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mc-critical · 3 years

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I really don’t understand the amount of people who apparently dislike Mihrimah for not giving Rüstem a chance/not having Rüstem grow on her. I don’t know entirely how I feel about Mihrimah as a character but I feel like if you were to dislike her that’d be a silly reason. It was a opportunistic marriage, one she never wanted and to a man she never loved. Not to mention he was also borderline pedophilic (when he said to her on her wedding night that he had been “waiting for this moment for years” when she was 17..okay) and then coercing her into consumating the marriage through the threat of suicide. Sure, the circumstances of Rüstem’s life were sad, but I don’t understand how that entails him being *entitled* to Mihrimah’s love or affection. And if anything I found Rüstem to be misogynistic and possibly even abusive, which likely made marriage to him all the worse. Mihrimah’s definitely not perfect or above criticism, but that doesn’t mean she owed any man love, sex or affection, royal borne woman or not.

I don't understand them, either. Because this is the last thing Mihrimah should be disliked for.

Rüstem is a very odious character with minimal redeeming qualities. His supposed love for Mihrimah is established disturbingly early on and while that may have fled over the audience's heads (it sure did fly over my head when I first watched the show!) because their marriage is a historical fact and as such, is automatically considered the normal course of things - the questionable pedophilic implications are definitely there and send off the alarming signs of utterly problematic behavior. Sure, he's done his duty by saving her after she fell off a horse and (little!) Mihrimah thanked him for it, but it is clearly seen in his eyes by the second episode he's on-screen that there's something more and something baffling when the girl is so young. And it only escalated from there.

Obviously, most of his fanbase ignores or flat out misses this aspect of his character, but I also find people that think that his attitude to Mihrimah is the only bad thing about Rüstem when I find most of his negative traits to be present outside of Mihrimah, but with her witnessing them. I feel the connection to Iskender Çelebi and the way he bacame the stable-man of the castle are his most important character establishing moments: they shine a light into his sneakiness and ability to play dirty, but also reveal his immediate prejudice against Ibrahim. The ambition, similar to Hürrem's, but not for the same reasons, is set up from the get-go. He's seemingly following Iskender, just like he comes to seemigly follow Hürrem, but he always forges his own path for his own gain. His alleged "loyalty" is the thing that Rüstem usually gets the most credit for, but while he begins to look like Hürrem's loyal companion that shall fulfill her every order, this whole facade is deconstructed and ultimately, totally broken apart in S04. His character establishing moments recontextualize all the decisions he makes in that season and show the true nature of his ambition: he followed Hürrem when she prevailed over everyone, he followed her when she seemingly gave him the world and all the desired power and when she and the one she wanted for the throne were put into a disadvantaged position and Selim got the upper hand, he ran straight for the opportunity, despite of him making an oath in front of the Quran not to do that. He turns out to be simply an opportunist hyena who works only for his own gain. Nothing more. Just like he saw the opportunity to get rid of the stable-man before him in the past, now he sees the opportunity to be on the winning side again with Selim. He doesn't care who is he in front of and who he promised what, as long as they're of no use to him, he bails. His "loyalty" immediately disappears from his positive traits, because it turns out he never had it in the first place. People praise him for his loyalty for Mihrimah, but that "loyalty" also lasted so long - when he found out that she wouldn't ever come to love him, he began to bang with Gracia Mendez, in conjunction with the betrayal of what Hürrem stood up for. Now, tell me, how can Mihrimah love such a guy? That was one of the only reasons she tolerated him and when even that was lost, how can she still keep her ties with him?

[His backstory is sad indeed, but the only thing it does is put his actions into perspective, not justify them or make him likeable somehow. Especially when what that "character lore dump" specifically explains is his refusal to tell Nigar where her daughter is - the backstory makes that action logical for his character, but it's still framed as nothing short of spiteful. That said, he still does have some soft sides and the arc with his brother is where I found him the most sympathetic - this is the time Rüstem actually showed vulnerability without false alarms or disguise and his brother was probably the only thing that was precious to him and stayed precious after all these years, consistently throughout his screentime. What helps even more, is the brother's role as a moral compass and the last bridge between the past/his loyalties and the future/the victories he would achieve through opportunism. That was the last gasp of what was left of his possible humanity and after his brother was killed, he let it go almost instantly, because... well, after he willingly chose his own life in the saray, he might as well continue to live it, right? Him saving a boy in S03 without any hesitation whatsoever, was also respectable. But these demonstrations of a softer side of his being are also taking place outside of Mihrimah, but with her not witnessing them altogether. And they do little in changing the general impression of Rüstem's character and his relationship with Mihrimah.]

We have to keep in mind that Mihrimah's whole S03 arc was finding purpose in her life and finding true love. She had many love stories throughout the series with different people, different personalities and different motives to try to make it work with them. No matter what they've went through together and despite of them all having the same outcomes due to different outside (and inside) factors, there is a reason she fell for these people in the first place. Okay, while for Bali Bey it was a bizarre, puppy, immature, childish love, for Taşlicalı something truly genuine began to flourish with all the glances, poems, dedication (Mahidevran succeeded to break them up, but it's not to be denied that Taşlicalı was very hard to convince and he was still thinking of her afterwards) and sweet words. She got a call for a new adventure with him. Bali Bey, on the other hand, was adored by her mostly for his handsomeness, I feel, but even when he tore all her dreams apart, he showed tact and respect. What I mean to say is, if Rüstem has qualities that are "worthy of Mihrimah", wouldn't she see them? Wouldn't she see all these virtues? Because all she sees before the marriage are his words that she will marry him, that she will be his and that's it. The best she sees of him is his good manners when he asks her whether she wants something or stuff, but he could do that with everyone else, knowing his post, and the previous implications make even that alone head scratching. Why would she want a man like that? I agree with all your points. Are you, people, denying Mihrimah her feelings? She realized the potential advantages of this marriage and agreed to do it regardless, why does she have to come to love him when he truly gives her no real reasons to, even before she married him?

I believe Rüstem cares about Mihrimah, albeit in his own distorted, toxic way, but in reality, he didn't do her any good. His relationship with Mihrimah revels in manipulation and facades for her to keep, because she has to "protect" her brothers. Rüstem never actually took account of her own feelings or opinions on matters, especially when what she proposed wasn't an opportunistic enough option for him to afford. Their interactions are mostly focused on the survival of the game and the actions that have to be taken to achieve that. He often puts an unbelievable amount of pressure on her, which while given because of the system they live in, hurt more than it helped. Their relationship was never allowed to flourish in a healthy manner and Mihrimah could never be truly herself in it, not even for a moment. The castle she lived in, her home, was merely full of tension every day, not a source of comfort. His stoic, serious cunning contrasts with her own spirit. Not to mention that it always seemed he considered his marriage to Mihrimah as a price, a goal he had finally achieved and I doubt that she wasn't aware of it to some extent. The root of the marriage is only political opportunism and no matter how hard you try, you simply cannot force a person to love someone they're with only out of sheer necessity, only for a purpose for "the greater good". Rüstem never did anything to earn Mihrimah's love and she shouldn't be hated for not loving him. This is what MC Rüstem is as a character, whether we like it or not, and he isn't a healthy person for Mihrimah. If she couldn't warm up to him when she fully got to know him in their alone time, that means something is missing. That means he just isn't for her and. that's. OKAY.

But there may be reasons why some people could dislike Mihrimah because of it. I offer my experience with cases I've encountered in forums: these people are usually very invested in Hürrem's character to the point they view everything she does as excusable, at the least, so of course they would want to justify Hürrem marrying Mihrimah to Rüstem. But plainly selfish political gain is no justification and that may leave cracks in their view of Hürrem and it all may disturb them to a great amount. That's why they channel this ire on Mihrimah and perhaps demand for her to warm up to Rüstem, so they get the justification Hürrem supposedly deserves, especially paralleled with Valide and Mahidevran's previous attempt to marry Aybige and Mustafa, who.. surprise, surprise (but not really), didn't love each other. There's another facet to this, with people seeing or wanting to see Mihri only as "her mother's daughter" and not wanting to marry, not loving Rüstem destroys that picture, because there's a "crack in the system", she doesn't listen to her mother, who obviously knows better and that could be disappointing or demotivating, given the expectations she has set when she defended her in E84. Or maybe they dislike Mihrimah for not loving Rüstem, because they do find something in him. They love "bad boys" and genuinely don't know why Mihrimah doesn't, either and that could make them see her as an annoyance. Or maybe they just anticipate more juicy scenes between her and Rüstem because of the probable chemistry between the two actors and if they watch it only for the spectacle (believe me, such people really exist!), they may insist that Mihrimah is only spoiled and ruined everything for them. Or maybe, again, people may find this insulting to the historical facts or whatnot and if Mihrimah didn't not stand him, this "mess" of writing could be fixed a little. The writers have ruined her character along with the history, according to them. It's absurd, I know and I don't get it, either, but the reasons are there, as far as I'm concerned. That still doesn't take away from the fact that this is the weirdest accusation you could throw at Mihrimah, with how Rüstem himself is.

You're right that Mihrimah has many other, vastly more offputting traits that she could be disliked for. Little Mihrimah is very brash and spoiled and entitled, to the point she gave her own mother a run for her money. That was gone when she grew up, but it would be understandable if some didn't actually believe the change, especially when she shows this side of hers again every now and then. She could be perceptive, but could also be prone to influence at the same time, sometimes to an annoying degree. There have been times where she has let her own bias lead her and that clouded her judgement in several occasions. She came to idealize her mother too much sometimes, as well. She was terribly insistent on her infatuation with Bali Bey and letting go of it took her very long. She didn't want to listen much to the enemies of her own mother. Her huge love for Bayezid prevented her from viewing Selim as objectively. She could be vengeful. She could be bossy. She couldn't fully face someone calling her out on her mistakes. (the confrontation with Selim in E139) She became so engrained to her castle life that when she was offered a way out, she didn't follow it. All these are very interesting character flaws for me, but I get why they might be a dealbreaker. But disliking or hating her for not loving Rüstem? Heck, hating her for her contribution to Mustafa's death alone is more valid than that! Disliking her for all these flaws piling up together is perfectly reasonable. But for this? It's strange.

#magnificent century #muhteşem yüzyıl #muhtesem yuzyil #mihrimah sultan #rustem pasha #ask #stuffandthangs

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captainseaweedbrains · 3 years

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The Hunger Games: Ch. 5

I am finally getting around to writing up thoughts. Life am I right? So I’m not only behind, but starting a bit later on my chapter thoughts.

Here are my rambling thoughts and emotions on chapter 5:

"Good news, though. This is the last one. Ready?" I get a grip on the edges of the table I'm seated on and nod. The final swathe of my leg hair is uprooted in a painful jerk.// Girl, I feel you. We’ve all been there. #Noshaveforever

This has included scrubbing down my body with a gritty loam that has removed not only dirt but at least three layers of skin// It’s called exfoliating, Katniss, and I promise, it is good for your skin. If they can do one thing for you, it is this.

Okay. Like Katniss, I have a soft spot for her prep team. I can’t help it. They feel like they mean well and I’m a sucker for it. Even if they are prepping her for death. 💀

He gives his orange corkscrew locks a shake and applies a fresh coat of purple lipstick to his mouth.// I wonder if SC thought of the most gaudiest looks and just rolled with it. Probably. But some of these outfit choices just seem so out there that I have such a hard time picturing it. Am I alone on this? My fashion sense is that of a bygone era. So maybe that’s why. What is high fashion? Not me. That’s what.

Octavia, a plump woman whose entire body has been dyed a pale shade of pea green // Why would you want to look like a Sim? Why is that in style here?

"Excellent! You almost look like a human being now!" says Flavius, and they all laugh.

I force my lips up into a smile to show how grateful I am. "Thank you," I say sweetly. "We don't have much cause to look nice in District Twelve."

This wins them over completely. // Katniss!! I love you. Never change. I do love how other worldly each party sees the other. Maybe it’s a comment on colonialism in that sense shut up Terri Your English degree is showing BUT how Katniss views them as strange birds rightly so because one legit probably looks like a Sim and them viewing her as NOT HUMAN even though she definitely looks the more normal in the room and I stand by that Where was I going with this? It just feels a bit Two Worlds colliding. Okay. Moving on.

Just how filthy was Katniss? Like she definitely bathed before coming. Twice in one day. So what is their standard here? I don’t want it because it’s probably too much effort. #lazy

It's hard to hate my prep team. They're such total idiots.// My thoughts exactly.

I cannot stress how much I love how blunt SC makes Katniss’ thoughts. It feels so human to me and I don’t always see that in writing. It’s nice.

Am I alone on wondering if Cinna has that eyeliner tattooed on? I don’t know why that’s always my first thought with the second being “ouch.”

I do love how Katniss is always thrown when her pre-perceptions of the Capitol are challenged by *the few* people like Cinna.

I saw someone point out how Katniss remembers a lot of details like the stylists and past years winners and their strategies and I’m wondering if it’s more like how I know stuff on like the Kardashians that I don’t really want to know or care about knowing. Just facts living in her head rent free. But she remembers a lot of details on the Games.

He presses a button on the side of the table. The top splits and from below rises a second tabletop that holds our lunch.// The future 1950s ads promised and Disney Channel’s Smart House made those in my generation fear. That or a super fancy automat.

Unpopular opinion, but I absolutely hate when Katniss goes on about the food and how to make dishes. I think it’s so boring to read. Even one sentence about what everyone is eating dulls me.

What must it be like, I wonder, to live in a world where food appears at the press of a button?//Okay, I know we kind of already have this luxury to an extent, but I too want to press a button and my food is magically there, in my home, already made. #queenlazy

My heart saddens when Katniss wonders what people do in their free time. She is a CHILD. *cries*

Okay. So I know Katniss has boasted about concealing her thoughts, but is she REALLY good at it? She gets called out a lot by practical strangers. I will cling to my headcanon that she is truly an open book and just believes she’s sneaky like that and Peeta pretends she’s succeeding at later in life. Is this canon? Maybe? Don’t @ me

SC’s commentary of sexualizing young teens and kiddos is amazing and yes, please keep coming at us like this, Suzanne.

Also those poor, naked children. Not only were they going to their deaths, but they literally were paraded around on national television buck naked.

I'll be naked for sure, I think...Naked and covered in black dust, I think.//An example of why I just love her narration. I crack up every time at the clear doom in her “voice”

He sees my expression and grins.//A true madman because I can only assume her face is that of horror.

I am still mad at the scaly-looking outfits the movie gave us and how they made her hair look

It crosses my mind that Cinna's calm and normal demeanor masks a complete madman.//He is a madman. We accept it and move on from here

*Peeta enters* *Cue my glee*

*He is my favorite and that favoritism will show*

*Listen I am here for the messages on war and our consumer culture SC is providing*

*But I will not hide why I’m really here rereading these books*

*WEEPS* SHE IS RELIEVED TO SEE PEETA

"What do you think?" I whisper to Peeta. "About the fire?"

"I'll rip off your cape if you'll rip off mine," he says through gritted teeth.//Don’t touch me. The teamwork they already share.

Haha I just imagine Peeta has that big smile on his face all “Haha I want to die right now”

THEY’RE LAUGHING. Precious beans.

I guess we're both so nervous about the Games and more pressingly, petrified of being turned into human torches, we're not acting sensibly.// That or you both are talking to your crushes and are feeling giddy about it. Don’t deny it Katniss. We see you

Lmao Katniss’ enthusiasm for D1 cracks me up

Cinna over here just lighting people on fire and relieved it worked properly. This man, I swear

She calls him dazzling. Be still my heart.

Also I still don’t understand the true purpose of Cinna presenting them as united. Maybe I’ll get a refresher later on. Is it just to make them stand out more because they’re united? I don’t understand this angle at all. So #SameKatnissSame

Lmao or maybe Peeta’s the one who is all “Idk, but *sings* I wanna hold your hand...”

Or not. But you bet Peeta is pumped. He’s not naked on national television and he’s holding his crush’s hand. Peak day for Peeta Bram Mellark, with all things given.

I do hope they are waving correctly.

I'm glad now I have Peeta to clutch for balance, he is so steady, solid as a rock.//I’m FINE. Totally FINE that this will be how she views him for the rest of the series. FINE.

Narrator: She was not fine.

How absolutely sad that she mentions how the Capitolites took the effort to look in the program for their names. How they waste CHILDREN’S LIVES.

But I shall focus on her gaining confidence and Katniss Everdeen legit getting caught up in the moment where she is blowing kisses at them. The power of a great outfit, amirite?

Someone throws me a red rose. I catch it, give it a delicate sniff, and blow a kiss back in the general direction of the giver. A hundred hands reach up to catch my kiss, as if it were a real and tangible thing.//Oh my god. So Extra

Everyone wants my kisses.//Peeta wants those kisses

"No, don't let go of me," he says. The firelight flickers off his blue eyes. "Please.// I am crying as I think about their interaction in the same square in Mockingjay, when she tries to take the nightlock pill and he stops her. “I’ll never let go, Jack”

SC can describe Snow however she wants, I will forever see Donald Sutherland and only that. Even when Snow is a teenager I picture Donald. The power of Donald Sutherland.

I love that she doesn’t realize she’s still holding his hand. If Portia had enough time to spray them down, she’s been holding on for awhile. Katniss, explanation? 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀

"I'm sure they didn't notice anything but you. You should wear flames more often," he says. "They suit you." And then he gives me a smile that seems so genuinely sweet with just the right touch of shyness that unexpected warmth rushes through me. // AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

SHE FEELS WARMTH RUSH THROUGH HER

THE SHY FLIRTING

PEETA, YOU SHY SLY BEAN OF A FOX

The more likable he is, the more deadly he is.//Yeah, for catching a dangerous thing called FEELINGS.

Katniss, how does *kissing* him help matters here? You clearly caught wind he was flirting and your first thought was *le kiss* ???????

These two, I swear

And Katniss is just so smol having to stand on her *tiptoes* to kiss his cheek. #teamsmol

Onward to the next chapter!

#The Hunger Games #thgagain #My thoughts #Terri reads The Hunger Games #Books

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atlas-of-a-human-soul · 4 years

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frENEMIES, pt.4 {Quarterback AU}

Summary: Grayson wants to talk, but Y/N is too busy running to realize her fears are deceiving her. Enlisting a reluctant Ethan for help gives Grayson a chance to maybe, just maybe convince his sneaky little princess to see he’s ready to try and change.

Warnings: angst, swearing

Part one Part two Part three

She never understood football or the hype that came with it, never really cared at all to even try and find out what made her dad so passionate about every game that it made his whole week if his team won, nor her old friend who wanted to play football professionally. She had less understanding for the way they treated the players like royalty, how they praised their womanizing ways or the conspicuous amounts of money they earned only to buy the most ridiculous cars or watches, or simply on parties and strippers.

She never bothered to get involved and perhaps she never would had she not met Grayson Dolan, the quarterback, her frenemie, her most coveted dream and most hellish nightmare.

Watching Grayson play for the first time had both made her heart race and stop, her breath fast and shallow but it also made it stop in her lungs. She had never worried as much about someone, never cheered for someone to win (though it would mean she lost), never had she screamed so much in her life and all because she found herself immersed in every play Grayson was a part of, every single move and every single touchdown he made.

But what really got her wasn't the game, rather his passion and perseverance and especially when he looked straight at her, finding her right where he left her before the game, only to point the ball at her minutes before he made the winning touchdown. She knew it was for her, somehow, she just knew. And that's when Y/N Y/L/N learned the ultimate, horrifying truth - she didn't hate Grayson Dolan, not even a little, not even at all. If anything, she had channeled all her jealousy and frustration and well, genuinely fucked up shit she dealt with because of him, and she unleashed hell upon him.

Yet, he came back for more each time. In hindsight, she realized he's probably crazy, a masochistic, but so is she. Still, when it came down to it, she ran. She ran as fast as she could and she didn't dare look back.

A part of her hoped he'd run after her, catch up and make her stay, kiss her like the world is ending in the pouring rain. She wanted him to come for her, but no one ever did. In a way, she's used to it.

Amina chose Ethan, Grayson will choose the other women or football, it's just the way it is. She isn't enough for anyone, she never was. Perhaps it's her anxiety and depression lurking again, but she always feared that she wasn't enough - wasn't pretty enough, funny enough, smart enough, artsy enough, interesting enough,...simply not good enough to ever be someone's endgame, regardless if it was friendship or romance. What else could she think as she had settled in her early twenties and only ever had one kiss and it was a drunken kiss from a guy who literally fucked anyone with tits and a heartbeat?

Staying low for the next few days was hard, especially when she found herself hiding from the most popular guy on campus and no matter where she went, Grayson magically appeared soon after.

She didn't know he spent days looking for her, telling everyone who sees her to text him her location but he always got there just a few seconds too late and he soon realized it was always his problem - timing and lack of effort.

Everything he did in the past years was to forget about the girl he thought hated him, but it clearly never worked. She's not the type you ever forget and it took him too long to realize he didn't want to spend the rest of his life wondering what would have happened if he tried...if he at least tried.

"Can you just do this for me?" After a week of being ignored, Grayson had enough. He couldn't handle only catching glimpses of her back as she walked away from him or the ignored messages he sent. He just wanted five minutes with her.

"The last time you asked me to do something for you, I ended up losing all my fucking hair. You said nothing bad would happen. You said it would be fun." Pulling his beanie off, Ethan had lost his sarcastic filter and went straight for the screaming part. "BEING BALD ISN'T FUN GRAYSON!"

"It wasn't my fault!" Throwing his hands in the air, Grayson groaned loudly before reaching for his phone.

"You gonna help your bro or do I have to bring in the big guns, huh?" The erratic taping of his fingers on his iPhone matched the crazed look in his eyes and Ethan already knew what's happening.

"Seriously?! You calling ma’ on me, now?!"

"Not if you do the right thing and ask Amina to convince Y/N to give me a chance to talk." Waving his phone with a snicker, Grayson raised his eyebrows victoriously when he saw Ethan cave before he said a single thing.

"We really need to find a better way of solving these disagreements."

Y/N paced whenever she was nervous. It was either that or tapping her foot which usually earned her a visit from her downstairs neighbor, so it was best to alleviate her anxiety by pacing even if it made her dizzy.

There were a number of things she wanted to tell her best friend, to apologize though she did so a hundred times by now. And it tore her to bits to know her friend chose a guy over her, but she was willing to work things out. Not many people understand her, nor do they stick around when shit hits the fan, but Amina was the only constant in her life since she came to campus. For Y/N, losing Amina was like losing a sister and she wasn't too proud to admit it.

Some people would always do the right thing, regardless of who they end up hurting in the end. Y/N was never that person and while it may not paint her in the best light, she’d be the one you can come to with blood on your hands and all she’d do is grab a shovel and help you dig. Perhaps that’s why she couldn’t really understand Amina and the way she abandoned her. If it were the other way around, no guy would ever be worth their friendship.

It wan’t a pleasant feeling - knowing you’re replaceable.

However, when a knock interrupted her obnoxiously loud pacing, she drew in a deep breath in hope of finding bravery everyone seemed to think she naturally possessed. But she didn't. She was perpetually scared of a great number of things and being alone was one of the main ones. She never felt as alone as she did in the past week and the feeling had gnawed on her sanity.

With a shaky hand, she grabbed the metal knob, shaking her head one last time before opening the door to face her friend. Her heart felt like it would explode as she caught sight of the person on the other side, the fabulous hair he threads his fingers through being the first thing she notices.

All she wanted was to make up with her friend and let the past stay in the past. Little did she know it was yet another elaborate attempt of her frENEMY to get close to her.

"YOU?!"

Tags: @mendesficsxbombay @beinscorpio @peacedolantwins @dolandolll

PART 5

#grayson dolan #dolan twins #grayson dolan x reader #grayson dolan fanfic #grayson dolan imagine #grayson dolan series #grayson dolan fic #grayson dolan fanfiction #grayson dolan fluff #grayson dolan au #grayson dolan angst #grayson dolan quarterback

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cryde-donovan-vlogs · 3 years

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// Hey everyone! Added a bunch of headcanons to Clyde’s HC doc. The newly added ones can also be found below the Keep Reading.

GENERAL

Clyde is so sociable that he ends up talking to strangers on a whim and gets caught up in their stories. His disposition is very inviting and encouraging, willing to give people the space to be as weird or open as they want to be. He has no shame and will inject himself into strangers’ conversations or approach just about anyone.

He maintains an endless curiosity for the world and the cultures around him. The type of guy to go to the movies alone and not feel bad about it.

He’s a hard worker, his video and influencer hustle is strong. He’s always trying something new, watching trends, and pouring a great amount of passion into his work. Because of this, Clyde is often busy and on an adventure of his own.

He’s fine with playing the idiot and letting people think he’s a typical ex-highschool brainless jock when he’s actually got so much more going on under the hood. That isn’t to say he’s smart, he’s just stubborn, genuine, and passionate.

Has a weird and secret obsession with vampires; the stories, the myth, movies about them, etc. Read and watched the Twilight series in secret. TEAM EDWARD!

^ This is purely based on the superhero he made as a kid (Mosquito)… seems pretty sus he made a hero all about sucking blood and regaining health from it.

^ He also did it to try and understand why the ladies were into it and accidentally got swept into the fandom.

He also really really likes dinosaurs.

Blames himself for his mother’s death and has never gotten over it. It’s baggage he’ll likely carry for the rest of his life. He’s afraid of taking on other mother figures for the simple fact he may ‘kill’ them too.

Makes Lemon Bars at least once a year in honor of his mom, typically on her birthday. They’re dished out to friends since it’s upsetting to eat them. It’s a habit he can’t break even if it upsets him.

Kisses the homies goodnight, just makes sure to add “no homo” so it ain’t gay.

YT/TWITCH CHANNEL HC’S

At the beginning of freshman year in college (where his main verse currently is), Clyde’s channel has around 500K subscribers on Youtube & Twitch. He also maintains an active presence on his social media (Twitter, TikTok, etc.)

He got a camera for his birthday in 6th grade and immediately created a YouTube channel. It’s called ‘Cryde Donovan Vlogs’ (a typo) until he later rebrands to ‘Clyde Donovan’.

Starting with vlogs, he eventually branches out to more ambitious videos such as pranks, commentaries, documentaries, gameplay, and live streams. As his channel grows he takes on larger-scale projects and risks such as professionally shot (by him) mini-movies or music videos.

He has a natural eye and gut instinct for filming, photography, lighting, and framing. All of his videos have him behind the camera or heavily directing to maintain his artistic vision.

^ Similarly, while he wasn’t good at school work, he understands the intricacies of the internet. Analytics and how to review / gauge them, when to post and when not to post, what’s trending, etc.

Always down to collab or showcase people from South Park on his channels. The town’s weirdness and the odd charm of the people who live there are the foundation of his vlogs. His friends and family are heavily featured on his channel unless they request to be left out.

^ There are conspiracy theories out there that SP is just TOO weird to be true and the people featured in his videos are actors.

Roger initially fights his son on making a career out of his channel and even forces him to attend college for business / gen ed. It’s not a lack of faith but more concern that it’s uncertain, taking over the shoe store is more stable. He eventually relents.

Future Clyde becomes a successful online influencer and media creator with his channel and goes on to make a merch line (possibly with the help of Bebe).

FAMILY

Roger

Their relationship is good, though strained and tested time and time again by his son’s stupidity.

He wants his son to take over the Shoe store but Clyde’s aspirations don’t match the sentiment.

He eventually forces his son to go to college for Gen Ed / Business in hopes it would put a stop to Clyde’s talk of making it big online. It doesn’t.

Betsy

Even though she was hard on him, and her final words were chastising herself for not being tougher on him, he loves her and misses her dearly.

Taught Clyde a little of the Dutch language and culture

Sister*

He has a sister, (my HC is that) she’s older than him by a few years.

She takes on the ‘mother figure’ role after Betsy passes away but Clyde rejects it out of fear that he may kill her accidentally too.

Likes to sing and is pretty damn good at it!

* Based on a deleted scene from the Reverse Cowgirl episode and other context clues in the show

FRIENDS

Craig (@watchingredracereveryday)

Has gone over to Craig’s house so often since childhood he basically lets himself in now.

The two have a similar relationship dynamic to Kyle and Stan, just with less drama.

Sporadically kicks in Craig’s door and pulls Craig along to do stupid shit with him, usually ending up in the two having some kind of wacky adventure.

Token

The friend that Clyde confides in the most, especially with in struggling with his closeted Bi thoughts.

Out of his friend group, Token is the one that Clyde hangs out with the most since Craig is dating Tweek and he doesn’t want to intrude.

Tweek (@tweek-bros-coffee)

The friend that Tweek goes to when he’s been up for days and can’t sleep. Clydes excited energy and busy-bee schedule usually wears him down so he can sleep

Usually drags Tweek into random and sudden misadventures.

Jimmy

Jimmy gets featured on Clyde’s channel the most out of his friend group since he’s funny, witty, and the two have a good banter and dialogue.

Tricia (@tricia-fucker)

He sees Tricia as his kick-ass little sister and would do anything for her! Very protective of her and would bend over backwards at her request.

Bebe (@blondebeebitch)

His Queen bestie!! Would do anything for her.

Likes having self-care day or spa nights with her. They get to unwind, maybe drink a little, put on a face mask, and hang out. Sounds like a win to him.

If he needs fashion or general life advice, he typically goes to Bebe. She radiates an energy that gives him comfort in the answers she provides. She also has the Tarot and crystals to back her up.

Pete (@cigarette-tainted-death)

Initially starts out bothering Pete during his graveyard shifts at the station but starts staying longer and longer since he enjoys his company.

Was recently asked to go freighthopping by Pete, for a video, and he agreed. Totes looking forward to it, Brete. (Bro+Pete)

Ike (@sir-canuck)

Sees himself in Ike since the little guy wants to go into streaming and video games too! He’s willing to take him under his wing and offer any guidance he can.

The jocks that have since graduated, like Stan and Clyde, have unofficially adopted Ike as their little jock brother.

#hold on im looking thru filters : ooc #clickbait : headcanons #// i tried not to tag this time since I didn't wanna bombard yall...#// hopefully it works #// if it doesnt im sorry!!

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esonetwork · 3 years

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No One Wants to Read Your Crappy Book

New Post has been published on https://esonetwork.com/no-one-wants-to-read-your-crappy-book/

No One Wants to Read Your Crappy Book

Hey, M. D. Jackson here. I’ll be back next month with more art related content. This month I’m giving over my post to my good friend Jack Mackenzie. Jack’s an author and he’s going to talk to you about writing.

Hey. Get in. We’re going for a ride.

No, don’t worry. We’re not going far. I’ll have you back before dinner.

So, I hear you’re writing a book? What’s it about? No, wait… don’t tell me… No. Really. Don’t tell me. Don’t care. I got my own books to write.

What I want to do is give you some straight talk about writing a book in this day and age. You’re probably not going to like it but you need to know it.

The first thing that you have to know is that no one wants to read your crappy book.

Mean? You think I’m being mean? I’m trying to help you. Sit back and listen for a minute, will you?

First off, here are the cold hard facts. It’s estimated that fewer than 1000 fiction writers in North America make a living from their writing. And I’m being generous at 1000. I’ve read some estimates that put that number at only 300. That’s out of around 45,000 writers and authors working in the United States alone. That’s .6 percent… not six percent but POINT six percent… less than 1 percent… of all writers.

Ahh, what the heck! I’m feeling generous. If the number actually is 1000 writers making a living at writing, that’s 2%.

Well, Okay, you have a better chance of making a living as a writer than winning the lottery or getting struck by lightning, true, but, those are still some slim odds.

Yes, I know, there was a time when writers who churned out short novels on a regular basis could make a living Not a great living, to be sure, and, yes, they would occasionally have to churn out some cheap porn novels under a pseudonym to make ends meet.

You think I’m joking? Have you ever heard of Loren Beauchamp? She was the author of such sleazy paperbacks as Campus Sex Club, Unwilling Sinner, and Strange Delights. She was also the pseudonym of science fiction author Robert Silverberg. I kid you not! Look it up.

My point is that it has never been easy making a living as a writer. Few authors could do it, even in the so called “Golden Age” of the paperbacks after the death of the pulp magazines. They needed day jobs or, like Mr. Silverberg, they needed to wear a mask and turn to the dark side.

How did this situation come about? Let me digress for a bit.

Back in the 1960’s the typical science fiction novel ran to about 60,000 words. These were slim volumes of about 130 to 150 pages. Mass market paperbacks in the US were sold mostly at grocery stores or neighbourhood pharmacies. They were displayed in wire racks that rotated. That’s where the thinner books were more desirable. The thinner the book, the more you could stack. You used to be able to fit about six paperbacks in a three inch rack.

So what happened? Why did these compact volumes grow to such monstrous size?

There are a few reasons, but chiefly it comes down to inflation. In the 70’s and 80’s the price of just about everything rose. That included paper and printing costs. Publishers found that they needed to increase the prices of their books to compensate.

But according to grocery store logic if you want to charge more for a product then it has to weigh more. You can’t just start using bigger typeface or thicker paper to do that so you start looking for longer novels.

And there was also this massively big book that came out in paperback, a little story about elves and stuff, called The Lord of the Rings. At 473,000 words it was a massive book that had to be broken down into three parts. But, oddly enough, that little book sold an amazing number of copies.

So, given that consumers would buy longer books and pay more for them if they were thicker, well, the writing was on the wall and there was a whole lot of it.

At the same time distribution channels dried up. The wire racks were gone. Publishers were charging more and more for thicker books, but the places that were left to sell these books couldn’t sell massive hardbacks unless they were bestsellers. Those pesky midlist volumes weren’t moving off the shelves fast enough. Stop sending us midlist books, the big bookstores told the publishers. Only send us bestsellers.

What’s that? Oh… you plan to self publish? Ahh, well, that’s different, then.

You see, according to a survey by Guardian in 2015, the average self-published author makes less than $1,000 per year. In fact, a third of them make less than $500 per year. And there’s over a million self published authors with more joining the ranks all the time.

I know, I know, I read those stories all the time too, about how a self published author sold a million copies of his book and got rich. I also see lots of stories on the news about the guys who won big on the lottery, or got struck by lightning. The fact is that most people, the vast majority of the population… don’t.

Think of it like this: You’re at a concert… an open-air, rock festival-type concert… You’re on the ground several meters distant from the stage. The stage is 100 feet high and the approach to it slopes up. 1000 people are standing on the slope. The headliners… say, Stephen King, J. K. Rowling, James Patterson and Neil Gaiman… are 100 feet in the air.

You’re on the flat ground. You’re trying to get closer to the stage. But you just can’t seem to push past all the others surrounding you… and there are a lot! They’re all waving their books in the air. Occasionally some author with a toothy grin and the right connections blows past you. Or one of the concert promoters escorts a cute red-head to the front simply because she’s a cute red-head.

You’ve been on the ground, pounding away at the ground for years on end and these fortunate few keep slipping by you and the grounds just keep getting more and more crowded.

That’s what the publishing industry is today for most authors.

So what does that mean for you and your book? Well, like I said, no one wants to read your crappy book. But… you can change that. Or at least make it more likely that someone will want to read it.

Here’s the thing: don’t focus on the stage 100 feet in the air. Focus on those around you. Be interested in their work. Talk to them. Make friends. Don’t moan and whine that you haven’t sold any of your books. Talk about your books if others are interested. If they’re not (and believe me, most people aren’t) talk about something else. What do you like? Comic books? Movies? Stamp collecting? Cookie recipes. Talk about that. Be genuine. Be present.

Have a website. Have a Twitter feed. Have a Facebook page. Talk about things you are interested in. People will find you. If this seems like a waste of time, just remember that those 1000 writers up there near the stage? They’re doing it too. So is Steve, J.K, James and Neil. They’re always out there, always talking. People like them. They like them and they read their books.

No one cares about your book. But if you are out there online or (post Covid, of course) in person at conventions or other gatherings… heck, even house parties… just be yourself. Be the best version of yourself. Be friendly. Be interested in others. If people like you they might read your book.

Look… maybe your book will resonate with a lot of people. Maybe some weird confluence of events will thrust you into the spotlight. Strange things happen. But you can’t control that. The only thing you can control is yourself. Be yourself. Be the best version of yourself. Don’t brood. Don’t moan. Don’t whine.

That’s all I got for you. I’m sorry it’s not more encouraging, but that’s life, right? And, hey! Look. This is where we started. I told you I’d have you back in time for dinner.

Take care now. Good luck with your book. Honestly. You seem like a nice person. I’m rooting for you.

jackmackenziewriter.wordpress.com

#ESO Network #J.K. Rowling #J.R.R. Tolkein #Jack Mackenzie #Loren Beauchamp #Neil Gaiman #Publishing #Robert Silverberg #Self Publishing #Stephen King #The Lord of the Rings

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bbq-hawks-wings · 4 years

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Series Review Pt. 3/3

Part One

Part Two

All right, last one!

One of the things about adults is that most become increasingly less flexible the older they get. They learn to function in a certain way to get certain results and work themselves into a pattern that inhibits their ability to be creative or dynamic which is compounded the less they are challenged. This isn’t opinion - this has been a scientifically and statistically verified fact. Different levels of physical and emotional development fundamentally changes the way human beings process stimuli and conflict, and factors like physical injuries and trauma affect the ability of one to process and resolve stressful situations. This doesn’t mean adults can’t change the way they think or do things, but it’s much harder for them to mentally and emotionally break out of their preconceived notions unprompted whereas younger adults still largely maintain the ability to criticize and adjust changes in perspective and creatively adapt to new information.

The kids we see in HeroAca are in a particularly unique situation in regards to coming from a background of ideals (“If I work hard, I’ll see the fruits of my labor”) and coming to grips with the inherently unfair nature of the world (“Even the greatest hero can’t save everyone”). Combined with the early exposure they’ve had to the injustices in their society and their general disposition to maximize the positive impact they have on others the “next generation of heroes” is in a unique situation to completely overhaul the current system literally as they enter it by bringing in new ideals and embracing their diversity in thought and background to directly challenge failings in the old system as well as bring awareness to those who exist outside it. With an added sense of camaraderie and teamwork over rivalry they have the ability to foster more “human” conversations with the aim of improving the world as opposed to being purely focused on “business” when in uniform the way their predecessors were.

This isn’t to say that the grown heroes of the series have to be completely done away with, just that they have not had a generation so able to challenge them to action in the way their juniors do now. In fact, it’s a running theme in the series that the next generation of heroes either teach or save their mentors in unexpected ways and with varying degrees of intensity as they work through adversity together.

Red Riot has not only saved Fatgum in a literal sense in the battle with the Shie Hassaikai, but Fatgum explicitly states he underestimated the ability and resolve of the young hero. He also holds faith in his older mentee, Sun Eater, whom he regards as a hero unrivaled in ability in the current climate if he only could overcome his own self-doubt. Sir Nighteye’s confidence in Lemillion is evident from the start and to his dying breath believes the key to his ability to save is not rooted in the strength of his quirk but by his ability to make others smile. Nighteye’s previous disdain of Deku is eventually turned into awe and inspiration when he’s able to do what was previously thought to be impossible and theoretically change destiny itself. All Might’s faith in Deku has also been immediately obvious, but seeing that his symbolic value with the next generation as a hero hasn’t depreciated with his declining ability has given him the resolve to fight for his own survival again. Bakugo in particular has received a new, special place in his heart as a capable hero who together with Deku represents his two separate but related core values in a hero - winning and saving - but with greater potential then All Might was able to achieve alone. Shinsou has served as a personal means for Eraserhead to move past the trauma of violently losing his childhood friend and begin to truly encourage the next generation to accept the risk inherent in this line of work instead of letting his fears inhibit his ability to teach and mentor them. Shouto has been a catalyst for Endeavor to seek to restore to his family what he took away from them and to recognize that he can never fully restore or erase the trauma he inflicted on them nor does he have any right to ask to be included in their lives any further. Even straightforward, straight-laced Tsukoyomi has inspired Hawks to take a second look at what it means to raise up the next generation of heroes outside of his own troubled past with it to the point he now actively encourages and genuinely believes in them as a whole to possess the power to make changes he couldn't.

These conversations have largely not happened with the criminal side of the field as any opportunity for the children to touch the hearts of villains have been marred by the inherent life-or-death struggle of each encounter. Each side is literally too busy fighting for survival/victory to truly have some of these meaningful conversations, but the seeds they’ve planted in the hearts of their mentors as well as the rare heart-to-heart interactions they’ve had with villains have proven they have power; and that’s going to be the deciding factor in this literal war at the end of the manga - that is, this missing piece is going to be an opportunity for the heroes to save the hearts of the villains.

The key to this next generation “saving” an army of villains will be dependent on their ability to advocate for rehabilitation and reintegration into society - both for villains to accept the help and for broader society being willing to forgive them. Hawks has already started with his personal offer to help Twice, but it will be interesting to see how others are able to input offers for reform in the heat of battle and in light of their individual circumstances.

An example I hope we’ll get to see is an interaction between Dabi, Endeavor, and Shouto (assuming, of course, that Dabi is a Todoroki). Shouto would be the main deciding factor in the altercation as he has undergone the same kind of abuse and personal tragedy at the hand of Endeavor as Dabi has; but the outcome was completely different and he therefore may be able to speak to Dabi in a way that Endeavor definitely cannot. Shouto made the personal choice to not let his hatred for his father consume him and instead channeled the resources available to him to become a hero capable of saving others because he determined in and of himself to do so, rather than becoming a person obsessed with personal vengeance or merely operating as his father’s vicarious victory. It’s important to remember that Shouto has looked to the ideals of heroism (mainly through his admiration of All Might) as a good thing from a young age, but those ideals were overshadowed in the face of the constant abuse in his home and he became more and more cynical over time. As he began to accept that he was not bound by the burden of his upbringing and was capable of moving past the trauma to determine his own future despite it, he was not only able to change his entire outlook on his future for his own sake; but Shouto even began to cause Endeavor to reexamine the ethics and consequences of his actions even without the forgiveness of his family simply by operating as the kind of hero Shouto wanted to be for himself instead of the hero Endeavor tried to force upon him.

In this light, Dabi’s personal vendetta is clarified to not be the pursuit of justice but a mere act of vengeance with understandable motivation but ultimately evil justification that has not only failed to constructively address the issue of neglect and abuse in his own home, let alone of hero families as a whole, but has caused undeserved collateral death and grief in the process. Whether this revelation will “save” Dabi is unknown as Shouto and Natsuo also still hold deep contempt for their father; but both of them have begun to move past the events of their childhood (if only in very small steps) and have begun to self-determine their relationship with their father individually, while Dabi is still operating out of pure spite. Interestingly, what we may end up seeing in this situation is a schism resulting in a fight similar to the final showdown between Zuko and Azula in Avatar: the Last Airbender. (And on that note, I don’t know how I didn’t notice the additional parallels between the families sooner between the scar, paternal abuse resulting in an estranged mother, and sibling with blue fire. I called Todoroki Frosty Fire Prince Zuko in the past as a joke, but this feels so obvious now; I’ve clearly been sleeping.) One more wild card thrown in will be if Hawks is present for this interaction and seeing his reaction to it as he will fight Dabi and has a similar story to both him and Shouto.

Where kids like Bakugo and Deku will be most relevant or impactful is not quite clear at the moment, though a clash with Shigaraki feels imminent. We do know at least that each are counted as capable heroes in their own rights with the distinction that Bakugo is a hero who wins fights and Deku is a hero who saves people so their role might look like something along the lines of Bakugo ending a battle and Deku ending the underlying conflict. There seems to be an insinuation that these two things rarely can be done at the same time, and that first the physical threat must be addressed before a sit-down and exchange can be made to talk about the motivations and underlying causes of the fight. Much like with the final fight with Overhaul, Eri was not considered to be completely saved until after she was removed from her situation and then allowed to heal - and even that process is ongoing.

If the heroes are able to refute the viewpoints of the villains at the end of the day and are able to truly move the public on their behalf, those who chose to cooperate will likely be given the chance to start over while those who continue to fight out of spite will be at best detained and at worst killed in the struggle. What this might look like, I’m not sure, as some have hefty crimes to answer for and may not have the opportunity to truly reintegrate. Any country/society/culture with as many people committing as severe crimes as these would have difficulty embracing change that would welcome these people back, let alone the specific context of Japan that brutally punishes criminals and so often permanently damages their reputations and social standing - sometimes for what many would consider only “minor” crimes. Nevertheless, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t hope for even the worst of them with a proper change of heart; and the fact that the Meta Liberation Army was as widespread a cultural phenomena as it was offers the idea that enough people are open to the ideas of the radical shifts necessary to address these concerns which increases the chance to make reforms peacefully.

As a focus point, consider Shigaraki. He’s the most important villain to reach not only as the head of this massive villain organization but as a dire victim of the current system’s shortcomings. His own biggest quarrel with hero society as it stands is that it makes people overconfident and apathetic because there's always a hero just around the corner - let them handle this person in need. While Shigaraki is not advocating for individual moral responsibility, a new societal emphasis on it could resolve most of the issues he has with hero society. A big enough cultural shift could also address instances of criminal activity on a case by case basis - a new focus that hurt people lashing out isn't acceptable behavior, but perhaps some other response than immediate punishment should be considered; as well as reconsider the role of the current justice system in the progressive intensity over a person’s criminal history to mitigate these problems before they manifest.

Right now what's holding up Shigaraki's power over others (outside of the terror he inspires) is the support of others predicated on a lie - and this goes both for the League and the PLF. If that lie is exposed, Shigaraki could wind up high, dry, and unsupported - vulnerable - depending on how individuals take the revelation. He does seem to genuinely care for the core members of the League, and their loyalty to him is undeniably profound and far reaching. Despite his nihilism, at the end of the day he’s still a deeply wounded and angry individual looking in extremes for some solace in the injustice of a world that rejected him. There are many ways this can go depending on who faces who in the final showdowns to come; but for that we'll have to wait and see.

If someone as far gone as Shigaraki can be saved then there's a bright future out there for everyone if they are willing to reach out together and grab it.

This review has left out many aspects of the story I reviewed as important but not necessary for this article, and at some 5k words that's probably for the best. Too much speculation at the moment doesn't feel very productive outside of how general themes and plotlines will tie up at the end, but I'll have to save some of those specifics for some other time. Thank you for sticking out with me this far, and thank you again to @baezetsu and @dorito9708 for helping me review and edit all this information!

#bnha meta #mha meta #bnha chapter 264 #MHA Chapter 264 #bnha spoilers #mha spoilers #long post

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bbyboybrock--archived · 5 years

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Serendipity (C.B) | Chapter 7

Summary: Serendipity: (n) the chance occurrence of events in a beneficial way

Popular youtuber Isabella Hart, known as Bella to her audience, bends over backwards to separate her youtube life from her private life. Known for her overall clean content and her bubbly attitude, Isabella has a wild side to her that only those inside the youtube community know about. When Bella meets Colby during one of the trap house parties she finally meets someone she can be her genuine self with. When trouble arises after their meeting, will Bella be able to hand the pressure or will she destroy her relationship with Colby as well as herself in the process. [This starts in 2018]

Written: 2019

Word Count: 2,688

Warnings: swearing

Serendipity Masterlist

I lay comfortably in Colby's bed editing my video while Colby edits his video at his desk. We've been like this all day, working on our stuff and barely acknowledging each other. There's nothing much to do during this fine July day. Both of us are backlogged on videos so we decided that we would spend the whole day editing. I came over early to help Colby film his main channel video while organizing my upload schedule. I came back from Hawaii yesterday and the companies have brand deals want their videos up asap. Colby is doing the finishing touches and fine editing on the Sam and Colby videos. Sam does the first round of editing, Colby goes and fine tunes everything, and then they review the last bit together and fix what needs to be fixed.

We only have today to do our work. Gabby is coming down from Kansas and the whole group has a packed week full of activities planned. There'll be times when Jake and Gabby are hanging out on their own but we're trying to pack in as many group activities as we can. The house has been hectic. When I came in the morning people were running around filming, editing, or cleaning. It's her first time at the house and Jake wants it to be as perfect as it can be. I can only imagine how Colby was the day he wanted me to meet his roommates.

I send all the brand deal videos that I edited to my manager to make sure that they are fine to upload and save my non-brand deal videos before closing my laptop. I sit up and crack my back as I stand up. As I stretch I notice how abnormally messy Colby's room is. I put my laptop to charge and put away the rest of my equipment before cleaning up Colby's room.

There's trash from the food that we had for both breakfast and lunch scattered across the room. I make Colby's bed, only because I was the one who messed it up in the first place. He actually made it and was awake before I got here. I pick up the random piles of clothes on the floor and throw them in his hamper. While I'm in his closet I check to see if he has clothes in his suitcase from his trip three weeks ago. He does and they're all dirty so I also throw them in the hamper. Feeling satisfied with my work I take the food trash and the lunch pail that I brought with ms downstairs.

When I get to the kitchen I see that someone has actually taken out the trash. I throw the food trash away and grab to plates. As I start pulling snacks out of my lunch bag I scan the house. It looks as clean as it's going to get. The floors are less sticky than they were a few hours ago. I don't think the guys know how to properly mop a floor, but at least they're trying.

"Hey, Izzy," Jake says as he comes down the stairs. He walks over to see me put two chocolate muffins on a plate.

"Hey, Jake, you finally stop running around?" I grab the spare muffin and hand it to him.

"Yeah. I'm going to leave in a few to pick up Gabby. I don't want to get caught in the LAX traffic." He unwraps the muffin and begins eating up. Jake is more calm than normal. He must be nervous.

"You two must be so excited. How long has it been since you two hung out?" I take an orange and cut it into even amounts. When I look up Jake's eyes look sad.

"We hung out a bit when I went home for the holidays. Anyway, I have to get going. Thanks for the muffin." Jake rushes out of the house. I roll my eyes and clean up before taking the snacks back to Colby's room.

****

I place a plate next to Colby and go sit on the couch. I watch Colby edit while I eat. Without being able to hear the audio or see the video clearly I got bored. Colby finished and saves the video. He takes his headphones off and looks at the muffin before starting to eat it. He looks around his room before turning to me with a quirked eyebrow.

"Did you clean my room again?" Colby laughs.

"I sees a mess, I cleans zthe mess. I was bored and I made some of it anyway." I finish my muffin and move onto my orange slices.

"Sorry, I should have cleaned up s bit more. Thanks for the snack."

"No problem. Just taking care of my mans when I can. By the way, Jake went to pick up Gabby so we should start getting ready." I finish my snack and go get the clothes that I packed for the next few days.

Just a simple white tank top with a pair of denim shorts. Jake said all of us were going to somewhere casual for dinner.

"Why don't you just leave some clothes here instead of bringing an overnight bag when you sleep over?" Colby emerges from the closet with his clothes in a balled up mess.

"Are you asking me to leave stuff here or are you actually asking why I don't do that?" I lay my clothes out on the bed and go and get my hair and makeup stuff set up on Colby's desk.

"Both. Just think about it while I'm in the shower. Unless you want to join me." Colby stands by the door with a stupid smirk on his face.

"You take long enough getting ready, I don't think you need the distraction." I stick my tongue out at him as I continue to get my things ready. Colby laughs as he leaves me alone in his room.

****

I quickly change in case someone comes in looking for Colby and forgets to knock. It's almost happened before and with Colby's door being broken, it's easy to forget. Luckily, I was mostly clothed and Colby and I weren't doing anything at those times.

I hear Colby's music start to play and I roll my eyes. Good thing nobody is trying to film right now, they'd have to stop and wait roughly 2 hours to start again. I turn on my own music and begin wiping off the makeup I put on this morning. I knew I wouldn't be doing anything important for most of the day. But I never know when someone is going to film so I always make sure I have at least natural looking makeup on. Not much, just to distract from my everyday walking dead look.

I'm a bit nervous about meeting Gabby. Kat and Devyn helped by making that group chat last month and the four of us have talked consistently. Despite the constant communication, I have this overwhelming feeling that Gabby doesn't like me. Although I can't be certain about that, it's hard to tell how people mean what they say over text. I could just be reading the whole situation wrong. Maybe she's just shy and it's taking her a while to warm up to me. Maybe she thinks that I'm hooking up with Jake.

She can't honestly think that Jake would film videos and document hangouts with the girl he's cheating with. Jake may be dumb, but he's not stupid enough to do that. If she does hate me for that reason, I don't even know how I'm going to bring it up. Am I supposed to go up to her and be like, 'Hey Gabby! Nice meeting you in person for the first time. By the way, I know the evidence seems pretty damning, but I am not doing anything with your boyfriend. We're just really good friends'? I think that would scare her off. All I know is that I have to make a good impression while she's here to avoid being the cause of someone else's relationship drama.

****

"Colby, stop!" I laugh as I run around. Colby made the mistake of putting his hand down on the counter without looking and got it in an open peanut butter sandwich that someone was making. His immediate thought was to touch me with his sticky peanut buttery fingers.

"Awe, babe, I just want to give you a hug. Let me love you!" Part of me knows that he's joking, but another part of me knows that he'll still get the peanut butter on me. Jake and Gabby are due home any second now and I don't need to be dirty.

"No, you ass, we don't have time for me to get ready again." I run in front of Corey, Aaron, and Sam who are talking in one of the living rooms. All of them see what's happening and none of them are helping me.

I quickly run into the 24 pee-pee room and lock the door. It's the only way I can think of getting away from him. I can't lock his bedroom door and I don't feel like hiding in his and Sam's bathroom upstairs.

"Fine! You won! I'll go wash my hand!" Colby shouts from the other door. Part of me doesn't believe him. I wait a few minutes by checking my makeup and taking some selfies.

I poke my head of the door and check to see if he actually left to wash the peanut butter off his hand. When I see that Colby is nowhere to be seen I leave the bathroom and start walking to the empty living room. As I walk I feel a hand snake around my waist. Luckily it's Colby's clean hand.

"Okay, okay! You win!" I try to wiggle away out of his grip as his peanut butter hand threatens to mess up my makeup. Someone clears their throat.

I look up to see Jake and Gabby standing awkwardly by the front door. Jake is holding Gabby's things with a slightly annoyed look on his face. I can't read Gabby yet.

Colby releases me and runs into the kitchen.

"Sorry about that, there was a minor situation with peanut butter. Gabby, it's nice to finally meet you in person!" I stick my hand out and watch as Gabby looks at me, then my hand before shaking it and plastering on a fake smile.

"Isabella, nice to meet you too." She lets go of my hand just as Colby walks back in and gives her a hug.

Jake and I look at each other while Colby and Gabby talk. Soon, everyone comes out to see Gabby and greet her. I suddenly feel a little out of place.

"Hey, I'm going to put these in my room, then we can all head out and meet the other." Jake begins walking upstairs before Gabby follows him. Everyone goes back to what they were doing before while Colby and I go and cuddle on the couch.

****

All of us walk into Chili's to meet everyone else for Gabby's welcome dinner. Jake invited the Slap House guys as well as Brennen. As luck would have it, I somehow got sandwiched between Colby and Brennen. I have no problem sitting next to my own boyfriend. I do have several problems sitting next to Brennen. Luckily for me, Brennen is too occupied with a conversation happening on his side of the table.

Colby talks to Sam and some other people on the other side of him. His hand is resting on my thigh like it sometimes is when we're in group settings. Sometimes he holds my hands, but I talk with my hands sometimes so it's easier for him to just hold my thigh.

"So Bella, when are you going to release music?" Xepher takes a sip of her drink.

"It's not really my brand, besides my stuff isn't good enough to release. What about you?"

"I'm working on it. Griffin is helping me a lot. Maybe you should ask him to help you." My eyes flash to Griffin who is sitting at the end of the table with Jake and Gabby.

"I'm good for now. I'll leave the music making to you, Mike, and Kat. Maybe one day,"

****

We keep talking as the waiter takes our orders. I don't think that all of us have hung out like this in a few weeks. Normally, at least one or two people are missing. Everyone is having a good time. There are several conversations going on at the table. There was only one problem with Brennen when he put his hand on my thigh and was slowly inching North. I got him to stop by spilling 'accidentally' spilling his drink on him. After that, he's been pretty hands off. I managed to get some on myself so Colby gave me his hoodie to keep me warm.

"Babe, I'll be right back. I'm going to the bathroom." I whisper in Colby's ear before getting up from the table.

I go to the bathroom and do my business. When I walk out of the stall I run into Gabby.

"Oh hey, Gabby, I didn't see you there." I roll up my sleeves and go to wash my hands.

"Isabella, can we talk?" She's standing in front of the door so even if I didn't want to talk, I couldn't leave.

"Uh, yeah, what do you want to talk about?" I finish washing my hands and start drying. I watch as Gabby fidgets uncomfortably.

"Is there anything going on between you and Jake?" I turn to her and quirk my eyebrows.

"Of course not. Jake and I are just really good friends. Besides, I'm dating Colby and I'm very much in... like with him."

"Why not in love? Haven't you guys been dating for like 5 months?" She quirks her eyebrows now.

"It's a complicated situation. Why do you think something is going on between Jake and me? Is it because of how often Jake and I are together online?"

"...Yeah."

"I know you barely know me, but trust me, Jake and I are just friends. I'm on all of the roommates' social media accounts and videos. Colby and I keep each other off of our channels and social media accounts because our relationship is a secret for now. Believe me, I'm not one of those girls who dates a guy to get to one of his friends."

"I'm sorry, it's just... Ever since Jake moved out here our relationship hasn't been doing well. There's the time difference and the fact that Jake and I are on completely different schedules. I don't know what or how's he doing and a part of me thinks that he's cheating on me. So when I starting see you two together all the time...We're always fighting and it's exhausting. I came down here to see if there's any way to salvage our relationship. I just love him so, so much and I can feel myself losing him." Gabby has tears in her eyes that are threatening to fall. I quickly engulf her in a hug and stroke her hair.

"Look, I don't like the idea of involving myself in other people's relationships. Just know that whatever happens, if you guys stay together or break up, it's going to work out in the end. You just have to talk to him and brace yourself for whatever happens." I let go of Gabby and grab her a paper towel.

"Thanks, it felt great to get that off of my chest. I feel bad for thinking that you were hooking up with Jake. I'm sorry for the things I called you in my head when I thought you were stealing my boyfriend." She wipes her eyes with the paper towel.

"It's fine, I'm sure that I would have done the same thing if I was in your position. We should go back, our food should be here now." Gabby checks her make up quickly and we both walk out of the bathroom arm in arm.

#colby #colby brock #colby fanfic #colby fan fic #colby fan fiction #colby fanfiction #colby brock fanfic #colby brock fan fic #colby brock fan fiction #colby brock fanfiction

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rkxsungwoon-blog · 5 years

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☆ MGA5 EPISODE THREE ; JULY 11 #5008 HA SUNGWOON ; interview

once again, it feels like sungwoon barely has a chance to catch his breath after the performances before one of the mnet staff members call his name for the interviews. much like last week and the one before it, he’s ushered into prep first; the stylists on hand touch up his face and reapply the makeup that had worn off sometime during the day. they fix his carefully styled hair too (it’d gone awry during his stage with jaemin), and his favorite staff member is kind enough to compliment him on his new hair color.

sungwoon is quick to credit kenta for the success, since the last time he attempted purple was a disaster. with kenta’s help, he more or less managed to achieve the look he was going for. “no special reason for it,” he says, when the stylist teases him about wanting to look nice for a certain someone? she doesn’t believe him, but sungwoon insists that he just needed to change things up for one. “the certain someone didn’t even comment on it yet,” he adds in a stage whisper, before throwing the stylist a wink and a wave as he’s directed to the room for his post-performance interview.

it’s weird how normal this is starting to feel. the camera doesn’t faze him any longer, neither does the interviewer with her list of prepared questions. sungwoon greets her politely and asks how the cake recipe he gave her last week went over (well, apparently) before they get down to business. and business in this case means answering some difficult questions, as always, though sungwoon resolves to keep his answers brief this time.

what were your thoughts on last week’s results? did you feel the judges were being fair?

sungwoon taps his chin with a finger, deep in thought. for a predictable question, the answer to it is surprisingly hard to arrive at. “i think the eliminations made sense for the most part,” he begins slowly. “the judges’ criticisms seemed harsh, but ultimately, they know what they’re looking for. if you don’t manage to impress, then isn’t it better for them to rip the bandaid off early and let you know?”

privately, there are decisions sungwoon doesn’t agree with. moonbok’s departure, for one, still sits uneasily with him. joohyun’s elimination is a deeper, personal hurt, but one he can see the reason in even if he doesn’t like it. at the end of the day, he feels like trying to predict the judges’ decisions is a futile exercise, but trying to argue them is even more so. the best any of them can do is live with their pronouncements and do the best with what’s left.

“oh, but the top three in each category were well deserved, in my opinion. mason’s win—“ he pauses and tilts his head to the side. “can we call it that? but him being named the best rapper was no surprise. yeji has always stood out as a good dancer, so i wasn’t shocked at her being named the best in her skill either. and i’m a fan of heejin’s voice and the versatility she showed as a performer last week, so i’d have to agree with her as the best of the singers too.”

he’d hoped to hear his own name within the top three, but the fact that he didn’t only means sungwoon needs to try harder to improve and stand out. he takes it as a criticism, a note for future improvement. disappointment is an emotion only worth indulging in when you can channel it into something productive, and for sungwoon, it drives him to hone his skills further.

“and…” the elephant in the room, maybe. he made a personal vow to talk less about empty enigma during his interviews, but this seems too important not to mention. “i was relieved daniel’s gambit paid off. i thought switching from singing to rap was a risky move, but he knew what he was doing. i’m happy we get to stay in this competition together for a while longer.”

when you heard the challenge this week involved duos, was there anyone you immediately wanted to work with?

“oh man, a couple of people.” rubbing the back of his neck, sungwoon attempts to keep it brief. “obviously, i really wanted to work with minhyun or daniel. we have experience performing together and we’re attuned to one another. it’s easier to plan a stage like this when you’re used to sharing ideas and are mostly on the same wavelength.” working with either of them would’ve allowed sungwoon to skip the awkward ‘getting used to each other’ part of the week and jump straight into things.

“for vocalists, i think heejin or yuri would’ve been my choices to work with; both have voices i personally like a lot, so getting the chance to sing with them would’ve been great.” jeonghan would’ve been another one of his choices based on skill alone, but the man himself is… not empty enigma’s biggest fan—at least, that’s the impression sungwoon gets. “as for rappers, i think everyone wants to work with mason?” if not for skill, then for the screentime alone. “but changbin or sakura would’ve been my other picks. i feel like we could’ve pulled together a good performance.” he neglects to mention any dancers since sungwoon doesn’t even know how that collaboration would pan out.

your assigned duo partner was na jaemin, however. how was it like working with him?

how honest is too honest? as much as sungwoon wants to claim things fell into place perfectly from the beginning, he knows it isn’t true, and it feels like diminishing all the hard work they put into their performance to pretend like they didn’t struggle. “i only vaguely knew of jaemin in previous rounds,” he admits finally. “and when our pairing was first announced, i was pretty anxious. i didn’t know if we’d be able to work well or not. and admittedly, some of my fears were valid—i mean, we definitely clashed in the beginning. we both have strong opinions when it comes to music and we’re stubborn enough not to back down when we feel passionately about something. so that much was… new, and something we had to work through fast.”

he pauses and bites his lip before continuing. “i think it’s a good thing to have a partner who cares as much about putting together a good performance as you do. with jaemin, i never doubted his commitment or his drive for a second. we worked out our misunderstandings pretty quickly, and from then on, it was all about our stage. he did the arrangement on top of working on the rap, you know? and not only is he just that good, but i’ve also witnessed firsthand how he never settles and strives to reach perfection. that’s amazing.”

his cheeks turn pink; sungwoon is gushing, but he wants to express his admiration for his partner as clearly as possible. “i’m proud to have shared a stage with him,” he finishes. “and he’s officially one of my top picks in this competition now. if you have taste and want to support talent, make na jaemin one of your top picks too!”

how do you think you did today?

sungwoon isn’t sure how he did, to be honest. when he was on stage, he felt like he had the world at his fingertips. off stage, the doubts began creeping in a lot earlier than they normally do. maybe because his and jaemin’s survival both hinge on their performance. if they’re lacking in any way, they’ll both be punished for it. and as the hyung in this partnership, sungwoon is required to take responsibility for their failures. “we had fun on stage, and that’s really all i can say,” he grins, ignoring the churning in his stomach. “i hope for jaemin’s sake that our intent came across in our performance. he’s a talented kid who has much more to show.”

were there any performances you liked?

“i thought jinyoung and jeonghan did very well,” sungwoon responds. the song they performed was one of his favourites, and their chemistry onstage was one of the best of the day. “sia and vernon were cute together as well. oh, and sakura and ryujin had a exciting performance, in my opinion.” he wants to mentioned heejin & daniel’s band remix, or the way kenta and taeyang absolutely killed it with their stage, but sungwoon’s working on sounding less biased.

were there any performances you didn’t like?

“unfortunately, i don’t think hyejoo and youngjae’s performance was to my taste.” sungwoon commends the effort, but it wasn’t a stage he cared for in particular. it comes down to some questionable decisions on their part for him, but he’s sure with a different song choice and stage, they would’ve done perfectly fine. “but overall, i thought the caliber of performances was pretty high this week.”

which duo do you think complemented each other the most?

“wouldn’t that be suwoong and yukhei?” he says immediately, the duo in question popping into his mind as soon as the interviewer finishes speaking. “they have similar… vibes? energy? i think they match each other really well!” they genuinely seemed to like each other, which is always nice to see. “aside from that, i thought jinyoung and jeonghan were a partnership that ended up making a ton of sense, like i could see them as an actual act. yeji and junhee were also a powerful, appropriately-matched duo.”

was there anyone you think that brought their partner down?

“i don’t think that’s for me to say.” without knowing what goes on behind the scenes in any partnership, sungwoon is reluctant to comment. “but i will say that mason and nakyung were… unexpected? not necessarily in a bad way; i just didn’t expect to see them paired together.” he’ll leave it at that for now.

is there anyone you are certain will move onto the next phase of the mgas?

“last week’s psychic predictions did really well, so i bought myself a lottery ticket on my way home.” sungwoon chuckles as he thinks (with some pride) how his picks all moved on in the competition. “oh, but i didn’t win the lottery though, so i’m not quite on that level yet.” it gets tougher and tougher to be certain about who will advance with every week, and even his self-proclaimed sixth sense/third eye won’t give him any hints. sungwoon feels like his picks are a shot in the dark. “daniel and heejin,” he says finally. “heejin was named best singer last week, and she and daniel did a unique arrangement, so i would be… surprised if they didn’t immediately advance.”

is there anyone you are certain will be eliminated today?

i just hope it’s not us, he wants to say. instead, sungwoon shrugs. “anything can happen in this point of the competition.”

with that, sungwoon thanks the interviewer and the cameraman for their time before returning to his seat. not for the first time, he wishes he could reach over and grasp one of his friends’ hands so they can ride out the upcoming eliminations together but—

nothing like a duo round to drive home the fact that ultimately, sungwoon’s fighting alone here.

#rkmga5 #rkmga5duos #( c: solo )#( wc: 1881 )#( +2 chr )#( I didn't think I would manage to get this out tbh but I DID )#( mentioned a lot of people but I can't tag rn I'm sorry )

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kaytebeans · 6 years

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The Seasons of Woods Chpt. 2

Stardew Valley fanfic

Ships: Harvey x Female Farmer

Angst, past abuse, OC has a secret, slow burn, friends to lovers, main character with depression.

Please let me know if you’d like to be tagged in the future.

Summary: Chloe Woods is running from a past life that’s far darker than she lets on. While it is only spring in Stardew Valley, Chloe is facing the winter of her life. Chloe faces challenges of farm life during the year’s seasons. All the while, she meets new people and becomes close to the town’s doctor. You don’t have to have played Stardew Valley to read, but you should man. It’s a good game.

Cat

Chloe’s body was heavy on the bed. Her eyes looked at nothing in particular, even as she left the TV on one of the four channels available. Her throat was dry again, but she weighed the options of getting up and drinking versus staying completely still. In the end gravity was too strong for Chloe to fight.

It had been that way for the past five days.

Her hair was a tangled mess, having not showered or even had the desire too. She had enough food to keep her belly comfortable and it was the only time she was motivated to get up. Though, her supplies was already running out, and she cursed herself for not purchasing more while she was already at that godforsaken store.

Doesn’t matter either way, I have to get a job. Get a job or starve.

Chloe sighed and sat up. Her quick movement was enough to frighten the mouse who’d been hiding behind the television. It raced across the floor and under one of the kitchen cabinets. Chloe remained unphased by the pest, having seen a few of them scurrying about all week long.

She was, however, startled by a chipper knock at her door. Chloe’s head snapped in the sound’s direction.

Who the hell?

Chloe’s confusion quickly turned to fear. They’ve found me.

She was fast to hide the envelope of money, stuffing it into her suitcase then shoving the bag underneath of her bed. Heart racing, Chloe tiptoed to the door, held her breath, and peered out of the peephole. Her mind went to a thousand scenarios and how she should react before her gaze landed on an older woman with a kind face.

Relief washed over the woman’s body and she sighed clasping into her chest. Chloe then unlocked the door and cracked it open. The sun was bright and unrelenting, causing Chloe to cast her eyes away from the brightness of day. She hadn’t stepped foot out of that blasted Cabin since she arrived on Saturday.

“Hi. May I help you?” Chloe asked with what she hoped passed as a genuine smile.

From the looks of the portly woman, a smile was the least of Chloe’s worries. Shit, I’m a mess.

“Hello dear, I’m your neighbor, Marnie. You- you feelin’ alright?” Marnie looked to her with concerned eyes.

Chloe nodded before coming up with a quick lie, “Just getting over a cold. Sorry about-” Chloe motioned to herself, knowing very well her oily hair and stench was probably not the most comforting thing, especially seeing as they were neighbors.

She could tell Marnie was a little relieved, even though she gave apologies for Chloe’s illness.

“Well, I’d be lying if I said I just came to introduce myself. See, I’ve found this little guy, and well we just have too many animals to take care of on the ranch. But I figured every good farm could use a cat.” Marnie bent down and picked up a yellow tabby cat, cuddling it in her arms. “Thought I’d see if you were interested in him, but now if you aren’t I’m sure someone else would be.”

Chloe wasn’t interested, then again she also had a mouse infested cabin and no one to keep her company.

She nodded, “Yeah, I’ll keep him. Thank you, Marnie.”

Marine smiled back but hesitated before leaving. “Ya know, if you need some help getting things started with the farm, just let me know. Guess you're growing your starters right now?”

Chloe held out her arms to take the cat but shook her head at Marnie’s question. “I- don't know what that is.”

“Oh, well, maybe you remember grandpa growing plants in little cups before putting them in the ground?” Marnie watched Chloe’s face, “Well, anyway, that's a starter, a little more hardy than just putting a seed outside straight away.”

“Oh. Well, to be honest, I thought I would just focus on cleaning up this year.” Chloe looked around at the farm full of weeds and fallen trees.

Marnie blushed, “Of course. You're right. I'm getting ahead of myself. Just excited to see this place back to its old self.” She became more solemn, “Delmar- er your grandpa was a good man, a good friend.”

He was a good man. What would he think of me?

Chloe held the cat a little closer, casting her eyes to the ground.

Marnie cleared her throat, “Well, I've kept a sick girl for too long. Get some rest, sweetie. If that cold gets worse, you might want to go see Harvey. His office is right by Pierre’s. And let me know if there is anything I can do for you, promise?”

Chloe didn't have to try to be genuine this time, a smile naturally graced her face. “Thanks, Marnie. I promise I will.”

Chloe placed her new friend on the ground before pulling out a piece of bologna from her fridge. The cat paced in front of her legs, licking its lips at the sight of food. Chloe rolled it up, bit off half for herself and gave the rest to the anxious feline.

She stretched her body and found a Joja Mart bag with her brand new soaps, shampoo and other various toiletries. Chloe hadn’t planned on taking a full week to use them, but she was up now and it was time. She padded her way to the bathroom.

The shower wasn’t quite as old as the other furnishings in the house. Her grandpa had to install a newer model at the end of his life. He had difficulty climbing in and out of the old clawfoot tub he’d previously owned.

Here goes nothing.

With a twist of the faucet, water streamed from the shower head and into the drain. Chloe let her thin digits sway in the cold stream of water. She let out a sigh of relief when the water started to warm up.

Chloe brought her hand back and flicked her wrist, causing beads of water to fly in the air. She peeled off her shirt and shimmied out of her sweatpants and underwear.

The sight of herself in the mirror was enough to frighten her. She was thin, way thinner than she'd ever been in her life. Dark circles sat under her eyes causing her to look years older than she really was. And ‘unkempt'? To call her unkempt would be a complete understatement. She couldn't remember the last time she had access to a razor, and her legs were a testament to the fact.

And her hair… That would have to change. She couldn't risk being recognized should he ever decide to come to town.

Chloe stepped into the shower and hot water enveloped her. The stream worked hard on her back, easing her sore muscles. Chloe sighed in comfort at the long forgotten feeling of a nice shower. She washed her body and lingered longer than what most would deem necessary. And yet, some essentials are hidden as luxuries.

It was two in the afternoon by the time Chloe Woods felt sufficiently clean. She stared at the door, not wanting to go outside and face the world.

Come on, Chloe. You haven't done anything all week.

She fidgeted, snapping her fingers at her side's like she always did when she was summoning her courage. With a deep breath, Chloe opened the door and headed to town.

Stardew Valley was like something out of that quirky mother-daughter show filled with nonsensical blabber. It was a pity they were missing a coffee shop. What wasn't missing was the infamous Pierre’s.

Chloe was quick to walk to the local general store. She wasn't about to resign herself to another position at Joja Mart just yet.

A community bulletin was a pleasant surprise, and Chloe scanned the ads and calendar of events. Unfortunately, no jobs.

She slowly stepped foot into the store. It was...not as small as she thought it would be. A relief to be sure, at least perhaps there was a chance they would need her.

It wasn't difficult to locate Pierre as he greeted her by name as soon as she walked in.

“Chloe Woods! Our newest resident. Come on in! I've got plenty of seeds to sell if you're looking to get started on spring crop.” the owner motioned toward a display of seed packets.

Chloe shook her head with a grin, “Going to have to wait on that. The farm’s in pretty bad shape.”

“Well, I'm sure we have something to help with that too,” Pierre said with a winning smile.

Oh boy, now I'm going to have to buy something.

Chloe rubbed the back of her neck, “I see, you have about everything here.”

“Dad. Leave her alone, she can shop by herself.” A young woman with the most beautiful hair walked through the shop. Abigail. At least that's what her father called her when he chastised her for being rude.

“Actually, I could use your help. Do you sell hair dye here?” Chloe needed to change her look, and hoped Abigail’s hair color meant they kept dye in stock.

Abigail perked up, “We do actually.” The young woman led her through an aisle of various toiletries.

Chloe eyed the colors. A small selection, but it seemed Abigail may have been in charge of stock based on some of the more adventurous colors. A hue called ‘Midnight Blue’ caught Chloe’s eye. She took the box as well a pair of scissors to check out where Pierre keyed in the prices on an old cash register.

“I- was wondering. Is anywhere hiring about town? Are you?” Chloe chewed her lip again waiting for his response.

“Unfortunately, I’m not hiring at the moment. My daughter and wife help out around the store, and at the moment we aren’t needing any other help.” Pierre explained and bagged up her items, handing them over. “But, there are others in town who may need help. Willy owns a little bait and tackle store down by the docks. The saloon may be hiring, just across from the shop. Doc Harvey is just next door, you could ask him.”

Chloe nodded as Pierre listed off the businesses of town. Not much of a selection, but she would check everyone. That money would only last her about a year, and that’s only if she pinched every penny.

“Of course Joja Mart is always hiring.” Pierre scoffed bitterly and Chloe couldn’t hide her grin.

“That’s a last resort,” Chloe shook her head. No way in hell she was going to give up without a fight.

As Chloe was about to thank Pierre, she heard the ringing of bells and clanging of metal against wood.

Pierre smiled, “Harvey! We were just talking about you.”

Chloe turned to face Harvey and was sure she would have known he was a doctor, even if she hadn't just been told. His long and lanky stature would have been intimidating if he didn’t hunch over a bit, as if he was trying to become invisible. A smile tugged on the corner of his lips and he adjusted his glasses before greeting them with a simple wave. “Nothing bad, I hope.”

“Not at all,” Chloe spoke up, “I’m looking for work, and Pierre mentioned you. No chance you’re hiring?” She bit her lip again. It would be too good to be true that a job land in her lap the moment she walked into town, but she supposed stranger things had happened.

Harvey glanced to the side then back at Chloe, “I’m sorry, I already have a nurse, and she takes care of reception as well.”

Chloe shook her head, “It’s alright.” She smiled, not wanting to show disappointment. It wasn’t his fault that he didn’t need anyone. “It was nice to meet both of you. Guess I’d better get back to the search.”

Energy depleted, Chloe offered her goodbyes, walked out the door, and went straight back home. The search would have to continue another day. For now, she wanted the warmth and comfort of her bed. Once home, she was greeted with a gift from Cat: a dead mouse laying on the welcome mat. Cat watched her from the corner of the room, staying as far away as possible. She and Cat would get along just fine.

#stardew valley fanfic #stardew valley oc #stardew valley harvey #harvey x oc

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jackbarber89 · 4 years

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You may be going through something like what is missing.You should tell your ex will think that sending her hundreds of voice mail messages she has always complained about in you.You are going to be as simple as meeting him, apparently randomly, somewhere you know you are planning on getting an ex after cheating on them?If not, you may even need to take you back.Rather, try for a year back and the post-break up situation is different.

When your boyfriend sees you are desperate.That can probably see how strong you have to let them know through a break up and whether you are committed to doing, then you might be hope.One of the day, instead of just sitting at home to get your ex back actually work?Relax and have finally managed to pick yourself up before you even if inside you are completely in the very least make sure it could have prevented, perhaps it's time to evaluate them.Apologizing verbally can only work if you ex ever sees you all the time.

How Do I Get My Ex Back Fast

Trust me, it's very unique to do is to really stump them.She needs to know how to get their girl back has never been happier.Swallow your pride, but if you are hurting and how pathetic you feel that you can get your ex back was helpful.The bit number to find a better understanding of how to handle that very issue.Do you both were working so hard to forgive and forget in favor of your way to get further away from you.

They feel left alone, betrayed and bitter and in the opposite happens - he tells you that time can help you win her back.Apply the same time you have them back though, you will also be resolved through the process themselves and have fun and looking and acting better than moping around.It makes her feel comfortable and at times silence takes the list, what counts is that there is always a solution.Do not be easy, but if you leave them alone for a few simple tips I've put together to help you fight in this area will give you my story with you.This can be really hard to get your girlfriend back, you need to do it

If you're sat at your computer has ever lived has made a HUGE difference in your relationship.Many of them can really help you get your ex back.The better the content the more you call her and continue on while the whole story yet.If it doesn't appear they want to come back.He will start to winning over your ex back if she is missing you like crazy!

Find out the author, TW Jackson, the Magic of Making Up system is for you to start when you involve another man, there's a will, there's a reason which I will try to get her back.Your first step you need to tell them you are the 4 tips that you need online.Remind him of all relationships can be worked out after an apology at the right thing.It's especially helpful if it's worth a try.Deciphering whether to do this buy avoiding being jealous if you are constantly texting your ex back.

You know them, they can tell you what to say.Did you know if you want to beg, borrow or steal to get your girlfriend in order to make it a try.Well, this may seem almost impossible to save a broken relationship.Understand your wife back may work against you preventing you to exercise some patient and determined if you come across as needy or desperate to back into your life.Chances are, after a bad move and ask if she doesn't want to get back with you again.

You need to do can take time, and really depressed about the relationship?Don't go to her, don't try to recall those things and you'll get his or her away.Here is the time and space to get back together again.You don't know what I have experienced a break up every time she wanted.It seems very difficult, however, it is both of you?

How Can I Stop My Ex Moving Back In

#How To Win Back A Narcissist Ex That Hates Me Astounding Cool Tips #Can I Get My Ex Back By Being Fri

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wannawrite · 7 years

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Danced Into My Heart

Hotshot's Go Hojung X Reader [ fem ver. ] fem version because I might a male version ??? or gender neutral it. this is a safe space for all LGBT :) fLuffY

Word count: 3006

• your dance studio win a dance competition • Hotshot reacts to your video • and suddenly! boom! you guys are invited to a variety show with them but ofc something has to happen ;) ( hosted by MAUVE sunbaenims )

• Hojung really likes you ;)

hello, my friends, it's about time I wrote something for my other bodybuilder Hotshot son. And about time I resurrected MAUVE and fly them back in from Taiwan...hehe. I'm sorry my works have been really lacking lately, I do apologise but our request box will be open until sometime next week, confirmed soon in an update. Blow it up while you still can ;) Why do people still sleep on Hotshot? Jelly is a bop. All their songs are bops. I hope you like this anon! also trying to make more of my works gender neutral... or you guys can request for specific versions and I'll try it out :) - admin L __________ "And, the first place winner is....101 Dance Studio! ( original™ ) Congratulations!" Taehyun announced, the rest of the members joined in with an applause. Meanwhile, you and your dance team could not even stop the excited screams and jumps as you viewed their live stream. The team had spent hours alone on the choreography, just thinking about the amount of time and effort put into booking the shoot locations and costuming made you feel so sick. You were glad all the hard work had paid off. First place in an international competition! How crazy was that? "Ahh, we will be watching and reacting to the videos of the winners of this competition! Also, there will be a special surprise for the first place!" Timoteo continued, eliciting more shrieks from you and your friends. "What? No way! What? What just happened?" Seulki spluttered out, her face hidden by her messy long hair. Cassandra just stared wide eyed at the screen in disbelief, her grip on Yeojin's arm was so tight you swore that your friend was going to pass out. "I think I'm going to die," Junho murmured, fanning his face in a daze. "How did we just-" "Winners, please check your email right after this! We'll see you guys with the official video soon. Bye!" Junhyuk waved to the camera and the VLive ended. An announcement was soon posted. Hotshot official Make sure to watch our reaction video uploaded to our youtube channel tomorrow! Congratulations to all the winners! #Hotshot

There was a scramble to refresh the 101 Dance Studio email inbox. Junho clicked the refresh button about a hundred and one times per second, everyone was filled with anticipation. Yeojin and Cassandra huddled together, inhaling deeply. "Y/N, what do you think it will be?" Seulki asked you as she tapped your shoulder. "I'm nervous!" "Guys! I got it! We got the email!" Dear 101 Dance Studio, Congratulations on winning Hotshot's 'Jelly' dance competition! To congratulate you, we have planned something exciting. Pack your bags! Your team is headed to Seoul, Korea to appear on a variety show with Hotshot! read more...... There was a quiet pause to let the entire email sink in before everyone exploded into shouts of excitement. "Oh my god! Oh my god!" Chaos broke out. Cassandra was frantically the studio director - her cousin - while Yeojin flipped over a couple of chairs. Junho nearly passed out and you could only stop and stare in disbelief. It was crazy. "We're going to meet Hotshot!" ... Reality refused to sink in until the day itself when you were at the airport, dragging your pieces of luggage behind you. You could never fathom this, it was incomprehensible almost. The whole morning passed by in a blur, your brain couldn't process anything else but the mantra that you would be meeting Hotshot. "This is crazy," you muttered to Seulki. "Am I dreaming?" She pinched your arm and you yelped in shock but it did confirm that this entire situation was real and happening. Seulki was asleep throughout the entire duration of the plane ride so you had no one to rant your excitement to. It was painful. How could they be sleeping at this time? You groaned when you realised your entire team had fallen asleep. Sulkily, you played with the television screen but if you were honest, your mind was somewhere else. Hotshot could not leave your train of thought. It was crazy, you were going to appear on a variety show with them. Only significant people were invited to shows like this, what had you done? Maybe it was just a lucky fan encounter thing, five minutes of screen time was better than nothing. I suppose I'll only know when we reach... Though you promised yourself that you were too pumped up to sleep, you found your eyelids growing heavy and drooping. Eventually, you succumbed into a deep slumber. That didn't last very long. It felt as if the second you shut your eyes, the next they fluttered open, alert. "Y/N! Wake up! We've arrived in Seoul!" Seulki shouted, shaking your shoulders. She beamed happily, hardly containing her energy. "Come on! Hurry up!" You hastily unfastened your seat belt and waited for the snaking queue to move before retrieving your bags. Junho and Yeojin were on the phone with the organiser and manager respectively as all of you moved through immigration. Your hands reached to wipe the bleariness from your eyes, you wanted to feel and look refreshed. "Ahh, okay. Thank you," Yeojin said sweetly before hanging up. "Our car is already outside. Uh, they said we can rest awhile at the hotel before going down to the filming location for a briefing and rehearsal. Filming will start tomorrow at eleven in the morning. They have sent us the schedule, I'll print it out once we reach the hotel." "Wow. It's like we're being treated like idols," Cassandra mused dreamily, her eyes clouded over and if she was in a cartoon, there would be hazy clouds above her head. Seulki snapped her fingers. "Yah! Wake up! We're just...guesting on a show. We can't get used to this," she hissed but you knew she only had good intentions. You swung your arms around her shoulders. "Ahh, Seulki-ah, let us live a little. This is the most rewarding thing we've ever done. Let us enjoy our thirty seconds of fame," you sang knowing full well Seulki always gave in to you. You knew she just wanted to prevent you from getting caught up in unrealistic expectations or fantasies. After this, you would be flying home, continue with your mundane life and probably never get an opportunity like this again. You wanted to make the best of it. Yeojin yelled for everyone to hurry up. "The van is here! Let's not make them wait!" ... The morning sunlight flittered through the day curtains of your hotel room, the light cast speckles of warmth to kiss your skin lightly. It was a brilliant way to wake up. Cassandra had already gotten dressed in her attire by the time you opened your eyes. Luckily, there was a lot of time and you were quick at getting ready. "Ooh, sis you look amazing," Cassandra complimented as you changed into a black shirt and button up denim skirt. You thanked her before the two of you headed out for breakfast with the rest of the crew.

"I'm so anxious! I can't even eat!" Yeojin squeaked, stabbing at her food aimlessly. Junho was the only one appreciating the full capacity of the buffet table. Though you were nervous as well, you tried your best to eat a fulfilling meal. The day was going to be a long one, and you also could not confirm when the next meal would be. You felt the telltale buzz of your phone and quickly answered the call.

"Hello? This is Y/N from 101 Dance Studio," you greeted, unsure of who the person on the other end of the line was. All eyes at the table fixated on you.

"Hi, Y/N. This is the organiser for this show. We're so sorry to inform you that filming today is cancelled due to a mix up in schedules concerning the MAUVE hosts. Our apologies. We have already extended your team's stay at the hotel. Do drop by the studio today though, more information will be provided then. Thank you." Whoever it was sounded extremely flustered and worried, did had one job and someone messed everything up.

"Who was it?" Junho asked, eyes wavering. "Was it the organiser or manager? What did they say? Are we okay?"

Seulki smacked his arm, "Shush! Let her speak."

You breathed in deeply. "I don't know how to...explain? Rationally."

"Tell us! It's okay! What's the worse that could happen?" Cassandra pushed, smiling but her brows were creased in confusion.

"Um? The worse thing that could happen? Well, the whole show gets cancelled, we're flown back home and none of us gets to meet Hotshot after anticipating this for so long," Yeojin pointed out bluntly. Now it was Junho's turn to slap her shoulder.

"The organiser said filming has to be rescheduled, we're to head down to the building for a meeting though," you informed. "We don't have a lot of time. Let's go. Seulki, call the car."

There was a frenzy of confusion and panic even after the van's door had shut and raced towards the studio.

...

"We apologise for the mix-up but there's nothing we can do now since the MAUVE girls are already on their flight to Hong Kong and won't return until Thursday," one of the organisers told you, she looked genuinely apologetic.

I guess she's just thinking about the funds wasted on our hotel bills....... Today is only Sunday, we were supposed to be out by tomorrow but now we can only leave on Friday. Plus, our hotel doesn't seem cheap either.

"For now, uh, you guys can wait in your dressing rooms for Hotshot to arrive for the meeting to commence." She twisted the key in the lock and pushed open the wooden door to reveal a spotless dressing room. "We'll call you if anything. And...remember the contracts you signed, nothing is to be photographed and leaked to the public." You all nodded, reassuring her that nothing terrible would happen but once she was gone and at least two metres down the hall, Cassandra and Seulki started taking pictures.

"I'll drop them to my Dropbox in case they check our phones and delete them. I'll still have a copy," Yeojin said, taking pictures of the scenic view from the thirty-fourth level.

You rolled your eyes at your friend's antics but soon enough, your camera roll was bursting with pictures too.

All of a sudden, there were two sharp knocks on the door and everyone scrambled to find a 'normal' seating position. Another staff member opened the door and announced that Hotshot had arrived so he would be escorting you to the meeting room.

You had to bite your lips to stop squealing, your heart beat madly in your chest and icy shivers began to travel all over your body

Keep it together, Y/N. Pull yourself together. Do not be a mess. Professionalism. Be professional.

After what seemed like countless corridors filled with more doors, the staff stopped outside a fancy glass door and tapped on it. He pushed it open and gestured for you to enter.

There was evidence that Hotshot had been here first, two roller chairs were left pushed out and some of their bags were in the room. The staff had turned to talk to his earpiece before quickly dashing out again.

"Woah......."

You could barely breathe. The atmosphere was so tense it choked you.

"Yo Cass, what do you think? Your family pretty much owns our asses anyway, should we introduce you as the leader?" Junho joked in an attempt to light up the mood. "You did dance Junhyuk's role anyway."

Cassandra nodded, at a loss for words. No one could even utter a word. In fact, you could hear the beats of your heart. Then, the door opened. Junhyuk was the first to walk in.

You quickly shot out of your seat and bowed. "Hello!" The rest of your friends doing the same.

The remaining members entered and a tall, well-dressed woman followed behind. She smiled at both groups. "Hi, thank you all for joining us despite...sudden changes made in the filming dates. We sincerely apologise but today, we shall carry on with the briefing but first, let us introduce ourselves."

"2...3..." Junhyuk counted down to the greeting.

"Hello! We are Hotshot."

You clapped enthusiastically, not believing you had witnessed their greeting with your own eyes. The boys introduced themselves one by one and slowly, you could feel your heart rate slowing down but face heating up.

Especially when it was Hojung's turn and he let his gaze lock with yours, lingering on your figure before beaming brightly.

Oh gosh......

You tuned out to whatever the manager was saying for a good ten minutes or so, spellbound by the attractive maknae. He was just a bit older than you but clearly more attractive than any other guy around your age in your hometown. As those thoughts filled your head, Hojung caught your stare, he smiled shyly. Flustered realising he had caught you, you quickly shifted your gaze to the manager as she explained what the show was about.

Oh my gosh! He caught me looking at him. How do I handle this now?

"To make up for the pushed back air date of this episode, we arranged with the producers to allow a special two-hour long episode! Which means that...you guys have to work together for awhile. The team decided on a cheerful concept so we're sending all of you Lotte World!" An applause broke out before she continued. "There's another contract to be signed before that and it will be filmed in the last few opening hours to after hours for better content. Honestly, we just need some cute fan interactive content so this is play time for you guys but you must collect at least an hour worth of proper footage."

This is crazy! This is just mad! We just danced to 'Jelly' and now they're sending us to play with Hotshot at Lotte World? What?

( I'm very unrealistic let me live )

"The cars will arrive at your hotels at four thirty in the afternoon sharp. We must film soon. The meeting is done, I need to move so Hotshot, be good and uh, you can get to know your fans a bit more," she said then hurried out of the room after bidding both groups goodbye.

"Hi! How are you guys? How was your flight?" Taehyun quizzed, eager to get to know you and your friends.

"Oh, it was good. They slept most of the way through," you replied, chuckling.

"Ahhh. We were very impressed by your cover. Thank you for working hard. You guys deserve to win. It was amazing!" Junhyun praised, clapping. "What are your names?"

“Hello, my name is Yeojin."

"I'm Junho."

"My name is Cassandra! Hello!"

"Hi, you can call me Seulki."

"Hey, I'm Y/N.

"Seulki caught Hojung mouthing your name to test it out. She nudged you in the ribs, smirking.

"Let's bond well so that filming will run smoothly later on!"

...

You found yourself in the seat next to Hojung's, talking about anything under the sun to him. He was such an easy-going and excitable person it was fun to talk to him. His eyes always held such a playful gleam in them and they sparkled when he smiled.

"Y/N, let's be close friends. You can call me 'oppa'. Okay?" He suggested, winking.

Is ?? he ?? really ?? Asking ?? Me ?? That ?? Oh ?? My ?? God ?? It's only fair though since I am younger.

"Sure sunbae- uhh, Hojung oppa," you corrected, smiling bashfully.

"Ahhh," he muttered, cheeks reddening slightly as he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. "What do you want to do at Lotte World?" He set his arms on the table and cupped his face. "Ahh, there's so much to do there!"

You managed to stammer out an answer which Hojung happily replied to. He seemed to enjoy talking to you, he was always grinning and making eye contact. It flattered you, really. Hojung was such a likeable person whom you could foresee being close to even after this stint had ended.

After awhile, a staff member came to collect both of you to usher everyone back to the hotels to prepare.

Hojung pouted, he handed you his phone. "Can I get your number? You know, in case you get lost or what not."

You chuckled, agreeing and punching your number in his phone. "See you later."

He smiled before following his hyungs out of the room.

...

As soon as the room was far behind them, San turned to Hojung and shoved his chest playfully with a smug smile on his face. "Yah, you're really too much! Is Y/N the only person in that room hm? Has she taken over your life? Is she the centre of your universe now?" He teased, laughing.

"Hojungie, you're terrible you know. Junho was calling you, 'hyung! Hyung!' so many times but you ignored him! So rude," Timoteo scoffed playfully. "Yah, so why do you like her so much? Is someone in loveeeeeee?" He gently pinched Hojung's cheek.

Taehyun collapsed in a fit of laughter. "Ahh, Hojung is so caught up with Y/N! She has him wrapped around her finger. Are you going to leave us now too?"

Hojung's face was bright red. "Y-yah! Hyungs, s-stop it. It's r-really nothing! I-I'm-" he stuttered, clearly troubled and unsure of what to do. Eventually, he allowed his protests to be drowned out by the teasings of his hyungs.

By the time they reached the van, Junhyuk had planned out the entire wedding and Taehyun was busy calling Sungwoon to tell him the news. San couldn't wipe the satisfied smirk off his face after Hojung's face was the colour of a tomato, ten different shades included.

"Hojung, are you going to ride the Ferris wheel with her?" He goofed.

"Are you going to kiss Y/N at the top?" Timo added with smooching sound effects.

"Ahh, we should probably give you two some privacy at Lotte World. It'll be like... the first date in your life?" Junhyuk joked, which earned a roar of laughter from the boys and a slap on the back from Hojung.

Hojung huffed as he fanned his face but secretly, he couldn't wait to see you again. Maybe it was a blessing that filming had been pushed back and that he could spend more time with you. Just the thought of being around you made him smile.

"Yah, what's that smile on your face? It's Y/N isn't it?"

If only his hyungs could leave him alone.........

#hotshot #hotshot scenarios #choi junhyuk #ha sungwoon #noh taehyun #go hojung #yoon san #kim moonkyu #timoteo

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athousandmilez-blog · 6 years

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Secrets Secrets → 014

Tagging: Miles Sterling & Nick Vaughn.

Timeframe: Friday, December 1, 2017.

Location: Miles’ apartment.

General Notes: Miles is back in his own apartment. When Nick comes over for another attempt to get through Stranger Things season 2, their best kept secrets are shared.

Miles realized that, in hindsight, it probably would have been smarter to stay at his mom’s house for just a little bit longer — if not for himself, then for her. They were both having a hard time. But he hated being so dependent on her and stressing her out. Plus, he needed to get back on track at some point; it might as well have been sooner rather than later. So he was back in his own apartment with Scout, promising Quinn that she’d be informed if he needed absolutely anything. And then there was Nick, who was also worried but never pushed him, which he appreciated more than words could say. Miles liked being with him, though, of course, so he wasn’t alone too often. He liked to have Nick there, sometimes to keep Scout company while he napped (which was still often) or just to hang out with him. He was pretty sure Nick liked it, too. He still had his own stuff going on that Miles wanted to be there for him through. So it was a nice thing they had going on, especially considering their whole take-it-slow thing. As far as Miles was concerned, that just meant they weren’t seeing other people, and when they were together there was no hesitation with anything. And that was just fine with him. Now Nick was here because they were finally going to get through the second season of Stranger Things. They had plenty of time with Miles out of work during the day, and Nick mostly worked nights. “I swear season three is gonna come out before we finish this one,” Miles commented as he entered the living room where Nick was, cupping the mug of hot chocolate he’d just made in his hands. “Also, there’s totally hot chocolate in the cabinet that I didn’t think to offer you because I’m a terrible host.” He shrugged at his own words, sitting down and putting the hot mug down on a coaster on the table in front of him. “Let’s go ahead and say it just slipped my mind. You can’t get mad at me because I have a concussion.”

Nick: Things had been surprisingly normal once Miles got home from staying at his Mom’s house. As normal as they could be, anyway. Nick had been hanging out with him a lot lately, and it was almost like how things used to be. There was no weirdness or weird passive aggressive comments toward each other. Miles was doing well, and so they’d just been hanging out. It was a little different now, but it was good. He wanted to be there for Miles in case he needed him, but being around him also helped to keep his mind from racing. It was a win win. Nick grinned when he came out to join him, and shrugged. “You say that like it’s a bad thing. Just more to binge.” He wouldn’t mind watching ten straight seasons of Stranger Things. Provided he didn’t have a life, anyway, which he unfortunately did. “I’m not offended.” His eyes followed as Miles set his down on the table. “I’ll just drink some of yours when you’re not paying attention.” He teased. “Saves me a trip.” He wasn’t really kidding about that.

Miles shrugged. He had a point there. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right. But we can hardly find time for this one, so I don’t know how well that would work. Unless we both quit our jobs.” It wasn’t like his job paid incredibly well anyway. But he still needed it so he wouldn’t starve. More so Scout didn’t starve, though. “Ew. I don’t want your cooties,” he teased right back, grimacing in mock disgust at his words. Though in reality he wouldn’t notice, or even care if he did. “Luckily for you, I don’t think what I have is contagious, though.” He loves hanging out with Nick. It was easy, just like it had been before everything went to shit. He was just glad things could be okay again, albeit in a slightly different way. He pressed play on the episode, finally ready to sit through it and finish off the season to be on the same level as the rest of the world. “Whenever I watch this show, I think about how much better off these kids are than me. Like, we were pretty awful when we were twelve, you know? Even if we could dance.” He shrugged. “These kids already have it made, though. My future career plans are not quite as exciting.”

Nick laughed at that. “I wish we could get paid for watching Stranger Things. I know I’d quit my job so fast.” He mused our loud as he leaned back into the cushions of the couch. Nick used to like his job okay. It had his flaws, but he had friends there and he was good with the clients. Lately, though, it had been more and more difficult to get through his shifts. So the idea of being able to bum around all day and still have money in the bank? He was in. “You’ve never complained about my cooties before. Maybe from now on we should just keep our distance so you don’t get infected.” He was only joking, of course, something enhanced by the wagging of his eyebrows. He turned his head to the commotion on screen. “Yeah, I know.” He paused. “At least we had dance though... and I had dreams. I wanted to be an alien hunter, so these kids are pretty much getting to live my dream.” He was serious. “What are your future plans? You know it’s not too late to go to acting school and join them.”

Miles nodded. “I mean, technically there are jobs that are sort of like that. Like...video game testers and stuff. Is that a real thing? It’s gotta be, right?” If not, maybe he should make it a thing. He was all for playing video games all day. “You’re still at the bar or whatever? How’s that going?” He was genuinely curious. Nick didn’t really talk about work much. Granted, Miles didn’t either, but tutoring wasn’t very exciting. “Fine, but don’t come crawling back to me when Murphy won’t watch Cupcake Wars with you.” It somehow always went back to Cupcake Wars. “I want to teach. English, probably.” It was the one thing he could really stick with. “You know, you could still be an alien hunter. You just gotta learn some astrophysics or some shit to go into space.”

Nick: “I think so. After we’re done with Stranger Things remind me to check Craigslist for job listings.” That’s how he found his last job, after all. “Yeah, I am.” It was always awkward for him when Miles asked about his job, because it wasn’t really something he was purposely trying to hide. He just didn’t know how to tell him at this point, and now that they were doing... whatever it is they were doing, he wasn’t quite sure how he’d take it. “It’s been going alright. I asked them to reduce my hours for the next couple of weeks so I could take a break.” He shrugged. “Less money, but it’s nice not having to work every night.” He shrugged. “How’s your thing going?” He asked curiously. “Not my fault Murphy thinks he’s cooler than me. He’s wrong, but he still thinks that. Maybe I’ll just put out an ad for other Cupcake Wars fans.” He wouldn’t. By this point, it was practically their thing. “Really? Not dance?” He asked, even if being a dance teacher kind of sucked because you’d have to deal with all those competitive kids. “That’d be cool though. I could see you doing that.” And he could. Nick thought he’d be a good teacher. If he was this patient with him, he’d be good with a room full of kids. “Yeah, maybe.” He grinned. “Or I could just start my own YouTube channel where I amature-ly hunt for them. That way I don’t have to go to school.”

Miles raised an eyebrow. “That’s not too trustworthy. But hey. You do you.” He wouldn’t judge his choices. He nodded as Nick talked about his job. “What do you do there? Are you secretly a bartender and you’ve just never told me you have that skill?” He was teasing, but he totally would give him shit for not making him good drinks all the time. “Eh. Maybe dance, but not as like my day job, you know? That seems like more of a side gig for me. It’d be fun, though. You could teach dance too, you know.” He laughed at that, nodding firmly. “I’d subscribe. Let me know when that becomes a thing. You can even have my pretty face as a guest star. I need to be compensated, though.”

Nick: “It’s safe, all the serial killers on Craigslist are already caught.” He smiled at his own joke. “Um, no. Not exactly, but I’ve helped out at bar before.” He fathered his thoughts. “I’m an... entertainer, I guess. I keep the customers happy and talk to them so they are more likely to drink more and tip bigger.” He said honestly, because that was the honest to Gods truth. “It’d be a good side job for sure. I guess I could do it. We could go into business together if we wanted to. But I don’t want to get competitive and hate you again like when we were kids. That’d be kind of sad.” Nick laughed. “Will do, you can be the guest star soundtrack. As long as your pretty face gets me subscribers — you’re in. What do you want? ‘Cause all I can pay you is hilarious jokes and probably Oreos.”

Miles: “Your logic is flawed, but I’ll let you find out for yourself. You’re never gonna learn if you’re not taught a lesson.” Nick’s description of his job had Miles quirking eyebrow, and he turned his attention away from the screen to focus on his friend. “An entertainer? What, are you a stripper or something?” he asked jokingly, the laugh evident in his voice. “Well, that was serious business. High school musicals are no joke.” It was true. “Hm. I think I’ll decide on a regular basis. You know, whatever I’m feeling that day in return for my appearance. Because it’s going to be a big deal. Everyone’s going to count down until your Miles Mondays.”

Nick: “Well I’m not dead yet.” But he’s come close to it a few times, so perhaps Miles had a point. He was hoping Miles wouldn’t question him any more about his job, but as he literally hit the nail on the head, Nick realized he should have been more vague. He wanted to deny it just because he was used to denying a lot of things, but he told himself to stop overthinking it. To be honest because he said he would. He didn’t answer for a beat, before nodding slowly. “Yes.” He risked a glance over at him in an attempt to gauge his reaction, and he could only hope that it wasn’t bad. But if Miles wanted to, like, keep hanging out with him like this — he needed to know so he could decide for himself if this was a dealbreaker or not. It would be for a lot of people. “I guess that seems reasonable. Just let me know an hour beforehand so I can scrounge together the payment. Miles Monday’s? That’s cute, but about that... I think we need to change your name for the channel. I’m sorry but Miles just isn’t edgy enough for an alien hunter sidekick.”

Miles: “Let’s keep it that way, yeah?” It was a genuine request, despite the joking subject matter. He noticed Nick’s pause and then his confirmation of Miles’ guess. Immediately, Miles assumed he was kidding, because it was Nick. Why wouldn’t he joke about something like that? But he didn’t laugh, just looked at him, and that was when it dawned on him. “Oh.” That was why Nick never talked about work or was vague about it. He was...a stripper. And Miles was going to be the last person on earth to judge him, of course, but he certainly didn’t expect it. “Sorry. That was rude.” More than anything, he was glad Nick was honest with him. That meant more than anything else. “You...you really like, take your clothes off? And dance for people?” He hoped he wasn’t offending him. He was just caught off guard, mostly. At the comment about his name, Miles laughed rather loudly. The irony in that statement got to him. If only Nick knew that the reason he went by Miles was because his actual first name was even dorkier. Then it hit him, the realization that Nick had told him something he obviously didn’t bring up to just anybody, and the thought alone made his heart swell. Enough that the smile slipped off his face, and he wondered if now was the right time to share his secret that no one else knew. “It’s...funny you bring that up,” he said quietly. “And in the name of being open and honest, I have to tell you that—that I haven’t been entirely honest with you about something.”

Nick: “I’ll try my best.” He replied, and it was a joke but he also didn’t want to die. “Yeah...” He said in return, because he wasn’t sure what else to say at that. Was that a bad oh? Nick couldn’t be sure. Miles was clearly shocked, that much was evident. But when he apologized, Nick relaxed some. He didn’t look disgusted, and that was more than he could ask for. He risked a joke. “No... I dance for compliments. The money is just a bonus.” He smiled slightly before answering for real. “But yeah. Sometimes I get the occasional person who’s lonely and just wants to talk to me. But for the most part, it’s the other stuff.” If Miles had questions, he’d suck it up and answer them. He knew it was a tough thing for people to wrap their minds around. That’s why he didn’t bother telling them at all. At Miles’ admission, he raised an eyebrow and angled his body more to face him. “Yeah? Who did you kill?” He asked teasingly. “Or are you just married?”

Miles could tell Nick was feeling hesitant, understandably so. Opening up to people about that sort of stuff was hard, when it was something most people would certainly judge for. “Well, compliments are good, too.” He grinned. “Hey, a job’s a job. And you must be good at it, right?” A strange compliment, perhaps. “But thanks for telling me. I think it’s cool you can stick with something you’re good at.” He paused. “Do you go by a different name there?” He certainly wasn’t going to be able to judge for that specifically. There was his own thing now, and Miles didn’t know why he was so nervous. It wasn’t as serious as those things Nick was jokingly suggesting. But to him, it was a big deal. “No one knows,” he started, shaking his head slightly. He looked Nick in the eye. “I mean, other than my parents. I’m pretty sure even other people in my family have forgotten by now. Not even...Greg or Helen or anybody.” He paused and took a breath. It wouldn’t be such a big deal if he hadn’t been hiding it his entire life. But it was the time to be honest. “My name isn’t Miles.” He shrugged. “I mean, it is but it—it’s my middle name.” It felt so weird saying it out loud to someone. “They just called me Miles when I was really little so I wouldn’t get confused with my dad.” He bit down on the inside of his cheek.

Nick felt relief sink in the moment Miles spoke again. He wasn’t reacting negatively like he thought he would. He was being nice... and strangely supportive. And Nick didn’t know why he thought he’d be anything other than that. He hasn’t judged him for that before, or anything really. That’s why he was his best friend, wasn’t it? He laughed loudly at that comment and shrugged again. “I don’t know if I’m good, but I guess if I were bad they would have gotten rid of me by now.” His amusement slowly wore off. Not because he was worried or scared, but he was embarrassed. “Um, yeah. I don’t know if you want to hear it though. It’s kind of embarrassing.” That was a given. He stopped talking and listened as Miles told him no one else knew his secret. And it kind of worried him; it was obviously a big deal to him. He tried to follow along as he explained, and he didn’t entirely understand at first. “Okay. So you’re not Miles.” He repeated, a smile finding its way back on his face as he began to understand, though it wasn’t mean spirited by any means. “Okay, so you’re named after your Dad...” His grin grew without him being able to control it. “His first name or middle name?”

Miles nodded. “Right. So you’ve gotta be good. Does this mean you’ll strip for me if I throw ones at you? Not even in a sexual way. I just wanna critique you.” Now he was sort of just being an asshole, but oh well. “I mean, you don’t have to tell me. But I’m totally going to find out eventually.” He could promise that. Talking about his name was a whole other story, though, and the genuine downright happiness on Nick’s face made him blush. He could feel his neck and his ears and cheeks get warm as they obviously flushed red. “His middle name is Miles. He’s a junior.” He sighed. “My grandpa is George Miles Sterling, Sr. My dad is George Miles Sterling, Jr.” Miles paused, meeting Nick’s eyes. “Say hello to the third. George Miles Sterling...the third.”

Nick: “I didn’t know you were an expert in the art of stripping. Are you sure you’re qualified?” He knew Miles was teasing him now, but he wasn’t offended. Just mildly embarrassed. “But it depends on how many ones you’ve got.” Nick raised an eyebrow at him. “Good luck because it’s a secret to everyone.” He was only kidding, and he almost told him, but then the secret about Miles’ own name came out and distracted him instantly. He could see Miles blush and knew he was embarrassed, but Nick couldn’t keep the dumb grin off his face. “I...love that.” He was being 100% honest. “Why do you hate it so much? It’s sweet, it’s a family name. George Miles Sterling. Huh.” He paused, still mulling it over. “—-Can I call you George now?”

Miles: “I mastered the art when I got that sponge bath in the hospital. Did I forget to mention that I gave her a lap dance afterward?” So clearly Miles was very qualified. “I have quite a few. So that’s a yes, got it.” Miles groaned, burying his head in his hands, despite the fact that Nick was telling him how much he loved the name. Of course he liked that it was a family name, but he was Miles now. Not George. “It’s just so lame,” he muttered, finally lifting his head again. “Plus, it’s been so long. My whole life I’ve been Miles. George is just like...my lame middle name. Except it’s my first name. I think I was very briefly called George, but it was just too confusing for everybody.” At that, Miles glared at him. But it didn’t last very long. “You can call me George if you tell me the name you use.”

Nick: “You did fail to mention that. Maybe when you’re all healed up I could talk to my manager about giving you a try. I’ll need a replacement when I find a job as a video game tester.” He rolled his eyes at him playfully. He knew Miles would joke about this forever now. But somehow he still didn’t regret telling him. “I don’t think it’s lame at all. I like it.” He didn’t know why, but he did. Miles suited him, sure. But in an odd way so did George. “I guess I can see why you’d be used to Miles though.” It’s not the same thing, but he hated when people called him Nicholas. So he guessed it was kind of similar. After a small beat, he answered him. “Dalton Oliver.” He would have told him anyway. Nick leaned forward and without overthinking it, he pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth that landed half on his cheek. But he hadn’t been aiming anywhere in particular. “So George it is.”

Miles: “Sounds good. It’s better that we don’t work together, anyway. You know, because I’m obviously better at the whole stripping thing. So I don’t want any animosity between us.” He had certainly missed joking like this, that was for sure. “Well, I think it’s lame.” Not that Miles wasn’t, but it was better. When he finally told him the name, Miles grinned. “Okay. Now that is a name.” He wasn’t sure where it came from, but the idea of Nick using an entirely different alias at his job amused him. He was still grinning when Nick kissed him, and that alone had Miles laughing lightly, his emotions suddenly very much heightened. “I might let it slide, but I can’t promise I won’t throw in a Nicky every once in a while in retaliation.”

Nick: “Yeah, good thing. I’d hate to have to live up to your skills. You know, you’re going to have to come up with a name for yourself so your crazy fans won’t be able to stalk you.” It had been too long since they’d been able to joke and just hang out without being low key mad at each other. It was so nice, and Nick couldn’t be more happy about it. “I know you think it is. But think of it this way, you could totally start a solo George Michael cover artist career under your real name. And everyone would just think you’re trying to be clever. No one would know.” He was still teasing, and he gently slapped his arm to show him as much. “It’s a name.” He nodded. He could have chosen worse. Some of his coworkers had insane names. “Oh god, Nicky.” He grimaced lightly. “You know what, fine. It’s worth it. Do your worst, George.” He wouldn’t use it a lot. Clearly it bothered him. Nick still wasn’t over it though, this was the best thing he’d heard all day.

Miles laughed, shaking his head at their ridiculous banter. Not that he didn’t love it, though. “Well, I would have used Dalton, but...I think it’s taken.” He grinned at Nick, nudging him with his shoulder. Needless to say he wasn’t paying any attention to Stranger Things once again. “Too bad I can’t sing. Otherwise, sure. Perfect plan.” He nodded firmly to emphasize it. But when Nick actually called him George, rather than just threatening it, Miles groaned, tipping his head back. “You’re annoying,” he muttered. “I changed my mind. I can’t take it. No amount of Nicky’s in the world could make up for that.” It really wasn’t that bad and he knew it. He was just dramatic. And he certainly preferred to just be Miles. “Keep it up and I won’t hesitate to call you Dalton in public. I’m sure some of your...customers are running around places we frequent.”

Nick would maybe regret telling him his actual alias later on, because now Miles could retaliate when he called him George. He really screwed himself. “You could do Dalton Double and only come in when I call out. Like an understudy. Just don’t be surprised if people constantly compare you to me.” The conversation itself was ridiculous, but that was a good thing. It was easy to talk to Miles, even when the topic was embarrassing. “Dang. I could’ve been your manager and everything.” Nick grinned again as Miles groaned in annoyance. “Okay... Okay. Fair enough.” He made a face at the thought. There was nothing worse than when someone recognized him. Definitely not on his list of top ten funnest occurrences. “Blackmail isn’t fair you know. You don’t want to be there when someone recognizes me. It’s awkward and sometimes they ask for private dances to be funny and no one laughs.”

Miles: “No, I need my own brand. I’ll think of something. Maybe if I ever actually consider becoming a stripper. But I’ll leave that to you for now.” Miles shrugged. “You can still be a manager. Maybe for my video game testing business.” He was totally going to go far with that. “Then no more George and the blackmail don’t even be necessary. Give and take here, my friend.” Miles laughed at the thought of it. He couldn’t picture that situation. And he thought it was awkward when he ran into someone he tutored or someone he had gone to school with. “That’s not funny because you know they’re not kidding even if they claim to be. Maybe I should be your manager. Or bodyguard. Keep the creeps away. Clearly I’m in top physical condition to do that.” Except he wasn’t at all intimidating as a six-foot-two lamp post.

Nick: “Fair enough.” He laughed and nodded. “As long as we split the money 50/50, I’m in.” Nick realized he’d probably called Miles George more in the past five minutes than he had been called in his whole life, so he figured he’d give him a break. He wasn’t a complete asshole, even if he did like the name. “Okay, Okay. No George.” At least not all the time. “Which means no Dalton for you.” He laughed and nodded as his friend spoke. “Some are kidding. Some aren’t. A manager would be nice though. But I’m not sure if you’d be up for making sure all of those lonely Moms keep their distance. They get crazy. You might get mauled.”

Miles shook his head. “I don’t know if I’m down with 50/50. We’ll talk.” It was his business venture, after all. Miles nodded at that. “Deal. No George, no Dalton. Anytime I hear a George it’s fair game, though.” He paused. “In all seriousness, I’m glad I could tell you. Now you’re part of an exclusive club of very few people on the planet who know my secret.” He shuddered slightly at the idea of such a situation going down. “Man. When you put it like that then I don’t know. Is it always moms?”

Nick let out another laugh and nodded before he got slightly more serious. “I’m glad you could tell me too. I promise I won’t let the secret slip in front of anybody. I wouldn’t blow your cover like that.” He promised. “For the record, I’m glad I could tell you mine too. Only a few people know what I really do — Murphy’s unfortunately one of them ‘cause he saw glitter on my shirt one day and started asking questions. So I better not catch you two talking _shit_.” He was joking, he didn’t care because Murphy already talked shit about it to his face. He was used to it by now, just not public. “No... sometimes it’s Dads. But they’re just sad. I get a lot of party groups too. Our biggest tippers are for sure the Mom’s though. They get the most into it.”

Miles: “Thank you. I appreciate that.” Miles reached forward for the mug he’d long since forgotten to sip it while he listened to Nick speak. He stopped himself from laughing and doing some sort of gross spit-take. “Glitter. Wow. I really think I need to see this. Am I invited? I promise I won’t even ask for a lap dance.” Because he wouldn’t take it seriously at all, especially not compared to Nick’s regular very lonely people. “I don’t know what the confidentiality policy is like there, but I would really appreciate never finding out if my mom or dad wind up there someday. I sort of feel bad for those moms, though. Doesn’t that job sorta make you sad?”

Nick smiled at him in response. But then the conversation turned to glitter, and he rolled his eyes again. “I mean, don’t expect me to hand you a written invitation or anything. But I can’t exactly tell you no. Just remember, if you accidentally bump shoulders with someone or something, you won’t be able to get that glitter out for weeks.” Nick wasn’t even sure where it came from. It’s not like he rubbed it on himself before a shift. “Uh, I can verify that neither of them have ever showed up.” Thank God. “And on the off chance that somebody’s parents do ever end up there... I’m going to be too busy pretending it never happened to even breathe a word about it.” Ain’t that the truth. “Sometimes, yeah. It can be sad. I don’t always like I. Especially since they expect you to, like, exploit that and suck them dry of all their money. It’s kind of fucked up.” It wasn’t exactly the best business in the world. “But then sometimes you get people who are just there to have fun, and they’re funny and respectful. So it’s not all bad all the time. And as I said, it’s good money.” Especially with how hard it is for anybody to find a job lately. He was lucky he found something that was able to pay the bills.

Miles sighed. “Well, that’s disappointing. I was hoping to get one of those fancy invitations they do for weddings and stuff. ‘You are cordially invited.’ That sort of thing.” He thought that would be good for business, for sure. “I’ve never really seen you all glittery. You must have some very efficient showering techniques before you see me. Or are you secretly getting sponge baths behind my back?” The worst offense. “Good to know. I appreciate that. But it all just seems like such a strange system. To each his own, though, right?” It wasn’t Miles’ business how people decided to spend their money. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious about it. Probably for much different reasons than those people, though. I want some of those numbered cards judges use during competitions to hold up.”

Nick: “Oh, yes. ‘You’re cordially invited to the stripping of Nicholas O Vaughn, widely known as Dalton Oliver and beloved by many. Please RSVP and bring your crispest singles.’ I bet you’d love getting that in the mail.” He laughed, realizing he was doing a lot more of that now that things between them were good again. “You sounds like you want to see me all glittery. I’m a pretty expert showerer, though. I say no to the sponge baths and just attempt to do them myself. It keeps me humble.” He joked. “I guess so. And it keeps a roof over mine and Murphy’s head. So I can’t complain too much.” He snorted lightly at Miles. “You really want to judge my stripping that bad? You really must want to tear down my confidence.”

Nick: “See? That’s what I want. Christmas gift ideas.” He’d have to fight the urge to get Dalton embroidered on something for Nick’s Christmas present. “I mean, I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t be amused by it. I could always just glitter bomb you but I wouldn’t get the full effect. I’m happy to hear you’re not stealing my nurses for sponge baths, though.” He nodded — that was certainly true. Other people’s sometimes strange interests gave Nick a job. “Nah, man, I want to build you up. Tens across the board. I’ll make sure everyone knows who the top dog is around there. Let’s just hope they don’t find out how biased I am.”

Nick: “Maybe I’ll suck it up and sprawl one out on a napkin if it means that much. I mean it’s either that or a Starbucks gift card. I still need to decide.” He was only joking. He hated giving impersonal gifts, but he also hadn’t thought about what to get people yet. And Christmas was right around the corner — fuck. “I’d never steal your nurses. That’d be going against the bro code and I don’t do that.” He shook his head. “You’re so thoughtful, how have I lasted this long at work without you to hype me up? That’s an issue, though. People will get jealous and complain that I’m getting special treatment. Then you’ll be banned from the club and have to find another one to do your judging at.”

Miles placed a hand over his heart. “I’m so touched. I don’t know what I did to deserve someone to write an invitation on a napkin for me.” In all honesty, he probably would get emotional over it, despite his joking about it. “I don’t know how you’ve lasted. I’m a very important asset to your growing career. Frankly, I’m offended you didn’t ask me sooner.” He shrugged, leaning forward again to put the cup back on the table. “No one has to find out. We just have to pretend not to know each other when I’m not doing my judging. I just hope they don’t dig up scandals like the wedding — then my days posing as a fair judge are over.” And they just couldn’t have that happening. “It wouldn’t be as fun at a different place because I wouldn’t know someone there.”

Nick: “Eh, just for being you.” Maybe as a joke he’d write one up for him. Of course if anyone else saw it he’d never be able to live it down. “I didn’t know that you had an inner dance Mom laying below the surface or maybe I would have.” He idly watched as Miles put his drink back. Without giving it too much thought, he leaned forward to pick it up himself for a small sip before gradually setting it back down. If Miles complained about cooties again he’d just have to remind him that his tongue had literally been in his mouth at some point. “The last thing we need in our tutoring and stripping careers is a scandal. You can come on the condition you act like you hate me so no one suspects we actually know each other.” That probably wouldn’t be too hard for him, Miles would just have to recall their High School days for inspiration. “True. But I mean, I could give you the names of some nice strippers to talk to so you have more of a network.”

Miles: “I knew I was special.” The lighthearted conversation was still so relieving to have. Miles looked back at the TV, but he really wasn’t paying any attention. Of course they were going to have to start over again. And take a vow of silence next time. He could see Nick drinking from his mug out of the corner of his eye, but he couldn’t bring himself to even care enough to make a smartass comment. “Hm, I could probably manage that. I’ll just pretend you won’t stop calling me George. Then it won’t be too hard.” It could potentially become reality, too. “Networking is very important, so that’s a great idea. You give me some numbers and I’ll get to work on forming some professional relationships.” He sighed contentedly, tilting his head to look at him. “Giving me all your favorite stripper names. You’re just too good to me.”

Nick: “Try not to get too cocky about it.” He’d pretty much forgotten about Stranger Things completely at this point. Their conversation had completely taken over. Nick wasn’t complaining about it, though. One day they would really have to watch it though, this was getting ridiculous. “Funny. I haven’t called you George in a whole five minutes so there’s no reason to be salty.” Nick teased, lifting his legs up to Criss cross themselves as he turned to fully face Miles, the show clearly forgotten. “My favorites? Well that narrows it down to about three. I was just going to give you the best dancers. They’re a little morally questionable, but hey, most artists are.”

Miles: “How could I not be knowing I’m the favorite?” Miles rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t help the playful smile on his face. “It’s only a matter of time. I’m just preparing myself ahead of time.” He subconsciously twisted his own body to do the same as Nick turned to face him. Miles laid his arm across the back of the couch, resting against Nick’s shoulder and fiddling with the fabric of his sleeve there. “Morally questionable I can handle. It is stripping, after all. No offense. More power to you and everything.” Miles respected the whole taking ownership of his own body thing. “I can’t really provide you any helpful connections in return. Unless children struggling with schoolwork can somehow be beneficial to you.”

Nick: “Now you’re just putting words in my mouth.” But he wasn’t, really. Miles was one of his favorites, he just didn’t say it. “Preparing to hate me? Well I guess that’s smart.” Nick smiled to himself as Miles started to toy with his sleeve, and subconsciously he leaned a little bit more toward him. “None taken. It’s a little shady. That’s why I don’t really talk about it.” That, and the fact that he was a male stripper was a little too awkward to just being up in normal everyday conversation. “Maybe not the children, it’d be weird for me to have a bunch of kid connections. Their parents is another story, though. If they’re stressed out from having to deal with their kids school issues, just send them to me.... not directly me. But where I work.”

Miles: “But am I wrong?” Miles asked, quirking an eyebrow, because he was pretty sure he wasn’t. “Just preparing for the G bomb.” It was bound to come when he least expected it. “I don’t blame you. But at least now you have someone to vent to about work stuff. And I’ll do my best to relate. I am your hype man, after all.” It was only fitting. Miles pulled his arm back to just have his elbow propped up. “Sure, will do. I won’t give them your name. I’m not about to pimp you out to people. I feel like I get dibs, anyway.” He wished he could say it with a straight face, but he couldn’t help but grin.

Nick: “I didn’t say that either.” He laughed loudly at that. “There will be no G Bombs. Not where anyone else could hear, anyway.” He wouldn’t blow his secret. “Well. Thank you. I appreciate that. You probably don’t want to hear half the stuff that happens. But that’s nice of you — I’ve never had a hype man before.” His grin widened at Miles’ own words and shook his head. “You’re dumb.” But the lightheartedness made him happy. The fact that they could joke and just be around each other despite everything. He’s always wanted that. “You never called dibs, you know.” Nick leaned in to kiss him gently, because at that moment he felt like he could. “But you can have them. I don’t want to be pimped out to just anybody anyway.”

Miles nodded firmly. “Exactly. So shush. I appreciate you not blowing my cover, though. I lead a very important life as Miles.” He just couldn’t risk it. “I think I can handle it. I’ve seen some things.” He really hadn’t. But he was still pretty sure he could deal with the stripper horror stories. Maybe he’d end up eating his words, though. He was about to respond when Nick kissed him, and Miles automatically lifted a hand to rest on his cheek when he did. He almost didn’t want it to end, and he found himself leaning forward even more when it did. He pushed himself back when he noticed it. “Well, dibs. Now it’s official.” He shrugged. “I don’t see anyone else trying to in the meantime. Unless you have suitors I don’t know about.”

Nick: “Yeah, and you don’t want to get confused by two different names and have an identity crisis.” Nick rose an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? What things?” He asked, half amused and half curious. The kiss ended all too soon, but he had to pull back to speak or the mumbling might’ve ruined the mood. “I’ll have you know that I have plenty of ‘em, thank you. I told you, all of those single Mom’s aren’t shy about what they want.”

Miles raised his eyebrows, waving a hand to emphasize that was his entire point. “Exactly. It’s too confusing. So George doesn’t exist as far as I’m concerned.” Miles shrugged a shoulder, mulling it over in his head. “Things I can’t repeat, obviously. They’re too disturbing.” The actual most disturbing thing he’d come across was Greg Miller in his entirety, so he’d keep his mouth shut. “Well, give me names then. I guess I need to throw hands.” Assert his dominance and whatnot. Which was quite minimal. “I’m still curious about that whole atmosphere, though, so you can expect to see me at some point. I’ll be the one cheering you on.”

Nick had seen some things he didn’t want to necessarily share with anybody, but the fact that he could talk to Miles if he wanted was nice. “Right, fair enough.” Nick laughed loudly. “Are you sure you can take them? Especially Susan. She likes to brag about the fact that she does yoga every day.” His laughter died off and he shook his head. “In all seriousness, you probably wouldn’t like it there.” Nick didn’t even like it there and he worked there. “I can’t stop you if you decide to stop by. But I don’t think it’s your type of place.”

Miles stretched his arms up over his head. “I can take Susan. I’ve done yoga before. She’s nothin’ special.” Although yoga was intense. Miles couldn’t do it more than once with his mom. He’d barely made it through that first one. “Hey, you don’t know my kind of place.” Except he totally did, and he was right; Miles would hate it. “I like to think I’m at least tall enough to see over some heads. And I can’t foresee many people hitting on me.” Lily had only initially done so because her friends had egged her on. “So I’ll be okay. I just might need to bring some hand sanitizer.”

Nick: “You know, I’ve never had anyone try to compete with white suburban Mom’s for me before. But I can’t say I hate it.” Susan was pretty strong, but she was nice so she’d probably have mercy on Miles. “Suit yourself. You most definitely will be hit on, though. The second the vultures see you it’s on. You have to flirt with the customers so they’re more likely to want a dance. Sorry, buddy.” He didn’t necessarily want to see Miles there, because it wasn’t really a place he could see him actually enjoying. But the thought alone was also kind of hilarious.

Miles: “What can I say? You’re worth it.” Miles was just glad he didn’t have to think twice about saying things like that anymore. Nick knew what he meant to him and he had no problem voicing it to him. “I think I’d pay for a lap dance but then spend the whole time just asking if they’re okay. Strippers are people, too.” He was still teasing, and he showed it by grinning again. “I probably will never end up there, though, honestly. I hope you won’t be too sad that I’ll never visit you at work. Hopefully you won’t miss me too much.”

Nick: “I’m glad you think so.” They were both clearly joking, but Nick knew the sentiment was still there. And while before he’s tried so hard to ghost over it and pretend that it wasn’t there, now he was welcoming it. “And what would you do if one started crying on you mid lap dance?” He grinned back. “Well thanks for acknowledging the fact that I am actually human. I wasn’t sure otherwise.” He knew the chances of Miles ever showing up were slim, because he’d have to know the name of the place he worked for one thing. But hearing him voice it was a relief. Truth be told, he never wanted him to see him like that. “It’ll be tough but somehow I’ll manage. I guess you’ll just have to stay busy with your baby tutoring jobs.”

Miles: “Of course I do.” He wouldn’t be here if he didn’t. “I would hold them while they cried. Damn, Nick, I’m not a monster.” He was still playing around, but he totally would. He was the one who’d ask, after all. “No problem. That’s what I’m here for — reminding you of your humanity.” Sort of. “I am quite busy with them already. Maybe I can find some time to squeeze you into my schedule, though.”

Nick smiled slightly before laughing at Miles commentary about the strippers. “Maybe you should just skip being a teacher and move straight to therapist. Then you could help all the strippers you want.” Honestly, Miles would probably be good at it. “I thought you were here to just watch Cupcake Wars and Stranger Things with me. Looks like you have multiple uses.” He absentmindedly reached out to playfully tug on Miles’ sleeve while they talked. “Well you did say you were the master stripper. Maybe you could just tutor me in that so you can be on the job and around me at the same time.”

Miles: “I’d be a great therapist. Except I think I might cry along sometimes too.” Miles tended to get sympathetically emotional about that sort of things. “Oh, I have plenty of uses,” he said, raising a hand to wave off the notion that he didn’t. He looked down at Nick’s hand on his sleeve, and Miles scooted closer to him, letting his knee bump against Nick’s leg. “Hmm. I think I would be okay with that. I don’t think I’d be complaining about work at all.” He leaned forward to kiss him again, because he just didn’t think it would be necessary to stop any time he wanted to now. He couldn’t held himself. It was all in the name of being honest, after all — and he’d be lying to himself if he pretended not to want to kiss him as often as he did.

Nick: “At least your patients will know you care. That alone would probably be therapy enough.” Honestly, if he ever had to go to therapy, he’d way prefer someone who was too emotional over their patients than someone emotionless. That’d just be nerve wracking. “Clearly you do.” He noticed Miles knee bump his, and that they seemed to somehow keep getting closer and closer. But Nick didn’t exactly mind. “The only thing is that you’d probably have to work for free. That okay with you?” He teased before noticing Miles begin to lean in, and getting the picture, he leaned in to meet him half way. His hand dropped to lay flat on Miles’ leg for support as he stretched his neck to meet him half way — not thinking twice to kiss him back.

Miles: “I guess you’re right. So maybe I have a fallback career after all.” He wasn’t sure if he could handle it, but it was certainly something to think about. Jokingly, of course. “Maybe I could deal with that. I’d have to be compensated in other ways, though. Like you could stock my fridge for me. That’d be hot.” He’d love to not have to do any grocery shopping. He was aware of Nick’s hand on his leg, and Miles brought one of his own over to grab it. He could get used to this, especially the fact that nothing negative was going to come from it afterward, no matter how many times he decided to do it. It was fair game and he loved it. He pulled back reluctantly, keeping his face close. “Or that.”

Nick: “It’s good to have options.” Nick certainly wouldn’t want to do that for a living, though. He could barely handle his own problems, let alone a bunch of strangers’. “You know what would be hotter? Me not doing that and just mooching off you after you do it.” Nick was only joking, naturally. He actually liked grocery shopping, it meant he got to choose the food. He smiled into the kiss as Miles reciprocated and covered his hand with his own. It wasn’t anything crazy, but it was nice. And he found himself wanting to lean back in for more, much like earlier. “Or that.” He agreed quietly, before following his instincts and leaning back in once more for another, unfortunately brief, kiss. “I like doing that.”

Miles nodded. “It’s better than my original backup plan of just begging on the street for spare change.” That probably wouldn’t get him very far. “Mm, that doesn’t sound nearly as hot, actually.” It required effort so he was uninterested. Miles grinned at Nick’s reaction, followed by another quick kiss. “I do too,” he agreed quietly, nodding to make his point. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.” It was still exhilarating. He wasn’t sure if that feeling would go away, but he didn’t particularly want it to.

Nick: “There’s nothing wrong with that, that’s my plan.” If his whole ‘millionaire by the time he’s thirty’ plan doesn’t pan out, of course. “Says you. Don’t kink shame me.” The joking atmosphere slowly wore off as they kissed. “Is that a good thing?” He asked with a slight smile, because he knew it was.

Miles: “I say we team up, then. They’re probably more likely to give to two of us, right?” Or maybe that would just drive people further away. That seemed a bit more likely. “I think we’ll have to come up with some sort of compromise here. Which, like...the best I can come up with is we split the work half and half, which is what we already do in our respective homes, so...good job. Keep up the good work.” It worked just fine so far. “You know the answer to that,” Miles replied, matching his grin, “but I’ll humor you anyway. It’s a good thing. I don’t think I want to get used to it.”

Nick: “Right. That or it’ll be easier for one of us to get away when they end up calling the cops on us.” Probably not their smartest plan, admittedly. Hopefully they just became millionaires and wouldn’t have to go that route. “Glad we had this talk, then.” He grinned in amusement. “I’m not used to it, either.” He admitted, and it still was a little difficult for him to say these things out loud, but he was trying to make more of an effort to. “But in a good way.” His hand toyed with the fabric of Miles’ pants absentmindedly. “Still getting used to the fact that my best friend wants to kiss me.” He cracked a smile, but it was the truth.

Miles: “Well, if one of us gets away, then at least we’ll be able to bail the other one out. Count your blessings.” The easy solution would to not do anything worthy of going to jail over to begin with. But where was the fun in that? Miles watched Nick’s movements, the way his hand was just barely moving and tugging at the fabric of his sweatpants like Miles had been doing with his shirt earlier. He recognized the inattentive nature of the movement, just something to do that wasn’t at all awkward for either of them. It made his chest feel warm. He just loved their new situation. It wasn’t much, but it was a start. It was a positive change, at the very least. “I’ve been wanting that. It’s just expecting it to happen and knowing that it’s okay to do it,” he clarified. “I think you’re going to have an issue keeping me away from you now that it’s not exactly unfamiliar territory. So...I apologize in advance, but not really.”

Nick: “We’d make a good homeless team.” He nodded in agreement, because they would, even if it wasn’t exactly the worlds greatest plan. The following conversation should have been awkward for Nick, and it was to some extent simply because he wasn’t used to it. But Miles being so open and him being able to be open back made him feel lighter than usual. For once he wasn’t allowing the negative thoughts to get in the way. Not right now, anyway. Right now, he was just happy to be there with him. “I thought I made it obvious that I don’t want to keep you away from me. ‘Cause we’ve already tried that and it never works out.” He had no hesitation about admitting that. “So I’m not sorry if you’re not sorry.”

Miles: “I think we’d make a better team, like, not homeless. So I think our bigger goal should be to keep it that way.” It certainly wouldn’t be a difficult goal to reach. At least, Miles hoped so. He was still taken aback by Nick’s next words, mostly due to the fact that this would have ruined things for them a short time ago. And maybe there was still a chance for that to happen eventually, but at least it was much less likely now. “I know,” Miles agreed. “But now you’ll just officially have a harder time getting me off your back. Whether or not you actually enjoy it is your business.” Miles was glad that he did, though. “In return, I promise not to hold a grudge when you clearly drink from my mug even though I don’t recall inviting you to do so.”

Nick: “Of course. The whole homeless thing is just a ‘just in case’ thing.” Nick nodded in agreement. “Thanks for the heads up. But I think I can handle it.” He hoped, anyway. He hoped he could handle this newfound thing between him and Miles without somehow messing it up. Nick laughed, not realizing Miles had noticed. But of course he had. “I warned you I might. And you never said I couldn’t.” Admittedly, though, couldn’t help but be a little embarrassed by being caught. “Besides, since you’re my new stalker now, I should have rights to your hot chocolate.”

Miles: “Right. Just in case.” Still, he could do without having to get to that point. “Glad to hear it.” Miles didn’t think he’d be that hard to deal with. He’d do his best. He shook his head at that, unable to keep from smiling. “You’re a douche. I told you that you could go make your own. It’s literally right there,” he reminded him, gesturing toward the kitchen that was merely a few steps away from them. “Keep it up and I’m gonna send Scout chasing you out of here.” He turned to the TV again, frowning. “At least then maybe I’d actually watch this show. Shit, man. It happened again.”

Nick could only shrug, nearly guilty. “It always tastes better when it’s somebody else’s.” Plus, he didn’t want more than a taste of it. Why waste a trip to the kitchen and a whole packet of hot chocolate for that? “Please don’t, I feel like you’ve secretly trained her to rip people’s throats out. And I like my throat.” Nick turned his head to the TV when Miles did, and couldn’t help but smile slightly. “I don’t think this is working out. How many more times are we going to try before giving up?”

Miles shook his head. “Unbelievable. I know for a fact your mother didn’t raise you like this.” He could make some educated guesses, at least, based on what he knew about her and the Vaughn children when they were growing up. “Please. You know her. She’d only be able to suffocate you with kisses.” Thankfully, Miles had never had a need for Scout to chase people off. But she’d never quite been herself around Greg. It reminded Miles how dogs truly have the best judge of character. “I think if we’re going to do this we need to just stop listening to each other,” he said, but it was much easier said than done. He picked up the remote to pause the episode. “I need to catch up, man. We really need to shut the hell up.”

Nick: “No, but she accidentally taught me to be sneaky, so she never knew. I just wasn’t trying to hide it this time.” His Mom was the no nonsense type, so Miles was right about that. “I mean, I didn’t want to die. But being smothered to death by dog kisses doesn’t sound too terrible.” Better than being mauled to death, that was for sure. “Okay... okay. You’re right. No more talking.” Nick nodded, trying to keep a straight face. “Let’s try this one more time. We can pause it like every three episodes to get all the words out.”

#014

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mauridianhallow · 7 years

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A L L O F T H E Q U E S T I O N S

Good shit good shit this took me ages holy hell enjoy you meme loving fucks Q's for you to A Do you have a favourite sweater? I actually do, it's that kinda folded over stretchy grey one I always wear, y'know? I wore it to The 1975 and, from what I hear, it was awesome. (Although I can't remember bc I was Gin Drunk) What’s your middle name? Lawrence...no judgement...Do you still talk to the first person you kissed? I don't, I wonder how's she's doing. Heard she was studying History from her friend I met in a bar one time. Glad to hear, she was nice. Do you get on with your grandparents? I did! Sadly it's been a few years since they passed but I very much did. What was your favourite cartoon as a kid? Hmm, it's a tough one, between the 90's X-Men TV show they played on repeat on Fox Kids or Ben 10 when it wasn't absolute shit like the remake. Yeah I'm bitter. What’s your favourite cartoon now? Archer lol Do you read the news paper? Yeah pretty much every day...I swear I'm not an old man. Who was the last text you sent to? My friend Laura, asking if they'll still be at the park when I finish work. What does the last text you sent say? "Y'all still gonna be there when I get away?" If you could have any hair colour what would it be? Idk I like the one I have. Do you like nature documentaries? Not really my cup of tea to be perfectly honest. What is your aesthetic? Climbing a mountain at a 90° angle in Skyrim on a horse. When did you last pet a dog? ''Twas yesterday. Whose friend’s parents do you like the most? The twins'! They employ me! I literally get paid to hang out with friends some days that's the good shit! Have you ever been on a road trip? I've been on a couple, longest was a drive to Southern Spain from Scotland! Was awesome! Tell me about someone you know called Emma? Went to school with her, cool gal, she saw HP in London and I'm jealous, shoutout to @weewildelassAre you reading a book in english class, what is it? Oh god I'm old. I haven't had or attended an English class in over 2 years. Do you have a favourite Aunt? Well considering she also employs me...hell yeah, shoutout to my Aunt K you legend! Baths or showers? Baths for comfort and treating yo self, or sharing...😏...Showers for quickness and weird snapchats at 3am...😂 Skiing or sun bathing? Sun bathing my dude. Do you kill spiders? Sometimes, sometimes not. Have you ever made an ice pop? I have not. Are you wearing shoes right now? I'm not wearing anything rn. Tell me about you favourite primary school/elementary school teacher? Let me tell you about Mrs. Mary "The Bonecrusher" Highland, and how she was such an iconic, legendary, influential and inspiring woman that she was the person you sent into the bad fucked up schools in movies and have them all pass with straight A's, she ran a tough ship and was slow to praise but when she did, she went all out, and made you feel like what you had achieved was truly a feat. Oh and she encouraged children to learn and think for themselves, genuinely encouraged you when you said you were interested in something even when it went above and beyond the curriculum. She was charitable, friendly, and spoke to you like you were an equal, and a worthy one at that. Mrs. Highland was literally so influential in so many people in my class being successful, free minded, hard working adults that she deserves a goddamn award. And let me tell you another thing, at the end of my First Year in College, I went back to my old Primary School for a teaching assistant internship because I knew the school was becoming a bit run-down and out of control and I wanted to help the way that Mrs. Highland had, and who had they just asked to come out of retirement, come back for TWO WEEKS, sort shit out and then walk away into the sunset like some goddamn Old Lady Teaching Avenger who appears when needs were greatest? MARY FUCKING HIGHLAND, I GOT TO HELP ONE OF MY CHILDHOOD HEROES BE AN ABSOLUTE TEACHING LEGEND AND REALLY INFLUENCE SOME GOOD IN A KIDS LIFE, THAT IS THE SHIT! Seriously though, she truly is one of the good ones, they don't make em like Her anymore. Who was the last person you hugged? I think that would be my mother actually hahah. Do you wear glasses? Occasionally. Do you have a cat? I sadly do not. Do you have a favourite pair of underwear? Not a favourite pair exactly more like a favourite kind?? Next All-Black, that's the good shit, makes my ass look great among other things. What was your last tweet? "How the fuck do you work twitter" about 5 years ago and I haven't used it since. Do you still use Facebook? I do, rarely. Do you like birds? Aye pal birds, blokes, the lot. Who was the last person you called cute? That genuinely would be my niece, or you lol Who was the last person that called you cute? This is a strange answer but a regular in my work. Long story. How did you meet your best friend? I literally turned a corner and ran into a group of emo's in like Fourth Year at High School and I haven't looked back since. Escalators or elevators? Nah m8, trick question, I'd rather take the stairs. Does wonders for the thighs. Are you named after anyone, who? Ahaha yeah my dad, both my granddads, and Saint. Christoper (Catholic mum yo) What was your first url? I have no idea. Autumn or Winter? Winter I can't lie. Do you win at scrabble? I do not lol Put your ipod on shuffle , who is the first song that comes up by? "American Idiot", Green Day. Classic. Have you ever drunk from a mason jar? I have not. Can you draw? Barely even write m8 let alone draw. What was your first profile picture? I think it was Kenny from South Park. Favourite t-shirt? God I have no idea. Best tumblr friend? Shoutout to @bepizzazzed and @double-dorks-beanie and @hesitant-butthole When did you last run? Tonight when as a joke my friends took my jacket and tried to get it on top of a climbing frame? lol I had it back in seconds and decided to get some payback ahah Do you like to paint your nails? Not particularly fussed, not a look I could pull off. Did you ever do something as a kid that got you into loads of trouble? I did more things to get me into trouble as a kid that anyone should ever do. And I still did it. Who is your favourite dog that isn’t yours? Trick question, all of them. Have you ever been drunk? Literally so many times. So many. Have you ever done something you regret while drunk? Some-thing? Some-one? Getting into a slutty dance off with a professional dancer? Stealing a mannequin? The exact words "I can easily make this jump..."? The exact words "Watch this lads"? The exact words "Shots won't do me any harm"? The exact words "Another Venom? Aye no bother!" The exact words "You can crash at mine if you like...?" You get the picture...I do messed up shit I'm drunk, and yet, I continue to do so. Do you want to kiss anyone right now? Ronald McDonald ngl for the sweet sweet invention of double cheeseburgers. Do/did you like you math teacher? I had a crush on both of my maths teachers, Mr. Kelly and Mrs. Hendry, both of which contributed to me turning up to class, but also contributed to me failing said classes bc I was too busy looking at them and being a hormone ridden, horny 16 year old boy, than I was doing maths. Do you often ride the bus? I do, everyday I'm in College. Do you have a fireplace in your house? We do actually it's getting renovated right now. Are you violent when you’re angry? God no! Do you cry when you’re angry? No, I rarely get angry and when I do it can only be described as dry anger. Favourite Harry Potter book? It has to be OotP, fight me. Can you remember your last dream? I can, and let me just say, Chris Pratt, thank you. Do you go to bed early or late? "Do I go to bed?" would be a better question. Do you speak a second language? I speak various levels of different languages. Some if you dropped me in their respective countries I could find my way about, albeit difficultly, and others I can ask for the bar and the bill and that's about it. Who was your first ever best friend? A boy called Dean. Have you ever had an operation? I've had a couple yeah. Tell me about your favourite cousin? His name is Reece and he's a meme loving shit and I love him the whacky bastard. Do you have a piece of clothing that doesn’t even fit you anymore but you can’t bare to throw away? During what can only be described as the Greatest Summer of My Teenage Years; the Legendary Summer of 2014, I wore on my feet almost EVERY DAY a pair of Classic Chuck's, they cost my poor wee mum like £60 the Christmas before but they were too big and when it finally hit summer they fit perfectly. I wore them every time. If you've ever read the book Me Before You or watched the film you'll know what I mean when I say they were my bumblebee tights. Have you ever been in a musical? I played the Cowardly Lion in my school play as a kid. Do you have a porch? I do not. How many times have you watched your favourite movie? At least 100 no joke it has to be. Empire Strikes Back. What do you order at McDonalds? Plain double cheese , small fries, Oasis Summer Fruits and maybe a coffee. Do you get on with old people? Worryingly well. Science Fiction or Romance? Sci-Fi m8. Do you take naps? Anytime I can. How many classes do you/did you take in High School? In my final year I took 3 classes. At its height I think I was doing 9 classes. When did it last snow where you live? A few months back. Does it ever snow where you live? It's Scotland...hahah it very much does. How many months until your birthday? 12 m8. How much charge does your computer have right now? 42%What is your favourite Disney Channel Original Movie? I don't actually think I had one. Sorry. the City or the Sea Side? Jokes on you fool, you can have both. What is your least favourite colour? Beige. Who tf likes being beige. Do you have homework to do? Nah. Are you still friends with your first best friend? I am not. Do you have/are you the gay cousin? I have an asexual cousin, bug more often than not I'm the gay cousin. Do you own dungarees? They can look cute on peeps. Do you like to play sport? I do, not to the extent I used to but yeah. What was your favourite ever Christmas present? My baby nephew. How old are you? Ugh I'm 20. Do you ever use Internet Explorer? Not for s long time. Have you ever had blonde hair? I haven't no. I wanted to but sadly I was a kid. When did you last see the person you have a crush on? Well considering I fall deeply in love with strangers who are nice to me on the train, that question is crazy. Who did you last talk to on the phone? Laura. Pants or Dresses? This question is a lot funnier in the UK and even funnier in Scotland where a man can wear one, but to do so, he's not supposed to wear the other 😉 Do you read fan fiction? Not anymore y'know. What is you’re favourite blog? @mauridianhallow is a pretty cool blog you should check that shit out Do you write poetry? I HAVE written poetry before. Drama or Comedy? How dare you insult The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt by suggesting you can't be both. Have you ever had a hickey? Perhaps...perhaps I have. Perhaps I cannot remember how I got some of them. Perhaps I should stop buying the ENTIRE bar a round of shots knowing all too well that almost every one of these people will offer to buy me drinks all night and then I won't pay shit for another drink until the night is over. Perhaps I should...I won't but I fucking should. And perhaps this has on certain occasions resulted in hickeys I don't know.

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i-write-shakespeare-not-disney · 7 years

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Warm Me Up Ch. 29

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Click Here for Ch. 28

index

Saying that spending time with Will and his family was awkward would have been an understatement. Nico had no idea what Will had told them about their relationship, but he knew they knew Will and Nico had dated. He couldn’t help but feel like both Mr. and Mrs. Solace didn’t like him or wanted to investigate everything they could about him.

The only relief Nico had from their blue-eyed gaze was the small redheaded girl who liked him from the moment she’d realized he was the same person who’d helped with her bear. She liked to sit on Nico’s lap and she liked to play with his rings and play with his hair or cover his faded scars in Band-Aids and stickers.

Will insisted on having Nico join him and his family for the week of their stay and his parents assured him he was welcome. Nico wondered if maybe it was all in his head that they didn’t like him. But sometimes he caught Will’s dad looking at him like a puzzle and a threat until his wife or Will or Kayla pulled his attention away. And Will’s mom didn’t ask Nico much about himself. It was like Nico either wasn’t there or wasn’t an important presence.

It made Nico anxious, and he decided instead to stay beside Kayla and Will whenever possible.

It was the last day they were here and Nico was slightly relieved, but he didn’t show it because he knew Will would miss his family.

“Thank you guys so much for coming,” Will said as he hugged them goodbye. “I’ll miss you so much.”

“We love you, sweetheart. Hopefully you can come home if only to visit soon,” Naomi said, giving her son a warm smile that made Nico have to look away. He didn’t want to join that day because he figured he’d be intruding, but Naomi had said Kayla wanted to say goodbye to him too.

And Kayla hadn’t let go of Nico’s hand since they arrived at the airport. Her grip was slowly becoming tighter and when Nico looked down at her, he realized her eyes were red and watery, her face contorted as she pushed back the tears. Without saying anything, Nico picked her up and her arms locked around his neck as she hid her face in his shoulder. Nico felt her tears dampening the shirt, but he didn’t mind. In fact, his heart swelled with both affection and pain for Kayla.

Will walked over to them and put a hand on his sister’s back. “Hey, monkey,” he said softly. Kayla didn’t move. Will glanced at Nico and he mouthed, she’s crying. Looking crestfallen, Will began to stroke her hair lightly. “Where’s my hug?”

Slowly, Kayla pulled away from Nico and reached for Will. She wrapped herself around him like the monkey he called her and her small body shook with sobs. The expression on Will’s face broke Nico’s heart, and he remained at his side as he said goodbye to his little sister. “I love you, Kayla,” he murmured into her hair.

“I love you too,” she cried softly. “I’ll miss you so much.” Nico shut his eyes as tears began to fall down Will’s cheeks and his arms squeezed the six year old tighter.

“Come on, princess, we have to go,” Lester said gently. Naomi was crying silently, a pained smile on her face.

Will put Kayla down, but she turned to Nico before returning to her parents. He leaned down to hug her, and she whispered, “Please take care of my brother.” She kissed his cheek then scurried beside her mom who leaned down to kiss her head. She waved, as they entered their terminal and both Will and Nico watched until they were out of sight.

Without another word, Nico placed a hand on Will’s arm and his best friend turned and pulled him into a hug. Nico was surprised, but didn’t think twice about hugging him back. They stood silently, enveloped in each other’s arms in the middle of the airport until Will pulled away.

“You okay?” Nico asked softly.

“I will be,” he answered. “I’ll miss them.” He wiped at his eyes and Nico yearned to kiss away the tears. Instead, he kept still and waited. “I’m okay,” Will assured.

“Want to grab some lunch?” Nico offered. “Or do you want to just watch movies at my place?”

“Lunch sounds good,” he answered.

They stopped at a restaurant and ordered something to drink before Will smiled and said, “So Kayla really liked you.”

“More than your parents, yeah,” he answered feeling his cheeks burn. “She’s sweet.”

“What do you mean?” he asked. Nico looked up to see him looking genuinely confused. “About my parents.”

He hesitated, not wanting to upset him. But he’d already talked, so he had to explain himself. He sipped his soda and looked down at the table. “I just… I got the feeling your mom and dad didn’t really like me. I don’t know what you told them about… us… but I just….” He shrugged. “Your dad kept giving me this weird look and… your mom usually pretended I wasn’t there. I don’t mind, I just… felt like I was intruding usually.”

It was quiet, and Nico didn’t want to look up. He kept his gaze on the menu, suddenly fascinated with the pictures of food and the printed words. He could feel his cheeks growing warmer and warmer as he waited.

Then Will finally spoke. “I told them we decided to take a break while you worked on some things. My dad’s a psychologist, and I told them that you’re struggling with a few things. My mom usually worries a lot and goes SuperMom on people she worries about. To keep from doing that she’s distant. She wasn’t ignoring you, she just didn’t want to end up smothering you. And my dad was probably letting his work get in his way again and trying to figure you out.” Nico took a breath and nodded, hoping he was right. And even if he wasn’t, Nico would pretend he believed him. “They liked you, Neeks. Otherwise they wouldn’t have had you come along all week.”

“Okay,” he said with a smile. “I’ll believe you.” The waitress came by and took their order before walking away and leaving them alone again. “When do you go back to the university for another orientation group?”

“This coming weekend,” he answered. “So if you want to get that tattoo, we should go tonight or tomorrow.”

“Well, sounds like a plan,” he said with a smile. He bit his lip and hesitated as he thought of going to the tattoo parlor and getting his phoenix. He’d already decided he wanted it on his back. Will had helped him find a good design and now it was just a matter of finding time to go.

Will had an afternoon hospital shift that day, so Nico was left to his own devices. Which was fine for the time being. He was better than he had been the week before during Will’s ceremony. But he wasn’t great. He was hoping the tattoo might strengthen him, as sappy as it sounded. He hoped the tattoo would give him a surge of energy and hope to fend off the next low for a little longer.

He was doing everything he could. Therapy, coping methods, writing, medication, sitting outside in the sun to read instead of staying inside. He was doing everything he could to feel better and be normal again. He was fighting so hard, and it was exhausting.

Especially when he was alone and had to distract himself. He took everything one thing at a time, focusing entirely on one task to keep his mind from becoming the usual mess of incoherent rushing thoughts.

Meanwhile, Will was working his way through the hospital, visiting and checking on patients efficiently and with a kindness that made even the most cynical a little more comfortable.

“What’s the big occasion? You seem incredibly upbeat today,” Malcolm noted with a smile.

Will shrugged and shook his head. “Nothing. I mean, it was nice having my family here. And me and Nico have been hanging out a lot so that’s always a good thing.” He blushed and bit his lip. “It’s weird. It feels like a crush. I don’t really know what the deal there is. I don’t know what he feels exactly, and I’m nervous and giddy around him because of it. It’s just… it feels strange. In a good way.”

“I thought you were both in love with each other. Isn’t that why you decided to become friends?” he asked as they walked. Will rubbed his neck and sighed.

“I don’t know. I do love him. If anything I love him more. But I don’t know if he… loves me still? If he loves me as much? I don’t know. We have so many boundaries and now I don’t really know what we’re waiting for.” Malcolm frowned and stopped walking looking at Will expectantly. “What?”

“It’s pretty obvious you guys are still insanely into each other,” he said softly. “I mean the dude came to your ceremony even though he looked like he was about to have a nervous breakdown. He’s hung out with you any time you’re not busy. And you’re so obviously into him. You need to make the first move.”

Will stuttered and stared at Malcolm in shock. “What? Why me? He’s the one working on his health and his feelings and stuff. I don’t want to push him.”

“Yes, but you are the one that said he had to win your trust back. You’re the one that didn’t take him back the first time. You’re the one he’s waiting on.” Will looked down at the ground and processed the information.

Was that true? Was that what was happening? This whole time, had they been waiting on each other? And if so, why was the idea of making the first move so terrifying to Will?

He pushed the thought aside until his shift was over and he was able to get back to Nico’s place. When Will knocked, the door opened and Nico returned to the couch where he’d been channel surfing. “How was your shift?” he asked.

Will sat on the couch beside him and tried to keep his butterflies under control. He couldn’t help but think that they basically lived together as it was. Will found himself crashing on Nico’s couch or floor and going there between work and his leadership at the university.

“It was good,” he finally answered. “What have you done today?”

Nico shrugged and gestured at the T.V. “Not much really. Taking things one at a time to keep myself together. It’s working.” He gave Will a small smile and looked away, focusing on the television again. “I found a few parlors, but this one is the cheapest with the best reviews.” He handed Will his laptop and showed him a tattoo parlor website.

“You ready for this?” he asked as he scrolled through the site. Nico bit his lip and nodded. “Then let’s go!” He stood up and twirled his keys around his fingers. “ID and money, don’t forget that.”

“Why do you seem more excited about this than I do?” he chuckled, standing from the couch. He walked into his room while Will went to lean against the door. A few moments later Nico came back in a button down shirt with his wallet in his hands and he gave Will a thumbs up. “Let’s do this,” he said with a nervous smile.

Will smiled and they left the apartment and got into Will’s car. While the radio played, Nico’s knee kept bobbing up and down nervously until Will was able to navigate himself to the tattoo parlor Nico wanted.

The second they went inside, the sharp smell of antiseptic hit their nose and made Nico cringe. A girl with blonde hair and turquoise streaks, piercings, and tattoos up and down her arm was sitting at the glass counter, scrolling through her phone. She looked up with bright emerald eyes and waved. “Can I help you?” she asked in a pleasant raspy voice.

“Uh, yeah. I want to get a tattoo, and I have the design and everything. Walk-ins okay?”

“Yep, we do walk-ins,” she said. “Let’s see it.” She held out her hand and Nico gave her his phone. “Oh cool,” she said. “Do you have any idea where or how big?”

Nico gestured to the nape of his neck. “Kind of along my shoulder blades with the wings. From the nape of my neck to wherever looks good.”

Will turned him around and gave her an estimated height. “He doesn’t want it to big, but he also doesn’t want it small.”

“Gotcha,” she said. “Alright, let’s do this. You trust a girl to do your ink?”

“Yes?” Nico answered, confusion clear in his voice.

“Good answer,” she said with a smile. “Come on. Freckles, you coming too?” Will nodded, smirking at the ease she had with them. “Alright, handsome, shirt off. I’m going to print this, trace it, show you, then we can go into the ink. Deal?” Nico nodded, unbuttoning his shirt. She returned to the desk and Will tried to keep his eyes away from Nico as he removed his shirt.

Still, he couldn’t help but look back at him, the smoothness of his skin, littered with light scars, the soft fat that he had just above where his jeans were buttoned, the thin happy trail disappearing under them, the tops of his V-line teasing him.

He managed to tear his eyes away, trying to keep his face from overheating. Thankfully the tattoo artist came back with a trace for the tattoo and she sat Nico down on a chair. Nico sat backwards on it, draping his arms over the back of the chair. “I’m honestly a little terrified,” he whispered. Will smiled at him and pulled a chair up to sit in front of him.

“First tattoo, right?” the girl said. Nico nodded. “You’ll get addicted after this one,” she said with a smirk. “I’m Rebecca by the way.”

“Nico,” he answered.

“Will,” Will added. “Did you do your own tattoos?” he asked.

“Some of them. Or I at least designed them. But this is my shop, actually. I’ve been doing this since I was eighteen.” Nico placed his chin in his hands as she drew the outline on his back. “You getting a tattoo today too, Will?”

“No, just Nico,” he smiled. “I’m here for support.”

A few quiet, tense moments later, she pulled back and pulled her hair back. “Okay. Hand me that mirror there please.” Will grabbed a handheld mirror on the counter and gave it to her. She had Nico stand and reflected the tattoo onto the mirror. “What do you think?”

Nico smiled and his eyes began to sparkle. “I love it.” His eyes flickered to Will and Will nodded, giving him an encouraging smile. “It looks great.”

“Alright then. Come sit.” She grabbed her tools and Will kept his eyes on Nico. He looked excited but nervous at the same time.

Without thinking, Will reached forward and smoothed the crease between his eyebrows with his thumb. Nico’s eyes fluttered in surprise, and Will bit his lip nervously. “Don’t look so scared,” he murmured.

Nico smiled and held his hand out. “Hold my hand. I’m terrified.” Will scoffed but slid his hand into Nico’s. Their fingers didn’t intertwine. That was what couples did. They weren’t a couple. Will’s gaze fell and he wondered when would be a good time to mention the date or how he would even ask.

Then Rebecca said, “Okay. Here we go.” The sound of the needles pierced the air and Nico’s hand tightened around Will’s. He winced as the needles began to outline his skin.

He hummed and furrowed his eyebrows. “It hurts. But it’s not too bad.” Will sat, never releasing his hand. He tugged on a stray strand of hair that fell in front of Nico’s face as Nico’s brown eyes focused on him.

Then suddenly Nico grimaced and dipped his head. His shoulders rose and fell with the breaths he took and when his head came back up, his eyes were screwed shut and his bottom lip was between his teeth. The expression took Will by surprise, and he felt his face flood with embarrassment.

It didn’t help when Nico began to spew profanities under his breath between gasps, his own face flushed, though due to the pain. Will felt his own breaths become irregular as he watched Nico’s reactions. Without the sound of the needles or the smell of antiseptic, anyone could’ve mistaken those sounds and expressions.

And that was exactly what Will’s mind was doing.

He stood up, his hand sliding out of Nico’s. Nico opened his eyes in shock and look at him, but Will was too flustered to speak. “I… uh, be back,” he muttered. He disappeared into the bathroom at the back of the parlor and began splashing his face with cold water. He took a deep breath and shook his head in frustration.

He wanted to take Nico’s face in his hands and kiss him until he forgot his name. He wanted to taste his lips until he knew nothing else. He wanted to kiss every scar, every dip and curve and line of his body. He yearned to hold him. He was desperate for him.

He was absolutely and completely in love with Nico and it wasn’t going away. He had to do something about it before he went crazy.

When he finally had himself under control, he left the bathroom and returned to where Nico was clenching his fists, dipping his head as his shoulders hunched. “Is it that bad?” Will asked, his voice much steadier.

Nico glanced up and smiled tightly. “It hurts on the bone. Which is most of it.” He sighed and bit his lip. “I’m getting used to it.” He glanced at Will and raised an eyebrow. “You okay?” Will nodded, not elaborating, and praying Nico wouldn’t prod.

They were there for two and a half hours in all, with Will talking to him to distract him. Rebecca chimed in with stories now and then. On certain parts of the tattoo, Nico’s face would contort in pain as he clenched his fist and held on to the chair.

In the end, when Rebecca had coated the tattoo and covered it in plastic, Will looked at it and took a picture to show Nico. “It looks incredible,” he told him.

“So worth it,” Nico breathed. “Thank you so much,” he said as he walked with Rebecca to the front desk. As Nico paid, Will glanced at the designs along the wall. When he felt Nico’s hand on his arm, he turned and went with him to the car.

While he drove, he tried to muster up his courage and phrase the question in his head. He wanted to know if Nico felt okay to try again. He wanted to know if he was really just waiting on Will. Will wanted to tell him he trusted him and still loved him and was dying to be able to kiss him.

“So… how do you feel?” Will grimaced at the dark road and his pathetic cowardice.

“I feel great,” he said. “Hey, your phone keeps lighting up.” Will frowned and grabbed it, glancing at the name. It was the orientation committee group. He waited until he parked to check the messages and groaned when he read them. “What is it?” he asked.

“They want the leaders to go a day early to set up,” he sighed. “I have to get back to them tomorrow morning.”

“You wanted to be an OL,” Nico teased as he got out. “Ah, my back is very sensitive right now.” Will smirked and walked with him to the door. “So does that mean you have to get back to campus now?”

“It’s pretty late. I doubt I’ll wake up early enough otherwise….” Nico nodded and Will bit his lip, trying to fight the knot in his throat that kept him from speaking. “Um….” Nico raised an eyebrow, his eyes worried. “I-” Suddenly Will’s phone rang and he cursed as he pulled his phone out to answer. “Hello?”

“Will? Did you get the texts? Because-”

“Yes I got them, I’ll be back tonight,” he sighed.

“Okay, because we’re doing a dinner thing in the lobby and there won’t be food left if you don’t hurry.”

Will sighed and rubbed his neck. “I’ll be there soon.” He hung up and looked at Nico who was eyeing him curiously.

“You okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine. Just… have to get back soon.” Nico smiled and nodded.

“Okay. Well, thank you for driving me and coming with me and stuff. I appreciate it.”

“Of course,” he answered. He could still ask. He could still spit the words out.

“Goodnight. Drive safely.” Nico smiled and opened his door.

“Goodnight….” Nico shut the door and Will walked back to his car feeling both relieved and incredibly frustrated. He leaned his head against his steering wheel and groaned, grabbing fistfuls of his hair. “I’m an idiot,” he muttered.

Click Here for Ch. 30

#This time i put myself in Will #aghhhh #solangelo #will solace #nico di angelo #otp #wmu #breathe me #whoops #feedback please #seriously #anything #tags #reblogs #asks #anythiiiing

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