#New Skill Day is one of the better pop-up holidays

[victorluvsalice]

-->And the moment I arrived, THERE was the holiday overlay! Whew – so changing lots got the game to acknowledge the holiday. Still worrying, but at least my Sims could PARTICIPATE!

First things first, though – it was hot in Brindleton, so I had Smiler change into their hot weather wear (as Alice and Victor had already done so – vampires are immune to temperature, so they don’t automatically change, which can be a little annoying sometimes), then start looking around for a good spot for the food stand while Victor felt the love with Shadow and Alice signed up Surprise to be cured of her affliction. I finally got Smiler to put the stand in a good location as Alice and Surprise waited for the vet, made sure it was stocked, and prepared to start a food sale –

Only for the game to tell me it couldn’t have “two social events” going on at the same time. Hmmm. All right, I was game to wait until after Surprise was cured. I instead had Smiler entertain Kelly with a laser pointer to pass the time –

-->And decided, “you know what, Victor’s Pet Training skill is almost up to Level 4, meaning leveling it up would count toward New Skill Day – why not train Shadow to heel?” So that’s exactly what he did, getting the dog to follow him around outside the hospital. Shadow was – a BIT distracted by her own tail at first, but as time went on she got better at keeping pace with Victor. XD I then checked in on how things were going with Surprise’s examination...

Only to discover they weren’t. For some reason, midway through the exam, the vet just stopped what she was doing, and Surprise was let go without anyone even trying to diagnose what was wrong with her. >( Damn glitchy game...I instead decided to have Alice get Shock spayed instead and see what happened there – fortunately THAT worked, and it went a lot faster too. Maybe because both vets were awake and working this time, instead of one sleeping on the waiting room couch. XD (Seriously, that ALWAYS seems to happen when I first load into the lot for some reason...) Alice was starting to get twitchy from being around all those strangers, though, so I had Smiler sign Surprise up for examination number two and let her clear her head by running off to a far-away dig site to see what was inside. Ended up digging up a new fossil rock with a fossilized egg inside, nice. :) She then went and entertained poor coned Shock with some laser pointer in the vet’s back yard while Smiler chatted with Brant Hecking inside the vet (learning he was a Personal Sports Trainer for The Other Sports Team, apparently) –

And Victor got Pet Training 4 from working with Shadow! :D One person’s New Skill Day skill down – two to go!

-->But first – finally getting Surprise cured! Yes, this time Surprise got checked over by the OTHER vet, who successfully determined she had Winterfest Fever. Smiler paid the big bucks for the best treatment (as I say so often, my Sims can afford it), and the cat was given a shot that brought her back to normal. I was very pleased with this, both because hooray, the vet lot decided to work –

[phoebejaysims]

Updates updates updates (and fixes)!

Generic Register Mod

Babysitting is now added to the list of duties that the register attendant can perform. Might be useful for your nursery, who knows?

Also, performing duties is a little better handled.

Download: Mod The Sims - Generic Retail Register - With New Features (holiday pay, request time of work, assign duties)

Bubble Bath Mod

Certain dramatic (and loser, unstable, unlucky) sims may feel nauseous showering in the smell of hot lemon. Tuning is available in the XML.

Download: Simblr.cc - Bubble Baths Runs Out

Hairdresser Mod

Make hairdresser appointments for later in the week.

Hairdressers can also take styling classes to brush up on their skills.

Getting paid now counts as career pay for non-stylist career sims too meaning it can be paid automatically into (Social Club mod) Bronzo accounts.

Chair tooltip edited slightly.

Choosing the days off is done by a pop up list rather than having to type in the day. This does mean you'll have to set them up again for your chairs!

Download: Mod The Sims - Hairdresser Mod - Impress Clients, Temporarily Dye Hair and More!

Social Clubs

New activities: give lecture, watch TV, play video games.

Hunger is auto resolved during formal clubs.

Tried to fix teleporting lone club toddlers to no avail. If that works worse than before, sorry... seems to work better with inactive toddlers than active ones.

Club restrictions enforced more strongly via. club board for necessary clubs.

Fixed issue with bank transfers not completing when done direct through Bronzo object.

Can order Bronzo card through computer when card is missing (not just stolen).

Can end clubs early via. scheduler.

Can leave club early via. scheduler.

Can ask sim to join club activities for that session.

Sign up another sim in your household to a club via. the club board.

A sim dying should not make the club scheduler unusable anymore.

Traditional Chinese translation added.

Download: Mod The Sims - Social Clubs Mod (+ banking) - Grow Memberships, Push Activities, Make Bank Accounts and More!

Court Mod

Lawyers should actually help their jailed clients instead of simply changing clothes and standing around like idiots.

Download: Mod The Sims - Take Sims To Court - Sue Sims, Become a Lawyer, Have Court Weddings and More!

Cheerleading Mod

If you were having trouble finding objects, included in the download file, you can now find all the individual unmerged objects.

Download: Simblr.cc - 4t3 Cheerleading Mod

Painting Needs Supplies

(Unsure if this is from this update or a previous one but:) this mod works in conjunction with the Reworked Ultimate Careers mod now. When pushed to paint, sims will use the easel if there is enough paint around.

New tuning added so you can choose if the mod places restrictions for inactive or inactive households (or both).

Download: Simblr.cc - Painting Requires Paint

[blizzardfluffykpop]

Delight

Summary: Your first Christmas engaged to Vernon. 

Oneshot

Fluff, Engaged au

Word Count: 1,058

Vernon X Reader

Not Requested

Prompt: 5. “Your mom made me a gift?” “Yeah, you’re a part of the family now.” 

------

You had about an hour and thirty minutes before he’d arrive, and you can’t help but look at your engagement ring. It hasn’t been long since Vernon proposed to you. You had been dating for a few years and shortly after you met his family last Christmas. He popped the question. You had wanted to meet his family sooner, but with everyone’s clashing schedules, it was impossible to meet before last Christmas. And this year, while you weren't unavailable, Vernon and you wanted to celebrate at least a portion of your first Christmas engaged alone. More than likely, you'd be over there for dinner. Considering neither of you were skilled in the kitchen, and even if you were, neither of you held a candle to their skills yet.

You tidy up a few things around the house, wanting it to look more festive in the living room before changing into your festive clothes. Sofia calls you as you’re putting on a sweater. You answer, “Hey, what’s up?” She asks, “Is Non with you?” You shake your head, “No, not for another hour.” You hear her groan, “He was supposed to pick something up, and I was wondering where he was.” You hum, unsure how to answer, and she gasps, “Where have you been!? She told you to pick this up two days ago!” You can hear him on the other end explain he’s been busy. And you laugh, and she goes, “(Y/n), you’re still on the line!” You say, “Yeah.” “I have to let you go, but I'll see you later. Have a good time unwrapping presents!” You smile and tell her, “Yeah, you too.” You look at the clock. You have less than an hour before you see him again.

You grin as you hear the door unlock. “Non!” He smiles, “(N/n)!” He joins you on the couch, and you pull him in for a hug. He whispers, “I’ve missed you.” You kiss his cheek, “I’ve missed you too.” You pull away and look him in the eyes, “How’s everyone?” He smiles, “They’re good. They told me they will miss our presence at dinner tonight if we don't go.” You laugh, “I’m glad. We’ll celebrate fully with them next year. I'm so excited for your parent's cooking later.” He laughs, “Me too.” You giggle, “Too bad we’re not better in the kitchen.” He laughs, “Even if we were they'd shoo us away.” You laugh as you agree. He pauses, “You know what's special about this Christmas?” You smile and look down at your matching engagement rings, “We're engaged.” He smiles, and he kisses your nose, “Exactly.”  

You kiss his nose before pulling him up from the couch and sitting in front of your gifts. You both take turns guessing what was in the wrapping paper, high-fiving every time you get one right. Seeing his eyes light up in delight or shock made the holiday feel complete. He gasps as he opens a box you got him, “No way!” He looks at it more carefully, “You got me a new chain?” You smile, “Yeah, I thought it would be perfect.” He smiles, “It is.” You open your next gift and gasp, “Non!” He asks, “You like them?” You smile. It’s two rings that match the ring he proposed to you. You smile, “I love them.” You slip them onto the opposite hand and finish opening the rest of your gifts.  

When you finish unwrapping your last gift, you get up and say, “Let’s sort our stuff and the trash later?” He agrees, and you hold your hand out, which he takes, and help him up. You both walk over to the couch, “It was fun, but it was a lot.” He agrees, and you see him wearing the new chain you had gotten him. Once you settle into the cushions, he says, “And there’s something else too.” You tilt your head, “Is it what Sofia was hinting at?” He nods, reaches behind him, and pulls out a beautifully wrapped gift with a homemade bow. 

You look at the tag, “From: Mrs. Chwe To: (Y/n)” You gasp, “She got me something?” He nods, and you carefully take off the bow, trying to preserve its poofiness. He watches as you open it, and you pull back tape by tape, trying to hold yourself from crying. You pull it from its paper and see it’s a beautiful (f/c) knitted sweater. “Your mom made me a gift?” He smiles, “Yeah, you’re a part of the family now.”  He whispers, “Look at the cuffs.” And you nearly cry from awe. It’s your first name embroidered on the right sleeve and your last on the left. You bring it close to you and watch as he unzips his hoodie, revealing a multi-colored sweater. “I didn’t want to spoil the surprise.” 

He shows you his cuffs which have his first and last name on either one. You shake your head, your tears finally beginning to fall. You take off your current sweater and trade it for the one she made you out of love. “If you didn’t already ask me to marry you this year. I would say this is my favorite gift I’ve received this year.” He pulls you over and wipes your tears, “So, is this your second favorite gift ever?” You tell him, “No, you're my favorite gift.” He shakes his head and kisses your neck, “You’re cheesy.” You laugh, “But this is a close third.” You kiss his forehead, “When we see your mother later. I’m giving her a big hug.” He grins, “I didn’t expect any different.” 

You lean your head against his shoulder, “I love you and your family. I hope you know that.” He lays his head over yours, “We love you more, but I love you most.” You smile, putting your engagement ring finger against his. “Yeah, I know.” Which makes you both laugh, and you click your rings together. He covers your hand in his and interlocks your fingers. “I know it’s been a few months, but it’s surreal.” You smile, “It’s the best kind of surreal.” “Yeah.” You stay like that for an hour before cleaning up and heading to his parent's house. As you approach the door to ring it, he goes, “Maybe next year we’ll have our first married Christmas?” You smile, “Definitely.”

[thesuperiorrobin]

Damian Wayne wasn’t a big fan of holidays. Whether is Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s etc

Even Halloween.

Until he meet you.

You loved Halloween. The free candy, the amazing costumes everyone wore, and the cute little kids having their first Halloween with their parents—you just loved it all. For Damian—technically it was his first Halloween overall and his first Halloween with you. So imagine your surprise when found out that Damian—during the amazing day at the end of October—spends the day in his room locked in his room doing god knows what.

“What do you mean you don’t do anything?!?

Damian rolls his eyes at you “I just don’t see anything special about dressing up and knocking on peoples houses to get free candy”

“that’s the Whole point Dames! There’s more to it than just the silly costumes and free candy!”

You were disappointed. After all that your main goal was to get Damian to like Halloween. Yet no matter how hard you tried he just would budge. He didn’t even like the idea of dressing up together for Halloween—which kinda hurt your feelings a little. He was acting like he was a little too old to do those things. And mind you you and Damian are both 16-17 years old—you two are old but you aren’t that old.

“It’ll be fun!” You say “trust me!”

“Beloved I’m not going to wast my time going out doing childish things”

“But we won’t promise” you whined “I got invited to a Halloween party. So we unfortunately won’t be going trick-or-treating this year”

Damian Wayne isn’t a fan of parties either, but he’s learning to adjust to them. Just very slowly at the moment. No matter how hard you tried to convince him his answer was a stern no. You tried everything—begging, trying to exchange something so he could go, you even said you’ll walk Titus for an entire year if he goes but he denied. But you had one more trick up your sleeve. Damian had a gut feeling you’ll use it at some point. You pretend to give up and give out a long sigh. Like a really loud and heavy one which makes Damian's ear twitch a little.

“Alright fine, I get it. You don’t wanna hang out with your amazing girlfriend on this amazing scary holiday” you get up and get ready to dramatically leave his bedroom. Damian can feel his body twitch slightly and he watches you leave his room—closing the bedroom door shut. He knows you’re waiting behind that door.

He knows you're counting down until he gets up and opens the door for you. Damian hates how you have such an impact in his decision at this point because he’s annoyed at the fact that he actually gets up and opens the door with a scowl.

“Fine” he sighs out “I’ll go to the stupid Halloween party with you

You squeal as it makes Damian’s heart skip a few beats. “Goodie I already have the perfect Halloween costume for us”

“Of course you do”

Safe to say you and Damian had the best costume that night—you wanted it to be within your budget. Not his yours, because you knew Damian would juts buy some expensive costume that really isn’t worth it.

It’s a bonus too because everyone on the Gotham Instagram page and the news went wild. Much to his dismay.

Liked by:Gotham_NEWS, Dicck_GrAy, jay_Hay, Timmy_Drake, +1,000

Y/n_L/N: i love this version of Grim better 😘😍

(P.s Dames artistic skill really pop off for this party swear😃)

View 7381 comments

Random_user13738: I hope y’all break up

└ y/n_L/N: Me too so I can get with this man instead 😍

Dicck_GrAy: HOW DID YOU GET HIM OUT OF THE HOUSE?!?”

└ y/n_L/N: a magician never reveals their secrets🤗

Random_user86382: I wish I had a bf like this 💀

└ y/n_L/N: i heard boys like him are hard to come by☹️

____________________________________________

I hope everyone had an amazing Halloween.

I didn’t even get to go trick or treating with friends bc I got sick 😭

[herrlindemann]

Sonic Seducer - 2015, Interview with Till

"Rammstein is my life. My job, my family."

Sometimes a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. A truism that no one knows as well as Till Lindemann. For more than twenty years, the 52-year-old muscle man has been playing as Rammstein's frontman on records, stage and paper with the Neue Deutsche Härte-Feuer - after several postponements, the time has finally come: with his solo debut 'Skills In Pill’s announced at the beginning of the year will be released in mid-June, the most discussed album of the year!

Outside of the limelight, Till Lindemann tends to be the introverted, taciturn type who likes to avoid public appearances and feels much more comfortable in the rough wilderness night fishing than on red celebrity carpets. After one or the other time in the recent past at least raised eyebrows - on the one hand through the rather bizarre guest appearance of pop singer Heino during the last Rammstein show at Wacken Open Air 2013, on the other hand through Lindemann's songwriting work for Roland Kaiser's new album, also keep your fan base in suspense with the collaboration with Hypocrisy/Pain mastermind Peter Tägtgren: On the joint album 'Skills In Pills' Till Lindemann rolls his enigmatic lyrics in English throughout and thus causes divided reactions within the metal World.

«Writing in English is a kind of a new start,» says Till Lindemann, explaining his discovered affinity for foreign languages. « A whole new field in which I can let off steam. It has become very difficult to write German texts today because I have already said almost everything in some form. Everything has already been covered. With Lindemann I'm starting from scratch lyrically. Free choice! An unplayed place waiting to be deflowered. »

The themes dealt with by Lindemann on 'Skills In Pills' don't really differ that drastically from those in his Rammstein texts or his two previously published books: Dark passions, the curse and blessing of various pills, and of course sex in all conceivable ways or form. This time, however, not in German, but with a double dose of deep black humor. « At first I wasn't so sure if the lyrics were really good because they came together so easily. It was too easy compared to the German texts. At Rammstein, six people work in their designated areas. Everyone has their place and their fixed area that they work on. However, you still have to reconcile six different opinions. Of course, this is not always entirely without complications. Nevertheless, we of course also learned a lot from each other. »

Knowledge that Lindemann brings to his solo project today. Until recently, the Berliner focused almost exclusively on his work with the Berlin pyro-metallers, but his urge to express himself seems to become stronger and more unpredictable with each passing year.

« I think it's normal to express yourself in different ways over the years. When you're young and you start a band, you put all your energy into that band. Music, stage shows, artwork, everything. Today everything is better divided so that each of us can concentrate our energies elsewhere. I can already say that this project will be a big part of Peter's and my future together, but my priority will always remain Rammstein. Rammstein is my life. My job, my family. I spend my vacation from this family with Peter. »

Holiday fun with a difference: With loud widescreen guitars, electronic programming and dark, erotic doom prose - switching off in Lindemann style. « It was also nice to travel up to the countryside to see Peter again and again. It only takes about three hours from Berlin and you're there. I visited him 20 or 25 times; even if sometimes it was just for a day. Sometimes he called and said I needed to come in for a quick recording. Then I quickly got on the plane and was there straight away. »

The result of these spontaneous excursions can be heard in the form of the Lindemann debut 'Skills In Pills' from June 19th, 2015. The continuation of the interview with Till Lindemann and Peter Tägtgren can be found in the next issue.

[findmeinasunshower]

𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝑩𝒐𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒔: 𝑩𝒂𝒌𝒖𝒈𝒐 𝑲𝒂𝒕𝒔𝒖𝒌𝒊

𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥-𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 : 2.7k

𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘺 : prohero!bakugo x gender-neutral prohero!reader. get together fic, Halloween edition!  𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘵 : “Fuck candy corn.”

𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 : language (it’s bakugo), alcohol, gets a lil spicy at the end, but it’s sfw! :)

You walked into Bakugo’s life five years ago when he and Deku created Might Agency, and the nerd convinced him they needed to hire a sidekick. But not just any sidekick — no, as usual, the little asshole had a plan up his sleeve and gave him your resumé that same day. Upon one look, Bakugo immediately knew why Deku wanted to hire you.

“The Wonder Duo” had been involved in primarily high-profile crime since graduating from U.A. In order to expand, they needed someone who could work both in and out of the spotlight that comes along with the Pro Hero world.

You were fresh out of U.A., only a couple of years their junior, and had not only the perfect quirk for what they needed but the perfect skill set. You're basically a living battery — able to draw on the electricity around you and turn it into energy, where you then manipulate it and create glowing hot light. Not only that, but you took every business course U.A. had to offer on the side in case you ever had the chance to run an agency.

And so, fresh out of high school, you were stunned to be hired on to build the Undercover Unit at Might Agency.

Five years later, Bakugo knew you’d be the talk of the Halloween Gala before your glittering shoes even touched the red carpet.

The Halloween tradition started eight years ago as an excuse for Bakugo’s graduating class to dress up together and be assholes outside of the public eye. Ponytail hired a bunch of people to decorate her gigantic house, and their whole class got together to celebrate the holiday. But as they all rose to fame, so too did the event itself, until now it’s nearly at a Met Gala level of publicity in Japan.

Today’s dominating news story (masterfully planted by their agency’s manager) said it all: “After five years of groundbreaking undercover work, Pro Hero Celestial emerges to join the ranks above ground and train a new generation of underground heroes at Might Agency.”

You’re the elusive sidekick-turned-partner of Pro Heroes’ Deku and Dynamight. So he isn’t surprised when he’s halfway down the red carpet leading up to Ponytail’s house, avoiding as much of the press lined up behind the barrier as he can, and he sees every camera within his field of vision turn to the entrance of the carpet. And somehow he knows you’re there.

And later in the night, when he slips into one of Momo's million supply closets to see you standing in the corner, part of him isn't all that surprised that you had the same idea as him. Even if he does shout a loud "Fuck!" upon seeing you.

You simply take a deep breath to calm your heart rate after his explosive entrance, then casually hold out a small cup of candy corn you must have snagged from one of the snack tables. “Candy corn?” you offer.

“Fuck Candy corn,” Bakugo bites back. He shoves himself into the opposite wall and watches as you pop a piece of the nothing-flavored snack into your mouth. “The fuck are you doing in here?” he asks.

“Three ‘fucks’ in under a minute? That has to be a new record,” you joke dryly around a mouthful of your prize.

“Twinkles.” The only indication that the use of your nickname has an effect on you is a single blink before you go back to eating. Bakugo sighs and yanks off the stupid pirate hat and eyepatch his stylist had given him this year so he can focus on you better. “Why are you in here?” he tries again.

Candy corn now gone, you toss the cup dejectedly to the floor and cross your arms. “Hiding,” you respond vaguely.

“Hiding? From what?” he asks.

You roll your eyes and fix him with a glare, and Bakugo finds himself momentarily stunned by having your full attention on him for the first time especially when you look like that. “What do you think, Bakugo?”

He raises his eyebrows at the use of his last name. You haven’t used it since your first year as a sidekick, nearly six years ago. At that time, you called him solely “Dynamight out of respect, before eventually graduating to “Bakugo-san” a few months later when you got sick of his grumbling. But ever since you officially came on as a partner of the agency three years ago and the two of you got into your first screaming match, you’ve insisted on calling him solely “Katsuki” just to piss him off.

So, you calling him Bakugo sets off every friendship red flag Shitty Hair has drilled into him over the years.

He’s careful as he matches your position, propping his leg up on the wall behind him and crossing his arms. You look at him suspiciously as he settles in to wait, and Bakugo rolls his eyes, waving his hand impatiently. “Well?” he prompts.

You fix him with a glare, and he fights the shudder that threatens to quake through him. Apparently realizing that he’s not going to back down, you hug yourself and mumble: “I don’t want to be a publicity prize.”

Bakugo raises an eyebrow. “A ‘publicity prize?’” he prompts.

You gesture down at your costume, the diamonds along your sleeves glittering in the darkness from the slight movement. “Some tabloids are already calling me “Shining Seven,’” you complain. “I only hit seven in the rankings last week.”

“Only reason you didn’t earlier—”

“—Is because I was undercover, I know,” you finish with a sigh. “I’m just…I’m not like you and Midoriya. I’m not used to being in the spotlight, you know? And I was thrust in so quickly, and debuting dressed like this, everybody suddenly thinks…I don’t even know, but I swear if one more sidekick asks for a picture with me I’m—”

“Whoa whoa whoa, slow down.” Your friend finally steps forward and grasps your shoulders firmly. “How do you manage to talk about everything and nothing all at once?”

“Probably hanging out with Midoriya too much.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Bakugo growls, and he’s relieved when you chuckle under your breath. A pair of laughing voices passes outside your hiding spot and you both go quiet as you wait for them to pass.

Looking at you as you peer through the crack in the door to the party beyond, Bakugo realizes this is the first time he’s properly looked at you today. You’re draped from head to toe in robes of midnight blue velvet, the color imitating the night sky perfectly. Hundreds of glittering diamonds are embedded throughout the fabric, making it look like you’re glowing from within, the effect emphasized by the luminescent lotion your stylist gave you to put on.

To finish the look, your features were dusted with just the barest hint of makeup, simultaneously enhancing your natural features and accentuating your heavenly appearance. Finally, a halo diadem of jewels and stars is laid to rest atop your head.

You look astral. Eternal. Your stylist had dressed you as a Deity of Light.

Katsuki clears his throat, and you turn your bright eyes on him at the sound, eyes immediately furrowing in confusion when he won’t meet your eye. You blink in surprise as he mutters, “I’ll be right back,” and sweeps the curtain aside. 

His fiery blush has faded into a frustrated scowl by the time he reaches the open bar set up in one of Ponytail’s dining rooms and orders “two of whatever the most popular drink is.” The bartender nervously shoves the drinks toward him less than a minute later, and the hero grunts in appreciation before heading back to you. 

You’re still there when he yanks open the door and shoves a large, neon green cup in your hands. It sloshes over with the force of his handover, splashing your overlapped fingers with whatever the mixed drink is made up of. “For you,” he insists.

You startle a little bit and wrap both hands around the cup, looking down at the mysteriously foaming purple drink, then back up at him with those cosmic eyes. “Did you put anything in it?” you ask with faux gravity.

Bakugo scoffs, “fuck off,” and crosses his arms, and you giggle into your drink. The two of you settle into a comfortable silence, broken only by the occasional comment on the music or harmless tease at each other’s costumes. You finish your drinks together, simply enjoying each other’s company and listening to the party booming throughout the rest of the house.

Eventually, the two of you find yourselves seated shoulder to shoulder on the floor, and you ask: “Bakugo…why are you in here?”

He scowls and cocks an eyebrow as he looks at you. Your face is starting to get a lovely flush from the drink he brought you. “What, I can’t be in here?”

“I didn’t say that. I asked why you were here.” You lift your head off of his shoulder so you can look at him clearly, and tilt your head to the side with a small smile at whatever you see. “Though I’m not complaining,” you tack on.

Katsuki’s eyes widen at the meaning behind your words, face going hot as your gazes hold. A smile spreads slowly across your features at his stunned silence, and the last of Katsuki’s brain cells go out the window at the sight. Your smile quickly turns into laughter, and Bakugo assumes that he’s probably never looked more like Dunce Face than he does right now.

“Shut up,” he insists, still flushed red and lacking his usual vitriol. “I can’t believe you’re not embarrassed to say that out loud.”

“If anyone else were sitting next to me, I would be,” you admit, settling back into the wall with a smile. Your voice is quieter, more hesitant when you say: “I guess I’m just comfortable with you.”

He blinks in shock, pulling away from you at that last, quiet confession. With the way your voice got small, plus the mild flirtation not only earlier but in the past, plus the alcohol running through his veins, the realization hits him like a truck.

A part of him has known he’s had feelings of you for a good while now, but it’s a part of himself Katsuki never acknowledged. He was always too busy, whether it be with the responsibility that is building an agency from the ground up or just hero work in general. The two of you have orbited around each other ever since you met, working in the same place and tasked with the same end goal, but taking different routes to get there. Katsuki was your main supporter when you decided to put anonymity behind and work on training the new generation of underground heroes. He was the one to talk to Deku and convince him to implement the Underground Unit so that you could come on full-time.

You’ve been an integral part of Katsuki’s life for years — a star in his galaxy.

Only now is he finally realizing why.

The only thing he can find himself saying as he looks at you in that dusty closet is: “You’re comfortable with me,” with disbelief stark in his flat voice. Your eyes are still so bright when they lock with his in the dark, and they widen as he leans across you, bringing his face closer to yours. “Same,” he whispers.

“What?” you ask, eyes flitting all over his face.

“I mean same,” he repeats, and you gasp as Katsuki takes your hand in his. He’s practically laying across your lap now, and his face is oh-so-close to yours. “I mean,” Katsuki sighs and fights the instinct to scowl as he searches for the right words. “I’m also comfortable. Around you.”

Your gaze on him doesn’t falter as he looks away and reaches for his empty cup, wishing there were still something in it at least to have something to do other than look at your all-knowing face. But eventually the feel of your attention on him pulls him back to you, and Katsuki blinks when he sees you smiling shyly.

“Dynamight,” you say in a teasing tone. “Are you hitting on me right now?”

Katsuki scoffs again and leans back into the wall. “I’m not not hitting on you,” he grumbles.

“You’re not kidding?” you ask, leaning into his space so he’s forced to look at you. 

Your proximity sends his heart into overdrive, and he suddenly finds himself dropping his cup so he can pull you into him, nose to nose, breath to nervous breath.

“I don’t kid when it comes to you,” he breathes against your mouth. 

And then it’s you who throws your arms around Katsuki and pulls him into a messy, clumsy kiss. A faint whimper escapes you at the first touch of Katsuki’s tongue on yours, and the sound shakes him right to his toes. “Fuck,” he growls against your mouth, barely able to breathe from the force of your embrace. “Come here.”

Your whimper is needier this time as Bakugo wraps his arms around you and fully hauls you against his chest, kissing you like he’s drowning and you’re oxygen. The only thing you can do is hold on, arms draped around his neck like a western damsel in distress. He holds you just as tightly, and you feel him shudder against you as he breaks the kiss in favor of closing his mouth over your pulse point.

“Yesss,” you hiss between your teeth and arch into Katsuki, closing your eyes and reveling in the feel of his solid, solid shoulders underneath your grasping hands. “Katsuki—”

“Baku-bro? You in there?”

You shriek and jump away from Katsuki at the sound of Kirishima’s voice, covering your mouth with your hands. Bakugo is already on his feet and reaching for the door handle, grasping it just in time to pull it closed as his friend tries to open it. “Go away, Shitty Hair! I’m busy!”

“...In a closet?”

“A stupid sidekick spilled their fucking drink on me,” he lies smoothly, glancing at you as you get to your feet in the corner. “Needed a quiet place to clean up.”

“For an hour?” A snicker sounds from the other side of the door, and Katsuki glowers deeply at the realization it’s Kaminari.

“Fuck off, Dunce Face! I’m not going out there fucking shirtless!”

“Alright, alright,” Kirishima says, ever the peacekeeper. “We’ll be in the main hall when you’re ready.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Bakugo takes a deep, centering breath as he listens to his friends walk away before he turns back to you. Your arms are crossed, leaning against the back wall with a hesitant smile on your face. That won’t do.

“Well,” Bakugo says, harnessing his worked-up liquid/adrenal courage one last time. He steps forward and wraps his arms around you, bringing your hips together in a small bump. This time, he doesn’t stop the shudder that runs through him when your eyes meet his, and he revels in the sound of your small, stuttering gasp when he runs his hands down your arms. “Should we rejoin the party, Twinkles?”

You shake your head in disbelief and reach up to fiddle with the frayed ties of the open white shirt of his costume. “Shouldn’t we talk about this?” you whisper.

Bakugo shrugs. “I mean, we could talk about it now.” You relax into his arms when he leans down to kiss you again, and you find yourself swaying slightly and blinking bubbles out of your eyes when he pulls away. “Or we could talk about it later.”

You hesitate for only a moment before you’re rolling up onto your toes and hauling Bakugo down to your height so you can kiss him properly. “Definitely later,” you insist against his mouth.

[momochiachan]

.｡.:*♡ Pop-Confetti Legacy ♡*.｡.:

As a millenial person, I love 90s-2000s aesthetic! Also, I needed a gameplay where I can do stuff that I never did on the sims 4 before, so why not combine them into a brand new legacy challenge? Pop-Confetti has a nostalgic sound to it, that’s the only reason why I chose this name lol, well, also it sounds cute i think~

.｡.:*♡ Let’s get started! first things first... ♡*.｡.:

Home decoration and outfit style of the sims should suit with the fashion of the decade.

There is nothing like “if you fail one rule, you fail the whole challenge” in the Pop-Confetti because I’m terrible at following rules and I understand if it’s too hard sometimes lol. These are rather like guidelines.

Yet, don’t use money cheat I’d say. It ruins the fun.

The decade specific guidelines:

1990s Challenge: Use only the worst computers or use typewriters (there are nice CCs). No social media, no selfies, no funny videos. Use the worst camera to take photos.

Optional Activities: Game at the arcade, go skating. Send postcards on holidays. You can also build a drive-in movie lot and watch films and eat popcorn (we don’t have cars in sims, but well, we can pretend).

2000s Challenge: Slightly better computers. No simstagram, no selfies, no social media profile. Use a camera to take photos.

Optional Activities: If this gen can see the winter and can get the chance to celebrate the new year, it should be perfect. Throw a huge party! If they can see summer only, create a new new year holiday in summer (like in the south pole) and throw a perfect party again. Send postcards on holidays. Also, spend hours on MSN (chat with friends via computer).

2010s Challenge: You can start using laptops. Selfies? Hell yes. You can create a social media profile. Get fast internet lot trait.

Optional Activities: Update your social media profile every day. Take selfies every day. If you see a street protest, attend. Also, you can use the Simda DatingApp mod and find dates online!

2020 Challenge: Well, the nightmare begins: Social distance. Avoid crowded places. When many people come and try to talk to you, use the mean interaction “go away.” Get the fear of crowded places if possible. Do not leave your neighborhood. Live in a lot with simple living and keep your fridge always full.

Optional Activities: Gain weight! The rates of divorce increased during the pandemic IRL, so you can also break up with your partner maybe. Choose your partner as someone totally different than your identity group (for example: if your sim is a white straight woman, marry a black bisexual man).

2025 Challenge: Environment suffers… You can live in the dirty neighborhoods of Sulani or Evergreen Harbor. If you live somewhere else, get some/one of these lot challenges: filthy, landfill lot, and wild foxes (my reasoning is that because wild animals lose their home in forests, they have to find food in urban areas ;-;)

Optional Activities: You can do environmental activities if your sim cares enough. Use gaming mats. And uh… maybe go to space! What else..? if you get an idea, let me know ^^

#1. 1990: Ripped Jeans

(TW: Child neglect)

Because you were a neglected baby, you were taken away by social services and grew up in an orphanage. The orphanage was no good in terms of education, you got no skills, and you didn’t even get the skill to gain skills! But who cares? You believe in yourself. Now you are a young adult, ready to build your life from scratch.

You hate bad parents. Just the idea of it drives you mad! You believe that life taught you how a good parent should be in a harsh way. Well, you aren’t a parent yourself, but, uhh… is that important? I mean, you have been a child…? Anyways, who would know it better than you do! You the best! So you dedicate yourself to informing people about good parenting. Well, you become a parent at some point anyway, but you are so busy criticizing other families that… you lose your baby to social services.

IMPORTANT!: So, normally, when your child gets rescued by social services, they disappear. This shouldn’t happen in this challenge (See Gen #2). You can use MCCC to prevent it and have them adopted by another family.

Scenario: No Skills, No Problem Aspiration of your choice (you don’t have to complete) Traits: hot-headed, self-absorbed, outgoing Career: Education

Start with the “No Skills, No Problem” Scenario on.

Argue about parenting with the other parents and whenever you can’t win the argument, write an article or book about the issue.

Write 3 books on how to make children happy and good parenthood (because you don’t have skills, you have to write in children’s books genre lol)

Have at least 2 kids

Lose 1 toddler or child to social services (the “die in accidents” option for the other households in the neighborhood stories settings should be off)

After losing your child, complete/cancel the scenario and start getting skills along with your 2nd child does.

Leave your career and be a perfect parent to the 2nd kid: Have them the top-notch toddler trait. Knit clothes for your children, cook healthy food for them, have a special activity with them every week (such as watching movies, reading books, eating out, or going on vacation), always assist with the projects, etc.

Max parenting skill.

#2. 1995: Postcards from the Past

You grew up under the wings of perfect care. You are kinda spoilt, your life is excellent, and the world revolves around you. Your parents gave you whatever you wanted until now (or you knew how to take it). Same for romantic relationships.

However, when you are a teen, you eavesdrop on your parents one day and learn that you have a sibling who got taken away years ago! You can’t believe that your perfect parent neglected a child in the past! You desperately want a reunion. No matter what, you are going to find your sibling. You can get whatever you want, right?

Scenario: Well-Rounded Sim Aspiration: Serial Romantic Traits: Self-assured, family-oriented, one of the traits inherited from the previous heir’s partner Career: Interior Decorator/Police Officer (basically any job that enables you to visit random people’s homes) Gender Options: Can’t impregnate nor become pregnant

Complete the aspiration

Complete the Well-Rounded Scenario

Complete your career

Travel house by house and try to find your sibling

Complete postcards collection.

Once you find them, cheat the relationship to the -100 because they hate you and your parents at the moment. You need to gain their love!

At some point, move in with them, or you can also get them as roommates or live in a residential rental together. They will be the parent of the next-gen, and you will help to care for their child (you are not fertile. you can adopt a child if you want, but the heir will still be your sibling’s child. you are free to marry but you should still live with your sibling and their family).

#3. 2000: Shiny Face of the CD

You grew up in a crowded, happy family. You have an aunt/uncle with a serial romantic past; but your parents are nothing like them. They are way more conservative. Your parents are judgmental, especially about people’s love life. They want you to make an “appropriate” marriage within “moral” norms like no sexual relationship out of marriage, if you date someone they better be your spouse in a short while, and it has to be a heterosexual marriage. Will you able to give them what they want or will you follow your heart?

Scenario: Finding love after breakup Aspiration: One of the location aspirations Traits: Proper, Romantic, one of the traits inherited from the previous heir’s partner Career: Shopkeeper (you can additionally be freelancer or enter a job you can work at home)

As a teenager, you are invited to participate in an exchange program. Pick any other household in the save that has another teenager and swap them in manage worlds. Befriend the exchange student. You can have them stay as long as you want (This rule is actually one of the rolls written for the random legacy challenge which is full of amazing ideas! check them out!).

Complete the aspiration

Have a highschool sweetheart, preferably a bad boy/girl.

Have a very well-managed retail shop as a young adult.

Expect a baby with your highschool sweetheart! but they refuse to take care of it.

Make a marriage of convenience with one of your employees before your family notices that you will have a child soon.

Have an isolated room for the baby.

Die as an adult.

#4. 2005: Bankruptcy

You had a pretty interesting childhood... that pushed you to make interesting choices in life. You are definitely not the favorite of your family. You keep making mistakes, but you always laugh them away. You hate school, but also you couldn’t care less. You love eating and cooking even though you cause fires all the time and everybody hates it. You lost your parent so young and now you live with someone hating you and your half-sibling(s). You want to be independent and show everyone that you are actually full of capabilities! You are the star chef of the future!

Oh and also, you want to be rich in easy ways. You love gambling! Too bad that you will lose all the money your family hardly earned...

Scenario: Trouble Maker (optional); Unlucky Chef Aspiration: Fabulously Wealthy Traits: Lazy, Clumsy/Glutton, one of the traits inherited from the previous heir’s partner Career: Chef/Mixologist

Start playing cards as a teen and create a gambling club. Have club gatherings every week.

Once you are a young adult lose either family house or retail shop and then set household money to 0$.

Be kicked out of the household. You can get a tent and maybe 100$ with you while moving out. You can use freerealestate cheat but the lot should be empty. This will be a kind of rags to riches.

Enter the chef career while going on gambling by playing cards, don’t wake up llama, and the like games (I guess there is a gambling mod but you can also play it like +50$ when you win the game and -50$ when you lose the game).

Definitely buy the lottery tickets when you get the option.

Complete the career and unlucky chef scenario.

#5. 2010: Twilight

As a child, you loved being in the scouts: getting badges, camping, telling ghost stories, and all! Dark nights you spent in the forest while camping made you love every possibility of occults and mystery. You just would never guess that your story is going to be one of them as well.

Aspiration: The Curator / Outdoor Enthusiast Traits: Child of the islands, Geek, another trait inherited from the previous heir’s partner Career: Paranormal Investigator / Sell stuff you find

Join the scouts as a child & teen

Complete your aspiration

Move to the first gen’s house. Make the house haunted (if you don’t have the pack or you don’t want to play in a haunted house, give the house these lot traits: gremlins, spooky, quake zone). You can use freerealestate cheat if needed.

Live with a ghost. Don’t move out until the ghost achieves something big in their afterlife with your help (for instance get mentor trait and help them maxing 3 skills out, complete a scenario or complete a quest together; if the ghost is a child or teen help them to get 3 positive character values or be an A student; if the ghost is a toddler, max all skills).

Once the ghost is saved, remove them from family and make the house residential again.

After the ghost leaves, change one of your traits into erratic.

Max the medium skill and host a seance every week (if you don’t have the pack, max handiness).

Complete the sugar skull collection (optional)

#6. 2015: Selfie Stick

As a teenager, you hate how you look. You want to be one of those beautiful popular sims at school, you have cool friends but your body insecurity makes you less confident among them. You are obsessed with taking selfies, you want to capture your best look but you can’t find it. You have a bestie from your class and they find you very beautiful already, yet you can’t be convinced.

Despite everything they say, once you are a young adult, the first thing you do is having plastic surgeries. Now you are who you want to be! You start to work as a fashion photographer, meet famous attractive models, and your bestie works as your assistant though you doubt if they still like you as you are. Are they too judgmental? Aren’t you the same person, or did you change? Who does love you for your looks and who for who you are?

Scenario optional Aspiration: Party Animal Traits: Jealous, Art Lover, another trait inherited from the previous heir’s partner Career: Freelance photographer / Style Influencer

Complete the aspiration & career

Max photography skill

Have a photo studio in a public venue

There must be 3 different sims you are attracted to. Try to get out of this love square with the person you finally choose as a partner

Have at least two children and they should be science babies (because you don’t want a pregnant body)

Have very weak relationships with your children.

When you are an adult, you go through a midlife crisis. Do all or some of the following:

Secretly leave home one day and have a vacation alone

Choose a new hobby and max the skill

Change one of your traits

Meet new friends

Make big changes at home decoration

Cheat to get uncontrolled emotions or if you are famous, get emotional bomb quirk

Have some arguments with the family members

Change your fashion style

#7. 2020: Pandemic

You have a competitive, ambitious, career-focused life since your childhood including your relationship with your sibling. You have a very romantic side too, but you always wanted to ignore it. Your heart wants a cute, cozy, loyal marriage while your mind is, embarassed, seeing these feelings as the virus of your success plans. How will you manage your inner conflict?

Scenario: Engaged in Conflict Aspiration: Soulmate Traits: Ambitious, Materialist, another trait inherited from the previous heir’s partner Career: Business/Salaryperson/Law

Grow up as rivals with your sibling and have a competitive relationship with them

Become an A student at school

Complete a part-time job as teen

Study and finish university with honors

Join the Braniacs/Debate Guild and attend at least 3 events of them

Date someone from the guild and catch them cheating on you

Have a freelancer job as a university student

Complete the aspiration, career, and the scenario

After graduation, pandemic begins. Live in a lot with the simple living trait.

Gain weight to the max.

Live with your fiancé who is romantic.

Often have arguments with them about the wedding.

Don’t leave the neighborhood until you are an elder.

#8. 2025: Heat Wave (subjected to change)

Scenario: In the moodlet Aspiration of your choice Traits: Good, Gloomy, another trait inherited from the previous heir’s partner  Career of your choice

Move out as a teen and live in air-bnbs (which means other sims’ houses), rental lots & camping areas.

Learn at least 10 different local recipe (San Myshuno, Sulani, Selvadorado, etc.)

During your trips, meet/get closed with your love of life

As a young adult, live in a house made only by pre-made rooms of EA (you can make some changes but keep the general frame and style).

Start the scenario

Your love has a kind of disease that stems from environmental disasters and requires an organ transplant. Yours is compatible with their biology. They will die once they age up.

To be able to save them, you should get the never weary reward trait before they age up (for some reason lol). If you can’t, only choice left is to sacrificing yourself for them. Before doing that, set them up with someone else hoping that they can have their happily ever after.

If you die, play as the partner and organize funeral for your sim. Also name their child after your sim.

If you can save them, get married and move to a lot within a natural paradise. Adopt a child and name them after the first gen.

I hope you enjoy it! Please don’t forget tagging me if you play this challenge, I’d definitely love to see your posts and reblog them ^^

[leakywright]

{ JONATHAN DAVISS, 21, CISMALE, HE/HIM } Is that MALIK ‘LEAKY’ WRIGHT? A SENIOR originally from CLEVELAND, MS, they decided to come to Ogden College to study ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES on a ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP. They’re THE TRUSTY SIDEKICK on campus, but even they could get blamed for Greer’s disappearance.

been traveling these wide roads for so long...

NAME: malik ‘leaky’ andre wright NICKNAME: leaky, leaks, wright BIRTHDAY: october 16, 2002 ZODIAC: libra sun, sagittarius moon, virgo rising SEXUALITY: bisexual RELIGION: practicing christian (baptist) THREE POSITIVE TRAITS: generous, adaptable, playful THREE NEGATIVE TRAITS: flaky, scatterbrained, cheap THREE SKILLS: trained mechanic, jazz piano, math ENNEAGRAM: 2w1 MYERS-BRIGGS: istp EXTRACURRICULARS: varsity football team: tight-end. vp of recruitment pike, sports show host for student radio station, undergraduate student council.

AESTHETIC: gold rings, early morning runs, sunsets on the river, front porch sweet-tea, tailgating, kisses from grandma, cheers on top of tables, high fives, cheesy grins for photos, BeReal

CHARACTER INSPO: teddy flood (westworld), peeta mellark (the hunger games), matt seracen (friday night lights), pop tate (riverdale), charlie young (the west wing), sam obisanya (ted lasso), gregory (abbott elementary)

LIKES: making playlist, late night jams, fresh sunday mornings, making people laugh, warm summer sun, the changing of leaves, soft blankets, historical fiction, holidays DISLIKES: the past, winter, unsweetened tea, ripped jeans, cold weather, people talking during movies, doing the dishes

FAVORITE MOVIES/TV: ted lasso, friday night lights, new girl, atlanta, teen wolf, outer banks, nope, knives out, do the right thing, waves, if beale street could talk, abbott elementary FAVORITE BOOKS: the vanishing half, seven days in june, the hunger games, harry potter series, possessing the secret of joy, the fire next time FAVORITE ARTISTS: b.b. king, leon bridges, tank and the bangas, lizzo, zach bryan, lawrence, j. cole, abraham alexander, tierra whack

FAMILY: mother - adelaide wright (naomie harris) father - andre wright (omar sy) younger sister - haven wright (marsai martin) younger brother - amai wright (danny boyd jr)

pinterest here, playlist here

MOMMA’S WORDS REOCCUR TO ME:  

growing up in cleveland mississippi meant that leaky had access to the only grammy museum outside of la. but really it meant that leaky grew up with humble beginnings, in a one story house that was full of love, laughter, and inspiration. andre and adelaide wright had been high school sweethearts, with andre giving up his dreams of being a full-time musician when they found out adelaide was pregnant, to then instead be the town mechanic. she was a nurse, he a mechanic during the days and blues musician at night, and though life was hectic. it was good.

leaky was taught all the necessities by his father, piano, bass, basic mechanic skills. he wanted his son to be well-rounded and thrive in the world. to build him up. and, like every southern town, high school football became the heart of the wright household. and early on they discovered that leaky was talented. he was good, he had promise for the future. and that he had.

so between practices, gardening, picking on his younger siblings, jamming with his father, and everything else in between, leaky looked at the future with hope, with optimism. and it seemed promising.

junior year of high school, leaky committed to alabama for football, full-ride, tight-end. play time wasn’t promised for him as a freshman, but nick saban personally mentioned his name for future championships. and to make everything better, his best friend jackson and girlfriend iona were accepted their senior year. they had plans to make tuscaloosa their home.

SURRENDER TO THE GOOD LORD: (tw death)

his freshman year was exciting, and a bit overwhelming. the golden boy of the town lost his way, getting caught up in the culture of college and partying. jackson, iona, and him were having the time of their life. and sure leaky wasn’t playing as much as he wanted, but it was enough for the time being.

and then tragedy struck, beginning of second semester of his freshman year, the three of them had been out one night, leaky felt he was on top of the world. but soon it fell into darkness, he remembered sliding into the backseat of the car, pressing a sloppy kiss to iona’s neck, and the next thing he was waking up in the hospital receiving the worst news of his life. jackson and iona were dead.

and then things continued downhill, ogden had attempted to recruit leaky as well, and reached out with a new offer. full playing time, full ride, and a fresh start. leaky couldn’t turn it down. it might be kissing his chance of the nfl behind, but he couldn’t turn down the stellar education ogden was offering him.

so after finishing his freshman year, leaky moved to portsmouth, summer training and all, began his life at ogden, this time taking a side role in his life. no longer the big fish in a small pond like his life in mississippi, he found his place easily. but he doesn’t talk about his freshman year, he doesn’t visit home, and though he seems to be a vibrant and stellar young man, he holds his cards close to his chest.

AND HE’LL WIPE YOUR SLATE CLEAN:  

leaky is enjoying ogden, two years in he’s making friends, a star player, doing what he can. and yet there’s a nagging guilt, of not going home when he knows his family misses him, of not visiting iona and jackson’s families, of moving on. but he can’t face it, not yet. maybe one day he’ll be able to return home.

in fact that was the original plan, after his education, to return to cleveland and continue to build up his beloved city. like his father, leaky let’s his passions stay that way, it’s easier to keep the creativity without the pressure of it all. and instead he chose environmental science, something he hopes to be an asset for his community. leaky grew up gardening with his mother, and shares a deep love for the environment, and figures this is the best way to move forward.

GREER:

the two were casual friends. he’d see her at parties, and at school events. it’s hard not to notice the golden girl, especially with how visual leaky is on campus, always involved with an event or being seen in the advertising for the school. they got along fine, having friendships that crossed-over. he never knew her really well, but he respected her enough and enjoyed her presence. whenever she needed help or had a favor, leaky was more than ready to aid a hand. though it never seemed the two got below a surface-level friendship (to those who witnessed them anyway).

THE TRUSTY SIDEKICK:  

you need a wingman? leaky is your guy. he’s charming and pleasant and can talk anyone up. need a favor? leaky is there easily fulfilling it as if it’s nothing to him. the guy is a confidant, a hype-man, a volunteer, he can transform himself into whatever you need and it never seems to bother him. and despite being a gifted football player, and smart guy, and seemingly everywhere on campus, he doesn’t steal the spotlight. he’s not the one you think of when you think of ogden, he lets others take the popularity, the jealous looks, the whispers. despite always being there, you might sometimes overlook him, maybe because he’s always there. but he seems to be a good guy, always offering a kind smile and nod of his head on campus, willing to help tutor you in math, and then lets you have all the glory when you ace the test. it almost seems like leaky is making himself out to be the pedestal that everyone sits on. the support that uplifts the hero, and yet still disappears in the crowd, never seeking glory for himself.

extra:

previous tasks found here

he’s always wearing a jacket because he can’t stand the cold 

he wears a gold chain that was given to him by iona, he never takes it off

junior year recap:

found a note/torn out paper seemingly about greer during the haunted house

got drunk for the first time in years at the new year's party - holds guilt for penny ending up dead

found a bloody glove when looking for firewood

g told him to find penny's file in the dean's office

broke in with link and took a picture of it - haven't told anyone else

g put nova and leaky together before the rave and gave nova hints about leaky

surprisingly didn't sustain any injuries during the fire

logan confronted him afterward about the text she received about him

stayed in town for the summer to work at a farm and garden, left a few times to visit sassa

[ashxketchum]

MAYBLADE 2023 - DAY 5

The Hiwatari family is making their debut in a small oneshot!

Note: Originally I had no plans to post for this prompt, but something struck today and I wrote this little oneshot featuring my OC for Kai, and the fankid they have together. It's a silly piece written solely for me, myself and I, so feel free to pass this one up if KaixOC or Fankids/Future married life scenarios are not your cup of tea ^-^ picrew credit x x

Following a fixed method to get appropriate results, a logic that always seemed to prevail for Kai was currently failing him while his 9 year old son, Luca, was not having as much trouble at tackling the task in front of them.

They were in Luca’s room, sitting cross-legged on the floor across from each other, and even with the air conditioner humming its usual tune and the windows tightly shut, the buzzing of the cicadas outside still reached their ears, which was the making of a perfect summer day. Kai was a little glad however, that Luca hadn’t yet insisted on travelling anywhere during his month long vacation from school, since his own work had taken him around the globe more than twice this year and he was happy to finally spend time at home, relaxing with his family.

Or so Kai had assumed his days would go when summer vacation started for Luca, but just two days in and his son was adamant about finishing all his homework and projects as soon as possible. Maybe letting him spend that weekend with Tyson and Hilary when both he and his wife were travelling at the same time had not been such a good call after all because clearly, Luca had been influenced under Hilary’s care. Although complaining about it now wouldn’t do much good either, since he’d already agreed to help the kid when he came leaping into his room earlier this morning, without even considering that maybe Kai might not be so adept at whatever project Luca wanted to work on today.

On the floor in front of him, lay a few paper cranes, some very neatly folded while others looking like the handicraft of someone who’d lost a few fingers, and Kai was not happy to admit that he’d folded the latter bunch. Luca’s homeroom teacher had thought it would be good if their class came back from the holidays with a thousand cranes folded, using them to decorate their classroom and make it more lively. Each kid was assigned a certain number of cranes they had to fold over the holidays, and that’s what Kai had been enlisted to help with today. The problem, which was embarrassing to admit, was that Luca was doing a much better job at folding the cranes than Kai, which made him feel sort of unhelpful in the whole situation. Though, as always, he was pleasantly surprised by his son’s ability to learn a new skill faster than most other people.

His attention was suddenly diverted from the square sheet of paper in his hand when he heard some movement in their house outside of Luca’s room. Just as he was about to get up to go on the lookout, a familiar voice drifted in through the closed door of his son’s bedroom.

“Kai-chan?”

“In here!”

He responded as loudly as possible, and a few minutes later the door to the room creaked open and his wife’s head popped in through the frame. Seeing as both of them were relaxed and she was not intruding on any special moments, Charlie quickly slipped into the room, carefully shutting the door behind her.

“Can you believe the client cancelled the meeting while I was en route?” Charlie heaved an angry sigh as instead of sitting down on the floor with the two of them, she promptly settled on Luca’s bed.

“Takasaki, was it? The traffic’s pretty bad at this time of the day.” Kai hadn’t been expecting her to be back until dinner so he was a bit surprised to see her home so early.

“It’s terrible. Thankfully, I got the call just as I was about to get on the bridge, so instead I took a somewhat dangerous u-turn and came back home.”

Kai’s face deadpanned at her words, despite of Charlie working as a lawyer for so many years, her complete disregard for the traffic laws was still a great cause of concern for him, “Can’t wait to see the traffic cam footage.” He muttered under his breath as Charlie waved a hand in the air, dismissing his worry.

“There won’t be any, I’m pretty sure I did a good job avoiding them.” She winked at him to let him know that she was just kidding, but Kai still couldn’t help and be slightly suspicious. “What are you two up to anyway?” She asked, one eyebrow raised out of curiosity. Leaning down slightly to look at the craft supplies scattered around them, her long platinum blonde hair cascaded into a curtain of silver on one side as she did so, making Kai’s hand twitch with the need to tuck it neatly behind her ear.

“Dad’s helping me fold paper cranes for school!” Luca piped up happily, raising both his hands, with one crane that he and Kai had folded in each.

Charlie’s emerald eyes lit up with excitement when she observed the two wildly different paper cranes presented to her, passing a sly grin in Kai’s direction as she cleared her throat, “Helping, is it?”

Kai felt a warmth trickle into his ears as he avoided her gaze, only comforted by the fact that Luca was still content with his minimal contribution.

“Yes! He helped me understand the instructions, and even found a good video that made it easier to follow the steps.” His son nodded eagerly, oblivious to the sarcasm laced in his mother’s voice.

“And you’ve done a great job at learning this so quickly!” Charlie leaned forward and ruffled Luca’s hair affectionately. She then picked the crane that Kai had folded from Luca’s hand and twirled it around her fingers, with a smirk she added in a mocking tone, “Meanwhile this poor crane looks like it got steamrolled by a truck, or worse, a Beyblade.”

“Hn.” Kai let out a grunt, turning his gaze back to the paper that had been lying idle in his hand since Charlie arrived at the scene, he frowned at it and looked up at her again, “I’d like to see you try.”

The smirk on her face widened, and she diligently pushed her hair back, a disappointing sight for Kai since he’d wanted to be the one to do that. Getting up from the bed and kneeling next to him on the floor, she swiftly took the sheet of paper from his hand and pressed it to the ground. What happened next was something Kai couldn’t follow with his eyes despite of keeping them peeled open with concentration. Charlie’s hands moved fast, folding the paper into shape so neatly, not a single corner overlapped and not a single crinkle was made as within two minutes or so, she held a perfectly folded paper crane high up for both him and Luca to see.

There hadn’t been a time when Kai had not regretted challenging his wife over something silly, and yet he never learnt his lesson. Clearly, Luca had managed to get better at this activity so quickly was thanks to Charlie’s genes in him, and Kai should’ve anticipated that before giving her such an easy chance to make fun of him.

“Mom, you’re amazing at this!” Luca exclaimed as Charlie handed him the crane she had folded, “Look how neat the edges are, and the paper is still so smooth.” He admired the little crane from every angle as his violet eyes sparkled with awe.

“You’re not half bad yourself, kiddo.” Charlie laughed, pleased with how much Luca seemed to love her handiwork. She leaned her head on Kai’s shoulder and let out a content sight, “You, however, need to stick to sitting behind a desk and looking pretty.”

“Is that what you think I do at work?” Kai snorted, slightly relieved that she had decided not to rub his loss in his face and enjoy her victory peacefully.

“Honestly, I still have no clue what it is you do.”

Kai allowed himself to chuckle as he raised one hand to stroke the back of her head, they watched their son try to mimic Charlie’s speed of folding from earlier in silence. In the end, it didn’t seem like Luca would need Kai’s help in finishing this project, and while he was proud of his son for having learned a new skill, he wondered if he’d still be able to contribute to any of his other homework. He let his eyes drift over the room, hoping to find some project that was still lying unfinished that he could lend a hand to. He knew he would feel a bit dejected going back to work in a few days if he didn’t make sure that time spent with Luca had been meaningful and worthwhile for both of them.

Luckily for him, Charlie had always been able to read his mind effortlessly, so when she lifted her head from his shoulder suddenly, Kai knew that she’d already figured out how to solve his dilemma, even if he hadn't said a single word out loud.

“One thing I do know that you can do is make a killer soba sauce,” she said as she stood up, stretching her arms above her head and motioning for Kai to get on his feet too. Then she turned to their son and smiled wide, “What do you say, Lu-chan? Want to help your dad cook a nice cold soba meal to beat the heat?”

“Yes! I love cold soba!” Luca was on his feet in no time, both Kai and Charlie had to sound out a warning at the same time to keep him from stepping all over the paper cranes that lay on the floor as he bounded out of the room excitedly.

Before following him out, Kai leaned down to plant a kiss on Charlie’s forehead, smiling against her skin as he took in the smell of her citrusy shampoo, “Hasty on the roads, crafty with paper and quick at reading minds. Sometimes I wonder if I married a witch.”

“Careful now, Hiwatari.” She linked her arm with his as her mischievous laugh filled the room, “Or you might wake up as a paper crane tomorrow.”

[the-laridian]

🎮 🎄 🎂 🤓 for Willow!

🎮 VIDEO GAME CONTROLLER — what are three of your oc's favorite hobbies? In the Vault, one of them was VR - including with those big bulky headsets and cables everywhere, but it's how Willow got any training in firearms, and developed some actual useful skill with them prior to leaving the Vault. He hasn't done VR since, but he did enjoy it a lot in the Vault. Reading - Willow hated reading for school, because it was all depressing stuff. Reading comics books or pop novels was okay up to a point, but not serious literature. Now that he can read anything he wants, just for enjoyment, he indulges in those, particularly the Mistress of Mystery novel series, which are his favorite. I suppose the third hobby is, collecting clothes. Anything that fits is fair game, though color takes precedence over boring neutral colors. This includes jewelry and accessories.

🎄 CHRISTMAS TREE — what is your oc's favorite holiday? Growing up, it was Halloween, because it was a chance to dress up in different clothes besides the Vault suits. Halloween evidence is all over the place in the Fallout universe (particularly for 76), so it's hard not to be reminded of that, but Willow can now wear anything he wants whenever he wants, so Halloween doesn't have the same effect. Christmas is more fun (playing in the snow, presents and food) and also less fun (it's frickin' cold in the Outside in December, snow and ice are everywhere). Willow isn't religious, but he enjoys the social and food aspects of the winter holiday season, whether it's Christmas or Solstice or some other name.

🎂 BIRTHDAY CAKE — when is your oc's birthday? how old are they? what are their sun, moon, & rising signs (if known)? what about their tarot card, ruling planet, & ruling number (if known)? do they fit the typical traits of these sun, moon, & rising signs? Willow is my one major OC who I don't have a birthdate for! ^_^; He left the Vault when he was 22; he's older than that now thanks to 76's weird timeline (I estimate around 24 or so), since 76a opened when nobody was in Appalachia, he spent a winter in the Whitespring, he met Beckett the next spring/summer, and they've spent at least one winter together since then. So, no possible answers on anything else :P

🤓 SMILING FACE WITH GLASSES — is your oc chatty or quiet? are they at ease in social situations, or are they more shy? Willow tends to be more outgoing, particularly with people he knows. He gets along well with the people at Foundation, and he does his best to help Raider fugitives and refugees get out of that life and into something better, and he does that decently well. He tends to be more talkative, particularly after a couple days spent on his own, but also in general. Just don't get him started about how he misses life in the Vault. He remains suspicious of any new Vault Dwellers he comes across - once burned, twice shy, from his first weeks outside of 76a.

[finalcutmultimedia123]

Unlocking the Magic - Why Commercial Video Production Companies are Your New Best Friends

Have you ever wondered how those sleek, eye-catching commercials that pop up on your favorite social media feeds or during the big game are made? You know, the ones that make you laugh, cry, or suddenly crave that new burger at your local diner? Well, pull up a chair, because today we're diving into the world of commercial video production companies and why they might just become your new best friends.

First off, let’s talk about storytelling. Great commercials aren’t just about showing a product; they’re about telling a story that resonates with you. Whether it’s that touching holiday ad that gives you all the feels or a hilarious 30-second spot that has you quoting it for weeks, it’s all about connecting with the audience. And who better to weave these tales than commercial video production companies? These folks are like modern-day wizards, using their skills to create magic on screen.

[sihla9]

Confession: I haven't been doing much on the art front since last year. Got into the holiday spirit and my art nook became a nook for gifts, packaging from said gifts, snacks, etc. and then after December was over I got stuck in that post-holiday rut so some stuff I wanted to do for the new year just didn't materialise. (I actually only got the art nook back to a normal, and importantly clean spot to do things.) Hope to get back on track soon.

So my plan for this year was to try and do one big project each month or a bunch of smaller projects each month so I was always at least working on something. January has come and gone and I have nothing on the visual art front to show off (haaaaa) so I'm not off to a great start. I've been dealing with some work scheduling stuff which actually gives me more time to do whatever but i haven't been using my time effectively, which sucks but that's my own thing to deal with.

On a lighter note I haven't been doing nothing at all per se, I got a bluetooth keyboard and have been organizing my google docs, and from there I've been going over my old stuff and making plans/notes. Most of my old writing from my 'peak' era (i.e. high school) is unfortunately gone but I do have a few things here and there from when I was just trying google docs out at the time it came out so I have some examples of my writing level from back then to look back fondly on. I also have some small, unfinished documents from the interim between there and now that i punched out on my cell phone (i realised after seeing a post here talking about young people not knowing how to use a pc that I haven't had one for over a decade, back then i was still playing World of Warcraft) and got annoyed with since my skills have, imo, severely deteriorated.

The other day I was looking over them and was like "hey, you know what, these aren't bad" so now I'm making notes on stories I've been wanting to write, so I'm feeling a bit better about not doing anything for two months. I still want to keep doing visual stuff; I really like painting with acrylics and I think if I could get over my annoyance with my sketching skills and inking there's a comic idea I wouldn't mind dinking around with. I've really missed writing though, so I'd like to get back into it as well.

I've been keeping a personal journal since lockdown or so that I wanted to update frequently but ended up coming back to only once every couple of months (and jfc even though I feel I went through the primary lockdown period fine enough being an interoverted person the way I was writing at the time was so...closed?). I'm still only popping into it infrequently something that I like in doing it is remembering how much I loved blogging back in the LiveJournal days and I kind of want to get into it again? It would be a great opportunity to make my writing more snappy and vivacious (if that's even the right word). My two issues, however, are where to do it if I do it publicly (idk if I'd want to do it on here, a blogging specific site, or something else) and what to do it about. I don't find myself to be particularly interesting, and I don't like to talk about myself or my personal interests in a public sphere beyond banal, neutral statements (I am a dedicated lurker). Opinion pieces/reviews would be interesting for me as I feel like my reluctance to get into things has kind of stagnated my brain a bit, if that makes sense. Like I just like things, I have difficulty explaining why I like them, or if I'm watching something that has a lot of symbolism and so on I could not be counted on at my current capacity to write out a theory of some kind.

Doing it outside of the larger userbase websites like this one would probably be a safer option as I've been limiting my social media presence the last few weeks (read: I'm gauging if I'm capable of staying away from X/Twitter) and can probably be more candid without a random person coming across me posting something unserious and taking it the wrong way (I mean this as in I do get hyperbolic for jokes and X/Twitter has way too many people who will fight you as if you were dead serious). I'm really undecided, though? I'm torn between wanting to put myself out there and actually putting myself out there. Obviously, I can just keep things to myself and get another pseudonym, but do I want to?

[handelplayssims]

Twas the day of New Year’s Eve and goddamn it. It’s still blizzarding. Man I sure hope we’re getting a lot of wind power out of this. Only one person is super-excited for New Years in this family and that’s Izzy. She wants to stay up until midnight after all. Which yeah, kids love that excuse. Even if as a kid it was similar to what it was now, which was being on the computer and suddenly going “Oh hey, it’s a New Year.”

Anyway, Lara has two wishes. To hug someone and to make money. Good way to start on that is to sell off some flowers and garlic. 460 Simoleans out of that. 540 more to go. A hack outta serve us! Anyway, Cameron and Izzy woke up and decided to head on over to Lara. With Cameron’s second whim outside of sharing ideas being to have a baby, which no, alongside Lara’s want of a hug...yeah these two can spend some private time to themselves today. Once Lara gets done with this last hack to push her to 1000 Simmoleans.

I send Izzy off to read while Cameron and Lara have their home date. Because you can have dates at home! But why would you when you can go elsewhere for dates? But here in this blizzard, no one leaves home! So we actually got a date marker of watching tv, which hey! There we go, there is tv. And it makes a good excuse to have a nice chat as well. Though, once again, we aren’t going to have them be flirty at the same time. A passonate duo, they are not. Mostly because of that overclocked computer buff for Lara. ...that being said, if I cared a lot, I would get the emotional potions but I don’t care that much. These two being friends first and passionate lovers all the way down is very relatable for me.

Anyway, date was fine. Lots of chatting. Of managing needs in the middle of it. And the classic stand-by of flirting while playing chess. Which sounds like a great way for two nerds to befriend each other better. Meanwhile, Izzy is just...vibing. Well, experimented on the science playset, read a book and did some more yoga.

And I decided to end the date on something a lot more interesting. Rocket ship woohoo time! After the date, I had the family hang out together in the living room and chat a bit. Got one of those parenthood pop ups with Izzy asking about a lost toy and what she should do for it. I advised keep searching and she got her responsibility with less emotional control. At 10:30-ish, the tv was turned on to watch the New Years festivities and I thought, “yeah why not” and just let them enjoy the New Years show before the actual event happened.

...hey perhaps I should have fireworks as an event for this. But it’s usually a thing only offical things do rather than “people nab fireworks and have fun.”

Anyway, I got the midnight watch thing to work for Cameron and Izzy but not for Lara. Ah well. Anyway, to have a great holiday, I needed to do a little bit more so it was resolution time. For Cameron, I picked an easy one. Raise a Skill. I aimed for a promotion for Lara and for Izzy...well, she didn’t need to make a resolution but I did so anyway. Become a better student. Which for that would have also counted for Complete an Aspiration milestone but eh. Anyway, Lara and Izzy headed to bed but for Cameron, I had him napping. Because this would be the usual time for his work so we need to reset our sleep schedule. By the by, he finished his resolution via putting Izzy to bed and gaining level 6 in the parenting skill. Good for you Cameron. Nap finished and he wanted to work on his comedy skills so I guess why not make up a routine!? But it’s that time. The time for-

Neighborhood Watch!

Windenburg: The Sorenson household moved out.

[victorluvsalice]

-->Then again, Ian Moody phased through the dock at one point, so the NPCs kind of had their own problems other than Smiler using trash as bait. XD Not to worry, he was fine and popped back onto dry land without a problem. Smiler, for their part, met and instantly friended the other guy hanging around, Kakaru, and managed to get a drink off him. Because that’s THEIR version of a Harvestfest feast, darn it.

-->While all that was going on, I decided that Victor should try out proper fabrication by making some eco upgrade parts he could use for their plumbing and whatnot! This went -- poorly. XD Poor guy got dragged into the vat of 3-D printing stuff. He got free eventually, but he wasn’t keen on restarting his project! So instead I had him grab his finished PearFizz and practice magic until he picked up a new spell -- Copypasto! That should be useful. :)

-->Alice, for her part, decided after getting her Fury down nice and low that it was new book time! I had her sit down and write a fantasy story -- “Cat Lord, Cat Counsel!” Which is actually one of the pregenerated titles, but I loved it so much I decided to keep it. XD Sounds like the sort of thing Alice would write, anyway! And it got her to Level 8 of the Writing skill, which is even better. :p

-->Smiler eventually ran out of bait and so came home to tinker with mechanisms, get in some dark meditation, and admire one of their latest catches, which I just COULDN’T either sell or turn into a plasma pack -- a Gummie Guppie! Yeah, uh, apparently that’s a thing in this game? A gummy fish you can catch? I know there’s a special “sweets” aquarium from some sort of challenge they did back in the early days, but I didn’t realize it came with a catchable pet! Anyway, I had to let Smiler keep that one, and put it in the tank with Victor’s rainbowfish (Overthe). It’s named, of course, “Chewy.” XD Smiler seems very pleased with it!

-->And so the holiday ended with Victor getting some zzzs, Alice finishing up her book, and Smiler responding to comments on their last video before making a “gadget review” on the future cube. :) A very successful Harvestfest indeed!

Whew! That was a lot, wasn’t it? I assume next week’s offering will be shorter. . .but I make no promises! Mostly because the next update is the one I played on my birthday, and it actually contains some of my favorite Valicer moments with these three. Plus some new furry additions to the family! :D See you then!

[jonasdono123]

Blog #3

This blog will focus on my learning during the business workshop specifically the concept of "business startup"

Why is it important to have a workshop?

A workshop can introduce a new concept, spurring participants to investigate it further on their own, or can demonstrate and encourage the practice of actual methods. It's a great way to teach hands-on skills because it offers participants a chance to try out new methods and fail in a safe situation.

Here I summarize the many benefits of attending a workshop for working professionals in more depth;

Assessment or Evaluation.

Novel Ways of Thinking.

Opportunities for Networking.

Developing New Prowess.

Inspired to Work Better

Having Fun While Learning

Collaborating on events, marketing strategies, networking opportunities, or even sharing space are all great ways for local businesses to transition from neighbors to allies. Creating business partnerships can also help increase revenue, elevate brand awareness, and enable businesses to continue serving both loyal and new customer bases.

Joint Marketing Initiatives

Using a strategic partnership to create a joint marketing campaign to promote a co-branded product/service that both companies can promote is a great way to increase brand exposure as well as open up your business to your strategic partner’s audience. For example, a local coffee shop and bookstore could create specialty drinks inspired by famous literary characters and introduce a promotion that allows customers a discount at the bookstore if they come in with one of the specialty drinks. This will hopefully increase sales at both businesses while creating a unique opportunity for a fun marketing campaign.

Social Media

Utilizing social media for a strategic partnership is a great way to tap into new markets, stay on top of trends, and receive customer feedback in real time.

Repost stories and feed posts to show support.

Advertise products from your business partner on social accounts. Have them do the same.

Implement a social media takeover, where both businesses swap social accounts for the day.

Create a giveaway or contest on social media where customers have to like and follow both accounts to enter.

Develop a Strategic Partnership

A strategic partnership is a relationship between two companies with similar products/services that join together for a mutually beneficial outcome. In this case, two small businesses would come together to promote each other to potentially boost sales and expand their audience.

Network with Other Local Businesses

As a small business owner, finding time to network with other local businesses is super important. Networking is a great way to generate new business leads. Something as simple as attending a local small business mixer could create a new partnership that improves your business!

Attend a Conference

Meet like-minded business owners and share ideas.

Find a business that you would like to create a strategic partnership with.

Conferences can provide your company with a wealth of knowledge in your industry.

Join a Local Organization

Join industry-specific organizations

A small business association

The local chamber of commerce

Local nonprofit organizations

It could give your business access to local resources

These groups can offer development opportunities

Meet and connect with similar small business owners in your community

Collaborative Events

Collaborating with multiple businesses around shared themes and industries can be a great opportunity for cross-promotion, brand awareness, and potentially reaching a new audience.

Host a Pop-Up

Pop-up events invite unique, special, and exclusive opportunities for businesses to create buzz around their products/services.

Start a recurring pop-up – once a month.

Host a joint holiday pop-up event with tons of local businesses joining in.

Join forces with local companies to give customers a unique and fun experience

Host a Meet and Greet

Set up a table for everyone to display their items.

Have every business bring informational collateral to hand out.

Easy way to break the ice with other local small business owners.

Team up with neighboring businesses in similar fields to grow your customer base.

Gift goodie bags to guests that include free samples and coupons for your goods/services.

Create an Incubator

A business incubator is a program for companies designed to help with workspace, funding, mentoring, and training. Create a membership club for local businesses to come together, brainstorm ideas, and bounce strategies off each other.

Use this group to find other local shops your business wants to host an event with or create a partnership with.

Provides a place for local businesses to come together to support each other through educational opportunities and community initiatives.

Share Space

Sharing space with other small businesses can be a great way to save money, as well as collaborate with similar local businesses to create long-lasting partnerships.

Rent space in a larger company.

Can help both businesses tap into new markets.

Team up with other businesses to get a space together to share.

Funding Your Business Partnership

Investing in small business financing solutions to help fund your business partnerships is an excellent way to help kickstart a fruitful relationship.

[sheadre]

The Best Christmas Present (Wang Yibo x Reader) One-shot

Summary: You became an idol after dreaming about it for long but with hectic schedules it is not easy to make some time for your family and friends let alone celebrate a Christian holiday in China. But someone comes to your rescue to bring you a little Christmas surprise!

Word count: 1341

Warnings: none, fluff

A/N: Hey everyone! Thank you for waiting patiently! I decided to write something for those who like Wang Yibo. As he is one of my favorite idols/actors, I like to write for him cause there are only a few works for him and he deserves some love. <3 But this is a thank you fanfic for those who follow me and wait for the stories that are about to come. Thank you for the support and love! I'm working hard on Aurora Borealis as it is almost at the finale! I can't wait for your reactions when I post the first of the last five chapters!

I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah!

China was not a country that celebrated Christmas. There were only a few decorations and those were only put up in the mall or other shopping centers so customers would be attracted. You stared at the window of a shop where a big Christmas tree was put up with lights and shiny decorations on it. It was mesmerizing, leaving a feeling of homesickness in your heart.

It’s been so long since you celebrated Christmas with your family back in your home country. Your life turned 180° when you were chosen as a member of a new Chinese idol pop group. You were shocked to say the least when you were chosen because you already gave up the hope of becoming an idol. After trying for long, you gave up hope because you were sure no one would want a non-Chinese idol representing their company. China was a country that preferred their own kin, it was not a discrimination or racism but the government tried to build the love for their own country and nationality in the citizens. Until the CEO chose you based on your skills and talent.

Soon after debuting, you found yourself auditioning for a role in a drama. That is how you met your closest friend, Wang Yibo on set. The two of you became good friends because you never tried to push his boundaries and because he noticed you eying his skateboard. You itched to try it out as you’ve been skating back in your home country when you were in high school. The two of you were now invited to a variety show which was set up in a shopping mall. You were asked about the new drama you two were starring in and after a long and tiring shooting, you sighed in relief.

“(Name), what are you staring at?” Yibo asked with curiosity showing on his face.

“It’s been long since I visited my parents… we used to celebrate Christmas together.” you shrugged with a sad smile. “Unfortunately, I have no time this year either to go home for the holidays.”

“Ah, I see… if you could, would you like to?” he asked again.

“Yeah, but my schedule is full so I cannot make it. But I can still facetime them.” you grinned at him, trying to ease the melancholy around you. Yibo was working just as hard as you did, he deserved better than you moping around about missing a holiday. You then spotted a café behind him and quickly pointed at it with shining eyes. “Do you want to get some hot chocolate?”

“Yeah, sure.” he nodded along and followed you over to the café.

Later ~

Days passed and it was December 24th. Even though you didn’t celebrate the holiday on your own, you still ended up buying a few Christmas tree decorations. They shined and twinkled in the light of your lamp in the living room, on your coffee table. It was late at night by the time you arrived back to your apartment and you were exhausted.

You laid on your couch when suddenly, the doorbell rang, making you jump in fright. Scrambling to your feet, you went to open the door. Your eyes widened when you were met with Yibo and the biggest Christmas tree you’ve ever seen.

“Yibo?” you asked uncertain of what he wanted with that.

“Do you have some free time tonight? We could celebrate Christmas.” he said with a serious expression.

“But… I haven’t prepared you any gifts…” you replied dumbfounded as you let him inside.

“Ah, there’s no need, having some off time with someone I like is quite enough.” he shrugged nonchalantly. Your eyes widened at that. He never said anything about liking you before, it was a casual co-worker friendship thing you two had without saying it. You knew he was saying it, as in liking you as a friend but it still surprised you that he would say anything like this.

“Where do you think we should put this?” he asked then, looking around for a spot for the tree. Quickly shaking yourself, you pointed to the corner behind the couch. Your living room had two walls completely made out of glass meeting in the corner. That spot was the least dangerous for the tree to fall.

“There maybe?”

“Okay, come help me put it in the holder.” Yibo asked and so the two of you went into assembling-mode, exchanging instructions and a few words as you held the tree while he put it in the holder. Then he looked up at you and pointed at the big shopping bags he brought with him resting on the couch.

“There are decorations I bought. I had no idea which color you’d prefer so I brought a little of everything.” he shrugged and raised to his full height. You now reached to his shoulder when he was standing, taller than when you first met. You joked about it a few times that he must’ve stretched his spine and limbs so he’d be taller.

Picking out the decorations made your heart warm up. They were beautiful, reminding you of your home. You ran your fingers over the bumps and dips of a beautiful star shaped one when you felt Yibo’s breath hit your neck.

“Do you like it?” he asked quietly, his voice deep and calm, rumbling in his chest. Somehow, it made your heart pick up its pace and your blood to rush in your veins. Whenever he was this close to you, he made you feel alive, feel excited and skittish.

“Y-yeah…” you blushed and quickly went to put it on the tree. You put the decorations on the branches quietly until it was about to crumble under the lots of trinkets. Staring up at it with wonder in your eyes, you barely noticed Yibo stepping closer to you, his chest right behind your back until he grabbed your upper arms and rested his chin on your shoulder.

“It’s beautiful.” he said and you could hear the small smile in his voice.

“Why though?” you asked confused, your heart hammering in your chest. He probably could hear it beating so loud but didn’t back away from you.

“Can’t I be nice to people I like?” he asked, still smirking. “I wanted to cheer you up, you looked sad.”

“But why…?” you were still confused. You were close with him but you two never flirted or anything. Yeah, you played and joked with him, even played pranks on each other especially on set but you never entertained the idea of even having a little crush on him. Yibo was someone who liked his own personal space and kept professional aside from personal.

“I like you, (Name).”

It felt like time stopped. Your breath hitched in your throat because you knew he meant it far differently from a friendly like. He like liked you. It was clear in his voice as he said it so seriously, leaving no space for any misunderstanding. The tension was so thick you could’ve cut it. You stilled in his hold as he completely encased you in his arms in an embrace.

“I like you too…” you whispered after a long silence. With that said, both of your bodies relaxed, then he quickly spun you around so you faced him. “Wha-”

His lips captured yours in a soft kiss, filled with longing and happiness. It felt like he was relieved that after keeping it a secret for so long, he could finally have what he really, utterly wanted. He longed after you. And maybe you longed after him too but never realized it before.

Letting go of you, he grinned down at you and grabbed your hand to pull you to the kitchen.

“I brought some hot chocolate powder with me too, let’s make some!” he grabbed the milk from the fridge making you laugh. He looked so happy like never before and you hoped that maybe you could be the one to make him happy from now on.

End ~