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#I have a right to deny comments but I probably won't unless I did get something horribly complicated XD
mushroom-for-art · 6 months
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Remembers this is an art blog and not just a pokemon blog let's goo lmao XD template made by the amazingly talented @blues-sues!!
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mermaidsirennikita · 2 years
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There's definitely a connection going on with the whole sanitized media, purity culture, unproblematic fave era that's happening right now. You brought up David Bowie who is not the only one. There comes a point when people don't want to pull on the thread because they will realize most popular entertainers have been accused (and are most likely guilty) of assault, domestic violence, rape or have probably been with underaged girls or boys. And as much as they don't want to be seen enjoying, stanning or shipping something problematic that's in fact impossible. So that's why we get people defending or denying or outright refusing to acknowledge the problematic behaviours of not only their faves but people in popular culture.
I think people do need to accept that the vast majority of the people they like, who are famous, have done something they won't like. Depending on when the person became famous, some of the sins may be lesser... But it's a fucked industry. You could have someone posting a really shitty slut-shaming comment, someone liking something they shouldn't. Tbh, social media usage is the downfall of most more recent/"woke" celebs today--people need to realize that they really shouldn't have public social media accounts unless they're going to pay a social media team. And even using a private account is dangerous, unless you seriously limit who has access and ensure that your password is changed constantly.
Then there are more serious crimes--actual crimes. Most of your favorites, especially if they are male, especially if they are white and male and of a certain era, have done something fucked. Even the squeaky cleanest of people... just aren't perfect.
The issue that we have in this purity culture is that people don't understand that everyone's threshold is different. For example--I know David Bowie had sex with underage girls. I also do enjoy his music. It's something I have difficulties with. I also love Prince's music, despite him doing the same shit. I can still listen to their music and enjoy it; I am figuring out how to do that while acknowledging what they did and not supporting that, but it's difficult, right? And the threshold is personal; I used to fucking love some Michael Jackson songs, but what I've heard from his victims....... I can't handle that anymore.
However, all of those men? Hugely important to music history, development, and pop culture. No matter what else comes out about them, on top of the other horrid shit, that is literally impossible to change, and that's something a lot of purity police seem to struggle with. It super doesn't matter if you say "DID Y'ALL KNOW THAT PRINCE HAD SEX WITH UNDERAGE GIRLS???? JAIL FOREVER, HOW COULD YOU EVER LISTEN TO PRINCE". The impact has been made. There are artists who wouldn't exist now without Prince, Bowie, MJ--and there are artists who will exist because of those artists, and so on. There are millions of moments that have been made in pop culture and in individual people's lives because of these artists, because of Elvis, and so on. And we can acknowledge this and discuss it and critique it and make an effort to not support artists who still do this shit, but we cannot pretend that these people who did horrible shit didn't shape culture. I'm sorry. We just can't. You'll sit there saying that Bowie is evil and rotting in hell and you'll never support him, and boom--you go to a movie and a Bowie song is playing. A song that would not exist if Bowie hadn't existed is playing.
That's kind of the nature of the game, and always has been. Successful artists make a fuckton of money for their industries, please their patrons, what have you... And so they are given excuses. It super doesn't fucking matter if you like it or not, so how about let's not focus on shaming people for enjoying those artists in a world that encourages them to do so, and we focus on processing what these artists have done and taking steps to ensure that people can't do what they do in the future. I'm not going to beat you up for loving Bowie's music--but I am going to have an issue with you trying to cover up his bad behavior. I'm just not going to be an obnoxious asshole and be like "DIDN'T YOU KNOW WHAT HE DID????" when I fucking know you know what he did.
And the same can be said for historical figures in general by the way. It's not just about music or film or TV, etc.
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appleofthemoon · 2 years
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yuyu is my nickname! the only thing...my name's too short to have a nickname in the first place lmao. but it's really cute and i like it. i had no idea that yunho was called that! i'm not into ateez that much but they're all so excellent :D
wishing you luck for both of them!! and also hoping you can relax for a good period of time and that stuff doesn't come too quickly so that you can have time for yourself.
always supporting you, apple! <3
honestly i just tag my usual ones and if it doesn't show up, i really don't want to care about it anymore. it'll show up in the tags in at least a day, there's no point in reposting because it'll just happen again and i'll get annoyed lmao. usually it's not just one tag not working for me, it's every single one...so yeah...i just learned not to care about that anymore.
noooo! maybe because your format of blurbs are different than what people are used to. i mean, when i first started reading them, i really liked them also because it was a different form of writing yanderes and leaving lots of room for imagination. maybe it's just not a style suited for other people, but please don't say you're not amazing because you are, and don't compare yourself because you're amazing and i know you are and don't deny it please!
i'm glad you enjoy what you write though, that's something that's always good to have. i love writing too, and i love yours. ooooo, enha in your country?? very cool! (also, yes, i did just uno reverse you, mwahahahahaha.)
i always change the first sentence at least twice, and the ending sentence at least once when i write fics lol. i always change the whole story around them if it doesn't make sense or i come up with a mysterious one-liner that makes you think.
well your name is already cute as it is so a nickname isn't really needed... unless you want one ofc !!
i already have to juggle my studies with making sure my brother's getting through okay in school so i'm carrying bags under my eyes and they're sadly not designer branded <///3
...something caught in my eye...it got caught again...and again...
tumblr is cool and all but the tags. i do wonder, how often does the staff gets emails relating to that issue— i used to get disheartened when i saw a lack of notes on my posts then i go 'oh right.. tags.'
honestly i think i love writing the blurbs the most because a. they come easier to me and b. the occasional comment where a reader (mostly you <33) picks up where i left the story makes my heart go dududu ~
right? i wanted to go because it's a fanmeet but then being the responsible person i sometimes am, i chose not to because then i'll have to buy beauty products that i probably won't even use because i don't know if my skin will react well to them. also because i know my inability to talk to people will act up the moment i come face to face with mr. park jongseong.
and you do a vv good job when it comes to making us readers think. because i can, here's only w/ jake, dreamy w/ hyunjin and good w/ soobin !!
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idjitlili · 3 years
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The Goblin king...the one without warts.
Thorin x reader.
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(Not my image.)
Summary:Imagine being apart of the company, of course Gandalf shoves you in with no choice. Growing close to Thorin eventually, after stopping at an inn.
A/n:Anon request includes ,but I won't spoil it. I do not own any characters.
Word count:4682
Characters:Y/n, the company, humans, elves, and David Bowie as Jareth.
Songs:ziggy stardust, as the world falls down.
Warnings: Alcohol, just ale. Uh mentions of jareths pants , and reference to a jareths 'magic'
It's only forever, it's not long at all. Only if we have forever, but we all die. We are not elves, we are not Morgan Freeman. Unless, you aren't telling me something?
Thus, you must take risks; to live the life you want to. The reason that you finally agreed to go an adventure, via Gandalf's request. Not that the leader of the group, that you'd be joining on this adventure,  did not like the fact that a hobbit was joining , let alone alone you, a human, female. Not impressed to say the least.
You had just ignored the tree trunks insults, and seeking the company of the small hobbit. Both of you were in the same position, except you could maybe launch Thorin over a cliff. 
Unknowingly Thorin had created a friendships, well between you, Bilbo, Fili and Kili. After you and Bilbo had decided to mock Thorin in secret.
"Wait, wait, I've got one." Standing up placing one leg on the log, hands on hips, head up , shaking you head slowly as if the wind was blowing it. "How's my hair?" Mocking Thorins low voice, looking at Bilbo who had stopped giggling, moving his eyes crazily to gesture behind you.
Turning your head slightly, to see Thorin staring at you. " Can I help you?" Unmistakable using a lower voice than normal, Thorin scrunched his brows together slightly. "What are you up to?" His eyes glazing over your stature, and posture.
"Oh, If you must know, Bilbo has been making sure that my family jewels have not dropped off due to my massive ego, last time he had to stitch them up because I am such a prick. Not that I could produce because I'm like 160." Maintaining eye contact with Thorin, chest fully pressed into the air, basically superhero pose, now off the log.
Thorin did not understand what you were talking about. "Get your things , we are moving on." Bilbo had just covered his mouth facing down, his eyes looking up.
“Do not test me , Y/n, I will throw you off a cliff, as if you was an end of bread. You are not worthy of this journey," Kili and Fili had been sat by, watching the scene unfold, as Thorin just stared at you. Kili walking over to you.
"Uncle!"
"My sisters son," Pulling Kili into a bear hug, him being the little bear, before pushing him off of you. "Get of me, people will think I'm soft, I am pure steel."   You had not even noticed Thorin leaving.
"That was horrible," It really was, could you be anymore cringy? "You annoyed Uncle though, I am surprised he didn't put you into line." Fili didnt speak much, but when he did, it wasn't useless trivia.
"My arms may have no muscle, but does not mean I couldn't carry both Bilbo and Kili to their horses." Okay, maybe you would be able to actually, but it gained the trios attention. "I highly doubt that, y/n"
Bending your knees so that your back was in front of Kili, hands ready to grab his calves. "Y/n, are you sure? I don't want you t-"" we don't have all day, Kili."
" okay, Thorin." You had scoffed, as Kili had managed to get on your back, arms around your neck, legs around your front. "No, no,no not me." Bilbo shook his head furiously, in disagreement , as you gestures for him to get up.  "Bilbo , please." Bilbo had sighed , as Fili watched you then pick up Bilbo, holding him Bridal style.
It was like carrying nothing, it was definitely a lot of weight, yet you still put in a face and walked through camp with them. Even if you couldn't fight, you weren't completely weak.
You had gained the attention of the dwarves, who Kili waved by in excitement , Bilbo just pretend to be dead in embarrassment.  Thorin had caught your eye for a second as you walked by him, lift Bilbo onto his pony, Thorin told you pack, you were packing...Kili had then gotten off your back when you had kneeled down.
But what you didn't know, was that Thorin eyes were on you most of everyday during the the journey, you just happened to be oblivious to the gazes on you. 
If you did catch Thorins gaze, you just thought that he was judging your actions,others picked up on their kings behaviour.  Though they did not tell you, they did tease Thorin. Well only Dwalin , Kili and Fili dared to.  Actually it was Bilbo who noticed first.
It was probably a few days after almost being eaten by trolls, that Thorin had began to develop feelings. At first he had just thought that you were mildly annoying like his nephews, that impression, was terrible. But once you were all captured by trolls...
You had pretended to be dead, the trolls had tossed you aside, and every time they were not looking you would crawl slightly. Tossing you aside for dessert. Thorin had caught this. Pulling faces as at him, as you slowly got closer, Thorin watching for the trolls.
When you had gotten next to Thorin, you had pulled a knife from you pocket , cutting the sack he was in. You had cut through quite a bit of the sack; when Thorin had pulled his hands out lifting you , shoving you into the sack with him, just as Berts eyes had glided over the dwarves.
That was when the trolls had noticed you had disappeared, but you were stuffed into the bottom of Thorins sack. You were too tall for the sack, your legs curled up, back inbetween Thorins legs. "Where is the human?!" The trolls had began to looking around finding no sign of you ,the moved on soon enough.
"Uh...the-the secret to cooking dwarf, is um..." Bilbo had tried to distract the trolls , after seeing Gandalf of course you couldn't see , you could only smell Thorin.
"Uh...not...not that one, he...he's infected!"
"You what?"
"Yeah he's got worms in his...tubes."
"Ooh!"
"In-in fact, they all have. They're infested with parasites, it's a terrible business, I wouldn't risk it, I really wouldn't."
"Parasites? Did he say parasites?" The dwarves were not the smartest bunch to say the least.
"Yeah, we don't have parasites! You have parasites!"
Thorin had realised that Bilbo is trying to buy them time and kicks Kili, but ends up smacking you with his calf, making you groan , only for Thorin to gently squeeze your shoulder, the trolls had been too busy listening to dwarves , that they never heard your quiet groan.
Gandalf soon had arrived, saving you all as always, the trolls turned to stone. It didn't take long for Bilbo to realise you were missing still. "Where's y/n?"
"I'm over here, Bilbo." You could not get out of the sack neither could Thorin, without someone helping you out. Kili being next to Thorin, had heard your voice, turning to see his uncles, feet looking a bit too pointy. "Where?"
Bilbo had turned in circles in search, Thorin just later there with the most unimpressed face.
"Bilbo, she's over here." Bilbo had hoped over , out of the sack, before opening the sack at the top to allow Thorin could shuffle out. Standing up, Thorin had pulled you up and out by your hand.
"T-thanks, um, your thighs are very comfortable, if I was murderer , I would make them into pillows. Oh, um, thanks , uh," your face flushed pink, noticing how you sounded and that both Bilbo and Kili was right next to you. Sometimes you are ought to think before you speak, a common term taught to children, yet you do not. You had rushed off back to camp, after that.
Tis was a compliment to dwarves for a woman to comment on their thighs or stature.
That was it, Thorin began to notice things about you, you helping Bilbo onto his pony when he needed help, even if he didn't directly ask. The way you'd slip on mud , even if it was dry, save yourself and look around wide eye if anyone had seen. How your arms got tired as you'd try to plait your hair. Slapping Kili gently on the back of the head if he said something mean about one of the others. Normally Kili picked on Ori's knitting .
Of course, Thorin thought his affections only went one way. You could not deny, the dwarven king was intoxicating, you were highly attracted to him. He was a mean guy, no he was not , he didn't want Bilbo to get killed going in this journey to help him.
You hadn't spoken to Thorin directly really, well until he allowed the company to stop at an
inn for the night, which everyone was happy about. The Dwarves were mostly excited for ale. You just hoped they had a deep clean...
Luckily they did , and soon everyone was a sat tables in the pub, 3 separate ones, you being stuck next to Thorin ,Bilbo next to you, Bofur next to him,Kili and Fili so on. Next came the ale, being pushed in front of you all.
Bilbo asked for a tea, but Bofur wouldn't have it, so there sat Dildo sipping at the pint of ale. Whilst everyone drank down theres soon enough, you just drinking it , because you was shoved against Thorin. After your fourth ale that's when you heard it.
A noise like a hurricane , the soaring winds of the mans pipes opened.
"Oh
Oh, yeah
Ziggy played guitar
Jamming good with Weird and Gilly
And the Spiders from Mirkwood
He played it left hand
But made it too far
Became the special man" Looking over to the small stage, a skinny man, with a huge blond Mohawk stood, his bare chest exposed showing a large pendant on his lower chest.
"Then we were Ziggy's band
Ziggy really sang
Screwed-up eyes and screwed-down hairdo
Like some cat from Japan
He could lick 'em by smiling
He could leave 'em to hang" Your breath hitched, as your eyes travelled down to his pants, he wore a legging type pants, showing off everything
"They came on so loaded, man
Well-hung and snow-white tan
So where were the spiders
While the fly tried to break our bones?
With just the beer light to guide us
So we bitched about his fans
And should we crush his sweet hands?" The dwarves and hobbit noticed your change, following your eyes to the man on stage.
"Do you know him?" Fili had snapped you out of your trance quickly, "o-oh, um, I haven't seen him for a long time."
"Who is he, lass?" Thorin said nothing just stared back between you and the man, as you kept glancing at him. Bofur had waited for your reply, calling over more ales. "my best friend ." That was the truth, not that anyone knew but you had wished yourself away to the goblins, thus a friendship bloomed.
Growing up you didn't have many friends, you still don't , Jareth was always there for you, you didn't want to out him being a fae.
"He was the nazz
With God-given ass
He took it all too far."
That's when he caught your eye, sending you a wink before continuing to sing with ease.
Half an hour later, you were starting to feel a little more free, after more ale, leaning onto Thorin for support.
"There's such a sad love
Deep in your eyes a kind of pale jewel
Open and closed." Jareth had started his 15 song of the evening, you had jumped up, well start up. "Thorin! Come on, let's dance." You had pushed him slightly. "Why?"
"Just come on, 'deep in your eyes a kind a pale eye,' that's you so you must dance with me, please." Thorin had finally had budged , standing up, his eyes were gems indeed. You had grabbed onto Thorins hand pulling him onto the cleared floor. You didn't know how to dance not really, but it was the heat of the moment. Well actually you had danced with Jareth during his masquerade.
"Within your eyes
There's such a fooled heart
Beatin' so fast." Placing one hand onto Thorins shoulder, the other into his hand, you could only hope you weren't making a fool of yourself. Jareth did like to be generous.
"In search of new dreams
A love that will last
Within your heart
I'll place the moon."
Looking into Thorins , bright eyes, which stared back into yours, you followed suit with steps , you hadn't realised that Jareth had changed your clothes into a white gown and sorted your hair, but the others and Thorin noticed. Following Thorins eyes down to your clothing you had get let out a snort.
"Within your heart
As the pain sweeps through
Makes no sense for you
Every thrill is gone" The dwarves hadn't seen Thorin dance since he was a prince, yet there he was with you dancing. Your eyes never leaving Thorins, as you danced in sync, turning together in a circular motion.
"I cannot wait for you to see Erebor." Thorin voice was quiet not to interrupt the music. You had grinned in confusion. "I thought you didn't want me on this quest? Why would you want me to see Erebor?"
"Wasn't too much fun at all
But I'll be there for you-ou-ou."
"So that you can attend a proper ball." You had smirked at the King, who just smiled at you.
"Well, you have got plenty of time to tell me all about Erebor, on this journey, that is if you speak to me after this."
"As the world falls down
Falling."
"As you wish." Thus you both just went back to just dancing smiling a little more now.
"As the world falls down
Falling
Falling in love." Though there was a room full of people surrounding you, it felt as if you were in your own world.  Your own crystal...
"I'll paint you mornings of gold
I'll spin you Valentine evenings though we're strangers 'til now
We're choosing the path
Between the stars." You could only hope that everyone would make it to Erebor...
"I'll leave my love
Between the stars
As the pain sweeps through
Makes no sense for you
Every thrill is gone
Wasn't too much fun at all
But I'll be there for you-ou-ou
As the world falls down" As the song finished, you had pressed a kiss to Thorins cheek, Jareth was having a break, you had let go of Thorin, telling him you'd be right back.
Still in your puffy gown, you had made your way over to Jareth standing at the bar with a glass of what could only be described as some sort of rose fancy drink, fit for a fae king. Jareth had placed the glass onto the side, holding his arms out for you.
Jumping into his arms, spinning you around, legs up , before placing you back onto the floor. "Jareth, I missed you." Jareth grinned back you showing his teeth , "as have I missed you, so you and the dwarven king?" Jareth had looked passed to you to Thorin, you looking back too to see Thorin glaring.
"Uh, I dont know, did you know we was going to be here?" Jareth had grinned larger, confirming his answer. "Come meet my friends quickly." You had grabbed Jareth by his hand leading him to your table.
The dwarves and the hobbit had looked up from their conversations, mostly with smiles. "Uh, guys , this is my best friend , Jareth, Jareth this is Bofur, Fili,Kili,Thorin and Bilbo." You had gave Jareth a side hug, he had clicked his fingers and you were in your regular clothes. " 'ello," Thorin had looked Jareth over as you squashed next to Thorin ,with Jareth next to you.
"So, what are you?" Kili bluntly asked,staring at Jareth in interest. "He's the g-ubli- king." Jareth had silenced you for a second blurring the word Goblin. "I'm sorry , what?" Bilbo Baggins was always intrigued by others, especially if you looked like Jareth. "He is a king."
"Of what."
"Now that , Bofur, is for you to figure out." Jareth was indeed a confusing, mysterious man, he seemed to have sobered the dwarves up.
"How did you do that with the dress?"
"You are a very curious lot , aren't you? - "
Jareth could be nasty, you were surprised with his behaviour.
"Well, then how did you meet him , y/n/n?"
" she wished to be taken."
"...Y-you are th-" Bilbo knew he had heard of the man he had heard sing, his books had had came in use. But again Jareth had cut Bilbo off, he knew what Dwarves were like.
"Clever hobbit."
Now, my love, if you need me you know what to do." Jareth had turned to you , pulling you into a hug, looking at Thorin, with a devilish grin. Only if you had know what he had put into Thorins head.
Really he just said, "I will turn you into pie for my Goblins, if you hurt my y/n." That was it, he was gone, you had been hugging air for a good second, before turning back to the group of men , who just stared at you.
"Uh? What?"   Bofur, Kili and Fili exchanged looks of agreement.
"You and that strange man, yep, that definitely happened."    The smirk inlaced into Kili's voice, as he stared at ,waiting for a response. You had only scoffed at " I'll call him back, and you ask him, I'm sure you'd him to make you into a pie for his Goblins." In that moment, Thorin had realised that Jareth, wasn't just a thin stick, he clearly had fed someone to his Goblins before, Thorin didn't want to find out if that was true.
Thus, the subject was dropped, and that was it,though the other dwarves wanted to know what just happened, and Gandalf didn't give a shit or already knew.
Well that was it until you had all left Rivendell , clean for now, only to get captured by Goblins.
No way were they anything like the unwanted children, absolutely. Stuck next to Thorin, you stuck out being human, wishing you had stumbled onto the actual Goblin king. Thorin had pulled you down and shielded you from the whips.
You could only wish... but you didn't Gandalf saved you all again.
Back on the road again, until Thorin gets chewed up by a warg, you rushing towards him, as the dwarves fought off the wargs and orcs. Only for the eagles to arrive , seeing an eagle fly at you and Thorin, you had laid careful onto him. The eagle swooping you both up . "Hey Thorin, are you alive? maybe I can use those thighs a scarf sometime?"
Thorin did not wake up, until Gandalf had done some magic shit, him and Bilbo became best friends. 
Then you were all captured...again, by the worst kind of elves. Dumb blonds, no, Thranduil was just a dick. All of you were stripped down to one layer , all but Thorin  and you , were shoved into cells. You was asked the general question, why are you travelling with dwarves, well actually that was it.
You had pretended to faint.  When Thranduil stood over your head to see your face, you had pretended to wake up, punching him right in the dick. "O-oh my I-"
"Take them away!" Thorin was surprised you were not executed on the spot, oh how he tried to hide his laughter, as the elven knelt in agony ,and you were both dragged away. Shoved into a cage today, before the elves stomped away. Of course , Balin asks Thorin what happened, instead of telling him what you had done, he had simply said about him shouting in Khuzdul.
" Hey, are you coming to my execution tomorrow? I wonder if my last words should be 'being an elf there's only one down fall, once you get to Thranduils age, your cock shrivels up ," Thorin had snorted , and that is when he saw it, your hair...looked like radagasts hair ,but without poop and birds.
Thorins eyes had stared too long, it was clear to you, you were just talking to him, of course you'd see him staring. Your hair. Well yes that was embarrassing, a king was literally making fun of your hair by his silent judging.
"You're judging my hair? Did you not see radagasts?" Thorin had snapped out of this stare, realising what he had been doing, a light blush upon his face. "You are right, " that's he had said, and went back to looking at your hair.
Sighing you had sat on the cold stone, let again breaking Thorins stare. "Are you going to do my hair or just stand there?"
"Are you sure?" Accepting his offer Thorin was quickly sat behind you, combing your hair, of course you didn't know about dwarvish customs. You didn't know you had just accepted his courtship,but you had.
It wasn't long before your hair was braided completely , and just as you had stood up Ori had spoken up. Though you didn't here what he had said but you had heard Bilbo. "Not in here your not." A jingle of the keys and you were free, well lead to the cellars while the others questioned Bilbo.
Soon enough well when Thorin had convinced the dwarves to get in the barrels, via Bilbos request, leaving just you and Bilbo out. Until  Thorin had gestured you over, helping you inside the Barrel, but you stuck out more than the others,you wondered why Bilbo didn't get in one with one of the other dwarves. You barely in the barrel when Bilbo had pulled the lever,gripping onto Thorins shoulders as you were both submerged for a spilt second. Thus, you were off , trying to escape the elves , squished against the dwarven king, that you had unknowingly courted.
Kili was shot, and Bombur did some extreme parkour, and boom you had reached land. Soaking, freezing, lucky your hair was all braided back,  thanks Thorin. Stopping to allow Kili's leg to be wrapped up , to prevent further blood loss.
Dwalin had almost give you a heart attack ,as you stood twisting the water out of your clothing.  "Who did you hair ,lass?" He had basically popped up beside you , inspecting your braids , his voice louder and powerful.
Looking at the dwarf, who looked right back waiting for your answer , already knowing the answer.  "Thorin did, why?" Dwalin only hummed before returning to his brother, him surprisingly whispering to his brother, Fili and Kili had looked at each other in disgust.   Even though Kili was supposedly in pain.
"Do that again and you're dead."  Snapping your head up, to the unfamiliar voice..was that orlando bloom? A human, a man with shaggy dark hair, worn out clothes , beautifully structured face. Boom, you had been able to board passage on his barge.
"Why is a woman travelling with 13 dwarves and a hobbit?"  You had coughed, turning around to face Bard, you weren't very sure what you was supposed to say. "Well, um-" " She's travelling with us because she's betrothed to uncle."    Fili had spoken up, saving you from revealing everything, still you had turned to Fili, eyebrows scrunched in confusion, Fili and Kili smirked.
"You are courting a dwarf?" Thorin had scoffed, as Bard kept his eyes on the lake, his tone was almost unimpressed. "Well, I almost fucked a fae s-" "y-y/n! That's not a-appropriate." Bilbo had choked out, without a thought.
"Come on, Gaggins, did you not see the pants he wore? His magic-"
"Enough." Thorin had interrupted you sharply, snapping your head towards the clearly annoyed King, walking over to him, punching his cheek. "Awwe, jealous of Jareth? You have a lot to live up to. Does your dick grow even after erecttion? I call it his magic c-"
" Hold on." Bilbo had pointed his pipe at you, staring at you, " How do you know that?" Bilbo had coughed again , with his cheeks red trying not to cry. "Don't tell him, maybe I held eye contact with not his eyes many times without him noticing , plus I asked him if he could grow tall as a house, and he said yeah, so I just assumed. I swear 100% I never walked in -"
"Hello, love."  You had jumped out of your skin, turning around, there stood Jareth, your face flushed red, shoving him gently. "Oh- , not nice Jareth, could've died from shock."  Jareth only ignored you, looking at your hair, his hand skimming over it , in interest.
"I heard you speaking of my cock, y/n/n, I'm flattered, but with those braids , I'm afraid you are no position to be making advances on me."  Lips slightly touching your eyes, as the vibrations of his whisper sent chills down your neck. “Well, what position do you want me in?” Pressing your back right against Jareths, his hot breath heightened onto your jeck. Thorin was fuming with anger, the dwarves didn’t know what to make of the situation.
“Y-y/n, enough do you not know what you have agreed to by those plaits?”
You had turned quickly pulling  Jareth away from the dwarves, well as far you could get anyways. "W-what are you talking about? What about the plaits?" Jareth had laughed loudly, getting the attention of the the dwarves , as you reached up to touch the braids.
"Oh, love, you don't know. Those plaits especially when done by a dwarf , signifies courtship, you have accepted." Eyes widened at the king, as he smirked at you, laughing lightly.
"What do I do? I am courting a king, I mean it’s not like I don’t like him , it’s j-“
“You are just being dramatic, you both share affections for each other, so what’s the problem? You know what to do if you need me.”poof he was gone, again.
So you had made your way over to Thorin, pulling him to his feet by his tunic, his eyes wide, as you pressed your lips to his harshly. His hands making their way into your hair, pulling you closer to him, kissing you back.
Your hands now under his jaw, the company well, they were as you could expect...cheering loudly. Pulling away from his lips, still in his hold , as you looked into his bright blue eyes.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Tell you what?”
“That consenting you to braid my hair , meant that I accepted your courtship? I would’ve anyways, but I had to find out from Jareth, I thought that was just a ruse to explain why I was travelling with a bunch of dwarves.”
“Sorry, thought you knew.”
“You hear that Lads, she thought he braided her hair out of the kindness of his heart.” Company had burst into mocking laughter, but you and Thorin had ignored it.
“Well, if we are going to get married, I need the goblin king as our wedding singer.”
“Goblin king?”
“What? You didn’t know, Jareth is the goblin king. Not that wart of a goblin, “
Thorin had only stared at you.
“No, you can’t kill him, his dick would come off and fuck you in the ass.”
“I’m sorry, who’s dick would what?” Bilbo had popped up , with disgust and confusion upon his face.
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jean-kayak · 3 years
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Anon Request: Hi. Can I request knb gom asking the girl they like out scenario. Thank you.
A/N: Ofc anon, here you go! I hope you like it!
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He's actually liked you for a while. You were one of the first people that actually saw him. He was actually about to run into you when you stopped and apologized. Since then, his feelings for you continued to grow. Every time you were both walking in the hallways, you always made sure that no one would run into him, and it made his heart flutter so bad, he literally thought it would explode.
When Kagami finally gives him enough courage to try and ask you out, he actually becomes so nervous that you don't even see him coming up to you in the hallways. "Oh, Kuroko, you scared me, that's a first. What's up?"
He almost chickens out right there, the smile on your face making him even more nervous, and he tries to keep his heartbeat out of his ears just in case he disappears right in front of you. "Um, on Saturday there's this new movie coming out, and I was wondering if you wanted to go see it..." He trails off, hesitant to add the last part, but he swallows his words and does it anyway. "Like a date?"
Your smile widens as you nod your head quickly. "Yes, I would love to go on a date with you."
He almost doesn't hear it, but when your answer fills his ears, he's smiling so big that his face hurts, and his heart is still racing.
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He wasn't even sure if you had felt the same way, and Kasamatsu was getting annoyed that Kise was distracted. He had always gotten gifts from fangirls, but he realized soon enough that he only wanted them from you, but despite his usually confident personality, he was way more than nervous to try and ask you out.
And every time he finally got enough courage to ask you, someone would come along and interrupt him, showering with gifts while you start your walk home, and he never got a chance to ask you to stay. He whines to Kasamatsu about what he should do, and he tells him that he should just ask you when no one else is around before kicking him back onto the court.
So, he asks you to stay until practice is over, which you don't mind, and he has you meet him outside the gym. In the back of his mind, he thinks that this probably wasn't the best idea because he's all sweaty, but luckily you won't see how red his face is.
He hands you a huge bouquet of flowers, maybe a little too excitedly because you almost drop them as your eyes widen. "Woah, this is huge. Your fans gave you this?" you ask in disbelief.
He rubs his hands together as he shakes his head. "They're for you."
Your eyebrows raise as you look down at the flowers and back at him. "For me? What for?"
"I was wondering if you would like to go on a date? With me?" The question's out there now, and now he waits for the answer he's been dreading.
"Really? I would love to."
"It's okay if you don't--" He stops himself as his eyes widen. "Wait, you said yes?" You nod as you chuckle softly, and he gives you a big hug in excitement, momentarily forgetting that he was a sweaty mess.
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He didn't even realize that he actually had feelings for you until Takao pointed it out to him. But as soon as he did, it seemed to be the only thing he could focus on. Whenever you would talk to him, his nerves got the best of him, and he was always having trouble responding because he found himself focusing more on you than the conversation.
He starts noticing that whenever he has a lucky item every day, that you're more so interested and amazed rather than teasing him about it like the team does, and that doesn't bother him, but how you respond makes him realize how big his crush is.
He's actually reluctant to ask you out, and Takao rolls his eyes before almost pushing him into you and running away before Midorima can catch him. He pushes his glasses up on his nose before he takes out a small teddy bear and handing it to you.
"It's your lucky item for today," he says, having to clear his throat to try and conceal his nerves. You take it excitedly, your eyes running over the cute bear when you notice that there's a note wrapped around the neck.
"You don't have to say yes, and you can keep the bear." He quick to speak when he sees you read it, and his luck isn't the best today, so to say he's a little nervous is an understatement.
"So, when is this date happening?"
He raises his eyebrows slightly. "You're saying yes?" You chuckle again as you nod your head, and he visibly relaxes, a small smile appearing on his face.
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You were a part-time manager for the team, and apparently, Aomine was the only one who didn't notice that he was only showing up to practice when you were there. He brushed it off every time someone commented on it, and the team was even more surprised when he started showing up even though you weren't there.
Momoi actually pushes him about it, telling him that his reasoning behind it was because he liked you, and it didn't even dawn on him until he was trying to take a nap on the roof. He still tried to deny it, but almost every conversation he had with you about practice, was you telling him that he still needed to go even if he wasn't going to practice.
Of course, when he shows a little bit of agreement, Momoi gets excited and tells him that he has to ask you out, which he denies quickly, but the more he thinks about it, the less of a bad idea it sounds. He tells her that he doesn't want her help, that he is more than capable of asking you out on his own.
But that doesn't mean he's any less nervous.
He thinks about how he could ask you, but every outcome is just him asking you out on a date awkwardly, and he almost gives up on the idea until you come up to the roof to get him to go to practice.
"Aomine, I thought we made a deal," you say, leaning over him and shielding the sun from his face.
"If you go on a date with me, then I'll go more often." His eyes shoot open. He doesn't know why his mouth started talking on its own volition, but he looks anywhere but your face, scared of your reaction.
"Is that a deal?" He slowly looks at you, seeing that you have a small smile on your face, your eyebrows raised.
"You want to go out with me?" he asks incredulously, and you huff softly as you nod.
"Yes, but I'm not going unless you go to practice." You start making your way down the ladder and back into the school, and he's right behind you, trying to convince you if there's something else he could do instead of going to practice.
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Himuro was quick to notice how Atushi's behavior changed whenever you would start talking to him or if you were in the same room as him, but he didn't say anything. He was really surprised when he started offering you food, knowing how protective and passionate he is about it and decided to ask him about it.
"She was hungry," he responds, giving him a lazy excuse before busying himself with opening another bag of chips, but Himuro doesn't miss the way his face starts to turn a light shade of pink at the mention of you.
"You should say something, Atushi," he tries, but he just ignores him, telling him that he was nothing more than a friend helping out a friend.
So, when he sees you walking into the cafeteria, he calls you over, making Atushi freeze, the chips he was going to put in his mouth, hovering in front of it. "I actually need to go, but Atushi has something to ask you."
Murasakibara glares at him as he walks away, and you sit down next to him. "What do you need to ask me?" Your attention is fully on him, and he fumbles with the bag of chips in his hand before holding it towards you.
"Thank you," you say eagerly, taking a couple of chips. "I did not bring nowhere near enough food today."
"Well, you could always get more...like on a date," he responds, cringing slightly at his words, and you smile as you finish chewing, your head tilting slightly.
"Are you asking me out?" you ask, and he gives you a small shrug as he looks away, making you laugh softly. "I'd like that."
He turns his head back to you in surprise before giving you a small smile. "Well, just so you know, you're getting your own food after our first date," he adds, and you laugh as he lets you take another chip.
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He knew pretty early on that he felt different about you, but he didn't think at first that it was because he liked you. He wasn't really nervous to ask you on a date, but he was nervous about whether or not you would actually yes or if you felt the same way.
So, for a while, he doesn't say anything at all, keeping his feelings a secret whenever he was talking to you, but because he sees you almost all of the time, those feelings only become stronger and harder to hide.
And he spends way too much time trying to figure out how he should ask you, or if he should be extravagant with it. But everything he comes up with, he just ends up countering with something negative about the idea, so feels defeated.
He doesn't like this feeling, and he decides to just go for it because he thinks he'll feel better that he actually asked you instead of just not trying at all. He's able to catch you after school before he goes to practice, and he takes a deep breath before he speaks.
"I just wanted to ask you something," he starts, and curiosity appears over your face.
"Sure go ahead."
"Would you like to go on a date with me?" It's blunter than he would like it to be, but right now he's pleased that he finally got it off his chest. But that feeling is slowly pulled away as he waits for your answer.
"It took you long enough," you joke, and his eyes widen in surprise before he laughs with you.
"I just wanted to ask you in the right way," he admits, a little sheepishly, and you smile softly.
"But short and straight to the point is good enough," you reply before walking up to him, planting a gentle kiss on his cheek before you start to walk away.
"You've got practice, but text me the details, okay?" And he watches you walk away, his hand brushing over his cheek.
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uas-fics · 3 years
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Chapter 1 - Chapter 2
Read on AO3
Title: How to Train A Champion and Keep Your Reputation Intact
Summary: Piers doesn’t want to coach Leon, but the last thing Piers needs is for everyone to know a cool punk like him used to perform in Pokemon Contests! If it means keeping his reputation intact, he’ll begrudgingly teach this ray of sunlight what he knows.
Fandom: Pokemon Sword and Shield
Ships: LeonxPiers | dnnz
Rating: T
Contest Warnings: N/A
Chapter 1: The Early Morning Visitor
----
Of the people Piers expected to be sitting across his kitchen table at eight in the morning, the former champion was not one of them. Leon wasn't even in the top ten, yet here he was, twiddling his thumbs behind a cup of tea with a peppy expression on his face.
Piers was barely a human being this early, yet Leon seemed to have the same energy as a particularly bushy-tailed skwovet.
"You have a nice kitchen," Leon commented, more to fill the silence than an actual compliment.
Piers glanced at the pile of take-out containers on the counter then the singular shoe that hadn't made it to his room with its partner the night before. His kitchen was nothing spectacular, and it didn't need to be. His home was a place to crash or bring a date, not some fancy townhouse. With only he and Marnie there, why should he bother fancying the place up?
"What do you want, Leon?" Piers took a sip of his tea.
Leon wrapped his fingers around his cup but didn't move to drink. If Leon would have preferred coffee, he could have said something before Piers poured him a cup. It'd be a waste to pour it down the drain.
"Well, it's a little silly, but I could use your help with something," Leon explained.
Piers narrowed his eyes.
Leon was the chairman of the Pokemon League. Piers gave his gym over to Marnie after the last Champion tournament. What could he want Piers to help with at this point? The only connection he had with the League was Marnie.
Unless...
"I swear if you're goin' to pull the same shit as Rose did and try to get me to make Marnie move the gym—"
"No, no, nothing like that!" Leon raised his hands, palms facing out. "It has nothing at all to do with Spikemuth or the gym."
"Then what does it have to do with?" Piers leaned back and crossed his arms.
"Uh, well, alright," Leon didn't meet his eyes, "it's about a rumor."
Piers' frown deepened. He always had rumors about him floating about. It came with his persona.
"I heard Piers beat a man to a pulp because he spilled his drink on him." or "I heard Piers took three girls back to his home and made them leave before the sun was even up." or he was a dealer of rare hallucinogenic flowers or that he used his pokemon to break into Rose's office and peed in a potted plant behind his desk.
There was rarely any truth to the rumors. He didn't care to squash them. He was a dark-type trainer, having everyone thinking he was a bigger badass than he already was could not hurt his reputation.
"C'mon, mate, aren't you a little old to be listenin' to rumors?" Piers cocked an eyebrow.
"It's not a bad rumor.”
"What's the rumor then?"
"Ah, well, I heard," He paused to clear his throat, "that you, ah, that you competed in pokemon contests when you were younger—and that you won."
Piers barely kept his face deadpan.
Where had Leon heard that? Those contests happened just before posting on the internet boomed, so it wasn't like the contests were live-streamed and archived. The only video that he knew existed of his contest days hid in a box in the back of a closet. Marnie captured it when she could barely see over the railings at the stadiums. Even then, the video quality was terrible and Marnie kept moving the camera around. He looked like a black and white blob in them.
He forced himself to calm down. He could easily deny this rumor. No one would believe he, Piers, former Spikemuth gym leader, head of Team Yell, the fierce trainer of powerful dark-types, would ever compete in a pokemon contest.
"Where did you hear that?" Piers reached for his tea just to have something in his hands.
What credibility did this rumor spreader have? Probably none. Denying this would be easy.
"Oh, I heard your sister mention it."
Piers nearly dropped his cup.
Shit.
He could not deny this, not without putting Marnie's credibility on the line. She was still a new gym leader. The last thing she needed was the chairman thinking she was a gossip.
He hissed out a breath. "Oh, did she?"
"Yeah, she was talking to Opal while Bede filled out some papers," Leon told him. "She said she remembered you used to be good at pokemon contests. That's why I'm here."
"So what?" Piers spat. "It isn't illegal, now is it?"
Why couldn't this have been about Malamar scaring passers-by on Route 7 when he was bored? Why could this have been about the rave Piers helped throw in an abandoned mine last month? Why could it have been about pissing in the potted plant? Why couldn't this have been about anything else?!
Leon frowned. "Of course not—"
"Then why are you askin' me about it?"
"Because I wanted your help to win one."
Piers' mouth gaped. Did he hear that right? Leon, the former champion, one of the strongest pokemon trainers in all of Galar, wanted to enter a pokemon contest.
He stuck a finger in his ear and twisted it.
"Sorry, say that again. I must have somethin' in my ear. I didn't just hear you ask for help in a pokemon contest."
"That is what I asked." Leon beamed. "There is one in Ballonlea in two weeks and I want to enter, but I don't know the first thing about them. If you know, you could help me—if you want to, that is."
"Why?" Piers held back from pinching himself. How was this not a dream? Maybe he was messing with hallucinogenic flowers after all.
Reaching into his pocket, Leon took out a folded piece of lavender paper. He laid it flat on the table, smoothing it with the side of his hand, before pushing it over. The faint scent of roses wafted from it.
"All are invited to the first Bellonlea Pokemon Contest!" It read in a flowing, elegant font. "Coordinators of all ages and skill levels are invited to the Bellonlea Stadium to participate in a Pokemon Contest. Please contact the Bellonlean Ladies' Society for more details and how to enter."
"Was this ‘ppose to explain somethin'?" Piers pushed the flyer back. "Why do you want to win a contest?"
"That prize, of course!" Leon took his phone from his pocket. He scrolled a moment then turned the screen to Piers.
A picture of a red and white hat with a black logo stared back. It honestly looked like something an overly-excited ten-year-old would win from a cereal box drawing.
"It's a hat." Piers peered over the top of the phone to look at the hat Leon already had on.
"It's not just a hat. It's a limited edition!" Leon pulled his phone back. "I had one when I was a little kid, but I lost it to an angry corvisquire. The first place in the beginner contest wins it."
"And you can't just, you know, buy one for yourself?" He rolled his hand. "I know you have sponsorships out your ass." Piers looked down pointedly at his Spikemuth Chamber of Commerce shirt for emphasis.
Leon shrugged. "What fun is that?"
Piers downed half his drink in one go. The burn on his throat reassured him he wasn't dreaming.
"Piers?" Leon leaned over the table, his face alight with a smile. "Can't I talk you into helping me out? Please? I promise to owe you one after this."
Piers groaned. What choice did he have? He couldn't deny it without hurting Marnie's reputation. Their reputation used to be the only valuable he and Marnie had to their names, besides each other. Lying to Leon to save his own skin was not an option.
"Yeah, yeah, alright." Piers raised his hands in defeat. "Fine. I'll do it, but," he held a finger up in Leon's face, "you have to swear on your life that you won't tell a soul about it. I don't need anyone thinkin’ I ever put any of my pokemon in a frilly suit or made them dance around like pretty ballerinas or some shit."
Leon nearly jumped across the table. He put his hands on Piers' shoulders and squeezed a little too hard.
"Thanks a million for this!" He hopped up. "Where should we train? I think I understand the rules, but maybe we should go over the rules first? Or outfit—"
"Tomorrow." Piers cut him off. "We'll start tomorrow."
Leon's face fell like a growlithe that just had his bone taken from him. Piers held his sad gaze. Marnie's morpoko did the same pout when she wanted something, and Piers knew better than to give in.
If Leon still wanted to learn how to be a coordinator, he had to prove himself first. A day would be enough time for Piers to think up obstacles to make Leon forget about the silly notion. Contests, despite the stereotype, were hard work. While beginner contests weren't all that complicated, Piers didn't mind sprinkling in some of the more difficult to grasp bits from the higher tiers. With any luck that would confuse Leon right out of the idea and out of Piers' life.
Leon took a breath. He pulled his hands from Piers and squared his shoulders.
"I'll meet you back here at eight sharp tomorrow and then we can get started."
"No. You'll meet me outside Spikemuth at noon."
"Oh, well, alright. It'll be a champ—" Leon caught himself from using his old catchphrase. "It'll be a fun time."
"That's one way to think of it," Piers muttered, feeling less and less enthused at the arrangement by the second.
----
True to his word, Leon stood outside the front gate of Spikemuth at noon on the dot. He perked up when he saw Piers and jumped in front of him.
"Good afternoon, Teacher Piers."
He winked.
Piers wrinkled his nose.
"Call me that again, and I'm callin' this off."
Leon laughed nervously. "Sorry." He whistled. "Sooooo, what should I learn first? How to use music? Or pose? I'm already pretty good at that."
"How about the rules?"
Piers waved him to follow down the road towards the Spikemuth Tunnel. People were less likely to eavesdrop on them if they walked.
"Alright, rules. I know there are two rounds, and each trainer uses only one pokemon."
"Coordinator," Piers corrected sharply.
He promised to teach, but he didn't promise to be entirely pleasant while doing it.
"Yeah. There are two rounds. The first round is the Performance Stage. You show off your pokemon's appeal with a choreographed set of moves. The judges will assign points based on how well the performance fits into particular categories."
Piers began to ramble on about the different move categories as if the contest in Bellonlea would be so complicated. Beginner contests weren't judged by the five categories individually like higher-ranked contests.
Back when Galar still had a contest circuit, the people in beginner contests were kids with weak pokemon that might only know two or three moves. A performance with a cool move first and a cute move next wouldn't be judged as harshly as the first rank contest would.
However, Leon didn't need to know that. If he thought that the category system was complicated and—in Piers' humble opinion—limited and stupid, maybe he would back out.
"And that's all there is to the appeals rules." Piers looked at Leon, expecting him to be confused and dejected at the long-winded explanation, but instead found him holding onto every word.
"Well, that doesn't seem too hard." He nodded. "It's just putting on a show in a time limit with your partner. Easy."
"We'll see how easy you think it is when you're doing it." Piers stood under a shade tree. "The next round is the harder one. It's the battle round."
"Battle? I thought contests were for show, not for fighting."
Piers cackled at the genuine confusion on Leon's face. Of course, he would think that. That silly stereotype about contests never seemed to die, did it? Coordinators didn't just train their pokemon to teach them new moves. Their partner had to be strong to last the battles against one another. Even though Piers was a gym leader when he did contests, he still struggled against the stronger opponents.
He idly grabbed a lower branch and bent it down. If he didn’t slouch, Piers was tall enough that he could just about reach into the pokemon nest a few branches up with relative ease.
"You would think that, wouldn't you?" He opened his hand.
The branch whipped up and hit the branch the nest was on. The skwovet in the nest jumped with a squeak. Its sudden movement knocked a sitrus berry over the side.
"In the second round, two coordinators battle to remove points from the opponent, usin' moves that fall into the contest categories." He snatched the sitrus berry out of the air.
The skwovet glared at Piers. Piers smirked at it before wiping the berry on his shirt. The pokemon chattered and hurried higher into the tree.
Leon frowned at Piers' interaction with the skwovet. Piers met his gaze, daring him to comment on it.
Leon cleared his throat. "That wasn't necessary."
"It was an accident."
Leon pursed his lips in doubt but didn't argue. Instead, he said, "So it's a battle, but it's an entertaining battle. I can do that."
Around a bite of berry, Piers shrugged, "It's a five-minute battle, but the point of the battle isn't to knock out your opponent with the first move. No one needs to faint. It's to show that your pokemon is better than theirs."
Piers half-expected Leon to go on about how no pokemon was better than another, instead, Leon stroked his chin in thought. Maybe Leon realized that a contest wouldn't be as fun as he thought and wanted to give up on the idea.
The branches above shook and the skwovet chattered. A leppa berry slammed into the ground near Piers' boot. The skwovet, arm loaded with unripe leppa berries, held up another. It threw it. Piers took a step to the side.
"Nice try," he mocked. The skwovet's fur bristled. It tossed down the rest of its armful and missed every time. With a huff, it stomped back towards its nest to rustle through its hoard.
"Alright. I think I can handle this," Leon said, moving into Piers' personal space and lifting his arm over Piers' head, "with your help."
Grinning, he stepped back then opened his fist to present an oran berry. The skwovet cried out in frustration. Piers rubbed the top of his head. He glanced up at the wild pokemon once more before walking away from the tree, with Leon in tow. It was best not to test his luck anymore. The skwovet might use a move on him and the last thing he wanted was to spend the night picking slobbery bullet seeds out of his hair.
The skwovet angrily chattered but seemed to give up. It hurried down the tree to gather its berries. Leon crouched to roll the oran berry over. The skwovet eyed him but snatched the berry up to shove into its cheeks anyway.
Piers raised an eyebrow. Maybe this training wouldn't be as bad as he thought.
----
The training area outside Spikemuth wasn't much, just a patch of barren earth that trainers from Spikemuth would come to battle when they didn't feel like using the gym. Currently, the only souls there were Piers and Leon. Since Marnie took over as gym leader, the younger trainers of the city moved their training back to the gym.
"They didn't want to come when you were the gym leader. They think you're scary," Marnie had explained. "Dunno why though. You're about as scary as a teddisuara."
Piers crossed his arms. "Do you know which pokemon you're goin' use? These are Hoenn rules, so you can only use one."
Leon tapped the pokeballs at his belt. "I'm not sure. I didn't think I could go in with Charizard, so I didn't bring him with me."
"Why not Charizard?"
"Everyone knows what my Charizard looks like," Leon explained. "And I don't think I can pretend not to be me if I use him."
Piers' brows furrowed. What in the world was he talking about?
Upon seeing Piers' expression, Leon chuckled to himself.
"I guess I forgot to tell you." He put his hands on his hips and set his feet a shoulder-width apart. "I'm going to do this contest in disguise."
The hope Piers just acquired vanished.
"You're what?"
"I'm going in disguise," He repeated. "I was the champion, and now I'm chairman. That would give me an unfair advantage, don't you think?"
Piers pinched the bridge of his nose. Of course, Leon would want to win on a level playing field. The Bellonean Ladies' Society would probably just give him the stupid hat if he promised to simply show up and bring more attention to the event. If he did that, Piers could have stayed at home and lazed about, but, noooo, Leon had to win his silly hat fair and square.
"How do you plan to do that?"
"Well, I hoped you could help me with that, too." Leon pointed to his face. "I've seen your stage makeup, and you're talented. I bet you could make me look like a different person."
Piers hated that he couldn't argue with that. Not long after he decided to follow his dream of being a punk star, one of the gym trainers offered to teach him the basics of cosmetics. Once he had the basics down, it only took a year of using his pokemon, friends, and Marnie as test subjects for him to perfect his art.
He could easily make Leon's face look different enough: soften his cheekbones, maybe a few freckles, pull his bangs back, color contacts, and glasses...Leon would look good in glasses, even if it meant hiding his natural eye color...
Piers shook his head. He hadn't agreed to anything but training for the contest. He was not giving Leon a makeover like they were preteens at a slumber party.
Leon pursed his lips. "It would be pointless if I won because of who I am. That wouldn't be fair to the other train—coordinators."
"No. Figure that out yourself."
Leon sighed, his shoulders slumped. He muttered under his breath, something Piers couldn't make out. Finally, he straightened and shrugged.
"You know, I have to approve the budgets for each gym provided by the league," he lifted one finger and wagged it as he continued, "and wouldn't it be nice if Spikemuth got a little extra in their budget so their new gym leader could fix up her gym stadium? I know the Spikemuth Chamber of Commerce can't always give too much to the gym, and it needs a few repairs."
Piers' mouth fell a gape. Did Leon just try to bribe him through his sister? He had to admit, he was impressed. It wasn't the best bribery offer he'd ever been given, but considering whom the offer came from and what Marnie would get in return, he decided to give in.
"Make sure the gym gets enough to replace the crumplin’ stadium walls, and I'll do it." Piers stuck out his hand.
Leon took the offered hand in his and shook once. "I knew you'd have a change of heart."
Piers yanked his hand back. "Change of heart my ass. Just send out your pokemon."
With a nod, Leon let out each of his pokemon in turn: Aegislash, Haxorus, Dragapult, Mr. Rime, Seismatoad, then Rhyperior. True to his word, he hadn't brought his ace pokemon with him. Like a well-oiled machine, they quickly lined up and turned their full attention to their trainer.
Pride rolled off Leon as he gazed at his team. Up until last year, this team was undefeated. Leon kept them at their best and even Piers could call that admirable.
"Alright everyone, listen here." Leon clapped his hands as if any of them didn't have their eyes on him. "Remember how I said we were going to enter a contest? Well, only one of you can enter it with me."
Leon's Mr. Rime leaned on his cane and Aegislash shifted his shield, though the other pokemon didn't react one way or another to the news.
"Contests aren't like normal battling. They're a performance." Leon gestured to Piers. "Piers is going to help pick the best one of you for the contest."
Piers snorted. "Oh, didn't I tell you? I'm not assessin' your team."
Leon's hand dropped to his side. He tilted his head.
"You're not?"
"No."
Piers took out the only pokeball he had on him. With a flick of the wrist, he released his own contest partner. The stench of rotten eggs filled the air. Everyone but Piers jerked back to cover their noses.
Skuntank shook himself out. He stretched his front paws forward then pulled the rest of his body up like a cat in a sunbeam. Piers crouched down and patted his partner between the ears.
"Skuntank here won nearly every contest he entered," Piers explained. "He knows more about them than even I do, I'd say. Even keeps track of the Sinnoh contests online. If anyone can give this team a proper assessment, it'll be him."
Skuntank lifted his head proudly then stomped forward. He stalked up, down, and around the line, eyeing each pokemon. He stopped in front of Haxorus, narrowed his eyes, and rumbled. Haxorus shuffled nervously. She looked to her team members then back at Skuntank. Siesmatoad shrugged, and Dragapult looked away.
Satisfied, Skuntank trotted back to Piers. He took a breath and stated something to the pokemon, loud and clear.
The other pokemon were taken aback. They muttered amongst themselves, all except Mr. Rime and Aegislash. With his chest puffed out, Mr. Rime strode forward. A moment later, Aegislash floated next to him. The rest of the team remained still.
"That's the two to choose from," Piers said. To the other members of Leon's team, he continued, "You can go over there. Take a rest why don't you?" He jabbed his thumb towards the grass at the side of the training area.
Without missing a beat, Dragapult floated away, soon followed by Siesmatoad, Haxorus, and Rhyperior.
Leon gasped. "That's amazing. How does Skuntank know?"
It wasn't as if Skuntank could smell contest talent on Mr. Rime and Aegislash. It just so happened that when Skuntank asked, Mr. Rime and Aegislash wanted to enter a contest. The rest weren't interested.
Ignoring Leon's question, Piers asked, "How do you want to decide between these two."
Leon blinked. "Isn't that what Skuntank is here for?"
With a thump, Skuntank flopped to the ground, paws under his chin, and shut his eyes.
"He's filled his quota." Piers said. "This is your job, Mr. Chairman."
Leon stroked his chin. He crouched down between his pokemon. Mr. Rime tapped his feet and spun his cane. Leon lifted his eyebrows at the impromptu performance. Not to be outdone, Aegislash held his shield up and spun it on the end of his arm. He tossed the shield then expertly caught it.
Mr. Rime danced backward. He spun in a circle, holding his cane up to the sky. From the tip of the cane, snow flurried around him, glittering like tiny diamonds.
Aegislash, upon seeing Leon's dazzled expression at Mr. Rime's performance, clanged his shield and blade together. With his trainer's attention back on him, Aegislash whipped his arm out. The shield rolled out on its side into the middle of the battle area. In the blink of an eye, Aegislash descended into his shadow. Using shadow sleek, he hurried in front of the shield.
Aegislash burst from the ground, large and dark. He whipped the shield up. the sun glinted off the polished metal. Contrasted against Aegislash's dark form, the shining shield appeared like a bright star in the night sky.
Leon's mouth fell a gape. "Wow, I didn't know you could do that, Aegislash."
Aegislash returned to his normal appearance and smugly shurgged. Mr. Rime stomped his foot in frustration. He put his fingers to his mouth and whistled for Leon to look at him. Once again, his cane spun. Around him, aurous panes of light screen appeared then frosted over. Mr. Rime stopped and raised his arms. The light screen panes shot up and burst like fireworks.
Aegislash bristled. His grip on his shield tightened and his single eye narrowed. Mr. Rime sneered at him as Leon carefully picked up the frozen light screen fragments to examine.
Piers clapped his hands once. "Don't you lot make this a battle." To Leon, he ordered, "You need to pick one."
Leon stood. "But they're both really talented."
From behind them, Skuntank snorted. Aegislash and Mr. Rime turned their glares from each other to the dark-type.
Piers agreed with Leon, even if his pokemon didn't, but leaving those two to keep one-upping each other wouldn't end well. Leon had to pick a partner for the contest, even if it would hurt someone's feelings.
Leon thought on his choice then slumped forward with a sigh. He rummaged in his pocket and held up a coin.
"I can't decide," he admitted. "Heads for Mr. Rime and tails for Aegislash."
He flicked the coin into the air. Like the oran berry before, he caught it from the air. With a hard smack that made the top of Pier's hand hurt, Leon slapped it on the top of his hand. Aegislash and Mr. Rime stood tense as Leon slowly lifted his hand.
"Heads."
Mr. Rime jumped up with joy. Aegislash dropped his shield to the ground with a thud. Leon reached out to comfort him, but Aegislash waved him away. Dragging his shield through the dirt, he trudged towards the other pokemon.
Skuntank lumbered back to his feet. He intercepted Aegislash. Skuntank rumbled at Aegislash. He silently mulled over what Skuntank said then lifted his shield from the ground.
In a voice like clashing metal, Aegislash yelled at Mr. Rime. Mr. Rime stumbled in his tap dancing, looking shocked at what his teammate said. Skuntank cackled, slapping the ground with his paw. With his mood improved considerably, Aegislash led Skuntank away to join the other pokemon.
----
Mr. Rime was a showman. Even with the occasional heckle from Skuntank, he and Leon managed to cobble together the start of an alright appeal round. After Piers finally admitted that the move categories meant shit all for the beginner contests, Leon decided to make use of what Mr. Rime already presented: sparkling snow and unique uses of psychic power.
Piers, for his part, offered critique when he saw a move that might be too showy or too dull, but mostly left Leon to his own devices. After all, Leon was the one entering, not him.
A thunderbolt tore through an icy column, shattering it. A glow of psychic power protected some of the ice from the heat. When the mist cleared, what remained was the carving of the Champion's logo.
Leon pumped his fist. "There we go!"
Skuntank muttered something to Aegislash, who replied in agreement. Though he hadn't been as loud in his criticism as Skuntank, Aegislash made snide remarks for every misstep.
Piers had more fun watching Skuntank and Aegislash than Leon and Mr. Rime, honestly.
As the heat both from the thunderbolts and the day wore on, Piers was thankful he choose to sit under the shade instead of directly interact with Leon.
Though on the field, he would have had a better view.
Every time Leon raised his shirt to wipe the sweat from his brow, Piers turned his attention towards him. Rehain once mentioned Leon weight trained and exercised to stay as fit as his team, and Piers could tell. He stared at the well-formed muscles usually hidden under Leon’s shirt several times before finally being caught.
“Is something wrong? Is this too much?” Leon gestured to Mr. Rime’s newest ice sculpture.
Piers made up a suggestion to save himself the embarrassment.
“It’s fine, but you’re rushin’. Slow down, if you know how to do that,” Piers replied, turning his head to hide his pink cheeks against his shoulder.
“Oh, alright.” Leon nodded. “Mr. Rime, take a few more seconds before calling down the thunderbolt!”
Stuntank chuckled and Piers sent him a glare.
“Shut up,” he hissed, earning another laugh from Stuntank.
Something pulled at Piers' sleeve. One of Dragapult's dreepy chewed on his jacket. When Piers acknowledged it, it flew in a circle trying to get him to play with it. It went to nip at the end of one of his ponytails.
Dragapult sighed and wrapped his tail around the dreepy to pull it back. He gave Piers an apologetic look.
The rest of Leon's team wasn't doing much better. They were bored out of their minds.
Siesmatoad ripped a clump of grass from the ground and tossed it in her mouth. Rhyperior and Haxorus took turns stabbing leaves through their horns or tusks, seeing who could make the biggest hole without tearing the leaf in half.
Before Leon and Mr. Rime could start again, Piers called, "That's enough for today."
He stood and put his hands on his lower back to stretch. Skuntank grumbled but got to his paws.
"Well, if you say so." Leon came over to the crowd of pokemon with Mr. Rime. "Everyone ready?"
Seismatoad spat out the grass clump, nearly hitting Rhyperior's foot. Dragapult cooed and the rest of his dreepy hoard hurried out of the tall grass. Aegislash refused to look at Mr. Rime, instead of staying close to Stuntank. Haxorus bent forward and pressed the button on her pokeball with her mouth scythe, returning herself.
When Leon took out Aegislash's ball, Piers put a hand on his wrist.
"Before you return him, can I ask you a favor?"
Leon raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"
"Aegislash and Skuntank seem to be havin' fun together. Do you think Aegislash could come back with me for tonight?" Piers asked. Skuntank stamped a foot and wheezed in approval.
Leon lowered Aegislash's pokeball. He bent down so he looked Aegislash in his singular eye.
"Do you want to have a slumber party with Skuntank at Spikemuth?" He spoke like a parent to a child. Mr. Rime snickered. Stuntank kicked sand at him with a short growl.
Piers pulled the bill of Leon's hat down over his eyes.
"Aegislash is probably older than both of us combined," he reminded. "Don't call it a slumber party."
Leon pushed his hat up and wrinkled his brow. Realization crossed his face.
"Ah." He asked Aegislash, "Do you want to have a date with Skuntank at Spikemuth?"
Piers went to pull Leon's hat clean off, but Aegislash took hold of the bill and pulled until it completely covered Leon's face with the bill touching his chin. He rolled his eye and shrugged towards Skuntank. Skuntank snickered and shook his head back in reply.
Leon laughed, taking the hat into his lap. "I'm joking. I'm joking. Sorry." He put a hand on Aegislash's shoulder. "Really, if you want to hang out with Skuntank for the night, you can." He smiled sincerely.
Aegislash paused, eyed his trainer, then seemed to sigh. He took the hat from Leon's hands and set it on his head. He patted his head, like a parent pacifying a child. Aegislash floated by him towards Skuntank.
-----
“Listen up.”
Piers whistled to the crowd of dark-type pokemon around the Spikemuth stadium. All heads turned towards him and the two pokemon by his side.
“This is Aegislash. He’s part of Chairman Leon’s team.” Piers nodded to Aegislash. “He’s visitin' for the night, so don’t be an asshole.”
He sent a pointed look at Malamar, who crossed his tentacles. Malamar only recently got out of trouble for scaring people around Spikemuth. Neither he nor Marnie needed Aegislash going back to Leon traumatized from Malamar's pranks.
The gym pokemon muttered and mumbled to themselves, eyeing Aegislash suspiciously.
Going well so far.
No one jumped to attack or called out an obscenity towards the new pokemon. Already it was going better when Raihan brought his pokemon over to play while he and Piers visited. Not one sucker punch to the back.
Marnie’s Grimsnarl picked up the toy ball and held it protectively. Both scrafty scooted to shield their tower of cards. Obstagoon took his nose out of a bag of crisps for a moment before shoving it right back in. Liepard yawned, purposely exposing her fangs, before laying her head on Toxicroak’s lap. Toxitricity peeked an eye open from his corner then continued strumming his chest. Morpeko jumped off the stage and scurried over to Aegislash and Skuntank.
She greeted them. Skuntank wheezed to her as Aegislash lifted his shield in a hello. Morpeko spoke with Aegislash a moment before turning to the rest of the pokemon. She took a deep breath and shouted to them her approval.
Malamar snorted but uncrossed his tentacles. Grimsnarl slowly took the ball back out. Neither scrafty moved from their hard work. Toxitricity waved idly. Liepard and Toxicroak and Obstagoon didn’t acknowledge the announcement, the former two napping and the latter still stuffing his maw.
Skuntank jerked his head towards Toxitricity's corner of the gym. Aegislash and Morpeko followed after. Grimsnarl and Malamar watched them closely.
Marnie took a bite of her hamburger. Around it, she asked, “Is that really Leon’s aegislash?”
Piers open the bag from Bob’s Your Uncle to dig out his order. “He is. He and Leon’s Mr. Rime got into a fight, and Aegislash wanted to be away.”
“So Leon asked you?” She swallowed.
Piers thought on his feet. “Dark and ghost types are pretty close when you get down to it. Born of night and the deepness of the soul and all that.”
“Shouldn’t he have asked Allister?”
Piers took a bite of his burger and slowly chewed. He swallowed and said, “Kid must have been busy. He’s still got school to go— just like you.” Piers smirked, leaning over. “And how’s that school work going, little sis?”
Marnie blushed. She huffed, snatched the bag from Piers, then marched to the stage at the other end of the stadium.
Even being a gym leader, Marnie still had to go to school like every other kid her age. Since she was still learning to juggle gym leader duties and school, Marnie fell behind in her classes and had to take extra lessons.
Piers had been the same when he took over the gym, but he usually skipped after-school lessons. She complained about the lessons often, and Piers offered an understanding ear.
He wasn’t above using this information against her, though.
With long strides, he followed his sister. He overtook her quickly. Holding his burger between his teeth, Piers hopped onto the stage and sat, his toes brushing the ground. Marnie walked up the steps to sit near him. She purposefully set the bag with their food on the side farthest away from Piers. He leaned across her to fish his chips out of the bag.
They sat in companionable silence, watching the pokemon as they ate their fast food.
When Marnie’s scrafty turned to open another pack of cards for their tower, Malamar raised a tentacle glowing in psychic power. With both scrafty backs to it, a card from the middle of the tower pulled itself out.
Piers’ scrafty gasped and tried to hold the wobbling tower together, but only managed to save the top two cards from falling. As the scrafty started to argue, Grimsnarl went to the wooden crate next to the stage. She sat her ball inside and began to dig through the pokemon toys until she found another ball. This ball was worn and patched up. She wandered over to Malamar to talk.
Skuntank, Toxtricity, and Aegislash lounged against one of the crumbling stadium walls as Morpeko chewed on a berry. They made friendly conversation until Grimsnarl and Malamar came over. Grimsnarl raised her ball.
Skuntank shrugged and spoke to Aegislash. Malamar sneered at Aegislash. Aegislash rolled his eye and pushed himself up. Skuntank slowly lumbered to his feet. Toxtricity shook his head. Morpeko tossed her berry up and caught it in her mouth before standing as well.
Piers nudged Marnie and pointed at the pokemon as they walked to the middle of the stadium.
Grimsnarl tossed the ball and hit it to Skuntank. Skuntank bopped it with his head. The ball dropped towards Aegislash. Aegislash raised an arm to hit it, but Malamar’s tentacle shot out and smacked the ball up. Aegislash snapped something at Malamar, who ignored him.
Piers chuckled to himself as the game of hot potato continued. Every time the ball neared Aegislash, Malamar or Grimsnarl made sure to hit it before he could. Of course, they were testing him. Being on the former champion’s team wasn’t enough to prove Aegislash worthy, even with Stuntank and Morpeko's approval.
Soon Aegislash had enough. When Malamar went to hit the ball for himself, Aegislash shadow sleeked behind him. He burst from the ground and slapped the ball towards Grimsnarl. The attack on her friend took Grimsnarl by surprise. She stumbled back trying to hit the ball but missed. For the first time since the game started, the ball bounced against the floor.
Skuntank cackled. Morpeko chased after the ball. Malamar stared at Aegislash, who held his ground.
Marnie started to push off the stage to break up the fight, but Piers put a hand out to stop her.
After a few tense heartbeats, Malamar coughed a laugh. He covered his beak and shook his head. Grimsnarl took the ball back from Morpeko. Seeing the newfound respect for Aegislash from Malamar, she went back over to the box to switch the worn, old ball, for a nicer ball with a pink and cream polka-dot pattern.
Marnie let out a breath. Piers tossed a chip in his mouth.
He knew things would work out well. Like his trainer, Aegislash was endearing in his determination.
He wondered what Leon was doing while the Spikemuth pokemon played. As late as it was, he was probably home, or maybe he was training with Mr. Rime for the contest. Piers could almost see him now working with Mr. Rime to pose in time with some pop song.
Leon worked hard for what he wanted. It's no wonder he became champ so young and held the title for nearly a decade. If Piers had that kind of drive, he wouldn’t have left Spikemuth fall into disrepair as he did.
He bet he could ask Leon to help him fix up Spikemuth, and not just the gym. The outside walls needed the myriad of penises and breasts painted over. He could do it, but it would be better with some company, particularly with company that had the energy of a sugar-high puppy. Enjoying the outside air, just talking and working—That would be fun. Piers would be willing to wake up early for that.
Piers reached into his chip container absentmindedly but found nothing but salt. He jerked out of his thoughts to see his last two chips disappear—one into Morpeko’s mouth and one into Marnie’s.
“The hell?” He held his hands out towards the empty container.
“Do you have a new girlfriend?” She asked bluntly.
Piers choked on his tongue. “What?” He shook his head. “No! Why would you think that?”
“A boyfriend? A non-binary friend?”
“No,” Piers assured. “I don’t have anyone.”
“Huh.” Marnie scratched Morpeko behind the ears. “You had that look on your face.”
“Look?” Piers’ stomach clenched as he asked, “What look?”
“That look.” Marnie pulled her pokemon to her lap. “The one you get before Morpeko and me find some gushy love song folded up on the living room floor. It happens every time.”
Piers’ ears grew hot. Twice, Marnie found his secret love songs twice. For that reason, he didn’t even write them on scrap paper anymore but in a nondescript notebook in his dresser drawer—which he hadn’t pulled out since he broke up with an ex gym trainer more than a year ago.
Morpeko stuck her tongue out in disgust at finding another love song. She clambered over Marnie’s arms to the chips container. Morpeko licked her paw, dabbed it in the leftover salt, and cleaned her paw before hopping off the stage to rejoin the game.
“I don’t have a look like that.”
“Yes, you do,” Marnie replied in a sing-song voice. “You get this far away look on your face and a little, tiny smile like you’re thinkin' of somethin’ soft. I only see it when you’re datin’ someone or,” her eyes widen in realization, “you gotta crush.”
Piers’ stomach unclenched and fell to his boots.
“You’ve got a crush, dotcha?” His little sister pried. “Who is it? Do they like you back? Can they like you back? Are they a trainer? What’s their pokemon team? Do you see them often?”
Piers' head spun, blurring the rest of Marnie’s inquiries.
No way. He was too old for crushes, for one thing. For two, if Marnie’s theory held any water, then his ‘crush’ would be Leon.
That wasn’t possible.
Sure, he admired Leon’s strength and his determination. His kindness towards pokemon and others was sweet if a little goody-two-shoes. He was much more clever than he first appeared. His athletic frame stole Piers' attention and he wouldn't mind leaning up against that strength-trained chest.
Oh. Arceus. No.
Piers’ face reddened as he cataloged his thoughts. He did have a crush. He had a crush on Leon. Leon was the Chairman of the League. Not only that, he was and still is the poster child for preppy, sporty trainers everywhere. Leon was the goal children were taught to chase if they wanted to compete.
Only the trainers from Team Yell ever wanted to be anything like Piers, a badass who sang to his own song, not the one society dictated.
Sponsors flocked to Leon like mothim to a flame for his perfect public persona.
Only the Spikemuth Chamber of Commerce ever sponsored Piers, and that’s only because they always sponsored the gym leader.
Leon was the light that the world idolized.
He was the darkness that fought back to prove to those that the shadows were protective and safe for people like him. He was a fierce dark-type trainer. He sang punk rock. He had a band of miscreants who would follow his every order.
He could not have a crush on Leon.
Yet, he did.
What if people found out? Arceus, if news got around he wanted some of Leon’s finely toned ass—
“Piers?” Marnie poked his cheek.
He jumped, losing his balance and tumbling off the stage.
At the thud of his fall, the pokemon stopped their game. Obstagoon tossed his crisps bag aside to barrel towards his trainer. He skidded to his knees, dramatically throwing his claws up and crying out as if Piers fell off a ten-story building.
Marnie hopped down. Crouching, she asked, “Did you break your face?”
Piers groaned loudly. “Dark void, open up and swallow me. I no longer want to live in this cruel world that would play my heart like a harp string and snap it with its sick, twisted irony.”
Once Piers went on with his dramatic monologue, the pokemon returned to their games, confident Piers was fine. Obstagoon patted the back of Piers’ head reassuringly.
Marnie crouched next to him. “Is the person you have a crush on that bad? Are they married or,” she lowered her voice, “old?”
“We’re the same age.” Piers didn’t lift his head from the ground. “He’s single as far as I know.”
Marnie poked his cheek. “So what’s the matter? Are you too scared to ask him out?”
“No. It’s worse than that.” Piers crawled into Obstagoon’s lap and leaned his back against the warm, somewhat smelly, fur. Obstagoon wrapped him in a hug. He’d seen his trainer confused and in a pansexual punk panic before. Piers needed all the comfort Obstagoon could give him.
Marnie tucked her legs under her and waited expectantly for Piers to clarify.
He sighed, slumping farther down Obstagoon’s lap. Obstagoon’s arm fur tickled his nose as he buried his face in it.
“I can’t ask him out,” Piers muttered. “He’s my opposite.”
“Opposite?” Marnie echoed.
“Opposite,” Piers repeated. He paused, then said, “I’m punk. He does ballet. What more can I say?”
Her brows furrowed. She opened her mouth, then shut it, opened, shut, then tilted her head with one eyebrow raised.
"He dances?”
Piers rolled his head away. “You kids have no culture.” He sighed. “He’s the kind of person every kid wants to be like. I’m the kind of person kids stop comin’ to community gyms to train because of.”
Marnie hit her fist into her palm. “Oh, I get it. You don’t want to drag down his rep ‘cause people think you’re a lazy delinquent.”
“Hey!” Piers bolted up, right into Obstagoon’s hanging tongue. He wiped the slobber off his forehead with his forearm. He jabbed a finger at Marnie.
“It’s the other way around. He’d pull mine up from a mysterious, cool rebel rocker.”
He cringed at himself. Out loud it sounded childish. What was he, a schoolboy?
Piers flopped back against Obstagoon, grabbed Obstagoon’s arm, and dropped it over his face.
“Suffocate me. Please. I need to die to escape this torment.”
With a humph, Marnie wrapped her arms around Obstagoon’s thick forearm and lifted. She looked down at her brother with a frown.
“That’s it?” She shook her head. “That’s sad.”
“You’re a kid. You don’t understand.” Piers countered, trying to pull Obstagoon’s arm back over his face.
Marnie wrinkled her nose and tugged against Piers’ attempts.
“I am not.” She dug her feet into the ground. “It is sad. If you’re a ‘mysterious, cool, rebel rocker,’ why should you care what anyone thinks?”
Piers dropped his hands to his lap.
Without the opposing force against her, Marnie fell backward, still clinging to Obstagoon’s arm. Instead of letting her fall, Obstagoon lifted his arm, leaving her hanging off the ground. He carefully lowered her, but she kept his arm pressed against her chest.
Piers pushed himself up to his feet. He patted the back of his shirt, throwing black and white fur into the air. Without a word, he headed to the stage and picked up the trash from their food.
“Piers?” Marnie hugged Obstagoon’s arm to her chest. “Are you ok? I didn’t break you, did I?”
Piers turned. “Yeah. Just fine.” He walked back, bag in hand. A smile spread across his face as he reached up and ruffled her hair.
“You’re right. I was being the opposite of cool.” He admitted, prying her hands off Obstagoon's arm. “Thanks for reminding me.”
Marnie was right. He was the cool, fierce master of dark-type pokemon. He became one of the strongest trainers in all of Galar without resorting to Dynamax in a pinch.
Why the hell should he give a flying ratata’s ass about what other people think about who he wants to make out with?
He still didn’t want people knowing about his contest days. The stereotype of elitist snob coordinators still hung too closely to contests. The attraction could excuse Leon, but he didn't have a good enough excuse for dressing skuntank in a tophat and glittery, purple bow tie when he was still a stunky yet. Maybe if the contest scene grew a little, he could try again, but until then best keeping that particular secret under wraps.
Marnie shrugged, aloof. “It’s whatever. Someone needs to help you keep your head spun the right way around. I'm the only one qualified for it.”
“What would I do without you?” Piers chuckled.
“Die, probably,” Marnie replied. “So can you ask this guy out? Does he like you at all?”
Piers shrugged.
He didn’t know if Leon liked men. As far as he could remember, Leon never dated anyone of any gender. Leon had always been laser-focused on training and being the strongest trainer in Galar.
But if he did like men, would he be interested in Piers? He didn't know, but given how much time they’d be spending together training for the contest, maybe he could figure it out.
Marnie, her ponytails somewhat righted, asked, “If you need help, Gloria and me could—”
“I’d rather step on a pincurchin,” Piers cut her off, crushed the paper bag into a ball, and tossed it to the side. It bounced and went right through Scrafty's new card tower.
"Sorry," he apologized.
Scrarfy sobbed and slumped back. Marnie’s scrafty looked towards him then sighed. She walked around and helped him pick up the cards, their friendship restored.
“I’ll tell you if I find out anything.” He pointed at the hot potato game still ongoing with his thumb. “Right now, though, you and me don’t need boys when we can play with the best pokemon in the Galar region, though.” To Grimsnarl, he shouted, "Oi, toss it to me!"
Marnie giggled as Piers took her wrist and led her towards the game.
----
AN: Shout out to my friend Sara for the help with this! You da best!!! ^-^)/ Next chapter should be next week? I'll probably post to A03 first though if you want less of a wait.
Also feel free to follow my art blog @uas-art if you enjoyed the chapter art.
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waokevale · 4 years
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Porcelain Face - Chapter 7
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Both of the boys came running into the class, saying:
-"WE'RE VERY SORRY LO- MR.BERRY, WE OVERSLEPT-" They both yelled in unison until they noticed what was going on.
They didn't missed the lesson but there was something else that caught their attention.
Mostly Ethan's as Virgil looked down, covering his masked face.
There was a new student in class.
Apparently he was already after the introduction part and didn't look so sure about repeating himself just because someone was late.
-"Well...this is awkward." - The new kid said as Logan sighed and just told the late two to sit down.
The new kid looked rather...Interesting?
But more than that he looked like he belonged with the popular kids which didn't make things any better.
He had black, cropped leather jacket, orange shirt, ripped tight jeans, fingerless gloves and...A pair of sunglasses on his face?
That was a pretty strange look for spring but no one commented on that.
He looked pretty confident and that was usually never a good sign.
When Ethan first introduced himself he was pretty flustered and shy but this new kid though had this weird indescriptible vibe.
It even seemed like he was eyeing Virgil which made the porcelain boy glare at the new kid in suspicion.
As they both sat down the kid was already talking about himself though neither of the two boys really listened.
The part that they actually heard was just:
-"Aaand there's nothing left for ya'll to know about me. Can I finally sit down teach'?
Logan then nodded also clearly not understanding half of the things the boy just said.
After the rest of lesson ended,
All of the students were now all heading out of the class.
Virgil finally looked up as he got out of the class with Ethan.
Now the new guy was pretty sure, as he ignored all the popular kids that wanted to talk to him because of his interesting appearance as he went to the two of the late boys to introduce himself properly.
-"It's nice to see you again Eighty, oh and hi there beanie girl." He said as both of them looked very confused for why did he came to them.
-"Wait...What does this mean, it's nice to see you again?" Virgil asked, clearly not understanding what was going on, same goes to Ethan who grew rather more suspicious of the new kid.
-"Don't you remember me? It's ya girl Remy!" The new kid said pulling up his sunglasses revealing two bright-orangeish eyes.
the cardboard boy stared at him in disbelief.
-"W-wait...Remy?!" He asked now louder, getting excited.
-"Yup! It's really me myself and I!" He exclaimed hugging his apparently old friend.
-"Wait...what???" Ethan asked in very confused now tone.
-"Oh! Sorry there- Uh...What's your name?"
Remy asked awkwardly.
-"Ethan.." The boy replied turning his head from them.
The same look of confusion have had the popular kids.
Including Roman and Remus.
What was actually going on?
Why did this guy came to these losers?
They honestly didn't know....
And were they hugging????
Now it was confusing as fuck.
Then...One kid dared to say it out loud.
-"Yo, new kid! Why are you hanging out with the glass dealer and the freak?"
Little did he knew Remy's reaction as he came closer to the guy who yelled these words.
-"Listen up here you little bitch.
I can hang out with whoever I want and whenever I want.
You can't tell me to do shit unless you want to get punched in the face."
He simply said showing off his eyes as the kid gulped and run away.
-"Whoa....That was.... Pretty awesome." Ethan admitted as Remy proudly stepped back to the other two.
-"Thanks, Rem'. Also why are you here?" Virgil asked.
-"Uhhhh you know....I run away from these losers so called my parents."
Ethan looked rather unimpressed and Virgil just sighed.
-"Are you sure that is the reason?" The porcelain boy questioned.
-"Ummm...Anyways Virgie would you and your friend want some Starbie?" Remy changed the subject.
-"Sure, I guess." The cardboard boy agreed.
-"Fine by me." Ethan said.
After school all three of them went to the nearest Starbucks.
Remy was ready to pay them when both of them denied.
-"No, no, no Rem' I agreed yesterday when Patton, one other guy suggested to pay, so no, I can pay for myself" Virgil denied sternly.
-"Bitch,  I INSIST." Remy said, clearly determined just like Patton yesterday.
-"Nope, you are not PAYING for ME." The cardboard boy talked back as there was a short moment of silence between the three, Ethan still confused af.
-"I'm going to buy you stuff anyways." Remy said.
-"REMY!" Virgil yelled, pretty angry now for loosing.
-"Welp....Guess he had won, huh?" Ethan said.
-"Not helping, Eth..." Virgil whined.
-"Oh and Vitligo gurl! What do you want?"
Remy yelled not caring that half of the Starbucks could hear him as the other two other boys signed miserably.
-"Nothing, really...I don't... Drink coffee and I'm not hungry." The porcelain boy yelled back.
-"Oh, come on! Why not?" - Remy asked.
-"It's....Just....I can't say it out loud." Ethan said in a whispering tone to Remy who walked  back to them.
-"So what is it? You're allergic? ADHD? You despise coffee or?"
-"I just can't drink coffee..." Then he said why in sign language hoping that the new kid would not understand.
-"I-can't-eat-or-drink-because-I-have-no-guts..."
Then Remy whispered back.
-"Then how do you live?" which clearly meant that he indeed understood the motion sentence.
-"I....I.. It's complicated, ok?" Ethan signed in defeat.
-"Well okay then, Virgie gets the double then."
Remy simply said.
-"NO. YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME! PATTON DID THAT YESTERDAY THAT'S NOT FAIR!" Virgil whined dramatically, pretty pissed off as both Remy and Ethan laughed.
-"Besides I'm going to be fat...." He mumbled the last sentence but both of them could hear it anyway.
[He thought Remy bought food as well]
-"Dude...You are literally just thin layer of skin and bones." Remy commented quietly.
-"Virgie? You okay there...?" Ethan said worriedly as the cardboard boy stayed silent before the barista yelled:
-"Remy? Your order is finished!"
Guess it's our stuff, Eighty." Remy said walking back to the counter to pick the drinks.
-"Why does he call you Eighty?" Ethan whispered as Virgil signed.
-"Probably similiar reason for why Patton calls you Dee."
-"Oh.." Ethan said.
-"Alright babes, here's your Spring Frappuchino with chocolate and coconut flakes." passing the pretty large Cup at still pissed off Virgil.
-"And here's your nonexistant coffee because I can't help." Remy said doing the motion of giving the Cup of coffee to Ethan who looked at him tiredly and said:
-"Thanks...."
After some time of talking, Virgil's and Remy's past was brought.
-"Hey Virgie, can we spill some tea of our past to your new babe?" Remy then asked as the cardboard boy slowly nodded.
-"Well then....It all started...."
Virgil changed schools yet again.
Probably the third time now.
He was met with all the new students who like always either looked fascinated or spooked out by masked appearance.
Remy was the one of the fascinated ones.
He clearly wanted to be friends with the mysterious kid.
As Virgil introduced himself to the class and took his sit, Remy already talked to him.
-"Hey there newbie! Wanna be friends?"  Remy asked cheerfully, but Virgil though frowned.
-"You probably won't like me anyway...." He said, sadly, but Remy was determined enough.
-"Oh come on! I really do want to be friends with you!
I don't really care about your mask though it is pretty cool actually!" He excalaimed surprising the other kid.
-"R-really?" The cardboard boy said with the look of hope in his "eyes"
-"Yup!"
Then the bell rang as they started to hang out.
They hung out more often and soon enough became best friends.
Virgil was really happy back then as Remy was his protector from the bullies.
Unfortunetly one day it just wasn't enough....
There were five very curious kids... The two stronger ones tackled Remy who desperetly tried to free his grip from them, trying to get to his friend.
Unlucky for the two...It was too late.
They already ripped off his mask from his face revealing four pairs of violet eyes.
The kids imediatelly dropped him, very scared of his appearance as they screamed run away.
Only Remy stayed.
Looking at Virgil who was now sobbing on the ground uncontrollably.
He stood there for a few seconds, until he walked to the other boy and kneeled down, saying:
-"Hey, you okay there buddy?"
The boy with the multiple eyes looked a little up with surprise and disbelief painted on his face.
-"A-aren't you s-scared of m-me? D-don't you want to l-laugh at me o-or r-run away....?"
He asked, still very broken.
-"Nope! You look pretty awesome to me! I think spiders are very cool! Cause...you're a spider, right?"
The boy nodded.
-"Well then... As I promised before, I will protect you, Spidey-boo!" Remy said confidently as Virgil giggled at the nickname.
Remy then stood up and helped the other boy up as well, giving back his mask and holding him protectivly from the other kids just in case.
But of course...Virgil's parents found out that someone has seen his face and they moved out yet again...
He was miserable back then...
Because he thought he had lost the only person that actually cared about him...
Neither Virgil nor Remy mentioned the part when Virgil looked like a spider, because they both knew it was a sensitive topic for the cardboard boy.
Though Ethan....He looked kind of... sad and dissapointed If one could say.
At himself mostly.
Because now he finally realised...
He wasn't able to ever be there for the cardboard boy before, because he was home-schooled and now the only chance of someone liking him was gone..
Remy was apparently pretty close with Virgil anyway.
Remy had already seen his face and gained his trust, something that Ethan probably couldn't do...
Virgil deserved better than a weakling like him anyway...
He should probably just....give up on trying.
-"That's an amazing story guys! I'm not surprised why you missed each other so much!
But I got to go...Um- my moms told me I should be back at 4 PM."
-"But you said they let you-" Virgil was cut off by him again.
-"They changed their mind." he said colder than he intended to as he walked out of the building, not even turning his head back.
________________________________
I hope to see them tears...
Lmao Jk.
AND YES I KNOW, THEY WENT TO ANOTHER COFFEE SHOP, CAUSE WHY NOT I LIKE THESE KINDS OF STORIES YA'LL CAN'T STOP ME.
But seriously that's the last time.
Is this a good level of Angst for you all?
And for fucks sake it lagged.
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dieahoe1 · 5 years
Text
When their jealous
Sakamaki's x reader
Shu:
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This lazy boi right here rarely gets jealous. He's asleep most of the time when you aren't around so he doesn't really care unless he smells a scent on you that isn't his or your own.
Especially if it was Reiji.
If you even breath in his direction.
Jealous.
Instantly.
He'll fuck you in different parts of the mansion and not clean up afterwards.
Just to get on Reiji's nerves.
He wouldn't go easy on you either, relentlessly teasing you until your begging, and finally gives you what you want.
Not that you mind, if that what it takes to make Shu give you more attention your down for it.
Reiji:
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This "gentle man" is not the type to easily get jealous either. He stays mature about it, he wasn't going to show the world that he was jealous.
Don't even says Shu's name.
If you do you better hope Reiji isn't around.
He'll 'punish' you behind closed doors.
He's ready to give you some rough training until you remember who you belong to.
Ayato:
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Um, he's the definition of a jealous man?
He gets jealous of your puppy. The puppy you adopted and call your child.
He wants your attention 24/7.
He doesn't give a fuck if you gotta do homework.
He doesn't give a fuck if you gotta do laundry. (He'd prefer you naked anyway)
He doesn't give a fuck if you don't give a fuck.
He'll demand for your attention anywhere and everywhere at all times.
Except for when your in the bathroom.
You almost killed him. Literally.
That's the only place you got space for yourself.
He'll brag to anyone he's talking to about how good of a fuck you are to acknowledge the fact that you.
Belong. To. Him. Only.
"A-ayato, have you seen y/n?"
"She's still recovering from our long and hard fuck in her room. So don't go disturbing her Pancake."
If you let him he'll fuck you right where your standing if no one is around.
And not give a fuck who walks in.
Kanato:
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Personal space wut?
What's that?
Oh yeah it doesn't exist unless your in the bathroom and if your boyfriend is a yandere.
This child is the most dangerous out of all of them when it comes to jealousy.
He doesn't want you talking to his brothers.
And you don't unless you want to live and not be turned into a wax doll.
Like Ayato he wants your attention 24/7.
He doesn't like it when people talk to you that isn't him.
He'll cuss them out then and burn their house down later.
It's insane that you've survived living with him despite him making you get down on your knees before him.
Your his princess but you have to take a bow before him if you value your life.
He'll make you beg for him until he's satisfied before he starts thrusting himself down you throat.
If your asleep and he wants you. Kanato would fuck you in sleep and doesn't care if you wake up. He'll keep going.
He won't even stop even when someone walks in and probably kill them later.
"Y-y/n?" Yui's says opening the door to your room.
"GET OUT! I'LL KILL YOU!" Kanato was serious about it but doesn't. For obvious reasons.
Tea parties? More like se- parties.
"Your still thristy y/n? I have a load just for you. And your going to drink it all before I get a taste of you." Kanato would tilt his head creepily.
He killed all your friends and you didn't dare stop him if you didn't want to be punished.
But secretly attended their funerals.
Laito:
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Because your boujee, bad and thicc. You gain a lot of attraction in front of guys. Girls even, some are envious or some could be fans.
Laito doesn't mind the idea of sharing you occasionally if you find a guy hot and include him inside the bedroom.
But he doesn't like it when they mark you. That's his thing. So he'll punish you if you let someone do that.
Even though you both are open about having other guests in the bed room, there's limits to how much can be shared.
Daddy Laito is the only one that could fuh that puh.(-dashiegames)
If any other guy tries to stick it in, he's a dead man.
And he'll continue to fuck you over the guys dead body like nothing even happened.
Which is disturbing on your end.
Did I ever mention semi-public sex? He'll try that and not give a fuck who's watching while he fingers you in class.
Unless the teacher kicks you both out of class.
Then he'll just fuck you against the lockers outside the classroom if your that horny to let him.
Your relationship might not be healthiest since you both still fuck other people, but it works out since he's your Daddy and your his little girl. Always and forever.
Subaru:
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Aww, who knew cars could get jealous?
This one can, but he decides not to show it.
He'll deny it anytime you mention it, becoming a fustrated blushing mess that destroys stuff.
If you continue to provoke him though, He'll make you scream while he's fucking you.
Then everyone knows who your doing and who you belong to.
Angry sex is the best sex with him.
Someone he doesn't like talking to you in school. Only one look says everything.
Run.
Unless they want their ass beat.
Subaru loves you but doesn't say it often but he doesn't want to lose you to anyone that isn't worth any of your love.
Kino:
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Videogames is life, who has time to be on their girlfriend's ass all the time when he ain't tapping it?
Kino is possessive believe that. He installed a tracking device in your phone when you weren't paying attention.
He knows everything to happens to you.
Normally he would hack into the person he is jealous of and send them videos of him fucking you from behind. Something you still don't know about.
Your famous on social media and you got hella guys trying to hollar at you.
Whenever you take a cute ass selfie of yourself. The comments and likes are never ending, so your phone is always on silent for that reason.
It doesn't go unnoticed by Kino though, he's pretty famous on social media as well. And the public knows your a couple due to the sexy & cute photos you two took together.
He gets hate from other people about he's gotten to be with a beauty girl like you, that he doesn't deserve you, etc.
Every so often Kino would record you while your mouthing him off or either you riding him while moaning his name.
All censored or you wearing a blindfold and sends it to the haters that DM him, in which case they don't know how to respond which is a victory in his case.
Kino cherishes you and hates it when others try to seduce you but fails miserably cause you love your phone addict boyfriend.
You often wear his favorite lingerie and post pictures of yourself in with a caption that says "Kino's property",etc.
Some pictures of you by yourself and the rest is with him with his hands on your body.
Which turns into something steamy afterwards since his hands go where they aren't suppose to be.
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byler-n-harringrove · 5 years
Text
Let’s Be Alone Together || Chap 1
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Hey guys! I decided to that I was going to write the first chapter on this story to see how it goes! I just wanted to fill you guys in on some of the context of this Au.
So this Au is Set in 2019- so robin is openly in the LGBTQ community, and Steve is honestly noticing his feelings for boys (not calling him bi yet), and I have aged up Billy and Robin so they are all the same age.
Thank you guys, and please leave a comment if you want to be tagged in this fanfic or you think I should continue writing it !
Love chey xx
------
“So much for a fresh new start, who the fuck knew he was coming here too?” Steve scoffed for the millionth time, stacks of marked cardboard boxes in hand as he continued to trek between his shiny car and the girls' dorms.
They had been at this for 20 minutes now, the girl's dorms the furthest away from the student car park and even if Robin had not brought many boxes it was still a process for the two teens. Robin’s room was on the second floor, tucked away in the west side of the building in a room that hadn't seen her roommate just yet.
Steve didn't want to think that he would have to continue the process with his stuff.
“Oh, shut up, will you? Can't you just like, put in for a new partner?” Robin grunted with a small amount of aggression. The stairs were getting to her, and all she wanted was to have a shower and get to bed.
Grunting was his only response returned as he all but threw her stuff, only blankets and clothes, onto the floor of the dorm room. A small noise signalled that Rodin did the same, sighing in relief as she leaned against the labelled door. One room down, Steve’s was left.
They soon found themselves trekking down the concrete stairs again, their footsteps reverberating softly against the cream walls of the stairway.
“I can't, put in for that thing I mean unless its dyer straights or somethin’ stupid like that. I guess ill just spend most of my time in the library anyway. I’ve heard they have some of the biggest collections of classic writings on Victorian literature.” Steve may be an airhead most of the time, but he honestly could just geek out around Robin. After all, despite all the odds, Steve was aiming to become an English Teacher.
She rolled her eyes, made a soft, half-hearted comment about him being some ‘egg-head’ and a doofus’ before they fell into the rhythm of small chit chat about their upcoming week of first classes. Robin herself was going into digital art and design, her passion for expressing herself shone through in all aspects, even in her sexuality.
Scooping up Steves boxes, they would only need two trips as he tried not to bring too much with him, they started off to find Steves room. On the opposite side of the dormitories, Steve’s room would be on the 4th floor towards the south side of the building.
Robin complained rather loudly the whole way up while Steve tried to block it out with small humming. Their synchronized steps soon came to his room 221B (yes haha, the references), the door slightly creaked open meaning that his rather annoying roommate would already be inside.
“Welp, am I good to leave your stuff here and go get the rest? I'm in too much of a good mood, sorry dingus” She gave him a sympathetic look as she put her boxes down in front of the door.
Steve simply nodded and handed her the keys, not pushing the conversation. Billy had been quite the arsehole in Hawkins, and in the narrowminded town Billy didn't hold back from the homophobic slurs against the people who owned their sexuality - like Robin and the small few other LGBTQ+ community that lived there. He hasn't let up on Robin at any time through their education.
She darted back off down the hallway, leaving Steve to face the beast.
Pushing the door open with his foot, Steve once again got that feeling of questioning his heterosexuality as Billy stood there in his half-naked glory with a cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth, standing hunched beside their shared window.
Hearing the door open the mullet-wearing teen turned, his signature cocky grin spreading across his lips as Steve felt like he was going to spontaneously combust on the spot. Billy's golden locks and rippling abs shone in the minimal amount of light coming through the window, jeans hanging low as he looked like he belonged in an art museum.
Yeah, okay, Robin may have been on the money about him being bi or whatever the hell they called it.
“Well well, Mr Steve fucking Harrington hey? I never thought I would be seeing that ugly mug again. But, you just had to stalk me to fucking California, didn't ya pretty boy?” That husky voice ridden with nicotine sent a shiver down his spine.
The shorter teen had to all but force his brain not to focus on Billy’s drop-dead looks, not like he hadn't noticed it when they were in Hawkins, as he didn't need the sexualised thoughts he experienced before when they shared showers. As much as he hated Billy, he couldn't deny there was some underlying sexual attraction, which had only added to more of a disliking for sharing a room for so long.
Steve grunted weakly, pushing the box of records in with his feet and dropping his box of clothes on the free side of the bedroom. He had to force his eyes away from Billy’s annoyingly perfect body and towards his boxes.
“I’m not here to fight Hargrove. I’ll be spending most of my time in the library and I’ll be here to probably sleep. I don’t want anything to do with fighting, or with you” Steve peeled open his box, keeping his back faced to Billy.
He heard Billy scoff behind him, and while he continued to unpack his stuff he heard what sounded like Billy all but diving onto his bed.
“Whatever Hargrove, you stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours, right pretty boy?” Billy didn't seem as agitated, as ready to snap as he had been in Hawkins, but Steve wasn't going to take it all on face value and let down his guard.
Steve continued to unpack his stuff and the silence that laid over them heavily and was laced with awkwardness. Placing his vintage records on his small desk tucked in the corner of the bedroom, Steve found the time to steal a small glance over toward Billy’s side of the room.
Decorated in what Steve could only explain as a mix between Rock and Surfer scheike, a mix between what he had only seen of Billy in Hawkin’s sparingly and a side hidden, probably due to the lack of water to surf in. It was interesting, not as harsh, and when his eyes scanned over he was shocked and rather startled to make eye contact with the now cigarette-less blonde.
Another smirk arose on his face.
“Take a photo and it’ll last longer pretty boy” Steve had to stop himself from grinding his teeth too hard.
Rolling his eyes, he pulled away as Billy fished out a vibrating phone from his jean pocket. Silence fell again before Billy was springing up from his bed and rummaging through is designated closet and reemerging with a shirt.
“You don't touch my fucking shit and I won't touch yours, yes? I'm going out, don't fucking wait up or anything, Harrington.” Billy spat, pulling his tight white shirt over his head, before glancing in the mirror to fix his hair.
Steve couldn't help but roll his eyes “Whatever, seems fair.” He answered back with some sarcasm, but he honestly toned it back and down to make sure that Billy wasn't going to be slamming his slimmer body against walls by the collar anytime soon.
The other man scoffed but was soon enough placing another cigarette in his mouth and scampering out of the door “Good to see you too, Buckley” He had commented on his way out, bringing Steve’s attention to his freckled friend stacking boxes in the hallway who shrunk at the attention Billy offered her.
Entering with boxes Robin set out to help Steve unpack, waving off Steve and telling him she would unpack later and just wanted to hang out. Robin was a good friend after all and helped Steve to get his mind off of Billy through a lovely screening of The Breakfast Club as they unpacked and Robin scolded Steve on keeping his room clean.
The night came too fast, and with Robin ordering a large extra cheesy pizza - it was her turn to shout - they stayed cooped up in Steve’s dorm watching shitty 80’s movies until they were falling asleep atop of one another. Only just friends of course, but he was nothing but happy to share a friendly type of intimacy with her.
Though, in the firing of his last conscious neurons, he found the image of a shirtless and sexy Billy scolding him behind his eyelids. It caused his heart to ache, and with the buzzing of The Fly in the background he finally found a restless sleep revolving around his not-so-friendly roommate.
God, what was Steve in for?
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shawnpetermuffins · 5 years
Text
How's It Feel (CG pt 2 again)
A/n: I'm reuploading this because something when wrong when I did it the first time.
Summary: Shawn's starting to feel how you did for way too long and he's realizing he can't cope with the pain.
Requested: yes, by so many of you for god knows what reason
***
The hole in my chest had only grown since y/n walked out of our apartment. I tried texting her, calling her. I tried everything until eventually my messages didn't go through anymore. My calls went straight to voicemail. All of her stuff was gone when I got back from the studio one day too, and if it was even possible, my heart broke all over again seeing that.
And as if not being with her wasn't already messing with my head, having to tell my family was even worse. Mum was pissed, didn't talk to me for three days, Aaliyah over a week. (I’ll be honest, she probably still wouldn’t be talking to me had I not broke down in front of Mum when I went to go work things out with them.) It was torture not being able to talk to two of the most important women in my life, about the other other single most important girl in my life. One who no longer wanted me.
I knew I fucked up, there was no denying that. But I never intended to hurt her the way I did. I took her love for granted, I know that now, but knowing that just makes it hurt worse.
So I spent almost every night following our no-so mutual breakup at the bar, drinking the strongest liquor I could get my hands on because beer just wasn't going to cut it. If I was going to drown in anything, I'd rather it be in alcohol than in my own self pity. And it worked… until I met her.
---
Jordan's presence slammed into my like a ton of bricks. She was everything that the media thought I should be with. Long, flowy blonde hair. Legs for days. That "natural glow" that very obviously was just a dewy foundation - something y/n never wore because she thought it made her look more oily than dewy. By all means, she is who I wanted. Or more accurately, she is who I wanted to want.
Jordan was probably the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. There's not a doubt in my mind. But she wasn't y/n. She didn't stay the night. She hardly ever called, not unless I had promo events or award shows. So I guess lucky for me, it was award season. But these were the only times I'd see her. Only times I'd talk to her. Not that I didn't want to. I did, and I tried. But my messages would go read and unanswered. She never wanted to hang out with me and my friends, and on the ever-so rare occasion that she did accept my offer, it always ended with a quick fuck and she was out the door. There were no cuddles, there was no snuggling. I didn't get to wake up to make her breakfast like I used to do for y/n before I let things go so wrong.
I wonder if this is what y/n felt when I was out the door before she ever got the chance to open her eyes. I wonder if she felt this every morning for the last eight months of our relationship. That's how long it was, I realized when it was much too late. I blew off plans, and I didn't come home, and I didn't talk to her for eight months. But I still expected her to do things for me. Go to my awards shows even when I know she told me she had things she needed to do for work. I called her unsupportive more times than I can count and I unintentionally, but somehow knowingly let her slip through my fingers.
---
Come over???
Jordan read the text three hours ago and still hasn't bothered to respond. Not that I was expecting her to anymore. Unless I ask her to come to an award show with me, I won't get a response for days.
So I'm here, logged into Brian's Instagram looking through y/n's most recent posts because she blocked me on literally everything, not that I can blame her. She knew me well enough to know that after the way we ended things I would want to check up on her. Even though I didn't do it enough while I had her.
Kinda_yourname
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7,421 likes
Kinda_yourname Carnival nights call for impromptu photo shoots
📸: @connorbrashier
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I throw my phone onto the coffee table, suddenly sick to my stomach.
Connor. She still talks to him. They still hang out. I knew they had gotten close on the SM3 tour but I'd never realized that they were still close. It shouldn't bother me - she's, in fact, not mine anymore no matter how much I wish she were - But it does. It bothers me so much. Because who is he to be taking pictures like this of the girl I used to call my own? How is someone I considered a friend going to betray me this way?
I want so badly to throw something, to scream, and punch and kick like a dramatic child who's just been told he can't go play outside with his friends because it's far too hot. Other than the fact that my phone is no longer in my hands, and that my fingers are pressed firmly into the denim encompassing my legs, anyone watching me wouldn't be able to tell that I was in such serious turmoil.
I want to go back to feeling something. Even if it is just contempt for myself and the way I let things get so out of hand. But something inside me won't let it happen. I've become nothing but a hollow shell of what I used to be. I feel nothing. I want for nothing. I do nothing. It’s been hell on my music, too. Selfishly, I thought that being heartbroken would help me write another album, but now I have no inspiration. My muse is gone.
---
I'm sitting in the dining room with my mum who seems to be a little on edge while I'm talking to her. She keeps looking toward the door when she thinks I'm not looking, but I can't bring myself to ask why she's acting so weird. I should have.
"Where's Liyah?" I asked.
"Getting ready. She's going out with a friend."
I nodded, "Who?"
Mum shook her head and dismissed the question with wave of her hand, "You don't know her."
Ouch.
"Now, uh, what's going on?" She clasped her hands together.
I furrowed my brows, but shrugged off the uneasiness radiating through her body language. "I uh… I messed up."
"What do you mean?"
"With y/n."
She sighed, "Shawn. It's been three months."
"Yeah. And I haven't been able to write a song since we broke up."
"I thought you said you were dating that new girl."
"Jordan," I mumbled.
"Yes, her."
"It's complicated." I took in a deep breath, "Every time I try to make an effort, it's never reciprocated. She never texts me back, or calls me. She only ever wants to get together when I tell her I have an award show to go to or like I'm doing press. And I don't get that same feeling that I used to get when y/n would look at me. I don't love her, mum. Hell, I don't even know if I really like her or if I'm forcing myself to because I'm trying to compensate for what I don't have with y/n anymore."
Mum didn't say anything, but the look in her eyes told me everything.
"What?"
"It's nothing."
"It's something. What? What are you thinking?"
"Now, honey you know I love you. And I will support you through anything." She took my hands in hers from across the table. "But it sounds to me like you're getting a taste of your own medicine."
"Excuse me?"
"Don't get upset, Shawn. But that's exactly what you did with y/n. She texted and she called and you only wanted her when you needed someone next to you. You didn't treat her like your girlfriend. Not even a little bit. She was 'arm candy.' And that, it pains me to say, is what you are to this Jordan girl."
I run my hands through my hair, frustrated. "I don't want Jordan anymore. And it's clear she doesn't want me. I have to end things with her."
"If that's what you want, then I support you."
"I want y/n, mum… What do I do?"
"There's nothing you can do... Y/n isn't going to take you back."
"You don't know that," I said desperately, even though I knew she was right."
“Sweetheart, you know I love y/n. We all do. And you also know that I wouldn’t be telling you this if I thought that she would take you back. But Shawn… you hurt her. No, that’s not right. You broke her. That whole last year of your relationship shattered her into a million pieces. She’s trying just as hard as you - if not harder - to pick herself back up after this.”
“She’s hanging out with Connor. Did you know that?”
“And what does that matter? You’re with someone else.”
“It’s Connor! He and I are friends!”
“Shawn -”
"Karen! I hope you don't mind. I used my key, is Aaliyah -"
I stilled at the sound of the voice of  both my dreams and nightmares. A voice I never thought I'd hear again. I slowly turned around and was met with her frighteningly pale skin, she looked like she'd seen a ghost, and I knew I probably looked the same.
"Hi," I said like an idiot after a minute of full on staring at her, taking in every single thing I could.
She didn't say it back, just shook her head and averted her eyes and cleared her throat. "Karen, is Aaliyah ready?"
"I'm ready!" My little sister beamed, entering the now overly tense dining room. “Oh... Hey, Shawn.”
“What are you doing here?” I asked, only to y/n.
“Liyah, you got your stuff?”
She nodded. “Yeah, let’s go.” She crossed the room and pressed a kiss to Mum’s cheek. “I’ll be back later.”
“Is it cool if I take her out to dinner?” y/n asked, still not looking at me. "There were a lot of people at the mall when I passed by, we might be longer than expected.
“What the hell is going on?” I exclaimed, and I knew eyes were on me now, but not the eyes I so desperately wanted to be on me. "Did you know she was coming over?" I asked my mom.
She didn't answer me and that was response enough. “That’s fine, honey. But come back for dessert, okay? Manny and I were thinking sundaes with all the fixings.”
“You know the way to my heart, Karen. We’ll be back by eight.”
Aaliyah was now standing next to my ex-girlfriend once again and my heart ached watching them. They started walking toward the door, and I was going to leave it alone. Let them walk out the house without a problem, but my body reacted before my mind could catch up. “Y/n, wait.” When she didn’t turn around, I took her wrist. “Baby, please. Can we talk?”
“Let go of me, Shawn,” her voice was barely above a whisper.
“Not until you look at me,” I said, desperation lacing between every word.
She sighed and fished her keys out of her pocket, “Hon, can you wait in the car? I’ll be right there.”
My sister nodded and walked out of the house without so much as a glance my way. And when the door shut behind her, those y/e/c eye finally met mine, breaking me even more because they didn’t hold that light they used to.
"What, Shawn? What could you possibly want?"
I open and close my mouth like a fish gasping for water.
"Well?" She arches an eyebrow at me, making me feel small beneath that stare that I desperately wanted just minutes ago, but now I wish she would look away. Because seeing that hurt and hatred behind her eyes is killing me. "What do you want?" She asked again.
And I broke. "You. Always fucking you!"
She scoffed, "No you don't!" She exclaimed. "You don't want me, you're lonely! I'm not your pet, Shawn! I'm not gonna come at your beck and call. I'm a human being. A human being with real feelings. A human being still trying to fix what you broke," her finger jabbed into my chest. "You don't get to say that you miss me after the way you treated me."
"I know, but-"
"Do you seriously think you can defend yourself here?" Y/n crosses her arms over her chest and it only makes me more upset.
"What makes you think you have any right to defend yourself?"
"Excuse me?!"
"Yeah, you're out there fucking around with one of my close friends, right? What? Are you gonna say he's just a friend? That he's just looking out for your well-being? Because that's definitely not the case."
"WHO?! Which of your 'close friends' am I supposedly fucking around with?"
Hearing her curse that way reminds me that we're in my parent's house and I suddenly feel really bad for causing this scene in front of my mum, but we're already too far gone.
"Oh, don't play dumb!"
"Enlighten me." She won't budge from her spot, but I've paced so much and so quickly that I was starting to leave a path in the carpet.
"With Connor. I saw you were together on your instagram."
"How could you even see that if I blocked you?"
"Are you gonna deny it?"
"Am I not allowed to have friends, Shawn? Because last I checked, you weren't my boyfriend, and you sure as hell weren't my 'keeper.' You don't have any right to tell me who I can and can't hang out with. So what if I'm hanging out with him? We got close on tour." She said with a shrug, "not that it's any of your business, but we are just friends"
“I haven’t written since you left,” I said lowly, suddenly much too tired to continue this screaming match that literally just started. “And I’ve been seeing this girl,” I said and tried to find some type of emotion behind her eyes, but there was nothing.
"Then why the hell should it matter if I'm with Connor? Even as friends?"
I couldn’t answer her yet, so I continued, “She never wants to hang out. She’s only there for awards and stuff. It kind of sucks actually.”
She scoffed, “That’s funny. Because that seemed to be exactly what you were wanting while we were together.”
“That’s not what I wanted, y/n. I just lost sight of what we had, my feelings got confused, and they shouldn’t have. I didn’t mean to hurt you that way.”
“But you did! And now you’re complaining for what? Because she’s not waiting around for you like I was?”
“Honey-”
“No! You don’t get to call me that anymore! You have no right!”
“Okay,” I hold my hands up in defense. “I’m sorry. I just, I don’t know what to say to make this better. I didn’t realize that you felt this way until it happened to me. And it’s the worst feeling. I feel like nothing I do will ever be good enough.” I sigh, “and I’m miserable without you,” I confessed.
"I'm sorry to hear that. But that's not my fault. You made the decisions that you did and you lost me in the process. That was all you."
"I want to go back. Forget that it's over."
"But you can't," she said, finally uncrossing her arms.
"But if we could?"
She shook her head, "even if we could. I'm not willing to forget."
"Will we ever be okay again? Be the way we used to be? Before we started dating."
She sighed and her gaze dropped once again. "As far as I'm concerned," she started. "You and I were strangers before we got together… and we're strangers once again." With a heavy sigh and a quick run of her fingers through her hair, she turned her attention back to the door that my sister walked out of just minutes ago. "I have to go. Your sister's waiting."
Don't go, I think to myself. Let me fix this. Let me try. But of course I don't say this. I watch her fingers curl around knob and my own fingers twitch, just aching to reach for her. But then the door closes with a soft click behind her and I find myself leaning against that same hard wood, tears blurring my vision.
I slide to the floor, my head in my hands, shoulders shaking with my uncontrolled sobs.
I never thought I'd feel this heartbreak. It's even worse the second time, somehow. Maybe because I know now that this is it for us.
Because I was always the master of words, and her of action. But in this moment, there are no words to save me, nor weapons to save her.
We are caught, defenseless, on seperate sides of the door.
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candle-jill · 2 years
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HI! I have to say that I am very happy and proud that you started a company! But I can't deny that I was confused, are you going to remove your stories from Ao3? If yes, how will we have access to your physical books? (will you let us know about them here?)
I've dreamed of a physical version of PE for a looong time, but you said something about anonymity and I didn't understand if you're going to publish outside and not talk here or if you were going to leave the stories anonymous and leave ao3 to continue as a writer for out of ao3.
(I think this got more confusing than I would have liked, sorry)
Basically, it's whether you're going to pull your stories out of Ao3 when you turn them into books.
And I saw someone commenting on an PE series, and my god, this has been my dream since I first read it (the idea that with a book the chances of this happening increase gave me a hint of hope 😅).
And sorry for the personal question, but how old are your kids? I saw you commenting on them and my curiosity hit me (don't answer if you don't want to).
And please keep us updated on your projects!
Have a nice day, night or whatever time it is for you as you read this.
(English is not my native language, so I apologize for any spelling or interpretation errors 😓)
it got so big and confusing, urghhh. I'm sorry again :/.
Sorry this has taken me so long to reply to! I've had it in an open tab because I wanted to make sure I could get back to you with more information. Super long post ahead...
Your confusion makes perfect sense because I am confused about what I should do. 😅 So... basically these are all options I've been thinking about for a while... I might remove all my stories and delete my AO3 account (and abandon tumblr). I'm thinking about pretty much purging and deleting all of "candlejill" anywhere. If I do that... I'm basically cutting ties and disappearing into the night without a word. 😬 Instead of burning it all to the ground, I might leave my stories up on AO3 and just abandon them to be authored by "anonymous." Or I might do nothing and leave it all alone. And since I'm completely undecided at this point, for now I'm leaving it all alone. Hit Me, Baby! is the main one that is more commercially viable, so that is the one most likely to be removed from AO3 if I sell it as a modified original (it also would need to be heavily edited). I have been working on several fully original stories but they're not on the market yet. I'm a little leery about connecting this space with anything I create professionally, so I'm not sure if I'll do an update here when they're up for sale. I have a few authors I'm working with in different capacities so I might publish a few with them or under their penname. If I did that, I'd probably let it be known here. Right now I'm still trying to figure out my options. For the stories inspired by TWD, I will probably do a whole new penname just for that, and I would be fine sharing that here. As far as ebooks go, it's challenging to find a home for a modified/original-PE because most major retailers won't allow it based on the content. Even with aged up characters, it technically counts as "snuff" 😬 ...which is like... a big no no everywhere apparently 🤷‍♀️. It would take significant editing and changing the entire premise (kind of defeating the purpose of the whole story). However, there are a few options for ebooks, I just haven't found much time to look into it yet. For actual physical copies of a modified-PE, I do have that figured out, but the sale would be through me directly and not something like Amazon. If I decide to do that I will definitely be posting about it here, because I think this is the only way I could reach people who are interested. It basically would be just for the people who've expressed an interest in it here, because unless I find an ebook vendor I don't think I'm ambitious enough to try to market it independently. I'm checking out pricing to see if it's viable (I don't want to charge too much, but I'd also like to make a profit). It would probably be print on demand for around $20 including shipping (US and international). Hopefully I clarified some of that (what I could anyway). Let me know if there's anything I missed. But right now I'm not taking anything down, and I'm not planning on leaving tumblr. And as for your other questions... my kids are 6 and 3 and keep me very busy. Your english is amazing! Thank you so much for taking the time to message me. I'll try to keep everyone in the loop the best I can on here. 💖💖💖
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invertedeidolon · 3 years
Text
The Longest Library #7: The Little Book of Complete Bollocks by Alistair Beaton
This is a series in which I attempt to read and review all (or most of) my library of 297 books.
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Rundown: I'm just going to quote part of the back here: In this witty hatchet job on the therapy culture, writer and broadcaster Alistair Beaton invites you to make friends with your anxiety, give your anger a hug, and have a good long satisfying shag with your negativity.
This is a small pocket book you'd probably gift to the drunk in your life if you share their views that therapy is too touchy feely, or if one of you have failed therapy before. I was wondering why these jokes were falling flat, and more importantly, why they were falling flat in a weird way instead of a mean-spirited way you'd expect. Then I read the back and realized that the author is british. (not sorry, british comedy is fine, bad british humor is just disappointing and feels like a small round man in his 30's trying to be clever at me in the pub)
I give this a 1/5. It'll waste a good thirty minutes, and there's like, five that made me exhale through my nose a little bit, but the rest of it was slightly exasperating.
So, this book reads like 12 year old me trying to be funny. It's a comment on therapy culture if all they've seen is TV gurus and overwritten self-discovery (not self-help) books. What I'm saying is that it could have been better. There's shitposts on tumblr that does a better job than about 89% of this book. Some of these do, in fact, read like tumblr shitposts that just barely miss the mark. There were times I felt like a lot of these were better off on a twitter account, or could be plugged into a bot that's attached to a twitter account.
However, I will share a few choice pieces with you.
IMPORTANT
Feelings of unimportance are often caused by a lack of importance. Banish your feelings of unimportance by becoming President of the United States.
Did the orange narcissist read this?
THE CHILD WITHIN
Finding the child within yourself can be harder than you think. Buy a cuddly toy and take it to bed with you. Use it to rediscover the child-self you thought you had lost forever. Keep in touch with this child-self wherever you go. Throw tantrums with people who won't let you have your way. Eat too much chocolate and be sick. Show your partner your anger by wetting the bed.
*ANGRILY PEES THE BED* YOU NEVER PUT THE FORKS BACK IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION!!!
URINE
Let urine be the mirror of your soul. Every Monday morning, use a chopstick* to whisk a little of your urine in a white porcelain bowl. If your urine turns frothy, you have a terminal illness and will be dead by the weekend. *if you have issues around chopsticks, it is better to use a fork.
Here's one that makes little if any sense and feels like it failed to set out what it wanted to do. Yes I'm complaining. Yes I'm implying I might know how to do it better. Yes I'm actually going to do it.
"Urine can be a good reflection of the state of your soul. Every Monday morning,( the day of new beginnings for each week,) you can best check your soul's status by whisking some of your urine in a white porcelain bowl with a chopstick. Almost clear urine reflects your clarity of mind and peacefulness, as you must live a balanced and peaceful life to be able to drink that much water on an almost constant basis. If you can see patterns or small particles forming in the liquid, now is the perfect time to pause and contemplate the state of your medical insurance, as you will soon be needing a doctor for that heinous infection."
There. A soft punchline that makes the laughing portion of your brain give a little squeeze without actually giving you the physical urge to giggle. Because that's what they were going for, right?
COLOUR THERAPY
Try painting your therapist a different colour.
This one works. I like this one.
YOUR BODY
Your body is a superb instrument. Why not invite it to join an orchestra?
This one doesn't. Where's the funny? What's the implication? An actual orchestra, despite the average reader not being a trained musician? A choir? An orgy?
MIRROR MEDITATION
Sit down in the lotus position, facing a full-length mirror. In complete silence, stare at your own face in the mirror, without blinking. For three or four hours, nothing will happen. Persist.After four to six hours, the eyes of the face in the mirror will start to roll its eyes and its tongue will flop out of its mouth. Do not be alarmed - this is perfectly normal. Persist. After seven to eight hours, the face in the mirror will suddenly become distorted and appear to be screaming. Do not be alarmed - this is perfectly normal. Persist. After eight to ten hours the face in the mirror will come to meet yours. It will feel as if you are bashing your head repeatedly into a glass object. You will now find yourself in an altered state of consciousness. This is known as unconsciousness.It is followed by another, higher state, known as hospital.
Are they going for a horror bent? This definitely isn't advanced enough to consciously make it about eye fatigue and hypnogogic hallucinations. I feel like the amount of hours doesn't justify the end goal. It's a meditation. Usually there's an end goal of some kind in mind. Be it a time limit or a specific state or some way to KNOW when it ends. This joke only works if someone would actually have a reason to continue the exercise even though the ending may land them in the hospital. Yes I'm nitpicking. Yes I'll admit that if the bulk of it were shorter and the ending bit came way sooner it would be funnier to my tiny pea brain with a fly's bladder sized attention span.
PAINFUL
Make space for pain in your life. If you feel just fine, seek out a counselor or therapist who will explore with you the reasons why you are denying your pain.
:)
:') This is good, it feels like a joke one of your friends would make at you.
DYSFUNCTIONAL
A dysfunctional family is not a family that fails to function; a dysfunctional family is a family that fails to function for you. Make your family function for you by asking family members to rub essential oils into your thighs. If anyone refuses, ask them why they feel threatened by your thighs.
Dril goes to therapy: the movie. This one's good.
ON THE PLANE
During long air journeys, endear yourself to crew and passengers alike by introducing those around you to the ancient power of group chant.
Theater kids, am I right?
SIMPLE PLEASURES
Get pleasure out of the little things in life. Stand on an ant.
This one is the best one. It's the absurdist and casual aggression. It's perfectly modernized and it would probably be considered the worst one back in the day.
BEYOND WORDS
Understand the importance of non-verbal messaging. Give people the sound cues which reveal your mood: If you are happy, ululate in people's ears. If you are anxious, make moaning noises. If you are depressed, fart loudly and persistently.
Ah, so mid-2000s anime fans? Got it.
So in conclusion, no need to waste time on this book. Unless wasting time is what you set out to do.
If you're truly curious, I'm selling this book. It's not on the inverted selections ebay page (where I'm putting all my stuff I don't want any more and these books will likely appear there as well) because ebay is weird and has itty bitty tiny selling limits, so I can only have 5 active listings at a time. However, if you want this before anybody else can get to it, you simply have to message me on any platform you can find me one, and we'll set something up. It's 2 US dollars for me, and about 3.50 for the postal system.
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shawnpetermuffins · 5 years
Text
How's It Feel (CG pt 2)
A/n: I really struggled to write this, I'm not gonna lie. It wasn't turning out the way I wanted it at all, but this is what I've got and I still hope you like it.
Summary: Shawn's starting to feel how you did for way too long.
Requested: yes, by a lot of you surprisingly
Word count: 2.8k
***
The hole in my chest had only grown since y/n walked out of our apartment. I tried texting her, calling her. I tried everything until eventually my messages didn't go through anymore. My calls went straight to voicemail. All of her stuff was gone when I got back from the studio one day too, and if it was even possible, my heart broke all over again seeing that.
And as if not being with her wasn't already messing with my head, having to tell my family was even worse. Mum was pissed, didn't talk to me for three days, Aaliyah over a week. (I’ll be honest, she probably still wouldn’t be talking to me had I not broke down in front of Mum when I went to go work things out with them.) It was torture not being able to talk to two of the most important women in my life, about the other single most important girl in my life. One who no longer wanted me.
I knew I fucked up, there was no denying that. But I never intended to hurt her the way I did. I took her love for granted, I know that now, but knowing that just makes it hurt worse.
So I spent almost every night following our not-so mutual breakup at the bar, drinking the strongest liquor I could get my hands on because beer just wasn't going to cut it. If I was going to drown in anything, I'd rather it be in alcohol than in my own self pity. And it worked… until I met her.
---
Jordan's presence slammed into my like a ton of bricks. She was everything that the media thought I should be with. Long, flowy blonde hair. Legs for days. That "natural glow" that very obviously was just a dewy foundation - something y/n never wore because she thought it made her look more oily than dewy. By all means, she is who I wanted. Or more accurately, she is who I wanted to want.
Jordan was probably the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. There's not a doubt in my mind. But she wasn't y/n. She didn't stay the night. She hardly ever called, not unless I had promo events or award shows. So I guess lucky for me, it was award season. But these were the only times I'd see her. Only times I'd talk to her. Not that I didn't want to. I did, and I tried. But my messages would go read and unanswered. She never wanted to hang out with me and my friends, and on the ever-so rare occasion that she did accept my offer, it always ended with a quick fuck and she was out the door. There were no cuddles, there was no snuggling. I didn't get to wake up to make her breakfast like I used to do for y/n before I let things go so wrong.
I wonder if this is what y/n felt when I was out the door before she ever got the chance to open her eyes. I wonder if she felt this every morning for the last eight months of our relationship. That's how long it was, I realized when it was much too late. I blew off plans, and I didn't come home, and I didn't talk to her for eight months. But I still expected her to do things for me. Go to my awards shows even when I know she told me she had things she needed to do for work. I called her unsupportive more times than I can count and I unintentionally, but somehow knowingly let her slip through my fingers.
---
Come over???
Jordan read the text three hours ago and still hasn't bothered to respond. Not that I was expecting her to anymore. Unless I ask her to come to an award show with me, I won't get a response for days.
So I'm here, logged into Brian's Instagram looking through y/n's most recent posts because she blocked me on literally everything, not that I can blame her. She knew me well enough to know that after the way we ended things I would want to check up on her. Even though I didn't do it enough while I had her.
Kinda_yourname
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7,421 likes
Kinda_yourname Carnival nights call for impromptu photo shoots.
📸: @ connorbrashier
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I throw my phone onto the coffee table, suddenly sick to my stomach.
Connor. She still talks to him. They still hang out. I knew they had gotten close on the SM3 tour but I'd never realized that they were still close. It shouldn't bother me - she's, in fact, not mine anymore no matter how much I wish she were - But it does. It bothers me so much. Because who is he to be taking pictures like this of the girl I used to call my own? How is someone I considered a friend going to betray me this way?
I want so badly to throw something, to scream, and punch and kick like a dramatic child who's just been told he can't go play outside with his friends because it's far too hot. Other than the fact that my phone is no longer in my hands, and that my fingers are pressed firmly into the denim encompassing my legs, anyone watching me wouldn't be able to tell that I was in such serious turmoil.
I want to go back to feeling something. Even if it is just contempt for myself and the way I let things get so out of hand. But something inside me won't let it happen. I've become nothing but a hollow shell of what I used to be. I feel nothing. I want for nothing. I do nothing. It’s been hell on my music, too. Selfishly, I thought that being heartbroken would help me write another album, but now I have no inspiration. My muse is gone.
---
I'm sitting in the dining room with my mum who seems to be a little on edge while I'm talking to her. She keeps looking toward the door when she thinks I'm not looking, but I can't bring myself to ask why she's acting so weird. I should have.
"Where's Liyah?" I asked.
"Getting ready. She's going out with a friend."
I nodded, "Who?"
Mum shook her head and dismissed the question with wave of her hand, "You don't know her."
Ouch.
"Now, uh, what's going on?" She clasped her hands together.
I furrowed my brows, but shrugged off the uneasiness radiating through her body language. "I uh… I messed up."
"What do you mean?"
"With y/n."
She sighed, "Shawn. It's been three months."
"Yeah. And I haven't been able to write a song since we broke up."
"I thought you said you were dating that new girl."
"Jordan," I mumbled.
"Yes, her."
"It's complicated." I took in a deep breath, "Every time I try to make an effort, it's never reciprocated. She never texts me back, or calls me. She only ever wants to get together when I tell her I have an award show to go to or like I'm doing press. And I don't get that same feeling that I used to get when y/n would look at me. I don't love her, mum. Hell, I don't even know if I really like her or if I'm forcing myself to because I'm trying to compensate for what I don't have with y/n anymore."
Mum didn't say anything, but the look in her eyes told me everything.
"What?"
"It's nothing."
"It's something. What? What are you thinking?"
"Now, honey you know I love you. And I will support you through anything." She took my hands in hers from across the table. "But it sounds to me like you're getting a taste of your own medicine."
"Excuse me?"
"Don't get upset, Shawn. But that's exactly what you did with y/n. She texted and she called and you only wanted her when you needed someone next to you. You didn't treat her like your girlfriend. Not even a little bit. She was 'arm candy.' And that, it pains me to say, is what you are to this Jordan girl."
I run my hands through my hair, frustrated. "I don't want Jordan anymore. And it's clear she doesn't want me. I have to end things with her."
"If that's what you want, then I support you."
"I want y/n, mum… What do I do?"
"There's nothing you can do. Y/n isn't going to take you back."
"You don't know that," I said desperately, even though I knew she was right."
“Sweetheart, you know I love y/n. We all do. And you also know that I wouldn’t be telling you this if I thought that she would take you back. But Shawn… you hurt her. No, that’s not right. You broke her. That whole last year of your relationship shattered her into a million pieces. She’s trying just as hard as you - if not harder - to pick herself back up after this.”
“She’s hanging out with Connor. Did you know that?”
“And what does that matter? You’re with someone else.”
“It’s Connor! He and I are friends!”
“Shawn -”
"Karen! I hope you don't mind. I used my key, is Aaliyah -"
I stilled at the sound of the voice of both my dreams and my nightmares. A voice I never thought I'd hear again. I slowly turned around and was met with her frighteningly pale skin, she looked like she'd seen a ghost, and I knew I probably looked the same.
"Hi," I said like an idiot after a minute of full on staring at her, taking in every single thing I could.
She didn't say it back, just shook her head, averted her eyes and cleared her throat. "Karen, is Aaliyah ready?"
"I'm ready!" My little sister beamed, entering the now overly tense dining room. “Oh... Hey, Shawn.”
“What are you doing here?” I asked, only to y/n.
“Liyah, you got your stuff?”
She nodded. “Yeah, let’s go.” She crossed the room and pressed a kiss to Mum’s cheek. “I’ll be back later.”
“Is it cool if I take her out to dinner?” y/n asked, still not looking at me. "There were a lot of people at the mall when I passed by so we might be there longer than expected."
“What the hell is going on?” I exclaimed, and I knew eyes were on me now, but not the eyes I so desperately wanted to be on me. "Did you know she was coming over?" I asked mum.
She didn't answer me and that was response enough. “That’s fine, honey. But come back for dessert, okay? Manny and I were thinking sundaes with all the fixings.”
“You know the way to my heart, Karen. We’ll be back by eight.”
Aaliyah was now standing next to my ex-girlfriend once again and my heart ached watching them. They started walking toward the door, and I was going to leave it alone. Let them walk out the house without a problem, but my body reacted before my mind could catch up. “Y/n, wait.” When she didn’t turn around, I took her wrist. “Baby, please. Can we talk?”
“Let go of me, Shawn,” her voice was barely above a whisper.
“Not until you look at me,” I said, desperation lacing between every word.
She sighed and fished her keys out of her pocket, “Hon, can you wait in the car? I’ll be right there.”
My sister nodded and walked out of the house without so much as a glance my way. And when the door shut behind her, those y/e/c eyes finally met mine, breaking me even more because they didn’t hold that light they used to.
"What, Shawn? What could you possibly want?"
I open and close my mouth like a fish gasping for water.
"Well?" She arches an eyebrow at me, making me feel small beneath that stare that I desperately wanted just minutes ago, but now I wish she would look away. Because seeing that hurt and hatred behind her eyes is killing me. "What do you want?" She asked again.
And I broke. "You. Always fucking you!"
She scoffed, "No you don't!" She exclaimed. "You don't want me, you're lonely! I'm not your pet, Shawn! I'm not gonna come at your beck and call. I'm a human being. A human being with real feelings. A human being still trying to fix what you broke," her finger jabbed into my chest. "You don't get to say that you miss me after the way you treated me."
"I know, but-"
"Do you seriously think you can defend yourself here?" Y/n crosses her arms over her chest and it only makes me more upset.
"What makes you think you have any right to defend yourself?"
"Excuse me?!"
"Yeah, you're out there fucking around with one of my close friends, right? What? Are you gonna say he's just a friend? That he's just looking out for your well-being? Because that's definitely not the case."
"WHO?! Which of your 'close friends' am I supposedly fucking around with?"
Hearing her curse that way reminds me that we're in my parent's house and I suddenly feel really bad for causing this scene in front of my mum, but we're already too far gone.
"Oh, don't play dumb!"
"Enlighten me." She won't budge from her spot, but I've paced so much and so quickly that I was starting to leave a path in the carpet.
"With Connor. I saw you were together on your instagram."
"How could you even see that if I blocked you?"
"Are you gonna deny it?"
"Am I not allowed to have friends, Shawn? Because last I checked, you weren't my boyfriend, and you sure as hell weren't my 'keeper.' You don't have any right to tell me who I can and can't hang out with. So what if I'm hanging out with him? We got close on tour." She said with a shrug, "not that it's any of your business, but we are just friends"
"I haven't written since you left," I said lowly, suddenly much too tired to continue this screaming match that literally just started. "And I've been seeing this girl," I said and tried to find some type of emotion behind her eyes, but there was nothing.
"Then why the hell should it matter if I was with Connor? Even as friends."
I couldn't answer her yet, so I continued, "She never wants to hang out. She's only there for awards and stuff. It kind of sucks actually."
She scoffed, "That's funny. Because that seemed to be exactly what you were wanting while we were together."
"That's not what I wanted, y/n. I just lost sight of what we had, my feelings got confused, and they shouldn't have. I didn't mean to hurt you that way."
"But you did! And now you're complaining for what? Because she's not waiting around for you like I was?"
"Honey-"
"No! You don't get to call me that anymore! You have no right!"
"Okay," I hold my hands up in defense. "I'm sorry. I just, I don't know what to say to make this better. I didn't realize that you felt this way until it happened to me. And it's the worst feeling. I feel like nothing I do will ever be good enough." I sigh, "and I'm miserable without you," I confessed.
"I'm sorry to hear that. But that's not my fault. You made the decisions that you did and you lost me in the process. That was all you."
"I want to go back. Forget that it's over."
"But you can't," she said, finally uncrossing her arms.
"But if we could?"
She shook her head, "even if we could. I'm not willing to forget."
"Will we ever be okay again? Be the way we used to be? Before we started dating."
She sighed and her gaze dropped once again. "As far as I'm concerned," she started. "You and I were strangers before we got together… and we're strangers once again." With a heavy sigh and a quick run of her fingers through her hair, she turned her attention back to the door that my sister walked out of just minutes ago. "I have to go. Your sister's waiting."
Don't go, I think to myself. Let me fix this. Let me try. But of course I don't say this. I watch her fingers curl around knob and my own fingers twitch, just aching to reach for her. But then the door closes with a soft click behind her and I find myself leaning against that same hard wood, tears blurring my vision.
I slide to the floor, my head in my hands, shoulders shaking with my uncontrolled sobs.
I never thought I'd feel this heartbreak. It's even worse the second time, somehow. Maybe because I know now that this is it for us.
Because I was always the master of words, and her of action. But in this moment, there are no words to save me, nor weapons to save her.
We are caught, defenseless, on seperate sides of the door.
***
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A/n: I didn't feel the same way about this one as I did the first one, but I hope you enjoyed it!
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