#its weird to think that im approaching the halfway point

[gingerbreadmonsters]

sleepy and v fed up w this blasted reading for japanese history class tomorrow. give me 45 minutes to finish this article and i will be back to talk about kissing or something

[rafeandonlyrafe]

escape from isla nublar

words: 2.6k

warnings: jurassic world alternate universe, dinosaurs, violence, brief mentions of gore (but not detailed), illusions of sex but not actually written out, established relationship, soft!rafe, death tw, proposal, mentions of anxiety & panic attacks

a/n: im having a lot of fun with writing aus, so here! take another one!

“thank you so much for bringing me here, rafe.” you coo out, getting onto your tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek.

rafes arm slides around your waist, keeping you tugged in close as the boat approaches the dock of the island. you squeal along with all the children gathered around impatient and ready to jump off the boat and explore.

“welcome to isla nublar!” the voice of a friendly sounding woman says over the speakers. “please disembark slowly and carefully and enjoy your stay in jurassic park!”

“baby, can i just say-” rafe begins as the crowd shuffles forward, most with bags in their hands or suitcases being wheeled behind them, but rafe has already arranged to have them brought to your room so you can get right to exploring. 

“mhm.” you hum, encouraging him to continue.

“that you've been so chill this entire trip so far. proud of you.” it might sound weird to anyone else, but you've always gotten nervous when leaving your home for too long, worried something bad would happen. rafe saw it on your first trip he took you on where you tried and very much failed to hide your anxiety.

“im so excited there's like no room for nerves.” you giggle as you walk down the gangway. “and the fact that you let me plan everything. you know how much i love a schedule.”

“we are so different.” rafe shakes his head, hand squeezing yours as you step into the concrete, turning away from the crowds heading to the resort and towards the main street and the iconic innovation center.

“opposites attract.” you state, and it couldn't be more true, but rafe loves you more than he could ever envision caring about someone.

as you round the lagoon, trying to see if you're able to catch a glimpse of the giant mosasaurs in its depths, you feel your excitement levels only elevate more.

“oh my gosh, there's the petting zoo entrance.” you turn and pout to rafe.

“isn't that mostly for kids?” he raises a singular eyebrow.

“i mean yeah, but you also get to pet baby dinosaurs. totally worth it.” you tug him towards the entrance.

--

“okay.” you sigh, placing your hands on your hips. “i guess we should slow down so we have things to do for the rest of the trip.” 

“im already exhausted.” rafe chuckles. “how about dinner then to the hotel?”

as tired as rafe is, he's certainly not going to complain about being run around isla nublar when he gets to see the gleaming smile on your face every time he looks at you.

“sounds good… we could go to winstons steak house,” you point in one direction, then the other “jurassic cafe, or the brachiosaurus restaurant.”

“how about whatever is closest.” rafe rubs his hand over his face.

“okay steak house it is.” it's your turn to take rafes hand. 

he barely manages to stay awake through dinner, and by the time you're back at the hotel, he's passed out on the bed before he can change into his pajamas.

--

“what would you like to do today?” you ask rafe. “anything but that hang gliding, you know how i feel about heights.”

“the gyrospheres look fun.” rafe shrugs and looks at the map pulled up on your phone. “or kayaking.”

“why not both.” you toss your phone to the side and cup rafes cheek, bringing your lips together in a kiss.

“you're the best boyfriend ever.”

rafe places a hand on your shoulder and pushes you down onto the mattress, laying you back.

“we can wait a little bit though, right?” the smirk on his face gives him away.

“i think that would be fine.” you giggle, pulling rafes shirt off over his head.

--

“that was actually so fun.” you hum out.

“it was when you let me drive and we could finally go fast.” rafe says. you were halfway through the gyrosphere tour when you handed the controls over to rafe, allowing him to speed through the ankylosaurus herds.

“but we will not be doing that on the kayak.” you hold your finger up.

“yes ma’am.” rafe says, slipping the attendant a $20 bill to move you to the front of the line, not wanting you to have to wait.

“life vest.” rafe says, slipping it over your head while he just grabs his and throws it into the kayak, not planning on putting it on unless something happens.

rafe helps you step down into the kayak, grabbing the paddle knowing he's going to sit in the back and do all the work.

--

“this is so beautiful.” you say, leaning back into your seat as you look at the stegosaurus and it's long neck reaching up to grab the leaves, his feet submerged in the water as you paddle past.

“this might be even better than the velociraptors.” rafe says.

“wait-” you sit up. “whats that sound? is that a radio?”

it takes a second for rafes ears to pick it up, but he can hear the frantic static of voices over a walkie talkie.

rafe continues to paddle, realizing suddenly that you've separated from all the other kayaks and can't see anyone. he brings the kayak closer to the side when he hears the radio as you reach out to pick it up from the muddy bank.

you turn the volume knob up as you try to make out what the voice is saying through the water logged speaker.

“we sent the containment unit out with nonlethal force and they're all dead! immediate evacuation, get everyone inside and back to the hotel!”

“rafe…” you turn towards him, eyes widening in fear.

“im sure it's just some kid pulling a prank.” rafe takes the radio, finding the speech button and pressing it. “what is going on?”

“who is that? this is an authorized channel.” one voice says before another cuts it out.

“whoever you are, seek shelter immediately. the indominus rex is on the loose, currently heading towards-” the radio sparks and then dies out.

“shit.” rafe hits it against his thigh, but it's clearly no use.

“rafe.” your voice is already shaking. “the indominus rex. i don't know what it is, but it doesn't sound good.”

“okay.” rafe stands up and steps out of the kayak, pulling it onto the bank before helping you out. “baby-” he places his hands on your shoulders. “i need you to stay calm. you know this island like the back of your hand. where are we?”

“we-” you take a deep, shaking breath. “we are halfway through the kayak adventure. we should head just west and find the road to the aviary.”

“okay.” rafe presses a kiss to your forehead. “let's go quickly and quietly. im sure they've already contained whatever dinosaur escaped.”

“yeah.” you nod, gulping, not so sure.

rafes steady hand stays in yours, helping you over bushes and downed trees.

“shouldn't be much farther.” you bite your lip, hoping you didn't get the direction wrong.

“hang on.” rafe whispers, placing a finger over his lips. 

before you can fully comprehend what's happening, he's tugging you down under a giant tropical plant, the leaves hiding you as you hear whatever rafe did, the pounding footsteps of dinosaurs.

“that's the stegosaurus we saw earlier.” you remember the distinct marking along its side.

“get over here.” rafe pulls you in tighter, not allowing you to see as he presses you against the stem of the large plant, covering your body with his own.

“it's okay, it's a herbivore.” you say, when you hear the second set of dinosaur footsteps following it. you tense up, and you can feel a panic attack setting in as you pick your head up to see some sort of giant rex running after it.

you both stay still and silent until it's clearly far enough away.

“rafe.” you tremble as you turn into your back, his body still hovering over yours, protecting you, willing to put himself in the line of danger if he needs to.

“it's okay.” his voice is betraying how scared he is as well, but he's going to try his best to not let you see it. “let's just get to the aviary.”

“i-i can't.” you shake your head. “im fucking terrified.” 

“me too, baby.” he says. “but we gotta get under cover somewhere before that thing catches up to the stegosaurus and comes back for us.”

you swallow deeply, eyes closing for a brief minute, gaining all your courage you possibly can.

“okay.” you're up and moving quickly, running towards the aviary. your steps are no longer balanced and cautious, moving quickly through the jungle until you make it through the trees to the grassy plane.

“the aviary!” you point at the large glass dome, just in time to see a helicopter careening into it, smashing a hole that instantly has pterodactyls flying out.

“shit!” rafe shouts, tugging you back into the treeline.

“we're gonna die.” you sob out, not able to hold back your tears as you crumple to the ground.

“no.” rafe says firmly. “i will not lose you.”

he knows he needs to move, especially as the pterodactyls come closer, and he doesn't have time to console you enough to get you ready to move.

rafe reaches down and pulls you into his arms, hugging your shaking form against his chest as he follows the same path of disturbed leaves and muddy footprints back to the river.

“i need you to paddle.” rafe says, glad your kayak is still in the same space. “i know you're scared, but you need to help me here. we need to go fast.”

you sniffle and look up at rafe, your big eyes filled with tears causing his heart to pang out in pain. “okay.”

rafe bends down, pressing your lips together in a soft and caressing kiss before climbing onto the back of the kayak.

you both immediately begin to paddle hastily, not knowing where the next meat eating dinosaur could be.

“the river goes underground then should let us off near main street.” you tell rafe, eyes briefly closing to envision the map in your head before putting your entire focus back onto paddling.

“baby, still.” rafe says softly, both of you pausing as you look upwards, seeing pterodactyls wings flapping over, thankfully not seeming to notice you under the treetops, yet you still wait until they pass over before beginning to paddle again.

“there's the cave.” you say, pointing as the river bends and you head underground, lights strung along the cave ceiling as you paddle underground, able to take a deep breath now that you're under cover.

“are there any dinosaurs in this cave?” rafe questions, helping you move back so you're leaned against him. 

“shouldn't be.” you say, eyes closing as your adrenaline drops now that you're mostly safe.

“go ahead and rest.” rafe hums as he paddles, looking down at you in relief.

--

“y/n.” rafe shakes your shoulder and you sit up with a gasp, looking around, waiting to see the indominus rex charging at you.

“it's okay.” rafe says. “we're just leaving the cave.”

“so that wasn't all just a nightmare?” you sit up, knowing you must not have been asleep that long, but already feeling majorly refreshed.

“im afraid not.” rafe sighs as you grab your paddle to help steer.

“so this let's out…”

“near the resort. we should be safe there.” you squint into the dying sunlight as the kayak leaves the caves and enters into the large man-made lake.

you both quickly steer to the side, glad to be out of the kayak and on your own two feet.

“to the resort.” you say, able to tell that there are still people running from main street in that direction.

rafe is about to toss the paddle back into the boat when a screech comes from overhead and you both look up to see a pterodactyl perched over cave entrance.

“run!” rafe yells, not turning his back from the dinosaur to see that you haven't moved an inch, not leaving him.

the pterodactyl lunges forward just as rafe swings his paddle at it, hitting it in the beak, but it only enrages the dinosaur more.

you move quickly to grab your paddle, joining rafe in hitting at it, keeping the snapping beak away from pecking at your skin.

“baby, go.” rafe grunts out.

“no! im not leaving you.” you keep slapping at its beak and head until it gets annoyed and roars before taking off to the sky.

“fuck.” rafe groans. “i hate dinosaurs. sorry baby.”

“that's okay.” you say with a slight laugh. “i don't think i like them that much anymore either.”

you take off towards the resort, keeping your oars held tightly in your hands, just in case any pterodactyls try something.

“onto the ship or into the resort?” you question, seeing people trying to get into both.

rafe opens his mouth to respond when a roar rips through the air.

he looks around quickly, pulling you into taller grass, not having any other close cover.

“some of the gates must be down.” you whisper.

“why?” rafe questions, not doubting you as his eyes search through the field before you point at the crowd of people, even more frantic as you watch from a distance.

“because there's a metriacanthosaurus.”

the name makes rafe blink harshly before he sees it, the dinosaur flinging people around as it takes advantage of the hoards of people trying to get to cover.

“oh my god.” you cover your mouth, watching as the carnivore rips someone in half.

“don't watch.” rafe pulls you further into the grass, tucking you against his chest.

you close your eyes and focus on his arm wrapped around your shoulder instead of the screams.

“i got you.” rafe whispers, free hand tapping his shorts to make sure the box is still there in his pocket.

“i know.” you press your lips into his neck. “i know.”

gunshots ring out and rafe looks out of the grass to see that the dinosaur has finally brought down and everyone is safely inside.

“okay, let's run.” rafe helps you stand, deciding to head towards the boat instead of the hotel, knowing it's just one step closer to getting you safe.

you take off in a run, entering up the gangway you went down just yesterday morning.

“inside the cabin.” one of the staff says quickly, ushering you through the glass doors into the packed hallway of people, but rafe keeps moving, tucking you into him until you're towards the front of the boat, able to move up a level and find a place to sit down.

“we're okay.” you say as you relax into the sofa. “we’re alive.”

“i love you.” rafe says, head dropping to your shoulder. “im never talking you on another vacation like this again, but i love you.”

“and i thought you were protective before.” you chuckle, breathing out heavily.

“really ruined my whole plan though.” rafe knows that you both just experienced a trauma that will no doubt need to be unpacked later, but you're just happy to be safe inside the cruise ship.

“what plan?” you lift your head up.

“not the best time but-” rafe sits up and pulls a box out of his pocket. “i planned to ask you in front of the waterfall, all romantic and sweet. but i don't want to waste a single moment longer.”

rafe flicks the top of the box up to reveal a glimmering ring. “will you marry me?”

you let out a squeal and jump into rafes arms, “yes!”

sfw tags: @winterrrnight @bejeweledreverie @ladyinbl00d @ethanthequeefqueen @drewsephrry @wearemadeofstardust0

[cup1drul3z]

★ — Between the lines - part 3

CW : meanie sevika, artist reader, hockey player vi and sevika, modern au, highschool shenanigans, cheating, sex, dark themes, love triangle

A/N : i love readers mom. i know some of you were upset about reader leaving vi but reader will get justice i promise

previous part

“Your gonna drive home?” the low voice startles you. You look over to see sevika standing there. Shes making a weird face at you that makes your eyes dart to avoid her gaze

“No! I was gonna sleep the weed off in my car!” you shake your head. Obviously you werent gonna drive- well you had the thought- but youd always back out of something like that

“In the dark? With drunks around? Come on let me give you a ride on my bike” sevika looked back at her motorcycle. Of course, something that made her even more hotter 

You raise an eyebrow at her “go home on your whore bike?” you sigh 

Sevika blinked at you for a moment, then let out a low, amused chuckle. “Whore bike? That’s what we’re calling it now?” she asked, leaning against her motorcycle, arms crossed. Her smirk tugged at the corner of her lips, teasing but not unkind.

You crossed your arms, giving her a pointed look. “Well, isn’t it? Bet you have a long list of people who’ve taken a ride.”

Her laugh deepened, low and gravelly. “You really think I’m that busy, huh?” she said, shaking her head. “Hate to disappoint, but not everyone gets a ride.”

“Right,” you scoffed, rolling your eyes. “I’m sure it’s just some exclusive club.”

Sevika stepped closer, her gaze leveling with yours, her smirk softening slightly. “You’re not wrong about it being exclusive,” she said, her voice dipping just slightly lower, sending an unwelcome shiver down your spine. “But tonight? It’s just a ride. No strings, no ulterior motives. Got it?”

Your cheeks flushed, and you looked away, suddenly regretting opening your mouth. “Fine,” you muttered. “But only because I don’t want to deal with any drunks tonight.”

“Uh-huh,” Sevika said, turning back to her bike. “Its cold. Here take my jacket” she said taking her coat 

You glared at her, snapping, “im fine” as she tossed you her jacket. Reluctantly you slide it on. 

She didn’t even glance back as she climbed onto the bike, her movements smooth and practiced. “Hop on,” she said, patting the seat behind her.

You hesitated for a second, staring at the bike like it was some kind of wild animal. Finally, with a resigned sigh, you climbed on behind her, gripping the seat tightly.

“Hold on,” Sevika said, glancing back at you over her shoulder.

You awkwardly placed your hands on her sides, trying not to think about how warm she felt. “This is fine, right?”

“Not unless you want to fall off,” she said with a smirk. “Wrap your arms around me.”

You froze for a moment, then reluctantly did as she said, looping your arms around her waist. You could feel her body shake slightly as she laughed at your hesitance.

“Relax,” she said, revving the engine. “I don’t bite… unless you ask.”

Your face burned, but before you could retort, the bike roared to life, and she took off down the road.

The wind whipped against your face as you held on tighter, your heart racing—not just from the speed but from the adrenaline coursing through you. The streets blurred past, and for a moment, it felt like you were flying.

Sevika slowed down as the bike approached your neighborhood. She pulled up in front of your house, cutting the engine. You slid off the bike, legs slightly shaky as you handed her the helmet.

“Thanks,” you mumbled, not meeting her gaze.

“Anytime,” Sevika said, smirking. “You’re not too bad at holding on. Might make a decent passenger.”

You rolled your eyes, though your lips twitched into a small smile. “Goodnight, Sevika.”

“Goodnight,” she said, her tone softer this time.

—

You walk up the stairs, stopping halfway when you realized you were still wearing Sevika’s jacket. “Oh, shit,” you muttered, glancing back at the front door as if you could run after her and return it. But she was long gone. With a sigh, you adjusted the jacket and continued up to your room.

Reaching the top of the stairs, you shuffled down the hall and pushed open the door to your darkened room, fumbling along the wall until you found the light switch.

“Well, howdy, stranger!” your mom’s cheery voice nearly made you jump out of your skin. She was sitting on your bed, a glass of wine in hand, grinning at you like she’d just caught you sneaking cookies before dinner.

You screamed, stumbling back into the doorframe. “Mom! Were you just sitting here in the dark?!”

“Don’t yell at me! You’re the one who snuck out,” she retorted, giving you a pointed look over the rim of her glass.

Your stomach sank. “Oh, please, I know you’re not actually mad,” you said, recovering quickly.

Your relationship with your mom had always been… unconventional. Less parent and child, more frenemies who occasionally tolerated each other.

She scooted over, patting the bed beside her. With a sigh, you walked over and flopped down next to her.

“You’re right,” she admitted with a smirk. “I’m not mad. Honestly, I’m impressed. Never thought you’d be the type to sneak out. So? Where’d you go?”

“A party,” you mumbled, leaning into her shoulder and nervously tucking a strand of hair behind your ear.

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Really? A party? Did you drink?” she asked, her tone curious rather than accusatory.

You hesitated, glancing up at her. “A little… is that okay?”

She sighed, rubbing your arm gently. “Yeah… yeah, it’s fine. Did you like it?”

You shook your head, a sheepish grin tugging at your lips. “Nah. I’m stoned, though.”

Her eyes widened briefly before she chuckled, shaking her head. “Oh, great. My kid’s a stoner now. Wonderful.”

“It’s not a regular thing,” you said defensively, though the way she was smiling made it hard to feel truly scolded.

“Well,” she said, taking another sip of her wine, “at least you’re honest. And hey, next time, maybe don’t leave me sitting here wondering if I need to call the cops, alright?”

You laughed softly, settling more comfortably against her. “Deal. But for the record, you scared me more than anything else tonight.”

“Good,” she said, ruffling your hair affectionately. “Keeps you on your toes.”

—

You woke to the sound of your name being called, loud and insistent. “Someone’s here to see you,” your mom said, standing in your doorway, one hand on the knob and a figure behind her.

“Sevika?!” you blurted out, sitting up in bed so quickly it made your head spin. Your eyes widened, already anticipating the awkwardness of Sevika showing up to reclaim her jacket. The last thing you wanted was for her to think you'd stolen it on purpose.

But the figure stepped into the light, and it wasn’t Sevika.

“Violet,” Vi said, introducing herself with her usual calm yet serious tone. Her eyes locked onto yours, searching your face with an intensity that made your heart skip.

Your mom glanced between you and Vi, clearly amused. “I’m just gonna leave you two to whatever western showdown this is,” she teased with a smile, stepping back and leaving the door open as she disappeared down the hallway.

“Hey, listen—I’m sorry about last night,” you said quickly, throwing the sheets off yourself and standing. “I got stoned, and I wasn’t in the right headspace.”

“Don’t be. I understand,” Vi said, her smile soft as she stepped closer. Her hands rested lightly on your shoulders, urging you to sit back down on the edge of your bed. “But I wanted to talk to you.”

Your stomach twisted into a knot at her words. It wasn’t the lingering haze of the weed making you nervous this time—it was her. “Okay…” you replied hesitantly, offering a nervous smile as she sat down beside you.

Vi kept her gaze steady, though her fingers fidgeted with each other in her lap. “I really like you... but I’ve been getting mixed signals,” she admitted softly, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

You opened your mouth to respond but stopped yourself, sensing she wasn’t done.

“Do you like Sevika?” she asked, her words blunt and direct, though concern flickered behind them.

“No!” you replied instantly, far too quickly for it to sound casual. Your hands instinctively reached out, interlinking with Vi’s. “I don’t like her like that. I mean, she’s... I just—” You stopped yourself before rambling further, squeezing her hands as if the action alone could convey the truth.

Vi raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical of your quick reaction, but her shoulders relaxed ever so slightly. “You sure? I’m not trying to be possessive or anything, but... it feels like there’s something there.”

“There isn’t,” you assured her firmly. “I promise. It’s just you. Always you.”

Vi studied you for a moment longer, her thumb brushing over your knuckles. “Okay,” she said finally, her voice quiet but steady. “I just needed to hear it from you.”

You nodded, relief washing over you. “Thanks for telling me how you feel,” you said softly. “I didn’t mean to make things confusing.”

“Just... don’t keep me guessing, alright?” Vi smiled faintly, her fingers still tangled with yours. “I don’t want to lose you over some misunderstanding.”

“You won’t,” you said, squeezing her hand again. “I promise.”

“What does this mean… for us?” Vi asked, her voice soft but steady as her eyes searched your face, looking for any trace of doubt or hesitation.

You avoided her gaze for a moment, your heart pounding in your chest as you looked down. “I like you, Vi. I really do,” you said, a small smile tugging at your lips.

Her hand came up to cup your cheek, her touch gentle. “I want you to be my girlfriend,” she said, her tone filled with both vulnerability and hope.

“…Yes,” you nodded quickly, unable to stop the warmth spreading through you. Your eyes flickered to her lips as you leaned into her hand, nuzzling against her touch.

Concern briefly clouded her expression. “Are you sure? I don’t want to push—”

You didn’t let her finish, cutting her off as you pressed your lips against hers. Her words melted into the kiss as her hand instinctively found its place on your waist, pulling you closer. Vi leaned into you, her presence grounding and electric all at once.

When you pulled back, your gaze locked with hers. “You needed to shut up,” you said softly, a playful giggle escaping your lips.

“Sorry…” Vi smiled, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. Her fingers ran through your hair, her touch lingering as she glanced at your alarm clock and let out a sigh. “I have work.”

You watched her stand, already missing her closeness. “I’ll talk to you later, girlfriend,” you teased, the word sounding strange but perfect coming out of your mouth.

She smirked, stepping toward the door. “Bye, girlfriend,” she teased back, throwing a playful glance over her shoulder before disappearing down the hallway.

You flopped back onto your bed, a goofy, uncontrollable smile plastered across your face as you replayed the moment in your head.

—

You stood in front of your locker, trying to ignore the whispers and glances from people passing by. Over the weekend, your mom had accidentally spilled the news about you dating at her wine club, and it didn’t take long for that tidbit to spread like wildfire. By Monday morning, the entire school was buzzing—not just about you dating Vi, but also about how you left the party on Sevika’s motorcycle only to show up the next day with Vi on your arm while also wearing sevikas jacket, because you were dumb and left the house without a jacket and the only one in the car was sevikas

“Hey…you okay?” Vi’s familiar voice broke through your thoughts as she leaned casually against the locker next to yours, her signature soft smile easing your nerves.

You glanced up, your anxiety softening slightly at the sight of her. “Yeah…” you mumbled, though your tone wasn’t entirely convincing.

Vi tilted her head, her smile turning sympathetic. “I know this isn’t exactly your favorite thing—being the center of attention.” Her hand moved to rub gentle circles on your back, grounding you.

You groaned quietly, shoulders slumping. “It’s not like they’re saying anything bad, I know that. It’s just… the attention. It makes me so nervous.” You wrestled with your algebra textbook, trying to fit it into your already overstuffed bag.

“I get it, babe, and I’m sorry.” Vi’s voice was soothing, her tone filled with genuine empathy.

You shook your head, exhaling as you finally managed to calm yourself enough to fit the book into your bag. “It’s not your fault,” you reassured her, straightening up and giving her a small, grateful smile.

Vi checked her phone, her expression shifting slightly. “Class starts in ten,” she said softly, her voice apologetic. She reached out, squeezing your arm gently before leaning in to kiss your cheek. “I’ll see you after, okay?”

You nod with a smile watching her walk down the hallway

"Nice jacket."

The voice catches you off guard, and your eyes widen as you turn to see Sevika standing nearby. "Sevika!" you exclaim, startled. Your gaze drops to the jacket you're wearing—her jacket—and a flush of embarrassment rises to your face. "Uh… sorry, I accidentally took it on Friday night."

She raises an eyebrow, her expression unreadable but enough to make your face heat up even more.

"It was cold," you mumble quickly, flashing her a nervous smile. You shrug it off, fumbling to hand it back to her.

She chuckles, the deep sound making your stomach flip. Instead of taking it, she pushes it back toward you. "Keep it. It looks good on you."

Your cheeks burn even hotter as you slide the jacket back on, catching a glimpse of the smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. 

You close your locker, looking up at her briefly before glancing at your phone. "I have class..." you mutter, shifting awkwardly on your feet.

Sevika’s gaze flickers to the side before she speaks again. "You free during lunch?" completely ignoring you

Her question makes you pause, caught off guard. You stand there for a moment, processing. 

"Uh… yes," you finally answer, your voice betraying a mix of nerves and excitement.

"Meet me at the café down the road," she says, her tone firm yet slightly tense, as though she's bracing herself.

You hesitate, glancing at her before nodding. “...sure” you smile softly

Sevika’s smirk deepens, and with a nod, she turns and walks away, leaving you rooted in place.

You stare after her, maybe for a little too long, before the sharp ring of the bell snaps you out of your thoughts. Your eyes widen as you glance at the time—had ten minutes already passed?

— 

You stand outside the café, leaning against the wall and fidgeting with your phone. Was this a good idea? You couldn't tell. This wasn’t a date—at least, you didn’t think it was. Sevika wouldn’t pull something like that... right? Letting out a heavy sigh, you try to push the thought away.

“You’re early,” Sevika’s voice cuts through your spiraling thoughts.

You glance up, noticing her approaching. She’s got that same calm confidence as always, but her eyes give you a once-over.

“You’re late,” you quip back, smirking as you push off the wall and slide your phone into your pocket.

Sevika steps past you, grabbing the door handle and pulling it open. She waits off to the side, gesturing for you to go in first.

“Thanks,” you mutter with a small smile, catching sight of a “Help Wanted” sign taped to the window as you walk inside.

She follows close behind, and the two of you make your way to the counter.

“A black coffee,” Sevika orders, her voice steady.

You glance up at the menu, considering your options. “Can I get a cinnamon latte, please?” you say, reaching for your wallet.

Before you can pull out your card, Sevika leans over and taps hers against the reader. The beep confirms the transaction before you even register what happened.

“Did you just pay for me?” you ask, stunned, staring at her like she’s just done something unimaginable.

Sevika shrugs, her expression unreadable.

At the pick-up counter, the silence between you both feels heavy. You shift awkwardly, tapping your fingers against the edge of your cup as you wait.

Finally, you break the quiet. “So… why did you want to talk to me?”

As the barista sets your drinks on the counter, Sevika grabs hers without a word, and the two of you settle into a nearby table.

She takes a sip of her coffee, glancing at you over the rim of the cup. “About… Vi.”

You almost choke on your latte, setting it down hastily to avoid spilling it. “Yeah?” you mutter, wiping your mouth with your sleeve.

“You’re too good for her,” Sevika says bluntly, her fingers tightening around her cup.

“Oh.” Your voice comes out flat as you avoid her gaze, your eyes darting around the café. “What—what do you mean?”

Sevika leans back slightly, her gaze steady. “I knew her in freshman year,” she starts, resting her head on her hand.

“Oh, so we’re doing this now,” you snap, your tone sharper than you intended. You’re appalled that she’d bring this up right when things were finally starting to go well for you and Vi.

Sevika doesn’t flinch. “She’s a bad person.”

“Sevika.” You lean forward, your tone low and defensive. “Why are you even doing this?”

She lets out a sigh, her shoulders slumping slightly. “Because she has everything,” she says, her words clipped.

“What?” Your annoyance gives way to curiosity, though you don’t bother hiding the edge in your voice.

“She has everything,” Sevika repeats, leaning forward. “She grew up in a huge house. Had filling meals every night.” Her voice drops to a whisper.

You can’t help but focus on her, your eyes scanning her features as she continues.

“She’s got money, a future…” Sevika’s gaze locks onto yours, her tone growing softer. “And now, she has you.”

For a moment, you’re silent, guilt creeping into your chest. “Why are you telling me this?” you ask, your voice quieter now.

Sevika glances away, her jaw tightening. “…Because I don’t.” Her voice is barely audible as she adds, “She has you.”

The weight of her words presses down on you. Blinking, you push back your chair and stand abruptly. “I have to go,” you mutter, grabbing your things before she can stop you.

“Wait—” Sevika calls out your name, her voice laced with something you can’t quite place. But you’re already walking out the door, the sound of the bell overhead echoing as you step into the cool air outside.

Taglist:

@vyvvycg

next part

[teruthecreator]

oh yeah i finished chapter 21 :-) yay

i need to write tfs tomorrow

[saintetheldreda]

okay

this one is for all the ancient myth, folklore, urban myth, cryptid and supernatural people of tumblr

i am trying to start a folklore reading group on discord for 2025 covering all of the above categories

every month we pick a category of folklore to read around. categories can be anything. could centre around culture/period/place (eg ancient chinese myth and legend) or individual text (eg the aeneid, the poetic edda) or specific monster (eg vampires) or specific approach (eg theories of myth and their puprose eg joseph campbell)

anything is fair game from aztec myths to angelology to modern urban myths to aliens and cryptids

wed be a reading group but SUPER low key so it can fit in with everyones lives

like. im not gonna assign the same book to everyone to read by the end of the month

use whatever sources you wish - the internet, your local library, buy the specific book you think looks most useful, read/watch fictionalised retellings you think look fun

we can all use our own sources and most importantly we can recommend the ones we find the most useful to the rest of the group to help each other (or just to gush about it)!! < 3

oh and if youre an artist and you want to make art (drawing the monsters/creatures, writing your own adaptation of the story, write a self-insert where you get to shoot the monsters w/ dean winchester or dana scully or smth, writing mothman x reader fanfiction) youll get so many brownie points and everyone will think youre really cool

point is well all be reading the same broader points. so we can chat about it and discuss interpretations and make memes and show love for your favourites or complain about the dryness of your least favourites and there is so much weirdness to make fun of in myth and folklore

every month we will vote on the next topic (dont worry there will be a channel to argue about why your suggestion is the best haha) and by the end of the year well all know so much weird shit itll be great. dont you want every month of your 2025 to be defined by a weird little folklore era

well its about halfway through january when i post this meaning we'll only have half a month for the first one, no time for a vote either so if you want to hop in and start nerding out immediately january is going to be your

~ ancient japanese myth era ~

well discuss sources in the discord if you dont know where to start

but if you just want to join to wait it out so you can vote on next months subject, youre so welcome to

everyone welcome. contribute as much or as little as you like. friendliness and good vibes only!!

also ill be making a tag, "folklore2025" for people to post stuff related to this reading project thing on their tumblr if they wish

discord link below

[literary-mafioso]

directors cut u KNOW im askin abt some weird sin baybee! tell me all abt it

What an insane undertaking that was! I remember when the premise occurred to me, I was walking down Michigan Avenue back in September of 2022 and it just fell out of the sky: "What if Vincent Hanna and Neil McCauley actually met each other right here in Chicago instead of passing each other like ships in the night? And what if Vincent thought Neil was an undercover cop, and Neil thought Vincent was a fellow thief?" It's the closest I've ever come to writing something approaching a film script, and looking back over it the amount of plot engineering and dialogue involved was bananas. It is still at its core a romance, but it required me to dip my toes in other forms of genre writing that were totally foreign to me until I committed to seeing it through. I still have no idea how I managed!

Writing a brand-new diner scene from scratch was by far the most intimidating thing I've ever done in the fandom. It's such a perfect scene the way Mann has it in the original, so how the hell was I gonna replicate that chemistry under such radically different circumstances? I took a purely symbolic tack with respect to their domestic failures (hence the dollhouse story), and since Vincent was not surveilling/pursuing Neil on the job what was a tense pseudo-interrogation became a game of omission between the two of them. That scene at Lake Michigan with the sun rising was meant to mirror/invert the one where Neil returns home at twilight and sets his gun on the table, because I can't write a Mann fic and not insert a large body of water for the protagonist(s) to contemplate.

But my favorite chapter is actually the one where they reunite at the bar, because there are three levels of conversation happening simultaneously: the one Neil thinks he is having with Vincent, the one Vincent pretends to be having with Neil, and the one Vincent is actually having with Neil (known only to himself). Every line has multiple layers of meaning, because at that moment Vincent has figured out who and what Neil actually is, and Neil still thinks he's dealing with one of his own. Vincent goes from flirting to speaking in grim jokes and double-entendres, hinting at his fear that Neil will go ballistic on him once he realizes that Vincent is actually a cop:

“I don’t know if I’m supposed to say ‘thank you’ to that.” “Oh. Please. Don’t thank me. But it is a compliment.” “That’s right. I forgot. Yours are the kind should come with a manual.” “Wouldn’t want you getting the wrong idea.” “That’s new.” “I just get the feeling you’re not the kind of guy who’s real comfortable with ambiguities, you know? Uncertainty. Spontaneity. Shit gets weird, life throws you curve balls, you walk across the field, beat the umpire to death with the bat.”

But the best part of "Some Weird Sin" for me as a writer and Heat obsessive was the excuse it gave me to play around with Nate as a supporting character. I will now look for any excuse to shoehorn him into a fic. He's the Mr. Deadpan Straight Man to Neil's infatuated romantic/gangster entrepreneur, and the conversations they have were some of my favorites to write:

Neil stops reading. He knows the rest. “We could frame it,” he says, pointing to where an assortment of commissioned lithographs presides over rows of gleaming bottles, portraits of outlaw blues legends and romantic Hollywood renegades. “Put it up behind the bar.” “You’re a comedian now, too.” Nate’s expression is unchanged. “A Renaissance man.” “Tough crowd in here.”

I never knew I could have so much fun writing something so challenging. And because I can't resist putting myself through the wringer a second time, I am already halfway done with a two-part epilogue. Coming soon to an AO3 theater near you!