#Litte energy today...

[barra400]

June pt. 13

[seeingivy]

deja vu

phd!eren x f!reader

**part of my canary mate fic

previous part linked here

--

[busstopbilly]: You’re quiet today. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: ruminating. 

[busstopbilly]: About? 

[lizontopoftheworld]: marriage. 

[busstopbilly]: ??? 

[busstopbilly]: About the institution of marriage or of your marriage? Or someone else’s marriage? 

[busstopbilly]: Or your marriage to me. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: so inquisitive today. 

[busstopbilly]: We should make one of those deals where once we turn thirty and we’re both not married, we should just bite the bullet and marry each other. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: deal! 

[busstopbilly]: How far away are you from thirty? 

[busstopbilly]: :D 

[lizontopoftheworld]: you’re funny 

[busstopbilly]: You seem low energy today. Marriage really has you that down? 

[lizontopoftheworld]: sorry. i’ve just been rotting since last night. in the mental space if that makes sense. 

[busstopbilly]: It makes sense. 

[busstopbilly]: Any catalyst to said rotting? 

[lizontopoftheworld]: overbearing mother 

[busstopbilly]: Classic. She should meet my dad. 

[lizonotopoftheworld]: they’d have a joint meltdown. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: i just don't understand where people find people. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: like how is that PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE 

[lizontopoftheworld]: like what are the odds that you like someone at the the same time that they like you 

[lizontopoftheworld]: liking someone that you stay together for like…for like years. since highschool. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: so many people cheat on other people. or stop liking them. hell, people just get bored of each other! 

[lizontopoftheworld]: i do not understand how it happens for other people. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: it’s just not fair. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: i get that it happens for other people but why doesn’t it happen for me? every person i know has been romantically involved with someone and i…i’ve never even gotten close to that 

[lizontopoftheworld]: the only person that flirts with me is you. you don’t even know what i look like. and you know. weird guys with small dicks do too but that raerely counts.

[busstopbilly]: I think chemistry is a big part of it. There are certain people that you just tend to feel close and connected to. Sometimes from the first time that you talk. While it does feel rare to you right now, because you’ve never felt it, think of it as a sampling issue. 

[busstopbilly]: You just haven’t been around someone who has warranted that out of you yet. But it is physically possible and it will happen for you. I know how annoying it sounds, but it sneaks up under your nose when you’re least expecting it.

[busstopbilly]: People cheat. But people also don’t cheat. I’ve been talking to you for nine months and have yet to get bored. It’s less likely to happen to you - speaking from experience – because talking to you is my favorite part of the day. 

[busstopbilly]: Take a breath. It’ll be okay. 

[busstopbilly]: If it makes you feel any better, I have the romantic capabilities of a teaspoon. The last time I took a girl on a date was in the sixth grade. 

--

eren calls your name three times. three times before he comes up with the only thing that he can think of, which is poking the side of your temple to get your attention. 

but he can’t help it. he takes the few seconds to observe you in full, from so close, because he’s never really gotten the chance. he counts four glittering earrings hanging from your lobe, perfectly matched to your outfit.  

eren wonders if that many piercings are uncomfortable. if you matched them on purpose. but retracts the need to ask you that. 

eren also observes that you’re particularly tense. that you’re slouching and scrunching up your shoulders up to your neck, that you frown while you’re typing, and that at the very least, you have eyebags that you’re not bothered enough to cover up. 

the music blaring through your headphones is obscenely loud. if he’s hearing right, you have an eerily similar music taste to his little sister's favorite pop artists, which he decides is entirely on brand for you. 

eren reaches forward, lightly tapping on the side of your temple to get your attention. 

he notes that you seem extremely disoriented by the gesture, the loud music blaring through your earphones – which he was positive was going to give you premature tinnitus – ceasing as you pull them out and glare at him. 

he also can’t help but notice that you’re looking at him with an insane amount of disdain. granted, almost every time you did look at him you were looking with disdain, but it was…almost amplified today. 

he can’t help but notice that he’s too observant when it comes to looking at you. that there’s so much to notice, mainly because he feels like there’s an absence of information that he’s working with as a baseline. 

eren’s final conclusion was that you were too reserved. or too reserved when it came to him. 

increasingly so, he’s reminded that this is how he had always felt around you. that more apparently, he keeps being reminded it with all the time he’s spending you and it’s irritating to him. 

“can i help you?” you ask. 

“lab lunch. i just picked it up.” eren offers. 

you bite at the side of your lip. 

“i love to eat my food cold. i’ll eat it in an hour.” you respond. 

eren leans forward, resting his arms on the top of your cubicle as he peers over to the screen of your laptop. he notes that you have three tabs open – two of which were abstracts that you were writing for the upcoming conference – and the last being facebook. 

eren wants to observe more. only because he’d rather do that than hear sasha prattle on for the entire lunch. 

“you know, levi’s going to come up here to get you anyways.” eren states. 

you flare your nostrils, before looking back up at him and glaring.

“well, he can spare himself the trouble. i’m not hungry. and i’m not in the mood for whatever the hell you’re trying to do either.” 

eren rolls his eyes. 

“did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?” eren asks. 

you seethe. 

“no. i was having a particularly great day before you showed up, actually.” 

“it’s my week to pick up the food. meaning, that when you don’t come down, they’re going to blame me and send me back up here. how about you spare me the trouble and just come?” eren asks. 

you roll your eyes, slamming the computer shut and giving him an exasperated gesture, and stand up. eren gives you an agreeable smile, the two of you walking in tandem down the steps. 

the lunch room is pleasantly quiet, something that you know won’t last for long – and something that wouldn’t help the pulsating feeling that’s been thrumming in your forehead – as you walk over to the table. 

you settle for the seat in between levi and gabi, and unfortunately, the one that’s annoyingly across from eren. but today was the day to make that type of sacrifice, because there was no way you would be able to stand the conversation you were positive was going to happen at the end of the table. 

“hi y/n.” gabi states. 

you give her a halfhearted smile. 

“hi gabs. how are you doing?” you ask. 

“good, good. how are you? i heard you very intensely smacking on your computer earlier.” 

you laugh. 

“i’ve just been trying to finish up the grant and abstract submissions for the conference. it’s not that i necessarily hate it, but…writing is the most difficult part of the whole research process for me.” you respond. 

gabi gives you a nod, carefully peeling through the wrapping on her sandwich as you follow her suit. eren notes that she shoots falco a look across the way and he shakes his head in response to whatever he’s referring to. 

it’s hard enough to keep up when they speak in their weird slang and tongues. now eren had to read their facial expressions too? 

“i hate writing too.” falco states. 

“no one asked you, falco. i was talking to y/n.” gabi scolds. 

falco shoots her an irritated look, one that she returns right back, as you demolish the paper that’s wrapping your sandwich. it tears easily, into small slivers of paper that you fumble with in your fingers. 

“you know. you should ask eren for help with that. he’s really good at that type of thing.” gabi offers. 

you and eren shoot each other a cautionary look, before the two of you shake your heads. 

“i wouldn’t want to impose.”  you state. 

“i’m very busy, gabi. with all the extra analysis that you asked me to do. stop offering up my time like it’s your own.” eren mutters. 

gabi gives him a peachy smile. 

“what if i say please?” gabi jokes. 

eren glares at her. but you can tell that deep down, he’s amused by her antics. you wonder what she sees in him as a mentor. especially when he does such little mentoring. 

“no.” eren responds. 

“you might need the help, you know.” falco murmurs. 

you pinch your eyes at him. 

“you might need it too, sweetheart. you misspell brain as brian every time you write it in your proposal.” 

gabi snickers at your side. 

“and you misspelled your own name on your application. you’re not one to laugh.” levi murmurs. 

eren wonders how much falco and levi must know about you. that naturally, you had to be the type of person to share with those that you actually liked, because most people were, and that they were both probably sitting on stories and stories of information. 

like the fact that you misspelled your name in your application. 

“you know, that might actually be a good idea.” levi states. 

“what? hanging falco at the stake?” you ask. 

“i second that.” gabi adds. 

“i mean, your writing could use a second pair of eyes. eren’s good at that type of thing to my understanding. and i’ve heard, maybe more times than i’ve liked, that eren’s machine learning algorithm could use some help too, so you two should just get together and work it out.” levi clarifies. 

you pinch your lips into a straight line. 

“some classical teamwork. what a great idea, levi!” hange states. 

“don’t kiss up.” levi responds. 

“i really don’t think that’s necessary, levi. i’m sure i can figure it out on my own.” 

levi narrows his eyes.

“well, i’m fairly positive you can figure it out on your own. i just don’t see the point of flailing uselessly when there is someone who can help you.” levi asks. 

the criticism stings. and it’s one that he offers to you often – that you’re chronically incapable of asking those around you for help. it was a natural state of mind, for you to reason through the thing on your own than rely on other people. 

you hate group projects. you prefer when you can control the entire thing from the get go to make sure that it’s up to your standards. and it’s difficult to reconcile with people when you’re not that good at being a people’s person. 

in hindsight, your choice of career feels rather ironic. 

“i mean, yes but…” 

“then you should do it. it’s pretty competitive, especially when you apply under applied neuroscience. it gives you a better chancel.” levi offers. 

you sigh, sinking into the divot of your chair, as you look over at eren. 

“do you have time on wednesdays?” you ask. 

eren pinches his lips into a line. 

“sure. we can do the morning.” eren responds, tone gritting through his teeth. 

it’s right at that moment that you want to sink into the hole for real and crawl back upstairs to the safety of your cubicle. that you’d have to work with him again, that he’d rip every last typo that you made to shred, and your project in shambles. 

it gets worse. because it’s right when sasha, mikasa, and connie prance in, excited voices ringing out into the previous almost silent ambiance of the room.

“maybe we’ll get married in the fall. i’ve always loved fall weddings.” sasha states. 

“that would be beautiful. especially with the leaves changing colors and everything.” mikasa responds. 

“you always pegged me for a summer wedding type of person. like full open bar, open buffet type situation.” connie offers. 

sasha shoots him a glare, his alternate intentions apparently obvious, as she takes the seat four down from you. it’s not far enough because you can still see the sparkling, glittering diamond that’s decorating her ring finger – and at the current moment – it feels like it’s mocking you. 

“sasha. congratulations on your engagement. niccolo is a lucky man!” 

“thank you so much, erwin. i can’t wait for all of you to meet him at the fall social.” 

erwin gives her a polite smile. 

“we’ll all be looking forward to it.” 

maybe everyone except for you. 

in theory, the fall social was a mix of everything that you liked. free food, time to network with people in other departments of the phd programs, and brownie points for making levi look good in front of all of the department heads. 

but on paper, it was the worst. because the food was always horrible, the people in the other departments were there looking for casual hookups, and brownie points simply weren’t the trouble. 

it also didn’t help that everyone who did have a partner brought them to the event. and all that did was make you think of the seven texts that were lingering in your phone from your mom – a barrage of texts about potential guys who she wanted you talk to, serious questions about when you were going to stop fooling around and settle down. 

it was unbearable. you were planning to miraculously get food poisoning the weekend that it was happening. 

“i personally hate the fall social.” eren states. 

“well, you’ll still be expected to go, eren.” hange retorts. 

“so i can make you look good?” eren asks. 

hange gives him a full smile. 

“preciesly. you can suck it to that idiot in the psychology department.” 

“you know. there’s significant overlap between psychology and neuroscience. you would do well to get alone with the people in that department, hange.” erwin states. 

hange glares at erwin. 

“there’s significant overlap between my irritation and all the people in their department. they’re insufferable. they compromise their data quality all the time.” 

“while i’m less inclined to feel murderous at the sight of their presence, i would have to agree. they’re particularly dismissive when valid criticism to their research design and the papers that they publish. i would love to have a word with the peer reviewers.” 

eren smiles right back at hange. 

“so you want me to go there and brag?” eren asks. 

“precisely.” hange responds. 

“have you guys ever been to a wedding?” sasha asks. 

there goes your three seconds of distraction. 

there’s a mixed set of answers. erwin’s been too far too many, levi’s only been to his own. it’s one of the three facts that you’ve been able to categorize about his personal life – that he’s married, that he has two kids, and that he likes to try different brews of tea in his free time. he was the private sort. 

connie only attends weddings that have free bars, mikasa’s dreamed about going to one her entire life, and jean, instead of offering the question, chose to make a dig at mikasa and told her that they could go get married right now if she wanted to go that bad. 

“have you ever been to a wedding, y/n?” 

you nod. 

“my brother. he got married a few years back.” 

“how much older is he than you?” connie asks. 

you shake your head. 

“he’s younger.” you respond. 

“and he got married before you?” sasha asks. 

she was a little traditional in that sense. traditional was a nice word for blunt. because she could rarely stop herself from asking the questions that came to her head and, most of the time, it felt like she never even considered how the other person might feel. 

though you suppose she wouldn’t be able to understand, because she was the exact same as porco. 

“he’s like you and niccolo, sash. he’s been with his girlfriend since highschool.” 

“aw. that’s so sweet. when did they get married?” 

“spring. the weather was just right.” you offer. 

the last person left to answer is eren. you all turn your heads to him expectantly and he shrugs in response.

“i don’t know anyone who’s gotten married.” eren states. 

“you haven’t even gone as someone’s date?” hange asks. 

eren shakes his head. 

“the last time i went on a date with someone was when i was in the sixth grade.” 

--

“do you think that i could get into the program this time around?” mikasa asks. 

“i don’t see why not.” eren offers. 

eren thinks about the turn of events often. it’s something that always sticks with him, especially when he’s feeling particularly self destructive and stuck on what’s happening in the present. 

the butterfly effect. the timeline. where things went wrong.

everything that lead him to having a painfully awkward conversation with mikasa about whether or not she would be able to get accepted in this round of phd students. 

it’s simple. last year, seven students applied and six got in. at the last hour, levi decided that he’s going to reject mikasa and accept you.

at the very least, that’s what eren suspects. there was a preference for students who wer ein the bridge program. five of the students from the bridge program made up the program and there was only one person who was an outsider.

you.

sometimes eren thinks that he’s the only one who realizes that. that even in your honesty, you felt bad for mikasa, but hadn’t done the math to realize that you were the reason that she didn’t get it. 

“have you talked to levi about why you weren’t accepted the first time?” eren asks. 

mikasa shakes her head. 

“it’s an awkward position. to ask him why he didn’t accept me in this round, especially since we interviewed together and all.” 

“take it as constructive criticism. he’s only going to give you advice to help you the second time around. and you already meet with him on the project that you’re doing with sasha, so i don’t see why you couldn’t ask.” 

mikasa sighs. 

“eren. do you think i’m cut out to do this type of thing?” mikasa asks. 

“do you even want to do this type of thing?” eren asks. 

“what do you mean?”

eren sighs. 

“there’s a lot to consider when you decide you’re going to jump into this thing. do you really like your field – enough to be doing it…basically forever? to some extent, you should like the people, especially in a field like ours. research is great, but at the same time, there’s only five to six people on…on the planet who are interested in what you are and adding to what you do.” 

that’s precisely what eren hated about it. that it was so limiting, so restrictive when it came to the amount of people he touched. 

eren could understand that knowledge touched people. that tangibly, his dad’s name would be in a textbook somewhere forever. but that’s as far as it went. a name that some irritated undergrad would have to memorize for a midterm but that was it. 

it might not be something legendary, for years to come. but if he got to do what he wanted, he would at least make a difference where it mattered. 

right now.  

“do you think that i’m not cut out to do this?” mikasa asks. 

“no, i do. i just want you to think about why you want to do it. that’ll help you a lot with what you’re struggling with right now.” 

mikasa’s eye twitches. 

“so you do think that i’m struggling somewhere?” 

eren curses his penchant for being blunt all the time. it seemed that it was often something that got him in trouble, and most cases, it ended up being his downfall. 

there were too many things that eren could count that were wrong with him. that he resorted to anger too fast, that he was so observant to the point that it was weird, that he could never bring himself to do what it was that he really wanted. 

mikasa didn’t get into the program and he did, he had to ask levi why. his answer was plain in simple. 

out of everything that miaksa submitted, levi was still unclear why it was that she wanted to do a phd. if he wasn’t sure of her intentions, he couldn’t be sure of her passion for research. 

espeically compared to you.

“i’m giving you generic advice. it’s good to recenter yourself to think about why you’re doing this.” 

“i…i don’t know what answer you want from me when you say that. i’m sure this stuff just came to you naturally with your dad and stuff, but i just don’t get what else i could have said.” 

the only thing that came naturally to eren when it came to research was how much he hated it.  

“look mikasa. i’m going to send you my application. you can read it over, okay?” 

mikasa gives him a relieved smile. 

“you’d do that?”

“of course. i’ll send it over right now, okay? just go focus on working on your project.” 

eren notes that she’s increasingly appreciative of his offer, only because she jumps up and runs away the second he states it. eren reaches for his email, only to be distracted by the messages in the notification bar. 

[karina]: oh my fucking god dad is being SO ANNOYING 

[eren]: What now?

[karina]: he’s been telling me to do some neuroscience summer camp. i applied for the orchestra program that’s in marley but they overlap so he’s not telling me to do the orchestra thing. 

[eren]: 1000%, you’re doing the orchestra camp. 

[karina]: bro 

[karina]: he’s being so serious about it. and you know how mom gets when he suggests stuff like this. 

[eren]: Ignore that. How many days of the neuroscience camp would you miss? 

[karina]: two 

[eren]: Email them and ask how they treat absences. Worst case, we can make something up and get you out of there so you can finish the orchestra camp and then go. 

[karina]: that’s so dramatic eren. 

[karina]: i don’t even feel like it’s worth the hassle anymore. i just don’t like to fight with him when he gets like this. 

[eren]: I will talk to him. Worst case, I’ll pay for you to go to that orchestra camp myself. 

[karina]: eren, that’s just going to cause a bigger fight 

[karina]: you know how he feels when we “gang up on him” 

[eren]: You should still go if you want to go.

[karina]: dude why are you making such a big deal out of this? it's not that deep

[karina]: sometimes it’s nice to just rant things out. you don’t have to fix everything, you know? 

[eren]: I just want to make sure that you go to your orchestra camp. I know that you really care about it. 

[karina]: i know eren. i love you, okay? we can talk later. 

eren can tell that karina’s being dismissive. that ever since she turned sixteen, karina had gotten more dismissive, only because his dad was getting more strict. 

that she hated it when eren told her what to do. that eren couldn't help but tell her what to do.

eren’s too far away to do anything. he’s watching the same thing happen for a second time. mikasa’s bending backwards and forwards for something that she’s unsure about, but the two of them are running as far away from it as he possibly could. 

eren can’t help but sink into his chair. 

--

focus group is particularly tame today. only because it seems that this particular round of magnetic stimulations seemed to tire them out more than the last. colt’s still sensitive from the headache that he got following, marco a little quieter than usual. 

you reckon that it would take something serious to put a damper on nanaba or shadis’s spirit. 

“are you having an existential crisis, eren?” shadis asked. 

you look up from your score sheet on your laptop, marked with colt’s signatures, and wait for eren’s response. your sudden interest doesn’t go unnoticed, as both nanaba and marco look right at you, before giving each other a look. 

“why would i be having an existential crisis?” eren asks.

“you’re three weeks away from having a manbun. we need to do something about this.” nanaba deadpans. 

you tune out the conversation, entirely distracted by the email that’s just popped into your inbox. 

Re: Consulting Gabi Braun  Hi Y/N,  I would love to consult on your friend's case. Let’s schedule a preliminary Zoom session just so I can get an idea of what we’re starting with and get to know Gabi.  Also, are you still planning on coming down to Marley in a few weeks for that small conference? If so, we would love to see you while you’re here. Best,  Pieck 

you can’t help but be irritated. feel patronized. and if you were having a better day, you wouldn’t take it out on her. 

Re: Consulting Gabi Braun  Thank you. I’ll send you her email so that you can schedule a session with her. Please be gentle, I know this type of stuff stresses her out.  Yes, I’m still planning on coming to Marley. I will obviously be stopping to see you guys. How could I come home without doing that?  I’ll see you and Porco then. Stay warm over there.  Best,  Y/N 

the swishing sound of the email being sent sends a feeling of dread through your stomach. because you were harsh, because pieck was sensitive to these type of things, and she was going to tell porco. 

he was going to tell your mom, your parents were going to worry that you were taking too much on, that you weren’t cut out for the whole phd thing, and just ask you to come back home. 

deep down, you knew that most of it stemmed from ignorance. that they just weren’t able to understand exactly what it was that you were doing, so it made it difficult for them to support it fully. 

it didn’t make your job any easier. 

you slam your laptop shut, reaching for the manilla folders underneath and shuffling through the paperwork for the day. 

“if you slam it any harder, you might as well just throw it out the window.” shadis states. 

you give him a halfhearted smile. 

“i’m very close to reaching that point.” you state. 

shadis gives you wide eyes, before barking out into a laugh. 

“maybe they’ll admit you here after they do that. for being distressed or something.” shadis states. 

“oh, how fun would that be! you could meet my kids when they come visit on a friday.” nanaba states. 

you set your pen down. 

“if you want me to come visit you on a friday, i can come visit you on a friday, nanaba. i don’t need to have a violent break to do that.” you offer. 

her eyes light up. 

“really?” 

“don’t impose on her free day off, nanaba.” marco responds, his tone almost quiet. 

“oh no, i would hate to do that. no no, please don’t come.” 

“i don’t do much on my free day off anyways.” you offer. 

shadis narrows his eyes at you. 

“you know, you have been quiet today. are you fighting with one of your little friends or something?” shadis asks. 

“no. my overbearing mother.” you respond. 

eren’s ears perk up. 

“disgusting.” marco states. 

“tell me about it.” you respond.

you shoot eren a polite smile, handing him the stack of papers that you finished processing, as you take the open seat by colt at the bay window. the two of you had exiled gabi and falco to processing appointments down the hall for the time being, which afforded colt the time to be honest without falco’s judgements. 

“how are you today?” you ask. 

colt shrugs. 

“me too.” 

“what’s going on with you? besides the overbearing mother?” 

“i’m just having one of those days. i can’t find myself in the space to be in a good mood. which happens to me a lot, but it’s just difficult to kind of…maintain energy to act normal.” you respond. 

colt sighs. 

“tell me about it.” 

“are you finding yourself making friends here?” you ask. 

“yeah. i like marco.” colt responds. 

you smile. 

“i like marco too. he’s sweet.” you respond. 

“i think you’re my friend. and eren. he stops by on fridays to come see how im doing. always brings me a new book to read.” 

you pause. 

“really?” 

“yeah. he thinsk that it solves two problems with one stone. if i have read it before, it’ll jog my memory. and if i haven’t, i’m slowly building up my repertoire of classic literature. his words, not mine.” 

you curl your nose. 

“he always uses such pretentious words.” 

“you know. you don’t really seem to be too fond of him.” colt observes. 

“do you spend most of your focus group observing me?” 

“well, it’s the only stimulating thign i do all week. it makes me hypervigilant.” 

“he’s not very fond of me either.” you retort. 

colt shakes his head. 

“i don’t know about that. i’d say that it’s a very strong disdain.” 

“is that supposed to make me feel better?” you ask. 

colt shrugs. 

“i often find that when you feel particularly strong about someone like that, there’s something else that’s lingering in the background.” 

“i suppose. maybe i bring up some childhood memories of little girls pulling his hair in elementary school. now he’s retracting and taking out all his anger on me.” you respond. 

eren taps on your shoulder. 

“ready to go?” eren asks. 

you shoot him a nod, before giving colt’s shoulder one last squeeze and bidding farewell. 

“i’m going to check out with forester. can you bring the car around?” eren asks. 

“my pleasure.” 

--

eren finds that you’re sitting in the empty cul de sac of the waiting area, with your forehead resting on the steering wheel of the car. the music is blasting from the car again, something instrumental this time, and your eyes are pinched shut in frustration. 

eren opens the door of the car and slides into the front street, noting the song that’s playing from the display. 

Harry & Hermione - Nicholas Hooper 

you immediately reach for your phone, aiming to change the playlist. 

“sorry. i was closing my eyes for a second. we’ll be right out.” 

“you listen to movie scores?” eren asks. 

“hm?” 

“the song. it’s part of the half blood prince movie score.” 

“oh. yeah, i do. been a big fan of composing since i was a kid. i used to play the violin.” 

eren smiles. 

“cello.” 

you pull out of the cul de sac. 

“maybe we can listen to it when we work on the algorithm and the grant later.” you offer. 

“sure. i would really like that. but i’m the one who’s going to play the music.” eren states. 

you roll your eyes. 

“so pushy.”

eren pauses.

"what's your favorite?" eren asks.

"score or individual song?" you retort.

eren pauses.

"score."

"the imitation game."

eren smiles.

"because he's also a scientist?" eren asks.

"it helps. i feel like i'm making groundbreaking moves when i listen to it while working."

"fair enough."

"what's yours?"

"the perks of being a wallflower." eren responds.

the thought that the chosen nickname that ended up being designated for you was wallflower. but he ignores it for the time being.

"we can take turns playing each other scores. i'm not going to let you control the aux in my car every time."

eren snorts.

"pushy. but deal. it's your day, today."

--

next part linked here

an: idk what's going on. let me live.

taglist: @invisible-mori @multiplefandomthings @chericos @wheredidmycrowngo @chaoticpxnda @aizzon @stuffeddeer @butterfly-skinnylegend @najaemism @hellokitty-doll @constanciandrea @iblamesusy @jaegersdiary @f4irygard3n @misadear @fell-4-u @coyloves @sobbangchan @you-always-made-me-blush @th0tformikasa @yell0wdreams @itzmeme @elliesbabygirl @miniaturemartian @differentrunawayperson @k0z3me @stroberiz @stillnotherapy @cherryredribbons

[redwineandtarot]

your first impressions of your future spouse

hi! today i am back with a topic that i love to read about a lot. we will take a look at your first impressions of your fs. because this your first impressions, they may not reflect the truth wholly. take what resonates and leave what doesn’t. i would love to hear your feedbacks <3

🥀paid readings🥀

Disclaimer: My readings do NOT replace any professional advice. Use your own judgment while making decisions. You have your own free will. Take everything I say light-heartedly. All of my readings are for ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES.

pick a pile

piles 1-2-3

i do not own these pictures

pile 1

You will see them as relationship-material right off the bat. You will think that they are charming. However I'm not seeing that this is love at first sight. They may be your type or just a generally attractive person. A person who most people find attractive.

You will think of them as a loyal person. Maybe when you first meet them a situation has occurred and they showed their loyalty to a loved one (i'm seeing especially friends). 

You will think that they are a team player. Again im seeing they value their friends a lot. 

You will see them as a well-accomplished person. Maybe they are in the peak of their career or approaching it when you meet them. You will think that they are an ambitious person. 

Some of you may meet them at 23 or 32 years old.

You will somewhat be confused about this person. Like you see parts of them but they don't show all of their complex personality. 

You will see them as a generous and empathic  person. Maybe you will hear someone talk about their donations to some charity or good deeds in general.

Possibly around the time that you meet they will be going through something fated/karmic. To be more specific, they will leave or have left a situation that ended a cycle in their life. And this will be a huge change for them. This probably saddens them. But this is for them to reach their purpose in life. Sometimes we need to leave behind some things that are dear to heart to move forward. This is what they are doing.

They have broad shoulders. You somehow think that they can run fast? lol. For some they may have longish hair. Their hands may be bony. 

There may be flowers where you first meet.

They will come off as a balanced individual.

Your meeting is fated.

the prominent energies in their birth chart: moon x3, 3rd house, 2nd house, 4th house, taurus, leo, scorpio

the song i got for you: moonlight - agust d

thank you for reading <3

pile 2

You may meet them at university or somewhere people seek knowledge. Or you may meet somewhere people seek for rights or justice. They may be a professor for some of you. Or just someone people go to seek knowledge.

You will see them as an open minded person. In your eyes they will be wise but they will think like “All I know for sure is that I know nothing”. 

Deep down you will feel that this is your soulmate. However you may not realize that feeling or disregard it because it's irrational to you. 

They have a really airy vibe to them. You will think that they like change and value their freedom a lot. You will think that they are not afraid of change. They are not afraid to leave something if that thing does not serve them anymore or if something harms their freedom. You will also think that they are an ambitious and rational person. And that they are not afraid to chase after what they want.

You will see them as a person who can offer great things and you can lay a great foundation with. They seem really reliable to you. However you may see them as hard to gain. Like hard to get their attention because their head is always somewhere.

You will see them as a hard working person. And that they believe in themselves and their dreams. 

Off topic but their love language may be gift giving. Again off topic but the book “Alchemist” by Paulo Chelo came to my mind.

Their skin may be on the darker side. If they are a woman they may be small and a little chubby. If they are a man, they may be buff. They may come from a hot country.

the prominent energies in their birth chart: venus, mercury, sun, 10th house x2, 4th house, libra x3

the song i got for you: greedy - ariana grande

thank you for reading <3

pile 3

At first you may hear gossip about them like them being someone unreliable. People probably like to gossip about them a lot.  They may be struggling to let go of something when you meet them. They may have a hard time forgiving someone and moving on. 

You will think of them as intoxicating and addicting. Like their energy does not leave you. You will feel a great pull for them physically and emotionally. (Especially physically). They probably feel this too. However you both will ignore this. Especially the more masculine one. The more masculine one will be puzzled by this attraction almost. But really the pull between you two is INSANE. Pile 3, oh my god. 

You may think that they are holding back something or hiding something, either from you or from themselves. (Do not worry they are not a cheater and this is not a person that they are hiding.) It is more like an aspect of them. Like their shadow self that they were taught was something to be ashamed of. 

You will think that they are a successful individual. 

You will think that they find the most peace at home. For some of you you may go to their home the first time you meet and love their home. I was talking about this physical attraction and for SOME of you, you may sleep with them.

This is the type of love that changes people.

They may have very prominent eyebrows and a sharp nose. Their eyes are most likely on the smaller side. For most of you they have pale skin, however for some of you I still see darker skin tones. Their back muscles may gain your attention. 

the prominent energies in their birth chart: sun, mars, moon, 7th house, 10th house, 8th house, taurus, pisces, aries

the song i got for you: bang bang bang bang - sohodolls

thank you for reading <3

[galaxysupreme17]

Rainy Day

Y/n = Your Name

AgathaRio x daughter!reader

The sound of rain against the windows had been steady since morning, a soothing rhythm that filled the quiet house in Westview. Outside, the skies were dark, a curtain of mist hanging low over the town, and the streets were empty save for the occasional gust of wind. The storm had moved in overnight, bringing with it a chill that lingered in the air.

Inside, though, it was warm and inviting.

Y/n sat curled up on the couch, wrapped in a thick blanket. Her legs were tucked beneath her, and she held a steaming cup of tea between her hands. The soft light from the fireplace cast flickering shadows across the living room, and the scent of burning wood mixed with the fresh, earthy smell of rain. It was the kind of day that made the world outside seem far away, as if time had slowed down just for them.

Agatha sat beside Y/n, casually leaning back with her arm draped over the couch. She wasn't holding a book just yet, but her eyes kept wandering toward the shelf as if she were contemplating which one to grab. Meanwhile, Rio stood at the tall bookshelf on the far side of the room, her fingers lightly tracing the spines of the many volumes there.

"Today feels like a day for something special," Rio murmured, pulling down a large, worn book. The cover was old and soft to the touch, its pages weathered from years of being passed down through generations. The title, written in gold script, shimmered in the dim light. She held it up, a small smile playing on her lips. "This was the first magical tome my abuela ever gave me."

Y/n's eyes widened as she leaned forward slightly, her curiosity piqued. "I've never seen that one before."

Rio crossed the room and settled beside Y/n, holding the book out for her to see. The pages crinkled softly as she opened them, revealing intricate illustrations of water, wind, and fire spells. Small, handwritten notes were scribbled in the margins, adding a personal touch from whoever had used them.

"You never told me about these notes," Y/n said, pointing to a faint scribble next to a drawing of swirling water. "Are these yours?"

Rio chuckled softly, shaking her head. "No, those are from my mother. And some are from my grandmother before her. They taught me magic through this book when I was your age." She turned the page carefully, her fingers brushing over the text. "This one here," she said, tapping a spell, "is for summoning a gentle rain. It's good for keeping crops healthy or when you need a calm atmosphere-like today."

Y/n smiled, leaning into Rio's side as she listened. The warmth of her mother's presence, combined with the knowledge she was sharing, made Y/n feel deeply connected to the magic of her heritage. She loved how Rio's lessons always carried more than just the practical side of magic-they were filled with stories of family, of generations before her who had wielded the same spells. It made everything feel more alive.

"Magic isn't just about the spell," Rio continued, her voice soft but full of meaning. "It's about understanding the balance, the energy behind it. That's why I wanted to wait until now to show you this. You're ready to learn how to respect it."

Y/n nodded, her eyes fixed on the pages as Rio explained more about elemental magic. There was something so calming about Rio's way of teaching-her words were gentle, almost like the rain outside, and Y/n soaked up every bit of it.

As they sat together, Agatha stood up from the couch and stretched. "I'm feeling left out over here," she teased, though her voice was full of warmth. "But I think I'll leave the magic lessons to you two for today. I've got something else in mind."

Y/n glanced over at her mama, watching as Agatha walked over to the bookshelf and pulled down a familiar, well-loved book. A grin spread across Y/n's face as soon as she recognized the cover.

"You're not too old for this, are you?" Agatha asked, raising an eyebrow as she held up The Secret Garden.

"Not even a little," Y/n said without hesitation, her voice filled with excitement. "I love it when you read that to me."

Agatha chuckled softly, her eyes twinkling. "Good. I was hoping you'd say that."

She settled back onto the couch, this time pulling Y/n closer so that Y/n's head rested comfortably on her shoulder. Agatha flipped open the book, and Y/n felt a sense of nostalgia wash over her. The Secret Garden had been one of her favorite stories as a child, and listening to her mama read it had always made her feel safe, especially when she would curl up in Agatha's lap.

Rio smiled at the two of them, but the fire in the fireplace needed attention. She stood up, crossing to the hearth to stoke the flames. The fire crackled as she added another log, and she gently poked at the embers until the flames danced higher. The warm glow spread across the room, casting flickering shadows on the walls.

Once the fire was roaring again, Rio returned to the couch. This time, instead of sitting beside Y/n and Agatha, she eased herself in behind her wife. Gently, Agatha shifted her body slightly, turning so her back rested against Rio's front. Rio wrapped her arms around Agatha, resting her chin lightly on Agatha's shoulder as she settled in.

Y/n watched them, her heart swelling with affection. She loved how naturally they fit together, how their small movements showed just how deeply they understood and loved each other. Moments like these made Y/n realize just how lucky she was to have both of them.

"Now," Agatha said, her voice soft as she began to read aloud. "Mary Lennox was a sour little girl..."

As Agatha's voice filled the room, Y/n snuggled closer to her mama, resting her head in Agatha's lap now. She felt Rio's hand gently brush against her hair, a comforting gesture that made Y/n feel even more at home.

Agatha read slowly, letting the words wash over them, while Rio's fingers gently traced patterns on Agatha's arm. Every so often, Agatha would pause to share a memory or make a playful comment about the story.

"Do you remember when you tried to create your own secret garden in the backyard?" Agatha asked with a grin. "You were so convinced it would grow overnight if you used enough magic."

Y/n groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I was so sure it would work."

Agatha chuckled softly, leaning her head back against Rio's chest. "We ended up with more mud than flowers. I had to save the poor plants with a quick counterspell."

Rio smiled, gently brushing a strand of hair from Agatha's face. "That was the first time we knew you were going to be just like us," she teased, her voice filled with pride.

Y/n laughed, her cheeks flushing. "I'm still learning. But I had a pretty good example to follow." She glanced between the two of them, her heart full of love for the way they had both shaped her life.

As Agatha continued reading, the room fell into a peaceful silence, broken only by the soft crackle of the fire and the steady rhythm of rain against the windows. Y/n felt the warmth of the fire and the comfort of her mother's presence surrounding her, wrapping her in a cocoon of love and safety.

Eventually, Y/n closed her eyes, letting Agatha's soothing voice lull her into a state of calm. She wasn't paying attention to the story anymore-not really. Instead, she focused on the quiet, intimate moment they were sharing. The way Rio's hand rested gently on Agatha's shoulder, and the fire's gentle glow all made Y/n feel so loved and so completely at home.

In the stillness of the room, as the rain continued to fall and the fire crackled softly, Y/n realized just how much these quiet moments meant to her. They weren't about magic or lessons or grand gestures. They were about the love that filled the space between them, the quiet, steady kind that made everything else fade away.

As Y/n nestled deeper into the blankets, she smiled softly to herself, feeling utterly content.

This was what home was-three of them, wrapped in warmth, love, and the quiet beauty of a rainy day spent together.

[waywardsou2]

Summer of Bad Batch

Week 4

Alt Prompt: “You really think your going without me? Not going to happen”

Tags: fluff, overprotective dad Hunter, aged up Omega (just a litte) Word Count: 900+

It was the break of dawn, the sun barely breaking the line of the horizon and Omega was awake. She had programmed her com to set itself off silently at the earliest point in the sun’s rotation. She wanted to get up and take a walk, to bask in the morning rays and the cool breeze.

She wanted a moment of freedom.

Ever since she had been saved by her brothers from Tantiss and destroyed the base things have been different. She was free, Hemlock was gone, and she was no longer being hunted. She was able to live a normal life here on Pabu. But since all of that Hunter has been protective. Super protective. Not once once their return and settlement on Pabu has Hunter let Omega leave his side. Everywhere she went he was close behind. Not letting her out of his sight for a second. He was like a Nanny Droid, hovering and crowding Omega. She couldn’t even go visit Lyana or Phee or any of her new friends without Hunter tagging along from a distance. He was constantly there.

Omega loved Hunter but she was beginning to get tired of his hovering. She felt trapped again. Smothered, like she was during her time on Kamino when Nala Se would never let her explore Tipoca City unless she permitted it.

And this is why she was waking up at the crack of dawn to go for a walk. Just a wall. Not an adventure, not somewhere new, not off the island. Just for a simple walk. Maybe even down to the beach they could see from the balcony of their home.

So, she pulled on her vest and leather jacket. Followed by her boots, which she laced up tight with a double knot, like she always did. And slowly she walked out of her shared rooms with her brothers. Tip Toeing over the wooden floors, trying not to kick anything, scuff her shoes or accidentally kick anything.

She got to the entrance of their home and was just about to open the door when she heard someone clear their throat behind her. She froze and cringed. Slowly she turned around and surprise, surprise; a crusty eyed, sleepy-looking Hunter was leaning against the hallway entrance wall.

“Omega, where are you going?”

He doesn’t just sound tired. He sounds exhausted. He looks it too. He looks older, the bags under his eyes were a scary shade of purple.

Omega’s eyes softened looking at her brother. She was frustrated by his hovering, but she couldn't fault him for caring. She just wished he wouldn’t put his own health on the line to take care of her.

She had lots of energy, lots of new prospects in life and so much she wanted to learn and do. But Hunter was slowing down; he didn’t have to look over his shoulder every 5 seconds, he didn’t have to be alert and aware of his surroundings on a planet-wide scale. He could take things slow, breathe longer, deeper. A

t least he could if he constantly wasn’t putting all his remaining energy into being Omega’s watchdog. Their energies didn’t match up but Hunter couldn’t relax. He had to keep her safe. He had to protect her. He didn’t know if he could take losing her again. So her safety came before his health. No question

“I’m just going for a walk. Today felt like a good day to do it”

“And you thought you would sneak out at the break of dawn instead of going in the late morning. You really think you're going without me? Not going to happen."

“Hunter-“ she hesitates ‘-I want to go on my own”

Hunter stops before he could even turn around to go grab his boots

“But what if something happens to you? I can’t take that risk”

Even to his own ears he sounds paranoid, but he can’t help himself. He can’t lose another sibling.

“Hunter, you don’t need to be my bodyguard. Nothing is going to happen to me here” She knows why Hunter is so protective of her, in his shoes she wouldn’t blame him. But she isn’t and she is getting tired of it.

“Omega-“ but she cuts him off

“Hunter please listen to me. I know what’s happened in the last few system rotations. But Hemlock is gone, the Empire doesn’t know about me with Hemlock gone. Pabu is quiet, secluded, off the holo-map. Nothing is going to happen to me again. You can’t keep hovering over me the way you do. It’s not good for you and it isn’t for me” She sighs “I know you care about me. And I never want to lose you guys again. But I can’t live with you constantly looking over your shoulder for me”

Hunter closed his eyes and he had to breathe deeply for a moment. He knows what he’s doing but he’s afraid; Omega is part of the squad, she is their sister, their kid.

He thought he lost Crosshair, he lost Tech, he couldn’t lose her too. If something happened to her again, he didn’t think he would make it this time. But he couldn’t keep going like this. He knew she was right.

“Hunter I am finally free, from the Republic, from the Empire. But the way you smother me makes me feel like … like I’m back on Kamino, with Nala Se”

And that sentence settles it for Hunter, it breaks his heart, but he knows he has to let go now. He takes in a shuddering breath, sighing as he lets go of the air. His shoulders sag and his legs feel heavy

“I’m sorry Meg”

Omega’s eyes soften and she walks to Hunter, wrapping him in a warm embrace. She was almost eye height with Hunter now, able to wrap her arms around his shoulders if she stood on her tip toes

“I love you Hunter”

“Love you too kid, now get outta here”

[the---hermit]

Walking through the woods to go at my gradma's this morning made me feel a bit like litte red green riding hood, and I have not yet decided if it's a positive or negative thing.

27|09|2023

Today I changed my routine a little bit, after having breakfast and reading as usual I took a walk to get to my grandma's place to study there. I knew there would be workers at my place for the whole day, and I needed a quiet place to focus. I ended up studying on the kitchen counter instead of the table because it's a bit taller so I knew it would be better for my back. Overall it was super quiet and I felt very productive eve though the wifi wasn't at its best. I ended up taking the afternoon off, since I worked so well in the morning and also because tomorrow will be a energy draining day. Taking a walk that early felt actually really good, the air was crisp™ and overall it felt like a really good autumn day. My afternoon was filled by tea, books and crocheting, so I couldn't wish for a better way to recharge .

Cozy hobbit autumn activities and productivity:

Read first thing in the morning

Took a walk early in the morning (I really have to work back into my routine short daily walks)

Worked on a very long but very interesting recorded lecture of my power practices class (it was about a trial of faked supernatural powers and abuse in a monastery in the early 1800s, it was one of the most out of mind things I have ever learned about, it felt more like a novel than an actual real life historical happening)

Daily Irish practice on duolingo (also when will duolingo stop making updates and moving my around levels every fucking time I open that app I get more confused and I kust want to learn uuugh)

Worked on my crochet project (I am still working on the first sleeve of the cardigan and I have to make so many mushrooms too, this project is exciting but it will take so much time to be done)

Podcasts, books and audiobooks

📖: The Book Of Lost Things by John Connolly (I love this book so much, the vibes are perfect and it's putting me in the best autumn mood ever) The Burning God by R.F. Kuang (I think I only have five or six chapters to go? Plus the final short stories from Nezha pov, which I just found out about while looking how much on the book I still have to read)

[cuddlepilefics]

No, I’m not

Fandom: Stray Kids

Sickie: Felix

Caregivers: Stray Kids

Prompts:

#sickmas: shivers, cups of tea

#merrywhumpmas: fever, chills, denial, whining, laryngitis

No one’s POV.:

Felix woke up freezing and pulled his blanket tighter around his chilled body. Something didn’t feel right but he couldn’t yet pinpoint what. As he grew more lucid, he picked up on the blaring of his alarm and dazedly shut it of. Realizing he’d have to get up, Felix sighed and flinched. The small sound had sent a sharp pain down his throat and he dropped his head back onto the pillow, defeated. He knew he had to get up but at the same time, he just couldn’t find the energy to. Goosebumps spread down his arms when he finally rolled out of bed, the movement throwing him off balance. Weird. Why did his head feel so light?

Dressing in baggy sweatpants and an oversized hoodie to help him warm up, Felix looped a scarf around his neck and left his room. Seungmin and Jeongin were already eating breakfast, while Minho had waited for him, worried the Aussie might oversleep. “Good morning”, the older smiled, “Wasn’t sure you’d get up. Come eat so we can get going.” – “I’m not hungry”, Felix forced out, his voice scratchy and weirdly high-pitched. Talking hurt more than he had expected, so instead of grabbing something to eat, he went to prepare himself a cup of tea. Minho was quick to take over and guided his dongsaeng to the dining table, instructing: “You gotta eat, Lixxie. We have a long day ahead of us, flower, so you will need all your energy.”

The petname made Felix feel weird and he muttered awkwardly: “I’m not little, hyung.” Three pairs of confused eyes scrutinized him. “It’s okay if you are”, Minho assured, figuring the other was denying it because of their work schedule. He had secretly been little at the company building a couple of times though, so he should be fine. Why wasn’t he honest with his caregivers then? Shaking his head, Felix wanted to argue but Seungmin hummed: “Why’s your voice so high then? You sound like you’re small, bubba.” – “Just a sore throat”, the Aussie denied, realizing he wasn’t up to an argument.

He didn’t feel like they believed him but gratefully accepted the cup of tea Minho brought him. The older had almost transferred the drink into his dongsaeng’s sippy cup, had Felix not shot him a very stern look. Since they were running a little late, the Aussie managed to get out of the dorm without being forced to eat breakfast, much to Minho’s dismay. His hyung was determined to keep a very close eye on him though.

Felix kept his eyes cast to the ground as he trudged along the rest of the members, shivering despite the number of layers he had put on. “Yeah, he refused to eat breakfast and I’m pretty sure, he’s little though he denies it”, he heard Minho tell Chan. Rolling his eyes, Felix piped in: “No, I’m not.” His voice was barely loud enough for Chan to catch it and the effort hadn’t really been worth the pain. Holding back tears at the pain in his throat, Felix ducked into his scarf and muffled a weak cough.

As soon as the members had arrived at the studio, Felix settled in next to Hyunjin, hoping his friend’s warmth would ease his chills. “You probably won’t be able to record today, right?”, Chan asked softly, “Minho told me about your sore throat.” – “Don’t think so, sorry”, the younger forced out. Assuring Felix that it was fine to postpone his recording session, Chan took his seat at the mixing desk and got to work. Hyunjin felt his fellow dancer shiver and whispered: “Are you could?” Giving a pathetic nod, Felix huddled tighter, relieved when the older draped his arm around his shoulders.

They were just taking a short break, when Changbin crouched in front of Felix and hummed: “Lix, we have a bunch of coloring books in the desk drawer if you want. I bet it’s stressful to pretend to be big and work like an adult when you’re little.” – “For fucks sake, why do y’all keep treating me as though I was little?!”, Felix whined hoarsely, “No, I’m not.” – “Well, your voice his high-pitched, you’re really cuddly and whining doesn’t necessarily support your case”, Jisung listed but grew soft when he noticed the tears in the other’s eyes. “My voice is high because my throat hurts like hell”, the dancer snapped, “I stay close to Hyunjin because he’s warm while I’m freaking cold and excuse my whining but it sucks when nobody believes you!”

Felix’ voice had started to crack more towards the end and he was full on sobbing now. Whether he was crying from the pain or the frustration, he didn’t know. Gently ruffling his hair, Hyunjin shushed: “It’s okay, I believe you.” The younger looked up at him with bloodshot eyes, hesitantly leaning into his touch. “You’re burning, Lix, so I’m not surprised you’re having chills”, Hyunjin informed quietly, “Already woke up with that fever, huh?”

While 3racha discussed how to proceed, Felix closed his eyes and relaxed into Hyunjin’s affection. “Lix?”, Chan hummed, catching his dongsaeng’s attention, “You won’t be recording today and the rest of our schedule consists of dance practice, which you also have no business attention with a fever, so there’s really only one question. Once I arrange your ride, where do you want to go? Back to your dorm to try and sleep it off or to a doctor to get your throat checked. I’d vote in favor of the latter because your voice really concerns me but ultimately, it’s up to you.” Pulling out his phone, Felix typed for a moment before showing Chan the screen. He’d see a doctor about his sore throat.

“Text us as soon as you get home, okay?”, Hyunjin instructed, brows furrowed with worry as he fixed the boy’s scarf, “And let us know if you need anything.” Felix nodded, wiping his eyes on his sleeve before being pulled into a tight hug. “I’m sorry, I didn’t believe you”, Minho whispered before releasing his dongsaeng from his embrace, “Try to sleep when you get home.” Stuffing a handful of cough drops into Felix’ pocket, Jisung gave him a crooked smile. He needed no words, the Aussie could see the apology in his eyes.

Felix had known that he had a long wait ahead of him but he couldn’t have predicted just how draining sitting in a waiting room could be. Now, he was finally on his way home though, texting their group chat to let them know that he had laryngitis and would be on vocal rest for the next couple of days to restore his voice. He had deliberately texted them before he got home because he could already feel his consciousness get foggy and doubted he’d be able to resist sleep long enough to text them once he arrived and sure enough, no sooner then he had crawled into bed did his eyes close.

Chan was growing worried when he hadn’t heard anything from Felix for the rest of the day after his initial text but it did make sense when they arrived at the boy’s dorm for dinner after finally completing their schedule. Since everyone was concerned for their friend, they didn’t head to their separate dorms but wanted to spend the evening together. When Chan went to check on Felix, the younger dazedly awoke from his afternoon nap, eyes shiny with fever. He was about to speak but the leader handed him his phone, reminding: “No talking for now. How’re you feeling?”

While Felix typed, Chan felt his forehead and realized that he was still hot to the touch. “Think you could handle some soup for dinner? I think you should take something for that fever but not on an empty stomach”, the leader mused. “Throat’s on fire, would love medicine for the pain and fever, the chills suck, not sure I can eat’, the screen showed when Felix handed the phone back to Chan. Nodding in acknowledgement, the oldest smiled: “Do you want to come to the living room? We can get you settled on the couch with a bunch of blankets. I know you don’t like being alone when you’re feeling poorly.” Felix nodded and allowed his hyung to remove his blanket but mouthed: “Dizzy.”

With Chan’s support, Felix slowly shuffled to the living room and weakly collapsed onto the couch, smiling when Jeongin came over to hug him. “Let me get you some soup”, Seungmin smiled, ruffling his friend’s already disheveled hair in passing. He joined Minho in the kitchen, the older preparing dinner for the rest of them. Glancing over at the vocalist, Minho hummed: “How is he?” – “Looks properly sick now but we didn’t talk, obviously”, Seungmin shrugged, filling a bowl with soup. He grabbed a spoon before making his way back to the living room. Felix sat on the couch, a fluffy blanket draped around his shoulders, with Hyunjin and Jisung sitting on either side of him. Despite the blanket and scarf he was wearing, the Aussie still shivered, so Seungmin handed the bowl to Hyunjin, afraid it’d get spilled.

Hyunjin held the bowl while Felix ate, not wanting any of them to get burned if the younger’s shaky grip slipped. It was a slow process though with Felix wincing after every bite as he fought back tears at the pain in his throat every time he swallowed. Jisung comfortingly rubbed the Aussie’s back through the blanket, heard aching at his twin’s struggle. Soon, Minho served the rest of the group their dinner, while Chan brought Felix’ medicine and a glass of water to rinse it down with. The younger only took a few tiny sips though, his throat too raw to put himself through the pain of drinking anymore.

When they were all done eating, Changbin and Jeongin cleaned up the dishes, while the other members retrieved more pillows and blankets to get ready for a movie. Since Felix had slept all afternoon, he doubted he’d be able to go to bed any time soon and would gladly take any distraction from the pain. He had curled up with his head on Hyunjin’s lap and Minho spread a second blanket over his shivering body to quell the chills, cooing at how small his dongsaeng looked curled up like that. Worried the boy would struggle to stay hydrated with such a painful sore throat, Chan made sure to supply his fellow Aussie with cups of tea and added generous amounts of honey to each of them to soothe the pain a little.

Seungmin dimmed the lights and waited for Felix to choose a movie. Hyunjin stroked Felix’ hair at a slow pace, knowing how much the boy depended on physical affection, especially when he wasn’t feeling well. Now, he looked comfy though. Amidst his group, Felix felt safe and no matter how much pain he might be in, he knew this too would pass and the members would all be there for him, making his struggle more bearable.

[essential-music]

R.E.M.'s "The One I Love" emerges as a striking example of musical craftsmanship, where simplicity and intensity converge to create a timeless piece.

The song’s foundation lies in its instrumentation, with Peter Buck’s guitar riffs slicing through the air like a Rickenbacker’s chime, their iconic intro and soaring solo described as nothing short of amazing. The drums, with their masterful transitions, pulse with a dynamic energy that propels the track forward, while the bass—often unsung—grounds the melody with subtle power. Together, these elements form an arrangement that is both lean and explosive, a simple yet unique structure that delivers a visceral punch in just 3 minutes and 17 seconds.

The melody, with its haunting, almost medieval resonance, weaves a spell that feels both ancient and immediate, earning accolades as perfect for its ability to lodge in the heart. Michael Stipe’s vocals are a force of nature, raw and evocative, carrying the weight of complex emotions through every cry of "Fire". Uncredited backing vocals, possibly from Kate Pierson, add a layer of richness, though their subtlety leaves some wanting recognition. The production is a marvel, with mixing as one of the best, balancing each instrument in a polished yet primal soundscape that captures the band’s live-wire energy.

At its core, the song’s emotional and thematic depth sets it apart. The lyrics, deceptively spare, pivot on lines like "a simple prop to occupy my time," which cut with a cynical edge, revealing not a love song but a meditation on selfishness or betrayal. This ambiguity fuels its power, inviting listeners to project their own truths onto its canvas, whether they hear heartbreak, manipulation, or even spiritual allegory. The repeated chorus, while critiqued by some as overly repetitive, is defended as the song’s heartbeat, amplifying its elemental force.

Stylistically, "The One I Love" straddles genres with ease, its new wave roots blending with a sound that echoes The Byrds yet anticipates the alternative rock of the 1990s. Its accessibility—easy for guitarists to master—belies its innovative spirit, crafting a track that feels both timeless and ahead of its era.

In the end, "The One I Love" is a masterclass in balancing simplicity with profundity. Its instrumentation, melody, and vocals coalesce into a work that is both intellectually provocative and emotionally searing, earning its place as a masterpiece in R.E.M.’s catalog. With a sound that resonates as fiercely today as it did in 1987, the song proves that true musical quality transcends time, leaving an indelible mark on those who listen.

Year: 1987

Composer/Lyricist: Peter Buck, Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, William Thomas Berry

Producer: Scott Litt, R.E.M.

[non-present-inactive]

I feel shallow today. The water is already up to my neck, filling through my nostrils. The sting of the foreign water filling through my throat, my nose, my lungs. My mind still and my body angry, afraid and resentful. It's dark... the water. It's cool. The waves are minimal, but the depths are grand. I feel it. There's something.... never someone but something down there l. beyond my imagination, my comprehension, something beyond myself, and my time here on earth. It feels blank... familiar... and stagnant. I've never seen this. I never felt this, but my mind knows it's something more than me. My mind doesn't move but my body tenses up with a pure fright. Thrashing, fighting, and rejecting whatever my mind has begun to accept. My heart feels resentful, tired, and distraught. Betrayed by my mind. "How could you?" I may think my heart says. My consciousness doesn't care, nor does it have the energy to muster up the ability to seek guidance, to seek survival. It doesn't fight, nor rejects, just stands still while everything... The water, I mean, I apologize for not clarifying, Around me begins to pull me closer and closer to....this entity. Closer to the depths and farther away from the surface. I feel the arms, the ones my mind makes up to feel a sense of recognition, engulf me. Something touches my foot and my mind begins to set the alarms. But after a couple of seconds of clarity, it goes back to that excruciating stillness. I've always felt like a stanger in my own body. Like my mind, heart and body never were able to connect like it does for others, maybe.. maybe not. I don't know the mind of another, just an uneducated guess. I guess, I suppose. The depths never reveal themselves to me they just call. Maybe to distract me by leading me into their trap. However, unlike most cases, I know it's a trap. I understand how terrible this is, but I feel trapped. My stomach always twisting and turning. I- I..... there's no resolution, no change, just this water, the greys, and the minimal waves . Never still because my body and heart are foolish enough to believe that the clouds will part the water will turn a crispy blue and will feel warm, maybe even feel a litte lighter on my skin. I never drown despite not being made to survive the water. But I don't float either. No, that's a lie. I'd be ungrateful to lie. There have been a couple of rare moments where the sun feels nice. The water is a clear blue. Sometimes, I'm even on a boat. it's soft, and the rhythm of the waves are just enough, and my being is aligned. I feel warm and at peace that I begin to snooze off, a little worried about the sun because my skin may burn a bit. Then it all goes blank. I dont know how I began to end up here in this part of the ocean, I never remember going in willing, but I just feel here. I feel the eyes of the water never showing themselves to me but I feel the gaze, it's not stong nor does it feel scary but it feels like it's pressing against my body, sinking my heart, but my mind never seems to mind. Maybe it did, but who knows how long it's been since my consciousness has been alive, willing, and hopeful. I stare at the feeling, and I hope my own gaze is strong enough to scare it off. However, my body trembles, my chest starts to feel itself cave in, and I turn my head in shame and regret. Why can't I be stronger, more resourceful, more intelligent, kinder, more patient even. My throat begins to feel the pressure again. I feel anger. The sadness is so deep and so apparent. I feel resentful and frustrated. Another grey, another stillness, and another sinking moment. I dont know how many days it has been. I wonder if it matters. It does matter, just not by me, i guess. I feel worn out and heavy today and with no land in sight. Mmm I'll wear my good slippers today as a treat.

[gravityfallsrewritten]

Chapter 14: Halloween in June

Stan abruptly stopped the car after it had been carelessly parked. Everyone inside jumped out as the twins gawked at what was in front of them."Here we are," he began. "The Summerween Superstore!"

"A very special store for a very special occasion that only happens once a year," Y/n added sarcastically.

Dipper scratched his head confusedly. "Wait. Summer-what?"

"Summerween!" Stan responded confidently, bringing out a calendar. "The people of this town loved Halloween so much, they celebrate it twice a year! And wouldn't you know it, it's today!"

"Do you always carry that calendar in your pocket?"

"Yes."

Mabel placed a finger on her cheek in curiosity. "Summerween? Something about this feels unnatural."

Soos walked over to the twins and placed his arms around them. "There's free candy~!"

The two of them smiled at one another before sprinting to the entrance. The other three followed suit. Stan noticed Y/n looking mellow, so he nudged her. "Hey, you okay? Did you get enough sleep?"

"I'm not sleepy. It's just... Summerween."

"What about it?"

"Nothing," Y/n dismissed. "I'm sure I'll just sit this one out again, like the last decade."

He raised an eyebrow at her before averting his gaze to the main door of the store. "Well, this is your chance to get a convincing costume so that no one can recognize you. This is the first time we're buying fake blood with the kids! I'm sure they're excited to celebrate Summerween with you."

Stan and Y/n watched as the kids messed around with the items on the shelves before Dipper discovered a wagon. Mabel hopped onto it while wearing a pair of silly glasses. "Come on, Y/n, to the costume aisle!"

"Go nuts, kid," Stan spoke beside her, and with a smile, she followed the twins.

The older man couldn't help but feel sorry for her. He was well aware that Y/n had been suppressed since childhood. Growing up, she didn't really go through all the experiences that a typical kid should have. She had always been out exploring and discovering new things thirty years ago. She was already too preoccupied with building an interdimensional portal that connects to other worlds when she could have been going to school and making friends her age. She should have aged to someone with an older physique but nothing had changed over the last 30 years.

Stan went to the containers of fake blood and began lifting one, not realizing that it was slowly spilling to the floor due to a leak. Mabel had already chosen a costume and decided not to tell both her brother and friend. "You're gonna find out later!" she said.

The three of them continued to goof off, with Y/n not having this much fun in years. She and Dipper were both pushing on the wagon that Mabel was in, turning a sharp right into a pile of Jack O' Melons, crashing and breaking into laughter.

Suddenly, everyone heard a voice on the intercom. "Have the police come and eject the Pines family from the store?"

They quickly gathered everything they could just as Stan threw a smoke bomb right in front of her. "Not today!"

"My eyes!" The smoke was everywhere, and that's when they made their escape. Stan was carrying a gallon of fake blood, while Soos was carrying two more. Y/n had a huge burlap bag filled with knick knacks and other props hauled behind her, and Dipper continued pushing Mabel on the wheelbarrow.

"You paid for the stuff, right?" Mabel asked with a smile.

"Of course!"

He paid it all with a limited edition Stan Bucks (Totally not just drawn on scrap paper). One piece of it already costs 500 dollars. Stan was just that generous to let the store keep the change.

***

***

Soos had already dressed himself in some sort of a mash between a superhero and a wrestler. Perhaps both. The Jack O' Melons were already litt and the decorations were hung up to produce a creepy vibe around it.

"I'm so excited!" Mabel exclaimed, sitting on the ground beside her brother.

Dipper matched her energy. "We're gonna have the best costumes, get the most candy..."

"And have the biggest stomachaches ever!"

"Yeah!"

"Haha, yeah!" The two high-fived.

The handyman sat on the yellow couch before them. "Dude, I've never seen you guys so pumped."

Y/n had just returned after helping Stan with his costume. He had difficulty with adjusting the girdle sometimes. She entered the room silently, leaning on the arm of the chair as she took a candy from the bowl that Soos was holding.

Mabel chuckled. "Well, back at home, me and Dipper were kind of the kings of trick-or-treating," she said just as Dipper brought up a scrapbook. She took it and began flipping through it. "Twins in costumes! The people eat it up." They dressed as cats, salt and pepper shakers, and zombies. It was, without a doubt, adorable.

"Well, you dudes better be careful out there. It's a night of ghouls and goblins. Not to mention..." he patted Y/n as a signal. She walked over to the light switch and turned it off just as Soos shined a flashlight on his face. "...the Summerween Trickster!"

They could've sworn there was dramatic music playing somewhere.

"The Summer-what- what-what?"

He continued his story as the twins listened very intently. "The Trickster goes door to door, so the legend goes, eating children who lack the Summerween spirit."

Dipper raised an eyebrow. "Well, you don't have to worry about us." He proceeded to eat a candy from the same bowl Y/n took from. "We've got spirit to go around." He began coughing violently at the taste. Y/n turned the lights back on. "Ugh, what is this stuff?! I've never even heard of these brands!"

He picked up each candy as he named them, "Sand Pop? Gummy chairs? Mr. Adequate-Bar?"

"This is all cheap-o loser candy!" Mabel added.

"I- I like them..." Y/n quietly admitted, slightly confused at their distaste. She didn't know what Dipper was fussing about. Homework the Candy has a unique taste.

Mabel faced her. "Well, then, you must have low standards, Y/n. There are plenty of candy more delicious than these tacky ones, blegh."

Soos stood, picking up a lip gummy. "Quiet your discomfort, children," he scolded, "lest the Trickster overhear."

"Your cape is caught in your fly, Soos." Dipper said, walking away with the candy bowl and the scrapbook.

"Touchè."

Y/n watched as Dipper threw handfuls of candy out the window. "Goodbye, loser candy!"

"No, don't waste them! We could give them to trick-or-treaters," Y/n stopped him from continuing.

As if on cue, the doorbell rang. "Trick-or-treaters!" Stan shouted from the other room. "Quick, give 'em that terrible candy!"

"See?" she gestured to the door. "Now give them the candy."

Dipper's eyes rolled playfully, carrying both the scrapbook and bowl in his hands as he trudged to the door. Mabel suddenly grabbed the girl's arm. "That reminds me, Y/n! We have to wear the costumes we bought! Let's go!"

"Wah!" Y/n yelped as she felt herself being dragged upstairs to Mabel's room.

Meanwhile, Dipper opened the door as he said, "Happy Summerw- AHH!" His greeting was interrupted by his own scream as he saw who was at the door.

"'Sup, squirt," Robbie said, his arm around the redhead.

"Hey, Dipper."

"WENDY!" The greeting was very enthusiastic. "Wh-what's up, guys?"

She groaned. "I left my jacket here. Again."

Robbie scoffed, glancing at what Dipper was holding. "What's with the candy? You're goin' trick-or-treating or something?"

"Well, actually I- uh-" I am, in fact, trick-or-treating with my friends and sister, getting every candy of this town and eat them until we have stomach aches-

Wendy grinned as she put on the jacket. "Shut up, Robbie, of course he's not going trick-or-treating."

"No! Yeah," Dipper was agreeing before him realizing, noticing the book he was holding before hiding it and laughing nervously. "Trick-or-treating is for babies! Heh... I guess."

Wendy smiled and invited the boy to Tambry's party which sounded very promising. Robbie- although he didn't want to- handed Dipper a flier. The details were there, including the time of the party, which was supposed to be at 9PM.

Dipper told them that he probably might come before the couple eventually drove off and he was left by the porch. When they were gone, he looked at the two options literally placed on his hands. The flier on his left, and the trick-or-treat memory book on the other. He sighed. "How am I gonna tell Mabel?" He walked back inside, contemplating his future decisions.

Time passed shortly before the bell rang again. Mabel dashed down the stairs, Y/n in tow. Mabel was dressed as a jar of strawberry jam. Y/n lagged behind due to her adjusting the big beige coat hung around her shoulders. The overly excited twin opened the door just as Stan walked to the lobby dressed as a vampire– with the fangs and everything.

He laughed when he saw Y/n's costume. She donned a white shirt paired with a black tie underneath a tan coat that reached her knee. She also wore tan pants and black shoes that Mabel found which was surprisingly a nice fit. Square-framed glasses sat atop her nose (a/n: let's pretend that you don't have glasses in this au hahaha), and a tan press hat to top it all off.

Now that he realized it, Stan looked at her amusingly. "Aw, you looked just like him-"

"Stop it," Y/n cut him off before he could say another word. She tightened the tie around her neck. "By the way, I need some of that fake blood you have to complete the costume. Mabel had this whole backstory for me."

"Grunkle Stan!" Mabel said. "These are my best friends, Candy and Grenda!"

Candy Chiu and Grenda (last name unknown) smiled at him, dressed as a candy and witch respectively. "I am so sweet I could eat myself."

"Hello, Mr. Pines!" Grenda greeted with her usual voice that would have normally belonged to a wrestler. But they still loved her nonetheless– manly voice or not.

Stan raised an eyebrow. "You got a cold, honey? Something wrong with your voice there?"

She frowned. "What do you mean? Why would you say that?"

Y/n glared at him. "Just get the blood."

He looked down at her. "What are you supposed to be again? A hotdog sandwich?"

Mabel answered the question for her, materializing on Y/n's side. "She's a horror fiction writer whose stories came to life and are out to get her!"

"She always has the best stories!" Y/n squeaked as she shrugged with the half-sarcastic comment. "So I need the blood. Get it for me, you vampire man."

Stan dramatically waved his cape before making his exit. Candy, Mabel, and Grenda were gushing over Waddle's office costume when he returned with a cup of red liquid. She took it before he left again. "Welp, here goes." She dipped her fingers into the liquid and began patting herself. "Oh, nooo. Ahhhh. Blood."

She had the thick substance all over her clothes and hat, and even had one splashed on the lens of her glasses for extra effect. Internally, she thought how she could have just used her own blood for a more scary prop– but she thought it might freak them out. She's not ready to see her differently just yet.

"Looking great, Y/n!" Mabel pointed out. "Oh man, guys, just wait until you see Dipper's costume! It's amazing!" She exclaimed. Everyone heard sounds of taps as they turned to the stairs. "Here he comes now!"

But Dipper wasn't wearing a costume. He had his pockets inside his vest as he walked down the stairs, dressing normally.

The four of them stared at him in silence before Candy spoke. "That is a very good Dipper costume."

Mabel walked over to him. "What the hey-hey, bro-bro. Where's your costume?"

"Look, I can't go trick-or-treating. I'm uh... really sick." He coughed right on cue. "M-must've been that bad candy!" He fell to the floor, clutching his stomach. "Go on without me!"

"Fight through it, man!" Mabel persuaded. "Where's your Summerween spirit?"

Y/n remained silent while setting the now-empty cup down on a nearby surface. Dipper's illness came out of nowhere. He couldn't have gotten sick from the candy, she was certain. His actions were extremely suspicious.

Instead of the usual door bell, someone knocked. Dipper stood up to his feet and opened it.

"Trick-or-treat."

A husky voice spoke. Dipper looked up to see a tall creature with a raggedy costume and a smiley face as their mask.

"Dude, really? You're a little old for this, man. Sorry."

"But, wait, I-" He was cut off by the slamming of the door.

Mabel had her hands on her hips. "Why'd you close the door?"

"I told you, Mabel, I'm just not feeling it tonight." He coughed again after his sentence.

"I think a little trick-or-treating will make you feel better," the other twin replied, nudging her brother.

Dipper glared. "I'm not trick-or treating!"

"Sounds a little weird coming from the so-called 'King of Trick-or-Treating'," Y/n noted, wanting to speak her mind. Her arms were crossed, her face contorted to a confused and doubtful expression.

Before he could utter a reply, there was a knock on the door again.

He opened it to see the same person. "Look, man, just go to another house!" He shut him out again.

"Dipper! Where's your Summerween hospitality?" Mabel shouted.

The door was knocked upon once more. "I'm not getting that." Dipper glowered.

"Well, I am!" She took over his place and opened the door this time, greeting the stranger with a happy face. "I apologize for my brother. He came down with a case of the grumpy-grumps-"

"SILENCE!"

Wind came over and leaves were flying around. The person made a dramatic stance and pointed at Mabel accusingly. "You have insulted me! For this you must pay... with your lives." He leaned closer.

"Ohhh, what a cute little mask!" Mabel placed her hands on her hips. "You're a funny guy, aren't you?"

The creature entered the Shack, and Y/n was immediately posed as if she's ready for a fight. She stood in front of the other girls as they shivered in fear. "Funny, am I?" He said with his raspy voice.

"Twik-ow-tweet!" A little boy walked by wearing a pirate costume. "My name is Gorney!" He said enthusiastically before he was being grabbed by the monster and devoured him whole as he screamed, "Remember me!"

Everyone in the room was hysterical. "Gorney!" Grenda shouted.

"There's only one way for you to avoid his fate." His slender finger poked Candy on the head, and it made her grab onto Y/n in fright as she glared at the creature. "I need a treat. If you can collect 500 pieces of candy, and bring it to me before the last Jack O' Melon goes out," He conveniently brought out a melon from nowhere and lit it up with his magic fingers before blowing it out. "I will let you live."

Dipper panicked. "Five hundred treats in one night? That's impossible!"

"The choice is yours, children." It began retreating its way outside. " You must trick-or-treat... or DIE!" The monster laughed maniacally before making its way to the Shack's roof and out of sight.

"Oh my gosh, Mabel. Do you know what this means?" Dipper frowned.

She was frowning as well, wearing a serious look. "I do... It means you have to come trick-or-treating! Yay!" She shook her brother in excitement.

Candy was still trembling slightly. "Who was that guy?"

"Was that the Summerween Trickster that Soos was telling us about?" Y/n wondered aloud.

"I can't believe it's true!" Mabel added.

"I can't believe he has a super hot, raspy voice!" Grenda chimed in, only to receive weird stares. "Just me? Okay."

Soos walked out of the Shack. "What's going out here, dudes? I heard a ruckus. Heh, funny word. Ruckus."

The kids told him about the monster that was threatening to eat them unless they gave him candy, confirming his legend. "You guys are in crazy bonkers trouble, dude."

Dipper began pacing around. "How are we gonna get so much candy in one night? There's no way!"

Mabel clapped from a random haystack she was standing on. Everybody crowded around her. "Listen up, people. Now some might say that being cursed by a blood-thirsty holiday monster is a bad thing, but that monster messed with the wrong crew. With everybody's own assets joining forces, we'll get 500 pieces of candy and have fun doing it, too, even if it takes all night!"

Everyone took off, Dipper trundling a wheelbarrow until they reached the streets of Gravity Falls. "How do you even do this anyway..." Y/n muttered, holding her own burlap sack.

Mabel gasped beside her. "Y/n, you've never trick-or-treated before?!"

She shook her head no. "I never had anyone to go out with, sadly," she confessed. All those years being sheltered down the portal room with Stan had been a result to her lack of social skills. Good thing she was a quick learner.

"Well, consider yourself lucky!" She hugged her side. "With us, you'll have so much fun with this being your first time!"

"I just don't understand why we can't just buy our candy and be done with it," Dipper spoke up, wiping the smile from her sister's face. Mabel removed her arm around Y/n's shoulders.

"That sorta takes the fun out of trick-or-treat-or-die, Dipper."

"I'm trying to take the die out of trick-or-treat-or-die!"

They all walked to the first house, which belonged to Lazy Susan. Another group of trick-or-treaters just received a bagful, so that means she's generous with her candy.

"Just say trick-or-treat, Y/n," Mabel said, facing her. "You need to be adorable, which you really don't have to do anything. Right, Dipper?" she nudged him casually, making him blush for a brief moment before looking away.

The team walked up to Lazy Susan and shouted in unison, "Trick-or-treat!"

"And is everybody in costume?" She began pointing them out one by one, naming them. "Chimney sweep (Grenda), elephant man (Soos), squeegee (Candy), ant farm (Mabel), hotdog sandwich! (Y/n)" She stopped at Dipper. "Oh, and what are you supposed to be?"

"Uh, actually, I'm not dressed up as anything. We're, we're kinda in a hurry here."

"Oh. I see."That made Susan frown as she began giving everyone except Dipper one piece of candy. "Enjoy!" She screamed with a smile before slamming the door shut.

"One piece of black licorice?!" Grenda complained.

Candy brought up her own lousy reward. "Circus peanut! This is loser candy."

"Five pieces of candy?! This is gonna take forever!"

"We've gotta up our game, Dipper. You gotta put on your costume," Mabel advised.

Dipper stubbornly declined. "I told you, I'm not up to it, Mabel!" He coughed in perfect timing again.

"Oh, really?" The Trickster appeared on top of a street light before climbing down onto Soos and picking up a candy from his bag. He inspected the piece as he hummed. Soos was quivering in fear. "I've seen better."

"Get off of him!" Y/n demanded, unafraid.

The Trickster jumped away and flipped onto a roof as he grabbed a lit Jack O' Melon. "Tick-tock..." he blew the candle out before jumping behind the house.

"That monster is seriously so dramatic..." Y/n muttered under her breath.

Mabel turned to Dipper. "So, what was that about being too sick to wear a costume?"

He sighed defeatedly as he kicked a rock.

***

A few minutes after coming back to the Shack and getting the costume before regrouping in the street and Dipper hiding later, Mabel finally welcomed her brother to the gang. "Introducing, for the first time in public..." Dipper walked out, shamefully wearing his costume. "TADA! Peanut Butter and Jelly!"

Everybody aww'ed in unison at the sight. Y/n couldn't help but smile at them. It was indeed a precious moment.

Dipper groaned. "Let's just get this over with, okay?"

The group lined towards the next street, splitting up to different houses. The peanut butter boy reached up and pressed the doorbell before facing the jelly girl. "Do you really think this will make a difference?"

A biker opened the door, grunting and holding a bowl of candy. The pair began dancing together before exclaiming, "TWINS!" with a broad grin. The biker stared at them before looking up, his eyes welling up with tears of joy. He threw the entire candy bowl into their bag, and the twins ran away in delight.

Grenda, Candy, Soos, Y/n had just returned from their respective homes they just trick-or-treated in, meeting in the middle to unload their earned candy. "Let's get that candy guys!"

More trick-or-treating ensued with Dipper and Mabel using their twin powers to charm the residents and making them give all the candy they had left. The notepad and pen that was inside Y/n's trench coat that was supposed to be a harmless prop came in handy as they used it to list the number of candies that they have.

The more candy they have in their wheelbarrow, the less time they have left until the last Jack O' Melon was blown out. A couple of ringing and dinging bells later, Mabel had just upturned her bag and a few more candy spilled out into the wagon. "499! We did it!" The group cheered. "All we need is one more piece of candy!"

"And it's only 8:30," Dipper said, looking at his watch. "Perfect timing!"

Perfect timing for what? Y/n wondered.

Mabel hugged him tightly. "Ah, and your cough went away, too!"

"Dude, I'm gonna go around and grab the truck. Soos, away!" Soos ran off with his cape wavering behind.

The ecstatic girl turned to Grenda, Candy, and Y/n. "Last one to the last house is a pair of wax lips!" The three giggled as they sprinted while Grenda screamed that she wasn't a wax lip.

The four girls arrived at the supposed last house by the corner of the street. "So, how was your first time trick-or-treating with us, Y/n?" Mabel asked, nudging her slightly.

"It was so fun! I didn't know it was fun," Y/n admitted with a huge smile on her face. "I can't believe a bunch of kids dressed up as various things get rewards from grown adults just because they have to!" The other three laughed at Y/n, making her confused. "Am I wrong?"

Mabel stopped chuckling first. She rang the doorbell and the girls greeted with "Trick-or-treat!" The woman sadly motioned to her hands that held a single piece of candy. "It's perfect, ma'am! Thank you!" They all began to walk back but Y/n spoke again.

"Wait, why did you guys laugh at me?"

"Oh, Y/n, you are such a nerd– and I don't mean that in a bad way, no. You know you don't have to spout out smart stuff all the time, right? Dipper's already impressed with you."

That only added to her confusedness. "...what?"

The trio giggled to one another. "He is... wait for it... nuts about you!" Everyone except Y/n burst into laughter again. "HAH, get it? Because he's a-" Mabel was cut off by her own laughter. "He's peanut butter! HAHAHA!"

Y/n shook her head. "You guys are hard to decipher."

Mabel slung her arm around her shoulders, not caring about the fake blood stain that might dirty her costume. "Don't worry your pretty little head, Y/n. You can talk to him about it later. Speaking of Dipper, let's–!"

Her words died in her throat as the four of them watched Dipper conversed with Wendy without his costume. "...party?" was the last part of Wendy's sentence.

Dipper was chuckling. "Yeah, yeah, I'm definitely coming." He nodded.

The van eventually speeded off as he waved them away. "Later, guys!"

Mabel stood there, frozen. "You're going to a party?"

His eyes widened as he turned around and saw their disappointed faces, his sister having the deepest frown. "Well, hey, I-"

He was cut off by the last piece of candy thrown directly at his face. "That's why you were acting so weird and trying to hurry us!" Mabel exclaimed. "You're not sick at all! So if it wasn't for this crazy monster, you were gonna ditch me! On our favorite holiday!" Her lip wobbled as she spoke.

Candy and Grenda said, "Ooooh" in unison, while Y/n remained silent.

"What happened to the DIpper who used to love Halloween?!" Mabel looked away as he remained silent. She looked around. "And where's all the candy?!"

"Relax, relax!" Dipper tried to ease her worries with a relieved grin. "I left it right here. Behind this bush." He walked over to the shrubs and pushed away the leaves before looking over. "Oh no."

The candy-filled wheelbarrow had fallen into a creek gorge, and the majority of the candy was floating downstream.

"What did you do?!" Mabel yelled further as they felt a pit to their stomachs. All their hard work was gone, down the drain. There was no way they could get another 500 pieces of candy with almost all the Jack O' Melons out.

Everybody looked around and they saw the houses all dark with no signs of light in them. "Oh no, all the Jack O' Melons are out!" Panicked Mabel.

"Look!" Dipper pointed down the road where the last melon was still lit. Old Man McGucket stood beside it with a large unknowing smile. "Hehe! Good night!" He inhaled his breath, ready to blow.

"Stop!" They got to him and tried to explain that he shouldn't blow out the candle.

"What?!" He had to pull out a horn to his ear.

"Don't blow out that candle!" Dipper shouted.

The man threw away the horn carelessly as he jollied, "I'm Old Man McGucket!" He inhaled again.

"Wait-!"

Grenda rammed into the old man and got a hold of the Jack O' Melon. "Sorry."

McGucket crawled away, producing sounds from an animal they couldn't identify. Finally, he was gone, and the melon was still lit. "Phew, that was close." The group sighed in relief, but the air from the mouths caused the candle to go out. Very unfortunate.

"Uh oh."

As if on cue, the Trickster appeared from under a lone streetlight, stepping into view. "Knock knock." He continued walking forward, and the team walked back. "So, children. Where's my candy?"

The three girls hugged each other in fright. Y/n was trying to devise a plan to escape from this monster, while Dipper was trying to reason. "I swear, we had all 500 pieces. Look! It's down there somewhere, we can still get it!"

The monster's limbs suddenly stretched him to a much taller height. "I'm afraid it's too late!" His back popped from behind, ripping away his sort of clothing. He leaned towards Dipper, mocking him with his slender fingers. "That was your last chance!"

Dipper took out the last candy he got from Mabel and attempted to attack him with it, flinging it towards the monster, but they watched as it only got absorbed with its flesh. The Trickster laughed maniacally. Okay, so it probably absorbs anything it hurls at him so they shouldn't go near it.

Y/n grabbed Mabel's hand, making her hold onto Grenda, who clasped her arm with Candy. "Let's go!"

Everyone ran around the Trickster, who followed them. The group suddenly collapsed and was being captured one by one by its morphing arms. "What are you made of?!" Y/n shouted, thrashing around in its hold. Surely he has a weakness once she finds out what he is.

It took hold of everyone, swinging them around as if it won a prize, until a van crashed into the monster, causing it to explode. The children went flying. The van stopped and Soos looked out the window. "Woah."

"Soos!" They were glad he was there to save the day, perfect timing and all.

"That wasn't like a regular pedestrian, was it?" He asked.

"It was the monster!"

"Thanks, Soos," Dipper said, turning to Mabel. "I'm just glad it's over, right?" He asked, only to receive no answers from her. She walked away towards the truck and hopped inside.

Once everyone was in the car, Soos asked the group, "Did everyone remember to put on their seatbelts?"

"Yes." Everyone except Mabel and Y/n – who just hummed – said. Mabel nodded without saying a word.

The truck drove off. Dipper and Mabel sat up front, while Y/n was in between Candy and Grenda. Mabel rubbed her slowly bruising elbow under her sleeve, not saying a word. "Hey, are you okay?" Dipper noticed. She turned away, giving him a cold shoulder. "There are probably some bandages back at the Shack..." he tried to reassure but all he received was nothing. He breathed a sigh.

Mabel was gazing outside the car's window when all of a sudden, particles of what looked like mush were taken by wind, moving quickly past her. "Uh... guys?" She said, looking back at the road to see the Trickster's body slowly being reassembled.

The smiley face mask was still there, and his limbs grew back, but he didn't even finish his transformation when he jumped into the air and crashed onto the car's roof, making Soos swerve as everybody screamed.

Soos managed to get the Trickster to release its grip, but the vehicle was still zigzagging. The van made an unsuspecting turn towards the Summerween store. "Hit the brakes, Soos!" Y/n shouted over the commotion.

The handyman stomped on the pedal and the tires screeched against the pavement until it eventually rammed into the sliding doors, smashing the glass. The car was now inside, dashing through shelves and merchandise before stopping.

Everyone managed to get out of their seats and into the store. Dust littered the room as Y/n checked if no one got hurt. The Trickster appeared in the giant hole the car made, crawling on the ground. "We have to hide!" Dipper yelled and the group hid behind the shelves.

The Trickster was getting more bloodthirsty by the second, destroying everything in its path. "He's blocking the only exit..."

Mabel and Dipper decided to hide on one of the lower shelves as well as Grenda, Candy, and Y/n. Soos was standing with the hung up costumes.

"Everyone, stay quiet!" Dipper whispered to the other four.

Y/n tapped her fingers against a surface as she thought of a plan. They can't be stuck here forever. It's only a matter of time until the Trickster finds them and devours them. She couldn't just sit here and wait. She had to do something.

So she crouched out of the shelf and looked around to see if the creature was nearby. "Y/n, what are you doing?"

"I'm finding another way out," she told them.She scouted the area as thoroughly as she could before proceeding to the other side of the aisle. A grip on her wrist stopped her, and she faced Dipper standing up from behind the shelf.

His brow furrowed in concern. "Stay! The monster might see you!" He hissed.

Mabel couldn't help it, she was angry. "Oh, now you're worried about the monster. I thought all you cared about was the party!"

Dipper still had Y/n in his grip, turning to his sister as he crouched back down with her. "Mabel, you know that's not true."

The two sensed that the Trickster was coming their way so they fit inside the shelf with Mabel. They stopped breathing for a bit until the monster passed by completely. Now, the three were squished together in a tight space. "I just..." Dipper continued in whispers, "I felt like I was getting a little too old for trick-or-treating."

"That's exactly why we need to go trick-or-treating, Dipper! We're getting older, there's not that many Halloween's left!" She turned away with a sigh. "I guess I didn't realize it was already our last one."

Dipper's eyes widened. As if he had only realized that this meant so much to Mabel. He looked down to the patterned floor and remained quiet. If only Y/n could reach over and give her a comforting hug, but she's afraid that there are more important things to take care of at the moment. |

"We have to find a way to not let him see us," Y/n told the group, thinking of a plan.

Soos stood still by the costume rack "If only there were something we could use to cover our bodies and faces with. You know, like a disguise of some kind..." he trailed off, placing fingers under his chin.

Mabel, Dipper, and Y/n looked at one another, having the same idea.

The group managed to find identical capes with skull masks – except for Soos, who donned a gorilla outfit. They tip-toed around the monster, stopping moving when it was near. Good thing the Trickster didn't have good senses. Does he even have a proper face with ears and a nose?

"Almost there!" Dipper said, leading the line.

Y/n paused in her movements, noticing that one person wasn't with them. "Wait-" she turned around and saw Soos by the shelves of cackling skulls again. "Soos!" she whisper-shouted towards the man, alerting everyone else as they stared at him in panic.

"Soos, don't you dare!" Mabel warned, pointing at him.

Soos held his hands together. "Sorry, dude, today's been way stressful. I need some levity. He pressed one of the skulls— but nothing happened.

Mabel smiled in relief as she faced the group. "Oh, thank goodness. It was out of batteries."

Unfortunately, Soos found a package of batteries, and was now struggling to open it.

"Soos, no!"

He eventually put the batteries inside of the toy but before he pushed down the head again, he was tackled to the ground. Y/n climbed on top of his belly. "Cut it out, man! The monster will hear you!" She snarled.

"No, let me hear it!" No matter how Y/n tried to push him down, Soos just easily managed to get up because of his height against her. "I... want... the... jokes!" He bumped the toy skulls and it turned on.

"No matter the score, I'm always a-head! Nyahaha! Nyahaha!"

Soos laughed as well, slapping his leg. "I'm sorry, Y/n, but this cackling head's the voice of a generation!"

Y/n's eyes widened, completely ignoring what he said as the Trickster was coming up behind them as its mouth opened. Soos turned around as well and the monster finally made its move, widening its mouth and leaning down. Y/n got into a fighting stance, but before the monster reached them, Soos pushed her away, sending her back to the group, before he was eaten.

She stared in shock. Why did he have to sacrifice himself for her?! Before she could call herself all the ugly names, Dipper's voice echoed through the hallway. "Hey, monster!" Y/n averted her gaze to the group pulling out toy weapons and began charging towards the Trickster. Mabel tossed her a plastic spear and they were all attacking the large being.

Grenda leaped into the air and swung her ax and it was effective, cutting off one of the Trickster's limbs. As they bash their weapons into its limbs, some particles were flying out, and poor Grenda had a taste of them. Her brows furrowed as she found the taste familiar. "Saltwater taffy? Gross!"

Dipper hacked at a leg, and the same itty bits came at him. "What are you–?!" He tasted a piece. "Wait, it is!" He confirmed Grenda's suspicions.

"You really haven't figured it out yet?" The Trickster said, picking everyone up as he brought them closer. "Don't you recognize me? Look at my face! Look closely." He pulled the smiley mask off to reveal that he was an amalgamation of various candy pieces. Cherry swirlies for his eyes, pepper sticks for his brows, apple licorice for his lips, and worst of all, candy corn for his teeth. The rest of his so-called flesh was just littered with-

"Loser candy!" Mabel shouted.

"That's right!" The Trickster said, proceeding to tell his backstory– how he was rejected so he sought revenge on the picky children. "No one would eat me. But now, I'm going to eat you." The twins screamed, holding each other. They hear something grumbling, making the Trickster struggle to speak. "What is that?!" He screamed in pain as his body was growling and moving around.

Suddenly, Soos tore through the Trickster's chest, screeching. The creature dropped the group as he fell to the ground, vomiting jelly beans. Soos sat atop of the monster comfortably, basically eating his insides with a smile. "You guys want some of this?"

Everyone shook their heads. Y/n grimaced, feeling like Mabel after eating those expired Smile Dips. "I don't wanna eat any candy ever again," she said after seeing this horrifying view.

"Wait! You actually think I taste... good?"

Soos shrugged. "Uh, sure! You know."

The Trickster smiled. "All I've ever wanted is for someone to say that I was... good!" He began sobbing as candy corn came out of his eyes, "I'm so happy!"

Gorney was also safe inside of the Trickster's stomach, screaming happily, "I've bween twaumatized!"

Eventually, everyone decided that it was time to go home. The Trickster was gone because his unfinished business was finally, well, finished. Luckily, the truck was still working after the crash. After removing all the debris, they finally got in and drove back to the Shack.

The moon was still high up in the sky as the group entered through the living room. They greeted Stan by the door who was watching a horror movie.

"Hey, Dipper!" Wendy chimed in as she had been sitting from the chair on the left of them. She was carving a watermelon.

"Wendy!" He was surprised to see her here, especially now where she could see him in his peanut butter costume with Mabel.

The redhead frowned. "I didn't see you at the party. Where were you?" She asked.

Dipper began stuttering, stalling for a cool excuse to somewhat impress her as she waited with an eyebrow raised. He stopped and decided that he shouldn't lie anymore and he shouldn't be ashamed of it. So with a proud grin, he told her. "I was trick-or-treating. With my sister." He brought her in for a side-hug, making Mabel smile.

Wendy turned to Y/n who was looking at the now cracked fake glasses. "Wait, you went trick-or-treating too, Y/n?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

The older teen smiled. "Well, I gotta say, I like your hotdog costume."

"It's not a hotdog costume! Why do people keep saying that?!"

"Maybe because of your beige coat, beige pants, and beige hat that looked like a hotdog bun," Mabel happily pointed out.

Dipper agreed. "Mm, and the fake blood honestly looked like ketchup."

Y/n sighed in defeat, deciding that denying the hotdog theory would be pointless anyway.

Wendy was telling them that the party was lame and that Robbie ate a lollipop stick first and had to go home sick, making Dipper stifle a laugh.

"Aw man," Mabel said, frowning, "we went to every single house, and we didn't even get to eat any candy!"

"Candy?" Stan asked from the yellow chair before bringing out two large sacks. "How's that for candy?"

The trio grinned at each other. Everyone got out of their costumes except for Soos (who stupidly didn't bring his clothes) as Stan turned the bags upside down, letting all the candy fall to the ground. The TV had just announced that the movie is coming back from a commercial break. Y/n turned off the lights as everyone settled around the pile of candy.

Dipper returned from upstairs and silently entered the room, sitting on the steps. He carefully attached a bandage on Mabel's sore arm and they smiled at each other.

They were quietly munching on candies as they intently watched the supposed horror movie until Soos broke the silence.

"I ate a man alive tonight."

***

CONTINUES IN CHAPTER 15!

MASTERLIST

KRPHZRUN: WKH FDQGB LV DFWXDOOB WDVWB - B/Q

[leoascendente]

Pluto through zodiac signs in history ☄️

Hi my loves!💕 Today I bring something a litte bit different than usual, myfrustrated career was historian like my mum but end up being the witch of the family, so let's combine and explore today two of my favorite things: astrology and history. Pluto is now entering the sign of Aquarius after more than 200 years and we can see it's effects starting in society. Pluto takes between 12 to 32 years to transit a sign so it creates a generational and collective energy to deal with.

Pluto is the planet of transformation and renewal, it brings destruction to the old and useless and he does it in an explossive and dramatic way, so if you take a look through history with the "astrologer glasses" you can see how pluto works in every sign and his impact in every generation.

If you want to know more about Pluto archetype I'll leave a link to my post about it here

Pluto in Pisces- From 1798 to 1823

The old empires were falling down opening the road for the Napoleonic empire, a complete opposite form of goverment than what there was before. People were open to accept other people outside of prejudices, well... it was still 19th century, at least they weren't cutting heads anymore so let's give them a chance 🤷‍♀️. Socialism was implanted in Europe through these decades and started the Romantic artistc movement too, there were also huge progress in medicine and the study of nature. Edgar Allan Poe was born with this placement.

Pluto in Aries - From 1821 to 1852

Well... If you know a little about astrology you might expect this. This Pluto transit is the generation of pioneers and revolucionaries, through these years is easy to see a lot of independence movements, mostly in America like the independence of Mexico from Spain the 24th of february of 1824. In this season, regions under the control of unfair leaders started fighting for their rights and their recognition, they were looking for freedom from their opressive politics, on Europe started the spring of nations giving way to a series of riots and revolutions . There was a massive industrial developmentn and as a random fact there were also brutal vocanic explossions.

Pluto in Taurus - From 1853 to 1884

This was a time for a process of unify and stabilize, the people from this transit started to explode the resources that the earth had to provide us, the famous "gold fever" was very strong through these decades. The new politic movements that started with Pluto in Aries begins to solidify and get a more stable structure, there was an amazing economical growth and many agrarial and industrial reforms. There were also a lot of earthquakes that left terrible consequences like the one that happened in Japan on November 11th. These times also promoted materialism and the personal enjoyment, self benefit over the common good.

Pluto in Gemini - From 1882 to 1914

This was a generation for the intellect, new ways of communication and travel began to see the light. In terms of knowledge people wanted to look deeper in the meaning of things, the was a lot of new discoveries and progress about science and psychology. We also had the beginings of the sufragist movement looking for the right of women for education. There was a rise on realism artistic movement over the previous romantisism. In 1888 we had the unfamous Jack the ripper on England and his creepy cards to the police, I see this like the worst face of Pluto in Gemini, that terrible man rejoicing himself in his destructive behaviors (Plutonian) through cards making fun of the police (I always associate writting to Gemini or air signs in general). In general, through this Pluto's transit peopple gave more importance to intellect and rational fact over emotions.

Pluto in Cancer - From 1914 to 1939

The right of women to vote in Luxemburg or the vote for the universal sufragge in Belgium in 1919 are good examples for me of this placement. Cncer is Divine Femenine energy and through these decades the role of women in society is forced to be recognized, not just by the feminist movement but because they are needed for working after the loss of many men that were in World War I. There were also a lot of pacific movements like Ghandi and his hunger strike in India ( I don't like this man but at least he did something important avoiding armed conflicts). This was a time where family roots and homeland had a lot of importance in society and this gives also importance to nationalist political movements. Have in mind that people from this transit had very difficult circumstances, WW1 started on 1914 and WW2 started on 1939, many dictatorships started to form through these years.

Pluto in Leo - From 1937 to 1958

Obviously this Pluto's transit brought up a lot of megalomaniac dictators, charismatic leaders that looked like the answer to the problems of the population and ended up being extremly dangerous, starving for power and dominance over the weak and minorities. I'm not going to talk about the man we all know from WW2, I'm going to talk about the Spanish one that was terrible too. In Spain was imposed franco regime, this man orchestrated a coup d`état (<-sorry that was what google translator told me) that led to a civil war where he told to kill a lot of people that were againts him through that war and when he was ruling the country (search about Federico Garcia Lorca, he was an incredible writer with an awesome future, he was killed by Franco´s order). He was the dictator of Spain for a lot of years, he heelped Mossolini and Hitler on some ocasions, as a random fact, some says that when Hitler met Franco he said he would do anything to never spend again a minute with Franco. To end up this transit right lets say that we also had a lot of iconic stars like Marilyn or Elvis, they are literal icons even today.

Pluto in Virgo - From 1956 to 1972

Like Virgo always does, Pluto in this sign tried to clean out the disasters of it's previous transit and put a little order to the chaos. On this transit appeared a lot of reforms and remodeling to clear up the situation and see what really works for population, after years of fear and chaos people were yearning for some social order and peace. The bad part about this... segregation and the start of cold war. Goverments tried to recollect information to use it againts other goverments, the race for the space and all the mechanichal improvements, but also there was a change in the population`s habits giving more importance to health and diet, recognizing that tools and resources that everybody used had toxic or harmful components, for many people with this placement bad aspected I've seen they have a weird but effective way of taking care of their body. Also there was a rise for careers related to health or mechanics through these years.

Pluto in Libra - From 1971 to 1984

This was a time for recognizing human rights and fight againts unjustice, society was involved in too many conflicts and this generation tried to redirect the focus to peace and diplomacy. New agreements related to marriage and divorce, in some countries divorce was illegal, so this also helped to break some toxic traits related to the expectations about marriage, in general there were new ways to understand realtionships. There was also a revalorization of art and recognition to some artist that were left aside. People started to unify as a collective to fight against the unfair and began to give more importance to equal rights, also to the beauty of nature like in Sempember of 1978, that year Quito, the capital of Ecuador became the first place to be into the World heritage.

Pluto in Scorpio - From 1983 to 1995

Our millennial generation! We have a lot to thank to this generation tbh. This Pluto transit appeared to break with many society taboos, making people emphathize with the ones who didn't had a voice before. In this transit people started to loose fear about death and sex, mostly for women who had been repressed the years before. Of course, there were sexual transmitions diseases but in this time people started to give it the proper importance to these kind of issues. Pluto is related to nuclear energy and in 1986 the world had to see Chernobyl and it's disastrous consequences, but remember too that many countries on those decades were making nuclear tests that also left terrible ressults for humanity. (if you like to there's a documentary on Netflix called 'dark tourist', in one of the episodes they go to a lake made out of an atomic explosion). As a random fact, through this transit appeared a lot of serial killers with sexual overtones.

Pluto in Sagittarius - From 1995 to 2008

How are you my fellows Sag Plutos? This transit came with massive existencial crisis where people stopped believing what others said it was good or bad, even more if that good or bad was written thousands of years ago. This generation learned to live life by their own philosophy instead of following religious beliefs, experience as a way of understanding. People from this generation are more open and prone to look for answers in different places because of the dissapointment with the previous beliefs systems. Through these years we can also see a decline in the main religions, people are not willing anymore to accept other's imposed truths without looking for the logic, but we have to say that it also brought religious radicalism. People from this generation are more open to new ways of experience spirituality and give human existence a meaning, this generation is open to things like meditation, astrology, chakras... The worst aspect of this transit would be that everyone wants to be heard but just a little are willing to listen.

Pluto in Capricorn - From 2008 to 2023

Well, this transit started hard with the global economical crisis of 2008, scandals about corruption in politics and banks, our sight of authority figures is not the same as before because all these scandals and the ones in the past, basicaly we don't fully trust our authority figures. People through this transit got a little obsessed about power, money and their social position but it also brought a lot of new jobs and ways of earning money and fame never seen before. Have you noticed how extremes has politics become lately? Also, public cancellations could have something to do with this transit? Like cancelling, somehow destroying (pluto) someone publicly ( Cap also rules our public image) Idk, let me know what you think about this because Capricorn is complex 🤔. Something curious about this placement is that people are trying to be their own bosses and work for themselves instead of working for others.

Pluto in Aquarius - From 1778 to 1798 (2023 to 2044 aprox)

Pluto is now on Aquarius, the last time it was there we had the French revolution, this year we have riots in France again. French revolution started because of unjustice and inequality, while the royalty were surrounded by luxury normal people were struggling to supply their basic needs, maybe a little like now?. Pluto also entered Aquarius in 2020 and we had a global crisis too. The good thing about this transit was that the century of the lights started with it, Pluto in Aquarius helped to develop critical sense and thinking, the circumstances made them focus on their unfair reality and how they could improve it for the common good. On 1791 Olympe de Gouges published the declaration of the rights of women as a response to the declaration of the right of men on 1789, defying the male supremacy of that time (she was a Taurus sun btw). We know what happened then, we'll see what it has for us now.

Please, feel free to add any other historic event and their pluto's transit, I would love to know what you think.

Let me know if you would like to know more about long transit planets and its impact in society through history.

Thank you

~ Lala 💖

Do not copy or repost

© Leo ascendente

[undercoveravenger]

Moonlighting

Pairing: Ricky Bowen x Werewolf!Male!Reader Requested: Yes

Request: “supernatural/legends requests for HSMTMTS? Well...how about this one? Ricky Bowen realizes his boyfriend starts to act weird on certain nights and disappears. That's when he discovers his boyfriend is a werewolf.”

A/N: So I meant to have this out for Halloween, but life got wild so here's this now instead.

-----

Things were good. No, really- sure, Ricky Bowen’s parents were splitting up and his breakup with Nini had made their friendship messy for the last couple of months and the drama club still couldn’t figure out how they were going to make his Beast transformation work, but he was making it work.

He was trying to understand his mom’s perspective and he and Nini were trying to mend their friendship and he and the rest of the club were trying new ideas each week and he had (M/N). Their relationship was admittedly new, but Ricky had been crushing on (M/N) for what felt like forever and he’d been the only one who had really been able to soothe his nerves after everything with Nini. They’d been spending more time together since then and had fallen together almost without thought in the time since and had been dating for the last couple of months. Even now the two of them were cuddled up in Ricky’s bed with a rerun of one of Ricky’s favorite shows on the TV while Ricky’s fingers carded through his boyfriend’s hair.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a familiar chime emanating from his boyfriend’s phone and he turns to watch as the (h/c) pulls away from where he’d been curled against Ricky with an arm sprawled over his stomach to grab his phone. His expression darkens as he taps at the screen, dismissing whatever notification he’d gotten before pushing himself up from Ricky’s bed.

“I have to go,” (M/N) says as he stands, throwing his things into his backpack, seemingly without thought, apart from a need to leave quickly.

A surprised “Oh,” escapes Ricky as he watches his boyfriend. This wasn’t the first time he’d taken off suddenly after seeing a notification on his phone, a sort of wild energy about him as he leaves with only a half-assed excuse. Hell, his sudden exits were probably nearing double digits. After this many times, it’s hard not to wonder if he was leaving to see someone else. “Is everything okay?”

(M/N) was throwing on his jacket when he registered Ricky’s question, “Huh? Yeah, it’s- I forgot what day it is and I really have to go.” 

“Right, uh, okay, I guess,” Ricky grumbles, crossing his arms over his chest. He knows (M/N) cares about him, but now that the thought had crossed his mind he couldn’t dismiss it. He bites his tongue as (M/N) heads for the door, but couldn’t keep the words from escaping him, “Are you cheating on me?” His boyfriend nearly skids to a stop at the door, whirling about to face Ricky with an incredulous look on his face. “Chea-” he cuts himself off and moves back toward Ricky until he can kneel in front of him, taking Ricky’s hands in his, “Sweetheart, no. I’d never do that. I love you.” Ricky found himself struggling to speak, overwhelmed by the look in his boyfriend’s eyes. “Then what’s going on? Why are you always running away?” he eventually forced out.

(M/N) freezes for a second and it seems like all the air escapes him as he slumps forward to rest his forehead on Ricky’s knee, “shit,” he hisses. He stays like that for a long moment before he finally brings himself to look up at the brunet, “I’ve been wanting to tell you for ages but could never figure out how to tell you.” A sharp shudder wracks through him and Ricky’s grip on his hands tightens reflexively. (M/N) is quick to shake off the concern, “Ricky, do you know what today is?”

Ricky’s brows furrow as he thinks, “Uh, Thursday?”

“It’s a full moon, sweetheart.” (M/N) winces again as a jolt of pain shoots through him. He can practically feel his bones shifting below his skin already. His jaw flexes as his canines begin to elongate, “My family has a little, uh, mutation in our bloodline. We get a little weird on full moons,” he smiles, albeit a little sarcastically, to bare his newly formed fangs.

Ricky’s eyes widen as he notices the new change, “Weird, huh?” He blinks, the information just hitting him, “Wait, what the hell?!”

A barked laugh escapes (M/N) and the tips of his claws catch lightly against Ricky’s hands as he pulls them away, “My family and I- we’re werewolves. I usually leave on full moons since the shift isn’t,” he shrugs off another sharp sting of pain, “uh, isn’t pretty.” He pushes himself back slightly, hands on Ricky’s knees as his eyes flickered over Ricky’s face, searching for some hint of what he was thinking, “Ricky, if you want me to go, I will. I get that this is a lot and if you don’t want to see me ever again, I’ll understand.” Ricky blinks, still a little stunned by the sudden turn of events, “No, I don’t want that-” he says firmly. “This is, uh, a lot to take in, but I love you, so I’m gonna have to get used to,” he gestures vaguely, “All this. Stay?”

“Of course,” (M/N) says, pushing himself further back from Ricky to give himself more room as his transformation progressed. “Shut your eyes for a minute for me, okay? I don’t want to scare you.”

Ricky swallows sharply, visibly nervous about the request, but eventually complies, doing his best to ignore the sharp crackling sound of bones shifting and his boyfriend’s labored breathing. The sounds stop after a long moment and Ricky can hear something big moving around before a heavy weight rests upon his lap. His eyes open and he comes face to face with a massive wolf. 

In any other circumstance Ricky would’ve been nervous to be this close to a predator this large, but now that he knew the truth he couldn’t bring himself to be scared, or even a little nervous. He reaches out and cups the canine’s head in his hands, leaning in to plant a gentle kiss on the top of the wolf’s nose. The same (e/c) eyes he’d come to love stare up at him and the wolf’s mouth drops open in a big doggy grin.

“We’re gonna talk about this more in the morning,” Ricky says as he lies down, giving his boyfriend room to awkwardly clamber up and lie down next to him, resting his head on Ricky’s chest with an assenting huff.

This was far from what Ricky had been expecting when he started the conversation, but as he curled closer to his boyfriend’s wolf form, he couldn’t be happier. He knew that they would get through this the same way they got through everything else; together.

[always-andromeda]

Congratulations on 500!! You earned it! For a request could you do prompt: “The World Ender” for Alex/Barry? There’s a lot of stories where the reader is helping him, but not really anything for the other way around!

Author's Note | this concept is actually so creative?? like wow, anon, I hadn’t actually thought of something like this too much before!! so thank you so much for the request!!

Being roommates with Alex should be simple, in theory. He's used to living small. Minimizing himself until he's barely noticeable. Call it a product of his childhood, but he usually feels the most useful when he's quiet. But he's not sure if he actually enjoys that existence. Or if he'd simply lived it for so long that it was all he knew.

This is why it really isn't easy being his roommate. Having known you for practically half his life, he's well aware of how...spirited...you can be. You live in a way that he's not used to. So far removed from how Holly had raised him to be: broken apart until he fit into any mold the world could throw at him.

He has a hard time expressing it, but in a strange way, he's grateful. Being around such a strong personality brings him out a little more. You don't overwhelm his senses. He's tuned into your energy; how you move, how you breathe, how you speak. He can't say that about many people. And you wouldn't think he'd be so analytical just from looking at him. But that's one good thing the silence gave him; his intuition.

It's how he knows something is wrong when you come through the front door and sit down on the couch. You don't say a single word to him, just stare blankly at the cooking show he'd clicked on when he got home from work.

"What's wrong?" he asks, his tone soft.

Within seconds, your cold demeanor washes away. You head falls to the back of the couch and you close your eyes, letting out a sigh that you wish could flush out your nerves.

"Pullman fired me today." you reply quickly.

Alex's heart drops to his stomach. You'd worked so hard at that job; picking up all the extra hours they gave you in hopes they would see your dedication and reward you in some way. Of course they didn't. In their eyes, you're nothing special. Just another cog in the machine that could easily be plucked and tossed to the side. The world has plenty of other cogs that will fit just fine; thank you.

Alex has always been supportive of you. Every time you vented about the stress, he did his best to listen and to offer comfort where he could. But this was a different hurt that he hadn't felt radiating off of you before. And as he searches through his mind for some way to help, he thinks of the best idea.

Wordlessly, he rises from the couch, leaving you behind only for a moment as he heads to the hallway closet. Flipping on the yellow hall light and scanning over the shelves, he searched for the right blanket. He runs his hand down the stack, feeling each texture until he gets to a large quilt. He distinctly remembers you using it one night when you and him had a movie night a while back. It's perfect.

You hear the sliding glass door leading to the backyard open and close but ignore it. A handful of minutes later you hear it again. And when you open your eyes, Alex stands beside you, nudging your shoulder with a gentle hand. "Come outside." he says simply.

Figuring he must've found another frog outside, you follow. But instead, you find yourself standing on the porch, looking out over the small patch of land that constitutes your background. Right in the center of the lawn, Alex had laid out the blanket perfectly; no wrinkles or folds in the fabric.

As he sits cross-legged on the left side of the blanket, he motions for you to join him.

You take the spot beside him, grateful that the stifling summer air has faded into a comfortable breeze. The lush green grass was all the more comfortable with the blanket placed over the top of it.

"Look," Alex points up towards the endless night sky. "Stars."

"Stars." you conclude. For a little while, your pain blows away as you lay back on the blanket, bringing your hands behind your head. You stare into the void of the universe. And, funnily enough, the memory of Pullman calling you into his office and curtly informing you that you'd been fired...it seemed so meaningless. But in the most comforting way possible. These were the moments that mattered most to your soul; not stupid job and your idiot manager.

"Does this help?" Alex mumbles.

He feels euphoric seeing you smile even a tiny bit as you answer, "Yeah. It does. Thanks, bud."

This quiet isn't the kind of quiet that the world forced him into. This is the kind of quiet that heals. The kind of quiet that makes him feel like he can exist safely and peacefully with someone. That he can be useful in a brand new way.

[dapper-shipping-forever]

17 gillvash for the kiss ask meme…? 👁👁

Here they are ! 🌸

---

The mattress dipped under Vash. He sat with a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck to work out a knot. Gill hung her bag near the door; she shook out her hair, shoulders relaxing. They'd found a small hotel to stay in tonight.

Sand clung to them both, and they were ready to spend the night in a bed together. It certainly wasn't fancy, but it was softer than sleeping outside. He always tried to make sure they found a room in a hotel or some home whenever they were able to. Not for himself, but for Gill. Since they officially got together, despite knowing she's tough, he felt more responsibility to make her comfortable. She had enough money from hunting big bounties to get herself a real place if she wanted. He knew she liked seeing the world herself, but he felt sometimes like he was forcing her in to this lifestyle of never staying in one place too long. But she stays. She always chooses to gladly stay. He loves her. That's why he always does his best to make sure she's as comfortable as is possible. She can say she's comfortable sleeping outside as much as she likes, he's going to try his best to get her an actual bed.

Vash groans, dropping his hand across his legs. He needs a nap. He often made little plans on finding a safe area to settle in with her. They could buy a home, perhaps build their own, maybe near Ambrose that way it'd be easier for her to have visits whenever she wants to. They'd never stop traveling but he'd like to have a home to be anchored to also. They'd talked about it here and there, both little comments made out in the desert, and longer conversations laying in bed together with quiet tones. Right now it wasn't viable, but someday soon. He'd get her a home that's just for them. A place where they can be happy, where they can have their friends come, and where she can sing. A place where he can wake every morning and see her smiling face safe within his loving arms. Besides if they wanted to have a family someday then a home was important. Ah, that's not something they'd talked about yet though.

The bed dibs slightly behind him, and a pair of arms delicately trail on his shoulders and wrap around his neck. "You're thinking about something quite a bit, darling." Gill says, nose nuzzling into the side of his head.

His hand immediately reaches to settle on one of her's, squeezing it in a secure hold. "Just about how ready I am to be in bed with you, love." He says back.

She sighs, breath caressing his cheek. "Me too." She sits straighter, hands moving from around him. She lightly runs them across his shoulders. "You're pretty tense today, Vash." Her body stays pressed to his.

"I guess I am." He chuckles.

"Awe, my darling." She says, looking worried. "Anything I can do for you."

He breathes out deeply. "Just stay here." He tells her.

"Of course, always." She reassures him. She leans into him, fingers trailing soothing, nonsensical patterns into his shoulders.

He can feel himself relaxing around her. Her fingers sent waves of soothing energy across him. His head hung and he simply focused on the sensations her sweet touch gave him.

Her fingers trailed to the high collar of his shirt clinging to his neck. He wasn't thinking too much of it.

Unbeknownst to him, she was smiling to herself; Vash usually covered himself quite thoroughly, she always enjoyed seeing more of him, and she admitted to having a thing for his neck before. Vash's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. A walking temptation of a man; Vash had a serene look on his face.

He could feel her fingers tracing their improvised little patterns into him. Vash felt Gill's fingers teasing along his collar, touching actual skin. He felt when her fingers hooked under his collar and tugged it lower, exposing more of his neck. She leaned in without a word, lips latching on to the side of his neck.

A shiver instantly ran across his body. She lingered only for a bit, but it certainly wasn't a shy little peck. It held meaning, and he knew it was full of love.

Vash had a blush seeping into his face now, painting him pink. He tried not immediately admitting how much that kiss got to him. "Careful, you might start something." He breathed out. "Not sure if that's what you're trying to do, little missy."

She giggled, and he smiled to himself. She hugged him again. He brought one hand to her arm, and the other caressed her face where it leaned on his shoulder. He turned his head, nuzzling his face into her's and eliciting a pleased sound from her. She truly was everything he'd wanted and then some.

She always had a knack for soothing him. Every touch was special, every sound a symphony, every kiss divine, etc and etc and etc. He adores her.

"I love you." He says into her soft cheek.

"I love you." She immediately responds without any hesitation.

Yes, anywhere was perfect with her. With her in his arms, he was always home. She always made him feel good.

[leyanaszoo]

World Hearing Day

A little short story on something completely different today.

Today is World Hearing Day. It aims to raise awareness of hearing loss, hearing care and hearing protection. And as I'm a hearing aid professional I would like to make my humble contribution to that.

I hope you enjoy my litte story and please note also my additions after that ❤️

In addition to the story, I'd like to say a few more things:

- We all love parties, festivals and events - but please protect your ears if necessary, you only have these two. Hearing loss develops gradually and by the time you discover it, it's already too late!

- Give your ears a break - earphones out, music off ... get out into nature and enjoy the sounds of silence - our ears are made for this and unfortunately not for our noisy, busy world. It's also self care in general.

- If something strikes you as unusual, take a check-up - and encourage others to do the same if you find them having trouble to understand you. The sooner a hearing loss is treated, the better the chances of achieving a satisfactory result.

- An untreated hearing loss costs the brain a lot of energy to compensate and the capacities are lacking elsewhere. Taking care of the hearing loss can have a positive impact on brain performance and memory, especially in old age.

If you want to know more about World Hearing Day or hearing loss in general check the WHO

If you want to help others to provide better care for hearing loss around the world, there are organizations that you can support such as Hear the world Foundation, which for example supports children with hearing loss in low and middle income countries.

Thank you for your attention 🙂

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Poses especially on the last slide by @herecirmsims . Thank you so, so much for making them for me and being part of this ❤️

Other poses by @akuiyumi

The first idea for this post came to me shortly before the update with the hearing aids, but of course it helped me a lot to make the story even better 💕

[1111jenx]

Hiii 🥰 so glad you’re back! You’re the only astrology blog I follow so my page missed you <3! I wanted to ask what signs/placements do you think would stay in a toxic relationship because they lowkey enjoy it lol. I saw someone do this on TikTok and I’d love to hear your view on it.

Hi bby<33

Omg it is so so great to be back and yess I would love to explain more to you about this topic bc this is one hell of a topic to talk about and I have some stories to share with yall:D

Also I have to put this out before anything, I am a firm believer in free will at the end of the day yet I do believe sometimes, the boundaries we set are not necessarily the best for us. Hence, this leads to what we're going to be talking about aka people that are attracted to dangerous/toxic individuals today

I have wrote a post about certain placements from my personal and limited observations, that seem to have this pattern within their relationship, you can find the post down below<3

Before I proceed again, I must stress that this is a judgment free zone, sometimes I understand that there are relationships in which only the people that's within that relationship will truly understand its core, yet if anyone from either sides is hurt, whether physically or mentally, that is not at all acceptable.

I have had my fair share of childish, unhealthy flings to understand how it is so easy for victims to believe what they want to believe. And I know you can't choose who to fall in love with, but you can always love someone but acknowledge that they are not good for you:D

Alsooo a lot of people asked me to clarify what I mean about Libra placements being attracted to that kind of energy, here's my take on one of the Libra placements as an example <3

Libra Rising: I mentioned this in the main post above already yet I feel like it's important to bring this up once again. I personally consider air placements as well as fire placements to be the true emotionals individuals of the zodiac instead of water placements. This is because they often times lack the capabilities of fully understanding their emotions and thus, they cope differently. Remember, fire burns while air rationalizes. Libra Rising have to be the most emotional out of the 3 air risings from my perspective. While they are fantastic and maintaining the colder, calm and collected facade when needed, in relationships, especially when they are younger, its not uncommon to see them with people who are not good for them. Younger and underdeveloped Libra Risings often times have 7th house in Aries where the sign of independence, self-starter, of fire and passion is in the house of partnerships, of enemies but also of marriage. This creates a very interesting dynamic as there will always be this on and off and constant love-hate energy within their relationships. Libra Rising thrives on partnership and they love love with all their beating heart. It is not uncommon for Libra Rising to madly be in love at one point then having the worst of the worst fight with their lover the next. But sometimes I truly want to ask them this: do you love the person truly or do you love the you you could be when you're with them? do you believe that loving someone will always hurt so much? Libra Rising also have a 4th house in Capricorn most of the time so I feel like they also subconsciously search out for chaos and bring order to it as they feel like that's their place of comfort. While their 5fth house is in Aquarius, I see Libra Rising being able to become casual with people easily but have a harder time actually committing with the flaky/"too chill" kind of people. They can also be emotionally unavailable lots of the time if they deem that the other person is not "reciprocating their energy". So someone with all that fire, all that passion and perhaps a little bit of mystery mixed with teeny bits of charm will be able to make them go crazy!

Also, in addition to this post I also have another astro notes on toxic patterns which I wrote in my earlier days on Tumblr haha you can definitely check it out if you want to learn more about that!!

Lemme know if this helps bae<3

saint jenx🪐