#honestly i think after this i'm taking a break from theatre for a year or two

[falling-hand-in-unlovable-hand]

i wish i hadn't made it into this year's play tbh

[xgrtd-swggr-of-a-blk-teen]

A DC au where things make more sense to me

Bruce Wayne was only 8 years old when a common thug killed his mother and father. He was too young to understand why they wouldn't just wake up, the little dress pants that he wore to the theatre now damp with blood as he pushed, poked, and prodded his parents' heavy bodies. His voice grows more and more worried as time passes, for he can see the color draining from their skin ever so slowly, revealing veins that have begun to transition from blue to purple. His soft whine becoming a full screaming sob.

It's only after roughly half an hour of continuous wailing that lights appear in the surrounding houses and apartments. Disgruntled residents telling him to shut up, and more empathetic people checking on him from their windows. It was only one man that came out to see the horrors the boy had witnessed. Not too soon after, Gotham Police Department arrives with a young junior detective and his senior partner.

A grizzled Harvey Bullock, with sunken eyes from years of sleep deprivation and a rasp in his voice from the combination of chain smoking and hard liquor, orders James Gordon to quell the cries of the boy. Jim looks uneasy with his orders. He's never been good with kids, but he watches intently as the boy heaves deep breaths and chokes on the spit and snot pouring from his face.

A gentle hand touches the young Wayne's shoulder, clasping it as if to offer reassurance.

"My name is Jim. Can you tell me your name?" Jim is careful not to mess up the scene as he gingerly crouches behind the boy.

"B-b-br-bruce." The boy stutters, trying to collect himself. A Wayne must be strong. That's what dad always said.

"Bruce? I'm sorry we had to meet like this," says Jim as he tries to ask empathetically, "Bruce, do you think we can talk more? I have friends that can watch them for you. Why don't you take a break?"

The boy then looks behind him to find the gap-toothed sympathetic smile of a lightskin black man with freckles and ginger hair under the soft yellowed glow of street lamps. And in the night air are the screeches of bats as they hunt for insects...

. . .

10-year-old Clark Kent awoke from his sleep in a sweat. He could have sworn he had heard the sound of a gunshot as if were right beside him. His ears were ringing. He stumbled out of the motel bed, shambled to the bathroom, and promptly lost his dinner.

As he was cleaning up the sink which he vomited into, he went to twist the knob to rinse it out. It must have gotten looser since they were using it earlier. Before it stuck a little and, while not hard to turn, did require a little more effort.

As Clark removes his hand from the knob, he sees why it was so much easier to turn. He looks intently at the cracks in the plastic knob and when he went to tap it, it crumbled into hard, clear shards.

Clark laid back down thinking he must be in some fever-induced dream, but he had a hard time going back to bed. Not only did he feel as if he was moving faster than his mind was moving as he walked back to the bed, but as he laid there with eyes shut tight, it was as if he could see through his own eyelids.

Clark continued to lay down, now just staring through his eyelids at the ceiling above him. He decided to quiet his mind by thinking of home. He couldn't wait to get back home. He missed the farm. He missed the trees. He even missed his chores. He was ready to harvest the corn they had grown for the summer and play with the cows in the barn. He didn't like the thick air of Metropolis; it smelled of car exhaust and sewage. Though he honestly couldn't tell if that was the fault of Metropolis or the city of Gotham across the Delaware Bay. But the constant noise of cars and yelling, protests against STAR labs and sirens zooming down the streets, that was definitely Metropolis. The flash of cameras blinding him whenever Mama and Pop took him to look at the city. Eager journalists and paparazzi alike looking to get the scoop on anything and everything. Where there should be tall trees and bustling forests, there were instead skyscrapers and just behemoth concrete and metal structures. No, he wanted no part of it, he just wanted to be back on the Kent farm in Gallatin.

Eventually, Clark dozes off thinking about home and his friends there. He dreams of his best friend Alex and the lab in his garage. He dreams of his dad landing his STAR labs contract so they can go back home and start working again. He dreams of home but is seeing a man and a woman and can’t make out their faces, but their bodies don’t resemble Mama and Pop… It's while he dreams these things that his body begins to hover a little over a foot in the air.

A true sight for his mother and father to see when they go to wake him up for a city tour at 9am. Perhaps it's time to have the talk with Clark...

...

"ARES! GIVE ME YOUR COURAGE! ATHENA! YOUR WISDOM! KRATOS! BLESS ME WITH STRENGTH! HERMES! LET ME POSSESS YOUR SPEED! ZEUS! FUCK YOU!" A mighty high-pitched battle cry from young warrior Diana of Themiscyra. "YOUR LIGHTNING MAY HAVE LIT THE FIRES OF MY KILN BUT YOU HOLD NO POWER OVER ME!"

"Watch your words, Diana. We revere the gods. They allow us to live and bless us with what we need to live." Queen Hippolyta scolds her daughter. "Zeus heard my cries to mother a child and gave me you. I thank him daily."

"My queen, I respect you and the other gods. But I do not recognize Zeus as the King of Gods as that would make him my king. And I serve no man."

Her mother can do nothing but chuckle as lightning crackles across the sky. My daughter molded of clay and born by lightning. I think he sees your power and knows the threat you pose to him. I will protect you from him. Train you to be the best Amazon to have walked the Earth.

"Are you done praying child?" Hippolyta dawns her helmet and grabs her spear; shifting her feet to prepare for what comes next. Her stance is strong, she looks nigh unmovable. A necessary skill against her current opponent.

"Not yet, mater." Diana grins at her mother slyly. Without breaking eye contact, Diana retrieves her shield from the boulder she lodged it in during the last spar and unsheathed the sword on her belt. "ASCLEPIUS! KEEP MY MOTHER HEALTHY! PAEON! PATCH UP WHAT YOU MUST AFTER!" I will dethrone Zeus and protect those I love from tyrants like him.

Lightning strikes the fighting pit, leaving glass shards scattered across the arena. Fuck you Zeus, Hippolyta says in her mind and the spar continues...

[johaerys-writes]

I love disasters!AU so so so sooooo much. It added ten more years to my life expectancy. I wish to see your writings forever, if possible.

Anyway, I have a question! How old are Patroclus and Achilles in 2024, roughly? I assumed they'd be in their late 30s or early 40s by now, and wanted to make sure.

And do you have any hcs about them in their 20s, 30s and 40s that you don't mind sharing? Like, are they still together? I goddamn hope they are. What do they do for a living? What are their relationships with their parents and friends? Any hc would be sooo welcome! Have a nice day!

First of all, I love you for sending this ask dear anon 🫶 Any opportunity to talk about my favourite boys adds ten years to my lifespan LOL don't mind if I do

So the age question is kind of tricky because you're a walking disaster and yet- isn't set during a specific time period. Like the Phthia years have a 90s vibe, and the Athens years have a late 90s-early/00s vibe, but I never really had a specific year in mind. It's just vibes mostly lol. But like, assuming we start in the 90s, then I think in 2024 they'd be late 30s, early 40s. And of COURSE they're together, haha. I honestly don't see these two separating at all in that AU, not even as a joke. They're each other’s ride or die and I'm not saying it's exactly healthy (oops 🤣🫣), but I highlyyyy doubt either Achilles or Pat would even consider the possibility of taking a break.

As far as jobs and studies go, Achilles finishes his Architecture major in Athens, then probably does an internship in an architectural firm while Patroclus works part time as an usher in a small theatre and also as a theatre production assistant whenever the opportunity arises, helping making props and procuring materials and generally just running errands for the crew and the director lol. Then they move abroad for Achilles to do a masters degree (in their mid/late 20s?), I was thinking probably Italy, and Patroclus of course follows him. After a bunch of coaxing and convincing, Patroclus accepts Peleus' offer to pay for his studies as well, so the two of them spend a couple really lovely years just studying and travelling Italy and seeing all the sights and eating ALL the food and gelatto etc, and generally having the best of times. And then eventually they come back to Athens where Achilles opens up his own architectural firm (with daddy's help ofc), and Patroclus does his PhD in dramaturgy and starts teaching shortly after (hot professor Pat PLS 😩🤲)

As for the relationship with their parents and friends: they both have a really good relationship with Peleus, better than they did when they were younger. Turns out now that they're older Peleus is great for taking them to expensive restaurants and teaching them about wine and stuff, or taking them on boatrides (with his divorce mini yacht LMAO). Thetis is also in Athens and Achilles does see her often, most times on his own, sometimes with Patroclus. Pat and Thetis are not besties by any means but they get along for the most part. But I still don't think Pat ever truly warms up to her tbh, and Achilles doesn’t push it.

They still often go to Phthia for the holidays so they see Ajax & co, Menelaus and Agamemnon both stayed in Phthia as well so they see them too. Odysseus returns from time to time but they lose contact with him after several years. Dio and Briseis do actually get back together after college for a couple of years, but it just doesn't work out unfortunately, much to Diomedes' disappointment 😅

So yes Achilles and Pat are definitely together by the time they're 40, definitely living together, definitely have amassed an army of dogs at this point haha. Like shortly after the main fic ends they get another dog, and by the time Laika sadly passes away, they already have at least a couple more. And it just snow balls from there. Eventually they move into a bigger place with a yard somewhere in the northern suburbs of Athens, and they just have their cosy little life with their dogs and their vast collection of books, and it's just really really nice for them :')

[siriannatan]

Not So Generic Coffee Shop AU

Just dug through the mess that is my fic file and dug out an old forgotten bit.

Jimmy was sure he had his life figured out. He had a stable job - the coffee shop he worked at might be owned by his sister but she would not keep him if he was bad at his job. He had a lovely boyfriend, Tango, and all his friends and Lizzie liked him well enough. But the longer they were together the more Jimmy felt that... 

Tango was a great... friend. He was handsome and charming and a perfect boyfriend. But to Jimmy, all they did together didn't really feel that much like they were a couple more like friends who occasionally made out and did all the other couple stuff. But their dates always felt just like friends hanging out. Tango's plans for them were never too concrete and easy to drop if Jimmy didn't feel like going out for pizza and to the games parlour. He saw nothing wrong with staying at home with popcorn and watching movies. They rarely did too many couple things...

Scott was likely to blame for Jimmy's disappointment. Who's Scott? Jimmy's boyfriend from his university days. They stayed together a couple of years after they graduated and decided to have some time apart and somehow that led to them drifting apart.

No matter. What Scott did was set a high standard for anyone Jimmy would date now. Scott was a romantic through and through. Even if Jimmy was tired he'd make his time magical and special. He'd surprise him with gifts and random small outings and dates. A performance in a small park Jimmy didn't even know was near their apartment. A dinner for two in a cosy, family restaurant two blocks away. Give him random gifts accompanied by flowers. Be it a single flower or a whole bouquet. Make breakfast in bed after dragging a tired Jimmy to a theatre. Get them dumb matching sweaters and mugs Jimmy still had deep in his closet, in an old shoe box. It was honestly an old box from Scott's shoes... Jimmy was pretty sure he got them for Scott though.

As much as Jimmy loved hanging out with Tango he couldn't stay with him as he was. It would not work out for either of them in the long run. He knew Tango would not 'break up' with him. Jimmy would call it a mutual agreement that they were not working out. No matter how he'd call it Tango would try to work it all out. Jimmy could not go on like that. And he knew where Scott worked a year ago... He might not be working there anymore. But a coffee shop nearby was hiring so Jimmy started by dropping his resume. As corny as 'the Swaggon CO.'s branding was it was a nice spot and store.

The next thing he did in this uncharacteristic bout of spontaneous possible self-destruction was look for an apartment nearby. He had enough personal savings to get a small place for himself. Worst case scenario he could drop his resume at the swanky interior design company Scott used to work at. he was no Scott but he did have a fancy IT degree even if he wasn't using it. It'd be much harder to get into or leave later. Once the apartment was secured he slowly moved some of his things. Whenever Tango was at work and he had time he'd take small sections of his belongings.

When the shop eventually called him he told Lizzie he was breaking up with Tango. He didn't tell her about Scott, she was a bit angry at him for his and Jimmy's break up. She was sad but understood that maybe Jimmy was not feeling the relationship. The secrecy was confusing to her. "Liz, Tango's a sweetheart and an amazing buddy but I'm not feeling this as a serious relationship," he'd explain to her over coffee. "And he won't just let this go, it's not who he is... And I'll not force this to last until we're both rotting in misery..."

"So you think it's best you just vanish?" Lizzie glared at him.

"I'm feeling like I'm suffocating, Liz, I think I rushed things too much after Scott, I need to breathe a little bit more, and be my own man," Jimmy sighed. It was partially true. He should have just gone back and tried to convince Scott they should have stayed together. And he'd likely stay single for some time if he managed to find Scott but not get him back. Things felt rushed with Tango.

"If that's what you feel then okay," Lizzie sighed. She seemed convinced. "He's at work today? Then you can go and finish moving before I change my mind and call you an idiot," she added, leaving Jimmy with his styrofoam coffee cup. It was a slow day so it was no wonder she was okay with losing him.

Jimmy did not wait for Lizzie to change her mind. And quickly moved the rest of his things to his new place. He did leave Tango a lengthy letter explaining why he decided to leave. He wasn't a complete jerk.

He had no idea what to do in the three days before his first shift at the new shop. A morning shift since he already had experience and the place was relatively new. He got reacquainted with the area. Most of the small tucked-away spots that Scott used to take him to were gone in the year Jimmy didn't visit this part of town. There were still some left but not many. Oh, and he changed his number, that was like the first thing. Just to save Tango the pain. He did give it to Lizzie. She was his sister after all.

He did avoid the coffee shop and Scott's old workplace like fire even if he did live close by. Despite all he did he was somewhat scared to see Scott again. Scared and excited.

As expected of the more busy, modern and full of offices part of town the morning shift was a lot. A lot of the same order for simple black coffee. Did no office types drink interesting coffee? At least it was easy to make. Jimmy was slowly getting mentally drained by the same order for plain black coffee and plain bagels that sudden "Jimmy?" had him more spooked than he expected he'd be. As he looked up there he was.

Scott. In a dark plum suit with a dusty pink shirt under his vest. Teal hair already a mess. His nails painted in many colours as he ran one hand through his hair. And he still had that nice, leather bag Jimmy bought him for the last birthday they spent together. Or a very similar one. "Hi," Jimmy sent him a nervous smile. Very aware he must have looked atrocious in the dark maroon uniform of the Swaggon Coffee. "Should I ask about your order or see how well I remember how you like your coffee?" he might as well shoot his shot.

It seemed to be worth the risk as Scott chuckled and said "Sure, why not," he shrugged with a very familiar smirk. The smirk he had on whenever Jimmy would swear he'd do something nice for Scott just to have another nice thing thrown in his face. Or be pulled by the lapels of his shirt into a make-out session that likely leads to them leaving dinner plans for later.

"Got it, you're number eighteen," Jimmy did his best to answer with similar levels of confidence. And a wink he hoped wasn't too flirtatious.

Coconut caramel brown sugar latte with double whipped cream. It's as much of a mouth-full to say as a sugary punch to the face. Scott's favourite drink, which luckily was within the shop's policy. And had other baristas who hoped they'd be making interesting drinks looking at Jimmy with jealousy. He completely ignored them, focusing on making this the best drink he's ever made and he made this particular drink many times. While writing down the number on a cardboard ring that went around the cup Jimmy hesitated for a second. Scott would not mind if he... He might as well try. Scott was the type to like getting a number written on his cup.

"Number eighteen?" Jimmy called out and Scott almost skipped to pick up his coffee. Just coffee, Scott did proper meals and not two bagels for lunch and no breakfast. "Coconut-caramel brown sugar latte with double whipped cream," Jimmy listed off without a stutter. "I hope I remembered it right," he grinned.

"Perfectly," Scott chuckled back. "It's great seeing you... I shouldn't hold the line, but I hope I'll see you again, maroon's cute on you," he grinned.

"Hope to see you too," Jimmy waved as Scott left and instantly switched to business mode for the next customer.

Scott was internally screaming at himself for not asking for Jimmy's number. He missed him terribly in that year and was more than once considering trying to contact him. Having all of Jimmy's technology knowledge was nice and he sure knew more than the whole current IT department of the design company Scott was working for. But most importantly, Jimmy was an amazing boyfriend. He seldom insisted they drop any plans Scott made for them. And even tried to return it. Scott was more than okay with being the one doing all the spoiling of Jimmy.

He didn't even have time to take more than a couple sips of his coffee as his boss waltzed into his office - Scott was high rank enough to have his own small office. "Scott, we have a new head of IT and...," he announced as a very handsome, red-headed man with very pretty blue eyes followed him in. "I need you to show him the designer's side of our systems," the boss grinned and before Scott could even try to refuse left. 

'Damn you Sausage, why won't you send him to Pix?' Scott sighed internally. "I'm Scott, sorry about him..."

"I'm used to that, fWhip by the way. Is it normal to get someone's number on your cup around here?" redhead waved it off.

It took Scott an embarrassing couple of seconds to register what fWhip said. Cup. His coffee cup. That Jimmy made. And there was indeed a number on the cardboard protector on it aside from the number eighteen. "No... I just happen to know the barista," Scott quickly covered up his mild shock. Did it mean Jimmy wanted them to talk again? He dared not hope for more but a small part of him thought there might be a chance. Jimmy was never good a flirting, in the cutest way ever. "Anyway, get a chair, our current IT team sucks," Scott was not going to lie to fWhip and be completely honest about all his issues with the system that he was always told to send to IT who just ignored it. This time he was going to be heard.

And heard he was. By the time he was done, fWhip had a long list of things that could be improved and an even longer list of complaints to bring up with Sausage. "He might be an old friend but I'm not staying unless he lets me change some things. How can anyone work under those conditions?" fWhip huffed as they were wrapping up. Just in time for a late lunch. He was honestly pretty (and) cute when angry. Maybe if things didn't work out with Jimmy... Maybe. He didn't even know if fWhip would be interested or if he was into guys in general. But he could always try to be friends.

He really needed to check in on how things would go with Jimmy. Did he remember he left his guitar with Scott? He still had it, set up in the corner of his bedroom. At all not helping him move on even if he moved into a bigger and nicer apartment after his latest promotion. He still had several of Jimmy's things. Some of his old hoodies were probably Scott's most praised possessions. With Jimmy being considerably taller than him they were very comfy if he had to stay up and work on a boring project... 

Not now. Now he had to get lunch and text Jimmy. Just so he knows Scott's not angry and willing to talk to him. And to know it's actually Jimmy's number... 

*Hi Jim, it's Scott* he texted once he had his lunch all sorted out in a casual small restaurant next to the office building, great spot for lunch. He was absolutely not expecting Jimmy to answer anytime soon. Fully expecting blonde was busy with making great coffees. So imagine his shock when he did indeed get a text back.

*Lunch time in office world?* Jimmy's text asked.

*Yeah, late one, been talking to a new IT guy.* He missed texting Jimmy during his lunch breaks. But at the same time, he had no idea if it would be okay to ask Jimmy out... Not on like a date, not yet at least, just to meet up and catch up or something like that. *You free tonight? We could meet and catch up?" Screw it, he might as well ask and get it over with.

*Sure. Where?* 

It was happening. *Eight by the coffee shop? I know a cool little restaurant not too far from there, no need to dress fancy* Was Scott as excited as when he was asking Jimmy out for their first date after living together for like two weeks in a college dorm? No. He was much more excited.

*It's a date then, gotta come back to work, see you at eight* Jimmy texted, as if that wasn't a big deal and the word 'date' wouldn't spin in his head for the rest of his work day. How was he supposed to finish his sandwiches and fries now? Was he supposed to be normal and professional and not like he was about to go on his first date ever with his crush? He did still like Jimmy a lot...

He should probably respond. "See ya then handsome ;)* he said, feeling himself blush a little. 

Why was he acting like he was never on a date with Jimmy? They were and they kissed and all the more and... He was just excited to maybe have another chance with Jimmy. His new apartment had pretty good soundproofing and... He better not get his hopes up too much just yet. Now he needed to survive the rest of his work day. Quickly go home, change into something nice and casual and hopefully charm his way back into Jimmy's heart... Hopefully.

[anonofseasons]

I’m sorry if you’ve been asked this before, but what level of technology would you say your story is at?

Like personally I’ve been picturing 1930s-1940’s ish. Trains n cars are a thing. Land line telephones. Probably no moving pictures just yet. Etc. etc. but what were you going for??

Hey, thank you for your question! Definitely don't worry about asking something with the chance that it was already asked, I don't mind. I can't expect anyone to go poring over my blog history, for one, and secondly, it turns out one of my blog settings disables the archive feature. There are countless similarities to the 1930s-1940s, but some similarities even to the 50s and 60s. While I pick and choose a lot of technology for aesthetic reasons, I still do research to see how far I can push the belief that certain things exist or don't exist. (Then I have to factor in what the Liddell family knows about, often on an individual basis, i.e. El generally knows what a telephone is because of books.) I downright break the rules with photography. For plot-related reasons, I wanted there to be photos from the kids' childhoods. But photography that's 250+ years older than modern technology in our world is pushing it. This isn't modern tech in Seasons, so yeah, I bent the rules a bit. I like to think they were eager to have photography developed early to use it to capture proof of the supernatural. ...Now I'm imagining Vivian avoids letting anyone take photos of him at work. Haha. As for moving pictures, I recently have wrestled with myself on that one! I think humans would want them once they imagined them existing, so they actually have some early ones after countless attempts. It's catching on. That said, they're new enough that the Liddell family is fairly ignorant about them. Vivian doesn't attend work-related dinners and functions, and he's not the sort of man who gets invites to bring his spouse out to dinner and a movie with his colleagues. He's a closed book as much as possible. So even he probably has yet to pick up on theatres offering more than just stage performances. Vivian's car is a clunky old thing before heat and air conditioning for cars was invented. It looks similar to a 1940s Cadillac, with gold paint and camel-colored interior. So ultimately, 1940s-1950s is the closest, with some rule breaking. No subways yet, maybe for superstitious reasons. Water and electricity are a thing, and some modern improvements to the Liddell estate include radiators in many of the rooms, while some rely on fireplaces. Graham's study is a newer room (third floor is recent in general, as are the solarium and library that are attached to the house via the main floor) and has a fireplace because he's so used to it. Honestly, I'm all over the place with technology in Seasons, but I try to restrain myself. If I adhere to historical accuracy, I might as well have set it in our world, and I like coming up with new places. I have matcha tea in this, for instance, and it probably wouldn't be called that if I didn't need readers to know what I'm talking about. :') (And it's far too wordy for me to call it by some process, given what it takes to make matcha as opposed to typical green tea.) Technology also comes up later in another chapter, because... Well, spoilers. But let's just say there are some fierce environmentalists who've made sure some technologies never progress... :') Sorry this got a bit long!

[the-videodame]

so for yvette, what does she do after the absolute crisis and what's the situation with gale?

ooOOHH this is a good question cause it can have multiple answers LMAO

---

Let's assume this is the branch of her possible endings where she's w/ Gale only, rather than other AUs where Zevlor is included (or where she joins Raphael)

[[spoilers for Gale's possible endings, just for anyone who is reading and doesn't want to be spoiled LMAO]]

Ending 1: Adventurer [the most likely canon ending]

This one is pretty self explanatory, but her and Gale continue to adventure together around Toril. I honestly don't see Yv'ette settling down just yet, as she's still in her prime and is itching to be productive and active. Not to mention she still has that pesky curse on her that she needs to break - and what better person to help her out than the child of magic himself, Gale Dekarios?

The two likely join back up with her pirate crew (perhaps with a few friends from their quests?) and set sail! After a few more years adventuring, partying, and hopefully fixing her curse, then the two likely settle down in Waterdeep and maybe have a kid, and Gale of course becomes a professor at Blackstaff, with the occasional guest visit from Yv'ette and their kid.

I'm debating on if I want them to get married before or after her curse is broken, cause honestly the idea of Hyde - her grandfather and her mothers patron devil, the one who placed the curse on her in the first place - crashing the wedding and stating how he's offended that he, her grandfather, was not invited? Oohohohoggoh I'm such a sucker for "other worldly villain crashes a gathering of sorts to remind the protags of their impending demise" UGH

Ending 2: Straight to Waterdeep

Basically the two decide not to adventure and instead settle down right away in Gale's tower (after Yv'ette informs her crew that shes safe, but won't be returning ofc). While Gale takes on his role as professor, Yv'ette likely has to find a hobby, or attempt to get back into the theatre career.

I haven't thought too much on this one, likely because it's def not in Yv'ette's nature to just sit around the house all day as a housewife LMAO - but also because there's still the issue of her curse, which is a very very pressing matter to her. Maybe she spends that free time researching and planning on how to break it. Maybe she and Gale eventually do retrieve the Crown of Karsus from the river and attempt to use it to free her / kill Hyde? Maybe Yv'ette and her brother Vekyll team up to fight him? Maybe Eilistrae finally hears her pleas and helps her out? Who knows! (not me)

Ending 3: Divinity

So I learned that Ascending with Gale is actually a possibility and not just a "fix it" fanon ending like I thought it was, so OF COURSE I can't resist thinking up an ending where she gets to be divine with Gale.

I think the act of Ascending itself would likely sever the curse she has - either that or the magic both she and Gale will have will be enough to cure it. Thus, I like to think the marks from her curse become either a faded scar-like color, OR they turn silver-ish purple to reflect her storm sorcery heritage (which is why i hope people dont think im copying god Gale's design with his lightning markings being literally on the same side of his face LMAO...)

As for what she'd represent or what her title would be, that's the biggest issue because there's ALWAYS something in lore that already has a deity for it, and theres no like... easy cheat sheet with all the gods and what their titles are and I really don't wanna scour the wiki of EVERY god so heres the big things she'd likely represent:

Storms (specifically lightning)

Sea

Theatre

Burdens

Jealousy/Envy (though this i lean more into if she sides w/ Raphael)

Those who are ostracized (tbh I think it would be pretty sick if tieflings had a "good" deity to worship specifically for themselves)

Acceptance

Persistence / Determination / Victory

I really really wanna associate her with storms cause I can already picture her design having her hair morph or move into something more cloud-like, or becoming iridescent GUH

---

theres also the "gale ascends w/o her" or "gale chooses mystra over her" angst type endings but yknow 😇

[stackthedeck]

honestly one of my fav things to think about is baby queer matt murdock. like in my brain his first exposure to queerness was elton john because his father was a huge fan. jack noticed how matt gaped when an interview of elton john talking about his sexuality came on. jack KNEW. he tried to be supportive but matt was still really young and never said anything. matt knew who he was from a young age but pushed it deep down after living in a catholic orphanage for so many years. i can think of high school matt becoming absolutely smitten with one of his guy friends and them having a cute romance where whenever matt is like “idk this is a sin..” his bf just has to pound acceptance into matt’s thick skull.

out and proud matt is just so personal to me. usually in fics it’s always foggy who’s loud ab his sexuality which is technically correct but c’mon now we all know how loud and eccentric matt can be.

Welcome to me projecting my religious trauma onto Matt!! I'm sorry anon I know you want Matt to be out and proud but it'd take him a while to get there

like every queer person has what I like to call the "ring of keys" moment, the recognition of the self through the other. And I do like Elton John for Matt, like the show and the darker comics don't like to acknowledge that Matt is a drama queen and a show off, but he is! He loves drama, he loves presenting an image of himself and I imagine the performance of Elton John would resonate with him. You know lawyers are just theatre kids that realized how to make money.

Now it is tempting to say that Jack Murdock notice that Matt had queer tendencies and was accepting, but as I said, I'm projecting. Like Jack was a good dad, he wanted the best for Matt, but looking to the future did make Matt unhappy. Like when we get flashbacks of Matt's childhood and it's not filtered through his biased worship of his father, he resented that his dad made him study so much and couldn't be there for him as much as he needed. I imagine that Jack probably had a "kids will be kids, he'll grow out of it" moment. Like he never worried about it because he died so early in Matt's life, acceptance through apathy.

So depending on where Daredevil is set in time, nuns might still be gay before the Vatican reformed nun practices. It's a whole thing, nuns are a lot gayer than we think, let's say Matt is raised by nuns post-reform. The orphanage has the same apathy as his home, like he knows he's different, knows he has feelings that he shouldn't but doesn't have the words to express it. The stance of the catholic church in the 90s was if you feel homosexual urges, it's your job to repress them and fight them and it also could be a sign that you're called to monastic life. So maybe Matt goes to Father Lantom and says, I want to be a priest. And Father Lantom is like where is this coming from, you are the most wrathful prideful headstrong child I've ever met why would you ever put yourself through that? and matt's like well... and then they have to have a conversation. I'm not going to make Matt experience conversion therapy just because I did, there are other comic characters for that. Father Lamton tells him that he's sorry the church made him feel that he can't be fully loved by God and he'll always be welcomed no matter who he loves. But it's also the 90s so he really can't point Matt towards any queer resources nor can he encourage him to talk openly about it.

Matt experiments in college. Like canonically Matt has a lot of sex and despite his Catholicism, he doesn't feel bad about it. I think he lets himself break the rules, but he does use the internalized Christian homophobia to deny himself commitment. Like he can't marry a man in a Catholic church, so what's the point of going beyond sex. Because Matt needs Catholicism, needs God, more than he needs a partner. He needs that connection to his father, to a higher power, to redemption, and if he separates any part of his life from that, his worldview crumples. I think what a lot of people miss about Matt is that he's not a practicing Christian, he's a cultural Catholic. And if you didn't grow up in the church and then get deeply wounded by the church, I really can't explain it. It's all the familiar comfort of ritual but none of the intimacy of a divine relationship, the firm belief in God, but not his love or that his love is in others.

I think years later, Matt and Father Lantom are talking and Lantom is like "do you still want to be a priest" and Matt breaks down. And Lantom as the cool and correct priest reminds Matt that the church is an institution and that God is love, divine and complete and above human hang-ups. Lantom tells him that he wishes he had the words when Matt was a kid, that he could have pointed him to other queer people, but he's human. He'll do his best to love Matt like God does and the nuns that raised him will too. And maybe not everyone in the church can love Matt, but the important people do

and you know what, he is proud. He likes that he's bi and he loves men and women and he loves himself. He argues for federal marriage equality in college mock trials and then he goes on to do it in his career. He learns the history, he talks to people in his community, he feels connected. Foggy's a bit quieter about his queerness and Karen and Matt are both like fuck respectability politics. Although Karen is definitely more the "pride was and still is a riot" type while Matt's more the "justice can be achieved through the legal system" type.

Also, there's a pride flag in the office. Clients ask about it, Matt pretends he has no idea that it's there. Karen thinks it's hilarious and Foggy doesn't after the first time so he gets Matt a tiny bi flag and puts it on his desk. Karen gets two more for both of their desks. Matt knows there's flags, he's just not sure which ones and now Karen and Foggy have spun the joke back on him

[swcetnight]

It’s Definitely You || kth (m.) 1

synopsis:

Working as a barista in NYC has its perks, but when your ultimate dream of being on the Broadway stage tends to come crumbling down, the only thing that raises your spirits is the comfort of a complete stranger… who seems to have known you for far longer than you thought.

masterlist here

→ pairing: taehyung x barista!reader (also musical theatre performer cause I had to)

→ genre: fluff, angst, future smut | strangers(ish) to lovers… i won’t give the truth away... gonna have to read and find out for yourself ;))

-> warnings: self doubt, adorable plant names... there's really not many warnings for this chapter!

→ word count: 7,973

authors note:

alrighty everyone... here we go! (i’m so nervous) this is the first chapter of this series (which it took me 50 years to figure out whether I wanted this to be a series or a two shot... lets just say that it's gonna be a long one, so I think that a series is the best way to go)! this story is really near and dear to my heart, so 1. I really hope you enjoy it and 2. I hope all of you know how hard it was to write this into words... my goodness. now, make sure you look for clues throughout this series... there's a secret in here that won't be revealed for a while ;)) but if any of you have ideas, please be sure to send an ask while we wait to find out together! anyways, I hope you enjoy !!

authors thanks:

a HUGE thank you to @hantaev and @monvante for beta-reading and being so so supportive of me and this little (but not so little) story... y'all truly have no idea how helpful you've been and how thankful I am to be friends with both of you! forreal, y'all are the greatest and I'm sending you all my love!!

also, if you are enjoying this story, please don’t hesitate to send me an ask (on or off anon) and let me know your thoughts, feelings, theories, etc!! i would love to hear from all of you 🤍

If time-travel existed, you would be on the first time machine and head back to 2 years ago. A time when you had a free schedule and were able to go out on Friday nights. A time when you felt confident in yourself and were raring to pursue theatre. A time when you didn't have this job (cause apparently, theatre is impossible to get into) that forces you awake at 4 in the morning for the opening shift.

You can't say you don't love your Barista job because you do. Still, when your alarm wakes you from the beautiful dream of performing on the big stage, you have to use everything within yourself to crawl out of your sheet cocoon… and that is unacceptable.

What's even more unacceptable is the fact that your co-worker, Jimin, hasn't arrived at the Academia Cafe yet. You have about 30 minutes to prepare for the morning peak; brew coffees, set up the bakery items, clear the boards "coffee of the day," etc. The problem is, it takes up all of the 30 allotted minutes— and you can't start prepping early because Jimin has the keys to the cafe.

You’ve worked at the Academia Cafe for about a year now, taking a break from your endless theatre audition schedule— since that was getting you absolutely nowhere. No matter how badly you want it, nothing seems to work. No matter how many times you practice, it never seems to be good enough. Let’s just say, you took this job at the cafe because you were over the repetitive let downs.

… But here you are, with a “Jimin being late” let down.

[To: Jimin ☕️] hey, you almost here? times ticking, keys!

You stuff your phone into your winter coat pocket, the brown material catching snowflakes as they fall gently from the cloudy sky. You love this weather; it's always been your favorite. When you were little, you used to pretend to be a dragon; running all over your front yard and releasing heavy breaths that chilled in the air and spread like smoke. You don't enjoy the cold, but the entire feel of winter has you cozying up in a blanket with hot cocoa and a good book… nothing could beat that.

A buzz in your pocket catches your attention.

[From: Jimin ☕️] Hey! Look up.

Your eyes immediately lift to see Jimin smiling a few feet away, shuffling through the snow as he drags the keys out of his pocket. He's sporting a heavy blue coat that reaches down to his knees — making his short stature appear even smaller — topped with a matching blue beanie. Despite his tardiness today, you’ve always been fond of Jimin. He's like a ray of sunshine, beaming through the skyscrapers of the city and making everyone around him happy just by flashing a single smile. Honestly, you wish you could sneak some of that happiness from him and lock it somewhere safe... so you can save it for a time when you need it most.

"Your timing is impeccable." He laughs, gently placing the keys into the front door lock. "You texted me right as I was rounding the corner."

"I'm telling you, Jimin; we're always on the same wavelength."  Smirking, you make your way through the doors of the cafe, greeted by the warmth that surrounds you like your sheet cocoon did this morning, but accompanied by the smell of fresh coffee. "Except for the fact that you, my friend, are late, so now we only have twenty-eight minutes until opening."

Old, rustic book pages litter the cafe's dark walls, executing the dark academia theme flawlessly. You have to give the interior designers a hand, what with the black stools and high dark wood counters etched with different story pages. You wonder if anyone took the time to read the stories that covered the cafe; maybe the stories moved them in a personal way. Maybe there was a reason why they read them, a part of the butterfly effect of their life.

With a quick survey of the main room, you shuffle into the back to put your belongings away. "You would think it would be less busy on the streets because of the snow," Jimin calls, already working on the first batch of light roast coffee. "But unfortunately for me, that was not the case, and I nearly lost my life multiple times on the way here because of how slick it is."

A laugh emits from your lips, echoing in the backroom as you throw your apron over your head.

You begin with date labeling all of the pastry items, placing them accordingly onto the pastry cart; croissants, muffins, scones, etc. Then, you move onto organizing syrups and setting toppings along the bar where drinks are made. Bar is your personal favorite position-- since you're able to make the drinks… Plus, you're so busy that your shift goes by way faster. The sooner you're done, the sooner you get to go home and sleep.

“All set?” Jimin questions when you finish setting the steaming pitchers next to the espresso machine, tossing the rag he used to wipe down tables into the sanitizer bin. You give him a nod, taking a quick once over of the bar. “Alright,” he claps, “let's do this.”

This morning runs like every Friday morning, busy and fast. The sounds of coffee glasses clinking and the calling of customer names at the hand-off station echoes through the air.

Ahhhh, the scenery in coffee shops; the quiet hush over the room as soft jazz plays over the speakers. It’s soothing, all encompassing, and extremely helpful for motivation… You used to go to a local cafe for homework when you were still in school.

You take a breath, relaxing against the back counter as you overhear a conversation a group of regulars are having. It’s the usual small talk: the weather, families, sharing pictures of recent events. Coming up with questions of the day for customers becomes easier after knowing their stories, so you subconsciously listen in often.

Because of this, you almost don't notice the man waiting at the register, wholly delved into the neighboring conversation— only looking over when you hear your name called.

"Y/n?"

You turn your head, catching eyes with the stranger behind the counter who holds his credit card ready. The first thing you notice is that he's young, probably around your age, wearing a brown turtleneck and white slacks. His eyes are dark, standing above his perfectly sculpted nose and lips. His hair is dark as well, forehead drowning within the wavy bangs that fall over his eyebrows as he takes you in. To be completely honest, he's probably the most handsome man you've had the pleasure of seeing… is that weird? You don’t know him… maybe that is weird.

The second thing you notice is that he looks completely anxious, hands grasping the edge of the counter like there's a thousand-foot drop below him. Why is he looking straight at you while doing that? Maybe you should call Jimin to take ove-

“Is it really you?” He questions, taking you aback.

"I-" You clear your throat, walking forward to meet him at the register, "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

With an intake of breath, he releases the counter as he studies you. Was he… crying? You swear his eyes were not this bloodshot three seconds ago.

"You-" He pauses, taking another sharp breath and running a hand through his hair. If you thought he couldn't get more attractive, you were wrong. "Do you know me?"

Attractive? Yes. Psycho?...possibly.

You shake your head slightly, “I… I’m sorry. I don't-"

Wait… is he a regular? You swear you haven't seen him come into the cafe before. Shoot.. What if he is? The number one thing your boss has made perfectly clear: remember the regulars, so they come back and feel at home; recognized. Customer connection was the most important thing at the Academia Cafe… He's probably a regular.

“I’m so sorry, there're so many people that come to visit us and sometimes I forget the regulars!” You apologize. “That’s my fault… remind me of your name again?”

He's staring at you. Full-on staring, jaw slacked. Shifting uncomfortably in your keds, you eye beside you to see Jimin working away at a macchiato. You consider changing places, nearly walking over to him before the customer speaks again.

"It's- It's Taehyung."

You force a smile, nodding while he continues to stare at you. He seems a bit more hesitant, his eyes looking in different directions but ultimately falling back onto your own. Even if he tried, he couldn't hide the rosy color that spreads onto his cheeks. What was this guy's problem?

"Taehyung! Awesome, well, what can I get for you today?" You chirp, attempting to brighten up your increasing discomfort. He might have mistook you for someone else, you decide, jumping back into your customer service personality: kind and quick to the point.

Taehyung doesn't move, training his eyes on you. You've never had a man's undivided attention before, since boyfriends were never an option. When you were a teenager, you stayed home most of the time in your hometown, and the boys there were all just in it to take your pants off. You avoided them and never really caught their attention, so you can't help the uncomfortable blush that grows on your cheeks. It’s short lived though, your nerves dissolving as soon as you notice a single tear fall onto the front of his shirt.

Oh. Okay, he’s definitely crying.

"Sir..." You begin, leaning in closer to avoid drawing attention. "Is everything alright?"

"I…" The shake in his voice is evident as he puts his credit card back into his wallet, still refusing to break eye contact. “Excuse me." Without another word, he turns on his heel and rushes towards the exit, clocking a customer in the shoulder in his rush. He apologizes quickly, bowing to them before glancing behind to make eye contact with you once more.

You wish you could read minds, wondering what the hell is going through his brain… but you notice the tiniest gleam of a hopeful smile that hides on his lips.

And then he’s gone.

“I swear it was the strangest thing, Jimin.” You speak nervously, tugging at the strings of your apron and lifting it over your head. It had been busy all day, despite a quick thirty minute break when everyone had left and the cafe was suddenly a deserted island. You appreciated the busyness, it made your shift go by faster. Right now, all you wanted to do was go home, eat a fat bowl of icecream and distract yourself from the events of today with a movie. Thank God your shift was over.

“Maybe he thought you were someone else?” Jimin insists, taking a bite into the extra Blueberry Muffin you’d accidentally heated when you were distracted by the events that occurred earlier.

“Yeah? Well, I must be the spitting image because he was totally freaked out.”

“You never know, y/n. Or, maybe he just used that as an excuse to talk to you.” You could hear the smirk in his voice, throwing your rolled up apron at him harshly before you grab your belongings.

“Ha, ha, you’re hilarious. This guy looked like he had seen his ex… He was crying. I don’t think he was into me.”

“Maybe his eyes were watering from the cold wind?” He offers.

“Enough to cry actual tears?” You scoffed, “C’mon Jimin.”

He shrugs defensively, picking up his things so the two of you can head out a few minutes earlier than usual. Whenever the baristas have a chance to leave early, they take it. “If he comes back, then ask him: hey, dude, what’s your deal?”Jimin works his way through the cafe, throwing an excess chair upside down onto the table with the rest of them.

You hold your hand above your heart, which is still beating at a faster pace due to this discussion. Can hearts even beat this fast? This can’t be healthy… “Oh wow, you have such a way with words. That definitely won’t make him feel uncomfortable!”

Yes. Sarcasm coping mechanism.

“Y/n.” Jimin meets you at the door and puts his hands on your shoulders, making extra sure he has your attention. “Go home. Don’t think too much into it… He was probably high or something and mistook you for his ex that dumped him and now he’s moping through the city and getting into all sorts of trouble and he’ll forget that he even came here tomorrow morning. Okay?”

You nod slowly, exiting the cafe with Jimin on your tail. "Don't worry, y/n." Jimin adds, "He probably won't even come back." He locks the door and gives you one last thumbs up before heading in the opposite direction, calling out at the last second. “See you tomorrow!”

The forced smile on your face appears again (looks like this was a regular occurrence today), waving him goodbye.

Yeah… tomorrow.

Jimin was right. The handsome crying stranger was probably never coming back.

It has been a few weeks since you met him for the first time. Now, it feels like a distant memory. He hadn’t shown up to the cafe the day after the encounter, or the day after that, or the day after that, and eventually you’d come to the conclusion that he was probably never going to show his face again out of pure embarrassment. You can’t say you blame him. You’d be embarrassed too if you stared at and cried over a random stranger.

Still, you couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment... You'd kind of hoped you could figure out what his problem was, maybe ease his mind a little if you really did look like a past lover. You would make sure he knew that it wasn't you. What if he was avoiding the cafe because he literally thought you were someone else? Great… now you just feel bad.

"Y/n? Are you listening?" Jimin beckons over the phone.

"Huh? What?" You bounce back to reality, the soft comforter of your bed lying beneath you as you stare out the window. Thanks to your wonderful apartment search, you have a beautiful view of the city. Jimin had helped you find a place when you first moved here. The two of you had met when you visited to check out the first apartment options; he even took you out for a drink afterward to celebrate the first days' completion. Jimin had immediately clicked with you, as he does with everyone-- he was the kind of person to make friends insanely quickly. He must've been super popular in high school... unlike you.

"Y/n Y/l/n. I am giving you a chance to meet more people, and you're not even listening to me!" He cries, a light smack coming from the other end (probably from him slamming his hand on the table).

"Okay, okay-- I'm sorry. I'm listening now; what's up?"

With a deep sigh, he speaks again. "Party. My house. Tonight. It's not gonna be wild, don't worry... it's just a get-together with some of my friends, and you can have a few drinks if you would like to."

Gnawing at your bottom lip, you look over towards the clock on your nightstand. 5:00. "I don't know..." You begin, the bed shifting as you raise into a seated position. "I have to work tomorrow morn-"

"Already got your shift covered." He deadpans.

"What??"

"I already got your shift covered, so you have no excuse."

This sly guy.

"Who covered it?" You question, setting the audio to speaker-phone as you rummage through old text messages you haven't gone through (to prep for your "thank you for covering my shift" text message).

“Jin.” Noted.

“So…” Jimin continues, “are you coming?”

You can't even remember the last time you met new people, let alone gone to a party. Parties weren't necessarily your thing, especially with your busy schedule of workdays and auditions-- you just never had the time. You should be excited, right?

Well, you aren't.

"Jimin, I don't know… I'm not really a huge fan of parties." You mumble over the phone, picking at the lone string that popped out of its stitch on your comforter.

"Y/n, it's a small get-together, and it's not gonna be that kind of party. Believe me; it'll be really chill. It's just me, you, a few other coworkers, and some friends from my journalism class."

You chew at your bottom lip, looking over at your closet to see a single green cocktail dress that you hadn't worn in years. The memory of the dress was a good one… you had just finished up curtain call for The Addams Family and wore that dress to the after-party. It's a short sleeve, layered green dress that flows just over your knees, the same color sash tying the waist in a floppy bow. You blush at the memory of winning best dressed.

A pause, “Okay.” You conclude. “I’ll go.”

Jimin was honest about how chill it would be; soft music plays in the background as the group sits around the table playing cards. A basketball game is playing on the TV, desperate for attention as a player scores a 3-pointer, but no one is watching. Shuffling of cards is the only sound heard in the room as the game continues.

The atmosphere is calm… quiet…

“BULLSHIT.”

The immediate crumble of everyone’s mood causes the loud “HELL YEAH” that makes you jump in your seat.

"And that is how it's done, Ladies and Gentlemen." Jungkook (your fellow coworker) claps, his smile brighter than the sunset that seeps through the curtains on the opposite side of the room.

"And that's on cheating!" Jimin picks up the cards in the center of the table, gathering them clumsily back into a pile.

"It's called having skill," Jungkook replies, holding his hands up as he smirks at his opponents.

"No, it's called luck." Yoongi finalizes as he puts his hand of cards down on the table with a roll of his eyes. You haven’t met Yoongi before until tonight. He’s one of Jimin's friends from Journalism Class.

When you arrived, you decided to sit out of this round and learn to play before joining the game-- knowing you; you would've been crushed within the first minutes of playing. Card games weren’t exactly a skill of yours— board games on the other hand were where it’s at! That, and charades. For the sake of the party, a card game didn’t sound too bad this time around— so you poke at Jimin to give you the hand as he serves cards for everyone else.

“Wait, wait, wait—“ Jimin pauses, his hand disappearing beneath the table to grab his phone. “Hello?”

“I’m not Irish, so does luck really count?” Jungkook questions in a hushed whisper, nudging Yoongi in the side.

“Oh hey...yeah... it’s apartment 205.” Jimin continues.

“You’re so funny, Jk. Maybe you’ll actually become successful if you choose stand-up comedy rather than becoming a musician.” Yoongi replies nonchalantly, his cat-like eyes staring at the abandoned pile of cards before he seems to come to the decision to shuffle them himself. He gives you a small smile when you hold your hand out to signal that you’re joining in this round.

“Mhm, you can just walk on in! Doors unlocked… okay.. alright, see ya in a minute.” When Jimin's phone is down, Yoongi passes a hand of cards to him.

“Think you can beat me, Y/n?” Jungkook asks,”Since apparently these four can’t?” He motions to Yoongi and Jimin, glancing at the other two players of the game: Hoseok (Jimins other classmate) and his girlfriend, Faith.

“I think I can.” You say, smirking at the determined expression on Jungkooks face. Even if you weren’t very fond of card games, there was one thing you were even less fond of: losing.

“Mmm, might want to rethink that, but okay.” Jungkook replies. The two of you are death staring when the sound of the front door creaking open catches the attention of everyone else at the table. Jimin shoots out of his chair.

“Taehyung!”

You freeze.

"You-" He pauses, taking another sharp breath and running a hand through his hair. If you thought he couldn't get more attractive, you were wrong. "Do you know me?"

Attractive? Yes. Psycho?... possibly.

“I’m so sorry, there're so many people that come to visit us and sometimes I forget the regulars!” You apologize. “That’s my fault… remind me of your name again?”

"It's- It's-."

“Taehyung, you just missed me creaming everyone in bullshit.” Jungkook boasts. Your eyes are glued to the side of Jungkook's head, not daring to make eye contact with the source of your nerves the past few weeks.

“Oh did I?” The familiar, deep voice utters.

Okay.. you can’t help but look…

Holy—it’s actually him.

Immediate regret sinks into your soul when you see him. God, he’s even handsomer than you remember. A white woolen sweater hangs over a pair of his black pants, matched with white sneakers and accenting the head of dark wavy hair you’d been thinking about since you last saw him.

“Yep!” Jungkook continues. “And now Y/n’s about to get shitfaced too.”

The moment his eyes swiftly glance your way is the moment you crumble and turn your head back to Jungkook. You had hoped to make a sly remark, something along the lines of “in your dreams,” but you’re caught breathless from the tension in the room. The tension only the two of you are aware of. He must be tense too, right?

“I wouldn’t underestimate her.” You hear out of Taehyung's mouth, stealing a look at his face once more. He’s smirking at Jungkook, hanging his coat on the hook beside yours, oblivious of the way you’re basically dissecting his every move.

“Have you met Y/n?” Jimin questions, provoking Taehyung's eyes to fall back onto yours. This time, you don’t look away.

He doesn’t answer right away, making you more nervous than you should be— the silence deafening as you make to explain, “We-“

“No.” He states plainly, cutting you off. An innocent smile plays on his lips as he looks at Jimin and places his messenger bag beside the door.

No? Uhhh, was he not the guy who pretended to know who you were and cried in front of you without even explaining why? Nope, it’s definitely him.

“I’m Taehyung.” He calls in your direction, offering you a boxy smile and a small nod, “Don’t let Jungkook fool you. A girl pinched him when we were in grade school. He barely lasted five seconds before running away screaming.” Taehyung moved to the table, sitting beside the man he just brutally embarrassed.

“That girl was terrifying. She was way taller than all the other sixth graders. It was an unfair situation.” Jungkook protested, sinking in his chair as he shuffled the cards he held in his hand.

You couldn’t help but stare dumbly at Taehyung. Was he embarrassed of his outburst at the cafe that he just hopes you forgot about him? You guess you didn’t exactly meet each other, other than a few words exchanged before he disappeared out the door. He probably doesn’t want his friends to know about what happened. Or did he not recognize you and completely forgot about the whole ordeal?

Okay, it’s fine… totally fine.

“I’ll have to keep that in mind,” you laugh, “no more coming in late, Jk. Or I’ll have to pinch you.”

Jungkook merely rolls his eyes, taking a sip of his beer. You see the crinkle in Taehyung's eyes as he laughs, the boxy smile taking root on his face again… a smile you’ve begun to enjoy the look of.

Hey. Snap out of it. This guy is so confusing. That’s a red card.

You straighten up in your seat, catching Jimin's attention when you move towards the kitchen, motioning with your hand to signal that you’re getting another drink. You have a feeling you’re gonna need some more alcohol to get through the evening.

Jimins place is clean, every knick knack placed neatly where it belongs; accompanied by the smell of potted plants that he keeps by his windows. Little name tags are attached to the plant stems: Flo, Sprout, Bob. He names his plants. Sweet.

He, like you, has a great view of the city too, a mid-size window perched above his breakfast nook where a small potted plant (quotabley named “bean”) grows. The city is bustling below as you reach for a beer, shrugging off the fact that you hate beer, but at least the taste will distract you from Tae-

“Hey.” You hear a soft voice call from the kitchen archway. When you turn you nearly drop the bottle out of your hand. Taehyung gives you a soft smile.

“Hey! Uh.. did you want a beer, or are you a wine guy?” You question, cringing at how much higher your voice sounds at his close proximity.

“I— Sorry, neither.” He starts, shoving his hands into his pockets as he makes his way around the island. “I uh- I just wanted to talk to you about something.”

You nod slightly, “Yeah of course… what’s up?”

“Um,” he’s nervous, you notice. “I just wanted to apologize about the whole thing at the cafe a few weeks ago.. I was— not in the right state of mind.” He meets your eyes hesitantly, “you just look like someone I know from a long time ago and it kind of.. took me by surprise, I guess.”

Jimin was right. You offer him a smile, shaking your head in disbelief, “You know what, I truly thought that was the reason… It’s totally fine. I’m not who you think I am, by the way.”

A flicker of something crosses his features at your comment, something you can’t quite pick up, but he changes it quickly to a smirk. “Obviously.” He laughs, “I’m sorry if it made you uncomfortable.. I’m not weird, I swear.”

“Mmm, that’s what they all say.” You tease.

He laughs, a soft sound that you want to hear over and over again. “You’ve got me there.” He takes a pause, placing his hands on the island countertop. “Let’s start over? If that’s okay? I didn’t want to mention it when I came in because I wanted us to have a fresh start.”

You push down the questioning thought of who this woman he mistook you for was, not wanting to overstep any boundaries. “That’s totally okay.. clean slate?”

“Clean slate.” He finalizes.

“Straightforward,” You add, “I like it.”

He gives you a warm smile, the same edge in the way he looks at you dances in his eyes before he breaks it off, sliding the bottle of beer out of your own hand. “Actually, I think I will have a beer. You don’t seem like a beer drinker, anyway.” He turns quickly, smirking at you before striding out of the room. “Thanks, Y/n!”

Protestations die on your lips as he disappears from the room, your beer along with him. How rude. You can’t help the smile tugging at the corners of your lips as you turn back to the cupboard, skipping the beer and pouring yourself a second glass of wine. You weren’t a beer drinker, after all.

Although you weren’t one for parties, you couldn’t help but admit the fact that you were having a good time. No, a great time. All of you are seated in Jimins living room; a plate of chips sits on the coffee table, which was the hot spot of the night (considering there’s hardly any remaining). Others in the group still have a glass of alcohol in their hands, the tipsiness evident by the slurring of their words. You had stopped yourself after half of your second glass, playing it safe since you still have to walk home after the party. You weren’t much of a drinker anyway-- your family history being the root of this decision.

It isn’t the games that made the night this enjoyable, or the food, or the movie that is currently playing over Jimin's television (which, by the way, is Moulin Rouge, because half of the room enjoys musicals, and the other half enjoys regular movies. So, you decided to settle on a movie musical). None of that matters, except the fact that you’ve never felt this carefree in a long time.

For one night, you can put aside your cafe job, auditions, and never-ending to-do lists and just have fun. Real fun. Even in the audition rooms, it has never been fun for you. It’s been nerve-wracking to a fault and always ends with a “thank you for taking the time, but we’ve decided not to accept you this time around,” or a callback, which ultimately concludes with the same grueling fate.

But this is different.

This is a group of people who genuinely want to spend time with you and get to know you… with no “not this time’s” or open-ended questions.

Especially with Taehyung. You’re surprised at how quickly the two of you seemed to hit it off, despite the awkward introduction. Now, it feels like he’s known you for years… in the best way. You’re comfortable talking to him, chatting together during the movie about the plot points or songs you find specifically endearing. You had initially planned to sit next to Jimin… but ended up next to Taehyung on the couch.

It just happened.

He enjoys musicals as well, you learn. Maybe not as much as you do, but at least he doesn’t despise them. He’s one of Jimin’s friends from their shared art class. He loves the color brown. His favorite food is watermelon. He does illustrations for Jimins journalism projects (which, in your opinion, are exceptional from the photos he showed you during the movie while the others were engulfed in the film). He wishes to pursue traveling journalism, where he draws what he sees rather than taking pictures. His whole aura is warm… like a heated blanket that envelopes you whole when you feel him shift beside you on the sofa. A small reminder that he’s still there.

Okay, you’re liking his presence way too much.

He finds romance movies corny but a guilty pleasure nonetheless. This, the reason why he agreed to watch Moulin Rouge despite the cheesiness in the beginning. In the end, it was anything but cheesy.

"Well, that was stupid." Jungkook scoffs, slamming the remote onto the neighboring loveseats' armrest. The once loud room filled with music is now quiet from the after-effects of the movie.

“I told you it was sad!” Jimin exclaims. The two of you had seen this movie before in theatres… and this was nothing compared to how the ending hit the first time. “Y/N was nearly choking. She was crying so hard when we saw it.”

An immediate blush rises onto your cheeks as you shake your head in defiance, trying to hide the tears that had been stinging your eyes for the last thirty minutes. “Who wouldn’t cry at that??”

“Taehyung probably didn’t. He never cries.” Hoseok deadpans. Ha. You can’t help but remember the tear that ran down his face in the cafe… He never cries?

With a quick look over your shoulder, you find that Taehyung is no longer seated on the couch. When did he get up? You attempt to shrug off your curiosity, pivoting back towards the chip table where only sad little crumbs remain. You were worrying way too much over a man you quite literally just met tonight… even if it felt like you’ve known him for much longer.

Taehyung eventually reappeared, stating that he had to use the bathroom— you ignored the fact that it took him a solid 30 minutes to get back to the party. It wasn’t your place to ask any questions, especially since he lifted a smile onto his face the second he reentered the room. See, y/n… nothing to worry about.

It wasn’t long before you insisted you head home, knowing that you’d curse yourself in the morning if you stayed out past the sunrise. If you did, you’d sleep through tomorrow, and that would be awful. You’ve done this a few times… and every time, you felt like you had wasted an entire year of your life.

You move to grab your purse and jacket, which are hanging comfortably on the hook beside the front door. With a small smile, you bid everyone goodnight— smiling as they resume a card game around the table at one o’clock in the morning. It’s nice to know that the group of you hit it off… now; you can look forward to plenty of get-togethers in the future.

Your mind is bustling with all kinds of ideas: picnics in central park, late-night broadway shows, hangouts at the caf-

“Y/n!” The soft calling of Taehyung's voice causes you to halt near the exit, turning on your heel to see him jogging towards you. He had haphazardly thrown his jacket over him since it’s still being tugged onto his body as he runs. His hair becomes even more chaotic in his haste… Why do you want to run your hands through it?

“Hey!” You squeak, interrupting your thoughts before they trudged down a guilty road. “What are you doing? Weren’t you going to play another round?”

He gives you a smirk, catching his breath as he holds out your house keys. “You forgot these! You were really moving fast… sick of us already?”

“Wh— oh my god, thank you!” With a quick swipe of your hand, you’re stuffing your keys into your pocket with a grateful smile. “Also, hardly.”

You admire the way his eyes light up at your confession. “Well.. since you don’t want to leave us so quickly.. how about I walk you home?” He seems almost hesitant asking, but you can’t help but applaud him for actually taking the initiative to inquire.

You shake your head, pulling the strap of your purse farther up your shoulder. “You don’t have t-“

“I want to!” He cuts you off quickly, catching you by surprise as he moves past you to open the door. He glances back, taking in your reluctant expression, “It’s not safe this time of night Y/n… You shouldn’t be alone.“

You know he didn't mean anything by that statement… But the idea of someone genuinely caring and not wanting you to be alone makes your heart swell. Jimin cares about your safety of course, but this feels… Different.

This is the reason why you allow him to walk you home.

The snow crunches beneath your feet, like a symphony that beckons you home. You’ve been feeling exhaustion seeping into your bones for the last ten minutes, but Taehyung's occasional brush of his arm as he walks beside you keeps you wide awake. He doesn’t think to apologize for accidentally touching you, but you blame it on the time of night. Delusion.

“How long have you lived in New York?” You question, wrapping your coat tighter around you to kick out the nipping air.

“About a year now,” He responds, shuffling his feet, “though it feels like way longer. You?”

“Three years.”

Taehyung turns his head towards you, eyes wide. “Wow, way to one up me.” With a teasing smile he continues, “You must know this city like the back of your hand.”

The truth is… you don’t. You came here for the sole purpose of making it on Broadway... you never really took the time to focus on anything else. Part of you wishes you had learned more, craved more, wanted more with your life—then you wouldn’t be so miserable when the one thing you do want doesn’t work out. “Yeah… kind of.”

If he hears the somber tone of your voice, he ignores it, turning against the wind as he walks backwards down the sidewalk. “It’s overrated in my opinion.”

You raise your head at this, “Why is that?”

“Everyone here has dreams… and those dreams get crushed more often than not.” He shrugs, “No one cares if you want to succeed, only if you already have.”

You stare at him for a moment, awestruck by the weight of his words. “But,” he adds, turning back towards the wind, “the ones who never give up and continue to chase that dream can become successful. Despite all of the no’s they might face, they always hold on till they hear a yes. That sounds like true success to me.”

Turning your head, you stare at the side of his face— admiring the way his hair tosses back a bit against the harsh winter winds. His words hit you way deeper than he probably realized, sinking into your chest with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. You’ve been contemplating recently on whether or not to give up on your dream… that maybe it just wasn’t going to work out for you. You have been trying for so long, and have repeatedly been let down. There was no way Taehyung could have known, which is why his words hit you as hard as they did. Despite the hardships, you’ve been here for three years and you’ve never given up or stopped trying to chase your dream.

That was an achievement, right?

“To be honest… I've heard a lot of no’s in my three years of being here.” You speak softly, tucking a fallen strand of hair behind your ear. “Sometimes it feels like there will never be a yes… but here I am. At least I'm still working— at a coffee shop, not on the stage.”

“It’s admirable that you keep going.” Taehyung glances at you over his shoulder. “It makes you different from a lot of people who have left the city when they faced failure. It’s something to be proud of. Plus, coffee shop or big stage, you’re in New York City and pursuing your gift. It’s special.”

When your eyes meet, you smile at him, feeling a sense of victory the longer you hold his gaze.

“Don’t give up, Y/n. No matter what.” He speaks genuinely, leaning towards you to nudge you gently on your shoulder. You can’t help but laugh at his playfulness, giving him a nudge in return before your eyes downcast to your winter boots. The snow on the ground is fresh, powdery and sticking to the toes of your shoes. “Plus,” He adds, sucking in the chilly air, “you've got what others don’t have…”

This time when you meet his eye he has a serious expression, making sure he has your full attention as you round the corner towards your apartment building. His gaze is genuine, captivating… and a part of you hopes that the close proximity of your apartment wouldn’t cut this moment short. Finally, he speaks.

“You have passion.”

Taehyung's words weigh on you for the rest of your night. It started off as something simple, looking up audition songs for an upcoming off-broadway show your agent was telling you about. Then, you went to learning it. After that, putting on makeup. And finally, completely forgetting about your sleep schedule and filming an entire audition tape in your room at 2 in the morning (and you were belting… your poor neighbors). It wasn’t until four that you finally turned in for the night, not bothering to take off your makeup or get changed-- simply falling onto your pillow and blacking out the moment you hit it. You were definitely sleeping the next day away… but at that moment, you didn’t mind. Having a day off from your busy schedule wouldn’t be so bad.

“I sent in an audition tape two nights ago.” You speak confidently, wiping down the back counter that’s littered with coffee grounds. They stick to the rag like glue, tiny dots scattered along its white surface. If it weren’t for your apron,

and your expertly rolled up white turtleneck sweater, you would look alot like this rag right now.

“Did you?” Jimin questions from the bar, sleeving the cup before placing it on the handoff counter.

“Christopher! Medium cappuccino!” He calls, multitasking while he cranes his neck to still hear you.

“I did. I feel really good about this one..” You add, meeting him beside the bar as he lifts the pitcher up and down to create the latte-art of a flower in the center of the mug. You have tried sooooo many times to make latte art… and every time it ended up looking like a glob. A big, distorted snowball. Jimin was the master of latte art, always finishing it off beautifully with a whip of his wrist. The foam atop telling a story. “It was so late-- I was totally out of it… and yet I actually enjoyed myself while filming it. I just imagined being there.. In center stage.”

“I’m happy for you, Y/n!” He smiles, turning to place the hot mug next to the cappuccino.

“Caleb! Medium caramel latte!”

He was only half listening to you. The cafe was bustling, so it truly wasn’t Jimin's fault that he was sidetracked— but nothing could hold back the small smile that played at the edge of your lips. You had actually enjoyed singing for the first time in a while.. all because of Taehyung's Academy Award winning pep talk. Who knew that all you needed was for someone to tell you like it is. With a minuscule smile, you turn back towards the counter and lift the latte you’d whipped up this morning to your lips. Your distorted snowball is fully on display at the top.

Despite the busyness, the front register is deserted, giving you time to think for a moment about the pep talk... or rather, the person who gave you it.

“I think Taehyung likes you.” Jimin deadpans.

Uhhh… You nearly spit out your snowball at that— clearing your throat as you set it down slowly onto the wooden countertop. He speaks as if this is a natural conversation starter… it’s not.

“I’m sorry?” You croak.

“Taehyung.” He repeats, turning his head in your direction with a knowing smirk. “I think he likes you.”

You give him a scoff of disbelief, watching as yet another group of regulars enter through the door. “That’s not true, he just doesn’t know me… so he made an effort to talk to me.” If you weren’t studying the group, you would've seen Jimin giving you a scrutinized look.

So, now you have his attention.

“Y/n. It’s so obvious… He spent the entire night talking to you, he left moments after you did to give you your keys and he never came back. If that isn’t someone who’s interested, I don’t know what is.” Jimin is an expert at multitasking, finishing off two drinks at the same time and calling them out.

“Well, Jimin, when people don’t know each other, they get to know each other. It’s this thing called talking and becoming friends.” The sentence hangs in the air as the doorbell chimes, signaling that yet another customer has entered the cafe and into the swarm of regulars, but the two of you disregard the sound and continue on through your bickering.

“I’m just saying, Taehyung doesn’t usually talk to girls.” Jimin adds, wiping his hands off on the white rag seated beneath his espresso machine. “Even if they wanted his attention, he didn’t give it to them. I mean— he’s nice to girls, don’t get me wrong.. but he’s never talked to them like he did with you on game night. I don’t think he’s dated anyone since he got here.”

“He’s career driven.” You say quickly.

If you thought his smirk couldn’t get any wider, you were wrong. “Yeah, girls don’t know that about him— meaning he told you, and not other girls.” Jimin deadpans.

You stare blankly at him. There’s no way. No way that a guy as attractive as Taehyung would even think about looking at you like that. There’s just no way. You’ve never had a boyfriend... or even a guy friend, until Jimin. Eventually, you’d accepted the fact that maybe you just weren’t that interesting. Maybe you weren’t pretty enough. Maybe you couldn’t flirt…. okay, you definitely couldn’t flirt— but that’s besides the point.

“He’s not interested in me.” You conclude.

“He is.” Jimin counters.

“He’s not.”

“He so is.”

“He’s so not.”

“Y/n. I swear to you. He’s interested and you need to shoot your shot.” He whisper-screams, throwing the rag in his hand onto the bar.

“Taehyung is not-“

A clearing of someone’s throat from beyond the register cuts your argument short, nearly making you lose your balance when you see who the source was.

You’re fairly certain you’ve turned pale.

Taehyung stands in front of you, eyeing between the two of you with an awkward expression. God, how long has he been standing there? “I figured I should step in before the two of you start fist fighting.”

“Hey!” The shrill of your voice causes you to wince.

“Hey.” He says with a smile, folding his arms in front of him and raising his eyes to the menu above your head. You can’t help the glare you send towards Jimin, who's notably holding back his laughter as he moves to the blender, the station farthest from the register. Ridiculous.

“What can we get for you?” You ask routinely, trying not to make it obvious that you were just talking about him… and praying that he wasn’t there to hear what the two of you were talking about.

“Hmm…” He looks especially good today, wearing a brown, long coat and a brown plaid scarf around his neck. He wasn’t kidding when he said his favorite color was brown, that’s for sure. It suits him. His hair is wavy, flowing to a point just under his eyebrows with a split off center, giving you the tiniest glimpse of his forehead. “How about an americano with hazelnut, and some cream?”

“We can do that for ya!” You have to force yourself to stop looking at him, pressing the buttons to ring up his order before you forget. You nearly overlook ringing up the hazelnut syrup. Why were you so dazed? He’s already placed his credit card into the chip reader, but your foggy brain asks anyway. “Anything else?”

“Yes, actually.” He speaks as you move towards the bar beside the register. Grabbing an empty pitcher, you pour the milk inside and reach for the steamer. He drops a dollar into the tip jar, not giving you enough time to thank him for the unnecessary effort before he speaks again. “Are you free later?”

NEXT CHAPTER

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[missymurphy1985]

The Letter - Week 2

This was meant to be a one shot but you guys seem to like it...

Mini series it is 💜

Warnings - angst

Taglist @queenshelby @margoo0 @being-worthy @peakyscillian @ntmynouis @janelongxox @elenavampire21 @noctvrnalmoth @ysmmsy @cloudofdisney @lauren-raines-x @namelesslosers @misscarolineshelby @screemqueen @cilleveryone

You opened your eyes last night. Only briefly, but you opened them. Squeezed Jamie's hand too - he was made up. He misses you y/n.. he can't sleep without his mam kissing him goodnight. He crawls in bed with me every night while you've been in here.

Ryan won't come now. He can't bear to see you with all the wires in you and the tubes down your throat. I don't blame him.. no 11 year old wants to see their mam so helpless.. he's terrified though, I can tell. He's barely spoken since the accident. He goes to Orla's when I'm here with you. Spends his time in their garden, pottering around with Damien planting vegetables or cooking. Anything to distract him.

Jamie's 7th birthday next week babe. Remember the party we had planned? The hall was booked, all the invitations sent out. I've cancelled it all, on Jamie's request. The only present he wants this year y/n.. is you. He wants his mam home. To read him a bedtime story, to build Lego villages with him, to wrap him up in a towel like a caterpillar after his bath...

Can't even picture those things now without the gut-wrenching pain across my chest. The thought of you not doing those things anymore... I won't let myself think it. I can't.

Your dad came to see you over the weekend. Did you know? Could you hear him sing to you, those classic Irish songs he used to sing you when you were little? He's put a photo of your mam on your bedside cabinet, that one taken just before she died, holding you as a baby in her arms.. He hopes her being close will give you the strength to come back to us.

The hospital allowed me to sleep in your room last night in case you stirred again. Your Dad took the boys. Did you feel me on the chair next to you, holding your hand? Didn't let it go all night did I? Put a movie on - one of those cheesy romcom things you love so much. Grimaced all the way through it I did!

Your eyes didn't open again, but I felt you squeeze my hand a few times. I spoke to you for hours, all night baby, did you hear me?

I told you about the day we met. Bumping into you outside that little pub in Dingle.. I've never sobered up so quickly. As soon as I saw those eyes, I knew I was in trouble. Moved in together after 6 months didn't we?

The day you told me Ryan was on his way was a shock, wasn't it? Hadn't planned for that one! We were only 19.. but we managed, didn't we? Watching you give birth to him was one of the most incredible things I've ever witnessed. You were breathtaking. Took the whole thing in your stride. Made it look easy, didn't you? I was the one freaking out! Remember the midwife telling me off for pacing the labour ward over and over, and for bringing you a McDonald's for lunch after you'd been induced?

Seeing you hold our son for the first time.. that image takes my breath away even now. How utterly beautiful you looked in that moment, feeding our boy.

We struggled with Jamie, didn't we? Took a long time to fall pregnant, considering how quickly Ryan came along.. happened eventually though didn't it.. once again you were a powerhouse. Even when you had horrific morning sickness, your pelvis caused you major issues towards the end, you never complained. I missed a lot of that pregnancy didn't I? Filming... Theatre shows... Press junkets... I nearly missed his birth!

I vowed once I came home after that I'd never take on that much at once again. One job a year, that was it. I'd be home with you and our boys the rest of it.

And that was us then wasn't it? Our happy little bubble, a family of four... Until I screwed up. And I really did screw up didn't I.

More work.

More time away.

One more film... One more theatre show...

"Too tired for a call tonight, don't wait up for me."

"I'll call you tomorrow, I've got a meeting after filming. Won't be back til late."

Excuse after excuse after excuse.

I'm not surprised you thought I was cheating on you. I was angry at first, I know I was, but I understand it now, looking back. Took you for granted, didn't I y/n? You were home 24/7 with two boys running you ragged, miles from your Sligo roots.

How many parents evenings did I miss? Tooth fairy visits? End of year school plays? And for what?

Money? No, we had everything we ever wanted.

Fame? No, I never wanted it in the first place.

Honestly? I don't know what happened. I can't put my finger on it. I just couldn't say no to producers, I guess. Couldn't say no when Enda offered me another play... I felt obligated, he gave me my first break...

Couldn't say no to that movie with Robert De Niro... Couldn't say no to working with Danny Boyle again... Couldn't say no to them, but I said it to you often enough, didn't I?

God I've fucked up y/n. I've really fucked it all up. You'd never have even been in that fucking car if I'd been a decent man, a decent father... A better husband. You deserved better.

Wake up, yeah? Come back to me?

I'll make every ounce of it up to you, I swear it.

[kizzys]

Starkid Rewatch: The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals 🎼

Finally we have reached the hatchetfield series

My paulkins brain is ready let's gooo

I'm that one lady in the audience who's genuinely jamming out to the intro

Thinking back to how the intro was just foreshadowing the ending and that Emma gets infected too

🎶what an ass, what a bitch, what a cuuuuuuuuck🎶

I love how every musical with them has lauren and robert having a cute dance number

Paul was clearly set up to be the asshole character but we all chose to love him so they just went along with it

LATTAY HOTTAY ☕

Does she know i would die for her

I have very low blood sugar

Paulkins interaction here we go

Knowing that ted is the homeless man...

I don't know how it changes things here but somehow it just does

Reluctant friendship hcs for paul and green peace girl come through

Once again: props to June saito for understanding the duality of lesbian fashion

Hey it's everyone's favorite murder grandpa

Oh, look a new blouse

Pitch perfect whomst?

I love that for Bill it's never a question of alice being gay..it's never really that big of a deal. He just does not like deb

He even suggests other girls for alice

Its just really comforting for me to watch it be normalised so sweetly

Lah...dee...DAH. DAH. DAY?!

I will 100% believe this is the man behind the paul clones. He is so fucking unhinged look at him

🎶black coffee, I'm your coffee gal- NOOOOO!!!!!

He has to bend to half his height to meet her eye level i love them

Promise me you'll think about the implications!!

Jaime had no business being this hot during cup of poisoned coffee

They're constantly just holding hands or reaching out for each other it's too cute

YOU GRABBED THE WRONG ONE, YOU NOODLE!

The purest friendship

Ted casually jamming out to Robert's dance

[alien/turkey noises]

His brain fell out

Who is it? Professor hidgens! Don't lie to me whoever you are, I'm professor hidgens!

This is paul and...them

I'm going to...kick your...head

Iconic

Get you someone who looks at you the way paul looks at emma

Or even the way emma looks at paul really they're both equally soft

The biggest plot twist would have been if Paul had been the one to crash Jane's car

FUCK CLIVESDALE

So I guess I'm the supervillain? I don't think of you like that at all emma

I'm soft for them

Jaime i love u

Seriously her voice 😯

Jeff just jumping around while jaime sings like a goddess honestly same

Anyways paulkins are being all adorable in the background

I love how they're just screaming out for bill like fuck ted

I shot a charle-ton

Appreciate his jokes please

SING THE BEGINNING OF MOANA

The best starkid song honestly

Can we talk about how paul remembered most of the lines? Like emma and ted were just repeating whatever he said and bill was fucking singing the circle of life

Ted's voice cracking

I just realised he's sitting directly in front of charlotte's body and I know he's 90% an asshole but this fucking scene man

Like he cares just a little and we can all see it how he's trying to keep whats left of his friends from dying too

Honestly joey's acting here gets me

Height difference™

When he said "I respect her choices but..." I honestly initially thought some homophobic crap might follow but bill you absolute angel

He did not dissapoint

Bill Woodward 🤝 Steve harrington

If you get what I mean

(team i have no issue with you being a lesbian but please have better taste in girls)

Fancasting for denise or angela to play grace chastity in NPMD

Corey's expressions in this scene honestly breaks my heart

He just wanted to save his daughter 😔

prove it asshole, we're the army

he boop

WEAR A WATCH ⌚

I'm authorising you to use my firearm

Hidgens and mcnamara are both dramatic gays but with completely opposite energies

[foot sweep]

The way he skip-runs across the stage

Draco would be proud

For a 63 year old he can really work those hips

The audience losing their shit

Should I take this chair? I'll get the piano

The light slowly turning red as infected!mcnamara smiles

The audience slowly realising what the lyrics mean

Honestly iconic

One of my favorite moments in the show

So the last thing paul ever told emma was "byeeeee"?

Nah fuck that they both survived and are living happily in colorado running their pot farm

What ending?

The theatre being Paul's worst nightmare and starlight theatre being the place where he's killed, and starlight also being miss holloway's nightmare time? Methinks he might be her descendent of some sort

Watch out paul, he might kick your head

Mr. Davidson didn't want to be a mindless alien slave! He wanted to be choked by his wife!

Starkid stroking their villain takes a whole another level here huh

Jon slipping between normal talking to singing after every other word is pure talent

All jokes and paulkins related angst aside the ending is actually really amazing for a multitude of reasons

1. Inevitable is an absolute masterpiece of a song and it ties in all the previous songs that were there in the show

2. It provides context to the intro song (its all a fucking loop babey)

3. We get this one final moment of softness

4. Emma's scream perfectly harmonises with the ending of inevitable

5. It spectacularly breaks the 4th wall for the second time and integrates the audience as characters in the show

6. They never once break character through the whole thing

7. It proves once and for all that the hero of the story was never paul, it was emma. paul was just the final villain

That being said I am happily going back deep down in denial-town. You can find me drowning in a bucketload of paulkins fluff fics goodbye

[countlessimagines]

Hi!! Could I have a male Stranger Things ship pls? Thank you so much in advance! 💖

✓ Personality: Feisty & compassionate. I try to always be friendly & warm until given a reason not to be— then I’m a total hellcat lol bc I’m v protective of those I care about. I have a pretty snarky sense of humor which is pretty much a reflex for me at this point lol. I’m an open book & I try to be honest abt everything but still remain tactful (you catch more flies w/ honey, after all). I can be cynical sometimes but it’s just a defense mechanism so I don’t get hurt. It takes me a bit to trust but when I do, you become family to me. Don't be fooled by the sweet Valley Girl accent; I cuss like a sailor. 😆 I come off as bubbly & social but I'm actually super introverted & usually end up retreating eventually to recharge. I'm a complete night owl too lol. I desperately want a break from the monotony of everyday life & I crave adventure, romance, & new experiences. I'm generally a v intense/sensitive person, very all or nothing lol. Life isn't worth living without passion imo.

✓ Looks: I’m a 23 year old mixed race Latina w/ long dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, pale olive skin w/ a light dusting of freckles across my nose, cheeks, & forehead. My nails are always painted bc I tend to bite them otherwise (anxiety & PTSD thing). My face tag is "Merp"! I have a v naturally curvy hourglass figure & I love dressing to accentuate it, but people always underestimate me bc of it.

My friends say that I'm the personification of the Subversive Bimbo trope (like Ty Lee from "Avatar", Cher from “Clueless”, Elle from "Legally Blonde", Daphne from "Scooby Doo", Rachel from "Animorphs" etc) bc ppl see me & assume I'm a ditz bc of the way I look & the way my voice sounds (I have a Valley Girl accent 😬) but I'm actually very capable & use their underestimation to my advantage. Ppl think they know me but I’m way more than a pretty face & curves; most ppl just don’t care to look any deeper. 😕

✓ Romance: I’m a hopeless romantic who’s a sucker for romantic gestures & loves PDA; I love when my S/O is proud to be w/ me & honestly, I love romance in general. Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet” is my favorite play bc of the enduring love against all odds depicted in it. I’ve survived several abusive relationships which unfortunately left me with severe PTSD— but despite being more guarded, I still look for the good in ppl, no matter what.

A lot of guys have superficial interest in me for the way I look but I want a true, undying, wholly-dedicated fairytale love not just a passing fling. I'd trade being "the Babe of Hawkins High" for the love of one person w/o a second thought. When I fall, I fall really hard. I love that instant chemistry when you have a real connection w/ someone special. I want someone strong enough to protect me but also, someone who I can protect. We could protect each other! 🥰 My goal in the future is to find the love of my life, get married & have a family w/ them, our kids, a house full of pets, a life full of romantic adventures, the whole 9 yards.

A date to me can be anything from going on random drives w/o a destination (just adventuring w/ the radio playing 🥰) to a dinner date at a nice restaurant or staying in w/ some takeout & a good movie. Being w/ the person I love is the best part to me.

Tho I’m secretly dying of nervousness on the inside, I apparently seem v confident w/ guys? I’ve tried to wingman for my friends before bc I’m not afraid to introduce myself or slip someone a phone number, but the guys just become interested in me instead & I feel RLLY bad abt that so I usually just stick to giving my friends advice instead 😅

When I'm dating someone, we tend to go at it like rabbits, if you know what I mean lol. I have a v high drive & I love the intoxicating passion + connection that comes w/ so we tend to have difficulty keeping our hands off each other. 🤭

✓ Interests: Singing, listening to music, musical theatre, astrology, literature (especially Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet 🥰), pretty aesthetics, getting my nails done, cuddles, petting animals, staying up late watching psych/true crime documentaries or stand-up, writing, going on drives, shopping/thrift shopping, anything that helps me escape.

✓ Strengths: I’m RLLY good w/ animals, like freakishly good. Animals of all kinds, wild & tame, just seem to gravitate towards me; my friends call it "the Disney Princess Effect'' 🙈

Intuitive nature— I’ve been told I have a gentle, healing aura. Random ppl just seem to just open up to me for some reason & I’m good at telling when ppl are hiding smth.

My intelligence & stubbornness make a great pair bc when I’m convinced of smth, I will fight till the end for it, even if nobody else believes in what I’m fighting for.

Self-preservation— my PTSD keeps me on edge a lot but on the bright side, it means I’m primed for survival. Those instincts keep me & those I care abt out of harm’s way.

Charm— I can generally talk my way out of trouble pretty well.

Healing Factor— I heal crazy fast which is nice lol & would be super helpful in the Stranger Things universe lol. My friends joke that I’m a lesser-known, missing member of The X-Men 😆

My protectiveness— I can go 0 to 100 real quick if it's on behalf of someone or smth I care abt, but I also know when it’s smartest to just let it go & get them back for it later.

✓ Weaknesses: My loyalty— My S/O is my Achilles Heel; I would do anything for them, go to Hell & back in a heartbeat, no matter the cost. I apologize to bugs I have to kill but I would rip someone to shreds w/ no mercy if they laid a hand on my S/O.

Iced coffee— I don’t smoke weed or drink alcohol anymore but I’m a major caffeine addict & I need my iced coffee every day or I stg, it’s like my Personal Battery dies.

Body image & self-confidence— I come off confident but I’ve actually always been super insecure abt the way I look; I’ve just gotten better at hiding it. I tend to be my own worst critic.

My anger— I am smol but I will fight. Some ppl get calm & cold when they’re angry; I burn hot, especially when it’s smth I care abt & sometimes, that clouds my judgment.

I tend to be jumpy bc of my PTSD & anxiety so my S/O would need to be someone able to handle that. I do better when I have someone to hold my hand & reassure me. 🥰

✓ Weapon: In the Stranger Things universe, my weapon would probably be a Ka-Bar: an all-purpose hunting knife that can also work in combat or survival settings. You just never know when it might come in handy & I feel best when I’m prepared.

✓ Miscellaneous: I'm an INFP, double Capricorn w/ a Libra Ascendant, enneagram 6w5, & a Slytherdor whose Patronus is a swan bc although ppl seem to highly value my appearance, the depth of my love is what I'm most proud of & I can become fearsome if the ones I love are threatened. 🦢

Thank you so much again!! 💖

STEVE HARRINGTON

[spookymultimedia]

Pieces of Angela

A oneshot fanfic of Angela and Andy reflecting on their past relationship

Takes place in the year gap at the end of season 6

       The Cornell welcome sign loomed in the distance behind rows of trees that were gray from the cold of November. It was fall break, so the area had very few students there. Angela sat in the driver's seat alone searching for a specific cafe she was supposed to meet Andy at. She had called him a couple weeks ago in the parking lot after a therapy session. "Hi. ." Her voice was quiet. There was a short pause, "Angela . . ? Why are you calling?"

            "I know it's been. . .a while."

"It's been months, nearly a year."

                        "I know, I just, I wanted to talk. How are you?" Angela slouched in her car seat and clenched her forearm. 

      "I'm- "He blinked. "I'm fine. I've been working as a teacher's assistant at Cornell. The Theatre Arts Course."

           "Oh. . .wow. That's great Andy."

"Why are you suddenly so interested. .I mean you didn't even stay after that Sweeney Todd show to say hi or anything."

         "I at least came. What did you expect?"

"I don't know. I didn't think you even cared. I never invited you personally to come to my play. Maybe you were just trying to look polite, because you're just so great at that."

      "Is that so bad-!" She stopped and took a deep breath. 

      "Seriously Angela, why are you calling? We're not even friends. I'm honestly surprised you kept my number." 

         "I've been thinking about when we were together."

"Angela I'm not interested in-."

      "No no no. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm engaged to Dwight."

    "Wow. . .really?" His voice grew softer. 

"Yeah. . . I just. I need to talk to you in person." There was a long pause between them.

"Can we meet sometime soon?"

        "Uh. . .sure."

So now here she was. At the center of Cornell University, looking for the Green Dragon Cafe. She spotted Andy waving outside a glass storefront. She parked and walked out. She was in a greyish blue cardigan and black shirt with her hair back in a braid. He was in a yellow theater shirt with an olive green jacket. "Hey." She smiled a little. 

"You look different." He opened the door for her. 

       "Do I?"

"I don't know. You just feel different, in a good way I mean. You seem happier?"

     She shrugged, "Yeah. I've been better. you seem happier too."

    He strolled inside the Cafe, "It's not exactly where I pictured myself to be, but, yeah. I'm happy."

They ordered their drinks and sat in a corner of the store. The two exchanged awkward glances as they sat across from each other.

  After a while she broke the ice and looked him in the eye, "I'm sorry." He widened his eyes at her and glanced away. He just sipped his tea, not saying a word. She slouched forward and rubbed her neck, "I'm sorry for everything, for lying to you. For hurting you-you have every right to be angry at me."

He looked down at the table quietly and made a small grimace. He nodded slowly. 

        "I was so bitter and selfish and destructive and I- I was" She borrowed her head in her hands. "I don't know what the hell I was thinking but all I know it was inexcusable to put you and Dwight through that stress."

      "Well. . Yeah. It wasn't all you, though."

"I was the source. Yeah, you put unnecessary pressure on me and Dwight shouldn't have had sex with me. . .but I shouldn't have led you on like that."

        "That is also true. All of it. I mean. I wasn't that innocent either."

       "Still. ." She drank some of her coffee and finally met his eyes. He stared before looking at his tea. 

                       "So you never actually loved me that way, did you?"

                     She sighed, "No,I don't think so. I don't think I fall in love easily. I don't usually feel romantically towards anyone, actually." 

           "Love's a bitch huh. There was this guy I met a month ago-."

        "You're gay?" She cocked her head with wide eyes, "I mean, not like there's anything wrong with that." She threw her hands up and smiled. "I mean, if you're gay then that's great. Seriously. Sorry, go on." She rested her chin on her hand. 

        "Well,I'm not sure if I'm gay. I do like women. I think people in general have lots of attractive traits and I do admit I find some men really really really.  . .hot. " He smirked and blushed. 

         She smiled, "But?"

"I donno, I met this guy and it was great. The dates were nice and he was a really good looker. But I couldn't feel a physical or emotional connection. I don't know if it's me being scared or if we were too different or if I'm not actually into men. But I like looking at men?? So." He shrugged. "I guess queer?? Omnisexual possibly."

        " Hm." She raised an eyebrow at the word omnisexual but nodded, "Well, it turns out I'm asexual. " She sipped her coffee. 

        "Honestly, I'm not surprised." 

      They drank in silence and glanced around. Their smiles disappeared. There was still tension looming in the air.

       "Why did you come here?" 

Her hand fidgeted at her sleeve, "Just to say sorry, honestly. I wasn't happy with how we left things and I don't think I could live with myself without telling you how sorry I am."

        He nodded, "What if I don't forgive you."

  "I wouldn't blame you. I have a hard time forgiving myself."

        "Do you think you're able to change?"

"I think so, but, I'm so bitter, and stubborn and I just, I always end up hurting people who get close to me. Even people I never wanted to hurt." She stared down at her ring. He scratched the back of his head, "Well, I used to be a very angry person."

        "Oh. oh yeah." She blinked and looked up at him. "You did have issues. Huh, I forgot about that." 

        "I still get angry. But I don't break things anymore, not as much as I used to anyway. I deal with my feelings in a more healthy way now. I definitely feel more control over my anger. Have you considered therapy?"

         "That's actually why I'm here."

"Oh, that's great." He smiled a bit.

    "I think I have this tendency to get scared of good things and I don't believe people are honest when they say nice things."

He listened quietly and sipped his tea, nodding to hear more.

          "I felt like I didn't deserve any of Dwight's love, which sounds pretty stupid now that I'm saying it. There's nothing I can really do to earn it he- he just loves me. And I just can't seem to escape it. I'm.  . .trapped in a way." She smiled and rubbed her eyes trying not to cry in public. 

           "Wow. . ." He breathed out. He smiled a little more. "So . . I . .I heard about that senator."

    Her face scrunched up and she hid in her hands. "Yep."

 "It wasn't-, it wasn't pretty."

           "You didn't love him either?"

"No, not at all. Fuck. That was the lowest I've ever been in my life." She bawled up her hand and took a deep breath before setting her hand down.

     "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't know, I don't want to explain to you how sad and miserable my life was so you can pity me. You don't need to forgive me just because I felt like shit and sabatoched all my relationships. "

       " Well, I'm curious, sue me. I want to know the real authentic Angela." He sipped the last of his tea. "Would it help it, if I tell you that I'm still angry at you and will probably feel that way for a while." She huffed out a small laugh. 

          "A little bit." 

"Does talking about it help you?"

She nodded, "yea. It really does." 

      "Now give me a story. You owe me."

                  She sighed. "It was so exhausting. I really wasn't happy, I was unhealthy and scared of myself and didn't know who I was and just wanted to hide. It's horrible but. . .the time I spent with Dwight then was the only breath of air I had."

      "Again??" 

"I know." She rubbed her eyes. "He was the father actually."

    "Jesus Angela." He shook his head.

"I know." She rubbed at her arm. "When I was living with the Senator, in my mind I was screaming but no one could hear it. Sometimes we would argue and it was just-" She shook her head, "I was just tired."

    "At least it's better now."

"Yeah." She smiled warmly "I don't know how to explain it but Dwight made me feel more alive than the Senator ever could. I really do feel like I'm becoming a better person. . I hope I am."

       He nodded "I think you can be." He glanced at the time, "I should really go."

"Okay, oh, I almost forgot. I wanted to give you this. I feel like you deserve it." She pulled a cassette tape out of her purse. "It's a recording of my middle middle performance of Annie."

     "You. . ." Now his eyes were really big.

"Yes." She smiled and nodded. She laughed softly and looked away. "Yeah I was a theater kid." 

    "No way. . .I- wow. You never told me."

 "Nope. . . .and I think your Sweeney Todd performance was wonderful. I'm sorry I didn't say anything." She sighed and smiled. Her shoulders were much more relaxed. She walked out with him.

      "Well, now I know everything. It was surprisingly nice to see you." He smiled, " So long Angela. Thank you." He said with a smile.

           "No, thank you Andy. Goodbye." She went to her car and drove home. They never spoke again after that. 

      Andy settled into his chair after putting into the TV. He still could not fathom Angela in a play. . .let alone a musical. The screen was blue, loading the tape before it went to a static streak of white lines slowly revealing a shaky camera angle of two blond girls in rag clothes onstage. He smiled. He assumed that was her sister. The tape showed a series of moments and songs that all featured Angela. He couldn't help but hum to them.

     She was right, he was so happy to see this side of her that was hidden away. None of it was necessary but it felt good to really know her more. When the tape finished he went to bed feeling a sense of hope and kindness for himself. 

[cristalknife]

Kadam Week 2021 Day 3 ~ I did not plan for this, but I'm glad you found a solution

This is me trying to not start something on a platform only to post solely somewhere else aka AO3 and ff.net  you can find the complete list of Kadam Week 2021 prompts and you might find more stories on the Kadam Week 2021 AO3 collection

That said, the third prompt is Love Letters

During most of the story Kurt and Adam are either away from each other or working at a summer camp around kids there's not much on the side of the description of them being all coupley but I think you could tell anyway they are more than just friends...

I still hope you'll give this a chance and have a good time reading it, so here we go, I present to you I did not plan for this, but I'm glad you found a solution (or read on ao3)

When Kurt signed up for a theatre summer camp for kids as a summer work project, he had honestly thought it was going to be in New York, for he was absolutely sure there was no mention of the camp being strongly discouraging taking electronics especially phones due to lack of data and mobile coverage.

He did recheck once he got home, nowhere it was written that they would have the camp in the middle of nowhere, where the no electronics rule was happily enforced by Mother Nature.

And to make things even worse Adam was flying back to the UK for two of the six weeks Kurt was going to be at the camp…

So even if Kurt managed to go into the town on his free day, and somehow the quaint small town, that was not yet willing to join the XXI century, still had a serviceable land phone, trying an international call was out of his wallet’s options.

Not if he was to take into account just how much he would miss his boyfriend.

It was even worse when Adam just patted his back when both of them met to go together at the airport before flying to their respective destinations.

To his immense surprise, once he reached the camp and his bungalow the camp’s director had a grin on her face and offered him a letter.

Upon taking a closer look a surprised smile appeared on his face.

It seemed his boyfriend had taken notice of how down he was about the whole situation and sent him a letter.

Knowing he had something to look forward to, Kurt managed to concentrate on getting familiar with the place and the other camp counsellors and instructors…

The lighter heart had been a blessing, and while he hadn’t suddenly acquired new bffs, he did manage to learn that the camp had every year an influx of three to five new counsellors.

Mostly all freshmen or second semester students, who had been fibbed into accepting the position, usually those were the ones who had something of value to share, at least in the opinion of their school's teachers.

It wasn’t until late in the evening when Kurt was in his room that he took the time to unpack properly that he found a box he was completely sure he never saw before.

Upon opening it Kurt found it was a stationary box, with adorable doodles on the letters’ paper and exactly six envelopes already with stamps and already addressed to Adam at his parent's place in the UK.

The amount sheets for the letters though was way higher and there were just as many remaining white envelopes to last Kurt the remaining of the month that was not covered by the first two weeks in which Adam was still on the other side of the ocean.

After placing the stationary box on his bedside table Kurt went for the letter that Adam had sent for him to receive upon arrival.

"Dearest Kurt,

I know you weren't expecting a lot of things about this experience, I hope you'll find it fun and enlighten. If I know you as well as I believe I do, by now you've already discovered that this specific camping program had the peculiarity of attracting every year few freshmen or second semester students recommended for the job. All of them usually arriving in here not knowing at all about the lack of modern commodities like data and mobile coverage.

All those students are one that the professors of their schools believe could learn something from the experience, and would be able to not only cope but excel in the challenge posed to them.

Some of the older counsellors have been in the same position you are in right now and then decided to return year after year.

I'm also pretty sure you've already found my parting gift in your suitcase, I know we were thinking of spending more time together and that the news of six weeks with no way of staying in contact with each other had been hard on you.

Don't worry my love, it has worked for thousands of lovers before, and if you’re amenable and desires to, then we can make do with writing letters while we are not able to talk with more modern means.

Usually it takes about a couple of days for a letter to cross the ocean and arrive at its destination. The first couple of letters you'll receive from me were sent before we left, so they could reach you and allow me to be able to put a smile on your face even without being present.

If you don't feel like writing then still please make pictures and send me proof that you're having a good time?

The camp’s director has a printer so don't try to wiggle your way out of this, because my darling I will write to you even if you'll leave me all alone to be a starstruck pining lover.

Know that I love you, and that I believe you will find the experience worthwhile in the end.

With all my love,

Adam"

Kurt was almost in tears by the time he reached the end of the letter and he shook his head grinning, Adam was absolutely wrong if he thought for a single moment that Kurt wouldn't return the sweet gesture choosing to send pictures instead.

Still as they hadn't been together that much yet there had not been a chance yet for Adam to actually see Kurt's own calligraphy set.

It was a pity he hadn't thought of taking it with him, in his misery upon the news of no electronics and no connectivity he had not thought of alternative slower ways to obtain the same result.

In his defence though, he had been under the false impression that there would be at least data coverage until right before leaving, at which point he had already packed and taken everything that he needed already and it was too late to return home and pick alternatives.

Reassigning himself to make do with a normal pen he started jetting down what was going to be the first of quite a few letters. Would they still be considered love letters since they did express the sentiment and were sent between lovers? Kurt wasn't completely sure, but the thought made him grin and blush at the same time.

"My dearest, Adam,

you wonderful man have no idea how much it means to me that you went through all the trouble of arranging this wonderful surprise for me. A way to stay in touch with you while we're apart, I confess by the time I realised how things were going to be, I was too frantic despairing to think that quickly such a simple and elegant solution.

My love, I do hope you were simply offering me an alternative to making sure I would not leave you completely alone and in the dark about how things were going for me when you mentioned eventually sending you prints of pictures.

There is no way I’d leave you pining on your lonesome, especially not while you take such attentive care to my own needs and you made sure to prevent me from suffering such fate.

There will be time to show you all the pictures I'll take, once we're together again and we can spend time in each other's arms.

You might not know yet, but by now you might have noticed that I do have an appreciation for calligraphy, and despite having to do with the poor mean of a roll pen there is no way I could waste this brilliant opportunity to write you a proper love letter.

As you rightly guessed I managed to talk with some of the other counsellors and figured out that there were few returning seniors, and the other first timers were just as blindsided as I was.

The camp’s director had a knowing smile when she handed me your letter. I suspect the others you mentioned were already in her possession but that she would pace releasing them into my hands.

Despite the brief panic you witnessed before leaving, I'm not really that averse to a nice break and being unavailable, but I usually prefer the chance to prepare and be ready for that.

I was very worried for my dad, I sent him a message while I was still in town and talked to the camp’s director about my worries and that I had left a message down at the town’s post office. I'll let you in on a secret, there is a working line in her office, under key of course.

But she allowed me to make a call to my dad when no one was looking, so that if something was to happen I would be reachable, even if I'm officially off the grid until my return to the big city life.

It was a big relief and it lifted another big weight from my shoulders.

I am so happy you thought of this, and I can't wait to hear more of your adventures from back home, as I'll share the adventures from into the woods...

With all my sincere love and admiration

Yours truly

Kurt"

To Kurt's surprise one of the breakfast rituals was the collection and distribution of the mail. With the announcement that even when the kids would arrive, this was going to be a daily ritual. As counsellors they were to encourage the kids to write back home, especially the ones feeling homesick.

As Kurt had suspected, there was a new letter for him on that day as well, and like the previous one, he kept it for the evening to cheer himself up before going to bed.

As Adam has said in his second letter, indeed once the kids arrived it all became at the same time easier and harder.

Easier because the feeling of loneliness and missing Adam had to be put on the back burner during the day. And the letters kept Kurt happy and cherished during the evenings after he socialised with his peers sharing stories of the day with the others.

Harder because his kids were all super excited and easily excitable. In all honesty they reminded Kurt a lot of how he remembered feeling when he was a little younger than them and he still qualified for the Lima theatre summer camp...

By the end of the first week, once every one of his kids had sent at least one letter home, Kurt finally figured out why he had been assigned them. All of them came from small Ohio towns that, like Lima, wouldn't have catered for their artistic inclinations. Kurt made a mental note to check with the head if it had been a coincidence or not.

On the weekend of the second week, once the first period ended and the first turnover happened, the camp’s director announced that more counsellors were going to join them to help out with the new influx of kids since they would be at full capacity from there on until the end of the program.

On sunday’s morning Kurt had run late for breakfast because one of his kids who was going to stay for longer than two weeks, was not finding one of their shoes, and they had to find it before they could join the others.

With things being that way, when he entered the dining hall, all the new counsellors had already been introduced and the mail was being delivered.

Kurt guided his kid to their table and in less than three minutes all his kids still present were giggling and looking ready to burst, while attempting to appear normal. Before Kurt could turn and check what was so funny Adam's letter was being held in front of him by a very familiar hand, with an equally familiar bracelet hugging the wrist.

Kurt automatically grabbed the letter and he turned to find himself face to face with Adam.

Both their eyes shining with happiness, "Hellu Kurt. Surprise"

Kurt grinned and bit his lower lip, the giggling kids at his back reminding him that there was still work to do "Hellu Adam, I should have known you'd be one of the returning seniors, I look forward working together."

Adam nodded still smiling "As I do, I'll let you go back to your day now. I’ll see you later."

Kurt smiled brilliantly and nodded back "I'll see you later, have a good day"

The kids, as Kurt suspected had been super curious and with it being the last day for some, he indulged them in revealing that indeed that was the same friend Adam who had written to Kurt keeping him from feeling homesick in the previous weeks.

That evening once the new kids had been safely tucked in bed Kurt finally had a moment to properly greet his boyfriend "I am so happy to see you in here, though you could have told me you were going to join me in here once you got back to the states."

Adam smiled softly kissing Kurt's temple "But then you would have lived waiting for this day instead of making the most of those past couple of weeks. And maybe you wouldn’t have cherished as much the letters we were exchanging. While we’re on that note. Thank you for yours, they were wonderful and I was so happy to receive them."

Kurt smiled with his eyes closed and his arms wrapped tightly around Adam's waist "They were a balm and the one thing I kept for myself as an evening ritual. Sitting on my bed and reading your letter. I didn't have any day so bad that I had to read them before evening, which is what I had reasoned could be a good coping mechanism. Keep your letter for the night when it was private time, or as comfort if things went south and I couldn't handle them before night fell."

Adam hummed softly murmuring "I'm glad for that."

The next monday’s morning set up the pattern for the rest of their stay. They would both take their kids to breakfast and find a letter in a white envelope with their name and the camp’s address waiting for them to be delivered, just like it had happened for the past two weeks for Kurt.

The remaining month passed in no time at all, the day passed quickly and the evenings were filled with laughters and making new friends while sharing stories with the other counsellors.

Once it was Kurt’s turn for the final interview to wrap up the whole experience, the camp’s director before parting asked curious “So was Adam right? Were you able to see just how many families were touched and gained from your father’s work?”

Kurt looked taken aback so he asked confused “What do you mean?”

She smiled kindly and proceeded to explain “All the kids you took care of, they were all able to be here this summer because your father campaigned and set up a fund for supporting the arts in small towns. He had to prove that there was the request for such support, and he had been challenged to demonstrate it could work starting from the state he was representing.”

Kurt bit his lips “A state notoriously not that art oriented”

She nodded grinning, “And I can tell you we had to limit the acceptance because there are ratios we need to respect for security reasons. But all those kids you took care of came from just as many families who benefited from your dad’s work. Adam was the one who suggested you be their mentor during their stay. And I think he was right, the families and the kids themselves think that too, as every single one of your kids was ecstatic that someone like them had made it and reached his dream school.”

Kurt felt tears forming in his eyes, so he started to try blinking them away. Emotions made it a little difficult but he still managed to say a grateful “Thank you” before leaving and searching for Adam.

Once Kurt found him he hugged his boyfriend tightly and said in a low voice “Thank you for all you’ve done for me this summer, I never thought I’d see first hand the results of my dad’s work. I knew what it meant for me and how I wished those were opportunities I had, but I never suspected it was going to reaching so far and so many.”

Adam held Kurt just as tightly and said back softly “I know you were so worried for your dad earlier on during the semester. So I wanted you to realise that your dad is important for a whole lot more people than you even realise. That no matter how difficult things might get, you’re not alone in wishing the best for your dad.”

Kurt then raised his face from Adam’s chest and said grinning “And you also wanted to make sure I’d fell in love with this camp as much as you are so next year we’d come here together…”

Adam chuckled but didn’t deny the playful accusation.

By the time autumn came around and leases were up, they moved in together, and during moving day it was discovered how each kept their letters into a special boxes safe and easily accessible.

When christmas came around the couple took part into a papermaking and bookbinding crafting course.

By the following valentine’s day each set of letters had been lovingly built into a ecoleather bound diary containing all the letters the couple exchanged since their first ones the previous summer. ~The End~ AN: One last thing that's more a game, if you found the small easter egg in the story, feel free to reach back to me, I can bake you your fave virtual cookie, or make a story out of a prompt you have in mind/wish to see. (hint it's from Hamilton...)

[julies-butterflies]

Honestly, your writing reminds me a lot of the buffyverse. Just the perfect balance of humor and sadness and romance and heart that just feels like a vivid window into the world you've created.

God the Body...the best forty minutes of television I may never watch again. I've rewatched Willow and Tara's kiss (because I'll adore them forever), but just...the weight of it. It took me a full month to work up the nerve to watch the episode, to be ready to cry that much.

What you said about not wanting people to suffer, because of your work...It's never once felt like that for me. And I've cried a LOT while reading your work. I'll try to explain it the best I can

Grief can be so isolating, and disorienting. Your world goes topsey-turvey, supports you took for granted go flying into the abyss and suddenly it's a minefield of those glass shards. And no one's grief is identical. No two circumstances are the same. It's not possible for anyone else to know exactly how you feel, because no two hearts break alike.

Sometimes, it's because people just don't understand. Sometime's it's because they no longer want to. But some days, that feeling of aloneness can be crushing.

Then one night, I stumbled upon Let These Shadows Fall Away Like Dust. That one hit me way harder than I was ever expecting. The question of how to grieve the living, the dilemma on when forgiveness is deserved...Alex's anger, his devestation, the rawness of it all....That's my broken glass. Those are concepts I've been struggling for over a year. I'm still picking up pieces every day.

I sobbed, because it was such a relief. To see the feelings that had been scrambled up in my mind just reflected there, on my screen. The reminder I had desperately needed, that I was not alone. That even though my circumstances were different, I was not the only one trying to unravel those messy emotions.

Then again, I also read your deathfic for fun, so maybe I'm not the best judge of this. I tend to like angst. I tend to get a lot of "WHY WOULD YOU MAKE IT THAT SAD" in group chats :D

Please don't feel any pressure to respond to me quickly or anything. I never mind the wait. I'm so sorry for the rough times. Wishing that you and your family gets whatever you need to help ease your storm. Sending love and support as well.

(sorry for all the metaphors. I'm super sleepy and apparently, I resort to purple prose when tired lol)

I know exactly what you mean about Emily. I understand why people don't like her, but I just love to see her written as such a grey character. It's just so much more powerful when the love is so clearly there.

I mean, that's what a tragedy is, really. Love cut short. Grieving a future that could have been everything, if fate had not been cruel. I don't know if you know musical theater, but I like to think about the Barber and His Wife, from Sweeney Todd: the whole tragedy of that show, is that they were happy all together, and then permanently broken. How their paths keep crossing, but they never connect to heal. Never lost, but never found.

And that's the tragedy of Luke and Emily: too stubborn and too late. You find that grey area, the messiness so well, and just bring it all out so wonderfully. You do the same with Bobby/Trevor, ESPECIALLY in the horror and the wild. God, that absolutely devestated me. I'm not a big fan of horror in general, and I haven't explored the genre that much but...if all horror is like yours then DAMN, I might just have to become a fan.

This got super long (lol) so I'll wrap it up now but! THE SIC FIC QUEENS TOGETHER???? When I tell you I lost it.... all too well Bobby and what you've lost reggie in the same story are killing me. I am hooked and incredibly hyped. Loved both updates so far, and cannot wait to see where the story goes!

Oh yeah and I forget: I have to ask, do you have a fan cast of the one, the only, the incredible Keith Richards? (and that goblin is so cute!!! I really want to pet the blood thirsty monster. So badly)

Love, your totally-not-undead-pen-pal, :D

-Vampire Anon

Know musicals? Vampire Anon my beloved, I am a musical theatre bitch. Take a look at my high school graduation cap! (Anastasia is my favorite musical... something about the themes of home, love, and family, the idea of always finding a place in the world even after enduring incredible hardship, that anything is survivable with faith and love in your heart... I'm also a Romanov history bitch, and Christy Altomare is such an incredible talent and human being.) Literally, talk to me about musicals anytime!

And yeah, I definitely see your metaphor... the tragedy of The Barber and his Wife was how close they came to each other throughout the whole show, existing within reach the entire time, after being separated for so long. But it wasn't the same; it never could be. Time and trauma had changed them both into something unrecognizeable, and when they came face-to-face, they could only hurt each other. At a certain point, the ghosts of your past are meant to stay ghosts. Sure, you might want them back more than anything --- but what would it mean? What would you truly be getting back?

Luke's "back", of course, and he comes home to visit his parents multiple times... but they're not the same people he left. They're older, greyer, changed by grief... while he's just the same. A snapshot forever frozen in time, a memory crystalized in amber. You can't hold memories in your hands. You can't pull them close and refuse to let them go. Eventually, they'll slip away... and to Mitch and Emily, a memory is all their son is, now. That's what's so heartrending about the situation we see in the show, especially --- so much love still exists between all of them, but it has no place to go.

Okay, sorry, it's 3am here and I'm rambling too, haha --- mentioning musical theatre was a mistake.

I'm so glad my stories have been able to connect with you, especially 'shadows' --- that one resonated with a lot of people, more than I ever realized it would. It's not the most personal story to me... but definitely one that needed to be told, and the emotion in it... hits home for a lot of people. It means so much to me knowing that story, and Alex's internal struggle, has made people feel less alone.

I think I'm going to have a hard time looking back on that one, though. We were staying at my aunt's house for the weekend where I wrote most of it; I read a few excerpts to her, and she said she liked it. She was always interested in my writing... I kind of wish I'd gotten the chance to share more of it with her.

Like you said. Grief's a funny thing. Disorienting, relentless, and crushing.

Please just remember, though --- whatever you're dealing with, you're not alone. You don't have to cut yourself on those broken pieces... one day, you'll wake up, and realize you feel whole again. It will never feel the same, and the pain will always be there... but healing around it is what makes us stronger. You don't owe anyone your forgiveness; it's okay to grieve when you've lost something, regardless of whether death has taken them from you. Grief doesn't have to be earned, it simply has to be felt.

You'll be stronger for it, in the end. I'm sorry you've been hurting so much.

Anyways! Oh gosh! On to lighter, happier topics! Please tell me...

What are your favorite fics? (Like, my fics, obviously, which fics of mine do you just go gaga over? Please praise me or else my ego will shrivel like a worm on hot pavement.) No, okay, I'm kidding --- what are your top fics for this fandom? Like, what are the ones that really resonate with you, that you could read over and over? The JATP fandom has so many greats, but I'm always drawn back to Some Killer Queen You Are by pearlcaddy (buffyverse meets jatp!! iconic!!), Lantern's Light by thefairhero (literally the SOFTEST reggie), the sky's not empty tonight by firefall (just... devastating and beautiful in a dozen ways), and literally anything by foundfamilyvevo.

How long have you been in the JATP fandom? Who are your favorite characters? What's your favorite JATP song?

And finally, most importantly... what are your favorite musicals?

(also... since u asked... behold keith richards and tremble)

[closetedotaku01]

i rlly hope youll keep writing after Kinktober, bc as a writer myself i see so much potential in your writing. it's already great, but it really reminds me of my own writing from a year or two back. i was the one who asked how long you've been writing & i've been writing fanfic for 7 years so its cool to see how good you already are. youre going to improve so much over time & i'm really excited to see it, you do so many things in your stories well & theyre only going to get better! (1/2)

THIS GOT SO LONG IM SORRY!!!

This.... I—. WARMED MY HEART!! Pick a name or emoji or whatever you want and you are an official anon!! Also this got long so.. READ MORE IF YA WANNA!!

Thank you so much for saying you see potential. Sometimes I’m really.... unhappy with my work and feel like I can’t improve and this just... MADE ME SO HAPPY!! Like... hearing it from someone who does write💜💜💜💜💜 makes my whole life.

I’m so excited to keep growing and I hope you stay for the journey because this is so sweet. Maybe casually come off anon way down the road (so I can’t guess) just so I can read some of your work too 👉👈. And no worries there will be more after Kinktober. I am really enjoying this and have no plans to stop writing any time soon.

~~~~

Okay so my favorite published authors are Jandy Nelson (I’ll Give You The Sun is a book I reread constantly. It’s my comfort book. I swear if my soul was anywhere besides my body, there’s a piece of it trapped in that book.), Fredrick Backman (specifically And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer), Brigid Kemmerer (literally all of the books she’s published with Bloomsbury I’ve read and adored), and Neal Schusterman (Specifically the Arc of a Scythe Trilogy). They all write in ways that affect me deeply and they mean a lot to me. I don’t necessarily try to emulate them, but they definitely are the authors I consult (by reading and rereading their works) to get ideas and to learn how to write.

~~~~

Fanfic authors. I think I’ve made it pretty damn clear on here that I am hopelessly in love with @imaginethathaikyuu (I’m still too scared to tag her I’m sorry) and her writing. She means the whole world to me in every way. Her writing always hits me in a MAGICAL way. Especially her newer pieces. Works of hers that hit hard for me are: (please note this list is not comprehensive. These are just the FIRST ONES that came to mind. All her work is objectively great.) 

-Tsukishima accidentally teases his s/o’s insecurity - this one holds my heart.

-Heated argument with Tsukishima - this is the angst I adore. Honestly, this might be one of my TOP TOP favorites, because it feels so real. 

-Morning sex with Tsukishima -just the line “theyre your tits!” That’s all. Brings me serotonin beyond words. And it feels so genuine and lovely. Again... she makes the world so real. Also in my TOP TOP favs. (Is my Tsukki love showing too much?)

-Helping you when you can’t sleep - This is beyond words beautiful

-Helping you study - PLEASE I NEED THIS NOW

-Tanaka finding out his s/o is pregnant - YES! SHE DOES TANAKA SO WELL

-Tanka asks Kiyoko to dance.... but she says no - SO WELL 

-Riding Headcanons -🙈

-S/O is nervous about him going down on her  -because who ISNT the first time?

-Learning about your self-harm scars -hits close to home and Iwa’s makes me cry every time.

-Akaashi making it up to you after a fight -my favorite color is literally purple 💜

-Bokuto’s s/o has a nightmare - I literally revisit this one whenever I have a nightmare

- Kinktober 2019 - ALL .... but the ones I revisit the most are Tsukishima’s, Oikawa’s, Futakuchi’s, Yaku’s, Iwa’s, Yamaguchi’s, and Matsukawa’s.

-Kinktober 2020 - please GOD read Kuroo’s, Mattsun’s, Iwa’s, Suna’s, and Atsumu’s. They’re all immaculate but those in PARTICULAR were MASTERPIECES.

-Having an angsty fight - particularly Kuroo’s GETS TO ME. Like... damn. Makes me... melt. Idek why. It’s just, again, how real she makes it feel. From the atmosphere and setting to the way the characters behave. A lot of times in “argument angst” (is that a term?) the arguments feel so shallow and stupid. And I’m like “on my moodiest days I wouldn’t react like that” or “Kuroo WOULD NEVER”. But these feel so real. Ughhhh.

-You give Kenma a gift mid-stream 

-Kenma gets turned on during a stream - can you tell I love the way she writes streamer Kenma 😌 also this is my fav nsfw-esque Kenma piece solely because it feels accurate to his character in a beautiful way despite me headcanoning that he’s ace.

-Oikawa’s s/o wakes up without him there

-Iwaizumi getting.... caught.... by Makki and Mattsun... with you  -Give Iwa More Love 2020

-Tendo teasing his s/o by ... taking care of himself - One of the first Em pieces I ever read. I don’t think it was THE first. But it was definitely the first one I read like... RIGHT AFTER she posted it.

-Tendo comforting s/o who’s parents yell - hits very close to home for me, and I just wanted him to come whisk me away the first time I read this

-7MIH with Tendo  -hehe I love this more than anything. Also Ushijima’s ONE line makes me CACKLE. I’m in love with this one

-This two part series with Atsumu (1) (2) -haha I reread these too often

-Kneel to Pray  (Sakusa) -I have not even one criticism or negative thought. Not one. And I’ve read this TOO many times.

-Tough boys are soft for you - two of the best boys

- Countdown to Christmas - Days 6,7,11, and 12 are the ones I reread the most

THIS IS SO BAD!! I WENT STRAIGHT TO THESE AND DIDN’T THINK IT WAS THAT MANY COS I REREAD THESE ONES REGULARLY. (And there’s a lot more theatre good. Please explore her blog! It’s WONDERFUL) Sorry for spending too much time on Em’s blog, but also.... not sorry cos she’s amazing and all of these pieces inspire me.  I’ll try to be fast for the rest of these ahfihfadsfsjfh.

 @star-puff (catch a theme of me being scared of talented authors)’s piece La Lune and her Fleur d’Amour event (search #fleur d’amour on her blog) are so creative and beautiful and truly show how talented she is. She’s amazing. EDIT: I’m adding this as soon as I’ve read it because it just made me cry. Omg. Read this. Tsukishima royalty AU it is angst though so 👀 read at your own risk. EDIT: On GOD Meg could murder me and I’d say thanks. Please read this beautiful time stamp shit it makes me HAPPY. 

UPDATE: And Meg is now responsible for the most canon Tsukki piece I’ve ever read. 

There’s a cute SMAU called Sunshine by @pudding-head-kenma and idk how she does it. It’s so good. I could never tell a story this complex, THIS WELL, using only text messages and tweets and such. She also does mini headcanons that are REALLY cute.

Anything and everything by @haik-choo is gold. Literal gold. The way she writes Tsukishima is IMMACULATE. Toxic headcanons, mischaracterizations all of its gold. And she’s a beautiful shitposter. She drops shit that makes me CACKLE at the most random times. All of it is a big yes for me.

UPDATE: this is gold.

Of course I’ve read In Another Life and OF COURSE I sobbed. Took me AN HOUR to read because I kept having to take breaks to just.... sob. VERY MUCH A HEAVY DUTY ANGST. Not for the weak of heart. BokuAka. This is probably the oldest piece I’ve read that still HITS for me. 

There are other pieces but I can’t remember them.... probably will come back and add to this post later.

Thank you for this ask. Thank you for being so kind and inspiring. I was kinda worried about releasing anything I’ve ever written and still get nervous sometimes so this ask makes me feel a hell of a lot better and makes me feel like I’m joining a WONDERFUL community like... Look at all that talent ^^^^.

[jd-loves-everyone]

Chapter 1: Lee Minho

At the age of 12, the school's yearly talent contest was probably the less exciting thing about my life, unlike what most of my peers thought. Not that it was boring but, considering I didn't have anything I practiced and/or was confident enough in to show off, I just felt slightly bad for all the dreams crushed at that damned event.

I could practically smell the sweat and tears (thankfully not literally) that would be spilled on the raised wooden stage as me and my friend, Maia, entered the auditorium.

Maia, my friend since the beginning of that year (not quite my BEST friend yet, but maybe ONE of them), with what I thought was an unmatched talent for musical theatre, was sat beside me.

She was supposed to be behind those giant puke green curtains, getting ready to take the award home. But because of a twisted ankle, she was unable to (something she cried about for at least a week, unlike what I would've done).

Even in that moment I couldn't understand why she'd want to even come see the contest, considering it would only hurt her more. But I didn't question it, and instead continued to make meaningless conversation with her about our day, as parents and children began to fill the space.

The show began shortly after the (way too long) speech from the principal about how we should all enjoy the show and have fun and all that.

I somewhat space after the disappointment that was the first girl, I feel some pity for her, being the first one to perform must not be easy. I did want to comment with Maia on it but she seemed to be in her own dimension, as I could also see the thoughts going through her head at 100 miles per hour, so I zoned out.

I remember seeing a boy with an exceptionally beautiful voice, which both me and Maia nodded along to and clapped extra hard for (even if when had been politely clapping for every participant, we gave it a LITTLE more effort that time), and I can recall little less.

There apparently were a lot more students participating that year, because the show to drag on forever and move slower than a snail, which quickly got pretty boring. I returned my attention to the brightly lit stage when seeing Maia sit a little straighter in her stair out of the corner of my eye in anticipation.

The contestant announced was "Lee Minho, the Dancing Gem."

'That's a bit much.' Was what I was planning to comment to Maia, before I saw the look of admiration in her eyes and the bittersweet up turn of her lips.

"You know him?" I asked instead. Her whole demeanor changed as she energetically turned to me.

"Do I know him? Who doesn't?! He's the most talented dancer in the district, I can guarantee you. My teacher watched him dance at a competition once and said that he had the potential to win at least a few national awards at just 13. That has to count for something." She declared passionately, waving her arms about.

I hummed a quiet (and unsure) 'we'll see', before turning towards the stage once more as the spotlights focused on the centre as the thick curtains parted slightly to let the next competitor through.

Upon first glance, there was nothing too special about his appearance. He was of average height, with somewhat broad shoulders covered by a white shirt, long legs dressed in ripped blue jeans and sneakers on his feet. That plus the usual straight black hair in the usual hairstyle really didn't make him stand out much. But god, was his face enough to make him stand out.

The best way to describe it was, pretty. He was just too pretty to be real.

He had double-lidded cat like eyes, a sharp and thin nose and a not too sharp nor too soft jawline. The most curious thing about his appearance was what I like to call a 'cat smile', a smile where the corners of the lips turned upwards while the rest remained in a straight line. It all just seemed to work. I could already imagine my mother saying something like 'Either puberty came earlier for him or he's gonna be a model when it does' and at that moment, I couldn't agree more with the imaginative comment.

'The beauty of simplicity' is as close as I could get to making justice to his features.

"You seem very focused now compared to earlier." Maia commented cheekily, making me blush. I couldn't even formulate an answer (to the clear jab at my ego), too caught up in wondering about truthfulness of it. Did he catch my attention more than the others? Obviously yes (not that they could really compare to him). Do I find him undeniably attractive? Hell yes. 'Oh god. I think I just got my first crush.'

I momentarily pushed those troublesome thoughts aside, instead focusing on the performance. And thank god I did, I soon realized I would've hated to miss even a second of the stunning act.

The way he moved was captivating in its own way. It looked natural, almost effortless, but it was also easy to tell that a lot of strict planning was involved, every move was flawless and not a centimeter out of place.

It was mesmerizing to watch, the charisma radiated from him in waves from the beginning all the way to the end of the performance.

When it ended, I became aware of the flabbergasted expression I had on my face, jaw slack and eyes wide in awe. It was too much for my young brain to fully comprehend. And maybe it was my, still recovering, brain playing tricks on me, but I swore he locked eyes with me as he bowed respectfully, throwing one of those cat-like smiles in my direction before exiting the stage. Probably didn't happen.

Well, if I THOUGHT I had a crush just by looking at him, I was sure of it after seeing him dance. That and I had just discovered my new passion.

"Dude, my teacher was right. He is SO much better in person." Maia commented lightly, turning my way. She was only met with my wide eyes and flushed cheeks as I realized...

"I have a crush on Lee Minho... And I really wanna learn how to dance." Maia blinked owlishly at my declaration, before bursting out into laughter.

"Oh, you got it bad huh. Well, maybe you can talk to him after the show." She said teasingly, holding back from letting her lips spread out into a wide cheshire grin.

"Oh please. I'd just be bothering him." My blush darkened, mentally dismissing the idea immediately. Like he'd care about what I had to say.

"Come on, why not? I'm sure he'd appreciate it." Maia said, genuinely this time, as I looked at her doubtfully.

The show was over in no time, as I pondered about whether or not I should actually go and talk to my new found crush, as Maia pestered me to do so.

The awards were given out, Minho winning first place (which came as a surprise to no one), the other awards going to people who frankly weren't that great but it wasn't like the whole selection was anything extraordinary. They were the best of the worst you could say, mediocre at best. But who am I to judge, they were just kids, but I guess my standard rose a little too high after Minho's breathtaking and heart-shatteringly captivating performance.

I eventually relented, getting up and stomping with a newfound determination to the main school hall where everyone had gathered after the show, looking around.

The hall was filled to the brim with parents and students alike, chatting lively and congratulating each other (some simply for participating).

It was hard to make out anyone's face clearly in the ocean of people, but nonetheless I tried my best to look for the star of the night, despite the nerves and anxiety sizzling in my gut.

I finally caught a glimpse of him as he was leaving the hall towards the outside of the building, probably hoping to not be bothered as he probably had already been bombarded by questions and praises all night. I stood there, in a slight moment of hesitation. 'Maybe he went outside because he wanted space, I really shouldn't bother him.'

I, mentally, shook that thought out of my head, if I wanted to talk to him it had to be now or I'd never do it.

I began walking toward the door leading outside, pulling it open with probably more strength than necessary.

As I stepped outside, I saw the boy of the night, sitting on the stone stepped right outside the door, looking up at the tall buildings surrounding the school.

Upon hearing the door slam closed, Minho turned in my direction to see who had just stepped outside, a stern but subtle furrow in his eyebrows.

"Hey can I bother you for a few minutes?" I spoke with surprising confidence, that even I didn't expect.

Due to his seemingly annoyed facial expression, I thought the answer might've been a no, but his eyes widened as he carefully took in my features, what looked like recognition flashing through his eyes. It was hard to tell what it was exactly because of his calm, maybe even cold, expression. I might've missed the changes if I wasn't paying close attention to his face (which got harder and harder as I looked at how his eyes seemed to spark like stars. Which was honestly, unfairly distracting.

"You don't bother." He finally spoke, patting the stone next to him, for me to sit.

"We'll see about that in a few minutes." I said jokingly as I sat next to him. From the corner of my eye, I could see a slight, microscopical upturn in his lips. A break in his mask, perhaps.

"I... I know you've either heard this too many times already, or if not it's gonna sound really weird but... I-I... Just wanted to say that..." I tried my best to get the words out, but it got nearly impossible as I felt his curious eye on the side of my down turned face.

"You know what? Forget it. It's not even that--"

"Important? I think it is, if this hard to get it out. Come on, don't leave me hanging now." He cut me off with a light chuckle, a gentle and encouraging smile on his lips when I turned towards his voice at the interruption.

"Well... It's kind of silly but... I just wanted to say that... I sort of, fell in love with dancing because of you. Watching you perform really, ignited something in me. And I think I really just meant to say thank you for giving me something to be passionate about." As I finished I started rubbing my arms, it seemed like that temperature had dropped a few degrees. Or maybe it was just the contrast of the chilly night air with my blushing cheeks.

At his silence, I slowly lifted my head to gage his reaction. I found shock written all over his face, the last crack on his emotionless mask making it shatter completely. I also found that the expression he wore was absolutely adorable, making me unintentionally let out a small giggle, which seemed to make him snap out of whatever trance he had been under. It also seemed to ease the tense atmosphere that had built up around us due to his previous lack of reaction and my own nerves.

He looked as if he was holding back a smile of his own, but it broke through his facade as  he turned towards the buildings once again, their lights reflecting in his eyes.

"You were wrong you know? No one has ever said that to me before and it's not weird at all either. It's actually really touching. I never thought I had that effect on other people, I just thought all of them felt a sort of enjoyment at watching me. I never imagined I could move someone's emotions like that." He admitted chuckling, his eyes seeming to hold a new, beautiful shine to them.

"Well, now you know." I said awkwardly, fiddling with my sleeves. His stare was just a bit too intense for me to handle, making my blush darken (if possible).

"If you're serious about dancing, maybe you should join the dance club. I'm part of it, so I could help you out if you need it."

"Oh no, I don't know if that'd be a good idea. I would just be slowing you down." I said, furiously shaking my head in denial.

"It's no problem at all! I'm actually thinking of becoming a dance teacher when I grow up so, helping YOU helps ME." He smiled cutely.

'Why are you so damn cute?!'

"If it really isn't a problem, I guess I could try at least one class. Just to see if I like it. But I don't promise that I will!" I gave in after looking into his pleading eyes and (adorable) pouty lips. The contrast between his expression at that moment and at the beginning of our conversation was almost enough to give me whiplash. I preferred this expression much more.

We continued to talk for what seemed like an hour, though I couldn't be sure.

I did, in fact, join the school's dance club and stayed in it all the way up to high school (which wasn't covered by our school so we had to move, luckily we went to the same one, something I very anxious about).

In the dance club, I realized that it was a good idea for Minho to become a dance teacher. Under his guidance, I quickly got used to my new hobby, which soon turned into passion. He made everything seem easy and simple, and moved in a way that highlighted the precision of his moves.

I didn't think he could improve his dancing anymore, but he proved me wrong, as it had become usual, by continuing to win various awards which only got bigger and bigger.

As my love for dancing grew, so did my crush on him, as I got to see more of his 4D personality, and met his 3 adorable cats: Soon-ie, Doong-ie and Dori. I was even there when he got Dori, so I was pretty attached to the cat. (To all of them, as they were just absolutely adorable).

I've also experienced his slight... change in personality. How he became flirtier, how his compliments became bolder and how he became touchier. I tried not to think much of it, but I couldn't help but be hopeful, as those compliments weren't directed at everyone.

It only served to fuel this hope further when Hyunjin, a younger (and very handsome) dancer joined our highschool's dance club, since then we only seemed to get closer.

The moment I realised that my feelings for Minho were more than a meaningless childhood crush was actually a chain of events, not exactly one moment. Sometime after Hyunjin had joined the dance club.

It was time to go home after a long afternoon of practice, most other students had already left, bit me, Hyunjin, Minho and a few others had stayed behind to slowly pack up and tidy up the room. I was picking up my duffel bag, ready to head out, when Hyunjin called out to me. I walked over to where he, Minho and a couple other guys were gathered.

The others looked as if they were up to no good, which had me kind of curious, but I didn't dwell on it and instead turned to the one who had called me over. He also seemed odd, fiddling with his fingers nervously, his cheeks pink from something other than exertion.

"Hey. What's up?" I asked, hoping to snap the boy out of his little bubble. Seeing him like this wasn't usual, and was pretty entertaining to watch, but I didn't that snapping him out of it was the better option.

"H-Hey! Uh, well, I--" Deep breath.

"I was gonna ask you if you'd, maybe, want to go have coffee with me? Today, perhaps?" He managed after calming down, looking ready to be rejected. (Apparently. Would anyone actually reject him? No. So why was he so scared that I would?)

"O-Oh, I mean, yeah, I'd love to." I immediately felt a pang of guilt in my chest. 'What about Maia?' I thought. 'But it doesn't need to be a date, I could just try to tell him how awesome she is.' I thought, slightly bitterly, I did want a date with Hyunjin, but as my (best)friend, Maia was a priority. (Just spending time with him wouldn't hurt either).

As I accepted, Hyunjin got a small, shy smile on his face, his blush getting even darker. The boys around him laughed, patting his back. I caught a glimpse of Minho's face, his eyes were wide, jaw slack in disbelief. I brushed it off.

"Should we get going? It might get late--" I started, before being interrupted by Minho.

"Actually, she can't go today. She needs to... Help me with my cat! Yeah! I need some help with Dori!" It was clear he had made it up, but considering it was extremely out of character for him, it must have been important so I relented.

"Sorry Hyunjin, I'm gonna go with Minho. Raincheck to another day?"

Hyunjin nodded, somewhat sadly, as Minho basically dragged me out of the room by the arm as I tried to wave everyone goodbye.

Once we were out of the building, we settled into a comfortable walking pace towards the bus stop, as I texted Chan saying that he didn't need to pick me up today.

The bus ride was mostly silent (which was unusual), save for the small talk each of us tried to make. It wasn't exactly uncomfortable, but not exactly wanted either.

As we were walking down his street, nearing his house, I decided to finally ask the question that had been bugging me.

"Do you REALLY need my help with Dori? I mean, I know she likes me better, but it's still manageable right?" I said jokingly, trying to lighten the mood.

He looked as if he'd been caught stealing from the cookie jar.

"She doesn't like you THAT much. But I'll admit, that wasn't my actual intention." He said sheepishly. I was finally able to put 2 and 2 together, even if it was highly unlikely.

"Wait. Were you jealous?" The question made him hesitate as he was unlocking the door to his house.

"Uh, I... You know. Uh, you know what, I don't even REALLY know why I did it anyway." He sounded sincere enough, so despite my curiosity, I dropped the subject as he seemed genuinely torn.

"Welcome. My parents won't be home until later, so we're alone for now." He walked in, taking off his jacket as I put down my duffle bag, already heading towards the living, where the cats would most likely be.

As I approached the room, I could already hear them scratching at the door and meowing loudly. I opened the door, petting Soon-ie and Doong-ie as I passed them, heading towards the window on the far end of the room, Dori's favorite spot because of the heat the sun provided when it hit.

And there she was, laying in the last remains of the already setting sun. And with no signs of injury or anything to be worried about whatsoever.

"So, what exactly was wrong with her?" I turned to Minho as he entered with a teasing look, already anticipating his answer.

"I told you already, didn't I? I lied. Not sure why though." He walked to where Dori was sat, reaching to stroke her head, making her purr in delight, as the others also got closer to their owner at the chance to get petted. In response, Minho sat down next to the newest kitten, as Soon-ie and Doong-ie tried to climb onto his lap at the same time. This made him giggle, trying his best to satisfy every one of his "children".

It was like the world froze or slowed down in that moment.

The best was to describe the way Minho looked at that moment would be angelic, but even that wouldn't cover it.

His dark hair shone in the sun, looking too soft to resist, his dark eyes gazed fondly at his pets as a beautiful, peaceful and joyful smile broke out across his face. The sun framed the scene perfectly, making look picturesque, and suddenly I wished I had my camera with me at that moment to truly capture it in all its beauty.

I realized that the difference between our first meeting and then, was humongous, in the best way possible. He had become so open to me and so... Lively and relaxed. I loved the change.

That was the moment when I realized that my crush for Lee Minho was not going away anytime soon and that it wasn't just a silly childhood crush that would disappear in 2 weeks to a month. It was there, in my heart, to stay.

"You gonna just stand there looking weird? I know you love looking at my face but..." He directed that heavenly smile toward me as he spoke.

On that day, not only did I realize the extent of my feelings for Minho, he also realized the nature of his feelings for me.