#since its a cardboard thing

[mayhemmies]

HAPPY MACK HANS MONDAY!!!!!

I MADE A CARDBOARD MACK HANS FOR THE CELEBRATION. THE ORIGINAL EDIT IS NOT MINE BUT THE CARDBOARDIFICATION IS. look at him go i love him so much

[syluses]

Hello everyone 😤 HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR GLORIOUS KING CALEB!! 🎉🥳🍎

Now i regret to inform u that ive no post planned for him at this time…. which is truly sorry of me 🤦🏻‍♀️ but i hope the last fic was able to feed yall for long enough until whenever i do post the next caleb thing ♡

Not to be disrespectful on gege’s bday btw. but i cant help but imagine this is how his dinners went in skyhaven when he was ‘dead’ and wasn’t seeing mc 😭

Truly bleak times

[milkweedman]

I made a spicy vegetable miso soup with lots of ginger to try and fix what ails me and honestly 10/10. Works every time

[t-lostinworlds]

it's midterms season. i'm so tired. there's so many art stuff I need to get done and one of our instructors seem to get off at assigning as many projects to their students as possible

[sk3l3t0n444]

i feel like everybody hates me, but especially those who i look up to...i feel like a little kid again...looking up to those who only look down upon me, instead of picking me up and embracing me.

[autism-corner]

i love handsewing but man this would be 100 times easier if i actually had a machine.

[iridikron]

UGHHHHHH FUCK i also want to do refs for jones and tristan. jones is my hacker toreador i played when i was like 15 and tristan is my planned next vtm character who ive been rotating in my mind for years but never actually made

[lavenite]

not even sure how to begin tackling this ….

[mbat]

anyone else have like, a messy/nontypical setup (as opposed to their usual one) when doing a several days long project and its kinda... everything? in a good way?

it just feels like... wow, im doing something, and it feels good that its taking up space, and itll feel physically different when its done

[reasonsforhope]

"Tilia is a vest-wearing conservation dog that the 444-acre [Mequon] nature preserve relies on for vital conservation and restoration work.

The dog’s responsibilities include sniffing out invasive and endangered species in the prairies, forests, and wetlands of Mequon.

Conservation dogs have become more commonplace in wildlife organizations, tapping into their astonishing scent-detecting abilities.

“Dogs in general already have up to 200 million olfactory sensors,” Cory Gritzmacher, the director of operations at the nature preserve, told Wisconsin Life.

Humans, on the other hand, have about 5 million.

“[Dogs are] already set up and designed for scent detection,” Gritzmacher added. “It’s really just finding a dog that’s motivated, that wants to do it on a regular basis and is excited to do it.”

Tilia was the pup for the job.

One of her main roles is to detect wild parsnip, an invasive species that staff removes once it is found on the property.

Compared to humans, Tilia can find parsnip in its first year, while it’s still close to the ground and camouflaged by other plants. This is vital, since parsnip will start to spread rapidly by the time it reaches its second season in the preserve. 

Studies show that the estimated damage caused by invasive species has cost the United States around $120 billion annually, as it impacts agriculture, recreational industries, and wildlife management. 

By catching invasive species that take hold of local flora and fauna early, Tilia achieves something no humans can.

“The best trained volunteers or staff in the world won’t even be able to find what a canine can,” Gritzmacher said. “That’s the pretty impressive part of it. And who doesn’t want to go to work with a dog?” ...

Tilia began training as a puppy, and now nearly seven years old, she’s a pro at scent detection — which all started with some treats hidden in cardboard boxes...

“As she continues to hit on the correct scent, then she gets rewarded. So, she’s going to get paid again. We do our work, we get paid. She does her work, she gets paid.”

Tilia can also spot Blue-Spotted and Easter Tiger Salamanders, which are endangered in the area. Her other scents include Wood Turtle and Garlic Mustard.

Of course, her workload remains balanced with time off. Her official owner is the director of Mequon Nature Preserve, who is happy to embrace her as the family dog when she’s not out sniffing.

But Gritzmacher, who trains and works alongside Tilia, adores her, not only for her companionship, but for the miracles she is able to work as an asset to Wisconsin’s conservationists.

“Canines are going to start to play a huge role in the conservation field just because of their amazing detection skills,” Gritzmacher said, “especially when resources are limited, staff is limited and you have to search potentially thousands of acres or miles.”

In fact, Tilia was joined by a partner in crime a few years ago: Timber, another chocolate lab who is actually the offspring of Tilia’s sister.

By following in her pawprints, Timber’s “powerful nose will be a key tool” in the preserve’s “land restoration efforts,” according to its website.

“For years, scientists have tried to replicate the power and efficiency of the canine nose,” Mequon Nature Preserve adds on a webpage for Tilia and Timber.

“The results keep coming back the same: The canine nose is second to none. Coupled with an insatiable desire to work and serve, Tilia and Timber help us find things humans often can’t.”"

-via GoodGoodGood, December 2, 2024

[hellenhighwater]

Do you carry any other fun and whimsical things in your purse besides the brass measuring tools? can we see them??

"What do I carry in my purse" is actually a really long answer! Not very whimsical though.

I don't carry a very large purse but it is actually jam-packed with stuff. Obviously the usual—credit cards, ID, badge, money, car keys.

But the rest is taken up by a tidy little lineup of things that are useless 99% of the time and crucial 1% of the time. Some of it (most of the top row) floats loose in my purse; most of the bottom row packs into the little bag there. My sketchbook du jour is usually carried separately.

So: top row:

Sketchbook and the little brass drafting tools, which I carry inside the sketchbook, and also a little metal ruler that has honestly become redundant.

Then, a bunch of pens and marking tools: A ballpoint, some pencils, paint pen, permanent marker, white gel pens, white paint pen, white mechanical pencil, and eraser. This varies depending on what I'm working on and what I've absently left in the wrong place.

Some lip gloss, hand sanitizer, concealer, chapstick, nail polish, and heavy lotion (clay dries your hands out SO hard) and a hair pin. Usually there are several sword shaped hair pins also; I took them out while working on a project and they'll migrate back when I'm done.

Headphones, a couple knives, and a tiny foldable gerber multitool. A little flat card multitool, with a heavy needed shoved into its case also, and a pack of clear sticky notes.

A two-port USB brick; I usually also carry a power bank but it's charging in the car right now.

My change purse and my wallet, which is just the IDs; my actual cards are in a pocket in the purse that also has a little nail kit. My car keys, which have a bottle opener and a combined window breaker-seatbelt cutter, a 64 gig USB key, and keys to my studio, house, garage, and the courthouse.

The bag itself is metal mesh, which means it’s durable but also somewhat see-thru.

That little tin is a tiny first aid kit, which probably I should have unpacked, but it's got bandaids, bandages, skin tape, blistex; antiseptic, itch, and burn cream; eyedrops; several small packets of common meds (tylenol, advil, etc) and a little folded chart for meds, since I’m terrible at remembering which can be taken with which; a breath mask. There's also a razor and some safety pins tucked in there. It's held shut with a hair tie.

There's some single-use earplugs and some zip ties, some more eye drops, and a tiny vial of liquid breath mint.

A deck of mini playing cards.

A tiny sewing kit--needles, pins, earring backs and pin backs, some heavy black thread on a bobbin, a measuring tape, and some foldable scissors. There's a couple glasses screws in there from before I had Lasik.

Another little multitool, some binder clips, a tiny level, a 120 gig USB, and some bobby pins.

Matches and a lighter, a flat pen, and coils of 20 lb fishing line, picture wire, and monofilament, as well as two short USB cords.

A tide pen and a glasses screwdriver.

The bag contains cardboard strips with several yards of tape: Electrical, packing, scotch, duct, gaff, and skin tape. Superglue. A spare piece of heavy cardboard to use as a cutting surface if needed.

An Xacto knife with the blade reversed (learned my lesson after jamming my hand into my bag and taking a chunk out of a finger when a springloaded switchblade opened itself) and spare blades.

Some more clear sticky notes and a tiny lined notebook for when I just need scratch paper.

My car actually includes two slightly different emergency bags—one for regular roadside emergencies (including emergencies in blizzard weather) and one for camping emergencies, and a bit more of an extensive first aid kit.

[withering-daylight]

okay so i hope this will make sense but backstory, i just got this new perfume and it got me thinking would you write oscar piastri x fem!reader and he’s just so in love with her and she tries a new perfume or lotion and he just loves it like obsessed with it along with her? idk if that makes sense but yeah

NEW PERFUME | OSCAR PIASTRI x FEM!READER

🖇️ (MAIN) masterlist | 🖇️ F1 masterlist | 🖇️ more OP81

summery (REQUEST): you recently got a new perfume, and Oscar notices the new scent that clings to you.

warnings: none!

word count: 1k

A/N: this request came at the most perfect time because I literally just got a new perfume myself!! I used the perfumes I have as a base point since I’m most familiar with the scents that I like, so even if the perfumes I chose aren’t you’re style, I still hope you can enjoy this!! I also hope I didn’t mischaracterize Oscar, because I get scared whenever I write for him cause my main fear is mischaracterizing him since he’s one of my favorites 😭 this isn’t fully proofread!!

Also!! If you want to be tagged, be sure to tell me :D

If you know one thing about Oscar, it’s that he notices anything and everything. He was so infatuated by you that he memorized which perfume you typically go for, which lotion you prefer, color schemes for your makeup. He kept everything on a notes app on his phone so if you ran out of something he could buy the exact product you like.

You loved this quality he had. You didn’t have to ask or say anything about using all your perfume, he just buys it and puts it where you usually put it anyway and doesn’t say a word about it.

You usually don’t tend to go out of your comfort zone perfume-wise, mainly sticking to “Good Girl Blush Elixir” by Carolina Herrera. A blend of rose, vanilla, and patchouli (a plant known for having a musky, earthy fragrance). You’ve been using that scent since it’s came out two years ago. You truly loved that scent.

But, on a girls trip with your friends a few days prior, you found a perfume that you loved as much as your signature.

The perfume in question? La Belle from Jean Paul Gaultier.

The scent was absolutely addicting. It was if a mouth watering pear was wrapped in vanilla with a touch of bergamot that enchanted it all. It wasn’t overly intense, but you could definitely tell it was there.

So, you ordered it online and now, 4 days later, it was finally delivered. Oscar was out doing some fitness training, and probably wouldn’t be back for another hour or so.

Placing the cardboard box on the kitchen island, you got out a box cutter and sliced the tape. After effectively getting the box open, you moved the crumpled paper and grabbed the mound of bubble wrap that wrapped around the perfume container.

After a few more minutes (and popping the bubble wrap), you were finally able to open the sage-colored tin. Unveiling the gorgeous bottle.

The gorgeous silhouette, the necklace of golden flowers that adorned and wrapped around the neck of the bottle. Not only that, but the magenta hues of its fragrance just captivated you. You practically squealed out of excitement as you took off the cap off the bottle and pressed your finger against the spray nozzle. A quick spray on your pulse points before putting the cap back on and walking to the master bedroom.

You walked to the bed and laid down, putting the bottle that held such elegance on your nightstand for the time being. You eventually took out your phone and decided to scroll on social media til Oscar got back.

The front door opened and Oscar walked in, shutting the door and placing his fitness bag on the floor near the door. Sweat still glistening on his skin, even from wiping it away with a towel previously. His cheeks were still a bit flushed. He ran a hand through his soft, prince-like curls.

“Baby I’m home!” He said loudly, looking around before walking to the bedroom and stopping at the doorway.

You smiled, looking up from your phone and turning it off. You set it aside on the nightstand, next to the perfume bottle.

“Hey Osc, how was training?” You asked, patting the spot beside you on the bed. A clear invitation.

To which he instantly accepted. He plopped onto the bed, letting the soft duvet caress him and finally let his body relax.

“Mh.. fine.” He responded, shrugging. He looked up at you, admiring your face silently.

That’s when the scent hit him. Oscar sat up instantly. Scooting over closer to you and wrapping his arms around your torso and hugging you tightly. He pressed his nose against your neck and inhaled deeply.

“You smell different,” He muttered against your soft skin. From his tone of voice, it was hard to tell if it was a good or bad difference, “you’re not wearing your regular perfume.” He stated with quiet confidence. He let his hands wander and caress your back.

You smiled, letting a soft giggle leave your lips. Your own hands crept their way into his hair, twirling some strands sweetly.

“Do you like it? It’s Jean Paul Gultier.” You said, kissing his temple before letting your cheek rest against his head.

“Yeah.. it’s nice.” Oscar replied with a small nod against your neck. He paused his caressing and moved one of his arms to pull a blanket over them, before moving his arms back around you and resuming his caressing of your back. You felt a smile work its way on his lips. An exhausted smile, but a smile nonetheless.

“Which perfume do you like more?” You asked, moving the blanket up so it almost completely covered you two.

“Can’t decide right now.” He responded simply, inhaling deeply and pressing his face even more against your neck. Your perfume didn’t matter much to him, what mattered to him was you.

“If I take a shower and freshen up, can I take you out to dinner?” Oscar asked, eyes now peering up at you through his lashes.

You laugh, shaking your head out of amusement. “So now, after I get a new perfume, you just happen to want to take me out on a date?” You say, gently tugging a strand of his hair.

He let out a laugh of his own, sweetly kissing your neck. “I’ve been wanting to take you out since last week but we’ve been too busy to plan anything.” He replied, now moving his head up from your neck and truly looking at your face now.

“I suppose a date doesn’t sound bad.” You mused, kissing his forehead, “Just make sure to freshen up, because no offense but I would not like my boyfriend to be sweaty at a restaurant.” You said with a small grin, half serious.

Oscar sighed and reluctantly pushed himself up from the bed. He didn’t want to leave the comfort of your arms, but he didn’t want to procrastinate a much needed shower. He got off the bed and walked to that bathroom. He stopped right before the door, looking back at you.

“Use the new perfume more often.” He commented with a cheeky smile.

“Will do.” You replied, winking at him. Oscar nodded and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

© withering-daylight — DONT CLAIM, TRANSLATE, MODIFY, REPOST, OR CREDIT YOURSELF FOR MY WORK ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED.

[requiemforthepoets]

you say good morning when its midnight ⟢ OP81 (part 5)

main masterlist | fic playlist | series masterlist

PAIRINGS: oscar piastri x female!reader

SUMMARY: you and oscar grew up together, and despite being neighbors and best friends with her sister, hattie, you never really talked or had a conversation with him. until one day, where he randomly texted you out of nowhere.

REMINDERS: this is purely fiction, the way how the character is portrayed in my story does not reflect the person that is portraying my character in real life. always separate fiction from reality, and do not repost or copy my work in any way.

WARNINGS: use of y/n, (a little) slow burn, humor, fluff, inaccurate information, no consistent face claims, all photos are from pinterest, weird, awkward, unhinge, reader is a little bit ball of a mess, long distance relationships, and minor typographical errors.

WORD COUNT: 555

AUTHOR'S NOTE: part 5! sorry if the update took a little long, i was away for a vacation. but i'm now back, and i'll try to update this series as much as i can. also, this series will be my primary focus for the meantime. i would like to apologize if this is a bit rushed, indecided not to some parts since i wanna focus on the plot, but i hope you'll enjoy this one!

𓆉𓆝𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓇼

It was four days later when the front desk called up to your apartment at Kent Ridge Hill Residences, letting you know that there’s an express package that had arrived for you. Couriers weren't allowed to go up to the units, so you had to head down to the lobby to collect the package yourself.

You linked in confusion, slipping on your slippers as you mumbled a soft, “I didn't order anything.”

You certainly haven't ordered anything. Not even a midnight retail therapy binge your forgot about. Still, you took the lift down and approached the reception desk, signing of the delivery. The box was not heavy, but it was neat, its brown cardboard edges sealed perfectly with a transparent tape that has the “fragile” word printed on the tape, and your name printed clearly on the shipping label. It wasn't large, nust enough to cradle in both arms comfortably.

You carried the box back to up to your apartment, the elevator ride feeling longer than usual. Once you reach your apartment, you quickly went in and locked the door. You sat cross-legged on the carpeted floor of your living room, scissors in hand. You stared at the package for a good minute like it might explain itself if you waited long enough, and then you began carefully slicing through the tape until the flaps peeled back.

As always, your curiosity won out.

You opened the box with care, like it might contain something so fragile. Inside, nestled in a bed of brown paper, were four things: a fridge magnet in the shape of Mt. Fuji that has the word "JAPAN” lettering under it, a tiny sakura petals swaying in a snow globe dome, a frog mug that is oddly shaped like a tiny pitcher, curved and handmade-looking—like it was plucked off the shelf of a sleepy Kyoto ceramics shop, and finally, a delicate matcha tea set—complete with a bamboo whisk, ceramic bowl, and a tin of fragrant powder so green that it could’ve only have come from somewhere special.

You felt your hear skipped a little in your chest. You definitely knew who it was from before you can even see the the note that was tucked neatly beneath the matcha set. But still, your fingers trembled slightly as you opened the small card, written in careful handwriting:

< I didn't buy you a postcard. I figured that’s somethinf you should do yourself, someday, when you’re finally there. I didn't want to take that moment away from you, but I thought I’d help you get started on the fridge magnet collection. Oh, the frog thing was just a spur of the moment thing, it reminded me of you and it looked like it should belong with you. - podium boi >

You read the note not only once, not twice, but three times. You couldn't help it and bit you lip, cheeks burning. The smile that grew on your face didn't stop for a long while. You tucked the note safely on your journaling notebook, then grabbed the fridge magnet and stood in front of your fridge, and with a soft click on the surface, you pressed the magnet into place. There was a quiet warmth blooming in your chest that you didn't quite know what to name just yet.

Postcard-less, for now. But not empty, not anymore.

𓆉𓆝𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓇼

yn.jpg posted to their story!

liked by hattiepiastri, yourmom, your brother, and 13 others

𓆉𓆝𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓇼

𓆉𓆝𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓇼

𓆉𓆝𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓇼

𓆉𓆝𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓇼

taglist: @uuoozzii , @freyathehuntress , @littlemisskavities , @elieanana , @rexit-mo , @imagine-it-was-us , @satorinnie , @pessismisticpotato , @milkysoop , @random-movie , @supersanelyromantic , @greantii , @chirpchirp69 , @purplephantomwolf , @mimisweetz , @frogiemushr0om , @angxedxtz , @hevzo8 , @pandora108 , @ms-darcy23 , @sluttybitch , @proudshinsoukinnie , @pinklemonade34 , @gemi-boi , @elizamoe133 , @sideboobrry11 , @mrrayjay , @curlylando , @soleilgrec , @nothingjustaninchidentt , @suns3treading , @dramallama9 , @1-queenofpotatoes-1 , @suibianupyourass , @armystay89 , @verstappen-leclerc-inchident , @landossainz , @martygraciesversion381 , @larkkyoris , @iloveotters11 , @isagrace22 , @bagelsbitch , @gigigreens , @wolfbc97 , @esw1012 , @raesblues , @mashmashi , @chxseversion , @fairyjinn , @hoseokjin194 , @ihaveitprinteddout , @henryspersonalver , @fctnllvrs , @pinkdeadtopia , @noimnotmae , @henna006 , @quenanababy , @formulaal , @mits-vi , @urmomsgirlfriend1 , @yeahimcrying , @ardentsnowfall , @teamnovalak , @mmsimp

[lovesuhng]

johnny suh fic recs f = fluff, s = smut, a = angst

make me move (s) - @yutaholic 17k / exes to lovers "You were pregnant when Johnny left to follow his dreams and not a day goes by that you don’t wonder if you did the right thing by keeping his daughter a secret from him. Then, unexpectedly, Johnny comes back into your life, but neither of you are sure if he’s ready to be a father."

comfort cuisine (s,f) - @smileysuh 10.8k / friends to lovers, dad!johnny "You’ve never felt a feral need like this before, but it’s not necessarily the primal type of drive. Instead, it’s a feeling of wanting to be close to this man- who you’ve been next to for so many years, but unable to touch. Except, he’s touching you now, and you want more."

supercut (f,a) - @bloodmoonmuses childhood friends to ex-best friends to lovers "time escapes you and johnny- a supercut of bliss and naivete, all glittery and rosy, morphing and everchanging over the years- until your paths cross once more."

stereo 127 (f) - @bloodmoonmuses college au, teacher's assistant! johnny, friends to lovers "johnny is your campus crush. he also happens to be the teaching assistant in your music history class. when you (innocently) ask for help on a project, you end up learning about more than just music."

throught the years (f) - @suhnshinehaos friends to lovers "you and johnny’s relationship told in your birthday posts over the years"

totally platonic (s,f) - @aquarius-johnny 6.6k / friends to lovers "you’re nearing your thirties and still a virgin. johnny, your best friend and only person who knows about your secret, offers to take your virginity seeing how much its bothering you — but it’s all platonic, duh!"

first time (s) - @aquarius-johnny 1.7k "You decide to lose your virginity to your one and only."

confessions (f,a) - @aquarius-johnny 2.2k "It’s been four years since you’ve seen your neighbor, Johnny. When he returns from university, after graduating in the winter, you realize he’s no longer the boy next door you remembered."

blind dates (f) - @aquarius-johnny 1.3k / friends to lovers "Your parents’ paranoia and panic set in when they realize you weren’t settling down which causes them to line up a few blind dates. Little do they know you already had someone waiting for you."

family affair (f) - @aquarius-johnny 896 / single dad johnny "Johnny asks you to meet him to tell you something he’s been hiding from you."

we're just friends, right? (f) - @aquarius-johnny friends to lovers "friends don’t really look at each other the way you two do, right?"

tats & tulips (f,s) - @aquarius-johnny 7k / tattoo artist! johnny x afab florist! reader "a love story between an ‘intimidating’ tattoo artist and the ‘preppy’ florist who just so happens to have their shops next to each other."

puzzle piece (f) - @sehunniepotwrites 1.2k / single dad!johnny x preschool teacher!reader

going for the gold (f,s) - @sehunniepotwrites 27.2k / friends to lovers "10,305 individual athletes participating in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Games. 10,305 frustrated athletes trapped inside the bubble they called the Olympic Village with no means of leaving the grounds or releasing their pent up stress. Amongst the almost indestructible cardboard beds that were rumored to prevent athlete contact and the condom supply they supposedly cannot use, the message the Olympic organizers tried to send were mixed. Many athletes saw this as a challenge, one athlete being Team Korea’s one and only, John Suh. The famed swimmer was ready and willing to take on this challenge but he couldn’t do it alone. He needed a partner for it and you—best friend, fellow teammate, and competitive swimmer—were the perfect match."

full time buzz (f,s) - @hazyhae 13.3k / strangers to lovers "you’re a stoner weed enthusiast who's been dealing with bad luck in both your work and love life. insert johnny, an upcoming dispensary owner who knows nothing about weed and is too attractive for his own good, and maybe you’ve found the solution to both of those problems."

my oh my (f) - @sunshyni 1k "A leaked message stating the obvious about Johnny was enough for you to finally have him."

[17:09] (f) - @espresseo-cafe friends to lovers

buzz (f) - @mejaemin 1.6k / friends to lovers "who knew a surprise birthday party could come with a new girlfriend?"

fool for you (f) - @gyeomsweetgyeom 4.4k / fratboy!johnny "Johnny has decided that enough is enough! He can’t stop thinking about you and he needs to do something about it! Well… it’s so much easier said than done"

clickbait (f) - @orangesaek 1.4k "Johnny clicked a suspiciously glittery pink website with terrible font choices and somehow ended up falling in love"

you, always (f,a) - @orangesaek 1.5k / fake date, veterinarian!Johnny x animalrescuer-afab!reader "fake dating trope with johnny who's obsessed with his dream girl/noona crush. He fake date y/n to make his crush jealous, but when he finally got together with his crush, he realizes she's not who he thought she was. Compares his time with y/n when they were "together". Y/n on the other hand, secretly has a crush on johnny for a very long time, but she's a shy quiet girl, so imagine her surprise when her crush suddenly asked her to date him, although just for show"

bassline (f,s) - @claudaze strangers to lovers, dj!johnny "you didn’t come to the club looking for anything — not a hook-up, not a thrill, not even attention. you just wanted the noise to drown out your thoughts and maybe lose yourself in a drink or two. but it only takes a glance from across the room to shift everything. behind the dj booth, under a wash of strobe lights and sound, he notices you — and then he doesn’t look away. what starts as stolen glances and fleeting smirks grows into something thicker, heavier. a slow, magnetic pull between strangers that leaves no room for pretending. and neither of you want to."

right where we left of (f) - @lelengerine 1k / childhood playmate!johnny “we knew each other in our childhood, but we drifted apart—except i just found out we’ve unknowingly been in the same class for weeks, and now i can’t stop staring at you, wondering if you remember me.”

moments of desire (f) - @aquarius-johnny roommates to lovers, friends to lovers "you don’t mean to hook up with your roommate, it just happens."

co-workers to lovers (f)- @jenosbliss 1.3k

[9:12 pm] (f,a) - @gyeomsweetgyeom friends to lovers

texts w plug johnny! (f) - @injvns

[kissmxcheek]

Flash & Focus pt.3/?? series masterlist ; part 2

pairing: clark kent x photographer!reader wc: 3k

series description: new to metropolis and the daily planet, you find yourself falling for your deskmate, Clark Kent, who you're convinced will never look your way. a rescue from attempted mugging becomes many late nights spent with superman on your apartment balcony... god why does he seem so familiar?

tags/warnings: fluff + flirting, alien attacks, clark being in love w you that's all ;))

---

Clark stood in line at Velvet Roast Cafe, shifting his weight from foot to foot as the barista called out another name that wasn’t his. He was already going to be late. Again. But he stayed.

He didn’t rush things, not when it mattered.

His own black coffee was already in hand, but the second cup, the important one, was still being made. Almond milk, cinnamon, two espresso shots. No sugar. You’d mentioned it once during a late night editing, almost apologetically. “I know it’s fussy,” you’d said with a laugh, "but there’s only one place that gets it right.”

This place.

He glanced at his watch and exhaled through his nose, not quite impatient. Just nervous.

Lois’s voice replayed in his head from the day before.

'You like her. She likes you. Why are you still tiptoeing around it like a schoolboy with a crush?'

Because it felt like that. Like a schoolboy thing. Like his heart picked up speed every time you looked at him too long, every time your name ended up next to his on an article.

“Clark,” the barista called, setting the drink on the counter.

Clark stepped forward, carefully picking it up by the edges of the cardboard sleeve. The foam art was perfect. A tiny leaf. He smiled.

This would be the perfect start to the perfect day because today, he would finally ask you out. Finally.

-----

9 a.m. sharp.

You stepped off the elevator and into the familiar storm of ringing phones, clacking keyboards, and the occasional shout of “Copy!” from across the room. The Daily Planet in all its chaotic glory.

It was just as loud and fast-paced as the day you arrived a month ago—back when everything felt too big and too fast and far too intimidating. But now, it was just… alive. It moved around you, and with you, and you knew exactly where to go, who to smile at, which printers to avoid when they jammed.

You belonged here now.

It had also been a month since Superman first carried you to your apartment balcony, and somehow, in the weeks that followed, an unlikely friendship had quietly taken root. Nearly every other night, he would tap on your window, gentle but unmistakable, and join you under the soft hum of city lights. The two of you would talk for hours, about everything and nothing: sarcastic jokes, shared silences, teasing laughs. Who knew Superman had such a sense of humor?

You still didn’t know who he was beneath the suit, but that didn’t seem to matter. He was your friend—one who showed up when the world felt heavy, who listened without judgment, who made the night feel a little less vast. His presence had become something steady in your life, like a favorite song or the smell of coffee in the morning. Familiar. Comforting. Somehow, in the quiet in-between moments, he’d come to be one of your best friends.

“Hello, front page!” someone yelled as you passed.

You turned and caught sight of Lois, who held up the morning paper like a trophy. “You nailed that rooftop shot. Perry won’t shut up about it.”

You smiled, trying to sound casual despite the warmth rising to your cheeks. “Guess I got lucky.”

“No such thing as luck when it comes to composition like that,” she shot back before disappearing behind her monitor.

More greetings followed as you made your way to your desk. A nod from Steve. A raised coffee cup from Cat. A celebratory fist bump from Jimmy as he waved the newspaper in your face. Each one made your heart feel a little lighter.

You slid into your chair, the leather worn and familiar now. Just like the skyline view behind it. You reached into your camera bag and pulled out your own copy of the paper. Folded, slightly wrinkled, but perfect in its own way.

There it was: your photo.

Superman, caught mid-launch against the glow of the sunrise, cape trailing behind him like a flame. A smile on his face. You remembered the eye contact you held with him before you took it. Clean lines, perfect exposure, framed just so. A shot you weren’t even sure you got at the time. And right below it,

Words by Clark Kent.

Photography by Y/N L/N.

You traced your name lightly with your thumb. First front page. First of many, maybe.

You looked up to face Clark’s desk. Empty.

He was late. Again. Not that it surprised you. He was always late. Still, you found yourself glancing at the elevator every few minutes, waiting for him to appear like he always did: wind-tousled, slightly breathless, with an apology and a sheepish smile.

You couldn't stop the grin on your face. You didn’t mind the waiting.

---

Clark took a deep breath as he stepped off the elevator. The usual chaos, but his eyes moved past it all.

To you.

You were at your desk, framed by the sun coming in from the windows, the golden light dancing off your hair. You were scrolling through something on your screen, pen tucked behind your ear, completely focused. You looked settled. Comfortable.

He remembered the way you looked when you first arrived a month ago. Sometimes quiet, a little unsure, always observing. Now, the way people passed you with quick hellos and inside jokes said everything. You weren’t just part of the newsroom now. You were a bright spot in it.

He made his way toward you, slower than he needed to, just taking in the moment.

“Morning.”

You looked up.

Clark stood at your desk, hair slightly mussed, glasses sliding down his nose. He held the paper in one hand and a coffee tray in the other.

“I just wanted to say… your photo’s incredible.”

Your mouth quirked into a smile. “I was going to say the same thing about your piece. It's perfect, Clark.”

He blinked. “Really?”

“Like you don't agree,” you teased, and he laughed, ducking his head like you’d caught him off guard.

You stood to properly face him and, for a moment, the noise of the floor blurred into the background. Just the two of you, standing at your desk, paper between you like some unspoken agreement. You looked up at him, almost expectedly as he opened his mouth to say something.

From behind you, Lois sent him two big thumbs up, eagerly nodded her head, and mouthed, Do it!

Clark opened his mouth to finally ask you to dinner, but instead,

"Coffee!"

Lois cringed at him. "I- yes, I almost forgot I brought you coffee. From that one place you like."

He presented it with both hands and a dimpled smile that made your knees feel weak.

"Clark! You shouldn't have."

"You know, to celebrate our front page." Clark scratched his head and readjusted his glasses before he continued, "Speaking of celebrating, I was thinking, maybe-"

“KENT! L/N! My office!” Perry’s voice cracked through the room like thunder.

You both turned, startled, as Perry disappeared back through his door, already muttering to himself.

Clark grimaced. “Sorry. Rain check?”

You laughed under your breath. “Sure. Let’s go see what this is about."

Inside, Perry waved a pair of passes at you both before tossing them on the desk. “My source just green-lit it. Mayor’s finally giving that damn infrastructure update. You two are going.”

Clark blinked. “Together?”

“You’ve worked together before. Figure out what questions you're asking. I want you covering the talk and the press gaggle after. I need photos, quotes, and something I can print by morning. You’ve got fifteen minutes to get across town.”

You and Clark stood like a pair of deer in headlights.

"Well, get moving!"

Racing out of Perry's office, you looked over at Clark with a sideways smile. “Guess my coffee’s coming with me to City Hall.”

He smiled. “Guess so.”

You nudged him gently. “You were going to say something before Perry ruined the moment. What was it?”

He smiles and shook his head dismissively. "I’ll ask you after the mayor.”

---

City Hall was crowded, bustling with press badges, camera flashes, and too many elbow-to-elbow conversations. You stood shoulder to shoulder with Clark, your camera strap cutting diagonally across your chest as you adjusted your lens. Clark scribbled notes in a small pad, brow furrowed, glasses sliding as always. He glanced at you once or twice, as if checking you were still beside him.

You were. Close enough to feel the soft brush of his sleeve every time someone jostled past.

The mayor had just stepped up to the podium, the murmur in the room dimmed to a low hum. Clark’s pen paused, and he leaned over just enough to whisper, “You think he’s actually going to say something useful?”

You grinned, camera still lifted. “Maybe three minutes of content wrapped in a twenty-minute speech.”

He chuckled. “You’re generous.”

You kept close as the mayor launched into policy updates, infrastructure promises, and buzzwords strung together in a well-rehearsed script. You watched Clark flip seamlessly between observation and intent listening. His head tilted with that analytical squint he got when something didn’t quite add up. You snapped a few photos of the mayor, then a few more of the press line, the raised eyebrows and tired eyes of journalists who’d heard it all before.

Clark flipped his notepad closed, seemingly having collected everything he needed from the mayor's worn speech. He took a deep breath and leaned in, "So- earlier,"

You looked up from your camera. Your smile and raised eyebrows made Clark feel weak. He stammered and cursed the charm he lacked when he wasn't Superman.

"I was just going to say, or- more like ask really.. we should, well I'd like to—"

And then the ground shook, interrupting him.

A low rumble at first. Barely enough to register, until the chandeliers began to tremble overhead. On instinct, you reached out to grab Clark's arm as he pulled you towards him in protection.

Then the side wall exploded inward in a storm of glass and steel.

The crowd scattered, panicked screams erupting as dust clouded the air. You stumbled back, blinking through debris. Something massive—eight, no, ten feet tall—stepped through the gaping hole in the wall. The brute had cracked, stone-like skin, jagged horns, and wild, bulging eyes. Its clawed hands and twisted snarl indicated raw rage. People bolted. Some ducked. Security shouted. The mayor was hauled away mid-sentence.

“Y/N!” Clark’s voice cut through the chaos. His hand closed firmly around your arm. “Come on,”

He pulled you behind a column as another blast ripped through the entrance hall. You ducked, heart pounding, camera still clutched tight. Clark looked at you with his eyes wide and urgent. Despite your fear and adrenaline, your mind could zone in to his protective grip on you.

“Get outside with security. I—” He stopped. Hesitated. “I’ll be right back.”

“What? Where are you—Clark!”

But he was already gone. Disappearing into the crowd, swallowed by smoke and stampeding people.

You looked around. People ran. Sirens began to wail outside. But amid the panic, you saw what no one else had: the alien had paused, surveying the carnage, giving you a fleeting but perfect shot.

Your instincts overrode common sense. You took off.

Through the side hall, through scattered debris, you moved until you had a clean angle. Kneeling behind the mayors forgotten podium, you snapped shot after shot. The shutter clicks were deafening in the silence between impacts. You zoomed in, capturing the impossible, the surreal.

Then it turned.

The being's gaze locked onto you.

“Oh shit,” you breathed, lowering the camera.

It raised an arm, roaring. You could feel its anger building as it crushed a column while approaching you. The ceiling began to groan at the loss of support.

A flash of red and blue and wind whipped around you as a body slammed into yours. Superman's arms wrapping protectively, pulling you back just in time. The monster's oversized claw hit the marble behind you, leaving only debris where you once stood.

And then—

“Y/N!”

You hit the ground hard, half-on top of someone else. The wind knocked out of your lungs, but arms steadied you. Large hands. Familiar ones.

“Superman,” you gasped, heart racing.

His eyes searched your face. “Are you hurt?”

“I—” You looked down. “No. No, I’m okay.”

He helped you to your feet gently, his hands warm and careful. His cape fluttered around you like a shield as he stepped between you and the alien.

“And here I am,” he said, with a look that was both exasperated and amused, "thinking I was the brave one.”

“I was doing my job,” you protested, still breathless.

He turned his head just enough to give you a look. That knowing one, the one that always made your stomach twist. “You ran toward the ten-foot alien.”

You crossed your arms, camera still dangling from your neck. “You weren’t here yet.”

“Because I was saving other civilians,” he deadpanned, eyes still on the creature approaching again. “You are not expendable, Y/N.”

You blinked at that. “Well, that’s… a loaded compliment.”

His eyes flicked to yours briefly, and for a moment, the world was still. Then the alien lunged again.

Superman stepped forward, wind surging around him as he launched into the air, colliding with the creature mid-charge. The impact shook the floor again, sending cracks through the tile. You stumbled back and ducked behind another pillar, watching as Superman and the creature exchanged blows. It was like watching thunder punch lightning.

You kept taking photos, fingers trembling, breath caught somewhere in your chest.

Then they slammed into the building’s support beam, and half the ceiling groaned.

Superman was there again, barreling across the hall, catching a falling section before it crushed the last remaining exit in the room. He set it down carefully, then turned, scanning. His eyes landed on you.

He blurred to your side in less than a second. “You’re leaving. Now.”

“Just a few more photos and I'll—”

“Y/N,” he said, and something in his tone made you freeze. “Please.”

You swallowed. He never panicked. Not like that.

So you nodded. “Okay.”

He scooped you up in his arms and brought you back outside. The way he held you reminded you of the first time you met. Briefly, you thought about how much had changed since that night. When you looked back, he was already making his way back towards City Hall, cape streaming behind him like fire.

Outside, the city was chaos. Emergency crews pulling people from rubble, Metropolis PD trying to regain order. Your hands still trembled. You sank onto the curb and checked your camera screen.

Dozens of shots. Perfect ones. Front-page-worthy ones, if Perry had any sense.

With the creature under control, Superman crouched beside you, eyes scanning your face with quiet concern.

“Still in one piece?” he asked.

“Barely,” you said, exhaling a laugh. “Thanks to you.”

He smiled, a small tilt of his mouth that made you feel seen. “Anytime.”

You adjusted your camera strap and frowned up at him. “Clark disappeared during the attack.”

“Did he get out?” Superman asked, tone mild, casual.

“I think so,” you said. “He took off right before everything exploded. Said he’d be right back.”

Superman tilted his head, as if thinking. “He’s probably fine.”

You gave him a look, half-annoyed, half-worried. “Yeah, well, I’d rather find out sooner than later.”

He hesitated, then straightened. “I could walk you home. Just to be safe.”

Your smile was grateful, but you shook your head gently. “Thank you, but I need to find Clark. Make sure he’s okay. And we’ve got a story to write.”

His heart swelled, forgetting that you weren't just coworkers or strangers who worked together. You actually cared about him. He nodded once, slowly. “Of course.”

You rose, dusted yourself off, and gave him a final look—warm, familiar. “Be careful out there.”

“You too,” he said softly. He turned to take off and leave the scene, but stopped, "I'll see you tonight...to make sure you're okay."

"What are friends for?" You smiled.

And then he was gone.

---

You finally found Clark near the media tents outside the building, hair tousled, glasses slightly askew, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His blazer was missing and you wondered when he had time to take it off in the midst of the attack. He was jotting something down while speaking to one of the mayor’s aides. You froze for a second just taking him in. He was safe.

When he noticed you, his entire expression lit up. “Y/N!” he called, jogging over to you. “Are you okay?”

You let out a breath. “I’m fine. Bruised pride. Possibly bruised rib. But fine.”

He gave a small, disbelieving laugh. “You scared the hell out of me. I turned around and you were gone.”

“You were gone,” you countered, poking him lightly in the arm. “One second you’re pulling me behind a pillar, the next you vanish. Where did you go?" You almost pleaded for an answer, "Are you okay?"

He looked sheepish. “Yeah, I… I saw the mayor being pulled out through the side entrance. I figured if I could catch him before he was whisked away, I might be able to get something, so I followed. Managed to ask him a few things before security kicked me out.”

You stared at him, deadpan. “Clark. There was an alien inside the building.”

“I was very polite,” he said earnestly. “And he was talking.”

You blinked once, then laughed. “Okay, I can’t even be mad. I got some of the best shots of my life.” You and Clark stood nearly cheek to cheek staring at the one of a kind shots on your tiny camera screen.

He grinned, eyes shining. “Then we’ve got the full package. Photos, quotes, first-hand accounts…”

You both paused, your matching smiles settling into something a little more quiet. A little more charged.

He shifted, suddenly uncertain again, glancing down at his notebook, then back up. “Listen… now that we’re both still in one piece, and the story’s—well, in the bag…” He couldn't seem to meet your eyes like he did before.

You tilted your head. “Clark?”

He scratched the back of his neck. “Would you… want to grab dinner? Tonight, maybe? Just the two of us.”

Your eyebrows lifted slightly. “Like a celebration?”

“Kind of,” he said, and then quickly added, “but not just a celebration. I mean—yeah, we should celebrate the story, sure, but I was thinking…” He let out a breath and looked you right in the eyes. “I was hoping it could be a date.”

Your heart stuttered. You felt heat rise to your cheeks before you even realized you were smiling. “A date date?”

He gave a lopsided, bashful grin. “Yeah. That kind.”

You nodded, almost too fast. “Then yes. Yes, Clark, I’d love that.”

His relief was immediate and so was the spark of something else behind his smile. Like he’d been holding that question in for weeks and was finally allowed to exhale.

"You know, I was wondering when you'd ask," You reached for his arm again, this time more gently. “You really picked an alien invasion to finally ask me out?”

He chuckled. “Well… I’m a slow starter.”

You bumped your shoulder against his. “Rain check’s officially redeemed.”

As the two of you waited to hail a cab, he stopped to admire your ferocity, fearlessness. It left him in awe. Before he lost his courage, "Tonight then. 7. The little Italian place a couple streets down from the Planet?"

"I'll see you there."

Like you had dreamed of doing since you arrived in Metropolis a month prior, you stood on your toes and reached up to Clark's dark curls. Your fingers gently brushed strays curls back to fully see his blushing face.

Clark, blushing, caught your hand before you could pull back and pressed a soft kiss to your palm.

---

a/n: part 3🥲🥲 pls note the time skip. i wasn't going to make everyone sit through a month of slow burn. that's a lot. even for me.

part 4 will be out before u know it!! possible tmr.. stay tuned and don't forget to comment and reblog if u enjoyed<3

pls let me know what u think!

taglist: @liuralibrar @icybarness @angel-dust-cb @crbpoetry @aim-formyheart @lavendermoons222 @10hrs26mn @linambc @casalucard @ticklish-leafy-plant @asteria33 @tati-the-fangirl @g4rb4ge-dump @yourmyonlyobsession @voidsxntry @my-little-secret-diaries @britttzy267 @nothere2478 @hagarsays @otakusimp1 @twsssmlmaa @kitten-daisy @qardasngan @writerreal @please-help-this-little-lesbian @brillitos-azules @selfishlycalculatingvisitor @pleasecallmeunhinged @materialgirl-97 @ldrfanatic @bellegirl16 @or-was-it-just-a-dream @khxna

comment to be added to the tag list! 💕 pls let me know what u thought :))

-> part 4

---

[glubglubgurgle]

stuck pilots

calebmc where you ignore the warning on a vibrating egg and now you can't get it out, and caleb's the only one around to help despite how awkward it's been...

pairings: caleb/unnamed afab [mc/you]

tags: smut, shameless smut, childhood friends, stuck vibrators, slight angst, no evol caleb (would've been too easy to get it out), jealous caleb, caleb goes colonel mode for a bit, p and v sex, heated confessions

word count: 6.7k

a/n: second part to stuck vibrator series!!! i hope this was good TT btw guys i bought a vibrating egg just so i could more accurately write this series, i forgot to mention that last fic, but this literally cost me 40$ to write, im true to my craft asf. raf is up next !! im so nervous, theres a lot of u guys reading now, I HOPE ITS OKAY TT

pings: @rurushow @straykidslvr @mcdepressed290 @otomegamesforlife @liz9898 @cherriesinoctober @dummiebunny @cecxliia @rikissaurus @ophelia-ophelian @youkoden @zaynetism @auroranavi @st4rlight707 @xxxmitsushin @iweirdthingsblog @lycheegirl222 @opalesquegirl

CROSS POSTED TO AO3

The train back to Linkon was quieter than usual. As you stared at the window of the blurring scenery, you couldn’t help but dread your arrival. After a week of non-stop work at Chansia City, you had just been informed that you had to clear the attic out of your childhood home due to the ceiling needing repairs. 

You silently wondered if your grandma had notified your former housemate Caleb about the renovations but didn’t count on it. Despite having lived with you for a while due to special circumstances, he had already picked up most of his things and moved to his place in Skyhaven. Ever since the two of you had shared a drunken kiss on new year’s a few years prior, it had been excruciatingly awkward. He still checked in every now and then, but it wasn’t the same. It was as if he was keeping a guard up around you, as if he were to burn up if he even touched you. 

And you wanted him to touch you badly, even if it burned you too. You always had a crush on him. From when the two of you met at the shelter after the citywide incident, to the time he lived in the room right beside yours, and even until the moment you were on the train. You tried everything to get over him like finding bits and pieces of him in other people, but none of them were ever Caleb. They lacked his attentiveness, his caring, and they even lacked his negative traits which you learned to love about him. 

You entered your childhood home again, being met with silence since your grandma went out of town. You sighed as you dropped your bags by the front and swapped your shoes out for your fuzzy pink slippers that were kept by the door. You took a shower before you ventured to the separate room upstairs that was designated as the attic. There was still a piece of taped cardboard covering the broken skylight. You recalled how you and Caleb got stuck up there one night while the two of you were visiting from college. The storm had broken the glass, nearly hitting you until he pushed and covered you by using himself as a shield.

His large back with his wide shoulders shielding the glass from you as he wrapped his thick strong arms around your waist. 

You shook your head, trying to erase the image of him and any indecent thoughts along with it. The two of you were just friends, after all. You wanted to believe that he liked you too, but he became too good at acting otherwise. As if his care for you was just platonic. 

The kiss you shared was passionate and heated, you were sure it was finally the end of waiting. Yet, no matter how many times you told him that you weren’t as drunk as he thought and that you would’ve done the same sober, he never believed you. Instead he apologized for pushing the boundaries he set for you, and completely invested himself in his studies. You did the same. Now the two of you were in the fields you always dreamt about, yet were physically and emotionally miles away. 

Another sigh left your lips before you knelt by the bookshelf littered with boxes of random junk. Some were labelled but most weren’t. You opened a familiar box that looked newer and covered in less dust than the rest and was shocked to find things from your earlier college years. You positioned yourself to sit criss-cross on the rug that was haphazardly laid out on the floor to examine everything inside. 

The box contained old workbooks, projects, and even letters. The letters were from faraway friends, Caleb (when he wasn’t actively avoiding you), and then you came across some from your ex. You had a rather serious relationship at one point in college with a classmate, and you were very much fond of him. He just never filled the hole in your heart and it was better off that he found someone that could fully focus on him. 

Underneath the stacks of papers, you blushed as you pulled out a packaged sex toy. The packaging had obscenities and emojis being used in ways they were intended to. And the big words, “Vibrator for COUPLE-USE only!”

The warning never made sense, but you bought it for you and your ex when things were getting serious and you wanted to spice things up. Yet it never reached that point since the two of you ended it before the trip to the mountains happened. You cringed at the toy in your hands, wondering what was going on in your mind. Your libido was always through the roof, but it was never to the point that you wanted to hook up with just anyone. You just hoped that this would make it fun and lively for the two of you, back then. You thought about how this was the toy that you thought would keep your relationship thriving: the pink vibrating egg that was meant to be used in public whilst your partner had complete control. Now it sat in a dusty room for a couple of years since you were single ever since then. You groaned, cursing at the fact that Caleb wouldn’t leave your mind.

And then, a sudden knock came from the door to the attic. You scrambled to shove the toy under the papers and cover the box once again, making dust bunnies float in the air, causing you to sneeze. “Augh, who is it?” You said out loud, sniffling, getting back onto your feet.

“Pipsqueak, who else would have access to the roof?” You heard his voice from outside the door, making you stop in your tracks.

“Caleb?” You asked, shocked, before walking to the door to open it. And there he was. He wasn’t in his work uniform like you had recently seen him in since the two of you had ever crossed paths while working nowadays. Instead he was wearing the same things he always wore back then. A gray muscle shirt and jeans. The necklace you gifted him when he first left college still fully displayed around his neck, and a black sweatband was on his wrist. “I didn’t think y-”

“You thought I would let you clean this place up by yourself? Silly girl.” He reached out, yet you could sense a slight hesitation as he always had, and he ruffled your hair. “Knowing you, it would take you years before getting this place empty. He slipped past you to enter the room. “And I was right. You have a bad habit of going through old things instead of cleaning, y’know?” Caleb chuckled as he crossed his arms examining the box you had pulled out and picked it up. “What did you find in here? Embarrassing photos?” He smirked at you.

Your mouth was still agape as you looked at him, completely unexpected that he would show up. And then you remembered the answer to his question and your face burned. You walked up to him and grabbed the box from him before placing it by the door. “Just some papers…” You mumbled, facing him again. There was a pregnant pause before you decided to talk, “I haven’t heard from you in a while…”

His eyes widened and then his eyebrows furrowed. “Oh, it’s just been really busy with the fleet. The phone works both ways though, I thought you were busy too?” He cocked his head, effortlessly throwing the responsbility back at you.

You scoffed, “It’s not that rewarding to message someone who pretends I don’t exist half the time.”

“You kno-” He was about to say before you cut him off.

“No, I don’t know, Caleb. Was the kiss that bad? That you had to practically erase everything we had? Now we’re just…two people who lived together a long time ago. Are we even friends anymore?” Your voice broke as you spoke, accusing him of everything you’ve been holding in now that you two were alone. It’s always been you and him and grandma, out at a restaurant. And you had never been able to talk about anything. Until that day.

Caleb walked closer to you, hand hovering beside your cheek before he flexed and dropped it again. “I still care about you, pip. I’m sorry I haven’t been there, I was just worried that…I don��t know what I was worried about but…I’ll do better. So, please don’t doubt that I want to be here for you.” He grabbed your wrist, his thumb rubbing circles on the inner part. “I promise you, it has been busy for me. This is my first actual break, and I took it the moment I knew you’d be here to help out. It has nothing to do with New Year’s.” He said, looking down at you with sincere eyes.

You could tell he was still holding things back, but you just let out a defeated groan. You wriggled out from his hold and closed the space between you two with a hug. “I don’t like feeling like I lost you, Caleb…” You murmured against his chest, tears pricked your eyes as they threatened to spill on his shirt.

He hesitated. Again. 

“Stop being a coward and hold me, Caleb. Or I swear to gods, I will leave.” A tear fell down your cheek, you felt pathetic for even having to say it. 

But then he let out a soft sigh of resignation and wrapped his arms around your shoulders. You could feel his heart thumping against your ear. “I’m sorry. I’ll fix things…we’ll go back to how we used to be, I promise. I’ll be the Caleb you knew before.” His cheek nuzzled the top of your head.

You wanted to tell him that you wanted to be more than what you used to be, but you bit your tongue. Too afraid that if you overstepped, he’d put up a wall again. Instead you lingered in his arms before pulling away and turning around to wipe your tears subtly. You cleared your throat and grabbed the box that had your old letters and other things. “I’m gonna start bringing boxes downstairs and grab some trash bags.” You said over your shoulder before leaving the attic.

You were glad you weren’t fully prepared to clean the attic yet since grabbing bags allowed you to drop off the box that had some secrets into your room. It also gave you a chance to breathe and process Caleb’s presence. You looked in the kitchen for the bags and wondered how the rest of the day was going to go. You were frustrated that despite everything that happened, he still wanted to be just friends. You went back upstairs with everything you needed and saw that he was already taking down the bookshelf. 

“Woah, you’re quick.” You said, placing the cleaning supplies and cold water bottles on a spare table. You watched as he took out the screws of the shelf and disassembled each wooden piece. You couldn’t help but watch the sweat drip down his biceps. Your throat suddenly felt dry and you wondered if he got even bigger since you saw him last. “What do they feed you in the fleet…?” You accidentally asked out loud.

Caleb stopped what he was doing and glanced over at you, following your gaze to his arms. The tips of his ears turned red and he chuckled. “Take a picture, pip. It’ll last longer.” He placed a wooden piece on the floor and walked over to you, grabbing a water bottle from the table you placed it on. “There’s a lot of times that we don’t have any signal when we travel, so there’s nothing else to do but to workout.” He shrugged before unscrewing his bottle and taking large gulps.

Your body felt warm as you continued to watch him and examine every physical change you couldn’t before. His adam’s apple bobbed as he drank water and his chest moved as he breathed. Everything about him looked…bigger. You started noticing that the top that he always wore became more form fitting and you could make out crevices of his abdomen and chest muscles through the fabric. “Pip?” He waved his hand over your face. “Are you okay? Your face is red.” He put the back of his hand on your forehead. “Maybe it’s too warm here for you. You can bring down the rest of the boxes and I’ll handle the furniture, yeah?” Caleb’s eyebrows furrowed as he looked at you.

Embarrassed, you widened your eyes slightly. “Oh! Yeah, sorry. Just came back from a mission in Chansia earlier, so maybe I’m just out of it. I’ll get on those boxes.” You said, making distance between the two of you to grab the boxes.

Emptying the attic was a chore in itself, but at one point, it finally felt like it really was going back to normal. Caleb started bantering with you again and when the two of you took breaks, he busted out the photo albums and old toys you two played with. It was like he was finally home again, but there was still a thick tension in the air. Each accidental touch and accidental close proximity felt electrifying. And each time, Caleb was the first to pull away. You, on the other hand, wanted to close the distance, badly.

Once the two of you were done, the two of you washed off the summer heat. You always took longer showers than him, but luckily the house had more than one bathroom. You knew he would have been preparing dinner while you got dressed and it gave you time to plan out the rest of the night. You wanted to push the boundaries as far as you can, hopefully to recreate the new year’s kiss, sober. So he could finally understand that you meant it all. It would have been easier to outright say it, but you were still a coward. You wanted to be certain of everything by forcing his hand to make the first move.

You wore your shortest shorts and an old shirt of his from high school that you stole a while ago. When you walked outside, you found him stirfrying something on the stove, so you sat on a stool at the breakfast bar to watch. “Are you gonna sleep here, too?” You asked, drying your hair with a small towel. He was now in a plain white shirt that hugged every crease and crevice of his upper body and black sweat pants. A domestic, yet extremely attractive view, making your mouth water slightly and thighs pressed against each other.

His eyes snapped up to you and then roamed down to the shirt you wore. A flash of recognition and slight confusion appeared on his face, yet he answered. “Yep. Are you? Gran said she wouldn’t be back until next week, so I guess it’s up to us to watch over the repairs.” He shrugged,  chopping up more vegetables that he added into the pan. 

You nodded until you realized he wasn’t looking at you. “Yeah, the week long mission I had earned me a week long break, so…” Your sentence faded as you realized that you were about to spend the longest time with Caleb in years. “The fleet let you have this long of a vacation for once?”

Caleb rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, “I actually got a promotion…so now I have less people bossing me around. I can take more breaks now. There might be times when I need to go back out if there’s an emergency, but for the most part, I’m all yours.” He flashed a toothy grin at you, regaining his confidence.

“Woah…congrats!” You set the towel down on your lap. “Does this mean you won’t go days without texting me now?” You fiddled with your thumbs, looking down. “I feel like I don’t know what’s going on in your life anymore…like what if you’re datin-” You were about to start until he cut you off abruptly and sternly.

“I’m not.” He stated, his voice sounding like the way he talked when he was on duty. He must’ve noticed your surprised face when he cleared his throat. “I don’t have time to date and I choose not to. No one else interests me.” 

The last sentence repeated in your head. 

Else. Else. Else.

Yet, you continued. You nodded your acknowledgement and said, “You still didn’t answer my first question.” 

He turned the stove off and plated dinner onto a large serving bowl. “I told you, I’ll do better. We’ll go back to how it was before, I’ll call you every day. Twice, if you want me to.” He said, a slight pleading tone was woven through his words. “Now come to the dining table, let’s eat.” Caleb pointed his chin over to the circular table as he walked over to it. 

You sighed, hopping down from the stool to follow him. You stood beside him to look at the food he cooked, your elbows brushing against each other with a spark that you tried to not react to. “Smells good, it’s been a while.” His arm felt hot against yours, and you could feel his breath hitch.

Dinner went by slowly. You got up to grab a drink a few times just to see if he would look at you, but his eyes were glued to his plate. And then after, you asked to watch a movie with him. Despite sitting as close as possible to him, curling up against him when it got chilly, and even making it so your faces were inches apart, he didn’t budge. You internally groaned the moment that you closed your bedroom door as you said your ‘goodnights’ and nothing progressed at all.

Although you were grateful that the two of you were talking again, you were tired of being so close yet so emotionally far from each other. Not to mention, you were in desperate need to be touched. The memories of your ex reminded you that you and him never went all the way. The regrets from that relationship and the regrets from never pursuing Caleb harder made it impossible to find a date or even a hook-up. And Caleb looked too good after all the time you hadn’t properly seen him, it was driving you crazy. You didn’t know if you could last a whole week under the same roof as him.

You knelt down by the box that you hid from the attic and scoured for the toy you found. Perplexed by the warning of it being for couple-use only, you decided to shrug it off as a marketing strategy. The small vibrating egg only required two batteries that you luckily had and you were suddenly excited to try it. You were desperate to relieve any of the ache from your private areas, and you knew that doing it manually would take too long. You layed down on your bed, unboxing the toy and its remote, placing the packaging on your nightstand. As you put the batteries into the egg, you realized that you didn’t have any for the remote. Luckily, there was a button on the egg itself, and you paid no more attention. There was no loop to pull it out like the others that you had seen, but you assumed that gripping onto the silicone wouldn’t be that big of a problem. The size was also large enough that you believed there would be no way it would get lost inside of you and would be easily grabbable. 

You set the pink silicone egg beside you as you pushed your shorts and panties to the side, your wet folds meeting the chilly air. You were wet and the fabric of your bottoms were soaked too. You knew you were desperate. You brought two fingers to rub up and down your slit, shivering as you played with your clit softly, rubbing circles around it. You knew Caleb was just on the other side of the wall, and it drove you even crazier. You could feel your clit pulse against your fingers, begging for more. Soft sighs left your lips as you continued to work yourself and prepare yourself for the toy. 

With your free, dry hand, you grabbed the pink egg. You pressed on the button once and it buzzed softly. Another time, and it buzzed harder. Each press brought it to a stronger, faster setting and then it even had different modes. You opted for the irregular pulsing mode out of curiosity, on the strongest setting. You hoped to any deity that the vibrations only sounded loud because you were holding it and not because it was actually loud. 

You spread yourself open with your other hand and then brought the vibrating egg into your entrance. The first contact made you hiss as the sensation felt newer. The pulsing felt warm and as you pushed it inside of you, your hole instantly swallowed it easily, just from how wet you were. “Holy shit…” You breathed out as the irregular pulsing made you buck your hips into the air. You felt elated and pleased all of a sudden. The vibrations were relieving any of the aches you had of feeling empty, yet Caleb’s pictures were flashing in your mind still. You planted your feet on the bed, legs spread, as you lifted your butt from the mattress.You wiped your fingers on the towel you used from the shower before using them to rake through your hair. Your head was thrown back as the toy continued to pulse inside of you.

You never used a vibrator that you inserted before, and the sensation was too new, too warm, and too good. When you closed your eyes, the irregular beats made it easier to imagine that it was Caleb controlling it. “F-fuck…” You moaned softly before covering your mouth with your hand. Just from imagination alone, you could already feel yourself close to an orgasm. Your hand trailed back down to rub your clit through the thin fabric of your shorts and panties that covered your heat again from all your writhing. And it only took a few circles before you were coming undone with a bitten back groan.

You back arched up from the mattress as you continued to rub yourself through your orgasm before slamming back down, splaying your legs out. The egg was still pulsing inside of you as you panted heavily. You took a second before reaching down, still twitching, before inserting your fingers into you to fish out the toy.

But every move you made seemed to push it in even further and press against your squishy sensitive spots even more. “What the…ngh!” You groaned as your fingers kept slipping and pushing. The panic also made you tighten, making it harder to push your fingers deeper inside of you. You kept trying until your wrist needed a break and another orgasm washed over you. “Fuck!” You cursed as you turned yourself onto your belly, accidentally knocking your lamp over from frustration. You pressed your face against the pillow, breathing heavily as you tried to be unaffected by the vibrator that was still at full strength inside of you, pushing you into further overstimulation. It suddenly made sense why the warning was on the package. And then there was a knock at your door.

“Pip? What happened? Are you okay?” Caleb said over the door. 

“Fuck…” You muttered, squeezing your eyes shut as you accidentally clenched around the toy, feeling extremely sensitive. “I- ngh…I-I’m fine, Caleb!” You tried to say, but moans and groans were spilling out of you without control. It was hard to lie, because you were panicking.

“I’m coming in!” Caleb said before swinging the door open to find you face down on the bed. From your view, he looked panicked, examining you for any injuries or intruders. “What happened? Are you sick?” He picked up the fallen lamp and brought it back to your nightstand. The light illuminating your flushed face and the empty packaging of your toy.

You breathed deep breaths, attempting to hide any signs of pleasure from the toy or panic from it being stuck inside you and on. You hoped that since your butt wasn’t touching the mattress that the sound of the vibrations wasn’t easily picked up. One hand gripped at your pillow while the other tried to grab the packaging before he saw it.

But it was too late. “Couple…vibrator?” He looked around. “Is someone in here…with you?” There was betrayal in his face before he opened up your closet doors and then the window to poke his head out to look. He even looked under your bed.

“N-no!” You didn’t mean to yell, but the toy moved as you clenched from talking. “I…I just wanted to use it…ngh…” You were trying so hard to keep the noises to a minimum, but it was too strong inside of you. You rolled over onto your back, “It’s- fuck!�� You put a hand on your forehead, feeling clammy yet warm. “It’s stuck, please. Caleb- ahh…” You grabbed his wrist, pulling him close down towards you. “Help me get it out…” You pleaded, meeting his eyes with your half-lidded ones. Against your will, the vibrator pulled another orgasm out of you. You arched your back, moaning, still clutched onto his wrist. And then you curled onto your side, hoping the position wouldn’t press on your sensitive spots more.

Caleb’s eyes were wide as he watched you squirm and plead. You thought he would be more sympathetic, but you couldn’t help but notice the fire behind his eyes. The violet looked darker than usual. “Why do you have a vibrator meant for couples?” You saw the hand that gripped the empty packaging was nearly crushing it. 

You were confused as to why he was interrogating you after you just begged for help but desperate to keep moving along, you answered. “Boyfriend…in- augh…college. Didn’t get to…use it.” You said in between pants. You moved your body around, hoping to find a position that lessened the vibrations but kept failing.

“Boyfriend?” Caleb repeated. He dropped the package and took his wrist back from your hold. “You had a boyfriend?” He asked, his voice breaking.

“Y-yes! It was so long ago, are- holy fuck. Are you going to help me?” Anger bubbled inside of you as he kept ignoring your pleas.

A bitter laugh left his mouth as he looked down at you. “I’ve always held myself back and endured. Day, after day, after day. It was suffocating. I drowned myself in my studies so I could be sure that I could get a proper job and have you lean on me…” He scoffed, backing up and looking out at the window. “Yet, while YOU were in college, you dated someone and didn’t tell me?”

You struggled and panted. The vibrator buzzed in a staccato manner, imitating a thrusting rhythm. You thought that it would have made it easier than a steady buzz, but it proved to be even more arousing. You tried hard to focus on Caleb being upset, but unfortunately for you,  seeing him show his vulnerability actually made it harder. You were conflicted with the mix of emotions because you wanted to be upset, badly. “C-Caleb…Please…just help me take it out and we- ungh…” You moaned, throwing your head back as your hips jerked upwards. “I can’t talk to y-you like this…please, I can’t do it.” Tears fell from the corner of your eyes, the overstimulation was doing a number on you, coupled with the embarrassment of the entire situation itself. 

“No.” He sternly said, glaring down at you.

“N-no? Aah…fuck. What do-” You wanted to argue before getting cut off.

“Answer my questions first.” Caleb spoke in the same manner that you’ve heard him speak to his adjundant and other fleet coworkers. He walked closer to you on the bed again, his index finger hooking under your chin to make eye contact with him. “Who was he?”

You tried to wriggle out of his hold, but then he fully grabbed your jaw. Lightly, yet firmly. It made you clench around the toy inside of you, making another whimper fall from your lips. “We had classes together- ngh! H-he was nice…it didn’t last long.” You heaved as you could feel the coil in your lower stomach get tighter and tighter. You gripped on the sheets below you, as if it would keep you from sinking further.

“Why not?” He asked.

You tried to look away despite his grasp. When you couldn’t, you just averted your eyes. “He knew I wasn’t invested.” You mumbled, pursing your lips together to hold back on moaning more, breathing heavily through your nose. The embarrassment and shame was enough to delay the orgasm you knew that was about to come. You glanced back at Caleb to see him cocking his head, confused. “I-I said your name instead of his, okay? Are you happy now? Now…fuck! Can you- ngh.” 

His glare at you softened, and so did the grip he had on your face. A small smirk grew on his face. “Confess.”

“Caleb.” You pushed out through gritted teeth and then you came again with a loud curse, ripping your head away from his hold. You squirmed on the bed, twitching your hips and your legs trembled. The number of times you came was getting too much and you were being pushed over the edge. You couldn’t take it anymore. “Fuck, fine! Caleb, I always- angh…liked you. I’ve always wanted you, so please just help me.” You felt a stream of tears fall from your eyes, upset that he pushed you to say it first.

“Fuck…” You heard him say before you felt the bed dip. His large palm sat on your hip. “I’m gonna take this off, okay?” 

Frustrated, you kicked off your shorts and underwear yourself, tossing them to the corner before placing your feet on either side of Caleb’s sitting position. “Just please…take it out. I can’t do this anymore…” You heaved, your legs shaking around him. You couldn’t bear to look at him so you kept your face facing the side.

His hand moved to one of your inner thighs and then you felt two of his fingers at your entrance, pushing in softly. “Fuck, you’re so tight…even when you’re practically gushing out from here.”

You hitched your breath, arching your back. “D-don’t say stuff like that…” You brought one hand up to stifle your whimpering. “Caleb…” You whined as his fingers brushed against another sensitive spot and pressed against the toy.

“I don’t know how long I can hold back if you moan my name like that…” He said through gritted teeth, his hold on your thigh suddenly felt bruising. You could feel him move his fingers around the egg inside of you and then he said, “Got it…” 

But before he could get it out, another orgasm crashed into you, clenching your walls around his curled fingers that held the egg. Your hand snapped down to grab on the wrist that was connected to the hand inside of you, “Caleb!” You moaned apologetically as you came.

Caleb managed to pull out his hand with a loud squelch and a relieved sigh from you. You felt liquid gushing out of you as there was nothing plugging you up anymore. You were still twitching and catching your breath as you tried to close your legs, a slight ache shot up from your hips and you winced. 

As you breathed heavily, trying to bring your heart rate down, you heard the buzzing stop and a carpeted thud.

A few minutes passed before he broke the silence first. “Look at me.” Caleb said, sternly.

You rolled over to face him, still panting slightly. Soft twitches still present. His body was facing the bedroom door yet his face was looking at you. His eyes made their way to meet yours. “Did you mean it?” He asked, genuinely, his eyes dripping with desperation.

You let out a shaky breath before nodding,  a small bubble of anger coming back up as you realized that he forced the confession out of you. “Yes, asshole.” Tears pricked your eyes again, averting his gaze. “And you have no right to be mad that I dated someone, when all I was trying to do was get over you after you hated kissing m-”

Suddenly his lips were on yours. Soft and sweet, unlike the way he acted just a few moments ago. His hand came up to hold your cheek tenderly, his thumb caressing the tears at the corners of your eyes. When he pulled away, he said, “I didn’t hate it…I was just scared. If I acted on my feelings earlier, I didn’t know if I could stay away from you.” He continued to wipe your tears as he spoke. “I know how much it meant for you to get through school to get this job. If I was able to have you earlier…my control wasn’t good. I wouldn’t have survived being away from you.” He searched your eyes for any sign.

Your eyebrows furrowed, “You seemed to be just fine…” You mumbled, upset at his explanation.

Another bitter laugh. “It was terrible, pip. I focused on my studies, and I was top of the class in almost everything. Yet I kept failing the mental health tests. It ruined my chances of making it into the main pilot program. Thankfully, I landed a decent job with the fleet but…please know that this wasn’t easy.” He grabbed both your hands with one of his. “I’ve been in love with you since I could even think, I just didn’t want to scare you off. I was waiting for you to say something, to be honest.” His thumb rubbed circles on the back of your hand.

“I was waiting for you…asshole.” You looked down at your hands before letting out a soft laugh, “We’re so stupid.” You sat up, releasing your hands from his and then held his face. “Apologize to me.” You demanded, staring into his eyes.

“I’m sorry.” Caleb said, sincerity and seriousness covered his face. His hands sneaked atop your hips, his pinky grazing the bare skin. “Are you too tired?”

You cocked your head at him, feigning ignorance at the prominent bulge in his pants. “Depends.” You were actually exhausted, but you were spurred by the idea of having him claim you.

“Let me make it up to you…” He said, leaning into another kiss. One that pushed you back down to the bed as he explored your mouth with his tongue while his hands explored under your shirt. His necklace felt hot against your skin as it fell on your collarbone while he kissed you. He pulled away, hovering over you, to pull your shirt off and then followed with removing his off as well. “Fuck, you’re beautiful…who el-”

“No one’s seen me like this…Just you, Caleb.” You breathlessly said, knowing what was going on in his head. 

“Lucky me.” He smirked, peppering kisses from your neck down to each breast, earning breathy moans and whimpers from you. “If we’re going to do this, I need you to know…I won’t last one second inside of you.” He sheepishly said against your nipple.

You giggled softly, “I came like ten times already, Caleb…as long as you finish inside…” You said, slightly shy.

He propped himself up, eyes wide. You swore that if he had a tail, it would be wagging like a dog that just got told they were going for a walk. “Really?”

You looked away embarrassed, “I’m on the pill…for my period, so.” 

“Shit…” He sighed, leaning back down, licking each nipple before looking back up at you. “Do you trust me?”

You chewed on your lip before nodding, and then you were pulled towards him abruptly. Both of your legs were hooked up onto his shoulders, and he instantly shoved his face into your pussy. “H-holy shit, Caleb!” Your hands gripped onto two tufts of hair on the top of his head as he sucked on your clit. Your soreness from the vibrator completely forgotten by the new sensation. The sounds coming from his mouth were lewd and echoed throughout your room. Loud slurping and moaning emitted from him and was met with your own moaning and whimpering. As much as you wanted to keep watching him, the feeling made you throw your head back onto the pillow, your thighs nearly crushing his head. And then you felt his tongue move from your clit to your entrance. He teased around it slightly before plunging into you, moving it around as if he was trying to memorize your walls. His nose nuzzled at your clit, you were baffled at how he was able to breathe. “C-Caleb…I’m gonna..holy shit…” You said in between moans that were borderline screams. You were holding on for dear life by his hair, you were afraid it was gonna rip right off.

“Come around my tongue, baby. Let me taste you…” He mumbled against your core, which made the tension snap and you were gushing all over his face. He continued to slurp and lap at your pussy, as if he was trying to get every last drop. “Fuck, you taste so good, angel.” He looked up at you, mouth agape in pure bliss. “I almost came just from eating you out, you’re so fucking good for me.”

His words felt so lewd, so dirty, so hot. You wanted to question where he got such a potty mouth. Your legs dropped from your shoulders and you watched him stand up from the bed to get out of his pants. You looked at him and gasped. “You’re massive, Caleb…” 

He chuckled, holding onto his cock and getting back on the bed, nestling himself in between your legs again. “Scared? I’m sure you can take me.” He pumped himself slowly, hissing as his fingers wrapped around the reddened, glossy tip. He was long and thick. He was about twice, if not more, the size of your dildo back at home. “I’ll do…just the tip, yeah? I don’t think I’ll last anyways.”

You nodded, worried that even that was going to tear you open. You gulped, biting your lip. “O-okay…Just the tip.” 

Caleb positioned his tip at your entrance, moving it up and down your folds to gather more slick. His other hand rubbed your thigh and stomach. “Just breathe, baby.” His pupils were blown and his ears and chest were blushed red. And then he slowly pushed into you with a grunt. “God, I’m barely in and you already feel so fucking insane…fuck.”

“Ngh…so big…Caleb!” You moaned out loud as he pressed the head further in. Even with how wet you were, it was bigger than anything you ever imagined.

His hand moved to hold your hip down quickly, “When you say my name like that, baby…I can’t- NGH!” You felt warm spurts inside of you and the tip of his cock twitching at your entrance as he suddenly came. He moved his head in and out, riding out his orgasm. “Fuck, I’m so sorry…I couldn’t help it…you sound so hot saying my name. So fucking- ahh, pretty for me. So good for me.” He babbled, still moving in and out of you slightly.

As much bad rep there was in the media for early cummers, you couldn’t help but get even more turned on. You were flattered and aroused, and you wanted to see him fall apart even more. Thankfully for you, there was no sign of him softening.

“Think you can take more than just the tip, baby?” He asked, gasping for air. A small smirk on his lips. “We have so much lost time to make up for.”