#Learning To Love

[idleminds]

[respectthepetty]

The truth is that I like the color too.

Learning to Love | Ai no, Gakkou (2025)

A story about a high school teacher who grew up in a strict family and a host who is not good at reading and writing as they search for love despite the obstacles they face.

[dangermousie]

She has so much patience but also desire to meet him where he's at (she brings a kid thing about trains for example) and what strikes me is that for her it's not in the least romantic (so far) - teaching him is the first moment of joy she's had in years, since her relationship fell apart and her life fell apart and the suicide attempt etc and what I think she enjoys is getting to help somebody but also because she FINALLY has a pupil who actually wants to learn.

His face when he gives her his chicken scratch and is all "it's hopeless right everyone says" and his joking facade covers up so much insecurity.

But instead she's all "nah, we good" and does a different method and continues and I love that so much. She's literally the first person who has not given up on him (and he's not even some nightmare person; clearly all he has is some sort of a learning disability since while he's not a brain trust, he's of average intelligence in everything else) and ouch.

And he says he views everything in life as a joke but it's such a defense mechanism for him.

I honestly don't care if they get together romantically at the end (tho I am here for it with bells on if they do), I just want them both to be happy and away from their awful lives...

[da-man-si]

Started watching Learning to Love and the duties of a teacher in Japan are quite different than the teachers in my country because the fuck you mean it's the teacher who has to track down the brat who skipped school and is spending a ton of money that's not hers at a host club. More power to teachers there, man. It must be hard.

[sebadztian]

At 320k words, "Learning to Love" is officially my longest work to date (surprise, surprise). What started as a fun side project has developed into its own story in a little over a year, and now that it's finished, I'm so proud of it!

For those of you who don't know what it is about, it's a modern AU of Kuroshitsuji with a lot more teeth-rotting fluff, drama, and romance.

Read the last chapter here and here's an image that I commissioned from @luci-on-the-moon a while back. Thank you! 😄

[maggiepageauthor]

Fair Winds and Fortune from Scholarly Pursuits: A Queer Anthology of Cozy Academia Stories A @duckprintspress project - Crowdfunding now!

Summary:

Bastian, a knight errant, is convalescing at the University of Vismark's Halls of Healing following a wyvern attack that severely damaged his left wing. Because wyvern claws are one source of a rare material needed to craft magic-nullifying potions and objects, the wounds they inflict leave a magical deadzone that takes months to fade. Tending to Bastian’s wounds successfully requires an extended stay as a medical ward, waiting for his wing membrane to heal. And waiting to see if his pinion feathers can be regrown once healing magic can again take effect. But Bastian is not good at remaining idle. Losing the ability to fly, even temporarily (so he hopes), has profoundly unsettled Bastian, which exacerbates his restlessness. Luckily for him, his assigned healer, Zara, has patience enough for two. Her skill at soothing Bastian’s stress seems as remarkable to him as the medical methods used to repair his physical ills. Zara has kept him occupied and calm during the long weeks of his recovery, allowing the two of them to grow close. Now that Bastian is well enough to venture outside, Zara introduces Bastian to her friend, Emory, intuiting that they will get along. Emory, a mage adept, is researching and experimenting with teleportation, attempting to distill the power into reusable charms that have the same efficacy as his own natural ability. Success would open up unheard-of opportunities for travel, even to those without magic. Bastian is happy to help with testing Emory's prototypes. In their free time, Bastian, Zara, and Emory quickly become inseparable. Underneath her professionalism, Zara has a sense of humor and mischief that complements Emory’s bold and adventurous nature. Together, they explore the ancient beauty of Vismark’s campus on foot and by boat, play games, read books, share meals, and support one another in learning. Spending time with Zara and Emory makes Bastian feel more vibrantly alive than he has in years, which leads him to confront truths he's been avoiding for just as long. Bastian couldn't ask for better companions in this unexpected chapter of his life. As time ticks closer to the deadline that will reveal if Bastian's wing has been permanently damaged, the three of them realize that none of them wants the connection they've formed to end.

Check out the details, including teasers from the authors on Kickstarter! The campaign runs through August 12, 2025.

[medusapelagia]

Learning to Love 1

(Part 1, Part 2...)

This fic was supposed to be a pinch but in the end wasn't needed anymore so it collected dust in my Scrivener’s file for a few months. A HUGE thank you to @mystrade-lecroft that was my beta ages ago!

Rating: Mature Relationship: Steve /Billy Tags: enemies to lovers, no upside down Words: 1117

Billy hasn't talked to Steve since the fight they had at Byers’ house, when he found his little step-sister alone in a stranger's house with the other two boys and Harrington.

There was a reason they were all there. Lucas and Max had gone on a little nerd date and the kid's bicycle got a flat tire so he called his best friend, Dustin, who called his best friend, Harrington, who picked them up with his car and drove them to the Byers’ to fix the bicycle.

Billy knows Max and he knows she may have gone with Lucas even if she was grounded just to piss him off, but his father wasn't going to listen to any kind of excuses so Billy had to defend Max's honor, she was his sister after all. It doesn't matter if they don't share the same blood, she is family now, and even if most of the time Billy can’t stand her, he was not going to let anyone put his dirty paws on her, ok?

That’s why he got so mad at Harrington when he lied to him about his sister. Pretending she wasn’t there when he could see her staring at him from the window.

They fought hard, and Billy took Harrington by surprise, crashing a plate on the side of his head and punching him in the face until he laid on the ground unconscious. Then he took Max's arm, who was still screaming something about him being crazy or some shit like that and dragged her to the car.

"Never do something like that again, are we clear?" He hissed in her face. And since that day she didn't, or at least if she did, she became sneakier. Billy doesn’t really care, the important thing is that his father is satisfied, and if Neil Hargrove is happy everyone at home is happy.

Does Billy feel guilty about punching Harrington? Maybe. But he did what had to be done and now the rich boy is keeping his distance from him and his step-sister, which is good. 

Nobody knows exactly what happened, everyone assumed that they had a fight about some girl and even if the chief of police insisted, Harrington didn't file a report against him. Billy should be grateful, a report on his record would not look good, but he wasn't wrong assuming that the pretty boy was going to do something inappropriate with his sister, well, step-sister. After all, he is the one who took her to that house in the middle of nowhere when he could have just driven her back home. It doesn't matter that Max probably begged the high school boy not to, Steve should have known better and drove her home the same.

Billy takes his seat at the back of the class. Hagan on his right is complaining about something Carol did during the weekend when the teacher gets in the classroom and announces that she is going to give them a pop quiz. Everyone starts to complain loudly, while the woman gives them the tests telling them that they should already know the answers and that the test is to help them get prepared before the final test.

Billy doesn't complain, he was always one of the best students in every school he attended so he is not worried at all. He quickly fills the test and gives it back to the teacher who smiles at him and tells him that he can go out to grab a smoke if he wants, but he has to get back before the class ends because she wants to talk to him.

The blond guy raises an eyebrow, confused, he knows he did well on the test, why did she ask him to get back to class?

"Nothing to worry about." She keeps smiling and Billy nods, going outside, the cigarette in his mouth as soon as the door closes behind him. The blond boy loves smoking, he loves everything about smoking; he loves the rituality of taking the cigarette, putting it in his mouth, taking the lighters, and inhaling.

The first drag of smoke immediately calms him down. It doesn't matter if he is fidgeting, or anxious, or scared, when he inhales the world stops spinning and all his worries and insecurities disappear.

Billy stares at the parking lot, wondering how he ended up in a shit place like Hawkins, where the more exciting thing to do is go to the quarry, stare at the cliff, and wonder if to jump or not.

After smoking the cigarette to the filter, Billy gets back to class. There are just a few students left and Harrington is among them, still sitting at his desk with a big frown biting his pen anxiously.

"Time is up. Please give me your tests."

Harrington sighs, reads the questions one last time, and gives the test back to the teacher.

"Could you wait for a moment, Steve?"

The boy shrugs, his arms crossed in front of him to protect him from whatever the teacher is going to say to him.

When the teacher has collected everyone's assignment the only two students in the class are Billy and Steve.

"So, Steve, I know you are having some difficulties this year, but even if you left the basketball team to concentrate on your studies, I must say that it's not enough. I think you might take advantage of some tutoring. And I think that you and Billy could be a good match. So I wanted to suggest to Billy to tutor you to see if this can help your grades, what do you say?"

The chestnut-haired boy glares at the other guy "I'm sorry Mrs. Johnson but Billy and I... we can't study together." 

"I'm not saying that you have to become best friends, but Billy is the class's best student and I'm sure he could help you. And some tutoring would be good for you, Billy. You are really intelligent but your behavior is a little bit... explosive."

The blond-haired guy nods, he knows that his behavior is not the best and that tutoring someone would definitely look good on his college application. But he also knows that he can't stay in the same room as Harrington, it would be like putting two lions in the same cage.

"Overcoming your differences could benefit both of you.” Mrs. Johnson insists “Would you like to give it a try?"

Steve shrugs and glares at Billy, "Whatever he says."

If Harrington thinks that he is too coward to accept the challenge he is fucking wrong. "At your place, tonight, after basketball practice." It sounds like a threat, and maybe it is.

[mgsapphire]

August 2025 Watchlist

Trigger

The Winning Try

Revenged Love

Cinderella's Closet

Learning to Love

Beyond the Bar

[sincerelynoir]

Came stumbling upon the narrow path as if I’m beer laced

Alcoholic, reeking of bad decisions, seeking gods face

And yet I stretch my hands out in desperation, chasing,

Yearning for a voice in the distance, a kind whisper

Of what’s to come, god if your kingdom comes

Will your will be done through me

Am I good enough to carry you

heavenly tributes and covenant, commandments. Teach me,

I beg of you, on my knees in church and in my bedroom

Make me worthy of your love and here you come as a dove

Landing on my shoulder “child you Carry too much” you say

“As if These boulders will somehow free you of your sins

Begone! I died on that cross for you to begin

My child it pains me to see you weep into your

Tan freckled hands, imploring, exploring, desperately

Trying to just get past the beep of an answering machine

I swear I listen in real time my child and every warm kiss

On your heart is just the start of what my love feels like

You may have fallen face first on the narrow path

But you crawled it hands and knees fingertips dirtied.

Gritting your teeth, Naomi, the first will be last and the last will be first

Put down your pain and put down your hurt!”

And so I do .

And so I do.

[dangermousie]

This is coming to Netflix later in the month!!!

What is it? A teacher and an illiterate gigolo YES PLEASE I don't know if it's gonna be a romance or "they better each other platonically" (tho the latter seems unlikely) or what BUT I WANTTTT

Look at me watching jdramas like it's 2007.

ETA: no idea what the characters' ages are supposed to be but ML actor is 22 and FL actress is 37 so it's def gonna be an age gap romance. MMM

[itsonly4-ever]

Chapters: 53/53 Fandom: Labyrinth (1986) Rating: T Relationships: Jareth/Sarah Williams Characters: Jareth, Sarah Williams Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Summary:

When Mr. Williams experiences his second divorce and the family experiences rough times. They escape to a world of fantasy. Sarah just hopes that the Goblin King doesn't find out about it.

[peaceloveandapaperclip]

i told myself i wouldn’t start another fight. i told myself i’d trust him. that i wouldn’t ask the questions i already know the answers to—the ones that don’t really seek clarity, but confirmation. confirmation of a fear, not truth.

sometimes, it feels like i’m not fighting with him, but with myself— one part of me still scared he doesn’t love me, another part trying to prove that he does. like two wolves inside me arguing over the past. and neither of them live in the present moment.

right now, he’s in the kitchen. banging things around. loud without saying a word. and yeah, part of me wonders if he’s doing it on purpose. if this is a game. if he’s trying to make me feel bad or manipulate me. but another part—deeper, quieter, wiser—knows: this is pain. not power. his noise is just his own hurt echoing off the walls.

and maybe I’ve hurt him too. maybe the way I question, poke, pull— maybe that’s me acting from my wounds, just like his silence is him acting from his.

we’re not enemies. we’re just two nervous systems trying to feel safe. trying to unlearn all the ways love used to mean war.

i know all relationships are mirrors. every time i flinch at his silence, every time i overthink his tone— that’s a reflection of a wound i haven’t soothed yet. he becomes the canvas, but the brush was always in my hand.

loving him has never been the hard part. trusting i’m worthy of his love? that’s where it shakes.

but i want to love him. and i want to be loved by him. and if i can’t fully trust where he is yet, maybe i can at least trust myself. trust that i’m showing up with more softness. more awareness. more willingness to heal, not just react.

we’re both like plants that came from harsh soil. so of course sometimes we don’t bloom right away. sometimes we throw shade. but with enough light, enough patience, enough watering the roots instead of blaming the leaves— maybe we grow. maybe we learn how to bend, not break.

and still—i’m doing my best. i catch myself sooner. i breathe deeper. i pause longer.

maybe there’s no such thing as a mistake. just feedback. just lessons disguised as hard conversations. just chances to love better, starting with myself.

i’m in this relationship for a reason. and maybe that reason is to grow. maybe it’s to learn how to stay, even when my past tries to run. maybe it’s to practice choosing love over fear over and over and over again.

and even when i stumble, i remind myself: i’m not broken. i’m just becoming.

You see ....

sometimes love doesn’t look like roses. sometimes it looks like staying calm while the dishes rattle in the kitchen. it looks like softening instead of snapping. like choosing to believe in someone’s pain, not just their reaction. i’m not perfect— but i’m trying. healing out loud. loving anyway. because even when it’s messy, this is still love. and i’m still becoming.

🌒

[sebadztian]

My WIPs...

I currently have 3 WIPs. Yeah, I probably shouldn't have started on so many, but oh well, what's done is done...

The updates are kinda slow right now since I'm kind of busy with my new gig, but I'm working on them all, I promise!

1. Ciel Phantomhive and the Order of the Phoenix. The latest installment in my Demon Wizard series, a Kuroshitsuji x Harry Potter crossover. Basically, Ciel and Sebastian go to Hogwarts and they're going to help Harry & co. fight Voldemort. In return, Ciel gets to learn the basic of magic and at the end of the war, they'll get Dumbledore's soul.

2. Learning to Love. A modern take on Black Butler. Ciel is the sole heir of the Phantomhive family and one day he's going to be the CEO of Funtom, following in his father's foosteps. As per the tradition in their family, when he turns 18, Ciel is given a companion of his own, his advisor, his right hand man, essentially, his butler. This somewhat lighthearted story takes the slice-of-life approach with lots and lots of fluff and plenty of angst.

3. The Demon's Mate. My take on the OG Black Butler, with a twist. After losing everything on his 10th birthday, Ciel makes a deal with a demon. But at the end of their contract, instead of taking his soul, the demon will take Ciel as his mate, whether the boy wants to or not. This one generally follows the manga events/arcs, with some elements from the anime as I see fit. Oh, and Ciel doesn't have a twin and/or a fiance. For non-HP/crossover fans or those who are not into modern!AU, this one might be for you.

The biggest challenge in working on those WIPs is that I have to work with not one, not two, but three different Sebastian & Ciel, and three different Sebaciel dynamics. It really gets very crowded up there sometimes...

Please check them out when you have the time and I hope you're going to enjoy them!

[deathlessdionysus]

the doctor as a historian??? what happened to hating archeologists

[rstandsforromance]

How do you do it? How did you fix my heart that I didn't realize was broken?

How did you love me so easily when I thought I was so hard to love?