#How to Enroll in Culinary School

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Culinary & Hospitality Degree Programs | Enroll Today

Why Choose a Culinary or Hospitality Degree?

The culinary and hospitality industries are fast-paced, dynamic, and incredibly rewarding. With a formal education, you'll gain essential skills in areas such as:

Culinary techniques and kitchen management

Event planning and operations

Hotel and resort management

Customer service excellence

Business and financial acumen

A degree provides not just practical experience but also the leadership, creativity, and business strategy knowledge that top employers look for.

👉 Learn more about what you’ll study in a Culinary Degree Program

Top Programs You Should Know About

Across the country, many esteemed institutions offer programs designed to launch your career. Some popular choices include:

Associate Degrees in Culinary Arts

Bachelor’s Degrees in Hospitality Management

Certificate Programs in Baking and Pastry Arts

Master’s Programs in International Hotel Management

Many programs even offer internships or study abroad opportunities that give you real-world, global experience in the industry.

🎓 Explore Accredited Culinary and Hospitality Schools Near You

Careers You Can Pursue

Graduates from culinary and hospitality programs are highly sought after. Possible career paths include:

Executive Chef or Sous Chef

Hotel General Manager

Event Coordinator

Food and Beverage Director

Restaurant Owner or Entrepreneur

With the industry's steady growth, opportunities are abundant — especially for those who combine technical skill with leadership and innovation.

💼 Discover Exciting Career Opportunities After Graduation

How to Enroll

Getting started is easier than you think! Most programs offer rolling admissions, and some even allow you to start online before transitioning to in-person learning.

Step 1: Research programs that match your career goals.

Step 2: Check admission requirements — many programs only require a high school diploma or equivalent.

Step 3: Submit your application online along with any necessary transcripts or letters of recommendation.

Step 4: Apply for scholarships and financial aid to help fund your education.

🚀 Apply Now to Start Your Culinary or Hospitality Journey

Don’t wait to turn your passion into a profession. Enroll today in a culinary and hospitality degree program and begin your exciting journey toward a fulfilling and dynamic career!

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FAVORS (9)

Part Nine

warnings: 18+, MDNI!, SMUT, explicit language, lots of dialogue, (forgive me if I missed any)

heads up: 10.6k word count 

Masterlist

*1 Year Later* 

“30 minutes until we open the doors Ms. MacArthur.” The waitress announced, knocking on the door to get Khloé’s attention. 

“Thank you Jess!” Khloé nodded and returned her attention back down to her hands. 

Khloé stared at the framed document she held in her hands. A small smile on her face as she eyed the certificate that had her name signed in bold font. 

St. Claire Culinary Institute

Associate of Arts

“Khloé Rose MacArthur” 

She had done it. After all of those long nights spent studying, learning new techniques, preparing all sorts of dishes, she had finally received her Degree in Culinary Arts. A feeling of pride overcame her as she continued staring at her degree. 

She hung it up right above her office desk that sat in the very back of the restaurant. With just a few more minutes until her grand opening, she was completely content sighing in satisfaction as she took a seat in the large office chair. 

Khloé had dedicated one whole year to getting her life on track to where she wanted it to be. Enrolling into culinary school once again, her credits from the years before rolling over into a new semester helped her to get her degree as soon as she could. She joined her local yoga and pilates classes and spent time with the ones who understood her most, her father and her sister. Dedicating time and energy to the ones who poured into her the most had done her justice. This was just the reset she needed. 

The night she cried herself to sleep was an awakening for her. Everything didn’t necessarily fall into place right away but she knew she didn’t want the rest of her life to go the way it had been going. She had been clear on what she wanted from here on out. A life full of no regrets and genuine happiness.

Although she had made it clear to her sister that she was done dating, Kandance still did what she could to convince Khloé to get back into dating again. Kandace respected Khloés commitment to achieving her goals but she knew how badly Khloé desired to be loved by the “perfect” man. 

“I’m not interested in dating right now Kandace.” 

“I’m focused on myself right now, I don’t have time for men.” 

This was her response each time Kandace would bug her about her dating life. No matter how hard Kandace tried, Khloé didn’t budge. She was completely caught up in herself. Everyday she woke up, she made sure to do something that would get her closer to where she wanted to be and after twelve months of hard work and some financial help from her father she was preparing to open up her first place. 

Khloé spent everyday searching for the right chefs, the perfect waiters and waitresses and the perfect hostess to help run her restaurant. After months of research she had finally crafted the perfect crew and she was ready to launch the grand opening of her place, “The Velvet Rose”. 

“Everything is set and ready to go Ms. MacArthur.” Olivia stated, entering Khloés office.

Olivia had been the last person on her list to receive an apology that was well overdue. She had to admit to her that although she didn’t want to hear any of what Olivia had said to her when she came to her apartment just a year ago, she needed that wake up call. They sat and talked about the last few years they spent with each other and how they wanted the years to come to be.  

Olivia listed her demands to Khloé stating that she no longer wanted to be treated as if she was beneath her. Olivia wanted to feel equal to Khloé not because of Khloés status but because of the relationship that they had with each other. She had been there for all of Khloés terrible breakups, bad business moves and constant arguments with her family. Olivia felt she deserved to be treated with respect and Khloé agreed without fuss. After everything was said and done, Khloé asked Olivia to be her restaurant manager and Olivia gladly accepted.

“Liv I told you, you don’t have to keep calling me that.” Khloé said. “You’re the manager, we’re a team.” 

“I know, but it bothers you so I’ll keep doing it.” Olivia joked, sticking her tongue out before leaving the office.

Khloé rolled her eyes and stood from her seat. Turning to step in front of the full body mirror she kept against the office door, stared at her reflection in the mirror. The gold dress she wore was specifically picked by her to help go with the theme of her restaurant. Her hair was pressed straight and tucked behind her ears, giving her a simple yet elegant look. The blonde highlights her stylist suggested meshed well with her skin tone and her attire for the night. 

She smiled at her reflection and took a deep breath before leaving her office and entered the dining area of the restaurant. The place was decorated with small tables near the entrance for the parties of two, large booths along the center wall for parties of four to six and a large table at the very back for even larger parties. Warm shades of gold and bright white filled the room as she walked through, inspecting each corner of the restaurant. The walls were covered in golden dim lights that gave the space a romantic and cozy feel. 

Each table had a small candle in the center along with a few white roses in a vase, to further embrace the romantic ambience Khloé wanted to spread throughout the entire eatery. Large bouquets of white roses sat right at the entrance with a smaller version decorating the hostess podium. The place had Khloés luxurious taste written all over, topping it off with a live jazz band dressed in all white attire. 

“Attention everyone!” Khloé announced, causing the crew to stop what they were doing and look her way.

The small group of waiters and waitresses stood in front of her dressed in white dress shirts, black ties and dress pants with small aprons around their waists. Two hostesses dressed in white dresses and pumps to match stood side by side awaiting her announcement. 

The kitchen chefs, along with the head chef, made their way from the kitchen and stood together, dressed in their uniforms slightly similarly to the waiters with their names embroidered on their shirts. 

Khloé eyed her team proudly as they stood awaiting further instruction. Everyone looked as if they belonged, like they were a team. The uniforms and the color coordinated outfits tied the whole place together and Khloé couldn’t be more excited to let the guests experience the food and the atmosphere. 

“There will be a full house tonight so I expect everyone to get all of their nerves out now because once those doors open, it’s showtime.” Khloé spoke, her voice full of authority but laced with just a hint of grace. “I want to thank you guys for being here with me. You could’ve gone anywhere else to share your talents but you chose to be here and for that I am forever grateful.” 

The team nodded as they smiled to each other, truly excited for their opening night. 

“Now, let’s have a great first night!” With that, everyone dispersed, taking their places and preparing for the crowd. 

Khloé walked to the front doors with Olivia and took in her surroundings, feeling a large sense of gratitude as she admired the first thing she could actually call hers. 

“They’re lining up outside Ms. MacArthur.” Olivia announced, staring out of the window at the line of people that traveled a mile down the sidewalk. 

“Let them in.” Khloé stated proudly. 

Olivia pushed the large doors open and within minutes people were filling the seats, looking over the menu for the night and ordering drinks. The room was filled with light conversation, greetings and soft jazz setting the tone for a grown and sexy feel. 

The smooth sounds of a saxophone rang out into the room from up front as guests entered. The dress code was elegant and formal. There weren’t necessarily restrictions on what could and could not be worn however the ambience set the perfect tone for the attire. 

Khloé had invited the most important people she knew to her big night. Her sister, her father, her aunts and uncles, popular influencers in the city, well known food critics and the most successful business owners in the town. 

Getting the word out about her place was her number one goal but sharing her night with the ones she cared for most was right after. She slowly walked around the place, greeting each guest and thanking them for coming. She made her way to one of the tables suited for large parties where her family had taken their seats, laughing and conversing with one another. 

“Princess!” Mr. MacArthur stood, placing a soft kiss on Khloé’s cheek and pulling her into a warm hug. “I am beyond proud of you, this place looks great.”

“Thank you daddy.” Khloé responded with a smile. 

She spoke to the rest of her family, sharing laughs and small conversation until her eyes landed on an unfamiliar woman. Instantly spotting the resemblance, her breath caught in her throat as she eyed her. 

“Khloé, this is my mother Katherine, mom this is my sister Khloé.” Kandace said. 

“Oh my God.” Khloé gawked at the sight of the woman, practically sharing the same face as Kandace. Her beautiful bronze skin, her jet black hair and big beautiful smile just like her sister. “It is so nice to meet you.” 

Katherine stood and hugged Khloé. “You as well Khloé, Kandace has told me so much about you. Congratulations honey!” 

“Thank you.” Khloé said, placing a hand over her heart.

Khloé sat with her family expressing her gratitude and appreciation before getting up and visiting the guests once again, being sure to get their reviews on the food, the drinks and the service. 

The night was going so smoothly. The room was filled with laughter, good music and amazing food. Olivia had suggested that Khloé should only serve a limited amount of items on the menu just to be sure that the wait wouldn’t be too long for the guests. Together they picked the special dishes that would give the guests some insight on what to expect from the restaurant's full menu once they had gone completely public. 

From the looks of how things were flowing so effortlessly, that was the best idea for the night. 

“Excuse me, if I could have everyone’s attention please.” Olivia’s voice echoed throughout the speakers as she held the microphone to her lips. “I’d like to bring the owner, Ms. Khloé MacArthur, up to the stage to say a few words.” 

Everyone applauded as Khloé made her way to the front of the restaurant. The gold dress she wore shined under the soft lighting, accompanied by the beautiful honey blonde shade in her hair, she looked as if she was glowing. She carefully made her way up on the stage and grabbed the microphone from Olivia, clearing her throat before speaking. 

“Good evening everyone and thank you all for coming to the grand opening of The Velvet Rose.” Applause filled the room as she smiled, slightly blushing from the attention she was getting. 

“This has truly been a journey for me. If I'm honest this was probably the scariest thing that I’ve ever done in my life but it is the most gratifying. To see my vision, my dream come true in real time and to be able to share it with the most amazing people that I know is truly an honor for me. I hope you all enjoy the food, enjoy the drinks and the lovely music and again thank you so much for coming.” 

With that Khloé returned the microphone to its stand and carefully walked down from the stage as the room erupted in applause once more. Before she could even make it to the floor Olivia had stopped her in her tracks. 

“There’s a guest complaining about the valet parking outside, I think you may want to handle this.” Olivia spoke quickly, a bit of worry in her tone. 

Khloé nodded and made her way to the front doors, pushing through them. Her head immediately snapped to the right where the parking lot was but the valet sat unbothered, not busy with anyone or any cars. 

“I was hoping I could get a tour.“ The sound of his voice caused her heart to skip a beat. “That is if you have room for me on the guest list.” 

She didn’t bother to turn around, she couldn’t turn around. Her feet were glued in place as she remembered the comfort that the voice had brought her so long ago. Her breathing began to increase as she mustered up the strength to turn and face him. 

Finally swallowing the lump in her throat, she lifted her dress a bit and slowly turned around. They stood just a few feet away from each other but the impact of their presence was heavy for the both of them. 

Terry stood there with a large bouquet of white roses in his hand. He was dressed in an all black tuxedo, a small chain hanging from his neck and a watch to match. His hair was freshly cut as was his goatee. He stood eyeing her with his bedroom eyes, noticing the expression in her face soften as she stared at him. 

He walked to her, keeping his gaze on hers as he got closer to her. Each step he took, she thought her heart would beat out of her chest. Her eyes trailed down his body to his feet and back up to his face. He was still so damn fine, finer than he was when she left him in Summers' living room just a year prior. 

“Hi.” Terry greeted, staring down at her. 

“Hi.” Khloé stared up at him, instantly gaining all of the feeling she had neglected in the last year right in between her legs. 

They sat in silence for a while before either one of them spoke again. Khloé was feeling too many things at once. She was already on a high from the opening of her restaurant and now standing in front of the only man she truly ever loved had her feeling like she was floating on a cloud. 

“These are for you.” Terry smiled, handing her the roses. 

“Thank you.” She smiled nervously, grabbing them before staring back up at him. “What are you doing here?” She instantly regretted asking that question, causing her to stumble over her words. She didn’t want him to think she wasn’t happy to see him but she was still very curious as to why he was there. 

“I mean not like, in a bad way, like I don’t want you to be here, but-“ She took a deep breath, calming her nerves before finishing.” I just didn’t expect to see you tonight or…” 

“Ever?” Terry asked, finishing her sentence for her. 

Khloé looked down at her feet contemplating what she would say next. The past twelve months were solely for her, not a man, not a friend, not her family, not even her mother but her. Although she would constantly tell her sister she wasn’t thinking about a man or dating whatsoever, she would secretly pray that one day she would be with him again. 

However Khloé refused to force their connection so she avoided going to the warehouse, she never visited that part of town for anything and she decided not to visit Summer again because there was no need to. 

Two months turned into four and then four turned into eight and she still had yet to cross paths with him so she accepted that maybe he wasn’t the man for her after all. She wanted to believe in fate similar to fairytale stories she read as a child. Believing that no matter where in the world you went or what conflict had taken place between man and woman, if they were meant to be together fate would magically merge their paths. 

Khloé hoped she would run into him at a grocery store or the bank, somewhere they didn’t plan on seeing each other but somehow ended up at the same place, at the same time. When time passed and she had yet to run into her dream guy again, her belief in the fairytale began to fade. So becoming focused on herself became even easier because she had no more energy left to manifest such a cliché interaction. 

But here he was standing in front of her on the biggest night of her life. Not because she paid him to be there or because “fate” brought them together but because he simply chose to be there. 

“I bumped into your sister as I was leaving the warehouse at the Garland location.” Terry started. “She told me about this grand opening being hosted by you and I immediately thought ‘Wow, she did it.’” 

Khloé blushed a bit at that last part.

“So I wanted to come and congratulate you in person.”  

“Thank you Terry.” Khloé smiled. 

“You’re welcome Ms. MacArthur.” 

She blushed once more at the sound of that name on his lips. When Olivia said it, it reminded her of the years she treated Olivia like she was less than. When Terry said it, it reminded her of comfort and certainty, something she didn’t realize she had missed until now. 

The two sat in an awkward silence both unsure of what to say next. Khloé felt a bit silly for being so nervous in front of a man that had seen her in every way imaginable. The longer she sat the more she wondered what life had been like for him in the last year. She could clearly see a difference in him. His look was different, his normal stern expression had slightly faded and he was dressed in a tuxedo. It was clear to her that he had gone through some sort of transformation as well. 

“Wait, why were you at the Garland location? What happened to Greenville?” She asked, tilting her head to the side. 

“I just accepted a new role there.” Terry began. “I started about three months ago.” 

Khloé’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really? What position?” 

“Senior Operations Manager.” 

“Oh my God, that’s so good! I’m so happy for you!” She exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear. Her excitement caused him to chuckle a bit. “But that's a far drive from where you live, you commute an hour and a half everyday?”

“I moved about fifteen minutes away from the job not too long after I took the role.” 

“Oh wow.” Khloé said. She stared up at him in astonishment. Here she was getting her life together, evolving in every way she could and so was he. “So much has happened since we last saw each other.” 

“I don’t know if it’s too late for me to say this but-“ Terry started, placing a hand to the back of his head to calm his nerves. “I really missed you Khloé.” 

Khloé’s breath caught in her throat at the admission. “I missed you too.” 

“The day you left Summers place, it was hard for me to keep busy. I wanted to talk to you everyday but I didn’t want to interrupt your process or interfere with the time you needed so I decided to be patient.” He said, placing his hands in his pockets. “To be honest I was scared someone else had come into your life and it was too late for us to try again.”

“I was just trying to become the woman that I needed to be for myself. I thought that if we were supposed to be together, that somehow fate would bring us together and we would.” Khloé spoke softly. “I wanted to see you too but I didn’t know if I would be forcing it or not so I just decided against it.”

Terry nodded, a small moment of silence falling between the two of them again. He looked over to stare at the bright sign above Khloé’s restaurant, a way to avoid the awkwardness that fell between them. Khloé stared down at the ground wondering if she had said the wrong thing. It wasn’t like she had given up on them but at the same time she kind of did. 

“Goodnight Khloé, the food was bomb girl! I’m gonna tag you on Instagram!” A woman announced as she exited the restaurant, a to-go container in hand. 

Guests were beginning to leave one by one, complementing Khloé and congratulating her as they made their way to the valet. 

“Thank you guys so much, come back and see us!” She said, waving as the last few guests left, leaving only her family in the restaurant. 

She turned her attention back to Terry and saw the discomfort in his face. The man who was once so damn good at hiding his feelings was doing a terrible job at this moment. 

“If you have some time, I’d love to show you the place.” Khloé suggested. “I can have my chef cook something for you, I wanna know what you think of the food.”

Terry looked down at her and smiled before walking over to the large doors and pulling it open for Khloé to enter. “After you.” 

They made their way into the restaurant and she led him to the back of the seating area, a small booth sat clean and empty and they took a seat on each side. Khloé looked up at Terry as he maneuvered into the booth. She watched him as he took in his surroundings.  

“This is really nice Khloé.” Terry looked around the place, admiring the interior. “It’s beautiful.” 

“Thank you, it took a while but we’re here.” Khloé said, placing the large bouquet of roses in the seat right next to her. 

“I’m really proud of you Khloé.” He said, his eyes finally landing on hers. 

“Thank you.” 

“Terrance.” Mr. MacArthur called out, walking over to the booth they occupied. “It’s good to see you again son.” 

“Mr. MacArthur, good to see you as well sir.” Terry stood, shaking the older man’s hand. 

Khloé looked on in confusion as Terry and her father fell into casual conversation, catching up for lost time. The moment it was brought to her fathers attention that Terry was a worker, her dad called her later that evening to give her some words about the entire ordeal. Ones that weren’t that nice. So to see him conversing with Terry as if he was no longer bothered by it threw her for a loop. 

“Congratulations on the senior position.” Mr. MacArthur said. 

“Thank you sir, I appreciate it.” Terry grinned humbly. 

“Keep it up and you’ll be coming for my spot next.” The two men laughed as Khloé continued to watch in confusion. 

“We’re gonna head out princess, you enjoy your first night in your place.” Her father said bending down to kiss her forehead. “I’m proud of you. Call me when you make it home.”

The rest of her family stopped by the booth to greet Terry and say their goodbyes before exiting, leaving Terry and Khloé alone. 

“Here you are sir, The Rosewood Rack comes with a rosemary crusted rack of lamb, a side of truffle mashed potatoes and garlic sautéed broccolini.” The waitress by the name of Jessica announced, placing the warm plates in front of Terry as she read off the chef's special. “And a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon for you as well sir, enjoy.” 

“Thank you.” Terry looked on with a slightly shocked expression on his face. “This entree describes you to a T.” 

Khloé laughed as he dug into his food, taking small bites of each dish before giving her a review. 

“This is delicious, honestly.” He said, not letting up from any of the food that sat in front of him. “I’m not even a lamb type of guy but this is good.” 

“I’m so glad you like it.” She started, “I know how much you love a hearty meal so I wanted to make sure they prepared something that would satisfy you just right.” 

Terry looked up at her as she said those last few words. The dim lighting, the candles, and the soft music that continued to play set the perfect mood for this moment after not seeing each other for a year. They jumped into long conversation, both informing the other about how life had been for the last twelve months. 

Khloé began telling him about the aftermath that followed the dinner where the family secret was revealed. She went on to tell him about how her mother refused to take any accountability for what she had done to Katherine and that eventually she moved out of the family house. 

Angela was convinced that everything she did was supposed to be done and there was no wrong in how she went about it. She was waiting for Khloé and John to come around begging for her forgiveness. However John was no longer interested in keeping up a facade for the sake of reputation. He had earned his living rightfully and there was nothing that would take away the love he had for his daughters or his business. 

Khloé told Terry all about the time she spent in therapy, the long hours she spent studying and how much time went into securing her restaurant. She admitted to him that even during the times she was focusing on herself, her mind would always wander off to thoughts and memories of the two of them together. She wanted him to know that although she was truly working on herself, she still craved him in every way imaginable. 

“Why not just come by the job?” Terry asked, genuine confusion written in his expression. 

“I just kept feeling like I was forcing you to be with me and I didn’t want to do that. So I wanted to avoid you at all costs.” She admitted. “I had this weird belief that if we were meant to be then we’d cross each other's paths in a more authentic way.” 

Terry nodded slowly, somewhat understanding her but not totally. While Khloé still believed in her fairytales, Terry was very much grounded in reality. Sometimes too grounded in reality, not allowing himself enough space to dream or remain optimistic about the possible relationship he could have with Khloé. He didn’t believe in living life on what ifs, he needed total security and if he didn’t have it then he would have to move on. But no matter how hard he tried, his mind always found its way back on Khloé. 

Terry went on to tell her how moving up in the company was the best thing that had happened to him. The pay raise, the benefits and the business trips that came with the position, had him overwhelmed with gratitude. He let her know that at times he would become too busy, trying yet again to get rid of any memory he had of her. A simple attempt to protect himself from suffering a loss and not wanting to accept that she had completely moved on.

“But I’m not with anyone Terry, I did this for myself.” Khloé spoke honestly. 

“I know but I guess I just thought that you’d either meet someone or you’d never want to be with anyone else ever again.” Terry said. 

“Why did you think I wouldn’t want to be with anyone ever again?” 

“Because the look on your face when you walked out on me, you didn’t look at me the same way you did before.” He stated. “It was like I could see a wall being built right at that moment. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get past it.” 

Khloé stared at him and he stared back at her. 

“You’ll always get past it.” She stated bluntly. “I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but everyone’s got a soft spot for someone. You happen to be my someone, just like I am for you.” 

Terry’s eyebrows bent at the statement. He was determined to deny what she was saying because he didn’t think it was true whatsoever. Did he care for her deeply? Absolutely. But Terry could never allow himself to be soft for anyone. 

“The way you tore into me back at my condo, the way you looked at me when I tried to touch you to prevent you from leaving, if you weren't soft for me you wouldn’t be here right now. You’d be done with me.” Khloé started, “But you’re not because you can’t be.” 

Terry stared at her as she continued talking. 

“For a while I thought Summer was your soft spot but I realized she’s not. She is a safe space for you but she’s not the person who gets to push your buttons and still be loved by you.” She watched as his expression softened a bit. “I’m not the only one who tries to play tough Mr. Richmond.” 

It had been a minute since he had heard her say his name like that. The sound of his name leaving her lips made him feel some things he hadn’t felt in a while. Noticing the slight change in his breathing, Khloé smirked as she grabbed his wine glass and took a sip. She had done the work to heal but the seductress in her could never leave, she just did a better job at taming it. Truth is, she would always enjoy seeing the effect she had on men in real time. 

“You don’t drink anyway, you don’t need this.” Khloé said, a bit of her bossy attitude showcasing itself in a quick moment. 

He felt his dick jump as he continued staring at her, watching the glass leave her lips as she tilted her head slightly. The instant memories of those same lips damn near bringing him to his knees had his eyes stuck on them. He didn’t want to be the guy who just popped back into her life hoping to get some but he couldn’t deny the way she was making him feel. It felt like meeting her all over again, getting lost in her lips, forgetting they were in the middle of a conversation. 

“Cat got your tongue Mr. Richmond?” She asked, smirking at him. 

His eyes darted back up to hers before responding. “No ma’am.” He said, watching her shift in her seat. Going from poised to bothered in a split second. She wasn’t the only one picking up on the small cues that were happening beyond their will. 

“You missed me that much?” He smirked. 

Khloé placed the wine glass on the table and leaned forward, placing her forearms over one another as she locked her eyes onto his. 

“You wanna stay here all night or do you wanna find out just how much?” Khloé asked, her gaze shifting between his eyes and his lips. 

The sounds of heavy breathing and light moans filled the room as they kissed each other, tripping over their feet, making up for all the time they lost. They had raced to Terry’s apartment and wasted no time falling into their usual rhythm once they shut the door. Terry swiftly pulled off his suit jacket and returned back to Khloé’s lips, backing her further into the apartment. 

Khloé wrapped her arms around his neck, tilting her head to get a better feel of his tongue on hers. Moaning into his mouth she stepped back as they continued tussling with each other's lips. 

“Take this off.” Terry murmured in between kisses, yanking at Khloé’s dress. 

“Unzip it.” She said, finally breaking their kiss and turning her back to him. 

He quickly pulled the zipper down the back of her dress and watched it fall to the ground. Stepping out of it, she turned to him, dressed in only her underwear. Khloé wasn’t a shy woman but she was feeling herself shrink under his gaze once her body was exposed. However Terry’s usual stoic stare had shifted into desire as he studied her body, the one he hadn’t touched in so long. 

She had gained a little weight but for Terry it had been in all the right places. Her hips were a bit wider and her thighs were thicker, the way her panties sat right at the base of her hips brought out every curve in her body. He was feening for her in the worst way and she didn’t even know how bad. 

“Fuck I missed you.” He spat, crossing the room quickly. In one swift motion, he picked her up and wrapped her legs around his waist. 

She pressed her lips against his, kissing and sucking on his tongue as he walked her into his bedroom. The view of the busy freeway provided a hint of light in the room as he laid her on the bed. 

Reaching down to lift the long sleeve turtle neck he wore above his head, Khloé sat up and watched him as he came out of the sweater. Her eyes roamed over his torso, the sight of him alone had her growing wetter by the second. 

‘Did he get bigger?’ She thought to herself, noticing the increase of muscle in his arms and strong definition in his chest. 

He leaned down to kiss her once more, lightly pushing her onto her back. He placed kisses along her neck, the sounds of her moaning in his ear causing him to moan as well. Terry was moving fast, his hunger for her taking over as he roughly sucked on her neck. 

“Terry wait.” She said as she let out a breath, placing her hands on his chest signaling for him to sit up. 

“What’s wrong?” He looked down at her frowning, trying hard to read her expression.

“Nothing, it’s just,” She started, eyes darting around the room before landing on his. “I’m a bit nervous.” 

Terry chuckled lightly, finding it hard to believe that the woman who enjoyed tying him up and draining him dry had become so nervous all of sudden. “I’ve already seen every part of you, what’s making you so nervous now?”

She took a deep breath and paused for a bit before finally saying the words, “I love you.” 

The admission caught Terry off guard. He could sense her anxiousness as she stared up at him. The Khloé he was used to was fearless, there wasn’t anything that came out of her mouth with hesitation. The Khloe he knew didn’t stumble over her words or have a hard time finding them either. But this new Khloé was very different. Still her usual bossy self but a bit more cautious with her words and her tone of voice. 

He could tell she was desperately waiting for his response as her eyes pieced into his. Her eyebrows bent slightly as she began to grow impatient. 

“I love you too.” He finally responded, a heavy weight lifting off of his shoulders after holding onto that truth for so long. 

Khloé’s eyes softened, her features relaxing and returning back to normal as she let out the breath she had been holding. She continued staring up at him without saying a word. There was a genuineness behind the words that left his lips. It didn’t feel like he was saying it just to lessen her worry or try to continue on with having sex with her. She could sense his relief as he spoke those same words back to her. 

“Do you want me to stop?” He asked softly. 

“No!” She answered a bit too quickly. “I don’t want you to just fuck me though. I guess I want…” She trailed off. 

“Me to make love to you.” He finished. 

She nodded her head. Placing a soft kiss on her lips, he slowly lifted off of the bed and held his hand out for her to take. She grabbed it and stood in front him. Turning her around, she faced the large window and closed her eyes, preparing to actually be handled with care for the first time. 

Terry moved her hair to the side away from her neck and placed soft kisses along her shoulder. Each kiss was placed with purpose and intention. Her breath hitched as she felt his lips on her, the slow movement making her grow anxious with every touch. He made his way up to her neck and noticed her breathing stop. He knew she was nervous but he wanted to reassure her that there was no reason to be. 

“Relax.” He suggested, his voice deep yet soft in her ear. “I got you.” 

Letting out the breath she had been holding in, she slowly dropped her shoulders. She unclenched her jaw and closed her eyes, letting her head fall slowly against his chest. The feeling of his lips were slowly chipping at her nerves, eventually clearing them altogether. 

He ran his hands across her stomach, pulling her deeper into him. The warmth of her body against his chest, the way she ran her fingers against his arms, felt serene for him. Still placing kisses against her shoulder, he dropped his hand into the crotch of her panties and dipped his finger in between her folds. She was so wet for him, she had been since they agreed to leave the restaurant and head to his place. 

He ran his free hand up her torso and played with her nipple, rolling it in between his thumb and index finger. Khloés body pressed against his even more as she squirmed in his arms. He moaned in her ear, feeling her hips rub against his bulge. 

“Terry…” She moaned above a whisper, feeling him play with her sensitive clit and nipples caused her to close her eyes.

“You want me to stop?” He asked, the question was obviously rhetorical but he loved to hear the eagerness in her voice. 

“No.” She breathed out. 

Terry continued kissing along his shoulders up her neck and stopped at her jaw. Her head moved effortlessly as he trailed up her neck, so caught up in the pleasure, she was almost melting into his arms. 

He didn’t want her to cum just yet but he made sure to build her up just enough so that when he finally entered her, she’d be dripping like a faucet. 

“Tell me how you want it.” He remembered how much she loved to be in charge, one of the many things he adored most about her. Increasing his speed purposely so she’d struggle as she answered the question.

“Ummm.” She moaned, eyes still rolling into her head as he pinched her nipples tightly, still working her clit over. 

“Tell me baby.” 

“S-stomach.” 

He chuckled lightly at her stutter, feeling himself while he had her somewhat at his mercy. Finally pulling his fingers from her lower set, he pushed them into her mouth and watched as she sucked them, moaning from the taste of herself. 

“You ready?”

Khloé nodded her head, still resting her weight against him. Turning them both so that they were facing the bed, he pushed her panties down to her ankles. 

“Lay down.” He instructed. 

She licked her lips and crawled onto the bed, laying flat on her stomach and resting on her elbows. He removed the thin fabric from around her ankles and tossed them before undoing his pants. Getting completely undressed, he crawled onto the bed, stopping to place kisses on the back of her thighs, up her ass and continued up her back. She bit her lip as she felt him against her skin, each kiss causing a soft moan to escape her lips. 

Finally reaching the side of her face, he placed kisses along her jaw as he ran his dick against her wet entrance. 

“Can you go slow please?” She asked softly, “It’s been a while for me.” She turned her head to meet his eyes, their faces just a few inches from each other. 

“Yes ma’am.” He responded. 

He ran his dick through her folds once more before pausing at her entrance. His eyes were glued to hers, not wanting to miss any of the expressions on her face no matter how big or small. Carefully pushing himself just a few inches into her, he watched as her jaw dropped, the sounds or her gasping loudly made him clench his jaw. He loved the faces she made whenever they had sex, they were so damn beautiful.

“Can I move?” He asked. 

“Yes!” She moaned, a bit more aggressive than she intended. 

Terry pushed himself all the way into her, pressing his hips flat against her ass. Both of his hands rested next to her elbows as he held himself up. He dropped his head onto hers taking in how tight she was, afraid he wouldn’t last as long as he planned to. She cooed as she felt all of him at once, inhaling deeply as he held himself in place. 

Lowering himself onto his elbows, he wrapped his arms around hers and intertwined their fingers. He rolled his hips slowly, giving her long strokes, as he dropped his chin into the crook of her neck. 

Khloé’s eyes rolled as her brows lifted, the side of her face was pressed against his, feeling his lips brush against her jaw. She was in total bliss feeling him for the first time in a long time. The way he thrusted in and out of her sent small shocks throughout her body every time he rubbed up against her spot. She moaned loudly, tightening the grip she had on his hands. He maintained his slow and steady strokes, kissing her cheek as he tried to keep himself from cumming too soon. 

“I missed you so much.” She cried, dragging her words as her jaw continued to fall open. 

“I missed you too baby.” He replied.

She continued to repeat herself over again, unable to mutter any new words due to the feeling of ecstasy invading her body. Her voice was doing a number on him, causing him to thrust into her even harder, increasing the pressure with each stroke. The harder he dug into her, the more vocal she became and this wasn’t helping him one bit. Cursing to himself, he pulled out of her, quickly stopping himself before he came too early. 

“Fuck.” He spat. 

Grabbing her hips, he flipped her on her back and smashed his lips into hers. She ran her hands down his face as they fell back into their usual rhythm with their tongues. Without warning, Terry pushed into her, every inch filling her suddenly until he couldn’t push any further. She could feel the pressure deep within the pit of her stomach, he was so big. 

Khloé moaned into his mouth, eventually giving up on the kiss because multitasking wouldn’t be easy for her to do at the moment. Pulling out of her with only his tip inside, he returned to giving her long strokes, this time a bit faster than before. 

He lifted one of her legs onto his shoulders and left the other on the bed. His eyes were locked onto hers as he dug into her, watching as they began to roll into her head. He took her bottom lip into his mouth, sucking it gently before he pulled back. 

“Look at me.”

She opened her eyes and focused them back on his. He stared down at her intently, studying her eyes with every stroke he gave her. Her eyebrows curled inward from the feeling brewing in the lower part of her stomach. The look in his eyes translated the emotion she had been dying to see in them since she first met him. His usual stoic expression had completely vanished.

Terry looked at her with pure adoration and genuine love expressed in his hazel eyes. Every bit of his movement had intention, he wanted to be sure that she could feel his love for her as he pleased her for the first time in over a year.

The way he rocked his hips into hers caused her to push up the bed slightly. He grabbed onto her hips and held her in place, still digging deep into her. She gasped, letting her eyelids fall low, desperately waiting for the orgasm to take over her body. 

“Don’t close ‘em, look at me.” He demanded softly, his voice just above a whisper. 

“I-“ Khloé started, opening her eyes once again. Her eyebrows lifted a bit as they stared at each other. 

“Talk to me, what’s wrong?” He asked, still thrusting into her. He was aware of the effect his dick was having on her, he just wanted to hear her say it. 

“It feels so good.” She whined. 

Khloé had always enjoyed sex, particularly being fucked but she had yet to experience sex that included passion and intimacy. She was feeling so many things at once. Not only the feeling in between her legs that traveled to the pit of her belly but also the affection behind it. There was no competition to see who would make who fold first. The only goal was to translate the feelings he had for her through this moment they had both been secretly waiting for. 

“You love me?” Terry asked, placing a soft kiss at the corner of her lips. 

“Yes!” 

“I can’t handle you leaving me again.” He said honestly.  

“I won’t leave!” She cried. 

“Tell me you’re stayin’!” He could feel her getting wetter the more he spoke to her. It was only a matter of time before she would be cumming all over him and that was exactly what he wanted. 

“I’ll stay!” She moaned loudly. 

He kept placing kisses against her cheeks before dropping his head to the side of her face, pressing his lips against her ear. “You promise?”

“Yes, yes, yes!” She yelled, digging her manicured fingernails into his back. She clawed at him, attempting to pull him in closer as she came, her nails leaving small marks against his skin. “I’m cummin’!”

She held onto each him tightly, moaning and cursing loudly. Khloé’s legs shook around his waist while he continued stroking, making sure to get all of her. The sloshy sounds of her cumming on his dick had him pressing even harder into her. 

“Fuck, yessss!” She cried, marking his back up while she came. 

“I love you.” He said into her ear, finally pausing his movements to allow her body to carry out the rest of her climax. 

Her breath hitched as she embraced every emotion all at once. Still keeping her nails in his back she stared up at the ceiling as her breathing slowly returned to normal. Terry sat up and placed kisses against her cheek, noticing the tear that fell from the corner of her eye. 

“Say it.” Terry commanded. 

“I-I love you t-too.” She spoke in between breaths, body still feeling the effects of her orgasm. 

Terry kissed her softly along her jaw and neck until her body had completely returned to its relaxed state. Khloé finally looked up at him with heavy eyes. Usually she’d be the one causing a K.O. with her partners but it was her turn to receive all of that pleasure and more… and she did just that. 

Khloé’s head rested against Terry’s chest as the two of them laid together. He held onto her, arms wrapped firmly around her waist as she ran her thumb against the thin hairs on his chest. They laid like this in silence, soaking up the presence of one another, not wanting to let go of the other anytime soon. 

“Can I ask you something?” Khloé said, breaking the silence. 

“Of course.” 

“Does this mean we’re officially together or was this just a spur of the moment? You know, because we hadn’t seen each other in a while?” She was somewhat nervous about the answer. 

Although Terry didn’t seem like the type to just hit it and go on like nothing happened, she still needed to know where they stood with each other. 

“I meant what I said.” Terry started. “I can’t handle not being with you. Your presence alone fills me up. I want to know what’s going on with you at all times. I want to know when you’re upset, when you’re happy, when you’re scared, when you’re confused. I don’t wanna be without you again.” 

Khloé sat listening to him go on about how much she meant to him, every word securing her in the role she played in his life. She felt herself smiling against his chest, happy to hear that she was as important to him as he was to her. 

“Well you can’t get angry with me and shut me out for weeks at a time, I wanna know what you’re thinking too.” She spoke honestly. “Even if you’re not in the mood to talk, at least telling me that will make me feel better. I don’t wanna feel shut out by you again.” 

“I got you. However, you also have to talk to me Khloé. You can’t just make assumptions about how I’m feeling and let your emotions make decisions for you.” He said, rubbing his hand against her hips.

“It won’t happen again.” She said in a soft voice. 

“But above all, you’re mine and I’m yours, anything you want me to do, I’ll do it.” 

She sat up and rested on her chin as she looked at him “You promise?” 

“I promise.” He responded with a kiss on her forehead. 

“Good, I’m ready for round two. It’s my turn.” She said, cutting straight to the chase. She lifted up from his hold and straddled his waist, preparing to ride him until the sun came up.

Terry chuckled to himself appreciating the fact that after all this time, her sex drive never wavered. 

“Yes ma’am.” 

Terry sat in his office, wrapping up his last zoom meeting before heading home for the day. The end of the months were always the busiest for him. Business calls, payroll, month end stats and having to prepare for the beginning of a new month. The only thing on his mind was having a nice meal after handling so much within eight hours of his work day. 

*Knock Knock* 

“Come in.” He announced without looking up. 

“Are you busy Mr. Richmond?” The familiar voice spoke, causing him to let out a quiet sigh of annoyance before responding. His name on her tongue just didn’t hit the same as it would when Khloé said it. 

“Yes I am, do you need something Nia?” He asked dryly, raising his brows as he looked up at her. 

“I was just wondering if you wanted to grab some dinner tonight?” She asked, walking further into his office. “My treat.” 

Nia had completely taken over Khloés job at the warehouse but not because she genuinely loved the family business. She wanted the man that came with it of course. There was never a day that went by that Nia wouldn’t find a reason to speak with Terry, even if it was something as small as the weather for the day. 

“The answer is still no Nia, but thank you.” He said, turning his attention to his computer. 

“Why do you play so damn hard to get?” Nia spat. She walked closer to his desk, leaning over the folders that laid across the top of it. “I know you like ‘em feisty, I know you like ‘em pushy and I know you like ‘em to be dominant. That's why you were with Khloé except she’s a fraud and I’m not. So what is it? You afraid of a real woman, Mr. Richmond?” 

Terry kept his eyes on his computer not bothering to further entertain Nia and her constant attempts at getting with him. 

“You tired ass bitch!” The voice shot through the room, causing Nia to spin around and Terry to snap his head in the direction it came from. 

Terry looked down at his watch, panicking once he realized he was supposed to meet Khloé outside so they could head to dinner together. He stood from his desk and quickly walked over to her. 

“I’m sorry baby, I had all of those meetings and I lost track of time.” He said, placing a kiss on her cheek. 

Khloé’s eyes never left Nia as Terry tried to pull her in for another kiss. 

“Give us a minute.” She spoke dryly, ignoring Terry’s attempt.

“But this is my office.” He said, jerking his head back a bit in confusion.  

Khloé looked up at him, the expression alone sending him the message loud and clear. Terry threw his hands up in defeat as he walked over to grab his cell phone and keys from the top drawer in his desk. 

“I’ll be outside.” 

Khloé stood there, LV hanging from her fingertips as she stared at Nia, disdain written on both of their faces. This was a standoff that had been well overdue. Between Nia's backhanded attempts to ruin her relationship with her mother and her relation with Terry, Khloé had waited for the right moment to deal with Nia face to face. 

As pathetic as Nia was, she remained persistent. Ruining Khloé’s relationship and spilling her business at the dinner table wasn’t enough for her. She wanted to put the nail in the coffin and Terry was her way to do it. The only problem was, he never paid her any attention unless it was strictly work related. After all of those failed attempts here she stood face to face with her competition who wasn’t even aware that they were competing with one another. 

“I could’ve sworn you were done faking your relationship with him, you’re still that desperate Khlo?” Nia smirked, fiddling with the papers on Terry’s desk. 

“Not as desperate as you. How many times have you asked him to dinner just to be rejected every time?” Khloé asked, tilting her head to the side. 

Nia scoffed, rolling her eyes as she looked to the side. 

“Look Nia, I’m not about to waste too much time on you cause you’re not worth it, even your own parents didn’t bother to waste a moment with you that’s why you’re so busy trying to steal mine.” Khloé shot, watching Nias nostrils flare from the comment. 

“Bitch you’ve got your nerve, did you forget I witnessed the fallout between you and your mother?” Nia shot back. 

“Yes I am aware, but at least she cared enough about me to at least be in my life. Where is yours?” Khloé asked, smiling slightly knowing she had hit a nerve. 

Nia stood silently, clenching her jaw as she tried to think of a rebuttal. 

“Exactly.” Khloé chuckled. “Now let me make something very clear to you, Terry and I are together, in real life. Not because I’m paying him but because he actually wants to be with me, but I’m sure you’re not familiar with that feeling. You know, actually being wanted.” 

Khloé went on. “But even if we weren’t together, you still couldn’t have him or any other man because you’re just not that girl. Hence why you’re begging to pay for his food everyday. So whatever you thought you were about to come in here and do, give it up.” 

Nia's blood was boiling as she stared Khloé down. The way Khloé stood there so carelessly, so unbothered by her presence had pissed Nia off to the point of no return. But there was nothing she could do about it because none of what Khloé said was false. 

Completely aware of Nia's anger, Khloé dug into her purse and grabbed her MAC Ruby Woo lipstick and her compact mirror. She applied the color effortlessly, seeing as though this had been her signature look for years. 

“Now, what I advise you to do is continue doing my old job and focus on figuring out why no one wants you.” Khloé said, popping her lips as she applied the final layer of the lipstick. “Try therapy or Jesus.”

Nias' lip twitched as she sat mugging Khloé, watching as she turned to leave Terry’s office. 

“Oh and do me a favor Imani?” Khloé began, turning to face Nia one last time. “Stop trying to be me so bad, because you can’t bitch.” 

With that Khloé walked out of the office, heading to her car where Terry stood waiting for her. Spotting her just a few feet away, he lifted his weight off of the car and opened the passenger door for Khloé to get in. 

“Everything good?” He asked, staring down at her as she strutted to the car. 

“Of course.” She placed a kiss on his lips and stepped into the passenger seat. “Let’s go.” 

The two of them made their way around the city, finally stopping at The Velvet Rose. Khloé suggested that they try some new restaurants downtown but Terry insisted on eating at her place. He honestly enjoyed the scenery, the ambience and the food. It was the perfect place for him to end a stressful workday with the woman he loved. 

“Pablo, do you mind if I step in here and prepare a meal for Terry and I? You can call it a night if you want, I’ll close the kitchen for you.” Khloé asked her head chef. 

“No ma’am, I don’t mind at all. ” He responded, moving around the kitchen to remove his apron and chef hat to grant her privacy as she prepared dinner. 

“Thank you Chef!” 

Terry sat back with his back pressed against the booth, tapping his leg to the rhythm of the music. Jazz was one of his favorite genres, the soft melodies, the smooth sounds of the instruments blended together always did the perfect job at helping him decompress after a stressful situation. 

After about thirty minutes in the kitchen, Khloé walked over to him with two plates in her hands. Finally reaching him, she placed the food down carefully before taking a seat in the booth beside him. 

“Why didn’t you have one of your waitresses bring the food out?” Terry asked, sitting up straight as he grabbed the silverware from the table. 

“I wanted to bring it.” She said, “Plus I cooked it so it’s only right that I bring it to you.” 

Khloé and Terry dug into their food as they engaged in deep conversation. Conversing about their future together, their individual goals and how they planned to spend the rest of their days. They spoke about their living situations and how neither of them were ready to completely move in together but loved the thought of being able to visit one another whenever they chose. 

Khloé had made it clear that she didn’t want to move in until she had a ring on her finger and Terry noted that for the future. She placed her fork down on her plate and looked over at as he devoured his food. 

“This may sound childish but the anniversary of the first date we went on is coming up soon.” Khloé smiled as she looked down at the food on her plate. 

“Why would that sound childish?” Terry asked. 

“I don’t know, I just assume only women should care about things like that.” 

“We should celebrate.” Terry said, taking a bite of steak. “Maybe go on our first vacation together.” 

Khloé looked up at him and a light bulb instantly went off in her head. “I wanna go to Japan. I’ve always wanted to go since Kandace went but I was afraid to go alone. What do you think?” 

“I think that’s the perfect place to go.”

The two immediately started planning for their trip out of the country. They discussed dates, flights, resort options and everything in between. Khloé was mostly excited about the trip, eagerly naming all of the cities she’d love to visit, Tokyo being at the top of her list. Terry pressed his back against the booth and looked at her, smolin to himself as she ranted about all of the things they could do together once they landed. 

Her excitement warmed his heart, seeing that she still lit up when she spoke to him about her dreams and plans for the future. Terry was so caught in his trance he hadn’t noticed that she stopped talking and was now staring back at him. 

“Why are you just staring at me?” Khloé asked shyly. 

Terry shook his head and placed the napkin from his lap onto the table. “I just missed this, that's all. I guess I’m just soaking up the moment as much as I can.” 

“I told you I’m not leaving again, we have plenty of more moments to come.” Khloé said. “Besides I’m just rambling like usual.” 

Terry wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him, placing his lips against her temple. “I know but every moment is special to me, no matter how small it is. I like hearing you ramble.” 

Khloé stared up at him and smiled, feeling herself slowly melt into the seat beside him. They sat in each other's embrace 

The band began playing an instrumental version of For You by Kenny Latimore, the soft sounds of the saxophone and piano filled the space as they continued to stare at each other. 

“Dance with me, handsome.” Khloé suggested. 

“Yes ma’am.” 

Terry grabbed her hand and walked her to the stage where the band sat. Lifting her arms above his shoulders, he rested his hands at her waist and they began to sway to the music. Khloé leaned her head forward and placed it against his shoulder, pressing her forehead into the crook of his neck. 

Khloé let herself sink into his arms placing most of her weight against him as they held onto one another. The band continued to play their own renditions of popular love songs, each musician playing their instrument with precision. Khloé closed her eyes as Terry rocked them softly side to side. She focused on the vibration of Terry’s voice rumbling against her temple, humming the melodies of the songs the band played. 

After years of chasing external love and validation, she had finally come to realize that the love she searched for was already within her. Centering herself for the first time in her life had brought her the ability to actually feel the love she had for herself in totality. Now that she was able to identify and operate in her own essence, she was able to manifest that same love into the man that held onto her as she stood in her very own restaurant. 

Lifting her head from his shoulder, she stared into his eyes.

“What’s on your mind, beautiful?” He asked, slightly smiling down at her. 

“Do me a favor?”

“Anything.” He responded, eyebrows slightly lifted, prepared for her command.

“Love me until we meet in the next lifetime.” She stated, eyes darting back and forth between his. 

He chuckled and placed a kiss on her lips before responding. “Yes ma’am.” 

That concludes FAVORS 

Thank you guys so much for reading, I hope y’all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I just started writing for the first time back in August and this was my very first series so I was a little rusty but we pushed through 🤞🏾 I love y’all down! 🩵😭 

Now let me finish this one-shot I got for my baby Kelvin… 

HAPPY NEW YEAR SISTERWIVES!! 🥳

[guxciestone]

🔮 ❛ SR JUPITER THROUGH THE HOUSES ༉‧₊˚ ˚୨୧

(solar return chart)

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❝ what is your abundance for the year? ❞ ✧ ೃ༄

‎i hope you’re having an amazing day. if you have an post suggestions i’m glad to consider them. enjoy <3

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jupiter in the 1st house

This is an indication that you’ll find abundance and expansion in your outlook, appearance, personality, and how others and life treat you this year. You might notice that your mindset is leaning towards positivity, faith, and optimism this year. It may be easier for you to look on the bright side and for things to go your way. More luck than usual is usually what comes with this placement. This year you’ll feel like you can take on the world. You might want to expand your horizons and try new things, whether that be your social circle, career life, family life, spiritual life, or emotional life. During this time you’ll notice that you don't take things as seriously. It can be easier for you to recover from setbacks. On the other hand, be careful about overindulgence because this placement is notorious for allowing you to gain weight easily or become lazy and arrogant.

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jupiter in the 2nd house

This shows that you’ll find abundance and expansion in your finances, material possessions, and skills. It is possible that you might land a new job opportunity or discover an incredible source of income for yourself. Perhaps you experience some type of financial windfall. You might suddenly gain more physical items as well such as a new house, a new car, or or new clothes. This placement is useful for when you want to build on your skills or abilities to land your desired career because it is easier for you to do so. For example: If you want to get a job as a chef, this is the perfect year to enroll in culinary arts classes and practice. However, be careful with how you handle your possessions this year because it could easily fluctuate and you could become impulsive with your spending habits. Do not overspend or buy things that are unnecessary.

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jupiter in the 3rd house

This year is the year in which you find abundance and expansion in your mind, learning processes, communication, and peers. You’ll see that this year you’ll feel a strong need to expand your mind and learn things. Perhaps you’ll begin to read more books, study harder in school/college, enroll in a class, or watch more informational videos in your freetime. If you are in school, your grades may be significantly better than usual and there’s luck in your academic opportunities too. There is a possibility that you seem to be more extroverted and desire to be more social this year. You are charming and more witty, perhaps making friends through your peers. You could expect yourself to want more reflective and thoughtful talks with people this year. You might also be capable of handling more tasks than usual. You are able to be busier in your daily life because you mostly have a lot to do. However, it is almost impossible to get to know everything at once. It is important to slow down this year, and don’t overwhelm yourself with tasks.

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jupiter in the 4th house

This is an indication that you’ll find abundance and expansion in your family, home life, and sense of security. It is possible that your family life is relatively happier, brighter, and more stable. There could be increased peace in the home as well. It could be that most family troubles are going away significantly. There could be something expanding your family life as well–perhaps a new baby, new money, or even a new home or home renovation. There could even be small changes in the home such as making a new flower garden, painting the walls of your room, and much more. For the older individuals, perhaps you are considering retirement to where you can finally enjoy the fruits of your labor.

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jupiter in the 5th house

This shows that you’ll find abundance and expansion in your joys, self-expression, and casual relationships. It is possible that you could be trying new hobbies and aspirations, expanding your personal interests to learn more about things. This placement also calls for you to enjoy yourself more often. Perhaps you are going out to parties more, spending time with friends, having more crushes, or engaging in casual relationships. You could also notice that you are yearning to show yourself more, taking yourself out of your comfort zone and trying new versions of expression. It could be that you might get a new tattoo, a new style, or try different people than what you are used to. This placement is useful for you if you want to win the lottery within the year. This placement is also great for when you want to win the lottery.

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jupiter in the 6th house

This year is the year you’ll find abundance and expansion in your daily life, health, work, and routine. This is a time where you probably want something more out of your day-to-day habits, perhaps you strive to become more busy and fill up your to-go list during this time. You could be busier this year, especially at your work. Perhaps you are working more often and get recognized at your job for your hard work. It is also the case that you could even start an exercising regime, schedule more meetups with peers, or eat more exciting foods. On the other hand, it is important to be careful about overindulgence and laziness in your routine. There could be overeating involved and weight gain is more possible.

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jupiter in the 7th house

This is an indication that you’ll find abundance and expansion in your interpersonal relationships, your environment, and others. This placement is victorious for bringing in a new relationship or even a proposal if you are in a long-term relationship. If you are already married, the benefits of being with your spouse will show this year. You’ll notice that in general all of your relationships with others will improve. You are getting along with others and others are getting along with you. You may even meet significantly more new people this year. There is a possibility that you are more social, charming, talkative, and extroverted too. If there are any business partnerships or alliances, you’ll see that you’ll reap the success of it when you cooperate with them.

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jupiter in the 8th house

This shows that you’ll find abundance and expansion in other people’s possessions. During this year, it is possible that you’ll receive a gift from someone at some point. This could be an inheritance, monetary settlement, or even something you begin to own after a divorce–such as a house, car, kids, or even huge sums of money. If you receive huge amounts of cash this year, make sure to manage it successfully by hiring a financial manager or putting all of the money into an account. This placement is also known for when you are making huge purchases such as buying an estate. Your intimate relationships are also more apparent this year, especially towards your spouse or loved ones.

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jupiter in the 9th house

There is a strong need to search and expand on a higher understanding of the divine this year. Perhaps you are stepping into a new religion, learning about new religions, becoming a meditator, or getting more in touch with your higher self or spirit guides this year. You’ll find that you also desire peace and sanctuary more too. This is one of the perfect placements for when you need guidance and messages from your guides because you are more than willing to connect with them. There is also the possibility that you are willing to learn much more in general. You might engage in learning new things on your own. Perhaps you found new academic opportunities such as joining a college or enrolling in a new class. You could feel the urge to travel as well.

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jupiter in the 10th house

This year is the year you’ll find abundance and expansion in your reputation, image, and career life. It is notable that you’ll more likely find better career opportunities within the year. Perhaps you get a job promotion and land a new job with better payments. You could have a chance to expand your career as well. If you own a business, you are more than able to expand your business success and popularity. In regards to your reputation, your image is in luck because you’ll notice that you are more popular and this could help with any venture you are pursuing. This placement is great for fame in extreme cases.

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Jupiter in the 11th house

This is an indication that you’ll find abundance and expansion in your goals, friendships, and dreams. It is possible that you have more prominent goals than usual and you will benefit from these goals directly. There’s an opportunity to go after this goal only after a significant sacrifice in an area of the individual’s life. There is a possibility you will have to fight for what you want, but since luck is on your side in this area, it’ll be much easier and worth it. You’ll also find that your social life is more apparent. You might gain new friends or your friend group is more stable and tranquil right now.

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Jupiter in the 12th house

This shows that you’ll find abundance and expansion in your spiritual self, unconscious, and hidden parts of yourself. This placement indicates that the universe will most likely have your back entirely this year. You’ll feel more connected with your higher self and your spirit guides. Your shadow work journey, discovering ignored parts of yourself, self-discovery journey could be significantly easier to go through and deal with since the universe can give you more apparent messages during this year. At the same time, you are more willing to dive into those parts of yourself even without the help. Self-isolation for concentration for oneself is common.

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[yuurei20]

Lilia Facts Part 45: Liia and Cooking (pt3)

Lilia mentions a time that he put icing and candles on a cake before baking it and another time he mixed two eggs into batter in their shells. Silver responds, “I know Diasomnia emulates legends, but to copy those three fairies…”

Lilia’s cooking adventures seem to be infamous throughout the school, with Jamil saying that even he has heard horror stories about “the kitchen abominations” that Lilia is responsible for, silently calling him “a walking culinary disaster.”

Lilia is able to identify what Jamil is planning to cook by the ingredients he is purchasing from the school store alone and Jamil silently asks, “How can you be so knowledgeable about cooking when you're so atrocious at it?!”

Vil says that Lilia volunteered to help him prepare a smoothie and Vil “turned him down, of course.”

Malleus confuses the ghost chef by enrolling for the Master Chef course despite being indifferent to cooking itself, and it is revealed that he was trying to understand Lilia: “How is it that every time he makes something, it barely resembles food?”

When Trey expresses interest in purchasing spices for Lilia to cook with as a souvenir during the Firelit Sky event, Malleus threatens both him and Cater with “consequences to that choice.” Trey decides to get Lilia something else.

Malleus says, “if I never eat Lilia's cooking again, it will be too soon,” but it seems that he used to love the shaved ice that Lilia would make: Lilia says that they used to be simple, but Malleus would devour them so eagerly that he started adding flourishes like condensed milk and honeyed fruits, so that Malleus wouldn’t get bored.

Lilia says, “It wasn't simply that he wanted a tasty treat, but good company to enjoy it with. It's the same for me. I never used to care what I ate, as long as it filled my stomach. But even though frozen treats are hardly filling, they'd taste oddly delicious when he and I ate them together.” 

Lilia says that he has had fewer occasions to make shaved ice for Malleus since Malleus grew out of his tantrums, but “Perhaps I ought to make him some for old times' sake.”

[moonstruckmoony]

MCtober2024 - Introduce your MC!

I'm well aware I'm one week behind but this is literally the earliest I could finish this.. (moony crawling from the depths of irl problems) lol better late than never right? I'll try my best to catch up! · · ─────── ·❄ ❅ ❆· ─────── · · Winter Blackstone A 6th-year Ravenclaw, Winter Blackstone is quite the name at Hogwarts—mainly because she enrolled very late, took down a troll on her first day (as one does), and is known to mysteriously disappear between classes. Where to? Only Merlin knows. She’s also credited with helping stop Ranrok’s plans, though how big of a role she played remains a bit of a mystery to the students.

Winter’s mother, a Slytherin and skilled Curse-Breaker, tragically passed away when Winter was just 9 years old. Her father, though a Squib, is deeply knowledgeable about the wizarding world and has ensured Winter never felt out of place when it came to magic.

FAVORITE / HATED SUBJECTS? Winter’s top subjects are Potions, Ancient Runes, and Magical Theory—no surprises there for a curious Ravenclaw. But if you ask her about Arithmancy? That’s where you’ll hear a groan. While the concept and the theory behind it intrigues her, she absolutely avoids anything to do with numbers.

“I’m already so late to the world of magic, and now I’ve got to deal with numbers too? No, thank you!” she’s often heard saying. Yet, despite her complaints, Ominis constantly reminds her that she’s never scored a P, D, or T in Arithmancy—something he can’t say about his Potions work.

Her favorite professors? None other than Dinah Hecat, Aesop Sharp, and of course, the late Eleazar Fig.

SCHOOL CLUB Because of her late admission, Winter has little time for clubs—though she makes an exception for Crossed Wands. It’s the perfect way for her to sharpen her dueling skills, and she relishes every moment. PETS Winter has two cherished companions: Khione, her Barn Owl, and Snowball, her playful white golden retriever. Snowball was a gift from her father when she was 11, meant to lift her spirits after she didn’t receive her Hogwarts letter, leading her to believe she was a Squib. Little did she know, her letter would come at age 15, changing everything. Thanks to Professor Fig, she was given a nab-sack to sneak Snowball to Hogwarts, keeping him close even in her busy schedule. After a bit of help from Sirona at the Three Broomsticks following the troll attack, Snowball found a cozy spot to stay while Winter was in class. But when Professor Weasley introduced her to the Room of Requirement—well, Snowball ended up with a far more magical home within Hogwarts! Naturally, that little secret is kept under wraps. HOBBIES Winter has a passion for cooking, especially dishes from all around the world. As a child, she traveled extensively with her mother due to her mother’s unique Curse-Breaking work. Everywhere they went, Winter was enchanted by the local cuisine, jotting down recipes and experimenting when she got home. Now, in Hogwarts, she often recreates dishes like baozi, frikadeller, paella, oyakodon, and to Amit’s delight—Indian curry.

She frequently invites her friends to the Room of Requirement for her culinary experiments and is always on the lookout for rare ingredients. Thanks to her mother’s connections scattered in different parts of the world, Winter manages to have specific ingredients occasionally sent to her via owl.

[richincolor]

We have ten titles on our list for today! Which ones are you going to be taking a second look at?

Death in the Cards by Mia P. Manansala Delacourte Press

Danika Dizon is a natural problem-solver. Thanks to her private investigator mom and mystery author dad, she's equipped with the skills to offer guidance to anxious classmates who come to her for a tarot reading between classes. For a price, of course.

But when one of her clients vanishes shortly after they're dealt a death card, the girl’s younger sister Gaby begs Danika to figure out what went wrong. Danika takes on the case, thinking it's the perfect way to prove to her parents that she should be an official investigator in the family’s detective agency.

What starts off as a compelling challenge quickly devolves into something darker as Danika and Gaby peel back layer after layer of the secret life the missing girl has been living. A life that those involved would do anything to keep from being revealed…

The Education of Kia Greer by Alanna Bennett Knopf Books for Young Readers

Growing up in the public eye, Kia would gladly give up her privileged life as the daughter of a reality star for the freedom to find her own way—go to high school parties, gossip with the drama club, apply to college, make mistakes, and fall in love like any other teen.

Then she meets Cass, and he offers a glimpse at the ordinary life she craves. But Cass is a rising star in his own right, and what starts as something sweet and undefined soon becomes a magnet for rumor and speculation—as if first love wasn’t messy enough on its own.

The pressure of the spotlight takes its toll, chipping away at Kia’s sense of self, pushing and pulling and reshaping her—body and mind—to fit the expectations of everyone around her. But what does Kia want for herself? And can her fragile new relationship survive the fallout?

Eliza, from Scratch by Sophia Lee Quill Tree

Eliza Park’s senior year will be perfect: She’s going to be salutatorian, give a tear-jerking graduation speech in front of her parents, and enjoy her last year with her equally ambitious best friends. But when a scheduling mishap enrolls her in Culinary Arts, Eliza is suddenly the most clueless person in the class. Her typical title of star student belongs to the aggravatingly arrogant Wesley Ruengsomboon, a charming Thai American boy whose talent in the kitchen leaves Eliza both awed and annoyed.

With her rank on the line, Eliza’s only hope is to snatch the midterm cooking contest win from Wesley, however improbable that may be. Add in the flavor of her grandmother’s Korean recipes, the heat of being class partners with Wesley, and the sweetness of unexpected feelings—and Eliza must now rebuild everything she knew about success, love, and what it means to be herself, from scratch.

Fitting Indian by Jyoti Chand and Tara Anand HarperAlley

All Nitasha’s parents want is for her to be the perfect Indian daughter—something she is decidedly not. Everything she does seems to disappoint them, especially her mom. They just don’t get that she’ll never be like her doctor older brother. To make matters worse, she’s never quite felt like she belongs at school either, and lately, her best friend, Ava, and her crush, Henry, seem to be more interested in the rich new girl than in her.

Alcohol takes the edge off, but when that doesn’t work, Nitasha turns to cutting. She can’t stop asking herself: Will she ever be enough for her friends or her family? Or even for herself?

This authentic and powerful teen graphic novel shines a light on how harmful the stigma of mental illness is and how lifesaving a community that is honest about mental health can be.

Get Real, Chloe Torres by Crystal Maldonado Holiday House

Chloe Torres’ birthday has always marked the end of summer—but as she turns eighteen and prepares to leave for her freshman year of art school, it feels like the end of more than that. It’s the end of her adolescence, which means it’s time to leave the past behind… but can she really let go of the two estranged best friends she left there?

NOPE. Chloe decides to take one more shot at healing the friend breakup she’s always regretted: planning the bucket-list trip neither girl can say no to. She’s taken care of everything: the car, the hotels, and concert tickets to see their favorite boy band’s reunion show in Las Vegas—stage seats, so close they can fangirl right in front of the boys’ faces. But first, her ex-BFFs have to say yes.

And to say yes, they’d all have to be talking… which they haven’t done since Ramona kissed Chloe, and everything imploded.

But with some clever finagling (and some undignified begging) Chloe gets them all on board. Of course, being in a car together for two weeks brings back old feelings… a lot of old feelings… and soon enough, Chloe wants Sienna, Ramona wants Chloe, and everything is on fireeeee.

This sizzling summer adventure from YA star Crystal Maldonado is a hilarious and heartfelt romcom with a little something for everyone: fat positivity, sapphic romance, a blazing love triangle, ADHD representation, a diversity of Latine identities, a once-in-a-lifetime roadtrip—and the perfect it’s-finally-happening kiss.

Home Has No Borders Edited by Samira Ahmed & Sona Charaipotra HarperTeen

From first crushes to first heartbreaks, complicated family dynamics to community relationships, this powerful collection of stories explores race, class, culture, language, and the very idea of home as both a place and a feeling.

Edited by Samira Ahmed and Sona Charaipotra and featuring some of the most acclaimed, bestselling South Asian authors writing for teens today—this is an essential collection of captivating stories about what it means to be South Asian.

The Legend of Sensei Tsinelas by Jason Tanamor Ooligan Press

Between a tsinelas-wielding superhero, a major social studies project, and take-out boxes of adobo and lumpia, seventeen-year-old Filipino American Victor Dela Cruz isn’t sure how to get through high school without the help of a radioactive spider. Despite his attempts to assimilate into his mostly white Portland high school, Victor has always felt like an outsider. He likes to think high school is his superhero origin story, and all he needs now are some superpowers.

His very own supervillain, Clint Robertson, Cleveland High’s golden boy, and a major project about his ancestry make Victor wish he had the power of invisibility. But when he witnesses his boss at the food truck slinging his trusty tsinelas to stop a thief in his tracks, Victor sees his chance to find the acceptance he’s always craved. He believes he's found a hometown superhero, and he plans to convince his peers that the owner of Filipino Feast is secretly an undercover vigilante.

From the author of Love, Dance & Egg Rolls, Jason Tanamor's poignant narrative is a testament to resilience, reminding us that true strength and pride are found in embracing the rich tapestry of our own identities.

Of Earthly Delights by Goldy Moldavsky Henry Holt & Co.

Aspiring artist Rose Pauly is not happy moving from her home in New York City right before her senior year of high school. But on her first miserable day in Connecticut, she meets Hart Hargrove. The two share an immediate, undeniable connection.

Hart introduces Rose to his slice of paradise–the immense private garden nestled behind the Hargrove family mansion. There, the two spend a fever dream of a summer together. But as their bond blossoms into love, Rose can't shake the feeling that all is not as it seems.

When Rose uncovers the truth about the garden, she's forced to question how genuine her love story truly is. But Hart can't bear to lose Rose, and he will stop at nothing to save their relationship.

Posing haunting questions about beauty and desire, this is an atmospheric and darkly romantic tale that will enthrall readers.

The Romance Rivalry by Susan Lee HarperCollins

She’s read every romance…except her own…

Irene Park loves romance novels—so much so she’s made a career of them as an online book reviewer with a massive following. But Irene’s real life dating story? Non-existent. So when she starts her freshman year of college, she sets her sights on finding true love using the one thing she really understands…romance book tropes.

If only it were that easy.

Enter Aiden Jeon, Irene’s online book review rival and biggest nemesis. When Aiden challenges her to see who can find love-by-trope first, he becomes the one person standing in her way to getting everything she wants both professionally and personally, too. So when the competition takes an unexpected turn, forcing the two of them to have to partner in the ultimate trope, fake dating, Irene is not prepared for everything she believed about romance, and Aiden, to flip on its head.

As Irene tackles the challenges of college life, struggles to figure out what she really wants for herself, all while trying to win the race for love, Irene realizes the answers may not be found in a romance novel. Happily Ever Afters seem so easy on page. But for Irene to find her ultimate HEA, she’ll have to get her nose out of the book and become the main character of her own story.

The Singular Life of Aria Patel by Samira Ahmed Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Aria Patel likes stability, certainty, predictability. It’s why she’s so into science. It's why she dumped her boyfriend before they went to different colleges because the odds were that something would go wrong, eventually. In a life that’s already so chaotic, why obsess over complicated relationships and shadowy unknowns when the scientific method gives you direction and a straight path to avoid all the drama.

But there’s no avoiding anything when Aria finds herself suddenly falling through parallel universes and there’s no formula that can save her. She can’t explain why she’s been waking up in a new reality almost every day, or why Rohan, and a poem from her English class, seem to be following her through every new life.

As Aria desperately attempts to find a way home, she eventually ends up stuck in a parallel world very similar to her own. She cherishes this new version of her family, and she finds herself unable to deny the yearning she has for Rohan…but it’s not her life or her Rohan. It belongs to another Aria, another girl, and unless Aria can get back home, she’ll have taken this happiness away from someone else forever. And she may never find her own.

This whirlwind novel from New York Times bestselling author Samira Ahmed will whisk you through worlds unknown, all while putting a multiverse spin on one of BookTok’s favorite tropes: second chance romance.

[crxerries]

•beneath the surface•

bullied yandere x freader

Aveloria University is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious institutions in the country, known for its academic excellence and rich legacy of innovation. Aveloria University offers a diverse range of programs, allowing students to choose from various fields of study. Whether you’re passionate about engineering, medicine, culinary arts, sports management, IT, or accounting, Aveloria provides top-tier education across numerous disciplines.

It’s been your dream ever since high school to enroll at Aveloria University. However, gaining admission to Aveloria University is no easy feat. With its prestigious reputation, most of the students are not only well-known but also come from wealthy backgrounds. You, on the other hand, consider yourself incredibly lucky — you’re not as rich as many of them and were only accepted through a competitive scholarship.

English lectures are the last class of the day for me. With an open afternoon ahead, I’m free to do whatever I want. Maybe I should grab something to eat since it’s almost 2 o’clock. with that, i walked to the cafeteria.

i plugged in my AirPods and continued making my way to the cafeteria. On my way there, I walked past an old classroom and heard voices coming from inside. I stopped in my tracks, pulling out my left AirPod to try and hear more clearly. The strange noises that followed caught my attention — the sound of things being thrown, muffled cries, and some unsettling noises. I leaned my left ear closer to the door, straining to hear what was happening inside.

“come on, what’s with the tears oily?”

I heard a voice from inside, its tone mocking and dripping with sarcasm. I slid the door open just a crack, enough to peek through and see what was happening inside. inside, I saw five guys circling around another, who was sitting on the floor with his face buried in his knees. i could hear sniffing came from the guy who were on the floor. that’s where the muffled cries from.

“oi, i’m talking to you. out of all the girls here why do you have to like MY girlfriend oily.”

The guy with brunette hair spoke angrily to the crying male, his voice laced with frustration. You’ve seen him before. He’s one of the athletes, well-known for his skills in basketball and other sports. You know him, what’s his name again? Issac or Isaiah not sure, but either one. He’s also quite popular because of his looks and his prestigious family background. Professors, teachers, even the dean all know him and like him, especially since he brings a lot of benefits to the university. You’ve also heard plenty of rumors about him — how he tends to bully anyone he doesn’t like, much like a typical jock from a high school movie.

when the jock didn’t get any reply from the male, he become furious and grab him by the collar and pick him up. He looked the crying male in the eyes, his gaze filled with anger and annoyance.

“are you deaf, you punk? am i talking to the fucking wall right now? or is it you feel like you to good to talk to me now?”

the jock said angrily.

“aight, that’s enough.”

You slid the door open all the way and stood there, locking eyes with the jock as you spoke. the jock look shock before replying.

“and who are you lmao, his girlfriend or something? did you get yourself a girlfriend punk. you need your girlfriend to come and rescue you.”

the jock said mockingly. while you just stand there waiting for the right moment to reply.

“he’s gotten beaten enough issac, you let your anger out on him, that’s enough right.”

the jock face thighten with my reply.

“it’s trent.”

he reply, anger and annoyance could be hear from his voice.

“shit, my bad. that’s enough Trent, give him a break. That guy isn’t the one you need to keep an eye on, you know,”

you said, your voice steady as you spoke.

Trent’s eyes widened in confusion at my words, and he asked

“What do you mean?”

“You know Kyle from the engineering department? He’s the one you need to keep an eye on. I’ve heard some rumors about him apparently, he’s been hooking up with other people’s girlfriends. You should really watch out for that guy.”

you explained

 Trent’s brows furrowed in confusion.

“I’m not trying to be a bitch or anything, but I’ve noticed a few times that your girlfriend and Kyle seem to be acting a little too friendly. I don’t know, maybe you should look into it yourself.”

“the fuck you trying to implied?”

Trent asked, his voice laced with coldness and anger as he stared straight at me.

i shrug before replying more.

“I don’t know, man, figure it out yourself, but I have to say, the way they act around each other doesn’t look too good. It seems a little too friendly, if you know what I mean.”

i give Trent a playful wink.

Without wasting another second, Trent let go of the male’s collar, and he collapsed to the floor. Trent walked past me, his friends following close behind. I waited until they were completely out of sight before moving toward the guy on the floor.

I crouched down in front of the male and asked, ‘Are you okay?’ He didn’t respond. After a couple of seconds, I gently tapped his hand to check if he was injured, but once again, he didn’t react. After what felt like an eternity, I heard sniffles coming from him, and I was taken aback. Maybe he was scared, I don’t know. I swear, I could feel the tension in the air, but then I gently patted his head, waiting until his breathing slowed a bit.

After a while, he finally calmed down, and I asked again, ‘Are you okay?’ This time, he slowly lifted his head, and I couldn’t help but notice his deep emerald green eyes — they were mesmerizing, unlike anything I’d ever seen before. He wore round-framed glasses and had a few old acne scars, but his nose was small and cute. His features gave off a soft, almost boyish vibe, yet he was undeniably handsome. I didn’t realize I had been staring at him until he asked, ‘Are you okay? Why are you staring at my face so long?’ I could tell he felt anxious, maybe even weirded out by my gaze.

I apologized profusely, saying I didn’t mean to stare and that I was sorry for being rude. He just shook his head and said, ‘It’s fine. Thank you for helping me.’ Then, both of us fell silent. After a few seconds, I broke the quiet and asked, ‘Are you okay? Do you have any injuries? Can you get up?’ He stared at me for a moment before looking down.

He said, ‘I don’t know, my right hand hurts. Maybe it’s because Trent gripped it so tight just now, I’m not sure. It just hurts so much.’ I looked down at his right hand and gently took hold of his wrist, lifting his sleeve. I could see a purple, almost blue bruise forming, meaning his hand was going to be bruised for quite some time. I then asked for permission to check for more injuries, anywhere on his body — his neck, his leg, his other hand, his head, his back — anywhere I could see a visible injury.

After inspecting his entire body, I didn’t find any other cuts or bruises, except for the one on his right hand. I slowly helped him up and took him to the nurse’s office. When we arrived, there was no nurse in sight, just a note saying she was in an urgent meeting and that we could help ourselves. I told him to sit on one of the beds and wait for me. After gathering the necessary supplies, I returned to him, lifted his sleeve, applied some ointment to his bruise, and carefully wrapped it up.

“so, never got your name.”

i ask, while still putting the ointment carefully on his wrist.

He seemed surprised when I spoke to him. After a few seconds, he finally replied.

“my name’s Oliver, what about you?”

He replied while looking down at his injured hand, eagerly waiting for me to answer.

“name, nice to meet you oliver.”

you said. no wonder Trent called him oily earlier. you thought.

Oliver paused for a moment before asking

“Why did you help me just now?”

“why, you don’t me to help you?”

you asked jokingly.

Oliver’s eyes widened at my response. He quickly corrected himself

“No, that’s not what I meant. It’s just… no one ever steps in to help me. They’re either scared or just don’t care. So I was really surprised and taken aback when you helped me. Thank you.”

You could see that he was somehow relieved, and a faint blush started to form on his cheeks, but you didn’t say anything.

“it’s nothing, don’t mentioned it. it’s the right thing to do.

i replied while gently taped his wound with the gauze.

“That should do it. Try not to get it wet. If you want to shower, you can wrap the hand with cling film to keep it dry. You might want to see a doctor to get it cleaned or checked, just to make sure it’s not more serious than a bruise. I guess that’s it. I’ll be on my way then.”

i said as i put away the ointment back to the place it belong.

oliver want to say something but nothing came out of his mouth.

“Wait,” Oliver said. “Can we walk together?”

after seeing you nodded he immediately walk to you and both of you guys walk outside the campus together. since it’s past 3 not much students still around. you then turn to oliver.

“Then I’ll go ahead and leave first. See you around,”

you said, walking away toward your car parked in front of the campus.

You gave Oliver a chance to say something, but he didn’t. He just watched you walk away, his eyes following you until you reached your car and drove off. For some reason, he felt something in his chest and stomach, something he’d never experienced before. It didn’t hurt, but it felt… funny. He didn’t know what to make of it, so he just shrugged it off and walked to his own car.

[fictionalmenmakemecry]

Fuckin' with the Ecosystem- Chapter 4

Character: Carmy Berzatto x Reader

Summary: You decide it was time for a new chapter. You pack up everything in New York and drive back to Chicago with Carmy by your side. Due to the stress you both feel from the move, you're both on edge which leads to a mess you have to deal with.

Warnings: Angst, cursing, fluff

A/n: Chapter 4 is here! The further this goes the more twisty it's gonna get! I'm only getting started. Poor Carmy always has the best of intentions but seems to get caught on the delivery. Thank you for all of the support guys. I really appreciate it. I have a taglist going, let me know if you want to get added!

If you haven't read, here's: Chapter 1 , Chapter 2 and Chapter 3

Enjoy!

As you put the key in your door and walk into your apartment, it hits you that you're starting a new chapter. Once you made the decision to move to Chicago, you rang your landlord, letting him know that you were moving out. He wasn't too pleased to hear about it. You told him that you'd find someone to sublet it for the remaining 3 months you had left on your lease. You knew it wasn't going to be a challenge as New York was continuously dealing with a renting shortage.

The two weeks flew by. You felt like you were always catching up on what needed to get done. But never being able to finish a task completely. You put an ad out for your sublet, and to say people were desperate was an understatement. You had several responses in minutes and multiple viewings arranged. Once you picked the few people who were good to sublet, you handed it over to your landlord, as he had the final approval. Within a day of that, you had an official date to move out, and suddenly, everything felt real. Before this, in your mind, you felt like you could change your decision, and it would have been okay. But now, you don't have an apartment next week, so now you had to move, whether you had wanted to or not.

"Getting cold feet?" Carmy voice spoke out of your phone.

"No, no.. just seeing my things in boxes is... making it real" you looked around seeing your frames leaning against the wall and your possessions all over the place disorganized.

"Your flight is good?" You asked, bring your focus back on the task on hand.

There was a moment of silence.

"Yea, think so. Here, let me send you the link to my flights" Carmy muttered

Your phone vibrated with an email notification labeled as "NY flight".

"Okay... well... I guess I'll see you tomorrow then?" You asked, feeling your stomach flip realizing you'll be seeing him.

Since you've been so busy organizing everything, you forgot the whole point of the actual move. To start a new job in a new city, with great people and a close old friend. The stress was nearly over when it came to closing the chapter in New York, and was replaced that was excitement for Chicago.

"Sure will, don't stand me up." You sensed a smile off of him

You waited at the arrival gate, scanning the bundles of people coming out. Your eyes hopped face to face, until you finally recognized one. He walked up to you with open arms carrying his backpack on one shoulder. He was wearing his wool coat and white shirt combo. Always a classic for him. You gave a quick hug, breathing in his usual smell which was a mixture of cigarettes, deodorant and gum.

Carmy was relieved to see you waiting there. He noticed you before you noticed him. A warm sensation spread across his chest when your eyes landed on him and a smile broke out on your face immediately.

You both hopped on the subway, Carmy telling you everything that happened since you've been gone. He explained how Richie, Fak and Marcus has been busy breaking down the place. While Tina and Ebra have enrolled into a short eight week course in culinary school. Syd has been busy researching new flavors and themes for the restaurant.

"Suga' has been dealin-"

"IRS are being a pain in the ass" You cut him off walking down the street getting closer to your apartment.

"Yeah.. how did you know?" Carmy looked over surprised.

"We've been chatting on the daily. She keeps me in the loop. She's also been helping me find a place in Chicago." You grinned at him pulling out your keys as you came up to building.

"Oh.." He hummed and looked down.

"So, you know everything already. Why didn't you stop me?" He asked, him now feeling out of the loop.

"I like the sound of your voice babes" You mocked, opening the door.

You looked back at Carmy, who followed you into the lobby, giving you a smirk.

You both arrived at your apartment and swung the door open. He followed you in, dropping off his bag at the door.

"I have most of the small things packed away. It's alotta awkward big stuff I'm gonna need help with." You turned around to see Carmy looking around while walking further into your living room.

You felt vulnerable now that he was standing in your safe place. The place you called home for 4 years.

"I know- its not much bu-"

"It's.. its nice. Cosy," he landed his eyes back you, giving a gentle smile.

Your apartment was small and not the most modern. But over the years, you tried your best to make it yours. Your kitchen was a joke. You barely could swing a cat in it. But lucky for you, you worked in a restaurant which mostly kept you fed and you never really cooked anyway.

"That kitchen is an abomination," He stated, pointing at it in shock.

You chuckled knowing he was going to judge your kitchen.

"You wanna know the worst part?" You walked over and grinned.

You leaned over to the stove which was crammed in the corner of the kitchen. You opened the door of the oven. The door stopped 3/4 of the way before hitting the wall in front of it. You glanced over to Carmy who's jaw was open. He raised his arms to his head in dismay.

"What the actual fuck" He uttered, walking away with his head shaking.

With a busy couple of days ahead of you, you started getting errands done. Tomorrow was the final day, and there was still a lot of shit that needed to get sorted. He started breaking down your your bed frame and tables you had.

"Ikea piece of shit" He muttered to himself as he struggled with taking out a screw that was stripped.

"Who the fuck made this bed?" He yelled out to you from the bedroom.

You smiled to yourself, knowing he was going to love the answer.

"Take a guess" you yelled back.

"Dickhead Nick" He spat finally getting the screw loose.

You giggled to yourself hearing the string of curse words Carmy was uttering.

"Finally" He huffed, after half an hour of struggle.

You popped your head around the corner and watched Carmy gather the parts of the frame and put them all together in the corner of the room. The frame was heavy, but Carmy lifted it like it was nothing. You couldn't resist looking at his arms flexed with the movement of each piece. His arms against the tight sleeves of his shirt.

"You okay?" You snapped back to notice Carmy looking over at you, dusting his hands off.

"Yeah- yeah, sorry. I'm just tired," You walked away, feeling yourself blush from the thought of getting caught admiring him.

Carmy went to collect the rental truck as you finished off putting the last few things in boxes. That night, you both slept on the floor with a blanket and pillow. It didn't matter how uncomfortable it was. You were exhausted to the point of passing out.

You woke up with the sounds of your alarm. You picked up your phone to see 5:00 am. You looked over to the sight of Carmy laying on his stomach, his face smooshed into the pillow with his mouth half open. As you sat up, the floor boards creaked, making him stir. He stretched out his arms, yawning. His white shirt tossed beside him.

"Warm?" You rubbed your eyes.

He looked at you with his eyes half open. You flicked your eyes to the white bundle beside him. His eyes followed, and realized what you were talking about.

"Um- yeah. This place is fuckin' boilin' at night," he muttered sleepily, sitting up.

"Yeah, that's the one thing I don't like about this place." Your eyes traveled down to his bare chest. His gold chain resting against his skin. Your dragged your eyes away before he noticed.

You thought back to years ago when he was way more scrawny. He really had grown into his... physique. His shoulders were a lot more toned and built than you remember.

Hold up, you caught yourself. You stopped yourself going down that rabbit hole. It's been awhile since you've gotten any but you and Carmy have never been like that.

He leaned over and pulled his shirt over his head, tossing his hair all over, pushing his arms through.

"So... let's get ready, and pack the final things in the truck, sweep the place, and we should be good to go before traffic gets bad," you commented getting onto your feet and made your way to the bathroom.

"Heard" He mumbled rubbing his eyes.

You both worked your way through the apartment and played Tetris a little with trying to cram as much as possible in the truck.

"I'm tellin' you, if you take that out, you're just going to undo all the work we did last night." You grunted, getting annoyed with the constant struggle of your belongings.

"Lemme try." Carmy snapped back, glaring at you.

He handed you the box that you were both struggling to fit. You were beyond exhausted, and the thought of driving 12 hours put you in a further bad mood.

You watched, annoyed, as Carmy readjusted the lamp that was taking up too much space.

"I know you don't wanna have this in front with us, but you goin' hafta." He took out the tall lamp awkwardly, losing his patience with it. He wiggled it and angled it out. Then, he took the box off of you. He slotted it into the gap that was left behind by the lamp. He slammed the doors and turned to you, a small smile appearing on his face.

"What?" You barked, frowning back at him.

He stared at you for a moment.

"Nothin," he shook his head, the smile still on his face.

If he was honest, he couldn't stay annoyed at you when he looked over and saw how pissed you were, holding your lamp. He thought about how rough you both were . Your hair tied away from your face, and his just a bush on his head. Both sporting bags under your eyes. You standing there holding a lamp angerly, just shifted something inside him. To him, you looked ... cute? He couldn't place the words. He dismissed the thought quickly but with the remnants of the smile left behind. You both had a lot of shit to get through today, and he's thoughts weren't on top of the list.

You entered your old apartment for the last time. Completely empty. The walls looked bare after so long filled with your favorite pictures and posters. You walked through all the rooms and checked the closets to make sure nothing was left behind.

You glanced down the hallway to see Carmy leaning against the wall, playing with the truck keys absent-mindedly. Two months ago, you were minding your business, figuring out your next job in New York. With one phone call, now you're moving to Chicago to work in a non-existent restaurant.

You made your way back to him, and you took one more look before closing the door.

"Ready?" He asked, looking back at you.

You nodded, smiling back at him.

With a long road ahead of you, you decided to take turns driving the truck. Carmy offered first. You didn't know if because he saw how tired you were, or he was just being kind. Twenty minutes into the journey, you were conked out.

One arm on the steering wheel, the other resting on the door, he would glance from time to time over to you. You leaned up against the other side of the truck with your head against the window using your hoodie as a make-shift pillow.

Carmy had a constant knot in his stomach the last week. He felt excited to see the plan that you made actually happen. It really did feel like a new beginning had started. The restaurant being remodeled and you moving to Chicago, it felt real. For once, he was actually feeling hopeful about the future.

Along the journey, you made a few pitstops for bathroom breaks and snacks.

"Where... ar wehh?" Carmy lifted his head feeling the truck coming to a stop outside a gas station.

" I dunno, fuck middle nowhere Pennsylvania," you said before getting out of the car.

"Still? Fuckin' hell. How big is this state?" He groaned, readjusting his head.

You came back with two energy drinks, and you threw him a bag of chips.

"Thanks," he mumbled

"It's the only payment you're getting for helping me move." You smirked, cracking open a can.

You heard him give a light chuckle before putting his head down again.

Once the sun came up, you both felt more awake. It a crisp winter morning. Cold, fresh, but the sun was shining with a clear sky.

You pulled over for another pit stop.

"Huhh" Carmy readjusted in his seat, completely disorientated from his power nap.

"Needa pee" you said restlessly.

"Again?" Carmy complained

"Energy drinks run through me"

The truck came to a halt. You jumped out and raced inside, barely waiting for the automatic doors to open fully before going in.

Carmy sat up in his seat and decided it was his turn to drive. He made his way to the driver side. He thought to himself for a moment before turning on the truck, putting it into drive, and pulled away.

He had no idea what got into him, but he wanted to fuck with you.

He had moved the truck to the other opposite side of the gas station, to the point where you would have to turn around to see it as you walked back to the old parking spot.

He watched the door waiting for you to come out. His hand resting against his mouth, tapping his finger on the steering wheel.

You walked out in the direction where the truck was parked, to see it not there anymore. You swore you parked it right there, took glance around to your left and right.

Were you losing mind?

Did Carmy take off?

Doubtful but it did pop into your mind.

Carmy continued to watch from the driver seat. A sneaky smile emerging on his face, he watches you look around. He could tell you thought you were losing your mind.

He gave the steering wheel a light push, and a short horn blared out of the truck. He saw you whip around from the sound, and a smile popped up on your face.

You went to the truck and got in the passenger side.

"You fucker" you giggled punching him lightly in the arm.

"Gotta keep you on your toes." He chuckled, rubbing this arm where you hit.

"I thought you dipped." You said securing your seat belt.

"Na, I'm not that bad," Carmy pulled out of the gas station.

For the next couple of hours, you chatted about random things, trying to keep you both dying from boredom. The conversation would get interrupted with Carmy's road rage of people cutting him off and traffic building up as you got closer to the cities.

"Why the fuck would Google Maps bring us on this route, it's slammed" He glanced at his phone

"Cause someone wanted to avoid tolls" You rolled your eyes to him.

"You fuckin' think I'm willing going to pay 90 dollars to those bastards?" He lightly hit the steering wheel in frustration.

"Well it would only be half-"

"It's not about the money..." He broke off as you both crawled along the road.

Nine hours into the twelve hour road trip, and both of you were starting to feel it. You were looking rough to begin with, but now you both felt just as rough.

With you behind the steering wheel again, you glanced over and saw him gaze out the window, his head leaned back. You didn't know if he was asleep. The sun was slowly starting to make its way down. The dusky sky was followed by an early dark night.

"Pull over at the next gas station." Carmy spoke up, looking over at you.

"Why?" You checked your rearview mirror and blind spot before turning your blinker on.

"Chicago is a mess when it comes to one ways. It'll be easier if I drive the rest of the way" He explained licking his lips.

You didn't fight him on this. You hated driving in a new city, the stress of the traffic, especially in a truck that was a lot bigger than your old car, you were glad he offered.

You switched sides and felt a ping of sadness that the road trip was near to an end. You were glad that the move was finally over, but wished you appreciated being around Carmy more. You felt the need to cling onto every minute spent with him. The feeling that you got in your stomach, your gut. You haven't felt that in a long time. The peace you had with him when cruising down the highway.

"What's your address?" He asked as you pulled up to a stop at a red light.

You pulled up your email confirming your lease contract on your new apartment. He glanced over, his eyebrows immediately popping up.

"You're fuckin' kidding me, ight?" He scoffed.

"What?" A hint of worry in your voice.

"Could you have picked a rougher neighborhood?" He asked sarcastically.

"I asked Sugar an-"

"Suga hasn't a fuckin' clue. Why didn't you ask me? Or anyone else...." He ridiculed.

"It can't be that bad." You dismissed his attitude, trying to reassure yourself.

There was a moment of silence with the red light turning green.

"Fuck- okay. it's fine. But if any- I mean any shit goes on, you immediately call me or Richie, okay?" He took his eyes off the road staring at you.

"Yea- yes, of course" You nodded pressing your lips in a fine line.

As you traveled through Chicago, you looked through the perspective of it as your new home. You took note of maybe some cafes and shops you wanted to go visit. You started to see more and more neglected buildings as you got closer and closer to your new apartment.

"I didn't have many options." You blurted out.

"With the timeframe I had and what I can afford right now. It was between this place and another, but I would have to wait another week before getting the other place, " you explained, feeling uneasy looking out at the streets.

"W-why didn't you tell me? We could have worked something out? You know I would have fixed you up with somethin'," He said softly.

You looked over and saw his eyes soften. You felt guilt, layered on top of all the negative feelings that were in your stomach right now.

"I didn't want to be in the way. I felt like I was already a burden with taking you away from the restaurant for the last couple of days" You brought your head down not wanting to go down this train of thought.

Carmy brought his hand up to his face and rubbed his forehead. He didn't want to make the situation worse. He wanted to pick his words carefully, feeling your uneasiness beside him.

"Look, the place isn't probably that bad and it's not forever" He gave a small smile trying to comfort you.

"Six months" You whispered feeling completely disheartened by the change in atmosphere in the last couple of moments.

"Yea- that's good. That'll fly by" He smiled again.

But it was too late, his first reaction was the real one and not what you needed. To move to a big city by yourself is hard enough. To do it in the bad part of town is not something you wanted to also deal with.

"What number?" He asked, looking out his side window

"Two thirty," you whispered.

Carmy continued down the street at a slow speed, keeping track of the numbers on the buildings.

"Here" He pointed in front of him pulling over to the curb.

You didn't even want to look. The weight in your stomach was keeping you from looking up. The adrenaline from New York had worn off, leaving you with disappointment and worry.

Carmy hopped out of the truck and was looking at a building that was a little run down, but the entrance was clean, and there were no dodgy people around that he noticed right away. He looked up and down the street to see a corner shop and a laundromat closest. He instinctively took out a cigarette and light it inhaling the smoke. He turned back to the truck window to still see you in the seat, looking down.

"Shit" He muttered to himself knowing he fucked up. He had to say exactly what was on his mind. He couldn't just keep it to himself and wait til' you got here. He mindlessly kicked a pebble on the ground while finishing his cigarette, trying to think what would be the best thing to do. He didn't want to make things worse. You were both on your reserves when it came to energy and patience with each other. He didn't want to stumble at the final hurdle.

After a few minutes, you heard the door being pulled open on your side.

"Hey... Look, I'm sorry... this is a really nice building from what I can see..." He braced his arm on the door jam.

"You're just sayin-"

"I'm not... I'm really not. I'll promise to tell you if your apartment looks like a shithole when we go see it"

You looked up to see his dead serious face break into a smile. You felt a smile creep up on your face even though you didn't want it to.

"C'mon" He nodded up, bringing his hand out for you to grab.

He helped you down off the truck, and you went inside with him right behind.

As you went to the building managers office, he walked around feeling out the place. He walked to the mailing room, which was a mess with piles of neglected mail from past tenants.

The place overall smelt like stale bleach. It was dated and worn, but it was clean. He was grateful for that.

"Got it"

He noticed how quiet you were. He would looked over and you give him a weak smile. But deep inside he knew you weren't okay. He wanted to hug you and hold you. He never had the intension to hurt you and he was pissed off with himself that he did.

You made your way to the fourth floor and made a wrong turn on the hallway before turning back.

"Here it is, 46C," you hummed, sticking the key in the hole.

With the door swinging open, you both walked in. The layout was close to your old apartment. The door opened to the living room with a hallway to your left where the kitchen and bedroom lead.

You walked into the living room where blank walls faced you with two windows looking out to the street below.

"Bathroom isn't bad" you heard Carmy call out further in the apartment.

You walked over to see him sitting on the toilet lid.

"I see you're giving it a test ride," you chuckled.

"Someone has to." He shrugged jokingly.

Him seeing you chuckle, even if it was a light one made him feel somewhat better than he didn't completely wreck the evening.

You turned around to see the bedroom directly across. It could comfortably fit a queen bed, which was a relief. From the pictures, you couldn't tell if the bed would be cramped in it.

"So, I was thinking the bed would be here?" You whipped around, spreading your arms, imitating the size of the bed.

"In the middle?" Carmy asked walking in behind.

You nodded, turning around to face the wall.

"Yeah... I think that would work," you grinned seeing the potential in this room.

You continued to imagine how the rest of your belongings would fit in your new bedroom.

"Let's get started. There's a lot to move still," he made his way out of the room.

The curse words that were uttered from both of you as you awkwardly moved the big pieces of furniture first. It was a close call when it came to the mattress fitting in the elevator. Carmy was adamant that it was going to fit.

"No way in fuckin' hell was I gonna drag this shit up four floors." He gave out as he was crushed against the elevator holding the mattress.

Both of your faces were flushed red and sweat gleaming from the heavy lifting.

Carmy and you struggled as you dragged the plastic covered mattress down the hall to your apartment. It was the last of the big pieces with mostly boxes left to carry.

Another hour, and the truck was finally empty. You took your phone out of your pocket to check the time. Eight o clock shined back at you.

"Damn, getting pretty late" You huffed, pushing the stray hairs from your face.

"I'll return the truck tomorrow," you continued watching Carmy close the back doors of the truck.

You stood there looking at each other for a beat.

"I better head home," Carmy said, taking a few steps back.

"What? No- I owe you dinner. It's the least I could do", you crossed your arms, feeling the cold around you.

"You sure?" He checked, with his head down looking up through his lids.

With Chinese on your lap, you looked across to see Carmy lean up against one of your many boxes with his legs stretched out in front of him on the floor.

"You're right, it's pretty good," you hummed, enjoying the burst of flavor in your mouth.

Carmy nodded along, tucking into this food eagerly.

The apartment was mostly quiet with the odd random distant yell from outside, you presumed to be crackheads.

"I know you won't believe me, but I really do like this place" He looked up around your living room.

"The location is shit, but..."

"I know, but this place has potential." You smiled, finishing off his sentence.

"Yeah," He said in a soft tone, turning up the corners of his mouth.

His eyes lingered on yours for a moment. You traveled your eyes down his neck, chest, and down his arms.

You would be lying to yourself if you didn't notice his arms when he helped your lift heavy boxes. He refused to let you lift anything that he thought you might struggle with. He was considerate. Always thinking about you in a way that no one else would. Your friendship meant so much to you. In a moment like this, you felt that you might need his friendship a lot more than he might need yours.

Here you are, in Chicago. Working with one of your closest friends. Nothing else is here, only him. The vulnerability you felt in that moment, developed fear that you hadn't felt before.

"I can't believe you're actually here" Carmy spoke out, breaking your swirling thoughts.

"I know, it's just hitting me too," you said in a dissociated daze.

His eyebrows furrowed for a brief moment, wondering what you were thinking. Were you regretting your decision?

"I think you'll like Chicago," He said positively, keeping his eyes on you.

"Mhmmm," you murmured, your eyes glazed over and your mind in another world of your own.

"Y-you're not regretting your de-"

You snapped out of your trance and glanced over to Carmy to see his face covered in concern.

"No- no, no." You shook your head and smiled reassuringly.

He played with the food left over on his lap.

"Well... um.. you know I'm here, right?" He questioned.

"I know," you murmured, bringing your head down.

"I'm not goin' anywhere." He continued, leaning forward, trying to meet your eye line.

There was this sadness that you couldn't shake since getting here. You could feel it deep in your stomach. Was it anxiety? That reality has finally hit you in the face? The excitement that you felt earlier wasn't there and it worried you even more.

Carmy knew there was something up. You weren't present since you've arrived. It was a long few days for both of you, and it could have been exhaustion, but he didn't want to leave you alone. He felt guilty just walking away, especially when something was up.

You kept your head down, not wanting to make eye contact with him. You were afraid that if you did, you would completely break down and cry.

A moment later, you just heard him shuffle. You felt a warm hand on top of yours. You saw inked fingers grasp yours and a body of warmth wrapping you in a hug.

You couldn't hold back. You felt your tears spill over. You turned into his chest and buried your face into his white t-shirt.

"It's okay... you'll be okay. " He hummed and pressed you closer to him.

You sat there for a couple of moments. No other words were spoken. His embrace eased the anxiety that you were feeling. You had no idea what came over you. This was not the feeling you were expecting when first moving in.

You eventually pulled away, wiping your puffy eyes. Your face was red hot from all the crying.

"I-I'm sorry." You forced a smile on your face.

He looked at you with a comforting smile, his blue eyes flickering between yours.

"Don't be." He whispered, his arm still wrapped around you.

"I'm.... just glad to be here for you." His thumb caressed the back of your hand.

Both of you sat in your new apartment floor in between several boxes scattered. The apartment was cold and bare, but Carmy was radiating heat. You leaned into him with your legs against each other. You looked away from his kind blue eyes and sniffled. You wanted to savor this moment. The peace you felt with him.

Your soft hand under his rough fingertips made him realise that he would be happy staying like this all night. If you wanted him there, he wouldn't budge. His thoughts carried on from what your hand felt like to what maybe your lips would feel like. He could only imagine the tenderness he would feel against his.

What the hell is wrong with you?

She needs you. Don't fuck this up.

You eventually looked up at him again. Your eyes gazed at his beautiful messy hair, his fatigue blue eyes, and... his lips.

You went back to his eyes to catch him looking down at your lips. Your breath caught in your throat. Both of your eyes met in that second. Your faces inches away from each other.

Both of you scared to lean in. Both of you wanted it more than anything.

His rough fingertips grazing your cheek so lightly.

In that moment, you realized what you were risking. Did you really want to go down the same path you went down before? You move for a boy, fall for a boy... get hurt by a boy.

Carmy was all you got right now. You didn't want to risk anything that would make you lose that. As much you wanted to kiss him and give into every urge you had, the sting of your previous mistake was still there in the back of you mind. In this moment, you needed to take a step back before you did something you might regret.

You dropped your head not wanting to look into his eyes with what you were going to say next.

"Carmy...I-I can't," your voice barely audible.

"Fuck, I'm sorry- I don't..." He fumbled.

"I just... I've been here before. I can't make the same mistake,"

Carmy pulled away from you completely. His hands left yours, you felt the absence of heat immediately after he pulled away.

"I-I fucked up, I'm sorry" He shuffled to his feet.

"It's not that..." You tried to get words out, but before you knew it, Carmy had grabbed his jacket and was on his way out.

"Carmen," you sternly called out, getting up from the floor.

But the door was already shut. Your gut was twisting back and forth. You were so dazed on what just happened. It was too fast for you to even digest. You stood there for several moments trying to understand what was going on.

The last thing you wanted to do was hurt him. You felt your stomach churn realizing that you might have destroyed one of your closest friendships. You wanted him, you wanted to explain how you felt. You wanted him to convince you that you weren't making a mistake.

The deep feeling of anxiety in your stomach had emerged again, only this time much worse. As tears rolled down your face, you barely had the energy or will to tear the plastic wrapping off your mattress and root in the box, that was labeled 'bedding', to get a pillow and blanket. You let your body fall back on the mattress and instantly closed your eyes. This was suppose to be a new beginning in a new city. That clearly wasn't happening now that you've hurt one of the only people who you were close to in this city. The sirens in distance helped you phase into a deep sleep. Fatigue finally taking over your body. You didn't have any energy left to do anything else.

Carmy got back to his apartment, his stomach in knots. repeating the last moment he had with you. Remembering the pounding in his heart when looking into your eyes. Then, the sensation morphing into a sharp pain when you said his name in a negative tone.

He couldn't stop thinking about it over and over. He didn't even remember walking home. After you said his name, everything turned into a blur. The tone in your voice made him feel ashamed of himself. Were you disappointed in him as a friend when you needed him most? That you thought he was trying to take advantage of you at your most vulnerable? All these thoughts were whizzing around in his brain. His rational thoughts were no longer pushing through.

Should he have stayed to explain himself? Explain what he felt for you was something real that he's never had before. It's the surest thing that he has in his life right now, his feelings for you.

The last few days his thoughts made it plainly obvious that he wants to be more than friends. He was able to admire you when he usually couldn't. The everyday you. The you that was sleeping, eating, just living. He caught himself smiling to himself multiple times for no real reason. The only difference was, he was around you.

He kicked his shoes in the corner, dropping his jacket on the ground before dropping back on the couch. To say he was deflated was an understatement. The thought of seeing you tomorrow would usually make his pulse speedup but now, he felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

He went through all the awful scenarios in his head. Were you going to ignore him? Or tell him to fuck off? Or tell him that you only ever saw him as a friend? Nothing else.

The last one drove a lump in his throat. He knew he wasn't going to get much sleep tonight. He didn't even care if he didn't. The only thing he wanted now was tomorrow to go by as fast and painlessly as possible.

Chapter 5

Masterlist of other fics

Taglist: wabi-sabi1090

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Riddle, Vil: A Family Affair

Riddle’s vignettes are so… interesting?? We can see how he’s trying to take small steps to have more agency. I like to think that, very slowly, he’s coming into his own as a young man, an entity separate from his mother.

It’s nice that Riddle’s Groovy shows him in a fun pose. You’d think that someone as strict as him wouldn’t want to fly abnormally, but you can tell it's a manner that's unique to him. Riddle may be upside down like Floyd is in his own Broomquet Groovy, but you can tell that there is a marked difference between the two. Riddle’s holding bis broom in a much more secure way, which is reflective of his personality, whereas Floyd is much more precarious in his pose. It reflects their personalities well!

And now we wait for Jamil’s Birthday Platinum Jacket SSR… 👀

A Boy in Bloom, and his Flowering Future.

“What do you want to do in the coming year?”

Riddle cleared his throat and stood straight as he provided his reply. He was the model student, interviewee... and, of course, birthday boy. "I would like to expand my culinary knowledge."

Vil arched a perfectly sculpted brow. "Judging by your prompt response, I take it that you studied the interview questions and prepared suitable answers for them in advance. How like you--but what a surprise that you have a goal that isn't related to school. You're infamous for your tenacity in that regard."

"I-I am capable outside of the realm of academics too!" Riddle hastily said with a frown. “… Though I admit I may be lacking in some departments. That is precisely why I would like to dedicate time and energy to strengthening my areas of weakness.”

"Oh, please. You can't possibly be as nightmarish at cooking as..." Vil paused, shuddering, "Lilia is."

The birthday boy paled at the mention of his senior. Lilia, who left kitchens looking like a natural disaster had torn through an active warzone. Lilia, who tossed in everything under the sink and then some. Lilia, who was known across campus for all manner of food borne illnesses and poisonings.

"Surely not!!" Riddle insisted. "I know how to read and follow a recipe! The issue lies in flexibility. Trey is able to make an entire meal just from leftovers, but I wouldn't be able to do the same."

"My, if you're concerned about food waste, couldn't you simply ask Trey to teach you? I'm certain he wouldn't refuse you. That man is too nice for his own good."

"Perhaps that's true. But even so... this is a skill I'd like to learn for myself. I don't want to become overly reliant on others' strength. What I must cultivate first and foremost is my own. To that end, I plan on enrolling in more Master Chef courses during my time at NRC. There are many styles of cooking I've yet to master. For example, Trey prepares meals that are very different from that of my mother."

"How so?"

"Well..." Riddle hesitated. The way he gnawed at his lower lip reminded Vil of an anxious rabbit--a far cry from the self-assured dorm leader he knew Riddle as.

"Mother cooks with nutrition as her priority. She is very health conscious and goes out of her way to ensure that I am eating what I need. When I am studying at home, she brews tea to drink. It's rare that my entire family comes together for a meal, given that we're all busy.

"Meanwhile, Trey's food is... I can't quite put a finger on it, but it's flavorful and fun, yet balanced. The experiences are unique from my time at home. Sometimes it's something warm, hearty, and comforting like hamburger steak. Sometimes it's something hopelessly indulgent and loaded with sugar, like tarts decorated with jewel-like fruits."

"Your eyes are shining." Vil smirked. "You enjoy his cooking that much?"

"I don't understand it myself," Riddle replied, scrunching his brows. "When Trey cooks, people are lured by the smell and gather around the table, wanting to join for the meal. It happened the other day when I was to eat with him and Cater. Ace and Deuce barged in on us, and... well, I suppose it wasn't all bad. We had a delightful conversation over lunch. There's something magical about that."

"There is a different feeling to eating with others than alone," Vil agreed with a slight nod. "My father and I can hardly align our schedules, so it's rare that we can sit down and eat together. Then again, maybe it's that rarity that makes us appreciate those moments all the more."

"That's right. It's a special spell that I realized I can't reproduce. Just memorizing the recipes and recreating them... that alone isn't enough."

"Fufufu, so you want to master that kind of 'magic'. That's surprisingly cute of you."

"N-No, you're mistaken! While it's true that cooking would come in handy for entertaining guests, it'd primarily be for self-sufficiency. After all, it's not as though I can always ask Trey or my mother to cook for me." Riddle shifted from one foot to another. "Someday, I'll have to move out of my dorm as well as my house, and live independently as a fine adult."

"Yes, cooking is an essential skill for that distant future. Have you already started on making those arrangements?"

"Er, not yet. I've been looking into it, but to actually take those first physical steps is... that is, I don't know how my mother would react."

"She sounds very stern from what you've told me of her. However, every mother must let her child go eventually."

"Maybe so, but I have never known my mother to back down from her beliefs. She's... not a woman you want to challenge." Riddle's voice strained at the final word. It was the lightest way he could put it, too afraid to acknowledge the whole truth. "I've tried to get her to hear me out, but..."

"If you can't draw that line in the sand now, then when? It will only make things more difficult for you when you start live alone."

"I'm fully aware of that." He couldn't bring himself to say more.

Vil sighed, bringing a hand to his temple. "... Listen, Riddle. Think of life as a stage, and you as the actor upon it. Worried about how the audience will react to your performance, working tirelessly to hone your craft.

“When the lights dim and the cameras turn off, the staff and the audience leave the theatre. You’ll be left only with your own thoughts. The onlookers may have one impression of you—but when the curtains fall, so long as you are proud of who you are away from the public eye, that, I think, is a sign of true maturity.

“If it’s courage and confidence that you seek, then you must work toward it. Never let your eyes stray from it. Even should the world deprive you of a happy ending, you must claw for it, believing that, someday, it will be yours.”

“Vil-senpai… Is this your way of encouraging me to see my goals through to the very end?”

His upperclassman scoffed. Thin, soft—like a rose petal, almost imperceptible as it passed upon a breeze.

“Think of it what your will. I merely speak from my own experience,” Vil replied. “We are both prideful NRC students at our very cores. Standing strong on our own two feet is something we all desire. That we can one day recognize that dream… It goes for us all.”

“Recognizing a dream, hm?”

How curious. I wondered not too long ago if it was really possible. Now, here I am, taking those first, small baby steps. A world where I can think for myself, live by my own rules… It sounds like a wonderland within my reach.

Soon, but not yet.

“… One day,” Riddle whispered to himself. “One day, I’ll be the person I want to be.”

Not the person I’m told to be.

A palm came against his back—a pat from Vil. “Really, I thought the dorm leader of Heartslabyul would know better than to mumble. You’re usually so good at barking at your card soldiers. Do remember to speak up—now, and forevermore.”

“I don’t recall asking for your advice.” Riddle brushed off his touch, stepping forward with his broom at the ready. Still, he chuckled. “… But yes, I will work on gathering my courage so that I may be comfortable leaving the nest. Thank you for your concern, senpai.”

“Ara, what cheek.” Vil tossed his golden locks. “If I’m to share the stage with you, then of course your skills must be on par with mine. Don’t you dare disappoint me, understood?”

“Hmph, when have I ever been the type to fall short of meeting expectations? Observe.”

Riddle confidently mounted his broom, assuming the position he had practiced many times over. There was a diagram of this exact pose in the mountain of textbooks he had in his dorm room. Straddling the handle between the legs, arms straight and steady, one hand gripped over the other, elbows locked.

He could have been the textbook diagram himself.

When Riddle looked up, he saw the vast sky, sunlight spilling across the sea that surrounded the island. Sunset on its way to soon paint the day with darkness.

The sky… It connects many different places and people. The future is stretching out before me, chalk full of possibilities.

Then… I can try, can I? To soar, to break free. Just this once…!!

Riddle’s hold on his broom tightened.

He called forth his magic, letting it pool around him in a shower of scarlet sparkles. The power collected, coalescing as a tingling warmth dancing across his skin, until he at last unleashed it in one burst. Like a cap popped off on a bottle.

Riddle buckled off, propelling into the air in a corkscrew motion. Rose petals fell free from his bouquet, perfuming the summer sky with them.

“Whew…!”

He stopped spinning, flying forward upside down. The world shifted, shapes and colors rearranging into a new perspective. His head and vision spun, seemingly colliding all of his senses against one another.

A moment or two later, and they had rattled neatly into place.

Riddle looked again, taking it all in. Rich gold dappling the grand spires of Night Raven College, the honeyed aroma of roses, the wind from on high tickling his lashes. The delicious freedom of flying freely.

“… Hah.”

Who knew it could taste so sweet?

[uwu-co-in]

What majors 'Attack on Titan'characters would have in college AU (part 2):

Source: My Majors

Word count: 1.1k

(part one)

11. Sasha: Crisis/Emergency/Disaster Management

• Sasha was first admitted to a college with the major Culinary Science, along with her boyfriend, Niccolo, but left the course after a month

• I want to eat food not study it was what she retorted to everyone, but in reality, she just felt she would not be contributing enough to the community

• As the major took out for a lot of field work, she signs up for all, and even joined internships from the first year itself, regarding the same

• A procrastinator; crams on the night of the exam, while Niccolo is cooking her assortment of dishes and gets super groggy on examination mornings :')

12. Connie: Graphic Design

• His mother was extremely proud of her son getting into the college; so much that she had told every other person passing on the streets how Connie will be a genius, in whatever tech stuff he is doing

• Opted for a college far away from home, because he wanted to experience life to the fullest by living alone, and learning to fend for himself

• Teaches basic computer science to two kids, and works as a freelancer digital artist, along with juggling his classes

• Loves his subject and puts effort behind it quite regularly, but call him for a party he'd be there with two extra beer bottles, ridiculously shimmery clothes and a party popper!

13. Jean: Architecture

• Look me in the eye and tell me that Jean doesn't look like a dreamy arch student, always carrying his sketchbook along with him and sitting down to draw the building or monument designs that seem to intrigue him

• Was in eighth grade, when Mikasa told him that the way he draws the buildings are very clean. Boom, and he wants to draw them for the rest of his life

• For some reason, his mother did not approve of his subject choice, until one day she found a few building designs doodled in placards sprawled over his desk and reconsidered her opinion

• Loves a good party once in a while, but really wants to work behind the subject so sometimes, calls a rain check

14. Erwin: Intelligence

• Ever since Erwin can remember, he wanted to be in the army, fighting for his motherland. That was what he had wanted all his life, and he had every quality to enlist himself for it until he sustained incurable injuries on his right arm trying to save an elderly couple from an accident

• Intelligence major was a piece of cake for Erwin, for he was a natural leader, acing all his classes with ease. He loves spending time in the library a lot, and his favourite book is rumoured to be 'Crime and Punishment' by Fyodor Dostoevsky

• He is equally loved and lusted by the women in his university, but apart from occasional casual flings, he does not want to engage in a relationship because it 'fuddles his mind'

• His room is speck clean and he likes working out regularly and eating healthy (cooks his own food and is distrustful of the canteen meals)

15. Zeke: Law

• In school, Zeke was reprimanded a lot because according to his teachers, he was 'always quipped with a brash follow-up question, with no regards to authority'. In college, he encashed it by enrolling himself in a law major programme

• He is a big believer in practical knowledge and quickly networked to find internship opportunities to practice and observe lawyers alongside his regular studies

• With an absentee father, he worked two side jobs as a cashier at Starbucks and a private tutor

• He participated a lot in debate competitions and moot courts to enhance his critical thinking and analytical skills

16. Marco: Film Studies

• Always a sweet and dreamy guy, Marco chose film studies because he passionately believes films influence people a lot

• Ask him, and he will name the most obscure movies just to seem like a film student with a mysterious air, while in reality, his favourite movie is Mean Girls

• Likes people watching and tries to do all his college work sitting in a cafe, with 'coffee, coffee, coffee!'

• Has tried making short films, and although the themes and plots have been pretty good, he is yet to get real recognition for them

17. Porco: Aviation

• Ever the cocky guy, Porco took aviation because it made him feel like he was on top of the world

• Scored average in theory but was very skilled in practical knowledge

• His professors have often recommended he enlist for the air force, but he doesn't want to; he wants a low-key life without stress (staning a king who knows the importance of mental health!)

• Flirts A LOT with his fellow classmates, and 10/10 uses his charm to get his homework and assignments done

18. Pieck: Inorganic Chemistry

• Pieck's main goal in life is to see more women in STEM, and thus, her major

• Has excellent mathematical and statistical skills and uses them efficiently to excel

• Straight A student, has the special lucky glasses that she wears while taking her exams

• Very humble and soft-spoken, she is often forced to help others even when she doesn't really want to

19. Gabi: Marketing Research

• Gabi originally wanted to become a footballer and had once run away from home because she felt her parents did not approve of her career choice

• While football is still her passion, she has a newfound love for marketing

• Immense persuasive skills and great essays make her one of the toppers of her batch

• Feels stressed trying to juggle studies and football, but she loves both and can't live life with one without the other

20. Falco: Art History Criticism and Conservation

• Falco loved visiting art museums as a kid, and this love of his followed well into adulthood

• His favourite artist is Monet, and his core memory of college is their field trip to the Sistine Chapel

• Loves art, any art in any form, and appreciates every art he sees; is passionate about learning more and has inculcated the skill of finding beauty in everything

• His dorm room is filled with paintings from roadside artisans that he fell in love with, and on Sundays, he tries painting himself (and fails miserably, but is the happiest)

[det2x-fanfic-dump]

MASTERLIST OF MY TWST FANFICS IN AO3

Legend:

(This is to show what the status of the fanfics are)

Ongoing- Current Working on writing it

Hiatus - Probably caused by writer's block or other fanfic is currently in the works; but not forgotten ; will magically update

Incomplete: Undetermined hiatus ; Closed to dropping or author is forgetting it ;

Open for Requests: This fics can be updated by requesting a chapter. (Comments can be here or in Ao3)

Notes:

Requested Chapters can be slow.

If you want for me to continue those incomplete fics, please comment cuz sometimes my ego gives me motivation if I know someone is still interested in it.

Feel free to request a chapter cuz sometimes...I don't have any idea to continue it)

1. Yuki's Adventure in Twisted Wonderland

Summary: [A retelling of Yuu's story if Yuu is Obey Me's MC as well] Yuki(Obey Me's MC) had accidentally teleported herself to the World of Twisted Wonderland while practicing alone at her room in Cocytus Hall. Upon finding herself inside the coffin, she rediscovered herself in a twisted reality of childhood stories from her human world but also enrolled in a new school. How will she, a human girl adopted in a family of demon brothers return to her home in the devildom now that she’s just a regular magicless girl?

Type of Fanfic: Obey Me x TWST Long Series Fanfiction ; Retelling of TWST Story

Status:

Click on the fic titles for direct access to each fanfic:

MAIN STORY RETELLING:

Episode 00 & 01: Yuki, A Magic-less Sorceress (Prologue & Heartslabyul Chapters): Complete (Chapters 21/21)

Episode 2: Satan, The Kitty Detective (Savanaclaw Chapter) : Complete (Chapters 19/19)

Episode 03: In the eyes of an Otaku (Octavinelle Chapter) : Complete (Chapters 23/23)

Episode 04: A Raven's Guidance (Scarabia Chapter) : Ongoing [First Priority] (Chapters 17/??) - Reason: Other fanfic in the works

TWST EVENT STORY RETELLING:

Finding the Perfect Husband (Ghost Bride Event) : Hiatus (Chapters 22/??)

Banned to Taste (Culinary Crucible Event (Pepper Pandemonium) : Complete; Open for Request (If you want a featured TWST boy that is not in the list) (Chapter 1/1)

Vignettes and Devilgrams (A fic based on the Daily Life between TWST and Obey Cast) : Incomplete ; Open for Request (Chapters 6/??)

It’s not the first time to be isekai’d in a Book (Stitch Summer Turbulence Event) : Complete (Drabbles ; Chapters 5/5)

A Re-creation of Sled on Heels but with the Demon Boys? (Harveston Event) : Ongoing (Chapters 4/??)

(If you want to see a Retelling fic of any TWST event that's not in the list with Obey Me characters and the Sheep MC, comment it down but it will be slow in starting it but it will be on the list)

2. A(li)ce in Musicland: A Musical play General Practice

Summary: There was an upcoming cultural festival in Night Raven College where the seven dormitories had to present something special that relates to their respective house’s founders. Crowley has given Yuu the freedom to choose any dormitory to participate with. It so happens, Yuu decided to join Heartslabyul’s activities along with Grim. Heartslabyul’s doing a play and they insist that Yuu will be director since she’s from another world. It’s always interesting to have someone unfamiliar to everything lead. It might spice up a bit. It’s their first practice and Ace will take the main role of the little girl, Alice…

Type of Fanfic: Multiple Chapter Fanfiction

Status: Hiatus; until ideas came to mind.

Latest Chapter Update : 5 / 7

3. Yuu the Bard: Songs for the Boys

Just a bunch of Parody lyrics inspired or from the existing Disney songs about Twisted Wonderland Characters. Author's Note: This is just my brain meme-ing whenever I procrastinate and can't focus on making twst fanfics or my responsibilities. This will be forever be in complete status because I don't want to force myself writing everyone's parody lyrics

Type of Fanfic: Multiple Chapter Fanfiction ; List of Parody Disney Songs

Status: Incomplete ; This is probably considered Dropped unless a miraculous idea came to mind ; Open for Request tho...but be warned...it might not come true.

Latest Chapter Update : 3/3

Post Updated :March 26, 2025 +8:00 gmt

[clairebonnet]

POKEMON GRANADA AU ARVEN INFO DUMP‼️

Arven was behind to say the least. Despite being the son of the two greatest minds in the world—and only 22–, he was thought of and treated like a complete dud. Really, Arven was very smart, he was just never taught how to properly read or write, or do math. Her brain was never nurtured in a loving environment. He had no support in his early schooling, but still tried desperately to catch up. He spend long nights with Maschiff, trying to catch up with the class, but always falling short. Other kids thought he was weird, and he was often the subject of tormenting. Arvens clothes were all old and dirty, he was always sick, as he never knew how to properly feed himself, and he always got into trouble for falling asleep in class. Arven was a complete punching bag, and would often cry when others picked on him. Really, he just wanted the acceptance of his peers, but he always seemed to draw the short straws in life.

High school changed a lot of things for Arven. For one, he grew- like, a LOT. He stood at just about six and a half feet, and towered over the people who used to call him cruel things. Arven was much too gentle for his own good, and still tried his best to connect with peers. School didn’t get any better, Arven was held back his freshman, and senior year. Maschiff evolved, but was no longer all Arven had in the world. His Home EC teacher, Mister Sugaro became Arvens role model. Sugaro took Arven under his wing, seeing his potential, and taught Arven how to cook properly, take care of himself, and would even help as much as he could with reading, writing, and math. Professor Sugaro eventually transferred to teach in the culinary program of Granada Academy. He offered Arven a spot in enrollment with reduced tuition (He was paying for it).

By some miracle, and intervention from a divine force (Sugaro), he was accepted into Granada Academy. Arven, for the first time in his life, excelled at culinary arts. He’s the best in his class… but just that one. He still struggles heavily with all the extra courses he takes. Arven had friends for the first time in his life, everyone seemed fascinated by him due to his parents. Arven spent much of that first year figuring himself out. He turned out to be quite smooth with girls—and guys, before he realized he was only an ally—. However, many of his friendships fell to the wayside after he realized that people only wanted to be around him just because they thought he was a big deal. Pretty soon, most people got bored of him, and moved on, leaving Arven all alone again.

Arven is now enrolled in Granada University! He still totally sucks at school, but was initially very popular with students! Arven found himself surrounded a majority of the time. He even played up the fact that he’s the son of the professors to get in good with groups. He even turned out to be quite the laddies man—and what the heck? It’s college, he’s exploring—guys man, before discovering the same gender wasn’t something he was interested in. (Straight ally) Arven finally found his footing, but almost IMMEDIATELY got dumped by those said groups. It turned out people who wanted to know him because of his family’s supposedly wealthy status are not the sort you want to hang around. They kicked him to the curb after they found out he was blowing hot air, and Arven was yet again all alone.

During the summer of his first year, Arven went out looking for his mother, determined to find her and… well, he wasn’t exactly sure. Yell at her?? Cry and hug her?? To see why she had abandoned him for most of his life? But all he knew is that he nodded to see her. He traveled to Area zero, encountering a terrifying Pokémon that was unlike anything he had ever seen, his partner Mabosstiff pushed him aside, and charged the creature, sending himself and it deep into area zero. Arven stayed for weeks, waiting for his first and only friend. Finally, Mabosstiff returned to him… in a state. Dark black crystals jut out from under mabosstiffs skin, which caused his trouble walking, and mobility. Slowly, over the course of the next year, mabosstiffs condition would worsen. Mabosstiff must’ve been subjected to terastilization, but his desire to return to Arven allowed him to overcome it— not without damage. Now Mabosstiff stays in his pokeball, unless it’s time to eat, or try a new treatment. Arven is desperate, and is willing to try anything… he HAS tried everything… until he finds a scarlet book while searching through the lighthouse. Things look grim.

Suddenly, going into his second year of college, Arven isn’t concerned with friends or grades—all he wants to do his help his buddy. Claire Bonent, his new roommate, initially buts heads with Arven, their strong personalities bashing against each other. He finds out that she has Koridon, the strange creature that took his mom away, and he heard her talking with the professor about it. It deepens his distain for her— for hanging a relationship with her that he had longed for. Eventually, growing desperate enough, he begs her for her help searching for the mystical herba mystical hidden all over Paldea, bugging her until she begrudgingly agreed. He still hasn’t told her why he was so desperate.. but he promised it would help Koridon.

[moved-to-shijieswife]

shijie who finds comfort in the kitchen, in the rocking motion of a knife and sizzling of a pan. who finds something she loves, something that fills her head.

shijie, who teaches her didis how to cook, something she had to learn from videos and their cooks, something beneath them. who cooks with a-ying, with a-cheng supervising in the background, peeling garlic. who gives her a-die food that he always eats, no matter how experimental or bad, with a smile.

shijie, who has a handwritten recipe book, splattered with batter and flour, running ink, filled with different cakes and sweets. who lets a-cheng chose which one that her and a-ying make. who watches in delight as muqin smiles softly at her as she eats her sweets, only fondly telling her she shouldnt be slaving away in the kitchen all day, this time.

shijie, who secretly grows tired of the beratements and mocking. shijie, who grows forlorn over the cookies she baked for jin zixuan thrown in the trash, in front of her, in front of everyone. who stops cooking for others out of love, now out of duty. shijie, who only finds peace in the kitchen, now, when a-ying sees her, truly, and guides her gently away from the fried rice that a-cheng wanted. from the soup her a-die loves, after a fight with muqin. muqins favourite cake, an appeasement. and finishes them, as she watches and supervises.

shijie, who, after moving half a country away for school, relearns her love for cooking. who learns to do things for herself - she makes her favourite soup. she cuts her hair to the length she'a always wanted, dyes it. who secretly enrolls in a culinary school. who stops talking to her muqin and lets a-ying stay in her apartment.

shijie, who bumps into jin zixuan. shijie, who starts a genuine friendship with the matured version of a boy she moved on from. shijie, who gets a poorly made cookies shoved at her, before jin zixuan runs away with a red face. who relearns her love language of gifts with cooking, as she makes her boyfriend bread he can take home for his apartment.

shijie, who now teaches her son and nephew how to make a-yings favourite soup for his birthday, something she has never told another soul a part from her didis, not even her husband or brother in law. ("its a family secret, lingling, yuanyuan" she whispers, finger to her smiling lips, as two out of five of her favourite boys stifle their giggles with their hands.)

[ashton-sano]

You want what I’m cooking, Boy Girl~?

Now Playing ♬ ♪ :

A lovely request from @kaymerx :3 I shall write this in headcanon form like my usual content so i hope it's to your liking. Sorry for how late this is, depression is crippling.

Erina Nakiri with advanced cook! Reader (specifically with unorthodox ingredients that end up tasting good.)

-When she first met you, she didn't think much of you, you weren't hailed from a particularly high rank family so why would she acknowledge your cooking and–by extension– you.

-Her cooking was that of elegance, sharpened with years of hard work and grueling treatment, none tended to stand as her equal

-The god tongue, known to all as indisputable. A gem in the world of food, a talent so rare it's only natural it'd be gifted to Erina

-No taste was beyond her tongue, all knew of such. Down to the water used to boil it, no part of a dish would go unnoticed.

-Such high ranked talent; it's obvious that her food would reflect that

-You came from a middle class family with a diner that ran in your lineage for years, nothing big, but large enough to hold your whole heart

-It was there that you gained experience a classroom could never teach

-You gained insight and efficiency where the grade was more than a pass or fail, it meant no customers

-Taken after your mother, you loved trying new things. No ingredients were beyond trying no matter how odd

-When you were young, you hadn’t the ability to run to the store and pick up proper ingredients so the only option was to make do with what you had

-Slowly such creativity and unusual thinking as a child grew to your cooking style

-No ingredient can’t be used, even if they weren't good on their own, they could be altered, made anew for the customer to enjoy

-Your parents had confidence in your potential, taking the leap to enroll you into the academy

-The first encounter with Erina was for the entrance exam

-You were tasked with making a dish with the main ingredients as eggs; all other additions were up to you

-She couldn’t describe her confusion. Such odd ingredients weren’t supposed to be good. How in the heavens did you pair squid with poached eggs? The dish was culinary perfection right down to the presentation

-If you didn’t tell her what you used, one might’ve assumed these were grade A exotic ingredients

-You were amongst the only students she passed that day, begrudgingly she can’t hate that

-She didn’t actually say it was great, but her face, the slight tint to her cheeks gave that away

-This academy could only hope to sharpen your skill, you had talent. Students around you couldn’t help but be enthralled with your cuisine

-Who could possibly make natto and pineapple taste like anything less of a disaster?

-You climbed the ranks of top tier students in the school, soon everyone had known of the kid that could make beauty out of the scraps

-At first, Erina was almost in disbelief. It’s not like your food was bad or anything she won’t tell you now that she loved it but was it worth this recognition?

-You were some diner kid, no high class parents or financial backing. What made your cooking so damn special?

-Months of snooping, searching through your files not cause she wants to know you better, it’s cause she wants to make sure nothing is wrong, that’s all

-You were a perfectly average person, so why can’t your cooking reflect that? Even she couldn’t (mentally) deny that you had what not many do. Some of your dishes look 5-star yet come from less than savory sources

-You tended to spend your weekends messing with whatever’s rummaging around the dorm fridge. You’d even ask a dorm mate or two for whatever they had.

-With shrimp crackers, bacon, chive and day old rice. You concocted Onigiri with deep fried bacon and decorated with the vegetable. A simple recipe, nothing fancy

-You and Soma would get along, I fear. You both have no fear in trying anything, no matter how weird. He’s never short of impressed when you turn his monstrous culinary disasters into a dish fit for a noble

-Since when could peanut butter pair so well with the squid?

-The only reason she knows that is cause she’s been personally watching you. She has no real excuse, not a plausible one

-You were intriguing, she just doesn’t know why

-One thing to another and boom, your very first food war with the Erina Nakiri?

-Maybe I should preface that you know next to nothing about her, you weren’t very up to date with that, being holed up in your room most days you didn’t have class

-Today was the first time you even heard of her lineage and such. It wasn’t a surprise to hear, what’s odd about a talented cook going to a cooking school?

-There wasn’t a restriction in ingredients but each chef needed to display their knowledge in temperature control. Hot and cold in one if you will

-She had this in the bag, with her skill, this would be all but difficult. Then she can make sure you leave and still the thrum of her heart when you’re near

-The bet was your expulsion if she were to win, you didn’t have anything you wished to bet. You were happy to cook so freely, the rush of so many watching lit your skin indescribably Souma 2.0?

-Safe to say there’s only a select few that think you have any chance. Even with your talent, it is still Erina. Who could beat her?

-You apparently.

-From how she behaves, i can tell she’d be more than taken aback

-The score, 0-3 in your favor, each judge biased to your dish without question

-The flavor profiles, presentation and combinations were much too refined to overlook yet that doesn't make the sting of utter defeat less infuriating.

-You two don’t interact much after that, even as news spreads

-It’s only when you passed by a classroom on your way to survey the pantry when you stop

-Hm, that blonde girl…is that guava paste and apples? Was she messing about with those?

-She was testing the flavor profiles, but her tweaking of it showed her lack of experience in the craft

-You stood there for at least 15 minutes before she noticed. No doubt cycling through ideas on how to prepare said ingredients

-She leapt back with a blush upon noticing you, squeaking about how rude it is to stare

-You only enter the room, dipping a finger into the tasting dish

“Use Gala apples instead, they’re sweeter and allow the guava to shine just a bit more.”

-Her flustered ramblings were lost on you, it was a sight to see

-She did definitely feel something was off with the taste, but would changing the kind of apple make such a difference?

(It did)

-That day was a weird day for Erina. You didn’t slink back from her tone or give her biting words much attention. You just kept assisting, guiding her through your technique without needing a word of praise

-You two spent the afternoon finishing that glaze, a comfortable silence Erina thought. She didn’t have that often. Someone so close without trying, you didn’t beg for her expertise. You carried yourself as the chef you knew you were, no encouragement required

-At first, she did think you were in over your head. Yet seeing the chef you were before her eyes. No compitetion or prying eyes, just you two.

-That’s the flutter, the one that made her feel like her lungs were on fire. She could barely get her words out when she did speak

-For my sake, let’s skip to after you two start dating.

-You two have the cutest dates. Nothing fancy or expensive. You just head to the market and pick out whatever ingredients look good and cook up together. Every dish held a piece of both of your crafts, unorthodox and refined.

-She figures out quite early how quite you tended to be when cooking

-You had to have interpersonal skills for serving and dealing with customers but it was different when you were in the kitchen

-You moved in calculated silence, words weren’t really necessary then

-You compromised where Erina was concerned. You understand she’s no mind reader, so verbalizing your moves made things go smoother

-You take turns playing Sous Chef for one another in some classes

-seeing you two together never rouses much suspicion if only for the fact that you two only talk of cooking in public

-You’re probably halfway through explaining some weird sounding list of foods you’ve been experimenting with and she just chimes in like she’s known it all her life

-She was taught to be refined in every aspect but I like to think you give her a more spontaneous side

-She’s much more kind when she’s close to you so expect plenty of affection when it’s just you two

-She might think she’s slick about it but even dense as ever, Souma pointed out your silver rings on a gold chain around her neck

This feels like a weird word vomit, I hope you enjoy it. :3

-> Property of ©ashton-sano; Don't post my content on any other platform without credit; much love^^

[yuurei20]

Malleus Facts Part 38: NRC

Malleus did not come to NRC to study academics (“There hardly seems to be much at all I could learn from this school…”), and Lilia explains that he was enrolled in order to broaden his horizons.

Lilia points out that Malleus would not have gone to the trouble of leaving Briar Valley if it was merely knowledge that he sought. Lilia says, “Reach deep within and ponder it seriously. The truth is, you…” but he does not finish the sentence.

Malleus says that there is nothing for him to learn from a magic perspective, and NRC is moreso an opportunity for social studies via experiences such as the Spelldrive tournaments, cultural festival, Halloween events, birthday interviews and more.

Lilia seems to be trying to teach Malleus about coming to terms with loneliness in Book 6, saying that he must accept how different the world is going to be in the next hundred years or so and Malleus responds, “I know. That’s why I enrolled in this school.”

Lilia is often encouraging Malleus to try new experiences such as pursuing a fourth-year internship, attending the Noble Bell College social and inviting him to the Firelit Sky event.

Things we see Malleus experience for the first time include riding in a car, wearing traditional attire of another country, shopping for a souvenir, the whipped-cream-based custom of the second birthday series and selling goods at a festival.

Malleus says that the Culinary Crucible elective was also “more akin to a social studies lesson,” as he normally never cooks for himself.

Lilia comments that Malleus’ bickering with Leona is “precisely the kind of experience he needs,” and reminds him that he needs to adjust to human culture when Malleus becomes frustrated with the fragility of his smartphone.

During Glorious Masquerade Malleus tells Deuce that he is a student just iike the rest of them, and it took courage for him to enroll at NRC: “I’d never experienced living in a place with so many people before.”

[geoshysims]

Star Sign Legacy: Taurus

(Childhood and Teen Years info dump)

Ivy’s parents were always busy. Her mom always be working or at the slopes skiing and her dad was glued to his computer. They had high expectations of her. It was a constant grind to keep up with everything. She was an only child, which felt pretty lonely at times. With her parents always hustling, she felt a need to contribute to her family. Ivy kept wondering how she could help out at home.

The family didn’t have meals together every evening, which led to her having to cook dinner quite often. This is where Ivy found her love for cooking and cuisine. She felt at home in the kitchen.

After graduating high school early, Iris pushed her to enroll in a culinary program at Britechester. However, Ivy despised school and had no desire to go back. Instead, she wanted to open her own food stand. Kenji believed in his daughter’s dream, but Iris was skeptical. They had worked so hard to save up to pay for Ivy’s college education.

After months of arguing, Iris finally agreed to use some of the college savings as an inital investment in the food stand. It was a rough start, but Ivy’s Pizza Paradise became a hit in San Myshuno.

Ivy has always had big aspirations, they just weren’t academic. She ran her food stand for the remainder of her teen years. Meanwhile, day dreaming about a successful career as a chef and restaurant owner.