#but i think also just soft music sounds like autumn to me

[saythenametotheworld]

Risk | l.jn [1]

Genre: college au; crush-at-first-sight Synopsis: Firmly convinced that Love-at-First-Sight is a hoax, you never expected to be proven wrong when the universe decided to throw you, quite literally, into Lee Jeno's lap. Pairing: NCT Lee Jeno x Reader Warnings: slow burn—I know, classic Cali work. Notes: Can I interest you with another two-part fic that's also a slow burn? No? Alright. Here's the first 14.7k words! Song prompt was Risk by Gracie Abrams <3 (btw i did not proofread this)

[Part 2]

You first met Jeno Lee on a particularly cool autumn afternoon. The kind of day where the wind carried a crispness that hinted at the coming winter, and the leaves crunched underfoot in vibrant shades of red, orange, and gold. The public library—where you spent most of the school break had always been quiet, but today, it was more silent than usual, the heavy wooden doors muffling the outside world’s chill.

You found yourself in the farthest corner of the library, where the oldest books resided, their spines faded and worn from years of eager hands. You stepped onto a ladder, reaching for a book that had been buried on the highest shelf, just out of reach. The book wasn’t anything special, except for the pretty spine and an interesting title that piqued your curiosity.

Your fingertips brushed the spine, but as you tried to pull it free, it resisted. Frowning, you gave it a stronger tug, unaware that on the other side of the shelf, someone else had their fingers wrapped around the very same book.

Thinking it was simply stuck in the array, you tried again, exerting all of your strength on one last tug. The book suddenly gave way, sending you off balance. Your heart leaped into your throat as you toppled backward, the ladder slipping beneath your feet. You had just enough time to gasp before you felt yourself falling, bracing for the cold, hard floor to meet you.

But instead of hitting the ground, you landed in something warm and solid. Strong arms caught you, holding you securely as you blinked up in surprise, your breath coming in short.

And that’s when you saw him.

It felt like the world had shifted into a dreamy haze—one of those cinematic moments when time slows down as the female lead and her love interest lock eyes for the first time. The world seemed to blur around you, blocking out everything and everyone, and sweet background music was playing in your head. 

His eyes were the first thing you noticed—deep and warm, dark brown in color, flecked with gold that seemed to catch the light in just the right way. His dark hair fell in soft waves across his forehead, slightly tousled, as if he’d just run his fingers through it. His jawline was sharp, but softened by the slight smile that curved his lips as he looked down at you.

He was effortlessly handsome, in the kind of way that made your heart skip a beat and your stomach flip all at once. 

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice warm and soothing, with a hint of genuine concern.

“Huh?” you questioned, your own voice sounding like a switch that abruptly snapped you back to reality. The dreamy haze dissipated, and you were left with the stark, embarrassing reality of the moment. You realized you were still cradled in his arms, your hands resting against his chest. Your face flushed as you scrambled to get down, muttering apologies.

“Woah, careful,” he said as he gently set you back on your feet, his hands lingering on your arms for just a second longer than necessary. 

“I’m sorry about that,” you managed to stammer, your voice barely above a whisper. “The uh… the book! It was stuck.”

“Yeah, you almost got hurt there,” he smiled, a slow, genuine smile that made your heart flutter.

You glanced down at the book he was holding—the one you’d been reaching for, and then back up at him, a blush creeping into your cheeks. “Thanks. For catching me. And for this.”

He chuckled softly, and the sound was like music, smooth and easy. “No problem. I just happened to pass by.”

“Well, lucky me,” you replied, chuckling bashfully. For a moment, you both stood there, the library around you fading into the background. There was something in his gaze, a spark of recognition that made you feel like you knew each other, even though this was the first time you’d met. 

Is this the part where you tell him your name? Maybe not? Shouldn’t he be asking for yours?

“Right. See you around then,” he said while you were busy thinking to yourself. Before you could gather your wits to say anything back, he gave you an acknowledging nod and walked away.

You stood there, dumbfounded, watching him go. It wasn’t until he disappeared around the corner that you realized you should have asked for his name. Your heart was racing, and you were feeling a mix of gratitude and something else, something that made your cheeks warm and your thoughts scatter.

You kept wondering who he was, where he was from, and if he lived in town. His image haunted your thoughts, making it hard to focus on anything else. At night, you lay in bed, replaying the scene, his warm eyes and gentle smile etched into your memory.

Who was he? And why did your heart feel like it was doing somersaults? Clearly, you should know by now what that means: you have a huge, massive, gigantic crush on this guy. And you don’t even know his name yet!

Funnily enough, you never saw him again after that. In the remaining days of your break, you frequented the library, asked your friends about him, and even went on night outs hoping he’d show up. But you had no luck. Was it really possible not to see each other again after that day? Maybe he didn’t live there. Your town was small, the kind of place where everyone knows everybody. There was no way you wouldn’t have known if someone like that lived nearby. Maybe he was just passing through.

That was probably it. As you traveled back to the city for the start of the semester, you knew you would never see him again. It might be easier to think he didn’t exist at all. It was a little frustrating, but you decided to let it go.

Yet it seemed like the universe wasn’t ready for you to let it all go.

On one particularly cold and rainy afternoon, you stood outside a diner in the city, frantically waving your hand at a taxi cab. Your umbrella might have been keeping your head dry, but the strong gusts of wind blew tiny drops of rain all over your jeans and boots. After several occupied taxis passed by, seeing one finally pull over in front of you almost made you cry with joy.

“Apartment X on 46th Street, please,” you told the driver as soon as you slid inside, barely managing to close the door behind you. You sighed in relief, your heart slowing down as the warm air of the cab wrapped around you.

But just as you were about to settle in, the door was suddenly yanked open. Startled, you glanced back, and your breath caught in your throat.

A man peeked his head into the cab, his messy hair plastered to his forehead, drenched from the rain. But despite his soaked appearance, that smile was unmistakable—a smile you easily recognized even after all this time. The rain pounded against the cab roof, but all you could hear was the sound of your own heartbeat, echoing in your ears.

Jeno’s smile widened as he took in your surprised expression. “Sorry to barge in like this, but it’s pouring out here. Mind if I share the cab with you?”

“Sure,” you said softly, audible enough for him to slide into the seat next to you. You caught a whiff of his perfume—fresh, woodsy, intoxicating. Instinct made you scoot over slightly, trying to make room without seeming too eager.

The cab started moving, and silence filled the space between you. You could feel your pulse quicken as you stole glances at him, but he seemed oblivious, focused instead on his phone. He looked just as handsome as you remembered—maybe even more so—though it had only been a few months since you last saw him. Somehow, it felt like you were seeing him for the first time. And there was something in his demeanor that sent a sinking feeling to your stomach.

He didn’t remember you.

You were sure of it now. The way he had smiled, the casual politeness in his tone, all pointed to a simple truth—you were just another stranger sharing a cab on a rainy day.

You knew you should say something—anything. Start some small talk, maybe a simple “hi.” Would that be weird? It shouldn’t be, right? You’re sharing a space, after all, and a small one at that. You could remind him of the time he caught you in his arms like you were in a rom-com flick or something.

Making friends had always been easy for you, but with him, every conversation starter seemed silly or wrong, and the fear of making a bad impression held you back. What if he thought you were odd for remembering? What if he didn’t care?

Then again, how could you possibly form a deeper connection with him if you wouldn’t even talk to him? Was he really so attractive to leave you dumbfounded each time? You took a peek to confirm and ended up meeting his gaze when you glanced at each other at the same time. You smiled meekly before quietly looking away.

The answer was simply a ‘yes’.

Your thoughts were interrupted by the taxi driver’s voice. “Where to, young man?” he asked, glancing back at Jeno.

Jeno appeared to think for a second. “Is the road to NCIT still inaccessible?”

Your ears perked up at the mention of your university. Did he go there too?

“I don’t think so,” the driver replied, shaking his head slightly. “But I’ll try to get as close as possible. Taco Bell near the intersection alright with you?”

“That would be good, thanks.”

Your mind raced with questions. Does he go to NCIT too? You could ask him about it, maybe bring up the sinkhole that had appeared on the road near campus a few days ago. But once again, your nerves got the better of you. All you could do was scroll through your phone, pretending to be engrossed in social media as you tried not to gawk at him.

The cab came to a stop sooner than you expected. You noticed Jeno shifting beside you, preparing to get out.

“Thanks a lot,” he told the driver, handing over his fare. Then, to your surprise, he turned to you with a warm smile. “Thanks to you too. Stay warm.”

And just like that, he was gone. The door clicked shut, and you were left in the backseat, feeling mild annoyance and disappointment. You stared at the space where he had just been, your thoughts swirling with frustration.

Seriously? You thought to yourself, trying to keep the frustration from bubbling over. You’d let him slip away without saying anything. Ugh, how could you be so awkward? A tiny part of you wanted to throw a little tantrum and scold yourself at the same time.

As the cab started moving again, you slumped back in the seat, watching the rain streak down the windows. It was a little bit of a letdown, but you sighed and shook your head, deciding to laugh it off. He was just a fleeting, unexpected moment in your otherwise uneventful day. A quick ray of sunshine, maybe.

In itself, it was a relief to know that he was in the same city. Hunting him down should be easy. For now, you’d just have to let this go and move on.

“No, you’re not—” Sienna gestured quote marks in the air. “—‘hunting him down’, whatever that means.

“Why not?” you whined, slumping back on your bed.

Your flatmate sighed in exasperation, crossing her hands over her chest as she stared you down. “It’s weird and stalkerish. Get to know him like a normal human being.”

You had told her about Jeno, from the first encounter with him back in your hometown to the cab ride with him earlier that day. “That’s the thing. I can’t because I don’t know him at all. I don’t even have his name,” you told her.

“Yes, and you’re an idiot for that,” she chastised, sitting next to you on the bed. 

You groaned, narrowing your eyes at the ceiling. “You are absolutely correct,” you said, shutting your eyes as you flail your hands in the air.

“Let it go. If he does go to NCIT, then you’ll see him again and you’ll talk to him like a proper girl,” said Sienna, tapping the space between your eyebrows.

Normally, if something like that happened to you, you would just let it go. Not that it has happened before, but if it did, you would just let it go. Not this one. You can’t. Somehow, you were convinced that you crossed paths with him for a reason.

So, against Sienna’s advice, you hunted him down. It was outside a diner where you met him again, and he got off near your university. Assuming you were around the same age, he most probably went to NCIT too.

“If he was, you would’ve met him already,” said Sienna, alluding to your congenial personality and tendency to befriend just anyone.

“That’s the thing! I do not know him, so he’s probably a new student. If he isn’t, then he’s probably from the Sci-Tech building,” you told her.

“Sci-Tech? Why Sci-Tech?”

You looked at her like the answer to her question should be obvious enough. “Because I don’t go there.”

Sienna snorted. “Your deduction skills are spot on,” she said sarcastically.

There was only one place in uni that you never frequented, the Science and Technology building. It was because you had no reason to go there. That building was for NCIT’s specialized programs, which were programs in Natural Sciences and Technology. It housed departments like Engineering and Mathematics, Biology, Computer Sciences, and the like. As a Foreign Languages student, you have everything you need and everywhere you have to be in both the Arts and Social Sciences building. There was no reason to go elsewhere. But that might change if your suspicion turns out to be right.

So as soon as Monday rolled in, you headed to the said building with one goal in mind—to see if your mystery man was there. The halls weren’t entirely unfamiliar; you’d seen them before during your freshman tour of the campus. But the faces were new, unfamiliar, and you found yourself smiling at those you recognized.

The task was simple—look around, find out if Jeno’s there, get to know him, and done. If you happened to bump into your friends from this building, you’d tell them you were looking for them. No way were you going to let anyone know you were on a “hunt” for a boy.

“Are you lost?” said a guy’s voice from behind you.

You sighed and rolled your eyes before turning to face him. Smiling, you said, “I was just looking for you, Renjun.”

Renjun cocked an eyebrow at you. “Why? What did you do?”

You clutched your chest, pretending to be offended. “Nothing? I just came to see you. Lunch is on me today.”

His face softened but he still scoffed. “Why didn’t you just text me instead of coming all the way here?”

“I had to remind you because you’re old and forgetful,” you joked, falling into step beside him as he started walking.

“I’m not old and forgetful,” he muttered, though you just giggled, clinging onto his arm. 

Your eyes scanned the halls, peeking into classrooms, but there was no sign of Jeno so far. Meanwhile, Renjun was complaining about Haechan and Yangyang spreading the flu virus all weekend.

“Thank God they’re okay now,” he grumbled. “I can’t last another day babying those grownups.”

“Why don’t you kick them out?” you said absentmindedly.

Renjun hummed as if seriously considering the idea. “I would if I could pay all 1500 by myself. Even the rent is annoyingly expensive.”

“Then why not move to the on-campus dorm?” you suggested, though you knew he was just complaining for the sake of it.

“It sucks.”

Just as you rounded the corner to the stairs, you spotted Jeno in the crowd. You gasped softly, your heart doing a little flip. There he was, just as handsome as he had been last weekend. You were right, after all—he really was from this building.

You watched him from a distance, talking animatedly to a few other students in front of an open classroom. You couldn’t help but stare, your heart doing a little flip as you took in his easy smile and the way he casually leaned against the doorway like he belonged there—like he belonged everywhere. Nothing of note could be said about his good looks, except that he continued to be as handsome as he did last weekend. He laughed along with the rest of his classmates, eyes crinkling cutely.

“What are you staring at?” Renjun asked, following your gaze. “Ah, I knew you had ulterior motives for coming here. Which one is it? Hyunjin? Jeno? Soobin?”

You glanced back at Renjun, grinning from ear to ear. “Which one is Soobin?”

He scoffed. “You came all the way here and you don’t even know his name?”

“I know Hyunjin,” you said, shaking your head. You pointed at the guy in the grey hoodie. “That one. Is that Soobin?”

“That’s Jeno Lee.”

You gasped, covering your mouth in mock shock. “His name is Jeno? Oh my god! It suits him so well.”

“And? Did you come here for him?” Renjun asked, raising an eyebrow as he peered at Jeno and his group. “Should I call him over?”

“No!” you exclaimed, quickly tugging him back. “Do you two know each other?”

He nodded. “Yeah, he’s Jaemin’s friend from high school.”

At this point, your smile was probably blinding Renjun with how bright it was. But before you could pester him for more details, he slipped away with a quick wave, escaping to his classes.

Information was easy to obtain from your friends. Barely a day had passed but you have learned all the important things you needed to learn about him. He was new at the university, having enrolled here only last semester. Four months ago, he was dating this cute girl from Biology but they broke up only a month later. No one knew why, but they did break up. He used to play basketball and still does. He’s an Electronic Engineering student and is said to be very intelligent. You also found out that he currently shares an apartment with Jaemin and Mark.

That night, you lay on your bed, phone in hand, scrolling through his profile. He was active on it, posting mostly about his workouts in his Stories and getting tagged in posts by friends. He played basketball for his previous school and based on the posts and comments from his friends, he was great at it. There were pictures of him with his team, others mid-game, looking focused and determined. There were also pictures of him just hanging out with lots of different people; some faces were recurring, but it was mostly different people.

You couldn’t help but wonder if this was how all crushes felt—silly and intense all at once, like a tiny spark that refused to fizzle out.

“I wonder if he’s as nice as he seems,” you thought, your heart fluttering as you looked at a photo of him laughing with his friends. His smile was the same one that had made your heart skip a beat the first time you saw it.

You tapped on the profiles of his friends, searching for clues about Jeno’s life. It was easy to tell which ones were close to him, and which ones weren’t. You even scrolled through the profiles of girls who seemed too close to him in pictures, hoping he wasn’t dating any of them. Based on your little “research”, he is single right now with plenty of admirers commenting on his photos.

You noted every detail, hoping to find common interests. His love for basketball intrigued you, and maybe you could strike up a conversation about it if you ever got the chance. Well, that is if you even knew a thing about basketball. You weren’t a big fan of the sport, but you would be if it was Jeno playing. If he was on your school’s basketball team, you would have joined the cheer squad. You didn’t have the skill for it, but you would have tried nonetheless.

A soft sigh escaped your lips as you let your imagination run wild. You closed your eyes, allowing the faint light from your phone to fade into the darkness of your room. Images of Jeno’s smile and the sound of his voice played in your mind like a cherished memory. The idea of seeing him again made your heart swell with excitement, looking forward to the next few days.

Then, realizing how far down the rabbit hole of your crush you’d fallen, you couldn’t help but laugh at yourself. “Get it together,” you murmured, shaking your head with a grin. But even as you tried to reel yourself in, the excitement of possibly seeing him again was too much to suppress.

There was no denying it now. You told your girlfriends that you had fallen in love with Jeno Lee from the Sci-Tech building.

“It was love at first sight. I just know it,” you said dreamily, twirling in front of the mirror.

Kayla raised an eyebrow. “You said love at first sight is a scam.”

“I know what I said,” you sighed, knowing she was right. You were a skeptic when it came to love at first sight. Sure, you liked romance and were a massive fan of romcoms. But love at first sight in real life? Total BS. “Obviously, I was wrong. I have to admit that now,” you added, a mixture of disbelief and excitement swirling within you. Part of you still couldn’t believe how quickly your feelings had changed.

Kayla and Sienna exchanged glances. Sienna smirked, her tone playful as she asked, “Are you sure you weren’t just blinded by his looks? That can happen to some.”

“Well… He did look handsome, but I’m sure it was more than just that.” You walked back to your dresser, sporting a reminiscent smile. “I know it sounds crazy, but there was just something about him. I can’t explain it. It’s like… like he was meant to be there.”

Kayla rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t hide her grin. “Next thing you know, you’ll be writing love letters and doodling his name in your notebook.”

You laughed, shaking your head, but a part of you couldn’t deny it. Maybe you would. “Hey, if it comes to that, don’t judge me,” you said, a teasing glint in your eyes.

“Yo! I have arrived!” came Haechan’s voice from outside your bedroom door, followed by heavy knocks. “Come on, come out now before I change my mind and leave your asses.”

You opened the door and raised an eyebrow at him, leaning on the doorframe as you sized him up. “First of all, the car isn’t yours. Second, how dare you bring your shoes in here.”

“Move. I’m not here for your ugly mug. I need my baby,” he retorted, trying to push you out of the way, but you wouldn’t budge.

“You move,” you shot back, playfully pushing his chest and sending him back a few paces.

Sienna giggled as she brushed past you. “You guys never stop fighting, do you?” she asked rhetorically, knowing full well the answer was ‘yes.’

“I hate her so much,” Haechan muttered to Sienna as she greeted him with a soft kiss on the cheek. “How are you putting up with her?”

You rolled your eyes at their PDA. “The real question is, how is she putting up with you,” you quipped, turning on your heel to fetch your stuff.

Yangyang’s SUV was parked outside, and you could make out Renjun’s figure sitting in the shotgun. As the four of you boarded the car, Yangyang glanced back at you in the backseat, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

“Hey, I heard you’re seeing someone from Sci-Tech. Is that true?” he asked, his tone teasing.

You furrowed your brows in confusion, about to respond, when Renjun sighed exasperatedly from the front seat. “I said she went to see someone,” he corrected, his voice calm but laced with mock annoyance.

Yangyang turned to Renjun, feigning innocence. “Isn’t that the same thing?”

“No, dumbass,” Renjun shot back, rolling his eyes.

“Wow. Renjun, you’re a fucking tattletale,” you blurted, pretending to be offended but unable to keep the smile off your face.

Renjun just shrugged. “Let’s just go,” he said, his tone final but light, signaling the end of the banter as Yangyang pulled out of the driveway.

On rainy days, you often carpooled with Yangyang, who generously offered to drive you safely to school. While the sinkhole repairs were still ongoing, the city had found a detour that made it possible for cars to access the street where NCIT is.

“How much longer do you think it’s gonna take?” Renjun asked as you passed by the sinkhole.

“Hopefully not long. The traffic in this part of the city is a nightmare,” you replied, leaning forward to peer through the space between Renjun and Yangyang as you looked outside.

“Mark’s asking if we’re still going to Felize’s for lunch today,” Haechan said, his eyes glued to his phone.

“Of course, man. We haven’t eaten at Felize’s in ages,” Yangyang replied with a sigh. “I miss their quesadillas.”

“Who else is coming?” Sienna asked, peeking at her boyfriend’s phone.

“No one else. Just Mark, Jaemin, and maybe Jeno.”

Your stomach did a little flip at the mention of Jeno’s name. “You’re going to Felize’s and you never told me?” you accused, feigning indignation.

Kayla cocked an eyebrow at you. “We talked about it in the group chat last week.”

“Why didn’t I know that?”

“Because you never check your messages,” Renjun said, not missing a beat.

Haechan chimed in, “And you rarely show up to our invitations anyway.”

“I do sometimes!” you insisted.

“Rarely,” Renjun shot back, smirking.

You grinned. “Well, today is your lucky day!”

“Oh, shut up. You just want to see Jeno,” Renjun teased, his smirk widening.

“Jeno?” Haechan repeated, his eyes narrowing as he looked at you suspiciously. “Do you like Jeno?”

“Mind your own business, alright?” you shot back.

After a long day of classes, you and your friends finally made your way to Felize’s. The familiar scent of sizzling fajitas and freshly baked tortillas greeted you as you stepped inside the cozy, dimly lit restaurant. It was a favorite hangout spot, a place where you could unwind and enjoy some of the best Mexican food in town.

The group quickly spotted Mark and Jaemin already seated at a booth near the window, waving them over. You all crammed into the booth, the chatter flowing easily as menus were passed around—even though you all knew what you were going to order.

As you looked around the restaurant, your excitement started to wane. You scanned the tables, hoping to catch a glimpse of Jeno, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Jaemin noticed your expression first and grinned. “What’s with the long face? You look like you lost something.”

You tried to play it off, shrugging. “Nothing. Just thought it would be more crowded.”

Haechan chuckled. “She was expecting someone in particular.”

“Someone whose name rhymes with… Den-o?” Kayla teased, her grin widening.

You rolled your eyes, but the small smile on your face gave you away. “Okay, fine, maybe I thought Jeno would be here. But I’m not disappointed. Just… mildly inconvenienced.”

“Mildly inconvenienced,” Yangyang mocked with a playful smirk. “I can practically see the broken heart emojis floating above your head.”

“Yo! Wait, what’s going on?” Mark asked, holding up his palms. Turning to you, he asked, “Do you like Jeno?”

“No,” you denied, but you were grinning from ear-to-ear. “Who is he anyway?”

“No, seriously,” Mark pressed, eye gleaming with interest as he turned to your other friends for answers. “Seriously? Since when?”

“Not long,” you replied, hoping they'd move on. “Just very recently.”

“Recently? Alright, that makes sense. We’ve been flatmates since he got here. I was wondering why you never told us,” Mark said, nodding..

“Right? I didn’t even know there were three of you in that apartment!” you groaned.

Jaemin smiled at you. “Too bad he isn’t here. He had other things to do.”

Renjun, ever the instigator, leaned back in his seat with a knowing smile. “You know, if you really want to see him, you could just text him and ask where he is. He might appreciate the effort.”

Mark nodded in agreement, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Yeah, or maybe we should’ve just kidnapped him and brought him here ourselves.”

Yangyang added with a grin, “Or better yet, we can all show up at his place with food and be like, ‘Hey, you missed out!’”

Haechan’s laughter was an insult to you. “Does he even know you? I heard you get tongue-tied at the mere sight of him!”

There was a chorus of disbelief from the boys at your table. Jaemin asked, still shocked, “You? Tongue-tied?”

Kayla chuckled softly. “Come on, guys. Don’t tease her like that. She’s just a bit  shy.”

“Oh god,” Yangyang exclaimed, rubbing his arms. “I got goosebumps hearing you say that.”

“Yeah, ‘shy’ and ‘you’ don’t belong in the same sentence,” added Haechan, pointing his finger at you.

You groaned, half-laughing as you covered your face with your hands. “You guys are the worst.”

“But you love us anyway,” Sienna said, patting your shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah,” you muttered, though the smile on your face gave you away. Even though Jeno wasn’t there, you couldn’t help but enjoy the moment with your friends.

With the midterms fast approaching, you momentarily forgot about Jeno, focusing instead in making notes and studying. Instead of the campus library, you opted to the city library. You liked it there. It’s quieter, with fewer students, and more books to choose from. Except this time, instead of maintaining your streak as a recognized Most Diligent Reader—third place overall last year—you buried yourself in notes and textbooks.

One particularly slow weekend, you were absorbed in your study when you thought your eyes were playing tricks on you. There, leaning against one of the towering old bookshelves, was Jeno. He held a book in one hand, and his other hand twirled a pen absentmindedly. Your heart leaped to your throat, and a wave of nerves washed over you.

You quietly observed Jeno from behind the cover of your textbook, trying to focus on your notes. But despite your best intentions, your gaze kept drifting towards him. The way he casually flipped through pages and twirled his pen seemed to make time stand still. You watched as he moved from the shelves to a table across the room, burying his head into the book. You tried to concentrate, but your efforts were in vain as your mind wandered back to him.

The next day, you were back at the city library, hoping for another glimpse of him. To your surprise, Jeno was there again, looking just as engrossed in his studies as before. You couldn’t help but think that maybe he enjoyed this library as much as you did. Although that day, he studied little and slept most of the day.

One afternoon, Sienna showed up and immediately noticed your distracted state. She took one look at you and followed your gaze, rolling her eyes when she saw Jeno.

“Seriously?” Sienna said, sitting down next to you and grabbing your notes. “You’re here to study, not to gawk at some guy.”

You blushed, trying to regain your composure. “I’m not gawking. I’m just—”

“Just talk to him,” Sienna interrupted, her tone a mix of exasperation and encouragement. “He’s right there. How hard can it be?”

You felt your cheeks grow warmer. “I can’t just walk up to him. I’m—” You hesitated, searching for the right words. “I’m shy.”

Sienna raised an eyebrow. “You? You’re never shy.”

“I know,” you admitted, feeling a bit flustered. “It’s just… different with him. I don’t know why.”

Sienna sighed dramatically. “Fine, I’ll do it for you then. But you owe me coffee.”

You shot up from your seat, grabbing her arm to stop her. “No, wait! Please don’t.”

Sienna looked at you, puzzled. “Are you sure? He seems like a really nice guy. It wouldn’t hurt to just say hi.”

You shook your head, giving her a pleading look. “I don’t want to rush things. Just let me handle it.”

Sienna studied you for a moment, then sighed and relented. “Alright, alright. I won’t push it. But you better get on with it soon, or I’m going to start making plans for you.”

You breathed a sigh of relief, and Sienna returned to her seat, shaking her head but with a smile. You knew you needed to muster the courage to talk to Jeno on your own terms, but now is not the right time yet. Of course that’s just an excuse, but you wanted to believe it.

Once more, you found yourself at the city library, where you spotted Jeno studying with Jaemin. You decided to sit at a table right behind them, carefully positioning yourself so that Jaemin’s back was to you. This way, you could observe Jeno without risking being seen by your friend.

As you settled into your seat, you pulled out your notes and pretended to study, though your attention was primarily focused on Jeno. You discreetly stole glances over the top of your book, trying to catch glimpses of his expressions and the way he animatedly explained something to Jaemin. You found yourself fixated on his lips, the way they moved and the way they’re so pink and plump.

Just as you were lost in the sight of him, Jeno’s gaze flicked in your direction, his eyes meeting yours for a brief moment. Your heart skipped a beat, and you quickly ducked behind your book, pretending to be engrossed in your notes. You could almost feel your cheeks heating up, and you cursed yourself for being so obvious. Surely, he didn’t realize you’d been staring at him, right? 

You were probably wrong. He definitely saw that.

Trying to regain your composure, you forced yourself to focus on your studies, though your mind kept drifting back to that fleeting moment of eye contact. You stole another glance from behind the cover of your book, only to find that Jeno had returned to his conversation with Jaemin, seemingly unaware of your presence. You let out a quiet sigh of relief, but the excitement and nervousness of the encounter lingered, making it hard to concentrate on anything other than him.

Exams arrived, and you couldn’t help but regret not studying as diligently as you should have. You knew you wouldn’t fail any of them, but you braced yourself for some disappointing scores. That did not stop you from attending an off-campus house party though. 

The party was in full swing when you arrived, and you were having a blast with your girlfriends. Amid the laughter and music, you spotted Jeno with his group of friends. Your friends, in high spirits, decided to make a bet involving a game of flip-cup. The stakes were simple: if you lose, you had to go up and talk to Jeno.

“News travel fast,” you snickered, eyeing Sienna in particular.

Sienna shrugged nonchalantly. “Wasn’t me. They found out by themselves.”

“Yeah, you weren’t as slick as you thought,” said Olive, tossing the cup towards you.

“Don’t worry, babe,” said Kayla, squeezing your shoulder gently. “No one’s ratting you out.”

As the game progressed, you tried your best to lose, but Flip Cup just so happened to be one of those games you were oddly good at. Every time you thought you were about to lose, you somehow managed to pull through. 

“Oh, come on! Just let her lose already,” Kayla teased from the sidelines, clearly enjoying the spectacle.

“You’re actually scared to talk to Jeno, are you?” Sienna asked with a grin, playfully nudging you. “There’s no way you’re this good.”

“I’m not scared!” you protested, though you were starting to sweat. “I’m just… strategically holding back.”

Your friends exchanged amused glances, clearly not buying your excuse. “You know what? I don’t even need this,” you said with a dramatic flair, taking a big swig of the spiked punch in your red cup. “I’m gonna go talk to him right now.”

“Oooh,” your friends chorused. 

With newfound confidence, you made your way toward Jeno’s group. He stood by the music console with a few others, talking and laughing. You clenched and unclenched your fists, trying to squeeze out the nervousness that was starting to creep back in. The closer you got, the more your heart pounded, your palms growing clammy. 

It would be easier if he was alone, you thought and it was like the universe heard your plea because his friends walked away from him, rushing somewhere else while cheering. You took a deep breath, trying to muster up the courage to approach him. Just when you were almost within reach, Haechan unexpectedly passed by.

Without thinking, you grabbed his arm, veering off course. “Hi! I’ve been looking for you!” you blurted out, trying to sound casual.

Haechan blinked at you, baffled. “What? Why? What did I do?”

You forced a smile, dragging him further away from Jeno’s group. “Nothing. Just wanted to catch up with you!”

Haechan gave you a suspicious look, noting how you kept glancing over your shoulder. “What’s going on? You’re acting weird.”

When you were safely out of sight, you finally let go of Haechan and waved him off. “Go away.”

Haechan pointed at himself in mock disbelief. “Me? Go away? You’re the one who dragged me over here!”

“Well, thanks for your service. I don’t need you anymore,” you quipped, turning on your heel and heading back to your girlfriends. You were welcomed by their disappointed gazes.

“That was so anticlimactic,” Kayla remarked, shaking her head.

“Oh, shut up,” you sighed, rolling your eyes, though you couldn’t hide the rueful smile tugging at your lips.

The rest of the night passed in a blur of laughter and drinks. By the time you got home, you were drunk but wide awake, whining to your friends as you sprawled out on the living room carpet. Squinting up at the ceiling, you muttered, “I’m home.”

“Yeah, you are,” Sienna replied, nodding as she watched you.

You pointed at the lightbulb above you. “But I don’t see Jeno Lee. He should be here.”

“He probably would be if you didn’t chicken out at the last minute,” Sienna scolded, shaking her head. “And you’re not in your bedroom, dumbass. Get up!”

You groaned, closing your eyes as you smiled. “Next time... maybe.”

Sienna rolled her eyes and nudged you with her foot. “Yeah, sure. We’ll believe it when we see it.”

Days passed with you casually crossing paths with Jeno more often. It was like the universe had decided to make him appear everywhere you went. You noticed that you both arrived on campus around the same time, late in the morning at 10:30. He was often at the quad, surrounded by friends or just passing by. Each glimpse of him was like a small thrill, a bright spot in your routine school day.

The public library was a hit-or-miss; sometimes he was there, and other times he wasn’t. Still, you went there every day out of habit, mainly to read and also to see him if he happened to be there.

You got to know him in this way, piecing together bits of his life through observations and casual conversations with others. You learned about his friends, his classes, and his easygoing personality. He seemed to be well-liked by everyone, always ready with a smile or a kind word.

But there was one place you rarely saw him: the food court. It has been a while since you found out about him, and despite having mutual friends, you have yet to talk to him or share the same space. Today, you walked into the food court and scanned the place for any sign of him, only to be disappointed by his absence.

You settled on the chair next to Kayla, fixing your bag. Sliding next to you, Kayla whispered, “You look glum. Haven’t seen your crush today yet?”

You rolled your eyes at her mischievous grin. “No. And I’m not glum at all! Especially not because of that.”

Sienna snickered from her spot next to Haechan. “Yeah, you are totally glum because of that.”

Just as you were about to retort, you caught sight of Jeno walking into the cafeteria. Your heart skipped a beat as you watched him navigate through the crowd, his easy smile drawing you in. He greeted a few friends with casual high-fives and settled into a seat with a group of students—Mark, Jaemin, and Yangyang among them.

Kayla nudged you, a knowing look in her eyes. “There he is.”

“Yeah, don’t care,” you said, but the grin spreading across your face was a clear contradiction of your words.

Haechan shuddered exaggeratedly. “You’re so creepy when you smile like that.”

You shot him a glare. “And? How about making yourself useful to me for once and make it so that we can have lunch together?”

Haechan flashed a challenging smirk. “Think you can handle it?”

You scoffed, rolling your eyes as you opened your salad. “Never mind. I don’t need your help. I can manage my own love life.”

“Sure you can,” he jeered. “Isn’t that why you still haven’t talked to him after all this time?”

You were about to snap back when Sienna interjected, “Table manners, sweethearts.”

Haechan rolled his eyes, then mimed zipping his lips. “Your friend is annoying,” he muttered to Sienna.

“And your boyfriend is super annoying,” you retorted.

“Your friend is ultra—” Haechan started, but Sienna cut him off.

“Stop it,” Sienna chided sternly. He quickly complied, pretending to lock his lips. “Ugh, kids.”

In the afternoon, as you were walking through the Arts building, you spotted a familiar figure down the hallway. It was Jeno! Your stomach fluttered, and you couldn’t help but wonder what he was doing there. Curiosity got the best of you, and after some subtle investigation—okay, maybe a little eavesdropping—you discovered the reason. He had taken up Carpentry as an elective!

To make things even better, you were in that class! You had chosen it just for fun, but with Jeno there, your mind raced with possibilities as you found something new to look forward to. Did this mean you’d see him more often? What should you do? You have no idea yet, for now, you must go to class.

When saw him there, you could barely keep your eyes off him but you had to try. Though you didn’t have any chances to talk yet, you were content with just seeing him there, sharing the same space. 

Later, you told Sienna and Kayla about it, your head floating in the clouds out of sheer joy. They exchanged amused looks, teasing you mercilessly about your "carpenter crush," but they understood your fascination, even if they enjoyed poking fun at you.

Carpentry was scheduled every Tuesday and Thursday. On Thursday, as you were heading to class, you found yourself walking behind him. He was talking to one of his friends, his laughter echoing in the hallway. You couldn’t help but smile, feeling a warm glow inside.

In class, you worked on your project, stealing glances at Jeno every now and then. The room smelled of clay, and the sound of tools clinking filled the air. He was focused on his own work, unaware of your silent admiration. It was enough for now, you told yourself. Just being near him was enough.

But as you worked on your project, sneaking glances at him, you knew this was just the beginning. There was a quiet contentment in being near him, but a part of you couldn’t help but hope for more—just one conversation, one chance to see if your feelings were more than just a crush.

“What are your plans for the Sports Fest?” Kayla asked, nudging your arm. “I’ll be doing Badminton Doubles with Olive.”

In the living room of your apartment, you and your friends gathered around the coffee table, eating takeout from a fast food restaurant. Everyone in your close circle was there, and you had asked them to bring Jeno but apparently, he had plans.

You waved your hand dismissively as you swallowed your food. “Hard pass. I’m still healing from that awful injury last year,” you replied, massaging your right wrist.

During last year’s sports fest, you played volleyball for your department. You remembered the sharp pain as you fell on your arm, the way your wrist twisted awkwardly beneath you. It had long since healed, but the memory of that day still lingered, leaving you with an irrational fear of getting hurt again. It was an awful experience that you would rather not relive.

“I thought you’re completely healed?” asked Mark, taking your hand to examine your wrist. “Did you break a bone? I thought it was just a sprain.”

“I’m just exaggerating,” you snickered, retracting your hand. “My wrist is healed but my heart is not. It’s called trauma.”

“Yeah, I know what it’s called,” Mark chuckled.

You eyed him curiously. “What about you? Basketball?”

Mark nodded, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Honestly, I can’t wait to kick Yangyang’s ass.”

Across the room on the leather couch, Yangyang was gobbling his burger. Unable to speak with his mouth full, he flipped a middle finger at Mark, who just laughed.

“Ah, I almost forgot!” Mark exclaimed, looking at you with widened eyes. “Jeno’s playing too!”

The mention of Jeno made your face light up. “He is?”

“Look at you all bright and excited,” Jaemin teased.

Renjun smirked, patting his hands as he finished his food. “Watch her betray her department and cheer for a different team again. Like she did last year for her ex.”

“Oh my god!” you exclaimed, covering your ears and closing your eyes. “No bad words on the dinner table.”

Sienna leaned in with a smirk. “Wanna bet she’d cheer for the Humanities Department this year?”

Kayla chimed in, “Pass. We all know she’d support Jeno no matter what.”

You rolled your eyes, but the thought lingered. “We’ll see,” you mumbled, hiding your smile behind another bite of food. “I’ll be there for all your games, though. Moral support and all.”

The three-day Sports Fest dawned on NCIT with a strong air of festivity and excitement. Banners and streamers hung around the campus, bearing the crests and colors of each department. For the first two days, you cheered and supported your friends in their respective sports, while making sure not to miss each one of Jeno’s basketball games. In between games, you enjoyed the booths that the clubs had set up on the campus grounds. There were food stalls with a variety of snacks and meal sets. There were fair games with plush toys for prizes. Your favorite was the photobooth where you and your friends took lots of pictures to commemorate the event. 

The last day of the event was for championships. To showcase the camaraderie of the student body, everyone dressed in the colors of their respective departments, and the entire campus thrummed with cheers and enthusiasm for the day.

You wore a vivid blue shirt bearing the crest of the Humanities Department and throughout the day, you moved courts cheering for your friends in their respective sports. Haechan did well in his soccer game, and Kayla seemed to have secured the silver for your department. But the highlight of your day was the basketball championship.

It was a match between the Humanities Department and the Engineering Department. The covered court was booming with cheers from the students who filled up the bleachers. The school band played an upbeat tune, adding to the festive atmosphere. You and your friends went early to get the best seats to watch the game. The blue flaglets in your hand blended with everyone else on your side of the court. On the other, green long balloons were cheering for the Engineering department.

Players were warming up down at the court, stretching, and doing practice shooting before the game officially began. Mark spotted your group and waved two hands at you.

“Boo!” Yangyang jeered beside you with his thumbs down. He was salty after his Business Department lost to Engineering yesterday.

You looked for Jeno among the different faces. There he was, dressed in his uniform—white and green jersey, matching shorts, and sneakers that seemed to gleam under the bright lights. The uniform hugged his athletic build, showcasing his toned muscles and broad shoulders. He blended in with the team but the way he moved with an easy grace and confident stride made him stand out even more in your eyes.

“Close your mouth!” Jaemin teased, earning a chorus of laughter from your friends. “We don’t want Jeno to see you drooling.” 

You quickly clamped your mouth shut, feeling your cheeks heat up as Sienna nudged you with a knowing smile. Still, you couldn’t take your eyes off Jeno. The way he carried himself and the way his eyes sparkled with excitement made him look even more captivating. It was as if he was glowing, radiating an aura of coolness and charisma.

As the final minutes before the game ticked away, the energy in the court grew higher. You could feel your pulse quicken in sync with the rising tension in the air. The earlier games and festivities had been thrilling, but this match was the one you’d been waiting for. You couldn’t help but wonder if Jeno had noticed you in the crowd during his previous games, or if he was too focused on the game to even glance your way. The thought made your heart race, but you pushed it aside, deciding to enjoy the view instead.

As the game started, the energy in the court surged to new heights. You were on the edge of your seat, your heart pounding in time with the rhythm of the game. The Humanities Department was strong, but your eyes were only on Jeno and his team. Every time the Engineering Department scored, you couldn’t help but leap to your feet, waving your blue flaglets as if they were green.

“Go, Engineering!” you shouted, your voice ringing out loud and clear among the crowd. You were so absorbed in cheering for Jeno that you didn’t even notice the confused looks from your own department. It was strange, even to you, seeing someone in the vivid blue of Humanities cheering so passionately for the opposing team.

It didn’t take long for Jeno to notice your enthusiastic support. During a brief pause in the game, he glanced in your direction. Your heart skipped a beat as your eyes met, and a slow, amused smile spread across his face. You could feel your cheeks flush, but you couldn’t stop yourself from smiling back, your heart soaring.

Throughout the game, you continued to cheer louder than anyone else, your voice echoing across the court. Every time Jeno glanced your way, you felt a thrill shoot through you, making you cheer even louder. At one point, he made a particularly impressive play—a quick steal and a flawless layup—that had you jumping to your feet with a wild cheer.

As he jogged back down the court, he caught your eye again and flashed you another smile, a playful glint in his eyes that sent you straight to cloud nine. It was as if the rest of the world had faded away, leaving just the two of you in a bubble of shared glances and silent connections.

“Are you even from Humanities?” Yangyang teased, nudging you with his elbow. “You might as well be wearing green.”

You just laughed, too giddy to care about the odd looks you were getting. Nothing else mattered at that moment. All you could think about was Jeno—how his every move seemed effortless, how his smiles made you feel like you were the only one in the crowd.

The game continued, but you were already winning in your own way, basking in the warmth of Jeno’s attention. Mark had been grinning mischievously at you, clearly amused by your bold display.

The game was intense, with both teams neck and neck until the final quarter. The tension in the air was palpable, every dribble and pass holding the crowd in suspense. You were on your feet almost the entire time, cheering your heart out for the Engineering team, and especially for Jeno. With every basket, your voice rose above the rest, earning even more curious and amused glances from those around you.

As the clock ticked down the final seconds, the Engineering team managed to pull ahead by just a few points. The crowd roared as Jeno’s team scored the winning basket, securing the championship title. You screamed with joy, jumping up and down, waving your flaglets wildly. It didn’t matter that you were in blue—you felt like you were part of the victory too.

After the game, as the teams shook hands and congratulated each other, you noticed Mark heading your way, with Jeno walking right beside him. Your heart skipped a beat again, and you tried to calm your racing thoughts as they approached.

Mark grinned widely as he reached you. “Hey, Jeno,” he said, turning to his friend, “I’ve got to introduce you to the loudest cheerleader you had out there today.”

You felt a blush creeping up your neck as Mark gestured toward you. Jeno’s eyes sparkled with recognition, and that familiar smile curved on his lips.

“I am honored,” Jeno said, his voice warm and teasing. “I could hear you all the way from the court. Thanks for the support, even though you’re… clearly not from Engineering.”

You laughed, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. “I couldn’t help it,” you admitted, grinning up at him. “You guys were just too good.”

Jeno chuckled, running a hand through his hair. “We appreciate it. You should consider switching departments,” he added playfully.

You shook your head, still smiling. “I’m pretty attached to Humanities. I’ll always root for you though.”

“Good to know,” Jeno said, his eyes meeting yours with a softness that made your heart flutter all over again.

Mark smirked, clearly pleased with himself for setting up this interaction. “You guys are coming to the party tonight, right?”

You shrugged, glancing at your friends behind you. “We wouldn’t miss it!” you replied, trying to keep your voice steady.

“Great,” Jeno said, his smile widening. “Let’s celebrate, then.”

As the crowd began to disperse and the festivities moved off the court, you couldn’t believe your luck. As you walked out of the court, surrounded by friends and buzzing with excitement, you couldn’t help but feel like something wonderful had begun.

“The ship is finally sailing!” Kayla chimed as you exited the campus together with Sienna.

“About damn time!” Sienna exclaimed and the three of you squealed in excitement.

Tonight, you will talk to Jeno Lee. You had finally made up your mind about it. It should be so hard now, considering he now knows of your existence and you two had already been introduced. 

You arrived at the provided address with Kayla, wrapped in thick coats due to the cold weather. The house was a sprawling two-story with a large backyard, and it was already rowdy. Music blared from the speakers set up on the patio, and the air was filled with the sounds of laughter and chatter.

Inside, the party was in full swing and you had to lose your coats due to the hotter atmosphere. The living room was packed with students, some lounging on plush sofas while others danced to the beat of the music. Red solo cups and plates of snacks were scattered everywhere, and the whole house was filled with the aroma of pizza and chips. Green LED lights and the Engineering department’s green banners added a nice touch.

You were there to have fun, that’s a given. But you were mainly there to see Jeno, you wouldn’t deny that fact. It wasn’t hard to find him. He was standing near the snack table, talking and laughing with a group of friends. He seemed to be in high spirits, smiling and looking handsome under the warm glow of the lights.

He moved across the room, catching your eye, and for a moment, you froze, wondering if he noticed you. When he settled on a single couch and pulled out his phone, you took this as your cue to approach him.

“Okay. Calm down,” you told yourself, steadying your breathing. “You’re just gonna say hi. Tell him he did great at the game or something.”

With your heart pounding, you started walking towards him, rehearsing your words in your mind. Just as you were about five steps away, you noticed a girl walk up to Jeno. She had a confident stride and a friendly smile. Your steps faltered, and you hesitated, watching as they exchanged a few words. And then, in a moment that felt like it was stretching on forever, they kissed.

It was a brief but unmistakable kiss, a tender connection that spoke volumes. His hand around her waist was firm, and the smile he gave her should have been sweet, but it was painful for you to look at.

Your heart sank, and the world around you seemed to blur. The warmth of the party, the music, and the lively chatter all faded into a distant hum. A cold, empty feeling settled in your chest, making it hard to breathe. It felt as though someone had pressed pause on your world, leaving you standing on the edge of a scene you could no longer be a part of.

You turned away quickly, embarrassed and worried someone might notice you gawking. You took a deep breath, lifted your chin, and walked the opposite way, pretending you hadn’t seen anything. But the image was seared into your mind, refusing to fade.

You forced a smile at some students who recognized you, but your heart was aching so badly that you felt like crying. The excitement of the evening had dimmed, replaced by a feeling of quiet sadness. Still, you forced yourself to stay, determined not to let the moment ruin the night entirely. You were supposed to have fun here, after all, however difficult that might be now.

“Hey, you okay?” Kayla suddenly appeared by your side, his eyes searching your face.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” you lied, forcing another smile. “Just needed some air.”

Kayla didn’t seem convinced, but she didn’t push it. Instead, she looped her arm through yours. “Let’s find something to drink.”

You nodded, grateful for the distraction. The two of you made your way to the kitchen, where a group of students were mixing drinks and chatting loudly. You grabbed a soda and pretended to listen to the conversations around you, though your mind kept drifting back to what you had just witnessed.

After a few minutes, Kayla nudged you. “There’s Sienna and Haechan! Let’s go say hi.”

You followed her gaze and spotted the couple near the back door, laughing with a group of students. She greeted you both with a big hug, immediately noticing your mood.

“What’s up?” Sienna asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

You shrugged, trying to downplay it. “Just tired.”

Sienna eyed you for a moment before nodding. “Well, this party better wake you up! Come on, let’s dance.”

You allowed yourself to be dragged to the makeshift dance floor, where the music was louder, and the energy was infectious. You danced along with Kayla and Sienna, trying to lose yourself in the rhythm. For a moment, it worked. You laughed and moved to the beat, letting the music drown out your thoughts.

But it wasn’t long before your mind wandered back to Jeno. You caught glimpses of him across the room, and each time, the image of him with that girl played on repeat in your head. It hurt more than you wanted to admit.

As the night wore on, you found yourself sitting on the living room couch, watching people play, talk, and drink.  Your mind floated to space, consumed by thoughts of Jeno. Everything had gone so wrong so fast. Suddenly, this whole crush thing felt ridiculous and stupid. How classic of you to jump into something without carefully measuring the fall.

Just as you were about to drown in your thoughts, Mark appeared from the crowd, smiling as he skipped over to you and plopped down on the couch beside you. “There you are! Having fun?”

“Hey,” you said weakly, trying to muster some enthusiasm. But Mark’s scowl told you that you weren’t fooling him.

“Apparently not. Is everything okay?” Mark asked, concern etched across his face.

You hesitated, then let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah. Just… tired,” you replied, chuckling softly as you leaned your head on his shoulder. “I should probably just go home.”

“Why? Shouldn’t you be talking to Jeno right now?”

“Ugh, forget it. I don’t like him anymore.”

Mark winced. “What happened? Did you find an ick that made you cringe?”

You exhaled sharply, glaring at him. “Go away if you’re just gonna talk about Jeno all night.”

“Alright, fine. I won’t,” he chuckled heartily, raising his hands in surrender. Then, he offered you his bottle of beer with a grin.

Without hesitating, you grabbed it and chugged the contents in one go. The cold liquid burned down your throat, and you burped a little too loudly, causing Mark to burst out laughing. You were annoyed at first, but his laughter was contagious, and soon enough, you found yourself laughing along with him. The heavy weight on your chest lifted even only for a moment, replaced by a warmth that spread through you, making everything a little more bearable.

It wasn’t difficult at all to push Jeno out of your mind: you just had to focus on other things. Mornings began with the shrill ring of the alarm, followed by a hasty breakfast and the walk to school. Classes became a sanctuary of focus. The workload was manageable, and you found a rhythm in balancing your assignments with extracurricular activities. You continued to be the congenial girl that you are, making friends here and there while keeping up with old ones.

Carpentry class, however, was a different story. Jeno sat just a few tables away, his presence a constant, aching reminder.  You occasionally caught glimpses of him, but your gazes never lingered anymore, concentrating instead on your projects.

Lunchtimes were spent mostly with Kayla and Sienna—Haechan too since he couldn’t seem to stand being away from his girlfriend. You shared stories and laughter over cafeteria food that ranged from surprisingly decent to downright questionable. You talk about your classes, your adjustments, and, occasionally, the lingering shadow of your crush. They couldn’t believe their ears when you said you didn’t like him anymore. When you refused to tell them why, they didn’t press for an answer.

Afternoons were reserved for your favorite spot in the public library. It was your quiet retreat, and if Jeno happened to be there, you hardly noticed. Your focus was on your reading and studies, pushing aside any lingering thoughts of him.

Evenings are quieter. You come home, tired but content, and reflect on the day’s events. You sit at your desk, do your homework, and occasionally glance at social media, where Jeno’s updates serve as a bittersweet reminder of a failed romance—not that it even began in the first place.

Fate had other plans though. Like a prank just to rain on your parade, you were paired with Jeno for a Carpentry project.

If this had happened before you discovered he was taken, you would have been over the moon with excitement, thrilled by the prospect of working closely with him. But now, all you could feel was apprehension and awkwardness.

“Looks like we’re partners,” he said, his heart-melting smile making it impossible to ignore the flutter in your chest.

“Yeah, looks like it,” you replied, striving for nonchalance despite the storm of emotions brewing inside you.

As you both settled at a table, the world seemed to shrink to just the two of you and the project before you. You mentally scolded yourself, determined not to fall back into the crazy crush you’d put behind you.

“So, where do we start?” you asked, pulling out your notebook and your pen case out of your bag.

Before responding, Jeno tilted his head slightly, studying you with a curious expression. “You don’t remember me, do you?”

Nervousness engulfed you. “What do you mean?” you asked, trying to keep your voice steady. 

“The taxi cab a few months back,” he said, a smile tugging at his lips. “It was pouring and I barged into your cab.”

You laughed shyly. “Of course. I remember.”

He nodded, leaning back slightly. “What about before that?”

“Before?” you asked stupidly, racking your brain.

“The library. You fell, and I—”

“Ah!” you exclaimed, suddenly recalling the day you first met him. You laughed softly, shaking your head. “How could I forget?”

Jeno chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “So, you remembered? Why didn’t you say anything?”

You scoffed. “Why didn’t you?”

He shrugged. “I thought you might not recognize me.”

Oh god, Jeno, if you only knew, you thought, suppressing a smile. “Well, now we know,” you said in feigned indifference. There was a moment of silence, a comfortable one, where the two of you simply looked at each other, a newfound connection sparking between you. 

“So,” you said, breaking the silence with a smile. You pressed a thumb on the sheet handed to you by Mr. Harris. “Shall we get started?”

“Sure,” he replied, his smile widening.

This could be it—the beginning of something new, a chance to turn a long-held crush into a real connection. And you would have been ready for it if not for the fact that he had a girlfriend. So you pushed your feelings aside and resolved to not step out of the line.

What started as an academic collaboration soon turned into something more comfortable and natural. You got to know each other in the few days you spent working together so far. Your task was to create a fully functional reclining chair, and from the outset, it was clear that this was going to be a challenging project. The first day, you both laid out the design, Jeno’s enthusiasm was infectious and it was clear that he was enjoying this class, unlike you who only signed up for fun. 

“I think we should go with a sleek, modern look,” he suggested, his eyes bright with excitement. You nodded in agreement, appreciating his vision and passion for the project.

Jeno was surprisingly meticulous with his measurements and cuts, his focus sharp and his explanations clear. You found his dedication impressive and his passion for the craft endearing. He showed you how to properly measure and cut the wood. His patience and willingness to teach made the learning process enjoyable.

One afternoon, as you worked on sanding the wooden pieces, Jeno shared a story about his childhood, describing how his father used to involve him in small woodworking projects around the house. His eyes lit up with nostalgia, and you could see the joy in his voice as he spoke. It was a side of him you hadn’t seen before, and it made you appreciate him even more.

In return, you told him about your own experiences, your hobbies, and the challenges you faced when balancing school and extracurriculars. Jeno listened intently, his smile genuine and his responses thoughtful. The conversation flowed easily, and you found yourself laughing more than you had in a long time.

During these sessions, you learned that Jeno was more than just a charming basketball player. He was kind, thoughtful, and had a dry sense of humor that made you chuckle. You also discovered that he was a great listener, always eager to hear your thoughts and ideas. Despite your resolve to forget about your crush, you couldn’t deny that he was easy to talk to and genuinely pleasant to be around. Funny how it was so much easier to get to know him and talk to him now that you decided to forget having a crush on him. 

Still, there was no point in hoping to make a special connection with someone who’s taken.

“You were really good at it,” you told him once when you happened to talk about the Engineering Department’s basketball win. You were in the workshop, watching him color the sketch you made for your project.

“Not good enough to be MVP,” he said, shaking his head without lifting his head. “Speaking of, you were really supportive then.”

You shrugged, mentally rolling your eyes at how silly you were at the time. “I’m a fan of Mark’s when it comes to basketball,” you said, saving face with a harmless lie. “You were amazing too, so I thought you deserved the cheers.”

Jeno chuckled heartily, eyes crinkling as he looked up at you momentarily. The mole under his eye was a cute distraction. “You’re praising me too much. I should take you out to dinner.”

You flashed a deadpan expression before you burst out laughing. Jeno watched you with a goofy grin.

“I guess that was too fast, huh? Should I have gone for coffee instead?” he said and you could swear he was flirting with you.

Rolling your eyes, you brushed your assumptions aside. “I am tempted. But I must decline.”

He shrugged, taking your rejection in stride. “I’ll try again tomorrow then.”

“Charming,” you mocked. “It’s a shame you’re in a relationship. I would have accepted.”

Jeno’s hand froze on the sketchpad, looking up at you with a confused expression. “I’m in a relationship? Since when?”

“Since—” you paused, realizing the tone of his voice just now. “Wait, you’re not?”

You stared at each other, confusion and bewilderment visible on your faces. Before either of you could break the silence, Mr. Harris arrived to dismiss the class.

“I have to go,” you told him, gathering your stuff in haste before rushing out of the room.

The living room of Renjun, Haechan, and Yangyang’s shared apartment was peaceful, the slow melodic music playing in the background bringing a tranquil vibe to the space. Sitting on the carpeted floor with their heads resting on the couch were Haechan, Jaemin, and Mark. The three of them had sheet masks on their faces, and on the coffee table sat a humidifier fogging the room with a sweet citrusy vanilla scent.

Renjun sat on the sofa, reading a book while also wearing a sheet mask. From the small kitchen, Sienna emerged with a glass of water.

“How’s it going?” she asked, beaming at the calming view of her friends taking care of their skin. It was her idea, of course. They do this once every two weeks, even calling it Spa Day.

“I look forward to this every time, Sienna,” said Jaemin before taking a deep breath. 

Kayla appeared next to Sienna with a smirk. “You’re doing God’s work, S. I doubt these boys would recognize a moisturizer if it smacked them on the face.”

“Or a sunscreen,” Sienna added and the two shared a laugh. “They’re running late, aren’t they?” she asked, referring to you and Yangyang.

“Well, Yangyang said he’s opting out because he needs to be somewhere today. As for our girl—” Kayla was cut off by the loud sound of the door slamming open. The sound briefly shattered the tranquility of the atmosphere, catching everyone off-guard and even causing Renjun to jolt up from his seat.

All eyes turned to the doorway where you stood with your hand on the door, huffing as if you’d been running. Your eyes were wide and color seemed to have been drained from your face.

“Speak of the devil,” Kayla quipped, walking over to you.

Haechan tutted sternly. “Did you really have to slam the door like that? You’re so dramatic.”

Ignoring Haechan’s taunting, you walked into the flat and stood in front of Jaemin and Mark, who both looked up at you curiously.

“What’s up?” Jaemin asked, grinning.

“Tell me. Does Jeno have a girlfriend?”

Mark’s brows furrowed. “Not that I know of,” he said, turning to Jaemin for confirmation.

Jaemin shook his head at Mark and turned to you. “No. He doesn’t.”

You dropped your bag on the floor and knelt next to Jaemin, placing your shaking hands on his forearm. “But I saw him kiss this gorgeous girl at the Engineering party last month.”

“Really?” he questioned. He pondered for a moment and you shook his arms impatiently. “Last month? Then it must have been Camille from Com-Sci.”

“Do you know her?” you asked, confusion and concern evident.

“Yeah, she asked Jeno out, but he turned her down. I thought they might have hooked up, but Jeno said nothing happened,” Jaemin explained.

You cast a suspicious gaze at him. “Are you lying?”

Jaemin scoffed. “No. Why would I lie to you?”

“So, he’s single?” you asked, your voice tinged with relief.

“Pretty much,” Jaemin confirmed.

“Does he… you know… sleep around?” you asked hesitantly.

Jaemin chuckled, shaking his head. “Not as far as I know. But if he did, I’d rather not talk about his sex life.”

You rose to your feet, heading for the couch and slumping on it, face first. Thoughts raced in your head, so many of them at the same time that it was almost incoherent.

Mark turned to you on the couch. “Wait, you said you didn’t like him anymore? Was that the reason?”

“Oh my god!” Kayla exclaimed, realization slowly dawning on your friends.

“You saw him kiss a girl?” Renjun recalled, looking lost and confused. “And thought she was his girlfriend?”

“Yes,” you said, your voice muffled by the soft couch. You flailed your arms and kicked your legs in frustration. “God! I was so stupid!”

Sienna sat on the couch, taking your head and gently placing it on her lap. “No, you’re not. It was a completely normal reaction. I’d think he’s dating someone too if I saw him kiss her.”

“Right?” you blurted, lifting your head to see her face. You shifted on the couch, sitting up properly. “But that was a total miss, wasn’t it?”

“Kind of,” Sienna shrugged.

“Yeah, you should have just asked,” Mark added, smoothing out the sheet mask on his face.

Kayla sat on your other side. “So if he’s single, does that mean you can take another shot at him? You guys know each other now, right?”

You smiled sheepishly. “I don’t know. I’m kinda bummed now. Although I’m gonna be honest, I’m relieved that he’s single. I just… lost the motivation.”

“You still like him though, right?” Sienna asked.

You nodded and the girls exchanged looks. Kayla said, “Then what’s stopping you now?”

The realization began to settle in. Maybe things weren’t as complicated as you’d thought. This could very well be the universe giving you a second chance. Perhaps now you can approach him without the weight of false assumptions.

You shook your head slowly, processing the revelation. “What am I even gonna do about it? It’s not like I had a shot in the first place.”

Jaemin chuckled mischievously. “I don’t know why you’re saying that, but I think you have a clear shot.”

“Yeah. You can’t give up now after everything you’ve done so far!”

Haechan giggled beside Sienna. “Did anyone else notice that whenever we do Spa Day, we get juicy girl conversations like this?”

Leave it to Haechan to ruin an otherwise lovely moment. As you laughed along with your friends, you felt a renewed sense of hope. Maybe this time, things could turn out differently.

The familiar scent of freshly cut wood and the sound of saws and sanders filled the air as you entered the Carpentry workshop. Your eyes scanned the room, landing on Jeno. He was already there, engrossed in his work, brows furrowed in concentration as he shaped a piece of wood.

Oddly, it felt gratifying to see him now knowing he wasn’t actually in love with someone. The sight of him always made your heart race, but today it felt different—more hopeful. You walked over to your workstation, trying to appear casual while stealing glances at him.

Jeno looked up and caught your eye, giving you a small, friendly nod. You returned the gesture, feeling a warm flutter in your chest. The knowledge that Jeno was single was a game-changer, but pursuing a relationship with him was an entirely different dilemma. You first needed to figure out if he even liked you at all.

Just the thought of being rejected was already bruising your pride and crushing your spirit. For now, you were resolved to act as normally as possible around him and avoid revealing your feelings.

You smiled, feeling a little self-conscious. Relax, you told yourself. It’s not like he—or anyone else—can read your mind. “Actually, yeah. Could you show me how to get this joint right?”

“Sure thing,” he said, his voice calm and patient. He walked over, and you held your breath nervously as he stood close to you. Trying to focus on his instructions, you found your gaze fixated on his lips.

“You got that?” he asked, eyes meeting yours. 

You blinked, surprised and confused. “Sorry?”

Jeno chuckled lightly. “It’ll be easier if I just show you. Here.”

He took your hands in his, placing them on the piece of wood. The warmth from his skin seeped onto yours, sending a blush to your already burning cheeks. You mentally scolded yourself for being awkward and reminded yourself to breathe or you’d pass out.

Unaware of your mental struggle, Jeno guided your hands deftly, showing you the right angle. “See? It’s all about the angle,” he said, glancing up and catching your gaze. You quickly looked away, cheeks flushing.

“Got it,” you mumbled, attempting to steady your racing heart. Whatever happened to not being obvious? you screamed in your head.

As he continued to explain, you found yourself relaxing, letting his steady presence and soothing voice calm your nerves. You managed to follow his instructions, feeling a small surge of triumph when you finally got it right.

“There you go,” Jeno said with a smile, his eyes twinkling with approval. “You’re a natural.”

“Thanks,” you replied, trying to sound casual despite the butterflies in your stomach. 

“Anytime,” he said, still standing close. 

As days turned into weeks, you found yourself admiring Jeno more and more. His dedication to the project was evident in every detail, from the meticulous sanding of each piece to the careful assembly of the frame. He was not just talented but also incredibly kind and encouraging, always ready with a smile or a reassuring word when you struggled with a task.

One afternoon, as you both worked on the chair’s reclining mechanism, Jeno glanced over at you, his expression thoughtful. “You’ve got a real knack for this,” he said, his voice warm with sincerity. “I’m impressed.”

Your heart fluttered at his compliment, and you felt a rush of gratitude. “Thanks, Jeno. I couldn’t have done it without your help,” you replied, meeting his gaze. 

Your admiration for him grew with each shared glance and quiet conversation. During breaks, you chatted about everything from school to personal interests, laughing together over jokes and enjoying companionable silence. The air between you was charged with a growing sense of familiarity and ease.

“Do you have any hobbies outside of this?” he asked one day, genuinely curious.

“I love photography,” you admitted, feeling more comfortable sharing your passions with him. “Though I’m not very good at it. I like to sketch too, sometimes.”

“Oh yeah. The sketch you made for this chair was awesome. It looked like you can actually touch the details,” Jeno said, a smile spreading across his face. 

“Yeah, you already told me that,” you chimed.

“Maybe you could show me some of your work sometime.”

“Hmm. I only show it to my close friends,” you teased, grinning at him when he clutched his chest pretending to be hurt by your words.

“Four weeks of being partners and I still don’t count as a close friend?” he questioned, face contorted in mock offense and curiosity.

“You're overreacting. Four weeks is only eight days for us, Jeno Lee. We have Carpentry class on Tuesdays and Thursdays only.”

“But we worked on this outside class last Friday.”

“Once. That’s nine days. Still not a lot of time,” you quipped. It was gradual but the boundaries between project partners and friends began to blur for you and Jeno, which is why you now feel comfortable just hanging out and joking around like this. Although you’re still gaga about him and get butterflies over the smallest gestures, you no longer get tongue-tied or nervous around him.

You went from sneaking glances at him in the cafeteria to sharing lunch together twice. From admiring him quietly in the quad or the library to smiling and saying ‘Hi’. You were definitely friends now, although not as close. It was a welcome change, making you look forward to every school day.

One particularly memorable afternoon, you both struggled with the final adjustments to the chair. You have been working on this mechanism for a while now and still couldn’t get it to work properly. You’ve done everything you possibly could, even getting hands-on help from your professor.

“Now, then,” Mr Harris said, wiping the sweat on his forehead. “Try that again.”

You nodded, feeling a surge of determination. Working together, you managed to align the pieces perfectly, and the chair finally reclined smoothly. There were quiet gasps in the classroom while you and Jeno stared at each other with mouths hanging open.

“Oh my god!” you exclaimed, hands flying over your mouth. Quietly, you added, “We did it.” 

Jeno’s smile was warm and relieved. “We did it,” he echoed.

.Overwhelmed with joy, you threw your arms around his neck, and he hugged you back, lifting you slightly off your feet. Realizing belatedly that you were hugging Jeno made you hyper-aware of the moment. You shyly pulled away, glancing anywhere but at him. Mr. Harris was clapping behind him, making you smile gratefully.

Being lifted made you hyper-aware, realizing belatedly that you were hugging Jeno. You shyly pulled away, glancing anywhere else but Jeno. Mr Harris was clapping behind him, making you smile gratefully.

“Thanks, sir!” you told your professor. 

“Mr. Harris was putting you up for failure when he assigned you the reclining chair,” one of your classmates quipped, walking over to examine your work.

You laughed lightly, watching your other classmates approach your worktable. Your eyes met Jeno’s among your classmates, and he showed you a thumbs-up which you returned with a smile. Your heart was beating wildly in your chest as your mind replayed the part where you were hugging Jeno over and over.

Jeno approached you with a proud smile in his eyes. “We did it!” he said, giving you a high-five that lingered just a moment longer than necessary. The brief contact sent a thrill through you, a reminder of how much you enjoyed being close to him.

Mr. Harris announced that the projects would be judged by other professors, which would impact your grades. Every pair had completed their pieces—tables, lamps, chairs, and more. While yours might not be the prettiest, you hoped it would get the recognition it deserved.

After class, as students cleaned up, Jeno pointed out something that made you laugh. “You’ve got a lot of pens and pencils,” he said, eyebrows raised and eyes wide. “Like, a lot.”

“That’s not even half of them. I keep buying them for no reason. It’s hoarding at this point,” you admitted with a sheepish grin.

“Hmm. I see,” he responded, still amused. He leaned on the worktable, his backpack slung over one shoulder. “You must write a lot. Or draw.”

“Like I told you before, I sketch. And I do write, but not as much as you think. Even if I did, the sheer volume of pens I have is excessive. I think I need to see a psychiatrist for this,” you joked, shaking your head.

Jeno shook his head, “I don’t think so. Everyone is allowed their own harmless obsession. Mine is probably weirder.”

Your curiosity piqued, you asked, “Oh really? What’s yours?”

He hesitated, a glint of embarrassment in his eyes. “Nah, you don’t wanna know.”

Sometimes it was frustrating that Jeno was completely clueless about your massive crush on him. If he had even the slightest clue, he’d know you were definitely—absolutely—totally, interested in anything and everything about him.

“Actually, I do,” you replied, trying to tone down your interest to the Not-So-Obsessed-With-Him Level. 

Jeno looked away, scratching his nape. “Forget it. Let’s just go.”

“Oh come on, you can’t say something like that and then not tell me!” you protested, playfully nudging him.

After some pestering, he finally confessed, “When I was in high school, I liked keeping confetti.”

“Confetti?”

“Not just any confetti. Only the ones from our basketball games. The ones where we win. Like a little memento.”

You smiled at his revelation, zipping your bag after you finished packing your stuff. “That’s actually really cute.”

“No, it’s not,” he said, looking away shyly with his ears reddening out of embarrassment.

“It is!” you insisted, letting him take your bag after he stopped you from wearing it over your shoulder. “Didn’t you say everyone is allowed their own harmless obsessions?”

“Alright… I guess?” Jeno shrugged, a shy smile making his cheeks burn. You walked out of the classroom together, your bag in his hand. “I have them in small ziplock bags.”

You couldn’t help but laugh. “Why ziplock bags? Don’t you have a jar or something?”

“I do, but it’s easier to organize them with ziplock bags.”

“How about a scrapbook? You could glue them in and write about them.”

“Uh… no thanks. I’m not at all artistic or craftsy.”

“You were good with woodworking though.”

“That’s different.”

The project is nearly complete. You realized how much you cherished these moments with Jeno. The reclining chair, with its smooth lines and functional elegance, stood as a testament to your combined efforts and growing friendship. But more than that, it symbolized the bond you had forged through hard work, shared dreams, and mutual respect. The realization filled you with a quiet sense of joy and hope that this closeness would continue to grow even after the project ended.

[To be continued in Part 2]

[whiskeyghoul]

Coloring pages || [Spencer Reid x Reader]

A/N: This has been stuck in my mind for weeks now and I needed to put it down. This is the first fic I had proof read by someone! Enjoy and please like and reblog when you do. 

Tags: Fluff, tooth rotting fluff, just fluff, coloring pages, spencer reid x gn!reader I think.

You stood outside of the Quantico building, leaning against the side of your car. The air had the early autumn chill, it wasn't cold but your oversized sweater sure made it a lot more bearable to be outside of the car for an extended period. You were waiting for your date to be finished with his work. Boyfriend. You corrected yourself internally. Boyfriend of 6 weeks, 3 days and 5 hours to be exact. Which, with Spencer as your boyfriend you had to be.

He is handsome, kind and so incredibly intelligent it is sometimes just a tad frustrating. His rambles were interesting and you could probably listen to him for hours on end. You also wanted to spend time together just enjoying each other's company. Being together, that was your type of love. The affirming touches that the other was there. The comfortable silence you enjoyed so much where you could hear soft intakes of breaths. Glances at one another to confirm that the other was still there. You loved when Spencer had invited you over to his apartment once, he still had some work to finish so you'd picked up a book from the many shelves and made yourself comfortable on his worn couch. You had looked up from the book and over to him, seen him deep in thought as he looked at the lines of writing, jotting down notes next to it. His brow slightly furrowed, lips pursed ever so slightly as he thought particularly hard. Completely unaware of your admirations of him from the couch. That's what you liked.

People began filing out of the building as the sun set, you watched and watched to catch the first sign of Spencer. When you did see that messy brown hair bounce slightly as he walked down the steps a smile spread across his face. You mirrored his expression, every time you saw him it brought a smile to your lips. A gust of wind picked up, ruffling his hair even further as he bound over his long strides causing him to stand before you in, what felt like, mere seconds. "Hey." He said softly. His hand reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind your ear that had been swept up by the wind. His fingertip grazed the side of your temple. "Hi." You returned just as softly. "How was work?" You asked as you looked into those big, brown eyes. They were filled with warmth as he looked into yours. "It was good, no new cases which I was hoping for since I wanted to see you." Spencer spoke his emotions as he pulled his hand away. "Good, because I have something planned." You said with a smile, turning on your heels and walking back to the driver's side.

"You have something planned?" Spencer asked as he quickly dove into the passenger seat. Tucking his bag between his feet. "I do." You say as you put the seatbelt on, feeling his eyes on your profile. "Can I know?" He asked, impatiently tapping his fingers against his thighs, an air of excitement surrounding him. "Not yet. It's a surprise." Your voice sounds melodic, sing-song-y even, on the last sentence as you turned the key and started up the car. "Tell me more about your day." You say as the music over the speakers softly filled the car and the heater worked to warm your cold tinged hands.

Spencer had talked about his day, you were intermittently interrupting him with questions before he asked about your day. You were still going on about a coworker who had annoyed you when you parked the car in front of your destination. The bookstore and café combo where you had your first date. You got out and quickly snatched the tote bag you had haphazardly laid on the backseat before turning back to Spencer. "The bookstore? Why are we here?" He looked at you quizzically. You rolled your eyes playfully and put the tote bag over your shoulder. "Because we're going for coffee." You answered and held out your hand which he took. You saw his eyes dart towards the tote bag, that soft crease between his eyebrows forming as he pictured all the possibilities of what its contents could be. “Coffee at 5 P.M.? You know that feeling unaffected by caffeine could be a sign of a genetic difference or you have built an increasingly large tolerance. This could be a problem once you start ingesting dangerous amounts of caffeine unbeknownst to you.” Spencer rambled as you entered the coffee shop. You rolled your eyes playfully, “I’ll get a tea then.” you say as you get hit by the smell of fresh brewed coffee, pastries and books. There was music softly playing in the background. The shop was warm.

Pulling Spencer along to the table where your first date had been, you sat down, shedding your fall jacket and hanging it on the back of the chair. The tote bag was placed on the table, only a slight peak of its contents spilling out. Spencer’s eyes darted to it, wanting to know what you had planned and why you were being so secretive. Quickly, your hand found its way to cover the contents, pressing the tote bag shut. “After we get our drinks.” You teased, there was a sparkle in your eyes, seeing him this interested in what you were planning made it all the more fun to keep him in the dark.

“Really? Can’t you just tell me?” Spencer questioned, giving you the most pleading eyes he could muster in that moment, you were surprised he didn’t pout at you. Just then the waitress came over, taking your coffee and tea orders before walking back behind the bar. When you had looked at her Spencer seemed to have taken his chance and snuck a peek inside of the bag, before you knew it he was pulling out a set of colored pencils. “Spencer!” You admonished playfully, snatching the colored pencils out of his hand and sticking them back in the bag. “What? I was just curious.” He played innocent, giving that sweet smile he knew made you weak. “You brought colored pencils?” He tilted his head slightly, his soft curls falling away from his face. You reached out across the table, tucking a stray curl behind his ear like he had done with you before, “I did.” Your answer came with a soft sigh before folding the tote bag slightly open and pulling out the matching set of colored pencils and a book of coloring pages. “I guess the cat is out of the bag.”

“Why did you bring coloring pages?” Spencer looked confused at the book, flipping through the blank pages filled with outlines of forest scenes and insects. An amused smile on his lips, “Aren’t we too old for that?” He asked, his tone was a slight teasing one. You know he didn’t mean it to be hurtful at that moment, but still he didn’t seem as excited about it as you were. You bit your lip, holding back the twinge of disappointment that shot through your heart.

“I thought it would be fun to do something together. It’s not a children's coloring book, but you know… I wanted to work on a page together, so we have something we both did.” Your voice had an edge to it, the disappointment you tried to hide still managed to bubble its way to the top. It felt horrible, that such a little thing could make this big of an impact. Your hands fidgeted with the end of your sweater, picking at the sleeve with a hint of defeat. Eyes cast down on the table. “Woah, hey, wait no I- I didn’t mean anything bad- I just-” Spencer stumbled over his words, quickly reaching his hand across the table to hold yours. Moving his thumb soothingly across the back of your hand. “If you want to, we will. It looks fun. Really.” He corrected himself, his eyes finding yours. You could see the hint of regret at his earlier words, his sincerity in his current ones. The disappointment still lingered, but the warmth from his hand was quickly spreading through your body to wash away any doubt. “Really?” You asked again, wanting the extra confirmation. You attempted a smile, it was half hearted still but at least it was somewhat reassuring to yourself. “Really, I just get to pick what we’re working on.” Spencer smiled back, giving your hand a soft squeeze before letting go to pick up the book again.

You watched Spencer flip through, taking a quick look at the different pages until he found one to his liking. Placing the book open on the table, a flowery field with butterflies and bumble bees. “This one.” he said, looking to you for confirmation like he could make the wrong choice. “That’s perfect.” Your voice was soft, still trying to get over the disappointment from before. It was nearly gone, leaving you with mostly warmth in your heart. You grabbed the two sets of colored pencils, opening them, and setting them out on the table. Just then your drinks were brought out, a chai latte for you after Spencer’s comment about caffeine, he still had a cappuccino which made you smile a bit. You handed a set of pencils to Spencer before picking up your chai and taking a tentative sip. It was hot but delicious. 

“Alright, so how do we start?” Spencer asked, looking at the page then back at you. “I want to color it together. You can start over on your side, I start on mine, meet in the middle?” You said, placing your cup back down. “Won’t it be mismatched? should we at least have the same color green for the stems?” He suggested, suddenly seeming a bit more into it than he had been before. “Okay, that sounds like a good idea. The same blue for the sky too?” You added, opening your own set of pencils. You picked out a blue, matching it with one from Spencer's set. He did the same with the green, handing you the matching pencil with a smile. “Let’s get coloring then.” He said before turning his attention to the paper. You followed suit, touching the colored pencil to the paper and began to fill in the white space.

You kept picking up pencils, filling in the flowers with different colors, sometimes your hand would meet with Spencer’s while drawing and he’d look up with a smile. Soft bumps and touches that affirmed you were both there. Light chuckles and laughter with your coloring interrupted by each other. Your heart fluttered at how he had thrown all his earlier judgment aside to make you happy. Looking up he was focused, smiling at the paper as he decided what colors would fit best. Sometimes asking for your opinion. Intermittently his drawing was interrupted by sips of coffee. Wiping the residue off of his lips with his sleeve before going back to the page.  The way he was focused was cute, hairs falling in front of his eyes, a grin on his face as he gave in to the childlike whimsy of doing a coloring page. It was refreshing to see him with his shoulders relaxed, focusing on anything but words. Letting the surrounding sounds of the shop take over. Slowly you felt yourself be more and more focused on Spencer rather than the drawing. Once he noticed, he looked up, the smile still plastered on his face, “What?” he laughed out the question. One of the more beautiful sounds you’ve heard, though you wouldn’t tell him that. You shook your head no, laughing softly “Nothing.” You answered with a genuine smile. “There’s something.” Spencer pushed, still smiling, holding back the laughter that bubbled up inside of him. “You looked very focused, that’s all.” You answered, shrugging nonchalantly before you finished up your drink that had gone lukewarm from the amount of time you had been sitting there. “Well, so did you. Just not on the coloring anymore.” Spencer teased, making a blush creep to your cheeks. Biting your tongue to hold back from throwing out a retort that would have been completely unnecessary. 

Your eyes cast down to the coloring page, it was almost completely filled with your combined efforts of removing every spot of white. It was beautiful to you, a bit messy but that made it perfect. Spencer looked down too, regarding the page with a certain air of pride. “I think we should frame it.” he spoke up. Your eyes darted back to his face, to see if he was joking or if it was serious. His expression was relaxed, no sign of any funny business. “Why?” You asked, a hint of confusion in your voice this time around. “It’s the first thing we made together.” His words made your heart skip a beat, the way he was so sincere had such an effect on you. “We’ll have to make another for my place then.” you answered. “Or you’ll just have to come over by my place more often to see it.” Spencer smiled, his words a thinly veiled excuse to see you in his home, to have you over, spend time together. 

You smiled, quickly leaning over the table to steal a kiss after he finished his sentence. “I’d like that a lot.”

[weemssapphic]

What about Larissa taking the reader to a pumpkin patch and they just have fun all day and get apple cider and pumpkin spice donuts!! And then they get home and put on a horror flic, and the reader swears they aren’t scared but they can’t fool Larissa at all, so she puts something else on? 😋😋I thought it was such a good idea and I would have done something like this myself but you are such a talented writer, I would love to see something like this from you!

A/N: Hello hello! Thank you so so much 🥺 that is very sweet. I thought this would be appropriate for October so I tried to get it done in a timely fashion. I really hope you enjoy 🥺 also... happy Friday the 13th! 👻

we fell in love in october

Larissa Weems x f!reader

Larissa takes you on a sweet autumn date to a pumpkin patch - fluff ensues.

Words: ~2.9k | ao3 link in title

Leaves fell from the tree outside the window, hues of brown, deep red, muted orange coloring the evening sky in their descent. Blown away by a crisp breeze that carried the sounds of students laughing and chatting on their way inside for dinner as the sky slowly turned darker, dusk settling over Nevermore Academy.

The crackling of the fireplace and the clacking of Larissa’s keyboard served as background noise as you lounged on the couch in your girlfriend’s office, engrossed in your copy of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. You and Larissa had been together for a few months now, and it had turned into an unspoken ritual that you would pop by after work more afternoons than not to keep Larissa company as she finished up her emails, before sharing a glass of wine and some takeout and basking in each other’s company.

Today was no different. Your ears perked up when you heard the tell-tale sound of Larissa’s laptop shutting, and you set your book aside as you heard her footsteps approach. Within moments she came into view, rounding the couch and placing two fingers under your chin to gently lift your head towards hers. Soft, warm lips pressed against your own, and you could feel her smile into the kiss as she soothed her tongue along the seam of your lips. You parted them to allow her to lick gently into your mouth, sighing as her tongue began to dance with yours, every movement languid and loving.

“Hello, darling. Thank you for waiting for me,” she whispered against your lips as the two of you parted for air - you would never tire of her dulcet tones, her voice like music to your ears.

“Hi,” you said with a grin, patting the space next to you. Larissa sat down and you immediately snuggled into her, allowing her to wrap her arms around your waist and rest her chin on your head. “You’re done with work?”

“I’m all yours,” Larissa replied with a chuckle, pressing her lips to your temple - it made you shiver.

“Mmh… Do you think you could be all mine on Friday as well?” You bit your lip, watching Larissa carefully - in spite of her constant reassurance that she enjoyed spending time with you, you still sometimes felt like you were asking a lot. You knew how seriously the principal took her work, but you’d come up with the best date idea and it would be a shame to let the opportunity pass you by.

To your relief, Larissa’s face lit up with a teasing smirk. “I think I could be,” she purred. “Did you have something planned for Friday?”

“Well… This Friday is Friday the 13th… And it’s October! That’s kind of a special occasion. So I was thinking we could maybe go to a pumpkin patch together and have a date-day?” You looked up at Larissa through your lashes with your best pleading pout, watching her lips curl slowly into a soft smile.

“Hmmm,” Larissa hummed, tapping a manicured finger against her chin in thought. “What do you say I work a half-day on Friday and pick you up around noon?”

“Really?” You could feel your limbs start to tingle with excitement. “Can we?”

“Of course,” Larissa said with a chuckle, cupping your cheek. “There’s a little farm near Jericho that has a pumpkin patch around this time of year. I haven’t been but I have heard quite a few students rave about it.”

“Deal,” you said, your words turning into a squeal as Larissa began to pepper your face with kisses, before pressing her lips to yours. You melted into the kiss, as you always did, feeling her warm breath against your lips as she let out a contented sigh.

🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃

Friday morning was spent choosing an outfit - you settled on an orange knit sweater, jeans, and loafers, and took to lounging around as you waited for Larissa to pick you up.

She was, of course, punctual as always - the doorbell rang at 12 on the dot, and you shot up from the couch to answer the door.

Larissa greeted you with a soft, gentle kiss, one hand settling on your hip. “You look beautiful. Are you ready to go, my love?”

Blushing at the compliment, you nodded. “Yep, I just need my keys.” You turned to grab your keys and your bag from the little table next to the door, and allowed Larissa to lead you out to her car with her hand on the small of your back.

🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃

Nothing in your life thus far could compare to the feeling of holding Larissa’s hand in public. Her fingers curled around your own, her warm palm fitting perfectly against yours like a puzzle piece. Today was no different as the two of you ambled hand in hand towards the little farm, only briefly letting go so you could pay for your entry. 

“I don’t think I’ve done something like this since I was a teenager.” Larissa sighed wistfully as she looked around, her lips curled up into a soft smile.

“It’s beautiful here,” you breathed, taking in your surroundings.

The highlight of the festival was, of course, the farm’s pumpkin patch - massive orange, white, even green pumpkins nestled amongst bales of hay - resting against the backdrop of a picturesque forest, with leaves turned brown and orange. Across from the pumpkin patch was a corn maze - you could hear the giggles and screams of children flitting between the corn stalks. 

“Are we gonna carve pumpkins for Halloween this year?” you asked suddenly.

Larissa’s face broke out into a splitting grin. “I would love that,” she admitted. “Would you like to pick some?”

You nodded eagerly, spending the better part of the next half hour roaming through the pumpkin patch, picking up various pumpkins and handing them off to Larissa for inspection. She watched the entire time with an amused grin on her face, finally helping you settle on not two but four medium-sized, orange pumpkins (one for each of you, and then extras in case you messed up). 

After helping you carry the pumpkins to her car, Larissa nudged you and pointed to a small, fenced in area in the distance. “I think they have a petting zoo.”

You could hardly contain the squeal of delight that left your throat at the mere thought, and you dragged Larissa over to the petting zoo.

“Oh, look, you can feed them!” You pointed to the little machines with animal feed, making your way over and purchasing a cupful. The alpacas situated nearest you began to flock around the fence, sticking their head over the top and eyeing you eagerly. 

“You wanna try?” you asked, offering the cup to Larissa - she removed her glove and reached out her hand for you to pour a bit of the food in her waiting palm. She stepped up to the fence, glancing nervously in your direction as she stuck out her hand. Her face contorted in surprise as one of the alpacas began to nuzzle her palm, inhaling the feed within seconds.

“It tickles,” she said, quickly retracting her palm as you began to laugh.

“Here, let me try.” You poured some feed in your hand and offered it to a different alpaca, gasping and jumping back a bit. “Shit, you’re right, it does tickle,” you said with a giggle, shaking your hand to get rid of the funny feeling.

“How about we see the goats instead?” you suggested. With a reproachful glance at the alpacas, still gathered around the fence and staring the two of you down, Larissa agreed and followed you to the goat’s pen. There was a little latched door in the fence and you let yourself in, Larissa following behind you - albeit somewhat reluctantly. 

The goats could smell the food in your cup and some ambled over immediately. You leant down towards a small goat with a black head and white legs, offering it a handful of feed. It felt much less ticklish than feeding the alpacas, and you handed Larissa the cup so that you could use your other hand to gently pet the goats.

Larissa watched you fondly, holding the cup of feed just out of reach of the eager animals.

“You’re cute, you know that?” she murmured. You looked up, blushing profusely and smiling shyly. 

“Give me your hand.” You reached out and Larissa placed her hand in yours, cocking her head and watching with wide, curious eyes as you rested her hand on the goat’s back, holding it as you guided her to stroke its fur. 

Larissa’s gaze never left your face, her eyes sparkling with admiration, watching you delight in being able to pet the animals. It wasn’t her favorite pastime in the world, but getting to see you so joyful was more than enough for her to be having a good time.

🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃

“Let’s go sit down for a bit,” Larissa suggested, giving your hand a squeeze before gently tugging you in the direction of a couple of wooden stands in the distance. 

You agreed, and the two of you came to a stop in front of a stand selling apple cider.

“Would you like some?” Larissa asked, already reaching for her purse.

“Is that even a question?” you teased.

Larissa paid for your drinks and the two of you took a seat at a wooden picnic table nearby. You took a sip of the warm apple cider, moaning as the taste exploded on your tongue, and Larissa raised an eyebrow at you.

“What? Does that turn you on?” you purred, taking another sip and moaning even louder this time. Larissa laughed and shook her head, a blush creeping up her cheeks. 

“Hush and drink up,” she murmured.

Your eyes scanned the area you were sitting in, lighting up as they landed on a donut stand. “Riss, do you want a donut?”

Larissa nodded between sips of apple cider.

“What kind?”

“You pick.”

You ambled over to the donut stand, returning a few minutes later with two pumpkin spice donuts and handing one to your girlfriend, before settling on the bench across from her.

“Of course you would get pumpkin spice,” Larissa teased, chuckling as she accepted the donut from you.

“I don’t appreciate your tone,” you said with a laugh.

Larissa huffed, taking a bite of the donut regardless and letting out a moan of her own - you began to laugh harder and Larissa joined in, her eyes crinkling at the outer edges and her face scrunching up in glee. 

The two of you ate in amicable silence, savoring the donuts and each other’s presence and basking in a surprisingly warm fall day.

“Maybe we could go on the hayride before we go home?” you suggested shyly as Larissa placed the last piece of her donut into her mouth. Her eyes went wide and she nodded, her cheeks puffed out with food. You laughed and Larissa’s face turned pink as she swallowed.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, you’re just very adorable,” you said with a grin, earning you an eye roll and a light, playful slap from your girlfriend. She always said she hated when you called her adorable, but she would blush and smile every single time, so you would keep doing it. 

“Call me adorable again and we aren’t going on that hayride,” she mumbled with a soft smile, her eyes sparkling in the low light of the afternoon sun.

Ten minutes later, you were sitting in a wagon with Larissa to your left, the sun slowly beginning its descent in the sky and casting a golden glow over the blonde. Your surroundings were picturesque, but all you could focus on was the stunning woman next to you. It seemed your sentiments were returned, for Larissa’s eyes - flooded with warmth and affection - never left your own. Her right arm was wrapped snugly around your shoulders as her left hand rested on your thigh, her thumb rubbing absentminded circles over your jeans. 

“Rissa?”

“Yes, darling?”

“I love you.”

A beaming smile spread across the blonde’s face and she ducked her head, leaning in until her lips were inches away from yours. “I love you, too,” she whispered against your lips, before closing the gap to kiss you. The kiss was soft, and tender - it made your heart flutter and your stomach flip as the last rays of the sun enveloped the two of you in a warm glow.

🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃

“Can we watch a horror movie?” you asked as you stepped through the threshold of Larissa’s apartment after the short drive back from the pumpkin patch. The two of you left the pumpkins outside the door for later.

The blonde raised an eyebrow at you, her expression nothing short of skeptical as she slipped out of her heels and removed her coat. “Are you sure? Don’t you remember what happened the last time we watched a horror movie together?”

“I haven’t the faintest clue what you’re talking about,” you replied airily, kicking off your shoes and tossing your bag on the floor. Of course you knew what she was talking about - you’d gotten so panicked that, during one particularly gruesome jump-scare, you’d thrown the popcorn bowl at the tv. Larissa had found stray pieces of popcorn underneath her couch for weeks after.

“Whatever you want, my dear,” Larissa said with a teasing grin, pressing a kiss to your forehead, before ushering you in the direction of her bedroom. “Let’s get changed first, hmm?”

Being that you spent so much time at Larissa’s, you had a few spare changes of clothes for when you’d spontaneously decide to stay the night - but you still preferred to wear your girlfriend’s clothes whenever possible. They smelled like her, and they were big and soft and somehow just way comfier than your own.

Tonight, you opted for a pair of leggings and an old t-shirt of Larissa’s, while she went for a sage green, silk camisole top and a white cardigan, paired with matching sweatpants. Larissa stepped behind you as you got changed, helping you pull the t-shirt over your head - you shivered as her fingers brushed teasingly down your abdomen, before splaying out over your stomach and pulling you flush against her.

“You’re beautiful,” she whispered softly into your hair, pressing her lips to the crown of your head. You could feel yourself blush and you spun around in her arms, wrapping your own arms around her neck and pulling her in for a languid kiss. 

Larissa reached around you, flicking off the light in her bedroom and guiding you back out into the living room, her lips still pressed against yours until the backs of your knees hit the couch.

“Hot chocolate?” she breathed against your lips.

You nodded gratefully, curling up on the couch as Larissa disappeared into the kitchen - returning shortly after with two mugs of hot chocolate.

“Would you like anything else?”

“Nope, thanks.” You accepted one of the mugs - it warmed your hands, and the huge pile of marshmallows on top made you giggle.

Larissa settled beside you, wrapping an arm securely around your shoulders and pulling you into her. “Is The Conjuring alright?” she asked as she began to flick through Netflix. 

“Yes! I love Vera Farmiga!”

Larissa chuckled and pressed play, wiggling her hips a bit to get comfy.

You tried to be brave, you really did. But every slight change in the music made your muscles tense, your entire body flinching so bad that you had to place your mug on the coffee table.

“Are you alright, dove?” Larissa whispered, directly into your ear - you hadn’t expected it and you jumped in surprise, your heart pounding viciously. When you turned your head to look at your girlfriend, she was smirking, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

“I’m fine,” you squeaked. 

Larissa knew you like she knew the back of her own hand - somehow, she’d been able to read you like a book from day one. She snorted and set her own mug down, pausing the movie and wrapping both arms around your waist. You melted into her touch immediately - warm, comforting, safe. Your heartbeat began to slow and you let out a nervous giggle. “Okay, I’m not fine. But we can keep watching it if you want!”

“Hmm… I think I’d rather you feel comfortable with what we watch.” Larissa pressed her lips to yours, her hands stroking up and down your sides. “How about we put something else on?”

Biting your lip, you nodded and accepted the remote from Larissa. Some dumb, silly comedy like The Heat would be good, you thought.

“Come here,” Larissa murmured, patting her lap. You curled up on the couch, resting your head on her thighs. Her hand immediately settled on your head and began to stroke your hair, her nails lightly scratching at your scalp and making you shiver.

“Sorry,” you whispered timidly, peeking up at Larissa through your lashes.

Larissa looked down at you with a confused smile, brushing a strand of hair off your forehead. “Sorry for what, darling?”

“Suggesting we watch a scary movie and not being able to finish it.” You felt your cheeks flush and hid your face in her lap - then you felt Larissa’s lips on your head. “That’s not something you need to apologize for. I promise.”

You peeked up again to see Larissa beaming lovingly down at you, and you sighed in relief, snuggling closer and allowing her to continue stroking your hair as the two of you watched the movie. The perfect ending to a perfect day.

x

-> some activities (HELLO, PETTING ZOO, ANYONE?) based super loosely on a fall festival/pumpkin patch I visited in 2019 with my best friend, near Nashville, TN - one of my fondest memories! hmu if you want to see a picture of me with a goat <3

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[lilyrizzy]

slightly delayed day 4 of the 12 days of maxiel advent calendar! for @catofthecanals289 from our alzheimers universe! set in the same universe as this and this.

“Daniel, you have to, of course, aim higher.”

It’s as though the words snap everything back into focus while Daniel tries to remember anything getting blurred in the first place. 

In front of him, rows of red-nosed clowns topped with frizzy orange hair stare down at him. Them, he’s not alone. There’s something heavy in his hand. A baseball, he realises. He looks between it and the lines and lines of manic grins, and then Max’s face. His voice is full of laughter, so Daniel must be okay.

“What-“ Daniel begins, but it’s too embarrassing to ask what am I meant to be doing. Max just told him.

Max steps closer to him, his smile already flickering at Daniel’s obvious hesitation.

“Daniel?” He asks, cautious in a way Daniel doesn’t like. He doesn’t want Max to stop smiling.

The flashing lights of the arcade dance at the periphery of his vision, red, yellow, blue and then red again, as a mechanical imitation of circus music plays in a loop. A cheery voice reminds him over and over to down the clown.

“Sweetheart.” The word sounds like a question again, but at the same time unfamiliar. Wrong. “Schatje,” Max says then, and that’s- That’s better.

I love you, Daniel thinks, an electric shock of realisation that is as manic as their surroundings, like maybe it’s being felt for the first time. Then, the settle of it into the familiar warm weight in his chest tells him the truth; I’ve been loving you for a long time.

Wherever they are, he’s safe here.

Daniel turns back to the clowns, noticing now how they aren’t real and are just faces painted onto bowling pins. He does what Max told him to, and throws the ball higher.

To the applause of strobe lights and chiptune, he wins.

Throwing his hands into the air, he lets out a noise of delight in time with Max’s behind him. Ki ki ki, aye, a corner of his brain echoes, but he can’t make the words trip onto his tongue.

“Good job,” Max tells him, his hands a warm weight on Daniel’s waist. A champagne fizz fills Daniel’s belly like it’s maybe been a long time since he’s been touched there, but- No. That can’t be right, because Max loves him too.

I love you, also, he always says. Daniel wishes he would say it now. He can see that it’s true in the softness of Max’s eyes as he pulls him in to kiss him congratulations. Daniel wishes--

--

--Daniel’s hands are twisted into soft purple fur. At first he thinks it’s a jumper, but then his fingertips catch on the crinkled material of the horn, and it’s obvious what it is. A unicorn. For his sister’s baby, maybe.

As he searches the murky waters of his head for her name, his eyes catch on the landscape flying past him. Too vast and green to be Monaco, the car moving too fast. Monaco is the orange glow of car break lights, sitting bumper to bumper and swearing under his breath. He’s not the one driving now, but he doesn’t know who is either.

“Daniel?” The man says his name when Daniel glances at him, so it can’t be a stranger.

“Where are we going?” Daniel asks, cuddling the unicorn a little closer. It feels nice under his palms.

“Back to the ranch,” the man says. His eyes are very blue and pretty, but thinking that makes Daniel’s stomach twist. He shouldn’t- He has somebody who wouldn’t like him thinking that about somebody else, he’s sure.

Daniel nods. They’re on the left side of the road, so-

“I need to get ready for the race,” he says, with more confidence than he feels, but that must be why they are in Australia. The Grand Prix. Except, the weather outside the window doesn’t look quite like autumn. Looking down at himself, he realises he’s not wearing anything with the Red Bull logo, which means he’s probably late. “Christian is going to kill me if I miss practice.”

The man’s face does something complicated that Daniel doesn’t understand. Daniel is about to ask for his phone to call someone- Laura, he thinks his assistants name is maybe- when the man speaks again, his voice softer than before.

“The race has already happened, don’t worry,” he promises, but his voice is shaky. “I’m taking you home to get some rest.”

“Very good,” he says again, which is a little unhelpful, but then he adds sounding a little more genuine, “Everyone is very proud of you.”

“Oh,” Daniel says, feeling a little stupid, but also relieved. No one can be angry at him if it’s his time off. Unless he fucked up on track. Clearing his throat, he asks, “Did you watch it? How did I do?”

He watches the man’s hands tighten on the steering wheel for a moment, his eyes fixed firmly on the road.

Happy butterflies beat their wings inside Daniel, flying between his stomach and his chest. He made people proud.

“Gangster,” Daniel says with a grin, and because he can’t resist being cheeky, “did I beat Max?”

But saying his name out loud as the butterflies wilt to lead weights at the bottom of his belly. Daniel is pretty sure Max should be here, so where is he? The guy spoke about the ranch, and the ranch means family time, which means Max time. Max is- Max is-

Daniel turns to look at the back seat, but it’s empty. He tries to remember when he last saw Max, but where his face used to be there is only a fuzzy outline framed with a Red Bull cap. He touches a hand to his head and finds only his own curls under his fingertips.

“Where’s my boyfriend?” He asks the man again, his voice high now with panic. “My boyfriend, Max, where is-“ Then he breaks off to swear, because no one is supposed to know. Max might be angry that he told this man.

“Easy easy,” the man soothes, his nice blue eyes back on Daniel as his hand makes an awkward jerk forwards, and then backwards again, as though he was going to try to touch him. “Easy, Daniel, it’s okay, I promise. Max will-“ He breaks off to smooth his face into a gentle smile. He really is so pretty. “Max will be at the ranch. I’m taking you to him now.”

Daniel studies the man’s face for a moment. He seems nice, and Max loves Daniel, and Christian is proud of him today, so they wouldn���t let him get into a car with someone they didn’t trust to look after him. Besides, something in this man’s face has Daniel trusting him.  His mouth is kind. There’s a mark just above his top lip.

“Have we met before?” Daniel asks, surprising himself with the question. When the man’s smile turns sad again, Daniel tries to laugh apologetically. “Sorry if that’s a dick question mate, when you’re famous it’s- It’s easy to lose track.”

Strangely that gets the man to laugh. Daniel can’t help but join in as the sound tugs at the loose threads of his mind. Sunshine streaming through tall windows, the glitter of the sea just beyond them. Chasing a spotty cat down a hallway.

“That’s okay,” the man says, “I have driven you lots of places before, do not worry.”

His words are the final piece Daniel needs for his hammering heart to slow. Pitifully, he finds himself lifting the plushie to his face to press his cheek against its softness. It’s even nicer than when it was against his hands. He’s going to-

“I’m going to give this to Max,” he says, words muffled a little. “He- I- I think he’ll pretend it’s silly, but secretly love it. He’s a little shit like that.”

Max will like it, Daniel is sure. Max will like that Daniel was thinking about him.

[apomaro-mellow]

Part 1

Steve's head whipped up so quick he thought he might break his neck.

"A ride?", he followed Eddie's eyes back to Honey. "On your bee?"

Honey vibrated a little like they knew they were being talked about.

"I promise it's a smooth ride." Eddie petted the fuzz on Honey and grabbed Steve's hand to do the same. "See? Honey likes you." Sweet likes sweet he supposed.

Part of Steve thought he should be cautious. That he shouldn't just go riding out into the night with someone he had just met. But also, Eddie wasn't actually a stranger at this point anymore, right? And there was a chance he could introduce him to other fairies too. And most importantly, he had the opportunity to actually get out and see the world, if only for an evening.

"One ride. And you bring me back home before sunrise."

Steve had read enough fae tales to know they could play tricks sometimes. He didn't want his mother to worry just in case Eddie was the type to take and keep.

"You have my word. I'll return you before dawn." Eddie mounted Honey and then gently patted the space behind him.

Carefully, Steve got on, not wanting to hurt the bee. For a moment he faltered on a hold and then Eddie grabbed his hands and pulled them around himself.

"You're gonna have to hold on tight. Honey can be kinda wild."

Steve was about to make a quip when Honey took off and zipped around. At first, he was just bracing himself, holding onto Eddie tightly and burying his face in his back against the wind. But as he got used to it, he slowly opened his eyes. His vision was mostly obscured by Eddie's long hair whipping around, but once he pulled it away (getting to touch the soft locks as he kept them pinned to Eddie's back) he finally got a clear look.

Trees and flowerbeds came by in a rush as they flitted through the forest. Then they were rising about the trees and Steve's home was but a small beacon of light in the dark night.

Honey slowed a bit, bobbing around and the rush of wind became a breeze.

"You get to see things like this all the time?"

"Nice view, huh?", Eddie grinned. "You can see it too, whenever you're with me."

Eddie didn't know by what grace he was able to find Steve, but now that he had him he would show him the world. He never wanted those arms to unwrap from him.

He took Steve to all of the good spots nearby. To a small stream where more than one creature caught a glimpse of the fairy prince with someone they didn't recognize. To a pumpkin patch where Eddie was so lost in adoration that he and Steve danced to music only they could hear.

To a field of flowers that was very special indeed, for it was where the first frost would happen.

"I do really like fall", Steve said when they landed on a tree stump. "My mother gets really, busy, making new dresses for the festival. But when she's done there's dancing and singing..." Steve pulled his knees up to his chest, suddenly withdrawing.

"What are you thinking about?", Eddie asked, seeing the mood change on his face.

"I'm too small to join everyone. I have to dance on a table or somewhere high up on my own. And in the crowd, no one can really hear me sing. It's still fun though, I just wish I could really be a part of it."

Eddie felt his heart movie in a hundred ways. He had so many things he wanted to say but what came out was "You sing?"

"Just the songs with the people of the town. The ones that herald in the seasons."

Steve looked up and Eddie had pulled out a lute from somewhere. Had Honey been carrying it? Eddie began to strum a familiar tune.

"Autumn will be here before you know it", Eddie said. And as if cued in, a slightly chilly breeze blew. Steve smiled and started to sing. As he did, he imagined the vivid rainbow of flowers giving way to the yellows and oranges of fallen leaves.

Maybe it was because it was the dead of night, and most everything was asleep, maybe because he was the only one making a sound, or maybe it was because he had an enraptured audience. Whatever the reason, Steve truly felt like he was being heard.

Eddie was seeing stars. Perhaps they were actually fireflies but that was just as magical. The two of them were so caught in their own world, they didn't notice a couple of toads spying on them from the bushes. They had been lured by the sound of Steve's voice.

"Can I see you again tomorrow?", Eddie asked as the song ended.

"Yes", Steve answered without hesitation. Suddenly being taken by a mysterious fae didn't seem so bad.

On the way home, Eddie asked him a bunch of questions like he couldn't get enough of him. Spring or summer? What kind of apple is your favorite? And since he knew of his mother's work now - silk or satin? Was embroidery hard?

"Alright, alright, last one", Eddie said as Honey landed on the window sill. "Something everyone likes but you hate."

Steve wrinkled his nose, having one ready. "Blue cheese."

"....Blue cheese? That's it?"

"Eddie, it's a mold. And people are just eating it."

"It's a safe mold though, right?" Eddie dismounted first and then helped Steve off and onto his feet. He probably held his hips for a little longer than was proper.

"It's mold. There are perfectly fine unmolded cheeses around."

"So, do you not eat anything even slightly fermented?"

Steve considered the question for a moment. "I like sweet pickles."

Eddie made a face and stuck out his tongue. "The sweet ones? And here I thought I was falling for you. You've got the face of an angel and the voice of a siren but your food opinions might be a deal breaker."

Steve was smiling so silly he felt like his face might break. "This coming from the fairy who didn't know the difference between a string and a thread."

"What you call a gap in knowledge I call super specific job-related expertise."

Steve was still smiling and Eddie was smiling back at him. And they probably would've spent hours just staring at each other fondly if there wasn't a voice out in the distance calling Eddie's name.

"Oh shit!", Eddie hissed before pulling Steve through the other side of the window.

"Who is that?", Steve asked, trying to get a peek. He only saw the smallest bit of glowing dust off in the distance before Eddie pulled him down.

"That would be uh, okay, first, let me tell you something. I'm...I'm actually the prince. Of the fairies...Ta-daa~"

"You're a prince? For how long?!", Steve asked.

Eddie stared at him blankly, unsure of how to answer that. "Uhh, for a while now...?"

"You're the prince", Steve began to pace around. "I just spent the night with a prince."

"And also Eddie."

That got Steve to pause. "Yeah, I did. And he still wants to see me tomorrow?", he asked, voice hopeful. As if there was any universe where Eddie didn't drop everything to come and see him.

"He does. More than anything." Eddie took both of Steve's hands and kissed his knuckles. "So am I still welcome here?"

"Yeah. Yeah I'll be waiting." Steve wanted this. He wanted more than one night.

Eddie wanted to kiss Steve and give him every night for the rest of their lives. But it was still too early for both, so he just kissed his fingertips this time, and then reluctantly pulled away.

"Tomorrow", he promised. It was only a few hours away and yet it felt like forever.

"Tomorrow", Steve echoed.

The voice shouting for Eddie sounded closer, so he got on Honey and flew away. With the magnetic pull of that whirlwind of a fairy gone, Steve fell to his knees. What a night.

What a night.

When he laid down to sleep (in a case for glasses that his mother had refurbished) he was dead to the world until morning.

Imagine his shock when he awakened only to find that the top had been closed on him, which was peculiar on its own. And then when he opened he saw not his room, but that he was on a small boat, moored on a river bank. Then he heard an unfamiliar voice.

"Hey Tommy, come quick! Pretty boy's awake."

A/N: Imma need all my fellow Thumbelina fans to re-watch that scene where she meets Cornelius because he is so gone for her with the first ten seconds and is just itchin to touch her the whole time and all the little details they do with these 2 just adds to the romance.

Part 3

Tag team

@telidina

[c-kiddo]

hi hi your drawings are amazing and i love each and every one of them, and i love dfy as well. it's comforting but like a nostalgic memory of a cold autumn morning when i Had to go to school but really didn't want to. i was curious, do you ever imagine your characters or your favourite characters (like cad) listening to the same music as you do? like him listening to the microphones or una and ava listening to mount eerie? what would any of them think abt it?

thank u ! glad u like things i make :- )

ava and ùna yes, for sure . tho idk how canon it is to the world because i find it tricky to set it in a specific time or place. but in spirit yes, ùna is a big Microphones fan especially. ava likes the weird quiet soft Mount Eerie things and loves his voice . i've drawn them singing his music too. ùna is v much into music as a thing, like listens to everything and has opinions abt it (fave is like crunchy loud lofi stuff, like the microphones) but she also likes tracy chapman, big thief/adrianne lenker. she likes this song:

and this is an ùna ava song in general to mee . so them

as for characters that aren't mine, idk i dont think abt it that much but especially if they're not set in this world . it feels incorrect to me. for cad i cant imagine him super listening to a lot of recorded music tbh , mmore like what his family or him are playing, or the radio or just the sounds outside. in dfy i think he just kind of hangs around and doesnt realise he could listen to music (autism coded). maybe he likes something repetitive like the shipping forecast.

ok maybe actually i do have other thoughts but its not like music i like i just think its funny to say characters have music taste thats a bit shit (in ->my<- opinion). like i bet fjord listens to imagine dragons while working out and is like wow this is so motivational . and im sorry for saying this but i just know jester would be a swiftie .

[goodfish-bowl]

Until Dawn Breaks

Ectoberhaunt 2023 Day 20: Danse Macabre

AO3 Link

Summary: "La danse macabre" by Camille Saint Saens was written in 1874, and depicts a legend where on Halloween at midnight, Death would play the fiddle, summoning the dead from their graves to dance with him until the rooster crows at dawn.

There’s someone playing the violin in the cemetery, and despite the six feet of earth separating Danny from the surface, he can hear them clearly. 

Warnings: angst

Words: 2612

Danny awoke to the sound of the soft cries of a violin. The melody was winding and minor, clamoring up and down the scales, clearly audible despite the six feet of earth that separated his resting place from the surface. He wondered who the hell was playing the violin in a cemetery in the middle of the night. It was a bit of a stupid idea, but… they at least played quite well. You could win consolation prizes for that sort of skill. Danny slipped from his resting place, phasing through the earth and maintaining his invisibility. He didn’t want to scare the player off after all. 

Rising from the surface, the first thing Danny did was note the location and shift of the stars from the last time he had been awake. It was autumn now, and at least 20 years since the last time he had woken up, and the arc of the moon put it just around midnight... That trio of ghost hunters must be adults now.

Danny found the player not too far from his grave, dressed darkly, in fashion that wouldn’t look out of place a century and a half ago if not for the spiders decorating the lace in her dress, and the careful, complex addition of layers. It looked heavy, but not nearly as heavy as clothing from that time period actually was. Despite the darkness of the night, she had a hat on her head, decorated with a matching spider-lace veil and rhinestone that glistened like raindrops caught in a web, carefully tucked away so as to not get in the way of the violin that was tucked gently under her chin. Danny thought she was lovely and matched quite nicely with the scenery she surrounded herself with. 

On a small device Danny couldn’t name, a tinney replication of a piano played under her solo, adding chords and texture to the piece. He would’ve loved to hear it with an actual piano instead of a recording. He sat himself upon his own headstone, resting weightlessly on his knees as he watched her sway to her own song. 

She finished on a chord that didn’t quite leave the piece feeling completed, but was satisfying all the same. Danny clapped without much thought to the action. The player startled nearly immediately, eyes wide as they snapped to him as he flickered into visibility. She took a quick step back, tripping over the hem of her dress. Danny was quick enough to catch both the violin that flew from her hands, and her own hand, stopping her from hitting the ground. 

“Y-you! You’re… you’re-!” She stuttered, frozen in shock as Danny pulled her to her feet. 

“A ghost, yes,” Danny smiled, handing her the instrument back. 

She finally looked sheepish at her actions, glancing between her hand and his own, completely confused and unbearably nervous. “I’m… sorry if I… bothered you.”

Danny let out a light laugh, “Not at all, you play quite nicely.”

Her face flushed at the compliment. 

“If anything, I’m glad I woke up to a violin this time. Last time someone woke me up, it was with the intent of actually bothering a ghost. I definitely prefer the music,” Danny joked. “I’m Danny by the way, but you might also know me as Phantom,” he said, gesturing to his own grave. 

The girl’s eyes widened in recognition. “You’re a local myth, a legend even. I never thought they were real.”

“They’re a lot more merits to legends than you might think. After all, you’re the one playing a violin at midnight so close to Halloween.”

She flushed. “My name’s Sam, by the way. And I’m hardly fit for the role of Death in that legend.”

Danny took her hand and placed a soft kiss upon it through the smile on his lips. “You’re right, Miss Sam, you’re far lovelier.” 

Sam clearly wasn’t used to compliments, the way she sputtered and her face flushed so deeply like she had eaten something spicy. Danny couldn’t help but laugh. 

“What are you laughing at?!” Sam exclaimed, failing to puff up under the tension of her corset. Danny laughed harder. 

Danny laughed long enough that he felt out of breath, despite not needing to breathe and his diaphragm hurt, and Sam had begun to pout. 

“I’m sorry, you’re just tomato-colored. Clashes horribly with the rest of your outfit,” Danny apologized insincerely. Danny glanced around the cemetery, noticing the lack of a trail, animal or otherwise. “I can’t imagine it was easy to get to this overgrown spot in that dress. 

Sam huffed. “I got here just fine,” and hiked up her dress just far enough to show off her combat boots. 

“Hmm, practical,” Danny acknowledged. “Say, would you mind telling me about the current era? I don’t get out much,” Danny asked, sitting down on an old log. 

Sam joined him after testing her weight, crossing her legs under her dress after setting the violin down in its case sitting just under another tree. 

“Not exactly sure what you want to hear about. I’m sure you’ve probably seen more interesting things,” Sam dismissed. 

“I wouldn't say that,” Danny countered. “For example, what’s that device you were using as an accompaniment?”

Sam held up the small, rectangular device. Its screen lit up brightly in the night. “Oh, this is a cell phone. Mostly just used to make and receive calls, but there are a whole bunch of other functions it can do too. Here.” Sam leaned in, and tapped on the small device's glass screen, interacting with it. 

Sam went through the different “apps” on the phone, explaining them to him in general terms, then going on a tangent about something called “video games”, then around to a show she enjoyed, then back to games. Danny paid attention for the most part, listening to her voice even if he wasn’t always hearing the words. He was mostly enjoying the closeness of a living person, the warmth she radiated in the night, despite the layers of clothing. He felt it every time she shifted, throwing her arms about in passion, and in the heat of her breath. While he had been awake 20 years ago, it had been long since someone had allowed him to get this close. It reminded him of something long ago…

In the distance, an old church bell chimed five times, and the dawn tinted the horizon. Sam was startled at the sudden noise, and Danny let out a soft sigh of disappointment. He guessed it was about time. He got up from the log, and Sam followed his actions, stretching out her stiff limbs and brushing the forest litter off her clothes.  

“Oh wow, it’s morning already,” Sam gasped, watching the colors of dawn slowly begin to bleed into the sky. 

“Yeah… it is,” Danny added absently. “Sam, you should come play for me again.”

Sam looked back at him, and Danny glanced at his own translucent hands, knowing he was getting paler by the minute. 

“You’ll still be here?” She asked. 

“Danny laughed, “It’s the living that changes, not the dead. I’ll probably still be here for another century at this point.”

Sam smiled sadly. “Then sure. I’ll come play for you again.”

“Thank you,” Danny said honestly. 

“Anyways, I’ve got to go before someone notices I’ve been gone all night. See you later, ghost boy.” Sam gave a light wave, picked up her case, and pushed her way through the undergrowth. 

He waved back. “Bye, Sam.”

Danny floated back to his grave, and let his boot actually touch the earth. He could feel the cold ground calling to him, and his own sense of self fading as the sun rose higher. He thought about the warmth that Sam had emitted, feeling it through himself as their shoulders had brushed, despite hers passing clearly through his. It had been so nice. 

With the break of dawn, Danny felt himself fade, and be pulled back into a deep slumber in his grave. Time passed quickly while asleep, and he quickly found himself waking to the sound of a violin once more. This tune was different, softer and kinder than the previous song had been. Lyrical and elegant, beckoning him from his sleep, Danny obliged.

Out of habit, Danny checked the sky to see how long it had been. Only a few days at most, the moon hadn’t even had time to move on from its current phase. Sam had come back much sooner than he would’ve expected. 

Danny didn’t wait invisibly this time and caught Sam’s eyes as he passed through the earth, watching her play. She gave a small curtsey when she finished playing, and he politely clapped. She was dressed much more practically than last time, in black jeans with a collared shirt and a long coat covered in various patches and metal studs.  

“Good evening, Miss Sam, nice of you to come to charm the dead once more,” Danny greeted. 

“Hello again to you too, Mr. Ghost. I brought you something.” Sam reached into a bag she had brought with her this time and pulled out a bouquet of white lilies.

Danny watched in stunned awe as Sam gently placed the flowers on top of his grave. It… had been a long time since anyone had left him flowers and it honestly left him choked up. 

“Thank you,” Danny just barely managed to get out. 

“Of course,” Sam smiled back and then took her place on the log from the time before. 

From her bag, Sam pulled out more new things to show him. Danny relished each one, both because of his curiosity and her passion for each thing. He asked her to explain each of the numerous patches on her jacket, and it ended in long rants about conservation and dietary topics that Danny had to admit he didn’t understand. He had known about space exploration before, but Sam had indulged him by reciprocating his question about his own passions and then using her cell phone to look up all of the new discoveries about space. He was stuck in wonder, and the topic didn’t stray away from the stars for the rest of the night. Sam left at dawn once more with a  promise to come back and play for him again. 

On the third night, Danny awoke to a quick and delightful dance, he couldn’t help but fly from his grave and spin around Sam in a mockery of the dances that nobles of long ago had once relished in. It had only been one night since she had visited him. She finished the song, and he dragged her into the dance with him, humming a complimentary melody of his own. It had been a song someone close to him had once loved, and he was filled with the desire to share it. 

Sam was lost in her laughter, and once they finished with the dance, went through her bag, and showed him new things once more. She told him all about her current education, how irritating the people there were, and about her struggles with her parents, who she felt could never understand her. Danny ended up sharing bits and pieces of his own past and family, none of which he could linger on for long, both due to them being long since buried in the past, and his own memory blurring. 

Sam couldn’t stay until dawn this time, she apparently had a test tomorrow morning and wanted to get a good night’s rest before it. Danny wished her luck, and yet again, she promised to come back. He was looking forward to it once more.  

Since dawn was still a ways off, Danny let his feet leave the ground to go meet the stars. Amity was much larger and brighter than it used to be, nearly double the size of the small town he once knew. He remembered when it barely used to give off any light at all, and the stars once shone a lot brighter than they currently did. 

It all hit Danny with the sudden force of a freight engine, now that he was both alone and awake. He could fall back into a deep sleep any day now, or Sam could simply not return. Time would continue to pass without him and he would be forgotten once more. With the way Amity Park kept expanding, they might as well demolish the park where the cemetery lay, and bury him even deeper beneath the earth than he already was, beneath concrete and buildings. If he was only a legend now, how much longer would it be before he wasn’t even that?

Danny let himself drift back down to the earth, lying on his back on the overgrown surface of his grave, right next to the flowers Sam had gifted him. He let out a humorless laugh and picked up the wilted bouquet and held it over his chest. He wondered how long Sam would remember him. He wondered if she would get tired of him, and forget to come back, and he would fade from her mind like he did from the rest of Amity Park. It filled him with dread. 

It was getting harder to wake up too, and Danny hadn’t had the time to think about that in a long time either. It was a wonder Sam’s playing had been able to consistently wake him up, intentional or not. It likely had more to do with the timing and season than not. It had taken that trio of ghost hunters 20 minutes of “summonings”, loud rituals, and burning weird things before he groggily managed to climb out of his grave. Halloween was due to pass in a week, and Danny wondered if even Sam’s playing would be able to wake him after that. Her forgetting him was one thing, but Danny didn’t want to be the one to leave her behind. She was lovely, and kind, and told him about all sorts of things, and about her life, and how she wished she could live it. Danny wanted to be there to see it. 

The dawn had begun to creep up on him, and he felt the flowers slowly drift through him from their place on his chest back to the surface of his resting place. It might become a more permanent rest soon, and Danny hated that more than anything. The thought of not waking up scared him more than anything. He could see clearly through his hands, and a panic he hadn’t felt in the time he had come to accept his nocturnal existence set in. 

Danny recklessly dug deep within himself in a fit of passion, trying to find even a hint of that warmth he had come to associate with the living. The warmth he associated with Sam, sitting shoulder to shoulder, and holding her hand while they spun around the abandoned cemetery that lay beneath her skin and in her breath. He yearned desperately to feel it from himself once more. Danny yearned for life in a way he wasn’t sure he ever had. 

Then Danny found it, deeply sleeping just at the base of his core, hidden by the familiar chill of death. He latched onto it, clinging to it in a desperate, silly hope fueled by an instinctual fear. 

There was a burst of light as the sun finally broke over the horizon and painted the sky gold, and an equally bright burst of light within the cemetery. And for the first time in centuries, Danny felt the warmth of dawn hit his skin.

Ectoberhaunt 2023 Master Post

[spilled-coffee-cup]

ઇଓ Coffee? ઇଓ

모지혜🤍

Pairing: NewJeans Danielle x Reader

Warnings: none I think 🤔

Contents: one shot, fluff, kinda idol au & coffee shop au/meet cute (?), A little pining, idol x reader, was written with a fem!reader in mind but can be read as any pronouns.

Notes: it's my first time writing something on here so bare with me, English isn't my first language so if there's anything I should correct kindly do let me know, also I've never been to a fansign event so yeah...that part might not be 100% accurate. 🐇..:¨·.·¨:

Playlist: 🤍

2.3k+ words

Collage by: @spilled-coffee-cup

Dividers from: @cafekitsune & @benkeibear

The story starts under the cut

✁・・・

The crisp breeze of early fall rustled through the streets as you strolled towards the cozy café nestled on the corner. Leaves of amber and gold swirled in a dance around you, painting the sidewalk with a promise of autumn's arrival.

Your footsteps echoed softly against the pavement as you chatted animatedly on your phone with your friend, Sarah, who had already secured a table inside the café, the anticipation of a cozy catch-up over coffee and pastries lifting your spirits.

With your favorite pastry place in sight, you couldn't help but smile, feeling the warmth of the upcoming coffee and pastries filling you with anticipation. Sarah's excited voice crackled through your phone,

"Hurry up! I've got us a prime spot by the window. And, trust me, you won't believe who I just saw!"

Your curiosity spiked, and you quickened your pace, approaching the café's entrance.

"Who is it, Sarah? Don't keep me in suspense you know I hate that."

Sarah chuckled, her tone tinged with her usual tease. "Well, you'll know when you see her, I hope you dressed up nice today."

You didn't really understand the implication and infatuation with whatever you're to be wearing today, but luckily for you, you had opted for a comfortable yet stylish ensemble today, one that perfectly captured the casual charm of the fall season.

A soft, oversized sweater in a muted yet vibrant shade of olive draped elegantly over your frame, its cozy embrace providing a subtle warmth against the autumn chill. Beneath, you wore a pair of, dark-washed jeans that hugged your figure just how you liked it.

You chose a delicate silver necklace to adorn your neck, its pendant a small, understated symbol of something dear to you.

Your favorite pair of ankle boots completed the ensemble, their worn leather like material bearing witness to countless stories.

With each step, you moved with a quiet confidence, the rustle of fallen leaves harmonizing with the soft click of your boots against the pavement. It was a look that effortlessly blended comfort with a touch of understated elegance, a reflection of you

The jingling bell above the café's entrance signaled your arrival. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and sweet pastries enveloped you as you scanned the cozy space for Sarah.

Then, it happened. Your eyes locked onto a figure at the counter, and time seemed to slow. Your breath caught, and your heart skipped a beat.

Across the room, stood Danielle, her features illuminated by the soft glow of the pendant lights above, her presence attracting attention effortlessly. She was ordering a latte, her laughter musical as she exchanged words with the barista.

As your gaze remained fixed on her, you couldn't help but feel as though fate had orchestrated this moment.

Danielle's Perspective

The sun's gentle rays filtered through the curtains, painting Danielle's room with a golden hue. She stretched, a sense of anticipation tingling in her veins. Today held a special kind of energy.

Her phone lit up, displaying a message from Hanni🐇🩷, her fellow group member.

"Hey, Dani, remember that café you liked near the company? Mind getting something for all of us when you come?."

Danielle still somewhat half asleep agreed, coffee sounded like the perfect way to kickstart the day. She dressed in comfortable jeans and a soft sweater, opting for a laid-back vibe that matched the cozy atmosphere she anticipated for today.

Arriving at the familiar café, she greeted the barista with a warm smile. Ordering her go-to latte and the drinks for her members, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was more than a simple caffeine fix.

As she waited, her gaze wandered around the café, taking in the comforting aroma of freshly baked pastries and the low hum of conversations.

Then, it happened. As the door to the café chimed, announcing a new customer, Danielle's gaze momentarily and instinctively flickered towards the entrance.

Her eyes fell on you, and time seemed to stand still. Her heart dared to skip a beat, for there, bathed in the soft, golden glow of the autumn late morning, stood someone who exuded an inexplicable magnetism.

The world around her faded into the background, time seemed to slow. In that stolen moment, Danielle's world momentarily shifted off its axis.

She couldn't help but be captivated by the depth and warmth in those eyes, the kind that spoke of stories untold eagerly waiting for a listener. In that instant, she knew that she couldn't let this encounter be a once forgotten ordinary meeting.

In a blink of an eye you found yourself back in the café. You took a steadying breath, determined to approach the counter and order.

The café bustled with activity, but it all faded into the background. It was as if the two of you were the only people in the room.

Finally the world seemed to regain its normal pace as you tore your gaze away from Danielle's. The intensity of her gaze sent a shiver down your spine, and you felt a subtle but undeniable shift in the atmosphere.

Heart pounding, you approached the counter, trying to maintain your composure. Your voice wavered only slightly as you placed your order, all the while acutely aware of Danielle's presence beside you, warm and inviting.

"Hi Rin, it's good to see you back, I'll have my usual, please, thank you" you managed to say, willing your trembling hands to steady.

The barista efficiently prepared your drink, seemingly oblivious to the charged atmosphere around you.

As you waited for your order, you stole a few discreet glances at Danielle. Her presence was magnetic, and the way she carried herself exuded a quiet confidence that was both captivating and comforting. You couldn't help but let your mind wonder about the events that had led her to this exact café, out of all the cafés in this city why this one?

You bowed politely, but still neither of you said a word, but. It was a moment that seemed to stretch on, suspended in time as you waited patiently.

You were acutely aware of the soft buzz of mundane conversation around you, the soft ambiance of music playing from a speaker somewhere around the establishment, a song that you recognize but couldn't confidently name, the clinking of cups, and the hum of the espresso machine, yet all of it seemed distant and hazy.

With your order ready, you carefully reached for it. Your fingers brushed against Danielle's, since her order was just beside yours.

The touch sent a jolt of electricity through you, and you couldn't suppress the shiver that raced down your spine, a blush crept across your cheeks. You couldn't resist a shy and somewhat dorky smile. "Oh!, sorry" you stammered, your voice barely above a whisper.

Danielle's eyes twinkled with amusement, and she responded with a soft chuckle. "No need to apologize. It happens," she said, her tone warm and reassuring.

In that fleeting moment, it was as if the universe had been determined for both of you to meet.

With your heart aflutter, you left the counter, but Danielle's gaze lingered, a soft smile playing at the corners of her lips.

As you walked back to Sarah's table, you couldn't help but overthink the interaction.

Turning to face your friend Sarah, who you just now realized was observing the entire thing with a playful twinkle in her eye.

"Well, well," Sarah teased, a sly grin playing on her lips. "I see you've made a new friend, haven't you?"

You chuckled nervously, unable to hide the telltale flush on your cheeks. "Shut it, I just made a fool of myself, and it had to be today out of all days!"

She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Oh, come on! I saw the way you two looked at each other. That was like something out of a romance novel!"

You couldn't help but laugh a little, grateful for Sarah's attempt to lighten your embarrassment with a bit of light teasing.

"You're delusional, get some help" you teased back, though the memory of that shared gaze with Danielle lingered in your thoughts, yep that would definitely stick around rest of your day.

The hours had passed in a haze of anticipation and excitement. With your heart still fluttering from earlier at the café, you found yourself standing in line at the venue of NewJeans' fan sign event. The buzz of eager fans filled the air, and the energy was palpable.

As you entered the venue, you couldn't help but marvel at the vibrant atmosphere. Posters and banners adorned with messages of love and support for NewJeans adorned the walls, creating a kaleidoscope of colors.

The line of fans snaked its way towards the long table where the members of NewJeans sat, each one greeting their devoted fans with smiles and kind words. Your heart raced with anticipation as you inched closer to the front of the line.

You couldn't help but glance at the autograph board you had prepared. It featured a striking illustration of New Jeans, meticulously drawn by your own hand, along with heartfelt messages of support for the girls.

The moment of truth drew nearer, and you couldn't deny the butterflies in your stomach. Would Danielle remember you from earlier in the day?, you weren't sure whether you wished she remembered you or not.

With each step forward, your heart beat a little faster. The anticipation built, and you were about to come face to face with the members of NewJeans, including Danielle, once again.

Finally, it was your turn. As you approached the table where the members of NewJeans sat, their smiles radiant and their eyes sparkling with genuine warmth for their fans, you met with each member, exchanging words of admiration and gratitude.

When you finally reached Danielle, there was a moment of recognition in her eyes, and a spark of something passing between you, you would be lying if you deny that it made your heart skip a beat.

"Hi there!" she greeted you, her voice as melodic in person as it was in her songs, a soft smile gracing her lips, her smile was warm and inviting, putting you instantly at ease. "It's wonderful to see you again." her voice carrying a gentle lilt. "What's your name?"

The sight of Danielle, radiant and smiling, filled you with both awe and anticipation. You clutched your album tightly, heart pounding.

You couldn't help but blush at the memory of your earlier meeting. "Hi," you replied, a mix of excitement and shyness in your voice.

At last you managed to find your voice, your heart pounding in your chest, you replied with your name, a mixture of excitement and awe in your tone. "It's great to see you too."

She took the album from your hands, signing it with a graceful flourish. "The pleasure is all mine," she replied sincerely. "Thank you for your support."

As Danielle signed your album, she looked up with a playful glint in her eyes. "So, do you go to coffee shops often, or was today a special occasion?"

You couldn't help but smile at her question. "I'm more of a regular than I'd like to admit" you confessed, "but today was definitely an unexpected highlight."

Danielle's pen paused for a moment, a grin spreading across her face. "I can't help but feel that our paths were meant to cross today. Fate, perhaps?"

You chuckled, the playful banter between you feeling comfortable and natural. "Fate does have a funny way of working, doesn't it?"

She nodded, her gaze locking onto yours. "Well, I'm certainly glad it led me to you."

The sincerity in her voice sent a delightful shiver down your spine. "I'm glad too," you admitted, your heart fluttering.

As the conversation continued, you exchanged light-hearted comments and shared laughter, the connection between you growing with each passing moment. It was a brief encounter in the midst of a bustling event, but it felt like a universe of its own.

As you exchanged a few words with Danielle, the rest of the NewJeans members glanced with playful curiosity, no doubt having heard about the earlier encounter from Danielle.

As the conversation flowed, Danielle skillfully wove in off-handed questions, her curiosity dancing on the edge of something more personal.

"So, are you a fan of any other groups, or am I your one and only?" she asked, a playful twinkle in her eye.

You chuckled, picking up on the hint in her words. "You might just have some competition, but I'll let you guess who."

She grinned, clearly enjoying the playful back-and-forth. "I love a challenge," she replied, her tone laced with a subtle flirtatiousness.

"So, have any special plans for the rest of the day?" Her gaze held a hint of curiosity.

You considered her question, your heart racing. "Actually, I don't have any plans. Just enjoying the rest of my day, I guess."

Danielle's pen traced a playful pattern on the album cover, her smile teasing. "No more coffee shop visits in your immediate future?" She raised an eyebrow.

You couldn't help but laugh. "Well, you never know. Coffee shops tend to have a way of drawing me in."

As Danielle finished signing your album, beside her signature was her Kakao ID, accompanied by a note:

"You're cute, let's get coffee sometime. Text me!! - Dani ❤️"

You couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement as you read the note. With a smile, you looked up to meet Danielle's gaze, finding a mix of hope and anticipation in her eyes

[toony-fanfics]

Goodmorning, Dear! 🧇

~🌹~

Oneshot

Pairing: Alastor x Atlas (OC)

Word count: 881

Summary: just atlas waking up to breakfast for once!

Warnings: none!

~🌹~

The streets of Hell were never really known for being “relaxing” or “calm”. There were almost always screams, fights, music, anything you could think of. Hell never got less overwhelming, one just got used to everything after a while. You’re stuck there for all of eternity, after all. It’s something you have to get used to. However, there were places and times where it was bearable. Specifically, early morning at the Hazbin Hotel.

Usually Atlas had been the one to wake up first. After all, he was the hotel’s chef. Guests depended on him to provide sustenance. Granted, there weren’t many guests, but the staff also needed food in them to go about their day. Plus, the more time Atlas got to spend in the kitchen, the better. It was a safe place for him, one he didn’t share with many.

Except one, of course.

Though, this morning, Atlas woke up to the sound of Heartaches by Al Bowlly echoing throughout the hotel. Someone else was up, and by the music, Atlas could guess pretty well that the one awake was none other than Alastor. After all, Atlas didn’t know anyone else who listened to old music like this.

Sitting up in his bed, Atlas rubbed the sleep out of his eyes before stretching. Glancing over to the mirror that hung up on the wall, the blue goat got out of his bed and walked towards the closet. Tilting his head slightly, he picked out a white long-sleeved button-up, along with a pair of blue jeans and suspenders. A bit out of the ordinary, since he usually wore his blue sweatervest, but he’d subconsciously wanted to look at least decent for Alastor. Another Al Bowlly song starts playing, and it wasn’t long before Atlas started humming along with it. Taking a hairbrush, the goat began fixing his hair a bit, not particularly enjoying the bed-head look.

The goat takes a step back and observes himself in the mirror. With a smile, he sticks his thumbs under his suspenders and rocks back and forth for a moment, nodding before grabbing a dark blue tie. Draping it over his neck, he got distracted by the multitude of shoes he had. With a hum, he finally slips on his black oxford shoes, and steps out of his room with a stretch. The music gets noticeably louder as Atlas heads down the hall.

Atlas also picked up a smell from the kitchen. It was food, that much he knew. None he’s ever made or tasted before, though, since the smell was unrecognizable. Stepping into the kitchen with a head tilt, the blue demon spots Alastor at the stove, an apron tied around his waist. Another Al Bowlly song begins to play, and Alastor hums along, the soft, melodic tone of his voice wrapping its way around Atlas like a warm hug on a cold autumn day. With a smile, the demon made his way over and hugged Alastor from behind. The radio demon tensed up momentarily, softening milliseconds after realizing who the culprit was.

“And a very good morning to you as well, my dear. I trust that you slept alright?” Alastor asks, glancing down at Atlas. The goat shrugs, leaning into the taller demon.

“I slept in. ‘m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

“Nonsense, cher! No trouble at all, I assure you. You needed the rest. After all, a fine chef such as yourself needs to be at his best!” Alastor reassured.

Atlas smiles a bit before his eyes flicked down to the skillet on the stove. He’d recognized pecans in there, though wasn’t sure why. “Whatcha makin’?” He asked. Alastor’s grin seems to grow in excitement, as if he’d been waiting for Atlas to ask him that.

“Why, I’m making something my mother used to make me for breakfast when I was a boy! Sweet potato-pecan waffles. They’re absolutely delightful, my dear. You’ll love them!” He spoke, swaying along with the next song that played. Atlas chuckled a little bit.

“Don’t think I’ve ever heard of those. Maybe I should try makin’ ‘em at some point.” The smaller demon mumbled, his mind drifting off. What other foods did Alastor like? Maybe if he figured out a way to subtly ask, he could make them for the taller demon, or-

Atlas was snapped out of his thoughts when Alastor began tying the untied tie around his neck. A small laugh escaped the blue demon as he realized he’d completely forgotten to tie it.

“My dear, I have to say… I find this little fad you’re trying to start quite humorous!” The radio demon spoke, laughing as he finished the job, patting Atlas’ chest. “Tell me, mon cher, what’s the occasion? You’re dressed quite differently this morning.”

“No occasion. Jus’ wanted to switch it up a lil’ bit. Y’like it?” The goat asks, sticking his thumbs through his suspenders just as he’d done in his room. Alastor tilts his head while staring down at Atlas, a look of adoration forming in his eyes.

“It’s wonderful, darling. Quite becoming on you, I must say! Now! How about some waffles?”

Atlas smiles and nods, and with that, the two sit down at the counter, waffles in front of them as they spent the morning talking and laughing.

[kitramune]

My friend approached me a while back like "I've been making dumb OTP questions if you want to answer some." And I was like "Hell yeah, shoot." So I thought I'd share my answers, since they were all InuKag ones. I had an absurd amount of fun thinking about these, cuz that's just how my brain works, apparently. ---- Q: If Kagome and Inuyasha were shiny [Pokemon], what color hair/eyes would they have? Inuyasha can't just be black. A: Hmmm... I guess Inuyasha would be gold since everyone tries to say his hair is silver, not white. Like full on sparkly metallic gold. Kagome can be blue because:

Q: If they were a season, what season is either one? A: Inuyasha is spring cuz he has a lot of energy and the "rebirth" theme with him being sealed and then brought back. Kagome is autumn because the manga starts in autumn which means it's her birthday, and she's vibrant but sensible like the colorful leaves without being OVERLY vibrant like spring would be. Q: What gemstone would either be? A: I think Inuyasha would be rose quartz because it reminds me of a heart and he's a loving boi who got ended and revived by different loves, and gets his strength from it because he's more capable of feeling it thanks to being half human. Kagome I think would be jade because it has healing and protection qualities and she's got spiritual powers and is usually the medic throughout the whole series. Plus her green school uniform aesthetic. Q: What is their favorite weather? A: Inuyasha likes it just after it rains because there are tons of different unearthed smells. Kagome likes light rain because the sound helps her focus and she gets an excuse to stay inside and be lazy with hot tea or baths. Q: What music genre does either seem to prefer? A: I think Inuyasha would like reggae or soft rock because that's what dogs are supposed to like according to studies, LOL. But they have a beat that appeals to his more upbeat energy while also being able to lull him into relaxing. I think Kagome would also like those genres but might have a soft spot for traditional Japanese music and mantras because she grew up in a shrine so she probably heard them through her childhood more than others might. Q: If they were a Pokemon, what type(s) would they be? A: Hmmm... Inuyasha would be Ground Type because he's named after a nature spirit and most of his attacks are wind-based, with another being diamonds, so very earthy. Maybe mixed with Dark Type because his final move is literally opening a portal to Hell, and because he turns human based on the moon cycle. Kagome is Fairy/Grass because of the whole holy powers and herb healing. (And Grass and Fairy both have the most healing type moves.) Q: What type of herb/plant would they be? A: Kagome is a yarrow because of the arrow pun and it meaning "healing, protection, and everlasting love". Inuyasha is an olive tree because he was literally looking for peace and friendship his entire life and like the whole dove thing he found it after a long wait. Q: What zodiac sign are they? A: Kagome is a Taurus and Inuyasha is an Aries. Cuz the colors AND the personality traits match up. ---- I love these types of questionnaires, and if anyone has different answers, I'd love to hear them!

[dinoburger]

Excuse me if this is rude but can you give some song recommendations? You shared body company a while ago and I'm interested in what other things you listen to

(P.S. feel free to ignore this if this is weird)

oh not at all, sure I can - I feel the same when I see other artists share music, it's interesting to see what makes people tick, and a lot of my work is inspired by music... although, I end up feeling like I'm not particularly savvy myself and I should try to listen to more and expand my tastes, I like sharing every so often

dark, thumpy electronic stuff gets me a lot, but I listen to whatever

Dr. Mabuse <- mildly obsessed with this since I was a kid, the dark, mysterious energy... big inspiration for my stuff with Silas/Merasmus

Smashing the Opponent, Big Brother, Holding out for a Hero, Lay Down

I probably don't need to mention Mr Kitty but Destroy Me was the song that got me into his music, I thought it was the sexiest thing I'd ever heard at the time hahaha

I was introduced to The Knife's Silent Shout through One Hit, the whole album is good but Marble House stuck with me...

I have a soft spot for silly songs about sex so I must mention E-Rotic, I was a bit obsessed with Murder Me

[RIP=RELEASE] <- I am a vocaloid nerd I'm afraid, this one I've come back to regularly for the last 10 years since I first heard it, this cover just happens to be one of the better ones

Ghost n Pals is pretty well known, especially for Reckless Battery Burns, but the sequel song End World Normopathy grew on me with its crunchy industrial sounds (Scapegoat and Pathological Facade too)

little bit obsessed with MARETU's new song Even Though I Loved You and PINK is one I come back to regularly

not really a secret that I'm a BLACK DRESSES fan - HELL IS REAL and Heaven come to mind, Ada's solo album UGLY DEATH NO REDEMPTION ANGEL CURSE I LOVE YOU is good too

of course STOMACH BOOK's work, lately anarchy!!!

rediscovered Emilie Autumn while working on NGBF - Opheliac and Dead is the New Alive stand out as inspirations

Cut/Clap (obligatory Will Wood, another big inspiration for Silas + Barnabus)

also a fan of Glass Animals, ZABA and How to be a Human Being albums are both really good, Black Mambo and Mama's Gun are my most recent obsessions

Monstrosity is known as a vocaloid composer but I enjoy their non-vocal boss battle themes more? Rikki-Tikki Reverie and Malpractical (side note, Kalkori still remains to be one of the coolest monster designs I've ever seen)

Greenwich in the Sky [remix]

Terrible Ride <- I didn't want to bring this artist up if I could help it but I have to confess, the Queenstons remains an influence

....AAAAAH I THINK THAT'S ENOUGH.

[nightwingshero]

Ship Songs

I was tagged by @simonxriley @aceghosts @baldurrs @marivenah to list 5-10 songs for a ship, thank you lovelies!! I’m definitely going to cheat because I love tag games with music regarding ocs. I go ham on playlists. Thank you so much for the tag!!!

Tagging: @detectivelokis @jinfromyarikawa @playstationmademe @socially-awkward-skeleton @shegetsburned @sstewyhosseini @voidika @direwombat @fadedjacket @vampireninjabunnies-blog @glowwormsmith @inafieldofdaisies and whoever else!!! I really went for their throats and I might have teared up a bit at Anna’s last song tbh. Below the cut because I did...a few ships. (Also this has been sitting in my drafts for weeks, so if you’ve already been tagged--ignore me).

Wren Blake x John Seed (x: two scales balanced)

I’ll Follow You - Shinedown

Just like the tower we never built And the shadow of all the guilt When the other hand was pointed at you Yet the first step is the one you believe in And the second one might be profound

Silvertongue - Young the Giant

Trying to think of a way to get started Stutter, my full train of thought just departed Taste of Mezcal on my breath Let me get this off your chest Open my mind, but the gems falling out Make you lose control

Unholy Confessions - Avenged Sevenfold

"I'll try, " she said as he walked away "Try not to lose you" Two vibrant hearts could change Nothing tears the being more than deception, unmasked fear "I'll be here waiting tested and secure" Nothing hurts my world Just affects the ones around me When sin's deep in my blood You'll be the one to fall

Hold Me Down - Halsey

Selfish, taking what I want and call it mine I'm helpless, clinging to a little bit of spine They rush me, telling me I'm running out of time They shush me, walking me across a fragile line I sold my soul to a three-piece And he told me I was holy He's got me down on both knees But it's the devil that's tryna Hold me down, hold me down Sneaking out the back door, Make no sound Knock me out, knock me out Saying that I want more, this is what I live for

Empty Gold - Halsey   

I, I must confess How hard I tried to breathe Through the trees of loneliness You, you must confess How hard you need to see Through the heart beating out my chest Feel like we've been falling down Like these autumn leaves But baby don't let winter come Don't let our hearts freeze If the morning light don't steal our soul We will walk away from empty gold Dark as midnight sun Smoke as black as charcoal Fills into our fragile lungs 'Cause when our demons come Dancing in the shadows To a game that can't be won

Wren Blake x Eric Northman (x: eternally yours)

Gods & Monsters - Lana Del Rey

In the land of Gods and Monsters I was an angel looking to get fucked hard Like a groupie incognito, posing as a real singer Life imitates art You got that medicine I need Dope, shoot it up, straight to the heart, please I don't really wanna know what's good for me God's dead, I said, "Baby, that's alright with me"

Tear You Apart - She Wants Revenge

Either way he wanted her and this was bad He wanted to do things to her it was making him crazy Now a little crush turned into a like And now he wants to grab her by the hair and tell herI want to hold you close Skin pressed against me tight Lie still, and close your eyes girl So lovely, it feels so rightI want to hold you close Soft breasts, beating heart As I whisper in your ear I want to fucking tear you apart

The Sharpest Lives - My Chemical Romance

There's a place in the dark where the animals go You can take off your skin in the cannibal glow Juliet loves the beat and the lust it commands Drop the dagger and lather the blood on your hands, Romeo I've really been on a bender and it shows So why don't you blow me A kiss before she goes Give me a shot to remember And you can take all the pain away from me Your kiss and I will surrender The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead A light to burn all the empires So bright the sun is ashamed to rise and be In love with all of these vampires So you can leave like the sane, abandon me

THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND - Bad Omens

You're in the walls that I made with crosses and frames Hanging upside down For granted, in vain, I took everything I ever cared about I miss the way you say my name The way you bend, the way you break Your makeup running down your face The way you fuck, the way you taste When the curtains call the time Will we both go home alive? It wasn't hard to realize Love's the death of peace of mind

Siren - Kailee Morgue

There's a bright side To every wrong thing If you're looking at me through the right eyes Darkness in my name Don't you wanna come and play on the cool side Don't be so shy There's a pleasure in hidin' from the sun No, I was never one for pretty weather I'd rather be a creep, baby, follow me into the water I'll take you to the darker This could be perfection A venom drippin' in your mouth Singin' like a siren Love me while your wrists are bound You've been seeing me in your dreams but I'll be there when your reality drowns

Whitney Seed x Joseph Seed (x: far from eden)

Losing My Religion - R.E.M.

Oh life is bigger It's bigger than you And you are not me The lengths that I will go to The distance in your eyes Oh no I've said too much I set it up That's me in the corner That's me in the spot-light Losing my religion Trying to keep up with you And I don't know if I can do it Oh no I've said too much I haven't said enough

Off To The Races - Lana Del Rey

Likes to watch me in the glass room, bathroom, Château Marmont Slippin' on my red dress, puttin' on my makeup Glass room, perfume, cognac, lilac fumes Says it feels like heaven to him Light of his life, fire of his loins Keep me forever, tell me you own me Light of your life, fire of your loins Tell me you own me, gimme them coinsAnd I'm off to the races, cases of Bacardi chasers Chasin' me all over town 'Cause he knows I'm wasted, facin' time again at Rikers Island And I won't get out Because I'm crazy, baby I need you to come here and save me I'm your little scarlet, starlet, singin' in the garden Kiss me on my open mouth

From Eden - Hozier

Babe, there's something wretched about this Something so precious about this Oh what a sin To the strand a picnic plan for you and me A rope in hand for your other man to hang from a tree Honey, you're familiar like my mirror years ago Idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword Innocence died screaming, honey, ask me I should know I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door

Hard Feelings - Lorde

I light all the candles Cut flowers for all my rooms I care for myself the way I used to care about you These days, we kiss and we keep busy The waves come after midnight I call from underwater Why even try to get right? When you've outgrown a lover The whole world knows but you It's time to let go of this endless summer afternoon Hard feelings These are what they call hard feelings of love When the sweet words and fevers all leave us right here in the cold, oh oh Alone with the hard feelings of love God I wish I believed you when you told me this was my home, oh oh Three years, loved you every single day, made me weak, it was real for me, yup, real for me Now I'll fake it every single day 'til I don't need fantasy, 'til I feel you leave But I still remember everything, how we'd drift buying groceries, how you'd dance for me I'll start letting go of little things 'til I'm so far away from you, far away from you, yeah

Talk - Hozier

I'd be the last shred of truth In the lost myth of true love (hey ya) I'd be the sweet feeling of release Mankind now dreams of (hey ya) That's found in the last witness Before the wave hits Marveling at God (hey ya) Before he feels alone One final time And marries the sea Imagine being loved by me I won't deny I've got in my mind now all the things I would do So I'll try to talk refined for fear that you find out how I'm imaginin' you I won't deny I've got in my mind now all the things we could do So I'll try to talk refined for fear that you find out how I'm imaginin' you

Grace Harding x Charles Smith (x: meet me in the woods)

Better Love - Hozier

And I've never loved a darker blue Than the darkness I have known in you, own from you You, whose heart would sing of anarchy You would laugh at meanings, guarantees, so beautifully When our truth is burned from history By those who figured justice in fond memory, witness me Like fire weeping from a cedar tree Know that my love would burn with me We'll live eternally

In the Cold, Cold Night - The White Stripes

I can't stand it any longer I need the fuel to make my fire bright So don't fight it any longer Come to me again in the cold, cold night In the cold, cold night And I know that you feel it too When my skin turns into glue You will know that it's warm inside And you'll come run to me, in the cold, cold night In the cold, cold night In the cold, cold night In the cold, cold night

Wait By The River - Lord Huron

And the stars fill the river As it flows into the sky And the mind leaves the body And floats higher and higher If we can't be together I will leave this world behind If I can't touch your body Can I touch the sky? I will wait by the river I will wait by the river I will wait by the river I will wait by the river

Silence - Marshmello, Khalid

I'm in need of a savior (savior), but I'm not asking for favors My whole life, I've felt like a burden I think too much, and I hate it I'm so used to being in the wrong, I'm tired of caring Loving never gave me a home, so I'll sit here in the silence I found peace in your violence Can't show me, there's no point in trying I'm at one, and I've been quiet for too long I found peace in your violence Can't show me, there's no point in trying I'm at one, and I've been silent for too long

Would That I - Hozier

So in awe there I stood as you Licked off the grain Though I've handled the wood I still worship the flame Long as amber of ember glows All the wood that I'd loved is long ago And it's not tonight (Oh, oh) When I'm set alight (Oh, oh) And I blink inside (Oh, oh) Oh, your blinding light (Oh, oh) Oh, that's not tonight (Oh, oh) When you hold me tight (Oh, oh) All the fire bright (Oh, oh) Oh, let it blaze alright (Oh, oh) Hope you're good to me Hope you're good to me (Oh, oh) Hope that you're good to me Baby (Oh, oh) Oh, oh, you're good to me You're good to me (Oh, oh) Hope that you're good to me, baby (Oh, oh)

Anna Dubois x Arthur Morgan (x: wait by the river)

Until I Found You - Stephen Sanchez, Em Beihold

Heaven When I held you again How could We ever just be friends? I would rather die than let you go Juliet to your Romeo How I heard you say "I would never fall in love again until I found her" I said, "I would never fall unless it's you I fall into" I was lost within thе darkness, but then I found her I found you

Outlaws - Au/Ra

Oh, now that we got blood on our hands No, we'll never hide the contraband No, let me not surrender, if we go down its together I'm gonna make a stand 'Cause we are outlaws, wave your guns facing that forty-fives We are outlaws, know we're there taking our heart to life We got gold in our pockets and this love that we got Its beating in our chests like the wild wild west

Young and Beautiful - Lana Del Rey

I've seen the world, lit it up as my stage now Channeling angels in the new age now Hot summer days, rock and roll The way you'd play for me at your show And all the ways I got to know Your pretty face and electric soul Will you still love me when I'm no longer young and beautiful? Will you still love me when I got nothing but my aching soul? I know you will, I know you will, I know that you will Will you still love me when I'm no longer beautiful? Dear Lord, when I get to Heaven Please let me bring my man When he comes, tell me that you'll let him in Father, tell me if you can All that grace, all that body All that face makes me wanna party He's my sun, he makes me shine like diamonds

It Will Come Back - Hozier

I know who I am when I'm alone I'm something else when I see you You don't understand, you should never know How easy you are to need Don't let me in with no intention to keep me Jesus Christ, don't be kind to me Honey, don't feed me, I will come back It can't be unlearned I've known the warmth of your doorways Through the cold, I'll find my way back to you Oh, please, give me mercy no more That's a kindness you can't afford I warn you, baby, each night, as sure as you're born You'll hear me howling outside your door

Dancing With Your Ghost - Sasha Alex Sloan

I stay up all night Tell myself I'm alright Baby, you're just harder to see than most I put the record on Wait 'til I hear our song Every night I'm dancing with your ghost Every night I'm dancing with your ghost Never got the chance To say a last goodbye I gotta move on But it hurts to try How do I love How do I love again? How do I trust How do I trust again?

Thela x Geralt (x: wolves without teeth)

It’s Been Awhile - Staind

And everything I can't remember As fucked up as it all may seem The consequences that I've rendered I've gone and fucked things up again, again Why must I feel this way? Just make this go away Just one more peaceful day And it's been awhile Since I could look at myself straight And it's been awhile Since I said I'm sorry And it's been awhile Since I've seen the way the candles light your face And it's been awhile But I can still remember just the way you taste

Wolves Without Teeth - Of Monsters and Men

And I run from wolves, ooh Breathing heavily At my feet And I run from wolves, ooh Tearing into me Without teeth I can see through you We are the same It's perfectly strange You run in my veins How can I keep you Inside my lungs I breathe what is yours You breathe what is mine

When the Night is Over - Lord Huron

In every window, I pass Your reflection in the glass Makes me wonder if my mind is going Shadows shifting in the rain Slowly driving me insane By the stars above, I know we were in love I have only 'til the night is over I feel the weather change I hear the river say your name I watch the birds fly by I see an emerald in the sky

Moonsea - PHILDEL

There are diamonds on the floor you can't take back There's an eyelash on the board, does she wear black? (I called it, I called it, I called it) All the violence that I swore you could have back There's red varnish on the door, I don't wear that I called it, I called it I called it the moonsea It is a cruel dream From up so high I can hardly decide If you're waving hello or waving goodbye Here in the moonsea It is a cruel dream Don't share the past, if you won't share your heart All that we share is the view of these stars

Can’t Pretend - Tom Odell

Oh, feel our bodies grow And our souls they play, yeah Yeah love I hope you know How much my heart depends, yeah But I guess that's love I can't pretend I guess that's love I can't pretend, oh, oh But I guess that's love I can't pretend I guess that's love I can't pretend, oh, oh

[lxzlights-treehouse]

Things that make me happy

Forests

Whenever I’m in a forest, I feel at home. There’s something so magical about just being outside, especially when you’re surrounded by tall, strong trees. And if there’s a tiny creek and birds singing little tunes in the treetops, well, it’s paradise.

2. Fuzzy blankets

Fuzzy blankets are so warm! They’re like a big hug. And fuzzy blankets are so soft and wonderful. It’s like wrapping myself in a thin little cloud!

3. Rainy days in the city

I love the rain! I can’t explain it, I just do. I love its dark and gloomy feel, and the way car lights shine in the puddles it leaves. The shinier the better. There’s something especially comforting about being inside while it’s raining. The sound of rainfall is so soothing, and the downpour outside makes me feel safe and grateful for having shelter. I think being in a big city really enhances the experience.

4. Sunny days

So, I really enjoy sunny days too! I love those first rays of sunshine and the overall brightness of the day. It’s an instant mood booster! I love the rays of sunshine that peek through my window in the morning and the way the sun beats down on the sidewalk on my afternoon walk.

5. Squishmallows

Squishmallows are so comforting! I can just snuggle all my little buddies and carry them around with me. They’re so cute! And they make excellent pillows. They’re also really soft and I think they’re literally the best.

6. Autumn

Autumn’s that time of year when we get out the fuzzy socks and sweaters, grab the apple cider, and start getting ready for Halloween. I love seeing little kids trick or treating and hunting for pumpkins in pumpkin patches! Not to mention all the hay rides and Halloween parties! Also, let’s not forget the piles and piles of firey-colored leaves falling from the sky. It’s such a beautiful time of year!

7. Nighttime

Just, nighttime. It’s magic, it’s beautiful, and I love the little rays of moonlight that shine through the trees. I find comfort in the cool night breeze, the chirping of the crickets, and looking up at all the stars in the sky.

8. A good book

I like to snuggle up with a good book and just read. I haven’t found much time for it lately, but when I do have time for it, it’s so awesome! I get completely lost in the story and it’s kind of disappointing when I have to put the book down. It’s a kind of escape for me!

9. Cats

I have 3 little fur babies and they’re all so cute! Their purr is super therapeutic and I love pressing my face into their soft fur. I understand if you don’t like cats, but they make me really happy!

10. Music

There’s nothing like a good beat. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel really motivated and happy when I’m listening to music. It doesn’t really matter what kind of music, as long as I like the lyrics!

[fwoopersongs]

Thoughts on 【长喑 】Part 1/3

This is a response to the lovely @fateandloveentwined’s translation of the Xiao Jingyan fansong 长喑: LONG DARKNESS — CHÁNG ÀN 长喑 TRANSLATION

Fate, thank goodness you so sensibly divided this song into four eight parts (no idea why I thought it was four lolol). It helps to not have it too spread out, because there is always this temptation to ramble about every single detail, isn’t there? xD This way it’s easier to focus on the bigger picture.

// I’m splitting this in three to spread out my writing energy evenly. But also it’s okay right? We’re probably the only ones Like This about this song anyway HAHAAH.

About the title, I wonder if 长喑 can be read as a loud ringing war cry, or else the voice of a singing sword. 喑 is fairly frequently used for sobs, but I have also seen it as the scream of war horses (possibly one of Li Bai’s? I can’t find it again though and am too lazy for a more thorough search haha). Which ties in well with the themes and imagery of war, sorrow for the wronged, fighting back with everything you have, and firmly carrying on in spite of loss.

长剑出鞘冷锋芒 十三载意难忘 缓歌曼舞九重宫 朔风黄沙麾旗扬 手足血脉埋青冢 挚友良弓唯锈藏 岂能折腰屈膝没忠良

Xiao Jingyan being represented as the sheathed sword, that comes out undulled and deadly!!!!! It's such a vibe that I can hear the ringing. Through the past 13 years, that emotion and those feelings haven't been forgotten.

Love that you mention the context of that line from 长恨歌 being carefree and blissful early days! These melodies and dances in '九重宫' elevates the setting to such metaphorical heights. Just putting 九重 in there gives it a majestic, magnificent feeling. The highest peak, the noble palace, their idyllic days of youth, gone in bitterly cold winds blowing on battlefields.

The imagery in 朔风黄沙麾旗扬 | north wind / yellow sands / ensigns billowing, are such common representations for war. (An example from one of Li Shimin's more famous poems recounting the horror and tragedy of war, goes 寒沙连骑迹 朔吹断边声 | across cold sands, the cavalry’s trail; the north gale cuts off sound at the frontier, and afterwards, beginning to describe the victory 扬麾氛雾静 纪石功名立 | billowing standard, hazy fog, they quiet; steles bearing their merits and honors, are erected).

Just. That contrast is SO good!

THIS ‘brothers-in-arms and brothers in blood’ FOR 手足血脉 !!!!!!!!!!

Also, veryyyyy nice rhythm and rhyme in your translation on the third line. The ring of ‘long covered in grass’ versus ‘left only to rust’ is so lovely...

I wonder if the use of 青冢 - the verdant tomb - is deliberate - given previous imagery of the harsh northern winds and the sands. How eye catching, their burial mound rising above. Another imagery-metaphor handshake maybe?

And I couldn’t help but be drawn to the contrast 冷锋芒 cold-razor sharpness of the sword, and 唯锈藏 the rust on the bow, put away to gather dust. (Time to step up and reveal your talent and virtue Xiao Jingyan, for your friend and brother who was murdered, because he outlived his use and became an imagined threat… Yes, I went there with the puns. :P)

Were you thinking of 埋没 as in bury for 没忠良? I kind of read it as both having the loyal, true and good killed, but also forcing those left to bend their knee and submit, suppressing themselves. Can’t think of any way to express both layers, but burying them is definitely more in keeping with the theme of these two verses.

挑灯不眠千军帐 逐千里护家邦 玉壶冰心铁骨铮 扬眉冷看覆风浪 当时少年且横枪 凝尽碧血守四方 守国土河山定国安邦

The first line makes me so soft. So so so soft. In it, I see the fiery passion of Xin Qiji’s 破阵子:

醉里挑灯看剑 梦回吹角连营 Drunkenly, lifted a lamp to gaze upon the sword - dreamed back of when horns were blown throughout the army’s sprawling camp, 八百里分麾下炙 五十弦翻塞外声 meat and wine sent out to the men, singing strings and music played loud, here at the frontier: 沙场秋点兵 The battlefield in Autumn, a mustering of the troops.

I see a quiet, unyielding spirit and infinite care in Lu You’s 病起书怀:

病骨支离纱帽宽 孤臣万里客江干 Ailing bones so gaunt, the gauze hat grows loose; a lone official travels far, a guest by this river. 位卑未敢忘忧国 事定犹须待阖棺 In lowly post, daring not to forget concern for the country; even matters decided must be waited out to their ends. 天地神灵扶庙社 京华父老望和銮 Heaven and Earth, Gods and Deities, help our devout state; all the People hope for the war chariots’ ring. 出师一表通今古 夜半挑灯更细看 Northern Expeditions, the Memorial applies in times ancient, present; the night half-past, I lift a lamp, reading closely.

And you know, maybe the use of 家邦 is to maintain that ending -ang sound with 浪 | làng and 方 | fāng, but it just feels so much homier than 家国 somehow. Do you get that feeling?

挑灯不眠千军帐 逐千里护家邦 feels like someone who is so sincere. Leaders who care, people who care. We can see it in their actions.

In the next line, again with the contrasts - but this time so inspiring???? 玉壶冰心铁骨铮 An unchanging, pure heart cold and clear and untainted as ice. It sounds so sincere but somehow fragile. But no fear! He also has a spine of steel - 铮 like the sound of weapons ready to clash in battle.

OMG 扬眉冷看覆风浪 ‘head high, brows lifted, he coolly looks to the tempestuous, overturning storms’ THIS IS SO JINGYAN I LOVE IT. Just these two lines. It hurts that he is so disappointed. That it sometimes must feel like the corruption is everywhere, and the good must submit and hide or else be eventually ousted. It must taste like ashes… There is a fic I really like that asked in the narration, is there value in 风骨 / conviction? And Xiao Jingyan’s answer is: there is. And that’s just so very him.

I’ll indulge myself for the next bit and just say, I feel like the hint of 赤血长殷 Loyal Blood Runs Forever, the Mei Changsu character song (FAV!!!!) is stronger in this part. Things like: 

且横枪 vs 横长枪 换却离愁 ‘still danced their spears’ vs ‘parting woe traded for leveled spears’

凝尽碧血守四方 vs 倾余生风骨同守 ‘blood of the honourable, thoroughly consecrated, defends the four corners of their homeland’ vs ‘pouring the remainder of our lives and strength into protecting together’

守国土河山定国安邦 vs 守我山河家国依旧 ‘guarding rivers and hills to secure peace of the kingdom’s earth’ vs ‘guarding my kingdom, my home, as before’

They really are very similar people in some ways.

[daintyduck99]

soft romance prompts from ash??? don't mind if i dooooo

shifting glances all around the room, and i can't decide between rulie and sweet tarts (the dirty candi girls could be fun!) so you decide 😄

There's something about the new library assistant that's driving Julie crazy.

He demands attention with the way he moves, as if he's dancing to a song that only he can hear. He definitely has the legs for it, long and shapely in a way that almost makes Julie miss her ex-girlfriend.

Maybe that's why he seems familiar, but her gut tells her that it's not just that.

"I know he's cute, Jules, but you'd better stop ogling him before he catches you."

Julie flushes, burying her face in the book she's supposed to be scouring as a reference for her paper. Flynn coos.

"Aw, I called it! Someone has a crush."

"I do not!" Julie hisses. "I've never even spoken to him. He just reminds me of…something. It's bothering me so much that I can't focus."

"Mm, that's what's bothering you. Not the way he winked at you right before he raked his hand through his hair."

"What?!"

Julie's eyes fly back to him, only for him to catch her gaze, and she squeaks, hurriedly looking anywhere else. Repeatedly. Maybe he'll think she's just trying to figure out what section to look in and she only looked at him accidentally.

She does need another book, besides, so she vanishes into the shelves once the coast appears to be clear, still wishing she could literally become invisible as she searches for her source.

The book she needs taunts her from a high shelf, and of course there aren't any step stools nearby, so she pushes her sleeves up with a sigh, bracing herself before she starts to scale the shelves.

"Need some help?"

She yelps as she slips, but a strong set of arms catches her before she can really fall or stumble too far, anchoring her to a firm chest. She tips her head back to thank her savior, only to find her face inches away from that of the cute library assistant.

His eyes are absolutely lethal up close, glittering green above a field of freckles that dot his flushed cheeks like daisies. Even his smile is bright, a disarmingly charming, crooked thing, and her heart pounds furiously in her throat, both from the proximity and the striking familiarity.

She's seen that smile before. Flynn's words suddenly make a lot more sense.

"You're that bassist," she blurts, wincing at her volume, but he quirks his eyebrows in an amused invitation for her to continue, so she does in a hurried whisper. "For Sunset Curve. I saw you guys at that showcase the Creative Arts Center puts on every Autumn. You're really good."

His cheeks go an even more brilliant shade of pink at the compliment, and it's not just her heart that's racing, she realizes with a start. His is thumping just as hard.

"Thanks." He unfastens his arms from around her waist with a sheepish cough.

He's rubbing the back of his neck when she spins around to look at him properly, and she's about to say something, anything, to keep their conversation from ending on an incredibly awkward note, but he surprises her again.

"You're the girl who sang along to most of the songs we covered. Not that you were the only one, but your voice really carries, and you—you're also really good. Like, to say you sound angelic isn't a stretch. I had you pegged as a performance major."

She giggles, covering her mouth to stifle the sound. She can't help it. It should be cheesy, but he's so earnest. He means it.

"Thank you. I am! I would've guessed that you study music too, but I've never seen you in any of my classes. Music minor?"

He bounces on his toes. "Yup! Piano."

"Me too! I couldn't do piano and vocals as my major focus, so."

"I'm sure you could," he says with a shrug, "but they made you choose one."

She pokes him with a pleased smile.

"You've never even heard me play. You don't even know my name!"

"Okay, well, I'm Reggie, and I'm sure if I ever heard you, it would only prove me right."

"Julie," she breathes, offering him her hand even though it's a little late for that, but he takes it anyway, folding it into his larger one. His calluses rasp against her skin, and she suppresses a shiver. "Hi."

He laughs quietly. "Hi, Julie."

He says her name like he's testing it out. He's still holding her hand as he searches her eyes. She doesn't want him to let go.

It gives her an idea.

"Can I write on you?"

His eyebrows fly back up as he finally releases her hand. He smirks at her.

"I usually get asked the other way around—"

She swats at him, and he laughs a little too loud, but no one comes to reprimand them. She's still trying and failing to fight a smile as he continues.

"But sure, by all means."

She's had a highlighter behind her ear. She must look like an absolute dork, but it comes in handy, now, and, well—she kind of is one. Something tells her he is, too.

She scribbles her number on the back of his hand in purple, along with her name and a little heart. He goes a little pink again when he sees it, and she melts, just a little. There's a hopeless romantic somewhere in there, she's sure of it.

"There. So you can come hear me play. Or ask me out. Either would be good. But I'd expect you to play for me, too. Okay?"

"Yeah," he says slowly, "yeah, that'd be—yeah. I'll call you."

She giggles again, pressing her lips to his cheek before scampering back to her seat, and she can't help it if they keep escaping her every time she catches his eyes.

It's not until Flynn gets filled in and lets out an ear-piercing squeal that they temporarily get booted from the library, though.

[cherry-interlude]

Ranking Lana Del Rey’s covers

NOT the live performances (stage or radio etc.). This is also my opinion, and all subjective.

Cry Me A River

This doesn’t feel like a Lana song - usually Lana cleverly makes covers her own, whereas this takes the instrumental straight from the source and slaps Lana’s voice on top. She is wonderful, of course, but it feels nothing more than a personal experiment.

You’ll Never Walk Alone

Lana pulls this song off well but it just doesn’t feel like her song. It tends to drag and I think it could have benefitted from some extra instrumental. It feels very much like a bare bones cover rather than a passion project (for music, I know she donated to charity with this song) and I rarely listen to it.

Happy Birthday, Mr President

Lana encapsulates Marilyn Monroe beautifully and honours her with a tribute to one of her most memorable moments, but as it was tacked on to National Anthem it loses its power. If it had been a separate release in some way I think it could have shone more.

Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood

I’m not fond of this cover personally but Lana reshapes the track to fit with her voice and Honeymoon, and she does a good job of it.

For Free

It’s a lovely cover, and the other vocalists are wonderful. However, I always skip this song, uninterested by it (a subjective reason rather than objective). Lana does pick a good song for Chemtrails Over the Country Club, and the mixture of voices/female talent is feel-good.

The Good Life

A somewhat dreary yet heartstring-tugging song, The Good Life doesn’t feel complete or particularly strong compared to a lot of her other covers but it’s a decent job and gets me in the feels.

Chelsea Hotel No.2

It’s a slow track, with Lana’s drawling and rich vocals warm to listen to. I don’t tend to listen to this song much more out of personal taste. However, Lana owns this song beautifully and perfectly suits her Ultraviolence era - the moodiness, the seductiveness, the sadness.

Summertime The Gershwin Version

There’s a definite summer feel to this song, an uneasy instrumental with a light touch. It’s gentle and meandering, perfect to imagine a summer’s day to, and it would be great to hear more offbeat (in terms of vibe, not sound) songs like this from Lana.

Once Upon A Dream

This Gothic rendition of the classic Disney song certainly fits the darkened Princess story perfectly. Lana delves into villainous territory, her voice steady and almost warning as she uneasily vocalises and hums. However, I have to want to listen to this song and find the right mood to fit it.

Blue Velvet

Long, drawling and sprawling. Lana reminds of the film of the same name (which the song is heard in) and has the perfect Gothic-retro feel to make this vintage song timeless. I prefer to listen to other songs on The Paradise Edition, but Lana underlines her ability to go to different genres, eras and sounds whilst bringing her own personal touch to make it fresh.

Season of the Witch

This is perfect for Autumn: plucky, strange and bringing to mind a black-gowned witch causing havoc in her sixties neighbourhood. Lana gets the little vocal whispers and retro-feel perfect, and she emulates the right kind of personality for it.

Summer Wine

Lana is innocent, feminine and seductive in this tale of deceit and crime, and she uses all of her country-touched charms to bring the Western thief of the story to life. She matches Barrie James O’Neill’s deep twang perfectly, and they complement each other’s voices naturally. The music is also wonderful, as are her light-hearted vocalisations and her personality bled into it.

You Must Love Me

Lana is tender, raw and honest in this wide-eyed interpretation. There is a hopefulness to Lana’s voice, a gentle desire and a simplicity that lets Lana’s interpretation just enough from the original to bring something different. Lana isn’t the brash, glamorous lush she often acts as in her music (particularly her first few albums), but instead gold-hearted and soft.

Some Things Last a Long Time

This could be a Lana song. It suits her Ultraviolence era prettily, a barren, cold and dead-eyed gloom-song. Lana is subtle, heartbroken, yet strong and clear in her words. It’s a beautiful version, and deserves multiple listens to appreciate this often forgotten pearl.

The Other Woman

Lana takes the perspective of the quietly simmering and sad wife and flips it, pouring melodramatic grief into the character of the other woman who never has the man two women love. It is perfect for Ultraviolence, and the added record-playing effect to the sound sends you to another era entirely. It’s wailing, it’s pained and it’s bitter, easy to bring tears to the eyes.

Doin’ Time

This song sat happily on the charts and it’s easy to see why. It’s easy-going, breezy and certainly Lana’s own in this version. It’s a little bit different to her other music - one of her more bop-ish tracks, with hints of seductiveness, danger and eye-rolling insults. However, the dance-friendly music and the dollop of sunshine that radiates from this summer track is hypnotic.