#i could never pick a style and stick to it... doesn't come to me naturally...

[bukashki]

grateful to my comic for giving me a chance to practice drawing a hundred shades of distressed expressions 👍

[detectivedarling]

Metaphors

I had the very lovely opportunity to participate in @ecto-implosion this year! My partner was the delightful @stockincereal, who provided an original artwork for me to base a story of! Please do check out my first dip into the phandom fic writing space, with this Choose Your Own Adventure styled Fairly Oddparents crossover~

I didn't want to risk spoiling anyone reading the fic with my authors notes, so I have put my thoughts under the read more for you to check out at your leisure.

There are four ending total in Metaphors - two that branch off from picking Maddies gift, and two from picking Jacks. Both sets come from Timmy asking the reader to choose between wishing or not, but depending on the gift chosen they vary wildly.

Maddies route leads to the endings Chloe, from not wishing, and Sugar, from wishing. The last scene of Chloe is actually some of the first writing I did for this fic, while still in the brainstorming and idea sharing phase. Stock told me about the character, a girl Timmy's age who had to share fairies with him in the later seasons, and they made it so compelling I couldn't help myself from wanting to play around with that story.

In this world, Chloe and Timmy never had to share fairies - she was simply a neighborhood kid that also had one, the fairy dog Sparky. Her and Timmy discovered they both had fairies, and it formed a friendship based around each being the only person the other could talk about fairies with.

But fairies aren't permanent. They're only there to help the godchild for a short while, until the problems in that kids life is addressed and fixed enough for them not to need a fairy anymore. Timmy is a rare case for how long he's kept his fairies, and Chloe lost hers just a short time before the Fentons came for a visit. It's something Timmy couldn't talk with anyone about, because no one else could know that Chloe used to have a fairy, not even her. For Timmy only, it's like his friend suddenly got amnesia, and no one else knows.

And even though he can't tell Jazz exactly what the problem is, it still helps to talk about it, and trying to reach out to Chloe and build something new.

It's very similar to the no-wish ending on Jacks route, Fairies. Timmy and Jazz talk in that one as well, but not about Chloe. Timmy's loss of their friendship is a symptom, and in Fairies, they come closer to addressing the cause - his fairies. Because they were only meant to be with him for a few months, not the years it has been. And part of that is due to Timmy being so terrified of losing them that he refuses to even try and fix the problems in his life long term.

Jazz' talk of struggles with showering comes from personal history. I wanted to find something similar but different for her, but just couldn't think of anything else that said what I wanted it to the same way. Well, not any that felt more in character, at least. My autistic elder sister girliepop<33

What hides inside Timmy is a deep belief that it will never be better. Not without his fairies. He can only imagine change being temporary, episodic in nature. When he thinks about fixing anything in his life, from Vicky to school to his parents, he can never imagine it sticking. He sees himself try more in class, work harder, only for everyone to get their expectations up and be disappointment when he inevitably fails. Because nothing will ever get easier - he will just suck it up until he can't anymore.

His fairy godparents embody and augment this fear. He knows they'll leave if they think he doesn't need them anymore, and he can never imagine not needing them - only pretend to, and loose them forever.

It's a rough conversation for him, but it's a good one. One he needed.

Sugar, the ending that comes from wishing after picking Maddie's gift, has far less impact on Timmy's life. He's spared from difficult talks and reflection, but that also doesn't fix anything. But hey, now that Danny knows about fairies, he might be able to actually talk about them in full, one day in the future.

This ending came from me wanting something simpler. Danny isn't one to have a full heart to heart, but the idea of him becoming a little like Jazz is to him for Timmy, knowing his secret but not letting that fact slip, was just fun. Hopefully he will get to actually talk with Timmy's godparents one day, and not just hide in the shadows.

The last ending I wrote, Loss, is unique in more ways than one. Dubbed the 'Bad Ending', it comes after picking Jacks gift, with the ghost weapon that sets Danny off, and wishing, which makes Timmy wish for everyone to forget him and lead Danny to come to wrong conclusion. For all that Timmy's childish and magical perception of the world was what was supposed to give the fic title Metaphors it's meaning, they forced their way quite heavily into Danny's pov as well.

I had something close to the idea of that ending for a long time, but struggled a lot with the execution. I wanted Danny's discovery to result in the fairies leaving Timmy - but I also Didn't want that to happen in the Sugar ending. It came to me while driving home, and I could barely stop myself from speeding to get to my keyboard faster.

The problem in Loss isn't that Danny knows - just like genies and other magical beings can know that Timmy has fairy godparents, so can ghosts. The problem is that Danny, freaking out over the strange magic and missing kid, tears through the magic enough for the glamour to fall and everyone else to discover it.

Could the fairies have magicked everyone to forget? Seems so, even though canon makes it into a big deal, but Danny will always know, and they can't trust him not to do it again.

Now is the moment I realize why I write these in the authors note, because there I get self conscious over the length and don't ramble on for too long. Whoopsie.

[bermudianabroad]

2024 Reading Roundup

Finally getting around to (semi)thoughtful thoughts about the books what I read last year.

But first I'm going to indulge in some stats chat: one thing I'm interested in is how often I pick up works in translation and this year, only 8% were originally published in a language other than English (Japanese x2, Korean, Arabic and Spanish). Looking back at previous years, I've been hovering around 14% so this sort of surprised me. Have a loose goal of aiming for around a quarter of the books I read to be translated (for no particular reason, just keeps things varied and interesting).

And zero poetry this year. Usually I revisit old favourites, but nope. No change with number of non fiction books: just under 20%.

Still using the library more than any other means, but as usual, of the 18 books I purchased, I read... 7 lol. I'll get around to them eventually, I swear.

Started using audiobooks more often this year, but found I'd get partway through before swapping to print. Particularly for fiction. Spoken fiction just doesn't stick in my head. Non fiction does though. For whatever reason I find it easier to listen to and digest.

Now for opinions. Narrowed down my favourites to these:

The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff: This was hypnotic. Read it in a day pretty much, just got sucked in and stayed there. Transcendental fever dream. And my view of it was probably shaped by going to see the author just after and hearing her thoughts about it. A little peak behind the curtain that inhanced the experience. I enjoyed how it subverted elements of the survival narrative (nature as something to be overcome; nature's 'cruel indifference' as it's own kind of freedom.) I'll be banging the Vaster Wilds drum for a while yet.

James by Percival Everett: I listened to the audiobook and the voice actor... (need to look him up) was fantastic. Really expressive in a way that wasn't.... encumbered by the weight of the subject matter. Still, it's one I would like to revisit in print as I found myself having to rewind and relisten often. Haven't read Huck Finn, but I don't think that was to my disadvantage. It stood on it's own. Strikes a fine balance with the humour in moments of profound darkness.

Cursed Bread by Sophie Mackintosh: delightfully weird gothic horror. Ergot poisoning wrecks havoc in a small French town in the 1950s. Told from the POV of the baker's wife, who becomes obsessed with the new ambassador's wife. Sensual shenanigans ensue amid uneasy visions. Non linear, and a touch confusing at times, but certainly worth the effort. Very memorable.

Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham: Non fiction. I came away from this feeling as though a) I truly understood how a nuclear power plant works, and b) I could talk intelligently about how a nuclear power plant works. That's a feat pulled off with no little skill, so kudos to Higginbotham's writing talent. He manages to make dry blueprint facts thrilling, while never sensationalising the very real human cost and impact of the disaster. Certified Higginbotham fangirl now, especially after reading Challenger as well.

And as an aside, I appreciate this very specific niche he's filling, writing about Major Events of 1986 That Happened Only Weeks Apart. Curious to know if he keeps it up with his next book.

Special Mentions to:

Minor Detail by Adania Shibli: Not an easy read, technically and in terms of subject, but it stuck with me long after I read it. At first the writing style comes across as very dry and... monotone, but even saying that seems deceptively simple. On a sentence level, there was something really interesting about how Shilbli maintains dread and tension. Maybe a difficult to recommend outright, but worth exploring all the same.

Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford: more intrigued by the premise than the execution with this one. Homage to classic noir, and very well done in that respect, with some alternative timeline, branching history thrown in. Cahokia is a city state within the US, under indigenous government/monarchy, and our hard boiled detective becomes embroiled in grim and shady politics. Some plot points seemed lifted straight out of Chinatown (not a dig) and a great deal of it was compelling, but it sagged between striking visuals. Much focus ended up being on the movement of characters between scenes.

West by Carys Davies and Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan were both polished little gems. West was charming, if ultimately tragic, and Small Things tragic, with an air of hope.

Glitterland by Alexis Hall was another audiobook and one that surprised me utterly. Chalk and cheese romance between a fluff headed model and a struggling in every sense of the word novelist. It goes BIG on the emotions but still managed to be sweet, not cloying.

And finally Special Mention, But Only Because I Hate Read Them: The Coddling of the Anxious Folk etc etc. by Haidt et al. Cherry picked anecdata galore! Basically sensible 'All Things in Moderation' advice dressed up as sneering moral panic. If Books Could Kill did focus episodes on each of these, so recommend listening to them instead.

[sonic-love-island-official]

Amy (Bio/Character design ramble)

Oh, Amy, my sweetheart <3 Her bio & design ramble is finally here ! (under the cut x)

Amy Rose is a 22 year-old small business owner from Central City. She comes onto the Island (as an og), with the intention of finding her soulmate.

Amy is a girl who just radiates sunshine. Her bright, bubbly disposition and kind nature makes her a focal point in the villa, whether she's aware of it or not. Amy is extremely intuitive, strong-willed and has a good judgement of character, leading her to make accurate decisions surrounding her connections with the other Islanders. A true force of nature, Amy has a natural aptitude for impacting the lives of everyone she meets, with her gentle consideration or with her fiery wrath. In spite of her age, Amy comes with a handful of mature, sensible values and boundaries. But that doesn't hold back her juvenile dream of a white-picket-fence future, seen through her rose-tinted glasses...

External design choices !! (visual appearance - incl. formation of base sim, references taken, makeup choices, fashion style... etc.)

I'll try my best to describe strictly the similarities between Amy's sim translation and her canon, hedgehog counterpart, as it was my sister who created her sim !

Amy, much like Sonic, has very round facial features and Amy’s sim counterpart takes on those features as well. Her face and eyes retain as much of their soft shape and when Amy puffs her cheeks (image 4), it becomes all the more prominent. Canon Amy has a much smaller, button-shaped nose than the likes of Sonic or Shadow, and I feel like that also translated well into her sim. Can I just appreciate here that her lips are so 💕💕

For her hair, keeping her bob-cut was the direction we took. A lot of people like to depict Amy with longer hair/quills to signify she's grown up (personally, this idea never sits right with me for some reason ?? Maybe it's because I'm a short-haired girlie myself), but for this human AU, and to make Amy look as close to Amy as possible, sticking with the short hair was the way to go. We directly colour picked the RGB code from her modern canon design as well. All in all, this hair really suits her and is perfect for any occasion (it's got to be one of my favourite CC hairs we have too. It's beautiful). Additionally, there's a small hint of blonde in her roots, as my sister headcanons Human! Amy to be a natural blonde.

Another detail that's included in Amy's design is her fitness. Amy's canon and sim translation are both very active and physically strong, but it doesn't quite look like it ? They both have fairly thin arms, yet could haul something ten times their own size. Due to Amy's (sim) skin overlay, she has a set of abs beneath that swimsuit and I think that is so fitting for her character. Her skin tone has pinkish undertones as well, I've noticed, and I like that that plays quite nicely into her overall design.

I've yet to mention Amy's number one talent: she suits everything. Put any item of clothing, in any colour on Amy and she looks impeccable. Therefore, she has no set style ! Of course, she gravitates towards brighter colours and cutesy items, but she's been dressed in countless different things purely because it's impossible to go wrong with her. Amy's one of my personal favourites to make outfits for, just because her model is that versatile.

Amy's makeup began very simple. A red/pink glossy lipstick, highlighter, blush and a small winged eyeliner. That has been kept fairly consistent (I don't imagine Amy wears a ton of makeup on a day to day basis on the outside) with some variations. Other times, if she's making a statement, she'll branch out and go for something more bold, but more often than not, Amy likes to keep her look quite soft and in a colour palette suited to her.

Internal design choices !! (personality, characteristics, psychology)

I've really grown to love and admire Amy's character over time, and there's some aspects of her character that shine the brightest. I want to honour that in this project; she's truly a gem. As for my sister, she's an Amy kinnie, so she doesn't need to analyse Amy's character as much as I do when it comes to writing for her.

Amy, like the others, is a mixture of her characterisations throughout Sonic media. For the most part, she's the Amy of the game continuity: a bundle of positive energy. Persistent, selfless, bright-eyed with optimism, but also sometimes hot-headed, overbearing and a little obsessive. She's so shamelessly herself that stripping anything away from what makes Amy Amy felt criminal. Some of the Islanders may try and tear her down (and some almost succeed), but her indomitable will is immortal. Three cheers to Amy being Amy because she's incredible <3

Amy also prominently exhibits behaviours more akin to her Sonic Boom and Frontiers characterisation when it comes to maturity. Amy is still young, and she makes that evident in her words, actions and ideals, but the way she navigates her relationships with others is so much more adult than even the older Islanders. She can set healthy boundaries, address the tough stuff when needed while also having reasonable expectations, despite her 'hopeless romantic' inclination.

Even so, that side of her runs deep. Amy's prone to flights of fancy. That little girl that dreams of finding true love, getting married and living happily ever after lives on within her. Amy's journey is about finding the balance between idealism and seeing things from a more realistic standpoint (which she very well knows how to do !! It's all in convincing herself that this balance is already present within her).

Fun facts / trivia :

Upon entering the villa, Amy is accompanied by her beloved soft toy, Birdie — a reference to the Flicky she assisted in Sonic Adventure.

Even though Amy isn't anyone of influential status, she surprisingly is well-connected with famous faces within the AU.

Amy used to live in an apartment in Station Square, prior to The Flood.

[mrbexwrites]

Writerly Questionnaire Tag

Tagged by @cowboybrunch a long while back- sorry Sav that it's taken me so long to get to this!

About You

When did you start writing?

I've always sort of written- ever since I could write. It's just been one of those innate parts of me, that I can't really pinpoint exactly when it started. I've always had a catalogue of stories in my head, but it's only been recently (since 2020-ish) that I've made a conscious effort to set time aside and write. I've been writing novels/WIPS since I was a teenager, but always on/off. (It took me close to ten years to finish my first WIP because I wasn't very strict about writing time!)

Are the genres/themes you enjoy reading different from the ones you write?

I love Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Crime, Thrillers, etc as a reader, and I mostly write urban fantasy. That said, if someone gifts me a book, I will read it- regardless of genre- which has allowed me to read some amazing stuff (and equally terrible books!) that I wouldn't normally pick up.

Is there an author (or just a fellow writer!) you want to emulate, or one to whom you’re often compared?

I think my writing style is probably closest to Jacqueline Carey (or at least, who I like to think my writing is comparable to, but it could just be that she writes first person pov fantasy books, and that's where the similarity ends!) There are so many Writblrs on here who I am just in awe of and would happily sell my soul to have half as much talent as them @words-after-midnight @sarahlizziewrites @queen-tashie @cowboybrunch @surroundedbypearls... the list is exhaustive, and I can't just copy/paste my mutuals onto this, as otherwise, it'll probably be marked as spam!!

Can you tell me a little about your writing space(s)? (Room, coffee shop, desk, etc.)

I mostly write in my bed with my laptop, because I am a goblin. I do have a desk, but I don't really use it as it's a Work From Home space that was leftover from lockdown, and I don't want to associate fun-hobby with real-life-work-shit. So bed or sofa, mostly, curled under a blanket with a cup of tea.

What’s your most effective way to muster up some muse?

I stick in my headphones, listen to the music on my old MP3 player (honestly, it's so old guys, it has all the songs I've enjoyed since my first 128mps MP3 player- nothing gets deleted, just added.) and I go for a walk. I'm lucky to have a small loch/nature reserve near my house, so I walk through that, enjoying the surroundings while my brain soaks in the familiar music, and just resets my creative juices.

Did the place(s) you grew up in influence the people and places you write about?

I think so- I definitely have a dark sense of humour thanks to my job, but also just Scottish people in general. We're bleak for the most part- limited sunlight and a lot of rain will do that to a people. Memento Mori Part I is set mostly in an area of Glasgow that I'm familiar with. The canal that I used to cycle along on my way to work features quite heavily.

Are there any recurring themes in your writing, and if so, do they surprise you at all?

Found-family, building the life you want, trying to be a better person despite the odds, trying to do the right thing...I have noticed a pattern with the tropes that I add to all my characters, in addition to the trauma I give them. Therapy is expensive, and OCs are easy to come by!

Your Characters

Would you please tell me about your current favorite character? (Current WIP, past WIP, never used, etc.)

Mavis is my current favourite, mostly because I've been writing her story. She's more fun than my usual OCs, because she doesn't give a f*ck, and that's really liberating. Morgana is dear to my heart, but she carries a lot of my anxiety. Ylarae, my first proper OC from a book series that I started to write over twenty years ago (f*ck, I'm so old) will always be my favourite however; she took a lot of my childhood/teenaged angst and just rolled with it.

Which of your characters do you think you’d be friends with in real life?

Morgana, because we're so similar. We'd probably meet in a support group for generalised anxiety! But I'd *love* to be friends with Avery, because they're everything I'm not; carefree, exuberant and hedonistic!

Which of your characters would you dislike the most if you met them?

Caleb- he has a lot of my exes' personality traits (like I said, OCs are easier to come by than therapy!). My antagonists, I mostly try to humanise and try to understand their reasoning, but Caleb is just a c*nt. 👍

Tell me about the process of coming up with of one, all, or any of your characters.

My brain hallucinates them, and just makes them... They just appear. That's pretty much all there is to it. I don't know how it happens...it just does.

Do you notice any recurring themes/traits among your characters?

Lip biting; I didn't realise how much my OCs bite/chew their own lips. It's only when I re-read a first draft, I'm like "Again?! Really!". I add it a lot, apparently.

How do you picture them? (As real people you imagined, as models/actors who exist in real life, as imaginary artwork, as artwork you made or commissioned, anime style, etc.)

Because they just pop into my head, they appear as their own people, fully visualised by my imagination. I'd love to commission some art, but then I'd have to try to help someone else see the picture that I see in my head when I think of that character, and we all know, my descriptions are shit! But that said, I'd like to see what an artist would be able to come up with based on my ramblings! In a morbid curiosity kind of way!

Your Writing

What’s your reason for writing?

As previously stated- it's always been a bit of a thing. I just like to make up little stories and write them down.

Is there a specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating coming from your readers?

Tbh, any sort of attention is nice, and bonus points if it's something nice, or constructively critical. I'm aware that I;m not a *great* writer, but I'd like to get better. So a comment saying something went well, or could be improved upon by using x or y, is always appreciated. I'm my own worst critic, so having some outside perspective is reassuring but also terrifying!

How do you feel about your own writing? (Answer in whatever way you interpret this question.)

I swing between thinking I'm a genius at times, then feel guilty about being a narcissist! Whilst at the same time, cringing internally at how basic and lame my WIPs are. There is no middle ground- it's these two moods or nothing. Good/Bad, nothing in between, but seeing other people's posts, it seems to just be a writer thing, which is very reassuring to me.

If you were the last person on earth and knew your writing would never be read by another human, would you still write?

Probably- It would fill the time, and probably help me manage my anxiety about the lack of clean drinking water, food, antibiotics, the horror of watching everyone else I love die, the guilt of being the sole survivor....the crushing weight of reality...

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, or do you write purely what you enjoy? If it’s a mix of the two, which holds the most influence?

I write for me, and me only. It's nice if other people enjoy it, but ultimately, I'm never going to be a published author, and I enjoy the freedom of just being able to write my silly little WIPs. I don't have the energy to keep myself happy, let alone other people!!

[pyrettawychwiggin]

JJK Men - They Surprise You By Playing An Instrument (With Spotify Links)

Bonus: What do their singing voices sound like? 🎤

Includes: Gojo, Megumi (aged up), Nanami, Geto, Choso

- Each entry has a little mini-story to go along with it. If people enjoy this series, I may write a series about their reactions to you surprising them with your musical skills.

If y'all want to see entries for other characters that haven't been listed in this post, let me know in the comments and I may continue the series ♡ (Tumblr has a limit on the number of music tracks, so I had to keep it a bit short, here)

• Part 1 - Surprising You (Gojo, Megumi, Geto, Kento, Choso)

• Part 2 - Coming Soon...

Entries are below the cut.

Gojo Satoru | Multi - Talented

Gojo is a jack of all trades, but a master of none (aside from his vocals, which are completely flawless). He can play a little bit of everything from piano to guitar, from drums to violin. He also plays a small amount of a few assorted instruments like the theremin and the accordion; not because he wanted to specifically learn how to play them, but for the sole purpose of breaking out one of those skills to shock and amuse the people around him. That's just how he rolls (that and he doesn't keep at each instrument for long before he loses interest and moves on to something else).

Can he sing? 🎤 His singing is his best instrument by far. Between his effortlessly cool demeanor and natural vocal chops, he's basically an idol; and he has the dance moves to match. His voice is smooth, and he is always perfectly on-key, even if he's dancing. While he can pull off any style of music, pop (specifically k-pop and j-pop) is where he shines the most.

('Open Mind' - WONHO)

Preface: you and Gojo have known each other for a couple years, and he has been particularly flirty with you for the past few weeks, turning what was a casual friendship into an ongoing game of cat-and-mouse to see who'll confess their feelings first.

You and Satoru sat side-by-side in the karaoke booth with your drinks, joking and laughing about your latest mission. It was karaoke night, and everyone was letting loose, belting out some classics and getting completely wasted.

"Yeah, no - I was out," you laughed. "Like, out-out."

"Just like that?!" Satoru let out a mock gasp. "I thought you were supposed to be invincible! That curse should've taken you five minutes tops."

"Um. Excuse me - that was a special grade, thankyouverymuch," you flicked the sorcerer on the forehead with a fake scowl. "Not all of us can be 'the strongest,' yeah?"

"So what happened next?" Satoru chortled, resting his chin on his knuckles as he gave you his rare, undivided attention. "You know - after you had your gorgeous ass handed to you."

"Pfft - well, Nanami managed to save my gorgeous ass right in the nick of time," you guffawed, taking another gulp of your drink. "He's a stick-in-the-mud, but damn if he isn't the most efficient sorcerer I've ever met."

"Second most efficient...?" Satoru leaned against your shoulder, pulling the side of his blindfold down to reveal a single blue eye with impossibly long snow-kissed eyelashes, batting it comically up at you with a pout.

"I said what I said," you poked him in the nose and stuck out your tongue.

"E m o t i o n a l d a m a g e !" He cried with an expression of mock horror before gesturing to himself with a flourish. "You really gonna pick Nanamin over all this?!"

Before you could answer, one of your colleagues called out. "Gojo! You're on-deck!"

"Yeah! Got it!" Satoru waved at the voice before returning his attention back to you, winking with a smirk. "Any requests?"

"My vote's for 'Barbie Girl," you shrugged with a sly grin. "But I've got half a mind to dare you to Rickroll the place. I've never even heard you sing, come to think of it."

"You're in for a treat then, sweetness."

He slid out of his seat and stretched, blowing you a kiss before setting his blindfold on the table in front of you. He gave you a knowing smile with a wink of his devastatingly blue eyes, and you shook your head with a blush. He knows exactly what those eyes do to me. Bastard...

You watched him take his place in front of the small, familiar crowd, raising an eyebrow as he settled into a starting pose, microphone in-hand.

As the music started playing, you raised an eyebrow at Satoru's perfect, suave dance maneuvers, but this wasn't overly surprising. You'd been out dancing with him before, so you already knew he had moves - but when he opened his mouth and started singing, your jaw hit the floor.

Every note was perfect, almost as if he was lip-syncing, but you could never mistake the energy and charisma of his voice, even when he sang. Despite the fact that he was dancing perfectly, his tone never wavered in the slightest. You found yourself cheering him on alongside your colleagues when the music swelled into an interlude.

He approached your section of the table, making direct eye contact with you as he continued, leaning over the surface and drifting his hand across your cheek as he sang directly to you. He hovered an inch away from your lips before returning to the floor to finish the song, leaving you breathless.

He hit his final pose to enthusiastic applause and handed the microphone to the next person. Settling back into the booth beside you, he let out a puff of air to flutter his bangs out of his crystalline eyes.

"Be honest - you're a Gojo stan, now," he chuckled, tossing his arms behind his head with a prideful wiggle.

"This booth is way too small for your ego to get any bigger than it already is," you teased. You grabbed his blindfold and started fitting it over his head, pulling it down over his eyes before leaning in and planting your lips softly on his. The moment your mouth was on his, it's as if he had been waiting for this moment all his life, sparing no time in wrapping one arm around your waist to pull your chest into his, his other hand resting on your jaw so he could deepen the kiss. When you started to pull away, he pulled your head right back, kissing you with a hunger that made your head spin. "Not done, yet."

The two of you basically made out for a few more minutes before you finally stopped, breathing heavy, forehead-to-forehead. Satoru let out a breathless chuckle.

"I need to sing for you more often..."

| ♡ | ♡ | ♡ | ♡ | ♡ |

Megumi Fushiguro | Cello

Preface: you and Megumi have been acquaintances for a while, but have started to get closer over the past year. You are both comfortable around the other's presence, and while you both clearly seem to have deeper feelings for each other, you've both been dancing around the idea of 'more' for weeks, maybe even months.

('Darkside - For Cello and Piano' - GnuS Cello)

You waited at the foot of the makeshift stage, holding your breath as you took in the sight before you. Megumi, who you've known since you started training as a Jujutsu Sorcerer, sat in the center of the stage, a ebony black cello propped between his legs and rested gently against his chest as he waited for the cue from the piano track. When his eyes found yours in the crowd, they widened as if he hadn't expected to see you there. You gave him a subtle smile and two thumbs of encouragement, causing him to avert his gaze with what looked like a sheepish pout as his nose and cheeks took on a reddish hue. He was more comfortable around you than most people, but when you looked at him with so much adoration, it made his heart tighten in the most wonderfully uncomfortable way.

Otherwise, his face seemed calm, but you could tell he felt as though he'd never felt more uneasy than he did in this moment. You, just like every other senior student, had been roped into this impromptu 'talent show' by one of your more... eccentric instructors. They had cited their reasoning as a team-building exercise, or some sort of comradery-based activity, but it had you all scrambling to think of how to avoid making complete asses of yourself in front of your peers. You counted yourself fortunate that you had already gotten your own performance out of the way the day before.

The last thing you (or anyone, really) had expected was for Megumi to show up at all, much less with an instrument.

From the first series of notes, Megumi's skill was apparent. Each note was measured, smooth, resonant and precise - his fingers pressing on the neck, his eyes closed so as to block out the hundreds of eyes that were on him. Despite the fact that you could almost hear him internally cursing the instructor for putting him in this position, each note was expressive and filled with grace.

As he allowed the final note to ring throughout the crowd, his eyes opened to find yours once more. The crowd erupted in shocked applause, but in this moment, all he could focus on was you as you clapped and beamed up at him with pride and awe. You saw the faintest ghost of a smile before he stood and stalked off stage.

You continued to watch the performances, still reeling from Megumi's song, when you felt a presence beside you. Turning to see Megumi standing with his hands in his pockets, looking up at the stage, seemingly avoiding looking directly at you as you practically bounced with excitement. Feeling your eyes on him, he scowled and spoke through gritted teeth.

"Don't. Say. A. Word."

"Say what? I wasn't going to say anything," you whispered nonchalantly, turning back to the stage, but keeping your sidelong grin at him. You waited for his shoulders to start to relax when you continued. "But I mean...you were amazing."

Megumi grumbled and shook his head, playfully bumping against your arm with his own, letting out a snort of derision to your praise with an eyeroll, but seeing the ghost of a smile on his lips and the persisting pinkness in his cheeks, you could tell he was quietly elated. You couldn't help but notice that he remained with his arm against yours, subtly enjoying the feeling of being a little closer to you. In a moment of boldness, you slid your hand into his, half-expecting him to pull away, but he wordlessly laced his fingers with yours. Gently leaning your head on his shoulder, you smiled as you felt him rest his chin on the top of your head, resting his lips against your hair with the ghost of a kiss. When he spoke, he was so quiet that you almost didn't catch it.

"I'm glad you liked it."

('Engravings' - Ethan Bortnick)

Can he sing? 🎤 If he really tried? Sure. But he doesn't like to, nor does he want to. The most you'll get out of him is a low hum that is barely audible, and even then, you'd only hear it if he was sure no one was in earshot. If he were to really sing, he would have a warm tone with a breathy rasp to it that would give his vocals a unique edge.

The first time you heard him sing was about three years into your relationship. He had recently given you the key to his apartment so you could come and go as you pleased. You'd decided to head over one evening, but he hadn't gotten the text notification from you that said you were coming over.

As you unlocked the door and cracked the front door open, you could hear the sound of a fast-paced song with chaotic piano notes and a deep beat. As you headed further into the house, you started to hear a voice singing and you could hardly believe what you were hearing.

He has fantastic speakers; it's as if the singer is right here in the apartment with us...

As you cracked open the door to the room the music was coming from, your heart leapt into your throat. The voice wasn't from the singer - it was Megumi himself, completely unaware that you were watching.

You debated with yourself as to whether or not you should tell him you had arrived when he turned to see you and nearly shit bricks.

"Shit!" he hissed, scrambling to turn off the music. "Don't you knock?!"

"Sorry, baby," you couldn't help but laugh, seeing his face go completely red, folding his arms, utterly mortified. You sighed and wrapped your arms around him, feeling him slump over your shoulder with a groan. "I did text you. If it's any consolation, I thought you sounded great."

"Well, don't get used to it..." he grumbled.

Going forward, you would only hear him sing a small handful of times, and it was only ever around you, but you liked hearing it nonetheless.

| ♡ | ♡ | ♡ | ♡ | ♡ |

Nanami Kento | Piano

Preface: you and Kento have been in a relationship for about one year at the time of this story. The two of you are about to take your very first vacation together to celebrate your first anniversary, but mother nature has other plans.

('Kiss the Rain' - Yiruma)

Heavy raindrops beat mercilessly against the windows of the airport gate's observation area. You and Kento waited patiently in the seating area for your flight that had already been delayed by two hours. He sat comfortably with his right leg crossed over his left, an arm rested on the top of the chair behind you, fingers trailing idly along the outside of your arm, the other holding a book open, tilted slightly your way so you could follow along. You'd been resting your cheek on his shoulder, reading contentedly with him when the all-too-familiar sound of an incoming announcement rang through the airport.

'Attention, passengers. Flight JAL10 to Kuantan has been delayed due to poor weather conditions. We are expecting an extended delay of approximately two hours. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience. Please see our customer service desk if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you for flying with us today.'

A collective groan sounded among the passengers at your shared gate. You exchanged a look with Kento as you both let out a sigh.

"I guess we're going to be here for a while," you sighed and eyeballed the remaining pages of the book to see you'd both already read through nearly three quarters of it. "We need to read slower."

He chuckled and placed the ribbon bookmark between the pages, shutting it and tucking it away in the carry-on bag.

"We've already been sitting here for over two hours, love. Let's stretch our legs."

"Good call." You rose to your feet and stretched with a yawn. "I think the airport coffee shop should be opening soon, anyways. I could use the pick-me-up."

"We have plenty time," Kento replied, checking his silver wristwatch. "Let's start making our way over there."

He offered his arm to you with an easy smile. You looped your arm into his and matched his stride. As the two of you walked side-by-side, you passed by what appeared to be a grand piano, set to the side of the walking area. Beside the piano was a sign that read.

'Free to play; please be respectful.'

Kento started making his way over to the piano, sitting on the bench. You followed suit, taking a seat beside him.

"This is a Steinway & Sons grand..." He took a moment to appreciate the quality of the instrument. "They must be insane; putting this out for public use like this."

"Kento, do you play?" you asked, watching him place his nimble fingers on the keys.

"It's been a while," he replied. "I'm not sure how much I'll remember. Let's see.."

You listened in awe as he started to play, each note resounding throughout the large, empty hall. His fingers glided along the keys in a way that made it look effortless. The expressions that often stayed hidden behind his carefully-maintained professional exterior bled through every note he played in a way that made your heart swell.

It took you about a minute to realize where you'd heard this song before.

(1 Year Ago...)

The two of you had been sent abroad to hunt down a particularly nasty curse, and after a successful mission, he'd asked you out to dinner to celebrate.

Kento had always been a gentleman to you, but things felt different that night. You'd agreed to meet in the hotel lobby so you could head to the restaurant together, but he had specifically instructed that the restaurant was high-end.

"I've already gotten the funds approved," he'd said before you could retort. "It'll all be covered as a business expense, seeing as how we finished up here two days ahead of schedule."

After having one final look at yourself in the mirror, you silently hoped what you chose would be appropriate. As you walked down the stairs of the lobby and saw his expression glow when his eyes landed on you, you knew you'd chosen well.

"You..." He was lost for words as you approached him, trailing off for a moment before regaining his composure. "Er, you have good taste."

"Thank you," you chuckled, reaching out to straighten his tie after noticing it looked a little askew. He averted his eyes and cleared his throat, ears turning bright red at the intimacy of your actions. "You have good taste as well, Nanami - as always."

"There's no need to be so formal with me tonight." He offered his arm to you with a rare smile that made your heart skip a beat. "Call me Kento."

When you'd arrived at the restaurant, you'd realized that spending time with Nanami...Kento, was as easy as breathing. It was a rare sight to see him relaxed since 90% of your time spent together was at work. Yet here, off the clock, he wore a soft smile, and he seemed far less rigid than usual.

As a beautiful song started playing from the piano by the dance floor, he'd surprised you by rising from his seat and offering his hand to you.

"Dance with me?"

As if your body was moving on it's own, you followed him onto the dance floor. He gently twirled you into his arms, leading you in a waltz, his firm but gentle hand rested on the small of your back, his other hand holding yours. You remember looking up into his eyes, hardly recognizing the man staring back at you. Seeing him without his tinted glasses was already a rare occasion, but seeing such tenderness in his otherwise ice-cold expression was practically unheard of.

You rested your cheek against his chest and were met with a low chuckle as he rested his chin on top of your head.

"I've wanted to take you out like this for some time," he said finally, not missing a beat as he continued to dance with you. "I know this might be a bit forward of me to ask, but..."

You peered up at him curiously, waiting for him to continue.

"Would you be opposed to allowing me to take you out like this more often?" He asked, eyes full of sincerity. "Perhaps in a more romantic capacity?"

You thought your heart would leap out of your chest on the spot. Beaming up at him, all you could muster was a giddy nod and, "Kento...I'd love that."

He let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, and stopped moving, the other couples continuing to dance unawares around you. As far as you were concerned, in this moment, there was only the two of you. He held your hand to his chest and, slipping the other by the line of your jaw, he started to bring his face closer to yours, waiting for you to close the distance further - or to push him away. You lifted onto your toes to meet his lips with your own, sharing in your first kiss; the first of many to come.

As you slipped back into the present moment, it dawned on you.

He's playing the song we had our first slow dance to...

As he played the last note, he kept his fingers rested on the keys, allowing the echo to fade.

"Kento..."

He turned to meet your gaze but gasped when he noticed your eyes welling with tears.

"Honey, are you alright?" he brought his hands up to your cheeks, gently wiping away a stray tear with his thumb, eyes filled with concern. "Why are you crying?"

"I remember that song...and you played it so beautifully..." you mumbled, bumping your forehead into his chest to hide your face. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around you. "You never told me you were a pianist."

"I'm not a pianist - I just happened to learn how to play when I was younger." He gently ran his hand down the back of your head, whispering in your ear. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry."

You sniffled and peeked up at him from his chest. "...do it again."

Your reaction earned you a rare laugh from Kento as he brought your chin up to meet his gaze before planting a feather-soft kiss on your lips. "Anything for you, love. What do you want to hear?"

('9 Crimes (Demo)' - Damien Rice)

Can he sing? 🎤 He's not bad, actually! His voice is best-suited to acoustic, soft grunge and indie rock. He has a sharp, nasally quality to his voice, but he's able to maintain slightly deeper registers smoothly and with ease. Though he enjoys singing when he's certain he's alone, he does NOT want anyone else hearing him sing since it makes him feel silly.

However, one night in particular, you and a tiiiiiiiiny handful of coworkers actually got to hear him sing once at karaoke, but everyone was so drunk neither he nor anyone else really remembers, but seeing as how you were the designated driver that night, you remember every little detail. You remember Gojo attempting to prank Kento by swearing up and down that you had a thing for men who could sing, thinking he'd make an ass out of himself, and to everyone's drunken shock, he managed to belt out the sweetest cover of '9 Crimes' you think you've ever heard. Everyone cheered, but no one cheered more enthusiastically than you did (except maybe a very proud, intoxicated Gojo who gushed something about how your babies would be beautiful AND talented).

The next day, you had mercy for a very hungover Kento who filed through paperwork at his desk, but you were softly humming the song under your breath to yourself throughout the day.

The two of you actually started dating about a month later. Eventually, you did tell him about that night, and he was completely mortified. However, when you insisted that you wished he would sing more, and that you actually loved how he sounded, it was one of the few times you've ever seen the unshakeable Nanami Kento truly flustered.

"Yes, well..." he pinched the bridge of his nose and cleared his throat. "I suppose, if it's only for you, I can be convinced..."

| ♡ | ♡ | ♡ | ♡ | ♡ |

Suguru Geto | Shamisen

Preface: Suguru, who you've been dating for a just shy of a year, hasn't been himself, lately. The only thing in life he's been able to find solace in has been spending time with you. For the past few weeks, he's been unable to fall asleep without you in his arms, so you've been spending your evenings with him.

('Furinkazan -Tsuki Sayu Yoru-' - Hiromitsu Agatsuma, Chen Min, Akira Senju)

You had curled up with Geto on his bed, his head resting on your chest while his arms tugged tightly around your waist to hold you close. His eyes were closed and his breathing was deep as he sought out his peace by listening to your steady heartbeat and took in the familiar sensation of your warmth.

This was how you had been spending most of your evenings lately; curled up with your boyfriend, helping him fend off the insomnia that had been brought on by his most-recent trauma. Even when he did fall asleep, sometimes he would wake up with a gasp, having returned to that awful memory that made him feel this way to begin with, but it was better than no sleep at all. By this point, you'd had returned to your own room, and he'd have to try to fall asleep again without you.

While you relaxed in comfortable silence, your eyes were drawn to an object in the room that hadn't been there the last few times you'd been over. A snakeskin stringed instrument resting on a wooden stand in the corner of the room.

"Geto, baby?" you whispered.

"Hm?" he hummed, tilting his chin up to look at you, a faint smile barely visible through his tired, bloodshot eyes. "Yes, my dear?"

"When did you get that?" you asked, tilting your chin over to the instrument.

"Ah, my shamisen?" he yawned. "I've always had that. Well, at least, ever since I was very young."

"I didn't know you played any instruments!" You snuggled him closer to you. "Is there anything you can't do?"

"Well, I can't stop loving you," he chuckled, climbing up to trap you under his arms, lowering his face to hover over your own. "Does that count?"

"I don't think it does," you giggled, blushing and snaking your arms around his neck to pull him closer for a quick kiss. "But I suppose I'll allow it."

"Kind of you," he whispered, returning his lips to yours and deepening the kiss before pulling away and rolling over to lie beside you, stroking your cheek with a soft smile.

"Can you play something for me?"

"Hmm..." Geto put a finger to his chin and regarded you with a fox-like grin. "Maybe. On one condition."

"Name it."

"Will you stay the night?" He asked quietly. Despite the grin that still painted his lips, you could see a sincerity in his eyes that was filled with genuine hope. Your heart skipped a beat at the implications of his request. Though you knew his request wasn't filled with any hidden intentions, he had to know how suggestive that sounded. "I promise I'll be on my best behaviour."

"Your best behaviour?" You chided and raised an eyebrow in jest. "That's no fun."

"Hah!" Geto let out a genuine laugh and bunted his forehead against yours with an affectionate nuzzle. "You're always so feisty."

"I will, though..." you spoke softly, feeling a heat in your cheeks, your skin tingling with excitement. "Stay the night, I mean."

"That's my darling." Geto pulled your knuckles up to his mouth and planted a kiss on them, holding your gaze for a few seconds before sitting up and walking across the room to pick up the instrument, settling on the floor and adjusting the tuning pegs with ease. You crawled over to sit in front of him, waiting with bated breath to hear him play.

As he started to strum the first few notes, your eyes widened, watching him expertly moving his fingers along the strings. Each strum was clean and clear; he played with the confidence of a practiced professional, eyes closed and a soft expression on his face. The only other times you'd seen him look this peaceful were when he was asleep in your arms; he was the absolute picture of serenity in this moment.

As he continued, his song became more complex and passionate, the tempo picking up, his brow furrowing only slightly as he continued to lose himself in his melody. His body swayed with the growing intensity of the final section of the song. As he strummed his final notes, he remained silent for a few seconds as you regarded him with breathless delight. When he opened his eyes, his gaze met yours and he smiled when you started clapping softly.

"Geto!" You gasped, bring your hands up to your lips. "That was incredible! You're incredible!"

"You flatter me far too much, my dear," he chortled, carefully resting the shamisen back on it's stand and offering you a hand so you could stand with him. He pulled you up into his arms and held you closer. "Still, your praise means more to me than most. Thank you."

You don't know how long he held you close to his chest like that, but you could have stayed in that moment forever if he'd let you. All too soon, he pulled away, leading you back to the bed.

"Shall we get comfortable, my dear...?"

('Letter' - VIINI)

Can he sing? 🎤 He is shockingly good. The rich, smooth tone of his voice melds well with Gojo's, and technically speaking, he may even have better range than Gojo. If Gojo is the pop star with the best upbeat hits and dance moves, Geto would've been the pop star with all the heart-breaking ballads. He unfortunately doesn't sing much, but he'll sing something for you in private anytime (especially since he knows how it makes your heart melt).

The first time you heard him sing was during your early days together when you'd just started spending time with Geto and Satoru. You and Geto hadn't started anything romantic, but there had been some friendly flirting and joking back-and-forth for a while. They'd invited you out for karaoke night with a few other sorcerers from the institute. You'd spent most of the evening enjoying watching the others perform, but when Gojo took the stage with a mindblowing performance that had you captivated, Geto decided he needed to show him up a little. You'd already been thoroughly impressed by Satoru's song, but as soon as Geto started singing, your jaw dropped and you're fairly certain you fell hopelessly in love on the spot.

He stayed seated on the stool with the microphone, but he made a point of holding your gaze the entire time, no matter how red your cheeks got. When he finished the last note, he took a seat by your side and wrapped an arm around you.

"What the hell was that?" you gasped.

Geto just chuckled and planted a kiss on the tips of your fingers.

"Well, I couldn't have you falling for Satoru without throwing my own hat in the ring." He tilted your chin up to face him with a smirk. "What did you think?"

"..Satoru who?" you sputtered, earning you a burst of laughter from Geto. You could hear Satoru from across the table whine 'hey!'

"That's my darling," he sighed, bringing your lips closer to his. "Come here..."

| ♡ | ♡ | ♡ | ♡ | ♡ |

Choso Kamo | Erhu

Preface: You and Choso have become extraordinarily close, and while you've been tip-toeing the line between friendship and romance, neither of you have managed to take the next step to actually define your relationship further. You are trying not to put any pressure on him as he's just learning how to really be human for the first time in his 150 years; and he is terrified of scaring you off, having convinced himself that there's no way in hell you feel the same about him, deciding he just needs to be happy with what he already has with you.

Everyone else already seems to be under the assumption that you're a couple since one is rarely (if ever) seen without the other.

('To Love's End' - Eliott Tordo)

"Have you picked up any hobbies, yet?"

"Hobbies?" Choso tilted his head curiously, uncertain of how to answer. "What do you mean by hobbies?"

"Well, er...what do you like to do?" You asked, gazing up fondly at the branches of the oak tree above your heads. "For fun, I mean?"

"Ah, for fun." Choso thought for moment. "Does training count as a hobby?"

"Training?" You chuckled. "I guess you could count that, though, I was talking more about things like arts, crafts, playing games; maybe music, even."

"Oh, I see." Choso put a finger to his lips, feeling a little lost on what to say. "I can't say I've really tried any of those things. Not yet, anyway."

He was about to ask what you did for fun when he noticed your eyes focus on something behind him just beyond the walkway of the park. A street performer had set up on the green space with a cherry wood violin, playing for passersby to hear. When he turned to face you again, he noticed your eyes sparkling with delight.

"Wow..." you sighed. "She's really good!"

The two of you spent another hour or so chatting and enjoying the spring weather on your favourite bench when you noticed the sun had started to set. It wasn't uncommon for you two to lose track of time here since this was one of your favourite places to spend time together.

"It's starting to get late," you yawned, stretching your arms above your head. "I ought to head back."

"Let me walk you home," Choso said quickly, rising to his feet, reaching out to help you up.

"O-okay..." you replied shyly. You counted yourself fortunate that your friend seemed oblivious to the way he made your heart swell with his thoughtfulness. I've met people who have been part of human society all their lives who could learn a thing or two about kindness from you, Choso...

As Choso walked you home, he was even quieter than usual, contemplating what the two of you had talked about during your day together. Once you'd arrived at your house, you reached out to give him a friendly hug. He held you only slightly longer than usual before you both let go. You bid him goodnight, turning and disappearing beyond the threshold. I can't quite explain why, but...

He turned and started making his way to the shopping district.

The way their face lit up when they were watching that street performer... He'd arrived at a local music shop, walking in and bowing in response to the shopkeeper's greeting. I want them to look at me like that.

He browsed the options, asking the shopkeeper for advice, hearing them play samples on each instrument that piqued his interest before he'd decided on one that sounded the most pleasing to his ear.

The erhu.

(1 Year Later...)

Choso had made practicing the erhu a daily part of his routine. Between reading books, watching instructional videos online, and through simple trial-and-error, he'd managed to get a fantastic handle on it. He'd spent the past few months in particular learning how to play a song that made him think of you.

He'd tried to work up the courage to show you; to use it as a chance to finally tell you what he'd been feeling for so long, but he'd lose his nerve every time. He eventually started to resign himself to the fact that maybe his nervousness was a sign that it would be unwise to reveal his feelings to you at all. After all, aside from Yuji, you'd become the only other person that he felt truly at home with; he couldn't stomach losing that.

"What's eating you?" A familiar voice snapped him out of his reverie. Choso looked to the side to see Yuki sliding up to the bar beside him, flagging down the bartender to order a drink. "You look even more morose than usual."

"Oh, Yuki; hello..." Choso greeted her with a faint smile before sighing and resting his chin on his knuckles. "I'm just...feeling a little stuck on something."

"I'm all ears," she said simply, shrugging. Choso was silent for a moment, but she waited patiently for him to continue.

"Being human is..." He began finally. "More complicated than I had ever imagined."

"Hah. Tell me something I don't know," she sighed with a wry smile, thanking the bartender with a wink when he slid her glass of wine her way. "You wanna be a little more specific, though?"

"I have this...friend," he started, shaking his head in confusion as he spoke, searching for the words that seemed to evade him. "Well, they're more than that, I think. At least, I want them to be more than that."

"I thought you were already together," Yuki raised an eyebrow, knowing exactly who he was talking about. "You two are practically attached at the hip - we all just kind of assumed."

"No, no," he chuckled, looking into his half-empty glass before his momentary amusement was overtaken by a frown. He explained to Yuki that he'd spent the past year learning to play an instrument in hopes of impressing you, and she practically burst out laughing.

"You mean to tell me you put your blood, sweat and tears into learning a skill like that just to impress them?" She shook her head in disbelief. "And they still haven't figured out how you feel?"

"Well, they don't know that I've been learning..." He replied sheepishly. "I wanted to surprise them with it. I just don't know if it's a good idea."

"Alright, look," she cleared her throat and downed the remainder of her already nearly-empty glass. "Nothing worth doing is ever easy. Okay, so you're nervous. Big deal."

Choso was taken aback by Yuki's bluntness, not knowing how to respond.

"Sometimes, you just need to take a deep breath and just try," she put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a shake of encouragement. "Besides, knowing them, even if they didn't feel the same - they're not the kind of person to hold it against you. Whether you're in a relationship or not, a friendship like that isn't so easily shrugged off."

"I suppose that makes sense," Choso sighed, still feeling uneasy about the whole thing.

"I've seen the way you two are together," she smiled, turning to stand before leaving him with one final thought. "Put yourself out there. See what happens. And if it all goes to hell, at least you'll have your answer. Good luck, big guy."

With a wave and a smile, she returned to her friends' table, leaving Choso alone with his thoughts.

He downed the remainder of his drink and pulled out his phone, setting it on the counter and staring at it for a few seconds.

Just put myself out there... He gulped. Picking up his phone, he brought up your message thread and took a deep breath, willing his fingers to type despite his trembling nerves. See what happens...

'Will you meet me at the usual place tomorrow at sunset?'

'Sure, Cho! Let's go for boba after, too!'

He chuckled at your usual thoughtfulness.

Yuki's right. Even if they don't feel the same, they wouldn't be cruel to me. Whatever they decide, I can respect their decision - as their friend or as something more...

(The Next Day)

Choso arrived at the base of the oak tree and hour before sunset, his erhu leaning against the trunk of the tree. The park was nearly empty, save for a small handful of stragglers, still waiting out the last couple hours of daylight before making their way home for the night. He fidgeted with the small bouquet of flowers he'd picked up on his way here, after getting some last-minute advice from Yuki.

They shouldn't be here for another half hour... He gulped, his leg bouncing nervously as he attempted, unsuccessfully to calm himself. I don't think I've ever been so nervous...

He sighed and brought his erhu out of it's case, carefully setting the bouquet down at the foot of the tree trunk. I have been finding that playing seems to calm my nerves. Maybe I'll feel better after I've practiced the song one more time before they get here...

Choso prepared the instrument, ensuring it was properly in-tune, settling into a playing position. By this point, the park was completely empty. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, starting to play the song, his thoughts filled of nothing but you. Allowing himself to get lost in the song, he didn't realize that you had already started to approach.

You heard him before you'd seen him. Walking along the pathway, the air was filled with a beautiful sound that almost seemed to transcend time and reality itself. In awe, you continued along the way until he was in view.

And then you saw him.

Just up the hill, under the oak tree, he stood, playing the most beautiful song you'd ever heard, completely unaware that you were watching. Careful not to disturb him, you decided to get closer, settling to sit on your knees on the soft grass in front of him.

He was beautiful.

As he drew out the final note, he let out a long, deep breath and slowly opened his eyes. When he looked down to see you gazing up at him, he gasped and nearly dropped the instrument.

"That was beautiful..." You sighed dreamily, beaming at the panicked man before you.

"No, no, no..." He stammered, shaking his head frantically as he set the erhu aside, quickly grabbing the bouquet and turning to face you. "It wasn't supposed to happen like this..."

"Huh?" You tilted your head in confusion. "What wasn't supposed to happen?"

"I-I got these for you," he stammered, dropping to his knees so he could be eye-level with you on the grass, offering you the fragrant bouquet of blood chrysanthemum and laceleaf.

"Cho..." you gasped, gently taking the bouquet in your arms. "That's so sweet of you! But...what's the occasion?"

Choso continued to trip and stumble over his words, hardly making any sense the long he went on.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down," you hushed him with a hand on his shoulder, holding eye contact with him to keep his attention on you, settling the bouquet on your lap. "Breathe with me for a moment, okay?"

"But I-"

"Breathe, Cho," you stressed. "Catch your breath, then start from the beginning. I'm not going anywhere."

"I...alright." He closed his eyes and breathed in deep through his nose, then out through his mouth, repeating this process a few times until he found his center. When his eyes opened, they were still filled with what you could only describe as a sort of...fear. But at least he was calm. "I had everything planned out."

You were unsure where this was going, but waited patiently for him to continue.

"Do you remember back when you asked if I'd had any hobbies; do you remember that musician that performed here that day?" He asked, looking up at you from under his eyebrows. You smiled to yourself, giggling internally at his puppy-like expressions; but you simply gave him a nod. "I remember how you looked at them with this manner of...adoration; and I...I wanted you to look at me like that."

"Choso..." you began, feeling your cheeks flushing with anticipation. "Are you telling me you've been teaching yourself to play that instrument for me?"

"I'm sorry..." He gulped and simply nodded, reaching out to take your hands in his own. "I value our friendship, you know that; and I always will if that's all it can ever be."

"...but?"

"But I want us to be more than that; more than friends." You were taken aback by the earnest way he spoke to you, holding your hands up to his chest so you could feel his heart pounding. "I know I still have so much more to learn about being truly human, and maybe I have no right to ask this of you, but-"

"I love you, Cho." The words left your lips before you had the cognizance to stop them, clasping your hands over your mouth in shock. Choso just gawked at you, wide-eyed and entirely speechless, his usually snow-pale skin flushed bright red. As if his body were moving on it's own, he reached out to take your hands in his once more, and you felt him gently guide you into his arms until you'd settled your cheek against his chest, sitting curled up between his legs.

"I love you..." His voice wavered as he spoke right beside your ear. His arms tightened around you, holding you so tightly you almost felt short of breath. He tilted your chin up with one hand, craning his neck down to hover his lips half an inch away from yours. "So much..."

Then his lips were on yours; soft and unsure at first, then he molded his mouth over yours more passionately, his heart thundering in his chest. He felt as though his skin was on fire in the most addicting way, and no matter how tightly he held you, it was maddening that he couldn't seem to feel you any closer. When you pulled away for air, his eyes fluttered open to meet yours again, both of you panting as though you'd run a marathon.

"I'm so lucky..." He sighed, eyes glossy with tears of bliss. He touched his forehead to yours, reveling in the feeling of closeness he'd been craving with you for so long. "So lucky..."

('Persephone' - Tamino)

Can he sing? 🎤 He can, though he doesn't think he's very good, but as soon as you heard him sing, you know immediately he was being far too uncharitable with himself. He has a warm, deep timbre to his voice that gives you goosebumps, and a rich resonance that comes right from his chest that lends itself well to songs in lower registers. You probably won't ever catch him singing in front of anyone else, but he enjoys singing to you (and even with you, if you also like to sing) since it seems to make you so happy.

The first time you heard Choso sing was when you'd managed to land yourself in the hospital after a particularly nasty solo-mission (this was during the year he'd been learning to play the Erhu). You'd been out for days, but Choso had remained at your bedside ever since you'd arrived, apparently refusing to leave after visiting hours were over.

When your eyes finally fluttered open, you were greeted with the sight of him fast asleep with his head on your lap and his hand on yours. When you softly spoke his name, he stirred for a couple seconds before jolting up.

"You're awake!" he gasped, reaching out to hold your cheek in his hand. "How you do you feel?"

"I've been better" you winced, still feeling the aches in your body. "But I'm glad you're here, Cho."

"Hah..." he sighed, pressing his forehead to yours, causing your heart to skip a beat. "I was so afraid I'd lost you..."

"Never." You have his other hand a gentle squeeze of reassurance. He opened his mouth to say something more, but stopped himself.

"What is it?" you asked, casting your gaze into his with concerned curiosity.

"Can I hold you...?"

"Of course you can," you chuckled wryly, feeling your pulse pick up even more. "Just be gentle with me; I'm still pretty sore."

Choso carefully climbed into the hospital bed with you, carefully pulling you into his chest, handling you as though you were made of glass. When he settled, you could hear the steady sound of his deep breaths. He had one arm wrapped around you, holding you close, and the other by your jaw, caressing your cheek with the side of his thumb. You'd never been this close to him - not outside of having given him a friendly hug once or twice. You couldn't help but realize how right it felt to curl up with him like this.

"Are you still tired?" he asked finally. "Can I do anything? To make you more comfortable?"

"You can sing me to sleep," you joked softly, eyelids growing heavy.

"I don't think you'll enjoy my singing..." Choso sometimes didn't quite understand sarcasm right away, and to your surprise, took your request literally. "But I'll try..."

Before you could clarify, he started singing in a soft, deep voice, smoother than silk. You could feel the rumbling of each note through his chest where your head rested. A part of you wanted to listen to him for hours, but the moment soothed you to the edge of sleep within minutes.

"Cho..." you mumbled, only half-conscious. Your next words unintentionally tumbled past your lips, but you were far too tired to stop them, nor would you remember them when you woke up. "I love you..."

He stopped singing immediately, feeling his heart practically leap out of his chest. "What did you say?"

He craned his neck down to see your face, but you were out cold, snoring softly as you remained cuddled into his chest.

Did I hear that right...?

He brushed a strand of hair away from your face, admiring your sleeping form before sighing and resting his head on the top of your head, pulling the hospital blanket higher over your shoulders to keep you warm. He whispered the words he'd kept inside for so long, knowing you couldn't hear him, but meaning it with every fiber of his being. He felt a small weight lift off his shoulders, though it would still be quite some time before these words would be spoken outside the ether of blissful slumber.

"I love you...so much..."

| ♡ | ♡ | ♡ | ♡ | ♡ |

Remember, if y'all want to see entries for other characters that haven't been listed in this post, let me know in the comments and I may continue the series for other characters (Yuji, Nobara, Toge, Maki, Yuki, Toji, etc) ♡

That's all, folks! Thanks for reading!

~ Pyretta Wychwiggin

[sunrisens]

[ … ] ❀ you’re not from around here , are you? i figured because you totally just missed { DIANA STELLATO } walking by. don’t tell me you don’t know who { SHE } is ? they kind of look like { SABRINA CARPENTER } and i could be wrong but i think that they might be { 25 } years old right now. they’ve been living in palmview for the last { ALL THEIR LIFE }. and i don’t know if anyone has ever told them this before but they kind of remind me of { LEIA SKYWALKER } from { STAR WARS }. if you stick around the town long enough you might catch them in action working at { GROOVE CAFE } as a { LIVE PERFORMER }. you see this town isn’t really that big of a place, some folks like to call them the { SPITFIRE } of palmview! they took a liking to the name too after a while, go figure. oh crap, they must have heard me yapping. they’re coming this way. i got to warn you though, rumor has it they can pretty { TEMPESTUOUS } at times. i wouldn’t take it too seriously though, from the times i’ve spoken to them they seemed pretty { DETERMINED } to me. we see each other all the time since they live in that { DOUBLE ROOM } apartment beside me over in { SUNNY SHORES }. i better leave you to it. it was nice meeting you! 

FULL NAME DIANA LEAH STELLATO. NICKNAMES DI, DIDI. AGE, DOB TWENTY5, NOVEMBER 22ND. ZODIAC SAGITTARIUS SUN. GENDER CIS WOMAN. ORIENTATION BISEXUAL. PRONOUNS SHE/HER. LANGUAGES SPOKEN ENGLISH, ITALIAN. HEIGHT FIVE FOOT SIX INCHES. HAIR BLEACHED BLONDE, ALWAYS STYLED WITH VOLUME AND CURLS IN MIND.. EYES BLUE. PERFUME VANILLA AND COCONUT. CHARACTER INSPIRATION LEIA ORGANA (MAIN), KATNISS EVERDEEN, AMY MARCH, STEVE ROGERS. FATHER ENZO STELLATO. MOTHER LILIANA STELLATO NEE ROSSI. SIBLINGS ONE FRATERNAL TWIN (WC). PARTNER NONE.

diana grew up in palmview her entire life, having been adopted out to the stellato family for reasons unknown to her - and reasons she doesn't care to discover. best described as a firecracker, or a candle next to an oil tank, diana may have been given everything on a silver platter her whole life but not without the right upbringing to make sure it was worth it. well - spoken but quick to temper, her parents wanted the best for their little girl, indulging in her whims within reason.

in school, she was best known as the girl who was quick to stand up to injustice, butting in where she could, and coming from the stellato family -- well known in the palmview upper echelon -- well, it never hurt her chances at getting a bully to back down. this confrontational nature carried her in debate teams, even bringing them to nationals. it boosted her placement for college as well, and she secured a place in-state to study international law before graduating and coming back to palmview to take a deserved break.

currently working as a live performer at groove cafe, diana spend her shifts singing and picking up requests, and never missing an opportunity to defend baristas from overbearing customers. she's torn between pursuing her studies abroad, which is what her parents want, or to continue them near home.

[doomdays]

mabel started presenting herself as a girl early on. the first sign of it was her always digging into her aunt's closet (without permission) and trying on her clothes -- obviously drowning in all of them, because she was tiny, but she was fascinated by her wardrobe. it was clear by the time she was old enough to start picking out her own clothes + toys that these things were all very stereotypically feminine and that it was all more comfortable for her. her father recognized it first, and he's the one who started getting her opinion on what she liked / disliked before they started buying her new things, instead of just assuming. they started referring to her as their daughter when she was four.

within about a year, mabel started experimenting with different names, because her birth name didn't feel like her. mabel is not the first name she went by -- she tried "dana" for a little bit, obviously because of her obsession with watching x-files with her dad, but it didn't really stick. she tried a few other names and her parents were supportive of her trying new ones as she looked for something she was more comfortable with -- her father never slipped up, but it always took her mother a little bit more time to catch up (she always meant well, though).

the name "mabel" is noted multiple times as "old school."

> charles: “get out— oh. mabel? old school name.” > mabel: "when i was a kid, i had my hardy boys pack. we were being old school calling ourselves that. 

this was an intentional choice by mabel. old school fit her and her style, and that's what she was most comfortable with. she was 7 when she landed on mabel -- just a few months before her father died. he told her it fit her perfectly, and she trusted him more than anything.

the summers + other school breaks that she spent at the arconia with her aunt were some of the most pivotal to her and her journey. especially after her father died, mabel just found an easy comfort with her aunt and she felt like she could talk about anything with her, especially things about girlhood + what she was experiencing as she grew up. her mother was always working -- she loved mabel, she supported her, but they just didn't have a very close relationship because of it. mabel's aunt was a huge influence her in many different ways. she got a lot of her hand-me-downs and felt the most euphoric with her gender whenever she got to try on her clothes or simply just talk to her about her own childhood / teenage years, as mabel was growing up.

some silly little quotes that mean mostly nothing in the show but mean so much to me in reference to her identity journey:

"me and my hardy boys, well there were four of us, and two were actual boys, by the way." something about the specification just makes me sooo -- the gender euphoria of it all, of getting to be one of the girls playing games with the boys, but the "hardy boys" was more about having a group of people that she belonged with and less about the gendered label. she liked that freedom when she was younger, and she liked it when she was older too. the specification when she's an adult just comes naturally.

"who is this cute little boy? what did you do to your mom for her to give you a bowl cut?" this photo in reference is pre-transition / pre - mabel understanding much about herself; she wanted to grow her hair out, and it was messy, so her mother tried to tame it, but it was cut into a bowl cut. she refused to cut her hair for 3 years after that.

"can i talk to you about something?" / "why, because i'm a girl?" / "no, because you're young."

when mabel meets lucy, the first way she knows how to relate to her is complimenting her. because truthfully, she doesn't really know how to relate to a teenager anymore -- but she remembers what it was like to be a teenage girl seeking validation, and she sees lucy's outfit, knows it's something she would've worn when she was her age ( and even now ) and she goes with that. lucy does remind her of herself in some ways and even if she doesn't really know how to talk to teenagers anymore, she likes her and wants to be there for her in any way she can -- especially knowing she may be able to relate to her more than anyone else they're spending time with.

the cop said, "you know what your problem is? your entire fucking generation's problem? your parents told you you could be anything you want. and your stupid teachers reinforced that bullshit." -- and he was just trying to get into mabel's head about what she was going through + how he was framing her, but there's truth to that because her parents did tell her she could be anything. and she's not ashamed of that because while she may have been struggling with who she was in that moment with the gaps in her memory -- she's never had to doubt who she is as a woman.

starting an om!tb rewatch tonight to prepare for the new season + to reignite my mabel muse, and i have a lot of incoherent thoughts about this in my head that i plan to develop more as i watch, but for now: mabel is trans & has been out since she was really young.

[cognitosclowns]

What hobbies do you think the gang has? Thanks so much, I've been loving your blog!!!

OOOOOOOH <3 I LIKE THIS VERY MUCHLY, TYSM!!!

all sfw!! tw for some existential concepts w/ myc, and alcohol

OKAY IM GONNA STICK TO LIKE,, 1-2 HOBBIES PER EACH OF EM CAUSE OTHERWISE ITS GONNA TAKE ALL DAY - IF YALL WANT MORE FEEL FREE TO SHOOT AN ASK ABOUT A SPECIFIC BASTARD OKIE LETS GOOOO

Reagan

OH inadvertently,, its drawing??

Like she,, sketches designs out constantly, and she got really good at proportions and anatomy while working out AB’s design, etc!! Even when she was younger, Rand and Tamiko would just,, shove her some pencils and paper to keep her outta the way. It was never a conscious hobby but,, its the closest she’s got tbh!!

SO YEA SHE DRAWS!! not like,, actively, but sometimes when she just needs to Not Think for a little while?? she just starts absentmindedly scribbling out designs in her notebook!!

everythings really geometric!! even when hes working with,, organic shapes like flowers and faces, its all very tight thin lines, few curves if any. Its this really beautiful, distinct style!!

She loves the texture of pastels too,, and chalk,, i could totally see her having a big chalkboard in her lab that she draws on when shes trying to think through a problem.

Brett

OH exercise!! Running specifically is his jam. Just,, waking up super early when its just sunrise, feeling the temperature increase as he runs? He truly is a golden retriever man smdnsdmsnd

YKNOW WHAT??? he’s such a boy scout. he absolutely camps and hikes whenever he has the chance. It’s so peaceful oml <3333 he always brings a little jar (like,, an ounce? 2 ounces?) to put cool stuff he finds inside!!! For the memories, yk?

ON THE SAME NOTE, SCRAPBOOKING <33333 and journaling but mostly scrapbooking. He takes so many photos and notes and keeps so many souvenirs that it,, just,, kinda came naturally to him?

It’s also such a nice thing for when times are hard. It’s nice to look back on the good (and bad) times to see the ebb and flow!! Helps remind him that everything’s gonna turn out well on the end <33333

OH OH OH AND BAKING. I think I brought this one up before but,, come onnnn <3333 he absolutely bakes in his free time. 

Its so soothing,,,,,, and he gets food at the end. The only real times he got to see his family was during holidays and holidays means FOOD which means baking which means,,, a chance to make some really good food and impress them :’)

Gigi

I feel like she writes articles in her spare time. It's implied she used to be a journalist and,, she really misses it? Like she was BUILT for journalism lmao, a veritable Hildy Johnson.

She misses the rush of on-the-ground journalism.

scribbling out the start of her article in shorthand on her arm? Bribing cab drivers to speed so that she can get to the scene before anybody else? getting phone calls at 2 am with tips from a friend of a friend of a friend?

Especially since rn she's basically stuck behind a desk, supervising other people doing the fun stuff? It feels like a waste.

SO YEAH SHE ABSOLUTELY WRITES ARTICLES UNDER AN INDEPENDENT NAME. VERY FUN SHE LOVES

OH AND EQUESTRIANISM. We see in her SwipeRight profile that she has a tiger and,,,, I HC that she loves animals.

She never did it,, competitively?? She just loves horsies and their weird little faces and honking their snouts,, and taking care of em. It's so soothing to get away from the city and visit her horse <3

SHE'S THIS MASSIVE CLYDESDALE <333 her name is Maple bc she tossed Gigi into a Maple Tree the first time she rode her MSNDMSNDMSNDMSNDS

Gigi chipped her tooth and immediately decided she was the perfect horse fo rher and VOILA, 15 YEARS LATER MAPLE IS STILL HER BABY

 <3333 doesn't matter how big she gets, she's always gonna be Gigi's baby

Glenn

BOXINGGGGG <3333 not only bc the mental image of this man boxing sends me into cardiac arrest awooga AWOOGA,,,

he picked it up through High School - he was already pretty bulky form helping out on his family's farm and he just got bigger as he started boxing!!!

HE ALSO REALLY LOVES WRESTLING,, ITS JUST A BIT HARDER NOW BC OF HIS SPINE.

he uHe has trouble w/ a lot of exercises!! His spine and legs got seriously fucked during his surgeries so running isn't an option (lmao he always hated running so,,, yknow what he doesn't miss it that much-)

so...... he usually sticks to boxing, per his doctors request 🙄🙄🙄

BEFORE his surgery, he wouldn't wear gloves or wraps but,,, because he now has talons to deal with, he needs that buffer to make sure he doesn't gouge his own hand (although,, smdns on more than one occasion he has forgotten. Quite a few scars on his palm)

If he's had a particularly bad day, you'll most likely find him in one of the lower-level training rooms, absolutely massacring a punching bag!

Little addition at the end?? He hunts, and his shot would give some of Cognito's snipers a run for their money.

Andre

DND IM NOT ELABORATING ITS DND. 'high stakes elder scrolls' come on this man plays dnd and he has done since highschool. He got introduced to it by smb in his friend group

ACTUALLY I AM ELABORATING, BECAUSE HE TOTALLY DM'S. He loves the storytelling element to it - he's too insecure about his writing to actually,, yknow,, write, so DND gives him a place to put out all those ideas?

(if he does play its 100% gonna be an artificer or wizard.)

also,, rock climbing?? It was never explicitly said but considering he did parkour w/ Grassy Noel I GET THE VIBE HE’D LOVE ROCK CLIMBING?? <33333 oh to go rock climbing w/ Andre Lee in some obscure little corner of Virginia oughe <333

VERY GOOD MIXOLOGIST. He’s gonna do tricks with the bottles. and drop em all.

ITS FUN LEARNING NEW DRINKS THO AND MAKING UP HIS OWN. He feels like an alchemist ehehe >:) plus its way more low-risk than concocting diseases or flesh-eating goo.

Myc

He seems to be so disconnected from everything? Very apathetic overall? 

SO not really a traditional hobby, but people watching!! At first he did it bc,, he wasn't entirely sure what the best method was to approach. And also cause humans are weird gross little things xsmnds

BUT YEA ITS JUST BECOME A MUCH NEEDED HOBBY?? Once a week he just,, steals a jet, picks a random place in the world,,, parks himself somewhere and watches em all go by.

Sometimes its nice being a stranger!! Being attached to humans feels really disconcerting for him. like becoming best friends with a mayfly, yk?

Going somewhere where nobody knows him, nobody will remember him and he won't remember anyone he meets is like a palette cleanse.

Jr

GENUINELY I CANNOT THINK OF WHERE THIS MAN WOULD FIND TIME FOR A HOBBY?????

I think the closest he'd get is like,, retail therapy?

BUYING JUST,, SO MUCH SHIT. TO FILL THE ANXIOUS PIT IN HIS STOMACH. Pretty jewelry and furniture and new suits and haha what do you mean of course he isn't nervous :)

Once he got a message from the Shadow Board that shook him so thoroughly that he bought 3 malls worth of clothes

LISTEN HE'S COPING HOW HE'S COPING JUST,,, LET HIM HAVE THIS

I do like the idea that he used to play piano? He has this gorgeous grand piano in is dining-hall-slash-entertainment-area but,, the last time he actually PLAYED it was back when him and Rand were still working together, and it just feels wrong now. Instead it collects dust and mocks him.

Alpha-Beta

AT FIRST I WAS GONNA SAY LIKE,, Picross and Sudoku and Misc Puzzle-y Math-y things, but also?? I feel like he's so advanced that he wouldn't find any enjoyment in that. Half the fun of puzzles is the challenge of figuring out the answer, and when you have predictive + problem-solving algorithms up the wazoo,,,,, its just kinda boring lmao

I FINALLY SETTLED ON CHESS?? (EITHER BLITZ OR BULLET)

YEAH ITS KINDA BASIC FOR AN AI TO LIKE CHESS BUT IT FEELS UP HIS ALLEY?

It has the same problem-solving that puzzles give w/ enough of an element of unpredictability to keep him interested <3 PLUS the prospect of absolutely obliterating some humans at chess?

HE REALLY IS IN HIS ELEMENT <333 SUPER INTIMIDATING TO PLAY AGAINST THO. completely unflinching, barely pausing for any of his moves, this everso-slight smirk <3

THIS ALSO MEANS,, HE USUALLY DOESNT GET TO PLAY OFTEN?? Like even once he’s free roaming most ppl aren’t Actively Trying To Interact With The Omnicidal Robot,,, so,,, not a hobby he gets to enjoy often 

[latte-fairytaekwoon]

Kickstart My Heart Pt.1 (Racer! Yeosang)

Next>>

Pairing: Racer! Kang Yeosang × Waitress/Fuckgirl! Reader (Female)

Genre: Fluff, Angst, 80s AU.

Summary: During an era known for its vibrant colors, eccentric fashion styles and rise of new yet unconventional genres of music, the young generation of that time was infamously known for their need to rebel and live their lives rather scandalously and Y/N is no exception. So when a new and attractive man moves into her town, she has her eyes set on making him her next boy toy.

Word Count: 4K+

Warnings: Dumb attempts at crackhead humor, reader is a cold hearted bitch, guy gets dumped in public, reader's friend is lowkey creepy.

█ █ ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▃ ▂▂ ▃ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ █

Throwing on the last article of clothing that had been discarded the night before, the young woman shook out her hair, still damp from the quick shower she just took. Picking up her bag, she looked over at the figure still sleeping soundly, the subtle hint of a smile on his face. With a pitied pout on her lips, she walked over to the edge where his face was. Taking out the lipstick tube from her bag, she applied it all over her lips, painting them in the dark burgundy color that she fancied so much and had practically become her signature hue. Bending over, she pressed her lips against the corners of his mouth, giving him the faintest whisper of a kiss before pulling away. A satisfied smirk was plastered on her pretty features as she stared at the lipstick mark on his face, the only memoir she'd leave him with as she had done with countless others.

Closing the front door behind her, she pulled her denim jacket tighter on her body, shivering slightly from the early dawn's breeze that blew across. It was always like that even though summer had just begun, the early morning hours still feeling obnoxiously cool and then transpiring into slightly uncomfortably warm afternoons that had more than one soul in that quaint town grumbling and fussing about the weather. But oh did the evenings feel absolutely refreshing, and that's when everything would start bustling to life.

Having finally made it out of that small residential area and finding one of the main roads that helped her locate where to go, she started heading south towards the all too familiar diner where she had been working in ever since her school days, first starting part time and eventually transpiring to full time when it came time for her to spread her wings and fly out on her own, a feat she had been most anxious to do to get away from the overly controlling nature of her parents. She knew they cared about her, but she herself cared very little about the morals and principles they had raised her with, a common trait all the young people in that town shared: their rebellious and headstrong nature to not conform and go against everything they had been taught thus far. Live their own lives as freely as they chose to do.

And she definitely lived as she wanted to, even if it ended up with a rather bad reputation and ugly labels that rather than infuriate her, she openly embraced, as others had come to as well.

The light twinkle of the bells above the glass door let the person at the register know someone came in and they immediately plastered on their business smile, which quickly faded when they saw who it was.

"You're late Y/N." The minuscule raven haired waitress informed her, eyes never leaving her coworker's figure that came behind the counter and started punching in her number.

"Only by like 7 minutes." She waved her slip at the nonchalant looking girl before placing it back in its respective slot.

"One day it wouldn't surprise me if you just didn't show up because you got too caught up in.... something else."

Chuckling softly, Y/N walked up behind her coworker, hands coming up to ruffle the cheekbone level bob cut hair framing her unusually small face.

"Awww come on Lynn, you know I'd never leave you hanging here to attend customers by yourself. You're my bestie." Y/N assured her, playfully poking her lips out as she tried to place a kiss on her friend, the poor girl craning her neck away as she tended to dislike physical affection.

"I will squirt ketchup on you." Lynn threatened as she picked up the cherry red bottle as a last resort to get her attacker to back away. A rather noisy struggle ensued between both girls, catching the attention of the owner and cook behind the two doors, prompting her to come out and see what was the cause of such ruckus.

"Well I'll be darned. I don't remember paying you youngsters to simply slack off and behave like the hooligans you are." The middle aged woman spoke up, her thick accent becoming more prominent. Although she had a stern look and hands placed at her hips, the girls knew she was not in reality angry at them.

Looking over at the recently arrived girl, the owner closed her eyes and sighed deeply when she took in the attire she was wearing: low cut white tank, ripped denim shorts that left little to the imagination if she bent down, fishnet tights with a few holes in them, and her beloved denim jacket that was almost always on Y/N's body.

"I swear to god, Y/N , everytime I see you wear them rags you call clothes, I feel like my body is about to collapse. Why must you insist on dressing like a common street worker?"

Y/N wasn't at all offended by her words, having grown used to and becoming fond of her boss's abrupt, direct and honest manner of speaking.

"Gotta start looking the part if I'm going to dedicate my life to the occupation." She giggled at her own joke, resulting in the older woman taking the rag off her apron and smacking her with it.

"This little runt, talking nonsense like that- get your ass back in there and change into your uniform. Can't have you prancing around here in those skimpy clothes and have all these men that come here say disrespectful things about you. Nuh uh, not to my girls." She shook her head.

"Yes Miss Audrey." Complying with the woman's wishes, she pushed open the swing doors leading to the back and quickly made her way to the corner where all the employee's cubicles were located. Grabbing the necessary items, she turned and went inside the bathroom to change into her uniform, consisting of a knee length crimson red dress, which she had actually altered so it would be shorter and display her thighs more, the cap sleeves slightly puffed up and the torso part had a trail of white buttons going all the way up to the modest v-neckline, usually most buttons were left undone so her cleavage would shamelessly peak out. Exchanging her black Doc Martens in favor of her white Nike sneakers, Y/N tied her apron around her waist, making sure it was as tight as possible so it would accentuate her curves and give her body a more flattering appearance. As she made her way out, she quickly piled her hair up before securing it with one of the many elastics she kept around her wrists, leaving out a few tendrils to fall on her temples.

Coming back out to start her daily work, she stood in front of Lynn, who merely spared her an unamused glance.

"How do I look?" Y/N asked.

"Like a total slut." Her friend answered in her usually rude way.

Rolling her eyes, Y/N grabbed a spray bottle and a rag. Making her way over to the table that had just finished being used, she quickly picked up the plates and glass, bringing them back over to where Lynn was, who took them so she could wash them in the sink. Spraying the top of the marble piece, she had began her task of wiping down the table when the ringing of the bell signaled new customers had arrived, and rowdy ones at that too.

"Damn! Is today's special fluffy sponge cake? Cause I would sure love a piece of that ass."

Y/N recognized that annoying voice even from miles away, belonging to none other than one of her old classmates, Jung Wooyoung, whom she considered a friend, if he didn't manage to irk her too much. Turning around, she of course wasn't surprised to see him surrounded by his crew of equally idiotic and adrenaline junkie friends, whom she had to admit were pleasant and fun to hang out with.

"Sit your asses down already, I'll be over in a minute to take your order." She told them before resuming her previous task, earning a scoff from the most dramatic of the group.

"Fine customer service! Don't think you'll be getting a tip from me." His words made her nearly burst into a fit of giggles.

"Wooyoung please, you never ever tip whenever you come. None of you, except Yunho." It kinda saddened her that said male unfortunately wasn't there with them at the moment.

"He doesn't tip you, he tips short stack over there." His friend with cat like eyes pointed towards Lynn, who upon overhearing him held up a rather explicit finger in his direction.

"I'll poison your food San." She threatened with a sing song tone.

"Like I wouldn't know that you already spit on it." San spat back, sticking his tongue out in his immature and infantile fashion.

"Can you guys hurry up and order already? I'm starving and we gotta head to the tracks as early as possible." The fiery red haired male known as Song Mingi blurted out, fingers tapping impatiently against the top of the table.

"If little miss g-string would care to hop her luscious ass over here, maybe we could."

Strutting over to where they sat, Y/N harshly threw the dirty rag on Wooyoung's face, causing a faint grunt to come out of his mouth.

"No matter how many times you mention my ass, I'm still not letting you tap it." She firmly stated, making Wooyoung slightly purse his lips outwards in a disappointed grimace.

"So anygays-" Mingi began.

"Umm I think you mean anyways." San corrected him.

Leaning in towards him, Mingi locked eyes on the shorter male and stared him down with an intimidating glare.

"Did I stutter Choi?"

San immediately shook his head rapidly. With a victory smile, Mingi reclined back in his seat.

"I'm just going to get the breakfast platter with some orange juice."

Y/N couldn't stifle her snort when he said his choice of drink, the other two men looking away in embarrassment.

"You've been drinking orange juice since you were in grade school Mingles, don't you think you outta start taking something more grown up? Like coffee?" San suggested and Mingi did not appreciate it.

"Coming from the one who still brings a plushie to sleep with him, your suggestion holds no value or power." He retorted.

"OK SHIBER IS NOT A PLUSHIE, HE'S FAMILY YOU JACKASS!" San sprinted up from his seat, nearly leaning across to grab Mingi by the color, but he was held back by Wooyoung.

Lynn, who had thus far stayed quiet, promptly came up with a spray bottle and consequently doused the untamed boy on his face.

"Bad kitty, bad kitty." She reprimanded him, unable to resist the opportunity to attack her long time frenemy.

"Lynn!" Y/N looked at her with surprise.

"You're welcome." Lynn replied rather monotone before going back to her place behind the counter like she didn't just spray San with disinfecting water.

"There's too many germs going around anyways..." She muttered under her breath.

Without any further interruptions, aside from the rumbling coming out of the boys' stomachs, they finished ordering what they wanted and Y/N sent it over so they could be prepared. Not wanting to be near their loud asses, Y/N went back over to where Lynn was, peeking over to see what she was currently reading in the magazine she held.

"What you reading?" She casually inquired.

"Horoscope section." Y/N wasn't surprised, her friend tended to be into more mystical, eccentric and rather.....extreme with her taste in fashion and music. If Y/N was the one who turned heads for her scandalous attire, Lynn was the one people turned away from in fear when they saw how she dressed. It was a sight that truly made both of them laugh at people's foolishness, well at least made Y/N laugh. Her friend rarely had any other expression plastered on that wasn't utter disdain for society and life.

Unexpectedly, another customer came in. Both girls looked at each other in confusion when neither of them recognized him. Their town was rather small with few people living there, so they deduced that he must be a traveler who probably got lost on his route. He himself looked around nervously, eyes barely lifting up. Y/N couldn't help herself as she took in his perfect face. Big, round eyes with crystal clear orbs, small face with a V-line jaw, perfectly sculpted nose with no sign of defects, skin smooth and blemish free, he looked like a prince out of a fairytale. He was incredibly pretty, yet stood there so awkwardly that it was almost comical.

"Hey Yeosang! You made it! Sit down! I ordered for you in advanced!" Wooyoung surprised both girls when it seemed he knew the stranger and even waved him over to where they sat. The other two boys also seem familiarized with him and welcomed him to sit with them, chatting up a storm already with him.

"Who's that?" Lynn was the one to finally ask out loud.

"Beats me.....but he sure is adorable."

Noticing the way her lips curled upwards, Lynn could already see the wheels inside Y/N's head turning.

"And I bet you're going to go over there and find out- aaand there you go." She ended up answering her own deduction as she watched Y/N happily walked over with a more bright expression on her face, that soon soured when her boss came out of the kitchen and beat her over to the table, laying down several plates of food.

"I knew as soon as I saw the orders that it had to be the lot of you." She scoffed softly as she looked at the boys' grinning faces.

"You know us Miss Audrey, we wouldn't ever think of eating anywhere else but here. You're the best cook in all of town." Wooyoung praised her with a sparkling charm that could have fooled anyone else but not the robust woman in front of him.

"Boy stop trying to tickle my ears, I've known you since you were in your soiled diapers being carried around by your mama, running around and creating chaos anywhere you went. Flattery may work on them poor girls you play with but me? I can see right through ruffians like you."

Turning her head to finally notice the new addition to the group, she looked him up and down.

"Boy who might you be?" She questioned him, earning the ears of the girls nearby to listen in for any valuable information.

"I'm..... Yeosang Kang, nice to meet you." He introduced himself, tilting his head slightly down when he said that.

"He just moved into town this week! He's the new guy who is going to work with us down at the car shop and help on the race track!" San enthusiastically shouted, making the older woman cringe.

"I may be old, but I still haven't gone deaf for you to yell in such a way boy. So...." She crossed her arms and looked at Yeosang again.

"You a racer too?"

Now the girls, particularly Y/N, were more interested in what his response would be.

"I- yes. So it seems." The poor boy looked so flustered, obviously being more of a soft spoken individual, contrasting starkly to the other 3 boys.

Miss Audrey let out a seemingly displeased hum at his answer.

"As if we needed anymore hooligans running wild. We already got enough with the 3 Stooges over here."

The girls couldn't help but snicker at their boss's words, always having a blast whenever she put the boys back in their place. They however looked displeased, glaring at them intensely.

"Shouldn't you both be off somewhere cleaning dishes or making sandwiches?"

Snatching one of the knifes, Lynn held it up and was about to jump over, but Y/N came up in front of her.

"Lynn, no. Just calm down ok? You know they're just being idiots." Y/N reminded her.

Grumbling something in a foreign language no one knew for sure if it was real or not, Lynn put the knife back, squinting her eyes at them before turning around to not look at them again. Y/N giggled softly, finding it absolutely cute whenever her friend lost her cool and collected form cause it reminded her of a chihuahua, barking and yelping at anything larger than itself trying to establish dominance.

Noticing that in her display of aggression, Lynn had inadvertently knocked over a few of the brochures that were on display for people to take, Y/N stooped down and proceeded to pick them up in a casual manner. Standing up, she neatly arranged them properly, making sure they all faced the same direction and the sides weren't poking out anywhere. Feeling as though someone had been watching her all along, she looked at the table of boys, half expecting Wooyoung's smug grin to greet her, but she was completely wrong as it was none other than the new guy who seemed unable to keep his eyes off her figure, staring intently at the length of her skirt. When he realized she noticed, his eyes went wide, cheeks burning up with utter embarrassment. Y/N however seemed unbothered by this. Wanting to test something, she pretended to accidentally drop one of the pamphlets. Bending over, she made sure he could get a perfect glimpse of her cleavage, if he payed enough attention, he'd be able to see that she was in fact, not wearing any bra. Coming back up, Y/N looked over to see the results, smirking when the agape mouth of Yeosang confirmed to her that he had indeed noticed everything.

"Oh sweetheart, you're gonna be too easy..." She had already made up in her mind that Yeosang would be her next target, and she had to put her plan in action. Placing the brochures down, she was about to go over and start flirting with him, until a familiar voice called for her.

"Y/N! There you are!"

She internally groaned when she heard him, wondering why on earth did he not get the hint of ditching him like that, especially when he very well knew about the reputation she had. She tried ignoring him, but of course, he had had to be the persistent type, no doubt thinking he was going to have a different ending than the rest before him.

"I thought you'd be here. You could have told me you were going to be gone early. I would have made you breakfast."

Knowing she had to say something, Y/N grabbed her pad and gave him the fakest smile she was capable of donning.

"Hi, what can we get started for you today? Waffles? Eggs and bacon? Coffee to start off with?"

The trio of friends, having no choice but to witness the interaction due to it happening right in front of them, snickered amongst themselves.

"Oh shit. He's in for it." San whispered lowly.

The boy obviously looked extremely confused, his smile lightly falling off, but then returning to its hopeful state.

"Why are you acting like this candy bear? Pretending like you don't know me?" When he tried to reach a hand to pull her close, the girl simply pushed him away with one of her fingers.

"Look, clearly you're too stupid to understand so let me spell it out in a language you can understand." Letting out a tired sigh, she crossed her arms in front of her chest, a sour look displaying on her pretty face.

"We had a nice time together, and last night was... average to put it nicely."

"Oh man. That was a total burn." Mingi couldn't help but snort, some of the orange juice being spit back into his glass.

"But that was all it was and all it's ever going to be. So why don't you do yourself a favor and just go back home to your Star Trek figurines and watch the latest episode of Thunder Cats?"

The not so discreet snickering coming from the table behind them only made the humiliation for the man multiply significantly. Turning red with utter despair and rage, he quickly brushed past Y/N rather brusquely.

"Fucking bitch." She heard him mutter under his breath, a phrase she had grown accustomed to hearing among many others.

"Oh god. Homegirl struck again." Wooyoung laughed, swirling his milkshake in his hand.

"Ayo why you gotta do Thunder Cats like that? It's actually pretty entertaining." San commented.

Looking over at the time, the guys quickly stood up, dropping their share of bills onto the table.

"You guys get paid today too right? Come meet up with us at the track." Wooyoung suggested.

"Why on earth would we want to go see your greasy, oil smelling ass after dealing for nearly an hour with you already?" Lynn questioned him, eyes never peering up from her magazine.

"Because Yunho would be there?"

Still she didn't respond, the only movement made was her finger turning the page.

"Bro we been knew she don't give two shits about him." Mingi reminded them.

"Because we're going to the drive in theater after work, they're playing a horror movie."

Lifting her gaze, Lynn closed the magazine, although still stone faced, her eyes seemed to brighten up.

"My interest has been greatly piqued." Her lips showed the faintest whisper of a smile that gave a rather eerie and chilling feel down the people's spines.

"Maybe we should rethink inviting Satan's offspring." San leaned in towards Mingi, shivering significantly.

"Great! So we'll catch you gals later."

The boys quickly dispersed themselves, save Yeosang who still sat quietly, keeping mostly to himself. His fingers fidgeted with the half drunk cup he was holding, gaze fixed on the table in front of him. Looking up, he was attempting to work up the courage to talk to Y/N, but before he could even get the chance to gather strength, the owner came out from the back, whispering a few orders to her and gesturing for her to go tend to a situation in the kitchen. With a defeated sigh, he got up to go join the rest of the gang outside who were waiting for him. Slumping his hands in the pockets of his pants, he moved out of the booth with a solemn gaze.

"Hey."

His steps came to a screeching halt when he heard Y/N call out to him. Looking over, she smiled sweetly in his direction.

"Hope I see you later." With a flirtatious wink, she bid him goodbye as she disappeared into the back.

Yeosang stood there stunned momentarily, replaying her words over and over again in his mind, pondering endlessly at their meaning.

"Little pussy cat sure got you brain dead, didn't she?"

Startled by the unexpected voice next to him, he jumped when the face of the kind yet stern old lady studied him carefully. With a disapproving shake of her head, she decided it'd be best to warn him before he started getting ideas in his head.

"Listen, you seem like a sweet and sensible young man, so it's best for you to listen to me and stay away from that darn girl. Don't let them sugar coated lips of hers sweet talk themselves into your heart. You'll just end up heart broken like all the lovers she's had."

Picking up some of the plates, she gave him one last look, pointing an accusatory finger at him to get her point across.

"She's dangerous." Finally saying what she needed to say, Miss Audrey headed back with plates in her arms, slapping away Lynn's hands when they attempted to pry them off her, barking instructions at her to watch the counter and leave her be.

"Dangerous....." Yeosang thought to himself, the warning the good intended woman gave him sinking deep in his mind. Although he took her words to heart, something about the way she glanced at him pulled at the strings in his chest, taking his breath away when he remembered the risque position she was in that purposely allowed him to view more than he should have. That memory tinted his cheeks pink, lips unable to suppress a small smile. He knew that he should heed the old woman's advice.

But he had to admit that he loved danger and the thrill it came with.........

█ █ ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▃ ▂▂ ▃ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ █

Taglist: @little-precious-baby @yunhofingers @brie02 @galaxteez @multidreams-and-desires @deja-vux @hanatiny @couchpotatoaniki @daniblogs164 @a-soft-hornytiny @yunsangoveryonder @minhyukmyluv @nanamarkie @ateezbabysitters @mingismoon @rainteez02

[emonaculate]

AOT Freshman v Senior Year headcanons (Eren, Armin, and Mikasa)

❥ AU: Highschool!AU

❥ Genre: Fluff

❥ Rating: Everyone can read

❥ Pairing: hinted at Eren x reader

❥ Warnings Include: Profanity, mentions of violence, manipulation, mention of weed, and slight angst

❥ Author Note: I'm making this an entire series for the main cast or my favorite characters from AOT

Eren Yeager

Freshman year

Extremely fucking loud for no reason

Runs to class and somehow always manages to be late

Tries to pay attention in class but due to his ADHD would always spaces tf out

Despite being loud, only talks to Mikasa and Armin

Smells like nothing but AXE body spray, its not even a bad smell, its just too much

That kid that takes P.E. TOO fucking serious

"Eren you know why you're in trouble right?"

"No."

"...You hit your classmate in the face with a ball."

"He could have dodged."

"Eren it was a basketball, you broke his nose and chipped his tooth."

"He shouldn't have gotten so close to me."

Im sorry but totally dresses like this

Constantly compared to his older brother.

"Yeager... Are you by any chance related to Zeke Yeager?"

"No way, your brother is THE Zeke Yeager?"

Makes a name for himself rather quickly

Listens to heavy rock/metal music

He loves My Chemical Romance and Three Day Grace.

Learned how to play the guitar just so he could play "Teenagers"

Forced Mikasa and Armin to also listen to the bands

They ended up all deciding on making a small little garage band; Miki on vocals and drums, Min on bass, and Eren as lead vocalist and electric guitar.

His style changed randomly but no one questioned it since his personality remained the same.

Senior year

180 personality

Completely mellowed tf out

Either he is in class on time or not showing up at all

Senioritis is strong within him

Works better when he is completely out of it

STONER

This mf always high as shit

Either you love him, hate him, or respect him there is no inbetween

MANBUN

Smart as hell but usually on the low

His music taste has changed a little

LOVES POLITICAL RAP

J.cole and Kendrick stan; it is not up for debate

His favorite songs are Neighbors by J.Cole and Alright by Kendrick

Listens to throwback RnB when high

Still godly at the guitar

Has a couple stick and poke tattoos; He has one behind his ear matching Min and Miki.

He has the sun, Armin has the ocean waves, Mikasa has the moon

PIERCINGS

A total of 8; 4 in his left and 2 in his right + the industrial

Has a tongue piercing

A two slices in his eyebrow but only got them as a dare

Most of them minus the industrial piercing was done at home because he has an abnormally high pain tolerance.

Dresses like this

Doesnt really play sports but is super good at soccer and basketball

He's actually good at most sports just refuses to join because why would he want to support a corrupted system??

Still more of a loner but has a rather nice friend group

Looks mean asf but is actually really nice

Goes the hardest for his friends

You fuck with them = you getting your shit rocked by him

100% the friend that hits you for forgetting to eat

Despite being hot as shit; never really has a girlfriend

Its only because hes oblivious or just not interested

Deathly scary when hes pissed

If you guys got beef; there is no talking

Its on sight bro

Be prepared to get beat the fuck up

A few things that makes him go from 0 to 100 is racism, mocking disabled people, and domestic violence

He's an activist

If you need help organizing a protest; he'll help and somehow manage to get people to come.

Basically a really good guy just hot headed as hell

Armin Arlert

Freshman Year

The kid who looked up those lame videos on how to survive highschool.

Panicked when it came to speaking in class

Stuttered like hell

AP CLASSES

He's way too advanced like could graduate early but refuses to so he can stay with his friends

Super sweet but extremely naive

People definitely took advantage of him.

"Hey Armin, my dog got in a car accident so I wasnt really focused in class, can you give me the homework answers?"

"Yeah sure its no problem."

Sends them a whole ass powerpoint on the entire lesson and teaches them better than the actual teacher.

Band nerd

Can play the Piano, Bass, and Trumpet

Listens to Mother Mother and Queen religiously

Only joined Eren's garage band after he agreed to watch Bohemian Rhapsody

Dresses like this

Moved in with Ren and Miki after he went through some shit with his family; he came out as bisexual after realizing he was attracted to one of his classmates.

Sometimes worries that Eren gets uncomfortable but relaxes after he remembers who Eren really is.

Wouldn't trade his friends for the world

Senior Year

His glow up took awhile because he didnt really feel the need to change

He was always rather cute; just shy and timid

VALEDICTORIAN

Slightly because he manipulated his runner up into become a burnout gifted kid lmao

Everyone has his Snapchat and Instagram so they can get help

Now he knows when people are using him and he still lets them; the only difference is you fuck with him and he can make you end up repeating the same grade.

Lets people copy his test and at the last minute pauses and erases all his answers before putting the correct ones.

No one has realized his plan.

His fashion sense changed a lot

Subconsciously tries to match Eren all the time

The only person that noticed was Mikasa; she thinks its cute

Is in love with Russian foreign exchange student, Annie.

He talks to her from time to time before gathering enough courage to ask her out

Doesnt realize how popular he is.

Oftentimes volunteers at the aquarium to study the ocean life as well as help out.

Helps plenty of organizations clean up the ocean.

A total of four piercings and the tattoo that matches his friends.

Two in his ears and nipple piercings.

It was a dare he sobbed through

Mikasa Ackerman

Freshman year

Basketcase

Follows Eren and Armin around

Super quiet

Doesn't really have much of a personality

She is cute though

Dresses like this

Like I said no real personality at all

Well except she was the girl who thought she was in a romance novel

Especially when Eren would get into a fight.

"Eren look at me... This isnt you."

"Mikasa move."

Most times it wouldnt work.

It was just cringy man...

Can play the violin, flute, piano, and cello

Only learned the drums so she could play with Eren and Armin

A secret pop stan

Loves Ariana Grande and Doja Cat

Thank god she manages to grow out of that yucky phase.

Senior Year

GOTH GF

Track, Gymnast, and female basketball player

She mellowed out as well and became her own person

Still heavily in love with Eren

Confessed to him during a karaoke session to the song Baby I by Ariana Grande; he didnt realize.

Sang her heart out and was a blushing mess but still got no where

Has deep down accepted that she may never be more than just his friend

Is okay with it and NOT toxic when he's crushing on someone else

Just wants him to be happy

Saw how he looked at some girl during a fundraiser to raise money for animal shelters and realized that he may never look at her like that.

Turned a guy down because Armin had a crush on him

The ultimate wing girl

Introduced Eren to her opponent after a track meet after realizing it was the girl from the fundraiser.

Dresses like this

Super sweet despite her look

However pick on her friends and you're fucked

CAN and WILL whoop your ass

The only person who can get Eren to not fight.

Pissed them both off at the same time and you're screwed

Has a total of three piercings

Her ears and nose

Loves her boys more than anything

Stays with Eren while her parents travel to help with natural disasters

Noticed that Armin's ideal type is Eren but never mentioned it because she knows Armin would overract

Very observant

Just wants the best for her friends even if she is the one who ends up happy

Eventually falls for the guy that asked her out junior year.

Still close to her boys because they come before anyone.

[spencers-dria]

Light Amongst the Darkness

Ch. 13 of Someone to Stay

Spencer Reid x fem reader

POV: Spencer

I wake up for the third time this morning as a technician comes in the room to take my vital signs. It seems like it's always something, labs, vital signs, or medicine. I look over to see Y/N curled up on the couch, sleeping soundly. She really could sleep through just about anything, but somehow she seems to always know when I get up.

I slip out of bed and make my way to the bathroom as quietly as possible to shower and get ready for the day. I feel a hand grab by wrist as I pass the couch. I look down and see her still half asleep, her eyes aren't even open yet.

"Spence?"

"It's okay, go back to sleep. I'm just going to take a shower."

"Let me know if you need anything" she says through a yawn as she rolls back over. I can tell she has fallen back asleep within seconds by the sound of soft snoring. I can't help but smile. It was an adorable quirk of hers.

By now I'm able to take the bandages off and wash the surgical wound. I wince slightly as the gauze pulls as the staples. It seems do be doing okay. Y/N has really been helping a lot. The nurses here seem to know her well and let her do as much as she wants to help take care of me. I've tried convincing her that she's not at work and she doesn't have to be my nurse but she insists.

I make my way out of the steamy bathroom in fresh sweatpants as I towel dry my hair. Y/N is wide-awake, sitting on the edge of the bed with bandages all laid out on the side table.

I start to sit down next to her as I try one last time to convince her to take a break. "You know you really don't have to..."

"Shush. I want to help."

I turn to face her as she delicately dresses the wound after covering it with an antibiotic ointment. I had to admit, it hurt much less when she did it. I watch her as she puts all of her focus into what she's doing. I really enjoy getting to see her do what she does best, what she's passionate about. She looks really beautiful, despite having just woken up. It's almost not fair. Her hair is hanging down in its natural light waves, I'm almost tempted to reach out and run my hands through it. I can feel my skin tingle where she's placed her hand on my other shoulder for balance as the leans in to examine her finished work. I shake the feeling from my head. I can't scare her off.

After she's finished, I slip on a t-shirt as she pulls out her laptop and we settle into the hospital bed, ready to watch the final Harry Potter movie. Downtime in the hospital had allowed us to make our way through the series much quicker than anticipated. She had asked for a couple extra days off, which I fought against and lost. This was my fourth, and hopefully last day staying in the hospital.

As we get into the movie I hear her say "mmm I miss it."

"Miss what?"

"Hogwarts" she laughs as though this was obvious.

I give her a quizzical look.

She continues. "You know, the wizarding world, in Orlando?"

"Ohhh yeah I almost forgot they had that."

She pauses the movie and turns to look at me with wide eyes. "You mean you've never been?"

"No. By the time they built it I guess I was older and already working for the FBI."

"Spencer I only went my first time in college." She laughs. "You're never too old to go to Hogwarts!"

She sits for a moment, lost in her thoughts, before her face lights up with a huge smile.

"We have to go."

"What, the two of us?"

"No genius, me and Hotch." We both giggle at the thought as she elbows me. "I used to take road trips with my friends back home all the time. It's been awhile though..."

I can tell she's been a bit homesick lately. She misses her friends and family. No one has been able to visit her yet. So I decide that this is a great idea for us both.

I look over to her, unable to hide a grin. "When are we going?"

"Really? Really??! You'll go? Oh my gosh, Spencer!" She jumps up out of the bed and starts pacing the room.

"We have to start planning. When do you want to go? I have to ask for days off. You will too of course. I can't wait to show you everything. We'll have to get you a robe..."

"Y/N!" She stops to look at me, as I can't help but laugh at her.

"Take deep breaths. We have plenty of time. You really get excited for trips, huh?"

"Oh you have no idea! Vacations are my absolute favorite! Planning is half the fun."

She stops and loses herself in thought for a moment. "It's not weird, is it? Us taking a trip together?"

I simply shake my head and she continues to plan out loud.

Her question makes me think. We are just friends. Friends can take trips together. My thoughts drift to the events that took place a little over a week ago at her apartment and at the bar. We still haven't talked about that. I'm sure she didn't mean anything by it, but ever since then I have taken extra notice of little things.

We used to sit apart to watch movies together, but ever since that day she seems to snuggle next to me. I find myself incredibly aware of how close she is, or when her arm brushes mine, my skin igniting at every touch.

She eventually settles down and makes her way back over to the bed, setting us up to continue the movie. Her head settles onto my shoulder, as if it belongs there. As her gaze falls on the screen, my gaze falls on her, and I can't seem to tear it away. I love watching her reactions. Despite having seen the movie so many times before, her expressions are as dramatic as someone who is seeing it for the first time. She told me she still cries at the boathouse scene, every time. I love that about her, her ability to see light in dark places, good among the evil. She is definitely the shining light amongst the darkness I face every day at work. I never want to lose that...lose her.

Eventually the nurse comes in with the discharge paperwork and instructions for wound care. They try to offer me prescriptions for pain medications at home, but I insist on sticking with Tylenol and Advil. Y/N drives me home and helps me carry my things up to my apartment. After we make our way inside. She immediately starts cleaning, switching on some music before she gets to work. I think about telling her to stop but I know better by now. Instead I lie across the couch and grab the book I was reading before I left for the case.

I try to focus on the words in front of me, but I find myself reading the same page over again as my eyes are continually drawn to Y/N. I see her go in my room and come back out with a laundry basket and bed sheets. After starting a load, she makes her way to the kitchen, wiping down counters and cleaning off any dishes in the sink. She's too focused on each task to notice my lingering stares.

She had come back out dressed in some loose fitting, high-waisted denim shorts and a black tank. She's pulled back the top half of her hair and tied it with a silk, gold scarf. She's still got no makeup on with her glasses. I normally take absolutely no notice of what women wear, but I really admire her style. It's always changing, completely unique and completely hers.

I try to hold back a grin as I watch her dance around the kitchen, barefoot as she sings a song I don't recognize.

"You get ready you get all dressed up, to go nowhere in particular. Back to work or the coffee shop, it don't matter because it's enough to be young and in looovee."

I can't put my finger on it but something about her has definitely been different lately. There's a new glow about her, and I'm drawn to it like a moth.

During her cleaning she's also opened up all my curtains and window's letting light in. She brought home all the flowers that had been dropped off during my hospital stay and is rearranging them into small vases to spread across the apartment. Its almost as if her light is so infectious, she's spreading it into every corner of my life, my home. I blush at the thought of how nice it would be to have her around all the time.

Every once in awhile I catch her gaze and she simply smiles at me as she continues to sing with equal enthusiasm. I appreciate that she's finally comfortable enough around me to sing, to be completely herself.

When she finally runs out of things to busy herself with, she makes her way to the couch and sits across from me, handing me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as she bites into one she made for herself.

"Thank you" I say appreciatively with a mouth half full of food.

"Thanks for everything actually; cleaning my apartment, staying with me at the hospital, taking care of me...and just for sticking around, being my friend."

She leans forward placing her elbows on her knees. "I couldn't have found anyone better if I had hand picked them myself." She laughs at her own cheesiness.

I cough, clearing my throat for a moment. "Should we talk about the other night?"

"The other night? Oh!...oh." I notice her face turns a bit red and she breaks eye contact, staring at the wood floors instead.

"We don't have to I just thought..."

"No it's okay. We should talk about it. Well, first of all I want to apologize for making you uncomfortable. Sometimes when I drink I flirt with just whoever is around. It's not personal. I'm really sorry." I notice her start to nervously pick at the hem of her clothing, a sign of her anxiety.

"No! No you didn't make me uncomfortable." I shake my head, biting my lip as I try to think of how to continue.

"It was unexpected. I've never seen you be so confident. It was really s-s-something else." I feel my face heat up as I catch myself almost saying something I regret. I shift in my seat, incredibly aware of the thick tension lingering in the air.

She finally speaks up. "So the trip? I guess we can pick some dates once you're back at work. Then we can request off and buy some tickets. Sound good?"

"Mmmhhmm." My heart is still racing from the previous conversation. I can't believe how quickly I go from completely at ease around her to a hot mess of nerves. I tell my self it's nothing, that it will go away if I only give it time. It has to.

[londonsquitebiggg]

THE ONE - Part One

^^^ this is the town in which my story is based^^^

Krista's Pov,

*BEEP, BEEP, BEEP*

"mmmmhhhmmmmm" I groan rolling over to turn off the horrid sound that is my alarm.

Today was the first day back at school after a very long summer break! I'm not excited to go back to campus today but I can't wait to see Sam, we have been the best of friends since we were born.

I start my day off with my normal routine, I wake up, reluctantly got out of my warm bed and walk into my in suite bathroom. I plugged my IPhone into my Ihome port and put my music on shuffle as I hopped into the shower. After I washed my hair with my strawberries and cream shampoo and conditioner, and washed my body with my strawberry body wash (Okay so I love the scent of strawberry don't judge me!). I washed the soapy suds off my body and shut off the water. I dried myself off with my big fluffy towel.

As I walked out of the bathroom and headed to my walk in closet trying to figure out what to wear today, I peaked out of my window to see what the weather was like, it was the same as always, hot and sunny! I decided on a tealy greenish cropped tank top, some ripped skinny jeans, and some white lace toms.

After I'm dressed I walk over to my vanity and plugged in my straightener to try and tame my mess of hair. While waiting for it to heat up I did my make-up which consisted of some concealer to mask my dark circles, a bit of powder to make my face look less oily,  some mascara, a little bit of blush, of course I did my eyebrows, and put on my chap stick. I'm not a huge fan of make up mainly because I honestly don't know how to do it but I also am too insecure to not where any at all so I do what I can.

Once deciding that this was as good as it was going to get I  ran my straightener through my hair till it was less of a mess and more of a wavy look. I walked to my bathroom to brush my teeth, and put on perfume and deodorant so I wouldn't smell ,  I pinned my hair back so I was out of my face and put a hair band on my wrist in case I needed to put it up later in the day. I grabbed my phone and backpack and headed downstairs to get some breakfast.

I guess it's about time that I introduced myself, my name is Krista Mayfield, I live in High Water, North Carolina, I'm currently 17 but my birthday is just three short days way. I am a Sophomore in college, I know that I'm technically "too young" but I worked my booty off and graduated high school early so it works. I still live at home with my family, we have our own house cause my Father is the Alpha of our pack.

Yes. I know what your thinking and it's true, I'm a werewolf. Well I will be you see, I'm 17 still and I haven't shifted yet so I don't have my wolf yet. That will all change soon though, just three days and I will shift and I'll be able to start looking for my mate.

"Krista get your breakfast before your father eats it all!" I heard my mom call me and walk into the kitchen, I grab some toast and a banana not feeling all that hungry and also running late to meet Sam at the school.

I kissed my mom on the cheek "Morning mom! I have to get to school early to meet Sam, I love you! Bye" I rushed as I grabbed my keys off the hook, almost out the door when my Father's voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Krista, there are some new wolves that are on our territory looking for their mates, they'll be attending your school so if you see them be nice please? I don't want them to feel unwelcome, they are from a neighboring pack and their families are old friends" I nod my head in response kiss my dad on the cheek, and rush off to school.

After a thirty minute drive I pull up to school and jump out, I saw Sam and I screamed as we ran to each other we crashed into a big bear hug, (yes we are those friends).

"Oh my gosh I missed you so much!" She said and we broke the hug. "I know I don't know how I survived without you!" Man was that the truth.

We saw each other over break, of course. Spent lots of time at the beach and just hanging out in general, I mean we practically lived at each others houses! However Sam's birthday was a month and a half ago, so she had to start her training and also her family went on a vacation for like three weeks so I haven't seen her as much as usual as of late.

We were out front of the English department when the we realized the time. We walked to our first lecture of the day and picked out our seats and put our stuff down, I went over to Sam and started to talk about her trip before the teacher got there, I wanted to know everything.

During the conversation I heard the door open but was too involved in my conversation with Sam and some of our other friends that had joined upon their arrival. Sam stopped talking and focused on something behind me, she was staring wide eyed, I wanted to know what had her so distracted. I turned around and there was four cute boys, well three cute boys and one extremely hot one, he had brown hair styled in this messy, effortless pushed back style, he was wearing all black and from the looks of his arms he had A LOT of tattoos... he is SO hot! I was basically drooling at how absolutely stunning the god like man.When suddenly I remembered that my birthday is in a couple of days and I will be able to find my mate and I know for a fact that the moon goddess would never me with someone as hot as him no matter how much I have prayed for basically a mate just like him I knew he was just too far out of my league. Plus he definitely is one of the wolves looking for his mate, not to mention that he's probably a lot older then me he has to be at least 25-26, I mean age doesn't really matter when mates and werewolves are involved but I could practically feel the power radiating off of him and I didn't even have my wolf yet! there is no way that I would be paired with such a strong Alpha!

Harry's Pov,

I'm not going to go into detail about my morning mainly because its not very interesting, I got up, got dressed, and drove to the new school I'm attending while one the BloodMoon Packs territory. Alpha Mayfield told me that a lot of the wolves from his pack go to this school which I could tell by the smell but I could also smell some humans, So it's a mixed school which is common considering it's a big city and it's not just a werewolf community.

I'm Harry, I'm here in High Water to try to find my mate, I'm 26 years old so I'm starting to get concerned that I don't have one. Which would be bloody terrible if you ask me but if that's what the Moon Goddess has planned for me then I guess I don't have much of a choice, but that sure as hell isn't going to stop me from looking for her.

I grew up in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire. You guessed it, I'm British. My family moved to the states when I was 16 after our Pack was attacked, my father was lost that night, my mother was lucky enough to be blessed with her second chance mate, Robin when we moved here. He was an Alpha of one of the biggest packs in America. My sister Gemma she found her mate last year, He took over Robins stop as Alpha and Gemma is now our Luna, I'm be an Alpha but I lost that opportunity from not having a mate yet. It didn't really bother me, I would be the Beta of our pack unless I don't find my mate, or unless she is to become the Luna of a pack, making me her Alpha... If she accepts me that is.

"Harry! my main man, nice of you to finally show up" one of my best mates Louis said knocking me out of my thoughts as I walked up to our group.

"Yeah, I figured if I'm here to find my mate I should get out of the house and start looking around shouldn't I?" I jokingly replied.

As he was about to say some smartass response when we noticed everyone rushing inside and we figured it was time to head to class, we didn't want to be late to class on our first day, well we didn't care about being late to class we just didn't want to miss an opportunity to find our mates. We were all just leisurely walking a when I suddenly got wind of this amazing, intoxicating, overwhelming, and addicting smell of Lavender, Cedar wood, and what I could only describe as sugar, my wolf Marcus was howling with glee, he kept chanting

"Mate, Mate, go to mate"

Over and over again, I started walking a little bit faster towards following her smell which lucky for me lead right to my first lecture I was so lost in her sweet smell, I could barely see straight. I opened the door and almost fainted at sight of my gorgeous mate. She was tall and tan, she had perfect long blond hair that was pulled back away from her face in a natural wavy style, She had the most stunning face that I had ever seen, she had very little make-up on which worked because she didn't need any she was so gorgeous, she was wearing very skinny ripped jeans that hugged her in all the right places and a green crop top that showed her skin which made me mad because I didn't want anyone else seeing what was mine!

I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth when I caught her checking me out, wondering if she was think about me in the same manner that I was thinking about her. Shit, it's taking every ounce of self control I have to not rush at her and claim her right here right now!

But just the she realized something and turned around, which made Marcus whimper because that means she didn't recognize me as her mate, or she did and didn't want me. I couldn't help the longing to walk up to her and say hello, to tell her how beautiful she was, how much I wanted her, how much I loved her eyes. So that is exactly what I did. I walked my way over to her and tapped on her shoulder.

"Hey, my names Harry, It's nice to meet you." I introduced myself to her once she turned around.

"Hi, I'm Krista, I don't mean to sound rude so if it comes across that way I'm sorry. But why are you talking to me? I mean your so hot and so much older then me...I.. uhhh.. umm I mean your like older and you don't want to embarrass yourself on the first day here talking to the awkward nerd when you could get in with the top of the food chain so easily with your looks.. I mean age...  I mean I'm, I'm going to shut up now " My little mate was rambling with nerves, making me chuckle at how adorable she looked all flustered, not to mention that she called me hot, but I didn't like the fact that she thought that she was embarrassing, a nerd, or saying that I was so old, Kind of hurt the ego a bit... I guess her hot comment could make up for that.

"What are you talking about? I'm only twenty-six??". I asked her confused.

"Yeah and I'm only sevente.." before she could finish her friend cut her off.

"Oh come on Krista you know your turning eighteen in like three days." my cute little mate was blushing at the reveal of her birthday being so close, especially it being such an important one.

It all made so much sense to me now, she wasn't rejecting me, she didn't recognize me as her mate because she hasn't shifted or got her wolf yet. Without her wolf senses she wouldn't be able to identify my smell, or feel our mate pull as intense, she would still feel it but she wouldn't be able to understand why she is feeling things towards me.

"Oh well, don't worry I just wanted to introduce myself to such a gorgeous girl as yourself, I'll see you around love" as I was walking away I winked at her and she blushed, bloody hell she looks so innocent when she blushes. It makes me want to do very unholy things to her! Which is okay because I am her mate but if anyone else was thinking these things about it I would rip their throat out.

I turn my head back as I walk back to the guys, because and can't stand not looking at her for longer than three seconds and I see her looking at me a bit flustered, her breathing is labored and her cheeks are tinted the most beautiful shade of pink. It's good to know that my words had there intended effect on her, 1 point Harry.

Krista's Pov

I can't believe that he just freakin' talked to me!!! Like the hottest guy that I have ever seen in my life just came and talked to me, he literally just called me love! Let's not  forget he called me gorgeous!! I think something is wrong with his eyes I mean has he seen me? I mean don't get me wrong I know I'm not ugly, I just don't think that I am pretty enough for the literal hottest guy to say I'm gorgeous!!!

Also how sweet is he to talk to me and not even care about my nerdy status! I mean the wolves here wouldn't dare disrespect me like that but the other students here find every excuse they can to pick on my age and my grades.. which doesn't make sense to me? like you come to college because you want to learn stuff so you can get a good job.. why would you want to have bad grades????

"what the heck just happened???" Sam said pulling me out of my thoughts.

"I have no stinkin' idea! like did you see that man? like holy smokes he is good looking" I said fanning myself trying to cool down, feeling like the temperature has risen like 20 degrees in here since him and his friends walked in.

"And let's not forget that incredibly sexy British accent!!" One of my best friends Ashlyn said. No matter how much I agree with that statement, it was makes me feel super annoyed that she just called him sexy, why am I feeling this way? Normally I would be blushing at her use of the word "sexy" but no I'm fuming with anger at the thought of someone else finding him attractive!

"Get a grip woman! You have no claim over him!" my subconscious screams at me. As much as this irritates me I know she is right. He isn't my mate and I don't have any sort of claim on him... he isn't mine.

"Do you think he is one of the wolves that's here looking for his mate?" Ashlyn questioned.

"I would assume so. I've never seen any of them before, heck I didn't even know we had wolves coming on our territory until my dad said something this morning. Why do you ask?" Was my reply to her, irritated that she was intrigued with him.

" Well I'm just wondering why he came over and was talking to you of all people".....OUCH! that was kind of harsh. I mean I'm as surprised as anyone that he was talking to me. I know that I'm not the prettiest girl around but I wouldn't expect one of my best friends to be so shocked that I could actually attract male attention.

As if sensing what I was thinking, probably because I wear my feelings on my face, she jumped into action to dig herself out of this hole.

"I didn't mean it in the way that you are thinking!! I just meant that his whole purpose here in High Water is to find his mate, so by him coming and talking to the most literally prettiest girl in school, I assume that means that he hasn't found his mate yet which means that talking to you could come across as him being a guy who doesn't put his mate first and flirts with other girls before he finds her... or he found her and he's a huge player..." Ashlyn nervously rambled, making some really good points.

" I don't know Ash, maybe we should consider the fact that maybe Krista is his mate??" Sam cut in. Both mine and Ash's heads snapped towards her staring in shock and confusion.

"I mean, she doesn't have her wolf yet so she wouldn't have been able to sense if she was. But he doesn't come off as the kind of guy to cheat on his mate, and he's twenty-six. Don't you think he is a little too old and mature to be flirting with girls that aren't his mate?" She said trying to explain her logic.

" I mean, yeah but like me? And him? I mean that's funny Sam I don't think the Moon Goddess would do him that disservice. I mean he is way out of my league! We aren't even playing the same game that's how far out of my league he is." Was my response to her outrageous theory.

"oh don't start this crap again! Krista you are the most gorgeous girl in the whole world! As much as you don't believe it, Sam's right. I mean his whole purpose of coming her is to find her, why would he jeopardize that by making her insecure and jealous of you?" Said Ash, They hate it when I talk bad about myself.

"And don't bring the Moon Goddess into this! You know just as much of the rest of us that, looks, age , and status have nothing to do with who she pairs you with! All that matters is that your mate is your other half. They complete you! Heck, your probably the best mate that guy could get!" Sam said being the best friend ever and boosting my confidence up a little.

I looked over my shoulder behind me at him, my mind jumbled with the possibilities of me and him being mates. As if sensing me staring his head turned at that exact moment. Gorgeous green eyes locked with mine, a stupidly attractive smirk on his face. It was that moment when Professor O'Neil walked in telling us to find our seats so we could start. It was like he knew how he was affecting me, my breathing labored, my cheeks flushed, and my heart pounding.

I couldn't tare my eyes away, he chuckled as he winked at me and faced the front to pay attention to what our Professor was saying. I rushed to my seat, trying to calm myself down and control my breathing. Trying to pay attention to my English lecture, but was struggling because my mind kept floating back to what Sam said.. could I really be his mate? Maybe.. but if I truly was, why didn't he say anything?

[countessogilvy]

[playlist] the sounds of avery wilshere

listen to this playlist on Spotify

@platinumweekend

watermelon sugar - harry styles

strawberries on a summer evenin' / baby, you're the end of june / i want your belly / and that summer feelin' / getting washed away in you / breathe me in / breathe me out / i don't know if i could ever go without

makes me wonder - maroon 5

give me something to believe in / 'cause i don't believe in you anymore, anymore / i wonder if it even makes a difference to try / yeah, so, this is goodbye / god damn, my spinning head / decisions that made my bed / now I must lay in it / and deal with things i've left unsaid

lucky - britney spears

lost in an image, in a dream / but there's no one there to wake her up / and the world is spinning, and she keeps on winning / but tell me, what happens when it stops? / they go, isn't she lovely, this hollywood girl?

high horse - kacey musgraves

i bet you think you're first place / yeah, someone should give you a ribbon / and put you in the hall of fame / for all the games that you think that you're winning / cause everyone knows someone who kills the buzz / everytime they open up their mouth / yeah everyone knows someone who knows someone / who thinks they're cooler than everybody else

jealous - nick jonas

i turn my chin music up / and I'm puffing my chest / i'm getting red in the face / you can call me obsessed / it's not your fault that they hover / i mean no disrespect / it's my right to be hellish / i still get jealous

because of you - 98 degrees

baby I really know by now / since we met that day / you showed me the way / i felt it then / you gave me love, i can't describe / how much I feel for you / i said baby i should have known by now / should have been right there / whenever you gave me love

you belong with me - taylor swift

walk in the streets with you in your worn-out jeans / i can't help thinking this is how it ought to be / laughing on a park bench thinking to myself / hey, isn't this easy? / and you've got a smile / that can light up this whole town / i haven't seen it in a while / since she brought you down / you say you're fine, i know you better than that / hey, what you doing with a girl like that?

new rules - dua lipa

one, don't pick up the phone / you know he's only callin' 'cause he's drunk and alone / two, don't let him in / you have to kick him out again / three, don't be his friend / you know you're gonna wake up in his bed in the morning / and if you're under him, you ain't gettin' over him

treat you better - shawn mendes

i'll stop time for you / the second you say you'd like me to / i just wanna give you the loving that you're missing / baby, just to wake up with you / would be everything i need, and this could be so different / tell me what you want to do

like i love you - justin timberlake

late at night, i talk to you / you will know the difference when i touch you / people are so phony, nosy 'cause they're lonely / aren't you sick of the same thing? / they say so and so was dating, love you or they're hatin' / when it doesn't matter anyway / ‘cause we're here tonight

genie in a bottle - christina aguilera

if you wanna be with me / baby, there's a price to pay / i'm a genie in a bottle / you gotta ask me the right way / if you wanna be with me / i can make your wish come true / just come and set me free / baby and i'll be with you

(there’s gotta be) more to life - stacie orrico

i've got the time and i'm wasting it slowly / here in this moment i'm half way out the door / onto the next thing, i'm searching for something that's missing / there's gotta be more to life / than chasing down every temporary high to satisfy me / cause the more that i’m / tripping out thinking there must be more to life

all or nothing - o-town

there are times, it seems to me / i'm sharing you with memories / i feel it in my heart but i don't show it, show it / then there's times you look at me / as though i'm all that you can see / those times I don't believe it's right

love yourself - carole & tuesday ost (pyotr voiced by j r price)

i never felt at ease in my own skin / from when i was a young boy / i didn't know myself then / and now I know that / nothing's wrong with my heart / nothing's wrong with my head / nothing's wrong with the way i walk / i heard people talking / i am perfect naturally, and i'll bet all my money / no one else could love me quite like me, baby

i kissed a girl - katy perry

us girls we are so magical / soft skin, red lips, so kissable / hard to resist so touchable / too good to deny it / ain't no big deal, it's innocent / i kissed a girl and i liked it / the taste of her cherry chap stick / i kissed a girl just to try it / i hope my boyfriend don't mind it

the climb - miley cyrus

there's always gonna be another mountain / i'm always gonna wanna make it move / always gonna be an uphill battle / sometimes i'm gonna have to lose / ain't about how fast i get there / ain't about what's waiting on the other side / it's the climb

[kiyoominous]

starburst matchup 

exchange with @haikyuu-matches​

hello! thanks for doing this with me, i think it's such a cute idea! i hope you don't mind that i've went with a more narrative approach with this matchup, i have never done one in my life D: 

you have been matched with komori motoya! 

falling for you!

komori met you at a community volleyball club. he doesn't visit too often, with the responsibilities of his own high school club, but he likes to play when he can. one particular day, he entered the community centre and saw you in all your 5'6 glory. the last time he came, he didn't see you in the crowd of familiar neighbourhood faces. you stood further towards the back of the hall, fidgeting with your fingers. this image looked all too familiar to komori, the cousin of a particularly standoffish ace. a sympathetic pang in his chest and he walked over to you, smiling as your eyes met his. 

you both traded names and he noticed that you were a little quiet. that was okay, he could talk around that. and he did, asking you questions and trying his hardest to make you feel comfortable. taking glances at your face, he saw the corners of your mouth turn upwards and noted that it was working. 

was it weird that he was enjoying it? 

komori doesn't remember too many things about that day. the volleyball match was fun and he remembered doing a really good receive. the rest of his memories from that day were filled with you. you and your shy smile, you and your dark chocolate eyes, you and your cute jokes. sure, you could've been the same as every other girl he's met in his life but there was something so discernibly about you. something so outstanding that he felt couldn't be matched. he couldn't put his finger on it so he made it his mission to finally put a name to this feeling. 

he found that the second he mentally declared his manhunt to define his thoughts on you, he was seeing you everywhere. he spotted you at the convenience store, he bumped into you at the dog park and he saw you at school. he saw you at school? komori was mildly surprised to see you in the cafeteria of his school, which was your's too. you weren't all too shocked, you knew about him through volleyball monthly but you didn't want to tell him that you did. 

five minutes of conversation and he discovered that you were both in different classes. no wonder why he never saw you around. or perhaps he did but he never took notice of your sleek black hair. he was always accompanying sakusa anyway so he didn't really notice anyone outside of his club or his class. 

somehow, someone mentioned the upcoming exam season. you declared your conflict with standardised testing, he proclaimed his struggle with revising content in return. it became very obvious to komori that his chance to understand you more intently was here; he could ask you to study with him! talk about killing two birds with one stone. you agreed to his plan with a gentle smile and he felt his heart flutter. was it the satisfaction of your agreement or was it something deeper? 

he decided that the answer would come to him later, not now. 

after the much anticipated study session came another one, and another one, and then studying morphed into free time. and then free time morphed into a weekly friday night hangout. unbeknownst to him, one of the beloved friday nights would become a vehicle for his romantic epiphany.  

komori enjoyed this turn of events. as much as he wouldn't admit it out loud, komori realised that he enjoyed your presence too. maybe a little too much. every second he spent with you, he felt his heart racing faster than it ever did after a volleyball match. it didn't help that your accidental touches made it accelerate even more. he didn't think that was even possible. it was impossible to not drink in the sight of you. the glow of your face, your silky dark hair, your gleaming brown eyes. perhaps you might’ve found them boring and painfully average but he thought you were the prettiest person he’d ever had the pleasure of perceiving. 

his fixation on you extended past your outward appearance and dove right within your mind, your heart, your very soul. he loved the sound of your laugh, the noise was melodious to him. he loved your sense of humour, all of those puns and dad jokes were right up his alley. hearing them made his heart flutter even more. he loved your hardworking nature, your love for the rain, the passion you put into everything you adored. 

he loved you. 

komori saw your widening eyes in his vision and suddenly he was brought back to the cold of your living room, back to the dark of the midnight sky, back to where he was sitting right now; next to you on the timber floorboards. the neon light of the television reflected on your pretty face, the movie playing on the screen long forgotten in favour of you. 

the realisation that he said that out loud hit him right in the chest and he felt like he was going to pass out. komori felt the air enter his lungs again when he heard you reciprocate loud and clear. 

you loved him too. 

the relationship dynamic!

you're both the most entertaining pair to be around, the gemini/leo combo makes for a fun relationship. 

the two of you are one of those couples that people want to be around, wishing to stick around to laugh with you and just see you so in love. 

with your mom friend energy and his dad friend energy (which i know he just has), you both become the designated parents amongst your friends. whether its a blessing or a curse, that's up to them to decide. 

the two of you are constantly on the same wavelength. 

it’s never too loud or too quiet with komori, just the right balance of both. 

he loves your sense of humour and thinks you’re one of the funniest people on the planet. it helps that he’s absolutely enamoured by your puns and dad jokes. sometimes he’ll shoot one right back at you just to hear you laugh. 

you both like poking a little fun at each other, giving teasing remarks or sarcastic quips. 

komori cares so much about you. 

he understands your need to recover in social situations and gives you the time that you need. he’s willing to be the pillar you run to whenever your social battery’s running low. 

though he admires your hardworking nature, he won’t hesitate to stop you if you overwork yourself. he always encourages breaks and offers to do your work for you if that’s what you need. not necessarily a nagging type of person but if he needs to take physical action, he’ll do it. it’s mostly just him stealing your laptop and pulling you into his lap for a cuddle. 

he doesn’t hesitate to remind you that you don’t have to be a people pleaser. an understanding man, he knows that it’s hard to just get over it so he tells you that he’ll be with you every step of the way, always giving you a gentle reminder of how cool you are to him and that you can say no. 

komori wants to be the shoulder you lean on whenever you’re facing something you don’t like. loud noises? he’ll hold you close and rub your back, telling you that it’ll all be okay. confrontation? he’ll confront them for you. injuries? he’ll keep an eye on you to make sure that you’re never going to be hurt. on the off chance that you do earn a wound, komori will ensure that you’re fixed up as soon as possible. he has a whole mini first aid kit on him specifically for this reason. fear of losing? he’ll always remind you that your efforts mattered more than the results and give you a kiss on the top of your head. the unknown? he’ll waddle through the unknown with you. he’s scared of it too but he won’t tell you that. violence? he’ll cover your eyes and guide you away with strong, gentle arms. 

he loves indulging himself in all of your interests.  

on lazy days, he’ll sit with you and take turns reading a book to each other out loud. sometimes it’s a whole novel, sometimes it’s a manga you’ve picked up from the library. he thinks it’s cute seeing your eyebrows furrow while you concentrate on the words in front of you. 

the study dates don’t end. whenever one of you is struggling with a subject, the other visits to be their personal tutor. it ends up being you a lot of the time, since komori loves your studying method. 

komori loves to read your writing. there are days where you go over to his to hangout and sit in silence. he adores that he can be that relaxed around you and lounge around on his phone while you sit up with your laptop propped on your lap. you’re always writing up a draft of a new creative piece whenever he glances at your laptop. he graciously offers to be your beta reader and indulges in every word you’ve typed. komori thinks that your writing style is so beautiful. 

one day, you told him that you like the french language and he spent a week trying to learn how to say ‘i love you’ and maybe a couple of other phrases to surprise you out of nowhere. when he saw your shock, he giggled and wrapped his arms around you. from that moment on, he would occasionally whisper je t'aime into your ear. he loves you so much omg. 

you play sports together. it doesn’t matter what it is; be it volleyball, tennis or soccer. you’re both a power duo in every game you play and everyone’s scared to play again the two of you. it helps that your boyfriend is one of the most notable liberos in japan. 

komori likes watching anything with you. sometimes when you’re both too tired to go out, he’ll set up his tv to watch whatever you’re in the mood for. one day you might catch up on my hero academia. another day you might be sniffling at a romcom. he likes romcoms more than he’d like to admit but he tells you about this guilty pleasure to appease your love for the genre. 

you mentioned to him once that you liked handwritten letters and komori made it his personal mission to write one for you personally once a month. they’re always so heartfelt, a clear reflection of him and his emotions towards you. he enjoys writing them as much as he enjoys the expression on your face when you read them. 

he seems to be the greek mythology enthusiast himself so he loves talking to you about it. and by enthusiast, i mean that komori was one of those kids who owned the whole entire percy jackson series. since the most that he knows about greek mythology is whatever is written in the percy jackson books, he lets you sit with him and educate him on the extensive lore of the gmcu (greek mythology cinematic universe). 

he loves hearing you talk about astrology and gets into it himself. he can’t help it, especially with the bright smile you hold on your face whenever you talk about it. when he first found out about your astrological compatibility, he was over the moon. the grin that he had on his face was so big that you thought that it looked like the moon itself. he’s downloaded co-star and reads his and your horoscope sometimes. 

date idea! 

komori decided to take you to a cat cafe after you mentioned the idea of it to him once. it’s a very him thing to do, to remember something you’ve told him offhandedly once and immediately make something big out of it. 

the second you step in, your eyes glimmer with delight as they land on the multitude of cats in the vicinity. you don’t even look back to him at once, swerving your attention to the cafe’s residents. at least you’re holding his hand still, he thinks. maybe he’s a little jealous but hey, the visible joy on your face beats his concern over being prioritised after felines living in a cafe. 

after what seemed like hours of cat-petting, you both sat to order, the food arriving in a pleasingly timely fashion. the lunch items were delicious, the desserts were divine but komori was even more drawn to the soft look of adoration on your face as you stared at a calico cat that frequently passed by the two of you. 

this might’ve been his best date idea yet, he thought. 

[etlunainmorte]

❄❄❄

***

*Bella Basil Raspberry Tea*

Total Time - 45 minutes preparation plus chilling

Serves - 6

Ingredients

3 cups fresh raspberries

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup lime juice

2 individual black tea bags

1 bottle ( 1 liter ) carbonated water or 1 bottle ( 750 milliliters ) sparkling rose wine

Ice cubes

Fresh raspberries and basil leaves, optional

Directions

In a large saucepan, combine the raspberries, sugar, basil and lime juice. Mash berries. Cook over medium heat for 7 minutes or until berries release juices.

Remove from the heat; add tea bags. Cover and steep for 20 minutes. Strain, discarding tea bags and raspberry seeds. Transfer tea to a 2 - qt. pitcher. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Just before serving, slowly add carbonated water or wine. Serve over ice. If desired, top with raspberries and basil.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 281 calories, 0 fat ( 0 saturated fat ), 0 cholesterol, 9mg sodium, 44g carbohydrate ( 37g sugars, 4g fiber ), 1g protein.

*Cookie Dough Stuffed Oreos*

Yields - 30

Prep Time - 10 minutes

Total Time - 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 c. ( 1 stick ) melted butter

1/2 c. granulated sugar 

1/2 c. packed brown sugar 

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 

1 c. almond flour 

1/2 tsp. kosher salt 

2/3 c. mini chocolate chips

24 Oreos

1 c. chocolate chips

1 tbsp. coconut oil 

1/4 c. sprinkles 

Directions

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugars, and vanilla. Stir in almond flour and salt, then fold in mini chocolate chips. 

Separate Oreos trying to keep cream intact. Place 2 tsp of cookie dough on Oreo half with cream, then sandwich with other half of Oreo. Repeat with remaining Oreos and dough. 

Place chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until melted. Dip Oreos halfway into chocolate, place on prepared baking sheet, and top with sprinkles. Refrigerate until chocolate is hardened, 1 hour.

***

"You said, please, say yes." You excitedly informed him. "And I said, yes! I'm going to the New Year's Ball with you, V!"

It took the poet a full minute before he finally realized what you were talking about. And when he finally realized what your words truly meant, his eyes slowly widened and his mouth fell open in shock. He grabbed his messy hair with both hands and spoke, "That - that's your answer, right? You'll go to the Ball with me?"

"Hahaha! Of course, you silly poet!" You laughed as you threw yourself at him, hugging him and placing a tender kiss on his cheek. Oh, how sweet you smelled. What a nice morning, indeed! "See ya!"

And before V could even reciprocate with a kiss of his own, you took your hands off him, waved, and went back to your house.

Now, if it were only that easy.

"What happened to you, dear?" Adelaide asked you, a plate of fluffy pancakes in her hand. 

Your hands automatically went up your hair as realization finally kicked in. "I told him I'd go the Ball with him."

"Yes, and?"

Giving your grandmother a horrified look, you answered, "I don't have a vintage dress!"

***

❄ Three Wishes ❄

***

IX

***

"You're in luck." Your cousin, Avery, told you as she nudged your arm with an elbow. "I got your back."

"Thanks." You answered with a shy smile as the two of you made your way to her mansion.

It was a good thing that you called Avery first before going to the shopping district to look for a decent vintage dress. You never knew much about gowns or even dresses ( except for the ones you wear for your concours and concertos ), and you're just glad to have her around.

And honestly? She didn't disappoint. Not only were you not going to spend a single cent, you're also going to have the full vintage wardrobe experience free of charge!

Avery opened the heavy wooden door, a feat which always awed you, and allowed you to step into the threshold first before her.

The warmth of the place welcomed you like an old friend, and the entirely redesigned interior made it look as good, or even better, as new. Avery chucked ( not literally, of course ) the old Grecian statues and the rest of the old stuff away ( including your great grandfather's intimidating life - size portrait, which, if she could be honest, was already considered cursed by a lot of curators ), put them up for auction, and actually gained a lot of money from it ( well, not that Roman would refuse, anyway ). She hired a florist and an interior designer for a revamp of the mansion, and voila!

And now, as you glanced with wonder and admiration at the complete transformation of the interior, your jaw couldn't help but drop and your eyes couldn't help but widen. The house, and all the places and corners the eye could possibly reach, looked actually clean, it didn't even look like a haunted mansion, anymore. In place of the old Grecian statues were two Venetian pedestals with modern flower vases in it. The baroque period paintings were gone from the walls, replaced with modern ones depicting gardens in all four seasons. The old and worn down window frames were also replaced. Even the floorboards don't squeak anymore.

Everything was brand new! And everywhere you look, there were lots, and lots, and lots,... of flowers! And,... this actually made you a bit confused.

Avery, actually decorating her house with flowers,... ?

"Didn't know you'd go for flower power." You let out your thoughts as you followed and observed the positively radiant woman upstairs. "And you looked, ah,... different." You remarked, seeing that she finally got rid of her blue highlights and just let her hair grow naturally, letting its true auburn color show, which looked perfect in its own way. You also noticed that her style changed, as well. Instead of a loud statement shirt, a pair of ripped jeans, and a pair of thick leather boots, she's wearing a pastel - colored floral dress, and a pair of wedges.

Avery,... wearing dresses?

Am I missing something here? You thought to yourself as you smiled at your cousin.

"Who? Me? Different?" Avery replied as she glanced at you at the corner of her eye.

You hummed in approval. "You looked,... radiant."

"Nah! I'm still old me. And you're the main focus here, not me. So, if you please,..." Your cousin requested as she gestured for you to open the door to the bedroom on the left hallway. You grabbed the doorknob firmly, carefully turned it, and opened the door,...

You felt a strange wave of nostalgia brush you gently in the face as you entered the old room. The huge French canopy bed on the left, the sweet scent wafting about the cozy room, the pastel colored wallpaper, the heavy floral curtains, and even the white vanity table on the right gave the impression that this room belonged to a very delicate lady,...

... who seemed very much in love.

Huh? Why did I think of that? You pondered as you heard the door close behind you.

"I had this room renovated." Avery told you as she walked towards the vanity table and placed a hand on the ornate mirror. "This belonged to gran's mom."

"Really?!" You gasped, taken by surprise by what you just heard from your cousin. Your eyes wandered once more all over the place, drinking in all the lovely sights the room could offer. It's as if,... the room itself held some sort of significance to you. Like you've been here before. "Wow,..."

"You know, V spent a lot of time in this room last October." Avery giggled as she gave you a sly sideways glance, wanting to see your reaction. And you didn't disappoint. The moment your cousin mentioned his one letter name, your face heated up, making it as red as a beetroot.

"W - what's he doing here?" You stuttered, making the other woman laugh.

"Ah! Long story. I'll tell you some other time." Avery answered as she went towards the large wooden closet on the left near the French canopy bed. "But, I'll tell you this: he's in love with gran's mom."

"Sorry?"

"Never mind." Your cousin teased as she opened the closet, revealing a huge collection of Victorian era dresses of all fabrics, colors, and shapes.

And it simply took your breath away! And instantly made you forget what Avery just revealed.

"Amazing!" You gasped in awe as Avery took one dress made completely out of lace from the huge closet. "It's so, so beautiful!"

"Look, I may tell you that this lady here suits your skin tone but, you can try as many of these as you like." Avery told you as she carefully handed you the delicate dress. "Hell, you can try all of them!"

And that's what you did for the next few hours. As tiring as it was, carefully putting on these dresses and making sure that they don't get damaged in the process, it really was fun trying them on. There were just too many, in different shades of red, blue, purple, green, and yellow, in different fabrics like lace, satin, silk, chiffon, and in different cuts, although ninety - five percent of them had extremely low necklines and all of them had tight fitting bodice.

And somehow, the dresses,...

... felt so familiar to you. From the colors perfectly matching your skin tone, to their sizes exactly fitting your form.

It was like you actually owned them.

"That's beautiful." Avery, who got so tired of waiting and elected to just sit on the bed to watch your every move, said for seemingly the hundredth time that day.

"Yes but," You answered as you uncomfortably looked down at what you’re wearing: an exquisite pale green dress with an empire waist and a pair of bishop sleeves made of voluminous silk. " ... it doesn't seem right."

Avery rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms. "I told you. Pick whatever you like. V will not judge you if you pick the wrong one, come on!"

"No, it's not that I'm worried about V judging me." You said as you faced the closet once more. "These dresses are all beautiful, and they all fit so perfectly, it's actually scary. But, I don't feel,... special,... in any of them. In a way."

"What do you mean by that?"

"It's like,... I'm happy they all fit. But, I'm not happy wearing them."

"Really? How so?"

"It's like,... ah,... how do I explain this?" You bit your lower lip as you browsed the many more dresses that were hanging inside the vintage closet belonging to your gran's mom. "It's like, I'm looking for something that resonates. That feels special. You know what I'm saying?"

"I'm not sure I know what you meant." Avery answered as she collapsed on the white pillows.

"Ah, it's so hard to - "

"Hard to what?"

You turned towards your cousin, your eyes almost popping out of their sockets and your mouth opening wide. Like you've just awoken to a huge revelation.

"Found something that resonates?" Avery asked as she rolled on the bed, propping her chin on her knuckles and playfully swaying her feet back and forth.

"I might have." You replied as you took a particular dress from the closet and made your way once again towards the massive bathroom. "Wait."

"Isn't that what you're already making V do?" Avery teased with a huge grin plastered on her face as she rolled on the bed once more and laid on her back.

"What's that?!" Your voice echoed from the bathroom. You were just too weirded out with your cousin's behavior.

"Nothing! And make it quick already! I'm starving!"

"Alright! Alright! And can you put something else in here, like a vanity table or something? It feels really empty here!"

"Just like how V feels without you?"

"Come again?!"

"Did I say something?"

"Ugh!"

Avery was clutching her stomach with both hands, hysterically laughing at her jokes when you finally came out of the bathroom. And when she saw you, her mouth simply dropped.

"Girl," She gasped, feeling as if her eyes were deceiving her. " ... you're wearing,... that?"

"Yes!" You proudly declared as you made a little pirouette, the soft fabric of the dress flowing gracefully with your movement. "Isn't this perfect?!"

"W - well," Avery said, still a bit tongue - tied, as she got off the bed and made her way towards you. " ... I must say that's a really curious choice. A good choice, nonetheless. Looks perfect, yes."

Your eyebrows knitted, confusion with Avery's strange commentary on the dress you chose starting to set in. "You don't look happy."

"What? Ugh! Come on, I said it's perfect, right? Now, get dressed and come down, I'm really starving, I could eat a huge bird right now!”

You were still staring at the dress laid carefully on the sofa a few minutes later as you and your cousin enjoyed some cookie dough stuffed oreos and bella basil raspberry tea.

"So, are you gonna tell me?" You said after taking a sip of the sweet beverage. "What V was doing there last October?"

"Ye really wanna know?"

"Well, duh. Of course."

Avery took one cookie from the huge plate and pointed it at you. "Do you believe in ghosts?"

"Umm, yes? No? I don't know,..."

"Well, whatever your belief is, this place," Avery said, taking a bite of the treat. " ... used to be haunted. And I commissioned the Legendary Devil Hunter to drive the spirit out. But, he refused!" She said, then took another bite. "And this man, this thin man who calls himself V, he volunteered. He confronted the Demon who took over this place," She plopped the treat into her mouth and chewed. And with a still full mouth, she said, " ... and set the tortured souls free. Safe to say he won, right?"

"Oh, I s - "

"BUT, of course, you wouldn't believe me! So, forget what I just said." Avery took another cookie and ate it whole. Then, after that, she took another one from the plate and ate it as well.

"You, ah, eat well!" You said, carefully choosing your words so as not to offend your cousin.

"Who, me?" Avery asked as she ate another cookie, then took a sip of her tea. "Nah. Must be your imagination."

" ... okay,... "

"I answered your question, now answer mine." Avery gestured at the dress on the sofa and took another treat from the almost empty plate. "What made you choose that dress?"

"Instinct." You simply answered.

"Meaning?"

"I feel it's the one, you know?"

"Just like how you feel about V?"

"OH, SH - !"

"I'm home, ladies!" Roman, who just entered the living room, greeted you and made his way towards his wife to plant a kiss on her radiant cheek. He, then, took out a box of dumplings from a plastic bag and showed it to Avery, whose eyes and mouth widened in delight.

"Roman Mikael Francisco, you greatest husband in the world!" Avery exclaimed in ecstasy as she grabbed the Chinese take out box from Roman's hand. "How did you know I'm craving this?"

"Instinct." Roman answered as he winked at you, making you nod in realization of the real situation.

"Oh, shush, you!" Avery playfully slapped Roman's hand and looked back at you. "And you! You have to go back home, it's getting late."

"I'm not a kid!" You replied with a silly grin on your face as you took the dress from the sofa. "And it's only afternoon."

"Whatever." Avery said and stood, accidentally dropping her handkerchief from her lap to the floor in the process. "Oh, it fell! Just like how you and V fell for each other!"

"Stop!"

***

❄ @la-vita , @clevermentalitybeliever , @birdgirl69 , @v-vic , and @dreaming-gamer . ❄

***

"You alright on your own?" Roman asked graciously as he walked with you towards your house. "You need help with that box? That's huge!"

"I can handle this, thanks!" You replied with a smile as you held the box containing the dress and its accessories closer to your form.

"Are you a hundred percent sure?"

"Yes."

Roman nodded, his charming smile showing on his young - looking face. "Alright, alright. I'll go back to Avery, then. She's getting more and more delicate these past few days, you know?"

"Yeah. Take care of her, alright?"

"Si, si." Roman smiled, waved, and walked back towards the mansion.

So, I'm right! You thought as you opened the door to your own house. "Gran, I'm home - "

However, something, or someone, stopped you in your tracks.

Christopher Lancaster, your narcissistic former lover, was waiting for you in the living room. What's more, he was holding an expensive - looking bouquet of red roses, there was a box of expensive French chocolate on the table, and Adelaide was looking at the man with utter hate and disdain from one corner of the room. Like he forced her to let him in the house.

"(Y/N)!" The man greeted as he stood up from the sofa and made his way towards you. "I was waiting for you."

You took a few steps back and held the box right in front of you to prevent the man from getting closer to you. "What do you want, Christopher?"

"Aww, how cold! Yikes!" The man sarcastically said as he made a shivering gesture. "I only wanted to give this to you - "

"What. Do you. Want?"

"Sheesh, can't a man invite a lady properly to the New Year's Ball?"

"Oh! Is that so?"

"So, you'll come with me! That's great news! I - "

"Get out of here, you're scaring gran."

The man drew back in shock at what he just heard. "I beg your pardon?"

"I said, GET OUT! I'M NOT GOING TO THE BALL WITH YOU!"

"WHAT? YOU CAN'T REFUSE ME!"

"WELL, I JUST DID!" You yelled as you took the box of expensive chocolate from the table and shoved it forcefully into his arms. "NOW, GET OUT!"

The man gave you one last look of contempt before turning and finally leaving you and your grandmother alone.

And, hell, it felt good!

***

❄❄❄

***