#a quick thing i wrote up after a fun little conversation

[flame-shadow]

A Love Letter from a Vampire to the One She Fed From

I followed your trail. I smelled your blood. I felt your breath. I reached out with yearning. And when you deigned to brush against me with the grace of a dancer, I could not help but latch on. You swept me away with your long strides and sure footing, and I clung to you desperately. Trying to find purchase. Trying to find blood. Your skin was damp and salty as I carefully explored it. Your hand passed over me as I caressed. Your hair brushed against my back as I hovered my mouth over your vein. Oh, that warm liquid of life, tantalizingly full of promise; it called to me! You made no move to stop me as I brought my face closer, as I parted your skin with mouthparts suited for this task, as I tasted that first drop your body's wine.

My dear, I am perfect for you. You felt no pain as I fed from you. We stayed like this for days while I sated my hunger. My belly swelled as I drank from your eternal fount until I could only stroke your skin with my first two arms. Yet that was when I most wished I could embrace you fully to express my gratitude. Part of me wished that you would embrace me instead. The larger part of me feared that same thing.

My love, are you aware of your own strength? Could I have trusted you to remove me with the same delicacy that I practiced when I latched on? Had you become aware of me, would you have loved me enough to let me move on with the gift of your life I had taken? …Maybe it was better that I left before it came to that.

My life, you are both god and temple, and I worship you even as I drag myself away with eight limbs and belly full. I will whisper to our eggs of the ichor I kissed out of you, of the essence which helped me create them, and I will pray that they live a life as full of love and longing as the one I have experienced in my quest for you.

[cosmicstarlatte]

Coffee Shop (Obey Me!)

━━━━━━━━━━ ✦ ━━━━━━━━━━

You start a new job at a coffee shop in a popular plaza. You can't help but look forward to a certain regular. ♡

»Characters: Demon Bros + Dia + Barb

»Tags: Fluff, Bulleted Style, GN Reader, LeviLeviLevi-

»Notes: lol when was the last time I made a bulleted fic that wasn't a shitpost???🤯 Just simple short fluff lol, reblogs are appreciated + motivating ♡

Lucifer:

Always orders a cafe con leche every morning

Keeps interactions short but you learned his name

Always so serious but he does look like a business man

A very very handsome business man cough

After working there for a little bit he admits he likes the way you make his drink & hates when you guys miss each other on days off

One day he comes in normal clothes & you got caught off guard when he made it to the register

"It's my day off but I was craving my usual. I'm glad to see you're here."

Pleaseee you gotta be blushing right now alalfkfldk

You notice the record store bag he's holding & start a fun conversation while its slow

It does get busier & unfortunately have to cut the conversation to both your disappointments

"We can continue this later...maybe over dinner if you're available?"

Mammon:

Usually gets an icy blended drink, the flavor changes frequently

You see him every other day, it looks like he works at a retail store in the plaza

You thought he was cute & funny despite how loud he could be

One day he defends you against a really rude customer

You say your thank yous & give him his drink for free that day

"Yeah I guess I am a hero. Heroes get free drinks all the time though, ya?"

You couldn't help but laugh & accidentally let slip "you're really cute!"

He starts choking on his drink, stuttering & blushing

He goes silent for a moment before asking, "whaddaya say to a date one of these days?"

Levi:

Usually orders sweet drinks & likes trying seasonal/limited time things

You've seen him at his job at the anime store in the plaza, since you visit there sometimes

You two are on friendly terms even though he can be awkward

You think he's very cute though, especially when he talks about his passions

You felt like you two were dancing around eachother so you decide to make a move

You drew a Gundam robot on his drink & wrote 'Gun-DAM you're cute!'

You nervously handed the drink & he took it without noticing the drawing on it

You watched as he left the shop,took another sip, then stop as he looked at his drink

You could see he was happily freaking out but then abruptly stop

He looked back to the shop & you waved a shy hello

He ran back inside to make sure, "S-sorry is this a mistake? W-was this for someone else??"

"Look on the bottom"

He raised the cup & looked under

Levi, AkuCon this weekend?

Satan:

Usually orders a simple cappuccino but will add a flavored syrup occasionally

Comes in often on his breaks

You've seen him working at the bookstore in the plaza

He looks like a simple guy yet very charming

You always notice a book on him & one day you decide to ask what he's reading

You learn you read the same things & start having fun conversations every time he stops by

Eventually he asks you if you'd be able to give your thoughts on his writing

"Sure, I'd be happy to read it if you bring it!"

He gave you a flirty smile

"Actually I was thinking maybe we could hang out...like somewhere that's not here?"

Asmo:

Always orders an iced vanilla oat milk latte

You see him every few days, really friendly customer that loves to chat & you become friends quick even though you want more

You find out he works at a nearby agency & is an up & coming model

You felt a little intimidated, he could be really famous one day!

Nevertheless you treat him just the same even as those around him changed, he lets you know how grateful he is

One day he comes in upset & tells you the agency is moving across town to a bigger location so he won't be able to see you there anymore

At the same time both of you blurt out

"I still wanna see you!"

Beel:

You never know with this guy

He works in the sports store across from the cafe

He's always indecisive with the menu & one day just tells you to make whatever

You're his fave barista, he thinks you make the best drinks either way

Doesn't realize he just likes everything & has a crush on you

You can't help but get excited when he looks excited to see you golden retriever energy

You find out he's a foodie type & you guys talk about the local spots around town

"Would you like to check out the new sandwich store that opened a few doors down? Uh...like, maybe a date?"

Belphie:

Usually orders a hot regular latte but occasionally orders hot chocolate

He appears to be a student as he comes in often to study & always looks tired

One day on your break you decide to chat him up & offer help on the subject he was struggling with

He thought you were cute & was thankful for your help

After a few weeks of tutoring (+some heavy flirting), he passed his exam flawlessly

"Actually can you help me with one other thing?"

"Yeah, what?"

"Would you like to go on a date sometime?"

Diavolo:

Has a new favorite every week but really likes lattes/teas

You can tell he's important with his assistant present

You wonder why the assistant doesnt just get his order though

Anyway hes hot really friendly & chatty & can tell a few good jokes, you appreciate them!

He always seems reluctant to leave the shop which makes your heart flip

Always leaves a big tip! ... I want him to give me a big tip 😔

The two of you find out you have a lot more in common than you thought

One day he admits that these coffee runs are the things he looks forward to the most since his day is usually very busy & doesn't get much else normalcy

He lets slip that it's mainly seeing you that adds to his joy so he goes all in

"If you're interested, care to join me for dinner this weekend?"

Barbatos:

Always large orders of a few different drinks (part of his job)

Though you notice he always orders tea for himself & likes to buy different tea blends

He's a very (cute) polite customer, one of the few

You two usually chat as you make his large order & you can't help but fall for him

Knowing he loves to buy limited release tea blends, you usually save him one before the cafe sells out

You never tell anyone about it but:

"I appreciate you always saving me one."

"Oh? How did you know!?"

"I have a friend who stopped by earlier & said it was one of those times they missed out. Yet, there always appears to be one for me even after sell-out. Thank you kindly."

You blush at being found out, "seems I've been caught!"

He chuckles & gives you another shock:

"I've been meaning to ask...will you allow me to take you out one of these days?"

⬦You might also like: Customer Service︱Devil-Mart ⭐️︱You Are The Father︱MC feeling Insecure

[beomiracles]

Can ii request for how they would react with reader not understanding their language well?

WHEN YOU DON'T SPEAK KOREAN

A/N ─ as I don't speak Korean myself I wrote it more generalised. English is not my first language so I very much understand language barriers and wrote more from my own experience(s) rather than going into depth about the Korean language :3

pairings: txt x gn!reader warnings: maknae line + Beomgyu's is slightly SLIGHTLY suggestive

YEONJUN

thinks it’s cute how he has to explain certain sayings and words to you.

doesn't mind you asking questions. 

might tease you a bit for it at times.

usually speaks english with you to make things easier. 

Yeonjun’s back is turned to you as he leans against the kitchen countertop. Phone pressed against his ear as he speaks. He rarely spoke korean with you so hearing him on the phone with his mom had your ears perked as you listened. You could only make out a few words and phrases here and there. 

Walking up to him you lean against his chest, fingers playing with the fabric off his shirt. Your boyfriend’s hand runs through your hair softly as he engages in the conversation with his mom, occasionally glancing down toward you with a grin. 

When the call finally ends you look up at him, “what was it about?”. He smiles as he gives your forehead a kiss. “She asks if we’re coming over for dinner soon”, he says his fingers play with the strands of your hair. You frown, “I…what if I can’t understand her…I want to make a good impression”. 

Yeonjun shakes his head, “you already have”, he grins, “she’s always asking for you”. His words make your heartbeat a little faster. “Besides, I’ll be there the whole time to help”, he reassures and you smile, “okay”. 

SOOBIN

gets more flustered than you when you tell him you didn’t catch what he said. 

very shy to speak korean around you. 

when he doesn’t know the word in english and only in korean he tries his best to explain it to you. 

always curses in korean, in turn making them the only words you know. 

Propped up on the sofa in the living room you’re engrossed in a book. A loud noise followed by a row of profanities and words you couldn’t make out pulls your attention to the kitchen. Quickly you make your way over as you find your boyfriend cleaning up the mess that was a broken plate. “What happened?” you ask, making him jump in surprise, a few words leave his lips that you don’t quite understand. 

“Sorry..?” you ask and Soobin’s face flushes with color. “I…just, you scared me”, he says shyly causing you to giggle. Walking over to him you bend down to help him clean up the pieces. “No don’t, you’ll get....get”, he frowns, “you know, pain”. “I’ll get hurt?” you ask and he nods. “Yes, hurt”. 

Smiling, you stand up to give his cheek a quick kiss, “thank you for looking out for me Soobs”. His face turns a bright pink as he scratches the back of his neck, “n…no worries”. He’s quiet for a moment before he clears his throat, “you uhm…you like very..nice today”. His simple compliment makes your face burn, and you have to bite back a giggle. 

BEOMGYU 

biggest tease about it. 

speaks korean to you when he’s mad or just being annoying. 

makes a lot of inside jokes that only a korean speaker would understand. 

though as soon as you mutter something in your own language under your breath has him immediately curious, “what was that??”.

The sound of your boyfriend’s intense raging filled the apartment as he gamed with his friends. Usually you didn’t mind him having fun but you had a lot of work to catch up on and this wouldn’t do. After another thirty minutes you’d had enough and walked over to his room. 

Pushing the door open it slams against the wall loudly, “mind quieting down a little?”, you cross your arms over your chest. Beomgyu lifts his headset off one of his ears as he turns to look at you. Mischievous glint in his eyes as he utters words that he knows you won't understand. 

Huffing out a breath of air you give him a glare before turning around, so that's how it's going to be. On your way out you make sure to curse him thoroughly in your own mother tongue. You haven't even reached the door to your own room when his hand grabs onto yours. 

“What was all that?” he frowns, you roll your eyes, “don’t know what you’re talking about”. He shakes his head, “no, say it again”, he insists as he pushes you up against the wall, “it sounded so fucking sexy”. 

TAEHYUN

becomes the biggest teacher. 

has you learn anything from basic sentence structure to adjectives and verbs. 

his english is so good that he doesn't really speak korean at all around you. 

always compliments you in korean though. 

Twisting and turning in front of the mirror you let out a defeated sigh. Nothing looked good. Half your wardrobe had been pulled out on the floor and yet nothing seemed to meet your expectations. 

There’s a light knock to your door, “come in”, you sigh as you glance at yourself in the mirror once more. Your boyfriend comes up to stand behind you as his arms wrap around your waist, pressing a kiss to your cheek before moving down your neck. 

He mumbles something under his breath, which you don’t understand. You frown, “what’d you say?”. Taehyun smirks against your skin, “that you look beautiful”. His words manage to turn your frown upside down as you lean back against his chest. 

“I’ll wear this then”, you state as your hands run over the fabric lightly. Taehyun groans against your neck, “please do”. 

HUENINGKAI 

does his best to make you feel included in group settings where everyone else speaks korean. 

translates for you a lot and explains jokes to you. 

appreciates how hard you try to learn for him. 

eager to learn your language as well as he thinks it’s an important part of your culture. 

“And this means that you’re sad but things could be worse”, Huening says as he finishes explaining another of his expressions to you. You nod along as he teaches you how to pronounce it. “You have to put more pressure on this part of the word”. 

“I think I understand!” you exclaim and your boyfriend smiles. “It’s quite similar to our language”, you say and Huening frowns, “really?”. “Teach me something!” he then says as he leans closer. You think for a moment, “okay! what do you want to know?”. 

He grins, “I love you”. You ignore the blush rising to your cheeks as you explain the phrase to him. You even teach him how to pronounce it, giggling over his many failed attempts. After a while he finally masters it.  

“This is hard”, he whines and you grin, “now you know how I feel”. He sighs, “I think I prefer just kissing you”. You smirk, “what’s stopping you?”, your boyfriend’s lips are on yours in less than a second, “nothing”.

→ want to get notified whenever a new dream is published? join my TAGLIST ★ all rights reserved ─ @beomiracles 2024

[justabigassnerd]

Playgrounds and Injuries

Pairing - Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell x daughter!reader

Word count - 2,187

Warnings - blood, little splash of angst, mostly fluff

Summary - you hurt yourself while your dad is busy, but a couple of people come to your rescue and your dad dotes on you

A/N - hey y'all I actually wrote a fic in a decent amount of time like what is this?? I loved writing this anon request because y'all already know I'm a sucker for MavDad. I won't ramble anymore but as per y'all, please send in requests, feedback, and enjoy!!!

“Alright squirt, we just need to go to my office so I can grab some stuff and then we can head home.” Maverick says to you as you cling to his hand, walking alongside him as you cross the Navy base to the building where Maverick’s office resides. As you approach the building, your eyes drift to the playpark that sits directly opposite the building and you tug at Maverick’s hand gently, pointing it out.

“Can I play in the park, daddy?” You ask already trying to walk towards the park, only being stopped when Maverick stays put, his grip tightening ever so slightly to ensure you don’t walk into the road. He stayed silent for a moment, eyes flicking between his office building and the park. They were close, and he knew he could see the park from his office window. He also knew he was only running in to grab something so you wouldn’t be unsupervised for a long period of time. Maverick knew it was probably against his better nature, but he let out a small sigh and walked you over to the park, opening the gate and letting you enter.

“y/n, I need to grab something from my office. Stay here in the park, okay? I’ll be right out.” Maverick says, crouching down to be at your level so he can get his instructions across clearly and thankfully you nod in understanding.

“Okay, daddy.” You say, smiling sweetly as Maverick pulls you into a quick hug, pressing a kiss to the top of your head.

“That’s my girl. I’ll be right back.” Maverick promises, straightening up and leaving the park after watching you dart over to the climbing frame. Maverick heads straight for his office, racking his brain for where he left the stuff, he needed so he doesn’t waste time. When he reaches his office, he glances out of his window and sees you happily entertaining yourself on the slide and a small smile graces his face seeing you playing so happily. After watching you for a minute he focuses himself on the task at hand and he tracks down the paperwork he needs to work on before next week rolls around. After gathering up what he needs, he begins to exit his office almost walking directly into Cyclone in the process.

“Maverick. What a pleasant surprise.” Beau says, hardly any enthusiasm in his voice as he looks down at Maverick.

“Cyclone. What brings you here?” Maverick replies, raising an eyebrow slightly as he looks at the Vice Admiral. Maverick was sure he had a family of his own, so why was he in the office?

“I could ask you the same question. Don’t get many people coming in on the weekend.” Beau then says as he folds his arms across his chest.

“Just needed to grab some paperwork but I really need to get go-”

“Actually, while I have you here, I have some things I need to go over with you.” Beau spoke over Maverick, already beginning to launch into a conversation Maverick did not have the time or the effort for.

Meanwhile, you were playing in the park, able to make fun for yourself as you waited for your dad to return from the building opposite. The base was practically empty, aside from a small handful of Navy personnel who wandered around.

As you went down the slide for at least the tenth time, you tripped as you climbed off the slide and landed rather harshly on your knees, cutting them open on the rough ground. At first, you remained on the floor, shocked at what had just happened before your knees began to sting and your eyes welled up. You sat back, inspecting your bloody knees through teary eyes before looking in the direction of Maverick’s office hoping your dad would emerge and come to your aid. Instead, aid came in the form of two other people.

“You keep saying shit like this and Mav is going to make the training harder you know?” Bradley says with a slight chuckle as he rolls his eyes at Jake’s latest tangent about how he feels he’s progressing beyond Maverick’s training.

“Can’t help it if it’s the truth, Bradshaw.” Jake retorts with a laugh as both of them cross the base. As they pass the park, Bradley glances over at Jake to say something else and pauses when he sees a child sitting on the floor in the park and no other adults in sight.

“Bradshaw what are you-?” Jake asks as Bradley crosses the road, approaching the park and picking up the pace when he realises it’s you.

“It’s y/n!” He calls over his shoulder which encourages Jake to follow after him, both men entering the park and crouching down in front of you.

“Hey, kid. What happened?” Jake says softly, noticing the cuts on your knees before straightening up slightly, looking around for Maverick as you sniffle, trying to compose yourself.

“I fell. I want daddy.” You whimper, hands pressing down on your knees harshly as more tears dribble down your cheeks.

“Where did Mav go, y/n/n?” Bradley asks softly, gently lifting your hands off your knees so he can inspect the injuries on your knees. You remove one of your hands from Bradley’s gentle grip and point in the direction of the building you had watched your dad head into not too long ago.

“I’ll go and find him. You stay with the kid.” Jake says, standing up after exchanging a look with Bradley. He knew Bradley was one of your favourite people aside from your dad and that Bradley was practically an older brother to you. At Jake’s words, Bradley nods and watches as Jake exits the park and makes his way into Maverick’s office building. The second Jake is out of sight, Bradley focuses his attention back on you and starts trying to calm you down and distract you from your injuries.

Inside, Maverick was just about ready to get up and leave after being carefully herded into Cyclone’s office to listen to him droning on about his new training ideas after shooting down Maverick’s own ideas. Then there was a knock on the door, halting Beau mid-sentence.

“Come in.” He called towards the door, his face displaying his displeasure at being disturbed. Maverick turned towards the door, curious to see who was knocking at the door and was somewhat surprised to see Jake on the other side.

“Sir, I need Maverick.” Jake says, still standing to attention despite neither man being in uniform, the action coming purely out of instinct.

“You can relax Hangman. Why do you need Maverick?” Beau asks, leaning back in his chair as the younger pilot visibly relaxes upon being given permission to do so.

“y/n fell over and hurt herself in the park. She wants her dad.” The moment the words left Jake’s mouth, Maverick was on his feet and leaving the office without so much as a goodbye and Jake was quick to follow after him.

“What happened?” Maverick asked as the two of them walked through the corridor.

“I don’t know exactly but me and Bradshaw found her in the park crying and her knees are bleeding, so my best guess is she tripped and fell.” Jake explains as best he can while following Maverick towards the door.

“Bradley’s here?” Maverick asks, briefly halting in his tracks to look at Jake.

“Yeah, he’s with y/n right now.” Jake says, quickly averting eye contact and continuing to walk to avoid Maverick potentially questioning why Bradley and Jake had been hanging out together. He wasn’t ready for any relationship stuff to come clean just yet.

“y/n!” Maverick called over the moment he exited the building, catching sight of you sitting on Bradley’s lap as he sat on the swing, swinging ever so slightly as he wiped the few remaining tears from your cheeks.

“Daddy!” You call out for your dad, reaching out towards him as Bradley stands up, keeping you in his arms as he brings you over to your dad.

“Oh, what happened, sweetheart?” Maverick says softly, inspecting your knees gently before Bradley transfers you from his arms to your dad’s.

“I fell.” You whisper, your voice still thick with tears as you talk.

“Well I’ve got you now y/n/n.” Maverick coos gently, pressing a kiss to the top of your head and glancing over at Bradley.

“I would’ve cleaned her up, but I didn’t have anything.” Bradley says apologetically watching Maverick hold you and pepper your head in kisses.

“It’s okay, Bradley. Thank you. Both of you. You looked after y/n, and you saved me from spending hours trapped in Cyclone’s office on a Saturday.” Maverick thanks the two men, each of them letting out a small chuckle at the thought of Maverick being banned from leaving Cyclone’s office.

“You don’t need to thank us. She wanted you so we got you. It’s the least we could do. She’s a good kid.” Jake says softly, extending a hand towards you for a high-five which you give to him with a small smile.

“Alright, I’m going to take her to get cleaned up, so I’ll let you two get on with the rest of your day.” Maverick says, bidding the two men goodbye with a friendly wink before heading back into his office building and successfully making it into his office without being found by Cyclone.

“Okay y/n/n, you sit right here while I find the first aid kit.” Maverick says, sitting down on his desk and placing his papers beside you before searching the room for the first aid kit, holding it up triumphantly when he found it and smiling at the little giggle that escaped you upon seeing your dad’s actions. Maverick places the first aid kit on the desk and opens it, quickly locating antibacterial wipes and some plasters to put on your knees.

“This is going to sting a little, but I promise I’ll be quick.” Maverick says gently, pressing a kiss atop your head as he removes the wipe from the packaging and works as quickly as possible on cleaning your knees.

“It hurts, daddy.” You whimper, tearing up when the stinging sensation spreads across your knees.

“I know sweetheart. I’m almost… done!” Maverick says, quickly withdrawing the wipe, tossing it aside and grabbing a couple of plasters, placing them over the cuts and pressing a kiss atop each one, promising you that his special kisses will help the plasters make you feel better. Once he’s finished, Maverick throws out all the rubbish, returns the first aid kit to where it was before and then scoops you up in his arms, making sure to grab his paperwork too.

“Let’s head home, how’s that sound?” Maverick asks as you nod, winding your arms around his neck and cuddling close. Maverick exits his office and carries you out to his car, strapping you into your car seat before getting behind the driver’s seat and making the journey home.

When you make it home, Maverick parks the car in the driveway and grabs his paperwork before heading to the backseats and moving you from your car seat to his arms and carrying you indoors. He sits you down on the sofa before putting his paperwork down on the table, so he knows to come back to it later and then heads into the kitchen to grab you a snack and a bottle of water before returning to you in the living room and sitting himself down on the sofa alongside you.

“Can I watch Paddington?” You ask quietly, already clambering onto your dad’s lap as he winds a protective arm around you to keep you close.

“You can watch Paddington.” Maverick replies softly, willing to do just about anything to make up for the fact he wasn’t there when you hurt yourself. He puts the film on and leans back on the sofa, letting you get comfortable before cuddling you close as the movie begins to play. Maverick holds you as the movie plays, smiling as you let out little giggles at the bear’s antics on tv.

Eventually, about halfway through the movie, the events of the day begin to catch up to you and you begin to drift off to sleep, placing your head on your dad’s chest, right where his heart was so his steady heartbeat could lull you to sleep.

It took Maverick a couple of minutes to notice that you had fallen asleep, only noticing when he felt your grip tighten on his shirt which prompted him to look down and see you curled up against him fast asleep which Maverick swore could’ve melted him down into a puddle right then and there.

“I love you, sweetheart.” Maverick mutters, running a hand through your hair and kissing the top of your head before settling back further into the sofa cushions.

Maverick’s own eyes soon started to drift shut and he didn’t fight them for a second. He had his little girl curled up against him and he didn’t need anything more or less.

[dduane]

Ok so

1. I’ve only ever read one book you wrote (So You Want To Be a Wizard) but it was very good and I love it. Big fan.

2. Both out of curiosity and on behalf of my sister, as a writer of Barbie Fairytopia, did you invent Bibble. Because my sister has Bibble as her Home Screen and my whole family had a conversation about Bibble yesterday.

Thank you. Ur books are cool.

Thank you! Glad you liked SYW... . 😊

Now, about Bibble (and a nod here to @the-best-of-the-geeks, who also inquired about this):

The answer is... maybe. At this end of time, it's hard to tell.

I took a few moments off from today's* graphic arts work to go digging in my archived project files. What I can see from a quick glance at them is that Bibble (or the character who'd eventually be Bibble: there were a lot of name changes throughout the writing process) doesn't appear in any of the drafts of the worldbuilding bible I wrote, or in other associated background material. If it had, that would've been—not absolute, but at least fairly strong circumstantial evidence—that I was the character's creator.

The problem is that when you're working on a big-IP project like this, there are so many people involved in the creative process that it can become really difficult to accurately trace any one character's or story element's "lineage". It's possible Bibble originated in a note to me from one of the creative team, which would have been one of hundreds of archived emails. Or it might have been something suggested to me in a phone conversation... of which there were many. Without sifting through all those emails (and please forgive me, that's not something I've got time for at the moment) it's tough to say.

What I am sure of is that Bibble definitely turned up on my watch. I have a premise file dated 30 December 2003 which does not contain the character, and then a second-draft premise dated 10 January 2004... in which, with a slightly different name, Bibble first appears. Bibble (as Bobble) is also in my first draft screenplay, which was turned in in early February 2004.

So that much, at least, we can be sure of. Bibble's personality and speech style is clearly spelled out in the script (as is the suggestion that Bibble be voiced by Frank Welker. It's a shame that didn't happen: I'm a huge fan of his).

But this still doesn't constitute proof that I invented the character. Bibble could very well have been suggested to me by someone else—and suggestions and notes are so free-flowing in a project like this that it's possible we'll just never know. (sigh) Such is life.

What I do want to emphasize here was how extremely pleasant this whole project was, from beginning to end. There are screenwriting projects that will make you shudder decades after the fact just on hearing their name. But there are others that unfailingly make you smile when someone mentions them... and this, for me, was one of those.

The giveaway of how much fun I was having lies in some stuff that happens in the script and would, to those unfamiliar with tropes in animation writing, look like nothing in particular. But a recurring joke among animation writers back then (and maybe still) was designating a character's speech as a walla. In this case, it means not just a description of some kind of crowd noise—the usual definition—but of that particular character making speechlike noises. It's the kind of thing you don't bother doing if you're not feeling playful. (Or at least I don't.)

...Anyway: hope this has helped, at least a little. :)

*This post was written at the very beginning of May 2023, around the time the WGA strike was starting. During the strike period I haven’t been comfortable with doing long posts about my screen work… but the strike’s over now. 😄 Thanks to @violet-yimlat and @the-best-of-the-geeks for being so patient.

[withloveoptimus]

Ask by @musicalmedli : How about a human he secretly likes doing something that unknowingly means bettothal in Cybertronian culture and it freaks her out. can be sfw or nsfw, your choice.

had some difficulties posting this the first time and unfortunately lost the ask but here it is now !

i had lots of fun writing this and i hope y'all enjoy !

TFP Optimus x Female reader

Summary: Reader accidentally proposes to Optimus and, after a quick talk with Ratchet, she promptly freaks out.

Warnings: none

sfw , fluff , misunderstanding , miscommunication , pre relationship , cultural differences

Optimus had begun to act weird around you, and you weren't entirely sure why. He was more affectionate with you, whether it was simply holding you in his palm or sending you smiles that he wouldn't share with anyone else. It made you swoon, of course, but also a little curious.

Wanting to return said affection, you bought him a gift with the bit of money you scavenged together. You'd gotten him a few books from the local bookstore that the two of you frequented. It was a cute little store and the lady that owned it was so sweet, she happily indulged Optimus' curiosity whenever they were there.

Although you didn't have to, you wrote him a little note as well, writing the kind little thoughts down and thanking him.

When you'd presented the gifts to Optimus, he was happy. His face brightened up like when you present a kid with candy, and you fought the impulsive thought to kiss him.

He promptly thanked you with a warm smile on his face.

That's when things began to spiral.

Optimus' affections were much more frequent and whenever he would speak to you, whether it was in the comfort of your house (he liked to help around and use his holoform even though you insist he doesn't need to) or when you're out for patrol, his tone is fond and warm. That's not unusual for him to do but it felt odd. It's like those few moments when you're talking to a crush or lover.

That thought made your face hot and you quickly tossed it away. That wasn't it; there was no way he would talk to you in that way.

When you bring it up to Ratchet, Optimus' closest friend, he has an unreadable look on his face before swiftly recovering.

"Do you know about Conjunx Endureas or Conjunx Ritus?" The medic asks you, looking uncomfortably serious.

The lost look on your face was enough of an answer and he ex-vents. According to Cybertronian culture, you learn that you had accidentally proposed to Optimus fucking Prime.

What a shocker.

You promptly left before Ratchet could tell you anymore, deciding to head home for the day and process the information. One day of being home turned into an entire week. You avoided going to the base like the plague, only answering texts from the kids while ignoring Optimus' worried texts and calls.

You were a full-grown adult, yet here you were, doing what you only saw in those cliche romance movies you watched when you were bored. It was wrong and totally stupid, but you could care less.

You loved the Autobot leader, that was a fact, and the simple implication that those feelings would be returned made your heart beat faster. Marriage, though, was a huge step to take and you two weren't even dating yet!

A conversation would need to be had eventually but for now, you'd rather process everything at a distance.

One day, upon returning from work, you see Optimus' alt mode parked in your driveway and dread pulls in your stomach. You knew it was coming but you just weren't prepared.

Hesitantly, you enter your house and find Optimus' holoform in your living room, sitting patiently on the couch. He had a serious look on his face, and it made you want to curl into a ball. Before you're able to say anything, he stands and walks over to you.

You gulp, biting your lip, as he stops just a short distance from you.

He tilts his head down and you realize that the serious look he had was actually... shame?

"I... I apologize, it seems that I misunderstood the intentions behind your gift." He speaks and his gaze suddenly elsewhere. There's a hint of embarrassment in his tone. "I hadn't meant to make you uncomfortable in any way."

The note; he was talking about the note.

"Oh, Optimus, I-" You start but he cuts you off.

"If you wish to stop talking to me, I understand." Then he goes, rambling about you and his feelings, all the while you try to stop him because you don't want to stop talking to him or anything of the sort. The conversations you two have are the highlights of your day and you love just being around him. You don't get the chance to do so because he just won't stop talking.

So, you went on your tippy toes and shut him up the only way you knew how.

The kiss is sweet and, a little awkward, as you hadn’t kissed anybody before. Optimus stood stock still for a few moments, eyes wide as he processes what exactly was happening. Then, his hands are on your hips and he’s reciprocating the kiss. A warmth spreads throughout your body and your mind becomes hazy, any thought passing through your mind were only of him as he surrounds you. You press yourself closer, savoring every second that passes.

When your lungs finally begin to demand oxygen, you pull away with a breathless gasp.

“So,” you murmured, “we obviously need to have a conversation.”

Optimus huffs, amused, “We do.”

A few beats of silence pass and you’re able to properly breathe.

“Where shall we start, then?” Optimus inquires, tracing his fingers along your hips.

“We’ll start slow, like dating slow.”

“Understood.” He smiles, warm and affectionate, “May I take you out for dinner?”

Your cheeks flush and you bite your lip, “Of course.” Everything he does is making you swoon and it’s the best feeling in the world. Just what did you do to get someone like him?

He ghosts his lips along yours, “May I kiss you?”

“Yes.” You whisper, allowing him to kiss you breathlessly.

[zairene]

nobody else, katsuki bakugou x black fem reader

synopsis: after his constant thoughts surrounding his personality, bakugou begins to question why you would even choose to be with him.

warnings: bakugou actually shows some other emotion other than anger + vulnerability + cursing bc it’s bakugou, come on now.

wc: 958

a/n: this is my first EVER like comfort-ish kinda fic? if this is like corny or shitty writing i’m sorry i’ve NEVER wrote something like this before.. but the idea was cool so i just went with it.

IT WAS NO SECRET THAT BAKUGOU HAD THE TENDENCY to be a huge asshole. it was well known at this point, and everyone had seemed to get used to it. it wasn’t the talk of the class anymore, everyone grew less scared of him and more viewed him as the, hard on the outside but soft on the inside kind of guy.

knowing this, you still decided to test your changes with the hothead. looking for every opportunity to get close to him. whether it would be group projects, making both of your friend groups come close together during lunch, or even just being able to bring his things to him. just any reason to have some form of communication. and you knew bakugou was no dummy, so he treated you like the rest of him.

“fuck off.” was his usual response to you every time you came up to him. at first you probably would’ve been hurt by it, now you just find it endearing. you teased him quite often until his words toward you became normal? he used less curse words, his voice would be softer than usual, and he was nice. well as nice as bakugou can get, at least.

noticing this change, you took the opportunity to ask him out on a date.you expected his answer to be quite defensive and rude. along the words of, “no, why the fuck would i do that with you?”

yet, his real answer was, “sure, whatever.”

and after a few dates, you both had made things official. neither of you had told anyone but mineta had seen the both of you kiss outside of your dorm room before you had gone in one night and he decided to run his mouth to the rest of the class. and when things came out, you both didn’t deny it because there was no point. the news would’ve spread either way somehow because bakugou’s personality drastically changed after he asked you to be his girlfriend.

he never stopped insulting people or cussing them out, but he did it way less than he normally did. he was always more quiet than usual, staring in your direction all the time. watching you laugh with your friends and have fun. it gave him some comfort on the inside. denki kaminari swore he saw a smile creep up on bakugou’s lips one time while he looked at you.

although, behind bakugou’s face, was a mind that was overflowing with insecurities. sure, he was confident in every other aspect about himself. but his personality and how he treated others before you and even you, ate him up inside. he didn’t like that person and started to think that maybe the little shitheads had a point.

he couldn’t help but overhear jirou and ochako’s conversation about him.

“i’m shocked y/n would even wanna date a person like bakugou.” jirou said, while twirling a strand of her hair.

“maybe he’s just a different person around y/n. you shouldn’t really judge something that you don’t know anything about.” ochako came quick to his defense.

“yeah yeah, i know. but he was just an asshole who treated everyone like they were inferior to him. like he was a king or whatever. i just don’t get what she saw in him.” she continued writing down on her paper, oblivious that bakugou had heard everything she just said.

he didn’t get what you saw in him.

“why did you choose me?”

you and bakugou were currently in his dorm, it was day time and you both were just hanging out since it was the weekend. plus, hero training can take a lot out of a person so it was just natural that you both would look for comfort in each other afterwards.

you turned around, looking at him in confusion. he was looking to the side while he fiddled with his fingers. slightly embarrassed that he became so vulnerable around you.

“what do you mean?” you sat next to him.

“i just mean, like… how? how the hell did you like me? i was a dick to everyone, including you.” you sighed and thought for a second.

“because i saw you for who you were on the inside—”

“that’s fucking corny.” he deadpanned. you slapped him on softly on the leg.

“dude, let me finish.” you rolled your eyes. “anyways, i just knew that you weren’t just an asshole to be an asshole. sure, you were rude and i didn’t like it at first but i just got used to it. plus, i knew you started to like me too.” you smirked.

“oh really? how.” he found it hard to believe. he was a master of hiding his emotions.

“you see how you didn’t just flip out on me for saying that?” his eyes widened a little. “yeah, you like like me.” you laughed while you poked his chest.

“yeah yeah, whatever.”

“but seriously ‘suki, i liked you for you.” you scooted closer to him. “and trust me if i didn’t like you, i wouldn’t be here right now. i like your personality. i’m not saying continue to be rude to others, not saying you have, but i know why you do it. i understand. that’s why i ‘chose’ you.” you wrapped your arms around him and pulled him in for a hug, which he graciously returned. “and maybe you were just cute, i don’t know.”

“you don’t know?” he pulled back, slightly offended.

“i’m joking.” you pulled him close to you. “you are very cute.” you gave him a kiss on the lips. which made him look away, trying to hide the blush that grew on his face.

“better be.” he said, before pulling you into his arms to cuddle.

TAGLIST :: @kisamekiss @kisminarii @planetlunaa

TAGLIST FORM

[pahtoosh]

bunnies and kisses

masterlist

summer celebration masterlist

18+

wc: ~1100 words

warnings: tdatt takes place in the midwest and yet i insist on giving lee a poorly formed southern accent

a/n: this is the last day of my summer celebration week🥺 thank you again so much to everyone who has read, liked, commented, or reblogged! i’ve had so much fun this week and I hope to do something again like this in the future! this is probably my favorite piece ive ever written and I hope you all love it as much as I do🤍

pairing: lee bodecker x gn!little!reader

summary: lee’s baby becomes obsessed with bunnies. lee tries his best to be supportive.

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

“Did you see their tails, Daddy? They’re so fluffy! D’you know bunnies can use their tails to talk to other bunnies? They let them say when they’re in danger!”

God please let this sound genuine. “That’s great, baby.” That coulda been better.

You huffed and crossed your arms. “More than ‘great’! Is the coolest thing ever!”

Lee sighed. He really was trying to sound interested. Last week he took you to a petting zoo and you were entranced by the bunnies. You couldn’t stop talking about them; it was nonstop bunny facts for a whole week.

He loved your enthusiasm and wanted to support your new interest, but he was nearing the end of his rope. Lee wasn’t used to talking or listening so much before he met you. He liked the change, but he was still adjusting to it.

He reached his last straw with the bunny facts when you weren’t even around. A fellow officer was recounting his hunting trip and Lee almost butted in with the reason bunnies have a white tail before he caught himself. Lee didn’t contribute to conversations like that and he most certainly did not share fun facts.

He made a beckoning gesture. “C’mere baby. Sit on Daddy’s lap, I wanna talk to ya.”

Arms still crossed, you sat with Lee on the recliner, leaving your spot in the middle of your living room where you interrupted Lee’s show to present him with more important bunny information. He kissed the spot between your brows to smooth the wrinkle forming there.

“Now I know you love those bunnies, and I love hearin’ you talk about ‘em. But can ya give me a lil’ bunny break once in a while? Daddy doesn’t have the energy to be talkin’ all day long. I wanna be good at listenin’ to ya, and I can’t do that if I’m tired.”

Your arms slumped out of position and you looked up at Lee with sad eyes. “You tired of me?”

“No, god no. I’m not tired of you, baby. Could never be tired of you.” He hugged you close. “Daddy just needs some quiet time once in a while, that’s all. It’s like when you an’ I go to the grocery store on a busy day and it’s too much an’ ya just wanna go home. Some days everything adds up and I need a breather.”

“Did you have a bad day, Daddy?”

“Nothin’ you need to worry that sweet little mind a’ yours about. Daddy’ll be right as rain after some cuddles. Can ya help me with that?”

You smiled at him. “Yeah, I can do that. And we watch your show too!”

Lee kissed your cheek. “Thank you, baby.”

𓏲 ࣪₊♡

You took to giving Lee some space very well. Things essentially went back to the way they were before the petting zoo, only now you needed an outlet for your bunny babble.

You went to the library and worked on reading through every bunny book they had. Lee even bought you a holder for your library card that was made with bunny-decorated fabric. While reading, you wrote down every new fact in your journal(also decorated with bunnies).

Every night, Lee would come home and you’d do your usual routine of hugging him, kissing him, and asking him about his day before you shared a new fact.

Lee became a better listener after opening up about his need for space. He asked you random questions about bunnies and worked some of that knowledge into your lives. Phrases like “quick as a bunny” entered his vocabulary and he caught onto your affectionate headbutts.

One day, Lee went into town by himself to get a nice pack of cigars for one of his superiors when a shop window caught his eye. The store specialized in imported goods. In the item display among fancy dishes and handmade bags rested a stuffed bunny. It looked soft and huggable with tan fur and a pink nose. He knew you’d love it.

Lee bought the plushie and rushed home. He couldn’t wait to see his baby’s reaction. He kept the toy in its bag and held it behind his back as he opened the door.

“Where’s my little bunny at?”

“Goin’ potty, Daddy! I’ll be out soon!”

Lee laughed. “Alright, well make sure you wash your hands real good, Daddy’s got a surprise for you.”

He grinned at your muffled squeal coming from behind the bathroom door and put away the rest of his shopping. He put the empty paper bags in their designated spot for your crafts and was met with a hug from behind.

“Hi Daddy!”

“Hi, baby.” He spun around to hug you back. “What’d you do while I was gone?”

“Ate snack and read my book and then I drawed a new bunny from my dream!”

“Oh yeah? What’d you have for snack?” Lee sensed you getting antsy.

“Carrots and crackers and apples and peanut butter.” You spoke quickly, wanting to know what the surprise was but you knew you had to be a patient baby or Lee wouldn’t give it to you.

“How were the apples?”

“Sweet.”

“How were the crackers?”

“Salty.”

“How was the peanut butter?”

“Sweet and salty.”

“How were the carrots?”

You groaned and smushed your face into his chest. “Daddyyyyy. You’re teasing.”

Lee laughed. “Ya caught me. Daddy won’t tease anymore, baby. Close your eyes and I’ll hand you your surprise.”

You did as he said and were surprised at the feeling of paper in your hands.

“Open your eyes.”

“A bag? What’s Gerald and Geraldine?”

“It’s the name of the store baby, ya gotta open the bag.”

“Oh.”

You peeked inside and let out a piercing shriek. “It’s my Bingo bunny!”

“Your what?”

“Bingo bunny! I saw him in my dream, his name is Bingo! You brought him home! Thank you thank you thank you, Daddy!” You threw your arms around him and kept jumping excitedly.

“You’re welcome, baby. You saw this bunny in your dream?”

“Yeah he was sad because no one loved him and no one gived him kisses but now he’s here and we can love him and give him kisses!”

You kissed the plushie and hugged it tightly to your chest, twisting side to side with excitement. You held the bunny towards Lee.

“You kiss him too, Daddy.”

He shook his head at your insistence and pecked the bunny’s forehead. You made the toy do a happy dance and skipped away, making up a song about bunnies in a meadow.

Lee watched you with a love-struck look on his face. You’d brought out a softness in him that no one had ever seen before. Later, he’d join your playtime and be met with a ton of kisses from you and your bunny.

[madneedshelp]

All That Love - Josh Kiszka x AFABReader

Summary: It was a surprise to find out you and Josh were expecting, and when the idea for a fall date arises, you devise the perfect plan to tell him the news.

Warnings: absolutely sickening fluff because I’m feeling like it, mentions of pregnancy, allusions to sex

Words: 1.3k (just a quick little oneshot)

A/N: It's been so long since I've wrote a fic, and I wanted to post something for the Halloween fics @hearts-hunger was organizing. Besides, I cannot resist a little Josh fluff. Also, fair warning, this isn’t edited because I really wanted to get it posted but I am a busy gal.

It was so nice to have Josh home on a break from tour. Especially during this time of year. While he may have been the human embodiment of sunshine, fall was one of his favorite times of the year. All the horror movies and psychological thrillers that he considered masterpieces, the cozy weather, the seasonal activities, he loved all of it and you loved partaking in it with him. 

However, none of those things were what had you most excited for him to be home. 

Two days ago, you found out you were pregnant. It was a fairly common scenario, the two of you weren’t actively trying, but you also weren’t necessarily preventing. Besides, you had been together for ages and you both wanted kids, this would be a welcome surprise. 

While it would’ve been so plainly easy to tell him, you decided you wanted to do something special. After all, this was Josh. He always gave thoughtful gifts and surprised you with elaborately planned outings. You wanted it to be your turn to do something nice to tell him. 

“What do you think of carving pumpkins tonight?” You asked from your spot on the couch. 

Josh looked up from the book he had been reading. “Hm? Pumpkin carving?”

You nodded with a small grin, trying your best to keep your face a reasonable level of excited. You happened to be unfortunately bad at surprises. “Yeah, I thought it could be fun. We could go to that pumpkin patch and pick them this afternoon, then we could come home and carve them this evening. Might as well enjoy your time off, right?”

He leaned over to kiss your cheek with a grin. “Sounds perfect, I’d love to. What made you come up with this?”

“Nothing in particular, just sounded like a nice idea. I do have those sometimes. Anyway, since you were a fan of my genius plan, we better get ready and get going.” You stood and pulled him up off the couch with you. If he asked too many questions, you would slip up or cave, and you were determined to pull your little scheme off. 

“Someone’s in a bit of a rush.” He gave you a mildly suspicious glance. 

You shook your head. “No, no, I just figured I need time to shower before we go and plenty of time for you to join me.”

“Ah, I like the way you think, sugar.”

—--------------

It was late afternoon by the time you and Josh made it to the pumpkin patch, and it was still packed. These places were always a bit insane in the month of October, though. It was kind of nice, all the families and couples that were out having a nice time. You could definitely see you and Josh bringing your kids to do this kind of thing. 

Before you could start to get emotional, you snuck a glance over at Josh. He was also looking at the crowds. He seemed to notice your gaze and turned to face you with a grin. 

“What?” You chuckled at him.

He leaned in a bit closer and spoke in a low voice. “I want one.” He nodded his head slightly towards a young couple with a baby dressed up in an adorable little pumpkin costume. 

The three little words warmed your heart. It had been so hard not saying anything to him yet, but you knew it would be so worth it when you told him that night. “Me too, but I think this might be a conversation for later.” You whispered back, giving him a quick kiss. 

Thankfully, the “later” part of the day didn’t take too long to get too. By the time the two of you picked out your pumpkins, went home, and made dinner, the evening had arrived. Still, the excitement had you eager to finish your plan. 

“So, any idea of what you’re carving?” Josh asked as he finished setting up the carving station on the back porch of your house. 

You made sure the carving template you printed off was held out of his view. “I have an idea.”

“What is it?”

“A surprise.”

Immediately, you could see the intrigue overtake his features. “Oh? Well now I have to know.”

You made your way to the table and scooted your pumpkin to the opposite side from him. “Absolutely no hints. We’re going to carve them facing each other and you’re not going to peek.”

“You torture me so, my heart.” He clutched his chest in mock anguish. 

“Just sit down and carve your pumpkin.” You sighed. 

He made it approximately four seconds before he started in again. 

“What’s that in your hand?”

You looked down at the paper in your hand. “Just a template.”

“Are you telling me you printed off a stencil?” He chuckled smugly. 

You pointed your flimsy carving tool at him with a stern look. “Hey, I just wanted it to look really good this year.”

He shrugged, still looking entirely too proud. “Well, we can’t all be naturally talented pumpkin carvers, I suppose.”

“You better knock it off, or I’m not showing you the finished project.”

His hands flew up in mock surrender, teasing finally starting to ebb. 

You put on some quiet background music, and the two of you got to work on your pumpkins and chatted lightly. The stencil you picked took a bit long to actually carve out. It had two little footprints in the middle and the words “coming soon” surrounding it. Josh finished first, and luckily didn’t try to distract you too badly. Deep down, you knew it was because the unknowing was killing him and he wanted you to hurry. You wanted to assure him that the feeling was mutual, and the sooner you finished the pumpkin the better. 

“Okay,” You let out a breath. “The masterpiece is complete. Are we ready for the big reveal?”

He nodded excitedly, grabbing his pumpkin. 

You matched his smile. “Okay, you first.” 

He swiveled the pumpkin around to face you. He carved his triangle symbol onto it, which wasn’t really a shock. He even had it embroidered onto the back off on of his suits, amongst many other things. 

“Fantastic work, it looks great, Josh.” You gave him a small round of applause. 

He waved a hand dismissively. “Why thank you, but the show isn’t over. We have to see your pumpkin before both can truly be appreciated.”

“Alright…” You bit your lip and turned it around slowly. 

As soon as he read it, his face cleared of all joking manners. The soft glow from the candle inside the pumpkin cast his face with a small bit of light, but it was enough for you to tell a faint sheen of tears coated his eyes. 

“Does this mean what I think it means?” His voice was practically a whisper. 

You nodded, your own eyes welling up too. “I’m pregnant, Josh. We’re gonna have a baby.”

He was in front of you in an instant, pressing a kiss to your lips as he embraced you. A few silent, happy tears escaped both of you as he leaned his forehead against yours and his hands traveled to rest on your stomach. 

“We’re having a baby,” He chuckled breathlessly, voice a quiet rasp.

“Yeah, we are.” You grinned, mirroring his soft laugh. 

He looked from your stomach then back up to meet your gaze. “I love you. I love you so much, and I will spend the rest of my life trying to make you as happy as you’ve made me. I love our life and I cannot wait to watch it grow together.” 

“Likewise, Josh, I love you. Forever and always.”

[jeongheart]

10:30 am

summary: walking down the street (i guess? just a quick chan drabble).

w.c: 600.

tags: established relationship, fluff.

a.n: i actually don't know what is this lol, i don't even have a title. this was born because the girl i like was making fun of me bc i have flat feet and i always complain about it ... and then chan sent a message on bbl complaining about the same thing and yeah, wrote this on my way to work so don't know if it's any good.

as always, english is not my first language so sorry in advance for any mistakes. share your thoughts if you like, appreciate it very much!

"Baby, my feet hurt" You complain for the fifth time that hour.

You've been walking since you left the hotel two hours ago, Chan insisted on taking advantage of Japan's sunny weather to visit all possible places before the sun went down. His refusal to go by train was based on:

1) The ticket wasn't worth it.

2) You were going to miss seeing the foliage in the less crowded areas.

3) "A little air wouldn't hurt us".

Chan just laughed and gripped your hand a little tighter to, in his own way, force you to walk when you stopped in front of a stained glass window in order to rest your feet that already felt hard in the arch of it, with a stabbing pain spreading to the fingers.

"My feet hurt too, but you don't see that I'm complaining, do you?" Your partner counterattacked at your frown.

You weren't really mad at him, you just wanted to rest for five minutes, your waist was also starting to feel sore after all that walking.

Chan didn't wait for you to answer him or walk again, and he took you by surprise when he effortlessly pulled you towards him until you collided with his back.

"What are you doing?" You questioned him with a slight smile appearing on your face.

"Climb up" He exclaimed simply, as he crouched low enough for you to get comfortable on his back without having to jump so much. The height difference between the two of you wasn't that much, but Chan was easily four inches taller than you.

Still, you appreciated his gesture.

You looked around at the passers-by who were swarming in the streets, some were deep in conversation or on their phones, some others looked at you curiously and then smiled tenderly, and others looked at you sarcastically.

"It's okay, come on, let's keep walking" You urged the man who was still in a squat position waiting for you.

Chan sighed in amusement and made a sign with his hands for you to hurry up "Come on love, I'll carry you".

You blushed a little and without giving the situation too much thought you jumped and got on the broad back of your boyfriend. When he felt the weight of your body, he ran his hands up the back of your legs to secure them behind your rear.

You held on tight to his shoulders as he took the last leap to settle you correctly on his back.

"Where are we going now, my princess?"

You laugh, but with all your might this time, it was really impossible to feel anything other than warmth next to Chan. The people who weren't looking at you before were definitely looking at you now, but you didn't care in the slightest.

You gently encircled Chan's neck and pressed your face to the back of his head so that you could whisper in his ear "Wherever my white steed decides".

Chan snorted but then gave in to the joke and let out the loudest laugh you had ever heard, the pigeons that were relaxing eating the crumbs that the elders left for them flew scared into the sky causing the two of you to laugh non-stop again.

Before you can finish laughing to take a breath, your boyfriend began a run towards the end of the square with you on his back, this time you really held on tight as you felt how Chan's grip became more noticeable on your legs.

The wind hit your face and while you saw people pass by like lightning due to Chan's excessive speed you couldn't help but smile fully and let yourself enjoy the ride.

[cinnajun]

ᵕ̈ ೫˚∗: a kiss on the cheek | lhc

summary | you’ve only been dating haechan for a month now, and you haven’t even considered the chance of your first kiss happening yet. until one of your boyfriend’s friends mentions how much he likes kisses.

genre | lee haechan x fem! reader, high school! au, fluff

wc | 1.4k

a/n: here’s a lil something as i work on other stuff! i wrote it as i was really tired so it might suck, but i hope you enjoy nevertheless <3

SPENDING TIME WITH your boyfriend and his friends was still a new thing for you, but you couldn’t say you didn’t like it. They were a fun group of people, and always had a new experience to recount or game to play.

Plus, they were very good at including you in the conversation, most likely at Haechan’s request.

Most of your time with them was spent at a little alcove in town, a little clearing surrounded by evergreen trees and overgrown grass. Hidden in the grove was a small, abandoned park, which your boyfriend said they visited the most. Today was no different, except for a little fact.

“So, one month?” Jaemin asked you, tugging at the uniform tie that was secured around his neck. Once it was adequately loosened, he lifted himself onto the edge of the flimsy bridge that connected one side of the play structure to the other. Jeno hopped on after, taking a spot next to his friend.

You and Haechan shared a spot on the center of the teeter-totter, balancing it out so it would stay perfectly straight. It was something you both had grown pretty good at over the past month; in a way, you considered it to be a token of your relationship.

“One month,” Jeno affirmed, taking a clean bite off the popsicle he’d bought from the corner store. “Wanna know how I know?”

“How do you know, Lee Jeno?” Jaemin asked, raising his eyebrow. Haechan seemed to pick up on what they were going to say, because he instantly dropped his happy attitude, opting for a more annoyed one.

“Guys, don’t—”

“It has been one month,” Jeno cut Haechan off, spreading his arms out. “Since Lee Haechan has tried to kiss me, or Jaemin, or anybody else!”

Your eyes widened to the size of saucers, and you were quick to snap your head in Haechan’s direction. You felt a bit embarrassed, mostly because Jaemin and Jeno didn’t know that you and Haechan hadn’t kissed yet; nevertheless, here they were, acting like you had filled up his kissing quota.

You were a bit embarrassed, and heat was quick to pool on your cheeks. You could only hope Jaemin and Jeno wouldn’t notice your embarrassment, but, judging by how their attention was on Haechan right now, you didn’t think they would.

“Shut up,” Haechan grumbled, summoning a pencil from his pocket and chucking it at Jeno. It hit his chest, falling somewhere into the grass, and Jeno didn’t seem to care too much. Instead, he just laughed, taking another bite of his popsicle.

“Aw, so embarrassed,” Jeno teased. In response, you just scoffed, crossing your legs.

“Why the hell are you biting the popsicle? What’s the point of a popsicle if you’re going to bite it?” you asked, derailing the conversation completely. The faster you could stop thinking of the prospect of your first kiss, the better; too much time spent and you’d be giggling in your bedroom tonight, thinking about Haechan rather than doing your math homework.

Haechan agreed, sticking his tongue out at Jeno. He just waved you off, taking another entire bite from the popsicle. “I’m not in the mood to let it melt today.”

“But you’re in the mood to let your teeth freeze off?” Haechan quipped. Before Jeno could respond, though, the sound of Mark yelling at you four distantly caught your attention. Haechan looked over at where the sound was coming from, which (coincidentally) happened to be in your direction.

On the other hand, you stared at him, catching his gaze. For a moment, you both simply stared at each other, but you broke off your quasi-staring-contest with a small smile and the turning of your head in Mark’s direction.

-

As always, you and Haechan were the last people on your route home. Usually, he’d be one of the first off, but he didn’t want you to walk home alone when it was dark out. So, he’d taken to skipping his street, walking all the way to your home with you before turning back.

It was endearing, cute, and very unHaechanlike. You liked it a lot.

Now that you were close to your home, though, you had a little mouse on your shoulder, telling you to bring up what Jeno had said earlier. Before you began dating, you were vaguely aware of how touchy he was with his friends, but you hadn’t been aware of the whole kissing thing. You both had never even gotten close to a kiss on the cheek, let alone anywhere else, so to hear he was fond of it was almost shocking.

You felt like tonight would be a good night to kiss him One month of dating, one month of poorly planned dates, two weeks of holding hands, and one week of hugs and linked arms. Things weren’t developing too fast, not like some of your friends’ current-and-past relationships, and now would be as good a time as ever.

It would make things more special, too.

When your house came into sight, just down the street from where you were, Haechan squeezed your hand, sighing.

“It sucks our one-month was on a Tuesday,” he said, now swinging your hands back and forth as you walked. “We couldn’t do anything fun or embarrassing. Not when everything is so hard right now.”

“I get it. I don’t mind at all,” you hummed, taking a few steps in front of him and pivoting to face him. You stood in front of your house, now, which was all lit up from the bright, fluorescent lightbulbs your dad had installed a couple of days ago. “I’m just glad we spent time together.”

“Yeah, with my idiot friends,” he grumbled. Haechan seemed pretty upset by your lack of anniversary date, as well, which made the shoulder-mouse’s squeaking even worse. Awkwardly, you both stared at each other, all while you went back and forth between the options in your mind. 

To kiss or not to kiss, that was the question.

As far as you were concerned, none of your family members were near the windows, and nobody was out right now. It was just you two and the empty neighborhood, with the occasional dog bark or tree rustle. It was the perfect setting for a first kiss, right in the dead of May, when the temperatures were beginning to pick up and summer rain was preparing to fall.

Why not? What’s stopping you? It’s not like a full-on kiss, just a kiss on the cheek. Nothing serious, nothing stressful, only a simple kiss on the cheek.

Placing a hand on his shoulders, you lifted yourself onto your tip-toes, planting a small peck on his left cheek. A huge smile blossomed on his face at the action, which you took pleasure in seeing as you returned to your normal height.

“You’re cute,” he giggled, which was also very unHaechanlike. Nevertheless, you enjoyed it, returning his smile with your own stupid one. Once again, it went quiet, and neither of you moved to leave or say goodbye.

“Can I kiss you?” Haechan not-so-suddenly asked, draping his hands around your waist. You raised your eyebrows in feigned shock, forming a small ‘O’ shape with your lips.

“Why, of course, you can.”

So, he leaned in, leaving a quick peck on your lips. You were the one to giggle this time, enjoying his warmth under the moon. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Haechan smiled, bringing you into a full hug. You returned it happily, squeezing him with everything you had.

“Same here.”

And, Haechan pulled away, giving you a small wave before he turned around and began his trek back to his street, leaving you to spend the rest of the night kicking your legs in delight and calling all of your friends to tell them about your silly, meaningless relationship developments.

thank you for reading!

[lady-fey]

Don’t Mix Thoughts and Dialogue

During a bit of dialogue, it can be incredibly tempting to give your reader a glimpse of what the characters are thinking. This is a trap. Don’t do it.

Why?

Well, the best way to explain this is to just give you a quick example.

Mary laughed, her eyes sparkling. “Hey, do you remember that night with Jimmy and the cat?” Ryan smiled, his mind drifting back over the long years of their friendship. That they would still be so close after all this time was truly a gift. Yet a part of him still asked ‘what if?’ What if they were meant to be something other than friends? Could that every happen or was he being greedy? Risking something beautiful for so little gain. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Then he smiled and said, “Yeah, I still don’t know where he got it!”

Question: when you got to Ryan’s response, did you remember what Mary said or did you have to glance back up to jog your memory? If you glanced back up, then don’t feel bad! You are completely normal and that’s why this is a technique that you should use sparingly.

When we’re reading, our brains are constantly processing new information. It’s basically an ongoing memory game! If you’ve ever played one of those, then you know that it can be quite tricky to recall which picture is hiding under which card or what objects were on the now-hidden tray. However, we can always pick up the card or reveal the tray to remind ourselves of the answer. Similarly, we can always glanced back up the page and reread the previous line, but a story isn’t a game. Most writers want their audience to be fully immersed in the scene. Their eyes should travel down the page, following the flow of the words, never needing to look back at what was said three paragraphs ago.

You’re never going to be able to make your audience remember everything that you wrote. There are just too many words in the story. That’s why, when you’re writing dialogue, you want to keep all of the surrounding text related to the dialogue. Don’t let your characters go off on tangents like Ryan did because then your audience’s brain will switch to this new topic and forget the old one the same way that a verbal tangent will lead to someone asking, “Hey, wait, what were we talking about?”

I get the temptation to do the thought thing. It can give some really fun insight into a character. I will do it myself in early drafts. Then, upon rereading, I’ll realize that I switched focus from the dialogue and, as much as I like sharing my character’s thoughts, dialogue just isn’t the place to do it. If you’re including dialogue, the point is usually the interactions between the characters, not their deep, individual thoughts.

In this case of the above, Ryan’s thoughts needed to wait until after the conversation was over OR I should have introduced this topic earlier so that I could briefly hint at Ryan’s feelings with something like:

Mary laughed, the sound making Ryan's traitorous heart skip a beat. Then she asked, “Hey, do you remember that night with Jimmy and the cat?” “Yeah, I still don’t know where he got it!” Ryan said, gazing at her with melancholy fondness. “Did he ever tell you?”

This is not to say that you can never do the thought thing. You can. Just be aware that it's dragging your audience away from the dialogue and they will likely forget the details of what was being discussed, making it a not-so-great techniquie.

The only time when I’d do that is when I want the character to forget the conversation, too. Then I can bring the character and the audience back to the discussion in a natural way.

I’ll also note that readers do remember things long after they happen. It’s just that what tends to stick are the big, important details (ex: Alim was murdered) or the things that get repeated constantly (ex: the suspect list that the detectives go over after every new clue). Dialogue tends to be largely forgettable as the point is rarely the specific words, which is why breaking a conversation is so jarring.

[hylias-library]

Ohh that was fun to write! Legend really fits this trope perfectly!!!

Be prepared. This is a long one as in, I wrote a 10-page essay. I went completely overboard and I loved every second of it.

I hope you like it! And it's what you had in mind.

@d4-b1 you wanted a tag👀

[Navigation]

You were annoyed. In fact, annoyed was a heavy understatement. Furious would have been a better description.

You glanced sideways to the object of your fury. Legend.

He had picked on you the entire day, without a pause and it really got on your nerves quick.

Ever since you had joined the group he had been a prick, calling you names, calling you weak. So you threw the treatment right back.

You simply couldn’t stand him.

The group was done with your bullshit as well. Having fallen back, to bring as much distance between themselves, you and Legend as they could.

You locked eyes with the Veteran when he glanced your way, snarling at you while you gave him the finger.

Huffing in irritation, you quietly whispered to yourself. “I swear one of these days I’m going to roll my eyes so hard I’m going to go blind.”

You were tired and your legs hurt from traveling the entire day. You didn’t get enough breaks due to unsuitable resting locations. It has been a day for sure.

The sun had already started to set when Time finally declared it was time to set up camp. You groaned louder than you’d have to, but it let a bit of tension escape your system.

“Quit your whining. If a little bit of walking is already too much for you, you shouldn’t have come through the portal.”

The tension was back.

“Excuse me?” You turned towards Legend, who glared at you again.

The others around you already giving each other looks. The next argument was about to start.

Legend rolled his eyes and waved you off. “You’re excused.”

You gasped, already taking offense before pinching the bridge of your nose. “Go buy a personality.”

You got your bedroll from your bag, shaking it out until it got ripped from your hand, an angry Legend now right in your face. “What did you say?”

You glared at him, taking your bedroll back, shoving the Veteran out of your way. “Nice try. You’re about as intimidating as a butterfly. Leave me alone.”

You could visibility see him shaking of anger, but he didn’t say anything else when you rounded him and placed your bedroll as far away from his as you could. Afterwards you proceeded to get comfortable against a tree, pulling out your favorite, worn down book, waiting for the food to be ready.

The sun hadn’t disappeared behind the horizon yet when dinner was ready. Wild was handing out bowls of stew, which you gladly took. “Thanks Wild.”

Then the conversations started and you overheard Legend throwing insults at your battle skills the more time went by. He was intentionally provoking you. And it angered you greatly.

You wanted to ignore him. You really did. But you couldn’t. “Please be quiet, I can’t even hear myself losing the will to live.”

This time Legend rolled his eyes. “I would call you an imbecile but that would be cruel as you wouldn’t be able to spell it.”

You scoffed. “Says the one who’s been living on the road, you rat.”

Leaning back comfortably, you put your attention back onto your book, but the Veteran kept interrupting you in different ways. Be it another insult or something that got thrown your way by ‘accident’.

Snapping your book shut with a loud slapping sound, your eyes nearly drilled holes into Legends face. “You interrupt my reading once more and this book will become a lethal weapon.”

Apparently, this was threat enough for him to keep his mouth shut for the rest of the night.

The following morning it was peaceful. Thankfully Legend was too tired to get on your nerves first thing after waking up.

You hadn’t slept well and definitely weren’t up to deal with the bane of your existence right now. Traveling at the very back of the Chain to keep your distance and maybe have just one day without constant arguing.

You could already feel a headache forming. Sky, who was walking in front of you noticed and fell back a little. “Hey, you good?”

You gave him a little smile, waving him off. “I’m fine just a headache.”

“Leave them be. If they can’t even keep up they don’t belong here.” It was Legend.

Sky frowned, “Hey. Be nice!” then proceed to turn back to you. He cringed. You already looked exhausted and now it only got worse. Slowly backing away he speed walked towards Time, telling him to take a break. This fight wouldn’t end nicely.

“Remember when I asked for your opinion?” Glaring at him your balled your hands into fists. “Yeah. Me neither.”

The others cringed at your tone of voice. You were already on edge, this wouldn’t end well.

Before Legend could say anything else, though, Time stepped in. “Enough. Whatever is going on here right now is over.” He had a pointed look, fixating the both of you.

You just nodded, not in the mood to deal with more, leaving for the front to walk between Twilight and Warriors who gave each other worried glances. They didn’t get to ask questions, though.

Wild came back from exploring a little further away. “There’s a dungeon ahead!” Stopping at Time’s side, he continued. “We should check it out.”

Time thought about it and nodded. “We should. Even if there’s nothing important in there at least we’ll get rid of the monsters inside.”

You weren’t exactly happy about this decision, but at least you could blow off some steam fighting blins.

The dungeon was dark. Only dimly lit by torches.

“It smells in here.” It was Winds voice. You snorted. “Maybe you should take a bath more often then.” He laughed, hearing the jest in your voice. “Hey!”

Your snickering got interrupted when one of the boys cursed. “A MECHANISM GOT TRIGGERED! WATCH OUT!”

On high alert your eyes scanned the tunnel for any attacks, yelping when the floor beneath your feet slid open, swallowing you whole.

You were tumbling through some kind of tube, until you took a free fall and landed on the hard ground beneath you, groaning in pain.

You had just sat up again when something, or rather someone landed on top of you. The same pained groan you made earlier, leaving their lips. At the same time you cursed, as the air got knocked out of your lungs.

“Get off me…” you whined. It was pitch black in the room. You couldn’t even see your hand in front of your face. It made your heart rate spike. You hated the dark.

The weight lifted itself off of you with a grunt. “Great. It’s you.” Apparently it was Legend who fell on top of you. “Time? Captain?” He asked into the nothingness. No answer. The Veteran grumbled in annoyance. “Great. We’ve got separated. And of course I have to be stuck with the idiot.”

His voice sounded close. At least you weren’t alone in this darkness. He still irked you. “You have your entire life to be a jerk. Why not take today off?”

He made a dismissive sound. “Fuck you.”

You didn’t respond to that, instead your hands got busy searching for your bag, there were torches in there. But as your hands slid along your belt, you found it empty. “Shit. I lost my bag. It must be somewhere in here.”

You tried to ignore the panic that started to settle in your bones. You’ve never done well in the dark.

You heard shuffling near you. “Mine fell off when I landed.” The shuffling continued as Legend seemed to look for the lost bag.

“What if there’s more of these mechanisms in here?!”

Legend sighed in exaggeration. “Stop being a coward, drama queen. It’s just another dungeon.”

Your breath became shorter, your heart beating up your throat, already feeling the panic attack coming.

Hearing Legend crawl around at least stopped the ringing in your ears for a bit. He got closer. His quiet cursing gave him away.

“It’s so fucking dark in here.”

His voice was right next to you when a loud rattle of a chain startled you. Jumping what felt like 10 feet in the air until you scrambled to cling onto the first thing your hands could find. Unluckily, it was the Veterans' arm. “Hey! Fuck o-“

“Please-“ your voice was shrill and trembled. “Please just stop being a jerk once in your life, Link.”

“Oi-“

It became harder and harder to breathe, your body slowly starting to shake like your voice did. You were having a full blown panic attack. “I can’t breathe.”

“Y/n-“

You shook your head quickly. “I need to get out of here,” you let go of Legend, wanting nothing more than to find a wall to guide you out of here.

A hand grabbed your wrist, a terrified yelp leaving your lips when you got pulled back.

“Y/n listen to me.” Legend sighed deeply. “Don’t be stupid. Panicking isn’t gonna help us get out of here.”

His hands found your shoulders. “I need your stubborn ass to listen to me this once, ok?” The Veteran sounded hesitant.

You were just able to squeak out a small mhm.

“I need you to breathe with me.” You heard him inhale. “In.” Legend exhaled. “and out. OK?” Another minhale. “In.” Exhale. “And out.”

You mirrored him. Your mind slowly becoming clearer as your heart rate slowed down to a normal beat. After one last exhale, you hung your head low.

“You good?”

You sniffed and rubbed sweat off your cheek with the back of your hand. “Yeah…”

“Alright, we gotta find our bags. Do you think you can do that?”

You hummed, furrowing your brows when Legend didn’t let go of your wrist. This felt so surreal. Legend didn’t act like Legend at all. But right now you sure as hell won’t complain.

Together you crawled around the dungeon’s floor until Legend spoke up again. “There we go.”

You could make out the sound of buckles being loosened and leather being stretched, accompanied by the clanking of glass bottles. He had found his bag.

Soon after, a flame ignited, revealing Legend holding his flame rod. The sudden light made you flinch involuntary.

Legend had never seen you this afraid, silently watching as you looked around the room and scrambled towards your pouch once you’ve spotted it. Instantly pulling out a torch, lighting it on fire. He wondered what had made you this scared of the dark.

It seemed you had something in common after all. He hated darkness as well. It was unsettling.

When your torch was lit, you looked around the room you were in. You couldn’t make out a door anywhere. And it was too dark to see every at the same time.

Your eyes traveled back towards Legend, who was sitting on the floor, still looking through his bag with his lips pressed into a thin line.

You looked away quickly when he glanced your way. You hated how vulnerable you showed yourself to him. But you begrudgingly had to admit he helped you. Big time.

Your hand shoves a Potion back into your pouch, closing your eyes with a heavy sigh.

“Thank you…”

Legend perked up, looking at you with confusion and surprise.

You shrugged, keeping your gaze glued to the floor. “For helping me…”

The Veteran made a dismissive noise, waving you off. “Don’t mention it.”

Getting onto your feet, your knees cracked in a not so satisfying way, making you cringe. “We need to find a way out…” your torch didn’t light up enough of the room to make out an exit, neither did Legends fire rod.

At least there weren’t any monsters here.

Both of you have just dusted yourselves off, looking around the walls for an archway or a door, when you could make out your names being called from behind.

“WE’RE HERE!” Legend was faster than you, turning around to head towards the calls. Yet he waited for you until you caught up. He didn’t even make a snarky remark.

“There you are! We were looking everywhere for you two!” It was Hyrule stepping forward, out of the group, giving Legend a once over. The Veteran slapped his hands away and pointed behind himself at you.

“Take care of that one. Idiot’s in shock. Scared of the dark. Pathetic.”

You winced a little. He was back to being a complete asshole. Hyrule approached you with a concerned expression. “Are you ok?” You took the hand he offered. “Yeah… just... tired…”

The rest of the dungeon was cleared fast, and you were glad you had the whole group to rely on.

Falling asleep instantly once your head hit your bedroll when you could set up camp outside again.

It had been a while since the dungeon incident, and Legend and you still kept on fighting as if nothing had happened.

“If you had a brain, maybe you'd be able to understand these tactics.”

The both of you were at it again. His last statement offending you. Hitting close to home. “Oh yes, because you are so great. Listen here, road rat. Being street smart isn’t something unique. You’re just being an ass again!”

“Fuck you!”

“Fuck you!”

With that, both of you turned on your heels, heading the opposite direction of the other. Away from camp, away from the prying eyes of the others.

Your feet brought you to a small creek nearby, sitting down by the edge of the water, you pulled your knees to your chest.

A bark sounded from behind you, making you turn your head slightly. It was the Wolf, approaching carefully as if he was afraid you’d run away.

You gave him a sad smile. “Oh Wolfie.” You scratched behind his ears when he sat down beside you, leaning against your legs. “I don’t know what to do.”

Wolfie looked at you, tilting his head as you kept on ranting, burying your hands in the dirt next to you. “He’s insufferable! Why does he always have to get on my nerves? It’s like provoking me is his only hobby. And then he even has the audacity to be smug about it! Him and his stupid smirk in his stupid, handsome looking face!”

You scoffed, throwing a hand full of pebbles into the water before you. “I just can’t get him off my mind, it’s driving me insane-“ you paused, eyes wide in horrified realization. “Oh my God.”

You rushed to get back to your feet and started to pace back and forth. The Wolf staring at you in confusion. “No no no no No No No NO NO” Your hands buried themselves in your hair, pulling in frustration. “This can’t be happening!”

Falling back to your knees, you threw your arms around the large Wolf. “This is horrible. Wolfie, I like him! I can’t like him, I’m supposed to hate him! He’s a prick!” You sobbed into his fur. “I don’t want to like him... What am I supposed to do?!”

You had been sitting with Wolfie for a while. Pondering and fighting with yourself. You were scared. “How do I get rid of this…” You refused to acknowledge your feelings. You’d take them, lock them in a drawer in the back of your mind and throw them off a cliff.

“We should go back. The others are probably worrying about us already.”

A bark was your answer, then you got up and slowly strolled back to camp.

You refused to make eye contact with anyone when you arrived. You were the first one to come back it seemed. Grateful for it, you snatched your bedroll and went to sleep after mumbling to Wild that you weren’t hungry and he didn’t need to cook for you. That earned you more than one worried pair of eyes flying your way.

You fell asleep fast, trying to escape everything that happened today.

Legend arrived soon after you had fallen asleep, taking the food Wild offered with a grumble. He eyed you for a second before his eyes squinted and his mood got worse, taking the bowl and leaving camp yet again.

Sky and Hyrule frowned. “He hates them…”

“No. He doesn’t.” It was Twilight’s voice that came from behind them, soon after the rancher emerged from the bushes. “Not really.”

His gaze went towards your sleeping form, a sad tinge filling them. “They just make him feel things that he’s claimed don’t exist.”

The rancher wiped his hand on his tunic. “We just gotta give em some time.”

After this evening the fights only got worse. More harsh, mean. You as well as Legend exploded at each other even more than before, things escalating almost immediately as you tried to deny what your heart told you it wanted.

You were yet again snapping at Legend, after another hurtful remark about your intelligence. “Why does everything have to be a struggle with you?”

Legend sneered. “Bite me.”

“Eat me.”

“Kiss my ass.”

More often than not, the group had to get in between before you’d be at each other’s throat.

And then there was Time, who seemed to have a blast to add to the tension.

“WHAT!?”

You and Legend yelled in unison.

“You heard me. We’ve got all the roles set. Get into the mansion, get the item, and get out to bring it back to where it belongs. And you two will be the distraction, so we can sneak inside without anyone noticing.”

You laughed unamused. “So you want us to act like a couple? Dancing and all that stuff?” You crossed your arms. “Time you I know I respect you greatly… but are you fucking nuts? I won’t do shit with that street rat.”

“Neither will I, you child of a Moblin.”

Time raised his brow with a sly grin. “You will. After all, you’re the only ones that fit in the fancy clothes.” His tone of voice didn’t accept a no.

With a hiss, you walked past the old man, leaving a fuming Veteran behind. “I’ll remember this, Time.”

The old man waved you off.

You had rented some rooms of an Inn to prepare.

It was the evening, the boys had just finished up everything they needed for the quest.

A knock sounded right when you were done getting ready. “Come in.”

It was Warriors, here to escort you to the others. “Wow. You look beautiful.”

You took his hand with a snort. “Flattery will get you nowhere. I’m still angry.”

The captain cringed a little but didn’t comment on it, instead walking down to the main room where the others were already waiting. Whistles and compliments falling from everyone’s lips. Well. Everyone’s but one.

You’ve arrived at the mansion fast, talking through the plan one last time until the group left you and Legend alone to sneak toward the side entrance.

Of course as soon as they left Legend started insulting you again, holding out his arm to take. “You still look like shit.”

You were tired. You both were. At least Legend looked like he could use a nap too.

A scoff was you answer, grabbing his arm and walking slowly towards the main entrance. “And you still look very punchable, you prick.”

Distracting the guards wasn’t too hard. A little small talk was already enough to help the other sneak in successfully.

The ballroom was huge and packed with people as you and Legend were headed for the dance floor.

Just as you placed your hand on Legends shoulder to dance, you whispered under your breath. “I can’t believe they’re making us do this. This is so stupid.”

“Shut up. The faster the others are done the faster we can leave.”

He guided you to the beat of the music, swaying and twirling you throughout the whole dance floor.

You had no idea he was a this good of a dancer, but he was way too rough with you. “I can’t stand you.”

Legend rolled his eyes. “At least we’re sharing one opinion. And if you dare stand on my foot once, I will drop you on the floor.”

You scowled, pulling him closer to whisper in a low tone. “Your ass must be jealous of all the shit that comes out of your mouth. I'm a perfectly fine dancer, thank you very much.”

His hand squeezed yours painfully, “Ouch!” a dangerous glint in his eyes. “Watch what you’re saying Idiot. I’m not the useless one here. I can fight, and I’m capable of clearing dungeon’s on my own. What can you do?”

Oh, now he wanted to hit you where it hurt. He knew you’ve never had any training in combat and struggled with keeping up with the battle skills of the others.

You sneered silently. “I’m trying my absolute hardest to see things from your perspective, but I just can’t get my head that far up my ass.”

Legend had thrown you into a dip as the song ended and was already opening his mouth to keep arguing when a huge explosion went off.

You flinched head snapping towards the noise, then back to Legend who looked at you with the same expression of surprise.

Then panic broke lose.

“INTRUDERS! SEARCH THE CROWS!”

Dread filled your guts when you saw guards entering the crowd, a yelp leaving your system when Legend pulled you along by your wrist, disappearing into one of the hallways next to the ballroom. “We have to get out of here!”

Legend ran as fast as he could. You hot on his heels. The faint footsteps of guards behind you.

Just as you looked back to check where the guard were, you heard Legend open a door, shoving you in and slamming it shut right after.

It was cramped in there, the room just being a small broom closet.

You were out of breath, leaning against the cold stone wall behind you, as you tried to listen for the footsteps that had followed you.

“This is your fault.” Legend whispered in an accusing tone of voice.

“My fault? How is this my fault?!” You glared at the Veteran. “I didn’t decide we’d do this whole shitty steal the Item bullshit.”

Legend growled at you. “If you ran faster we would have made it out easily. But you’re just as bad at running as you are in combat.”

“Can you stop belittling me for once.” You were fed up with his comments, they hurt. “What the hell is wrong with you Legend?!” You slapped his chest to accentuate your anger. The broom closet didn’t leave much room to dodge.

“I’m fucking tired that’s what’s wrong!” He got angry now too, getting right into your face.

“That’s not my fault, asshole! If you’re so tired you should maybe get your head out of your ass and sleep instead of blaming others for everything that happens to you, you prick!”

Legends hand slammed into the wall next to your head, making you jump, then he leaned in close. Too close for comfort. An enraged expression on his features.

“Well, maybe if you weren’t so goddamn beautiful I’d finally get some rest and stop thinking about you. But no. On my mind 24 fucking 7.”

You both froze, eyes wide, shock clearly evident on both of your faces.

He clearly hadn’t planned on letting this slip.

Legend licked his lips, swallowing heavily. Your eyes following the movement, as he watched your every move like a hawk.

You suddenly felt shy under his intense gaze, glancing to the side to escape it. Blinking a few times to clear your thoughts, you needed a few tries until you’ve found your voice again.

“I thought…” you swallowed thickly. “I thought you hate me.”

Your eyes met his again. They were half lidded and filled with an emotion you culdn’t quite pinpoint yet.

He leaned in more, his lips coming dangerously close to yours. “…things change…”

He had given up resisting his heart.

Just as his lips were about to touch yours, you panicked, pushing your hands against the Veteran’s chest to stop him.

“Legend I-“ you could find the words, hands gripping the fabric of his party clothes until your knuckles turned white.

“What?” His other hand came up to dry the tears you didn’t realize, spilled over your cheeks. “What is it?”

He looked as scared and unsure as you felt.

You took a shaky breath, your eyes captivating his, letting him drown in their beautiful color.

“I think I’m in love with you…” your gaze fell, locking onto his chest. “….and it scares me.”

He flinched at your words, knowing exactly why. He had never been kind to you ever since you joined the group, desperately fighting the feelings you brought to life.

His hands found their way to your face, tilting it up so you had to look at him. A pained expression on his features. “I know I haven’t been kind to you.“ his thumb wiped a few more tears away. “and I know I’ve been a prick and don’t have the right to ask for forgiveness or anything else.”

Legend ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “but I’ve tried to deny it for so long and I’m sick of it.”

By now he was so close, that Legends body was pressing yours against the wall behind you.

Your hands slowly unclenched from his clothes, his coming up to wrap around your wrists as if he was afraid you’d disappear any moment.

He could feel how fast your heart was beating.

“But we’ve always fought.” You sniffled. “And we’ve said such mean things to each other.” Your desperate gaze met his. “How is this ever going to work?”

Legends hands guided yours back onto his chest, pressing them flat against it so you could feel his racing heartbeat.

Your lips trembled. “Legend, what are we?”

He tilted his head, looking at you with so much guilt and love you could start crying all over again.

“I could be yours.” He pressed a kiss to your cheek.“ And you could be mine.” A kiss to the other.

Then he looked at you through half lidded eyes, leaning closer again, his breath hitting your lips lightly as his hands gently pressed yours against his chest for the second time.

“I guess our hearts don’t lie, huh?”

Legends lips brushed against yours, waiting for an answer.

“No…” you whispered and closed your eyes. You were done resisting as well. “They don’t.”

His lips pressed against yours with a passion you never knew Legend could possess. They were soft and tasted faintly like the honeyd candy he loved to eat.

The kiss felt amazing, but it wasn’t the stereotypical feeling of fireworks you’ve read about in books. It was slower, more intense. It was like molten lava. Hot, steady and unstoppable.

Your hands found their way into Legends hair as he pulled you even closer by your hips, nipping at your lower lip to gain better access.

You were drowning in each other’s embrace, finally able to let out all the tension, not breaking the kiss even though you slowly felt the need for air.

The door behind Legend got ripped open, both you and him breaking the kiss, heads whipping towards the doorway, heads turning the shade of ripe apples.

There stood the rest of the chain, staring at you in utter disbelief. Sky and Twilight were the first ones to come out of shock and started cheering.

“Finally!” “I thought they’d never stop being oblivious idiots.”

Soon the rest of the chain joined in.

You hid your face in Legends chest, embarrassed after being caught making out. Legend just stared at the unwanted audience, trying to process what the hell just happened.

“Come on. We took out the guards while you were…” Time gave a smirk. “busy. We can leave safely now.”

The Veteran groaned, the sound vibrating inside his chest and against your face, still hidden there.

Legend let go of you as the others started to leave, waiting for you get out of your hiding place, then proceeding to walk beside you in awkward silence.

You kept glancing at each other, a new kind of shy nesting in your chests after the previous events.

Legends hand brushed against yours, making you look down at them, slowly intertwining your fingers.

You smiled at each other.

It was awkward, it felt weird and it definitely wasn’t something any of you had expected.

It would be hard to get over what happened in the past. And there surely were many fights yet to be fought. After all, breaking habits wasn't easy.

But it was a start.

And it was worth a try...

[green-socks]

(Do You) Share My Affection

Pairing: Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw (aka hangster)

Summary: Bradley and Jake end up on a date with each other through an anonymous dating app (because they are just a little bit idiots about each other). The date is the wakeup call they needed.

Words: 2.7k

Warnings: suggestive/mature language, making out, oblivious idiots to lovers, very vague IceMav in the background.

Notes: So, I saw a screenshot from somewhere of two people having a pretty random convo, but one of them said "Wow, there's way more sexual tension now that I hate you" and I went oh that's Bradley flirting with Jake. Thanks to those unknown people for inspiring the text exchange in this! This was supposed to be a quick silly/horny thing and it got a little more serious than originally intended but it is what it is. And yes, they use the app from Ted Lasso, because I thought it worked perfectly for what I wanted. Once again many thanks to @a-reader-and-a-writer for betaing (most of this), listening to my rambles, and for coming up with Jake's username <3 Same goes for @writeforfandoms with the rambles. Everything I write is for you two basically <3

MASTERLIST

CloudWrangler: Well, you know, I like long walks on the beach, getting flowers.. and blowjobs😉

CloudWrangler: That's the first date already planned right there. You’re welcome😘

Bradley hadn’t looked up from his phone all day, spending nearly every moment chatting with this nameless (unless you counted his username, which Bradley did not) guy. He was never like this. Normally Phoenix gave him shit for taking forever to answer her texts. Called him a grandpa for often calling her rather than texting.

Originally when Payback had suggested Bradley try out this new dating app, Bantr, he had been more than a little skeptical. He had never used a dating app before, having been content with finding his hookups the old-fashioned way – bars. Hadn't had any trouble with it either, so what did he need an app for? But this new app wasn't picture-based like many others, instead just having faceless people chat and try to connect that way. Bradley supposed that seemed less superficial than even his usual method, which is why when Maverick of all people had badgered him to get out there and make a profile, he'd complied. Mav and Ice had even helped set it up (came up with the username too), which Bradley would never admit to anyone, thank you.

Despite his initial wariness, the app seemed to have a point after all. CloudWrangler had messaged him the day before, and they hadn't stopped talking since. Bradley thought the total anonymity was actually kind of freeing, and found it really easy to talk to the other person, even without knowing what he looked like. Bradley didn't even know how old the man was, but based on some things they'd talked about, he assumed they were roughly the same age. They had talked about mostly superficial, casual stuff like movies, but sometimes the conversation derailed to downright weird nonsense with them arguing over something inconsequential, making Bradley laugh out loud even. He was honestly having fun flirting and, well, bantering with this random man.

Which was why Bradley had asked if they should actually go out and see if they'd have fun in real life too. Sure they could have continued getting to know each other better by texting, but Bradley was still holding on to his ways of preferring a face-to-face conversation. Since Bantr was more of an honest to god dating app and not just for hooking up, Bradley hoped his wanting to meet so soon didn't scare the other man away. Even if their messages had gotten progressively more suggestive too.

Chuckling to himself, Bradley wrote a reply.

Gosling84: 🙄

Gosling84: Yeah well I don’t know, I like nice tits. That’s about all I need

Gosling84: Let me know if you’re up for it

CloudWrangler: I’ll have you know I’ve been told I have very nice tits indeed. But you’re gonna have to give me a bit more if you wanna get to know them, so you let me know if you’re up for it

So yeah, CloudWrangler seriously had no filter, but neither did Bradley. They both shared equal blame in escalating the flirting, which also had turned into a one-upping contest. Bradley was particularly proud of asking the other man if he was a fitted sheet since he was complicated and infuriating but Bradley needed him on his bed.

Gosling84: Fair. But I’m honestly having a hard time coming up with more requests for our date right now

CloudWrangler: And they call me easy…

Gosling84: Wait

Gosling84: How do you feel about baseball?

CloudWrangler: Eh. I can watch a game every now and then. More enjoyable if I go to the game instead of watching at home. Much more of a football kind of guy🤘🏻😎

Gosling84: Ugh

Gosling84: There’s somehow more sexual tension now that I hate you

CloudWrangler: Hate sex is fun sex babe, let’s go

CloudWrangler: I do have one last question though

CloudWrangler: Pineapple on pizza, yes or no?

Gosling84: Hell yes.

CloudWrangler: jfc. Hate sex it is

CloudWrangler: You free tonight?

Bradley snorted to himself slightly. It was nearing eight on a Saturday evening and he'd been talking to the guy all day. Yeah, he was free.

They ended up agreeing on a dive bar far enough from base that Bradley felt comfortable he wouldn’t be running into people he knew all night. He was glad the other man – whose name he still didn’t know – had suggested it. Not that Bradley had a problem with people knowing if he went on a date, it was just easier to avoid a) someone giving him shit for going out with a man, or b) one of his squad mates just giving him shit for going out in general. Like Hangman, who seemed to live for being a pain in his ass, and had essentially cockblocked Bradley the couple of times a girl had approached him at The Hard Deck. Not that Bradley had truthfully minded very much, since he had still been in no condition to do anything anyway. But now it had been months since he'd last gotten laid, what with deployment, the mission, and the healing after the mission, so he was ready to be getting back in the game. Maybe going on this date wasn't such a bad idea.

He decided on his usual attire of nice jeans, a white tank top, and one of his father’s old Hawaiian shirts. It was casual but still nice, and most importantly it made Bradley feel confident. He knew he looked good, but it was still kind of nerve-wracking to go on what was essentially a blind date, since the other guy didn’t know what Bradley looked like any more than Bradley knew what CloudWrangler looked like. Besides that he apparently had nice tits.

Shaking his head, wondering if he was insane for doing this, Bradley grabbed the keys to his Bronco and set off.

-

Jake was nervous. And when he was nervous he was early. Only Bob was as bad as he was about being early everywhere, and somehow Jake managed it even when spending a good amount of time on his hair. He'd been sitting at the booth for 15 minutes now, watching the door like a hawk for every person who walked in, wondering if they were his mystery man.

Would they have the same chemistry in person too? Would there be a physical attraction? Usually he could count on there being that (often only that). This was his first ever Bantr date. He was much more used to Grindr hookups, but this was different. He never talked to guys on Grindr for this long before meeting up, and usually it was just straight to fucking anyway. Not much talking was required there. This was the first time he didn't have just his good looks to rely on. It was new for him in many ways.

He decided to leave one more message to the guy.

CloudWrangler: I'm at the second booth from the back, left side of the counter. Wearing an orange shirt. Come find me😉

Now he just had to wait for the guy to arrive. At least there was no one important to witness it if he got stood up or something. Trying to get his nerves under control, he stuck a new toothpick in his mouth, just as the door opened once again.

And then the toothpick fell out.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" he croaked to himself as none other than Bradley fucking Bradshaw walked in, strutting like the rooster he was.

What were the chances that Rooster would arrive at the same bar as he was?? What the fuck?

Rooster had frozen a few steps from the door, looking down at his phone and then looking up straight at Jake. And then repeating it three times, shock and recognition warring on his face.

No. No way. No fucking way. This was not real.

Jake buried his face in his hands, groaning at the mess that was his personal life, as the mustached menace sat himself down at the booth opposite him.

"Bradshaw. Whatare you doing here?" It was more of a rhetorical question, since the answer was becoming quite apparent.

Bradshaw answered anyway, "Well, as I understood it, I think I was supposed to give you a blowjob in exchange for getting to see your tits, or something like that."

Jake's mouth dropped open as his hands finally fell back into his lap.

"First of all, I should have asked why did this happen to me, and second of all, who said you were blowing me? I just said I like blowjobs."

Jake didn't know what possessed him to say that, but he thought it may have served its purpose when Rooster's mouth dropped open as well. At least they were now even.

He felt like he was slowly gaining back his footing in this bizarre situation, so he continued teasing, "Besides, you didn't even bring me flowers."

Rooster's eyes shot open (when had he closed them?) and inexplicably, his face flushed red.

"Now, don't laugh," the brunet started, "but I actually did."

"What?"

"You said you liked getting flowers, so I stopped to get some. That's what took me so long," Rooster mumbled.

There was a faint buzzing in Jake's head. Was this real life? Had he hit his head? Had Rooster?

"Wh- Well, where are they?" Jake asked, bewildered.

Rooster blushed even harder, positively scarlet now.

"They're still in the Bronco. I chickened out on actually bringing them inside."

Jake was going to die, here at this booth. Yes he was.

"Same old Rooster," he chortled. "That's… goddamn adorable. What did you get me?" he couldn't help asking.

"Uhh.. It was just a bouquet that I thought looked nice. I don't really know much about flowers, and I didn't know what he – you, that is – liked. There were some daisies I think. Reminded me of mom a little bit," Rooster admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh."

Jake was sure he would have loved the flowers. Who doesn't love getting flowers? They make you feel special.

An awkward silence settled at their table. Jake had no idea how to continue from here. Would they still have the date? Would it be weird? If he was honest with himself, now that the initial shock had worn off, he was kind of relieved. He already knew Rooster, was already attracted to him (obviously), he already..... liked Rooster.

Shit. This was his opportunity to have it all, only Rooster probably wouldn't want to…

"Do you–"

"Do you–"

They both started at the same time and then cut off, motioning for the other to go on, chuckling awkwardly. Jake groaned internally. Why were they like this?

For all Jake's jokes about Rooster's perch, he was the one to actually take the leap this time.

"Do you want to maybe go for a walk? I feel like we should talk, and it's getting louder in here," the brunet asked.

It wasn't really that loud at the bar, but Jake admitted that it might be easier to have whatever conversation they were about to have in a more private setting, so he agreed.

"It's not really a walk on the beach but," Rooster shrugged, "we can walk as long as you'd like at least."

Jake arched an eyebrow at him. "You're really angling for that blowjob, huh, Roo?"

"No, it's not that! I mean, I just–" he broke off with an exasperated sigh. "If I'd known it was you, I would've planned a proper date."

"What? Why?"

"Well, you know. You deserve a proper date."

He did not know. In fact, Jake was very much not in the know right now.

"Besides," Rooster continued, unaware or uncaring of Jake's confusion, "I'm probably not what you were looking for tonight."

Alright. Here went nothing.

"Are you kidding me? I mean yeah, I didn't expect you, but I was on that dumb app trying to forget about you in the first place," Jake said, trying to sound a lot cooler about it than he felt. "Javy said I was being stupid, that I should at least try shooting my shot with you first before assumi–"

Jake suddenly noticed that Rooster had stopped a few paces ago.

"Well, why didn't you?" Rooster demanded, as if he was personally offended by this revelation.

"Well, I thought you were straight for one thing!"

"Oh." Rooster blinked. "Well, I'm not."

"I kind of got that now, yeah," Jake rolled his eyes.

"What's stopping you now then?"

Jake froze. Rooster was calling his bluff, but Jake could do that right back. Trying to look unaffected still, even with his heart hammering wildly, he threw back as cockily as he could muster, "The fact that you're standing over there and I'm over here?"

What he hadn't anticipated – even though he probably should have – was Rooster taking those few steps to come stand right in front of Jake, so close that he had to slightly tilt his head up to meet Rooster's dark eyes. And damn if that didn't thrill him.

"What about now, Jake?" the other man asked in a low voice.

At the sound of his first name coming out of those lips, Jake let out a sound that was purely plosives.

Bradley – because yeah, this was getting way too intimate for callsigns – reached out and cradled Jake's jaw in one big hand. 

"In case there's still something stopping you, let me tell you what was stopping me. I was just the dumbest man alive. I didn't even realize it before the moment I saw you tonight, that the reason I was having so much fun talking to the guy on the app was that it reminded me of you. I was having fun because I was talking to you, and not some stranger."

Jake blinked. Oh. Okay then.

"I guess we're both a bit dumb," he said, huffing out a laugh. "I should've known it was you. Who else loves pineapple on pizza?"

Bradley rolled his eyes, smiled as if that was the best joke he'd ever heard, and leaned in to kiss him.

-

Bradley really didn't know how he'd been so dumb. Kissing Jake felt so right he wondered how he had ever kissed anyone else. And Bradley liked kissing. This was just.. different somehow. Better.

He moved his hand to cup the back of Jake's neck just as the blond let out the tiniest, breathy little moan. Bradley wanted more of that. All of it. He felt Jake step even closer so that they were pressed together from head to toe, Jake's arms coming around Bradley's waist, running across his back.

His tongue had wandered off to explore Jake's mouth a good while ago, and Bradley vaguely thought that he might never pull it back to his own. He'd just have to live like this, his face plastered to Jake's. Didn't sound like a bad idea.

Jake evidently disagreed. He pulled away just a little bit to catch his breath, but Bradley didn't mind. He could continue his project of inhaling every piece of the other man he possibly could, instead bending down a little to kiss and nip at his jaw, down toward his neck.

"Br– Bradley?" Jake panted. "D'you wanna.. maybe go somewhere? You know, somewhere more private?"

Bradley blinked a few times to clear his head. "Yeah, yeah that sounds good."

Then he remembered they were more than a half an hour's drive away from their homes. Shit. That was a long time in a situation like this. In separate cars.

"Is the back of my Bronco private enough?" Bradley asked, hoping Jake knew this was just to take the edge off and that he would treat the blonde like he deserved when they got home. And talk. They'd talk more, later.

"Shit, yeah, that's good enough for now," Jake grunted and grabbed Bradley's hand to drag him back toward the bar's parking lot.

"As long as we don't destroy my flowers. I still want them."

"Of course, sweetheart," Bradley murmured, pressing a kiss to Jake's knuckles, and enjoyed the way his cheeks went a little pinker.

[end]

----------------------------------------------

Bonus: telling you how it went when IceMav helped BradBrad set up the profile, courtesy of Vee. Cause Mav and Bradley were in the kitchen while Ice was in the living room, occasionally intervening because he had to. As his voice wouldn't carry that far, he texted Mav his opinions instead.

*ding* "Geez, Ice! I said we won't say it!" *ding* "I said fine!" *ding* "Then you come do it!" *ding* "Oh. That is better."

thank god for Ice

-----------------------------------------------

tagsies: @wildbornsiren @mayhem24-7forever @callsign-phoenix @hederasgarden @lt-natrace @marvelousmermaid @luckyladycreator2 @alexxavicry @blue-aconite @writercole

[99liv3s]

Like Mommy Does

(I am still working on clinic stories whenever I get the chance, but this story idea got stuck in my mind and I just had to write it. Also, this is the first 1st-person story I have wrote to my knowledge, but I think it works best that way)

My name is Heather, and I am here to tell a cute, funny story about my daughter.

I had and have always encouraged my now 10 year old daughter, Lucy, to utilize her vast imagination. Lucy is a smart, imaginative, outgoing little girl who makes friends quite easily, and is always finding new creative ways to play with her friends, especially Peter, her best friend, who is a year younger than she.

So, I guess I should not have been surprised, though I was, when this had happened. One day, after spending a few hours at the playground, I took Lucy and Peter, who joined us because both his parents were at a business meeting, to the local gas station for some ice cream, and to fill up our van. The kids sat in the car while I picked up the ice creams right quick, and when I returned, I saw that Lucy had stuck her small soccer ball down her baggy pants and was rubbing the bump, saying to Peter, in a mock serious tone: "I'm pregnant! I should be due when we get back to the playground!" As the two kids giggled, clearly not concerned if I had heard them or not, for that was how my daughter was, I had to stifle a laugh as I handed over the ice cream. I had initially wondered where my daughter had learned words like "pregnant" and "due", but of course, she obviously learned all of this from me, when I was pregnant with her little brother, Jack, who was born a few months ago. She had picked up on my conversations with my husband throughout the pregnancy.

Of course, my daughter rode the entire way back to the playground with the "baby" in her, eating her ice cream. She and Peter were having fun talking about the fake kid they were about to have together, and while listening, I let out a sigh and a smile, taking comfort in the fact that they were kids and had no idea how the process of making a baby actually went. Though, it was obvious in their little fantasy that Peter was the "father" of the "baby"!

I normally don't spy on my daughter while she is playing, I only keep a close eye on her safety. However, I was curious as we got back to the playground and Peter and Lucy ran out to play again, Lucy still "pregnant". They both reached the big tree house and climbed up into it. I bottle-fed Jack, and then, noticing that neither of them had come out of the tree house for a while, I decided to take a closer look at what was going on. The tree house was not very high off the ground, especially for an adult, and it had these little plastic windows, so I tip-toed over to it and peered in, careful to stay hidden as much as I could. However, it was hard to not let out both a gasp and a laugh at what I saw. Lucy was lying on the floor of the treehouse with her legs spread open, thankfully she had kept her pants on, with Peter hovering over her as if he was perhaps a doctor or a loving husband in this fantasy of theirs. Lucy still had that ball in her pants, and watching her position as well as her actions, it was clear that she was pretending to give birth. As I watched, I could hear their slightly muffled voices from inside the tree house. Lucy was fake panting and moaning, and Peter was saying things like "It's ok" and "You're doing great" to her. I was impressed at these little actors, but the pretending didn't stop there. Lucy started fake screaming... you know, not actually a scream, and not loud enough to be heard very far. It also didn't help that the two kids fell into fits of giggles during this part. Then, Lucy started saying "Oh it hurts," and "Get this baby out of me" and I immediately realized that she was mimicking me. Lucy had been present for a large portion of her brother's birth. Obviously, she did not see me push him out of my vagina, for her grandparents had taken her out to play when I was fully dilated, but during the transition phase, I had let out a lot of screaming, moaning, panting, and a lot of "It hurts, get the baby out"s, and Lucy had seen and heard all of it.

I heard Peter start saying, "Push! Push!" Clearly, he knew some things about how this worked too. My daughter fake screamed and grunted, and shifted around, and then I saw that Lucy was sitting on one of her baby dolls, making it look like the head was coming out, though of course the immersion was ruined by the fact Lucy still had her pants on. Still trying not to give myself away by laughing, I watched as my daughter "gave birth" to a baby doll, after a few more fake screams and more "Owww it hurts"! I watched as she cradled the doll in her arms and the two kids giggled again.

I returned to the nearby bench, next to which I had left Jack sleeping in his stroller. A few minutes later, Peter and Lucy climbed out of the tree house, Lucy no longer "pregnant" with her soccer ball and holding the baby doll as if it were actually a baby. "We had a baby, mommy," she said to me, and the two kids giggled. "You did?" I replied in fake amazement, smiling. "Yes, just like you did, mommy!" "Just like how you had Jake!" She presented the doll up to me and I held it like a proud grandmother would have, if all of this had been real. "He's beautiful," I said, the doll being a boy. "What are you naming your baby?" Lucy shrugged, then turned to Peter and said, "Let's go play on the swings!" And with that, the two of them ran off, leaving me holding Lucy's "baby". It was at this point I started laughing, not being able to help myself any longer.

I curse myself to this very day for not grabbing my phone and recording Lucy's "labor", but my husband got a great laugh after I explained it to him that night. To this day, Lucy has never spoken again about her "pregnancy", and I fear it is one of those pretend moments that got lost in the million miles an hour mind of kids, but it's a moment I'll never forget, a cute fake birth "just like mommy's"!

[herrlindemann]

Metal Hammer - July 2015, interview with Till and Peter

The most unusual and at the same time most exciting constellation of the year is clearly Lindemann. Peter Tägtgren (Hypocrisy, Pain) and Till Lindemann (Rammstein) teamed up to record the debut Skills in Pills, which was already hotly debated online, between Pärlby in Sweden and Berlin. The result: a monster of an album and a band that might even have a medium-term future. Till and Peter tell Metal Hammer in a personal conversation what Lindemann means to them.

Fun turned serious - but not quickly, but after years of dancing around each other. The Lindemann protagonists Peter Tägtgren and Till Lindemann tell us how much time and work went into the country from the idea to the initially unplanned album.

A few years passed from the initial idea of the band Lindemann to the final implementation. Did you take this time to get to know each other personally?

Peter: Not only that, but we also needed the time to coordinate our schedules. We've been friends since 1999 and met up as often as we could, talking on the phone or texting. Two years ago I attended a few Rammstein gigs in the run-up to Wacken, Till invited me. We met and he said that he had a break soon and we could realize our project. That's how it all started, initially with just one song.

Till: Before we started we met in Sweden at the Bravalla festival, but friends and family were there and we only got to talk briefly. I said: «After Wacken I have a break of about one and a half to two years, then let's do something together. "Somehow Peter didn't really want to believe in it, because this promise had existed for almost ten years. But a few days after Wacken I actually called him. I said: "Send me what you have. » Four weeks later I got a file and worked on it for a few days; this became 'Ladyboy', the first track. I think Peter was a little confused at first. I said, «Let's get some opinions on the internet. » Peter didn't do that, but sent me more files. It went in quick succession.

Then did you meet?

Till: No, that didn't happen until five or six songs later. At first, ideas were simply sent back and forth.

Peter: Till wrote lyrics and I wrote music.

Till: I worked with my Logic system, he with Pro Tools. I loaded his stuff into my system and worked on the chants. You have to admit: the first demos were pretty terrible. Still, somehow we suddenly had five songs, so the question came up: EP or mini-disc? I refused to think about more, but Peter said: «Let's make a full album! » However, I didn't find the idea that exciting. Then I visited him in his studio and from then on I kept commuting back and forth. That was great, almost like a weekend vacation. I was always otherwise busy during the week, but from Friday morning to Sunday evening I was able to be with Peter at the Abyss Studio. His studio is right on a lake, it really was like being on vacation.

Did this pleasant atmosphere in Peter's studio help the project a lot?

Till: At least it helped not wanting to shorten the studio time because you don't like the place. The atmosphere there was very good, even if the studio is pretty gross. (Laughs) Somehow everything came together, it was the perfect work situation. In addition, it went really fast, because Peter brought an incredible amount of experience with him. I explained to him how I like to work. After that, it only took us a few weeks, a few sessions, until it really clicked.

How do you feel today that it is certain that there will actually be an album and a band and that it is completely different from what you are doing with your other projects?

Peter: To be honest, we can't really enjoy it yet. Before that there was no record company, no management, nobody involved and that was nice.

Till: It wasn't easy for Peter to go public, to present things and to get reactions to them. I, on the other hand, had a good feeling from the start. For me, this mixture of gothic and metal, which meet here like a big accident, was very exciting.

Was it clear from the beginning that the sound would be like on the album and the lyrics would be sung in English? Or how was this mix found?

Pete: I have no idea. Learning by doing, I would say. Originally we just wanted to do a song or two together. Everything else only came about because we were further inspired by the lyrics or music. It was kind of a Ponzi scheme. The only thing that was clear was that we wanted to differentiate ourselves from Rammstein and my projects Pain and Hypocrisy. With Till, of course, as far as Rammstein is concerned, this is only possible to a limited extent. But working on the lyrics was very interesting because for Till it was like a kid in a candy store, with lots of new words, lots of new phrasing. We often laughed when he sang something. Sometimes even before he started singing, because he always had to sit down on the sofa because something didn't work. I then said: « Come on, let's try it », only to find out from time to time: Oh God, that doesn't work at all!

Till: Of course I wanted to explain to Peter what the lyrics are about.

Peter: Sometimes he sent me a text to one of my music files. On other occasions, I would just get lyrics he sang on his smartphone in the bathroom and then build a song around them. So we tried different ways.

So completely different than you normally work.

Peter: Yes, completely different. There was no pressure at all, we just experimented.

Is that the great freedom of this album? That you could do whatever you wanted without pressure from other band members or the record company?

Peter: And without any pressure from the fans. You could just try everything and do the craziest things.

Till: For me it was like when we started a new band project and Rammstein was still very young. You just play around, everything is allowed, it's like freestyle, there are no limits. Whereby: With Rammstein there are no limits, only expectations on the part of the fans, i.e. artwork, music, concerts. Now it's an open field in the middle of no man's land.

In which it's also a lot easier to decide things because there are only two people involved instead of five or six.

Till: How right you are. For me it was a great relief.

Now that the music and lyrics are finished, how was the visual impression, i.e. photos and artwork, fine-tuned?

Peter: The ideas came from Till. I only helped a little in this regard.

Till: We simply distributed the tasks. Everyone did what they do best. I brought this experience with me from Rammstein. Peter dived deep into all the production parameters while I took care of the visual design.

Peter: All ideas went back and forth and were discussed, regardless of whether they came from me or from Till. That was the easiest way for us. The first photo session in October was great fun because we had no idea where this was all going. There were four photographers present.

Till: We had an idea...

Peter: Not professionals from big companies, but friends. Stefan Heilemann turned out to be the one who was supposed to do the main work for us. The others were then selected for press photos et cetera. Then Till took the photos and edited them. A crazy result!

To be honest: Nobody would have expected Till Lindemann and Peter Tägtgren to work together. But now that the result is in and there may even be more records to follow, this seems to be the perfect combination: Till as lyricist and singer, Peter as composer and producer. Why did you have to wait so long for such a collaboration?

Peter: Because we simply had too many other tasks to do.

Till: Every project has its very specific time. I was pretty sure of it. Even my colleagues have already commented: "Whenever he's bored, he goes to Peter Tägtgren and makes music with him. » I had had the idea in my head for a long time, I just didn't have the time. For me it was and always will be: Rammstein comes first. But it was also clear that at some point I would do this project with Peter. I had clear ideas of what to sing to that rolling wall of guitars, bass and sequencer. Because that's exactly what I appreciate about Peter's music and his compositions. I wanted to do it even better than himself, and we're not talking about the lyrics, we're talking about the vocal melodies. And when one day you realize that these visions have actually come true, it gives you a really good feeling.

So there's only Till's vocals, but no voices from Peter, right?

Peter: Right, that's what we thought from the start. Till is the captain on the ship, on THIS ship...

Till: Yes, on THIS ship, you have to say that.

Peter: For me, this experience is also a real relief and would also be the only conceivable solution on stage. I'm so tired of being the front man. And Till is one of the world's best. I can hide behind him. For me this is the perfect situation because I can concentrate on my music and the production. When you divide things up like we do, only good things can come of it. When I do my other projects there are always many things I have to consider. You only notice that a few months after the release of an album, when you realize: crap, I should have done that differently. With Till we are, to a certain extent, two producers who both know exactly what they want. We always find a match; everything we decide makes sense.

Now that you know each other a lot better than you did ten years ago, there must be traits in each other that you weren't aware of before, right?

Peter: Till is the biggest crybaby I know. (laughs)

Till: All day long.

Peter: We're like brothers who fool around all day.

Do you fight over details, vocal melodies or the like in a project like this? Do you have to seriously deal with it?

Till: In the beginning, of course, everything is pure sunshine...

Peter: Like in a young marriage: I love you. (Laughs) And then later: You bloody carrion, I hate you!

Till: The dispute will probably come over the years. We are currently on our honeymoon. No bad words, everything is harmonious and runs by itself.

Peter: The good thing is: I don't care about things that bother Till, and vice versa. He often says: "Do what you want, I don't care. » Everyone has their own role in this.

Are you already thinking about where this project could take you? And how far do you want to push it?

Peter: There are no plans after the album release. We really liked the phase when nobody knew about this project and we could easily think about everything — about video et cetera. We sometimes asked ourselves: should we think like a band? Or should we just make sure it's a cool album?

Peter, did you play all the instruments on the album?

Pete: Almost. Clemens von Crach Angren also played an important role. He helped me out with the violin parts, he also does film music and stuff like that. He is responsible for all the orchestra parts.

Till: Apart from that, Peter played all the instruments, produced, recorded, edited the disc — everything.

Peter: That also made things so easy, because if we wanted to change something in the arrangements, we didn't have to call any band members to try it out.

Till: Peter is an absolute workaholic, he can sit in front of the computer for 14 hours. I have no idea how humans are able to do that. I would go insane in two hours. He was still in the studio when I had to go to the toilet at night. I stood on the terrace and saw the lights on in the studio because Peter still had a problem that was not solved and he really wanted to fix it. His head is always crazy and it is almost unbearable for others.

You've produced so many bands in recent years...

Peter: Yes, I know, and I'm also trying to slow down a bit and enjoy life more. But of course there is always a schedule that needs to be worked through.

Till, what was the biggest challenge for you — singing in English? In Rammstein there are short English passages from time to time, but this time you sing in English throughout. And you know better than anyone else that the German language is massively different from other languages.

Till: The biggest challenge was gaining the necessary self-confidence. I wasn't sure at all. That's why I finally suggested putting something on the internet and waiting for the reactions first. But Peter and a few other people around me encouraged me. First I wrote down words, and then translated them into a singing situation, which was quite strange for me. This gives it a much more international approach right from the start.

Peter: Do you miss German lyrics when you hear the songs?

To be honest: Whenever I hear Till sing in English, I translate it into German. As a German, I associate German texts with his voice. I suspect that international ears perceive this very differently. This could be very interesting.

Peter: So far we haven't had any reactions to it at all. But maybe nobody speaks up because people don't like it. But as soon as the first song hits me, I'm like, yes, that's it! That's really cool! Because it's still very rough. You immediately recognize the attitude.

Till: We overdid it a bit and I tried to get rid of my accent; but somehow he also makes the charm.

Peter: I think that's what people want to hear. You don't want someone who sounds like an American.

That would not fit Lindemann at all.

Peter: Exactly. It would be foolish to change that. The only thing we paid close attention to is correct grammar. So that no " you ist " or something similar slips through to us.

The only question I ask myself after listening to the songs a few times; Is all this meant seriously, or is it supposed to be humorous?

Till: It's good that you're asking yourself that, because then we did it right.

Peter: One should think about it. It's like an open book.

Till: The listeners are forced to read between the lines a bit in order to understand the irony. With Rammstein, the listeners sometimes take it too seriously, so that you are misunderstood. There, too, you should read a lot more between the lines. There is a wide range of what you can sing and what meaning something has. The topics are very complex, and the reactions we have received in recent weeks have also been totally different.

Peter: Every song has a completely different meaning for different people. It was funny to hear how different opinions on a song can be. Sometimes we sat there and thought: Oh yes, that's right, it could actually have that meaning. It's always good to be open to all things.

One of the tracks that most resonates with me is 'Yukon' after reading that you were there on vacation. When you hear the song, you have the landscape in your mind. I could actually imagine how you felt there.

Peter: I felt the same way when I wrote the music for the lyrics. I had his words in front of me and composed the music to go with them, and there was this mood of distance and seclusion.

'Fish On' is also a very lurid number.

Peter: By the way, the song has a very confused origin story. Listeners probably won't hear that, but it was a pretty odd way of coming about this piece. There are very different parts and putting them all together was pretty rad. It just happened while we were experimenting with the arrangement, the verses, the chorus. In the end everything came together. Till had lyrics and wanted to sing them to a click track — but he started rapping like the Beastie Boys.

Till: I said to Peter: «I have a vocal line here and for the first time in my life I would like to write the music to an already finished vocal melody. “My desire was to have the written word first and then compose the music around those words, rather than having to jump on the music and find words to go with it as usual. The only problem was that I was pressed for time because I had to go to the airport. So I said to Peter, "Just give me a click track. » Of course I had no experience with this way of working, especially since the click track calls for a kind of rap singing. The freestyle raps also usually start with a drum loop. So I just sang two verses and had almost forgotten the piece shortly afterwards. But three months later Peter sent me a file with this sequence and its music. It sounded great. As my voice started, I remembered that short singing session again. Peter had even written a chorus. A really great experience.

Peter: Then Till sang the final version and we had a new song.

Till: Some things have been changed, the chorus and the intro for example. We also developed a C-Part, a bit like Lego bricks.

Peter: Half of the remaining pieces were put together like Lego. The longer we worked on an idea, the crazier it got. Over time we became more and more courageous to try really crazy things.

What is the biggest goal you are pursuing with this disc? I guess that in the beginning you mostly wanted to have fun with the songs. But now that it has become a serious project...

Till: It's in human nature that you always want to achieve a positive result with everything you do. Otherwise there would be no reason to do it at all. No one intentionally messes things up. Of course we hope for good reactions. It's not like Nirvana 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' but we wrote a very good album. The entire process of creation was a lot of fun, because everything was created on vacation in a kind of holiday idyll.

Will you take anything from this production with you to Rammstein?

Till: Yes, guaranteed, but I won't tell you that. (laughs)

...possibly the idea of experimenting with English lyrics at Rammstein?

Till: Of course you never know what will happen in the future, but the German language is part of Rammstein. Of course you could check lyrics like 'Pussy' or 'America', but I'll leave that to the German department in my main band. (grins)

And how about you, Peter? Do you take something away from this project for your further work?

Peter: I brought my experience from twenty years of work and thanks to Till I was motivated to become better than ever before. If I had stopped whenever I felt it was good enough, the result wouldn't have been as fabulous as it is now. I also wanted to prove to Till that I can do things just as well as anyone else. It was a helpful kick in the ass.

It's quite interesting that Till as part of a democratic band and Peter as, let's call it a lone fighter, were able to work so well together.

Peter: I don't have an ego, and neither does Till. We just did what we felt was best for each song.

And how do you like, Peter, the fact that this project is called Lindemann?

Peter: The thing was, we didn't have a name for this project.

Till: Tägtgren would have been a great name too.

Peter: After we had finished a few songs, it was clear that we now also need a name. For months we texted each other with silly band names. Some were just for fun, while others were meant to be taken seriously.

Till: It's incredibly difficult to find a good name these days. We had some good ideas like 'Way Outs' or 'Krauts' and for me the perfect name would have been 'Stockholm Syndromes'. We then settled on a single word, but most of them were already taken or had domains already registered on them.

Will we ever see you live somewhere?

Till: We want to wait and see how things develop.

Peter: First of all we have to wait for the reactions to know exactly how big it would have to be raised if we want to do it; so not just 50 people in a pizza shop. We'll have to wait and only then can we decide whether and within what framework we can tour. It's difficult to assess at the moment. But we still have time, the entire summer is available to us for planning.