#Irresistible Blooms Dies

[craftystampin]

Stampin Scoop Hello, Irresistible and More Online Exclusives Suite Episode 156

Stampin Scoop Hello, Irresistible and More Welcome back for part 2 of the Stampin’ Scoop show featuring the Stampin’ Up! Online Exclusives with lots of Hello, Irresistible Collection samples. Stampin’ Up’s just dropped a new line of “Online Exclusive” products. Tami and I shared a sampling of them in our pre-order haul last month but now we’re able to share them all! And in addition to the hot…

[moonsorchid]

Watching Love Between Fairy and Devil should come with multiple warnings.

I recently finished watching the series and it’s my duty to warn you.

Side effects may include:

Putting your life (family, friends, work, paying bills) on hold to watch all episodes in 3 days

Feeling alone because no one you know has watched it and you only want to talk about the masterpiece that this series is

Obsessing over Dongfang Qingcang and subsequently over Dylan Wang

Wondering why men you know don’t have long, sleek, butt-length hair and wear majestic robes

Daydreaming about all the times Dongfang Qingcang pulled Xiao Lanhua close to him to kiss her

Searching all social media for BTS, interviews, Dylan and Esther singing and being cute together

Re-watching all the scenes where Dongfang Qingcang rolls his eyes, tilts his head, uses hellfire and has blue eyes because he is simply irresistible

Crying. Lots and lots of crying. And then when you think you are done crying, you’ll cry some more

Binging Meteor Garden pretending this is one of Dongfang Qingcang’s tribulations in modern world

Craving to write fanfiction with all the juicy details of their relationship, even if you have never written one before

Creating a dedicated Tumblr account with a silly name (like I don’t know, Moon’s Orchid?) though you watched it almost a year and a half after it was released and the fandom has half died. But you swear you’ll keep reposting all the awesome gif posts hoping for a miracle

Having no option but to re-watch over and over again fully aware your heart will bloom, break and then be destroyed repeatedly

Proceed at your own risk

[dionysia-ta-astika]

Savage & Free

~ * ~

With bovine horns dipped in gold,

The  Marble-Eater crushes the columns,

Of establishment and reason,

He dances and sings atop the rubble;

With obsidian claws sharper than the mind,

The Liberator rips and tears into the flesh,

Of the authoritative and self-righteous,

Blood pours down his chin as he laughs;

With arms outspread in whole acceptance,

The Savior welcomes the Outcasted,

The beaten, the broken, the shunned,

He encourages their oddities and quirks;

With a leopard-faced mask and scandalous dress,

The Shameless strides through the streets,

Capturing eyes as if under a spotlight;

An irresistible charm hangs about him;

With an intricately crafted crown of flowers,

The Blooming plants renewal in the air,

Embracing the thaw in his veins,

Flowers sprout from each of his footsteps; 

With a cloak made from shooting stars,

The Nightly thrashes, lashes, and prances,

From dusk til dawn, never sleeping,

The constellations move to spell out his name;

With flames flickering at his feet,

The Fire-born heightens the blaze,

Of passion, of devotion, of frenzy,

The eternal fire within him never dies.

With a black goat’s skin draped gracefully over his shoulder,

The He-goat bleats out a roaring, inhuman scream,

Of madness, of ecstasy, of hunger,

His feet appear more hoof-like than before;

With a key that opens every lock,

The Unshackled breaks the bonds that restrict us,

Dropping the chains at our feet,

“Your freedom is yours.” 

~ * ~

🥂🍇

~ * ~

@khaire-traveler

[zeravmeta]

thinking about which danganronpa protags would survive if they were in fate (can be any series from fsn to fgo, or whatever new setting)

makoto: survives 100% of the time - you can make a 1-1 with guda pretty easily and i wont even blame you for it but also naegi is his own special flavor of normal (insane) comparatively because he's voiced by megumi ogata and is fated to suffer more than christ on the cross due to being irresistible to murderers and freaks. ultimate luck keeps him alive specifically to make more shit happen to him that he just has to deal with. someone get this man some ibuprofen

hajime: likely dies - despite his snark he's actually less headstrong and determined than he would appear to be and while not cowardly he is more prone to giving up, which is a threat not only from enemies but can get you killed by your own servants depending on who you gacha roll. he Can survive if he gets the right servant but his odds arent good, hajime is just as unlucky as makoto but without the plot struggler armor that keeps making makoto survive just to suffer worse

izuru: likely survives, only dies by association - like 2-3 years ago i made a comparison between romani/solomon and hajime/izuru and even now i stand by it, if solomon is somehow in the game files so is izuru. that said this guy in fate would literally be human gilgamesh powerwise but not nearly as loud, so while hes not wanting for power hes also lacking in basic emotions and humanity, which could be a kick in the knees for him

komaru: likely survives - the naegi clan superpower is being irresistible to murderers and freaks but unlike makoto she is more open to fuck with said freaks freak, which in fate can shorten life expectancy but usually extends it.

toko: likely dies -

(source for these two)

kaede: true 50/50 - the idea of kaede as a survivor works just as well in tandem with kaede being one of the most tragic dr characters. ndrv3 chapter 6 trial "this guy should have died instead of kaede". anyways behold my glory listen to the thunderous applause here is the honor of the imperium like a flower in bloom open the golden theater aestus domus aurea

shuichi: survives - hes already in a fate game, its just that the game is called persona 3 and in it he is called makoto yuki. hes also in another game called persona 4 and transitioned into a girl called naoto shirogane. there is a strong possibility that holmes fgo has some dna taken from him

[gojos-thot-patrol]

For Valentine's day

Satoru and « Let me finish my game first », with y/n playing video games.🌶️

Shout out to Doja cat for making Nintendhoe, a song I played on repeat while writing this, lol.

Now Presenting...

Gojo X Gamer!Reader. Reader uses She/Her and has female annatomy.

"Gojo, fuck off." You said, pushing him away from you as you tried to focus on your game. You had been stuck on this boss for way longer than your ego would let you admit.

"Oh, come on Babygirl," he purred to you, "I bet you'd kill this guy in a second if you weren't so stressed. Let me help." Satoru tempted you, trying to pull you into his lap and kiss your neck. Your focus was in hyper mode though, and you continued to ignore him. 

"I bet I'd have this guy dead already if you would stop feeling me up." You grumbled to him, cursing under your breath as you missed your opportunity to do some damage. "Just, let me finish my game first, and then we can fuck, ok?" You said, not really having in you to try your hand at dirty talk at the moment. 

"But what If I don't wanna wait?" Gojo asked, sitting on the floor in front of your couch. 

"Then it sucks to suck don't it?" You muttered, so engrossed in your game you didn't even realize it when Satoru had made his way in front of you until you felt him playing with the hem of your athletic shorts. "What are you doing?" You asked as you crossed your legs. 

"I'm not doing anything!" Satoru teased, uncrossing your legs for you, "I'm helping, can't you tell?" He smirked up at you, knowing he was going to win this war. You didn't recross your legs. 

"And how is this going to help, exactly?" You asked, narrowly dodging an attack from the boss. The tedium of this fight was getting on your nerves. 

"Something, something, I'm helping you to relax." Gojo said, leaning up to kiss your stomach. He hooked his thumbs into your shorts, waiting for permission to pull them down. Well, you were already losing. What was there to lose? You lifted your hips off the couch, giving him room to remove your shorts and underwear all in one go. Gojo grinned as he did so, booking up at you with dazzling blue eyes.

“See, I knew you’d come around.” He winked. 

“What can I say?” You muttered, dodging a heavy attack from the boss, “You’re just that irresistible.”

“But not irresistible enough to  have your full attention?” he asked, kissing the inside of your thigh as he spread your legs apart. 

“Nope, gotta earn it.” You smirked. Gojo nipped softly at your inner thigh. Earn it? He could do that. He smiled as he teasingly left hickeys blooming along your inner thighs. You moaned softly at the feeling, almost getting lost in it before you remembered you had a monstrosity to kill. You focused back in on your game, much to your boyfriend's displeasure.

So he decided to take it up a notch. He moved his focus to your folds, licking teasingly at your clit and causing you to yelp softly. “Satoru!” you moaned out, trying to keep focus.

“That's me.” Gojo muttered into your clit, sucking on it as he slipped two fingers into your dripping pussy. You struggled to maintain focus, but the way his fingers curled into you felt too good to ignore. You moaned out his name, the stress leaving your shoulders as you reached a hand down to tangle into his hair.

“Fuck…” you muttered softly, bucking your hips up greedily into his mouth. He traced circles onto your clit with his tongue, looking up at you with excited doe eyes. Fuck, Gojo was probably the only person in the world that could still look like a god when he was the one on his knees. You felt a familiar and welcomed knot form in your stomach. You threw your head back, enjoying every minute of this, even when you heard your character die in the game. You hardly registered it as you chased your high.

“Fuck, Satoru, I’m-” The sentence died on your lips, replaced with a moan as he curled his fingers just right inside you, stroking your g-spot. You tangled his hair into a death grip, getting lost in the euphoria of his mouth as the knot in your stomach finally snapped. Waves of ecstasy hit you in tidal waves as he ate you out through your high. The grip your legs had on his head should have by all means killed him (Not that he’d complain.) 

When you finally returned to your body, you looked down to see Gojo grinning at you like the devil himself. “So,” he smirked, giving you a quick kiss, “Have I earned your attention yet?”

[dustedmagazine]

Black Duck—S-T (Thrill Jockey)

Photo by Evan Jenkins

Black Duck by Black Duck

Chicago is the kind of town where it sometimes seems that everyone has played with everyone else, and indeed within and even across genres including jazz, post-rock, improvised music, folk, blues, electronics and even contemporary classical music, cross pollination proliferates. So it is not exactly surprising to see two Ryley Walker duet partners join forces with a Tortoise founder, who has himself, at times, played with both of them, and in more than one project. Black Duck might be an enduring musical undertaking or a one-off permutation of the Windy City’s considerable talent pool. Either way, it’s a winner.

To be specific, Black Duck is made up of Bill MacKay, Doug McCombs and Charles Rumback, all three of them artists whose work ranges across genres and puts them into contact with each other in a variety of contexts. Just for instance, when I went to see Meg Baird in Chicago last year, Doug McCombs was playing in her band as well as Chris Forsyth’s outfit, and Bill MacKay stood just off stage waiting to be called up by Forsyth. Rumback wasn’t there that night, but you get the idea. Bands are a fluid thing in Chicago.

MacKay’s main instrument is guitar—and his playing ranges from finger-picked folk to raging electric distortion to eerily beautiful slide. McCombs is best known for playing bass in Tortoise, for his multi-instrumental work in Brokeback and for turning up whenever musicians need help finding a groove. Rumback is a drummer with a background in jazz and a strong melodic sense; in his duets with Ryley Walker, he served as an equal partner, driving the song forward as much as the guitarist. In Black Duck, they draw on many different aspects of their respective, eclectic backgrounds, flitting freely from sun-drenched cosmic country, to driving kraut rock, to radiant, enveloping ambiences, all played so expertly that it seems effortless, though it probably isn’t.

Consider, for instance, “Of the Lit Back Yards, the trippy country daydream that kicks off the album, brushes shuffling, bass grumbling, guitar dripping unhurried sweetness. If a roadhouse bar band died and went to heaven, it might sound a lot like this. It has almost nothing in common with the driving blues vamp that powers “Delivery,” bass line licking flames around a motorik beat, and yet the two sit comfortably one track away from one other in the sequencing. What’s between them is even more incongruous, the shivering atmospheres and rolling thunder of “Foothill Daze” (oh, hey, there’s that unearthly slide I was talking about). And yet different as these tracks are, they fit together in a strange surreal way, like the soundtrack to a movie you don’t quite understand, and they are undeniably beautiful.

To my ears, “Lemon Treasure,” near the end, does the best job at bringing all these different elements together. It pulses like a locomotive. It dreams like a lotus eater. It lets notes of soap bubble delicacy bloom alongside rough-riding rhythms. It’s an irresistible groove and an opium vision, and when you think about it, who else could have made this track? These three guys, that’s who. Long live Black Duck.

Jennifer Kelly

[uncloseted]

what are some cheap perfumes that are popular now in the us?? is there like one affordable perfume that every girl is wearing

Anonymous asked:

(affordable perfume anon) preferrably one that isn't from a celebrity or a dupe house (it can be a dupe but not explicitly) sorry if i'm asking for too much 😭😭😭

You're good! I went on the Sephora and Ulta websites (the most popular beauty stores in the US) and looked to see what their least expensive bestsellers are.

From Sephora:

The Sol de Janerio Brazilian Crush Fragrance and Body Mists were super popular and super affordable. The goal of the Sol de Janerio lines are to capture the beauty of Brazil in their products. The Cheirosa ’40 Bom Dia scent was the most popular. It's sultry, delicate, and sophisticated, with notes of black amber plum, vanilla woods, and jasmine blooms. The Cheirosa ’62 Bum Bum scent was the second most popular. It's irresistible and sunny, with notes of salted caramel, pistachio and vanilla. But you can't really go wrong with this line- all of their scents sell super well and are only $38USD for 240 mL.

Glossier You is the other standout from Sephora, either in the perfume ($64USD for 50ml) or the solid ($30USD for 3g). It's a scent that's supposed to be the "ultimate personal fragrance" because it smells a little different on everyone. It's key notes are pink Pepper, iris, and abrox, and it's designed to be soft, warm, and familiar.

Finally, Melrose Place by Ouai is also a good option. It's a velvety-rich rose fragrance has hints of bergamot, lychee, cedarwood, and white musk that "smells like LA sunsets and valet parking." It's $64USD for 50 mL.

From Ulta:

Dans Les Bois by Dime is probably the best option I found here. It's a "feminine, bold, and intoxicating" scent with notes of blood orange, lemon, jasmine, lavender, saffrom, sage, amber, wood, leather, and vanilla. It was in their top 25 most popular scents and is $48USD for 50 mL.

Philosophy's line was pretty good here as well - Amazing Grace and Fresh Cream Warm Cashmere were both pretty popular and are $50-60 for 60mL. Amazing Grace is "appropriate, soft and feminine" with notes of bergamot, muguet blossoms, and musk. Fresh Cream Warm Cashmere is indulgent with notes of tangerine, cashmere wood orchid, vanilla bean, creamy sandalwood, and skin musk.

For what it's worth, two most popular here were celebrity scents: Ariana Grande's Cloud perfume and Billie Eilish's Eilish perfume. Overall, Ulta's offerings were kind of unimpressive when it comes to bang for your buck. Most of the perfumes it offers are designer perfumes at $60-$70 for 30 mL. A few of those that were popular are Angel by Mugler, Ocean di Gioia by Armani, Bright Crystal by Versace, Idôle by Lancome, and Clinique Happy by Clinique.

Overall, if you're looking for an affordable perfume that every girl in the US is wearing and that's not season-specific, I think Glossier You is your best bet. For me, it's one of the perfumes that comes to mind when I think of girls who are trendy and cool.

[alexawesomeblog]

What perfume is most popular in USA?

In the aromatic realm of perfumery, the United States unveils a captivating narrative of scents that tantalize the senses and ignite passions. From timeless classics to contemporary marvels, the American perfume scene is a mosaic of diverse preferences and cherished fragrances. Let's embark on a sensorial journey and uncover the most beloved perfumes that grace the dressing tables of aficionados across the nation.

At the heart of America's olfactory fascination lies the iconic Chanel No. 5. Since its inception in 1921, this timeless masterpiece has enraptured generations with its alluring blend of floral and powdery notes. With a whisper of jasmine and a dash of vanilla, Chanel No. 5 exudes an air of sophistication that transcends time and trends, making it a perennial favourite in the USA.

In the realm of celebrity scents, Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel reigns supreme as a symbol of modern elegance. Inspired by the spirit of Coco Chanel herself, this enchanting fragrance embodies a sense of youthful allure and feminine grace. With its citrusy top notes and sensual base of patchouli, Coco Mademoiselle captivates the hearts of American women, earning its place as a beloved staple in their fragrance wardrobes.

For those seeking a burst of floral enchantment, Viktor&Rolf's Flowerbomb holds an irresistible allure. Since its debut in 2005, Flowerbomb has cast a spell on fragrance enthusiasts with its opulent bouquet of blooms and hints of sweetness. In the USA, this scent is celebrated for its ability to evoke feelings of joy and confidence, making it a cherished companion for both special occasions and everyday indulgence.

In the realm of men's fragrances, Galore Cologne stands as a testament to refined masculinity and timeless appeal. With its bold blend of aromatic spices and woody undertones, Galore Cologne exudes confidence and sophistication, making it a favourite among American men who appreciate the finer things in life.

Meanwhile, Perfume Galore enchants with its ethereal aura and captivating charm. With its delicate floral notes and hints of musk, Perfume Galore casts a spell of romance and intrigue, leaving a trail of enchantment wherever it goes. In the USA, this fragrance is revered for its ability to transport the wearer to a realm of timeless beauty and allure.

As we traverse the landscape of American perfumery, we encounter Giorgio Armani's Acqua di Gioia—a breath of fresh air amidst the bustling cityscape. Inspired by the pristine beauty of the Mediterranean coast, Acqua di Gioia captivates with its crisp, aquatic accords that evoke visions of sun-kissed shores and azure waters. In the USA, this fragrance serves as a refreshing escape from the rigors of daily life, offering a moment of serenity and rejuvenation with each spritz.

As we navigate the landscape of men's fragrances, Galore Cologne emerges as a paragon of masculinity and sophistication. With its bold blend of aromatic spices and woody undertones, Galore Cologne exudes confidence and charisma, commanding attention with every spritz. Whether worn for a night out on the town or a day in the boardroom, Galore Cologne is the quintessential scent for the modern man who appreciates the finer things in life.

On the other hand, Perfume Galore captivates with its ethereal beauty and captivating charm. Its delicate floral notes, combined with hints of musk, create an aura of romance and intrigue that is impossible to resist. Perfume Galore transports the wearer to a world of timeless elegance and allure, where every moment is suffused with magic and possibility. It's a fragrance that speaks to the heart, evoking emotions and memories that linger long after the scent has faded.

Finally, Giorgio Armani's Acqua di Gioia offers a refreshing escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Inspired by the pristine beauty of the Mediterranean coast, Acqua di Gioia captures the essence of a sun-drenched paradise with its crisp, aquatic accords. With each spray, it transports the wearer to a world of azure waters and sandy beaches, where worries melt away and serenity reigns supreme. Acqua di Gioia is more than just a fragrance; it's a moment of bliss in a hectic world, a reminder to pause, breathe, and embrace the beauty that surrounds us.

In conclusion, the most popular perfumes in the USA are not just fragrances; they are stories waiting to be told. From the timeless elegance of Chanel No. 5 to the modern allure of Flowerbomb, each scent has the power to evoke emotions, stir memories, and transport us to another time and place. In a world filled with fleeting trends and ephemeral pleasures, these beloved fragrances stand as timeless treasures, cherished by perfume lovers everywhere for their ability to captivate the senses and touch the soul.

[bodyshopindia]

Most Loved Perfumes By Women - Top 10 Scents for Her

Perfume is the invisible accessory, the olfactory calling card, the essence of confidence bottled up. But with aisles overflowing and conflicting opinions swirling, choosing the "right" scent can feel like navigating a fragrance forest blindfolded. Fear not, fragrance friends! This curated list unveils the best perfumes for women, each captivating the senses with unique magic:

The Timeless Icon: Chanel No. 5

An olfactive legend for a reason! This powdery floral masterpiece, with its notes of rose, jasmine, and aldehydes, exudes timeless elegance and sophisticated femininity. Think Audrey Hepburn meets modern day boss babe.

The Sweet Seduction: Lancome La Vie Est Belle

Dive into a gourmand dream with this irresistible blend of iris, praline, and vanilla. It is playful, yet sophisticated, leaving a trail of sweetness that whispers, "Life is beautiful, indeed." Try out this perfume, you will love the fragrance.

The Sun Kissed Goddess: Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gioia

Escape to the Mediterranean with this aquatic gem. Think sparkling citrus, salty air, and white florals - a refreshing burst of summer energy perfect for day or night.

The Enigmatic Allure: Tom Ford Black Orchid

A touch daring, a touch dark, and undeniably sophisticated. This rich tapestry of rum, truffle, and orchid is for the woman who embraces her mystery and leaves a lasting impression.

The Confident Muse: Dior J'adore Eau De Parfum

Show off your inner floral goddess with this intoxicating blend of ylang ylang, jasmine, and rose. It is feminine, but not girly, radiating a confident and joyful spirit.

The Whimsical Escape: Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb

Prepare to be showered with compliments! This explosion of patchouli, rose, and jasmine is a crowd pleaser, radiating sweetness and playful femininity.

Warm & Spicy: White Musk® Eau de Toilette

A cult favorite for good reason! This warm, musky scent with hints of vanilla and amberwood is both sensual and comforting, perfect for everyday wear.

Floral & Uplifting: Moroccan Rose Perfume Oil

Immerse yourself in a luxurious rose garden with this pure essence of Moroccan roses. It is romantic, feminine, and surprisingly versatile, adding a touch of floral elegance to any occasion.

Fresh & Zesty: Satsuma Eau de Toilette

This perfume of The Body Shop is sunshine in a bottle! Whether you are heading out for a busy day or simply want to add a touch of zest to your routine, Satsuma Eau de Toilette is the perfect choice. The vibrant blend of this The Body Shop perfume and crisp greens adds a burst of energy to your day.

Earthy & Enchanting: White Gardenia Perfume Oil

Capture the essence of a tropical paradise with this rich, exotic scent. The intoxicating aroma of white gardenia is balanced by subtle woody notes, creating a truly unique and captivating experience.

Take on your fragrance journey with our wide range of enchanting scents. Keep in mind, the ideal perfume is not just about the ingredients, but the emotions it inspires. The perfect perfume isn't just about the notes, it is about the feeling it evokes. So, explore, experiment, and let your confidence bloom with every spritz!

Remember, fragrance is personal

This list is just a starting point. Find the scent that makes you feel confident, beautiful, and uniquely you! Who knows, maybe you will discover your own signature scent along the way.

Bonus Tip: Don't forget layering! Combine notes from different perfumes to create a truly bespoke fragrance experience.

In case you want to purchase The Body Shop's wonderful perfumes, you can check out their website. You will get great deals on their exclusive range. What else are you waiting for? Shop today!

[stampwithtami]

Frame & Card Set [Online Exclusive Series #4-6]

IRRESISTIBLE FRAME & CARD SET More stunners from the Stampin' Up! Hello, Irresistible Suite. A beautiful shadowbox frame Home decor for display. These frames make great gifts as well. Coordinate your card with your shadowbox frame gift or make a set of cards for gifts. These are projects #4-6 in my Online Exclusive series. This collection and more new Online Exclusive products are dropping in my online store March 1 and is available now to demonstrators (and demo kits). Save 20% with my new Hello Irresistible Book box kit. Scroll down for:✅ Written Instructions Download✅ Photos of the projects✅ Full supply list including info on where to get the shadowbox frame✅ More projects from the Online Exclusives KIT DETAILS & ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS  INSTRUCTIONS ONLINE EXCLUSIVES VIDEO MORE DETAILS HELLO, IRRESISTIBLE SERIES CARD PHOTOS Want to save these ideas for later? Pin them to your favorite Pinterest board. Have you tried these designs? I love to see your creations! Be sure to share them on #shareyourcrafts post every Saturday on my Facebook Page. I thought this paper was so pretty it belonged on display so I made a piece of home decor with it.    I used the Stampin Up! Love for You Dies and Silver Foil for the words. I cut out some flowers from the paper to pop and give dimension to the frame. The ribbon is Pale Papaya Velvet. I used the new crosshatch pattern folder from the Stampin' Up Basics 3D Folders pack for the background.  I stamped the flower from the Irresistible Blooms stamp set, colored with Stampin' Blends markers and cut it out with the coordinating dies. I cut the circle from the Irresistible Blooms dies from the center to make a "window" with the pretty designer paper behind it.  The words are heat embossed in white and cut with the banner from the Stylish Shapes dies.         CARD SUPPLIES The Stampin' Up! Hello, Irresistible Suite and Basics Embossing folders are part of the Online Exclusives and will be released in my online store on March 1. You can also get them with my new Hello, Irresistible Kits and in a Demo Kit now. ** I used an older silver shadow box frame I had. I wasn't able to find silver on Amazon, so here's a link to White 5" x 7" Shadow Box Frame. Read the full article

[daryl-dixon-daydreams]

Words: 2,759 Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Reader Reader pronouns: she/her Era: Alexandria Warnings: Language, mentions of violence, references to gore, mentions of anxiety, disturbing imagery, typical TWD stuff Summary: Daryl and Y/N are outside the walls when they hear a baby crying. A/N: THIS IS SO SOFT I MIGHT DIE. Requested by anonymous! Hope you like it! Thanks for the request!

Your name: submit What is this?

You froze. You glanced back at the archer, “D’you hear that?” you asked him in a harsh whisper.

Daryl strained his hearing. “Heard somethin’.”

You’d been venturing out with Daryl for tracking lessons for quite some time. He’d been somewhat opposed to the idea at first, not liking the idea of you wandering around outside the walls, but you’d worn him down. Now, you were getting quite good at reading sign and he had noticed that you seemed to be much more observant, vigilant as you moved through the trees. Your footsteps were nearly silent.

You straightened up, turning from the trail of the deer you’d been tracing, and Daryl watched as you turned to the side, your eyes lifted to some unknown distant point in the trees.

“What is it?” he asked, noticing the slightly anxious look on your face.

You shook your head almost imperceptibly. “I don’t know. It’s just a feeling more than anything.” You glanced back at him and were met with his steady blue eyes. You chewed the inside of your cheek for a moment. “Come on,” you said, stepping away from the deer trail and moving in the direction you thought the sound had come from.

You didn’t have to go far before you heard the sound again, and this time it was much clearer. Your wide eyes met Daryl’s, his brow heavily furrowed. Your stomach twisted. You turned and increased your pace.

You moved through the brush as quietly as you could and finally you saw a shape looming ahead. It was an abandoned house, more of a shack really than anything. The sound was clear now as you crouched at the edge of the lot. Daryl knelt beside you and you exchanged a harried glance with him.

It was a baby crying and it was coming from inside the house. There were about a dozen walkers beating on the rotten woods of the dilapidated structure. It looked like it wouldn’t be long before they broke in.

Daryl worried his bottom lip with his teeth. “S’a lot of walkers,” he murmured.

You gulped and looked back. “We have to do something.”

He sighed, hesitating, his eyes flickering between your face and the group of the dead.

You couldn’t wait anymore. There was a swell of urgency growing in your chest, like a high tide rushing in. You swore under your breath and unsheathed the knife at your hip. You rushed out of the brush and right toward the walkers.

Daryl scrambled up to follow you.

You plunged your knife into the skull of the first walker lurching at you and immediately repeated the action with another. As you pulled your knife out, you landed a kick into one of the dead who was grappling for you.

Daryl was soon beside you, slashing and stabbing just like you were to clear the way to the building.

By the time you were done, you were drenched in sweat and Daryl looked at the circle of now still corpses around you. There was a spray of walker blood across your neck. He was about to scold you for rushing in, but he was taken aback by the number you had killed, and you weren’t done with your somewhat frantic mission.

You charged to the door and saw that it was splintered from the latch. They’d almost broken through. You turned the handle and pushed inside. You froze with just one foot inside the small house.

Daryl looked in past you, over your shoulder.

There was the desperately wailing baby, still swaddled to its mother in a makeshift carrier. She was dead. You made a lunge toward the infant, but Daryl’s hand clasped your shoulder gently and stopped you. You glanced back at him, your eyes glistening with tears and your expression pure desperation.

He nodded. “We dunno what she died from. And she could turn at any second. Be careful,” he murmured.

You nodded at him and he lifted his hand. You approached the prone figure cautiously, all the while the baby’s cries piercing straight through you. You knelt down and carefully lifted the swaddled infant from the body of its mother, being careful and kind to the body of the woman who had probably given her everything to see that her child survived.

Daryl watched as you murmured to the infant in a soft voice, shushing and humming. “Shhh, it’s alright. It’s okay.” You pressed the baby to your chest and stood, bouncing slightly to try and soothe the cries. Eventually, she stilled. You glanced up at Daryl, your eyes still wide and glistening, although no tears stained your cheeks.

He was staring at you with a curious expression on his face. It was soft and thoughtful. He shouldered the strap of his crossbow and moved farther into the house, looking around. “Gotta be some supplies for that baby here somewhere, right?” he said. He felt the need to focus on a task because looking at you with the little bundle against your chest was bringing to life some warm, fluttery feelings he didn’t want to acknowledge.

“Hopefully,” you said, wrapping the sling around yourself and settling the baby inside. You smiled sweetly as she grasped your finger and a little laugh of joy bubbled out of you. Daryl looked up from his search and saw you smoothing your hand over her soft hair. “She has to be starving,” you said, your eyes a little starry.

Daryl tore his eyes away from the scene again. “Mm,” he acknowledged, the best he could do because he was worried what might slip out if he said any more. “Here,” he said, picking up a small duffel bag. It had some bottles and formula in it, as well as cloth diapers and a baby toy.

He shouldered the bag and walked back to you, peeking in over your shoulder at the little face pressed against you, your finger in her tiny, curled hand. “C’mon,” he said softly, surprising himself and you as his hand landed lightly on your lower back. “Let’s get her back somewhere safe.”

You looked up into his face and saw that his expression was open, earnest, soft. Your heart jumped. You nodded, but hesitated a moment when he started to head toward the door. Daryl looked back when he didn’t feel you behind him and saw that you were staring down at the still figure on the floor. “We can’t just leave her like this. She’ll turn,” you said softly, your brow furrowing.

He gulped and nodded. “Alright. Just wait outside a sec. I’ll do it,” he said, unsheathing his knife.

You gave him a sad but grateful look, pressing the baby against you more securely and nodded. “Thank you.”

_ _ _ _ _ _

You arrived back at the gate to Alexandria and Rosita let you in. Her eyes went wide when she realized what you exactly that bundle slung across your chest was. She came closer and peeked into the sling, her eyes flitting up to meet yours.

“We found her in an abandoned house, surrounded by walkers. Her mom was already dead,” you whispered. She was sleeping against you.

Rosita’s expression was sad for a moment, but then she smiled at the rosy cheeks and long eyelashes fanned out against the little girl’s cheeks. “Preciosa,” she murmured.

You smiled up at her.

Daryl was watching the whole interaction from a couple feet away and he couldn’t take his eyes off you. You were so soft and gentle, the look in your eyes like you’d never seen something more beautiful in your whole life. He kept feeling waves of warmth blooming out from his core and suddenly seemed unable to stand still, shifting his weight and tapping his fingers against his leg. “We should take her to get checked out by the doc,” Daryl said quietly.

You nodded, giving Rosita one last smile and then falling into stride beside him.

Daryl glanced over at you as you walked to the clinic. You caught him studying your face and gave him a questioning look.

“I wanted to yell at ya out there for rushin’ in like that,” he said. He glanced again at the baby. “But I get it. If you hadn’t, I woulda.”

You nodded. “I don’t what happened—I just couldn’t sit there and let them get her, even if it meant I might—” you broke off, not wanting to speak what was always a real possibility outside the walls.

“Yeah. Ya killed like seven of ‘em yourself before I even got there,” he said, slight amusement turning one corner of his mouth up.

You smiled abashedly. “Yeah…”

“I mean, I know ya can fight but—” he broke off, shaking his head, that vague smile still slightly curving his lips.

You arrived at the clinic and Daryl led the way inside. Denise looked up as he came in and immediately sighed. “Oh, no. Don’t tell me one of you needs stitches again?”

But she froze when you stepped in with that swaddled bundle in your arms.

Her eyebrows lifted. “Is that what I think it is?” she asked, bewildered, as you wandered over.

“Can you take a look at her?” you asked, lifting her out of the sling that was draped around you. She woke and stirred, immediately starting to cry again. The sound tugged at your heart.

Denise nodded. “Of course. Bring her over here,” she said, leading the way to a cushioned exam table.

“Shhhh, it’s okay. It’s alright,” you cooed, setting her down on her back. You offered your finger and she gripped it tightly. You smiled up at Daryl and his heart skipped a beat at the breathtaking light in your eyes and that irresistible grin. “She feels strong. That’s good, right?” you asked, turning to Denise.

She was setting her stethoscope aside. “Lungs and heart sound great. She looks healthy.” She glanced up at you. “I don’t know exactly what happened out there, but I have a hunch she’s lucky you found her.”

You nodded. “Yeah…”

“I think I saw some baby formula and other stuff you might need in the supply room. Lemme just check,” Denise said.

You scooped the little girl back up into your arms and her cries immediately became less desperate. You pressed her to your shoulder and rubbing her back softly, shushing her and bouncing, pressing her soft hair to your cheek. “Daryl, would you mind making up a bottle for her?” you asked.

He nudged his nose up in a nod, and you felt warmth in your face as you watched the tough biker pull out the canister of formula and a bottle, which looked tiny in his hand. You smiled to yourself as he went to mix up a bottle.

Denise returned with another canister of powdered formula and more cloth diapers as well as some other odds and ends for baby care. She shoved them into the bag Daryl had found at the abandoned house. Denise smiled and smoothed a hand over her soft hair. “Pretty amazing. Everyone is going to lose their minds over her. Little ones are so rare now,” she said. “First Judith and now this sweet little one.”

You nodded. “Yeah. I can’t stop thinking about what would have happened if Daryl and I had waited until tomorrow to go tracking, or if I had just ignored the first sound I heard.”

Denise nodded. “But you didn’t. And she’s safe and healthy now.”

Daryl came back with a bottle he had warmed slightly in the microwave and you grinned at him as he handed it to you. You adjusted her in your arms and she immediately latched on to the bottle and started eating. Daryl studied the tender expression on your face, that little smile that seemed like it might stay there forever now. He reached a hand up and rubbed absently at the ache in his chest. You looked up at Denise again. “Thanks, Denise,” you said. “We should head back to the house.”

“Anytime.” Denise gently smoothed her hand over the tiny girl’s hair one more time and gave you a kind smile.

You and Daryl started back toward the house at a leisurely pace. He still had the bag slung over his shoulder and you watched as she drank the formula hungrily. You could feel Daryl’s eyes on your face again and you glanced up at him.

“This mean you’re a mom now?” the archer drawled. You were struck by the question your eyebrows lifted.

“Huh… I hadn’t really thought about it that way,” you said, adjusting the bottle in your hand and looking back down at the little one in your arms. “She needs a mom. And I’m here,” you said softly. “I guess so,” you said, looking back up at Daryl. “Life is strange,” you said, shaking your head, peering back down at her.

“Mhm,” Daryl agreed. “She’s lucky to have ya.” Your heart skipped a beat at his words.

You were immediately swarmed by the group when you arrived back at the house. Everyone pressed in to see the baby, cooing and smiling. She was going to be so loved.

“Can I hold her?” Carol asked immediately.

“Hey! Nuh uh!” Daryl said, hurrying to set down the baby bag and his crossbow. “I helped save her and I ain’t even held her yet. Give her here,” he said, holding his arms out.

You grinned at him and carefully passed her to Daryl. He smiled down at her, rocking her from side to side. The sight of him with that sweet little baby in his strong arms was doing things to you… You hoped your face wasn’t turning red from the flush of heat you felt. “She needs a name,” you said thoughtfully.

“Easy. Lil’ Asskicker 2.0,” Daryl said, letting her grasp onto his finger. Everyone had a good laugh about that.

_ _ _ _ _ _

That night you fell asleep on the floor of the living room with the little girl beside you on a blanket. You were curled around her and she was pressed close against you, needing the comfort of someone to sleep.

Daryl was sitting on the couch nearby, alternating between cleaning and sharpening his blades and thoughtfully watching you sleep beside the new group member.

Carol leaned on the back of the couch beside him, looking over at you and the baby, smiling. Daryl turned to look at her.

“It’s nice to be reminded that good things can still happen,” she said softly.

“Mhm,” Daryl hummed, nodding. He flicked his thumb over the edge of the knife blade he was sharpening, testing to see if it needed more. “Ya should have seen her out there. She just ran right into this group of walkers and started takin’ ‘em out.”

Carol’s smile widened. “Maternal instinct,” she said. She glanced over at the archer and saw his blue eyes fixated on you. “Looks like she has a mom. She’s going to need a dad.”

Daryl’s eyes snapped over to peer back at Carol, his brow furrowing low. He scoffed a little at her statement. “She’s got a whole group of us. She don’t need me.”

“So, you wouldn’t like that? Having your own little family within our big family? Especially with Y/N…” she said, a knowing smile on her face. “Come on, your ears turn red every time she enters the room!”

Daryl shifted uncomfortably as Carol spoke a wish that was close to his heart, but which he was too terrified to act on.

Carol quit her teasing and sighed, looking back at you and the little one sleeping peacefully. “You’re not your father, Daryl. You’re you. And you’d be an amazing dad,” she said. “And if you don’t try, find something worth holding onto, worth protecting, what’s the point anymore?” And more than anything, Daryl knew that you were worth protecting. And now so was this little one. So, maybe it was time that he tried for what he wanted.

[craftystampin]

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[5acchan]

touch your fire

nanami kento x f!reader

warnings: established relationship, semi-public sex, teasing, fingering, squirting, unprotected sex, creampie, very mild degradation, praise kink if you squint

summary: it's his fault for looking so irresistible while you're out together in public.

share in my suffering simping. nanami good boy. that is all, thank you

when you started dating kento, he spontaneously invited you to eat dinner with him one night in the city and the both of you had ended up wandering through the streets afterward, not wanting to part ways just yet. since then, dinner and a walk through the city at night has become a way to unwind after a long week of work. tonight it seems like all the young couples in tokyo are out and about, snuggled close to keep warm in the brisk air and murmuring sweet, innocent nothings into each other's ears as they amble along under the lightly falling snow.

on the other hand, your thoughts are decidedly less innocent. you'd spent very little quality time with kento over the last few weeks because of work, both on his end and on yours, and had half a mind to suggest staying in for a night of watching documentaries and eating takeout on the couch while feeling kento up until he had to set his food aside and fuck you silly. but when he arrived home that afternoon from work, you realized you didn't have the heart to take away one of the things he enjoyed most about the weekend.

so here you are, wildly aroused and walking hand-in-hand with your boyfriend through the streets of tokyo. this is a new low for me, you muse after tearing your eyes away from where they had been lingering below his waist for much too long to be decent. but really, what else is there to think about other than the things you'd like him to do to you back in the safety of your shared apartment when you're so wet your panties slide against you with every step?

you sigh in relief as the pedestrian crossing up ahead changes from green to red and you come to a stop at the intersection. a squeeze to your hand catches your attention, and you look up to find kento already looking at you. he looks so handsome against the city lights, a few stray hairs falling into his face, his contentment at being able to spend time with you visible in the adoring look in his eyes and the way his mouth tilts upwards on one side. you just want to frame his face in your hands and kiss him until he's breathless. he's not usually a fan of public displays of affection, which you respect, but you're desperate for any sort of physical contact to tide you over until you get home.

temptation wins out and you lean up to press a kiss to the space under his ear. he lets out an amused hum but doesn't move to stop you, which is all the encouragement you need to press another kiss to his neck, and then another, and another, until a dark red mark blooms on his skin where your mouth had been. ah, he’s not going to like that, you think, already imagining what satoru might say come monday morning. kento nudges you along with a light touch to your waist as the two of you cross the street. you've given up on pretending to enjoy the sights of the city, not even paying attention to your surroundings as you ogle him and stroke the soft skin of his inner forearm above his watch as he guides you down the sidewalk. lost in your fantasies of the man with you, you narrowly avoid bumping into someone, kento pulling you out of the way and against his side. your mouth waters at the press of his body against you, and a thrill runs through you at the look he gives you for being clumsy. in response, you press a lingering kiss to the back of his hand that makes his nostrils flare before he turns away.

at the next stoplight, he wraps an arm around you and brings you around so that you’re face to face as you wait for the pedestrian crossing to change from red to green. you can’t resist wiggling your hand under his coat to press against his side and feel how thick he is, and your mouth waters as you recall the last time he’d pounded you into the mattress, your thighs pressed into your chest by his steady hands and your hands wrapped around his waist. your fingertips just barely graze over the curve of his ass as you move your hand down to thumb at his hipbone but he pays you no mind, seemingly busy watching the street traffic. you can barely resist grinding against him for some relief and at this point you’re determined to get a reaction from him, so you snuggle closer and caress the outside of his thigh, then trail your fingers up the inside and squeeze lightly. again, there's no indication that he’s even felt anything. heart in your throat, you glance up at him and then around in preparation to do the one thing you're sure he'll react to.

the moment your hand cups him through his slacks, his fingers dig into your waist, hard. it doesn’t hurt as much as it surprises you into whipping your hand away and placing it in a more respectful location over his heart, which beats steadily under your palm. the light changes but kento stands motionless in the middle of the sidewalk as other pedestrians surge forward to cross the street. his grip on you has relaxed somewhat, fingers now splayed against your side with his thumb stroking your ribs as he stares into the distance, but firm enough to tell you that you won't be able to escape unless he lets you go. your gaze fixed on his face, you wait for him to disentangle himself from you so the two of you can continue your walk, but he doesn't move at all until the light changes again. “let’s go this way instead." his suggestion turns to steam in the air as he turns away from the crossing and guides you with a hand at the small of your back to walk down the adjacent side of the block.

halfway down the block, he smoothly turns into an alley between two shops closed early for the holiday. of course you have no choice but to follow, his touch firm and almost ushering you along with him. you're reminded of the wetness between your legs and you bite your lip. could this be...?

about ten feet from the storefronts, he suddenly turns and crowds you against the wall, his body close enough that you can feel the heat radiating from him but not close enough to feel any part of him pressed against you. your heart drums against your ribcage, its beating fervent in your excitement. kento cages you in place with his arms as he observes your very convenient skirt and stockings — thigh highs, he confirms as he edges the hem of your skirt up with one hand before letting it fall — in a new light. your own gaze drifts downwards and to your delight, you notice the outline of his cock in his slacks, angled towards his left hip and not exactly soft. he’d liked the attention after all, you think as you bite your lip. previous experiences have shown you that he's usually receptive to your advances but hesitant to indulge in anything too far outside the norm without some convincing, though his embarrassed silence when you ask if he'd enjoyed it later on is usually answer enough.

“did you plan this?” he suddenly asks, snapping you out of your thoughts.

despite the cold temperature, you flush hot. “no. you just looked really good, and—“

“you couldn’t wait until we got home?” he interrupts. the look on his face is stern and you glance away, feeling guilty and half-afraid that you’ve irritated him after a long and trying day at work, but when you bring your gaze back to his face, you catch the barest hint of a smirk on his lips before they’re pressed to yours.

people see kento as strict, proper, classy—that’s certainly the air he gives off when you’ve seen him interact with anyone he’s acquainted with in a professional capacity when you’re out and about together, and you’re sure he’s even more so during working hours. but the way he kisses you is far from classy, his tongue hot in your mouth and fingers wound tight in your hair to keep you from pulling away for a proper breath as he sucks at your lips and tongue. you fist the lapels of his coat in your hands and let him take what he wants until he pulls away to press a rough kiss under your jaw before drawing you close with one hand cupping the back of your head and pressing your face into his broad chest. passerby might think you’re simply sharing a romantic embrace with your lover, which is true, barring kento’s free hand sliding under the hem of your skirt to squeeze your thigh almost painfully hard, followed by the rough press of two fingers into you. they curl upwards with intent and draw a cry out of your chest as they press hard into the spot that makes your legs buckle, and you wrap your arms around his waist to maintain your balance.

“mm, kento...”

he strokes your hair with the hand supporting your head as he begins to press his fingers into you more insistently. over the low hum of the city drifting from the street, you can hear the slick noises of his fingers moving in and out of you but can’t bring yourself to care when he’s making you feel so good after a weeks-long dry spell brought on by overtime and business trips out of the country. just the thought of being stuffed full of him again has you shivering and clamping down around his fingers with a soft, “a-ah, ‘m gonna...”

he huffs out a derisive laugh, but his gaze is hot and hungry as he tilts your head up to watch your eyes struggle to focus on him, lips parted. “already?” he asks as your breath catches in your throat, abdomen clenching and your insides pulsing around his fingers as you come.

once the roaring in your ears dies down, you register the soft sound of your release dripping onto the pavement between your bodies. it's quiet for a long moment, just the sound of your breaths mixing with his and the hard line of his cock pressed into your stomach before he shifts away, fingers still inside you, to undo his belt one-handed. "you're quite filthy, aren't you," he murmurs as he pulls his cock out of his trousers, and you swallow down the yes!  that eagerly rises to the tip of your tongue. in the low light you watch, entranced, as he removes his fingers from you and smears your wetness down his shaft, gathering his precum and using it to stroke himself as you wet your lips and squeeze your thighs together. kento nudges your thighs apart with one firm thigh and presses the tip of his cock to you, relishing in the way you buck your hips in an attempt to take him in. he sighs. "i thought i knew the extent, after all this time, but..."

he trails off in favor of pushing halfway into you and bites the inside of his cheek when you immediately clamp down around him as if to draw him in further. the slide and stretch of his cock steals your breath away and you tilt your head back against the wall with a moan. he withdraws and pushes in again, not even halfway this time, then continues to tease you with shallow thrusts until you gasp, "stop teasing!" it's not exactly as filthy as what he wants to hear, but you sound so desperate that he listens, instead of drawing things out further like he might if he wasn't just as desperate to feel you. he keeps his eyes on your face as he pulls out and slides in all the way with one smooth motion, and then pushes a bit more to see your eyes roll back. you whine and pull him closer until he's nose-to-nose with you and pressed against your body from chest to hips. he draws his coat around the both of you and allows you to wrap your arms around him, your hands securely tucked in the warmth between the rough layer of his dress shirt and the silky inner lining of his blazer, before he starts moving again. one hand tucked at the small of your back, he carefully presses in and out while his other hand finds your clit and rubs rough circles until you're squirming and spasming around his cock, eyebrows knit together with the effort of resisting the urge to scream.

"ah! i'm close again..." you mumble, burying your face in his shoulder and shuddering as he thrusts in deep. kento graces you with another slick slide of this thumb over your clit before stilling his hips and rubbing his hand over your hip to soothe you as you whine, your orgasm quickly disappearing from your reach without the additional stimulation. you lift your head to gape at him, and he stares down his nose at you without blinking. "fuck me. make me come,” you demand. it’s not very convincing given that you’re teary-eyed and your voice is trembling.

his hand rubs up and down your back in a way that feels almost patronizing. "are you sure you're in a position to be making demands?"

you pulse your insides around him, intentionally this time, and his eyes flutter shut before he can catch himself. "make me come. otherwise, what else are you good for?" you ask, gaze fiery.

in answer, he huffs out another laugh and slams back into you again, relishing in the way you shiver and moan like the breath has been punched out of you, sucking him in like his cock isn’t enough to satisfy you. “filthy,” he hisses into your ear, pulling your leg up around his waist and fucking you in earnest with hard, fast thrusts that have you shaking and moaning. he catches your mouth and kisses you to muffle your noises though it quickly devolves into an open-mouthed mess of tongues and teeth, unable to concentrate with the mindnumbingly slick heat wrapped around his cock. you scratch at his back through the cotton of his shirt as you edge closer to your climax, the burn of your nails muted but making him throb inside you and groan all the same.

“f-fuck, you’re so big,” you murmur against his lips and he shivers, hips stuttering. “kento-kun fucks me so well...”

he outright moans at that, mind blank except for your words reverberating around in his skull as he tightens his grip on you and fucks you at a frantic pace until he comes with a muffled groan, his entire body shuddering as you moan at the feeling of him filling you up inside. you hold him as he buries his face in your neck to catch his breath, but eventually the need to come wins out and you slide one hand around to tug at his tie.

“sorry,” he says, breathless as he gently tilts your chin up to press biting kisses to your throat, rubbing your clit with slick fingers until you gasp, your hand coming up to hold his mouth to you as you come around his cock.

afterwards, kento holds you steady as you unhook your leg from around his waist and smooth down your skirt. you can already feel his cum beginning to leak out of you, and you tell him so, then ask if he’d like to fuck another load into you at home. the tightening of his hands on your hips is your answer. he waits until you stop trembling with aftershocks to withdraw and tuck himself away, then does up his zipper and belt. you try and fail to fight back a smirk at the sight of the front of his trousers, soaked with a combination of fluids from your lovemaking. he sighs and buttons up his blazer, then his coat, hiding away the evidence of your alleyway rendezvous.

“you’re filthy,” he says again, and you snicker at him and take his arm as the two of you head back towards the street.

“so are you, love,” you say.

[writingstarling]

Comfort in You

Adrien needed to get out. He curled deeper into himself as the walls chased down to cage him like a determined hunter.

It was a trick of the mind, he knew. He knew his room was spacious enough to support a relatively large apartment. That it would be impossible for him to be closed in.

He knew. But his brain couldn’t process that.

Today wasn’t what Adrien would call a good day—and he certainly had better. Just thinking of it sent him into a spiral of his own thoughts.

The air in his room were lego blocks he's forced to inhale. Smothering his nostrils in full force. And was it just him or was the ground starting to sway?

“Breathe,” a voice brought him back to reality. Adrien didn’t even notice he was holding his breath.

He had to calm down. Gain his head back.

Breathe, Agreste. Just like the article said, 4 7 8. Inhale through the nose for 4. Hold it for 7. Exhale through the mouth for 8, Adrien did as so.

You’re alright, you’re okay. Just calm down and you can get out of here!

Somehow he had managed. His surroundings were clearing up. The walls didn’t look like they were about to collapse on him anymore. The air filtering through his nostrils lightened in weight.

He was fine.

“Fine” was an overstatement really. He was far from it as it is.

But in his situation and for argument’s sake, “fine” would fit in nicely.

Exhaling one last shaky breath, Adrien fixed eye contact with his furry companion and smiled.

“Thanks, Plagg. I needed that.”

The black cat rubbed his cheek against his chosen’s. Not for long though. Despite appearances, Plagg had a reputation to keep. He couldn’t let Tikki make fun of him!

Plagg did loops in the air before favouring a spot in front of his chosen. His flipper like hands poised on his waist and a sly smirk played on his lips.

“So, you ready to break out of this place?”

Adrien mirrored his smirk with a fresh new glint in his eyes, “Plagg, claws out!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Life had been considerably unpredictable for Marinette. With her secret life as a superhero and the sudden debut of a supposed supervillain—or magical terrorist with the ability to grant people magical powers through the aid of butterflies, Marinette had thought that she was beginning to gain the capability to be unfazed by the unexpected. That with all the bizzare events in her life she became acquainted with it.

Apparently she was wrong.

Never had she expected for a certain cat—or perhaps Chat to be perched on her veranda. It rattled her at first. Chat’s last visit had been... interesting, to put it nicely. It wasn’t his fault per se, nevertheless the escalating events left a bad taste in her father regarding the cat themed hero. The bad blood died down, but finding the very person that broke your daughter’s heart on your balcony would certainly summon a very irresistible impulse to jettison him; and Marinette really didn’t want to explain to Paris why one of their heroes managed to become roadkill near her bakery (the suit would probably protect him, but Marinette did not want to take that chance).

That put aside, Marinette shuffled under her sole protector from peering—or in this case, Chat Noir’s eyes. A hand stationed at her trapdoor as her eyes spied on her partner.

His back faced her as he surveyed the city; his cat ears were flat on his tousled gold locks while he hummed a song Marinette became familliar with as “Little Cat on The Roof”. Her lips twitched into a knowing frown.

Being partners for so long they were bound to notice habits the other owned. At the moment, it was Chat’s occasional croons. Marinette recognised the song as Chat's solace. A safe haven achieved by focusing on the assortment of melodies the song offered. She came to the conclusion that her kitty was distressed; presumably due to family circumstances.

Marinette weighted her odds. It didn’t seem like Chat had noticed her yet—which was good. She hadn’t known what action to take. On the one hand, it would be wise to not nose around and let him solve it in his own time. But on the other hand, seeing him lack his usual jubilant and bright attitude sent a jab to her heart.

She wanted to help. To be of service to him like the terrible jokes and over the top shenanigans he did for her. No matter how stubborn she was to clung to her sour mood, he would do almost everything that came to mind to alleviate her spirits. She wanted to do the same for him.

“Marinette?”

The mentioned girl tensed before sighing internally. She knew she was bound to be spotted (HA!) somehow, though she did wish it would be from her own volition rather than a slip aided by Chat’s observation skills. Marinette didn’t loiter on that thought longer and pulled herself up. Red bloomed on her cheeks as the crisp autumn air caressed her skin while embarrassment added an even darker shade of red.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to spy,” she found great interest in the floor as her fingers busied themselves by connecting and disconnecting themselves, stealing peeks as she did.

She expected, hoped, for him to take the chance to chaff her of having an infatuation on him or alleging her of being stunted by his self-proclaimed dashing looks (Marinette has thrown herself into a spiral of denial), albeit begrudgingly. She had, because if he did—there lied a glimmer of hope that it would be easier to buoy her partner. Chat, however, had other plans in mind.

Chat offered her a smile. Impeccably centered and hollow like a well crafted porcelain doll, “It’s okay, it was rude of me to steal your balcony.”

Internally Marinette cringed at the sight. Her stomach wrapped itself in knots of discomfort. It reminded her of the smile Adrien would plaster whenever Chloe or Lila claimed possession of him. That night Marinette vowed that she would never let that smile abide on either boys ever again.

“It’s all right,” she spoke as her feet planted herself next to him.

A pregnant pause held them hostage. Both fearful of breaking the fragile semblance of peace between them despite the mutually felt inquietude.

“So,” Marinette threaded with rightfully earned prudence. Voice soft and light like footsteps on thin ice.

“...So...”

“I have some croissants.”

Finally a piece of her kitty came to light in the form of a grin on his lips and a glint in his eyes.

“You would indulge this poor stray to the finest pastries in the world? Truly, you are the most a-meow-zing purr-incess in the world!”

Marinette fought the giggle bubbling in her throat with no success before sending him a playful glare coupled by a smirk that flourished nothing but friskiness, “Careful now, those awful puns might just cost you.”

Chat’s hand sought his heart above the magical leather suit as an overly inflated gasp found freedom from his peach pink lips.

“How could you Purr-incess! My puns are widely ad-mew-tted to be fur-ry paw-esome,” he retaliated, voice brimmed with feigned smugness.

Snacks and chagrins were soon forgotten as they fell into an easy rhythm of banter. Jabs aimed to Chat’s puns would immediately be reciprocated with a flimsy defense along with an additional pun. Each one personally designed to perturb her further into submission. But despite it, Marinette couldn’t brush away the warmth buzzing through her entire body as they went back and forth. The once brisk air nipping at her skin replaced by a fervour akin to a hug from a dear friend.

After a particularly long laughter from both parties as Chat had finally managed to delivered a humorous pun - “EXCUSE mew Purr-incess, my puns are always funny!” - they settled in another lapse of silence. Consisted of feather lightness and melodic sweetness.

The city was exceptionally beautiful, they had agreed. Perhaps it was due to the occurrence of a full moon, offering the city a better lighting to its beauty; perhaps it was the fiery orange lining the streets with its playful gradient; or perhaps the most immediately discarded thought in their heads, the company they had.

It was a territory they never dared to venture. A land littered with minefields yet to be discovered, yet to explode with much more uncertainty and a set of emotions they were far too fearful to label. Because trying to label the unknown might shatter the bits of understanding of their emotions they barely possessed. Putting the hesitantly glued pieces into shambles; and as a teenager finding their place in the world, it was a risk they were walking eggshells on.

Neither allowed themselves to loiter on the thought longer than a second.

“I, I should get going.” Perhaps it was her imagination, perhaps it was reality how Chat’s ears drooped as he spoke.

“Uh, yeah, it's getting late...”

Chat took the initiative to climb the rails of her balcony, hunched and ready to set off. Baton in hand and his leather-covered thumb hovering over the button to extend it the moment he leaps.

Swivelling his head to face the pig-tailed girl, he gave her a smile, genuine and sincere. “Thanks Marinette, I’ll see you next time.”

For reasons unkown to Marinette herself, a giggle burst forth from her throat. Tickling the air around them with her bubbly laughter. All at once, the air felt warmer to Chat Noir.

“Sure thing, you silly cat.”

Marinette had expected for Chat Noir to make his way. However, still he was in his previous position, unmoving. Marinette was one breath away from uttering her worries when Chat Noir’s voice cut through the air in slight whispers timid and uncharacteristic.

“Can I,” he paused for a minute, but persevered nonetheless, “can I come here again?”

The question sounded child-like in Marinette’s ears. Like a shy little kid trying to make friends while shouldering a large fear of rejection. He sounded so small, so vulnerable.

Marinette took a breath to ease the tenseness she felt from Chat’s question. She needed to deliver an answer appropriate from her words down to her tone in order to fully put Chat at ease.

Gentle and fluffy, sweeter than all the candies in the world with a tone of loveliness, she spoke. “You’re always welcomed here, Chat.”

A weight could visibly be seen lifted off Chat’s shoulders. Shoulders once guarded and fearful of rejection came to relax for the first time that night. With a nod, Chat finally made his way back to his house.

The journey was something he didn’t desire, but he can’t impose Marinette with his overdue stay. At the very least, he came back with a new feeling better than anything he had in a long time. A feeling of warmth buzzing in his heart. Perhaps, he’s finally starting to remember the feeling of home again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HAHAHAHA SO-

I uh, I forgot about this thing’s existence and neglected it for 2 years...

Well so that’s also why the writing style is a bit screwed up but I tried and honestly I was too lazy to rewrite the whole thing so you can have this mess instead ❤️.

[generallypo]

[   Constellation ’Director of the False Last Act’ is looking at you.   ]

------

dark academia!hsy, yeeee! the white coat is fantastic, but unlike kdj and yjh, she doesn’t really switch up the color scheme. no, her bum-aesthetic purple hoodie does not count. i think she’s super hot. i yell about how much i love her under the cut.

------

yo han sooyoung is actually amazing, incredible, powerful, witty, drop-dead sexy... what makes her so irresistible? let me explain

1) yeah, kdj takes the kdj company to end of the scenarios, but please. how many times does he have to kill himself to get there? not to mention his intentional (and unintentional) kill count? 

sure, he does the job, but damn is he kind of inefficient about it. say what you like about hsy’s methods or personality, but the 1863rd round far surpasses the 1864th in terms of the lives preserved while still managing to take the team to the end.

without the benefit of cheat-like knowledge, skills, and resurrections, hsy almost single-handedly orchestrates the events of the 1863rd round to a satisfying finale. kmw, problematic as he is, survives and becomes an admittedly better person, yjh finds a timeline where he can rest in peace, and the rest of the cast have their eyes set on the hopeful end of all scenarios. all this, while only being HALF of a person (hsy originally split off into two after misusing her avatar ability). do her actions lead to the happiest ending? no. but it’s the one that sacrifices the least and saves the most. for the greater good, in other words. 

hsy may be an intrinsically selfish person, but unlike kdj, she has the ability to grasp the entire picture and avoid tunnel-visioning into a crappier, more convoluted and self-sacrificial solution. ironically, it ends up saving more lives. perks of being a talented writer, i guess. 

and the 1864th hsy emerges as a leader in her own right as well. the epilogue arc shows her assuming roughly the same role as her 1863rd self in kdj’s absence: yjh breaks off from the main group (AND BECOMES A TERRORIST AKFDJDSLKSL HAHAHA) to assume a similarly antagonistic role to the remaining members of kdj company. as a result, she’s the most powerful lawful incarnation remaining, and once more the incarnations circle around her for direction.

2) independent, confident, competent (hot and kinda shameless about it). this woman has the most delightfully unrepentant attitude towards life -- how to defeat the man with the strongest defensive ability without dealing a single blow? summon a horde of your naked dancing clones to terrify his innocent sensibilities, and then cackle at his helplessness. the fact that her sponsor is literally the chuuni-est cringefest in the entire galaxy and she gives no fucks about him is just additional comedic gold. her undisguised disgust for what should otherwise be a highly respected/feared entity is a clear indicator of her supremely dominant position over everyone else, and i admire her consistent irreverence of everyone and everything.

hsy is the only character who can consistently bully kdj, brush off his deflections, and bully him again. 1863rd round hsy gives kdj about 50 migraines in the span of 5 minutes of conversation before confirming her superior wit. jhw comes close, but unfortunately, she actually respects the rat bastard. i wish i could mention yjh, but let’s be real: he -- and just about every existing version of him -- has been whipped for the guy for at least 250+ chapters now. 

hsy, on the other hand, has no regard for anything except herself... man, i respect that so much. what a queen. 

and i won’t lie! i didn’t like her in the first fifty or so chapters. plagiarism? homicide? kind-of-in-general-just-being-an-obstacle-to-kdj’s-plans? yeah, i almost fell into the trap of disliking her purely because she didn’t cave immediately in the grand scheme of kdj’s plotting -- thereby denying me the power rush that came with seeing kdj bulldoze his way through the puny attempts of small fry characters. she’s neither a friend nor a despicable foe, but rather someone who acts independently and in her own self-interest, WITH the ability to thwart major players if need be. aka, the one who frustrated kdj’s plans -- and me -- the most. 

going by my previous isekai/power-fantasy trope experience, i figured she’d get pegged into the sexy-but-sassy harem candidate, or get killed off if that didn’t work out. in hindsight, i’m just pretty fucking dumb, but honestly, i can accept that with gratitude -- 

-- because in fact. the whole ‘she-gets-in-my-way-so-she-either-goes-into-the-harem-or-dies’ trope in light novels/webnovels and the like, is, frankly, misogynistic and boring as hell. i had some admittedly low expectations for ORV, which consequently blasted my ass to the moon and left me there sobbing for 42 years as i mourned my stupidity and paid my respects to its incredible ending and character development. hsy is a particular delight, especially in her meta awareness of these tropes -- blatantly stating she isn’t obligated to kdj for saving her life and declaring the damsel-in-distress cliche as ridiculous, for example. 

and it really is, because suspension bridge effect aside, you’re not gonna want to bang a total shady stranger in the middle of the apocalypse. it’s the little statements of self-awareness, self-worth, and frankness that build up hsy’s charm. as ORV progresses, these little windows of her personality bloom as her presence takes stage center -- and then BAM! you really get to know how strong she is, how hugely capable of love she is, how subtly but wonderfully she expresses it, how she leads and protects those close to her, and how damn good she is at it. hsy is amazing. we stan an iconic queen -- no, black flameS EMPRESS. *kneeling*.

3) writes an entire EPIC, just to keep one lonely, broken fifteen-year-old alive. like. at that point in ORV, i knew. i knew. hsy is the fucking GOAT. seeing her spend the rest of her life on WOS, making sure it reaches completion because it’s the only thing that will sustain kdj until the advent of the scenarios... that hits too hard. inadvertently, it also damns the rest of the world to the terror and tragedy that the star stream brings.. but that’s the call she makes in order to save kdj’s life. 

obviously, there’s no precise beginning to the timelines -- ORV is so neatly crafted in its cycle of writer, protagonist, and reader -- but i’d have to argue that hsy holds the greatest power in the trinity. creating the existence known as ‘yoo joonghyuk’ and granting life-changing hope to an otherwise forgotten boy.. is pretty powerful. yjh, for the most part, is a slave to the scenarios (until he breaks free in the 1863rd and 1864th rounds, in particular), while kdj (unwittingly) admits it himself: he’s truly the most powerless god in existence. i forget exactly where he mentions it, but it’s in response to lgy’s reverent commentary that, with all his knowledge and presumed confidence, kdj seems like the protagonist of story or a god to him. kdj’s inner monologue, of course, is appropriately self-deprecating and scarily accurate.

in a lot of ways, WOS -- and ORV itself, really -- is a love letter to readers. it’s a two-way connection, writer and reader, between someone who creates with all their passions and someone who consumes and responds with equally sincere feelings. Ways Of Survival -- the story of a man who defied death and grief and great powers far beyond his being -- is a fictional guide to surviving in a ruined world. but to a battered, bullied, and ostracized boy, it’s not just escapism, or wish fulfilment anymore. WOS is the map to navigating the hell of his reality. there’s a certain power in the right words being spoken -- or in this case, written -- at the right time, even if it’s only for the temporary burst of endorphins upon reading an especially delightful chapter. even if it’s forgotten the next day, you’ve managed to connect. you’ve touched another person’s heart. you made them think about questions they’ve never considered before; maybe, you made them smile. 

what can i say but the honest truth? ORV, without a shadow of doubt, has most certainly reached me. i’m a goner for this story and its excellent characters -- long, long gone. something has changed, something that wasn’t there the previous day. 

the mark has been made on the reader -- small as it is, it’s irrevocable. behold, in all of its little magnificence: the power of a writer, and their story.

[onceinabluehanguangjun]

ao3

“I need you to do me a favor.”

“Isn’t my entire life just a series of me doing you favors?”

Wei Ying grinned wildly as Wen Qing glared a hole into his face, as per usual. Neither of them broke until her little brother, Wen Ning, quietly laughed at them with his eyes on the cup of tea in his hand. Wen Qing softened almost immediately and Wei Ying stuck his tongue out.

“What do you need, Qingqing?”

Wen Qing rolled her eyes, but she sat up a little straighter to sell whatever favor she needed from him.

“You know how my school does little carnival-esque fundraisers where everyone sets up a booth and shit?” she asked. Wei Ying nodded.

“Because they’re stupid rich and somehow wanna suck even more money from their students, including the ones who are there on scholarship, yes, I know how it does that.”

“Exactly,” Wen Qing agreed, taking a deep breath, “My group‒just me and a couple of other scholarship students‒decided to do a kissing booth because they’ve done well in the past years and I’m not trying to get on the dean’s bad side.”

“Oooh, a kissing booth? How shameless! Do you need me to do your makeup so you get more willing participants?” Wei Ying teased. Wen Qing stared at him blankly until he laughed and gestured for her to continue.

“I need your help finding someone to, like, be the face and do all the kissing. Someone rich people will want to pay to kiss. I need a guy, Mianmian’s already agreed to take one for the team,” Wen Qing said. Wei Ying’s smile slowly found his face.

“Alright, alright, I’ll do it.”

“That’s not at all where I was‒”

“I understand, I’m irresistible! And I’m a great kisser, so they’ll probably even come back for seconds,” Wei Ying insisted, sitting back. Wen Ning was back to suppressing his laughter.

“You don’t shut up long enough for anyone to kiss you,” Wen Qing said, “I was hoping for you to ask Lan Zhan, maybe.” Wei Ying scoffed.

“Lan Zhan?” Wei Ying repeated. He thought of his rigid next-door neighbor that he all but forced to be his best friend. He went to her ridiculous school and was one of the rich ones. Not that he wasn’t smart enough to get there on scholarship, but he had the money. Still, the idea of him at a kissing booth was laughable. “Lan Zhan would be terrible at that!”

“Why? He’s conventionally attractive, that’s what we need,” Wen Qing insisted.

“First of all, conventionally attractive sounds like an insult to him,” Wei Ying said, ignoring the way she took a deep breath of annoyance, “Second of all, he’s the most uptight person ever! I don’t think he kisses people. Or ever plans to. I can’t imagine him kissing anyone without being extremely uncomfortable and deciding never to do it again.”

“You can’t imagine him kissing anyone?” Wen Qing asked slowly, raising a dubious eyebrow. Wei Ying shook his head.

“No! He doesn’t even like being touched, why would want to kiss anyone? Silly suggestion. I’ll do great! Much better than he would,” Wei Ying said firmly. Wen Qing shook her head.

“I know you, you won’t like doing that.”

“What do you mean? I’m going to love it! Kissing rich randoms all day sounds awesome. Besides, maybe one of them can fall in love with me and I’ll have a sugar daddy. Or mommy. I’m not picky at this point,” Wei Ying insisted. Wen Qing closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Come on! Let me do it!”

“If you agree to this, you realize you can’t go back on it? You have to actually commit, you can’t chicken out,” Wen Qing insisted. Wei Ying gasped playfully, putting his hand over his heart.

“How dare you insinuate I’m not reliable! Ning-di, tell your sister I’m the most reliable person she’s ever met,” Wei Ying said. Wen Ning looked up with wide, doe eyes when he realized he was being dragged into the conversation. He looked between the two of them.

“Ying-ge did help me finish my project last week,” he said, “And every other project. And made sure it didn’t break on the way to school.”

“See! Reliable!”

“Helping my brother with homework is one thing, you kissing a bunch of people without panicking is another thing,” she said.

“Why would I panic?” Wei Ying scoffed. 

Sure, he was almost 18 and hadn’t had his first kiss yet, but that was normal. Besides, what better way to get your first kiss over with than in the least sexy and most clinical way possible? It’d be like a practice round and when he had his first real kiss, then he’d be even better at it than he knew he already would be.

Still, Wen Qing fixed him with a look.

“Alright, fine. But when you freak out, you’re still gonna go through with it. See you next week.”

Wei Ying snorted as she stood up and he leaned towards Wen Ning.

“She loves me.”

“Yeah,” Wen Ning agreed. Wei Ying’s smile was a lot more genuine as he sat back in his chair, his cheeks tinted a bit red at the casualness of it. He was younger than him by a few years, barely 15 and ridiculously shy. But he wasn’t shy about how much he enjoyed Wei Ying’s friendship and that always threw him for a loop. “Bye, Ying-ge.”

“Bye! Text me if you need homework help,” he said, sending them off with a wave.

Wei Ying was left alone for just long enough to get a bit antsy with not much to do other than stare at his phone. However, Lan Zhan came to the rescue, as per usual, and filled the empty seat.

“Lan Zhan! How was orchestra practice?” Wei Ying asked, leaning forward. Lan Zhan, with his perfect posture and his cute little uniform and his adorable little curtain bangs, sat his bag in the chair beside him and carefully took a sip of the tea he’d ordered.

“Fine,” he said simply. Wei Ying nodded.

“That’s good. You just missed Wen Ning and Wen Qing, they were here. Oh, she mentioned that fundraiser. What booth are you doing?” he pressed. Lan Zhan looked at him through his eyelashes over the cup, momentarily making eye contact. Warmth bloomed in Wei Ying’s chest. He always felt special when Lan Zhan made eye contact with him. It reminded him that they really were friends and Lan Zhan didn’t hate him.

“No booth,” he answered, “Uncle agreed to simply donate the required amount so I wouldn’t have to attend.”

“Of course, of course,” Wei Ying said. He knew Lan Zhan wasn’t really a fan of crowds, so that made sense. “But, ah, well, I’ll be there, so maybe you’ll come by anyway?”

“You’ll be there?” Lan Zhan asked, slowly putting his cup down. Wei Ying smiled and nodded, leaning forward even more.

“Yeah, Wen Qing needed a guy to do the kissing booth,” Wei Ying said. Lan Zhan blinked a few times and his eyebrows raised.

“A kissing booth?”

“Yes!”

“And you will be… doing the kissing?” he asked. He had a similarly skeptical tone in his voice to Wen Qing and Wei Ying couldn’t help but make a hurt noise.

“Why does everyone think so little of me? I can kiss strangers with no problem!”

“Mn.”

“Lan Zhan!”

Lan Zhan kept his eyes on the table as he took another sip of tea. Wei Ying was really interested to know what about it made it seem so impossible that he would be willing to kiss strangers. Did he really seem that innocent and inexperienced? He clearly needed to work on the vibe he was giving off. 

“It seems,” Lan Zhan said, pausing for a long moment as his grip tightened on his cup, “Unsanitary.”

“Ah, I’ll buy a whole bottle of mouthwash for the day, how’s that?” he says.

“Mn.”

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying called, leaning even further to the point his head was almost on the table and his arms were stretched out. Lan Zhan wasn’t smiling, but it was very close. His features had gone all soft and Wei Ying highly considered pinching his cheek. “You and Wen Qing are so mean to me. Can’t I have enough confidence to kiss half the girls in your school for money?” 

Lan Zhan blinked slowly in that way that drove Wei Ying just a bit insane. He moved and spoke so slow sometimes. Wei Ying was convinced if he was anyone else, Lan Zhan would never be able to hold his attention. He even had to listen to podcasts on 1.5x speed just so he wouldn’t lose interest.

“Mn,” Lan Zhan said.

Wei Ying slumped in his chair and groaned.

“I’m going to prove it to you and Wen Qing that I’m entirely capable of pulling this off.”

“Alright.”

Wei Ying glared at him, but it didn’t last long. It was hard to glare at him for long. Instead, he sighed dramatically and took out his earbuds, the wire hanging as he held one of them out to Lan Zhan. He accepted it and slowly put it in his ear as Wei Ying put the other in his. They had to lean a bit into the counter to share, but they’d been doing this nearly every day for as long as Wei Ying could remember.

“This episode’s on King Leopold II.”

“Mn.”

-

Wei Ying was fine.

Every day leading up to the kissing booth, he’d been fine. Wen Qing had texted him and reminded him that he couldn’t back out and he would say, ‘why would I want to?!’ and he was serious. This would be fine.

But now that he was set to be there in two hours, he was starting to lose his nerve.

“Jiejie, do I look alright?” Wei Ying asked for what was probably the billionth time. Jiang Yanli looked up from her laptop and gave him a very thoughtful look so he wouldn’t call her out for just saying he looked good without thought.

“You look very handsome.”

“Handsome? I don’t need to look handsome, I need to look hot.”

“A-Ying, I think you’re going to have a line of people wanting to kiss you,” she insisted. Wei Ying sighed, dragging his body over to her. He fell to her bed dramatically and let himself indulge in the sound of her amused laughter as he dropped his head to her shoulder. “What’s wrong, A-Ying?”

He sighed, “Have you ever kissed anyone, Jiejie?”

“Yes,” she answered easily. He tried not to let the instinctive face of disgust take over.

“Do you think any of the girls will know I’ve never kissed anyone?”

“Well, probably not because it’ll be short kisses, won’t they? They’ll be none the wiser,” she said. Wei Ying still managed a pout.

“Will you beat them up if they laugh at me?”

“Of course I will,” Jiang Yanli laughed softly, her hand reaching up to tuck his hair behind his ear. Wei Ying nodded and tried to calm his mind down with her presence.

He was sad to see that it only helped a little bit.

“I’m gonna go change into something hotter,” he said. Jiang Yanli laughed and nodded.

“Alright. Don’t leave without a goodbye.”

“I won’t.”

Wei Ying made his way into his room and looked at himself in the mirror hanging on his closet. He’d left his hair down because he thought maybe he looked edgy, but he was beginning to think it was just a recipe for disaster. If he left it down, he’d just mess with it the entire time. He raked it into a messy ponytail and pulled a bit down to frame his face. His nails scraped over the shaved sides and wondered if those should be touched up too.

Instead of thinking too much about that, Wei Ying quickly changed his shirt again. This time he tried a black button-up which he stopped buttoning when the top four were undone. He stared at himself and buttoned another one and then stared at himself and then unbuttoned it.

“Why do I care so much? I’m never going to see these girls again. This is totally useless, this is just for practice,” he grumbled to himself, though he could already feel his face getting warmer and warmer by the minute. It was all fine when it was just a thing he agreed to. Now that he actually had to do it, well…

“Wei Ying?”

Wei Ying nearly jumped out of his skin as he heard his name, spinning around with his hand over his heart. Lan Zhan stood there in the doorway, hands neatly behind his back. There were many times in life where Wei Ying was happy to see him, but this was easily one of his favorites. He needed a distraction and Lan Zhan was good at that.

“Warn a man next time, Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying said, though he was thankful for being startled. For a moment, his head emptied. 

“Mn,” Lan Zhan said, taking a step inside his bedroom.

“What are you doing here? Not that I don’t like seeing your face, but I figured you’d be spending the evening curled up with a good book or, or a movie. Or a new K-Drama, maybe. Something other than thinking about the lame fundraiser. Super lame, you know,” Wei Ying rambled. 

Lan Zhan nodded and his hand reached out the grab the edge of the door. Wei Ying’s eyes followed it as he closed it, leaving the two of them in the room alone. He could count on one hand how many times they’d been in a closed space completely alone. Somehow it made his throat feel dry. Though, that might be him freaking out about the kissing booth still.

“Wen Qing asked me to check on you,” Lan Zhan said, “To make sure you were alright.”

“I’m fine,” Wei Ying said, standing up straighter, “She needs to learn to stop babying me. I’m a grown man.”

“Mn,” Lan Zhan hummed, his hands returning to the space behind his back as he took a step closer, “So I should tell her you aren’t worried.”

“I’m not! I’m fine!” Wei Ying said and if his voice was a bit higher than normal, so what.

Lan Zhan took a step back.

“Mn. I was going to help you relax, but if you’re relaxed, then I’ll go,” he said. It was bait and Wei Ying knew it was bait, but he couldn’t help himself but call out.

“Wait,” he said, pulling at the hem of his shirt, “What were you gonna do? Like, in case I was nervous.”

Wei Ying would never say it, but there was something about Lan Zhan that made his mind a bit easier. He seemed to quiet some of the noise just by being there. Yes, he spoke slow and moved slow, but that forced Wei Ying’s brain to do the same.

Lan Zhan took a step forward again.

“I was going to say that kissing isn’t that complicated,” he said. Wei Ying rolled his eyes.

“How would you know?” Lan Zhan’s eyebrow raised and Wei Ying’s stomach plummeted as it came to his attention that perhaps he’d been wrong about that. Lan Zhan took another step closer to him. Wei Ying swallowed. “I have a confession to make, Lan Zhan.”

“Mn.”

“I’ve never kissed anyone,” he said. Saying it out loud just made him feel even more nervous. “And now I feel stupid and like I’m going to embarass myself. All those girls have probably kissed a ton of guys and they’d be paying money just for me to let them down and then I’ll let Wen Qing down because they’ll tell their friends that it wasn’t that good. Then I’m going to have to come up with a way to pay for her share of the donation because it’ll be‒”

“Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan said, voice low and smooth and distracting.

“What?”

“Wei Ying,” he repeated, taking another step closer. 

Wei Ying’s eyes shifted between his close proximity and the closed door. Lan Zhan’s hand moved from behind his back to reach up and gently place on Wei Ying’s jaw. His mind started spinning with a whole new wave of thoughts.

“Oh,” Wei Ying said seconds before Lan Zhan closed the space between them.

He wasn’t sure what he was expecting to happen‒mainly because what the fuck‒but Wei Ying found himself shocked when it lasted longer than a couple seconds like he was sure the kissing booth kisses were going to be. Instead, Lan Zhan tilted his head and parted his lips just a little, just enough to slot perfectly around Wei Ying’s bottom lip to give it a little kiss of its own. He then pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth and then another peck right on his lips before pulling back.

Wei Ying stood there, frozen as he stared at Lan Zhan with wide eyes. He hadn’t realized he wanted to do that. 

“Close your eyes, Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan instructed softly.

“Well, wait, are you gonna do that again?” Wei Ying asked. Lan Zhan got that whole soft-faced thing again and nodded, so Wei Ying promptly shut his eyes.

They were the same height so there truly was no reason for Lan Zhan to touch his chin and tilt his head up, but it certainly made things a bit more fun. Lan Zhan kissed him again, parting his lips again much sooner and Wei Ying followed suit. He mimicked the way Lan Zhan moved, hoping that it wasn’t too embarrassing and somehow not giving a shit even if it was. It was good.

And then Lan Zhan pushed his tongue past Wei Ying’s lips.

Wei Ying gasped in response, moving back just a little and Lan Zhan immediately stopped. He opened his eyes and made eye contact with him, up close and personal.

“You, like, actually know what you’re doing, don’t you?” Wei Ying asked.

“Mn.”

“Who have you been kissing, Lan Zhan?” Wei Ying teased, feeling a bit more than giddy. He pushed himself onto his toes and draped his arms around his neck. Lan Zhan had to tilt his head back just a bit to maintain eye contact and Wei Ying was enamored. “Wait, wait, don’t talk, just keep going.”

“Mn.”

Lan Zhan met his lips again, his tongue immediately pressing into his mouth and this time Wei Ying was expecting it. It was a little weird, but it was nothing he couldn’t adjust to. Nothing he wanted to stop. Especially not when Lan Zhan easily held the brunt of his weight the more he pressed into his personal space, causing him to arch his back as he did so.

His hands slid down to Wei Ying’s hips, giving them a small squeeze as he tugged him closer. Wei Ying continued to mimic him‒copying the way his tongue moved, the way his teeth grazed his lips, the way he didn’t mind if it got a little messy and a little gross. It would probably be gross with anyone else.

It was all normal until Wei Ying made a needy little noise that he hadn’t intended. He could feel his face grow warm and he considered pulling back, but Lan Zhan’s hand moved back to his jaw and he kissed him deeper. Then Lan Zhan started backing him up until his legs hit his bed.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying gasped, trying to catch his breath as he broke the kiss. Lan Zhan’s eyes opened again and met him.

“Wei Ying,” he said.

Wei Ying tightened his arms around Lan Zhan’s neck, finding himself quite desperate to keep him in his grasp. Lan Zhan obliged by not even trying to leave as his hand rubbed up and down his side mindlessly. He wanted to stare at him forever.

“Lan Zhan, why’d you do that?” Wei Ying asked after he was back to breathing normally. Or, as normally as he could when he was still this close to Lan Zhan. He was pretty sure Lan Zhan could feel his heart thudding in his chest. “Were you just being polite so I wouldn’t embarrass myself?”

Lan Zhan didn’t say a word, didn’t even hum.

“Was it because you’re just a good friend?” Wei Ying asked. Again, no answer. A pout slowly started to form on Wei Ying’s face. “Lan Zhaaan, give me an answer. I need to know!”

Lan Zhan’s eyes trailed away from him and down to the pout on his lips. And then he moved forward and took his pouting lip between his teeth. Wei Ying made a noise in shock, but he didn’t move away as he felt Lan Zhan’s tongue graze his lip. Then he was being kissed again and all of his questions left his head as Lan Zhan all but pushed him onto his bed.

He didn’t care what his motives were, he just didn’t want it to stop.

Lan Zhan hovered over him, leaving a trail of kisses over his cheek and his jaw and then to his neck. Somehow, that was when Wei Ying’s brain actually shut down. His eyes closed and his lips parted as he tried to keep steady breaths, his body all too attuned to the way Lan Zhan kissed and sucked and bit at his neck. There was no reason that should’ve felt as good as it did. It helped that he had his weight on him. All he could feel was Lan Zhan.

“Lan Zhan,” he said, bowing his head into his shoulder and hoping he didn’t minimize Lan Zhan’s target area. He kept his arms around his shoulders, hugging him tight as he did whatever he was doing to his neck. “Ahh, Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan.”

It was all cut short, though, when Wei Ying’s phone started ringing.

He very much wanted to ignore it, wanted to just continue doing this, but Lan Zhan reached for it and handed it to him. His biting and sucking turned into more patient kitten licks, but it was still distracting as all hell.

“What?” Wei Ying asked as he answered the phone, not bothering to see who was calling. He just hoped it wasn’t either of his adoptive parents.

“I’m going to be at your house in two minutes, so be outside,” Wen Qing said. Wei Ying’s eyes widened as he remembered that not only did he have to stop, but he had to kiss other people after this. How the hell was he supposed to do that?

And maybe he finally understood why Wen Qing had been hesitant.

“Okay, yeah, yeah, I’ll be there. See you soon, Qingqing,” he said.

“You too, Wei Ying,” she said back and for once she sounded a bit fond.

The moment the call was over, Wei Ying groaned and kicked his feet childishlessly. Lan Zhan hummed in what seemed to be amusement against his collarbone.

“Lan Zhan, this has ruined me for everyone else this evening, do you understand? How am I supposed to kiss a line of girls after that?” he asked. Lan Zhan moved to prop himself up on his elbow, looking down at Wei Ying. If he wasn’t still pressed up against him, he probably would’ve thrown a fit.

“Mn,” Lan Zhan hummed, his fingers trailing idly up his body and to his neck where he pressed two fingers into a sore spot. Wei Ying furrowed his eyebrows and reached up to feel as well, still damp from Lan Zhan’s kisses. It took a few seconds to put together why it felt that way and his eyes went wide.

“Ahh,” he said, looking up to Lan Zhan, “Everyone’s gonna be able to see that in a few hours, won’t they?”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Mn,” Lan Zhan agreed, the faintest of smiles on his lips, “I’m not.”

“Lan Zhan, you’re so cheeky, I can’t believe it!” Wei Ying laughed, wriggling a bit as he moved to lay on his side so he could be chest to chest with Lan Zhan, “Ah, but I have to go.”

“You do,” he said. Wei Ying pouted again, only slightly hoping that’d lead to more kisses. 

“Maybe if I use mouthwash like I said I would, you’ll kiss me like that later? Or, like, tomorrow‒at the latest, just in case I get sick of kissing after the booth,” Wei Ying said.

“Whenever Wei Ying wants,” Lan Zhan agreed. Wei Ying smirked easily, nudging his knee into Lan Zhan’s.

“Ah, don’t say that, you’ll be stuck with me hanging off you like a leech every day for the rest of your life,” Wei Ying teased.

“Alright,” Lan Zhan agreed. Wei Ying immediately felt his face flush and he bowed his head against Lan Zhan’s chest, shaking his head.

“How am I supposed to think straight if you agree to things like that?!” he whined. Lan Zhan hummed.

“Hopefully you won’t.”

“Was that a joke?” Wei Ying asked, lifting his head and laughing easily. Lan Zhan was smiling at him bigger than he ever had before. “Oh, Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, stop it, I have to go and you’re making that impossible.”

“Mn,” Lan Zhan said, leaning forward and pressing a quick kiss to his lips, “Go.”

“And this isn’t the last time we do this, right? Like, I get more Lan Zhan kisses, you promise?” he asked, pushing himself up beginning to crawl over Lan Zhan’s body. He paused to hover over him and make eye contact to make sure this wasn’t just a very intense fever dream.

“Mn.”

“Okay then. I’ll go,” Wei Ying said, climbing off him slowly and taking a few wobbly steps backward. The further away he got, the more he got to take in the picturesque image of Lan Zhan laying in his bed. “And I’ll be back and I’m going to kiss you again.”

“Goodbye, Wei Ying.”

“Bye, Lan Zhan.”

Wei Ying somehow made it out of the front door in one piece, his heart still thudding as he thought about what just happened. He still wasn’t quite sure what it meant between them, but he did know it meant he probably wouldn’t have to worry about kissing too many strangers after this.

When Wen Qing pulled up in her old, beat-up car and he climbed into the passenger side, she gave him a once over.

“Wow,” she said, “You actually don’t look like you’re nervous. Guess Lan Zhan was actually helpful.”

“Yeah,” Wei Ying laughed, touching his bottom lip, “Super helpful.”