#how does graduation even work can i like. idk

[crossedwithblue]

Balance and fair exchange in the Scholomance

I'm fresh out of my first Schlomance reread, and, besides thoroughly enjoying the foreshadowing, I have Thoughts about the ideas of balance and fair exchange in the series. I'm a scientist by training and Indian by origin, and both of those come into it.

Let's start with mass in and out of the school (because that was the start of this post). The seniors grow over the course of their four years - a lot. Between 14-18, most boys are going to have several growth spurts, and many girls might have reached their adult height but they're still gonna fill out into their adult body types*. We also know that the freshers get a very strict weight allowance. My hunch is that the collective allowance is the difference between the incoming freshers' and the outgoing seniors' bodyweight. This would preserve the mass balance within the school such that no mana is wasted on importing or exporting excess mass (more on that in a minute!). Presumably, the collective allowance is equally distributed, since if the enclavers had managed to skew it in their favour, it would most definitely be mentioned, plus this also fits well the the Scholomance's impersonal fairness**.

N.B. the collective weight difference is probably less than you'd think. Personally, I (cis woman) was already pretty much my adult height and weight at 14, it just redistributed itself a lot, from my tummy to my hips and breasts. The boys would definitely mostly pick up in height, but given that they were all fed up before initiation, even they'd probably have less of an overall weight difference than you'd think - which is why the weight allowance is so strict. Then again, any equipment they're taking out with them helps push it back the other way.

*(the malnutrition they face in the Scholomance would admittedly hamper their growth, but given that the boys manage to shoot up in height and the girls get their periods, and that they're able to keep up with the gruelling study and graduation-prep schedules, and that multiple people including El are described as putting on muscle, it does seem like the school is at least able to feed most of the kids well enough that they're reasonably physically healthy)

**(slightly but not entirely jossed by the short story in Buried Deep - it could still work in the framework of my theorising, if this was changed after the events of canon).

I typed all that out and then questioned how it makes the magical ingredients work. Food and water take care of themselves via excreting about the same, as do gases. My extremely morbid answer to this is, uh, dead bodies. And the mana generated by the schoolwork and the suffering and the deaths, I guess. IIRC people can very easily lose stuff or have it turn 'bad', so perhaps that helps with the balance of mass too.

Back to my point about importing/exporting mana - mana is a lot of things in this universe. It's bargaining power, it's currency, and it's energy. My headcanon is that the mana is actually the energy that should be wasted through heat when you do anything at all, but wizards have the ability to recapture and store it somehow - which is why everyone has a finite capacity. They're just, IDK, as close to a perpetual motion machine as you can get? Obviously far from perfect, since they have the aforementioned finite capacities and still need to eat and sleep etc. But the way mana is talked about is pretty similar to the way energy behaves in the real world, IMO. The Scholomance isn't terribly hard-rules with its magic but this is one that's pretty consistent. You can't create or destroy energy. You can't get something from nothing, that's not how the world works. Someone, somewhere, will pay the price, even if you don't know who or how or when.

This ties in extremely effectively with the idea of balance and fair exchange that's central to the Scholomance series. The enclaves can't stabilise space out of nothing, they have to borrow it from somewhere (plus the whol deal with enclaves in the first place - I won't spoiler it, but iykyk!). You have to do the work to build up mana, and malia use has its own terrible costs. Aadhya and El's friendship starts with Aadhya brokering deals; El respects and likes her because she does so fairly. The universe is a horribly, wonderfully fair creditor and debtor: it will always, always collect, but equally, it will always fulfil your sacrifices, even if you could never predict how any of it comes due.

For me, El and Orion being drawn to each other fits in with this. As far as I know, karma doesn't work in a 'sins of the fathers' way - why would it, when you're going to be reborn into your own consequences anyway - but El was born to be Orion's counterweight and balance, the golden child illuminating the dark void. I'm sure it's been said before it's very obvious symbology, but still worth including in the list of points. (Side fun fact: 'Deepthi' means 'light' in Sanskrit - it's a very popular name, and of course is El's prophetic ancestress's name. Coincidence? Maybe, but I doubt it very much).

I've talked quite a bit in my previous post about how it seems like Indian philosophy is very deeply baked into the worldbuilding of the series, and I think this is another case of that. Everyone's heard of the concept of karma, of course, but the Western notions of it aren't Thee most accurate. Karma in Indian philosophy and religion is a more long-term thing, there's no 'instant karma'. Most of the time, the karmic consequences won't manifest until your next life at the earliest - and, of course, your karma determines what your rebirth will be. Good karma means you end up as a noble animal, bad karma means you'll be an earthworm, just as examples. This also fits in pretty well with the mana/malia stuff, which I talk about a bit more in the first post.

So that turned into a bit of a ramble of science and culture in the worldbuilding, less coherent than I originally planned, but I hope someone finds this interesting and/or food for thought! Novik does such a masterful job of weaving allegory and philosophy into this series, I love it.

[orcelito]

Honestly sooooooo fucked up that I thought my overwhelming daily fatigue and debilitating body pain was a product of the awful working conditions I was under for years and years... and yet, despite being out of work for half a year now, I'm still so fatigued and in pain all the time??? Like come on man that's not fair

Oh well maybe I have liver disease and they'll treat it and then I am magically so much more energized like I was as a kid. We can only hope !!!!

[erwinsvow]

jack abbot sugar baby!reader, im clawing at the cage of my enclosure, this is so good!!! please i need more

thank you!!!! for some reason that’s what I was thinking about at my sisters graduation all day lmfao. welllll i think this deserves a real fic and after my exams I will write it but i think he realizes that he just really needs a purpose outside of work and when he starts doing all the things he does to help your life move a little smoother and take care of you because there’s no one else to do it and you neglect yourself almost as much as he neglects himself—so it’s kind of like. idk a soothing sort of routine for him. to take care of you and it comes very naturally to him. you have loans and don’t eat as much as you should because you don’t grocery shop as often as you should and you spend all your time studying. so he likes making you meals and sending you money for coffee (he sends $50 and says it’s for your breakfast and you go ? for the whole week?) and then it kind of goes a little further. your shitty laptop stops working after using it non stop for the last eight years or so and one day he just shows up with a new one. there’s squeaky door hinges and your shower pressure is terrible and your window won’t open all the way and then those things are just.. fixed! none of your clothes seem right for this interview you really want to do good at and he just… gives you a card and says to pick out something nice. then maybe a little bit further—rent is paid each month and there’s payments to your loans (the balance, not just the interest) that take you a while to catch onto. when you confront him about it and get kind of weepy because of how nice it is he just brings you in for a hug and kisses your forehead and tilts your chin (MANGO) and says don’t worry about it kid.

the kind of student is up to the reader to decide obvi ill bite & project and say she’s a second year medical student but she can be anything at all. and what he likes about you is that you’re funny just like him, once you stop being nervous. but you never stop being nervous around him (and he likes that a lot too. thinks about bringing you out of your shell and what he can do to make you comfortable around him. and none of those thoughts are in the bible.) likes when you text him throughout his shift of the leftovers from last night that you ate for dinner and what time you go to bed. you’re always up working when he gets home and those two hours before he falls asleep are some of his favorite of the day (maybe because he doesn’t feel like going to the roof when he’s got you waiting for him at home.) he says he’ll help you study after his shift but at 8am you two end up tangled in sheets or fucking on the couch or against the door and then fall asleep right after for a bit. when he wakes up you’re always working or studying but you put your laptop away when he wakes up and he really, really likes that. it’s supposed to be no strings tied, let me take care of you and make you cum so I forget all my own problems type of a thing, and it works for a while. until it doesn’t. surprise surprise you’ve been in love this whole time trying to awkwardly figure out how to tell him and he’s trying to explain himself going i pay for two rents even though you’re always over at my place because i didn’t want to make you uncomfortable and-

[naomi-nana]

✎ᝰ. just a little longer . twisted wonderland pt. 2

in which you take extra classes to skip grades so you can graduate with them, but you ended up getting sick instead. how would they react?

featuring : vice housewardens + ruggie bucchi

cw : gn!reader, may be ooc(idk how to write for jamil and rook ...), hurt/comfort angst, bad french for rook lmao

a/n : i genuinely enjoyed writing for the housewardens req, so i did a second part!! i hope u all will enjoy this :3

TREY CLOVER

almost had a heart attack

when ace and deuce came into heartslabyul with a very-sick-looking-you leaning on to their shoulders, trey was (understandably) shocked at whatever happened. he already thought of the worst-case scenario before you get to open your mouth.

though when you finally tell him what you've been up to, he immediately goes dad mode. he would take you to his bed for you to lay down and then give you some leftover food from the heartslabyul fridge. (would cook more, but he was more worried about you than the fact that those were leftovers)

"name, i understand if you want to graduate with me, and i respect that. but, just ... don't push yourself too much. if you get this sick every time you take those extra classes, then i'm gonna be the one that gets lonely once i graduate."

stays by your side until you actually fall asleep. then, he'll look at your sleeping face with eyes full of concern and love for you while also caressing your hand with his. "please don't do this ever again."

anyways he was very concerned and would 100% check on you all the time after that happened to make sure you're healthy.

RUGGIE BUCCHI

growing up in a different surroundings compared to everyone else, ruggie is not used to people being genuinely kind towards him. he was shocked enough that you accepted his confession back then, and now you're saying you were secretly taking extra classes just to graduate with him?

"huh? why go that far just for me anyway? you're not expecting me to give you something back, right?" he's confused, touched, and also concerned at the fact that you get sick right after all of those classes.

he'll constantly check on you every time and occasionally ask if you already ate or not. he would also share his lunch with you. "here, i got the limited tuna sandwich today. you can half a little of it so you don't starve to death while trying to catch up to me, shishishi!"

he gives you the bigger half. it's not usual for ruggie to be so concerned towards someone(other than leona, and even if he does, it's only for the reward that comes afterwards), let alone sharing a meal with someone else. even he was confused about why he did that.

"just so ya know, this is only because i don't want you bawling your eyes out when i graduate first. er, no, i'm not getting concerned or anythin'. you're just imagining that."

JADE LEECH

he's amused at the thought of someone so willingly taking extra classes just to graduate with him. when you walk in mostro lounge looking like you had walked out from the worst war in humanity ever in the middle of his shift, jade paused whatever he was doing.

he immediately shoves his tray full of empty plates to floyd(who, even though he was annoyed, still takes over jade's job because he understood that his brother has priorities). jade straight up carries you to his dorm room and gently places you on top of the bed.

"name, what happened?" he asks calmly, putting his cold hands on your forehead to check your temperature. after you tell him why you're doing all this, jade chuckles, but then his face suddenly turns serious it almost makes you scared.

"i understand. but i would much prefer it if you told me about such things beforehand. then, we can work on a solution together. you don't have to get sick simply because you want to spend more time with me, my dear."

all in all, he'd be very concerned and ends up acting very carefully around you so you won't feel even more stressed.

JAMIL VIPER

are u trying to get him straight into the hospital? this man is stressed enough with taking care of kalim all the time, and now you're getting sick because of all those extra classes?

jamil probably knows from day one already somehow and would quickly put a stop on it before anything happens. yet when he sees how determined you are, he can't help but feel all warm and fuzzy inside. he's never seen anyone risking their own health just because they want to stay with him.

"seriously, you don't need to do that. stop taking those extra classes before you collapse and get sent to the infirmary." he'd say sternly. but after he got you to sleep in bed and stop thinking about those classes again, he'll drop the act.

he feels guilty, so guilty for being the reason for you getting sick. he'll be so protective of you the next day and would do anything so you'll forget about whatever you want to do before.

"sigh, you and kalim are gonna be the death of me, i swear ..."

if you insist on taking those extra classes, expect to see him in your next class.

ROOK HUNT

he knows u don't really have to tell him anything

"oh, my ... marveillux! trickster, you continue to surprise me with your whims. you put your health on the line only to graduate with me? truly, your love knows no bounds! is this what people call true love? c'est magnifique! i'm touched by the very beauty of love!" as you can probably tell, he's very touched even if he knew about it days ago.

though when you start to walk a little wobbly, he'd stop his rambling and would carry you bridal style to pomefiore. he's concerned that you got sick just because you don't want him to leave you alone in this school. he'll lay you down gently on his bed and would also brew some jasmine tea for you.

"mon amour, stay in this bed and drink this tea, will you? jasmine tea has a lot of benefits that would be great to boost your immunity. i'm sure you will feel better in no time." he smiles, helping you sit up while serving you the cup of tea and a few snacks on the side.

if you drink the tea, he’ll sit by the bed, eyes brimming with a quiet, tender love. rook may talk a lot—but in the hush between heartbeats, his silence says more. in stillness, his love becomes a sacred thing, deeper than any vow he could ever utter.

"fais de beaux rêves, trickster. i shall stay here, waiting by your side."

LILIA VANROUGE

on your way to another one of your class, you were suddenly stopped by your beloved little bat, hanging upside down from the ceiling. "oh my god!" you shrieked, making him cackle. "khehehe, your reactions amuse me as always, dearie!"

he'd stop laughing when he saw all those books in your hands, though. when he notices your shaky breathing, he jumps down from the ceiling and gets scarily serious for a moment while checking your temperature.

"oh, my. your forehead is very hot. what have you been up to, love?" the moment you tell him about those extra classes, lilia goes dad mode (2) and takes you straight into his room using a teleportation spell.

he would then ask silver and sebek to brew some tea for you because he's currently too occupied to do that himself(thank god). he won't stay by your bed, he will join you in the bed and cuddle with you until you feel better.

if you tell him to get off because you don't want him to get sick too, he will just laugh. "khehehe, you must underestimate me if you think i will get sick by hugging my beloved. you need not worry, i have great immunity. but, i don't want you to continue taking those extra classes again, okay? you're going to make little old me sad if you continue doing that."

naomi-nana. do NOT repost, do not use (with or without permission), do not recommend or talk about my works outside of tumblr.

[starkwlkr]

Pretty please give us more about Hugh talking about his family and his wife in interviews 🥺

husband/dad hugh headcanons 💝

husband hugh I love youuuuu

ok so deadpool & wolverine press is filled with him bringing up his family like this man cannot go one minute without bringing his wife and kids into the conversation

training for wolverine? his kids were there training with him. read a new book? his kids or you recommend it.

hugh don’t bring up your kids or wife challenge‼️ (failed obviously)

ok so going back to comic con 2024 where you were announced as the director for the new avengers movie (will i ever stop talking about comic con? NO I WANNA GO SO BAD)

the kids are with you and hugh takes this opportunity to take as many photos as he can because it’s rare that all his kids are together in one room

and yes he brings it up in every interview and shows the pics like the proud dad that he is 🫶🏻

soooo every interviewer asks him if you’re in the deadpool & wolverine movie and this man does not shut up about you

“So is your wife in the movie?”

hugh: goes on a ten minute rant about how he would love to work with you and that you’re the most precious thing in his life and he loves you so so so much

also hugh: idk bro 🤷🏻‍♂️

doesn’t hesitate to bring up all his kids’ accomplishments

“my daughter is about to graduate high school” tears up just thinking about his little girl going to college soon 😭

literally everyone on planet earth knows how much of a family man hugh is and they love him even more for it

[gatorbites-imagines]

Hiya I saw your requests were open so I was wondering if we can get a Tim Drake x male reader

The reader is a bigger older guy, like not too older than Tim but reader does have a streak of gray hair due to the stress of taking care of Bruce's dumbass.

Reader is kinda sly and fox like.

Idk why but I can see Tim liking someone older than him

Tim Drake x older male reader

Headcanons

I feel like tumblr has been deleting requests from my inbox, I swear some go missing. This one didn’t though, so here you go.

It’s been a while huh? Who’d have thought getting ready to graduate would be so stressful.

Reader is about Dicks age, so around 26.

You didn’t meet through hero work or anything like that. You were actually the CEO of a larger company called Aces co. It had been in your family for many years, and your father and grandfather had worked with the Waynes.

So, when you took over at 18, you started working with Bruce Wayne, even though you thought him nothing much more than a himbo at the time. Later, when Tim took over, you’d work side by side with the younger man.

One way or another, you learn Bruces secret identity, and soon you end up mixed up in the vibrant and extremely stressful world that is heroes and vigilantes, you’ve lost count how many times you have had to cover for any of the batclan.

You almost burst into tears when you see the first grey hairs appear at your temples. Your father had gone grey much later in life, and here you were, 24 and greying, all because of the bats. Of course, it wasn’t all the bats, running a billion-dollar company was stressful too, but they sure didn’t help.

The media called you the fox prince, because of the sharp look in your eyes and how sly and underhanded you could be, insulting someone straight to their face and they would first realize days later. Or somehow tricking someone into revealing all their secrets to you.

None of the bats can ever seem to reach your level of mingling and information gathering, even Bruce who has been doing it longer than you’ve been alive.

You never become a hero, or a vigilante for that matter, but you do get involved every now and then if needed. You didn’t take over Aces co. for no reason at 18, you have always been a genius, but a sly and cruel one in the eyes of many.

Unlike Bruce, you don’t feel a soul deep duty to save the world and save as many people as possible. You simply do what you can, without putting yourself in too much danger. Which mainly resolves to you gathering too much information, and enough blackmail to have the entire congress of America and the EU buckling under for your whims.

You are an extremely cold and calculated businessman as well, to the point where underhanded companies like Lexcorps won’t work with you because they know you’ll rip them apart and leave them with nothing.

It was your cruel but very effective business methods that drew Tim to you, especially when it turned out you were a lot more friendly behind closed doors. He did get to hear you complain about him and his family a lot, and it gave him a good laugh to see Bruce open a bill for your hair treatments to get rid of your greys.

The alliance between Wayne enterprises and Aces Co. only grows stronger between you two, and you end up closer to Tim than you’ve been any other bat, even Dick, despite the fact that you two are the same age and have been around each other the longest.

It ends with you going out of your way to score the best deals for (Tim) Wayne Enterprises, and Tim finds ways to benefit (you) Aces Co. Its like flirting and foreplay at the same time between very powerful rich businessmen.

For some reason I can imagine most of the batfam is shocked when Tim and you started dating, whilst some of them aren’t surprised at all. Bruce is uncomfortable in the beginning that one of his former business partners is dating his son, until someone (most likely Jason) points out that you aren’t even 30 yet and took over your company the moment you turned 18.

Your relationship is kept a secret for the media, mainly to keep the drama and paparazzi away. You aren’t a very publicly affectionate person, and Tim doesn’t really like mingling with the media if he doesn’t have too, so it’s a win-win.

The two of you don’t go out of your way to be super secretive though, you just aren’t all lovey dovey all over each other. Some people may notice you getting a lot crueler and colder to those trying to cross Wayne Enterprises, and Tim striking down hard on anyone who tries Aces Co.

It’s assumed it’s just cuz you two are both young CEOs who are trying to strengthen the relationship between your companies. All your mutual friends and families knows its cuz you are both protective and a little possessive.

You are most likely the one in the relationship with the most experience since Tim has spent most of his time being a vigilante, so you’ll have to guide him in the beginning. He’s a great and enthusiastic learner though, so Tim probably ends up doing all kinds of research.

He lovingly calls you his old man, or jokingly calls you a cradle-snatcher, since you look older than you actually are cuz of your greys. It probably causes some drama online when your relationship finally gets out, until people are like “He’s literally only 26, he’s just greying early”.

Tim will comfort you when you end up with your face in your hands because of those comments, weeping for your once beautiful and not grey streaked hair. He loves it though, and always tells you.

You tell Tim he likes it cuz of his daddy issues, and he ends up being all “maybe so”. Doesn’t stop him from loving it though, or loving to see that foxlike glint appear in your eyes when you are about to strike on a deal.

[queenpiranhadon]

Hello! You commented on my post about my dream request so here it goes...

Pro Hero! Dynamite is dating Underground Pro Hero! Y/N. He doesn't know she's a hero, doesn’t even know she has a quirk. She has a "job" where she can travel a lot; a model for Mitsuki & Masura (they know, because parent instincts). Anyway, YN gets sent on a lot of missions with Pro Hero! Deku since he's one of the few who likes working with everybody. Dynamite sees how close they are and is seething, and end ups turning it into a huge fight.

(i woke up at this point but pls make it comfort if you can)

thank you in advance!!🫶🏾🫶🏾

A/N: Idk if this is what you wanted but I loved this prompt so much!! Big thanks to @zanarkandskylines for beta reading and editing this I owe you so much 😭 Here's my masterlist!

Warning(s): f!reader, Katsuki and reader are dating. and they live together, reader is an underground pro hero with a pre-established quirk, mentions of blood, Katsuki thinks reader is cheating on him with Deku, angst to fluff, characters might be a little ooc, mentions of passing out, reader cries a lot, Katsuki does too, Katsuki almost kicks reader out, cursing, Katsuki calls reader princess.

Pairing: Pro Hero! Bakugou Katsuki x Underground Pro Hero! Reader

•─────•°•❀•°•──── ɢᴏᴏᴅɴɪɢʜᴛ ────•°•☁︎•°•────•

Shit. 

Pain flares up in your abdomen as you try not to think about the blood gushing out of your side, as the taste of iron lines your taste buds, making you want to vomit. 

You were on a mission with your close friend and pro hero, Deku, who you consider a friend till the end after endless mission assignments together. Your quirk, Rays, allowed you to control the lighting of any setting you were in- even if it were bright outside, you could plunge anything within a 100-mile radius into complete darkness if you chose to do. Along with that, you could illuminate anything within the same distance in the middle of the night. Your eyes would change colors while your quirk was active, growing lighter and darker with the lighting around you- a feature that allowed you to be hired as a model for Jiyū, a clothing company owned by renowned clothing designers, Mitsuki and Masaru Bakugou. They joked that that lighting always favored you during photoshoots, capturing your eyes in such an alluring way that it was almost like you were the one who made the clothing look exceptional. They’d often drop hints that you would, in fact, be a perfect fit for their hotheaded son. You’d laugh at their insistence, waving off their jokes. They never would guess the reason behind your choice of career path, especially as a secret pro hero. 

You were an underground Pro Hero by the name of Sola – specializing in espionage and stealth, a major asset to Pro Hero Deku as you balanced his brute force with elegance and mobility. You loved your job, not ever having to need to be prominent on the Hero charts and found your reward through the knowledge that you were helping others. It was silly, you thought, to sneak around with a secret identity like all the books you read, unlike the Pro Heroes you knew that basked in attention. And even though you didn’t need people fawning over you 24/7, you still had one issue with all the secrecy. 

That being your boyfriend, Katsuki Bakugou.  

You loved him with your entire heart, and more, as he did you. The both of you got together a few months after the explosive blonde had graduated from UA, your relationship blowing up the tabloids with a bang as he climbed the hero rankings. 

You trusted him with your life, and he trusted you with his heart, and yet you couldn’t tell him about your job as an underground pro hero.  

This was one of the reasons why.  

You hid behind a pillar in the abandoned warehouse you had caught a drug network alongside Pro Hero Deku. The both of you were tracking the pricks for months, coming home late every night with a new excuse to tell Katsuki. You knew it would burden him with worry, choosing to keep your secret hero identity just that - a secret, even from Katsuki. He couldn't worry about you when he had his own job as a Pro Hero to worry about.  

Not to mention he wasn’t exactly on the best terms with the greenette you worked with constantly. 

The fight ensued, you heard Deku’s grunts and the cracks of bones, no doubt his One for All in usage. You manipulated the light around him, effectively blinding your opponents while giving your partner the advantage of sight.  

You were losing blood at a rapid pace, head becoming fuzzy as your body slumps to the floor, giving into the exhaustion from overuse of your quirk. 

The last thing you heard before the world turned black was Deku’s triumphant call for you, reporting that all the villains were restrained.  

When you woke up, you were in Izuku’s apartment, head hazy and your temples throbbed like they were being stabbed repeatedly by blunt needles.  

You got up without a word, thanking Izuku for his hospitality before leaving to go home, brushing off his concerns and walking out his front door.  

Anxiety gnawed at you on the taxi ride home, subconsciously fiddling with your shirt to make sure your bandages weren’t visible, and praying to whatever deity was watching over you that Katsuki wouldn’t notice.  

You reached your apartment complex, taking a deep breath and settling for a somewhat content look, before inserting your keys into the lock and opening the door, basking in the familiar warmth of your shared home. 

Spotting Katsuki at the kitchen stove, you creep up to him and wrap your arms around his waist, to which he stiffens, but you don’t think much of it as you tighten your arms around him.  

“I’m home!” You sing, smushing your cheek against him but he says nothing.  

Worry works its way through your mind, wondering why he wasn’t responding, until his gruff voice snaps you back into focus. 

“Where were you.” he says, phrasing it like a statement, not a question.  

Your heart drops into the pit of your stomach- does he know? Did Izuku tell him?  

Wh-what?” A nervous laugh escapes you. Had you been caught? “I told you, I was in the US -” 

“Cut the bullshit.” he snaps, and you let go of him – you can physically feel your heart snap in two. “Where. were. you."

“I...” you trail off, the words caught in your throat, willing the tears that threatened to spill not to fall.  

You both stand there, wordless, staring at his eyes, full of pain.  

“You never even loved me, did you?” he says, voice cracking full of emotion, your eyes widening.  

“Katsuki no- I" You try to explain, but he cuts you off, the pounding in your head returning with the new rush of emotions.  

“Just stop. Please. Leave and never come back.” He spits out, tears finally dripping down his face. “Go fucking be happy with shitty Deku because obviously he’s a better fucking boyfriend than me.”

He thought you were cheating on him. Those late nights coming home, prolonged trips without explanation- god you were so stupid.  

You rush towards him, mind racing as you try to explain, try to fix things. You couldn’t lose him, you couldn’t- it would destroy you in ways unimaginable.  

And yet, he pushed you away forcefully, making you cry out in pain as he contacts your wound in your side.  

He almost stops breathing when he sees the blood, your blood, on his hands.  

You panic, and he grabs you by the shoulders, lifting your shirt up to reveal the bandage wrapped around your torso that the blood managed to seep through.  

“Kats-” 

“Who fucking hurt you.” he growls, low and feral- all resentment from the previous conversation melting away with the realization that you weren’t with Deku – or at least in the way he thought.  

“I’m an Underground Pro Hero.” You whisper, a desperate attempt to mask your feelings as you curl into yourself. You can’t risk looking up at Katsuki and seeing his reaction. 

“You what- fuck, you have a quirk?!” He looks at you, eyes wide.  

You nod hesitantly, his vermilion stare meeting your own, attempting to assess what else you could be hiding from him. 

“I wasn’t allowed to tell you- the Commision wouldn’t let me, I wanted to tell you so bad Katsuki, but I knew you had so much on your plate, and I didn’t want to bother you, and-” you break down, Katsuki cutting you off as he encircles you in his arms, consoling you silently, letting your distraught form melt into his embrace.  

Heaving sobs turned into choking cries, which dwindled into sniffles that lead to silence. You’d drifted off, cried yourself into a sleepy daze while he carefully cradled you in the kitchen. His own guilt ate away at him- he understood your situation, the Commission was as unsympathetic to a hero’s situation as the League was to anything. But it still hurt, that stupid Deku knew about your status as a Pro Hero before he did. He shook his head, dispersing his feelings. He hated himself for his words, for assuming the worst and thinking you were capable of doing something so low. Running his fingertips over your bandages gingerly, a pang of worry struck through him. He wiped the tears off his face, and then yours, lifting your sleeping form and headed for your bedroom. 

Right now, he needed to take care of you.  

Changing you out of your clothes, he settles you into one of your favorite worn out shirts of his, tucking you into bed before getting ready to sleep himself. 

He joins you in bed, heaving a shaky breath after everything, wrapping his arms around you, one hand placed on the back of your head and the other on the small of your back, holding you against his chest like you were made of porcelain - too scared to let you go, but scared of breaking you, too.  

“Goodnight, princess.”

[kings-highway]

Okay its 130 in the morning and this is a thought ive had for a while so bear with me while I write it, but obviously everyone is familiar with Bokuto from Haikyuu and also everyone is familiar with all the owl jokes. Like Bokuto in fics is always obsessed with owls and he's obviously designed to vaguely resemble an owl and have owlish mannerisms and anyway I don't know if anyone has been pointing fingers at fics like "bleh its so annoying that ppl always make Bokuto obsessed with owls theres literally no canon material for it" and thats true to a degree. Technically we never see Bokuto say that he likes Owls the Birds in any specific way. BUT i do feel compelled to defend Owlboy Bokuto as much as possible so I am here to tell you why I think an Owl-loving Bokuto is actually the most accurate thing in my opinion

And it's really simple. The Fukurodani mascot in an Owl. Bokuto doesn't "love Owls more than other animals," and he certainly didnt in middle school. He probably had a whole host of favourite animals. Maybe he never even thought about owls. And then he joins this team and we KNOW Bokuto loves his team more than anything and I don't know about you guys but high school is weird. Thinking back on it is a mix of complete nostalgia and pure grief and anxiety. But it becomes a part of you, its like your first real identity, being in high school. But bokuto joins this team and suddenly theyre "the Owls." "Everyone give it up for the Fukurodani Owls!" And maybe there's even a guy in an Owl costume at some kind of school event. Idk. Anyway, he starts pointing them out, and gets really excited when he sees them. Because oh my god! Thats us! Isnt that funny? And the more he plays with this team the more he feels like the Owl is a part of him. Thats their mascot! Thats their bird, their animal, and maybe he used to say his favourite animal was a wolf or a tiger or whatever but now he says Owl because thats him!!! And all his friends!!!! Thats his family!!! Theyre owls!!! And so he does get really excited when he sees them. And he goes out of his way to point them out if he sees them at night and he absolutely looses his mind at a zoo when he gets to hold an Owl because he's "been" an Owl for 3 years and it feels like it belongs to him. It feels like its a part of his identity the same way being male or being tall or being an athlete is. He is an owl. And he loves owls.

And then one day he graduates and years pass and now when he sees an owl at 1am and he gets so excited and starts pointing it out to his friends, none of them get why he cares so much, but he knows. He's not seeing a cool bird, he's remembering how it felt to be 17 and walking into a championship match. He's remembering his favourite team he ever played with, he's remembering Akaashi and the old route he used to walk to school and the lunches his mom packed and the feeling he got when they appointed him captain, when they told him they trusted him to be the leader of the Owls.

And he'll try and convince his new friends of how cool owls are. He'll start spewing owl facts like a machine, about different species and how fast they can fly and what they eat and where they live and oddly he seems to be able to identify owl species super accurately and his new friends will all laugh and call him the owl-loving weirdo. They'll consider him just a guy who loves owls (the bird) a lot. And they'll make jokes about it and buy him a t-shirt with an owl on it and they just wont get it. They'll think it's just his favourite animal. And it is. But not like that.

And then when he gets home, even if it's 2am, he sends a picture of that owl he'd seen to the old Fukurodani groupchat and for some godforsaken reason Akaashi is up working on his own projects and he sends back support for the owl Bokuto saw and then every other Fukurodani alumni starts berating Akaashi for being up so late and admonishing him for not preparing better for deadlines and they get into a big argument about procrastination and what time Akaashi should be going to bed while the editor fights for his life in the chat and Bokuto isn't really commenting anymore, he's just reading the messages that flood in, and he loves it, he loves this feeling, because the truth is the chat hadn't been used in about 2 months. But they all love getting Bokuto's Owl Watch Updates, even if nobody paid attention to the picture, because for just 1 hour at 2 in the morning a handful of old high school friends are called together to be a team again despite their new and different lives.

So sure Bokuto gets branded by people who don't understand it as just being weirdly obsessed with owls, but they're good animals. He'll tell them as much. They're good birds. They should be everyone's favourite animal, he thinks. And he'll continue sending photos of owls into a 10 year old group chat, and he'll continue memorizing facts about them, and he will continue to be reminded of the absolute best people he knows every time he gets to see one. So he thinks that's worth being excited about.

So yeah, I think owls are Bokuto's favourite animal, even though there's no canon evidence to suggest it.

[kaleidoscopic-quiddity]

i cant stop thinking about how fucking illegal bluelock is...

as has already been pointed out, these kids are NOT getting fed properly

also the whole 'score more goals and you'll get better food' thing like, has to be against the geneva conventions or something

directly tying sufficient nutrition to physical labour performance CANNOT be legal

also you're telling me none of these kids have dietary restrictions? like oh you're celiac and can't eat miso soup or gyoza? have fun surviving solely off of white rice ig

why does the bluelock building have no windows. do these kids get sunlight and fresh air any time other than when they're playing football?? are they all just super vitamin D deficient???

is the grass on the football pitches in bluelock even real? or is it all artificial?? im pretty sure not being around any kind of nature/plantlife for months at a time is bad for your mental health

(it probably explains why everyone in bluelock is so rabid, when's the last time any of them saw a tree?)

also the lack of windows is a fire hazard, does the building even have fire escapes? smoke detectors? emergency exits?

none of these kids fucking consented to being a livestreamed reality TV show/sports documentary

do they get royalties from BLTV? its obviously making money but somehow i doubt that ego is giving all the bluelockers a cut of the profits

also; i forget which volume its from but theres an extra with the top 5 most popular BLTV clips, one of which is kaiser confronting/issuing his declaration of war to isagi in the BM locker room

this suggests that theres cameras and mics in the locker rooms in bluelock, the locker rooms where people change clothes, the locker rooms where TEENAGERS change their clothes

idk the exact intricacies of sports academy type situations but japan has child labour laws and im pretty sure that making kids work out so much every day theyre regularly throwing up or can barely stand goes against said labour laws

also like; safe guarding, and duty of care, and child protection laws, probably

schooling is only compulsory up to the end of middle school in japan so technically none of the bluelockers have a legal requirement to be recieving an education

BUT; doesnt bluelock essentially make them high school drop outs?? its not as if they can miss months of class and then still graduate on time

what happened to all the kids who got locked off?? are they just repeating a year or did ego crush their regular career prospects along with their footballing ones?

do the NEL coaches (minus loki i suppose) have the correct legal permissions to be coaching minors?

typically, adults need qualifications and background checks to be in a position of authority (like coaching) over children or teenagers, so like do we think the NEL coaches have that orrrrr... ?

also like how the fuck does all that work with Loki, who's only 17?

the way pre-NEL, ego was constantly popping up to chime in on conversations suggests that he was visually and auditorally monitoring these kids 24/7, including in the communal bedrooms

if thats not technically ilegal then its at least DEEPLY FUCKING CREEPY

whatever the fuck is going on with kunigami and the wildcard HAS to be some kind of illegal, like i think we're actually bordering on human experimentation and/or psychological torture at this point

the NEL is like multiple weeks long right? what fucking VISAs are all the non-japanese players on?? a solid chunck of them are probably under 18 too right?? this is a paperwork nightmare

does the NEL bidding system constitute as gambling under japanese and/or international law? what laws are there when it comes to betting on u-18 athletes/athletic leagues? is this extortion? i feel like this may be extortion

this is such a minor detail but that one colour spread of ubers doing barou's hair shows aiku holding scissors and like im pretty sure sharps being accessible to minors (not aiku obvi, but most of the other bllkers) with no adult supervision is a safeguarding issue

there's fucking tasers in their suits, tasers that they didnt know about

im like 99% sure even manufacturing those clothes is illegal, let alone having people, especially minors, wear them

also, again, isnt that a massive safeguarding issue? what was ego gonna do if he sent shidou into cardiac arrest?

so i know they all 'consented' to participate in the bluelock project and live at the facility (if you can call impulsively running through a door 'consent') but that wasnt with the knowledge that they'd basically never get to leave unless they flunked out

so like, does this count as unlawful imprisonment? there was something about parents consenting too so maybe not, but it still feels iffy, especially considering most of them didnt get their phones, their ONLY means of communication with the outside world, back until after the u20 match

which is, again, a safeguarding issue; denying anyone (but esp kids) communication with the outside world for weeks at a time is cult shit, if it's not specifically illegal in japan it's still, in the very least, immoral

speaking of the u20 match, did the bluelock XII get paid for that or what? it counted as a professional football match right? i feel like they should be getting paid for it

same goes for the NEL actually too, like even forgetting about the BLTV aspect, the bluelockers are playing in a professional football league on the u20 squads of professional football clubs, they should be making fucking wages from this

i know theyre getting bid on but theyre not actually GETTING that money rn so are they just doing all this work for these clubs for free currently?

do the tracksuits have the taser function too or is it only the athletic body suits? what if team Z had decided to jump kuon in the communal bedroom after lights out? does ego have any way to stop these kids from beating each other to death when theyre not on the pitch??

like, are there any staff at bluelock other than ego, anri, the canonically-mentioned-but-never-seen-medics, and what i assume must be a decently sized team of catering and cleaning staff??

also; no way was putting shidou in a fucking straightjacket and muzzle legal

like, even the cops in japan are only allowed to handcuff people or hold them in restraint positions, let alone ego and anri having someone forcibly cosplay hannibal lecter, shidou should sue

honestly i think the whole 'throw away your self preservation and dedicate your every breathing moment to football' ideology probably counts as emotional abuse and/or brainwashing

in chapter 204 after he collapsed at the end of the BM vs MC match, isagi wakes up in a bed in noel noa's office

he'd been changed out of his clothes whilst unconcious and then, rather than kept in the infirmary or sent back to his own room, was left alone with an adult in a room with (im pretty sure) no cameras or other people for literal hours???

not that im saying noel noa would do anything creepy, but just that conceptually that whole situation is an absolute legal nightmare on so many levels

do you think the non-bluelock NEL players get to leave the building orrrrrrrr..?

im fully aware that half of these thing are explainable by suspension of disbelief and also that kaneshiro and nomura werent thinking about this stuff when they wrote it, but please consider the following; i love being a hater <3

[chrissonnyangel]

𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜…

bluecollar!chris x shy!reader

𝒃𝒍𝒖𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒓!𝒄𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒔 . . . 22. super creative but chose being a blue collar worker to be safe. loves getting his hands dirty. tease. part time smoker. written by chase atlantic. lives in denim. extroverted. physical touch king. lethal face card. has his friends over every weekend to watch the games with them. women who walk past him swoon instantly. timberlands. works himself until he's exhausted so he can be looked after by shy!reader all evening. leaves small love notes and trinkets for shy!reader to make her day a little better. 9-5. goofy behind closed doors. treats his girlfriend like she's glass. his only friends are his work colleges. loves family gatherings and having friends over but prefers to be tucked away with shy!reader. head over heels for his girlfriend. late night car rides will be the death of him. a real romantic when he wants to be.

𝙨𝙝𝙮!𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 . . . 22. professional daydreamer. introverted. nostalgia will be the death of her. home bird. always leaving the house with makeup on, no matter the occasion. keeps to herself. new nails every week. indecisive asf. blushes at anything and everything chris does. fidgets. total lovebug. written by the lumineers. reads whenever she can. shops for decorations for her's and chris' house every week. loves to maintain her garden with fresh blooming flowers. gentle. emotionally mature. great part time chef and baker. always has her hair in a wacky style. chris' first love and only love. cozy weekends. inexperienced. chris' nickname for her is petal.

𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙 . . .

It had been a couple of years since graduation and you suddenly had a message notification pop up on your phone. No name was displayed, weird. The message read out:

hey y/n, it's chris from high school. idk if you remember me but i thought maybe we could get something to eat sometime?

It seemed like a care free message, but in reality chris was fully stressing out about it ever since he sent it. you didn't really have a big online presence, occasionally you would post a photo dump to show classmates from high school that you were still alive, but that was the maximum. You both graduated 4 years ago, why would he get in touch now? It took you forever to reply to chris, there would be a thought, you'd write it out, overthink and then delete. But after about 25 minutes you managed to click send:

hi chris, i sort of remember. Were you the guy that was a triplet? And, how did you get this number?

Chris shot up immediately when he saw a notification with your name attached. His fingers swiped over the keypad, typing out a response that might grab your attention.

yeah, that's me. the triplet guy lmao. i asked a few friends if they had it. Is that a problem?

Chris smirked from behind the screen at his cheeky reply. The response caught you off guard a little at how comfortable he was texting an almost stranger. You went into defence mode, not wanting to have accidentally hurt his feelings.

It's not a problem. I just didn't want to be texting a random with someone else in mind.

Chris waited eagerly for your response, his finger tapped against his bedside table to pass the time. Every time a reply sent through, a smile kept reappearing on his face.

He had grown some confidence over the last 4 years. During high school he saw you sometimes in the hallway, on the way to class with your friends, getting your things out of your locker. Some guys had talked about you a few times, mentioning that you were pretty cute, Chris usually brushed it off and ignored the statement.

But graduation really messed with his mind. It was the way how you walked onto that stage to grab your diploma, with that super sweet, awkard, upside down smile you had. Chris noticed small things like thay from everytime he passed you. He had denied and suppressed his feelings for 4 years of school, not bothering to do anything about it. But when him and his brothers started talking about the past memories of high school recently, all that could enter his mind was you. And how he was finally going to start being brave.

Your a smart girl. So how about that bite to eat?

The back and forth messaging went on for a while, you both finally agreed to meet up for a late lunch tomorrow.

comment if you wanna be added to the taglist !!

taglist - @whore4chris @courta13 @cherrystainss @leila-marie4 @csturnioloswifey @l0s3rhaha @starryfursturniolo

[liberalk1tsch]

What do you think Haymitch thought about Gale and his behaviour towards Katniss (and Peeta)?How much did he know about this complicated relationship? I always considered Haymitch to be a rather good judge of the character -which his book imo confirms, so I feel that he would have Gale figured out pretty quickly but at the same time they come from similar backgrounds so that might have clouded his view somehow. Idk, what are your thoughts on that?

this is going to be one of my more unpopular opinions i reckon, but i’m ok with that.

once again — if you can't accept criticism of gale, dni

i’m gonna say it — i don’t think haymitch likes gale whatsoever.

i think he respects him for helping asterid and prim in katniss’ absence during the games and for helping to save the people of d12 from the firebombs, but that’s where he draws the line.

haymitch sees gale's relationship with katniss from a distance — not as her parent (not at first) viewing childhood friends or another love interest, but as someone on the outside looking in. he’s not caught in the emotional tangle; he sees a young man pursuing his sweetheart who’s barely had time to breathe, let alone process everything she’s been through. and while the age gap isn’t massive, haymitch is a district 12 native — he knows that 18 or 20 in the seam isn’t adolescence. it’s adulthood. and that makes his emotional pursuit of katniss feel . . . off.

nobody likes to hear this, but gale is a man. legally. physically. socially. hormonally. emotionally too for the most part, even if that aspect is a bit stunted. he's graduated from school. he works full time in the mines. supports his family. probably pays taxes. is legally able to get married with someone his own age.

it's different from an 18-20 y/o in our society where they might still be finishing up high school, going off to uni, not really being independent adults yet. there's no in-between steps like that in d12 for people between school age and adulthood/career. the responsibilities and expectations are different. by d12 standards, gale's a grown man.

and he uses his free time to hang out with a 17 y/o girl.

if it were just friendship, that would be one thing. but gale clearly wants something more, and he keeps pressing for it, even when katniss is drowning in trauma and fear. haymitch knows what trauma looks like. he lives it everyday. and he also knows what it means to love someone in a way that’s not about possession or control — love that’s protective, patient, and painful.

he sees that in peeta. not just the love, but the sacrifice and restraint. and he recognises it because it mirrors his own. haymitch is the Original Loverboy, and while he can acknowledge that gale does care about katniss, it’s a different kind of care — one that doesn’t always align with her best interest.

what makes it even more layered is that haymitch and gale have near-identical backgrounds. they both grew up in the seam, oldest siblings of fatherless families, raised by mothers who worked as washerwomen. they both broke the law to feed their families. they both watched their homes go up in flames.

haymitch understands gale. he knows what that situation does to a person. he sees the ruthlessness in gale during the rebellion — the tactical coldness, the willingness to sacrifice lives — and while he doesn’t condemn him for it, he knows that it’s not what katniss needs.

so yeah. haymitch respects gale’s tenacity. he understands his grief. but he doesn’t like the way he treats katniss. and he definitely doesn’t trust it.

because katniss finally has people who look out for her, and haymitch is going to make damn sure they’re the kind who deserve her.

[erwinsvow]

Also something I’ve had on my mind for a while is the idea of Pope finding love while he’s in jail. Like maybe he gets into a fight with another inmate or guard and he’s sent to see the medic at the jail and she’s this super cute gal who’s just so nice and gentle with him and he can’t help but do something everytime he knows she’s gonna be working just so he can be taken to go see her. OMG sometimes I let my mind wander and add some more details to it and like imagine she was like his childhood neighbor that he had a crush on but moved away and now she’s like an emergency medicine PA or nurse and she only works at the jail like once a month for some extra cash while she’s trying to pay off student loans or something and he’d def make some sort of anonymous donation or something to pay off her school. Idk just a cute idea that I love for him.

this is such an incredible idea!!! childhood neighbor reader who used to patch up pope after he got roughed up by the bullies at school and then eventually tussles with his brothers and the jobs that smurf made them do. he would sneak out and meet you by your fence and maybe you had parents who did not want you talking with those cody boys and their crazy mom so you just patch him up using the light from the moon and the christmas lights your parents never took down. bring a flashlight incase it's really bad and you need to stitch him up. maybe he brings you tiny things from their jobs—a bracelet here and a pretty necklace there. and then you leave for school years later and it's like, of course, he always knew you were smart and he thinks you'll be a great nurse and maybe on your last day he comes to say goodbye at your fence and you tell him how he was your first patient and ..... sappy sad goodbye. maybe you come back for breaks but he's not there all the time and your parents downsize and move away or pass and you finish school and start working. maybe he hears from smurf about how that neighbor girl just graduated and he thinks it's a test, like if he does something and sends you flowers or goes to visit you smurf will know what he felt towards you and could use you against him and he definitely can't have that. at the very least he needs to protect you the way you helped him for so many years. so he doesn't do anything.

and you, well it's not easy making an honest living. folsom is very far from oceanside but maybe you live in between or maybe not. but there's extra money for those willing to work a weekend shift in the prison ward. it's just helping the doctor patch up and the guards never leave your sight so it's not really even that dangerous. so you do it every once in a while and maybe andrew hears whispers about the pretty nurse in the infirmary and maybe some jokes about hurting themselves to go have a look. but then he actually does get hurt, by accident, and has to go down there and it's just very. oh. it's you. it's always been you!!! still wearing the jewelry he gave you years and years ago. maybe while you're patching him you make a joke about how it's so much easier with light and how it's just like old times. and then maybe you go one step further and go visit him during your breaks like using his visitation hours. and maybe it goes on like that for a while and he tells you that you really shouldn't be doing this job because it's not safe and he doesn't want to tell you what he's heard but he really doesn't want you here. and you tell him you have a lot of loans and your parents didn't leave you much and you can't just leave but. you know what i bet he'd say he'll take care of it when he gets released if you'll just please stop working here. and maybe stupidly you listen because you've always believed and trusted him. just very. shows up on your doorstep a little bit after he's released with a letter saying your loans are paid off and asks if he can actually come inside now and just :-) im emotional

[negrowhat]

Knock Out Elevator Pitch

Hey friend! If you're considering whether to start Knock Out then turn your attention towards this post!

I just want to give you all a quick breakdown of what the series is looking like so far and who is who.

Thun is a young and accomplished Muay Thai boxer. He is currently the reigning champion but also has not had a fight in quite some time. He's a reserved and calm guy and he seems very loyal. He doesn't seem to talk a lot to anyone. He lives at the boxing gym he fights for even though it seems like he comes from money.

Keen is a freshly graduated young man looking to land a corporate job. He is fiery and outspoken and he seems pretty straightforward. His world is suddenly turned upside down when his father mysteriously passes (they say it was a dog attack but IDK about that) and his secret debt is thrust upon Keen at the funeral. Keen is definitely smart and he comes up with good plans.

Keen and Thun first meeting is quite thrilling. Thun actually shows up at the funeral and saves Keen from the debt collecting thugs jumping him. He later moves into the boxing gym...and into Thun's bedroom. They definitely seem attracted to each other right away. When he's around Keen, Thun is very flirtatious and soft and sweet. Keen definitely feels safe around Thun and refuses to sleep in any room Thun is not in.

Keen and Thun have an interesting dynamic. Keen seems to be a bit of a hot head and Thun is always there to calm him down. They do have good communication because they care about each other even though they don't know each other well. Thun is very protective of Keen but Keen is just some helpless damsel. Some people may find Keen a bit annoying but the boy is under a lot of stress and his entire world just changed, he's allowed to be a bit bitchy and he does own up to his bad attitude and bad decisions.

Current Conflict:

Keen signs Thun up to fight his old friend Typhoon without Thun's consent. It pisses Thun off because he's sick of people making decisions for him without his permission. He has refused to fight Typhoon since Typhoon ditched him. There are personal feelings involved that are overlooked. Thun also feels like Keen only cares about making money from the match. To be fair Keen is struggling to pay back his dad's debt. Thun is also very valid in how he reacts.

Other Key Characters:

Ait is a fellow boxer, he's Thun's junior. His main goal is to make money to help pay for his ill younger sister's treatment. He does other work outside of boxing, like being a masseur. If there are any Guide stans then you are in luck!

Mawin is the boxing gym owner's son. He helps with the business side of the gym and appears to partake in some gambling. I don't know how old he is, but he's older than Thun and Keen. If there are any Dech stans then you are in LUCK!

AitMawin are set up to be a pairing...and they seem to already be established...

Typhoon is Thun's old best friend. They used to box together in the same gym but one day Typhoon suddenly decides to quit. He wants to be a better fighter than Thun so he joins a competing gym. Thun refuses to fight Typhoon and is very hurt by him leaving. I don't know how deep their friendship was but I'm sure Thun was in love with him.

Petch is the boxing gym owner. Mawin is his son and Ait and Thun are his boxers. He was good friends with Keen's father and offered to let Keen live with him at the gym until he can get on his feet. In exchange Keen has taken on the responsibility of managing the gym's bookings and social media.

Klao is Keen's best friend. She's a sports reporter of some sort and she comes in clutch for Keen a lot. Boong is a female boxer at the gym who seems to be a fan of Klao.

Final Pitch:

This series is packed with action and excitement. The pairs in the series seem to waste no time with beating around the bush. Did I mention there's a shower scene in ep 1???? The chemistry between Thun and Keen is instant and refreshing. The chemistry between Mawin and Ait is explosive.

We haven't had a fun boxing series since Wandee Goodday! I think the plot is going to be exciting and cohesive, Dee Hup House is behind the production for the series and we love a good Dee Hup series (Jack and Joker, Lovely Writer, and I Feel You Linger in the Air). The series is also directed by Tee Bundit who directed all the series I just mentioned. We're in good hands.

I think this series is going to focus more on outside forces for our couples rather than internal ones.

There's a ton of drama too. Not just the Typhoon beef. There seems to be drug abuse. There's Keen's loan sharks, they seem to work for a lady who is mafia affiliated. There's also probably some corruption. I think we'll get some drama with Mawin and his gambling too. There's kidnapping, daring rescues, and smut. At some point we'll get matching necklaces too. ALSO GAP IS GOING TO BE IN IT! Gap Jakarin from The Sign! IT'S ALSO COLOR-CODED!

I think the series is going to be stellar. I've been waiting for it since it was announced.

Knock Out the Series drops every Friday at 7:30 PM Bangkok time. You can watch it on the WeTV/Tencent app and also on WeTV's YouTube page. If you have a WeTV subscription then there are 3 eps out currently and if you're watching on YouTube there are 2 eps. COME SCREAM WITH ME! THIS SERIES HAS EVERYTHING!

[libingan]

i just graduated yesterday!!! and ive been having back pains since the morning before the graduation. even now, im still in pain dsajkds so i thought why not make a fic abt kyle giving reader a real nice massage😉😉😉!!! except, let’s make it male reader because why not????

um, idk how to do warnings and shit…

does this count as dubcon??? idk, theres a part where reader tries to stop him, but its very brief??? so im not sure????

just to be safe, ill tag it as dubcon bc i literally do not know SHDJWJSJW pls tell me if it is or isnt!!!

after a long, grueling day, you return to your barracks, each step sending a sharp twinge of pain through your lower back. a low grumble escapes you, cursing about how the weight of your gear feels like it’s compressing your spine and you can barely find the energy to unbuckle the heavy straps.

once you finally enter your room, you quickly drop the gear onto the floor, a loud sigh of relief escaping you, despite the lingering ache. you stretch lightly, trying to ease the tension in your muscles, but it only causes you to wince in pain.

you trudged towards your bed, carelessly flopping onto the soft mattress. you didn’t even bother stripping off your clothes, too eager to finally get the rest you’ve been craving the whole day.

the silence in your barracks gives you time to think about the relentless duties your line of work brings. you love it, no doubt about that, but sometimes you can’t help but wonder why you love what you do when shit like this happens.

a heavy exhale leaves your lips, and just as you were about to finally get some sleep, a knock on your door disrupts your plans.

you groan loudly into your pillow, forcing yourself off the bed as you slowly made your way to the door, face scrunched up in discomfort as you rubbed your lower back.

once you reach the door, you twist the doorknob and pull it open, revealing your superior, sergeant kyle garrick. you blink at him in surprise. what the hell is he doing here?

“sergeant,” you greet him with a nod, “what brings you here?”

kyle nods back at you, walking into your barracks without a single word. he closes the door behind him before addressing you. “how’s your back?”

you’re caught off guard, not expecting him to notice. you straighten up at his question, the persistent ache in your back making itself known, but you’re determined not to show it.

“it’s… manageable,” you reply.

kyle hums, eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion at your response. “manageable, you say?” he muses, “i’ve seen that wince. go get on the bed, lay on your stomach.”

“…what?”

the man standing in front of you sighs, ushering you towards the bed. “gotta make sure i keep the team in shape, yeah?”

surprisingly, you find yourself unable to resist the way kyle smiles so charmingly at you. with a sigh, you make sit by the edge of your bed. “do i keep my shirt on or—“

“take it off.” kyle immediately replies. he clears his throat right after, still smiling at you. “you can take it off, if you want. it’d make this easier for me if you did.”

you shrug, pulling off your shirt and hanging it by a nearby chair. kyle’s gaze flicker down your body, his eyes gleaming with… something. you can’t tell what, but it’s there. “good. lie down.”

you wordlessly comply, moving to lie on your stomach, just as kyle had instructed. he shuffles to straddle your hips, perching himself on your butt.

kyle places his hands on your back, working on the tight knots with practiced skills. his fingers are firm, yet gentle, kneading your sore muscles with rhythmic motion.

after a few moments, he pauses, “where do you want my hands?” he asks.

“low… a little lower, please… near the spine—fuuuuck, just like that…” you suck in a breath, eyes fluttering shut as kyle applies the perfect amount of pressure on that one spot.

“right here?” he moves his hands in slow, circular motions, pressing into the indicated spot.

“yesss… yes, right there,” you respond, a sigh of relief escaping your lips. as he continues to work his magical hands on the sore area, you can’t help but let out a few (a lot) of appreciative moans and groans. “feels so much better, holy shit,” you murmur, a soft hum leaving you.

kyle’s breathing hitches, and he tries to maintain his composure, but how can he? you sound so pretty, moaning from his simple touch. he can’t help it if he finds himself responding to the sound of your relief. the gentle sounds you make as he presses into the knots bring out an unwelcome reaction, stirring his arousal.

fuck, he can feel himself getting hard. kyle knows he should stop. he stills his hands, ready to pull away, but when he hears you whine out his name so softly…

he can’t help it when his hands travel lower, toying with the waistband of your jeans, wanting nothing more than to pull them off.

“…sergeant?” you call out, looking over you shoulder to catch his heated gaze. kyle gently shushes you, pressing his crotch against your clothed ass. “it’s okay. im gonna take care of you, i swear. just let me, okay?” he whispers, lifting up your hips enough to unbutton your jeans.

you try to push yourself up, but kyle tuts in disapproval, gently pushing you back down. “no. just stay down. be good for me, okay?”

“sergeant, we shouldn’t—“

“it’s kyle.” he quickly cuts you off, unzipping your jeans, slowly pulling them down. “remember that, yeah? wanna hear you moaning that name in a bit.”

his words send a rush of heat flowing through your veins, heading straight down to your cock. you mutter a few curses under your breath before lifting your hips up a little to give him more space to pull your jeans and boxers off.

“there we go…” kyle throws the clothes off the bed, his hands immediately kneading the soft flesh of your ass. “where have you been hiding this thing, man?” he teases, lightly slapping your cheek, watching it jiggle from the force.

you don’t even bother responding, only rolling your eyes at his comment. kyle chuckles at this, shaking his head in amusement.

“got nothing to say?” he gently parts your cheeks apart, licking his lips at the sight of your puckered hole. “fuckin’ hell…” he groans, feeling himself throb in his pants. “can i?”

you bury your head into your arms, nodding. you doubt kyle would take no for answer anyway.

without another word, kyle lowers his head, tongue darting out to lick a fat stripe across your hole, groaning at the taste.

you shiver from the sensation, a shaky sigh leaving you as you glance over your shoulder to see kyle, eyes shut and brows knitted together, half of his face disappearing in between your ass cheeks as the tip of his tongue breaches your hole, circling the muscle before slowly prodding inside.

“kyle, wait, this is really dirty—fuck!” you moan again, burying your face into the pillows.

“s’not dirty, love, just let me make you feel good…” kyle mutters, pulling away to spit on your hole, watching the glob of saliva roll down to your balls. “lift your hips up f’me.”

you nod, raising your hips with the help of kyle’s hands. he gently pats your bum in approval before moving closer behind you, reaching in front of you to position two fingers to your lips. “suck.”

you eagerly take his long, slender fingers into your mouth, slobbering your spit all over the digits, drool slowly dripping down his palm. you swirled your tongue around his fingers, moaning when he catches the wet muscle with ease, pressing them down before pulling his hand away, causing you to whine from the loss.

“patience, boy,” he chuckles, planting kisses down your spine before spreading your ass cheeks once more with one hand. “relax, okay?”

you nod your head, trying to ease your mind as kyle’s fingers trace around the rim of your hole. “im going to push it in. take a deep breath for me, love.” he says, and you do as you’re told.

he smiles at your obedience, finger slowly sinking into your tight hole. kyle can’t see your face, so he relies on the sounds you make to know if you’re still enjoying this.

“how’s it feel?” he asks, pausing his movements momentarily. you swallow the lump in your throat, voice coming out shaky as you reply, “…w-weird, but you can… you can keep going.”

“good boy,” he praises, resuming the movement of his finger. once he finally sunk in the entirety of his finger, kyle stills himself, waiting for some sort of negative reaction.

all kyle gets in return is a needy whine for more leaving your lips.

he grins at that, sliding in the second finger into your crack. “how does it feel?”

“i feel like i’m about to take a fucking shit,” you grit your teeth, clenching around kyle’s

fingers.

“you aren’t, don’t worry.” kyle reassures you. “im gonna move, is that okay?”

when you finally give him the green light, he lets out a low chuckle, circling his fingers inside of you.

you shudder at the feeling, your aching back completely forgotten as kyle fucks you on his fingers.

“tell me how this feels,” kyle whispers, lightly pressing the pad of his fingers against a certain one spot that has you seeing fucking stars.

“oh, fuck—“ you gasp, eyes rolling into the back of your head, your neglected cock leaking pre onto the sheets. “again. again. please.”

kyle smirks at that. you can’t see it, but you can already imagine the smug look on his face. “like this?” he asks, fingers curling against your prostate intently, determined to bring you over to the edge.

“yes! yes—oh my god-!” you mewl, hands going up to each side of your head to grab and twist at the pillow beneath you, knuckles turning white from your grip.

you bury your face into the pillow, muffling your moans, which have increased in volume with each curl of kyle’s fingers. the sergeant lets out a breathy laugh at the sight of you, lowering his head down to your ass before licking at the rim of your hole, his free hand moving to wrap around your cock, stroking it in time with his fingers.

“haah—fuck! fuck, kyle! please—i-i’m so—“ you try to speak.

“mmhm, just let go…” he mumbles, doubling his efforts.

you groan, muscles trembling as you try to keep your hips upright, head lolling down in between your arms. you can’t help but fuck yourself against him, biting the pillow in an attempt to stifle your moans.

“i-i’m almost—“ a broken moan leaves you, the coil in your stomach tightening, the pleasure running up your spine, and you know you can’t hold back any longer.

it’s then that kyle applies more pressure to your prostate, fisting your cock with renewed vigor. that’s all it takes for you to cum all over the sheets, your orgasm crashing down on you like a tidal wave.

your vision whitens temporarily as kyle continues curling his fingers, milking you for all your worth.

“kyle—i can’t, no,” you whimper, feeling a mixture of pain and pleasure as he crosses the side of too much.

slowly and carefully, kyle pulls his head away, along with his fingers. he gently lets go of your softening cock, watching as you slump on the bed, exhausted.

he wipes his fingers off on his pants. it’s a little gross, but kyle doesn’t care too much about it.

“you okay?” kyle asks, using his clean hand — the one that wasn’t in your ass — to rub soft circles into your back.

“never been better,” you answer, panting heavily as you move your head to the side, looking over your soldier to see kyle’s concerned, but also slightly amused expression. “my back’s still aching.”

kyle lets out a hearty laugh at that, rolling his eyes playfully. “i’ll get to that later,” he says, pressing his clothed cock between your asscheeks. “i got something aching here too, love, and you owe me one.”

yeah, your back pain didn’t get any better after that.

[therealcocoshady]

I also had an idea kind of similar to the arranged marriage plot maybe someone sets them up on a blind date… he keeps saying no but the person playing Cupid is very persistent and he ends up feeling obligated to go (idk, just a thought)

Oh, I actually had an thought about something similar to this, a while ago - please don’t mind me, I literally wrote this thing in less than 30 minutes and didn’t proofread. I just wrote it so that you’d get the idea.

After years of frustration with women and trust issues, Marshall has made peace with the fact that he’s going to end up alone. Even his friends have stopped trying to set him up on dates. Sure, they’d like to see him thrive in a relationship, and they can see how lonely he is, sometimes, but they also know he’s complicated. So they leave him alone on the topic. So he dedicates to his work and his role as a father.

And ironically enough, his girls are the only people that could get him to go out of his comfort zone. One of them is still in college, studying psychology. She has to do an assignment for one of her classes and she is searching for volunteers for an experiment on dating and relationships. The design is pretty simple : people sign up, fill some forms and answer questions. Then, an algorithm pairs them up for maximum compatibility and they have to go on a date, during which they will have to answer the famous 36 questions designed to make them fall in love. His daughter is a bit behind on work and she has to find one more volunteer. She doesn’t even believe in this whole thing, she just wants to pass the class. So she begs Marshall, who refuses at first. Because A) he doesn’t date and B) even if he did, he wouldn’t take part in an experiment, much less one involving his daughter in his romantic life. But she’s really desperate and she assures him that the whole thing is anonymous and clinical. « Please, Dad, it’ll take twenty minutes of your time. And who knows if they’ll even pair you with anyone for the date. I just need to pass the class and graduate. You’re the one who always insisted on me getting higher education ! ». Of course, he caves in. Because he did sacrifice a lot for his babies to go to college, and he’ll be damned if his daughter fails the class because of him. Plus, the people in charge of the experiment will probably see his answers and figure he’s a lost cause. Even science wouldn’t find a good match for him, right ?

Except that it does. Weeks later, he receives an email, informing him that he’s been selected for the second step of the experiment and that they’ve found him a match with 95% compatibility. At first, he figures he won’t go. With his luck, they paired him with another fifty-something man who’s just as lonely. No way this could be a woman. Not with the stoic and sarcastic answers he typed in the form. The email doesn’t even specify who they paired him with. They just ask if he’d be available for a date in two weeks time. Basically, it’s having coffee with the other person, answering the 36 questions unrecorded and then filling another form to describe the experience and say if yes or no they feel attracted to the other person and would consider actually dating them. He figures that, even though it’s anonymous, his daughter’s team wouldn’t have the data if he bails and he’ll be damned if his precious daughter doesn’t get her degree because of him. Of course he’ll bite the bullet and go on that stupid coffee date. Even if he’s paired with a 53 year-old name George.

But as it turns out, his date is not 53 year-old George. It’s you. You and your charming smile. You who agreed to take part in the whole thing because your little sister, his daughter’s teammate, begged you at the last minute. God, these college students need to learn how to do things in time and not to involve their family in their cringy psych classes experiment. You don’t even want to do this whole thing but when a charming man shows up, you can’t help but smile and introduce yourself, extending a polite handshake to greet him. He doesn’t seem too at ease in that little café, which you find odd because it’s actually quite lovely. Also, you swear you’ve seen him somewhere, but it’s Detroit and he’s a brown-haired, bearded, middle-aged man in jeans and a hoodie. Pretty generic. You’re not exactly surprised to have been paired up with someone older than you. You’ve always been told you’re an old soul, so of course « science » (or whatever software they used to compile data) would figure out that your perfect match is almost twenty years older. Anyway, you’re not really here for a date. You’re here for your sister to finally graduate. And you’re not one to refuse free Chai latte.

So the two of you exchange a few pleasantries, introduce yourselves and get to these 36 questions. You tell each other who you could have dinner with if you could choose anyone in the world, whether or not you have a secret hunch about how you will die… as it turns out, the thing is cleverly designed. The questions are increasingly personal and both of you end up sharing personal details, things you most definitely wouldn’t think of sharing with a stranger you were more or less randomly paired up with. By the time you reach the last question, you are looking into each other’s eyes, giving your undivided attention, leaning in. When you arrived, you were strangers but by the end of the date, you feel like you really know each other. More than some people you’ve known your whole life. And by the time it ends, you’ve had the time to notice how charming the wrinkles around eyes are, and you don’t find it too unsettling that he blinks a bit faster than most people you know. As for him, he hasn’t failed to notice that little birthmark near your eye, and the way your mouth twitches when you’re trying to think of the adequate word to answer one of the questions. You don’t know each other’s favorite color or the name of your first pet, but both know when the other last cried in front of someone else and by themselves and why. 36 questions and a cup of coffee later, and you’re not really strangers. You actually had a pleasant time. Too bad you reached the end of the questionnaire and it’s time to go. Too bad he doesn’t offer to take your number and call you. Too bad you’re too demure to ask for his. You wouldn’t have minded actually going out with him. Maybe even discuss that movie he mentioned in passing and thinks you’d like.

The two of you share a hug goodbye and agree that it was fun. You wish him well for his daughter’s wedding he told you he’s busy planning and he wishes you luck for that job interview you said you were nervous about. When you go home and it’s time to answer that final set of questions, saying how you feel about the experiment, you actually give the whole thing a solid 8/10. And when you’re asked if you’d actually date the person you met for coffee, you tick « yes » faster than you’ve ticked any box. You do the same when it asks you if you’d consent to the other person being given your contact info.

Weeks later, Marshall is ecstatic when his daughter tells him she got a good grade for that psych class and that she’ll be graduating with honors. He’s proud as can be. She thanks him profusely for helping her. « I know it’s a stupid thing. But hey, there are a few people who reported they had a good time. Who knows ? Maybe I helped someone find love. ». She has absolutely no idea that he is one of the people who asked for the other person’s contact info as soon as they were given the possibility. She doesn’t know he’s been on four more dates with you. People have been so used to him being single that it didn’t even cross his daughter’s mind. Not even when he mentioned he missed the last Lions’ game, which never happens. But she definitely gets a hunch when he attends her graduation ceremony and sees him smile to that beautiful lady who’s attending her graduation ceremony and came to greet him. « Oh, that’s my sister speaking with your dad ! », her friend says. « I convinced her to do the experiment and she told me she met someone charming. Can you believe it ?! ».

[perseephoneee]

okie dokie does a Dean Winchester x reader fic work? Had an idea way back in s1 when jess first dies, (older sister, who kinda takes sam under her wing) reader ended up meeting dean through sam. They had similar personalities but (reader) was more of a hopeless romantic than Dean. Sam on the other hand could totally see them together but Dean always denied it.

“Stop eyeing her like she's a piece of steak, you creep” “The hell? I do not do that, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

so they left ca and travelled and maybe in s2-3 (doesnt have to be accurate) they end up back in ca because of a case or cause reader called sam for help. (not expecting dean to show up as well) and after shes not in danger, turns out they get along really well.

"Im not an arm rest, dean." "Mhm, then why are you so short?" "I'M 5'3 THATS NORMAL"

and just fluff..? idk man let me know if its not what you want to write, i can totally change it💜

not a steak (dean winchester x f!reader)

↳ masterlist  ↳ ship exchange ↳ taglist ↳ 1k celebration

wow remember when i could actually write things in a timely manner? yeah, me neither. i miss those days (that never existed). whomp whomp.

You don't necessarily remember the exact moment that you met Sam. He's been a constant in your life since you were his TA as an undergraduate, watching this freakishly tall freshman so eager to succeed in your class. He made your heart soft, and he made you feel protective. Even though he was so much bigger than you, a naivety in his persona made you take extra time to ensure he succeeded. He ended up getting an A in the class.

You do remember when you met Dean, however. You had heard stories of Dean from Sam the few times you'd catch lunch outside of school. By this point, you were a grad student, filling the void of the older sibling that Sam unconsciously needed filled. You never pried for too many details, and that's how you got people to shut up really fast. But you did meet Dean right as he left town to look for his Dad. Dean was coarse and dismissive of you as if you were just another roadblock stopping him from taking his brother. When you finally got his attention, it was just to size you up before wordlessly climbing into his car. Sam seemed apologetic, but mostly, you were just worried. You had every right to be. Jessica died a week later.

The thing about you is that you can't let a dead dog lie. Where's the fun in that? You'd much rather figure out ways to raise them.

Sam was brilliant, but he let enough details slip to allow you to research him. And you were a law graduate student; you knew a thing or two about studying. Random newspaper clippings, shoutouts of various names, and blog posts allowed you to figure out the supernatural aspect of his life that he had kept from you. You should've been more surprised, but you were more excited than anything. There was more out there. What a strangely relieving thought.  

This knowledge proved helpful when you realized you had a poltergeist.

The new place you moved into was charming and Victorian, the dream of everyone with a Pinterest board. It was in fairly decent shape, and with your roommates, you guys thought you could polish it up to something livable during your suffering years of graduate school. Unfortunately, the price was too good to be true, which led to the unfortunate circumstance of hauntings culminating in one of your roommates in the hospital, barely alive. You called Sam that night.

"Hey Sam, it's me…" you trailed off at that, feet tucked under you as the machines' beeping cut through the silence. "I need your help."

The next day, he was at your door, enveloping you in a hug. He smelled exactly the same, and you didn't realize how much you missed him. Dean was with him.

"I'm Dean," he nodded, holding out a hand. You raised a brow.

"We've met."

"I would've remembered someone who looks like you," Dean scoffs, an easy smirk on his lips that probably made many women swoon. You just rolled your eyes, going back into your house and hoping Sam followed.

A week later, the boys were still here. This ghost was frustrating, and it was more the principle of it that was pissing you off more than anything. You let the brothers stay at the house since it was safer in numbers and cheaper. Plus, your roommates took a wide berth of the place before returning. A routine developed in the short time they were here. You cooked breakfast, Sam made coffee, and Dean woke up at some point. You and Sam would enjoy the paper before something happened (usually related to the crossword that Dean was totally not interested in), and you ended up bickering with the older Winchester until Sam got fed up with it and shut it down.

"Stop eyeing her like she's a piece of steak," Sam muttered to Dean when you weren't around, having stormed off to some other corner of the house. Dean almost spit out his coffee.

"The hell? I do not do that. I have no clue what you're talking about."

Sam just nodded, hiding a smirk behind his book as Dean grumbled about not checking you out.

For the first time that week, Sam was out that night. He was following "a lead." What that lead was, no one knew, but it meant you were alone. With Dean. In a house. Without supervision.

You grumbled something about making dinner. Dean followed you.

"Are you lost?" you asked, hands on your hips as Dean plopped himself at the counter.

"I'm following the food."

"Of course you are."

"Please, no more rabbit food," Dean groaned. "I can't take it anymore."

"Oh no, definitely not," you smirked, pulling out some steaks from the fridge you had been saving. Dean's eyes immediately lit up. "You're helping me cook these. I'm not letting your dumb ass sit around while I prepare a meal."

"You're bossy," Dean grumbles but doesn't complain further as he removes his flannel and sets it on the chair. You ignore that he looks really good in a t-shirt and return to grabbing ingredients. To his credit, Dean is good at letting you tell him what to do and following through. He is definitely a better chef than Sam, who has burned many things in your kitchen. Dean is an excellent sous chef. You tell him as such.

"The hell? I am not a sous," he says while furiously stirring butter.

"It's a compliment, you knobhead."

"Knobhead? What 1950s show are you living in?"

This conversation went back and forth for a while. But you finished cooking a meal, which is always considered a success in your book. Dean devoured him almost immediately before you could even finish cutting through it. Then, it was just you attempting to finish your meal in peace. This was difficult, as Dean continuously kept eyeing your food, hoping you might give it to him, and then would complain outwardly when you didn't.

"You're not going to finish it," he drank his beer, once again looking at your dinner. You glared.

"I can finish it."

"A girl like you doesn't finish an entire steak."

That comment pissed you off. You finished your steak in two bites, shocking Dean, and then proceeded to grab his glass of beer and down it in one gulp. You slammed the glass down, raising a brow. "You have no clue what type of girl I am."

You grabbed both your plates and made your way to the kitchen, putting them in the sink and starting to clean the dishes. You barely made it through a plate before Dean pushed you out of the way.

"Dean—"

"I'm not questioning your ability, but in my world, the one who doesn't cook cleans. So, sit your ass down," Dean said before you could chew him out. You bit the inside of your cheek and sat down, still glaring at him as he washed each dish meticulously and put them either in the dishwasher or on the drying rack. When he was done, he threw the dishtowel over his shoulder. The domesticity made you soften. "I'm sorry for earlier."

You blinked, not really expecting any sort of apology from Dean Winchester. You did expect that you would not get anything besides those words.

"I don't understand women."

You laughed at that, leaning on your hand with your elbow on the table. "Aren't you a self-proclaimed ladies' man?"

"I know how to sleep with women, but I don't get what goes through your heads," Dean leaned against the counter, arms crossed. "You want one thing and then a different thing, and I can't keep up."

"So, you're admitting you're slow." Dean threw the towel at you. "Women aren't that complicated; men are just bad listeners. You included."

"I can listen."

"Really? What was I frusterated about at dinner?" you challenged, getting off your seat and leaning over the counter. He blinked a few times.

"That I kept asking for your steak?"

"No, that you presumed that as a woman, I couldn't finish a steak."

"Well, that's not what I said," Dean replied, getting defensive. You just rolled your eyes, grabbing the wine bottle on the counter.

"Oh, also, insight into women; they lie about how good men actually are in the bedroom," you winked, leaving the room and taking the wine with you. You could almost hear Dean's jaw drop.

"It ain't a lie, princess," he intercepted you, his stupid legs moving much faster than yours. You frowned but didn't say anything. Dean took a breath, locking eyes with you. "Why do you insist on always pushing my buttons?"

"Because it's fun? Because you're both annoying and easy to annoy?" you shrugged, clutching your wine bottle to your chest. You didn't know why you picked on him, besides the fact he could be an absolute ASS sometimes that needed kicking. No, you suppose it goes back to early schoolyard days where instead of 'flirting,' you'd push the person and maybe claim to the entire class that they had cooties. To this day, you still had no idea what cooties exactly were, just that you never wanted to catch them.

"I think you like me," Dean smirked. He had crowded you against the wall leading to the living room. Your wine was an innocent bystander clutched to your chest. Maybe not as tall as Sam, but you still had to look up to see him. "I'm gonna prove it."

"Excuse me?" you breathed any sort of bite to your words caught in your throat as he reached up to your face and stroked your cheek. His hands found purchase holding your neck, tilting your face even higher and infinitely closer. Dean took the wine bottle out of your hands, your last line of defense, and stepped away for a second to put it back on the counter. His hands found your face again.

"Hey princess," he whispered, voice sultry. "Breathe." You couldn't do such a thing even if you wanted to because his lips were on yours, and he tasted like the draft beer in your fridge and apple pie. He was gentle, too gentle, and you wanted more. Your hands, first unsure of what to do, grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer. One of his hands moved to your waist, thumb brushing the exposed skin where your shirt rode up. He was everywhere all at once, masculinity encapsulated, and you were drowning in it. He pulled away, letting you breathe, the command you forgot to follow. "I wanted to do that since I saw you."

"Bullshit."

"Honest to god— well, not god, but honest— but then you had to go and be increasingly difficult," Dean scoffed, still holding on to you.

"You don't even remember the first time we met."

"Of course I do; it was a week after my Dad disappeared," Dean responded. "You were wearing pajamas and had a raincoat wrapped around you as you asked Sam not to go so that you could figure it out together. I was curt, and you looked like you wanted to call me a thousand horrible names, but you let it go as we drove away."

You smiled a little at that. "You do remember."

"What can I say? I like pushing your buttons."

You smacked him on the chest, earning a laugh as you fought off your smile. You did finally get your wine and let Dean choose something to watch. About halfway through your movie (and three glasses of pinot noir in), you got distracted by a makeout session that would've made your teenage self swoon, but it didn't progress more than that. Neither of you wanted to go too fast. Most of the time, it was just light conversation, cuddling, and the realization that maybe you two were much more alike than you thought.

Both of you fell asleep like that on the couch, blissfully unaware of the morning light. Sam came home early in the morning, dropping his bags before seeing the both of you entwined on the couch. A smile crossed his face.

"Finally."

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