#hydrate early hydrate often

[arrolyn1114]

I started messing around in Canva and this is what happened. Lol

[rreids]

Hey love I have an ask bc I’ve been feeling super depressed lately and I haven’t wanted to get out of bed lol can you do a one shot when spencer leaves for the week on a case and comes home to the house a mess and the reader laying in bed crying and he makes her shower and eat and cuddles her

oh my love <3 i hope you are feeling a little better. please make yourself a nice warm drink and try to spend some time outside or doing something outside of bed, even if it's just five minutes <3 it's worth it, i promise — someone who also bed rots often

LITTLE BY LITTLE • S. REID X READER

hurt/comfort; reader in a depressive episode; mentions of emotional eating and food; perfect bf spencer; nonsexual nudity and intimacy; kisses; pet names; fluff; ~1k

Spencer being gone was normal, a common occurrence. You didn’t normally struggle when he was gone, but with a mix of bad days at work and him being gone, you could barely bring yourself to eat.

You liked to keep the house clean while he was gone so he’d have one less stressful thing to come back to. This time, it was a mess, clothes and food packaging left around. You’d raided the sweets stash, and made a mental note to replace his chocolate bars before he realized.

“Honey?” Spencer’s voice calls, and you blink away the sting of tears. You weren’t hydrated enough for more to roll down your cheeks, but you didn’t want to worry him. With a swipe of your (his) sweater sleeve, you work on rubbing away tear stains as he comes into the bedroom, tilting his head at the wrappers and mess on the nightstand. “You okay?”

You shake your head, not trusting your voice. “You’re home early,”

“It ended well,” he tells you, gathering the trash left sitting. He doesn’t even comment that his nice chocolate bars were clearly eaten. “How long have you been like this?”

“Few days, maybe?”

“Why didn’t you call?” He sighs. He sounds exasperated, but you know he’s not upset at you as he rubs a soothing hand over your cheek and lets you lean into him.

“I didn’t wanna worry you,” you mumble, voice muffled into his palm. You press a kiss to it, smiling softly when his fingers twitch at the ticklish sensation. “‘S okay.”

Spencer shakes his head adamantly, you know he disagrees. “Find some nice pajamas for me, okay? I’ll be right back.”

He comes back after throwing out the trash. “I put some water on. Tea or hot cocoa?”

“Tea,” you mumble, rubbing your throat.

“With honey. Don’t even try to tell me not to add it.” Spencer grabs the pajamas you scrounged up. “I’ll fluff these in the dryer, too. C’mon, gorgeous,”

He helps you stand and lets you curl into his side as he walks you into the bathroom and helps you undress, pressing a gentle kiss to your shoulder as he tugs the sweater off. You shiver at how cold the air is, and he reaches behind you to turn the water on and let it start to warm.

Spencer carefully brushes your hair out of your face with his fingers, frowning when you pull away a little. He doesn’t comment on it, just studying your face with his intent stare.

“Stop looking at me,” you mumble.

“Just trying to see if you’re okay, sweetheart,” he whispers, ghosting a kiss over your cheek. “You’ll tell me about it after. Do you want me to help you wash up?”

You pause. “Dunno.”

Spencer chuckles. “Ok, well, I’m gonna go start fluffing your clothes and put water in the kettle. Let me know when I get back?”

You nod, wrapping your arms around yourself as his movement creates a draft.

When he peeks back in, you’re staring at the water.

“You have to get in, honey,” he reminds you, voice sweet. It makes you feel like crying.

“I know. I think I’m okay.”

Spencer pauses as his mind processes what you’re responding to. “Okay. Take as long as you need. I’ll be waiting in the living room,”

The water is nice — heated exactly where you like it to be —, and you take much longer than normal letting it run over corded muscles and wash away your sadness as you get clean. It’s nice, and you know you’ll feel better when you get out. Part of you hates that, because it just makes another thing Spencer is right about (and he’s always right about things, so you pride yourself on the times you beat him). 

When you finally step out and towel dry, you find your warm clothes on the counter. He must’ve brought them in while you were distracted.

Finally dressed in clean clothes, you drop the dirty ones in the hamper and pad out to the living room.

Spencer is in comfortable clothes — a Washington DC hoodie, sweatpants, fluffy and mismatched socks — and his hair is no longer styled. That’s the first thing you notice. Then you notice the tea, the bowl of perfectly cut-up fruit, and the spread of cheese, crackers, and lunch meat.

“Figured you wouldn’t want a full meal,” he tells you, patting his thigh. You walk over and settle on him gently, squeaking in surprise when he pulls you into him more tightly and presses kisses on your face until you squirm from the contact, giggling. “C’mon, open,”

He taps the strawberry piece to your lips and you roll your eyes as you eat it.

“I love you, you know that?”

“‘Course I do, Spence,” you tell him, voice soft and scratchy.

“Then tell me. Please? Me not knowing you’re upset hurts more than being unable to be here for you. I can at least call you and leave voicemails or talk you through stuff.”

You sigh, shoulders dropping. “But you’re busy and dealing with hard stuff already.”

“And I will always choose to deal,” he says the word like it’s poisonous, “with what you are struggling with first. I signed up to be your number one supporter. Always,”

He hands you your tea and waits for you to finish drinking before he takes it and sets it back down. He holds your hands, rubbing his thumb over the back.

“Okay? Tell me.”

“Okay.”

Spencer smiles and relaxes, kissing you more gently. “Now eat up, sweetheart. It’s all for you.”

You whine at that, and he cuts you off with a stern look.

“My chocolate bars are not proper sustenance for an adult of your—”

“Spencer.” You mumble, picking up a grape. “Shut up. I’ll eat.”

He smiles, pleased, and leans his head on your shoulder. It should be weird, him watching you eat, but it fills you with warmth and happiness as he traces aimless shapes on your thigh and makes sure you’re okay.

title is bc: little by little you will be okay. i know you will. we all will be.

[silv3rswirls]

Boyfriend things with Seventeen

♡Seungcheol♡

Always encouraging you: He feels a swell of joy whenever he sees you go after your dreams and goals. He’s your number one supporter and will do anything to encourage you.

Protects you: Even if you insist you don’t need protection, he’s always there to ensure you're doing well and safe. No one’s going to bother you on his watch. He always takes you home or calls a cab for you, scares away creeps while out together, and if you’re not together he’s always texting to check up on you.

Gives you his card: He likes to take care of and spoil you. You could tell him over and over again that he doesn’t need to spend money on you, but he’ll always be the one to take the bill and bring you gifts now and again. You could comment about wanting to go shopping and he’s sliding his card towards you. It’s your birthday? Take his card and buy something nice. At work and hungry? He’s sending food for you. 

♡Jeonghan♡

Takes pics of you: His camera roll is flooded with pics of you and him, candids of you, foods you’ve eaten together, etc. he thinks you’re so pretty all the time, he always wants to capture it. Pictures of outfits you wore that he liked, of you sleeping, when you’re lazing around the house just being your cute self, etc.

Reminisces: Tends to think about your relationship a lot, all the fun you’ve had, the special dates and vacations. Even if he keeps it to himself, it always makes him smile to think back on it.

Gets you water: You will be hydrated on his watch. Always offers you some when you come over, leaves a glass out for you if you are deep in work, and harasses you over text about making sure you’ve eaten and had water for the day.

♡Joshua♡

Picks the food you don’t like out: It doesn’t happen often, but he’ll do it. Did your food come with something you don’t like in it? He’ll carefully pick them out for you, even if you insist he doesn’t have to. Not a fan of the side that came with your dinner? He’s stealing bites of it. Of course, you’re welcome to pick off his plate as well.

Always greets you: always says hello to you, or comes for a quick hug, or asks how you are that day. 

Forehead kisses: Whenever he finds you lying down he leaves a smooch on your forehead. You don’t even have to be sleeping. Or if you’re at the table working he’ll come up, brush your hair away, and kiss you. He doesn’t think about it anymore, it’s just a cute habit.

♡Jun♡

Comfy silence: The two of you have clicked well since early on, it never feels awkward when neither of you feels like speaking or have nothing to say. He likes having a calm, quiet evening with you. Just cuddled up and enjoying your presence. 

Remembers things: He appreciates all the time you spend together, especially milestones like anniversaries, birthdays, special occasions, etc. A throw-away date you went on over a year ago, but he remembers because you were so happy. Even if he can't remember it all,  he tries to leave notes and reminders on his phone. 

Keeps a pic of you on him: Whether it’s a cute Polaroid you two together in his wallet, or a silly picture of you as his lock screen he likes having a little picture of you with him. It makes him happy to glance down and see it now and again, and it makes him even happier if you do the same.

♡Hoshi♡

Shops with you: You don’t notice at first, but Hoshi doesn’t mind running around with you for errands or to shop. He likes to even. It’s a fun and casual way to spend time together, he likes being by your side, holding your hand, helping you decide what to get, etc.

Shares interests: He’s very passionate when it comes to his work and outside interests, and he likes to see you be that way about your interests. He likes to listen to you talk about them or for you to show him, and he’ll do the same. He’ll even give them a try as a way to spend time with you.

Chauffeurs you around: He loves to run around with you all day, so of course he doesn’t mind being the one to drive or take care of calling a car. 

♡Wonwoo♡

Sends you pics: If he’s shopping without he’ll send pics of things he thinks you would like. When he’s traveling he’ll send you pictures of interesting things he comes across, the sky or stars, etc.

Looks after you: He silently takes care of you. It’s not overly affectionate or mushy, but he’s always there for you. He makes sure you eat, asks if you need anything from the store before he gets home, and if you seem down he always asks what’s wrong and listens well.

Charges your phone: You passed out before plugging your phone in? He’s gonna plug it in and cover you up with a blanket.

♡Jihoon♡

Lets you talk his ear off about your interests: He could quietly sit there and let you talk his ear off all day. He likes to hear you express things you like, projects you are passionate about, or a show you want to recite the plot of.

Writes lyrics for you: He definitely has a few pages of lyrics he’s written about you and your relationship. Even if it isn’t his goal to write a song for you, sometimes the lyrics and ideas just spill out of them. He shares them with you now and again, if you’re not feeling well or on special occasions to express his love and appreciation.

Keeps your secrets/lets you vent unfiltered: You could tell him anything and he’d never spill your secrets to others. The two of you can vent unfiltered to each other whenever needed.

♡Dokyeom♡

Hand holding: He wants to hold your hand all the time. Whenever you’re in public together he’s got a hold of your hand, or an arm around your shoulder/waist. Sometimes while driving he’ll hold your hand or thigh, just to be close with you.

Appreciation: He loves and appreciates you and everything you do for him so much, so he tries to reciprocate it as often as he can. 

Calls you: He hates when he has to be apart from you for long periods due to work or schedules. He makes sure to call you whenever he has a moment, wants to hear about your day, and makes sure you’re doing well, and that you’re doing okay without him.

♡Mingyu♡

Talks you to sleep: When you have trouble sleeping he’s there to make sure you’re comfortable. He’ll talk to you until you get sleepy and doze off with him.

Flirts: He doesn’t care how long you’ve been together, he’s flirting with you any chance he gets. He’s never going to stop, it's fun for him to see you smile and laugh, roll your eyes at something cheesy he said, etc.

Cooks for you: He’ll learn to cook your favorite dishes and comfort food, and enjoy doing it. You don’t even have to ask him, it's just something little and thoughtful that he likes to do.

♡Minghao♡

Flowers: It's a simple way to show affection, and Minghao loves it. He knows your favorite flowers and likes to pick a bouquet for you now and again. Sometimes he’ll show up with just one flower for you, your favorite, or one to compliment your outfits. He likes how you light up and smile when he does so.

Brushes your hair: He’ll sit behind you and carefully comb through your hair. He’ll blow dry it for you if you ask, he doesn’t mind. He likes it when you play and pet through his, so he likes to do the same to you.

Buys you a little treat: When you’re out together he gets you a little treat: coffee, a pastry or snack, your favorite drink, etc. 

♡Seungkwan♡

Loves your interests: If he notices there’s something you’re particularly interested in, he’s open to checking it out as well so the both of you can enjoy it together. Even if he’s not into it, he’ll let you talk on and on about it while listening.

Feeds you: It’s become a habit for you at this point. He’s always offering you a bite to try his food, or taking off your plate to feed you. He does it more at home, but even in public, he’ll feed you from time to time.

Plans dates: Always on the lookout for places he could take you. He makes note of cute cafes or restaurants that sound good to try, he’ll ask his members for recommendations as well.

♡Vernon♡

Eats with you: You never eat alone when he can help it. Even if you’re running late to get home and he’s already eaten without you, he still sits at the table with you while you eat to just talk and enjoy the company.

Compliments every time: He’s so sweet, he always has some kind of compliment for you when he sees you. Even late into your relationship, he never lets them stop.

Cares for you when you’re sick: Tell him what you want and he’ll get it. He’d prefer you choose the medicines and snacks though, definitely needs a list. Do you want him to cuddle and nap with you? Of course. Want him to run across town to pick up your favorite food? He’s on it. If you’re very sick he’ll go to the doctor and sit with you.

♡Dino♡

Debriefs your day with you: It’s become routine that you talk about each other’s day or week when you get together.

Movies: Even if you picked the last five times, he still doesn’t mind letting you pick the film or show for a quiet movie date. He tends to like what you like, and if he doesn’t like what you’ve picked he’ll just focus on cuddling and being with you.

Gifts: He doesn’t go overboard with them, but now and again he’ll show up with something you’ve been wanting, or a cute plush, or flowers. He takes notes of the things you like or seem interested in while shopping with you. 

[soapskneebrace]

imprimatura

muses - part one - next

Pairing: John "Soap" MacTavish x f!Reader Word Count: 2.8k Rating: Mature (mostly Soap being Soap) Warnings: please see this post for notes about this reader character Also on Ao3.

An artist meets her muse, and a solider meets his.

He arrives early as you’re setting up for your students, in jeans and a tight t-shirt, and the first thing that crosses your mind when you lay eyes on him is Jesus, he’s fit. 

You are no stranger to bodies. Hundreds of them have cycled through your studio, all shapes and sizes and colors; you think you may know every dip, every roll, every hard angle and soft curve that a human body is capable of holding. The mystique of defined muscle has long lost its novelty. Bodies are bodies, and each holds the same value as the next when subject to brush and canvas. It never matters, you teach your students, what a body looks like in the modeling chair. It only matters if they can reproduce it accurately.

Even so, when a body like this walks in, you really can’t help but take notice.

Decadent muscle, fed and worked well, round and full with hydration. It’s impossible to miss, even through his clothes; each group delineated clearly, gracefully, as if sculpted rather than built, and alive with soft, subcutaneous movement. It’s indulgent to look at, the comfortable breadth of his shoulders and chest down to that slight taper of his waist and bulk of his thick thighs. It’s a physique no hard-bodied gym rat could hope to achieve merely with extra time at the racks—a physique that is easily, harmoniously attractive in its makeup of muscle and healthy fat.

The man is also mohawked and suntanned, and his mouth rests at an angle that suggests he often smiles—as if he knows that Michelangelo would have swooned at the sight of him. He comes into your classroom, saunters over to you, and stops precisely two paces away from you.

“Sergeant John MacTavish,” he says, offering his hand. “I understand you’re the instructor?”

He has gorgeous, vivid blue eyes (pthalo and cremnitz, with a touch of hamsa). You blink several times. Fit is still rattling around your skull, and begins knocking against sergeant at the same rolling frequency as his warm Scottish brogue. You realize his hand is still outstretched and quickly take it to shake.

“Yes!” you say. His palm is tough, callused, and not soft in the slightest, but very warm. “Nice to meet you, sergeant.”

He gives a grimace. “John’s fine. Or Soap.”

“Soap?”

“Nickname, y’know.”

Neither of you have released from the handshake. Soap’s grip is firm, the kind of firm that suggests he can squeeze much, much tighter if he needs to. And if the grip isn’t any indication, the broad forearms, dusted soft with dark brown hair, certainly are.

Black lines, a sword and helmet framed in laurels, catch your notice. The ink has the soft edges of having lain in the skin for a few years. You turn his arm to see it more fully. “Oh. Nice tattoo.”

He looks at the ink as if it is entirely new to him, and then gives an easy grin. “Thanks. I’ve got a few more too. Hope they aren’t hard to draw.”

When you loosen your grip on his hand, he releases you immediately. You still feel the squeeze in your bones even as you drop your hand to your side.

“So, then, Soap,” you say, “have you ever modeled before?”

He shakes his head, tucking his hands into the front pockets of his low-slung jeans. It tugs the waistband just a bit, revealing a sliver of warm, tan skin (raw sienna, flesh ochre, naples yellow). “Should have, honestly, with how much it pays.”

“It gets very boring, very fast,” you say. “What do you plan to wear for the breaks?”

“Was I supposed to bring that m’self?”

You are unable to suppress a laugh. “Yes, unfortunately.”

“Oh,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck and going a little sheepish—as if expecting a reprimand. You suppose it’s a valid expectation to have, in his world. You aren’t terribly familiar with the military, but you do know it’s one hell of a stickler for rules.

You also can’t help but admire the appealing pull and stretch of his bicep and deltoid, the flex of his pectoral as he lowers his arm. 

“Why don’t you wait here, and I’ll go see if I can find something for you?” you suggest kindly, letting him off the hook.

“Sorry,” he says, pretty blue eyes filled with genuine apology. “I’ll remember nex’ time. Thanks.”

The expression is so hangdog that you almost want to pat his head and noise at him reassuringly, like an actual dog. You press your lips together to hide a smile, and leave the studio.

When you get back from the models’ changing room, you find Soap with one hip against the counter where you’d been organizing your supplies, one knee loose and shoulders set at a relaxed angle. You want to laugh at his easy contrapposto. He’s going to be an excellent model. You can feel it. 

It looks as if he’s moving around the sticks of vine charcoal with one outstretched finger; he pulls his hand guiltily away when you reenter the studio, crossing his arms over his chest as if to hide the evidence of his snooping. It makes his pectorals bunch and round out, gathers the thickness of his biceps up into chiseled, full definition.

You lift one brow at him as you walk over.

“Never could keep my hands to m’self,” he admits, still sheepish.

“It’s alright,” you allow, smiling back. “Do you draw?”

“Used to,” he says. He looks back at the charcoal. “No time, now.”

“Are you deployed often?” you ask, taking the opportunity to look at his face. 

Beauty is cheap in art, but you notice it all the same—appreciate the strong brows, the hard angle of his jaw, the dark stubble of a beard you suspect he can’t keep shaved down, and the long scar that cuts through it across his chin. The light brown of his complexion is speckled with sun exposure, and there are the faintest of creases at the corners of his eyes, which you expect will deepen into genuine, gorgeous crow’s feet as he ages.

He’s not all rugged, though. There is a soft, thick curl to his lashes, which are as dark as strong coffee or expensive chocolate, and an equal decadence to the pink, plush little swell of his bottom lip—which, in the very middle, has the smallest of divots, as if he regularly spends time biting it. 

They’re traits that are far too sweet to belong on an otherwise masculine face, and their effect is such that they turn an objectively average set of features into a shockingly attractive portrait—that suddenly has something fluttering, just a bit, in the roof of your stomach.

He looks at you, and catches your survey. You can see him realize you’d been watching, the knowledge of it blooming in ocean blue eyes like ink dropped onto linen.

“More often than no’,” he answers, showing teeth in a crooked, interested grin. And now he’s looking at you—attention flitting across your face, dropping down your body and jumping back up to meet your gaze. The creases deepen at the corners of his eyes.

The fluttering intensifies. The sudden role reversal has you feeling at once flustered and unmoored. You are never the subject of any perusal—always comfortably the observer.

“Well—” you try, and you’re embarrassed at the low tone of your voice. You clear your throat. “Well, let’s make use of the time we have you, then.”

His smile remains, cocksure and easy. “Let’s.” 

He knows the effect he’s had.

“Anyway,” you say, blinking several times and proffering the sheet you’d retrieved, “none of the other models are your size, so I’m afraid this will have to do.”

He takes it in his hands, which are sun-dark and striking against the clean white linen. “So it’s a toga, then?” he asks.

“Whatever you like. Let’s go over the basics, and then you can undress.”

“Oh, already, aye? Y’move fast, hen,” he drawls, still grinning. “I like it.”

Heat rushes to your face, but you don’t feel embarrassed enough not to laugh. You busy yourself with tapping your charcoal sticks back in place, putting them back in an even row ascending in order of length, and saving yourself from having to look him in the eye. “Ha! We don’t do a lot of foreplay in this studio, I’m afraid.”

“No?” Soap hums, and he steps closer. He’s very warm, enough that you can feel it even with the space between you. You do have to look at him then. His eyes are half-lidded, lashes casting pretty shadows on his cheekbones as he gazes down at you. “That’s a shame. I’m right partial to it.”

Your brows lift, and you will your pulse to remain steady even as you inhale, catching a thread of—cologne? Aftershave? Just plain deodorant?—coming off of him. The scent caresses you, almost beckoning you to lean forward. You swear you can see the thrum of his heartbeat, there in the soft hollows by his Adam’s apple.

You blink. He is your model. “Well—I’ll try to set you up as best I can, anyway. Follow me, please.”

And you turn your back on him, because this is your workplace, and you are at work, and if you don’t get on with things you might do something stupid like actually flirt back.

Soap hadn’t been sure what to expect when he arrived at the art studio. He’s never been to one before, much less one housed in a university—which he has also never been to—and hell, he only ever took one art class in high school.

If pressed, he’d have imagined old brick walls covered in diagram posters, shelves of supplies in all colors, the smell of paint hanging permanently in the air. What he finds instead is modern, clean, and impersonal. Stage lights hang from fixtures in the ceiling, pointing at a platform in the back center of the room. A tight line of easels, all folded up, stand pressed into a far corner, next to a tower of stacked chairs, and waist-high cabinets line half the room against the bare, painted cinder block wall. The linoleum floor looks new.

None of this, however,  has any opportunity to disappoint him. His final unmet expectation, standing across the room and organizing a tray of art supplies, is a very welcome surprise.

You’re bonnie. Like, every point on his wishlist bonnie. Christ, he must’ve done something really good lately, because he can’t imagine just lucking into this. There’s not a hard angle to you, all sweet and soft, but when you meet his gaze during introductions there’s a sharpness to you that skewers him through the chest. You are much smarter than him, he can tell immediately. 

He’s always had a thing for smart women. Soft ones, too.  And if that weren’t enough, you let him flirt shamelessly with you, while checking him out the whole time.

Steaming Jesus.

You direct him to get onto the platform and sit down, still clothed, in an armchair draped in another pristine white sheet. The stage lights are bright overhead, and they highlight free-floating wisps of your hair in gold. 

“You want to ensure that you don’t rest your weight on only one or two points,” you explain. You have a nice voice. Steady, confident—this is your territory, your studio, and in it you are clearly the master. “The main danger is that your arms or legs might fall asleep, and you won’t realize it until you get up, in which case you’ll fall. We can’t touch you, so we can’t save you from that.”

“Y’canna touch me?” Soap repeats.

“Not without your explicit consent,” you say.

He smiles at you, the kind of smile he saves for bright nights at the pub over platoons of shot glasses. “I explicitly consent to you touching me.”

The corners of your mouth tug upward, just a bit, and you look away, clearly bashful. Something in Soap’s chest starts beating a drum. He knows already he’ll ask you to drinks after the class ends tonight.

“I doubt I’d be able to do much,” you say, “you’re a bit more substantial than the usual models.” Your eyes flick down his torso and back up.

“Guess I’ll have to follow your advice, then,” he says.

“You should,” you say, and he looks at your thigh shamelessly as you pat it—even beneath your jeans, he can see the ripple of the impact. “One of the worst-case scenarios is nerve damage.”

“So you have done this before!”

He can’t help it—Soap’s imagination runs wild. Titanic, draw-me-like-one-of-your-French-girls wild. It’s not exactly polite to imagine a teacher naked while she’s in the middle of giving him directions (and Jesus, what a concept, he might be half-mast already), but Soap has always found that people like it when he’s a little rude.

You drum your fingers. “I have.”

He finally hears the nerve damage part of your instruction. “How, uh—how bad can it get?”

The drumming stops. “For me? It just starts to twinge a bit if I sit on this side very long. So don’t rest your weight all on one hip, yeah?”

Concern assuaged that he had not ignored your genuine pain in order to objectify you, Soap grins. “Yeah.”

“Good,” you say. “Also—even if it doesn’t hurt, Soap, you can stop at any time, okay?”

That has him blinking. “Kinda defeats the purpose, doesnae?”

You shake your head. “It doesn’t matter. This is your first time modeling. You don’t know how you’ll feel, sitting here with your clothes off and everyone looking at you. If you need to stop, I want you to stop. I’ll make sure you’re paid anyway, so don’t worry about that.”

You are…so serious about this. The line of your brows is furrowed, imploring, like a little discomfort on his part is a violation of the highest order.

“Sure,” he says, a little dumbstruck and mostly lying. He’d be a rubbish soldier if he tapped out of a little thing like sitting down, but it’s nice that you care.

You purse your lips, nod, and then move onto the task at hand, stepping back and then down off the platform. When you begin to survey him—gaze flitting up and down his body, more pensive than appreciative—he has to resist the urge to flex.

Instead he watches you as you look at him. He especially likes, he decides, the slope of your nose and the smart, serious press of your mouth. You could get him all turned around, he thinks, if you gave it half a try.

Your tits are also great, but that’s by the by.

“Try resting your elbow up a little higher, and twist at the hips a bit,” you instruct, and Soap obeys. “Hm. How would you feel about crossing your ankles?”

You continue like this—nudging him in directions he doesn’t think make all that much of a difference, standing in different positions around the room to check the angles. He half-wishes he could step out of his body and join you, curious as he is about what you’re seeing, what your students will see. He’s not sure he has any clear expectations for how the class will go, but if you’re any indication, it’ll be more fun than he expects.

“Not sure if I’ll remember how to get back into this,” he says, partly to be helpful and partly to get you to talk to him again.

“I’ll help you, don’t worry,” you say. “Okay, I think that’s a good one, you can move now—I’m going to start setting up, the students should be here any minute.”

He stands, and you turn away to collect your supplies, so Soap figures this means it’s time for him to strip. He pulls off his shirt and drapes it over the chair’s arm, unbuttons his pants and shoves them down to his knees.

“Soap!”

He freezes. Then he looks at you. You’re blushing again, deep and saturated, mouth parted in surprise and hand pressed to your chest. He does not miss the quick flick of your gaze down his body; he’s probably violated some rule or another of the studio, but he can’t help but grin.

You’re adorable.

“Gotta happen eventually, right?” he says.

You cover your face with your palm. “I was going to leave the room first!”

“First time someone’s wanted to run away when I’m takin’ my clothes off, I won’t lie—”

“You just come get me when you’re done!” you say hastily as you beeline for the door. “I’ll be right outside!”

Soap chuckles a little when you’re gone, the door slamming mortified behind you, and folds his clothes up behind the armchair he’ll be sitting in. You’re so cute. He can’t wait to sit naked for you for the next three hours.

And he’s definitely asking you out for drinks.

Author's Note: THE PROMISED FIC. I really hope y'all enjoy this one, I've been teasing it since March and I have so many plans. This fic has a special place in my heart because it's drawing heavily from my college days--my bachelor's degree is in fine arts, and I have a lot of fond memories of many hours in the studio both as a student and as a model.

I expect this series will also have a looser timeline than my Neighbors series, so I'm open to suggestion in terms of scene ideas! I already have plenty, but if I know my mutuals, y'all might have some good ones as well. No promises I'll write them, but you never know.

Thanks everyone for your patience, and I hope you'll look forward to where this fic goes!!

[fuckyeahpedropascal]

Joel Miller's bulge - in motion

Y'all have @iamskyereads and bulge anon to thank for this post! Last Christmas, we celebrated with Javier’s bulge. We’re a bit late this year, but I hope you have hydration handy all the same, because we're going to thirst town.

There will be two parts - this one to see out 2023, and the other to usher us into the new year. I hope this was worth the wait 😘

I don't know about you, but pre-outbreak Joel has me in a chokehold. As opposed to his older self, Joel wears a much shorter hemline on top which means we get quite an eyeful 👀

Am I ashamed for focusing on the bulge in the second gif when the Millers are being chased down by a clicker? Yes, I am, and I'm sorry. And I'm on my knees begging for his forgiveness.

There are some very intriguing choices of camera angle in the early episodes, and there are no complaints. Seriously, if it were up to me, the entirety of TLOU should be filmed at this angle. And it would be magnificent.

Also this angle.

It really is very inconvenient that Joel's shirt tails are often in the way of the bulge. He should tie up the ends and make it a crop top.

But thankfully, when he struts, there's no way the bulge stays under wraps.

I would also like to add that compared to Javier, Joel's jeans are far less fitted. And yet. He keeps us just as well fed, even in the middle of an apocalypse. Thank you, sir.

• Masterlist •

Related posts:

Javier Peña's bulge I

Javier Peña's bulge II

Frankie Morales' bulge

[seelestia]

— thoughts of saccharine.

two cubes of sugar for each daydream.

#STARRING: wanderer, kaveh, alhaitham, cyno, tighnari, wanderer w/ gn!reader.

#GENRE: fluff, crack-ish but that's just how i write fluff, headcanons/hcs.

#NOTES: mentions of kisses, one implied injury but nothing graphic, cyno's reader isn't a qualified doctor (sorry to the med students).

#THOUGHTS: comically enough, i spent more time on the formatting than the writing itself. maybe i'll play around with them more often? anywho, here is a little smth before fontaine and while i work on other stuff per usual! ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა

© seelestia on tumblr, aug 2023. do not repost to other sites, plagiarize, translate nor claim as your own.

thinking about . . . how wanderer says he 'could care less' about what you do or where you go, always averting his gaze with that disinterested look. it's true, he hates getting caught up in people's business but good riddance, why does he find himself sticking to your side? maybe, he finds your company tolerable (preferable) or that he might even possibly harbor worry for your safety. the wanderer doesn't have a definite answer to this and so, all he can do is insist that he is only here to make sure you don't do anything 'stupid' — yet, he stays so close to you that he could've reached out for your hand if he wished. right, if only pride wasn't an option.

thinking about . . . how wanderer drums his cold fingers on your bare skin while knowing that they are as cold as ice, for a puppet is bereft of humanly warmth, just to incite a reaction out of you. whether it be little yelps, flinches or frowns, he'll drink them all up with an amused snicker. "too cold?" he'd ask oh-so teasingly — but bring his hands up to your lips and press a kiss to them, then you'd see how his eyes dilate and his lips quiver. who's got the upper hand now? (you do, before he snatches his hand away flusteredly and calls you 'an impulsive fool', that is.)

thinking about . . . how you're the first person kaveh looks for when it comes to everything (literally). sorry, he can't help it; but if you think it's good, then it must be really good, right? his clothes today, menu suggestions, your opinion on a performance you saw at the bazaar together and more — but oh, his architecture drafts can be a different story because he gets pouty with those. (just give him a kiss and it'll wipe itself away, easy peasy?)

thinking about . . . how kaveh would set aside some mora with you in mind. when it comes to food or other expenses, he complains about them with no reservations — but your favorite dish? or the item you were eyeing the other day? knowing that you will tell him not to trouble himself, he can only beg the traveler and paimon to keep quiet when he keeps stumbling into them when he's out buying a secret gift for you. seriously, why does this always happen to him? (huh, who would've thought that kaveh finally learnt a bit more about financial management thanks to you? "how surprising," a certain someone with gray hair and green clothes comments.)

thinking about . . . how instead of one, there are two mugs on alhaitham's kitchen table every morning. as an early bird, he knows that hydration is something much needed in the morning, so he always prepares two; one for his daily dose of caffeine and the other for your preferred drink. you never recalled asking him to do so — "and you didn't," he affirms, he just gradually incorporated it into his routine. alhaitham states it's for efficiency because he can handle sleepiness somewhat better than you (how offensive). but maybe, the way you always sleepily press a kiss to his cheek as thanks meant something too.

thinking about . . . how alhaitham lets out just the quietest sigh of relief when he realizes you're the one entering his office and not a colleague. for someone so diligent about work (he never claimed he is), he sure perks up when you visit him at work. ask him about it and alhaitham will say that he doesn't know what you're talking about — but the moment you go behind the desk and offer yourself for him to lean on, believe it or not, he melts into you so easily. (...just a little, though.)

thinking about . . . how cyno places his hood on your head when no one is around. you're not a hanger for hats, but he says that you're "cap-tivating" so it makes sense (please send help). regardless, the general does it as his own unique form of affection; he only ever takes off his head accessory around people he trusts and he thinks you look adorable with it on. not to mention, it also has his scent so he's technically marking you as his territory. relax, he's just joking. (or is he? just make a note to ask about his shampoo next time... unless he's into that all-natural stuff.)

thinking about . . . how as a general, cyno is used to speaking in a clear and precise tone with his subordinates and co-workers. but when he's here, sitting beside you while your nimble fingers make light work of bandaging his arm, his lips can't part themselves to say anything else besides a "sorry" mumbled with a pang of guilt. you tell him it's alright as long as he comes home to you at the end of the day and he refuses to be treated by anyone else ever since. ("sir, but they're not a qualified doctor." "...your point is?")

thinking about . . . how tighnari's tail always seems to have a mind of its very own; curling around your leg or wrist almost idly, almost as if it's just second nature when you're near enough to be reached. you have a suspicion that he's trying to communicate an unspoken wish — but ask tighnari about it and he'll say it just does that sometimes. you're pleasantly shocked he didn't ask if you sniffed any odd mushrooms that day (...you didn't, you think).

thinking about . . . how tighnari gives your head a little pat after you complete a task he gave (or didn't give) you. finished sweeping the floor? pat, pat. taught collei how to do her homework? pat, pat. oh, you rearranged the bookshelf when he complained about not having time for it last night? pat, pat, pat. at this point, you don't even know if he realizes he does this — but really, this is just a way to say that he's proud of you without being too overly mushy. no, it's not patronizing and no, he isn't going to admit that he has a soft spot for you in a professional setting. though, the way he'd pull back his hand at the speed of light when a ranger walks in on his patting you is a little funny.

─ ⊹ ⊱ ・・・・・・☆・・・・・・・⊰ ⊹ ─

✰ TAGLIST: @meimeimeirin @hcikazu @tsuk4sa-yug1 @catcze @semi-orangeapple @yuuki4646 @d-a-r-k-s-w-a-n @daisydkj @omgblade-starrail @coquettemaiden @lemontum @herdrops @lleoll @xiaosonlybeloved @chiisananingen @irethepotato @ainescribe @blooodyvampy @starlightaura @jihyuniepark @duhsies @maybemiko @lordbugs @sakkakuu-squared @lupicalbestwolf @c-a-v-a-l-r-y — [ bolded names are unable to be tagged due to visibility settings / unnotified url changes + register here to be a part of my taglist! ]

© written by @seelestia, 2033. do not copy, translate, repost to other sites nor claim as yours.

[autophage]

The slow but incessant rain of anvils began in 1942.

George Macomber was walking from the trolley stop to his home in Great Falls (a name which many newspapers took advantage of in their lede selection) when a two-ton Bavarian fell out of the sky, landing squarely on top of poor George. He was Flattened instantly.

And, seconds later, he slid out from beneath the anvil, with a new height of one and a half millimeters. He had become, in an instant, the densest human being on the planet.

George Macomber happened to look up just before impact. This saved his life: because he was the first to ever be Flattened, the extremely-high-density intravenous fluid setup had not yet been invented, and no hospital could have kept him hydrated if his mouth were not accessible on his topside. (Iris Colelman invented the extremely-high-density intravenous setup in 1947, after hundreds had perished due to dehydration mere days after their Flattening.)

In another twist of good fortune, George Macomber had served as a signal officer in the Navy during the Great War and knew Morse code. While his vocal chords were capable only of producing an awful gurgling, he could still communicate by blinking - a trick that the doctors recognized quickly. And so he was able, painstakingly, to describe the characteristic sound of the anvil's descent: a terrifying descending whistle, like the slide-flute sound used for falling bombs in animated reels.

His story is not all a happy one, though. Some who are Flattened eventually pop back up to their former stature, but poor Mr. Macomber never did. While his medical condition remained stable, his wife divorced him and he had trouble finding employment. Seven years after his Flattening, he stopped eating or drinking. His final words, blinked to his nurse, are lost to history; she felt that she owed him her silence, even as she was fired and eventually prosecuted for letting him pass in this manner. The court asserted that she should have immobilized him and given him a high-density drip.

Only twenty-three days after George's Flattening, Irma Childress was returning from the bakery when a six-ton farrier's anvil hurtled down and Flattened her. She, too, was lucky enough that her mouth remained accessible. Her story is happier than George's - she was also the first person to pop back up to her normal height. It took her six months, and those must have been worse than George's, as she did not know Morse code - though she learned it and was proficient by her third Flattened month.

Even after regaining her former height, Irma remained wary of doors, stairs, and any place with high foot traffic. She sold her house in Los Angeles and moved out to an almond farm. She spoke to the press repeatedly and respectfully, and to this day is remembered as an early and passionate advocate for keeping the Flattened comfortable and helping them maintain their dignity.

Nobody has discovered where the anvils come from. They fall primarily in North America, most often in the southwest and midwest. Some suspect that they are flung by tornados, or some sort of awful prank, or military test flights. They are always of recent manufacture, indicated by a date stamp, but never a maker's mark.

The rate of Flattenings increased until the late 50's, at a peak of a bit over 100,000 in 1958. Today, the rain has slowed: there are usually between one and two thousand Flattenings a year. This incident rate has held steady since the early 1980's. This is unusual, since far fewer anvils are manufactured or used today than were in the 1940's. Of those Flattened, about half pop back to their previous height, usually between two months and a year after their initial Flattening.

It was difficult for the Flattened to connect with each other before modern video conferencing - those who were lucky enough to look up before their Flattening can see above themselves, but cannot see in front of themselves, and it is generally difficult for the Flattened to orient themselves otherwise. The Flattened of today generally stay on a table with a tablet above them, modified to use eye tracking for navigation. (Of course, this only really works with Flattened whose eyes are on their top- or bottom-sides; those with eyes facing forward, or whose faces were crushed into their bellies, can usually hear, but have a very hard time making themselves understood.) Regardless of orientation they are helped by dedicated care nurses who changes their IV fluids. These nurses are provided by Flattening insurance, offered by all major insurance providers; they often also take over some of the responsibilities the Flattened previously held, such as taking care of their children.

Sadly, the provisions surrounding Flattening insurance have changed in the last twenty years. Most nurses make less than 20% above minimum wage, and are afforded very little flexibility by the job, which requires them to attend the Flattened's household around the clock. They become very close with those they care for - in many cases they develop shorthands to make communication easier, such as diacritic modifications to the blinked Morse code.

While the Irma Childress Foundation is the leading voice for Flattening insurance reform, some long-term Flattened feel that their concerns are often not heard. They contend that the Foundation often bargains away provisions that could help some edge cases - especially those with limited communication capabilities.

Some of the Flattened have started pooling resources to buy land and build a city suited to their own needs, to wean themselves off of the marginal succor offered by the insurance system. We who stand tall must support them. We must afford them not only the dignity of doing our best not to step on them, but to self-determination. We must acknowledge that their lives are all unique and different. We must refuse, if you will pardon the pun, to flatten their experiences into one single narrative.

[e-hibiscus]

bassist!arle 😼 she brings you to all the practices of her garage band.

she wants you to tell her how awesome she is, how she could be famous, etc.

and then she wants to 69 with you so she can make you deepthroat her while she eats you out (so you can feel her piercings) in the backseat of her old, beat up car.

thoughts? 😁😁😁

I have so many thoughts about 2000’s bassist!arle, and it's all your fault 🤬 /pos

I hc that the band is made up of the fatui members 😭 and they all are pretty chill with having you around. You’re basically the +1 who they all get along with, even if you might seem like you’d “fit in”.

ie. You’re more cheery, colorful, and sweet

Nsfw. utc

Arlecchino plays out of her garage, and she’s spiced up the space accordingly. It’s been turned into a hybrid studio and mancave for her and her band. Arle and her band spend a lot of time there, and that includes you too. You’re always seen with Arle during her practices, even if you don’t play anything yourself.

You’re there for support, and Arlecchino is very happy having you with her. Whenever they’re not playing, you’re sitting on her lap. It’s the only seat she’s allowing her girlfriend to sit on. Couches, chairs, the floor it doesn’t matter. Arle is patting her thigh and making you take a seat right where she wants you to. It’s so she can keep you close; maintaining physical contact in an “acceptable (cool) ” way. She’s an absolute sucker for affection, even if she won’t ever admit it.

That being said, telling her how good she is and how her skills can lead to a future. It strokes her ego in a good way. The fact YOU believe her skills as a bassist is exceptional makes her heart swell with pride and joy. The small smile tugging at her lips gives away how she feels, especially since Arle isn’t the most expressive person. It makes her really happy when you do.

During performances and gigs, Arlecchino is often looking at you. Seeing you in the crowd gives her so much energy and life– it gets her all fired up. Arle absolutely loves hearing you cheer for her; always her eyes seek you out in the crowd. Sometimes she gets to overhear you talking about her with other people. Your sweet words and demeanor when chatting about her and her music makes Arlecchino’s heart flutter. Arlecchino can practically hear the smile on your lips when you go on about her.

One of her fondest memories came from you asking the town’s local tavern/bar if Arle and her band could play there one evening. You did this as a surprise, having everything approved for them. You didn’t have to go out of your way and organize a gig, but the fact you’ve tried helping Arle start playing professionally has her head over heels for you. This was when she realized she’s going to put a ring on your finger one day. Having you support her biggest passion is a huge reason she continues playing 🥺

In the early morning after her that one gig at the bar, Arle and you leave together. She ends up fucking you in the empty parkinglot; in the backseat of her car. She’s gonna show you just how much she loves and appreciates you by dumping several loads in and on you; with protection of course. Arle’s eagerly rutting her hips into you. Since there isn’t much room, Arle has no choice but to fuck you well and deep; all while marking your neck and whispering sweet words into your ear. She isn’t going to stop until you’re clawing at her back and squirting around her cock. She’s making you feel so good, and your whimpers and moans fueling her desire for more.

More thoughts for car sex with Arle…😳Ya’ll actually fuck in her car quite a bit. This woman keeps condoms in her glove compartment just for you and water bottles are in the trunk too so the two of you can stay hydrated 🤭 This woman comes prepared with almost everything to have a good time with you

Anyway, being the romantic she is, Arlecchino takes you to scenic viewpoints for dates and stuff. Sometimes it ends with you giving her head or having sex in the back with music playing in the car.

Aris 😭😔 i honestly can write an entire fic about arle and a tongue piercing, so I’ll save it for a another post, but I’ll have you know her tongue game is insane. She’s watching your every reaction to the cool metal while she circles your clit and drives her fingers into your eagerly awaiting pussy. I fucking love this woman 😭 2000’s bassist Arle is SO GOOD ilysm for adding this to my brain

[stxrrynightskies]

𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒

°｡⋆ 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆: k. kenma x reader

⋆｡° ✮ 𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒: boyfriend headcanons for my first ever anime crush <3

⋆ ˚｡⋆ 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄: i'll try to be more active from now on on this account! my inbox is open if you have anyone you would like me to write for!

♡ he was very straightforward when he confessed to you, although, it took him quite some time to actually blurt it out

♡ most date nights with him involve sitting on the couch or in his room with him and just enjoying each other's presence

♡ you make him want to put in as much effort as he can in the relationship

♡ he will never hesitate to compliment you whenever he can (which is pretty much everyday)

♡ his day gets better when he sees you, and his entire attitude changes (all of his teammates can see it)

♡ he likes it when you lay your head on him while he plays games

♡ would never tell you, but absolutely adores it when you play with his hair

♡ he'd let you dye parts of his hair any colour you want (within reason)

♡ always insists on paying for dates (and quite literally fights you to pay)

♡ always has the best stories to tell you about his team

♡ often insists on you to stay home when he has games because he doesn’t want to mess up in front of you (but he plays better when you watch)

♡ kuroo once asked you to walk with kenma to practice because he knows you're the only one who could ensure that he'd follow you, so it became a daily thing

♡ he will literally shoot the nastiest glare at anyone who tries to flirt with you

♡ not too big on pda, but doesn't mind the occasional hand-holding

♡ hugs > kisses (with the exception of forehead kisses)

♡ usually stays up pretty late but insists on you going to bed early

♡ on weekends, he'll think of fun things to do when it's late (baking, a trip to the convenience store, gaming, even just cuddling)

♡ sleepovers all the time

♡ and when you don't sleep over, you'll facetime until you fall asleep

♡ he likes noticing the small things about you that not many people notice (and he'll make sure you know that he knows)

♡ usually a dry texter, but when you guys have deep, late night chats, he's often the one who'll talk/text more

♡ sometimes feels bad for not being the best boyfriend he can be (or at least that what he thinks)

♡ he loves it when you wear his sweaters or t-shirts

♡ gets a little anxious when he's with you around your friends, but always agrees every time you invite him to go with you to hang outs

♡ enjoys laying his head on your lap a lot

♡ the two of you (mainly kenma) get teased a lot by his friends

♡ you would raise one of those digital pets together and he would bug you when you aren’t giving it enough attention

♡ pokes you or tugs at your clothes when he wants you to pay attention to him

♡ matching phone charms with him

♡ he always makes sure you’re hydrated and that you’ve eaten something proper everyday

♡ he’ll set for you if you ever want to practice hitting

♡ he lets you play with and style his hair when you’re bored while he’s gaming

♡ always tells you that claw machines are a scam, but he’d help you win a prize regardless (because for some reason, he pretty much always wins something)

♡ has been thinking about buying a promise ring for the two of you, but is afraid that it’ll be bad luck

𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃!

[ladykailitha]

The Harrington Pattern Part 5

Hello! In this one we have things not getting off to the fun start Steve wanted, but Eddie and Steve show Robin the meditative joys of watching the weavers. And Mike and El get a lesson in when to give to friends.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

@mira-jadeamethyst @rozzieroos @itsall-taken @redfreckledwolf @emly03

****

Once they had all paid Steve gathered up the kids.

“You are to stay in pairs,” he admonished. “I don’t care if you swap every so often but stay in at least pairs. You can stay in great big group for all I care. But no one wanders off alone. If you want to do something and no one else does come find an adult, chances are that one of us six was already going to do it, okay?”

All the kids nodded.

“Everyone is to meet here at 1pm and 6pm for lunch and dinner,” Steve continued. “The adults are exempt but I tried to pick times where there wasn’t anything big going on. Food money was given to me by your parents so you’ll never starve. Drinking fountains are everywhere. Stay hydrated, you’ll regret it if you don’t.”

Will nodded. “I’ll make sure they do.”

Steve smiled. “Thanks, Will.” He held up his hand as they were getting into pairs. “One more thing. Your parents gave you money for loot. If you spend it all today and see something you want on Saturday, I will not buy it for you. Now I can’t stop anyone else from doing the same, but you need to watch your money.”

Eddie looked at the other Corroded Coffin boys who all nodded. “I think I can speak for us adults when I say. I ain’t paying for your shit either.”

All the kids turned to Robin like a lion sensing its prey.

“Don’t look at me,” she huffed holding up her hands in surrender. “I’m poor. I’m hoping that someone pretty will buy me pretty things so I don’t have to go without.”

Steve barked out a laugh. “Looks like you’ve been stemmed–stymied–” he frowned. “Looks like you’ve been thwarted all around.”

The kids grumbled but nodded.

Steve smiled. “Now go have fun! I promise, you’ll love it.”

Max and El grabbed each other’s hands and skipped ahead of the boys. Robin smiled.

“That’s the downside to growing up,” she sighed wistfully. “Is adults no longer think holding hands with your best friend is cute, only gay.”

Eddie nodded. “I just don’t care most of the time,” he said with a shrug.

Steve turned to the members of the band. “Are you guys going to be staying together for the most part or will you be splitting up? I just want to make sure I know where people are going to be.”

Gareth and Jeff shared an amused glance.

“What?” Steve asked, putting his hands on his hips.

“Eddie said you were such a mom friend,” Gareth explained, “but I didn’t believe it.”

“Yeah, man,” Jeff chuckled. “It’s cute.”

Steve crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked down, scuffing the dirt with the toe of his boot.

Brian waved his hands. “It’s not bad. It’s just a surprise.”

Jeff cocked his head to side. “Maybe not that big of one after seeing how he handled Mike...”

Brian laughed. “Fair enough.”

Eddie walked over and lifted Steve’s chin up gently. “It’s sweet, Stevie. We aren’t mocking you for it, okay?”

Steve nodded.

Suddenly Robin coughed into her fist that sounded a little like ‘gay’.

Eddie and Steve almost leaped back from each other while their friends laughed.

“Laugh it up, fuzzball,” Eddie muttered as he stalked past his friends.

Steve just stood there as the rest of them followed Eddie in. All but Robin.

“I’m sorry, Steve,” she mumbled. “I thought you two were cute, I didn’t mean to embarrass you. That’s the last thing I thought it would do.”

Steve just shrugged and then led the way into the Fair grounds. Robin’s eyes lit up as the sights, and sounds, and smells came at her all at once.

There were people in jeans and t-shirts but also people in various states of costume, ranging from beginner to professional. The period ranges were vast, too. From the early 14th century to the very, very beginning of the 20th.

Robin was in awe.

“Steeeeveeee,” she said, smacking his arm repeatedly. “This is amazing!”

Steve turned to her and smiled. “I told you.”

She hugged him around the neck. “You did and you were right. Those kids brains must have exploded on entry.”

He chuckled. “Well, thankfully I don’t see any brain goo anywhere, so I think they’re safe.”

She threw back her head and laughed. “Fair enough.”

“Where do you want to go first?” Steve asked, taking a pamphlet from Fair worker that had all the events and times on it.

She peeked over his shoulder and hummed thoughtfully.

“There isn’t a lot going on today.”

Steve shrugged. “All the big events like the joust are going to be on Saturday when they have the biggest crowds. But there are still some fun things we can do.” He pointed to the events under that day. “We can watch the weavers or battle a knight.”

“You better not do that one,” she said with a grin.

Steve rolled his eyes. “Why? Because you think I’ll lose?”

She swatted his arm. “No, dingus, because you might accidentally pulverize the guy.”

Suddenly there was another arm being slung around Steve’s shoulders.

“I must concur with the lady pirate, mi’lord,” Eddie said cheerfully. “I’ve seen you fight, handsome. You’d accidentally kill the poor actor.”

Steve blushed. “Thanks.”

He looked around but he didn’t see the rest of Eddie’s merry band. “Where are your friends?”

Eddie sighed. “Already succumbed the siren lures of capitalism.”

Steve blinked at him a moment. “Huh?”

Eddie pointed a little further down the way where the market had been set up. “They’re at the sword stall.”

Steve’s mouth formed an O and he nodded. “Yeah, I don’t doubt that’s where the kids are, too.”

“That’s because there is nothing else to do,” Robin pointed out. “Not all of us want to watch people make clothes.”

Eddie’s lit up. “They’re already showing the weavers?”

Steve nodded. “Yeah, you want to come with me?”

“Hell yeah!” he crowed. He grabbed Robin’s wrist. “You’ll love this.”

And he started dragging her to where the looms, Steve laughing, close behind.

They reached building it was housed in and Eddie stepped aside to allow her to see into the room.

It was brightly lit from them many windows in the room. There were different looms from different eras and different levels of expertise. There was even a cute little blonde girl barely older than Holly, Mike’s little sister in one corner with her starter loom, still making mistakes but being patiently guided by someone who looked to be her mom.

But the true center piece was this amazing Asian loom at the back. The weaver was in a kimono and face paint, but her hands danced along the loom making it seem like she had more than usual two.

Robin was smitten.

Eddie smiled back at her and then grabbed her wrist again to pull her into the room.

The little girl’s mother looked up and smiled at them. “Welcome!” she greeted warmly. “We, of the weavers guild, greet you. I am Goody Danvers. If you have any questions please direct them at me so our weavers aren’t disturbed.”

All three of them nodded and began to wander around. Robin was forced to admit that it was way more than just making clothes or even cloth. It was artistry and technique that was just beautiful to watch.

She was, of course, drawn to the Asian loom with its beautiful weaver.

Steve on the other hand went straight for Goody Danvers. He was asking her all sorts of questions and she just lit up with someone expressing genuine interest in the weaving.

Then Steve asked the question. “You thread is amazing. Do you spin it yourself?”

Goody Danvers face was like the sun with how happy that question made her. “We do! Do you guys want to see how we do it?”

Steve nodded enthusiastically while Robin was loathed to leave the beautiful weaver.

“You go ahead,” she murmured never taking her eyes off the scene the woman was weaving into her tapestry.

Steve’s shoulders slumped a little. But Eddie came skipping up to them. “Prick any princesses’ fingers lately?” he teased Goody Danvers.

She wagged her finger at him. “Do you be going around calling me a witch, I might get burned at the stake.”

Steve and Eddie laughed and mimed zipping their lips closed and throwing away the key.

She led them to the backroom where there were other women spinning. Steve figured these were the ones that didn’t like being watched because more than half of them stopped what they were doing the moment they walked in.

He smiled his best babysitter smile and waved like an absolute dork. One of the teenaged girls blushed and turned away.

Eddie frowned, putting his hands on his lower back. He was about to turn back around and rejoin Birdie when he felt a warm hand on his elbow. Steve wasn’t looking at the pretty red-head that blushed at his dorky wave, he was looking at him. Hazel eyes almost antique silver in the natural light.

“You okay?” Steve whispered.

Eddie nodded. “It’s just dustier in here than I thought it would be.”

Goody Danvers nodded. “No fire of any kind allowed in this room. A simple spark could cause a powder keg in here and I don’t feel like leveling the Fair this year.”

“What type of materials do you use for your thread?” Steve asked, his hand never leaving Eddie’s elbow.

And they just listened to her talk about the different types of threads and what they were used for and Eddie felt the warmth in Steve’s presence as he paid her his rapt attention.

Was that was he looked like when he talked about DnD or metal music? Because if it was Steve never looking away from him when talked suddenly made a lot of sense. It was addicting watching Steve engage with someone who shared his interests.

Steve looked down at his watch. “Shit. We’ve got to go meet some people for lunch. But thank you for taking your time to show me everything and answer all my questions.”

Good Danvers smiled. “The pleasure was all mine. It was nice to find a young man who was so interested in what I had to say.” She walked over to a basket.

“Here, pick out a bundle of thread you like as my treat.”

Steve really lit up then. “Thanks!” He went through the basket and picked out this beautiful red silk thread.

“Good choice,” she said. “I know you’ll make something truly remarkable with it.”

Steve blushed and said thank you again as Eddie led him out. They were forced to drag Robin back out of the building.

“Food,” Steve insisted. “Actually...” he had spotted a water fountain. “Water first then food.”

Eddie took a long drink, his throat dry from the spinning room. Robin went next and then Steve.

They barely made it to the food court just under the wire. Some of the kids were already there. Max and Lucas, Dustin, too. Gareth was there, but Jeff and Brian weren’t yet.

Dustin looked at his watched and tapped like a disapproving father. “Just what time do you call this, hmmm?”

Steve burst out laughing as Eddie threw his arm around his shoulders.

“Like father like son,” Eddie teased.

Dustin gasped, offended.

It wasn’t too long before El, Mike, and Will showed up, cutting it even finer than they had, arriving at 1pm exactly.

Steve just raised an eyebrow as they skidded to a stop in front of their table.

Steve got them their food and most of them were half way through their lunch by the time Jeff and Brian had wandered into the food court.

Everyone was talking about all the things they had seen and their plans for the rest of the day and maybe Steve was more than a little pleased that they hadn’t spent all their money.

Everyone was talking but Will. So Steve slid over to the young boy and nudged his shoulder.

“Hey, what’s up?” he whispered.

Mike looked up at them and then began to poke at his plate.

Alarm bells were going off in Steve’s head.

“There was this really cool wizard’s staff at one of the stalls,” Will said. “But it costs ten dollars more than what I have on me.”

“I offered to give him some of mine,” Mike said, “but he wouldn’t take it.”

Steve got it. “Ah.”

“It’s your money, Mike,” Will protested. “Buy something you want.”

“I want to buy it for you,” Mike bit back.

El poked at her food too. “I too, offered to help him buy it but he wouldn’t let me either.”

Eddie stood up and motioned for Mike and El to follow him, while Steve scooted closer to Will. “I’m sorry you couldn’t afford it and it’s hard when you want something so bad and it’s just out of reach.”

Will nodded. “But somehow I don’t think you specifically are talking about a wizard’s staff.”

Steve looked up at were Eddie was talking to Mike and El, and then ducked his head shyly. “No, you’re right there.”

Will gave his hand a squeeze. “For what it’s worth, I think he likes you too.”

Steve squeezed his hand right back. He just hoped Will was right.

****

Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13

Tag List: @spectrum-spectre @estrellami-1 @zerokrox-blog @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @messrs-weasley @chaoticlovingdreamer @maya-custodios-dionach @danili666 @goodolefashionedloverboi @val-from-lawrence @i-must-potato @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog @justforthedead89 @vecnuthy @irregular-child @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690 @anne-bennett-cosplayer @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1 @littlewildflowerkitten @genderless-spoon @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @dragonmama76 @scheodingers-muppet @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt @useless-nb-bisexual @thespaceantwhowrites @paintgonewrong @mogami13 @beelze-the-bubkiss @croatoan-like-its-hot @retro-vagabond @dolphincliffs @child-of-cthulhu @sani-86 @pansexuality-activated @y4r3luv

[vividzzxz]

🇹​​🇭​​🇮​​🇳​​🇬​​🇸​ ​🇸​​🇪​​🇻​​🇪​​🇳​​🇹​​🇪​​🇪​​🇳​ ​🇼​​🇴​​🇺​​🇱​​🇩​ ​🇩​​🇴​ ​🇼​​🇭​​🇪​​🇳​ ​🇾​​🇴​​🇺​'​🇷​​🇪​ ​🇴​​🇳​ ​🇾🇴​​🇺​​🇷​ ​🇵​​🇪​​🇷​​🇮​​🇴​​🇩​. (Hip-Hop Unit)

-S.Coups

He would cuddle up to you early in the morning.

He would place soft kisses on the top of your head.

He would hold you close to him and rub his hands on your back.

He would clean up the sheets and bring you a fresh change of clothes if you've leaked through.

He would wait for you to finish taking a shower so he can help dry your hair and if he's feeling generous he would style it for you.

He would let you sit on the couch and cook breakfast for you.

Later on, he would bring you a glass of water a painkillers.

He would let you cuddle up close to him and watch a movie / k-drama.

He would often bring you flowers after work.

He would prepare the bed and also bring some scented candles so you can sleep peacefully.

-Wonwoo

He would wake you up with soft kisses.

If you're feeling bored, he would let you game with him.

He would purposely lose to see you happy after winning the game.

He would give you kisses once you win earning some giggles from you.

He would let you sit on his lap while he's gaming and when you fall asleep he would carry you to the bed.

Once you fall asleep, he would switch off his games and would come and lay beside you.

He would stay quiet making sure not to wake you up.

He would bring a glass of water and some painkillers and keep on your bedside table.

He would prolly keep his warm hands on your lower stomach area to relieve the pain.

-Mingyu

If he wakes up and sees you cooking, he would walk up to you, give you a back-hug and let you sit down while he's cooking.

He would bring the food to you while giving you pecks.

He would go out of his comfort zone to go to the store to buy you candies, hot pack, some warm food while he's busy.

He would surprise you with movie nights at home while cuddling you.

He would often bring his hand to you hair and fiddle with it.

He would let you lay on his lap while he peppers your face with kisses.

He would put a blanket over you if he finds you dozing off and switch off the movie.

He would lay you down in a comfortable position gently so you don't wake up.

-Vernon

He would wake you up with a glass of water to keep you hydrated.

He would pepper you face with kisses before you head to the shower.

He would cook you breakfast until you finish taking a shower.

He doesn't know how much pain you go through but he'll try his best to do everything for you so you don't feel more sick.

He would call his mom to ask for tips if he doesn't know about things.

He would often bring you some candies, plushies, hot pack, etc. to keep you distracted.

He would bring you some painkillers if you feel too much pain..

✧( ु•⌄• )◞◟( •⌄• ू )✧

-Note

I take requests for writing...

It can be from Skz, Svt, TxT, En-.

It can be based on smut, fluff, etc.

Link for the performance unit ver. https://www.tumblr.com/vividzzxz/746441925949898753?source=share

Link for the vocal unit ver. https://www.tumblr.com/vividzzxz/746400202282483712?source=share

THANK YOU !!

[theambitiouswoman]

10 Self-care Ideas to Start Your Day 🧖‍♀🫧🤍🪞🎀

Self care means tending to your own needs and well-being. While many definitions might overcomplicate it, at its core, self care involves prioritizing yourself. Often, we neglect self care due to various reasons, with the primary one being a lack of time set aside for ourselves.

Self care varies for each person. Some might thrive on waking up at dawn, while others prefer a leisurely morning with a good read.

Starting your day with a routine matters because it sets the tone for your entire day. It promotes better functioning, improves your mood, and enhances your productivity.

Early Rise: It might seem counterintuitive, but waking up early has its merits. Early mornings offer a calm start, allowing you to accomplish tasks before the bustle begins. Those extra minutes in bed can tempt you to linger, leading to skipped breakfast or rushed routines.

Additionally, early risers can avoid traffic and find peaceful study spots. For those working remotely, mornings often provide optimal focus due to fewer distractions. Gradually adjusting your wake-up time and syncing it with an earlier bedtime is key.

2. Stretch: Prioritize morning stretches in your self-care routine. After spending hours lying still, your body craves movement. Morning stretches invigorate you and prepare you for the day. If you're feeling adventurous, delve into morning yoga routines.

3. Hydration Boost: Begin your day by hydrating. Your body goes without water for hours while you sleep. Drinking water first thing in the morning can energize you and kickstart your body's systems. Keep a water bottle nearby for those early morning thirsts.

4. Quick Workout: Exercise reaps countless benefits. If you're working on integrating workouts, mornings are perfect. Knock out a workout at the start of your day and feel accomplished. Quick 5-minute workouts fit perfectly into a morning self-care routine.

5. Refreshing Shower: While some opt for cold showers, a gentle, refreshing shower can invigorate you. It's a simple self-care act that can awaken your senses, especially after a workout. After showering, attend to hygiene tasks like brushing teeth, washing your face, and styling your hair.

6. Clean Your Space: Making your bed might seem small, but it's an accomplishment that sets a positive tone. This act reduces stress, enhances organization, and contributes to a cleaner-looking room. It might even inspire you to organize more in your space.

7. To do List: Compile a short list of 2-3 tasks to tackle during the day. This simple practice enhances productivity and streamlines your day. A dedicated notepad is perfect for writing down your tasks.

8. Give Social Media a Break: For at least an hour after waking up, resist the urge to engage with social media. Keep your phone untouched, except for your alarm. This is a powerful addition to your morning self-care routine. By avoiding social media, you grant yourself uninterrupted time before getting caught up in everyone else's activities. Put your phone in a different room or let it charge until you've finished your breakfast or are ready to leave. This strategy keeps you focused and prevents mindless scrolling.

9. Listen to Motivational Content: If you're looking for an early morning boost, listen to motivational podcasts and videos. I've curated a playlist of such content for my daily morning self-care ritual. These motivational resources remind me of my capabilities and aspirations, making them particularly effective if words of affirmation resonate with you.

10. Enjoy a Nutritious Breakfast: A crucial part of morning self-care is having a healthy breakfast. Whether it's a simple smoothie or some toast, make sure to eat something. Remember, your body needs nourishment to power through the day ahead.

How do you establish and maintain a morning routine?

Start by outlining your desired activities for the morning. The night before, create a checklist of tasks. Once you have a clear plan, allocate time intervals for each activity, and adjust them to fit your schedule. Gradually build consistency and make these activities a habit. As you progress, feel free to modify your routine to better suit your needs and time constraints. And remember, make your morning self-care routine enjoyable; have fun with it!

[cannabiscomrade]

It's Gastroparesis Awareness Month

Hi! I have gastroparesis and I'm an insufferable know-it-all so let's talk about it!

Gastroparesis, or a paralyzed stomach, is a condition that causes delayed gastric emptying.

This can cause a range of symptoms and complications:

nausea

vomiting

early satiety/fullness

upper gastric pain

heartburn

malabsorption

dehydration

malnutrition

Gastroparesis can be treated by a gastroenterologist, but often needs to be managed by a motility specialist due to a lot of misconceptions about the condition. Providers, especially in the emergency department, will commonly misdiagnose gastroparesis as cannabis-hyperemesis syndome, cyclic vomiting syndrome, gastritis, food poisoning, etc.

There are several commonly known causes of gastroparesis like vagus nerve damage from diabetes, injury to the stomach, and stomach surgery like hernia repair or bariatric surgery. There are also idiopathic cases with no known cause. Other causes of gastroparesis are:

Connective tissue disorders like HSD and EDS (commonly hEDS and cEDS)

Post-viral (like COVID, viral gastritis, mononucleosis/Epstein-Barr)

Restrictive eating disorders

Autoimmune diseases like Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma), Lupus, Hashimoto's

Central nervous system disorders

Gastroparesis also has common comorbidities with conditions like:

POTS and other forms of dysautonomia (POTS, EDS, and gastroparesis are a common triad of diagnoses)

MCAS

SMAS (which can also present with similar symptoms to GP)

Intestinal dysmotility and esophageal dysmotility disorders (known as global dysmotility)

PCOS with insulin resistance

Endometriosis

SIBO/SIFO

Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction

Migraines

Certain medications like Ozempic and other drugs in that class act on the digestive system to delay gastric emptying, which has caused people to be diagnosed with gastroparesis. Some people report that their cases have not gone away since stopping the medication, others report feeling better after stopping. Other drugs like opiates and narcotics can cause delayed gastric and intestinal motility as well, but these are commonly known side effects of those painkiller classes.

Gastroparesis is classed based on severity and graded based on how you respond to treatment.

Severity of delay ranges from mild to very severe, and this is based on your actual stomach retention calculated at 4 hours into a gastric emptying study.

The grading scale ranges from one to three, one being mild and three being gastric failure.

There is no consistent single treatment that is proven to work for gastroparesis, and there is no cure. Treatments can consist of:

Diet changes (3 Step Gastroparesis Diet, liquid diet, oral sole source nutrition)

Prokinetic (motility stimulating) drugs

Anti-nausea medications

Proton-pump inhibitors

Gastric stimulator/gastric pacemaker

Pyloric botox and dilation

G-POEM/pyloroplasty

Post-pyloric tube feeding

Gastric venting/draining

Parenteral nutrition

IV fluids

Other surgical interventions like gastrectomy or rarely, transplant

Gastroparesis is a terrible disease and I hope that if any of these symptoms resonate with you that you can get checked out. I was misdiagnosed for a long time before getting a proper gastroparesis diagnosis, and all it took was a gastric emptying study. This is ESPECIALLY true if you're having post-COVID gastrointestinal problems that are not improving. I almost died from starvation ketoacidosis because of how serious my GP got in a short period of time post-COVID (I had GP before COVID), and now I'm tube reliant for all my nutrition and hydration.

Stay safe friends!

[seratopia]

miguel o'hara x reader (fluff) - nerdy college miguelito → she/her pronouns!

inspired by this image of him! glasses = smart

He's the sexiest mf with glasses because i said so

So intelligent! As per usual, I see him in an engineering or biochem major. Maybe statistics, or computer science minor. He's a bit of a nerd, the type that is just naturally brilliant; always asking creative questions in class. Babbles to you about his topics as a form of studying/affection; get good grades and keep his partner company.

He seems like the type that can easily learn and reteach information to you. He's a rare case where study dates actually work; you guys get so much work done.

Does that thing where he scrunches his nose to adjust his glasses. "Miguel, you're gonna get wrinkles if you do that." You remark, finishing the last of your Humanities discussion post. "So you do care for me?" Miguel smirks, tapping his pen against the table. "Just saying, you'll look 40 by the time you reach 30."

His Google Calendar is a crowded mess; at least four tasks per day, constant due dates to keep up with, he tries to save time for weekends.

Let's talk fashion! The sweatshirt he has on in the drawing has me on my knees. I'd love him in sweatshirts, straight leg jeans, big black puffer jacket, THOSE HALF-ZIP SWEATSHIRTS SO YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT OF COLLARBONE, compression shirts on lucky days, possibly cargo pants??? Sometimes you guys match fits! If you dress up, he'll understand the assignment.

Carries around a black backpack, just with a laptop and an extra notebook. Hydrates with a HUGE water bottle. Keeps hairties, lip balm, and pain meds around in case you need them. (You do, often.)

College Miggy doesn't seem like the type to participate in Greek Life; he's there to get his education, start a step ahead in his career. Plus, he's too tired to go partying anyway.

It'd be super cute if y'all lived together; a dorm-to-apartment kind of thing. After your relationship's been serious for a while, you move in, sharing a room with Miguel just so you guys can split costs.

Miguel takes early morning classes, I can tell. Greets you on most days with a palm to your stomach, little kisses from behind. He latches onto you for warmth on chillier days, groaning and whining about not wanting to get up in the morning. "Mig, just go to class-" "Mmph, no." Miguel groans, ghosting his lips to the shell of your ear. He shuffles around in the bed, smothering and stealing your body of warmth. "M'cold!" You whine, Miguel's hands sneaking up your shirt.

YOU ARE the passenger princess in this AU, m'kay? (I can't drive-) Miguel, if he is available, will drive you anywhere! Class, mall, farmers market, coffee shop, etc. Ends up just tagging along with you most of the time. You think he's sexy when he's driving (because he is), slots his hand to your upper thigh like it's his birthright.

Most of the time, y'all are in your own little world; no participation in drama, celebrating each other's successes with a trip to a restaurant. Nothing else really matters when you're got both grades and each other to worry about.

Within the rare occasion that you guys share a class, y'all are on the same page. Working together, filling each other in on missing gaps, quizzing each other on tests; its great. Of course, you receive a high A. I feel like he'd be the type to randomly quiz or test you on something in the class. "Prophase vs. Anaphase? You playfully roll your eyes, continuing to stir your coffee.

Where do y'all think he'd work? I'd say paid internship or somewhere tech-y ykwim? He wouldn't really work at a cafe or campus store.

Oh my gosh what if he was rich!!!!! What if he spoils you with good food and well-thought out date nights? Elevating your relationship as a couple <333 WHAT IF HE PAYS YOUR TUITION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ugh best man best man

© 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒂.

[faruna]

miscellaneous furina x faruzan headcanons under the cut:

Furina is good at spotting an act. She can always tell when Faruzan is bottling up her feelings and putting up a wall of dignified maturity so as not to worry the people around her (especially when her past is brought up). Furina is the one who always manages to see through it.

So Faruzan gradually ends up being more honest in her company, confiding in Furina whenever she’s hit with a bout of grief, nostalgia or longing for a distant past she can never return to. Furina watched 5 centuries go by, herself, so theres a level of understanding between them.

Faruzan takes Furina’s boundaries very seriously and is quick to reprimand people who cross them. There are days when Furina doesn’t have it in her to be out in public, and Faruzan will gladly dote on her at home. She's quick to lecture anyone who tries to pressure Furina into doing something she doesn’t want to do.

Furina got used to waking up early for court hearings while Faruzan got used to staying up late researching, so their sleep schedules are very different. Furina likes to watch Faruzan work at night and often falls asleep to the sound of her writing or tinkering. Sometimes Faruzan carries her to bed, sometimes Furina manages to convince her to put down her work and get some sleep too. When Furina wakes up first, she likes to make breakfast for the two of them (though the quality varies, she’s still learning how to cook)

When Faruzan goes out to explore ruins, Furina tags along and makes sure they both stay hydrated. Faruzan feels reassured to have someone keeping her company in the ruins. She’s secretly a bit nervous to go alone after The Incident.

Farzan has definitely taken apart and reassembled Furinas cameras to see how they work, the machinery is new to her and she's fascinated by it. She admires Furinas abilities as a director though she isn’t familiar with most stories from the past century. Furina loves being the one to share them with her.

They both like to read in their spare time, so when they aren’t too busy or exhausted they like to read together. They alternate on who gets to pick the book. Faruzan reads the narration while Furina reads the dialogue (she likes doing silly voices for all the different characters)

That’s all for now 💙

[atinystraynstay]

When Are You Coming Home - Choi Seungcheol

Inspired by: Home - Catie Turner

Synopsis: You met Seungcheol while you were studying abroad in Seoul. It was a meeting by fate. Now, he was watching you live your life on the other side of the world. Would he ever get to see you again? Would he ever get to confess how he feels?

Pairing: Idol! Choi Seungcheol x reader

Genre: Fluff, slight angst

Word Count: 2.6k

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

It was 8:44pm Seungcheol sighed as he watched his members Weverse posts. It's been killing him that he hasn't been able to join the group, as he was still recovering from ACL surgery a few months ago. He was starting to regain his strength which was making him feel more like himself. The problem was that the company wasn't fully confident he was ready to give it his all, so they were proceeding on the side of caution.

The boys had just wrapped up their dome concerts in Japan. Truly, those concerts were some of Cheol's favorites. He loved them not just for the carats that always showed up in massive numbers for them. Those concerts were more a testament to how far they've come as a group. He was proud of not only himself but his 12 members, his brothers, who have overcome doubt from the industry. They truly were the biggest name in K-pop at the moment.

That's why it pained him not to be there with him, not being a part of the schedules and activities. He was able to attend some events in person, like Inkigayo or Music Bank. He was able to attend backstage, but his true place was right on that stage beside everyone.

He pushed himself hard through his recovery, hoping to bounce back sooner rather than later. His doctors urged him to take it easy and to consider his long-term health rather than getting immediate results.

Truly, the toughest part of this whole recovery period was not having you beside him. You were attending graduate school in the United States, working towards your masters degree in education. He thought that maybe if he got healthier and stronger sooner, not only could he rejoin his group but he could actually come out to visit you in the States.

You were his best friend. You met at the same bar in Seoul when you were visiting during your study abroad trip. He was out with friends, celebrating the end of a hectic schedule. You were with friends from the program, eager to experience what nightlife was like in Korea after seeing one too many TikToks. Seungcheol never knew that someone could mean that much to him in such a short amount of time.

You were only going to be in Seoul from January until early May. He made it his mission to see you as much as possible. You two used to spend every day together, at least until comeback season came around for FML. Leading up to the anticipated album release, you would wait for him, excited, with a bottle of water to keep him hydrated. His favorite memory was when you got to watch him during Caratland, when he got to have the time of his life with his fans and his members. The reason why he kept grinning as hard as he did was because he knew you were waiting for him backstage.

Unfortunately, time seemed to slip away too quickly for Seungcheol's liking. During your last week in Seoul, he was asked to be at every meeting, every promotion, and everywhere but with you. He was lucky he got to see you the night before your flight, but it still tore him up inside that he couldn't even take you to the airport because he had to be at a dress rehearsal.

In that short amount of time, Seungcheol fell hard for you. You intrigued him in ways he never thought someone could. You brought a level of normalcy into his life that he didn't know he was missing. You were there to help him calm down after a tough dance practice. You often would cook dishes from your hometown, to give him an insight into where you come from. He wanted to know more about your world.

Why did he wait so long to confess to you? Now, seeing as you are more than 6,600 miles away from him, he regretted it every day. Sure, he could easily tell you over the phone or slide in your DMs, but you deserved better than that in his eyes.

Before his injury, he had hoped to come visit you right before the school year started. He got to experience the United States last summer with his members when they were on the Be The Sun tour. This time though, he wanted to experience what America was like with you. He wanted to do all the cliche romantic things like drive-ins, going to diners, and baseball games. He wanted to create memories with you, to be with you. He wanted you to be his.

The two of you still maintained contact. You would have FaceTime calls when you got the chance, would send postcards and little gifts to one another, and would cheer each other one from afar. Whether it was you waking up at 4:30am to catch a live concert or if he was reading one of your research papers - you were a united force.

He was hoping he would have been able to called you tonight, but you had told him that you had gotten busy with final assignments. While he hasn't been in school for a while, he knows how important school is for you. He didn't want to come across as overbearing, so he just waited patiently. He would watch your stories on Instagram and Snapchat, seeing you at a coffee shop or out with friends. He wanted so badly to be there with you.

He was scrolling through social media. It brought a smile to his face to see you had gone home for Thanksgiving, a holiday he was able to recognize easily as it was similar to Chuseok. There was a photo of you in a white turtle neck. Your hair was down in natural curls with light makeup on. He could see the mole that is planted on the right side of your face, close to your jawline. You were breathtaking. You were sitting beside your mom, someone who almost was an exact copy of you. There is no denying you two are related.

He knew family was important to you, so getting to spend time with your parents meant the world to you. He wondered if he was of the same importance to you, or if he could eventually get to that spot.

He looked through the other photos you posted. Some were with friends who still lived in your hometown. He tried his best to remember their names without looking at their Instagram handles. He remembers you mentioned them quite a few times. You were an only child, so you had a tendency to consider your friends part of your family too. He saw other photos of your hometown, wondering if he would ever get the opportunity to visit it up close.

What he took away the most from your post was how happy you looked. In all the photos, you were smiling wide to the point your eyes were hidden. Seungcheol remembers the few times you guys took photos together. You hated the way you looked, but he was obsessed with you. He never met someone who just naturally glowed. You were his own little disco ball, full of energy and wonder. He couldn't help but claim responsibility for making you that happy in those moments.

Seungcheol often wondered if you were happy back home. When he wasn't able to be there physically, he often wondered if you were happy. At least when you were here in Seoul, living in the same city, he could better fix whatever may be troubling you. He hated feeling helpless when you were upset. Especially now, it was more difficult than ever for him to just jump on a plane to you.

A knock at the door interrupted his deep thought. He raised an eyebrow, trying to go through who it could possibly be. All the boys were just now flying back from Tokyo. Could it be someone from the company? Why didn't they just call?

Thankfully, Seungcheol had reached the point of his recovery where he wasn't dependent on crutches. He could move freely. It might've been slow movements at times, but it was still moving at his own regard without the dependency of other people.

He made his way over carefully, not wanting to accidentally trip or bump into something. He was not about to jeopardize a setback when he was so close to getting back to where he was a few months ago.

Once he got to the door, he twisted the silver lock and undid the bolt. Making sure he had enough room, he stepped back to allow the door to swing open without it hitting his knee. He was just a more cautious guy until he got the green light to get back on stage. Seungcheol had his gaze to the door, watching it open so if he had to move, he could do so without straining himself.

"Are you crazy?" A voice shouted at him.

His eyes widened at the abrupt voice before looking up. There was no way.

There you stood. You had a pink backpack on your shoulders. Your hair was pulled into a loose ponytail held back by a silk white scrunchie. You had on a red hoodie with black leggings, and tennis shoes hugging your feet. "Y/n? What are you doing here?" "Would you like to tell me why Jeonghan called me saying you were overworking yourself? Do I need to remind you that you just had knee surgery about two months ago?"

You slipped the straps of your backpack off your shoulders. Seungcheol watched as you stepped towards his apartment, setting your backpack down by the threshold of the door. Your arms soon wrapped around Seungcheol, gently hugging him. His arms wrapped around you slowly, being in a bit of a shock of you actually being here in front of him.

"You have to take care of yourself, Cheol. Especially when I'm not here to help you," you whispered. You had tucked your head into his neck. He was able to get a smell of your shampoo, instantly settling his racing heart. God, he missed your scent. He squeezed you gently, almost as if he needed confirmation that this was reality and not some false, cruel illusion.

"I didn't mean to scare you, sweetheart. There was no need for you to fly all the way out here. What about your family? Your final assignments?" "You are a part of my life, Cheol. I had to be here. And my assignments can wait. Now, come on, old man. Let's get you back to the couch."

Coming from the guys, if they teased about his age, he would have been annoyed. Coming from you though was a sense of endearment.

Seungcheol followed your lead back to his couch. He got himself situated where he could rest with his leg up on the couch, alleviating some of the discomfort he felt from walking. He had his moments of weakness, but he wasn't sure if it was weakness from still recovering or from being in front of you for the first time in over 6 months.

Once he was situated on the couch, he saw you sitting on the opposite side of the couch. Your eyes were on him though. It was a sight that brought a smile to his face, a genuine smile for the first time probably since the surgery.

"So are you really just here because Jeonghan called?" "Well yes and no. Yes because I wanted to make sure you were ok. I know we FaceTime and you keep me updated as much as possible, but I just had to see for myself that you were ok."

He took note of the light blush on her cheeks. So she has been thinking of me? She's been worried about me? Cute. His ego was rising just at the sheer idea of you being into him, even in the slightest.

"No because I was planing to come visit you for the holidays. I get a month off of my studies, and realized that if I was spending Thanksgiving with my family, I want to spend it with you."

Well damn. He never would have predicted this.

"So you like me or something?" Seungcheol teased you.

This time, your cheeks turned a deeper red. It was then his eyes widened again. "Oh," he said silently. There was no need to further interrogate you on the matter.

Seungcheol eaned forward to gently grasp your wrist. You looked at him, an eyebrow raised. He gently tugged you towards him. You looked hesitant as if you were going to be hurting him. He offered you a reassuring smile. You began guiding herself closer to him until he situated you in between his left side and the back of the couch. He wrapped an arm around your waist, keeping you close to him.

"Something tells me Jeonghan just didn't call because of my recovery," Cheol chuckled lightly under his breath.

Man, was Seungcheol lucky to have a best friend like Jeonghan. He owed him. Big time. You looked up at Seungcheol, a gentle smile on your lips but your eyebrow raised. Do she even know how cute she is?

"Since you left, y/n, I've been miserable. The few months you were here were just magical. It was like I was getting a chance to star in my own romance movie. Life hasn't been the same without you here." "And it doesn't help that we haven't really been able to visit each other, right?"

His smile grew slightly. He lowered his head so his face was hovering just above yours. If only he had gotten the courage to do this a few months ago then the last couple of months wouldn't have been full of torment.

"Because I didn't tell you how I felt about you before you left. Y/n, I really like you. I wanted to tell you so badly, but I held back. I need you in my life not just as a friend."

Hearing him, you could have thought you weren't actually in his apartment or in Seoul, for that matter. You were convinced you were asleep in your own apartment, having the best dream but about to wake up to a cruel reality. You moved your left arm over his torso, left hand extended to cup his face. Touching his skin, feeling the light stubble underneath your fingertips confirmed that this was reality.

"Jeonghan called because you liked me? And that you've been struggling since I've been gone?" You whispered. "Seems like Jeonghan took it upon himself to play cupid," Seungcheol laughed lightly, biting his lip though to try not to speak too loudly.

It was as if he spoke too loudly, he himself would wake up. But much like you had to, he needed a confirmation that this wasn't just a dream.

He guided his lips down towards yours but hovered over them. He was afraid of moving too quickly. It was a common thee in his life at the present moment. "Say the word, y/n, and I'll make both of our dreams come true."

All you could bring yourself to do was nod. However, Seungcheol needed more. He needed to know that you fully wanted this to happen as much as you did. The words were just trapped in your throat because you couldn't believe that you had flown all the way to Korea for the man of your dreams for him not just to be in your dreams. He was real. He was laying beside you, staring and waiting for your own greenlight.

"Yes, Cheol. Please. It's all I've been waiting for."

There it is. The green light. "Me too, princess," he whispered. He soon leaned I all the way, allowing his lips to press against yours without hesitation or worry. It was a kiss that sealed our destiny, your fate to be together without further interruptions or obstacles.

You were all his, and he was all yours. Officially.