#and i want to prepare something better to pass this course with than those projects that everyone did in class

[seaofreverie]

Wanted to start working on projects for my part-time school this weekend but instead all I have the energy to do is lay in bed and play mario kart or lay in bed and listen to music

[peacefulpianist]

The Green Dress

Loki x Fem. Reader (no y/n)

Wow hi everyone, I can't say I ever thought I would be doing this, but I've written something! I've been an avid reader for a few years now and have finally convinced myself to give it a shot. Any constructive criticism is more than welcome, but please do bear in mind this is the first thing I've written since year 8 English that isn't an academic paper of sorts. Anyway I hope you enjoy!

I'm tagging a few members of the SAS who I think may like this? But if you want to be removed please do let me know - no hard feelings at all : @lokisgoodgirl @lokischambermaid @acidcasualties @muddyorbsblr @wheredafandomat @liminalpebble

Description: When Stark invites you last minute to one of his infamous parties, you've not got many options on hand to wear until Nat suggests you wear the green dress you had bought months ago. Perhaps it will be enough to inspire a certain god to finally make his move.

w/c: 4.2k whoops I didn't intend for it to be nearly this long

My Masterlist

“How many times do I need to tell you that you absolutely can not do that Stark!” You exclaimed in exasperation over the cluttered lab table once more.

“But if I just ignored that little thing-” the glare you sent from over the top of your glasses quickly shut his remark down before it could continue any further. Looking contrite, but rather worryingly still determined, Stark pushed back from the table, going slightly further than expected in his chair and trying to style it out as intentional as he almost collided into several rather important projects. 

“Well since you’ve thoroughly pooped on that party Brainiac, I’m declaring we call it a day here, and hey speaking of parties, you are coming later aren’t you?” He asked whilst trying not to fall of his chair and catching a rather dangerous looking item falling off one of the nearby tables he had knocked into. 

A wave of panic washed through you at the mention of the event later; you had been hoping that as no one had specifically invited you to it, only mentioned it in passing, that you would be able to give it a miss unnoticed. It wasn’t that you disliked Starks events or even parties in general, you just happened to be aware of who else would be there and definitely couldn’t trust yourself to keep up a front with the copious alcohol that would no doubt find its way into your system. Not that you were totally innocent in how it found its way there. You had been hoping to avoid a direct invitation like this, purely because you had a real issue saying no to people, especially those you liked and admired. It was because of this, and only this - not the fact you would get to see Loki in one of his impeccably tailored suits again as a helpful voice in your head supplied, that you found yourself blurting out the following. 

“Uh yeah sure, of course, wouldn’t miss it for the world boss!” 

You had hoped that it had come out in a convincing tone, but the slight frown emerging on Starks face said otherwise. However, as quick as it had appeared on his face it was gone, replaced by a trademark smile as he slapped his thighs and stood.

“Well then, you better be off to prepare and polish your elbows, or whatever it is you ladies manage to do to fill so much time getting ready before these events,” his face quickly faltered after realising what he had actually just said and quickly followed up with “not saying of course that it isn’t absolutely worth it, especially if Pepper asks”. 

In an effort to allow Tony to leave the interaction without digging himself an even deeper hole, you stood too, gathering your bag as you went, giving a slightly awkward wave over your shoulder as you walked out the door. 

It was only when you made it back to your room upstairs that you fully understood what you had actually agreed to. Not only were you going to have to be in the same room as Loki, desperately trying to hide your feelings towards him, whilst watching him flirt with practically everyone in attendance, but also work out what the hell you were going to wear to a party at such short notice. Unlike many of the other inhabitants of the tower, your wardrobe wasn’t exactly equipped for these kinds of events. You had always preferred to skip out on anything that required this level of formal wear, the comfort of your staple jeans and a hoody was something you had always chosen over the tighter fitting, more formal attire required at Stark’s parties. 

In a somewhat unhelpful move, you decided that putting off the outfit dilemma was the best course of action, as a frantic full-body shower was needed, and of course there was no point choosing an outfit before you’d done your hair and makeup after the shower as well. You had told yourself that the outfit choices could be mulled over during this time as well, but realistically knew that you were just lying to yourself and would inevitably put it off until the last moment. 

A frantic search of your wardrobe, which involved many an outfit being taken out, only to be thrown into the rejection pile on the floor moments later, left you coming up short and in the middle of a ring of discarded outfits whilst still in just your towel. You sank to the floor, just staring despondently at the chaos around you, contemplating whether Tony would actually notice if you didn’t go after all. 

It was in that state exactly that Nat found you minutes later after she had knocked, not waited for an answer and entered anyway, only to stop in her tracks and abandon whatever purpose she had come with upon seeing you in such a state. 

“Well that outfit is sure to grab everyone’s attention, not what I would choose personally but good for you girl!” Nat said with a smirk, leaning on your doorframe.

“Don’t even start with that right now, I wasn’t planning on going to this until and hour ago, and I appear to have greatly underestimated my wardrobe deficiencies. Some actual help right now would be greatly appreciated.” Your reply came from the floor, all hope of being able to avoid Stark’s shindig fading with the sound of the door closing behind Natasha. 

“I’m sure your so called deficiency isn’t nearly as bad as you’re making it out to be,” her voice somewhat muffled as she rooted through what was left of your clothes in you’re wardrobe. 

“I mean look right here, what was wrong with this option, it’s even green, perfect to catch you-know-who’s attention!” The smile on her face dropped when she turned to face you, brandishing the green dress you had bought months ago on a whim when out with some friends, only to realise you would never be comfortable enough to wear it out in public when you had tried it on at home later that evening. 

“Woah, what’s so wrong with this one that it makes you pull that face? It’s a stunning dress I can’t see what you could possibly have against this one, its perfect for tonight.” Nat questioned with a confused frown, after seeing the vehement refusal on your face at the suggestion. 

“It is a beautiful dress, just not on me, I don’t-” before you could even finish the thought, Nat had pulled you up, and was pushing you quite forcefully back towards the bathroom, throwing you in there along with the dress and your raciest, laciest underwear that you hadn’t even seen her grab.

“I’m not even going to dignify that with a response, you should know better than to speak like that about one of my closest friends by now, by the time I’m back after getting changed myself, I want you wearing that dress so I can prove to you how wrong you are when you see everyone’s faces when we walk in later” Nate reply was somewhat muffled behind the bathroom door, but the fierceness, and her love for you, was still conveyed perfectly through the wood. 

“Besides if it truly makes you feel that bad after wearing it tonight, we’ll burn it together tomorrow, I’m not having you keeping it if its going to make you feel this way whenever you see it.” The finality in her tone and promise of being able to get rid of the thing tomorrow was enough to get you to follow her orders, that alongside the fact that you were still rather scared of her, even after having been friends with her for a few years now. 

With Natasha momentarily gone, it gave you the chance to ruminate in your thoughts, the dress was truly stunning, a deep emerald green that displayed your decolletage beautifully, with a daring slit from ankle to high up on your thigh. While you could see that the dress itself was objectively great, when it was you wearing it, it didn’t seem that way anymore. Instead of being able to focus on all of the ways it could highlight your beauty, all you could see was the way the closer fit of the dress clung to your stomach slightly, and how the slit showed off your thighs, and just seemed to emphasise how big they were. 

It was in this downward spiral that Nat found you in upon her return, a frown once again set on her face as when she saw the malice behind your eyes, directed solely at yourself. 

The way you could only ever focus on the parts of yourself that you saw as problems had always hurt Natasha, and how it impacted the way you behaved as well. It wasn’t just a matter of wearing baggier clothes that covered your insecurities, but the way you let it decide where you belonged socially. She was intimately familiar with your growing feelings towards a certain god of mischief who had taken up residence in the tower little over a year earlier, but also with your pessimistic view towards your chances of the feelings being reciprocated. Ever since you had realised that your feelings were more than that of just friendship you had immediately resigned yourself to remaining in the friend zone, refusing to believe that he would ever see you as something more because “he’s a god and I’m, well, I mean just look at me.” Nat had tried countless times to reassure you that the way you saw yourself, was not in fact the way others saw you, but had also at this point come to the understanding that your self perception wasn’t based in logic, and reasoning as such wasn’t going to make enough of an impact to change how you saw yourself. 

It was with this in mind that she approached you, an arm reaching round you and pulling you into her side for a hug, while smiling at you in the mirror, before grabbing your hand and pulling you out of your room and to the party on the floor above. 

Your outfit dilemma had delayed the two of you a little, so when you arrived upstairs, the party was already in full swing; with music blaring and alcohol clearly flowing freely if the state that some of the guests were in already was any indication. As such you were easily able to slip in behind Natasha unnoticed, before heading straight over to the bar, feeling the need to indulge a little more than normal tonight. 

From your vantage point at the bar up on the mezzanine, you could see almost all of the goings on down below you, from Lang absolutely busting it up on the dance floor to Tony trailing around after Pepper, seemingly trying to make up for something that was undoubtedly his fault, but wasn’t actually remorseful for. Unfortunately it also meant that you had the perfect view of Loki and his apparent flavour of the night. Despite knowing how unproductive it was, you found yourself comparing yourself to her, noting all the ways she was traditionally attractive, only to seemingly find yourself lacking in the same places in comparison. Even though you had accepted months ago that Loki was never going to reciprocate your feelings, and having desperately tried to allocate him into the friend box in your head unsuccessfully, it still hurt deeply to see him so close with other women, knowing what he would be doing with them that night, only to move on to the next when it suited him. 

This knowledge had one advantage for you though, it had made it much easier for you to become friends with the god. As you knew nothing romantic was ever going to happen between the two of you, you had found it that much easier to relax and joke around him, even going as far to return his flirty remarks, as there was no pressure behind it for you, and the potential embarrassment behind behaving more boldly was removed. Since he flirted with everyone that way, it obviously didn’t mean anything to him, so it made it much easier for you to jokingly flirt back. It was because of this new found confidence, that you had struck up a strong friendship with the god and had come to call him one of your closest friends. It had only added to your mental torture.

After a few more self indulgent moments, agonising a little more over what could have been you turned to the bartender, and took another drink with a polite thanks and a smile before deciding that even if you did still regret coming, and especially wearing the dress, you were going to make the most of the evening. Besides how many people could say they got to drink and dance with the avengers, who they were friends with. 

It was with this new found resilience that you stood from your place and made your way down to the dance floor, having caught Nat and Wanda’s eyes before and been summoned. 

The next few hours passes in a slight blur of laughter and dancing for you, after a few, chaotic but incredibly fun dances with Nat and Wanda some of the other men began to join in, requesting a dance with you. Between the fun of teaching Steve how people actually danced in clubs now alongside Nat, and Bucky whirling you round the floor like an absolute professional - after complementing your outfit for the evening with an all too knowing look, you had almost forgotten about your preconceptions for the evening, but whenever you danced with one of the men, however gracious and smooth they were, you couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like if it were Loki instead of them; comparing the feel of their hand on your back to what you had imagined Loki’s would be like if he were there instead. 

Just when you were about to take a break from dancing, a slightly cooler hand came to rest on your back, as its owner leant down to speak into your ear over the music.

“Darling, I think its about time we show them how its really done don’t you?”

The feeling of his breath over your neck as he leant in closer sent a jolt down your spine, that you were almost certain he must have felt in his hand, still placed firmly in the middle of your back, exactly where you had imagined it being all night. 

Quickly composing yourself, you managed a somewhat natural reply, rather impressed with your own neurones for still being able to function at least somewhat normally whilst Loki was so close to you, having not moved away under the pretence of needing to be closer to be able to hear you over the music.

“Ah of course your majesty, I’m sure us mere mortals couldn’t possibly live up to the prowess of a god”

His low reply was barely heard over the thumping of the bass, in a way that made you question whether he had actually intended for your to hear it, if it wasn’t for the sly wink he sent towards you after.

“Yes I find that is the case in many areas darling, especially when it comes to moving their bodies”

The raised eyebrow you gave in reply expressed all you needed him to know, and covered for the fact that your mind had been sent in a downward spiral imagining his trademark snake hips dance move, in areas other than the dance floor. 

Whilst you were somewhat distracted in your thoughts, he moved the hand from your back to loop his arm round your waist and bring you back into the middle of the dance floor, beginning to sensually move his hips and draw you into to him to do the same. 

What you didn’t know was that Loki and been subtly watching you all evening, ever since you had walked in the door, many may not have noticed your entrance behind the Black Widow, but at this point Loki’s body was finely attuned to your presence and he hadn’t been able to draw his sight away from you for more than a few seconds at a time. You were wearing his colours. His green. But it wasn’t just your choice in attire tonight that had drawn his attention, as delightful as that dress was, you’d had it for many months before this point. Initially you had been a curiosity to Loki, kind to him when many others weren’t immediately following his return to Midgard, but after talking to you the first few times it was your intelligence that had captured Loki’s heart. He had found you to be one of the few midgardians to match his voracious appetite for knowledge, both in reading and in your chosen profession as a biologist working alongside Stark and Banner, but much less insufferable than the other two. 

When Loki had first come to terms with his interest in you, he had thought his subtle flirtations would be enough to alert you to his intentions, but when these failed to elicit any kind of response from you he had slowly become more and more bold with his innuendoes and flirtatious comments when in your presence. At first he had thought he was finally getting somewhere with you when you had began to match him in conversations, but when you made no sign of anything more, he had found himself stumped. At one point he had even stooped so low as to flirt with others in your presence in the hope that it would inspire enough jealously within you to reveal your feelings towards him, alas it did not work. No one had ever taken this long to fall victim to his seduction. He had admitted to himself that this time was different to his previous experiences as truly desired more with you than just a roll in the bed, not to say that did not also desire that with you, he had thought about that extensively, but he was not sure how to progress from here. 

When you had walked in tonight though, looking exquisite in his colours he had decided that enough was enough, tonight he was going to finally bite the bullet and just ask you outright if you would be with him. It was not a decision that he had come to lightly, but he had finally come to the realisation that if he wanted something to happen he was going to have to do something about it for himself. 

You didn’t know whether Loki had bribed the DJ before approaching you, or it was a shear unfortunate coincidence but as you continued dancing, each song seemed to get progressively dirtier and more sensual. This combined with finally dancing with him after having imagined it all night, the enticing smell of him from being in such close proximity, and the one or two drinks you’d had early were practically sending you into an early death.

Simultaneously Loki was experiencing a similar issue, when she wasn’t looking, Loki found his eyes being drawn from her face down to her chest, which with his height he had a fabulous view down, and combined with the lyrics and music he hands had seemingly began to move of his own accord and were veering dangerously further south. He decided he needed to do something soon, or he was going to have a very hard time of it.

As he leant down once again to speak into your ear, your breath hitched ever so slightly, and a faint flush bloomed across your cheeks- a fact that didn’t go entirely unnoticed by the god, and one that made his own pulse race. All hope that you felt the same way as him was not lost.

“Are you alright there darling? You’re looking awfully flushed. You’re not too warm in here are you?”

You had barely managed to stutter out what you could only imagine would have been a terrible excuse before he continued;

“Unless of course it is for the same reason as I.”

The hope that formed in your chest from the one sentence alone caused you to whip your head up, needing to search his gaze to see if he was really implying what you thought he was, surely he couldn’t be, there was no way that he could have felt the same way towards you as you did to him. Before you could continue with your self deprecation, he interrupted your thoughts once again;

“Now now darling stop that immediately, I can tell you are already overthinking this before I have even truly started. I do not know what it is that makes you doubt yourself so, but you must know that whatever it is I do not share that same belief.”

You held his breath as he said this, still not truly believing that this could be going where you wished it was, but not daring to do anything to break the spell just yet

“I was almost sure you would have known by now, but apparently I have not been clear enough in my appreciation or my advances towards you. I very much like you min elskling, you have well and truly captivated me heart and mind, body and soul. I would be honoured if you wished to court me, or as I believe you mortals say, go on a date with me” Loki finished with a release of breath, like saying all that had released a burden from upon his chest and he could finally breath deeply again now it was done.

You just stood there frozen in the middle of the dance floor, unsure if what you had heard was really happening, surely this was all some wonderful fever induced dream, and you were going to wake up face down on one of the desks in the lab any moment. 

However Loki was reading your silence as rejection, and the insecurities that he had previously pushed aside were starting to flood back.

“Of course darling, if you do not feel the same then, I would be more than happy to just remain as friends,” it was of course a lie, but one that he would guard closely if that were the case, as he would never want for you to feel guilty for making an honest decision, and would much rather keep your friendship than not have you in his life at all.

“And I can completely understand why of course if you do not return my feelings, after all with my heritage I know-” before he could finish his sentence though you had reached up and pulled his face down to your height, before promptly pushing your mouth onto his in a scorching kiss. In the time Loki had began to panic and ramble, it had finally registered what Loki had been saying, and that it was in fact real, so before he could spiral any further you had to display your feelings towards him, and this had seemed like the most direct course of action.

After a brief moment in which Loki’s brain had to catch up to what was actually going on right now, he swiftly took charge of the kiss, both of you melting into it, especially as Loki opened his mouth to let he tongue dance along your lips before slowly meeting your own. At the same time, Lokis hands began to wander more actively, finally sliding that last little distance down to your behind, which he grasped firmly before sliding one hand down to bring your leg up and round his hip, letting you feel exactly what you were doing to him. Your own hands had found their way into his silky hair, finally fulfilling the desire you had held for many months to feel what it was like between your fingers, and when you gave it a gentle tug in the passion of the moment, a low growl made its way up Lokis throat, only enticing you in further. 

It was only as a few wolf whistles broke through your bubble that you remembered exactly where you both were and that it was perhaps not the best place for what was clearly on its way to happening. It was with the same thought that Loki took your hand and began leading you out of the room, stopping only briefly first to growl lowly into your ear “we need to leave now darling, don’t you agree?” Before nipping your earlobe and pulling back to grin at you. 

With absolutely no objections, and no subtlety either, you nodded before taking the lead taking you both in the direction your room, before stopping to remember the state you had left it in before the party in your distress to find an outfit. You blushed at the memory and changed direction slightly to lead you both to his rooms instead. Loki however took no notice, or simply did not care for the slight moment of hesitation, as at this point he didn’t particularly care where you were headed as long as it was close by, you were finally his and now it was time for him to claim you as such. 

Part Two here:

Thank you so much for reading if you made it this far! Please do let me know what you think x

[akehoshimystar]

Chapter 1

Ito: (……Ah.)

The usual station front was crowded with people waiting for their someone. Among them, a man holding “something” with great care suddenly caught my eyes.

Ito: ………

Mao: Ito.

Ito: !

Mao: You’re already outside, I see. Sorry to keep you waiting.

Ito: It’s okay. I was actually looking around and just came out.

Mao: What about Mika-sis and the rest?

Ito: I just got a message saying “two more stations,” so maybe they’re almost here... Oh. Maybe it's that train.

Mao: Can you ask them to meet us here?

Ito: That's what we're talking about now.

So, which of the three nail colors did you choose?

Mao: I was pretty satisfied after trying them out, so I bought all of them.

Ito: What a nice shopping trip.

Mao: That reminds me, did you see something before I called out to you?

Ito: Ah. Someone was standing there... Oh, I guess he’s gone now.

He’s holding a big bouquet of flowers, and that really stood out.

Mao: A bouquet? Seeing you making that face, I thought it was something weirder.

Ito: …….

Umm. Sorry if this comes out of nowhere.

Mao: Yeah?

Ito: Mao-san.….

“An interesting and profitable flower shop.” What kind of flower shop do you think it is?

Mao: ……Is that a riddle?

Yuzuru: .….With that said, I have completed the reservation for the venue we wanted yesterday.

The next event will be held as scheduled.

I would like us to start preparing from today on while focusing on our assigned role. Looking forward to working with you.

Ito: Same here.

After bowing slightly to Kise-san who was sitting next to me, I returned my focus to the laptop on my lap.

Ito: (When we started working on this project, I thought it was still a long way off. Things unfolded tenfold faster than I expected...)

The cafe's special business day, held irregularly. A one-day event where you can enjoy activities, experiences, and limited menus based on a specific concept. Of course, it’s nothing foreign to rent a venue just for a certain event. That’s just how particular we should be in order to create a desired space. The staff would get all dressed up in appropriate attire for the occasion, a very popular “Dress Up Event.” Due to a series of circumstances, it's been several months since the last time it was held.  For me, this is a first for two reasons.

Ito: (The last event was held before I joined, so this is my first time participating and preparing.)

(Also….)

Ai: The issue of bringing in the leased equipment the day before has been resolved, I assume?

Yuzuru: Yes. Since there's nothing we can do about it, I was considering changing the venue.

Riku-san happened to be free, so he went with me to directly negotiate.

Since this is Yashiro-san's precious “first project” she said she would like to cooperate to the best of her ability to materialize it as precisely as possible.

Ai: Realize something as planned, huh….

At the moment, there aren't enough of those things you want to materialize.

Ito: …………I'm very sorry for the inconvenience.

Yuzuru: No, don’t say that.

The concept I proposed this time was “Florist.” The visual aspect is inspired by overseas flower shops. The guests can enjoy a little fortune-telling and dishes with edible flowers. After reading through the proposal, Kosaka-san’s first comment was “For better or worse, it's a passing mark.”

Ito: (According to Kise-san and Riku-san, if I was given “GO” for the costumes and venue preparations = the project has no problem.")

(Even in the worst case scenario, there should be no problem with holding the event...)

"Adding to the 'interesting' aspect of this event to make it profitable”. I was instructed to work on that in parallel with my preparations. Obviously, I still haven't found it.

Yuzuru: Rather than thinking about going from 0 to 10, it's surprisingly difficult to think of what 1 you can add to a completed 9.

For now, let's just share ideas casually with “maybe this could work” in mind….

---Clack!

Roka: Ta-daaaaa!!!

Ito: !?

Yuzuru: Woah. Roka-san?

Ai: ……….

The person who came into the office while making the sound effect upon his arrival was Roka-san, who had finally made an appearance for the first time in a few days.

Ito: (This is the first time I've seen someone come in saying “ta-daaa”...)

Roka: Fufu, the surprise was a great success! Even AiAi was so surprised he couldn't speak.

Ai: More like I couldn’t care less. Do you remember how many times I have to tell you, who has done nothing but leave without notice and arrives late, to at least be quiet while entering?

Roka: As I always say, I’m not the president reporting for work, I’m the owner.

Because I'm such a friendly person, I have to casually show off something worthy of an owner in a place like this.

Ai: Do not show off what you don't have.

Roka: AiAi is harsh again today!

Hnggnnnhh... It's been five days and two hours. Is everyone the same? Rare-kun, what’s up~☆

Rare: What’s up! Food?

Roka: Oh yeah, I'm glad you're doing well. I'll give you some treats to commemorate our reunion. Here.

Rare: Munch.

Roka: Awch!! Rare-kun, the snack is not in my finger! Bad boy!

Yuzuru: I'm glad to see that Roka-san is still doing well.

Roka: As you can see, I’m doing awesome! Anyway, what have you guys been doing together? Gossiping about love?

Ai: If you're going to mess around, leave.

Roka: Relax, I’m just kidding. You were having a meeting, right? That much I know.

Yuzuru: We were just about to discuss the next dress-up event. 

Roka: Hmm?

Kise-san gave a brief explanation and Roka-san listened while nodding along. Just when I saw him folding his arms and looking down, he suddenly looked up after a few seconds.

Roka: In that case!

How about opening a flower shop, like literally?

Ito: Are we really going to open a flower shop?

Roka: I'll call it...

“Send flowers to your loved ones ☆ Florist Cafe”!

Chapter 2 >>

[junowritings]

a match up ?? Could I have one, I’m curious haha. (Males only please💛)

I am a tallish (5’9) curvy lady. I have long brown hair, Hazel eyes and a spattering of freckles from the sun covering my whole body. I am quite feminine if I do say so myself. I think Kindness is my greatest attribute. I’ve been told I’m very motherly and I CLING to that. I crochet (horribly) and write in my spare time. I enjoy gardening and I have a ton of plants. I enjoy feeding crowds of people, cooking is one of my favorite things to do! I’m not a serious person, like at all. Nothing really phases me, sometimes that’s a super negative quality. A serial daydreamer, hopeless romantic.

thank you for taking my request 💛

Of course hun coming right up! I went back and forth for a bit but I think I've found a lovely match for you...

It’s no surprise that Cal is absolutely smitten with you - how could he not be!

You’re compassionate, caring and protective of others especially those that you keep closest to you. That caring quality means that people probably  flock to you to be their support; to provide a cool head and smooth over problems that you can take on the chin thanks to your inability to be easily phased. Cal knows what that’s like. He’s often had to be the level head when arguments have sparked up with his siblings; a mediator when Rolan and Lia’s tempers have flared up, butting heads over one thing or another. He wouldn’t replace that for the world of course, but it’s nice having someone around who can relate to the role he has to play sometimes - a kindred spirit who kinda knows a little about what it’s like.

It’s no wonder people have told you your motherly when you practically radiate that warm kindness that makes even the iciest hearts melt just a little when they’re around you. There’s no need to melt Cal though - this tiefling already feels his poor heart skip a beat from the first time he’d seen you; kisses from the sun speckled across your face and every inch of you he can see and the flash of a polite greeting. He’s down bad and gods it’s blatantly obvious to those who know him. Really, it’s a miracle that you don’t hear his siblings ribbing him about his crush before the two of you actually get together. He’s long used to their antics by now, feeling two pairs of eyes staring holes into the back of his skull whenever he so much as gives you that lovesick puppy look he gets at the sight of you. Cal just accepts the inevitable ribbing with a knowing sigh and the go ahead to get it over with before there’s a clawed hand messing up his hair and an elbow nudging his back signaling the relentless teasing that’s bound to follow.

If you crochet accessories like gloves or hats Cal can be easily swayed into being a model for the price of a few kisses. Though be warned because by the third kiss he’ll be trying to get your attention away from crocheting to just lounge about with him; you’ll have to be persistent on finishing your project unless you’re up for a cuddle-nap in the middle of the day. Please, PLEASE make him some warmers for his horns - he doesn’t even need to keep his horns warm but think about how cute they’d look on him and tell me it isn’t too good of an opportunity to pass up. He also has a bad habit of forgetting they’re there, so warn him before he walks out the door with them still on his head. Or don’t, and prepare yourself for the inevitable playful revenge once he realizes.

On gardening days he’s more than happy to bask in the sun and keep you company while you garden. Very much the ‘will enjoy your presence but also ask you completely out there questions about what you’re doing’ kind of tielfing; but he will ask what he can do to help if you want him involved!. Thankfully he’s got somewhat of a green thumb (better than his siblings at least) so if you let him help you care for the plants he doesn’t do that bad of a job. If you haven’t already he will name the ones you get him to help look after something funny; you’ll always get a proud snort out of him if you start calling them the names he gives them.

He’s a pretty good cook! Though he has a tendency to linger in the kitchen in case you need him to do anything. You suspect it’s more to get first dibs on taste testing your dishes, as Cal will always give you that telltale look if you so much as mention wondering if it tastes good, bribing you with kisses in a bid to get you to cave.

It’s a good thing you love feeding crowds of people because with how hopelessly smitten Cal is for you, it doesn’t take long at all before his siblings begin coming around for weekly get-togethers. He’ll proudly boast about how amazing your cooking is, praising it enough you’ll have to remind him to actually eat the food before it goes cold. Always helps with the cleanup, insisting that since you cooked the least he can do is sort out the mess while you relax and spend some time with your guests. His siblings certainly won’t be the only guests either! They’ve kept in touch with the other survivors from the Grove, trying to meet up every couple of months or so after settling into the Gate to check in on how everyone is doing. So with things calming down you’ll certainly find yourself adopted into the group for these little get-togethers.

Expect a couple to give you the ‘treat him well’ talks. Lia playfully ribs you over it the first time they’re invited over to dinner and Cal almost dives over the table trying to get her to ease up. It’s all in good fun though - they all know that you’d treat him well and make him happy, as if the way Cal’s tail remains curled around your hip the entire time and the fact his hand never quite leaves yours isn’t a dead giveaway.

[fabiansociety]

we've learned a lot about musicals from this 100moviemusicals project, i think? specifically about the different subgenres of musicals, which weren't necessarily clear to me before. we never did get a scream style "this is what this form is about" movie, which i think is a shame — i had hoped that would be schmigadoon (or even the guy who didn't like musicals), but really neither of those projects are about musicals as intensely as any number of process musicals are. but it would be interesting to take another pass at this list with those subgenres in mind.

so, for example, you can break musicals down into several oppositional categories: song/dance, process/spontaneous, drama/comedy, exoteric/esoteric, that sort of thing. you want examples from each category from each decade, to show the evolution of the various forms across time, but that's not something we knew enough about to do at the start of the project… particularly sense a lot of the musicals that tend to break big combine multiple of those categories, which muddles things coming in.

so, to take a couple of specific examples, the elvis presley vehicle King Creole (which is incredible, and directed by the phenomenal Michael Curtiz) is a song process exoteric drama of a musical, since it's primarily about singing, the songs happen diagetically and usually as explicit performances, it's drawing on musical styles that originated outside of musical theater, and it ends with a death. beauty in the beast is a song spontaneous esoteric comedy, because the songs dominate over the dancing, the songs occur nondiagetically and without preparation, the music comes from within the theatrical tradition, and it ends with a marriage or the promise of one. the labels are contingent, but you get the idea

having these loose categories makes it easier to think about how things are evolving, and to connect later films with earlier ones more robustly (that's genre, baybee); you don't *need* the labels to understand that All The Jazz is in a lineage with Gold Diggers of 1933 and Step Up, but it makes it easier to realize that it's not in the same relationship with Love Me Tonight or Rent.

there's also something to dig into around the difference between high budget and low budget musicals. while that isn't as profound a gap as in horror—musicals demand a higher budgetary floor than horror—there's a pretty distinct difference in the musicals that are produced as blockbusters and the ones that aren't, and that's also worth keeping a thread of across the decades. movie musicals were frequently at the forefront of technical innovation, pushing the envelope with sound, scope (both within and without the camera), and color, and that means you can frequently see the raggedness of that progress, in the same way you can track the advances in CGI through the action blockbusters of the last thirty years. while the big budget musicals are frequently pretty bad in the way that big expensive musicals are pretty bad, i feel like i've learned a lot from that badness; it's easier to see on these older movies and in a genre that's mostly fallen out of blockbuster fashion than it is on movies that come out today.

the project has been worthwhile on its own merits, of course — there've been a lot of great movies that we saw because we were doing this that i would have never seen otherwise (Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Victor/Victoria, Idlewild, Bugsy Malone, Head, The Pajama Game, i could go on) — so it's not like anything needs to come out of this for it to have been worthwhile, but it's hard to not look back at the project and think, oh, we could do this so much better now

[oneclickangel]

journey: orientation and how i wasn't there for most of it.

(title is a reference, iykyk)

my birthday is in 6 days and i feel like i should do at least something so this is something! blogs talking about myself and my experiences, counting down to the day of the event itself

and the first one i thought of is my experience with romantic and sexual orientations. why? well the ace tag trending gave me some ideas lol

for most of my childhood, i wasn't interested in anything that isn't studying and playing by myself. wish i can say the same now

and thankfully, my parents weren't the type to fess over me interacting with the opposite sex not that i did that that much but still and teaching me about marriage and romance and all that wasn't on their minds yet at that time - and oh, how i yearn for them to stay that way now but alas.

i didn't get the hype with getting crushes and dating, until i developed what i thought was a crush. i remember being happy that i finally fit in and just like the other girls - that i wasn't just a weirdo with weird interests and lack of interest in people. and looking back on it, it's not like it wasn't a crush. it just wasn't a romantic one.

this continued on until i was 14. i'd get crushes where i just enjoyed looking at the boys' faces. it never occured to me that traditional crushes were supposed to involve actual romance. and when i did try imagining myself in romantic scenes with the boys i liked, i either felt disgusted or neutral. the neutral side of things mostly applied to fictional boys anyway.

then came the year of 2018. funnily enough, i actually remember being on tumblr that time - for the whole purpose of reading imagines of a fictional guy i thought i liked in those ways. i'd read, read, read, unaware that these pieces of writing... don't actually make me feel anything. that imagining myself in romantic + sexual situations with this guy was only bc everyone else was doing it.

when suddenly pride month rolled around.

i was an ally from the beginning. and bc of that i wanted to know more about the community so that i could show my support better. little did 14 year old me know.

i stumbled upon the term "aromantic". i started reading out of curiosity. i thought of how i could relate to most of the traits of an aromantic. i realized.

i remember i was like "so you're telling me i don't actually have to feel this stuff for people i'm seemingly attracted to?!" and remember that guy from before? every romantic and sexual thought of him vanished in an instant - and i've never felt so free. i even remember me writing a platonic self-shipping fic of me and him to celebrate; and luckily, i had friends who celebrated alongside me.

though at that time, i thought aromantic also meant asexual, so there i was going around telling people i'm aromantic without the asexual - most likely because i was taught that sex was just an extension of romance rather than being its own separate thing. until of course, i discovered the term later on and went "omg so me".

the label kind of enabled me to be more open about my dislike of romance and sex - borderline condemning it. but that was merely me projecting my own experiences; having to be subjected to society's expectations of me was more than just irritating and tiring. even if i ever change my mind one day, why should that matter? sure, preparing for the future is a smart move but what's the point if i'm abandoning my present self?

years pass and by 2022, i still identified as an aromantic asexual. at some point i even identified as a gay aroace, but then reverted back to aroace. even when there were situations and experiences that challenged me identifying with those labels, i persisted. even when i first interacted with whom i call my "first love", i wasn't attracted to them off the bat.

it took quite a few interactions. i myself was confused as to why talking to them made me so happy, especially because we didn't even talk in a chatroom - i was just an anon on their writing blog, the reason why i frequented their blog being one of the hurdles that almost made me change my labels.

to this day, i'm still unsure if mustering up the courage to privately message them made me realize i'm actually attracted to them or that i gradually realized after chatting with them in private. but in the end, i realized. i'm attracted to them. i liked the idea of being in a non-platonic relationship with them, i like imagining us in romantic situations (although at that time i didn't yet know what they look like) but either was too shy or i genuinely did not develop sexual feelings for them yet at that time. i confessed the night i messaged them.

to my surprise, it was their birthday. i'm unsure if a confession is a fit birthday gift still.

but when this happened, i didn't feel like i was betraying my aromantic asexual labels. it's more like... i broke free of them. broke free of these stupid labels that tried to tie me down for so long. so what if i haven't been attracted to anyone until now? am i not allowed to freely love because of these two words? or even, am i not allowed to be free of these words even if they define me? so i simply let go.

funnily enough, the person i fell in love with is aroace themself. a silly little plot twist in my story, i would say.

we begin to talk. a night turns into a week. a week turns into a month. 2 months after initially talking, we got together. i remember i couldn't stop smiling over how lucky i got. the person i love, who doesn't even reciprocate my feelings, was willing to give me a chance. i talked about them whenever i had the chance; the word "boyfriend" felt so sweet on my tongue.

4 months and 18 days - that's how long we were together. i remember the breakup like it was yesterday. because i once thought i wouldn't ever go through one, let alone cry myself to sleep a few nights because of it. but that wouldn't be the first time i've done that because of them - but even despite all the anguish i've experienced throughout this period, i was (and still am?) in love with them.

simply because of the fact that i was in love with them.

i acknowledged how strong and powerful romantic and sexual attraction can be, now that i experience it. though i still think people exaggerate the overall experience, their words now hold some truth for me. and to tell you the truth,

i am scared of feeling this way for someone else.

i just can't imagine myself experiencing such highs for a real person that isn't them. it feels like an absolute betrayal - to my past self, to them, to my current self. it just seems impossible. plus, feeling like a late bloomer makes me feel like shit. but if there's one thing this experience taught me,

it's that anything really can happen.

this journey is still ongoing - i'm unlabeled, still kinda in love with my ex (who is also my friend haha) and the future is uncertain. maybe i'll go back to being labeled, maybe i'll get over them, maybe both, maybe neither.

but for now, i'm unlabeled. because i'm not something to be defined.

i'm someone to be experienced.

if you read all that then thank you for listening to me ramble lol idk i just feel like talking about myself. it still feels like people don't really know me idk idk i was kinda being cheesy and stuff but hey when else am i supposed to be amirite

i will try to come up with topics for the upcoming days hehehe

[corktheauthor]

Julie and the Space Alien - Part 1

It was a strange day when the humans opened up their original planet for viewing for other species. They’d originally left Earth in small groups out of a desire to meet other species, but all of humanity had moved out when their ‘climate change’ had become too much to handle, a grand gesture made of giving Earth back to Mother Nature to take care of. I have always wondered about this human called Mother Nature who chose to stay behind and look after Earth’s other creatures. I hope she is not too lonely.

I was too little to remember the day it was announced that Earth would become a museum. It took around fifteen years to complete the project, time spent both in preparing transport links and putting in safety measures to protect both tourists and Earth’s own plants and animals. It has always been fascinating watching humans work so hard towards something that is not for themselves. It would make sense if it were for their own children, as all species are known to protect the future of their young, but humans somehow hold enough love in their hearts to care for all of humanity, even those they will never meet, and even have leftover affection for other species in their galaxy. And there they were, sharing their personal history with us because they wish for us to be able learn from them, and to preserve the history of those who have since passed. Many may mock them for their sentiment, but I have always thought it to be their greatest asset.

Anyway, back to the museum. It took months before I was able to get a ticket down there as well as a decent amount of my savings, but it was worth every Ynep that I spent. The guided tours were interesting, of course, and we all revelled in the knowledge being provided to us. Knowledge not for the sake of advancement, but just for the sake of knowing, which is a novel yet brilliant concept. Curiosity, the humans call it. But there was a human in our tour group who quietly complained to me about the tour being too rigid, too dull, like it was doing her history a great disservice.

“You have to feel history,” she told me. “You have to see it, breathe it, live it.” And then she was off, and I found myself following, simply because I was curious. The humans must have been rubbing off on me.

“We are no longer on the designated track,” I pointed out after a few minutes, and the human made a noise known as a scoff.

“Then go back,” she replied. I definitely should have gone back. But I did not. I wanted to breathe history with the human, I wanted to see things that I hadn’t yet seen, and more than anything, I wanted to understand these strange, wonderful creatures who had lifted us out of the darkness of solitude and into their waiting embrace. So I continued scuttling alongside her.

“My name is Th’aaxnak,” I offered.

“Nice to meet you Th’aaxnak, I’m Julie.”

It took an hour to arrive at our intended location. Julie insisted that walking was far better than teleporting somewhere closer, and I dared not protest. On that day, I was being a human, and that meant living in the moment (a delightful idiom meaning to forgo worrying about the past or the future or the consequences of one’s actions). We saw all manner of peculiar plants and animals, not to mention several important monuments, and Julie kindly relayed stories about each one, or small interesting facts (not as thorough as a guided tour, but nicer, in a way. Less monotone). We kept up a constant stream of chatter throughout, and I was almost sad when we arrived at our destination.

“This is it,” she announced. We were on a big street in front of one particular house. It looked no different than all of the other houses, and we had passed thousands and thousands of other houses. Why this one was important, I did not know, but I could hear the human’s heart beating in a funny rhythm, so I placed a supportive tentacle on their shoulder and waited with them until they were ready to go in.

“My Nana used to live here as a little girl,” she told me. “I’ve always wondered…” What the human had always wondered would remain a mystery, as she trailed off and did not complete her sentence. Humans were strange like that. Giving unnecessary and often incomplete information because they felt like sharing something with another living being. I’ve heart they even talk to plants, sometimes.

“I hope the house satisfies your curiosity,” I told her sincerely, and she laughed, tears coming from her eyes. They smelt like sad tears, not happy tears, but she looked happy. Humans were confusing.

“It’s not about curiosity.” She spoke as if this was obvious, but she was not unkind about it. “It’s about… oh, I don’t know. It’s about knowing her better, I guess. Remembering her, honouring her memory. I loved my Nana, I still love her, and I just want to be able to be close to her one last time, you know?” I did not know. Whilst our species mourned the dead, we did not mourn them for years, and we certainly didn’t go to great lengths to honour their memories. Humans just seemed to hold so much love that they even looked after deceased humans, who had no need for such affection and would not be able to appreciate it. Strange creatures indeed.

“How can you love the deceased?” I asked, and the human frowned slightly.

“How can you not?” she asked back. I wasn’t sure how to answer. I don’t think she was either.

We spent half an hour looking around the house. The human made strange noises whenever we saw something new, from high pitched squeaks upon seeing photographs still hung up to a sharp inhale at the books on the bookshelf to a huff of laughter at the neatly organised cutlery set.

“They left behind non-essential items,” she told me casually as she leafed through her great grandmother’s wardrobe. She picked up a cardigan and put it on, making no move to put it back.

“Will you take that home?”

“She’s not using it anymore. And it’s my colour, don’t you think?” She gave a little twirl, and I smiled, confused and unsure but happy for her.

The last room that we explored was her Nana’s bedroom. It seemed to be very emotional for the human, so I made a gentle humming noise to soothe her nerves. I know that humans do not use humming as a comfort, but I believe they should. Nothing calms me down as quickly as humming. It seemed to work, because the human offered me another smile and entered the room.

The walls were colourful, if a little faded due to prolonged exposure to sunlight, and the ceiling was cracked but still holding steady. There was a bed, another wardrobe, and a box presumable filled with toys, if the word “toys” engraved into the wood was anything to go by. However, the human seemed most interested in a small toy sitting on the bed.

“Teddy,” she exclaimed, before bringing the stuffed animal into her arms and hugging it tightly. She sniffed its head before coughing violently, but she kept the toy close to her as she emptied her lungs of dust and ceiling particles.

“Are you alright?” I asked tentatively, and the human nodded whilst turning an impressive shade of red.

“M’fine,” she spluttered, then started laughing, which was inadvisable given her respiratory state, but I wasn’t about to criticise her for it. She seemed happy. “I think I just breathed in an entire ceiling, though.”

“That is highly improbable,” I replied, before realising it was a joke. She gave me one of those sympathetic smiles, and I smiled back. “Is the bear sentimental?”

“Nana’s favourite toy. She left it behind by accident.”

“Will you… bring it back to her?” I asked. Julie nodded, and I pulled her into a human hug. She seemed like she needed the comfort, and humming wasn’t going to be sufficient for something like this.

It took several minutes before Julie managed to compose herself, and it wasn’t too long after that that we were leaving once more, Julie with the cardigan and the bear whilst I was empty-tentacled.

“Sorry for kinda wasting your day,” Julie said, as the day’s end approached. “You’d have probably preferred the guided tour, right?”

I thought about everything I’d learned that day. About the birds that people used to watch for hours, about the plants that smelled lovely, about the stories that seemed to come alive before my eyes with Julie telling them so enthusiastically. I thought about how I had seen, breathed, and lived history, and how somehow, I knew that no guided tour could ever compare. Perhaps I’d have learnt more facts in the tour, but with Julie, I had learnt what it meant to be human. I wasn’t sure I would ever be able to express my gratitude. “Give me the cardigan and we shall call it even.” The human laughed, and I laughed back. This, living in the moment, laughing with friends, and just enjoying oneself with no worries, was what it meant to be human.

Humanity was the first species to achieve space travel in our galaxy. In our loneliness we uplifted several other species. Please write a short from the perspective of one of those uplifted people interacting either with humans, or with the ruins humanity left behind.

[theuplandsoul]

First Blood in the UP

"I think that everyone remembers their first hunting trip, but I might remember mine a bit better than most. That’s not because I got my bag and tag limits – it’s because I was almost thirty.

I was blessed to have been born and raised on the Keweenaw Peninsula – a heavily-wooded and thinly-populated finger of land projecting from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula into Lake Superior. I’ve never lived anywhere else but, in my travels, I’ve heard that this is one of the best places in the country for a sportsman.

Growing up, my family spent a lot of time outdoors – hiking, snowshoeing, canoeing, kayaking, camping, fishing – but not hunting. When I was young, my father was a meat cutter and even had a cottage industry preparing meat from the deer that hunters brought in, but we never hunted.

In high school, the only sport that I lettered in was marksmanship offered through the JROTC program. Then, when I was in my twenties, I bought a handgun for home defense and went through the process of getting a concealed pistol license. Training with my pistol reminded me how much I enjoyed shooting, and it finally occurred to me to take it outside. I just needed to take a hunters’ safety course to get my hunting license for the first time.

I got a lot of questions being twice the age of the next oldest student in the hunter’s safety course at a nearby sportsman’s club but I learned a lot in the course. And I had something that a lot of the other students didn’t have: a place to hunt.

My in-laws live on a cattle farm a few miles out of town and deer, geese, and rabbits can all be nuisance animals to them. While none of them hunted, they were all too eager to let me harvest these pests from their acreage. My father-in-law drove me around the land in their farm truck telling me where the fences were, which fields the cows would be in, and where I was likely to find my query for the day: geese. And rabbits, if I came across any. In the Western Upper Peninsula, a number of species of geese are classified as migratory birds and have intermittent hunting seasons. Rabbits, meanwhile, have a long season and a large bag limit. We’re known for our deer seasons, but these alternatives fit my needs in several ways: they would give me an opportunity to get out before deer season started, they would give me an opportunity to practice with smaller animals, and I knew that these (as well as deer) lived on the in-laws’ farm. My hunting jacket was ancient and a few sizes big for me, but I had considered it a winning garage-sale find as I filled the pockets with 20-gauge game shells. I took the channel lock out of my new pump action, put the case back in my father-in-law’s truck, and began stalking through the back 40.

I knew where I was going – many a time my wife and I had driven to the farmhouse passing geese by the dozen in a field that I knew was just through this line of trees. As I passed through those trees, I was startled by the movement of not geese but a sizeable whitetail rabbit. I didn’t bother raising my barrel. Knowing that I wasn’t yet to where I expected to find the geese, I hadn’t bothered to load my shotgun. The rabbit stopped to take me in from a few yards away. Part of me wanted to draw on the rabbit with my pistol, but the math on whether I could hit the rabbit from that distance with a .38 Special (and what might be left of the rabbit if I did) just didn’t check out. The rabbit ran deeper into the woods as I sighed and dug in my oversized pockets to feed three shells into my shotgun." Read more on The Upland Soul.

[chasingpj]

𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐤

pairing: percy jackson x child of aphrodite! gn reader

requested?: yup!

warnings: mentions of underage drinking, one curse word, and mentions of sexual tension

category: fluff, shy boy x obviously interested girl trope

a/n: don't mind me I'm just projecting and I got carried away

you’re not sure what gravitated you to percy more

the crystal green eyes, the freckles over his nose, the disheveled dark curls, or his clumsiness

the first time you laid eyes on him, he was walking back to his cabin after sword-fighting practice

his tan skin gleamed in the sunlight as a hand came up to swipe away the damp hair sticking on his forehead

for an action so mundane, it made your stomach flutter like crazy

and then the beauty of the moment was ruined right when he trips over the steps of his cabin

you heard stories of the kid killing the minotaur, blowing up a volcano, and rumors of being the suspected child of a huge prophecy

yet, he was not immune from tripping over his feet

and you’re sure the dorky charm of that moment made you think, he’s mine

for the next few days, you were determined to approach him

but you didn’t just want to come up to him and introduce yourself; that would be too plain and forgettable

you ended up finding your opportunity during a capture the flag game

silena gave you instructions to distract percy, and you headed over strong, ready to make your first impression while also taking him down for your team

sure, he had water powers and done a bunch of cool things, but your father made sure you were well trained in sword fighting and martial arts even before you knew about the camp

you planned to take him by surprise, and luckily it worked

with ruthless attacks, it didn’t take long for you to sweep him off his feet and knock his sword out of his hand

by pressing the flat of your sword under his chin, you forced him to look up at you, and you peered into those clear green eyes

gods, he’s cute, you thought

“hey,” you said

percy was stunned, not sure if it was because you effortlessly took him down or if it was because you were one of the prettiest girls he’s ever seen

“... hi,” he sputtered, gawking for a moment as you offered your hand

you swore you felt sparks when his fingers brush across your palm... even though the contact was a little sweaty

in the distance, you heard the satyrs blow the horn and the roars of celebration from your team

“i should go back to the others. catch you later, ocean eyes,” you flirted

percy’s shoulders tensed up when you blew him a kiss; awkwardly frozen in his place as you waited

“well, are you going to catch it? you can’t just let my kiss fly away.”

percy shifted on his feet, not sure if you were serious or not, but when you held your ground with arms folded over your chest, it was clear that’s what you were waiting for

and so with a flushed face, percy awkwardly grabbed the air in the front of him, and you couldn’t help but giggle

“good, i wouldn’t want it flying to a stranger,” you commented playfully. “you know, i don’t really like this whole outdoor camp life thing, but seeing your pretty face around here makes it a lot better”

“uh… oh, thanks?” he stammered, not having the words to respond

you winked at him before walking off, more than satisfied with your first impression

after that, you were contemplating your next move

children of aphrodite can see all the possibilities in a potential relationship

you were able to see you and percy eating ice cream in central park, holding hands at camp, a shy kiss on your first date

you wanted all of it, and you going to make sure you get it

of course, silena and your siblings were your wing women

if percy was in the strawberry fields, you were picking strawberries beside him

in the fields, you got to know him and his sarcastic humor, which made your crush flourish

you even took sword fighting classes at the same time as him and made sure he was your partner most of the time

whenever you had a chance, you’d affectionately fix his hair or his armor just to hear his shy thank you’s

he’s never had a girl show this much interest in him, so you definitely made him a little nervous, but despite that, he opened up to you pretty quick

sometimes he’d help you out in the stables, and you noticed how he’d fumble with the harnesses or knock things over when you would flirt with him

you loved his reactions so much that you always took it up a notch just to see how he’d react

you suppose the pegasi didn’t make percy’s shyness any better

there were times where he’d shush them, or the tips of his ears would grow even more flushed at a neigh or huff from one of the pegasuses

as the summer came to an end, you gave percy your email and made sure you stayed in touch

you didn’t live very far from one another, but you didn’t dare ask to hangout

you wanted to be asked first!

and you were disappointed when the invitation never came despite the two of you being consistent with sending emails

the year flew by fast, though, and you were excited to return to camp for an array of reasons; percy being one of those reasons, of course

when you saw him for the first time that summer, you were in awe at how different he looked after a year

he was taller, broader, and just more handsome overall

your stomach went into a frenzy when he greeted you with a boyish smile while his hand rubbed the back of his neck nervously because he didn’t fail to notice how, somehow, you were even prettier than he remembered

unfortunately, having the prepare for the war meant you guys were too busy to hang out as often as you did the previous summer

but when you did have time to see each other, it was still fun

there was an unspoken rule between you and percy that any talk about the war wasn’t allowed

it allowed you guys to just bask in the nights where you would watch the sunset while joking around and sharing funny stories

those nights were calm and still; they brought a sense of normalcy amongst the chaos and growing tensions

because of this, percy had sought out your company whenever he could get it

being with you made him feel like time slowed down

inevitably, the battle of manhattan occurred and passed, causing the summer to end with the grief of losing your siblings

while campers arranged the ceremonies to honor their siblings, percy hopped around to help

losing silena as a counselor meant it was time to pick a new one, and to your surprise, your siblings nominated you

you were silena’s right-hand person, the oldest in the group after her, and the strongest fighter, so your siblings felt it was fair that you took the role

but it didn’t feel right to you; the pressure of being a newly elected councilor while still grieving silena weighed hard on your shoulders

after the nomination, you needed time to get away and sit with your thoughts, and you were only there for a moment alone until percy had found you

his eyes studied your somber expression, and he was quick to ask what was wrong

as you poured out all your worries, percy was quiet and attentive

you cuddled up to his side for comfort, and even in your sorrow, you didn’t fail to notice the way he tensed up

finally, when you let everything out, he chimed in to soothe your worries

your expression was a little lovestruck as he said everything you needed to hear, and well, his strong arm around your shoulders definitely helped too

you were so elated that you couldn't help but press a kiss on his cheek to thank him

his flushed face was enough to lift your spirits for good that day

by the time the summer officially came to an end, you could feel that percy’s feelings for you were becoming stronger

the romantic possibilities you envisioned became more apparent, but percy hadn’t asked you out yet

and like, you guessed you could have asked him out, but that wasn't fair in your book

you were already making the first moves; it was his turn to do something about it

then you were sure your mother pitied you because finally, after a few more months of emailing, percy asked if you to go ice skating with him, and of course, you agreed

but then, you concluded that it was more like a cruel joke from your mom because percy never showed up

you waited hours for him before you trudged home in defeat

heartbroken wasn’t even enough to describe how you were feeling

being stood up with no follow up from him made you conclude that he just wasn’t interested and you just needed to move on

it wasn’t until you went to CHB for christmas break did you find out percy was missing

you were crazy worried about him and helped as much as you could to try and find him

when it was confirmed that he was still alive, you were more than relieved

from that day on, you were itching to see him again, and finally, after the giant war, you were able to speak to him

you only said a hello before you got sucked into a game of truth or dare with your friends

the game was self-explanatory; spin the bottle and the person who’s chosen is submissive to the person who spun it

you made up some lousy dares for the first few people until you spun the bottle in percy’s direction

“truth or dare?” your voice was challenging, and a little flirty

percy shifts in his place, “truth.”

“do you want to kiss me?”

“dare.”

“kiss me.”

the instigating coos of your friends made you smile, which contrasted percy’s stunned expression

“never have i ever-”

“that’s not even the game, percy!”

your friends laughed at your interaction, but you were honestly a little annoyed

he liked you; you could feel it, so what was he even waiting for?

“it’s fine. you don’t have to kiss me if you don’t want to,” you say with a playful smile in an attempt to hide your disappointment

“shit, i’d kiss you,” leo joked, and you suddenly perked up at the request

a new idea came to your mind

“so kiss me,” you snapped your gaze to leo, a smirk on your face

leo gasped so hard; he choked on his own saliva

while he coughed erratically, showcasing all his shock on his face, you announced, “new rule! you can only give up a dare if someone else in the group offers to take it for you.”

your gaze fixed on leo, “so, are you going to kiss me or what?”

“uh, only if you want to,” he stammered, and you smiled, moving to lean over in his direction

suddenly, percy cut in, “i didn’t give up the dare.”

your attention shifted to him, and you didn’t fail to pick up the jealousy radiating off of him

your stomach flipped with anticipation at the success of your idea

if percy needed a push, you were going to push him

“you’ve given leo false hope then,” you joked, and playfully leo sighed.

“man, so close,” he mumbled.

you bit your lip as you leaned in percy’s direction

you felt his attraction to you; his eyes told you everything you needed to know and more

and before you knew it, your lips were against his

the kiss was short, but for a moment, the world around you was drowned out; you barely heard the coos and cheers of your friends around you

with a satisfied smirk, you pulled away, settling back in your spot as percy’s eyes averted elsewhere, too shy to look at you

you and your friends played the game until you grew bored and found something else to do

because the festivities kept pulling you in one direction to another, the only interaction you had with percy was the occasional longing glance and nothing else

as you escorted a few of your sisters who drank a little too much back to your cabin, you were sure you’d have to wait another day to talk to him

lost in your dismay, you automatically denied piper’s offer to finish the task

it wasn’t until she scoffed did you pull out of your thoughts

“are you kidding? go. i’ll get them back. you find percy.”

“oh yeah. you guys need to do something about that sexual tension. are you gonna date him or what?” another one of your sisters slurred

before you could even protest, you were shooed away by not only piper but by the rest of your siblings too

you stayed in your spot, making sure they had at least made it to the steps of the cabin before you pranced up to percy’s cabin

you figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask if he wanted to go on a walk with you

your knock is followed by a few moments of shuffling before he opened the door

and, whew, you were pleasantly surprised to be greeted by a shirtless percy

“hey." you leaned on the door frame, your eyes trailing down to admire his toned torso

“eyes up here," percy playfully demanded

you were almost hesitant to avert your eyes, but you obliged.

"i wanted to ask if you wanted to take a walk. you know, i just haven’t been sleeping well."

percy leaned against the door frame, amused at the dramatic pout on your face.

“sure, let me put on a shirt firs-”

“oh, you don’t have to. i don’t mind,” you cut him off, and his head tilts back just a little as he laughs

“i’m putting on a shirt,” he declares playfully, and you whine in fake disappointment

on your walk, he told you all the crazy things that happened while he was missing, and even though his stories were a lot more interesting than what you had to say, he was eager to hear about what you've been up to

your conversation persisted as you walked around the camp and as you arrived at the docks, another idea came to mind

suddenly, you cut yourself off mid-sentence, your gaze fixed on the water

“perce, you know, i can’t swim,” you mention, stepping on the wooden dock

“really?”

“really.”

it was quiet for a moment, and percy's expression was laced with confusion as you kicked off your shoes

you didn’t even care that you were wearing designer clothes, running straight off the dock and into the deep lake water

you heard percy yell your name right as your body completely submerges in the water

and it wasn't even more than 3 seconds before percy jumped in, one arm immediately wrapping around your waist to swim up to the surface with you

his baffled expression sent you into a fit of laughter

“what? why did you do that?!”

“cause i knew you’d come and get me.”

percy’s lips curved up into a smile, and you took the time to admire his features in the moonlight

you swore you saw his eyes flicker to your lips for a second, and the action made you hyper-aware of how close your noses were

"kiss me!" you thought in your head as you circled your arms around his neck, pulling him even closer

you could feel his admiration, the accelerated thump of his heart, the fluttering in his stomach that mimicked yours

the kiss you shared earlier was far too short for your liking, and you were already looking forward to the next opportunity to kiss him again

“i haven’t forgotten that i owe you a date.”

you smiled at his words, half-distracted at the proximity of his lips

“so it was a date all along?” you asked, and percy nods, amused

“you know, i was thinking now that there isn’t another big prophecy and the chances of me disappearing again aren’t likely, that, maybe, you and i could-”

“yes! gods, yes.” you cut him off, and percy laughs at your eagerness

you waited too long for the question that you couldn’t even let him finish asking

he isn’t able to say anything else as you pull him into a passionate kiss

it was as if the years of anticipation were being poured into the movement of your mouths

the kiss was long, growing in eagerness until the harpies had ruined your fun and the two of you had to run back to your cabins

a part of you had wished that all of this would have happened sooner

you had plenty of nights where you were stared at the ceiling with conflicted thoughts, wondering if you guys just weren't meant to be, if you somehow made up his attraction to you in your head, or if you should ask him out first and save yourself the potential regret

but when you returned to your cabin full of enthusiastic siblings asking why you were soaking wet and why your lipstick was smudged, you realized you wouldn’t have changed a single thing

masterlists taglist:@xxyrr @nct127bee @mochabreezeee @minamisulemisa @yanfeisluvr @Slytherclaw-kitten @-thatgirloverthere- @passionswift @nanskidoodle @s0urcru5h @ilikefluffygingercats @all-hailreyna @autmngirlworld @sunkissedskin1328 @Hermioneswifeee @quteez @hajigayy @aleksanderwh0r3 @drayshadow @tonyedwardstarkk @londoncherry @ashookykooky @lotusnegra666 @loverstyless @yelenabel0vaswife @t0xicmuse @ohmydamgods @jordannfields @tomriddles-wh0re @amy-writes-blog @muted-mayham @shawkneecaps @dreamerball @earthtokace @thehighladyofday @theverydramaticcabbage @lala-llama123 @tootsdoll @slytherindaughterofposeidon0 @black-rose-29 @somekidnamedkai @possiblylostchasecousin @silver-gemini @hamdehlesmis @shadowsndaisies @cami05sworld @does-anyone-hear-me @scarlets-widow @sol-the-salmon @hipsdofangirl @tatofan @missusstark @atryx0-tal @iamparou

if your username is bolded that means i can’t tag you ! you probably have your visibility settings on !

[blorbologist]

Hmm how about gifts for the departed, Imogen and Laudna? :3c

38. Gifts for the departed.

There are plants alive today whose pollinators/primary seed dispersers have gone extinct. In some cases it was megafauna - giant ground sloths were big enough to swallow avocado seeds. In others, well… yeah, the anthropocene extinction is to blame. Thankfully the plants can survive with dispersal by rodents, water and human intervention, but it’s tragic they've lost the species they evolved alongside. The ones they made these fruits for.

(Wrote 98% of this while doing a speedwrite with you, bar some quick edits and the bit at the end. I can't resist Imodna angst :c)

There are so many things Imogen never got to give her. 

One: that scrap of lovely calico, early on in their travels together. 

(It was too expensive, and Laudna hardly had any coin to her name, and Imogen had all of her’s and it wasn’t much at all, not much at all. 

It was, really, an absolutely gorgeous length of cloth. Laudna had a superb eye for the stuff, and Imogen could never recall seeing one that looked so finely made this far from a big city. 

Definitely worth the price - but not worth two tired women on the road. 

It would be dirtied and torn and muddied by them, before long, no matter how Laudna cared for it. And it would pay for this care by denying them money for… off the top of her head, three, maybe four meals. 

So she had to carefully take that cutting hand in her own, careful because she didn’t know how to hold it, then, and lead Laudna away n promise her they’d get some in a town or two. 

Never did.)

Two: that balm for her aches. 

(Laudna took care of her. 

She did, she just did - not in that endlessly tiring way, like an old husband and his just as old but a little wearier wife. Not sure why she brought that up, but - not like that. 

It was different, but it was care, and sometimes it cost a little extra. More time on an odd job, another hour to scrap by enough for a room away from the moon. Or passing up on a cheaper inn to get one where the bed was big enough for the two of ‘em. 

Imogen wanted to return the favor, pay it forward, pay it back, pay it in time. But caring for Laudna cost more, given she was, y’know. A peculiar case. She saw, one day, in a seedier bazard than they usually frequented, a jar of oil for corpses. To make them limber to better prepare for funeral rites and burial. 

She’d thought ‘oh, that might help Laud rest easier’. But then she’d thought of explaining it to her, of how Laudna wouldn’t mind being called a corpse but Imogen would mind it very much so. And breezed right on by.)

Three: whatever the fuck that one thing had been.

(She really, really didn’t have no words for it - they’d stopped by a little shop of curios and creatures. Creatures being taxidermied things. 

Some of them still sorta resembled what they were supposed to be - though Imogen would have bet good money the old scaly bastard had never even seen a cold, those legs were all wrong. 

And some were… custom projects. Little chimeras - this one was a mishmash of… gods almighty, who knew? Something with red scales, something else with a long head, probably two or three horned critters given the different colors. An artistic rendition of Thordak, that red wyrm Ank’Harel loved to mock and Tal’Dorei hated to fear, some decades ago. 

Laudna had been in love, oh absolutely in love with it! 

It was also big enough to be a hassle just carrying it to the cash, let alone on their travels, so Imogen had to gently big Laudna to say goodbye. 

Pate said goodbye, too, draping himself over the knobbled snout as he(Laudna) wailed about the injustice of it all.)

Four: that lunch.

(They ate together all the time - of course they did, it was two years and they shared a bed. 

But eating together and going out to eat together were two different things. 

Imogen packed their lunches, most of the time - she was used to picking out the most filling food in ways so the fruit wouldn’t bruise for trailrides. Laudna was used to just… not eating. So, yeah, Imogen usually took care of that part of their arrangement. 

But oh, one time, this one time, Laudna had clapped her hands together, nails a clatter, and pointed out a little restaurant overlooking the very edge of a valley. Not sure why it caught her eye - Imogen had forgotten to ask. 

But it was a rare cloudy day, affording them the chance to travel through when it was usually hottest, and Imogen had been in a sour mood from her red dream the night before and suggested they keep on. Laudna’s face had crumpled, and she almost walked it back, but - but - gods, she just wanted answers. 

And, more than that, the thought of it had Imogen turnin’ red as a beet, and she wasn’t quite sure why, so she turned and blurted out the first excuse and got to walking. )

Five: the ring, with the two snakes and the rubies. 

(What, you must be sayin’, she did give Laudna the ring. She did, she did. 

Is the thing - she almost didn’t. 

Came so close to chickening out, and the real problem is that it was the whole - the whole Dusk thing that made her actually square her jaw and grab for it. 

She should have given it to Laudna for Laudna’s sake. Because Laudna would love the grim imagery. Because it would match the cuffs but be a good memory and not a bad one. Because gold was a warm metal, and she didn’t deserve to get any colder. Because it was the two of them, entwined, each with their little rocks, on Laudna’s finger.

And maybe she hoped she might read into it. Just a touch.

There were plenty of pretty things in that shop - she had just asked for the rings.

And then Dusk - and Letters - and Otohan - and - and -)

So when Laudna wakes up, really wakes up, for the first time in a week, Imogen doesn’t pass on the opportunity to give her a kiss. And another, and another, and another, because she’ll fucking give Laudna every fleeting fickle thing to cross her mind because she can’t miss another.

And right now that means kisses.

(Send me a prompt and I’ll write a ficlet, a HC or an AU idea + share the science fact that inspired the prompt!)

[thedivinelights]

Who Leaves a Wedding Early?

Jacob Marley was a fool.

There. He said it. That was what he was: A complete, utter, baseless fool. He should have followed his own advice and just kept to himself. Attachments were for those who wanted to get hurt, he should have known that better than anyone.

So why… why did it hurt so much?

He remembered the day he was told of the engagement. It had been a crisp autumn evening — early November, tenth or eleventh, he couldn’t quite recall — when Ebenezer burst into their shared office with the giddiest grin upon his face.

“She said yes, Jacob!” He had called out, rushing to Jacob’s desk and clasping his hands. “Lord above, she said yes!"

“I…” Jacob had been at a loss for words. He had known that Ebenezer had been courting Belle for quite some time now, of course. He was not blind to the obvious affections the two had. But they had been friends for so long, and Jacob had grown to cherish Ebenezer’s company more than anything else in the world. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing him.

Even still, he had to pretend to be happy. At least for Ebenezer’s sake.

“Congratulations, ol’ boy.” Jacob had replied, giving him a smile that never quite reached his eyes. “I could not be happier for you.”

“I want you to be my best man.” Ebenezer beamed, still oblivious to the way his joy was like daggers to Jacob’s heart. “Will you?"

Jacob had almost laughed and scoffed the idea away. Best man? Him? He was the last person who should be standing beside Ebenezer on his wedding day. But he had nodded anyway, because he couldn’t say no to Ebenezer. He never could.

"I would be honoured."

He forced himself into the preparations. He arranged the venue, the menu, the seating. Everything they ever needed, he gave it all and then some. It was slow going at first, but soon business at the counting house was booming.

“I want to give Belle the future she deserves.” Ebenezer had stated once in a moment of respite when Jacob asked why he had been continuously postponing the wedding. “I need to be able to provide for her needs. She does not deserve to live in squalor.”

And with every year that passed, a part of him — the stupidest, goddamn part of him — was still holding on to that tiny sliver of hope. Hope that Ebenezer would wake up one day and realize that the love he was searching for was right there in front of him. Hope that they could have something more than just a deep friendship sprinkled with 'my dearest' and 'old chap'.

But hope was ever the cruel mistress, and she never granted his wish. She teased him with stolen glances, secret touches, soft whispers in the dark. She made him long for a life he so desperately wanted, but never could. In another lifetime? Perhaps. But not here. Never here.

He watched as Belle walked down the aisle. He watched as Ebenezer looked to her with such reverence. He watched as they exchanged their vows. He watched as they kissed and danced.

Until finally... he could watch no more.

He had planned a toast as the best man. He put on his finest suit and practiced it in the mirror. Over and over, writing and rewriting it a thousand times until it was perfect. It had to be perfect. Because what else could he do?

Yet as he stood to deliver his words, he found himself unable to speak. It was ironic, was it not? This famously — or rather, infamously — charming man, able to sell ice to the Inuit and convince the Devil himself to turn the other cheek, now at a loss for words. Rendered speechless by his own feelings.

But he had to try.

"Ebenezer." He began, and he mentally cursed himself for the crack in his voice as he spoke his name. "My dearest friend. My partner in both business and in life. We have seen each other through thick and thin, and I... I would not be the man standing before you today without him. Without his wit and his cunning, his tenacity and his ambition. Ever is he the logician to my romanticism, the yin to my yang. The..."

Jacob trailed off, clearing his throat and fighting back the lump that had formed there. "But today, I stand before you not as a partner, but as a witness to the love that you and Belle share. A love that is pure and true. Times can change, people too. But love is the one constant that I know will endure the tests of time."

He raised his glass, looking to the couple with a smile. The kind that looked more like a grimace than most. "Ebenezer has been the light of my life. The one uniformity in a world that is ever-changing. He has been my rock, my safe harbour, my everything. And I know that he will be the same to Belle, who is a kind and wonderful woman deserving of all the love in the world. So... So I toast to you, my dear friend. May your love be everlasting, and may you both find happiness in each other for all of your days."

He downed his champagne in one go as the applause roared in his ears. It would not be long before the dance would begin, but he could not will himself to stay a moment longer.

He muttered his excuses about work, before grabbing his coat and slipping away. The chill of winter was cold and uninviting, but it did nothing to the man who had a blizzard of his own raging within.

He barely remembered stumbling into his apartment, fumbling with the keys and collapsing on the couch without even beginning to undress. He sat in the darkness, his expression numbed. Grown men shouldn't be crying. He wanted to hold it in for so long. He almost did.

Until he realised that Ebenezer wouldn't be returning to the apartment they had shared for years. He would be going home with Belle, and not sitting with him, sharing a bottle of scotch as they talked and laughed late into the night.

And that was when the dam broke.

Jacob let out a sob, a gut-wrenching sound that echoed through the empty sitting room. He clutched his chest, feeling as if his heart was shattering into a million pieces. It was a pain that he had been trying to ignore for years, but it had caught up to him at last.

He loved Ebenezer. He had loved him from the moment they met. He loved him for his kindness, his intelligence, his sharp wit. He loved him for the way he could make him laugh even on the darkest of days, for the way he always knew the right thing to say, for the way he had always been there for him. He loved him for everything he was, and everything he could never be.

But life wasn't fucking fair, was it? It wasn't fair. It was never going to be fair, not for him. It was cruel and unforgiving. Life was a bastard that ripped your heart out and left you on the streets to pick up the pieces. Life was a game of chance where the odds were never in your favour. Life was... just life.

He did not know how long he sat there, or how red his eyes appeared to be. All he knew was that he had to let Ebenezer go. He was a selfish man, but for Ebenezer...? He wouldn't dare.

Because that was the hardest thing about love. It wasn't always about getting what you wanted. Sometimes, it was about letting go. It was about putting someone else's happiness above your own, even if it tore you apart inside.

Jacob Marley was a fool. But he was a fool in love. A pathetic fool who was willing to stand on the side. He wasn’t sure what the future held for him, but he knew one thing for certain: He would never be a fool for love again.

[jameui]

SPECIAL PRESENT 1

Requested

part 1 | part 2 | part 3

PAIRING: Sugar Daddy!Jung Yunoh x College Student!M!Reader (featuring: Bestfriend!Lee Jeno)

GENRE: Fluff, Smut

WARNINGS: Unprotected intercourse, huge age gap, a lot of IMPORTANT flashbacks (i think), daddy kink, sex toys, overstimulation

SUMMARY: You were a striving student in Resonance High and had perfect records. Besides your devotion to your education, you were also gifted with a talent. All these stuffs making your sugar daddy, Jaehyun, proud of you, so he decided to give you a night you won't forget.

(P.S. so i was fucking dumb to actually think that when you said performance, you meant by performing on a stage, when you actually meant, how male reader actually did good in school. I was too late to notice. sorry. if this didn't reach your expectations.

The school's foundation day is fast approaching and each student at Resonance High are all excited preparing for that certain day. During the school's foundation day, events such as competition in sports and performances like singing and dancing or spoken poetry. All sorts of event takes place in that particular, not only a day, but a week, that every students can take part in.

The school's foundation day does not only happen after a day. It's a week of celebration for the foundation and, of course, free from homeworks and projects that students have to worry about. All their focus must be on having fun on those days and be active in participation. Some students never liked the thought about celebrating a foundation day, but you on the other hand, thought otherwise as it's your first time celebrating it with a friend, since you never really get to do it with any due to you practically being locked up in your house for almost all years of your life.

Now, you were away from your family and you got to finally do anything you wanted. For example, having a sugar daddy who gave you all the help you needed. Sure, at first, you were just doing it out of mere fun, but you never quite expected to actually grow feelings for the older male. You didn't know when it started, but the first time you ever felt the fluttering of butterflies in your stomach was when he became worried and concerned when you got sick after a very excessive practice, the day prior. You wanted to tell him so, so bad, but you didn't know how to.

You were scared that maybe you were crossing the line or coming off too strong or maybe he'd walk away if you broke the agreement. It first started with just you only being up for it because of the agreement. Though, you never really went as far as you giving him a good blow or having a steamy bath with him. Either way, he was still someone you could trust and the only person you could rant about all your problems. The thought of losing all these scared you the most.

Unlike some other people, Jaehyun was smart and was a successful businessman, owning one of the richest companies in the industry. Jaehyun, when he's not busy, he'd help you out with your math homeworks or would just do it for you, since he found it fun and easy. Sometimes, you think he's Einstein, reincarnated.

Jaehyun, besides his brains, is also fun to be with. He knows about your passion and talent for singing and dancing and your once dream to be an artist, so he would sometimes play loud music in the living room through the speakers and you two would be singing along, him making up lyrics when he have no idea what the song artist's saying in their song. He'd sometimes call them drunk, because they sounded like they were slurring their words, which you would always laugh to. Also, he'd let you teach him a few dance steps you saw on tiktok and you'd record it together, only for the fun of both of you.

You were seated by your section's booth and couldn't help, but crack a smile from the thought. That was until one of your classmates decided to cut the moment. "What's with the smile?" Jeno, one of your friends, questioned with a smirk whilst carrying a case of bottled apple juice, placing it beside the stand of the booth.

"Here to tease me, again?" You scoffed at him, as he shrugged his shoulders. You rolled your eyes at him and stood up from your seat before heading to the school's gate where the rest of the important necessitated items are waiting. You skipped along the way and stopped by the pick up truck that was parked at the parking lot. "Anything I can help with?" You asked with a smile.

"Here's the last of 'em." He gave you two cases of the bottled drinks, one stacked above the other making you grunt.

"This is heavy." You muttered under your breathe, your thin hands barely holding onto the handles. "Th-thanks." You told them your feet wobbling from the heavy weight of the trays.

Jeno who came walking back outside saw you struggling, making him chuckle deciding to help you. "Need help with that?"

"Yes, please." You said before passing the trays to Jeno carefully, so it doesn't topple over. "Thanks." You smiled at him, cracking your knuckles and shaking it to reduce the pain you felt on your hands.

"Welcome." He said, then walking back to the booth, with you beside him. "Ah, M/n. By the way, are you attending the practice this afternoon?"

"Yeah. Of course. Why do you ask?" You chuckled, kicking on a pebble that came your way.

"Oh, I just thought you'd be busy sucking your daddy's—"

"JENO!" You yelled at him with an evident blush on your face cutting him off to avoid anyone hearing what Jeno had to say. It's always been like this. Since the day you told him about having a sugar daddy, he'd always tease you no matter where you are or what you're doing. He'd always use your excuses against you and now, you're regretting ever telling him.

"Okay, okay. Damn." He laughed at your reaction, you staring daggers at him.

Just as you were about to spat back at him, you heard a group of girls' voices calling out to you. "M/n! M/n! M/n!" They were successful in gaining your attention, while they smiled running up towards you. "M/n! You didn't tell us you have a handsome brother..." One of them said, while batting their lashes.

You knitted your brows in confusion. "I have?" You asked the girls, who looked like they knew better and nodded their heads. First of all, you don't have a brother, but you have three sister, two are older and one is younger. Second, you don't even know who these girls were and yet, they mysteriously knew your name and who you were. "Wait, who are you talking—"

"M/n-ah." You heard that sweet raspy voice of the man you loved, your head snapping towards him who stood by the side of your booth. You guessed he was on his break, since he was still in his suit and it was already past twelve in the afternoon.

"Jaehyun!" You giggled as you ran to him, all the while opening his arms for you to throw yourself in. You gladly complied and wrapped your arms around him, the lot older male doing the same as he hung his long arms on your waist. You snuggled into his chest before you looked up at him to see him already looking down at you with a smile that displayed his deeply carved dimples. "What are you doing here? Aren't you busy?" He made you giggle when he patted your head and planted a kiss on your forehead.

"I wanted to see my baby." Jaehyun replied, then pouting. "I've been so tired lately."

You furrowed your brows in concern and hugged him tighter. "Can't you take a three days off?"

"I want to, but I got to keep the company running if I don't want it to fail." He answered you, making you nod your head.

Once the girls saw these, they quickly felt embarrassed and walked off without making a sound, Jeno laughing at them.

"Then, why don't I treat you to something sweet? How's that?" You wanted to do something for the older and this was the only thing you could ever think of.

The pout was still glued to his face when he looked back down at you. "Angel, we agreed that I would do the treating."

"Well, you're the one who needs my help, right now, so I want to do something for you, other than..." You cleared your throat and mumbled, "...the other things I do for you."

Jaehyun chuckled, as he finally gave in to your offer while he ruffled your hair. "Alright."

You pulled away from him once he had loosened his grip from around your waist. You took him by the wrist and told Jeno that you'd be somewhere else, leaving Jeno with the rest of the responsibilities, promising him to make up to it.

You were leading Jaehyun to the canteen, before he gently pulled on your hand. You turned your head towards him, your eyes moving down to where he held you. You chuckled and smiled. "What's wrong?"

"Can... I hold your hand, M/n?" The question took you aback, only since he never really asks those type of questions. Ones he only asks are some that goes by the line 'can you suck my dick?' or of some sort.

"Sure." You managed to smile from the obvious shock that got Jaehyun a little red. "You didn't even have to ask." You added to which he nodded to shyly. It would be times like this when you would forget that he is a good thirty years old because of his cute personality.

You two finally made it to the canteen, the taller male receiving a lot of stares from all those present inside. Jaehyun was yet to spot the attention he was gaining, but you were already feeling iffy even though you knew that those heart eyes were for Jaehyun. But, you couldn't help the feeling that those eyes didn't like you being around Jaehyun. "J-Jaehyun..." You squeaked out silently, tugging on the sleeve of his suit, taking his attention whilst smiling down at you. His smile faltered upon noticing how you looked subtly shaken and cowered in fear. "I.. I think we should leave."

"Baby, what's wrong? You look so tense." Jaehyun asked you out of pure concern, cupping your cheeks as he gently tilted your head upwards, so you could face him, but you removed his hands from your cheeks that got him almost shocked since you'd never really let yourself move away from his grasp, instead you would usually just lean into his touch and let yourself succumb to the warmth he was radiating, but this. This was different and he knew exactly that something was bothering you.

"Can we go, please?" You sounded like you were begging for you two to quickly move outside, leaving Jaehyun with no choice, but to nod his head and let you drag him out of the place. Alas, you were outside, but he never received even a word from you nor a hum, a sigh, nothing. Just complete silence.

He grew more worried thinking that he might have done something that he shouldn't have or said something that made you feel so uncomfortable. He was getting anxious as you continued to keep your mouth closed and never said a word. "Baby, you know you can trust me, right?" Jaehyun caressed your thumb in a comforting manner, his eyes showing how much he truly cared for you and how genuinely worried he was. He was scared that he might have done something wrong to you.

He himself never knew how it got to this. At first, just like you, he had only intended to find some fun in the relationship you both had and not actually grow some feelings towards you, but the first time he ever met you, all he ever had thought in his head was to protect you at all cost and give you everything you wanted, spoil you with all his money and riches, give you forehead kisses and pleasure that can make you see stars. Since the start, he only thought of this as something platonic and that it was a part of the agreement you both had consent on, but as you two got to spend more time together, he always felt something blossom inside of him. He always looked forward to every day, mainly because he had you to wake up to. His usual stoic expression, completely turned into those that said 'sunshine' all spread out on his face. That's when he completely knew, it was not only the benefits he was up for, anymore. It was you and his love for you.

He was just your usual workaholic man, who had nothing in his head rather than work, work, and work. Not until the day he bumped into you on that one faithful day, when you were so drained from all the studying you had to do and decided to buy coffee. You were so intimidated by his face that he got you cowering in fear when you turned to look up at him. The only courage you could muster was so small that you were only able to give him a polite bow before you entered the coffee shop to buy your favorite cappuccino coffee.

He was so intrigued by you that the next day, during that same time, he waited for you in that same exact location, but you never showed up. Until later. You were so shocked from the sight of him. You feared he'd beat you into a pulp, so you hid your face with your hand, hoping he didn't see you, but luck wasn't on your side that day and decided to let Jaehyun notice your presence.

"Hey, I—"

"Sorry, sir. I'm quite busy, right now." You immediately cut him off and got inside the shop, Jaehyun following suit. Your eyes made its way back towards the older who was following behind you closely. You stopped in your tracks and turned around to look at him, retracting his body from looking through your shoulders, throughout the whole time smiling down at you with his dimples showing. "Excuse me, sir, but do I owe you with something?"

Jaehyun pursed his lips, thinking before smirking and leaning closer to your face, with you, all the while, pulling your head back. "Yes." He answered you with his hands shoved confidently inside his pants.

Your gaze averted from his mesmerizing eyes to the table that supported you and kept you from falling. You gulped and felt your lips go dry. "D-do you need money? I don't have much, but will 7,000 won be enough?" You fondled through your pockets and took out your wallet.

"What? No, no." He chuckled, one hand taken out from his pockets and scratching his eyebrows while he sighed. "I have an offer."

Your brows were pulled together looking up at him, curious. "What is it?"

"Give me your number and I'll tell you over the phone."

And that's how it all started. Of course, he told you about lying that you owed him something, either way you were thanking the God above that he created you as gullible as ever.

As of the moment, Jaehyun could only feel his nervousness rise as he continued to stare at your back. "M/n, please say something. You're making me feel so worried."

"Jaehyun..." You finally stopped walking and spoke, before throwing yourself into him, the impact suddenly taking all the air inside Jaehyun's lungs away. "Don't leave me... please." You pleaded, your arms around him going tighter.

Jaehyun softened and felt himself get blanketed over with relief. He raised his hand to put it on top of your head and caressed them softly and soothingly. "I won't, M/n. I promise you."

In the end, Jaehyun was the one who treated you with something to eat. You were sat at a bench near your class' booth, Jaehyun next to you, while you swayed your feet back and forth. "Hyunnie." You called out to him with a new nickname you came up with, Jaehyun choking on his burger letting out a few coughs while you patted his back, laughing. "How the hell do you eat a burger that it got you choking on it?"

His coughing finally stopped and looked at you with a surprised face. "The nickname. You never called me that before."

You pouted in reply and blushed in embarrassment. "Do you.. not like it?"

"No, of course not." He was quick to shake his head, then cleared his throat, looking away. "It's cute."

You were able to see the pink tint painting his cheeks that you always found cute, since it's a very rare sight to see. Teasingly, you peeked over and was able to confirm that he was, in fact, blushing from just the nickname you created. "Oh my gosh, you're blushing." You cooed and immediately, Jaehyun scoffed, facing you to land a small kiss on your lips that got you widening your eyes and wiping away the mocking smile you had on your face. Your fingers made its way up towards your lips, unable to speak.

"Now, tell me who's blushing." Jaehyun smirked.

You glared at him, but instead of feeling intimidated, he found it cute. "I'm just surprised, since you never really like to, er, kiss me on the lips." You whispered the last part, loud enough for only you and him to hear.

You two were so happy in each other's company, that you both forgot that Jaehyun had somewhere else to be. That being his work. He wouldn't have noticed the time passing, if it wasn't for the alarm he had set, knowing he'd lose track of time when he's around you.

You walked him to his car and saw him off, waving your hand at him, not leaving until he was finally out of sight. You put your hands back down and sighed happily, walking back towards where you should be: at the booth where you should be finishing the preparation.

"So, how was the quick date?" Jeno asked you with a smirk, the sleeves of his shirt pushed back inside the hole that connected it to the shirt, showing his perfectly built muscles.

"It was great! Save for the part where I received death glares at the canteen. That felt terrible." You shuddered at the thought, but smiled again. "That aside, it was great."

"Your schedule didn't change? Are there still room for practice later?" Jeno asked you for the nth time that day. He's been asking you since you entered the classroom.

"It didn't, Jeno. Why are you so eager with me being present in the practice?" You chuckled at him, deciding to help him pack the treat bags you will give out to your customers.

"I just can't be left alone there with people I don't know. I'm an awkward person." Jeno told you.

"Jeno. You're literally known by all the students here and you're scared because they're strangers to you? I bet they all even want to be friends with you." You said, but Jeno just shook his head, his hair moving along with him.

"No, M/n. You must and need to attend the practice, either way." Jeno demanded of you.

You rolled your eyes at him and sighed deeply through your nose in defeat. "Fine, fine." Jeno's eye smile appeared and let out a small 'yes' making you chuckle.

"Hey, M/n." A voice started from outside the booth and saw a girl with her arms crossed, looking down at you whilst you seated at the ground. You looked up at her, but she didn't look friendly. She looked angry than friendly.

Your eyes flickered toward Jeno, then back to the girl and smiled. "Yeah?"

"Don't give me that smile, you whore." She spat at you, all of a sudden.

Your eyes closed shut, your mouth wide open and your forefinger raised up while you pushed it towards her way and scoffing. Your eyelids tore open and you smirked at the girl. "Excuse me? Whore? Who you calling a whore?"

"Listen, midget—"

"No, you listen here, Barbie." You said, a mocking tone with the last word. "You full on plastic, bitch. Get away from my sight. You look like a parasite."

The girl gasped in shock and opted to pull on your hair, but Jeno held her by her wrist and angrily stared at her. "You heard him. Get away. I'm not afraid to punch a person, even a girl, if they're purpose was to mistreat and shame on an innocent person." Jeno threw her hand away like it was trash, sending the girl from moving two steps back before stomping her foot and turning on her heels to walk away.

You could still see Jeno glaring at the girl while you looked at him in shock. "Wow, wow. Look at you."

"Sh. I'm not done yet." Jeno hushed you, before he continued his work. "You were saying?"

"Nothing. Was just shocked you told that girl off. I could have handled myself just fine, but thanks to you, I'm saved from causing a ruckus." You said, Jeno huffing through the nose.

"Seriously, you." He sighed pinching the bridge of his nose and knitted his brows. "Stop making the problem bigger."

"No way. I need to put up a fight. If I don't, they'd see me as someone weak." You defended yourself.

"And you can't even handle death glares that's being sent towards you?"

You were about to speak and fight back, but he was right. "That's... that's a different matter."

"Sure, it isn't, M/n." He said rolling his eyes.

Later that afternoon, past 5 p.m., you and Jeno excused yourselves from the class, since you have a dance practice for your performance on the opening of the foundation day. Out of habit, you skipped beside Jeno who was happy that you got to attend the practice today. Again.

You never really liked the person who choreographed the whole song. It was under a genre you thought you could never pull off or fit in, so your confidence was at a very low level. During practices, though, you try your best not to make it obvious that you were uncomfortable for that certain concept, but you still had to be seen making a lot of mistakes, some of the other students who joined clearly agitated. You could only bow and bow and bow at the mistake you knew you clearly had done, feeling guilty for the reason why always had to start again from the top. The reason why you never really got along well with these students.

You have arrived at the practice room, taking quiet steps as you both entered the venue trying your best not to make a sound. The intense gazes you received from the other students didn't come unnoticed by you, the reason why you pulled your knees closer to your chest as you buried your face in it. Clearly, they were enjoying those two few days you were absent, since they got to finish practice early and with no interruption nor mistakes. But, now that you're around, they knew exactly what awaited them.

Jeno saw you curled up into a ball and eyes making its way up to the students who looked so angry with you making him frown. "M/n. Don't mind them. You're actually doing even greater than them." He tried to cheer you up, so you acknowledged it with a smile.

"Thanks, Jeno. But, I don't think that will change the fact that my uneasiness with the dance is the reason why we have to start over and over again." You sighed and placed your head back down on your knees, Jeno drawing circles on your back.

A moment later, the mentor came walking in, displeased to see you present. "Oh, welcome back... M/n." He stated before you could hear those loud snickers coming from the students. You and Jeno were the first ones to stand in position, the others following suit. The mentor's face lit up with an idea on his mind. "Can everyone please take a seat for a couple of minutes?" He smiled, then looking at you. "Except for you, L/n."

Jeno's eyes fell upon you, a worried look on his face, mouthing 'I'll be fine' to reassure him as he sat back down along with the other students until it was only you and the mentor left standing. "You think telling your 'boyfriend' about me would scare me?" He mocked you with your head still hung low. "You have to try better than that." He smirked, pulling a chair to seat on it. His legs were on either side of the chair, so his chest was pressed upon the back rest of the chair to face you. "Start."

You were startled by the sudden order and went into position, but you only started fidgeting out of fear. "Where... I.. sir.. Do I stand—"

"L/n!" He yelled at you, making you jump from the sudden raise of his voice. You knew telling Jaehyun was a bad idea. "Fix yourself, will you? The performance is due tomorrow and you're such a mess." The misery you were caged in were the happiness of the students as they started to giggle, your fist clenching hard until your knuckles turned white.

The music started, but you were still nowhere from moving your body. You just stood there, head hanging low while gnashing your teeth. You weren't angry at the mentor. You were angry at yourself. You were angry that you couldn't do any better. You practiced the dance so hard, yet it were still so far from perfecting it. You just wished some kind of spirit would possess you and lead your body.

The whole place started to laugh at you as they watched you shamelessly froze on your position. You felt a small jab on your ribs that made you open your clenched fists and saw Jeno standing right beside you with a grin on his face, your expression softening as he started to lead the dance. Slowly, you felt your own body move to the beat and rhythm of the song, being at the same flow with Jeno. The students only watched while the song ended.

A slow clap from your mentor was heard, a smile plastered on his face. "Way to impress me you two, huh?" He stood from the chair and waisted his arms. "L/n." His eyes moved to you, expecting yet another scolding. "I'm proud of you. Keep up that confidence and I just know you'll do great." You felt a smile creeping its way up to your face, before the mentor closed in on you and ruffled your hair. "Alright, everyone. From the top."

-----

The practice ended at exactly eight o' clock in the evening and you were already feeling drained, your sweat soaked shirt sticking to your body. Your forehead glistened with sweat, that ran down to the side of your cheeks. You panted heavily and flopped your body down on the polished floor.

Why that late you ask? Well, you and Jeno decided to stay for a few hours to polish the dance, him pointing out your mistakes and going back to the steps to correct you. You were grateful Jeno was a very patient guy, so whenever you made a mistake or wasn't executing the dance properly, he'd just chuckle and help you with your 'cute mistakes', at least that's what he called it.

"Finally..." You panted, Jeno settling himself beside you, his limbs sprawled all over the floor. "Done."

"You did so great, M/n! I knew you could pull this off." Jeno gave you a compliment that made you giggle, a hand on your chest to catch your breathe.

"And it was all thanks to you." You told him.

Jeno shook his head. "Ey. The only thing I did was help your body to loosen up."

"Exactly." The cute noises coming out of your mouth once more. "Do you think we should practice more?" You asked the older who moved his head to look at you.

"Still up for one more?" He smiled knowingly at you, while you nodded at him. You both stood up from where you both lied and you went to your position with Jeno moving to the speakers to play the song for the last time.

The minute you both finished, you were so exhausted that your knees couldn't hold themselves up anymore and you fell to the ground, groaning. You were panting heavily, starting to even your breathing at the same time laughing proudly at yourself for how well you've done. "When I get home, I'm gonna take a shower and then, throw myself on the bed and sleep."

Jeno could only laugh and you two were left with half an hour talking about all the things in life. You listened to him rant about how the mentor was being more harsh on you than the other students, but you only shook the topic off telling him that it no longer mattered and that he should already move on. You had also thanked him for helping you, during that time when you had to do the dance routine all by yourself. You really didn't know what else to do than to just stand there and sulk.

A few minutes later, both of you were now starting to pack, Jeno having to make a quick visit to the restroom, leaving you all alone inside the studio. You were changing into a dry shirt, when the voice of the janitress from behind the window made your body go tense as you jumped and turned towards her. "Oh, fuck." You sighed out in relief, holding your hand close to your chest. "You scared me, ma'am."

Her eyes turned into those that looked like crescents and smiled. "My bad. Probably shouldn't have passed by unannounced." She nodded and proceeded to mop the hallway floor.

You were about to ask her about a certain matter that was troubling you, but when you lifted your head to face the woman, she was not there anymore. "Uh.. probably left for something." You shrugged it off and went back to scrolling through your feeds, the certain feeling of being watched sending chills down your spine. The silence was so deafening that you started to whistle to a song you were currently into, just to help calm the unnerving feeling. You started to feel all the hair on your body stand on its end when a very harsh opening of the door sent you off flying, then to the ground your heart beating so fast. "Shit!"

Jeno was obviously confused why you got so scared by him just pushing the door open, but he was also laughing at your state which made you glare at him. He helped you stand back up to your feet, as you dusted your pants from any invisible dirt. "What the hell happened to you?"

"You scared the shits out of me. That's what happened." You scoffed at him, hitching your back higher onto your shoulders. "Let's go." You two vacated the room, making sure to lock it, but you told Jeno not to since the janitress was still yet to finish cleaning, but Jeno was greatly puzzled at what you had said.

"What in the world are you talking about?" Jeno laughed lightly before proceeding to lock the door and hung an arm around your shoulder.

"I saw her through the window." You added.

Jeno shook his head in disbelief and didn't fall for your trick to scare him off. "First, the school does not hire a janitress or a janitor, since they have working students. Second, so the dance major students don't get distracted, the window inside the room is tinted, so you basically don't see anything outside."

You felt your heart sink at the revelation as you felt all your blood get drained. "Are you... s-sure?"

"Yeah." Jeno answered your question. You slowly turned your head back towards the room, the windows and saw a black figure waving their hands at you that made you sprinting off to the entrance, leaving a dumbfounded Jeno as he followed behind you. "What the hell, M/n?"

"Shut... up! You were not the one left inside the dance room, so you wouldn't know how much I'm fucking scared, right—"

"M/n!"

"FUCK!" You screamed on the top of your lungs, stomping your foot and punching the air for no apparent reason. "Jaehyun, you... nevermind. Just take me home, please. I think I'm already fucking wasted." Jaehyun, who was on his casual attire, approached you and placed a kiss on top of your head.

[infernalrevenge]

Hey there😊 I was wondering if I could request some headcanons for house dimitrescu s/o coming out as ftm perhaps reader is nervous to tell them afraid that he'll get kicked out and broken up with. I've been in a really bad funk lately and this would help thanks in advance

Hey bro, I feel you on this one. I hope this helps lifts your spirits in some way, this funk will pass and you'll be groovy once again :P

(CW transphobia in the form of non-acceptance but just as the reader's fears. Spoiler alert: They never materialize hehe.)

Alcina Dimitrescu

You were quite nervous to approach Alcina about this, as much as anyone would be about something this personal.

She always projected this image of an old-fashioned matron, whether she knew it or not. You knew she loved you, but it was still hard to shake the possibility of her not understanding.

You were prepared for the best case scenario to at least be some confusion on her part, and focused on that instead (and not the possibility that she would deem you disgusting and make you leave her presence at once.)

You steeled your nerves and knocked on the door of her office, swearing you felt your heart jump when she invited you in.

As soon as you mentioned wanting to talk about something important, she put her things down and had her full attention directed towards you. You weren't sure if that was worse.

With as calm of a tone as you can muster, you came straight out with it.

You hadn't realized you were looking at the floor the whole time, too afraid to look up and see her live reaction.

However, you didn't really have to wait long for a reply as she leaned down and tipped your chin up to her.

The disdain you feared would be on her face was completely absent, instead her expression was soft and loving. It made your heart skip in a different way than earlier.

"Thank you for telling me this, my love. That must've taken a lot of courage to say. Just know that what I feel for you has not changed -- I love you for the man you have always been, and always will be."

Bela Dimitrescu

Your relationship with Bela was all about "comfortable existence" -- you two count reading different books in the same room as doing something together.

The news you wanted to share with her, however, wasn't something you're sure would fit the "comfortable" atmosphere you two fostered over time.

You didn't want to ruin anything by coming out, but at the same time you knew you couldn't keep it from her forever. You wanted to be yourself around her, and telling her would be the first step to that reality. You just hoped she would understand, or at the very least was willing to understand.

When the time came, the two of you sat back to back while you did your own thing -- you were writing something, and she was drawing.

What she didn't know was that you were basically preparing a whole letter to come out to her and explain your situation as best as you can.

At this point, your parchment was full of crossed out lines and blotches of ink where your pen idled for too long -- you wondered if she noticed the pile of crumpled rejects on the other side of you too.

After a while, Bela was just about to turn around and ask you if something was wrong, she could feel how tense you were against her. But then, you slipped the paper to her and had her read it.

All the while, you had your back turned, knees tucked to your chest as you wished a black hole would swallow you up the longer the silence dragged on. You really wished you had telepathy or something right now, because you couldn't tell what she was thinking.

But all she did was take her place next to you, taking your hand and resting her head on your shoulder. Physical affection was rare from Bela, so this might even be enough of a confirmation of her reaction.

"I still love you, you know? If this is who you are and what makes you happy, then I'm more than okay with it. Thank you for trusting me with this."

Cassandra Dimitrescu

You and Cassandra talk about anything and everything under the sun. She's always been the type to speak her mind, especially when she gets excited.

You felt comfortable discussing anything, but this... well, you didn't really know how to get into it.

You wanted to tell her, of course. You just never found the right opportunity to (possibly because Cassandra led the conversation most of the time.)

But you knew you couldn't avoid this forever, not if you wanted to be with Cassandra for as long as you could. A part of you nagged at the fear that this would be cut short if you did say it, though.

You decided it was best to just be out with it before you could lose your nerve. After spending the night pondering over it, she barely even got to greet you before the words "I'm trans!" came tumbling out of your mouth.

"Uh... what?" (Was that a confused 'what' or an angry 'what'?)

"I'm... transgender...?"

"Oh okay. That's nice, good for you."

"You don't know what that is, do you, Cass?"

".......not exactly."

After some explaining and a crash course on terminology, you get a gentle nudge on your arm as a response -- her way of saying it was more than okay.

And that she wished you weren't so scared of telling her, but even you had to explain that, perhaps if you had any past experiences of coming out situations gone very wrong. She would seethe in anger on your behalf if you told her those stories.

If no one else were around at the time, she would definitely kiss you, just to assure you of how much her feelings for you remained the same. She didn't want any of your worries or insecurities from before this moment to stay in your mind, and she would do anything to make them melt away.

"You didn't have to be scared of telling me, but I'm glad you did. Tell me, not be scared of me. Guess from now on, you can be my handsome little man-thing, huh?"

Daniela Dimitrescu

Daniela is easily the most carefree (and oftentimes, careless) among her sisters. She also doesn't take a lot of things too seriously.

As a consequence though, you feared that it meant she wouldn't know how to handle the news. What if she didn't get it and would be weirded out by you?

Daniela wasn't dumb, you knew that, but you were still prepared to explain things if needed. She had always been curious so you weren't afraid to answer any questions she might have. You wished she would have some tact about them though.

She often drags you into mischief and a lot of the time you would relent, but the one time you stopped her first and mentioned needing to tell her something important, she was the one who tensed up.

Was she in trouble? Did you realize you stopped loving her all of a sudden? Were you going to die?! (She's a bit of a worrier when the words "we need to talk" come out of anyone's mouth.)

You were silent for a little too long and she starts to tear up, her worries getting the better of her before you stepped up to give her a hug. This already wasn't going how you planned.

After you managed to calm her down, you decided it was best to just spit it out already.

Fortunately, the revelation didn't hang in the air for too long. Daniela responded almost unexpectedly.

"Oh... wait, is it male to female, female to male, or something else?"

"Uh, female to male. So I'm a man. A trans man."

"Oh cool!" She takes your hands. "You got a new name picked out? If you're taking suggestions, I think--"

Wait what?

Turned out, she was pretty aware of what being trans meant and had read up on it in books before. She didn't just read for entertainment, she retained other information too.

Still, you couldn't help the sigh (and maybe a quiet sob) of relief when she pulled you close for another hug, this time in celebration of you and living your truth.

"Of course everything's okay, babe! You're still the same wonderful human I fell in love with. I always know how to pick the cute ones."

[redrobin-detective]

Ben 10 lore that exists in my heart regardless of canon

- Ben’s personality in his mid-late teens is a mix of his Alien Force and Omniverse self. On the surface, he’s very cheerful and kind even if he is a bit of arrogant showoff. He makes jokes and plays around and acts as if he isn’t bothered by the things in his life. Those who know him best understand a good portion of his outward confidence and cockiness is just a facade to cover up his insecurities and to project the ideal, effortless hero. While sometimes seen as immature, most beings know Ben 10 means business as he takes his unofficial job and people’s safety very seriously. He’s clever, adaptable, charismatic and empathetic which makes him a formidable opponent and a loyal friend. Doesn’t open up easily but if you get to him, he become so dearly attached. 

- Drinks smoothies so much for several reasons. Comfort food go brrr, reminds him of the good easy times with him Gwen and Kev. It’s also a light but generally nutritous food to give him energy for heroing. Anything too heavy and he’ll be puking (both from physical and emotional stress). Though he jokes about his mom’s health foods, his are a crazy concoction of add in proteins and vitamins/minerals bc he knows he’ll out and out collapse without it. (Still has on occasion bc boy still doesn’t eat right/enough)

- While Fame is exciting for him at first he soon begins to detest it. Not the fans, no, he can’t bring himself to hate the people who look up to him. But he hates the constant attention, that he can’t walk outside without being mobbed. the only place he feels safe is his hometown where most people are so used to him and his weirdness that they don’t react much anymore. Takes to wearing a cape and face shield when going out anywhere so he can actually get things done without being recognized and mobbed.

- Part of the reason Bellwood isn’t concerned with Ben is partially because ben’s been weird and alien for as long as they can remember but also many don’t realize how famous/powerful he is. Yeah that’s just Ben Tennyson over there, sometimes he turns into funny creatures- wait what do you MEAN he’s the savior of the universe?? He cried over a spilled smoothie the other day.

- Does mostly online schooling by the time he’s 15. At first he tries to do half day things to maintain something of a normal life but it quickly becomes overwhelming and dangerous him/the school. Finishes his GED early but the Plumbers and Azmuth make him take additional college level and alien courses to prepare him for his future role. Ben gripes but really does love learning all these things, especially on his terms (ADHD and stress + the public school system do not always go hand in hand). He’s a quick learner when he deems the information important and is made accessible to his learning needs.

- Ben definitely has ADHD speaking of which, it was nearly uncontrollable as a child bc his free-spirited parents didn’t believe in medicating. Ben convinced them he needed it and after some trial and error, found meds that worked. As he became more involved in heroics/growing up he had to change his medicine regimen (resulting in him being a bit more off the rails in OV) and needed antidepressants and therapy to manage it better. As an adult he has a whole litany of coping mechanisms (good and bad yes) and regularly checks in with his therapist and doctors to keep things under control. 

- Has a complicated relationship with his necrofriggian children. Considers himself their mother and worries after them. They too feel a connection to their parent despite this being unusual for their species. A few visit (some more than others) while they grow while others maintain distance. Ben never breathes a word of them to the media for fear of them being targeted. Still he keeps an eye on them and ensures all 14 mature to adulthood (another rarity for the species). Checks in every now and again with the ones who don’t want to see him and those that do. Two join the Plumbers and Ben is both proud and worried. His youngest becomes partners with Rook Ben.

- Just in general loves kids, they’re his favorite fans and while he’ll grumble at pushy adult fans he always smiles and kneels down for the little ones. Not so secretly wanted to have children of his own but knew it was a risk overall and used a lot of that energy with mentoring and teaching. Eventually had Kenny later in life (late 30s-40s) and was over the moon, becoming such a loving and doing parent or as much as he could be with his hectic schedule. 

- Omnitrix can’t come off, never has at any point since it first latched onto Ben’s arm. Azmuth tried and failed to get the device off, doesn’t let Ben know for many years as he feared the consequences. The watch loves and protects Ben even beyond it’s programming making him much more durable to damage and releasing energy charges when he’s threatened. Not even removing Ben’s arm would separate them. They’re stuck for life.

- Ben does have Anodite heritage but the Omnitrix actively suppresses it and uses the built up energy to power the transformations which is why ben is mostly unaffected by what should cause a massive energy drain on him. Theoretically if Ben learned to harness and safely use his Mana at an early age like Gwen he would have been fine but letting it build up without safe outlet meant activation would have killed him. Omnitrix Ben, however, went his whole life not knowing of his latent abilities and how the watch saved his life.

- Ben’s eyes get more green and glowy as time passes from the Omnitrix. At first they think its a trick of the light but by the time he’s an adult his eyes are pretty much glow in the dark. His veins light up too after long stretches of using the Omnitrix. Its vaguely unsettling to people who aren’t used to Ben.

- Max and the Earth Plumbers work so, so hard to keep teen Ben on Earth when half the universe is blowing up their comm lines asking for The Ben 10 to help with whatever problem of the day. Ben himself doesn’t quite understand when he’s younger the prestige and expectations on his shoulders. Max throws up a million and one roadblocks so Ben can live as normal a life as possible while he still can. Still, while doing that he Still overloads Ben with expectations and responsibilities on earth and beyond. He becomes a soldier again with Ben as their greatest weapon. He never forgave himself of losing sight of his grandson underneath the hero esp after Ben’s breakdown. 

- Rook partnership with Ben ends not long after Omniverse with his promotion to Magister. Ben tries to play it cool but the thought of another loved one/teammate leaving his tears him apart. Max revealing that Ben most likely wouldn’t get a new Plumber assigned partner since he’s almost an adult and won’t need it and Rook accidentally missing their last smoothie run due to a scheduling mishap causes Ben to snap and have the nervous breakdown that had been building for almost a decade. He completely loses it for a little while and needs to take an extended leave of absence from school and heroics that lasts about a year. Spends time recovering both on Earth and Galvan Prime, does some diplomatic training, learns about aliens, actually confronts the stress and loneliness of his life. He comes out the other side stronger but still fragile and exhausted.

- Ben’s above mentioned breakdown brings him closer to all his friends who didn’t quite realize the extent of Ben’s burden. Rook had been under the impression Ben didn’t like him all that much so the knowledge that his departure was the final straw for friend/hero’s collapse was shocking. Ben and Azmuth also become closer, the Galvan becoming fiercely protective of the boy seeing as his Earth family didn’t do well to keep him safe. It takes years for him to get over his anger at Max for putting so much on his grandchild. Ben makes more friends, in and out of the hero business, finally gets a therapist and gets some of his burdens eased a bit. It’s not a sure fire fix and Ben has several smaller breakdowns the rest of his life but its something.

- Azmuth was straight up suicidal before he met Ben for the first time. Ben gave him back hope for the universe and his ability to create items for peace not weapons. The boy infuriates him, frightens him, frustrates him but Azmuth cannot deny in his heart of hearts that he loves Ben dearly. He’s very upset at Ben’s breakdown and doesn’t know how to handle the worst of the initail outbursts. Azmuth talks Ben down from a suicide attempt. He reaches out to Ben that he Too felt overwhelmed by pressure, thought himself only good for war. Ben’s arrival in his life saved him and now he will do the same for Ben. It’s the first positive step forward in Ben’s recovery.

- For no other reason than I like it, Azmuth primarily refers to Ben as Benjamin (mostly to annoy the kid but he likes the way it sounds too) and Ben in softer, more serious moments. 

- Professor Paradox continues to flit in and out of Ben’s life. He says its because Ben is the most equipped to handle universal peril (true) but he’s also just very fond of the boy. Ben, existing in so many forms and having such importance also exists a beat outside of normal reality which Paradox identifies with. Ben is naturally attuned to time related problems because of this (instantly IDing Spanner as from the future before being told later deducing him to be his unborn son). Plus Ben named him, way back when. He’s just drawn to Ben.

- Adult Ben, while being seen as an impressively skilled fighter and champion, really has his strength as a universal diplomat of sorts. Based out of Earth, he helps mediate and defuse conflicts, advocate against tyranny and overall preserve peace and balance. He’s not perfect, he makes mistakes and sometimes is forced to become violent (and yes kill) but overall is regarded as a peacekeeper, something younger ben simply couldn’t understand. 

- Gwen gets her degree and primarily does work with advocacy and teaching about magic/alien culture. While she and Ben are still close, there’s a bit of a frustrated divide in that she isn’t helping him share the burden of the universe. Gwen never wanted to be a hero and has enough worth to not shackle herself to a job that’ll burn her out. Ben loves heroing but gives too much of himself away trying to fix everything. They get into screaming arguments that it wouldn’t be so bad out there if she just helped him but she refuses to budge and says he shouldn’t make himself do so much. They always make up and thy still are each other’s closest relationships.

- Ben marries Kai in a political move, Kai is Asexual and Ben Aromantic. They didn’t love each other but they got on well enough and Ben was really feeling the stress of carrying the hero burden so Kai also being involved made him feel like he wasn’t alone. Both were also so tired of the universe constantly asking about their love life and said ‘fuck it we’re married leave us alone’. Gwen was always mad about it feeling Ben deserved better but the two of them were happy with it. They had separate rooms, mostly separate lives but they became strong friends and supports with their strictly platonic marriage. They had Ken via Invitro in an incubator and were loving if extremely busy parents. 

- Also from the moment he appeared, Ben knew that Spanner was his future son, Kenny. He played ignorant and then was kind of deliberately teasing him in future encounters. He knew the rules of time and didn’t want to disrupt things further even if he was angry and worried as heck about why Ken felt the need to time travel. When future Ben catches up in the timeline, Kenny gets SUCH a lecture. 

- Ben isn’t quite immortal but he’s also not entirely human anymore either. The Omnitrix not only keeps him safe from most harm but it lightens the effect of aging. Ben 10 is active many, many years when most humans would have been forced to retire. He’s not sure how long the watch will keep him alive and it terrifies him. Gwen too is functionally immortal however she ages like a normal human, then when her natural death came, shed her skin and became a fulltime Anodite. So in the end, it was her and Ben together wondering which of them will die first. Gwen has trouble retaining her humanity as pure energy and swears she’ll let herself fizzle out when Ben goes. When that’ll be however...

[diludae]

𝓼𝓮𝔀𝓷 𝓭𝓪𝓲𝓼𝓲𝓮𝓼 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓸𝓷𝓮'𝓼 𝓫𝓲𝓻𝓽𝓱𝓭𝓪𝔂

fluff // diluc x reader // gn! reader // happy birthday diluc! i love you ever so much and i hope you come home soon // bandana pic from SelinMadeWithLove on Etsy // enjoy!!

Diluc’s birthday was a tricky thing.

He was the richest man in Mondstandt, so anything you bought for him would pale in comparison to what he already owned, and

His 18th birthday was when, well, you’d rather not talk about the subject.

So what was one like Diluc’s lover to do? You wanted this day to be perfect- to go without a hitch. You could ask your friends, but they would probably say that you knew him better than anyone else. You could try asking the maids what he would like, or-

You’ve got it!

You’ll make him something hand-made! Something he’ll never forget and always keep close to him, as days pass on and the both of you grow older, he’ll always have this one object.

But what to make?

You wanted to make something that he could get use out of, but it also had to be cute and suited to his style. What could he need? He had almost everything he could purchase within his reach, so it wasn’t like he needed a new pair of gloves or something.

However, you do notice how often his fluffy red hair gets in the way of his work. Always asking for a spare hair tie whenever he loses his current one. That’s it! You could make him a lovely bandana, with little flowers decorating it to remind him of the lovely and blossoming bond that you share.

You started to work on the bandana all throughout the day before his birthday, wanting to get it done on time and ready for him to wear. This bandana was your priority, almost no breaks were taken to get it completed. (of course for food and water an necessities those are important.) Stitch after stitch, the headwear was slowly coming together.

“Is Y/n alright?” “Shh! They’re focused!”

While the maids were busy questioning your odd behavior, Diluc had just walked into the room.

“Y/n? I’ve barely seen you the entire day, is something wrong?” Diluc was quite concerned for his lover as he can usually never get Y/n off of him. (not that he minded, of course)

“Oh!” You quickly scrambled to put away your work so as to not show him your surprise before his big day. Unfortunately, Diluc took quick note of this. “What was that item you just hid behind your back?” “Um, it was, nothing really. You shouldn’t worry about it- haha- um-” You were struggling to get him off your back to continue your project. Your heart raced faster as he made his way to sit next to you on the couch you were sitting on. “Anyways… I was wondering if we could have dinner tomorrow, just the two of us. The valberries are in season and I would love to make a drink out of them for you.”

Diluc was always so kind, even for his own birthday he was doing his best to please you. “That sounds wonderful, ‘luc! I can’t wait!” “I’m glad. I have some work to do at the tavern, so take care of yourself while I’m gone.” He stood up and gave you a quick peck on the cheek. “I love you, Y/n.” “I love you too.”

And with that, you were free to work on your project once more.

Today, April 30th. Diluc’s birthday. Adelinde was able to supply you with a lovely orange gift box for the bandana. Speaking of the bandana, it turned out beautiful. It was black with white daisies to compliment his bright hair, and the intricate stitching would leave him wondering if you were secretly some sort of master crafter just like he was the Darknight Hero. You were proud of your work, and you tied up the box with a red ribbon to finish it off. 

“Good morning, Y/n.” Diluc came down the stairs still in his nightly attire, searching for you. You had awoken first to finish preparations. “Good morning, Diluc. Happy Birthday!” You beamed at him with so much excitement that he couldn't help but smile.

As the day went on, he spent most of it with you. You were still waiting for the perfect time to give him his gift, and when you two were about to head off on an afternoon stroll, you knew it was now or never. 

“Diluc, you mean the world to me. I find so much comfort and never-ending joy when I’m around you, that I wanted to give you something meaningful for your birthday. Something that could hopefully show just how much I love you every time you use it. I don’t know where I would be without you, Diluc. I love you so much.”

You handed him the orange box. He gave you a look of surprise. He slowly undid the ribbon and opened the box, to reveal a black bandana with intricate white daisies.

“Y/n- I-” Tears welled up in Diluc’s eyes. He couldn’t take it. Years ago on this day, his father and everything he had ever loved was ripped from his blood-stained hands. But now, it was filled with you. You who brightened up his days, who showed him that he was worthy of love. He wrapped the black bandana around his head and pulled out strands of his hair to frame his face. 

You wrapped him in a massive hug. “Diluc-” He returned the hug and held you as tight as he possibly could. He never wanted to let you go- never. He wanted to stay like this forever, with your arms wrapped around him, welcoming his embrace.

Diluc used to see his birthday as one filled with regret. But now, he had a moment of peace.

[irving-r2blogs]

Blog 6:

The Nasa scientists Venkat, Mitch, Annie, Bruce, and Teddy. Come up with potential ways to save him

due to the probe crashing but it won't matter if they don't have another rocket to send up to space to

actually do anything. Also, Rockets are ultra expensive to make from the ground up and it would take

way too much time, that is something Mark doesn't have much of. But luckily enough China has been

working on a rocket secretively and they come to offer their rocket to the US. Though this rocket comes

at a price not for money but for future political favors. I personally think that that was a very smooth

maneuver by China and that they seized their moment. I don't know what China has in store for those

future political favors but at least now Nasa has the Taiyang Shen (The probe that China gave them). Now

that they have the probe they have more options again. So the original plan of just sending supplies up to

Mars for Mark is still on the table because it would give him enough food and supplies to last till Ares 4

but that plan is actually pretty risky because it has a high failure rate. The probe could not make it off of

its automated systems to the right location to give the supplies, the entrance of Mar's atmosphere might

burn up all the food, and when landing the food might get destroyed due to the crash it'll have with Mar's

surface. So we go back to the Nasa scientists Venkat, Mitch, Annie, Bruce, and Teddy. They are speaking

amongst each other about a secret plan called "Project Elrond". I personally love the name it is quite

funny that it is a reference to the lord of the rings and "The Council of Elrond. From Lord of the Rings.

It's the meeting where they decide to destroy the One Ring" (Page 201). So the plan goes like this we use

the crew from Ares 3 which was the original group that was with Mark at the beginning of the story to

basically do a Mar flyby. They'll use the gravity from the earth and an increase in velocity to slingshot

themselves to Mars in a faster trajectory than any other mission to Mars. But this plan would risk the lives

of six crewmates but the first option would only risk Mark's life. Venkat decides that it would be better to

go with the safer route to minimize the potential risks and that turns the other scientist against him

because the chance of it actually working is quite low. Mitch secretly sent the information to the crew of

Ares 3 through a complicated email that needed to be broken down to actually make any sense. The crew

thought about this proposal and how risky it would be to their lives and careers. They easily decided that

they would take the chance to save Whitney even if it cost them their lives. They have overridden their

course and started on their mission forcing Nasa to help them. Mark loses communication with Nasa after

the pathfinder breaks but he already knew of the plan so he did some updates to his rover and set off. He

had to face a duststorm that really messed up his solar panels. He needs as much energy as possible if he

wants to travel over 3000km to the rescue location. He avoids the storm by heading south. He gets to the

Mav even after some incidents and prepares to be rescued. He spends time taking parts off that aren't

necessary and takes off towards the ship but passes out while traveling through the mar's atmosphere. The

ship wasn't going the right speed so they used a bomb at the front of the ship to change the speed through

a lot of thinking they got there on time and rescued mark from Mars and brung him back home where he was celebrated by the whole world. 🌎🤩🥳