#he picked him up from his former absolutely terrible life and looks out for him

[hydrachea]

Zhongxiao for the ship ask?

ship opinion bingo

Oh, we're getting into ships I've never talked about! I like that.

I personally don't ship them. Xiao is down so bad but it stops there to me! It's a funky pairing though, my full and enthusiastic support to the shippers.

[nellasbookplanet]

Book recs: black science fiction

As february and black history month nears its end, if you're a reader let's not forget to read and appreciate books by black authors the rest of the year as well! If you're a sci-fi fan like me, perhaps this list can help find some good books to sink your teeth into.

Bleak dystopias, high tech space adventures, alien monsters, alternate dimensions, mash-ups of sci-fi and fantasy - this list features a little bit of everything for genre fiction fans!

For more details on the books, continue under the readmore. Titles marked with * are my personal favorites. And as always, feel free to share your own recs in the notes!

If you want more book recs, check out my masterpost of rec lists!

Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor

Something massive and alien crashes into the ocean off the coast of Nigeria. Three people, a marine biologist, a rapper, and a soldier, find themselves at the center of this presence, attempting to shepherd an alien ambassador as chaos spreads in the city. A strange novel that mixes the supernatural with the alien, shifts between many different POVs, and gives a one of a kind look at a possible first contact.

Nubia: The Awakening (Nubia series) by Omar Epps & Clarence A. Hayes

Young adult. Three teens living in the slums of an enviromentally ravaged New York find that something powerful is awakening within them. They’re all children of refugees of Nubia, a utopian African island nation that sank as the climate worsened, and realize now that their parents have been hiding aspects of their heritage from them. But as they come into their own, someone seeks to use their abilities to his own ends, against their own people.

The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown

Novella. After having failed at establishing a new colony, starship Calypso fights to make it back to Earth. Acting captain Jacklyn Albright is already struggling against the threats of interstellar space and impending starvation when the ship throws her a new danger: something is hiding on the ship, picking off her crew one by one in bloody, gruesome ways. A quick, excellent read if you want some good Alien vibes.

Dawn (Xenogenesis trilogy) by Octavia E. Butler*

After a devestating war leaves humanity on the brink of extinction, survivor Lilith finds herself waking up naked and alone in a strange room. She’s been rescued by the Oankali, who have arrived just in time to save the human race. But there’s a price to survival, and it might be humanity itself. Absolutely fucked up I love it I once had to drop the book mid read to stare at the ceiling and exclaim in horror at what was going on. Includes darker examinations of agency and consent, so enter with caution.

Midnight Robber by Nalo Hopkinson*

Utterly unique in world-building, story, and prose, Midnight Robber follows young Tan-Tan and her father, inhabitants of the Carribean-colonized planet of Toussaint. When her father commits a terrible crime, he’s exiled to a parallel version of the same planet, home to strange aliens and other human exiles. Tan-Tan, not wanting to lose her father, follows with him. Trapped on this new planet, he becomes her worst nightmare. Enter this book with caution, as it contains graphic child sexual abuse.

Rosewater (The Wormwood trilogy) by Tade Thompson

In Nigeria lies Rosewater, a city bordering on a strange, alien biodome. Its motives are unknown, but it’s having an undeniable effect on the surrounding life. Kaaro, former criminal and current psychic agent for the government, is one of the people changed by it. When other psychics like him begin getting killed, Kaaro must take it upon himself to find out the truth about the biodome and its intentions.

Do You Dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh

Young adult. A century ago, an astronomer discovered a possibly Earth-like planet. Now, a team of veteran astronauts and carefully chosen teenagers are preparing to embark on a twenty-three year trip to get there. But space is dangerous, and the team has no one to rely on but each other if - or when - something goes wrong. An introspective slowburn of a story, this focuses more on character work than action.

The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord

After the planet Sadira is left uninhabitable, its few survivors are forced to move to a new world. On Cygnus Beta, they work to rebuild their society alongside their distant relatives of the planet, while trying to preserve what remains of their culture. Focused less on hard science or action, The Best of All Possible Worlds is more about culture, romance and the ethics and practicalities of telepathy.

Mirage (Mirage duology) by Somaiya Daud

Young adult. Eighteen-year-old Amani lives on an isolated moon under the oppressive occupation of the Valthek empire. When Amani is abducted, she finds herself someplace wholly unexpected: the royal palace. As it turns out, she's nearly identical to the half-Valthek, and widely hated, princess Maram, who is in need of a body double. If Amani ever wants to make it back home or see her people freed from oppression, she will have to play her role as princess perfectly. While sci-fi, this one more has the vibe of a fantasy.

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

Life on the lower decks of the generation ship HSS Matilda is hard for Aster, an outcast even among outcasts, trying to survive in a system not dissimilar to the old antebellum South. The ship’s leaders have imposed harsh restrictions on their darker skinned people, using them as an oppressed work force as they travel toward their supposed Promised Land. But as Aster finds a link between the death of the ship’s sovereign and the suicide of her own mother, she realizes there may be a way off the ship.

Where It Rains in Color by Denise Crittendon

The planet Swazembi is a utopia of color and beauty, the most beautiful of all its citizens being the Rare Indigo. Lileala was just named Rare Indigo, but her strict yet pampered life gets upended when her beautiful skin is struck by a mysterious sickness, leaving it covered in scars and scabs. Meanwhile, voices start to whisper in Lileala's mind, bringing to the surface a past long forgotten involving her entire society.

Eacaping Exodus (Escaping Exodus duology) by Nicky Drayden

Seske is the heir to the leader of a clan living inside a gigantic, spacefaring beast, of which they frequently need to catch a new one to reside in as their presence slowly kills the beast from the inside. While I found the ending rushed with regards to plot and character, the worldbuilding is very fresh and the overall plot of survival and class struggle an interesting one. It’s also sapphic!

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah*

In a near future America, inmates on death row or with life sentences in private prisons can choose to participate in death matches for entertainment. If they survive long enough - a rare case indeed - they regain their freedom. Among these prisoners are Loretta Thurwar and Hamara "Hurricane Staxxx" Stacker, partners behind the scenes and close to the deadline of a possible release - if only they can survive for long enough. As the game continues to be stacked against them and protests mount outside, two women fight for love, freedom, and their own humanity. Chain-Gang All-Stars is bleak and unflinching as well as genuinely hopeful in its portrayal of a dark but all to real possible future.

Parable of the Sower (Earthseed duology) by Octavia E. Butler*

In a bleak future, Lauren Olamina lives with her family in a gated community, one of few still safe places in a time of chaos. When her community falls, Lauren is forced on the run. As she makes her way toward possible safety, she picks up a following of other refugees, and sows the seeds of a new ideology which may one day be the saviour of mankind. Very bleak and scarily realistic, Parable of the Sower will make you both fear for mankind and regain your hope for humanity.

Binti (Binti trilogy) by Nnedi Okorafor

Young adult novella. Binti is the first of the Himba people to be accepted into the prestigious Oomza University, the finest place of higher learning in all the galaxy. But as she embarks on her interstellar journey, the unthinkable happens: her ship is attacked by the terrifying Meduse, an alien race at war with Oomza University.

War Girls (War Girls duology) by Tochi Onyebuchi

In an enviromentally fraught future, the Nigerian civil war has flared back up, utilizing cybernetics and mechs to enhance its soldiers. Two sisters, by bond if not by blood, are separated and end up on differing sides of the struggle. Brutal and dark, with themes of dehumanization of soldiers through cybernetics that turn them into weapons, and the effect and trauma this has on them.

The Space Between Worlds (The Space Between Worlds duology) by Micaiah Johnson

Multiverse travel is finally possible, but there’s a catch: No one can visit a world where their counterpart is still alive. Enter Cara, whose parallel selves happen to be exceptionally good at dying. As such she has a very special job in traveling to these worlds, hoping to keep her position long enough to gain citizenship in the walled-off Wiley City, away from the wastes where she grew up. But her job is dangerous, especially when she gets on the tracks of a secret that threatens the entire multiverse. Really cool worldbuilding and characters, also featuring a sapphic lead!

The Fifth Season (The Broken Eart trilogy) by N.K. Jemisin*

In a world regularly torn apart by natural disasters, a big one finally strikes and society as we know it falls, leaving people floundering to survive in a post apocalyptic world, its secrets and past to be slowly revealed. We get to follow a mother as she races through this world to find and save her missing daughter. While mostly fantasy in genre, this series does have some sci-fi flavor, and is genuinely some of the best books I've ever read, please read them.

The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings*

In an alternate version of our present, the witch hunt never ended. Women are constantly watched and expected to marry young so their husbands can keep an eye on them. When she was fourteen, Josephine's mother disappeared, leveling suspicions at both mother and daughter of possible witchcraft. Now, nearly a decade and a half later, Jo, in trying to finally accept her missing mother as dead, decides to follow up on a set of seemingly nonsensical instructions left in her will. Features a bisexual lead!

The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden

South African-set scifi featuring gods ancient and new, robots finding sentience, dik-diks, and a gay teen with mind control abilities. An ancient goddess seeks to return to her true power no matter how many humans she has to sacrifice to get there. A little bit all over the place but very creative and fresh.

The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson*

Young adult. Young artist June Costa lives in Palmares Tres, a beautiful, matriarchal city relying heavily on tradition, one of which is the Summer King. The most recent Summer King is Enki, a bold boy and fellow artist. With him at her side, June seeks to finally find fame and recognition through her art, breaking through the generational divide of her home. But growing close to Enki is dangerous, because he, like all Summer Kings, is destined to die.

The Blood Trials (The Blood Gifted duology) by N.E. Davenport

After Ikenna's grandfather is assasinated, she is convinced that only a member of the Praetorian guard, elite soldiers, could’ve killed him. Seeking to uncover his killer, Ikenna enrolls in a dangerous trial to join the Praetorians which only a quarter of applicants survive. For Ikenna, the stakes are even higher, as she's hiding forbidden blood magic which could cost her her life. Mix of fantasy and sci-fi. While I didn’t super vibe with this one, I suspect fans of action packed romantasy will enjoy it.

Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany

1960s classic. Rydra Wong is a space captain, linguist and poet who is set on learning to understand Babel-17, a language which is humanity's only clue at the enemy in an interstaller war. But Babel-17 is more than just a language, and studying it may change Rydra forever.

Pet (Pet duology) by Akwaeke Emezi

Young adult novella. Jam lives in a utopian future that has been freed of monsters and the systems which created and upheld them. But then she meets Pet, a dangerous creature claiming to be hunting a monster still among them, prepared to stop at nothing to find them. While I personally found the word-building in Pet lacking, it deftly handles dark subjects of what makes a human a monster.

Bonus AKA I haven’t read these yet but they seem really cool

Lion's Blood by Steven Barnes

Alternate history in which Africans colonized South America while vikings colonized the North. The vikings sell abducted Celts and Franks as slaves to the South, one of which is eleven-years-old Irish boy Aidan O'Dere, who was just bought by a Southern plantation owner.

The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow

Young adult dystopia. Ellie lives in a future where humanity is under the control of the alien Ilori. All art is forbidden, but Ellie keeps a secret library; when one of her books disappears, she fears discovery and execution. M0Rr1S, born in a lab and raised to be emotionless, finds her library, and though he should deliver her for execution, he finds himself obsessed with human music. Together the two embark on a roadtrip which may save humanity.

Womb City by Tlotlo Tsamaase

Lelah lives in future Botswana, but despite money and fame she finds herself in an unhappy marriage, her body controlled via microchip by her husband. After burying the body of an accidental hit and run, Lelah's life gets worse when the ghost of her victim returns to enact bloody vengeance.

Orleans by Sherri L. Smith

Young adult. Fen de la Guerre, living in a quarantined Gulf Coast left devestated by storms and sickness, is forced on the run with a newborn after her tribe is attacked. Hoping to get the child to safety, Fen seeks to get to the other side of the wall, she teams up with a scientist from the outside the quarantine zone.

Everfair by Nisi Shawl

A neo-victorian alternate history, in which a part of Congo was kept safe from colonisation, becoming Everfair, a safe haven for both the people of Congo and former slaves returning from America. Here they must struggle to keep this home safe for them all.

The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa

Space opera. Enitan just wants to live a quiet life in the aftermath of a failed war of conquest, but when her lover is killed and her sister kidnapped, she's forced to leave her plans behind to save her sister.

Honorary mentions AKA these didn't really work for me but maybe you guys will like them: The City We Became (Great Cities duology) by N.K. Jemisin, The Lesson by Cadwell Turnbull, The A.I. Who Loved Me by Alyssa Cole

[kaciidubs]

Walking in on Roommate! Chan | Pt. 2

❣ Summary: A lot can change in a month, but was it truly a change, or simply a realization? ❣  ❣ Word Count: 7.41k ❣ Warnings: Non!Idol AU, Roommate! Chris, fluff, smut, slice of life, slight humor, friends to lovers, slight! dom Chris, Dom/Sub dynamics, smut with feelings, sir/daddy kink ❣  ❣ Female! Reader [No use of Y/N] | You/Your pronouns ❣  ❣ Additional Tags: Chan is referred to as Chris, Channie, Baby, Sir, and Daddy, Reader is referred to as Baby, Good/Pretty Girl, and Princess, lightly edited ❣ Stray Kids Masterlist ❣ General Masterlist ❣ Pt. 1

It had been a month since the incident, and though you thought things had gone unchanged between you and Chris, your reality couldn't have been more wrong.

You seemed to linger more on every interaction with him, your brain working double time to process things he'd say or do as of they had a deeper meaning behind them - which they didn't.

He always left you little notes whenever he'd go out with Changbin for an early gym session, so why were you smiling at the hastily written messages and cutely drawn dragon-worm signature?

He always texted you on your break at work to remind you of any plans he made, so why did your heart flutter every time his contact popped up?

He always made sure your favorite snacks were in the pantry, and if you were running out he'd stock them up before you had the chance to add them on your grocery list, so why did you swoon every time your favorite bag of chips was sat on the kitchen counter?

There was no way your world flipped itself upside down over one incident, absolutely no way...

Unless.

"I'm screwed." You groaned woefully, dropping your head to the table in front of you.

Jeongin laughed, taking a piece of meat from your plate, "I told you to stop laughing at that guy's terrible jokes, now look at you!"

"What?"

"Jongsoo, the coworker you kept saying was trying to flirt with you but couldn't catch a hint?" Felix mused, tilting his head slightly, "Isn't that what we're here to talk about? 'Level three red alert', and all?"

"What? No, no," sitting up, you leveled him with a soft stare, "if this was about him, I would've picked a bar - he doesn't deserve the glory of being talked about over barbecue."

"Okay, so why are we here?" Minho huffed as he flipped a strip of beef on the tabletop grill, "Actually, better question, why am I here? Last I checked I never signed up to this whole 'red alert' code talk."

"Hyung, the last time we shared tea that you didn't know about, you ignored me and Felix for a week for 'leaving you out'." Jeongin spoke pointedly, recalling the way he practically cursed them out for 'disrespecting your elders'.

The former groaned, rolling his eyes, "Why didn't you just say you needed to shit talk someone?! Why are we speaking in code?"

"Because one of our friends has a big mouth, the other one forgets a secret is a secret the second you finish talking to him, another one likes sharing gossip online through subs and secret callout posts, one couldn't even buy a fuck to give about any gossip, and the final one... he's not allowed, he knows too much as it is already." You listed simply before taking a sip of your drink, "The group we have right now is formed out of the strongest tea holders, understand?"

"Anyways," Felix snapped you back into business, "what's happening? Why are you screwed?"

Steeling your nerves, you mentally prepared yourself for the word that were about to come out of your mouth.

"I might have a crush on someone..."

"I knew it." Minho announced smugly, taking another piece of perfectly cooked beef from the grill top.

"What?! There's no way you knew anything about this, Hyung!" Jeongin argued, sitting up in his seat next to you, "You don't even like people! How are you suddenly an insider?"

"Look at her!" He pointed the tongs in your direction, to which you tilted your head in confusion, "The past few days she's been watching her phone like a hawk whenever we all go out, she's been way too happy, and she spaces out more than usual-"

"Okay, that part could just be because of Lix's pot brownies!"

"Hey, hey, hey - ex-nay on the pot brownies-ay, okay? The whole world doesn't need to know - I only do it cause people ask me to!" The blond gritted out, pointing his fork in the direction of the youngest as a threat.

"Yeah, sure, next you're gonna say you only model for Hyunjin because he 'asks you to'."

"You little-"

"Hey!" The eldest of the boys snapped the tongs three times, effectively quieting them, "Shut up! We're here to get information, not talk about Felix's entrepreneur business, got it?" He pointed the utensil toward you yet again, "Talk. Now."

"Well- Uh... I don't know, it's not like I wanted it to happen, I was completely fine as friends with this person but then..." Shrugging your shoulders, you felt the events of the past month play back in your head, "I guess things just changed one day? Like, suddenly I could see them in this new light and now every time he does something so stupidly normal I find myself wanting to kiss him until I can't breathe."

"Ugh, that's both disgusting and cute - why did we have to talk about this over barbecue?" Jeongin whined before stuffing his face with a lettuce wrap. "Whosh th' lucky guy?"

"You really think I'm gonna reveal-"

"I swear to god, please don't say it's your coworker," Felix pouted, looking at you with pleading eyes, "you can do so much better than him - you don't have to do the charity work, I promise you."

"Lee Felix-"

"I know your heart's in the right place, but you don't have to cater to him, please."

"Would you please-"

"40 bucks says it's Chan." Minho hummed through a bite of his bulgogi.

The youngest nearly choked on his drink, swallowing a hefty gulp before coughing, "That's such a bad take! Chan Hyung? The man with negative rizz? The man who stays up long enough to say good night and good morning?"

"You say that like it's impossible!" The freckled blond argued, "It happens all the time in sitcoms!"

"Lix, please, I'd rather you not compare my life to a sitcom, I have enough happening for two seasons and a reunion episode as it is." You groaned, dropping your head in your hands with a sigh, "Can we just move on from the confession and talk about the movie night? I don't think my brain can handle the topic of my non-existent love life much longer."

Through a silent agreement, Minho ordered another round of food and the four of you continued onto much lighter - yet somehow more argument filled, conversation.

The coveted movie night was a monthly event that originally started with you and your friends, using the time Chris would be working late to have a movie marathon loaded with snacks, drinks, and cozy pajamas. It wasn't until Changbin caught word of the activity that the small gathering turned into a merged group affair; it was even enough to convince Chris to take time off to join in on the fun.

In the whirlwind of work and the existential crisis of realizing your crush, you'd completely forgotten that the event would be taking place tonight.

Funny, how fast time flies when your world is in shambles.

"Alright, that's all the blankets and pillows from the closet." Chris huffed, stepping back with his hands on his hips as he admired his handiwork; the large couch draped with various blankets and piled high with pillows that were sure to be rearranged in less than a minute of everyone's arrival.

You snuck a glance from your spot in the kitchen, a soft smile growing from his look of personal accomplishment. "Looks great, hopefully we won't have Han and Hyunjin fighting over who gets what pillow again."

He snorted out a laugh, heading over to you, "You think so? Those two could fight over who gets the last chip with an unopened bag right next to them - it's happened before!" Leaning his hip against the island, his eyes glanced over the various snacks covering the surface, "D'you need me to help with anything?"

"Um- Yeah, actually, can you get me the bowls from the cabinet? We can open the chips now, it's almost time for everyone to show up." You turned to look at the stove's clock; 7:33 PM, a little less than half an hour until your shared apartment would be filled with a sea of people.

Chris hummed, pushing himself away from the countertop, and you found your eyes drawn to his frame; a black tank top - sleeveless by his own doing - showing off the subtle build of his biceps, and a matching pair of black shorts you'd seen time and time again.

It was his staple look, simple, perfectly cozy for the impending activities, yet somehow you still felt your heartbeat racing the longer you stared.

Yes, you knew he was attractive, your friends gawked about it for weeks since you first moved in with him, but when was he this attractive?

"The big bowls, yeah?"

Snapping yourself out of your stupor, you nodded, even with his back still turned to you. "Mhm, those are perfect!"

You were in, deep.

You turned your attention back to preparing the chips, opening a bag and sneaking one of the plain potato chips when you felt a hand at the small of your back - the stack of bowls sliding onto the counter a second later.

"Here you go."

This was normal, it was normal for him and his affinity for physical touch, but you still felt a rush of electricity shoot up your spine from his touch - your body freezing as you registered just how close he was behind you.

"Ah- Thanks, Channie!"

Normal. So very, very normal.

"You need anything else?"

Lifting your gaze from the snacks in front of you, your eyes immediately found his; warm and kind, a shade of brown you caught yourself daydreaming of time and time again - distracting enough for you not to realize the mere inches between your faces.

He smelled like mahogany and lavender, a faint musk of the cologne he always wore tinted with your laundry detergent he claimed made his clothes feel softer.

"I, um..." His stare was hypnotizing, sending every productive thought in your brain out the window, "I-"

The sound of the doorbell snapped you out of your reverie, but you could've sworn you saw a hint of sadness in his eyes as he stepped back.

"That might be Han, he said he'd be coming a bit earlier."

"Yeah, no, that's fine - can you finish opening these when you get back? I'm gonna go get changed."

Chris hummed out a short "Yeah" before heading toward the front door, leaving you to collect yourself amongst the colorful serving bowls.

This was going to be a long night.

It wasn't long before everyone showed up; comfort clothes on and ready for the night's movie queue and rounds of snacks.

The seating arrangements remained in their usual layout with the mix of your friends between the couch or the floor, while you somehow always found yourself tucked between Chris and and the corner of the couch - arguably, the best part of any couch in your opinion.

This time, however, the arrangement was met with knowing side eye glances from your half of the friend group, a few of your girls sharing barely hidden smirks and whispers.

Before you could throw a pillow as a warning sign, a blanket of polyester blocked your vision and filled your nose with an all too familiar scent.

"Here," Chris hummed softly, rounding the edge of the couch to take his place next to you, "in case you get cold."

"Aw, you thought of me?" You teased, nudging his shoulder with yours as you unfolded his blanket and draped it across your legs.

"I always think of you."

His words made you freeze, your heart stuck in a limbo of floating to your throat or falling to the pit of your stomach while he carried on with the rest of the group.

I always think of you.

Always.

The revelation had the gears in your head working double time, the events of the past month playing like a movie in your mind - akin to the one currently starting on the TV in front of you.

He always thought of you, his caring nature shown in so many ways besides the ones you grew used to while living under the same roof; if you were running late coming home, you'd always have a text making sure you were safe - or, when you had important dates in your schedule, he'd be the one to remind you when they were a few days away.

Chris always did little things to show that you were on his mind, he always made it clear that you were important to him, that he cared about you as much as he did his friends.

But maybe... Maybe there was more behind it.

Your fingers glided along the blanket covering your lap, the fabric soft and welcoming like the hug of a close friend.

I always think of you.

It was like the three movies passed in the span of seconds, some of your shared friends tapping out after the second film, while the stragglers and self proclaimed cleanup crew stuck around to take in a cheesy family comedy of a man taking his family on a wild vacation.

"Min, you don't have to do that, you know," you chastized the black haired man as he washed the empty chip bowls, "I would've gotten to it in the morning!"

He scoffed out a chuckle, throwing you a knowing side eye, "Yeah, says the person who told me how much she hates the dishes with a passion stronger than Han's coffee addiction."

Deciding to protect your pride - knowing full and well he was completely correct - you wandered back into the living room where Felix and Jisung were folding one of the blankets, while Jeongin rearranged the pillows and Changbin gathered any missed trash lying around.

Felix shot you a sleepy smile, nodding his head toward the stack of folded blankets, "D'you want us to put these back in the closet?"

"No, you guys have done more than enough, seriously! I'll put them away, don't worry."

"What about this one?" Jisung held up the navy blanket you were using, Chris' navy blanket. "Want it folded? Are you still using it?"

"It's actually Chris's, I'll give it back to him."

Said man slipped away to his bedroom in the middle of the third movie, mentioning something about double checking some files for work before wishing you all a good night.

Humming in acceptance, the remaining boys gathered their belongings and headed toward the door, giving each of them a hug and making them swear to text when they each made it home safely.

Minho gave you a soft smile, though a certain glint in his eyes raised warning sign in your head, "Have a good night." He hummed with an air of mischief, slipping through the door before you had even a second to question him.

Frowning at the wood, you clicked the lock into place before gathering everything you needed to close off the living room for the night; tucking the navy blanket under your arm while balancing the other blankets in your hand. You stuffed them back into their bin in the hallway closet with ease, sliding the door shut and making your way toward your last stop of the night.

The sound of your knuckles against the door echoed through the empty hall, "Channie, you up?"

"Yeah, you can come in!"

Turning the knob, you were bathed in a soft purple light from his LED's, walking into the cozy atmosphere to see him laying on his bed with his phone in hand, "Hi."

He smiled, dropping his phone to the side as he sat up, "Hey, you - is everyone gone?"

"Yep, they helped clean up as usual, I'm just here to return this," you held up the blanket, stopping just short of the side of his bed, "thanks for letting me borrow it."

"You know, you can keep using it if you want, it's not like I won't know where it is."

Rolling your eyes, you held it out to him, "Chris, you and I both know I don't need anymore blankets in my room."

"What if you get cold?" He grinned, challenging you with glittering eyes.

"Then I'll use one of my blankets!" You laughed at his cheekiness, tossing the blanket in his direction just for him to catch it before it covered his face.

The room filled with your combined giggles, warmth settling over you as you watched him unceremoniously ball the blanket up and toss it toward his computer chair.

Just as you were about to announce your leave, your mind seemed to have a mission of its own the minute you opened your mouth.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, always - what's up?"

Always - god, was he trying to drive you crazy on purpose?

You needed clarity, something to confirm that you were seeing things that weren't truly there - making a purpose out of words that were simply meant from one roommate to another, one best friend to another.

"So... About what you said in the living room, when you said you always think of me..." You dropped your gaze from his, your fingers suddenly becoming the most interesting thing to you, "Did... Did you mean it?"

"Of course I meant it, you're one of my best friends - I think about you all the time!" The smile he gave you was genuine, warm, filled with so much truth that it made your heart skip a beat.

Steeling your nerves, you looked up at him with a firm stare, "All the time?"

"Yes...? I mean, I think about other people and things too, but for the most part you've always been there... Why are you asking-"

"Did you think about me last month?"

His smile faltered, eyebrows furrowing as he searched your face for a hint of an answer. "What are you talking about?"

"Chris, did you think about me last month - when I walked into your room and I saw you-" Taking a sharp breath, you calming yourself before looking at him with pleading eyes, "Did you think of me?"

The silence was thick, the sound of your own heart filling your ears - you were certain it would beat right out of your chest and run out of the room to save you from this conversation.

"Would..." He cleared his throat, dropping his head as he picked at the sheets underneath him, "Would it be weird if I said yes?"

Your stomach flipped, your knees threatening to buckle and send you straight to the floor but you stood strong. "Would it be weird if I said I wanted you to?"

His head snapped back up and he stared at you with a look crossed between shock and awe, "Are you serious?"

"Honestly, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you." The confession took you by storm, though you couldn't find it in yourself to stop talking, "And it's not just from that night - well, some of it is, but since then it's like... enhanced? Like, every little thing you do just lingers and sometimes I think I'm just going crazy because it's not like you've done anything new - it's just you, yet my heart feels like it'll explode after every text you send, or whenever we're in the same room, and I-"

The sound of your name from his lips stopped your panicked ramble, though the look he gave you did little to calm your racing heart.

"Come here."

Offering his hand, you cautiously accepted it and let him guide you onto his bed, straddling his lap at his instance while trying not to completely evaporate from the close proximity.

"Honestly, this isn't how I thought I'd end up confessing, but I guess there's a lot about us that isn't traditional," he chuckled to himself, his hands naturally finding their home on your hips, just below the waistband of your pajama shorts. "First, I want you to know that I think about you no matter what - you're always somewhere in my mind and at first I thought it was because you're my roommate, someone I care about just like everyone else in my life. But, recently things have been changing and I..." Taking a deep breath, his eyes found yours, a firm, yet comforting gaze holding you captive in those brown irises, "I have feelings for you- I like you, more than just a roommate or a best friend, and I didn't want to ruin things between us if you didn't feel the same w-"

You cut him off with your lips against his, swallowing the rest of his sentence with a small hum of delight - soft with a hint of cherry chapstick.

He melted almost immediately, tugging you closer as a hand slid up your back to keep you pressed against his body - almost as if he allowed anymore space between you, you'd somehow disappear into his dreams.

When you went to pull away, he followed like a desperate puppy and you had to fight the urge to laugh at him, placing your hand on his chest to keep him from coming any closer. "Just so you know, that kiss means I definitely feel the same way."

Chris huffed out a giggle, narrowing his eyes playfully, "No, really? I would've never guessed!"

"Well, I know for a fact you also feel the same way." The lilt in your voice was teasing, making a show of rolling your hips against the mass that was quickly making itself known between your legs.

Biting his lip, he leveled you with a firm gaze, daring, "Don't start something you can't finish, baby."

The pet name made your heart flutter, and you tilted your head up in defiance, "What makes you think I don't wanna finish it, hm?" Grinding your hips yet again, you were able to work out a low groan from those wonderfully kissable lips, "I can finish it, Channie, just show me how."

Before you knew it, he had you wrapped up in another mind melting kiss that had you letting out a shivering moan against his mouth as you tried matching his ferocity.

"You," he panted, nipping your bottom lip, "are gonna be the death of me, you little minx."

He kissed his way down your jaw and neck, sucking and nipping at the sensitive spots he miraculously had no trouble in finding, leaving you wondering how much he truly knew about you to discover this information.

However, all of your critical thinking skills flew out the window when he sucked at a spot just underneath your jaw, turning you into a whining mess that only craved him and him alone.

Tilting your head to the side to grant him more room, you simultaneously tugged at his shirt - almost offended that he decided tonight of all nights to wear one in the privacy of his own room.

"Off, Chris."

He pulled himself away from the paradise that was your skin, gazing at you with simmering eyes, "Say please?"

Pouting, you pulled at the offending cotton once more, "Chris-"

His hands immediately found your wrists, tugging them gently behind your back as he tilted his head, fixing you with a tsk of disapproval. "Use your manners, princess, you know how this goes."

Your body temperature spiked, flashes of him saying the same fated words as a tease just to get you to beg for him before he inevitably gave you what you wanted, playing back like a film reel.

You know how this goes.

Swallowing down the demand threatening to bubble up, you relaxed in his hold and softened your undoubtedly needy gaze, "Please, Chris? Can you take your shirt off, for me?"

The smirk that stretched his lips had your stomach doing flips, the mere glimpse of the cocky energy he had inside of him making your mouth water and your pussy flutter with need.

"That's my girl."

He let go of your wrists to hike the hem of his shirt into his hands, before tugging it up and off with the coveted crossed-arm maneuver that he never failed to use as his prized flirting trick - and, god, was it a good trick.

Despite having seen him shirtless countless times, seeing him shirtless up close had your brain melting.

"Remind me to thank Changbin for keeping you in check with his gym routine."

"As much as I appreciate the compliment, could we maybe not talk about our other friends while I have you in my lap?"

Barely holding back your laughter, you nodded and slipped your own pajama shirt off in one go as a peace offering, tossing it to the floor where his currently laid. "Yes, sir - won't happen again." When he went rigid underneath you, you arched an eyebrow, "Oh? We have a sir kink, do we?"

Before you could tease him any further, he surged forward and caught your lips in a feverish kiss, passion fueled and determined as his warm hands found the new, uncharted territory of your back.

"You're playing with fire, princess." His tone was firm, laced with warning as he nipped at your plump bottom lip, "You really think you can handle it?"

The tantalizing threat of a challenge had your heart skipping a beat; you'd seen him get into one of these moods before, asking an open ended question that he already know the answer to, and playing that game now held too many promising rewards in the end.

Preparing yourself for the next words coming out of your mouth, you gave him an innocent smile, "I know I can handle it, sir."

That was the straw that broke the camel's back, graciously earning you the split second of weightlessness before you were pinned on your back with every sense of yours surrounded by Chris; the feeling of his soft, cool sheets against your back, the smell of him ingrained into the cotton threading, and the heart stopping sight of him hovering above you bathed in that soft purple glow.

"Tell me you want this." His eyes locked onto your own, brown irises filled with caution and hope, "If you want me to stop, I'll stop, and we can pretend we never let it get this far, I promise."

"I want this- God, I need this, I need you, Chris - keep going, please."

With your consent given, his fingers danced up your thighs and over the cotton shorts you wore - a matching set to the shirt that was long forgotten - before dipping past the elastic waistband to drag them back down the expanse of your thighs.

They were unceremoniously tossed to the ground with the ever growing pile of clothes, and when he turned to give your panties the same, eventual treatment, his jaw nearly dislocated from the rate it dropped at; a bright blush turning his ears and neck red.

"Holy shit- I-I mean, fuck- Please... Please tell me you planned this"

You were now laid in his bed fully nude, which meant you weren't wearing panties for as long as the movie night went on, and that thought alone had his dick painfully straining against his own shorts.

Shaking your head, you timidly knocked your knees together, bristling at the exposure of cold air against your pussy, "I, um... I really wish I could say I planned it, but I didn't." Blinking up at the ceiling, a sheepish laugh shook your shoulders, "It's more comfortable sleeping without them, you know?"

Of course, you knew he knew from a few fated encounters with him early in the mornings, courtesy of wandering eyes and a not-so-small situation he tried keeping tucked away - it seemed that between the two of you, underwear was a foreign concept in the privacy of your shared apartment.

Chris groaned, a low, aching sound that begged for mercy to be taken on him, "You're absolutely going to be the death of me, there's no way you're real right now - this has to be a dream." Resting his hands on your knees, he silently waited for your hum of permission before pulling them apart, following the angle of your thighs down to catch his first glimpse of your pussy. "Fuck, if this is a dream, please don't wake me up."

"Chris."

Your insistent whine didn't fall on deaf ears as he wasted no time in scooting down his bed and ducking his head between your legs; plump lips peppering wet kisses along your soft skin, from the inside of your knee down to the highest point of your inner thigh, before skipping entirely over your cunt to repeat the process to your other leg.

Each caress of his lips sent chills up your spine, sparks of electricity shooting through your nerves and powering the growing desire within the pit of your stomach. Thankfully, you wouldn't have to suffer much longer as his second trip down ended with the warm sensation of his tongue swiping through your lower lips with a careful curiosity.

A sound crossed between a sigh and a moan floated through him before his hands squeezed the flesh of your thighs and he all but dove his head toward your pussy; lapping messily at the arousal dripping from you while aiming to explore your fluttering walls.

"Oh, shit-" Hands flying to his hair, you gripped at the roots as shock tinted pleasure shot through you, "Oh my god, Chris- Oh, god!"

The only sounds coming from him were muffled moans and lewd slurps, the only instances of his mouth leaving your pussy being him shifting his head up to focus his devilish tongue along your clit, and him pulling away for mere seconds of air before getting back to work.

He was eating you out like a man starved, and all you could do was lay there and take it with wanton moans and whines of his name.

"Chris, baby," you panted breathlessly, fingers tugging at his roots in hopes of gaining his attention, "baby, w-wait-" Pulling a bit harder, you were met with a groan of pleasure, sending your back into a small arch as the vibrations flowed through you.

With a small gasp of air, he pulled away just enough for you to catch the shine of your arousal coating the tip of his nose and lips, pupils blown with a fog of desire that made your mouth run dry.

"What's wrong? Did I hurt you? D'you wanna stop?"

"No, no, you're amazing - if we stopped now I might actually die," giving him a reassuring smile, you brushed a few strands of hair away from his forehead, "but as wonderful as your tongue is, I'd rather come on your dick first."

"Fuck." Pressing a kiss to your inner thigh, he sat up with a groan, "We're going to have to do something about that mouth of yours."

Blinking up at him with faux innocent eyes, you tilted your head, "I'm just telling the truth, sir."

He smirked at the pout set on your lips, leaning over you to nip gently at the flesh, "That's fine, I just wonder what else it can do." Sweeping you into a feather light kiss, he murmured softly, "You'll show me later, though, won't you, princess?"

Your pussy fluttered, clenching around nothing as you nodded without hesitation - only focused on getting those pretty lips, tinted with the taste of your arousal, back on your own.

"Good girl."

Chris pulled back, laughing at your whine of disdain while his hands got to work sliding down his black shorts with ease, shifting to get them fully off and added as the final item to the pile on the floor.

In the midst of all of his moving, you were able to catch a glimpse of just exactly what he was packing and your jaw dropped - the accidental peek you'd seen a month ago barely comparing to the full on staring contest you were having now.

He was big, bigger than most you'd had before in almost every way, and you nearly began to consider if it would even fit; your gaze trailing up the slight curve it held, mouth watering at a prominent vein running along the side.

"I'll go slow."

Your gaze snapped back up to meet his own, the previously cocky aura he held now warm and comforting, and your - admittedly needless - worries subsided.

"And I meant what I said earlier," reaching over to his nightstand, he pulled open a small drawer to take out a small, obvious box, "if you want me to stop, just say so."

Leaning up on your elbows, you watched as he pulled out a foil packet, "Do you know about safewords?"

"Yeah," bringing his full attention back to you, he tilted his head, "d'you have one?"

"Pear, for a hard stop, or the light system if it's easier for you to work with."

Scoffing out a laugh, he shook his head, "Whichever works for you, baby - I'll remember."

As you laid yourself back onto his bed, he made work of ripping open the condom packet, taking out the rubber and sliding it on with careful, yet experienced ease.

"Y'know, I never thought someone could look hot while putting on a condom, but I don't mind being proven wrong." When he ducked his head in embarrassment, a familiar sheepish blush beginning to turn his ears red, you giggled at your small achievement.

"It's our first time together, I didn't want to just assume that... you know." Growing past his shyness, Chris settled himself between your legs once more, one hand holding the back of your knee while the other wrapped around the base of his cock - a shiver of brief relief running down his spine. "Ready?"

Taking a deep breath, you nodded, "Ready."

Dropping his gaze, he leaned forward to press the covered head of his dick against your glistening entrance, biting his lip at the warmth emanating through before pushing onward - working the tip past your walls slowly.

The increasing stretch had a low moan escaping you, each inch introducing a new wave of pain tinted pleasure that shot from the top of your head to your toes. "Fuck, Chris."

He wasn't faring any better on his end, the lack of attention given to his dick since you first sat in his lap had him beyond sensitive and holding fast to his promise like a lifeline - go slow, go slow.

"Relax for me, baby," he gritted out, shivering as your walls clenched around the half of his length he managed to sink in, "just a little more, okay? Just need you to let me in."

"'M trying - you're so big." You couldn't find yourself to care about the desperate whine that took your voice, not when you were being deliciously filled with more to come.

Abandoning his hold on your thigh, he licked the pad of his thumb before bringing it to your clit, rubbing gentle circles in hopes of helping you relax further - and it worked. He was able to slowly sheath the rest of his dick inside of you, breathing a sigh of relief, while you shivered underneath him, canting your hips against the consistent flicks of his thumb against your sensitive nub.

"M-Move- Oh god, please move, Channie."

"Are you sure you're ready for that? I can wait-"

"Channie," looking up at him, you tried your best to give him a firm stare through the mind fogging lust, "I need you to fuck me; the color's green, it's so green, I promise - please, just fuck me already!"

He took his thumb off of your clit in favor of holding onto your hip instead, hovering over your body and keeping himself balanced with his left hand.

Licking his lips, his eyes searched your face for any signs of doubt, but he was simply met with desire and need. "Okay, only because you said please."

A smile lit up your face, and just as you went to give him a teasing reply, your body jolted forward and a surprised moan shot past your lips instead.

Another sharp thrust rocked your body and your hands scrambled to find purchase on his broad shoulders, latching onto him to take every quick, deep thrust he delivered before he fell into a regular pace of thorough strokes that had you seeing stars.

Chris watched every subtle shift in your expression after each thrust, drinking in the cute pinch of your eyebrows and pout of your lips while the sounds of your moans created a symphony in his head.

"Beautiful," he murmured, shifting his knees to allow him to drive deeper into your dripping cunt, "my pretty girl, taking me like you're fucking made for me."

The shift in his hips led you to lift your own, and the resulting graze of his cock against your g-spot had a near pornographic moan leaving you - neighbors be damned.

Swiping his tongue across his bottom lip, he made a mental note to keep that angle as long as he could. "There it is - Fuck, look at you."

Your nails scratched down his shoulder blades, earning a sharp hiss of pain from the man above you, yet he continued on without hesitation.

"I wish I told you sooner," stifling a grunt, he switched up the pace with slow, shallow rolls of his hips, "could've had this pussy wrapped around me every fucking night."

A helpless whine vibrated through you, but the following moan was something neither you or him was prepared for.

"Daddy!"

There was a brief pause, not even lasting a full minute though it was glaringly obvious to you - even in your blissed out haze. Blinking up at him with worried eyes, you were ready to apologize for the mortifying slip up until you realized he wasn't looking down at you in disgust - but, rather, unrestrained lust.

"Daddy, hm? Is that what my pretty baby wants?" Sliding his hand down your thigh, he maneuvered to hook your leg in the crook of his arm and bring it up higher, evidently opening you up more. "I don't mind, it's fitting - you don't need sir right now anyways, isn't that right, princess? So," rutting his hips into yours, a cocky smirk curved his lips, "keep being a good girl and tell daddy just how good he's making you feel."

You could've died right then and there and considered it a fulfilling life; pinned underneath your best friend, your roommate, fucked within an inch of your sanity while he murmurs the dirtiest sentences you ever imagined from those glorious lips of his.

"O-Oh, god- P-Please, daddy-"

"Please, what, baby? I love hearing you beg, but you have to tell me what you want."

He knew what you wanted, he could feel it with each pulse of your cunt, the way your leg tensed in his hold while your body writhed underneath him - you were close, and he wanted to see just how far he could push you.

"I-I want- Fuck-" You squeezed the flexed muscle of his bicep, while your free hand fisted the pillowcase underneath your head, trying your best to gather the brain cells to make a comprehensible sentence through his unrelenting pace. "I wanna come- wanna come for you," blinking up at him with glossy eyes, you submitted instantly, "please, daddy, can I?"

Chris' pace faltered for the smallest of seconds, his heart swelling and his dick aching for the release he'd been fighting back since he entered your warm pussy - there was no use in stalling for more time, not when you needed him as much as he needed you.

"Hold it for just a little longer, princess." When you gave a displeased whine, he leaned down to kiss the pout off of your face, "It won't be long, I promise - ten seconds, you can count with me, yeah?"

Nodding desperately, you snuck another kiss from him before waiting for his next instruction, trying your best to suppress your lingering orgasm.

"Good girl - now, can you use your fingers to play with your clit for me? You can keep holding onto me, just use your free hand."

You followed his directions diligently, quickly licking your index finger before managing to work your arm between your bodies and finding your puffy clit with ease; the lightest touch sending a shock of pleasure through your system.

"'S too much, I-I can't-"

He shushed you, "You can, I know you can, just count with me, okay? Focus on me, baby - starting from ten."

Swallowing back a whine, you took a shivering breath, "T-Ten."

"Good, keep counting."

As your slow, broken countdown continued, he took the time to adjust his position one final time; sitting up straight and using his left hand to gather your leg in the same position as your right, holding you spread open and fully subject to his will.

"Seven... S-Six- Oh my god-" Your eyes rolled, your body feeling like fire was liking at each of your limbs as you rubbed quick circles around your clit.

"Don't stop counting, princess," Chris grunted, licking his lips as sweat beaded along his forehead, "come on, five."

A short sob broke past your lips, eyebrows pinching together, "I c-can't- I can't, daddy!"

"Four." He continued on, angling your legs slightly higher and focusing on the almost hypnotizing wet slapping sound of your pussy all but drenching his cock and the sheets underneath. "Three - almost there, baby, keep holding it for me."

You made a noise, not caring what it sounded like as long as it was known that you were still hanging in there, if only by a thread.

"T-Two - my perfect girl, doing so well for daddy, s-so fucking proud of you," he gritted out, breaths coming in bated pants as he exchanged the speed of this thrusts for more power, watching your back arch off of the bed in the process. "One - come, come for me, baby."

Your body followed through before your mind had the chance to comprehend his words, white-hot pleasure flooding through your veins as you came with a cry of his name - at least, you hoped the sound that came out resembled his name.

Chris groaned, doing his best to fuck you through your orgasm until he came with a shivering gasp, almost pained, high pitched whines falling from his lips with each wave; his dick quickly being surrounded by the warmth of his cum filling the latex.

Hours could've passed before you were able to come back to your senses, blinking your eyes open and dazedly looking at the man above you.

Even after sending you to the moon and back, he looked as breathtaking as ever; chest heaving and head tossed back, large hands now caressing your thighs as your feet met the mattress once more.

"Fuck." He laughed breathlessly, lifting his head to look at you with glittering eyes, "You okay? That- I didn't go too far, did I?"

Oh, he was going to be the death of you.

Shooting him a tired smile, you shook your head, "I'm more than okay - that was amazing, daddy."

You didn't miss the way his dick twitched inside of you from your words, his hands squeezing you softly.

"Princess, as much as I love hearing you say that, I might end up fucking you through the mattress if you keep it up."

Biting your lip, you not-so-subtly glanced at the open box on his nightstand before looking at him with daring eyes, "If I call you my boyfriend, can you fuck me into the next morning?"

He paused as if heavily pondering your words, then slowly pulled out of your sensitive walls with a grunt, "If you let me call you my girlfriend and let me take you on a date, you can call me both and I'll fuck you until you can't walk."

A bright smile found its way to your face and you nodded happily, "Deal, boyfriend."

With a grin as bright as the sun, he made quick work of taking off the used condom before tying it and tossing it in the small trash near his nightstand; returning to hover over you with warm eyes, "Deal, girlfriend."

Safe to say, he upheld his end of the deal with flying colors, and you planned the date as soon as you regained the ability to walk a day later.

✧. ┊Tagged lovelies: @goblinracha, @having-an-internal-crisis-rn, @midnightfrog625, @anyhow-everything, @bangchanbabygirlx, @sweetracha, @j-onedrabbles, @happilydeepestwonderland, @nightimescapes, @caitlyn98s, @ch4nn13luv, @ihrtlix, @sometimesleeknows, @jeonjungkookenthusiast1997, @instabull, @maximumkillshot, @y-ur--i, @acker-night, @dreamescapeswriting, @specialstay, @broken-glowsticks, @s00buwu, @dancerachaslut, @junglyric, @tinyelfperson, @jj-stay, @katsukis1wife, @inlovewithmusician, @keen-li, @armystay89, @main-character0, @vampcharxter, @ddyskz, @prettymiye0n, @bbgnyx, @ivyisnotokay

✧. ┊Tagged lovelies for Pt. 2 [If you want to be added to my official tag list please fill out the form below]: @turtledove824, @boi-bi-ahaha, @skzworlddomination44, @brojustfknkillm3

✧. ┊If your username is in bold italics that means tumblr won't let me tag you. If you’d like to be added to the taglist, fill out this form!

[midnight-pluto]

First time trying out an event

Fandom: PJO/HOO

Trope: Comfort/Hurt, Angst

AU: Riordanverse

Style: One-shot

How about a Percy Jackson x mortal gn!reader who can see through the mist where Percy hears about a prophecy of how he must lose (death or just leave him) his s/o for a quest, and in trying to find ways on how to stop it, ends up not giving reader any attention or care that they break up and possibly die or just leave.

(sorry if it's too confusing, you can change parts of it to your writing style)

NO ESCAPE — percy j.

TROPES: fluff, angst, comfort/hurt

UNIVERSE: canon-ish

PAIRING(S): percy jackson x gn!reader

WARNING(S): set place after pjo and before hoo, talks of trauma and PTSD and death

A/N: it’s been a while since I’ve written for the pjo fandom so I hope I did ur idea justice

“NO,” PERCY DEADPANS, looking Rachel. “I refuse to believe that this prophecy is about me and Y/N. Absolutely not, the gods have fucked up my life enough - I am not allowing it to happen, again.”

“Percy my prophecy’s haven’t failed to be true,” Rachel replies, feeling remorse for the boy in front of her.

“No, see, remember? Remember the prophecy where you thought it was me who was the hero but it was actually,” Percy swallowed hard to mention his former friend, “Luke.

“Maybe it’ll happen but it still doesn’t mean it applies to me and Y/N.”

“Percy the fates are inescapable. You can’t cheat them, you can’t trick them, you can’t escape them,” Rachel sternly tell before speaking a tired and small, “Sorry.”

“No, it’s well- not okay, but it’s not your fault,” he sighed, burying his head in his hands. “I better find Y/N soon,” he muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets and walking out of the cave.

It was supposed to be just a fun, small, 3-day trip to camp due to it being spring break for him. But that turned out to be just another time where he was forced into serving the gods with zero thanks.

By the time Percy was informed of his fate, he didn’t have enough time to cope during his trip and was picked up by his mom, Paul, and you later that day.

“Percy! How was camp?” you smiled at the boy walking towards the three of you, running up to him and giving him a hug.

“It was alright,” he said blankly, continuing his walk to the car.

That made you pause - and not just because of the blank remark.

But because he didn’t hug you back.

You shot a worried look towards his parents automatically knowing something was off.

Paul was driving while Sally was sat in front so it was just you and Percy sitting in the back together. Normally, the car would be full of chatter with Percy rambling about whatever happened at camp while he was there while holding your hand.

This time though, there was no chatter, and there was no holding hands.

“So did anything exciting happen at camp?” Paul tried to break the stiffening silence, “Want to get to ice cream?”

“Nah, I’m not hungry,” Percy replied, eyes fixated out the window seemingly lost in thought.

To you it seemed that while you weren’t sharing loving touches with each other, you both still seemed to be sharing troubled thoughts and minds plagued with worry.

He wasn’t possessed - you’d know - and he was still himself; but not. What could’ve happened in the past three days that could’ve caused him to act like this?

You knew his dreams were ridden with trauma and flashbacks and sometimes a horrid future awaiting but he’d normally speak to you about such things. You could only hope if it were such a case he’d talk to you about it soon.

IT SEEMED THAT soon couldn’t come soon enough. Spring break had already passed, and it’s been a near month and Percy has barely spoken to you throughout it at all.

Percy on the other hand felt at his absolute worst.

Well, that was of course an exaggeration but knowing the fate of the relationship you have is still really terrible.

It wasn’t his intention to distance himself from you, it’s just something he did subconsciously - a desperate attempt to preserve what was already made.

“Percy?” his mother knocked on his door, “I brought you cookies.”

“Thanks, uh, can I talk to you about something?” Percy asked, taking the plate of cookies and placing them on his bedside.

“Yes of course you can,” Sally smiled, and shut the door to sit on the edge of his bed.

“When- when I was at camp I of course had the fortune of being part of a prophecy… again,” Percy inhaled a sharp breath, “And it was about me and Y/N and- Rachel said that I was gonna lose them and I just- I don’t want that.”

“Oh Percy,” she frowned pulling her son into a hug, rubbing his back softly as his tears spilled onto her shirt.

“And I don’t want them to die- they don’t deserve that, not because of me,“ he muttered.

“Percy, listen to me,” Sally gently pushed him away to look at him in his eyes, using her sleeves to wipe away his tears, “What matters isn’t in the future, but now. Regardless if you’re going to lose Y/N, make the best memories to look back on when they’re gone. That’s the meaning of life - to cherish it, and the limited time you have here with everyone you’ve ever met.”

Percy nodded at his mother words, smiling to himself at the thought of spending more time with you. “I’d like that.”

“Good,” she softly tussled his hair, “Now I’m going to set something up between the two of you to go hang out tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay,” he smiles, wiping away his own tears.

“Make sure to eat those cookies,” Sally reminded before shutting his door with a soft click.

YOU TOOK IN a deep inhale before angering the small café Sally had arranged you and Percy to meet. Prepared to face him with a look of defeat on his face you open the doors, and see him sitting in the back with a cup of hot chocolate warming his hands.

But he didn’t look sad like all the other times you tried to talk to him, he didn’t look dismissive, he looked like himself. He looked like Percy.

Seeing the face you had come to love the past year return didn’t make your heart flutter as it used to however. One of the only reminders of your true intentions behind accepting the invitation.

Walking over to the table, you take the seat across him and give him a small smile that you could muster.

“You’re not gonna order anything?” Percy asked, head tilted towards the chalkboard’s beautifully written on displaying the menu.

“No, I don’t feel like it,” you shook your head, “Um, Percy I just wanted to talk to you and I’m sorry.”

Percy could feel his heart drop the moment you said those words. His head kept on making up words and phrases of what you were going to say next - anything but what he knew you were going to say.

“I just don’t think we’re going to work out,” you spoke in a soft and gentle tone, “I don’t regret the time spent with you, but it would be better if we no longer saw each other. Romantically, at least.”

It took every once ounce of Percy’s body to spill out tears from the corners of his eyes but he managed to choke out, “I understand.”

“Thank you, for everything Percy,” you hung your head low, beating yourself up for hurting the boy in front of you who had already been through so much, “I hope to see you around.”

And just like that, you exit the café as Percy’s eyes trail your figure from the window until you disappeared around the block. It doesn’t take long for the nearest fire hydrant to burst open, water spewing out when his eyes couldn’t.

A/N: did I manage to make you guys feel something? also, my 200 follower event is currently ongoing so please feel free to request!!

[arisenreborn]

tomorrow i'll be brave (ch. 2)

Word Count: 2,045 Characters: Olivia (Arisen), Emrys (Pawn) AO3: (link) Chapter 1

After days of existing in a darkened fog the Pawn remembers nothing of what transpired - none of what was said or done. All that remains is the aftermath, and picking up the pieces.

Distantly, the sounds of battle tugged at the darkness of his mind. Screams and steel echoed dimly, muffled by the shroud of a too-long slumber. 

Awareness came like the rain, one drop at a time and all at once. The first thing he saw with any clarity was her face, covered in blood and mud, trickling raindrops clearing paths across her skin. Those piercing blue eyes of hers seemed somehow faded now, eyelids heavy as she looked up at him. 

He was on top of her, he realized, straddling her at the hips. Her chest was heaving, body trembling, clothes soaked. Some of these things were familiar, but the context was all wrong. Her clothes were in tatters, and it wasn’t only the rain that soaked them. Where the cloth ripped asunder, terrible wounds bled out.

Frantic, his gaze swept over her, around them, trying to piece together what had happened. His head screamed mercy for each movement he made, feeling for all the world like he’d been on the most gods-forsaken bender and tried to fist-fight a chimera. 

Pushing back the clouds in his mind, the town square spread out around them under the gray skies of the night. Bodies, everywhere, scattered and strewn about. Something had plucked them from their homes, or they’d otherwise tried to flee. They hung out of windows, sprawled out across the cobblestones, or had been dropped as if from above over broken stalls. 

The utter stillness and silence were deafening, a force against his ears that told him all he needed to know. Death weighed heavy in the air around them, as if it would smother out even a gasp of life.

A griffin? Or perhaps a drake? No… There was almost no real damage to the city's structures, apart from where it appeared the bodies had been violently thrown. And despite the chaos of it all, there was shockingly little blood - whatever had assaulted them didn’t seem to try rending them asunder with tooth or claw. 

All except for her. The world spun every time he moved his head, but clarity bloomed around her. She was an absolute mess of claw and bite marks, as if whatever vicious maulings the creature had spared the townsfolk of, it had delivered all to her. More likely she’d put herself in its path, but the death that sprawled out around them suggested her failure, which seemed inconceivable to him. 

“Em…” Her voice was a stomach-hollowing rasp, weaker than he’d ever heard anything. Painfully sobering, he felt his insides twist with a nausea unlike any hangover. 

Shaking and feeble she lifted a hand towards his face, and he swiftly caught it in his - only to glimpse how red it was. The rain was washing it all away, but he could feel the blood caked under his nails. All thoughts stretched to a stand-still. All feelings bent towards a dawning horror.

Staring at her small hand in his he was suddenly stricken with the faint recognition: This has happened before. Oh, he remembered all-too-well the aftermath, but never the contents of that wretched black fog that filled the space before it. His former master and his beloved, torn to shreds and scattered about their campsite. 

For how long had he tried to make sense of it? And for how long now had he tried casting it all away? It had been the origin of all of his unhappiness, the black mark on his soul that left him no better than a broken tool. 

“Emrys…” Her voice called him back to this wretched moment in time where he could feel hot tears burning at the corners of his eyes. 

Her hair was loose, strewn around her head like a dark halo, smeared with blood. She wasn’t even wearing her armor, just a nightgown, looking for all the world like she must have rushed out of bed. Had they been sleeping when this had all begun? 

It was then he realized his own lack of clothing, just his smallclothes and… a lot of blood. Not only hers but his own as well; the slashes of a sword's blade criss-crossed his body, but he barely felt them now - they hardly mattered. Yet he could feel how weak each strike and slash had been; she’d tried to stop him, too reluctant to hurt him as much as he’d hurt her. Damn fool.

No, no. He couldn’t let his thoughts keep spiraling away like this, he had to… He had to? What could he hope to do?

“You’re back…” She smiled, or at least tried to. A hint of her usual light returned to her eyes, as he recognized now with another twist in his gut that what clouded them before had been fear. 

Those two words, sounding as though they flowed from a wellspring of relief, damned him. He may not have remembered anything, but he knew too much to deny the bloody truth staring right back at him.

“Stop.” His voice was a grainy croak, throat raw from what felt like days of screaming. “Don’t…” 

‘Stop talking, stop wasting your energy on me, stop looking at me like I’m worth a fragment of your affection. Don’t die, don’t die, please don’t die…’

His hands moved over her, scared to actually touch her but desperate to do something. To stop the bleeding, to pass over each wound and leave them without a hint of even a scratch. Damn him and his stubborn refusal to learn a single healing spell. 

Her head turned to the side and he stopped short as terror gripped him for a moment. But he could see her eyes searching the faces of the bodies around them, trying to make sense of what had happened, calculating the loss - the immensity of her failure. Biting his cheek he brought his hand to the side of her face, turning her gaze back towards him. 

“Hey, look at me, stay with me.” 

Tears were spilling down her cheeks, but still she kept trying to smile. 

“Hah… As if you could get rid of me.” Some pain deeper than her wounds seized her, and she wrenched her eyes shut and grit her teeth against a terrible, sobbing sound. “I’m really tired though, Em…” 

Let this be only a nightmare, let morning come and the rain wash all of this away.

Such hopes had gotten him little in life he reminded himself, and made his body move. 

“It’s okay,” he lied, “I’m going to take you home now.” 

There was no telling how far this devastation went, or if the guards would be patrolling the area around their home, but he could scarcely imagine such a catastrophe going unnoticed. The fact there were no weapons aimed at him right now spoke of a more unpleasant reality than he could allow himself to think on just yet. 

So he carefully picked Olivia up into his arms and put his feet beneath him. She made small, pained sounds as she was moved, but even now she was trying to muffle her suffering. 

He wanted to comfort her, to offer some small, futile words of consolation, but what could his liars tongue possibly offer with so much blood on his hands? Fear gripped him by the throat all the while, silencing his own voice. Instead he strained every sense to the sole purpose of listening to her breathing; it was slow and a little uneven, occasionally broken by a stifled sob or groan, but for a blessing never faltered.

The ambling walk home went by in a haze. The bodies never seemed to stop, familiar faces staring up at him from the ground where they lay, rain blurring their features. A guard laid sprawled on the steps up to the noble quarter, as if in answer to the question he didn’t want to ask. 

Within the familiar walls of her small estate the pattering of the rain against the roof and windows seemed almost peaceful. With the door shut behind him he could for just a moment close his eyes and believe it was another simple, stormy night. 

Only a moment though, before he hastened to their room and put her in their tousled bed. In a feverish blur he sought out potions, bandages, clean water and towels. He may not have been a chirurgeon but he’d been around long enough to know a thing or two about cleaning wounds, and that had to count for something. 

He took only enough time for himself to make sure he was effectively clean before tending to her, and abandoning his blood-stained skivvies for some simple trousers that had been laying on the floor. 

It was alarmingly easy to pull off the remaining tatters of her nightgown, but there came some relief to find most of her wounds looked more grave than they were. Only a few cut deep, and to his great relief none struck anywhere vital. The amount of blood loss from the sheer amount of cuts was the more concerning thing, but few of the injuries continued to bleed anymore. 

She was cold though, both from the rain and her loss of blood, and he took as much care drying her off and bundling her up as he had dressing her wounds. Then he quickly stoked the dwindled embers in the fireplace before returning to her side.

Throughout all of it she dozed off and on, murmuring and moaning, making sounds that tried and failed to be words. He shushed her gently and did his best to soothe her, but all the while his voice trembled as much as his hands.

When she finally fell into a less fitful slumber he remained hovering at her side to make sure her condition didn’t deteriorate, and constantly checking her over for any injury he might have missed. He pinned every thread of thought and awareness to her, less he started wandering the dark roads of pondering what had happened.

Yet one part he couldn’t wrap his mind around was the look of the wounds she bore. He’d traced his fingers alongside three long claw marks around the side of her waist that couldn’t have possibly come from his hands if he’d tried. But for some reason he couldn’t shake the sureness of his sin, the certainty that the smell of her blood had been a match to that which had been caked beneath his fingernails. 

In the end he could do nothing but wait for her to wake and give him the true account of things. He dreaded it far worse than he could remember dreading anything in his life before. Even more than he’d dreaded the thought of being called and commanded by another Arisen. Perhaps this was why. Perhaps he would always be a broken pawn who could only bring suffering to his master.

The minutes dragged into hours, and the rain eased to a soft drizzle as the sounds of thunder grew distant. Sitting at her side he clasped her hand in his, ‘to gauge her temperature’, he told himself, but he was too afraid to squeeze it tight or let it go.

Whatever other fears plagued him, he dreaded even more the idea that somewhere in the long hours of this night she might slip away from him to places he could never find her again.

“I’m sorry.” The words aching in his chest echoed in her voice. There was a clearness in her voice that relieved him, and looking at her it matched the focus in her eyes. Exhaustion yet clung to her features, but she was far from the confusion and stupor from earlier. 

His mouth moved but words failed him. What could he possibly say? Why was she apologizing to him? He wasn’t sure if that was just her being foolish, or delirious, or if there was something else he was forgetting. Though if he had to bet, the options were already ordered from most-to-least likely.

But before he could fathom up a response, or she could relieve him with even a single other word of explanation, Olivia’s eyes fluttered shut once more. Her breathing fell into an easy, familiar rhythm that ought to have soothed him, if not for the company of his wretched thoughts.

[pancake-breakfast]

Time for more TriMax! I'm told we'll be reunited with the girls again soon....

Archive

Trigun Volume 1: Covers + 1-3, 3 Detailed Thoughts, 4, 4 DT, 5-6, 5-6 + DT, 6 DT, 7-8, 9-10

Trigun Volume 2: Covers + Extras, 1, 1 Supplemental Research, 2-4, 5-6, 7-8

TriMax Volume 1: 1-2

Stream-of-consciousness thoughts for TriMax Vol. 1, Chapters 3-4 below. (More detailed thoughts will be their own posts.)

Chapter 3: Bravo, Girls!

Ah, there are the girls already!

He did warn them that it might be like July....

Awww, that cupcake is HUGE!

Meryl's face. I don't think she likes being reminded that she's been through so much at her age. Or maybe she just doesn't like people talking about her age. Or maybe... she doesn't like all the rumors around the story versus the actual facts.

Vash using people as tools? Dude. It's like they don't even know the guy. They don't.

Woooow, way to dictate what makes women happy.

I sincerely hope New Miami is better than current Miami.

Oh, man. They straight-up note the hair color change here.

Oh, no! Her reports! Not only are they all over the floor, but they're also being insulted! Terrible.

Hahahahaha, Meryl's making faces behind her boss's back. TBF he deserves it.

So... the insurance agency decided that, rather than send two young girls out to guard this "most dangerous criminal," they'd send a former military man. This theoretically seems wise of them, but Vash is Vash.

Also, what military?? Best I can tell, there aren't other nations on this planet. The closest thing to a military you've got is gangs and maybe a few organized militia.

Dramatic Vash is dramatic. This time, in silhouette!

I can hear the *ching* of this guy's spurs as he steps off the bus. The fact that he's not wearing spurs is irrelevant.

Vash doesn't even try to pull one over on the insurance agency and pretend he's a Mr. Smith or whatever.

LOL, shotgun-launching suitcase.

Assassination attempt: failed.

What's up with the bottle on the string? Was... that how Vash opened the door?

Vash sees right through this guy. What's his name? Bardeaux Keele. As in, "Hai, I'm an assassin and I'm gonna Keele you!"

Somehow, I don't think this was part of his job description from the insurance agency....

LOL, now you done it, Keele. You gone and pissed off Wolfwood, and he has considerably fewer qualms about taking you out than Vash does.

Oh, honey. You're only in volume 1 of TriMax. There's no way in hell your next shot's gonna "finish it."

LOL, Meryl's entrance onto the scene here is amazing. I wonder how long she was watching before she decided to speak up.

Ohhhhh, she's gonna get this guy on a different type of insurance fraud. TBF, it's kinda on Bernardelli for not realizing it was a bad idea to hire someone named Keele.

I love how absolutely unphased Meryl is despite having THREE guns aimed at her and her life most definitely threatened.

Oof, instead she's thinking about all the life-threatening situations she's been in, and of Vash's goofy smile. I have thoughts on all this.

Ah, he done threatened Meryl and now Milly's gonna make him pay for it.

Vacation!? This is a hell of a vacation.

That face is not very convincing, Wolfwood. Just whaaaat are you planning?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Tabasco.

Meryl looks so happy about being carried away by the storm that is Vash.

Despite poo-pooing her reports, Meryl is still their second pick for Vash Babysitting Duty.

Chapter 4: Hero Returns

CW: Rape mention

This title page, though. He looks like he's in prayer.

Even though we've had a face reveal for Knives, he's still cast in shadows here.

There it is. A summary of Knives as he COMPLETELY misreads the situation and tries to paint himself as the hero.

Heh, I love how in this moment, the best insult Vash can come up with is to tell Knives he's not human. Which, of course, hardly works as an insult for Knives.

Geez. Vash thinks, "Forgetting brings too much sorrow. Remembering leads to everlasting pain." And then he chooses to remember.

Awww, he's so cute in his groggy wake-up phase.

That's a lot of coffins....

I wish I could do one-handed handstand push-ups like that. But I don't want to train for three hours every morning before breakfast. That sounds like self-murder.

LOL, Vash has been working up too much of a sweat even for Wolfwood.

Vash, when he hears another of his sisters is alive somehow.

Wolfwood explaining what Plants are to Vash is hilarious.

That's right; rape isn't about sex. It's about power. So if you're trying to drive other people out or show dominance over them, it does often fall into the mix right alongside murder.

It's played off, but Vash is well within his rights to cry here, I think. He cares a lot for humanity. Seeing them rip each other apart like this is bound to hit a note for him.

I love how much Nightow says about both characters and their relationship in just these two panels.

Dude. Vash's happy face mug.

Nightow is very dedicated to not drawing mouths on characters who have moustaches.

Brad?? THE Brad???

Yep, it's THE Brad.

Which face? Um. How many masks does Vash wear?!

In spite of all the time that's past, Vash recognizes Brad.

He snuck away from you, WW!

Time to get some new fancy gear! Huzzah!

"Lost technology for lost technology." Hahahahaha, these guys know what's up.

He genuinely is sorry, guys. He just didn't want to cause trouble.

Oh, Vash.... He looks so... empty at Brad's comments.

This is just going to dissolve into me posting a bunch of Vash panels because I want to slap some sense into Brad and give Vash hugs. But his face is so... resigned and sad and kind of hard here after Brad points out how much of a threat he could be to humanity. Like... he gets it, Brad. I guarantee you, he gets it. And he doesn't hold it against Brad for speaking the truth.

Vash is pleading with Brad. I love the close-up on his clenched fist. This isn't what he wants. But it's the way things are. And he's gonna do his best because he has to. For their sake. Regardless of whether they want him to.

Oh, Vash, my babygirl....

Hahahahaha, Brad is just jealous. Don't worry, Brad. Vash isn't gonna go that route.

Dude, what's up with that surgery tool??

What the heck? Who's crashing into stand steamer?? Rude.

LOL, WW crawling around with his bowl of... ramen? curry? soup? Whatever it is, it wasn't designed to be carried while crawling.

I feel like WW's chaos sense went off and he immediately followed it, knowing Vash would be there.

Misspelling of the word "custody" here....

Wolfwood doesn't get it. But Vash is trying to be patient.

Wolfy noticed Vash's new get-up. He knows he's looking at Serious Vash now.

Current favorite serious Vash expression:

Hahahahaha, Vash is dying after being called a disaster-prone freak. WW is also dying, but of laughter. Because it's true.

Oh, no. Vash has an idea. He looks way too mischievous for it to be a safe one.

Dramatic gun twirl!

VAAAAASHU ZA STAMMMMPIIIIIIDOOOOOOOO!!!

Hahahahaha, that's right. Lean into your violent reputation as a way to quell the pending violence and lead to a non-violent outcome. This is how Vash wiggles out of trolley problems.

"These are the tactics of a the man whom our fate rests upon." "All I'm seeing is a total nutjob!" Beautiful.

[thefamilyeldritchabomination]

Yule Special: Night Three Pt. 1

The irony about white out conditions in winter was the burning sensation one’s eyes go through when trying to navigate, the flakes like bits of chili powder biting away at the eyes thanks to the miserable natural force called high winds. Dodging branches and the odd displaced pieces of clothing, our trio went trying to save someone that frankly should’ve been sacrificed to the flesh stealing skeleton. Life would’ve been so much nicer without this asshole in it, but alas, all part of becoming a better person and having an easier time taking custody of a clearly feral child with a hunger for violence. The group drew close towards the moldy skeleton man and the shrieking man child that was now freezing as Envy got that all too familiar vicious grin to their horrid gremlin face. Greed and Dolly had a very bad gut feeling as Envy got into that special little head space they hadn’t accessed in a while, pure unadulterated hatred for the skeletal Hohenheim for putting them through a blizzard of all things. Hohenheim had zero feelings or thoughts aside from getting more human flesh to stay warm in, there was nothing left of the former alchemist mentally speaking. A skeletal hand was gently kneading the skin Thomas had like it was clay between his rotted fingers, Thomas was clearly looking over all his past actions in life that led to it. 

 “Hohenheim of Light, as much as I would be thrilled if you bathed in that jackass’s blood, I’m afraid I need him for paperwork stuff. After that though you’re welcome to keep him!” Envy called out, keeping up with the promise of not being a complete vengenced filled asshole.

 “Envy you Prick! Uncle Freddy was right all this time! You’re going to sacrifice me to the Skeleton DILF!?” Thomas yelled, he resembled a far worse version of Freddy when he was young as Hohenheim gave a look the best a skeleton could make.

 “....Tiger Pirate?” Hohenheim seemed to have very VERY strong emotions regarding that term of DILF ingrained into his rotted brain. “Shit I think he remembered Freddy..” Dolly muttered, hoping to the gods that Hohenheim won’t hunt down Freddy for his skin in vengeance. “Thomas no, that’s not a DILF! That’s an abhorrent abomination against nature! Those two things are very clearly different.” Greed looked very horrified at what qualified as a DILF to Thomas, especially a skin stealing monstrosity. “Are you kidding me right now!? I’M ABOUT TO GET SKINNED HERE!” Thomas screamed once more, making the skeleton man drop him like a hot dog turd.

 “Rude Tiger Pirate….no good…” Hohenheim groaned, not wanting to drape himself in the flesh of a creep that would refer to him still as a DILF. “Happy now? Even the terrible skeleton monster has rejected you Thomas.” Envy snidely said as Thomas made a shuffle scramble like a cockroach in the snow towards the group.

 “Okay I think we’re done here, let’s just grab Thomas and get back to the household…” Dolly tried to say before Hohenheim the undead scourge opened his maul. “No…I need…FLESH!” Hohenheim declared as he moved towards Greed, his flesh looking ripe for the picking to his little undead whimsy. “DAMN IT OLD MAN I’M NOT GIVING YOU THIS SEXY SKIN OF MINE!” Greed started activating his armor, not thrilled to be eyed by an absolute nightmare fuel creature. “Jackass I was going to leave yah alone out of good will…” Envy grinned maliciously for the thrill of the long awaited bloody fight they’ve been craving to have. 

 The sounds made as the skeletal crime against nature and the alchemical abomination collide in violent combate was likened to how two dogs get into a life or death fight. Loud, horrible, and painful to watch as the others watched on, none of them wanting to intervene on Envy’s violence rumpus. Envy had laid claim on Hohenheim and damn it, the laws of first dibs applied perfectly to such a case. The sounds of the former Alchemist’s rotted bones cracking from the assaults made Envy grin as though they were having a rather magical time of pure bliss. Making the nightmare that was formerly a father pay in agony was simply the best Yule gift Envy could’ve hoped for. The scattered bone fragments littered the snow as Hohenheim attempted to reassemble himself, Envy just grinning away as they placed their foot right on the rotted skull. “All of this could have been avoided if you only left when given the chance, but oh well, now it’s time to burn in hell.” Envy’s sneer would soon wash away as the nightmare known as Hohenheim started to pull not only the scattered bone fragments, but also pooling in the pelts of human flesh to his body. “Ah anus drippings…” Dolly muttered as she watched in abject horror of Hohenheim reforming himself into a monstrous blob of human flesh and rotted bones straight from the depths of Hell.  “Did you know he could do that?” Thomas whimpered as his eyes became wide as doe’s eyes upon seeing the horror show unfold. “Does it look like I know he would!? Fucking Hohenheim can cheat!” Envy screeched in anger as they kicked the flesh mound once last time before having to retreat from a fleshy tendril whip. “Guys, we should be running, NOW…that fucker is eying my flesh damn it!” Greed started to make his way back to the household, not liking that Mount Dreadful Flesh was eying him like meat.

 “THIS ISN’T OVER YET HOHENHEIM!” Envy yelled as they joined the retreat as Hohenheim made unholy screeches in the blizzard conditions. 

 Grabbing Thomas by the loose skin of his back, Envy started to run, dragging the future Hohenheim of Light 2.0 along in the blizzard as Dolly and Greed followed along. The monstrosity gave chase in the blizzard, its need for flesh grew stronger as it burned those vital calories keeping its horror body alive. It needed more and damn it, that monster was going to collect more. The sight of the household started to become clear the closer the group got as someone was standing outside with something massive hoisted over their shoulder. Envy squinted their eyes a bit to figure out what they were seeing before realizing, it was old man Freddy with a rocket launcher. Freddy evidently heard the screeches outside and wisely, got the rocket launcher from the family arsonals. Age had made Freddy much more bolder and much more violent than he had been back during his youth.

[redwayfarers]

(art by the wonderful @just-eyris-things​)

So, when I said this was mostly reblogs, I wasn’t 100% honest. I’m not making a Wayfarer sideblog. But I’d also be remiss if I didn’t give this guy his due attention, considering he is now a full fledged OC, with tentative headcanons, a very persistent draft of a personality, a voiceclaim and now a commission to boot. He’s got two things over Siona (my poor underused gw2 necro) who’s been an actual OC for a while now so!

Without further ado, here’s Cassander Inteus, my chaotic main Wayfarer (go play Wayfarer it’s great), who also answers to Songweaver if you’re his best friend (who he’s hopelessly in love with) or Red Wayfarer (if you’re a wider populace and you’re looking for a merc; it’s fairly obvious too see why he got the nickname.) He’s an elf, he’s in his early 30s, skirts the line between gay and bisexual every day without ever leaning on one or the other fully. He’s also a former aristocrat. He towers over good 80% of people he meets.

Plopping everything else under readmore for spoilers

He’s Vestran. He abandoned the aristocratic life in Vodena, where he always felt peculiar and odd and out of place due to his lack of magic, when Cenric came to recruit, begging his parents to let him go. He’s Sero’s student and considers them his parent way more his actual birth parents. With them, he first felt like he belonged; in the Spire, he first felt at home. And they pushed him and challenged him and his gangly self became something of a handsome bastard, with an uncanny ability to get himself out of every situation, be it with agility or persuasion.

Then the Spire fell and he was lonely all over again. Really, he doesn’t want to lose what made his childhood and teen years so good - a sense of belonging and purpose and family and acceptance - so he clings onto whatever he can find of those with no shame whatsoever.

He’s been hopelessly in love with Aeran for last two years. Aeran was the first to call him Songweaver for his habit to take perfectly good tunes and turn them into absolute monstrosities by smashing them together, though he’d be a halfway decent singer if he just stuck to one. Cass makes puppy eyes at him and hopes to gods Aeran doesn’t notice even when he tries to make subtle moves. Aeran really is all he has left at this point, as the hope of Sero being alive becomes less and less powerful by the day.

After the Spire fell, Cass tried his hardest to try and forge his identity as anything other than a Wayfarer to himself and fell back to Vestran (which is why he never really took Sero’s surname upon graduation and kept his family name, Inteus) and it led to two big tattoos on his arms that harken back to Vestran imagery and symbols. How successful he’s been is as much his guess as anyone else’s. He’s also vaguely agnostic/atheistic.

He’s a polyglot and has an uncanny skill in picking up languages. He’s got a weakness for curly hair. He’s trying his hardest to pick himself up after his life fell apart and more often than not, he’s struggling. Gone is the handsome, self-assured bastard from the Spire, replaced by someone with more than a century of life and a Sisyphus’ job of rebuilding what’s broken (and he’s more rubble than elf) ahead of him, though he tries his damnest not to let it show too terribly for the sake of everyone else around him.

[crystalelemental]

Select Scout A (New Years 2023)

So you’re looking at those select scouts.  And you’re looking at your paid gems you failed to talk yourself out of buying.  And you’re like hey.  Is any of this worth it?  There’s like six sync pairs here, and I’m only getting one of them out of this.  How worth it is this?

Classic Red remains a pretty solid unit, in that he’s able to apply Supereffective Up Next and can enable fast-ramping for first sync in CS.  I’ve always disrespected Red.  Always.  And I feel like now, I can disrespect him further.  NY Jasmine is better in like every meaningful way.  If you pulled Jasmine, you do not strictly need Red.  He’s got far less healing, is just as dependent on your ally buffing their Atk/Sp Atk themselves, but has no defensive boosting ability for maximum survival.  And can Red solo Tornadus?  No, this Red, we know about the damned rat.  Anyway, I feel like Classic Red is a viable option if and only if you’re both lacking Winter Jasmine, and if you’re going for longer Gauntlet streaks.  Because I don’t think he enables all that much otherwise.  If you already had Red, and you’re considering a copy for higher move levels, 2/5 is useful for On a Roll and Hostile Environment, the former being good utility and the latter being nice Gauntlet support for Tornadus/Uxie/Cobalion.  3/5 gives the coveted Safety Net, and MPR on Mini Potion.  It’s not a terrible choice.  But 1/5 is also fine, given MPR on trainer move allows multiple uses of SEUN.

Classic Blue is...fine.  I guess.  Hyper Beam is good DPS, but listen to me.  SS Diantha though.  Like, you want to win?  You pull for SS Diantha.  Who is Rock-type, and will make this man sad for the rest of his life, because he’s like the only guy who doesn’t specifically benefit from her presence beyond the Zone.  Still, Zone-based Hyper Beam, big funny.  I will give Blue a lot of credit for three things though.  He’s super self-sufficient with buffing, has Dire Hit All+ for team support even if he’s not your primary damage dealer, and Endurance is a fantastic Gauntlet skill.  Hyper Beam DPS is, as usual, fine 1/5.  2/5 really just gives Sharp Entry and Accuracy +10 on Hyper Beam so it won’t miss.  3/5 is when you get Haymaker sync potential.  I don’t feel his grid is essential, so at least there’s that.

Ingo is fantastic, if you don’t have him, get him.  Role compression is tremendously valuable in this game, so having Sandstorm on a support frees up a lot of options.  He’s downright essential for Sandstorm teams, and is quite good outside of them as well, capping crit and giving a nice +4 attack and +2 special attack, alongside potential Free Move Next for the team.  Add in Potion and accuracy debuffs, and Ingo’s a great all-around unit.  I will admit, however, that 1/5 was somewhat disappointing.  No MPR on Sandstorm is limiting, no MPR on Potion means he struggles, and he doesn’t fully cap offenses either.  That said, candy exists, and this is one of the top 4 supports in the game.  Absolutely the best pick here.

SS May is not worth your time at 1/5.  The only thing she does is fast-ramp by a turn on her own.  It’s definitely a niche, but you probably want your tech to do a bit more.  Which, she can.  Dire Hit All+ is always helpful.  And she can technically debuff both defense and speed per Low Kick.  If she mega evolves, she hits -2 defense per hit, but there’s the catch.  SS May’s often too slow to get those drops rolling in CS to operate independently, so she’s still team reliant for defense drops.  To make matters worse, absolutely nothing changes at 2/5.  It’s not until 3/5 that she gets anything good...and where she gets a lot of good tools.  But...well, Fire-type.  No one is hurting for a good Fire-type.  So as much as SS May can hit like a truck, and is generally a decent unit, I have a lot of trouble saying she’s worth your gems here.

Lucas is a character I’ve shit on a lot, and I think it’s time to make amends.  I’m sorry, Lucas.  I don’t hate you.  I just don’t like you more than Dawn, and you took one of my favorite legends.  I’m still sour about it, but I think we can move past this.  Lucas is good.  1/5, he provides Dragon Zone, which is a unique ability and a very good one.  What makes Lucas so amazing as a third pick at 1/5 is that he is gauge-free.  X Speed+ means he can cap his own speed, and generate a lot of gauge.  But each use of a trainer move also gets Free Moves Next, which turns his solid 4-bar spam into a completely free action.  He’s one-turn setup for max offense too, so there is like no inefficiency in his kit.  Lucas is a great option.  That said, nigh-identical issue to SS May.  2/5 does nothing for him.  It’s 1/5 utility, or 3/5 full power.  There’s nothing for him in between.

Raihan is...a choice.  Seriously buddy, why are you here?  You’re a really old PokeFair, are people seriously clamoring for you?  Is it because Steel-weak Glacia?  It’s because Steel-weak Glacia.  To get right to the point, I find Raihan terrible as an investment compared to the others.  His only real claim to fame is big boosts on entry at 1/5, leading to a powerful DPS Steel move that is special, making him the current best answer to Steel-weak Glacia, one of the most frustrating stages.  But also that’s not a good justification.  He doesn’t do enough otherwise.  Despite having good boosts, his trainer move doesn’t seal the deal, still requiring him to take other entry skills to top off.  He’s not even getting anything at 2/5.  You need 3/5 to actually acquire anything that makes him self-sufficient, or reasonably powerful on sync.  But as an older PokeFair, even that is no longer enough.  Raihan has a 5/5 grid, where he gets useful tools like Trip Twice, Cakewalk, Weathered Warrior 3, and...Sand Sync.  Man, they really just said “Use Cynthia” this month, huh?  Anyway.  This new grid can 100% replace everything else he had.  But then you give up self-sufficiency on buffing.  Raihan’s just another casualty in the 5/5 grid costing full energy debacle.  I don’t think Raihan is strictly bad.  But I also very strongly feel that he exists mostly for Steel-weak Glacia, which he can do at 1/5, I’ve tried, and otherwise is probably just waiting for Gloria and Steven to get expansions that put him under.

Final Thoughts and My Pick Priority is, in my book, Ingo > Lucas > C!Red > C!Blue > SS May > Raihan.  Ingo is by far the most valuable, though Lucas gives a good run for his money.  Classic Kanto Bois are decent but far from essential.  SS May doesn’t feel as worth it, and Raihan is miles behind the others, especially if you’re getting him at low move levels.

As for myself...I’m still torn.  I’m debating picking up C!Red.  I do want to go for a 100 win streak in Gauntlet, so it would make sense to take the support that can save my life, but also I kinda want to take Lucas.  I think he’s been a good option to have on hand, and I do love Dialga, so now that I’m over the initial salt, I kinda want him to do well for himself.  I’ll definitely be pulling, but I think it’ll depend on if I get lucky.  If I get Red, I’ll take Lucas.  If Lucas hits 2/5, I’ll take Red.  If neither shows, snap decision.

[babischlong-six]

10 Characters, 10 Fandoms, 10 Tags

10 Characters you love or 10 Characters you want to stab in the eye

Tagged by lovely @gosiksmallspace ❤️

In no particular order, here are ten of my many, many favorites. (See if you can detect a pattern 😂)

1. Luo Fei – Detective L

He's a gentleman, he's a bitch, he's kindhearted, he causes problems on purpose, he respects women, he's a genius, but he's not an arrogant prick, as is the current wont of writers writing smart people. Luo Fei is unselfconsciously weird, ridiculously cute, and has the best sense of humor. Not to mention drop-dead gorgeous and played by Bai Yu. Luo Fei stole my heart from the moment he showed up on screen. Also he gives very bisexual energy.

2. Lan Qiren – Mo Dao Zu Shi

A pissy, honorable, rigidly uptight old man who spends his entire life picking up the slack of his ridiculously messy family. As you may come to find after reading through this list, I am partial to the characters archetype known as a "DILF." He's not even a main character, I'm just viscerally into him.

3. Han Jaeho – The Merciless

He's a terrible person, but GOD, he's irresistibly charming. Han Jaeho does the absolute worst things, but he still manages to inspire sympathy. Is it the magnetic personality? That weird cackle? The way he looks in a suit, covered in blood? The screwed-up, homoerotic relationship he has with the protagonist? We may never know.

4. Elim Garak – Star Trek: Deep Space 9

I can't even express how much this character is beloved by me. He's a fussy middle-aged tailor. He's a terrifying super-spy in exile from a fascist alien superpower. Everything that comes out of his mouth is a lie. He's completely devoted to what he believes is his duty. His first appearance onscreen, he makes a blatant come-on at a young man. I love him.

5. Lin Nansheng – The Rebel

The character development on this guy is just *chef's kiss*. He's honorable, but he's a spy. He's idealistic and self-sacrificing, but he's also way too devoted to the "cause," capable of but not wanting to to endanger and sacrifice those closest to him. He is absolutely miserable and incredibly hot – especially later on in the series when he comes into his own.

6. Wu Xie – Tomb of the Sea

Wu Xie specifically as played by Qin Hao has a special place in my heart. He's a bastard in the same way that a cat pushing things off a table is. He's middle-aged and tired. He has intense chemistry with literally anyone he's on screen with. Morally ambiguous with ultimately noble goals, which is so sexy.

7. Tatsu – Way of the Househusband

I fucking love that manga. A former gangster turned househusband approaches the everyday struggles and triumphs of domestic life from a very unique perspective. Also, he can get it.

8. John Watson – The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson

I grew up on this serial, absolutely fuckin love it. Vitaly Solomin's Watson is great – a perfect balance of spirit and enthusiasm, whole being a companion rather than a sidekick to Holmes (like in so many other adaptations). At this point with how I've grown up watching this serial and keep revisiting it, he and Livanov's Holmes feel kinda like my uncles.

9. Milady – The Three Musketeers

My very first literary/movie crush. She's such a cool, compelling villain, and a really interesting character. I was entranced by her as a kid (and confused about why 😂) and I still am. Again, the Soviet Three Musketeers serial version of her is paramount in my heart because it's what I grew up with.

10. Xiao Long Nü – Return of the Condor Heroes

Another early crush. She kicks ass, she's gorgeous, and she's got an outwardly cold personality. Again, young me didn't stand a chance.

Anyways, that's all folks. Tagging @the-marron ❤️ no pressure tho

[nadja-antipaxos]

ALL MY PICTURES OF YOU - PART ONE

previously - masterlist || next -  part two

Title: If only I’d thought of the right words, I wouldn’t be breaking apart

Rating: Teen

Warnings:   some swearing and mentions of sex, but nothing explicit, pregnancy, brief mention of infertility, eventual character death cause it's in the movie

Note: I had planned this out forever ago and finally got around to it. I had to dream up who Callie's mom was. I absolutely adore Jade and wouldn't mind exploring more of her with Egon, even in an AU setting (where he doesn’t leave) but I want to see if there's interest. Please leave kudos and comments if you enjoy it. Thank you so much. Art by @lilvicsart​ send her all the commissions.

Word Count: 6,640

Exhausted, everyone shuffles into the house. Podcast and Lucky are picked up by their parents who were overwhelmed by the sudden ghosts in town. Gary stays but sits next to Phoebe, so he’s not crowding her mother. Callie finds some hot chocolate mix and booze to dole out in an age-appropriate fashion for this little Ghostbusters reunion. It’s when they’re all sitting at the table that Callie actually really looks at them.

“You look familiar.” She takes a sip and tries to remember where she could’ve seen them. Her childhood memories are too fuzzy. She spent such a long time trying to forget her father she forgot everyone who wasn’t her mother.

“We were at your mother’s—Jade’s funeral,” Winston explains.

Callie remembers talking to him. He gave her a card and some flowers. He was very kind on the worst day of her life.

“I didn’t stay long—couldn’t.” Ray sighs.

“My wife, Dana, talked to you. Tall, redhead. Gorgeous.” Peter can’t help but smile.

“Oh. Yeah. She said she was friends with my mom in New York.” Callie takes another sip.

“We all were.” Winston nods. “We loved Jade.”

“So, you knew—Egon—when he was with my mom?” She raises her eyebrows.

“Know ‘em? We were witnesses at the courthouse.” Ray laughs.

“No big wedding?” Callie asks.

“Your grandmother—Jade’s mom—wanted one. It wasn’t really their style. They settled for that reception at the Waldorf.”

“That was a fun night.” Winston grins.

“Nobody made Spengs smile like Jadie.” Ray looks at his mug.

“Nobody but Jade.”  Peter corrects with a raised eyebrow.

“He smiled!” Ray pipes up, defensive.

“Barely.” Peter rolls his eyes.

“Remember when that photographer woke Callie up in her stroller?”  Winston skillfully changes the subject.

“Yeah, Jade nearly got arrested for destroying that camera.” Peter snorts.

“That sounds like Grandma” Phoebe nods with a small smile.

“Definitely.” Trevor grins. “She told me the best way to deal with a bully was to break their nose.”

“She was a special lady. “ Ray sighs.

“She sure was.” Winston looks from the kids to his former Ghostbusters. “Remember when she attacked Walter Peck with that hair clip?”

“Shouldn’t have called Egon a ‘bug-eyed nut’.” Ray raises his eyebrows.

“Tiniest woman I knew that could kick everyone’s ass.” Peter smiles.

Trevor and Phoebe nod in agreement. It had been 3 years and they still missed her terribly even more than their dad because she never meant to leave.

“Why couldn’t he tell her the truth? She was always willing to listen. Hell, when I found out I was having Trevor, the first thing she said was ‘This would’ve never happened if you’d been gay.’ He should’ve said something.” She tries to hide the anger in her voice. If her mom had known the stakes. If he had taken the time to explain it. Things could’ve been so different. Winston’s large black hand over her small white one pulls her from her thoughts. His eyes stare into hers.

“Because your mama would’ve gone after Gozer with her bare hands. I think he’d rather she hate him than keep her and lose her.”

“I wish she knew why he did it. To save everyone.” Callie bites her lip.

“Maybe she knows now,”  Gary speaks up. She had almost forgotten he was there.

“Did she know about this charming fixer-upper?” Peter asks, looking around the cluttered farmhouse.

“Yeah. I remember she got a bill once and forwarded it to him. I was so mad she knew where he was and didn’t give him a piece of her mind.”

“What did she say?” Ray asks.

“She wasn’t gonna chase after someone who left. She had other ways to spend her time.”

“You were always her number one priority.” Ray looks into her eyes and Callie notices they’re different colors. It’s charming. “Until your kids came along. She sent me a Christmas card every year.”

Callie laughs. Her mom always chose the silliest photo for Christmas. The idea of dressing in the same outfit and posing creeped her out. She’d rather send one out where they were all piled on the couch. She was unabashedly authentic like that.

The dusty old farmhouse has enough room for everyone who isn’t a Spengler to stay the night. They’re exhausted enough and Callie doesn’t even want to look up the drive from New York City to Summerville. She tries to sleep. She does. She closes her eyes. She takes deep breaths. She stares at the ceiling. Finally, she gets up. She pads down the stairs to the living room and finds a box labeled “Mom’s”.

Her mom was so organized she had all of her journals labeled by year. Callie grabs the ones from ’84-90 and ’90-93.  She couldn’t bear to read these after she died, but now, in the middle of the night after seeing the ghost form of her dad, she needs her mom too.

Dear Diary,

Dana wants to set me up with one of Peter’s friends. Those guys that got fired for being nuts and then saved the city from a giant marshmallow man. Ghostbusters.  Yes, this is a sentence I am writing truthfully in the year 1984.  She promises he’s nothing like Peter who is hilarious but I would never have the patience for him as a partner. I heard enough about Venkman at school and we’re not even in the same field.

Dana throws the party in her new building. She couldn’t stay in the old one after the whole portal to the supernatural thing. I’m polite to Peter because he’s always been nice to me and until he hurts my dear friend, we’re on good terms. I meet Ray Stantz. I meet Winston Zeddemore. Both pleasant and charming and taken. Ray is seeing someone and Winston has a wife, Annie, who is gorgeous.

One Ghostbuster. Two Ghostbuster. Three Ghostbuster. No four.

The party is fun. To stand out from the boring housewarming gifts, I give Dana a fire extinguisher and the painting she’s been eyeing at the studio. She offers to pay and I refuse because at least I know it’s going to someone who enjoys it. The party ends as it began with only three Ghostbusters. Whatever. I’m sure Egon Spengler is probably weird and I have shit to do.

Dear Diary,

I cannot believe I am writing these words: there is a ghost in my art studio. It started with paint cans getting knocked over.  Then tarps went missing. Paintbrushes would reappear on light fixtures. One night I swear I heard something playing Harry Belafonte on the paint cans. Okay, so I have an invisible guest. For what I’m paying for this space, I can be welcoming. Until it tried to push an easel onto me and then smother me with a tarp. Not fucking cool.

Peter arrives with the mysterious Egon Spengler who runs tests on the studio and all my supplies.  I do not know how he is friends with a walking pickup line like Peter. This guy is all business. He only talks to me when he needs to ask a question or give me directions for his tests. It’s a fucking shame because he has the deep baritone of a phone sex operator. Like Peter, he’s a foot taller than me and has to bend down or have me sit. He has dark eyes hidden behind rounded glasses. His hair is dark brown and perfectly coiffed. It looks thick and soft even with whatever product is in it. Okay, maybe Dana knows me after all because I’m intrigued.

He concludes that the space is in indeed full of ghost energy and I follow willingly back to their firehouse turned office and let him hook me up to all sorts of equipment I’m pretty sure he made himself. He studies—actually studies—my face when he asks questions. I’ve never been studied before. He says he’s going to research the history behind the studio with Ray and that they would like to do an overnight to observe. I agree under the condition that I stay with them. Dana’s beau or not, it’s my studio and I’m not leaving it alone to brief acquaintances.

It’s just me and Dr. Spengler.  And the man is a professional. Ray is researching my building. Peter? I don’t even know anymore.  Winston has the night off. So I go about my routine. I’ve been working on this big canvas lately, so I get on my ladder. Done this so many times. It’s a good ladder. It’s stable. I’m fine. Out of nowhere, it starts to wobble. I hear it crash to the floor but I’m not with it. I look down and see two big hands holding my waist. Egon has me in his arms off the ground. He moves like a cat. I didn’t even hear him. He clears his throat and sets me back down. I say thank you because I’m polite and glad I didn’t smash my face into the floor. He nods.

Ray comes barging back in with all sorts of information about how my studio used to be a famous cathouse. That’s his word. I could’ve done with whorehouse, but he’s being historical. The man who owned it hated women (big shocker) and Ray believes my presence is causing him to act up. I guess he can’t handle an independent woman.  Spengler asks me what I was doing when I was attacked by the tarp. I was on the phone with the landlord arguing about fixing a drafty window. He thinks that because I was standing up for myself against a man, it angered this asshole ghost.

They enlist Peter to stage an argument with me. It feels silly at first but then Peter mentions the ERA and we have an actual argument. He’s all for it but he doesn’t know why it has to be an amendment. I’m pulled back by my hair and Ray shouts that he can see the ghost in whatever visor he has on. I feel a hold around my throat and I’m not a fan of this. I’m clawing at whatever I can and suddenly I’m let go. I land on the floor but get to brace myself a little. I see this grey, translucent figure with a very dark mustache being lassoed between Ray and Spengler’s…ghost guns? They pull it into something they call a trap and lots of smoke fills my studio. The ladder is singed and they’ve scorched some of the tarps, but it’s better than being choked.  Ray sprays it down with the fire extinguisher before any paint catches on fire.

To my surprise, Spengler comes to check on me first. He helps me up and inspects the bruises on my throat. He frowns and suggests I go back to the firehouse for him to take a proper look at me. I agree.  He delicately applies a salve on my throat keeping those dark eyes on me to gauge my reaction. It makes me feel bad that I nearly spit water in his face when he tells me the bill will be $2000. I argue him down to $1500 and we settle on $1750 since I was indeed attacked for the sake of bait.

I ask about paying tomorrow because I’m exhausted and it’s 2 am. Ray offers his bed because apparently there are rooms upstairs for sleeping. I try to convince him to let me go home, but Spengler suggests I stay in case there are any complications from ghost choking. I camp out on a couch they have upstairs and drift off to sleep. I don’t remember anyone placing a pillow under my head or a blanket on me, but I’m grateful when I wake up and realize it.

In the morning, I’m able to go back to my apartment to shower, eat, and write a check. Thankfully, I have many tasteful scarves to cover my neck. When I come back, I hand the payment to Janine (their very cute secretary with killer fashion sense). I ask if they’re all out and she tells me Spengler’s in his lab. Of course, I want to see him again but I’m not gonna invade his space. I’m at the door when he comes up from the basement and asks how I’m feeling. He’s definitely not the social one but he’s trying. His concern seems genuine and I can’t help but think about how quickly he picked me up from that ladder. He asks about my neck and I show him. He beckons me down into the basement to give me some of that salve he made.

Now that I’m no longer a client and just a curious acquaintance, I actually take a look around. He has a workbench and soldering equipment. There are all sorts of junk food. Cheese Its. Twinkies. Crunch bars. Microscopes. No acid or bubbling formulas. I don’t see any reanimated corpses but I do see an alarming amount of mushrooms and other fungi. I wanna put this man in a jar and study him. He explains his hobby and all I can think to ask is if he’s ever gotten high on any of them. He hasn’t, but he doesn’t seem opposed or offended that I asked. I can’t help myself and suggest it. He decides to make it into a tea and away we go.

I’ve tried mushrooms before and these aren’t very strong. No fun trips or hallucinations. I’d give anything to know how much he regrets letting me talk him into this. Instead, he jots down some notes in his book, asks me how I feel, and writes down my answer too.

He just keeps those dark eyes on me and comments on how large my eyes are. I don’t know what that means. I know I have big brown eyes. But they’re just there. He isn’t being mean. I can tell. He’s just observing. He holds in his breath and looks me over again and says clear as day: They’re captivating.

I take the leap and ask him if he wants to go to dinner with me this week. He suggests Thursday. HOUSTON, WE HAVE A DATE!

Dear Diary,

This man is something else.  I pick one of my simplest blue dresses because I have no idea what we’re doing. He takes me to a nice, but not a too nice place for dinner. We make modest conversation.  I can tell he’s nervous and doesn’t do this dating thing often. I throw him a bone and tell him I haven’t been on a real date since I finished my master’s program. With the Ph.D. program looming ahead, I don’t see much of social life. He tells me that he had a brief thing with Janine, the lovely receptionist, but he might’ve been a little too quiet for someone as bold as her. They work better as friends. I just don’t date. I’ve always loved art more than any person.  He apologizes because he doesn’t know much about art and I don’t know much about…ghosts? I make a deal that I can tell him if he tells me and then we’ll both know. A strong eyebrow quirks at that and I think that means he likes it. His eyes light up over the dessert menu and I smile because someone has a sweet tooth.

My usual radar is off. It’s broken around him and that’s kind of exhilarating. He asks me to take a walk with him and begins to explain the different haunted spots in the city. He’s much smarter than me in the traditional sense. My mom would’ve loved it if I was good at math and science. He gets very focused on a certain topic and honestly, I could listen to him all night. I feel a little like Sally in Peanuts trailing after Linus. I’ve never felt so affected by someone. I don’t even notice the bike messenger, but for the second time he picks me up out of harm’s way. To my surprise, he curses at the bike messenger who stops. Spengler straightens up and when the guy realizes how tall he is, he mumbles an apology and leaves. HA! Spengler checks me over and I’m absolutely fine. His big warm hands are on my shoulders and I know I’m smiling like an idiot up at him. He’s staring right back. I wonder if I should ask if I can kiss him, but I don’t. It’s a first for me. Instead, he tells me I have perfect teeth and raises his eyebrows when I tell him it’s because my dad is a dentist. He asks if he can hold my hand as he walks me home. I’m a goner.

Dear Diary,

Can you like someone too much? I really am Sally running after Linus. I swear little cartoon hearts could float around me every time he talks. What the hell is this feeling? I just adore being around him. He asked me to call him that when we talked after the date. He kissed me on our second date at a museum. I could’ve melted into the floor. I swear an orchestra was playing. The first kiss was very sweet. Picture perfect.

I, Jade Margolis, have never felt this way in my entire life. All the other times it was just sex. I can’t stop thinking about him. His nose. His eyes. His neck. His giant brilliant brain. His hands. Not only is he smart but he’s funny too. Not in the way Peter is funny. Egon is very dry. Yes, he’s Egon now. We don’t get many formal dates because we’re both adults and people have ghost problems at any hour of the night. Instead, we just kind of fit into each other’s busy schedules. We get dinner while working. I often bring my coursework over to the firehouse to work on in his lab. The fact I have a free pass is a big deal according to Janine and Winston. He does not like people in there especially when he’s working and he’s always working. But now if he can hear me talking from down there and I don’t greet him after ten minutes, he will get impatient and march up the stairs.

Sometimes, we catch a movie. Other times, he just wants to listen to me talk about my art history classes. It’s like I’m Dorothy in technicolor and didn’t even know I was in black and white before. THIS MAN!! I feel like a schoolgirl. The man keeps insane hours so I’ve fallen asleep in that lab. I told him I was going to start heading back earlier and the next day there was a couch. A comfortable and simple couch. Just for me to be with him. Now, I wake up with his lab coat draped over me. It smells just like him.

I know he’s weird and strange but I adore it because I’m not normal either. I mean, I knitted myself a skeleton sweater that I will wear all year round. He complimented my craftsmanship and accuracy.

I have never wanted to fuck someone so badly in my entire life. I’m dying to know if sex with such a meticulous scientist is going to be super clinical. Will he name my anatomy as he licks it?

“Jesus, Mom.” Callie puts down the journal and grimaces. Her mom had never talked like that to her. She really hopes she isn’t about to be scarred for life as she turns the page to the next passage.

Dear Diary,

The universe is against me having sex with Egon Spengler. And I have tried. We’ve made out dozens of times and he is an amazing kisser. He must take mental notes because each time gets better. I swear he knows how good he is cause I felt him smirking. My mad scientist. We only rounded two bases and god, I want a home run.  Every time something happens. Someone needs his help. Something breaks. They have a call. I swear there are ER doctors getting more action than we are.

Tonight, he had me pinned on one of the work tables when that fucking alarm went off. He ignored it and kept kissing me senseless. Peter called his name at the top of the stairs. He actually growled when Peter threatened to come down there.  At least he’s as sexually frustrated as I am.

Callie sighs. It isn’t as bad as she thought. She just hopes there’s no details.

Dear Diary or Should I Say Playgirl,

I am ruined. This man has ruined me. I was up late studying when he came to my apartment. He had finished a bust and wanted to see me. No, he said he needed to see me. He was still in that jumpsuit when he kissed me. He picked me up like I was nothing and carried me to my bedroom. It was fantastic. Absolutely fucking fantastic.

Sometimes I wake up and he’s touching my back. Drawing constellations. Solving equations. He says it relaxes him when his mind is running wild. That’s how he first told me he loves me. He wrote it in between my shoulder blades and then whispered it into my neck. He thought I was asleep. I have never been more awake. How is this real?

When I told him that morning I loved him too he looked shocked.  He moved closer to me so that our noses touched. I said it again and he kissed me. He held me in his arms and told me he loved me. He loves me!! I love you, Egon Spengler.

Dear Diary or Should I Say Playgirl,

I am ruined. This man has ruined me. I was up late studying when he came to my apartment. He had finished a bust and wanted to see me. No, he said he needed to see me. He was still in that jumpsuit when he kissed me. He picked me up like I was nothing and carried me to my bedroom. It was fantastic. Absolutely fucking fantastic.

Sometimes I wake up and he’s touching my back. Drawing constellations. Solving equations. He says it relaxes him when his mind is running wild. That’s how he first told me he loves me. He wrote it in between my shoulder blades and then whispered it into my neck. He thought I was asleep. I have never been more awake. How is this real?

When I told him that morning I loved him too he looked shocked.  He moved closer to me so that our noses touched. I said it again and he kissed me. He held me in his arms and told me he loved me. He loves me!! I love you, Egon Spengler.

The entry has a polaroid photo taped at the bottom with “JM + ES = L-O-V-E” written under it. He’s hugging her pressing her back into his chest. She looks so small in his arms. His chin rests on her hair and she’s smiling up at him.  They look so happy.  The version she knew of her mom was loving but guarded. She only opened up to Callie, Trevor, and Phoebe. This woman was completely different.

There are sketches of him reading the newspaper in bed or peering into a microscope with the caption “My mad scientist has no idea why I stare at him all the time. How is he so smart and so dense?”

Dear Diary,

Let me say I think Louis Tully is a perfectly nice man. He was nice as he was Dana’s neighbor and he’s nice now as the Ghostbusters’ accountant. He invited us all over for a party. I saw it as an excuse to wear my new glittery silver dress. Egon didn’t say much when he saw it but this dress is for me anyway. I think my legs look great.

I’m more social than he is which is fine. We both have our strengths. But this one guy is really social. Like he won’t leave me alone social. I’m polite and friendly because I don’t know who he is to Louis. He keeps talking about snorkeling and how I have to try it. Any time I try to gesture to my boyfriend—he cuts me off. He will not let me talk. How is this supposed to seduce anyone? I’m nodding so much that my braid is coming undone. This guy actually reaches forward, fixes my hair, and keeps his hand on my face. I was stunned. Before I can yell at him though, Egon picks me up and plants one on me. The man who will never do anything but hold my hand in front of his friends is kissing me in front of everyone. And not a Disney kiss. My mad scientist used tongue. I’m in heaven.

He tells me we’re going home which is good because my legs have turned to jelly. He notices and swoops me up. My gallant hero carries me out of the party and I love every second of it. I ask him if he likes the dress and he just stares at me. Needless to say, I was extremely sore for the next few days. I found out from Ray that the entire time that guy was talking to me, Egon was fuming. Winston pointed out that I didn’t look very comfortable and touching my face was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Dear Diary,

I’m not surprised when Egon shows up at my apartment without any warning. It’s why he has a key. I am completely surprised when he bursts in, gets on one knee, and tells me his logical argument for marriage.

It will make it easier to buy property as a couple.

Co-habitation is not an issue because we’re always together and he spends most of his nights at my place.

I will no longer be bothered by over-eager men if I have a ring on my left ring finger. It will signal to others that I am spoken for and should prevent further awkward situations.

We balance each other out. Right brain. Left brain.

Most importantly: he loves me.

I can barely speak. He did not need to convince me, but the fact he wanted to is everything I love about him. The ring is a beautiful jade oval jewel with a gold halo of diamonds.  I recognize it immediately from the little shop in Soho we passed two weeks ago. I told him it was beautiful but I had no reason to buy it especially since it was just a jewel. Now, he’s soldered it into a ring.

Of course, I accept. The ring is so gorgeous. I can’t believe he made it for me. God, I love him.

Callie recognizes the ring. It’s one her mother kept in a jewelry box, but never wore. She let Callie grab it whenever she played dress-up with her makeup and shoes. She even wore it to prom because it matched her dress. She assumed that her grandmother bought it for her daughter’s namesake.  After she died, even when money got tight, she never wanted to sell it. She’s glad now that she didn’t. And he made it for her?

Dear Diary,

Jack and Jill went up the hill

Jack knocked up Jill

And a baby came tumbling after

Dear Diary,

My mad scientist has been so attentive these past nine months. He’s such a darling and yet when I feel that first contraction I nearly punch him. I am so scared I decide maybe I’ll raise our baby girl from inside my body for the rest of our lives. He says that isn’t possible and I remind him that none of his degrees are as an OBYGN. Fuck it hurt and I was promised drugs. I practically yell this at him and he assures me that the drugs are coming. He tries to encourage me but I beg him to let me punch him. I am not a big woman. Why did I think I could have his giant baby? He gives me a kiss and I just want him to let me kill him for just a second. The nurses think he is so sweet. Traitors. He’s the one who did this to me. Then the glorious drugs hit.

I am a fucking rockstar. I gave birth to a BABY! Those Ghostbusters got nothing on me.

I have to say if my Callie had not come out of my body, I would be very confused as to why she is blonde and blue-eyed. Both of her parents are Jewish. I mean, my mom is a Catholic, but that can’t do much, right? I would demand a refund, but she’s just so fucking cute we’re gonna keep her. And she glared at Peter in a way that lets me know she’s 100% mine.

Dear Diary,

Callie is the best four year old I’ve ever met. She cracks me up every day and she’s doing well in pre-school. She’s very smart—no surprise. Sometimes, I miss how wild our lives used to be with the Ghostbusters, but Egon seems to be enjoying his work back at Columbia. It does make it easier with my PhD program to have more normal hours from my mad scientist. I see the way some of his assistants look at him, so every once in a while I like to pop over with Callie to remind them that he’s taken by a certified smoke show. Not my words, Brian, one of the assistants asked Egon how he landed “such a smoke show” the first time I came by. Egon told him “Because the smoke show wanted me”. Damn right I did.

Dana tells me about some freaky thing that happened with Oscar on the street. I suggest she talk to Egon. Callie loves Oscar because he’s a living version of her dolls. I see Dana more now that she works at the museum. I was too busy to take the position and after I showed her the ropes, she was easy to vouch for.

Dear Diary,

Callie is the best four-year-old I’ve ever met. She cracks me up every day and she’s doing well in pre-school. She’s very smart—no surprise. Sometimes, I miss how wild our lives used to be with the Ghostbusters, but Egon seems to be enjoying his work back at Columbia. It does make it easier with my Ph.D. program to have more normal hours from my mad scientist. I see the way some of his assistants look at him, so every once in a while I like to pop over with Callie to remind them that he’s taken by a certified smoke show. Not my words, Brian, one of the assistants asked Egon how he landed “such a smoke show” the first time I came by. Egon told him “Because the smoke show wanted me”. Damn, right I did.

Dana tells me about some freaky thing that happened with Oscar on the street. I suggest she talk to Egon. Callie loves Oscar because he’s a living version of her dolls. I see Dana more now that she works at the museum. I was too busy to take the position and after I showed her the ropes, she was easy to vouch for.

Dear Diary,

The boys are back thanks to some weird emotional slime in the sewer and a lifted court order. I don’t know what any of it means. They’ve run all sorts of tests and Dana’s run right back to Peter. I hope they work it out this time. I never thought I’d be married before they were. I doubt it bothers Oscar because he’s far too little to know his parents are on and off.

Egie suggests an experiment involving this…slime and I think it’s the last time I’ll be involved in something like that. It was quite an experience but I think it’s too exhausting to happen all the time. Maybe for his birthday.

My, my, the Ghostbusters need my help.  Ray and Egie need some information regarding art. It has to do with that creepy old man painting at the museum. I dig up what I could since I can access archives they can’t and mark it off into different categories. Apparently, it’s exactly what they want and I’m rewarded with a very enthusiastic kiss right in front of Ray. Who says romance is dead in married life?

Dear Diary,

Callie saw her dad on the television riding the Statue of Liberty and would not stop screaming. That’s not a sentence I can really wrap my head around. Either way, on New Year’s Eve, I bring my child to the museum, insult useless government officials, and wait for my man to save the world. He does, no surprise but god, he comes out covered in that slime. It makes him quite handsy. Welcome to the 1990s.

Dear Diary,

As my Ph.D. program comes closer to the end, I’m wondering if we should give Callie a sibling. Egon’s not very close with his brother and I never had any siblings. It’s quite lonely being an only child and I don’t want that for Callie. His schedule is less hectic between Ghostbusting and his research at Columbia. I hate the idea of giving up my beloved cigarettes again, but if it means more little Spenglers, I think I can do it. It’s certainly fun to try.

I’m not even 30 so it shouldn’t be a problem, but my body has other plans. Egon says he’s perfectly happy with Callie and that if I really want another baby, we can adopt. That’s a little too much wishful thinking considering how his application will look. I love Callie and she’s all I need. I just wish I could’ve made that choice for myself. We let Callie sleep in our bed that night and I know I’m gonna be okay.

Dear Diary,

Something wicked this way comes. I’m not Janine. I’m not psychic, but something is going on with my mad scientist. He’s a little more mad than usual. He’s downright obsessed. And he won’t tell me what’s going on. He’s so withdrawn. It’s not like him at all. He loves to tell me about his research. I know he doesn’t sleep because he’s always having nightmares and he won’t let me comfort him. He just looks scared. I hate this. Of course, our relationship has its ups and downs but he knows deep down I’m here for him.  Callie asks me if Daddy’s upset and I know I have to confront him.

We’ve never had such a bad fight. I had to block the door in our bedroom to get him to talk to me after Callie went to sleep. He looked exhausted.  I didn’t recognize him. I was so angry and so desperate for answers I was gonna try anything. I didn’t care if he thought I was too stupid to understand. He’s my husband and this is hurting my family.

Finally, he saw how upset I was and tried to explain that something bad was going to happen. I told him that it already happened. My best friend and the love of my life has been shutting me out. He tried to say that all the big events like Dana and Gozer and Vigo—it was all connected to a larger end of the world. He said he had to stop it. He had to make sure I was safe. That Callie was safe. I just burst into tears. Was he losing it? What was I supposed to do? How was he going to stop it? What did that mean? I freaked out. He put his arms around me and held me until I calmed down. He brought me to bed and told me how much he loved me. How much he loved Callie. How he never thought he’d have this kind of life. That he would never stop loving me. He kissed my hair and rubbed my back and I felt safe again.

When I woke up, he was gone. He left a note. It was short:

Jadie, I know you’ll never understand and you’ll never forgive me, but I have to do this for you and Callie.

Forever yours,

Egon

He fucking left me. He left us. I broke every beaker and vial in that fucking lab and I still can’t say how bad this hurts. What am I going to tell Callie?

--

I got a job at the Art Institute in Chicago. My parents are there and can’t wait to see us. As much as I love my friends, I can’t stay here. This city just reminds me too much of him.  We all promise to stay in touch and I want to. I don’t have anything against them. They didn’t leave.

Callie wipes the tears from her eyes. She doesn’t have it in her to relive all her mom’s pain especially now when she knows the truth. Instead, she picks up her final journal.

Hello, old friend,

Been a while, huh? Yeah, life’ll do that to you.

I think if he was dead I would know. Not in some mystic sense. That was never my thing. Honestly, if you told me that all of the strange things that happened from 1984 to 1993 were because NYC had drugged the water I’d believe you. Or maybe we all had some great pot. I’d believe that over what really happened. It’d be a lot funnier.

I think someone would’ve called, right? I know Callie and I are still next of kin. Janine told me some rotting shack is left to me and Callie. Hey, Ma, he left me a house. I’d have to get out an ouija board to tell her that one.

I found my old journals. I was so young. Absolutely consumed with that man. Years earlier, they would’ve been firewood, but not now. I wonder if Ray is still angry. Egon called him once and Ray phoned me after.  He really hates him. I don’t think Winston could ever hate anyone. Venkman’s moved on. Dana told me right after he left she wished she hadn’t introduced us. She felt guilty. But she shouldn’t.  I gave it my all and it doesn’t mean I shouldn’t have tried.

Callie asked me why I never remarried. As much as I’ve enjoyed my other lovers like Sam or Tatiana, it never was the same. I knew it was special when I had it. He was my lover and best friend. He knew me in a way no one else did. We just fit together. Left brain. Right brain. It didn’t work out as I wanted and even though his leaving felt like he ripped out my heart, I loved him utterly and completely. I’m not ashamed of that. And for a while, he loved me too.

I don’t regret it. I don’t know if I still love him, but I don’t hate him anymore.  Isn’t that funny? You’d think I’d know, but I don’t. Because of Callie. Because of Trevor. Because of  Phoebe (who reminds me so much of him sometimes I can’t breathe). The loves of my life. My beautiful band of freaks is led by Grandma Freak.

Callie closes the journal and puts it back in the box. She doesn’t even remember falling asleep.

“Mom, I found something.” It feels like a blink of an eye later when Phoebe walks into her room.

Phoebe’s face is bright and excited. It’s enough to pull Callie out of bed immediately.

[the-firebird69]

It's a huge deal everyone's telling me slow down they're going to reveal all these years 6 years of taxes and now I'm saying our friend saying that's bad cuz the back it goes back one year past what the IRS can access normally I know it's that too that's what they say to me all the time and our friends that last line and it's true they're giving him so much s*** about nothing at all and it could be a huge stuff going on and no one's going to ever know because they're running around saying all the stupid petty s*** to him and he's saying there's some weird stuff back and they don't get it till like 10 days later and start pestering him and it looks around he's trying to figure out what it is sometimes he does he's looking as hell and you people don't know anything about it him. I'm tired of this the man's been under so much pressure his whole life his loss is relatives as family everybody he knows and they're a friendly to us and helped us this is how you people are not right and he says I'm not poor for saying that he's helping us and they're smart cuz they know and do your stuff and really it's not that complicated and will and Bill can crack it he's cracking a lot of it. So there's agents doing it and then foreigners counted it for years he says he knows no one around saying what it was it is a distraction that I know about that too and it says it all the time he won't shut your mouth it's kind of front frontal lobe problem but the whole deal is yeah I'll get back to it this is real and it's a lot of taxes that's one more then would be really bad and usually they pick like a gear or a period with a president and they're picking those huge monstrous time and it's pretty bad and those years are many years big money and I'm supposed to not know it or something but really that's not very good so I'm starting to say that because I'm starting to see it and this guy Tommy f has a lot of stuff if those numbers are accurate

Trump

You're actually right and we can't stop what we're doing and you can't stop what you're doing and her friend says that all that stuff is probably moved there by The matrix and the Tron facilities and your people's bodies and people are corroborating it and we have to get on top of it but we can't we're at war with him and our friend says too you got to get down there and you have to get ahead of it because every time you try and stop him you end up with a destroyed shutdown area and it's absolutely true we can't keep doing that. Even though my friend is taking it over we're like not really on top of it and it makes people all the time it's terrible he's kidnapping women you know he's going to start rubbing them the wrong way again and it's going to be horrible he's screaming at night sometimes wakes up screaming I'll tell you what this guy is horrifying and what he's saying is doing and his monsters are terrible if they're real and you know we can't remember it and we're going down the river not knowing everyone has to apply themselves not get captured by your own guy so I see what you're saying that's how it goes with me sometimes

Mac

[heiko-writes]

Dinner with The Northmans, Part 2

::Erik::  I noticed earlier your cane doesn't seem entirely an accessory to your evening attire.  Was it a decision you made by trial or even necessity for health reasons? 

::Kreizler blinked at Erik::  You're either a gifted perceptive or you've already discovered details about me which I assumed exclusive to my most intimate friends. 

I'm neither ::Erik smiled lightly::  I made a deduction based on you being a human sanguinarian using a cane, and John being Lycan.  And I'm decidedly familiar with the reasons behind our mutual friend's decision.  ::Erik motioned to Jan::   

::There was a tight pause as he gauged Kreizler's pensive expression.::  Have I somehow offended you?  ::he decided to ask in case his candor was ill-timed with this new and clearly very private ally:: 

::Kreizler shook his head and wagged his left hand as if to virtual brush away the supposed indiscretion::  No, no. Not at all, Erik.  I'm surprised at your skill at query perhaps.  ::He offered Erik a sheepish smile.::  You are incredibly perceptive though.  Truly.  ::his smile broadened::   And, please, let me apologize if my manner of communication is too frank.  Even after all these years, I'm afraid my mouth can outrun my brain sometimes.  ::he chuffed a little laugh:: 

Yeah, I get that.  ::Erik smirked back amiably::  And when you've been around a while I guess you pick up on things.  I'm really no accomplished wit or anything. ::he chuckled lightly::  Just observant I guess. 

::Kreizler nodded, still smiling a little::  I suppose I'd have to say there are two parts to that answer, Erik.  The former would be the most related to your question.  But the latter may as well be offered to provide the bigger picture. 

I've been anemic all my life and developed muscle disease in my teenage years.  What was originally thought to be simply growing pains turned out to be inflammatory myositis.  Between the fatigue and nausea, and chronic pain, you can imagine how my ability to focus on my studies began to suffer, as did nearly every aspect of my life.  I was often bed-ridden with fatigue, or barely moved from our settee as the very act of raising myself to stand was unbearably painful. 

::Kreizler sipped at then gulped his wine::  There's only so much liver, iodine, salicylates, and ferrous salt, among so many other innumerable tortures one can take before the treatment begins to outweigh the cure. 

::He glanced at Moore, watching him with warm, soft eyes::  Moore approached me with the notion of insanguination.  He knew far more than I about the vitality of lycan and vampire blood, and was very positive it could help me in many ways. 

I was of course stoutly against it at first.  Raised Catholic and apparently not very open-minded yet at the time, we fought viciously over ethics as well as the fact that my insistence that blood-drinking was abhorrent was a direct prejudice, dogmatic, and racist toward John himself as a part-lycan borne of a half-lycan father. 

And he was absolutely right.  I was being all of those things, and more.  And in the face of my oldest, dearest friend who wanted nothing more than to see my thrive again  ::Kreizler exhaled shakily.  His glossy eyes tremored with emotion and he looked down at his plate again::  So I tried it.  ::he looked back up to Jan and Erik and Mina::  Only a little at first.  John let from his wrist into a glass... not more than a few tablespoons but it was enough.   

::He shook his head a little::  It was terrible.  I hated it.  It seemed so profane.  I wanted to throw it up.  ::he pressed a knuckle to his upper lip and swallowed thickly::  But I couldn't.  I could hardly even gag up anything at all I felt so frozen with blasphemy.  I locked myself in the bathroom and told John to move out.   

::he stroked his hand across his beard, and snorted at himself::  A terrible vertigo overwhelmed me and I felt aflame with fever, so I stripped and lay on the floor... sobbing... until it passed.  I fell asleep in there like that.  And the next morning, when I got up and opened the door, l actually felt quite well and I wanted to tell John so I called for him.  When he didn't answer and seemed nowhere in the house, I thought he really had left.  I thought I had run off the last person that seemed to care anything at all for me. 

I nearly became undone. ::His fingers pressed over his mouth:: 

::Moore reached and lay his hand on Laszlo's shoulder::  Our house phone wasn't working again, so I'd been down the hall to phone my grandmother to explain I'd not be over for lunch.  Something very important had come up which could not wait. 

I'd forgotten about the phone ::Laszlo smiled up at him:: 

Yes you did.  ::Moore smiled back:: 

So..!  ::Laszlo nodded, dabbing his eyes with his napkin, coughing a little::  I said I thought just maybe it had worked because I was feeling ... not better per se, but different.  Obviously the small amount couldn't have done much for me and clearly that dosage didn't last.  But I was convinced already that the ichor was going to help me.   

::he raised his hands::  And it absolutely has ever since. 

::Mina smiled::  that’s wonderful…. Things couldn’t have worked out any better. ::she looked to Moore:: do you have family still around? 

When my mother passed my father moved to the UK.  I've not seen him since.  I know there are living Moores in our bloodline there and many others here in America, but I've never found myself preoccupied with my family tree.  I'm afraid I can only say that those I can account for are either dead, or whom I feel may as well be just be dead to me.  ::Moore smirked smartly at her, lips tightening, gaze flattening:: 

No, John.  That's not true ::Laszlo nearly twisted in his chair to face Moore::  You'd reconcile if given the change.  You've said so many times before. 

Yes... ::Moore rolled his eyes and supped the rest of Laszlo's vodka shot, then the rest of his own wine::  So I've said many times before... ::he glanced around for the attendant to bring more wine, then added bitterly::  We'll certainly see what I have to say if that pomposity ever rears his hideous head around me again. 

Do you think he's still alive?  ::Erik asked, also taking another glass of wine:: 

Quite honestly, at this point, Erik, I could give two shits. ::Moore chuffed:: 

John..! ::Laszlo frowned at him:: 

Oh please, Laszlo.  Don't mock me.  You curse just fine when you're blood is up.  ::Moore gazed at him hotly:: 

Please calm down, John.  You mustn't always let talk of your father ire you so ::Laszlo tried sounding compassionate, but Moore just heard preaching:: 

::Moore stood abruptly then, spiking his napkin into his chair.  Excuse me.  This is not in response to any of you. 

John...! ::Laszlo mewled desperately up at him but Moore pivoted away and stalked off::   

Scheiße.  ::Laszlo hissed at his fists, balled and quaking above his lap.  His left hand swiped across his face then and he sighed sharply.  He raised his gaze to Jan, pink cheeked and glassy eyed::  I just don't know how to change his mind. 

::Jan blinked at him casually:: Perhaps it's your response to him which needs to change. 

I've tried.  ::Laszlo lamented quietly:: 

::Jan offered him a soft smile::  Do you have an attending counselor? 

::Laszlo::  I'm sorry?  

::Jan::  Are you seeing a psychiatrist? 

::Laszlo::  Not currently. 

::Jan::  How long has it been? 

::Laszlo:: <sigh> I can't remember. 

::Jan::  Would you like- ? 

::Jan didn't even finish his question when Laszlo blurt::  Yes very much thank you!  ::Below the table, his fingertips curled into his thighs.  He exhaled roughly, eyes moving between the others::  I suppose none of you were prepared for any dinner theatre tonight, did you?  ::He chuckled tightly, still working on quelling his disquiet:: 

::Erik::  May I call you Laszlo? 

::Laszlo::  Please do. 

::Erik::  Laszlo, why haven't you had John turn you yet?  If you're using his ichor to medicate, and you're both committed to each other, why not just turn and ensure your best health and long lives together. 

::Laszlo sat back in his chair, his fine, slender hands resting in his lap, and sighed out one last puff of angst.::  We tried.  Or I should say he tried.  I don't think his amalgamate is strong enough.  

Why do you think that?  ::Erik lifted his arm and placed it against the back of Mina's chair:: 

SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY LOL 

::Their finished meals were bussed away and dessert and coffee was offered.  Mina ordered the Bananas Foster minus the Affogato.  Erik asked for the Peach Semifreddo and black coffee.  Laszlo asked Mina if she'd like to switch to Champagne and she heartily accepted the offer so he ordered them Veuve Clicquot, and an extra flute for Moore.  Jan took coffee, black.:: 

::Laszlo coughed; two quick chuffs. Sighed quietly, chuffed again:: 

I.M.? ::Jan asked him:: 

::Laszlo nodded::  Comes and goes.  When I'm tired or dehydrated mostly. 

So, all the time ::Jan half mused:: 

::Laszlo snorted softly at him, smirking.  His gaze returned to Erik then::  Remember I said there were two parts to my answer to your question about my sanguinarianism? 

Mmhm ::Erik nodded:: 

::Laszlo::  A long time ago, and for many years John and I allied with a small team of enquirers:  a lady P.I. and her cohort, and two detective sergeants generally on permanent loan from the New York Police Department.  We primarily investigated homicides, although John and I did assist on several missing persons cases.  Anyway, one evening we ran afoul of our killer and John had him on foot heading toward the Gilsey.   

When John caught him they grappled and the suspect shot him in the chest which separated them.   

I made the stupid mistake of calling out to John and was consequently turned upon and also shot.  He fired two into my chest, one in the loin, and the last went into my neck.  Current medical procedures involving transfusions were barely used at that time and very arrhythmic.  My health was failing faster than I could be transfused.  John of course healed just fine in a matter of days.  But I'd lost too much blood, and already being anemic, my prognosis was very poor. 

Fortuitously though we had a nurse from the Lying-In Hospital we'd befriended from an earlier case.  She and Lucius--one of our detective sergeants well versed in anatomy--drew vial after vial from John for weeks and fed me every drop they could wring from him without also making him sick. Which he became anyway. <heavy sigh> 

Even in my grievous state, knowing now how readily the human marrow is for producing our blood, it's far greedier for donor blood from a dynamic host.  His blood did save my life but it never turned me.  He simply couldn't give me enough fast enough.   

With that testimony being said, his amalgamate doesn't appear strong enough to even fully cure me of my own, organic afflictions.  ::he motioned to his cane.  he flattened his hand over his breast, implying his lungs::   

It was never assumed that turning me would save my life.  The only thought at that time was just to save my life. 

It is evident, though, that once recovered, I came away much stronger than before the shooting.  I have far more tone, and vigor.  But the overall procedure certainly did not bestow upon me a wholeness of health which would normally be expected from a Lycan transfusion. 

::Minas right eyebrow raised a bit::  well we are certainly happy that you survived being shot…. But what about now?  Have you both considered turning you now?  It seems so much easier to turn that to manage to specific amounts and dosages to maintain. it seems like such a science!  ::she glances to 

Jan with a smile::  maybe that’s why you like it so much… the process and control and maintenance of the dosages.  I’ve never thought about how difficult it is to maintain without over doing it.   

It's absolutely a science. ::Jan replied, smirking at her, his golden eyes watching her cleverly::  Having a consistent, clean, powerful donor helps.   ::he grinned at Erik then:: 

You're welcome ::Erik grinned back. They clinked coffee cups and snickered at each other:: 

And I enjoy a great many things about it.  ::Jan glanced to her again::  The distillation of amalgamate is not one of them though, so it's easiest to just store what I can carefully using proven methods.  Having a great network of Evolved to tutor me has been categorically principal in establishing and maintaining those methods, as well as and improving upon them whenever I can. 

Honestly, Mina, it's really not something we discuss very often at all ::Laszlo responded.  He tipped his head then::  It is alright that I address you as Mina? 

::Mina nods:: absolutely you can cal me Mina.  We are hardly the type that demand formality..  especially among friends. 

Thank you! ::Laszlo offered her a genuine and happy, toothy smile.  He was still smirking when he supped strongly from his champagne. 

He had taken some time to warm up--not that he'd been cool or unfriendly in the least!  And he'd even seemed to struggle through a myriad of emotions over the past few hours while in their presence.  In part, true, his anxiety was goaded along by the varying, and often personal nature of the subject matter they discussed, but there was evidence that finding the right balance of attitude had been very heavily at play for him for much of the evening.   

Now, however, without Moore beside him, his demeanor was less rigid, more relaxed, more animated.  His expressions were less reserved, more free flowing.  The spark in his eye was bright and alluring.  He was overall more attractive and definitely more engaging. 

Maybe it wasn't the lack of Moore's distractive presence and more the two glasses of wine, the half-finished flute of champagne, and the full belly of rich foods.  Either way, they three took notice of the change in him.:: 

It's queer how time speeds when we allow ourselves to invest in our happenings.  We've had such an agreeable living that considering anything different has barely been our topic since that incident.  ::Laszlo added for Mina, continuing his response to her question::  We're certainly not complacent in anything, some routine has been well received.  And although the blood draws and administration have changed some... ::he glanced to Jan::  Nothing is much different now than it was 100 years ago.  In fact, after having imbibed approximately two years, my vigor was such advanced from its former attitude, we began to travel.  ::he paused, supped his champagne again::  By that time, I couldn't recall having left New England since I'd opened the Institute. 

We've been very fortunate.  ::he paused, chuffed::  Blessed, actually.  Perhaps the most distressing thing we've endured since the shooting wa the closure of the Institute. 

For the children...? ::Erik part-asked:: 

Correct.  ::Laszlo nodded::  I opened the Kreizler Institute in 1885 and by 1950, it was virtually useless for its original intent.  I was 100-percent against turning it into an asylum for wealthy families to dump their... unfortunates.  ::he sneered::  My mission was always to provide sanctuary and answers, and HOPE; to edify young people.  We were a school.  A place for learning, not a stockyard where parents could abandon their problem colts, then rarely visit, or worse never return. 

I shut down the schooling portion and reassessed the files of any remaining students whose parents still wanted to pay for therapeutic services.  It was arduous and heartbreaking.  ::He shook his head::  But at least I was still helping troubled children.  The ways the State handled social services, the economy, commerce, the whole of the population, everything! seemed to morph constantly after the Crash.  The Justice System especially was completely different by then. 

The 50s?  ::Erik asked, making sure he was following Laszlo's verbal timeline:: 

Yes. ::Laszlo nodded sharply once.  He chuckled then::  I apologize if I'm rambling on.  I don't know what's gotten into me ::he blushed again and lowered his eyes a moment, before gazing back at them quietly with a sheepish smile:: 

It's very true that the 50s and 60s completely changed socially.  My client base became almost entirely criminal or forensic by '68.  ::Jan piped up:: 

'68 specifically?  ::Erik mused::  That's not an arbitrary year, it's specific. 

::Jan smirked at him::  Robert Kennedy died that year.  It's not arbitrary. 

Oh!  ::Erik laughed::  OK that makes sense! ::he chuckled heartily again, grinning at Jan:: 

::Moore finally returned, smelling of cigarettes and sticky night air::  I apologize for my absence.  Thank you all for being accommodating.  ::He sat back down next to Laszlo, who began reaching for the champagne for Moore, but Moore was already helping himself, snatching up the bottle and pouring liberally into his flute, finishing off the bottle. 

Should I order another?  ::Erik offered:: 

::Moore gulped from his flute, then replied briskly to Erik::  No, rather, I say we move our merry band to someplace more informal. 

How informal?  ::Erik cocked a brow at him:: 

::Moore cocked a brow back::  What have you in mind? 

What have YOU in mind? ::Erik grinned:: 

::Moore grinned a fangy smile right back at him, chuckling gruffly::  I'm not quite sure.  But I'm certain it involves cocktails and dancing.  ::Mild horror glazed Laszlo's dark eyes as he gasped silently up at Moore as if to speak out in protest.  Instead though, he closed his mouth and stayed quiet.  His hands slid from the edge of the table back into his lap in his typical, oft-adopted, snug and restrained, guarded posture.:: 

I can definitely think of a few places you may like.::Erik offered::   

::Moore drained his flute, nodding to Erik, then set the glass down with a brusque clunk.  He slid his arm across Laszlo's shoulders then and leaned his face near to Laszlo's cheek::   

We're not in New York right now.  Let's enjoy the distance... 

::he allowed his hot breath to buffet against Laszlo's collar, watched the doctor's eye roll to its corner to peer down at Moore's mouth so close to his neck. He heard the squelch and click of Laszlo's throat working wetly.   

Laszlo had stopped breathing. His lips had parted.  His head gave a wee twitch; a compliant nod. 

Thank you, Laszlo. Moore merely mouthed the words but he may have shouted them to the whole room for how loud and clear his gratitude landed on all the ears at their table. 

Moore turned his head, eyeing Jan, then Erik, and finally resting his gaze on Mina.  His leer grew with each tick of his eyes from person to person::   

Let’s also give ourselves more time to get to know our new friends much better. 

HUNGARIAN TOAST: 

"Célozzunk mindig magasra, tartsuk alacsonyan az egónkat, és járjunk barátaink mellett." 

"Let's always aim high, keep our egos low, and walk by our friends." 

[tinydeskwriter]

Cosmopolitan Couple’s Timeline

A/n: this is the Part II of Buzzfeed Article; It’s fluffy 💓, and more about their relationship. The photos used are only illustrative because after writing I got too lazy to search into pinterest. I hope you all like it as much as you liked Buzzfeed Article.

A Complete Timeline of Jack Harlow and Y/n L/n’s Relationship, Because You’re Nosy

There are celebrity couples who make sense and then there are celebrity couples who click together so seamlessly, their love is basically an aesthetic. Jack and Y/n are proud members of the second group. They are both infinitely photogenic and seem to float through life like it’s all one photo shoot that they were absolutely prepared for.

Quick question: Do you remember where you were when Y/n L/n and your boyfriend Jack Harlow went Instagram official? their *little* (read: earth-shattering) relationship caused women everywhere to weep real tears. Life’s a beach, ain’t it? Since then, these two have been sharing teensy looks here and there at their equal parts enviable and adorable relationship.

(Rude of him not to be dating me, but okay.)

That said, there is a LOT of ground to cover in Y/n and Jack’s yearlong relationship, including how Mr.Harlow went down to one knee, so let’s get down into the details of the Hollywood coupling almost too good to be true. Almost.

August 13, 2021

Newly single Y/n basically ✨manifested✨ her beau after posting this, on Twitter:

L/n had just got out of a long term relationship with Australian heartthrob Liam Hemsworth, the two had been going strong since October 2019 (visit their timeline here if your feeling nostalgic) with rumors of a engagement on the horizon, sources close to the former couple claim: “Liam was very much ready for the next step, and he wanted that with Y/n, they are very likeminded, but Y/n didn’t see herself as a wife and mother at this stage of her life. She is also very close to her family and the idea of living permanently in Australia wasn't very attractive to her, she'd lived there with him during the pandemic, and she was terribly homesick.”

September 13, 2021

They met on the red carpet, minutes before posing for pictures “Tommy Hilfiger set us up” the actress joked, recalling the moment, “The flowers on my dress and in my hair were made from scraps of fabric from Jack's suit”. “I was a little anxious, trying not to let it show, and this one turns to me, cute smile and all, and says, just pretend I'm the most perfect thing you've ever seen and the pictures will be perfect, and in my head I’am: I don't think I need to pretend.” Jack comments nearly a year later when the couple is interviewed by Vogue.

There you have girls, those looks of pure adoration were legit. A source tells Us Weekly, “They were all over each other. Super smitten and gazing into each other’s eyes as they danced together their whole night.” Jack and Y/n left the Gala together (she had his suit over her shoulders). 

They reappeared together in Virgil Abloh's After-Party—and again left together—. L/n described the moment to Net-a-Porter magazine: “On the way back to the hotel we stopped at this hole in the wall pizza place, I was starving, we ate in the van because they were already closing, we played a game of 'forty questions', and in the end I just wanted to run away as fast as possible, because I was like: oh shit I've known this guy for a few hours and I'm in serious danger to falling in love' surprisingly Jack felt the same, and didn't run away, he basically picked me up and threw me over his shoulder, caveman style, so, you know, we can say that we have been together from the day that we met! Two weeks later he accompanied me to Ireland for a month.”

October 2021

They had been seeing each other for two weeks when Y/n had to jet off to Ireland to re-shoot scenes for her new project. Very romantically for someone who claims to have never been in love—and shockingly—Jack accompanied his Lady Love. Perhaps even more shocking is the fact that the couple at that moment had not even exchanged their first kiss. Yeah, they were taking things *slow*. “I’ve been jumping from relationship to relationship since I was eighteen, I wanted to make sure it wasn't just infatuation,” the Golden Globe-winning actress told longtime friend Hailey Bieber on an episode of 'Who's in my Bathroom.' “He was super patient and by the end of the second week I was pretty sure he was going to be my last first kiss, we kissed on our first night in Ireland, we were coming back from dinner at the local pub, we took the scenic route by the sea, it was very romantic.” Our hearts.

October 28, 2021

Just a few short weeks after that initial Met Gala meet-cute, Jack and Y/n went Instagram official on *both* of their accounts. It came just days after Harlow went solo for Doja Cat's 26th birthday party at Delilah’s, at the time it was widely reported that the Atlanta-based rapper was staying at the actress' home in Chatsworth, no explanation was given for L/n's absence, leading some outlets to report that the romance had come to an end. Y/n posted a couples picture that oozed Gen Z Fifty Shades of Grey vibes (in a good way).

Jack shared two pics—one of Y/n solo in bed, city lights in the back, and, a very sweet kiss pic, captioned ‘The best view’:

October 31, 2021

Vas J Morgan and Michael Braun Halloween Bash. It was the place to be on Halloween, and it was the first appearance of the couple after making the relationship IG official. Everyone who follows Y/n knows that Halloween is the actress's favorite time of year, and she takes it seriously, Y/n is one of our favorite celebrities to watch this time of year because she always comes up with the best costumes. And she didn't disappoint. Jack and Y/n appeared in a couples costume, Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, and they looked sexy.

November 16, 2021

Weren’t expecting Jack to be so open about his relationship with Y/n? Same, TBH! In a new interview with Complex, Jack said that being open about his relationship with Y/n isn’t exactly his style, he usually prefers to keep things more private, but he decided to switch up his usual tactics because he’s sooooo smitten with her. “She’s game-changer.” “I’m a private guy and I want to protect that, but it just felt like trying to hide it only make things worse, makes curiosity around us grow, especially when your dating someone like Y/n, she has one of the most recognizable faces in the world, it’s insane, she got that level of fame,” he said. “I feel more comfortable about the public nature of the business that we’re in nowadays than I did a year ago. So for me, it was a moment to, I guess, take ownership of that and then get back to work.”

November 25, 2021

Thanksgiving was a good time for the couple. From Y/n’s Instagram photo and video dump celebrating the day, the couple spent the holiday together and with his family ~Yes, girls! He took her home to Louisville to introduce her to his mamma!~ from the looks of it, Y/n also met all of his childhood friends, and was given a tour of the city. Your! Faves! Could! Never!

December 5, 2021

It was Jack's turn to meet his girl’s family. They spent the beginning of December in Vermont enjoying snow sports. Apparently Jack immediately bonded with everyone because the universe had fated this romance, clearly. The Kentucky rapper along well with Y/n's older brothers, if you can’t tell from the countless photos the three men shared on IG. He took her younger siblings snowboarding~our hearts~, and played Tea Party with her adorable nieces. The young couple was photographed by fans having lunch in town with Y/n's parents, and according to the photo's author, "They seemed very comfortable together, and Jack and Y/n's father seemed very friendly to each other. ”

December 25, 2021

The couple spent their first Christmas apart, and Y/n shared a photo of the couple with the caption “miss u❤️”

December 29, 2021

She didn't miss him for long however. On December 29th the couple was spotted in Miami, where Jack was performing at NBC special Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party (Yep, Miley, her ex-ex), before jetting off to Hawaii where Y/n presented us with a certain enviable level of photo dump. To be her.

January 8, 2022

Ireland was also the place for several important milestones for the couple. Like Jack bringing up the subject of children. Yep. That happened.

About the episode, Jack commented during a radio interview in early January, “I knew from the first smile she gave me that I wanted her to be the mother of my kids, I was like, Damn, I want my kids to have that smile.” The rapper revealed. “Fast forward, we're in Ireland, and I had no idea Ireland could be so romantic, I went to visit her on set, totally unprepared, Y/n is there, fully dressed in her character's clothes, and she has a baby in her arms, that made me feel something,” the Kentucky native continued, “there were other kids, because they were still testing various ages, but none were older than, I don't know, six, and they were all relatively similar to her. It made me want things.” “Did you guys have that talk?” The radio host asked. “Oh, Yeah.” Jack replied with a self-satisfied smile. “It was how we ended up with a dog. If Jacques is alive and healthy in a year we will have this conversation again, she says.”

Their dog is adorable by the way. And huge. But his parents are 6ft3 and 5ft7, so 🤷🏻‍♀️.

January 9, 2022

Y/n was nominated for a Golden Globes, we were ✨finger cross✨ hoping to see Jack Harlow as her arm candy on the red carpet, but we were holding back on our expectations since Y/n famously doesn't walk red carpet with her boyfriends (we've had our hopes crushed when she was dating Harry Styles and then later with Liam Hemsworth, the actress' two longest relationships to date), we were already resigned that we would see the New England beauty walking accompanied by one of her yummy looking brothers when they arrived, AND! WE! GASPED! First, he opened the door himself and helped her out. 

Second, he straightened the train of her dress BEFORE he offered her his arm and they walked down the red carpet like a couple out of a Hollywood Golden Age dream (with a futuristic twist), they were wearing Dior, which the actress was recently announced as a Global Ambassador, and they looked to die for.

And the glances? It's like their eyes scream 'I love you'.

February 8, 2022

Jack celebrated his Oscar Nominee girlfriend with a post and a sweet caption: ‘Just found out I have a Academy Awards Nominee girlfriend. Congrats my heart, you deserve all the validation for the fantastic work you've been doing over the last decade.’

February 14, 2022

2021 crowned Michael B Jordan the ultimate King of Valentines Day surprise, we ~and the rest of the world~ thought it would be hard to beat closing an aquarium for a romantic dinner.

Boy, were we wrong.

'Cause Jack Harlow managed to close the Griffith Observatory for Y/N's Valentine's Day Surprise and we're dying… of envy. God does has favorites, and little Miss L/n just happens to be one of them. 

According to an anonymous source, 'Jack turned the place into a blooming garden, Soul Food, Y/n's favorite pastry from a Vermont bakery, he went all out for their first valentine's day. She was really touched, no one has ever done something like this for her before, she felt bad that she only bought him a watch.' 

Unfortunately, Jack and Y/n haven't shared their Valentine's Day photos with their followers.  But when asked about the gift he received for Valentine's Day Jack replied: 'Y/n gave me a Rolex, the same type and year of manufacture as the one Paul Newman got from his wife, on the back she had it engraved: Come home, we miss you. And before rumors get wild, the 'we' in question is her and Jacques, our dog' the rapper clarified, when asked what he got his girlfriend he said: 'I bought her a necklace, she hasn't stopped wearing it, so I think she liked it.'

February 18, 2022

The couple managed to steal the spotlight from another rapper-actress couple during the NBA All Star Games weekend. Not a feat for many women, but Y/n managed to overshadow Megan Fox.

For starters, she was dressed cute and to die for in a vintage Versace look wore in ‘95 by Kate Moss ~a bit reminiscent of a cheerleader/schoolgirl outfit~, white New Balance sneakers, her hair pulled back in a ponytail with a 'Harlow' silk ribbon, and Team Nique Varsity Jacket with number 80 on the back.

Second, she cheered her man for every point he made like he had just own a Grammy ~goals~. Last but not least, Jack dedicated his 4 pointer to his lady, which was sweet. Team Nique lost, but you wouldn’t say that by the kiss the couple exchanged courtside.

March 13, 2022

On Jack's 24th birthday, Y/n posted several pictures of her boyfriend and the couple on her IG, including some messages exchanged between them that give us a glimpse into their relationship. And it's gold. The actress captioned it: 'Happy your day, old man. As part of the old L/n tradition, I'll expose you. But I love you❤️.'

The post was later followed by another photo of the couple, captioned with a love declaration by the actress ‘My Handsome Jack, I knew I like you when you made me feel nervous, and my heart would beat faster than the wings of a hummingbird every-time you looked at me with your gorgeous ocean blue eyes. I knew I loved you when I felt calmer with you than without you, and just your presence there was able to calm my anxiety attack. You made love songs make sense to me. You made home a person instead of a building for me. I love you Cowboy, my barbarian, my angel. Thank you for holding my hand and never letting me run away.’ and Jack replied in the comments with 'I love you babygirl'

Let's not forget they were in Turks and Caicos with Drake at the time.

Oh, and the Valentine's Day necklace finally made a visible appearance in pictures, it’s a diamond ‘J’on a white gold chain, how very Taylor Swift’s Call it What You Want of them.

March 27, 2022

The 94th Oscar Ceremony. Where to start with this ceremony?

For starters Jack and Y/n again rocked the red carpet in Dior. As a nominee for one of the main categories, Y/n went all out in a gold gown and, yes, she wore a star-studded tiara in her hair ~but she is just that level of gorgeous~. A couple in their early twenties has no right to look as cute and put together as these two *they even look like they smell good, if that's possible*.

Will Smith vs. Chris Rock happened.

Will Smith won an Oscar and received a standing ovation ~although Y/n neither clapped nor stood up, and the camera focuses on the exact moment she shakes her head at her boyfriend~.  

Y/n L/n then won the Oscar for Best Actress, and delivered THAT viral speech, 'Over the years I've watched my idols at these big fancy events, over the internet, and on the streets protesting countless causes, it made me proud to see these people who inspired me on the front lines of such noble causes, made me want to do more. Over the years we protested for the BLM, Violence Against Women, the Me Too Movement, we protested against violence, period. And tonight something happened, which under all California laws is misdemeanor crime, by the way, perpetrated by one of ours against one of ours, and in an act of absolute hypocrisy, you, who march against acts of violence, who protest against acts of violence, gave a standing ovation to the aggressor, you normalized aggression against an act of comedy […]Toxic masculinity in 2022 is not an excuse[…]So tonight, I applaud you, the Hollywood Elite, for your hypocrisy.’ The actress, who did not accept the Oscar upon going on stage, was about to leave, to the silence of the audience, when she returned, accepting the award from Anthony Hopkins hands, who quickly congratulate her. 'I was going to leave this here in protest, but I deserved it, and it may be the only one in my career after today.' The actress was finally applauded by audience members ~mostly the younger generation~.

The actress' attitude was congratulated by many industry members, despite having received criticism online and from other actors.

April 2, 2022

Their GQ Couples Quiz. It’s the most viewed Couple Quiz in the channel and is #couplegoals. This couple is *obsessed* with each other, as we’re obsessed with them. In the nearly twenty minutes video we learned that they are living together full-time now—at Y/n LA house, that once belonged to Frank Sinatra—but Jack claims that none of them are LA people. Their song is Fire on Fire by Sam Smith, 'but there's a lot of Taylor Swift on our relationship playlist' the actress admitted while her boyfriend hid his face behind the questions cards. They're a compatible couple according to their zodiac sign—he's a Pisces and she's a Taurus— 'We were meant to be, Sunshine' Jack jokes. 

'What would make me the happiest man alive?' Jack asks with a smirk. 'This one is easy, are you ready?' Y/n asks looking at the production behind the camera with a mischievous smile. ‘Okay. Hands down. Eight mini-me.’ Minute of silence ‘She’s right.’ The rapper agreed with a lazy smile.

Our favorite moment must be the ‘Describe me in one word.’ to which Jack responded with a smirk ‘Mine’ and like Y/n we just melted.

(You can watch the full video here)

April 3, 2022

The Grammys! Jack was nominated for two awards, and would perform alongside Lil Nas X. The couple arrived in all-Black Givenchy, and Y/n absolutely slayed in sheer lace. 

The couple also accidentally starred the cutest moment on the red carpet, when without realizing they were separated during photos and interviews, Y/n turned her head looking over her shoulder in search of your beau ~a move worthy of Sharon Stone and Angelina Jolie~, the microphone of the E! Channel captured the moment when the actress asked her assistant 'where is Jack?', and almost instantly, in five strides, the rapper is reunited with his girlfriend, their hands intertwining almost unconsciously, and he just looks at her with a smile and 'Hey babygirl' as if they haven't seen each other in days. *Again, to be her*

About the couple, Little Nas X, who is a close friend to both, commented 'They're one of those weird couples that even breathe in sync.'

Jack didn't take the Grammy home, but the couple had fun, and Y/n was dancing and singing along during her boyfriend's performance.

May 2, 2022

Jack may not have followed the assignment, but Y/n rocked the theme for both of them *and even made us imagine her in a wedding dress*.

May 6, 2022

Not only was it the Kentucky Derby and the couple attended together, it was also the release day of Jack's new album, Come Home The Kids Miss You. Y/n was the star of the 'First Class' video, an obvious choice when your girlfriend is a world-famous movie star, she's also going to appear in the 'Churchill Downs' music video with Drake by the looks of it.

In interviews prior to the album's release, Harlow commented that he was moving back to Louisville, initially it was unclear how the move would affect the couple's relationship, however in an interview during the Derby the Louisville native confirmed that Y/n and him were making the move together.

May 13, 2022

Am I the only one who finds it absolutely adorable that this couple is exactly two months apart in age? The actress celebrated the date being pampered by her boyfriend, surrounded by family and friends at the couple's new home in Louisville, Drake was present at the party. 

Jack shared a birthday tribute to Y/n, which he captioned, “Happy birthday my dreamgirl, the love of my existence 🤍 you have the most beautiful heart and soul I’ve ever known.”

June 2022

You might have thought that at this point in Jack and Y/n’s Hollywood love story, they were out of IG milestones, but on June 13, Y/n took it to the “publicly calling each other soul mates” level calling her handsome beau “the other half of her soul”.

And not to be out-gushed, Jack called his “soulmate,” which is basically a synonym.

Due to professional commitments, the couple spent some time apart in June, which Y/n briefly commented on in the 73 Questions with Vogue video. Y/n posted on IG with the caption: I miss you, please, bring your ass back home.

July 2022

Were we ready? No! Did we know it was going to happen? Yes! On July 13th (always 13th because 13 is a lucky number for the couple, they were both born on the 13th, Y/n ✨manifested✨ Jack on the 13th, they met on the 13th…) Jack got down on one knee in the couple’s home in Louisville. The first floor was transformed into a sunflower garden, there were candles, and the couple's playlist playing in the background.

“Today I asked my soulmate to marry me and she said yes, babe we’re using the buddy system for the rest of our lives, ” he wrote. “I promise to be the best husband and the best father for our future eight daughters 🤍 I love you babygirl.”

September 13, 2022

Jack celebrated his and Y/n’s one-year anniversary with a thirst-inducing, sexy picture (is that now the new traditional first anniversary pic)?

“365 days by your side, My Heart” he wrote. “I’m the luckiest man in the world to be able to call you mine. I cannot wait to grow old with you and start our team of mini-us. love you so much sweet girl🤍”

September 19, 2022

Jack appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and shared some previously unknown details about his proposal to Y/n.

Jack went all out to maximize the romance at the proposal, which he said took place at  their home and involved a a entire floor filled with Y/n’s favorite flower (sunflower) as well as candles, her favorite champagne, and pizza (from the same place they eat that first Met Gala night). While this scenario might scream MARRIAGE PROPOSAL to most people, Jack and Y/n are so romantic in private and gush about their feels so regularly that she didn’t actually realize what was going on at first, “I don't think she ever imagined herself living in Louisville, Kentucky, and I don't believe anyone imagines a woman like Y/n living in Kentucky, she's the pinnacle of glamour, someone you imagine living in LA or NY, so when we broached the subject of living in Louisville, she touched me when she said that as long as we were together anywhere was home, I promised I wouldn't let her regret that decision, so grand romantic gestures are common at home.”

“Man, you're making some of us look bad.” Kimmel joked. “I just like to make her happy, it's not that hard.”The First Class rapper said with a shrug.

But that was not the initial plan, as bad cold postponed the proposal. “I had planned a trip just the two of us, our families were going to join us, but she didn't know that part, I planned to propose to her on June 13, under the light of Aurora Australis, there was a Symphony Orchestra hired for the occasion, and Maria Grazia from Dior—thank you Maria, you absolute angel— sent the dress she was supposed to wear, I already had her father and grandfather's permission, her overprotective older brothers too, her mom gave her blessing, but then on the 10th Y/n had the worst cold, and I ended up canceling the trip.”

During the interview with Kimmel we had another huge revelation:

“But it all worked out in the end, you two are happy…” Kimmel commented. “Yeah, yeah, my wife and I are really happy...” Jack said with a smirk. “Your wife…?” Kimmel asked with a double take. “Oops.” It was the only thing the rapper said, covering his mouth, making the audience cheer with the confession. “When did this happen? Congratulations!” “We are legally married, on the 14th we took a flight to Vegas just the two of us and our parents.” 

They are planning a ceremony for after Jack's tour ends. Our bets are that the ceremony will take place in Kentucky or Vermont. The bride will probably wear Dior and the groom Givenchy.

September 20, 2022

The day after Jack's interview on Jimmy Kimmel's show, Y/n posted a photo of the couple in Vegas with the caption, “Since the cat is out of the bag… our first photo as Mr and Mrs Harlow, I love you husband. ”

[x-childish-x]

Yes, it's me again ;) Could I also please request prompt 4, 8 and 60 with sweet FrankenKyle, please? Perhaps reader is trying to help him get reacquainted with pleasure and sex after everything? Lots of love!

Re-Teaching

Pairing: Fraken!Kyle x fem!reader

Fandom: American Horror Story

Warnings: NSFW!, smut, oral, male receiving, PiV

Word Count: 1075

A/N: Hello! Thank you for the request lovely! I hope you enjoy this, let me know if anything's wrong. Feedback is always appreciated! Sorry it took me awhile to get out, I've been incredibly busy. Lots of love right back to you.

Summary: You help Kyle get reacquainted with the feelings of sex.

(Gif not mine!)

Being a part of the coven had its ups and downs. The other girls, the secrecy, your supreme. But the most prominent up and a down in your life was Kyle. You had thought it was a terrible idea for Madison, Zoe, and you to go to that party, and you thought it was an even worse idea for Madison and Zoe to bring Kyle back. And in a sense, you were correct.

Kyle was not Kyle, rather a fraction of his former self you'd met at the party. You hated how Madison and Zoe had picked the "best parts" and brought him back into a world that he could hardly function in. However, there was a brighter side. Kyle had chosen you. Out of the three of you, Kyle chose you to follow, to latch onto, to go to for help. 

You spent hours each day helping reacquaint Kyle with life. From things like helping him get dressed and eat to speaking and writing. Truthfully, you loved helping Kyle... hell, let's not lie you love him. And you didn't doubt that he loved you too, times like right now proved it.

Kyle currently clung to your arm as he sat beside you, quietly saying the words on the cards. His head rests on your shoulder and it made you happy to see him so content.

"That's all of them, Kyle," Your voice was soft as you looked down at him, his head staying to stare at the cards, "You did so much better. You're really improving."

He grunted softly, making you shift so he was forced to lift his head and look at you, "What's wrong, Kyle?" 

He shifted his position again, grunting and mumbling, "Want... you."

You smiled, pulling the boy into your chest, "I'm right here, Kyle."

"No!" He whined, pulling back, "Like... this."

Kyle leaned forward, very softly pressing his lips to yours. Tears welled in your eyes, and immediately you kissed him back, guiding his lips under the realization that you'd have to reteach him everything. Kyle pulled you into him, but unlike all the other times you'd hug, you were forced to straddle his lap. Your new position caused a soft whimper to leave Kyle's mouth as you became aware of his hard-on.

"What gave you this idea, Kyle?"

You pulled back, brushing the boy's bangs out of his eyes gently, "Movie... t-thought.. of... you."

You smile, standing up and grabbing his hand. Your lips reconnected with more fever this time, letting you know that Kyle was beginning to feel more confident. And when you gently pushed Kyle to lay down on your bed as you felt your confidence grow.

Kyle chose you. 

No matter how hard Madison and Zoe tried in the beginning, Kyle chose you. Over and over again, each time he chose you. 

"I'll teach you. But... let me know if you get uncomfortable, okay?" 

Kyle nodded to you as you began to slowly kiss down his jaw. Gently, you removed his shirt and began to kiss down his chest, promptly a quiet whine from Kyle. Getting him undressed was easy, seeing as you had helped him get dressed in the beginning. But now, it felt so much different. 

You smiled at Kyle as you kissed the tip of his length, beginning to stroke him, "Do you like it when I touch you like that?"

"M-more," Kyle whined, "Please!"

You nodded, taking the tip of his into your mouth and sucking. A loud, sinful moan left Kyle's mouth the moment your warm lips wrapped around his length. You bobbed slowly at first, allowing him to get reacquainted to the feeling before you took him out of your mouth. Crawling up Kyle's body, he immediately pulled you down, his lips connecting with yours in urgent need.

"More!" Kyle whined loudly, "More! More!"

"Sit back, and enjoy."

You smiled, taking his length in your hands and rubbing his tip between your folds. A soft moan left your mouth as you gently pushed him in, sinking down on him. Kyle's hands immediately grabbed your hips as whines began to leave his mouth. You cupped his cheek, drawing his attention to you.

You smiled slightly at his needy looked before beginning to move. He filled you up deliciously, and as you began to roll your hips while bouncing on him, you couldn't hold in your moans. Kyle's whines filled the air with your moans as you bounce on top of him. He slid in and out of your walls perfectly, his size making your whining increase the quicker you bounce. 

Kyle is struggling to keep control, and you notice that in the way his hips begin to move up to meet yours. You are absolutely drenched around him, something was just so incredibly arousing about being the one to re-teach Kyle what pleasure was.

His grip on your waist tightens, and you realize he's probably close to cumming. But you expected that it was his first time after being brought back after all, of course, it wouldn't be too long, but you didn't think it would be so quick for you to come to. 

"Close!" He cries out, and you begin to wonder what movie he was watching.

"Cum for me, Kyle. Cum." 

He lets out a deep, throaty groan as his hips still and his grip tightens even more, surely leaving bruises. You roll your hips a few last times before your orgasm washes over you. You blame its intensity on the extra heat you felt from being able to teach Kyle. You figured this would be just the start, the start to many more lessons about pleasure. Maybe you should get him some more movies. 

One of Kyle's hands lets go of your waist, finding your own hands holding you upon his chest as soft whines leave your lips while you come down from your high. Kyle squeezes your hand, watching your face in astonishment, loving the look of pleasure he'd given you.

"(Y/n)," Kyle's voice is more breathy, but it's the clearest he's ever said your name, "I... love... you."

Tears well in your eyes as you nod, a large smile coming to your face, "I love you too."

He pulls you down against his chest softly, and you feel relieved the moment his arms wrap around you. You knew your situation wasn't ideal... but you couldn't imagine yourself anywhere else in the world besides Kyle's arms.

[redpandaramblings]

Like Caramel For Chocolate- An Omega Bakugou x Alpha f!Reader fic. Part 6

Part 1 Here

Next part Here

Content Warning: Negative headspace, omegaverse, self deprecation, depressive thoughts, pushy parental figures, ambiguous omegaverse reproduction, unhealthy relationships, relationship that could be easily fixed if idiots would use their words and communicate, Shinso/Denki side relationship, Bakugou is a dumbass but so is y/n

Where we left off-

Before Bakugou could reply, the jeweler came back into the room and handed Denki a piece of paper.

“All right sir, here is your receipt! Your ring should be ready in three days.”

“Thanks.” Denki shoved the receipt into his pocket, quickly making his way to the door. “See you around Bakubro. Don't want to be late for my shift.” The door closed behind him with a bang.

Bakugou wasn’t annoyed though. Now he could pick out the perfect ring for Y/N and not worry about Kaminari being nearby. Everyone knows Kami can’t keep a secret to save his life.

“I don’t know how much longer I can keep all of this a secret.” Denki moaned into his hands. He was sitting with his head buried in his arms. Y/N reached across the table and gently petted his hair.

“I know what you mean, but I don’t think either of us are in a good position to start telling people.”

Y/n and Denki sat in a secluded corner of a dimly lit cafe. Both of them had this time free and both of them definitely needed to talk. They stood a lot less chance of anyone asking questions if they were just two friends getting lunch instead of them privately going to each other’s apartments.

Denki looked up, giving Y/N a wide eyed expression. “I know, but I wasn’t expecting Bakugou to show up when I was dropping off that abomination of a ring! I just was lucky the jeweler had already taken it to the back. You were right by the way, that thing is absolutely horrendous. Like, was the designer blind?”

Y/N snorted. “From what I’ve heard, great great grandpappy had a lot more money than brains and wanted to impress his omega by shoving as many stones onto a ring as possible.”

“No kidding. I think it can be seen from space.”

“Very likely.” Y/N chuckled before slumping back into her seat with a sigh. “Though I might have an idea about what Bakugou was doing there.”

“Wait, seriously?”

Y/N nodded with a sigh. “Yeah. When I got back he invited me to the summer festival. I’d forgotten about it.”

“Ah shit, yeah. Isn’t that your guys' anniversary?”

“Yep.” Y/N sighed, rubbing her forehead. “Of course he had to pick this time to actually celebrate. We haven’t gone or done anything… God, I think since he became a hero.”

“So you think he was getting a gift.” Denki sat back as the server came, placing your orders in front of each of you. You both murmured your thank yous and waited until the server was out of earshot before resuming your conversation.

“Yeah, he had to have been. Makes me feel terrible, but there wasn’t a good time to… Well…”

Y/n gestured between herself and Denki.

“Tell him that you’ve been betrothed to an omega of much superior looks, breeding, and manners?”

You gave Denki a little kick under the table as he cackled. He grinned cheekily as he poked at his food. “Sorry. Humor is my coping mechanism. I get it though. Timing sucks all the way around.”

You nodded, sighing and taking a bite of your own food. “Can’t say anything during his heat. Then his schedule was swamped, and I had to sort things out with you. Then bam, anniversary that for some reason he decided to remember this year.”

Denki snorted, popping a bite into his mouth. “That’s about the long and the short of it. And we haven’t even begun to figure out how to tell everyone we’ve not only accepted arranged betrothals, but that we’re engaged to each other.”

“I don’t know, I was kind of hoping we could just move to Tahiti and never speak to our former friend groups ever again?”

“A valid possibility. But that means we’d have to learn French and maybe Tahitian. You know I only passed English because Hitoshi and his dad coached me.”

“Fair point.” You sighed heavily. “But I’m really not looking forward to these conversations.”

“They have to happen though. You might have some anonymity to hide behind, but I’d rather my friends not find out about our engagement when they see an article about Chargebolt getting married.”

“Really?” You smirked slightly. “Then you’re going to tell everyone at your agency, hmm?”

Denki kicked you under the table. “Shut up!”

You poked at your food again as the smile fell from your lips. “So… Did you get a chance to think about what I sent you?”

Kaminari nodded. “Yeah. And I hate to say it, but I think you’re right.”

“I thought about it a lot. I hate to leave the area, but it would be too awkward to stay here after everything.”

A few days ago you had sent Denki an email with a list of places that had job openings that would suit both of you. You both loved where you lived, but after everything, how could you stay? There’s no way the two of you could continue to keep living in the same apartment building as Bakugou. That would be cruel. Cruel to whom you didn’t quite want to think about. You spoke up again.

“Any place catch your eye?”

Kaminari nodded. “I was kind of thinking Okinawa. I have a few connections there. Decent distance from here and from our parents. And that would probably be the easiest transition.”

“Works for me.” You said, as if it wasn’t ripping your heart out to do this. It hurt. But it had to happen. In the end, you had to believe this was what was best for everyone. It might take some time, but this was it. This was what would make everyone happy in the long run.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shinsou was worried. Denki had been acting odd. And that’s saying something. The blond omega was usually loud and bubbly, the life of the agency. At least once a week, he invited Shinsou out for drinks, meals, clubs, karaoke, or some other nonsense. But ever since he’d gotten back from his three day leave, Kaminari had been acting strange. When he thought no one was looking, he was quiet. Withdrawn. Like he was puzzling out the toughest problem of his life.

Denki having a problem? Pretty typical. Denki having a problem and not talking to Shinsou about it? Pretty unusual. The blond had always come to the purple haired alpha with even the simplest of problems. Apartment searches, furniture assembly, what support items would suit his quirk best, even things like what to get from Starbucks. And even though he might groan and roll his eyes, secretly Hitoshi loved every second of it. When he had helped by digging through websites, cobbling together a rickety shelf, or reminding Denki that he always got the most cloyingly sweet items on the menu; Hitoshi got to pretend that he was Denki’s alpha.

Shinsou wasn’t sure exactly when he had fallen in love with Denki. Probably had been since high school at least. His dad had warned him against loud blonds while his father had laughed. But he couldn’t help it. Kaminari had been one of the first people to enthusiastically believe in him. Had always sought him out and wormed his way into Shinsou’s life and heart. And now Shinsou couldn’t understand it, but Denki was pulling away. Even as he watched the blond who was typing up a report on his computer, it somehow felt like Kaminari was slipping right through his fingers.

Shinsou cleared his throat. Kaminari glanced up. “Yeah man? What’s up?”

“You doing okay, Denks? You’ve seemed a little out of it.”

Denki met his eyes, startled, then quickly glanced away. “Yeah. Yep! Totally fine.”

“Denki. I know you.”

Kaminari sighed and slumped on his desk. “Just some life stuff. Family stuff. Friend stuff.”

Shinsou frowned, walking over to place a hand on Denki’s shoulder. “You know you can talk to me about anything, right?”

Denki snorted and laughed quietly. Shinsou furrowed his brows.

“Yeah” Denki sighed. “I know. But half of it isn’t really my stuff to tell and the other half isn’t exactly worth talking about.”

“You sure? We could go grab one of your obnoxiously sweet coffees after work. Go to mine or yours, watch an old crappy horror.”

“Tempting. Thanks man. I would, really, but I got some stuff I have to do after work. Some other time maybe.”

Shinsou frowned. It was rare for the omega to turn down an invitation for a movie night. Hell, it was rare for Denki to turn down an invitation, end stop. It made him even more worried about his omega… friend. His omega friend. His friend who just so happens to be an omega. Hitoshi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He really didn’t want to ruin the best friendship he had. But he couldn’t keep this up much longer. His alpha had decided on the electric blond long ago, and the omega’s unusual behavior and unhappy scent was driving him wild with the need to protect. He really needed to pull himself together and confess soon.

“Well, whenever you’re free then,” Shinsou said, reluctantly letting his hand fall from Denki’s shoulder. “You know my number.”

Denki nodded and looked up, giving him half a smile. “I do. Thanks Shinsou.”

Shinsou walked back to his desk, his mind made up. He needed to tell his omega how he felt, and soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Y/N twisted and turned, looking at herself in the mirror. It had been a very long time since she’d worn a yukata. It didn’t feel right to dress up like this. But wearing anything else also felt wrong. Everything about this date felt wrong. Like this was the kind of she she did in another life. And now here she was, going on a date with the man she loved. Who she’d always love. And who she’d already decided she was going to let go.

Y/N snorted and fussed with her hair a bit. Maybe she should have just refused this date. Claimed to be sick or something. But that felt wrong too. So, she just had to get through tonight. After all, what’s one more night of pretending everything is fine? Hopefully this could be a good memory from a relationship that just wasn’t meant to be. After tonight, she’d wait a couple days and then talk to Bakugou and let him go like he clearly wanted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Katsuki was going to throw up.

He was going to throw up, right here, all over himself and all over shitty hair, too. His red headed friend was giving him a pep talk as he helped Bakugou into his jinbei. Not that Bakugou needed the help. Or the pep talk. It just was easier to let the squad come over when they had found out about his date. It’s not like he wanted them there or anything. Once Kiri, Mina, and Sero realized he was going to use this date to ask Y/N to be his mate, they had insisted on helping him get ready.

None of them knew about the little velvet box in his pocket and that his plans went further than just asking Y/N to be his mate. Bakugou bit his lip to keep from frowning as he looked over his friends, a certain loud blond conspicuously missing. You wouldn’t hear Katsuki admit it out loud, but he really wished Denki could have been here. He loved the others, and they were great in their own ways. But Denki was his pack’s other omega. He got it in a way that the others didn’t. After tonight, he’d have to make sure to catch Pikachu up on all the news. Hell, maybe he could help his fellow blond finally talk to that purple haired idiot he’d been mooning over for years. Everyone in the pack knew Denki’s family had been harping at him to settle down for quite a while.

Bakugou looked up in time to see Mina coming at him with the hair grease. He threw up his hands.

“Fuck no! Keep that shit away from me!”

“You’ve got to do something about that pile of straw you call a haircut. Besides, Wouldn’t it be nostalgic? Weren’t you interning for Best Jeanist again when you asked Y/N out the first time?”

“Yes, and I’d rather shave myself bald than ever have my hair like that again!”

Mina sighed. “Fine. We’ll do something else. But if I can’t slick it back, you will be wearing eyeliner!”

“IN YOUR DREAMS, PINKY!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You waited outside the entrance to the festival. It was strangely soothing to watch the people flow by, like you were a rock overlooking a stream. There were groups of friends, couples both young and old, families where the laughing children ran ahead of their parents eager to get inside. You gave a small smile at the last. Maybe that could be you someday, a parent getting to see a festival through the eyes of a child again. Though the mental picture was hazier than it used to be. The children you half imagined just blurs of colorful yukatas, instead of loud and stubborn blond haired brats with their father’s eyes and attitude. You huffed a quiet laugh to yourself as a thought occurred to you. If you and Kaminari actually went through with this plan, decent chance the kids would still be blond. The thought hurt a little.

“Y/N!”

You looked up and had the breath knocked out of your lungs.

Katsuki was beautiful. You knew it. Thought it often, even. But tonight he practically glowed. His hair had been tamed into a softer look than usual. The jinbei he wore was the perfect compliment to his skintone. Was that… Yes. Dark eyeliner made his crimson eyes pop. Your heart ached. You’d always love this man. No matter how it tore you apart, he’d always own part of your heart and soul. You smiled weakly and raised your hand in greeting.

“Hey. You look good.”

“Thanks.” Bakugou scratched the back of his head. “Mina got ahold of me.”

“That explains it then.”

“Hey!” Katsuki gently elbowed you in the side before taking his place next to you. “You saying I can’t dress up on my own?”

“Yes.”

“Y/N!” You dodged out of the way as he swatted at you, laughing. Yes. This could be it. One last good night.

“Shall we go in?” You asked, holding out your hand.

“That’s why we’re here, isn’t it?” Katsuki asked as he walked past you, ignoring your hand.

You gave a quiet smile as you followed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Katsuki picked at his food, none of it making it to his mouth. He was going to be sick. He was going to be sick right here and some paparazzi was going to see and take a picture and the big headline tomorrow was going to be “A Puke Worthy Proposal.” He was trying his best to keep up the illusion that everything was fine and normal, but it was rough. It had been a long time since he’d taken his alpha on even a normal date. And this wasn’t any normal date. It didn’t help that things were feeling forced and awkward.

He wanted to hold your hand, but his own hands were sweating buckets. He tried to keep up casual conversation, but that was getting harder and harder as the night wore on. Every sentence he wanted to just blurt it out and get it over with. It was impossible to keep talking about what vendors he recognized when all he wanted to say was “I love you and I’ll always love you and I want you by my side until the sun stops shining.”

It didn’t help that things felt awkward. Almost nothing was feeling easy or natural. It really had been far too long since the two of you had gone on any sort of date. He frowned as he thought about it. It had been over a year, at least. Longer, even. Well, he was going to have to fix that. He’d be able to use some of that pro hero paycheck and spoil you like you deserved. His Y/N. His mate. And soon, his wife.

Bakugou stared at nothing, his eyes going unfocus as he started daydreaming about how spectacular your wedding would be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This was a disaster. You glanced over to where Bakugou stood picking at his food, looking bored. You’d been trying to keep up the conversation, but for the past several minutes you’d only gotten hums or grunts in response to anything you said.

“It’s amazing how they got all those pro heroes to dance nude as one of the main attractions this year.”

Katsuki grunted.

Yeah, he wasn’t paying attention at all.

You sighed, looking down at your own untouched food. You never should have agreed to come. At least this date was proving it to you. This had to end. The two of you didn’t know how to be a couple anymore. It was even clearer that Katsuki wasn’t even interested in trying. You had no idea why he wanted to have this date in the first place. Some bizarre sense of obligation? Maybe his heat had shaken him up enough that his omega needed the sense of normalcy? This issue was this wasn’t normal for the two of you anymore. It hadn’t been for a very long time. You sighed, glancing around for a trash can to oust you untouched dango.

A loud pop caused you to look up. The fireworks were about to start.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bakugou looked up at the sound of the first firework.

“Wanna head to the pier?”

You nodded quietly, following him as he led the way. He was sweating so much now that if he set himself off he’d take out half the city.

This was it. It was almost time. The two of you were going to watch the fireworks from the out of the way pier like you had all those years ago. It was at the end of that fireworks show the two of you had had your first kiss. And this time… Well this time at the end of the show he was going to propose and you were going to say yes, and it was going to be perfect.

That is if he didn’t barf before you two got there.

“Hurry up,” he grunted as he picked up the pace.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You tried not to flinch at Bakugou’s harsh tone. He clearly wanted to get this night over with even more than you did. You tried not to let it hurt.

The pier was empty as it always was. The lack of lighting keeping others away. The first time you had discovered it, it had felt hidden and intimate. Now it felt desolate. Lonely.

You walked up to the railing and stared at the sky. The fireworks didn’t feel magical anymore either. Your fingers wrapped around the railing as you glanced to the side. Bakugou wasn’t even looking up. He was staring at the reflections of flashes in the dark swirling water below.

You couldn’t do this anymore.

No more.

The fireworks illuminated you as your grip on the railing tightened until your knuckles turned white.

“Katsuki?”

“”What?” He asked roughly, barely glancing your way.

“Let’s break up.”

And that was Part 6, my darlings! Hope you're enjoying the drama, because there's more angst on the way! You can scream at me about the cliffhanger in replies, reblogs, tags or asks. :P

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