitats, pollution... mother earth being exploited until the point it becomes less habitable,, it's all WAY too topical for us.

i am so hyped that too kyo games decided to expand upon the horror we face in current society.

like THIS!!!, the above screenshot,, this is happening RIGHT NOW, nearly everywhere on his earth. it's such a fathomable apocalypse. it is where we, as a human race, are headed.

similarly to how in the dark and helpless the SDU feel, us everyday people similarly lack power. the decisions of harm on this earth are NOT decided by the majority, but the ones with more power and money than they know what to do with!

i think fictionalizing real issues and putting it in a medium that many can enjoy,, it's a good idea!

even if someone is young, they've surely heard about extreme weather events as a result of climate change.

there are many who try to delegitimize it for personal gain. lobbying destructive acts to continuously r*pe the earth, making the rich richer and making our home harder to survive in for the common folk.

this is why i can't fault eito's thought process. he knows and sees (their) society as doomed. if TRC is the last habitation of humans, then it's only a matter of time.

just like how indigenous folk rotated their crops, as top not deplete the soil of critical nutrients. you cannot keep taking resources from a fixed point on earth without it eventually dying. the TRC is large, but the ability to create new resources in a confined space is very limited.

that's why humanity needed a new home and searched the galaxy for a fitting replacement.

and this is getting scarily close to real life, with some rich bitches wanting to populate the moon.

the struggle is in decided which is the better outcome.. whether to struggle to survive despite harm to others, or to resign to extinction.

given all of this and many horrible historic events on earth, eito thought it'd be better if we all died. and, i can't seriously fault him on that.

maybe it's my autism, but i do agree with his idea. i don't hate humanity, i see a lot of beauty on this earth... i'd wager to say the positives outweigh the negatives. BUT, i would accept mass extinction. OF COURSE ID BE TERRIFIED, but if intelligent life evolved on earth before, it can do it again. It can evolve a race similar to humans, much long after the earth has healed from our torment.

but humanity is extremely prideful, full of ego. i don't think that's such a bad thing, fighting to survive is a natural instinct.

eito aotsuki just viewed the end as inevitable and wished the speed it up. i'm so sure there are more personal reasons.. like, he wants his life to be worth something. suffering, being scared and disgusted of everything because of his disorder, living life wouldn't be pleasant. if he could succeed in something he believed in, maybe his life would have purpose.

this is why i cannot hate eito, this is why i love him.

he's a cutie with a disorder, but the depths of his soul and his struggles run so much deeper.

[grayintogreen]

Rewatching the first Pokémon movie last night reminded me of how there is so much wank out there from critics who were like “they changed the meaning from the Japanese version to a lesson of non-violence in the show that is about legalized dog-fighting that’s so cheesy” and like yes there are valid criticisms here. I know not everyone Stans the 4Kids dub like I do mainly because of how they were done dirty and this may have indirectly led to two of them not having the money to pay crucial medical bills that led to their deaths but that’s a claim that requires a deep dive that I don’t want to make, but from a surface level read yeah that’s what it looks like.

But like my guy what.

The message is about tolerance. It’s about fighting motivated by hate, not like sport that the Pokémon are clearly shown to enjoy and have trainers acting as mediators to avoid it ever getting farther than a KO. The trainers are HELPLESS to call off the fight. There’s a huge spiel about how the clones are terrible and don’t deserve to live and the real ones are bigots who have allowed themselves to become slaves and it’s basically a duel to the death over who has the right to live. “Pokemon aren’t meant to fight” gets taken out of context but Joy, who it should be said is a NURSE who has probably seen some fucked up Pokemon wounds in her time and therefore could say that without it being hypocrisy, but that’s not all she says!! She adds “not like this” which distinguishes that this is not typical!! This is not a skirmish within the confines of their natural habitat or within the rules of training- it’s a cruel, pointless brawl to the death! It’s not the same!

And then to FULLY SLAM THIS POINT HOME, there is a soul song by a black pop group whose famous song around that time was about the pointlessness of racism and how love and tolerance is the only real answer that has the EXACT SAME SENTIMENT. BROTHER MY BROTHER IS JUST A SPIRITUAL SEQUEL TO I BELIEVE.

but obviously it's about how lol pokemon shouldn't fight in the pokemon fighting franchise because god forbid white critics in the 90's think for five seconds about how a movie is trying to teach kids about tolerance and I've had to hear this tired take over and over since 1998. Let me fucking rest.

[bestanimal]

Round 1 - Phylum Phoronida

(Sources - 1, 2, 3, 4)

Animals in the Phylum Phoronida, commonly called Horseshoe Worms, are a small phylum of filter-feeders that build upright tubes of chitin to protect their soft bodies. They can quickly retract into this tube when a threat is perceived. Like bryozoans, entoprocts, and brachiopods, they also utilize a lophophore: a crown of tentacles surrounding a mouth.

Phoronids live in marine waters worldwide, except for the Antarctic Ocean. Unusually for such small animals, their blood contains hemoglobin, which is likely an adaptation for life in anoxic and hypoxic environments. Only one species is colonial, though many do live clustered together, their tubes a tangled mass. Some habitats can contain populations of phoronids that reach tens of thousands of individuals per square meter! They reproduce sexually, and most species produce free-swimming larvae (seen in the 4th image) which feed on plankton. Their metamorphosis happens incredibly fast. After eating and speeding around as larvae for about 20 days, they settle on the seabed and change into their adult forms in 30 minutes! Their tentacles are replaced by a lophophore, their anus moves from their bottom to just outside the lophophore, and the gut changes from upright to a U-shape, with the stomach now at the bottom of the body. They then build a tube around them, cementing themselves in place. They live for about 1 year.

Propaganda under the cut:

Most adult phoronids are around 2 cm long and about 1.5 mm wide, but the largest, Phoronopsis californica (seen in the 3rd image), can reach 45 cm (17.7 inches) long when fully extended. They have one of the most complex lophophores, which grows in a paired helix shape and comes in an array of beautiful colors, from orange to yellow to red to green to white!

One phoronid, Phoronis australis, burrows into the wall of the tube of an anemone, Ceriantheomorphe brasiliensis, using the anemone’s tube as a foundation for its own tube. Up to 100 phoronids can live on one Ceriantheomorphe. This does not hurt the anemone, and the phoronids gain a foundation for their tubes as well as protection, as the anemone retracting into its tube will alert the phoronids to retract into their own tubes. They’re also jet black (see second image). Basically, an anemone with pet goth worms.

There are no definitive body fossils of phoronids, so we don’t really know when in prehistory they arose. You know what that means?

[realthoughtsreal]

Contemplations of a 22 year old ace

I find myself delving into the philosophical and sociological thoughts and research over gender, society, and sexuality more and more as I grow up.

It is most definitely a sign of me looking for a home. Rather, it is as if I am the migratory bird, looking for the place that I belong, the place that I can land in, ensured I am safe and integrated into the habitat.

I am a person growing up, searching for ways, for words, that fit, that explain and relate to my experience in society.

Some weeks ago I finally finished reading “Ace what Asexuality reveals about desire, society and the meaning of sex” by Angela Chen. It is a wonderful and enlightening book written by an ace person, full of ace experiences and discourse, research, arguing and explaining of not just asexuality, but how it exists within this society, and all it conveys and implies.

An absolutely recommended book. If you’re in the aroace spectrum, I highly suggest you read it. I suspect you’ll find it both fascinating and reassuring.

Even if you’re not on the aroace spectrum, you should still absolutely read it. It puts many things into persoective and you will find it very enlightening.

Among many things, the book proposes thinking of attraction as something that is composed by multiple elements, some of which are not present for aroace people.

I found this line of thought fascinating and incredibly logical. Attraction and sexuality are very hard to define and tackle, specially for aroace people who lack certain components of it, but it is an absolutely fascinating subject. The book tackles it so brilliantly without muddling it with complex terms, it truly left me feeling more consoled and reassured than ever.

It often feels like there’s no path forward for me. Like the relationships I want are impossible because of me being in the spectrum. But the book showcases many cases of people just like me, having good lives.

Aroaceness is a not an illness. It is also not something to be fought, I think. We are often so ashamed by our differences, we try to fit in society’s box, though we were not made for it. It is a struggle, a fight we shouldn’t be signed up for.

Why is diversity so hard to open up to? Even if we are open to it in others?

I accept diversity in others. Yet it took me years to accept my aroaceness, to feel comfortable with it. And I still have bad days.

The rise in hate against queer people has had me utterly stressed and anxious, balling up and hissing at every thing like a nervous animal. So many say this diversity is a flaw of modern society, a fault.

It feels necessary to say this, though it should be blatantly obvious:

Diversity is not the symptom of an ill modern society. It’s a symptom of the human condition.

Diversity is a fact in nature. It is natural.

Many animals do not have a set sex; mostly fish and amphibians from the species we know, which are able to change their sex as needed (like Nemo!).

Intersexuality is present in almost every species, as it is possible given the right set of genes.

Hermaphroditic animals are also very, very common. From invertebrates like snails to vertebrates like sea bass.

Many mammals and birds partake in what would be considered homosexuality, and do not have set gender roles (which could in part explain what we’d call homosexual behavior, because as animals, they have no concepts of sex or gender. They just are. No boxes, roles or stereotypes of behavior are required). Take the gay penguins for example, raising penguin chicks.

Mind you, this is all information that can be found in any book about flora and fauna, or an encyclopedia, a basic biology class, or any internet page.

Modern society, colonized by the western white way of thinking, driven by religious beliefs used to justify hate and violence, has made it seem unnatural. Queerness in any way (and by this I mean any identity that is outside the hetero, cis, allo, normative) has been deemed unnatural, unlawful, and sinful.

Yet it is in nature, and also in us. Because we are a part of nature, just another animal/being in the planet, however much we see ourselves as superior.

I find it befuddling and ridiculous that people will see the evidence of it being natural, as infinite diversity IS the natural way of the universe, and still have the gall to call it unnatural.

To every queer person out there (and by this I mean any person that doesn’t fit the cis/hetero/allo box):

I know things are very stressful right now. The world seems to be on the cusp of something, whether it is great change or chaos is still up to the masses.

Some of you may have lost funds you depended on. Your right to healthcare. Your right to marriage. Your right to love safely and openly. Your right to be yourself. Or your home. Or security. Or safety. Or family. Or friends. Or partners. Your mental and physical health; stability in general even.

Things may seem hopeless right now, even unescapable doom.

But I hope you find comfort in the thought that no matter how loud the violent voices of hate shout, your existence is natural, is expected, is logical. That cannot be refuted. No matter how much they try to erase you, they will not be able to.

We’re here, we’re queer. We’re people, we’re humans, we’re mammals, just a different type of animals with more awareness than all the rest.

Keep raising your voice. Write, make art, do what you must to leave a record behind, to protest in your own way, to speak out, to soothe yourself. Know that you will not be erased, that you are natural, that you are not the freak of nature they say.

Know you are not alone. We are all together in this.

To everyone else:

Speak out. It often feels like there are more bad people than good people in the world. Do you know why?

Because way too many good people stay silent. What use is it if you only have good thoughts and intentions and speak them only in private to yourself, but don’t do it with others, TO others?

When all the good people do nothing, that’s when the bad things happen. When malice wins. When everyone does nothing, the good people might as well be not there, mere wallpaper.

I do not mean you have to go to every protest, or oust yourself, or put yourself in every dangerous or uncomfortable situation you encounter that might end up with you homeless (in the case you’re young and get kicked out). It can be something as small as talking to a friend, to a classmate, educating them.

Maybe share with them a book about queer people, about marginalized people.

Tell them it’s not okay to perpetuate hateful practices.

Call out their racist comments.

Buy cookies from trans owned businesses.

Buy from local queer/black owned businesses.

Write a blog maybe, to share your thoughts, to spread the positive thinking, the acceptance and tolerance.

Make an art piece that resonates with tolerance, with love, that condemns the marginalization and discrimination of others.

Do something, anything. But do not do Nothing. Nothing is the enemy of good, it is complacency. Doing nothing means being complicit. Doing Nothing is what allows the bad to continue, to spread. Being silent in the face of injustice is never okay.

Big actions and words are not required. You do not have to attend every single protest and be the loudest chanter. But be present in the fight, even in the smallest ways.

It is in the small ways, I’d say, that the biggest changes can occur. Small tips in the scale can turn the tides. Butterfly effect, if you will.

As Gandalf would say, it is often in the smallest things that we find the greatest light and change.

My heart goes out to all those suffering right now. Do not lose hope, do not give up the fights. Know you are not alone.

I see you, I accept you, I love you.

We are all people, we are all alive. And we deserve to live openly as we are with dignity, happiness, safety.

Is it not enough that we are all people? All humans? All alive and feeling?

P.S.: I wrote this half-asleep, sick with flu(?), and at midnight. So, apologies if it doesn’t have the best coherent flow.

[elizaviento]

Get to know your mutuals!

Thanks to @silcobrainrot for tagging me. 💜

What's the origin of your blog title?

The danger must be growing is a line from a song in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It was my favorite book as a kid, and I've never grown out of my Willy Wonka obsession. lmfao.

OTP(s)+ shipnames(s):

God, I've shipped so much over my lifetime. My most beloved (in no particular order):

SessRin - Inuyasha

Leshley aka EagleOne - Resident Evil 4

Jilco aka Bombshark - Arcane

Snamione - Harry Potter

Mithen - Resident Evil 7

Mia/Heisenberg (they don't have an official ship name bc they're a crack rarepair that I basically made up) - Resident Evil 8

Bethyl - The Walking Dead

Sanrion - Game of Thrones/ASOIAF

V/ergil/my OC(s) - Devil May Cry

Shane/my OC - Stardew Valley

Pierre/my OC - Stardew Valley

I feel like I'm forgetting some, but that's enough. Pfft.

Favourite color:

Purple.

Song stuck in your head:

Backslide - Twenty One Pilots. But they're always stuck in my head, so that's nothing new.

Weirdest habit/trait:

Idk, man. I feel like I'm a fucking weirdo in general. Not in a "pick me" way, but like in a way that if most people saw me in my natural habitat, they'd shoot me.

Hobbies:

Writing, 3d rendering, reading, video games. Crocheting, when the mood strikes.

If you work, what's your profession?

I'm an independent contractor that provides administrative support to non-profit organizations in a virtual setting. So, I work from home, make my own hours, and can pick and choose the clients I want to work for. It's taken me a long time to get to this point, and it's pretty nice.

If you could have any job you wish, what would it be?

I often think... wow, it would be so cool to earn cash from writing or rendering. But the reality is that I'm not cut out for creating those things to be consumed by a mass audience. I'm way too self-indulgent, and my creativity hinges on hyper-fixation.

So, the real answer is nothing. I hate working. Lmfao.

Something you're good at:

I like to think I'm pretty good at writing and 3d rendering. I've been writing since I was a literal child, but I only started rendering about a year ago? Maybe a little less. I'm completely self taught, and I'm happy with how much skill I've picked up in such a short amount of time.

Something you hate:

Antis in fandom. It's so stupid.

The state of my country right now. The US is spiraling the shitter.

Lots of other things, but it's mostly tedious stuff that doesn't really matter.

Something you collect:

Random fandom merch.

Something you forget:

Everything. lmfao. Adult ADHD is super fun.

What's your love language:

Acts of service.

Favourite movie/show:

Movie: Single movie - Fight Club. Otherwise it's The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Show: Arcane and Futurama.

Favourite food:

Spaghetti.

Favourite animal:

Wildlife: Racoons. They're so cute.

Domestic: Cats. I've had cats all my life, and I have 3 now (Pippin, Gimli, and Purrnie)

What were you like as a child:

Shy and anxious.

Favourite subject at school:

English and literature.

Least favourite subject:

Math. Not bc I was bad at it, but bc it bored me.

What's your best character trait?

I'm kinda witty and funny sometimes.

What's your worst character trait?

I'm a borderline hermit level introvert, so I can be standoffish and self-isolate for weeks to months at a time.

If you could change any detail of your life right now, what would it be?

I have Lupus. I wish there was a cure for that.

---

I'll only tag @maylilithreign this time bc I think it'll be fun to read her answers. (No pressure, of course.)

[roseshirtlouis]

i’ve been feeling like in and out of this world ever since yesterday morning and every word felt like a sword in my chest. i know i haven’t ever met liam in real life or been to any 1d shows, and despite all the wrongdoings of his i just had this comforting feeling that he is alive and that made me peaceful. now i’m still refusing to believe he is gone. i just fail to accept this fact and honestly i don’t want to. i loved liam just like i loved the other boys and i will forever cherish him and every bit of happiness he’s caused. i will never forget the excitement i felt every time i read there will be an interview with him or that he would appear at award shows on behalf of 1D. i will never forget how he snatched that brit award from simon cowell. i will never forget how he went to see the other boys on tour. i will never forget how he came to support louis at his film premiere. i will always and forever remember him for his good deeds and only them (hate me or love me for it idc). for me liam will stay as that ray of sunshine who poured water on harry just to annoy louis. i will remember him as the most supportive member of the band. i will remember him as the person who co-wrote so many songs with louis and as the person who changed the sound of 1D. i will forever remember him for his snake habitat tweet, the guy who was afraid of spoons and who changed his whole twitter account on niall’s birthday and became a ms horan for a day so that he could cheer people up. i can’t stop crying while writing all this. i love you liam forever and always. be at peace in the place you are now and rest easy. i will never ever forget you and the happiness i felt because of you. rip payno 🧡❤️‍🩹