#i hope that if you plan on trying to be the person getting fakers or whatever out of our spaces that you pick a more formal approach

[gothiccat69]

Sorry mate, misunderstood.

I'm glad I could explain clearly enough for you to understand.

I don't want another very long post, so I'm putting everything else I have to say in the tags.

[puckinghischier]

Fakers

Jack Hughes x fem!reader

summary: reader needs jack to be her fake boyfriend, and it leads to something very not fake

notes: hello!! it’s literally 2am and i just finished this, so needless to say it’s unedited, but i love this fic so much. i combined two different requests for it and i had so much fun with it. i hope you enjoy!! happy reading!! 🫶🏼

also i’m starting a tag list in the comments, so let me know if you’d like to be added!! 🫡

request: from my 400 follower celly - You owe me.” “I owe you $20 not a day of pretending to be your partner to get your parents off your back” & “A realizing that they have feelings for B when they see them with someone else”

[5.4k]

“Jack! Please tell me you’re home. It’s an emergency!” you frantically slam his apartment door shut.

Searching the large space for any signs of life, you beg for him to be home.

“Jack! C’mon! It’s urgent!” you yell out, walking down the hallway towards his bedroom.

You twist the knob of the closed door, finding it locked. Huffing, you start beating your fist against the wood.

“Open up! I know you’re in there!”

You continue your assault on the door, stopping only when the door opens and your fist meets air. You step back in surprise, nearly hitting Jack square in his bare chest.

A soaking wet, shirtless Jack stands in front of you with a towel wrapped around his waist.

“God, what took you so long? I texted you SOS on my way over here,” you barreled past him, walking into his bedroom.

“Oh, I’m sorry, it’s not like I just had a grueling three-hour practice or anything. God forbid I take a hot shower afterwards,” Jack throws his hands up in the air, watching you walk straight for his closet.

You and jack had been friends since the second you moved to Jersey, the sassy brunette being just what you needed to make you feel at home in the unfamiliar state.

As you were moving in down the hall, Jack had half of the team over at his apartment watching game film in preparation for a week of road games.

Him and few teammates walked out into the hallway to investigate the loud bangs they kept hearing, watching you try to squeeze a bookshelf into your apartment that was three times the size of the doorway.

An hour later you had a disassembled bookshelf and four very attractive men in your living room.

Jack had recruited some of his teammates, as you later learned, to help you put the bookshelf back together.

You apologized for interrupting their plans, the rest of Jack’s teammates still in his apartment, and insisted they go back to their friends. You told them you could handle putting back together a bookshelf, even though you had absolutely no idea what you were doing.

They waved off your concerns, telling you they needed to help you finish what they started.

After the bookshelf was put together and in place, Jack invited you over to his apartment, deciding they had watched enough film for that night, using the incentive of pizza to lure you. You would’ve objected, seeing as you had no clue if he was some axe murderer or something, but the pang of hunger in your stomach threw all caution to the wind, leading your feet three doors down and into the strange apartment.

You gained a whole group of friends that night, not knowing until a week later your new friends were Jersey’s own professional hockey team.

Jack and Luke helped you finish the rest of your move in, spending more and more time with your new neighbors as the days went on. You added weekly take out dinners into your schedules and alternating hockey watch parties in each other’s apartments, the brothers insisting you need to learn to love the game.

You can’t deny the fact that you started developing feelings for the middle Hughes pretty quickly, his fun energy and magnetic personality roping you in. The nature of your friendship was extremely laid back, the two of you bickering nearly as much as you made the other laugh. Luke often said the two of you either act like an old married couple or newlyweds that already resent each other.

It didn’t take long for you to figure out, however, that Jack was too focused on living the hockey lifestyle to settle down anytime soon. You noticed the flow of girls in and out of his apartment, having met a few on their way out in the mornings on your way to work.

Attempting to push your feelings to the back of your mind, you continued spending time with the rowdy athletes. A small part of you still held out hope, especially after Jack gave you a key to their apartment, telling you he was tired of having to get the door every time you decided you wanted to come over.

Which is exactly how you were able to enter his apartment now, in your desperate time of need.

You knew your parents were going to visit you once you had settled in. The piece of information they left out, though, was that they scheduled a dinner with the lawyer son of one of your dad’s coworkers that also happens to live in the city.

Now, sifting through his closet in search of an outfit appropriate for the high-end restaurant your parents reserved for tonight, you worry about Jack’s reaction to your – and now his – predicament.

“Jack, don’t you own anything that isn’t designer? I don’t want my parents to think you’re a douche throwing his money in everyone’s face,” you slide each Tom Ford, Armani, and his one Gucci suit to the side.

Jack, still standing with his hand on his open door, starts walking over to you, crossing his arms.

“So, you not only barge into my apartment unexpectedly and interrupt my shower, but you’re now criticizing my formal wear?” he asks before realization shows on his face. “Wait, what do you mean your parents? And why are you so dressed up?” he suddenly notices your floor-length, black formal dress and full face of make-up.

You turn to face him slowly, an overexaggerated, nervous smile on your face.

“Well…you’re…meetingmyparentstonight,” you mumble out, running your words together.

“Run that back one more time?” Jack asks you, eyes widening.

“You’re meeting my parents tonight,” you say at a normal pace this time, doing small jazz hands.

Groaning, Jack turns away from you, placing his hands on the top of his head as he paces.

“What did you do?” he asks, still pacing, knowing how you are and that you’re only ever this anxious about stuff when there’s a reason.

“Okay, so don’t get mad,” you start, placing your hands out in front of you as if you’re calming down a wild animal.

“Oh, great, that’s always followed by good news,” Jack rolls his eyes, stopping to stand in front of you.

“I might have, maybe, just a little bit…told my parents that you were my boyfriend,” you rush out again, closing your eyes and wincing.

Jack doesn’t respond, not making a single sound. You slowly open one eye, waiting for him to start scolding you. You see him standing there, wide eyes and frozen.

“You told…parents…your boyfriend?” his broken sentence amuses you, but you have to hold in the laugh, figuring laughing at him wouldn’t do you any favors right now.

“Yes,” you confirm, causing Jack to close his eyes and inhale, his hand flying up to press against his forehead. “But! They’re trying to set me up on a blind date with one of my dad’s stuck-up coworker’s sons. You know I told them I’d never date a lawyer,” you explain, stepping closer to Jack, testing the waters. “Plus, I hate being set up, Jack. One of my dating requirements is friends first, date later.”

“Why?” Jack now pinches the bridge of his nose. “Why in the hell would you tell your parents I’m your boyfriend? I haven’t dated in someone in…I don’t know, three years? This should’ve been a Luke job.”

“Because you’re my best friend. It wouldn’t have been believable with Luke because I don’t know him as well as I know you,” you tell him, watching him open his mouth to argue. “Plus, you owe me.”

Jack scoffs. “Oh, I owe you, huh? Do tell, what for?”

“When I bought your sushi last week because you forgot your wallet at the rink when I met you out for lunch.”

Jack rolls his eyes. “Are you serious? I owe you $20, not a day of pretending to be your boyfriend to get your parents off your back!”

“But…a day of pretending to be my boyfriend can pay your $20 debt,” you smile and tilt your head, batting your eyelashes.

Jack mulls the idea over in his head for a few moments, deciding on if he’s going to help you or not. You continue batting your eyelashes and giving Jack your trademark puppy dog eyes.

“Fine…give me twenty minutes and I’ll be ready,” he grumbles, shoulders deflating a little.

“Yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” you squeal, doing a happy jump and running over to hug him.

You realize a second too late he’s still damp and very naked, jumping back and apologizing mere seconds after you made contact with his bare skin.

“I’ll go wait in your living room,” you say, turning and heading towards his door.

“I’m wearing the Gucci, by the way,” he calls out as you reach the doorway.

“Please, at least wear the Armani so they think you’re poor rich, not rich rich,” you hear him laugh as you shut his door.

Just as Jack told you, twenty minutes later you’re in his car on the way to some rooftop restaurant your parents reserved for your ‘family’ dinner.

“So, what’s our story?” Jack asks, breaking the silence.

“Our story?” you repeat, confused.

“Yeah, our story. Like, what was the magical moment we realized we were actually more than friends and were head over heels with one another?” he asks, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

You look over at him, a small smirk on his lips.

“Do you seriously think I went into that much detail when I stuttered out ‘oh…I uhh…forgot to tell you, Jack and I are dating now!’ when my mother mentioned Ben was joining us for dinner?”

“Well, I wouldn’t put it past you.”

You scoff at him, leaning back in your seat and crossing your arms.

“We don’t have a story. Mom didn’t ask questions so I didn’t offer any,” you respond, looking over at him.

“Wait, she didn’t ask any questions? What was her response?” he asked you, glancing over at you every few seconds.

“No? She just said it was great and to invite you to dinner too, maybe you and Ben would get along,” Jack’s furrowed brow confusing you.

“Shit, Y/N, she doesn’t believe you,” he sits up straight.

“She doesn’t?”

“No, she doesn’t. If she believed you then she would have told Ben not to come. If she believed you, she would have grilled you with questions and squealed with excitement. She wouldn’t have just accepted the answer and told you to bring me along like some pet,” you note the worry in his tone.

Thinking about your mother’s reaction, you remember the uninterested tone she used when telling you how great it was you were with Jack. The lack of enthusiasm definitely uncharacteristic from your mom. You had just assumed she was shocked, not that she didn’t believe you.

“Holy shit you’re right! She didn’t believe me. What are we gonna do?” you reach down the hand resting in your lap and start picking your thumb nail on again, extremely worried they’ll see through your bullshit the second you sit down at the table.

Jack notices the anxious habit of yours, reaching over and placing his hand over your own, effectively stopping your movements.

“We give them the best damn performance of our lives.”

———————————————————————————

As soon as you walk onto the open rooftop, you think you should’ve let Jack wear his Gucci suit.

The dimly lit space is full of people in expensive looking dresses and crisp, clean suits.

You suddenly feel very underdressed.

The hostess leads you over to a table in the corner, you and Jack being the last to arrive.

Jack’s hand is held tightly in yours, the small pep talk he gave you in the elevator already forgotten.

“Oh, Y/N! You’re here!” you hear your mother’s voice as you approach the table, breaking you out of your wardrobe anxieties.

You give a tight-lipped smile, keeping yourself pressed against Jack’s side.

“Well, don’t just stand there, give me a hug!” she exclaims, standing from her seat, pulling you into a bone crushing hug.

You reciprocate her actions, placing your hands on her back.

“Honey, you look so good. I hope this place has been kind to you,” she places her hands on your face, a smile beaming back at you.

You nod at her. “Yeah, I love it here so far.”

She lets you go, her smile never fading.

“Alright, where’s the hug for your old man?” you hear your dad speak from somewhere behind you, turning to see him walking towards you with open arms.

Sinking into his hug, you let yourself enjoy the feeling. Getting to spend time with your dad is a rarity, considering he’s part of a big law-firm back home. He was always working late and missing holidays when you were a kid, your experience with him why you always swore you’d never marry a lawyer like your mother did.

“I missed you, Dad,” you tell him honestly, pulling back from his embrace.

“I missed you more, kiddo,” he pats your cheek, stepping away to take his seat at the table once again.

You hear Jack clear his throat behind you, reminding him that you need to introduce him.

“Oh! Mom, Dad,” you turn back and reach your hand out towards Jack, “this is Jack, the neighbor I’ve been telling you about.” Jack squeezes you hand, reminding you he’s your boyfriend tonight, not your neighbor. “Well…I guess I need to introduce him as my boyfriend now, cause we’re dating!” you say a little too enthusiastically, lifting your intertwined hands for everyone to see.

Jack chuckles, bringing his free hand over to push your joined hands down.

“Hi, I’m Jack, Y/N’s neighbor boyfriend,” he reaches over to shake your dad’s hand.

You notice your mom’s skeptical smile, standing to give Jack a short, half hug.

As you scan the area, trying to find anything else to focus on other than your lack of being able to play it cool, you notice the third body at the table.

You look at the man, his jet black, scruffy hair not at all what you were expecting. He was extremely handsome, you had to give him that. His blue eyes stood out against the dark setting, his black dress shirt under his black suit jacket causing them to stand out even more.

“Well, since introductions are being made, this is Ben, Jim’s boy. He works at a firm just a few miles away, actually,” your dad beams as Ben stands, walking around the table to give Jack’s hand a firm shake.

They exchange a short greeting before Ben makes his way over to you, grabbing your hand and kissing your knuckles, taking you by surprise.

“Pleasure to meet you…” he trails off, keeping eye contact as he raises back up into a standing position. “Both of you,” he adds as an afterthought, letting go of your hand and glancing at Jack.

“Yeah…you too,” Jack’s tone is laced with an emotion you can’t quite pick up on, but the glare he’s sending Ben is extremely noticeable.

As everyone takes their seats again, Jack scoots your chair out for you before sitting in the chair beside of you, taking your hand in his and resting them on the table.

Small talk is exchanged about Jack’s job, a disapproving nod from your father, your mother asking questions about what he plans to do after his career is over, making sure to throw in digs about how young hockey players are required to retire and the fact that contract money runs out fast with the lifestyle athletes live.

Jack handles them in stride, talking about how he wants to get into coaching once his career comes to an end, but he wants to play hockey for as long as he’s physically able. He also informed your parents that his mother instilled in him how to budget, making sure his necessities are always paid before anything else gets purchased, including a retirement fund.

The conversation then shifts to you and your new job, your mother filling Ben in with side comments the whole time about how you graduated with honors and was offered a big city job right out of college. Ben looked at you the entire time you were talking, seeming genuinely interested in what you were sharing.

Once the conversation shifts to Ben, that’s when the dinner starts going south.

“Ben is in line to become a partner at his firm very soon. It’s all his father talks about at work anymore,” your dad informs the table, laughing and slapping a hand to Ben’s shoulder.

“Well, there’s a few other guys in the running, I’m not a shoo-in yet,” Ben responds, trying to knock down his praise a bit.

“Oh, don’t be so modest, Ben, our Y/N here loves an overachiever, isn’t that right, darling?” your mom looks over to you.

You don’t know what to say to her, stunned that she would be so blatantly obvious about her intentions in front of Ben like this.

“I…well…Yeah, I guess,” you stutter out, not sure how to respond to your mother’s words.

“Do you excel in your field, Jack?” your mom questions your fake boyfriend of the night.

He looks up from his food, not entirely sure how to handle the question. Does he tell them the truth and risk sounding like a gloating asshole, or does he play the modest card and confirm your parent’s suspicions that he’s less than?

“Jack was team captain of team USA! And he’s an alternate captain for the Devils now! He’s also one of the team’s top point scorers,” you ramble out facts about Jack’s hockey career, sensing his hesitation.

Your father’s brows shoot up in surprise.

“Way to go man, sounds awesome,” Ben sounds genuinely impressed.

“That’s something to be proud of,” is all your mother responds.

You look over at Jack in apology, the flush of his cheeks hidden by the dark surroundings.

“Jack was also drafted number one overall in the NHL draft when he was only eighteen. Isn’t that crazy?” you continue, not knowing how to stop the information rolling from your mouth.

“Good for you, son,” your dad says through chewing his food, earning a glare from your mother.

Jack chuckles out a thanks, kicking your foot under the table.

“Always my biggest fan, huh babe?” Jack looks over at you, the look in his eyes telling you to stop, you’re being obvious again.

“Well…it’s not just your good looks that won me over,” you attempt a joke, but it didn’t land very well.

Jack winces at how that sounded.

Realizing what you just said, with the current scrutiny surrounding Jack’s choice of career, you mentally palm your forehead.

“I need to use the restroom, excuse me,” you all but run away from the table.

You make your way to the small bathroom, collecting yourself and telling yourself you don’t have that long left of this torturous dinner.

When you exit the bathroom, you see Ben standing there, waiting for you to come out.

“So…is now a good time to tell you that I know you and Jack aren’t dating?” he asks you, an amused smile on his face.

Your body turns cold, every muscle frozen in place. How does he know? Has your act really been that bad?

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you tell him, laughing nervously.

“Listen, you don’t have to hide it from me. I’m not here because I want to be set up with you. I’m here because I need my dad to still think I’m single,” he surprises you.

“Wait, you have a girlfriend?” you ask him, shock evident in your voice.

“Boyfriend, actually. But haven’t really broke that part to my parents yet.”

Your jaw drops, not believing that your parents are unknowingly trying to set you up with a gay man.

“Holy shit,” you start laughing, unable to hide stop your hand from shooting out to grip Ben’s arm. “I promise I’m not laughing because you’re gay. I’m laughing because my parents would die if they figured out the man they’re trying to set me up doesn’t even like girls.” You want to go over there and scream this piece of information into their faces, but know it’s not your place to out Ben.

“I hate when they try to set me up with people, and I thought it would stop since I moved away, but when they told me you were coming to dinner tonight I panicked and told them I was dating Jack because I didn’t want to have to dodge phone calls and ignore texts, again,” you bring your hand up to wipe the tears out of your eyes. “Who would’ve thought I didn’t even have to worry about it because there’s more of a chance you’d be attracted to my fake boyfriend than me.”

Ben laughs with you, allowing you to lean against him.

From the dinner table, Jack can hear your laughter, turning his head to see you leaning on Ben, the two of you being entirely too close for his liking.

“Well, looks like they’re getting along,” your mother tells your father, nodding her head in the direction of you and Ben.

Jack fully turns in his seat, watching how you talk animatedly with Ben, a large grin on your face as he returns it, looking down at you.

Something wicked swirls in Jack’s stomach, not enjoying watching you laugh with someone like you laugh with him.

He thinks back to all the times you’ve been around his apartment, complaining about the latest guy you were trying to meet up with canceling on you and how angry it makes him to see you upset. He thinks about how you always complain to him about dating apps, wishing you could just meet someone naturally, going on and on about having a ‘meet cute’ like your favorite rom coms and wondering why it always makes him think about how cute you looked trying to shove that big ass bookshelf into your apartment. He thinks about the time you brought a date to one of his games, the satisfaction of seeing you in his jersey almost enough to outweigh the sudden burst of anger he felt in the middle of the game, looking up to see his arm around your shoulders, hand resting a little too close to your chest for his comfort.

He thinks about how he’s always fending off his teammates and random men at bars, not trusting their intentions with you. And the looks that he catches Luke giving the two of you when you’re arguing, his favorite activity being getting you worked up, loving how red your ears get when he keeps firing sarcasm back at your anger.

He always assumed these feelings were a general protectiveness of you and enjoyment of being around you, almost like you were his sister, never once entertaining the idea that they could be more than that.

Until now, that is. Until you’re standing there in that dress, possibly the most beautiful he’s ever seen you, leaning all over another man when you asked him to come here with you. You asked him to be your fake boyfriend, not Mr. Big Time Lawyer.

“If you’ll excuse me, I need to go make sure my girlfriend is okay,” he tells your parents, dropping his cloth napkin on the table and scooting his chair back.

You’re still laughing with Ben, exchanging stories about the different set-ups your parents have tried on the two of you.

“You know, even though it’s very obvious you’re not dating, I do have to admit, I can see the feelings you two have for each other,” Ben tells you, changing the subject.

“Oh, no, we’re just friends,” you tell him, your cheeks flushing a bit.

Ben gives you a look, rolling his eyes. “Honey, anyone within a three-mile radius can see that that boy is smitten with you, even if he doesn’t know it yet.”

You look over at Jack who’s looking over at you and Ben.

“I don’t think so,” you shake your head, deciding you can trust Ben. “I mean, I definitely have feelings for him, have for a while, but he’s not the dating type,” you laugh. “Hell, he was worried about having to be my fake boyfriend, considering he hasn’t dated anyone in years. Anyways, the girls I see leaving his apartment most mornings says otherwise.”

“Haven’t you learned men are stupid? Someone usually has to tell them what they’re feeling. Show them what they’re missing out on,” he steps closer to you, the two of you only inches apart now. “Just like right now.”

You cock your head, confused at Ben’s words until you hear footsteps stomping towards you.

“Y/N, babe,” Jack spits out, anger radiating off of him, “can we go somewhere…private to talk?” he puts on a tight smile, watching Ben step back away from you.

“Uh, sure,” you tell him as he grabs your arm, gently leading you over to a secluded corner of the rooftop.

He stands in front of you, running his hands up his face before sweeping them through his hair.

“What the hell are you doing?” he asks, jutting his hand out in the direction you just came from.

“We were just-“

“You were ‘just’ flirting with the man your parents are trying to set you up with in front of their eyes when you brought me here to show them you’re not interested,” he interrupts you, frustration clear in his tone.

“Jack, you don’t understand, Ben is-“

“Perfect for you? Handsome? Your parent’s dream man for you? Better than me?” he cuts you off, his last statement taking you by surprise.

“Jack, where’s this coming from? Ben’s not better than you? What would ever make you think that?” your confusion turns to concern.

“Oh, don’t act all sad and worried now. Not when you were over here getting all close to Ben,” he waves his hands around, disgust lacing his voice as he said Ben’s name, “just mere seconds ago while I was sitting at the table with your parents, watching the whole thing and thinking about how much I love you!” he raises his voice, but not loud enough to disturb the people dining around you.

You’re so shocked at Jack’s words that you step back from him, not believing what you’re hearing.

“Jack, I-“ you start once more, but Jack’s voice cuts you off.

“I know I’m realizing this way too late, but dammit, Y/N, that man,” he points over to Ben, “is not the guy for you. I know I’ve just stood by and watched you try to go on date after date after date with men who weren’t right for you, but I think I was too scared to think about what my feelings meant. I’ve ran off so many men at bars its not even funny. Hell, I’ve told my own teammates you’re off limits, thinking I was just protecting you from getting hurt. But really, all I was doing was being selfish. I was keeping you all to myself while bringing random girls home every couple of nights after having drinks, only to kick them out first thing in the morning when I woke up and had a nasty feeling in my chest,” he pauses, his tone turning from stern to soft as he takes a step towards you.

“I’m realizing that feeling was disgust. Disgust at myself for filling my time with girls that don’t matter, girls that I would never be satisfied with because they weren’t you. I think part of me knew from the second I saw this crazy woman at the end of the hall, trying to push a bookshelf that had to outweigh her by at least a hundred pounds, through the tiny ass door of her apartment. It was confirmed when you agreed to come to my apartment and ate pizza while goofing off with my teammates, instantly clicking with every single one of them. It settled a little deeper when you showed up at my door after I had gotten home from being on the road, demanding we watch Quinn’s hockey game because it was time for you to study hockey. It was made permanent when you showed up to your first Devils game, my name and number on your back, eyes lit up in awe like it was Christmas morning,” he continues, causing tears to sting your eyes as he reaches over to cup your face in his hands.

“I ignored it for all of this time, because I think, deep down, I was scared of losing you. I was scared that you were going to see me as this dumb, jock hockey player that lived down the hall from you and let me down easy. I was scared you’d see how absolutely out of my league you are. I was scared to be vulnerable and admit that I was in love with you, because I couldn’t bear to think that you didn’t love me back,” his face is mere inches from yours. “But I’m tired of ignoring it. Seeing you, laughing with Ben, all pressed up against him like that, thinking that I might have already lost you before I even had the chance to have you, made me realize that I had to try. I had to at least…try,” he finishes, resting his forehead against yours.

The tears are fully streaming down your face at this point, not caring that you’re likely ruining the mascara you spent over fifteen minutes perfecting earlier.

“Jack, you stupid man, just kiss me already,” you whisper out, your breath fanning across his lips.

He smiles, lifting your chin up to press your lips together, sighing happily into the kiss.

You match his smile, making the kiss silly and sloppy, but you don’t care. His lips feel like they were made to fit in-between yours, the softness of them far better than you had imagined.

Pulling back from the kiss, you bring your hands up to rest on his wrists, his hands still holding your face.

“You know, if you had let me speak, I would have saved you the speech and informed you that Ben wasn’t trying to make a move on me, because Ben is gay and has a boyfriend,” Jack pulls back from you, allowing you to see the shocked expression on his face. “We were bonding over the amount of times our parents have tried to set us up with people just like this before, and then he was telling me how in love with each other we were. I was telling him how I definitely was in love with you, but I didn’t believe you were in love with me,” you laugh at Jack, the situation comical now.

“I- he’s gay?” is all Jack responds with.

You throw your head back, laughing at him. “That’s what you took away from what I just said?”

“Sorry, I just, wasn’t expecting it, is all,” he says, moving his hands to your neck, pushing your head back up to look at him.

“Oh, so you were expecting my love confession, then?” you tease him.

“Well, duh, you did ask me to be your fake boyfriend tonight,” Jack moves his hand to pinch your cheek.

“So…are you still? Fake, that is?” you ask him, placing your arms on his shoulders, clasping your hands around the back of his neck.

Jack looks down at you, the expression on his face something entirely new to you, but it’s one you can surely get used to.

“Ehh, I don’t know…ask me again the next time you need a buffer,” he shrugs, smirking at you.

You tug on a piece of his hair, causing him to hiss out.

“Geez, I’m kidding. Of course I’m your real boyfriend now. I gave you a monologue, we’re basically engaged at this point,” he jerks his head a bit, making your hands fall from his hair.

You know it’s a joke, but your cheeks heat at the implication anyways, Jack noticing your lack of response.

“Relax, I was just kidding. That’s at least three more surprise blind date dinners with your parents before we to that. I’ll even pull out a ‘fake’ ring and everything,” he winks, putting air quotes around the word fake.

As Jack enjoys the sound of your laugh, he steals a glance over at the table where your parents sit, surprised at the pleased look on your mom’s face and earning a slight nod from your dad.

He looks back down at you, face scrunched in laughter, thinking about how this night was worth way more than $20.

[dark9896]

Oh... oh no [Steven x Reader]

Requested by @anonymous-104 (kinda)

While part of you had been hoping to be spotted by your ex, you didn't think they would so brazenly waltz over like this. Yes, it was part of you wanted them to notice how bloody handsome Steven was and just how casually he was holding your hand.

But to actually try to say something...

Steven was a little quicker on the uptake than you were expecting, gently squeezing your hand and tugging you a little closer. You weren't sure what he was planning, but the idea of Steven being possessive was unexpectedly hot.

Trying to shake the thought from your head, you attempted to snip your ex before they could start something Steven would finish. Wanting to duck into a nearby store and lose your ex amongst the aisles, but being unable to as you had to stay put in the open in case your target made a move.

Instead, you had no choice but to act mildly surprised when your ex stood right in front of you.

"Oh, [Ex's Name]. What are you doing here?"

They scoffed, "Oh don't act like you weren't checking me out. Still can't stand my guts?"

You weren't sure how, but Steven managed to tug you just out of reach of your ex when they leaned in. They took the gesture in stride, smirking.

"Or are you gonna pretend like this isn't a front to 'finally' get the upper hand?"

"[Name], Amor, what are they talking about?" Steven's tone of voice was light, as if just checking to see if you were paying attention. But his actions were trying to put distance between you and your ex.

"Weren't you pointing out the ornament shop across the way?"

"Of course I was." You couldn't act to save your life, leaving a strained smile where something more convincing should have been, "I mean, yeah I also saw them... but I wasn't pointing them out."

Your ex rolled his eyes, "Your 'date' is faker than you were. Always trying too hard to be better than me when you knew it was impossible."

"I doubt that." Steven's voice was laced with venom whilst aimed at the other person, "[Name] is more than capable of running circles around you."

"Oh yeah? Did they finally get some game then? Or are you just as full of hot air as they are?" They snarked, "Cause the only thing they're even remotely good at is posturing."

Steven's grip on your hand tightened a bit, it was starting to get a little painful. But his voice had dropped so low you feared for your ex's safety.

"They're twenty times the person you'll ever be. Maybe if your head wasn't so far up your a$$ you'd see what you lost. Until you manage to pull it out, say the f^%k away from us."

The second degree alone sent shivers down your spine as your ex turned tail, trying to hide the fact how close they were to peeing their pants. But at least Steven finally eased up on gripping your hand.

Reality settled in however as Steven desperately hoped you weren't about to question why he was prepared to tell your ex off like that. The pretending was one thing, but taking such an active stand was something he would never live down... at least, not if he didn't confess soon.

...Maybe after this case...

[spade-riddles]

Submission: I think the MH thing might be a lot simpler than we're giving it credit for.

I don't know how credible this new 🎃 anon is, if at all. (Tip for new anons: we took Spade and Flag seriously because they proved themselves worth listening to before they started asking us to put faith in them. Most of us are at a high alert for trolling right now and not inclined to take a new player on the scene seriously.) But I don't think it matters, because even if they're fake, all 🎃 is doing is presenting us with the same old story we always get of a last minute pivot. We can wait and see if something arises to confirm the story, or we can assume it's bullshit and ignore this "explanation". 

But if you believe 🎃 is bullshit and a coming out isn't on the cards til 2025 (as a lot of us now do believe) then you need to ask yourself why Taylor would beard again, so soon, and with this guy of all people. I think I might know the answer to that. 

Some points to consider: 

1) Taylor might be planning a prolonged "single" phase. She might want to stop her fans wanting to see her in a relationship with a guy. If she goes straight from Joe to singledom, her fans will assume she's still heartbroken over him and hold out hope for a reunion. She doesn't want that. She needs a Tom to erase him like she did Calvin. But I think she's genuinely done with fans creating these happy little hetero fantasies for her and getting attached. This feels almost like a punishment to all the fans who have refused to see her truth over the years. None of this is any faker than Tom or Toe were. The timelines are just as implausible, the PR just as obvious. But this time they don't get their picture perfect fantasy. If they would rather see Taylor with a guy - any guy - than with the loyal and loving woman who has borne her children and been her biggest fan for a decade now . . . then they better open wide and take their medicine. And don't dare complain about how bitter it tastes. 

I don't think this stunt will last long, but by the end of it they'll be begging for Taylor to "just be single" and "figure out what she wants". Which is probably the point. 

2) Karlie has been eating Kushner shit for years now to protect their closet. I'm in the minority that believes this was a sacrifice mostly made to protect Taylor, not a self-serving move on Karlie's part. Looking at it from that perspective, I've been expecting to hear songs about it for a long, long time. Songs about loving someone whose choices destroyed their reputation. Songs about loving someone who is misunderstood. Someone who is seen as a bad guy to the world, but who pieced together your broken heart after a devastating break up from a relationship in which you were nearly engaged. 

Taylor has songs she wants to put out into the world about these experiences, and rightly or wrongly, she still feels she needs the fig leaf of a male muse and a public narrative as cover for them. I don't know if it's bonus Rep tracks or the rumored Lover B side, or something else. But I would guess Taylor has songs about the last few years that mean a lot to her, and we'll probably see them in 3-6 months. This is all just groundwork. 

3) Kind of related to point 2, but looking at it on a more personal level. Karlie tanked her reputation for Taylor, and has been abused by her fans for years, mostly for things she hasn't even done (like her supposed "betrayals"). I don't pretend to know how Taylor thinks, but if that was me, I would have a hard time living with myself knowing I'd allowed the love of my life to be treated like that, so I could make more money and keep myself clear of criticism. Even if she agreed to it. Hypothetically, I might feel that I deserved to get a little taste of my fans' vitriol. 

This might seem like a crazy, illogical decision to us because for once, maybe the motivation isn't to secure positive PR for Taylor. Maybe Taylor is being stubborn, and trying to prove a point to herself and the woman she loves: that she would be willing to do for Karlie what Karlie has done for her. 

Anyway. These are just some thoughts, looking at the whole thing from a different angle and considering possibilities I haven't seen discussed. 

[fluffypotatey]

Leverage Ep 11 >:3

Pre-game thoughts:

ngl the last episode was a lot of fun! got to see Nate at his breaking point, Sophie being the best (as always), ALEC AND ELIOT DUO!!!!!

also it looks like this one focuses on Parker? (at least, that’s what the blurb says 🤷🏻‍♀️) so praying for more moments for my ot3 🥰 either as duos or altogether, I do not care. just want them to have screen time 

anyway, can’t really think of anything else to add???

I mean, this is the last episode before the 2-parter finale, so I’m curious if this will touch on…..the ✨insurance company✨and that uh Crowley-looking dude (unrelated to GO!Crowley, a show I should also watch)

BUT ENOUGH ABOUT THAT ON WITH THE SHOW ✨ 

Reaction:

ooooooh a flashback 👀

Ok that was not a safe dose

AHHHHHH THE STOVE

NOOOOOOOOO ERNESTO

is he dead?????

oooooooooh team drama 👀

lmaooooo parents (Nate/Sophie) using jury duty as a lesson

“Yeah, I know jury duty, this seems legit” <- has only gone once

OooooOOOoooooOoOooh defendant is wearing colored shades, he must be an asshole 😂

WAIT WHAT

WHO IS FILMING THE CASE???? IS THAT LEGAL????

babe, please step the fuck away from the jury panel. i would not be in favor of you anyways with you standing so close wtf

oop! she knows!!! fuck they’re gonna strike her out 

ok but seriously who are those camera people???? are they even a real legal team???? the ick is strong, I hope they burn this other team to the ground

YES PARKER

CONVINCE THEM

SHUT NATE YOU WERE A SLIMY INSURANCE MAN BEFORE YOU DONT GET TO TALK

everybody giving Nate the stink eye, yesssssssssss 

(You would think, with how much I yell at this man, I hate him, but tis the opposite! Love him. He’s just an asshole, and I would never like him in person, great character <3)

OMFG ALEC BACKSTORY??????

YES PLEASE

NANA YOU BADASS

ELIOT AND PARKER DUOOOOOO

FUCK YES

Lmao he took the beer

literally before clicking play I was like “you know, I don’t think Parker and Eliot have been a duo yet” AND HERE WE GO

ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE

nO glasses guy 🫢 was a faker?! <- is not shocked

jfc Alec is good 😍

ok what you doing Parker? oh wait nvm 

Chess???? lmao you nerd

“Hmmmm how do we show an evil character is smart…..I KNOW! Chess!”

ohhhhhh big pharma ok (can’t believe it took me this long)

WAIT WE DOING POISONED APPLE

ugh no we’re not

oh shit bribery????

ELIOT PLAYS CHESS???? you fucking nerd 💕

lmao Parker gets a lesson in social interaction (I’m so sorry, girlie, I’d hate it too, but tbh I also befriended an older lady while at jury duty so same????)

it’s ok Parker you tried your best 🫂

“I have a peanut allergy” <- love you Alec 

Nate, I sure hope you don’t regret that honeypot plan

OHHHHHHHHH oh dear ok now the brownface comments make sense

Ok show’s age has been shown

jfc Sophie wtf please tell me this is the only episode where this happened 

“I’m very spiritual” <- 🤢 god how many times have I heard this

Jesus H Christ I can’t even look at her T^T

awwwww Sophie is helping Parker

ELIOT YOU ARE SO CUTE

HES TRYING

PARKER YOU CUTIE 🥰 

i want Parker and the grandma to be friends. Like best friends

lmaooooooo she’s foreman now (I don’t think I spelled that right)

girlie, you sound like you’re giving the old man a job interview 😂

SHE GONNA BUY OUT THE LAWYER???? 

He won’t

Nate noooooooooo

ALEC

YES

MY BOY

HE LOOKS SO GOOD IN A SUIT

but also shit they are treading the legality there (<- she says even tho they do this every episode)

“Do you trust your government, Ms. Vargas?” ALEC 😂😂😂😂 bringing back the old teachings of being a Jehova Witness i see

WE ARE BARELY HALFWAY?????? (Sorry just looked at the time stamp  what do you mean it’s only been 20 minutes????)

“is that a high school yearbook?” oh my god

Alec, babe, love you, but what

ALEC I LOVE YOU

girlie you could say cauliflower steak

Awwwwwwwwwwww Parker has a friend 🤧🤧🤧🤧

Alec’s headshot is beautiful 

“It all checks out unless [says an example of exactly what Alec did]”

Ooooooh outsource mention 👀 

Nate there are cameras!!!!

“You know why they say, ‘Justice has a blindfold’? Because Justice is asleep” FUCKING DEAD

ok bro this isn’t jury duty anymore this is a trial???? did I miss the part where they finished jury selection 

OH SO HE’S AN ACTOR???

lmaooooo he was Scottish 

Awwwwwwwww Parker 🥺 “she likes rainy days” im fucking sobbing

Ok now that’s why we were only halfway 

“We win the trial” LETS FUCKING GOOOOOOOO

Hehe Alec has to actually win the trial

“You think lawyers aren’t just pretending and trying to fill in daddy’s shoes” ok, uh, wow 💔 

SHE GOT A BAG LUNCH 🥺🤧

Eliot on another parents trip!!!

wait who is he fighting???? Oh ok

Nate, you look so fucking dumb 😂

*gasp* THAT MEDICAL MAN IS LYING FIGHT HIM ALEC

oh ho ho! bringing up his qualifications I see 👀 why he now only doing cases in Cali 👀

OH HO 👀

HE BROUGHT UP BIN LADEN 👀

GET HIS ASS ALEC! FUCK HIM UP!!! FUCK! HIM! UP!

Alex’s closing statement 👀 omg 🥺 yes babe 🤧 beautiful 💐 take my flowers 💐💐💐💐💐

jfc I’m nervous!!!! I know this will end happy but still!!!! So nervous 🫠

nooooo, she must not figure out 🫠

Oh dear, 

OH YES THEY TURNED OFF THE TV WONDERFUL

lol yesssss girlie, burn that fucking bridge!!!! BURN THE BRIDGE!!!! DIG THAT HOLE!!!!

unrelated but her jacket is super pretty

ok ok here we go. fuck I’m nervous 

YESSSSS LETS GO BITCH

FUCK YEAH MESS WITH THEIR CAMERA

why are you revealing yourself to her????? bro she could find people to get you!!!!

OMG SHE MADE A FRIEND! GET THAT COFFEE

Final Thoughts:

this episode was so much fun!!!! we may not have gotten much of the Parker/Eliot duo but I’m still happy that they got to tag-team! Parker learning how to socialize, be a team player, and lead was just 👌👌👌👌👌👌 wonderful so proud of her T^T Alec was amazing (obviously) and fucking killed both for stalling the case and winning it <3

not as much Nate/Sophie moments besides them acting like parents to their teammates and being a well-oiled machine 😎 so I’m still satisfied! a little disappointed that there wasn’t any hint for the finale but that might just be because of the messed up order again 😔 

overall: wonderful episode, this might be my favorite of the season (tho Miracle Job still has my heart)

[tarotoftheendless]

Tom Sturridge Imposters... well, really any celeb imposters, but especially TomStu

There are a fuck ton of imposters/catfishers/scammers out there claiming to be the real Tom Sturridge. There are fake accounts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and even texting apps like Telegram!

And this post is here to help fans navigate the confusing situation of dealing with these fakers. We will help each other weed out and vet these accounts.

I plan to also post pics of known fake accounts as to warn other fans against trusting them. We don't want any of our Tom Sturridge lovers to be hurt out there because they love Tom so much that they really believe that he is talking to them.

But what you need to realize is is this: TOM DOES NOT HAVE ANY SOCIAL MEDIA. Period. He has an old Nokia phone and has said that he does not have access to the internet.

Maybe that is completely true, maybe not, but if he is on social media at all it would not be with his own name and it wouldn't be with his own picture. He is a private man and as far as we know right now, he doesn't have any social media.

Here are a couple sources that are proof of what I am talking about:

This text is from Neil Gaiman himself and it states:

Tom is not on social media. He's not asking anyone for secret private charitable donations. Anyone asking for money is a scammer trying to steal money from other people by fraud.

I am on lots of social media and I get continual messages about fake Neil Gaimans asking people to contribute money to charity or whatever.

It's not Tom. It's not me. It's not ever a celebrity. It just someone hoping to trick you out of money or into something you don't want to do.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tom Sturridge (@tomsturridgefans)

The text with this Instagram post from @tomsturridgefans states:

Please read. Scam Warning:- Some of you will know that I am a fan of Tom mostly through the theatre. Although I came across him firstly in 'Being Julia' 18 years ago.

I never had been so excited for him when I heard he was to be The Sandman. However, our little fanbase I feared would change forever. Today at Comic Con it became very clear (nothing to do with CC but what I learnt from a new fan).

I started a social media account for Tom only recently to try have a safe space for us to talk and chat and share photos/ artwork. I feared that it would be full of people taking advantage and being a bit crazy in a creepy way. Good crazy is okay!

I even started getting dodgy messages and ignored them. I started getting them on my personal account too, as my photo was an old one with Tom and I. I had to change it (sadly) and the messages stopped. That account has always been private, but you could see my profile photo.

Please understand Tom doesn't do social media. He will not message you or 'agents' pretending they can get you in touch with him. I won't name person, but I learnt they believed it. They paid money for fan card, meet and greets etc. Tom does not do any of this. Please be so careful. Tom or any celebrity will not ask you for money. They have their own, hehe! These are people scamming you and even cat fishing you.

Impersonating someone is illegal. Let me know and I can help report and post on here to warn you to avoid. Please keep safe.

************************************************************************

Please take note of some common things to look out for when wondering if an account is real or an imposter:

They have not been an account for very long. Especially if they were established right after The Sandman first came out.

The location that they are based out of. Some accounts you can check to see if they have a country of origin and if it is a weird location, like Nigeria as many of them are, then it is a scam.

How many times the account has changed their name. Yes, some official accounts have changed their name many times, like I have had to do a few times when I myself had a stalker but I digress. If it looks weird and they have changed their name more than once, it is probably a scam.

Now to the meat of it: If they refuse to not do anything except text you, they are a scammer/fake.

If they say that their team/management has control over all their devices and won't let them call or video chat or even send pictures, they are a fake.

If they say that they can give you info to contact their team/management about becoming a "true fan", and that management then quotes you any amount of money to be able to finally get in full contact with Tom, they are a fake.

That being said, "Fan Cards", "Fan Codes" and anything of that nature that they say is needed to get into full contact with Tom is a scam.

If they, the fake Tom/celeb or the "team/management" asks for private information like bank info or address or anything of that nature, that is a scam.

If the fake gets mad at you for being wary or scared or you simply questioning him about his own validity, then that is a scammer. Tom is almost 40 years old, he is above getting mad at people on the internet like that, considering he doesn't have a social media at all in the first place. But those scammers are trying to prey on your "please love me" sensibilities when it comes to Tom and they are trying to shame you into feeling bad for asking questions and not blindingly believing them. If they get mad at questions, they are a scam.

That being said, yeah, if they get mad at you asking screening questions or really just asking them questions about themselves, then they are a scam. They likely don't even fucking know as there is rarely someone that has done their research on Tom that is also am imposter.

Though, there are a couple of good imposters out there that have done their research, so just because they can answer all the Tom questions correctly doesn't mean they are Tom. Remember all the other signs that I have listed. Some of these scammers are good enough to have done their research and yet all the other signs will be there. Stay vigilant!

Also, though I feel weird about mentioning this, but broken English is also a sign. I know not everyone's first language is English, but Tom's is. Tom may be awkward sometimes but he is more articulate than not. I would think that if he is gonna text at all he is going to make sure it is written well and understood clearly. Tom is a well-read, well-educated articulate almost 40 year old Englishman, he would speak and text English very well.

Anyone starting out their text with "Hello Lovely fan" or anything like that is very much an imposter. Also if you get asked how long you have been a fan by these accounts claiming to be Tom, they are likely a scammer.

Another thing to look out for is if they are trying to get you to go to a different social media app and or texting/chatting app for a more "private" conversation because their "team"/"management" is watching them, like Google Chat, especially Google Chat, then they are an imposter. Even if they don't mention their team or management and they are just trying to get you off of Instagram, Facebook or TikTok onto a more "private" chat app, then that is a sign of an imposter.

So, if someone claiming to be Tom says that he isn't with Alexa Chung and or that their relationship is a publicity stunt, don't believe them. They are likely not actually Tom and are trying to get you comfortable around them.

We don't know for sure if their relationship is fake or real, but for now it should be taken as real considering even Sienna recently went on Vogue and talked about Alexa essentially being a part of the family now. Yes, there has been rumors for years that Alexa is a professional beard, but those are rumors, and rumors are not true and shouldn't be taken as such.

And anyone who is a fan of Tom's has seen the month of Alexa Chung birthday celebrations content where they kiss and look happy and are with family and friends. Many of those videos are deeply buried as they were intended to be private even though they are on social media. But because they are coming from family and friends socials and not paparazzi, then we should consider those pictures and videos to be true.

Alexa and Tom are happily together and anybody claiming to be Tom Sturridge saying otherwise is likely an imposter.

************************************************************************

I am posting this because I know what it is like to get your hopes up and to be mentally and emotionally drained by these imposters. I know some people that have actually lost thousands of dollars because they really believed they were talking to the real Tom Sturridge. They weren't. Please be careful out there guys.

I will post videos below that show the proof that Tom doesn't have social media of any kind. At least none that the general public will ever get their hands on, so, you have been informed now. Let's help each other stay safe. If you find any imposter accounts out there report and block them.

I will list the Instagram accounts that I know about so far that are imposters that I have blocked. I have also found accounts on Facebook that are imposters too but I have to find them again.

INSTAGRAM IMPOSTERS:

tomsurridge1988

privatetomsturridge420

tomsturridge6

private.tomsturridge02

pvt_tom_surridge4768

pvttomsturridge

sturridge934

realtomsturridge__

tomstrurridge6

tom__sturridge_

sturridge__

official_tom_sturridge

tom.sturridge_private

privately__tom_sturridge56

tom_sturridge__

sturridge360

tomsturridge65

tomsturridge_1

sturridgetom6

tom_sturridge1

tomsturridge4real_

tom.sturridge96

tomsturridge54

officialtom_sturridge

tomsturridgepage

tom_sturridgepvt

These are the ones I know about so far, but if there are more that any of you find, please, like seriously, please, list them here. Let's help each other stay safe out there.

There is of course Facebook accounts and other social media platforms that have imposters of Tom on them, but Instagram seems to be the hotbed for them mostly.

If you know of any accounts or want to add anything, or even share screen shots of your texting conversations with these accounts that proves they are imposters, please do.

[majaloveschris]

Hope you’re having a nice day!

Don’t really want to muddy the waters, but I need to share this with someone.

Did you JA’s story with some invitation?

I’ve been in this fandom businesses for a long time (I mean I was here when Benedict Cumberbatch got married and believe me some parts of Tumblr was on fire back in those days). If Seb fans think Ale days were nightmare, you had to see back then.

But this feels like completely new. It can be PR or not, this is some new level of teasing. These people are very aware what is talking between this fandom and they are not hesitant to get their reaction/attention whether it’s good or bad.

I have been missing good ol’ fandom days, we didn’t appreciate how peacefull back then. And we did not even get bothered with half of these 😂

Anyways, at the end of the day they are just some people we watch from far. No need to get upset, people. Just enjoy the ride 😊

I don't know if I said it or just thought about it, but Justin has been pretty silent lately, and I wanted to give credit to him because of it. There was no trolling whatsoever, and I really appreciated it. Those who don't know that Justin shared Amanda's (her sister's) wedding invitation in his story. He tagged her and wrote, "I ♥ it."

A lot of people think he was trolling, and I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. As you said, they are clearly aware of what people are saying or questioning here. They are clearly lurking. I think it's funny how Justin's trolling kinda stopped after Alba came back to Instagram. I also think they found other ways to troll, like sending anons to blogs, and I wouldn't even be surprised if a few "sources" have been them all along, or somebody from her team. They really want to sell this relationship, and the more they try, the faker it gets. If this was a real relationship, neither of them would've trolled or wanted to prove it was a real relationship this hard.

A lot of things have changed here. And not even just from the beginning, but in the last few months. People treat each other terribly and are immediately at one another's throats if they don't agree with something they say. I hope that after this shitshow ends, things will go back to normal. It's not going to happen in one night, but slowly, I think we will be able to leave them all behind and move on from them and from their trolling.

I agree that we shouldn't take everything so personally. I get that he is a comfort person for a lot of people and that a lot of people think it's a shitty PR situation, but we need to take these things a little less devastatingly. But this is a topic for another post I'm planning on doing.

[theorist-influencer-untitled]

8.4.24 Sunday

7:12 am

Still,have windblow...

I accidentally heard Uncle Jun is telling to nana that don't tell things on Aunt Teresa ( sumbong ng sumbong ) coz Aunt Teresa is sending him a message to fix the toilet bowl. Uncle Jun is somehow fake, I don't know... He knew that it needs to be fixed. Aunt Teresa is asking it coz before they left they know it was clogged ( the toilet bowl )...

Uncle Jun seems have a different plan again and again????

About,me? I'm not ohkay....I need to get a job and I need money and I have no future with these Uncle's... I don't know what is the plan and the plan of other people as well... I need to get a job.

7:43 am

Uncle Jun went out and went back right away... Right,now he is cooking our food for lunch. I just cooked our rice....

I streamed last night in Tagged angels and hoping there are good people inside...

8:08 pm

Still,have windblow...

Maybe tomorrow I will wash John's floormats... I'm still recovering... Still, trying to go back to my momentum on doing my stretching coz my S-bones are in pain again....

Hoping to have a yaya again in uniform but I need to have a job as well... Or whatever that I need to do for me to have my own money...

Do I look really different now??? Hahah...

8:16 am

I'm not really ohkay... I need a job and a bf that can assist and protect me like Garret? My cousin-white is fading? Ash is so pretty like a princess. Hahah... So,many beautiful youtubers...

9:34 am

Uncle DD gave us a gatang shrimp, it is a coconut milk cooked with shrimp and squash and string beans...

Then, Uncle DD saw the mineral bottled water brought here by Uncle Jun from the funeral event. Uncle DD said whoah! ( he is really surprise by our bottled water ). So many bottled water here...Uncle Jun said ohkay you can get the first set of it. At first he is saying no but Uncle Jun insisted then Uncle DD picked up the first set of bottled water and brought it to their house.

10:10 am

Uncle Jun will wash clothes again from July 30th Tuesday and today August 4 Sunday... Me? I did wash last Wednesday then I will wash again on Wednesday... Once a week must be...

Uncle DD used the washing machine last August 2,Friday...

1:18 pm

Still,have windblow...

I'm thinking of money and I'm not happy...I wanna get a job and do my nose perfection. People who interfere are fakers since 2007, they just want the "togetherness"...

I need a bf that I want to help and lift me angels... I feel frustrated... They just want me to be ugly, fat and old just for nothing.

1:41 pm

Still,have windblow...

I feel self-pity...I want my cute stuff back and I want a ken-kind bf ( barbie's bf )...... I want Garret, I want Garret to lift me....I feel bitter...

4:47 pm

Done, watching "madame web"....

10:23 pm

Still,have windblow...

I'm so broke... I feel super self-pity... I wanna go back to gym.... I wanna buy Starbucks everyday... I wanna get a bf that I want like my cousin white and Garret... 17 years I have no self-fulfillment... I want him to support me... I have so many complex.

I wanna buy a Tarot Card but I'm so broke... My heart is still pure, in spite of... I was really3x religious angels... I feel self-pity... I also wanna buy a mahjong set angels. I feel that it all passed me by...I feel self-pity... It is my mind nourishment to have it but I'm so broke. I lost x-factor!

I wanna supportive bf....

10:50 pm

Still,have windblow...

It is somehow pairing game on the card... I just read the rules of game of mahjong the funny confusing part is the rotation of tiles and the timing... But the interesting part it is about "religion"... The 4 corners of the world or 4 winds...

I feel boring... I wanna be with Garret and get a bf and gain friends... I need some personal progress... I want some vanities... I need a playmate angels aside from friends... My "personal playmate".

It is too much, too long... I always feel out of place here in Cavite... I need money....We are having a tight budgeting. I need a bf who can be very supportive of me... A very understanding bf... I still wanna have my own self-fulfillment.

I just wish my nana and my son-dog and dogs and good people to me will be timeless... I think we still need to do a long journey...

It feels like dejavu...

[peppertaemint]

So I’m kind of mad because I’m a new BTS fan (I rather not identify as Army cos I just don’t think I fit that mentality) and I’m beginning to feel like I missed their best years?? Not only music-wise but personality-wise as well. Does anyone else feel this way? I look at Vlives and interviews from the past and yes they were probably heavily monitored even then but there was also some degree of spontaneity and their individual personalities really shone through. Now I feel like it’s the same repetitive lines from a script every time they are interviewed and even their behavior in vlives (whenever they could be bothered to do one) seems faker and more robotic. Sometimes they manage to show sparks of their old selves but very rarely nowadays. The only person who still comes across as genuine to me in his interactions with fans is jungkook on his intagram stories, and I bet they’re going to stop those too soon enough. Taehyung also tries, bIess his heart, but there still seems to be something lacking. Jimin is my bias but even I can admit that all we see from him of late (the rare times we even see him) is a carefully crafted idol persona. Even when they claim to be “acting so natural! Wow army we’re not acting like celebrities at all!!” It comes across planned and scripted. I feel so sad and robbed. Maybe it’s the price of their increased popularity and scrutiny, maybe it’s unfair of me to want more, but it honestly sucks. Makes it even worse that they seem to be completely out of inspiration (except when making music for other ppl. I see you Suga) and are focused mostly on charting and awards as opposed to art.And they will likely never know how short they are selling themselves because Army will literally empty their bank accounts for a turd with the BTS logo stamped on it. Hybe will never change their strategy if they keep getting validated financially, the boys will never consider re-evaluating or improving their art if ARMY pukes glitter and rainbows at everything they put out regardless of how bad. I have a tiny glimmer of hope because I have seen more fans openly expressing their dissatisfaction about this upcoming comeback than I ever did before, so maybe there will be just enough of a dip in the sales to cause HYBE to step up their game. A more rational part of me knows however that the sales are going to be through the roof and things are only going to get worse for BTS artistically.

Hi Anon,

I can relate to how you're feeling. When I started paying attention to them, there was this brief period where things felt really buzzy and exciting. The Vlives were spontaneous and funny, their fashion was A+ and Dynamite was this one off that no one expected would become their dominant style. When BE came out, even tho I didn't like the music (except maybe Stay which idk is still kind ehn), the entire thing of it felt like a step in the right direction. I looked back at the editorial shoots that Tae organized the other day, and they are really good. Probably the last time they looked that good. 👁👄👁

BH doesn't seem to be a place where individuality creativity and personality is allowed to flourish, warts and all. I add in that last bit because at some other kpop labels, we see a lot more imperfection and individuality. People trying things and reflecting on it, success or failure. You also see more genuine interactions between artists. Men working with women, people having disagreements or arguments then resolving them. People trolling one another, lol. With BH brands, because I do sense this with TXT too, unfortunately, things feel neutered to a degree. Though watching TXT be bratty en masse is rather something LOL. The company culture is different at BH/Hybe, and it does feel like even BTS are still tip-toeing. They're in their 9th year now. In SHINee's 7th year (I hope I'm mathing right, lol), they signed a contract that gave them huge freedom and last approval above the board. Jonghyun and the others had been writing songs for a while, but with ODD etc, things became that much more artistic and "shinee". For whatever reason, I still don't see this happening with BTS. Instead, things are becoming well... whatever Butter, PTD and collabs are. Top 40 Billboard pop.

[hawks-supremacy]

In Your Shadow

Summary: Living life in your brother’s shadow wasn’t fun, it was quite the opposite actually.

Pairings: None? Iwaizumi x Reader at the very end.

Warnings: Swearing, angst?

Genre: Mostly angst, fluff at the end

Word Count: 1.6k

Being the younger sister of Oikawa Tooru has never been easy. People worship the ground he walks on and barely even notice you’re there. Even as kids people always saw him as the pretty athletic one and you were the nerdy one who didn’t want to join a sport or club. It didn’t matter if you two practically looked like twins, he would always be the prettier one. You think it’s because he’s the star of the volleyball team while you just sat on the sidelines observing but never cheering. You were used to people using you to get close to him. Granted you didn’t realize that it was happening until you were in middle school when your friends always wanted to hangout at your place and never theirs. You were never included in plans unless they were taking place at your house. Only when your brother was home. People pretended they liked you just so they could get closer to Tooru. It was a constant cycle of this, you didn’t mind. Rather wanting to be surrounded by fake friends than have no one. Sure it hurt but you could never be mad at Tooru, he wasn’t to blame. He didn’t know he was the reason why you had new friends every month, the new ones somehow faker than the last. You kept a smile on saying you understood when people told you they didn’t want to hangout anymore.

You were never mad at Tooru, even as kids. You were never mad at the fact that your parents always forgot about your dance recitals as a kid because they would rather attend his Volleyball games. You didn’t get mad when your parents didn’t buy you new ballet shoes because they just bought a Volleyball net for Tooru to practice at home. You didn’t get mad when you told your dance teacher you were quitting dance. You didn’t get mad as you walked home as you cried because your parents forgot to pick you up from your last dance class that day.

You decided to finally join the art club during your first year, trying something for yourself. Deciding that Aoba Johsai was going to be different than when you were a kid and in middle school. You didn’t get mad when you sat surrounded by your art projects long after the art showing had been done. You didn’t get mad that your parents hadn’t shown up instead deciding to go to a practice match your brother was having with another school. You didn’t get mad as you watched them exit the school with your brother forgetting you were still at the school. You didn’t get mad because Iwaizumi, Matsukawa, and Hanamaki had shown up and complimented your work. You didn’t get mad as you cried as they pulled you into a hug offering to walk you home. You weren’t mad as you quit the art club to become the volleyball team manager instead.

You could never be mad at your brother. Not even when you started receiving his confession notes in your locker during your first year at Aoba Johsai. The false hope that filled your heart when the letter fell from your locker quickly shattered when you realized it was for Tooru. You still couldn’t bring yourself to blame him as you tucked the fifteenth love letter for Tooru in one week into the quickly growing pile at the corner of your locker. Not getting mad when one was finally addressed to you but it was someone wanting you to put in a good word for them and thought you would only talk to them if you had thought you were getting confessed to. 

You couldn’t get mad when he took the first real friends from you. Telling you that you couldn’t hang out with him and his friends because they were only his friends and not yours. So you stopped hanging out with Mastukawa and Hanamaki going back to the friends who never wanted to get to know you. You stopped hanging out with the only people who ever bothered to learn your favorite color.

You didn’t get mad when his fangirls stopped you from going into the gym during his practice. You didn’t get mad when you cried after they hurled insults at you comparing you to Tooru. You didn’t get mad when you asked him to tell them to stop coming up to you and he told you they were harmless. You didn't get mad because you didn’t tell him why you wanted them to stop.

You never got mad at Tooru. You didn’t even get mad when he yelled at you for making his fangirls cry. They just wanted to support him after all. So you ignored them during the day, only letting their harsh words sink in at night.

You didn’t get mad at Tooru when he sternly told you the Iwaizumi was off limits because he was his best friend because he had caught you staring at the ace for a second too long. You didn’t get mad as you decided to push the feelings down, trying hard to not let them resurface. You weren’t mad at Tooru when Iwaizumi had started questioning why you had grown distant from him, Matsun and Maki. 

You couldn’t get mad at Tooru. Not even if you tried, because at the end of the day it was your fault. Maybe it could’ve been stopped if you had told Tooru. If you told him what was going on. Told him he was the reason you quit dance and art. Told him he was the reason you never really had any friends. Told him his fangirls were harsh and cold towards you. Told him that Matsun and Hanamaki were your first real friends. However, you never told him. So you had no right to get mad at him, only at yourself.

You broke when one of his fangirls pushed you too far. Pulling on your hair causing you to fall and scrape your arm. You broke when he yelled at you for fighting back. You broke when he yelled at you when he caught Iwaizumi cleaning and helping bandage the deep scrape on your arm. You broke when he took Iwaizumi and silently left to go to practice. You broke when you saw how sorry Iwaizumi looked as your brother dragged him away from you. You were finally mad at Tooru.

You were mad as you angrily swiped at your face hoping to get rid of the tears. You were mad as you went to your locker and grabbed the bundle of confession notes that people had wanted you to give to him but you never did. You were mad when you harshly shoved his fangirls out of your way to the gym. You were mad as you shoved open the doors. You were mad as you walked up to Tooru, the whole gym staring at you. You were mad as you threw the letters at Tooru, watching as they went everywhere. You were mad as you were still crying. 

You were mad as you were calmly talking not finding the energy to yell, “Take your fucking letters Tooru. Take your fucking friends. Take your fucking praise. Take our fucking parents. I don’t care anymore. I don’t care that our parents never made time for me. I don’t care that I’ve never had real friends. I don’t care that I’ve never had a genuine connection with anyone. I don’t care that your fangirls were mean to me. I don’t care that you told me to stay away from the only real friends who cared about me. I don’t care. You know what I do care about? You. I care about you and you never cared about me. It’s fucking ridiculous, I’m ridiculous. I cared about someone who didn’t know they were unintentionally hurting me. I cared about someone who couldn’t open their eyes and see how selfish they were being. I don’t care anymore so just take everything Tooru. Just like you already have.” 

You were mad that you regretted saying those words. You were mad that you felt bad seeing the look of guilt and hurt on Tooru’s face as Iwaizumi led you out of the gym. You were mad that even as Iwa was wiping away your tears you told him to go make sure Tooru was okay. You were mad at yourself. You shouldn’t have been. You had every right to be mad, just maybe not at Tooru. Be mad at your parents. At the fangirls, at the fake friends you had. Not Tooru. You were still crying when Matsun and Maki took over as Iwaizumi went to go check on Tooru like you had asked. You were still crying when they took you to your favorite diner and bought you your favorite foods. 

You were still crying when you finally got home and Tooru hugged you as you walked into the living room. You cried harder when he started apologizing. Apologizing for never noticing you. Never noticing the hurt and trouble you went through just for him. Apologizing for taking your life away from you. Apologizing for always being in the limelight and never giving it to you. You cried when he apologized for taking away your first friends. You cried when he told you you could be friends with them, that he didn’t care. As long as you were happy. You cried when he gave you permission to date Iwaizumi saying the ace had feelings for you too. 

You laughed as said person smacked the back of his head. You laughed as you watched them bicker back and forth. You laughed when Matsun and Maki started making bets on who would win the argument this time. You let out a laugh that wasn’t forced for the first time in a while. You smiled genuinely for the first time in the longest time. You were happy that Tooru wasn’t mad at you for yelling at him. Happy that you had real friends. Happy when Iwaizumi asked you out. You were finally happy.

[physicalturian]

[16+] Define "Hate" - Miya Atsumu x Fem!Reader

[She/Her pronouns used for the reader, no physical description; Everyone +18]

Words : 9956

Archive of our own

Tags : Enemies to friends (to lovers) / A random dude tries to make out but fails / Drinking / Partying / Fluff / Wholesome / Tenderness / Slight non-con

If you think I should add some tags, tell me!

Summary : Your friend Bokuto invites you to a party, where due to circumstances you're forced to hang out with a man that hates you : Miya Atsumu. The evening does not go as planned, and slowly, you're coming to the realization that your entire relationship may have started on a misunderstanding.

A/N: The unwanted advances are from a random person, so is the non-consensual touching. It does not go further, the person is stopped. The story is cute, but you've been warned if you're sensitive to such topics! Have fun!

- - -

I knew the moment I heard Bokuto say “I’ll meet you there then!” that I shouldn’t have accepted his offer to go out. While I was aware it was a rare opportunity considering his lack of free time, I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach it was going to turn out bad.

Before I could ask him what he meant by meet there, he had hung up, telling me he was excited. Pulling the phone away from my ear, I stared at the screen and tried to call him back right away, I had to ask him where we were meeting since in his excitement, he had not shared the location.

He never picked up. Even after 4 calls.

With a heavy sigh, I got up from my desk and grimaced at my last option to get hang of the man, “I really don’t want to call him… I should get Hinata’s phone number, that’d be more enjoyable than him.” Shaking my head, I told myself that we were both adults, and we could have a proper conversation. Clearing my throat, I pressed the name in my contacts and waited, drumming my fingers on the back of the phone.

After a moment, I heard some hubbub in the background before hearing the fake-joyous voice on the other end, “Well, isn’t it the little faker, are you calling me to come clean and finally be real with me-“ “Hello to you too, is Koutarou nearby?” I cut him off, not wanting to hear his little speech.

Every time we would meet, he would talk shit about the way I’d act. I was very social during those gatherings; I was calmer in normal situation, and I’ll admit putting on a tougher face when around more people I did not know. But what bugged Atsumu Miya was that I was never getting mad. His sole purpose seemed to try to tick me off.

Perhaps he was himself mad that I kept throwing him comebacks and that he’d struggle to come up with something just as good. Or perhaps he only heard about me from Bokuto and wanted to see the less stoic side Bokuto probably talked to him about.

The blond Miya twin huffed, it was followed by a more muffled sound. “I could ask, I could answer, really. But I’m not fond of the attitude, so I might just hang up-“ “You do that,” I had started tauntingly, thinking he wouldn’t do it. Before I could say more, he hung up.

It was my turn to huff as I called him back, he picked up just as fast, “Back so soon? How can I help you? And don’t waste time on formalities, I don’t need the fake niceties. This ain’t an interview,” His grin could be heard through the phone, it made me roll my eyes as I sighed.

“I really don’t know why Kou gave me your number instead of literally any other guy from your team. Just tell me if Koutarou is here, that’s all I am calling about.” Just when I said that, I heard my friend’s voice ask who was on the phone. I was very close to threaten Atsumu, thinking he was going to be shitty and not tell Bokuto it was me. Instead, he told him the truth and handed him his phone.

“Hey!! What’s up?” “Kou, you said we’d meet up there, where is ‘there’ exactly?” He burst out laughing for a long while before telling me he meant the pub near the campus, he added that the closest they were to the campus, the more they could get wasted. Or as he put it ‘the waster-er we can be’. “Right, but I’m a bit further from the pub. I don’t live that far, but not that close either-“

Hushing me, he said, “I know, I know, that’s why Tsum-Tsum is going to come pick you up! He said he wasn’t going to drink tonight, he’ll be our designated driver, I already gave him your address.”

I blinked a few times, not responding. Was he fucking with me? “Bok, Bok, can’t you just pick me up yourself?” “Nah, I have to go get my bro, he said he’ll need to be saved from a boring party he was forced to go to,” He explained. He then cut the conversation short by telling me we’d see each other tonight, then another voice spoke.

“Sheesh, who would have thought, right? Hope that does not make you mad. Better be ready at 5, don’t forget the condescending attitude, we wouldn’t want the others to know who you really are, right?” “You are obsessed with me, it’s getting ridiculous. I’m not fake, Miya. It says a lot if all you want is for me to get mad at you, perhaps you lived in a too lenient household? In dire need of being reprimanded?” The man scoffed and repeated to be ready by 5, then hung up.

I had a few hours left to get prepared and did it in no time. Enough to wear something casual enough, but still standing out a bit to look good. With the time I had left, I rummaged through my place to find an empty reusable bottle and filled it with something to spice up my drinks and have more fun. Going to bars was fun, but it did not come cheap, plus if I was going to be somewhere where Atsumu Miya was, I was not going to be sober.

I was putting my bottle inside my bag, when I heard my phone ring in my back pocket and quickly grabbed it only to be attacked, “When I say be ready at 5, it means be in front of the building door by 5, not take your time going down the stairs.” “Did you skip breakfast or something? Such a sour mood Miya, even for you it’s surprising. I’ll be there in two minutes.” Doing as he did to me, I hung up before he could say anything and left my place, making sure to turn everything off and lock the doors.

I had left a note to my roommate, telling them I was going out and not to be surprised if I wasn’t home.

Knowing that staying in Atsumu’s presence was going to take a toll on me, I took a few measured breaths as I went down the stairs. Most of the people I knew appreciated how calm I was, but the man child seemed annoyed by it more than anyone. He was dead set on making me mad. If anyone asked me, I’d say he got mad one time I did not laugh at his stupid jokes and put himself up to the challenge to get a reaction out of me. And since his humor was not on point, the easiest way, in his books, could be getting me mad.

I never really understood why he was like that with me, since he never explained his nasty attitude, but I was bearing through it.

Giving him a nod, I knocked on the window and told him to open. Rolling his eyes, he did and put his phone back on the stand on the dashboard where the aux was connected. He put on some music and started driving, not saying much. It felt like he was forcing himself to not speak, which made me sigh in annoyance. He was being too petty, and for what?

Keeping things civilized, I said, “Thank you for picking me up,” I held back from saying I was surprised his car was clean. There was a sports bag on the bag seat, but it was still clean, and it did not smell bad. “I owed Bokuto, that’s all” “Still, thank you. You could have told him no since you hate me,” I said jokingly, hoping for a reaction. It did not take long to get one, in a whiny voice he looked at me with a scowl, “I don’t hate you, you’re just-“ “Look at the road, then bitch and moan,”

“Like that, you’re like that, God,” He huffed, focusing back on the road. In a calm voice, I said, “Well, I’d rather we did not get in an accident just because you have anger issues, you know?” I taunted, making him grip the wheel tighter.

“I don’t have anger issues; I just know you’re not as calm as you appear to be. No one is, I’ve seen, at best, two emotions on that arrogant face of yours and I’m sure they were all fake,” He stated, definitely believing what he was saying. Quirking a brow in response, I hummed inquisitively, playing with the seatbelt. “Is that so? My theory is that you’re mad I don’t laugh at your jokes,” I shrugged.

With a quick glance, he raised a finger in emphasis as he said, “First, I’m hilarious,” he raised another finger, “Second, I’ll get you to show some emotion at some point, but tonight I’m having fun and not caring if I have a fucking rock with me,”

I’ll admit it hurt a bit to hear him say that. But I didn’t show it. If the man was going to act as such then so be it, “Sure, sure, call me Wall-E because I’m an emotionless robot, right?”

“Wall-E was in love with Eve, he had emotions,” I heard him mumble. A smile drew itself on my face when I heard that, I don’t know if I wanted to tell him it sounded cute the way he said it. Now I took it as a challenge to keep all of my feelings away from him, since he seemed too keen on unraveling the mystery that I seemed to be in his eyes. “Right. That he was, sure.”

“Have you not seen the movie? Do you even cry during sad movies- no, do you ever cry, at all? Or is it just bitterness and pure attitude?” “Doesn’t it get tiring to be mad at nothing?” I ignored his questions, finding them absolutely ridiculous. All I wanted was to jump out of his car and walk the rest of the way to the bar.

“I’m not mad!” He said, annoyed. “Well, you don’t have a very positive attitude Miya, Bokuto keeps telling me how you’re so funny and cool but all I see is a little bitch who’s upset over meeting someone who isn’t as loud as he is,”

With a scoff, he replied, his tone getting rougher, “And he keeps telling me you’re so great to be around, and the best kind of company and yet I’d feel better hanging out with a goldfish.”

“Since we’re on the same page, I suggest we stop talking. That’d be better for both of us.” My tone was strained, I never had such a tensed relationship with anyone. My chest felt heavy knowing the reason I wasn’t getting along with him was his utter dislike of who I was, but I ignored it. I was not going to let it get to me, I was going to get drunk and have fun.

I reached out for the phone to increase the volume, my hand almost bumping with Atsumu. We seemed to have had the same idea. He looked at me with a raised brow, “Choose whatever song,” he said. I turned my face to look at the window instead and shrugged, “I don’t care, we’re almost there,”

Another sigh followed when Atsumu changed to something a bit more upbeat. I wanted to sing along, and as I glanced his way, he also did. His mouth was matching the lyrics, but no other sound followed. It was kind of cute.

“Do you want something?” He asked, probably feeling my stare. “No. Just lost in thoughts.”

The rest of the drive was spent without another word. I only thanked him when we arrived, the loud music could already be heard from outside. The reason for it being the windows being wide open along with the door. It felt familiar, the tension from the car dissipated easily. I was finally going to be able to avoid the Miya twin and have fun.

Except I still had him close by when we walked up to the entrance of the building. “Stop walking with me, people will think we came here together,” He said in a panicked tone.

“Which we did, but you’re right. I wouldn’t want to be seen with you,” I sped up my pace and walked further in front of him, turning around and saluting him. “See you,” I said with a mischievous grin upon seeing his surprised expression. He scrambled to his senses and added “Never, see you never!”

I rolled my eyes at how childish he sounded and made my way inside, feeling much more welcome by the loud music and beer smells than I felt in the car of a man that despised me. I was startled when I heard my name being called but let out a shaky laugh when I saw Bokuto at a table, waving at him I joined him.

“Hey Kou!” I looked at the black-haired man next to him and nodded, “Kuroo,” Bokuto scooted closer to his friend to make me some space, so I sat down. In front of us was his teammates, Hinata and Sakusa, which I greeted along the way. Before I could join the conversation, Bokuto handed me his beer, “We can’t really start without this, right?” I rolled my eyes, knowing full well what he wanted from me. I chugged the drink, slamming the cup down. “Bro, it wasn’t just beer, the fuck did you put in that?” “Fun, I put fun in it.”

“Yeah well, I’m not chugging another one of those, I’ll wait a bit before taking something else,” I huffed a laugh, looking around a bit. I met a random dude’s gaze who seemed to be fixed on mine. When I made a confused face, a smirk drew itself on his face. It felt very off-putting, his gaze was not leaving mine, I only looked away when Bokuto placed a hand on my shoulder. “Tonight is the night we get wasted,” The last word being said in a much louder tone than the rest, almost screaming it.

Nudging him, I quirked a brow, “That changes from the usual because?” “Because everyone is here!” He turned to look at Hinata and Sakusa, a huge grin on his face, “What’s your poison?”

I let out a laugh, about to tell him no one said that but Kuroo beat me to it, “Bro, no one says that. That was cringe,” he looked at the two other men and smirked as he placed both his hands on the table, ready to get up to get the drinks. “What’s your Kryptonite?”

Sakusa sighed, I looked at the two best friends and told them that no one said that either but at least we knew what they meant. Hinata said he didn’t usually drink, while Sakusa said he was not planning on getting wasted. Bokuto proceeded to whine and try to convince the dark-haired man. While he did that, I got up and went to the bar to get a few beers. Once I had ordered, I waited for the barman to serve the drinks.

In my waiting, I was pushed a bit around considering the amount of people around. I gripped the bar tight to stay put and felt someone touch my ass, I turned around with a scowl, ready to beat whoever did that. All I could see was a person leaving, they seemed tall, but I couldn’t really tell much more about them just from their back. “Fucking asshole,” I mumbled as I turned back to get my drinks, thanking the barman.

I had to hold back a loud sigh when I saw Atsumu seating next to Hinata when I joined back my friends at the table. I had planned on having fun and having him there only made me uneasy.

Putting the drinks on the table, I sat down and grabbed my bottle, looking him dead in the eyes. I observed a moment, assessing, checking how annoying he was tonight. “Five.” I said as I gulped down some of my drink.

Confused he put his glass down, “What ‘five’?”

Finishing drinking from my bottle, I closed it and smirked, “I’ll need 5 shots until I can handle your whiny ass tonight,”

He gasped and pointed at Bokuto, “Bok! Your robot friend is being a bitch again, how can you stay with her!” He complained, earning a loud laugh from Bokuto. Kuroo answered instead, “She’s funny, and pretty reasonable, I would have said 7.” Atsumu grumbled in response and hurried us to start the drinking game.

I did not really understand what the game was about, it seemed to have been invented by Kuroo and Bokuto, but clearly, they were having a blast. I didn’t quite follow the rules but would drink when they’d tell me to. Hinata was already a lot louder than 3 drinks ago, his cheeks flushed pink and his hand gripping Atsumu’s biceps when he’d talk.

As loud as both Kuroo and Bokuto already were, it had gotten louder. And a lot less clear, their words being more slurred. It was still joyful as the smile on their face was beaming when they’d tell one another joke. It was so wholesome; I couldn’t help but join their stupid giggling.

Sakusa had left after a few hours, Atsumu had drove him back before coming back and joining us once more.

I don’t really know what I talked about with Bokuto during Atsumu’s absence, but I remember leaning in and resting my cheek on his shoulder. “Atsumu hates me…” I mumbled. I heard Kuroo whisper something but didn’t quite catch it, instead Bokuto placed a hand on the back of my head. “I don’t know bro, he definitely feels something, but I don’t know- you know like, he just, when I….But like…” I nodded.

“What I’m saying is like, I don’t know man, I thought you’d both get along!! You’re both so cool, but yeah no… So, like- he looks like he’s been challenged or something man,” He grumbled, nudging Kuroo and bringing his head against his chest along with mine. “It makes me sad,” he whined the last part. “I just want my friends to get along, I don’t want you to be fighting,” Feeling his chest move weirdly, I realized he was crying.

Kuroo huffed a laugh and tried to cheer him up, I wrapped an arm around his shoulder. I found it slightly funny, both Kuroo and I were smiling at how Bokuto turned out but still did our best to cheer him up.

Checking if he was coming back, I instead met the gaze of the dude from earlier. He was watching me intently from his spot at the bar. He raised a glass my way before taking a sip.

The feeling in the pit of my stomach grew, it was unease, uncomfortable… Unsafe. But I ignored him and looked back at Bokuto. “Alright, alright, I’ll try to talk to him,” I slurred a few of my words too, more out of exhaustion than anything. When I had too many drinks, I was not angry or sad, but tired. Still when I saw Atsumu Miya walk in, I chugged down my shot and stood up. “Wish me luck,”

I quickly made my way towards him, “Miya,” he turned away from me and ignored me.

I could have called his name again, but that would have made me look clingy. I followed him instead, trying to grab his arm, but he was walking fast. Maybe he didn’t hear me, right? Maybe he did not even think I called him, because why would I… right?

I huffed at my own thought, why was I trying to justify this man just not wanting to deal with me?

In my loss of focus, I bumped into someone and apologized quickly. They grabbed my biceps to keep me in place, a forced-nice tone in their voice. “Hey there, be careful next time,”

I held back my disgust when he brushed his thumbs over my arm. “Thank you, have a nice night.” Shit, I should have been more fake. Now he’ll feel offended. Too many words too. I should I have just said thank you. Fuck.

His eyes focused on mine a moment, damn it, he was going to use that card… “Hey have we met already?” I shook my head, trying to get out of his grasp. “Oh right! You’re the one who kept looking at me, haha.” I gave him a fake smile, still not saying anything. He let go of one of my arms and tried to guide me somewhere, but I stood in the spot. I didn’t want to move, there were already very few people here, I did not want to go somewhere even less crowded.

“Hey, I really have to go, my friend-“ “The one who was ignoring you? Haha, I think you should let him go, if he’s like that.” A fake laugh was what I gave him with a nod, I did not want to make him feel attacked. “Come on, I see the way you were looking at me. You can’t act shy now,” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, I felt my heart beat faster in fear. I wasn’t in any condition to do any real damage, maybe I was overthinking it, but I considered screaming, not that anyone would come in.

I gulped and straightened my back, “I believe you were looking at me like a hawk more than anything, I was just glancing.” I was glad I didn’t stutter, but the moment his smile disappeared, I tried to pull my arm from him. “I’m pretty sure you were looking like I was, maybe thinking of what we could do together…” His eyes traveled over my body. I tried to push him off, he grunted. “Hey, why are you like that? I’m just being nice here,”

“I’m sure you are, just let me go, I’m not interested,” He held only tighter, pushing me to the wall and gripping my jaw to have me look him dead in the eyes, “I’ll show you what you’re missing, do you mind if I-“ His hand was starting to drift to my collarbone, “I’m sure you don’t, I saw the way you acted with those men-“ He nipped my neck, and I elbowed his side.

This was enough, I glanced down and saw an opportunity to knee him in the balls before punching his stomach and biting his arm to let me go. He tried to grab me, but I ran off, tripping as I did so. I could hear him swear under his breath and call me a bitch, a maniac, a psycho. I huffed and went back to my table. I tried to brush off what happened, but the stress made my hands shake.

I was breathing heavily. Eyes tearing up. Deep breath, in …. Out… I told myself as I brushed my clothes off and tried to smile before reaching the table, calming myself down. I just wanted to get Bokuto and stick by his side, his presence was reassuring and that’s what I need. I just wanted to get my friend, maybe a hug… just anything. If the man came back, he’d probably back off, but I couldn’t be alone.

When I got to the table and only saw Atsumu, I let out a nervous laugh. “Miya, where’s Kou?” I looked behind me, making sure the man wasn’t there. “He disappeared with Kuroo and little Shoyo,” He said off-handedly, glancing at me as he spoke. I clenched my jaw, knowing if I spoke, I would break down. Deep breaths, in… and out… in…. and out…“When’s he- coming back,” A knot in my throat gave away that I wasn’t as composed as I seemed. But I did not want to be mocked by Atsumu and prayed he didn’t catch on.

“I don’t think he is-“ He cut himself off and looked at me with a frown, “Hey are you okay?” I waved him off, feeling my lips wobble a bit. I cleared my throat and frowned, “I need to find him, I’ll go find him-“

Turning around, I ignored him when he called my name and walked off as fast I could. This place did not feel as welcoming as it once did. Any bump against my shoulder made me feel more and more on edge, I didn’t feel safe, I didn’t feel good, I wanted to dig a whole and hide in it. Or build a house only made of walls, no windows, no door so that no one could see me or reach out for me. I wanted to cry, of frustration and dread.

When I finally reached the door and stepped outside, a loud shaky sound left my lips. “Fuck, fuck,” I looked around quickly, making sure there wasn’t anyone around before walking behind a tree big enough to hide my form. When I was hidden, I slid down the rugged tree, and let out controlled breath, trying to calm down. I kept swearing under my breath, not finding anything else to say.

I went to grab my phone and realized I left it in my bag, which meant I had to go back inside. The mere thought sent chills running down my body. I took a few more deep breaths and stood up, tucking my hands in my pockets to hide the fact that I was shaking. When I was about to make my way to the pub once more, I bumped into someone. My heart skyrocketed in my chest, I gasped and stepped back, “Hey, be careful,” The sentence in itself made me feel sick, then I realized it wasn’t the man from before.

I couldn’t see much from how dark it was, but recognized Atsumu Miya’s voice. “Miya,” I let out a breath of relief. Something hit my feet, I looked down, my eyes squinted I understood it was my bag, “Thank you,” I was a lot more relieved than my tone portrayed, but I did not want him to know what was going on.

“What’s up with you?”

I looked up at him, my hands still in my pocket. “What’s up with me? Nothing. What’s up with you?” Please leave me alone, please leave me alone. If you stay here any longer, I’ll break down. I thought, my nose and eyes were starting to sting. I could feel tears coming in.

“You seemed shaken inside, why did you need Bok? He left; you won’t find him.” I never realized he had an accent, unfortunately my mind was not focusing on that. It was focused on the fact that Bokuto wasn’t nearby. My breathing wasn’t getting any calmer.

I did not answer.

Atsumu seemed to be looking for something, then he pulled out his phone and turned on his flashlight and aimed it at me. I squinted my eyes at the sudden brightness and looked away, trying to cover my face. “Hey, don’t- are you okay? You look like you’ve been crying,” He reached out for me and took hold of my hand to uncover my face, pulling his phone away and leading me away from the tree to get the moonlight to help him see and not blind me.

“I don’t know why you needed Bokuto, but I can help you if you need,”

I didn’t move. Glancing at our hands, I squeezed his hand, my actions did not match my words as I said, “Stop being nice, I know you hate me- so just… fuck, look away,” Mid-way through my words, I started crying. I quickly tried to wipe them away, my motions were stopped when Atsumu’s hands pried mine from my face. He then pulled me closer and held me tight.

“I’m not looking, I can’t see much right now it’s pretty dark,” I understood what he meant by that and held his sweater tight then started letting all out. I couldn’t formulate any sentences; all I did was let out all the stress and tension that had gathered inside my body from that one short encounter. When I tried to wipe my tears to not wet his clothes, I heard Atsumu chuckle, “Something fun about playing volleyball is that I genuinely couldn’t give more shit about my clothes being wet, usually it’s sweat though but, I’m not picky.”

I let out a breathy laugh and made it obvious enough that I was purposely wiping my tears on his sweater. “Now that’s a bit too much, I’m not your tissue, am I?” He said jokingly, I shrugged, mumbling against his chest, “Don’t let your dreams be dreams…” It elated a loud laugh from the man, he quickly cleared his throat and calmed down, “Not funny, nope.”

We stayed like this a moment until I calmed down.

I could still hear the muffled sound of the party still going on inside the building, but I felt a lot better now, although embarrassed.

I didn’t want to go back inside, and my friends had left. “I should go home…” I said in a low voice, shocking myself with how little energy there was in it.

“I’ll drop you off,” he said while letting go of me. I hadn’t let go right away and heard him made a confused sound as he was about to wrap his arms around me, I let go and stepped back, my cheeks warming up. “Just like that? No questions?” I was confused and felt like an idiot for breaking down in front of the only person who I thought would laugh at me for doing so. Instead, he was humane.

He was about to talk once more, but I was faster, “I’d imagine you nosy, and curious,” I stated, looking anywhere but at him.

“Yeah? That proves you don’t know me, not that you ever tried.”

“Neither did you, Miya. You think I’m a bitch just because I’m not as loud as your friends, or as easily readable as Hinata. And yet, you get along with Sakusa, can you feel the irony?”

He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. I sighed and sat on the ground, looking at the sky. “To be honest it’s tiring, it stresses me out to be around you,”

“What?” He sounded utterly confused. I continued, “You know, Bokuto’s an emotional drunk,” I paused, Atsumu agreed. “He cried when you left. I told him you hated me, and he broke down in tears because all he wants is for us to get along,” So do I, I want us to get along. The way Bokuto talked about him made him sound funny, but every time he was around me, he turned sour and just kept being a bitch.

“Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about it and when I followed you and called out your name you just completely ignored me, so there’s that.” I shrugged before wrapping my arms around my knees. I felt Atsumu sit beside me and do the same as me, “I don’t remember that, when was that?” I grimaced, “Yeah, figured. But like, don’t make it sound like you would have listened if you had heard me. You can be real with me and just,” I waved his way, motioning to his entire being, “Drop the fake-niceties. You’re being too civil right now, it looks weird on you,”

I said that, but what I meant is that it weirded me out, more than it looked weird on him. Not having him frowned at all my words, not having him huff all the time, or look mad… it felt strange, and I was not against it. “I’m not a bastard-“ I did not control the snort that escaped my body. Atsumu scoffed, “See! This is why you’re unsufferable!”

“Uh? Excuse me? Who’s the one who keeps assuming shit about the other? Because it’s not me, I’m living my best life and you’re just, constantly mad at me. And you’re assuming wrong shit too? All in all, your vision of me is wrong, and you hate that same vision you built of me,” I fully turned to look at him, my speech getting faster, my tone a bit higher, my frustration growing. “Don’t you understand it’s completely stupid? Don’t you realize you look like an idiot? I’m sure you’d be great company, if you weren’t exactly what you say you’re not: a bastard.”

I pushed his legs, “So to make things clear, because that’s what confuses you and maybe you’re not smart enough to read me: I feel scared, I feel embarrassed and I feel frustrated, all of this at this very moment. I’m not a fucking gold fish, and I’m sure gold fish have emotions too, okay?”

I finally let out a breath I felt like I was holding and met Atsumu’s wide eyes, he was looking at me speechless. He opened his mouth once, closed, twice, closed. Then he hummed. “Whatever, at least act neutral around me, bear through that hate because Bokuto’s sad.” I huffed, about to get up. Before I could, Atsumu pulled me down and looked at me with a worried expression.

“Do I make you that unsafe? I didn’t-“ “It’s not you, it’s…“ I shook my head, deciding against telling me. “All you make me feel is bad about myself,”

The blond frowned, any smile on his face disappearing. “I… didn’t know,”

“Of course, you didn’t! How could you? Your assumption is: the emotionless bitch,” I huffed. My heart was beating faster, for some reason. Letting it all out was one thing, but bearing the consequences of telling him, I was afraid he’d get mad anyway. I knew that talking some sense into him would be hard, but I felt like I went too hard with how he looked.

“Why are you scared then, if not because of me? Are you sure it’s not because of me? I can go-“

I wanted to roll my eyes, but instead I grabbed his sleeve to stop him from leaving, “No, no it’s not you. Your presence is… different than usual, so it’s kind of soothing if anything.” I told him, thinking of how to word it. I couldn’t really tell him that if I ended up alone once again, I’d feel a lot less safe.

His usual cocky tone was back, he did not mention what I told him about his actions but instead said, “It feels like you’re avoiding answering my question though,”

Taking a deep breath, I sighed and looked at him in the eyes, “There was this dude the entire evening, he kept looking at me. I ignored it, because … I’m not interested or anything, but when I tried to go after you, he blocked my path. Then he started making advances, and tried to make out or something, I kicked him in the balls and … all that jazz, then made a run for it.” I explained, adding that that’s why I wanted to find Bokuto. I didn’t want to be alone.

Atsumu’s tone seemed determined as he asked where the guy was, he tried to get up, but I pulled him down with force once more. “Why would you go after him?”

“Oh, you think I’m letting this man go ‘bout his life like that? Fucking asshole,” He started mumbling more insults, his blood boiling. He tried to get up once more, not listening to me. His accent seemed a lot stronger now he had lost his cool, I wanted to laugh but the panic of being alone was stronger.

“Atsumu!! I don’t care if you want to beat his ass-“

“Then let me go!”

I tried to make him understand what I wanted; I gave him an intense look, but he was confused. “I-“ I stopped talking and looked away before letting him go. “Whatever, you’re free to do as you please, go,” I shooed him away. Grabbing my bag to get my phone. Atsumu asked me what I was doing, “I’m calling Bokuto,”

“Why? I told you, he’s somewhere, but-“ I heard the ringtone coming from Atsumu, and gave him a confused look. “He left his phone, so…”

“Great. Fantastic, yeah, well. Have fun proving you’re the alpha or something,” I shrugged. I was acting almost as childish as him right now, but I didn’t want to straight up admit what I wanted.

Atsumu didn’t move. He stayed right where he was, after a few moments he sat back down. “You confuse me, I don’t get what you’re doing,” He stated, looking at me, lost. He ran a hand through his hair and looked at me without blinking.

I only saw his look from glancing his way, but I wasn’t facing him. I spelled it out for him, articulating each word, feeling my throat tighten as I said them, “I don’t want to be alone. Because if he finds me before you find him, I don’t know…” I ended up mumbling the last part.

All that left Atsumu’s lips was an ‘Ah’ before he scooted closer. “Alright, well, as your knight in shining armor I can’t let you down, you know.”

“You’re not a knight, you just have the privilege of being very muscly and intimidating.” I said as I rested my chin on my knees when I brought them to my chest.

The blond was humming, thinking, not replying right away. He did not say much about what happened, and I was thankful for that. I already felt like an idiot for breaking down in front of him out of everyone, so if he had brought it up, I would have died on the spot. But with him next to me, it felt almost relaxing. A lot different than the mood in the car. Almost as if things had slightly cleared up, but I must have been imagining things.

“So, I’m a bastard, muscly, intimidating, very bad at reading people,” As he started listing tings, I was nodding along, saying ‘yes’ until he said the last one, “And hot” “Yes- Wait, I didn’t say that. The other stuff I said, yeah, but not the last one,”

Pointing at me, he grinned, “Haha, you said I was hot, you said it, I heard it, it’s out there now,”

Rolling my eyes, I slowly faced him and observed him a moment, trying to assess what was his deal, “What’s with the change of attitude? Aren’t you supposed to hate me?” I did not mind him being playful, but once again… it was strange, and if he was doing that just because I felt bad, I didn’t need it. Feeling a bit cold, I started rubbing my hands on my arms, still focused on Atsumu.

The man sighed and rested his chin on his fist. Like me he had brought his knees to his chest, but what differed was that he was pouting right now, I was not. “See, I never said I hated you,”

“Perhaps not, but your actions told me otherwise,” Never have I ever felt welcomed in his presence, he made it very obvious he did not like me.

“Hey, your actions are also very much not-lovey, okay?” He said in a defensive tone, I met that tone with a quirked brow. “Is that so? What did I ever do to you Miya?” From what I remembered I acted the same around him that I did around the others. Perhaps a bit colder since I was not friend with the man, but I never disrespected him.

“You make it very obvious you don’t want to be around me!” “How so?”

“You don’t smile, you don’t laugh- the constant glaring, the whispers with Bok- and now I know it’s ‘cause you don’t like me and not ‘cause you’re being emotionless, you made it clear.” He blurted out. It seemed he had that list at the ready, and he needed to let it all out. But I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“So… you act like a little bitch because, according to you, I don’t like you? Because everyone should like you, right?”

“Yes!! People always love me, I’m handsome, funny, a great guy really, but you hate me, it doesn’t make sense, what did I ever do to you?”

Sucking my teeth in, I smacked my lips, “Well, it seems it’s a bit of a misunderstanding.”

“Yeah? What’d’ya mean?” He asked. I smiled to myself, hiding behind my hand as I pondered on how to word it. The first time I saw him, he looked very handsome, that’s why I stared at him. Clearly first impression made the lasting impression… “First, I’ll admit you’re funny. I just don’t laugh as loud as Kou, if we can call that a laugh. I’d say a bark would be more fitting. But I do find you funny, you just need to pay more attention.” I shrugged.

He frowned, “That doesn’t explain the rest!”

“When did I glare at you?” “The day we met! When I told Bok, he said I wouldn’t understand,”

I rolled my eyes, why had he said that to him? For the love of God, he made a bigger deal out of this than it was meant to be. “Yeah? Well, believe it or not, I was checking you out.” I stated, not looking at him.

“You what?” He moved suddenly and was now crouching weirdly next to me, pulling at my leg, literally, to get my attention, “What? You what? You’re kidding right?”

Facing him, I gave him a deadpanned expression, “Do I look like I’m kidding? And while I’m at it, the whispers could have been one of those three things,” I emphasized by raising a finger at each count, “Number one: ‘he’s cute’, number two: ‘Bro where is the food?’ and last but not least, it does vary” I paused, feeling a bit more hurt when saying this one, “Did I say something mean? Why is he looking at me like that? Why does he hate me?”

Before he could say anything, I placed both my hands on the ground and was about to stand up, “Anyway, great talking to you, that’s enough opening up for one night-“ “Hey, no, no, you don’t get to go! We’re making progress,” He gripped my hand and pulled me back before I could fully stand up. I clicked my tongue against my teeth, annoyed, but did not say anything. It was humiliating enough to have told him that, but now I knew it flattered him. His ego was only boosted from this.

“No, because this changes everything!” Dear fuck, no.

Feeling my back ache, I laid on the ground and asked, absentmindedly “Does it, now? How so? You were still a bastard to me, no amount of charm can save that, Miya.” I regretted saying the last part, thinking he would feel even bolder after hearing me tell him he had charm.

There was a silence. A long one.

After a few minutes, Atsumu laid down next to me. “I’m sorry, I thought you hated me for no reason. I clearly misread… Everything… It also ticked me off that you were so stoic all the time… I was trying to get you angry for a good reason, not just because you randomly hated me, you know? Does that make sense?”

To be fair, I didn’t see the logic behind that. I was a bit confused too, but he seemed genuine in his apology. “It makes some sort of sense, albeit being a bit of an immature reaction… Clearly, we started on the wrong foot,” I told him in all honesty.

Both of us were silent for a moment. He was right, it indeed changed everything. This entire time we had known one another, we had acted like assholes for nothing. I wanted to ask him what he wanted to do now that this was cleared up, but I also felt like he wouldn’t care. But he surprised me.

“Do you wanna start over?” I heard Atsumu ask in a somewhat shy voice. I stared at the sky with wide eyes. Had he asked that? I didn’t mind that.

Not really knowing how to do it, I quickly sitting up and looked at his still laying form. “Come on,” I hurried for him to sit up, he did, a bit lost. Reaching out for a handshake, I waited for him to take it, when he did, I told him my full name, “Nice to meet you, I’m Bokuto’s best friend and I really have to pee,”

Atsumu snorted a laugh and shook my hand, “I’m Miya Atsumu, the best volleyball player you’ll ever meet, and I’ll escort you to the bathroom,” chuckling at that, I accepted his offer. He got up and helped me to my feet before telling me to go first. Shaking my head, I told him to go first, “That way you’re my shield and I get to take a look at those cakes,” I said jokingly. Shit, no, no, not that friendly yet, I thought.

He had pulled out his phone at this very moment, his screen lighting his face. I could see the way his cheeks turned pink when I said that. “In a friendly way! Tell me not to do it, I won’t, I was joking,” I said quickly when started walking. Looking over his shoulder, he shook his ass, “Nah look, I don’t go to the gym 4 times a week for nothing,” We both laughed as we made our way inside.

Before we entered the bar, Atsumu stopped dead in his track, making me bump in his back. I swore under my breath and stepped back, looking at him curiously. “Grab my shirt, I’m not losing you in the crowd,” He said seriously. It was sort of cute how he was suggesting this seriously, but I couldn’t help but grin, “Is this like a third-grade school trip? I think I’ll easily find that little mop of yours, among those people, that is if I lose you-“ “And I’ll find yours, which means the bastard will too, okay?”

I was taken aback by his bluntness, but he was right. His reminder made me feel my stomach churn, in the little time I had spent with Atsumu, I had made sure to try to forget about the incident. But I couldn’t just do that, not when the party was still going on. “Okay… sure, but can I instead hold your arm or something, it feels very childish to hold onto your shirt Miya,”

His expression changed from seriousness to bashfulness when he looked away and reach out for my hand, “If you wanted to hold my hand so bad you could have just asked,” He started, adding over his shoulder, “And it’s Atsumu, Miya’s for people who hate me,” He grinned happily. I sped up to be at his pace, “You seem to be too much at ease to switch from hate to flirting, Atsumu,”

His name rolled strangely off my tongue, but I was willing to make the effort. After all, I had a new friend, the least I can do is respect his preferences. His answer was to walk faster, his hand still gripping mine tight. I don’t know why, but I didn’t mind, his stupidly rough hand and his complete change of attitude made him somewhat enjoyable to be around.

As we zig-zagged in the crowd, I felt someone touch my shoulder but didn’t look at it. Only gripping Atsumu’s hand tighter. Instead of reacting out of panic, I thought: it’s alright, it must be an accidental bump, nothing much, people having fun. Then it happened again, it was with more force this time, I had to look around. When I did, I saw the man from earlier, I pulled Atsumu’s arm urgently, earning an annoyed ‘what’ when he turned around.

“Tha’ your frien’? The one tha’ was ignoring you? Mmmm? Where were you goin’ with ‘im?” My heart was in my throat, I felt sick. Insistent people were annoying enough as it was, but add alcohol to the mixt? Awful. They seemed to be even less aware of their action, and a lot more sensitive to whatever was being told to them. I hated it. “Ye bit me,” he went to grab my arm, but I pulled it back before he could, “You’re playin’ hard to get, I like that ‘bout a girl, feisty and all-“ Before I could tell him off, Atsumu stepped forward and punched him.

“That’s for being fucking disgusting,” Was what he said, then punched him again, “That’s for being a creep,” He raised his fist again, I quickly grabbed his hand and lowered it, twisting his arm in a weird angle which force him to stop. “Hey hey hey, it hurts, let go-“ “Can you please stop? Let’s just go,” The man behind Atsumu was being checked by people around, it annoyed the blond, I could see it, but he did not say anything. “Right, bathroom first.” He said as he pushed me towards the bathroom.

I tried to stop him from pushing me, but he kept on doing that until we were in the corridor. “I’ll watch over here, no one’s gonna bother you,” I gave him the semblant of a smile and entered the bathroom. When I did, only a few seconds after did I hear Atsumu’s voice yell that the man he had punched was a bastard who tried to take advantage of someone. I tuned out from his little speech, feeling embarrassed but also, strangely, warm? He was being over the top, but I think he was trying to do something good.

The muffled sound of what was going on outside of this room felt peaceful. I could finally hear my thoughts, hear how fast my heart was beating. Looking up from the sink, I finally saw how bad I looked. I was shaken, my hair more messy than usual, my eyes were glassy. When I glanced at my collarbone, I saw the redness from when the man nipped at my skin. “Gross,” I mumbled as I grabbed some toilet paper, wetted it and added some soap before scrubbing the spot.

Am I overreacting? No, he’s fucking disgusting. He didn’t do much though, but he could have. It’s been so long since some shit like this happened, I can’t make a big deal out of it, it’s stupid- A knock interrupted my thoughts, “Hey you good in there? The water’s been running for a while now, can I come in? I’m coming in-“ I dropped the paper towel in the trash and turned around to look at Atsumu with a bored expression.

“What if I was doing super private? You’re lucky there isn’t anyone else in the stalls, you’d be kicked out,” I said with a short laugh as I grabbed my bag, Atsumu stopped me and looked at me with a frown. “Why are you red?” He asked sternly.

“Maybe it’s an allergy,” I trailed off.

He shook his head, “But it’s not though, you didn’t do that to yourself, right?” “Dear- no no, I didn’t- maybe, kind of but no,” It wasn’t a good enough answer for him. The expression on his face was one I had never seen yet, perhaps had I never paid enough attention, or perhaps had he never shown it to me, but whichever it was, I felt guilty for making him look like this.

“Just the weird dude tried to kiss me or something, I don’t know, a bite, a nip, call it what you want. I didn’t want to see it, so I scrubbed it… It feels gross, I know it’s nothing and you might say I’m overreacting but I feel violated and-“ My breath caught in my throat, I swallowed my saliva and took a few deep breaths to talk down, “And it’s over, so yeah, let’s leave-“

“I wouldn’t say you’re overreacting; I think someone was a real jerk and like, invaded your personal space, and you’re definitely in the right to feel like that, you know? I feel like you don’t need me to feel sorry for you… so uh, you’re strong, and he’s got a big black eye, and he’s pretty lucky I didn’t rip his tongue off,” Atsumu said quickly, his eyes trying to catch mine, but I was playing with my hands, listening to each word leaving his lips.

If someone asked me, I would have said I didn’t need to hear those things. But it would have been a lie. I never would have thought hearing someone else tell me I was feeling something valid would make me feel so relieved. With shaky breaths, I looked up, eyes tearing up and shoved his shoulder playfully, “I was kidding when I said you had to prove you were the alpha or something,” I sniffed and wiped the tears that were threatening to fall, “You’ll be lucky if no one jumps you when we leave, you’re impulsive,”

“He deserved it! And he was ugly, now he’ll have to go home knowing someone so much hotter than him beat him up, and that he lost,” I laughed breathlessly at his words, rubbing the spot on my collarbone absentmindedly. “Well, I think he could have used a bit more kicks in the balls,” I said jokingly.

Nudging my shoulder, Atsumu said, “It can be arranged, you know,”

“Nah, we’re good, let’s just… Leave,” I said that, but I didn’t move. Nor did Atsumu. Someone walked behind us, and we waited until they were done cleaning their hands, and the door slammed behind them, to finally say something. “D’ya got lipstick?” Atsumu asked in hushed whisper, poking my bag.

Quirking a brow in confusion, I rummaged through my bag but didn’t find any. Instead, I found a pink highlighter, I was going to shove it back when Atsumu grabbed it, “That’ll do!” He uncapped it and started coloring his lips, I considered stopping him, but it was very fascinating and a bit funny.

“When’s your birthday? I might buy you one if you think that’s your color,” I said, huffing a laugh. Atsumu motioned for me to wait, a finger raised. I did just that.

When he was done, he handed me the highlighter back. “Stop me if you feel uncomfortable,” He said a bit too suspiciously.

I gave him a nervous smile, then he started leaning in, I leaned back avoiding his face then noticed he wasn’t trying to kiss me. Instead, he went lower and pressed his lips on the redder part of my skin, on my collarbone. I felt my heartbeat speed up but didn’t say anything. He quickly pulled back, wiping his lips on the back of his hand. “There! Now it’s not weird, it’s pretty, and it’s not him, it’s me, I think it’s a great upgrade.”

My cheeks were heating up as I gazed down at the kiss mark on my skin. We could barely see it, but I knew it was there. I could still feel the pressure of his lips against my skin. Tearing my gaze from it, I went to take some paper towel and wetted it, then grabbed Atsumu’s chin and proceeded to wipe his lips properly. “I don’t want you to lick your lip and just- eat the ink like a child- hey stop moving, you did that to yourself.” “You could at least say something!”

When I was done, I threw the paper towel but did not trust my voice to make any sort of coherent sound. Atsumu’s voice however had no problem to spur complete idiocies, “Nooo, don’t go all mute on me, you’re so sexy-“ “Did you really just say that?”

“And I stand by it,” He opened the door and told me to lead the way. The conversation was paused while we made our way outside, the loud music and people made it almost impossible to hear one another. What I could hear was the loud whines of the man at the bar while the bartender was tending to his ‘wounds’ which consisted of one black eye and that’s it. Rolling my eyes, I picked up the pace and exhaled loudly when I reached the outside, fresh air hitting my face instead of gross drunken air.

With Atsumu still behind, I pulled out my phone to look at what he had left on my skin. I pull out the flash to see properly. Idiot… why is it nice… no, no, it’s nothing, it’s just that, nice. Nothing more. Good method to hide the gross ass mark, good for me. Yeah.

“Ah! Soooo you like it so much you’re taking a pic of it? Bring me lipstick next time, I’ll leave an even better mark, maybe two-“ “I’m not taking a picture, I was checking-“ “It out, you were checking it out, because it’s hot, right?”

Maybe. “I think I preferred bastard Miya to loud Atsumu,” I taunted him, hoping he wouldn’t take it wrong. I was caught off guard when he looped his arm around my shoulders, “Nah ye don’t, come on, I’ll get you home,” “Thank God you didn’t say you’d bring me to your place, I would have gagged,” I joked, earning a scoff from the player. He bumped my hips with his, “You know what? It’s actually a great suggestion! I think the night’s just started, maybe we could watch a movie or something?”

My instinct was to refuse his offer. But then again, I would have to stay awake until I got news from Bokuto’s wellbeing, may it be from Kuroo’s phone or a new number if Hinata was still alive. “Don’t you try weird shit, I’m not falling asleep at your place, and it better not be freezing- and also it better not smell-“ “Alright, alright, I get it! My place’s pretty clean ye know? I barely spend time there, how can I dirty it?”

“Right. No weird shenanigans, okay?” Waving me off, Atsumu agreed, telling me it was going to be alright. He unlocked the car and we slipped in, finally surrounded by a comfortable silence.

I let my head hit the back of the seat and exhaled loudly, “How about we go get some food first?”

“Sounds like a plan! You pay for it since I’m paying for the gas of this beautiful baby,” He said as he gently slapped the car door. Giving him an incredulous smile, I said, “Yeah… No, I’m paying for my shit, you pay for yours,”

He threw his hands in an over exaggerated manner, “Fine! But I choose the movie then!”

“I genuinely couldn’t care less of what we’re watching, you do what you want-“ “Wall-E it is,” He started as he started the car, “I think it’s a poetic start to this relationship,”

“Fine by me, I’ve never seen it anyway,” I shrugged as I buckled my seatbelt. I regretted saying this when he looked at me in pure shock and started telling me how it made sense that I made such a bad metaphor.

God was this ride going to be long. But at least, I was no more bathed in tension and feeling the urge to jump off the car. I was feeling pretty content right now, and perhaps Bokuto was right. Perhaps Miya Atsumu was funny and just a little bit cool.

Just maybe.

[bryan360]

Hey guys! Well in the early weeks of ❤February 2022 gotten into a hard start; especially when it come to plagiarism and imposter's postings takes too far for me and my P-Pal @murumokirby360 can handle and it was still a bad thing to this day.

🐰🖌 Maxwell: Yeah! We're still waiting for that faker's demand for an apology after what it did to our P-Friend from last month so unforgivable. 😡

🐰👊💥 May: Meanwhile for us wanted to file report and blocking on the way after from few days ago where there's an imposter at DeviantArt; if you seen it before though. Link Here

🦊��️ Sam: Man do we have much more problems than we expected. That includes at Tumblr for a while was the person who posted related Disney's 2005 version of Chicken Little (and others) stuff through its blogs; especially when it keeps up to come back for more. There's gotta be a whole list to keep track off to check out how much times when someone trying to follow us and/or copy edited through our appearances.

🇵🇷 Me: As of matter of fact, I do have this one though. I've already decided to bring you another non-art post to share while trying to have protection to continue as long I'm still active both of my accounts.

🐰🖌 Maxwell: Wow! That's a long list you've have! How you get that?

🇵🇷 Me: Well it happens back in January while I'm on the Tumblr message center to check on @anna-mator after make contact to me. In fact, she willing to help me by giving me all the listings of somebody's blogs to get through and I meant all of it so far.

🐰👊💥 May: No way! It was crazy to believe that there so many of them to count how many times when someone else's blog being created and trying to followed us.

🦊⚽️ Sam: Woah. 😕

🇵🇷 Me: I know right? With this list though, we can at least use it for planning purpose to go along. I even managed to use it to block all of them so far without breaking a sweat.

🐰🖌 Maxwell: Looks like there's some of them that we already blocked their blogs from before; just in case to prevent us from following by the way. Though it will be a long ways to go through when doing reports like this, but hoping not to give up until it can be over soon.

🐰👊💥 May: Yeah. Anyways, here's to our creator friend's closest pals and hoping some good followers would to check this list from; same to goes to us and our closest friends like Brown and Wilson. Just make sure to skip something was on number 31 though. It sorta was a mistake to not include here because it'll link to our creator friend's own blog instead. Hope you not to be confused of doing that.

🇵🇷 Me: Yeah; hope not. ^^*

Tagged: @murumokirby360 @carmenramcat @alexander1301

[federatio-angelorum]

Sketched-out concept for a possibly-useful new term:

Othervague

Defined as an other- (-kin, -link, -kith, -hearted, etc.) identity that either:

1) features confusion between which derivation of identity it is (I, personally, plan on using it because I am unsure whether my -types are voluntarily or not)

2) whose user has a disdain for the boundaries between each term (a sentiment expressed as early as Tirl & Flip Windtree's 2002 article Just Be on otherkin.net)

It's my hope that othervague can be used as both an umbrella term and an identity, like a more narrowly-focused version of alterhuman. One's vaguetypes can be voluntary- if you're gonna try and call someone a faker, you don't get to say "well the definition says xyz and you don't fit it to a t".

[fruityutas]

𝘮𝘢𝘧𝘪𝘢!𝘭𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘹 𝘧𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘦!𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥

!𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦!

𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴

𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘦: 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳, 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘮𝘪𝘯, 𝘈𝘕𝘎𝘚𝘛

𝘸𝘤: 1.798𝘬

𝘱.3/?

𝘱.2 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦

𝘴𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘴𝘪𝘴: 𝘭𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘧𝘪𝘢 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦. 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘣𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯?

✰ 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴: 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥, 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘵𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘤 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱, 𝘴𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴

𝘪𝘮 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘴𝘰 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘓𝘔𝘈𝘖

𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵: @xu-miseo

“i’m going to pound you into this bed until you’re screaming my name, princess, until everyone in this house knows it’s me making you feel good”

taeyong didn’t lie when he uttered those words to you. he fucked you until you were sobbing from pleasure. when he calmed down, he got up to clean the both of you. you laid still in the bed, drifting into a peaceful sleep. taeyong laid a gentle kiss on your forehead and left the room.

when he got downstairs, johnny and jaehyun burst into laughter. “have fun, yongie?” johnny sniggers at jaehyun making fun of the name you had been mewling out for the past hour. taeyong rolls his eyes at the younger man and shuffles past him.

“don’t make fun of me at least i get a woman to fuck.” johnny loses it at that point, attracting mark and donghyuck into the kitchen. “don’t even ask, you two. we have another assignment, but i think i might allow chenle and jisung tag along just to get experience.” mark nods. taeyong can’t help but think about what you would say to that. would you be mad that he’s letting them go? he finds himself hoping that you wouldn’t be angry at him. he shakes these thoughts. you were just an accessory to him, he can’t fall in love, it just can’t work with his lifestyle. he heads back up to his bedroom and hears the shower running. you must have woken up in the time he was getting a drink. “y/n? are you ok?” taeyong opens the bathroom door and hears you reply with a yes.

“why don’t you join me? you must be tired, yongie” he strips himself of his clothes and climbs in beside you.

“you already want more?” he mutters between kisses down your neck. you giggle and swat him lightly.

“no, silly. i just thought you’d want a shower since you did most of the work.” his chest heats up and he becomes flustered. no one had ever cared for him like this, not even his parents. they always acted cold toward him and used the excuse of turning him into ‘the perfect mafia man’. you circle around to face him and start to wash his hair. taeyong’s eyes flutter shut and he melts into your gentle touch. you press butterfly-light kisses to his chest and encase him in your arms. for the first time, taeyong didn’t have a plan. he felt loved.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

as the weeks passed, taeyong started to let you sleep in his room. for the first few days, he fucked you until your legs were shaking, but the past week, he had been a lot gentler. it was as if he was making love to you instead of having sex. the thought made you hope that he would eventually let you accompany him outside the house. “yongie, do you think i could come with you today?” your sweet voice penetrated his ears. without turning around, he declined. “but why?” he huffed before facing you.

“because, i’m going on an assignment today, not a date.”

“oh. i’m sorry” your pretty face had fallen into a sullen look, and he felt guilt creeping in.

“angel, i’ll take you shopping tomorrow, ok?” you face lit up at his statement and you nod enthusiastically. he smiles and leaves you alone. you wait until you hear him gather some members going along with him and the garage door close to leave the room. you walk down the hallway as quiet as you can. near the end of the hall, you hear voices in a room. you recognize them as johnny and jaehyun. you lean closer to hear better.

“you think she knows?” johnny speaks.

“if she does she sure doesn’t care.”

“i don’t think she does. she seems like someone who would want more than that.”

“you and i both know taeyong isn’t capable of being a boyfriend, all he can do is keep her around to fuck.” johnny laughs at jaehyun’s bluntness. your eyes fill with tears at those words. was taeyong really only keeping you to be a body to have sex with? the sex felt genuine when you thought of it, but who’s to say taeyong isn’t a good faker? he is in the mafia after all. you leave the hall and walk to the kitchen. mark and donghyuck were in there bickering. you brush past them to the fridge.

“hey, y/n you ok?” mark’s question stills you. the waterworks start and in mere seconds you’re sobbing and muttering incoherent words to them. “hey hey what’s wrong?” you take deep breaths until you can calm down enough to talk.

“does taeyong only keep me around because he wants to have someone to fuck?” the question stuns them and they glance at each other for a second.

“i’m not sure what to sa-” “cut the shit, mark. it’s the truth and you know it.” mark swallows and avoids your eyes.

“look at me, mark. is he telling the truth?” he shakily nods. you hum before storming out of the kitchen. they call after you to no avail. you stomp all the way to the room where johnny and jaehyun were talking. you slam open the door and surprise them.

“are you ok y/n-” “where the fuck is taeyong. i need to speak to him.”

“he’s out on an assignment can this wait until-” “no. get him on the phone. now.” you had never spoken to anyone like this so they both scramble for the phone and dial taeyong.

ring, ring, ring

“what do you need jaehyun i’m in the middle of something r-” “y/n needs to speak with you.”

“about what? this can surely wait.” jaehyun glances back to you, and you look deadly calm.

“i think for my own safety it can’t.” he hands you the phone.

“so when were you going to tell me?”

“tell you what?”

“that i’m only a body to keep you entertained?” silence.

“y/n can this please wait until i get back?”

“no, taeyong. it fucking can’t. you wanna know why? because i’m not going to SIT here and be treated like a CHEAP WHORE THAT YOU CAN FUCK WHENEVER YOU WANT. I TRUSTED YOU. I GAVE MYSELF TO YOU, TAEYONG. I’M NOT JUST AN EMPTY BODY, I HAVE FEELINGS.” the tears were pouring down your face and both men in the room with you avoided your gaze. the other line stayed silent. “you know what, taeyong? fuck you.” you hung up the phone and threw it at the wall. neither jaehyun or johnny said anything. you walk out of the room, slamming the door behind you. you know the entire house just heard all of that, but you could care less. taeyong had betrayed you. when he got and the others got back, the house was silent. taeyong made his way to his room. you were laying on the bed as if you were waiting for him.

“y/n.” you remain quiet. he huffs and comes closer. he reaches out to move a hair from your face, but you swat his hand away.

“you can sleep somewhere else tonight, and for a while after that too.” you don’t even make eye contact with him as you say this.

“you can’t kick me out of my own room.” he stands there waiting for a response but is fed nothing. he sighs and walks to take a pillow off the bed. he looks at you again before leaving the room. you lock the door behind him so he can’t try any games and go to bed.

the morning light flows through the curtains. you check the clock on the table, it’s 8:17 am. you hear ruckus coming from the kitchen and decide to get breakfast. when you get down there, johnny, mark, doyoung, and taeyong are all in there.

“good morning, y/n.” doyoung sets a plate of food infront of you.

“good morning, doyoung.” you pick up a fork and start to eat. johnny joins the table beside you, while doyoung occupies the other side of you. he leans over and whispers in your ear, “i heard about what happened. to be honest, i didn’t know he was using you like that. you can always come to me to talk, ok?” you smile and nod at him. johnny turns to say something to you.

“how did you sleep?” you don’t acknowledge him and continue eating. he frowns and shrugs. after you finish your food, you put the plate in the sink and try to walk past taeyong, but he stops you.

“y/n, go get dressed i’m taking you shopping.” you roll your eyes and shove past him. He follows you into the bedroom and closes the door behind him. “y/n, i know i’ve been a shitty person but can i please make it up to you? at least let me try.”

“fine. but this is the only chance you get to redeem yourself.” he smiles brightly and gives you a hug. you return it and tell him to get out so you can get dressed. you pick out your outfit and decide to peek around taeyong’s room while you’re alone. you go through his drawers, even though you know you shouldn’t. there’s not a lot to see, really. it’s mostly socks and underwear, until you get to his bedside table. it doesn’t seem off to the normal eye, but taeyong had been training you to notice details in everything. to a normal person, they’d see the snacks he keeps, his phone charger, a few bandaids, a pair of winter gloves, and the box of condoms. but you know better, these items are placed too perfectly. not in a organized way, but a staged way. you shuffle the items around with your hands and voila, under the gloves is a small pull tab. you lift the fake bottom up and under it is a journal and pen. you know better than to snoop, but you just can’t help to want to look at what taeyong could’ve written about.

the leather is soft and worn, and the journal is closed with strips of the leather. you stand silent and listen for a moment, making sure no one was coming. gently, you unravel the strips and open the book. the first page bears only the initials l.ty with a small heart. you flip through the next few pages, getting glimpses of entries and dates. the newest page is dated four days ago, and was shorter than the others. you only read the last line, and it shocked you so much you gasped.

‘i’m falling in love with y/n and i don’t want to stop it.’

[shadowsfascination]

Dreams

Hot. Moist. Sweat. It gushed off him while he twisted and turned under the sheets, barely awake and still under the spell of a teasing dream. A soft sound, in between a growl and a moan, managed to escape Shadow’s lips, even with his mouth as dry as a desert.

His eyes were half-lidded, continuously blinking at a rapid speed. He gasped, clasping his hands into the ball of fumbled sheets atop him as if longing to hold on to something. His sub-conscious mind started registering the stimulus of the cold on one of his legs that peeked out under the blanket. He tugged it back under the warm, somewhat clammy sheets and a inhaled with a series of grated breaths.

“Shit… This again?”

Shadow laid his head to rest on the pillow below him and stared at the ceiling in the dark. His spiky quills pressed into the cushion, the cool cotton fabric nicely fluffing against his skin. It wasn’t until recently that he noticed how everything seemed to be the same saturated colour in the dark.

Not until these dreams decided to wake me up at the same darn point every night.

He grunted. Not only did he want to fall asleep again, he yearned to dream on that one particular dream. Shadow wriggled once more, huddling in attempt to find a comfortable position to drift off again- fast. He shut his eyes and snuggled up to the pillow beside him in the bed. A muffled groan carried away from underneath it. He was already too awake, too aroused to glide back in his dream again.

Fuck!

The black hedgehog sat up straight in a bed that wasn’t his. Ever since Amy left town two days ago for her internship, he decided he’d sleep in hers, which he convinced himself was fine… She asked me to check in on her house sometimes and I know where her spare key is hidden. It’s not like I’m doing something wrong…

In the pockets of his black jacket was an unfinished joint and a lighter- almost empty, judging by its’ weight. He opened the window in her bedroom, lit the joint and inhaled the smoke. Shadow rested his elbows on the windowsill, picturing Amy’s reaction to him smoking this stuff inside her home. Undoubtedly she’d show that cute, irresistible, agitated blush spread across her cheeks.

It had been that particular look on her face that lit a romantic spark in him. He remembered scoffing himself for the very first time after tracing the slightest affection for her. She was his friend and it should’ve stayed like that. But it didn’t and he had a love-hate relationship with his feelings for her.

Part of him despised the lack of self-discipline that eventually allowed him to fall for her, but then again: who could not fall for Amy Rose?

The young woman was simply amazing; kind, brave, strong, gorgeous, honest and pure. Hanging out with her was never an obligation to him. Even if he acted indifferent in the past, it was a mere cover. He enjoyed being with her so much that the innocent one-sided crush he made himself believe it’d become, faded over time to be replaced with an overwhelming sense of… lovesickness? Lust?

Shadow had yet to come to terms with whatever stirred inside him- if he’d ever decide to stop lying to himself. He craved being with her, even if it was just as her friend. But friends didn’t look the way he looked at her, the way he saw her, the way his mind was toyed with by her.

And lately it had gotten much worse. A feeling of possessiveness grew inside him when she told him her plans for a yearlong internship overseas. Surely she’d meet new people, make new friends, go out and meet guys. Guys who’d eventually find an interest in her. Shadow feared he might lose his chance with her forever. And yet… he’d just let her go like it was no big deal, casually waving her off like Sonic had. Along with his sigh marihuana scented smoke escaped his lips.

He looked at his phone. Nothing. His inbox was unusually quiet after Amy briefly informed him she’d arrived at her destination. It made him restless and impatient.

“I can’t believe I’m just as stupid as that faker…”

That last part was what made it so ugly. Sonic had taken Amy for granted for over a decade. Shadow had gladly been her shoulder to cry on and often told her he couldn’t understand how poorly the blue blur treated her. And now he had sunk as low as his rival when what he really longed for was to make Amy his girl and walk beside her, showing her off, proud as a peacock.

He imagined pulling her into a passionate kiss, one that would weaken her knees, send shivers down her spine. One that made it loud and clear to everyone that she was his woman. Now that was a decent goodbye! He sighed once again. She should be his!

Shadow’s mind drifted off to the night before she left. Amy went home early from the farewell-party her friends had thrown her. She had excused herself by stating she wanted a good night of sleep before her journey the next day, but asked Shadow to hang out with her in the end. Just the two of them. He knew far too well she’d do that.

Something in the way she acted that night puzzled his mind. It had lit sparks of hope that she felt the same way about him. If he wasn’t mistaken, there’d been this tense atmosphere between them.

____________________________________

 “My turn! Shadow, can you hand me that?”

…

“Shadow?!”

Amy frantically gestured with her hands to make contact with a Shadow whose mind seemed to have drifted off. The introverted hedgehog got sucked into his own mind, quietly moping and pouting to himself in his thoughts about her departure.

Blinking when he finally noticed her, she was already so close to him that it startled him a little. Sucking off the tip of the joint he held between his fingers, he instantly stiffened up. Shaking a little as he watched her, he became helpless to the arousal from the image and the prickling heat that flushed through his body.

The girl looked up to him, colouring his cheeks in a deep red, her lips still enclosing the tip. He was quickly to shift his gaze away from her, feeling she’d see right through him if he stared at her any longer.

“Sorry. I was out of it for a bit.”

She didn’t take it from him. Instead Amy let out a muffled ‘U-huh’ and guided his hand to her lips again to have another pull of the joint. Without warning she tucked her arms behind him, pulling him into a hug and chuckled a delightful laughter.

“Cheer up! I’m gonna miss you too, you know?”

“Tsk, darn right, you will!”

Amy snorted at his silly reply and gave him a playful push.

“It’s the truth and you know it.”

Shadow raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms, faking an arrogance that actually fit his personality quite well at times. Amy however saw straight through his act, aware that he found it difficult that she left. Despite everything they ended up being the best of friends and she was sure he’d feel lonely and bored without her.

“We can still catch up on the phone and stuff. It’s only for a year. It’ll be over before we know it. Besides, you’re gonna be busy too in the meantime. I’m so excited for you about the project you were tasked with. You always wanted to do this stuff, right?”

“Yeah, it’s something I’m looking forward to. I’ve always wanted to work with plants. I’ll get to investigate, plant and look after all these rare species the Central City’s botanical garden’s been given after the archaeologist department found this hidden, preserving millions of seeds.”

“A nice change of pace for you, after your last missions. Promise to show me around sometime when I’m back, okay?”

“Gladly.”

“Yay! Now… I need something sweet!” Amy said when a munchie kicked in. “But already I emptied my cabinets… Argh!”

“Wait here.”

Shadow jumped off the roof they sat on and walked up to his motorcycle. Amy watched him lift up the seat and grab something out the space hidden underneath it. He jumped up and pulled himself up on the gutter with two brown paper bags clenched between his teeth. A gleeful smile instantly spread across Amy’s face when she recognized the logo on them. He handed her one.

“I put another in your backpack for your trip tomorrow as well.”

“Aaah, you’re the best!”

Amy opened the bag and couldn’t fight the giddy, happy squeak that escaped her lips. All of her favourite candy from her #1 candy store in Spring Yard was in it, which wasn’t close to their hometown. Shadow must’ve gone out of his way to get this for her and he clearly put in some thought into picking out the confectionary in the paper bag. She happily stuffed her mouth with it and heard Shadow snicker beside her.

“You’re precious.” He chuckled at her.

“What? Oh! I probably look ridiculous.”

“I think it’s endearing.”

She quickly gulped it down and fake-shyly fidgeted, trying to compensate for what she thought was unladylike behaviour. In sudden confusion Amy scratched her quills. Since when did she care about that when she was with Shadow?

She then spotted Shadow unroll a liquorish-fruity roll, her absolute favourite. Tearing the paper bag as she searched for it in hers, her face soured, eye-lids dropping halfway down. She regretted she impulsively ate all the candy in three big bites.

“That’s what you get for eating them all at once.” Shadow said.

He shrugged and put the end of the now unrolled, spaghetti-like candy in his mouth with an amused expression. Amy turned around, bent over him and took a bite from the candy string, her grin turning as smug as his was before. Surprised by the pleasurable tension she experienced from being so close to him, she giggled her unease away.

There wasn’t much left of the candy string. To bite off that last piece, she practically had to kiss him. The thought spread a burning sensation through her chest. With Shadow’s heart jolting rapidly and the blood whizzing in his ears, he slowly sucked up the candy string into his mouth to see how she would react.

Don’t think too much of it. She’s just teasing me! Isn’t she? Shadow thought to himself.

Locking her jade eyes with his ruby ones, Amy leaned in a little closer. Shadow didn’t protest. Amy bit her lip for a second, but then enclosed her rosy lips around the other end of what was left of the short candy string.

He took in her flowery scent and felt her breath gently brush against his lips, their noses almost touching. His palms turned sweaty inside his gloves. Amy’s face was blazing, its’ heat radiating against his own.

He cupped his hands around her back ever so carefully, putting the smallest amount of pressure on them. Aghast and undecided Amy sat down on his lap, one hand on his chest, the other tracing the outlines of his lips.

Shadow decided to take the leap and leaned in a little closer to bite off the string when his phone loudly buzzed in his jacket, startling the hedgehogs. Amy squeaked and quickly slid off his lap, her face and ears coloured in a deep pink blush. Shadow awkwardly hid his face from her, grabbing his phone while he inaudibly cursed whoever ruined this moment for him.

Rouge: ‘Do you really think this is a good idea?’

What the-? How’d she even-? If she’s been spying on us, she will not hear the end of it!

 _______________________________

 After Rouge interrupted them, things became weird. They said their awkward goodbyes like they’d see each other again the next day. But they didn’t because she left for her internship and he went to pick a fight with Rouge. The bat was genuinely concerned about him and what it’d do to him if he and Amy kissed and she’d leave the next day for a whole year.

Even when Rouge meant well, Shadow had yet to comprehend how she’d caught onto his secret feelings for Amy and felt violated in his privacy. On top of that she should have minded her own business.

He put his joint and lighter on the windowsill and snuggled up in Amy’s bed again. With his crimson eyes slowly closing, he concentrated in good hopes the fantasy would sprang from his mind and reignite his dream.

Come on, come on… I’m at the station, where are you? You should be here!

He whispered aloud while Dream-Shadow skated towards the pedestrian-bridge that crossed over the train tracks at high speed. He jumped up the stairs, his heart wildly pounding in his chest, hurrying him forward, pushing everyone aside who blocked his way. The strangers always delayed him in so many, annoying, different ways and every time he was left no choice but to jump off the bridge as a shortcut to get to the platform in time. Although a part of him feared, a part of him knew, he’d be too late -again. A sea of unknown, irrelevant others were standing in his way. Why is it always this crowded?

‘Move! Out of my way!’

The pod had done its’ job and Shadow drifted off into a deep sleep. His gaze locked on to something in the distance, the familiar shape of the one he was after.

‘Wait!’

He clenched his teeth and sped up, screaming to the strangers to make room for him, but his cries fell on deaf ears once more. The empty voices of everyone out here muted his screams before they could reach her.

‘No! Not again! Please! I must…!’

Shadow never seemed to get closer to the train he tried to reach before it’d fare away, even when he was skating towards it at full speed. It drained him, sending stinging pains to his sides, but he never got to it. Like his feet were glued to the ground. Soundless, hoarse, growling cries leaving his throat as the train departed and the crowd suddenly vanished, like it had never been there to begin with.

‘WAAAAIT! YOU HAVE TO WAAAAIT!’

He never mastered control over the rotten feeling, even when he knew it always ended the same way. The fact that he didn’t make it, didn’t reach her, never was fast enough… It was mortifying for him. He was the fucking ultimate lifeform and he didn’t deliver.

He pounded his fists into a brick wall and growled like a beast. His muscles trembled from the impact as he watched the train disappear into the distance. The thought of chasing it tempted him for a second. He let the thought pass on and slid down against the wall, scouring his back to the raw structure and sharp chunks of stone in it. He bled, but didn’t bother. Shadow’s chaos energy always healed him so fast that hardly anything was an actual threat to the ebony hedgehog.

He let his dream counterpart stroll over the platform of the train empty station. It somehow was always empty at this point in the dream. The sun stood low, casting soft beams of light in magnificent deep oranges, reds and yellows, painting long, dark shadows behind objects blocking its’ reach. Shadow sank down on a black, metal bench on platform 3-b, its’ many thin metal lines pressing into his skin. He rested his head on his hand, curling up to a ball.

‘I’m so stupid! So DARN stupid! I should never have let you leave like that!’ He cried. ‘And now you’re gone! ARGH!’

The powerlessness and anger inside the black male came crashing out of him when a chaos sphere ignited from his hands. It destroyed the tracks with a shrieking bang, curling up its’ irons.

‘I thought you were different, Shadow.’ crawled up a voice from behind him.

Dream-Amy’s voice scared him wide awake. His muscles soured, adrenaline rushing through his veins, his breathing irregular and his phone buzzing under the pillow. The disappointed tone in her voice hurt him badly. He seized the phone with trembling hands.

Amy!

Suddenly only seeing her name on the screen made him scared as never before, but also strangely excited at the same time. Nausea sprung in his middle.

Amy: ‘U awake?’

Shadow: ‘Yes.’

An incoming call from Amy popped up on his screen. He swiped it to the right to pick up.

“Why are you still up? Tomorrow’s your first day, right?”

“I went out with some people from the dorm.”

“O-kay... Did you- did you have a good time?”

“Sure did. In fact a really cute guy asked me out. We’re going out Friday night.”

All right. He knew what this was really about. She was trying to make him jealous, trying to make him feel bad about the way they parted. And it was a totally justified thing to do, but her act revealed to him that she wanted him to care. Shadow’s muscles relaxed again and a confident smile curved his lips.

“Is that so? Did you tell him you secretly have feelings for someone else?”

“I’m not in love with Sonic anymore!”

“Who said I was talking about Sonic?”

…

Shadow was unable to fight the amusing feeling inside him from how baffled she was all of the sudden.

“Well- I-! I can’t believe you just let me go like that!”

“I’m sorry.”

Amy shrieked with a high pitched voice when she heard the acoustics of his apology twice. She turned around, the phone still held against her ear to see him standing in her dorm room. In one hand he held a chaos emerald and his phone in the other.

“What are you doing here?!”

“Confessing how much of an idiot I am.” He pouted.

“Go on.”

“It was highly indecent of me to let you go like that and I’m sorry.”

Part of him wanted to confess everything to her, take the leap and come clean, but he didn’t. The repeating dream that haunted him since she left had awakened a new fear in him: that she was only fooling around with him that night. It was yet to be proven irrational. He felt it was her turn to say something for this wasn’t a one way street.

“Thank you. It’s just… That night- I thought you cared about me.”

He sat down next to her.

“I do.” Way too much actually.

Shadow leaned in on her, resting his arms on her legs, his lips close to her ear. He closed her in between the wall behind her and himself in front of her only to whisper: “In fact, I don’t like that you’re going out with someone if that someone isn’t me.”

Amy let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. She tilted her head and unintentionally tightened her grip on Shadow’s chest fur. Her lashes softly tickled on his muzzle when she blinked. His musky scent and flirting intoxicated her senses. He levelled with her to catch her gaze, internally screaming from how hot she looked in what he realized was in fact one of his sweaters.

“Heh, here I only thought I had the hots for you, but it seems I was wrong.”

He pulled her closer by the cords of the sweater. Slowly he closed the remaining distance between them, softly pressing his lips against hers.

“So wrong!”

Amy smiled against his lips and straddled him, clamping his legs between her own, before passionately pouring into the kiss.

Chaos! I wanted this for so long!

_______________

AN: This one’s long! I decided to care less and just write and draw whatever I want, trying out new styles. Here goes...

Shadow and Amy are both adults here. Where I live smoking marihuana is tolerated.

Like always: send me a note for annoying typos, grammar mishaps etc. 

[kareofbears]

taste test

“To everyone who decided to come today…”

Makoto heaves a heavy sigh, palms flat on the table, eyes dark and shrouded.

“There’s no backing out now.”

—

read on ao3 or below the cut :)

(lovingly beta read by @mad4turtles)

“To everyone who decided to come today…”

Makoto heaves a heavy sigh, palms flat on the table, eyes dark and shrouded.

“There’s no backing out now.”

Ryuji squints from the sofa. “Are you about to invite us into a pyramid scheme?” his eyes light up with understanding. “Is that why Yusuke’s not here?”

“No,” Ann leans forward. “I think this is a yakuza proposition.”

His brows furrow, “Guys, my mom already thinks you’re all sketchy, can we not join the yakuza?”

“What’re you talking about?” Akira raises an eyebrow, poking Ryuji’s side. “Sakamoto-san loves me. We’re having brunch next week.”

“You’re what?”

Futaba rolls her eyes. “Yakuza isn’t even that bad. Some of them are just trying to protect their adoptive father from being kicked out and shamed for life.”

Ann makes a noise of indignation and slaps her hands over her ear. “No spoilers, no spoilers!”

“That was the first hour of the game!”

Slamming her hands down the table, Makoto glares down at all of them. “This is not a yakuza recruitment meeting.”

“So this is actually a pyramid scheme?” Akira asks slowly.

“This,” Makoto hoists a heavy bag onto the table with a thud, and sloshing sounds from within. “Is much more dangerous and life-altering.”

Four pairs of eyebrows shoot up.

“Alright, place your bets,” Futaba reaches over to jostle the bag. “My guess is that it’s filled with goldfishes and she wants us to learn about responsibility.”

Ryuji snaps his fingers. “Like a Tamagotchi?”

“No.”

“I remember getting one of those,” Ann says wistfully. “I got one, hopped on a train home, and I realized I forgot it on the train.”

“Okay, so at least now we know not to give Ann one of Makoto’s fishes,” Futaba sums up.

“Hold off for a second, children,” Akira interjects. “Makoto has an announcement, or some kind of gift-giving session, I don’t really know.”

Makoto smiles. “Thank you, Leader.” He gives her a deadpanned thumbs-up. “So as you all know, I’m a third-year that plans on going to university, which you should all start thinking about—” all of them suddenly avoid her eyes. “—and that means I need to start acquiring the essentials of adulthood.”

Futaba nods sagely. “R-rated mangas, but age never stopped me.”

“Don’t you already drive?” Ann accuses.

Ryuji’s grin is sharp. “The good mags? Age never stopped me for that, either.”

“Makoto’s about to admit to her smoking addiction,” says Akira.

“Cooking,” Makoto sighs, dejected. “The answer was cooking.”

There’s a collective sound of understanding as Makoto opens her bag and takes out a large pot, plastic utensils, and paper bowls with the words DAD TO THE BONE printed on, placing them all on Akira’s table. She shrugs. “Father’s Day clearance.”

“Ooo! Did you cook this yourself?” Ann peers closely at the pot.

“I did,” Makoto starts setting out the bowls, dropping spoons in one by one. “Though I didn’t get a chance to taste it before coming here. However, I gave it my all, so I hope it’s to your taste.”

The aroma begins to waft from the pot, and the scent of it hits them like a brick wall.

Futaba sniffs carefully. “Seafood?”

“Hmm? No, chicken actually,” Makoto uses a ladle to lovingly pour soup into each bowl.

Her eyes flicker over to Akira’s. His brow cocks up. Got something to say?

Eyes darting to the soup before going back to Akira, her expression morphs to one of alarm. The soup looks bad.

He leans back into the sofa, and raises a shoulder. What can we do about it?

She rolls her eyes. Nothing, obviously. I’m not that mean.

Ann shifts in her seat, and the three of them all watch as she studies the pot with a grimace. No, I’m with Futaba. That soup’s bad news.

Ryuji squints hard at Ann. Rude. You’re a rude person.

She squints back at him. So you’re not worried at all? Really?

Scoffing silently, Ryuji throws his arm around Akira. Nope. He and I are gonna chow down no problem.

Futaba nods patronizingly. Yeah, Ann. Kindness is a virtue.

Ann glares hard at her. “Faker!”

“How’s that soup coming along?” Akira asks quickly, seeing Ann’s outburst from a mile away.

“Ready to eat,” Makoto answers, gesturing to the bowls, expression hopeful. “Would you like to try some?”

Kurusu Akira isn’t lionhearted for nothing. “I’d love to.”

And if Akira’s lionhearted, Ryuji is positively fearless. “Alright, let’s all dig in!”

They all crowd around the table, lifting their respective Father’s Day themed bowls. Ann scoops a spoonful, take one last glance at Makoto’s optimistic smile, and takes a sip.

She almost drops the bowl.

The moment the broth hits her tongue, she immediately understands what Futaba means by seafood; it’s like the ocean had manifested in her bowl and its waved crashed directly into her mouth. It’s mercilessly, brutally, bile-inducingly salty, to the point that any other ingredient is completely overshadowed.

“Mmm,” Ann fights back a grimace with her life. She swallows, and her body trembles with effort. “What a taste.”

Tasting the Dead Sea is almost worth how bright Makoto beams. “Really?”

“For sure,” glancing past Makoto, Futaba looks like she’s being held at knifepoint with how profusely she’s sweating. “Really something special.”

Makoto nods seriously and takes out a notepad and pen. “I’d love to hear anything you’d have to say. Details, specifics, anything to help me improve.”

Ann sends a panicked look at Akira, whose expression is worryingly blank. Still, there’s a reason he’s their leader. “It brings...an explosion of taste,” he chokes out. Bravely, he takes another sip and his eyes water. “There are no words for it.”

Makoto is furiously writing in her notepad. “Explosion...got it. This is great. Anything else?”

Akira gives Ryuji a pleading look from the couch they’re sharing. Ryuji sighs and pats his thigh. Wordlessly, Akira moves to stand where Futaba’s sitting on his bed.

“Makoto,” Ryuji calls. “Sit beside me.” Confused, she does as she’s told. “You got that soup recipe on you?”

“Yes, just let me—” she flips her notepad back a few pages. “Here we go.”

“And, out of curiosity,” he continues gently. “How much salt did it say to add?”

“If I’m not mistaken, it said to put…two cups, I think?”

In the background, Futaba silently spits her soup back into her bowl. Akira moves to where Ann’s sitting instead.

Ryuji works to school his expression. “Did the recipe say to add two cups?”

“It did, look—” she points down at the paper. “See? ‘Add two pinches of—’” she pauses. “Wait a second.”

“Take your time.”

“It didn’t…” Makoto’s brows knit together as her eyes scan through her notes, and Ryuji leans forward to read along with her. “I distinctly remember it said ‘half a teaspoon of pepper, two tablespoons of parsley, two cups of salt, two punches of broth—”

Futaba inches towards Akira. “Did I hear that right?” she whispers, urgent. “Did she say punches? What the heck is that?”

“Just let Ryuji handle it,” he whispers back, eyes never leaving the pair on the couch.

Ryuji points at a line in her notes. “Senpai, it says two cups of broth, and two pinches of salt.”

Makoto could only stare at him.

He clears his throat. “And, uh, ‘punch’ isn’t a measurement. Or, at least not in cooking. Tell that to the guy in the alley, huh?” he laughs.

The silence only serves to punctuate how much that joke didn’t work.

And then, slowly, Makoto stands from the sofa and, hands shaking ever so slightly, lifts the ladle to her mouth, and sips. They all watch as she promptly walks over to the open window and spits out her mouthful.

Akira winces. “Really hope the neighbors didn’t see that.”

Collapsing back into the sofa, Makoto buries her face into her hands. “Oh my God.”

“I know.”

“That was terrible.”

He places a heavy hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay.”

“I basically fed my friends salt water.”

“Makoto, if it’s any consolation,” Futaba says while discreetly hiding her bowl under Akira’s blanket. “It was really good salt water.”

“That’s right,” Ann agrees. “Best salt water I’ve ever had.”

Makoto wails in response.

Akira strides forward and kneels in front of Makoto. “Hey, champ.”

“Don’t bother,” she mumbles into her palms. “I’m too stupid to understand what you’re going to say.”

Ryuji winces. “Damn, if she’s stupid, what the hell does that make me?”

“The guy Akira chose?” Ann offers.

That cheers him up. “And don’t you forget it.”

“Look,” Akira continues, focusing intently on the extremely distressed Makoto. “You remember that time I made coffee for you? The first time, back in June?”

She refuses to look at him. “Yeah?”

“And you almost threw up?”

“...Yeah.”

“What was that you said again?”

Flushing red, “I don’t remember.”

He knocks his knuckles against her knee. “Yes, you do.”

“I don’t want to say it. It was mean.”

“Come on.”

Sighing, she peeks through her fingers. “I said, ‘Kurusu, did you get these beans from Morgana’s litter box?’”

Ryuji coughs, and Akira holds back a smile. “And you said that because…?”

“Because it tasted pretty bad,” she admits.

Ann scowls. “Oh God, I forgot about that. That was so much worse than the soup.”

“Thank you, Ann.”

“Didn’t Sojiro ask why you put dirt into the filter because it tasted so much like crap?” Futaba muses.

“Alright, that’s enough—”

“Dude, I love you a whole lot, but it literally tasted like actual rat poison—”

“Basically,” Akira cuts in loudly. “You are going to improve. You’re not stuck here. I promise you, as long as you practice, you will improve.”

Makoto sighs. “Thank you, but you don’t know that.”

Gray eyes slide to lock with brown ones; even with how easily they all communicate with each other through gestures, it’s still a drop in the bucket compared to Ryuji’s and Akira’s near telepathy.

Do you have this?

You know I do.

Ryuji pats Makoto’s head. “This bastard is going to keep his promise, because I am going to make sure you practice and be a kick-ass chef.” He stands abruptly. “Get up.”

She blinks. “What?”

“There’s a grocery around the corner, and my chicken soup recipe is a thousand times better than whatever mommy website you pulled that one from.” His grin is bright enough to rival the sun. “Let me prove to you that you can move past this.”

Hesitantly, Makoto stands. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay!”

“Okay!” he grabs her wrist and leans forward to steal a kiss from Akira’s cheek. “Be back in ten.”

Akira waves at them half-heartedly as Ryuji sprints down the stairs, a newly-invigorated Makoto in tow. “I hope he buys me some fruit packs—we’re running low.”

“Ryuji’s good at that,” Futaba comments. “Handling her crises, I mean.”

“I was just thinking that.” Ann pours her bowl’s contents back into the pot. “Pretty unexpected. It was honestly kind of weird.”

Shrugging, Akira moves to tidy his room. “Not really. It’s probably because of his mom.”

The girls share a glance. “What about her?” Ann asks.

“When his dad was still around, he made them all get take-out every night,” he says, focused on collecting all the utensils scattered around the table. “And when he left, Ryuji was too young to cook and his mom had zero experience in cooking. So the two of them had to learn it together. And once that’s all done, Ryuji walked out of it knowing how to make great food and help other people learn how to make great food, too. Pretty on brand of him, honestly.”

Akira lifts his hand over his mouth, but it’s impossible to cover the sheer amount of adoration radiating off of him. “He taught me how to cook stuff other than coffee and curry, too. He’s good at what he does.”

Futaba and Ann didn’t know what to say, sincerity catching them off guard.

Akira reaches over to ruffle Futaba’s hair. “Help me clean, or I’ll have to sleep in your room tonight.”

She bats his hand away. “No way, not after you stole all my pillows last time.”

“I’ll get the trash bags,” he grins, heading for the stairs. “And don’t think I didn’t see you hide the soup under my blanket!”

“Shut up!”

Ann hears Akira laugh quietly from downstairs. “They’re good together,” she says softly. “Aren’t they?”

“Akira and trash bags? Yeah, I’d say so.”

—

An hour later, they’re overcome with food comas, stomachs full of soup and fruit packs. All through the night, Makoto couldn’t stop smiling.