#PROPOSAL SECONDARY COUPLE

[bl-bam-beyond]

BL- BOYS' LOVE:

Series: WBL: WE BEST LOVE (2021, TAIWAN) FIGHTING MR. 2ND

Zhou Shu Yi (MARUYAMA YUSUKE aka YU) and Gao Shi De (SAM LIN) made it through a sequel. A truly excellent show.

[feasibilities]

Sight and Smell - Tom x Married!Reader (NSFW)

Synopsis: Tom has feelings for you and won't let anyone stop him from telling you how he feels. Warnings: Drug Use, Infidelity, Allusions to Cuckolding, Sex as Punishment, Choking, Pining, etc. Author's Note: Readers need love too! I did some research on luxury hotels in Dublin as well (because I want a late-night rendezvous with Cillian in one of them). Also, thank you @mothhball for tagging me in the prompt that spawned this insane story. I hope you enjoy it!

The sight of your beautiful smile and the smell of your redolent perfume were mainstays of Tom’s psyche. He knew your husband, Seán, since they were kids. You came along during secondary school. He knew it was wrong to lust for any woman who wasn’t Marianne, but you were different. For the first time, he felt a deep-seated jealousy toward his friend. Knocking on the front door, Tom was finally prepared to tell you how he really felt. This party would go down in history. 

“Hey, Tom. Seán will be here soon. Won’t you come in?” You smiled sweetly. You noticed that he looked disheveled and restless. 

“Of course.” Tom replied. While you led him to the kitchen, he admired how your black dress hugged your figure. He hated that Seán got to see the treasures that lie underneath. 

“Where’s Marianne?” You inquired, going back to cleaning the champagne flutes. 

“U-um, she wasn’t feeling well so she stayed back.” Tom faltered, taking quick peeks at your cleavage. 

“Ah. Well, I hope she feels better soon. How have you been?” You asked.

“Fine.” Tom answered plainly

Walking toward him, you placed the back of your hand on his forehead. 

“Are you feeling okay, hun?” You asked innocently. 

Taking your hand away, Tom hurried to the bathroom and slammed the door shut. You heard him lock it shut shortly after. You stood there stunned before continuing to prepare for the party. 

After separating the thin white powder into lines, he gummed what was left over on his fingers. Snorting each line was like a hard reset for his body. His heart felt like it was clawing its way out of his chest. Collapsing near the bathroom sink, he trembled and cursed himself. He sat himself up in a corner and breathed deeply. The palpitations of his heart subsided. 

Hearing offbeat jazz come from the living area, Tom jumped up and gathered himself. He had to get this out of his system before guests arrived. It was now or never. 

“I need to talk to you.” Tom blurted out, watching you arrange hors d'oeuvres on multiple platters. 

“Fucking hell, Tom. You scared me half to death.” You jumped. 

“Listen, it’s very important-“ Tom started.

“Can it wait until after the party, hun?” You corrected.

“It can’t.” Tom said, growing irritated by the second. 

“Fine. What is it?” You said, exasperated. 

“I have loved you since I met you all those years ago. I think about you all the time. I hate that Seán got to you first.” Tom confessed, staring into your eyes. 

You stayed silent and stared back at him. You felt a mix of panic and curiosity. Seán would kill Tom with his bare hands if he heard this conversation. Tom’s advances made sense—especially since you felt the same way. You loved your husband with all of your heart, but you can’t say you never thought about leaving. He was away for work way too much. When he was here, he wasn’t present emotionally. Intimacy was poorer than it had ever been. You yearned for something different—rather, something electrifying. Tom was the closest you could get.

“We can’t do it here, Tom. I can meet you in a hotel after the party. Now, take these platters into the dining room. Be careful to not let anything fall.” You ordered. 

Tom’s eyes widened at your proposal. You’ve never seen him move so fast in the time that you knew him. Guests, including Seán, began to arrive. He kissed you deeply and gave you an embarrassingly hard smack on your ass. It felt like he was putting on the show of a happy couple in front of everyone. Tom was left to brood angrily as you gave him sympathetic glances throughout the party. Shortly after everyone’s departure, you got a text from Tom about your impending rendezvous.

Room 427 at The Westbury. Hope you’re still up for the challenge. 

“Challenge?” You murmured as you applied your makeup at your vanity.

“Where are you headed, love?” Seàn slurred, toying with your hair. He was too drunk to notice you flipping your phone over. 

“Out with friends. I’ll be back late.” You replied. 

“You know, I want to spend more time with you. I miss you.” He said, kissing your shoulder and starting to untie your house robe. This was another empty promise. You politely moved his hands and went back to finishing your makeup. 

“We can spend time together when I get back, Seán. I need some time to myself, ’s all.” You said. Finally getting the message, he stumbled to the bed and fell asleep.

— 

“Fuck, right there…” You moaned as Tom thrusted into you at steady pace. You raked your nails down his back—marking your territory for the time being. He stared down at you with the same admiration earlier. He loved the way your breasts moved with each thrust. He loved the resplendent noises you made when he bottomed out. You clenched around him as your legs began to shake.  Your eyes fluttered shut before you felt his hand grab your throat. He squeezed enough to limit your blood flow. You were lightheaded, but still conscious.

“Open your fucking eyes. This is what you wanted, right?” Tom hissed, speeding up his movements. This time was much more brutal.

“Yes.” You whimpered, feeling like you were about to break in half. 

Tom kissed you harshly and watched as you fell apart. Unintelligible praises came from you as he pounded you into the plush mattress. Your walls spasmed frenetically as you came. He wanted to make sure that you thought of him every time you fucked Seán. To his own perverse wish, this was payback for not choosing the better man.  Flipping you on your stomach, Tom yanked your hips backward and started taking you from behind. He put a pillow underneath you to soften the blows, but to no avail. He was reaching depths that your husband dreamed of. You weeped quietly and 

“Would be fucking sick if Seán came in and saw me nailing his wife, eh?” Tom teased, panting in your ear. A cruel part of you got off on the thought of him listening in on you two. Maybe he would give you the attention you deserve. A faint “Mhmm” emitted from you in response. 

“Cum inside me.” You cooed, looking back at him with heavy eyes. You bit your lip and clenched around him once more. His thrusts staggered as he came with a loud groan. You sung his praises as he came down from his high. Pulling out, he saw his seed beginning to spill out of you. He caught some with his fingers and pushed it back inside.  He pumped himself mindlessly before laying next to you. His stark blue eyes studied your features. He traced his fingertips along your back. You looked back at him lovingly before drifting off to sleep. 

Grabbing your lace underwear from the floor, Tom huffed them desperately. Similar to cocaine, he felt a sense of euphoria. He took in the sweet, earthy scent as he grew hard again. He didn't want to disturb you, so he walked to the bathroom and turned on the shower. He finally got what he wanted. 

[becausegoodheroesdeservekidneys]

Lately I've been reading "Drawdown", by Paul Hawken et al, a comprehensive set of strategies for tackling the climate crisis. Your Cambrian Wildwoods post reminded me of one of the solutions - Silvopasture, from the Latin for 'Forest Grazing'.

Essentially it means proposing to farmers that a portion of land be forested and that their animals freely graze there. It can be extremely flexible - planting trees in existing pasture, thinning down woodland to allow for forage growth, using trees as natural fencing, and more.

It's got good potential for carbon capture, and also for saving farmers money in feed and fertiliser, creating better conditions for livestock by keeping them in the shade, and potentially providing secondary income sources in fruit, nuts, etc.

What do you think of it as a potential avenue for Welsh farming? The focus in "Drawdown" is on cattle farming, but I don't see any reason not to trial it with sheep - especially since it could be spun as a hybrid of both aspects of traditional culture...

("Drawdown" also emphasises peer-to-peer uptake through word-of-mouth, rather than being pushed by outsiders.)

Oh, yes - it's basically what they did at Pontbren. That was a farmer-led initiative - one of the big expenses with sheep farming is having to bring them into barns over the winter and supply all feed, but traditionally they'd have stayed out all year. So these farmers got together and went, "How do we ethically and sustainably reduce this expense?"

What they realised is that they were paying for (a) the government-enforced decision post-WW2 to swap to high-yield breeds of sheep that weren't suited to the Welsh climate and topography (i.e. wet as fuck and mostly vertical), and (b) the decline of traditional hedgerow management and shelterbelts. And so the dream was born.

They contacted the Woodland Trust purely to act in an advisory capacity - they wanted to know which trees would be best, and where. They could take much land out of production, but the beauty of hedgerows and shelterbelts is that they're linear features that replace your fences. That was how environmentalists got on board - we were invited, and we remembered that. We were therefore allowed to do a couple of experiments as it progressed, such as testing the infiltration rates of rain into groundwater rather than run-off and comparing it between hedgerow fields and fence fields. Meanwhile, the farmers replaced their stock with native breeds - I believe mostly Welsh Mountain Sheep, which look amazing:

Ain't no rain getting in THAT.

Anyway, a few strategically placed shelterbelts and hedgerows later and:

The sheep can now safely stay out all year round, excepting storms

The sheep are actually healthier and have higher welfare standards

Floods have reduced thanks to higher infiltration rates

Soil erosion is reduced so the fields and river are healthier

The farmers have saved money

The farmers are now making extra money, because they started a tree nursery and sell trees as a side project

You can read multiple publications on it here

So yes! Silvipasture is actually a huge tool for the future that we need to be embracing, as is agroforestry for arable farming, and the frustrating/hopeful part of it is, these are tools we used to use. This isn't new knowledge - it's forgotten knowledge that we need to reclaim. But even aside from the immediate benefits, it also has massive implications for resilience in a world with a warming climate, and we need to do it faster.

[fallingstqrss]

can you please do a one shot where president!coriolanus cancels the games for his wife bc they make her stressed😭😭

"anything to protect you"

a/n: i love this idea. him being so in love with her he would literally do anything is my fav hc

summary: coriolanus snow had always thought that the hunger games were necessary, keeping them as a key part of his presidency. that is until he realizes just how distressing the games are for his wife.

warnings: minor violence, snow might be a little ooc but its ok because i love him as a softie.

It was a warm summer day in the Capitol. Usually, you would have enjoyed these days, the sun shining down automatically brightening your day. But, there was one thing that was weighing down your mind today. The Reaping ceremony.

You had grown up in the Capitol but had never understood the games. When you were in school you had a friend, Sejanus Plinth, who shared the same views as you but those views eventually got him killed. His fate served as a reminder to you, a reminder that you could never vocalize your dislike of the games.

You had married Coriolanus Snow not long after he returned from peacekeeper training. The two of you had been dating in secondary school but he ultimately broke up with you before he went away to the districts, not wanting you to spend your life waiting for him. It broke your heart to imagine being with anyone else, so you waited for Coriolanus.

Lucky for you, he was back after a couple weeks. The two of you picked up where you had left off. Coriolanus had proposed not long after he graduated. That eventually led to the position you hold now, the First Lady of Panem. Coriolanus loved that you were his first lady. You were perfect in his eyes, you'd only ever been there to support him, in both times of good and bad.

You had thought about voicing your concerns about the games to Coriolanus but no matter how much you loved and trusted him, you couldn't risk his reaction if you told him how you really felt about the games.

So, you attended the Reaping Ceremony viewing that they held in the Capitol, one of Coriolanus' ideas, something that just reinforced how he felt about the games in your mind. You and Coriolanus took your seats in the box elevated higher than the crowd, allowing for a perfect view of the screens.

You and Coriolanus had walked hand-in-hand but you shrugged yours away as you sat down, thinking that your sweaty hands would betray that something was wrong with Coriolanus. Coriolanus immediately noticed that something was troubling you. In all of the years you and Coriolanus had been together he had picked up on all of your queues, there was little you could do to hide your emotions from him now.

Coriolanus leaned over in his seat, about to voice his concern, but the trumpets sounding across the area announced that the ceremony was starting. You watched with your jaw clenched as you stared into the screen, pieces of your heart breaking off with each child's name that was called.

Your breaking point came when they called the female tribute from District 11. They called her name, your heart shattering as you saw a girl who was no older than 12 stepping out of the crowd. Tears swell your eyes and you her the girl's sobs. Even the announcer, who usually remained uninterested, seemed to be uncomfortable. You couldn't take it anymore, standing up to leave. Coriolanus watched as you left, jumping up to follow you.

"My love, wait!" Coriolanus called after his wife's retreating figure but you continued walking. It was only when he caught up to you to grab hold of your wrist that you stopped walking. Concern flooded his face as he realized you were crying, holding your face in his hands. "Y/n, darling, what's wrong?" He questioned, brushing away the tears with his thumb.

"I can't do it anymore, Coriolanus." He tensed at the use of his full name. You hadn't called him Coriolanus when it was just the two of you since the two of you were children. You shook your head as you took Coriolanus' hands off your face. You took a step back from Coriolanus, ready to leave again when he spoke.

"Can't do what, my love? What is bothering you?" Coriolanus pleaded with you, but you just shook your head.

"I can't say, I'm sorry." You spoke, turning to leave as more tears poured out of your eyes.

Coriolanus refused to return to the ceremony without you. He couldn't fathom going back in the eye of the public without you by his side. He arrived home a couple of minutes after you, seeing you hanging up your coat when he walked in.

"Please talk to me, y/n." He spoke, a defeated tone. He wanted nothing more than to take you into his arms while you confided in him, like normal. But, he could tell something was different this time. "Why can't you tell me? Do you not trust me?" Coriolanus spoke again his voice soft as you could hear it breaking.

"It's not about trust, Corio. I'm scared." You confessed. Coriolanus, his usual composure shattered, felt a lump forming in his throat. The weight of his wife's fear bore down on him. Coriolanus had never realized that his wife harbored such deep-seated anxieties.

"Scared? Scared of what?" Coriolanus questioned, taking a couple steps towards where you stood in the entryway. It was when he got closer to you that he realized you were trembling. You took a deep breath, preparing yourself to share your burdens with Coriolanus.

"Do you remember Sejanus?" You questioned, your voice fragile.

Coriolanus nodded memories of the boy they grew up with flashing in his mind. "Of course I do, what about him?"

"He rebelled against the games, against the system. That's what killed him." You began, your voice shaking as you explained. Understanding dawned on Coriolanus, causing his heart to sink.

"It's that what's been haunting you? You disapprove of the games?" Coriolanus questioned, getting close enough to you to wrap his arms around your waist. You allowed him to, missing the gentle touch of your husband.

"Yes, I do. But I was scared, that if I said something I would end up like Sejanus. Scared that I would be killed." You spoke, breaking down into sobs once more, resting your head on Coriolanus' chest.

Coriolanus felt guilty for not realizing what was going on sooner. You had always been so supportive in his times of need but the time you needed him he failed to realize. Coriolanus brought a hand to rest on your back as he drew small circles, hoping to soothe you. Coriolanus had another horrifying realization as he attempted to soothe you, you feared for your life under his rule. Coriolanus hooked his fingers underneath your chin, bringing your eyes to meet his.

"My love, I swear to, I would never let any harm come to you. No one will ever hurt you so long as I am in power. I cannot bear the thought of you living in fear." Coriolanus spoke, his own voice choked with emotion. He wished he could erase the fear that you'd felt.

"But, Sejanus was our friend, his dad was wealthy, and he was still killed. What if something-" You started to speak again but Coriolanus cut you off.

"I cannot change what happened in the past, but I can change what will happen in the future. I'm going to find a way to change things, to put an end to this. I will end the games, they've caused too much pain. I won't lose you over the games. No harm will come to you, I swear it." Coriolanus finished, you felt comforted by his vows, and you knew he would follow through.

Coriolanus pulled you back into his embrace, allowing your tears to stain his shirt. His own tears fell silently, a mixture of sorrow for Sejanus, guilt for his role in the games, and the deep love that he held for you. At that moment he realized the games had not only taken a toll on the Districts but on himself.

As Coriolanus held you he vowed to himself that he would do whatever it took to ensure a safer Panem for you. The games had taken so much from him and he was determined to salvage what remained.

[traegorn]

Hey-o! Tis the season for people to talk about how the holidays were "actually pagan" and I'm on the hunt for sources about how that's really not the case, if you have any you'd recommend!

Okay, so the problem is there are so many weird "Christmas is stolen!" bullshit memes going around, it's so hard to just give you a comprehensive list of sources. Christmas celebrations have evolved as the religion has spread, and different things come from different times...

The key here is to go for academic sources. This is a question of history, and a well supported historical research is going to tell you whether they're operating from primary, secondary or tertiary sources.

So while I can't give you a simple list, let me give you a couple of examples off the top of my head and give you tips on how to investigate any the dumb claims that get passed around.

Christmas being in December: So a lot of people go for the "Christmas is in December so it can steal from [INSERT SOLSTICE CELBRATION]" is ahistorical... because we know exactly why Christmas is in December. Because the guys who made the decision argued with each other and left behind written documentation. The two big names you need to look up are  Clement of Alexandria (who pitched January 6th) and Hippolytus of Rome (who proposed December 25th). This is around the turn of the third century, and you can find both of their writings. Some folks have questioned the authenticity of some of Hippolytus of Rome's writings, but Clement of Alexandria's seem well supported. These were internal arguments about when the birth of Christ took place within the early church, and when they settled on late December. There are reasons for this, and you can read their arguments (it largely has to do with the importance of when Jesus was conceived -- they wanted that to be an important date and then added nine months to it). Importantly though, because linear time is a thing, this means Christmas was set in December before the Christianization of the Germanic and Norse tribes... so anyone who says Christmas was set to December to correspond with Yule doesn't understand the concept of "coincidences."

The Christmas Tree: The Christmas tree was invented in 16th century Germany. That's... that's just written down all over the place. Now, there are legends about Martin Luther being the first who did it -- but I'm pretty certain that's just an embellishment that got added on. There are preceding traditions where part of an evergreen was brought into the home as a part of solstice traditions (though some will claim the Egyptians did this? Which is wild -- likely misinterpreting their use of palm fronds as the same thing), but the act of taking a whole ass tree, cutting it down, putting it in your house, and decorating it? That's 16th century Germany all the way. You can rabbit hole so many sources on that one, but honestly just pick apart the citations on the Wikipedia page. Putting a branch in your house and dragging a whole tree in are very different acts.

Jesus's story is copied from [INSERT RANDOM GOD]: There are so many of these, and some are just downright disrespectful to major world religions (the Krishna version of the meme especially). The answer is... just see if what the meme is saying about the god is supported by the mythology. Like I've seen ones that says Dionysus was "born of a virgin." If you know anything about the Greek gods, you're probably already laughing on the floor. Horus gets dragged into this too, because Gerald Massey was trying to pull a "White Goddess but with Dudes." But any serious research on Horus will tell you the supposed parallels aren't supported by the mythology.

So sorry, this wasn't so much sources you can use as it is how to look for them to begin with. Because there's just so, so much. This isn't even covering cases of syncretism, where pre-existing cultural traditions got continued post-Christianization. Because it's almost always the case that if a pre-Christian practice endured post Christianization, it's because people decided to keep doing it -- not because the church was trying to "steal" it. The latter means there was some mustache twirling plan behind it, when the former means (usually) the church went "Well, they're paying their tithes and saying it's for Jesus, so who gives a shit?"

I'm just going to finish this off with linking to my podcast episode on this, along with Ocean Keltoi's great Yule video on the topic. Hopefully that helps.

[cha0ticspacebi]

Like 91% of the population, you were now and would always be a beta. Except when your roommate moves out suddenly and fate connects you with Alpha Eddie Munson. After that, things start to change.

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 (Coming Soon)

Pairing: Alpha Eddie Munson x Female Omega Reader

Word Count: 10.4 k

Tags: Omegaverse and everything that goes with it (knotting, nesting, scenting, heats, ruts, breeding kink, biting, you get the idea), college student reader, mechanic Eddie, panty sniffing but not from who you probably think, reader is a little freak but it's just her new instincts, a few instances were reader expresses body insecurities, talks of infertility, minor Steve Harrington x Chrissy Cunningham, and they were roommates! ⚠️ 21+ MDNI ⚠️

divider by firefly-graphics

All through public school sex education classes, you were told that if you didn’t experience signs of presenting during a certain time period, you never would. Most people don’t. That was certainly the case for you. Puberty came and went without the slightest hint of a secondary gender.

Even as society around you exists in the midst of a massive fertility crisis, more than 91% of the population is classified as beta. Experts in the field predicted that with the rapidly declining birth rates that we might see a rise in alpha and omega pairings but so far that has not been the case. No viable differences were seen until last year when the number of known alphas increased by a meager .2%.

Still, many beta couples continue to seek assistance with conceiving a child, which is part of the reason why you decided that would be your field of study. Currently a third year med student at a university, whose promising research in the field is making headlines all over the world, you hoped one day to become a fertility consultant. Helping all those who wish to start a family achieve their dream. 

Ever since you could remember you’ve wanted to help people. In grade school you helped the new student find their way around. You helped the teacher with everyday classroom tasks. Everywhere you went, if you saw someone in need of a helping hand, you provided. Reaching a box of cereal from the top shelf at the grocery store and placing it with a smile in the elderly man’s basket. Helping a lost little girl in the park, you saw on your morning jog, find her mother. Offering to spend your first weekend off in a month helping your roommate move into her new place. Even though that meant you were now a one income dwelling, who wouldn’t be sustained for long on your meager university coffee house earnings.

After helping her, you arrived back to your suddenly empty two bedroom apartment. The immediate urgency for you to find a replacement roommate became very real, very fast. 

The next day you posted fliers all over campus, including the coffee shop, the library, even at the athletic center! You asked your friend Robin to stick some up on the bulletin board at her job as well.

“I actually might know someone,” her eyes flashed quickly from the flier to you, “Someone who could, in theory, move in before next weekend if that's cool with you.”

You practically leaped at her offer, “Absolutely! What’s her name?”

“His name is Eddie and he’s a—“

“Oh,” you’d never had a male roommate before. You considered this new development until glancing at the clock on the wall. You were going to be late for class! While voicing your thoughts about her proposal, you were already headed towards the door, “I guess as long as he’s not a total slob and pays his part of the rent on time that’s all that matters. Give him my number and tell him to call me, I gotta go!”

“Wait! There’s one more thing,” Robin tries to scream after you but you're already running out the front door of the Family Video. 

She watches your car pull away and shakes her head as she forwards your contact info, “Oh well, she’ll figure it out on her own pretty quickly.”

Tuesday was always your longest day. First the opening shift with the morning rush of tired college kids desperate for their caffeine fix. Working what felt like nonstop until noon, followed by classes until after 8:00 at night. By the time you trudged your tired ass back to your apartment, all you wanted to do was sleep. Days like today were why you started leaving a pillow and blanket on the couch because sometimes taking those few extra steps to the bedroom were simply out of the question. 

Collapsing into the cushions, you felt your eyes get heavy and all your muscles finally relaxed. Sleep would come easy tonight.

Until the buzzing of your phone brought you back from the edge of sleepy bliss. You had a text from an unknown number.

Hey, this is Eddie. Robin’s friend. She said you needed a roommate! That’s such a coincidence because I’m a mate who needs a room. 

You couldn’t help the little bud of a smile that grew as you looked at the laughing emoji he added to the end of the text. Is it allowed to make first impressions from a single text? Oh well, your initial impression, he’s a goofball. Playful sort of boy next door, childhood friends in another life maybe. Meeting him in person couldn’t hurt right? Robin wouldn’t have suggested it to you if she didn’t think the two of you would get along.

Hi Eddie, I’m free tomorrow after 5 if you want to stop by and take a look. Try it before you buy it right?

You found yourself holding your phone waiting for his response. Eyes suddenly a little less heavy than before. He didn’t keep you waiting long.

It has four walls, a door, and comes with a sweetheart like you? Consider it sold!

Sweetheart? Sure Robin probably told him you're a nice person and all but that’s a little, buzz. Your thoughts were interrupted as he messaged again.

Sorry, I hope that didn't come across as pushy. I don’t want you to think I’m some stereotype. I try not to act like an entitled jerk all the time. It’s just, Robin showed me a picture of the two of you at the lake last summer and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think you were pretty.

The thought that he knew what you looked like and was still sending you cheeky messages made you happier than you’d like to admit. You remembered that trip and knew exactly what picture she must have shown him. It was one of the few where you actually felt good about yourself. With another yawn, you typed a response.

You could make it up to me by leveling the playing field? I should know who I’m expecting to meet tomorrow and possibly share a place with. 

Within just a few minutes an image appeared on the screen. He was straddling a vintage motorcycle with a helmet in his hands. Oh. 

You weren’t sure what caught your eye more, his soft looking curly hair, his dark chocolate eyes, or those dimples in his cheeks from the smile he was flashing the camera. He followed the picture up with another message.

Rob told me you were in class all day so I’ll leave you alone since you’re probably tired. Get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow around 5 roomie!

You should be annoyed. First he calls you sweetheart. Then he has the nerve to tell you to go to sleep, like you’re a child who was up past their bedtime. Then to top it all off, this man has the audacity to assume that just because you exchanged a few texts that he can move right in? Who does he think he is? You should be annoyed– but you’re not. Quite the opposite actually, you just got a little more excited for tomorrow. You fell asleep on the couch with that spout of a smile still growing slowly on your lips. 

Heading home after class the next day felt different. Instead of going home stressing about an exam or worrying about how you are going to pay next month's rent, you feel a touch of nervousness mingling with the excitement for a first meeting. You secretly hoped that Eddie was as cute in person as his picture.

Fate was smiling on you today because class had gotten out a little early giving you just enough time to straighten up the apartment before Eddie arrived. 

You hung a clean hand towel up in the bathroom, put fresh sheets on the bed that your old roommate left behind and smiled when you lit the pine scented candle that sat on the coffee table. Happy that you could get one more light out of it before it would need to be replaced. You fluffed the decorative throw pillows on the couch and finally closed the door to your own room before waiting to hear the knock on the door.

When that noise finally echoed through the quiet air you felt your body shiver with anticipation. You let out a reassuring breath, hoping it would calm your nerves and opened the door.

“Hey!” he smiled as brightly as the picture he’d sent you while he greeted you by name, “So? Am I as cute as my picture? Because you certainly are.”

Add big flirt to your first impressions. He was definitely laying on the charm but you were also falling for it hook line and sinker, “Hi Eddie, it’s nice to meet you. Come on in!”

You offered your arm in a welcoming gesture. He stepped inside and brushed past you ever so slightly. He must be wearing a strong cologne. Just that quick pass had your senses overwhelmed with the earthy, woodsy smell.

“So this is the common area,” you pointed out all the usual necessities, “Here’s the bathroom, there’s the kitchen. Off to the side there is a little dining table but I’ll be honest I think I’ve used it once. I usually end up eating on the couch.” He commented on how it was a nice place and that it was so close to his work he could walk when the weather got nice again. 

“Where do you work?”

He closed the kitchen cabinet he’d been snooping in and turned to you, “I’m a mechanic over at Murray’s Auto Repair. Rob said you work at the coffee shop on campus, what’s your field of study, young scholar?” 

“Medical. I’m studying to be a fertility specialist,” you made small talk with him as you walked over to show him where his room is… would be! Where his room would be, if you think he’d be a good fit, “Here’s the other room. My old roommate said I could keep the bed and the dresser but if you already have those we can donate these since they’re in pretty good shape.”

He nodded, “Nah they look alright to me. I’m currently crashing on a friend's couch so this would be a huge upgrade.” He inspected the door handle, “Does this door not have a lock?”

“No, mine doesn’t lock either. I always figured it was because they are interior doors?” you shrugged and joined him as he inspected the boring metal doorknob, “They make portable locks you could always use.”

“Yeah, those things aren’t very strong though and when I’m in rut I can get pretty–” you cut him off.

“I’m sorry, when you're in what?”

The complete shock in your eyes and slack jaw had him pulling back a bit from you. A dejected huff through his nose, accompanied by a shake of the head told you he wasn’t too pleased with your question, “I thought Rob told you?”

“She didn’t tell me anything besides your name and the fact you were looking for a place,” you swallowed hard. You were in your third year of med school, you knew damn well what a rut was but the problem here was that only alphas experience them so if he… the wheels clicked in your head and you suddenly felt small standing beside him, “You’re an alpha?”

He crossed his arms, “Is that a problem? I wouldn’t want to make you uncomfortable so you just say the word and I’m gone.”

His messages last night suddenly made a little more sense. He didn’t want to come across as a stereotypical hotheaded, asshole alpha. Truthfully though, he had been nothing but respectful so far. He had a steady job and already offered to pay your half of the rent for the first month! He even promised to do half the household chores. Honestly, he seemed like a great candidate for a roommate. Why should his status change any of that?

You shook your head, “No it’s alright.” You rocked on your heels with your hands held behind your back, trying to restore the conversation to its former comfort level, “So, when can you move in?”

His smile reappeared, but he didn’t answer your question. He instead turned and belly flopped onto the bed, you heard a deep sigh escape his mouth, “Shit, can I stay here tonight? I really don’t want to sleep on that couch again.” He turned on his hip and looked at you from the bed, “You know Rob’s friend Steve?” You shook your head, you’d only known Robin since the spring semester and hadn’t met any of her friends yet, “Well Harrington’s a great guy but he’s a family man now and can’t have a lonely alpha crashing on his couch anymore.”

You stood awkwardly in the doorway, unsure if you should intrude on the space he just claimed, “Is Steve also an alpha?”

“Yeah. He and I had been living together for years before he met that sweet Chrissy of his,” he collapsed on his back and stared at the ceiling, “They had a kid, cute little boy, a few months ago and I lost my room.”

“Is Chrissy an omega?” you were mentally taking notes. Before Eddie came waltzing through your door, you’d never gotten the chance to talk to someone with a secondary gender at length before. There were some alphas you knew of in your classes throughout the years, mostly because all of them were loud and obnoxious about it. But none that you ever felt compelled to converse with. If they were cool with it, maybe they could answer some questions for the paper your gender sciences professor just assigned. Having some first hand alpha/omega pairbond experience would be great for your research. 

“Nah,” well nevermind, considering the low omega presentation rates you’d have been shocked if that was the case. You could always talk to Eddie about what it’s like to be an unmated alpha. He continued, “Never actually had the pleasure of meeting one. I hear they are crazy sweet though.”

You asked Eddie if he needed to go get anything from Steve’s place tonight, to which he just insisted he’d go tomorrow while you were in class. You had been so anxious for his arrival that you forgot to eat so you offered to cook dinner for him. 

“You really don’t have to,” he tried to stop you but then his stomach growled loud enough that it was probably heard from the hallway by a passing neighbor. 

You both looked at each other and you tried not to laugh at his embarrassed expression, but it wasn’t working, “So is ramen ok? If you’re going to live with a starving college student you’re going to have to eat like one. Not that you aren’t welcome to bring in your own food or whatever. I can clear a shelf off for you.” With that you got distracted reorganizing the sparse contents of the fridge, “There. We can put shared items in the middle, I’ll put the things I buy on the bottom and you can have the top shelf.”

You opened the door wider with a smile as he admired your work. You decided after dinner you’d do the same thing with the cabinets and clear a space just for him, “Ok now I’ve definitely worked up an appetite,” reaching up into the cupboard you presented him with two options, “Do you want spicy or regular?”

He gave in. Already, barely an hour in the apartment, and he knew he was no match for you, “Spicy. Thanks, sweetheart.”

You turned on whatever movie was already in the machine while you cooked and then just a few minutes later you were placing a simple bowl of noodles in front of him. He inhaled them, “That was delicious. I’m doing the dishes!” you were about to protest, “No, don’t even try to argue with me. You've already done enough and I’ve only lived here about 2 hours! I can’t have you doing everything for me. I need to pull my weight.”

“Fine, but sit down and finish the movie first.”

He sat on the opposite end of the couch from you. You chose to ignore the little tug that wished he sat closer to you. 

“Is that candle what I’m smelling?” he asked abruptly.

“Probably,” you leaned towards the coffee table and read him the label, “Evergreen Forest?”

His brows furrow, “No, this is sweeter.” He laughed, “When I first stepped in here I thought you were baking cookies, it was so sweet. I still haven’t been able to figure out where it's coming from.”

“Maybe one of the neighbors is baking something?” You weren’t really sure how to respond because you also had no idea what he could be smelling. You weren’t one for perfume and none of your soaps, shampoos, or body wash smelled sweet. At least he didn’t say the apartment smelled bad.

“Sorry, I’m being weird,” he brought you out of your daydream, “Alpha nose,” he poked himself in the tip of his nose, “I’m really sensitive to scent.”

“It’s ok! I find secondary genders fascinating. It’s part of the reason I chose to study fertility.”

He laughed and twisted himself to face you more from his spot on the couch, “Ah, I see. That’s why you let me move in so fast. Using my body for science hm?”

You couldn’t tell if he was joking or not so you deflated a little, “No of course not. I just think the phenomenon is interesting. Growing up I always hoped one day I would present, especially after I was told I can’t have kids.”

His laughing faded. The familiar sad, almost pitying look appeared that everyone gives you when you tell them. You’re not shy about it and you don’t care who knows. Despite having been focused entirely on building your career since you turned 18 and got that news, you do get asked by outsiders quite often when you’re going to settle down and have kids. 

Here comes the inevitable follow up question. He asks you if you want kids, “I’d love to start a family someday.” You shrug and anxiously rub your knees, “I’m painfully single though, so, one step at a time I guess.”

His laughter was quickly becoming your favorite sound in the world, “Me too! Do you mind if I ask how old you are?”

“I’m 26,” you smiled, “What about you?”

“27. I presented when I was 17 and after I finally managed to graduate high school I went to a trade school to become a mechanic.” He laughed again to himself, “Not that I needed any of it. Already learned all there was to learn from my uncle.”

The title screen of the movie playing in the background and the thought of your 6 AM shift were shoved aside as you spent hours talking with him on the couch. You learned where he grew up, that he played in a band for fun with his friends, and that he was a giant nerd. Everything from Dungeons and Dragons, to Lord of the Rings, to Star Wars. He loved all of it. 

You told him about your hobbies outside of school as well. He asked you questions about what kind of music you like, what your favorite color is, and listened to you talk about the things that interested you. It was kind of alarming how comfortable you already felt with him. He was incredibly easy to talk to. Finally, your body knew you’d regret staying up any later than you already had. You yawned.

“Alright pretty girl I’ve bothered you long enough. Go get some sleep,” he raised an arm and rubbed the back of his neck, “Are you sure it’s ok if I stay here tonight? I know it’s short notice and I wouldn’t want you to feel like you had to let me stay. I can move in officially this weekend if that works better.” 

You surrendered. Standing right up and following his order, “It’s fine Eddie. I offered you the room didn’t I? Besides,” you yawned again, “Since you’re covering rent next month you might as well get your money's worth. Although I don’t have any extra blankets,” another yawn became the final nail in your coffin, “All I had was that sheet. I might have some pillows in the linen closet,” you went to check but he stopped you with his words.

“You’re too kind, fair maiden. I don’t need much when I sleep anyways,” he gestured to himself, “Alpha’s usually run pretty hot.” You snorted and shook your head. As different as he is, you can definitely tell he’s still an alpha. He rose from the couch with a deep bow, “I look forward to our adventures together as roommates,” he flicked his hair back up and flashed you a great view of those dimples, “Good night sweetheart.”

Eddie moved in his stuff little by little, the whole process took nearly a week. When you returned home each day you would notice a few new additions here and there. He stuck his shampoo in the bathroom, there was a six pack of beer on his shelf in the refrigerator, and you could typically hear music playing from his room at night. Finally the last item, a second guitar amp, landed in his now fully lived in room. 

It had officially been a week since he moved the last of his stuff in and the two of you fell into a routine. Eddie’s shifts at the shop were usually the same time you were in class. If he got home before you and made some food, he left you a container on your shelf in the fridge. The last few times he’d started leaving a note on the container labeled “Roomie!” a little heart with bat wings drawn with markers that he definitely swiped from your backpack.  Tonight you were getting home first and decided to surprise him for being the world's best roommate. 

Your mind thought back to yesterday as you got started. You had just gotten out of the shower when he mentioned that sweet smell again. You figured he might have a sweet tooth so you decided to make cookies for him.

You tied your hair back and put on the apron you’d found on clearance after Valentine’s Day. It was pink with little conversation hearts scattered everywhere. A picture of a ladybug and the caption Love Bug written across the chest. After completing the scene with some of your favorite music playing softly in the background, you started to work.

After grabbing the flour and sugar, your cheeks felt warm. You had to check the clock to confirm, you’d only been working for a few minutes and you already felt flushed. As though you had been working in the summer heat for hours. You opened the small window that was situated beside your dining table and the cold winter air wafted into the warm kitchen.  It helped a bit. 

Setting the heat in your cheeks aside, you forgot about it after a while. You didn’t even realize how focused on your task you’d become. You felt relaxed. Every care of the outside world was gone. After mixing the last ingredient, the chocolate chips, into the dough and scooping them onto the baking sheet, you put them in the oven. 

“Hm,” you mused to yourself while looking through the cabinet. Wondering if you had the ingredients to make an icing to write #1 roomie on one of the cookies. 

Your mission was successful and while the cookies baked you whipped up a small amount. Giving you just enough time to do the dishes before pulling the cookies out to cool. You checked the time again. It was just after 5:00 and you knew Eddie would be back soon. Scooping the icing into a small ziplock baggie, you tried your best to write on the uneven surface. He walked in just after you finished the last letter.

“Hi Eddie!” You smiled brightly, proud of your work. Then you held out a small plate to him with the cookie, “I made this for you!”

He froze. His body went rigid there in the door frame. For the first time since you met, there was an uncomfortable silence. He just stared at you for a moment. Then, without a word, walked over, grabbed the plate from your hand and went into his room. Leaving you standing there in the kitchen dazed, confused, and if you were honest with yourself, a little sad.

You didn’t see him again that night. He stayed in his room. Replaying that event in your mind you cleaned up, left the rest of the cookies in a tupperware container on the counter, and headed to bed. 

You tried to sleep but the more you pondered, your sadness turned to annoyance. You needed to complain about him so you called Robin. 

“Hey! What’s up?” she sounded cheerful, “Isn’t it way past your bedtime?”

You offered a curt pity laugh, “Haha, very funny. Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, I’m assuming based on your tone there’s trouble in roommate heaven?” She nailed it and your frustrations poured out like a waterfall.

“I made him cookies and he acted like I committed a crime. He gave me this look, didn’t say anything, snatched the cookie I offered him, and has been hiding in his room ever since. Is he allergic to chocolate? He might as well be with how upset he looked,” you mocked his non existence words, “Oh, I can’t believe the nerve of this girl, making me cookies, letting me move in with her on such short notice! Alpha Jerk.”

Once your rant was over she hummed, “Eddie’s always had a sweet tooth, that doesn’t make any sense. I need more details. What were you wearing?” 

“Just my normal clothes I wore to class today. I did have an apron on to keep my shirt clean, but why should any of that matter?”

She laughed, “Sounds to me like you might’ve broken him. Let me guess you went full domestic goddess?”

“Well I wouldn’t describe it like that but—“

She interrupted you, “Eddie’s a simple alpha babe. An alpha who, by the way, has never been with an omega. You cooking things just for him? Classic omega behavior, you should know that Ms. Smarty-Science-Pants. On top of that, looking like absolute wife material probably had his brain sizzling like a piece of bacon.”

You listened to her but it didn’t matter, “I’m not an omega though.” Your words were more sad than you’d like to think about.

You could hear her exasperated sigh, “His brain doesn’t know that. I’m telling you that’s all it was. He’s probably hiding because he’s got a huge hard on!”

“Robin!” You yelled and immediately listened for any signs that he might’ve heard your yell. You tiptoed to the door and listened. Nothing. You waited until back in the safety of your bed before talking again, “I’ll admit, you might be right about the first part. But,” you heart sank a little, “I doubt he’s in there with a hard on. There’s no way he feels that way about me.”

“Why not?” Robin combated, “You’re fucking adorable! And If he doesn’t, he’s clearly not using those heightened alpha senses of his because anyone would be lucky to have you.”

You bloomed again, “Thanks Robin. I feel a little better. I’m gonna get some sleep. I’ll see you later.”

The next morning you went about your normal routine. If you hadn’t decided to grab some rations from the kitchen to stuff in your backpack in perpetration for a day full of learning, you’d have missed it. There on the counter where you left the container, now a lot more empty than before, sat a little note. Thanks sweetheart. He left his signature bat heart. You smiled to yourself and flashed your eyes to his door. As if it could’ve been anyone else who wrote the note for you. 

A few days after the cookie incident, you and Eddie had resumed your normal interactions. Although, you hadn’t really stopped thinking about what Robin said. You were on the couch watching some random show on TV when he came in from work.

“Hey,” he sounded tired.

“Hey,” you checked the time, “Thought you got off at 5? I was surprised when I beat you home.”

He went, as he always does, to the bathroom and washed his hands. But this time he made a pit stop to set a small sparkly red bag on the coffee table in front of you, “I was supposed to, had to stay and finish fixing this stupid truck. Damn thing is just going to need to be fixed again in three months anyways.” He stood in the bathroom doorway and looked between you and the bag, “That’s for you.”

You felt the color appear on your face, “Me? Why?”

He replaced the towel he’d been wiping his hands on and walked back to the living room, “Dunno, I felt bad I guess about the other day and when I stopped at the store on my way home I saw that little guy and thought of you.” He spoke in a rushed manner like he was trying to get the words out without making a big deal out of it.

You looked inside the bag and found a small brown teddy bear with a red bow tied around its neck. It was so sweet. You held him in your hands and felt the softness of his fur beneath your fingers. 

“I just wanted to say sorry. Not trying to you know, I don’t know. You can just throw it away when I’m not looking or whatever,” Eddie was rambling and it was absolutely adorable.

“No it’s fine. I like him,” you loved him. He was the same color as Eddie’s eyes.

He went to his room after that and must have gone right to sleep because you saw the light from under the door turn off and didn’t hear any music tonight. You sat there on the couch with your new friend for a bit longer and realized something. He only came in with this. If he just happened to see this while already at the store, what did he go to the store for in the first place?

It was one of your rare days off and you were catching up on some laundry. You knew he might view what you were about to ask similarly to the cookies but hey doing laundry in an apartment building is a pain in the ass. If you're going down you might as well bring some of his clothes too. 

You texted him. Hey, I'm doing some laundry. You need anything washed?

He was at work but usually responded pretty quickly if they weren’t busy. They must not be busy. 

Yeah uh sure. That’s cool. Thanks. There’s a little pile in the corner by my guitar.

You were usually really good about respecting the roommate code. You knocked if you needed to get his attention but hadn’t actually been in the second bedroom since he moved in. Only catching quick glimpses when he would enter or exit. 

As soon as you entered, you thought to yourself, My period must be coming. The wall of musky, woodsy scent hit you like a ton of bricks. It was spicy and warm and distinctively Eddie. You stood in the door frame almost trying to catch your breath, Damn it’s probably going to be a rough one, I'm not usually this sensitive.

Once you regained your balance, you learned that Eddie had not one but two guitars. There was a red and black electric one hanging on the wall and a black acoustic one sitting on a stand beside his dresser. He didn’t specify in his message which one you should look by and both of them had piles of wadded up clothing near them. 

Trying not to inhale too deeply for fear of passing out, you pulled the collar of your shirt up over your nose and grabbed the first pile under the electric guitar. A few shirts and what looked to be pants that he might wear under his coveralls at work.

With still a little room in your basket, you made your way to the second pile. Opting to just pick all of it up at once and drop it in with the other clothes. You instantly knew this probably wasn’t the one he wanted you to wash. Sitting on top of your now shared laundry were several pairs of crusty looking socks and balled up boxers that had been hiding under a shirt. 

You knew you should put them back. Recreate the scene and walk away like you never touched them in the first place. Maybe he wouldn’t notice you had disturbed them. That's what you should do. You knew that. But something stirred inside you. You acted almost on instinct and before you could think too hard about it, you were picking up a pair of his green plaid boxer shorts and bringing them up to your nose.

When you inhaled the scent quite literally knocked you down. You fell backwards onto your ass. A euphoric feeling consumed you, it was like nothing you’d ever felt before. Suddenly your cheeks were flushed, your heartbeat quickened, and you knew you needed more. You smelled them again.

The room smelled like Eddie of course, it was his room. All his belongings were in here. He spent a good portion of his time here. But this, this was more somehow. More Eddie. Like someone had taken his scent and bottled it into a cologne. Then accidentally spilled an entire bottle onto this single pair of underwear. 

Coming down from your high you knew you had to leave them here, he’d notice if the pile was completely missing. Thus knowing you touched his underwear like a weird pervert. But he might not notice one pair mysteriously going missing. 

With the green pair still clutched in your dirty fingers, you replaced each soiled item one by one and covered them back up with the shirt. Then stood back on your feet, picked up the laundry basket, and continued your task as though the last few minutes didn’t happen. 

He came home from work that night to a small pile of neatly folded shirts and pants placed carefully on his bed. There was also a small container of take out with his name on it waiting for him in the fridge. You didn’t have the courage to face him that night after what you had done. So you hid away in your room. Leaving him completely unaware of the thievery that had taken place or the hidden treasure that now sat tucked away in your nightstand. 

It was officially one month that you’d been living with Eddie. If he noticed something missing from his wardrobe, he never mentioned it. 

Tonight you were having your first movie night with friends that you hoped to make a weekly occurrence. Robin was already here and tonight you got to meet their mutual friend Steve for the first time when he came over with his partner Chrissy. 

“I poured the popcorn into a few different bowls since it didn’t fit in just one,” Robin said with a smile as she held up two mismatched things of popcorn.

You feigned despair, “Oh no! What’re we gonna do? We can’t let people know that we live like this!” You turned to Eddie and held your cheeks, “What will the neighbors think?”

He laughed, “Your reputation as a good neighbor was probably lost the moment I moved in sweetheart.” His nickname for you became common tongue. You knew it didn’t hold any meaning, just Eddie being, well Eddie.

Robin didn’t approve of your shenanigans, she set the bowls down on the coffee table, “I never should have introduced you two. You're both menaces.” 

“Au contraire!” Eddie defended, “It’s actually a crime that you didn’t introduce us sooner!”

Your heart swelled hearing that, “Aww, you really do care Eddie. Here I was thinking you just used me for my extra room. Is the big bad alpha going soft? 

He smirked, “Nothing soft about me sweetheart.”

“Oh my god can you not make dick jokes for like 5 minutes please?” Robin threw up her hands, “Are we really about to bring another thick headed alpha in here? Seriously, how did you and Steve not kill each other?” 

Your eyes tracked between them as they bickered. Eddie sat in his usual spot on the couch and Robin was about two seconds away from walking back into the kitchen. 

Eddie laughed, “Relax! Steve and I have more sense than that. Besides, he’s got a girlfriend which calmed him down a little.”

“Good, this apartment can only handle one hot alpha,” You blurted out without thinking and instantly regretted it.

Robin, who was no secret to your massive crush on your friend and roommate, covered her laugh and retreated back to the kitchen. Shooting you a look that says you are so on your own with this one.

Eddie just looked at you, for a brief second there was some unreadable emotion there but it quickly turned to a smug grin. His arm swinging over the back of the couch, opening his legs as he crossed one over the other. “Aww you really think I’m hot sweetheart?”

You didn’t answer him. You’d be forever grateful to whoever just knocked on the door. 

On the other side stood a man with fluffy, perfectly placed brown hair and a big smile. Even without the knowledge this man was an alpha, you’d know right away. From the protective arm around this girlfriend’s shoulders and the oozing confidence, this must be none other than Steve Harrington.

Which meant the cute redhead beside him must be Chrissy. She greeted you with a surprise, though not unwelcome, hug, “It’s so great to finally meet you. Eddie’s told us so much about you.”

“Really?” You looked back to Eddie who was uncharacteristically quiet. You decided to just file that in the back of your mind for now, “Come on in! We made popcorn and pizza should be here soon.” Robin had returned and gave Steve a hug. You couldn’t resist the urge to tease her once more, “I hope you don’t mind the mismatched bowls.”

The movie provided an anchor as you got better acquainted with these new friends. You learned that they met through work. Steve is a personal trainer and Chrissy teaches yoga at the community center. Steve was telling you the story of how his jaw literally dropped when Chrissy walked into his gym to inquire about offering classes there. 

Your body language had naturally leaned in while listening to his story. You sat up a little straighter. Your arms braced against your knees as you gave Steve your full attention. Or at least tried to. The frequent twitches you caught from the corner of your eye kept distracting you. Finally you looked over and saw Eddie clenching his fists against his thighs.

You waited until Steve had finished to say something, “Eddie? Are you ok?”  

His eyes were blown wide as he looked in your direction, “Hm? Yeah, I’m fine.” The white knuckles now braced against his chin and the point of his elbow digging into his leg said otherwise.

Steve spoke up before you could, “You sure man? You look like you’re ready to rip somebody’s head off.”

“I said I'm fine!” He snapped. 

In an instant, the once friendly atmosphere turned sour and tense. No one really knew what to do. Everyone looked concerned. Searching for the cause of what had upset him. You however were feeling something very different. All you could think about was touching him. No, not touching, your brain supplied. Scenting. 

You wanted nothing more right now than to nuzzle into his hair and neck. Somehow reassuring him that everything was ok.

Now your eyes were blown wide. Your brain all at once processed this intrusive thought. You knew it was nonsense. It must have come from your lessons during class today. Yeah that’s it. You were still just thinking about today's lecture during gender sciences because you shouldn’t be scenting. That’s something only done by alphas or—

“Who wants dessert?” You jumped up from the couch and headed into the kitchen. You heard footsteps behind you. Someone was following you. You didn’t need to turn and look thought. The sound of the footsteps, his smell, everything about him swirling around inside your very confused mind. 

You opened the freezer and didn’t realize how much you needed the relief of a cool breeze. Standing there with the door open for a moment after grabbing the tub of ice cream felt incredible.  

“Hey,” Eddie’s voice melted your insides. It sounded so soft and comforting, “Are you alright?”

You didn’t want to look at him for fear that just by making eye contact he would somehow know what you had wanted to do. Instead, you chuckled awkwardly and played it off, “Guess I’m just more tired than I thought.”

“No,” Eddie saw right through you, “I’ve seen you tired after a long day. That’s not what this is. Come here.”

Your mind and body were incapable of disobeying him. Even if you hadn’t wanted to, you turned on his command. Closing the freezer door and keeping your eyes locked with his feet. 

He touched your forehead. Eddie had never touched you before. All the nights you spent wondering what the tips of his fingers felt like finally answered. They were calloused from playing guitar, the palm of his hand rough, most likely from his job. But nothing had ever felt more natural. It was fleeting thought because he pulled back already. 

“Jesus Christ you’re burning up,” He went to the bathroom and returned the thermometer, “Holy shit 102?” He called for Robin. 

She came running and you vaguely heard him telling her to go get medicine from the bathroom. He lifted your chin, “You are taking medicine and going right to bed. Do you understand me? No work or class tomorrow for you either.”

“But–”

“I think you should listen to him,” Robin said as she returned followed by Chrissy and Steve to check on you. 

Standing became a labor. You braced yourself against the counter but Eddie caught you and lifted you into his arms. Robin opened the door for him as he carried you to your bed. Everything was starting to blur together. Somehow they made you take the medicine. You’re pretty sure Robin helped you change into some pajamas before you passed out on top of the comforter. That night you had your first dream of Eddie.

The next morning… afternoon? You weren’t sure until you blinked your eyes open. You felt awful. Your skin felt like it was on fire. If you were still running a fever that was not a sign. As soon as you summoned enough strength you ripped all your clothes off only to be horrified by what you felt on the bed beneath you. Your underwear, shorts and the top of the comforter were soaked. You brought your wet hand up to your face to inspect the source.

“Is that?” you spoke to the emptiness, “Slick?”

It should have been impossible. Everything you knew about biology was being thrown out the window and discarded to the wayside. Nothing made sense anymore. You had been and would always be a beta. And yet– your new and now ever present instincts told you otherwise. You were in heat. 

Grasping at the shred of rationality that you regained, you tried to remember everything you’ve ever learned about heats. You knew a few things for certain. One, it was only a matter of time because you were lost to your desires and unable to think about anything except mating. Two, you needed food so that you didn’t have to leave your room again until it subsided. Last? Only omegas experience heats which means that only an alpha would truly make you feel better. 

Tossing your wet clothing to the ground you wobbled naked like a newborn fawn towards your bedroom door. Dripping slick against your bare inner thighs as you tried to walk. You made it to the kitchen where, with fervent desperation, you dug through the cabinets for anything you could bring back with you. Then you went to Eddie’s room and without a second of hesitation opened the door. That was a horrible idea.

Where only the night before was just the scent of Eddie, now your brain was able to recognize it for what it was. Alpha.

Your knees buckled. It’s a miracle you didn’t fall over. Another rush of slick dripped from your aching hole. You didn’t have the luxury of considering whether he’d be upset that you were borrowing his clothes. You grabbed his leather jacket that he always wore outside of work from the bed and the few shirts that littered the floor. You could feel the fever returning. You needed to get back to your room. 

—

Eddie didn’t want to leave you that morning. He peeked inside your bedroom before heading to work and you were sound asleep.

Robin had taken care of your obligations for you. She called your work and emailed your professors saying you’d be out for a few days with a fever.

Eddie knew he should just go back home because he wasn’t much use here today anyways. He’d already made a ton of mistakes thanks to his distracted brain.

“Munson!” Murray called to him from the office, “Come here boy!”

“Shit,” he tossed the rag in his hand and readied himself for an ass chewing.

Murray looked up from the desk, “What’s wrong with you today? You handed me an order form for the wrong part. You charged someone triple for a simple oil change and now I just watched you checking the engine on a car that was brought in for headlight repair.”

“Sorry sir, my roommate’s pretty sick right now and I guess I’m just a little worried about her,” a little worried was an understatement. Eddie was panicking that you, the absolute divine love and light of his life, were going to die in his absence.

He sighed, “Just go. Before I change my mind.”

Eddie tore at the buttons on his coveralls and nearly tripped trying to walk and take them off at the same time, “Thanks Murray!”

“You owe me!” was the last thing Eddie heard before he ran out.

He kicked the stand up on his motorcycle and got quite a few stares from people on the street and he hauled ass back to the apartment. 

Normally he’d take the elevator up to your fourth floor apartment but in his mind his feet were faster and they’d carry him to you sooner. He was so focused on checking that you were still ok that he didn’t even feel winded after running up four flights of stairs. 

He fumbled with his keys as he walked down the hallway. Then it hit him. He dropped the keys. They clattered loudly to his feet. He was still several doors down from yours and he could already smell it. He scrambled to pick them up and ran down the hallway. 

His suspicions were confirmed as soon as he turned the key. That same sweetness that had greeted him everyday since the first time he opened that door to your smiling face, suffocated him. Though now it was a little different. It was sweeter. More you. Something he’d only ever dreamed of. An omega.

It got stronger with every step he took towards your room. He swallowed and failed to will away the hardness growing in his pants. All his hopes and dreams were answered when he pushed his way into your room. There on the bed in a very haphazardly constructed nest, naked, clinging to his jacket, surrounded by his clothes, and your brown stuffed bear, was you.

He inhaled deeply and could practically feel his pupils dilate with lust. You smelled so fucking good. He took another step and spoke quietly trying not to startle you, “Hey sweetheart.” 

—

It hurt so bad. The ache between your thighs only worsened as you curled into the small nest you’d surrounded yourself with. The underwear you’d stolen from Eddie lost its scent long ago but you still pulled it out and threw it in the pile. The few items you were able to grab from his room were a mere wooden board in the dam against the rushing river that threatened to drown you at any moment.

You didn’t hear the front door open.

Your senses became more clouded with each passing minute. You clung for dear life to Eddie’s leather jacket but it betrayed you as it started to cling back now that it was damp with your sweat.

The click of your bedroom door knob alerted you and brought you back. Maybe it wasn’t the door. Maybe it was the smell or the sound of his voice as he spoke to you. You lifted your head and couldn’t stop the tears when you saw Eddie standing there at the foot of your bed.

“A-alpha? It hurts,” 

Something awoke within Eddie. The deepest part of himself he’d never been able to fully satisfy. All those ruts spent uselessly humping into his hand or a pillow. “Again,” He growled, “Say it again little one!”

Your eyes pleaded with him as you whined, “A-alpha?” You pressed the jacked to your chest. How was he here? He was supposed to be working. Your fever must have taken over you and you were starting to hallucinate, “F-fuck, alpha, need you. Are you really here?”

The bed shifted, “I know, I know. I’m here now, sweet omega. I’m here.” He laid behind you and wrapped his long arms around you. “‘m so sorry I left sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere now.”

His presence eased the ache a bit. He rubbed your neck with his hand and whispered in your ear, “You smell so good, could smell you from the hallway.”

He felt you shudder with panic, “R-really?”

“Shh! No, don't worry. I locked the door and only other alphas or omegas would be able to smell it,” he leaned in closer, “Can I kiss you? It might help you feel better.”

You nodded but didn’t feel anything on your lips. He kissed your neck. Sparks of pure pleasure shot through your body. You whimpered helpless against the feeling, “Fuck more Eddie! More! Kiss me more, please!”

He couldn’t deny that his heart had wanted to hear those words since he first laid eyes on you but he knew it was just the heat talking. He also knew if he started he wouldn’t be able to stop, “I want to more than you know princess but, I don’t want you to hate me when you're more lucid.”

His kiss had breathed new life into you and gave you the energy to turn to face him, “I’d never hate you Eddie.” You reached into the piled up fabric that you had built up around you and pulled out the green plaid boxers, “D’you lose something?” you could feel your speech slurring.

“D-did you take my underwear?” his fingers curled and tickled against you lightly drawing out little giggles.

You grinned up at him with glassy eyes, “Sure did. Sniffed ‘em too.”

His palm came to rest on your hip and he ran his fingers up the curve of your waist. Then back down again. Savoring every dip, ridge, and shape your body created as it lay before him, “Did they help you feel better?”

“Nuh uh,” he was misunderstanding, “I took these a while ago. So see? Wouldn’t hate you. Want you.”

He kissed you again, on the lips this time, “I want you too. Shit, you taste so good. I wonder how you taste other places.”

He pressed his elbow up, giving him leverage to sit up and tear his shirt off. Next he was up hovering over you on his knees. You watched him, taking in every single one of his movements. He unzipped his pants and slid them down his hips. His thick length was barely contained by the fabric of his boxers. He was less than graceful as he shook them off. 

He straddled your legs and lowered himself towards your neck again, so close to your skin that his chest grazed your exposed nipples as he turned you to rest on your back beneath him. His mouth was in your ear whispering, “I can see it in your eyes sweetheart, the heat is getting worse. Can you tell me what you need before that smart ass brain of yours is just mush, begging for my knot?”

“F-fuck me Eddie,” you looked up at him and knew even in your current state that your words had affected him. “P-please.”

“That’s all I needed to hear sweetheart,” he kissed you again. First on the lips. Devouring your moans, wet noises growing as you felt yourself drooling into him because of how good he tasted. Your slick lips gliding against his. He moved lower onto your neck and kissed the crook just above your shoulder, “This might be a little sensitive here but I promise it’ll feel good.” He sucked on your skin and in that instant you were writhing.

“Ah! A-alpha,” somewhere in the deep recesses of your mind you knew that he was sucking on the spot that both of your latent instincts told you was where he should bite down and bond himself to you. Where if he gave into his desires and bit down just a little harder you’d forever be his and only his. Bearing his mating mark for the world to see. As he continued sucking with just his lips and licking with his tongue that was suddenly all you ever wanted, “Mate me alpha! All yours, please!” 

He puffed out his chest. His shoulders flexed. The muscles in his back tightened as he growled again into your neck. Straining to fight off every instinct that told him to give you what you wanted. His hand gripped the wooden frame of your bed so tightly you heard the wood begin to splinter and crack. “Maybe after your heat sweetheart. Such a good girl, my sweet little omega, all these big new feelings. Don’t you worry, I’ll take care of you.”

Throwing your head back you let the dam break, “N-need your knot alpha, Hurts. Make it stop.”

“You’re not quite ready for my knot yet baby. Gotta make sure I don’t hurt you.”

But you were an omega? That’s literally what your body was made for, why couldn’t you take him? First he wouldn’t mate you and now he won’t knot you? Were you a bad omega? He sensed your distress in the subtle change in your scent. He buried his face into your neck again, surrounding you with himself. 

“You’re not bad! No no,” you didn’t even realize you’d said that out loud. He continued to soothe you, “It's just…I’ve never knotted anyone before and I don’t want to hurt you.”

You brought your hands up to his chest and touched him everywhere your fingers could reach, “Won’t hurt me. I know. Too gentle.” 

You wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him down on top of you. The weight of his body pressing into nearly every surface of your skin was intoxicating. Grounding you with his scent and his very presence. You’d pulled him into the perfect position to nuzzle into his neck and hair, kissing the same spot that he has just assaulted on you with his tongue. A warm feeling bubbled in your gut. This was different from the warmth of the heat. Then a sound hit both of your ears.

A sound that gave both of you delighted pause. The little noise that escaped your throat was somewhere between a whimper and a moan but something so uniquely omega. Eddie had never heard a more beautiful sound. You were purring. 

He let you keep going but whispered into your ear, “You’re fucking perfect you know that?” you purred louder, “I’m going to make you come with my fingers and then I’ll give you my knot, ok?”

“Yes alpha! Thank you,” you whined as he pulled away but his hands never stopped touching you. He made his way down to the drenched area between your thighs.

“You look so beautiful for me sweetheart, you’re fucking soaked,” he moaned as his fingers began toying with your wetness and dipping in between the folds of your pussy. You encouraged him with all the moans and whines he could ever hope to hear. As soon as he deemed you thoroughly worked up, he finally slipped a finger in, quickly followed by another. They worked together pumping in and out fluidly, curling inside you, pressing all the right buttons. You wanted to thank him but all that would come out was broken bits and pieces of alpha and his name. 

His hair brushed lightly against your inner thighs, sending shivers through your core as he lowered his head down. He spoke with a low hum right into your entrance, “You’re close. I can feel it. Let go for me sweet omega. I’ll take good care of you.”

One more curl of his fingers hitting that delicious soft spongy spot inside you had you screaming and convulsing as slick rushed out into his hand and surely getting some on his face. His fingers pulled out and were replaced with something wet and soft. You could feel his nose nudging at your aching clit as he licked up all your wetness with his tongue. It slid up from the hole and flicked your clit over and over again causing the muscles in your calf to twitch.

“K-knot alpha! Knot please, ‘m ready. So empty, hurts!”

He sucked on your clit before pulling away and lifted to release his throbbing cock from his boxers. You looked up at it, marveling at how impressive his length looked. The tip swollen and aching for you just as you ached for him. The shaft veins pulsed as he pumped himself with his wet hand, covering it in your scent and juices. The base just barely began to flare out as his knot already started to swell. He lined up the tip with your begging cunt and teased you as much as his self control would allow before slowly and carefully pressing all the way inside.

You cried out for him, “So good! More, more, more! Move alpha please!”

He couldn’t hold back anymore. Feeling his cock sheathed inside his omega’s pussy was too much. He began fucking into you with reckless abandon, each thrust hitting deep within your body, catching ever so slightly as his knot continued to swell. He grunted loudly, “Fuck! “M’gonna fill you up so good little omega. Gonna breed this beautiful pussy,” his instincts were now fully in control. His mind became almost as clouded as yours with nothing but want and desire to fulfill the purpose of your heat, “You’ll look so good knocked up sweetheart. Tits all big and heavy. My omega, mine!” 

You echoed him, “Yours alpha! All yours! Breed me, wanna carry your baby! Please, please please,” you cries became so desperate and emotional as you begged and pleaded for him to give you something you’d wanted as long as you could remember. Tears fell from your tired eyes, “Make me a mommy alpha!”

“Yeah?” he looked down at you. Beads of sweat from his constant thrusting formed on his forehead. His bangs curled and swooshed out in every direction, “Beg for my knot again omega, tell me how much you want it!”

Your body was jostling up and down from his thick cock fucking into you harder and harder. Your senses became overwhelmed with the feeling of your alpha’s cock, his scent, his words, his love all around you. You could feel how much bigger his knot had gotten, your voice was wrecked, “Knot alpha, need it, knot me!”

Eddie came with a loud growl. You’d never felt so full. Your walls pulsated around him as you came again. He slammed his knot deep inside you, locking you together with him, forming a connection that as you floated down from your orgasm fully took shape in your mind.

“Eddie?” you looked into his warm brown eyes, “Th-thank–”

“Shh, we can talk later baby. Rest while you can,” he held a finger to your lips, “Once my knot goes down I’ll get you some water and something to eat. You’ll need it again soon so we both need to rest.”

Being locked together with him felt so right but it limited your movement. Twisting your torso you looked around the nest for the box of granola bars you’d grabbed earlier, “I,” words were still hard and your breath was labored, “box here somewhere.”

He looked around and spotted the corner of the box on the floor. He pictured what you must have done when you realized what was happening to you, knowing what you’d need, “You did such a good job. Now it’s my turn, we’ve got a long few days ahead of us. My first rut lasted three days.”

You chuckled, eyes closed, a blissful fucked out smile on your lips, “W-we might need more food.”

“I’m not leaving you again, I’ll have Rob drop some stuff off.”

You didn’t talk anymore after that. In fact you fell asleep with his knot still inside you. He kissed your forehead before pulling out when it finally went down, “Sleep my little omega.” He left the nest just long enough to text Robin and his boss, updating them and then curled up behind you, rubbing his face into your neck again. Picturing how good your throat would look with his mating mark on it before falling asleep beside you.

[jeankluv]

Birdie - Satoru Gojo | Chapter 03

Words: 4,2k

Summary: You didn’t like him, at all. But due to your bad luck you would have to be forced to work with him and different circumstances end up leading you to the fact that perhaps the word dislike is not the one you use to describe him.

ac: _3aem (twt)

Warnings for this chapter: blood, abusive parents (Satoru’s parents are awful)

Tags: modern au, college au, fem!reader, academic rivals, he fell first, fluff, old money Gojo Satoru, abusive parents, slight slow burn, Satoru is a softy, secondary couple (Geto Suguru x oc), a bit of angst, no use of y/n, eventual smut, Gojo plays basketball

Author’s note: thank you so much to everyone who is liking, rebloging and commenting on this fic of mine, it makes me really happy. Thank you 💕

Materialist | previous chapter | next chapter

Links to the fic: wattpad | ao3

Two weeks had passed since you and Gojo became project partners, two weeks since the incident at the store, and two weeks since he offered to help you study. You initially refused, but things had changed quite a bit in those two weeks.

Gojo had remained as irritating as ever, but at times he showed a surprisingly kind side, making you doubt even of your own existence.

However, today, you had a strange sensation.

Observing the incessant glances and hushed whispers from the group in front, you felt an escalating desire to grab the stapler positioned before you and hurl it towards their heads, accompanied by a stern command to focus on their own affairs. The classroom atmosphere had been permeated by this spectacle for a good 20 minutes, and the source of their distraction was unmistakable – Satoru Gojo, seated right beside you, had become the center of attention.

Turning your attention away from the nosy group ahead, you focused intently on your screen, scouring for relevant information to contribute to the project. However, a gnawing unease prevented you from fully concentrating.

Out of the corner of your eye, you caught sight of Gojo diligently searching for information as well. To your surprise, Gojo appeared unusually serene and subdued today. He had even arrived with a portion of his work completed, a contrast that left you feeling somewhat embarrassed, considering you hadn't even begun your part.

In your defense you would say that you needed to prioritize other works, whose due date was earlier.

But back to the topic you suppressed a nervous impulse, taking a piece of paper from one of your notebooks, uncertain of how to proceed.

“I accept your deal”

You jotted down the note, folded it discreetly, and left it on Gojo's keyboard without meeting his gaze. Why did your heart race so intensely over a simple study proposal? It shouldn't be this complicated, so why were you feeling like that? You observed as Gojo picked up the paper, unfolding it. What expression adorned his face now? Likely one of his irritating, confident smiles. Pushing these thoughts aside, you attempted to refocus on your task—searching for project-related information.

“When would you like to meet?” A shock ran through your body when you felt Gojo's voice in your ear.

You turned your face to meet Gojo's, just inches from yours, he was close, too close. From that distance you could clearly see every detail of his skin, even admiring the blue of his eyes even more. Your breaths mixed with each other. You opened your mouth to close it again instantly, you were speechless at that moment and you felt immense heat on your cheeks.

Gojo moved his eyes watching you, as if he wanted to memorize every little detail of your face. And that was just causing your nerves to kick into high gear. Could he look away? Could he blink? Could he just not look at you?

“You…” You tried to formulate words but apparently your brain didn't want to work at that very moment. Why? You wanted to scream.

Gojo raised an eyebrow. "I…?"

“Too close.” You were able to finally say.

Gojo moved away a little but without stopping to look at you. “So when?”

You looked at him and away. “This… this Sunday? I don’t have work that day.”

“Okay, in my apartment then.” He stopped looking at you and went to his computer.

“Wait, what?” You tried not to say it out loud.

Gojo looked back at you. “You have a better place.”

No you didn’t, but his apartment? That was very intimate, wasn’t it? Shit you were getting nervous and your heart was pounding on your chest like crazy. Stop.

“No…” You said defeated. “Okay, at your apartment on Sunday.” You said quietly so that only he could hear you, you didn't want anyone else to be aware of that meeting.

Gojo nodded in acknowledgment and returned his attention to his work, his demeanor still serious and distant. Despite agreeing to study together, a sense of discomfort lingered in your stomach. Gojo seemed too reserved, too distant.

The sudden ring of the doorbell snapped you out of your reverie. Had the class already ended? Lost in your thoughts, you hadn't realized how quickly time had passed. Hastily, you began packing your belongings into your backpack, noticing Gojo rising from his seat and exiting the classroom.

You shouldn't have cared about him leaving without a farewell or any of his usual jokes. Since being paired up, you'd wished for some distance, yet now, as he reverted to his usual self, it bothered you—and the worst part was that peculiar feeling lingered.

Leaving the class with your backpack, you scanned both directions, searching for the tall figure with white hair. At the end of the hallway, you spotted him, hands in his pockets, head down, strolling away. You couldn't help but feel a twinge of something indescribable.

Go!

Your heart urged you to move, to step forward, yet your legs remained rooted to the spot, your mind screaming at you to be sensible and not be deceived. Despite your internal turmoil, you fixated your gaze on him once more, only to see him accompanied by a tall, slender girl who seemed to exude wealth from a distance. You rolled your eyes as you observed her clinging to Gojo, his smile directed at her with a gallant air.

Turning sharply on your heels, you set off in the opposite direction, relieved that you hadn't succumbed to the impulse to approach him like a desperate puppy. Perhaps you'd watched too many American films, constructing elaborate scenarios in your head, painting Gojo as the mastermind of a cruel game, indifferent to your feelings and merely toying with you.

But why should it matter if that were true? You'd never harbored any fondness for him anyway, so why should his intentions affect you?

Walking through the corridors of your faculty, you made a conscious effort to push those unsettling thoughts to the back of your mind. Your priority was to focus on your next class. Fortunately, you were scheduled to be with Kyoko, and it happened to be your favorite class: the laboratory. It provided a welcomed opportunity to unwind and engage in unhurried conversations with Kyoko throughout the hour.

Most days in the laboratory involved analyzing products provided by the teacher to observe their reactions to different mechanical effects and subsequently creating detailed reports. The benefit was the option to work in pairs, and naturally, you and Kyoko were like two magnets – inevitably sticking together.

Stepping into the familiar laboratory, the customary scent greeted your senses. Scanning the room, you spotted your best friend already donned in her gown and gloves. She greeted you with a smile, indicating the seat beside her. Grabbing your own robe and gloves, you approached her, exchanging cheerful waves. After placing your backpack under the table and laying your notebook on top, you shed your jacket and began to put on your robe.

“When are we going to your apartment to start getting your things from it?” She turned around to look at you.

“On Sunday…” You realized it that instant. “Fuck… I told Gojo we would be studying together on Sunday.” You closed your eyes.

You didn’t have a lot of things in your old apartment but you needed to clean it to leave it perfect so the owner wouldn’t complain.

“Suguru asked me out that day.” She whispered and you looked at her with your eyes wide open.

“What? And you were going to cancel it?”

“Yeah, I mean you asked me first for your help, it wouldn’t be fair for me to go out on a date after telling you that I was going to help you out, right?”

“Kyoko… sometimes you are just too good hearted. Listen.” You hold her hand. “I will try to find another moment to study with him. And you, my sunshine will go out on that date.” You smiled and she smiled back. “And you will have the best time.”

“I love you.” She said. “Sometimes I think we should get married.”

You throw your head backwards and laugh. “It’s almost like we are married. And I love you too.”

“By the way, you haven’t met Shoko right?” You tilted your head, Shoko? “Oh you will love her, she is friends with Suguru and Satoru.”

“She is the girl that was with you in the picture.”

Kyoko nodded. “She is studying medicine and she is really cool, you will like her.”

You hummed. “I’m going to get jealous if you keep talking like that about her.” You joked.

“You know you are my only one.” She hugged you in a dramatic way.

“Okay class!” The teacher entered the classroom, making you and Kyoko pay attention to her. “Today we will be…”

You and Kyoko got to work with what your teacher had sent you. While you did the necessary procedures, Kyoko took sketches and photos so he could make the report later.

You left the sample in front of Kyoko, so that she could take a photo of it, and you sat on the stool, removing the quanta that had left your sweaty hands. You grabbed your phone and went to chat with Gojo.

You to Pain in the ass

Gojo, I can’t meet up with you on sunday, we will need to reschedule it

I hope you understand it

Efficiently utilizing your time, you left your phone upside down and powered up your PC. With the tasks completed and photos transferred, you and Kyoko delved into crafting the report. By the time the class concluded, you had already covered more than half of the report, allowing you to ease into the remaining work after returning from work.

You walked besides Kyoko, while listening to her complaining about one of her teachers and how he wanted them to make an essay of at least 10 pages talking about liquid crystals. You knew the concept, you had shared the first year with her and some classes now. But Kyoko had chosen to continue studying modern physics, she was clear that she wanted to dedicate herself to education after this.

You, on the other hand, had opted for astrophysics, classic. But since you were little it was a topic that you had been passionate about, you have the vague memory of your mother talking to you about it and explaining concepts to you, which at that time you did not understand and seemed like fantasy to you.

It was over the years that you discovered that your mother had also studied astrophysics and that in fact she had become a good astrophysicist. But meeting your disgusting father and everything that happened afterward ended up sinking her. At least that's what your grandmother told you, but she had always been reluctant to talk about it, first with the excuse that you were too young to understand it and then telling you that it was better if you didn't know more.

You entered the cafeteria and went to get a coffee, today you couldn't eat with Kyoko, Haibara had asked you if you could go earlier to replace him.

You grabbed your coffees and sat down in your favorite place. You took a sip of your coffee and noticed Kyoko's gaze. You knew there was something strange about you and that the question was on the tip of his tongue.

“Nothing happens Kyoko.” You said before her saying anything. “I can tell you were about to ask me what’s going on and nothing is happening.”

“And I know clearly you are lying here.” She said, grabbing coffee.

You sighed defeated. “I hate you…”

“You don’t.” She smiled, showing her teeths. “Now what’s going on in your little head.”

You pursed your lips. "Gojo was strange today, that's what. But it doesn't matter and I don't care."

She leaned on her hand and looked at you with those eyes she had. "Are you sure you don't mind?" You nodded your head. "From the moment you entered the laboratory, you have been thinking about that." You turned your head to avoid her gaze. "I don't think you don't care."

You snort. “It doesn't matter, he just behaved again as if I didn't exist. He's probably with that long-haired girl who smiled so stupidly at him."

Kyoko looked at you with his mouth half open and whispered your name. "Are you jealous?"

Are you jealous? Those three words caused you to almost choke on your coffee, almost because you ended up spitting it all out on the cafeteria table.

“Kyoko! You are crazy?”

“I’m not the one that got jealous over another girl.”

“I was not jealous! I was angry because he was being a dick.”

“Sure and why does it matter to you?” She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. “You couldn’t stand him.”

“I… ugh leave me alone Kyoko.” You were so frustrated, irritated and angry.

You were not jealous about Satoru Gojo, you just couldn’t. You were just worried, worried because he was your partner. That’s it, he was your project partner and you just were worried. Jealous? Please that's nonsense, you weren’t jealous over that tall, slim, beautiful woman, that was nothing like you. You weren’t, you weren’t.

“I’m leaving.” You stood up.

“You didn't get angry did you?”

“I could never get angry at you, Kyoko.” You reassured her and she smiled. “But never say that again, because I’m not jealous, it’s just that, my dislike for him is just a little bit smaller okay!?” Kyoko pouted and waved goodbye to you.

You took your phone out of your jacket and looked for your headphones in your backpack, you needed to listen to music and escape a little. When you turn on the phone, the notification jumps to a new message.

Pain in the ass

Where are you?

You rolled your eyes. What was what he wanted now?

You to Pain in the ass

Leaving the cafeteria. Why?

Not even 10 seconds passed when a new message appeared in the chat.

Pain in the ass

Wait there, I’m coming

Now he wanted to see you? You huffed and rolled your eyes, putting your phone back in your pocket. The question is, why did you stay and wait for him? You had agreed to meet Haibara in 45 minutes, if you didn't leave now, you would be late. But something prevented you from leaving. You hated it.

“Birdie!” The stupid nickname again.

“Stop calling me that Gojo.” You said with a serious face.

“Hello.” Suguru next to him greeted you with a smile.

“Hi Suguru.”

“Why do you call him by his first name and me?” You rolled your eyes and ignored him.

“Is Kyoko inside?” You nodded and he smiled. “Well, then I’m going in. Bye.”

“I will break his jaw if he ever makes Kyoko cry.” You said when he was gone.

Gojo laughed besides you, until he saw your annoyed face. “Yeah… mhm why can't we meet on Sunday?”

“I need to take care of something.”

“What thing?”

“Doesn’t matter.” You looked away from his gaze.

“I can help you and we can study while I help you.”

“I don’t think moving out of an apartment and cleaning it’s a very good place for a studying session.”

“I think it’s an excellent studying session.” He clapped. “Then I will see you on Sunday. We will clean and study.”

You sighed, suddenly you missed the Gojo from that morning. “Alright… Now I have to leave.” You turned around and started walking away from him.

“Wait!” You felt Gojo grabbing your wrist to which you immediately pushed her away. What was he doing? “Sorry.” He took his hand away and he scratched the back of his neck, avoiding your gaze. “I… just have a good day birdie.”

You nodded and thanked him. Surely he had hit his head today or something? First he comes to class with his spirits on the rocks and then he becomes a complete introvert?

Sat next to the window, on the bus, you pressed play on your playlist. You and Gojo had not even been companions for a week, but in this short time you had realized one thing and that was that it was extremely difficult to read. As much as he pretended to be extremely happy and always wanted to be laughing, there was something he was hiding. And today you had been able to read him a little, his blue eyes did not shine with the same intensity as other times, they were sad.

But why were you so intrigued to know what he was hiding? To know him more?

“What’s up with that face?” Haibara talked next to you.

“Nothing, just college things.”

He nodded. “Thank you again for coming earlier.”

“You know you don’t have to thank me.”

Haibara has been working here since before you arrived, the establishment belonged to his grandparents and since he was little he had been helping them on an ongoing basis, but when he entered university he decided to start working from time to time to help his parents cover college expenses. He had been the one who had taught you everything that had to do with the store and who had helped you balance your schedules. During the two years you had been there he had done a lot for you, which is why you didn't mind covering for him for a few hours from time to time.

“Then I will see you tomorrow.” He talked from the door. “Take care!”

“Bye!” You waved back at him.

Satoru Gojo pov

Satoru gripped the basketball tightly, but his heart wasn't in the game. Despite the sunny day and the familiar rhythm of the court, he couldn't shake off his low spirits. Following a visit to the grocery store, he returned to his parents' home, only to find his grandparents had departed. However, their absence didn't spare him from the impending lecture and ensuing conflict. It felt like déjà vu, as if he were six years old again, facing the consequences of breaking a plate. All he yearned for was the freedom to live life they way he wanted.

“You are acting strange today.” Suguru threw the ball back at him.

Satoru took it with both hands and sat on the ground, letting out a sigh. "I guess." He murmured. “Yesterday I was at my parents’ house again. I was there nearly two weeks ago and they called me again.”

“Ugh, I can imagine why you are like this.” Suguru sat next to her. “They are still beating you up for not having studied law? Or the fact that you are still single.”

“I guess both.” He laid down on the grass. “They want me to go with Utahime, as my date, to the charity dinner we are having next month.”

Suguru laughed. “Utahime would probably end it all rather than go with you somewhere as your date.”

“She would probably killed me.” He sighed. “Mei Mei approached me this morning, I also think her parents have told her something and she wants to be my date.”

“Well at least you know that with Mei Mei you wouldn't end up dead, maybe with less money.” Suguru joked.

Satoru grabbed his hair in resignation. “Ugh, just no. I don't want to go with anyone…”

“But there is someone.” Satoru looked at his friend.

Yeah, of course there was someone.

“Yeah… but if Utahime kills me, she would probably kill, revive me and then kill me again.”

“For how long have you been in love with her?”

“Suguru, shut up.” Satoru reproached him, closing his eyes. “To be in love is a big thing, I just have a crush on her.”

“You even used to say she was an angel.”

“And what did you want me to think if I was 6 years old and she disappeared so suddenly?” He opened his eyes and looked at the blue sky. “But…” He stood up and looked at his friend. “She doesn't seem to even remember me and for two years the only thing I've had from her has been to ignore me. The good thing is that she has accepted the deal I proposed. So I will try hard.”

“What deal?”

“She sucks in one of the subjects we share, and I am the best, of course.” He said arrogantly to which Suguru rolled his eyes. “I proposed teaching her for the exam that we have two weeks and if she passes, she would accept a date with me.”

“Are you telling me, she accepted that?”

“Of course she did. Look at my cute face.”

“More like your annoying ass.” Suguru pushed him back.

“So you and Kyoko are going out on a date right?” Satoru sat back and started playing with the ball.

“Yeah, I asked her out.” Suguru tried to hide the fact he was getting red but failed as his best friend started to laugh. “Satoru, don't make me punch.”

“Sorry sorry, but it’s kinda funny seeing you getting nervous over a girl.”

They both started to joke around as if they were 8 years old again, until Satoru's phone started ringing making them both sit back down on the grass. Satoru pulled the phone out of his pocket and groaned as he read the name on the screen.

Father

Hearing his friend's growl, Suguru looked askance at his best friend's screen and understood his reaction. He patted him on the back, trying to calm him down but he knew that as soon as he took that call Satoru would probably lose his nerve.

“Hello father.”

“Son, you’re mother and I need to talk with you. Please come to our house.” And he hanged out.

Satoru looked at the screen of his phone without saying a word. He felt like a tool for his parents, nothing else than that, just a tool.

“Satoru…” He heard Suguru calling him, bringing him back to reality.

“Huh?” He looked at his friends and back at the phone. “I have… I have to go.” He stood up.

“Satoru, call me if anything happens. Okay?” He nodded at his friends and went straight at his car.

As he drove, Satoru secretly wished for endless traffic, hoping to delay his arrival at his parents' house. Yet, time slipped away unnoticed, and suddenly, he found himself standing before them. Avoiding eye contact, his family instructed him to sit down, signaling the impending discussion of serious matters.

“You will be dropping your degree as soon as this term is over.” His father spoke.

“What?” Satoru blurted out, trying not to sound too abrupt.

“What you heard son.” His mother took the cup in front of her to drink from it.

“I don’t want to.”

“It’s not about what you want or you don’t.”

His father spoke coldly. “If not, what our family needs. And what our family needs is an heir to take over the position that your grandfather will leave when he retires.” He looked at Satoru. “We were pretty good when you tricked us and signed up for that degree behind everyone's back. But it’s ending now."

“You can not do that! I’m an adult, you can’t not…”

“Son, don't raise your voice.” Her mother spoke. “How can you be so insolent? We have given you everything you have ever wanted since you were born and when we ask you to do this for YOUR family you refuse?”

“Everything I ever wanted?” Satoru laughed.

Satoru couldn’t help but laugh bitterly at the irony of the situation, what bad joke was that? He had been spoiled from the moment he came into this world, all the toys, all the clothes, everything he wanted he had. But when he wanted to have his parents there for him he didn't have that.

“What type of joke is that mother?” Satoru looked at her. “You have given me everything I wanted? Where were the loving parents, eh? Where? You filled me with consent and gifts but never with what a child really needed, which was his parents.” Satoru raised his voice.

“Insolent child, how dare you raise your voice like that at your mother.” His father got up from the couch and approached Satoru.

"Are you going to hit me like you did when I was little?" Satoru smirked. “I guess those were the only times I've felt any physical contact from you.” And the first slap came, making Satoru's face turn around.

“Dear…” She muttered to her husband.

“If he doesn’t understand it the good way, he’ll have to come to his senses the hard way.” He said and another punch fell on Satoru's face.

Satoru remained still, realizing that any action on his part would only escalate the situation further. He endured the onslaught of blows, each one landing with painful precision. Blood trickled from his lip and nose as the beating came to an end. Despite his mother's call for a servant to tend to him, Satoru rose from the ground, determined to leave.

“Son, as soon as this term is over it’s over and there is no way back.”

Satoru bit his lip. It hurt.

He left the house but not before hearing his mother's lament.

“If only we could have had another child.”

Satoru took his phone out of his pocket and sent a message to his best friend.

Satoru to Suguru 🐉

Let’s hang out !!

I need a drink

Suguru 🐉

You never drink

Did something happen?

Satoru sighed and looked at himself in the car mirror. It would leave a mark, for sure.

Note: comment if you want to be added to the tag list

Tag list: @lavender-hvze, @crybabytoru, @sanriosatoru, @norvacaine, @sadmonke, @faetoraa

[thepromptswhisperer]

Making A Bet Prompts

1. A and B make a ridiculous bet that makes both of them suffer. (e.g. “I bet you can’t even go twelve hours without kissing me.”)

2. A and B have made a bet neither of them is willing to lose. So, they both actively work on winning it.

3. A somehow always wins the bets they make with B.

4. Losing the bet is only secondary when it promises that A lost something else too. (e.g. bet on them getting the spot in the sports team)

5. A realizes belated that they never should have made a bet with B/on this.

6. A and B see other couples/people around them making little bets and wonder they are missing out on something.

7. A feels confident in winning the bet they made with B and (wants to) raise(s) the stakes.

8. A hopes – in vain – that B forgets that they lost a bet to them and owe them something.

9. “Awwww. Don’t be such a sore loser.”

10. A is not interested in the bet B proposes, but they go along with it to make them happy.

11. A realizes that they are going to lose the bet. Yet, they can’t/won’t/don’t want to forfeit.

12. A tries to warn B to not make a bet with C.

13. Losing/Winning the bet is the best thing that has ever happened to A.

14. A asks B to not bet (on certain things) anymore. (B doesn’t listen to them and loses everything.)

15. A and B make a bet that makes the latter question their feelings for/trust in A/etc. (e.g bet on who will get more phone numbers from strangers)

16. A lighthearted bet between A and B takes a dark turn.

17. A and B make a bet on C and D’s bet.

18. A enjoys their reward for winning the bet they made with B.

19. A loses a bet to B, and the latter makes sure they’ll never forget it.

20. A and B have used the same reward for winning a bet for a while now. A proposes to change it up.

21. A uses a bet to let B know they have feelings for them.

22. A cheats during a bet (e.g. being on their phone when they bet they could stay away from it for a few hours), thinking that B wouldn’t find out.

23. A is invested in a bet B made with C.

24. “You’re turning this argument into a bet/challenge?”

25. A wants to win their bet with B and (tries to) sabotage(s) them/bend(s) the outcome so it works in their favor.

26. A becomes aware that B and C stare at them in a weird way. (Have they yet again made a bet on them/their behavior/relationship/etc.?)

27. A makes a bet with B, certain they will win. They don’t – and they are mortified by it/their ego takes a big hit.

28. A and B find out that their friends/etc. have been placing bets on them (getting together).

29. A deliberately loses a bet because they are not in the mood to deal with the person/etc. B becomes when they don’t win. (Though they aren’t much better when they do win a bet/something either.)

[moutheyes]

many thoughts about currently airing QL

i meant to get this done earlier but i blinked and it's almost we are wednesday again. however, i still wanna get some thoughts on page for posterity.

only boo (completed!)

while this show had its imperfections, its triumphs largely outweighed its shortcomings. as a vehicle to showcase seakeen's acting abilities, chemistry, and viability as a cp, you really couldn't have asked for much more. moo is a son of all time, and both he and kang were fully realized characters that were a joy to watch and root for each week.

i think the writing sacrificed some of its side plots to the trope gods—the secondary romance between potae and payos deserved more than endless miscommunication, while shone's reintroduction as an eleventh-hour obstacle was clunky at best. there are also valid criticisms to be made about gmmtv's (in)ability to deliver a substantial in-text critique of the idol industry's stance on dating, and if that had been part of the show's thesis, maybe i'd feel more strongly about it, but it wasn't. it was an obstacle for the relationship between kang and moo, and as a gmmtv romcom, it was never positioned to promise anything more than a happy ending.

was the central storyline strong enough to overcome some of the uneven writing towards the end? to me, yes, absolutely it was. kangmoo was the beating heart of the show, and the script did everything right, up until graduation, to make us buy into not only their individual characterizations and motivations but also the strength of their relationship, the mutual support and adoration and understanding that made their love feel so much fuller. i'm going to miss having seakeen on my screen every sunday and i hope they get the superstar projects they deserve moving forward.

wandee goodday (ep 8 of 12)

this show has kind of entered a mushy middle stage for me. fake dating, as a trope, requires healthy suspension of belief, and the fwb setup is working at odds with that. it's become very evident in the last couple of episodes, where the only way dee and yak can individually keep up their own pretenses (more on dee's side, tbf to yak) is through a deliberate failure of communication, which gets exhausting to watch after a while. i'm glad yak finally confessed his feelings at the end of ep 8; hopefully the show can emerge out of this storytelling slump and end on a strong note.

oye and cher's proposal scene made me emotional, though. it was so sweet and so simple, and although we still don't have too much background on their relationship, it felt very organic to what we know of them, with the imaginary ring and the casual spontaneity of it all.

my stand-in (ep 9 of 12)

i was not expecting this to be my front-runner for show of the year, but it's really hitting on all levels for me: acting (up is always special, and poom has been a revelation), production (cinematography and camerawork are magnificent), and storytelling (smart, elegant adaptation and localization choices for the most part). with 3 episodes left and most of the major secrets revealed, there's plenty of time for groveling, retribution, and tying up loose ends, by which i mean fucking in missionary. no major notes; carry on.

we are (ep 12 of 16)

last week's episode was a bit slow even by this show's own standards, but what i liked about it was getting to see more of phum and fang's home life and how that has shaped their approaches to relationships. a lot of it was implied in the earlier episodes, so seeing it depicted a little more clearly—phum's abandonment issues and current friction with his father, fang's self-imposed perfectionism—introduced some much-needed depth to their characters.

also, unlike dee and yak's infuriating situationship in wandee goodday, i don't mind the undefined limbo that phum and peem have been occupying. this show has shown us that peem struggles with articulating his sense of self, most notably through his art, so it makes sense to me that he would be overly cautious in confirming his own feelings on an intellectual level, despite being able to act on his emotional and physical connection to phum.

i'm a little worried the show isn't leaving enough room to properly develop chainpun as the final couple, but what we haven gotten is delightful. in another universe this is the friends-to-lovers slowburn of my dreams.

knock knock boys (ep 5 of 12)

speaking of delights, this show is so fucking underrated. it has given me everything i wanted from its pilot trailer: the housemate shenanigans and comedic beats are chef's kiss, of course, but there's also a real sense of a camaraderie being built up between the four boys. the acting, also, has been remarkably even; i knew seng and best would bring it, but jaonine and nokia have held their own and really inhabited their roles.

i'm actually really pleased that jane is, in fact, peak's fiancee. the vibes that some of us got from that initial glimpse of their relationship wasn't wrong, though—they treat each other the way siblings do, which is probably indicative of an arrangement between their families. jane is on "i got your location from your dad" terms with peak's father, but she's also on "i'll cover for you and pretend you're not here" terms with peak, even as she's fully committed to invading his space and annoying the snot out of him until he gives in and stops running from his problems. extremely sibling behavior!! there is not a single whiff of romance between the two of them, but they are facing a difficult situation that will need to be resolved before either of them can move on and live their lives.

one thing about this show that i keep thinking about is the significance of thanwa's wardrobe. i clocked in ep 1 that he and his (probable) ex dressed very similarly, and the scene with the two of them in ep 5 just drove that detail home. now that we know thanwa a little better, i wonder if he's the type of person to conform to a lover's aesthetic (consciously or subconsciously). he is a caretaker and a little bit of a pushover, and clothing choice is a way that could manifest. it might not be anything, but i also wouldn't be surprised if we see some of peak's style sneak into thanwa's wardrobe as their romance develops.

there's so much more i could say about this show! the characters are all so fascinating to me, both individually and as a group!!! i'm gonna be late for a movie if i keep typing, though, so i will try to organize further thoughts after this week's episode.

love sea (ep 3 of 10)

as far as mame shows go, this has been unexpectedly enjoyable from the jump. fortpeat are delivering a much different dynamic than their whumpfest from LITA, and if you take out all the smoldering sex scenes, there has been plenty of actual character (and relationship) development through dialogue, which i appreciate. i like that the tension isn't confined to simple class difference; the writing situates mut at the intersection of various regional, economic, and environmental concerns, and that makes him so much more compelling as a foil to tongrak's more conventional slate of bl traumas. i do hope the show continues to maintain those core parts of his characterization as the romance progresses.

[aettuddae]

THE ANTHOLOGY — instructions and rules.

masterlist | chapter 1

— instructions.

• this is an interactive story, which means it has an initial plot in which readers will rely on to decide how it develops.

• this story will have two narrative lines. the main story, which is unalterable, once the readers have decided what happens next and the chapter is published, there is no turning back on it. and the secondary line, made up of non-canonical events that the readers propose, and does not affect the main plot.

• this will be a series of one shots (or short and sporadic updates) in the format of social medias and writing chapters. you can ask for headcanons, fake texts, reactions, drabbles, etc.

• the way to suggest ideas and request for the scenarios you want to read is by sending an ask to the author (me). as for the main storyline, asks and polls will be used to settle what will happen next.

— rules.

• the characters that will appear are the ones proposed in the masterlist. you can ask for the appearance of a special idol/actor and he/she will be considered.

• in the main storyline we will keep kazuha and karina as the only love interests, but in the non-official line you can ask for pieces where the original character is emotionally linked to any of the avaliable characters. the only character i won't write romance with is eunchae, since she is a minor at the time i start the story.

• it's my first time carrying or seeing a work of this type so i will, probably, be figuring out how to make it work properly at the same time i write it. it may happen that during its development the dynamics may be subject to changes, if that happens, i will be informing so on my blog.

• the updates of this story will not be so frequent and will be in short format. this is a project for all of us to have fun and the author (me) has stories in progress to focus on. i warn this so that you would have me patience in the future.

• for this same reason, in order for it to be a form of fun, i may reject submissions. i thank in advance anyone who sends their ideas and trusts me to write them, and i apologize too if you ever request something and i choose not to do it, there are things i just don't connect with or don't know how to portray, and i'd rather avoid that than create something mediocre or that doesn't inspire me.

• i will not write the main characters having relationships with the members of their respective groups, there could be secondary couples between the other characters if the proposal is good and the readers want it that way, but in general, i don't feel comfortable writing member x member. i also won't write anything disturbing and uncomfortable, the generals. i don't tend to write smut, you can suggest it, but it will be considered in-depth and it would be a very strange case that i end up accepting to write it. as for other things i will not write i'll be updating this post and post it in my blog.

• don't spam, if you have several proposals, send them in one ask or wait for the first one to be answered.

[adventuringblind]

The Void: Chapter One

Max Verstappen x reader x Charles Leclerc

Summary: Reader and her brother Michael are hiding from their father. A man with a special ability that she inherited. When Max is in danger one night, she's forced to confront her fear to save him.

Warnings: gore if you squint, monsters?, blood, talks of murder, talks of abuse and neglect

Notes: PLEASE READ THIS! Void walking is my own original idea! I'm writing this as an experimental way of actually seeing how it would work. Please do not copy this idea!

Masterlist

Sometimes, she hates that it's the rich people of the world that could get away with murder. Other times, she remembers that technically, they are the ones who pay her.

Well... they pay her brother. She just exists. Pretending to useful.

Michael had said she needs keep herself as hidden away as possible. Their father would most likely only come looking for her since she inherited his terrible ability.

He'd called it a few things; void walking, reality shifting, hell, the works. The fact she and him can see into a world that's different and yet so similar is terrifying. One moment there is no door then you simply shift realities and then the door is there for you to escape through and people are left to wonder how you just walked through the wall.

The terrible part is that the alternative is terrifying to look at. Like every odd creature and demonic figure has been placed there. Scary monsters from her nightmares and blood spatters from unknown entities.

At fist she didn't know how to control it at all. Somehow ending up in the world where things where constantly trying to kill her. But then she learned that nit all monsters are bad. Some of them do their best to help her and keep her safe or even provide things her father couldn't.

Michael had taken her and ran when he turned eighteen. He promised to start new where they could live freely. She wouldn't say this is very 'free' but it's better then living with her serial killer father.

He'd managed to worm his way into the world of F1. How? She has absolutely no idea. He did his time and moved up the ranks and is now one of the top engineers with Redbull. The garage she spends her time hiding away in.

It's not like she's elusive. She's always orbiting around her brother and helping his out even though she's not being paid.

Michael just lets her help him woth his work because it keeps her busy and out of her head. Well - out if the secondary world she lives in.

Now she finds herself aimlessly reading a book in the Redbull hospitality. Her phone lighting up with Michael's caller ID.

"Hello? You know I'm not that far away right?" She answers sarcastically. The huff in her brothers voice is less then amused.

"Yes, I know, but I need a favor."

"What kind of favor?"

"The kind where you bring me something to eat because it's past noon and I'm starving and I'll let you explore the city tonight." He proposes. Hesitant woth the way he says it. Michael rarely lets her go anywhere alone. Monaco seems like the worst place to do so but the thought of escaping his eagle eye for an hour is enough to make her not question it.

"Deal."

~

The walk down would have been swift. Had a certain Dutch driver been paying attention and she wasn't lost in her own thoughts.

Now she's frantically apologizing and he's just looking at her smiling. The stupid smile that makes her melt.

Since her brother is one of Max's highest engineers, she spends a decent amount of time around him. They'd become fast friends since they met.

They were much younger then. She was seventeen and Max was nineteen. Now Max has just turned twenty-three and is on his way to a possible title.

It's been hectic and they'd barely had time to talk as of late. So it's a bit funny that their first conversation they'd had in a couple weeks is her frantically apologizing for running straight into him.

At least she wasn't void walking and ran through him instead. That would've been awkward and hard to explain.

"Why are you apologizing so much?" He chuckles. The action only makes her more flustered.

Her choulders eat her ears in embarrassment. "Just feel bad, I guess."

"I'm assuming you're heading to the garage for your brother?"

"He's getting hangry." She rolls her eyes. Mostly just annoyed that she had to put down her book for this.

Max holds out an arm for her to take. Almost like something out of a medieval romance which does nothing good for her imagination. "Can I walk you then?"

"What's your angle, Verstappen?"

"Can I not just want to spend five minutes with my friend?"

~

That evening Michael makes good on his promise to let her out alone. Max had invited her over to his apartment that night if she had time to spare.

Even offered to meet her halfway. An offer she accepted because she comes to Monaco for one weekend out of the year and has a tendency to get turned around when she doesn't have a set route.

She walks around the dock waiting for him. The moon light bounces off the water as the soft sounds of the water moving about fills her ears. It's peaceful here.

Until it's not.

Shadows are the dominate species in the void. Ghastly figures that could terrify most. And most do terrify her. But not all of them are evil and she's formed a few close bonds with the kind shadows she's met.

Her father's shadows were terrifying to look at and even more terrifying to fight. She thinks this is why as a child, the shadow she effectively called Fang because her small mind saw big fangs and decided upon that, came to her aid. It bore its teeth to protect her and has done so since she was five. Sometimes when she is upset, Fang will shrink into a small soft creature and lay over her lap. Like a really demented looking dog. That doesn't mean Fang isn't cute, just the only comparison she can make.

Now Fang is attempting to get her attention. Something or someone is here and it's not anything good.

She breathes before letting her mind lets her body slip a little into the void. The red sky and dirty water make her want to vomit but the sight of Fang makes it tolerable.

She follows it's lead around the corner and she's grateful the layout of the dock is the same. Aside from it being broken and rusted of course.

The muffled shouts are what takes her off guard. She can now clearly see Max being attacked. By who she has no idea. But the world she grew up in showed her that people do crazy things for no reason other then the high.

"Hey Fang, wanna play fetch?" The shadow looks at her with a glint of excitement. The bare eyes still light up with emotion even if it's hard to see." Just don't kill anyone."

The void deals a lot in energy. If her energy surrounds something enough then she can interact without regardless of how she's seeing it. That, in turn, means Fang also can because of their bond.

The female slips out her pocket knife and walks steadily towards them. Three unknown and a Max. Simple enough.

About 6 meters away, they finally notice her. She can faintly hear Max's muffled shouts through the unknown figure clamping their hand over his mouth.

She throws the knife then shifts again to the void. She just continues walking as Fang snatches it out of the air and land directly of the figure hold max. The knife sinks into their thigh. The shifts back to check the damage and Max is now scrambling to stand up and the knife has disappeared. Still in the void with Fang.

"Let him go unless you want more!" She shouts. Her voice melding with the sound of the water.

They look at each other a debate whether it's worth it. They obviously aren't prepared for a real fight.

She can feel Fang brush against her leg. Another great thing about their bond. Being able to feel the other despite not being shifted.

The three end up running away with their tail between their legs. Then she walks to Max to make sure he's okay.

They hug as soon as their proximity is close. Her head hurts from shifting so much. She doesn't normally do it that much they quickly. Even as she's walking her vision keeps switching between navy blue and deep red.

It switch back to blue and she takes a moment to assess Max. "Are you alright? You're not hurt?"

"No and I definitely owe you one for saving me. But what was that? I mean- how did you...?" He starts to maxplain but doesn't get far as her vision switchs once again. This time revealing something terrifying.

She knows what's going to happen. She'll get stuck between worlds. This power is far from perfect and has a tendency to set somone perfectly inbetween worlds. She can feel and see Max and also the shadow with spindly claws that's approaching her.

It's not a nice shadow and she's pissed it off somehow. Probably just disturbed it.

It's arms reach around Max and it caresses her cheek drawing. It burn as it pierces her skin and draws a line across her cheek.

"Y/N? You okay?" Max is shaking her shoulders to get a response. "You're bleeding now. I watched it appear out of thin air!"

Fang is immediately in protector mode. It's massive teeth and now exponentially larger size then before makes them intimidating.

The two end up in a brawl. She can hear the whispers of other memories and entities in the void. It's never a kind place to end up and she feels for the gentle shadows who endure daily.

She sinks to the ground and clutches her ears. Her attempt at blocking them out is futile. The whispers always make it in. They creep around her skin. They paint out the ugly lies.

Then her body is being jostled. It's a miracle she can even be moved from the outside. Normally she becomes a ghost because she can only be tied to one at a time. Her body only interacting with one even if it's still see in the other.

Being stuck between makes twice as many things in the way. But here in Max's hold she tries to think about how she's safe. She thinks about how his skin is warm and how he smells like citrus and the sun.

~

To say Max is panicked would be an understatment. The girl in his arms keeps getting stuck on things that aren't there and he's about to lose his mind.

Whatever sort of mime work this is needs to stop. She's bleeding and hyperventilating and now her sleeve is torn open.

He needs to get her to his apartment so that they can talk about what's going on. Which is what he would've done if she didn't completely pass out in his arms.

The entire walk back is painful. It's even painful trying to get her to sit down because she's still hitting non-existent objects.

She ends up in the tub. He'll apologize later but right now is not the time. He pulls out the first aid and puts her brother on speaker. He sends a silent prayer that he's still awake.

"Max? Everything okay?" He sounds perfectly ready to take on a five mile sprint. How does he have so much energy after he worked on the car for ten hours straight?

"Actually I have you sister and I think some invisible force is trying to kill her." He realizes how stupid it sounds after he says it. The silence on the other end makes him think Michael is about to die of laughter.

"Is she awake?" His tone completely changes into something serious and Max begins to panic just a little more.

"No, she passed out halfway to my apartment."

"I need you not to panic about anything, okay? Just do as I say and then I'll explain later."

"Okay."

~

Ten minutes. It took him ten minutes to wake her up. Her screams and thrashing from the initial wake up were calmed when she realized it was him. Her brother still on speaker talking her through something.

"Y/N, I need you to relax. Is Fang there?"

"Yes." The crack in her voice hurts him. He'd known her for years now but had never seen her like this.

"Is there something attacking you?"

"Not anymore."

Attacking? Max does his best to hide the shock. Has she been getting attacked by invisible things? For some reason he feels a bit selfish for never noticing it. She noticed everything. Knew Jos was not the greatest person with a single look. She always knew how he was feeling. How had he not been able to reciprocate?

Max shakes himself of his thoughts. Hew needs to be present for her right now.

"You have to shift the balance again. I know it's hard, but I need you to lean into my voice and Max's presence."

Her eyes screw closed in concentration. Max can't help but admire the way she looks when she's concentrated because it's different from how he looks. His is angry and fierce concentration, but hers is almost curious and welcoming.

When her eyes flicker back open she heaves a sigh of relief. Her head twists around as if to fully understand where she is.

"I did it." She almost beams. Max has no idea what she did but he smiles proudly anyway. If only to be supportive of his friend.

He's never liked that word for them. Friend. He needs to get a handle on his thoughts. She almost died and he's thinking about his relationship status. But maybe this is a good thing. Daniel would say it's probably a sign he should Confess. Has told him to do so for a year now.

"So the options now are that I can explain to Max, or you can explain to Max."

She ponders for a moment. Her eyes stare into him like she's assessing something. "I will."

"Do you want me here or do you want to do it alone?"

"I'll be okay."

~

Max stares at her for the fifth time. She'd explained it to him multiple times and answered his questions the best she knows how.

"It's a lot to take in, I'm sorry I'm struggling to understand." He shoots her an apologetic glance.

She just shrugs in return. "To be fair, I don't even completely understand it."

"I'm also sorry about your dad."

"Not like yours is any better. No need to compare, we've both been through things." She smiles him.

They're sat on his bed, limbs sprawled out comfortably. Soft music plays in the background.

"Can I... I want to... follow me?" Max starts speaking with his hands instead and gestures to the balcony attached to his room.

The two step outside. The fresh air is nice after breathing in the ash of the void.

Max faces her. The eye contact is terrifying, but she holds it. She knows it's how he tries to communicate his feelings. "I have a confession." She nods her head to show she's listening. Max's hands tentatively sup her cheeks, but he relaxs when she lets herself lean into it. "I've loved you for a while now. Ever since last year, when you sat with me for hours, consoling me over something stupid."

"It wasn't -"

"Not the point." He shushs. "I'm trying to tell you that my heart hurts thinking you've been hurting all this time and I want to be there for you in a way that I can't as just a friend." He finally confesses.

She stares at him wide eyed but her smile is radiating. "I love you too, Max. I panicked when I saw you pinned down. Couldn't bare the thought of something terrible happening and losing you." She places a hand over his.

It happened so quickly. The feeling of his lips on hers. Then they were gone.

"I'm gonna be there for you now too. No more hiding away from me."

She finds herself getting lost in the blue of his eyes. How could she refuse him such a thing? "I promise."

[nerdranttheories]

All Might’s Eyes

I have seen so many different theories revolving around Toshinori Yagi’s eyes, and I want to propose my idea and add it to the mix!

There seem to be a couple different ideas. 1, Toshinori Yagi’s eyes have a black sclera with blue irises, and he always has. 2, All Might’s eyes started doing the shadow thing after the vinegar incident. 3, All Might’s eyes started doing the shadow thing after his injury from the fight with All for One. I don’t really think any of these are the case, and I’ll explain why.

Addressing the first theory, we now know for a fact that when Toshinori was younger, he had white sclera. Both as a baby (middle schooler) and college-age young adult, and even after that if Boku No Hero Vigilantes is canon. So it’s likely not that one.

I’m going to address the second and third theory both here. It seems likely that Toshinori’s body has always done the shadow thing, and here’s my image example of why. I know that he’s also shadowed when speaking to Nana in the brief scenes it shows of OfA being transferred over, I just can’t find screenshots of those moments in my camera roll.

If Toshinori’s body has always done this, then it wouldn’t make sense to suddenly have it happen after a specific incident. In my All Might is a Heteromorph post, I posted screenshots of Boku no Hero Vigilantes where All Might is young, eyes showing, and he shifts into his secondary form and his eyes are shadowed/blacked out.

My headcanon? (whoops, I should have mentioned I know this isn’t canon) All Might’s eyes work like those darkening eyeglasses. Whenever his eyes are exposed to sun that’s too bright, his scleras darken in response to minimize damage to his eyes. When he was younger, this didn’t happen as often but as he got older, coupled with being outside 24/7 and heroing, eventually his eyes got to a state where they never turn back. Haha unless??? Jkjk. (I try not to post spoilers)

A very simply and badly made version of how I see it happening.

[aboredindividual]

Courting gifts and proposing

They courting process may vary depending on social status of the families, secondary genders involved and the level on which tradition is enforced but it also has few things that can't be skipped over. Courtship can last from 1 to 5 months, with courter and courted being often chaperoned (it's prevalent in aristocratic and wealthy families, common people are more lax with this). The pair will often exchange courting gifts and perform rituals that will bring the couple together . With courtship period ending , the pair will decide then if they want to go through betrothal and mate.

Courtship tokens :

Folded paper (Origami, zhezhi) - often is the first thing that a courter will gift even before formal courtship as a question ,,I feel something for you, do you feel the same?". If the reciever gives back a similliar paperfold back it is the sign that you can continue on with the affections. The paper used is heavily scented by the courter as a reminder and a keepsake. Popular shapes of the paper involve animals and flowers such as : mandarin ducks, swans , butterflies, doves, rose, lily, herons, Magnolias, Rabbits etc.

Combs - because of hair's smell-absorbing qualities, any hair related coutship gifts are always a good baseground and a popular choice. Combing one's hair is an intimate affair that only immediate family and a spouse will have priviledge to. Gifting a comb is a way to say ,, I wanna grow old with you"

Hair accesories - they vary from hairpins to guans, scented hair ties to hairclips, they are a flashy way to set claim on someone and a good test to whenever your tastes match with the courted.

Bracelet - omegas (especially high-ranking ones) wear wrist-covering bracelets for their scent glands. Single ones ofter wear simple styled bracelets, so gifting omega a lavish one may establish them as someone elses. It is a gift of utter seriousness of courted's feeling. Bracelets also can be given to beta's but it won't hold as serious meaning as omegas, but the beta will appreciate it nontheless ,who doesn't like jewelry amiright? If you are gifting bracelet to an alpha, remeber to keep it simple and slim, like a bangle :3

Collars - An official gift that has serious weight to it , equivalent to saying ,,proposal is just a matter of time" . Collar is a symbol of utter claiming that when gifted the omega will wear up until the end of courtship period and if they accept proposal- to the wedding date. Do not give the a collar if you are not completely serious about the matter. Presenting omega a collar and then not going throught with a proposal is a scandalous manner that rivals jilting!!

Nest supplies - a good, useful gift for an omega. Scented Pillows, blankets or plushies are good nesting companion , granted that they are made of easily washable materials. You litterally cannot go wrong with this gift. The softer the better!!

Food - A well meaning gift made from love. The courted will often make dishes by hand to show that they can provide and care for the courter. When dates are set in indoor places, food tends to be of less variety and being more filling , while date that take place in an outdoor space such as garden or a meadow ,then food tends to be more bite sized and varied for example dumplings, tarts, cakes, tea, sandwiches and fruitsticks.

Hankerchief - a scented hankierchief is often used gift by unmated omegas and female betas that alpha or male beta can always take out and take a whiff of. A classical gift of reciprocation of feelings.

Fans - usually depicting a piece of nature, poetry or historical events, fans are great gifts for summer heat. Fans are often made from wood and paper so it can also carry scent from the courter. A fan is a representation of person's personality so make sure that it matches the person recieving it!

Scent Perfume: A long distance gift suitable for any dynamics. To get them you need to go to a professional shop specializing in perfume making. The attendants will then carefully evaluate your scent and will best try to recreate it. They are a long lasting and easily portable.

Important ritual in courtship

Scent marking - a proccess when the pair exchange scents. It always starts small and with each month of courting the scent marking level goes further. In the beginning its only sniffing each others wrist, then evolves into rubbing eachothers wrists together, then it turns into intimate touches such as hugs or handholding and finally scenting eachothers neck. ( Note: in suburban and urban areas this step often is less regulated and strict. This high level of propriety and privacy remains often in high social clasess).

Proposing

Exchanging a bite on the wrist scent gland is often an action that cements betrothal. The mark is not permament and will fade after around 4 months. A bite on the wrist shows other people that you are taken and unavailable.

[witchofthesouls]

Are divorces a thing in cybertronian culture? Like, spark bonding is basically marriage but more extreme in the sense that their literal souls are being bound together, but can it be broken? If it is but very rare I’d imagine that their version of divorce is seen as very shocking (possibly even seen as blasphemy to some religious bots) to others.

Because of the variety of relationships on Cybertron, which can be different between city-states and caste, there are several kinds of marriages that are accepted throughout the planet.

Conjunx Endura is the legal process of it. It's mainly based on the Acts of Affirmation and other additional regional concessions.

Because Iacon is the birthplace of Functionism, the city-state requires the pair to register as "Primary" and "Secondary" Conjunxes. By their mandates, it's the party with the higher caste that becomes the Primary Conjunx. If both are from the same caste, then the one with more wealth and/or political acumen.

Polyhex, unlike her sister-cities, mainly relies on legal paperwork to declare their statuses. This is due to their highly unstable terrain and loosely connected towns and villages. While still a passionate and artistic culture, it created a cold, very pragmatic mindset when it comes to relationships. Their courts that involve family matters can be viciously ugly for different reasons.

Legal spouses have the option to split and go separate ways.

Mecha can have multiple Conjunxes.

Bonded by spark marriages are a whole other shebang. While highly romantic with many spiritual and religious connotations, it's a permanent thing until death... with the surviving party following their bondmate soon after.

Despite what the media depicts, a deep connection isn't formed with a single passionate, yet shallow press. That could yield a sparklet but not a solid bond.

It's mainly due to the highly coveted Resonants status. It's where two (or more) sparks are ridiculously compatible with each other to the point the separate sparks immediately latch into a deep connection, overwhelming the respective mecha's wishes.

Bondmates have the unique ability to ping each other's general location. It isn't a specific set of coordinates, but they can get a pull to a direction, no matter the distance and suppression tools.

Highly-tuned and well-established bondmates would have the capability to 'feel' each other's emotional states.

Throughout Cybertron's history, many parties have taken advantage of spark marriages, both for personal and political gain, such as two warring parties reconciling with two high party members spark-bonding.

The most (in)famous pair are Megatronus and Solus. While the most widespread tale is their tragic romance that ended with Megatronus killing Solus, there are tales and myths of them taking more lovers, separate and together.

Because of the highly risky nature and uncomfortable level of raw intimacy, this extreme kind of political marriage usually has witnesses to the initial martial bed. Both to verify the authenticity and to mitigate any potential assassination or murder-suicide during the orns-long bonding sessions. (The closest equivalent would be a secluded month-long honeymoon and consummation ceremony. Traditionally witnessed by a senior priest and medic team to vet it and to use their considerable combined strength if necessary...)

There had been tales of survivors, but that usually included the necessity of another intimate sparkbond to stabilize them.

Vos and Praxian do have records of survivors within triads and trines. Researchers of the city-states have proposed that the trine bonds allowed the backlash to be shared with two others. The immense stress would be painful yet not fatal, provided the two members were alive.

Seekerkin cities have a specific relationship status for successful heat-induced couplings.

Much to Vos, Praxus, and Polyhex's annoyance and bemusement, other city-states reclassify this kind of status as a "marriage" as they gave up trying to figure this out in addition to Seekerkin's convoluted social structures and kinship-ties.

Heat-couplings have protected statuses in regards to sharing medical information, finances, and can define custody between the carrier's and sire(s)' flocks.

An 'annulment' can happen should the sparklet(s) fizzle out before dropping down.

[babyrdie]

What do you like most about TSOA?

The answer was almost Briseis, because I like how she actually has a personality and is more prominent than just being the reason Achilles leaves the war. Initially, I was afraid the author was going to write her having an unrequited crush on Achilles because, even though the author made Achilles not have sex slaves, it would still be a bizarre decision for a retelling in my opinion. She's done something similar before with Deidamia, so it wasn't an impossibility. FORTUNATELY, not only is Briseis not in love with Achilles, she also doesn't like him (which, honestly, makes perfect sense. Even if he didn't rape her in TSOA, he's still the reason she's a slave). And since he doesn't use her as a sex slave, she doesn't need to act lovingly in hopes of gaining rights through a legitimate marriage. I liked how balanced character she was, as Briseis in TSOA is certainly a strong character, but is clearly kind as well. I wondered what happened to her after she died.

But she's still not my favorite thing about TSOA because, I don't know if that's an unpopular opinion, I'm honestly not a fan of the decision "Briseis fall in love with Patroclus". Not because it interferes with the shipp or any nonsense like that, I just don't like this decision because of her character. It's nothing to do with Achilles and Patroclus as a couple, it's about Briseis. If she didn't have this romantic interest in Patroclus, I think she would be the best thing about the book.

So maybe the answer is Chiron? He's one of the best-characterized secondary characters. I'm not a fan of TSOA's secondary characters' characterization (Agamemnon and Pyrrhus both very superficial, for example. And I hated what was done to Deidamia, even though I understand the proposal. Also not a fan of Thetis being the reason her son was raped), but Chiron was cool and I like how Pelion was explored. He had that air of a really patient teacher who teaches you interesting and essential things about life, which I think is very Chiron of him. I can't really think of anything that makes his character bad in TSOA.

In fact, I actually like it better when Patroclus and Achilles are children than when they're adults in TSOA. My favorite part of the book is from the beginning until before Skyros, I'd say. So I also like how their childhood was portrayed, it was really sweet and innocent. We don't have that in mythology and the other famous adaptation of Patrochilles (Hades) has the opposite proposal (post-death, older and more mature), so having the opportunity to see them so young was cool. I think the only thing I would change about childhood is that I would have liked it more if Patroclus had stayed longer bothered by Achilles because I think that would make the dynamic more fun, but that's more purely personal taste than anything else.

So, basically that's it. I really like Chiron, Briseis and the time when Patrochilles were children (pre-Skyros). Does that mean I absolutely hated everything else in TSOA? No, but for me those were the best aspects.

[asexual-angsty-writer]

Since we all know wife-plots could have practically been anything, as long as we can bend it into a Papapa scenario or papapa-adjacent that has Luo Binghe being his protagonist self;

Would there have ever been a wife-plot that required communication with an isolated demon tribe, who spoke a different language? Whether either Bingge had to papapa its leader to learn the language or gain a wife by flirting with the translator?

Because I'm Bilingual, I like projecting that — so I propose: LQG having Spanish/a dialect of it as a secondary/home language.

Like, he won't talk in it outside, but with his sister or when he's visiting family — it's just pure Spanish.

Just to have LQG as the accidentally-convinient translator, who's half trying to help and half trying to (subtly) get people to back off from Binghe because that's a married man.

And no, he will not acknowledge the fact he's also someone that's interested in this married couple — atleast he has the necessary shame to keep it hidden, unlike others.