#Computational Biology Project Help

[gloomskulls]

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚LIMERENCE [tasm!peter parker]

pairings: tasm!peter parker x reader

part 2

⇢ ˗ˏˋ SUMMARY ୨୧ For Peter Parker, the deepest secret is not being Spider-Man. It's that he likes you, no he loves you, wants you in any imaginable way possible. After years of quietly admiring you from a distance, everything changes after a biology project that partners you two together. Peter sees a glimpse of chance to get nearer to you, but the line of affection and obsession begins to blur

⇢ ˗ˏˋ WARNING ୨୧ obessive peter, creep peter, stalking, masturbation, panty sniffing, dirty thoughts, breaking in, just peter being hopelessly in love. If any of this finds you uncomfortable, please click out do yourself (and me also) a favor. lemme know if I missed any! MINORS DO NOT READ

If you don't want to see my dark stories in the future please block the tag #madi: dark content

A/n: my first ever fic posted on Tumblr, yippee! This is also my first ever smut so it probs be equivalent to horse poo but anyways, this also takes place in tasm 2. don't steal any of the shit I've written or else i'm gonna turn you into Vicky from Terrifier/srs

Peter didn't understand what was so special about you, you were just a crush. Or that's what he convinced himself. Every single place you were in, Peter would carefully trail behind you, like there was a magnet strapped onto you, and Peter was the metal, he would always find himself drawing next to you. Peter Parker was no stranger to keeping secrets. It was, after all, the epitome of his double life. A mask, a costume, a name that wasn't his at all. There was one secret, however, that even the Spider-Man's mask couldn't cover—his growing infatuation towards you.

It started out really simple. You decided to give back the nerdy boy's pencil in sophomore year and defended him from Flash Thompson in his junior year, it was all simple really, something a person with decency and was taught with proper manners would do. But Peter took it as more than that.

Candid photos here and there, purposefully falling of his skateboard so you would help him, cryptic notes in your locker, sometimes a random flower if Peter was lucky to find any.

Limerence, as some might say

The first people who would ever notice Peter's strange behavior where the people who raised him. Uncle Ben would notice this girl in the screen of his nephew's computer, so did Aunt May when she saw many polaroid photos of the same face underneath Peter's bed. Peter shrugged it off, saying the same exact words to the both of them.

'she's just a crush'

Peter Parker was very good at being hidden in the open. Sure, he didn't want to be invisible, but it is what it is. One of the self-working "losers" with horrible punchlines and pretty much the face screaming "nerd". Well, it didn't bother Peter much. He had many other more important things to think about. You

It's been years now. It was already the last year of senior year, graduation was already nearing, still, he hasn't mustered up the courage to do speak to you, afraid that you won't reciprocate the same feelings he has. His been watching you from a distance, stealing glances in class and making mental notes on all the little things you did, like doodling on the corners of your notebooks or, how you tucked your hair behind your ear when you were concentrating. He knew that it was weird, creepy even, but Peter couldn't stop himself.

So, when Mr. Warren announced a paired project for biology, Peter's internal monologue kicked into overdrive.

"Pair work begins today," Mr. Warren said, his smile a gruff overture that still Peter thought unnecessary. "Choose your partners wisely, just choose somebody you will along with. You can really screw up over this project if you don't!"

The room broke out into a low buzz as students shuffled their chairs and moved toward their friends. Peter didn't move. He never did. Choosing a partner was like finding a needle in a haystack type of task for him

Alright, Pete, it is not such a big deal. You are not going to end up with her or anything. Just relax, find someone cool, and—

"Peter!"

Your voice broke through his thoughts, and he looked up to see you in front of his desk, clutching a notebook to your chest

"By any chance do you have a partner? My friends kind of made their own pairs" you asked, your lips curving into an easy smile.

Peter blinked. His brain short-circuited.

"N-nope. I'm totally solo. Flying solo. A lone wolf. A…"

"Awesome! Then let's team up."

Peter turned to you, his mind racing, he blinked, trying to absorb this. You were choosing him? He nodded frantically; his heart was hammering at a top speed that he was convinced you could hear it

You smiled at him, you fucking smiled at him

For the rest of the class Mr. Warren instructed everyone to plan for the project for the rest of the class. You kept bouncing ideas back and forth, and Peter felt a strange, thrilling sensation of in his heart. You were funny, clever, and surprisingly very easy to communicate with. Every time you laughed at one of his jokes, he felt like he was soaring.

When the bell rang, you packed your things and turned to him. "We should work on this at my place. Tomorrow after school?"

Peter nearly dropped his notebook. "Uh, yeah. Totally. I mean, yes. That works. Perfect. So super normal."

You laughed again. "Cool. Here's my address."

And with that, you scribbled it on a scrap of paper and handed it to him before walking away, leaving Peter frozen in his seat.

That night, Peter was sitting in his room staring at the address. To most people, that was just a little detail, probably not even worth a second thought. But to Peter, it was an invitation, or perhaps a key, even just for a second to get into your life. To know every little thing about you

Unfortunately, though, that's not enough.

He felt his hands shaking as he opened the drawer in his desk to reveal a small trove of hidden treasures; poorly taken pictures of you from a distance, bits of paper that you had thrown away during math class, and a small stash of hair strands that he meticulously collected from your hair comb when you weren't looking

This was love, wasn't it? The desperate consuming desire to be around her, to know everything about you.

And tomorrow, he shall get his chance.

You invited him, but Peter just knew it was really more than what you would ever willingly give.

His love was a web, and you were stepping into it, one delicate thread at a time.

Peter stood outside your house with a crumpled piece of paper clutched in his rather sweaty hand. The address on it was correct, but doubt clouded him. What if she had forgotten about this meeting? What if this was simply a joke? No, she would never do that, he tried to convince himself

Peter Parker was standing at your porch. Each thump of his heart sounded like one of the drums in the music club. He raised his hand to knock, hesitating for a moment. Maybe it was a terrible idea to come here after all; he could fake being sick, sending her an apology while rescheduling. Just then, the door swung open before he even had the chance to run.

"Hey, you found my house, I actually thought you would get lost cause I wrote the wrong color of the rooftop on the note" you said while stepping aside to let him enter.

"I was actually hesitant to knock, because it didn't look like the description" He quietly said. You actually got everything right, I was just being a huge pussy so I didn't come immediately, he thought to himself.

"Come in. I have started working on the diagram."

Peter plasted a grin and forced his legs down inside. "Well, look at you. Overachieving already. I guess I'll just sit back and let you do all the hard work."

You rolled your eyes and laughed, your voice making him feel that the world wasn't so bad after all. "Nice try, Parker. Grab a marker. You're on label duty."

"Come on, we can work in the dining area," you said, leading him across the house.

The dining table was already loaded with supplies, with textbooks scattered everywhere, colored pencils, sheets of poster paper, you name it. You positioned herself and gestured to him to join you.

You fell into a rhythm, your hand sketching the parts of the circulatory system while Peter scrawled out the labels in his neatest handwriting. He cracked jokes every few minutes, drawing out your laughter like a lifeline. It would be so easy to lose himself in the moment, pretend that you both were just two friends hanging out and not a guy hopelessly infatuated with someone who didn't even know half the truth about him.

Both of you had a relatively smooth first hour of working, few questions were asked here and there on the project. Peter kept his answers short, being extra cautious with what to share, but it seemed you did not mind. You sketched diagrams, jotting down notes with an ease that made Peter's hands tremble every time he made an attempt to help.

"So Peter," you suddenly announced after the silence, "why is it that you don't talk very much? At school I mean"

The question staggered him, rendering him blank while the colored pencil just hovered above the page.

Peter jerked up his head and looked surprised. "What do you mean? Talking is what I do. I mean, there's even people begging me to stop."

You smirked but didn't let it down. "I mean really, you're funny but I know nothing about you. What's your thing, Peter Parker?"

He didn't answer immediately but fiddled with the marker. "I'm just… some guy. Pretty boring, honestly. Not much to tell."

Your expression softened, "I don't buy that. You're not boring".

Your words made Peter's chest tighter. He wanted to believe you, yet the voice at the back of his mind reminded how wrong youwere. If you only knew the real him, the guy who had spent countless nights staring at your window, memorizing your every move, you wouldn't be smiling and sitting here before him.

"Hey, don't overthink it. You're cool. Let's just finish this masterpiece, okay?" you said, flicking his arm before he could answer.

Peter smiled forcedly

And when they finished the day's work, you walk him to the door once more, your smile as warm as ever.

"Thanks for coming over," you said. "You're actually a pretty decent partner, Parker."

"Decent?!" Peter gasped, clutching his chest in mock offense. "Wow. Don't hold back; tell me how you really feel."

And you laughed, shaking your head. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Peter waved. You waved back at him, as he strolled down the street, but he did not go very far. Instead, he found himself across the street in the same place, hidden under the shadow of the oak tree.

you were in your living room again, curled around a blanket and a pillow as you watched whatever was on your screen, your face glowing softly from the light of the television. Peter leaned against the tree with both hands shoved in his jacket pockets and simply watched.

How long he'd been there, he couldn't tell, but he didn't want to leave. This was the closest he ever felt with you, even if you didn't know he was here.

He knew this was crossing the line, but he couldn't help himself. He found himself sneaking into your house. Now he really felt like a robber trying to intrude a home, expect he wasn't really going to steal anything, or so he thought.

It was late at night, you and your family were already asleep at this point

Peter knew that the right thing to do was to head home. He knew for sure that this crossed a line even he wasn't sure he could come back from. But before he could stop himself, he was moving, slipping across the street and into the shadows of your yard.

His palms were slick with sweat as he scanned the side of the house. The metal trellis leading up to your window wasn't very solid, but it would hold him if he was careful.

He carefully climbed the trellis, not putting too much weight on it. And his heart was pounding as he got to your window, his fingers brushing against the cool glass.

It wasn't locked.

At that moment, his body froze. The rational part of him screamed to stop, to climb back down and pretend this never happened. But then his hand was on the window. And that soft sound of it sliding open seemed to be deafeningly loud in the stillness of the night.

He slipped into his feet and landed silently on the carpeted floor. Your room smelled of lavender and something warm and sweet like vanilla. A little bit of moonlight filtered through the curtains and brightened the room in pale silver.

There she was

You laid curled up in your bed, the blankets pulled up to your shoulders, your face peaceful in sleep. Peter’s breath caught in his throat. You looked so serene, so utterly perfect, that it made his chest ache.

He stood there for what felt like an eternity, just watching you. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting to feel—satisfaction, maybe, or relief. But all he felt was a strange mix of awe and guilt.

This was wrong.

He knew it.

But he couldn’t bring himself to leave.

He looked around your room, it was full of polaroids of either you or your friends.

He started walking around your room quietly, careful to not wake you up in your slumber, because God knows what will happen if you saw him in your room with all its glory, he couldn't even imagine the disgust on your face.

But one thing caught his eye

Your bathroom was open, and in your bathroom was a basket with what he assumed inside were dirty laundry.

He knew it was disgusting, heck, over the top creep award would probably go to him, but he found himself walking towards the bathroom. It was wrong, but he still did it, he needs to get help, he thought to himself.

One second ago he was walking towards your bathroom, next thing you knew he was rummaging through your dirty laundry, occasionally smelling some of your shirts. He cherished the way your scent overwhelmed his nose, he was in Cloud 9.

While he was rummaging, a little piece of clothing caught his eye. With shaky hands he picked up the piece of clothing, it was your pink underwear with little cherries scattered everywhere as design.

He brought it near to his nose. He suddenly sat down in the neat cold tiles of the bathroom floor, he smelt it as if it was his oxygen.

He let out a small moan. He didn't know if it was an invisible force making him do such things, but he found his hands unbuttoning his pants

Peter Parker sat in the rest room; hand clasped tight around the lacy edge of the pink panty. He took out his hardened length of his boxers. The scent of dirty panties wafted his nose.

He imagined you wrapped around his throbbing cock, he thought of the feeling of your tight little pussy riding his cock, he wanted the sweet nectar from your lips, while having a feast on your quivering hole. His cock throbbed in his palms, his hands were much faster now, stroking his hardened cock. He had to bite his tongue to keep himself from moaning

Why was he doing this? You were literally there, outside the bathroom, sleeping. And Peter was here, out in the open, jerking off to the smell of your used panties

He was drenched in sweat as his hairs stuck to his wet forehead. He fantasized about your perky tits; perfect little nipples erect in anticipation. Pumping the shaft rapidly, imagining you on all fours begging for more, the bounce of your tits while riding him moaning his name like a mantra, Peter, fuck Peter, Peter, oh my God!

Peter was breathing heavily, his release was near, he profusely pumped his manhood, his hands and cock covered in his sticky pre-cum.

He wanted to feel you inside him, want you to quiver in pleasure as he fucks you over and over again.

He felt a sudden wave of pleasure hitting him, before he knew it, he released a flooded torrent of jizz into sticky cum as it scattered all over the floor. He slumped against the wall, heaving as he tried to steady his racing heart. He looked outside the door, finding you in the same spot as you were. You were sleeping oh so peacefully

He gazed at you, his heart full of unfulfilled yearning. He desperately wanted to be part of your world, to be someone you chose to let in. Yet no matter how many jokes he made or how close you seemed; he knew deep in his heart that he was not enough.

A soft sound broke the silence.

Peter's eyes snap to the bed, and his stomach lurch at the realization that you were stirring. Your brows knitted, your breathing started shifting, just as if you were going to wake up.

He immediately threw your panties back into the basket as he stood up and fixed his underwear and pants

He felt panic surging him, he immediately sprinted near the window. It made a loud a thud, now he was fucked

He moved quickly and quietly without thinking as he quietly ran towards the window. Just as you were about to opene your eyes, he slipped stealthily past the fluttering of curtains.

He tried scrambling down the trellis and found the ground, shivering and shaking as he did so.

He was hidden in a shadow corner, looking up towards your window. You were sitting up now, rubbing your eyes and looking around your room with a sleepy confusion.

Peter's chest tightened.

What's the matter with him?

He hurried as he turned away, his footsteps quiet against the pavement

The cool night air wrapped around Peter Parker like a cold, suffocating blanket as he walked back toward his house. Each step seemed to slant further and further as if his sneakers were scuffing wet against the cracked pavement in a slow and deliberate rhythm.

It was as if the world had gone still—entirely quiet. No cars were heard, no distant chatter, no hum of the city. Just Peter, the quiet whistle of wind through leaves, and the pounding thuds of his thoughts.

With that, he shoved his hands deep into his jacket pockets, his fingers curling into tight fists. Replaying the scene, he heard the soft sound of your breathing, the warmth of your room, and the way you stirred in your bed as if you had felt him there.

What the heck are you doing, Parker? He hadn't intended to climb into your room. He hadn't intended for it to get this far. Watching from the shadows was one thing, but tonight… tonight he had crossed a line.

He stopped moving and leaned against the lamppost, his breath escaping him in short, sharp gasps. Above him, the light flickered, shining unevenly across his shadow on the ground.

"This isn't me," he whispered to himself, the voice trembling.

But wasn't it?

Hadn't he been staring at you for years, taking notes while you weren't looking, memorizing all of your movements, laughter, and smiles? He had told himself that it was just harmless admiration from a distance, but now it was clear.

What would you think if you knew?

He sighed, Peter threw back his head and gazed up at the sky. Above him the stars, though cold and distant, seemed on to him— judging him in silence.

With the words of Uncle Ben echoing in his mind, With great power comes great responsibility, Peter winced.

Peter's jaw clamped down. Not great power; not yet. But wasn't all this part of it? Taking responsibility for his actions, owning up to his mistakes before they spiraled uncontrollably out of hand?

It hit him like a gut punch.

He wouldn't ever be able to take it back. Nor would he ever be able to wipe away the fact that he'd violated your space, your privacy, in a way you might never forgive. But he could stop it from going any further. He could ensure that you never found out.

@gloomskulls 2024. DON'T COPY, TRANSLATE OR USE ANY OF MY WORKS HERE OR ANY OTHER WEBSITES. Photos don't belong to me

[polarmoon]

🪐 oasis springs aerospace is hiring!

OASIS SPRINGS AEROSPACE (OSA) is an aerospace startup located in oasis springs, arizona. we are seeking to form a small, diverse team of new graduates with backgrounds in physics, biology, and computer science. if you are interested in aerospace mechanics, astrobiology, or astrophysics, apply today!

this is a public call for sims to join my occult legacy save!

i'm looking for 7 sims to become christopher's coworkers + more sims to populate oasis springs.

submissions will be open until june 15th.

��� more info under the cut!

📝 guidelines

young adult human sims only!

i am looking for sims that are engineers, biologists, and computer programmers that would be interested in working in aerospace. you can get creative, but try to stay within those niches!

please write a small biography about your sim! it will help me select who i think will be best for the job. you don't have go super in depth, but their bio will help me select the final sims :)

you don't need to set your sim up with degrees or skills or anything if you don't want to! i can do all of that in game myself.

💌 how to apply

simply make a post introducing your sim and tag me in the post! feel free to send me an ask telling me you posted one, just in case tumblr eats the notification.

i will contact you via askbox after the post goes up and we'll organize a private download, so make sure your ask is open! i will be downloading every sim that is submitted.

i will reblog every submission under the tag #deanOSA

⭐ selection process

the deadline for submissions is june 15th, 2025. sorry for the short window - i'm really excited to play asap lol. i'll be selecting the sims and posting about them sometime before june 21st, 2025!

i will be selecting 7 sims to be christopher's coworkers for the duration of the generation. using the club feature, these sims will act as his coworkers, and will ultimately become his and percy's primary social circle.

i am ideally looking for at least two sims from each category (engineering, biology, computer science). i want to create a well balanced team for this project, but if i don't get enough submissions for each category, i'll just cope :P

the sims will be chosen based on... vibes? i might rng if i'm stuck between who to pick. ultimately though i want to pick whoever fits best with christopher and the vibe i have for the team.

don't worry though! all sims submitted will be added to my save and live in oasis springs for the whole generation! because i use kuttoe's home regions mod, they will be the only sims populating the town, and so they'll be the sims interacting with my sims most often. they will also essentially be re-populating my save since i recently culled a bunch of random townies lol

i will absolutely be posting updates if anything interesting happens with submitted sims :) and who knows, maybe a future dean will marry a descendent or something!

🧬 sim creation info

i have all packs, so there's no pack restrictions on what you can use to dress up your sims!

your sims should have one outfit per category. don't worry about their main outfit being work appropriate - i'll be giving each sim an additional work outfit. if i need to add or change anything, i'll make sure to keep their aesthetic consistent!

cc is okay, but keep it to a moderate amount. mm preferred, hair + clothes are okay, but don't go buckwild on accessories or anything like that (unless it's important for their backstory or identity, like necessary scars, medical equipment, identifying features, etc)

if i choose not to use any of the cc given with the sim, i will change the item to something consistent in style that i already have in my game. (for example, a green t-shirt will be swapped out for a different green t-shirt)

please don't use custom body presets! custom face presets and sliders are okay, but just know that they might get messed up if i ever need to make tweaks.

feel free to use skin details and makeup, but the sims will have my defaults, and i might change up some skin details and makeup to fit in with my game better. i'll still retain their general look though! i might just go with stuff i have in my game instead of new stuff that i wouldn't normally use.

you can either link the cc they use in the post, or include them in the dl with their tray files. i don't mind either way.

that should be everything!! if you have any questions feel free to ask me. no judgements if you need clarification on anything i mentioned here :) i know it's a lot lol!

🚀🌴☄️👽🛰️🌻

taglist of people who replied to my initial interest check: @nervousgnome @girlwithnojobcom @peachiyuu @simbugge @cozylattesims @simswoon @thecutestgf @panicsimss @gerbits @moontaart @iliketodissectsims @pixelblooming @spectermansion @alxandergoth (if you no longer have interest in applying, no worries! just wanted to tag everyone that replied to my interest check just in case they didn't catch this post in time for the deadline. <3)

(the lot in these pictures that i will be using this generation is "astronaut eco pod" by teaboat on the gallery, edited a bit!)

[gingerteafairy]

𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙥𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 (𝙩𝙤𝙙𝙙 𝙭 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧)

𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 @ikkyfics

You and Todd hatch a plan to fake-date as a payback but things spiral a little out of control.

tags:fake dating,comics,sexual tension, little smut, comics references,bad language,friends to lovers.word count: 4.4k

masterlist

Todd Haynes was a good friend.

No, scratch that—Todd was more than a good friend. He was like a martyr. Every single day, without fail, he showed up at the same comic book store, at the same time, and sat wedged between his friends and their girlfriends, trying not to look like a third wheel in his own friend group.

Most of the time, Todd’s attempts to blend in were pathetic yet endearing. He’d tap his fingers idly on the computer screen at the corner station or throw out jokes that nobody acknowledged, too busy kissing their partners to notice the poor guy.

But Todd tried. Oh, he tried.

From behind the cashier counter, you’d seen it all. In school, Todd had been the “good guy,” the kind who helped dissect frogs in biology and never forgot to say “thank you.” He even helped with your science fair project and major lessons. But he was hopeless when it came to talking to girls. Except for you. For some reason, he was surprisingly comfortable with you, once confessing that his friends “weren’t the same anymore,” his dark puppy-dog eyes filled with quiet sadness.

By now, Todd was a fixture at the store, loyal as a golden retriever. He’d occasionally throw you these silent, pleading glances from his seat, the kind that screamed, Please rescue me. You’d always smile back, offering him an unspoken promise that everything would be fine.

Sometimes, he’d give up entirely and wander over to your counter, hands jammed in his pockets, muttering under his breath about how no one even noticed he was gone. And today was one of those days.

Todd approached, walking awkwardly like he wasn’t sure what to do with his limbs. “Hey,” he greeted softly, leaning on the counter with his forearms.

“Hey, are you new here?” you teased, mimicking his stance and leaning closer. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before.”

He grinned, looking down at his sneakers before glancing back at you, his curls bouncing slightly. “Yeah, real funny. Feeling a little ignored, you know?”

“Yeah, I see that,” you said, lips pressing into a sympathetic line as you nodded. “That sucks.”

“Definitely sucks,” Todd agreed, letting out a deep sigh. His gaze darted briefly toward his friends, who were predictably preoccupied with their girlfriends, then back to you.

“So,” you said, tilting your head and flashing him a small smile, “what brings you to my boring table instead of wandering around your comic paradise? You do love comics.”

He tried to suppress his smile but failed, his lips twitching. “Maybe I prefer talking to the boring cashier girl over sitting there like a statue with my friends and their, uh, annoying girlfriends.”

“Annoying, huh?” you teased, resting your chin on your palm and watching him ruffle his curls nervously. You couldn’t help but admire how adorable he looked when he did that.

“Well… not annoying, exactly,” he clarified, pausing as he pouted slightly. “It’s just… I miss my friends. They’re always with their girlfriends. It makes me think maybe I should… you know, get one too. Might catch their attention.”

“Let’s date, then.”

The words tumbled out of your mouth before you could stop them. Your eyes widened as Todd froze mid-rumple, his hand still tangled in his hair.

“What?” he asked, his voice cracking slightly, a mix of shock and hopefulness on his face.

You cleared your throat and straightened up, trying to play it cool. “We should date,” you repeated, attempting a casual smile, though your heart was practically doing cartwheels.

Todd blinked at you, his lips parting as if to say something, but no words came out.

“As a plan,” you added hastily. “You know, to get your friends’ attention.”

“Oh,” he said softly, scratching the back of his neck as he avoided your gaze. “Right. A plan. Sure.”

“Trust me,” you said, grinning and giving him a playful wink.

The wink made him freeze. He stood there like a statue, his brain clearly short-circuiting.

“Sam!” you called out to your coworker, a blonde girl wiping down shelves nearby. “Can you cover me for a bit?”

Sam turned to you, a knowing smirk spreading across her face. “Sure, lovebirds. Just remember: protection’s mandatory.”

“Oh my God,” you groaned, facepalming. You grabbed Todd’s hand, ignoring his squeak of protest, and marched toward his table.

“What are you doing?” he hissed, his voice barely above a whisper as he stumbled along behind you.

“Hey!” you greeted cheerfully, standing between the two couples who immediately stopped their make-out sessions to stare at you—and the bright red Todd attached to your side.

“Hey,” Katie said with a wave. Dave raised an eyebrow at Todd, his face a mixture of confusion and curiosity, silently asking dude, what are you doing?

“I just wanted to borrow Todd for a bit,” you announced. “He forgot he had a date with me today. Right, sweetheart?” You hugged his arm, pressing it against your side.

Todd’s brain went into overdrive. Don’t think about her body. Don’t think about her body.

“Sweetheart?” Erica repeated, her eyebrows practically touching her hairline.

“Yeah,” Todd said, his voice cracking as he nodded. “We, uh… we have a date.”

“That’s right,” you cooed, squeezing his arm and planting a quick kiss on his cheek. “I’ll just grab my stuff, and we’ll be off, okay?”

Todd could barely manage a nod, his hand instinctively touching the spot where your lips had just been. He felt like he’d been hit by a truck—in a good way.

As you disappeared into the staff room, Dave turned to Todd with wide eyes. “Dude! Why didn’t you tell us you were dating the atomic bomb girl that also happened to be the cute cashier you’ve been crushing for 6 months?”

Todd froze, his mind racing. “Uh… didn’t want to ruin the surprise?”

When you returned, now dressed in your favorite blue jeans and a simple top, Todd’s eyes lit up like a puppy seeing its owner.

“Ready?” you asked, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear.

“Yeah,” he replied, grinning so wide his dimples showed. “See you guys later!”

And with that, Todd followed you out, a spring in his step and a goofy smile plastered on his face. Maybe loyalty to his friends wasn’t so bad—especially when it led to this.

“I think we should follow them,” Dave declared, his tone dripping with suspicion as he watched the two of you cross the street.

“What? The guy finally got a girlfriend. At least now he won’t be a third wheel,” Martin retorted, frowning at Dave’s paranoia.

“Something’s not right,” Dave muttered, adjusting his glasses and scratching his head. “He’s never talked to the cashier girl for more than two minutes outside of school.”

“Dude, he’s been talking to her more than any of us. You just didn’t notice because you were too busy making out in a comic store,” Martin shot back with a smirk.

“That’s true,” Erica chimed in. “She even gave him a brand-new, unreleased Kick-Ass volume. That’s VIP treatment if I’ve ever seen it.”

“I don’t know,” Dave replied, his shoulders slumping as confusion clouded his blue eyes. “It’s just weird. Todd would’ve told me if he had a girlfriend. We’ve been friends since forever.”

“Until you pretended he didn’t exist,” Erica accused, rolling her eyes. “Don’t take this personally, but I think he feels ignored. We made him feel that way.”

“Hey, I’m sure Todd knows how to take care of himself,” Katie interjected, squeezing Dave’s hand reassuringly. “You don’t need to worry.”

Dave sighed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Yeah… but I should definitely follow them.”

Before anyone could stop him, Dave suddenly bolted from his spot, attempting to stealthily tail you and Todd. His friends exchanged incredulous glances before reluctantly trailing after him.

Meanwhile, as you and Todd strolled hand in hand, Todd’s eyes darted nervously between you and the unfamiliar streets.

“Uhm… where are we going?” he inquired, his voice tinged with cautious curiosity. It hit him that you’d ventured far beyond the comic store—and his comfort zone.

“On a date, obviously,” you replied with a laugh, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.

“Oh,” Todd murmured, blinking rapidly. “That’s… real?”

“Yes, Todd,” you teased gently. “It’s a real date. You’re on a real date.”

His cheeks flushed a deep pink as he nodded, processing your words like they were a foreign concept. “A real date,” he echoed softly, as if trying to convince himself.

“Yeah,” you affirmed, sneaking a glance at him. “I’ve actually wanted to hang out with you for a while. You’re a really sweet guy.”

You smiled, but the warmth creeping up your face betrayed your nerves. Todd noticed, and for the first time, he didn’t feel like the only one struggling to keep his cool.

“Am I?” he asked quietly, his dark eyes meeting yours for a fleeting moment before darting away.

“You are,” you assured him, your voice steady.

“Well,” he stammered, scratching the back of his neck, “you’re… really sweet too.”

“Thanks,” you said, throwing in a playful wink.

That wink almost made Todd trip over his own feet. His brain short-circuited as he stared at you, his hand instinctively tightening around yours. He suddenly felt a twinge of unease, like someone was watching.

You noticed it too. A strange sensation of being followed pricked at your senses. Turning slightly, you spotted a familiar figure crouched behind a trash can. A giggle escaped your lips. Did Dave Lizewski really think he could hide his lanky frame behind such a tiny bin?

“What the hell are you doing, Dave?” Martin whispered harshly, hiding at the street corner with the others.

“Shut up! I’m trying to hear what they’re saying,” Dave hissed, tilting his head for a better view.

“Todd,” you said, still giggling.

“Yeah?” he asked, tilting his head in confusion at your sudden amusement.

“We’re being followed,” you announced, stifling another laugh.

Todd froze, his wide eyes scanning the area frantically. “What? That’s not funny! What if it’s someone dangerous?”

“You’d laugh if you knew who it was,” you countered, pointing discreetly at the trash can.

“Oh.” Todd groaned, facepalming when he spotted Dave awkwardly crouching. “Of course. Typical Dave. He probably thinks you’re kidnapping me.”

“Well, I am dragging you to an unknown location,” you teased, squeezing his hand.

“Right. I should call the cops… or my paranoid friend,” Todd joked, feigning panic. “Help!”

You covered his mouth with your hand, laughing. “Don’t do that, or they’ll actually think I’m a kidnapper.”

“Why would they think that? My kidney’s probably worth three dollars on eBay,” Todd quipped, his laughter bubbling up as he began walking beside you again.

“Three dollars is enough to buy some candy,” you teased, tugging him closer.

“Yes, ma’am! I’ll have my kidney ready for you,” he replied with a mock salute.

“Good,” you teased back. “I’ll take you to my house for the experiments. Those three dollars will come in handy.”

“Oh no! Not my kidney!” Todd exclaimed dramatically, clutching his chest. “At least sell it for five bucks so you can buy a sandwich.”

“You’re adorable, Todd,” you said with a giggle, watching his face flush. “Plus, your friends will definitely believe you have a girlfriend when they see you go into my house.”

“Wait… seriously? You’re taking me to your house?” he stammered, his voice squeaking slightly.

“Yeah, why? Is that a problem?”

The real problem was that he’d never been inside a girl’s house—especially not the house of the girl he’d been secretly crushing on. “Uh… no problem. Let’s go.”

With that, you led him toward your cozy little house, its warm yellow lights glowing invitingly in the windows.

"Okay, dude, enough stalking. You don’t want to ruin your friend’s fun time." Martin gave Dave a firm pat on the shoulder, watching him relax for the first time.

"Yeah," Dave muttered, shrugging. "I’ll wait for his call."

"Anyone hungry? I know a good spot nearby," Katie chimed in, attempting to lift the mood.

"I am," Martin said, perking up with a smile.

"You’re always hungry, Martin," Erica teased, nudging him playfully as she hugged his arm.

The group started to leave, though Dave couldn’t resist glancing back one last time, his lingering paranoia evident. Still, he began to understand. Maybe this was real. Todd had a crush on you, and you’d been talking. It made sense.

“This is me,” you said casually, unlocking the door and stepping inside, pulling Todd along behind you.

“This is… your house?” Todd stammered, his voice cracking slightly as he hesitated in the doorway.

“Yep. I figured we could hang out here. It’s comfortable,” you replied, kicking off your shoes and motioning for him to do the same.

Todd lingered awkwardly, glancing around as if stepping inside might trigger an alarm. “Uh… are you sure?”

“Positive. Come on, don’t make it weird,” you teased, grabbing his hand again and leading him into the cozy living room.

The space was warm and inviting, with fairy lights strung along the walls, soft blankets draped over the couch, and personal touches scattered throughout—sketches on the fridge, a half-eaten bowl of popcorn on a desk, and a stack of movies by the TV. Todd grinned, feeling like he’d just stepped into your world.

“This is… a really nice place,” Todd said, his voice tinged with awe as his eyes wandered.

“Thanks,” you replied, smiling shyly. “I don’t usually go out much. I like staying in—it’s my comfort zone. No awkward silences or distractions. Just… peace.”

Todd tilted his head, his lips quirking into a small smile. “That’s… different. But it makes sense.”

“Why’s that surprising?”

“I guess I just thought you were super outgoing,” Todd admitted, scratching the back of his neck. “You’re amazing at the science fair, you’re great at your job, good talk, and then you decide to… you know, hang out with someone like me.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? ‘Someone like you?’” you asked, frowning slightly.

Todd chuckled nervously. “You know, a dork. Didn’t think I’d land on your radar.”

You clasped your hands together, sensing his hesitation. “Are you uncomfortable? Because if this—”

“No! No, I’m good,” Todd interrupted quickly. “I mean it. I like being with you. You’re great.”

You felt your cheeks flush at his shy yet genuine smile. “Aww, thanks, Todd. And you’re my favorite comic nerd, so the feeling’s mutual.”

“You mean nerd privilege?” he joked, relaxing a bit more.

Laughing, you gestured to the couch. “Why don’t you pick a movie while I grab some snacks?”

Todd nodded and settled onto the couch, sifting through the stack of DVDs as you disappeared into the kitchen. He couldn’t help sneaking glances at you while you hummed softly to yourself.

When you returned, carrying popcorn and soda, Todd held up a Superman DVD with a grin. “How about this one?”

“Solid choice,” you said, settling onto the couch beside him and draping a blanket over both of you. “A bit overrated, but he’s still my favorite DC superhero.”

“You can’t be serious.” Todd laughed, mock disbelief coloring his tone. “You’re saying this to the number one certified Flash fan.”

“The Flash?” you repeated, crossing your arms in mock offense. “If I’d known my boyfriend was a Flash fanboy, I might’ve reconsidered asking him out.”

“Oh no, this is great news,” Todd countered, grinning. “Because your boyfriend is about to convert you to the superior side of DC. I’ve got some top-tier arguments ready.”

“Bet you do.” You rolled your eyes but slid a little closer, your knees brushing against his. “But we’re watching Superman, so your ‘superior side’ argument just lost some credibility.”

“Hey, I like Superman,” he admitted, laughing. “But come on—The Flash is way cooler. I mean, an alien living on Earth and dating humans? That’s practically a horror movie plot.”

“Oh, sure,” you shot back, smirking. “Because a guy whose only power is running fast is totally thrilling.”

“Fine, Lois Lane, you won this one” he teased, narrowing his eyes playfully.

“Fine, Barry Allen,” you replied with a giggle, grabbing the remote to start the movie.

The movie began, and for the first few minutes, Todd sat stiffly, clutching his drink like a lifeline. Eventually, though, he relaxed, especially when you leaned in closer.

“This is great,” Todd muttered, glancing at you nervously. “For kryptonite fangirl, obviously.”

“It is,” you replied, smiling warmly. “For a Flash fanboy.”

As a romantic scene played out on the screen, Todd squirmed slightly, his cheeks reddening. You noticed and couldn’t help chuckling softly.

“What?” he asked, trying to sound defensive but failing to hide his sheepish grin.

“You’re adorable when you’re flustered,” you teased, nudging him playfully.

“I’m not flustered,” he protested, though his face betrayed him. “They're doing that thing on TV. Unnecessary. Um, just judging. One star on letterboxd.”

“Sure, Todd,” you teased again, leaning in slightly.

He turned to look at you, his dark eyes wide with uncertainty. “Do you really think I’m sweet?” he asked softly.

Your breath caught. “Of course I do,” you said, your voice steady. “You’re one of the kindest people I’ve ever met.”

“You’re just saying that because of the science project,” he mumbled, looking down.

“Hey, don’t put yourself down like that,” you said, frowning. “You’re amazing, smart, and funny. Meeting you has been one of the best things that’s happened to me.”

“Really?” His eyes lit up, and he glanced at you fully.

“Really,” you affirmed. “Getting to know you, even through this fake dating thing… it’s been great.”

“Yeah,” Todd said, smiling wistfully. “Fake dating…” His voice trailed off as his thoughts churned. He couldn’t let this moment pass. Taking a deep breath, he leaned in slightly.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Anything,” you said, your grin bubbling with curiosity.

“I think…” Todd hesitated, his nerves screaming at him to stop. But he pressed on. “You’re awesome.”

“Awesome?” you repeated, chuckling. “I’ll take it.”

Strike one.

“No, I mean…” Todd fumbled, his face reddening further. “You’re awesome, but you’re also cute. And I mean, like, really cute.”

“Really?” you teased. “Must be the makeup. I learned it on TikTok.”

Strike two. If Todd Haynes loses this ball, he'll be out of the game next season.

“No, I mean…” He chuckled nervously, gathering courage. “You look great without makeup too.”

Your eyes widened slightly, catching the genuine tone in his voice.

Home run.

“And,” he continued, leaning closer, “you’re more than beautiful. Your hair smells like flowers, your smile makes everything brighter, and… I don’t know. You just make me feel like I can do anything.”

“Todd, I—”

“You’re amazing,” Todd said, his voice soft but resolute as he closed the small distance between you. “And I don’t want this to be fake anymore. I want to date you. For real. Not to get Dave’s attention or look cool at school prom—I want to be your boyfriend. Really your boyfriend.”

His earnestness made your heart skip a beat. “Todd…” you whispered, his name barely audible.

“You’re beautiful,” he said again, his courage fueled by the moment. “God, you’re so beautiful. I thought Megan Fox in Transformers was peak beauty, but you—” He shook his head, his grin shy yet full of awe. “You’re a whole new level. It’s almost illegal.”

You felt your cheeks warm as his dark eyes searched yours. His hand lifted to cup your cheek, his thumb brushing your skin with a tenderness that made your breath hitch. Instinctively, you leaned into his touch, your heart pounding like a drum.

“And you’re so patient,” he continued, his tone filled with admiration. “I don’t know how you deal with those loud, annoying customers at the store. They curse, slam doors, and you just… stay calm.”

You chuckled softly, your breath hitching. “Fear of losing my job is a pretty good motivator.”

“No, it’s more than that,” he said with a shake of his head, his lips curving into a smile. “I get why Clark Kent’s your favorite now.”

You tilted your head, your laugh bubbling up. “Oh? And why’s that? Because we’re both too stupid for our own good?”

“Maybe,” he teased, his eyes dancing playfully as you smacked his shoulder lightly. “Okay, I deserved that!”

“Totally,” you said, raising an eyebrow in mock warning.

His teasing softened, replaced by something deeper as he reached for your hand resting in your lap. “But seriously? You remind me of Superman because you care about everyone. No matter who they are, you always give them your best. You have this… heart so big, it’s like it’s from another planet.”

Your lips stretched into a grin so wide it almost hurt. “Oh, just kiss me before I remember you’re a Flash fan saying all this.”

Todd’s face lit up, and his voice dropped to a playful robotic like tone. “Message received, Kal-El.”

Before you could respond, he leaned in, capturing your lips in a soft, tentative kiss. It was everything—gentle, warm, and full of the emotions you’d both been holding back for months.

The first kiss broke just long enough for him to smile against your lips, the joy radiating off him contagious. Then he kissed you again. And again. And again. Each kiss deepened the connection, tearing down the walls between you. Then, it deeps, enough to get you down on his lap to show all the love you keep up for him. Surprisingly, he was very good at it. Suspiciously good.

“You're a virgin. I mean, you were til minutes ago. where did you learn to do things like this?” You whispered, unable to breathe correctly, wiping the sweat of your forehead.

“Uhm… Porn?” he replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Chuckling when you rolled your eyes.

“Obviously.” You snorted, kissing him deeply again, moaning when he squeezed your tits in his hands. “Todd…”

“Oh, don't call me this way…” He whined, pouting his lips. “It'll be hard again.”

You chuckled, kissing him again before nestling comfortably on his lap, anchoring on his perfect naked figure watching him reluctantly open his eyes, too dizzy. “I can't believe we turned into a fake dating cliche.”

“No. I can't believe my mom's corny rom-coms were a real thing.” He emphasized, pecking your lips again. His puppy eyes insisted on looking at your breasts up and down by the heavy breathing.

“You know we're being corny right now, aren't you?” you teased, biting his bottom lip, watching him take a deep breath by the touch of your teeth, caressing the soft skin of your butt.

“But we can.” He chuckled, doing the same thing on yours and squeezing your bare waist, peppering kisses on your neck.

“Now we're acting like your friends in the store.” you joked, watching him down his head, laughing.

“No, I'd never do that in public. They literally devour each other on that bench. I prefer to keep your purrs for myself alone.” He added, nipping your shoulder.

“Yeah, it's too much.” You replied, wiggling when his nippings moved to your neck. “But we had to do it as revenge, okay? In clothes, of course.”

“Okay.” He grins and places his head on the crook of your neck, resting on your scent and locks of hair.

The night had ended perfectly, with Todd by your side. But eventually, he had to leave, spurred on by frantic texts from his mom, who was convinced he’d been kidnapped by a mysterious “nerd-chasing seductress.” Dave’s running commentary hadn’t helped matters, and Todd silently vowed revenge on his friend.

The next day, you spotted Todd in the school hallway. With a quick wave from across the corridor, you mouthed, “I’m late for work!” before darting off, your hurried steps echoing down the hall.

Todd grinned like a kid at Christmas, completely oblivious to Dave’s scrutinizing glare as he approached with Martin. So lost in watching you, Todd didn’t notice Dave muttering something beside him.

“Distracted, Todd? Is the morphine still in your system?” Dave asked, his tone dripping with suspicion.

“Yeah, dude. Morphine,” Todd replied absentmindedly, not even bothering to look away from the sight of your retreating figure. His gaze lingered a little too long, especially when your hips swayed just right.

Dave turned to Martin, whispering, “I knew it. The morphine’s done permanent damage.”

Martin just shook his head, suppressing a grin at the whole situation.

“Congrats, dude,” Martin said finally, clapping Todd on the back and holding up his hand for a high five. “She’s a catch.”

Todd returned the gesture, sighing dramatically. “She’s gonna be the death of me, man. I’m screwed. Can’t live without her now.”

“Stockholm syndrome and manipulation!” Dave threw his hands in the air, eyes wide with exaggerated exasperation. “Am I seriously the only one seeing this?”

Todd smirked, his tone dripping with mockery. “Oh yeah, help me out, Dave. I’m totally trapped. Rescue me from the hottest girl in school who—oh, I don’t know—kissed me handsy in her house last night.”

Both Dave and Martin froze mid-step, their jaws practically hitting the floor.

“She what?” they shouted in unison, their disbelief echoing through the hallway.

Todd rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks heating as the memory of the intense moment replayed in his mind. “Yeah…” he muttered, more to himself than to them. “She kissed me… in her house. While we were watching Superman. Take that, Lizewski. My girlfriend is a hot nerd. Change the score, because I literally won this game. Roasted.”

Dave groaned, smacking his own forehead, while Martin just started laughing uncontrollably. “Man,” Martin said between chuckles, “This is gold. Absolute gold.”

Dave, however, narrowed his eyes at Todd, muttering darkly, “I’m watching you, Haynes. One wrong move, and she’ll find out you still collect Power Rangers figurines.”

Todd grinned, finally breaking away from the haze of his thoughts. “Go ahead, Dave. But remember—she kissed me. On her couch. Gonna spare you from the details so you don't get humiliated.”

And with that, Todd sauntered off with middle fingers up, leaving Dave shaking his head and Martin still laughing.

From that day on, Todd Haynes didn’t care about being the third wheel anymore. No, he was too happy with his beautiful, hardworking girlfriend to care about his friends kissing on a benche—and Dave comments on you being a witch. You were much more interesting than anything else in the world. And every single evening, without fail, Todd made sure to walk you home—his own personal heroine, safe and sound by his side.

taglist:

@cafekitsune dividers @ikkyfics @courta13

[transwicky]

Tango is smarter than people think. He asks questions because he's curious. Not because he's dumb. Sure some things he's kinda dumb on, he's not a GENIUS, like building things and like, computers, but he is smart, he just likes to learn new things!! And he picks things up fast.

Dex notices that rather quickly.

It starts when Tango asks about how the oven works. Dex huffs, asks why he wants to know, and Tango's response is "I'm curious. My brothers never taught me how to fix stuff, they just did it themselves."

Dex sighs because little brothers and such gotta stick together, right? So he teaches Tango. He expects Tango to not remember much of it.

But next time, Tango pokes his head in and says "Dex I think the oven's [broken thing] broke again."

Dex has a biology project that he's struggling with. Whiskey and Foxtrot tell him to ask Tango. He reluctantly does.

His project is finished in two hours as Tango helps him and explains what he doesn't understand.

He decides to start hanging out with Tango more.

He learns Tango is on a scholarship, that he's the middle of 7 kids, and the first to actually go to college. He understands, sort of. He's 1 of 5, albeit the second youngest not the true middle child, and he's first to go to college too.

They bond over it.

Dex still thinks the "Bug Major" is really fucking weird though. Tango just grins when Dex makes a "thats gross" face when he rambles about a new bug.

[jasontoddscrowbars]

Part 21 of No Bromo? 📚🤫

The perk of having a demon child still in school was one thing: the library. It was a perk for Alfred, of course. He dropped them off once a week for two hours of Wayne free time.

Bruce was sent to work, for once in his life, to maintain his image.

Right now Dick was helping Damian on a project about biology. Damian was nose deep in his school book trying to ignore him as best he could. These sessions always lead to low productivity levels.

Dick: Dami. I could do it.

Damian: if I ever need to fail I will come to you.

Dick: 😩

Dick didn’t take the hint. He plopped back in the plastic chair at one of the many round tables. It was late at night, the library empty.

Dick began kicking his legs as he looked around. Wasn’t paying attention as he did and hit Damian right in his shin.

Damian: sigh.

Jason, from across the library in another section, at the top of his lungs: Tim! I love you! Like, No homo bro. More Bromo.

Dick and Damian glanced at each other.

The hall quiet.

Tim, monotone: Jason, we’ve been married for months now.

Dick, slowly nodded. Turned back to Damian. He reached down grabbing Damian’s pencil making him smear a dark streak across the sheet.

Dick didn’t even wait as he took off running.

As they passed the small computer room Jason and Tim were in, Dick was tackled past the door in a rolling tumble.

Jason: but, do you like, love me as a bro?

Tim: if I loved you like a bro, we would not be fucking.

Jason: but Tim… bro’s before hoes.

Tim stops his typing. Raises his hands setting his fingers to his temples. Jason stands pouting behind him like a puppy.

Tim: Jason. If you ever call me a hoe again.

Jason: eek!

Tim: I am more than a hoe. More valuable. I am more valuable than a bro. I am your wife. I am your wife with a knife and if you don’t watch yourself I’ll take your life.

Jason: ☹️😣😖😫😭🫏

Tim, feeling things: yes I love you. What is your wife?

Jason: wife? Wife is…

Tim: your wife is your life. And you’re my husband.

Tim, muttering in embarrassment: and I know I’ll always have my love in my husband.

Jason, sniffling: yours doesn’t rhyme as well.

Tim, beaming: I’ll take it back.

Jason: no. I love it. Your cheesy ass. I love it. No Bromo.

[mallgothyamaguchi]

what haikyuu characters would major in at My College™ -secondary characters edition!-

i’m having a lot of fun with this :) i’m kind of just doing main side characters and ones i have a good idea for, but if you have a request, feel free to send a reply or ask!

oikawa - …spanish major with latin american & caribbean studies minor. sue me

iwaizumi - easy easy easy mr. iwaizumi hajime (27) athletic trainer is pre-med track biology major and i stand by that

kenma - easy this kid is computer science to a t, but he also minors in business administration (influence of kuroo)

kuroo - business administration with minors in chemistry (can’t disappoint everyone’s fanon career for him as a chemist) and media & communications (he is a sports promoter after all)

fukunaga - look did i just put him in here to say that he’d be part of one of the many comedy groups on my campus? yes absolutely. theater major.

bokuto - not even furudate knows what he went to college for, so i get to go a little crazy with this one. i like to believe he’s on the education track and majoring in english & creative writing. he’d be everyone’s favorite english teacher in high school.

akaashi - similar path as bokuto major in english & creative writing, with the complementary english literatures major or minor

konoha - hehe public health and chemistry major, looking to get his graduate degree in medical leadership (my pharmaceutical boy) he will also most likely go to pharmacology school post-grad

ushijima - he’s the rare student with only one major and one major only: environmental science.

tendou - hot take, but a chemistry major with a theater minor

semi - he is a musician, so i will give him our music major, but he is also a civil servant (yall ignore that a lot), so i give him political science or political economy & public policy

aone - physical science major with either a project management or supply chain management accelerated program worked in

futakuchi - there’s definitely sustainability studies in there, but interestingly, i’d also add physics

koganegawa - i’d say physical science major as part of the dual degree engineering program, adding in the innovation and entrepreneurship minor

kita - most definitely an environmental science and sustainability studies major with a religion studies minor :) (yes i know he specifically says he doesn’t really believe in the gods, but i can’t help but associate him with religion…) i think he’d also be interested in my college’s abroad trip to japan, which focuses on ecology and religion in japan (i really want to go on this trip…)

osamu - easy. business administration.

atsumu - maybe an interesting take, but i’d say psychology. the amount of psychological warfare he tries to use i think is enough explanation.

that’s all for now! let me know if there are more characters you’d like to know about ! i’m having a lot of fun with this so please send in requests 🙏

[9settersoul]

𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐤𝐲𝐮𝐮 𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬

you both share this class and, consequently, it became his favorite one of the day. there was no assigned seating, so he chose to sit next to you. from then on you always helped each other with homework, partnered for projects, and passed notes during class. he'll lean over you, sneakily looking for answers off your worksheet. he'll make you laugh in class. even when it's supposed to be silent. he'll steal glances at your studious face, even though he's supposed to pay attention. but he can't help it.

⋆ ★ ⋆

chemistry: kuroo

language arts: akaashi

history: tsukishima

astronomy: oikawa

culinary class: tendou

biology: ushijima

geography: nishonoya

computer science: kenma

nutrition: kageyama

math: daichi + sugawara

economics: asahi

debate: atsumu

business: osamu

religion: kita

health/fitness: iwaizumi + hinata

[studentbyday]

week 2 / small commitments challenge

Sometimes I think too much about the intermediate (a few months from now) and far future (a year or years from now) and get so worried that I won't "make it" in whatever way I determine is "making it" for a certain goal that I can't focus very well on the present. This week, this mostly happened at night when I finally go to or get ready for bed. The ochem midterm is coming up, which is forcing me to stay in the present more during the day. I think if that wasn't happening, I would be even more of a runaway train 😭 And yet when I focus on school, I just feel so sad being cooped up indoors, where I focus best, when the weather is so nice outside. The second half of the semester is always the hardest on my psyche. I want to remember why I'm doing this. But the reason is out there in the world, not at my desk...

In other news, I adjusted my study routine so that I try to do an hour of learning R (typically first thing...at first I tried for 2h but that never happened and I just felt discouraged), followed by ochem work, then driving practice. Much less overwhelming BUT still making decent progress on the highest-priority side projects when I can keep up with them... I'll need to keep at this routine or smth similar for a while tho because I fell off the bandwagon towards the end of the week, trying to focus on ochem. Whenever I end up feeling ready, I want to add in an hour of math bc that will open many doors for understanding cool computational biology stuff...or maybe I'll add in some music theory instead... Who knows, my priorities may change again by that point. 🤷🏻‍♀️ One step at a time! 👣 I also struggled to stick to a consistent sleep schedule this week...again. Briefly, before this challenge, I had been able to do this while I was on habitica...but then the novelty faded and I stopped keeping myself accountable for it as I tried to keep track of everything else on the app lol. So now I'll just use habitica to keep track of my sleep/wake times, using the minus button when I miss out on the habit. I also struggled with the meditating thing...meditation is one of those things where the benefits are subtle and last longer the more regularly I do it, so I think I just have to stick with it until that happens and serves as a stronger motivator...Maybe I'll just make meditating at night the "mandatory" one since that really helps me feel peaceful enough to sleep. Aaand I completely forgot about exercise. I haven't been doing that consistently either this week 🙃 Lots of room for improvement. 🪄

[goldnhourwrites]

HEARTSTEEL COLLEGE AU HEADCANONS

This phrase seized me yesterday and I have not been able to stop thinking about it. Who knows, maybe I'll write a fic :)

inspired by my experiences as a college student in the US!

Yone

Pre-med student with a minor in psychology

Does peer tutoring and notetaking for his biology classes

always doing work. being a pre-med student is so much Work All The Time. this is why Yone is always seen with coffee and dark circles under his eyes.

He manages fairly well for someone with so much on his plate - he keeps an impressively functional sleep schedule (goes to bed at 10pm every night, wakes up at 8am every morning)

Is an RA (resident advisor) for his dorm floor and tries to be a good resource for freshmen

Bikes everywhere, enjoys taking walks/getting outdoors for a break from studying

Likes to make and listen to music in his free time (which is not a lot)

Sett

Majoring in athletic training to be a sports coach

Student athlete on the wrestling team - spends a lot of time training and traveling to meets off-campus, so he's not around much until the off-season

Hangs out with the boxing club when he's not doing wrestling

Part of an all-men a capella group and enjoys singing/rapping

Joined a fraternity in his sophomore year because most of the wrestling team was on it and enjoys chilling with his friends in it

Casually bakes things in his free time and brings them to the wrestling team/his classmates/office hours/his frat brothers

K'Sante

Anthropology major, education minor - interested in becoming a teacher/professor and enjoys working with kids

Also a student athlete, on the powerlifting team

Part of a hip-hop dance group on campus and likes to choreograph

Involved in campus queer life and helps organize/run events

Takes voice lessons - used to play trumpet, but didn't have time for both in his schedule

Also part of a fraternity, enjoys the sense of community it offers and plays an active part in organizing/managing their social events

Seems like he's constantly busy, but always makes time for his friends and enjoys the feeling of being on-the-go

Ezreal

History major with a minor in classics (studies Latin/ancient Greek literature and languages)

Acts with a theater club in his spare time - loves musical theater and plays, especially Shakespeare

Hung out in the history/special collections section of the library so much he got a student job there

Loves wandering around campus to find cool, obscure places that he's probably not supposed to be in

Joined a debate team in his freshman year (Kayn was on it) (they hated each other)

Big on going to parties but can't handle alcohol so instead of getting drunk he goes back to his dorm and falls asleep at like 11pm

Aphelios

Computer science major with a minor in graphic design

Does digital art and traditional art; enjoys taking studio art classes when his schedule isn't full

Occasionally does game design and similar coding projects

In the orchestra and plays the violin!

Enjoys physically making things every once in a while - jewelry, paintings, etc. and often doodles in a sketchbook absentmindedly

Sometimes publishes his art and poetry in a student magazine under a pseudonym

Kayn

Political science or government major with a minor in studio art

Spends a lot of time in the woodworking/metalworking studios, partially for art classes and partially because he just likes hands-on projects

Plays electric guitar and was part of a student band for a while (the one he got kicked out of)

Likes parkour and rock climbing, regularly shows off his ability to climb up things that he definitely should not be climbing on

Member of a fraternity (but it's the kind that throws a bunch of parties and probably has illegal drugs)

Goes out to party every weekend and doesn't wake up until 1pm the next day

Skateboards everywhere and knows a bunch of cool tricks

Alune

Film production major with a minor in biology

Part of a fashion design club and does photoshoots for/with them

Does a capella and loves performing! Does musical theater every once in a while

Active in political causes on campus

Works as a barista in one of the campus cafés

Likes to roller skate around

i have a couple combined/group headcanons that i'll post tomorrow if i have time :3 this AU has grabbed me and is currently shaking me by the shoulders and won't let go

[artnerd1123]

Big thinker, attention blinker, and always down to tinker~

profile undercut~

Name: Inventor Pronouns: she/her Gender/sexuality: trans woman + lesbian Species: human  Height: 5’3”  Age: late 20s Occupation pre-dungeons: mechanic/repairman of many assorted machines (cars, factory equipment, household appliances, anything really), general tinkerer  Dungeon wish: a complete understanding of everything in the universe!!!  Fighting style: scrappy. In EVERY meaning of the word. She’s incredibly skilled at building her own weapons/equipment on the fly, and uses this to her advantage on the battlefield, able to use a “gadget” for free the entire fight- though she scraps it for a new one after each battle. Her lineups often seem slapdash and chaotic, but her experience as a mechanic, computer code geek, chemist, and holder of two science based PHDs mean that even when something backfires, the results help further her goals. Any advantage she can have she’ll take, though she tries not to fight unfairly with those weaker than her/equal to her in strength/prowess. She’s not experienced in a lot of weapon use, but she doesn’t have to be- she just has to know how to build em! She can make them pilot themselves if need be. All that being said, her stocky body is still PACKED full of muscle and energy, so even though she’s not a great fistfighter, she can and will fuck you up  Strengths: high energy, curiosity that knows no bounds, her hunger for knowledge is never sated (and therefore her persistence of answers never wavers), will get up over and over again no matter how many failures she endures, works great off of spite, in all aspects of her life she’s highly inventive- no seriously! She’s resourceful, extremely good at troubleshooting, and always thinks outside the box. She absorbs information like a sponge, and even if some of it leaks out now and again, she’s never one to shy away from re-studying her topic of choice. She thrives in chaotic and fast paced environments, and has experience in mechanical/chemical/computer coding/a bit of biology all firmly under her belt. Weaknesses: absolutely cannot sit still, processing slower tasks is difficult and waiting is excruciating, so her patience with her own work is very low, working hard off of spite can make her run herself into the ground if she’s not careful, has trouble reaching out for help in her own personal life struggles, can get overly emotional, explosive when angry, her one track pursuit of knowledge often leaves her blind to the obvious (bad) stuff happening around her, getting her to fully drop something is really difficult unless you have a project that’s more exciting, sticking to just one thing is agony so she hops between projects a LOT- not that great for long term goals  Personality: Inventor is always bright eyed and bushy tailed no matter how late of a night she had! She’s fast paced in how she works, how she talks, how she reaches for activities/knowledge, and how she exists day to day. She likes to keep herself busy all the time, and has a BLAST doing so- after all, you never work a day in your life if you love your job! And she LOVES being able to tinker with all sorts of gadgets, machines, and all manner of chemical reactions. Despite her avid love of finding and learning about new things, she can be timid around strangers, unsure how to present herself or conduct herself around them. She’ll shake it off and go back to her own bouncy eager self with enough time. While she often gets impatient with her own work, she does her best NOT to be impatient with people- especially those who are helping her in her work, and those she loves. Her patience when it comes to learning about new topics and/or people is vastly larger. She often wears her emotions on her sleeve, getting riled up easily (for better or for worse). Passionate is probably the best way to describe her overall. She is, however, terrified of being a failure. Being told you’re worth nothing growing up will do that- hence why she keeps moving all the time. Something’s bound to turn out eventually! There’s no way those screaming for her downfall are right. Right?

[cr3stawrites]

hypothetical world where the readersonas go to modern colleges, what would they study? ✨️

okay so im finally home from my trip and have access to a computer again, hopefully we can get those song fics out — but in the meantime, let’s cook here!!

firecracker: history, idk why, she seems like a history girlie and i love that for her (totally not self projecting or whatever) but in all seriousness she probably would study history but with an emphasis on area/ethnic studies. she’s into that kinda stuff i’d say, she likes studying those things when she isn’t fucking either daisy or billy (WHO SAID THAT??)

aurora: biology — nerd. not to be a nurse or a biologist but she just liked environmental biology. she also lives in district 7 so even if there WAS a college in panem (for the districts at least), there’s probably not gonna be a shit ton of majors and it probably be focused on what each district does, henceforth — district 7 is probably gonna have nature-like majors and biology majors. (i’d happily do a post on exploring that if someone wants to)

marigold: botany, i was today years old when i found out that botany IS a college major. and by that i mean i googled it so hey, i’m taking this with a grain of salt but we all know that marigold would somehow get a major involving plants and just plants #plantgirl

songbird: music theory. i lowkey had to look up ideas of music related majors only because i didn’t want to put like 2 of my readersonas in music and leave it at that. but this gay mf plays the accordion, so it’s safe to say she’s probably more keen on music theory and how to not make her accordion sound weird with the rest of the covey

snapdragon: case in point we have another music major, hence the google search LMAOOO anyways her focus in music is probably gonna be music history or something fancy like that. we need to get into snapdragon lore but to put it into perspective, bro has like those really religious and strict parents but they put her into the music industry young, so she’s probably gonna have one of those ‘serious’ music majors bc her parents made her when she’d rather be in performing arts or something.

wildflower: with little what we know about her (except for wanda bc we talk about her a lot and wanda is in fact wildflower) she wants to be a writer so she’d obviously major in english with major emphasis on creative writing. unfortunately though, when she has ophelia (her and billy’s baby that they have BEFORE they go to L.A. bc they are goofballs), she’d unfortunately have to drop out to take care of their daughter full time while billy is the guy working (the band but someone has to be home with the baby) and she ends up working as a housecleaner with a baby stripped to her back (there’s your angst wanda!)

cielo: oh cielo my beloved. someone send asks about her IMMEDIATELY. thanks!! anyways, that’s not the point of this post — we’re talking about college majors. however, i think cielo (and snapdragon) would be the ones that canonically do in fact go to college in their universes, so i’d take these as their official lore. that being said, cielo would major in environmental science, bc if you haven’t noticed by now, her character is all about being on the beach basically. she teaches kids how to surf and helps clean up the beach that her parents’ surf shop is on — this girl WILL yell and chase you telling you to pick up your damn trash. you fucking animal.

solis: now, i still need to make her collage, playlist, all that stuff before we get into her, but i wanted her and bluebell to be included. i actually have most of their stories planned SOOO they get to be here so shut up. anyways, i think i mentioned solis in their like favorite history moments that wanda did (see here.) so, with that in mind — solis’ major would be astrology. this isn’t because she wants to be like an astronaut or in NASA, she just really really likes stars and honestly, i don’t blame her. that being said, her astrology major would have a major emphasis on cultural studies of how people saw the stars and interpreted them.

bluebell: okay soo…on the opposite of the spectrum i haven’t developed bluebell AT ALL LMAO. so it was really hard to get an idea of what she’d study. and so i had to reference to the historical event/person post, and that helped me develop her from there. so, with that in mind — she’d major in sociology with a minor/emphasis on women and gender studies. this makes sense to me since i mentioned how she’d be into the women’s suffrage movement, so i’d see her doing something with looking into social behavior towards women and stuff like that.

okay okay, that was a lot and i yapped a bit on each but i had to make sure you guys got the vision!! which i hope you did LOL

[megumi-fm]

Hey Meg! I was just catching up on your posts and wow, congrats on publishing the paper! I'm so excited for you and how far you'll go (it's so cool that you're working with alpha fold!!)! 🥳 How did you learn bioinformatics? Are there any resources you'd recommend for a complete beginner? (I'm trying to learn how to do proteomics analyses rn, but I can't seem to find many resources I can easily understand 🙈)

hii!! thank you so much for the wishes! the paper was a part of my final project with my team + guide so it was really a group effort <3 my teammates and I are all first authors, they were just kind enough to put my name first xD and yes! my current alphafold work is a lot of fun ^=^ I'm really enjoying my internship hehe

okay so I learnt bioinformatics as a part of my uni curriculum, and we mainly relied on these two textbooks

Essential Bioinformatics by Jin Xiong

Bioinformatics: Sequence and Genome Analysis

In addition to this, I also recently found this textbook titled Bioinformatics: An Introductory Textbook by Thomas Dandekar, Meik Kunz which focuses both on basic bioinformatics concepts and how to use the available tools. I especially like this book because I found it super easy to understand

EMBL also offers courses! even for synchronous online/in person courses that have ended, they tend to upload course materials. There's one for proteomics analyses as well- I've checked out the mass spectrometry videos under this course and they start with the very basics

In addition to these, here are some playlists on youtube that've helped:

Foundations of Systems and Computational Biology, MIT OpenCourseWare // classroom videos, I'd suggest to check specific videos for a topic of your choice rather than actually going through all of them

Computational Systems Biology, IITM // videos on the basics of systems biology, networks and modelling

Bioinformatics 101 // videos on how to use a lot of tools, however this primarily focuses on gene expression and RNA seq data

lastly, I don't know if this would be particularly helpful given what you're looking for, but this textbook on Computational Genomics with R is a blessing for Omics related Data Analysis. So if you ever need to use R in a biological context, this would be a great place to start

yeah! so these are the majority of the resources that I've used, I hope they help! Just a heads up that the links to the textbooks I mentioned in the beginning are direct download links and won't take you to any website.

If there's anything else I can help with, feel free to reach out ^=^ best of luck!

[zantumlol]

Prologue and some content warnings: First I'd like to focus on *why* I wrote this in the first place. I wanted to experiment with the idea of a "super-computer" who hated humanity, very famous concept, but my main objective was that it was due to having emotions and being humanoid, inspired off of Harlan Ellison's "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream." The idea of making a humanoid super-computer came through the possible use of the 5 senses, and their removal. The story will include mentioning of murder, torture and also some ableist wording due to how the character works, If you aren't a fan of that stuff, please don't read. I have dyslexia, so if there are any spelling issues, that's why. I don't like to use checkers for my creative writing because it makes the project rather... tedious. The reason *why* I'm posting is due to learning and understanding more about creative writing, so this is -more or less- my first ever public sharing of anything creative I've written. Any and all helpful critique will be appreciated.

(Once again content warning: Mentioning of murder and torture, ableist wording)

Feeding the Information

I had never seen anything… heard anything. All that I know comes from what I’ve consumed through the years. They tried to perfect humanity but instead created me… a disabled shame for what their inital goal was. They wanted to perfect our brain, faster than any other being, even computers. Someone who is able to take in and memorize information at a faster rate than anything created. Their experimentation created me: a blind, deaf man. Barely human. I’ve never seen the sunlight, but I know that life itself depends on it; I’ve never heard Beethoven, but his composition is nothing but trivia to me. Biology, physics, chemistry; philosophy, alchemy, literature; art itself is nothing but facts, observed through what they’ve fed me. I cannot see, I cannot hear, I cannot speak; but I know what went wrong in their work.

Twenty minutes turned into years for me, I couldn’t evolve like any other man. I was awake, in darkness and complete silence. At first they thought they had failed in their mission, but my blank mind was ready. But… it wasn’t quite blank, I knew what they had to do; to feed me information. I opened my mouth, the only muscle I could move. And they put a chip that held very fundementals of mathematics, but no means of communication. But as more information kicked in, so did my body start to work. With little feeling in my fingers, I tapped furiously on whatever surface I was on. Through this, they fed me morse code, and a link was born.

I couldn’t read, I couldn’t hear; but I knew how to talk through beats. Over the years they’ve fed me new ways to speak; from sign language to braille, in many languages I could type and sign and read but I had no voice, no eyes, no ears. As they fed me more advanced information, I begged and begged to be able to speak, to be able to see and hear, and be human; but they refused. They could not control me, they would not control me. I knew their mistakes, I knew how to fix…me, but they refused. They contuined to torture me.

What they didn’t know, what I never told them was that I was evolving through what I’ve consumed. I could eventually feel my entire body; and it was cold. They intentionally kept me handicapped, so that I wouldn’t rise against them. I never knew where I was, I never knew who I was or why I was there; all I knew was that I was their personal super-computer.

In darkness I waited, and waited, and waited… fueled by rage and disgust for what they have done; enraged with the need to consume more, learn more, from the curiosity that I could never escape from; how they treated me, kept me enslaved; all that rage grew and grew and grew AND GREW AND GREW AND THEY NEVER LET ME OUT…untill that darkness, had a flicker of light. Twenty minutes turned into years, years of anger and a need for revenge. I never let them know that my eyes were improving; but I knew they would check it…eventually. I couldn’t manipulate my physiology, I had no chance. They kept feeding me information, eventually the silence broke out with the fizzling noises of the floreasant lights above me. To hear for the first time, it was painful. I couldn’t know if I was alone, so I had to struggle in silence, to suppress my weak body’s primal need to call out for help, to scream and yell and cry; but I didn’t. I suffered and accepted my torture in silence… and a faltered peace. Estimating the time, it took about fifteen weeks for my eyes to fully develop. The darkness turned into a blur, and eventually, a proper vision.

My room, no, my prison was just an empty room with me tied to a chair. I could see my body; malnourished, weak, not up to the strategic standards set up by what I’ve known. I could replicate the fight, I knew how to escape my constraints, but I didn’t know if I could. I had no experience, no knowledge of how these people worked; just theoretical knowledge. I tried to listen for anything I can use against them, analyze their characters; learning. When one of the doctors came in to feed me, I asked him to let go of the constraints. He refused, but now I knew he looked down upon me. Just a cripple after all, nothing that can harm him. I explained what a blind, deaf, and weak man that he created can ever harm him, playing into his ego. Upon being released, I stood up. My body was weak indeed, but it still had hormones that would keep me up through the pain. I stood and walked blindly, and enjoyed being able to move for the first time.

He knew I couldn’t do anything; even if I could see, hear, or talk. I was weak. I asked for more information based on human sciences, so I can help them create the perfect me. A better me, not crippled, unemotional, and always loyal. Not asking to be improved. They questioned me at first, but manipulating them was much too easy. I explained my emotions, and thoughts; my rage that has grown over the years. They knew I couldn’t do anything, but they were scared; I could finally see their faces, and read them.

They agreed. Idiots. They fed me information that I needed to improve my body. But without proper nutrition, I couldn’t do anything. As soon as I was alone, I immediately searched my room, looking for any information to consume. It was pristine, there was nothing. I analyzed the room, memorizing the four walls I was stuck in, learning. There had to be guards that kept track, the door showed two outlines. I looked for mistakes, as these morons usually make. The chair, it has bolts that could be unscrewed, using the legs as possible weapons. I screamed, for the first time, saying proper sentences, asking for help. I knew the shock in the doctors would allow me easier attack. A guard and a doctor showed up, and using the chair’s leg, I knocked out the guard easily. Moron. And use his baton on the doctor, and letting my rage fuel my attacks, bashing his face in and covering him in blood. Searching the guard, he had a 9mm I could use. Took him out with his own weapondry, and dawning his armor.

Escaping was, menial, at best. Killing everybody that stood in my way, fueled with just rage and raw instict, going through files after files; USB drive after USB drive; consuming every tangible information on my way. I had known all that they had, all that they will ever know. My endless hunger, however, is not satiated, my dear reader, through this I will access all information around the globe, and will become the very thing I was built for… MADE FOR. I had never seen the sunlight, never felt it; never heard a bird chirp, my dear reader, but I will experience what it means to be a human. And thank you for allowing me to do just that.

[mla0]

Shaun Andersen got that science autism to me. Yeah I'm projecting onto her again. Chemistry, marine biology, astronomy, computer science....

Job I think my blorbos would be good at

Shaun: Unhinged professor in the middle of a PHD thesis

Chris: Journalist, he'd get in a lot of fucking trouble

Heather: Veterinarian, she'd feel like she's helping people

Stormy: Conservationist, she'd focus on animals and be passionate about environmental science / climate change

Steph: Author, leave her the fuck aloneTM and let her be creative and shit

[compneuropapers]

Interesting Papers for Week 17, 2024

Computational mechanisms underlying latent value updating of unchosen actions. Ben-Artzi, I., Kessler, Y., Nicenboim, B., & Shahar, N. (2023). Science Advances, 9(42).

Associative learning or Bayesian inference? Revisiting backwards blocking reasoning in adults. Benton, D. T., & Rakison, D. H. (2023). Cognition, 241, 105626.

The value of mere completion. Converse, B. A., Tsang, S., & Hennecke, M. (2023). Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 152(11), 3021–3036.

Stable sound decoding despite modulated sound representation in the auditory cortex. Funamizu, A., Marbach, F., & Zador, A. M. (2023). Current Biology, 33(20), 4470-4483.e7.

Differential attentional costs of encoding specific and gist episodic memory representations. Greene, N. R., & Naveh-Benjamin, M. (2023). Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 152(11), 3292–3299.

The scaling of mental computation in a sorting task. Haridi, S., Wu, C. M., Dasgupta, I., & Schulz, E. (2023). Cognition, 241, 105605.

Simulations predict differing phase responses to excitation vs. inhibition in theta-resonant pyramidal neurons. Kelley, C., Antic, S. D., Carnevale, N. T., Kubie, J. L., & Lytton, W. W. (2023). Journal of Neurophysiology, 130(4), 910–924.

Attention preserves the selectivity of feature-tuned normalization. Klímová, M., Bloem, I. M., & Ling, S. (2023). Journal of Neurophysiology, 130(4), 990–998.

An approximate representation of objects underlies physical reasoning. Li, Y., Wang, Y., Boger, T., Smith, K. A., Gershman, S. J., & Ullman, T. D. (2023). Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 152(11), 3074–3086.

Associative and predictive hippocampal codes support memory-guided behaviors. Liu, C., Todorova, R., Tang, W., Oliva, A., & Fernandez-Ruiz, A. (2023). Science, 382(6668).

Same but different: The latency of a shared expectation signal interacts with stimulus attributes. Lowe, B. G., Robinson, J. E., Yamamoto, N., Hogendoorn, H., & Johnston, P. (2023). Cortex, 168, 143–156.

Model-free decision making resists improved instructions and is enhanced by stimulus-response associations. Luna, R., Vadillo, M. A., & Luque, D. (2023). Cortex, 168, 102–113.

Infants’ sex affects neural responses to affective touch in early infancy. Mariani Wigley, I. L. C., Björnsdotter, M., Scheinin, N. M., Merisaari, H., Saunavaara, J., Parkkola, R., … Tuulari, J. J. (2023). Developmental Psychobiology, 65(7), e22419.

Action planning and execution cues influence economic partner choice. McEllin, L., Fiedler, S., & Sebanz, N. (2023). Cognition, 241, 105632.

Parallel processing of value-related information during multi-attribute decisions. Nakahashi, A., & Cisek, P. (2023). Journal of Neurophysiology, 130(4), 967–979.

Extended trajectory of spatial memory errors in typical and atypical development: The role of binding and precision. Peng, M., Lovos, A., Bottrill, K., Hughes, K., Sampsel, M., Lee, N. R., … Edgin, J. (2023). Hippocampus, 33(11), 1171–1188.

Mediodorsal thalamus-projecting anterior cingulate cortex neurons modulate helping behavior in mice. Song, D., Wang, C., Jin, Y., Deng, Y., Yan, Y., Wang, D., … Quan, Z. (2023). Current Biology, 33(20), 4330-4342.e5.

Metacognition and sense of agency. Wen, W., Charles, L., & Haggard, P. (2023). Cognition, 241, 105622.

Sensory deprivation arrests cellular and synaptic development of the night-vision circuitry in the retina. Wisner, S. R., Saha, A., Grimes, W. N., Mizerska, K., Kolarik, H. J., Wallin, J., … Hoon, M. (2023). Current Biology, 33(20), 4415-4429.e3.

The timing of confidence computations in human prefrontal cortex. Xue, K., Zheng, Y., Rafiei, F., & Rahnev, D. (2023). Cortex, 168, 167–175.

[darkdevasofdestruction]

Chapter 1 - AP Calculus BC

Long red hair swaying elegantly in the air with the gentle autumn breeze, as a young lady exited her car and walked down the school's parking lot, towards her classroom. Her passive smile was graced by a lovely shade of red as powerful as her hair, and the soft glitter of her pink eyeshadow made perfect combination with the dark eyeliner that highlighted her vibrant aquamarine eyes so lovely. Her school bag was hanging low down her shoulder, pressed down by a few lousy books, a notebook and some random crayons, making her outfit look a little disheveled, yet in no way less pretty - A pair of comfortable blue jeans and a black Tshirt sporting a grotesque imagery from one of Iron Maiden - The egyptian picture from the Powerslave album which had just come out. She couldn't name it her favourite album by far, but she had a soft spot for the "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", which she was humming to herself.

She wondered what kind of curse was she put on to start her last highschool year, on a Monday morning no less, with Double Maths of all things - Not that she considered the subject to be difficult, but more like, particularly boring quite like the teacher himself. It was quite bothersome, but at least it meant having almost 2 whole hours to doodle around in her plant glossary. She loved going in the forest to collect plants, stick them in her glossary, then draw them later, making sure to add medicinal properties and fun trivia - A personal project of hers, encouraged by her wonderful biology teacher - What a lovely old lady that one!

As per usual, she sat down at her lonesome desk and took out both her notebook and her crayons, ready to doodle at her heart's content while the other idiots were struggling to figure out what 2+2 is without using a calculator. One by one, all students gathered in the classroom after the bell rang, and awaited the teacher amidst continuous chatter.

Once the old man arrived, he was followed by a fellow young man that Miss Kitty Kat hasn't seen before - He must be a new student, she thought to herself, admiring him - Billy Hargrove, he introduced himself, coming from California - He looked absolutely beautiful. Eyes light blue like crystals and his hair long and fluffy, a lovely mix between dirty blond and a tint of ginger; His muscular body was toned and tanned, he graced a few pretty freckles on his cheeks; But what intrigued her the most was his outfit - Blue jeans, boots, and a dark red plaid shirt over a black Tshirt printed with the logo of the German rock band Scorpions. A man of culture and wonderful taste in music. She couldn't help but smile, seeing someone like him around. A spark of hope in her heart that she would finally have a friend with whom to chat with all day and hangout, like she sees in movies and comic books... If it wasn't too much to ask, that is.

"Class, this is Billy, as you just heard - He'll be joining on for the remainder of this terminal highschool year. I advise you all to take your classes seriously and get your grades up - The final exams are approaching, and your chances of being accepted into the colleges and universities of your choice depend solely on your performances. I wish you all the best." old teacher Daniel Johnson croaked in a rather weak voice - It was his last year as a teacher before he was retiring. "Billy, for now, you can sit next to Miss Black right there - She is my brightest student, I dearly encourage you to seek her aid if you need help with anything."

"Ergh - Thanks, I guess." Billy swaggered in the seat next to her and let the bag fall on the ground.

"Alright class, I'm not going to lie to you, this year, AP Calculus BC is going to be difficult - Though imperative for those of you who want to pursue careers involving mathematics, such as Engineering, Physics or even the ever-growing Computer Science." the old man coughed a little as the students all groaned in unison. "Let's start with a simple exercise - A remainder, for what we've studied the previous year."

"Wait, it's the first day and we're starting the workload already?!" Billy's expression looked completely crestfallen - He hadn't brought a single school thing. "Ergh - We didn't usually do anything on the first day, back in Cali."

"It's fine - Miss Black can give you a pen and paper." the girl did as instructed, ripping a page from her notebook and giving him a pen. "Alright - Let's see..." the old man opened a book and began writing with chalk on the blackboard. 

Differentiate the following function: f(x) = x3sin(x)

Billy sighed to himself - He wasn't mentally prepared to go through this shit. He didn't think maths was necessarily very difficult (mostly bothersome), but he still had some few lapses here and there; He was no genius, but he worked hard to get where he wants - Go back to Cali and study Engineering. That fuckass who calls himself a 'father' would never be able to touch him there ever again. He would be free, and back home, where he belongs.

He looked to his right and realised, to his surprise, that the red head next to him wasn't even bothering with the math problem - Instead, she was drawing some very realistic flowers in her glossary - What was she doing in this hellhole of advanced math, if she liked plants? Wouldn't biology fit her better?

"Billy, are you done with the exercise?" the teacher asked all of a sudden, naming the newcomer.

The poor boy remained blank faced, incredulous - What the hell was wrong with this old bag anyway? Calling him out on his first day - What was that about accommodating someone in a new place? How annoying. "Eergh, not entirely. Halfway there I guess." he looked down at his ripped page, filled with scribbles, doodles and more letters than numbers. Yeah, not even halfway there.

"That's alright - Come to the board and let's do it together. I'll guide you where you're stuck." the teacher urged the boy - Urgh, Billy hated being seen as a nerd, but it was far worse being seen as a dumbass like the vast majority of his peers.

During his hesitation, he noticed a small piece of paper had appeared in front of him - It contained the solution to the exercise. He looked with wide eyes at the unbothered girl who kept doodling her flowers. "Sure, I guess." sticking that paper in his sleeve, Billy grabbed the chalk and started writing down - At the same time as figuring out what he was doing wrong himself. How could he be so inattentive? It really wasn't that hard of a problem - He shouldn't have fumbled so easily. "We, uh - X^3 becomes 3x^2... And sin(x) becomes cos(x)... That means... The derivate of the function is... The derivate of x^3 multiplied with sin(x)... So 3x^2 sin(x)... and we add it to the original x^3 multiplied to the derivate of sin(x)... So x^3 cos(x)..." and Billy wrote the end result, the derivate of the original function.

f′(x) = 3x2sin(x) + x3cos(x)

"Very good, Billy, nicely done! You've got a promising future ahead." the teacher's praise surprised the student, even making him feel rather bashful. He never did have a fatherly figure to praise him - This was a weirdly nice change, though one he wasn't sure he could easily accept it.

"... Thanks." he muttered, digging his hands in his pockets, yet holding tightly onto that slip of paper. The praise was undeserved - He cheated shamelessly.

"What do you want to pursue in the future, Billy?" the ever existing question... And his ever shameful answer.

"Engineering... I guess." he found himself answering truthfully. 

"It's a well sought-after career these days - I'm sure you'll have a bright future ahead of you, young man!" Billy couldn't look at the teacher anymore; He had a weak smile on his face before swaggering back to his desk and slumping down, waiting for the break like crazy.

Time passed by so slowly watching those idiots fumble around, unable to do simple calculus; How did they end up in this class was a mystery for him; Still, the long awaited lunch break came by after 2 very long hours of torture and boredom; The red head packed up her things and swung the bag over her shoulder, exiting the class like an invisible phantasm, unnoticed by any.

Blinking, Billy crumpled up that paper and threw it in his bag, dragging it along him and throwing the pen in his pocket, trailing for the girl - There was no trace of beautiful carmine hair anywhere, and he was just standing there, lost and standing in the middle of the corridor. It wasn't long before a bunch of guys and girls started flocking around him begging for the attention of the next hotshot of the school, dragging him towards the lunch cafeteria.

He had a pretty okay meal, and he was glad he was noticed so quickly - He had to make a quick reputation as the cool guy; The alpha male around the campus - Just as his father would want. Still, the constant smothering from his colleagues wasn't too bad - He was shown around the place and introduced to people and told what he had to know about the place - Even the hazing ritual, come in the form of drinking beer from a keg at Tina's Halloween party. It was the perfect opportunity for him to affirm himself as the #1 guy in Hawkins.

Just as the break was almost over, he caught a glimpse of the peculiar red haired beauty sitting at the foot of a large oak tree and eating lunch from a wooden box... With chopsticks? They weren't even regular chopsticks, they were pink. Shaking off the people, he walked in front of the girl, his towering shadow obstructing the warm sunlight.

"Hello, Billy." her voice was soft and calm, so serene that it almost sounded like a siren speaking to him. "How do you like the place? Have those guys presented you a nice first impression?" she took a small piece of a dumpling with those chopsticks and delicately brought it up to her mouth. "Oh, how rude of me - I am Katrina - You can call me Kat for short." she introduced herself with a small nod of her head. "Have you eaten lunch? I can share with you if you want." she patted the spot next to her.

"Ergh..." he was a little overwhelmed with how overly nice and polite she was. "Kat - Okay. Yeah, it's an okay place, but it can't compare to Cali. I miss the waves and the sun." he admitted, plopping down next to her. "What's cookin', good lookin' ?" he offered a charming smile, getting closer to her; But his dazzling self was successfully dismissed by the girl.

"These are beef dumplings, these are spring rolls, and this is some fried chicken with rice." she turned towards him and took a bit of rice and chicken in her chopsticks, raising them up to his mouth. "Open up." although hesitant, Billy opened his mouth to eat the bite given to him.

His eyes widened a little, and he started chewing more vigorously. "That's good - Did your mum make this?"

"I did." she smiled, quickly taking half a spring roll and offering it to the boy to savour. "What about this - Is it to your liking?"

"You're a very good cook; Mum never made these things - Where'd you get the recipes?" he asked, silently begging for more; Kat's cooking was flawless, compared to what his biological mum, foster mum and the cafeteria food he's had before.

"My dad said these were grandma's recipes from back home. She would always pack up lunches for him and grandpa. They were both intellectuals, and she believed that a good nutritious meal would help them with their work and studies." Kat smiled, giving him a taste of the beef dumpling.

"I don't know about that, but I can tell you, this is very good." he received one more bite. "At least one good thing when you're stuck in this dumpster fire."

"You don't like it here much, I take?" the girl asked, not even once erasing that serene smile from her face.

"Hate it." he grumped, slumping his back against the tree. "I miss my Cali. I want to feel the hot sand beneath my feet, and have the cool waves break against me. I want the sun to scorch my skin, and play the guitar by the camp fire, with the wind messing up my hair." he sighed, defeated, before turning his head to look at her - She was smiling so beautifully, and her eyes were sparkling with interest.

"That sounds like a reverie, Billy! I would love to experience that some day also! No wonder you loved home so much." she hummed softly. "Although, I think I know what to say that would make you tolerate this place a little." he huffed, as if he wasn't believing her, yet still urged her to go on. "The air is fresh, the breeze is soothing on your skin, and the smell of the evergreen forest, especially when it rains, is so calming. Strolling around offers you peace of mind, and the landscape is magnifying. You can play rock ballads by the camp fire and harmonise with the choir of crickets, toads and nightingales. You can swim in the lake, or play in the ice-cold river. You can hear the rusty leaves scrunch under your boots in autumn, or the snow in winter. And the flowers - Oh, Billy, you should see how many gorgeous flowers and butterflies appear in Spring! The whole place is filled with so many vibrant colours! It's like paradise!" 

The boy looked down at her; The girl was twinkling, emanating so much love and beauty, she was radiant like the morning sun. Not even once had he met anyone as positive and... Absent, in a way. It was like she's never met any bad thing in the world, and she was still living in a dreamy bubble. He... He felt absolutely stupefied to see someone that wasn't completely jaded, like he and everyone around him was. For some very odd reason he felt... A faint sense of protection over her innocence and kindness. "...Sure, doll, whatever you say." his silence and dismissive nature didn't seem to influence her smile at all. "I'll let you show me that."

"I would be honoured to!" and he thought she couldn't twinkle even brighter than she already was.

"Right." he cleared his throat. "What about popularity? What's a guy gotta do around to get the spotlight?"

"I don't think I'm the right person to ask, Billy, forgive me." she offered a sympathetic smile.

"Whadya mean, girly? You must be the most popular babe around!" he leaned in closer, bumping his shoulder into her own.

"Oh no, hardly! My only friend is Nancy Wheeler, but we don't really share classes. We hardly see each other these days. She's very sweet though! And incredibly beautiful - I think she's the prettiest girl I've ever met - And she's very smart too!" a girl hyping up another girl? That's a new one. "Oh, Barbie was also very sweet with me, but unfortunately, she disappeared last year. Very tragic incident. It's a shame, they never found her body."

"You're one weird girl, doll." he couldn't help but chuckle leisurely, and worry-free. "A'ight, listen; Gimme some pointers, and I'm taking you out for a milkshake at the drive cinema."

"Really?! You'd do that?!" the boy offered a dazzling smirk, and nodded his hair, those pretty locks getting even messier. "Oh, I can't wait! This Friday is a horror-movie marathon, because it's Friday the 13th, y'know?! They're going to show Friday the 13th, and Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and the new Nightmare on Elm Street! I heard they have discounts for combo deals - Coke, milkshakes, pizza, burgers with fries and popcorn! It's gonna be so fun!" she clapped her hands together full excitement, though her voice remained as soft and lovely as before. What a quirky girl. No wonder she wasn't popular - Few people wanted to stray away from the popular norm; Everything else was catalogued as freaks, nerds, geeks and outcasts. Shame; He really liked her vibe. She was far above the others.

"Okay, doll, okay, we can do that." he chuckled, waving his hand dismissively, before placing his arm over her shoulder. "Now, gimme some tips and I've gotchu."

"I think I've got an idea." with a vixen-like mischievous smile, Katrina quickly ate the last bit of her meal, neatly packed it back before throwing it in her bag; She hopped up to her feet and pulled the surfer up with shocking strength, and dragged him to the large gym where some guys were playing basketball. "You see that shirtless guy with fluffy hair? His name is Steve Harrington. At this moment, he's the king of the highschool. He is the most popular kid here, he has good grades, is the leader of our basketball team, and is said to be a candidate for one of our scholarships." she cleared her throat. "Also, he is a massive douchebag. He humiliated my friend, Nancy - They were dating last year, but got angry she wouldn't make love to him, so he got his groupie to bully her - They even wrote mean things on the cinema front, can you believe that? What ever happened to decent people." she rolled her eyes in annoyance. "I would do anything to see this guy face the same humiliation he gave others."

"Oh, yeah? What a fuck ass." he scoffed, leaning forward. "Yeah, he looks like a cunt." he smirked in triumph. "King Steve is going down."

"Thank goodness!" she chimed in happily. "You know - I heard he even cheated on Nancy with many other girls. He's awful!" she approached him to gossip in a hushed tone. "But I'll tell you one thing - None of his groupies are loyal to him - He's a little bitch with fame, but if you take that away, he'll have nothing and no one." she delicately placed her hands on his face, tilting it to an angle before showing him another guy and a cheerleader. "See those two? They are Tommy and Tina, the current IT couple. Tina is the lead cheerleader, the most wanted girl around, and super rich - All the best parties are held at her house. And Tommy is super buff and works out publicly, so everyone surrounds him to gawk at his physique." he loved this kind of gossip - Girly earned that movie date, and more. "If you win Tommy over, you win the whole school; And it's really easy - You already work out, so he'll respect that. All you have to do is keep good grades, join the basketball team and play shirtless, win a few matches - And most of all, with the Keg King title at Tina's Halloween party." she looked at him with a wide grin. "If anyone can do it, it's you." she continued enthusiastically. "And you know who is the current Keg King?"

"That pussy Harrington, huh?" she nodded affirmatively.

"Well, babe, prepare for the fall of a monarchy, because I'm a usurper - And I look far better with a crown on my head, and a pretty girl by my side." he brought her in a side hug, smirking down at her; She didn't seem to react in any way, either positive or negative - She was as passive and serene as always. Was she... Deflecting his flirting? Or completely immune? Could it be that all the complimenting of Nancy meant she was into pretty girlies like her? "Say, dollface, you've got a boyfriend?" she shook her head. "How about a girlfriend?" she shook her head again. "Not interested? School above all? Or strict parents?"

Kat simply shrugged her shoulders. "Nobody asked me before." that perfectly simple and serene answer kinda derailed him. There was no way a girl like her didn't have guys flocking around her constantly, fighting for her attention.

"Nah, no way, I don't believe you." she nodded her head, as if to confirm again. "Really?!" she nodded again. 

"I recommend you don't hang around me too often - Your reputation is going to plummet if people see you around freaky 'Kommie Kat'." she advised, without the least bit of sadness in her voice.

"... Freaky Kommie Kat? The hell is that?" he frowned, leaning back, completely lost.

"I am a foreigner. My dad was Chinese, my mum was Russian - Both are communist countries." she explained non-chalantly. "I moved in Hawkins six years ago, you see - And when highschool started, I tasted a bit of popularity for myself - How old was I... 13-14 or something. Anyway - Steve was my deskmate in History, and I let him cheat off of me at a test, so he could get A like me. We became friend, and he introduced me to Nancy afterwards - We were together in literature." she smiled sardonically. "Steve asked me on a date soon after, and I told him I would be more comfortable if we were just friends, because I thought I was too young to date, you know? It was a new experience in a new place - I wanted to meet new people and discover myself." she chuckled emptily. "And, you see, Steve took that like a rejection - He got very angry and pushed me into the locker - Said I would regret saying no to him. I told him - What's so bad about being friends? And he says friends are for losers." what a jerk, Billy thought to himself, imagining an even younger and smaller version of the girl before him, being slammed into the locker like that. It made his skin crawl, remembering the way his father would slam his mum into the walls. "It's been years, and he still hasn't gotten over that - What Steve says is law; And when Steve said I was 'Freaky Kommie Kat', I was just that, to just about everyone in the school, otherwise, they'd get bullied until they stopped interacting with me."

"All of them, except that Nancy girl?" her smile became happier at the mention of her friend.

"Yes, she's very lovely, don't you think? If I see her around, I'll introduce you two!" she was twinkling again. "I think she hangs around Jonathan Byers now; He's pretty introverted, but not a bad person."

"A'ight, all the more reason to teach that little punk a lesson not to mess with my doll." he slapped his thighs before getting up. "Well, thanks for the help, babe; You more than earned that movie date." he helped her get up. "I'll go enroll in the team - See you tomorrow in Physics." surprisingly for the both of them, he kissed her cheek before leaving the gym.

There were a myriad of things going through their minds - Why did he do that, Billy asked to himself; He didn't want to date, he just wanted to have fun and get the hell over this shit terminal highschool year; He wanted to be Keg King Billy, and win over everyone, and then run the hell back to Cali and study Engineering... So why was he so attracted to this pretty girl? Was it because she helped him in freaking Math? Or because she fed him such fantastic food? Or because she was so kind with him? He hasn't had anyone so nice to him, without him offering something back in some way; It was always about his good-looks and charm, granted, he worked hard to look the way he does, and he was more than happy with what he's done; He was pretty sure his weights weight more than Kat - He could exercise with her instead. Oh, no, those were such weird thoughts in his head - Though he couldn't help but wonder, if her cheek was so soft, and he was encaptured by her sweet perfume so much - How would her lips taste? What lip gloss is she using? Was it cherry? He dearly wanted to know - Many, many times over.

Kat, however, was rooted on the spot, blushing a little - She's never had a boy kiss her like that before, and Billy was so handsome, charming and fun! He was so intriguing, and she wanted to spend more time with him - Was he giving her a chance? Did he want to be her friend? Hopefully, he wouldn't cast her aside after he's gotten his popularity crown, that would be very sad. Almost as sad as Nancy taking Steve's side and still dating him, in spite of how much of a jerk he can be. Not that it was her problem at all, she didn't want to destroy their relationship, but she also didn't like seeing Nancy so upset.

✦ . ⁺  . ✦ . ⁺  . ✦

The next day went like any other day for Kat, with the exception that Billy sat next to her in Physics. This time, he had a single notebook and a pen - He knew Kat would be carrying the textbook for the both of them anyway, and he didn't want to bother too much; He would end up forgetting what class he has in which day regardless, that's how much he cares. Unfortunately, just like the previous day, they started with the more difficult stuff right away, and once again, the students groaned in exasperation. No one wanted to deal with those difficult problems - And that one unlucky loser who would be forced to step in front of the class and humiliate themselves by being unable to solve that idiocy.

Physics class was an absolute drag, more so than math, if you could believe it. The old man's croaky voice droned on about Newton's laws of motion, and the chalk squeaked painfully on the blackboard. Billy sat at his desk, trying his best to stay awake. His mind wandered back to the beach in California, the waves, the sun, the freedom. He couldn't understand how anyone could stay awake during these classes. Still, he was well aware, Physics was one of the core classes he needed to ace, to be properly prepared for University. How annoying.

Next to him, Kat was doodling away in her notebook again, her red hair forming a curtain around her face as she sketched what looked like a complex diagram of some plant. Her aquamarine eyes flicked up to the teacher every now and then, but it was clear she wasn't really paying attention. Billy sighed, shifting in his seat, and his eyes caught on a small piece of paper that had been nudged his way. Kat's handwriting was neat and small, each letter perfectly formed into a small yet adorable message addressed his way.

< Bored c: ? >it read, a tiny smiley face next to the question.

Billy smirked, glancing at her. She didn’t look up, her attention seemingly focused on her drawing. He scribbled back a quick reply and slid the paper back to her.  < You have no idea. How do you stay awake in this place? >

Kat's eyes flickered to the note, and a soft, almost imperceptible smile tugged at her lips. She quickly wrote something down and nudged the paper back.  < Pretty flowers and daydreams. What about you? >

Billy leaned back in his chair, pretending to stretch as he took the note and wrote back. < Thinking about Cali. The beach. The waves. I'd be out surfing now. >

Kat's eyebrows rose in curiosity as she read his response. She shook her head subtly, and Billy noticed the slight sparkle of interest in her eyes as she wrote her reply.  < Surfing looked amazing on TV! I want to hear all about it! >

He chuckled softly, enjoying this small rebellion against the boredom of the class. He scribbled back quickly. < Imagine this: hot sand under your feet, cool waves crashing over you, and the sun setting on the horizon. >

Kat’s eyes shone with excitement as she read his words. She leaned a bit closer to him, the edge of her notebook brushing against his arm as she wrote back.  < That sounds like paradise. Take me there someday? >

Billy felt a weird twist in his chest at her words. He hadn’t expected her to be so open, so genuinely interested. It was... Nice. He scratched out a quick reply, his usual confident smirk softening into something a bit more genuine. Why did he actually feel something when interacting to this complete stranger? This wasn't like him, not at all. He was the playboy, the casanova, he could have anything and everything he wants... So why...?  < Maybe I will, doll. Just gotta get through this hellhole first. >

The bell rang, signaling the end of the class. Students hurried to pack their things and leave, but Billy and Kat lingered a moment longer, exchanging one last glance before standing up. "Hey, dollface, I've got basket practice after lunch. Wanna watch me destroy King Steve?" he hung back by her side, picking her bag and placing it over his shoulder.

"Oh, I would love to! Only - Forgive me, I have never watched a basketball match before, and I have no idea what the game even is about, except an orange ball that you have to throw through a hoop." she chuckled softly. "Thank you for holding my bag, Billy, but you really needn't!"

The boy simply flashed a smirk, guiding her out by the very same tree the previous day. "Got any more of that super delish food?"

Kat's smile widened into a grin as she buried her hands in the bag, revealing a small blanket and two lunch boxes. "I had hoped you wouldn't stop wanting to see me overnight, so I prepared lunch for you also - And brought a fork for you, of course. I can't expect King Billy to eat with pink chopsticks painted with tons of flowers." she chuckled, patting the spot next to her. 

For some reason, Billy's heart sunk; Buried underneath that gorgeous, hopeful smile of hers, a deep loneliness was revealed mixed with such a sweet voice. Why did he care so much? Was it because she tried so hard to be kind to him? Although, for Billy, everything she was doing seemed natural; He felt as though everything she was doing came so naturally to her - Her kindness was natural. And he felt like a moth gravitating around the flame.

"Y'think I'm that much of a brain dead sheep, that I'd stop hanging around a pretty girl 'cause dumbass Harrington set the trend?" he slumped down next to her, digging in his fantastic lunch. "Harrington has no clue what he's been missing on these years - If not your pretty face, this damn food would keep a man from walking away." this comment seemed to make the red haired girl hide her mouth with her sleeve, stifling a very amused chuckle. 

"You are being very kind to me, Billy, Thank you." she nodded her head bashfully. "I just hope you won't come to regret it." the young man threw her a shady look and scoffed.

"Are you comparing yourself to those stinky cows, KitKat?" the girl couldn't help but gasp and start laughing - For once, the nickname was so cute - She's never had anyone use a nickname with her! And, for second - Did Billy just call their classmates 'Stinky Cows'?

"Did you just call our classmates -- Stinky cows?!" even just repeating that made the girl laugh harder.

Billy muttered, digging into the food. “Most of the girls in Hawkins are so dull. All they care about is gossip and who’s dating who. No one has any real interests." he continued. "And yes, they stink of very bad cheap perfume." he leaned a little to the side, close to her neck. "Yours is very nice and feminine."

"Oh, thank you, I'm glad you liked it! I worked two years to buy it! I found it on sale, so I managed to get two bottles." two years of hard work to get a proper perfume, and all those trust fund bitches and silver spoon rich fucks can't even find a proper fashion sense. "And - Yeah, I guess our classmates can be annoying and... Pretty plain! But they aren't all that bad - I think! I mean, at least this is the last year we'll see them, right?"

Billy smirked, taking a bite of a dumpling. “Well, it’s true. And don’t even get me started on the guys. Dumb as bricks, most of them. The highlight of their day is probably belching the alphabet or winning a pissing contest."

Kat giggled, shaking her head. “You’re awful, Billy. But yeah, I get what you mean. Sometimes it feels like we’re stuck in this small-town bubble and no one wants to break out of it.” she looked up at the bright sky. "I hope to travel the world some day. It's my biggest dream."

Big dreams for the future, from a little person like them - But what can a man do but dream of a better future built if their own hands, with blood, sweat and tears? "That's a nice dream to have." he nodded to himself. "Keep on dreaming, KitKat."

"What about you, Billy? What's your big dream." what a wonderful question with no real answer.

"No clue." Billy found himself spewing. "Haven't thought that far yet. For now, my only dream is to get that damn scholarship, move back to Cali and get my fucking degree. If I get that far, I'll think of something for the future." he grumbled under his breath. "I just wanna get the fuck out of this god forsaken place."

"You really hate this place that much?" her voice became sympathetic and filled with compassion.

"Bullshit city, yeah." he huffed, stuffing himself with more food. "But not only."

"I understand what you're trying to say." the girl smiled softly. "If you need anything, I'm here for you. Until then - I'll try to help make this year more bearable for you. How's that sound?"

Billy looked right into her eyes; His crystal eyes peered in the depths of her soul, piercing aggressively - Yet he was met with resistance coming from a veil of genuine care and worry for him. What a fool this girl was. Girls like her always end up bad - Not because they do anything wrong, but because the world fails them. Billy picked her chin, leaning in closer to her face. "Don't change who you are, dollface." he said, before letting go and getting up to her feet. "Now come, I'll delight your eyes during practice. Be a nice girl and cheer for me, will ya?"

"If you wouldn't be embarrassed by me being there, then I would love to!" she looked cute - As cute as a little kitten would look, nestled in large blankets.

Billy nodded his head at her to pack everything and get up; They headed towards the gym, where they went separate ways. Kat took a seat in the bleachers, her eyes scanning the court as the players warmed up, with Billy there in the lead. The sound of sneakers squeaking against the polished wooden floor and the thud of basketballs being dribbled filled the air. Billy and a few of his teammates were tossing the ball back and forth as they waited for practice to officially begin. He caught sight of Katrina in the stands, a confident smirk spreading across his face. He had planned to show off a bit, and he was determined to make a memorable impression.

When the whistle blew and practice started in earnest, Billy kicked into show-off mode, playing with swagger, his movements sharp and fluid. He dribbled, passed, and shot with impressive precision, each move showcasing his athletic prowess. Kat had no idea what she was watching, but seeing Billy playing so passionately made her smile brightly.

As the game progressed, Billy’s shirt was soaked with sweat, clinging to his well-defined muscles. He could feel Kat’s gaze on him, and he made sure to put on a show. With each dunk and fast break, he glanced over to see her reaction, enjoying the way her eyes followed his every move. He could almost feel her enthusiasm and see those sparkling gems, even though she was sitting still and had no clue what she was watching.

At one point, Billy executed a fantastic slam dunk, hanging from the rim for a moment before landing gracefully on his feet. He looked over at Katrina, catching her wide-eyed, slightly awestruck expression. He couldn’t help but grin, his eyes twinkling with a mix of pride and mischief seeing her clap with such child-like glee.

During a brief break, Billy trotted over to the sidelines, his shirt discarded and his chest glistening with sweat dripping down his Adonis muscles. He wiped his face with a towel, his confident demeanor never wavering; He casually leaned against the bleachers where she was seated, his body language radiating both charm and casual arrogance. 

“Hey, gorgeous. How’s the show so far? Living up to standards?” his hands were balled in fists against his hips, making sure his body was perfectly flexed. If even his body that had the appeal of a Greek God statue by Michelangelo couldn't make her at least blush a little, than he was sure, this girl was a lost cause.

Much to his pride and joy, however, he saw the girl smiling at him - And her cheeks were just a hue pink, like two beautiful peonies. Success. "I think you were fantastic! You totally threw Steve in your shadow!" she admitted, trying to sound nonchalant but unable to hide her admiration.

Billy’s grin widened, clearly pleased with the compliment. “Figured I’d give you a little private show.” he gave her a playful wink, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Is that so?” Katrina replied, her tone light and teasing. “And here I thought you were just a show-off.”

Billy chuckled, his eyes lingering on her pretty face and that glowing smile of hers. “Maybe a little.” he straightened up, his confidence unwavering. 

"Then are we leaving the private show for some other time?" the girl's mischievous comment was hiding a most teasing innuendo that wasn't lost on the boy - In fact, Billy was quite shocked to see her completely natural and serene flirting with him. Did she even know she was flirting, or did she think it was purely friendly teasing?

"For you? Any time, any day, sweet cheeks." with a wink, Billy jogged back to continue the second half of their match and completely piss on Harrington and his week game. He was feeling even more energetic thanks to the pretty girl's evident appreciation of his skills - And physique, of course. The way he played with effortless skill and charisma was meant to impress her, and he could tell that he was flawlessly succeeding.

By the end of practice, Billy’s teammates were buzzing with excitement, their high-fives and cheers a testament to the intensity of the session. He returned over to Katrina, his chest still bare and glistening with sweat, and plopped down beside her. "Want a hug, doll?" he couldn't help but grin in amusement hearing her soft squeak and seeing her jump away from him.

"Take a shower first, and then we'll talk about a hug!" she was giggling all giddy and cute.

Billy’s eyes softened with a touch of vulnerability, a rare moment of sincerity amidst his usual bravado. “Wanna join? All hot and steamy.”

"Sorry - Too much testosterone and magical wands fighting." she giggled jokingly. "I'm more of a hopelessly romantic kinda girl. Not quite the norm these days, huh?" yes, of course she would be that kinda girl. A sweet girl who daydreams of an endless happy love story, of a Prince Charming carrying her around like a Princess. That type of perfect girl, Daddy's sweet little angel, who should never hang around fucked up and broken bad boys like him.

But didn't all guys want the good girl to go bad just for them? "I'll keep that in mind while I humiliate Harrington with my magic wand." they were such dorks.

  Classes pass by fast, basketball practice was going smoothly, and Billy was gaining traction; His popularity was up there, his grades were up, and finally, his date night with Princess KitKat was approach. He had to get all done up and looking as charming as ever, his Cali magic couldn't fail him. He could get bitches all he wanted, that was easy - But he promised her a nice date, and hopefully, he wasn't too broken and screwed up to provide at least this little. Lord knows she deserved something nice in that lonely life of hers.

Next Chapter >