#anyway sorry for being long and late!!!

[ruporas]

feast (ID in alt)

[lazylittledragon]

what do you mean youre technically a detransitioner cause of terf bullshit?

it's a v long story but i detransitioned for a couple of years when i was 16/17, for multiple reasons but mostly because i fell into the blaire white/kalvin garrah chamber of "you have to be This way to be trans otherwise you're not real".

i was already Deeply insecure about myself and my 'passing' and i was led to believe that i couldn't want to wear makeup or skirts, and i couldn't choose not to have bottom surgery, and i couldn't do anything but bind for 12+ hours a day to the point that my ribcage is still misshapen. basically i thought that if i wasn't suffering enough doing 'feminine' things, i couldn't really be trans, so i should just go back to being a girl and suck it up.

the terf bullshit is because i'd seen a lot of terfs/detransitioners talking about the 'dangers' of testosterone and how it would turn me into a horrible ugly evil monster and how there was nothing worse than wanting to be a man. which combined with 'you need to fully medically transition to be valid at all' creates some very dangerous and upsetting feelings to cope with.

it also came from trying really hard to put myself in a little box before i realised that my sexuality/gender are very fluid and it's FINE for me not to have a label and just do whatever i want. when i was 19 or so i went back to using they/them (and eventually he/him) and changed my name again because even though i like doing 'feminine' things, i don't want to be seen as a woman.

tldr: i was conditioned by transphobic/terf rhetorics to think that i was being trans the 'wrong' way so i couldn't be trans at all, so i believed i must actually be a girl if i still wanted to do 'feminine' things. nowadays i am a transmasc who does feminine things because i don't give two shits about what any transmed prick thinks of me anymore.

[kasterarts]

Moving Forward. (Spoilers for YTTD up through 3-1b)

[phoenixkaptain]

Okay. I’ll write an actual analysis.

A Lonely Place of Dying does a few things, storytelling-wise, that are actually incredibly impressive. Like, I figured it out and I was so excited.

First, we don’t see Tim. Not in part 1. All we see is glimpses. His hands as he puts away his camera. His feet as he runs away from Starfire’s apartment. We only see small parts of him, leaving him shrouded in mystery, which leads into part 2, where he’s represented by a shadowy figure on the cover.

The Titans, but especially Starfire, are all worried about the small child looking for Nightwing. This kid knows Nightwing’s name, knows where he lives, nd has a very conspicuous camera. I’d be worried too! So of course, from the Titans perspective, he’s an intimidating opponent that they don’t understand. (Especially since I’m like ninety percent sure Tim isn’t actually the one they’re looking for. Like, I think it was just a happy coincidence that the most suspicious child on the face of the planet happened to show up at the same time as the actual problem.)

We don’t see Tim’s face until just under halfway through part 2. And the first thing they show us are his eyes. He’s searching for Dick, even among all the pandemonium, and it’s only upon him finding Dick that we see his whole face.

Tim’s eyes are important. They’re an important part of his character in this storyline. Because Tim sees things. He sees through Bruce, he sees through Dick, he sees through Alfred even. He’s always looking.

And this is compounded when he explains how he knows what he knows in part 3.

We see child Tim Drake at the circus. Tim says this to Dick “…I kept staring at you…” and this “I remember waiting for you to go on. And then, when you did, I just sat there and watched.”

On the next page, he says, about Dick’s parents’ deaths, “I turned away… I couldn’t watch. Then I heard you crying and I turned back and I saw you holding onto them, and I began crying, too.”

Page 11 has his monologue about seeing Batman for the first time, and how he thought Batman would hurt Dick, but what’s important isn’t the dialogue, it’s the panels. They focus on the realization of Batman being safe, entirely through Tim’s eyes. He’s panicked and scared, then slowly relaxes. We see it all, because Tim sees it all.

And it’s THIS. Tim started the story by finding Batman, but he starts his story by beginning to look for Dick. Us seeing Tim seeing Dick is a direct parallel to us seeing Tim seeing Batman with Dick. Tim’s story starts by him staring at Dick, unable to look away. And when we see him for the first time, he’s looking at him again, still unable to look away.

Throughout the story, Tim is constantly looking at Dick. Yes, this is mostly because he’s talking to Dick, but even at the end of part 2, when Dick is being congratulated by Haly’s Circus members and isn’t paying attention to Tim at all, Tim is still watching him.

Why is there so much emphasis on his eyes? I’m so glad you asked- IT’S VISUAL STORYTELLING BABEYYYY.

Tim’s most important role in A Lonely Place of Dying is as a third party. He cares about Bruce and Dick, and he knows them a lot better than they might think, but he’s still a third party to them. They don’t know him. He’s someone who’s been looking in on their lives for ten years.

He’s. A. Voyeur.

The emphasis being placed on his eyes cements this. Dick, Alfred, and Bruce are all put off by him at first. He knows too much, he doesn’t offer much information on himself until he’s forced to, it’s almost uncomfortable how much of a stalker this thirteen-year-old manages to be. He’s a voyeur, watching their lives, unnoticed by any of them, and that’s a bit unnerving! I don’t blame Dick for being unsettled by him, he’s weird!

And, his eyes as a child watching Dick to his eyes as a preteen finding Dick. They’re connected. A perfectly linear story, just told backwards. It’s really very satisfying.

Now, point two. The question we all have. Is Tim a stalker?

Short answer: yes.

Long answer: yes, but I’ll explain.

Tim begins the story by taking pictures of Batman fighting Ravager. The narration mentions someone calling in a tip to Gordon about Ravager’s location, which is what led Batman to this point, and I’m on the fence over whether or not Tim was the one who called in. On one hand, it would make a lot of sense. Ravager is part of a bigger ploy by Two-Face, and we find out in part 2 that Tim knows Two-Face is behind the trouble. It would also explain how Tim found a spot to set up his camera for a good portion of the fight. And, it isn’t like Tim wouldn’t know Gordon’s phone number. On the other hand, it’s never explicitly stated who called Gordon, so assume what you will.

Part 1 actually shows us a glimpse of Tim’s collection of photographs. It’s huge. Most of them are obviously newspaper clippings, but a few are just pictures (I assume on photo paper because the edges are cleaner than the newspaper photos). Tim says, in part 3 “You know, since I was able to read, I clipped every article on Batman and Robin.” We admittedly don’t know when Tim learned to read, but he’s thirteen and says he gets mostly A’s, so I’m assuming he probably learned in preschool or kindergarten, around the age of 3-5. That’s a lot of newpaper clippings. We only see his more recent and his most stalkery ones, so who knows how many more he has?

There are only a few points in the story where we see that Tim is genuinely emotional about anything. For the most part, he is calm. He smiles a lot. He doesn’t use a lot of exclamation marks. The only times he does use exclamation marks are when he’s monologuing (internally or externally) about how great Dick is or when he’s trying to make a point. The only time we see him get visibly distressed is when Dick ignores him about Batman needing a Robin.

I don’t know how to stress upon you that Tim only cries that one time. Tim almost dies three times in this comic. He went to his second circus and another person died. His idols both berate him and talk down to him (although Dick stops right after they meet with Bruce. I’m going to be honest, I think Dick wants Bruce to take Tim on as Robin because if Dick had to deal with Tim for a whole day, so does Bruce). He has to recount watching Dick’s parents die and the nightmares he got from it.

He went through so much. But, the only time he’s upset is when Dick won’t listen to him about what’s best for Batman.

Anyway, Tim flat out just says a lot of really stalker-y shit, so I’ll just list some more:

We already know about him clipping newspapers since he could read

When he’s asking Kory where Nightwing is, he lets slip to her that he was watching Titans Tower with this line “I know he wasn’t at your meeting today.”

There’s also a few lines from breaking and entering Dick’s apartment “Grayson kept his old apartment. If he left the Titans, he might be here.” “He’s a detective… he must keep notes. Even something scribbled on a shopping list.” “No! The Haly Circus is closing? It can’t be! It can’t! But at least I now know where he is!” (Why is the shopping list thing stalkery Kacie, I’m so glad you asked. Tim knows Dick well enough that he knows Dick writes things down. Bruce certainly doesn’t, and Bruce is also a detective, so it’s a logical leap unless Tim knows Dick is inclined to write things down.)

There’s one part that isn’t stalkery so much as really funny to me. While Tim is looking for Dick at the circus, he realizes that Dick is “a master of disguise” and that “I’ve been looking for Dick Grayson, but he could be anyone.” only to almost immediately after say “No, not the roustabouts. They’re too tall.” First, that means he can’t “be anyone.” Second, he knows Dick’s height just. So well.

Tim realizes who Dick is and I think I’ll just tell you what he said to explain how he figured it out “Th-that jump- - -that’s him! It’s got to be Dick!” What was so special about Dick’s jump? I don’t think there was anything special, I think Tim is just weird.

Dick asks Tim who he is no less than three separate times. Tim refuses to tell him, all three times. At the beginning of part 3, while Dick is introducing Tim to Alfred, Dick says “Alfred, this may be a bit awkward, but I’d like you to meet- - - -what did you say your name was again?” Implying that Tim did tell Dick, but only briefly.

Back in part 2, Tim says this to Dick “Look, I know you’re Nightwing. You used to be Robin. Then Jason Todd became Robin, and when he died, Bruce Wayne went to pieces.” Tim says this before telling Dick his name by the way.

Tim, upon being introduced to Alfred (a cont. of the earlier Dick line) “Tim. Mr. Pennyworth- - gosh I was really hoping we’d meet. I know you’re Batman’s confidant, and I’ve dreamed about the stories you could tell.”

Alfred’s response to this is “I am- - what did you say?” Which is very funny.

Some more stalker lines that come from Tim looking around the manor: “I’ve seen pictures of this place,” “There’s the renoir Mr. Wayne bought last year. I read about that in Art World Today.”, “He’s got an erte? Oh, I love his stuff.”, “Please, can I see the rest of the house?”

There’s this, which a part of was mentioned earlier “I don’t remember the clowns or the animals, or anything else. I just remember waiting for you to go on. And then, when you did, I just sat there and watched.”

Tim says, before explaining anything, “Okay, you won’t take me seriously until I tell you everything. Dick, I don’t want this to hurt you. And I’m really afraid it might.” He then says, “I’m sorry, Dick. I really am. I told you I didn’t want to hurt you by telling you all this.” Tim is right, Dick is hurt. Tim is a stalker, but he’s a conscientious stalker.

There’s this “That image of you doing your somersault- - - -it stayed with me for years. I couldn’t get it out of my mind.” “I knew that somersault. I knew it like I knew my own name.”

This is just the beginning of a sentence, but it still is very stalkery “When you moved to New York to become Nightwing…”

Or how about “…Batman and Robin have meant everything to me. I’ve followed them both… I know them so well. I knew when Dick left to become Nightwing. I knew when Jason came and became Robin… and I knew when Jason died.”

Tim mentions offhandedly that he managed at some point to slip a tracking device on Two-Face. An impressive feat, considering Two-Face was trying to hit him with a crowbar and Tim only came into contact with him twice, either to punch him in the face or push him away from attacking Alfred. I doubt he slipped it on him while punching him, but his ability to stay calm under pressure even while acting panicky, managing to smoothly slide a tracking device onto Two-Face that Two-Face never realizes is there, is very impressive. Or, it’s practiced-

Bruce says “I don’t want a partner. It’s as simple as that.”

Tim responds “After all you’ve been through, I understand.”

So you may be wondering, with all of this overwhelming evidence and the fact that he knows where both Kory and Dick live and the fact that he already knew Alfred Pennyworth was Batman’s confidant and all of the weird, supervillain-esque shit he says, why does anyone like him?

And I’ll tell you why. It’s because he’s so fucking awkward.

Tim says things like “oh thank goodness” or “gosh” or “it’s still been wonderful.” Tim stutters talking to Batman. Tim fanboys over Dick and Bruce constantly. He isn’t even upset to have gotten a mystery wrong, he’s just happy he got to see Dick solve a case.

But also, Tim is right. Batman is acting recklessly, and it’s directly as a result of Jason dying. Tim says he needs Robin, not Nightwing, but I think what he means is more the role that they fill. Robin is little and Bruce can tuck him under his wing and keep him safe. Nightwing is an adult who argues with him and is a good leader in his own right, leading to more arguments. Robin is someone Batman has to take notice of, has to account for when making plans. Nightwing can keep up, and he isn’t as worried about Nightwing because he trusts Nightwing’s ability to stay alive. They fill very different roles, and that’s what Tim means, even if he has trouble saying it.

And he’s completely right. Batman without Robin runs recklessly into a building without scoping it out, tries to save two boys tied with active grenades by himself, walks into a room full of mobsters with guns without having any protection himself. Tim implies that he’s worried Bruce might die, and he’s right to be worried.

But even with Nightwing there, Batman only worries when things go wrong. He doesn’t see Dick as his scrappy little sidekick anymore, he sees him as an adult. And it’s only when Dick’s in trouble that Bruce reverts to treating him like a child.

Robin makes Batman stop and think before they go in. Robin makes Batman patient. Because Bruce cares about Dick and Jason, and he comes to care about Tim too.

Tim wins him over by being clever, but later comics show that they have to build trust in each other. Tim trusts Bruce completely, right off the bat, and that’s overwhelming for Bruce. But Bruce stops being overwhelmed and starts feeling fond.

Because despite everything I said, Tim is a good person. He’s so worried about Bruce that he’s willing to search everywhere to find Dick to try and help him. He’s so worried about Bruce that he spends his vacation week slumming around on his bicycle trying to save Bruce’s life. He dives down a coal chute without a second thought, and he pushes with all his might to unbury Batman and Nightwing. He cares about them, and it’s painfully obvious that he does.

Tim doesn’t want to be Robin. Like, okay, he would love to be Robin, but that’s not why he’s here. He doesn’t want to tell Dick his first name, and it’s only after seeing that Dick isn’t taking him seriously that he spills the beans. He didn’t want to tell Dick, because that would hurt Dick. He says “B-Batman, it’s hard for me to say this to you” because he’s about to tell Bruce off for being reckless and he doesn’t want to. Tim wants to know that Bruce and Dick are safe, and that’s the only thing he wants.

Yes, Tim is definitely a stalker. He literally said himself that he followed them, and even if it was only through newspapers, it still counts as following. Now, maybe he doesn’t fit this dictionary definition of a stalker: “a person who harasses or persecutes someone with unwanted and obsessive attention,” but I think he does fit this dictionary definition: “a person who hunts prey stealthily.” Tim is stealthy and quick.

I read an article that said his weakness was unexpected situations, but I would argue that that’s bullshit. Tim is great in unexpected situations. Did he expect Two-Face to start trying to beat him with a crowbar? No, but he managed to avoid being hit and plant a tracker on him. Did he expect Two-Face to crush the Batmobile he’s sitting in with a wrecking ball? No, but he managed to jump out and hide and tried to warn Batman and Nightwing to watch out. Did he expect Bruce to agree to let him train to be Robin? No, but he’s going to do the best he can now that he has the chance.

From the very beginning, we can see that Tim is someone with an answer to just about everything. He knows things, he notices things, and he’s good at reacting. Later comics don’t dispute this, that I know of. Tim is the Robin with multiple contingencies for his contingencies, but he’s also the Robin who is most likely to say “oh shit I did not see that coming.” He’s a surprised sometimes, yes, but that doesn’t mean he’s unprepared.

All in all, Tim Drake is a fascinating character study of a rich kid who talks like an elderly woman providing therapy for a man who is at least two, if not three, decades his senior. Tim doesn’t quite understand at any point that monitoring isn’t the same thing as showing affection, which is why he and Bruce get along swimmingly and why Tim is often slated to be the Robin most alike to Batman.

Congratulations, Tim.

Also, I really truly believe that Tim had his first crush on Dick, which is why he couldn’t stop staring at him. And I didn’t mention he said this, because it wasn’t important to the points I was making, but it’s important to this one. Tim says “…I kept staring at you, and your circus costume.” The circus costume being similar to Robin’s is never brought up, only the fact fact that Tim couldn’t stop staring at it. I’m telling you, his first crush was here, it’s so obvious, just look at my corkboar-

[aroaceleovaldez]

the show chb logo was also ripped from fandom, like in the past decade all the official chb shirt had the logo without the circle and then the fandom started doing and the show went for it, sorry your tags reminded me of that

[Link to post/tags in question]

Yeah, I know Delphi Strawberry Service has done more circular-based CHB shirt designs for ages, and I've seen the more circular-based designs floating around for awhile. I think Magicbysab's circular-based CHB shirt designs also predate the show design? Those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. I understand on a level that if they did base it off fandom designs, particularly if they're basing anything on widespread fanon or fandom-based concepts, it can be difficult to pin down credit or may even seen unnecessary. But if they're going to be doing that I feel like at least they could hire like, a fandom consultant of sorts? Instead of just ripping off from the fandom, hire someone from the community who produces that already so at least there's some recognition and acknowledgement of where it originated.

Heck, in some instances if you ask around in the fandom it's not hard to pinpoint who specifically popularized certain concepts! I could talk for ages about Cherryandsisters being a driving force behind photokinesis!Will, or Saberghatz with plague!Will (tbh between the two they spearheaded a ton of early Will/Solangelo fanon), and I swear Drksanctuary alone is behind like 50% of Alabaster fanon, etc etc etc. People in the fandom know these things! Heck, we know ReadRiordan company knows how to do that kind of thing! They commissioned Viria for the official art, and the UK Riordan newsletter reaches out to fans all the time to feature their work (with credit, they're one of the better ones)! Though in Rick's book tours he did showcase Viria's art (at least with credit) without asking before she got commissioned, and during the Tower of Nero book tours they actually straight up stole a solangelo edit from Pervysloth with completely zero credit (link is to my canon url readriordan parody blog).

I think it doesn't help as well that Rick and his editor allegedly use the fandom wiki in place of a series bible. The PJO wiki is notorious for putting inaccurate information or fanon onto pages at random and having no sources. (What I wouldn't give for the PJO wiki to have frequent book/page sources a la Warrior Cats wiki...) There are what, now almost 18 books in the main series alone? Of an extremely renowned best-selling series that's 20 years old and now being adapted for TV? And they STILL don't have a series bible? That's like, step 1 of writing a series. This kind of reliance of the fandom for resources and concepts definitely isn't new for them.

It just feels so bizarre as to what it says about how the ReadRiordan company views the fandom and the creatives within it. I understand that trying to figure out how to give credit to the concept of "CHB shirt design, but circular!" is difficult, if you even can find out who did that first or popularized it. But if you're going to rip things from fandom, at least find somebody to try and credit? Show that you put in even the tiniest amount of effort? And if you get it wrong and people know, they'll correct you and that's that! But ReadRiordan just keeps trying to actively obscure these kinds of things, even with their own media, not ripped from the fandom, which makes it feel all the worse when it gets pointed out. And a lot of the time the whole reason those concepts get popular is because they're filtered through big names in the fandom! The fandom is a community! We know these people! We can point to them and explain exactly what they popularized! Remember how Velinxi popularized long haired Piper with the heart-shaped flyaways? Goodness only knows how many fandom designs are heavily influenced by Viria and Minuiko and Burdge (and Indigonite and Fuocogo and Ikimaru and Thecottonproject and Joker-ace and Sixofclovers and Vikingmera and Saber and Cherry and and and-). If you are in the community this stuff is easy to find. But Rick and the ReadRiordan company clearly being ~5 years behind with fanon pretty obviously tells me that they're not in the community at all, and aren't bothering trying.

[estrellami-1]

I've been itchin for some good old fashioned steddie hurt/comfort, maybe steve with migraines? I know its been written a lot, but its always so soft and loving

Okay so this took FOREVER but muse deserted me like. Two days after I asked for these prompts. I’m terrible 😂 but I finally feel like I have something, so hopefully this suffices!

Courtesy of my dad putting a meat thermometer in the car on a 110°F/43°C day:

155.5°F, y’all. 68°C. That’s hot, no matter where you’re from. I’m not from Indiana, so I’m gonna go a little easy on Steve and say it’s barely breaching triple digits where he’s at, but if anyone’s from Indiana and wants to correct me, then by all means, please do!

It’s the heat that finally gets him.

Steve can deal with rain, with snow, with wind, hell, he can deal with interdimensional creatures.

But the heat is what finally takes him out.

His ears are ringing, his head is pounding, his stomach is churning.

The kids are out in the backyard, screaming.

He’d been out there with them, supervising, playing, settling fights. Being the babysitter. But he’d overdone it, and now he’s stuck inside. Can’t move from where he’d collapsed into a kitchen chair.

He’s got a cold Coke can by his elbow that he snagged from the fridge. Contemplates grabbing it and holding it up to his forehead, but everything feels like too much work right now, and he shuts his eyes against the tears that want to come.

The back door opens just as Dustin begins screaming about something else, and Steve can’t hold in the whimper, or the way he curls in on himself.

“Shit,” someone whispers, and Steve hears their footsteps approaching. “Steve?”

It’s Eddie. He’s whispering. Steve’s never been more grateful. He manages half a nod, to show he’s listening.

“Can I touch you?”

Another half-nod, and he grimaces at his head and stomach yelling at him.

“Okay, hey, shh, it’s okay, don’t move. I’m just gonna grab your hand, okay?” He does, grabbing the hand Steve hadn’t realized was tugging at his hair. He holds Steve’s hand with one of his and with the other, rakes his fingers through Steve’s hair.

Steve leans over a little, closer to Eddie, letting out a breath of relief. “Squeeze my hand once for yes, twice for no, okay?”

Steve squeezes once, and Eddie lifts their joined hands to his mouth, kisses the back of Steve’s. “Okay. Headache?” A squeeze. “More?” Another squeeze. “Stomach?” Squeeze. “More?” Squeeze. Pause. “Can you point to it?” He points to his ear with their combined hands, and Eddie hums. “Ringing?” Squeeze. “Dizzy?”

No squeeze. He’s not sure. “Okay, that’s alright. D’you want the coke?” Two squeezes. “Okay. If I get you some water, d’you think you can drink some of it?”

A hesitant squeeze. He can try, sure, but he’s not sure it won’t come right back up. Eddie squeezes his hand, gently places it on the table, and kisses his forehead before moving away, getting a bottle of water from the fridge by the sound of it. He comes back quickly, lays a gentle hand on Steve’s shoulder and rubs it down his back for a second.

Steve sighs, bowing his head, and Eddie chuckles softly, placing the water down in favor of getting both hands on Steve’s shoulders. He squeezes and kneads his thumbs in, on either side of his spine, down to the middle of his back and up to the base of his skull.

He continues with the massage for a few minutes, until Steve’s practically melting onto the table, then drags one hand down his arm to his hand, taking it again so Steve can squeeze. “Did you take anything for your headache?”

A pause, because he’s berating himself for not thinking of that when it would’ve been the most effective, then two squeezes. Because Eddie’s perfect, he says, “That’s alright, Stevie, I know it’s hard. Let me get you something for your head. You want something for your stomach, too?” Steve could cry with how in love he is. He squeezes twice and hopes Eddie doesn’t notice the tear making its way down his cheek.

Eddie’s lips intercept it about halfway down. “It’s alright,” he murmurs, carding a hand through Steve’s hair again. “I know. You’re doing so well, Stevie, I’m so proud of you. The kids are okay, and I’m here to help for as long as you want me to, alright?”

One last squeeze before Eddie pulls away. Forever, he means, and the lips on his temple make him think Eddie understands.

He’s back in a few seconds with two pills. He hands them to Steve, but they’re small and he thinks he might drop them, might spill the water, so he presses them back into Eddie’s hand.

Another pause but Eddie understands a few seconds later and the pills are at his lips, and he’s opening for them, accepting the water that’s next, slowing down when Eddie murmurs. “Careful, slow sips. Just a little for now, you can do more in a minute, just let this settle first.” He pulls the glass away, sets it down on the table, and takes Steve’s hand again. “How about we go upstairs? Maybe take a bath? I think there’s some of that lavender oil still.” Squeeze, pause. Upstairs. Squeeze, pause. Bath. Two squeezes. Lavender.

Eddie seems to understand, thankfully. “Okay, no lavender. Want me to carry you up?”

Not for the first time, and probably not for the last time, Steve internally curses his parents for buying the biggest, grandest house they could. He squeezes once; even if he would prefer to walk, he’s not sure he can right now.

Eddie moves to crouch beside him, pressing another kiss to his temple. “I love you,” he whispers, lips brushing Steve’s temple still. “So much.” He gets his arms around Steve, adjusts a little, and counts down so Steve knows when he’s going to move. Steve loves him an insane amount.

Instead of saying anything, he loops an arm around Eddie’s neck, tucks his head into the juncture of his neck and shoulder, and presses a kiss to Eddie’s collarbone.

Eddie gets him upstairs and in bed with minimal jostling. “I’m gonna go grab your water real quick,” he whispers. “D’you want the bath now, or later?” He quickly thrusts a hand back into Steve’s. “One for now, two for later.”

Steve thinks about it, honestly doesn’t know. Holds up a weak-feeling w to his chin. Water.

“Okay. I’m gonna let the gremlins know too, okay? I’ll be right back.”

Logically, Steve knows he will be back in a few minutes. He knows he’s in a sweat-soaked tank top and swimming trunks. But it’s somehow cooler upstairs than down, and his window is closed, and his head is pounding less, enough so that he’s falling asleep by the time Eddie makes it back up.

He startles awake when Eddie places a hand on his forehead, then winces when his movement causes everything to hurt more. “Shit,” Eddie whispers. “Sorry, baby, didn’t think you’d be asleep yet. Can you drink a little bit more water for me? Then we can sleep.

Steve frowns, lifts a clumsy hand to sign. Bath?

“Do you want one right now? Because I’ll go set it up if you do. But I think your body knows what you need right now and is trying to give it to you.”

Steve thinks it over, then agrees, asking for water again. “Yeah, of course, here, lemme just…” he maneuvers behind Steve, props him up some, and lifts the bottle to his lips. “Small sips, baby, it’ll be here later too, m’kay?”

Steve obeys, taking small, slow sips, tilting his head up when he’s finished. Eddie places a kiss on his cheek as he puts the bottle back on the table. “Go to sleep, baby,” he murmurs, laying them down. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Steve frowns, signs one more word. Kids?

“I let them know you’re not feeling well. They’re packing up, Nancy and Jonathan are gonna take everyone home. Robin threatened me with dismemberment if I didn’t tell you to call her when you’re feeling better.” Steve smiles. “Oh, sure, just laugh at a threat to me, what’s gonna happen when-” he splutters when Steve puts his hand over Eddie’s mouth. He grins, kisses his palm, and grabs his wrist, slotting his thumb into the pulse point. “Love you, Stevie.”

With the hand still held aloft, Steve sticks out his thumb, pointer finger, and pinky. I love you. And with that, he drifts off to sleep.

When he wakes up, the little bit of light coming from his window tells him he’s only been out for a few hours. He takes stock of himself: his head still hurts a little, his ears aren’t ringing anymore, and his stomach still feels a little weird, but he thinks he might just be hungry.

He rolls onto his side and comes face-to-face with a sleeping Eddie. As he watches, Eddie’s brows scrunch, he mutters something, and he stretches out, one arm creeping across the sheets towards Steve. His hand pushes against Steve’s chest a few times before he mutters something else and wraps his arm around Steve, pulling him closer.

Steve can’t help it. He grins and kisses Eddie’s forehead, so in love with this dork he’s just about shaking with it.

Eddie’s eyebrows scrunch again and his eyes flicker open. He smiles at Steve. “Hi, baby,” he whispers, sleep-rough. “How’re you feelin’?”

“Better,” Steve whispers back. “Head still hurts a little, but it’s not bad. Mostly I’m hungry.”

Eddie hums, tucking his head under Steve’s and rubbing a hand up and down his back. “What’re you in the mood for?”

Steve hums back. “Feels good. I dunno. Think there’s any burgers left? Might do one of those.”

He can feel the face Eddie makes. More so, he can hear it in his voice. “You want leftover burgers?”

Steve lifts one shoulder in a lazy shrug. “It’s easy.”

“Stevie. Baby.” Eddie pulls back to press a kiss to his lips. “I asked you what you want, not what would be easy. If you could have anything in the world, what would it be?”

Steve thinks about it, then starts laughing. “Honestly? McDonald’s.”

Eddie chuckles too. “Then McDonald’s you shall get,” he swears. “Wanna come with me or stay here?”

Steve’s brows raise in surprise. “I can get it, Eds.”

“I know you can. I’m asking if you want to come with me or if you’d rather stay in bed.”

Steve rolls his eyes. “I’d rather stay in bed with you,” he says, causing Eddie to smile.

“Ah, but we can do that after I get your food. You want your regular?”

“Yes, please. Think I’d rather stay here, if that’s okay. I think the sun might make the headache worse.”

“That’s fine,” Eddie soothes, standing up then bending over to press a kiss to Steve’s temple. “Be back soon.”

“M’kay. Thanks, baby.”

“Anything for my love,” Eddie grins, bowing before he walks to the door.

Steve chuckles and shakes his head at his boyfriend’s dramatics, shifting in bed to get comfy again.

He doesn’t remember falling asleep, but when Eddie walks in, he blinks awake, stretching as he smiles at him. “Hi, baby,” Eddie whispers.

Steve wants to kiss him, so he does, sits up and drags Eddie closer, food all but forgotten. “Hi,” he whispers against Eddie’s lips. “Thank you.”

Eddie hums as he kisses Steve once more then pulls away. “Anything,” he says, and Steve knows he means it.

They eat in relative silence until Steve asks, “how’d the kids react when you told them?”

Eddie smiles. “They were mostly worried for you. I think Dustin was about to bust inside and demand why you didn’t tell him you weren’t feeling well, but then Nancy gave him a look—you know the one—and told him in no uncertain terms that they were going to leave you to rest and could check in on you tomorrow. So expect a call from him.”

“Or twelve,” Steve chuckles. “Speaking of, I should probably call Robin, huh?”

“Probably,” Eddie agrees, then grins. “Or I can think of something else we could do instead.”

Steve pretends to think about it, then leans in. “Robin can wait,” he agrees, matching Eddie’s grin with his own.

[skunkes]

might sound weird to say as a person with a couple ocs who have Big Horrible Event(s) in their backstories or as a person who has like 3 ocs total bc he sucks at writing and as a person who hopes their ocs arent too Boring with [the thing im about to mention] but the thing about writing [characters] and [people] is that like.

any little thing a person experiences can take up their whole existence... its actually something "fun" to experience as i meet new ppl and do more things. My friend had something happen that she'll be talking about forever. I had several things happen last year that ill never stop talking about, some of which other ppl think werent that bad actually. In the same way I'll forever remember about the way my sister accidentally insulted me almost 10 years ago, it's really interesting and Fun to find and assign smaller things like that to characters...its really Real. some people's dealbreakers are other people's solvable problems etc etc

[saturn-s-moon]

Finduilas for @finweanladiesweek day 4: later generations

Longing makes girls prettier

–Akogare, Yukiko Okada

[cheesemonky]

It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year

ot8 x reader (separate)

genre: pure fluff, literally nothing else

warnings: almost swearing in jisung's, lmk if there's anything else <3

summary: the boys each have different ways of celebrating this time of the year, but all are special and shows how soft christmas really gets them

Chan

Near the start of November, you and Chan had been having a quiet night when he had gotten a call out of the blue. At first you didn’t pay any mind. He always got a lot of calls, whether it was from the members or staff was the question. But it caught your attention when you heard him greet the sudden caller as ‘mum’. You had met his family on multiple occasions and each time you were met with no less than the utmost kindness and inclusivity. They knew Chan loved you, and that you loved him just as much, so they made sure that they felt like family in everything they did. They were nicer than humanly possible! As Chan spoke with his mum on the phone, you couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity creeping in. His conversations with family usually weren't a cause for concern, but this unexpected call sparked a different kind of interest. You carefully observed Chan's expressions as he chatted with his mum. He seemed to be smiling, occasionally laughing, and from what you could gather, it appeared to be a pleasant conversation. Afterwards, you immediately pestered him about it and it turned out they wanted the both of you to come over to Australia for the holidays. The idea of spending Christmas with Chan's family was both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. But nevertheless, preparations were made, and tickets were booked.

And here you were. A perfectly Australian, Christmas barbeque with your boyfriend and his family, in the backyard. But it wasn’t just his parents and siblings, no, no, no. Everyone was there. From grandparents to aunts and uncles, from cousins to nieces and nephews, everyone. 

“Channie, have you ever even met half these people before?” You whispered, leaning over to reach his ear. “You said it would be just a small get together.”

“This is a small get together. There’s only like, 4 or 5 people I haven’t talked to before tonight.” He said normally, not bothering to whisper back.

You rolled your eyes as you scanned the sea of unfamiliar faces, each one seemingly more enthusiastic and cheerful than the last. As the lively chatter and laughter filled the air, you took a deep breath, attempting to steel yourself for the social extravaganza that lay ahead. The aroma of the barbecue and the sound of distant laughter from children playing created a festive backdrop to the gathering, but your focus remained on the daunting task of navigating through this sea of extended family. Chan, oblivious to your internal struggle, continued to mingle effortlessly. He greeted each relative with familiarity, sharing stories and laughter that echoed through the backyard. You admired his ability to navigate the intricate web of familial connections, wondering how you could ever fit in. But when you went to refill your drink, thankfully, a more familiar face showed up.

“Oh, hey Hannah. You having fun?”

“Hmm, yeah. You?”

“Kinda. Would be better if I knew at least some of these people.”

“Oh, damn. It’s okay, you’ll get to know them better in the future. Congratulations by the way.”

Congratulations? What was she congratulating you for? You hadn’t had a promotion at work recently, and there was nothing big happening right now. Heck, you hadn’t even done anything interesting for the longest time.

“Wha- huh? What did I do?” You questioned, turning to face her, but alas, she had already run off into the crowd. But looking closer, you realised a lot of the partygoers had their eyes on you, even if they weren’t straight up staring. Glances here and there, or watching you out of the side of their eye. What in the world is happening?

“Everyone, hello! I’d like to make a small speech!” The backyard quieted down at the sound of Chan’s voice resonating through the area. You wiggled your way through the crowd and up to the front, where he stood.

“I know I haven’t been here for a long while, and I’ve missed you all. Most of you know that I brought my lovely partner here with me so they could see why I hold you all close to my heart.” A smile graced your face at his words. Even if you were a bit scared to mingle with them, you had seen how caring and embracing they had been.

“Y/N, could you please come up here?”

You looked at him curiously but walked over to take your place next to him. You noticed a twinkle in his eye that you hadn’t seen for a while, especially when he spent his days working. You’d missed it.

“Now, we’ve been together for a good while and I wanted to give you a little gift to help you remember your visit here. Forever.” He said more to himself than anyone else. You could hear the whispers and giggles of the crowd but before you could say anything, a pair of hands were wrapping a blindfold around your head.

“Sorry about this, he wanted it to be real special.” You recognised the whisper as Lucas’ voice and now your confusion knew no limits.

“And… take it off.” You couldn’t see it, but you knew Chan was smiling when he said it. The cloth came off and your eyes instantly shot downwards to where Chan was kneeling. Wait, kneeling? It was only then did you notice the small box in his hand. You covered your mouth with your hands, the tears already forming in your eyes.

“Come on, don’t cry. I haven’t even asked yet!” He laughed. Everyone had been in on this, hadn’t they? This is what Hannah meant, this is why people were looking. Everything made so much more sense.

“Chris, do not play around right now…” You had forgotten about everyone else, only remembering after hearing a few chuckles amidst them.

“Okay, okay… Y/N L/N, the love of my life, my dearest one ever, my soulmate-”

“Christopher.”

“Hahah, fine..!”

A beat of silence as he opened the box, revealing a simple yet perfect ring.

“Will you marry me..?”

“Yes.”

Minho

“Aww, who’s a good kitty?”

The voice had confused him. That didn’t sound like any of the employees that worked here. An intern, maybe? Another volunteer? But they hadn’t gotten anyone new in ages. Who could it be? He glanced around quickly but there was no one in his area of the shelter. Still suspicious, he squatted down again and turned his attention back to the cats in front of him.

“Sorry about that. I guess I’m going crazy.” He murmured, mostly to the cats but perhaps to himself as well. That’s the only explanation to what was happening anyways, there's no way someone else is here with him.

Away from all the staff. 

In a secluded area of the shelter. 

…

He got up with a sigh and began to walk towards the door, keeping an eye out for any intruders. He closed the door, but not before looking both ways. As he walked back to the playpen, there was another sound, but not a voice. He recognised the sound; a cat’s carrier had been opened. One of the newly rescued ones. In a heartbeat, he had picked up a wooden brush and held it close to his chest. He stepped carefully and silently, moving closer to the source of the noise. But he hadn't realised how close to a cabinet he was getting. He fell back onto it, causing the contents to shuffle and the noises from before to cease. He kept as still as a dead man, which is what he could become any second now. Nonetheless, he continued forward again, because he was not about to let someone hurt or take one of these cats. He heard soft footsteps and leaned back against the wall, shutting his eyes tightly and praying to anyone that he might survive tonight. At least, if he did die, it'd be in a place he loved with those he loved.

"Uhm... are you alright?" He opened his eyes to see another, very not-dangerous looking person standing in front of him. You looked up at him with a curiosity that, in turn, made him curious.

"You're not-... o-oh, yeah. I'm fine." He mumbled, relaxing his shoulders and loosening his grip on the brush. "I haven't seen you here before. Who are you?"

"You got your confidence back quickly, eh? Well, I'm here to volunteer. You too?"

"Mhm. Is this your first time?"

"First time at this shelter, yeah. I moved here recently but I used to volunteer there as well." Minho smiled at your words. A fellow cat lover, eh? And a gorgeous one at that.

“I’m Minho. Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise. I’m Y/N.”

Minho couldn't help but feel a mixture of relief and embarrassment as he realised that the mysterious voice and presence he sensed earlier were just those of a fellow volunteer. He chuckled nervously, feeling a bit silly for getting so worked up over a potential intruder.

"Sorry for the overreaction back there. I thought someone was sneaking around, and I got a bit paranoid," Minho explained, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish smile. You laughed, a warm and friendly sound that immediately put Minho at ease. 

"No worries! I guess I startled you. I was just checking on the new arrivals. They can be a bit shy, you know?" Minho nodded, feeling grateful for the company. 

"Yeah, they're still adjusting. Some of them had a rough time before coming here. It's good to have someone else who cares about them."

For a moment, the two of you just stared at each other in silence, both subconsciously observing the other. Then, before either of you could speak again, an actual staff member popped out from behind the door.

“Minho can you- oh, you guys have already met! Y/N here is a new volunteer. Well, thanks for the help tonight! You guys can head home early, it’s Christmas Eve after all.” Minho cringed internally at the reminder. Christmas this year was gonna be a pain. He turned to get his stuff as the staff member left, and then waited for you by the door.

"Are you busy?" He asked, looking you straight in the eye. It was a little nerve-wracking, having someone so openly stare at your face.

"Nope. Wanna grab a bite? It's already 8:30, and I sure am hungry."

"Is this a date?" Your face flushes and you look away at the floor. It sounded that way, hadn't it? To be fair, he was a handsome man and he seemed to have the same passions as you. You let out a small chuckle in response.

"Ah, n-no..! Just... do you want to get something to eat?"

"... why not. Let's go, I'll pay."

And after a comfortably silent walk, the two of you had sat down outside a small cafe, eating and talking.

"You didn't have to pay for me. I have my own money."

"Yeah, I know. That's why I'm expecting you to pay me back." He chuckled, raising an eyebrow. You sighed playfully and continued to eat and savour the moment. It’s not like you were doing anything important tomorrow.

"Got any Christmas plans?"

"Asking me on another date, while we're on a date?"

"Man, just answer the question." he smiled at your reply, but it faded as he thought about it more. This time round, Christmas wasn’t as… Christmassy as he had hoped it would be.

"No. All my friends and family are on holidays elsewhere. It's just me and my cats."

"Same. Wait- cats? You have your own cats?"

"Mhm. Soonie, Doongie and Dori."

"3?! Wow, I just have to meet them one day..."

"Come over tomorrow then." He said simply, not looking up from his food. You didn't respond at first. You couldn't. He's really inviting you over? You've only known each other for a night! He could just be doing this to let you see the cats… but still!

"Haha, are you asking me on a date now?" you teased, not expecting what came next.

"Yeah, I am. Can I get your number?"

Now you really didn't know what to say. He’s so calm and collected, no sign of hesitation at all. Yeah, he was handsome, and sure he was good with animals, but who knows what you were getting yourself into? Getting your heart broke was not one of your New Year's resolutions. But you'd rather spend Christmas with someone. You were just going to trust your gut feeling with this one.

"Sure. Wanna have dinner at yours tomorrow?"

"Sounds good to me. Also- Thank you... so much."

“It’s my pleasure… now, back to Soongie, Doongie and Dori, was it?”

Changbin

The winter sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm, golden glow over the snowy landscape. Excitement filled the air as you set out to create the perfect snowman, armed with scarves, hats, and a carrot for its nose. You had told Changbin that you wanted to make a perfect snowman before Christmas, and were waiting for a miracle. The weather forecast had said that there would be a small chance of snowfall this Christmas, and you were more than excited to say the least. But alas, the snow never came. You’d have to wait until January, after all the festivities were done and the holiday spirit was fading. Your hopes for a perfect white Christmas and perfect snowman were crushed. But Changbin couldn’t bear to see you disappointed, even in the slightest, so he spent his days secretly searching for the best time of day to build one, what size the body and head should be, even figuring out how to compress the snow to get them to stay in shape. So here you both were. Christmas might have passed, but he was determined to make you happy.

“This looks like a nice place to start.” Changbin pointed to a spot in the clearing, his breath visible in the crisp winter air. Despite the delayed timing, excitement bubbled within you as you and Changbin began rolling the first ball of snow for the snowman's base. Changbin, ever the meticulous planner, explained the intricacies of snowman construction with a twinkle in his eye. You listened with amusement as he detailed the ideal size for each section, the right consistency for the snow, and the importance of compacting it just right.

“How do you know all this, Binnie?” You asked, a playfully sceptical grin forming on your lips.

“Ah, you know… uhm, I’ve seen things here and there…” He lied sheepishly, dismissing your question as quickly as possible. “Let’s get started, or we’ll be here until midnight.” 

As you rolled the second and third sections, Changbin sneaked glances at you, trying to gauge your reaction. He knew you had your heart set on a snowman, and he was determined to make it happen. With each roll of snow, the two of you exchanged laughter and banter. The clearing echoed with the joy of creating something magical out of the winter landscape. As the snowman's form took shape, Changbin's enthusiasm became infectious, and soon you found yourself fully immersed in the whimsy of the moment. But as you went to top the snowman off with the head, you felt a sudden hit of snow on your back. Turning to see what it was, you saw your boyfriend standing behind you, staring out into nothing and glancing at you occasionally.

“Bin… was that you?” You questioned. Changbin feigned innocence, trying to suppress a mischievous grin. 

"Me? No, it must have been a giant snowflake that fell off a branch or something." You raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.

"Uh-huh, a giant snowflake with impeccable aim… Say, if I turn around will another ‘snowflake’ get me?" Changbin's eyes twinkled with mischief as he considered your question. 

"Well, you never know. Snowflakes can be quite unpredictable." With a playful smile, you turned around again, fully expecting another surprise attack. And right on cue, a snowball landed on your shoulder. You laughed, spinning back to face Changbin, who was now trying to stifle his laughter.

"I see how it is," you teased, scooping up some snow and forming a retaliatory snowball. Before he could even say anything, the cold impact had already hit him, smack-bang in the face. Changbin's eyes widened in mock surprise as the snowball hit its mark, leaving a dusting of snow on his face. You burst into laughter, revelling in the playful exchange of snow projectiles.

"Oh, you're asking for it now!" Changbin declared, wiping the snow off his face with a grin. He swiftly gathered more snow in his hands. You, sensing the impending snow assault, tried to dodge, but Changbin's aim was surprisingly accurate. Another snowball hit you on the arm, and a delightful mixture of laughter and playful shouts filled the air as the impromptu snowball fight continued. The clearing transformed into a winter battlefield, with the snowman standing witness to the skirmish. Changbin, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, took cover behind the snowman you had just built. You, undeterred by Changbin's strategic move, gathered more snow and prepared for a sneak attack. As you approached the snowman, Changbin peeked out from behind its snowy form, ready to defend his makeshift fortress. With a quick, well-aimed throw, you launched a snowball directly at Changbin, hitting him square on the chest. He let out a mock yelp, stumbling backward but quickly regaining his composure.

The snowball fight continued, escalating in intensity as both of you engaged in a flurry of snow projectiles. The snowman, with its carrot nose and stylish accessories, stood in the midst of the winter chaos like a silent spectator. Eventually, both of you found yourselves lying in the snow, breathless and covered in a light dusting of snow. The evening sun had dipped below the horizon, casting the clearing in a tranquil twilight glow.

Changbin extended a hand towards you, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "Truce?" You took his hand, and the two of you stood up, sharing a moment of laughter and camaraderie. The snowman, though slightly misshapen from the collateral snowball hits, stood as a symbol of the unexpected joy found in the simplest of moments.

"Maybe our snowman got caught in the crossfire," you remarked, surveying the snowy aftermath.

Changbin chuckled, brushing off some snow from your shoulder. "Well, it adds character. Our snowman has a story now." You chuckled, studying the snowman. Though it was far from what you envisioned it to look like, you didn’t mind.

“Yeah. Also, thanks for this, Binnie. I love you.”

Hyunjin

The cosy warmth of home enveloped you and Hyunjin as the festive season descended upon your shared space. You and Hyunjin had decided to turn ornament making into a small, Christmas date, spreading the vibrant chaos of ribbons, sequins, and paint across your living room. The air was filled with the scent of pine and the soft melody of holiday tunes that played in the background, creating the perfect ambiance for a day of shared creativity. As the two of you settled on the living room floor, surrounded by an array of colourful ribbons, glittering sequins, and jars filled with every hue imaginable, the possibilities seemed endless. Hyunjin's nimble fingers held the brush tight as it glided over the surface of the ornaments, transforming them into miniature works of art. Meanwhile, you struggled to match his finesse, attempting to channel your inner artist. Each stroke of his brush transformed the plain baubles into miniature works of art, dazzling with intricate details.

On the other hand, you were on a mission to unlock your inner artist, determined to create something that would stand alongside Hyunjin's masterpieces without looking too out of place. The room, filled with the soft sound of the gentle crackling of the fireplace, became a sanctuary for creativity. Your fingers clung over the brushes, and you experimented with different colour combinations, attempting to capture the magic that seemed to flow effortlessly from Hyunjin's hands. Except they just didn’t work out like you had hoped they would. Each stroke on the ornament felt like a battle against your own artistic inhibitions. The colours didn't blend seamlessly, and the patterns you attempted to create looked more like chaotic swirls than intentional designs. As you struggled to make sense of the colours on your palette, a playful frustration built up within you. The ornaments on the table showcased a stark contrast — Hyunjin's intricate designs and your attempts that seemed to be a kaleidoscope gone astray. A teasing smile played on Hyunjin's lips as he glanced over at your creation. With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he reached over and gently poked your side, making you jump. You had only then noticed how far his bauble had progressed.

“Ugh, yours looks so good.”

"Not my fault my hands have been blessed and yours haven't," he quipped, his voice dripping with playful arrogance. You rolled your eyes, unable to suppress a chuckle. 

"Oh please, Mr. Picasso," you retorted, poking him back. "I'm just getting started. My masterpiece is a work in progress." Hyunjin continued to work on his ornament, a smirk playing on his face. He held up his creation for you to see—a dazzling bauble adorned with intricate patterns and vibrant colours. It only needed a few touch ups and it would be perfect.

"Admit it, mine's better," he declared, the teasing tone in his voice undeniable. You sighed in mock defeat, feigning a pout. 

"Fine, fine. Your ornament is a masterpiece, a true work of art. Mine is just… this." Hyunjin wanted to continue his cocky act, but when he sensed a bit of genuine sadness in your tone. He saw how you glanced between the two baubles with a glum look in your eyes, though you just continued to smile.

“Jagi, it’s okay if yours doesn’t turn out the way you want it to.” Hyunjin set aside his nearly finished ornament, his playful demeanour giving way to a more comforting one. He could sense your genuine frustration and didn't want the day to be overshadowed by a sense of disappointment. With a gentle touch, he nudged you affectionately.

"Hey, it's not about who creates the 'better' ornament. We're here to enjoy the process together and create memories," he reassured, his voice softening. "Besides, art is subjective, and your creation is unique in its own way." Your eyes met his, and you couldn't help but smile at the sincerity in his gaze. Hyunjin always had a way of making you feel seen and valued. After a few minutes of concentrated effort, you held up your creation, a satisfied glint in your eye. 

"What do you think now?" you asked, presenting your bauble, which now boasted a unique charm. Hyunjin smiled widely, reaching over to hold it himself.

“See, it turned out great!” he said, handing it back to you after careful observation. Your eyes lit up with a mix of surprise and gratitude as you took the ornament back into your hands. Hyunjin's words and supportive gesture melted away the lingering doubts, and a genuine sense of accomplishment washed over you. Maybe it wasn't a mirror image of Hyunjin's masterpiece, but it held a charm and personality that was distinctly yours.

"I guess it does have its own unique vibe," you admitted, a genuine smile replacing the mock defeat on your face. The room, now filled with a harmonious blend of creativity and shared laughter, seemed to sparkle with the magic of the season.

“Let’s go hang them on the tree, I don’t want to wait until they dry!” Hyunjin's suggestion sparked a renewed excitement, and you both gathered your creations, ready to add your unique touch to the Christmas tree. The ornaments, still slightly wet with paint, reflected the vibrant colours of your shared experience. As you approached the tree, its branches adorned with twinkling lights and a mix of cherished ornaments from previous years. Hyunjin joined you, and together you carefully hung the ornaments on the tree, finding the perfect spots for each one. As you stepped back to admire your handiwork, the ornaments seemed to tell a story of a day filled with laughter, love, and the shared spirit of the holiday season. Hyunjin's arm found its way around your waist, and you both stood there, basking in the glow of the decorated tree. The room, now transformed into a festive haven, echoed with the soft crackling of the fireplace and the distant sound of carolers spreading cheer in the neighbourhood.

"I think our tree has never looked better," Hyunjin remarked, his eyes sparkling with appreciation. You nodded in agreement, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction in the simple yet meaningful act of decorating together.

“I think you’re right. Merry Christmas, Jinnie.”

Jisung

“Pass me the green one. No, the other green one. No, the other, other green one.”

You sighed, walking over to where he stood on the couch, attempting to decorate the highest part of the tree and passed him the other, other green bauble.

“Are you sure you don’t need any help, Sungie? You look like you’re struggling.” you teased, walking over to get a closer look at your boyfriend and his hard work.

Jisung turned to look at you with a grin, “Well, it’s not my fault I’m vertically challenged. Gimme that shiny red one, would you?”

You joined in the festive activity, passing him more ornaments as he continued to decorate. But as the two of you talked and teased, neither managed to keep track of exactly how much was going onto the tree. After a while, you couldn't help but notice that it was practically overflowing with decorations.

 "Y’know, I think that's enough ornaments," you suggested, eyeing the now heavily adorned tree.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Jagi, be real. You can never have too many decorations. It’s Christmas anyways so let me have my fun, you party pooper."

You raised an eyebrow and laughed at his enthusiasm, "If you say so. But let's at least save some space for the star. It's the crowning glory, after all." You continued to hand him ornament after ornament, and he happily added them all to the festive explosion that was happening on the tree.

Jisung, fueled by holiday spirit and a mischievous twinkle in his eye, decided to take things up a notch. "What if we add some tinsel? The more, the merrier, right?" he suggested, reaching for a box of shimmering silver strands.

You watched as he generously draped the tinsel over the branches, creating a dazzling cascade that almost looked like a waterfall of silver. "You really have a talent for turning a simple tree into a masterpiece," you admitted, genuinely impressed by his festive fervour, but also a little concerned with how this tree was ever going to hold all of this up.

“Now… the star. Can I put it on this year?” He asked, an intense sense of holiday spirit emanating from him. You grinned, realising that the tree had already taken on a life of its own with the multitude of decorations. "Sure, go ahead. Just promise me you won't tip the whole thing over in the process."

Jisung laughed, nodding in agreement. He carefully retrieved the shining star topper from the box, his eyes gleaming with excitement. As he reached up to crown the tree, you couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment and joy in the air.

“Almost there… oh shi-”

“Jisung-!”

It was as if time slowed down as you saw the sight before you. There was nothing you could do to stop it. You watched in horror as your boyfriend toppled forward, hands covering his chest whilst pushing against the tree. You felt so many emotions in the span of 5 seconds, and could only stand and stare back at the now tinsel covered Jisung on the floor.

“Uhm… oops..!”

You burst into laughter, unable to contain it any longer, with Jisung following suit, still tangled in the tinsel with a sheepish grin on his face. The once majestic Christmas tree now lay on its side, a glorious mess of ornaments, tinsel, and lights scattered around the room.

“Well, that’s one way to make the holidays memorable,” you said between fits of laughter, kneeling down to help him up. He chuckled, brushing off the tinsel from his clothes. 

“I guess I got a bit carried away with the decorating. Next time, we should probably use less ornaments.” You both worked together to upright the tree, and despite its slightly lopsided appearance, it still radiated the charm of a tree that had witnessed a unique holiday mishap.

“Maybe we should start a new tradition,” Jisung suggested, looking at the chaotic masterpiece. “The Great Christmas Tree Tumble” You couldn’t help but laugh at the idea. 

“Sure, why not? It’s funny seeing you fall like that anyways."

Felix

'Twas the night before Christmas, and the scent of freshly baked cookies filled Felix's cosy kitchen. The warmth of the oven embraced the room, and the holiday spirit danced in the air. He had invited you to come and join him in this festive tradition. As the two friends gathered ingredients and prepared the cookie dough, laughter echoed through the kitchen. Felix wore a festive apron adorned with gingerbread men and candy canes, while you sported an equally cheerful one with reindeers. Together, you created a magical atmosphere, blending the excitement of Christmas with the joy of friendship. You two had been friends for ages and have spent countless Christmases together. The dough was rolled out, and soon the kitchen was filled with the sweet aroma of sugar and spice. Felix handed you a cookie cutter shaped like a snowflake, and together you cut out dozens of delicate, wintry shapes. 

The anticipation of enjoying these sweet treats added an extra sprinkle of happiness to your holiday celebration. Especially since it had been some time since they’ve had some alone time. While the cookies baked, Felix prepared a variety of colourful frostings in vibrant hues of red, green, and white. The kitchen table transformed into a decorating station, with bowls of sprinkles, chocolate chips, and other delightful toppings waiting to adorn the freshly baked cookies. Once the cookies had cooled, the two of you dove into the artistic process of frosting and decorating. The cookies became miniature canvases, and together you created edible masterpieces. Felix's skilled hands guided your own in creating intricate designs, turning each cookie into a unique work of art. At one point, he had accidentally swiped his frosting cover hand across your face, leaving a trail of red and green along your nose and cheek. You blinked in surprise, and then burst into laughter. Felix, unable to resist the infectious joy, followed suit and ended up getting some on his own face.

As the night unfolded, both of you completed your festive cookie decorating. The kitchen sparkled with the glow of holiday lights, and a plate full of beautifully decorated cookies stood as a testament to your withstanding friendship. The two of you dug into the beautifully crafted cookies, and simply sat down and talked.

“That was so much fun! I don’t know why I don’t join your baking sessions more often.” You said, taking a bite out of another cookie. How many you had eaten, you weren’t sure, but you were definitely sure that they were amazing.

“I can text you next time. We can make brownies or something!” You nodded, savouring the sweetness of both the cookies and the moment. The warmth of the kitchen and the glow of friendship surrounded you, creating a bubble of joy that seemed to transcend time. The holidays had a magical way of bringing people together, and in that cosy kitchen, the magic was palpable. 

“So… anything new in your life that you haven’t told me yet?”

“Ah well, my boyfriend broke up with me like, a month ago? But yeah, spending Christmas alone this year, haha…” Felix's expression softened, and he reached out to give your hand a reassuring squeeze. 

"I had no idea, I'm so sorry to hear that. But hey, you're not alone tonight. You're here with me, and we've got a kitchen full of cookies to lift our spirits.” You managed a small smile, appreciating the comfort in Felix's words. What you didn’t know is that Felix was planning as you spoke. He didn’t want to admit it but he was somewhat glad that you had gotten rid of that guy.

"Thanks, Felix. It's just a bit weird navigating the holiday season solo."

“It doesn’t have to be solo. You can spend it with me”

You look up at him and there is a glint of something in his eye, something you can’t quite put your finger on.

“You know what I mean, Lix. Spending Christmas with someone is great, but I wanna spend it with that someone.” You explain. You appreciated his effort though. He was always someone you could rely on to make your day better.

“I know. And I’m saying, I can be that someone.” He says plainly. You look for any signs of trickery but he seems so genuine in his words. Looking back down, you fidget with your fingers, trying to figure out what he was playing at.

“If you’re doing this out of pity, there’s no need. I’m fine, I promise Lixie.”

“It’s not out of pity. I’m saying this because I love you. More than just a friend.” Your head shoots back up in an instant. What did he say?

He loves you? He loves you? He loves you?

“I invited you to make cookies because I want to spend time with you. I didn’t accidentally get frosting on your nose. I wanted a reason to hold you close. Even if it was just cleaning it off, I was happy. Because you were happy just doing something with me. And I want to keep doing things with you, because it makes me happy. And I just-” Before he could continue, you cut him off by cupping his cheek and placing a swift kiss to his forehead. He looked at you in shock, but his eyes were shining brighter than ever before.

“Can I…?” You whispered and he nodded eagerly. You leaned in and so did he, and the two of you met in the middle for an electrifying kiss. You held on tightly to his cheek and his hand found its way to your waist, pulling you closer. The two of you pulled away, and smiled widely at each other.

“Well… I- uh, I-I didn’t know you felt that way too and can I just say-” He starts but you stop him with a small kiss to his nose.

“No need for explanations. Are you still willing to spend Christmas with me?”

“Of course! Are you?”

“I think I made that kind of obvious… but yeah. I am.”

Seungmin

Seungmin leaned back into the plush cushions of the couch, feeling the cool night air seeping in through the slightly open window. The soft glow of the moon spilled into the room, casting a gentle ambiance that wrapped around the two figures sitting there. The air was filled with the comforting scent of hot chocolate, steam rising from the mugs cradled in their hands.

His dearest jagi, the love of his life, you, who he hadn't spent quality time with in ages, sat across from him. Seungmin took a sip of his hot chocolate, the warmth spreading through him, chasing away the chill of the night.

The two of you found yourselves wrapped in the cosy embrace of blankets on the couch, the dim light casting a soft glow around the room. The night outside was nice and cold, but within the confines of your shared space, a warmth enveloped you. The air was filled with the rich aroma of hot chocolate, the mugs cradled in your hands adding an extra layer of comfort.

Seungmin leaned back, his eyes reflecting the gentle flicker of the candlelight. The atmosphere was serene, a stark contrast to the bustling world outside your haven. The silence was almost tangible, broken only by the occasional crackling of the fireplace and the subtle sounds of the night.

“How have you been lately?”

“Almost 3 months, and that’s what you’re asking?”

You looked into Seungmin's eyes, the flickering candlelight casting a soft glow on his features matching the aura of the room. Yet a warm smile played on your lips as you considered his question. The quiet intimacy of the moment made it easy to open up.

"I've been okay," you replied, the sincerity evident in your voice. "Life's been busy, as always, but being here with you like this makes everything feel just right. How about you, Min? How's everything on your end?" Seungmin's gaze softened as he listened, and he reached over to gently intertwine his fingers with yours. 

"It's been hectic, but right now? Everything feels perfect. I've missed these quiet times with you. It's like a breath of fresh air." He chuckled softly, the sound resonating in the cosy space around you. 

"I've missed it too, Minnie. I’ve missed you. These moments really remind me of what’s important." Seungmin's smile widened at your words, and he squeezed your hand affectionately. The warmth of the moment seemed to intensify as you exchanged these heartfelt words. The glow of the moon and the soft light from the candles painted a romantic backdrop to your connection.

"I've missed you too, jagi," Seungmin confessed, his eyes never leaving yours. "These moments make me realise how precious our time together is.”

You nodded in agreement, a shared understanding passing between you. The outside world, with all its chaos and demands, felt like a distant memory in the cocoon of your shared space. As the night deepened, the two of you continued to enjoy the quietude, the only soundtrack being the crackling of the fireplace and the occasional distant hum of the city. After a good while, Seungmin gently stood up, breaking the physical connection but not the emotional one. He walked over to the window, drawing the curtains closed to shut out the rest of the world. Returning to the couch, he opened the drawer of the side table and reached inside for a small box. His usual, enchanting smile playing on his lips, he handed it to you. The anticipation in his eyes hinted at a surprise he had planned for this evening. You opened the box to find a delicate necklace, a pendant shaped like a crescent moon. Its silver surface shimmered in the soft light, reflecting the glow of the candles. It was like nothing you've ever seen.

“For me?” You whispered, fighting back the smile and the tears that began to form.

“For you.” He breathed. Seungmin took the necklace from the box and, with a tender expression, gently fastened it around your neck. The cool metal rested against your skin, a symbol of the quiet moments shared under the moonlight. He leaned in, placing a soft kiss on your forehead and then another on your lips, sealing the moment with a touch of affection.

“Your Christmas present. Since I won’t be here. Sorry about that by the way.” You smiled at the sincerity of his words, the necklace feeling like a tangible promise against your skin. 

"It's perfect, Minnie. And don't apologise; I understand. We'll make up for it when you're back."

Jeongin

“Is it too late to back out now?”

“Yep. Do you have the skewers?”

“Yessir. Marshmallows, chocolate and crackers?”

“Yeah, let me open the marshmallow bag first though.”

Leaning against the kitchen counter, you watched as Jeongin fumbled with the scissors, trying to open the jumbo marshmallow packet he had bought. You tried to convince him that there was no need for that many, but he insisted. To be honest, you weren’t even sure this was even going to work.

It all started when the two of you decided to book a holiday house for Christmas. The two of you have gone past many Christmases together, but was the first one that you guys would be spending as a couple and he wanted to make it special. What better way to do that than a private getaway? It was a nice place and it had a fireplace perfect for making s’mores. You were especially excited about that, you hadn’t roasted marshmallows in such a long time, let alone had a s’more. So you spent much time planning and organising everything you were going to do during your time away together. You had even gone as far to decide which restaurants to eat in advance. And all that was left to do was book the place. And that’s what Jeongin did… except it was for the year after, and he ended up being far more disappointed in himself than the lack of a holiday. It was his responsibility after all.

But nevermind that, that’s all in the past. Fast forward a few days from the big little mishap and here you were now. Jeongin had taken notice of how upset you were over not being able to go on holiday, especially about not being able to roast any marshmallows over the fireplace, so being the thoughtful boyfriend he was, he went and bought all the needed items. But neither of you had a fireplace, so being the geniuses that you were, the two of you decided to use his kitchen stove. As Jeongin continued to struggle with the marshmallow bag, you couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

"Need some help there?" you teased, reaching over to take the scissors from him. He pouted playfully. "I got this, just watch." With determination, he managed to open the bag, and you both shared a laugh.

"Alright, let the s'mores-making commence!" you declared, grabbing the skewers and handing one to Jeongin. The kitchen was filled with excitement as you prepared for your makeshift s'mores adventure.

As you both sat around the stove, skewering marshmallows and holding them over the flame, you couldn't help but appreciate the effort Jeongin had put into making this Christmas special. The aroma of melting marshmallows filled the air, creating a cosy atmosphere.

"So, how do we do this again?" Jeongin asked, looking at the array of ingredients on the counter.

"It's simple," you explained, "roast the marshmallow to whichever gooeyness level you want, then sandwich it between a piece of chocolate and graham crackers. Voila! S'mores."

Jeongin grinned, adorable dimples showing and eager to get started. The two of you took turns roasting marshmallows and assembling your s'mores. And honestly? This night was probably better than any other Christmas holiday. All thanks to the man currently roasting marshmallows over his kitchen stovetop.

“I’m done making mine. Let’s taste them, yeah?”

“Same time, okay? 3, 2, 1…”

As you both took a bite simultaneously, an unexpected combination of flavours assaulted your taste buds. The marshmallow, instead of being perfectly gooey, had an odd rubbery texture and tasted of gas, the chocolate was overly bitter, and the graham cracker had an unusual, cardboard-like crunch. You scrunched up your nose in disgust and glanced over to Jeongin who wasn’t having too great of a time either.

“Uhm… Innie? What does yours taste like..?” You asked and Jeongin grimaced, trying to find the right words. 

"It's like a weird mix of burnt rubber and bitter disappointment. Definitely not the s'mores experience I was hoping for."

You couldn't help but burst into laughter, and he joined in, realising the hilarity of the situation. The kitchen, once filled with the sweet aroma of anticipation, now held a peculiar blend of burnt marshmallow and failed expectations.

"Well, at least we tried," you said between laughs, wiping away a stray tear. "Maybe we should just go grab some s’mores ice-cream from the convenience store. It’s not that late"

“Yeah, good idea. I’ll pay. Least I could do after messing up twice.”

“It’s okay, jagiya. At least we’re together.”

taglist: @jinnie-ret @kai-lee08 @beesspacedotorg

leisel's note: ty everyone for an amazing 2023 and i hope to see all of you (and maybe more) in 2024!! i've had an amazing time getting to know you all and am so grateful for all your support!! i'll try my best to keep putting out writings for you!!

[fydramas]

—Edgar Cayce  

happy birthday to my favorite person in the world, my queen, my soulmate @kimporchay ♡​

[hermitagereheadcanons]

(THIS IS A LONG ONE! i might have written to much)

How to handle tantrums 101. A guide by Skizzleman (With the mountaneeirs as test subjects)

Gem. Doesn't have alot of tantrums, or she is to young and the only thing in her mind is napping or she is an angel but when she has them is because she is lonely and she really wants attention but doesn't know how to voice it. So pick that little up and hug her she will be happy!

Grian. Has tantrums often because its fun- he is chaotic and energetic and sometimes tantrums are one thing that are gonna take some of his energy, but if you offer that bird snacks he will be out of the floor in a minute!

Scar only has tantrums when he is unable to do something, he can't go play tag because he is on a bad pain day and is on his wheelchair, he cant build because he can't think of what he can do because the ideas don't seem to appear in his head. Simply carrying him around on your arms and bring him aroun everywhere, he will be quiet and enjoying being there and probably sleep on Skizz's arms

Joel is also one for tantrums. Specially if he is frustated with himself or when he is tired but doesn't want to sleep piggyback rides are the way to go! Skizz smiles everytime he can hear Joel giggling on his back (But sometimes he does regret it when Joel starts to be a little gremiling and pull his hair)

Mumbo doesn't have tantrums, he totaly doesn't. No, him refusing to get back inside of Skizz's base and pounting because he doesn't want to nap(even tho he needs to) is not him having a tantrum. But if he WAS having a tantrum offer him to read a story, Mumbo loves hearing stories and comment on them even tho he just babbles and he will be more willing to take a nap

Impulse. When regressed Imp still tries to work and gets frustate when he keep making mistakes and when Skizz notices this he will say sweet and soft words, impulse usually needs a reminder that he is allowed to take a break, he is allowed to relax, he is allowed to be a little and doesn't need to work 24/7. He is not on their old home anymore

And now for a secret note from the littles as a bonus! How to make a happy Skizz while he is the one having a tantrum!

When Skizz is having a tantrum is usually... Because he is really tired, his wings hurt, memories that he rather to forget keep coming back and he is just... so tired. So when he eventually starts having a tantrum (Even tho he isnt a little, he shoulnd be one, he really needs to grow up) and refuses to rest. The whole group gets together to help, Impulse with words of affirmation and helping him calm down, Joel carrying him to his base on his back while Mumbo tells him about his day, grian is in the kitchen making snacks and Skizz is just watching him while Scar holds him and after the snacks and Gem being the perfect hermit to cuddle and hug.

In the next day when he is big again, Skizz is so greatfull to have all of them - 🦋 (also about Xuma hc, no you didnt misunderstand me! I probably just invented a word and tought it meant something lol)

This was a very fun read!

[adahlenan]

I'm gonna be evergreen.

[definitelynotnia]

im sorry i have to rant im so fucking pissed

my exams end on 19th and I have to get rid of some books and buy some books which are quite pricy online so I had planned on going to college street on 20th and selling my books and buying the new ones at a cheap price and i was frankly really excited about it because all I get is a one day break to relax bcz i have to start studying for entrances from 21st so all I have is 20th and i wanted to spend it at college street and then get some food and basically have like a solo date kind of thing.

and i was so so excited about it i told my boyfriend about it like 500 times bcz i kept forgetting i've already mentioned it and it was literally on my mind a lott so i kept bringing it up and ik it seems like not a big deal cz i can just sit at home and chill too but i literally do not get to go outside my house. like- the last time i went out was new years eve and after that the only time i've gone out is to school or to give my boards that is it. my mother has some weird like problem wiht me going out like even if i tell her that i just want to go to our terrace for 5 minutes just to get some fresh air she won't even allow that she'll be all suspicious and like sTaNd In ThE bAlCOnY aNd TaKe FrEsH aIr like she herself doesnt leave the house (and blames it on me and my brother ???? when have we ever stopped you bro, she said I HaVe To Be HeRe To KeEp An EyE like im 18 i dont need to be watched 24/7 stop blaming me for choices you put upon yourself) and i just feel so suffocated ALL THE TIME i feel so overstimulated and im so sick of rotting on my bed and i dont want to wait for some birthday party or friends meet up to be able to leave my goddamn house i just wanted to go and have a fun day and get me some books thats it.

anyway so initially the plan was that my mom would go along but something came up so she wanted to postpone it to 21st and i didn't want to bcz i'd already be missing 3 days bcz of my boyfriends birthday, holi and my brothers birthday (all of which are important and i dont want to miss which makes me the villain apparently bcz i should "adjust" and cancel my "parties" instead of trying to stick to my plan bcz that makes me too demanding and selfish apparently) so i suggested that ukw why dont u go do ur thing which came up and i'll go to college street by myself...which is when the solo date idea came which i had really wanted all along but didnt bring up bcz i knew she'd say no but now there's a valid reason for me to go alone so like, its a pretty easy fix i can just go alone but noooo. First of all,

I've been to college street multiple times before so its not like its an unknown area to me

im going by metro which is quite safe

im going when there is stark daylight and i will return home much much before it gets dark and im literally 18

she never lets me go anywhere alone, not even take ubers alone if i want to get back from somewhere my bf has to come drop me everytime and then go backwards to his house which is so so so stupid and i never get to go out alone unless accompanied by family or by a male friend, so obv when i said i'll go to college street alone she refused to let that happen and started screaming about how 'if its so important to go on 20th bcz u dont want to miss a day of studying then cancel ur 'parties' and study then' and i was like no its not about missing a day its just that there's a very easy and logical fix to this problem which is i go alone and its not inconveniencing anyone so why cant i just do that but she will not listen to that bcz im 'adamant' and 'everything has to be according to me' bcz i found a viable solution to the problem. so instead of letting me just go she was literally ready to pay much more money and buy the books online, like.....why cant i just go bro??? (and she keeps telling me im a waste of her money bcz i will amount to nothing in life and my education was a failed investment or wtv so like now why are u wasting more money??? im literally trying to save the money that u 'waste' on me so just let me ???)

anyway i called my dad last night and told him and he was super ok with the idea he said its a good idea that i go alone and that he would speak to her but then today when i asked her if dad spoke to her she said yes, we'll go on 20th and i was like .....we? so apparently she CANCELLED her previously immovable thing for which she wanted me to cancel my 'parties', she cancelled that and agreed to go with me on 20th just so that i dont get to go alone- like ???????????????? what is ur problemmmm

so obv i was super annoyed and i went on a whole ass rant about how i literally struggle to even cross roads bcz i dont know shit about basic travelling bcz all my life ive been in a car and its a running joke with all my guy friends that i 'cannot navigate' and 'dont know any places' and obv??? if im never allowed to go anywhere then how tf will i know the places- the only places i know is bcz recently i've been paying a lot of attention and asking my dad stuff about what roads to take to reach certain places and when i go out with my friends i kind of try and learn a bit but thats it i've only ever gone alone completely alone to two places which is my beauty parlour thats 5 minutes away from my house and one bazaar one time that was 2 bus stops away, thats it. thats my extent of public travelling alone. and now im supposed to go to a whole new STATE for college and i cant even call myself an auto without struggling. and like- is this not a basic life skill??? like ok yeah its not rocket science and i will probably figure it out even if i start later in life but why not now? most of my guy friends literally go everywhere alone, why not me? and my dad agreed with all of this but my mom was just like "you'll be in the hostel only, no need to go out of the campus" like ARE YOU FOR REAL????????? and she's like "if u want to learn skills learn how to cook" like ok yes i will also learn how to cook for sure but i wont have a fucking kitchen in the hostel but somehow cooking is an urgent skill i should learn but going places by myself is unimportant bcz i should just never? leave? the? hostel?

anyway after much screaming and shouting my dad gave up and just cut the call bcz he doesnt want to get into an argument with my mother and my mother was being all suspicious like why do u hAvE tO gO aLoNe AlL oF a SuDdEn even though i literally explained why i want to do this alone but she doesnt think thats valid. so she refuses to let me go and i asked her for one reason why i shouldnt cz usuallt its always "no u have exam what if smthn happens" but now i literally dont even have exam so whats ur excuse now? streets will always be unsafe forever so "what if smthn happens" is not a reason to never let me go out without a man so just gimme one reason and she couldnt give me a single reason she just said "i said no, thats it".

and now she's gone off about how im useless and blah blah and "high maintainance" bcz i want books and "everyone else (some pishi's son) just studies online" and so the whole option of college street is apparently now cancelled and she's trying to set up a whole ass kindle account (half the books i need arent even available as ebooks) just because i wanted to go by myself.

[glitteronadumpsterfire]

44 mickvince something mafia related plbs ill love you forever sorry for being so demanding 🥺

[not sure if this is what you intended but here you go]

---Two weeks before the wedding---

While the whole city of Naples was asleep, Michele was sitting at the pier under the crescent moon and cloudless sky. The night was unusually quiet, and all that could be heard was the sound of the waves lazily going back and forth against the shore.

“How does it feel, Vincé?” Asked Michele in monotone, after Vincenzo sat down next to him.

“What do you mean?”

“Your wedding with Arianna. Have you already forgotten?”

“No, I haven't.” Vincenzo looked up to the sky, spotting a few stars. “But I'm not really enthusiastic about it, you know? I barely know her.” He added, shrugging, turning towards Michele, staring at his icy blues.

The other man turned around and sighed.

“I think she feels the same, too.” Continued Vincenzo, gazing at the sea. “We're getting married just to please our parents, after all.”

Michele stayed in silence.

“What's wrong, Miché?”

“Nothing, it's just...” Michele exhaled. “I don't know what I'm going to do after you get married and move there. Maybe I should just... Get it over with already.” He suddenly got up, but Vincenzo stopped him, seizing his arm.

“Don't even try to think about it!” The blond raised his voice.

Michele stared at him, saying nothing, the corners of his eyes filling with tears.

Vincenzo moved his hand to Michele's. “Ti amo, Miché. I always will.”

The raven-haired man brought his fingers to Vincenzo's cheek, before the blond got closer and pressed his lips against Michele's.

---One week before the wedding---

“Ciao.” Said a boyish familiar voice.

“Ciao...” Michele sighed, without diverting his gaze from the sea. “How's the nose, Vincé?”

“Not as bad as the other day, I think it's healing.” Informed Vincenzo, sitting down next to Michele.

“It's all my fault.” Murmured Michele. “I'm sorry.” He turned towards the blond, whose hazel eyes were glistening under the moonlight.

Vincenzo frowned. “No way! Why would this be your fault?”

“You got beaten up by your father because he saw you hanging out with me! The real question is, how is this not my fault?” Michele's blue eyes began to become watery. “I should just... We should just stop seeing each other, before one of us ends up dead!”

Vincenzo exhaled. “Miché, don't say that...” He rested his hand on Michele's shoulder. Michele took Vincenzo's hand on his and squeezed it.

A gunshot was heard in the distance.

“We should go home. Now.” The dark haired man said, looking at the blond boy in the eyes.

---Two nights before the wedding---

Michele was feeling restless: it was three in the morning and Vincenzo still had to show up. He was shivering, despite it being a summer's night in Naples. He felt like something bad had happened to his lover.

He shot a glance back at the coast: he never felt so happy to be proven wrong, as he realized that Vincenzo was running towards him.

Michele got up and pulled the blond boy in his arms, hugging him and kissing his face all over. Vincenzo squeezed him just as tight. “Sorry for being late. I was worried someone was following me and I took the longer way.”

“Grazie a Dio you're here, Vincé.” The other whispered.

“Listen,” Vincenzo detached himself from Michele, “I am so tired of living like this.”

Michele blinked, a worried expression painted on his face.

“I don't want to get married to Arianna, I can't take being a criminal anymore...” Continued the blond, “and more importantly, I can't stand being away from you for just one more minute.”

“Vincé, where are you going with this?”

“I want to run away with you, Miché!” Vince took Michele's hands in his.

“But where?! You know they're gonna find us no matter where we go!”

“Not if we take the cargo ship to America.”

Michele widened his eyes.

Vincenzo grinned.

“You're crazy, you hear me?” Michele threw his arms up in the air. “Pazzo!”

“So, are you in?”

Michele hesitated. “If I had to choose between staying here without you and the possibility of dying at sea with you…” He said in the end, smiling. “I still would choose you.”

---One night before the wedding---

The first sun rays of the morning had still to come out as Vincenzo and Michele embarked on the first cargo ship to the United States of the day, hoping for a new chance at life.

Put That Guy in a SituationTM Ask Game/Prompt!

[catonatrain]

lets build some memories today and tomorrow too

momoi & midorima | rated g | word count: 1776 | where momoi and midorima go on a shopping trip together

for @mason-ajar for the 2024 @knbexchange !! prompt: character a and character b pick out outfits for eachother

i was super excited to see that we've been paired up for the exchange !! i haven't been able to write in a long while, but seeing your prompts gave me the inspiration needed to to write about a friendship that is just so important... and so here they are!!

read on ao3!!

Momoi was lying on her bed, mindlessly reading a sports magazine until her phone rang. It was too early in the morning for Aomine to be calling her. Maybe it was Kise? 

“Hello?” She held her phone in between her head and shoulders.

“Momoi.” To her surprise, it was Midorima. “There is something I would like to talk to you about.”

“Midorin!” Momoi practically sang. She immediately sat up, abandoning the magazine. “You rarely call first! What is it? Oh, let me guess! Do you need a lucky item? Or are you having boy troubles?”

“No, I am not having, as you say, ‘boy troubles.’” There was a pause. Momoi figured it was Midorima pushing his glasses up. “I also have acquired my lucky item for the day. I need your assistance. Could you accompany me on a shopping trip?”

Momoi felt her already wide smile go even wider. “Of course, I’ll go with you!” She loved being invited to things– be it eating lunches at Maji Burger or coordinating streetball lessons for the local kids. Usually, she was the one doing the coordinating– which, for the record, wasn’t something she minded! But it was nice having the invitation go the other way every once in a while. Especially from Midorima! 

People may think he was someone who wanted to be uninvolved, but it was not true! When luck permitted, he always came to different events like the team’s after practice ice cream trips. Sometimes he needed just a bit of nudging, nowadays in the form of Takao, but regardless, he didn’t often initiate events with her. She’d noticed that lucky item shopping is usually his excuse to hang out with others, but he already got his lucky item of the day. 

She wondered if anyone else was coming. Takao or Kise maybe? She couldn’t help but ask. “Are we going with anyone else? Takao-kun? Or Ki-chan?”

“No, it would just be the two of us, if that would be alright with you.” There was a pause. “I understand that it may be… unusual for it to be just us, but you were the friend that I deemed would be able to help me best.”

“Aww Midorin, that’s so sweet of you!” She could imagine him blushing at the compliment. “Send me the details over email, and I’ll be there in an hour!”

Momoi saw Midorima standing on the outside of the clothing store. He wore a simple dark blue t-shirt and beige pants. He tightly held onto a giant penguin plush. When his eyes met with Momoi’s, his grip loosened. 

She ran up to him, stopped right before him, and started bouncing on her feet. “So? What’s the occasion? What are we shopping for?”

“I… would like your help in choosing an outfit.” He turned his head to avoid eye contact. Momoi knew what that meant.

“So you were having boy troubles!” After everything that’s happened in the past few months, it’s been getting easier and easier to read Midorima and this was no exception. She will admit, however, that she hadn’t quite figured out who’d captured Midorima’s affection. Most people would say it was Takao who held the title as “The Boy Midorima Likes,” but Momoi had a theory she had been brewing up. It was still a work in progress, but her “Kagami Taiga: The Boy Who Has Captured Everyone’s Heart” thesis had a lot of evidence. Momoi would simply have to take into account both possibilities today.

“That would… that would imply that I am struggling, which I assure you is not the case,” Midorima’s face flushed and his voice was louder than usual. Momoi couldn’t help but laugh.

“But you’re not denying that this is a boy-related problem!” She winked. “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about Midorin! I understand completely! Whenever I’m with the person I like, I always want to look my best. I won’t ask who it is, but I’ll give it my all in helping you out!”

“I… appreciate it…” 

“You’ll definitely capture his heart, Midorin!” She began urging him into the clothes store. “Let’s go!”

“I think this outfit will be the one, Midorin!” Momoi held up a green sweater with an argyle pattern. “It’ll go great with your eyes!”

Midorima took the sweater to examine it. 

“Besides the color being the same as my eyes, is there anything else to take note of?”

Momoi giggled. Midorima’s questions reminded her of a time in middle school where Midorima asked about her notes and note taking strategies. He was always serious in his studies, and this was no exception. “You want to pick clothes that fit well and that you’re comfortable wearing! Make sure that colors and patterns don’t clash. Like two very bright colors! It can work, but I’m not too sure if that’s what you want to go with.” 

Throughout her speech, she could see Midorima nodding and paying very close attention to her words. “So for the pants, should I go with one of the darker ones?” 

“Yes! Let me choose…” Momoi looked around, surveying each pair of pants until she found one she thought to be suitable. “I think those black pants should work! Check to see if they fit!”

“Thank you.” He gently placed his giant penguin plush down and grabbed the pair from Momoi. “I truly do appreciate the time you’ve taken out of your day to help me with this.” The tips of his ears were red. She found it quite cute, but chose not to comment.

“Of course, Midorin!” Momoi beamed at him. “I’m honored you asked me to help you out with this! I’ll be cheering you on!”

His blush spread to his face. He managed to mutter a thank you before shuffling off to try on the outfit. She sat down to wait for Midorima. Would this be a one time thing? While it was the first time that it’s been just the two of them, Momoi found that she quite enjoyed the experience. With just the two of them, the energy wasn’t as face paced, which Momoi appreciated. Sometimes, she needed the break from the constant running around of her daily life. And not only that, but Midorima had definitely changed. It was easier to understand him now. 

When Midorima walked out, she saw some people began to sneak glances at her friend. Unfortunately for the interested party, his heart had been taken by someone else. She bounced on over and eye’d her friend at all sorts of angles. Midorima stiffened at the attention, not knowing what to do.

Momoi laughed. “It’s fine Midorin! You look great!” She gave him a thumbs up. 

At that, Midorima sighed, finally letting the tension escape. “That endeavor was just as difficult as I imagined it to be.” He pushed his glasses up. “Thank you Momoi for making this trip much easier. Your knowledge was crucial and your guidance saved me a lot of frustration. Is there any way to repay you?”

Momoi thought about it and couldn’t think of anything she needed at the moment. Just spending time with a friend was already a gift in itself. But she knew that he wouldn’t take that as an answer. She placed a finger on her chin as she thought of her options. 

“I want you to pick an outfit for me!”

“I beg your pardon?” Momoi could see the gears running in Midorima’s head. “Do you not already have suitable clothes?”

“I want to test what you’ve learned! Let’s see if you can make an outfit for me.”

“I’m not sure if–”

“C’mon Midorin! I know you can do it! You’re not one to back away from a challenge are you?” With that, Momoi knew she won. 

“Give me ten minutes.” Midorima rushed towards the center of the score, scanning all around to find an outfit that would look well on her. She couldn’t help but laugh at the fact that his penguin plush was tucked between Midorima’s arms. 

“A brown plaid skirt, a white blouse without any patterns, and a light brown sweater that clashes with neither of these colors.” Midorima used his penguin to hold onto the clothes, as its flippers served the clothes like how there’s a waiter serving food at a restaurant. “Is this a suitable outfit?”

“There’s only one way to find out!” It was her turn to try on something new. She came out with a little twirl, “Well, Midorin? I have my thoughts, but let’s check your sense of fashion. What do you think?”

Midorima wasted no time. “For the skirt and jacket, I was hesitant at first since you chose a sweater that specifically matched the colors of my eyes, but the neutral colors appear to coordinate well. I also ensured that the blouse had no patterns. I do believe that it fits the criteria.”

She saw a slight hint of a smile. Was he proud? She hoped so, as she truly did love the outfit that Midorima chose. “But do you think I look cute? Do you think I can capture the hearts of anyone I set my eyes on?”

“You… you asked me for my thoughts and I believe I answered appropriately. Was I incorrect in this assessment?”

“I’m just messing with you Midorin!” She saw the hint of exasperation on Midorima’s face and so she finally relented. “It’s such a cute outfit! I’m impressed!”

“Hmph.” He turned away and began walking towards the cash register. “In that case, let’s go.”

Momoi followed along happily.

Outside of the store, Midorima said, “Thank you again. I found myself enjoying our time together.” There was a pause as he ruminated on what to say next. “I hope we can do this again. I’ve been told it would be beneficial to be the one to reach out more, so I will try to do just that.”

Momoi felt a tinge of tears begin to form, but she willed them away. To think only a year ago, she was wishing for a time where everyone could smile together again. So much had changed, and she hoped  that it would continue to do so. 

“And thank you Midorin,” She gave her friend a very wide smile. “Let’s definitely do this again. But before you leave, you definitely have to tell me about who you like! Come on! Tell me! Tell me!”

Midorima’s cheeks reddened as he tried to back away, but he realized fairly quickly that this was a battle he would not win. “Fine. But let’s do it somewhere else.”

“Of course, Midorin,” she said as she walked with her friend towards their next destination.

notes:

i couldn't decide if i wanted to have hints of midotaka or hints of midokaga bc i like both ships a lot! i ended up just keeping it vague on both ends, so YOU, the reader, can decide who The Boy Midorima Likes is :)

outfits are based on some merchandise art and official art! midorima's outfit is this:

momoi's outfit is this:

[todayisafridaynight]

any hopes for kiwami 3? like things u wanna see added or changed stuff like that

if they dont keep kiryu's goofy walk stance and the hoof-like walk sounds i dont wanna play it